The Offer

A somber melody occupies the forest, smooth and lilting notes sliding out at their own deliberate pace. Gentle wind rustles the branches atop this serene mountainside, their leaves illuminating gently as the wind tickles their vibrant surface. This quickly crafts a string of seeming constellations amid the treetops, twinkling with ethereal light despite the sunlight peeking between them. The flutist continues her song thoughtfully as she appreciates the sight, perched along the porch of her mother's home which overlooks this glimmering slope. 

"Tia," Mina calls to her, the sliding door behind her skittering open, "Could you spare me a moment?" Tia places her flute aside and turns to her mother, meeting her excited gaze, "It's finally finished!"

"You mean...?" Tia questions, brows shooting up. With a wiggling smile, Mina exposes a sheer white kimono. Tia's face lights up with a beaming smile despite it's simple appearance, a warmth overtaking her own expression at the sight. Tia looks it over eagerly as she continues, "It's perfect!"

"Yes, it came out quite well," Mina agrees in a plucky tone, settling on the porch alongside her daughter with mischief on her lips, "You'll look like a real yurei, plucked right out of myth!" 

"You knew...?" Tia gasps, meeting her mother's playful gaze.

"I've heard the rumors," Mina chuckles, brushing Tia's hair from her face, "Did you think I wouldn't notice my own daughter pretending to haunt our woods, frightening all who cross her path?"

"I..." Tia draws out the word, averting her gaze, "I'm just having a bit of fun...!"

"Oh, I'm sure you are," Mina's smile widens as she regards Tia, allowing a brief silence to pass before her joy drops away and her voice softens, "I know you're still angry about what happened but..."

"What... happened..." Tia mutters, her brows knitting together and her eyes glazing over.

A stronger wind rushes between the trees and clouds slide across the sky, darkening the forest. Mina's eyes scrape over these changes warily, seeming to sense something. Her eyes dart back to Tia more urgently. 

"You should know," Mina states more seriously, "Pushing people away to protect yourself won't make anything better. You'll only find yourself more alone. Don't let fear or pain divide you from those you love!"

"Mom," Tia questions, a smile leaping onto Mina's lips at the sound, "Are you okay? You're acting weird!" 

Mina opens her mouth to speak but, as the shadows continue to dim the gentle luminescence of the forest, fear and even a pain touch Mina's expression. She gives a wry, bitter smile and pats Tia's hand. 

"Do you think you could fetch me a bit of water?" Mina questions instead. 

"Sure," Tia answers, rising to her feet and dusting herself off. Mina watches her leave with a troubled expression, concern never leaving her eyes as she fades away.

Tia turns the corner, straddling the house until she finds herself at the well. With a sigh, she takes hold of the bucket but pauses as she gazes into the water. The reflection looking back at her is not her own. The girl in the water has short brown hair and eyes, her face unfamiliar. Or at least it seems so at first. As she peers into her reflection it slowly comes back to her. This is her face, her other face. Her disguise.

As this dawns on Tia, the girl in the well reaches out and her hands actually emerge from the water. Tia stumbles backwards as her double grasps the stony walls encasing her. Her heart leaps as she meets her double's eyes, as she clamors out of the well and approaches her.

"Gods, not again," Tia gripes, wincing as lucidity fully kicks in.

"No...?" her double questions, twisting their head in a clockwise motion. Despite their face, the voice which emerges from their throat is baritone and male.

"I am not doing this right now," Tia grumbles and watches them blink, "I can't!"

"But you called out to me, Hemoth-lithewa!" they respond smoothly, sitting themself along the lip of the well, "Tell me, do you prefer Mothe or Ethia?"

"What...?" Tia mutters, the entity before her waiting as Tia tries to process the situation, "But... who...?"

"My, my," her other face chuckles and looks her up and down, "Aren't you just riddled with unanswered questions. Absolutely delectable!" Tia shifts uncomfortably in place as their lips lift into the most subtle of smiles, "But that is exactly why I came! I have all of the answers you seek. Come."

Her other self gestures for Tia to approach before turning towards the water. With ample hesitation Tia steps forward, standing more than an arms length away as she peers inside. The once clear water is now bluish black with an oily sheen, little worms wriggling along it's writhing, viscous surface. Despite this, her other self's face seems quite satisfied with the change. 

"Who..." Tia questions, eying her, "Are you?"

"We've met once before," they denote steadily, "I gave you my name then but... perhaps Irkath is less of a mouthful?"

"Irkath," Tia echoes back too sharply, "The aspect Irkath?"

The slightest of laughs hums away in their chest but it doesn't touch their face. Irkath blinks, their eyes going slate black as they open again without any traces of white left. Tia nearly jumps at the sight and dark feathers begin sprouting along the edges of their face as Tia continues to gawk. Irkath returns their attention to the well. 

"The answers you seek lie within," Irkath states, dipping their hand into the goo and stirring it gently. It clings to their fingers like a sticky batter and squelches, turning Tia's stomach as they continue, "Waiting for you to claim them."

"In there?" Tia questions in a high tone, not hiding her reproach.

Irkath's head swivels towards Tia without their body turning, like the head of an owl, and they regard her with a wide eyed stare. Little inky pearls pool along their lower eyelids like tears, their gaze piercing.

"Within you," Irkath answers before their eyes return to the tarry substance, "And within my realm."

 "You live in a well?" Tia questions with a squint, earning hooting laughter. 

"This is your well, litte Mothe," Irkath informs her, "Your own personal well of the wyrd!" Tia's face pinches as they sling their legs over the lip of the well, dipping their feet into the tar. Foul worms slink along their calves, staining their skin black as they continue, "Everyone has a gateway, deep within their mind."

"We're... in my mind space right now?" Tia questions, glancing about her old home, "And that leads to your plane?"

"It links to the deepest reaches of your mind," Irkath answers in a mystic tone before giving a short laugh, "And yes, to my home. But surely these aren't the answers you called out for?" they tilt their head aside again, more slate feathers peeking from their hair, "After all, you are absolutely swimming in secrets! It's a wonder this well isn't overflowing..."

"I don't keep secrets," Tia denies with a scowl, "I hate them!"

"However rudely you may detest my little ones," Irkath bites, "You are utterly infested with them!"

Irkath wafts a hand over Tia and she looks herself over in response. Little tarry maggots and viscous earthworms slink across Tia's body, burrowing into and emerging from her flesh to the point nearly none of her remains unstained by them. Tia feels her stomach flip as they wriggle through her skin, fighting getting sick. She tries to grasp the little creatures but they slip between her fingers, unfazed as she desperately tries to toss them aside.

"Oh, but don't fret," Irkath nearly coos, watching her distress, "I have what you seek! It is a simple matter for me to extract them from you. For each answer you claim..." Irkath pauses, plucking up a fat maggot, "I retake one of my pets."

A simple smile dresses their face as they regard the maggot, popping the wretched creature into their mouth to Tia's horror. Tia sucks in a deep breath, face pallid as she tries to center herself. Irkath waits in silence until Tia's eyes reopen, seemingly resolved. With a sour frown, Tia plunges her hands into the well resolute to scoop out the answers for herself. However, the foul waters only drip through her fingers and Irkath chortles at her frustration. 

"So eager!" Irkath laughs, Tia half-pouting half-scowling, "But you are getting ahead of yourself. You are more than welcome to my waters... for a price."

"What price?" Tia bites, eying them warily. 

"Forge our bond," Irkath states simplistically, "And my power and realm will be yours to delve into," Tia's brows shoot up, "And each time you come to train with me I will offer one of the answers you seek!"

"Why do all of you... even want these connections?" Tia nearly mutters, covering her chest with her hands and standing defensively, "What are you getting out of this?"

"Oh... this and that," Irkath chuckles enigmatically, "I'm more than happy to share the truth with you after you take my offer!"

Irkath reaches out to Tia with an ink stained hand, offering up a simple handshake. Tia eyes the gesture with blatant trepidation, untrusting and put off from her previous experiences "linking" with these entities. She is only further unsettled witnessing the black maggots wriggling out of their eyes and across their cheeks. Irkath gives a sigh, hopping up and beginning to circle Tia and the well.

"You are hesitant," Irkath drones, sounding almost bored, "I suppose my brothers are to blame. Eager and hasty to empower you, enraged by disrespect and incapable of tact. But I won't force my power onto you as they have," they pause to regard Tia again, her demeanor unchanged, "Or perhaps it is motivation you require?"

