Breaks:
[L1,2 or 3] represents the beginning of a flashback to one of Elena's past lives. There is more than one past life, which is why I have put up the numbers. Though, these memories are usually told as she sleeps and Elena herself cannot remember them.
[/L1,2 or 3] represents the end of a flashback to one of Elena's past lives.
[P] represents the beginning of a retelling of a memory in Elena's current life.
[/P] represents the end of a retelling of a memory in Elena's current life.
~3~ is just a time skip
AN: Remember when I said this was a story for mature audiences? Yeah. Enjoy the story!
I didn't have the breath- let alone the energy- to scream. My hands dangled above my head and, immediately, I saw why I had lost my grip, why everything had been so slippery, why everything hurt.
From the inside of my wrists down to my palms and fingers... I was... I was torn to shreds. Ripped open and bloody. Pieces of chunky flesh dangled like something tried to use my hands as a chew toy and spat me back out half way through. I could even see white from between the chunks. Was the white supposed to be my muscle? Veins? The thought was making me sick.
Perhaps if I had more oxygen in my lungs, I would have had the energy to spare to be sick from the very sight. On what little breath I did manage to suck into my lungs I knew that the scent of iron was thick in the air. I could taste it. On top of it all, if this was what my arms looked like... I didn't even want to think about the mess that my legs must be in.
That panic that had gripped me so thoroughly slowly began to ebb. My fear remained.
Somehow there was no real pain despite the clear damage that I could see. I couldn't even flex my fingers... but there was no pain. Instinctively I knew that wasn't right. It was wrong. There was no way that my hands could look like this only for me to not feel it. Pain would have been natural. Instead all I could do was numbly stare at the damage as though the limbs belonged to someone else entirely.
My fear swelled in my chest as though an ocean of it resided inside me. Another thought had hit me heavily- there was no way I'd be able to create my portals. Portals were now out of my reach. I was moments away before this thing was clearly going to eat me and making a portal was now impossible. This was a terrifying realization.
Then, a bout of shame and loss came to me as I also realized how stupid it had been to hang onto the creature rather than immediately go for my portals when I'd had the chance. Perhaps I could have chopped the creature up with them ...all the while hoping that I didn't accidentally do the same to my companions while I was at it.
Anger followed that thought- what else could I have done as I was being shaken..?! It had felt as though my limbs were going to rip right out- my spine snap in two!- of course I was going to try and hang on!
Tears gathered at my eyes, of frustration and sorrow both.
I could only watch the mesmerizingly beautiful blue flower get closer. There was no looking away- this was death.
The petals were of a lighter color closer to the edges of the flower where it's 'teeth' were. It darkened into an almost purple color straight down the middle. It was all so vivid and bright despite how everything else in my vision had darkened and blurred. Everything but that flower seemed to simply... fade.
I was... helpless.
A chilling sort of calm came over me.
There was so much blood. It coated my skin now. Began to travel in lazy rivers down my arms. Something seemed to whisper in the back of my mind, certain and resigned. Even if I somehow made it out of the monster's hold, I was loosing too much blood already. There was no way I'd survive this.
There is no surviving this.
A choking gasp forced it's way out of my throat as the tightness around my chest increased. My already burning chest screamed under the pressure. The sound broke that eerie calm that had befallen me. Fear and anger rose up together in me. I did not want to die. But if it was inevitable I wanted this thing to end it quick, preferably while I still couldn't really feel anything more than a steady throb.
Thick drops of my blood fell and splattered on the petals. Abruptly the plant monster froze and I was forced to wheeze as I swayed from the halting movement. Thorns dug deeper into my torso, from my chest down to my hips. A crack resounded in my ears as pain splintered through my side hot enough to have white blotches splash across what little was left of my vision.
A vibrant blue glow came from below me. It blinded me nearly as much as the pain. Blearily I registered how the glow seemed to travel down the flower of the plant monster, through it's stem. Beautiful swirls and lines had lit up all along it's body.
Distinct familiarity hit me at the sight of the lit up emblems. A sense that instantly clashed with how I knew it was entirely alien.
More pain seared through me. If I could have, I would have screamed. Instead my vision went mercifully black.
[L1]
An involuntary yelp left me as my footing slipped on the pebbles that made up the side of this cliff. I went down, one leg bunching under me as my other went sideways in something that could have been a painful split if I hadn't stabilized myself with my palms in a split-second reaction. For a moment I stayed still and just breathed as I logged the momentary pain that crawled up the muscles of my leg starting at my ankle.
"Elena..?"
At the sound of my name my eyes widened and my head shot up to my left. On a ledge above was my best friend, his features highlighted with the golden light of the rising sun. He was crouched on his ledge, one hand down in front of him for balance while the other was clearly ready to summon Wakfu if needed. Tired brown eyes were set upon me with curiosity.
"Yugo!" I gasped, immediately delighted at the sight of him. My stomach flipped with nerves as happiness zipped through me electrically. Then my mind reminded me exactly why I shouldn't be seeing him yet- and suddenly I was very annoyed with him.
He'd only just gotten over the worst of the poison before I'd come out here on my own.
With a scowl on my face, "you shouldn't be up yet!"
Head tilted curiously, "Elena... what are you doing down there..?" Yugo questioned me instead of listening, and I heaved a sigh to relive myself of the annoyance that brought up in me.
