A boy rushes through the woods, his brother at his side.
His sister had awoken him only minutes ago and told him to run. She had shoved a bag into his arms, tears streaming down her face as his twin came running in. She’d pulled him from his bed, the strength she’d had before her illness took hold coming back into her muscles as he stumbled, barely catching them both.
“Go! Brother, you must go! Please!” She’d screamed, more emotion marring her face than he’d seen since the day she woke in the middle of the night saying she’d had a dream of their Papa dying, cold and alone. He’d studied her face, putting his hands to her cheeks to try and wipe the tears away, searching her blank eyes for any sign of what could have happened.
“K-Koi, darling, wh-”
“There’s no time!” She’d pushed him away, sending him stumbling into his larger brother, caught by him this time as he stared at his sister in shock. She was never so... violent in her fits, instead he was far more used to her shutting down into silence, sometimes for days on end.
She’d looked down at her older brothers from her full height, her eyes seeming almost to glow as she trembled before them. He’d thought he’d seen green flame licking from her lips for a moment, but soon decided it must be a trick of the moonlight that flooded from his window.
“...Please Brother. Go, save the Miss. We cannot afford to lose another. None of us will survive it,”
It took only that, only the crack in her voice to make him nod, the mage’s hands tightening on the worn bag in his arms. He’d spun on his heel and ran, his sister calling after him as his twin followed close on his heels, a growl in his throat.
“I promise you Brother! I will protect our home! Please, come back to me!”
He can only remember nodding as the door, the same heavy wooden door he struggled to open as a child, closed behind him with a quiet, final click.
And now, he shakes the memory from his head, focusing only on the crunch of the underbrush under his and his brother’s feet as they follow the long-memorized path to the home of their dearest friend, lit only by the light of his faithful familiar. Over the distant sound of screams and crunching bone, he hears his brother’s voice, shaky and afraid.
“Xi... Xi what’s going on? Why was Koi so scared, w-what are those noises?”
“...I don’t know Linkoln. I don’t know anything. All I know is, if Papa were here, he’d be doing exactly what we’re doing now,” He answers, determination cutting through the fearful trembles in the young man’s voice.
“... You’re right. We have to find Miss Carla, maybe she’ll have the answers. She always has before,”
The mage’s teeth clench, a breath hissing in through them as he glances down at Purity, the creature’s bright green coat of flame settling a comfort into his heart, a feeling that despite them being alone, they just may be able to survive this fight.
“...She may. And even if she doesn’t, we will protect her, as she does us. Won’t we Brother?” He smirks, lifting a gloved hand towards his brother. It takes Linkoln only a moment before he smiles past the tears in his eyes and takes the other’s hand, nodding.
When they do, she’s kneeling in her garden, a hand clutched to her chest and her charge kneeling over her panic in their voice.
“Mama!? Mama what’s happened!? Are you alright!?”
The woman stares at the ground, her bright eyes wide as tears fall from them, glistening like so many diamonds in the light of the pale moon above her.
“S-so many... so many... so much pain...” She gasps, her face twisting in pain with every roar from the city.
“...M-Miss Carla?” Linkoln speaks up, his voice wavering for a moment. It brings the attention of Tav, their lips pulling back in a snarl before they throw themself at the boy, a hand wrapping around his throat to pin him to a tree, a loud choking noise leaving his throat.
“Who are you!? What have you done to my Mama!?” They scream, cutting off in a cry of pain as a claw formed from ice wraps around their chest and pulls them away, throwing them to the ground with a loud thud. Xilian growls, hand outstretched to cast the spell as his brother drops to the ground, a hand at his throat as he tries to catch his breath.
“Don’t touch my brother!” He growls, moving to again lift the larger dragon from the ground before he feels a small, warm weight hit his stomach, pushing him back with far too much strength to match the gentle nature of it.
“Baby, baby no! Please! No more pain, n-no... no more pain...” Carla begs, the boy’s spell dissolving as Purity moves to sit at Carla’s feet, as they always do when around her. Tav gasps for air from their spot on the ground for but a moment before pushing herself up at the sound of Carla’s quiet sob.
