~Reunions & Departures~
Rose found herself sitting down staring at the dead tree that now seemed more alive then ever, though that was probably thanks to the number of crows that currently occupied it. The girl’s entire body felt heavy, as if she was going to sink into the very ground. And yet, she couldn’t bring herself to sleep, not just yet, not where her head was pounding with question after question.
A cool touch brushed the girl’s shoulder; she didn’t have to look up to know it was Rue. Ever since the battle the little ghost had been much more touchy-feely, not that Rose minded. In fact, the teen welcomed the gentle touches; they were as close to comforting as anything could get at that moment.
“Hey, Rose. Are you all right?” The apparition’s voice was quiet as she slowly sunk next to the older girl.
Rose shook her head slowly, there was no use lying. “I-I just…” The girl let out a long sigh, pulling her legs closer to her chest. She rested her head on knees as she spoke. “I don’t even know what to say after all of that. I’m okay I guess… but Rue… h-how are you doing?” She didn’t lift her head, but glanced to the side so that she could just barely make out the spirit sitting besides her.
The apparition closed in on herself, wrapping her arms around her small body. “Well…. I’m… really sad. We used to be connected, but now, he’s gone and I’m still here. I feel so empty inside, but… I also feel like I’m free too? I’m… I’m just happy he can finally rest and be at peace… and that he remembered me in the end,” the young girl smiled slightly, like a candle flickering in the dark. “I’ll always love Animus and miss him. My heart is broken… but, I know that Animus would have wanted me to be strong. So I’m going to do my best and try…”
Rose finally lifted her head. In the end, she decided to keep her cheek on her knee so that she was looking at the ghost besides her while she spoke. “I’m happy for him too, Rue. I had not idea that an Ancient could be possessed like that or…. Die.” Rose let out another long, shaky breath. Ancients can die… that reality totally changed the game. Rose could feel it; she just didn’t fully understand it. Not yet.
She lifted her eyes to the tree and then up towards the foliage above her, which seemed bright and shady instead of dark and shielding. “Seraphina sent me here to help a friend who was in trouble, but I feel like I didn’t really help at all in the end. Not only was I not able to save a life, but now I have a lot more questions than answers: blood bonds, all these crows, and what the Necromancers said to me when they were possessing Animus. I just feel like I’m back where I started… or, quite possibly, even worse off…”
“For what it’s worth Rose – I thought you were really brave.” The teen found herself studying the spirit besides her with a careful and strong gaze. “You helped Animus in the end, you freed him from the Necromancers… I just wish I could help you in return. I’m sorry.”
Rose found herself reaching out for the ghost and this time she didn’t pull back. She rested her hand on Rue’s shoulder lightly; making sure her fingers didn’t fully pass through the spirit’s form. “Don’t worry about it. I thought you were really brave too, Rue.” She spoke softly, her words only interrupted by a long yawn. “For Ancient’s sake… I feel like I could sleep forever now, I might just take a nap before heading out in search of Rycia. You sure no tree is going to try and eat me while I get some rest?” She said the words lightly; though Rose could only wish that her words were a joke.
Rue still smiled though. “No, no. I’m sure the grove is safe now. It feels like it did before when I first met Animus here… it’s nice. I’ll watch over you for tonight Rose, just concentrating on getting some good sleep, you deserve it.”
Rose agreed with a weak nod and a mumbled, “wake me up after a little while. I really need to find Rycia.” The girl leaned back, letting herself sprawl across the dry ground. She finally let her eyelids drop shut. It really felt like she was going to just sink into the ground as she took steady beats. For the first time since arriving in the dark hollow, her sleep was calm and dreamless.
The first thing Rose came to be aware of was the light rocking of her body, as if she was being shaken back and forth. The next was someone saying her name over and over again. The teen groaned, trying to wrap her mind around the name that sounded more like a loose string of syllables than anything else.
“What?” She mumbled, her voice scratchy with sleep.
The words was repeated over and over, each getting a little louder as she came more and more to the waking world. Something shot through her. She was supposed to be a sleep. Had something happened?
“What is it Rue?” The girl sot up, her head swirling as the blood rushed to various parts of her body, leaving her feeling as if the earth was rolling under her slowly. “What’s going on? Is everything okay?” The apparition’s face floated in front of her, eyes twinkling with something that was definitely not fear. “Rue…?”
The ghost child giggled. “You’re finally awake. It took me like five minuets to even get you to stir.”
Rose frowned. “What do you want from me?” For the first time in weeks she hadn’t had a single nightmare or even a dream. Rose wanted to take advantage of her exhaustion to hopefully get a peaceful sleep.