"I don't trust you," Tia spits flatly and, to her surprise, Irkath grins in response.

"Good," Irkath answers with satisfaction in their eyes, "Because you know nothing of the secrets swirling about you. Of the fate lain before you. You will need to be wary."

"I don't care about fate," Tia bites, "I just want to know what is happening now."

"Well... Let's see..." Irkath ponders, their head twisting until their face is totally upside down, "Why does the false shadow chase the darkness, too tangled by his puppeteer to see the net he weaves is his own noose? Who is the ravenous entity, birthed upon the death of a stellar soul, and what will it cost to continue stifling them?"

Their eyes narrow as they spout their second riddle and they pause to glance to Tia, a haggard sigh dropping out as they spot her utter befuddlement and distaste.

"The details of your inevitable role and of what you are," he continues, relenting and speaking more plainly, "The true identity of your kindred soul, your secret friend," they pause to chuckle, "And the many deceptions hiding amidst your collection of rejects. Oh and, of course, the condition and identity of your precious Shin."

"You can answer all of that?" Tia prods, watching their face carefully. 

"And so much more!" Irkath responds with a toothy grin.

Tia's own false face stares back at her as they offer their hand again. Tia eyes it, stained and befouled by bluish black ink. Her gaze slides between Irkath and the bubbling, writhing well as she considers the immense temptation. Every mystery plaguing her life and every question that remains unanswered, just a brief moment of discomfort away. Tia reaches for their hand hesitantly, her fingers grazing theirs and their grin widens. Yet she cannot shake her disdain for what they represent, her disgust with their little creatures or her deep set mistrust of their cryptic behavior and riddles.

"No," Tia states simplistically, their smile mostly dropping away as Tia withdraws her hand, "I'll find my own answers. On my own terms."

"I see," Irkath exhales their distaste in one wispy sigh, "That is disappointing... but not a surprise. It is very umbral of you. And perhaps just a touch of nothingness to motivate you as well?" Tia squints at them as they chuckle, watching as they swing their legs over the lip of the well again, "When you change your mind, and I am certain that you will, simply call out for me again! For now..." they lower themselves into the blue-black tar, "I think you need to steep a little longer."

Slow Down

As Euan steps into Annie's apartment, he finds her personal space is far more cluttered and chaotic than usual. Papers with messy scribblings and unstable towers of books cover every surface, dusted with magic components and strange tools while the pungent smell of unusual potions bubble in her kitchen. Annie herself paces between these stations with hurried steps, brows pinched as she juggles various tasks. Euan jumps back out of the way as she bustles into the kitchen. 

"Whit's all o' this?" Euan questions, Annie holding up a finger to him as she sprinkles an unknown powder into her pot. She observes the colorful vapors which rise as a result before, seemingly satisfied, she places a lid over the brew.

"Now's not a good time," Annie finally answers, stepping back to her alchemical tools without sparing him a glance, "I haven't finished processing the pieces I took from the kraken and I'm running behind schedule on my other projects," she releases a sigh, pulling her goggles into place before parsing through a number of vials, "And I still haven't worked out how I can sabotage the devices the Marshal requested without anyone noticing!"

"Damn, Annie," Euan breathes at the sight of her, "Ye ought tae slow down. Ye just blasted through all o' those enchantments, yer gonnae run yerself into th' ground!"

"I can't slow down," Annie puffs, frowning as she cant' seem to locate the vial she's searching for, "The Marshal is breathing down my neck! Besides, if I don't catch up on my work they're going to know I'm up to something."

Euan's eyes slide to Bubbles, watching Annie with just as much concern, before they land on the busy girl once again. She continues to flit between her stations as Euan stands in silence, brooding over his approach. A smile worms onto his expression as he makes up his mind. As Annie darts back to her workbench Euan steps just behind her, placing a hand to each side of her and grazing her fingers with his own. 

"Wh-what are you doing?" Annie squeaks, growing rigid as she feels his warmth hovering just behind her. Her eyes widen onto their hands as his fingers slide over and interlock with her own. 

"Am I..." Euan questions, leaning close enough to her ear for his breath to tickle her cheek, "Making ye uncomfortable?"

A gasp leaps from Annie's lips and he can feel her grip tighten, squeezing his fingers. Too speechless to utter an answer Annie simply shakes her head in timorous denial, her ears visibly red. Despite the miniscule gesture Euan can't help the smirk which plants itself on his face. He nuzzles his nose into her neck, goosebumps raising as he drags his lips down her nape until he reaches the base of her neck and plants a steady kiss. 

"An' now?" Euan questions as Annie's head leans aside to allow him access, the tension gripping her shoulders melting away. To his surprise, Annie spins about to face him pausing only to lay her goggles aside. She searches his eyes before speaking. 

"Euan, are you..." Annie mumbles, struggling to express herself, "A-are you-"

"Coming onto ye?" Euan finishes for her, pressing close enough that she jumps, "I've been trying t' figure out whit 'is is, whit we are fur too long now."

"So have I," Annie admits, Euan popping a brow at her. 

"Was I no' obvious enough?" Euan questions, "I've been flirting wi' ye from day one!"

"Yes, but," Annie states haltingly before giving a pressured sigh, "You flirt with everyone!"

"Aye, I do," Euan chortles before his expression grows more ardent, lifting her chin with a gentle gesture, "But yer th' one I want th' most."

"S-so it's okay for me to...?" Annie peeps, her hands hovering over him without touching. Euan rumbles with laughter, placing a hand along the small of her back and closing the distance with a tug. 

"I already told ye," Euan states with another smirk, enjoying the way she eyes him like an unexpected feast, "Ye can have as much o' me as ye want!"

"A-and what if I want... all of..." Annie's voice trails, Euan leaning in closer until a strident gasp leaps from Annie, "My potion!"

A sizzling sounds from her kitchen, Annie wriggling out of Euan's grasp and dashing to the pot as it bubbles over. Euan looses a haggard sigh as Annie attempts to salvage the brew, its scent less than appealing. This is followed by another chuckle, Euan settling onto the sofa as Annie continues to juggle her tasks before they fall apart.

The Family

The sharp crack of a log splitting under the heat of a thriving hearth stirs Ben from his slumber, his head lolling to the side. The room spins about him, deep green dragging across his still blurry vision while the scent of rich earth fills his burning airways. A gentle hum sounds somewhere beyond the space he finds himself in, a sharper gasp scraping into his lungs as he tries to narrow his vision onto her. 

"Do be gentle with yourself," the woman urges him, continuing the task she was already preoccupied with, "My sibling's crafts do terrible things to the human body! But... that is their function in the end."

Ben coughs as he tries to push air from his lungs, as he tries to speak. Lily's spores have left his throat terribly inflamed and he finds most of his body is still numb. The woman continues to hum, moving about at her own pace before finally joining him with a tray in her hands. She sets it on the table before him, moving forward with a cup in her hands.

"Here," she insists, holding the cup just before his face, "This should help." 

Ben hesitates, unable to make out the woman's face or the brew before his lips, but as he is unable to even lift his arms to deny her he sees little other choice. A musty, herbal tea slides down his irate throat and instantly seems to wash his throat clean. There is a grainy element to the brew which he guesses is charcoal but it is the energy instilled into the water itself which heals him. Despite his circumstance, Ben gulps the tea down readily. She gives a humming laugh as she moves away from him, settling onto the sofa opposite of him. 

 "Now then," she sighs as Ben clears his throat, dragging her hand over the forehead of a canine which settles next to her, "I'm sure you have questions but so do I."

Ben rubs at and blinks his eyes, his vision finally focusing and the worst of the numbness fading. The woman before him is portly with a hickory complexion and puffy hair, her eyes soft with a rich brown hue. She possesses the quality of a mother hen, comforting and generous yet steadfast.

The dog at her side is excessively large and fluffy, laying his oversized head in her lap as he watches Ben. His thick coat is a mixture of brown and white tones and he resembles a husky, his face marked by two dotted brows. He also wears a collar which glitters with various rare gems embedded in gilded metal and tufts of his fur appear to phase into raw stone.

"Wh-where am I...?" Ben questions, eying the cozy and plant-strewn chamber, "What happened? I was... I was-" Ben's eyes widen and he attempts to stand, stumbling back into the sofa immediately.

"Oh, I suppose Lillith gave you a scare hm?" the woman questions knowingly, almost laughing, "She can be quite hasty and severe, as always. Do try and calm yourself, you're not in any danger here!"

