Val passed out on the roof. I, uh, probably should’ve seen this one coming. In my defense… I’ve got nothing. Oh well. Roofs can be comfy…until they’re not, or you fall to your death. Though I’m here so Val totally wouldn’t die from a fall. Or freezing or anything else. But I wish there was something I could do to make them more comfortable. There’s no “conjure blanket” spell. Hmmmm. Wait! I’ve got half an idea for something.

“Sun shine down and grass fill you, soft to the touch and soft on the eyes, I summon Woolton to serve me now!”

As I finished the chant and a little summoning circle disappeared and bam! A tiny orb of fluff appeared. A small black head popped out followed by four tiny black legs. Truly the most fearsome protector of mine, Woolton! The, uh, sheep. Yeah, sure he’s a rare animal but he’s terrible for anything mechanically other than being a source of crafting ingredients. However! He is amazingly soft and super adorable! I wish I could hug him now. He’s looking at me expectantly yet clearly without any thoughts between his ears.

“Heya Woolton! It’s me, Rose! Been a bit, huh buddy?”

“Baaaah!”

“Yeah don’t I know it. Sorry about the delay of game, but, uh, would ya mind snuggling with that kid there? Their name’s Val and they’re great. I’m sure when they wake up they’ll be an ace petter.”

“Baaaaah!”

“Alright, good boy Woolton.”

Woolton proceeds to snuggle his way into Val’s arms. Val instinctively hugs him and they both seem plenty content. Keeping Woolton summoned isn’t a huge drain on my mana but isn’t completely insignificant so I’m kinda actually hoping Val wakes up soon. Since I have a vague idea of what Woolton’s doing at any point while summoned, I dive through the roof back into the smithy to go bother- I mean hang out with Girraghen.

Looking as hard as I can I can’t find the old dwarf for crap. Which is weird cause I thought he lived here. Maybe I’m just the kid that thinks the teachers all live in the school. Hrmm. Well shit. The place is locked up I think, Nat’s gone home, Haven’t seen the draconid criminal to fine art in a while, all day really, aaaand I don’t know of anyone else who hangs out here. So. Hrmmmmmm. What the fuck do I do with myself?

----------------------------------------

I find myself in Girraghen’s forge and find the weapons he asked me to enchant. Checking my mana reserves aaaand yeah, 90% and dropping slowly. Man Woolton, you’re taking more out of me than I thought you would. Fuck, that ache’s coming back again. Hah, guess it never left. Gotta get my mind off it, gotta think about something else. Should I bother Toffee again? No, that’d be too soon since last time, right?

Unconsciously I start spinning backwards, chin in hand, trying my best to think of something to think about. God this never works but I HAVE to take my mind off it. Thankfully, no inner ear means no dizziness. On about the 20th spin back upright something feels off. On the next spin I know something’s different in the room, but what is it?

I stop spinning and find someone in the room. They are eyeing the weapons with what might be a critical eye, it’s hard to tell because they’re dressed all in black including a mask over their face. Essentially, a stereotypical ninja look to them. They take out a leather satchel with fine embroidery on it and start shoving the better pieces into it. Cool! A bag with a space enhancement. You don’t see those often outside of player crafters. Players all start with a certain amount of allotted volume for their inventory that can eventually be expanded through items such as an ESB, or expanded space bag. As the bag’s quality increases so does its volume and of course the price. There were bags available from NPC crafters but they were only the lowest tiers. If you really wanted something good, you bought one from a crafter.

Wait, shit, now’s not the time for getting lost in thought, the thief’s about to escape! Shit, um, non-lethal, non-lethal. Um um um got it!

“Vines of the jungle heed my call! Grow, grasp, intertwine and ENSNARE my target!”

Thick green vines break the stone floor of the forge and grow rapidly in the direction of the thief. Just as they’re about to hop out the window the vines succeed in snagging their foot. They seem to take it in stride and quick draw the wakizashi on their back and cut the vine restraining them, then fall backwards out the window while slashing at the vines that try to follow them out.

