Archive of Our Own

“ Ugh , why are we still not doing anything? Going anywhere? Preparing anything?” Meilin groaned out of frustration as she walked back and forth between the walls of Greenhaven’s training room.

As she held one of the wooden swords used by the older Greencloaks in sparring with each other, she took glances towards Jhi, her panda spirit animal, one that she still does not know how to really feel.

The tattoo on Meilin's hand vanished as soon as a burst of light appeared beside her. From it, Jhi emerged. Jhi bleated as she sat down, watching her pace around the training room.

Meilin watched as her spirit animal left her body, while she had come to accept that her partner for life was a panda, she still wished she had gotten a more… athletic animal.

“Conor has a wolf, Rollan has a gyrfalcon, and the leopard chose Abeke…” The Zhongese girl stopped mid sentence as she remembered that someone, who used to work with Zerif, was now in their ranks and walks at the same castle as her.

Meilin gave out another sigh of frustration remembering that the Greencloaks let Abeke join them just like that, even if she had the final fallen four. “What if she’s just acting? What if she’s still working for Zerif? She could sabotage our efforts!”

She looked back towards Jhi and pulled out her hand towards the panda, to which the latter understood what she was trying to do and entered her body and turned into a tattoo on her arm.

Meilin ran around the castle, looking for Abeke, in each room she searched and found empty, the more paranoid and desperate she became about her being a spy. “How could I have let this happen?”

She searched everywhere and yet she couldn’t find her, so she went to the library. What if Zerif asked her to get books or maps? Burn them so that the Greencloaks couldn’t find it? What if-

As she looked around the library, with all its torches lighting the room, she found a large map of Erdas, the world she was meant to save… including her homeland, Zhong, which was being invaded by the Conquerors.

“Don’t worry father, I’m almost strong enough to save you and all of Zhong.” Meilin said as she touched the map, more specifically the part of Zhong.

“You know, the Greencloaks would probably have to worry about you running away with the amount of time you always think about Zhong.” Meilin got startled as she heard a voice from behind.

“You shouldn’t.” Meilin replied, her expressions back to her normal, composed self.

“I won’t, which is why I said the Greencloaks and not we .” Rollan replied, his smirk could be seen from miles away. 

The Zhongese narrowed her eyes, annoyed by the fact that someone who isn’t actually part of the Greencloaks is meddling with the business of others. “You should find something else productive to do.”

“But what I am doing is productive.” Rollan said.

“And that is?”

“Making sure you don’t run away.” His snarky comment was the final straw, Meilin couldn’t handle it anymore and started to walk past him to leave the library, however she made sure she gave Rollan something to think about.

“You don’t belong here .” 

Meilin immediately left Rollan alone in the library and continued to search for the girl from Nilo, who she still suspects is a spy of Zerif and the Conquerors.

She paused, “wait.” She immediately stopped walking. “What if the Greencloaks are allied with the Conquerors back in Zhong?”

She didn’t know why the thought would cross her as she just fought with them side by side against Zerif, but what if that was also just an act? An act that hopes would result in her blind loyalty to the Greencloaks, and to Zerif himself, giving Jhi to them.

As she continued on her journey to find the Niloan girl, she started to hear footsteps behind her. 

“They’re already after me!” Meilin’s paranoid thoughts were eating her as the steps were getting louder and louder and she started to panic, her heartbeat almost as loud as the steps that were closing in on her until suddenly-

“Excuse me-”

Meilin immediately pushed the person behind her and readied her fists like she was about to punch someone.

“Who sent you?” Meilin asked as she aggressively pulls the girl’s tunic. “Did Zerif did? Don’t lie to me!”

The hand of the girl Meilin pushed  was raised to make sure that it protected her head from a possible impact. “N- No one did! I- I was just-”

“Trying to kidnap me?” The Zhongese didn’t even let her finish the sentence. “Are the Greencloaks trying to kidnap me for Zerif?”

“N- No!” The girl shouted and started to sob. “I- I just wanted to ask directions from you be- because I’m new here.”

