Archive of Our Own ^beta

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Oskar, Tink, Leeli, Nia, and Podo all brang Janner's body to the fist well to see if it would revive him.

"I wonder if this'll work." Kalmar said, shifting his weight from one paw to the other.

"I'm sure it will, my boy! He'll be good as new if no time!" Oskar said, giving him as encouraging pat on the back.

"I hope so." Nia said so quietly it may as well have been a whisper.

Podo lay Janner's body on the forest floor and took out a waterskin. "Artham said we might be needin' this." He said, gruffly. He filled to skin up and poured a drop in Janner's mouth. He immediately gasped a breath and shifted a little.

"He's alive!" Leeli exclaimed.

"Is he?" Kalmar asked.

"Of course he is! You saw him move, didn't you?" Leeli asked.

"Yeah but if he was really alive he'd move a bit more, I'd think." He said.

"Your underreacting Kalmar. This is your brother we're talking about." Nia said.

"King Kalmar?" Janner whispered.

"Janner?" Kalmar jumped but was overjoyed. He jumped to his feet and almost tackled Janner if it hadn't been for Podo standing in front of him.

"Careful boy. He was just revived, we don't want you hurtin' him." Podo said.

"Janner!" Leeli exclaimed and ran to him. Nia did the same, sobbing at the fact that her son was alive. Oskar stood still, smiling ear to ear and chuckling to himself.

"What happened? Why are we by the first well?" Janner asked, standing.

"You don't remember?" Tink asked.

"No. What happened?" Janner asked. He was confused about why they were in the forest instead of in the Shining Isle, and why everyone was crying, and why he was on the ground, and a lot more to be completely honestly with himself. Kalmar, Nia, and Leeli told him how he'd died from their perspective. "I died?" Janner asked after they finished. Nia nodded with Podo and Leeli. Kalmar looked down at his hands. Oskar came forward and put his hand on Kalmar's back.

"It wasn't your fault, majesty." Oskar's smile fell into a frown. Kalmar mumbled something to himself and buried him face in his small, furry hands. Janner felt sorry for his brother, he'd saved him but left the blame for it to him.

"Kal, It wasn't your fault. I wanted to save you so I did. It was my fault if anyone's." Janner said, looking down. Kalmar shook his head, face still buried in his hands, and sobbed. Nia knelt beside him and but a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on. Let's go home." Kalmar said, standing with his head hung low. Nia stood in silence and followed him through the forest. Podo looked at Janner then Oskar and then Leeli and shrugged, following Nia. Oskar held out his hand to Leeli and she took it and they walked out of the clearing, leaving Janner behind.

"Huh. I guess I just follow them?" Janner asked himself. After a moment of consideration he caught up to them and the group left the forest.

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As the Wingfeathers, Podo, and Oskar docked on the Shining Isle, Kalmar hung his head and was silent.

"Kalmar?" Janner put a hand on his shoulder. "You know it is my job to protect you, right? I'd die for you and Leeli again in a heartbeat." He said.

"Yeah." Kalmar said quietly. "I just...I hate that you did that. We could've not been able to save you. What would've happened then?" He held back tears.

"I would've died in honor. Protecting you is my first priority. But I'm alive now and that's all that matters." Janner stepped off their little boat and onto the island. He winced.

Kalmar panicked. "Are you okay? What happened?" He asked quickly.

Janner stepped back into the boat. "I think I've been banned from the Shining Isle somehow. If I can't even set foot on the shore line, how am I going to get to the castle?" He thought aloud.

"That might be a problem." Leeli said, who'd stayed behind with the boys for their sake. Janner and Kalmar jumped, not knowing she was there until just then.

"Yeah....yeah." Janner sighed.

Kalmar felt something change inside him. Since he'd been turned back into a human he'd felt weird when he thought about the castle. He felt heavier, like a brick had been set on his head but without pain, like he'd gone numb.

"Tink? Kallllllmaaaar?" Leeli waved her hand in front of his face. Tink snapped out of his trance.

"You will not call me that ever again unless I say otherwise." Kalmar said.

"Don't talk to her like that! She was trying to make sure you were okay." Janner stepped between them with his arms out. Kalmar slapped his hands over his mouth.

"Are you three coming? You can't stay in that boat forever." Nia called back to them.

"We'll be there in a minute mama!" Leeli called to her. "How are we going to tell mama that Janner can't walk?" she asked.

"I can walk fine, just not on the shoreline." Janner said. Kalmar thought about solutions. Could he carry Janner?

"Do you think I could carry you on my back? I don't know how strong I am without the fang powers but I think I could." Kalmar suggested. Janner and Leeli exchanged looks.

"I'm pretty heavy Kal, but it won't hurt to try." Janner said. Kalmar nodded and stepped out of the boat. Janner stood on the edge of the boat and climbed onto Kalmar with no trouble.

"You are heavy!" Kal exclaimed. Leeli rolled her eyes and stepped out of the boat.

Kalmar took a step forward. Nothing happened. Kalmar whooped and sprinted for the castle. Janner shouted joyously and held tight to Kalmar. Leeli rolled her eyes again and ran after the boys.

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"So, you can't set foot on the island, but you can walk in the castle?" Nia asked. Janner hadn't mentioned anything to her before about not being able to walk.

"Yeah, pretty much. What do you think caused it?" Janner answered.

"Anything could've caused it. The water from the first well, you dying on the island, etcetera. I will look into it." Nia said. She wasn't sure that she could take crisis after crisis like this, but she at least knew who to talk to about Janner's problem.

