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Chapter Text

Despite growing up in the castle, Rian found that he never fully came to enjoy the nighttime. He preferred it when the Brothers were high in the sky and the view from the Crystal Castle allowed him to see practically all of Thra. He could see the rolling green hills, the Dark Wood, and the mountains if he looked to the edge of the horizon. When it was nighttime, Rian got no such luxury. The world outside the castle was pitch black and it felt as though they were floating amidst nothingness. It always gave him a shiver to not know what was out there, hiding in that endless void.

The only positive thing Rian could recall was that he wasn’t tasked with the night’s watch very often. Some of his fellow guards took evening shifts in exchange for late hours in the morning. Every so often, however, he would be sent out to patrol the castle at night. Rian never enjoyed wandering the balconies of the castle by himself. Thankfully, this time he wasn’t alone.

“I don’t think we’re supposed to be watching the ground, Rian,” Gurjin commented from beside him. His tone was teasing and light, but Gurjin still laughed when Rian overcorrected to nearly look up at the ceiling in response. The Drenchen gelfling never failed to notice when Rian was acting off, nor did he miss a chance to tease him about it.

“I know, shut up,” Rian snapped, but with the way his eyes were flickering and the waver in his voice, he didn’t sound harsh in the slightest.

Gurjin chuckled again and looked out towards the balcony as they walked side by side. When they were paired with any other guard, neither of the gelfling men were particularly mischievous. There was an air of seriousness when they were apart, but it rarely fooled anyone. Once the two of them were given the same task, it was near impossible to keep a straight face. The roommates who had rapidly become best friends couldn’t be held back by rules or paladin etiquette- they would talk as they pleased and there was nothing any creature of Thra could do about it.

“Let me know how many cracks are in the floor once you’re done- I’m curious,” Gurjin added. He was unable to hold back another jab at Rian, and lightly bumped his shoulder for good measure. Rian only frowned, stammering as he tried to respond but was unsure how. “I’m just teasing you, Rian,” Gurjin offered, sensing that his friend was starting to get irritated and decided to ease off.

“I hate being on the night watch,” Rian clarified in resentment, sighing and playing with the straps of his leather bracer.

Gurjin hummed, nodding his head and looking out towards the barely-lit horizon to their right. “It’s a bit quiet, eh?” he guessed.

“You can’t see anything,” Rian clarified, huffing as he tightened one of the knots on his armor. “I don’t like not being able to see what’s in front of me.”

“Would you rather we just sit and wait until whatever is trying to get into the castle is on top of us, then?” Gurjin prodded, amber eyes looking out towards the outside world before settling back on Rian. Rian made a face at Gurjin’s subtle chide and looked away, his answer obvious but remained stubborn. “You get used to it,” he offered after a moment, having done more watches than Rian at this hour. “Besides, it could be worse.”

Rian’s blue eyes narrowed, skeptical. “How so?” he asked, glancing upwards to meet Gurjin’s gaze with a doubtful scowl.

Gurjin chuckled. “Well, for starters, you could be stuck with Tolyn,” he replied. There was a slight grin to his words and when Rian worked out what Gurjin meant, his bad mood disappeared soon after. The Stonewood gelfling tried to hide a huff of laughter, biting his lip, and Gurjin’s smile only widened.

“Point taken,” Rian said after a moment, returning to a pace that matched Gurjin’s footfall. “If I have to do this, then I’m glad it’s with you.”

Gurjin put his free hand over his heart, playfully swooning. “Oh, Rian, I’m touched. Who knew you had a sentimental side?”

Rian rolled his eyes. “Oh, stuff it,” he retorted with a smile, shoving Gurjin’s arm as the latter chuckled. “I said that because you don’t make me want to hit you. Don’t push your luck.”

“Bold of you to assume that you could reach me from down there,” Gurjin shot back, his response nearly immediate. Rian tensed and he shot Gurjin a look, earning another laugh. “I didn’t realize how much all the other guards piss you off.”

“They don’t,” Rian argued, quick to shut that idea down before it started. “You just do it the least.” He looked out towards the view outside as they walked but immediately regretted it. The Sisters were shrouded in the clouds tonight, which in turn made everything beyond the Crystal Castle disappear into the darkness. A shiver went up his spine and Rian sighed to himself, not pleased with the reminder of why he disliked the night’s watch.

The sudden shift in mood wasn’t lost on Gurjin. He softened and gave Rian a gentle bump with his shoulder. “It’s a good thing you have a Drenchen with you, then. We’ve got better hearing,” he teased. There was an underlying note of warmth in his voice as if to silently reassure Rian that he had nothing to fear.

“You can’t be the biggest, strongest, breathe underwater, and have the best hearing.” Rian crossed his arms, his attention successfully taken away from the view outside the castle. “You can’t be good at everything, Gurjin.”

“Oh? Says who?”

“I say that.” Rian smiled up at him as they continued to walk. “Otherwise you’d make us look like Nebrie fodder in comparison.”

Gurjin chuckled and continued leading their patrol of the outer walls. “Well, if I wasn’t the best, would I offer to share this with you?” He reached for his belt and took out a familiar flask that was hanging at his hip. Gurjin extended his arm outward, offering it to Rian.

Rian was torn between pleasant surprise and shock. “You brought nectar wine on patrol?” he spoke, blown back at Gurjin’s reckless behavior. “Gurjin, are you trying to get demoted to armor-polishing?”

“You worry too much,” he said with a chuckle. “When have I ever gotten in trouble for this?” In his head, Rian countered that it was only because Gurjin hadn’t been caught before, but he kept that thought to himself. The flask was still in Gurjin’s hand and he gave it a playful shake as it hovered by Rian’s head. “There’s enough for two gelflings to share, is all I’m saying.” With a smooth motion, Gurjin tipped his head back and took a swig.

Rian rolled his eyes and settled his hand on his hip, resting over his sword. “You’re going to get us both in trouble,” he remarked, only mildly amused. He focused his gaze on the walls of the Castle, then the moonlight peeking through the clouds high above their heads.

Gurjin shrugged and nodded. “I just thought I’d offer,” he explained, tilting his head to the side as he capped the flask once more. “Since it makes it easier to be brave when there’s a bit of drink in you, and you don’t like the night watch- but my mistake. Surely you don’t need this.” He made to pocket the flask again but kept his movements slow while his amber eyes were watching Rian in their peripheral.

It had taken until the end of Gurjin’s spiel for Rian to second guess himself. Before the flask vanished back into his cloak, Rian snatched it out of his hands. The speed had even caught Gurjin off guard, but he returned to amusement as Rian tried to down an ambitious amount of wine in one swallow (partially to get as much as possible and partially to impress Gurjin). It was a bit too much to have at once and he nearly choked on it, hacking as he keeled over a bit to catch himself. Gurjin was belting out laughter after Rian had righted himself, but he still attempted to act casual off while fighting down the burning sensation on his face.

“There you go,” Rian said, trying to keep his voice as suave as possible as he handed the flask back to Gurjin. He coughed under his breath but didn’t acknowledge it.

Gurjin hung the flask back on his belt and chuckled. “I need to take you to a real tavern sometime, Rian,” he commented idly, still amused. “You take any drink as a podling takes to having a bath.”

Rian spluttered. “I do not,” he defended. Gurjin cocked a brow as he looked at Rian, then mimicked his coughing fit from a moment prior with a wide grin. Rian felt his face heat up and he looked away in mild embarrassment. “I was choking. There’s a difference.”

“Sure.” Gurjin went back to his watch, but not before giving Rian a friendly clap on the shoulder. No matter how much they egged each other on, Gurjin would never back out of a conversation without telling Rian that there was never any malicious intent. Even if the indication was non-verbal, the two had developed an unspoken language between one another. It was a small act that very rarely needed to be said, but the fact that Gurjin was persistent with it, regardless of the light-heartedness of the exchange, was one of the reasons Rian considered him his best friend.

The next hour continued in a similar manner. Large swathes of comfortable silence were divided by shorter bouts of good-natured badgering or jokes. Nobody else was around to hear Gurjin’s laughter echo through the Castle’s hallways, and nobody was around to witness Rian’s playful side come out on full display. When there wasn’t another creature to enforce rules, the two always managed to bring out the best in one another- even if it was considered the worst for some. Perhaps that was what had drawn the two to become fast friends in the first place.

The flask was quickly emptied, but it wasn’t until the end of the hour that the two were showing signs of drinking. Gurjin, hearty as ever, was holding his own with barely any effort. Rian was more clumsy and it was clear that half a flask had done enough to make him more than a bit tipsy. His anxieties of taking watch in a pitch-black night were gone, for which Gurjin was internally relieved. The Drenchen had never been particularly fond of seeing his friend genuinely upset. There was a playful skip in his step and it took all of his willpower not to laugh at how bad Rian was at hiding even the tiniest amount of drunkenness.

“Next time we get grog from Sami Thicket, we’re training,” Gurjin muttered under his breath, amused. “For the love of Thra, Rian, you’re horrible at this.” 

“I’m not that bad,” Rian countered quickly, walking along the balcony as they talked, hand running over the banister.

Gurjin gave him a look. “You’re wobbling,” he said bluntly.

“It’s fine, Gurjin. Really.” Rian gave him a little smirk before continuing to walk, peering out into the dark for any sign of intruders making their way towards the castle.

“If you ever want to take someone out for a drink, you’ll need to get better at it. That’s all I’m saying,” Gurjin teased lightly, holding up his hand in a surrendering motion.

Rian’s face flushed. “Take them out for a- where did that come from, Gurjin?” His blue eyes looked back towards Gurjin, who only shrugged.

“Don’t play the fool, lover boy,” Gurjin teased. The nickname made the tips of Rian’s ears burn as he went silent. “Drinks make the night interesting, and nobody likes a gelfling who can’t figure out where to put their hands.”

Rian’s face flushed. “I appreciate the advice, Gurjin, but I’d rather not know the details of your love life experiences,” Rian said firmly, shutting him down. His voice wavered as his mind was already wandering to deeper places, and he was now flustered. Gurjin chuckled behind him as they kept walking. Rian bit his lip, knowing that Gurjin did have a point about his weaker constitution. “We’ll go get that drink sometime, but not because of that! Only so you’ll finally shut up about it.”

Gurjin huffed another laugh and went back to surveying the area. “Whatever you say, Rian,” he replied warmly, letting the subject drop as they went back to a short bout of silence.

Rian turned away from Gurjin as they took a moment to inspect the area. The shadows outside the Castle made scouting obscenely difficult, but he did his best. The dim glow from the Three Sisters brought a flicker of reflection to the thin line that was the Black River, far off in the distance. Even after letting his eyes adjust, there was little Rian could make out. The shadows seemed to go on forever, but he strained his gaze to see what lay before him. He was about to turn back so the pair could move to the next post, but a faint sound behind Rian caught his attention.

It was tiny and far away, but amidst the silence, it was loud and clear. Rian’s head whipped around, hair flying as he tried to see which direction the noise came from. “Did you hear that?” he asked aloud, eyes searching. He approached the edge of the balcony and gripped the edges of the banister with his fingers, squeezing the carved rock tightly. The rainfall from earlier that day had soaked the stone, making it cold and slippery under his grip.

“Hear what?” Gurjin inquired, turning back to face Rian. He wasn’t as on edge as Rian was, but he moved his hand to the hilt of his sword, ready for something to jump out.

“There’s something out there,” Rian commented, turning his head slightly but still keeping a watchful gaze over the landscape. The nectar wine was warping his otherwise rational state of mind, and he was finding himself growing anxious.

“Spitters?”

“No, it was different.” Rian frowned and leaned closer to peer over the edge. Perhaps it was beneath them.

Gurjin tightened his grip on the spear when he saw Rian get closer to the railing. “Animals make noise at night, Rian,” he explained carefully. He knew the alcohol was still in his friend’s system, and he didn’t enjoy how close Rian was getting to the edge one bit. He crossed the hall to stay near him, not wanting to overstep his protectiveness but still worrying. “It was probably nothing.”

Rian frowned, knowing Gurjin had a point but didn’t stop quite yet. “It sounded like it came from the Dark Wood,” he explained. Rian leaned to the side as if a better angle would suddenly make the black void easier to see through. He leaned further out, cursing his lack of night vision as he tried to see any hints of movement in the distance. There was nothing he could see, but Rian didn’t trust the shadows.

“There’s a lot of creatures in the Dark Wood that roam at night, Rian,” Gurjin pointed out, relaxing as it became more clear that the threat was nonexistent. It seemed like the wine had made Rian’s worries slightly more profound, so he was itching to drag his friend away from the issue before it grew worse. Gurjin made a mental note to not indulge Rian with drinking next time they were paired in a night watch and started to walk forward. “Come on, let’s head to the next post.”

Rian bit his lip, not moving quite yet. If he hadn’t drunk any wine this evening, he would have joined Gurjin. Now, however, he was a tad more reckless and slow to react. After a few seconds of watching for changes that never came, Rian gave up. “Alright,” he conceded, moving to get down.

It happened quickly and before Rian had a chance to react. The rain from that morning had left the stones damp and slick with water. Rian’s hand, which was braced on the outside of the banister, slipped as he moved backward. The breath left his lungs as Rian felt himself fall forward for a moment. Instinctively, he reached back with his other arm to catch his body on the other side of the railing to stop himself. His trajectory was off by a few inches, and Rian’s heart skipped as he felt his arm grab at a flat chunk of rock instead of a secure portion of the Castle’s architecture. He was slipping and the void beneath him that stretched for hundreds of feet sat there, waiting to meet him the moment he fell.

Not even a second passed after Rian failed to anchor himself before something strong grappled the back of his cloak. Gurjin had reacted almost instantly, grabbing a fistful of Rian’s tunic to stop him from falling forward. The spear hit the ground with a loud clatter that echoed down the hall as Gurjin had rushed forward to aide Rian. Both arms held onto him like a vice and dragged him backward, which in turn made Rian utter a quiet sound of alarm as he was yanked back over the railing like a ragdoll. Rian’s feet landed back on the stone and his eyes were wide as he stared blankly at the darkness just beyond the Castle’s perimeter.

The hands that were squeezing his shoulders relaxed ever so slightly, and Rian heard Gurjin let out a sigh of relief just above his head. “Don’t… do that,” Gurjin forced out after a moment, sounding like he had been given the fright of his life. After a palpable pause, Gurjin let go and took a few steps away. “Yesmit, Rian. You scared the daylights out of me.”

Rian glanced back as he watched Gurjin retrieve his spear from where it had been thrown aside. “I didn’t mean to,” he said quickly, partially to defend himself and also to reassure Gurjin that it was purely accidental. Gurjin’s shoulders were tense even after he had picked the spear up off the ground. Rian bit his lip, unsure of what to say. Eventually, he settled on reassuring his best friend that all was well. “I’m alright.”

Gurjin closed his amber eyes, taking a breath. There was a brief moment where he seemed to internalize the momentary flash of panic that rarely showed itself. Gurjin didn’t outwardly show his fear very often, if at all if he could help it. Rian could recognize it, however, even with the hindrance of nectar wine in his blood. The instance was fleeting and there was only one beat before Gurjin loosened his posture, relaxing fully. 

“Thanks to me,” he said with a grin. “You’re indebted to me now.”

Rian spluttered, the moment of intensity completely forgotten. “Wh- that’s not how that works,” he argued. “I’m not indebted to anything!” Having a debt with Gurjin was dangerous business- Rian knew that no matter what he came up with, it would either be embarrassing, stupid or both.

Gurjin let out a low laugh and returned to his walk, with Rian rushing after him to catch up. “See, when you do something for me, I always have to make it up to you. Yet when it’s me, suddenly it’s unfair?” His tone was teasing, returning to the warmth and familiarity from minutes prior, and it got under Rian’s skin all the same. “What’s wrong, Rian? Scared of what I’ll make you do?”

The remark made Rian bristle and Gurjin chuckled, delighting in poking at his best friend if only to see him blush. “Nothing you do scares me, Gurjin,” he said defensively. “It just makes me wonder why I keep you around.” He gave Gurjin a shoulder bump this time, grinning.

“You’re lucky I’m the only one here who’s mad enough to handle you.” Gurjin’s rebuttal was just as quick and he nudged Rian back. “...and that I’m the strongest gelfling here so I can save your arse.”

Rian’s ears tinted red as he looked down at the floor. “You’re still on about that?” he asked, trying to play off his emotions. “I already told you that you can’t be the best, Gurjin.”

“No you didn’t,” he drawled out, grinning. “You said I can’t have the best eyesight.”   Gurjin chuckled and threw an arm around Rian’s shoulder to give him a mischievous side hug, grinning down at him. “Which means I can be the strongest gelfling here all I want. Whether you like it or not.”

Rian yelped when Gurjin pulled him sideways, nearly tripping over his own feet. Once his words sunk in, his gaze hardened into one of resigned annoyance. “You’re the most arrogant Drenchen I have ever met,” he said plainly, shaking his head.

“And you’re the most easily-bothered Stonewood I’ve ever met,” Gurjin shot back, smirking with mischief. He moved his hand upward to the top of Rian’s head, then shoved his helmet forward to rustle his hair. “But that’s what makes it fun.”

Rian jumped as it covered his eyes, and he yanked off his helmet. “Gurjin,” he cried in annoyance, but his best friend was already meters away, outrunning Rian as he took a moment to recover. “Get back here, you-” Rian frantically pulled his hair back and realigned his helmet before running after Gurjin, quiet swears lost under his breath as he ran to catch up. Their laughter filled the empty halls of the Castle, unheard by everyone.

No matter how much they teased, joked, or egged each other on, their bond was eternal. It didn’t matter what any gelfling said, or what the creatures of Thra thought of them. What the two shared was something that couldn’t ever be extinguished. Their care, love, and fondness for one another would never be broken. Nothing could tarnish this truth- this law- that was buried in the heart of Thra itself.

Chapter Text

The attack was sudden and came without warning. 

The Arathim’s attack on the Crystal Castle came as the storm had reached its most volatile point. The moons were concealed behind dark clouds, blocking out all traces of light. Only flashes of lightning caused by the storm lit up the sky around the castle, providing additional light for only a brief moment at a time. The hindrance of darkness didn’t deter the guards, however, and the gelflings fought with whatever they had. The guards were dispersed along the castle’s perimeter, defending the entrances to the best of their ability. 

Rian was among them, armed with his spear and a readied sword at his hip. He was with a smaller group of guards near the eastern gate of the castle, fighting them back as they attempted to sneak in. He could hear the clash of metal and claws around him while bursts of lightning highlighted the Spitter converging on him. Rian tightened his grip on his spear, eyes wide and focused, although he was barely holding on to a sense of calm. The fight was never-ending and his chest heaved with exhaustion, breathing ragged.

He heard the screech in the darkness before he saw it move, ears alert and fighting to catch anything over the howling winds. There was a flash, followed by a clap of thunder, and Rian saw the dark shape of the Spitter lunging at him. Air caught in his throat and Rian jumped to the side. Something unseen struck his side and crashed into the rock wall behind him, making Rian wince at how close of a call that had been. They couldn’t keep fighting here- it was only a matter of time before the Arathim forced them all to return to Thra.

Somewhere on his right, Rian heard one of his fellow paladins scream. His head swiveled around to look, eyes straining as he tried to find the source. In the dim light, he could see the faint shape of one of his comrades. They were prone and scrambling backward while an Arathim was crawling after them. Rian’s heart clenched and he tightened his grip on his spear.

The rain made the rocks slick and he nearly fell, but he didn’t stop running until he reached them. Rian didn’t know if his spear landed until the Spitter screamed. It hissed and retreated in pain, giving him just enough time to grab his fellow paladin. He pushed back until they were closer to the rock walls of the castle, and tried to look them over. “Can you fight?” he asked, raising his voice to be heard over the rain. He couldn’t see their face well enough to recognize who it was, but they were still a fellow paladin. On closer inspection, he could see the faint outline of a broken leg- the reason they had fallen. “Come on, lean on me.”

The Spitters were still trying to fight around them, but Rian made the paladin find purchase on his shoulder, using the spear as a secondary source of support for them both. His eyes searched the area, trying to keep track of anyone else who was dangerous hurt. Suddenly, there was a distant screech, up above and near the Castle’s main entrance. All around them, they heard hissing, then many, many footsteps. Another flash of lightning let Rian see the shapes of Arathim climbing up the walls to the front gate, and his heart swelled with momentary relief.

It wasn’t a long time, but he wasn’t going to waste it. “Get back to the eastern gate! We’ll close it off,” he yelled. The paladins didn’t waste a moment and the group of them all pushed back, retreating into the castle before the Arathim decided to come back. Rian kept a firm grip on the wall as he followed the slippery stone path, supporting the injured paladin over his shoulder. “You’ll be alright, just keep going.” He was trying to sound confident for their sake, despite the exhaustion and stress in his voice.

The fight continued behind them as they moved in towards the castle. The steps were slick with rain, making a few guards fall. Thankfully, the others were quick to help them back up, with Rian and his injured guard in the back. The light of the Crystal Castle was straight ahead, up the hill, and his heart lifted as he saw that it was still open. Inside, he could see the tiny shapes of other gelfling rushing around. Shrieks and hissing were echoing through the canal behind them that made Rian’s stomach twist, but he refused to look back. They only had a brief amount of time to escape, and he wasn’t going to waste it looking behind him.

