Chapter Text
With a loud boom, lights and colors filled the sky. They seemed to hang in the air, frozen in time, before disappearing as if they had never been there at all. Then a new one would come and start the process all over again.
The sight reminded him of stars burning out, then dying. Though the stars were luckier in his opinion, at least their light remained after death. The fireworks had nothing. Only memories. And when those faded and died, there would be nothing left of them in the world. He frowned at the thought.
“Not to your liking?”
He glanced over to see his sister smiling at him. Of course she found him.
He sighed. “No, the fireworks are great. Beautiful even.”
He meant it. After all, he had never seen them before. Though, he could do without the noise.
She softly laughed, leaning against the railing he stood by. “Then why the frown?”
He went back to watching the sky, as another brilliant explosion of light lit the night sky around them.
“I was just thinking is all.” He said.
She rolled her eyes and scoffed at him. “Well stop it.” She reached over and ruffled his hair.
“Hey, Freya! Cut it out.” He said as he swatted at her hand.
She shook her head. “You think too much, little brother. You should be enjoying yourself, not brooding. You do that plenty on a normal day.”
He crossed his arms and pouted. “I do not.”
“You do too. Here you are away from the celebration, brooding alone on the balcony, instead of having fun with everyone.” She gestured to the crowded streets below them.
He looked down at the celebration filling streets with sound and life. Lanterns hung along the road, where people walked and laughed. Somewhere a band was playing, their notes carrying to the balconies high above. The city truly was a sight to see tonight.
“Seriously, Samuel. I doubt you snuck out behind mom's back to just watch the fireworks.” Freya said, crossing her arms.
He flinched. “I- I didn’t-”
She held up a hand to stop him. “I don’t need your excuses. Nor your lies. After all, you're a terrible liar. But fear not, I promise I won't tell mom.”
He sighed in relief. “Thanks.”
Mom, she was always so protective of him. She'd throw a fit if she found out he had snuck out into the city.
Every year he saw the fireworks from afar. Heard the crowds having fun amongst the festivities. For once he wanted to see it for himself. He knew it was wrong, but he just wanted one night. Just one. It was all he needed.
He felt another pat on his head as Freya gave him a smile. “So go have fun. Live a little. I'll keep mom distracted for ya.”
He smiled up at her. “Thanks, sis.”
He hugged her. She chuckled and wrapped her arms around him, patting his back. After a moment, he pulled away.
“Good luck and remember no brooding.” She said, poking him in the chest. With that, she disappeared. She always was the one for dramatic exits.
He looked up as the fireworks finished their show in a glorious explosion of colors that seemed to fill the entire sky. Guess it was time to stop delaying.
His hands shook as he pulled the hood of his cloak over his head. Hopefully no one would notice his eyes. He could only hope.
Standing at the steps leading down to the bustling cobblestone streets below, he hesitated.
Maybe this was a mistake. It wasn't too late to turn back and go home. He shook his head. No, he could do this. He just had to take the first step.
He shakily took a step down the stairs, then another. His breathing was fast and ragged as he made his descent. He could do this.
He made it to the bottom and had to immediately cover his ears. The noise was so much louder up close. Taking deep steadying breaths, he forced himself to uncover his ears. Wincing at the noise of people talking, laughing, and yelling that immediately assaulted him from all sides.
Keeping his head low, he walked into the crowded street. There was so much to see.
Parents walking with their children. Stands selling wares and food, many of which he had never seen before. But the smell of it was enough to make his mouth water.
Making sure to keep his hood pulled over his head, Samuel walked to the closest food stall. It was selling some sort of meat on a stick. It smelled spicy, yet savory. The worker running the stand gave him a big grin upon noticing his approach.
“Hey, what can I get ya?” He asked in a booming voice.
Samuel pointed at what he wanted, since he didn't know what it was called.
“One of these?” The big man asked.
Samuel nodded. “Yes please.” It came out as a shaky whisper.
“Alright.” He picked it up and held it out to Samuel.
“That will be three tokens.” He said, holding out his other hand.
Tokens? What was that? He didn't have anything like that. His heart sank.
