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rallis-fatalis · 4 years ago

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Home is Where the Spirit is

Across a river, in the depths of ancient magic, or even in her very dreams, Rallis had a knack of making friends in the most unusual places. That trend seems to continue as her journey brings her to the wizarding town of Yanille, where she uncovers a whole new world of wonders, and quite literally at that. Friends will be made, relationships will be mended, and many cats will be pet as Rallis finds a family and a home that she can truly call her own.

The sun broke through the shady covering of the treetop overhead, dappling Rallis the sleeping blue dragon underneath with dollops of gold. A beam of light peeked through the gaps in the leaves and shone right on her closed eyes, making her groan annoyedly. She covered her face and rolled over, only for the grass beneath her to tickle her nose. She sneezed and whined as she finally sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes with a yawn. It was very bright and sunny out for having just woken up. Perhaps it was noon or soon to be. Rallis pulled a pilfered banana out of one of her pack pockets and enjoyed her sweet breakfast as she listened to the birds above her and flicked her tail in the sun. It had been quite some time since Rallis left Varrock to go on her own adventure by herself. For exactly how long she wasn't certain, she never was good at getting a feel for and remembering the passing of time of any kind, but the full moon had come at least twice. So maybe two months? She couldn't be bothered to remember. In that time, though, she had certainly caused some trouble, and right now she found herself having to hide from an entire city because of it. Not long ago Rallis had helped a native of Karamja steal something of his back from a spoiled rich man in Ardougne and she may have stolen something for herself as well, something that was as of right now very poorly hidden in her pack. When she returned to Ardougne after her successful mission, the city was on high alert. People were interrogated and searched, some even jailed, all because that spoiled brat didn't like that his stolen goods had been taken back. She could feel some of the knights of the city wanted to question her, likely due to her obviously different appearance, so she ran off before she could be considered suspect. She ran south, exploring Yanille, petting larupias, enjoying the hot tubs of Corsair, and just having fun seeing all the new things the world had to offer. Rallis finished her banana and left the peel for the nearby gopher to feast upon. She was currently hanging around a short ways north of Yanille, keeping an eye on the people who came and went, looking to see if any of them might be knights, and keeping an ear trained on news from the north. She wanted to continue exploring but she couldn't get past Ardougne until things calmed down. How obnoxious. Rallis flopped against her overly stuffed pack with a huff. The thing had been nearly empty when she started her adventure and now it was bursting at the seams with goodies she found. And she was starting to get tired of all the nasty bugs trying to raid her pouches for her fruit while she snoozed outside. She wished she had a place to store her stuff where no one could find it. Or a nice place to stay, like her old cave with her family or her rooms back in Taverley and Varrock. Traveling was nice, but having a place to call her own was nicer. She threw her pack on and brushed the grass off her clothes and made her way back to Yanille. There had to be something to do to pass the days until Ardougne calmed down. Everywhere she went, Rallis was greeted by harsh glares and mistreatment due to her unusual appearance, until people came to learn she wasn't going to burn down their town, that is. Yanille was no different, but the people here seemed to be even more on edge with her. They whispered things about her being a spy for the ogre shamans or things of the like and she was thoroughly interrogated upon entry into the city. When they realized she didn't even know what an "oh-grr" was, most left her alone, but there were still a few guardsmen and mages that gave her a nasty stink eye when she passed through the gates once more. She ignored them and walked through the town to see if anyone needed any help. She couldn't quite put a finger on it, but there was something about Yanille Rallis loved far more than any other town she had been to thus far. Perhaps it was how magical the place was. Perhaps it was how secluded from other cities it was. Perhaps it was how wild and natural most of the lands around it were. Or perhaps it was something she just couldn't identify. Either way, Rallis knew she liked the place and she was starting to grow almost happy her illegal shenanigans in Ardougne had forced her here. As she walked through town looking for something to do, a black cat came up to her. He sat down in front of her and stared expectantly. "Hello pretty kitty!" Rallis chirped. She knelt down and held a hand out. The cat sniffed her claws and rubbed his face against them with a purr. Rallis purred back in kind which only seemed to make the cat happier. "You're so cute and friendly, kitty cat! Where did you come from?" The cat said nothing and continued to rub his face against her hand. Rallis scratched his head with her other hand and the cat flopped on the ground. She scratched his chin with one hand and his belly with the other. He closed his eyes with a purr and enjoyed the warm stone beneath him as he was pet and scratched. "You're so friendly for a stray I've never met. And you're so silky and soft too. Someone must look after you. Did you get lost?" The cat continued to lay down and purr as she pet him, without a single care in the world. Suddenly, a scream and small explosion shook the quiet. The cat jumped up with a start and ran off as a burst of smoke puffed out of a now shattered glass window of the Wizard's Guild. Rallis could see the other windows quickly being thrown open by the wizards as they coughed and shooed the smoke out. It didn't seem like a dangerous affair but she figured she would check to see if everyone was alright anyway. Rallis turned to say goodbye to the cat but he was already long gone. She ran toward the guild with a frown. Hopefully she would find the kitty again later so she could continue petting it. Three wizards were lugging the charred remains of a table out of the guild. The poor table had been mostly reduced to ash and smoke and it reeked of chemicals. Zavistic, the guild leader, oversaw the train of wizards carting out burnt supplies with a sigh and a shake of his head. Rallis wrinkled her nose and bounced over. "What happened?" Rallis asked. "Blow up a death rune?" "Hello again, dragon. No, nothing like that. Some fool simply mislabeled some of the chemicals upstairs and someone else set fire to the lab tables upon mixing them. Everything is fine, save the poor tables." Someone came with a half burnt chair and tossed it outside. Rallis choked. "It's so stinky! At least you're all fine though. Need some help?" "Thank you but I think we'll be fine. Everything is almost cleared out and the fires weren't big by any means. T'was simply a small accident. Though I suppose we will be doing work on the floor for the next week or so." Another table, half burnt away, was tossed onto the pile of ruined furniture. Someone called 'that's it' from above. "'That's it,'" Zavistic snorted. "That's most of the things we had! What a day." Rallis took a look at the discarded wood. Not all of it was beyond repair. Some pieces were salvageable. "I can fix you a couple things if you want," she offered. "I'm good at building stuff." The guild leader was surprised. "Oh really? You're an incredible mage, a skilled botanist, and a builder now? Aren't you the accomplished monster." "Uncle Cake said I am a 'dragon of many talents!' If you have tools, I can make tables." "I'm sure I can find something." After some searching for a hammer and other things the wizards thought might be useful, Rallis got to work. It was incredible watching the dragon cut through the wood scraps with such speed and accuracy. Sometimes she didn't even need the saw they found for her, claws working just as well. While some wizards went back to work, others watched as they pretended to study. Zavisitic was impressed. Rallis was already getting to work on making the scraps into a table. "Where did you learn to build so quickly? I've never seen a beast build a table out of scraps in minutes!" "Falador," Rallis answered as she measured. "I was just as fast there too. I've always been good at building things for as long as I can't remember." "You mean can?" Zavistic corrected. "No." The wizard scowled. What a weird creature this visitor to Yanille was. As he was about to go off to continue his own work, a black cat strolled up to Rallis and sat down next to her. The dragon in turn chirped happily and pet the cat as it contently purred at her side. "Is that your cat?" Zavistic asked. Rallis shook her head. "Nope! I bumped into him on my way into town today. Isn't he adorable? He's so cuddly!" "But... it's a black cat," he said. "That's a witch's cat. Ominous if you ask me." "Black fur is no different from any other color. He's a sweet little thing who's keeping me company." The wizard grumbled. "Well when you start getting bad luck don't come whining to me." He left Rallis to her work. Rallis spent the next hour or so fixing and carving a set of tables for the wizards, stopping to pet her new feline friend as she worked. Perhaps she would have to find his owner and return him when she was done. Though she did enjoy his company, she had to admit. She almost wanted to keep him as a traveling buddy. As Rallis was testing the stability of the second table, the cat jumped to attention and hissed toward to eastern entrance of town. She tried to see what he was so upset about. "What's wrong kitty cat?" The sound of clinking armor grew closer as a group of Ardougne knights strode through the entrance. The cat hissed and ran off and Rallis paled. The head of the Yanillian guard went to meet them. Rallis braved getting close enough to listen while remaining hidden behind some bushes. "...to believe the culprit is a mage. The mansion they robbed could have only been broken into with the use of powerful dispelling magic. Have you seen any suspicious characters that might be our suspect?" Rallis whined. So they were here looking for her. She had to get out of here fast. Carefully, Rallis made her way closer to the western entrance to town. She squawked in dismay at the group of knights stationed there as well. They had blocked both the exits. She could try climbing the walls, she figured, or maybe try to squeeze through the hole that led under them. The former would grab their attention though and the latter let out right next to one of the guard barracks. What was she going to do? Something soft padded her leg. The black cat was back and it had something in its mouth. He gently placed it on the floor and meowed. Rallis picked it up and gave it a look over. "This is a magic tablet. I've never seen one with this design though. Kitty cat, did you steal this from the wizards?" The cat ignored her question and began to walk away. When he realized his friend wasn't following, he meowed and motioned to her with his tail. Keeping low, Rallis followed the cat to the western part of town. The cat led her dangerously close to the knights standing guard by the western entrance. They were chatting with the local guard and telling them to keep an eye out for suspicious activity. A dragon hiding in some bushes trying to follow a weird cat could definitely be considered suspicious activity. The cat bounded right out into the open and hopped onto an odd circular stone sculpture Rallis had passed by on her first trip into town. She had no idea what it could be, but it was certainly out of place and held some faint kind of magic. The cat curled onto the sculpture's steps and looked at the stone ring that stood behind him with a meow. The guards were confused at the weird cat but ultimately decided it wasn't worth their time. It was just a cat after all. They went back to the knights by the entrance and Rallis edged closer to the stone sculpture. She slithered quickly behind it and laid flat on the ground, hiding as best she could behind the raised almost stair-like base of the sculpture. "What now?" she whispered to the cat. The cat slammed his paws on the sculpture where he stood, then walked toward the edge of the stone ring and vanished. Rallis' ears shot up in surprise. "Where did you go, kitty?!" Some of the knights were heading her way from the eastern entrance, meticulously taking in every detail of the town. There was no way they wouldn't see her. Rallis hissed and flattened herself more, gripping the tablet worriedly. 