Fuck! Once they hit the ground outside they’ll be out of the spell’s range! AFTER THEM!

I shoot out of the forge through the wall and find the thief resheathing their sword and starting to chant.

“Darkest night after brightest day, shadows permit me passage through your world and allow me to move as you do. SHADOW STRIDE!”

And like that they would have sunk through the shadows they were standing in and been able to move from shadow to shadow quick as you please. Would being the operative term there, as I managed to fire off a counter spell before they could by snapping my fingers while flinging my arm horizontally across my body. There we go, now they’re losing their cool a bit, hand on the sword hilt looking around them for the culprit. As they do, I cast a pair of chantless spells, one to form a platform of solid air beneath their arm and another to cut just the strap of the bag, dropping it on the platform.

I was hoping they wouldn’t notice it but I guess the weight difference was noticeable enough that they started looking for the bag. However, a quick little chant fixes that problem:

“Light bend and break, shift and slither where I will and hide what I will from sight: INVISIBILITY.”

And like that the bag disappears without a trace. I start moving the platform back through the window when I notice two things: I hurt so so much, more than I might have ever hurt since dying, and also my vision is going black. Fuck, guess I’m out of mana. Damn you Wool-”

----------------------------------------

When I woke up I found myself holding something fluffier and extremely comfy. Looking at it it looked like a ball of cotton? Maybe? Wait, once I moved a little head popped out of the fluff and looked at me with bleary eyes.

“Baaaahhh”

“How did you get here little fella?”

“Bah”

“I hate to break it to you guy, but we’re on a rooftop right now. How on earth did you get up here?”

“Baaahhh”

“I see.”

I don’t see.

“Were you dropped by a bird or something?”

“Bah ah.” It said while shaking its head. Holy cow is it sentient?!”

“Um. Ok. Can you understand what I’m saying?”

“Bah bah!” It said, nodding.

“I. Huh. You’re not a normal sheep are you?”

“Bah ah.” Another shake.

“Do you have something to do with Rose?”

“Bah bah!” Another nod.

“Do you know where she is?”

“Bah- ba…bah ah” It seemed super confident then looked around and ended with a head shake.”

“Well buddy, let’s look for her together.”

“B-”

Wait what the heck? Just as it went to answer in the affirmative (I assume) it freaking dissolved into blue particles. That’s…more than a little distressing. Ooookay so I know it had to do with Rose, who is a master of magic despite being dead and injured. Sooo maybe it was a summon? Who on earth would bother binding a sheep to a contract? Well, it was really nice to hold.

But since it dissolved, either Rose dismissed it…or she ran out of mana again. And if she did that, there must’ve been a good reason. She knows she can’t regen her mana like she used to! What the heck happened that she needed to waste all that mana! Dammit all! Where is she?!?

Jumping off the roof I land in a small roll and run straight into the reinforced door of the forge.

“MOTHER OF LIGHT AND MERCY!” Hot damn that hurt like hell!

Alright, makes sense, it’s dusk so no wonder the shop’s closed. Alright Val, calm down, think a bit. If doors don’t work find a window.

Sprinting full-tilt round the building I find a window with shutters flapping in the night wind. Hopping up to grab onto the sill I pull myself through and fall through a cloudy patch of air. Landing on my back onto something that collapsed under me, I stare up into my favorite person’s sleeping face, mana leaking out of her like a sieve from innumerable small cuts and a few large rents in her form.

“Rose, what did you do to yourself this time, and why?”

Standing up and reaching out to her, I feel a wave of dizziness and fatigue washes over me.

“What? Why….”

The last thing I feel before everything goes dark is hitting my head on one of the tables in Girraghen’s forge.

----------------------------------------

Darkness, all I see is darkness. I know my eyes are open but why can’t I see? Wait, I can’t sense anything anymore. Did I die for good or something? I guess Mandynox can’t bail me out this time. Fuck, I wish I’d at least been there with Val when the whole thing went down. Stupid idiot Rose, fucking rushing off and leaving your best backup. Leaving your best friend behind. Why’d I do something so stupid? I, I, I didn’t mean to leave them alone. Why am I always such a fucking selfish piece of shit! FUCK! Fuck…

“Why do you weep, spirit?”

