two's company; three's a crowd // kalon summer event

"don't you ever want to do anything exciting anymore, mephis? i mean, all i see you do is play around with... rocks. every day. doesn't that get boring at all?"

kalesys' voice comes through the silken curtains of his makeshift tent moments before their face emerges from the darkness. mephis didn't need eyesight to know what expression is on their face at this very moment— a sly grin accompanied by eyes that spoke of ulterior motives. he sighs, putting down the stone tablet in his hands.

"kale, i travel from place to place for a living. occasionally, i am persecuted for my occupation and accused of black magic. some countries would have me burned at the stake if i so let them. what makes you think i need any more excitement in my life, hm?"

mephis can practically feel kale roll their eyes at this point. "and you're telling me you don't want more? c'mon, what happened to the kalon i used to know back in the day, huh?"

"it's been at least a decade or more, kale. i'm surprised you even remember considering how young you were."

mephis remembers it like it was just yesterday. a younger, more foolish version of himself staring into a blindingly radiant crystal of legend. it'd been his quest, his passion, for years — and it was the last thing he ever saw. his life since then never quite stayed the same, but he still can't bring himself to regret losing his sight for a glimpse of the philosopher's stone. still. he was reckless back then. perhaps as reckless as kalesys themself.

the other kalon spoke up, taking a seat atop of mephis' desk. "they say kalokairi is under siege, you know."

mephis' ears perk up. he'd heard about the country in his travels — never visited because of all the stories. kalons growing weak, shadow-like figures attacking... what was the crown doing? did that mean the royal guard was defeated as well? questions would buzz in mephis' mind every time he heard of kalokairi, yet he never sought answers for them.

kale continues. "they say if you can collect the four elemental crystals, they should have the power to rid kalokairi of the darkness that's rooted there. i mean, i just heard through the grapevine. i'm not sure if it's true or not, but..."

ah. mephis finally understood kale's motives. "you're trying to recruit me for your little heroic journey."

"i am."

"you admitted it so easily."

"but you'll say yes. i know you will."

"and why is that?"

again, mephis feels the grin on kale's face through the tone of their words — full of crafty confidence and amusement.

"because i know you can't resist the crystals. you'd kill for a chance to hold them in your own hands. you don't care about kalokairi — and neither do i, to be honest... but i want an adventure. and you?"

oh dear, mephis thinks.

"you love playing with rocks."

they just had to say it. mephis sighs again, turning towards the sound of kale's voice.

"i really do hate you sometimes, kale. i just want you to know that."

"great! i'll let cadence know you're in!"

"wait— who?"

"oh, just a friend of mine. he's quite handy. with you, me, and him, we ought to be pretty much set—"

"—don't tell me he's another kalon you've coerced into doing this."

"—huh? oh no— this was all cadence's idea to start with."

hm. how odd. so this wasn't kale's doing after all. throughout the years mephis had known kale, they'd both been frequent travelers of the road— nomads by choice or fate, it didn't matter. mephis couldn't think of someone more impulsive and more foolish than kale— yet, now he hears that a different kalon so chose to embark on this nigh impossible quest? he would've expected that from kale, sure, but...

then again, mephis was in no place to judge.

"well, when do i get to meet this cadence?"

"he lives on the other side of town. he's prepping right now, so once you're done packing up we can go visit. oh, and... we'll be using your caravan. i hope you don't mind— i already brought all my stuff."

"you... what?" mephis asks, incredulously.

"it's sitting outside, sooo. help me bring it in!"

the things he put up with sometimes.

///

cadence wipes the flat of his blade carefully, watching the metal glisten in the light of the fire beside him. behind are stacks of swords of various quality — some old, terribly tarnished, and others still shining like new. he'd been collecting these for years, waiting for the moment he'd finally use them.

now was the time.

his cottage is silent save for the crackling embers in his fireplace — at least until a knock on the door shatters it unceremoniously. cadence knew who it had to be — kale. one of the strangest kalons he'd ever met, but one with a good heart... perhaps. cadence was never one to trust so easily, but kale wore their heart on their sleeve at least to some extent. even if their eyes were full of clever wit, kale always kept their word. cadence needed kalons like that to accomplish what he'd been setting out to do for the last few years.

redemption.

he's tired of ghosts haunting his dreams.

cadence rises from his seat, opening the door. he overlooks kale's grin to see another kalon behind them, taller and older than kale, but younger than cadence himself. he's dark skinned — clearly not from these parts in the north — and judging by the kalon's clothing, he must've been some kind of practitioner of thaumaturgy. a fortune teller, perhaps? maybe someone who knew feng shui?

"this is mephis," kale says. "the guy i told you about. he's really good at rocks... and rock related things. i bet he'll be able to help us out with the crystals and all."

mephis' eyes seem to look straight through him, unfocused and pale like cataracts. in one of his hands is a walking stick with brightly colored stones embedded into its handle.

he smiles. cadence does not smile back. "it's nice to meet you. i'm sure kale's caused you quite a bit of trouble, but we'll be in it together. i have a number of years of experience with geomancy, thus i believe i'll be an indispensable part of your team—"

"just come in," he interrupts. cadence doesn't care much for small talk. "i'm just about done packing. where is your caravan?"

mephis replies, albeit more meekly than before. "um, just right out back. kale told me we'd be staying the night here and departing tomorrow."

good, cadence thought. everything was going according to plan. they would set off at the break of dawn on the morrow in mephis' caravan. it took two weeks to travel to arkaios, but cadence intended on pushing the schedule.

"erm, can we come in?"

cadence looks up, train of thought broken. both kale and mephis stand there expectantly, waiting for him to move to the side.

"right. come in."

///

"so... what exactly is your plan of action?"

mephis is staring at the orange blur radiating heat in front of him. he can't make out the shape of the flames anymore, but the air smells strongly of iron and soot. judging from the size of the fire... he had to be sitting in front of a furnace. mephis knew the scent of melting metal well; he deduces that cadence must be a smith of some sort. perhaps an armorsmith?

he isn't sure how to ask. cadence didn't seem like the kalon he assumed he'd be at all. mephis could feel his intimidating presence nearly tower over him while kale seemed to be blissfully unaware.

so, to break the ice, he asks about the plan.

"if i've heard correctly," mephis continues, "then the wind crystal lies high in the mountains north of arkaios, in an ancient shrine once maintained by the arkaian monks of old lore. do you have any plans on getting up there?"

cadence says nothing for a long time. it's times like these when mephis sorely misses kale's presence — their constant talking made it easy to stay quiet. yet, when faced with someone far more introverted than himself, mephis was at a complete loss. being stuck in a caravan with this kalon... sounded very, very uncomfortable. god, would kale hurry up with dinner? every moment they spent in the market meant another moment of awkward silence between himself and cadence.

mephis clears his throat. "so, um... the plan...?"

at last, cadence replies. by the sound of it, it seems as if he'd been polishing a sword this entire time.

