Numerous days, numerous nights… she’s walked by means of the forest all on her lonesome, and thru all of it, she’s lastly carried out it. Each inch, each mound, each flower, each tree, and each fallen leaf… she’s discovered all of them.

There was nothing left to find, nothing left unseen. If she so needed, she might wander the remainder of her days blind residing right here and by no means as soon as have to fret about ever bumping her head right into a tree. 

With confidence, and a bit swell of delight – it took a very long time, however now was the day she might actually name this gigantic, sun-hiding, darkness-loving forest her dwelling. 

So what now?

That is at all times the query, is not it? From one eternity to the opposite, what subsequent? Boredom was like poison, and she or he was operating dangerously low on cures. However such are the tribulations on the simply bored.

Unlucky that she could not simply sleep eternally. Sleep was by no means boring, goals by no means have been…

Perhaps she might attempt as soon as extra for a nest of her personal. All the opposite birds stored taking a look at her from up on excessive all smug and cushty of their little dwelling of sticks and leaves. She’s been placing up with this show of one-upmanship for a lot too lengthy already.

It is settled, that is what subsequent – what use was there figuring out the place each stray twig was for those who weren’t going to do something with it? May as nicely make one thing out of it.

In any case, 3507th time was the allure, as they do say.

In a blink, and a fleeting flash of orange – her arms outstretched was feathers, and with a gust of wind, her talons drifted off the bottom, abandoning a charred imprint of ft etched onto the filth as she soared ever larger into the air.

Very first thing to do as all birds do was to seek out the right tree to make do. After that comes the true endeavor. 

And certainly, after two days of grueling exhausting work and unwavering resolve, she’s barely even scratched the floor. These different birds have been nefarious, misleading… they made it look far simpler a process than it truly was.

It was the sticks, it was at all times the sticks!

How is it that they may maintain such weak, brittle little issues of their beaks with out outright snapping them in half instantly?! It needed to be magic. It was the one doable rationalization. 

How might else might she have amassed such a humongous pile of discarded twigs whereas all of them sit content material and in peace with houses created from the identical silly issues?!

Witchcraft. Birdcraft. It needed to be.

As she was pondering this, on their lonesome perched atop her department, two issues instantly occurred in a simultaneous vogue.

First these nests that she appeared on with envy, each single one – deserted. Their homeowners in a loud flutter from up excessive, rushing by means of the tall bushes, certainly one of them even whizzing previous her and spilling her pile to the filth.

Then there was the opposite factor, sinking her piercing beady eyes to the forest under… a heavy rustling within the thick foliage, and a peculiar odor within the air, it was not a odor that belonged right here.

A cloaked, hooded determine in brown emerged from the bushes. A customer. She did not count on guests anymore. 

From up right here, a pillar of fireside might so simply do the job, however… she was curious, and the odor was considerably alluring. In addition to, her sticks fell. It might be unlucky in the event that they ended up being stepped on inadvertently. 

She dropped, her wings already into arms, her talons into legs earlier than she even hit the bottom. Her black beady eyes already a burning crimson as she stood and stared at her impromptu customer in brown.

No response. Not even a pant. They normally gasp. 

“Properly, you do not appear to be you are misplaced,” Ria stated, producing tiny wisps of flames at her fingertips. “So what brings you right here? To your sake, I sincerely hope it is not me.” 

Nonetheless so nonetheless. 

“Quite the opposite…” spoke the hooded determine, a agency, acquainted voice sounding out loud. “Sure.”

Her flames puffed rapidly away into smoke after that. “I do know you, do not I?” 

“I hope so,” The hood was pulled away – a pair of horns protruded, and a pair of crimson crimson eyes gleamed proper under it. “Then once more, I am not fully positive for those who do.”

What was it? What was the sensation? Shock? It was greater than shock. Ria felt one thing greater than that, one thing way more fervent, wild – pleasure, that is it.

She felt aroused, enticed… and who might blame her? Actually nobody might, not when such a modern jaw is paired with such slim hole cheeks, and people lips… oh, these lips, they give the impression of being so smooth, so full and plump. This face that confronted her was a face designed to take breaths away, and it was sculpted to absolute perfection as she had predicted it might have oh so way back.