The little girl giggled again. “Remind me now to wake you up again. Also, you could have told me that you’re partner was really pretty.”
“What? Oh right… I have to go look for Rycia.” Rose let out a sigh and brushed herself off. She mentally kicked herself for forgetting, though for a second there she had forgotten when she was. The teen was bout to stand up when the last of Rue’s words finally settled in her mind “Wait what? My… partner?”
“Yeah,” Rue nodded. “Also, you never told me she was an Elkrin!”
Rose didn’t listen to the rest of what the apparition said. Her eyes shot up and around the clearing Muzu sat in his usual spot on the root of the great, dead tree, but besides him wasn’t another one of his crow-pals but a blue creature, lying against the roots.
It was hard to tell the Elkrin was the same one Rose lost in the forest. Her usually sleek pelt was matted, muddied, and so dirty it seemed a shade darker from sapphire blue. The tan fluff on her legs and tail looked gray with gunk, and seemed tangled, and her horn was anything but shinning. But whatever she looked like, it was Rycia nonetheless.
Rose was up before she even knew that she was standing and was across the clearing before even realizing that she had been running. In second she was kneeling besides the Elkrin, throwing her arms around her bondsister’s neck. The deer-like creature shifted slightly, before letting her head fall down the small girl’s back, and her tail wrap around her rider’s waist.
“I’m so sorry…” Rose whispered over and over again, her voice cracking under the stress as the teen forced back tears. “I’m so sorry I left you. I’ll never let it happen again.” The Elkrin pulled back slightly, nuzzling into Rose’s neck. “I love you. I love you so much. I’m so sorry. For everything.”
After a few minuets of clinging to the Elkrin and seriously considering never letting go, Rose finally cuddled into her companion’s side, allowing Rycia’s tail to drape over her lap like a blanket. Muzu, who decided to jump in on the hug fest, perched himself on Rycia’s shoulder, not that the Elkrin cared.
“How did you find her?” Rose finally asked, sniffling again and whipping her nose on the back of her hand. The one negative about crying was that it always left her with a running nose.
“It, well, wasn’t actually me.” Rue had perched herself in front of the bonded pair. She hadn’t stopped smiling since Rose woke up. “Do you remember that dire wolf you found?”
Rose nodded slowly. “Yeah? Now that you mention it…” The girl looked around to find the half-skeletal dog watching her from a little bit away. Rycia noticed him as well because her ears flicked but she didn’t seemed threatened by the beast’s presence what so ever, which was odd to say the least.
“Did you find her?” Rose asked softly. The dire nodded slowly, it’s heterochromatic eyes darting between the human and the deer-like creature behind her.
Rose giggled. “Thank you.” The dog wagged its tail a little though made no effort to move. The girl rolled her eyes. “Come on, get over here.”
With a little yip, the creature jumped up, bounded over, and nestled himself along Rose’s side, his head resting atop Rycia’s tail. The Elkrin watched him with steady gaze but didn’t meet to mind the presence of the half-dead dog. Rose turned her gaze back to the ghost who was watching the group with an amused look in her eye. “Thank you so much Rue.”
The small child shook her head. “N-no, no. It wasn’t me.”
“Maybe this wasn’t, but you’ve really helped me these past… few days. So really, you’re awesome. Thank you.”
Silence fell and Rose found herself looking over the half-dead dire wolf. The teen couldn’t help but wonder if he’d join her to walk about. She planned on letting him do wherever, but if he wanted to go with them, Rose would take care of it. Her eyes passed over Rue.
“Hey Rue?” Rose only continued when the child was looking at her. “I’ve been wondering… what are you doing now that Animus is gone and you can leave the grove? I have to admit, I’m kind of surprised you’re still here. Don’t spirits usually move on after this sort of crazy stuff happens?”
“Oh, um, I suppose so?” Rue tilted her head slightly as if in thought before shrugging. “I guess spirits do kind of move on after a while, but… I don’t feel like I’m disappearing or anything.” Rue paused her eyes darting like was looking for just the right words to say. “I just thought, well if it’s alright with you that is, maybe I could stay with you? I promise I won’t be a bother! Most people can’t see me anyways, and you’re the only one I can really talk too…”
Rose couldn’t help but smile at the words. Maybe now she would finally have a full time traveling partner, even if no one else could really see the girl. Just her, Rycia, and Rue, traveling Eldemore and helping people fight against Oblivion – and the necromancers as it turned out. The thought was a warm one, filling the teen’s chest. She didn’t bother to hide the excitement when she spoke, “of course you can come along! Oh. My. Gosh. You can be like my little ghost sister! I always wanted a younger sister! I mean I have an older one but… we aren’t really close or anything…” Rose glanced over at Rycia who stared her down with a look of understanding.
