Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Aiden kept the mug of coffee wrapped tightly in his fingers. The soothing warmth pushed away the cold of the chilly late summer evening. It had been raining for a few days covering the usually warm lake in a dampening fog. The warmth of the cup aided in soothing the soreness in his fingers as well. But it was a good kind of sore, the kind one gets from building.

In Aiden's case, it was finishing the first floor of his house.

It was only going to be one story, but Jesse and the others kept popping by and let's face it, no one wanted to sleep on a couch or the floor. So a two story was to be made, the floor plan edited to make up for the new structure. Building the bottom half had taken him awhile, not only did the weather slow him down, but he was still finishing off his community service by running various errands for Isa and Milo.

Wrecking an entire city can have some major setbacks.

He frowned, silently chiding himself for thinking about Sky City, and quickly shoved his mistakes back into the depths of his mind.

Aiden took a sip of coffee, watching as the last rays of the sun set from beyond his kitchen window.

Hmm, coffee is too strong.

The hard banging of his front door managed to break his serenity.

Aiden let out a heavy sigh, hoping it wasn't some parole guard. "Who is it?"

"It's Jesse!"

Relief washed over Aiden and he grinned, "Doors unlocked."

There was a loud slam as the door swung open, hitting the wall with such ferocity Aiden felt his counter vibrate.

"Jesse!" Aiden whipped around, "You don't have to open it so -"

The mug slipped from Aiden's hands and fell to the ground, coffee splattering everywhere as the glass shattered.

Jesse was covered in an inhumanly large amount of blood. There was enough scarlet liquid to stain Jesse's Star Shield armor, soaking through the cracks of the armor and even dying Jesse's black shirt red. But Jesse wasn't bleeding, not a drop was his. Aiden stared in horror as he realized who it belonged to.

It was all Lukas.

The blonde hung limply in Jesse's arms, his own gear stained nearly black with blood. His head rolled loosely, hair plastered to sweaty skin. He was pale, save for where more blood had smeared.

"Lukas!" Aiden rushed forward.

"Don't!" Jesse cried, "Don't touch him! He's sick with something!"

Aiden slide on the tile, looking over Jesse's shoulder just as Petra and Ivor hurried into the house. Not a single spot of red marked them.

"We didn't know where else to come-" Ivor began.

"What the hell happened?!" Aiden demanded.

"Lukas got separated," Petra quickly explained, "We don't know how, but we were traveling the Hallway and he was suddenly gone. It took us a few hours to find him he said he was feeling under the weather but was fine. Then when we made camp a few days later he suddenly started vomiting, he- he- couldn't stop. It didn't start with blood at first it was food, and then -"

As if on cue, Lukas let out a weak groan, a painful sound that made Aiden's throat tighten.

Jesse cursed and rushed into the temporary guest bedroom. He lowered Lukas to the floor and grabbed the nearby trash can just as the blonde lurched.

Aiden stared in horror, as watered down blood spilled out of Lukas's lips, splashing into the metal and turning it from silver to ruby.

"W-w-what does he have?"

"We don't know," Ivor replied, "We needed somewhere safe to bring him so we can figure it out. The last thing we wanted to do was bring a potential plague to the people of Sky City, but-"

"No you- you-" Aiden took a deep breath, "You did the right thing," He hurried towards the door, "I'll get Isa."

Chapter Text

Aiden was pissed - No- he was furious.

Or perhaps it was simply the extreme stress stacking up on him that Lukas was ill and potentially dying and the people of Sky City - or whatever the hell they were going to name the new town - would do nothing about it.

That was it.

If he had the one who had been sick, he wouldn't have blinked an eyelash, heck he probably deserved it.

But Lukas- Lukas did not. Lukas helped try and stop Aiden when the city burned; Lukas helped Isa, helped Jesse.

Aiden flinched as he heard Lukas retch beyond the closed doors of the guest room. Jesse trying his best to sooth the pain.

Isa stood outside his front door, but she wouldn't come in. She couldn't actually, Aiden wouldn't let her in. He was upset and slightly irrational, but not stupid. He was already risking enough by bringing her to his front door.

Over the past few months, Aiden had come to respect Isa. Both had formed a mutual acquaintance with each other. Aiden helped her people get the 'down to earth' experience they needed to survive and in return she made sure he survived the few villagers with a knife and a grudge. To repeat on a previous statement; destroying a city had major, major setbacks!

Milo and Reginald where there as well, the only other local and the only guard Aiden was on agreeable terms with.

"Aiden I'm sorry," Isa stressed, "But if he truly has something-" she hesitated as more noise came from the guest room. She looked at Aiden - in a moment his frustration and stress were snuffed- for there were tears of helplessness threatening to destroy the woman with the usual iron composure. "Aiden, my people never suffered sickness in Sky City. If this disease gets to them-"

"They'll all die," Aiden finishes. He sighs heavily when Isa gives him another pained look.

He wasn't surprised actually, kinda expected it to be honest. But the truth was still frustrating and very painful.

They just couldn't risk it.

"If you need anything-" Milo started.

"There isn't much you can do," Aiden stopped him short, hand grabbing the door knob. He gave the trio a soft smile, "But thanks for trying."

The door closed, cutting them off. Keeping the sickness from spreading the only way he knew how.

Ivor walked up shortly after the door clicked shut, "Anything?"

"They can't help, not with the risk of epidemic."

The older male sighed, "I figured as much. But I have news; I know what Lukas has been infected with."

Aiden looked over hopefully. "That's good?"

Ivor's response was not however, "That's also the problem Aiden. Now I know exactly what we're dealing with."

"And- and it's bad?"

Ivor looked towards the door, worry clouding his eyes and stressing his features, "I'm afraid we're running quickly out of time."

Chapter Text

Petra was leaning against the wall by the guestroom door, firmly seated on the floor. She looked up as Aiden and Ivor walked over. "Nothing yet," she said.

Shortly after cleaning Lukas up, it was unfortunately decided to close the door in hopes of preventing further infection. Jesse, who had the most likely chance of getting sick next, since he had been the one carry Lukas, remained on the other side. Petra acted as a communications relay, whatever Jesse needed, she fetched. But as of the past hour all had been quiet.

Aiden knocked on the wall, "Jesse?"

"Hmm?' came the tired response from the other side of the wood door.

"Everything okay?"

"He's asleep."

"How are you?"

"I'm fine."

Everyone frowned, and Jesse sensing the pause, added, "Guys I'm fine. I'm not showing any signs yet."

"What are we dealing with now exactly?" Petra asked.

Ivor pulled up a chair while Aiden placed himself on the floor. The old man let a great sigh, "Going off of Lukas's symptoms before he started to - erm - lose his stomach contents, and based off of Jesse's descriptions; I am extremely certain Lukas has contracted the Coughing Plague."

Petra's expression was surprised, and Aiden was equally dumbfounded. The Coughing Plague wasn't something unknown back at home. It had appeared a few times during the history of their world, causing catastrophic damage each time. But as time itself progressed, and the people moved forward; the sickness became as dangerous as the flu. Now simply known as the Coughing Sickness, catching it was rare, but it was easily treatable, only lethal if no action was taken to cure it.

A few people in Aiden's former social life had it once, but it never got past a rash and a particularly nasty cough that could make you lose some blood. It never, never, got to vomiting.

"Ivor that can't be right, I've never seen a cold get this bad, " Petra stated what Aiden was thinking.

"It's a more primitive strand," Ivor explained, "One that we haven't been exposed to in a long time since the strain evolved to fight our own evolving immune system."

"Okay what are the signs?"

"Well, rash around the throat, and continuous coughing. Both of which Lukas showed signs for-"

"But what about the vomiting," Aiden cut in.

"In my studies I was able to come across old documents of the disease. In our modern time -the reason it's dangerous to us now - is if the coughing isn't contained the lack of oxygen will eventually cause the victim to pass out and suffocate."

"But he's not coughing as much anymore," Jesse said, "He's just...having a hard time breathing."

"I believe the reason this one is so aggressive," Ivor replied; "Besides being a primitive strain, is it came from the parasite that carried it in the first place. The first recorded wave of the plague in our history came from the jungle. Historians believe that certain insects - carrying the strain - would bury into fruits of the jungle. People would eat them and then -"

Jesse cursed, "The jungle world! We ate those mangos! Lukas must have come across it then."

"But that was doors ago," Petra argued, "At least a week had gone by since then."

"He started showing the rash a few days after, while we were in those cotton fields. Remember? We thought he was allergic to them."

"Okay so we know what it is," Aiden said, "How much time does he...how long?"

"A week, at best."

"What!"

Ivor sighed, "If I had caught onto the signs sooner..." He looked hard at Aiden, "The only reason it took so long, is our immunity is incredibly strong. That's the only reason Lukas has lasted this long and will last longer than most."

"What signs should we be looking for?" Jesse asked.

"Well, vomiting," Ivor answered, "Then he'll have extreme difficulty breathing, body spasms, he fall into a comatose state, and then his vitals will all start shutting down. Then it..." he paused, "This particular strain is dangerous and aggressive, if it gets to the people of Sky City-"

"They'll be wiped out," Petra finished.

Aiden looked towards the front door, trying hard not to imagine a deadly primeval plague tearing through the growing village. "Wait..." he looked to Ivor."Isn't there a known cure for it?"

Ivor leaned back in the chair, "Yes...That's part of the problem I'm afraid."

Chapter Text

"It's extract from a flower, right?"

"Cosmic Orchid, only blooms in the dark, grows in dark deep jungles as a result." Ivor explained.

Aiden frowned, "That shouldn't be a problem, we had a whole botany garden full of those back at home."

Ivor gave him a look.

Aiden looked away, realization dawning him, "Shit." he looked back, "How rare is it?"

"Very," Ivor replied, "After our ancestors figured its medicinal properties could cure the plague; they began collecting seeds from every flower they used. It didn't take long to decrease their rarity. The botany house you spoke of would wait till the flowers had dropped their seeds and the seed themselves were growing before pulling the old flowers for cure extract. But here....."

"So, deep dark jungle is where we go to find them?" Jesse asked.

"Yes."

"Always has to be a jungle!" There was the sound of Jesse's head hitting the door in frustration, "Aiden where is the nearest jungle?"

"We are about a mile or two away from one right now, it's just beyond the river." Aiden answered, "But it's small, the chances of the flower being there are slim, the trees aren't thick enough nor is it dark enough. But I've been expanding this world's map out, and there is another jungle about a day and night's ride by horse, if we-"

"Out of the question, that's too far." Petra argued.

Aiden gave her a look, "And what makes you think that?"

"We're running on limited time in case you have forgotten. We have a better chance searching the one by the river."

"Like I said, it's not dark enough," Aiden countered, "Besides, I've been to the other one, and I can swear I saw glowing while I was traveling through. Cosmic Orchids are the only thing that could glow in a jungle."

"How sure are you?"

"Petra I wouldn't suggest this unless I'm sure. We aren't going to find any in that small patch of wannabe jungle."

"I still think-"

"Guys!"

Everyone went quiet, eyes casting towards the closed bedroom door. Jesse sighed wearily from beyond the woodwork, "Aiden, are you certain? Tell me you saw flowers."

"It was dark, and far from me." He admitted, "But I know a glow when I see one. Besides, it's our best chance. That jungle is old and thick, navigating will be difficult. But if there is a better place for Cosmic Orchids to grow, please point me to it." Aiden stood, "Gil and Maya are out mapping to the west, they should be back in a day, maybe two. When they get here, they search the jungle across the river, we can double our chances," he glanced at Petra, "In case I was wrong about the flowers there."

Petra leaned against the wall, "Jesse, you can't be considering this."

"Aiden knows this world better than we do."

Petra sighed, giving Aiden a hard look, "Fine. Far away jungle it is then."

Aiden got up and hurried across his house, he yanked the front door open, "Reginald!"

The guard, who was almost always watching Aiden from some vantage point, poked his head out from beyond the tree. "Yes?" he jogged to the house, stopping a few feet from the door, "What is it?"

"I need a horse," Aiden said.

"A horse?"

"We know what we're up against and we know where to find a cure, but I need a horse to get there."

Petra stuck her head out, "Make that two."

Aiden looked sharply at her, "What? Are you crazy?!"

She shoved the door open wider, "It's dangerous where you are going, and in case you fail...Someone needs to get the cure back to Lukas."

They exchanged a heat glance for a good long minute, Reginald uneasily waiting for the pair to come to some sort of closure. Finally Aiden growled and looked back to the guard, "Tell Isa I need two horses...please?"

Reginald nodded and began to hurry away. "Two horses, on it!"

"Oh and Reg?"

The older male stopped looking back, waiting.

Aiden swallowed, throat thick, "If possible...can I have..." He shifted nervously, "A sword?"

Reginald raised an eyebrow, "That might be harder Aiden."

"I know, but-"

"I'll..." he gave Aiden a weak smile, "Considering the circumstances...I'll see what I can do."

Then he was gone.

Aiden closed the door, letting his head rest against it with a heavy thunk.

Petra was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, "A sword?"

"I don't have one."

"Why not make one?"

Aiden gave her a look, "Do you honestly think, after everything, they'd let me carry one?"

Petra scoffed and turned on her heel walking briskly back to her post by the guest bedroom.

Aiden closed his eyes, "I hope you're right about this cure, Ivor." he said, knowing well that the elder was within earshot.

"I know I am," Ivor replied, "It just the matter of you getting it."

"That's the easy part," Aiden scoffed, "Finding it is what I'm worried about."

Chapter Text

The door popped open with a soft click. Aiden stuck his head into the darkened room. Jesse looked up, frowning right off the bat.

"What are you doing in here?"

"My house, my rules."

"Quarantined, remember?"

Aiden closed the door behind him, "I'm probably already infected,"

"You didn't-"

"There was blood on the door handle," Aiden replied, "It was all over my hand, I noticed it when I went to get Isa. Besides I left my armor in here from last time."

Jesse went quiet, "Great..." he mumbled.

"How is he?"

Jesse looked towards the still form of Lukas. The blond was in a exhausted sleep, feverishly fighting off the nightmare raging through him, "He's...doing the best he can- considering.Notch, I feel so stupid. If I had known about the jungle door...I wouldn't have gone it. But it seemed like our door. And the world wasn't dangerous. I even got you something."

Aiden looked at the rust caked object on the nightstand, "And it is?"

"I have no idea. Lukas suggested you'd clean it up and we'd..." He trailed off.

Aiden swallowed thickly, unsure of what to say. Instead he walked across the room, opening the wardrobe door on the far side. He pulled out his gear, something Isa had been kind enough to return to him when he began scouting out the world.

"Will you be heading out soon?"

"The moment Petra finishes loading the horses, we're gone."

"I overheard you shouting to Reggie...did...did he get you a sword?"

"Couldn't get it past the council I'm afraid." Aiden replied with a huff, tightening his arm strap, "Isa couldn't tell them about the potential epidemic on our hands - didn't want to cause mass hysteria - She told them I was needed for a hunting trip, to get food stores for winter. So now I have a crappy wooden bow, and about twenty arrows."

"Take mine,"

"No... I'll lose it."

"You need to be armed,"

"I am,"

"That bow won't last you ten shots and you know it."

"Jesse," Aiden looked back at the brunet, "It will be okay. If I take your sword the village will be furious with me. They'll think I stole it or some other dumb story."

"Who gives a damn?!" Jesse's dark green eyes flashed in the dimly lit room, "It won't be okay, if you're defenseless and you die."

"That's why Petra is going."

Jesse stood, "Notch you're as stubborn as ever."

"Yeah, well..." Aiden smiled to himself and finished putting on his gear. "Can't fix every part of me I suppose." He turned around, noting Jesse's exhaustion marking the otherwise youthful and energetic face, "You really should get some rest. Sickness comes to those easily who haven't slept a wink."

Jesse looks away, fists clenching, "How can I sleep with this? It's all my fault we're in this mess. If I just could have picked the right door-"

"Hey!" Aiden cut him off, "Don't go there."

Jesse looked at him.

"It's not your fault, this could have happened to anyone." Aiden looked at Lukas, "Just...rest? Cause if I weren't here saying it, Lukas would be."

Jesse actually managed to snort at the weak attempt of humor, "Fine. I'd shake your hand good luck, but no point in me actually infecting you."

"Appreciated."