'What am I supposed to do?!' The tablet burned in her hand for a moment. '...Break it here? But I don't even know what it does.' The knights were getting closer. She didn't have any other options. She slammed the stone as hard as she could against the base of the sculpture. As the tablet turned to dust in her hand, the ring of the sculpture crackled into a shower of purple sparks. The knights and the guards ran over at the commotion. Rallis whined and hunkered lower as they drew closer. They would spot her any moment! Something grabbed her roughly by her pack and yanked her through the sputtering magic before it fizzled into nothingness, leaving everyone left behind to their confusion. _________________________________________________ "Really? This is what you had me waste my power on?" An excited meow. "It looks weird. Smells weird too. I can't believe you had me rescue this thing." Rallis jumped up from the noise with a gasp and immediately wished she hadn't. She felt sick and the view around her was disorienting with how suddenly different from Yanille it was. She fell back to the ground and smacked her head on something metal. She clutched her head with a whine and glared at whatever she hit. It was a metal ring, similar in size and structure to the stone ring of the statue in Yanille, only this one was made of intricately woven rusted bronze in the shape of vines. Something poked Rallis' leg and she turned around with a start. A creature was looking down at her, some kind of weird bipedal cat that stood only a couple inches taller than her. It had pale dusty brown fur and rows of menacing black spines running over its body. It almost looked like if you forced a larupia to stand upright. It scowled at the dragon with its empty white eyes. "What are you? And what's your name?" the creature asked. "R-Rallis. My name is Rallis. And I'm a dragon." She was surprised the beast spoke to her in Common and it just added to her confusion. She looked around slowly, taking in her surroundings. She was sitting in a grassy clearing surrounded by huge thick trees. Flowers of various colors sprouted throughout the clearing, little splotches of color to break the monotony of green. Two old crumbling stone statues of dragons stood proudly overhead. "A dragon?" the cat creature before her snorted. "I guess if you want to be. Not like any dragon I've seen though." They addressed a figure next to Rallis again. "What did you do to get caught up with a beast like this?" A happy meow answered back. Rallis turned to find the same black cat from earlier sitting by her side. "Kitty!" She began to scratch the cat under its chin and he purred loudly, rubbing his face against her. "Well I'll be..." the creature said. "Sissel really does like you." "So that's your name?" Rallis cooed. "Sissel. What a nice name. A nice name for a nice kitty. Is he yours?" "Is he my what?" the creature growled. A row of black spines bristled on the back of its neck. "Your friend? He didn't seem like a stray, he's too well fed. You must take good care of him, he's so silky and such a sweetheart." The creature calmed itself, running a hand over its spines to flatten them. "Sorry, I thought you were going to ask if he was my pet." It spat the word out like poison. "Sissel is owned by no one, as are all cats, but I do take care of him." "So you are friends!" Rallis chirped. She pulled herself from the ground. "Hello friend of cats who is also a cat! What's your name?" "...Sen," they muttered. "Nice to meet you then, Sen! Thanks for saving me from those knights! I was about to be in a lot of trouble. Where am I now?" "Where I live," they answered. "It's a refuge for... lots of things. Sissel was watching you and thought you might have need of this place." "I did! Thanks for saving me, pretty kitty." Rallis picked up Sissel and carried him. "I know you said this is your home but where exactly is this? It almost doesn't feel... real. Like it's... how do I put this... not in the world?" Sen nodded. "That's because it's not." They pointed to the bronze portal frame behind Rallis. "Through there is your world of Gielinor. This place is its own small world, in its own pocket between worlds. It's a home for those who need one, and it's very difficult to access, making it safe and private. You'll find creatures from many worlds call this home." "That's so cool!" Rallis exclaimed, stars in her eyes. "Are you from another world then?!" Sen ignored the question and turned away. "The human that found this place built a castle on the highest point." They pointed to the mountaintop in the distance. A block of white and green sat on top. "You may stay there as long as you like until you have no more need of this place. I will be there too if you have need of me. Please don't have need of me." "Wait!" Rallis called after them as they sped away. "I don't know how to get up there! Please show me!" Sen growled as they quickly skirted through the forest and up the winding mountain path, ignoring Rallis' questions as they went. The dragon was pestering them with countless questions and they didn't feel like opening up to a total stranger. They soon reached the mountaintop, the house looming before them. Rallis finally shushed as she took in every detail of the vine covered dragon adorned entrance. "Here is the old human castle," Sen began. "You are free to stay as long as you like and in any room you like except mine. Top floor, claw marks on the door, can't miss it but please try to." "Thank you," Rallis said. "But please, before you go, I have so many questions! Like--!" Sen hissed the dragon into silence. "I know you have questions! I heard it the whole walk up here! I'm not answering them, I'm taking a nap. Ask Sissel your damn sea of questions." Rallis blinked at the cat in her arms. "I don't speak cat. I can't talk to him!" "You don't?! What kind of useless dragon...?" Sen angrily muttered to themself as they ripped out a spine from their shoulder. They crushed it into pieces in their hands, enchanted something unintelligible until the crushed bits started to glow, and finally threw the spell glowing in their hands at Rallis. Rallis flinched as the spell splashed in her face and faded. Sen grumbled and walked through the entrance to the massive house. "Another one wasted on a dragon that can't speak right. Congratulations! You can understand cat now! You're welcome!" They slammed the door behind them. Rallis blinked at Sissel in her arms. "So I can understand you now?" "You can," Sissel meowed. Rallis' eyes went so wide they nearly popped out of her head. "I CAN UNDERSTAND CATS!!! This is amazing! I have so many questions, pretty kitty! But first, how are you? Thank you for helping me! Are you doing okay? Do you need anything? Oh my god I can't believe I can understand cats!" She very excitedly ran into the house with Sissel as he gave a tour of the place. The interior of the house was as overgrown with wildlife as the exterior. A rectangular garden filled with weeds and vines crawled up the supports of the rooms surrounding it. Some plant life even crawled its way into some of the rooms. Most of the furniture was smashed or rotted away from time and neglect. Despite the disarray, Rallis could surmise the place was built like a one-stop shop. Storerooms for herbs and seeds, a workshop to craft in, a now crumbling library, and more resided downstairs. Upstairs held traces of vaults meant to store valuables, rooms meant to access an incredible amount of magic that now lay inert, multiple bedrooms, and rooms Rallis couldn't even identify the use for. Sen's claw scuffed room was at the end of the hall. There was a staircase that led to what Rallis assumed was the roof but something was barring it shut from up top. Every way she turned held more secrets and she was growing more excited by the second. "This place is so cool!" she told Sissel. "Do only you and Sen live here?" "Yomiel and Eve do too. They are two other cats, friends of mine. We three stay by Sen's side and assist them in their work, which has unfortunately been at a standstill for many lives now." "What do they do?" "Search and rescue," the cat explained. "Like what I did with you. This place used to be the home of a human summoner that would help spirits and creatures in need, no matter what world they came from. Sen was one of those in need, and as thanks for being rescued they stayed here to help the summoner and became best friends. The human passed on eventually and Sen didn't take it well, and now they refuse to leave this place and continue their work. Now we three, Yomiel, Eve, and I, do most of the work while Sen grumpily sleeps the days away." Rallis felt bad for the poor old cat beast. "Anything I could do to make them feel better?" Sissel smiled. "That may or may not be one of the reasons I brought you here." "Aww, you didn't just want to help me out of the good in your heart?" The cat hissed in such a way it sounded like he was laughing. "I never said our rescue services were free!" Sissel led Rallis back downstairs and into a broken down room, far away from Sen's room. He whispered even still. "I would like you to help get my patron back on their feet. Give them some kind of motivation, or some spark of hope. Sen hasn't seen a reason to continue existing without their friend leading the way, and they're starting to fade out of existence because of it." "There's always a reason to keep going!" Rallis said adamantly. "How can I help?" Sissel motioned to the broken down room they were in. "I was hoping you could bring this place back to its former glory. I saw you work, you could easily rebuild this place. If Sen saw this place back to its old self, maybe they'll return to their old self too." "I can do that!" Rallis cheered. "I'm good at gardening and building! I'll do it! But I need things to build with, and help too." "We can assist you with that," Sissel purred. He slithered behind a post and vanished for a moment before returning from underneath a shattered chair with two other cats, one hellishly red and the other an unnatural purple. "Meet Yomiel and Eve," he introduced. Rallis squealed. "You're all so cute and pretty!" She held out her hand to give them a pet. Eve meowed and rubbed her face down Rallis' arm while Yomiel hissed defiantly. "Call me cute and pretty again, I dare you," the hellcat hissed. "Would you prefer handsome and cool?" Rallis cooed and held her hand out. Yomiel gave her a grumpy side eye and rubbed against her hand once. "Yes I would!" He strode over to Sissel's side and sat down with his tail around his friend. "What are we doing then? Better be good or else I'm going back to sleep." "We're going to help our new friend here fix up the place!" Sissel decreed. "Oh that sounds like fun!" Eve meowed. "How can we help?" "I think we should start with the garden first," Rallis said. "Let's dig up all the nasty weeds and make this place a bit less of a jungle." The three cats meowed in agreement and the four got to work.

