Archive of Our Own ^beta

…Howling.

That was the first sound Garroth parsed through the darkness. 

His eyelids slowly fluttered, but they were too heavy to fully open. He could feel his consciousness fading in and out.

..No, that’s not howling. This is different..

Several moments passed. Gradually, Garroth realized what noise that was. It wasn’t the one he’d initially thought of, and it became evidently clear when Garroth finally stirred himself awake. Energy coursed through him as his eyes shot open.

That’s wind, Garroth violently shivered. 

The sound roared and echoed around him, the wind howling its eerie cry of the cold. 

Then, Garroth lifted his head; truly looked around. He stared hollowly—everywhere.

Snow blanketed the entire landscape as far as the eye could see. Heavy snowfall battered and fell against his body. With his senses coming alive, he was now able to comprehend that he was.. laying on the ground..?

Garroth slowly rose to a sitting position, before a sharp pain shot through his body. He hissed loudly as his hand immediately jolted to his back. It felt like he’d been struck or wounded there. Perhaps he accidentally collapsed or fell in this snowstorm.

He paused, blinking absently a few times before quickly looking around his surroundings again. He shivered from more than just the cold enveloping his body.

The middle of a blizzard.

Slow and dawning horror of how he could’ve possibly got here and where he was began setting in for Garroth. 

He couldn’t remember. Nothing at all.

Where the hell am I?..

White met his vision wherever he looked, both across the horizon and sky. His sight got obscured the further he tried to look into the horizon, fog and mist protecting the landscape from anything that could help pinpoint his location. The sky and horizon almost completely blended in with each other. The snow pelting his face didn’t help with identifying where he was.

He was lost.

He was cold.

Garroth was all alone in this blinding, desolate snowstorm.

He loudly huffed, pushing himself up with his hands so he could stand. His breath misted in the air, but even that was hard to see through the sharp flakes that flew across his eyes. Garroth shook snow that had gotten between parts of his armor and hair. He instantly shuddered from the harsh chilling wind encircling his body, pushing him every which way.

Unless he wanted to become a frozen body, the obvious solution to this dangerous climate was to find a way out of this storm, or some sort of shelter if he was lucky. He might not be able to see anything right now, but the best he could do was to start walking in one direction and keep moving.

A sharp curl of doubt mixed with fear twisted in his gut. Garroth immediately tried squashing those feelings away.

I just need to move. I can’t stay standing here, Garroth resolutely affirmed to himself. He couldn't spiral here, not while his life was in danger.

Covering his blue cape around his body like a cloak, he used it to shield himself from as much of the storm’s blinding snow and battering winds. With a shiver and a goal—determined to find some sign of a way out—Garroth began walking in a random direction through the howling blizzard.

The snowstorm was anything but kind to Garroth as he trudged on through the white, barren landscape. 

He still hadn’t seen anything in sight. No trees, no creatures, not even buildings. His own footsteps were barely audible as they crunched through the snow, and it was nearly up to his knees. The wind’s cry was all he could hear in the raging storm.

Snowflakes stuck to his eyelids and he had to frequently wipe his eyes to keep them from being frozen. His armor was suited for combat and defense, it was not doing him any favors in this freezing climate. The metal pieces that covered his body only served to make him feel even colder. Garroth had been quivering the entire time since he’d woken up. The cape helped to protect him from a few of the elements, but it absolutely wasn’t enough to keep him warm.

As the snowfall blew sharply against his face, half of it covered with his cape, Garroth tried scouring his mind of what could’ve happened to strand him in the middle of a blizzard. Concentrating the best he could, Garroth dug into his memories and hardened his expression against the storm.

I.. was walking with.. with Laurance. We were going somewhere. I wanted to visit.. a location! Yes, that's it. And that location was.. was…

He tried desperately going through his mind again, but every time a headache would split across his skull. Garroth hissed, clutching his head with a hand as the sinister winds roared against his ears.

I can’t think properly in this storm. I have to keep moving.

Garroth didn’t know how long he’d been moving in the direction he was going. His feet and fingers had gone nearly numb, barely any feeling in them as he grunted with each step he took through the snow. His cheeks and nose felt completely frozen. The metal armor was only slowing him down in this condition. His energy was draining and the temperature was eating away at Garroth’s heat.

I have to find a way out..

Something caught on his boot in the snow. Garroth threw out his arms just in time to catch himself from falling face first directly into the snow. It still didn’t stop him from collapsing. His body slumped against the frozen ground, cape rapidly blowing in the wind.

The blizzard roared around him.

Garroth was cold. He was so, so cold.

…Then, he felt something.

Warmth.

His head rose slightly.

There.

Through the flurry of snowfall—barely visible through the fog—was a flickering pale blue light. It danced in the storm, beckoning Garroth.

It was several feet away, but Garroth could definitely make it there. He just needed.. to get up.

With a heavy groan, he stood back up from the snow. Quickly, he weighed his options.

If he ran, Garroth could get there faster. He had no idea what it was, but his shivering body screamed to find anything to chase the freezing cold away. Running had the risk of losing more of his heat though, especially if that light wasn't anything that’d help him. Walking would conserve his energy, but at the rate his limbs were starting to lock up from the cold he might completely freeze before getting there.

..Whatever that is.. it’s better than dying out here in the snow, Garroth thought solemnly. I have to take the risk.

Then, with a running start, Garroth instantly sprinted forward.

The blizzard tore into him as he ran towards the light. Sharp snowflakes cut through his face and Garroth hissed as the cold clawed at his entire body. His feet tingled with needle-like pain and each breath he took felt agonizing.. but he was almost there.

Closer and closer, Garroth felt the warmth radiating from the light become more intense. With every step, the cold slowly drew back as the heat chased it away.

Garroth made it to the strange blue light.

He panted, his hands on his knees to catch his breath. His body wasn’t shaking as much and the heat now surrounding him felt like it was restoring his energy.

Garroth stared. A small frown took place on his lips.

With the freezing temperature at bay, he was able to focus on what exactly was happening. Despite the heat he felt pulsating around him, snowfall still surrounded Garroth. Snowflakes danced across his vision, and the howling wind was ever present.

What caught his attention however, was what exactly the light was. Now that he could really see it, Garroth realized it wasn’t actually a light.

It’s a flame.

The fire flickered beautifully, a stark contrast against the white landscape surrounding it. The flame’s pale blue glow danced against his armor and illuminated the snowfall.

But the strangest thing about it; the fire was floating off the ground, only a few feet in the air.

Garroth furrowed his brow. He crouched down at the flame. How is this possible? What’s it doing here?

Could he potentially be in a location charged with magicks? That might explain this unusual blue fire. Why would there be a lone flame in the middle of a blizzard though? He’d run into stranger phenomenons before, but why here of all places?

Garroth’s eyes gazed steadily into the flame.

And.. why did it feel like it was.. calling his attention?

Garroth wasn’t sure what came over him next. His hand slowly began moving towards the fire, as if in a trance. A strange, yet.. somehow familiar feeling seemed to settle in his chest, encouraging him to reach the flame.

Before he managed to snap himself out of the haze, his hand was already too close to the fire. Garroth instinctively squeezed his eyes shut. 

He expected searing hot pain to consume his hand. Any moment he would feel the fire crawling its way through his armor and skin. Garroth would be put out of his misery and die alone in this frozen wasteland—really, it was embarrassing this would be his last act of trying to save himself. What a pitiful way to go out for a past Head Guard.

…That wasn’t what happened.

No, in fact, something much different happened. Something Garroth would’ve never expected at all.

His eyes snapped open when no pain came. Garroth instantly redrew his hand, stumbling several steps back as a stunned surprise overtook his body. The fire hadn’t hurt him, but it was doing something. Something impossible.

The flame twisted and danced against the storm. The vibrant blue glow intensified, brightening the pocket of landscape around him as—to his shock—it seemed to grow in size.

The heat was reaching a point where it was too hot. He raised his arms to protect his face, ready for whatever the hell he’d foolishly done wrong.

Then it stopped expanding.

The fire flickered rapidly, before finally, it seemed to be.. shapeshifting its form.

Complete and utter astonishment swarmed Garroth’s mind as he watched the blue flames gradually change. Contorting impossibly into something he recognized. 

Shapes appeared in the flames. They became more coherent as the tongues of the fire changed to very familiar forms, before finally seeming to solidify.

Garroth felt the breath taken straight out of his lungs.

It.. It can’t be-

The young forms of his brothers and Garroth appeared in the scenery of the blue fire. The flames had expanded out to create not only an image of the three, but a small space that looked to be..

That’s the main living room—in the Ro’Meave castle, Garroth stared in awe.

There was no mistaking it. That was the fireplace. Long tapestries decorated the walls behind them, and he would recognize those worn silk armchairs anywhere.

Garroth slowly returned towards the fire. Tremors shook his body. This time, he knew that it wasn't from the cold. 

How am I seeing this? A frown deepened on his face. 

Why am I seeing this..?

Many questions ran through his mind, but they wouldn’t be answered. His thoughts were interrupted by the scene in front of him; Garroth’s eyes widened as the shapes in the fire moved. 

Young Garroth stood up as he ran over to Vylad, smiling as he took out the small book stuck between his arms. Zane rolled his eyes at them, reading his own book on one of the armchairs.

The blue flame wasn’t just showing an image.

It was showing Garroth a memory.

That became evidently clear when he heard voices.

“When do you think mommy and daddy will be back?” Vylad's voice squeaked. 

He seemed to be staring off in the distance, looking out somewhere. Vylad was barely audible through the crackling of the giant fireplace they sat near. “Do you think they’ll be safe traveling at night?”

Garroth chuckled, reaching over to ruffle his baby brother’s fluffy hair. 

“They’ll be back soon, don’t worry! Even if we don’t get snow often, O’Khasis is always prepared for anything. We have the best guards in all of O’Kha.. O’Kha-“

“It’s pronounced ‘O’Khasis,’ Garroth.” His other baby brother replied, bored.

He turned to glare at Zane, but there was no real anger behind it. 

Garroth blinked, then smiled. “You know it’s hard for me to pronounce some words! I can’t say everything as p-perfectly as you can.”

Zane rolled his eyes again. “Sorry that I wasn’t born with a speech problem. I’m studying to be a High Priest for the Matron, I can’t afford to babble over my words like you, big brother.”

Their voices had an echoing quality to Garroth’s ears, like he was hearing the distant conversation of people talking down a hall.

Garroth took a step forward. His eyes were completely fixed on this.. vision. 

He’d.. honestly forgotten about this memory.

Over the many years he spent away from O’Khasis, Garroth always assumed that he would be able to remember everything that he left behind—whether that was from the guilt that lingered in the back of his mind or the trauma he experienced during the latter half of his youth. He thought he’d remember most of the memories, good and bad.

Garroth never acknowledged it out loud, he never would. But.. looking back now, he hated admitting that a part of him had missed O’Khasis, at that time. With the knowledge he had now, years upon years later, Garroth shouldn’t have been as surprised as he was when Zane initially found him in Phoenix Drop.

If he had truly wanted to hide himself further back then, he would’ve gotten rid of that armor—of that damn O’Khasis symbol seared into that white cloth. He would’ve changed his mannerisms more, tried harder to blend in with the villagers at Phoenix Drop.

But he hadn’t. Garroth didn’t truly unlearn everything he’d been raised up to act as an O’Khasian heir. He thought himself better than wearing worn down clothes, thought himself better than acting as ‘uncouth’ as some of the people in the village.

Younger Garroth then, still thought he was ‘above’ some of the standards of people. It made heavy guilt swirl in his mind.

Perhaps his memories had.. deteriorated more than he remembered. It made an ache in his chest churn.

..I was always a coward though, wasn’t I?

Garroth’s attention was drawn back to the blue flames.

Vylad turned to look at his older brother, making a pouty face. “Be nice Zane! Garroth will be the Lord of O’Khasis when he grows up, you can’t talk to him like that.”

Garroth smiled, even as he did his best to hide the discomfort from Vylad. He put down his book and pretended to puff out his chest with pride. “He’s right. I’m going to be the future Lord, so you should speak more kindly to me.”

A long-suffering sigh left Zane. It seemed despite his own reservations he couldn’t deny the truth in that, even from Vylad. He tucked the right side of his bangs away from his face, giving Garroth a fully deadpanned stare with his eyes.

“I, Zane, apologize for.. ‘insulting’ the future Lord of O’Khasis. I will heed my words until the next time my brother makes a moron of himself.”

“See? That wasn’t so difficult.” Garroth grinned, ignoring the backhanded insult Zane managed to sneak in there. He got up and reached over the armchair to give his baby brother a rough ruffle through his hair. Zane yelped, immediately batting Garroth’s hands away.

Vylad laughed as he huddled further into the blanket thrown over his shoulders. “I bet you’ll make a great Lord, Garroth! And you’ll be a great High Priest, Zane!” 

Garroth ignored how the thought of becoming Lord made his chest curl with anxiety now.

Their youngest brother hummed as Vylad stared up at the ceiling. “I’m not sure what I want to be. Maybe.. maybe I could explore Ru’aun when I’m older.” 

Garroth tilted his head at Vylad. Amusement colored his eyes. “You know there’s more r-regions than just Ru’aun, right? Like Tu’la.”

Vylad made an ‘ohh’ sound, before his eyes flickered up towards the ceiling again. He grinned, dimples appearing in his cheeks.

“Then I guess I’ll just travel even more when I’m an adult!”

Zane took a few moments to fix his hair from where Garroth had messed it up. He raised an eyebrow at Vylad.

“Are you sure our mother and father would let you do that?” A skeptical tone in his voice.

