Due to great blood loss, exhaustion, and hypothermia, Sirius's consciousness and body plummet to the cold ground. His face plants firmly in the sharp powder.
"Ah-! Sirius!" Aureole squats down and examines the boy's immobile person. She rolls him onto his back and swats away stuck snow. "He passed out..."
"We should head back quickly, he's lost a lot of blood," Kynn says. The battered squaller lies in a pool of red-stained slush. Every muscle in his body aches. His tear ducts are drained and dry. "Give him here, I'll carry him back-"
"Your ankle is literally snapped backward," Pholy remarks. "You need to be carried, too."
"Hm... It is backwards..."
"You're just now noticing...?"
Two coated arms scoop up Kynn from underneath, lifting him from the knees and upper back.
"Up we go..." Lord Rawlin raises the boy to his chest. Having broken most of the bones in his body, Kynn holds back a scream.
"O-Ow..."
"Apologies," the lord claims. "It will be a long journey home."
"Awww, look who's getting princess carried now," Pholy teases. Kynn responds by sticking his tongue out at her.
Aureole hoists Sirius to his unconscious feet and slings him over her shoulder. "Pholy, do you mind giving me a hand with him?"
The girls lay Sirius over their arms and begin their trek toward the outpost. Pholy produces a warm flame to raise everyone's body heat. Aureole fiddles with Sirius's hair as she hikes.
Rawlin hauls the concluded battle's MVP along with him. Fighting through his agony, Kynn starts up a conversation.
"I have to say, blindfold, you surpassed my expectations."
"Is that so?"
"You were incredible! If you hadn't been there, I would have died dozens of times. Though I wish you had told me about your blessings beforehand. We could have strategized better from the start."
"It all worked out in the end, no?" A satisfied grin rests under his nose.
"Well, yes, but that doesn't-"
"I believed you all could handle this battle. I knew all of your strength together was more than enough to fell that beast. I simply wanted to see how well you could adapt to the situation."
"What do you gain from doing that?" Pholy asks, donning a severely disappointed glare.
"Hm... if I have to give an answer... Insight."
"Insight...?" Kynn repeats. "You're losing me here..."
Rawlin chuckles.
"Just know that I applaud you all."
"Huh... Well, regardless, you were a big help. Thank you, Rawlin, we couldn't have done it without you... You did seem awfully lax throughout the whole battle... Is that how much faith you had in us?"
"Of course. Though I must say, Aureole, you surprised me the most."
The man expertly steers the conversation away from himself. It takes Aureole a moment to process his speech.
"Huh-? Oh- Well... I'm sorry I couldn't do more."
"Nonsense!" Kynn remarks. "You were great! I would have been glad with just a couple, but you shot out like sixty! Those mirages had it questioning its sanity!"
"Ah, thank you... But I couldn't control them very well. I didn't even know I could do something like that..."
"Don't stress about it! Besides, I saw you clearing out some hoarbanes. You helped loads."
A faint smile tries to form. Pholy picks up on the girl's distress, leans over, and whispers to the lunim.
"Aure, can we talk later?"
"...Mm..."
Pholy forces a smile and tilts her head.
"I'm proud of you."
Aureole is at a loss for words. She lowers her head and stares at Sirius's seared features.
In a voice unable to be heard, she speaks.
"Why can't I be more like you..."
"What was that?"
"Ah, nothing! Just that you were amazing, too!" The lumalin averts the attention away from herself and onto her friend. Pholy's concern only increases.
"That's right!" Kynn exclaims. "Ow... I almost forgot! You were a massive help! You cleared our path beautifully!"
"What do you mean you almost forgot?!"
Kynn laughs into Rawlin's shoulder.
"Thank you, Pholy." His tender words quell her burning hair strands. "Thank you, everyone. If even one of you weren't here, we couldn't have pulled this off. My mom would still be left unavenged."
"Save the sentiments for when we get back. You'll be the talk of the outpost for years to come. They might even make you king."