Rian’s ears perked up as he heard the sound of chains moving. He looked up, heart sinking. The latches on the eastern gate were undone, and the gate was slowly lowering. They were locking down the other exits- while they were still outside. Oh, Thra have mercy. “Run!” he yelled to his fellow paladins. The gelflings all sprinted ahead, calling for the castle to wait. Rian quickened his pace, trying to move them both as quickly as they could manage on three legs. They weren’t far away now, but the distance wouldn’t matter if the gate locked with them trapped on the wrong side.

The number of guards inside had diminished as they had gone to defend other parts of the castle. In this case, that was their worst nightmare, as that meant there was nobody to hold the door open. Rian forced himself to keep running, not letting go of the paladin’s arm that was slung over his shoulder. The freezing rain was pelting at their backs and soaking into their skin as they ran for the dwindling glimpse of sanctuary. Rian’s eyes widened as he watched how quickly the gate was coming down, and how far off the first of their group was. There wasn’t enough time- they weren’t going to make it.

The flash of green was like a beacon. Rian’s gaze latched on as he saw a gelfling run by, and his heart skipped. He knew that green hair, and he knew that face. Rian’s boots scraped across the stone path as he tried to run even faster to reach the door. Just as he thought there was no chance of surviving this, he saw hope. Help. It was-

“GURJIN!” Rian called his name, voice louder than it had ever been. His scream was loud enough that it made a fellow paladin beside them glance back in surprise, but Rian didn’t care. He didn’t care that the desperation and fear lingered in the way he called out for his best friend. All that mattered was that his yelling reached the castle gate.

Which it did.

The Drenchen froze, body tensing, and Rian didn’t need to see his ears to know that Gurjin had heard his call. He spun around with a surprised expression. He looked out, gaze eventually settling on them, and Rian’s heart lifted in a fleeting burst of hope. Gurjin yelled something back, but Rian couldn’t hear him over the storm. The Drenchen ran forward, dropping the spear he had been holding and leaving it on the ground. For a moment he ran in the direction of the gate’s control, but something made him pause.

Rian’s brow furrowed as his best friend hesitated, and was about to yell for him to hold the gate if Gurjin didn’t suddenly call out to them. “Behind you!” 

The words sunk in like stones, and Rian’s eyes went rigid. Without thinking, he looked back, and his breath hitched. Emerging out of the shadows and into the dim glow of the castle, Rian saw six sharp, pointed claws. His heart sank, and he quickly looked to the nearest paladin. “Run! Get inside,” he cried out quickly. The paladins didn’t hesitate to listen to him and ran ahead. 

Rian watched the Arathim behind them and Gurjin, head swiveling as the threat drew closer. If Gurjin held the gate, the Spitter would get in. If he didn’t, then they would be trapped outside. It seemed like the two had come to the same conclusion because a moment later, Gurjin ran forward until he was at the gate itself. At first, Rian didn’t know what was happening, but then his heart sank like a heavy stone as he saw his best friend put himself between the ground and the gate. 

“Gurjin, no,” he cried out, panicking at the sight of his best friend attempting to physically block the gate with his strength. “It’s too dangerous!” The Spitter hissed behind him, and Rian clenched his teeth. He hated this- they were trapped between a rock and a hard place, and Gurjin was the only thing keeping the concept of safety alive. That didn’t make Rian feel any less terrified of what could happen if the gate proved too much for him.

Gurjin’s feet were firmly planted on the ground and held the gate up with his palms, resting over his shoulders. He grimaced, feeling the weight on his spine. Rian’s screams were carried over the wind, and he could hear the terror in his voice. Still, he refused to move. He wasn’t letting anyone die on his watch- least of all, Rian. The paladins reached the door and ducked under, some retreating further inside while others tried to help him.

Rian was close now with the remains of the guards, but the Spitter was on their heels. The paladin slung over his shoulder was growing weak, and Rian clenched his jaw. He needed to buy them time. With a shove, he handed the injured paladin off to the nearest gelfling. “Get them inside!” Rian spun on his heel, holding his spear with both hands and trying to get into a defensive position. The Spitter stopped, towering over him and hissing.

Gurjin’s eyes went wide as he stopped. “Rian,” he forced out, teeth grinding against each other. He tightened his grip and tried to stand taller, ignoring the burning in every muscle of his body. This was too much and he didn’t know how much longer he could hold it off. “Rian! G-Get inside! Now!” Rian was dangerously close to being trapped alone on the other side of a gate, and the time Gurjin could give him to escape was dwindling with every passing moment.

His boots slipped slightly on the stone path as Rian jabbed his spear forward, trying to push the Spitter back. The injured paladin ducked under the gate, and Gurjin’s knees began to shake under the strain he was forcing his body to endure. He couldn’t keep his back straight anymore and began to hunch over. Rian began to step back, glancing towards Gurjin over his shoulder as the Spitter advanced still, hissing and moving to tackle him. Gurjin’s breathing grew ragged as he tried to hold on a little bit further, to no avail. Their time was up.

“Now, Rian!” 

Rian spun around and dashed for the gate. The Spitter wasn’t far behind and shrieked, chasing after him. Rian didn’t dare look back, dropping his spear as he reached out towards Gurjin. The Drenchen watched him as his spine nearly became parallel to the ground, legs trembling and arms shaking out of his control. He wanted to grab Rian but was trapped in his current position now, unable to move a muscle without threatening them both. Thankfully, he didn’t have to, as Rian ran straight into him.

As Rian impacted Gurjin’s chest, his grip on the gate fell away completely. The two fell back into the safety of the Crystal Castle in a mess of limbs and armor. Rian’s helmet fell off, hitting the ground and tumbling away from them with a clatter. The paladins around them scrambled back as the gate fell the rest of the way shut. The two barely had time to react before the Spitter lunged at them. 

There was a sickening crack and a loud screech. Rian looked back, briefly terrified that Gurjin had been caught in the gate’s machinery. Instead, he saw the partially crushed Spitter arm, broken into pieces and severed at the joint. It lay frozen in an outstretched motion in their direction while the gate was pounded on as it still tried to get in, screaming and hissing. Rian watched over his shoulder, chest heaving and eyes filled with an anxiety that was gradually fading. They made it- everyone had made it.

There was a groan beneath him. Rian’s attention flickered back to what lay in front of him and promptly choked on his breath. While Rian had fallen forward, Gurjin had taken the brunt of the fall on his back. They had fallen right on top of each other with Rian’s legs on either side of Gurjin’s torso, his hands resting by his head. Rian’s eyes were wide and he felt the tips of his ears burn as he realized how close the two were, afraid to move in case Gurjin was hurt.

Gurjin grimaced before slowly lifting his head. His eyes opened and Rian felt relief wash over him as familiar, amber irises settled on him. “Gurjin, are you alright?” Rian asked, frowning as he looked over his best friend for any unseen injuries.

Gurjin exhaled after he gave Rian a thorough once-over, and rested his skull back on the ground. “If you ever do that again, Rian, I’m leaving you out there.” He took another deep breath and closed his eyes, physically drained. “What in Thra’s name were you thinking?” Gurjin’s voice was tired and lacked passion- he didn’t have the energy to show anger.

Rian frowned at him. “What was I thinking? What were you thinking?” he shot back, sounding just as exhausted. “That gate nearly crushed you, Gurjin! You can’t- you can’t do things like that.”

“Neither can you,” Gurjin shot back just as fast. Rian’s eyes narrowed and he moved to speak, but Gurjin cut him off. “Don’t give me any of that, Rian. That Spitter was going to kill you. What did you expect me to do? Watch?” 

“I expect you to take care of yourself,” Rian argued back, but the dispute only seemed to grow weaker. Both of them were exhausted, which made their disagreement sound more like a tired conversation over a proper squabble. Rian sunk his head forward until it lightly brushed against Gurjin’s chest, panting as his racing heart began to return to normal. “My life doesn’t have any more value than yours. Don’t act as if it does.”

Gurjin’s expression softened. “I know it doesn’t,” he reassured in a low voice. “But you’re still my best friend, and I’m not gonna let you become Spitter food on my watch... Besides, it was a good work out.”

Rian choked out a laugh as Gurjin’s attempt to lighten the mood was successful. He lifted his head and went to speak, but the words were lost on him as he made eye contact with Gurjin. Their faces were quite close, but Rian wasn’t sure why that made him feel so warm. His ears fell back against his skull while Gurjin cleared his throat. It was brief, but Rian could swear Gurjin’s face looked darker than usual. He tried to talk, but for reasons he was unsure of, he felt surprisingly tongue-tied. That was new.

The thunder outside startled Rian into action. He carefully lifted himself off of his friend and scrambled to retrieve his helmet while Gurjin slowly pushed himself into a sitting position. The other gelfling were racing to their posts while a few were taking care of the injured paladin Rian had carried. Gurjin groaned as he got to his feet. “We need to get to the others and defend the other entrances to the Castle,” Gurjin explained carefully. He looked back and gave the injured paladin a nod, silently reassuring them that their presence wasn’t expected or required.

Rian glanced back towards the gate, knowing that he had abandoned his spear outside the castle. All that was left were the remnants of a Spitter’s leg, and he patted his belt for any weapons he could use. Thankfully, his single sword was safe within his belt. Gurjin coughed from beside Rian, and he turned. Outstretched in Gurjin’s hand was his own spear, extended towards Rian with a small smile. Rian’s eyes widened in humble surprise, hesitating before carefully taking the spear out of Gurjin’s hands.

“We’ll probably get the sog kicked out of us at the front gate,” Gurjin offered as he rested his hand over his sword. He cocked a brow and glanced at Rian as the other paladins began to disperse. “You alright?” His tone was playful but had an underlying edge of seriousness as he genuinely wanted to ensure his best friend was safe.

Rian huffed a laugh and adjusted his grip on the spear until he found a comfortable hold. He looked up at Gurjin with a smirk. “Right behind you,” he said back. The fight was taking a toll on him, physically and emotionally. Now, however, with Gurjin ready to fight alongside him, Rian had never felt more protected.

Chapter Text

The Second Battle of Stone-in-the-Wood had taken a toll on all of them. Even after the battle had been theirs to celebrate, the weight of what would happen next was heavy on their conscience. Some had fallen while many others were injured in the fight. The unum since the battle had been busy for everyone, with all the clans gathered in one place. Maudra Fara and others were returned to Thra, given the burial each of them deserved. Gradually, the clans began to disperse once more, to prepare for the coming battles they had ahead.

Stone-in-the-Wood wasn’t any less lively, even with the majority of gelflings absent. The original rebellion had chosen to stay close for the time being, and the company was more than welcome. The Stonewood clan, as well as their allies, had set up camp within their hometown, but the air of tension never fully left. It made the nights of togetherness all the sweeter. On nights like tonight, all were able to forget the oncoming hardship and instead smile, laugh, and sing.

Almost all of them.

Out of everyone in the seven clans, Rian was one of the gelflings that had been through the most. Not only that, but the responsibility of commandeering the rebellion had fallen right onto his shoulders. There had been no time to recover from the pain the Second Battle had inflicted on him, as the rebellion needed a leader. Even on nights like this, where the mood was lighter and filled with hope, he couldn’t bring himself to partake in it for long. His mind moved too quickly and his heart was constantly pounding in his chest. It refused to let him rest, even for just one day.

Kylan’s firca filled the tavern with music that they were all conglomerated in. However, the laughter and songs brought Rian no comfort. He sat at the table, humming to the songs out of politeness and giving a smile now and again, but it was all skin-deep. Inside, he was writhing in absolute pain. His cup that had already been refilled twice was emptied, but it sunk into Rian’s lap like a heavy stone. It didn’t matter how much the songs made him smile, how warm the hearth was, or how hard he laughed when he watched Brea try to show Kylan a Vapran dance. The moment it passed, Rian felt the darkness creep back- latching on to every corner of his heart until all joy was sapped out.

Every day since the Battle, Rian hadn’t once slept for an entire night. When he did manage to fall asleep, it was never for too long and always accompanied by a cold sweat. The memories of that day and every moment prior was burned into his mind like a cursed dream-etching. Never letting him rest, and never letting him stop the pain from clawing away at whatever tenderness he had left. Everything that hung over his head had beaten him down so violently and without mercy that it was a miracle that he still managed to have a semblance of hope. 

Mira, his father, and now Deet... It was killing him inside and for the first time in his entire life, Rian felt lost. Useless, pathetic, and completely clueless on what he was supposed to do with his life.

Gurjin’s eyes hadn’t moved in a long time. He had forgotten about his drink a while ago and took on the role of observer since then. Even with his friends around them, Gurjin’s attention never wavered after initially noticing Rian’s demeanor. The two had been at each other’s sides as sole confidants and roommates for trines, making them quite intimate with each other’s mannerisms. Because of that, it was no surprise that Gurjin was able to see what everyone else couldn’t. He didn’t know what was eating away at Rian, but Gurjin knew that he didn’t like it and was going to do something about it. The Stonewood gelfling wasn’t the only one who was having inner turmoil, but Gurjin wasn’t about to put himself first- Rian was the higher priority.

Hours passed, but it wasn’t until the Blue moon had moved past its highest peak that the tavern fell into a lull of quiet. Rian was watching the hearth slowly burn away to low embers. The other gelfling were either asleep within the tavern or retreating for the night. Kylan and Naia were quietly dreamfasting random memories while Brea was curled up on one of the tavern’s chairs, her occasionally flicking ears being the single indication of being awake. Meanwhile, the two best friends hadn’t moved from their spots. Gurjin ignored all other inhabitants, amber eyes focused solely on his best friend. Tiredness was creeping in on him, but Gurjin fought hard to resist it. He could rest once he knew Rian was alright.

Rian’s turmoil had reached its worst point, and the three drinks weren’t helping. He furrowed his brow as he watched the hearth burn away in front of him. It reminded him of the blue flames of rebellion, and his heart tore at the reminder of what started all of this, and how he had failed. Mira was gone, along with her essence. His father was gone, without a body left to bury. Now Deet was gone, too- poisoned by darkening and lost. Then Rian was here- alive and well. Why did the three of them and countless others have to suffer while he lived? When he chose to run but still survived. It felt like a cruel joke that Thra was playing on him.

Perhaps the worst thing of all was the pain in his chest every time Rian remembered the Hunter. No matter how hard he tried, every time he relived the memory of skekMal’s final moments was filled with shame. Ordon, his father, and the only family Rian had left, was taken by that creature in an act that cost him his life. Since that moment, there had always been a buried part of Rian’s soul that wanted to set things right. He had wanted to defeat the Hunter in his father’s name, just so Ordon’s sacrifice wouldn’t have been in vain. It was the only piece of justice Rian thought could do right by his father.

Yet when the moment came, he didn’t stand a chance. The Hunter had thrown, beaten, and nearly killed him with no effort at all. There wasn’t one moment of the fight where Rian held his own against him, and the shame of that immense failure was a weight on his back. The only reason he lived now was because of urVa’s sacrifice. The Hunter would have claimed them both and that harsh truth made Rian want to scream to the heavens. The fact that he would have to live the rest of his life knowing his father’s death could never be avenged threatened to tear him apart. Anger surged through his blood, boiling and burning with a desire for justice- for his father, Mira, and Deet. He should strike the rest of the Skeksis down where they stood.

Rian took a deep breath, hot air leaving his lungs. With a slow rise, he pulled himself out of his seat and uneasily stood up. Turning away from the hearth, Rian kept his head low and made his way out of the tavern. Gurjin’s head lifted as Rian moved, watching him go. Rian’s steps were shaken and clumsily due to the drinks that his body simply couldn’t handle. It was clear that something was bothering him. Rian’s shoulders were tense while his eyes were staring hard at the ground- two familiar indicators of anger that Gurjin recognized instantly.

Whatever it was, it was driving Rian to leave without much of a warning. Gurjin watched him with a troubled expression. Once Rian vanished out of the tavern door, he took that as a sign to move. As carefully and quietly as he could, he pushed himself to a stand. His sister and friends paid no mind to him, giving a little nod as he bid them goodnight with a low mutter. Gurjin grabbed his cloak off the chair, then after he tossed it over his shoulder, strode out the door.

The air was chilled and bit at Gurjin’s ears the moment he stepped out of the warm tavern. At this hour, Stone-in-the-Wood was silent. Lights in various homes were extinguished, but the glow of the Blue moon gave just enough to see where he was going. Gurjin turned his head, looking towards various roads and homes for his friend. It didn’t take very long, as the Sister’s light caught the shimmer in Rian’s hair as he walked between the shadows of tree canopies. Gurjin’s feet crunched on fallen leaves and twigs as he walked through the square, keeping a quick pace as to not lose his friend in the darkness. 

He kept a careful ear out, wanting to make sure they were far enough away to speak without being overheard by their friends, then spoke up. “Rian?” Gurjin’s voice broke through the silence like a hot knife. He matched Rian’s pace and started to walk alongside him. “You mind?”

Rian didn’t respond, which was slightly worrying. Gurjin didn’t let his concerns show, and merely cleared his throat before continuing. “You know, I think Stone-in-the-Wood is the only place besides the Great Smerth I like.” His amber eyes flickered to watch Rian for a reaction. He looked around the forest that surrounded them and took a refreshing breath of air. “I’d prefer a bit more moisture, but the dryness is kind of nice. It’s better than the Crystal Desert at least. I was shriveling up back there. Don’t know how the Dousan put up with it.”

“Do you like it more than the Castle?” Rian hadn’t responded for a while, which made Gurjin tense up in mild surprise at the sound of his voice. When he looked, Rian’s eyes hadn’t left the ground. His pace was heavy and slow, and he didn’t add anything else.

Gurjin slowly turned away, thinking over his answer. “...Yeah, I do,” he said finally. “I like the rain here. The Castle’s was always… cold. Harsh. This is softer and warm. It smells nice, too. Like home.” Although if Gurjin was honest with himself, Rian sort of smelled like home, too.

Rian only nodded, but his expression fell. “Don’t you want to go back?” he asked quietly.

“Home?” Gurjin guessed, softening when Rian nodded. “Why would I? You need me here.” There was the challenge of his sister’s future as the Drenchen maudra, but they would face that problem when it presented itself. “If Naia has to go, then we’ll figure it out. You can’t get rid of me that easily, Rian.” Gurjin brought a more teasing tone to his voice and gave Rian a little nudge. It jostled the Stonewood gelfling and Gurjin saw a small smile grace Rian’s features. His heart swelled with pride, glad that he was able to get a reaction out of his best friend. Soon the moment passed, however, and Rian’s fading joy brought on Gurjin’s worry once more. “Are you alright?” he prodded, voice gentle.

Rian didn’t look up for a long time, still holding that same tense, frustrated posture as they walked. The village was drowned in silence, letting Rian’s quiet breathing be heard over the soft gusts of chilled air. He moved to speak, hesitated, then sighed. “…No. I’m not,” he said finally. The words came out of him like he was trying to swallow something.

Gurjin let out a soft hum and rested a hand on his belt, staring at the ground as they walked. He expected that answer, but it didn’t help to know that he had been right to worry. After a brief pause, Gurjin lifted his gaze to observe Rian once more. “The wine was that bad, huh?” Gurjin kept his tone light, hoping that a bit of humor would help Rian relax. It often did.

“I’m not talking about the wine, Gurjin,” Rian snapped. The humor hadn’t helped- in fact, Rian seemed to tighten his posture even more. Rian brought a hand to his skull and dragged it down his face, letting out a hot exhale as he did so. “What… what are we doing here?”

The question confused him. Gurjin’s eyes narrowed while his ears folded back in silent contemplation. “...Well, I thought we were talking,” he replied slowly, drawing out his words. Rian was on edge, that much was obvious. The source, on the other hand, was unclear. Gurjin looked around them, eyes settling on the Crucible in the distance. A thought came to him and he turned back to Rian. “Do you mean this? The resistance?”

Rian scowled. “No, I mean this! The drinks, the singing, everything,” he hotly clarified. He turned to face Gurjin, who froze as they made eye contact. Deep blue eyes were darkened by shadows and filled with a raw, untapped anger Gurjin had never seen before. The sight of his best friend in this state was alarming, and he couldn’t hide the way his ears fell back in shock. “How can we just… sit here, doing nothing, while those monsters are in the Castle, drinking our own?!” Rian let out an enraged growl from his throat, unable to finish through words.

Gurjin took a breath. He didn’t know what was causing this, but he was going to find out. “Taking a night to breathe isn’t doing nothing, Rian,” he began. His words were chosen delicately- more than any other conversation he had before now. “If we fought every moment of every day, we’d all work ourselves to death.” Gurjin pressed in closer, shortening the distance between them by a single step. “We can’t fight every day- fighting won’t do us a lot of good if we don’t have the energy to stand,” he finished.

“But- every moment we don’t fight is another moment where they take more lives or destroy our home,” Rian argued, taking in Gurjin’s words but too stubborn to agree. “Or leave our loved ones without being avenged.”

“They’ll get justice.” Gurjin broke in his gentle tone to sound more firm as he uttered that promise aloud. “Just not tonight. Maybe not tomorrow, or the next unum, or the next trine- but one day.” If it was viable to march there and take back Thra, Gurjin would do it in a heartbeat. Now? Now things had changed. He had seen the weight of this fight with his own eyes and somehow lived to tell the tale. Time was their ally, and this fight wouldn’t be won by gelfling-kind if they took it for granted. Rian was looking down at the ground, frowning to himself. Gurjin took a breath. “Come on, let’s get you home.” He reached out one hand and laid it on Rian’s shoulder.