"i'll be going up there on my own. i just need you to help us navigate. kale will provide support if necessary."

"whoa, wait a moment. are you sure you want scale the shrine on your own?"

"why not?"

"well... it's dangerous. one false step might mean certain dea—"

"—i know that."

mephis finds himself disgruntled with the trajectory of this conversation. "then allow us to come with you. kale would never agree to just sitting on the sidelines."

"can you even see where you're going?" cadence spits.

"i don't see where i'm going. i know where i'm going."

mephis can feel his exasperation mounting when kale's footsteps come running down the stairs.

"alright you two, dinner is served! i've got roast beef, a couple baguettes, some apples, and i also got some rations for the road too. dig in!"

thank god, mephis thinks. he reaches towards one of the apples, sinking his teeth into the fruit contentedly.

kale speaks up. "anyway, so, i've been thinking... since we're basically a party now, we need someone to call all the shots."

mephis swallows. "and who would that be?"

"well, me, of course."

cadence stops digging into his roast beef momentarily. "there's no need for a leader," he says through half-chewed meat.

"nonsense. mephis looks suspicious and you have no social skills. clearly that leaves me as the most obvious candidate."

well, they're not wrong, mephis thinks. strangers seldom trusted fortune tellers like himself, and cadence... well, he had the displeasure of experiencing his lack of social skills for himself. it was just like kale to demand something like this.

"well, i have no problem with it. what do you say, cadence?"

two against one. cadence is silent for only a moment before he reluctantly tells them do whatever you want.

for once, mephis is glad kale is taking charge.

///

this will be the adventure of a lifetime.

after dinner, kale urges the other two to sleep so they'd be able to rise and shine before light broke, but they could barely contain their excitement as they lay down on the floor beside mephis, already fast asleep. the embers of the furnace are still hot and glowing. kale watches them cool and fade into darkness, daydreaming of the journey ahead.

it would be dangerous, of course. scaling the shrine would be no easy feat, but the thrill of excitement couldn't be tamed in kale's heart. they loved the risk, the stakes, the action. it was what they lived for. the look on kale's face when cadence first told them of his plans and his quest — kale's sure it must've been memorable.

as the night's silence engulfs cadence's cottage. kale listens to the sound of crickets chirping ever so quietly outside. the cool air enters through windows left open, and kale swears the air smells different tonight.

something big was going to happen. but not right now — that was later. for the time being, kale needed to rest up.

turning on their side, they finally closed their eyes and let fantasies of adventure guide them to sleep.

upstairs, cadence is in his bed, separated from the other two. he stares out the window and counts the hours until sunrise.

it's going to be another long night.

My gallery · by **lysander** » Wed Jun 28, 2017 1:02 pm

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it took them twelve hours to get back on the right path after a certain kalon refused to heed mephis' warnings and dragged their party down the road less traveled. cadence didn't say much — didn't need to. the rare words he uttered were tipped with sharp, cold ice, and mephis found himself walking around eggshells every time he tried to speak to him.

they're in the caravan now. trees pass by the on either side as darkness begins to settle around them. night begins to fall, once again. mephis hears birdsong begin to fade, making way for the dull hum of cicadas in the branches above them. the evening breeze is cool on his skin, and repetitive movements of his caravan's wheels threatens to lull him into drowsiness.

cadence interrupt the silence. mephis jerks awake.

"we need to make camp," he states. "it's pointless to keep travelling in the dark. tomorrow, we set out at dawn."

mephis hears kale behind him, yawning. funny to hear, especially considering that kale spent at least an hour or so bickering with him about the map kale purchased the day before. this map is a counterfeit, mephis recalls mentioning. i highly doubt the directions here are correct. and that's where it started all started. cue kale's retort, do you even use maps? quit trying to show off.

remembering the debacle brings a slight headache to his head. clearly, it's time for some rest.

they stop at a small enclave in the woods — a clearing with ample view of the night sky above and room for them to set up camp. cadence gets to work immediately, putting up posts for a makeshift tent using sheets from mephis' own fortune telling shop. kale starts a fire; mephis can tell by the sound of flint hitting stone and the sparks flashing with every click. both of them are silent, most likely tired from the mess of a day they just had.

all that's left to do is plot a proper course for tomorrow, mephis thinks. he reaches into the satchel on his shoulder, pulling out a crystal tied to a string. he collects the item in his hands, whispering gentle words into the stone until its surface begins to glow with a pale light. with the string wrapped around his hand, the crystal floats — and tugs northward, reined in by its leash.

the clicking in the background stops. warmth circulates through the air. a flicker reflects in his pupils, and there is light.

"great job not setting the forest on fire," mephis says. kale's quick to respond. "shut up and play with your dumb rock compass."

he's about to open his mouth to spit back something clever when a strange thump catches mephis' attention.

kale's voice. "cadence? what's up?"

more thumps. frantic rustling. the sound of items hitting eachother as cadence searches through his bags. mephis' ears are so astute he can make out the way cadence's breathing quickens, shallow in his intake.

"it's not here."

"what is?"

"it's none of your business."

kale crosses their arms. "then quit mumbling to yourself and finish setting up camp."

oh dear. mephis can tell kale's on edge. cadence is no better. perhaps he shouldn't have teased kale so much earlier, but... one took opportunities as they came.

"my mother."

"—you put your mom in that bag?"

"no. it's a letter from my mother."

mephis is puzzled. he puts away his stone and string, approaching the other kalon while avoiding the objects tossed onto the ground. he wants to ask why it matters so much, but given cadence's state at the moment... he decides against it.

instead, he tries to help. "where did you last see it?"

"with the rest of my things."

"kale," mephis starts, "didn't you reorganize our supplies this morning?"

"yeah. i had to, to fit everything into the caravan."

"you didn't leave anything behind, did you?"

"me? of course not! i got your bag, cadence's, mine, and..."

kale's voices begins to trail off. bad sign. with crossed arms, mephis taps his foot, counting the seconds until kale's realization.

"i forgot our rations."

"you forgot our rations," mephis echoes. no surprise here. "nice job, leader."

a sharp pain erupts from his ankle, making him wince. "shut up!" spits kale again.

"ow! stop kicking you little—"

"—enough."

at the sound of cadence's voice, both kalons immediately fall silent. mephis senses something in the other's voice — something he doesn't like. in all the hours they've spent together, cadence had spoken less than fifty words — less than a sentence per hour. he'd been counting. swallowing dryly, mephis takes a step back from kale, putting his hands up in surrender.