The three cats were excellent at ripping up some of the smaller weeds of the garden. Rallis used her much bigger claws to rip out the sturdier shrubs. The upturned dirt poofed into the air with every weed pulled, and Rallis and Sissel couldn’t help but have a bit of a dirt war as they worked. They kept their laughter hushed so as not to alert Sen. Up above the garden, perched in the vine nests that formed the roof, curious quarking and chirping commentated the scene below. Odd green wyverns with rainbow feathered wings were watching every movement of Rallis and the cats with wide eyes. Rallis smiled and called them over to help. The green wyverns were more than happy to have something fun to do and stripped some of the overgrown ivy off the walls, clearing up some of the windows from the second floor for probably the first time in a century.

Other flying beasts saw the wyverns line their nests with the soft ivy and wanted some for their own nest. Rallis called the newcomers down to the garden and the creatures excitedly took away the pulled up weeds for themselves. Soon the entire garden was cleaned of any trace of weeds, a blank canvas ready for paint. Yomiel and Eve meowed proudly and Sissel vanished to find a plant to celebrate with as the first thing to grow in the new garden: catnip. Rallis helped him plant it and the three felines took a much needed break by it. She took a moment to smile at the work done so far. It was already a remarkable difference. The ground was actually traversable now and ready to become something beautiful, the walls shone pristine and white for the first time in ages, and the whole house felt more open and inviting. Once the rooms were cleared out and cleaned up, Rallis could definitely see how this place could be a rescue and rehoming base.

Rallis looked around for the next room to tackle. In cleaning the garden up, a large stony entrance appeared in the ground in the center. Sissel informed her that there was a forge and workshop down there, though it hadn’t been used since the summoner’s time. The dragon decided to take a look. The stony entrance descended into the cliff the house stood upon and branched into two paths once the light from above disappeared. To the left was the forge, a metal dragon’s head with its mouth open wide drooling over a large basin. Though there was nothing in the basin, it was obvious lava or heated metal poured out of the dragon’s mouth to heat up whatever one was working on. There were even bins in the basin that seemed to have once held molten glass, liquid gold, and other crafting materials. On the wall held by hooks were tools to work with, all surprisingly still in good condition. Unfortunately, the forge wasn’t active and it seemed only a fire-breather would be able to get it working again, something Rallis was not. She left it alone and went down the other path. Light broke the darkness as she continued to walk and she gasped once sunlight fully illuminated where she was standing.

The second path opened into a large stony cavern, reminiscent of her home back in Taverley Dungeon, though this one was much bigger. The sunlight illuminating the cave didn’t come from above like she was expecting, but rather from a huge hole in the side that broke the side of the cliff. Rallis leaned out the sunny entrance in awe. She was standing high above the world, the only thing above her the house held up by the peak of the cliff. Below her was a view straight out of a painting. The dense forest below thinned and disappeared in the near distance, framing a pure crystalline lake that shimmered like diamonds. Terrestrial creatures lounged by the lake edge, sleeping in the warm sun or dipping their tails into the lake to cool off. Aquatic creatures swam under the pristine surface, sometimes coming up to grab a snack or nibble on a sleepy tail thinking it was food. Screeches filled the air as beasts of all shape and color flew overhead, vanishing into the mist that bordered the pocket dimension. It was a sight to behold.

“This place is amazing,” Rallis whispered. “How could anyone be unhappy here? It’s a paradise! I wouldn’t mind living here, that’s for sure.” She was determined even more now to show Sen this place was worth living for.

Other than the pretty view, there was nothing Rallis could do down here. She made her way back up topside and asked the cats what to do next.