“Sorry, I don't have any. My apologies.” He bowed and quickly ran away. The man called after him but he ignored him, only running faster. Bumping into people as he went, causing a few to yell in surprise and anger. Still he kept running.
He stopped, taking deep gasping breaths, as he found himself in a completely different part of the city. Here the buildings were much smaller than the towers that pierced the sky from earlier. Two children raced by him, towards what seemed to be a plaza of some sort. With nothing better to do, Samuel followed them.
There were luckily fewer people here, much to his relief. The plaza was in the shape of a hexagon. Framing the edges of the plaza were stone benches. Colored bricks made up the floor, making patterns of color beneath his feet.
But the most breathtaking thing was the tree. It sat in the middle of the plaza, in a patch of dirt. To call it just a tree wasn't completely accurate. It was more like two trees that had twisted together. Near indistinguishable from one another.
Its bark was black as the night sky. The branches, while barren, had lanterns hung from each one. Making it look like it was covered in twinkling stars. It was beautiful.
Nestled amongst the lanterns were ribbons. All of different lengths, materials, and colors. He stared at them curiously.
“Wanna make a wish?” An elderly woman asked from beside him. He jumped at her unexpected presence, but quickly attempted to compose himself.
“Sorry. I don't have any tokens.” He replied.
She chuckled softly. “Wishes don't cost anything. They're free for everyone.”
She smiled at him. “Do you need a ribbon dear? I always carry extra just in case anyone forgets to bring one.”
He smiled at her. “I would like one. Thank you.”
She nodded her head and reached into a satchel pulling a blue ribbon from its depths.
“Here ya go.” She handed it to him.
He looked at it and then the woman. She seemed nice, so surely she wouldn't mind his questions.
“So, uhh, how exactly do I make a wish?” He asked, his head bowed, as he stared at the colorful cobblestone beneath his feet. He peeked up, only to see the old woman was frowning at him.
“Oh, no. Did I say something wrong?” He thought, as he shuffled nervously under her stare. Maybe she was going to ask for the ribbon back, or yell at him for his naivety.
She continued to stare at him. “Strange. Usually people your age have already made plenty of wishes before. Didn't your parents ever teach ya?”
“S- sorry. I'm not from around here. I haven't been to the festival until today.” It was the closest to the truth.
Her eyes widened as she cracked a grin. “A Wanderer. Well why didn't ya say so? Don't get many of ya passing through. Don't worry, I'll teach ya our ways. Wishing is fairly easy.”
She excitedly began to walk up to the tree, waving for him to follow. He quickly went after her.
“It's quite simple. Wrap the ribbon around your palm three times. Then close your fist around it and bring it to your mouth. Then whisper your wish to it. After that, take your ribbon and tie it to a branch.” She explained.
Samuel looked to the ribbon ladened branches surrounding them. “Any branch?”
She smiled softly at him. “To whichever one calls to you. Then at the end of the night your wish will come true.”
He thanked her for the explanation. She simply waved it off as doing her duty. She then left him be.
He did as instructed, and brought his hand to his mouth and made his wish.
“I hope I can make mom proud.”
Then he tied it to the branch that felt the most right. He knew it was silly. After all, trees can't grant wishes. But part of him hoped it would work.
A loud horrible boom echoed through the city. At first, he had simply thought a firework had been set off again. Then he started to hear the screams.
Samuel turned from the tree, only to freeze. Unable to move, he could only watch as a wave of darkness began to envelop the city. Like an encroaching tidal wave, swallowing all in its path. Buildings crumbled to dust before his eyes.
People began fleeing around him as he watched, rooted in his spot, as the wave of darkness continued its descent. There wasn't enough time. Nowhere for them to flee. Soon it had choked out the stars in the sky above. That dense darkness pooled around him, drowning him in it.
He heard people cry out in fear and horror. He watched as the stone benches in the plaza collapsed into dust. He looked at his own hands. They were beginning to crumble, crystalline dust falling to the ground below.
It all was being destroyed. He was being destroyed. There was no use in running. Samuel closed his eyes and accepted his fate.
Like a firework, there and then gone.