"why don't we... hunt for food? those rations would've only lasted a week anyway— we would've had to hunt eventually."

kale chimes in in an attempt to placate the older kalon. "uh— yeah! why don't mephis and i head out and—"

"—you two stay here."

"—huh?"

"if i want something done right, i have to do it myself."

mephis doesn't know what to say at this point — and judging by the silence, kale doesn't either. there's more rummaging in the background; cadence prepping his sword and spear, with metal clinking against metal. that... didn't seem right. mephis knew the land well — the animals here were shy, wary of kalons, and incredibly hard to catch. that, and they were probably too small to even hit with a sword. should he offer assistance...?

"er... cadence," he starts. "maybe i should come with you. i know how to set up traps, especially in these parts. i think you'll need my help."

no reply. the air is eerily silent.

"he just left," answers kale. "he went in that direction."

"if you're pointing right now, it's not helping much."

"west, i guess."

"alright, i'll be back soon then. you— stay here. watch the camp."

tch, kale sounds. it's clear to mephis that the number of mistakes they've made today grinds on their conscience, but kale's too prideful to ever apologize. mephis had always been patient with kale, but... cadence? questionable. if only people listened to him more — he told fortunes for a reason, after all.

with his staff in his hand, mephis starts after cadence, tapping along the path with it. each tap provides a wealth of information; the scraping of gravel and dirt underfoot tells him there's no trees above him. without their foliage, no leaves crack and crunch between steps. his staff makes contact with something solid — a root, by the sound of its textured surface. he finds berry bushes on the way, filling up the pouch on his belt with fruit. within about thirty minutes of meandering, mephis hears footsteps in the distance — cadence. they stop abruptly, allowing mephis a chance to catch up.

"cadence? is that you?" he tries, stepping over a log as he approaches. "i don't think using a sword will—"

"go back this instant."

yup. cadence alright. mephis sighs, motioning to his satchel. "look, i know how hunting works. unless you brought a bow, you're better off setting traps. i've got stuff we can use for some snares."

it takes a while for a reply to form on cadence's lips, but when it does, he hears the resignation echoing in the syllables of his words.

"fine. show me."

///

cadence watches as mephis constructs a snare out of twine and a twig, silently noting the nuances of mephis' face. he's strangely expressive — cadence knew kalons blind from birth and they did not emote the same way mephis did. the way he smiled, his body language... had he been able to see at some point? it didn't seem like mephis missed his sight much at all; how he managed to navigate the forest on his own frankly dumbfounds him even as he watches the other work with relative ease.

it seemed to cadence that there are many things secrets hidden behind mephis' agreeable nature.

still, something about his eyes bothers him. not his blindness, no — it was the way the fortune teller's blank gaze seemed so penetrative. his observational skills had proven to be utterly astounding, even in the short time cadence knew him. mephis seemed like the type to quickly unravel secrets if they were there, and the way his eyes glistened in the moonlight spoke of an intelligence hidden underneath the dulcet tone of his voice.

"ah, there we go," the other chimes, holding up a newly-made snare. "this will be perfect for catching dinner. all we have to do is set up a few more, then we wait. fortunately, small animals tend to be active around this time, so... perhaps we won't wait long."

with the snares set, there's not much else to do but to wait back at camp. cadence sees the distant glow of the fire as they approach, with mephis following behind. it's hard to resist the urge to look back, to watch the way the other kalon navigates through the forest.

"is something the matter?" he asks. cadence only grunts, facing forward again. by now, his previous annoyance subsided, leaving curiosity and an empty stomach. he didn't have the energy to be ticked off anymore.

once they reach camp, mephis quirks a brow. he's right in doing so, since kale's nowhere to be seen.

"now where did they run off to this time..." mephis mumbles to himself. on the ground next to his feet, a small slip of parchment lays unnoticed. cadence picks it up, reads it.

"gone foraging. be back soon. signed kale."

"oh dear," mephis sighs. "i was really hoping they wouldn't do this, but... it seemed like the most likely outcome."

"how much of today have you foreseen?"

"to be honest? all of it."

all of it? mephis' answer echoes in his mind. just how much of it was a lie? how much of it was truth? maybe it's fortunate that mephis can't see the way cadence's eyes narrow with suspicion. still, the way he reacts makes it seem like he did anyway.

mephis raises his hands in surrender, chuckling sheepishly. "i know that sounds weird. i promise, it's not really— care to hear an explanation?"

well. it'd kill time, he supposes. "go on."

///

"the future is not a straight line," mephis begins. "it grows and branches out like the trees and their roots, each path leading down more paths that fork into possibilities and outcomes. it's impossible to completely predict what may happen, but mother nature leaves clues in her wake; in the sky, the wind, water —and earth."

mephis is smiling now, drawing runes in the soil with the tip of his index finger.

"one only needs to be trained to read the signs she leaves— the ambient energy flowing from our surroundings reacts to the wills and wishes of others, and they both leave indelible marks on the land around them. much like fingerprints, i suppose."

"then you can read pasts, too, by that logic."

mephis grins mischievously. "correct! although, i make it a personal rule not to pry into others' business. it's quite rude, and clients don't take well to it. i still have to earn a living."

"i see," cadence replies. it doesn't go unnoticed that this is the first real conversation he's had with another kalon in what feels like years — even his exchanges with kale were largely one-sided.

underneath mephis' hand, the runes on the ground begin to radiate light. there's a small, knowing smile on his face that hints at the words that come next.

"it's not a letter from your mother at all, is it?"

cadence opens his mouth to speak, but is dumbfounded beyond belief. the scroll with its broken seal, carefully tied shut with a string and pendent— how did he find it? did he go through his bag before they left? what exactly—

"—don't worry." mephis' voice interrupts his thoughts. "i won't tell anyone. but why bother to lie in the first place? it's not a big deal, you know."

"...i thought you said you don't pry into others' pasts," cadence says quietly.

"well, you're not my client. my curiosity can get the better of me, but... my intention was not to pry."

his expression softens. "i just wanted to find it for you."

the campfire crackles in the long pause between their exchanges. the runes on the ground fade to black, and with one sweep of the hand, are wiped out of the soil. cadence is staring into the flames, eyes diverted from mephis as the other kalon pulls his knees up to his chest, letting his oriental robes become disheveled. embers die at the edge of the fire. they remind cadence of someone he always tried to put out of his mind.