“Nice try-” Meilin stopped mid-sentence, she paused because she needed to compose herself once again, the girl she just assaulted was wearing a Greencloak and looked young. She might not trust them, but has it made her this much paranoid that she’s using measures that were considered to be extreme?

“I- I’m sorry.” Meilin instantly released the Greencloak before bowing. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have assaulted you.”

The Greencloak, still traumatized by what happened, nodded. “D- Don’t worry about having to give me directions! I- I’ll be on my way!”

The girl from Zhong watched as the Greencloak ran through the hallway she was just walking on before kneeling down and placing her hands to her face. “What is wrong with me? What is happening to me?”

Sensing the distress of her partner, Jhi emerged from the tattoo on Meilin’s arm, a flash of light being emitted before forming a panda. Meilin’s breath became heavier and heavier until it turned to sobs, she was clearly not in the right state of mind. Jhi walked towards Meilin and started licking her cheeks, trying to see if she could do anything to help the girl.

“N- Not now, Jhi.” Meilin said through her hands and sobs.

The panda, however, didn’t stop and started licking her more. At first, Meilin found it annoying that her spirit animal wasn't following her orders, but slowly and surely started to find warmth in it, like something she needed… even if it was a little disgusting.

“I said stop!” She continued, but unlike her last request for Jhi to stop, her sobs turned to chuckles.

After a whole minute of just having fun, Jhi finally stopped. Meilin started to stroke the panda’s head before hugging it. “Thank you, Jhi. Thank you.”

Rollan watched as Meilin left him alone at the library, one that doesn’t even have a source of natural light.

“Pfft… it’s not like I wanted to be a part of something.” Rollan rebutted, but made sure that Meilin doesn’t hear an echo of his sentence.

The Amayan boy waited for a few minutes before leaving the library as well, he was thinking about what productive activity he should do.

Rollan looked up as his spirit animal, Essix, screeched from above. She kept on flying around the general vicinity of Greenhaven.

“You know what? Maybe I will do something productive.” Rollan declared before walking towards the castle’s training room.

He looked around to see if there was any other Greencloak using it, but to his surprise, there wasn't anyone inside. He waited for Essix to enter the training room before he closed the door.

“I wonder where everyone is, I barely met any Greencloaks on the way here.” Rollan told Essix, who landed on a timber of wood. “Probably organizing a surprise party or something.”

He looked around to see what kind of equipment he should use, but he later decided that he should just work on his cardio. “Maybe I’ll run in circles, but nothing really does beat running around Concorba.”

As he ran around the training room in circles, Essix followed through by flying around in circles before going back to her comfortable spot on top of a timber of wood.

“You don’t belong here.” While running, he was thinking about what Meilin told him. He knew he doesn’t belong here and he was perfectly fine with it… right?

“Don’t trust anyone. Don’t trust anyone. Don’t trust anyone!” His inner thoughts speaking louder and louder each lap he does around the room until he finally couldn’t take it anymore. He slowed down and collapsed at the floor, barely able to remain conscious after the extreme cardio exercise he did.

Pant… pant… pant…

“Maybe that’s enough… for today.” Rollan chuckled while breathing hard, he could see Essix flying around the room as well.

As he lay down on the floor, he could hear footsteps getting louder and louder, before he saw a familiar face looking down at him.

“Your stamina impresses me, Rollan.” A man wearing a green cloak asked. As he saw who it was, he stood up almost instantly.

“I mean… I ran all over back there everyday.” Rollan replied, trying to act like he wasn’t just panting and lying down on the floor. He remembers everything that happened back in Amaya just like it was yesterday.

Tarik chuckled as the Amayan stood up, removing the dust from his pants. “The Greencloaks will need someone like you then.” 

“But I’m staying in Greenhaven, going anywhere you guys go, what’s the difference between joining and not joining now?” Rollan asked.

Tarik, seeing the boy look mildly irritated by the question, leaned towards him. “It’s the commitment, Rollan. Wearing the green cloak is an official statement that you would help with our mission to protect the peace in Erdas.”

“But that’s exactly what I’m saying! All wearing that cloak means is that I’m obligated to do it, even if I don’t want to.” Rollan said.