"I-I'm not...?" Ben is still tense, his eyes like those of a wary rabbit. 

"No, no," the woman reassures him with a waving gesture, "You're my guest, after all!" Ben's shoulders lower but his befuddlement doesn't dissipate, "My name is Ala and this is Clay," she glances to the dog at her side, "Now, it is in my nature to try and be a good host but... how the rest of this goes will depend on your co-operation."

"Wait..." Ben's eyes dart between Ala and Clay, "Y-you're one of t-them!" his limbs shake as he attempts to rise again and the warmth in her eyes hardens into a stony gaze, "Where am I??"

"Come now, Ben," Ala chides and, with a wave of her hand, his body grows unnaturally heavy, pressing to the couch, "This could be so easy for you! Easy for all of us," she presses her lips together, "Why drag this out?"

"I won't betray my kingdom!" Ben spits stubbornly, offering her nothing but a scowl.

"I admire loyalty," Ala chimes but her smile strains with her sigh, "Even when it is so misplaced. Family... is so important, Ben. Unfortunately, I don't think your family much cares what happens to you, despite your loyalty to them."

"You don't know me," Ben grumbles, his eyes scraping the room for any indication of his whereabouts. Ala watches him with subtle amusement, turning over his responses in her mind. 

"I suppose I'm going to get to know you quite well," she states with a bitter edge, "If you insist on this path," Ben's eyes dash back to her, "So let's answer your first question, hm? I'll show you what a real family looks like!"

Ben flinches as she rises to her feet but, with another wave, the severe weight pressing him down disappears all at once. She waits as he wobbles to his feet, sighing as he staggers forward. Ala claps her hands together, a russet hue overtaking her hands and a sturdy stone cane forms between her palms as she separates them. Ben hesitates to accept it, Ala pushing it into his grasp before turning towards the door.

Ben hobbles after Ala through gray, torch lit hallways and Clay is close behind him. After a number of twists and turns, sunlight breaks onto his cheeks and he blinks into the light. Ben is immediately assaulted by an acrid smell and a muggy heat. It doesn't take long for him to realize where he is—the Festering Peninsula.

The lurid swampland reveals itself as they step into the sunlight, caps of oversized mushrooms clinging to trees with grasping roots and  hovering over murky waters. He finds himself emerging from the bowels of a moss-draped stone pyramid, its crest rising above the tree line. 

Ala pauses to appraise the community hugging this ancient structure, pride and fondness in her eyes. Huts and shacks are set into the periphery of the settlement, stilted porches overlooking stagnant water, while sunbaked mud forms a network of more permanent structures further in filling in the holes of a once thriving city.

The settlement appears almost plucked from the ancients, built on the bones of those nearly faded from memory. Yet those calling it home now thrive readily, calling to each other as they exchange goods in their streets, co-operate to make repairs and even practice sports in an arena of sorts. Ben watches as those below shift their racial magic readily to suit their needs, no one hesitating or concealing their changes. Their faces are bright and satisfied, totally at home. Until they see him.

Mother Ala is mouthed and uttered with reverence as they pass through this community, heads bowing briefly before sharp eyes find their way to Ben—mistrustful eyes. Hardened gazes with prickly if not hazardous aggression barely restrained stab into him. Ben had never experienced such blatant malice yet almost every man and woman he passes makes no effort to conceal their disdain for him. A chill runs up Ben's back as he realizes why Ala doesn't restrain him. She was in fact protecting him from them. If she were not stepping just before him this mob of shifters might just tear him apart. They were his cage. His step quickens, not wishing to stray from Ala.

"Do my children frighten you, Ben?" Ala hums with a touch of laughter, noticing his shift, "They should. This family is all any of us have. The world has been unkind to us," she pauses, swiveling to face him with a grim expression, "You might be disturbed by what we will do to survive in that world. So... I'm going to give you one final chance Ben," she searches his eyes, "Who is she?"

"Did you think," Ben grumbles, his eyes grazing the shifters at his back before returning to her, "Showing me your collection of monsters was going to make me betray every-"

With a severe scowl, Ala reaches forward and clasps Ben by the fabric of his shirt. She lifts him effortlessly from the ground despite being shorter than Ben himself, kicking air as she hoists him as though he were weightless.

"You look at my dear children and see monsters?" Ala bites, snickers and sneers sounding behind him as if to deride his arrogance before their matron, "I won't tolerate such disrespect in my own home!"

With a hard frown, Ala tosses Ben over her shoulder and continues her path back to the pyramid. Ben flails in her grasp to no avail, the woman inhumanly strong and steady despite his flopping. 

As passerby continue to snicker at his distress, Ben's face burning red, he brings his palms together and generates a modest orb. Flashing an arrogant smirk, Ben twists in Ala's grip to shove the orb into her back. Clay leaps forward suddenly, Ben having forgotten about the canine. With a face marked by a metallic sheen, Clay bites the orb directly. The modest blast detonates in his jaws and he sniffs at the smoke curling about his face, giving one sneeze but otherwise unperturbed. 

"That was kind of you, Clay," Ala chimes, giving his head a ruffle before slinging Ben around again. She tosses him unceremoniously through a doorway at the foot of the pyramid along the southern edge. Without an ounce of her previous warmth, she continues, "Welcome to Ilnithic."

The door slams shut, depriving the room of the gentle sunlight which had spilled in previously. The chamber he finds himself within is dark and damp, moisture from the swamp still finding its way in through the muggy air. Luminescent mushrooms light the space, Ben's eyes slow to adjust. Even beyond the damp, dark stone encasing them there was an odd dread hanging in the air which Ben couldn't place. 

"Who else have they tossed in with us?" a voice sounds from within. Ben finds two women inside, their familiar faces leaving him astounded.

Hel's Door

The portals within the shadow plane steadily grow more defined as the sun sets. Tia watches these charcoal imitations darken and grow more opaque, a drawn out sigh dragging its way out of her lungs as she lingers within the compound. Her attention drifts to the canyon, to her destination, but she finds herself reluctant to visit Al tonight. She was still unsure of what, if anything, she could share about her latest revelations yet these concerns were firmly lodged in her mind. 

"Heyyyy, moggy!" Euan sounds, causing her to jump before spinning about. 

"Oh," Tia peeps before loosing another sigh, "It's you..."

"Damn," Euan breathes, "Whit's got ye so peely-wally?"

"I..." Tia frowns, "I can't stop thinking about what happened."

"Ye remember going after ma cousin, huh?" Euan chuckles, only weighing down her dour expression further, "Dinnae worry about 'at, moggy," Tia blinks at him, "'at nyaff needed a good gluff!"

"I almost killed him, Euan!" Tia fusses, Euan's smile dropping away. 

"'At wis just Azowyr fuckin wi' yer head," Euan states a bit more seriously, going so far as to poke at her forehead. He continues with raised brows, "He wore ye like a glove!"

"Azowyr didn't make me want to kill him," Tia husks, swatting Euan's fingers away with a scowl, "And maybe I should have!" Tia exclaims, Euan crossing his arms as worry pulls on Tia's expression, "He saw my face, this face!" Tia gestures to her true appearance, "I don't understand why he hasn't come for me yet I-"

"Slow down!" Euan insists, shadows swelling and wavering about her to match her tumultuous mood. Tia wraps her arms around herself, taking a breath. Euan looks her over as he continues, "Hev ye been hanging onto all o' this, all by yerself?"

"Who else am I going to talk to?" Tia bites, her tone acidic, "I still haven't even talked to my friends about what happened with the kraken!"

"Where's yer critter?" Euan questions, scouring her for Duff. 

"We..." Tia's voice trails before giving a sharp sigh, "We had a fight. He's the one who bound my memory!"

"Eesh," Euan gives a wince, pausing to consider before a smile lights his face, "Ye know whit ye need?"

"What?" Tia snaps, catching herself too late.

"Ye need a drink!" Euan laughs, ignoring her hostile tone. 

"A drink?" Tia blinks, her eyes searching the shadows behind him as she mulls it over.

"I... I can't be seen like this," Tia gestures to her face, her brows pinching as she remembers her latest nightmare, "And I don't want to be 'Tia' tonight."

"We're no' going t' an Accian bar," Euan answers with a mischievous grin, "I found somewhere way more interesting!"

"I won't have to disguise myself?" Tia questions, popping a brow at him.

"No' at all," Euan responds, planting the hint of smile on Tia's face, "These lads are a barrel o' fun," Euan continues, gesturing for Tia to follow, "I might o' partied wi' them already!" 

