Chapter Text
Nom’s death was very recent.
With what happened to the creaking having affected him, causing his death, Scott couldn’t help but visit his friend's grave often.
He never did much; all he did was talk and talk about the things going on in the kingdoms: the war’s final end; the updates on other people's lives and drama; sometimes even his own personal issues. Scott knew Nom would be listening in the afterlife, but it still hurt knowing he couldn’t reassure or comfort him.
That didn’t deter him, though, for he still went almost every day.
Until one day, something… different popped up.
It happened around a few months after Nom’s death, when Scott decided to have a picnic next to his grave as a small moment of peace for both himself and, hopefully, his friend. When he reached the cliff–basket in hand–he saw something unusual, something that wasn’t previously there.
It was a tree. Or–well, a seedling anyway.
It very clearly had just seemed to have risen from the ground. Scott couldn’t help but lean down towards it, placing his picnic basket on the ground, leaning it against the knight’s grave.
Placing a gentle hand on the leaves of the small sprout, he examined it thoroughly.
Its stem was a pale, greenish color–if you could even call it that. The green was so unnoticeable that it looked almost completely grey, speckled with what he could only describe as tears from what seemed to be a rapid growth.
Its blueish-sage leaves leaned towards his hand, seeking the comfort of the plant mage before them. Scott smiled softly at the gesture, feeling a bit of relief coming from them as he grazed one of its leaves. The texture was so off, with waxy, uneven curves and splotches of the same grey that covered its stem.
This plant was clearly very weak. Not only from its obviously wilting state, but also from the horrid pain that was leaking out magically and in extremely large doses. The mage was very happy at the fact that he decided to wear gloves that day.
He instinctively reached for his staff, hoping to offer a little assistance to the poor thing. Casting a healing spell–knowing that a nature’s growth spell would only increase its tears–he held both hands out, with his staff in one.
A cluster of small, glowing white orbs began to float from the ground before dissipating in a beautiful facade of soft light.
It was practically natural for Scott at that point, seeing as his abilities had only increased through the months of being in Bannerfall.
He smiled at the feeling of relief that poured out of the plant after he cast the spell. Content with his work, he sat down next to the seedling.
It grew oddly close to Nom’s grave, so much so that Scott considered the fact that maybe it wasn’t just a coincidence. He could feel so much potential in the plant; maybe he could care for it until it regains its strength.
So Scott decided it. He would take good care of it.
For Nom.
*•~<≈:≈>~•*
Ever since, Scott has been feeding it magic. The seedling seemed to be growing at an oddly fast pace, every time he went to Nom’s grave, it had grown noticeably taller and stronger, practically a sapling in just a few weeks. It was definitely no ordinary tree.
That’s what Scott was thinking as he brought Katie and 4C to talk with Nom together. Mae was running a little late and would meet up with them later.
“Where did this come from?” Katie asked, pointing to the now bigger sapling that sat right beside the stone of the grave. She sounded almost a little offended–probably due to the fact that it was starting to block the view of the coast below the mountain–something Nom always liked to see.
Scott stumbled through the bushes, finally getting into view where Katie–and now 4C stood. He couldn’t see the slime’s expression, but judging by his stillness while looking at the sapling, he was definitely thinking about something.
“I honestly don’t really know?” Scott said in a questioning tone, setting down a blanket and patting the areas beside him on both sides, inviting them in. “It just appeared out of nowhere. I just got this… feeling, a feeling that Nom would’ve wanted me to take care of it.”
Katie decided not to judge the flower mage about plants–sitting down on one of the spots Scott had given her. 4C eventually joined, also sitting down, but with his eyes fixed on his friend’s grave.
“I think we should take care of it,” said 4C suddenly. His face curving into a soft smile as he looked back at the rest of the group.
Scott mirrored his expression, nodding wistfully.
Soon, a yelp could be heard as Mae jumped down from a tree–unsuccessfully, of course–before she apologized and sat down quickly.
“Sorry I’m so late! Got caught up with something back home haha…” she trailed off, eyes getting caught at the lonely tree next to Nom’s grave at the clearing.
“Was that always there?” She asked, curiosity evident in her voice as she yet again stood up, walking slowly towards the sapling. She carefully crouched down in order to examine it, her eyes glinting with curiosity.
“As I told 4C, I have no idea,” Scott replied, placing a few sandwiches he had made onto the blanket he had laid out. “Me and 4C want to take care of it, for Nom’s sake.”
“Hm… well I feel like it’s a sign!” The red-headed rogue replied, practically flying up from her crouching position and skipping towards them. Taking a sandwich, she planned out loud on how they could take care of it, with the rest of the group listening to her rambling.
*•~<≈:≈>~•*
And for many years after that, they did what they said they were doing. They took care of the sapling.
It grew larger and larger, reaching the size of an oak tree in only a few months.
Scott visited it the most, having his healing spell with him at all times to make sure it could help the tree grow. He used his knowledge of plants to monitor its development, making sure it had a viable amount of nutrients and got good amounts of sunlight.
Soon, he realized it was growing unusually.
As it got larger, it started to produce sap, a beautifully vibrant orangey-yellow liquid that covered the bits of its bark, casting an almost ethereal glow. It reminded Scott of the resin that had brought Nom to his current position, and he did not want to think about that…
Its willow-like leaves were also odd, with some green and othersred or orange, even outside of autumn. Although it provided a large overhang, shading Nom’s grave from the elements.
At first, Scott almost thought something was wrong with it. But, after checking how it felt, the tree seemed oddly at ease. If anything, it seemed to grow almost impatient, growing even faster as time flew by.
Scott figured it was doing alright at the moment, so he let it be. Hoping that it wasn’t anything too trivial.
Sitting down, Scott began humming a faint tune he remembered Nom singing whilst he was playing his guitar.
He leaned his head against the tree and allowed his magic to leak out. He felt big waves of relief wash over him from the tree as his eyes grew heavy, and the world faded to black.
*•~<≈:≈>~•*
Scott sat on the bench atop the hill where he had laid out his flower gardens at the base. He is currently writing in his journal, commenting on his and his friends’ activities, and planning what he wants to do that day on a separate list.
Seeing how the sun was nearly completely invisible under the horizon, the mage decided to call it a day. Standing up from his seat, he groaned as he stretched from having been sitting down for so long.
Walking down the stairs of the steep hill, he wondered what he was going to have for dinner. Until–a Blackbird dove from the sky and landed on his head. With a note in its beak, it pecked at his head urgently.
Scott took the small note, unfolding it as the bird flew away–probably back to Katie, if he was guessing right.
Looking at the note, Scott’s heart nearly stopped at the frantically written words within it.
“OH MY GOD NOM IS ALIVE YOU HAVE TO COME PLEASE”
It didn’t take long before Scott murmured the incantation, casting teleportation and aiming for the other side of the mountain. He had a feeling it was probably around Nom’s grave, seeing as he seemingly came back from the dead.
As the teleportation landed and he was at the base of the cliff, he ran at a speed he didn’t know he was capable of. Making his way up the steep mountain while holding back tears as he thought about what he was going to see. A zombie? A ghost? A normal human being? He had no idea.
Nothing would’ve prepared him for what he did see, though…