"Nah," Kynn chuckles. "I wouldn't let them. I'm not cut out for that level of responsibility. I don't want them thinking they can rely on me for everything."
"You seem pretty reliable to me," Aureole states.
"I appreciate it, but no... During that battle, I wasn't acting like myself at all. I wasn't thinking like myself. I haven't since she died... I got careless and failed to share my plans with you guys. I made too many misjudgments, and it almost cost us our lives. I mean, just look at Sirius..."
"That wasn't your fault. Don't blame yourself for any of it. That monster caused all of this. Not you. You were our leader out there. We followed your lead, and while yes, there were a couple of hiccups... You brought us to victory."
Kynn shuts his eyes and smiles.
"Geez... You're going to make me cry again..." He buries his face in Rawlin's chest. "I'm so glad to have met you all..."
"Ahem..." The lord adjusts his posture. "If you don't mind..."
"Ah, sorry! I'm just so glad..."
"No worries."
Sounds of crunching snow fill the trail. The blizzard's winds have died down, and the cold air sheds into a blissful warmth. Snow falls gently onto their ruffled heads.
The road ahead is bright as it is clear.
"I do have one final question," Kynn reveals.
"And what would that be?" Rawlin invites.
"How does your hat stay on?"
...
...
"...A man needs his secrets."
⧗⧖⧗⧖⧗
Laurent Outpost forges into sight.
Sighs of relief accumulate into cold, visible breaths. The towering wooden walls act as a beacon of safety. The finish line.
Their tired footsteps bring them to the main gate and, upon their arrival, a guard atop the watchtower explodes with excitement. He flies down a flight of stairs, and the sound of chains chimes.
"Everyone! They're back!"
With the grinding of a windlass, the gate falls over the nonexistent moat. As soon as the wood slams into the snow, a swarm of guards and warriors pour out from within the lumber walls.
Those who participated in the assault and those who were poisoned parade the successful band of heroes. Positivity pulses through the horde.
"You guys really pulled it off!"
"You saved us!"
"Thank you! Thank you!"
"Everyone, back up! They're injured!"
Tears and laughter portray their triumph over the Mother.
Children run out and place crowns of snow atop the victors' heads. Pholy obtains another tiara from the same little girl as before. Rawlin keeps his hat on, planting his crown around it. Cilas greets the lord and the girls, congratulating them on their victory.
No one can conceal their smiles.
"You all are okay?" Kynn can hardly believe the scene. The poisoned warriors who helped test Pholy's flames stand before Kynn. Perfectly healthy.
"Yeah, we all just suddenly felt great. It must have been when you killed that monster, right?"
"Must have been," Kynn chokes. "Ah, well, I wasn't actually the one who killed the bastard."
"You weren't? Then who-?"
"That honor belongs to our honorary warrior here, Sirius. Though he couldn't have done it without all of us."
The snowsquallers awe and marvel at the passed-out boy.
"Amazing..."
"I didn't think he was that capable..."
"Someone carry him to a medical hut!"
A group of squallers rushes over to Aureole and takes Sirius from her arms. She doesn't resist and simply asks that they be gentle with him.
The boy is carried off, praised and unconscious. Kynn is overcome with immense pride for Sirius.
The crowd of squallers steps aside, making way for an exit and entrance.
"My king!" a warrior exclaims. "Kynn and his group have returned!"
The people forge a pathway for their king. The man, once sickly, beams with vigor as he steps forth. King Bora places an aged hand on Sirius as he passes.
"You have my gratitude, Sirius." His words are heartfelt and pure. Such kindness would coddle the boy's mind if he were conscious. "When you awake, know you will be rewarded in excess. Rest well, warrior."
Bora nods to the squallers carrying the boy and sends them on their way. The King's ease directs itself to Kynn and the others.
"You're looking well, Your Majesty," Kynn teases.
"I certainly feel well. Though I'm afraid you can't relate."
"I know not what you mean, Your Majesty."