"Of course you have," Tia snarks, following just behind. 

"Just need t' make a quick stop," Euan states.

Euan beckons her after him as he steps through a portal into what appears to be the hall of a recruit cabin. Tia is a bit hesitant to step into the compound without her disguise but shrugs, figuring the confines of Euan's building are concealed enough that staff won't spot her. She steps into the hall with Euan.

"Oy, lads!" Euan calls loudly, banging on the nearest wall, "We got one more wi' us tonight. Get yer arses out here!"

"Wait," Tia gasps, "What?" The doors in the hall click open, Florio and Danut spilling out and blinking at Tia with astonishment. A scowl quickly finds its way to Euan despite her sense of exposure. "Euan!" Tia fumes at him, "You didn't say there would be others!"

"Ohhh," Euan grins at her, "Did ye want me all t' yerself?"

"What part of 'I can't be seen like this'," Tia grumbles to him under her breath, "Do you not understand??"

"Ye lads don't recognize her, do ye?" Euan questions, Florio and Danut looking to each other before shrugging. Despite this, Danut is quick to step to Tia and take her hand in his. His magic is intensely heavy and fierce, clearly drenched with dark magic. It leaves Tia feeling lethargic. 

"I would certainly remember such a bewitching beauty," Danut denotes with the slightest smile, going so far as to kiss the back of her hand. He blinks as Tia grimaces, snatching her hand away at the earliest opportunity. Euan cackles at Tia's reaction, slapping her shoulder in his amusement. 

"Yer drinks are on me tonight," Euan chortles, taking immense joy at seeing Tia shoot Danut down, "Drink as much as ye want mo-" Tia is quick to jab an elbow into his gut before he can finish his nickname for her.

"Don't call me that!" Tia snaps, giving him a hard look as he nearly pouts, "If you want me to come along you can't give me away!"

"Aye, fine," Euan grumbles, rubbing his stomach, "Whit am I calling ye then?"

Tia's face twists as she considers this, still so unsure of so much but unwilling to ask Duff for guidance. Not yet. She runs her fingers through her hair as she considers and her eyes land on her ivory locks. 

"Call me..." Tia presses her lips together before she meets their gazes again, "Tsuki."

"Azryth take me!" Florio gasps, bringing his hands to his mouth as his eyes widen on Tia and looking her up and down until a smile blooms, "It's her!" 

"W-what?" Tia peeps, her stomach knotting. Despite this, Florio's grin grows more sly. 

"So you're the girl," Florio muses playfully, "He's been sneaking out to see every night!"

"You mean...!" Tia gasps, Euan's eyes jumping between them in confusion. 

"You're Al's secret... uh..." Florio pauses to consider, "Friend or something! Right?"

"You know Al??" Tia questions almost breathlessly.

"Of course I know him!" Florio insists with a touch of indignity, "He's my-"

"No no!" Tia stops him, waving her hands at him urgently, "You-you can't tell me who he is!"

"Ye don't know who he is?" Euan sniggers, "Really?"

"It's a part of their weird 'secret friends' thing," Florio answers with a roll of his eyes. 

"Damn 'Tsuki'," Euan cackles, "Yer into some weird shit!"

"Why do you always have to make it uncomfortable!" Tia huffs at him. 

"This is shaping up," Danut muses with humming laughter, "To be a strange evening!"

"So," Euan questions, "Just to be clear. I can't call you or 'Al' by yer real names tonight?"

"Yes," Tia states firmly, looking to each of them, "None of you can give away who he is! Otherwise... I'll just bow out."

"No, no, no!" Florio sounds immediately, the lot of them blinking at him as he grins, "I am not missing the chance to have drinks with you, I have so many questions!" 

"'at's th' spirit!" Euan joins into his eager demeanor, "Ye got yerself a deal mmm- Tsuki! Come on, lads. Let's get shit faced!!" 

The four teens travel south through the shadow plane, passing over the mirrored surface of the mesa. Smoky imitations of heather and scrub mark most of this surface until something far more breathtaking reveals itself.

A tree of absolutely monumental proportions dominates the physical world, its imitation coming through in various patches where it remains dark. Most of the base of this tree appears to be well lit, hints of a thriving city still apparent as bright lights cast stark shadows. The silhouettes of innumerable people bustle over the streets and dark alleys streak between a web of buildings centered around the tree.

"What is this...?" Danut questions, his crimson eyes darting about.

"Their capital!" Euan states simplistically, "They call it Yggdrasil!"

"I thought that was just a myth?" Florio questions as Euan pulls him along. Tia and even Danut are able to navigate by themselves, neither questioning the other. 

"Nah, I'd say this place rivals Accia," Euan continues, his eyes dragging over wispy imitations, "They've got at least three cities all in one!"

"It's certainly..." Tia mutters as she eyes the grand structures, "A lot."

"How is it everyone can see," Florio pouts, "Except me!"

"Just how th' chips fall, lad," Euan muses, "Ye got yer flower shit an' we got our dark magic!"

"Flower shit...?" Tia questions. 

"A gross oversimplification!" Florio complains, glancing to the sound of Tia's voice. 

"Ye can turn into flower petals, aye?" Euan questions, pausing to glance at him. 

"Keep underestimating my abilities," Florio hisses, pulling away from Euan and waggling a finger at him, "And you'll find something extra added to your breakfast!"

"Now that I'd like to see," Danut chuckles with a toothy smile.

"Whit are ye gonnae do?" Euan fusses as Tia takes Florio's arm, guiding him forward, "Float rose petals in ma tea?"

"Quit your bickering!" Tia chides and Euan shrugs, falling silent.

"Oh, but you defer to her?" Florio gasps. 

"I've seen what she can do," Euan gives a harsh laugh, recalling the tattered remains of the kraken, "None o' us would last a blink against her!" 

"Euan..." Tia growls, only earning her a grin. 

"Here we are!" Euan ignores her warning, gesturing down into the earth.

Euan drops down, the other three following after him. Deep below the surface a network of caves reveals itself amid the roots of the tree. A whole city is worked into these caves, untouched by the lightning above. Further down, mines and catacombs weave about the roots. They are quite easy to make out as they lay unmanned and unlit this time of night. There appears to be more further down but Euan pauses before a large cavity. They can see the hints of a bar on the other side but Euan brings them all out into the tunnel outside. "Hel's Door" is sprawled across the entrance, letters of a separate language just above the Accian script.

"'is is a dwarven bar," Euan notes deliberately, "So keep who ye are t' yerselves!" he looks between Florio and Danut, receiving firm nods, "An' dinnae say anything snobby, aye?"

"What's a dwarf...?" Tia questions. 

"'at's whit they call themselves down here," Euan explains, "Th' elves live up top in th' branches, regular folk live at the base and the dwarves live down here in Svartalfheimr."

"Are they not... people?" Tia asks with a measure of trepidation.

"O' course thir people!" Euan laughs, taking hold of the doorknob, "'at's just whit they like t' call themselves!"

Euan steps into the tavern confidently, striding right up to the bar with a grin. The patrons squint at the teens at first, the other three trailing behind him quite uncomfortably, but recognition lights their eyes as they leer at Euan. 

"Well look who's back!" one of the men chortle, "Couldn't stay away, eh?"

"Whit can I say, Ragnar," Euan laughs back, "Ye lot know how tae hev a good time!"

"You brought a few pups with you this time too!" the second man notes, looking the teens up and down, "What're you doing bringing such a pretty thing to a place like this?"

"Oh, she may be a bonnie lass," Euan remarks as Tia's face falls into a scowl, "But I wouldn't turn yer nose up on her!"

"Who said he's talkin' bout the lass?" Ragnar jests, eying Florio and Danut. Florio's face reddens as the lot of them break into cackles while Danut's expression drops into a deadpan leer. 

"Och, dinnae look so sour," Euan teases before his attention returns to the dwarven men, "These three are in sore need o' a good time," Euan states and their grins widen at the prospect, "Whit dae ye lads say?"

"I say," Ragnar leans forward with a wicked grin, "Let's see how much ale you pups can swallow first!"

As the four of them settle in around a table, an imposing woman steps forward with a heavy tray of mugs. The table rattles as she plods them down, Florio's eyes wide as he regards the foam-capped ale. 

"Thank ye, Mia!" Euan hums at the woman. She scoffs at him as he winks, unimpressed, and Tia barely stifles her amusement. 