"I'll..." Jesse paused, glancing at Lukas, "Do you need to say goodbye?"

"That's not necessary-"

"Yeah, they all say that. Besides, if this fails," Jesse's lip quivered, "You'll regret not doing it." He backed away, into the spare bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Aiden huffed and looked towards the exit. He wasn't the kind of person who could do goodbyes, letting go was his weak-

"Where am I?"

Startled, Aiden hurried to the bed, just as Lukas started to sit up, "Hey! Lukas, you're at my place." he gently pushed Lukas back down, fingers tingling against the extreme warm of his friend's skin. "Take it easy."

"My...place?"

"No, mine, it's me Aiden."

"Aiden?"

"Yeah,"

Lukas groaned and fell back onto the pillows, "What's wrong with me?"

"You are seriously sick right now."

"I feel like I'm dying."

Aiden paused, hearting aching, "No, just a bad fever. You'll...You'll be okay."

Lukas rested his forearm over his eyes, words slurring, "You say that like you're lying."

Aiden forced a smile, "You tell me?"

"I don't know, I don't even...when did we get here?" Lukas's free hand brushed against Aiden's leather arm guard, "You're in gear...Where-"

"Out to get herbs, chicken soup sound good?"

Lukas weakly laughed, "Can't remember the last time you made that? Nothing- erg - sounds good right now. But...I'll eat it if you make it. Since that's - that's all you know how to cook-" His face contorted in pain, "Oh, why me..."

Aiden looked down, "Just rest for me?"

Lukas was already slipping back into delirium, "Aiden?"

"Hmmm?"

"Stay safe?"

Aiden bit his lip, Lukas already asleep before he could respond, "Yeah..."

Jesse opened the bathroom door then, eyes widening in surprise, "Aiden wha-"

"N-nothing, " Aiden pulled away from the bed, careful not to make eye contact with the other male, "He woke up for a minute."

"Did he say anything?" Jesse asked. Aiden stopped at the door, hesitantly looking back towards Lukas.

Stay safe.

"N-no." Aiden gave Jesse a slight smile, "Just that you're lame."

Jesse sighed a light laugh on the exhale, "Of course..." He returned Aiden's remark with a weakened grin, "Stay safe?"

Aiden paused, hand tightly gripping the door knob, "Sure." then he hurried out.

"I'll try to get some mooshrooms," Ivor said as they exited the building, "That should slow it down."

"Sounds good," Aiden said a little too quickly.

Ivor tilted his head, "Are you alright?"

"Fine, just stressed."

Petra was already on one horse. Aiden climbed up onto the other, already feeling like he had trekked a mile.

"Good luck you two," Ivor said, "Best of speed."

"We'll be back before you know it." Petra said, kicking her horse into a gallop.

"Aiden!"

Aiden froze seconds before setting his horse into motion, he looked over his shoulder just as Reginald ran up. "Reginald, what are you -"

"You didn't get this from me." the older male said, shoving a heavy bundle of cloth onto Aiden's lap. "Are we clear?"

"What is it-"

"Good luck!" the other slapped the horses rump. Aiden having to grab hold of the reigns as the creature burst forward. "Don't take too long!" the guard called.

Aiden looked back only a moment, before the jolting of the gallop forced to him to look forward. He looked down at the bundle, slowly peeling back some of the cloth.

Petra pulled her horse up next to him, "What did he give you."

"He-" Aiden swallowed, " It didn't come from him..."

Petra stared for a moment before urging her horse ahead. Aiden smiled, tightening his grip on the package; and kicked the stirrups as well. Sunlight glinted of the exposed parts of the gift within the wrapped cloth.

It was a sword.

Chapter Text

It was a putrid landscape, the stuff of nightmares. Buildings were falling into decay, the foundations cracked by nature's never ending power.

The air was thick with death.

Remains of a civilization were everywhere, dead forges, overgrown farms, graves...

Aiden pushed past town, to the small house far down the faded path. The door of the house opened slowly. He was driven here, yet reluctant to do so as well.

The inside was rotted, walls pitted with mold. He somehow knew it already, but this was his home. How could it have come to such a condition?

Aiden grabbed the guest bedroom door, "Jesse?"

There was no answer.

It wasn't until Aiden looked inside that he knew there wouldn't be.

Death.

He backed out of the room with shaking hands, realizing that his own body was dying. His fingers were pale and taunt and a cracked wall mirror revealed a face stained with blackened blood- he was sick, he was infected, he was-

"Aiden!"

Aiden nearly fell off his horse as he jolted awake, Petra watching humored from her own mount.

A nightmare.

"What the hell?"

"You fell asleep," Petra answered, "I would have let you fall off your horse, but seeing as that might hurt and inevitably handicap you... I decided against it."

He just groaned, popping his back in discomfort.

"Are we almost there?"

Day had faded long ago into night and there was nothing now but a bright moon illuminating the landscape. Aiden pulled out his map, "When did I fall asleep?"

"Thirty minutes or so," she replied, "Where you dreaming? It sounded like you were."

"No..." He grumbled back, "We're close," He lowered his map, "See those towering rock pillars at the end of the prairie? The jungle is on the other side."

"You sure?"

"Positive. Why do you keep asking me that? That's got to be the fiftieth something time this trip."

Petra just mumbled something and kicked her horse faster.

The jungle was a black mass, a nightmare converted into a dark reality. Trees towered high and close together. Moonlight was swallowed whole only a few branches down. The base of the jungle was an impenetrable black, where strange creatures howled and screeched in the night. Dawn would be here soon, but the night would continue on in the depths of the jungle.

Aiden got off the horse.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking a nap."

"You're kidding?"

He threw down a bedroll.

"You're not kidding." Petra growled, "We are wasting precious time! We need to get in there now!"

"You've seen a Comic Orchid before right?"

"Well yeah. You're not the only one who's been to the botany garden back home you know."

Aiden pulled off a shoe, then another, "On the outside the flower looks plain and boring, it's the inside that really catches one's eye. The problem there, like Ivor said before, they like the dark. This means, they only bloom at night. If we go in there during the day -when they're closed - we're going to miss them. It won't help that the both of us are sleep deprived,"

Petra frowned. "You wanna go in there, during the night, with monsters."

"Got a better plan? We brought torches didn't we?"

Petra slid off her horse, "Fine, but the moment the sun starts to drop on that horizon, we are going in."

Ivor knocked gently on the door, "Jesse?"

"Hmm?"

"How are things?"

The brunet on the other side seemed pleased, "Better, I think your mooshrooms soup helped a lot. Lukas hasn't thrown up in awhile. I'm glad you found a cow Ivor."

"She wasn't very happy to be found I assure you," Ivor replied rubbing his ribs, an unfortunate mark from a very angry mooshroom cow. "How are you feeling Jesse."

"Good actually," Jessed answered, "How many days before we know I'm clear?"

"Well counting the day Lukas started to cough blood all over you, we need to wait at least a week before we know you're clean."

"Well, four more days to hang in there then."

Ivor hesitated.

Jesse noticed, "Ivor don't worry. Petra and Aiden will be back before you know it."

"If they don't kill each other,"

Jesse paused, "I think they'll work past it for the greater good of Lukas and the town." He sighed, "You should get some sleep Ivor, if you get sick we lose our chance of making a cure. You're the only one who knows how."

"I'm teaching Milo just in case, besides, it's morning Jesse."

"What?"

Ivor hummed, "You stayed up all night. You should be resting yourself."

"Alright alright," Jesse soothed, "I will..." Ivor heard the male huff, " I'm fine Ivor, stop fussing."

"I'll be out here if you need anything."

"Better than having you in here. Now get."

The elder scoffed, "Stay healthy Jesse."

"Can do. Shoo. "

With a few more mumbles under his breath, Ivor departed from the locked door. "Youth..." he huffed. "Snarky in the face of death."

On the other side of the thick wood, Jesse had slipped into the bathroom, careful not to wake Lukas. It had taken all night to get the blond to sleep after all.

He slid into the bathroom, resting on the cool bathroom floor, a stark contrast to the well heated bedroom. It felt good, soothing to his warm body, "Better hope Petra and Aiden decided to get alone eh Lukas?" he whispered. "They better be quick about it too."

The blonde didn't respond from beyond the bathroom door, not that he wanted him to anyway.

"We're running out of time," Jesse sighed, running tired fingers through unkempt hair. As he let his hand drop he looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror...

He was met with a face of exhaustion, and the rash blooming along his throat.

Chapter Text

They tied up the horses the moment the sun started to fade over the mountain peaks. Petra didn't let Aiden waste a second.

"Hurry up Aiden!"

Aiden double checked the knot on the reigns. "I'm coming, no point in finding the flower if we have no way home."

"No point in heading home if we don't find the flower," she retorted.

Aiden growled and stepped away from the horses, still unsure if they were properly secure. But Petra was right, no more precious time to waste.

The jungle swallowed them in one gulp like the behemoth that it was. Five feet in they needed the torches; seven feet in they could no longer see the clearing. Twelve feet later, they couldn't even hear the horses.

The jungle treated the torches like an infestation. Darkness tried hard to swallow the light in every best possible way. The orange-gold beams were only successful in spreading vision out a few feet, beyond that was black nothing.

In retrospect Petra and Aiden knew there was more than just nothing, when had it ever been nothing? Jungles were every traveler's nightmare. Caravans would take the long way, brave swords men would pass by, even those pressed for time would avoid Mother Nature's bad child. Yet here they were, pressed for time and in the heart of the last true wild.

Night was barely beginning and it had already started to fill the air with a chorus of sounds. Screeches, howls, hisses-

Oh boy, Aiden thought.

He was the one holding the torch, Petra chose to stay armed instead. That meant she had to stay pretty close to him, something neither were clearly partial to. Besides, while the need for light was wanted, it had to stay limited. How else were they supposed to find a flower that glowed in the dark?

There was hiss somewhere over to Aiden's right. He didn't get to register it, Petra stabbed out into the darkness, effectively snuffing out the intruder.

"What if it was friendly?" was his weak conversation starter.

"Hissing means spider," was her effective conversation ender.

Aiden frowned, shoving a branch roughly away from his face. It came back, snapping roughly against his cheek. He cursed.

Behind him Petra chuckled, "So that's where Lukas learned that word from." She sighed, "Lukas hated going through jungles."

"I think everyone does." Aiden answered. "...Sounds like you two were getting close."

"We've been traveling together for ages now Aiden. It's either that or hate each other, if that was the case we'd never get anything done."

Aiden said nothing as he pushed the branch back once more. This time he held it, waiting for Petra to pass, "You seem to know a lot about him..."

"Probably not as much as you," she answered, "Sure, we've been neck to neck traveling together lately. But didn't you two grow up together? I seem to remember always seeing you guys as a set back home."

"If you can call us a set. It was more of follow the leader."

"And who led , I wonder?"

He noted the venom, "Who do you think?"

She didn't answer, making her way a few feet ahead. Petra stayed in the torchlight, but she stayed near its edge, far enough from him."

Seconds dragged into minutes and from there, hours. Progress was slow, you couldn't move fast when you were trying to find a flower in a giant jungle. Did you rush through trying to find that needle in a haystack? Of course not.

Petra's patience grew thin with each passing hour however, "Are you sure you saw a flower's glow in here Aiden?"

"Yes," he said for the hundredth time.

"We should have found one by now, this is taking too long! It's probably morning!"

"Do you see any sunlight?"

"Well no-"

"Then it's not morning," he growled. Aiden looked up, barely able to see traces of moonlight far beyond the forest canopy, "The moon is right above us, we're probably around midnight."

Petra stabbed something in the bushes, "Just look over by those rocks over there," she snapped, "I'll check here in the ferns."

Aiden didn't need to be told twice, the tension between them was as hot and thick as the night air. He moved towards the rocks, grateful to get some space and get away from her attitude.

Attitude...

It was almost a cruel irony, being paired with someone who could match him for temper and snark. Now he had a slight idea how Jesse felt.

The rocks revealed nothing but bare stone and bits of iron, Aiden sighed, flicking the gravel away in frustration. He paused, it suddenly struck him that most of the rock was mixed with gravel in fact.

Shit.

Aiden cursed as the ground gave away beneath him, and he tumbled down a steep ledge. The torch flew out of his hand, rolling down the hill with him.

"Aiden!"

He covered his face with his arms, trying to shield himself from rocks and branches. Then as quickly as it started, Aiden felt his back slam against a flat piece of stone, knocking the breath out of him. "Augh!"

"Aiden what happened?!"

The torch caught up with him, stopping short by his head, Aiden looked up towards the night sky, lungs heaving for air.

The glowing purple eyes of an Enderman greeted him back.

Chapter Text

"Aiden!"

Aiden scrambled away from the Enderman, spitting out every curse word he knew, and some improvised ones. "Shit! Crap! Christmas Hot Sauce!"

Petra slide down the slope, much more gracefully than Aiden had seconds before. His torch had left small fires as it had rolled down the hill, lighting her path. Being courteous of nature however and not wanting to burn to death in this very well fueled forest; Petra stamped out the mini bonfires on her way down. "Aiden are you alright?"

"Fine," his face was burning as he stared at the Enderman. It was still in the same position since he hurried away from it.

A statue.

The 'Enderman' was a bloody statue.

Petra whistled, her best attempt to cover up her snickering.

"Yeah yeah, cough it up."

Petra started laughing.

Aiden ignored her, taking a second to admire the well crafted statue. It was very old, the vines and moss signified that. But the detail was incredible. Everything from the muscles to the purple glint of the creatures eyes, it was all very well made. Aiden walked over, running his hand along the obsidian stone. He stared at the purple stones in the art piece's eyes, wondering what kind of gem it was.

"Come on let's keep going," Petra broke him from his temporary wonder having got her laugh out; "We don't want to run into anymore Enderman, do we?"

"Haha very funny," he spat. He grabbed his torch, only then spotting the stone paved road almost hidden beneath the jungle's ferns. "Petra?"

"What?"

"There is a road..."

"What?!"

He pointed ahead of him, past the obsidian statue, "There is a road," he repeated.

Petra stepped next to him; she eyed the stone path leading off into the darkness, "So?"

"Shouldn't we follow it?"

She gave him a look, "And why would we do that? Last I checked we were looking for an elusive pretty flower that likes dark isolated places. Not daisies along the road."

Aiden returned her look "Does this ancient road look like it has been traveled lately to you?" he gestured ahead, "Besides, this would make progress easier, the ground would be more stable. We wouldn't have to worry so much about the terrain." He really didn't want to take another tumble down a hill.

"Please tell me where in history does, stable and ancient share the same sentence?"

Aiden started walking.

"Aiden!" Petra snapped.

"I'm looking for a flower, Petra," Aiden said, "This road goes deeper into the jungle, and that is where the Cosmic Orchid is going to be, deep in the jungle."

Petra stayed behind him a moment longer, before letting out a feral growl and following after.

"Woah careful, it's unsteady here."

"See? What did I tell you?"

"Oh will you can it?!"

Aiden reached out, grabbing onto a musty old rope level with his waist. It wove between thick wooden poles, moving on ahead into the infinite blackness, He could hear the rushing water below him. The ancient road had led the pair to a bridge. The planks groaned underneath his weight, but didn't bend. It was solid underneath, which relieved Aiden, he wasn't very fond of rope bridges.

Petra stopped just short of the first plank, trying to use her own torch to see down below. The river was heard, but still unseen, rushing off to somewhere in the night.

It was a long way down.

"Scared of heights?" he asked.

"Are you kidding," She gave him a cheeky grin, "I jumped off a bigger one with Jesse when we..." as her sentence trailed off so did her smile, "I hope he's doing alright. He wouldn't let anyone else carry Lukas. I hope he hasn't..."

Aiden felt a pang of pity and gave her a sympathetic smile, "I pushed him off a floating city remember? It's going to take more than an ancient disease to take Jesse out."

For the briefest of seconds Petra's eyes went dark, Aiden realized he probably shouldn't have brought Sky City up. But then her smile returned and she let out a brisk chuckle, "Yeah I guess he is kinda tough to kill ain't he?" she paused, "Still, is that a rope bridge?"

"No."

"Good enough," she stepped onto the boards, a little less careful than he was in crossing them. Of course he was heavier, so she might float over beams, while he caves them in.

"Wonder how far down it goes," she mused, about half way across.