The older girl coughed once before continuing. “Besides, I also promised that I would take you to Alabaster to see your sister’s statute and meet Araedia and Noel. I also said I’d take you to Silverpot so you can meet my mentors, Sorren and Willy. And I still intend to do both of those things. And now that you’re free we can go wherever you want!”
Rue’s eyes lit up. Rose didn’t think she had ever seen the younger girl look this energetic and lively. “Really? Do you think we can have slumber parties and tell stories? Me and Ama used to do that together. My favorites are the romantic ones with the happy endings – oh and maybe you can show me some of your creature friends! This is so exciting~”
Rose laughed. She couldn’t help but smile as thought of her friends and family that she picked up along the way. What was one more person- er ghost? –to add to the family. “Well, you already met Rycia, but I’m sure there are a few creatures who’d love to meet you back in Silverport. You’ll love Araedia, she has some of the best stories, and Noel’s drakes are super nice. And Willy and Sorren are going to just love having you there, I’m sure of it! Captain Willy is always badgering Sorren about adopting another kiddo into our weird birdfamily anyways – you’d fit right in!”
Rue’s eyes sparkled. “Rose, I’m so excited! I hope they like me, I mean I’ve talked to Sorren though Muzu and he’s told me about Willy. I just hope they’ll be able to see me and talk to me like you do.”
That part Rose hadn’t thought about. Talking to Rue had been so easy she kind of forgot that seeing and talking to spirits wasn’t something everyone could do. Sorren and Willy were one thing, but what about Araedia and Noel… “If I know anything about Captain Willy it is to always expect the unexpected. A hundred baubles says he’ll be able to see you just fine. As for my friends in Alabasters… well… we’ll just have to take it one stride at a time.” Rue frowned slightly but nodded anyway. “Also, expect lost of pancakes. Don’t ask, it’s just part of the adoption process is all.”
The apparition nodded so quickly that Rose was sure her head would fall off. “When would you like to leave?” The teen asked settling back against Rycia and letting the half-dead dire wolf crawl further into her lap. The canine had been woken up by Rose’s excited moving and now seemed to just want to go back to sleep.
Rue tapped her chin a few times before looking back down at Rose. “I think you need to get s-some more sleep… how about we leave tomorrow?”
The teen found herself looking back up at the sky that she could just see peeking through the tress. “Yeah, tomorrow sounds.” She replied. Now that she could tell time by just looking at how much light there was it made things a lot easier. “If I’m not up a little bit after sunrise can you wake me up? I think we need to get started as easily as possible if we want to make it to the next town by night fall.”
“Okay.” Rue replied, sitting down on one of the roots not all that far from Rose.
The teen shifted slightly so that she was curled into her bondsister’s side, the Elkrin’s large and fluffy tail draped over her. That, along with her thick coat that she borrowed from the Therelle’s, kept her very warm. “Wake me up if you need me Rue.”
She received a hum in reply along with a soft. “Good night Rose, don’t let the rune’s bite.” The teen found herself smiling as she drifted off to sleep. Unlike the night before, Rose’s sleep was filled with dreams. But, unlike the month’s prior, not a single one of them was bad.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Do you have everything?”
Rose checked both saddlebags one last time and gave her own backpack at poke. “Yup! I think so.” She turned back to the spirit who floated besides her. At the end of the day, the small, but rather odd, traveling party ended up being made of Rose, Rycia, Rue, and the half-decayed dire that refused to leave Rose’s side. Deciding the checking the backpack might be the best option, she didn’t want to forget any of the books Sorren lent her, Rose ran a hand around only to feel a bundle of paper. “Diregone…” the girl mumbled, pulling out the papers from the bag.
Rue looked up and moved back towards the teen. “Oh, um, what are those?”
“They were supposed to be letter.” Rose replied with a sigh trying to un wrinkle the paper. “I promised some friends that I’d write to let them know I was okay. I guess I’ll just have to write and send them when we get to the next town.” She ran a hand over the top of her head and hair, which was finally pulled back out of her face. “I hope Araedia isn’t too mad.”
“I’m sure she’ll understand.” Rue said warmly. “After all, it wasn’t like you were planning on getting trapped in a clearing.”