"How many times have you been here?" Tia questions, first to pluck up a mug.  

"Enough," Euan jokes, grinning as Tia gulps at the drink without hesitation. She makes a sour expression at the taste. 

"This is awful!" Tia complains too loudly, earning an equally discontent expression from Mia at the bar. 

"Whit are ye talking about?" Euan answers in a high tone, "'is is th' best ale in town!" Florio takes a tentative sip for himself and his eyes quickly light up at the flavor.

"It's bitter," Tia complains, "Cold drinks shouldn't be bitter!"

"Whit are ye used tae then?" Euan sasses, "Dinnae tell me ye only drink wine?"

"I mean..." Tia pauses and, despite the unfamiliar flavor, drains her mug in one steady string of gulps, earning an astonished gape from Danut, "It's a kind of wine..." 

"Damn..." Euan breathes as Tia reaches for another mug, barely having touched his own yet, "Now I really wanna know whit ye've been drinking!"

"Sake," Tia states, bracing herself for more of the pungent yet delicately spiced brew, "Rice wine. Mom used to..." she pauses to frown, "She used to sneak me some when dad was away. It's definitely stronger than whatever this is!" 

"Yer da seems th' sort not t' let ye drink," Euan muses with a chuckle, sloshing down his own drink before giving a stronger laugh, "But he no' here now! Come on lads," he looks from Florio to Danut, "Ye gonnae let her out drink ye?"

Mia swings by their table another three times, a smirk growing as Tia kicks back more mugs, easily outpacing the boys despite her size. Her head swims but a smile worms its way back onto her expression as the night drags on, especially as dwarven music fills the tavern. A mix of deep, guttural overtones in an unfamiliar tongue with rhythmic drums and strings is perfectly at home amid the roots and stones cradling this earthy nook. 

More dwarves pour into the bar as well, loud and amicable with a wild temperament and a love for tales of battle. Ragnar and his friend Bo eventually even join the teens at their table, eager to see Tia clear another mug in one sweep. Tia claps along as a tavern jig circulates the cavern, Bo's fists rattling the table as they match the catchy rhythm. Tia even sings along in her second language, her lilting notes surprising everyone. Her eyes shine as she finally unwinds, all of her worries far from her mind. Florio watches her at times, Aldric never far from his thoughts.

"So, Tsuki," Florio questions Tia over the din, catching her attention, "I gotta ask! You and Al... you're a thing, right?"

"What?" Tia questions, squinting at him. 

"Oh, come on," Florio's head bobs a little, already tipsy, "You two are sneakin' around in secret, meetin' up in the dead of night... its so romantic!"

"Are you..." Tia questions, eying his dramatic gestures, "Asking if weer dating?"

"Al is too private about these things," Florio wafts his hand at the thought, "Won't breath a word about it!"

"Thas because this stuff makes him uncomforotable!" Tia offers a stern expression, "An' I can see why! We don even know each other an' yer askin if Al and I are together? He hates romrance, of course we aren dating!"

"He doesn't hate romance!" Florio laughs the thought away but Tia maintains her frown, "Al loves romance," Florio insists in too high a tone, "Is all he reads! Thas how we became friends, talkin' bout our favorite books!"

"I dunno what t' tell you," Tia leans dramatically as her head spins, "Tabun- um, maybe he doesn't hate romrance..." her hand flops as she gestures, "But he's always talkin' bout how frusrated he is by evryone pushin it onto him all th' time!"

"He does...?" Florio questions, his mirth dropping away. 

"Thers that one girl who's allll over 'im all th' time," Tia holds up a finger, "An' then he's says his frens are all obsessed with romans," another finger pops up and her eyes are on the ceiling, "His never said anythin' cuz his always tryna make evrywan aroun' him hapsy!"

"I..." Florio plods his head into his hands with a wide eyed stare, "I thought... he was jus rilly shy...?"

"His defnitly shy sumtimes," Tia laughs readily, remembering how easily she's able to fluster him and a fond smile pulls at her lips, "But jus give im some spaze on that stuff mabee? Like... make it a boundry!"

"A what?" Florio questions. 

"A boun-dar-y," Tia repeats more carefully, trying not to stumble over the word, "Thas what my frens call it. Somethin' that makes you uncomfrotable or that you can't tolrerate!"

"Uncomfrotable..." Florio snorts and Tia breaks into chuckles as well. 

Another group of men make their way inside as the two laugh amongst themselves but Tia's smile falls away as her eyes catch them. Euan sees her expression drop, turning to look at them also. The storm viking chieftain Tia faced in the farming village and about five of his men meander into the tavern, making their way to a nearby table. Amid raucous boasting, they order a considerable number of drinks. Tia hides her face from them with wide eyes, the boys all blinking at her reaction.

"Whit's 'is about?" Euan questions, squinting at Tia. 

"I..." Tia breathes, remembering her altered appearance as one of his men meet her gaze without any hint of recognition, "I might know them..." 

"Hev ye been goin on adventures up here without me?" Euan questions her playfully. 

"Of course!" Tia laughs readily, a grin quickly finding its way back onto her face.

"Oh, I like this side o' ye," Euan continues, "Whit nonsense hev ye been up tae?"

"Don't be stingy now, Mia!" the chieftain pleads with her, catching Tia's attention, "We're celebrating!"

"Oh?" Mia narrows her eyes on him, "Your tab says otherwise, Gunnar!"

"And what does this say?" Gunnar slaps down a hefty bag of coins with a smirk. 

"And where did this come from?" Mia breathes, a smile sliding onto her face as she hefts it in her hand, "I thought you were having a rough month?"

"We were," Gunnar grumbles, recalling his losses in the village until another smile appears, "But we had a turn of luck," he rumbles with laughter, "We came upon a dead kraken!" a few heads turn in the bar and Tia sucks in a breath, "Sliced open and left to rot, barely a piece taken!"

"No wonder you're fat with coin!" Mia marvels, pocketing the bag as she makes her way to the bar, "I'll break out my best!" Cheers circulate the tavern, toasting to their luck, but Danut doubles over in his seat somehow paler than usual and obviously queasy.

"Why dontcha get some air, pup?" Bo chuckles, Florio rising to help him out. A groan sounds as Danut slings an arm over Florio's shoulder, the two of them wobbling out. 

"Why ya look like you've seen a ghost?" Ragnar questions as another round of drinks arrive. 

"I don think you'd believe me if I tolt ya," Tia laughs half-heartedly, marveling at the odds they would happen upon the body. Euan gives a harsh string of chuckles, recalling the horrific aftermath of the battle. Tia takes hold of another mug and sloshes it down, eyebrows shooting up at Gunnar's table.

"Don't be coy," Bo questions as Tia clunks the empty mug down. A smile wiggles on Tia's face before she answers, still somewhat horrified yet proud of the chaotic event.

"I killed tha kraken," Tia states louder than she intended, Euan's brows shooting up as the whole bar falls silent. All eyes find their way to her but it's harsh laughter which follows this silence, making Tia's face swelter.

"Bullshit!" Gunnar barks into the din, his own voice laced with a laugh, "Those beasts swallow ships lass, yer not but a little wisp!" 

"I guess you don reconize me..." Tia wobbles to her feet with a scowl, her face red and her head swimming. Euan's eyes give a cautious sweep of Gunnar's table, tensing up as the air in the bar takes a grim turn. Tia shifts to her disguise as she continues, "How bout now?"

"The Tigress!" Gunnar booms, his chair scraping against the floor as he rises, "So that's what you are..." he growls with narrowed eyes, Tia letting her appearance shift back. Her eyes slide briefly to one of his crew, the man who'd swung his axe at her, and he flinches from her gaze. A smile leaps onto her face at his reaction. "You cost me good men!" Gunnar rumbles, jabbing an angry finger in her direction, and Tia's smile drops away as his meaning sinks in.

A minacious silence persists amid the burgeoning tension. Three of Gunnar's men rise to their feet and Euan is quick to do the same, crossing his arms at Tia's side. Danut and Florio step back into the bar, their eyes darting about at the utter shift. They step up to the table tentatively, uncertain of what has happened as Tia and Gunnar hold each other in a deathly stare off. Ragnar looks to Bo, receiving only a quick shrug before a grin lights his face. 

"Well pups," Ragnar stands and cracks his neck, "You wanted a wild night didn't you? This is the best part!"