The clearing goes quiet, save for the distant sounds of screaming and creatures roar’s, and all three young people find themselves on the edge of tears, along with the small, gentle woman before them. Xilian looks down, letting his hair cover his face as he wraps his arms around her shoulders, hugging her tightly.
“...Yes Miss Carla. No more pain. We’re sorry. but please... what’s happening?”
The woman takes a breath, her darkened wings folding behind her back before she pushes herself away from Xilian, shaking her head.
“...We have to set up a protection spell. Stronger than the one I have, and then... then I promise I’ll tell you whatever I can,”
With Xilian and Carla’s combined power, along with some help from Purity, it isn’t long before a protection spell is placed around the clearing, also helping to block out the increasingly unnerving sounds spilling from the city.
Tav meanwhile, goes over to, ashamedly, help Linkoln up, their head turned down and away from the boy.
“...I am... sorry. That I harmed you. I understand I was wrong,” They mutter, hand still outstretched as Linkoln stares up at them, already feeling the bruises forming at his neck. Though, kind boy that he is, it doesn’t take him long to reach up and take their hand, nodding.
“...You were protecting Miss Carla. I can hardly fault you for it. Are you her new charge?”
They nod, turning to watch the magic users return and start off towards the house before rushing to Carla’s side to help her walk. Linkoln watches after them both, gulping and feeling an icy shiver move down his spine. When they were so close, hand around his throat they looked... excited. He could of sworn he saw a small smile on their lips past the growl.
He shakes off the thought and follows the others inside, watching as Carla is sat in a chair and Purity shifts their form into that of a cat to better settle into her lap, purring loudly. Linkoln takes a seat while Xilian and Tav both take to standing, perhaps too anxious to sit. The young mage crosses his arms, looking down at his feet after placing the worn bag on the table.
“Okay Miss Carla... What’s happening? What are those... things attacking the city? And why did Koi insist we come here and take this bag?”
Carla’s bright eyes fall to the bag and she sighs, those rare tears of sorrow still slipping down her cheeks as she reaches to grab it.
“What’s happening is, a child got very lost in his way, and has fooled himself into believing he is an Apostle of the Lady. Those “things” are creatures he’s created, via necromancy to... cleanse the city of those he finds guilty of sins against the Lady,” She takes out a worn, beaten tome and brushes it off, a sorrow behind her eyes that’s just so very deep and old and tired.
Linkoln looks up at her, frowning at seeing their old friend, their mother in a strange way, so very sad.
“Why would he want to do that? And how do you know?”
“There’s a lot about this city that you don’t know. And a lot you shouldn’t,” She sets the book down, Tav finally sitting down as they stare at her in awe, eyebrows furrowed. “I promised your father that you both and your sister would live well, happy, and safe. But I fear that to allow you to do so means... making you remember this day, this attack when so many others will not,”
Xilian stares at her, frowning heavily to himself.
“...Miss Carla. What is in that book?”
“...A spell I’d hoped I’d never have to use again. And another, to call the Lady home,”
“Call her home? Where is she?”
“They are with your father. But not for long,” She opens the tome and Purity jumps on top of it, soon changing to a shapeless mass of green flame as a whirlwind goes through the room, the green flames reflecting off the tears on Carla’s face.
“There is much you have to know my children. And I promise you, I will tell you all of it. But first,” Carla reaches into her pocket and crushes a handful of herbs before throwing them into the flames and blowing the smoke into the children’s faces.
First Xilian, then Linkoln, and finally Tav’s eyes close and they slump over, each falling to the ground in a deep sleep.
“...Sweet dreams babies. I’m sorry you had to be in so much fear,” She whispers, guilt swirling in her stomach until she uses it to cry out into the flames.
“Firae! Return, and guard this land from those who abuse your domain!” The flames grow taller, kissing the ceiling and making her take a step back before suddenly receding, Firae sitting before her on the table with Purity curled against their neck, lighting their skin with an electric green glow.