Garroth frowned at the subtle implication his baby brother placed in his sentence, but Vylad didn’t seem to notice or pay it any mind.

“Yeah. Mommy lets me do more stuff than you two. And daddy.. uh, well he lets me walk around the castle whenever I like.” Vylad pointed out.

Garroth and Zane shared an uncomfortable glance with each other. He decided he wouldn’t say more on the subject—even Zane seemed to agree.

Zane leaned back in his armchair, straightening the paper in his book. 

“Then you best be prepared if that’s what you plan. You’ll have to deal with people, unwieldy locations, and weather like this.” He gestured towards something in the distance.

Garroth laughed, crossing his legs as he sat back down. “Snow isn’t that common in Ru’aun unless you live up north. We only get it here in O’Khasis a few times in the winter. Vylad will be fine if he wears a lot of clothes, like a thick cloak or scarf.”

Zane’s eyes didn’t leave his book, but a small smirk did form on his face. “Perhaps that’s a good thing. I certainly know someone here who doesn’t do well in the cold.”

Garroth felt his face color with embarrassment while Vylad snickered beside him.

“H-hey! It’s not like you’re any better, Zane. You p-practically turn into a tomato when it’s summer!”

Zane’s pale skin colored in embarrassment as well. He slapped his book down to glare at Garroth. “You have some nerve, Mr. ‘steals all the blankets for himself in the winter even after every torch is lit up in the castle!’”

The conversation dissolved from there, but no real anger was hidden behind the brothers chatting amongst each other. Vylad’s laughter echoed throughout the flames while Garroth and Zane continued their harmless quarrel.

It was astonishing. 

Every second that played out in the fire, Garroth’s memory of this particular moment returned. He felt it in the way he could remember the warmth of the fireplace, the pressure he felt tousling Vylad’s hair, even the embarrassed feeling that overcame him being reminded of his aversion to the cold. 

Garroth had been so absorbed with the memory that he didn’t realize what was happening next.

The fire began changing its shape again. The blue mirages of his brothers and child Garroth were shifting, changing into something else. They swirled around, dancing within each other like that of ocean waves. Garroth stepped back a little. At the point where he was now, he could almost pretend he wasn’t in the middle of a deadly blizzard. 

If he just stayed close to this.. this memory that the strange, mysterious fire somehow was creating, he wouldn’t freeze here.

The flame morphed into something else. Its pale blue light reflected against Garroth’s eyes. This time, two people were present: Garroth and Zane. From what he could tell, they weren’t in the main living room anymore. 

No, this was Zane’s room.

Discomfort twisted in his gut. He hadn’t seen his brother’s room in so long. Truthfully.. Garroth hoped he wouldn’t have to again—not after the horrible memories that came with seeing it.

Garroth had a feeling he knew what was coming, and yet he still stared into the embers.

Zane was sitting at his desk. His head was buried in a large book, crouched over them to where Garroth couldn’t see his face. He could tell Zane wasn’t really reading it.

“Hey.”

Zane did not answer him.

A hot ember lit in his chest. Garroth pushed it down in favor of attempting to get through this conversation. That was the least he owned his brother.

“Zane.” His voice shook.

Still no answer.

Garroth took a heavy breath, before taking a step towards Zane. He didn’t need to move much further before the screech of his brother’s chair stopped him in his tracks.

His brother stared daggers at him with his eye.

“What. Do you want.”

Zane’s voice was clipped, barely muffled through his mask.

Garroth kept the grimace off his face. A hand shuffled across his neck to stifle the discomfort that was already evident to him.

“U-um.. I-I only wanted to inform you that I'll be visiting the Guard Training Academy in a few days.” Garroth rubbed his neck harder. “To see what it’s like first before I do my training there in the coming months.”

“So, you’ll be alone. Since mother will be spending the week with her maiden friends and father is… um..”

He left the last part unsaid. Lord Garte was still in the castle. Both Garroth and Zane knew he wouldn’t make time for them though, not unless it was ‘truly’ important.

Garroth expected an eyeroll, or at least an annoyed huff from Zane. Some sort of snappy comment that was a clear sign of telling him off. What he got in return was much worse.

Zane maintained eye contact with him, piercing icy eyes not breaking once. Garroth had to look away from this tense staring contest, he couldn’t look people in the eye much anymore. Not even his own brother.

Finally, Zane spoke.

“And you thought,” He slowly breathed, “that this was something worth telling me?”

Garroth immediately shrunk into himself. It never worked for someone as large as him, the unfortunate cause of taking so much after Lord Garte.

“Y-yes. It's what I’m going to be training for. As a guard. The whole family needs to be informed in advance, should something happen.”

There was a pause in the air, an uncomfortable silence that had Garroth squirming.

Then Zane laughed. A laugh that echoed and rolled around the large room, vibrating against the glass windows and stone walls. Shame prickled across Garroth’s body.

His brother fully turned to face him now. “Ah, yes! Should something happen to you, I will be more than happy to be informed of such an event. We wouldn’t want that to happen, would we.”

Zane tilted his head slowly at Garroth, an action that made goosebumps roll across his skin.

“I find it quite amusing, Garroth. You always used to be thrilled, enjoying the idea of becoming Lord.” He couldn’t see Zane’s snide smile, but he could tell it was there.

“What happened, I wonder? You seem like a completely different person nowadays, with how you carry yourself: always making yourself hidden, always stuttering two sentences into anything you say.. You never smile anymore either.”

Zane’s blue eye narrowed. 

“Even as.. ‘unique’ as you’ve become, father still wants you to become Lord—despite you wanting to become a guard.” 

A pause.

“I couldn’t imagine how anyone else would die to be in your position.”

Garroth’s breathing was becoming harder to control. Without even meaning it, he raised a finger to point at Zane.

“You know.. exactly why I want to leave the Lordship to father rather than become Lord.” His voice rumbled, deep with a foreboding irritation laced in his words.

Zane didn’t seem to care. In fact, it only seemed to encourage him. The way his mask seemed to curl, the way Garroth knew he didn’t need to see to know Zane was giving him one of his unsettling smiles.

“No, I don’t think I do, Garroth.” 

Venom seeped his voice. 

“Who would know? I certainly wouldn’t, it’s very hard to tell when your own brother can see who their father favors.”

The ember burst into a flame. Garroth wasn’t calm anymore.

“You blame me for being the favored son in the family when I’ve always taken the brunt of any trouble we caused!” He was yelling now. All the control he’d held onto was slipping from when Garroth began this conversation.

“I came to inform you I would be gone so you wouldn’t have to worry about me. You may think otherwise, Zane, but living in this castle hasn’t been any easier since father fell ill!” Garroth’s expression rippled with anger. “I don’t see why you continue to make this an issue for both of us. We’re living under the same roof, the least you can do is actually care!”

A nerve. That must’ve been what Garroth hit. Zane was standing now, glaring at him with a dark look in his eye.

“…An issue for both of us?” Zane’s voice lowered with a malicious tone.

“Funny.. With how entitled you act, it doesn’t surprise me that father saw you as the biggest disappointment to our family.”

Garroth wasn’t proud of what happened next. He knew the moment his memory of this scene returned.

He wanted to look away, but couldn’t.

Zane’s eye shot wide open when Garroth punched him. Whatever goal he had in mind, Garroth didn’t care. All he knew was the burning white rage in his gut and the words of Zane echoing in his mind.

His brother stumbled back on the carpet, but it didn’t stop Zane from giving up so easily. Garroth hissed loudly when Zane flew forward and kicked him hard in the stomach with a knee. He twisted away from Garroth, who grasped at his midsection in pain.

He tried grabbing him but Zane instantly tackled Garroth to the ground. His brother was smaller, but Zane had taken lessons on how to defend himself—all the Ro’Meaves did. It irritated Garroth knowing Zane was holding his own.

“You have everything handed to you and still have the audacity to complain!?” Zane bellowed furiously as he held down Garroth’s arms in a tight-lock. “I despise you!”

Garroth growled. Using the distraction, he quickly jolted forward and slammed his forehead hard against Zane. His brother got off him, holding his head in agony.

“You cared, then all you started caring about was yourself!” Garroth sneered at Zane, “You’ve become more like Lord Garte than the brother I loved.”

Zane’s head rose in surprise when Garroth threw him hard against the stone wall. There was a sickening crack. For a moment Garroth thought he’d gone too far and truly hurt Zane.

His gaze was immediately drawn to something else. Zane’s attention was also taken away as his eye stared in shock. 

A torch was placed right in a wall holder a foot away from Zane’s head. It’d gone rusty, weak from years of not being maintained. Garroth and Zane watched in slow-motion as the holder became loose. In a matter of seconds, the torch fell to the carpet before either of them could catch it.

Fire from the torch spilled across Zane’s carpet. Garroth and Zane immediately abandoned their fight to desperately put out the fire. Zane moved over to the torch. He gingerly grabbed it before running to his porch balcony, pushing open the doors and throwing it outside.

Garroth moved to stomp down the flames, but it wasn’t any good. Panic rose in his veins before his eyes landed on the cabinet of bookshelves on Zane’s desk.

Muttering nothing more than a pitiful ‘sorry’ Garroth ran over to the desk and grabbed several of the books. He tossed them directly into the source of the flames.

Zane turned just in time to see what he’d done.

Garroth never got a chance to see what Zane’s expression had looked like at that moment. If he’d been more cautious, he might’ve wondered how the magicks fire could’ve shown something like that if Garroth himself hadn’t seen it.

Perhaps it should’ve stayed that way, staring at the memory of his brother.

Zane’s expression flashed through the flames. Horror. Anguish. Horrible pain.

Complete, and raw despair.

A relieved sigh left Garroth. He’d managed to kill the fire using Zane’s books, any remaining embers squashed with his boots. Garroth wished he used something else, but the fire would’ve spread fast if he hadn’t acted quick. Besides, Zane had plenty of other books.

He turned to see Zane staring at him from the balcony. Garroth’s blood chilled. The wind from the open doors ruffled the curtains that blanketed the porch, almost seeming to rumble around Zane.

His heart sank deep seeing the pure, burning hatred in his brother’s eye.

“I-I had to..” He tried desperately to defend himself. 

Garroth should’ve known he wouldn’t have gotten far.

“Get. Out.” 

He tried. “Zane, I-“

“GET OUT!!”

Garroth ran out the door faster than a wounded animal with its tail between its legs. The door slammed shut.

Zane slowly walked over to the burnt carpet. He stared hollowly at his destroyed books.

He lowered to his knees and dropped his hands limply to his sides. The scent of ash drifted through the room.

Garroth was snapped out of the fire upon seeing the blue flames spark rapidly. He jumped back, moving away even if he knew the fire hadn’t hurt him before.

It’s.. It’s going away.

The bodily shapes of Zane and himself were dissolving in the flames, along with the image of Zane’s room. Chills ran up his body. The heat was fading and the light was growing dimmer. The fire shrank; the memory was fading away. 

Wait! Don’t leave me here!

His thoughts had no use. Dread filled his veins as he watched the blue flame slowly, slowly fade. The last flicker of embers illuminated the snowfall around it before disappearing from Garroth’s sight.

The moment the blue fire disappeared, he immediately felt the claws of the wind scorching across his body again. Snow pelted his face and mist surrounded him. A violent shudder rang across his armor—Garroth yanked his cape back around his body to protect himself.

What am I supposed to do now? His teeth chattered together as he tried to think.

There were too many questions swarming his mind. Why was he seeing memories of his past? What did the fire have to do with this? What was the use of showing these visions to him?

..Why can’t I remember how I got here?

Another shudder rippled across Garroth’s body. He didn’t have time to dawdle. His priority was getting out of this storm, and whether mysterious fires projecting his memories appeared.. Well, it was better than freezing out here.

Garroth straightened his back. Following the same path he’d initially followed the blue light, he continued onward with his goal of finding a way out of this blizzard.

The storm was relentless as ever. The further Garroth dragged his legs, the more he remained stunned the landscape hadn’t shown a speck of life across the barren horizon.

He still couldn’t see beyond the veil of fog and mist. The wind rapidly tore through the snow, blowing everything across the land to stop Garroth from seeing any further away. He only realized then he hadn’t seen the sun at all.

Anxiety twisted his stomach to pieces, wondering if he had to trudge throughout this entire blizzard without any sort of answers to what he’d seen earlier.

Fortunately, it seemed whatever The Divine planned for him was on Garroth’s side for now.

His eyes flickered to life when a familiar, pale blue glow shone through the fog. It scattered its light in the distance across the snow.

It was farther away, further than the first time it appeared—is it the same fire from before?—Garroth didn’t need to think that hard before deciding to set into a run again, racing across the lonely white horizon towards the light.

The bitter wind and snow still sliced into his body, but the steadily growing knowledge that these mysterious flames were leading him somewhere kept Garroth from wanting to collapse in the frost.

If I keep following the flame, it might lead me out of this storm.

Briefly, Garroth wondered if he’d actually gotten lost by following these flames; when he woke up the first time. 

That didn’t make any sense, though. Why was his memory fuzzy before, then? Garroth would’ve definitely made a note, or at least informed someone back in Phoenix Drop if he was seemingly venturing alone.

The idea that he even would venture outside of Phoenix Drop by himself was ridiculous. He almost never went anywhere without either Raven or Laurance by his side these days.

Laurance.

Garroth cradled his head, hissing against the migraine that dared to keep him from remembering.. but he had to. He had to try and remember as much as he could before this.