Mia sighs at his words, flipping a switch behind the bar. A glyph illuminates the ceiling as she does, Ragnar lurching forward and planting a fist onto the face of one of the vikings. The bar comes alive all at once, Gunnar's men springing forward. The two closest to the bar engage with the dwarven men while the remaining three focus on the teens. Gunnar circles his table with a slow, deliberate pace and a dour frown. Euan blocks the first lunge, aimed at Tia as she wobbles backwards. Most of their eyes are on her, thirsty for revenge.

Tia dodges back and weaves, having a natural evasive instinct which only becomes more unpredictable in her drunken state. It isn't until she gestures to zap one of them that her smile drops away, her attempt producing nothing at all. The second of the vikings takes a swing at Florio instead and he attempts to scatter into petals. Their strike lands square on Florio's nose, the boy crouching over as his blood flows and his face throbs. 

"No magic in my bar, hun," Mia shouts into the quarrel, jutting a thumb at the glyph above. 

"Kuso!" Tia husks, wobbling unpredictably as she considers her disadvantage.

The third viking manages to land a punch into Tia's gut as she teeters, far less perceptive without her father's magic. Tia doubles over, fighting spilling out the ale in her belly, before ramming forward into the larger man with a headbutt. She coughs up a laugh as he sprawls prone over the table behind him, still managing a smirk at her success. 

"Glad tae see ye hanging in there, m-" Euan has to stop himself, blocking another blow with his arms and protecting his face. The fist still grazes his brow. Tia is surprised to see Euan fighting so defensively but he is far more accustomed to brawling than the rest of the teens.

Tia's eyes sweep the tavern, finding Danut has succumbed to his nausea off to the side while Florio is still reeling, his nose clearly broken. Tia spots the man responsible move to strike him again while he's left overwhelmed. She hoists a chair into her hands and smashes it into the man as hard as she can muster, knocking him to the floor. Tia swings herself underneath their table, lurching forward and dragging Florio until he is centered underneath.

"Stay here!" Tia directs him, Florio barely managing a nod as he shelters his bloody face. Before Tia can slide out, someone grabs her from behind. She wriggles and flails in protest as Gunnar drags her out from underneath the table. Tia scratches at his arms with her nails, not nearly as effectively as she had become accustomed to.

"Not so tough without your claws, eh?" Gunnar chortles in her ear. 

"If you don want me ta gut you," Tia threatens despite her position, "Like I gutted tha kreken, yool drop me!!"

"Oh I'd pay to see that!" Euan claims boisterously, clocking his opponent into an opening before stomping in their direction. 

"You're full of shit!" Gunnar spits and Tia gasps as he runs his hands over her far too freely, "A pretty thing like you...?"

The light goes out all at once and darkness swallows the tavern. Without racial magic Tia is the only among them able to see and everyone goes deathly still, equally swallowed up by fear and astonishment. Tia's body dissolves into shadow, Gunnar grasping at air as he loses hold of her. The dark magic comes easily to her in this state, directed wholly by instinct.

"What didja call me..." Tia whispers behind him in a frightful tone and the man swings in the direction of her voice, his fist wafting through her, "A wisp?"

"Oho, shite!" Euan hoots with a hearty laugh, "Ye fucked up now!"

The air begins to chill as Tia considers what to do with him, the possibilities oddly delightful. Cold hands hover over her own and invite her to use their power again but her scars still throb and sting as she channels this power. Tia pulls only the smallest pieces of void to her, fumbling at first as her head swims with ale, until she has a small dagger clasped in her hand. 

"You don know what I can do," Tia warns, attempting to stab Gunnar's hand into the table. She misses, slicing off two of his fingers instead. The man cries out as his flesh splits open but Tia hisses into his yelp, "So keep yer hands to yerself!"

Tia takes a deep, calming breath as she reigns in her manipulations. The lights in the bar flicker back to life and her void dagger fades as the darkness recedes. The fire that had spurred the men to brawl was snuffed out with the light, his men looking to Gunnar as he regards his injury with uncertainty in their eyes. The cut is clearly consistent to that of the beast they took apart, perfectly clean and precise. His eyes slide to Tia, regarding her more carefully. He pauses only to wrap a strip of cloth about his hand. 

"Oh..." Tia eyes the injury as Mia sends for a healer, failing to stifle her snorting laughter, "I missed!" 

"I think I owe you all a drink," Gunnar grumbles, shrugging off her pitiful failure of an apology, the slightest laugh lacing his words, "And then some!"

Stay With Me

Aldric trudges his way up the stairs late into the night, disappointed with how his evening had unfolded. He had barely seen Tsuki this week and he was beginning to question if he had overstepped the bounds of their relationship. As he crests the top of the stairs, he spots Danut slung sloppily over Euan's shoulder as he fumbles with their door. 

"Can ye no' hold yerself up fur ten damn seconds?" Euan grumbles as Danut slumps against him too drastically, his head lolling as Euan shifts his grip, "I shoulda pegged ye fur a lightweight!"

"Did you get them drunk again?" Aldric rumbles as he approaches them. A smile pulls at Euan's lips despite Aldric's stormy demeanor.

"Oh, look who it is," Euan cackles, finally popping his door open, "'is should be fun!" He helps Danut stumble to his bed, Aldric stepping onto the threshold with a firm frown equipped. Euan stretches his shoulder as he turns back towards the prince, unfazed by his anger. "Whit are ye so worked up aboot?" Euan continues, "We dinnae hev any courses tomorrow!"

"That's not the-" Aldric hisses until a gasp sounds from behind him. 

"Ohhh, Al desu!!" Tia chirps and he spins about in utter disbelief, "Oyyyy~"

Tia plods forward out of his room with unsteady steps and clasps Aldric into a fervent but haphazard hug, leaving him blundering in astonishment as she presses her face into his chest. Euan grins behind him, Tia's grasp only tightening as she giggles. 

"Ts-Tsuki??" Aldric gasps, pulling her away by her shoulders, "What are you doing here?" he eyes her reddened cheeks and finds she is drenched in the scent of ale and sweat, beaming at him with an unabashed smile, "Are you... drunk?"

"S'koshi," Tia sniggers, slurring out her second language, "Mabyee jus' a liddle!"

"Lass practically drank her weight in ale!" Euan scoffs, his amusement unwavering despite Aldric leering back at him with accusation in his eyes. 

"Ey, I still hepped ya carry Floriro back, ne?" Tia answers, her finger wobbling in Euan's direction. 

"'at ye did," Euan agrees with a chuckle, "These two are as delicate as they look but ye still continue t' surprise me mmm-" Euan catches himself at the last second, cutting off as Tia's eyes narrow in his direction.

"Urusai, Euan~ Shhhhuush," Tia brings a finger to her lips as Aldric looks between them, "Yer s'pose ta call me Tsuki!"

"I still dinnae get whit all 'is is," Euan's finger spins in a circle in their direction, "But it's pretty fuckin' hilarious!"

"Gomen, Al," Tia's attention slides back to Aldric, dismissing Euan's comment completely, "I'm surry I didn show up t'night," Tia releases Aldric from her grip, "I got a bit... distratted."

"I can see that," Aldric answers and pops a brow at her as Tia takes a few steps back, her gait faltering.

"Demo, kokko d-" Tia stops suddenly and giggles at her mistake, "What are ya doin here??" realization flashes over her face and Aldric's eyes widen, "Ohhh! Thas how ya know each other!" he seems to brace himself for the worst as she laughs, "Yer roommits are so much fun!"

"Yur fun!" Florio calls from his bed with a wobbly voice and Aldric produces a heavy sigh. 

"I never bin to a bar b'fore," Tia admits and Aldric blinks, "Anta wa tadashkatta, Euan, dwarves hav tha best parties!"

"Dwarves?" Aldric echoes in concern, "How did you even-" he pauses, turning again to Euan with narrowed eyes, "Do you have any idea the danger you put them into? You brought Accian nobles into enemy territory!" 

"We were fine!" Euan dismisses, wafting his hand at the prince, "Ye think we walked in announcing who we were?"

"And had they found out?" Aldric booms, Tia glancing between them with wide eyes, "You could've gotten them killed!"

"Dinnae be such a kill-joy," Euan answers with a growing scowl, "Lads could use a bit more grit. Ye plan on keepin' em pinned up in silver cages all thir lives?"

"Al, daijobu," Tia reassures him, "We onlay got nto a bib of trouble! An... it was my fault!"

"What trouble...?" Aldric questions with narrowed eyes but it's Florio who answers him.