“You… don’t want to?” Tarik asked. “Are you sure about that, Rollan? Are you sure you don’t-”

“Please stop it… I don’t want to stay in a group where you care more about a principle than the people around you.”

“Who said anything about not caring about the people around  you?” The older greencloak asked. “Why do you think we’re doing this in the first place, Rollan?”

The younger Greencloak kept opening his mouth but he couldn’t find the right words to say, he knew he was dumb that he didn’t even think about it.

“Think about it, Rollan. We need you, and I believe… you need us.” Tarik added, furthering giving him more doubt about his judgement.

“Why do you believe I need the Greencloaks?” He asked.

“Because I know, somewhere deep inside you, being a part of something is still your dream.” Tarik answered.

“I- uhh…”

Before Rollan could give a response, Tarik patted his back. “You don’t need to answer back, but at least think about it.”

The older Greencloak left the training room after giving the Amayan boy something to think about on his sleep.

“You need us.” Tarik’s words kept on echoing on his head.

Briggan let out a huff as Conor hefted his stick once again, gauchely deflecting another blow from Meilin’s stick as she pushed forwards.

It took just a forceful hit, aimed downwards for his grip to falter.

Another, and he falls to the ground– wood seethes across his hands as they awkwardly scuff the floorboards.

Briggan let out another huff, lower in-tone.

A whistle sounded. Tarik raised his arm, “Halt!”

Conor bowed his head. Meilin nodded her own, stepping back– a stilted motion; her eyes rang the same hollow of past weeks. It was only them in the training room this time, a practice of brute strength using the  simplest tools one could find. Rollan, as usual, had traited off elsewhere after the first few rounds. And Conor had known he wouldn't fare well against a literal soldier , although he hadn’t expected to lose this sorely. In fact, it had been–

“-The third time Conor,” Tarik’s voice held a tinge of disappointment within it, buried under a level tone, “Why don’t you take a break? Recuperate. Then come back tomorrow, we’ll set you in a training course with another Greencloak.”

Conor gnawed his cheek, an absent-minded habit. One born out of nervousness. He kept his gaze low as he stood up, the staff in his grip a steadfast comfort as he met Tarik’s level gaze, and sought to ignore Meilin’s piercing one,

A breath, and a low exhale.

“Right– right! Sorry, I’ll… come back tomorrow-” he managed a queasy smile down at his wolf, “-right, Briggan?”

The wolf huffed. Conor could only hope it was in agreement. To that, he held out his hand, an invitation. One that Briggan accepted; as in a flash of light, he was inked onto Conor’s forearm. He set his gaze back on Tarik, sheepishly so.

Tarik subtly nodded, his eyes- far kinder than they should’ve been- crinkled, “It’s been a rough couple of days, this is your one opportunity for rest; use it well.”

He bowed his head again, and nudged past Meilin as gently as he could to the exit.

Pacing out of the training room, marble-liden walls encompassed him on every side. The choking nature of it all wasn’t lost on him, It had rattled him, and he sought to quell it- through whatever means possible. As… it had been mere weeks ago that he was in his homeland, a shepherd for flock, a simple life despite its given struggles. His place wasn’t set in a fortress as grandeur as Greenhaven…

It was in simplicity, in home .

And now he stood, a predator of the very cattle he sought to protect etched into his forearm. His fate sewn into the future and the past, and built in the present. Yet, in the background of his mind, Conor saw his brother’s smile, allowed it to ease his shoulders, felt a warm jest tickling his ears through furthering distant memories. And he felt the embrace of his mother, the odd pinch from his father– for he, as well, was a compassionate man.

Had they missed him? Were they even able to send letters to him, with no way to write?

Deep in his chest, his heart panged at the thought. His arm itched, and he resisted the urge to pull up his tattered sleeve to scratch it. Instead, he fiddled with his cape as he attempted to navigate the nearly endless halls, each looking nearly identical to the last, dizzyingly so. 

His pace was meandering as he wandered down the spiraling staircase, and to the area the dorms rested in. 

If there was anything he noticed, it was that it was easy to get lost. 