"may i ask... how it happened?" comes mephis' voice, tentative but gentle. he's curious— cadence can tell —but it didn't seem like he'd force the topic. for that, cadence is grateful, but...

maybe it's time to let go.

it takes a while for him to muster up the words to offer in explanation. he's buried these feelings so long underneath the daily grind of work — the incessant clank of metal on metal, and the smell of his furnace burning bright. long nights spent toiling in the heat,
crafting weapons to perfection — these were the things he filled his days with, to leave no room for stray thoughts or anything else for that matter.

he'd spent so much of his time alone these past years. hardly spoke to anyone, and now, about to spill his guts to a near stranger...
cadence begins to laugh in a way that visibly surprises mephis to no end. not even he could've predicted his reaction, surely.

"sorry," cadence breathes, his laughter fading into a chuckle. "it's just... funny, i guess. i barely know you, but..."

"—you're lonely, aren't you?"

cadence stops mid-sentence, blinking at mephis incredulously. there's another one of the geomancer's sly smiles, gracing his features with an amiability cadence couldn't see before, but did now.

"i understand," he says, relaxing against the log behind him. "i spend a lot of time on the road, and... while i love what i do, it does get a little lonely talking to yourself all the time."

"you talk to yourself?"

"all the time. some of the locals from the village think i'm crazy."

"well, you don't exactly fit in."

"no one does, if you put them in the wrong place."

those words bring cadence's memory back to the forefront of his mind, along with flashes of a voice much younger than his own. geeze, cadence! why don't you smile more? it's the voice of kalon not yet twenty, with bright eyes and a bright smile not unlike kale's, yet gentler, sweeter than his compatriot. i bet you'd fit in if you gave a little grin now and then.

the unexpected memory makes his chest do inexplicable things. there's a tightness there, an ache, that he doesn't like. the one he hasn't felt in years. slowly, his secrets begin to unravel, each present moment bringing back another from the past.

"he was a soldier," cadence begins, tentatively — as if the words were rare, few, precious, and fragile.

"we were enlisted. cavalry. i was his senior by three years. we were in the same squadron together."

mephis listens quietly, as still as a mouse.

"he was young. he told me he wanted to do great things— be a hero. he'd talk nonstop about saving people, fighting off bad guys... stuff like that. still a kid, really."

"one day, he... no, i... got mad at him. i've seen men die on the battlefield. i... told him that heroism doesn't exist in war. that his dreams were just some stupid fantasy. then... he ran off. told me he was gonna prove me wrong."

silence engulfs the camp for a moment.

"the next day, they find his body. he tried to challenge the king of bandits. he... i couldn't recognize his face. not after what they did to him."

cadence steels himself against his own words. he doesn't cry— refuses to. yet his hands twitch and fidget all the same, aching for something to do, something to take his mind off his thoughts. across from him, mephis appears to be thinking. the struggle to find something to say that would ease the pain — even though both of them know these kinds of wounds don't heal so easily.

mephis opens his mouth to speak at length—

"—what in the world were you guys talking about? ya'll look like you've been seeing ghosts or something."

cadence turns back, greeted by a familiar figure. it's kale, back from gathering food. in one hand are the snares they'd placed earlier, while a wild hare hangs from the other. kale's belt pouch is filled to the brim with berries, mushrooms, other edibles — a plentiful harvest. it's clear that this was kale's way of offering an apology — after all, they're no longer scowling like before; the smile is back on kale's face as always, self-satisfied and confident.

"wipe your eyes boys! look at what i found in the bushes just now."

mephis smiles. "the satchel?"

cadence replies. "the satchel."

kale's grinning from ear to ear as they toss the bag to cadence. "alright! tonight, we feast like kings!"

///

the stars are beautiful tonight, cadence thinks. kale's putting out the fire, yawning for the fourth time in the last fifteen minutes. surrounded by his geodes, mephis finishes plotting a course on a piece of parchment. it's incredibly sloppy, but... cadence decides to put his faith in the fortune teller a little.

after all, trust is a two-way street. perhaps someday he'd ask mephis about his past too.

as the others settle down into their blankets, cadence pulls out a scroll, the one bound by a string and pendant. his badge. the one thing left behind, aside his corpse, aside from the words within the scroll itself.

cadence doesn't need to read it anymore. he's long since memorized its contents, scrawled across the faded paper:

im sorry. you were right

he closes his eyes, listening to the wind. this quest. the reason why he wanted to do this in the first place...

"i guess we'll have to prove you wrong, don't we?"

it's mephis' voice again. cadence turns to face him, meeting his eyes once more. pale eyes like cataracts meet his own, yet there's something different about them this time. cadence isn't sure what, but the way he smiles is reassuring.

"we'll do it. we can save kalokairi. i promise."

"i suppose i just have to take your word for it, huh?"

they share one more laugh in the darkness, with kale fast asleep beside them under starlit sky and newfound possibility.

it's nice to sleep without ghosts for once.

My gallery · by **lysander** » Thu Jun 29, 2017 12:23 pm

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kale's gaze is cast towards the valley below them, into staggering depths partially obscured by fog and cloudcover. the air is moist and cool — a pleasant change from the temperate jungle they'd just traversed through. now, towering above them, is another hundred feet of cliffside to scale. mephis is in his element — his hands clasp stone ledges firmly, grip strong and confident; no doubt is in kale's mind that he's communing with the earth right now. he did have a lot of experience touching rocks, after all. what a weirdo. kale briefly thinks about giving him a pet rock for his next birthday.

behind him, cadence seems to be having... some degree of difficulty. he's strong — years from working as a weaponsmith gave him the brawns needed to accomplish most tasks, but... his footing...

"cadence," kale offers. "your foot. there's a rock jutting out to your left."

"...right."

cadence doesn't seem too pleased about taking advice from kale, but nonetheless he follows the kalon's instructions. kale chuckles a little. they didn't expect cadence to be quite so clueless about adventuring... it's a little endearing, and pretty funny to be honest.

kale stops to take in the sweet smell of mountain air; lichens and moss cover the rock and vines trail downwards, clinging to stone and intertwining with the dead roots of trees long gone. in the distance stand more hills, mountains, rock formations that cast silhouettes against the mist at their bases. it's beautiful. kale takes in the sight like a drink; it's things like this that keep one's soul refreshed and vibrant — so they always believed.

from above, mephis makes contact with steady ground. he hoists himself up, peeking down at his comrades. "looks like we've made it."

///

"so... the shrine of arkaios, huh."

cadence looks on at the pile of rubble at his feet, then back up at the tower — if one could, uh, call it a tower at this point. to kale, it looks more like some kid took a bunch of blocks and haphazardly stuck them together without any rhyme or reason. there's only the faintest semblance of what one could call proper architecture in its ruined structure, and kale's a little unsure of how to proceed without accidentally getting crushed flat by a falling brick.

only a little, though.