"I had my face broken by a storm viking!" Florio announces, both Tia and Euan grimacing. 

"You what?" Aldric steps to his friend and looks him over.

The dwarven healer had handled the worst of the injury but his nasal bone is bent markedly to the side. Aldric's ears redden as a flush works its way up his neck and his shoulders stiffen. Tia takes a step into the room with an outstretched hand while Euan lingers at the threshold. She feels the air chill her fingertips, Aldric using his aura without realizing. 

"This is exactly my problem with you," Aldric states with an eerily calm tone, "You're a shady influence," he turns, leveling a cold and empirical expression onto Euan, "If I let this continue you'll drag all of them down to your level!"

"Al, I'm fine...!" Florio insists, an anxious expression painting his face. He winces as Aldric swivels around with a disappointed gaze. 

"You knew better than this," Aldric admonishes him, "Everything we do reflects back on our families!" Florio's eyes drop to the floor like a scolded dog, "What do you think the cost would have been had they learned who you were, had they ransomed you? And what will your mother will say when she sees your face!"

"Al, yamate!" Tia entreats him, uncomfortable with his cold demeanor, "I tol you, it was my fault!"

"Tsuki..." Aldric breathes, his gaze softening by the slightest margin as he looks to her before his mask returns, "You're drunk. I know you don't understand these things but-"

"Just stop!" Tia barks at him and all three boys blink at her, "Hai, I'm drunk... but yer bein a tight-ass jerk!" she stomps towards him as Florio's mouth hangs open, "Evrythin was fine until I starded a fight! An' we still had so much fun, we all rilly needed t'night...!" she gives a softer smile, "I know I did. In fact..." Tia grins at Aldric now, "Next time you shuld come with us! If anyone needs ta let loose an hav fun, is you!"

Florio watches Aldric's face as his facade wavers, as an amalgamation of emotions war within his friend. He knew how Aldric would ordinarily react. How he would wrangle control of the narrative and dismiss Tsuki's emotional display. Prince Aldric would question her gall in speaking to him in such a way and chastise all of them for their immaturity. Yet Aldric isn't willing to expose his position to Tsuki, who he is. She had already wormed her way into his heart in such away that he can't bring himself to to erect distance between them. To tarnish the way she sees him. Florio even recognizes Aldric's joy, briefly imagining himself within their misadventure, despite his attempt to cast the possibility aside. Florio smiles into Aldric's hesitation. 

"I-I couldn't possibly..." Aldric mutters half-heartedly before giving a haggard sigh, "We can talk about this after everyone has had some sleep."

"Aaaaan' th' kill-joy is back," Euan sounds from the hall, earning an almost pouty leer. 

"Urusai, Euan!" Tia snaps at him, wobbling again as she shifts her weight. Aldric's impulse to steady her is automatic and she beams at him, her freckles lighting up like little stars as she flushes. 

"You can't possibly get back on your own..." Aldric ponders with knitted brows. 

"I can get her back," Euan pipes up but Aldric gives him a suspicious look over. 

"You think I'd trust her alone with you?" Aldric states blatantly, "In this condition?"

"Whit kinda creep ye think I am?" Euan bickers with him before scoffing, "Sides, th' lass can take care o' herself!"

"She sure as fuck can!" Florio laughs despite crashing back into his bed.

"I can go by maself," Tia slurs, trying to take a few wobbly steps but tripping almost immediately. Aldric catches her, shadowing just behind, and releases a sigh as her legs only grow more unsteady. Her face scrunches as she considers her options. "I don think I can go back ta my room," she mutters, "I don wanna wake my fren up. Shes gets mad."

"Whit," Euan answers with a smirk, "Ye wanna stay here?"  

"Don't be a pig!" Aldric bites, his voice softening as he looks to Tia, "What about our spot?"

"Ohhhh, yoshi~" Tia gasps, "Thas perfec!" she pauses to look to Euan, leaning heavily on Aldric, "Can ya take us?"

"Us?" Euan questions, popping a brow.

"Does she look like she can walk?" Aldric questions, Tia's legs wobbling more with every moment and almost seeming to give out beneath her.

Resolution passes over Aldric's face and he scoops Tia up. Her face grows somehow redder and a soft gleam illuminates her hair as she blinks. Despite her surprise, Tia is quick to relax as his body warms her as gently as he cradles her and his heartbeat thumps steadily in her ear. 

"Alright," Euan sighs, placing a hand on Aldric's shoulder and pushing them towards a shadow, "Where are we going?"

Aldric's eyes fail him as they step into the shadow plane and Tia feels him grip her more carefully. Tia points Euan in the correct direction and they begin moving through the plane. Aldric feels nothing beyond Tia in his grasp and Euan's hand on his back, jumping as she nuzzles into him.

"Gods this is comfy..." Tia mutters, seeming drowsier by the second. She hears his heart begin to pound faster at her words and giggles.

"'at's fucken adorable," Euan cackles and Aldric's face wavers between a frown and a smile, "'is is much better than ye an' 'at prince charming!"

"Why do ya keep callin im that!" Tia breathes with frustration, Aldric listening in quietly, "Hes a baron orrr..." she pauses and her face twists, "Son ofa baron...? I don get these stutid tidals!"

"Oh please," Euan gripes, "All he has tae do is flash 'at stupid smile wi' his pretty face an' blue eyes an' ye fall apart!"

"You..." Aldric's voice is soft and he seems almost solemn, "Know who she is?"

"Aye," Euan grins, "I know th' both of ye. Makes all o' 'is pretty hilarious!" Tia watches Al's face grow more solemn.

"I didn tell Euan who I am," Tia pipes up, "Tha only reason he know is cuz of tha stutid-stupit-" Tia frowns as she stumbles over her words, "Tha bees!"

"Bees?" Aldric laughs and Tia's smile is victorious.

"I know because yer terrible at keeping secrets and ye cannae lie," Euan states matter-of-factly but Tia motions for him to stop, pointing up to the cave.

Euan peers around at the crystals as Aldric pads over to the mess of cushions and blankets forming a make-shift bed. He watches a dissatisfied expression cross Tia's face as his arms leave her but she is quickly assuaged as he begins piling on the blankets. 

"Were you cold?" Aldric questions gently, chuckling as Tia is nearly swallowed by plush comforters and pearly hair. 

"Yer rilly warm an' comfy...!" Tia insists, her freckles gleaming as she pulls a comforter up to her face, "It was nice." Aldric takes in a deep breath to steady his fluttering heart, trying to keep her drunken condition in mind.

"Get some rest, Tsuki," Aldric gives her another soft smile as he rises to his feet. He nearly jumps as Tia reaches out and grasps his hand. Aldric turns to meet her gaze as she tugs on his palm. 

"Al," Tia peeps, hesitating before peering into his eyes with surprising intensity, "Will you stay with me t'night... onegai?"

Tia searches his eyes as his mouth hangs open, Aldric hesitating and speechless as his heart hammers away. She waits, her purple orbs watching his expression and pleading with him to stay. A flush works its way up onto Aldric's ears and he can feel his will weaken as his mind races, his imagination running away from him.

"So ye can be alone wi' her," Euan sounds, leaned up against a cavern wall, "But no' me?" Both Tia and Aldric's expressions tighten with frustration at Euan's interruption.

"Why do ya hafta make it weird?" Tia fusses at Euan, "Besides, Al is a genelman!" Tia states and Aldric flinches, his assumption less than gentlemanly.

"Then why ye want 'im t' stay?" Euan teases her, nearly chuckling at Aldric's recoil. 

"I..." Tia's brows knit together as she considers this and tears spring into her eyes, disarming both boys, "I don wanna be alone!" Tia squeaks in a withering tone and Al is quick to kneel by her again, "I-I hav so many n-nightmares and-and I," she gasps and paws at her eyes, "I don wanna be alone if I hav another...!"

"Hey, its okay," Aldric croons, wiping at her face, "I don't mind. I can sleep right over there!" Aldric pauses to gesture to the meager couch along the wall. A sigh drags out of Euan's lungs as Tia sniffles. 

"Fine," Euan relents, kicking off the wall, "A'll be back in th' morning," he pauses to give Aldric a sniff of a laugh before fading into the shadows, "Good luck!"

"I really don't like him," Aldric states flatly, leering after Euan. 

"He can be annoynin," Tia snorts, recapturing his attention, "But his reliabable an' good with sicrits."

