Brelione//DruigxOC

through the eyes of another

okay, i genuinely think y'all will enjoy this chapter!! there is one mention of intrusive thoughts but other than that we are all good <3
it's so easy to forget who we are, eternals, beings of steal and held back by the power of celestials that do no effort to prove themselves. but we're so very like humans, selfish and caring, fending for ourselves and loving what's bad for us. it's sickeningly beautiful, like burnt souls and the death of stars. his arms come around me, soft and scary like a crushing wave, helping me to stand up as my body is still coated in slumber. walking has consumed my time, he follows carefully behind me, hands stuffed in pockets of a white jumper, the fabric so thin that it does nothing against the sun.

we landed just last night, sorrow creeping into my soul as i slept, too distraught to be fully pulled away into a blissful sleep. slightly exhausted, i follow the presence of a tree spirit, dancing across stones, hitting the light every so often. the hot sun falls down upon us, the air dry and light. it's summer in this land, a bright one at that. poor salamanders drifted into sleep, never waking up as the sun baked their skin, leaving them impressions in stone. "may i ask, what we are following?"he asks, the sun casting a shine on the light streak of his hair. it's a sign of age, in humans, at least.

but i find it cute, the style. i think i'd look nice like that, age stroking my hair and stripping it of darkness. maybe one day i can make it that way, i'll be able to fall out of the original design. unlike the others, who's hair resists against the sun and any attempts to be sliced away, strong as stone and dulling blades. pausing in my step, i watch the woods, lifting my hands and swaying my fingers, bringing the tree tops to reach towards each other and forming a canopy of sorts, blocking out the harsh light all but for small shards of gold like broken glass. green and vibrant, the spirit hops along, pace stuttering when my finger draws near it.

looking to ikaris, he tilts his head, eyes squinted as he follows my finger. when the image finally seems to process, he grins, smile growing. "that's a forest spirit?"he asks, most likely hearing of them through the people or through sprite and kingo. i nod, eyes falling back to the soul as it trails off, fast as it leaves an essence in the air, like breadcrumbs to follow. as i walk through it, the magic parts, coating my skin like a cool mist, turning gold as it melts onto me. i can feel it, the energy come through me, reviving what's been lost since this past night. the trees seeming to bow to me, i finally come to the place that i've been searching for. the sound ikaris lets out, i'd think he has never seen a tree before.

the size of a small mountain, so wide that sixty humans could stand around it, arms linked together. the bark is deep brown, leaves thick and evergreen, the soil so full of nutrients that i need to do nothing to help it. his eyes are laced with impression, coated in excitement, spreading to the rest of his face. i can't help but grin, glad to see that he has finally come around to admire what the earth has to offer. i leave him to rest in his amusement, feeling the stone along my neck that feels so much heavier than usual, heavy with the memory of what once was. of how excited they had all been to reunite me with it.

unclasping it from my skin, i hold it in my palm. a branch loosens, gold pulling across it as a palm opens, promising to give it back when i am ready. this tree has a soul, a solid spirit that is so very inviting. placing the necklace in its palm, i watch how the thick, heavy branches part like an opening flower. branches form like steps, one above another as they help me up the bark, forming roots within the ground, a gorgeous staircase. it's all i've ever dreamed of, the freedom in my heart, the chance to make whatever i want without fear of consequence at the hands of ajak. ikaris comes out of his trance, standing next to me as he gazes up the staircase. "brelione,"he says. he doesn't sound angry, or sad, or disappointed.

i cant read him like i can druig, makkari, thena, sprite. i don't know what he's feeling, the position of his hands tells me nothing. "would you mind, if i left for a moment?"he asks. i hate it, i hate it, i hate it. the idea of being alone, the person who is supposed to protect me away. he claims for a moment, but that could mean anything. years, weeks, months, centuries. where he is going he has not said, but i keep myself calm, afraid of spinning out of my own grip.