“Because I left behind my best friend asshole! I’m dead for real this time and now they’re on their own! Just leave me alone.”

“Such bold words! And what strong legs you have!”

“What?”

“Such strong legs to jump so far to conclusions such as that!”

“Numbnuts, if I’m not dead dead, then why can’t I feel anything?”

“Why, because you’re an uninvited guest to the realm of death.”

“What?”

“My my, that must be your favorite word!’

“No, my favorite word’s a tie between Val’s name and fuck.”

“Hahahaha! How lucky this Val must be, to have a partner as caring as you!’

“They’re like a little sibling to me, of course I care about them. They’re…they’re all I really have these days.”

“You hold the favor of many gods yet believe that a single mortal is all you have! I can’t tell if you’re naive or simply willfully ignorant!”

“I. What?”

“Again, I must say, your favorite word must be what! But yes, I sense the favor of our progenitor as well as my dearest brother. Though I can almost taste the displeasure my aunt showers you with.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“Can I just say that y’all’s family tree is confusing as heck.”

“Hahahah, that’s simply because you never paid attention to any of the religious figures or texts during your stay here. But, be that as it may, I suppose it is nearly past time for introductions. Allow me to start, you have the eternal honor of visiting She of Shadows and Whispers. Now then, you have heard my name before but can you remember it?”

“Um. Well. My name is Rose first and foremost. However I am terribly sad to inform you ma’am that I suffer from CRS disease.”

“CRS?”

“Can’t Remember Shit disease.”

“Fufufufu I see. Since that is the case, simply refer to me as you like, however, I will be judging you based on your choice.”

“Um. Ok. Also, can you please show yourself? Not to be rude to the socially anxious but it’s really disconcerting not seeing anything.”

“Oh dear I expected you to be more perceptive with how highly my brother spoke of you. If I told you that I was not hidden, what would you assume?”

“I. Um. Fuck. That you’re the all encompassing darkness I find myself existing in right now?”

“Correct! I am the plane of death. Welcome to your future, one day. I come for everyone eventually. I even have a sense that one day I will have to invite my family over permanently and that would be that I think.”

“Cool cool, um, that’s not going to happen any time soon yeah?”

“Fufufu who can say?”

“Great, got it, cryptic and anxiety inducing is death, though now that I think about it that fits perfectly so yeah go ahead, fuck me up with worry fam.”

“Excellent. Now then, I have a question for you spirit. Why do you think you are still here?”

“First off, I gave you my name, it’s Rose. Secondly, I have no clue. I’m like 99% sure my parents poisoned me before I logged on and after that I don’t really know what happened.”

“Surely you must understand that I did not claim you for a reason, yes?”

“I. I guess? Sure, yeah, makes sense I guess. I fucking died in the game, might as well be suspect to the whims of its gods too. Nothing else in my life makes any goddamn sense afterall why would basic logic or my own religious beliefs!”

“Please don’t get so worked up dear, of course you are subject to the laws of the land you visit!”

“BUT IT’S NOT REAL! NONE OF THIS IS REAL! IT’S JUST- It’s just a game. A stupid game that I loved too much to let go, so when I died, I spent my last few seconds imagining that I could still live on in the only place I felt safe in my entire life before that was taken from me by the people I was supposed to have been able to trust with my life! IT’S. NOT. REAL. And neither am I. I’m just a fake. A fake person that doesn’t know why anything good would ever happen to him. I’m a fake girl. I’m a fake sibling. I’m a fake child. If I wasn’t a fake then why would my parents hate me so much?! This world was my only hope for sanity and they fucking killed me in it. So why would anything be real when all I know is being fake?”

“My dear, I can assure you you are real.”

“HOW!? How can anybody anymore! There’s NO ONE LEFT from the real world! NO ONE! THEY ALL DISAPPEARED! I’m all that’s left so what proof do I have that anything is real?!”