He and Laurance.. had been traveling before this. They were going to spend a few days away from Phoenix Drop in order to visit a.. location that Garroth wanted to see. And both guards had been heading…

South! Yes, it was somewhere south to Phoenix Drop. It wasn’t just southern though, they were also heading somewhat west.

Was it a town? The memory from before sparked in his mind. Garroth furrowed his brow.

Was I planning to visit O’Khasis?

Sharp pain shot through his eyes. Garroth hissed loudly. No, that can’t be right.. Why would I want to see that place again? 

What in Irene’s name would I want to see there?

The questions only served to confuse Garroth as he finally made it to the blue light. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw that it was once again, a blue flame.

The freezing temperature melted away as it did before, warming Garroth’s muscles and resolve. He sighed, taking a moment to collect himself from the cold. After feeling sufficiently warm enough, he focused on the flame. Like last time, it didn’t seem to melt the ground or snowfall surrounding it. 

Just as strange and odd as before.

Garroth crouched down at the fire, noticing it was about the same size as the first one. His eyes narrowed.

The first time, it only started growing after I accidentally touched it.

A hand raised. Hesitantly, Garroth moved his palm towards the blue flame. The glow illuminated his gloved hand and reflected light off of his armored arm. He paused.

Should he do this? Would he get side effects from continuing to touch potentially magicks fire? Knowing what happened before, Garroth was more than willing to bet this second flame would act like the first one—if they were even the same. Would he see his memories again? The same ones as before? 

..Did Garroth want to see his memories again?

He gazed into the fire. Warm, blue tendrils of the flame danced across his vision.

The wind screeched distantly in his ears. 

The snow.

Garroth made his decision. This time, his eyes remained open as he stuck his hand into the flame.

Despite his temporary bravado, Garroth fully jolted when his hand entered the fire. His brain was seeing the flames lick at his arm so he should've felt pain.

He didn’t. Just as it did before, Garroth quickly redrew his hand to see the fire slowly growing in size once more. He stepped back to let the flames take more of the space surrounding them. The blue light brightened harshly, then began spiraling within itself again.

Garroth watched the fire take on human shapes inside the embers. His eyes squinted.

A few tongues had shifted their form into a familiar shape—myself—he could recognize himself in the flame now. Another shape in the fire appeared; he stared as it slowly began taking the form of.. an older man.

Numbness prickled at the edges of his body. Garroth did his best to keep his breathing level.

The fire flickered and sparked, before slowly expanding to show a giant chamber the older man and past Garroth were in.

Garroth knew that chamber. One of the many rooms he, unfortunately, had seared into his mind. 

Cold, looming stone walls. Tapestries with marks of the many royal symbols over the centuries. At the far end of the room, a throne sat imposingly to judge all those who dared step in.

His heart beat unsteadily in his chest.

Garroth’s eyes maintained eye contact with the carpet below his boots. His head bowed, using every part of his hair to block out seeing those hard, cold eyes.

He didn’t need to see Lord Garte to know he was sitting with perfect, impeccable posture.

“Garroth.”

He didn’t look up. “Yes, father?”

“Son,” His voice echoed against the stone walls. “Look at me when I address you.”

His chest squirmed like he was being put under a spotlight. In a way, he really was.

Inhale and exhale. Garroth slowly raised his head to look at his father. He schooled his face into one of stoic neutralism.

“Yes, father?” He repeated.

Lord Garte didn’t have the decency to come down and speak to Garroth at ground level. Of course he wouldn’t. He barely thought anyone was worth his time.

“Do you recall the reason why I summoned you?”

Garroth kept himself from trembling under his father’s voice: distant, emotionless, harsh.

A nod. “O-of course.”

Garroth would finally be sent off to the Guard Training Academy tomorrow. Complications initially came up and his training had been put off for an additional few months. Now though, with everything dealt with, he’d be off to become a full-fledged guard for the next several years.

He didn’t say any of this out loud. The Ro’Meaves made sure they informed each other through letters of any business they had with Lord Garte first these days. His father knew this.

“So you understand why your training will be of the utmost importance?” Lord Garte asked.

Keeping eye contact became more difficult with his father, but Garroth had to keep himself together. Just one more day. One more day of being in this castle, then he would be spending the next couple of years at the academy. 

He’d be away from it soon. Keep it together.

“I-I’m the eldest son to you: Lord Garte and Zianna. I will be representing not just O’Khasis, but the Ro’Meave family. Everything I do will reflect not just on the royals, but our family as well.” Garroth felt his lips twitch slightly.

“Everything I do, I’ll train as perfectly as I can to be one of the best guards to O’Khasis; serving under you as a guard. I won’t d-disappoint you, father.”

Silence. Complete and utter silence. Uncomfortable.

Then, his father spoke. It held no warmth in its chilling statement.

“Everything you do has the notion of affecting not just the views of O’Khasis, but who you are as an individual as well, Garroth.” 

His body remained stiff as he listened to Lord Garte.

“Everything you do at that academy is going to reflect on you, correct. However, should you start acting careless in your pursuit of becoming a.. guard..” Lord Garte paused. “I will not hesitate to have my own guards fetch and take you back to O’Khasis.”

Garroth’s eyes snapped wide, shock filling them as he stared at his father. 

“I.. I won’t do that! I want to become a guard, I have no reason to start acting carelessly once I get there. The academy is the best in the region to train guards; Their training regimen likely requires the strictest d-discipline. I wouldn’t do that to you, father.”

A part of him knew he was saying this to keep his father’s skepticism at bay. Garroth feared Lord Garte would find out the real reason he wanted to become a guard. He was desperate to keep that truth away from his father as much as possible, even if that meant stretching the truth a little. 

Garroth had no doubt the Guard Academy was the best in the region, but when it came to the finer details such as their discipline.. He could only guess based on the books he’d studied from. If he said it was stricter, perhaps his father would lessen his worries.

Silence once again stretched throughout the chamber. Garroth always hated these. His father always did this, always let the silence fill the air between them. It acted almost as another punishment, a way to humiliate Garroth when he stepped out of line or did something that was deemed ‘improper.’

Then, Garroth’s eyes followed the motion his father started taking. Lord Garte stood up, the metal on his armor shaking as he stared down at him.

Garroth didn’t know what to expect before his eyes immediately darted to his father’s hand, going to the sword’s hilt against his waist.

Explosive fear rippled through him. He couldn’t hide it. Garroth flinched wildly and frantically stumbled back with panic flashing in his eyes.

Whatever his father planned to do then, it seemed Garroth’s terror-filled reaction was enough to satisfy Lord Garte. 

He didn’t realize his father hadn’t drawn the sword at all in his panic, simply putting his hand on the hilt. 

A horrible shudder ran across Garroth’s body. That action had been enough to frighten him before he left for the Guard Academy. Nausea filled his chest.

His father never physically laid a finger on him, or any of his brothers. What did that say about Garte that Garroth was still horrified of what he could’ve done?

What did that say about Garroth that an action like that was enough to terrify him?

‘You’ve always been horrible at keeping secrets. I wouldn’t expect less from a son who hid everything his brothers did.’ The voice of his father echoed through his mind.

Garroth scowled. He violently shook his head and returned his sight to the memory.

A burning sensation filled his eyes. He didn’t want to look up, staring forcefully down at his boots. 

There was a slight chuckle. It was low and raspy, but he knew it was from his father.

“Garroth Ro’Meave.. If you truly desire to become a guard instead of taking my spot in Lordship, then I expect you to start acting like one.”

The chainmail of his father’s armor rustled. Lord Garte’s voice rang loud and clear.

“A man does not cower in front of people.”

Garroth’s breathing was unreasonably heavy. A hand was held to his chest, trying to control each breath he took.

He didn’t know how long—or even why his father let him—but eventually he managed to get his emotions under control.

Garroth raised his head with a deep grimace firmly etched into his face. Then, he smoothed it into a determined frown.

“Yes, Lord Garte. I understand.”

A frown stayed set on his face the entire time he watched this memory.

The last time he’d seen his father was only a few years ago, but it was one he longed to forget too. Garroth was naive to think Garte would’ve changed, even after he’d been captured by Tu’la. Garroth truly thought the capture would’ve, perhaps, terrified his father enough for him to realize how his corruption had trickled down to causing a war.

As the years passed though—when Garte had finally been rescued—his father showed he had barely changed. 

A part of Garroth hoped the same man he admired as a child would return. The optimistic mindset he’d found in Aphmau had influenced Garroth with his years away from that very castle.

..I’m such a fool for believing someone so corrupt could change.

Garroth stepped back. He threw an arm over his face as the blue flames of the fire began shifting again. The heat of the flames wafted into his face, feeling exactly like the warm drafts of wind he’d feel in the summer.

The pale blue shapes of his father and Garroth disappeared, and the fire began reforming itself again. Garroth lowered his arm to see that the flame had already shapeshifted into another memory of his.

A shameful pit in his stomach formed seeing what greeted him.

Garroth lifted his head as a knock sounded at his dorm room’s door. He hadn’t asked for any visitors, why would someone be disturbing him when it was nearly sunset?

He walked over to the door, opening it to be greeted by one of the carriers around the academy. 

“A letter for you, sir.” The carrier chirped. They held out an envelope in their hand.

Garroth blinked. 

“Oh. Uh.. t-thank you.” He dumbly answered.

The carrier nodded and began walking on their way. Garroth closed the door behind them, locking it quietly.

He had a feeling he knew who wrote this letter. It became more obvious when Garroth walked over to his bed—sitting down on the pristine silk bedding—and turned the letter over to see..

The O’Khasis emblem; stamped right at the corner of the envelope.

Garroth stared at the emblem for a long, long time.

Maybe the paranoia was starting to get to Garroth. He knew as his graduation got closer and closer, his days here at the academy would all be over soon. Garroth would soon be sent a letter, just as his father told him years ago before he’d be sent off to the Guard Academy.

He’d have to say goodbye to his friends—the few that he had, at least—and return to O’Khasis, pretending like he was honoring his father as his own personal guard. 

A horrible feeling of nausea swam through his throat. The idea of his own father making him the Head Guard made Garroth sick. He didn’t deserve that kind of treatment. To be treated as something special—Garroth had earned his position as a full-fledged guard now, he knew almost everything when it came to combat in this part of the region. He.. liked being a guard.

He wanted to protect people; to help and care for those in need. He couldn’t do that under the corrupted eyes of Lord Garte.

Garroth sighed, flipping the letter back over in his hands. Then, mumbling to himself..

“Might as well see what he says. Can’t be worse than that letter I got about Zane getting his books destroyed.”

Garroth gingerly took the seal and released it. Carefully, he slid open the envelope’s flap and dropped the letter in his hand.

Straightening out the letter—one single page of it—Garroth held it over his chest as he began reading.

…Garroth’s not sure if he would ever experience another breakdown on par with the one he had after finishing that letter. 

Maybe the spiral he’d experienced during that time he thought Aphmau and Laurance went beyond his back.. maybe when he thought he’d lost his brother again when Vylad had disappeared after just getting him back. Or even when he thought he lost Laurance forever when he disappeared after Garroth returned from the Irene Dimension.

Seeing this moment though—the shoulders of his younger self shaking—clutching the frame of the bed as Garroth watched himself practically look like he was dying from a fatal wound..

Garroth wasn’t truly sure if any reactions he had over the course of his life were as immediate and realm-ending as the one he saw in the flames.

After what felt like hours and hours of time passing, Garroth’s sight finally came back into focus.

His breathing was still heavy, and his throat was sore from how much he was rasping with every breath. Garroth’s fingers trailed along the wooden flooring before he finally felt paper.

He dropped the letter after his.. not quite brief disillusion. Garroth’s hands were still shaking when he raised the letter up to check what he’d read again.

A white hot pain split across his chest, and Garroth had to bite down hard on his tongue to keep himself from emotionally breaking down again.

‘—married to the daughter of Scaleswind as an act of peace treaty.’

That sentence was the only one Garroth had seared in his mind. Nothing else in the letter mattered.

Garroth dropped the letter once more and let it drift onto the floor beside him.

For a long time, he simply just sat there. Garroth leaned against the frame of his bed as the muffled noises of his other fellow guards passed his door. Most likely celebrating their last day here in the academy after the graduation ceremony yesterday.

It was only when he turned his attention to the clock on the wall that Garroth saw that an hour had passed between the second time he read the letter again.

A sharp spike of fear ran through his body.

It would only be several more hours before he would be picked up in the very early morning tomorrow. The sunset would turn to night, then the night would turn to early dawn.. and the worst part?

His father and mother would personally be there to see his return home.

He violently clawed at his hair, muttering to himself with pleads of not wanting to go through with the marriage. Garroth didn’t know who he was pleading to, but did it really matter? He didn't want his life to end there. Not so soon, not when he got home, not when he didn’t even get a chance to show his capabilities as a true guard. He never should've believed his father would even entertain the idea of Garroth being a guard.

‘Nothing else in the letter mattered..’

His thoughts from earlier echoed in his mind. Garroth’s hands withdrew from his hair. 

‘Nothing else mattered.’

Garroth’s eyes lingered on the letter beside him again.

The clock ticked in the background. The curtains near the window in his dorm room fluttered. His chest rose and fell with each cautious breath he took.

“Nothing else matters..” Garroth repeated the words to himself.

Garroth’s life wasn’t ending, but at the point it was going tomorrow it practically was.

His mind drifted through the years. As those years passed in the Ro’Meave castle, before coming to the academy, Garroth felt the estate becoming colder and colder.. before he couldn’t even recognize it as the home he once grew up in.

Vylad wasn’t here anymore. Zane despised him. Lord Garte was an evil man. And his mother..

What would Garroth be returning to? What would be waiting for him back home?