“Miss, you know you don’t need to be so formal with me. You need only call my name and I will rush to your aid,” They mumble, their eyes hidden in their hair as they stand themself up, Purity jumping down to curl up with her master with a quiet purr.
“I understand, but Firae there’s-”
“I know what’s happened Miss. I can hear my children crying... calling out against the wretched man who pulled them from their loving home in my darkness,” They reach up and pull their hair back, their bright eyes glowing in the dim light as their blackened wings stretch behind them, green flames matching those of the familiar at Xilian’s side leaking from their mouth. Carla feels an odd sense of pride rise in her chest as Firae turns to face the window, baring their fangs in rage.
“This fool calls himself my Apostle. He is but a thief, stealing my children away. He shall taste the power he so desires as it rips itself through his body and tears his soul to shreds,”
“...Be careful baby. Don’t strain yourself,” Carla says, reaching out to take Firae’s hand. It’s cold in hers, and thin, but for just a moment, their slender fingers squeeze hers tightly.
“...I won’t. Stay here, guard these children. I promise you, peace shall reign again in our home. And we will disguise this scar from their memories,” They look at her, taking a moment before dropping to a knee and bowing their head.
“And then, when his journey is finished, I will bring your boy back home safely. All will be well Miss. I swear it to you,” They kiss her knuckles, getting a nod in return before disappearing in a flutter of wings and a stiff breeze.
Carla takes a deep, painful breath before looking down at the sleeping three on her floor.
“...I’m so very sorry. I should have seen this coming, should have protected you... I should have protected everyone,” She covers her face, sinking to her knees by their heads. What good is it being hailed as a god, when all you can do is let people forget? What good is it when it’s all an illusion?
A child awakens on the floor, wrapped in a soft blanket and with a pain pounding in their temples.
Tav gasps and sits up as fast as they can, surprised by the sun that streams in through the window. With a hiss of pain they hold their head, trying to remember how they got on the floor. When a hand lands in their hair, their own lashes out quick as a whip to catch the other’s wrist, stopping millimeters from them as the scent hits their mind. Mama... it’s their Mama, dear gods how could they have thought of hurting their Mama?
Tav looks up, squinting past the pain to see Carla’s face above them, and allowing their eyes to follow her as she kneels in front of them, petting their hair back from their face.
“Good morning baby. I knew you’d be the first awake,” The woman smiles, though Tav’s eyes look through it, studying the dark circles, how her kind, unnaturally bright blue eyes are dulled by the shadows of old tears. They can feel her hand trembling, can see how her lips pull up a bit less than her real smiles, hear how her voice is quieter, rougher... Mama’s lying again.
“I asked you not to pretend. You promised you wouldn’t...” They mutter, letting their head tilt as their fingers wrap around her wrist. “You... you look scared? Why are you scared? I promised to protect you, I’ll protect you Mama I swear it,”
Carla blinks, looking them over before the smile moves that fraction of an inch closer to being real and she sighs, kissing their forehead.
“You did protect me baby. You did a good job, you were very good,”
Tavir feels their heart swell with the praise, the pain in their head fading not in actuality, but in comparison as they get up. They look at the others, the strangers. Two males, no older than they are... twins. And a small creature created from fire that they can’t hear, which is awfully unsettling. The scent is familiar, but mixed with something new and strange. They give a hum of thought and help Carla up.
“I’ll make tea. I know you won’t sleep, but rest. You can’t do anything until those two are awake, right?” They are relieved when she nods and takes a seat, that book still open on the table.
As they go off to make the morning’s tea, they allow their racing thoughts to sort themselves out, falling into quiet silence as usual. They’re... afraid. That’s what this tight feeling in their chest is, it’s fear. They’d known that their Mama was part of some dangerous things, but this is so much. This woman had taken them in, was the only person who had never hurt them, who sat with them and taught them the things they didn’t know, who woke them with a gentle touch... this woman was the only family they had ever had and now she’s being hurt, she’s being hurt so very much-
Tav cuts off the line of thought as tears hit their hand, hot and burning the scrapes from the night before. Bruises ache at their ribs, their back scraped raw and old cuts reopened and rehealed overnight. They wonder if it was their own quick healing that did it or if their Mama had once again tired herself for them on top of it all.