“Fix the kitchen!” Yomiel hollered. “Maybe that'll make Sen actually want to cook for us. I'm tired of the usual garbage.”

“Ooo that's a good idea,” Eve agreed. “Make sure you make a space to keep milk! I love milk.”

“Alrighty! Let's get to work then!” Rallis exclaimed. The four ran off to the kitchen, a decent sized room connected to the open garden on the first floor. The entire kitchen was buried beneath layers of grime and dust. The floor was brown and crunchy with dead leaves and dirt. The racks held cobwebs as heavy as the rusty pots and pans. The cabinets were bereft of food and held only bugs, which Yomiel promptly chased after and killed. The wood kitchen table and benches were starting to rot from mistreatment and age. This place was a disgusting nightmare.

“Geez, it looks like no one has set foot in here since the God Wars!” Rallis said. “Don't any of you use this place at all?”

Sissel and Eve shook their heads. “It's not like we can cook,” Sissel said. “And Sen doesn't eat. They're a spirit. They live off magic and will, not food. We find our food elsewhere, usually from the farms of your world.”

Yomiel crashed through a cabinet and bit down on a roach, killing it before eating it whole. Rallis gave a disgusted face. “Or if you're Yomiel, you just do that,” Eve said disgustedly.

Rallis sneezed at the dust cloud that had floated up with all of Yomiel’s bug chasing. “Let's get started then. We should dust and wash everything so we can see what needs to be fixed or replaced. Once everything is all cleaned and fixed, I can make you guys a great big meal! How does that sound?”

The three cats meowed excitedly and got to work. Rallis swept out the dirt and leaves and investigated the state of the wood table and benches. They were damaged but salvageable. She would just need to find some extra wood to carve a few new legs and some polish to seal them against the elements. Yomiel continued to chase out the bugs and rip off any cobwebs he could find. Sissel dusted the cookware off and dropped them into the thankfully functioning sink for him and Eve to wash. Yomiel wanted nothing to do with water and instead helped Rallis find some wood to work with to help fix the furnishings. Where these cats were always vanishing to and how they were returning with things much larger and heavier than themselves Rallis had no clue, but she decided the ways of cat magic were not for her to understand.

In no time at all, Rallis had ripped off the rotting table leg and made a new one to replace it. She took a break from the hard work to admire the now sparkling clean kitchen. There was some sawdust on the floor now, but otherwise the stone tile glistened underfoot. Sissel had a wet rag in his mouth, having just finished scrubbing the last hard to reach corner of the floor. The cookware was all cleaned and drying now, the ones too rusted to use anymore put in a pile to be melted down and made anew. Yomiel slithered out of a drawer, the tip of his tail dusty from cleaning out the edges. All in all, the kitchen looked brand new, save for the benches that needed some new wood for the legs. The three cats hopped over to Rallis to join her on a break.

Eve smiled as she looked at their work. “Oh, I haven’t seen this place look this beautiful in so long. I’d cry if I could.”

The sun was setting now, a calming blaze of colors. Yomiel curled up in a fading sun spot with a purr. “It’s nice to have a place to lie down that’s not completely foul.”

“This truly is wonderful,” Sissel said. “I knew I was right in following my hunch to bring you here.” He headbutted Rallis’ arm in thanks. “Hopefully this will give Sen some hope. Perhaps they will even work with us on the rest of the house. That would surely make Allahan happy.”

“Who is Allahan?” Rallis asked.

“A name that is never to be spoken in this house ever again!” a new voice snarled.

The four jolted to attention. Standing in the entrance to the kitchen was a furious Sen, spines flared and stance ready to attack. “What did you do to this place?!” they hissed.

“We were just--!” Rallis started, but Sissel hushed her with a wave of his tail.

“This was my idea, Sen,” the black cat told them calmly. “I roped Yomiel, Eve, and Rallis into this. Do not be mad at them.”

“I’ll be mad at whoever I damn well please! You do all of this and bring up his name?! What are you trying to pull?”

“Sen, you are dying,” Sissel said very seriously. “You sleep in your room all day and do nothing to keep this place as the beacon of hope it once was. It has rotted for centuries and so have you. Look at your fur! It isn’t even orange anymore! Your spines are nearly see-through! You’re one mistake from fading back into the spirit world and becoming familiar fodder! You are just like this place, abandoned and breaking. But look!” Sissel motioned around the kitchen and garden with his tail. “This place can be mended and so can you! Please, we just want to make you and this place great again. I’m tired of seeing you suffer. Allahan would be too.”

Sen roared. “DO NOT SPEAK HIS NAME IN THIS PLACE!”

The three cats cowered behind Rallis and the dragon bolted up from the floor with a snarl in return. “Don’t shout at your friends like that! They’re trying to help you! Your friend wandered into an entirely different world from his own, searched for a complete stranger they had to put their trust in that would help, and spent all this time making a plan to help you feel better! And you yell at him? You’re a terrible friend!”

“I don’t want to hear anything from you, you unwanted pest! You don’t know anything about what’s going on here!”

“I know enough to know that you don’t deserve your friends!” Rallis sassed back. “And I bet this Allahan left because he realized you weren’t a good friend too!”

The three cats cowering by Rallis’ feet gasped in fear. Sen froze, their eyes wide with newfound fury. Their claws slid out, their spines stood bristling, their fangs shone in a maddening snarl, and the beast leapt onto Rallis with a roar. The dragon yelped as she was tackled to the ground. The three cats ran off and hid in a cabinet, watching in fear. Sen tried their best to bite Rallis, but Rallis knew what to do. She grabbed the large cat beast’s mouth and held it shut, eliciting an angry growl from Sen. Sen scratched at the hand holding their mouth shut, leaving a mark down Rallis’ arm. Rallis hissed through her teeth, pulled her feet up, and launched Sen off her. The beast howled in surprise as they tumbled out of the kitchen and into the garden. They were weak and hadn’t had to fight in a long time. It was quite obvious they were rusty.

The three cats ran out from their hiding place. “Stop it, Sen!” Sissel shouted. “There’s no reason to fight! Just talk it out!”

Sen just roared in response and flashed their claws. They launched themself at Rallis and missed spectacularly. Rallis spun around and grabbed the large cat by the fur and yanked them toward the hole in the center of the garden. Sen yelped as the dragon tossed them into the cavern below.

“I’ll try to talk some sense into them, don’t worry,” Rallis called out to the cats as she ducked into the hole. “Stay out there where you won’t get hurt!”

Sen ungracefully flopped down the steps and landed at the stony bottom with a huff. They were too weak to rise from the nasty fall. Rallis leapt down and crouched over the tired defeated beast. “Done having a tantrum yet?” Rallis said.

Sen growled back. Were this back in the day, this damn dragon would be dead and mounted over the fireplace. But as it was, just that little display in the kitchen wore them out like they had just fought off an entire army single-handedly. They could barely stand up from the floor. “I want to bite through your stupid ears and give you a piercing to remember.”

“You don’t look like you could if you wanted to. Getting angry makes you tired. I know that firsthand. I used to get angry at Denulth all the time and then I’d be really tired in the morning, which made me angry, which made me more tired, which made me… well you get it. Uncle Cake said when I’m angry like that, I should talk my feelings out. Why don’t you try it with me right now?”

Sen snorted. “I’m not spilling my life story to a stranger.”

“That might be the best person to spill it to,” Rallis tried. “People you don’t know have different… oh what’s the word… Per-something. The word that means a new way of seeing something. I can never remember it.” Sen still didn’t seem convinced and turned their head away grumpily. “Hey,” Rallis tried again. “I’m not gonna hurt you with what you tell me or anything. I just want to help. I like helping people! Also, I don’t really think we’re strangers anymore considering I just spent all day fixing your house.”