“True… true.” Rose looked over the odd rag-tad group one last time. “Everyone ready to head out?”
“I-I think so.” Rue stammered, looking around the clearing again. “Muzu left some time last night, he was pretty frantic about getting back to Sorren.”
Rose’s ‘yesterday’ had turned into two days and then three days. The teen wasn’t sure how it happened, but she ended up hanging back in the grove a little longer than planned. It was fine through. As far as Rose was concerned there wasn’t any problem with staying in the grove a little longer, considering that it was now safe and all. Besides, the extra down time allowed her to finish more of the homework Sorren had assigned her, and let her catch up, for the most part, on sleep. And even with all the extra rest the girl couldn’t help but wonder why she still felt so drained, as if she was constantly being sapped of energy. The teen blamed it on everything that had happened these past four days, but something else hung in the back of her mind.
“Great! We can head out then.” Smoothing out the paper Rose slipped it into the backpack one last time and slung the bag over her shoulder. She tried to ignore the pounding in her head and the shaking of her knees.
“um… Rose?” Rue’s tone took a sudden turn, become softer, with hints of concern slipping through.
Rose turned to look at Rue again. The world spun slightly, but the teen simply blamed it on the fact that se had spun around pretty quickly. “What is it Rue? Is something up?”
“Are you okay?” The ghost child asked softly. “You look pretty pale…”
“Do I?” It was at that moment that Rose felt her knees give up. She put her hands out in front of her to try and catch herself, but her reflexes weren’t fast enough. Thankfully Rycia was there and so was her tail. The teen never ended up hitting the ground, but simply fell into her bond’s fluff.
Around the edge of her vision black spots danced. The spots drew together blocking out anything else. Her head spun, pounded throbbed, as if she had been hit. Her breath hitched as a dark power pored in, starting in her hands and feet. Distant cries slipped into her ear, though they came from the ghost right besides her. Forcing her arms underneath her, the teen pushed her self off the ground.
She didn’t get far when a voice all too familiar rang in her ear. Sealllleeeer… make us whole. Make. Us. Full.
“Get out…” Rose huffed through clenched teeth. Her arms gave out, not that she really noticed when she hit the ground, and her hands went to her head, cupping her ears. The voice only echoed more. Her dark vision swirled with red. The power that began to flood her mind was familiar, triggering the same tingling feeling that had over come her when she first arrived in the Flickering Vales. Only now it pierced her, as if something buried deep within her was being ripped from her. A silent scream slipped from her lips as she dark magic continued spread through her, burning her like flames.
Be gone unholy demons! By Mythandian’s blessing, I command you to leave this child’s body. Her soul will not be taken by you.
Heat spread through her as the new voice echoed around her. It wasn’t the burning of a flame, but the warmth of sunlight, as if she was lying in some clearing. The piercing that she had felt only seconds before vanished, leaving only a dull throb in its place, and where the flame had burned her was left hot, like the smoldering of coal.
Slowly, her eyes slipped open. It didn’t look like the clearing she remembered, though Rose couldn’t see much of anything. Her vision was blurry, as if she was looking at everything through water, though for the most part her surroundings appeared to be black as the void in her dreams. A white form glowed before her. As she stared at it, transfixed, the form took the shape of a massive, shimmering stag. It took her a few seconds to realize that the darkness surrounding her was moving, slithering. Light flashed, and the withering faces were illuminated for a second before they vanished into a black mass that slowed and stilled.
Rose blinked again. She found herself staring off to the side, the familiar forest being the only thing in view. Letting out a shaky breath she felt as though she could sink into the floor, as if all the power in her was sapped. Taking in more air the girl forced her hands underneath her as she lifted her torso off the dry earth. She didn’t make it more than a couple of inches before her vision danced again, flickering once before darkening.
Rose huffed and only pushed harder, forcing her upper body off the ground though it felt heavy as lead. A shadow fell over her and the weakened teen glanced up. A slender form stood above her, a woven crown of what looked to be ivory resting neatly atop their head. The figure smiled gently and kneeled before the girl. “Sealer… do not fret.” It was the same voice that had echoed in her head, warm and light. “I came here to help. You and Rowena are safe. I will not let the darkness harm you again… rest.”
With each word a warmth spread through her chest. Her arms shook once before giving out, though she never hit the ground. The stranger caught her weight easily and she sunk into their arms, all the tension leaving her body as if by some strange magic.
“A-and R-rycia?”
The figure smiled and nodded. “You’re friend is safe too. Rest now Sealer.”