They wipe their eyes and get back to work. No time to think of those things. You have to make it better, for Mama. They think, ears perking to the sounds of the others waking up behind them. They silently take out two more cups, taking the chipped one for themself.
“Boys, you’re awake. Good morning,” Carla mumbles. Tav wonders if these boys can hear the waver in her voice.
“Miss Carla? What... what happened? Wha-” The thinner one says. He gets up, that odd creature jumping onto the table as he sits down, a hand on his head. He smells like paper and leather and ink past his scent, and as Tav sets his cup before him, the way he pauses makes them to the same.
“...There’s not honey in this, is there?”
Tavir is surprised by seeing him look directly at them. Mama’s guests never look at them past a glance, and they’re even more surprised to see that he’s waiting for them to answer.
“N-no... w-would you...” They trail off, irritated by their inability to form the last part of their sentence. They expect irritation as the pause lengthens, but the boy smiles their way and shakes his head, bowing it over his cup soon after.
“No, thank you. I’m allergic, so I wanted to be sure,” They nod, jumping a bit as the larger of the two reaches out to take his own cup, his hot fingers brushing their skin. They glance his way, guilt flooding their body as they spot the already-darkening bruises on his throat from their attack.
They shake the guilt away before moving to sit beside their Mama, handing her her tea. The larger boy speaks first, Tav’s ears perking to the lilt of his voice, a hint of some accent there they try to place.
“Miss Carla, what happened last night? Why were we on the floor? Is the fighting over, are the creatures gone? What about Koi?”
Tavir blinks at both the speed, and the clarity of his questions, wondering what it must be like to speak so quickly and with such conviction. Their attention switches when Carla speaks, though their eyes shift to the smaller twin’s hands and how they shake against his mug. They begin to worry he might break the cup and cut himself by mistake if he holds it any tighter.
“One at a time baby. Last night was an attack from a man who called himself the Lady’s Apostle. As for being on the floor, I put you to sleep so you wouldn’t have to listen to the fighting all night, and to be quite honest, carrying you to bed is awkward now that you’re adults. In a size way, not a personal one. As for your sister...” Carla pauses, looking out the window to the surrounding forest, the protection spell set the night before giving a slight shimmer to the light that Tav wonders if others can even see.
“Your sister is strong. Stronger than any of us can imagine her to be. Even if these creatures did get inside the walls, I can promise you both that she found some way to protect herself and your home,”
The two boys sigh in relief, the smaller one who smells of books placing his head in his hands and removing his glasses. Tav wonders how seeing in less clarity will help him relax any.
“Gods above... Miss Carla, you said you had much to tell us, but... what does that have to do with anything last night?”
Carla bites her lip in that way Tav sees when they ask her difficult questions, like she’s trying to bite back the urge to simply say “I don’t know” and move on. They realize that this is going to be hard for their Mama, and subconsciously move closer, whimpering very quietly under their breath.
“...I promise, it’ll all make sense. For now, we have to wait for my spell to take effect in the city, and for Firae to awaken and fetch your sister. You all have to be here for this, but I fear your sister already knows everything I am about to tell you,” She sighs yet again, covering her eyes for a moment.
“I’m so sorry babies. We- your father and I- have hidden so much from you. And I fear that now is the only time I’ll be able to tell you. I have to, for your own safety. I can only hope your father can forgive me,”
A family of angels and servants of their forest allow their determination to fill their hearts as the patriarch sets out on a perilous journey, his broken heart finally filled again.
Will they find their missing 5th member who’s long since become a ghost to time and space? Or are they doomed to remain fractured for all time?