Rian shrugged Gurjin’s hand off. He backed away many steps, then stopped. “While the Skeksis keep taking away our home?” He scoffed. “No. I’m not wasting more time.”

Gurjin narrowed his eyes. “Resting isn’t a waste of time, Rian. You had a lot to drink, and you need to sleep it off.” He exhaled, then took another step forward as he aimed to take Rian’s arm. “C’mere, we’ll go together.”

“No, Gurjin,” Rian snapped. His tone was enough to make Gurjin stop, and he took another shallow breath. “I’m not doing this. Those monsters need to be stopped now.” This anger was new, and Gurjin wasn’t sure how to respond at first. Rian let out a bitter laugh, every moment of silence seeming to make things worse. Eventually, he turned away and looked in the direction of the Castle, jaw set. “I need to get to the castle and finish this,” Rian muttered.

The concept was so unexpected and ridiculous that Gurjin’s initial reaction was to huff a laugh. “Please,” he said, disbelieving. “You know you can’t go alone, Rian.”

“They wouldn’t expect one gelfling,” he continued. It was as if Rian was ignoring him. “I could take them. Maybe the Emperor, at least.”

It started to sound like Rian was taking this seriously and that was beginning to make Gurjin lose a fraction of his calm. “Rian, listen to yourself- you sound absolutely mad.” Gurjin took another three steps forward and stared him down. “This is a bad idea and you know it. Let’s just go home.”

Rian shrugged away his attempt to make contact. “I’m not going home, Gurjin!” Rian’s voice carried an edge of anger now, making Gurjin’s ears fall back completely. “You can sit back and do nothing all you want, but I’m not letting them stand one more day. I need to finish this, with or without you.” He glared up at Gurjin, then turned away to walk past him.

Gurjin reached out quickly, catching Rian by the sleeve of his tunic. “You’re not going anywhere,” he warned in a firm voice. Rian was drunk and dangerously impulsive, and Gurjin couldn’t live with himself if he let something happen to him.

The grip didn’t last long, because Rian nearly threw out his shoulder from how violently he shook Gurjin off. “Try and stop me,” he challenged in a low voice. Rian stepped to the side and tried to move past his Drenchen friend. Gurjin was quick to mirror Rian’s movements, blocking his progress. When Rian tried the other direction, the same thing happened again. The moves to block his path made Rian let out a frustrated groan. He scowled. “Gurjin, get out of my way.”

Gurjin didn’t like fighting people he cared about. He avoided it whenever possible or he tried to pacify the conflict immediately if it couldn’t be helped. Banter and disagreements were one thing- but full fights? There was practically nothing that brought him more turmoil. That was what made the next word to come out of his mouth so difficult to say. “...No.”

The refusal made Rian’s shoulders bristle. His eyes narrowed and he clenched his fists. “I said get out of my way,” he repeated. There was a warning in his voice. It made Gurjin’s stomach twist and his chest ache. Rian had backed him into a corner, and he knew there was no way to end this peacefully.

Gurjin closed his eyes and took a slow breath. “No.” He adjusted his stance slightly, feet planted firmly on the dry soil. Fighting was the last thing he wanted to do, especially with Rian, but he didn’t have a choice at this point. He was the only thing standing between Rian and an impulsive choice that could very well end his life. “You’re not taking one step out of this village until I know you’ve stopped acting like a complete sog-eater.”

Rian huffed. “Watch me,” he challenged back.

The rebuttal was harsh, but Gurjin knew Rian didn’t mean anything towards him. Drinks had never made his Stonewood very wise. Rian was running on pure untapped emotion with no logic barrier for his impulses. It was dangerous and needed protecting, even if it was external. Gurjin let out a long sigh of sad acceptance, shutting his eyes. After taking a moment to roll his shoulders back, he opened his eyes just enough to stare Rian down through narrow slits. “Fine,” he spat in a low voice. “Try.” 

Rian watched Gurjin for a moment, eyes narrowed. He didn’t move, seeming to gauge for any reaction. Then, quickly and without warning, he rushed forward. Rian ducked his head down as Gurjin raised one hand, trying to slip past. His initial movement was clumsy and let Gurjin hook an arm around his torso, but before he could lock his arm, Rian wormed his way back out. Gurjin’s eyes followed him as he ducked under his arm, then spun on his heel and kicked up leaves as he did. His arm caught a fistful of Rian’s cloak and managed to anchor him from behind.

Rian growled and spun back to look at Gurjin, hand flying to swat him away. The move was expected, however, and Gurjin caught Rian’s hand firmly by the wrist. He yanked Rian forward and grabbed the other arm as soon as it came within range. Using his height and weight advantage, Gurjin raised Rian’s arms above his head and held onto them like a vice. Rian squirmed and tried to pull his arms free, but Gurjin only tightened his grip. “Let go of me,” he growled, furious.

“No!” Gurjin shot back with that same level of intensity. He let Rian struggle, refusing to ease up on him. “Why are you doing this? You’re smarter than this, Rian. I know you are!” Even if it seemed unlikely, Gurjin wasn’t going to give up on talking this out.

“You don’t know anything!”

Gurjin scoffed, pulling his arms back to force Rian closer. Rian’s boots scraped across the ground as he tried to tear himself out of Gurjin’s hold, heels digging into the soil. Their faces were close now and Gurjin took full advantage of that, so Rian couldn’t look away from him. “You’re my best friend- how many trine were we in the same bunk room? How many patrols did we walk together? How many nights of drinking and talking until we couldn’t speak?” He leaned in a bit closer and squeezed with his hands. “I know you better than anyone here, Rian.”

His words and actions enraged Rian. “Shut up! J-Just shut up,” he yelled out. In a sudden move, he swung his head forward to connect with Gurjin’s skull. The move was clumsy and he missed, but the light touch was enough to make Gurjin let go out of surprise alone. Rian yanked his arms free the moment he could and spun on his heel to run away. 

The sight of Rian trying to leave made Gurjin’s heart jump in his chest. The Drenchen scrambled forward, grabbing Rian’s shoulder. He was shrugged off in an instant, but Gurjin hadn’t been aiming for his arm. He bent his knee and brought his left leg in, hooked around Rian’s ankle and pinning it against his body. Rian stumbled back and Gurjin took that opportunity to reach across his front, holding his friend’s right arm against his chest and squeezing tight.

“Tell me why,” Gurjin demanded coldly. Rian squirmed and fought against him, even trying to pry Gurjin’s hand off with his free arm. In response, Gurjin merely grabbed Rian’s other hand and held it away from them, trapping all but one of his limbs in place. “You’re going mad!”

“Let me go!” Rian’s voice had an edge of desperation now.

Gurjin narrowed his eyes, now determined after hearing a hint of something other than impulsiveness. “Not until you tell me why you want to run off on a suicide mission,” he warned. He wasn’t going to stop until Rian ran out of energy or told him what was going on. It was harsh but necessary.

Rian grit his teeth and tried to wrestle Gurjin away from him. “Get off me!” Rian shook violently, leaning back. Gurjin felt his balance begin to fail and quickly decided his next move. As carefully as he could manage to avoid hurting Rian, he pulled them to the ground. Rian scrambled to get up and dash away, but Gurjin was still holding on to him. He fell on his side, grunting as he forced Rian onto the forest floor. He flipped Rian onto his back and pinned his arms above his head. When Rian tried to kick at him, Gurjin used his weight to pin Rian down by the torso, straddling his legs.

“Why?” Gurjin’s voice had reached its peak, frustrated and worried all at the same time. “Tell me why!” 

Rian continued to writhe and squirm, but it was clear that he was losing his rage by the second. “They deserve it,” he argued, voice cracking from anger and desperation. “They can’t just keep living!”

Gurjin only narrowed his eyes and leaned closer. “How does that justify you throwing your life around like a bola?” he challenged, voice low.

“I don’t have a choice!”

Rian’s rebuttal only made Gurjin’s jaw clench. “Yes, you do!” 

“No, I don’t!” Rian tried to get up again, fighting against Gurjin’s arms. 

Gurjin pushed down harder in response. He wasn’t budging until his best friend talked to him. “Why not?”

“Because if I don’t, living will have been for nothing!” Rian’s face changed as he yelled like he was shedding skin. In an instant, his rage vanished and was replaced with an emotion Gurjin only seldom saw. Rian’s eyes were wide and glared up at him with a raw, unmasked emotion that he could no longer hide. It was a look Gurjin had only seen one other time. During their time at the Castle, back when all of this started- when he learned the truth about Mira. The look on Rian’s face had burned into his mind then, and the sight of seeing that pain appear once more was enough to rock him to his core.

Gurjin’s hold on Rian loosened and he went still. Rian grit his teeth, expression pained and torn, and weakly kicked his best friend off him. He got up, but couldn’t move an inch before Gurjin’s hand grappled for his. It wasn’t the wrist this time- Gurjin’s fingers wrapped around Rian’s and squeezed. It was firm, but there was a softness behind it now. Rian took a slow intake of breath but didn’t push Gurjin away.

Slowly, Gurjin got to his feet and stood beside Rian. Their hands remained intertwined as they both took deep breaths. Gurjin’s chest heaved while Rian’s shoulders were shaking. The fight had taken out all of their energy to argue- all that was left was exhaustion and emotions neither of them could hide. “What are you talking about?” Gurjin’s voice lacked all anger- only tiredness and concern remained.

Rian wasn’t much different, and he swallowed. He turned slightly, facing Gurjin a little bit more so they could meet each other’s gaze. “...If I don’t do this, then my survival means nothing,” he croaked, eyes returning to the ground.

Gurjin wasn’t entirely sure of what Rian was getting at, but he could make a guess. This wasn’t anything like what he had expected- vengeance was one thing, but guilt? Gurjin hadn’t thought of that as a reason for Rian’s torment at all. He almost felt foolish for not seeing it sooner. “Your survival?”

Rian grit his teeth and pulled his hand away, but didn’t run. “Their deaths. My survival,” he clarified, gesturing to himself as he spoke in pained, borderline tearful words. “Everything, Gurjin! Mira, my father, and now-” Rian choked on his words. “-now Deet. If I don’t make things right by them, then how can I stand to keep on living? When they were taken away by the same things that I couldn’t kill and were left alive?”

Everything became clear in an instant. Gurjin’s eyes widened and his ears fell in dawning realization. “...Is that what this is about?” he uttered quietly. Rian didn’t respond and looked back at the leaves beneath his feet. Gurjin watched him, eyes unwavering, then slowly made his way over to him. The leaves crunched under his almost-bare feet as he stopped in front of Rian. Gurjin lifted one hand and tilted his head to get a better look at his best friend. “Rian, look at me… please.” The soft pleading of Gurjin’s voice was heard and, after long moments of silence, was listened to. Rian raised his head to meet his gaze, blue eyes glossy from tears that were threatening to fall. “Is that what this is all about? Revenge?”

Rian unclenched his jaw and shook his head. “No, justice,” he weakly corrected. He looked down and began to pace back and forth, crushing leaves under his heels. Gurjin watched him in silence, respecting his space to let him vent. “I can’t make things right by my father, Mira, or Deet. The Emperor drank her- so did the Chamberlain.” Rian reached up and gripped the side of his face with watering eyes. “The Scientist drained her, the General gave her up to be a test subject.” He paused for a moment, then hardened. “Then they did that to Deet. They poisoned her, and now she’s gone. All because I didn’t-”

“-because you didn’t kill every single one of them yourself,” Gurjin interrupted, finishing Rian’s thought for him. He watched Rian raise his head, making tearful eye contact with him, then sighed. “Rian, I’m sorry, but that’s not how the world works.” He paused for a moment, then continued. “It doesn’t matter how hard you try, you won’t kill every single one of them. It’s not possible, and you’ll die trying.” The words were harsh- more than Gurjin wished they had to be. Already feeling guilty for hitting his friend with such a cold splash of reality, he closed the gap between them. “I’m sorry, but you can’t,” he finished, voice soft and regretful.

Rian shuddered a breath as Gurjin’s words sunk in, shoulders falling. “Then what do I do?” he whimpered. “Live the rest of my life on borrowed time? Spend the rest of my days knowing that I left everyone I cared about unavenged?” He threw his arms out to the side, then let them fall slack against his legs in disappointment. “Live with the fact that I couldn’t bring my father honor, and lost the only fight that could have given it to him?” Rian finished with a slight shake of his head, eyes glassy.

“We didn’t lose,” Gurjin reminded, furrowing his brow.

“I lost!” Rian raised his voice. Gurjin went still and watched him slowly relax. Rian swallowed and took a deep breath as he tried to grapple his emotions once more. “I lost and I would’ve joined him if the Archer hadn’t sacrificed himself.” His attempts to remain calm failed, and Rian grit his teeth in resentment. “I don’t deserve to be here after how much I’ve failed him. SkekMal should’ve finished me.”

That was a statement Gurjin wasn’t going to let live for even one breath. He crossed the gap between them in an instant and grabbed Rian by the shoulders. Fingers dug into his skin, and Gurjin leaned in with narrowed but terrified eyes. “Don’t you dare even think about that, Rian.” It wasn’t a request, and he squeezed Rian’s shoulders as he spoke. The concept was enough to make him want to retch. Gurjin didn’t care how rough his rebuttal was- he was not going to let Rian even humor the thought.

Rian’s gaze tightened. “Then what do you want me to do, Gurjin?” He didn’t fight to get out of Gurjin’s hold quite yet but still avoided his eyes. “If I can’t deliver justice, then what am I supposed to live for?”

“You live for yourself,” Gurjin answered back, not hesitating in his response. “If not for you, then for your father. For Mira, and Deet.” Rian started to move away, but Gurjin grabbed his shoulder to keep his attention hooked. “-And if you won’t live for them, then you live for me,” he finished. 

Rian seemed confused at Gurjin’s words, expression changing. “...I’m not-” he began in an unsure voice, but Gurjin cut him off.

“Live for me,” he pressed, fingers squeezing his shoulders. “Live because I almost lost you once, and I’m not finishing this fight without you.” The two had always been close, but now everything had changed. They weren’t guards anymore and most- if not all- of their comrades were gone. Rian was all Gurjin had from that life, and he wasn’t about to let him slip away. Not now.

“...What do you mean you almost lost me?” Rian was looking at Gurjin intently now. His expression had fallen from inner turmoil to genuine confusion- and perhaps a little bit of concern. The drinks kept his brain fuzzy, but his emotions were much more grounded. “Back at the castle?”

The fight had taken a wild turn into a territory Gurjin wasn’t prepared to cross. He swore under his breath, cursing his failure to hide his secrets. Rian was unknowingly poking a nest that brought so much torment and pain to Gurjin every night. It had been there since the Second Battle of Stone-in-the-Wood and seemed to only get worse every day since. It was a pain he tried to drown out with drinks and nights like this. Now, though, Rian was pushing him into a corner where he couldn’t hide from it.

Gurjin closed his eyes, as if not seeing Rian would make his obligation to answer the question disappear. The world didn’t work that way, but he could dream. Eventually, the silence had become too thick, and Gurjin swallowed as he choked out some words before Rian had a chance to ask again. “No.” His voice was grasping for a semblance of toughness that wasn’t there, making it more of a whimper than a gruff reply. Rian only watched him, looking more confused by that answer than none. “I’m talking… I’m talking about the battle.” His voice cracked. Yesmit.

Rian frowned. “...But you weren’t there,” he replied, still confused.

The words weren’t intended to hurt, but it stung like a kick to the gut. Gurjin let out a bitter scoff then peeled away from Rian. “Exactly. I wasn’t there.” He turned away, not wanting to face Rian and buried his face into his hands, sighing. “I was taking my time getting over here with the rest of my clan while you were getting killed,” he ranted, glaring at nothing.

Both of Rian’s ears fell back, visually showing his surprise. “Many of us lived, Gurjin,” he offered as if Gurjin had forgotten. “You showed up and saved the rest of us from-”

Gurjin groaned and spun around to look at Rian. “I’m not talking about the Thra-forsaken rebellion! I’m talking about you!” Anxiety about confronting his fears came through in his words, making them carry through the trees. Rian’s eyes went wide, the Sister’s light hazing off his blue irises. Gurjin regretted raising his voice moments after and had to take another breath to settle his nerves (it didn’t help). “...Do you remember what we did after the fight? When we were all together and you came back from the Dark Wood?”

That was very specific, and Rian’s memory not being at its best wasn’t helping. Thankfully, that day was the source of his strife, so he remembered quite a lot of it. He hummed and tried to think, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Well, we returned the fallen to Thra.” Rian swallowed. “Then… we went to treat anyone who was injured.” Gurjin didn’t seem to like any of those answers, so Rian swallowed nervously and tried to push himself further. “Uh… we… dreamfasted? To show the other clans and maudra’s what had happened?”

Rian guessed right, but Gurjin didn’t seem relieved. Instead, he scoffed and looked back down at the ground. “Yeah, exactly. Dreamfasted.” Gurjin kicked at some fallen leaves, fists clenched at his sides.

“Is… there a problem with that?” Rian’s voice was hesitant- now it was his turn to be worried.

Gurjin huffed. “Yeah, Rian. There’s a big, massive problem with that,” Gurjin’s head bounced sarcastically as he spoke, then slowly turned back to face Rian. “Because when Kylan came to me so we could see what happened, all I saw was the Hunter trying to crush you with his bare hands!” He gestured in the direction of the Maudra’s throne room- which included the steps Rian had been thrown into like a toy.

Oh. Oh. Rian’s eyes lowered as Gurjin’s words sunk in. Somehow, he had never even thought about what that could have looked like. Especially to his best friend. Even with the drinks messing with his head, Rian felt with his heart all the same. He felt… guilty. Not for losing the fight, but for making Gurjin worry.

Gurjin didn’t care that Rian hadn’t responded to his words. The ground was a lot more interesting to look at anyway. “He nearly murdered you.” His words were soft, more than they had ever been the whole night. “The only reason you’re still here is because of the Archer. Otherwise, I would have gotten there and seen your-” Gurjin had to cut himself off. He couldn’t say the word ‘corpse’ aloud- it would just make him tear up, and he did not want to cry right now. “You’re my best friend, but I wasn’t there for you- and if it hadn’t been for the Archer, that would have been the end of you.” He was never going to get over that.

The two stood in complete silence for a long, long time. Eventually, Rian found his voice. “...Gurjin... I didn’t… I didn’t know you felt that way.” Rian’s boots crunched on the leaves as he slowly approached his Drenchen friend.

Gurjin chuckled, bitter. “Yeah,” he croaked. “That’s because I didn’t want you to.” 

That didn’t make Rian feel any better. “I’m sorry,” was all he could say. At the beginning of the night, Rian was so sure that nobody would understand how he felt. He had been wrong, though- Gurjin understood- perhaps more than anyone else. He felt like a fool for hiding it (or trying to). Rian looked at Gurjin and frowned. “I don’t blame you for anything that happened- that’s not your fault.”

Gurjin softened. “I know you don’t,” he muttered. After another deft pause, he turned back to meet Rian’s gaze. “I can’t lose you like this. Not for revenge. Not for anything. We started this whole thing together, and…” He swallowed, ears falling. “...my nightmare is that I have to end it without you.”

Hearing Gurjin admit that out loud was staggering. They had always been close, but it was different hearing an honest answer leaning one way or the other. It added yet another layer of depth to their friendship. Rian felt his heart stir for the first time since Deet had been lost. It was the same feeling he always had around Gurjin, but different. It was stronger, warmer, and even comforting. Like the softest blanket, it fell over his fragile soul and wrapped around like a piece of armor. 

Why had he been ready to give up when there was still someone here who needed him? Rian’s shoulders rose as his eyes grew firm- kind, but sure of himself. “You won’t have to,” Rian answered. His hand moved from his side, drifting forward until it found Gurjin’s. Their fingers intertwined and Rian squeezed until he felt Gurjin return it. “...I’ll stay.” It was a promise.

Rian’s touch was just as comforting as his words. It was all he needed to know that their fight had ended, and that brought Gurjin an immense amount of relief. He let out a deep exhale, feeling the weight of the nightfall off his shoulders. The shadows looming over him that was gifted by the Second Battle remained. Gurjin had a suspicion it wouldn’t fully leave him for a long, long time. For tonight, however, he felt good enough to rest- which was exactly what he needed. 

“Come on. Let’s go home.” Gurjin began to walk, and his heart finally settled in his chest when he saw Rian match his pace to stroll beside him.

The walk to Rian’s home was mute, but words weren’t necessary. The two were exhausted beyond speech, and there was nothing else that needed to be said. Their hands didn’t part once for the entire journey, fingers tightly wrapped around one another. Once in a while, they would exchange a small squeeze, but the walk was made without any words. Soon enough the familiar home came into view. Gurjin hesitated inside the front door, but Rian was quick to draw him fully inside. It was a silent invitation to stay that he readily accepted.

Rian’s bed had more than enough room and the two were too exhausted to blush. Outermost layers were shed quickly and without words. Rian’s attempt to lean against a wall and take off his boots went poorly, but Gurjin didn’t mind helping. As soon as that was finished, Gurjin all but collapsed onto his back. The window that hung over the bed cast the edge of the cushions in a pale blue glow. Rian sat down and carefully laid down beside Gurjin. The bright light of the moon made him wince. Gurjin noticed and rolled onto his side, pulling Rian deeper into the shadows (and to him as a result).

