Ayanna had been crying for what seemed like hours and it was Àlainn’s shivers that made her aware of this.

Àlainn’s little body trembled as it was drenched in mud and the cold winds that blew by didn’t help.

Ayanna took a deep breath before standing up, placing Fea on top of Jean.

She then picked Àlainn and Ayden up before walking towards a certain little house in the distance where she placed the two in the living room before covering them in several blankets.

Ayanna then exited the house and grabbed a shovel that sat next to the door.

She walked about fifteen meters in front of her house and began digging.

Some time passed and Ayanna eventually finished digging a two-meter deep hole.

She promptly climbed out of it before walking northward where she eventually returned to Jean and Fea.

She picked both of them up and carried them to the hole she’d dug, but just as she arrived at the hole, Fea flapped his wing before coughing painfully.

Ayanna gently placed Jean down as Fea fearfully looked around.

His eyes then landed on Jean.

“Oh no,” He muttered before carefully hopping over to Jean’s face.

Fea then looked at Ayanna, whose eyes were swollen from crying.

He wanted to cry with her, but he physically couldn’t and so he puffed his chest painfully before hopping onto Ayanna’s head.

Ayanna gently patted his head before burying Jean.

Ayanna and Fea stood beside Jean’s grave for some time before returning inside where she gently placed Fea down on his crate.

Ayanna then lit several candles which slowly turned from yellow to purple as Ayanna grabbed two buckets.

She then left the house to find Yar’ Ley looming above.

Ayanna frowned intensely before making her way down towards the river.

She filled up the buckets before returning home where she poured the water she’d gotten into a large iron pot.

She then placed said pot over the stove before lighting a fire within it.

Ayanna let out a sigh as she looked around for anything else she could possibly do, but her body was then overcome by a deep desire for sleep.

She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes just for a bit…

.

..

“Ayanna!” Àlainn cried and Ayanna’s eyes instantly opened.

“The water,” Àlainn said.

Ayanna nodded before checking the stove to see that it had run out of wood to burn and so she made her way to the back of the house, where she grabbed some stockpiled wood.

She returned inside and grabbed another bucket which she filled with water after a trip to the river.

Ayanna then took all the water she had gathered and took it to the bathroom behind the house.

She returned inside and gently gave Fea to Àlainn before taking them both to the bathroom.

After making sure they were both relatively comfortable, she retrieved Ayden and began undressing.

Àlainn slowly undressed as well as Ayanna undressed an unconscious Ayden.

The group then cleaned themselves with the warm water Ayanna had prepared for them.

It was at this point that Àlainn and Fea saw the extent of the damage Ayanna had received.

Shallow cuts lined her back and face, while deeper ones marked her legs.

Àlainn crawled over to where Ayanna was and she began carefully washing her back.

She made sure to be gentle, but even when her hand touched an open wound, Ayanna didn’t react.

Fea hopped into one of the buckets, rinsing himself off the soap Àlainn had so generously applied to him.

He then shook his feathers as Ayanna and Àlainn washed Ayden.

The boy’s hair had long since stopped glowing, but his overall appearance was still rather sickly.

Everyone eventually dried themselves and, after getting changed, they returned inside where Ayanna led them into the bedroom.

She prompted that they all sleep on the bed and they did so without question while Ayanna cleaned up.

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She then found a familiar bloodstained bandage.

She picked it up, folded it neatly and placed it in her pocket before preparing dinner.

.

..

Ayanna eventually prepared some dinner using some of the last potatoes and everyone ate in the bedroom for once and, after eating, they all prepared to sleep.

Fea's crate was moved into the bedroom and there he slept as Ayanna crawled into bed with Àlainn and Ayden.

Everyone then slept as harsh winds blew by.

.

..

Àlainn awoke in the garden of the mind.

She sat idly on the rim of the fountain as the waxing moon hung brightly above her.

She clasped her hands nervously as she looked at the door beneath the Sealladh rune.

She stood up and slowly walked towards it, but as she approached it, a high-pitched squeal pierced the air.

Àlainn tried to ignore it as she got ever closer to the door.

A low drone then filled the air, but again, Àlainn ignored it as she placed her hand on the door's rough surface.

[I beg, do not go there.]

A voice pleaded, shaking Àlainn’s body to the bone.

She squeezed her small hands into fists before looking up to see a dark creature looming above her.

“I want to be with them.” She said as his body quaked.

[I will not be able to protect you out there.]

The voice said.

“I know,” Àlainn said as she pushed the door open.

“This changes nothing, my dear. I will await the time when we can be together, but until then, I will do what I can to make the most of my time with them.” Àlainn said as a bright white light flooded the garden.

[I see… your choice is yours to make. However, I will continue to watch over you.]

“Thank you,” Àlainn said as she wiped some blood that had fallen from her nose.

She then stepped out into the light before finding herself sleeping next to Ayden and Ayanna.

Àlainn’s chest swelled almost painfully as she wrapped her arms around them.

Ayanna opened her eyes to find herself in Àlainn’s arms.

“Goodnight,” Àlainn said softly with the slightest smile on her face.

“Goodnight.”

.

..

Ayden awoke with a slight headache.

He didn’t know why, but his body felt heavier.

He opened his eyes to find that he was being tightly hugged by both Ayanna and Àlainn.

His eyes widened as he noticed the numerous new scars on Ayanna’s face.