Sen looked up at the face looking back down at them. That damn dragon had a doofy smile and kind eyes. She really did look like she wanted to help, and for no other reason than to be kind to others. It really reminded them of--.

They shook their head. Don’t think about him. Not now. Sen relented. “Fine! I’ll talk! Stop looking at me like a stupid sappy kitten.”

Rallis smiled and held a hand out for Sen to take. The cat grumbled as they took it and peeled themself off the floor. Rallis happily trotted over to the hole in the cavern wall so they could at least have a pretty view of the sun setting on the lake while they talked. Rallis sat down and patted the floor for Sen to sit beside her. They begrudgingly took their seat. For a moment, neither of them said anything, the two of them just watching the sun set over the lake, listening to the birds and the beasts sing as they flew by. It was so peaceful, Sen couldn’t help but calm down a bit.

Rallis nudged the cat beast with her tail and looked expectantly. Sen grumbled. Where would they even begin? So much pissed them off lately that it was hard to pinpoint one thing to talk about. Rallis sensed they needed some help so she prompted them.

“You were pretty mad about me and the cats cleaning up and fixing the place. Why?”

“Because there’s no point,” Sen grumbled.

“No point to fixing it up a bit? But you live here. And the cats. And the wyverns in the nests up above and all sorts of creatures. Don’t you want to live somewhere nice?”

“I don’t care. Nice, messy, clean, ruined. It doesn’t matter. If this place broke to bits tomorrow, nothing would change.”

Rallis squinted at Sen. “I think… you’re lying! I think you care a lot about this place! You wouldn’t get all mad if you didn’t care like you said. So instead of trying to lie to me and say you don’t care, why don’t you tell me why you do?”

Sen growled. They didn’t want to. This felt uncomfortable and weird. And yet something compelled them to speak. “What do you know about this place? I imagine Sissel talked while you were with him.”

“Not much. He said this place used to be a base for search and rescue. He said you were rescued by the person who made this place so you helped him until he died, and then the place started to break down.”

Sen muttered something under their breath about Sissel being a lousy chatterbox but continued talking. “Yes, this place was created and owned by someone before me. A summoner from another world that was a master of breaking through the fabric of space and time to traverse the universe. He could call portals that would lead to the far reaches of the galaxy. He could even enter realms mortals normally couldn’t and lived to tell the tale. He wanted to use his power to help as many creatures as he could from all over the worlds. He found this little world and claimed it as his own and created this place as a base to help anything in need. They could leave once they were better, or stay and live their lives here or in another world that accepted them. He dedicated his life to his work and I have nothing but respect for him.”

Sen paused for a moment then cleared their throat. Why had they gushed like that?! How embarrassing. “Anyway, this summoner rescued me in his travels. Saved me from a much bigger hungrier spirit trying to eat me. I’m from the spirit realm, see, so I’m not meant to exist here for long. But I wanted to after he saved me. I wanted to serve and help him. I would even stoop so low as to become his familiar. He accepted my request to help him and instead of binding me to his person or some degradable object like most summoners do, he bound me to an idea, the idea of saving those in need. So long as I was willing to help his cause, I would remain in this world, and I gladly served him. For years we went on rescue missions, saving beasts from death, helping some raise children here in safety, sometimes even taking in an entire species to help transport them to a better world. We were a three creature army, him, Sissel, and I.”

“Your cat friend was there too?” Rallis asked.

Sen nodded. “Sissel was his actual familiar. He’s from the same world as Al- ...the summoner. Sissel too lives like I do, immortal so long as he remains bound to an idea. Along the way we also found Yomiel and Eve and invited them in the same way.” Sen sighed sadly as they continued. “Not many years after, the summoner died. He was growing weak with age and went out on a rescue by himself. I felt something was wrong and ran after him, but I was too late. He was killed saving a creature in need, just as he had always done, only this time he was attacked by a pack of humans that wanted the creatures extinct. They killed him for helping ‘the enemy.’ I can’t stand those miserable closed-minded creatures.” They ended their tale with a growl.

“I’m sorry,” Rallis said. “He sounded very nice and like a truly good person. It’s nice to know that somewhere there are people willing to help creatures like you and me. It sounds like you also like him very much. Why would you want what he left behind to fall to ruin? Wouldn’t you want to keep this home looking nice and clean, ready and able to continue helping creatures from around the worlds?”

“It doesn’t matter!” Sen snapped. They placed their head in their hand for a moment to gather themself. “He died that day doing what was right. Even though he was a good person, a saint to the worlds, he died. The creatures we spent countless years saving have died. Their children we helped care for and raise have died. Any creature that has passed through here will also one day die. What is the point of continuing this pointless endeavor knowing that every creature will one day die, no matter how much we work to help them, no matter how good or kind they are?”

Rallis’ ears drooped. What a terrible depressing thought, the realization you will outlive all those around you no matter how much you help them. Rallis shook the thought out of her head. She wasn’t ready to think too hard about that either. But she would think about it enough to help Sen.

“It does matter. What that man did mattered. What you did mattered. Just because those you help eventually pass on doesn’t mean what you did didn’t matter. You made their lives better. You made their childrens’ lives possible. You gave them a second chance to be the best they could be. Isn’t that enough, knowing that without your help these creatures would have been miserable and died slowly and painfully and maybe not even exist anymore? Isn’t it enough to know you helped them live the life they were meant to?”

Sen went quiet. A large part of them wanted to say no, it isn’t enough. The end result was always the same. They all died. Allahan died… No matter what they did. No matter the healing spell Sen used, no matter the potion or bandage, no matter the herb or magic or cureall, their best friend had still died in their arms. Because he was mortal. Because no matter what help you give or receive, one day you will die. But another smaller hopeful part of Sen was shouting that it did matter. The time they spent saving lives mattered. And it mattered now more than ever. So why were they getting so mopey and letting their home go to ruin?!

“I… don’t know,” Sen admitted. “I don’t know if it’s enough. Once he… Allahan… died, I didn't want to exist anymore. I didn't want to be where he wasn't. I didn't want to help anything anymore. It didn't matter if he wasn't here. A lot of me still feels that way.” They sighed. “I was mad at you and the cats started to fix the house because… because I wanted this place to rot. I wanted the ideals that bound me here to rot with it. I thought maybe if I did that, if I let go of everything that meant something to me here, I could fade away and see him again. But now I realize I'll never see him again and I have only brought myself closer to returning to a realm I hate with no way to return, and I fear it's too late for me to come back. I'll likely fade away in a few months.”

Rallis’ face melted into a look of sorrow. She said she would try to help but this was a lot to unpack and she was more used to being the one venting and not being vented to. Is this what Grimro went through when Rallis shoved her issues onto the unsuspecting vampyre? Rallis thought about what she said next carefully, trying her best to think what Grimro would say to make this better.

“I’m sorry,” Rallis finally broke the silence. “I wish I had all the answers for you but I don’t. But I want to help as best as I can! You’ve gone through a lot but I think you can come back from this. And your kitty cat friends think so too! Even though one of your friends is gone, you’ve got other friends that care for you that are still here. And I’ll be your friend too! Let us all help you! Take it one day at a time, and find something that makes you even a little happy every day. If you can do that, things will get better, I know it! We won’t let you disappear on us and we’ll show you there’s a reason to keep going!”

Sen gave the dragon an odd look. “You are one weird beast. I barely know you and yet I find myself opening up to you and you actually listen and try to help. Hmph, this whole day has been quite unusual.” They paused for a moment and took the view in, the setting sun on the lake, the creatures below heading home for the night that would soon fall, the tranquility of a haven that existed nowhere else. “I… I don’t want to leave this place. But I feel like I don’t belong here anymore. Without my friend, I just feel lost, like I have no purpose. I don’t know what to do.”