Aiden kicked a pebble off, barely able to hear the splash some seconds later. "Let's guess it's pretty far."

"Sounds fair- Woah."

Aiden froze, "What?!"

"That!" she answered.

Aiden followed her gaze, eyes widening in wonder. "Woah..."

Just at the end of the bridge at the very top of old stone steps; there where massive pillars. The forest canopy was clear beyond the ancient gate and its arches. Illuminated in the moonlight was a massive stone city.

A hidden jungle town...

"Damn..." Aiden said, "Guess Sky City wasn't the only place in this world that had a society."

"Did you not see this when you came through the jungle?"

"No, I think I'd remember something like this."

Petra started to climb the steps.

"Petra wait!" Aiden started after, noticing the twelve foot tall Enderman statues standing erect at each of the pillars. They were made of the same stone as the one back on the road, black obsidian with glowing purple eyes. They looked like menacing guards, protecting the ancient city.

Petra was running her hand along one of the pillars, a carving of a creeper was etched in the stone, "Kinda reminds me of the tribal exhibit in the history museum back home," she mused.

Aiden stopped next to her, "You, went to the History Museum?"

She flashed him a look, "Of course, there is some juicy stuff in there. Fighting techniques, traps..." she trailed off, eyes going wide.

"What is it?"

"Is that what I think it is?" Petra pointed.

Aiden looked across the vast expanse of the abandoned courtyard. On the far side of the city was what looked like an ancient temple. The temple wasn't what caught Aiden's eye however, for beyond the open doors the temple emitted a soft purple glow. Aiden felt his breath catch; he was all too familiar with the hue from the botany garden back home.

"Cosmic Orchids."

Gil was in the living room, asleep on the couch. His snores the only sound in the tension filled house. Maya was in the kitchen with Ivor, trying to make some coffee. The coffee can was empty, so Maya broke into Aiden's private stash in the upper left cabinet.

Ivor, having gotten to know Aiden better as of late; knew very well that Aiden did not care for people taking his coffee. But he concluded that since there was the thought of death hovering over everyone's heads, he wouldn't mind too much. It was the least of his/their problems...

"Nothing?" Ivor asked softly.

Maya watched the dark liquid pour into her mug for a moment, "Nothing," she answered.

Ivor sighed.

"Gil and I overturned every block in that damn weed patch of a jungle. We looked through every cave, every dark hole, even under tree roots. Nothing!" She joined Ivor at the table, "We were up all night, if there was a flower in that jungle Ivor..."

He smiled the best he could manage, "Thank you for trying,"

Maya shook her head, "Didn't do us much good did it?

"We'll figure out something..."

"As soon as Gil is done getting his power nap, we'll grab food and try again,"

"Maya-"

"We're finding that flower."

Ivor clamped his mouth shut, not wanting to smash her determination, for he himself was full of despair.

Aiden and Petra had not yet returned, and despite his usual attitude of indifference, Ivor worried for them. He cared for all of the youth he had traveled with as of late. The thought of losing someone with so much life ahead of them pained him.

"Any word from Aiden and Petra?"

Ivor glanced back to Maya; the brunette looked at him with an intense worry, as if sensing his doubt.

"They would have arrived at the jungle yesterday morning. They've probably been trekking it at least one night and soon a day now," he answered.

Gil entered the kitchen from his power snooze, eyes cloudy with sleep. "Hope they are having better luck than we are,"

"They'll be back," Ivor begins. "Are you sure you have enough re-"

He never gets to finish.

A loud crash shoots through the house. The source, the guest bedroom.

The trio was silent for only a split second at most maybe longer, and then all three were scrambling for the room.

Ivor gets there first, hand grabbing the knob, "Jesse! What was that?! Jesse!" He orders Maya and Gil to remain at the door and rushes inside.

Lukas is still out on the bed, unresponsive. The bathroom light is on, the door closed.

Ivor grabs the bathroom handle and turns it, terrified to find it locked, "Jesse?!"

"I-Ivor I- I can't-"

"What's going on?!"

There is a funny sound, the creaking of metal.

"You can't come in Ivor." Jesse is panting, his voice raw and rough. "You can't- I can't reach-" Coughs cut him off, loud, hard, and violent.

Ivor glances at Gil and Maya, their faces are pale. Ivor finds it hard to breath. "Oh Notch...No."

On the other side of the door, Jesse desperately tries to grip the sink, trying to pull himself up; even though he knows he won't be able to. He knows he won't get to unlock the door. The other hand clings to the trash can. His lungs are heaving for air as he violently coughs. Jesse stares weakly at the metal bottom of the garbage bin, watching as blood drips from his mouth and stains the silver. His life is on a timer, everyone now knows...

"I've got it too."

Chapter Text

Aiden looked warily around the city.

"What are you waiting for?"

He jumped slightly, startled by Petra's sudden whisper in his ear. "What are you waiting for?" he asked back.

"I don't know. You just seem nervous all of a sudden."

Aiden gave another long slow scan across the massive courtyard. Unlike the rest of the jungle, which sang in a never ending chorus of spawns and animals of the night; the city...was as silent as the stone it was made of. "Do you think there are traps?"

"In the temple maybe," the female admitted, "But I think we're okay here..."

Neither moved.

He glanced up at the giant stone enderman next to him. The purple eyes seemed to stare right into his soul.

"Do you think there are traps?" Petra asked.

"You're probably right about the clearing." He answered, "Besides, look at this place. If there were any - I'm not saying there are - traps, I'd doubt they would still be working, this town is vintage."

"Of course." Petra took the first step past the twenty foot arches that made the front gate. Her armored boots echoing off the stone, they sounded painfully loud as it vibrated along the city walls.

Aiden looked at the Enderman again.

It didn't move. But for a split second, Aiden could have sworn...

Did it just blink?

"Coming?" Petra asked.

"Yeah..."

He treaded lightly down the stairs, but despite his careful approach, his steps still traveled clearly across the hallowed husk of the inner-city.

"Pretty architectures," Petra hummed.

"You like architecture?" Aiden asked with a smile.

"You know, one thing I will give this trip," Petra acknowledged, "I have got to see some pretty cool stuff."

"Tell me about it."

"What do you want to hear?"

"Your favorite world so far." Aiden suggested.

Petra thought for a moment, "Well there was this one place-" she paused to step over a broken stone tile, "That was built into this large cliff basin. In the center of the basin was this colossal natural mound. It used to be an active volcano you see. Anyway, the volcano was covered by a natural spring. The heat from the volcano is continuously pushing water to the surface; it pools in the mound and pours down the sides through various waterfalls. The people there had built their city right on top of the volcanic springs."

"That sounds safe..."

"It was actually really cool Aiden, waterfalls pouring everywhere...They called it Waterfall City, it was the capital of their world."

"Fitting."

"Yeah, there were dinosaurs living there and everything. Some of them could even speak English. The whole kingdom's name was called Dinotopia."

"That sounds awesome," Aiden smiled.

Petra shrugged, "Eeeh, it was alright. They had all these rules though, and everyone there was vegan. I've got nothing against vegan or anything, but hamburgers man."

"I feel ya."

"All the really cool places are made by people who seem to live this peaceful life, ya know." Petra sighed, "One world had a monastery built into these towering cliffs. It was totally wicked; you could only get up there by ropes which the monks had to climb every day. But they were at total peace there. Then we visit this one world with towering buildings, easily a mile high almost all of them are like that- but that's it. They are big tall square buildings with nothing special about them."

"What were the people there like?"

"Rude."

"I see." Aiden hopped over a broken pillar, "See any cool natural formations?"

"Oh boy have I," Petra grinned, "Lukas has drawn a few of them, when he gets better, he's gonna have to show you." Her eyes went sad, "Hope he's alright..."

"Ivor said he'd get him some mooshroom soup," Aiden soothed glancing off to his side, "That will give us more time to-" He stopped.

"Aiden what's up? We're almost to the temple come on."

He didn't answer; he simply stared grimly at the large stone wall before him.

Petra stepped in next to him, "What's wrong?"

"What do you make of this?" he asked.

She joined him in looking. Aiden turned back to the wall, feeling slight unease.

The entire wall was covered in tribal artwork which looked eerie in the light of their torches. It seemed to be the history of the people who once lived here, simply portraying villagers farming, hunting and playing games. But then the fresco turned dark, and frightening. The people were becoming pale, blood staining their fingers and mouths, following the wall down displayed many succumbing to the embrace of death. It looked like-

"Coughing plague..." Petra breathed out. "Aiden do you think-"

"Maybe." He whispered, walking down the path.

"What's that part right there?"

Aiden followed her finger, staring at the person on the wall. Unlike the other human beings, this man was portrayed in almost a divine like posture. Aiden had seen plenty of depictions of Notch back home to know that the ancient society revered whoever this man was as a god. It wasn't Notch, the man in the painting was too young, to harsh around the eyes. He stretched out his hand, a star at his fingertips.

The painting next showed the glowing star, streaking through the heavens. What followed after displayed the star crashing down, and the villagers finding it. The chief finally holding up a purple orb for his people to see. "It looks like they found a cure? A gift from their god" Petra said.

"It looks like they found a fallen star," Aiden countered.

"You can't find a fallen star. Shooting stars are just meteors," Petra frowned, "Even if one did land here, it would be just but a burnt of crater of nothing,"

"Kill joy," Aiden said.

"They probably found a big-ass diamond or something, " she shoved past Aiden and marched up the stairs, "Now come on."

Aiden followed after, taking one last glance at the painting before darting up the stairs.

"It could have been something from Sky-City," Petra suggested.

"Like what? A nether star?"

"That would explain the starry look." she admitted,

"But did Benedict ever hatch a spawn from the Nether?"

"Isa can't seem to recall him ever doing so,"

"Petra what if the 'star' was-"

"Shhhhh!"

He froze, "What?" he whispered.

"I thought I heard something." She answered.

'"Like what?"

"I don't know," Aide followed Petra's gaze down a city path. She was eyeing a massive stone dome in what looked like was the middle of a stadium. She stared at it full of unease, "It was something."

Aiden quietly moved by her, "Let me go first,"

"Hold on just a sec-"

"If there are any traps, and you get hurt I'll never hear the end of it." Aiden said, "You and the others are the one's trying to get home remember? I'm not."

Petra didn't respond.

Ignoring the imposing dome in the distance, Aiden stepped into the temple. The deep purple glow was much stronger now. He walked softly across the stone, looking for any signs of traps or tripwires but there were none.

More painting's decorated the walls but he didn't take any more time to examine them. He needed to see what that glow truly was.

Aiden rounded a corner and found himself at the entrance to a magnificent terrarium. Even old and abandoned the glory of it shown through. Glass above sparkled in the moonlight, illuminating hundreds of exotic jungle flowers and ferns. Moss grew heartily among the stones and the walls, the air full of smells and subtle scents. On a mossy mound in the very center however-

Cosmic Orchids!

"Yes! Petra we found them!" Aiden dashed across the room, coming to his knees just short of the large patch of blessed flowers.

Comic Orchids were truly a magical sight, one of Notch's finest. They were in full bloom, opening up to the moon high above. They weren't called 'Cosmic' for nothing, for if one were lucky enough to see the bloom, it was to see the heavens.

Aiden held one of the soft flowers in his hands, staring at the mesmerizing piece before him. The whole thing was a dark rich mix of purple, black, and streaks of pink. All over the petals tiny sparkles glistened like small celestial bodies. It was just like looking at the universe above.

Almost like a fallen star...

"Petra, I think the star in the painting was a Cosmic Orchid."

No answer.

"Petra?" Aiden looked behind him, to find the ginger no longer present, "PETRA!"

There was a sound behind him; he only caught it because of his now high alert fear. The noise was as soft as a sigh, the sound of moss compressing under a foot. This place wasn't as abandoned as he once believed. It made sense now, the noise Petra heard, the statue that had blinked. It was all so clear-

They had been followed.

"You have defiled the Gods gift!" a furious voice spat out of the darkness.

Before Aiden could turn, there was a sharp searing pain in his skull. He stumbled, the last view he had was of the Comic Orchids and a silhouette, before everything went dark.

Chapter Text

"Jesse? Hello? Is anyone here?"

Jesse's eyes flicked open to the view of bathroom tile and the bottom of the door. Morning sunlight slipped through the gaps hurting his vision.

Morning.

It was morning.

Shortly after announcing that he had joined the sick parade, Jesse had fallen into a terrible fit of coughs that stole his oxygen and made him lose consciousness. He awoke again sometime later to Ivor begging on the other side of the door for Jesse to answer. All attempts to unlock said door had failed, he couldn't even get up. Ivor tried to pick-lock the door open, all the while filling the sick teen in. Maya and Gil had rushed back to the jungle while night was still present, but it would be dawn soon making the cure that much harder to find. There was still no word from Aiden and Petra either.

By the time dawn got close, Ivor had gone through Aiden's entire stash of pick locks. He said he would go find a lock-smith and that was the last thing Jesse recalled.

He had passed out again.

"Anyone home?!"

Jesse uncurled from the waste bin, sore and tired. A wave of coughing overwhelmed his body and he bent into the metal can. He coughed violently into his hand, blood splattered against his palm.

He had been serious when he told Aiden he didn't want to infect him. Jesse had noticed the rash on his neck while he cleaned Lukas up. He tried to fight it, fight the infection inside of him. But the parasite soon gained the upper hand and he couldn't hide the coughing anymore.

He coughed again, struggling to breath. Lying on the floor had eased his airways, but even that was quickly becoming difficult.

The fluid buildup in his lungs made it difficult to breath, and each violent tremor from the coughing hacked at the blood vessels in his throat, making him bleed and spit it up.

He'd be vomiting it soon.

"Jesse?"

"Reginald?" he cringed, his voice sounded so hoarse.

The bathroom knob wiggled, "Jesse? What's going on? Where is Ivor?"

"I'm-" he coughed, "I'm sick. I can't get off the floor. Ivor- Ivor went to get a lock-smith."

"Notch, no!" Reginald gasped, "Did it just start?"

"No, I've had it before Aiden and Petra left."

"Jesse that was two days ago!"

Jesse stared at the ruby liquid at the bottom of the waste bin, slowly turning black and hard, "I know." he said softly.

"Why didn't you say anything?" the guard asked.

"I didn't want anyone to worry."

"Well we're worried now."

Jesse flinched, "How's Lukas?"

On the other side of the door, Reginald turned and moved away from the bathroom's sturdy oak door. He sat down on a chair nearby, eyeing the flushed and still male on the bed. Lukas's chest still rose and fell in weak flutters. "He's still breathing."

"Is his fever lower?"

Reginald barely lowered his hand before quickly pulling away," No..." he sighed.

Jesse groaned from the other side of the door and started coughing. "Notch, why? Why this? We didn't ask for this. We just wanted to go home!"

Reginald looked sadly at the door, "No one plans this Jesse...We..." he trailed off, "Jesse I have news..."

"What is it?"

Suddenly Ivor burst into the room, wielding an iron axe, "Ah, Reginald!" he said surprised. "What on earth!"

He stood, "I came here with news; I have to tell you two -"

"No right now, Jesse is stuck!"

"Yes I know! But -"

"I couldn't find a blasted lock-smith. So I took this axe. I'm sure Aiden will forgive if I break the door down." Ivor said, lifting it up, "But if an angry man comes here demand his axe back, tell him it was for a good cause."

The iron hit the wood, splintering it on the first swing.

"Ivor!"

"Reginald this is an emergency I don't have time!"

Another swing.

"Ivor! It's Petra and Aiden!"

Ivor stopped for a moment, looking over, "They're back?"

Reginald stared at him sadly, "The horses arrived just a few minutes ago."

"The horses?! Where are-"

"They weren't on them Ivor."

The older male stiffened. He looked in despair at Lukas, then slowly towards the bathroom door.

"We don't know where the jungle is. Aiden is the only one to have charted out that far. We know the general direction they went, but even if we do find the jungle we can't..." Reginald said upset, "Ivor...I'm don't know what we'll do."

The other's hands were trembling. Ivor took a deep breath and looked the guard dead in the eye, "We'll think of something. We always think of something." then he continued to hack at the door.

Jesse succumbed to another wave of coughing as Ivor kept swinging. Reginald feeling defeated, retreated back to his chair. He looked down at Lukas, and noticed with growing grief, that the blondes' arms were beginning to shake.