“Mom?”

“Mmm?” Ayanna groaned as she slowly awoke.

Her eyes then instantly widened as she sat upright.

“Ayden!” She cried as she grabbed the boy.

Àlainn awoke to see the warm scene and she clasped her hands together.

Ayanna reached out and pulled her into the hug.

“I was so worried. How are you feeling?” Ayanna whispered, even though doing even that caused her immeasurable pain.

“Shh, mom. I’m ok.” Ayden said as he looked around.

“Where’s Jean?” Ayden asked, but Ayanna’s face twisted as her head fell slightly.

“He’s gone,” Àlainn said.

Ayden’s brows furrowed for a moment.

He then looked at Fea who had also woken up.

“Where did he go?” Ayden asked with a nervous smile.

Ayanna opened her mouth to speak, but Àlainn held her hand to stop her.

“Quite some time ago, you fell ill and we had to take you to the Dubhar mountains. We begged that the Awnings help save you, but they ended up sealing us in a ritual chamber with Gi and Jean had to ascend in order to save us.” Àlainn explained.

“Ok. Where is he now?” Ayden asked as his eyes quaked in the darkness of the bedroom.

“He died at the hands of beasts before we could make it back,” Àlainn said.

“Oh?” Ayden whimpered as he turned to Ayanna with tear-filled eyes.

He looked at her to see that she was injured in more places than he could previously see.

“Well, I’m sure… he’s happy knowing we’re safe,” Ayden said as his lips trembled.

Ayanna gently wrapped her arms around him as he softly wept.

“I… I’m fine. I just-” Ayden wept as Àlainn crawled off the bed.

“I’ll make us some breakfast.” She said as a distant howl filled the air.

Fea hopped onto the bed and Ayden saw the damage that he had received.

Ayden extended a shaking hand and gently rubbed the top of Fea’s head.

He eventually stopped crying and sat upright so that Ayanna and Fea could inspect his physical condition.

On the outside, he looked far better than before.

His skin had regained its youthful glow and speaking of glowing, his hair returned to its normal state.

“Did you see anything as you slept?” Fea asked as a rather sweet scent filled the air.

“Mmm… not really. I did feel like something was pulling at my mind. I also remember pain. Lots of it. Actually, I only started feeling pain when I resisted the pull.” Ayden said as Ayanna gently rubbed his head.

“Mmm… that might have been your other mother,” Fea said.

Ayden smiled upon noticing that without his monocle and cane, Fea looked like an ordinary crow, except he was slightly bigger and had an extra set of limbs.

“Other mother?” Ayden asked.

“Yes. The way I see it, you are the son of an ancient being. I think that she may have mated with a great one, conceiving you and Gi in the process.” Fea said.

“Oh? How did you come to that conclusion?” Ayden asked.

“I am not entirely sure. I know for certain that you are not a complete great one. Otherwise, we would have all awakened in some way after coming into contact with you. I cannot say for certain what your mother is or was.” Fea said as he fell to his side.

“What’s wrong?” Ayden asked.

“My chest hurts and laying down eases the pain somewhat,” Fea said.

“Ok,” Ayden said as Àlainn entered the room with two bowls of porridge.

She handed them to Ayden and Ayanna before grabbing two more for Fea and herself.

Everyone ate away at their plain meals as the howls in the nightly winds continued.

“So… what do we do now?” Ayden asked.

“We kill Gi’ Kolarum.” Ayanna said.

“Easier said,” Fea commented.

“Jean said that we should seek aid. I suggest we procure the aid of the Bloody Numbers. Perhaps they will prove useful in some way.” Àlainn said as she rubbed her eyes.

“Mmm… Jean described those people as bloodthirsty. If we were to say that we knew what caused this night and we knew how to stop it, there is a chance that they would send out some of their men.” Fea said.

“Definitely, but that makes me wonder. How do you kill a great one? Well, a half-breed, to be specific.” Ayden asked. His voice clear in the strange, newfound silence of the night.

“The Awnings may have done some of the work for us. I believe there was a corpse in the ritual chamber, no?” Fea asked.

“Yes. Do you think it was a great one and not just another beast?” Àlainn asked.

“Not only do I think it was a great one, I think that it was Gi’s brother,” Fea said.

Silence befell the room as everyone thought about what Fea had said.

“Interesting,” Àlainn muttered.

“Yes. That would explain how all of this began. I think the crucibles summoned Gi from the reverie plane and once he got here, he found out that his brother was dead and made his way to that cursed mountain.” Fea said.

“Mmm… I suggest we go to Dòchas, but only after mom has had time to heal.” Ayden said as he stretched his little arms.

“Of course,” Fea said as he ate.

The light of the waxing moon made it quite easy to see so even if it weren’t for the burning candles, everything was clear.

.

..

Ayden and Fea sat alone in the bedroom as Ayanna and Àlainn tended to the house.

“I hate this night,” Ayden muttered.

Fea remained silent as he rested next to Ayden.

“But… I’m almost grateful for it. Ugh… what am I saying?” Ayden said as crossed his arms.

Silence followed as the sounds of Ayanna and Àlainn busying about filled the house.

“It sure is nice to hear your voice again,” Fea said.

“Thanks,” Ayden said as he sat up.

Fea sat up as well and the two looked into each other as a deep pain struck their chests.

Fea then looked out of the window to face the light of the moon.

“I hate this night as well,”