“You do belong here and you do have a purpose,” Rallis assured. “If you didn’t, your friend wouldn’t have saved you and stayed by your side for so long. Why don’t you start finding your new place by helping the four of us fix up the place tomorrow? We only got two rooms done and there are a lot to go. An extra pair of paws would help a lot.”

“Hmm… Alright, fine, I’ll help you all out tomorrow. Maybe fixing up this place will feel at least a little productive. You can stay here if you like. There are many bedrooms upstairs, but I’m sure you can imagine they aren’t exactly well kept or clean.”

“Thank you! And that’s fine with me,” Rallis said. “I’m used to sleeping outside or in caves anyway. A bed of any kind is always nice!” She gave Sen a big smile. “I’m glad I could help you at least a little bit. Tomorrow will be even better!” She gave the cat a hug, careful of their spines, and quickly dashed back upstairs to tell the cat trio what had happened.

Sen fluffed out their fur. Getting hugged after so long felt weird. But they didn’t hate it. They watched night take over the sky for a moment longer and thought to themself. ‘What a pest your familiar brought home, Allahan. Bubbly and sticking her nose into others’ business. She reminds me a lot of you when you were younger. ...I really miss you… And I’m sorry I haven’t been taking care of this place… or myself. Maybe tomorrow things will change.’

That was enough thinking and moping for one day. Sen joined Rallis and the cats upstairs and showed Rallis to her room before crashing for the night themself.

Over the next few days Rallis, Sissel, Yomiel, Eve, and Sen spent their time cleaning up the entire house, from the bottom pits of the forge in the cliff to the tallest peak of the library and observatory. Every new room uncovered wowed Rallis and Sen couldn’t help but snicker at how amazed the dragon was at everything, like an excitable child at the fair. Working and actually doing something other than sleeping all day felt good. Cleaning wasn’t as epic or noble as saving species but it gave Sen more of a purpose than they had had in a long while. Rallis didn’t get around to fixing most of the damaged furniture, apparently the feline trio were stealing the supplies from a lumber worker and Rallis reprimanded them, but cleaning the whole base was a solid first step.

The five hard workers rest up in the kitchen after a long day of work, Sen actually making use of the now usable kitchen for the first time in who knew how many years. They made fish for everyone. The cats jumped onto the table, excited to have an actual meal for once. They had been extremely grateful of Rallis’ help talking and listening to Sen and they worked even harder once Sen decided to get involved. They were sure to sleep well after dinner tonight. The three cats and Rallis were so hungry they didn't speak, their mouths too full of delicious food to talk, until Sissel noticed something and almost spat out his meal in shock.

“Oh my goodness!” Sissel exclaimed. “Sen have you looked in a mirror lately? Your fur! I swear it's more orange now!”

Sen hadn't noticed. They looked at the fur on their hands and sure enough it was no longer the dull faded brown Rallis had seen when they met for the first time. It was turning a pale orange.

“Your spines look more solid as well,” Eve said. “They're blacker and less see-through.”

Sen craned their head to take a look at some of the spines on their shoulder and Eve was right as well. “Huh,” was all they said.

“You're starting to look like a larupia now!” Rallis said. “I love larupias!”

“As do I. Why do you think I chose to look like one in this realm? Just don't expect me to sprout a tail or walk on four legs.”

“I think you look good even without a tail,” Rallis smiled. “Are you gonna look even better later?”

Sen looked down at the table. “I… I guess I will. If I keep working anyway. As long as I continue pursuing the idea I'm bound to, I will recover. I never thought I would. It feels… good.”

Rallis smiled wide. “That's good! I'm glad you're getting better! I told you you could! Now you gotta work to be the best you can be! We could go back to Gielinor and adventure together, finding all sorts of creatures in need and taking care of them! We could be the best duo ever!”

Rallis’ excitement was contagious and Sen couldn't help but smile a small smile. “I don't think I'm ready for that. Let's take it slow. I don't think I'm strong enough to leave this world and explore others. It will take time to become what I once was, if I even can at all.”

“You can and you will!” Rallis exclaimed. “And I'll keep helping you. If you can't leave to help creatures, then I'll just have to bring them here so you can help them! Oh I hope you're ready to meet all kinds of new friends to help!”

The three cats at the table looked excited at the idea. “Take it easy, dragon,” Sen huffed. “Curb your enthusiasm. This place isn't fully functional yet. Don't bring home all of Gielinor at once.”

“Aww all right. I'll help fix this place up too, I promise. I used to build stuff for people’s homes in Falador and Varrock all the time. If I find supplies, I'll bring them back and help out here! This place will be back to work in no time!”

The five chattered excitedly about the idea until dinner was done. Night fell soon after. The cats had fallen asleep, the world had grown dark and quiet, and Rallis took one final fond look at the work they all accomplished before quietly opening the heavy front doors to leave.

“You're going back to Gielinor then?” a voice asked from the darkness, stopping the dragon in her tracks. It was Sen.

“Yeah,” Rallis nodded. “I should get back to adventuring now, not that this wasn't an adventure too. I need to continue seeing the world and trying to find information I'm after. I'm hoping enough time has passed now that I won't get arrested by the Ardougne knights.”

Sen gave a thoughtful grunt, then silence. “...You could… stay here. If you want. Sissel really likes you. And Eve. Even Yomiel does too and he hates everyone. You're… part of the family now.”

Rallis looked at the imposing entrance to the home once more, the vine covered dragon ornaments beckoning her to return. Rallis never thought she would ever have an actual house to live in. She figured she would spend the rest of her days in caves, then once she became an adventurer she figured outside or the odd inn or friend’s place would be where she stayed. But a whole house, no, a whole castle to call her own? She couldn't have expected that at all.

“I can't stay here all the time. I need to get back out there and learn things. And there's still people to help! If I wasn't an adventurer, I wouldn't have met you after all! But coming back here when I need a break or a place to stay would be really nice. And I want to see all of you again too. So I will accept your offer and stay! Just not all the time.”

Sen walked closer and held out their hand. “Then goodbye and safe travels. And when you return, it will be a welcome home.”

Rallis took their hand but instead of shaking it, she hugged the cat beast. Sen huffed and let it happen. Rallis smiled at Sen once she broke the hug. “If this is home, that means we're family now! And we're gonna be the best family ever!”

Sen blinked slowly. ‘Family… What a thought. I guess I don't hate the idea.’ They shook out their fur and went back to business. “Here. I have these for you.” They held out a stack of stone squares with runes engraved along the edges. “Break one of these at any portal frame you find and you can return here. I remember there being a good few portals in Gielinor so no matter where your travels take you, you should be able to get home. And I can always make more if you need them.”

“Thank you. I promise I'll come back. I should get going now, before it gets too late. Make sure you take care of yourself and keep pursuing your own purpose! And remember, take life one day at a time!”

“Yeah, yeah, I will,” Sen dismissed. They waved Rallis off. “Now get lost, dragon. Go explore.”

Rallis smiled and waved goodbye. She dashed down the mountain, into the forest, and through the clearing where the bronze portal frame lay, activated and ready to take her back to Gielinor. She took one last look around and jumped through the purple glow. The grass beneath her feet turned to stone as she returned to Yanille. She was in the middle of the stone portal frame, inactive and silent in the black of night. Rallis looked around warily for the knights that were here a week or so ago, but not a soul was out and about. She breathed a sigh of relief and bolted out of town. She was ready to continue her adventure, and she couldn't wait to tell her new family all about her findings once she returned home.