Aiden's eyes shot open, "Shit!" he yelled. He lurched forward, only to be held back.

"Stop struggling! I've already tried!"

Aiden stiffened, blinking away the harsh light of the late afternoon sun, "What is going- wait the sun is out!"

Petra was across from him, bound against a thick wooden pole, "You've been out for a few hours," She cringed, "They hit you on the head pretty hard."

Aiden finally noticed the pain in the back of his skull, even feeling the sticky pull of dried blood on the back of his neck. He groaned closing his eyes, now realizing he too was bound to a similar beam in the same fashion. Thick jungle vines wrapped around his chest, and his arms were forced behind the pole. "They?" he asked.

"The locals."

Aiden opened his eyes again, "Of course."

He could see the market in the distance cleary now. However it was not the same as it was the night before, colorful cloth draped between poles, making shade to cover dozens upon dozens of stalls. The temple was abuzz with activity, Aiden could see at least six or seven guards by the main door. Some were even on the roof...

Tension filled the air however, for every local or guard he could see, stared silently in his direction full of unease.

"Where are we now?"

"The stadium I think." Petra said. "You can't see it, but that giant mound is behind you. This place is less abandoned than we thought."

Aiden struggled to recall what happened last night. A mound? He partially remembered a stadium. His head injury made it difficult to think. His skull was probably cracked at worst, concussion at best. "Figures. Did they jump you too I take it?"

"Yeah, bunch of creeps dragged me off seconds after you stepped into the temple. They tied me down out here, and you got brought over a few minutes after."

"There's Cosmic Orchids in that temple Petra. We have to get them."

"I know," she answered, "But we gotta get free first." She glanced over his shoulder eyes narrowing, "There is a woman coming. She's been barking orders all morning. I think she is in charge."

Suddenly said woman strode past Aiden. He was momentarily taken back by the sheer power that emitted off of her. She was tall, slender, caramel skin and long silky black hair tied high up on her head. The female turned, dark purple eyes piercing at them full of disdain. The tattoos around her face added to the intimidation. Her strong arms and thick legs were adorned in more ink. She wore short wrap around her upper thighs and hips, a strip of cloth hanging down between the front and back of her legs, and only a tube top for her upper body. A decorated ender eye hung from her neck. Her neck was marked with a single jagged scar, starting at the chest, and all the way up to her left jaw. All in all, very tribal, and very scary.

She stopped her walk between Petra and Aiden, examining them both. Then without as so much as a word she dismissed her armed escort. The guards quickly retreated, leaving the trio in a tense silence.

"This is a big misunderstanding," Aiden started.

She raised an eyebrow.

"We didn't mean to trespass-"

"Aiden I don't think she understands." Petra paused as the female now looked at her.

"I'm trying to think of something!" Aiden snapped, "Better than silence or yelling!"

"She doesn't speak-"

The whole time the woman looked between them, watching each as they spoke, then she cleared her throat.

They froze.

Then in plain English, her voice saturated to the brim with venom and fury.

"My name is Dagna, chief of Ninazu tribe, and you," she pointed her own spear at the pair, "Shall pay for what you have done."

Chapter Text

"You speak English?" Aiden gaped.

"Only because you have no time to learn my tongue," Dagna spat, "So for now I must settle with spoiling my own mouth in yours."

Aiden frowned, not feeling very confident in their conversation start, "How do you even know English?"

"My people learned it long ago," she replied, "When settlers came through our jungle." her eyes flashed, "We have passed it down since, in case of more...intruders."

Petra gulped, "Look, Dagna is it? However we offended you, we are truly sorry and would really like to make it up to you-"

"You have defiled the gods gift!" Dagna snapped, "You cannot undo what has been done," She pointed a slender finger at Aiden , "You stepped into Ninazu's temple, you touched his sacred star!"

"Sacred star? You mean the flowers?" Aiden gaped, "I didn't know they were important you I would have asked-"

"There is no asking, only the righteous and deserving may take a flower!"

"In our defense we had no idea anyone was still here," Petra cut in, "It looked abandoned last night."

"Because not only did you defile the temple," Dagna explained, "You did so on one of our most sacred nights,"

"Which is I might ask?"

"The Purging, a time when we strip our city back down to its former state. It is a reminder to why we should never anger the gods."

"We're sorry to have angered you and your gods," Aiden pressed, "But we only need a few flowers, please. A very close friend of ours is sick, he doesn't have much time left. The sickness is forcing blood out of his body and soon-"

"I know this sickness of which you speak," she scoffed, "And he has been struck down by Namtar's disease."

"Namtar-"

"He is our god of death and sickness. Ninazu's brother. He is the reason we purge, he is the reason we must never forget. If your friend has been marked with his hand, perhaps you should pray to your own deities to save him as we prayed to ours for our healing.

Aiden's temper flared, "They brought us here," he began with clever thinking.

"Ha," Dagna sneered, "I see the lying tongue of the outsider's has not died out with time."

Petra growled, "Now listen here-"

"No you listen!" the other female snapped, "I have seen your world and it is nothing but a harsh violent land lusting for blood. Ninazu will not allow his land or his people to be razed again, as long as no outsider remains here. You come here and dare to steal his gift, and for that you must suffer."

`"We didn't know-" Aiden started.

"Silence! Or I will cut your tongue from your mouth!"

Suddenly a guard approached, whispering something in Dagna's ear. As she and the male spoke Aiden wiggled around and tested his bonds. They were firm, and by the lack of bow on his back and the quiver at his hip, he could only presume they took his and Petra's weapons.

But then he noticed- His eyes widened...

Reginald's gift.

The sword hadn't been of the finest quality, it was made when the people of Sky-City were just learning to make weapons. It was too long to be a dagger and too small to be a proper sword.

Aiden had tucked it in a hidden strap on the outer part of his left leg. The lower half slide down into the inside of his boot, and he could feel it. It was still there. The Ninazu People had failed to take it from him.

Thank Notch for Reginald.

Petra noticed his look and tilted her head in confusion.

Aiden mouthed, "Sword."

The ginger squinted, and he mouthed the word again. Her eyebrows shot up, and she followed his gaze down to his boot. Her eyes glinted with delight at their little discovery and she nodded.

Suddenly Dagna nodded as the guard finished speaking, before turning to Aiden and Petra, "It seems the council has found you guilty."

"Guilty!" Petra gaped, "Hardly a trial if we don't get to defend ourselves!"

"Trespassers do not get any say!" Dagna yelled back. She pointed at the guard, "Gather the others and take the prisoners to Ninazu's Judgment!"

"I thought you already judged us?!" Aiden snapped, struggling as another local cut him loose and forcefully began pulling his arms behind him.

Dagna's smile was vicious, "You have, but now it is up to the Gods whether or not you survive."

"This is a serious misunderstanding," Petra said angrily, "We didn't know this place had people, we didn't even know it was here! We're not even from this world-"

"So now you claim divinity!" the female chief raged. She shoved Petra towards a soldier, "There is a reason child that no one knows of this place, and no one ever will. Take them!"

Aiden and Petra fought hard as they were pulled across the vast stadium. Already a few hundred people were seated in the stands, cheering as screaming for what was probably their demise. It was then Aiden noticed that he and his partner were being taken to the large round dome in the center of the arena.

"What's in there?" Petra demanded.

"It a pit," a guard sneered in broken English, jabbing her in the back.

"But there were too many bodies," another laughed, "So we had to build up."

Horrified Aiden struggled harder as he was dragged up the steps; Dagna was already at the top, standing casually on a platform. Across from the dome, was a large balcony booth, with over a dozen stone chairs placed inside. All but the center chair were filled with heavily decorated locals. Before them, the dome had one hole, large enough for a person to fall through. It was pitch black past the entrance.

"The council has found you guilty," Dagna said, "But it is up to Ninazu if you truly live."

"You already said that," Aiden spat.

Dagna calmly wiped the spit from her cheek, and then forcefully grabbed the side of Aiden's head. He grunted in discomfort as parts of his hair tore from his skull, thanks to her iron grip.

"What's your name?" the female asked.

He said nothing.

She frowned.

"Aiden," he gritted out unwillingly when she gave his hair a squeeze.

"What is your sick friend's name?"

Aiden flinched, "L-Lukas..."

"Know this Aiden," Dagna whispered, "You're friend Lukas will die. All because you were not worthy enough of the Gods' great gift, you failed."

Rage built up inside of him, "I don't go out that easy," he sneered back.

"Everyone's time ends Aiden," she answered. "Yours could have been longer if only you had let your friend go." She raised a knife.

Aiden watched it come down. Everything slowed down for that moment.

Dagna slashed the bonds on his wrists, "Say hi to Bites," and with one heavy shove she pushed Aiden into the dome.

"Aiden!" Petra was yelling.

Aiden watched as the hole shrunk away, and he tumbled down into the abyss below.

The drop wasn't the far in retrospect. Or maybe it was? Either way it hurt.

Aiden hit the ground hard on his side, and there was the sound of bones cracking. He groaned rolling on over to his back, and refusing to move past that point.

The opening above was now a harsh spot of light twenty feet above him. But it was his only source of vision and he wasn't eager to leave it into the darkness all around him

"Aiden! Aiden!"

"I'm alright!" he called up, "I think," he mumbled to himself.

The light for the briefest of seconds was snuffed out, and Aiden stared up to make out Petra cursing and her growing silhouette-

Hold on...

He didn't get to move when she landed on top of him like a bag of bricks...

Obsidian bricks.

"Ow!"

"Sorry!" Petra scrambled off of him, "Those jerks just threw me down here without looking to see if you had moved."

"I don't think they care Petra,"

"Are you alright?" she asked, genuinely concerned, "Anything broken?"

Aiden sat up, taking inventory of his body as he went, "No, I'm - Ow. I'm okay." he rubbed his chest, "Well at least you got to land on something soft, I know I sure didn't."

Petra pulled him up, "As long as you didn't break anything.

The limited light made it hard to see the ground around him, but it was lumpy, unstable, and cracked under even the slightest of movements.

Petra looked up to the hole entrance where Dagna hovered over, "So when do we get judged?"

"Until Bites decides to do it." she stated simply.

Aiden frowned, remember what the woman had whispered before she had shoved him down here, "Wait, who the hell is Bites?"

From deep withen the dark pit, a low deep sound echoed through the chamber, as if to answer is question. Aiden went stiff, "You heard that right?"

Next to him, Petra nodded.

Aiden looked up, and noticed Dagna had vanished, "Petra? What do we have left in our pockets."

"They took our weapons Aiden,"

"I still have my sword, they could have left other things behind."

"Umm, let me look."

Another sound formed in the darkness, a low vibration the hummed in Aiden's ears. It was followed by the sound of slow but continous cracking.

Something was moving.

"Faster please."

"I can't see a damn thing Aiden! It's hard!"

Aiden searched through his pockets with one hand. He knelt down and tried undoing the sword strap with the other. It was hard, he couldn't see and his eyes were still adjusting. He found a torch in his pocket, the only one he had left, and quickly lit it. Aiden looked down once more, so to be able to retrieve his weapon.

Bones.

The ground was covered in bones and calcified bits of feather and fur.

The sight startled Aiden and his strained nerves couldn't keep it in, Aiden let out a sharp exhale.

"What is- oh shit!" Petra took a step back yelping as her heel cracked a jaw bone, "Sweet Notch!"

"We used to throw people down here," Dagna was back.

Aiden quickly removed his hand from his boot, hoping the she hadn't noticed.

"We'd let them starve," the female sighed, "But frankly the smell was awful and the bodies took too long to decay. Bites is a much more effective solution."

A large vibration seemed to agree with her.

Aiden took a step closer to Petra, bones breaking under his weight. "Petra..."

"I've got some slimeballs... not enough to make a block."

"I've got string in my back pocket," Aiden said quickly. "I picked it up when we were going down the road. Take them and make a lead rope, maybe we can use it to climb to the ceiling-"

"Here he comes!" Dagna taunted.

From the darkness two unblinking eyes emerged joined together by a long head and forked tongue. The neck went into the darkness, easily six feet in thickness, and was seemingly endless in length as it was swallowed by the gloom. That's when Aiden realized it wasn't a neck, but the body...

Bites was a giant snake.

Chapter Text

Bites was a snake.

That's all Aiden was able to process.

The giant viper let out a hiss, and lunged, giving the duo little to no time to react. The snake was insanely fast for one so large, flying up the bone mound like an arrow. Aiden grabbed Petra by the arm and dived, unable to grab his sword from his boot.

Petra and Aiden tumbled down the mountain of bones, the torch flying out of Aiden's hands. He tucked himself into a ball the best he could, trying his best not to be impaled by the dead on the way down.

From the corner of his vision he saw Petra crash into a rib-cage, her descent coming to sudden halt and that was all he saw before he fell farther away. He hit rock bottom, back slamming against a stone wall. It took the breath from his lungs and put him in a daze.

There was the tingle of magic on his fingertips, it reminded him of the feeling his hands got when he mixed potions. It radiated off the stone wall like heat from a lamp. Through the small cracks in the stone work he could hear the muffled roar of the crowd outside. Demanding for the blood of their trespassers, and he wondered absentmindedly if the stone was magic. Could they see inside, while he and Petra were trapped in the dark?

"Aiden!" Petra yelled, pulling him from his pained haze, "Look out!"

Aiden shook his head, and look up, horrified to see that Bites had turned and was starting down the hill. He hadn't spotted Petra; it's eyes were solely focused on Aiden. Aiden felt a heat at his foot and looked down to see that torch up against his boot. Ah, that's why, the torch was painfully bright in the blackened pit, luring the snake towards him.

He scrambled up, small rock and bits of bone cutting his hand as he did so, he snatched the torch up, "Petra where are you?"

"By the boulder!"

Aiden squinted beyond the torch light, just barely able to make out the outline of-

Bites lunged forward.

Aiden cursed diving out of the way seconds before the snake hit him. He felt it's jaw clip his boot, before the massive reptile smashed into the wall. The impact sent the entire dome shuddering.

Aiden stumbled against the wall, noticing this time the surface texture was different, it was wood.

Support beams.

Aiden's eye brows shot up and before Bites could recover the brunet was already racing up the hill, trying to find stable footing amongst the decay. "Petra!"

"What?!"

He raced past the boulder, yanking the spider string from his pocket, he threw it at the ginger, "Make a lead rope, I'll distract him!"

"What am I supposed to do with it!" she yelled.

"Get us to the top!" he hollered back, rounding a curve as Bites snapped at him. "See if you can hook the- woah!"

Bites had reared up, snapping at him like a cobra. Aiden realized with despair that if the snake could get up that high, it would eat them before they were halfway up the rope. He ducked at the snake missed his head by inches. The snake lunged again and Aiden barely managed to dodge Bites' deadly - well...bite. "New plan! Petra see if you can lasso him!"

"Lasso the snake?!" Petra cried, "Are you fricken nuts!"

"Just aim for his mouth!"

"You're crazy!"

Aiden didn't get to respond, rolling to the side as Bites surged forward again, and once more hitting a stone wall. He cursed; he needed to get the beast to hit a support. Caving in a massive stone structure on top of them wasn't ideal. But it was better than being eaten.

"What are we gonna do after we snag him!" Petra hollered, "If we snag him!

"We're gonna use him to take the building down!"

He saw Petra look up, "Small chance of being crushed, but better than this crap!"

"Glad we're on the same - yah!" Aiden's ankle snagged on an animal skull and he tumbled backward, spiraling down the hill. "Shit!" Broken bones and ribs stabbed at him as he fell, determined to cause damage.

If the snake didn't kill him, the deceased just might.

He hit the wall again, groaning in discomfort, "Petra, do you have it made yet?!"

"Yes! I just need a good angle!"

Bites was at the top of the mound, looking around confused by the sound of two different voices. Aiden waved his torch, "Hey over here you legless lizard!" He needed to keep Petra out of Bites' line of sight. He could see her creeping up from behind the lead rope in her hands.

Bites hissed.

"Yeah you! Your father was a worm and your mother was a newt!" It wasn't like the snake understood the insults, but at least it got it's attention.

Bites dived, racing down the hill of bones like a torpedo. If the sharp remains of the dead did any damage to the snake it didn't show. Bites simply plowed through.

Aiden waited till the last second waiting for Bites to get closer. It was a good thing the snake was clearly not intelligent. He could keep getting the creature to hit the wall till one or the other simply broke-

Bites veered to Aiden's left.

