A muffled crashing sound came from outside their cabin door. The two of them stood up from their seats and exited immediately, catching a Figment nearby who tumbled with an entire box full of musical equipment. Turning around, it faced Alfaic and beckoned for him to come. "Help. Come. Please?" It said.
"Yeah, let me get that for you..." Alfaic said, voice trailing off as he began picking up the scattered instrumental equipment.
Suddenly, an arm snatched Lyn's shoulder, pulling her close. Claire appeared with a deceptive smirk written on her face, holding in her laughter. "Rise and shine, sneaky one," She voiced out. "Didn't interrupt anything between you to, did I?"
"We were just... talking." Lyn said.
"Mm, talking," Claire jested, releasing Lyn's shoulder. "In a nice secluded cabin away from festival setup."
Lyn looked over at the Figment who dropped its supplies. It turned its head up from Alfaic helping it collect the fallen supplies, and gave a thumbs-up to Claire. Lyn caught the general gist of her plan, eventually.
Several refugee children appeared from the darkened corner of the cabin clearing, approaching the Figment in a neat single file line. One of the younger boys who carried a set of lighting equipment in a cardboard box, set the box down and saluted to Claire firmly. The other children, a mixture of boys and girls, did the same.
"We've got the supplies ready, Miss Claire." The boy said.
"Oh, good," Claire said, leaving Lyn's side to pick up the box for him. "Hey, why don't you guys take a break? Miss Lyn and I will handle it from here, okay?"
"Yes, Miss Claire!" The kids innocently spoke at the same time, as one would in unadulterated respect. They dispersed together and began playing a quick game of hide-and-seek, using the cabin's maze-like setting as a new backdrop for their game.
As Alfaic finished the remainders of picking up the instruments for the Figment, Lyn slid in and picked up the box for them. "I think I'll take a walk with Claire. They could use some help setting up." She said.
"Oh, alright," Alfaic said. "Then the next time I'll see you two is when the festival begins, right?"
"Definitely," Lyn agreed. "See you then."
The three dispersed, with Lyn moving through the cabin clearings outside with Claire. Luminous lapis lazuli colored crystals twinkled throughout the village, acting as light beacons for the civilians to move through without error. Strings of ornaments and light decorations tangled in the tops of trees, scattered across the plaza where the festival was to take place. A plethora of Figment civilians worked endlessly to establish perfection among the night. It was a rare occasion, but a momentous one at that.
The delicious breath of air touched upon Lyn's cheeks as she moved through a dirt clearing. Traffic among the civilians was quite heavy, so she took her time.
"So, are you feeling better yet?" Claire asked, continuing to carry the hefty box of supplies. "Don't worry. I know you and Ardine have been through it all since the past few days."
"Just a little. Well, how about you?" Lyn asked her.
"Mm, kinda. A little time for relaxation never hurt anybody, right?" Claire said, placing the box down beside a tree with several Figments working hard, dazzling the expansive plaza where the initial dance of the festival would take place. "I know I'm feeling better, for sure. Look at what I'm wearing!"
After close examination, Lyn saw Claire adorned with a thin white woven dress with a fluffy circular blue skirt, that resembled a rare blue rose. Her brown ponytail was neatly tied and braided up, resembling a blossoming flower. Several little azure trinkets that were shaped like teardrops, no doubt crafting from the crystals in D'Avuzel, were adorned all over the tops of her head like twinkling stars.
"Wow. You look so beautiful," Lyn complimented. Nervously looking at her current clothing, which were remnants of torn fabric from her time in Gietha, she huddled close to Claire to ask of a favor. "Could I... maybe get something like that too?"
"Say no more!" Claire called, which immediately summoned a renegade of Figments carrying make-up, clothing, and other miscellaneous supplies for pampering. Claire watched as the Figments assaulted her with an influx of their supplies at a rapid pace, completely covering her up from sight. In less than thirty seconds of time, the Figments dispersed, leaving Lyn adorned in the same clothing as Claire's.
Claire's eyes glowed in amazement by Lyn's new hairstyle; the Figments adopted a twin-tailed style adorned with a flower crown, sparkling with sapphire jewels. All of the dirt, muck, and left over blood from her previous battle with Nia had been completely cleared. It seemed that even Lyn didn't notice the change until she stood up from her seat, feeling the sudden weight of the dress strapped around her waist.