Soon the sounds of Stone-in-the-Wood filled the silence, accompanied by the gentle breathing between them. Rian closed his eyes while trying to find solace, but couldn’t. Gurjin’s plead for Rian to live for his sake was etched into his memory. It was a promise he was willing to make, but it had brought something to his attention. There was no doubt that Gurjin cared for him, but was the Drenchen aware that their bond went both ways? Rian wasn’t sure, and he didn’t want to go to sleep without being certain.

“...Gurjin?” Rian opened his eyes, looking ahead to gaze at his best friend.

Gurjin was already comfortable, hair messily strewn about a cushion with an expression that made Rian question if he was still awake. He didn’t open his eyes, but there was a slight nod of his head to break the illusion. “Hm?” Gurjin hummed deep from within his throat.

Rian swallowed, eyes wavering as he tried to figure out what he wanted to say. “...I’ll live for you,” he began in a hushed voice. Gurjin’s brow raised an inch but otherwise remained stoic. “As long as you live for me.”

There was quiet for a moment, but Rian could see the shift on Gurjin’s features in the darkness. His lips parted slightly and his brow furrowed just enough to show a softened expression. There was a glimmer of amber as Gurjin cracked open his eyes, blinking before gently regarding him. For a moment, Rian was worried that he had crossed a line, but then he saw the corner of Gurjin’s mouth lift upward. He grunted, adjusting his position to move his left arm, then offered it towards Rian with an open palm.

“One last oath?” Gurjin proposed with a tired smirk. Neither of them had the rank of guard anymore, but that wasn’t going to stop them from making promises to each other.

Rian relaxed, then huffed a laugh. He moved just enough to bring up his own hand, taking Gurjin’s. “One last oath,” he agreed. 

Gurjin leaned in and Rian matched him, touching their foreheads together in a tender show of solidarity. After one last hand squeeze, they let go, finally ready to sleep. Their positions didn’t change much, which left their faces very close. Neither were awake to care, although they wouldn’t have even if they were awake. They didn’t wish each other goodnight, but they didn’t have to say it. They already knew- just as they knew their lives were destined to be intertwined.

Chapter Text

Gurjin didn’t get scared easily.

Anyone who worked with the Drenchen during the time at the Castle, or anytime before and after, knew this. That didn’t mean he was immune to fear- quite the opposite. It was a matter of outward appearances. If Gurjin was frightened, he never showed it. At least, not on purpose. He wasn’t as brave as his friends could be, and even Gurjin himself believed that. Despite all of those factors, Gurjin’s care outweighed any fear. There was a fire burning inside him- one that only came out when what he cared most about was threatened. It made him a respected fighter in the Resistance, and an even more loyal friend.

This all came together on the day Rian’s time on Thra very nearly ended.

They had been traveling through the Dark Wood towards the Spriton Plains. The resistance was traveling in clusters, and their social circle had developed a tendency to gravitate to each other. Kylan, Naia, Brea, Rian, and Gurjin were traveling in a small pack, with just a few others with them. Naia, having traversed the Dark Wood before, was leading while Gurjin was keeping watch near the back. Kylan and Brea were practically glued at the hip, quietly observing and chattering about every little creature or unfamiliar plant to the Vapran princess. Every other gelfling in their group was spread far and wide. Meanwhile, Rian had found his rightful spot on Gurjin’s left, shoulders occasionally bumping together.

It was their preferred method of travel- not unlike how they had been forced to bond back during their time as Castle Guards. It was a pattern they liked. So much had changed while nothing had at the same time. Their everyday lives were so different now. Yet what they had never seemed to lose that sense of life- that comfort and content hadn’t faded. Perhaps it had been their talk (it was a fight) during the Second Battle’s celebration that brought those feelings to the forefront. Maybe it was something else.

Whatever it was, they didn’t particularly care to know. All that mattered was that their bond had never been stronger, and it only seemed to grow with every passing day.

Gurjin exhaled as he hiked onward. It had rained the other night, so the soil was wet and malleable under his toes. It was cool and pleasant to walk upon. Although a glance over told him that Rian was less than pleased. Unlike the Drenchen, who merely protected their feet in strong wrappings, Rian’s boots were not taking kindly to the muddy earth. It wasn’t enough to stick to his heels, but the lesser sturdiness of the earth left Rian stumbling when he placed too much weight on one leg.

One particular misstep caused the earth to slide under his boot. Rian’s quiet gasp of brief panic faded, but Gurjin caught it all the same. He chuckled under his breath, huffing through his nose. Rian’s ears fell back as he glanced up at Gurjin, knowing that sound too well. “Find this funny, do you?” he challenged in a voice that was edged with defensiveness- an instinctual response to whenever he felt embarrassed. 

Gurjin merely shrugged with a smirk. “Only because you make it that way,” he responded. Rian made a face, causing him to huff with laughter. “You know, you can just take off your boots. It’d be easier.”

Rian narrowed his eyes, ears straightening back. “Oh sure. If I wanted to get thorns in them,” he retorted. It was a weak argument, as they were nowhere near anything that had thorns. Rian was merely avoiding a way to admit defeat. “It’s just easy for you because you never wear them. You could break a blade with that foot.”

Gurjin chuckled. “It’s true, I’m a fortress,” he teased back, taking the indirect compliment. He flexed his arm as they walked.

The way Rian’s nose scrunched nearly made Gurjin laugh again. “A fortress of arrogance, maybe,” he shot back, already regretting the fuel he gave to the fire that was Gurjin’s ego.

“Arrogance?” Gurjin laid a hand over his heart, barely giving an effort to his feigned hurt. “Oh, such cutting words. Have mercy, Rian. I beg of you.”

Rian rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue, sighing. “Thank you, Gurjin, for proving my point.”

“You’re welcome,” Gurjin responded, keeping a chipper tone in his voice just to push Rian’s buttons more. 

The two continued walking through the woods. The tree branches hung lower and a small clearing was not far off in the distance. Rian’s pace was slowed by carefully stepping over roots and the softer earth, whilst Gurjin had to duck and weave due to his taller stature. A low-hanging branch came by and Gurjin instinctively plucked the base with his right arm. He lifted it high enough for Rian to walk under without issue before letting go. Rian hummed a small thanks to him, and they continued onward.

“What’s your plan for when we arrive in Sami Thicket?” Rian asked, curious.

Gurjin groaned as he plagued his head to remember, pushing his hair back and out of his face. The woods weren’t warm today, but Gurjin still preferred the coolness of the Smerth, so everywhere was hotter in comparison. “Well, we’re out of a proper smith table there,” he remarked idly as he pulled his hair into a loose bun. “So I’ll either have to throw something together to try to stay ahead, or watch them train.” Once his heavy head of locs was out of the way, Gurjin looked to Rian. “You?”

Rian hummed. “Meetings,” he said simply, not needing to provide more details before Gurjin sighed.

“When are they going to give you a break from all that sog?” Gurjin complained aloud. Rian’s eyes went wide and snapped towards him with flattened ears. The language was likely what he disapproved of, but Gurjin didn’t care. “You go through enough already. Someone else can take up that Thra-forsaken mantle so you don’t spread yourself thinner than the surface of a pond.”

Rian softened, figuring out the source of Gurjin’s worries and smiled. “I can handle it,” he assured.

Gurjin wasn’t convinced. “You’d handle it better if they let you sleep for once,” he muttered under his breath. Rian may have been the original leader for the resistance, but that didn’t mean he still had to uphold that title. Gelflings like Seladon, his mother, and the maudras could pick up the slack. There were plenty of people who could do the things Rian did every day, and it bothered Gurjin to no end that nobody was. He had been through enough- he had done enough.

“These can’t wait,” Rian argued gently. “-but here. If you’re so worried…” He took another step then made eye contact with Gurjin. “I’ll make time to sleep. As long as you finally get on that sword you promised me.”

Gurjin huffed and laid his hands on his hips, pausing as the group approached a break in the trees. “Oh, really now?” he challenged back, brow raised. Rian merely nodded, smugness overtaking his expression. The sword was something Gurjin had promised him many unums ago. It was just difficult to do- he was still in the design phase. However, if that meant Rian would take a break when it was offered… he’d make do. “...Fine,” Gurjin relented with a sigh. “I’ll get on it.”

Rian showed teeth as he smiled, looking all too smug with his victory. “It’s an oath then,” he said, hiking ahead with a skip in his step. It was both annoying and endearing to watch. Although Gurjin preferred seeing Rian’s smile over any other expression- he had quite a nice one.

“Oh, no you don’t. We’re done with oaths,” Gurjin shot back, tilting his head, amused, as he followed. Rian did a little shrug that conveyed that he knew but still didn’t care. Their final promise was after their last big fight, and Gurjin was fairly stubborn with not making any more. “Don’t pull that trick with me, Rian.”

“Well, how else am I going to get it from you?” Rian retorted, turning back to face Gurjin with his arms playfully crossed.”You keep putting it off.”

“I don’t put it off,” Gurjin defended, rolling his eyes. “You’re just difficult to craft a weapon for.”

Rian bristled. “‘Difficult’? What is that supposed to mean?” he questioned. His tone suggested that he didn’t suspect harsh intentions, but hiked up his walls regardless of habit.

Gurjin exhaled as they wandered through a particularly dense patch of trees. The vines were hanging low and he had to dodge them as he walked. “It’s hard figuring out something that’ll suit you,” he said. Rian relaxed but still watched him with curious eyes. “There’s a lot to smithing, you know. I don’t just take a blade, shove a handle on it, then call it a day.” He ducked under a low branch. “It’s hard work, making swords.”

Rian’s nose wrinkled as he laughed. “I don’t doubt that,” he said. “You don’t have to explain the trials and tribulations of smithery to me.” Gurjin was skilled and Rian would argue with anyone who thought otherwise. Still, forging was a heavy part of Stonewood’s culture, so he was certain there were plenty of things he already knew. “I probably know it anyway. Since it’s my clan.”

Gurjin’s ears fell back and he made an indignant squawk. “I can’t count on my hands how many more things I know about this than you,” he objected. Rian seemed to chuckle more at his reaction, which just pushed Gurjin’s annoyance further. “You wouldn’t last a day in the forge.”

“Oh? Is that a challenge?” Rian countered. His ears rose at the slightest hint of a potential venture. He looked over his shoulder with a playful sneer. “Think I can’t handle it?”

“Not with those hands,” Gurjin said. He eyed Rian’s strong (but not strong enough) hands as they parted curtains of vines and branches. His lips curled up into a knowing smirk. That would strike a nerve, and Gurjin merely stood back to watch the fireworks.

Rian spluttered. “I- what?” He pulled his arms in to look at his palms. After staring at them for something only Gurjin seemed to observe, he sent a fierce glare his way. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Rian was so predictable with his reactions that it was honestly delightful. Gurjin only laughed as Rian stammered and struggled to come up with a sharper comeback. He was always so easily bothered. The way his ears and face tinted red at the slightest button-push or tease brought Gurjin immense pleasure. The only thing he could think of that made him happier was seeing Rian’s smile or hearing him laugh. Although Gurjin was partial to his adorable temper.

Gurjin grabbed a thicker branch and lifted it over his head before ducking under. “Nothing,” he replied, still teasing. “Nothing at a- yesmit!” He had been so caught up in talking that he hadn’t watched where he was holding on. The branch had been bearing thorns, catching on his sleeve and pricking his skin. 

Rian turned around at the sound of Gurjin’s curse. At the sight of him inspecting his dominant hand for any injury, he softened. “Gurjin? Is everything alright?” he asked worriedly.

There were no breaks in the skin and Gurjin relaxed. “I’m fine,” he reassured. “Just caught my arm on the… branch.” Gurjin had turned to look back at the branch but trailed off. The place where the darkened vine had been hanging was no occupied by nothing- as if it hadn’t existed in the first place. Gurjin narrowed his gaze, confusedly looking around. The Dark Wood was a mysterious place, but last he had checked, branches didn’t vanish. 

Something overhead creaked.

Gurjin tensed up while Rian watched him with concerned eyes. He was certain that his seemingly imaginary-injury was a cause for concern, but he ignored it. There was something near them, he could feel it. Gurjin’s ears moved backward, trying to make out what the sound was. It had just sounded like trees moving in the breeze, but there was no wind coming through. Whatever it was, it was something unnatural.

“Gurjin?” Rian asked, but he was quickly shushed. The two stood there quietly. Gurjin looked around, searching despite being unsure of what he was looking for. The group was continuing, but Naia had heard Gurjin’s shush. She paused at the front and glanced back towards them. Perhaps it was paranoia, or perhaps it was a sinking feeling in Gurjin’s gut. Whatever it was, it was giving him the keen sense that he was being watched.

There was another shudder of wood above him and Gurjin looked up. The tree canopies rustled with movement, but all he saw was vines. No, that wasn’t true- he could see something blue between the branches. The blue objects were small little fruits, about the size of his fist. They were perfectly round and seemed to be dripping with ripened pulp. He would have been tempted to inspect one if they hadn’t begun to lower towards him. The branches holding the fruit, camouflaged against the canopies, creaked as it lowered down.

Rian noticed them too, eyes widening. The fruits lowered just enough to hang at arm’s reach between Gurjin and himself. Sticky nectar fell off one of the fruits, dripping onto the forest floor. Gurjin’s ears were flat against his skull and he slowly moved his hand to his hilt. “Gurjin?”  The tremor in Rian’s voice made Gurjin’s stomach clench.

Naia noticed the fruits, as did Kylan, and the two both gasped. “Blue mouth!” she cried, startling everyone into action.

At the sound of her voice, Gurjin moved. He ducked under the vines and grabbed Rian by the arm, dragging him with. The treetops above their heads shook as the bough bearing the fruits crashed into the soil just where Gurjin had been standing. The two ran ahead and caught up with the group. Gurjin only turned back once he was with friends, grabbing his sword from his hilt and readying it. Naia bared her dagger while the others got their weapons out.

The tree branches they had so carefully walked around were smashed away as a lumbering and large shape broke through. The clearing they had found was now leaving them exposed, but it forced the blue mouth to be equally as vulnerable. Vines lurched out of the top of the plant, writhing and lashing towards them. Heavy roots, used as hulking feet, crushed the soil beneath it began to charge towards them. The fruits fell at their feet, exploding in a mess of blue nectar and fruity pulp.

“Fire! We need fire,” Kylan cried out. He backed up and scrambled into his pack while Brea helped him find nearby branches. 

Naia readied the dagger, gesturing to the others to do the same. “Don’t touch the vines!”

The blue mouth let out an ear-piercing shriek. The sound shook them to their core. Gurjin tightened his grip on the sword handle and dug his heels into the soil, ready to move at a moment’s notice. In his peripheral, he saw Rian brandishing his sword and fall into a mirrored position to his right. It broke into the clearing with a thunderous crash, then chaos broke loose.

Gelflings cried out, some in fear while others rallied. The blue mouth had many targets, but it still seemed to pick out a few. Vines shot towards him, but Gurjin was ready for it. He jumped back, swinging his blade to get the tendrils to recoil. One of the gelflings at his side wasn’t as lucky and was quickly grabbed by the vines. The blue mouth held them by the legs and pulled back. Gurjin was about to run over, but two others dashed to their aide, one cutting them free with a sword while the other defended them.

The blue mouth shrieked as the vines were cut, the sound ringing in their ears. It was sharp and piercing- unlike anything Gurjin had ever heard before. The heavy roots swung around blindly. One came far too close to crashing on top of him. Gurjin leaped to the ground, dodging it and rolling a few feet. The soil was breaking up from being disturbed as he recovered, head rising to observe the battle.

All around him, there were yells and cries of panic, fear, and anger. Gurjin pulled himself onto his back, looking up. His heart jolted as the blue mouth swept around just over his head, boughs flailing around as it tried to hit any of them. One branch, filled with fruits, began to crash towards him. Gurjin let out a startled grunt, rolling over onto his side. 

The branch slammed into the earth where he had previously laid. Dirt and the crushed fruit pulp hit his back, but Gurjin could live with that. Somewhere, he heard his name being called. There wasn’t time to dwell on it, however. He needed to move. Gurjin kicked himself to his feet, scrambling a safe distance before turning back, sword brandishing. His eyes searched the area. 

The gelflings were scattered but remained in groups. Naia was amongst them, but Gurjin wasn’t worried for her. Rian was running about, leading attacks and dodges. He had fallen into his given role out of pure instinct. His voice was commanding and filled with passion. Rian wasn’t fierce like his sister, but it was in moments like these where Gurjin could see exactly why Mother Aughra had called him ‘brave’. Rian was fearless- probably the bravest gelfling of them all.

Gurjin turned his attention away from the cluster to look at who remained. Kylan and Brea were off to the side, digging through packs and frantically trying to light a torch. The spark of flint could be seen from afar as Kylan was focused solely on creating the flame. He cursed the recent rainfall, struggling to get the slightly-dampened wood to catch. Brea was his eyes and looking around. Her face paled as she glanced behind Gurjin, and his stomach dropped. The blue mouth shrieked and Gurjin ran. The beast had seen the spark and Brea and Kylan were going into a panicked scramble.

There was a shiing of metal as Gurjin sheathed his sword, favoring the spear attached to his back instead. His pace matched the vines, skidding to a stop in front of the two, weapon ready.

“Gurjin!” Brea cried in shock. She flinched as the vines shot towards them.

Gurjin grabbed his spear with both hands, bracing against it and catching the vines with the shaft. He grunted as the blue mouth pushed him backward. His heels dug into the dirt and he grit his teeth. “Go!” he forced out, not daring to glance at them.

Kylan was already scrambling to get the materials for the torch, not bothering with the pack. Brea grabbed his arm, scrambling to her feet, wings prematurely out. “But you-”

“Go!” Gurjin yelled back. The vines began to pull and he strained his arms, digging deep and holding it firm. “Get to the trees!” He knew they were watching him- grateful and worried- but he couldn’t look back. Kylan bolted for a moment before Brea grabbed him by the arms and flew them both into the thicket. There they would have cover until the torch was lit. 

Gurjin’s focus never wavered, staring at the blue mouth down as he became a rock holding a chunk of its vines in place. He held onto the spear with all he had, knuckles paling from the effort. “Come on, you overgrown weed,” he snarled. The blue mouth’s strength outmatched his own, but Gurjin didn’t give up. More vines lashed out towards him. They wrapped around the blade of the spear and the remains of the handle. Some fell over his hands, trapping them in place.

The blue mouth pulled back and Gurjin nearly stumbled. His arm muscles strained as if he were trying to move a mountain. Dirt scraped under his heels as it began to drag him forward. Gurjin grit his teeth and struggled as he fought back. He wasn’t going down so easily. Even more vines came at him, this time gripping his forearms. The pull was growing near impossible to fight. Gurjin leaned back with everything he had. A labored cry escaped his throat when it felt like his arms were about to be wrenched out of their sockets.

Something flashed in his peripheral. Gurjin’s eyes shot to the right and he barely had time to lurch back as a sword came down between the vines and his spear. The vines dropped like loose blades of grass. Gurjin stumbled but caught himself with the spear handle. Amber eyes looked up and met fierce blue ones that were lined with gold.

Rian regained his stance, sword brandished as the freshly-cut vines fell at his feet. The blue mouth shrieked, its form creaking as it turned towards them. Gurjin yanked his spear out of the ground, regaining his composure. Rian’s head turned back, meeting his gaze from his peripheral. The expression on his face was focused, but Gurjin could see the familiar flame in Rian’s eyes. Even in the heat of a battle, their mutual instinct to keep the other safe was never far.

Another piercing screech came overhead as the blue mouth lurched towards them. The other gelflings that are fighting off the other vines were knocked over as it left them behind. It was focused solely on the two that were being the most troublesome. Gurjin tightened his grip on the spear while Rian readied his stance. This wasn’t going to be easy, but Gurjin had no choice but to be ready.

The boughs of the blue mouth crashed down towards them. Rian jumped left while Gurjin went right. The fruit was crushed and left on the grassy earth as it pulled back. Groans emitted from the bark-like skin as the branches moved to swing towards them both. Gurjin flipped the spear between his hands, holding the blade first, then struck down into the nearest crevice of the blue mouth’s arm. It sunk between the hard exterior and the sound that came from the plant was deafening. Gurjin winced but held tight, moving to turn the blade deeper. Whatever he had to do to keep its focus on him and not the others, he was willing to do.

Something hard struck him in his upper back. Gurjin let out an alarmed shout as he was slammed into the ground. The branches of the blue mouth’s second arm were pinning him on his stomach, nectar and sharp branches covering him from above. The pressure coming down on his ribcage nearly incapacitated him. He bit down hard to hold back a yell of pain.

“Gurjin!” 

There was a loud creak, then as soon as it arrived, the weight vanished. Gurjin gasped and rolled onto his side, looking in the direction of the voice as he recovered from nearly being crushed. Rian was holding Gurjin’s spear with both hands, his sword resting on the thrown-up soil as he twisted the weapon around- still embedded into the bark. His eyes were focused on where Gurjin lay, only softening when he saw that the Drenchen was alive. Soon his focus was stolen as he grit his teeth and yanked the spear back.