"You being cradled says otherwise," the King teases, unable to restrain his laughter.
Kynn grumbles and pats Rawlin on the shoulder, signaling for him to put him down. The lord lowers him carefully, and Kynn holds onto him for balance as he staggers to his feet. His legs are weak and fragile, ready to collapse at a moment's notice.
Kynn manages to hold himself up and faces his king.
"See? I'm feeling great."
King Bora stands firm in place, a revealing grin spread across his cheeks. Joyous emotions swirl in his aged eyes.
"...You've done well, Kynn."
"...Thank you... But I was just doing my duty."
Bora searches for words but comes up empty. Instead, he approaches the young squaller and wraps his arms around him.
"You're an extraordinary warrior, Kynn. Your mother would be beyond proud... I know I am."
Kynn, submerged in the large man's warmth, sinks into his embrace. For a brief moment, Kynn feels this man to be his father figure... Maybe he always has been.
"..."
"I'm also sure that, if Chip were here, he'd be more than satisfied with the man you've become."
"...He trained me well," Kynn replies, his voice frail.
"Yes... Yes, he did."
With a final squeeze, Bora releases the boy. Quiet smiles rest on their lips.
The crowd of squallers continues their parade. They cheer and celebrate, many having tears in their eyes. As they do, Kynn observes the people he helped save.
He sees their smiles, their laughter, their relief... He sees Pholy uncomfortable due to the praise. He sees Aureole shying away from the attention. He sees Rawlin and Cilas gleefully chatting with squallers. And, he sees Quilo off in the distance. The King's son sits by his lonesome, observing the celebration.
Kynn offers a wave and a heartfelt smile. Surprisingly, Quilo gives one of the same.
Full with warmth and content, something still feels empty. The most important people aren't here.
-Wait. Where are they...?
The young warrior scours the crowd, searching for the missing persons. But they are nowhere to be found. The boy's muscles tighten, and stress corrupts his posture.
"Bora!" Kynn frantically faces the King. "Where's Nuray?! Where is she?! Is she okay?! I promised to-"
"Calm down..." The King places a hand on the boy's shoulder. "She's doing just fine. She's helping the sick in the medical huts. We dispatched warriors to gather herbs as soon as the curse was lifted. Nuray and her sister are treating the ill."
With the king's assurance, Kynn's shoulders relax. Relief floods his mind and soothes his tired soul. He lets out a long sigh, and the world begins fading to black.
"Ah... thank goodness..."
"Kynn?" The King's voice is distant.
The boy collapses onto the cold ground, which somehow feels warm. The space around him falls to darkness, as Kynn's mind is filled with light.
-Nuray... thank goodness...
The battle is truly over.
⧗⧖⧗⧖⧗
Without dreaming and without a sound, the long-haired boy peacefully awakes from his slumber.
Kynn's eyes greet a somewhat familiar ceiling.
...
His thoughts are surprisingly quiet.
The aches in his body have diminished greatly. A fuzzy feeling tickles his skin and mind.
Silently staring above, his favorite voice utters his name.
"Kynn... You're finally up..."
He hadn't realized, but there's someone's head across his chest. His eyes direct downward, finding a girl with hair cut similarly to his own. Relief and security replace his numbness.
Sunlight trickles through a hole in the ceiling, illuminating the glistening girl. She sparkles like a snowflake, a painfully beautiful one.
"Nuray... Were you waiting?"
"Only all night," she teases. She gently lifts her head off his chest and scoots her chair over to his pillow.
An overwhelming warmth fills Kynn. A smile escapes his chapped lips.
"...Did you heal me, by chance?"
"I promised, didn't I? I didn't let anyone else operate on you," she smirks.
"Possessive much?" Kynn chuckles.
"I was worried, jerk!" Nuray giggles, playfully punching him in the arm.
"Owww-" Kynn continues to kid. "She's hitting me! Nola help! She's bullying me!"
Nuray sighs, unable to suppress her laughter.