Despite the small voice in the back of her mind protesting, Rose let her eyes lids fall shut – when had they become so heavy? – and let all the thoughts fall from her mind as she slipped into a comfortable and peaceful unconsciousness.
A cool touch brushed the girl’s shoulder; she didn’t have to look up to know it was Rue. Ever since the battle the little ghost had been much more touchy-feely, not that Rose minded. In fact, the teen welcomed the gentle touches; they were as close to comforting as anything could get at that moment.
“Hey, Rose. Are you all right?” The apparition’s voice was quiet as she slowly sunk next to the older girl.
Rose shook her head slowly, there was no use lying. “I-I just…” The girl let out a long sigh, pulling her legs closer to her chest. She rested her head on knees as she spoke. “I don’t even know what to say after all of that. I’m okay I guess… but Rue… h-how are you doing?” She didn’t lift her head, but glanced to the side so that she could just barely make out the spirit sitting besides her.
The apparition closed in on herself, wrapping her arms around her small body. “Well…. I’m… really sad. We used to be connected, but now, he’s gone and I’m still here. I feel so empty inside, but… I also feel like I’m free too? I’m… I’m just happy he can finally rest and be at peace… and that he remembered me in the end,” the young girl smiled slightly, like a candle flickering in the dark. “I’ll always love Animus and miss him. My heart is broken… but, I know that Animus would have wanted me to be strong. So I’m going to do my best and try…”
Rose finally lifted her head. In the end, she decided to keep her cheek on her knee so that she was looking at the ghost besides her while she spoke. “I’m happy for him too, Rue. I had not idea that an Ancient could be possessed like that or…. Die.” Rose let out another long, shaky breath. Ancients can die… that reality totally changed the game. Rose could feel it; she just didn’t fully understand it. Not yet.
She lifted her eyes to the tree and then up towards the foliage above her, which seemed bright and shady instead of dark and shielding. “Seraphina sent me here to help a friend who was in trouble, but I feel like I didn’t really help at all in the end. Not only was I not able to save a life, but now I have a lot more questions than answers: blood bonds, all these crows, and what the Necromancers said to me when they were possessing Animus. I just feel like I’m back where I started… or, quite possibly, even worse off…”
“For what it’s worth Rose – I thought you were really brave.” The teen found herself studying the spirit besides her with a careful and strong gaze. “You helped Animus in the end, you freed him from the Necromancers… I just wish I could help you in return. I’m sorry.”
Rose found herself reaching out for the ghost and this time she didn’t pull back. She rested her hand on Rue’s shoulder lightly; making sure her fingers didn’t fully pass through the spirit’s form. “Don’t worry about it. I thought you were really brave too, Rue.” She spoke softly, her words only interrupted by a long yawn. “For Ancient’s sake… I feel like I could sleep forever now, I might just take a nap before heading out in search of Rycia. You sure no tree is going to try and eat me while I get some rest?” She said the words lightly; though Rose could only wish that her words were a joke.
Rue still smiled though. “No, no. I’m sure the grove is safe now. It feels like it did before when I first met Animus here… it’s nice. I’ll watch over you for tonight Rose, just concentrating on getting some good sleep, you deserve it.”
Rose agreed with a weak nod and a mumbled, “wake me up after a little while. I really need to find Rycia.” The girl leaned back, letting herself sprawl across the dry ground. She finally let her eyelids drop shut. It really felt like she was going to just sink into the ground as she took steady beats. For the first time since arriving in the dark hollow, her sleep was calm and dreamless.
The first thing Rose came to be aware of was the light rocking of her body, as if she was being shaken back and forth. The next was someone saying her name over and over again. The teen groaned, trying to wrap her mind around the name that sounded more like a loose string of syllables than anything else.
“What?” She mumbled, her voice scratchy with sleep.
The words was repeated over and over, each getting a little louder as she came more and more to the waking world. Something shot through her. She was supposed to be a sleep. Had something happened?
“What is it Rue?” The girl sot up, her head swirling as the blood rushed to various parts of her body, leaving her feeling as if the earth was rolling under her slowly. “What’s going on? Is everything okay?” The apparition’s face floated in front of her, eyes twinkling with something that was definitely not fear. “Rue…?”
The ghost child giggled. “You’re finally awake. It took me like five minuets to even get you to stir.”
Rose frowned. “What do you want from me?” For the first time in weeks she hadn’t had a single nightmare or even a dream. Rose wanted to take advantage of her exhaustion to hopefully get a peaceful sleep.
The little girl giggled again. “Remind me now to wake you up again. Also, you could have told me that you’re partner was really pretty.”