..The answer became clear to him in that instant.

Scrambling for the letter, he grabbed it along with the envelope. With a ferocity Garroth never knew before he rapidly tore up the letter and envelope. He took the scraps of paper and burned them in the torch that hung on the wall, before throwing the ashes out the window.

Nothing would be waiting for him back home, because that place wasn’t his home anymore.

He could find somewhere to belong. Someplace else he could call home. He could use the skills he learned in the academy to be a guard for another village, hopefully one where he wouldn’t be found by Lord Garte. 

Vaguely, he remembered how Vylad used to say that when he was older, he would want to explore every corner of Ru’aun.

Garroth supposed he would be fulfilling that last wish for his brother.

It didn’t take much time. Garroth managed to pack everything he needed. Running away was a frightening prospect, but it was better than throwing his life away in service to two city-states he didn’t want any association with. O’Khasis wasn’t his city anymore, it stopped being one the moment his father changed so many years ago.

Garroth narrowed his eyes at the window. It was a bit small, but if he angled himself properly he could likely fit himself through it.

Grabbing his satchel and stuffing the leftover food he had in his bag, Garroth began climbing through the window. By this point it was dark out. No one would notice he was escaping the academy if he just kept his head low.

When Garroth made it through the other side of the window, he dropped down and landed with a hard thud. A cloud of dust kicked up into his eyes and Garroth instinctively started coughing. It was only when he looked down that he realized he’d dropped down on the ashes from his letter. Garroth scowled silently, dusting his boots of the ashes, before pausing as he stared off into the horizon.

The wind blew subtly through his hair as the light from the stars glimmered down on Garroth’s face.

Garroth would be running away. He knew if he didn’t summon the courage now, he wouldn’t be able to do it ever again in the future.

His eyes grew watery. He wouldn’t be returning to O’Khasis. He would be leaving all of them behind.

Garroth prayed his mother would forgive him.

He didn’t realize tears had prickled the corner of his eyes until a spike of pain rippled across them. Garroth raised a hand to wipe his eyes before looking down at his palm.

His tears had frozen from the cold.

..How fitting.

Almost like clockwork, the hot warmth of the fire was withdrawing again. This time, Garroth didn’t say anything in his mind. The shapes of the flame slowly became more intangible, disappearing into the embers as the flame shrank in size.

The familiar biting cold returned. Garroth was once again left in the wake of the blizzard’s relentless claws.

Garroth stared at the afterimage of where the second fire had danced. The wind howled loudly around him. Garroth’s body rapidly shook as his mind numbly filtered through the thoughts in his head.

He couldn’t say for sure, but he was beginning to sense a pattern. More than likely there would be another flame in the blizzard. Garroth would need to look for signs of another blue light, then he would see more of these visions again.

Garroth needed to continue. Both for his survival.. and the unnervingly growing curiosity inside him of why he was being shown these flames. These memories that he still didn’t understand why he was seeing.

He wondered if he would freeze before finding out.

When he saw the light again, Garroth tried sprinting towards it like he did before. 

This time however, The Divine wasn’t on his side.

Garroth yelped loudly when a strong wind current roared into his side, completely sending him off-balance. He couldn’t catch his footing and landed hard on his knees in the snow.

Stinging freezing pain shot through the entire lower half of his body. The snowfall was heavier than before, practically pelting his body with flakes that ate at his freezing armor. Hissing in agony, Garroth gingerly picked himself back up and dug his face further into his cape. It barely did any good.

When he tried quickly stepping into pace—intending to switch to a jog—another bolt of needle-like pain shot through his legs. Garroth nearly buckled right there in the snow. He groaned.

I can’t run anymore, he realized with dismay.

He stared off in the distance and squinted his eyes through the snowfall. He was going to be forced to walk..

Garroth knew there was a time limit to how much he could handle this blizzard, because as he dragged himself through the snow, his feet and fingers almost entirely lost feeling.

His body wouldn’t stop shivering anymore and his teeth chattered nonstop. He was freezing so much that he didn’t even have time to think as much about the previous memories. 

The moment he saw that familiar fire in the distance, Garroth’s only priority was to just get to that safe heat of flame again.

As Garroth followed the illumination through the winding fog, he noticed that it was actually pointed in a different direction than the previous two flames had been. He’d only been wandering to what he assumed was south. Garroth hoped just going in one direction long enough would get him out of this storm.

But the longer his vision was filled with mist and snow, the more Garroth began suspecting something else.

The mysterious fires had been one thing.

..What if I’m trapped in a magicks blizzard?

The thought hadn’t crossed his mind at all until that moment. The unsettling feeling that he might be right made the blood in his veins turn to ice. 

If this was a magicks snowstorm, then Garroth could potentially never find his way out. Magicks always made any location harder to decipher and understand.

A deep feeling of dread pooled in his body. It was getting harder and harder to fight off as the snow stung at his face and eyes.

Garroth’s heavy breaths misted in the air as he put one boot in front of the other. He didn’t notice the sky was gradually turning a darker shade of white than before.

I just need to get to the fire.. That’s all that matters right now.

The agonizing walk took longer than it did the previous times since he couldn’t run. He didn’t know how long he continued forward. Garroth’s aching legs pushed through the deep snow underneath him.. before he finally reached the fire.

Garroth nearly dropped to his knees. Crouching down to the blue fire, he didn’t hesitate this time when he placed his hand over the flame. He didn’t even step back this time.

The heat surrounded his arm and body, gradually warming the pocket of snow around Garroth again. The fire intensified its glow and the process of its shapeshifting began again.

As Garroth watched the embers twirl themselves into human shapes again, he noticed something else. It wasn’t from the flame, though.

..That was strange.

He felt warmer. He really did. He could feel the heat radiating from the blue fire, the glow of the flames lighting up his torso and face.

Garroth’s body quivered.

..Why do I still feel the cold?

That question would linger in the back of his mind when the memory in front of Garroth took shape for the third time. Recognition sparked in his eyes.

It’s Phoenix Drop.

He had been trapped in this blizzard for so long that he’d already begun to miss seeing Phoenix Drop. 

He missed home.

It was two people, just like last time. Garroth recognized them immediately.

Rain pattered against his helm as he stared up into the clouds.

Garroth had been so focused on the sky that he barely noticed the Head Guard coming up behind him.

“Hey, Garroth-“ 

He hadn’t accidentally meant to hit Dale on the shoulder with his arm, but it still happened. Habits die hard.

Dale rubbed his shoulder as a slight groan left him, “Goodness Garroth! With that kind of strength you would do well as a blacksmith with a hammer.” 

Garroth could feel his face getting hot. He immediately bowed in apology. “I’m s-so sorry sir, it won’t happen again.”

Dale looked at him for a moment, before simply shrugging to himself and leaning against the tree next to Garroth.

“So,” Dale started. “Might you want to tell an old man why you’re standing out here in the rain?”

Garroth turned towards the village. The rain chilled his armor. “I’m standing under a tree..”

Dale’s voice became more exasperated. “Garroth, it’s the middle of a rainstorm. Ain’t no bandits or dangerous folk are going to be foolish enough to wander into Phoenix Drop in this weather.”

Garroth didn’t turn his head, staring into the dark clouds above the horizon. “A guard must remain vigilant under any circumstances, whether that be rain or snow. I have to be prepared for anything.”

The rain hitting the leaves and bushes muffled the silence that stretched between Dale and Garroth. He didn’t know what to make of the silence. Garroth was thankful to the rain that it wasn’t as painfully awkward when it was with Lord Garte.

Dale spoke again. He cleared his throat and that was enough to get Garroth’s attention. He turned to the Head Guard to see..

An unimpressed—somehow amused?—expression on Dale’s face. “What’s this really about, Garroth?”

He didn’t say anything. Garroth fidgeted with his chainmail arms.

“You’ve been here long enough. I know you don’t exactly like this kind of weather. So there isn’t any reason you’d be standing out here unless something’s bothering you.”

Dale raised a thick eyebrow at Garroth. “Is there something on your mind?”

Another stretch of silence passed between them.

For several long moments, Garroth debated just keeping quiet. He hated talking about anything that had to do with himself. And it especially made him feel ashamed when it had to deal with.. internal problems inside the village.

Garroth glanced at Dale. Through his helm, he could only really see the Head Guard and a few inches beyond him.

Dale was the Head Guard, his superior.

He didn’t have that same, suffocating energy that the guards back in O’Khasis did. Not even the ones back in the Guard Training Academy.

Dale raised his brow slightly. It was a prompt. Encouragement.

Garroth found his voice speaking without permission.

“I.. I don’t think I get along with any of the villagers here in Phoenix Drop, sir.”

The words felt clumsy in his mouth. His cheeks grew warm with embarrassment—this was such a foolish thing to admit. Garroth shouldn’t be worrying about how he got on with the people in the village. His duty was to protect people, not concern himself about how he was liked by others.

Dale didn’t say anything for a moment, before a hearty laugh left him. Garroth felt his body grow more hot from shame, but Dale was quick to put him out of his misery.

“Ah, is that really what you’re worried about?” Dale lightly punched him on the shoulder. Garroth’s armor pad made a slight clanking sound.

“Kid, I think you just need to spend a little more time with us. Personally. The moment you dropped here in the village you’ve been patrolling out practically all day and night! I’m a little surprised you’re only bringing this up now.”

Garroth scowled, not realizing Dale couldn’t see it. “Sir.. I just think I don’t necessarily ‘mesh’ well with the people here. I’ve tried, I really have but..”

He trailed off, leaving the last part unsaid. Dale picked up on it though, surprising Garroth.

“You don’t do well with people, right?”

He didn’t say anything, but judging from Dale’s chuckle, Garroth could guess the Head Guard knew he hit the nail on the head.

“Garroth,” Dale started. “I think.. Perhaps you should lighten up a little.”

He turned to Dale. Garroth was shocked to hear such a statement come from him, a Head Guard no less.

Dale sighed quietly. Before Garroth could get a word in, Dale raised a hand and placed it on his shoulder. Garroth almost flinched from the action, but he kept himself from moving away Dale’s hand.

“Listen, kid. I don’t know what goes on in your head and I won’t claim to know for sure. What I do want to say though is that, all this worrying about ‘fitting’ into Phoenix Drop.. you really ain’t need to concern yourself about that anymore.”

Dale turned to look into the plaza. The water well stood in the center, small but strong against the rain.

“I know Lord Malik has his.. reservations about you. But you’ve proven more than enough that you’re a capable guard. Certainly a man who can hold his own too, if those sparring matches are anything to go by.” Dale chuckled.

Garroth furrowed his brow and turned his head to watch the village too. No one was out today, everyone was inside their homes.

Would he ever belong here though? He’d only been here for a couple of months. It still felt like it was only yesterday when he’d stumbled on Phoenix Drop’s doorstep, practically begging to be officiated as a guard there.

“But.. that has more to do with my abilities than how I talk with people, sir.” He protested. “Shouldn’t I worry more about my duty as a guard?”

“And what I’m saying, as your Head Guard might I add, is that every guard needs a break, especially new ones like you.” He replied.

Dale finally dropped his hand from Garroth’s shoulder. He looked at Garroth, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.

“If you’re worried about patrols I don’t mind taking a few extra shifts, if we even need them. Molly always complains I’m not doing my job enough anyway,” Dale chuckled, the crow’s feet crinkling across his eyes.

Garroth lowered his eyes to the cobblestone ahead of him. The water puddles reflected off the surface of the rough paths. He couldn’t see Dale’s or his reflection. Those paths probably needed construction eventually.

Perhaps he should get to know the villagers of this town more. A guard should get to know who they were protecting afterall, right..?

“..I s-suppose stopping by some of the others’ homes more often wouldn’t hurt.” Garroth relented.

A smile graced Dale’s bearded face. “Great, kid. Just take some time spending company around people here. I promise they don’t bite, I haven’t!” 

He raised a hand to his chin, “Although I can’t say the same for Donna. She was mighty scary when I tried sneaking off with her extra wine.”

Garroth’s head slowly perked up. A small smile grew behind his helm. “You’ve stolen wine from Miss Donna?”

Dale waved a hand, surprisingly looking a little bashful. “That wasn’t my proudest moment. It wasn’t my fault the merchants ran out of drinks that week anyhow.”

“I think Miss Donna would perhaps say otherwise, Sir Dale.” Garroth chuckled.

Dale rolled his eyes, and Garroth found himself not minding the sarcastic action at all. “Bah. She’s lucky I don’t know where she hides her wine anymore.” 

His eyes lit up then, and he smiled at Garroth. “Say, how about you come over Molly and I’s place for today? You’re certainly old enough for a drink or two.”

He got off the tree and gestured towards the direction of his house. “You’re not going to be doing much out in the rain—of which nothing will likely happen—so what do you say, Garroth?”

He looked up towards the sky once more. The rain was beginning to come down harder and the cold was steadily seeping deeper into Garroth’s armor.

He let out a breath and exhaled into the air. Mist greeted him as he watched his breath disappear.

Garroth turned to Dale. “If you’ll have me, then I would be welcomed to join you two.”

Dale nodded, patting him on the shoulder. “Good lad. Oh and please, just ‘Dale’ is fine.”

By the time the flame began shifting again, Garroth hadn’t been able to spare more than a few thoughts while he watched.

Part of that likely had to do with this memory actually being a pleasant one. He didn’t know Dale well then, but that conversation helped ease some of the worries Garroth had at the time. Not all of them, but enough to where he finally started interacting more with the residents of Phoenix Drop.

Dale had been a good Head Guard, even if he eventually fell victim to drinking alcohol too often. He hoped Dale was doing well, wherever he was.