Goddess Eliatrope knew just how much he liked to get under my skin for no apparent reason other than to get me angry at times. However he did almost die on me. Him finding ways to annoy me was a relief, if anything.
"I'm just fetching this here," I answered as I pointed to the sole leafy green plant that grew in such a precarious place. "The roots will help you feel better faster."
"Oh... do you want some help?"
"No." I denied with a frown. Pointedly, "what I want is for you to make a full recovery. But that can't happen if you're not laying down and actually letting yourself recover."
He didn't answer for a while, simply returned my gaze steadily. I noticed how he seemed to be thinking hard about something with the way he'd furrowed his brow.
"What is it?" I questioned him when I thought the silence had dragged on long enough. My annoyance quickly switched into worry, "anything hurt?"
"No..." Yugo shook his head lightly but the troubled expression didn't go away. "You... you healed me."
At once I let out a breath, "wha... of course I healed you!" My frown deepened as anger entered my tone, my heart redoubling it's speed at the implications, "and if you thought that I'd just... just leave you to die...!"
But he was already shaking his head again, "you were purring."
"Oh."
Instantly I felt heat rise to my face at the statement. Because it wasn't a question in the least. I had really hoped he'd been too out of it to notice. Apparently not.
All adult Eliatropes would to purr for children when said children were seeking comfort. Children might even do so for one another if the situation called for it. However a healing purr, or more commonly known as a Bonded Purr, was special.
Being the first of us all, it was Mina and Chibi who first discovered the Bonded Purr. Essentially it was familiarizing yourself with the Wakfu of a single person and, in a way, calling to it. It provided some rejuvenation and stimulated advanced healing in the one being purred to. However an Eliatrope could only ever do this for one other.
Which was why, as a whole, Eliatropes tended to reserve such an ability for their life partner- their mate. It wasn't a rule or a law. This was simply a custom. There have been Eliatropes who have paired with someone but chose to have their Bonded Purr for a close friend when that friend needed it. However, that was something that was most common when an Eliatrope mated with someone who wasn't also an Eliatrope and thus could not return the Bonded Purr in kind.
This wasn't exactly the way I wanted him to find out about how I felt... but then again I didn't exactly have a solid plan to tell him in the first place either. Swallowing, I took in a fortifying breath, and met his gaze steadily.
For a second I tried to read exactly what he thought.
Unfortunately I wasn't a mind reader and Yugo's expression seemed to have gone carefully blank. All I could do was dreg up the courage to actually ask him about his thoughts... and not run away from what I felt either.
Because it would be so much easier- so much safer- to deny ever purring. I could tell him that he'd heard things in his poison induced delirium. That there had been a passing animal that purred perhaps. But that wouldn't explain how quickly he healed. Wouldn't explain the heat on my face either.
"I did." I answered instead, instantly feeling the way that my stomach swooped at the admittance to him. At once I felt light, happy to finally let him know that I wanted more than just friendship. But that light feeling quickly plummeted at the sight of him looking pained all of a sudden.
It felt like a rock had formed in my gut as the only possible solution for such a look hit me heavily- he didn't feel the same. I couldn't breathe. Everything around me seemed to freeze at the mere thought. Something sharp and hot stabbed at my heart. For a very long moment I combed over all my memories of the two of us, searching for some sort of reason as to why..?
Eventually, I slowly came to the realization that something needed to be said. This dead silence between us needed to come to an end.
Only then did I remember that I shouldn't jump to conclusions.
My breath came back sharply. Time seemed to tick on again as I clutched the remaining pieces of my fractured heart. I didn't actually say that I love him out loud. All I did... was purr. What was he actually upset about? I needed to know. With that in mind, I summoned all of my courage.
Desperately hoping that he wasn't about to reject me outright, "Yugo..?"
"Now you... you can't do that for anyone else now." He answered, voice sounding strangled as he said it. His Wakfu wings fell flat inside his hat, telling me that he was a lot more upset than I had initially thought.
Did he think... that I purred because I thought there was no other choice?
As far as I was concerned, even if he didn't return my feelings- or the purr- I didn't regret my actions in the least. For me it was an eventuality because I couldn't even imagine myself being comfortable enough with anyone else to even attempt to purr like that.
"Yes." I affirmed, confused. Then a realization dawned on me. Did he not...? While it hurt me to say it, I knew immediately he needed to know, "you don't..." I swallowed and did my best to sound strong, "you don't have any obligation to return it."
Finally Yugo looked back down to me, brown gaze filled with pain that pierced right through me. Then, "you... you and Qilby." He stated, shocking me. "The two of you are together."
Once again the world seemed to freeze as I digested that. It almost felt like he'd slapped me and the sound still rang in my ears while my thoughts tried to untangle and make sense of what he'd said.
"What." I eventually managed to get out, equally stunned and repulsed by the very thought when the words finally registered. Me and Qilby...?! Bile threatened to rise. My stomach churned violently at the thought. That'd be the same as being interested in Mina! Or Tehanu!
There was a part of me, however, that still hung in suspense. I suddenly really needed to know if he wanted to return the purr or not. The three words I had been keeping secret in my heart were on the tip of my tongue, begging to be said aloud to him.
Wide eyed, I looked up at him, "Yugo... where... Where did you get such an idea...?"
At that, for some reason, he looked at me with shock. Opened his mouth, then paused as though to think better on his words, then tried again.
"You're... you're not?"