"How much did you have to drink?" Aldric chortles, finally seeming to relax now that they were alone. Tia didn't like how stiff he had been and a smile settles onto her face as her Al returns. Tia's fingers pop up as she attempts to recall how many mugs she had finished off and Aldric's brows shoot up as she continues far past what he had considered. "Too much, apparently!" Aldric laughs before she can finish her tally. 

"Tha drinks were terribable!" Tia breathes her distaste, "Sake is better. Is sweet, not bitter."

"Yet you drank so much?" Aldric questions, taking a seat in place.

"I jus needed a break," Tia mutters, turning on her side to talk to him, "Everythin has bin so much letly..."

"Has it?" Aldric questions, leaning onto the crystals framing the bed, "You always seem so cheery and put together."

"I-I'm not though!" Tia squeaks in a wisp of  voice, speaking too quickly despite her slurring, "My life is all sicrits an-an vilolence...!" Aldric slips her hand between his, offering a gentle squeeze as he listens, "It fills like I'm tha onlay one who don'nt know why all this is habenin. An it jus keeps gettin worse!"

"Slow down," Aldric speaks softly, waiting for her to take a breath. Her eyes linger on his hands as they clasp her own, mulling everything over. "Take your time," he insists, "I'm not going anywhere."

"I keep learnin how ta do all this crazy stuff," Tia continues and her eyes drift into the shadows, "An it feels so good not ta be weak anymore... it meks me feel free!" Aldric smiles as her eyes sparkle, "So many people try ta push me aroun," she continues with a furrowed brow, "An I get kinduv scary...? What if I shouldn hav this kinda power?"

"The fact that you actually try to stay aware of that," Aldric notes, "Means you're the kind of person who can handle power. Besides," he offers a simple smile, "You must shine so brightly, pushing back against these people. I wish I could see it for myself!"

"I wish you were with us t'night, then!" Tia breathes, a smile stuck on her face, "This creep starded gropin me in tha middle of tha fight," Aldric's brows shoot up, "His lucky I onlay cut off some of his fingers!"

"You should have done more!" Aldric laughs, trying to envision it. 

"Ie, if I did," Tia giggles, "He wouldn hav bought us more drinks!"

"I think you've had plenty," Aldric teases. 

"Wakatta," Tia sighs, "Imma mess! I think id be fun ta see you drunk though," she flashes a mischievous smirk at him and his face reddens, "Yer always so serirous!"

"Wouldn't you prefer to drink with this 'prince charming' of yours?" Aldric teases, trying not to pout. 

"Mmmm," Tia hums at the thought, "I dunno whas goin on with that," she admits, Aldric's eyes flashing back to her, "I think I like him but..." her smile falls away, "My frens don an..." her voice grows more grim, "I don think he'd like me if he knew what I was."

"What you are...?" Aldric questions, tilting his head at her. 

"Oh...!" Tia grimaces, "Who I am, I mean!" 

"Always so mysterious," Aldric states, a smile tugging at his lips without pulling them up, "If he doesn't like the real you then he's a fool."

"An... what if you don like tha real me?" Tia peeps, searching his eyes again as concern knits into her expression, "W-who I am out there...?"

"Tsuki," Aldric states steadily, "I promised you I wouldn't abandon you, didn't I? Whoever you are out there," he squeezes her hand again as her eyes water, "It doesn't matter to me."

A smile wriggles on Tia's lips and gratitude lights her eyes as she regards Aldric. Behind this, he can see her thoughts racing by as she considers telling him more. Telling him who she is. His heart flutters at the idea of knowing Tsuki outside of their little arrangement, of seeing her outside of this cave more often. But Zetian's burning jealousy and obsession with him, Tsuki's admission that she's already being targeted, steals away this joy.

"You don't have to tell me anything right now, Tsuki," Aldric reassures her, breaking her from thought, "Not while you're like this!"

"Yer probabaly right," Tia gives a light laugh. 

"Besides," Aldric mutters, barely audible, "It sounds like 'prince charming' has a prettier face, anyway."

"Ie, don say that," Tia chides with a stubborn frown, reaching and cupping Aldric's face in her palms to his astonishment, "Yer plenny hansome!" 

Aldric flushes instantly, heating enough for him to feel his ears swelter as she looks him over. His breath catches as a smug smile tugs at her lips, seeming proud of triggering his flustered reaction. He turns his feverish face into her cool palm, his lips grazing her skin.

"You shouldn't tease me like that," Aldric replies with a wobbly tone as Tia watches him, her thumb tracing his cheek, "Besides..." his brows furrow as his insecurities rear their head, "My father would disagree."

"Then he's wrong!" Tia insists, the frown tightening her face pulling him closer to her.

Aldric didn't want to see such a discontented expression, not when she was making his heart pound like this. Tia's own face flushes as Aldric looms over her, her eyes regarding him more carefully. Tia's hands slide down along back of his neck, extracting a brief shiver from Aldric as her fingers tug on him. Her freckles and hair shine like moonlight as her blush lingers, giving Tia an ethereal appearance. Aldric's mind spins, leaning over her and drawing closer, the light she gives off leaving him feeling as if he were in a dream.

Aldric sucks in a steadying breath as he leans closer to her face, aware of celestial magic's mesmerizing affects. He doubts Tsuki does so consciously, her expression belaying just how lost she is in the moment. As Tia closes her eyes, moving to kiss Aldric and pulling him closer, the scent of ale catches in his nose. Aldric freezes, stiffening, and her eyes flash open to regard him. Aldric's face pinches as he gathers his wits, reminding himself of her condition. Anxiety fills Tia's eyes, watching as what he wants clashes with his values until Aldric pulls himself away. 

"I'm sorry..." Aldric huffs with his back to her, perched on the crystal frame, "I-I should know better."

"Demo...!" Tia peeps, feeling her stomach drop as he moves away.

Tia finds herself reaching for Aldric on impulse and, before she knows what she's doing, she yanks him onto the bed. Aldric tumbles to her side, utterly bewildered as now Tia looms over him. Her gracile form wobbles over Aldric as she repositions herself, one arm propping her up while the other corrals him into the folds of blankets. Aldric's breath catches in his chest as he absorbs their position, feeling her lissome torso rest against his broader body. As Tia peers into his eyes, the intensity of her gaze makes it impossible for Aldric to look away and sends his pulse ablaze in a wholly unfamiliar way.

"Why are you runnin away...?" Tia's question is a wisp, her eyes dragging over Aldric's features as she enjoys the warmth of his body against hers, "Is..." another frown pulls at her lips and Aldric is quick to cup her face between his palms, nearly swallowed up in his grasp, "Is it how I look...?" Aldric's brows knit together, seeing the sorrow which tugs at her expression. 

"You are beautiful," Aldric states clearly for her and he watches her eyes pop with her gasp, as though she had only ever had the opposite uttered to her, "How could anyone ever think otherwise?"

"D-demo, watashi wa..." Tia squeaks, tears budding in her eyes as her face wrenches, "I-I'm still tha foreign mongrel with s-sacralagigus hair...!" his thumbs wipe away at her tears as they roll, "Ev-even here! W-why would anyone w-w-want me?"

"I don't think I could keep myself from wanting you..." Aldric husks, garnering a gasp from Tia as his eyes linger on her lips, "But-"

Tia leans forward and steals the kiss he wouldn't allow himself to take from her. She pulls away only briefly, observing his expression and breathing the slightest sigh before kissing him again. The second is longer, Aldric's hesitation melting as he pulls Tia to him. Tia's hands press against his chest, one sliding down along his side, and Aldric looses a satisfied gasp at her touch. Tia's tongue slips hungrily over his into the opening and his head spins, Aldric's arms swallowing Tia into a heated embrace as his fingers slip between the gleaming tresses along her back. 

Tia hums as if to speak, Aldric pulling away to give her the chance. She remains still and her eyes remain shut, even after another breath passes. Aldric realizes she is drowsing. He can taste the ale on her breath as he tries to steady his own and he gasps at himself, at their position. With a wince, he carefully slides out from under her while Tia mutters her discontent. 

"What am I doing...!" Aldric admonishes himself breathily, dragging a hand over his face as he perches on the crystal frame. He places it then over his pounding heart, looking back to Tia before tapping his lips with reddened cheeks. Aldric moves to rise then, to settle himself onto the couch, but Tia grips his hand as he tries to step away. 

"Don go...!" Tia mumbles, gripping his hand desperately. Aldric sighs, sitting himself along the edge of the bed and chastising himself as he watches her slumbering face.