"I have to say, these folk really know style," Claire complimented, placing her hands on her hips after studying Lyn from top to bottom. "Much like our deceptive master, am I right?"
"You're still playing along with that?" Lyn asked.
"I've been thinking about it. If Arisz was able to teach us something like that, I think it could give us a unique advantage in combat against the Rot. Though, I find teaching something like opening up portals quite impossible. Maybe it's just a broken promise..."
"Where is he, anyway?"
"MOVE!" Arisz's bellowing voice came through the brigade of Figments setting up for the dance. Plenty of Figments fell flat on their backs and stomachs trying to leave space for the outlaw Figment's bashful movements. "STAND ASIDE! EXCUSE ME!"
"Speak of the devil." Claire sighed, rolling her eyes.
Arisz appeared in the midst between the two, splashing nearly half of two alcoholic drinks that he carefully held with both of his hands. Upon examining their new style and appearance, his voice gradually got deeper to sound more attractive, to a fault. "Ahem, ladies..." He begun. "Might I interest you in some drinks to get us started for this special occasion?"
"Nice try, but I'm not of age," Claire said, giggling at Arisz's attempt at charming them. "Might you have juice of any sort?"
"Juice. Noted," Arisz said turning to Lyn with an offering of his cup. "And for you, my lady?"
"I'll... take it." Lyn said, holding the cup of wine.
Arisz bolted immediately back from where he came from, hounding at the line of Figments once more that blockaded his path. "MOVE ASIDE! I NEED... JUICE!" He shouted, chaotically trekking through.
"He's such a goof," Claire said, shaking her head in bewilderment. "I like him."
"Me too," Lyn said, sipping on a dabble of the drink. Her eyes immediately opened wide, reminding herself of the Lightning Huntress title that the civilians of Gietha gave her. She disregarded the numerous amount of alcoholic beverages served to her then, only to forget all about it in the moment. The flavor of the wine nibbled her taste buds, making her do a double take on the cup. "Oh. Wow." She gasped.
"You look like you'd just seen a ghost," Claire said, chuckling at her reaction. "Never had it before, I presume?"
"All this time, I'd been rejecting it... and this is how it really is? I've been missing out, haven't I?" Lyn stated, feeling idiotic in the moment.
"Don't let that become an addiction now. It's a dangerous thing, you know."
Before the two could continue to help setup, Dorothy appeared in the corner of Lyn's eye. She tapped Claire's shoulder to indicate that she was going to return soon before approaching Dorothy, who was drinking a cup of wine herself.
"Dorothy," Lyn greeted. "You actually stayed."
"Won't be long," She replied nonchalantly, finishing her wine. "Think of it as supervision."
"Would you like to wear something like this too?" Lyn asked, presenting her sudden change in outfit along with her different hairstyle.
"No, none of this interests me in the slightest." Dorothy retorted.
Lyn seemed bothered by her response. "Is something wrong?" She asked.
"Just... tired. I'm finding little purpose in all this," She said, turning to face Lyn directly. "Anyway, like I said before, Ardine tells me you're improving, ever so slightly. That's good enough for me. A thousand more steps ahead, and you'll be ready for whatever's coming."
"You... you shouldn't blame yourself for what happened." Lyn mentioned.
"Don't worry about that anymore," Dorothy said, resting her palm on Lyn's shoulder. She gave her several small nudges and smiled widely at her. "You just focus on yourself. Grow your emotions and get stronger. Once everything's over, I'll be by your side to see you make it. Anyway, I'm going to take a break, and then I'll take the children home. Watch over them for a while, would you?"
"Yeah," Lyn agreed. "Hey, wait."
Dorothy paused, turning around to face Lyn with a blank stare. "Yes?" She asked.
"I never asked... but did you end up finding that person you were looking for?" Lyn asked.
The two locked eyes for a brief moment until Dorothy leaned forward, maintaining her strong gaze.
"I'm... close." She said.