"No!" I enforced, grimacing, "never have I been- nor would I ever choose to be- with him."
(I love you!)
"...never?" He breathed like the fact was hard to believe.
(I love you!)
"Never!" I huffed and continued because this could not be left unsaid, "at most I see Qilby as a brother. He has interesting ideas and inventions that can help with medicine but I can't stand being in the same room as him for more than a few hours at a time. All Qilby truly cares to talk about is his inventions or himself. Half the time- if he even gets around to asking me about myself- its just to be polite and then he never remembers anything I say. If I even get to say anything without being interrupted! The only reason he is able to make inventions for medicine is because I've written down requests of him."
"Then..." I was calmed by realization I could see in his eyes. His tone was now purely inquisitive, "why do you visit him so often?"
At that question I felt my own Wakfu wings fall.
"Because he is still sad."
When Yugo tilted his head, clearly asking for more information, I gave a silent sigh.
"I'm sure you remember how he was when Nora passed. After a while, Chibi asked me to look after him. Qilby... he was very close to her and only by working together did Shinonome and I manage to get him out of the mindset he had been in. Soon Nora will be a child again and still he hurts each time he sees her. I believe... he blames himself for her passing.
"So I continue to visit him often, to check on his health. I make sure his grief has not completely consumed him." I gave him a sad smile, "like someone else I know... others do their best to stay away."
Brown eyes averted from my own instantly. A deep frown formed on Yugo's face.
"Yugo..." I pleaded. Whispered, "Yugen."
Finally he looked back to me, brown eyes wide with surprise. It was the name of his Wakfu. The name is him. Mina has told me how it was another experience entirely to be addressed by the name of your self and not the name given by parents at birth. The only way to know such a name was if the one who purred for you uttered it. Perhaps it was a little unfair for me to use it on him so suddenly, but I wanted his attention... and an answer.
"You are a wonderful and caring person, Yugo. Each day you protect our people with your strength, put your own life on the line for them even when they don't know it. You work hard, are honest- sometimes to a fault- and are reliable." Tears pricked at my eyes. I knew my words affected him just as much as they did me- if the way his own eyes misted was any indication. "So why... why do they stay away...?"
Blinking, Yugo heaved a breath and looked to his knees. He looked as though he were being tortured, "...'Lena... don't ask..." he pleaded back and something inside me bled for him at the sound of it.
(I love you!)
"I need to know..." I told him hoarsely, "it hurts me each time I see them treat you that way, Yugo. If I can't get it to stop... I want to know why. No one will tell me."
And I did ask. Mina tended to dodge the question. Chibi told me that it wasn't yet time for me to know. Qilby never listened long enough to answer. Shinonome always went quiet and didn't speak to me for days after. Adamai would hang his head and tell me it wasn't his story to tell. Grougal grew grave and shook his head. Pharis would tell me to leave it be. The children, of course, were ignorant but followed their adult's example. And the adult Eliatropes gave me a wide birth each time Yugo's name was even mentioned.
It was so frustrating. Painful. I hated seeing my best friend, the one I love, be treated as though he was someone to be feared.
"Please..." I asked when Yugo stayed quiet. He closed his eyes tight and tensed. Quietly, imploringly, "Yugen..." I cried softly, getting him to look at me again. (I love you!) "Please... it hurts."
"...because..." his voice broke with his own pain. I could see in his eyes how it hurt him too. How scared he was of it... or maybe of telling me.
My gut twisted hard at the realization. Whatever it was, he felt sure that telling me- the only one who doesn't seem to know- was terrifying. The thought that, perhaps, this was a story so big it could change my opinion of him came to mind. My heart gave a twang like a note to a wind instrument hit wrong.
While I knew that there was very little Yugo could do to change my affections... he did not know that. Purring for him had not assured him of it.
"I... I'm..."
Teeth grit, Yugo clammed up again, shut his eyes tight as he fought for breath. In an instant I was at his side on that ledge, my portal winked closed behind me as I pulled him into a tight sideways hug. His head rested over my heart and I circled my arms around his shaking shoulders. Closing my own eyes, I let the soft sound that could only call to him rumble from my chest. Gently I rested my head on his.
My legs had long since gone numb before he calmed again. Still I didn't move. Simply held him tighter as, slowly, he told me the story.
[\L1]
Bright blue swirls and emblems blazed above me, beyond a white film of energy that I could feel buzz around me.
Gasping for breath, I shot up into a seated position, clutching at my chest that burned. Desperately I sucked in breath that didn't want to stay in my lungs. Curled my legs under me and fought back the tears that pricked the corners of my eyes.
Had my insides been boiled? Every inch of me felt as though it were raw, like I'd been put on a skillet and roasted by a fire and rotated every few minutes to be well done.
Eyes snapping open, I took full account for my wounds. Or really, the lack of them despite the pain. The clothes I wore were torn and sporting numerous large holes. Blood that was still fresh coated me like some sort of terrible blanket. Yet my skin was smooth to the touch, completely healed as though I had no injury to begin with. My hands, which I had been certain were beyond ruined... were fine.
Shocked, I looked up and frantically took in the cavernous space I suddenly found myself in.
Bright blue swirls and emblems lit up the walls and ceiling. Many, many rows of plants filled said cavern, nestled inside raised circular plant beds. Each bed was contained in that same white energy that was around me. The plants within the enclosed space of the beds seemed to vary drastically between them. They all looked like a slice of a miniature alien world, taken from all sorts of climates and regions which held both similarities and differences between one another.