"Maybe I should have let your innards bleed out..."
"Ouch... You wound me..."
"Seriously though, half the bones in your body were broken. Most of your organs were either bruised or stabbed by bone shards. It's a miracle you were still alive, let alone conscious for that long."
"Impressive, huh?"
"It's basically impossible. You're a freak of nature."
Kynn chuckles. "Well, I couldn't break my promise, could I? I promised I'd make it back."
A tearful smile spreads across her cheeks. Moisture glistens in her eyes.
"You did..."
"...Thank you, Nuray. If you weren't in my life, I don't think I could have succeeded. I don't think I'd even be alive..."
His words leave her speechless a moment.
"...Didn't you have something to tell me?"
"Hm?"
"You said you'd have something to tell me when you got back. What was it?"
"Ah..."
"..."
Kynn stays quiet for a while, mustering up all the courage he'll ever need.
Ready to start anew and build his future... he finally says the words he's been dying to tell her.
"Nuray... I love you."
Warm tears spill from Nuray's eyes.
She finally hears the words she's been dying for.
Overflowing with emotion, she crumbles into Kynn's arms.
"...I know."
"..." Kynn smiles, water pooling in his eyes.
"...It took you long enough to say it."
"Sorry," Kynn chuckles meekly. "Were you waiting?"
"Only my entire life."
As they giggle, she presses her forehead against his. Their bodies rock up and down, a mix of laughter and cries.
Regaining his composure, Kynn takes a breath.
"I'm sorry. After mom got sick... I pushed you away. Seeing her ill convinced me that I shouldn't be allowed to strive for my own happiness... Why should I find joy while she suffers in her bed? So, I cut us off, and it hurt, but... I thought I needed to solely focus on her."
"..."
"But, in doing so..." Tears leak from his eyes, turning them red. "I neglected how much I must have hurt you. I'm so sorry... I've loved you for a long time. I just couldn't- I just couldn't say it-"
Nuray curls in closer to Kynn's body, muffling her own cry.
"It's okay... I understand. I know how much your mom meant to you."
Kynn squeezes her tight, burying his face in her hair. Her body feels warm and soft.
"You know... once that vine hit me, I got cursed... It threw me across the sky and broke half my bones, leaving me immobile... I started dying..."
"..."
"As my life kept fading in and out... It wasn't my mom that I thought about... It wasn't any revenge... It was you. I thought about how much I wanted to see you again. I thought about how much I needed to tell you... that I love you."
Both of their eyes sting with tears, and both are unable to utter another word. Nuray's heart is unable to carry this much love, and her mind is unable to process it. A cross between a laugh and a cry escapes her clogged throat.
"..I.."
"...I love you, Nuray. I'll say it as many times as you want."
"..I..ah..."
"..."
Kynn's untied hair falls in front of Nuray's face. Loose strands brush against her nose.
"Th-that tickles..."
"Hehe, too bad."
Kynn shakes his head, rustling his long hair in her face. They share a laugh, Nuray blowing his hair away from her.
"You- You need a haircut...!"
"You're the one who told me to grow it out!"
Together, they fill the room with sounds of laughter and happiness.
After all these years, both of the squallers have finally acquired what they've sought for so long.
Their playful banter continues until Nola barges into the room, interrupting and congratulating Kynn on his achievements.
⧗⧖⧗⧖⧗
A familiar, hazy scene lies out before him.
Beeping monitors and buzzing lights disfiguredly fill his soundscape.
Textures on the walls are missing. Blank whites and static grays fill spaces where windows should be.
A television screen shows distorted images, ones unable to be recognized.
...
His body lies damaged on the bed, wrapped in casts and tangled in tubes.
This bed is all too familiar.
But the world around him seems to be collapsing.
Things are missing.
Things are wrong.
Things are forgotten.
~~~
Blinking repeatedly, Sirius stirs awake. His mind is torn from slumber, placing him back into a groggy reality.
Unable to rest, he swamps himself with questions.
