【Ｌｏｓｔ】

ᄃӨЯΛᄂ.

Շђєгє ฬєгє ๏ภςє Շฬ๏ คгՇเŦเςเคɭ ๒єเภﻮร, ๏ภє ๓ค๔є Ŧг๏๓ ςђคɭк, คภ๔ Շђє ๏Շђєг Ŧг๏๓ ๒ɭ๏๏๔. Շђє ๒ɭ๏๏๔ ๒๏гภ ๔гคﻮ๏ภ ฬคร รՇгยςк ๔๏ฬภ คภ๔ เՇ'ร ๒๏๔ץ ฬคร รՇгєฬภ คςг๏รร Շђє รเ๔є ๏Ŧ ค ๓๏ยภՇคเภ. Շђє єคгՇђ ฬคร ๔ץє๔ гє๔, คภ๔ Շђє ๏ภɭץ гє๓คเภร เՇ ɭєŦՇ ฬєгє เՇร ๒๏ภєร คภ๔ เՇ'ร ยภ๔ץเภﻮ ђєคгՇ. Շђє ςђคɭк ๒๏гภ ђย๓คภ รՇเɭɭ ɭเשєร, ๒ยՇ ђเร ๒๏ภ๔ ฬเՇђ Շђє ๒ɭ๏๏๔ ๒๏гภ ๔гคﻮ๏ภ ɭคץร ยภรєשєгє๔...

You shut the book you were reading to little Klee, and set it down on the armrest of the chair. The sound of fire crackling in the fireplace filled the room, adding to the orange glow from the flames. Klee was listening intently, hugging her dodoco plushie in her arms. You held out your hand to Klee, and she took it, letting you take her hair out of its pigtails. You sent her off to bed, before getting up, stretching a bit, only to hear a couple of joints popping. 

"I thought you hated taking care of kids." You looked over, and saw an eyepatch. Kaeya, the cavalry captain, was watching you from the doorway, his lilac eyes providing contrast from the golden glow of the fire.

"I only despise the ones who are overly spoiled. They don't know just how cruel the world is to some people." You looked out the window, and frowned. The clouds had covered your favorite constellation again. Kaeya laughed.

"You act like you've been in their place before." You glared at Kaeya, who had a mischievous smile on his face. You despised when he pointed out your flaws, more than how much you despised spoiled children. It made you want to strangle him until he swore to stop dragging your flaws out.

"If you want to go there-" you walked over to Kaeya, and stared dead into his eye, "-shall we discuss the matter of what those eyes mean? Or is that overstepping?"

Kaeya fell silent, and you sighed. You went around him, leaving to go to bed.

"Put the fire out, would you? Or is that out of your princely duties?" You smiled, walking away.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

You walked home, and you felt a cold breeze. Normally, that would mean winter was coming, but it was all too soon. Autumn had only just started. You looked at the sky, which had gone darker, now that the moon had been covered by a cloud. You decided to make one more stop before you went home.

Sucrose was putting on another coat when you arrived at the alchemy table, and Timaeus was nowhere to be seen. That usually meant Albedo had taken him out of town on another trip. You were slightly disappointed, but you didn't have the heart to go back home yet. So you walked over to Sucrose, who didn't notice you were coming, nearly dropping her glasses.

"Sorry Sucrose. I was just looking for Albedo." You placed your hand on the alchemy table, tracing the designs subconsciously.

"He just left an hour ago. He said he was investigating the crimson stone in Dragonspine." Sucrose seemed disappointed that she didn't get to go, seeing as she loved testing various materials.

"The crimson stone? Wasn't there a study about a decade ago that revealed that it was just a different mineral that was unearthed by erosion?" The crimson stone had been written into stories because it was all around the giant ribcage, but that was all it was. A fairytale for a children's book. Surely it couldn't be true?

"I'm not sure why Mister Albedo suddenly gained interest in the crimson stone. It's been all he's researching for days. It's like he's infatuated with it." Sucrose didn't seem too concerned, but after the incident in Dragonspine involving the imposter, you couldn't be sure.

"Sucrose, do you know the line at the very end of Gold's Twin Creations?" Sucrose looked surprised, like it came out of nowhere.

"The fairy tale? Yes, I do. It's 'The chalk born human still lives, but his bond with the blood born dragon lays unsevered.' Why do you ask?" You explained that it very much lined up with Albedo and the vengeful dragon, Durin. Sucrose seemed a little confused, but she believed you, and asked what you were going to do.

"Gold's Twin Creations isn't just a story. And the last line might be a warning. Vague, I'll admit, but still. Something could happen." Your fingers started to hurt, and you realized you'd been gripping the table too hard. You let go, and bid Sucrose good night. You had to find out in the morning if the warning was real.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.