"welp, i guess we better start climbing!" chimes kale, marching towards the debris without a second thought. no pain, no gain! no risk, no reward! that's what they always believed, and the first crystal of their quest — surely that was a great enough reward to risk a little brain trauma, right? of course. kale was always right.

before kale can take another step, mephis' hand grabs the back of their shirt, abruptly stopping them. "just wait," he says.

kale shoots him a dirty look. "i don't want to wait!"

"the crystal isn't in the tower," mephis explains. "i can't sense its power anywhere inside it. if it were there, i should be able to feel its energy, but... nothing. none of these bricks are imbued with any kind of magic."

this makes kale stop in their tracks. "wait— so the crystal's not here?"

"it's not. but... something weird is going on here."

cadence and kale lean in, waiting for mephis to continue.

"there's... footprints on the ground."

they both look down and see nothing.

"not regular ones! here— wait."

mephis wields his staff. the gem on its handle glows brightly as the wind picks up around all three kalons — then, it slowly fades away once more as the light dims from the crystal.

"now look again."

below them, the ground shimmers with energy. patterns of light form prints in the soil — clearly another kalon's. some are old, faded with time, but towards the back of the ruins a fresh set glows brightly.

"this energy... it's powerful. and it's moving."

well. that's problematic, kale thinks. cadence groans. this might harder than they thought.

mephis is about to comment on their situation when he stops short, ears perking up and tuning into the silence. kale knows when mephis is about to make an important discovery—

—but the sound of wooden clogs on gravel beat him to it. all three stay hushed as a figure emerges from behind the ruins.

it's an old kalon, grey and white with age, shaven and adorned with saffron robes and rosary beads. a monk. kale's curiosity is piqued; they'd never seen a monk like this before. the priests back in the northwest countries were terribly mundane, with their black cassocks and clerical collars. the bright orange of the monk's robes — now this is different.

cadence, on the other hand, regards the old kalon with distrust. kale rolls their eyes, approaching anyway with a smile.

"hello! we're adventurers!" kale says. "we're looking for some cool looking crystal or something — like, a legendary one?"

cadence slaps a hand over his face, dragging it down in exasperation. mephis watches on, expression unreadable.

even so, the monk chuckles, eyes twinkling. kale knows when they've found a kindred spirit.

"it's been so long since we've had visitors in these parts. come — let us talk elsewhere."

///

"these ruins, as you know, once belonged to the arkaian archives — the most extensive collection of mythic writings and lore from the days before the khimeran empire."

kale's heard stories of the khimeran empire, passed down from generations to generations. their eyes widen a little, mouth dropping open — imagining the history stored in the depths of those ruins boggles the mind. mephis seems similarly impressed, though he says nothing to make note of it. he appears deep in thought, oddly quiet for a change, while cadence's eyes are wary and alert.

as they continue following the monk, the path begins to transform into steps leading down the other side of the cliff, twisting through huge boulders jettisoned from above.

"most of the writing has been lost to time, but... i've been trying to restore what little we have left of the records."

the monk stops in front of a large slab in their path. kale peers from behind, noting the sigils and runes engraved into its face. surely mephis would be able to make something out of them, if given the opportunity to run the etchings under his fingertips.

the monk taps the slab three times, each in different places, then stands back as the stone yawns open, as if awakened from a deep slumper. kale watches as the rock shifts and separates, allowing them passage into a dark corridor. in place of a torch, the monk's prayer beads light up and illuminate the path, a harmless flame in the palm of his hand. mephis doesn't bother with his own staff at all, content with tapping along the stone walls. there, engraved painstakingly into solid earth, are lines upon lines of a language kale's never seen before. cadence runs a hand over the rock, studying them with mild interest.

"these halls were once used during the sieges, when ancient monks were persecuted for refusing to convert. the sigils on these walls are meant for protection against the khimeran forces, but... all things fall in time."

there's a note of pain in the monk's voice kale notices, but doesn't inquire about. their footsteps echo in the corridor, reverberating against the walls until they reach an open area carved deep into the mountain. the monk's beads detach, apparently not held together by string — and each one finds its way through the darkness to separate torches mounted on the walls of the room.

then, there is light. the entire area is illuminated, and what kale sees is astounding — scrolls upon scrolls sit in high racks stacked up against the walls. there's no way to count them all, but kale estimates that there's possibly hundreds of writings lying dormant in their compartments.

"holy— did you save all this?"

"it's a small feat if you consider the effort taken to write them all," the monk replies with a smile. he takes a seat at a table in the center of the room, where a piece of parchment lays stretched between two wooden bars. the smell of fresh ink reaches kale's nose, and they approach the table just as the monk beckons the party to settle down.

"you can call me phiros, by the way," he says, folding his hands into his saffron sleeves. "i'm the keeper of the records here. you are welcome to stay, if you must rest for the night."

"actually," cadence starts, "we're kind of in a rush. we're looking for something."

"yeah! the crystal— you know which one we're talking about?" adds kale.

phiros taps his foot on the ground a few times, closing his eyes for a brief moment before rising from his chair. kale watches as he makes his way towards one of the scroll racks, summoning one from a high shelf with a few words in a foreign tongue — magic, of course.

"i believe it is this that you're seeking?"

he returns to the table, spreading the scroll open. kale and cadence rush to his side while mephis idly draws runes in the dusty floors.

"the crystal of ventus," he begins, "blessed with the power of the wind, by no other than aeolus himself. or so legend says, of course."

kale watches ink move on the pages of the scroll, animated and seemingly alive. the crystal rotates on the page as clouds coalesce around it — the work of ancient monks, whose pictographs were brought to life by an old kind of magic not known to kalons of present day. cadence regards it as if he'd seen a cockroach crawl off the page.

"i-is that normal?" he asks.

"well, i suppose not many a young kalon like yourself would have seen scrolls like these," phiros answers. "they used to be plentiful, back in the day. it is not so anymore."

the scroll closes on its own, floating back to its place high on the shelves.

"so... do you know where it is?" kale tries. phiros shakes his head.

"the four elemental crystals have been heavily sought after in history. very few kalon claim to have even seen it — as far as i know, there's a good chance it may be merely a myth."

"still," he continues, "that doesn't seem to stop the foolish into attempting an impossible quest."

all three kalons turn towards phiros. he merely laughs, waving his hand. "of course, i can't say much — the company i get is rare. i'm glad you are here. allow me to be a proper host."