-What happened last? I managed to kill the Mother... right? Or was it just a dream...?
His wounds are healed. His mauled shoulder and burnt skin have been sealed tight.
Sirius slowly sits up, his muscles tensing as he does so. His back upright, he takes in the room around him.
Wooden. Dusty, but recently cleaned. In front of him, next to the closed door, is a girl. Sitting in a chair across the room, her head rests against the wall.
-Aureole... How long has she been here?
Instinctively, he makes his movements quieter, so as not to disturb her rest.
To his right stands a small table. Atop it is a golden stopwatch.
The boy reaches for his armband, but alas, it's not there. Nor are any of his previously worn clothes. He's wearing clothes he brought to the outpost but had not yet worn. Someone must have gone through his bag and changed him.
-Did she...?
Pushing the thought aside, Sirius reaches for the watch. His movements shuffle the bed sheets, releasing the warmth he had been trapping inside. The cold surface of the gold bites his fingertips.
Pulling the device close, he notices something wrong...
The glass encasing his time is cracked.
Fissures glide through the clear solid, distorting the images within. It must have been damaged during the battle...
He gazes at the clock's hands; thankfully, the time is still readable. It seems to be just past daypeak. He begins turning the watch over to see how many seconds remain, but something stops him... For one reason or another...
He doesn't want to know.
He stares at the slit floral patterns of the watch until his immersion is broken. The girl across the room starts to stir.
Sirius quickly sets down his watch and prepares for the coming exchange. As the girl wakes, recollections of the battle appear in Sirius's mind.
-That's right... She used her blessing... But what happened to her after that? I remember she ran up and hugged me... She was crying...
As Sirius collects himself, Aureole's eyelids unfold. Her gradient eyes awaken to a distant view of the boy.
"S...Sirius... You're up..." She's never been a morning person, much like he. "How... are you feeling?"
"I-" Attempting to get words out, he realizes his throat is exceedingly dry. He had been screaming a lot earlier... Coughing then swallowing, he reattempts a sentence. "I'm alright... Just a little out of sorts..."
"Does it hurt anywhere? I made sure they healed you everywhere, but I want to make sure..."
It takes him a moment to even process what she said. "No... Nothing hurts... Have you... been here the entire time?"
"Hm?" His question throws her out of her tired daze. "Ah... well, for most of it... Once we got back to the outpost, everyone started parading around us and celebrating. You got carried off, and... After all the pleasantries were done, I came rushing over to make sure you were... er... taken care of properly."
Sirius's heart begins to race, as does hers.
A heartfelt expression crosses his face. Something he could never have stopped.
"...Thank you. That means a lot."
"..." Aureole is taken aback. Stunned and speechless, she fiddles with her pointed ears. "I- You... You were amazing out there. It's like you'd been training your whole life for that moment."
A tired laugh escapes his throat. "I don't know about that... To be honest, I don't even know how I'm still alive..."
"Lord Rawlin said he placed you in a shield bubble the moment you struck the core... I guess it must have been enough to save you from the blast."
"Is that so... Everything was so bright and hot... He really saved me, huh..."
"Mm..."
"You were pretty great yourself, you know?"
"Hm? Me? No... I... didn't do much in the end."
"You managed to use your light blessing, yeah? What was it called again... mirage? That was amazing."
"Eh... Haha, no, it took way too long for me to summon them. And they were useless after only a little while. After that, I just..." Her self-deprecation trails off into quiet nothing.
"...Still, thank you. Despite what you may think, they really helped. You should be proud. You managed to use your blessing... You couldn't do that before, right?"
"...Right." Aureole forges a smile. A warm, full smile... Brimming with content. "Thank you, Sirius."
The boy returns a smile of his own, albeit one less content.
"...You must be tired."
"Ah... No, I'm alright now. I was a bit exhausted after carrying you back, and ended up passing out here after making sure you were healed. But I should be fine now."
"You carried me back?"