Apparently Bites had figured it out.

"Shit, shit, shit!" Aiden dashed to the right, only to be smacked back by the rest of the body. Bites had rotated himself sideways at the last second, sending the beast and the boy into the wall.

The dome shuddered.

Aiden collapsed after impact, his ribs screaming him pain and his lungs begging for air. Swift as the snake he was Bites forced his way behind Aiden, wrapping him in his coils and squeezed.

"Augh!" Aiden squirmed trying to get free, survival instinct kicking him into panic overdrive. His left arm was trapped against his body, the other still holding the torch was free. "Let go!" Aiden yelled, he chucked the torch at the snake's face. It bounced off the nose of the beast and landed on the ground, completely ineffective.

Bites unhinged his jaw, squeezing his body tighter.

The last remaining air forced itself out of Aiden's lungs and he wheezed. The roar from the crowd outside was thunderous, eager for the first death. Brain already half fried, Aiden tried desperately to unhook his sword, but the hilt felt stuck on a leather tie. If he survived this, he was switching the damn thing to buttons instead of straps. If he survived...

Bites leaned down and Aiden realized as blackness spotted his vision that this was it, he was going to die, and Lukas would too...

Dagna was right.

Chapter Text

Aiden closed his eyes; he didn't really want to see the inside of snake before he died. It wasn't the best last picture to go out with. He tried to imagine home and pleasant things.

Bites' jaw snapped shut.

Aiden flinched, then peeked an eye open in confusion, because he always assumed that being eaten hurt a lot more than this.

Bites was indeed still there, still wrapped around him and still trying to eat Aiden. But the massive snake's jaw was now trapped by a lead rope.

"You can't eat him!" Petra said from the other end of the rope, "He'll give you indigestion!"

Petra!

Bites was furious, now realizing he could not open his mouth. The angry beast threw it's head in every possibly direction, trying to open his jaw. He uncoiled Aiden during his desperate attempt, sending the teen falling to the ground.

Aiden landed on a pig's skull and lay there, not bothering to get up yet. He was still trying to control the sudden rush of air that returned to his lungs.

Petra had let go of the rope after the snake started struggling, she knew very well holding on would result in some serious rope burn on her hands. She rushed over to Aiden, "Are you alright?!"

"You're timing...is impeccable." He wheezed, "Thanks..."

"Figured you didn't want to see the snake's digestive system, but don't thank me yet, we still gotta get out of here," Petra urged, "And I don't know how long that rope will last." she flinched as Bites slammed into the bone pile. She had tied a good knot, the rope held firm on the snake's head. But Petra was right, it wouldn't hold forever.

The crowd was in a frenzy, furious for the blood they lost. It was loud almost deafening against his ears, much louder than earlier.

Aiden glanced towards the wall where Bites and tried crushing him moments prior.

A crack.

There was crack in the stone work, snaking up from the base and going five or six feet upward. Bites' last hit had damaged the mound's strength.

Aiden stood, "We gotta get him to hit the wall again."

"I thought he figured that out?"

"No, look though." Aiden pointed, "The wall is ready to give I bet-" they ducked the struggling snake's tail, "If we got him to hit it one more time..."

Petra spotted the crack, "Well...don't have much a choice I suppose. He's angry now, it might be easier to get him to do something rash."

Aiden ran up the pile, "Hey Bites!"

The snake stopped wiggling long enough to look at the teen, nostrils flaring in anger. Aiden crossed his arms, "Kinda hard to eat me with your mouth stuck."

Bites hissed, and Aiden wondered if the snake actually understood him.

Petra had silently crept up the side and grabbed the end of the rope. She was now quickly making her way down towards a support beam.

"Come and get me you worm," Aiden spat.

Bites coiled up, his mouth was stuck, but the viper's head was as big as Aiden was tall, if not bigger. All it would take would be one solid head ram to break every bone in his body.

Aiden stuck out his tongue and let out a mocking hiss.

That did it.

Bites lunged forward and two things happened in that second. Aiden dogged -barely - and Bites made point blank contact with the crack in the wall. Petra had finished tying the lead rope around a nearby support beam just as Bites lunged. The sudden yank of the snake combined with the unnatural godly strength of the lead rope, snapped the support beam in half-

There was a loud thunderous boom.

"Run!" Petra yelled.

Not wasting a second, Aiden turned and bound for the wall, racing though it as it caved open, from the corner of his eye he could see Petra, running out of the exit for all her worth. The crowds were screaming in terror and fear, and Aiden looked back just at the majority of the dome collapsed on itself. For the briefest of seconds Aiden could see that the stone was indeed enchanted somehow, he could clearly see inside the death pit. But as quickly as he saw it, the magic gave away with the building itself and the stone once more turned solid.

"Petra the temple! Head for the temple!" Aiden yelled.

"No! Stop them!"

Upon her stone throne in the balcony box Dagna was in a rage, trying to get her guards and council under control.

Aiden laughed.

"Aiden run!"

"I am running!"

"Run faster! The snake's not dead!" Petra hollered.

Aiden glanced back just as Bites slithered out of the stone pile, thrashing violently.

"Shit!"

The snake, now on smooth clear terrain, was like an unstoppable force. Locals and guards screamed in terror and fright as they scrambled to get away from their former pet. The beast smashed through stalls, and stone pillars, driving the crowds into the narrow roads that led to the market.

"In here!" Petra yanked Aiden by the arm, and they stumbled through the open door of a building just as the snake plowed past, crushing everything in its path.

Aiden was wheezing, "I was...really...hoping...the rocks would crush him."

Petra didn't answer.

"Petra?"

"Those jerks! That's my sword!"

Aiden turned and finally noticed that the building they had entered was full of weapons. Varying styles, looks, and even age. The oldest ones were covered in spider-webs and a thick layer of dust and rust. Haphazardly thrown on a table close by was Aiden's bow, and Petra's sword. It was a trophy room of past victims he concluded.

Petra was strapping the sheath to her side, sword already out. "We got to get to that temple before we get out of here."

"It's not far," Aiden grabbed his bow, and threw his quiver over his shoulder, "Just a few blocks down, but it was full of guards last I checked."

"I think good ole Bites might buy us sometime," Petra paused listening to the screaming coming from everywhere, "Everyone is a little scrambled by now." she hesitated once more, "Do you feel bad that we unleashed a snake on them?"

Aiden looked out the door, seeing if the coast was clear, "A little I guess. I mean yeah, they tried to kill us. But we did trespass."

"We didn't know anyone still lived here."

"They don't seem to care about that," Aiden stepped onto the street, "Let's just get the flowers, and finish what we started-" he fired his bow at an attacking guard. He was careful however not to kill his attacker. Last thing he needed was Dagna pegging them as murderers.

They raced across the market, or what remained of it anyway. Bites had done his fair share of damage still trying to get the lead rope off. It was still full of panicking and screaming people, however only a few were together enough to actually attack the pair. Once or twice they saw Bites and steered well away from him. He'd plow through the clearing and disappear into one of the side streets.

They were almost to the temple, when a large group of guards cut them off.

"You're not going anywhere!" the leader of the pack yelled.

"Listen we just need-"

"You will die!" he yelled, "Men cha-"

Bites burst from a side alley, knocking the group down like a set of bowling pins. And quickly as he arrived the viper was gone leaving a pile of snake stunned soldiers on the ground.

Aiden blinked once, maybe twice, then he and Petra were leaping over the dazed men and into the temple.

"Get the flowers I'll guard the front!" Petra yelled.

Aiden raced inside, much faster than he had only a few hours ago. He burst into the green house and for a moment froze-

Where were the orchids?!

Then he spotted it, in the center back where the flowers were before was a thick black curtain; protecting the night loving orchids from the harsh sunlight above.

He tore back the curtain and yanked up the closest cluster of flowers, six or seven at most.

"Aiden hurry up!!" Petra hollered. 

He was already running to the exit, "I'm coming-Augh!"

Faster than he could register, Dagna appeared and jumped down from the ceiling above, shattering multiple glass windows. She landed behind him in a shower of glass and shards. With one swift pull of his hair Dagna had Aiden on the ground.

He hit the stone floor, breath leaving his lungs at the hard impact.

"Die!" She screamed, raising her spear.

Aiden kicked his feet out, catching Dagna in the ankles. She tumbled crashing to the floor as he scrambled up. She reached for his foot and in a moment of panic and desperation, Aiden kicked.

His foot hit her jaw and Dagna's head snapped sideways. The female slumped to the floor and then didn't move.

Aiden froze.

"Aiden!"

He quickly kneeled down, and pressed a finger against her throat. There was a pulse, and she moaned. He hadn't killed her.

"Aiden what are you doing?!" Petra urged, sounding more and more desperate, "Hurry up!"

He stepped away from the fallen chief as she started to stir and raced outside. He exited the building just as Petra knocked out an attacker with the flat of her sword. "What in the Nether took you so long?!"

"I'm sorry I-"

"Do you have the flowers?!"

Aiden nodded and tucked said orchids into his jacket.

"Then let's go!"

They were halfway across the market when the yelling picked back up, "Stop them! They have taken the Gods gift! Kill them! Kill them!" Dagna was on her feet again.

"Aiden above you!"

Aiden turned mid run, and fired an arrow just as a guard leapt down from a balcony. The arrow was stopped sort, glancing off the gold and metal chest pieces he wore but it was enough to sending him crashing away. Seconds later Aiden's bow snapped.

What was it Jesse had said? That bow won't last you ten shots.

I got eleven shots out of that, Aiden thought, ha.

They raced out the gates and Aiden half expected the giant stone Enderman to attack. They however - thankfully- did not move from their position. Soon it would be just the bridge between them and a jungle of escape.

Aiden got there first, now able to see the stone arches holding up the bridge's boards. Fifty maybe sixty feet below were harsh rushing rapids, flowing quickly down and swallowed by the jungle.

"We're gonna make it!"

"Destroy the bridge!" was the sentence that crushed their hopes.

For the next few seconds the world slowed, Aiden was halfway across; Petra was just entering the bridge. He looked back, and saw one solitary flaming arrow disappear underneath the beams-

The explosion was intense, violent, and loud. In a burst of fury and fire the center of the bridge was destroyed, Aiden was propelled forward by the sheer force of it. A myriad of splinters and stone rained down upon them.

"Aiden!"

Shaking his head, ears still ringing Aiden got up from his knees and looked. Petra stood on the bridge still, soot and ash staining her face. Between them, was a fifteen foot gap of broken burning bridge. Below them the rapids.

Aiden stuck out his arms, "Petra jump!"

She took a step back, "What?!"

"Jump! I'll catch you!"

Petra didn't move.

Aiden looked past her. Natives were pouring out of the gates, armed and dangerous with Dagna leading the way. Just ahead of them, Bites was in a blind panic for the jungle. "What are you waiting for? You said so yourself you jumped farther than this!"

"No-"

"I'll catch you Petra-"

"Fire another arrow!"

"PETRA!"

"I can't!" Petra yelled.

"Why the hell not?!"

"Kill them! Finish them off!" Dagna screamed.

"PETRA JUMP!"

"You'll drop me!" she finally burst out.

Everything froze. Aiden's eyes went wide.

What?

The fire had spread rapidly across the ancient structure, and the bridge finally collapsed. Aiden and Petra fell with it, to the rushing waters below.

The water was a cold stinging slap. Aiden saw Petra, then the massive body of Bites. Everything came and went in a flash in the tumult waters. He was above one second and under the next. Rocks and currents tried to crush and drown him. With a heavy push of the currents, the river tore loose the flowers, and they swept out of Aiden's reach. The cure and life they represented gone in a blur of blue and foam.

The Cosmic Orchids, Aiden and Petra, were washed away. Along with all chance of hope and victory.

Chapter Text

Chapter Warning:

-

High Levels of Cursing

-

The river bend was quiet, peaceful. The river finally having calmed into a gentle current onward.

Aiden dragged himself onto the muddy banks of the jungle river, finally able to free himself from the clutches of the once raging rapids. He was bleeding, battered, broken, and couldn't go any further.

Water ran out of his mouth and nose and he was coughing hard. His lungs screamed for air, begging and strained from his oxygen limited trip. Still he hacked; he hacked up ounce after ounce of river water. It felt like nearly a gallon of the stuff was in his stomach.

More than once did the river nearly succeed in drowning him. The currents kept him under and the rocks threatened to smash him...

But by some miracle, by some Notch given miracle, he was okay.

But he wasn't okay, not really.

Aiden's hands clenched and he stared at the muddy ooze beneath his fingers.

They had failed; he had failed to keep the flowers. Now Aiden and Petra were lost, without a cure and with an entire ancient tribe out for their heads. Lukas was going to die, and possibly everyone else back at home.

He swallowed down his panic, only to hack it back up in the form of filthy river water.

"Great, just great," came his 'partner's' exhausted voice.

Further down the bank was Petra dragging herself out of the mud, she was cursing and spitting out the stuff.

Aiden stared.

Petra.

Immediately the blood in his veins boiled and rage built up faster than a blocked steam pipe. "What the hell was that back there?!" he demanded.

She looked at him eyes narrowed, "I told you that I couldn't make it!" she snapped.

"That's not what you said back there! I could have caught you! So why didn't you jump?!" Aiden stood, walking briskly towards her despite extreme bodily pain. "And it's not just the bridge! You've been fighting me since we started this damn nightmare! Everything from the jungle, to the road, all of it!"

"It's not my fault that every decision you have made, has nearly killed us!" she was almost screaming at him.

He was almost screaming back. "That's not true and you know it!" His hands were clenched so tight that his own nails dug into his palms, splitting skin and drawing blood. "You, could have jumped! What the hell did you say?! Tell me-"

"I don't trust you Aiden!" she spat out with such rage and ferocity that he actually took a step back. Petra stood, her eyes burned with a dark frustration, "I don't trust you!" she repeated.

There was a deathly silence.

Then, "How can I, trust someone, who pushes his 'supposed' best friend off the edge of a floating island?" she continued, "Someone, who pushes someone off to their death."

The words hit him like a cold hard slap, more painful than any wound he had received thus far. Aiden found it was suddenly very difficult to breath.

She jabbed a finger hard into his chest, "You shoved Lukas off Aiden, and shoved him off into what was at the time a bottomless void! What kind of person does that?! So no, I didn't jump, because what would be keeping you from letting me drop?!"

Aiden said nothing.

Petra threw her arms up, "But look at us now! Lukas is dying, and we're stuck out here while you try to have some redemption and glory trip-"

His anger got the better of him then, "Do you think this is about redemption?!" Aiden took as step forward, "Do you think I give a fuck about redeeming myself?! NO! I'm out here, in this Notch forsaken jungle, because one of the few remaining people I care about is dying! I am not going to lose him again!"

Now it was Petra's turn to be taken aback.

"I accept that most people will never trust me again. And why should they? I - I know what I did was terrible and wrong, I have no excuse. But I can live with everyone in the village hating me, the guards pushing me around, a- and people wanting to kill me. But will not - will not - lose Lukas...not again!"

He was shaking, despite now wrapping his arms tight around himself for support and stability. Unable to look Petra in the eye he continued, "I've known Lukas forever. I wasn't good at making friends when I was little. Lukas was the only one...As we got older I'd fall into a lot of bad crowds and do a lot of things I'm not proud of. But he'd still be around you know? I never really appreciated that. Then he starts to hang out with you and Jesse...I really have no excuses by this point, Lukas and I were in a strained friendship as it was. We were falling out; so I was angry and scared."

"I was so angry in fact, that I didn't realize all the harm I was doing. I was hurting you, Jesse, and a whole bunch of innocent people. But I didn't realize any of that till Lukas fell. It was like a bucket of ice water to the face, a wake-up call. Too late though, I was way in over my head and -" Aiden let out a shaky breath, "I pushed him, pushed him, possibly to his death. And- and I would never be able to take that back." There was dampness on his cheeks, it was salty and stung the cuts on his skin. But he didn't bother to brush it off.

"Then Jesse came back, and deep down, I thought, then Lukas could have made it. And he did! I was thrilled, Lukas could hate me for the rest of my life, and I wouldn't care. Because he was alive and that would be enough." Aiden choked on an emotional laugh, "And if it wasn't for Jesse, I would have been content with just that. But Lukas and I are closer than we have ever been and I don't want to lose that. I swore the moment I saw him alive and safe on that lake shore; I would never allow anything to happen to him. I was never going to relive that feeling back in Sky City ever again."