They were terrariums.
At least a hundred of these terrariums were present, in a circular pattern from the middle of the cavern headed outwards. Wide flagstone walkways- wide enough to fit five people shoulder to shoulder- separated them and connected them together.
Despite my confusion and disorientation and pain it was rather breathtaking to see.
Decorated columns of solid stone held up the ceiling. Seven were placed throughout the space, in a wide circle, while an eighth seemed to hold up the very center of the cavern. If a line were to be drawn between the outer columns it would make a perfect seven pointed star. My eyes were drawn to the winged serpent-creature that was carved in the stone of every column.
A pang of recognition seem to go through me. But I had no idea what it was.
Being in a relatively empty terrarium beside one such column, it was easy to notice how the details of the decorated column wavered. Water. Each column seemed to glitter with the steady down flow of water. It pooled into a basin at the base of the column, only to trickle out through pinprick holes that coincided with the crevices of stone in the flagstone walkways. That water then disappeared under the raised terrarium beds, assumingly to provide a constant access of moisture.
Just like all the others, the terrarium I was in was as wide and round as the main room of the Summit Tree. Soft dark dirt was under me, soaked to now be a coppery color. In the rest of the space, curious plants whose blue-green leaves curled to be bowl-shaped dotted the area. It looked to be perfect to hold something liquid.
My eyes closed as my breathing finally calmed. I wondered how exactly I got here. My mind only drew a blank at that question. That is, until I remembered being hung upside down again. The vividness of colors on the plant monster and the emblems that had lit up along the creature's body.
Shocked, a hard breath was sucked in through my teeth. I snapped my head back up.
Stood in the space between my terrarium and another was the plant monster that had (nearly) killed me. It stood sentinel while facing the very center stone column as though waiting for something. Only it's feelers moved about, telling me that the creature was, in fact, alive and how- still shockingly- I was too.
Great gulps of air sawed in and out of my lungs as I sat there and took in how I was alive and desperately wondered why. This didn't make any sense.
It was going to eat me.
Taking in the plant monster once again, I saw how it was- in fact- still glowing. The swirls and emblems all along it matched with those seen all over the cavern ceiling and walls. With the better lighting I could tell how the legs of the creature looked to be something like roots what with the small delicate hairs that protruded from them. At the same time those legs seemed to act like branches of a tree, with how it protruded from the main body of the creature and had rough bark growing where the limbs touched the ground the most.
For a brief moment, a sort of awe came over me at the sight of the plant monster. I wanted to go examine it and discover exactly how it was that it was able to do what it does.
That is, until I also remembered how I hadn't been alone at the time when I was about to be eaten. Something sharp and potent stabbed in my gut as I realized exactly how alone I was right now. Panic rose within me, quicker than I could take a single breath. Where were the others? Yugo-?
Movement caught at the edge of my vision. When I glanced over to see, I sucked in a sharp breath as I immediately noted all the red.
In a terrarium separate from my own, two rows out of the circle of decorated columns and closest to the cavern all, Yugo stood. His hands were against the white film of energy that surrounded that space as though it were a solid mass. There was clear worry and alarm in his eyes and movements. It only seemed to calm when he noticed that he had my attention.
I was more worried about the blood that I could see which soaked his clothes. The sight had my heart both drop to my stomach and start to beat so quick it hurt. Frozen, I watched him move and slowly managed to swallow down the panic inside. There seemed to be no pain in his movements. Only then did I allow the relief at the sight of him make it's way through me.
Yugo moved his hands in clear indication that he was going to use portals- only for nothing to happen. He did so again and again and I could see the mounting frustration in his movements.
A distant part of myself that didn't feel so overwhelmed couldn't help but comment- no wonder Yugo looked alarmed.
Behind Yugo I could see the rest of the travelers, all sat together and looking... defeated as they watched Yugo pace. Moon was with them, curled on Amalia's lap and looking terrified. Evangeline seemed to share a quick gaze with Ruel before they went back to watching Yugo. They were all covered in various amounts of blood. My alarm at the sight, however, was tempered even more at seeing how no one seemed to be fretting over it.
I doubted that I looked much better than them, covered in blood as I am. Though I also had to wonder, why were they all together over there... while I was all alone over here?
Slowly I gathered my legs under myself and pushed up to my feet. A bout of dizziness came over me and I swayed, put out my hands for balance. When it passed I moved slower to approach the white energy. Did my best to ignore the soreness all over as I moved. My clothes felt heavy under the weight of my own blood, like noticing just how heavy water actually was during that moment when I step out of the ocean while fully clothed.
There were a few terrariums with fully grown trees in them. Some of those trees went up and up and up, straight as can be, and seemed to be as thick around as a villager's house. Others had odd plants that seemed to be growing on their branches. Branches that seemed to interconnect and twist and fuse together with the other trees in that same terrarium.
Some terrariums looked as though only one solid color was allowed, and most had tiny flying insect-like organisms. Based on that I could infer that most- or maybe a few at the very least- would have other creatures inside them. Little amphibians perhaps. However they were likely very adept at blending in to the environment within their slice of a world.
Crouched down, I could see quite clearly that there seemed to be no seam between the start of the plant bed edge and the white energy of my personal terrarium. It was as though the energy were a part of the plant bed itself. When I looked up I could see how the white energy simply acted like a dome, covering the plant bed like one giant lid.