“What? Oh right… I have to go look for Rycia.” Rose let out a sigh and brushed herself off. She mentally kicked herself for forgetting, though for a second there she had forgotten when she was. The teen was bout to stand up when the last of Rue’s words finally settled in her mind “Wait what? My… partner?”
“Yeah,” Rue nodded. “Also, you never told me she was an Elkrin!”
Rose didn’t listen to the rest of what the apparition said. Her eyes shot up and around the clearing Muzu sat in his usual spot on the root of the great, dead tree, but besides him wasn’t another one of his crow-pals but a blue creature, lying against the roots.
It was hard to tell the Elkrin was the same one Rose lost in the forest. Her usually sleek pelt was matted, muddied, and so dirty it seemed a shade darker from sapphire blue. The tan fluff on her legs and tail looked gray with gunk, and seemed tangled, and her horn was anything but shinning. But whatever she looked like, it was Rycia nonetheless.
Rose was up before she even knew that she was standing and was across the clearing before even realizing that she had been running. In second she was kneeling besides the Elkrin, throwing her arms around her bondsister’s neck. The deer-like creature shifted slightly, before letting her head fall down the small girl’s back, and her tail wrap around her rider’s waist.
“I’m so sorry…” Rose whispered over and over again, her voice cracking under the stress as the teen forced back tears. “I’m so sorry I left you. I’ll never let it happen again.” The Elkrin pulled back slightly, nuzzling into Rose’s neck. “I love you. I love you so much. I’m so sorry. For everything.”
After a few minuets of clinging to the Elkrin and seriously considering never letting go, Rose finally cuddled into her companion’s side, allowing Rycia’s tail to drape over her lap like a blanket. Muzu, who decided to jump in on the hug fest, perched himself on Rycia’s shoulder, not that the Elkrin cared.
“How did you find her?” Rose finally asked, sniffling again and whipping her nose on the back of her hand. The one negative about crying was that it always left her with a running nose.
“It, well, wasn’t actually me.” Rue had perched herself in front of the bonded pair. She hadn’t stopped smiling since Rose woke up. “Do you remember that dire wolf you found?”
Rose nodded slowly. “Yeah? Now that you mention it…” The girl looked around to find the half-skeletal dog watching her from a little bit away. Rycia noticed him as well because her ears flicked but she didn’t seemed threatened by the beast’s presence what so ever, which was odd to say the least.
“Did you find her?” Rose asked softly. The dire nodded slowly, it’s heterochromatic eyes darting between the human and the deer-like creature behind her.
Rose giggled. “Thank you.” The dog wagged its tail a little though made no effort to move. The girl rolled her eyes. “Come on, get over here.”
With a little yip, the creature jumped up, bounded over, and nestled himself along Rose’s side, his head resting atop Rycia’s tail. The Elkrin watched him with steady gaze but didn’t meet to mind the presence of the half-dead dog. Rose turned her gaze back to the ghost who was watching the group with an amused look in her eye. “Thank you so much Rue.”
The small child shook her head. “N-no, no. It wasn’t me.”
“Maybe this wasn’t, but you’ve really helped me these past… few days. So really, you’re awesome. Thank you.”
Silence fell and Rose found herself looking over the half-dead dire wolf. The teen couldn’t help but wonder if he’d join her to walk about. She planned on letting him do wherever, but if he wanted to go with them, Rose would take care of it. Her eyes passed over Rue.
“Hey Rue?” Rose only continued when the child was looking at her. “I’ve been wondering… what are you doing now that Animus is gone and you can leave the grove? I have to admit, I’m kind of surprised you’re still here. Don’t spirits usually move on after this sort of crazy stuff happens?”
“Oh, um, I suppose so?” Rue tilted her head slightly as if in thought before shrugging. “I guess spirits do kind of move on after a while, but… I don’t feel like I’m disappearing or anything.” Rue paused her eyes darting like was looking for just the right words to say. “I just thought, well if it’s alright with you that is, maybe I could stay with you? I promise I won’t be a bother! Most people can’t see me anyways, and you’re the only one I can really talk too…”
Rose couldn’t help but smile at the words. Maybe now she would finally have a full time traveling partner, even if no one else could really see the girl. Just her, Rycia, and Rue, traveling Eldemore and helping people fight against Oblivion – and the necromancers as it turned out. The thought was a warm one, filling the teen’s chest. She didn’t bother to hide the excitement when she spoke, “of course you can come along! Oh. My. Gosh. You can be like my little ghost sister! I always wanted a younger sister! I mean I have an older one but… we aren’t really close or anything…” Rose glanced over at Rycia who stared her down with a look of understanding.
