Chapter Text
What Sorey Was Up To When He Wasn't Sleeping
Strength For Today, And Bright Hopes For Tomorrow
Chapter 1 - Year Zero - An Interrupted Picnic
Shortly after the festivities celebrating peace between Hyland and Rolance ended, Sorey’s friends went for a picnic just outside Ladylake. In those early months after Sorey left, the party did not stray far from Elysia. Mikleo might have been fine to do so, and in fact might have welcomed a distraction. But Lailah found one excuse or another to keep them close for a while. They had a relaxing day purifying weak hellion, and were sitting down for a meal when a flash of lightning followed immediately by thunder surprised everyone. After the first boom, they heard several bangs of distant thunder a few seconds apart. It was a perfectly clear day.
Lailah froze in the middle of a lunch time conversation. She bolted up straight as she snapped her sight towards the beam of light indicating where Sorey sleeps, almost knocking her bowl of curry over onto her lap but made no attempt to catch it. The friends didn’t have to be told to shut up. They have always seen Lailah move with languid, graceful movements. She wasn’t smiling. They couldn’t even be sure she was breathing, in fact. She had a somewhat wild look in her eyes, sparkling with focus. They exchanged meaningful glances, and waited, in silence.
A tense minute passed. Then, Lailah took a huge deep breath, and slumped back into her seat. Now no longer stiff, the friends are relieved that it doesn’t seem to be pain or a medical emergency. But to say that her body “relaxed” would be an overstatement.
Rose: What the heck was that.
Rose reached for Lailah’s hands, and patted them gently as if she was soothing a child who was woken up by a nightmare. Lailah, recovering, attempted a smile to reassure everyone, her breathing still laboured.
Lailah: Everyone….good work out here today, Let’s go back to town and have a chat with our friend, Uno, and Alisha too I think.
She started walking towards Ladylake immediately, not bothering to clean up the meal or pick up their packs.
Edna: Fine, I’ll play mother today then.
Edna stomped her foot once, and a large pair of earthen hands rose up and pulled the whole thing into the ground.
Mikleo’s heart was pounding. He followed Lailah right away and willed himself not to break out into a full gallop. Something was happening in Sorey’s direction. Something happened to Sorey. For the first time in his life he feared he might be sick.
When Mikleo overtook Lailah with long, determined strides, she recovered enough to realise she’s frightening her poor water seraph. She put a soft hand on his shoulder, gave him a genuinely warm and dazzling smile that reached all the way up into her eyes. She held Mikleo’s hands gently, and continued in quick strides, but now with almost a spring in her steps and occasionally, a playful squeeze. Mikleo trusts his silent friend, and relaxes considerably, his fears hushed for the time being.
If she can’t say anything, it can only mean Maotelus. But something good, apparently. And Uno can help. This might be okay. One step at a time. Don’t be a fool. It might not even be entirely reckless to feel hope.
Mikleo held Lailah’s hand all the way to Ladylake. He wasn’t sure if he was comforting her, or the other way around.