#osrs #runescape #my writes #oc tag #lets start 2021 off right and finish a fic

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nyklifsondiviiportfolio-blog · 8 years ago

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A note from the editor:

I am the editor, not a very good one at that. I purposely have changed certain letters to misspell words to hide a secret message for my long lost love. This is a lie, I just am quite horrendous at spelling. I use my dictionary as a pillow but my skills have not improved. Oh well. I was getting about the same amount of sleep either way. This is the story of Iphis as told by Iphis, for Iphis. I use it pronouns because I am a shape-shifting dragon which makes pronouns quite pointless. For me, at least. Everyone else makes quite a stink about it all. I think there is prime potential in just using a single pronoun for everyone but that is also an unpopular opinion. Anyways, enjoy the book and have a splendid day.

drink a cup of tea, and all that.

A forewarning; Iphis is not your typical hero or princess and this isn’t really a typical story. Or maybe is it extremely typical and you will laugh at me when it is all said and done. I’m not called Maktabe the Foolish for nothing. Well, i am not really called that...so it is for nothing. You can call me that if you like. It would give my weary skeleton a good rattle. Now it all started during an unexpected summer of flames…

Prologue:

Crochet lace drapes. Her grandmother had made them. Each stitch sewn in

candlelight before bed. The curtains framed the first floor window that always was flooded with sunlight from dawn till dusk. They had been dyed dark blue with the juice from zilchberries that had been deemed unfit for fermenting. Now, from swaying in the sun's rays all day, they had softened to a baby blue. Next to this window was the stairs to the cellar and bedroom.

The forest opened up to a field where the town of Dilchlam grew. Grasses and wildflowers ran amuck.

Zoom in, the scene awakens as a soon-to-be-mother comes back to from the depths of her nap. She is drenched in sweat. She is sitting in a tub of liquid. Not actually a tub, a rocker. The rocking chair had hollow that would fit to form, that was now filled with this. Colorless. Odorless. The baby kicked. She rocked back and forth a few times, droplets ker-plashing onto the floor and sprinkling onto the forgotten book about medicinal kelps. The book had walked to sleep for her afternoon nap to fight off morning sickness. The baby is coming. She takes another swig of reality when she looks out the back window. The sky is black, and the forest is orange. Trees aren’t

orange or red or yellow? Fire. Everywhere. She panics and jumps out of her seat only to fall to her knees.

Everything had to be hacked. That’s the noise axes make hak hak hak. Every day on the outskirts rang the song of the spitting and cursing of lumber laborers sweating under the sun. Building a town from scratch. Carving a community out of the endless woods. The ancients. Their history was sealed in the wood chip insulation and in between the cracks of the floor boards. In the grain of their homely furnishings.

She had made the cradle out of wood; a group of villagers had chopped some birches with the intention to create stools. Luece loved the feeling of her overworked muscles after sanding down the pieces for the crib. After it was puzzle-pieced together the couple had placed it lovingly by their own bed upstairs. So excited, so scared, so different. This piece of furniture was how she came to terms with the prospect of being called mom. She was prepared, the baby had a place to sleep. No more.

Luece is on the ground, coughing coughing cough. Her lungs are on fire. The world is on fire. Dilating. Pain. Not now. Not here. T his isn’t how the baby was meant to come into the world, b ut that is where Luece is wrong. The ancient pines can only grow once the seeds are put through immense heat. This child could only be born in these exact circumstances, and from the ashes will rise a magic that has been forgotten, but dearly needed. She crawls past the book shelves and banister to get to the cellar, her only salvation from the heat that threatens to collapse her walls.

The books they owned were mainly different herb identification books, anatomical reference, and Jeb’s joyous historical-fiction romance novels. He would tell

neighbors they were Luece’s because he was embarrassed for having such an odd guilty reading pleasure. Across the room behind the extendable table and left of the tiny tea-kettle of a stove stood the proud dish container, the ceramics cabinet. The cabinet was barely dry from the fresh stain painted on two mornings ago. The wood was leftover from Cercie, a kind neighbor’s, flooring. Jeb had used his whittling skills to carve two love birds into the center of the doors, the lock was hidden in one of the eggs in the roost. A small brass master key hung on the hooks next to the door, polished from continuous use every day. There were two other nails, one for Luece’s ring and one for Jeb’s.

Jeb, a farming man, had a key to the two town silos on his ring. Both had an mid-sized iron latchkey to get into the house. His nail had a bit of fuzz stuck on the end from catching on his sleeves. He would hang his keys up while taking off his jacket to put into the book shelves and coat peg collection next to the bits of metal budding from the wall. Thus, every damn one of his long sleeves was frayed at the ends. Lucinda and Jeb gave up on patching them after realizing they needed--at the minimum--daily repairs.

The basement has mud floors and rafters that serve them well as a cloth and herb drying rack. Without trying to outdo the community’s healer, Lucinda had acquired more natural cures to ailments than any other being within fifty miles. She was suspicious of anyone who practiced seithr-based healing and always aimed to be prepared for any circumstance. Albeit, except for natural disasters. But this firestorm is nothing close to what nature intended it to be. This is a ritual, the coming of a new age.

This fire is searching. Searching for the woman who lives in this cosy home. This house, you see, is burning down. By tomorrow there will be little left besides the stove, a hole in the ground, and quiet country dreams left in the ashes.

There hadn’t been a summer of flames in over a hundred years. Why now? Why? WHy? WHY? pangs pangs pangs pangs pangs pangs of pain. the baby was coming and we were destined to go up in flames. She felt the cool mud floor against her cheek. She grabbed a rag often used for holding vegetable shavings and wiped her brow. She inched her way over to the potatoe sacs, never having her face more than two feet from the ground. Her ears were filled with the roars above her, the fire was feasting on her and her husband’s hard work. W e are going to die...at least I will not burn alone. Her vision became as hazy as her brain, f rom the smoke? When did the room become this smokey? Her thoughts were replaced with overall nausea from inhaling toxins and at the horror that she was glad that her offspring was not meant to make it into this world. She hugged the potatoes needing an anchor and salt water leaked from her eyes. I would give anything to take his place. He? Her body convulsed. She vomited into the peel bucket. No mess yet. Easier clean up for later.

Ironically, their house is the perfect kindling, made of wood floors and wood walls. They, at it’s conclusion, called it their little slice of log-heaven. In this state, it more resembled hell. The home is a simple and sound design. A gopher lives under the one

stair that they labeled the porch. They had named him Samuel. Jeb, good-naturedly would talk about making samuel a hat “one of these days...” The step was actually just a large, smooth rock. The structure was painted evergreen in reference to the origins of the materials. It sat ten miles away from the ‘hustle & bustle’ of the town-center. That’s how they liked it. Alone with each other. But w here is Jeb? H erding cattle into the town hall, wishing for the fireproof enchantments hold. Praying lovely Leuce and the baby-to-be are safe.

Unheard sobs and ripping of fabric. Lucinda is chewing on stingers to numb her insides. She usually makes tea out of this fowl root for women in labor, but unfortunately she is nowhere near the probably-melted kettle. Her fingers twitch. Both eyelids are glued closed and lines have formed battalions on her brow. P lease don’t let us burn to death, she begs the powers at work. The fire hears her cries, but inches closer, hoping to meet an old friend. Screams under earth. Screams under a burning skyline. Screaming. Screaming. A head and two legs. A body of flesh.

Persiphis was born from the overwhelming heat that may be seen as a wall of destruction, but the resins of the past have melted away. The pine seed has awoken to a new world with a bit less decay and a hopefull future full of new growth on the horizon.

A pinecone when overrun by hellfire itself will trigger a mechanism, from within create the chance to bring about life.

Fire is the agent of rebirth. Fire is a magic that brings new paths and life. Luece flopped over and crawled to her baby, wearing bright pink new skin. They are red and radiant surrounded by flames. It must have been the vapors poisoning her brain but she thought she saw small lines of flames curling around her baby’s arms like a garden snake coiling in comfort. How did we survive? And then it all goes blurry.