It was additionally a face all too acquainted. 

“Ruria!” Ria exclaimed, blinking widened eyes at her. “I – this… this… I wasn’t anticipating you…” 

She appeared older, a lot older since she noticed her final, taller too. There was an air of maturity, an air of class to her presence… however there was additionally an air of coldness, an air so distant that stood out most outstanding of all of them.

For one, there was not a touch of a smile. Not anymore.

“It is… it has been fairly a very long time, hasn’t it?” Ria spoke when she did not. “5 years, proper? Or was it six – actually I overlook these items.”

“Eleven,” Ruria stated directly, taking a look at her sharply, “I have never forgotten but…” 

Ria blinked exhausting. “I… okay, I tousled there. I did not imply it like – “

“Reserve it,” Ruria raised a hand. “I did not come right here to speak about it, I am okay. Do not drive the small discuss.” 

“No? Okay, disgrace then,” Ria tried for a smile. “Was about to ask why the cloak, hood, and the whole lot… it is actually in contrast to you.”

She did not get a smile again, however she did get a proof for it, spoken dully and slightly impatiently. “I’ve crimson pores and skin, Ria. I’ve horns on my head and a tail on my ass… and I odor. And in contrast to you, I haven’t got a forest to cover myself in.”

“Eee… you have gone jaded through the years, I see,” Ria stated, grimacing. “I do not like that. I keep in mind you being so… so not… you.”

Nonetheless as uninteresting, nonetheless as impatient, she spoke again, “I grew up, Ria.”

“Sure,” A tragic frown, a good sadder sigh. “Evidently you probably did.”

This expertise, this interplay – it is in all probability probably the most she’s ever been caught off-guard since… nicely, since their final interplay. However the surprises did not finish there.

With the return of a well-recognized face, got here additionally the return of a well-recognized dialogue in a well-recognized place. The outdated stump, together with her ft swinging, Ria listened, clinging to the sting of her seat.

“Each single one?” She might hardly consider what she was listening to. “Terestra did?”

“It is not fully confirmed but,” Ruria stated, pacing together with her arms crossed. “However how else would all of them instantly drop lifeless? It needed to be her, she killed all of them.”

“Sure, however all on the similar time?” Ria nonetheless had her lips huge open. “Not a lot of heroes if each single certainly one of them can die so simply. How might one individual -“

“She’s no peculiar individual,” Ruria stated quietly. “Certainly he is advised you that already, hasn’t he?”

He did. Numerous occasions earlier than, he did. She simply drowned these phrases in with all of the meaningless others, as a result of they did not imply something again then. 

“She removed everyone she deemed a menace to her reign,” She continued. “That is why I got here right here, I got here to see if… nicely, clearly not. How might you be? You have not carried out something to attempt to cease her, and I doubt you ever will.”

Resentment so brazen she might virtually style it. That is okay, she’s allowed to resent. She did too, in any case. It is regular.

“So no heroes to go towards her…” Ria contemplated for a second. “I presume the Seven Church buildings are shaking of their boots proper now… are they even doing something or are they only kneeling, praying the Divines would save them?”

“From what I hear – they’re doing one thing unprecedented. They’re attempting to usher in extra heroes to contend together with her.”

“Usher in?” She furrowed her brows. “Like… recruiting? Have they got stalls arrange the place anyone with a rake can simply enlist or one thing?”

“Their summoning legends,” Ruria stated. “Heroes of outdated. Guess they figured because the previous is brimming with people which have already earned their moniker – why not simply have them cope with it?” 

‘I see… and thus far?”

“They tried Celes, in addition they tried Keltus – “

“Ah, I keep in mind Keltus,” Ria interjected. “Good-looking however not very vivid. I remembered attempting to get an excellent have a look at him, and he mistook me for the solar coming down. I believe I terrified him.”

“That is him.”

“Who else?”

“Morris, Trevor, Ophiane, Gale – and many extra, I am positive,” Ria stopped pacing. “The purpose is, they don’t seem to be having any successes as of but.”