Some kind of blue liquid was trapped on the end of the spear as it was retrieved, and the blue mouth roared. The top of the plant curled down and Gurjin saw the six beady eyes watch Rian with fury. The toothy maw kept open with jagged, thornlike teeth let out a high pitched bellow.

Gurjin’s heart clenched. “Run Rian!” he yelled.

It took half a second for Rian to register Gurjin’s words, but then he listened. He turned on his heels and bolted, heading for the edge of the clearing. Gurjin grunted and pushed himself to his knees. If Rian reached the thicket, it would provide some cover while the rest of their group handled the creature. Part of him felt pride for Rian’s bravery- seeing him sink a spear into the blue mouth just to get it to let off him was likely going to be a selfless act of care Gurjin would tease him for later.

The pride was quickly replaced with horror when Rian tripped.

Fighting had torn the ground up beneath them, but with the rain still lingering in the soil, it had become difficult terrain. Rian’s boots, slick with mud underneath, failed to land properly as he took a step, slipping under his weight. He stumbled, then with a sharp yelp, fell onto his front. The spear dropped to the ground, useless. Rian’s fear became apparent as he scrambled to find purchase on the ground, getting his knees under him.

The time it had taken to recover wasn’t quick enough. The blue mouth was on him in an instant. Vines bound to Rian’s legs while the larger bough- the one that had been injured- crashed down. The fruit’s pulp and nectar sprayed over him, sticking to the branches and his clothes. A strangled shout escaped him as the branch lifted, taking Rian with it.

Gurjin’s heart was a frozen weight in his chest. He pushed himself to his feet, lurching for his sword. “Rian!” His voice was stricken with panic. Gurjin ran towards him, searching for a means get him down, but seeing none. “No- NO!”

Rian was thrashing. “Gurjin! Hel-” Any attempts to yell back were cut off when the vines settled around his ribcage. Rian winced but refused to stop wrestling within the branch’s hold. The blue mouth creaked as it turned back to face the sky, bringing the trapped gelfling with it. Rian could see down into the maw of the plant and let out a terrified yelp. Vines that were tightly wrapped all around his torso squeezed painfully as Rian struggled and cried out Gurjin’s name again.

All too quickly, he was let go. Rian kicked and tried to grab on to the branch before it dropped him, but only caught air between his fingers. For a brief moment, he was falling. Then, with one last terrified scream, Rian disappeared into the carnivorous plant.

Gurjin was known to have a decently-sized fuse when it came to anger. He wasn’t explosive or aggressive like others. There were a few sensitive things, but it took a very long time to set him off with anything besides that. One of them was threats towards friends or family. Gurjin’s heart- big and capacious- held loved ones very close. That left very little space for any kind of tolerance for danger.

None of that compared to Gurjin when he saw Rian vanish into the plant beast, and snapped. 

The anguished sound that tore its way out of his throat was guttural and drenched in animosity. Gurjin’s grip on his sword was fierce, turning his knuckles white. The blue mouth shuddered and turned back, focusing on the remaining gelflings. Naia and the others were horrified, some frozen while others were even more frightened. Gurjin barely acknowledged them, only seeing the blue mouth towering over him. The blue mouth that took Rian from him. 

“Give him BACK!” Gurjin’s fingers grappled Rian’s fallen sword as he ran past. Every word was dripping with rage and Gurjin could practically see red. The blue mouth turned at the sound of his voice. The others did too, and Naia’s face paled.

“Gurjin, no!” she cried out, chasing him.

He ignored her. Another branch crashed towards him and Gurjin didn’t waver until the last second. Bare feet leaped into the air, landing on firm ground as he caught himself. The plant’s head turned to face him and Gurjin glared hard into all six of its black, beady eyes. “Give. Him. Back,” he hissed through clenched teeth. Vines lurched towards him and Gurjin felt a handful wrap around his right shoulder. He growled and sliced down with his free hand, shrugging them off.

Brea and Kylan came crashing out of the clearing, bearing a torch. Just as they were about to run in, Naia threw out an arm to stop them. Gurjin heard her yell out the news of Rian’s fate, and his blood boiled. “Don’t burn it!” he screamed to them. They froze, shocked at the fury in his voice. Naia shook out of her frozen stupor and raced in, taking the creature’s distracted state to cut at the remaining vines near them. 

Gurjin’s arm moved on his own, slicing at the creature’s branches. The blade bit into the bark and the blue mouth recoiled with an angry screech. His eyes narrowed. As if he were challenging the blue mouth, a passionate warrior’s yell tore between his teeth. He charged ahead, this time waiting for the moment the branch hit the ground. As it shuddered the earth around him, Gurjin leaped. His feet dug into the bark and he kept running, aiming for the eyes of the creature.

The blue mouth shrieked and swung the arm he was travelling on. Thinking quickly, he plunged Rian’s sword into the branch, splintering the wood until it came out the other side. The scream was immense, making everyone who was able to cover their ears. Gurjin held on to the sword’s handle as his feet lost purchase on the plant, finding empty air. He looked down and saw the creature’s maw quickly approaching.

Ignoring his sister and friend’s screams of protest, Gurjin let go.

The blue mouth’s teeth tore at his clothes as he fell. Gurjin reached out with his hands to catch the side of the tree-like inside, nails digging in deep. The vines were inside the blue mouth’s trunk and quickly lashed out at his skin. The scent of the creature’s previous meals mixed with sweet, rotting fruit and burned his senses. He looked around, frantically cutting at any vines that tried to get near his right arm while holding himself aloft just below the teeth of the creature. In the shadows of what lay just beneath him, Gurjin saw a flash of familiar brown hair, streaked with blue.

Rian. 

Gurjin grit his teeth and blindly swung at the walls. There was a softness to them that wasn’t like normal flora- giving away the illusion that the blue mouth was merely a tree. If it was softer, then it could be harmed, and Gurjin wasn’t going to give it a chance to hurt anyone else. His sword met its mark and Gurjin heard the monster shriek above his head. The vines were overwhelming him, winding around his limbs and tearing his skin with sharp thorns. Still, Gurjin refused to stop. Rian was dying, he couldn’t afford to.

The sword was too large for the space he had left to defend their lives. Gurjin growled and slammed it into the deepest part of the wall he could find, leaving the blade embedded, then wrestled with the vines to free one arm. It felt like dozens of hands clawing at him. Gurjin let out a strangled yell of anger, straining until he could grasp the hilt of his dagger. It came out not long after and Gurjin sliced at everything he could reach. His fingers were trembling but he held on with all he had, adrenaline keeping him going.

“Let… him… GO!” Gurjin shouted. There was a softer portion of the wall that he found tinged with blue. With as much strength as he could muster, Gurjin plunged his dagger inside until the hilt reached the bark. 

The reaction was immediate. The blue mouth lurched violently and let out a scream that shook the trees of the Dark Wood. Everyone in the clearing covered their ears to avoid going deaf while animals and birds ran for their lives, startled by the blood-curdling shriek. Gurjin felt the vines fall off him, then the shift of gravity. He barely had the mind to grab Rian before the sensation of falling took over.

Gurjin’s head met the ground in a violent heap. Fruit pulp, nectar, and vines coated his skin, clothes, and hair. He coughed up the pieces, shoulders shaking. The adrenaline was in his system still, but Gurjin could already feel the sting as the fruit remains drenched the cuts and tears left by thorns. Naia and the others cried his name, but the sound of creaking wood caught his attention first.

The blue mouth was leaning, boughs stretching towards the ground. Gurjin flinched, still riding out the tail end of his adrenaline rush, and grabbed his empty hilt. The plant didn’t reach for him, however. His eyes narrowed, then widened in realization. The blue mouth wasn’t leaning- it was falling. 

The wood snapped as the beast gave out another low screech, this time much weaker than the first. The ground shook as it slammed into the earth in a mess of upturned roots and vines. Hulking branches crashed against the chaotic mess of dirt and grass that was the clearing. Like a memorial made of broken flora and vines, the blue mouth shuddered, then went still. It had been returned to Thra- by Gurjin’s hand.

Naia watched it fall, ears flattened with wide eyes. Kylan was the same, torch burning uselessly in his grip while Brea was still brandishing her blade. The other gelflings exchanged looks of shock, awe, and disbelief. It seemed like unums passed before anyone dared to move. Eventually, the spell was broken and Gurjin tore his eyes away to examine the carnage.

The ground they had been running on looked like a battlefield. Overturned earth and scrambled rocks decorated the soil. The blue mouth’s roots had formed a hill of grime and dirt beneath it. Patches of grass were flattened by dozens of footprints and even more marks of the gelflings being dragged and thrown across the ground. Gurjin’s eyes never lingered for too long as he looked over every piece of destruction.

Then he caught sight of Rian and nothing else mattered.

Rian was on his side. Dark vines were still wrapped around his legs and reached to his shoulders. Rian’s dark hair clung to his clothes and skin, fruit nectar remaining from when the branch crashed down on him. He hadn’t moved from the position being thrown out of the blue mouth left him in. His lips were parted, brushing against the dirt as he was practically laying on his stomach. Gurjin’s throat tightened as he took in Rian’s lack of movement. Quickly, he looked over Rian, searching for a sign of life, or rise and fall of the chest.

There wasn’t one.

“Rian? Rian!” Gurjin surged upright, ears sinking back as dread struck his very core. In a panicked scramble, he reached Rian in moments. The vines were tightly bound to his limbs, but Gurjin ripped them apart like a wild animal. Rian was sticky with crushed fruit and nectar soaking into his clothes, but Gurjin didn’t care- he was the same, if not worse. He grabbed Rian by the back of the head and shoulder, lifting him upwards so Gurjin could look him over. “Rian, wake up! Answer me!”

His voice was hoarse with desperation permeating with every letter. Panic fell over the group as Gurjin’s words reached them and Naia realized what was the matter. She ran forward, Brea not far behind, and the others trailing after her. From this distance, she couldn’t tell what the problem was. All she knew was that Rian wasn’t responding, but that was all she needed to get her heart racing.

Gurjin shook Rian’s shoulder, eyes frightened and alert. The gelfling’s eyes were shut, gaze quivering behind his lids, but gave no other response. The lack of reaction made Gurjin’s breath quicken. He grappled Rian by the chest, pressing his head over his heart and listening for all he was worth. There was the weakest of beats, and Gurjin let out a choked yell of anguish. “No, don't you do this. Don’t you dare die on me, Rian!”

Naia’s pack was clutched in her arms as she reached them. “Is he breathing?” she asked quickly. Gurjin didn’t respond, only shivering as he stared down at Rian. “Gurjin, is he breathing?” 

His name sparked a small reaction from him. Gurjin looked over Rian’s chest for any signs of life, teeth clenched. “Barely,” he said, voice breaking. Hysteria was beginning to settle in. Rian was dying. “Don’t do this to me, Rian. Please,” Gurjin begged, words trembling as his remaining resolve began to tear away at the seams. 

Gurjin’s fingers dug into Rian’s jaw as he looked him over. To his side, Naia was settling in on the opposite side of Rian, looking him over. His pleas, terrified and desperate, fell under his breath. Naia could hear them all the same. Her eyes lifted to watch her brother, wanting to comfort him but unsure how.

It was a quiet, weak little sound. Gurjin nearly missed it. Rian’s lips were parted, just enough to let it escape him as Gurjin adjusted his firm (yet still gentle- always gentle) hold on his body. It was like a whisper, but their ears caught it all the same. A wheeze.

“Oh, Thra have mercy- he’s choking!” Naia reached out to take Rian, but that attempt was blocked. Gurjin only tightened his grip. His fingers held on tight as if Rian was the most precious treasure in all of Thra. Naia frowned and moved to take him again, but Gurjin growled at her. 

“Don’t touch him.” His voice was guarded and bit into Naia like a gust of cold wind. She would have yelled back if she had failed to notice the misery in Gurjin’s eyes. Naia softened just a little and held out her hand to keep the others from crowding him.

Gurjin’s attention drifted back Rian the second after he spoke. He was no healer, but Gurjin did know some things. With shaken arms, he turned Rian over with frantic speed. Naia silently observed, ready to correct any mistakes Gurjin made when attempting to revive him. There was nothing to critique, however- Gurjin was moving with pinpoint accuracy. Even with his heart racing in his ears, he wasn’t letting himself make a single error.

“Come on, Rian,” Gurjin pleaded. The last thing Gurjin wanted was to hurt him, but he didn’t have a choice. He sent a strong blow into Rian’s back, following the directions he had been raised to know to the letter. Naia watched from just a foot away, searching for any kind of reaction. Somewhere around him, Gurjin could sense Kylan, Brea, and all of their remaining gelfling worrying alongside her. Yet he ignored all of them.

Nothing else in the clearing was registering to him. There was nothing that held more importance than the limp body he was currently trying to revive. At this moment in time, Rian was the only thing that mattered in the entire Dark Wood. Gurjin’s sight was beginning to waver as tears dampened his vision. His heart hammered away in his chest, echoing through his ears. He struck down again, on the verge of hyperventilation.

“Come on. Breathe, Rian. You have to breathe!” 

The two had made an oath close to one trine past. When they had both reached the bottom of their pits of despair, they swore to be the other’s beacon. Gurjin had pulled Rian up from the bottom of that dark well. Then he had offered that same hand to Gurjin. It had been a vow forged in fire that couldn’t be broken- and yet here they were. Rian was slipping between Gurjin’s fingers like a fading breeze, and he was at a loss. He was losing Rian and he was terrified. 

“Wake up, Rian,” Gurjin begged. His voice was cracking, splintered through terror and grief that he refused to accept. “You’ve got to breathe. You- you promised that you’d live for me! You’re not breaking that oath- not today!” Gurjin was yelling now, but he was uncaring to anyone and everything that heard him scream for mercy. He was broken, desperate, and clawing at the world itself with his words. He wasn’t losing the one gelfling he had left- he couldn’t. Rian was all he had- to lose him was the death of not only him, but Gurjin himself. “Come on, Rian! Please, just breathe!” 

One final blow to the back did it. Rian lurched in Gurjin’s arms as something came up. The mass of crushed fruit pulp and nectar left his throat, landing on the torn grass. Rian took a strong, wet gasp of air and Gurjin’s eyes went wide, ears falling back. Rian sunk his head forward, collapsing into the dirt whilst coughing and hyperventilating. 

“Rian? Rian!” Gurjin pulled him up, turning him over so he was facing the sky. Rian’s eyes were still shut as he painfully adjusted to breathing oxygen. Naia leaned in to look Rian over. Brea looked ready to faint while Kylan was trying to steady her and another gelfling who looked just as frightened as he did. Naia took a waterskin from her pouch, worried but waiting for Gurjin to calm before approaching.

Gurjin, meanwhile, was at a loss. His hand, shaking out of his control, carefully cupped the side of Rian’s face. “Rian?” he asked again, desperate to hear a proper answer. He adjusted his position to let Rian lean back, head and chest wrapped up in his arms. Rian’s coughing fit finally settled and he began to breathe, heavy rasps escaping him. Gurjin moved his trembling fingers to push some nectar-coated strands of hair out of his face, away from his mouth. “Please… wake up...” Gurjin’s voice was quiet. He was still afraid.

It felt like an eternity before Rian opened his eyes. Gurjin’s breath hitched and he squeezed. His heart was still racing and he was scared that if he blinked, Rian would vanish into thin air. He didn’t- Rian’s soft eyes blinked, dazed and tired. With a groan, his pupils adjusted to the light of near-dusk. They eventually settled on his face, blue meeting amber, and Gurjin nearly sobbed.

“...Gurjin?” Rian’s voice was gravelly, croaking as he spoke. The name was rough on his lips, but Gurjin didn’t care. Rian’s voice was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard, hoarseness and all. 

It took one word for Gurjin to break. He clenched his jaw and pulled Rian close. His head became buried under Gurjin’s chin, nestling deep into the latter’s shoulder. Gurjin’s hands grasped at whatever part of Rian he could reach, cupping the back of his head. His eyes were screwed shut while his body shuddered with every breath. Gurjin grit his teeth, pressing his cheek against the side of Rian’s skull as scared tears left a hot trail down his face.

“Oh thank Thra…” 

Rian had barely recovered, but being encased in a bear hug quickly sobered him up. Gurjin’s voice was faint, lacking its typical edge in a way that was jarring for Rian to hear. His ears fell in confusion. He had never heard Gurjin sound this way before. “What happened?” It was a loaded question, Rian was sure, but there were voids in his memories. Gurjin hadn’t been like this before, which meant something had happened that caused this. Whatever was causing his best friend this much pain and turmoil, Rian wanted to know.

Gurjin shuddered then loosened his arms. Rian fell back, meeting his gaze with concerned eyes. There was a long pause where they just stared. Gurjin looked over every facet of Rian’s face, committing it to memory. He already had, but now he had a newfound desire to never forget what Rian looked like when he was alive. 

“The blue mouth,” Gurjin began. He winced and shut his eyes, breathing slowly. “It… it got you.” Gurjin’s hands squeezed around Rian’s shoulders. “I got you out, but-” Another pause, another nervous exhale. “...You weren’t breathing. I thought- I thought you had returned to Thra.” Gurjin could barely finish the sentence. His bottom lip shook ever so slightly and Gurjin clenched his teeth to stop it.

Rian’s eyes widened. That explained many things, but he was still taken by how broken Gurjin seemed. He had never seen Gurjin so openly torn up about anything. It was even more staggering to know that it was because of him getting hurt. Rian lifted his hand and gently touched the side of Gurjin’s face. He felt dampness there, and Rian’s heart clenched as he realized Gurjin had been crying. “I’m alright,” he said, voice rasping. 

The words wrapped around his heart, warming it like a hearth. Gurjin nodded and took a deep breath. He squeezed Rian’s shoulders again. The adrenaline had faded and he could feel the pain of his minor injuries settle in. Still, he ignored the incoming exhaustion with the resolve he had left to use. “I thought you broke your oath,” he added.

It took a moment for Rian to understand, but it was written all over his face when he did. “I never break an oath,” he replied. ‘ Not to you’ was the unspoken additive to Rian’s claim. Despite what he had just gone through, Rian pulled together his strength and gave Gurjin a little smile. “You can’t get rid of me that easily,” he teased. He gave Gurjin’s ear a playful flick, the action weaker than it normally could have been.

The action, coupled with Rian’s words, made Gurjin laugh. It was genuine and soft, like his touch. It was contagious and soon Rian was laughing with him. His eyes closed while Gurjin pulled Rian closer to lean his forehead against his own. They were both covered in vine pieces, cuts, and crushed fruit, but neither cared. Eventually, they calmed down, but moving was the last thing on their minds. Their faces were nearly touching, foreheads pressed against each other. Gurjin felt Rian’s breath against his lips and took in the sweet sound of his companion’s vitality. He was never going to take Rian’s life for granted again.

Soon, Gurjin pulled away just enough to look at Rian properly. Their faces were close, intimately so, but neither commented. “Don’t ever scare me like that again,” he warned quietly. There was no threat in his voice (there never was), but Rian still listened with intent. Gurjin sighed. “I can’t lose you.”

Rian softened. “You’ll never lose me,” he promised softly. “We took an oath, remember? If Thra wants one of us, then it gets us both or none.” In the end, Thra would do what it wanted with all of them. Still, Rian defied that truth about destiny in the name of their bond. He wasn’t going to let fate take Gurjin away from him, and he would do the same for himself.

Gurjin nodded, listening to Rian’s words. “...I remember,” he began softly. He lifted his gaze, taking in the sight of pretty blue eyes, lined with gold. Their position, with Rian cradled in Gurjin’s arms, hadn’t changed, but they didn’t complain. At last, Gurjin registered the world around them. Naia was hovering over them while their friends watched. He felt his face heat up at the realization that every moment of their exchange had been with an audience. For Rian’s sake (and his own), he tried to stomach it.

“Naia should look at you,” he said quietly. Rian nodded, but Gurjin could sense the disappointment wafting over him. It wasn’t unlike his own opinion- he didn’t want to separate either. He exhaled and let his head fall against Rian’s one last time. Rian shut his eyes, smiling as they did so in a soft moment of silent communication. Nothing else needed to be said aloud- they already knew. Before letting go, Gurjin hugged Rian with a tenderness that was reserved only for him. Their fingers intertwined for a moment, then slowly pulled apart as Gurjin finally broke away with one last squeeze.

Naia came to take care of Rian, and Gurjin let them. Eventually, he would give in and let her tend to his injuries, although it wouldn’t be until Rian’s insistence. Night came and with it came a makeshift camp. Rian would recover within the next day and their paths on the road of war would continue. Gurjin would continue to be a strong warrior, now with a legendary fight under his belt. Rian would continue to lead with bravery and fearlessness.

Until morning came, though, they would rest in the solace of each other’s arms. There nothing could harm them, and the sound of each other’s heartbeats provided all the comfort they would ever need.

Chapter Text

After everything Thra had been through, Rian hadn’t been sure if he’d live to see the Great Conjunction. So much had happened in the two trine leading up to this moment. Clans had fallen while one had emerged. Maudras had fallen and new ones had risen or none at all. He couldn’t count how many lives had been taken- either during the fight or by the Skeksis’ hands. So much had changed and he still found it hard to accept at times.