As I straightened again, I brought my attention back to Yugo. There were two other terrariums between myself and him. One filled with more bowl-like plants that actually seemed to be holding something that seemed to glisten and glow electric blue. The other had tiny red stemmed plants that reminded me of fire with how the flowers that grew on them were a beautiful sunset orange with striped yellow insides. The flowers were no taller than my ankles and seemed to be carefully spaced apart from one another. I got the strong feeling that I shouldn't touch them.
I could see how Yugo had put both hands on the white film around his bed of plants. It looked like he was talking but I couldn't hear a word that he said. When he seemed to gain an expectant look in his eyes, I tilted my head at him curiously. Once again Yugo spoke and whatever it was this time it seemed to be enough to get Dally up to his feet.
Brandishing Rubilax, Dally ran forward determinedly. In a wide arc he brought the blade down against the white energy. It stretched out, following the blade. Dally's body trembled under the force he put into the blow. His face scrunched up with focus. Then Dally bounced off the white energy as though it were made of rubber. He was thrown clear across the terrarium, hit the other side of the white energy with his back, bounced off that and smashed into the ground face first. Despite not hearing anything I had felt the vibration of the impact reach all the way over here.
My jaw dropped at the sight as alarm skittered through me. Dally didn't bother to get up again. Only Evangeline got up. She crouched at his side but I couldn't see her face from my angle. After a few moments Dally simply waved the sword as though to show he was unharmed and I let out a sigh.
When I looked back to Yugo I saw the expectant look in his eyes again. Abruptly I realized that he was showing me what they already knew. No portals. Don't use blunt force. Sound doesn't travel through the white energy.
I gave a grateful nod to show that I understood. Except Yugo wasn't looking at me anymore. Instead he gestured wildly. If it weren't for the worry in his eyes I would have found it funny how he seemed to dance about. Not to mention how all the others had suddenly gotten up to gesture with him.
Trepidation grew in my gut. Hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Then I flinched at feeling something catch on the back of my clothes.
Spun on the ball of my foot I gasped at how the plant monster had entered through the white film of energy as though it weren't present at all. Now stood directly in front of me, it's feelers of thorns waved about aimlessly. I stepped back to avoid being touched again- keenly aware of just how much damage this creature could cause me.
My hand went back behind me to feel for the white buzzing energy that I was bound to touch at any moment now. All I had to do was go around the plant monster and maybe I could get out through the side that it had entered-
The hairs on the backs of my fingers rose. It felt like I'd just passed my hand through still water. I glanced back over my shoulder to see, and gaped at how my hand simply passed through the white energy as though it was nothing more than air. I'd barely had a moment to register it before my attention was once again snatched by the plant monster.
It's feelers had moved forwards to try and hook around me, catch my clothes. I wasn't sure why it was taking the time to do so rather than snatch me around the middle again but I wasn't about to take the time to stop and ask it either. Instead I moved back, jumped from the plant bed to the cavern walkway.
When I landed lightly on my toes I nearly stumbled at the sensation of burning that ran up my legs. Tears sprung to my eyes as I forced myself up and dashed down the circular walkway between the plant beds. More of that burning sensation spread across my chest, over my ribs. It hurt.. but it wasn't enough to stop me from getting away.
Instantly the plant monster had given chase, moving so much quicker than I had expected it to be able. On instinct I tried for my portals- and then barely managed to jump away from a feeler when nothing happened. Springing up from my hands, I landed back on my feet and continued my sprint as I took in great gasps of breath to try to mediate against the uncomfortable burning pain.
Desperately I looked around, hoping to find something that could help me take this plant monster down- or give me some sort of advantage over it. But I barely even knew what I was up against in the first place and the plant beds around me held things that were completely alien.
Stumbling, I fell into a roll that had me gasp out in pain while I felt the tail end of my hat be brushed by a feeler. I couldn't help the shiver that went through me at the night-terror-ish thought of having the piece be ripped off my person. Somehow I managed to use the roll to my advantage and sprung back onto my feet, kept running.
First those feelers had to go. With them gone, it was likely that the creature wouldn't be able to give chase anymore- let alone grab me and shake me again. I wished that I had my portals. With no others present I could have easily used my portals to slice this creature up. Maybe even use it's own limbs against it.
My eyes landed on the others whom were all crowded against the white energy that they were trapped inside. Locking my ankle, I allowed myself to slide as I took a sharp turn towards them. Despite the water that flowed through the crevices of stone, the walkway wasn't even slick.
Out of the corner of my eye I spotted how a feeler whipped around to snatch me. A hissed escaped me as I performed a front roll (purposely this time) to avoid it. All it grabbed was air. As soon as I was back on my feet again I jumped up into the terrarium directly in front of Yugo and the others.
I almost regretted doing so immediately. Instinct screamed at me with alarm the moment I passed through the white film of energy. The temperature change alone was enough to be a shock- I felt as though I had just jumped into the water of the spring when the island was in the middle of it's Frost. It was freezing. Goosebumps rose on my flesh and I shivered, teeth chattered involuntarily. Condensation from each heavy breath I made gathered on the inside of my mask, making it start to freeze against my skin.
The dirt gave a crunch as I landed between a row of four beautiful orange flowers- and I nearly froze when they instantly closed up into a tight bud. Trying not to touch them- or startle them more?- I jumped between the rows carefully.