~That Evening~

"So you want to go back to The Hollows? Why would you wanna do a thing like that, Nia?" Podo asked her.

"To speak to Oskar. Janner has a-" She paused, thinking about how to tell her father about Janner's problem. "A problem that he needs Oskar to sort out."

"Why not ask me? Oskar and I think the same way. How is he so different from myself?" Podo asked, slightly offended that Janner not ask him for help but Oskar instead.

"Oskar knows more about history and his problem might have something to do with it. Don't take it personally, Papa." Nia assured him. Podo grunted as Nia walked to her room.

"Don't see how Oskar could be so different from me. That boy has some nerve to ask a librarian for help 'stead of 'is own grandpa." Podo mumbled to himself as Leeli walked in.

"What was that grandpa?" She asked sweetly. She had her whistleharp in one hand and her crutch in the other.

"Oh nothing Leeli." Podo snapped out of his annoyance for his granddaughter.

Leeli gave him a happy nod and started talking about a new piece she'd learned. Podo needed the distraction. Even if Janner had just been brought back to life, that didn't give him the right to disrespect his elders. Podo hated calling himself an elder. He didn't feel old enough to call himself an elder, even though he was, and he was always mistaken for sixty-five or that was just people being nice.

Leeli played her song and Podo had sent her to bed. Nia came back into Podo's room as he was settling in for bed.

"Papa?" She let herself in, knocking first as one does.

Podo grunted and turned to face the window. Nia crossed to him and hugged him. Podo was surprised by this and started to retaliate but stopped. He embraced her and felt her quietly sob into his chest. Now, Podo wouldn't have comforted her on an everyday basis but this felt special. He rubbed her back and felt her calm to his touch. "It's alright, Nia. He doesn't have to come to me about everything." He said in his gruff voice. Nia let go and smiled up at him like when she was little.

"He would've if it weren't for the circumstances. I know he would." Nia said. Podo sighed and smiled at her.

"Get some sleep, Nia. You'll need it if you're going to go to Ban Rona in the morning." Podo said.

"Goodnight Papa." Nia said as she walked towards the door.

"G'night Nia." He said.

That night as he fell asleep he forgave Janner and Oskar in his mind, and though he'd never admit it, he was thankful they had each other. Podo knew he wouldn't live forever and Janner needed someone to look up to. He kept Oskar in his prayers, for that old librarian might be the solution to Janner's problem.

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I apologize for the span of time that has passed since the last post on this work! 

You guys may have noticed that I've been posting other things but I promise I haven't forgotten about this one! (also thank you so much for over 100 hits!) I've been stuck on this story for quiet a while now and I'm trying very hard to write more on this ,(currently doing so) so if you'll give me at least another month from now (March 27th), I will be most grateful! 

Anyway, I just wanted to update you guys on why I haven't posted! Thanks for understanding, stay safe! <3

Chapter Text

The next morning, Nia and Janner woke up early to go to The Hollows to visit Oskar. Janner had to be carried by his mother to get to the boat. 

“I wouldn’t think a 13 year old boy would be this light, Janner.” Nia commented. Janner chuckled quietly. “I’m serious, Janner, you need to eat a little more.”

“I don’t think a dead person would be heavy, mama.” He said. Nia was quiet for a moment before nodding. 

“That’s true…though, you aren’t dead now. You didn’t eat much last night. You need to eat to stay in good health, son.” Nia pressed on. Janner just rolled his eyes.

“I wasn’t very hungry, I’ll be fine.” Janner brushed it off like it wasn’t a problem at all. Nia was surprised. She’d always taught her children good health, so why was Janner acting like this now? 

“Are you sure?” She asked cautiously. She heard Janner sigh.

“Yes.”

“It seems off for you, Janner.”

“It seems off for Kal. Not me.” He had a good point.

Once the two got to the little boat, Nia set Janner in it and they both started rowing. Janner thought back to when they’d sailed The Dark Sea Of Darkness for the first time. It was terrifying yet beautiful and calming at the same time, which was a new emotion to Janner but somehow he didn’t get the same feeling this time. It was like he was desensitized to it. 

~In Ban Rona’s library~

“Explain that to me again, if you will.” Oskar asked. Janner sighed.

“I can’t set foot on the isle. Can you do anything to help?” Janner asked. Oskar looked around in thought and adjusted his glasses. 

“Well, this is definitely a new case… I haven’t heard about it before so I’ll have to do some research.” Oskar said.

“How long do you think it’ll take to get the information needed?” Janner asked. Oskar thought about it for a few moments before responding.

“Two days, at least.” 

“We don’t have two days. Oskar, we need to figure out what’s happening now!” Janner raised his voice. Oskar lowered his brow, as if Janner’s words had hurt him. “Sorry, Oskar.” Janner said quietly.

Oskar didn't answer him and shuffled over to his desk where he pulled out an old book written in an ancient script. He carefully and quickly flipped through the pages until he landed on one with a smile creeping onto his face. “Oskar? Can you help him?” Nia spoke up.

“If he has this condition, yes. If not, well I'm afraid you'll have to find help elsewhere.” Oskar said in a low tone. Janner was slightly frightened by the usually cheery man speaking in such a voice. Nia's hand grasped Janner's and pulled him closer to her.

“We'll figure it out.” She whispered. Janner nodded and smiled. He was determined to figure out what was going on and how to cure it.