///

hours pass by torchlight as the three kalons listen to phiros' tales of days long past — recollections from the records he keeps so diligently. kale loves nothing more than stories — it didn't matter what they were about, or who told them. each story was an adventure in of itself; a collection of experience wrapped into words, graciously given by those who cared to share them. kale always got caught up in things like these, watching the teller's eyes glow as they recount their lives, their histories. now is no different — they're glued to every word phiros says, and the other two kalons cannot betray the curiosity behind their practiced demeanors. stories always brought out the kid in everyone.

at the end of his tale, phiros rubs his hands and concludes with a yawn. "my. we've certainly burnt through daylight, haven't we?"

"oh, shoot—" kale starts "—it's night already, isn't it?"

mephis nods. his internal clock is far more accurate than kale's. "perhaps we ought to take phiros up on his offer. i doubt anyone wants to climb down that cliff at night."

cadence shivers at the thought of it, nodding in agreement. "then, it's settled. we stay here. but one night only — tomorrow, we search for the crystal."

///

kale falls asleep first in the midst of the dust of their shared room. a prayer bead torch illuminates the walls gently, allowing just enough light to navigate without disturbing those slumbering. mephis is still awake; cadence is beside him, facing the wall, and presumably trying to catch some rest too.

that leaves mephis, awake and alone. for some reason, he can't bring himself to sleep. something's been on his mind ever since they first reached the tower — he can't quite put his finger on it, but the stone walls of their shelter made it clear that something was amiss. as mephis listened to the sound of his staff dragging along the corridors earlier, energy seemed to flare from its tip — as if the entire anatheum was thrumming with magic.

but why? mephis can't seem to figure it out, no matter how hard he listens to the earth. something powerful must be blocking his foresight — something far stronger than the blessing given to him by the philosopher's stone.

could it be... the crystal?

unable to relax, mephis leaves their room, finding his way back to the annex of the anatheum. phiros is still awake, probably working on another scroll by smell of wet ink. he puts his brush down as mephis approaches, smiling.

"is there something you need, friend?"

"yeah," mephis starts, scratching his head. "so, i'm a geomancer. i'm sure you know by my robes."

"yes, thaumaturgists of the mid-eastern tribes have a distinct way of dressing."

"so, then, you probably know what i'm about to ask you."

"do i really?"

mephis cuts to the chase. "where is the crystal, phiros?"

"didn't i tell you before? it's not here—"

"—please don't play dumb. it's insulting to both of our intelligences."

at this, phiros stands, groaning a little in his old age. mephis stands his ground, staff in his hand.

"its a shame. i wasn't lying when i said i wanted company."

suddenly, a sharp pain shoots through mephis' arm — but he's just quick enough to avoid the rest of the blade as it zooms past him in the air.

"—phiros!"

"i won't let you have it," the monk says. his tone is different; now dripping with menace. "no one— not the khimerans, not you!"

it's times like these when mephis occasionally misses his sight. his footwork is fleeting, but every dodge of his depends on sound — knives that sharp cut through air with pure silence.

phiros' voice comes from behind him now. "i watched every one of my comrades fall to the empire. i won't let anyone take away the last relic we had — the one we died protecting!"

"—phiros! those times are long gone— how long have you been here? we can work this out!"

"—it doesn't matter. months, years, centuries — you'll be gone before you find out!"

mephis readies his staff — five geodes materialize around him, providing a makeshift shield. he's in trouble — mephis isn't built for one on one combat. he's a fortune teller for crying out loud, not a mage! there's a huge difference!

phiros readies himself for another strike as mephis tries to listen in on his movements — but the monk is too quiet. all he has to do is break through that geode barrier, then —

— suddenly, a knife falls to the floor. mephis' head darts in the direction of the noise. someone else is here.

"i knew something like this would happen," comes cadence's voice.

"oh my god," mephis breathes. "i thought you were asleep!"

"in a stranger's house? never," cadence replies. mephis can smell the scent of blood as he approaches phiros' body — a body far older than he originally thought. phiros — the last monk of the arkaian shrine. the last monk of ventus. he must've grown weak with age, sustaining his life as long as possible using the rest of his magic. to think an ancient would be felled by a simple sword...

"it's a shame, really," mephis says, after a long pause. "we didn't have to kill him."

"he was bent on killing you, though."

"indeed. but there were other paths — other fates."

with a flick of his staff, mephis summons the prayer beads from the torches. "it's a shame he chose this one."

he bends down to remove the beads from phiros' neck. when all are in his hand, they join together — begin to glow, radiate heat — until in mephis' palm the wind crystal stands.

cadence looks at phiros' body on the floor as it slowly begins to crumble to dust.

My gallery · by **lysander** » Sat Jul 01, 2017 4:57 am

► table of contents

they don't know what to tell them when kale wakes up the morning after. cadence always struggled with words, but there's a melancholy about mephis that's unusual after the events of last night. cadence isn't particularly sympathetic towards anyone who tried to hold a sword against him or any of his comrades, but mephis appears to think otherwise.

kale, though... it seemed obvious to cadence that kale was fond of the monk, whose body had long since disintegrated, held together only by a feeble remnant of magic. when they awaken, mephis is standing there alongside cadence himself, with the crystal radiating in his palm.

kale's eyes open slowly, still heavy with sleep until reality hits them like a ton of bricks.

"holy..." they start, sitting up in their cot. "how did you guys find it?"

mephis says nothing, allowing the crystal to revert to its dormant form — phiros' prayer beads. kale is visibly confused, brows furrowing, until they slowly put the pieces together. those prayer beads belonged to phiros — so phiros had the crystal. which mean phiros lied when he said he didn't know where it was.

kale is silent for a moment before they ask, "where is phiros now?"

cadence replies in mephis' stead: "he's... gone."

"gone?"

"he threatened mephis last night. i ambushed him."

"he's... dead."

cadence doesn't like hearing the words. he looks away. he's a soldier — this is what he's trained for, he thinks. and yet the look on kale's face makes him... feel something he doesn't want to feel.

it seems that kale knows the inevitable; mephis was threatened. that warranted self defense, but...

"i couldn't do anything to help," kale says softly.

cadence blinks. mephis steps in.

"kale, it's alright. i should have told you all what i discovered— i endangered myself recklessly by approaching phiros on my own. i thought that maybe—"

"i'm useless."

the words stop mephis in his tracks. he clearly doesn't know what to say, and frankly neither does cadence.

"first the road, then the satchel— now this." kale offers a dry scoff. "some leader i am, huh."

"kale..."

the younger kalon gets up, wasting no time in putting their belongings in order. cadence can tell when someone no longer wants to discuss a topic — he's the same way. he watches as kale begins to ready for the journey ahead, and joins them while mephis stands by, unsure of what to do.

"we need to hurry up," kale says emotionlessly. "we must past through the forest of balboa before nightfall."

"right," cadence replies. "of course."

mephis says nothing.