“If everything is fake as you say, just a last fading dream before eternity takes you, why do you persist? Surely you could wake yourself up if you tried?”

“Why would I wake up? It wouldn’t matter anyway, I can’t go back to a world where I have to depend on the very people that killed me once. And I’m not strong enough to make it on my own. The only thing that keeps me sane is Val and now I’m here if here even exists and I hate myself because I’M NOT REAL!”

“Hmm. In all you’ve said, the only thing you’ve ever hinted at being real is Valkyrie. Why is she real to you when you are not?”

“Because they- Because… Because like I said, they’re all I have left really. I don’t know if they’re real or not but if they’re not then I’m completely fucked and nothing would matter and I’d have to find a way to kill myself fully. The ONLY reason I’m around is because they kept me somewhat sane and I- I keep leaving them behind for stupid reasons. I get so into what I’m doing that I trick myself into believing that anything matters besides them and it all falls apart. I just…I just… I’m so scared, that I’m right and that nothing is real. But nothing can convince me that it exists.”

“Would you like to know why you are still here?’

“What good would it do to know? It’s not real anyway.”

“Why does reality matter so much to you?”

“Why wouldn’t it? Reality is all we have to base anything off of.”

“Then if Val is all you have, all that’s real to you, can you not base reality off of her?”

“I don’t…how would I go about that?”

“Simple, anything they can interact with or perceive must be real. The ground they walk on is real since they are and they don’t fall through. The things they hold, the things they make, the people they talk to, the things they talk about, can all be perceived as true by using her as a basis.”

“Why does your entire family misgender them? They don’t see themselves as she/her yet so why do all of you do it? It’s kinda really pissing me off and I am emotionally unstable enough as it is and the fucking sensory deprivation ISN’T HELPING.”

“Because we know her future. It is so brilliant that we cannot help but see it coming. Ever since Vulpastune crafted the sun and presented it to the Lord of Day, giving birth to the Lady of Light and Mercy from our progenitor’s fascination with the device, we have seen her story on the horizon, bright as the dawning sun.”

“I see. Still, I’m letting my displeasure be known. Don’t skew their view of themselves early. Let them come to their own conclusions. I want them to be happy in their own skin and will fight as hard as possible to give that to them.”

“Fufufufu, from a mental breakdown to threatening the Divine Family I see. You change tunes quite quickly little minstrel. No wonder my brother was so entertained!”

“Who they heck is your brother?”

“Raxdal? You met him after you were wounded, spoke for about 3 days I believe?”

“RIGHT! Dal! Hey, can you, um, ugh, nevermind.”

“Do you want to speak to him again?”

“Yeah, I really do actually. I think it would help a lot.”

“I’ll try to ask him about it. But be warned, he’s a hard person to get a hold of sometimes, always wandering.”

“O-ok. Can I ask something?”

“Of course, but I can’t promise an answer.”

“Why…why did I start feeling so bad when I came here? I wasn’t feeling any of this before.”

“Oh dear, you must understand, when souls come to me, they lay themselves bare, it’s part of moving on, to tell of themselves and find some closure. However, not many living find their way to me so I apologize for that. However, it might be positive in the long run. As bright as Valkyrie’s future is, yours is shrouded for me. I hope that you find solace.”

“What do I do about the pain? It keeps coming back.”

“My dear spirit, death offers only one solution to pain. I do not think that you want what I can offer in that respect. Now then, I believe you have been kept here long enough, it is time for you to return to the realm of life and light. One day you will return and I hope you will find peace in that.”

“Wait, wait, I can’t go back like this. I still feel so awful, I can’t show this to Val.”

“Farewell young one.”

“Nonono-

----------------------------------------

-NO! God dammit not again. What am I supposed to do?”