Not just to his physical surroundings, but within his own scrambling thoughts. To defeat the Conquerors was their goal– one that extended to Briggan.. and by pure proxy, him.

If need be, he'd be that shepherd once again, Briggan his crook and the wolves- the ones in heart, the Conquerors.

The sheep, the ones he'd formed fragile connections with, the Greencloaks.

It was a responsibility he wasn't sure he could bear, one that his failures proved right. Yet, his family was there– without their son, and he sought to return to them a better child. Whatever that entailed, he'd prepare for it. 

He pivoted his step, back to the training room. He’d rest tomorrow, under a new moon.

Abeke threaded her fingers through Uraza’s coarse fur, halting intermittently whenever a finger or two found themselves caught in a tangle. It had been only a week since the battle in Amaya, since she had switched sides from the Conquerors permanently. She was welcomed to the Greencloaks, having taken her vow soon after she had left Arax's domain. They’d granted her a cloak, if not for her actions, then clearly for Uraza.

In fact, she was stock-sure that if it weren’t for the leopard, she’d be another unnamed body in Arax’s domain, lost to the waging conflict between two sides– both of which she had a stake in.

It was unknowingly that she had joined the Conquerors, falling for the words Zerif had set in her mind, leading her astray and leaving her truly, utterly, unaware of the true nature of the Conquerors.

It was Shane, who seemed so just, who had furthered those beliefs. The beliefs that she was doing the right thing .

And it was her that made that change, that saw what Zerif did to the Greencloak that saved her life.

A knife in the back, without hesitation–

It was that which was the last straw, and it was that which had led her to separate herself from the Conquerors, and to take the Greencloak’s vow.

And yet, it was like nothing had changed. Greenhaven was inimical in its structure and in its residents. After all, it was meant for Greencloaks, not former Conquerors masquerading as one in a pitiful attempt to right their wrongs. 

Simply put, she wasn’t sure she would’ve even been allowed if it weren’t for the leopard laying languidly in front of her.

The cloak around her shoulders felt heavy at that thought, if not in weight, then in her own mind. 

In Meilin’s words earlier that day, during their second training session, it was “unearned” . Abeke… found herself agreeing, ever so slightly, dismally so.

She resisted the urge to huff a sigh and flop down on the bed wearily. Her eyes felt as though they were going to droop as soon whenever they blinked, and raising them felt as though it were a monumental task. Mustering up the will to keep them open, her gaze scanned the room around her for what felt like the umpteenth time that hour. A bed, a counter, a window covered with a curtain made of animal hide (that brought back memories of Nilo, oddly enough).

The room was nice, if not barren. 

Small too. It was only a few minutes ago that Uraza halted her pacing, fur ruffled and breath huffed as she twisted and turned once she hit one corner of the room.

Abeke understood, the wide ranges in Nilo were lost in Greenhaven, abandoned for practicality.

She hadn’t seen any of her teammates since earlier that morning, during their bi-weekly training session. It had gone about as well as the previous one. That was to say, horrible and without a modicum of teamwork; leaving Abeke feeling awkward as she floundered through her interactions with the others and their animals.

She remembered their names clearly, Conor was the first that came to mind. He harbored Briggan, a beast similar in Uraza to size, and yet he seemed gentle; a shepherd's boy. When she had first come to Greenhaven, he had initially accompanied her to a few of the areas within the castle, guiding her through where to find important areas. That was, until he was called away by the other two, for a training session apparently.One that they had left her out of.

Rollan was the second to come to mind. He was clearly distrusting, blunt in his wording and his actions. Despite that, he never seemed directly hostile. His words were tinted with sarcasm, but they weren’t sharp daggers. Rather, they were more so spirited jests… which, although annoying, was something she was far too accustomed to handling.

Who Abeke was trepid around however, was Meilin. No matter what she did, she could never get a true read on the girl. She was far more distrustful of her than Rollan was, clearly, but Abeke couldn’t particularly tell why . She tried her best to be friendly towards her– truly. Offered her weapons in sparring matches, took the fall for her when they went awry, attempted to talk with her, all of which were brushed off with scathing glares or clipped words. 