Ever since the Crystal Shard was found, the master plan had been set in motion. The Garthim’s existence made things so much more deadly and complicated. Yet their fire still hadn’t wavered. No matter what they were faced with day after day, the final goal never changed. If they healed the Crystal on the Great Conjunction, they could save everything. Thra would be healed, and the Mystics and Skeksis would be joined once more. It wouldn’t bring back lost souls, but perhaps it would return them to Thra, where they belonged.

On the day the Three Brothers aligned, Rian had never felt more afraid. It was nothing like any fight against Garthim or any close calls he had endured. Even the blue mouth incident where he would have died didn’t compare. Today, it wasn’t just his own life he was worried about- it was everyone’s life. All gelfling, podling, plant, animal, and the Crystal’s wellbeing was at stake. If they succeeded, everything they had worked for would pay off and life on Thra would continue. Not the same, but better than it was before.

If they failed, the Skeksis would rule forever and Thra itself would fall.

Rian fought valiantly. They all did. Every creature who could fight came together as one. This was a fight for their home, and not a single creature abstained. Rian was with the group tasked with bringing the Shard to the Crystal Chamber. Others had defended the outside, to keep the Garthim occupied and at bay. Many faces in his group he knew- like Seladon, Brea, Hup, and Deet. Others he knew less, only having fought with them a few times. Rian cared for them all the same. Their job was the most dangerous and they had to keep each other safe.

Everything had been a blur from the moment Rian had fallen. The Skeksis had ambushed them in the Crystal Chamber. In a desperate attempt to stop the Conjunction, they had attacked. During the ensuing fight, Rian had lost his blade. The sword, which Rian had affectionately dubbed ‘Protector’, had been knocked out of his grip and into the chasm beneath the Crystal of Truth. With his only source of defense gone, the Shard had nearly been taken from his grasp. Even now, recalling the General’s hands that had constricted around his neck seemed like distant dreams. He remembered crying out Seladon’s name, then throwing the Shard high into the air. 

Then there was light, so much light. He had heard the Mystic’s chiming and the Castle quaking beneath their boots. He remembered Hup helping him to his feet and standing before the urSkeks. Even so, he couldn’t remember the words that were spoken. Everything felt so far away and right in front of him all at once. It was confusing and he was still processing all of it. His friends had swarmed him, hugging and cheering all the while. They did it- that was what they kept saying.

It felt like another trine before Rian could grapple their words. They had succeeded. All this time, through all of their hardship, pain, and misery… they had done it. Thra was safe and the Crystal of Truth had been restored. Life had a chance to begin again. They could forge a new future in the Crystal’s light, and the Skeksis were gone. The Resistance had ended, and it had won.

They reached the outskirts of the Castle. Creatures of all shapes and sizes were roaming over the green fields. The gelflings were all in a large group, mingling with the podlings who joined the battle. Seladon had been dragged away by the maudras, but everyone was still interacting with each other. The sounds of countless gelflings talking, embracing, and cheering with one another was nearly deafening. Rian was jostled ever so gently as he was maneuvered around.

After all this time, Rian was grateful to have Brea, Deet, and Hup at his side. They were an effective filter as his mind continued to adjust. He could still feel his head spinning at everything that was happening around him. Deet held his arm and gave it a reassuring squeeze. In the distance, he could see Mother Aughra speaking to Seladon and the maudras. Pride and relief was written all over their faces. 

Rian moved his focus to the crowds they were slowly treading through. He recognized many faces of gelfling who were interacting with each other. All were in various states of celebration. Cadia was shaking hands with everyone he came across. The Librarian from Ha’rar was sharing an embrace with one of the Elders from Rian’s clan- a gelfling who matched him in age and wisdom. Re’kyr, Onica, and the familiar Threader that was ever-present on her shoulder- Tavra- were weaving between groups. Not one creature was celebrating alone. Their joy was shared, and he couldn’t help but feel like he was part of the grandest celebration Thra had ever seen. This was history and now they all had a part in it.

Throughout his search, Rian couldn’t help but notice that one gelfling was missing. It was surprising to not see Gurjin in the crowd. Usually, he would be standing out like a tree amongst the grass. Now he couldn’t find a trace of that familiar head of green locs, or those handsome amber eyes. Dread struck him, and Rian couldn’t stop the fear from rooting deep in his chest. He had been so good at trusting his best friend’s capabilities, but now he wasn’t so sure.

The last thing Rian had heard of Gurjin’s location was the front gates of the Castle. The Garthim had swarmed the Resistance and were defending the Castle grounds. There wasn’t a single doubt in Rian’s mind that Gurjin could take care of himself. This was different, however. The fight they had gone through today was unlike any other ambush. Gurjin could handle a few Garthim when they fought together- that didn’t mean he had the same chances against the entire fleet of them. 

What if something happened? Had Gurjin fallen whilst Rian was inside? Was he alright? What if- Rian was yanked out of his worried trance by the sound of two familiar voices.

“Rian! Deet! Hup!”

“Brea!”

The group of friends all looked over and lit up as a familiar Drenchen and Spriton scurried towards them. Naia looked a bit worse for wear, but the smile on her face made any concern Rian felt dissipate. At his side, Brea grinned and broke away from the group to rush forward. “Kylan!” The two caught each other in a tight embrace. Kylan gave Brea a tender squeeze and planted a firm kiss on her temple. “You’re alright?” she asked.

“I’m more than alright,” Kylan responded with a short chuckle. He pulled away but held Brea’s hand to his cheek. “You’re safe?” Rian barely suppressed a snort. Out of all of the gelflings Kylan could worry about, Brea was at the end of that list every time. She was every bit as fierce and strong as both of her sisters. He supposed that wasn’t something Kylan could help- love often made you worry too much.

Brea merely giggled at his concern and gave him another hug. “I’m fine, you silly song teller,” she teased. She kissed his cheek, which made his ears turn a deep shade of scarlet at the ends. No matter how many times Brea did that, Kylan’s reaction never changed. It was amusing and touching all at once.

Rian looked to Naia, smiling tiredly. She looked battle-worn but had no signs of vital injuries. Merely exhausted and perhaps a bit winded. He expected nothing less from the future Drenchen Maudra. Still, he couldn’t resist the urge to jest. “You look awful,” he remarked.

Naia cocked a brow, chuckling. “So do you,” she snapped back, but there was tenderness in her voice. Her gaze settled on the way he was leaning against Deet and Hup, and she frowned. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine.” Rian felt a ‘whack’ against his chest as his friend slapped him with a spoon. Hup was glaring up at him, scrutinizing. “...A little in shock, I suppose,” he added after careful hesitation. His neck felt tender, but not as much as it had before. “But I’ll be alright. There’s plenty of others who could use your touch more than me, Naia.”

Naia hummed and crossed her arms. “Even so, you should be treated just as much as anyone else,” she disagreed. Her tone left little to be argued, so Rian conceded with a soft sigh. She was every ounce of Gurjin’s sister- both were as hard as stone and just as stubborn. “I’ll have a look at you later.” It was an offered compromise, so Rian took it.

By now, Kylan and Brea had rejoined the group. Rian smiled at the way the two were firmly holding on to each other. He was glad that the fight hadn’t separated the couple- seeing either of them grieve for the other was a scenario Rian didn’t want to humor imagining. At the thought of that, his worries resurfaced. Rian looked towards Naia, smile fading. “Have you seen Gurjin?” he asked quickly.

The worry was tiny but still evident in his voice. Hup chuckled beneath his shoulder whilst Brea gave Rian a strange look. Naia softened but gave him an entertained smile. “Yes. He’s alright,” she assured. 

Rian let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. His shoulders fell with relief. Those simple words told so little but healed so many of his worries. “Where is he?” was his next question. Rian believed Naia, but that didn’t make him want to see Gurjin with his own eyes any less. He needed to see his best friend in person before he could let go of any anxieties at the corners of his mind.

“Soaking up praise, I’m sure,” Naia replied. She rolled her eyes and rested a hand on her hip. “Knowing my brother, he’s making rounds to collect as many compliments as possible. Once he’s had his fill of arrogance, he’ll start looking for you.” Her eyes, the same amber hue as Gurjin’s, fell over Rian’s face. They shared the same gaze, yet looked completely different. Her stare was piercing, knowing, and curious all at once.

Rian’s heart picked up in his chest at the suggestion his best friend could be searching for him. “We need to find him,” he decided quickly. “He shouldn’t be alone. He needs me.” Rian’s concern was so great that he didn’t catch the slip-up of ‘me’ over ‘us’.

Ignoring his friend’s protests, Rian pried away from Hup and Deet’s grip. Their momentary worry was for nothing, as Rian proved that he was well enough to walk on his own. His boots sunk into the rejuvenated soil at his feet. Rian swallowed as he began to tread through the crowd. His friends were around him, all working with him to find the missing member of their little group. They snaked their way through the crowd of gelflings, podlings, and other various creatures. It felt like finding a pebble in a riverbed, but Rian didn’t give up.

Over trine and countless days, they had grown close. The two had always shared a tender relationship, even in the early days when they were guards. That had grown into something deeper before the war, then became even more apparent once the Resistance had formed. Every close call or experience Rian had gone through, Gurjin had been a constant presence at his side. He was there when Mira had her life taken. He had been there when Ordon had been killed. He was there during the Battle (even if Gurjin argued otherwise).

It wasn’t just before the Garthim appeared that Gurjin had been there. Every moment since the Second Battle, they had been together. Rian couldn’t count how many nights the two shared a tent or spot by the fire, but he remembered all of them. He could recall the times where they had sparred, encouraging each other to become the warriors they knew they could be. Then there were softer moments. Rian remembered the nights where Gurjin woke up in a cold sweat, hands clutching at his back where the scars of his torture burned deep.

The tears Rian had shed on nights where his hope felt the dimmest came to mind. He remembered the way Gurjin had held on to him, granting Rian the freedom to cry for as long as he needed to. There weren’t always words on those nights. Sometimes they would sit until the early hours of dawn, the only thing breaking their silence being ragged breathing and quiet sobs. Other times, Gurjin would sing to him. Rian remembered those nights the best- he would often relive them in dreams. He enjoyed the sound of Gurjin’s voice when he was laying against his chest. He liked feeling Gurjin’s careful fingers stroking his hair while strong arms held Rian like a sleeping childling.

If a gelfling had asked Rian what he thought a home was three trine ago, he would have answered with ‘Stone-in-the-Wood’. It was the heart of his clan and an answer every Stonewood gelfling gave. Yet if someone were to ask him now, Rian knew his answer wouldn’t be the same. His clan was nonexistent at this point and all gelflings had come together since. Not only that, but the location of Stone-in-the-Wood carried so much emotional weight that Rian wasn’t sure if being there made him feel safe anymore.

What Rian did know was that no matter where he laid down his head each night, he always felt safest when Gurjin was beside him. 

Whether he was on a rock, patch of grass, or an abandoned village, Gurjin’s presence always made sleep come naturally to him. He felt secure, no matter the environment around them. When they shared moments of vulnerability, Rian trusted Gurjin implicitly. The Drenchen had full ownership of Rian’s fragile little soul in each of these cases. His heart was the thinnest piece of sea glass, so easily broken with just a bit too much strength. Yet Gurjin cradled it with more care than a parent would to their own child. Rian trusted him with a large fragment of himself, and Gurjin had never once let him down.

Rian wasn’t sure if a safe space could be just one gelfling- but if it could, then he had no doubts that Gurjin was home.

Right now, there was nothing Rian wanted more than to be reunited with that home. He continued to walk forward. Many faces and voices were calling out around him. Some recognized him and offered congratulations. He shakily thanked them, then continued weaving between shoulders and bodies of all shapes and sizes. There was a loud hiss and Rian jumped back as an Arathim Spitter skittered across the grass before him. He exhaled and looked about, worry beginning to prickle at his nerves. Where in Thra’s name was he? 

“Gurjin?” Rian’s voice was drowned out in the celebration that was happening around him. His fists clenched, growing anxious. “Gurjin!”

Naia came forward and rested a hand on his shoulder. Rian barely paid attention to her. His friends began to disperse around him to cover more ground. Rian bustled forward and turned around in circles. He stood up on his toes, trying to see over gelfling heads. His throat was growing tight while his heart began to race. The longer he went without seeing him, the less calm Rian felt. So much had happened in so little time, and he needed Gurjin at his side. He needed his companion to get through this.

Rian shuddered a breath before resorting to questions. He described Gurjin’s appearance to many. As more people gave directions that conflicted or empty answers, his anxiety grew. After a few minutes of frustration, he called out his name again. It seemed like the crowd was neverending. No matter where he looked, the one gelfling Rian wanted to see most was nowhere in sight. Desperation was pooling in his gut and he shouldered his way between bodies in a heightened sense of urgency.

“—seen Rian?”

He froze. The words were barely noticeable in his ears, but Rian still heard it. Someone had said his name. With an inhale, Rian turned around. Wide blue eyes searched the area. There was a sea of bodies in front of him, but Rian still tried. He might have been simply hearing things. Things were so loud around them, it was very possible. He tried to lean to the side, desperate to see further. A landstrider walked in his path. There, between its legs, Rian spotted him.

Even with all the different creatures scattered amongst them, he towered over the average gelfling. His back was to Rian, but those perfect green locs were instantly recognizable. Currently, he was talking to a large group of gelflings and podlings. He was gesturing as he spoke, too far away to make out distinct words. It was hard to make out from this distance, but going by how expressive he was, it was safe to assume that he was growing frantic.

“Gurjin!” Rian yelled. The sounds around them drowned everything out. Rian threw up an arm. Beside him, Naia and the others took notice of his voice, then tried to rejoin him. Their reactions didn’t matter- all Rian was focused on was his friend. He tried to reach above the eye level of the gelflings around him and took a breath. “Gurjin! Over here!”

Rian knew when Gurjin heard him from the way his posture stiffened. Gurjin slowly turned towards him. Familiar amber eyes that were filled with concern met Rian’s. Even from far away, he could see the way Gurjin lit up at the sight of him. “Rian?” His mouth formed the words before they reached Rian’s ears.

For a split second, neither of them moved. Rian watched Gurjin from afar for a moment. He took in the sight of his best friend. Soon, he realized neither of them were moving. His legs stumbled forward. The crowd didn’t part for them, but Rian still tried to get through. Seeing Gurjin was all it had taken for Rian’s heart to lurch in his chest. Like an invisible string, his soul was pulled across the field towards the one creature in Thra he cared for the most.

Gurjin moved as soon as he saw Rian do the same. The taller gelfling had less trouble maneuvering his way through the crowd. Rian’s heart began to race in his chest. His friends were left behind as he pressed onward. Frantic hands pushed arms and shoulders aside as Rian ducked and weaved between dozens of bodies. Gurjin shouldered his way through the crowd, reaching out towards Rian and breaking into a sprint as soon as he was able to.

“Rian!”

The sound of Gurjin’s voice was heavenly. Rian felt his eyes water at the sound and he broke into a wide grin. He let out a strangled laugh and began to run. The path was much more difficult now that he wasn’t taking his time. A landstrider began to walk by, falling right into his path. Rian ducked beneath it, causing a loud cry of alarm from the creature as it reared back. He ignored it as the crowd finally began to break apart. As he reached the edge, he tripped over another gelfling’s foot. For a brief moment, he stopped. Then Rian scrambled to his feet. Gurjin was so close and his legs wouldn’t stop for anything.

“Gurjin!”

“Rian!”

The two met in the middle of a small break in the crowd. Rian felt the breath get knocked out of him as he slammed into Gurjin’s chest at full speed. Strong arms wrapped around his torso. Gurjin leaned down and squeezed with all the strength he had left to spend. While it would have been uncomfortable for some, Rian only felt relief as the gap between them came close to vanishing completely. He reached up with desperate arms. His fingers found the curve of Gurjin’s shoulder blades and clutched at the armor and fabric sitting there. 

Rian’s face nestled into the base of Gurjin’s neck. Gurjin’s breath shook against his ears and Rian listened to it like the most treasured melody. Their difference in height was threatening to lift Rian into a position that forced him entirely onto his toes, but he didn’t mind one bit. They could be hanging over the chasm of the Crystal for all he cared. Gurjin was here, and nothing else mattered.

“Thank Thra you’re safe,” Gurjin muttered. He continued to hold onto Rian. The hug was therapeutic for them both anyway. If Gurjin chose to never let go, Rian couldn’t say he would mind. “I saw the Castle coming apart and I wasn’t sure if you made it out.”

The concern was so simple, but Rian’s heart warmed all the same. He smiled into Gurjin’s skin and squeezed. “I’m alright,” he reassured. “Hup and Deet saw to that.” With a hesitant inhale, Rian pulled back to see Gurjin’s face. “What happened to you? I thought you were with Naia.”

Gurjin let him but didn’t allow Rian to drift too far. His arms moved to grasp Rian’s arms and squeezed gently. Amber eyes that were soft with relief and care flickered over every inch of Rian’s face. “I was,” he answered quickly. Gurjin’s voice was soft, only loud enough for Rian to overhear. One hand reached up to cup the side of Rian’s head. The fingers brushed against his silver hairpin and pinched the base of Rian’s ear, making it flick instinctively. “We separated once we saw the light.” 

Rian adjusted his grip to clutch Gurjin’s forearm and shoulder. He squeezed. “It fell apart when Seladon restored the Crystal,” he explained. It was a dumb thing to say- Gurjin knew what happened, even without Rian having to tell him. Everything was just going so quickly that Rian wasn’t sure what was helpful or common knowledge.

“So she did it.” Gurjin broke eye contact for a moment to look down. He was breathing heavily, shoulders trembling just a little. Eventually, he looked back up to meet Rian’s eyes. “...We did it. It’s over…?”

“It’s over,” Rian repeated back. At the sound of his own voice, something in him snapped. He had heard those words from anything that could speak. Yet it wasn’t until Gurjin spoke that Rian finally understood what they meant. Everything they had worked for was finally over. Thra was restored to balance. All of the hardship and lives that had been lost had finally been granted peace. Mira, Ordon, Mayrin, Tavra, Fara, and every gelfling since. They were at peace because of the Resistance. Rian’s vision blurred at the edges as his eyes watered. “We did it, Gurjin.”

The crack in Rian’s voice wasn’t missed. Immediately, Rian was pulled into a tight embrace. Gurjin buried his face into Rian’s shoulder and cradled him. “We did it,” Gurjin assured. He let go after a moment to look Rian in the eyes. “Thra is safe, and they’re gone. They’re all gone. Forever…” Gurjin’s eyes were wide and distant as he spoke. It was clear that he was having trouble wrapping his mind around it too.

Rian laughed between fresh tears. He reached up and wiped his eyes. “It feels like a dream.” Every emotion was crashing into him all at once. It was overwhelming. There was happiness, relief, sadness, grief, bliss, fear, and peace. Rian wasn’t sure how else to respond anymore, so he just continued to laugh. A smile had spread across his face and refused to fall.

Soon, Gurjin couldn’t help but join in. He shut his eyes as a wide grin appeared over his face. Gurjin’s deep laugh reverberated through his chest as he held Rian in his arms. The corners of his eyes prickled with tears as their heads fell forward. Gurjin pulled Rian closer and pressed his forehead into his. “It’s not a dream,” he reassured softly. “This is real, Rian.” Rian could feel his breath on his lips as he continued to chuckle between words. 

The volume of their laughter grew and Rian looked up at Gurjin as words found him once more. “We did it— We won!”

The cheer in Rian’s voice lit a fire in Gurjin’s soul. The Drenchen moved his hands to grip Rian’s waist. With a sharp inhale, Gurjin hoisted him high over his head. Rian gasped as he felt the ground vanish beneath his feet. Gurjin held on tight and smiled up at him. After the initial surprise, Rian felt his worries vanish-  he knew Gurjin would never let him fall. His face felt hot as he was now high above every other gelfling’s head. Rian laughed, both happy and nervous.

“We won!” Gurjin threw his head back and hollered to the blue sky above them. He had no care for who or what heard him. Pure joy was radiating off them both like sunlight. Gurjin’s hands slipped and Rian began to fall as his arms failed to support him. Before fear could take root, their position adjusted into a closer embrace. Rian wrapped his arms around Gurjin’s neck, holding on tight, while the Drenchen held Rian by the waist and lower back. Gurjin spun on his heels and Rian’s legs glided through the air, matching his momentum. The toes of his boots brushed against the grass as he was carried like a ragdoll in his companion’s embrace. 

Rian’s heart was full as they cheered, laughed, and smiled into each other’s skin. After everything hit him all at once, Gurjin was the anchor that kept him sane. No matter how hard things seemed or how painful life had become, he had been there. For every day the Three Suns rose each morning, Rian would awaken with Gurjin at his side. They had sworn off oaths and promises long ago. Yet Rian knew in his heart that this one had been made long ago, always left unspoken and made unbeknownst to him. It was a vow Gurjin had made to Rian without realizing it himself. 

No matter what happened or Thra decided to throw at them, it would never get in the way of their bond. Their fates were set and Thra would do what it liked with Rian and Gurjin’s life. Nothing could change that truth. Still, Gurjin fought it with everything he had. There had been many times where Rian could have- should have- returned to Thra. Yet he hadn’t. In each scenario, Gurjin had always been the one to change that outcome. 