It started with dim shouting in the forest, then the sound of running footsteps coming their way. By the time the bandits had found their way to the ruins, he’d already started scrambling the children away to try and rush them home, or at least hide them. Linkoln was fast enough to get to him, scrambling over the ruins and scraping up his hands and knees as he rushes towards his father. Xilian on the other hand had never been much of an athlete, and despite Max lunging to grab him, he was quickly and easily snatched up by one of the thugs.
Max could do little but cling to his other two children as Xilian was pulled up by the scruff of his neck and the family was surrounded. The thug held the boy at arms length and looked him over, clicking his tongue.
“Trust a city like this to grow such useless crops. He’s barely good for fertilizer,” The man had growled, tossing the small boy to his father’s feet. Max had scrambled to help his boy, pulling him behind his body and baring his teeth.
“Who are you? What do you want?” He growled, pushing his children steadily towards an open space in the ruins. If he can get them there without being noticed, he can tell them to run and hide, wait for him. He silently counts the amount of bandits as the leader laughs before editing his thought. No use telling them to wait for someone who won’t return to them.
“What do we want? Why, what all people want. Food, safe shelter, money to feed our families,” The bandit leaned down into his face, giving Max an opportunity to take another step back and gently push his children towards the opening. He can remember how their little bodies shook against his back, all of them whimpering and trying to cling to him.
“The issue is, this here city? You’re hogging all of the space. So we thought-” The bandit reached out and grabbed Max’s collar, pulling him upwards and towards him to smile in his face. “We would just reach out and take it,”
Max can remember taking one breath, one more moment to mentally apologize to his children for doing this, for leaving them orphans when he’d promised he’d always be there. And after that one breath, he opened his mouth and pushed his children towards the opening as hard as he could.
“Run!” He’d screamed, throwing his body forward to slam his horns into his assaulter’s mouth. He was rewarded with the sight of blood as the bandit had bit through his lip, but soon his victory was blasted away with a strong hit to the jaw, one hard enough to send him flying into the ruined doorframe he’d sent his children through.
He’d looked back just enough to see Linkoln and Xilian carrying a screaming Koi away, her little hand reaching out to him as she cried.
“Papa! Papa no!” He smiled as they ran, reaching out a hand to her as tears slipped from his eyes. He didn’t have time to call out to them before his foes were upon him.
He fought the best he could, despite the numbers before him. At some point, it could have been minutes or hours after the beginning of this fight, he can remember two of them pinning him against a crumbling wall, their fingers digging into his arms as he struggled. The leader slowly walked to stand before him, grinning in a sick way that sticks in his mind as he moved a hand to Max’s jaw, holding him still.
“Poor little man. He was just trying to protect his children, weren’t you Pearlie?” He leaned in closer, studying Max’s shaking form where he was held.”I saw you give your little girl one last smile. That’s quite touching I think, one last smile before you leave them, for what? To get your ass beat and crawl home like the dogs you Melodians are?”
Max can remember the fury, the heat that rose in his chest as this man dared to speak of his children, and before he knew it, he’d thrown himself forward and spit in the man’s face, baring his teeth.
He can remember the victory that coursed through him at seeing the thug step back and wipe the saliva from his face, and he felt a grin creep over his own. That is until the other saw him and growled, reaching out a hand to wrap around his throat and slam his head into the wall behind him. While Max was still reeling from the hit, the other leaned forward, his words filled with a hatred that still rings in Max’s ears on sleepless nights.
“...I’ll tell you what. You like smiling so much? Why don’t you do it forever,” And before Max could comprehend what was happening, the other’s fingers were in his mouth, prying his jaws apart with a primal growl.
Max can vividly remember the feeling of it, of his skin stretching to it’s limits before finally tearing, the blood running down his chin and into his throat, coating his tongue in the taste of metal. He can remember how his throat started to burn from how he was screaming, but he could hardly hear it over the sounds of laughter around him as he thrashed in his captor’s arms, his heartbeat rushing in his head.
When he was finally dropped, he can remember crumpling to the ground and holding his hands to his face, his screams dissolving into panicked hyperventilating as he tried to process the pain of what had just happened. Before he could even manage to look up, he was pushed over to his side and suddenly there were people holding his wrists again, and someone on his chest that he couldn’t see past the tears in his eyes. Seconds later, he remembered feeling the cold steel of a blade against his throat and a sob left him, the only thoughts running through his head being prayers, apologies.