"I don't want your pity. I don't need forgiveness for what I did, and I most definitely don't need redemption." Aiden finally looked at Petra, "I'm not out to prove anything to anyone Petra. I'm just trying to keep my best friend alive."

He stepped away from the muddy banks and the silent ginger. Feeling weary and broken Aiden then turned on his heel and walked into the forest. If only this -all of it, the death and sickness -could be some hellish nightmare from which he could wake up. But he couldn't could he? And soon this surreal dream would be over but the nightmarish truth would remain, Aiden let out a choked cry. He made it about thirty feet, before his body said stop. He sat down on a mossy rotted log, and gave into an overwhelming wave of grief.

"Are you sure you're alright Lukas?" Jesse asked, "You don't look very good."

"Thanks," his friend replied sarcastically. Lukas then gave him a weak grin, "I'm fine, I'm just tired." he coughed, "And don't worry about my coughing, those cotton fields must have irritated my throat that's all."

"I didn't know you had an allergy to cotton."

"I hadn't really got the chance to find out..."

Jessed reached over, "But you have a fever-"

The other pushed his hand away, "It's no big deal." Lukas frowned, "It's just a small fever Jesse, if it gets worse I swear will go to Aiden's. Now will you stop fussing over me?

Jesse hesitated ,then reluctantly walked past the blonde, "You'll let me know?"

"Of course."

The group had walked down the hall, Jesse never wandering far from Lukas. And looking back at the memory- when Lukas coughed into his elbow - Jesse swore he's seen blood on the sleeve.

But Lukas had assured him, promised him everything was fine. He had stupidly allowed to go this far.

Lukas had pulled him aside later that night, while Petra and Ivor gathered wood for the fire. "Okay you win," he said. "I feel like crap." the color had drained from his face, and Jesse was frightened to discover how hard he was shaking.

"Can you make it Aiden's?"

"I-I think so, I'm just so tired-" Suddenly Lukas's face contorted in pain, he bent over vomiting into the grass. Lunch and water spilled out onto the green blades, filling the air with a sickly sweet smell.

"Lukas!"

"I'm - I'm fine, just nauseous-" he heaved again, "Oh Notch!" he collapsed to the ground arms shaking.

Jesse dropped next to him, grabbing onto his friend to support, "Lukas!"

"J-Jesse- Help m-"

Jesse saw the blood this time, it stained the corner of his usually smiling lips, and turned pale weak fingers scarlet.

Petra and Ivor had run over, attracted by the commotion. "What happened?" Ivor gasped.

"It's Lukas," Jesse was already picking the weakened male up. "Something is wrong. We have to get to Aiden's right  now! "

They ran the whole way, not stopping once. Lukas kept vomiting, the food was long gone, it was only blood by this point. "Lukas don't die on me! We're almost there!  Please,  We're almost there! Lukas!"

Jesse opened his eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling for a moment there, he was dazed. Ivor was there, seated next to the bed, he gently placed a hand on Jesse's arm. Jesse eyes shifted to him, then to Lukas across the room and the cold hard truth of reality came crashing down upon him.

"Jesse?"

"I thought it was a bad dream..."

The old man looked puzzled, "What?"

Jesse fought back tears. "I thought it was a nightmare, but we're here aren't we?"

"Jesse you need to-"

"He's dying Ivor." Jesse let out a shaky breath, "Did -did the shaking stop?"

"Yes." Ivor whispered.

"Petra and Aiden-"

"They haven't come back," Ivor gave his arm a soft squeeze, "Lukas is now in a coma Jesse,"

The words were suffocating, like hands around his throat. he couldn't breath. Unable to say anymore, or look Ivor in the eye, Jesse rolled over, curling into a ball to fight down his building nausea. He prayed, prayed hard, harder than he had in a very long time. Unsure of whom he prayed to, Jesse begged, that whoever was listening would bring Petra and Aiden home.

Chapter Text

Chapter Warnings:

-

Heavy Trigger - References of Physical and Mental Abuse!

-

Aiden actually tried to fight them off the first few times, crazy really. But his temper was still raw and untamed then, and his pride humbled but not-quite-there-yet. So he actually tried to stop it then.

Sometimes he wished he hadn't stopped trying...

The problem soon grew like a weed and quickly spiraled out of control.

The guards started it, the shoving, pushing, headlocks, that sorta thing. Then one of them- Greg was it? One of them got this thing in his head that he could go a little farther. Greg wanted to see just how far he could go with Aiden.

That's when Aiden had actually started fighting. Cause hell no he wasn't going to put up with this. But three - sometime even four -against one is never fair. It wasn't like when Jesse beat him in battle. Aiden attacked first, Jesse beat him and then helped him get back up.

They attacked him, and beat him and didn't stop.

"You deserve this," Greg spat in his face.

"Screw you!" Aiden spat back.

One bruised jaw later...

He lied to Isa of course. They weren't friends then, why would he bother going to her for help? But then they actually got to respect each other. But by that point Aiden's problem had become the entertainment of a fairly large group of people with a grudge.

She bought them at first, all the lame excuses. Fell off the wall, ran into a spawn, the stuff that actually could happen. But after the fourth then the fifth time, Isa got suspicious. So then Reginald was assigned to watch him which made it worse, because now it was a game. Let's see how quickly we can get it done before the captain comes back, where we can damage where they can't see kinda game. Every time it was the same-

"You deserve this."

"You brought this on yourself."

"You should be dead, count this as a blessing."

It wasn't until someone had a knife at his throat that Aiden stopped fighting and accepted it.

"You can tell me," Reginald said one time, a particular day that Aiden had arrived to work with a limp.

He really did, he really did want to tell him.

But he deserved it.

The words were deep-rooted into his mindset.

"Let me help?"

Finally, "Hey Reg, do you think we can ask Isa if I can go scout for her?"

Everytime he came back of course, they were waiting.

That's how it was now...

He deserved it anyway.

Petra joined him about an hour later. Aiden was effectively causing Armageddon on a small patch of shamrocks and grass. Petra stepped past him and settled herself on a mossy rock opposite of Aiden's equally mossy log. She gave him a minute of silence, maybe two. Her aura was tense, but not hostile; it seemed she was trying her hardest to look friendlier.

Aiden really didn't want to talk to her but he was pretty sure she wouldn't go away.

"Is it true?" she finally whispered. "What you said?"

"What part?" he answered tersely. He had said a lot of things an hour ago, some of them still rubbing his abused emotions raw.

"The...attacks?"

That was one of things that Aiden didn't want answer. He tore harshly at the clover patch, inspecting it briefly for any four leaf ones, before casting the handful of ragged grass aside.

Petra let out a low exhale, "Notch, you're not lying."

"It has got nothing to do with you," Aiden snapped, "I shouldn't have said it to begin with-"

"I overheard Reginald talking about attacks with Milo one night," she said, "They were talking about someone who had been stabbed-"

Aiden stopped tearing at the ground for a moment, and he felt frustrated with himself for visibly flinching.

"They tried to kill you," Petra said quietly, "They actually tried to kill you."

"You obviously wouldn't be bothered by it if they had." he replied dryly, looking away, "You've made that perfectly clear earlier."

There was a tense silence, the air heavy and thick.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He looked at her sharply, surprised to see such a worried expression on the usually confident face, "What?"

"Aiden," She said firmly, "What did they do to you?"

He froze. "I- " He hesitated looking mutely at the ground.

"Aiden you can tell me."

Aiden sighed, and much to his own surprise, he actually answered. "It wasn't so bad to start; just a bit of roughing up...Not everyone back in town was peachy on leaving their home. Sky City might not have been paradise but it was still theirs you know? One of the villagers took it too far one day, and the next thing I know, I'm at Reginald's place with a stab wound and half of my ribs broken."

"Did Isa and Milo do nothing?"

"They heard about it. Isa has been trying to catch them in the act for awhile. No luck yet though, they always wait till I'm alone."

"Did you see who would hurt you?"

"I know what guards are in on it, but never the villagers. It's usually dark, or there is a blindfold involved," He flinched, "But I pick up a familiar voice now and then,"

"So report them,"

"No point,"

"Why?!"

"I deserve it Petra."

She stared at him, "What?"

Aiden shrugged, "I deserve it, simple as that."

"Aiden-"

"I destroyed their home, I'm not equal to them and I'll never be- It's pointless to-"

"Aiden!" Petra snapped, "Stop."

He looked at her.

Petra's eyes were filled to the brim with a black fury, "No one, deserves that." her expression softened, "Not even you."

He didn't say anything.

Petra let out a huff, "Wow, I can see they've really got the messaged ingrained in your brain don't they? Aiden listen, what they are doing to you," she explained, "Makes them no better then who you used to be."

"Yeah well..."

"And... ... ... I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"Because, I've been doing it to," she rubbed the back of her neck, "I should have tried to give you a chance. Jesse and Lukas did after all, I just..." She growled to herself, "I thought what you did was unforgivable. But it never crossed my mind that people would try to attack you for it. People have tried to kill you, and this whole time I'm being an ass to you. I'm sorry."

He sighed closing his eyes, "Petra-"

"Shhh," he heard her hesitate, "Just, let me talk?" her voice was saturated with some emotion that was foreign to Petra. Was that nervousness?

Aiden opened his eyes and remained silent, allowing her to continue.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, "I agree with you, there is no explanation for what you did to Sky City, but..." Petra looked at him, "I see know that you really mean what you said. I see that you aren't out for yourself for once. You're out here for Lukas. I shouldn't have doubted you on that."

Aiden cast his eyes away.

"I didn't know about the attacks, I swear I didn't. I wish-I wish I did, maybe I could have done something..." Petra insisted, "But I can't fix the past and neither can you. But here in the present, right now, you're telling the truth, I can see that. Lukas was and still is your best friend and I have no doubt anymore that you want to save him."

Lukas.

Aiden looked down, "Yeah, well it doesn't matter now," he cringed, "We have no cure. We're gonna lose him. I failed."

"We still have some time,"

"It will take one day and night to get back to town from here! That's excluding the time it will take to get our bearings. We have little to no time left to find another flower! We have nothing!"

"What if we went back?"

Aiden stared, somewhat skeptical, "Are you crazy?

"Well, think about it," Petra explained, "They most likely think we still have the flowers, right? Dagna said they killed all intruders and never let them escape. They are probably out here looking for us right now, which means the village will be mostly empty and the temple unguarded. They wouldn't expect us to come back for more flowers."

"I guess..."

Petra stood, frowning, "There is the matter of the bridge."

Aiden looked towards the river and by the path of the currents flow, concluded they were on the opposite side of the temple. He furrowed his brow thinking, "There was the canopy... it extended over the river from both sides."

"Yeah, what about it?"

"I remember seeing some low hanging vines, we could-"

"Swing across!" Petra finished."That's brilliant! Now we have a plan! What do you think?"

Aiden looked at the grass, and spotted a four leaf clover. He plucked it, "Do you think it will work?"

"I think it will," she answered, "I promise to try and be more supportive of crazy ideas such as this."

His lip twitched up slightly.

"It is our best bet to save Lukas..."

"You're right," Aiden stood, "And we're out here for him."

Petra stuck out her hand, "Back to the temple full of insane natives."

He took it, "Back to the temple of insane natives." he paused, gripping her hand still, "Petra?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank- thank you," Aiden said, "I didn't realize how much I needed to tell someone about...well you know. I'm also sorry for being an ass."

Petra smiled, "Of course," her eyes seemed to glint, "I'm glad you told me. I'm sorry too, for being a really big ass."

Aiden smiled, feeling renewed with a fresh energy. The tension between them was gone, flowing away as quickly as a leaf in the winds. It felt good, it felt better.

As the pair exited the clearing, confident in their plan, Petra placed a hand on Aiden's shoulder, "Aiden?"

"Yeah?"

"We can keep this between ourselves," Petra said, "No point in everyone finding out about our brief breakdown," it was a jest, a little tease.

Aiden grinned, "But of course, we have a reputation for being Bad-Ass to keep."

There was more than one cure discovered in that jungle at the moment, and it was a cure of amends.

Chapter Text

Aiden fell into the bushes. Petra followed immediately after, falling right on top of him. Aiden grunted when her elbow hit his ribs, and she quickly gave him a apologetic look. He returns the expression with a nod that said 'it's okay'. They were hurting, tired, and sweaty. Added on with the risk of dying almost every five minutes, Aiden couldn't really complain about his already wounded ribs. Silently she slid down his side next to him, and they nervously looked out past the ferns.

Seconds after they had ducked into the thick plant life a native walked into view. He wielded his spear tightly in his hands, moving slowly and cautiously, listening for any noise.

Their whole trip had been like this.

Getting back to the temple and its orchids would be easy. Petra and Aiden both knew that they could just follow the river upstream until they found the bridge - or what remained of it anyway. But Petra had been right, both sides of the river were swarming with natives, searching for the thieves who got away.

They were stuck with two hard decisions. One, move farther away from the river and therefore the danger, but risk losing the village. Or two, stay close and risk getting caught. They had opted for the later but progress was, slow at best. There had been a lot of sudden diving as of late...

The jungle warrior moved out of sight, yet Aiden and Petra still waited a good minute before releasing their tension in one big breath.

Petra let out a shaky exhale, "Kinda reminds me of hiding from spawns when I was a kid."

"Yeah, but at least you can trick a creeper."

She tapped the side of his head, "How is your noggin?"

"Still kinda hurts," Aiden admitted, "I think I might have a concussion at worst."

"The blood is still wet."

"It's the humidity probably," he observed.

They fell into silence again for a second trying to get their racing hearts to calm down.

"Aiden?"

"Yeah?"

"When we get the flowers...when all of this is over. You need to talk to Reginald."

"About what-oh..."

"I can be there," Petra offered.

Aiden sighed, "We'll see I guess."

"Aiden-"

"I'll talk to him." he said, "Let's just survive this first okay?" he meant it, he would talk. But there was the small matter of a cure that needed finishing.

Petra got up first, looking slowly around for any signs of danger. "I think we're clear," she finally said, pulling him up.

"For now," groaned Aiden. "We're never gonna-"

Petra shoved him down and once more the pair waited till a pack of tribesman went by.

"They're gonna find us," Petra whispered.

"At this rate, probably."

"I think we're okay now...hopefully."

They quickly got up, and broke into a light jog upriver, wanting to go as fast as possible but still trying to stay quiet. It was nerve-racking every sound around them risked being a hostile. They rounded a bend and Aiden skidded to a stop, staring at the shadows around the corner growing larger.

"Petra hide!"

She ducked into the thick ferns, and he slid around a large mossy jungle tree, praying to be lost into the roots. He closed his eyes and kept praying.

Some deity answered because the group of warriors passed by them without stopping. Almost in a rush, there was no thorough search, no cautious step. They raced on, as if they were confident in that in their search Aiden and Petra would now be here.

Aiden relaxed sighing, and opened his eyes. He stiffened at the sight before him, blood running cold and breath catching in his throat.

Perhaps the warriors weren't confident; perhaps they simply wanted to get away from this spot in particular.

It was Bites, one eye wide and staring.

Aiden didn't move.

Neither did the viper.

"Aiden, come on," Petra whispered, walking around the tree, "We have to- Holy creepers!" she drew her sword.

"Petra wait!' Aiden hissed, "Hold on a sec."

"Are you serious right now?!"

Aiden looked at the snake, the eye was still open, but the iris didn't move. Bite's nostril flared open and closed in a steady even pattern, "I think he's asleep."

"Good then let's go,"

Aiden hesitated, examining the reptile that had tried to eat him earlier. The lead rope was still wrapped around Bite's mouth. Notch, that thing is strong, Aiden thought.

Bites himself was wrapped currently around the tree opposite of Aiden, the loose bits of the line now a massive tangled mess caught on branches and roots. Smaller trees all around had been smashed to a pulp, the grass flattened and even the bark of the tree scraped clean off. Aiden looked at the compressed red skin around Bites face and realized that the animal had tried everything to get the lead off. But now he was trapped, and would probably starve.

Aiden stared at the raw scales and immediately felt pity.

He pulled out his sword from his boot.

"Aiden what are you doing?!"

"Cutting him loose."