///

daylight wanes. through the dense canopy, kale can make out the dimming sky above them. mephis' horse trods on, with her owner walking beside her as cadence mans the reigns. the woods are thick — filled to the brim with trees standing tall and straight, towering above them as erect as statues. it's eerily silent — not even the usual hum of crickets seem to penetrate the forest.

kale's heard many things about balboa. stories of kalons disappearing, only to be discovered as piles of bones, bleached white by the sun. the talk of woodland "neighbors" — fairies, spirits, tricksters, ghosts alike. they recall the stories their favorite village merchant used to tell them back in the any — tall tales about young kalons being lured into rivers by the bækhest — in common tongue, the brookhorse. then, the changelings, the satyrs, the faekin...

still, for all the myths and legends, a good majority of kalons passed through the forest without a single scratch. it'd been long known as a wonderful place to harvest wild, edible mushrooms. and, it provided a safe, fast route to their next destination — surely things can't go wrong now.

surely. the word irks kale at the back of their mind. that's what they said so many times before — and what happened as a result?

what if someone gets killed?

kale grits their teeth, walking ahead of mephis and cadence with a brisk pace. stop thinking about it, they think. nothing's going to happen!

after some time, cadence draws the caravan to a stop, looking around. dusk is closing in on them. the canopy is so thick kale can't make out the moon or stars from under its branches — it's like looking up into an abyssal void.

"camp?" mephis asks.

"camp." cadence replies.

kale doesn't turn around to face them. "i'll go find a place to set up."

"kale, wait—" starts mephis, but kale can't hear him; they're already sprinting off into the darkness ahead.

reckless it may be. but emotions are complicated things.

///

"should we go after them?" mephis asks. "the forest, at night..."

cadence shakes his head. "leave them alone. kale will come back on their own."

he knows the whole campsite thing's just a pretense. some excuse made up to avoid talking to himself and mephis. by the look on mephis' face, it seemed like he'd never seen kale act so strangely before. cadence, in truth, never did either — but he understands the emotions behind the younger kalon's actions. cadence knows better than to pry.

"i'm worried about them," mephis admits.

"don't. kale's more capable than you think."

"i trust that you're right."

///

the night envelops the trees around them. every step is a crack of a twig underfoot — the only sound kale can hear as they traverse the depths of the woods. it's getting chilly — since when was it cold around here? where are all the birds — the animals grazing after dusk? not a single piece of evidence of life seems to make itself known, aside from the tendrils of plants growing along the forest path.

kale stops in their tracks. in the darkness are two eyes and a dark, shapeless mass towering above them. the sound it makes — it's something between hissing and crying, snake-like and hideous.

kale runs.

kale runs until they can't run anymore. the forest around them swirls, changes, warping around them. it's no longer dark outside — no, instead the forest radiates light, like a summer sunset penetrating the foliage. grass sprouts along the sides of the path, vines overtake trees and the entire forest comes to life.

then — suddenly, the black mass reappears. now kale can see its head, a deer skull with no eyes save for the beads of light in their centers, staring down at the small kalon. kale makes a motion to turn, run —

"—wait—" the mass says, voice like a million whispers. kale doesn't intend to, except — they can't move. they're frozen, mid turn, unable to move a single muscle.

"—i apologize," says the shadow. "it was not my intention to frighten you earlier. you are in danger, running around like that in these woods at this time."

kale regains control of their body, as if someone turned off a switch or pushed a button. they turn, facing the dark figure in front of them.

"...what are you?" they ask.

white pupils gaze intently back at kale. "i have no name that can be spoken by mortals, but your kind calls me the caretaker. i am the guardian of this forest."

guardian. kale pauses to think. so this demonic looking thing wasn't a threat? but...

"how do i know i can trust you?" they ask, eyes narrowing. "you don't look very friendly."

the air chills around them as the shadow speaks in hushed tones. "if i wanted to kill you, i could have done so as soon as you stepped into my woods."

kale shivers, swallows nervously. the caretaker towers above them in its height, seemingly absorbing all light like a hole.

"come," says the caretaker. "it is not my duty to harm the living. you will be safe from the neighbors in my presence — they fear me, after all."

///

if kale running off isn't bad enough, it begins to rain just as cadence and mephis start to make camp. how the rain seeps through the dense treeline makes mephis squint upward — not that he can see anything anyway, of course, but he finds it puzzling. cadence on the other hand only groans, covering his head with his cloak.

"incredible," he says. "we're underneath a million trees, and we're still getting wet."

"i suppose we'll have to make do with a little moisture tonight."

a crack of thunder sounds throughout the forest. the downpour comes down harder than ever.

"a little moisture you say," cadence says dryly. mephis only shrugs in reply.

"either way, let's start setting—"

wait. wait.
where did the caravan go?

cadence looks around himself frantically for the wagon and poor, drenched horse they'd brought all the way from the village. as far as he can tell, they've mysteriously vanished into thin air. just like that. poof, gone.

"mephis, can you see—"

"—no, i can't." mephis interrupts. "you seeing folk really take it for granted."

cadence winces. "sorry. but, the caravan, the horse— it's gone."

this makes mephis frown. "but they were just right there, no?"

"i know."

"oh... lily..." mephis trails off, thinking about his horse.

cadence notices a figure approaching through the rain; with the constant pitter-pattering, it's no surprise to him that mephis failed to hear a third presence in the woods with them. wary, cadence puts his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"stranger! show yourself!" he shouts. mephis is immediately alerted, staff held firm in his hands.

"—mister?" comes a small, child-like voice. from the shadows, a small girl approaches. judging by her height, she can't be more than six or seven. cadence stares at her as if he'd seen some kind of apparition. beside him, mephis relaxes.

"i saw you in the woods," she says. "it's raining very hard... you can come and stay with me and my mother."

cadence looks up at the sky, still pouring buckets onto the ground below. with no supplies, they've got little choice.

"alright miss, show us the way."

///

walking alongside the caretaker is a completely different experience than the hour previous to their accidental meeting — the forest seems like new world, no longer dark and foreboding, but full of spring-like radiance and life. so here were the animals — the birds, the squirrels, even fish in the streams — did the caretaker hide them in this sanctuary?

kale looks at the black mass walking — no, hovering? floating — beside them. two long horns jut out of the deer skull that apparently made up the caretaker's head. its body appears to be cloaked in a wispy darkness, and every time kale comes close it chills them to the bone. just what is the caretaker?

"this forest," the caretaker begins, "has been under my jurisdiction for thousands of years. it has changed shape many times, but it still lives due to my presence. i ward off those who would harm it, protect those who lose their way in it. of course, i am not the only being that presides in these parts."

"the neighbors," kale infers.

