Chapter Text
Over many nights, Caldarus dreamed of having shared the skies with winged creatures of ancients past. These dreams were never vivid—mere sensations, sounds and fleeting imagery. The rush of wind on his face. Clouds dispersing as they cut through the skies at impossible speeds. The brine of the open sea prickling his tongue. And at times, a mirthful laugh. A ghost of a silver hand on his face. The smell of flowers.
He had hoped that by breaking the water seal, his dreams would aid him in his quest to remember his past. However, his mind struggled to conjure dreams when it had no memories to extract from. Prior to the seal being broken, he had not dreamt of anything with auditory or visual properties. Perhaps his dreams will improve—reveal more of his past— as soon as the rest of the seals fall away.
When The Farmer had returned from the mines, Caldarus felt that the injuries they sustained — though very little — had required days worth of rest. As much as he wished to pursue the truth and return to the skies, he was aware of the physical strain they endured in the mines. He had lived long enough to witness the frailty of humankind. Though The Farmer was exceptional in their own right — they were inextricable from their own mortality —from the limitations imposed upon their vessels. He could not bear the thought of anyone suffering on his behalf.
During The Farmer's respite, Caldarus observed as their kind friends provided them with company and sustenance. He recognized them from their stories. A young, passionate archaeologist, a disarming merchant, an exceptional cook, and a talented blacksmith with a personality that did not match his talents. More people visited. Relatives of the aforementioned and friends from the outskirts of town. Caldarus took comfort in knowing that The Farmer was well cared for. After all, there was little he could do as a sentient statue where much of his days were spent in stillness. All he could do was watch over them and make sure no danger would befall them in such a vulnerable state.
And so, danger came.
Or perhaps, it would be the gravest outcome possible.
A young girl appeared. Ebony-skinned, with hair like flowing midnight. She donned a white ceremonial garb from an unknown faction. He did not recognize her. She was not from the stories.
She was not from Mistria.
The girl merely stood at the door. Her hands clasped behind her with a bouquet of flowers in her grasp. She hummed a gentle tune, idly kicking the dirt lightly with her bare foot. It was then when Caldarus noticed that she wore no shoes.
The Farmer had taken to rest these past few days, and the farm was strewn with sticks and stones. Did she not fear blisters and cuts upon her feet?
As though she had perfectly anticipated it, The Farmer opened the door, and she instantly closed the distance between them. Needless to say, The Farmer recoiled, but swiftly composed themself, adopting a calm demeanor. They had witnessed far worse, perhaps. An enthusiastic stranger was hardly enough to faze them now.
She leaned in to inspect their face. "The falling away of the water seal has allowed more magic to flow into this world. How shall I express the feeling with the highest possible relevance to you?" She thought for a while. "Ah—it’s like bending and stretching your back all day, resigned to discomfort, until someone cracks it and frees you from the pain."
Perhaps her analogy was effective, since Caldarus remained clueless while the farmer nodded eagerly in understanding.
The girl stepped back with grace. "I realize that it is not exactly pleasant to have a stranger at your door, so I must direct you to the matter at hand."
The girl sauntered about towards the direction of the fields, crouching in front of The Farmer's flowers. They followed her, curious about their intentions. When the girl faced The Farmer, she was smiling—wide, eager—and openly salivating.
The Farmer jolted in their place in surprise. The girl pointed to the flower and her smile widened around the corners. "Can I eat these?"
The Farmer declined, explaining how these flowers were raised dutifully. The young girl, despite her insistence, gracefully accepted her defeat, and distanced herself from the fields.
"All right. I understand. This is giving me a strange sense of deja vu..."
The Farmer crossed their arms, asking if they had done the same to other flower fields.
"No—Not in Mistria at least." She seemed to look past them now. Her eyes, though closed, appeared to be fixated on... him? If Caldarus had an option, he would have averted his gaze.
Then she turned her energy back to The Farmer. "Your farm is brilliant! The abundance of essence is extraordinary. I've tried other fields, but none of them compared to yours. This is why the flowers here are more scrumptious..."
The Farmer narrowed their gaze at her.
"I—I haven't stolen—err—eaten anything! With due consent!' She clears her throat, and immediately, her childish demeanor falls away as she adopts a more graceful posture. It was strange. As if he was watching two people in one body.
"Let me rephrase that. I would like to have some of your flowers in exchange for a variety of items at random. Of course, there is merit in doing so. You increase your renown, and you are able to gain something of much greater value—sounds like you've got nothing to lose, no?"
The Farmer contemplated, their lips pursed thin.
"Well, why don't you give it a try, at least once? See if you take a liking to it?"
The Farmer shrugged, nodded, and carefully picked a flower from their field. The girl's smile widened childishly. It seemed flowers had that effect on her otherwise graceful disposition.
"Very well."
Instantly, a small—yet significantly powerful—magic circle bloomed before her. Caldarus warned The Farmer to be careful and step back, but the influence of the magic had seemed to draw them in—his words falling on deaf ears. He surmised that it could be space magic. It wasn't uncommon in the past, but the only race that was capable of using it would be…
He quickly discards the thought. That would be impossible.
The magic circle dispersed, and out from it came a perfect sapphire. The Farmer couldn't believe their eyes. The girl offered it to them, to which they inspected with eagerness. The modest size, the roundness, and the luminosity... It was hard to believe, but it was legitimate.
"Wow," The girl said simply, clapping her hands a few times. "You're extremely lucky. Most times I only get mineral scraps, but perhaps a god favors you very much." She smiled impishly. "Or reside close to you.'
Both Caldarus and The Farmer fought the urge to glance at each other.
"Heehee! This is excellent. I only ever eat wild flowers, so this is what your kind call 'gourmet' to me. If you are interested in doing business with me again, I shall meet you by that handsome fellow over there."
The Farmer tilted their head and looked behind them. Perhaps a male friend had visited? Or Valen? But it was only Caldarus.
"Yes, yes, that dragon statue. We shall continue this conversation some other time. I wish to gobble this up..." She salivated again. "Err—" She cleared her throat once more. "I mean, savor this lovely flower you’ve given me."
The Farmer did not seem convinced, but watched as the girl disappeared into the trees.The Farmer ran to follow her, but she was nowhere to be found.
They immediately ran up to Caldarus to consult him, and Caldarus was almost as clueless as they were, except for the fact that she was most likely not human. At the moment, she did not seem to pose any harm, and it was fortunate that she agreed to meet by his statue. It meant that he could keep surveillance despite his limited field of vision to keep his friend safe.
The Farmer showed the perfect sapphire to him, explaining how difficult it was to find even a single sapphire in the mines—let alone a perfect one. They seemed relieved, as they had not been able to work in the field for a while. The perfect sapphire seemed to cover for most of their expenses.
Seeing his friend’s smile, perhaps having her around was not as perilous as he thought.
Until the first time she waited by his statue.