“What a shock.”

“Every day, Terestra grows stronger and it is solely a matter of time earlier than she crosses the seas and expands her attain right here too.”

“Hold on, have not I heard this dialog earlier than?”

“Sure, after all, you probably did. My father tried to warn you years earlier than, however you would not give him the time of day!” Ruria instantly snapped. “Now issues have gotten worse, and it may get a lot worse, and I doubt there’s something both you or I can do about it.”

Ria did not say something this time, too cautious of the subsequent sudden outburst which may happen if she did. 

“And I am not even going to attempt to persuade you to attempt to assist in any method anyway. It is a waste of time. One – as a result of if my father could not, what probability do I’ve? And two – I frankly do not give a rattling.”

“You do not?” 

That was a shock to listen to… however on the similar time, probably not. These eyes of hers would possibly nonetheless glimmer, however they now not sparkled like earlier than.

“You recognize, I used to surprise as a child why was it that you simply refused to depart the forest, why you will not go outdoors and see the world with us,” Ruria slowly shook her head. “I do not surprise that anymore. Now, I see what you see.”

Ria might solely sympathize. “I am sorry to listen to that.”

“This realm is likely carried out for,” She stated unperturbed. “However there would possibly nonetheless be hope for. In the event that they do handle to summon a savior, perhaps. However I will not be holding my breath. I am… I am pondering of leaving.”

“Leaving?”

“It is a final resort. If this realm is really misplaced – I am not going with it, that’ll simply be pathetic. I learn my father’s books, some advised of different locations… different worlds… they do not describe then intimately, however – “

“I do know what you are speaking about,” Ria glanced sideways. “You may want a prodigy of a Magus for those who ever need to pull off such a feat.”

“I’ve my eyes on one, however once more – I will not do something simply but. There will be loads of years left earlier than issues get that drastic, and even then, they could by no means will.”

“Okay, so why are you telling me all this within the first place?” She requested, launching herself off the stump. “I believed I would by no means see you once more. All of the sudden you are right here, and also you’re talking so cynically – speaking about issues being hopeless, and going someplace so far-off. Not precisely the reunion I bear in mind.”

Ruria did not hesitate to answer directly, “As a result of if I am leaving this place, I need you there with me once I do.”

Perhaps a bug flew in her ear. “Say what?”

Oh, wait, they’d shrivel earlier than they even do.

“I spent most of my childhood right here, and you are the closest factor I’ve to having any fond reminiscences. I do not such as you, however I haven’t got to love you to care – if issues have been totally different, maybe you could be one thing extra to me. However as issues stand – you are simply one thing sentimental… one thing to look again on, and if I am unable to discover happiness within the current, then I assume the previous has received to do.”

Perhaps, maybe, it was a military of bugs as an alternative? Bee-lining with the intent to skew together with her listening to. The issues she was saying, the best way she was saying them… was this actually the identical smiling, cheerful little woman whose eyes by no means appear to cease shining with surprise?

Who was she kidding? In fact, she was. She knew she was. In any case, in a time so very way back now… she was that very same bright-eyed little woman from earlier than.

They have been the identical younger… and so they have been the identical now.

Each eyes crimson, each eyes heavy. 

Guess their names weren’t the one factor they’ve in frequent…

Ria quietly sniggered. “You are speaking about me… like… like I am simply an adjunct or one thing – like some type of  necklace you’d have draped over you or one thing alongside the traces.”

“Sure,” Ruria stated flatly. “That is primarily what you will be to me. Simply an adjunct.”

“Ouch.”

“Sure, ouch.” She blinked simply as uninteresting. “What do you say? When the time comes, will you include me?”

This wasn’t actually a choice you’d mull over for only a second, however that is precisely what she did. She did not assume too exhausting, she did not assume an excessive amount of… she did not even assume in any respect.

The prospect sounded harsh. All her life she lived, solely to finish up being only a memento from an age come to previous. Harsh, certainly. But when something, on the very least it would not be boring.

“I am going to make sure you pack my nest alongside,” Ria replied.