A sharp snowflake flew into his eyes and Garroth grunted heavily as he wiped it away.

Despite the snowfall being as ever present as it was before, it was definitely heavier. Garroth didn’t notice since he was so focused on the blue fire, but he was beginning to sense it now.

He felt it in the way everything around him was colder. The heat from the flames wasn’t doing enough to chase off the lingering chill that frosted his body. His feet and fingers were barely warmer and his body retained most of the heat now.

It was getting harder and harder to focus when the snow threatened to consume his thoughts.

The pale blue flames danced for a few seconds before Garroth saw it fully change form. Shapes appeared again.

For a moment, Garroth didn’t understand what he was seeing. The memory only showed him.. nothing? It was just fire; plain old fire.

Then, Garroth saw them. He saw him.

Garroth rushed his way through the rubble and piles of ash. He nearly tripped and fell on his knees, but he needed to reach him. He couldn’t let him leave.

Not without an answer.

“Zenix!” He yelled.

His apprentice stopped. 

Zenix’s face was turned away from him, back facing Garroth as the bright hungry flames seemed to frame the young man. The forest ahead of his apprentice lit up with the ominous glow of giant flames.

Desperation filled the blood in his body. Garroth wanted to understand. He needed to understand.

“Zenix. W-why..” He nearly choked on his own voice. “Why did you do this? Why Phoenix Drop..?”

Even knowing that his eyes had changed, Garroth still flinched seeing Zenix turn to glare at him. The young man stood against the fire, his Shadow Knight armor seeming to glow against the flames.

“Even after everything Garroth, you still just can’t understand.. Do you?” 

Garroth could hear it in his voice. Laced under the venom, the volatile..

Pain. Indescribable pain.

He stepped closer. Garroth watched Zenix step back. “Then allow me to understand.. understand why you-“

“There’s no use trying, Garroth!” Zenix screamed into the wind.

He stopped moving, staring at his apprentice with wide eyes. Garroth didn’t know what to do.

“Everything we’ve worked for—you’ve worked for, it’s not worth it under the damn system we live under!” Zenix cried, dark anger curling in his burning eyes.

“You really think that new Lord, Aphmau, is going to be any different from Malik? Face it, Garroth. She’s going to disappoint you just like Malik disappointed us. She acts all pretty and nice, but they’re all the same. We’re nothing but disposable pawns to Lords.” He hissed.

A curl of rage flickered in Garroth’s chest. He couldn’t keep the scowl from his face. It wasn’t like he could hide it anymore; his battle with Zenix had damaged his helm beyond repair.

“You know nothing about Lord Aphmau, Zenix! Perhaps Phoenix Drop hasn’t always been the kindest, not all Lords have been perfect either, but you are misjudging someone entirely based on a belief that all Lords are the same.”

Zenix scoffed. “She’s only been in Phoenix Drop for a few months. You don’t really know her, no one does. Who’s to say Aphmau doesn’t have a secret agenda she’s been plotting since coming here?”

His temper was getting harder to control. The stress of everything that happened took its toll on Garroth, “Lord Aphmau has shown nothing but compassion since stepping foot in the village.” His gauntlets shook. “I find it somewhat hypocritical, that you would deny her acts of kindness when you’ve done nothing but hurt that very same village over these past weeks.”

A beat passed. Then Zenix let out a loud laugh. It pierced the howling winds and screeching fire behind him.

“It’s crazy how much you’ve let that lady infect your mind, sir. She’ll prove you wrong. You’ll see why.”

The formality didn’t go unnoticed. Garroth’s skin crawled hearing it from Zenix in this context. It was wrong. It felt completely wrong.

Zenix bared his teeth at Garroth, fang-like as the fire roared around them. “Phoenix Drop doesn’t mean anything to me anymore. Maybe at one point it did, a long time ago. But people are all the same—you can’t put your faith in anyone. Not your friends, not even your own family. Why would you when even the closest people are willing to dispose you so easily?”

Garroth took another step forward.

“Do you believe I’ve done that to you?” He asked. Fear unknowingly trickled in his words. 

To his surprise, Zenix did not answer. He only stared at him with wide, hollow eyes.

“You can still fix your mistakes, Zenix.” The words came tumbling out. He needed to say anything. Anything to try and find a way to fix this mess before things got worse. 

“Fix my mistakes?” Zenix echoed mockingly back.

“Just.. Just let me help you, then. You can still come back. I’ve heard becoming a S-Shadow Knight heightens someone’s negative emotions, and they can lose control of themselves.”

A plea rang out in his voice. “L-let me help you, Zenix. Please.”

A long, long silence passed between the two men. Flames crackled and ate at the forest all around them.

Zenix spoke.

“There’s nothing you can do for me now, Garroth. Nothing can change.” His eyes grew sour.

“…I regret nothing I’ve done.”

Garroth stared into Zenix’s eyes. 

That same boy all those years ago, the same one he found wounded and injured.. the one he’d taken under his wing, even considered his own son at one point in time..

Garroth wasn’t sure he could see that same person anymore. If he did, he had long lost him. Lost him to the horrors of what had made Zenix this way.

People. Villages. Strangers. Lords.

Garroth himself.

There was nothing he could say. What was there to say left?

A broken man and another broken man.

Garroth didn’t know how he ever thought he could help Zenix.

His apprentice turned his back again. This time, he did not look back at his former mentor.

Barely, he saw the sharp shoulder pads of his Shadow Knight armor tremble.

The fire roared.

“Goodbye, Garroth.”

Zenix disappeared into the forest. Vanished into the hungry, imposing flames of the fire.

Garroth watched as the silhouette of his apprentice disappeared into the flames. His gaze lowered to the scorched ground.

Phoenix Drop continued to burn down.

His eyes flickered down to the snow briefly. No tears prickled them this time, but he almost wanted them to be.

Garroth regretted a lot of things in his lifetime. One of his greatest being his failure as a mentor to Zenix. He failed him. He wasn’t able to protect him.

Garroth couldn’t help Zenix then. 

What makes me think I can help myself?

The fire sputtered and slowly began dying. The temperature dropped faster than it did before and Garroth immediately stood up to protect himself from the cold. He was shaking even harder.

The flame disappeared as the embers faded away. 

Snow surrounded him again, and this time he could feel every single violent shiver that shook his body. 

Was the blizzard darker than it was before?.. The harsh white of the landscape didn’t look as bright earlier, and the sky definitely didn’t seem the same color anymore.

He stared at the spot the pale blue fire had been.

Garroth didn’t know how much longer he would continue seeing these memories.

Time crawled at a snail’s pace. 

He didn’t know how long he’d been trapped in this blizzard. Garroth really should’ve brought some sort of pocket watch with him. Perhaps it would’ve told him the amount of hours, days, maybe even weeks had passed while he was here.

Garroth certainly wasn’t willing to put time-slipping from him as a low possibility anymore. Not after everything he went through.

Every step took unbearably more effort than before. The strength in his limbs was a fraction of the amount he started with when he first woke up. The snow continued to drag on and Garroth’s ears had gone numb to the wind's cries now.

Frost was finally starting to set onto Garroth’s body. No longer being able to run, the heat from him wasn’t enough anymore to keep the glimmering ice from covering most of him now.

His armor was frozen nearly stiff. It took more effort than Garroth should’ve used to move his legs and arms. His metal armor had fully become a hindrance now from the cold. Crystallized frost crawled up parts of his legs and arms. He could feel the sharp spread of ice crystals on his cheeks and eyelashes. Garroth didn’t have the energy to rid them from his eyes anymore.

Garroth’s entire body stung with the consuming cold of the blizzard. He couldn’t focus on anything.

All he knew right now was the desperate desire to get back to that warmth.

I have to keep going..

The light didn’t take too long to appear this time. Just like it was before, Garroth saw the flame illuminating the white horizon. In a different direction than before. 

It glowed against the heavy falling snow and fog. The fire was to the west of Garroth now.

He groaned harshly, before turning his body towards the flame. It hurt. His whole body ached and begged to get out of the snow.

I need to keep going…

By the time Garroth made it to the flame, he’d entirely let his body shiver all it desired. Any energy he had left to stop himself from shaking was gone. He didn’t buckle under his legs, but Garroth wanted to so badly.

Thoughts came sporadically to him. The freezing cold ate at his mind.

Garroth couldn’t afford to stay in his head for too long.

He stuck both hands in the flame—as if that would warm him up even more—and watched it begin to twist and curl around his arm.

This time however, because Garroth was unwilling to step out of the fire… it began to change. It shifted and dramatically grew much bigger.

Garroth kept himself standing as he watched the fire expand outward. The little surprise he had left in him showed itself when the flames burst all around and past his body. It engulfed him, and it didn’t hurt him.

He turned and glanced all around. The blue flame expanded several feet all around him, and it almost stunned Garroth. The falling snow and ground beneath him turned blue as the fire crawled along the surface below. 

The snowfall turned blue and the sky matched the same color of the flames. Everything had turned pale blue within his sight. Garroth was inside the fire.

And yet..

Garroth gripped his arms tightly. His armor clattered loudly as the shaking still continued. Snow fell against his face and his cloak loudly fluttered in the blizzard’s wind.

It was barely any warmer than it was before.

The fire wasn’t helping him, not nearly as much as it did before.

Garroth’s lungs stung with every breath he took in from the cold. He turned around to see the core of where the flame originally began. Several darker blue shapes appeared around him, this time much bigger and spreading further around him.

The memory surrounded him. Garroth couldn’t look away even if he wanted to.

The Irene Dimension stood before him, the pure white of its hall now a complete, pale blue in the makings of the flames. Garroth was absolutely certain he never wanted to see that place again. Not in the waking realm or dream realm.

What surprised Garroth was that the memory was truly nothing more than a vision this time.

Garroth slowly walked around his past self, the temporary Jury of Nine form he’d obtained when he foolishly switched to Zane’s side.

He saw his past self harshly shake his helmet, but no voice came of the vision. Brief confusion flickered through his mind. Why wasn’t he hearing their voices now?

Standing just below him with his emerald sword locked with past Garroth’s sword, was Laurance.

A determined fire lit the pale blue of his eyes. Laurance opened his mouth, saying something that Garroth didn’t hear.

Garroth watched the vision unfold.. watching Laurance slowly and finally get through to his past self. Strong emotions, all of which Garroth couldn’t focus on in this current situation swirled inside him. A thought passed his mind, breaking through the cold.

Maybe he didn’t need to hear this memory. He only needed to see it.

Garroth knew everything Laurance said by heart. 

He would never forget this memory.

A violent chill ran up his spine as he watched his past self abandon his helmet, before rushing over to save Lord Aphmau from Zane.

Garroth could almost hear the words leave his mouth watching his past self stop Zane. 

Something out of his sight, a light.. and a giant portal appeared with Zoey standing next to it.

The fire-like shapes began to fade as Garroth watched his friends disappear through the portal, leaving past Garroth in a battle locked in time with his brother.

The blue snowy landscape seemed to shake. The Irene Dimension around him slowly began melting into something else. 

His gaze stayed fixed on the darker shapes around him, the ones that had previously been him and Zane. The inner flames curled and twisted around him. They slithered around Garroth, twirling around him almost like gales of wind.

Garroth reached a shaking arm out to one of them, and a streak of flame intensified its light from his touch.

The swirling trails of fire shapeshifted into something else. The landscape around him changed to show a location he visited over the years, more times than he could remember.

Garroth didn’t question how the flame managed to create that same giant chasm that would forever be seared into his memory.

Neither did he give more than a fleeting thought to the voices he heard again.

Snow continued to fall through the blue flames.

Garroth stared into the deep fissure below his feet. The night air felt cool against his face as his hair rustled in the breeze.

If he looked long enough, he could still smell the scent of smoke in the air. The loud explosions that echoed through his mind. The fire scattered across the wide chasm.

He didn’t know how long he stood there until the sound of footsteps echoed behind him.

Garroth turned, nearly drawing his sword. It was only when the person stepped out of the shadows of the forest that he immediately recognized who it was.

“Lady Aphmau?” Surprise colored his tone.

She smiled softly at Garroth, giving a small wave with her hand. It was the one with the red bandana wrapped around her wrist.

“You know you don’t have to address me like that anymore, Garroth.” She chuckled, walking over to stand beside him. “Just ‘Aphmau’ is okay.”

He slowly sheathed his sword back into its scabbard. Garroth scratched the bridge of his nose, the scarred skin rough against his finger.

“Ah- s-sorry. I’m afraid I’m still getting used to it. Saying only your name feels..”

“Different?” Aphmau hummed. 

Garroth lowered his eyes to the giant crater. He nodded.

She laughed, a soft lighthearted sound. It didn’t stop him from noticing the dark rings around her eyes. “It does take time adjusting to, doesn't it?”

Garroth didn't say anything.

The sound of crickets quietly chirping surrounded the forest. Fireflies danced around the leaves and provided light that the moon above wasn’t able to reach.

The moonlight made the chasm look bigger than it was.

“Everything is.. different.” Garroth finally murmured.

Aphmau glanced at him. Her round eyes glimmered; kind, curious, encouraging. Garroth fidgeted with the hem of his blue cape, not looking Aphmau in the eyes. 

“When we would meet during your dreams, or that other realm.. I always wondered how different the region would seem. Hearing everything you told me had changed, if I ever returned to you all.”

He raised his head. The full moon was bright against his eyes. 

“Seeing Phoenix Drop again, everything about it has changed so much. All the children I knew have grown into people I barely know. Lord Levin and Malachi.. they’ve truly grown into great young men, haven’t they?” Garroth spoke into the night.