Apologies to his children for leaving them alone, apologies to his lover for not looking for him harder, apologies to his city for being unable to stop this threat from hitting them. The person on his chest leaned down to speak in his ear, whispering past the laughter of the people around them and his own broken sobbing.
“If only you’d been stronger, eh? Now look at what you’ve done,” Max only managed to get out one more sob before the blade was pulled across his throat, his body twitching in reaction as he suddenly finds himself choking.
The people let him go and got off his chest before walking away, laughing and nudging each other, more like drunkards leaving a bar than a group of murderers. Max barely managed to watch them go through his quickly fading vision, before noticing something that almost made it feel worth it.
They were walking back to where they’d come from, away from the city. He’d distracted them from what they were coming to do. He’d felt a smile try to come to his face as he’d slumped down, coughing. It was only seconds until he slipped out of consciousness and everything went dark. It was only seconds until he died.
Max blinks and runs a hand over the scars on his cheeks, gulping down the bile in his throat before shaking his head and walking out of the room to head to the kitchen. When he gets there, he sees his beloved daughter, all grown up now, kneeling by the fire and humming to herself as she cooks. He feels a smile pull at his lips, taking it in before going over to kiss her head, making her look up.
“Good morning darling, where are your brothers?” He pets back her hair, smiling softly down at her. She almost looks older than him now, and so, so very much like her father. So much that sometimes it hurts to look at her, and at Linkoln. She hums, leaning into his hand for a moment before turning back to her cooking.
“Linkoln is sleeping in and Xilian said he was going to do research with Mel today. He’s looking for herbal remedies to help with my dreams,” Max sighs and nods, moving to sit beside her.
“Do you think he’ll find anything?”
“Not today,”
The pearlcatcher smiles, nodding. If Koi says he won’t, he won’t. He looks up at his daughter before pulling her over to kiss her temple, causing her to turn her head towards him.
“Is something wrong Papa?”
“...No. I’m just glad to be here is all. I love you,”
His darling children were only small when it happened. The Angel stares into the mirror, his hair still wet from his bath and the flush of color on his cheeks pointing out the scars that reach from the corner of his mouth and setting off his train of thought.
He can recall that it was raining that night, as it often does in the forest, and they were on the outskirts of the city on a trip home from the ruins. Koi had cried all morning, not wanting to go, but Xilian and Linkoln both wanted to go and explore so she was outvoted.
Max had spent the morning calming her down and braiding her hair, trying to keep his child from her fear while her brothers clamored about, anxious to go on an adventure.
He can remember his children’s laughter as he walked them through the woods, clutching a still-sniffling Koi to his chest as she buried her little face into his neck. He recalls tucking a strand of hair out of her face and leaning down to look into her blank eyes, the best one can.
“What’s wrong my darling chickadee? We’re only going on a trip,”
Her little fingers had moved to cling to his hand, tears still dripping down her cheeks.
“I don’t want to lose you too Papa... Daddy’s gone and people will take you too...” She’d whispered, her voice shaking. Max can remember the pit in his stomach when his lover was mentioned, how his jaw had clenched before he managed to pull a comforting smile to his lips. He’d wiped her tears and cupped her chin, already beginning to see how she’d look like her dad when she grew up.
“You won’t be losing anything darling, at least not today,”
By the time he’d finished talking, the boys had already reached the ruins, and he had to rush to catch up with them, calling their names and going on with their day.
The children played for hours, though Koi seemed even more reluctant than usual to leave his side, her arms wrapped around his neck in a suprisingly strong hold for such a small girl.
Max let them play until the sun began to set, keeping a careful eye on them as they did so. He is a dutiful father, and he knew that the ruins could be dangerous, but he was never one to keep his children from exploring the world around them. It was when he called out for Xilian and Linkoln to come over to him to head home that it began.