After the two disembarked, a half hour passed. Lyn and Claire reunited and helped the Figments setup for the festival. It was the peak of night now, and all there was left was the arrival of Chiwa to commence the start. A line of Figments spanning meters upon meters lined up beside the main plaza, where a gigantic crystalline tree was set to rotate with nearly thousands of luminous warm lights. Several market stalls were set up across the elongated square, selling numerous food and drink for participants.
Most of the Figments were gathered around the plaza with their eyes fully attended to Lyn and Claire. The children that were previously bound to Claire's request came from behind, bringing a reluctant Ardine and Alfaic in the process. Arisz came by, speeding through with Claire's apple juice in hand. Now that the five were gathered by the large tree, the lights of the crystalline tree suddenly shut off.
C'ollette, one of the D'Avuzel gatekeepers, approached the side of the tree with a spotlight shone down upon her. She pointed at the five, establishing a monumental cheer among the crowd. "Welcome, brave travelers!" She greeted. "Such strong guests here. We give cheer! Cheer to Lyn and friends! Strong, strong friends!"
A rain of applause paraded through the skies. Lyn couldn't help but smile at the occasion purposefully planned for her and the others. She watched as Claire shyly stood by her, idle as Ardine smiled slightly at her nervousness. Alfaic exchanged glances with Lyn, while Arisz stood firmly above the rest.
Chiwa appeared at the top of the tree as the azure lights turned on once more. She hung upside down on one of the luminescent ornaments, gazing down upon the group. "Let us commence a festival not only for our heroes, but for a tenth year at our perfect D'Avuzel! Our perfect establishment! Our perfect homeland!"
"Perfect D'Avuzel! Perfect D'Avuzel!" The Figments all cheered in unison.
"Let us begin!" Chiwa shouted, leaping in front of the five. As soon as she touched down, an explosion of fireworks commenced the beginning of the festival. One by one, the aurora colored fireworks spelled out each of their names subsequently, starting with Lyn, Claire, Ardine, Alfaic, and Dog.
The five looked up at the sky, with Claire pointing at her own name in marvel.
A large spotlight flashed down behind the tree, revealing a miniature Figment band with their musical instruments ready at the go. In unison, they played light music with a combination of unknown hand-crafted Figment instruments gathered from across the lands. None of them were any discernable to what humanity had known before, which made it all the more unique in the end.
As time passed, the five began to enjoy the merriment of the crowd by their side. Lyn remained alone at first, allowing for several Figments to dance beside her. However, she had never experienced anything of the sort before, so she awkwardly stood by, unsure of what to do.
Meanwhile, Ardine did the same. He stood aside from the crowd of dancers alone, sipping on red wine while staring at the fireworks.
The refugee children began to crowd around Claire. She held the hands of several Figments and the children around her, frolicking with them in line and in circles. Arisz approached Ardine, drinking on his own wine beside him.
"Looks like the little one's brightest night," Arisz said. "And you don't seem to be enjoying it at all."
"I am," Ardine said, sipping from his cup. "Just still bothered, is all."
It wasn't until Claire approached him from the side, sporting her new festive appearance that got his full attention.
"Hello, old man," Claire greeted, peeking her head from below. "Might you be interested in a little dance? I haven't had the opportunity to check on you at all, since today."
"I'll be fine, thanks," Ardine said, looking at the numerous children dancing with each other in the crowd. "You should spend your time with them. They know more about fun and dance much more than I do."
"Yes, but..." Claire tugged Ardine's right hand forward, forcing him to drop his cup of wine below his feet. "I want you to dance with me, understand?" She held her left hand outward, enabling its golden energies as a threat. "Don't make me use this."
Lyn watched as Claire begun stepping and rocking from side to side in tandem with the upbeat music, encouraging Ardine to follow suit with several gestures to give him energy. At first, Ardine didn't budge from all of the pent-up worries stored inside him, but in that moment, all of it seemed to have been forgotten. Ardine stepped to the rhythm with her, holding her left hand tightly as they twirled across the dance floor. All the while, Arisz seemed to be intervening between the two, trying to get closer to Claire.
She turned around to face away from them, and found Alfaic standing a further away distance from her. She didn't notice he had disappeared since the commencement of the festival until now. His eyes were glued upon her, stunned by the design of the Figment's imagination upon her outward appearance.