"yes, the neighbors — what your kind calls the many strands of faekin and their relatives. they are not evil as many kalons believe; right and wrong does not exist for us immortals. there is only self-interest."

"then... what's in it for you? protecting the forest, i mean."

"this is my home. i cannot go anywhere else. if it dies, so do i."

"so you're not immortal, really," kale inquires. "are you?"

"only if anything happens to the forest."

kale is silent for a stretch of their walk, watching butterflies flit between flowers in the scenery passing by. what a beautiful place to be, they think. flowers of all colors seem to burst with life with every step. too bad cadence and mephis aren't here to see it right now.

oh crap. cadence and mephis.

"u-uh, o great shadowed... horned... beast... thing!" kale rattles frantically. "i've got two friends— they're idiots, but, but— i'm an idiot too, and now they're— i left them behind, and now..."

kale wipes away the moisture from their eyes gingerly, indignantly. "i don't know where they are. they're probably lost or something, knowing them. you know... since i'm such a great leader and all..."

the caretaker stops, turning towards kale. with a strange wind-like sound, it shrinks down to their height to speak at eye level.

"do not cry, young one. i know you care about them — it is emotion that draws me towards those lost in the woods, after all."

"but, where are they?" kale asks, refusing to cry more. "this part of the forest isn't like the place i left."

the caretaker appears to think — emotionless and stoic as its bone face is. at length, it returns to its original height — and keeps going, transforming into a dark passageway of shadow. kale's eyes go wide as they peer into the void — it's the woods from before.

"i believe i know where they are," the caretaker says from up above.

tentatively, with unsure footing, kale steps into the dark.

///

chamomile tea and a warm fire. a roof over their heads and the smell of herbs drying — mephis takes in all the scents of their temporary abode with a content expression on his face. not far from him, cadence is reclining against one of the seats as the little girl approaches with tiny footsteps.

"here you go mister," she says, handing cadence something. by the smell of it, another cup of tea.

cadence is too tired to do much else but mumble a word of thanks, blowing along the surface of the liquid.

sipping his own cup, mephis tastes the blend of honey and chamomile, along with a hint of lavender. the tea is absolutely wonderful, he thinks. since when did he last have tea this good...?

"this place you have here," he starts, "is absolutely lovely, by the way. please give our compliments to your mother."

the girl giggles softly. "okay, sir."

"where is she anyway?" cadence asks. "i'd be a little alarmed if my daughter brought in two strangers into the house."

"mmm... she's upstairs," the girl says. "she doesn't like being disturbed when she's sewing."

"hm, i see."

"you mean you understand," mephis corrects.

"oh, um. sorry."

the awkwardness of cadence's voice makes mephis laugh. "don't worry, i'm just teasing you. i'm not one to nitpick like that."

in the back of his mind, mephis wonders if kale is okay out there on their own — in the soaking wet rain, all cold and hungry... as he thinks, the smile vanishes from his face. what are they doing relaxing like this when kale's outside, lost?

in a hush, mephis downs the rest of his tea, standing up. "cadence, we need to go after kale. i don't trust this forest."

no reply. the fire still crackles in its hearth.

"cadence?"

suddenly, mephis feels terribly alone. warmth retreats from his body. the cup in his hand calls to the floor and shatters.

then, the girl's voice appears. the sound of it is like water shimmering in moonlight; clear, crisp, gentle, yet... unreal.

"oh, your friend? he's taken a little nap. he won't miss you much though, so don't worry. in fact, i doubt he'll even remember you."

mephis stirs, opening his mouth to reply — but the words won't come out. try as he might, there's nothing but silence around him. he can't even hear the shuffling of his own clothes as he collapses onto his knees.

"so you're the one the philosopher stone's chosen," the girl says. her voice appears to come from all directions. "a delphinian... from the middle east. your kind once communed with us fae very closely. until your king broke pact with us, that is."

still, the words fail to form on his lips. he feels weak, cold, and colder by the second. he doesn't know anything about a king or a pact aside from the stories his mother once told him as a young kalon — if they were true, then this fairy...

"well, i came to get what your lot took away from us. so hold still, you poor wretch. your short, miserable existence will be over soon."

he tries to struggle, but no longer can feel his limbs. they've long since grown numb, as if frostbitten — heavy and solid and unmoving. breathing becomes labored; mephis can hardly keep his own eyes open... though he supposes that, like other things, doesn't matter anymore. he falls to his side, curling in on himself in a last ditch effort to conserve his body heat. so this is what true darkness feels like.

it's so cold.

the world seems to close around him as mephis begins to lose consciousness.

suddenly, a loud crack breaks the silence. it's like a clap of thunder, striking the entire realm with reverberating sound. mephis feels the fairy's magic weaken just a little.

"—who goes there?!" she calls out.

then, the crackling continues — as if someone took a hammer to a stone wall and began to tear it down. in fact, mephis can hear the sound of crumbling as his strength slowly returns.

"—god, this stuff's tough—" comes a familiar voice. it's kale. kale, with their dagger, carving into the pocketspace the fae created.

"how— how is this possible?" the fairy stammers, relinquishing her hold on mephis' body. suddenly, all feeling returns.

"—mephis! are you alive?" it's cadence. his voice is followed by the familiar sound of wind — no longer is the world deathly silent around him.

"—hold on! let me just... a little more!"

"—put your back into it kale!"

"—shut up! i'm working on it!"

with one final push, the space tears open. glimmers of light return to mephis' limited vision. he no longer feels alone — but the fairy, on the other hand, seemingly vanished without a trace. was she afraid of something?

"mephis!"

the fortune teller gets to his feet, still unsteady from his strength being sapped. he leans onto his staff, offering the others a smile.

"don't worry you two, i'm just fi—"

mephis is cut off when kale runs into his arms, giving him a tight hug. cadence laughs in the background, amused at seeing mephis' blindsided expression.

"god!" kale starts. "you're both idiots! what would've happened if i wasn't there to save you? geeze— you need to be more careful!"

kale refuses to let go. at length, mephis can only pat kale on the back sheepishly. having someone else worry so much about him... is nice, in a way. and how kale saved him...

wait. how did kale save him?

mephis opens his mouth to speak, but kale puts their finger on his lips, predicting his words with stunning accuracy.

"it's a secret," kale says, amusement in their voice. he can only sigh in reply; from exhaustion, exasperation, but most of all — relief.

mephis didn't need eyesight to know the smile on kale's face right now;
a smile, bright and triumphant, with gleaming eyes ready to take on the world.

two's company; three's a crowd // kalon summer event

two's company; three's a crowd // kalon summer event

prompt one; preparations

prompt three; (un)expected circumstances

prompt four; the first crystal

prompt five; into the woods

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