More crunches started behind me- the plant monster I was certain- and my careful progress was forgotten about as I instead made for a hasty exit.
When I reached the edge of the terrarium, I looked up just on time to see how the group's eyes only widened as I approached. Only when I didn't slow my approach in the least did they suddenly scatter to either side.
Like Dally had shown me, if I could rebound against that specific energy at just the right angle... I pushed off with everything I had, felt how my clothes gained a new tear when a feeler brushed against my back. With a lunge I fell forwards, tensed in anticipation-
Just like all the other white energy that surrounded the plant beds, I slipped straight through without any sort of resistance.
"Wha-?!" I yelped as I landed hard on my chest, drug up a trench of dirt around me as I skidded to a painful stop.
"What are you doing?!" I heard Amalia yell at a painfully high pitched tone, "you've led it straight to us!"
At the same time, "what a perfect plan!" Dally shouted with glee in complete contrast to the princess's fear and opinion. "You've lead it straight to it's defeat! Eva! Watch as I end this in one blow!"
"Do it Dally!" Evangeline answered instantly, a strange cross between an order and genuine encouragement.
A grunt left me as a small body landed on my back. Worried and anxious coos met my ears as I felt my monkey friend pace in anxious circles. Hissing from the pain, I slowly lifted myself up to my shaking hands and knees. Moon stayed where he was, occasionally patting me as though to make sure there weren't any actual wounds on me.
"Elena..!" Yugo appeared at my side and helped me to stand. Moon scrambled up to my shoulders, placed himself between my neck and the tail of my hat and hunkered down. "You alright?"
Heavy breaths heaved through my lungs. My entire front was now covered in dark dirt. The sides of my face thrummed with pain from my mask being pressed so awkwardly against me in the fall. Hands and arms throbbed in tune with my heart. All of me felt entirely too hot. Light tremors shook my body at the effort it took stay standing. I was not alight. But with his presence now right beside me, all I wanted to do was give him a hug that lasted for a mere fraction of eternity. Somehow I just knew that would help me assure myself that we were both okay.
Would this be an alright time to do that? Could I just pull him into a hug right now? He'd said hugs were okay, hadn't he? Even in front of people? In light of my need to give him a hug, I hated that I wasn't sure.
Between my gasping for air, "what... what about you?" I managed to ask instead, concern twisted in my gut as I took the moment to observe him up close.
Just like me, Yugo's clothes were torn into and covered in blood. It didn't look like there were any wounds on him, however. I couldn't see a single open wound, cut, or even a scratch. Upon realizing this that tight ball of concern that had twisted into my gut began to ease somewhat. A soft sort of grin had grown on Yugo's face, one that somehow accentuated the relief I could see in his gaze. Had he... felt the same concern I had for him?
My heart gave a funny jolt at the thought and I had to look away.
Dally stood closest to the edge of the terrarium where I had slipped through the white energy. Rubilax was drawn and held in front of him with both hands. To his left was Ruel, golden shovel ready. On his right was Evangeline with her bow drawn. A bright yellow arrow made of pure magic crackled in the space between the taut string and bow. Amalia stood behind Evangeline and to my right. And they all stood in front of Yugo and me- between the charging plant monster and us.
Except when the feelers passed through the white energy the plant monster came to a dead halt. We all stared, stunned. It backed away enough to let it's feelers flutter fretfully around the outside of the white energy.
"Aggh-! Common!" Dally whined, first to break the tense silence. He waved Rubilax around threateningly. "Get in here you coward!"
"...we can't do anything if it won't even come in." Evangeline stated as she allowed her magic arrow to dissipate. Slowly she drew back her taut bow and let the weapon drop to her side.
"How are you able to go through like that?" Yugo asked me while we all tensely watched the creature start to circle around. All except for Dally- he walked after it, calling the creature names in a clear attempt to get it to enter the empty terrarium and attack him.
"I'm not sure..." I answered honestly, my breath now nearly back to normal. "It's like nothing is there- I just do."
"Then maybe you can get us out too." Evangeline pipped up, as she looked over to me with a calculating look in her eyes.
"How?"
"Try taking my hand as you go through." Evangeline explained, "that way the barrier is already open before I touch it."
Something about what she said didn't sit right with me.
"...if it doesn't work..?" I questioned with worry, only for Evangeline to furrow her brow at me.
Green eyes questioning, "what do you mean?"
"What if it doesn't let anything through the moment I'm not touching it anymore?" I pointed out more clearly. What could happen to her hand if the energy didn't let anything else but me through was left to their imaginations.
Personally my mind jumped to my portals and what happened when they closed with something going part way through it. While quite useful, it certainly wasn't a fate I'd want for Evangeline's arm.
"Take something else with you." Yugo suggested.
At his suggestion, the first thought that came to mind was to point out how barren this terrarium was- until I actually looked around. I did a double take at what I saw. My eyes were drawn near the middle of the terrarium we were in.
A piece of wood seemed to be half buried there. It looked large and bulky with the half of it that was not buried growing a fine culture of moss. There was a prickle of unease that went up my spine at the sight of it. That unease only grew stronger as I scrutinized the wood from where I was.
Worse, I spotted a second piece of wood not too far away from this one- only that one had clearly not deteriorated as much as the one I'd initially seen. And that one had pieces of brown colored sticks around it.