Petra stared for a second, "Aiden, I know I said I was gonna be more supportive earlier but this is nuts."

"Just keep being supportive," he smiled, "It'll just take a sec."

Petra rolled her eyes.

He took a few steps forward, cautious of any signs that Bites might move.

He didn't.

Aiden leaned over, and quietly as possible cut the knot. The rope immediately went slack around the snake. Bites would be free as soon as he woke up.

Aiden backed up, and looked over his shoulder at Petra. She shook her head at him, smirking slightly. Then suddenly, her smile dropped, eyes widened, and a gasp slipped past her lips.

Aiden looked forward-

Bites was nose to nose with him, large yellow green eyes the size of dinner platters focused solely on Aiden. Bites was awake...

Aiden froze.

Neither moved, even the forest had fallen into a deathly silence. Aiden's heart pounded painfully in his chest. He half expected it to leap out and do a jig right there on the mossy forest floor.

Bites head slowly moved, looking at the severed rope, then with equal slowness returned his gaze to Aiden. Bites leaned in, jaw opening. Aiden tensed, ready to run.

A single forked tongue flicked out, brushing barely against Aiden's chest. Then, Bites closed his mouth, and slowly turned and slithered away. He headed upriver, and soon the fifty foot snake was lost to the jungle.

Sound returned to the trees again.

Aiden felt like he was gonna vomit, he bent over, hands shaking against his knees.

"Holy crap," Petra said.

Petra approached him, patting him on the back, "I think after that, getting those flowers should be a piece of cake. Don't you think so?

Aiden just wheezed, nodding.

Suddenly new cries arose from the jungle, cries of terrified villagers. They now knew that Bites was on the loose. You could hear them making desperate attempts to escape, either deeper into the jungle or across the rapids.

Petra looked at the packed down trail of grass that the snake had left behind, "I'll give it to you. You're crazy plan just gave us an opening."

They started running, now knowing the way was clear.

"Can't wait to tell Lukas about this,"

He gave Petra a look, "We are not, telling him about this," he chuckled, "Lukas would kill me."

Chapter Text

The natives had worked quickly apparently. There was no need to swing across the broken bridge. A makeshift rope one was already cast between the two sections. An effective way to get troops across the river...

The city was deserted and dark in the fading light. No one was in the market place, and the residential district was dark. Aiden was a little skeptical that Dagna wouldn't have a least a few guards watching the city. But he couldn't see any. Despite the silence they still took a discrete path to the temple. Aiden swiped up an abandoned satchel from the side streets, something better to hold the flowers in. They were already wanted for stealing said flowers, might as steal something to carry them with.

Petra stopped them at the temple entrance, breathing a little harder than usual from jogging and stress, "There aren't any guards here either." she whispered.

"I know, it's making me nervous."

Petra gestured into the depths of dark entrance, "You go, I'll stand watch."

Aiden paused, already mid-gesture into handing the female the satchel, "What? Are you sure?"

She gently pushed the bag back against him, "Yeah."

"What if they jump you again?"

Petra leaned against the wall, back pressed firmly against stone, "They'll have to attack me from the front then."

He threw the strap over his shoulder, still hesitant, "Are you sure?"

"Positive, you got this. Just holler if something happens."

Aiden stepped inside, "I will."

The greenhouse was once before him. The flowers were still beautiful even perhaps gorgeous in the full moonlight. The black shroud cloth was again pulled back, the Cosmic Orchids opening their blooms to reveal the heavens.

But the entire view wasn't pleasant anymore...

Knowing the cost of this place, knowing the risk of entering the city alone much less the sacred temple, made Aiden sick. He looked at the Cosmic Orchids and knew how much blood was spilled to protect them. People were killed, ambushed, and even fed to a snake to keep these flowers 'pure'. Aiden walked towards them and took a little comfort that despite the death, the orchids would be saving someone soon. He knelt down, filling the bottom of his sack with loose dirt. Something to weigh down the bag and stabilize the flowers-

There was the compression of moss, the soft sigh of a foot as it brushed the floor.

Aiden ducked, leaning back as a spear shot out of the darkness just beyond the flowers and their shroud. The spear retreated and Dagna leaped out in full force, eyes blackened with rage.

"Aaaggh!"

"Shit!"

Dagna stabbed again, and Aiden barely managed another dodge. It took great skill to fight fast and well with a spear and apparently Dagna had plenty of it. She swung down, catching his legs and sending the teen crashing to the ground.

"Die!"

Aiden rolled feeling the sharp point just nick the back of his neck. Oh Notch, don't fail me now, he thought as he tore up moss trying to get up, Because I did not go through all this crap to be killed by a woman with an oversized skewer!

"Aiden what's- woah!"

Danga yanked out a knife from somewhere in the mysterious folds of her revealing top, leaving Aiden wondering for about two seconds where she kept it. Dagna threw the knife towards the opening, just as Petra rounded the corner.

"PETRA!"

Petra was well known back at home for her own skill and reflexes, which thankfully held true, "Yipes!" she ducked, the side of the blade just screeching along the tip of her helmet, impaling itself in the far wall.

Dagna returned her advance to Aiden, stabbing again and again, swinging at Petra occasionally to keep her back. On one of her back swings, Aiden yanked out his weapon and slammed the hilt on the back of her neck. He'd seen Isa do that trick once, slammed her weapon on a guard that tied to kill her and the guy crumpled like and sack of potatoes.

Dagna stood firm, like a boulder.

Apparently, Isa was a lot stronger than Aiden, that or the guard was a lot wimpier than Dagna. Aiden settled for the later, because he wasn't quite ready to accept Isa as physically stronger than him.

Dagna whipped around so fast that she was blurring, and Aiden felt the spear catch his shoulder, just at the outermost layer of skin. There was as solid thunk and Aiden, and Aiden's shirt were pinned by the spear in the middle of a pillar. "Augh!"

Dagna yanked out another knife. Again from Notch knows where and raised it high.

"No!" Petra yelled, grabbing the opposing female's hair and yanking as hard as she could.

Dagna stumbled back and Aiden took the opportunity to get away. He lurched forward, not caring if his shirt held up or not, which it didn't. Most of his shirt's left shoulder and part of the collar of the fabric tore free, leaving his latest wound raw and seeping in open air. As Dagna knocked Petra back with a solid head butt, seemingly unaffected by the ginger's helmet, Aiden made a mad dash for the flowers.

"No!" Dagna was in front of him in an instant! She kicked him hard in the chest. Aiden sprawled to the ground, while the chieftess remained standing. Dagna remained where she was, still wielding her spear and breathing hard. She kept the point firmly on Aiden's chest.

Aiden got up, the spear following him up. "Dagna-"

"Stay away!"

"Give up!" Petra snapped, "Two against one you can't win! Wasn't your best move sending out all of your troops to find us?"

The female glared, and spat on the ground. "Truly, you are a plague from the underworld itself to keep returning here. The Gods must be testing me. Were you not satisfied stealing from us the first time?!"

"Perhaps we're sent by your gods to fetch the flowers." Aiden suggested.

"Bah," she scoffed, "I doubt the Gods would let filth such as you step in here."

"If you had just let us take some the first time-" Petra began, stepping forward.

"Silence! One step closer and I will pierce his black heart!"

Petra stopped moving, and Aiden was partially flattered. "Dagna, we wouldn't have come back, we swear. If we just take a few flowers-"

"I will hear no more of your lies, you outsiders are all the same." Dagna hissed, "It's just like the first time."

"We promise-"

"They said that once,"

"They?" Aiden asked slowly.

She glared up at him, not releasing her predatory stance, "The first outsiders," she hissed as if it was obvious. "Many ages ago they came to our once great city." she explained, "My ancestors like fools let them in. We helped them, they were sick and starving from the jungle. We gave them food, cloth, and taught them our secrets to survive...They claimed they were grateful."

Her eyes actually filled with tears, but they were tears of rage and hate. "But they did not respect Namtar, or Ninazu. They called them false gods...This angered my people, they forced the outsiders away. They told them never to return, in fear that they would anger their gods. The settlers swore," she spat the last word out with gritted teeth, "The swore, they would not return."

"Dagna-"

"They lied. More returned, and they brought weapons and this...sickness. My people were soon dying, their city crumbling. We begged Namtar to take the sickness away. But he turned away from us, because we had not rid the world of the heretics. He was angry that the intruders had been allowed to live after dishonoring him so."

"The ancients begged, prayed, and they still died. Till finally, Ninazu took pity. He cried a single tear for his fallen children. That tear fell from the heavens, where that tear fell it the Heaven's Flower grew and blossomed."

Aiden glanced at the Cosmic Orchids, the Heaven's Flower...

"My ancestors found the gift, protected in the depths of the jungle by the dark guardians- you, call them Enderman. The flower healed my people. It became a solemn vow to never dishonor the gods with trespassers again. We swore to always protect the precious blessing that has kept us safe. And to this day, no outsiders can enter our jungle, and certainly no one can take the flowers." She scoffed, "Yet here you are! Not only trespassing and angering our Gods, you have stolen our gift! Now you seek to do it again. Truly you wish to set their wrath down upon us!"

Aiden glanced back at Petra and slowly took a step to the side, "Dagna, I'm sorry. I didn't want to offend you or your Gods, neither does Petra. But those orchids are the only chance to help our friend. You have to understand that we need to save him. I don't want anyone else to get hurt from this, please -"

"Liar!" she screamed, slashing her spear at him, "All of you outsiders are liars!"

"Just let us take some flowers, we swear we won't" Petra started.

"No, I've had enough! My soldiers will return soon and then you will be powerless!" Dagna growled, "I will kill all you filthy intruders who dare come into our jungle. You and your kind killed my world!"

"So you're gonna kill innocent people because of it?!" Aiden demanded.

She hesitated, "What?"

"Just because someone hurt your ancestors way back when ago, does not mean it is right to take it out on someone who hasn't done a thing to you! Lukas doesn't even know about this place much less what happened here! Neither did we for that matter! We're not even from here!" Aiden snapped, "And no! I'm not claiming divinity! We came through a door, which leads to a place far from here, and let me tell you Dagna, that not a single one of my ancestors has ever been here. Ever."

Dagna took a step back, full of turmoil and frustration, she let out a feral growl, "You don't understand-"

"Yeah, I do!" Aiden fought back, "People got hurt, so now you're scared and angry and you want to take it out on someone. You're hurting people who have never done you wrong. Believe me I- I know what that feels like..." he swallowed thickly, feeling Petra's eyes staring at him, "I was hurting and scared...I lashed out at a whole bunch of people, most of them I never even met..." he sighed, looking Dagna firmly in the eye, "It's wrong Dagna, and you know it." From the corner of his eye he saw Petra give an approving nod.

Dagna shook her head, but her spear was lowered and she was shaking.

"Please, just a few flowers, and we'll never come back," Aiden said, "I swear on your Gods, and mine that I won't."

"We- won't." Petra added.

"Right we won't. And I'll tell everyone from my village not to come here either. My people won't bother you."

Dagna did nothing.

Aiden took that as a good sign and took a step past her, "I promise Dagna."

"No."

"Wha-"

"No!" she swung her spear, Aiden managed to block the weapon but he could not stop the female from grabbing his throat and slamming him to the ground.

"You are all the same!" she screeched, "Nothing will ever change!" She lifted her spear.

"Aiden!" Petra cried.

Suddenly Dagna screamed, yanking her hand and weapon away. She stumbled back, gripping the hand that once held Aiden's throat like it was on fire. Her eyes wide with terror, "You have been struck!"

Confused Aiden tilted his head, "Struck?"

"Already the Gods seek to punish us!" Dagna wailed. 'Namtar's Mark is upon you!"

Namtar's Mark...

Aiden went wide eyed. He yanked down what remained of his shirt collar.

A rash.

Red and irritated, a long winding rash blossomed on Aiden's chest, going up his throat and possibly up to his chin. Aiden felt his breath hitch, Coughing Plague, he was infected. The thought that he now was carrying a lethal virus was, well, terrifying. He looked at Petra, who was pulling her own shirt down just slightly. She was infected too.

Aiden returned his gaze to Dagna, who remained where she sat, eyes filled with horror, "Dagna-" he got up.

"Stay away, even your blood is a poison now!"

Aiden hesitated and took a step back, he stared at the now fallen woman and knew she too would soon been sick. She wouldn't touch him, the sickness was his shield as well as a death sentence. He felt a little pity, mainly because he had brought it here, but, "You have a cure Dagna, I'll only take what I need. You and your people won't be left to die."

He knelt by the patch, knowing a lesser person would take all he could. Especially after everything they had been put though. But Aiden only took twelve flowers, exactly that amount, and gently placed them safely into his bag. He was done hurting innocent people.

Petra was waiting by the entrance, lip set in a grim line but her eyes contained a gleam. No triumph, no glory, perhaps pride...at him? Aiden stopped at the exit looking back at Dagna, "We won't come back." he said.

They silently left.

The market was filled with warriors. They were back.

"Great," Petra mumbled.

"Let them see you're sick," Aiden said, "Dagna said even our blood is poison. They'll be afraid to attack us."

The marched down the temple stairs and immediately dozens stepped back, the rash obvious in the moonlight. Whispers of fear and despair crept across the crowd. One batch of soldiers hadn't noticed yet and went to attack-

"Don't touch them," Dagna's voice rang out.

Petra and Aiden looked back and saw the female at the top of the steps, once more a composed chief, "Let them pass."

Murmurs rang out once more, "But my lady-"

"They are leaving." she warned.

"We are!" Petra answered.

"Leave here," Dagna said firmly, "Don't look back, and never return."

Petra and Aiden gave Dagna a respectful tilt of the head, Dagna deserved it. She protected her people the best she could, and now despite her beliefs was actually letting them leave. They owed her the respect. They took one last look at the glorious temple before they turned their backs to the sacred grounds. Not a soul touched them as they crossed the market, not a sound was made from the natives.

"You did good back there," Petra whispered as they exited the gates, a crowd of fearful people watching them go.

"You weren't half bad yourself."

"I'm proud of you."

"Thanks..."

"And..." she asked, "We won't be back?" it was more of a suggestion than a question.

Aiden gripped the satchel tightly against his chest, "We won't come back," he confirmed, "We swore."

Petra nodded, and together they crossed the bridge. They left the city behind them, not once looking back, and were soon swallowed by the jungle and its blanket of night.

Chapter Text

The city and its holy temple soon vanished behind them.

"You know when I saw all those warriors I thought we were done for."

"I did too."

"I can't believe we did it!" Petra said, she was grinning.

"Let's celebrate when we're home," Aiden said, but even he was smiling.

Petra laughed, "Lukas is gonna make it! Notch, I'm so happy I'm not even upset about being sick!" she glanced his way elbowing him, "Speaking of which, how did you get infected? I know how I probably did, since I was traveling with Lukas the whole time he was sick, but what about you?"

Aiden looked down at his hands, "When I went to get Isa, I noticed there was blood on my fingers; I figured it ended up on the doorknob after you guys showed up."

"So anyone you came in contact with, Isa, Milo, Reginald...'

"They could be infected, yeah."

"And everyone they've come in contact with since then, they could be infected too."

"That's the gist..."

Petra sighed, happiness snuffed, "Then there is probably an epidemic waiting for us when we get home..."

Aiden said nothing.

"No, we have the cure," Petra said, confidence returning to her voice, "It's gonna be okay." She took a deep breath and then looked Aiden in the eye, "But let me tell you, if Gill and Maya found the flowers in that little jungle across the river and everyone is already better by the time we get back. I'm gonna jump off of something."

"I'll drop you," Aiden teased.

"Sounds good," Petra laughed, eyes glittering, "We should make it though. As long as we don't get lost."

"Well, we can take the road, that will help, and if we go up the hill where I gracefully tumbled down we should be able to-" Aiden yelped and skidded to a stop. Petra joined him immediately in a frozen position.

Bites was coiled up in the center of the ancient road, all fifty plus feet of him. His thick body was so piled up that his sides oozed over the edges of the road, crushing the brush and ferns. He stared at the pair with unblinking yellow eyes glowing in the moonlight. His upper body was about fifteen feet off the ground, a good position to strike.

"Oh great," Petra mumbled, "Guess he changed his mind about not eating us."

Aiden, gently pushing his satchel towards his back, reached down towards his sword boot.