Aphmau glanced into the night sky with Garroth. The stars seemed to shine brighter with the moon.

“It.. It definitely took some time before everyone got used to it.” She whispered. 

“For me.. Seeing that there were still people in the village; Dante, Levin, Malachi, Alexis, Donna, and so many others.. In a way, it still felt like Phoenix Drop. I honestly felt like I was home, even after so many years had passed.”

She turned her head to look at Garroth. A small, sad smile. “Laurance had the hardest time adjusting out of us all. He.. took it pretty hard when we came out of the Irene Dimension and saw Ungrth’s grave had been robbed..”

Garroth scowled. A sharp jolt of guilt and shame stabbed through his chest. 

“I understand why Laurance took time to get used to everything. I think I would too, in his position. I’m still getting used to everything right now.”

The guilt in his chest didn’t go away. He didn’t know if it ever would.

“I.. I don’t understand how you, Laurance, Katelyn, and everyone could just..” 

He didn’t know how to phrase it. Saying it out loud was the honest truth, but it hurt Garroth more than he thought to admit it. For everyone else, it had been nearly a year since they left him in the Irene Dimension. 

For Garroth though? Aside from his time in the dream realm, it’d been no more than a couple of days. The memory of everything he did was still fresh in his mind. Old Phoenix Drop, the old villagers, Lord Aphmau, his betrayal, Zane..

Aaron.

His throat felt like it was lodged with everything he wanted to say, but no words could come out.

Aphmau watched him struggle. Garroth didn’t know if he could look her in the face through the shame that threatened to swallow him whole.

“…I never blamed you Garroth. I don’t think I fully could.”

It took a moment for the words to set in. When they did, Garroth slowly raised his head. He looked at Aphmau, complete shock taking over his expression.

The woman in front of him walked forward. Aphmau reached for both of Garroth’s hands. Hesitantly, he let her.

She held them up at chest level. Garroth was so tall that his chest level was nearly to Aphmau’s chin.

“When I lost Aaron, I can’t deny that I was.. angry. I was upset that, in a way, you took him from me.” Aphmau took a slow inhale, then breathed out. “I was mad in that moment, but that’s not something I could ever completely blame you for.” 

Garroth grimaced as his face scrunched up. His eyes were beginning to sting. 

“Y-y should be angry at me, Lady Aphmau. For everything I’ve done. I’ve hurt and continued to hurt you so much.. And I took away someone who you had cherished the most.”

Aphmau smiled sorrowfully as her hands tightened around his. “Aaron made a sacrifice because he was willing to do whatever it took to ensure my happiness. Our happiness. He was a noble man, one who experienced heartache not even I know. He gave his life to save you and finish off Zane for good..”

“I loved him. He’d want me to be happy you returned.” She whispered.

Garroth gripped Aphmau’s hands. His arms trembled as he spoke.

“Even as someone who’s trained to be a guard, it seems no matter what I do I always end up hurting those close to me. I’ve hurt my family, my friends.. I took away fifteen years from everyone who was taken into the Irene Dimension.”

Aphmau’s smile grew more solemn. “We’ve all adjusted to how Ru’aun changed. Getting those years back.. that’s something we won’t ever be able to do, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still belong with them. With us.”

“We weren’t the only ones who lost those fifteen years. You can make up for all the time you’ve lost too, Garroth.” She whispered.

A shuddering, tiny breath left Garroth. 

Finally, through a choked sob..

“I don’t know why I deserve your forgiveness, when I can’t even forgive myself..”

He watched Aphmau close her eyes for a moment. She tilted her head up to the breeze, letting the wind dance through her long dark hair.

Aphmau’s eyes opened, before finally drifting over to the chasm that stood before them.

She smiled.

Warm and utterly compassionate.

“I suppose that’s what second chances are for.”

Aphmau had always been too kind to Garroth. He never knew if he truly deserved that kindness at all.

As frozen tears prickled Garroth’s eyes, he stumbled back seeing that the fire was changing again.

He thought that would be the end of the memory, but it was shapeshifting into something else. The blue twirling flames swirled around Garroth, changing the blue landscape into a different scene again.

Another memory..?

Barely, Garroth could only register that the pocket of space around him had shifted to a tight-packed chamber. The snowfall glowed pale blue as it fell surrounding Garroth, and the wind numbed the thoughts drifting through his mind.

Garroth didn’t have to wait long to see the shapes around him shifting to take the form of two people again.

An enormous shiver ran through him.

He had to use all of his energy to focus on the memory instead of the blizzard.

Footsteps rung out from the alleyway. 

Garroth pressed his back to the wall, letting the shadows do the work in hiding his movement.

Finally, being wary of any guards, he slowly moved his way to the bars of the prison cell.

“GarGar?” His mother whispered.

Careful of his armor, Garroth moved to hide himself against the walls that jutted out around the cell.

“Yes, it’s me.”

Zianna moved over to the bars of the prison, her eyes flickering along Garroth.

“You’ve returned? The guards.. have they found you three?” Concern wavered in her voice.

Garroth smiled, taking a brief glance to look out from behind the wall. “No, they haven’t. Lady Aphmau and Katelyn managed to find another way to distract them. They’ve bought us a little time.”

His mother let out a sigh as she raised her hands to grasp the prison bars. “I’m glad, but you shouldn’t risk your lives for my safety, Garroth. I told you I’ll be fine, you three have to keep yourselves from being caught.”

Garroth moved close to bars. He longed to be close to his mother again, to hear her sweet voice after being apart from her for so many years. She almost looked the exact same since the day he left for the academy—only the crow’s feet near the corner of her eyes showed signs of old age.

He frowned slightly. For Garroth, it had been little more than six years since he saw his mother. For Zianna though, over twenty years had passed since she last had seen her eldest son.

Garroth abandoned her back then. Abandoned her to Garte and Zane. He didn’t know how his mother could look him in the eyes.

“I only wanted to.. to tell you, we’ll get you out soon.” His voice trembled. “I don’t know when we’ll be able to, but you’ll be in safe hands once we manage to find Ivy.” 

Zianna didn’t say anything for a brief moment. Her vibrant, round eyes stared at Garroth—like she was seeing something he couldn’t.

“Garroth.. Can I ask you something?” She whispered.

He placed a hand over the bars. “Of course, anything.”

Zianna reached through the bars with a hand. Garroth immediately took it. His thumb ran over her skin; it didn’t feel as smooth as it was when he held it as a child.

“Once everything is dealt with, and Lady Aphmau manages to subdue this war.. Can you come visit me in O’Khasis again?” 

It was such a simple request. A wish from a mother to see her son. Knowing that he was alive. She wanted to make sure he was still alive.

But even still, Garroth tried to stop frowning deeper. He lowered his mother’s hand, staring down at it with shame.

“I.. I’m sorry, but I don’t know if I can. The memories of this city and everything that’s happened.. I don’t think any good will come of me returning, even after the war, mother.” Honesty melted through his voice.

It was the truth. Even with all the chaos overrunning the city-state, Garroth didn’t know if he wanted to return to O’Khasis unless he absolutely had to. It hurt to see exactly what happened to the city, how paranoid the citizens became, how much of it was indirectly caused by him running away.

With Garte captured, Zane dead, and knowing Vylad was alive; the only thing that could tether him back would likely be his mother.

“But.. y-you-“

He could convince her to come to Phoenix Drop. She didn’t have to stay in O’Khasis.

..Even after all these years, Zianna could still read exactly what he was thinking from his expressions alone.

“Garroth..” His mother’s voice filled with sorrow. “I can’t leave O’Khasis, not until Garte returns.”

Zianna reached her other hand through the bars. She laid it on top of Garroth’s, soft against his gauntlets. 

“I know.. I haven’t always been there for you. I wish more than anything I could leave my worries behind and live peacefully with my son. But the city needs someone to be strong in the face of everything more than ever. A Ro’Meave is what O’Khasis needs right now.”

Garroth’s heart ached. His eyes lifted to stare at his mother with a desperate plea. 

“You’ve already gone through enough! Please, come home with me once we return to rescue you. I don’t-” 

His vision grew wet.

“I-I don’t want to abandon you again..”

Zianna smiled. Dimples appeared near her lips. “My GarGar.. knowing you’re alive is all I ever could’ve hoped for. You don’t have to worry about me anymore. I’ll be okay.” A wry laugh left her. 

“I got through these last twenty years on my own. A few months in prison won’t be any worse than the pain I’ve already gone through.”

Garroth couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. His forehead pressed against their held hands, silent trembles shaking his body.

“I-I’m so sorry..” He cried softly. “I’m so sorry for everything…”

His mother let him cry. 

It didn’t last long, but it was enough that Garroth almost felt like a child. That same child who would come to his mother when he had nightmares, the one who would go to his father to help stamp letters, the very same one who used to be scared of the shadows that danced around every corner of the Ro’Meave castle.

He didn’t know if he could ever be that child for his mother again.

Zianna murmured sweet comforting nothings to Garroth. His mother’s hands felt cold against his skin—he wished this moment would last longer.

Their time was cut short when the sound of armor rattled far off in the distance.

Zianna's voice echoed again, soft against his ears. “Promise to visit me when you can then.. okay?”

Garroth lifted his head, slowly pulling back from the bars of the prison. “I-I..” His throat felt thick with tears. 

“..I promise.”

His mother nodded thankfully, slowly letting go of their hands. “That’s good enough.”

There was so much to say. So much left to say.

Garroth didn’t know if he would ever have the words to say them all.

“..I love you, mommy.”

Zianna’s eyes filled with tears.

Her smile held the sun.

“I love you too, GarGar..”

Their hands both finally let go. Garroth moved out from the wall and agonizingly made his way to the shadows.

He glanced back before heading deeper into the alleyway. Only barely visible through the bars, Zianna gazed at him with watchful eyes.

“I’ll see you soon.” She whispered.

“..I’ll see you soon.” He murmured.

Garroth didn’t have the energy to cry anymore. 

All he felt was the deep, desolate feeling of grief.

The blue landscape around him dimmed. Garroth blearily watched as the fire around him began disappearing once more.

Slowly, the blizzard returned and blue hue drained from the snowy terrain. The shape of his mother disappeared, the embers being taken away by the unforgiving winds.

Garroth watched with numb eyes as the glow around him grew dimmer, and dimmer.. before finally fading away.

The blizzard roared hungrily around him.

He raised his quivering head to look far into the distance.

Everything looked darker now. The pristine white of the snow was no longer blinding his eyes, and the sky looked grayer than it did before.

Vaguely, he noticed something else.

Not far off to the west, Garroth could make out a light. Same as always, just as pale and just as blue.

Only this time, it seemed to glow brighter. Much brighter. It illuminated nearly the entire skyline where the horizon would have met the ground.

Frost creeped over his cheeks. Snow battered his armor.

Garroth had a feeling this flame was going to be different from the others.

Constant pain rippled throughout his whole body.

Every step sent shockwaves of agony across his legs. Every breath felt like he was inhaling stinging needles into his frozen lungs.

His body was almost entirely enshrouded in frost. Heavy snow covered his hair, face, and armor.

Garroth nearly cried out when he tripped and fell forward onto the freezing ground. Sharp, unforgiving pangs shot through his trembling back as his knees screamed in anguish.

He lifted his head, coughing up snow that had forced itself into his face. His teeth wouldn’t stop chattering and his tongue was completely numb.

Heaving shakily, Garroth forcefully stood back up and used his cape to hide further into his armor.

Labored breaths left him as the fire came closer into view. It wasn’t as far as the others, but Garroth’s strength had deteriorated so much that it felt like an eternity would pass before he reached it.

Garroth’s mind was nearly numb to every thought he had.

He didn’t care if the fire wasn’t even leading him anywhere anymore. 

As long as his body kept moving, he could still live.

He couldn’t die. Not here. Not yet..

Not when I still have.. so much to make up for..

Snow dragged against his heels. The snowstorm screeched and hollered against his muscles. The wind threatened to freeze Garroth until he was nothing more than a frozen corpse in the snow.

Garroth continued. He still trudged on.

He made it to the fire.

Garroth threw his hand into the flame. He was so exhausted that his movement caused himself to be thrown off balance. He fell forward and caught himself on his knees.

He hissed painfully as the flame began to dance around him.

The fire was more intense than all the other flames before it. The blue glow flashed, almost blinding Garroth against the brightness of the snow.

There was barely any heat from the memory anymore. 

Garroth’s body screamed as he stood up. He could barely move.

His mind couldn't think of anything else as the flames expanded once more to form a memory.

The landscape turned blue just like last time. The fire entirely consumed him and the snow. He watched darker blue shapes from around him. Everything was so blue.

Leaves and branches surrounded everywhere he looked. The giant treehouse.

Far up, Garroth couldn’t hear the sounds of crickets or frogs in Phoenix Drop. Normally, he would also be able to listen to the chirps of songbirds in the leaves above. 

It was dark outside though, night had fallen upon them. If Garroth leaned off his bed a little to the right, he could see through the branches and into the black sky.

The stars seemed to sparkle even more this high above. He wondered, if he tried reaching from here, would Garroth be able to catch one?

His thoughts were interrupted when the sound of shifting wood creaked below him.

He glanced towards the ladder, and out came someone all too familiar.

Garroth’s eyes fell on the man who came from below the treehouse. He wanted to reach his hand out to him.

He didn’t move towards the Shadow Knight.

..I miss you. 

Garroth could only listen as the blizzard consumed him.

A brief smile flickered on Laurance’s face before he covered his mouth with a hand.

“What are ya doing hiding up here?”