----------------------------------------

When I came to I opened my eyes and immediately wished I hadn’t. I must’ve been a dozen miles or more in the air, staring down at the ground below, hearing the wind rushing past me. Oh god how the heck did this happen?! Looking around I see that the sky is a sea of blue and then it hits me. I’m not falling, I’m sinking. Sinking in the sky, the air I heard the wind over the waves. And above the waves? Another layer of this weird blue water-air but it’s closer to air than water so I can breathe it but still feel it in my lungs. I’m not drowning, I know that, but it’s weird. This has to be a dream, right?

“Sure is kid! But, like, only sorta. I brought you here to hang out with me for a bit, uh, didn’t mean to have you hit your head like that. Ah, but I’m sure your dead friend will help with that. Huh, that might’ve come out wrong. I meant your friend who is dead but you still talk to because she’s, like, a ghost? Eh, you get me, right kid?”

“I…I’m sorry?”

“Whoops! Hold on a sec!”

And then from behind something grips my collar and hoists me out of the not-water and into a fucking boat? Made of light? No, made of fire? If fire was light and also solid, that would be this boat. I’m…I’m done. I’m done thinking, this is too weird.”

“HAHA! Whoo, kid, you give up too easy. That’s your problem I think, you know, like, when the going gets rough the rough get going but for you if you don’t know where to go you just freeze. You feel me?”

“I…what?”

“Ok, say, like, um, hold on give me a sec…”

“Who are you?”

“Ah geez kid I said to give me a sec! Hyperithon, by the by, but right now that’s besides the point.”

“Wait, you mean the Lord of Day? That’s you?!”

“Aw shucks you don’t need to use any titles with me kid, I’m just an ordinary guy, you know? Just call me Peri, ‘kay?”

“I-I, what do you mean? How can I possibly be able to use a nickname for one of the original deities?!”

“Because I asked you too? Look, all I hear most days is people praying and it’s all titles and my full name. And, like, people change over time. I never told anyone to call me those titles and I came up with Hyperithon when I was real young and wanted to sound all macho and stuff. But that’s just not me anymore, you feel me? So yeah, Peri. It’s nice and short. I mean, do you want me to call you Val or Valkyrie? Or just kid?”

“Um. I, I suppose Val is ok, Lord Peri.”

“Peri.”

“I-”

“Come on now, you’re killing me smalls.”

“Sorry, I-wait, how do you know that phrase? I’ve only ever heard Rose say that before.”

“Oh, well, the place Rose is visiting from has a lot of like, plays and stuff is the best way to describe it I guess. I like to listen to some of them when I’m sailing.”

“Oh. I thought it was just Rose being weird like usual.”

“Nah kid, she just likes referencing stuff. I think she’s bummed that no one gets them though.”

“Oh.”

“Anyway, why did I bring you here again? Hmmm. I’m like, 90% sure it was to do more than just chat, though I wouldn’t mind doing that. Oh, right! So, uh, Rose kinda went to Plury’s place and she’s probs gonna be real messed up when she gets back. I wanted to warn you to be careful with her and to not let like, any mean things she says to you hit too hard.”

“Who’s Plury?”

“You know, Plury, my niece. Umm, does Plurania ring a bell?”

“No?”

“Um, shoot what do the folks below call her now…AH! Got it! She of Shadows and Whispers. Man, I love my niece to, well, her, but she can be real edgy some times. I dunno, maybe it’s a phase. I’m worried for her cause most of the time we can’t talk to her due to the whole, ‘not technically being dead thing.’ But yeah, she’s visiting Plury, which is weird since I thought she wasn’t supposed to go there for like, a while. But it’s whatever I guess.”

“Wait back up, why is her visiting death going to mess her up so bad? Is it like, a plane of eternal torment or something?”

“No no no! Man, if Plury did that I’d have to go and talk to her. No one deserves that. Nah, but you can’t really feel anything when you’re there unless Plury talks to you or something. Besides that, you know what they say right? ‘All is laid bare before the last gaze of death.’ Basically it’s a way for her to counsel souls before they move on. But, like, for the rare mortals that visit it’s real bad sometimes. Just, like, all the walls you build up in your mind come crashing down and she normally doesn’t have the time to put them back together before they have to leave again. It sucks and it bums me out when it happens but it is what it is.”