Suddenly Bites moved forward, head dipping down to their level, freezing as Petra and Aiden both stiffened. He looked at Aiden's hand, barely rested on the dagger's handle. A forked tongue cautiously brushed out. Aiden raised his eyebrow in confusion as the snake refused to move still eyeing the sword. Against his better judgment, Aiden released his grip on his weapon, and straightened. The snake relaxed, tongue flicking casually in an out.

No way...

"Petra, I don't think he wants to eat us,"

She had noticed, "I think you're right."

Bites inched forward again, till his head rested by Aiden's hip, tongue jumping out and touching the satchel.

"Don't eat it," Aiden whispered, "We need those."

The snake lifted its head, eyeing Petra and Aiden.

"Do you think he remembers you cut him loose?"

Aiden stared in awe at the snake, "I think he's smarter than we give him credit for."

Bites' tongue shot out again, it ran along the side of Aiden's jaw, wet at slimy. This happened again, then a third time. Aiden's lower left jaw and neck were soon soaked in saliva, "Oh gross!"

Petra almost laughed until Bites got her dripping too, "Ugh!"

The snake returned to Aiden almost expecting some response. Aiden paused, "Uh," he patted the snakes large soft snout, "Hi again?" Bites leaned into the gesture, and proceeded to cover Aiden's hand, arm, and tattered shirt in snake spit. Ew. "Guess we're friends now?" He looked towards the ginger who was tentatively wiping gunk from her helmet, "Do you think we can ride him?"

Her eyebrows shot up, "Say what?"

"I'm serious,"

"I know you are but why?"

"It'll be faster,"

"How are you even gonna steer him, Aiden-"

Aiden was already moving around Bites head, his body already lowered onto the ground, he glanced cautiously at the snake. Bites waited, unmoving. Aiden had to jump, Bites was so thick the uppermost part reached Aiden's chest.

"You're actually doing it," Petra gaped.

Aiden settled right behind Bites' head and gently nudged the snake with his right boot. Bites turned, circling wide around Petra until he was facing the other direction. Aiden removed his boot and the snake stopped.

No fricken way!

"We're gonna ride the snake," Petra started laughing, "We're gonna actually ride the snake!"

"I think Dagna's people might have trained him?" Aiden said, grinning, "Or maybe he's just that smart, Notch only knows." he stuck a hand down to Petra. She grabbed on, still laughing and hoisted herself up.

"This is crazy!"

Aiden tapped both of his feet and Bites was moving forward, traveling at hide speeds through the woods. Much faster than the pair could have gone, even if they had ran. They were riding a giant snake through the jungle...

Petra wrapped her arms around his waist; in able to not fall off, "We gotta tell Lukas about this. Aiden the snake charmer!"

Aiden was sure he was making a face of horror, "No! We cannot tell Lukas about this! If he ever found out-"

Petra was already laughing harder, as they rode the snake into the night.

Dawn rose on the horizon and Bites slithered into the jungle, tail finally disappearing into the foliage. Petra was at the jungle's edge, waving goodbye, "See you later you giant puppy of a reptile!"

Aiden was by their old campsite, trying not to panic, and "No, no, no, no, no. No!"

Petra walked over, "what's wrong?'

Aiden's hands were in his hair, almost tearing them out at the roots, "The horses! They're gone!"

Her smiled dropped and she looked around, "What?! Are you sure?! Maybe we're in the wrong spot?"

"No! There is the ash from the campfire, this is our camp, and there are no horses, they got loose! Augh!" he was turning himself in circles trying desperately to find their steeds, "I knew I should have tied those ropes tighter! Dammit!"

"Aiden calm down-"

"We don't have any more time left! Without the horses we won't make it back in time to-" he trailed off.

After everything, all that they had been through, facing death more than once...This was it. They tripped at the finish line. Aiden felt like he was gonna cry, Notch not like this, please not like this. "We- we- can figure this out," he said with shaky breath, "I'll run back and get Bites and- and - maybe he'll be fast enough- we can-"

"Aiden!" Petra grabbed his shoulder, "Stop!"

He looked at her, still shaking.

Petra gave him a firm squeeze, "We made it this far and we aren't going to fail now."

"How? We have no way-"

She pointed, not far away; about a hundred yards or so was a pack of wild horses. Aiden stared at them, "Petra that's impossible."

She was already walking, "We got this."

Aiden followed after, "Petra no one can ride a horse here without a saddle, they just buck you off-"

Petra turned to face him, still walking backwards. "Aiden," she had her arms outstretched, "We crossed a jungle in the dark. We found the flowers. We we're held hostage, fought off a beast from the depths of the Nether itself. Fell off a waterfall. We made amends with each other. We got an ancient tribe that was out for our heads to stand down. We are fighting a lethal disease. Oh! Let's also not forget that we just rode a fifty foot snake out off that jungle, alive. We did all of that, and you're saying riding a horse without a saddle is impossible?"

Aiden paused, "You're right..."

"I am," Petra said proudly, "We did not do all that crap to quit now! So come on! Let's wrangle us a horse!"

One day flew, then one more night. Dawn rose again across of the small town of the Sky City residents and Aiden had never been so happy to see it in his life. His nightmare hadn't come to pass- the village still stood, not yet busy and bustling as the first rays of sunlight began to arrive.

Petra had wrestled that horse into submission, and after twenty-four hours on a horse ride from hell, the angry stallion finally threw them off, just outside the limits of the city wall. They were going to have to walk from this point on, too tired to run, they made a brisk walk towards town.

They were back.

The satchel was heavy, the feather light flowers were nothing, but the dirt was. It thumped painfully against Aiden's thigh, adding to the rest of his bodily pain. He and Petra together looked like quite the piece of work. Dirty, worn, injured from head to toe. He wasn't so sure about his female partner, but Aiden hadn't felt this much pain in a long while.

They walked past the city gates, having to push it open themselves. The guard standing watch atop the wall was fast asleep, failing at his job.

Some of the early bird locals were already out and about, starting their morning errands. There had been chatty gossip in the air, but as Petra and Aiden entered the main square it fell into an awkward silence.

Finally an unwelcoming snide shot across the clearing, the woman whispered it, rather loudly though, just enough for Aiden to hear. "Look what the spawns dragged in,"

More 'gossip' followed after that:

"Thought he was dead when the horses came back alone, shame to be disappointed again."

"Who gave that kid a sword?! Where did he get that?!"

"Look at him, what happened? Why is Petra with him?! Did he hurt her?"

The heckling was loud enough to wake some people. They exited their homes in confusion, the turned hostile at the sight of him. Soon more insults added to the pile.

"What are you doing back here?!"

"Look at that!"

They just kept coming. Aiden tightening his grip on his bad and set his jaw in a firm line. He was tired, too tired to deal with this. He couldn't handle these people right now. Some part of him had hoped it would be different when he got back, like a miracle would happen and they would just leave him alone. He didn't need to be accepted just...Aiden sighed.

It wasn't going to change.

Suddenly a hushed silence fell over the crowds, if only for the slightest of seconds. Then came quiet whispers, actual whispers of confusion and wonder- Then Aiden noticed, there was warmth in his right hand.

Petra's small and dirty fingers slid gracefully between his scarred and rougher ones. They intertwined till her palm settled comfortably in his own, where she clasped tight. She was holding his hand.

Aiden stared at their connected hands and slowly glanced at Petra. She didn't look at him, only stared calmly ahead, but she gave his hand a squeeze.

The act wasn't affectionate, not it the slightest. Petra wasn't one to show affection, it was how she always had been. But the hand tightly grasping his was as loud as a cry. Telling everyone exactly how much she trusted him. It was an act of defiance against the crowd and a sign of a second chance. That statement was Petra.

Aiden looked forward, feeling and odd sensation of relief and calm even a new energy. He smiled to himself, returning Petra's hand squeeze. From the corner of his eye he saw her smile.

"Strong enough to run from here?" she whispered.

"Yeah," he answered quietly. He was now.

They exited town, the whole time through and beyond that she never let go. They ran home, their hands filling in the last bits of space that had once been a canyon of mistrust and resentment.

It would be okay.

Aiden saw his house as they rounded the bend; his heart was starting to beat faster. Not just because the last of his energy was going into this run, but the fact that this was it. Would he open the door and see the rotten horror from his nightmare? Was it all over? Was Lukas still alive? "Petra what if-"

"He'll still be there." she said. The whole trip it had been in reverse, he once held the brave face, now it was her turn.

She was still holding his hand when Ivor and Milo ran out of the house, waving their arms frantically. They carried with them what would be the final news.

"It's gonna be okay."

Chapter Text

They had made it, just in time.

Ivor and Milo tackled them with hugs and news, despite Petra and Aiden trying to inform they were both infected and they shouldn't touch them. Ivor laughed, actually laughed, "It's okay," he said eyes sparkling, "We're infected too."

Such a serious thing a week ago, but now there was a cure, everything would be okay.

Lukas was in a coma, on his last stretches of life. But Ivor worked fast. Getting a cure into a comatose person had been harder than actually making the stuff. Death scrambled away almost immediately, and Lukas was soon breathing steadily. He would live...

While Ivor was treating, Aiden took the seeds and stashed them away. He would build a greenhouse soon; get them growing as fast as possible. No one was going to die from the Coughing Plague ever if he had anything to say about it.

It wasn't a surprise that Jesse announced he too was sick. He got treated next, still ended up heaving for the next twenty four hours, and suffered from a minor fever. But in the following week he would be fine.

Everyone who had the rash developing was medicated after that. Aiden, Petra, Ivor, Reginald, Milo, even Gill and Maya, all were infected with the plague. The group suffered with serious coughing, fevers and sore throats for the next few days.

Aiden and Petra were forced to rest in this time, get their wounds treated, breathe, blah, blah, blah. Aiden got up as soon as Isa let him. He had to fix his house, keep an eye on Lukas, and restock his coffee stash. He hadn't been surprised to see that Maya had raided it, kinda expected it actually. But the scenario with the guest bathroom door had been a bit of an unexpected piece of news. He didn't mind too much, Reginald's detailed story of Ivor wielding an axe and the angry local that followed him was a hilarious mental image.

All was well again in the world and everyone was healing.

Indeed it was a true statement, for there was a change going around. Aiden noticed he wasn't bullied as much anymore. He of course, with Petra there, told Reginald everything. The guards were dealt with promptly, Reginald didn't tell them why they were being assigned to watch the farthest point on the wall - which was also the least desired position- except that they simply needed to pull their weight.

Petra's little hand holding shout-out changed the opinion of the crowds as well. Because if Petra thinks he's alright then perhaps Aiden isn't that bad.

A few isolated cases of the disease showed up around town, and were treated immediately. Isa finally explained to the council the truth of Petra and Aiden's outing. She kept the source of the sickness to herself, but did thoroughly explain its deadly qualities. The council wasn't pleased to say the least, but they were grateful. Aiden owed them nothing on a subject of this scale, but helped anyway, which impressed them. The council did consist of the most open minded and carefully chosen in Sky City after all. Word soon got around, and even though most people still didn't trust him. Those that tolerated him now accepted him, and those who hadn't tolerated him at all now tolerated him at least a little. Aiden no longer was attacked by the members of the city, and the guards - Greg in particular - without the backing of the populace, also ceased their abuse.

Isa herself removed Aiden from wall duty and declared her decision before the council. She said that helping prevent an epidemic of disastrous proportions was more than enough to clear his debt to the people. Aiden was free to do his own work and plow his own way.

It wasn't perfect, but from where he had come from, it was much much better. He was grateful, and he let Isa, Milo, Reginald, and definitely Petra know.

"Are you gonna go scouting on your own?" Petra asked one day. Her bruises and cuts had almost faded by that point.

"Naw, I think I'll stay here. I'm halfway done with my house, and you guys will need a place to stay." Aiden shrugged, "Someone has gotta make sure they build that wall right anyway."

Petra just smiled.

What had happened between them shaped them into something better. Even though they both silently decided to keep quiet about it, the change in their attitude towards one another was quite obvious to the others.

Reginald asked Aiden about it first, Aiden shrugged it off, saying it was a building experience. He said the same thing to Gill and Maya, ignoring the teasing smiles.

Ivor and Jesse asked Petra, who simply stated that they had just worked past their differences.

They talked about their adventure, of course how could they not?

Was it easy? No not too easy...We managed...

What did you see? Some really old buildings and a snake...

It wasn't lying, just downplaying. They didn't really feel like explaining everything that had to be done to get the cure.

Aiden kept his promise. He filled out the grand map in the city's main hall, and explained to the others that the jungle in far western corner was never to be entered by any means.

Dagna and her people were to be left alone. Life would go back to normal for them. They would be safe, from the people of Sky City at least. That thought was enough to give Aiden and Petra some peace. They continued to rest and to heal; the story of the Cosmic Orchids and the Ninazu tribe tucked away but not forgotten in the back of their minds.

It was going to be okay now.

Three weeks later...

"Aiden they are not going to grow any faster whether you watch them all day or not."

Aiden exited his small basement, newly built for a special flower. "I know, I know, I just want them growing that's all.

Lukas was at the kitchen table reading a book. Three weeks of crawling back from death and he was now his mostly healthy self. It had taken him all morning to convince Ivor to let him leave the bedroom. Which the worrisome elder finally relented to, as long as he stayed in the house. Lukas had been going stir crazy in bed so he took what he could get.

"No one has been sick for awhile," Lukas assured, "It's fine Aiden."

"Good," Aiden patted Lukas on the shoulder as he walked by, "Because I'm not hiking back into the jungle for you a second time,"

"Ass," Lukas said, but he was grinning, "It wasn't too hard was it?"

"No, not too bad," Aiden scrawled some things in his journal, before coming to rest against the kitchen counter. He had filled out his adventure inside the pages; in case the day ever came he couldn't remember. The cure and how to grow the flower were contained inside as well, "Same ole level of jungle threats."

"I told you to stay safe,"

"I did, the rest of the jungle just didn't feel like playing along."

Lukas looked at Aiden, "Are you ever going to tell me about it?"

Aiden closed his book and set it down on the counter, "Maybe sometime soon. I just need to recover from it, okay?"

"Sounds fine." Lukas was silent for a moment, "So..."

"What?"

"Are you going to make me that chicken soup you said you were going to get?"

Aiden laughed, "Yeah sure, but I need my coffee first." He turned around, turning on his coffee maker. Then reaching up and gathering herbs from his cabinet for the chicken soup and grabbing a can of his private brew.

"Ooooh! Make me a cup while you're at it."

"You're stomach shouldn't be drinking coffee this early."

"Aiden, I'm fine."

"No,"

"Fine, I'll get my own-" Lukas teased.

"Alright! Jeez!" Aiden poured him the first cup and handed it over, "What are you? Two?"

"I'm tired of mooshroom soup and water, that's what I am."

Petra entered the room then, wooden sword out ready to go train, "Hey, Lukas you're up!"

The blonde smiled, "Yep, Ivor finally let me out of bed."

Petra smiled fondly, ruffling his disheveled hair, "That's great, glad to see you are doing better." she let out a sigh, "Well, I'm gonna go sword train with Jesse, you two have fun!"

"We will."

She grinned one more time, and glanced over at Aiden, who was pouring his own cup of coffee and starting the soup. She didn't say a word, but she did wave to him. Aiden smiled and waved back. Happy, Petra turned on her heel and headed outside.

Lukas watched her go, before looking at Aiden, one eyebrow raised, "And you said nothing happened."

"Nothing did," Aiden scoffed.

"Suuure,"

"Lukas," Aiden warned, "We're on good terms with each other, that is all. She now trusts me and I find her...less annoying. You on the other hand I still find rather bothersome."

Lukas's eyes were shinning, "Wouldn't have it any other way." then he went back to his book, nursing his coffee.

"Me either," Aiden smiled looking happily at his friend. Lukas survived, and Aiden could go on enjoying the friendship that he now treasured dearly. For the first time in a month, Aiden finally relaxed. He turned to the kitchen counter and started cutting up herbs, chicken soup actually sounded really good right now.

Aiden took a sip of his coffee. It was perfect, the coffee was just right.

"Aiden?" Lukas suddenly piped up, voice a slightly higher pitch than usual.

"Hmmmm?"

"Um, I'm not sure how else to phrase this. But...Why is there a giant snake peeking through the kitchen window?"

Aiden spat out his coffee. "WHAT?!"

The End.