Garroth’s eyes went to the floor. He felt his chest warm slightly.

“Just.. needed some time alone.” He replied quietly.

Laurance climbed his way out of the entrance. He dusted himself off before coming over to Garroth’s side. He seemed to hesitate, before sitting on the bed beside Garroth. The mattress sank with his weight.

“Do you mind company?” Laurance asked softly, tilting his head to the side. The warmth bloomed more.

Garroth glanced at him, smiling slightly. “I don’t mind. Not when it’s you.”

Laurance’s eyes crinkled, but then a frown appeared on his face. He turned away from Garroth, fidgeting with the loose strands of his shawl.

“I.. wanted to apologize for earlier. You know. About the Zane thing.”

Garroth perked up slightly, a raised eyebrow at Laurance.

“You don’t have to apologize for that, Laurance. What happened, happened. I really don’t hold it against you.”

The man next to him scoffed slightly. Laurance’s eyes turned to look out through the leaves. “You should hold it against me.. it’s.. been difficult.”

Garroth scratched the bridge of his nose, looking down at the floor. “Yes, I can imagine so. I.. I hope wherever you were before you found us at O’Khasis helped, in whatever you were doing.”

Laurance didn’t say anything. The silence stretched on between them.

His eyes slowly trailed up to the man.

It had been about a week since he last saw Laurance, but that wasn’t any further the opposite for the other guard. For Laurance, he hadn’t seen Garroth in almost a year. 

To Garroth, he looked drastically different than how he was before—since the last time he saw Laurance, face to face in the Irene Dimension.

His hair was longer, messy and untamed. The skin under his eyes was dark, as if he hadn’t been able to sleep for weeks. Laurance didn’t smile as much anymore. Whenever he did, Garroth noticed he would often cover his mouth with his hand or turn away from people. 

Shame curled in Garroth’s gut to see how much Laurance had changed. How much that had been caused by the burdens he told Aphmau to place on Laurance when Garroth himself couldn’t be there with them. 

In only a matter of one year, he’d missed so much.

“..I’m not sure if I’m really needed here anymore.”

The statement came as a surprise to Garroth. He turned to face Laurance, who was looking away from him. The expression on the man’s face was neutral, contemplative.

“What?” Garroth sputtered.

Laurance didn’t look at him.

“You guys were doing well enough on your own when you stormed O’Khasis several days ago. I was just wandering around, really.” 

He exhaled. “Aside from.. you and Aphmau, I don’t really have anyone else who I care strongly for..”

Garroth shook his head. “That’s not true in the slightest. You’re her guard. Phoenix Drop’s guard. You were able to keep Lady Aphmau safe, you managed to stay by her side while I was gone.” He fully turned to face Laurance. “Cadenza is still here in Ru’aun too.”

A chuckle left Laurance. It almost sounded bitter. “Cadenza doesn’t need me, Garroth. She’s the Lord of New Meteli. She’s been the Lord for a long time without her ‘little’ brother. She’ll be fine on her own.”

“And besides, you’re back now.. aren’t you? Aphmau doesn't need two guards protecting her, honestly she never really needed to. She’s always been capable on her own, especially after everything we’ve dealt with this past year.”

The crease between Garroth’s brow deepened further. 

“W-where is this coming from? What's with this insistence about not being needed anymore?”

Laurance gazed down at the floor beneath his shoes. The entire conversation he hadn’t looked once at Garroth. A small prickle of annoyance did spark within him at that.

Garroth took a breath, before exhaling it out as silently as he could.

“I’m.. not sure what you’re going through, Laurance.” His hands dug into his lap. “I don’t know if I can fully understand, but.. I can’t know what’s going on in your head if you don’t tell me.”

Garroth already failed once when it came to trying to reach a Shadow Knight. He didn’t want to fail again—not especially with his closest friend.

He tried, but it didn’t seem to work for Laurance.

Garroth could see that he was listening though. He could see it in the way he’d stopped fidgeting with the strands on his shawl.

He looked away from Laurance. Garroth didn’t know if there would be any better of a time to be honest. He still wasn’t great, Garroth didn’t think he ever would truly be good talking about his emotions.

Garroth had promised himself though, that he’d do better if he managed to live. If he managed to get outside the Irene Dimension.

And here he was now.

Minutely, Garroth moved a little closer to Laurance across the bed.

“I think..” He swallowed thickly. “I think.. the reason I was so afraid of.. of what I saw back then, when I thought you and Lady Aphmau were going behind my back—I came to the conclusion that you two didn’t need me.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Laurance slowly glance at him.

“I thought you were just jealous of what ya saw. The illusion of us getting together.” Laurance replied quietly.

Garroth chuckled. His hand ran through his tousled hair. “That was.. part of the reason. At least for me.”

A deep breath. Then he spoke.

“Even with the war that was happening then, those weren’t the only emotions I had been dealing with. ..I thought that you and Lady Aphmau simply didn’t care about me anymore.”

His brow lowered as a deep frown placed itself on his face. Guilt swam in his chest.

“I’ve tried to use my duty as a guard to protect people. To protect others. But even then, finding my home in Phoenix Drop took a long time. I.. I never really felt like I belonged because of who I truly was. My identity as a Ro’Meave kept me from getting close to others.”

A small frown was on Laurance’s face. “You lived in Phoenix Drop for over five years. You really didn’t think you belonged in all that time?”

“Yes, even that long. I.. I could never get past the truth. The truth that if the people of Phoenix Drop found out who I was, I’d be cast out. A coward. The eldest son of the heir to O’Khasis simply toying around with a no-name village.”

Garroth glanced at Laurance. “Truthfully, I-I was worried about being left alone. I ran away from my family and yet.. I feared being abandoned, just as I did to them. I feared being abandoned by Phoenix Drop. By you and Lady Aphmau.”

He let out a dry laugh. “Even now, I still think about it. That I’ll turn on them again. That I’m not any different.”

Garroth trembled. “I’m afraid of the idea that I haven’t changed at all.”

Silence passed between them. Laurance gazed steadily into his eyes. Garroth felt his cheeks slightly heated.

Curls of anxiety swirled in his chest. He wasn’t sure if that was enough.

Then, noticeably, Laurance moved closer to Garroth. He turned to the other man, keeping his eyes focused on him.

He looked down. Garroth felt fingers tap his left hand softly. A silent question. 

He answered, gently grabbing Laurance’s own hand. Just slightly, Garroth felt Laurance grasp his hand more confidently.

Garroth looked back up to see Laurance staring at him. He wasn’t sure if it was the string lights in the treehouse or his mind that told him Laurance’s face looked warmer in color.

“It’s funny,” Laurance started. “You’re worried about things like that.. when it hasn’t even been that long for you.”

He was quiet for a moment. 

“I don’t know if I'm the same person anymore, Garroth.” He whispered.

Garroth ran his thumb over Laurance’s knuckles. Encouragement to continue.

“Too many things happened. So many horrible things. I.. I don’t think I can ever be the same Laurance anymore.”

Slowly, Garroth leaned his shoulder against Laurance’s.

“I don’t think it’s a bad thing to change. You just.. need time to adjust. To everything, good or bad. No matter how long it takes.”

Laurance reciprocated, he leaned his shoulder into Garroth’s. Their sides pressed into each other. He chuckled hollowly. “I think I would argue otherwise.”

“You think you haven’t changed enough..”

“I think I’ve changed too much.”

Garroth closed his eyes. This time, he leaned his head against the side of Laurance’s head.

Laurance pressed his head against Garroth’s. Warmth spread throughout his body.

“Perhaps we just need time.” Garroth whispered.

“We have all the time in the world now.”

..Garroth didn’t know what to think anymore.

Before he had time to say goodbye, before he even got a chance to watch the memory for a little longer, the shapes began to fade.

The blue landscape around him shrank as the flames disappeared again. The pale blue color around him slowly turned to that same white he’d seen throughout this entire journey.

Garroth was so tired. 

He was so, so cold.

Everything was too much. Unbearably too much for him.

These memories, this cold, this blizzard..

Garroth looked down at the snow that rose to his knees. He stared at it for a long time.

For a fleeting moment, Garroth almost let himself collapse. To collapse and let the snowstorm consume him. To let everything fade away and let himself find another way out, through the threads of an afterlife he didn’t know.

The only thing that managed to stop him was something dark he spotted in the distance. 

Garroth almost completely missed it. The thick mist obscured it the entire time, and it had only appeared out of the corner of his left eye.

It was.. something dark. Something gray. Grayer than the snow and sky, even at this point.

It’s.. closer than all the memories have been… Garroth numbly realized.

And that’s why he still managed to see it. Even when the blizzard was practically almost impossible to see through now. Garroth had started this path seeing far off into the distance horizon.

He couldn’t see more than several feet in front of him now.

Garroth kept his shaking arms around himself. There was no fire this time. But it wasn’t like it would’ve been any use to Garroth, not when they couldn’t provide heat anymore.

At the very least, he wanted to see what that gray speck was.

Slowly, agonizingly slowly, Garroth walked towards the gray thing.

Each time he had to move his foot, Garroth had to breathe and take several seconds to stop the pain from paralyzing him.

His eyes were almost completely narrowed and filled with frost. Pain laced into his limbs every time he moved forward. The force of the blizzard was so violent now that he couldn’t even keep hold of his cape as it ripped out of his grip from the wind. He didn’t have the strength anymore to hold onto it.. Garroth raised his hands to grasp his trembling, shivering arms.

The snow was burying him alive.

The gray speck came closer and closer.

Garroth’s breath blew heavily into the wind. His mouth and lungs stung with ice. The fog and mist became less thick as he got closer.

Then.. he saw it. The gray speck came sharper into focus through the snowfall. 

That’s… a tombstone.

Garroth was only a few feet away from it now.

Step by step, he got closer and closer to the grave.

Until finally, he stood in front of it.

A single stone slab in the snow. It rose from the ground, no more than a few feet. It barely reached Garroth’s chest.

It wasn’t big. It wasn’t ornate. It didn’t seem to have writing on it.

Somehow, even in this white desolate landscape around him, the tombstone cast a shadow at his feet. 

It faded into the snow, barely crawling past Garroth’s body.

A grave. In the middle of a barren landscape, consumed by a blizzard that seemed to stretch on for those who wandered into its cold clutches forever..

Garroth’s head shot up when he saw a familiar pale blue glow. It was coming from behind the tombstone. 

Except, this time he wasn’t greeted by a flame. He was greeted with a child. 

It was Garroth as a child.

He stared. Standing a few feet away was a young version of himself, kneeled over the grave just beyond Garroth.

His child self was made of the same color and flickers of flames that all the fires he followed had.

Barely, nearly impossible to hear through the raging winds around him.. Garroth could hear quiet sobs coming from his child self.

He stood there, listening to the sounds of his younger self cry into the blizzard.

“…”

“Ever feel like you're just a shadow hiding behind the tombstone of the kid you replaced, listening to the visitors trying to talk to them again? Like you're just a walking vigil for someone that isn't there anymore?”

Garroth’s head lifted.

That voice didn’t come from him. Neither did it come from a flame or the young version of himself kneeled in front of the grave.

He turned around.

Standing in front of Garroth, was an exact mirror version of himself.

All but except the old O’Khasian armor he had run away in.

The blizzard’s winds howled all around him. Around them. Even as time passed, as the snow fell, neither of them seemed to move.

What seemed like an eternity, passed.

Garroth finally found his voice.

“..Why have I been seeing these memories?”

He didn’t ask who the other him was. Garroth knew there wouldn’t be any point.

“I think that would be obvious enough by this point.” Other Him replied.

He gestured to the tombstone behind Garroth. 

When Garroth briefly turned to see what he was pointing at, he noticed the young child of himself was gone.

All that stood before them was the tombstone.

“In all the time that has passed over these years, only one thing has remained constant about us.”

Garroth turned back to Other Him. “..And what would that be?”

Other Him smiled back at him. Eerie. Exact.

“Absolute unwavering cowardice.”

Garroth stared at Other Him. 

“It’s amusing, really. All our lives, we’ve always run away. Ran away from our problems, our feelings, from the people who care about us. People who want to help us.”

Other Him’s smile didn’t waver. “There’s no one to help us now. Not out here in this desolate storm.”

The blizzard seemed darker. The snow seemed to fall harder than ever before. His body and mind were deteriorating beyond repair.

Everything around him was cold. 

So cold.

It threatened to kill him.

Garroth’s eyes stayed on Other Him. 

This time, they did not waver.

“No. No, they aren’t.” He agreed.

Other Him’s eyes flickered slightly.

“There are.. many things I’ve done in my life. Many things I honor, and many things I deeply regret..” Garroth’s voice echoed.

“But I continue to live, to continue honoring what I’ve done. To repent for the mistakes I’ve made.” 

Other Him tilted his head. His hair didn’t move in the wind. His clothes didn’t rustle from the snowfall.

“What is there to honor, when the past has been completely buried by us?” 

The voice echoed all around Garroth, so loud that it even overtook the blizzard’s winds.

Garroth’s hands grasped harder against the cape around his arms. “My past is something I dug on my own. Something I’ve come to reconcile over the many.. many years afterward.”

“I am not the same person I was as a child, I am not the same person I was as a teenager, I am not the same person I was as a young man.” Garroth repeated.

“But.. that doesn’t mean I have to erase my memories of the past. Memories that will teach me in the future. To help those who will need those lessons later. To beware of future mistakes I will make.”

The wind seemed to grow even bitter as Garroth talked. Heavy snowflakes danced around them. 

He couldn’t feel the frost completely encasing his face anymore.