"Yeah, with Pholy's help, of course. You were quite the deadweight," she teases.
"Ah... Haha, sorry."
Sirius's eyes land on the cracked watch. Something about the object unsettles him.
"Something wrong?"
"No..." Sirius decides to switch the subject before it shifts to his watch. "Did you... Were you by chance the one... who changed my clothes?"
"..."
"..."
"...Wha- No! No, I wasn't! I must've been asleep when that happened!"
"...You're on quite the defensive," he teases.
"W-Well, you can't just ask that out of the blue! I'm not that shameless, I'll have you know. Besides, I wouldn't want to see you all bloody like that."
"...Didn't you say you made sure they healed me everywhere?"
"...!" Aureole whips away from the boy and faces the wall. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she says, with the utmost seriousness.
"Right..." Sirius chuckles. Aureole doesn't find it nearly as amusing but conceals a smile nonetheless. The distance between them almost seems to shrink.
A lighthearted tension holds the room, a welcome contrast to before. Aureole can only pray it lasts.
"Well, I should probably go. The King wanted us to stop by once you were awake."
"You guys were waiting for me-?"
"Rawlin didn't want to discuss anything without you there."
"Without me, huh...?"
-He probably wants me to hear their discussion about the map. I wonder if The King will really give it to us... Or if it even really exists...
"Yeah, so, when you're ready..." Aureole stands up and makes her way to the door. "Come to the king's quarters. But there's no rush, okay? Take your time."
"Mm... I will, thank you."
Aureole smiles once more before departing.
As she closes the door, a slender figure leans against the wall beside her.
"Ah-! Pholy-! Wh-" She lowers her voice so Sirius doesn't hear. "What are you doing here?? Have you been listening the whole time?"
"I only heard the part after you woke up," she reveals casually.
"That was the whole time!"
"Hm... I guess you're right."
"You guess...?"
"Hehe, come on, Cilas is cooking for everyone near the king's quarters."
"Ooo..." Aureole is dragged along. "Wait, I thought you were visiting Korlin?"
"...I did." Pholy's tone suddenly shifts. To one more melancholic.
"...How did it go?"
"He was... doing better. He said he was happy for us, and apologized again for causing so much trouble."
"I see... He must feel really horrible..."
"Mm, he does... Rawlin told me that he'll try and get the king to send Korlin back with us, but... I don't know if Korlin will agree."
"Why not...?"
"I think he wants to be punished... And he should be punished... What he did was messed up, but... It hurts to watch. He didn't mean for it to go so poorly."
"...You really are a kind person, you know that?"
"Yeah, yeah... Whatever you say. But enough about him and me... Do you mind if we chat? I'm worried about you."
Aureole steels herself for the coming conversation.
"Mm..." she nods.
As the pair walk, they spill their hearts.
Despite her worries and hesitation, Aureole tells Pholy everything.
Almost everything.
⧗⧖⧗⧖⧗
Sirius stares up at the ceiling, basking in his solitude.
Kynn crosses his thoughts. He remembers telling the boy that he avenged his mom. He remembers his relief.
Sirius remains in disbelief about the whole situation. Running across invisible platforms... Free-falling into a murderous plant... Sacrificing himself for people he hardly knows...
-Did I really do that...?
Such a feat is not something he can easily grasp. He never imagined that he would do something like that. The only person who would think of such a thing is Korlin.
-Korlin... What is he up to...? How will he react when he sees me again...?
Sirius reaches over and picks up his watch. He stares into the fissures.
Light bounces off the crooked glass and reflects his image. His face is unscathed, and his hair is hardly messy. Someone must have put in the extra effort to do so.
Someone must have carefully set the watch somewhere he could find it.
And only one person comes to mind.
...
Sirius sighs, his previous actions eating him alive.
He buries a hand in his hair and scratches.
-Why do all my thoughts circle back to her?
The boy closes his eyes and breathes solemnly.
Opening them once again, he gets out of bed...
And prepares to face the future.