He was now dressed in a tight black suit with an azure flowered corsage. His hair was slicked back with gel, resembling great care done none other than the Figments. But was it by request? So Lyn thought, as the moment they gathered together for the initial launch of the festival, he was still in his normal attire, resembling Krin. Where exactly did a suit come from? Or was that all just the mystical magic dreamt up by the Figments?
This swarm of thoughts paraded Lyn's mind for no discernable reason, at first. But as soon as Alfaic approached her, she bit her own tongue on the side of her teeth, closing her mouth to hide from the nervous feeling that shot up her spine. She carefully tried to hide her face by turning around unusually, looking back at the crowd of her friends dancing together.
Knowing that hiding her face would be temporary, she swiftly turned around and immediately locked eyes with Alfaic, who was in the middle of extending his hand toward Lyn's. The two froze momentarily, mouth agape at each other's presence. Both were reluctant to make the first move, but as their surroundings acted as a barricade to prevent them from dispersing, Alfaic stepped in further with a light smile written upon his face.
"May I?" He asked, wishing for Lyn to offer her gentle hand.
In that moment, Lyn didn't care that he was slightly devious, in the sense that he purposefully withheld information about his brothers and the Rot Mother. She didn't care if all he lived for was to lie or hide the truth away from her. All she knew was that his smile was genuine, and his heart was in the right place beside her.
"Yeah." Lyn said, smiling back. She extended her hand and held Alfaic's softly.
He drew her in by holding her waist. "Put your arms around my neck." He directed.
Lyn did so, allowing her to balance steadily. "Like this?" She asked.
"Yeah, like that," Alfaic said. "Now, all you have to do is just step with me."
As he made the first move, Lyn stumbled over her long blue skirt. Alfaic caught her and rose her up by the hand. "I don't... I don't think I can do it." She nervously uttered.
"It's alright, let's just move slowly, in tandem."
The two of them gracefully moved left and right to the music the Figments played, which transitioned into a slow and leisurely sounding escapade. After the two repeated their movements, Claire, Ardine, and a nearby Arisz were observing them from a distance, watching them struggle together. But as time gradually passed, Lyn didn't feel as stiff as before because of Alfaic's guidance.
"You're a natural." Alfaic complimented.
"You're the one guiding me," Lyn said, gazing into his crimson eyes. "Like you always have been."
"You took me against my will," He replied, looking back into her orchid gleaming eyes. "But, after tonight, I'm starting to not regret it as much."
Lyn smiled brightly, showing off her pearly white teeth to him. As the two continued to move slowly to the music, she inhaled silently while keeping her lustered gaze upon him.
"Alfie..." She softly said.
"Lyn?" Alfaic nearly choked in immediate response.
"I... I don't know," She stopped herself in her own tracks. "I'm really... happy."
Before Alfaic could initiate a response, a nearby Figment launched a gigantic rainbow firework that burst into twinkling vibrant lights, detonating an aerial shockwave that attracted all of the guests in the festival up at the sky. Lyn embraced Alfaic tightly, pressing her cheek against his azure corsage. Alfaic, on the other hand, tried his best to control his utter embarrassment over the nickname that Lyn imitated from Arisz. The two of them stared up at the night sky, embracing the brilliance of the moment. Their eyes twinkled in the reflection of the fireworks and lights scattered through the sky like splotches of bright paint.
"I'm glad you are," Alfaic said. "On a night like this with you... reminds me how we flew together up there."
Please... please don't let this night be over. Lyn pondered strongly. When will something like this ever happen? Will I ever see this night again?
As the blazing firework dissipated entirely, Claire, Ardine, and Arisz joined them. Lyn gradually began to smile more, performing imitations of Claire and Ardine's dance moves as Alfaic laughed with them. An influx of bright gleaming lights from the trees above them swirled around them in a colorful symphony.
It was a rare night; one of those nights that seemed like everlasting paradise. It was a temporary fix that Lyn perceived as a new pleasure of life. While the others were parading together in merriment, Lyn's mind etched new thoughts. She dreamed of having something similar happen in the future once the Rot Mother was defeated.
She wished that the whole world could experienced what she just experienced.