I gave another look around the terrarium and felt rather startled. Those 'brown sticks' seemed to be concentrated in the middle of the terrarium and there were hundreds of them, if not thousands. All of different sizes. Some yellow. Even fewer were white.
Realization settled on me uncomfortably like a stone in my throat. They weren't 'sticks' but bones. There were even feathers and tufts of fur. Parts of skulls. It wasn't exactly a graveyard, it was more of just a place where beings had been placed to die. And by the looks of it... there had been villagers here before.
Immediately I felt sick at the thought. My mind cast back to when my mask had been taken and I'd been sent into the woods. There had been disappearances at the time.
Was the plant monster the culprit? Or was there something else that hadn't shown itself yet?
A rush of anger washed through me as I had been the one blamed for this. However my initial anger soon tapered out. I'd known for a while how the villagers actions had been inevitable. Their most recent actions during the fall of the Summit Tree was only more proof that I hadn't needed. The plant monster's actions- assuming only the plant monster was responsible- had probably only hastened the villagers decision to get rid of me.
"Here," Amalia bent and put her hands on the dirt of the bed.
Thankfully, there weren't really any bones where we stood. Eyes closed, she concentrated. From between her hands a little green sprout pushed it's way out of the dirt. It grew to be about the length of my forearm, sprouted a few leaves along it's length, before it hardened and turned brown.
"Go ahead and use that." Amalia told me with a frown.
"Okay..." I answered uncertainly.
Amalia seemed to share a lot in common with the villagers. From her frown I didn't think it was too far off to assume she held something of the same value towards plants that they have. Hurting plants for hurting plants in general wasn't something that would be allowed in the village. Their ideal was to take only what was needed from nature. Perhaps Amalia felt the same, knowing that we needed something to help us figure things out, but was still not happy to use a plant in the first place.
Either way, I decided to not pose any questions about it. Instead I simply grabbed the stick Amalia had grown and pulled it up from the dirt. It gave easily. Little root hairs clung to tiny chunks of dirt at the one end. It's leaves shivered from the movement but didn't fall dead to the ground at my feet.
Glancing over towards Dally and the creature, I went in the opposite direction of them. Walked far around the area of concentrated bones.
"How'd you all get in here?" I questioned Yugo as I tested the white energy with my newly acquired stick.
I poked at the energy with the stick and I was surprisingly delighted at the springy way the energy moved under the light pressure I put behind said stick. The energy didn't give away in the least, like a young springy tree that was being bent out of shape. As soon as I let up with the pressure the energy moved back into place as though it had never been disturbed to begin with.
"We all woke up here." Yugo answered as he too watched the energy spring back into place with interest. "I... we couldn't find you..." he trailed off. When I glanced over I could see how a little bit of pink dusted across his nose which was accompanied by a small frown that pulled at his mouth.
"We were very worried." Evangeline added then as she stopped just behind Yugo. While she gave me a grin, she gave Yugo a pat on the shoulder.
"About... me..?" I asked, stunned.
Instantly I remembered how I had felt at the sight of them all separated from me and very clearly injured. Even when I realized that they weren't actually injured that concern and worry I had felt didn't completely tapper away until I was near them. But the thought that they might have felt the same... towards me...?
For a split second I thought that I had seen a flash of anger enter Evangeline's green gaze- but then it was gone, replaced with warm assurance, so quick that I was left confused. When my gaze landed on Yugo I, once again, wondered if I could just give hugs whenever I felt like it.
"Yes," Evangeline stated certainly and my attention snapped back to her, "we were worried about you, Elena."
My breath came short at that, eyes wide. A warm squirmy thing wiggled around in my gut. It was some sort of mix between relieved and delighted and disbelieving all at once. Suddenly I couldn't quite look Evangeline in the eye anymore. But then, I didn't need to. She'd moved and wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. It was so warm and nice my eyes started to prick with tears.
"I promise." Evangeline whispered into the top of my hat.
Moon squirming around under the pressure of the tail of my hat squishing him against my neck was the only reason why I remembered to breathe at all. Hesitantly, I returned the gesture. While this felt slightly restrictive and even a bit smothering (it wasn't a Yugo hug) I still found myself absorbing the warmth of it anyhow. Too tired and exhausted and hurting not to.
"I'm... I'm happy everyone... is okay." I answered slowly, trying to recover.
It was difficult. I felt all worn out. So much has happened today... or for however long it has been since I was last awake in the tunnels. All I wanted was to sleep it all off. Let myself recover. Give Yugo a hug. Eat something. Of course, I couldn't exactly go do any of that.
Instead I focused on pushing it all down again, the good and the bad. I'd find a moment to try and sort through it all another time. When we weren't in an unknown place and possibly about to die- again.
"That's..." Evangeline pulled back and I could see the confusion in her eyes just as much as I could hear it in her voice. I blinked and took in long quiet breaths to steady myself. My body remembered to complain about how not okay I was at the moment while I listened, "Amalia and I woke up first... it was the creature... it just... it brought something that healed us and... you too."
There was a long bout of silence that seemed to stretch on forever as I processed that.
"What." I stated, incredulous, when I'd understood. Disbelieving that I even had to, I still pointed towards the pile of bones in the terrarium. Evangeline grimaced and I knew she understood that silent reminder. I added another just in case, "it also tried to eat us."