Rian remembered the time when he nearly fell off the Castle drunk- Gurjin had caught him and pulled him to safety. He remembered when the gates nearly abandoned him to the Arathim horde- Gurjin had thrown himself into the mechanisms to give Rian time to escape. Gurjin had sacrificed his freedom to let Rian escape with Mira’s essence and endured torture at the expense of keeping him safe. The bluemouth had chosen him as its next meal. Gurjin not only slew it in retaliation but leaped into the beast after Rian without a moment of hesitation.

It all seemed so obvious now. Rian was shocked that he hadn’t recognized it sooner. He felt so much heartbreak for everything he lost. From his father to Mira, Rian had always been in a constant state of loneliness. There was nothing left- no home, family, or loved ones.

It had taken until now for to Rian realize how utterly wrong he had been.

He had never been alone. Even in the moments where nobody was at his side, Rian never had nothing. No matter where he had been, there was always one constant in his life. One gelfling who, despite the obstacles thrown at them, never stopped finding his way back to Rian. A gelfling Rian saw as his home and kept him safe in his darkest moments. It was Gurjin- it had always been Gurjin. Rian felt a mixture of shame and disbelief. How in Thra’s name had he been so blind?

Being set down brought Rian out of his head. His boots planted firmly onto the ground and he blinked. Gurjin looked down at him, still chuckling to himself. Rian watched his kind eyes settle on him. The grin that was plastered to his best friend’s face had yet to fade. Unable to help himself, Rian smiled back. His heart was beating like a drum in his chest. The air in his lungs was cycling at a pace that was growing rapid. All Rian could see was the handsome smirk on Gurjin’s face and the shimmer in his pretty, amber eyes.

Everything was so wonderful. Their world was finally safe. The life they had fought for would finally come to fruition. Gurjin was here, holding Rian in his arms. It was all so perfect. Rian had dreamed of a day like this, but all of his hopes didn’t compare to the true experience. All of his worries had faded in an instant and he felt lighter than air. He felt like he could take on the entire world. 

It was this moment of pure bliss that caused Rian to leap towards Gurjin.

Rian didn’t think- he simply acted. On any other occasion, he would choose his gestures carefully. Performing on impulse was not Rian’s style- especially if it was for romantics. He was a bundle of nerves and it took plenty of consideration even before he figured out what he wanted to do. What made this time different was the simple fact that his senses were overwhelmed. His brain was still busy processing every detail of what happened in the past hour alone. By the time Rian was able to register his actions, his lips were already pressed against Gurjin’s.

The emotional high Rian was riding left him in a moment of bliss. He was smiling wide as he held on with eager hands. The clumsy delivery left their noses awkwardly squished against each other. Gurjin’s posture was tense, arms frozen and hovering around Rian’s waist. After a few moments, Rian lifted his gaze. It was the sight of two amber irises that were opened wider than he had ever seen that made Rian’s heart freeze.

With a quiet gasp, Rian lifted his hands and shoved himself away from Gurjin. The contact was broken abruptly and Rian tried to ignore the way his lips tingled from the kiss’ aftershock. Oh, Thra have mercy. He had truly done that, hadn’t he? Rian’s entire body felt as though it had been scalded with a branding iron. Gurjin was watching him with sharp eyes, piercing his skin like a spear through the water. Rian’s stomach was a stone weight in his chest. In a moment of foolish and emotional vulnerability, he had forced himself on his best friend. It didn’t matter how good that had felt at the time. If Gurjin didn’t feel the same way, none of it mattered. 

The fact that the Drenchen had yet to react in any way didn’t make Rian feel better. “Oh Thra have—” Rian choked. He lifted a hand to partially obscure his mouth but gave up. As words failed him, Rian’s ears fell towards the ground. The appendages twisted back, flattening against the side of his head in an unmatched show of horror. “Gurjin, I’m— I didn’t mean to—” Gurjin’s expression softened and Rian saw a fire light within his eyes. The corners of his mouth lifted, but Rian still took a nervous step backward. “I wasn’t thinking with the moment, and I just—”

Gurjin had moved before Rian could react. In a single, fierce motion, Gurjin grabbed Rian’s head from behind the ears. Rian flinched as he felt himself get yanked forward, expecting Gurjin to hit or curse at him. Not having the cowardice to hide from his consequences, Rian forced himself to keep his eyes open. It still did nothing to prepare him for Gurjin crashing his mouth against Rian’s.

The kiss was still fervent, more so than the first one. The sensation of their lips touching was electrifying and Rian’s eyes went wide from shock. Their difference in height had forced Gurjin to lean down, but he didn’t appear to mind. His back arched downward while the hands on Rian’s jaw held him close. It took a few seconds to register but once it did, Rian’s heart soared. For a few moments, Rian had fallen into the darkest pit of Thra. Then, in just one little action, Gurjin had taken his hand and raised him even higher than before. Everything the two had gone through had brought them closer than ever before. It was a connection that went beyond words, actions, or even dreamspace. It took everything in Rian to stop himself from crying at the realization that not only had he been right to feel that way, but it was entirely mutual. There was a love that had always been there and both of them felt it.

At some point, they were forced to break apart out of the need for fresh air. A soft gasp broke through Rian’s lips as Gurjin pulled away. He took a few deep breaths, drawing in the air with shaken gulps. As Rian reached up to squeeze his forearm, Gurjin fell forward so their foreheads touched. For a while they simply stood there, catching their breath. Gurjin’s hand didn’t move, still caressing Rian’s jaw and neck. When the energy to move came back to him and Rian had the mind to register the world around him, he tilted his head just enough to meet Gurjin’s eyes. The warmth in his gaze made Rian’s knees nearly buckle.

“...Uh,” Rian began, still breathless. He wanted to speak but wasn’t sure what to say. It didn’t seem like words were needed anyway. Perhaps silence was the only choice he could make. So instead, Rian just let out a shy laugh.

Gurjin closed his eyes, another deep chuckle resonating in his throat. He leaned in closer and gave Rian’s forehead a tender nuzzle. The action made his forehead nubs brush against Rian’s temple, tickling him. Gurjin dared another small step closer, continuing to cradle Rian’s head against him as the boundary between their personal space dwindled. “I was wondering what that would feel like,” he said, breath on Rian’s lips.

Rian giggled at Gurjin’s words. His chest felt so light and airy now. One moment he had been on top of the world, then the next Rian was somehow even happier. He had kissed Gurjin- and Gurjin had done it back. It had all happened so quickly, but it didn’t alarm him. At the time, it had been on impulse. Now it simply made sense. It felt right and not like a grave mistake. Gurjin certainly didn’t seem to think Rian had taken a misstep, and that was all the assurance he needed.

“Gurjin…” Rian trailed off. He wasn’t sure how to express what he wanted to say. Gurjin already knew so much of how Rian felt on a normal day. They knew each other’s thoughts and feelings. There was so much that didn’t need words to be expressed. Before it had been what Rian loved most about their relationship- now it was a curse. He wanted to speak but didn’t know how. “I— I don’t know how to… I’m— you’re my-”

Two fingers gently pressed against Rian’s lips, silencing him. Gurjin shushed and smiled down at Rian. “I know.” Their foreheads still laid against each other. Gurjin watched Rian with a grin, softened with pure affection. His gaze lowered for a moment as Rian saw him drift into deep thought. Then, Gurjin chuckled with a low hum. “... I love you, too,”

Rian’s breath left his lungs. It took a moment for the words to sink in. Once they had, he looked up in astonishment. Neither of them noticed that their friends had found them, nor did they see the way they were excitedly celebrating their romantic gestures. All the noises that were never-ending on all sides didn’t matter. Gurjin continued to caress Rian’s jaw with his hands but was now watching with a soft smirk. After a moment to absorb, Rian knew it was the truth. There was no other way to describe his feelings. It was merely the notion that Gurjin felt the same about him that made Rian want to start crying all over again. 

His heart was full and his face was beginning to hurt from how hard he was smiling. Rian didn’t care one bit. It had taken so long to realize how much Gurjin meant to him. Far too long. Now that he had, Rian never wanted to forget. His eyes glistened as he fought down the urge to cry for joy. Instead, Rian flashed a wide smile and huffed a laugh of relief. He reached out to gently seize Gurjin’s head from behind his ears.

Gurjin grinned and let Rian pull him forward. Their lips met a third time, but this was easily the most gentle. Gurjin tilted Rian’s jaw up and caressed the back of his neck, pulling him closer. As the kiss deepened, Rian smiled and shut his eyes. It made the kiss more difficult, but neither of them minded. He could taste the salt of his tears, but Gurjin didn’t seem to be bothered. Perhaps, if he couldn’t express his feelings into words, Rian could show how he felt instead.

Rian shut his eyes and kissed Gurjin back, this time with more passion. His hold on Gurjin’s jaw moved to grip the back of his neck. With a firm pull, Rian moved their bodies even closer. Gurjin’s eyes fluttered in surprise but quickly recovered. He chuckled against Rian’s lips as their kiss grew more passionate. At the assurance that this was entirely wanted and enjoyed, Gurjin moved one hand to wrap around Rian’s waist. It didn’t take much longer for them both to need oxygen. Rian reluctantly broke away first with a soft inhale.

For a short period, they simply stared at each other. Rian couldn’t stop smiling, whilst Gurjin’s eyes shined in newfound warmth. They took another moment to watch one another. Rian softened and bit his lip. “...You’re good at this.” The statement was fueled by nothing and Rian realized how idiotic he sounded moments after. His ears reddened whilst Gurjin let out a hearty laugh.

“I finally kiss you after thinking about wanting to do it for unums, and you say it’s just ‘good’?” Gurjin’s lips curled as he playfully attempted to look offended. “First I’m just ‘Gurjin’, and now I’m just ‘good’?”

“You know I didn’t mean it like that,” Rian defended. His voice cracked with embarrassment. The implication that Gurjin had wanted to kiss him for a long time wasn’t missed. His heart raced at the mere thought, and he had to silently wonder how long Gurjin had known his feelings before Rian knew his own. He looked down, hiding his face with his bangs and hair. “You know I’m poor with words, Gurjin.”

“Oh, I know.” There was a low chuckle, then a hand gently gripped Rian’s chin. Gurjin lifted Rian’s head, forcing him to meet his gaze. His kind eyes observed with an affection Gurjin had never shown on full display, and it made Rian’s heart flutter. “I prefer it when you’re caught off guard, anyway. It’s cute- and more fun.”

“I’m not cute,” Rian spluttered, cheeks darkening with red. He wriggled in Gurjin’s hold, slipping out of the hold on his jaw with ease. He missed Gurjin’s touch and instantly regretted his actions.

Gurjin let Rian pull back, but didn’t stop smiling as he did. “Oh, of course not.” Gurjin chuckled and adjusted his grip to keep Rian securely in his embrace. His arms lowered to Rian’s lower back, then tightened just enough to bring the Stonewood snug against his chest. “It’s merely a coincidence that being bothered is when you’re the most pretty.”

The action made Rian’s stomach flip. “That’s… I…” He was still reeling from the kiss, and the quick return of their instinctual banter was making him at a loss for words. Thankfully, he didn’t have to say much else before another topic came to the forefront.

Soon enough, Gurjin’s gaze fell over Rian’s neck. As he saw the marks over Rian’s throat, his smile faded. In an instant, the mood changed. “What happened?” Gurjin demanded. Rian’s jaw was freed in favor of catching his jaw and neck with careful hands. Gurjin tilted Rian’s head back and inspected the beginnings of bruises around his windpipe. “Where did you get these?”

Rian’s cheeks were warm, as Gurjin was practically groping his neck and jawline. “It’s fine,” he reassured. “The General and I had a little duel when the Conjunction began.” He tried to lean away, but Gurjin held on tight. It was clear that Gurjin wouldn’t lighten up until he knew that for himself, so Rian was content to let him inspect for as long as he needed. The reminder of the fight made his heart sink, however, as Rian quickly remembered how he got into that situation in the first place. 

“Gurjin?” The ashamed tone in his voice made Gurjin pause. He let go of Rian and met his gaze, brow furrowing. Rian swallowed as his stomach pooled with a spark of guilt. “I... “ He sighed and looked down. His fingers found a loose thread of his bracer and he pulled on it. “... I lost your sword. It fell into the chasm when the General and I fought.” Rian bit his lip. Gurjin had crafted that sword for him. It didn’t occur until now that it was a symbol of their bond, and Rian felt awful for losing it. “I’m sorry, Gurjin.”

Instead of being upset, he only softened. “I don’t care about that, Rian.” Gurjin’s voice was firm, yet affectionate. He took Rian’s shoulders and pulled him into a hug. “I make them by the handfuls.” He rested his cheek against Rian’s temple. “I care more about you making it out of a fight alive than I’d give any sog about some sword.”

“But you spent so long on it,” Rian argued weakly. “You wrote-” 

“Which I can do again,” Gurjin interrupted. “The Resistance not being around anymore doesn’t mean I’ll stop trying to protect the things I love.” He shook his head and laughed, despite himself. Gurjin pulled away and cupped Rian’s face. He leaned so their foreheads fell together. “A sword can be replaced. You can’t.” Gurjin hesitated, then gave the top of his head a small peck.

Rian’s face grew warm as Gurjin kissed his forehead. His blue eyes were soft and filled with uncertainty. All of this was filling him with so much relief. Everything they fought for had been won. Thra had a chance to rebuild. It meant they had a chance to rebuild. The thought of trying to find a new place in the world made Rian’s stomach clench. There were so many unknowns now and the future was exciting, yet also frightening. It made him anxious to imagine figuring out alone. 

Then a thought came to him. He didn’t have to do it alone. Rian never had to do anything alone ever again.

“Be with me.” Rian stumbled out the words before he could think of a more eloquent variation. He looked up at Gurjin with bright eyes. “Please. I—I want to stay with you.”

Gurjin softened. Once the words left Rian’s lips, he leaned in again. Gurjin cupped the back of Rian’s head and fell forward. The kiss he left was featherlight, only barely touching before pulling away. Gurjin returned to their position that left their foreheads pressed together. He continued to caress Rian’s face, noses brushing together. “You’ll always have me,” he said quietly. Gurjin met Rian’s eyes and smiled. “If Thra wants one of us, it gets us both-”

“-or none,” Rian finished in a whisper.

Gurjin nodded in agreement. His thumb traced over Rian’s cheek, carefully wiping away a stray tear that had been left. Then he hummed. “You know, after all of this is over… I think you’d like The Great Smerth.” Gurjin tilted Rian’s chin up and smiled at him. “It’s a long journey back home, and it’d be nice to have some company.”

Rian’s face lit up. It was an unspoken invitation, but he heard it. Gurjin knew where he wanted to go, and he wanted Rian to join him. Somewhere out there, there was a new life they could forge together. In one effortless motion, Rian jumped to wrap his arms around Gurjin. The move made Gurjin stumble and laugh in pleasant surprise. The two shared a tight embrace, smiling into each other’s skin. 

Rian buried his face into Gurjin’s shoulder, beaming with a grin that could rival the Three Brothers’ combined light. “I think I’ll like it, too.” As long as Gurjin was at his side, Rian would go anywhere.

Chapter Text

It shouldn’t have surprised him that the dream happened again.

For the most part, the nights went by without issue. Gurjin was most certainly a night gelfling- in fact, he rather enjoyed the simple pleasures of a nap. He liked the comfort of a warm bed, doubly so if gelflings were smart enough to let him rest for as long as he liked. Naia had always despised it growing up. Gurjin understood her complaints, knowing how much of an effort it was to make him simply get out of bed. It wasn’t his fault that beds were so comfortable. If Thra hadn’t wanted him to enjoy it, then it shouldn’t have made naps as great as they were.

Ever since the events at the Castle, things had been different. It had started worse but it also wasn’t an unexpected development. Gurjin didn’t regret his actions and, as such, he accepted the way it stuck with him. Regardless of whether he escaped, the fact that it happened remained. He was grateful that Naia and Kylan were able to rescue him before the General had returned. Gurjin wasn’t eager to imagine how his interrogation would have continued. Although that was being generous in assuming there would have been a continuation at all.

The Great Conjunction had brought Gurjin an abundance of peace. Thra not only was given new life and healed, but the ones who tormented their world had been taken away. The Skeksis were no more, rejoined, and bound for their own home. Gurjin was simply glad for them to be gone. Others were glad to bring them peace, but Gurjin’s perspective was personal. He wasn’t happy for the creatures who were responsible for the deaths of his friends and home. The only thing he was glad for was that they couldn’t hurt anything else.

That made his distress even worse when the nightmares returned.

The dream came once or twice an unum. On rare occasions, it happened more often. Sometimes Gurjin had them less, but that was even more scarce. No matter the quantity, they were always the same. His memories of the interrogation mingled with phantom pains and his imagination gone awry. Sometimes he and the General repeated their words. Sometimes they would speak differently. The way it played out was different each time, but the ending was always the same.

Tonight, his mind had been exceptionally cruel. Gurjin knew what the draining’s death looked like from Rian’s dreamfast. Now, that knowledge played directly into his fears. He cycled through the torture like the chorus of a songteller’s tale. Each time it grew worse and Gurjin’s defiance grew weaker. The General was relentless, continuing to threaten and push him even closer to death. Even in his nightmares, Gurjin refused to back down. It was a vicious game he was playing with his mind, and he was determined not to lose.

He hadn’t thought that things could have gotten worse. Yet he was proven quickly to be wrong when he heard his own voice break under the pressure. Dread and panic filled his core as he caved under the General’s fist. His attempts to stop himself from speaking fell short as he realized that he couldn’t control his lips. Gurjin felt like a puppet, unable to stop himself and trapped as a voice in his head. He listened to himself reveal Rian’s location. The words that weren’t his own were pained by the torture Gurjin easily would have endured for nights on end. Gurjin struggled and fought, trying to stop himself. No matter how hard he screamed or fought for control over his own body, he couldn’t manage it.

He was a tough gelfling, but his fear was stronger.

The General let out a cackle, laughing at Gurjin’s struggles. Gurjin continued desperately, trying to stop himself as the Crystal crackled with lightning. By the time he was able to gain enough power to speak, the lever was pulled. Metal prongs pierced him like an arrow and clawed at Gurjin’s essence by the handfuls. Pain that Gurjin knew all too well shot through him. It felt like his back was being burned in a forge. He threw his head back as his body cried out for mercy. He heard his screams of agony far off in the distance. The Crystal continued to tear and pull at him from the inside out. It was breaking him apart, leaving behind nothing as it burned through-

Gurjin’s eyes opened and he sat up with a start. Taking air in heavy gasps, his chest heaved. The pupils of his eyes were dilated fully and he looked straight ahead. Instead of castle walls, he saw a familiar bark. Gurjin’s fingers grasped the bed he was sitting on as he stared ahead. His ears perked up from their flattened position as he caught the sound of rain.

It didn’t take long for the scent of home to reach Gurjin’s senses. There were no lights, but his eyes adjusted over time. The room was the same as it had been when he went to sleep. Through the gap in the bark that functioned as a large window, Gurjin saw the swamp through the glistening rain. It was dark, but one of the Sisters peeked through a gap in the clouds with just enough blue light to let Gurjin make out the canopies. The nightly rainfall pelted against the outside of the Great Smerth’s walls.

Gurjin’s shoulders fell as his breathing began to return to normal. His hair tumbled down his bare shoulders. He looked down at the bed he was currently sitting on. Familiar, warm blankets covered him. Gurjin’s chest rose and fell as he rode out the remains of his panic. To his right, Gurjin picked up the sound of soft breathing. 

A glance downward brought Gurjin more comfort than the environment around him. Even with his back facing him, Rian remained close to Gurjin throughout his slumber. His brown hair, streaked and shimmering with a familiar blue, was falling across the bed. While his head was nearly buried into the pillow, the rest of his body was lying comfortably on the right side. Rian’s soft breathing and calm rise of his chest could be detected even in the night.

Gurjin shut his eyes and let out a deep exhale. The sight of his lover in such a calm, peaceful state was comforting. Gurjin cracked his eyes open and slowly reached over. With careful hands to avoid rousing him, he brushed a few loose strands away from Rian’s eyes. Gurjin watched Rian rest for a few moments more, smiling only to himself. Seeing Rian in such a pure state of calm soothed the twitching of his nerves. 

The peace didn’t last long, as a dull ache pricked between his shoulders. Gurjin shut his eyes and forced down the wince with a soft groan. As gently as he could, he slinked off the bed and rose to his feet. Rian didn’t stir from what Gurjin could tell, so he pulled away from their bed without fear. The room was dark, but he was used to it. His amber eyes adjusted to the shadows rather quickly, although the pain lingered.

It had been a dream, but the scars remained. Although no essence had been drawn from him, the Crystal had taken part of him away. Gurjin wasn’t sure what the nature of the wounds was. Naia and his mother hadn’t seemed to have an answer when he reluctantly told them of it either. All he knew was that until recently, the marks on his back had never fully healed. It had never been constant, which he was grateful for. Although the tenderness remained, even if it was two trine past. Gurjin had grown to live with it over time.

Now, things were much different. Gurjin wasn’t as scholarly as his friends. He did know some things and from what he could tell, the Crystal of Truth’s restoration had done something good for him. Not long after the Great Conjunction, he had been pleasantly surprised to find that the wounds finally healed over. They left scars, but the pain had finally stopped.