Other Him blinked, then a small frown formed on his lips.

“Those lessons won’t be of any use when the person we left behind is completely different from who we are now.” His voice carried through the wind.

“You don’t think so?” Garroth whispered.

Other Him stared at him.

“What good are those memories, when the grave that stands before us isn’t built for the person we are now?”

Garroth glanced at the grave behind him.

The tombstone didn’t waver. 

His eyes flickered.

“To mourn. To grieve the person I no longer am.”

Garroth’s eyes returned to Other Him.

He straightened his body, standing just as strong as he did the day he said farewell to his friends in the Irene Dimension.

“I will never be the same Garroth from my past.”

“..But who I am now is built from who I was. And I will take that forward with me into the future.”

Other Him stood against the blizzard. The skin on his face was pristine, like it hadn’t been disturbed in forever. The armor on him was polished clean. His posture was one of utter perfection.

A man frozen in time.

Other Him’s voice echoed.

“You’ve changed.”

Garroth paused. Then he smiled.

“Maybe that’s a good thing.”

Then, as if something released—like a breath that had been held was finally being let go—Garroth saw Other Him begin to change.

The mirror of himself shifted, slowly changing as the edges of his body began to dissolve in the snowfall. Pieces of his body slowly drifted into the air.

His body changed to that same, all too familiar pale blue. 

The same blue of all the memories.

Other Him’s voice echoed distantly back to him.

“You will never get back what you lost. What your brothers lost. What your father lost.”

“What your mother lost.”

Garroth gazed solemnly at the fading version of himself.

“And I hope that maybe, someday, they’ll forgive me.”

He watched as the few remaining spots of the Other Him finally began to fade away. Garroth could barely see his pale blue form through the heavy snow that roared around them.

Blue eyes met his, and the last echoing remains of Other Him’s voice whispered in his ear.

“Farewell, Garroth Ro’Meave..”

“May the past self you slayed rest forever…”

And then there was nothing. 

He was gone.

Nothing greeted Garroth anymore. He was alone again. Alone in this snowstorm.

Minutely, slowly, Garroth turned to the tombstone behind him.

It didn’t disappear. There was no reason for it to.

It served its purpose.

Garroth thought it had for a long time.

The blizzard howled.

…He collapsed against the snow. 

Garroth’s breath slowed to a crawl. The roaring of the wind became nothing more but the distant sound of a comforting hum to his ears.

The snow slowly covered him.

Perhaps for the first time, Garroth welcomed the cold.

I’m sorry. Sorrow filled his thoughts.

His vision began going dark.

..

…

……

“GARROTH!!”

Something flickered in his chest.

Barely, Garroth moved his head to look towards the sound.

I know that voice…

Through the waning darkness in his eyes, someone appeared over the snowy horizon. The thick fog and mist tried to obscure them. The blizzard threatened to freeze them solid too.

A bright, orange glow flashed where he heard the voice.

Brown and green shimmered in his eyes.

“…L-Laurance..?”

Garroth’s voice was nothing more than a whisper.

And yet, somehow, he still managed to hear him.

“Garroth!” Laurance’s voice rang out against the raging blizzard.

Distantly, Garroth saw the vague silhouette of Laurance appear more through the snowfall. He was far away.

But he was here.

Laurance is here..

Through the blizzard, Laurance ran towards him—faster than he had ever seen the man run in his life. 

Laurance reached one of his hands out to Garroth.

It was then that he realized the orange glow was coming from Laurance.

Garroth tried reaching his hand out to him.

His consciousness slipped away into darkness.

Warmth was the first thing Garroth felt.

It pressed into him, comforting and soothing against his body. Through the darkness he could almost imagine it being orange in color.

Warm..

The memory of orange sparked in his mind.

With considerable effort, Garroth slowly opened his eyes. His gaze immediately shifted to him.

“Garroth..” 

He’d missed him.

“Laurance…” He whispered hoarsely.

Garroth reached up to Laurance’s face and pressed a hand to his cheek, holding it as gently as he could. Heat spread through his hand.

He didn’t notice that his gauntlets were no longer covered in frost. 

Laurance reached up to Garroth’s hand, cradling it against his cheek in his own fingers.

“Shh.. It’s okay. You’re okay.” He hushed him.

Laurance gently pressed his forehead to Garroth’s as his eyes fluttered closed. His eyelashes brushed softly against him. 

“I’m just glad you’re okay.”

Garroth closed his eyes against Laurance, leaning further into his warmth. His comforting heat soothed the pang in his heart.

For a long time, both of them didn’t move. They soaked in each other’s presence, relief pouring out from both Garroth and Laurance. 

He was so grateful Laurance was here. 

His eyes opened again. Garroth wanted to speak; he needed to know what happened.

“What.. how did..” Garroth coughed suddenly. He attempted to sit up but his body screamed at him to stay still.

“Easy there,” Laurance grimaced. “You need to rest after collapsing like that.”

Garroth blinked slowly around him. 

He was leaning against Laurance, the side of his body pressed against him. Laurance had his arms wrapped around his shoulders and the heat that Garroth felt was radiating hotter from him.

“You’re warm.” Garroth said dumbly.

Laurance smiled with amusement. “Yeah. Needed to find a way to warm ya up. I guess that’s one useful trick I picked up being surrounded by lava in the Nether.”

His smile faltered. “A good thing too. You were absolutely freezing there—almost as cold as the snow.”

He didn’t doubt that at all. Garroth was thankful for the heat, and it was useful in helping him regain his strength. He didn’t know all the ways Laurance’s Shadow Knight abilities worked, but he was immensely thankful in that moment for the heat that seemed to pour out of Laurance.

Then he noticed his surroundings.

The familiar white of the landscape greeted him.

But he wasn’t in a blizzard anymore. No snow fell from the sky. The wind was nothing more than a breeze. He could even see distant trees far off in the horizon surrounding them.

“..What happened to the snowstorm?” Garroth asked.

Laurance looked down at him with slight confusion. “Snowstorm?”

Garroth tried sitting up. This time he was able to, though he had to lean against Laurance. His hand fell to hold onto Laurance’s other hand as he pushed himself from the ground.

“Yes, the blizzard. It was..” A strange feeling overcame Garroth then, but he couldn’t pinpoint what it was. “It was everywhere. I was trapped in it for what felt like forever before.. before you appeared.”

When Garroth turned to look at Laurance, no sense of recognition appeared in his eyes. 

The crease between his brow deepened. “..There is no blizzard, Garroth. It snowed a bit ago but there hasn’t been any heavy snowfall since yesterday.”

A beat of silence passed while he stared at Laurance. Garroth didn’t know what to say. 

That can’t be. I couldn’t have imagined all that in my head. 

A flicker of doubt. Did I..?

Garroth sat up a little straighter, peering up slightly at the sky. It looked gray and cloudy, with no signs of the blue horizon anywhere. He wondered if it would snow today too.

Laurance’s fingers tapped the armor on Garroth’s arm. He glanced at him, looking into his sky blue eyes. Concern flashed in them.

“Garroth, are you sure you’re okay?”

He frowned slightly. “Yes.. Yes I’m fine now. I just..”

His words caught in his throat. He tried speaking again, but it was difficult when it still felt like there was ice in his lungs.

“Seems like you saw something while you were knocked out.” Laurance’s eyes flickered to the side in thought. “It’s odd though. You usually move or twitch when dreaming, but you weren’t even breathing. I seriously thought you…”

Laurance left the last part unsaid.

“You really scared me.” He whispered.

Garroth’s eyes flickered to the ground. Was it possible he’d been dreaming? The likelihood seemed a bit reasonable, but a massive part of Garroth didn’t believe that.

Everything he had experienced felt so real. Very real. Even more than those dreams he had when he appeared to Aphmau while stuck in the Irene Dimension all those years ago. 

Confusion swirled in his mind. What really happened to me..?

“..What’s the last thing you remember before you were trapped in this.. snowstorm?” Laurance asked curiously.

Garroth dug through his memories; through everything he experienced in that blizzard.

This time, there was no cold to chase away his thoughts. Warmth radiated from Laurance, enveloping Garroth. 

It gave him the strength he needed.

“We were heading somewhere. Somewhere southwest.” 

And that’s when Garroth saw it. Just behind Laurance. He didn’t know how he hadn’t seen it before.

Garroth moved away from him to fully turn towards it—though a part of him already missed the warm temperature of Laurance’s body.

A familiar tombstone sat right there in front of them. Just as gray, and just as still when Garroth saw it in the blizzard.

“…I wanted to visit a grave. My grave. The one they made for me after I ran away.” He whispered.

Garroth's eyes trailed over the tombstone. 

The memory drifted to the surface. He remembered now. 

This was the tombstone his family had made for him. A private grave near the expansive garden of the Ro’Meave castle. Away from the prying eyes and public attention of the people. They were just barely outside O’Khasis.

A part of him wondered if it was truly real.

Laurance turned in the direction Garroth was looking. When he saw the grave, a solemn frown flickered across his lips.

“You’re correct for the most part.. but I didn’t want to risk anything after what happened earlier.”

He turned to Laurance. “Earlier?”

The frown deepened. “Yeah. We walked up to your tombstone and all. I thought you wanted to see it for yourself.. something about closure.”

“But then you just.. froze. You froze and collapsed at the tombstone when you touched it. You would’ve hit your head on it if I didn’t catch you in time.”

Laurance ran a thumb over his knuckles. “You were out for a while. It was only an hour, but it felt like forever.” He then rubbed the back of his head.

“I swear you actually gave me a migraine being unconscious for so long. I can still kinda feel the pain in my head.”

For a moment, he let the silence fill the air around him.

The wind didn’t try to tear into him. No snowfall came to obscure Garroth from seeing everything. Heavy mist didn’t appear around him.

No blue flames flickered just out of the corner of his eyes.

His gaze steadily lowered towards his tombstone.

Garroth wasn’t sure what to fully make of what exactly happened to him then. 

The visions of the blizzard were entirely fresh in his mind. The memories of those flames had all refreshed everything he’d forgotten from those moments in his past. 

Even if he didn’t understand what happened to him, for him to just collapse and wake up in that blizzard, that didn’t make the feelings he felt during that any less real.

Garroth truly meant everything he felt and saw while he’d been trapped in that storm.

The words he said to that mirror self of his echoed through his mind.

‘But who I am now is built from who I was. And I will take that forward with me into the future.’

He chuckled to himself. Laurance turned to him, tilting his head curiously. The way Laurance always did that was endearing to Garroth.

“What are ya laughing about?” He asked.

“Nothing. Just thinking about what I went through in my mind.”

Garroth reached out a hand to him. Laurance didn’t hesitate this time, as he grabbed Garroth’s hand and hauled him up from the snow.

“I think we should find shelter and leave. You probably don’t want to go into O’Khasis again, and I don’t exactly want to stay here either.” Laurance told him. “It might not be right now, but I heard from people in the city that it’ll start snowing again soon.”

His eyes slowly lingered on the grave.

“And I think we’ve spent enough time at your tombstone. At least.. you definitely have.”

Garroth exhaled quietly. His breath misted in the air. “That’s most likely for the best, then.” He glanced off at the horizon, eyes gazing north. “I don’t want to worry everyone back home by staying more than we have to.” 

Laurance let out a dry laugh. “Agree with you there. Aphmau and Dante would lose their minds if they didn’t hear back from us, and we’ve already been gone for a week.”

Garroth shook his head despite the small smile slowly forming on his lips.

“Those two worry too much. Dante has practically turned into a mother hen over these last several years.”

Laurance elbowed him in the chest playfully. “We disappeared for fifteen years and I disappeared for another three years for Dante. Much as I hate to admit it, he probably deserves being a little overprotective about us. Same for Aphmau.”

He lightly chuckled, teal eyes shimmering in the light. “I suppose I can’t argue with you there.”

Garroth closed his eyes briefly. He let out a slow sigh, before leaning into Laurance’s side, huddling into his shoulder.

Laurance held his face against his forehead. Then, he pressed a kiss to Garroth’s skin. He felt so warm.

“You okay with telling me what happened to you afterwards? I am a little curious.” He asked softly.

Garroth pressed further into Laurance’s heat. “..Once we’re somewhere safe. I don’t mind explaining, but I would rather talk while not standing in the middle of a frozen wasteland.”

Laurance laughed, smiling down at him. He wrapped his arms around Garroth’s shoulders.

“You really do look exhausted, Garroth.”

He looked up at him with a tired expression. “I think I’ve had enough of winter for the rest of my lifetime.” 

Laurance’s sky blue eyes crinkled. “Then it’s a gift you’re with someone who’s a walking fireplace.”

Garroth chuckled. He raised his head and gently kissed Laurance’s lips.

An all-consuming wonderful warmth spread throughout his body as Laurance leaned in to hold him close.

He could still feel the lingering, warm smile of Laurance after they separated. 

Garroth grinned softly.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Carefully, Laurance slung one of Garroth’s arms around his shoulder and let him lean against his side. Even though his body was heating up again, Garroth was still wary of the cold coming back to take him.

Garroth and Laurance began walking away from the tombstone, towards the direction of the far off forest near the white horizon.

As they slowly disappeared from the garden, leaving everything behind, neither of them noticed the glow that wavered near Garroth’s grave.

The small shape of a familiar child sat on the tombstone. The child’s fire-like form wavered in the wind, pale blue against the chilling snow.

The young form of Garroth Ro’Meave smiled.

He watched the silhouettes of the two men fade over the snowy horizon, before his form slowly dissipated in the breeze.

The last remaining warmth of blue embers disappeared.

Snow gently fell on the tombstone.