The older girl coughed once before continuing. “Besides, I also promised that I would take you to Alabaster to see your sister’s statute and meet Araedia and Noel. I also said I’d take you to Silverpot so you can meet my mentors, Sorren and Willy. And I still intend to do both of those things. And now that you’re free we can go wherever you want!”
Rue’s eyes lit up. Rose didn’t think she had ever seen the younger girl look this energetic and lively. “Really? Do you think we can have slumber parties and tell stories? Me and Ama used to do that together. My favorites are the romantic ones with the happy endings – oh and maybe you can show me some of your creature friends! This is so exciting~”
Rose laughed. She couldn’t help but smile as thought of her friends and family that she picked up along the way. What was one more person- er ghost? –to add to the family. “Well, you already met Rycia, but I’m sure there are a few creatures who’d love to meet you back in Silverport. You’ll love Araedia, she has some of the best stories, and Noel’s drakes are super nice. And Willy and Sorren are going to just love having you there, I’m sure of it! Captain Willy is always badgering Sorren about adopting another kiddo into our weird birdfamily anyways – you’d fit right in!”
Rue’s eyes sparkled. “Rose, I’m so excited! I hope they like me, I mean I’ve talked to Sorren though Muzu and he’s told me about Willy. I just hope they’ll be able to see me and talk to me like you do.”
That part Rose hadn’t thought about. Talking to Rue had been so easy she kind of forgot that seeing and talking to spirits wasn’t something everyone could do. Sorren and Willy were one thing, but what about Araedia and Noel… “If I know anything about Captain Willy it is to always expect the unexpected. A hundred baubles says he’ll be able to see you just fine. As for my friends in Alabasters… well… we’ll just have to take it one stride at a time.” Rue frowned slightly but nodded anyway. “Also, expect lost of pancakes. Don’t ask, it’s just part of the adoption process is all.”
The apparition nodded so quickly that Rose was sure her head would fall off. “When would you like to leave?” The teen asked settling back against Rycia and letting the half-dead dire wolf crawl further into her lap. The canine had been woken up by Rose’s excited moving and now seemed to just want to go back to sleep.
Rue tapped her chin a few times before looking back down at Rose. “I think you need to get s-some more sleep… how about we leave tomorrow?”
The teen found herself looking back up at the sky that she could just see peeking through the tress. “Yeah, tomorrow sounds.” She replied. Now that she could tell time by just looking at how much light there was it made things a lot easier. “If I’m not up a little bit after sunrise can you wake me up? I think we need to get started as easily as possible if we want to make it to the next town by night fall.”
“Okay.” Rue replied, sitting down on one of the roots not all that far from Rose.
The teen shifted slightly so that she was curled into her bondsister’s side, the Elkrin’s large and fluffy tail draped over her. That, along with her thick coat that she borrowed from the Therelle’s, kept her very warm. “Wake me up if you need me Rue.”
She received a hum in reply along with a soft. “Good night Rose, don’t let the rune’s bite.” The teen found herself smiling as she drifted off to sleep. Unlike the night before, Rose’s sleep was filled with dreams. But, unlike the month’s prior, not a single one of them was bad.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Do you have everything?”
Rose checked both saddlebags one last time and gave her own backpack at poke. “Yup! I think so.” She turned back to the spirit who floated besides her. At the end of the day, the small, but rather odd, traveling party ended up being made of Rose, Rycia, Rue, and the half-decayed dire that refused to leave Rose’s side. Deciding the checking the backpack might be the best option, she didn’t want to forget any of the books Sorren lent her, Rose ran a hand around only to feel a bundle of paper. “Diregone…” the girl mumbled, pulling out the papers from the bag.
Rue looked up and moved back towards the teen. “Oh, um, what are those?”
“They were supposed to be letter.” Rose replied with a sigh trying to un wrinkle the paper. “I promised some friends that I’d write to let them know I was okay. I guess I’ll just have to write and send them when we get to the next town.” She ran a hand over the top of her head and hair, which was finally pulled back out of her face. “I hope Araedia isn’t too mad.”
“I’m sure she’ll understand.” Rue said warmly. “After all, it wasn’t like you were planning on getting trapped in a clearing.”
“True… true.” Rose looked over the odd rag-tad group one last time. “Everyone ready to head out?”
“I-I think so.” Rue stammered, looking around the clearing again. “Muzu left some time last night, he was pretty frantic about getting back to Sorren.”