“But Rose is always so…well, she’s normally fine, right? What would mess her up so bad?”

“Whoo, kid, she’s got a lot going on in her mind. She just chooses to ignore or try to forget most of it. Also, people that go through the stuff she did normally have a lot of trauma and doubts they have to work through, and she’s never had someone to talk to about all of that.”

“Why wouldn’t she talk to me about it? We-I, tell her everything.”

“Val. Kid. You might feel like an adult but you’re still a kid. Rose is an adult that met you when you were 5, there’s no way she’d dump her problems on you. She wants to be better to you than anyone really ever was to her growing up I think. It’s, like, hmm. Alright. Say something really bad happened to you. Like someone stole all your money and your sword and everything, get me? Who would you go to for help?”

“Rose first off. Now, maybe Girraghen?”

“Right, the adults you trust in your life. Would you go to Emmy?”

“No! She’s like fiv- oh.”

“See? Same principle. Don’t get me wrong, kids are people and everything, but they don’t have like, all the tools they need to help others through their problems. Laying your troubles on a kid is only going to stress them out to no end.”

“Okay, I understand that. But then why call me here now if I can’t help her?”

“Well, for one thing, you’re the only one that’s going to be able to see her when you both get back to the mortal plane. The other thing is that I wanted to like, get you somewhat prepared for whatever she might lay on you. Know that it’s not your job to fix her or anything like that. Find someone that can help her work through it all, be there for her while she needs it. Oh! Right, I have a gift for you that might help out.”

“A gift Lo-, um, Peri? What did I do to deserve one?”

“What do you mean what did you do? You’re basically family kid, I’m not against giving gifts to kids that need ‘em. Here, hold out your hands.”

I did what he said to. He proceeded to hold both of them in his. They dwarfed mine, rough and calloused from supposed centuries of hard work sailing. They were also very warm, in a really nice way. The warmth spread through me and I could feel my mana reacting to it inside me. After a little bit of time it started to harden just under my skin, just a thin layer but that feeling of warmth was still there with it. It felt like a mixture of my fire and light mana. He moved his hands from cupping mine to hold them gently. He looked me in the eyes and squeezed my hands and started speaking in a gentle voice.

“There’s something you’ve never really had that both you and Rose have been missing the entire time you’ve known each other. I think it’s something that everyone should be able to do so I wanted to do this for you. What I gave you is a part of my blessing. Normally, what it would do is let you make a solar shield around yourself. This isn’t on that level. What it does is keep a layer of solar mana like a second skin. With it, you can touch Rose. She is going to desperately need a hug and I think it would mean a lot to her if you were the one that did it for her.”

“I. I can touch her now?” Tears were welling in my eyes at the thought. One of the things I’ve wanted to do for my entire life is finally within my reach. I wanted to wipe the start of the tears away before they could really get started but didn’t want to take my hands away from his. He smiled gently at me and asked me something no one ever had before.

“Hey, Val, you mind if I hug you? You know, give you some experience so you know what to do for Rose when you get back.”

“I. Sure. Yes.”

He stood up and went to pull me to my feet. Was I sitting this whole time? I guess I was. He broke contact with our hands and wrapped his huge arms around me. I’ve heard from Rose that some people aren’t great at giving hugs in her opinion because they squeeze like they’re trying to kill you. I was a little worried that he would be like that but instead it started gently and proceeded to get firmer gradually. It’s so nice and warm. I, I feel so safe here. Why did I never know I needed this? Why didn’t anyone do this for me before. I wanted to just enjoy it more but thoughts that I’d been cheated my whole life raced through my head. I shut my eyes tight and tried to make the thoughts go away and stop ruining this for me. Eventually he started rubbing my back in small circles.

At some point I noticed the warmth and pressure leave and found myself laying on my side in the forge, being shaken awake by Girraghen. His worried voice was overshadowed in my ears by Rose’s sobbing.