Soon, Gurjin found himself standing by the window. The cool air of the Swamp kissed his bare chest in warm greeting. Gurjin took a deep breath, closing his eyes as his gills opened up to absorb the moisture from the air around him. The rain was rhythmic and bountiful. Tonight it was a heavier downpour, and Gurjin hummed in contentment. 

He sighed again, leaning forward. The faint wind of the outside sent an occasional drop in his direction. Gurjin didn’t mind- he found the soft pelting of rain against his skin soothing. It had been the one thing about the Swamp of Sog that Gurjin had missed during his travels. The rain never felt as comforting anywhere else. It was a lovely contrast to the rather unpleasant reason why he was awake.

Gurjin rested his hands on the bark and let out a rough exhale. He lowered his head, looking down at the shadowed marshland far below. The ache between his shoulders was gone, but the weight of his scar remained. His tormentors were gone, yet the nightmares persisted. The marks on his back healed, but he still felt the pain like it happened days ago. Why was it that every time something good happened, there was a catch? Why couldn’t Thra just let him have peace?

“Gurjin?”

The quiet voice behind him nearly made Gurjin jump. He straightened his back, still gripping the edge of the window. Without moving his legs, Gurjin looked behind him. The dim moonlight outside the Smerth cast a faint light on Rian’s face. Despite talking, he looked half-asleep. His hair was tousled about without any grooming, and his eyes blinked drowsily. Rian watched Gurjin with curiosity and concern. “What’re you awake for?” he mumbled in a tired voice.

Gurjin made a wince of regret. “I woke you, didn’t I,” he remarked quietly. “Sorry.” He looked back out the window, then sighed. “I’ll join you soon. You don’t need to worry about me- go rest.”

“I always worry about you, Gurjin,” Rian croaked out. His voice wavered at the end as a light chuckle escaped him. Rian wrapped his arms around his shoulders and took two more steps. “You get into more trouble here than I do.”

“That is complete sog and you know it,” Gurjin huffed a laugh. He looked down at the ground, but the smile faded fast. In his peripheral, he saw Rian step closer again.

Rian didn’t look convinced. It was hard for him to express fully when his consciousness was half-awake, but Gurjin had always been good at reading him. Rian watched him quietly, blue eyes observing his posture with concern. “What’s the matter?” he asked. Gurjin tried to speak, but Rian was quick to cut him off. “I know something’s wrong, Gurjin. So don’t lie and tell me that everything’s alright. Thra couldn’t wake you for anything and you don’t brood.”

“I’m not brooding,” Gurjin defended. His voice was soft, not wishing to argue with his partner, especially during such a late hour. He leaned against the edge of the window, watching the rain. “I’m...  admiring the scenery.”

He didn’t have to turn around to know Rian was giving him a look. Over Gurjin’s shoulder, Rian’s ears had fallen while his brow lifted. He narrowed his gaze and crossed his arms. Despite the tiredness, Rian’s wits were always the first trait to come into full energy. “The scenery,” he repeated. Rian closed the gap between them and gestured into the dark, shadowed night. “What scenery, Gurjin?”

Rian had him there. Gurjin’s eyes were only slightly better than Rian’s in the darkness, but even he was struggling to make out any landmarks. Outside of the dim moonlight, there was nothing to marvel outside the Great Smerth. Gurjin wanted to retort, but his words died on his tongue. Rian was more stubborn than he was- he would refuse to go back to sleep until Gurjin talked to him. Gurjin shut his eyes and sighed. “... I couldn’t sleep,” he admitted under his breath.

The honesty made Rian soften. “Why not?” he prodded. Rian loosened his arms and leaned out. His eyes watched Gurjin from the side, peering through his messy bangs. “What’s the matter?” he repeated. 

Gurjin swallowed. Out of any of the things he could talk to Rian about, he wanted to admit this the least. Rian had been through so much. It felt selfish to place more problems on his best friend’s shoulders. Gurjin relaxed his shoulders, then made a fierce attempt to shove his emotions down for Rian’s sake. “It’s nothing you need to worry about, Rian,” he insisted in a soft voice. 

Rian hardened. “Well, that’s unfortunate for you, because I am worried,” he shot back. Gurjin winced and avoided his gaze. “Gurjin, tell me.” Rian’s palm found a place over Gurjin’s right hand. He squeezed, leaning in to look up at Gurjin from below his chin. “Please.”

It was the plea that made Gurjin break. The urge to keep his problems to himself was nearly suffocating. Everything they had fought for was over with. Rian especially had been through terrible, awful things- most of which Gurjin couldn’t have saved him from. After all of that, they had been able to find a new life together. It seemed selfish to open up old wounds now. Gurjin didn’t want to give Rian another reason to live a difficult life- he refused to be a reason. 

Yet when he saw those pretty blue eyes looking up at him, begging for Gurjin to let him in… Gurjin found that he also wasn’t willing to deny him.

Gurjin shut his eyes, then let out a low sigh. “... Do you remember those dreams I used to have during the War?” His voice was quiet, muttering the words like a guilt-ridden childling.

Rian paused, expression softening into a look of sorrowful recognition. ”They came back?”

Gurjin could sense Rian shift beside him, but didn’t dare look at him. Gurjin rested his hands on the window frame and kept his eyes low. There was a growing lump in his throat, and Gurjin knew he was going to regret the words that came out of his mouth next. Yet he couldn’t stop them. “Yes- but this isn’t the first time.” Gurjin shut his eyes, already feeling a deep wave of regret wash over him.

Rian froze. Without looking, Gurjin could feel eyes piercing through his skin as easily as a muski traveled through the water. “What do you mean this isn’t the first time?” Rian’s voice was wary but held an air of accusatory suspicion. “You told me that you stopped having those dreams, Gurjin-”

The hurt in Rian’s voice made Gurjin break down his walls. “I know. I know I did,” he said. Gurjin turned to face Rian and ran a hand down his face. “I didn’t for a while- I’m sorry. I hadn’t wanted to make you worry.”

Rian’s expression fell into one of unamused annoyance. Gurjin knew it was a look that said ‘I’m worried now’ and his guilt deepened. Perhaps if he had foreseen this conversation, Gurjin wouldn’t have been so quick to bury his past. “How long has this been happening?” Rian pressed.

“It started two unums ago.” Gurjin saw the frustration on Rian’s face and frowned. “Not long after the Conjunction.” He looked back out the window and let out a sigh of remorse. “It’s always the same. It’s gotten easier, but this time was different.” Gurjin swallowed. He knew Rian knew very little of his time at the Castle as a prisoner. Although that didn’t motivate him to recount further details.

Rian rubbed his shoulder with watchful eyes. “How?” he asked.

There it was- the question Gurjin never wanted to answer. He clenched his jaw and looked away. Meeting Rian’s gaze was too difficult now. “It… ended wrong,” he said finally. “It’s always a memory, but this time it— it was worse.” Gurjin sighed again. He had never talked about this sort of thing with anyone before. His mind was blank on where to begin or where to stop. All he could do was hope that Rian wasn’t too resentful of him- although if he was, Gurjin wasn’t going to attempt a defense.

Rian exhaled through his nose, watching the swamp in front of them from beside Gurjin. His eyes flickered upward to watch Gurjin’s nervous and tense body language. “I don’t suppose I can expect you to tell me what it was?” Rian phrased it as a question, but Gurjin knew it was rhetorical.

“I can’t, Rian.” Gurjin’s ears fell in shame. He reached over to gently brush Rian’s arm. “I’m sorry. I would trust you with my life one thousand times over. This is just— I don’t know how I could tell you.” The concept of describing his pain aloud was a realm of vulnerability and hardship Gurjin wasn’t prepared to inflict on anyone- most of all his partner.

Rian nodded, not pulling away from Gurjin’s touch. He hummed before falling silent. There was a short pause between them. Then Rian spoke once more. “Then could you show me?”

Gurjin tensed. In the moment after understanding what Rian was asking of him, Gurjin’s eyes snapped open. He turned and met Rian’s gaze in sudden dread. Gurjin had always kept his memories so close to the chest that it hadn’t occurred to him that dreamfasting was an option. Now that the idea was brought before him, his fears spiked. Gurjin could feel the panic beginning to brew in his veins. “Rian,” he began. “You— you don’t want to see this.” His voice wavered at the edge.

“Yes, I do.” Rian’s fingers brushed over Gurjin’s bare arm. The soft blue orbs dotted with gold that Gurjin loved so much were now studying him. “You’re my best friend and my partner. If something is bothering you and if I can help it, I will.”

Rian’s care was sweet and genuine, although it only made Gurjin’s nerves spike. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that Rian would live up to the promises he spoke of. It was simply a matter of not understanding the weight of what he was asking. Gurjin took a breath, braving the act of facing him head-on and turning away from the window. “You won’t like it,” Gurjin warned.

“I don’t have to like it, Gurjin.”

“Rian, I mean it,” Gurjin urged in a sober voice. “There’s so much— I’ve never shown it to anyone before. Even Naia hasn’t seen it all. You’re asking me to do something I haven’t shared with anyone in Thra. I don’t— I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop once it starts.” Gurjin was trying to dissuade Rian with all he could. Yet with each new reason, Rian’s gaze only seemed to grow more steady. It was becoming obvious that Gurjin wasn’t going to be able to convince him to back down.

Rian only set his jaw. “Then don’t try to stop it,” he replied in a soft voice. Without adding anything else, Rian lifted his hand, palm facing Gurjin. His eyes never wavered, but Gurjin could see the softness within. Rian’s brow lifted as he made a gentle, pleading expression. It was an invitation for Gurjin to let him in- one that he was having a difficult time refusing.

Gurjin’s jaw clenched and he swallowed. He raised his hand, fingers reaching out to meet Rian halfway. The weight of what he was about to give his partner made the hair on his neck stand up. Still, Gurjin tried not to cower away. Rian wanted this, and he knew what he was asking for. That was what Gurjin repeated to himself as their hands touched. It took a moment, but Gurjin hesitantly closed his eyes and began a tentative dreamfast.

He started with the simplest answer to Rian’s question. He recounted the dream first. The visuals were fresh and new. Rian’s walls were down completely and patiently accepted every detail from Gurjin’s memories. Gurjin, meanwhile, felt his heart begin to race the deeper he went. Once the dream had been shared, he could feel Rian reach out again. Like he was barricading a door within his mind, Gurjin was holding back the stream of thoughts and memories that would surely follow. He could feel the curious pang of Rian’s thoughts push back against his restraint.

“Don’t try to stop it.” 

Rian’s voice echoed in Gurjin’s head. In the real world, Gurjin’s ears fell and his breath hitched. In an attempt to hide from Rian, Gurjin thought of his past in a fleeting instance of recounting what he wanted to keep close. Unfortunately, that singular thought was all his mind needed to come undone. With a speed that rivaled a stroke of lightning, Gurjin felt his control slip away.

His mind drifted first to the other instances of his dreams. Rian could now see the countless other moments where Gurjin had been plagued by nightmares and more. Too much more. The dreamfast was fragmented and out of order, drifting between memories and moving as rapidly as Gurjin’s mind did. He tried to wrestle back some semblance of control. It was too late now- the thoughts were slipping between his fingers like a river current.

Gurjin’s mind moved faster the further back they went. Each moment was worse than the last. There were the nightmares when they returned after the Conjunction. The moments when Gurjin would wake up in a panic during the Garthim Wars, forgetting where he was until the sight of his friends reminded him. Then the moment itself- against every ounce of Gurjin’s will, he recounted the imprisonment at the Castle. They heard the General’s voice, saw Gurjin fighting back, then felt the torture. Gurjin’s heart raced as his breathing grew panicked. In turn, the memories began to blur, unsure where to focus and stop.

The Castle. The nightmares. The pain. The ache in his back that would never go away... SkekVar’s voice. Gurjin’s own cries of agony... Refusing to sleep even when he was exhausted. Naia and Laesid telling him that they couldn’t heal the wounds — so much pain. Make it stop—

Their hands broke apart in urgency. Gurjin’s eyes shot open and he took a step back to balance his recoil. Every muscle in his core was tense, rigid with the panic burning in his skin. Rian took a sharp inhale. His eyes opened to look at Gurjin. Both of them stood in silence for a moment, catching their breath as Gurjin’s panic had been unintentionally passed on to his partner.

“Gurjin,” Rian began once his breathing was manageable. His expression was both horrified and heartbroken. “What was-”

Gurjin didn’t relax at all. He looked away from Rian with a brewing sense of guilt. “I told you I wouldn’t be able to stop,” he said quietly. Rian had seen everything. That had been his worst fear and he failed to keep it from coming to fruition. He was weak. “I— I shouldn’t have agreed to this.”

Rian’s expression softened. “Don’t— Gurjin, please don’t begin with that,” he urged. He stepped closer, pressing into his personal space. Gurjin didn’t move his head, but Rian didn’t let that deter him. He reached up, gently taking Gurjin’s jaw under his fingers. Rian swallowed as Gurjin was turned to meet his gaze.

Gurjin was unsure of what to say. For a long time, neither of them spoke. Rian’s eyes were wide and glistening with tears. Gurjin was certain he was no better. With a quiet, shaking exhale, he let out a nervous breath.

Then, at last, Rian spoke. “I’m sorry.” The words were quiet and sincere. Gurjin wasn’t sure how to respond- he didn’t think Rian had to apologize for anything. Rian caressed Gurjin’s cheek as he watched him. “I’m sorry, Gurjin.” Rian leaned in close, taking Gurjin’s hand with the other.

Even with all of the nerves still in his system, Gurjin couldn’t hold his tension for very long when Rian kissed him. As their lips met in a tender and quiet display of love, he felt his nerves melt away. Gurjin shut his eyes, visibly melting from Rian’s romantic act. His shoulders fell and when Rian pulled away, Gurjin let out a long breath of air. “Don’t apologize to me,” he mumbled quietly. Rian shushed him, remaining tight in Gurjin’s vicinity and keeping their faces close. “I’m the one who showed you too much.”

“It wasn’t too much,” Rian countered. His voice was firm but without anger. He leaned again, this time giving Gurjin a warm hug. Rian shut his eyes and squeezed. He didn’t know what else to say, but he hoped this was enough.

Gurjin let him, eventually reaching up to return the embrace. Guilt was still plaguing him, but the hug was helping. Gurjin took a breath, catching Rian’s familiar scent under his chin and squeezing him around the waist. After a few moments, Gurjin became aware of growing moisture near his gills. He pulled away slightly and was troubled to find Rian’s eyes, wet and glistening in the Sister’s light. Gurjin frowned and reached up to wipe away stray tears. Rian leaned into his touch, holding his hand there.

“I didn’t know.” Rian shut his eyes in guilt. Another small tear slipped out as he did so. “I wouldn’t have let you go through that alone.”

Gurjin sighed, ears drooping. “That doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t have let you,” he admitted in turn. He looked away, watching the darkness outside. “You were the face of the Resistance. The last thing you needed was me putting all of that sog on you.”

Rian’s face hardened. He squeezed Gurjin’s arm and looked up at him. “Gurjin,” he said in a warning voice. The anger made Gurjin look back. “What was the oath you made to me in Stone-in-the-Wood?” The question surprised him. It must have shown on his face because Rian pressed further. “What promise did you make to me on the eve of the Great Conjunction?”

“Rian, I—”

“You said that you’d live for me,” Rian interrupted. “We’d live for each other because the thought of continuing without the other was torture.” 

Gurjin winced. “This is different,” he argued. “You didn’t need to carry my burdens on your back!” He tried to keep his voice down to avoid making their argument public, making his voice hushed. “The War was enough for you— you almost died from exhaustion one unum.”

“Yes, I did.” Rian narrowed his gaze. The grip on Gurjin’s arms had softened and Rian leaned in closer. Their faces were very close now. “—but if I had to be there for the gelfling who was the reason I stayed sane at the end of each day alongside all of that, I would. One thousand times over.” Rian shook his head as the emotions started to overwhelm him. “Gurjin, you shouldn’t be afraid to tell me anything.” 

The emotion in Rian’s voice made Gurjin crumble. His ears fell and he sank into Rian’s arms. He held onto his partner with a vulnerable show of need and desperation. First, he had felt bad for giving Rian too much insight on his own problems- now he felt guilty for keeping it from him in the first place. Rian was the most important gelfling in Gurjin’s life- and yet he didn’t trust him with this? He was such a hypocrite.

Rian frowned and let go of Gurjin to support his body. “Come on,” he urged quietly. He gently tugged Gurjin forward. Soon enough, the two found the bed once again. Rian got in and Gurjin followed suit. Gurjin was still frowning but didn’t object when Rian settled into a lying position with Gurjin’s head laying on his chest. It was a new dynamic for Gurjin- he was usually in Rian’s position. It was new, but strangely securing. 

Rian reached up and began to softly brush his fingers in Gurjin’s hair. They didn’t speak for a while, merely laying together as the rain continued outside their home. Then Rian spoke. “Why was your nightmare telling the truth?” He lifted his head and looked at Gurjin, curious. “You talked to the General to save yourself. Why did that hurt so much?”

Gurjin exhaled, turning inward to look away. Rian continued to comb through his locs, which kept him grounded. “Because that’s what I’m scared of,” he admitted quietly. He opened his eyes and watched Rian, the amber irises reflecting in the pale light. “I wasn’t scared of the General, Rian. The Garthim were terrible, but they didn’t frighten me the most.” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “...I don’t want to be the reason you get hurt. I don’t want to make a choice that gets you killed.” 

Rian softened. “You wouldn’t hurt me, Gurjin,” he reassured softly. He curled his spine to embrace Gurjin’s upper back and shoulders. “You’re telling yourself that, and you’re wrong.”

Gurjin frowned. “I could have,” he said softly. “There were so many times— so many days where I almost lost you. If I hadn’t acted or done the right thing, you— you wouldn’t be here.”

“But I am here,” Rian argued back. His voice was firm but patient. Rian cupped Gurjin’s face so their eyes could meet. “I’m here, Gurjin.” He smiled and caressed Gurjin’s cheek. “... and I’m not going anywhere.”

The touch was comforting and Gurjin leaned into it. His smile faded into a soft frown. “What if it doesn’t end?” The question was to the air. Gurjin looked down as his partner continued to comb his locs, holding Rian’s hand to his face. He sighed into their pillow. “I’m so tired, Rian… I want to move on from all of this— this—”

“Sog?” Rian finished, smirking. He held Gurjin’s face in his hands. “You will. There was a time when I didn’t believe it either, but you will.” Rian leaned over, kissing him tenderly. After a moment, he pressed his forehead against Gurjin’s, their noses brushing. “Give it some time. It won’t go away completely, but you’ll live with it. We both will. Together.”

Gurjin softened. “Together,” he repeated. He sighed, then leaned into Rian’s touch. “I’m sorry, Rian,” he said. “I should have told you the truth.”

Rian gently smiled at him. “I understand,” he reassured. He looked away slightly. “I still don’t like to remember what happened to my father. I don’t want my grief to be the responsibility of someone else, so… I understand why you did it.”

Those words made Gurjin frown. He nestled closer and held Rian’s hand in his. To say that Rian could tell him anything would be hypocritical, so he didn’t say it. However, the thought of Rian going through pain alone didn’t sit well with Gurjin. He hated seeing Rian in pain, emotional, or otherwise. “You can tell me,” he uttered softly.

The words made Rian smirk. “No more secrets between us, then,” he said firmly. “I’ll be open as long as you are. No more hiding.”

Gurjin took a shaking exhale. Then he nodded. “No more hiding,” he agreed. At his promise, Rian smiled at him. The latter shuffled forward, facing Gurjin, and gave him a tender kiss. Gurjin smiled against Rian’s lips. No matter how often they did that, he never grew tired of it. Gurjin didn’t want to tire of it. “I love you,” he whispered against Rian’s temple as they broke apart.

Rian smiled and let out a breathful laugh against Gurjin’s jaw. “I love you, too.” He pulled away just enough so Gurjin could meet his gaze. He brushed back one braid and tucked it behind Gurjin’s ear. “Try to rest now.”

The request was sweet and Gurjin nodded. He hummed and shut his eyes. Rian’s scent was familiar and comforting, and he tried to get comfortable. For Gurjin, that meant shuffling closer so his head was resting against Rian’s chest. He could hear Rian’s heartbeat and the sound was soothing. Gurjin relaxed, letting out a deep sigh as he reached one arm to loosely wrap over Rian’s waist.

Rian smiled and moved his arm downward, gently caressing Gurjin’s back while he let his other arm fall behind Gurjin’s head. He rested his chin on the top of Gurjin’s head and smiled against his forehead. The rain was growing more gentle outside, as was the thunder. Rian shut his eyes and began to hum a soft song. Gurjin’s ear moved slightly as he heard Rian’s voice, but Rian quickly felt Gurjin relax even more against his body.

Gurjin, meanwhile, was feeling more secure than he had in a long time. The warmth of Rian’s body against his, along with Rian’s heartbeat and soft voice, was bringing more comfort than he could have hoped for. Gurjin nestled his face into the crook of Rian’s shoulder, lips brushing against his skin. Even after everything they had been through, Rian never failed to calm him. The two were each other’s weakness in that way, but Gurjin was realizing that wasn’t always a bad thing. Out of anything that could have been his weak spot, he was glad it was Rian.

Then, with one final exhale of bliss, Gurjin let his worries slink away and drifted off to the first of many restful nights of sleep.

The End