"But then it didn't, right?" Evangeline pointed out, though she only sounded a little uncertain. When I looked over to Yugo I could see how he furrowed his brow and when our eyes met I could clearly see the confusion that I felt reflected in him. "It just... brought us all here."
"So then..." I looked around the cavern, took in the space and the many plants carefully contained within it. It's decorated winged serpent-creature columns, the emblems on the walls, and the large walkways with water that trickled between the stones. "Where is here?"
"We're somewhere under the mountain." Amalia answered as she crossed her arms. She kept her eyes on Dally and the plant monster as they circled the edge of the plant bed. "Eva and I stumbled upon this place when we were looking for everyone else." She pointed towards her left as she spoke. When I followed the direction, I spotted how there seemed to be a pile of rubble not too far off from the terrarium we were in. Just above that rubble was a circular hole in the wall- the decayed roots of the Summit Tree. "Then that creature found us... and now were all stuck in here unless you can figure out how to get us all out."
I took in a breath and let it out slowly. Did my best not to stare at the bones only a few feet away.
"...right." Lifting a hand, I touched the white energy, and passed straight through it without any sort of resistance. The energy was snug against me, making my skin tingle just enough for me to know that something was touching me. It was almost as though I were passing through a veil of water. Or maybe a cloud of mist.
More to myself than anyone else, "why can I do this...?" I questioned softly.
Turning to be halfway in the energy and halfway out, I held out the stick as though it were someone's hand- and hopped right out. The second when my feet touched the cavern's flagstone walkway my hand that held the stick had left the white energy completely. And the moment that there was only the stick within the white energy, said stick snapped clean in two. I held up the few inches that were left between my fingers as the others looked to the rest that had fallen to the plant bed.
"Good thing that wasn't a hand." I sighed, somewhat relieved. Then blinked when I heard Moon let out a whine next to my ear, felt how he held on tighter to my shoulders. I turned my head but wasn't able to see more than his brown fur. "Moon...?"
Then I gasped, realizing, "Moon! What were you doing there this whole time?! You could've gotten hurt!"
I brought up a hand to pet him, "you silly monkey...! I'm so glad you're okay...!" He made no move though, not to accept my affection or reject it. Moon simply whimpered, hunkered down even more. It made me tense, as though something were wrong. Did he actually get hurt? "Moon..?"
Just as I was about to reach up for him and bring my friend into my arms, I felt that same tug on my clothes as though I had gotten them stuck in some brambles. Instantly I knew exactly what I had forgotten about- and felt the alarm course through me as I jolted into action.
"Stupid-! Careless-!" I berated myself as I bolted into a high jump where I lifted my knees to touch my chest. I swallowed a yelp at the burn the movement caused in me and saw how the thorned feeler passed right under me where my feet had been. A shiver went down my spine at how close I'd just come to being caught again. "How do you forget that thing-?!"
Once I'd landed I spun around and stumbled back, ducked and did my best to weave in a poor imitation as to when I would dodge hunter villagers before I learned the regular routes that they took around the island. As soon as the chance arose, I lunged for the terrarium the party was in. I passed through the energy without issue and gritted my teeth as I sprung off my hands in order to land in a crouch.
Moon clung to me so desperately it was painful but I didn't pay that any mind considering the circumstances.
"Come in here and fight like a man!" Dally shouted at the plant monster as he slid into a stop just before he could touch the area of the white energy I had come back in through. He waved Rubilax over his head threateningly. "Picking on children is deplorable!"
"My you're quite agile aren't you, Elena?" Ruel commented as Yugo came to my side and helped me up again. His grip on my hand rivaled Moon's on my shoulders. Evangeline sent a glare in Ruel's direction and the old man swallowed, partial smile wiped away. He coughed to clear his throat. More seriously, "any injuries from your hopping about?"
"I... don't think so..." I huffed, out of breath again.
There mustn't have been too much time that passed since the tunnels, based on how tired I was and how much pain I was in. On a regular day Moon and I could play for hours before I got this tired. However, if my clothes were any indication, I have lost quite a bit of blood. Where I had been injured in the tunnels burned, the sensation only getting worse as I moved about. On top of it I was quite hungry too. I had no idea when I last ate. A small tremor started at my knees, threatening my balance the longer that I stood. Despite the remains in the terrarium the dirt was starting to look rather soft.
"I'm convinced," Amalia suddenly spoke up, authority saturating her tone. When we all looked over at her, she was staring at the creature with narrowed eyes. "It doesn't want to hurt you, Elena."
It took a second for my mind to catch up. Stop thinking about sleep.
"Huh?" I wasn't the only one to voice it either. Evangeline and Yugo both looked to Amelia as though she'd just spoken a different language- she might as well have for all the sense she was making.
"It tried... to eat us." I reminded, exasperated.
"Us." Amalia agreed. She looked over to me. Her brown eyes were filled with certainty, "but not you."
Nerves started to build in my stomach at her tone. I felt the ears of my hat fall back with my trepidation.
"What are you trying to say, Amalia?" Ruel asked with a quirk of his white brow. "You can understand it now?"
"No, I still can't commune with it." Amalia shook her head. "But I can see that it wants Elena for something. You should see what it wants."
"What?!" Yugo and Evangeline both yelped while all I could do was stare, wide eyed and frozen.
Yugo's eyes were narrowed sharply on Amalia. Anger saturated his tone. "You would let 'Lena get caught?!"
Posted: Dec.12 2024