Rose’s ‘yesterday’ had turned into two days and then three days. The teen wasn’t sure how it happened, but she ended up hanging back in the grove a little longer than planned. It was fine through. As far as Rose was concerned there wasn’t any problem with staying in the grove a little longer, considering that it was now safe and all. Besides, the extra down time allowed her to finish more of the homework Sorren had assigned her, and let her catch up, for the most part, on sleep. And even with all the extra rest the girl couldn’t help but wonder why she still felt so drained, as if she was constantly being sapped of energy. The teen blamed it on everything that had happened these past four days, but something else hung in the back of her mind.
“Great! We can head out then.” Smoothing out the paper Rose slipped it into the backpack one last time and slung the bag over her shoulder. She tried to ignore the pounding in her head and the shaking of her knees.
“um… Rose?” Rue’s tone took a sudden turn, become softer, with hints of concern slipping through.
Rose turned to look at Rue again. The world spun slightly, but the teen simply blamed it on the fact that se had spun around pretty quickly. “What is it Rue? Is something up?”
“Are you okay?” The ghost child asked softly. “You look pretty pale…”
“Do I?” It was at that moment that Rose felt her knees give up. She put her hands out in front of her to try and catch herself, but her reflexes weren’t fast enough. Thankfully Rycia was there and so was her tail. The teen never ended up hitting the ground, but simply fell into her bond’s fluff.
Around the edge of her vision black spots danced. The spots drew together blocking out anything else. Her head spun, pounded throbbed, as if she had been hit. Her breath hitched as a dark power pored in, starting in her hands and feet. Distant cries slipped into her ear, though they came from the ghost right besides her. Forcing her arms underneath her, the teen pushed her self off the ground.
She didn’t get far when a voice all too familiar rang in her ear. Sealllleeeer… make us whole. Make. Us. Full.
“Get out…” Rose huffed through clenched teeth. Her arms gave out, not that she really noticed when she hit the ground, and her hands went to her head, cupping her ears. The voice only echoed more. Her dark vision swirled with red. The power that began to flood her mind was familiar, triggering the same tingling feeling that had over come her when she first arrived in the Flickering Vales. Only now it pierced her, as if something buried deep within her was being ripped from her. A silent scream slipped from her lips as she dark magic continued spread through her, burning her like flames.
Be gone unholy demons! By Mythandian’s blessing, I command you to leave this child’s body. Her soul will not be taken by you.
Heat spread through her as the new voice echoed around her. It wasn’t the burning of a flame, but the warmth of sunlight, as if she was lying in some clearing. The piercing that she had felt only seconds before vanished, leaving only a dull throb in its place, and where the flame had burned her was left hot, like the smoldering of coal.
Slowly, her eyes slipped open. It didn’t look like the clearing she remembered, though Rose couldn’t see much of anything. Her vision was blurry, as if she was looking at everything through water, though for the most part her surroundings appeared to be black as the void in her dreams. A white form glowed before her. As she stared at it, transfixed, the form took the shape of a massive, shimmering stag. It took her a few seconds to realize that the darkness surrounding her was moving, slithering. Light flashed, and the withering faces were illuminated for a second before they vanished into a black mass that slowed and stilled.
Rose blinked again. She found herself staring off to the side, the familiar forest being the only thing in view. Letting out a shaky breath she felt as though she could sink into the floor, as if all the power in her was sapped. Taking in more air the girl forced her hands underneath her as she lifted her torso off the dry earth. She didn’t make it more than a couple of inches before her vision danced again, flickering once before darkening.
Rose huffed and only pushed harder, forcing her upper body off the ground though it felt heavy as lead. A shadow fell over her and the weakened teen glanced up. A slender form stood above her, a woven crown of what looked to be ivory resting neatly atop their head. The figure smiled gently and kneeled before the girl. “Sealer… do not fret.” It was the same voice that had echoed in her head, warm and light. “I came here to help. You and Rowena are safe. I will not let the darkness harm you again… rest.”
With each word a warmth spread through her chest. Her arms shook once before giving out, though she never hit the ground. The stranger caught her weight easily and she sunk into their arms, all the tension leaving her body as if by some strange magic.
“A-and R-rycia?”
The figure smiled and nodded. “You’re friend is safe too. Rest now Sealer.”
Despite the small voice in the back of her mind protesting, Rose let her eyes lids fall shut – when had they become so heavy? – and let all the thoughts fall from her mind as she slipped into a comfortable and peaceful unconsciousness.