Chapter 1 The first spark Iphis grew. The house was rebuilt, smaller, sturdier. In the aftermath of the fire, there was no wood left for log designs. So mud bricks and ash paste became the main construction method, except for old Macus’ place. He used straw and ash cakes. Said it would have better insulation. Dirt floors and moss rugs. Iphis grew. Among flames of chaos Leuce had managed to not explain Iphis’ odd birth and both their survival story. No one seemed to care, the villagers were just grateful that the medic did not die and was somehow well enough to tend to the many burn victims who had not been as lucky. Between making salves and draughts; not to mention how day and night Leuce was wrapping and unwrapping and rewrapping and boiling bandages. Jeb was in charge of helping make sure enough food had been safely stored for winter and shepherding the animals that had gotten loose. Both were so tired by the end of each day they would fall asleep in their clothes right after a lukewarm broth dinner. They were a quiet newborn. Always warm, not with fever thankfully. The baby was strapped to either parent’s back for half the day and then the bundle would be handed off. Breastfeeding was done on the move. Rush rush rush. How’s the baby? Still eating? Still pooping? Still breathing. Good. There was no panic. Every person fell into a job. And that was life. The burned wild began to heal with each water replenishment. The stream came back with a roar. The waterhole was usable again. Harsher crops were planted for the next foretold season. Iphis grew. The town had now restarted and order was returned. Daily lives had more structure. A grey season passed into a windy season. Many nights were spent in the cellar hoping the roof would hold. Please hold. Please. Mother would pray. Father would close his eyes and fall asleep listening to the winds howl in heartbreak, trying to infiltrate every home in search of a lost love. The pair would read to Iphis and tell them stories. They would coo and gurgle in the ways that infants do in appreciation of art. Then would slumber.

Iphis’ mother used fireweed to cook instead of fire. It grew in plenty replacing grasses and shrubs in places the flames had gone higher-than-roofs. It only needed a single spark and then would ember for hours. This intrigued the baby to no end. Their eyes would turn orange in the glow. Townspeople had all but converted to fireweed due to it’s abundance. Only Luece noticed the change. She added it to the list of unmentionable (why?/unexplainable) traits her child possessed.________________________________________

Iphis learned to crawl. And crawl they did. Anywhere and everywhere. For a small being who has no sense of direction, they managed to find more ways to get lost than found. Under cabinets, on shelves, behind desks, in buckets. “The child needs a leash or watcher, we are gonna lose her--if I do not lose my mind first...”Leuce began to scrub her child’s already soiled dress. Jeb let go of his pile of fabric when he heard the tears hiding behind her eyes, “With the amount of dirt that accrues on this kid I say we just make her clothes dark” a chuckle ends his sentences while maneuvering around their awkwardly placed stone table. He hugs her from behind. Leuce hiccups. She looks at the crib stained black with soot that will not wash away. She let out all the air in her chest. Turns around in his arms. Eyes closed. Face to shoulder, face to collar bone. They sway, like seaweed in an underwater forest.

Meanwhile, the topic of these first time parent’s, has awoken from their nap. Bright green eyes crumple and blink. The world is too bright. So much stimulation, big yawn. Lips widen to show teeth coming in. Bright red gums, raw from their efforts. Little white pearls poking out on all sides. One sharp incisor is fully in. A gum-filled smile. As if they broke their teeth into bits chewing on rocks. One fist shoots out from the blanket, a test. All clear. “A-chew” A small nose squeaks out after inhaling dust not quite cleaned up from the weekly sweeping. They fell asleep in a pile of fabric scraps that morning. What was a comfy spot then, became a prison of inter-knotted bits that tangled around them whilst dreaming. They squirm and twist and plunge their limbs in many directions. Until, they are freed from the final bits of flannel that held them. Iphis rolls onto their hands and knees. They wriggle like and eel zigzagging across and off the sewing corner’s carpet. The floor is dirt, a normalcy, comfort. Bits of grime dot their legs, feet, and hands as they scooch towards a smell. Familiar. Bump bump bump. They see a toy in their periphery, it’s their belt-bat. For teething. They can chew on the leather head and wings cut from old belts. And cuddle with the stuffed

body. Two button eyes-one bright orange glass. The other is iridescent, made from a barnus’ greyish shell. A mud-feeder found in the shallows of smaller bodies of water. But, they ignored this distraction and reached a large basket with a lid.

Iphis recently reached that in-between where they can not walk, but they can stand a while if holding onto something else for stability. They touch the intricately woven reeds shaped into a diamond pattern using the contrast between different stalk shades. They reach out and run their hands over the small ridges. The smell is coming from here. The babie’s curiosity is heightened with the fact that this basket has a lid on it. Most baskets in the house are open with a handle. Or they are clay urns. What is this? What is inside?

Iphis grabs handfuls of floor and spreads their legs real wide for balance. Similar to a drunkards sense of balance, they dip this way and that, landing again and again on their butt, trying in vain to stand up. A sleeved arm leans against the cold stove. Perfect prop. In a series of pushing each limb out to full length with all their might Iphis stands and with one hand on the side of the stove they grab at the lid with the other, bouncing to stay balanced. They are reach-reach-reaching. Their stubby fingers barely graze the lid enough to push it back. Victory. “EEE!” Their back dips back and they fall forward grabbing onto the lid. The basket rocks. A little bit towards the wall. A little bit backwards. Swaying, like the couple downstairs. This is a precarious position where Iphis stomps a foot for strength, but the socked toes slip. They impact with the basket. With one support beam gone wild Iphis tries to hold onto the edge more. The basket hesitates and seesaws, Iphis is knocked onto their back. “Wumpf.” The basket topples over with their combined weight. “Crash!”

The contents tumble out. ------------------------------------

“Pitter-patter-pitter-patter.” “pit pit pat” The couple look towards the ceiling. “Speaking of infuriating infants...”

The two lock hands and give each other tired smiles. “Bum-bamp!” Now worried looks are exchanged, “thu-thud thu-thud thu-thud thu-thud thu-thud” of taking the ten stairs two-at-a-time. The wash forgotten, left to soak. The scene unfolds as Luece’s eyes take in damage. First, Empty blankets, at least Iphis is not being strangled by them. Then, no baby choking on fabric. Different snippets of jackets and patches were thrown about, to the left of their mattress on the floor. A single bit from the hem of a yellow skirt has landed on her pillow. Next, chairs are all upright not crushing her child. With each discovery she feels relieved simultaneously while her anxiety heightens. Where? Where? “Persiphis? Sweeety?” She starts to move to see behind the table--“ack”--Leuce swings her head over to Jeb. Mid cringe--“I stepped on the bat.”

They both hear a giggle that echoes off the stove. Red bursts across the room, blinding the adults. Both stagger. Leuce’s eyes adjust, dotted with black spots. The room dulls to a calmer hue of red. She cautiously walks over to the stove. There lies Iphis, covered in fireweed, the waxy leaves have already been used up as a natural wick. Each little spiral burned up while the stem continues to burn at a low flame. The light changes and each small patch of stalks flicker. They are dotted in whispers of light blue.

Blue sparks. Blue blood. Blue fire dancing in the afternoon light.

The baby wasn’t crying. No smell of singed hair or flesh alight. “Is this a dream?” The color had drained out of Luece’s face. She began to shake. This woke Jeb from his shock. He has got to do something. Help. Get water. He began to put out the danger. Pouring water on the plants ring by ring. Circumambulating his child until he reaches a sleeping Iphis. Not a single burn on their soft skin.

With tears in his eyes he picked up the infant. “She’s breathing.” He looks at them as if holding a wild dozaerk and not his flesh and blood. Turns.

Leuce’s eyes are just as puffy. She opens her mouth, but no words come out.

Deep breath. “I think...I need to tell you about what happened…when Persiphis was born.”

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