It was a puzzle she wasn’t sure she could solve.

Though, she had heard of Zhong’s fall in a discussion between the older Greencloaks by the entrance of the haven. If Meilin were from Zhong… it explained some of the hostility.

Yet Abeke had tried her best to prove to them–to her – that she wasn’t among their ranks. Tried her best to prove that she could be a Greencloak, a part of the Four Fallen. And yet, each and every time, those efforts were brushed off at best, and at worst, met with hostility. 

The one friend she had, the one friend who had trusted her– a Conqueror. A cadence to her luck. The bracelet wrapped a tight ring around her wrist, given by her sister, had not offered much in its share.

And finally, it was that which made her nervous to attend the training session that day. Her limbs seemed uncooperative as she tried to force herself up and out of the bed. The bracelet itched further as she dug it into a pillow and sluggishly forced herself back up into a sitting position. Uraza flicked her ears at the moment and peered at Abeke, her violet eyes seemingly boring into her mind.

Abeke felt foolish for thinking that, but she wished Uraza could speak, give her advice on what to do, when no one else had any, not the Greencloaks, and not even the Conquerors.

Because mostly, she felt so, very alone. The lands near Greenhaven were beautiful, but unfamiliar. They were nothing like the dry vastlands of Nilo, nothing like the hot, dry sun boring down on her back during the day. Most times, it was awfully loud as well. 

Even the Conquerors base had a modicum of quietness, whether it be from the consistent training being under-deck or the whinings of sea-sick animals being surprisingly absent.

The distraction, however, was pleasant; though the home-sickness that struck her thoughts not yet wholly dissipated, it was reduced, compartmentalized in the back treads of her mind.

And yet, the pure soundlessness of the room she was given, and emptiness at that… It rendered her thoughts nothing but a dull repetition.  Mulling over the logistics of her standing in the Greencloaks, within the Four Fallen, three kids of her own standing who clearly didn’t trust her. It had only been less than a week, but her world had shrunk too-far, freedom was nearly a forgotten thought now.

The bell tolled. Once, twice, thrice; training’s call.

Internally, she peeled herself from her thoughts, raising herself and lightly shaking her leg, nudging Uraza off. She watched as the leopard purred lowly, setting herself a prowling pace towards the door in a familiar pace before turning back to Abeke, her eyes patientlessly prompting.

It took another huff from the animal for Abeke to finally relent, walking towards her.

Uraza flicked her ears, and Abeke let out a sigh, “I apologize,” She nudged the door open, “I suppose we can’t wait any longer. Shall we?” 

Abeke followed her out, to the looming halls that stood far, far above her own head that she wasn’t even sure if she could see the wall. The fortress was beyond giant, nearly impossible to navigate without Uraza’s help. 

Down the spiraling staircase, they made it to the crossroads; two pure-white timber-rimmed halls split into different pathways. She let the leopard guide her pace, far-too tired to argue with her and get her into the dormant state. 

Soon enough, they made it to the training hall, the weapons lined neatly to one side while stained-glass windows let down a glare to the rest of the room, igniting the shadows beneath her eyes; tell-tales of the weariness that encapsulated everyone following the events of last week. And the room… was as inviting as it was intimidating.

Abeke’s head was held down, watching as her and Uraza’s shadows crept into the gate’s mouth.

Turning her head upwards, she caught the gazes of her teammates, and of another Greencloak– their trainer, Tarik.

The room, for as large as it was, felt oddly empty with only four other people.  

Her breath hitched despite herself, Uraza trilled.

Meilin’s face, still twisted in the same sardonic poise she’d been greeted with every time she’d entered the room. Rollan’s, a mere brow furrowed…, and Conor, with a faint smile and wrinkled eyes. Why?

…There was an answer. Threadbare, yet with a semblance of truth.

These were her teammates, the only ones who’d summoned the Four Fallen. Children too, with distrust palpable as much as it was understandable. Abeke knew. She wished she were the same, during days gone by.

For that, she was going to try.

Again and again, whatever it took. Perhaps, it’d start in this room.

Tarik massaged his browline. Through the puff of his breath, he spoke; “Should we begin?”