Work Text:
Clinging to a heavy lantern, a young boy made his way through the wilderness of Dreadshade Mire. Technically, Illuga wasn't supposed to be out this far, but he had (foolishly) determined he was old enough. He was thirteen, after all! He might as well be a Lightkeeper already.
Trudging through the heavy fog, the boy shone his lantern forward to illuminate the path ahead. He wasn't even allowed out of Piramida on his own, let alone in the middle of the night; he didn't even have a reason for being out here.
No, of course he had a reason. It was fun! He'd snuck out before, though he'd never gone out here. He typically just went to the edge of the city, drank a cup of juice or ate a sandwich while enjoying the nighttime view, then went back home a few minutes later. His father knew of these nighttime excursions, he'd caught him in the act before and just allowed him to carry on his way.
Perhaps that was why his old pops didn't stop him. Illuga knew the old man hadn't gone to bed, he surely had heard the creaky front door open and shut.
He must have assumed Illuga was staying in Piramida.
Illuga giggled softly to himself. He'd snuck out here all by himself, and nobody had come to stop him!
He needed to be careful, though. One wrong move, and he could wake something… Something that he didn't want to awaken. The Wild Hunt had been cleared out of this area just recently, but he didn't need to attract more.
As careful as he was, his growing feet didn't always go where he wanted them, and Illuga stepped right on a stick.
CRACK!
The sound echoed through the fog, alerting anything or anyone to the boy's presence. Illuga froze, very aware of the distant sounds of animals scurrying away.
Dread gripped his chest with its cold talons, and Illuga suddenly wished he were back home. He wished he were back in his warm, cozy bed, with his nightlight and his stuffed animals.
Perhaps he could get out. Maybe there was still time.
Illuga turned around, shining the light ahead once more. The fog seemed to be even thicker than before; the light seemed dimmer than it had mere moments ago.
He marched forward on shaky legs, using both hands to hold the heavy lantern steady. Which way had he come from, again? Maybe if it were daytime in a place he knew well, he'd be able to figure it out quicker.
His heart pounded hard in his chest, the rapid thump, thump, thump reverberating in his head.
Illuga ran. He ran as fast as he could; he'd make it out of the fog eventually, then maybe he could see better.
Oh, how he wished he had just stayed home.
The lantern flickered. Just once, just for a moment, but it was enough of a distraction, and Illuga neglected to look where he was going.
He tripped over a rock, or maybe a branch, and slammed hard into the firm ground.
"Oof!"
The wind was knocked out of his chest, and the lantern was knocked out of his hand. It rolled and clattered away across the ground, still shining bright to the sky.
Illuga whimpered quietly as he stood up. His arms hurt, his ankle burned and tingled, and he still hadn't caught his breath. He could worry about that stuff later, whenever he was back home and could assess the damage.
"Ow, ow, ow," Illuga limped towards the lantern, hand outstretched to grab it. If his pops were here, he'd surely help him; he'd carry Illuga back home and take care of him.
Just as he was about to grab the lantern, from right behind him came a low, reverberating groooaaan.
The Wild Hunt.
Illuga grabbed the lantern, his only weapon, and swung at the monster behind him. It made contact with its head, knocking it clean off its decaying body.
The monster stumbled back on its unsteady feet, and Illuga took off once more, ankle pain completely forgotten. The lantern flickered again, and something hard rattled around inside as he ran.
Something rotten grabbed at him, and Illuga swung the lantern in its direction. It hit something else, another decaying body that glowed magenta with abyssal energy. Another distant groan echoed from the woods.
How many were there?
Illuga didn't stop to look. He needed to get home.
The lantern was dim, barely holding onto life, and it rattled louder with more pieces loose inside. As long as he could get home, it didn't matter.
He rounded a tree, and came face to face with yet another monster of the Wild Hunt.
Swing!
He slammed the lantern into the monster, sending it to the ground, and the light went out for good.
Lanterns weren't weapons, after all.
Illuga held tight to the broken lantern, and took off. He reached the edge of the fog, barely able to see the ground ahead, and bolted for it.
"Come on, come on, come on," he muttered to himself. "Come on—"
Another root in the ground. He tripped, with the same, swollen ankle, and flew straight into the ground.
Crunch!
Whether that was the lantern, a tree branch, or even one of his bones, Illuga couldn't tell. The horde of Wild Hunt growled and groaned behind him, approaching fast. Illuga could barely move.
He was going to die here, wasn't he? He was going to be killed by the Wild Hunt, just like his birth parents, just like several Lightkeepers.
Illuga sobbed. The monsters behind him approached closer, their Abyssal energy licking at his feet as he tried to crawl away. Yet, ahead of him, just outside the mist, a few distant lights shone bright, swiveling around as if in search.
Lightkeepers?
"HELP!" Illuga screamed. "HELP ME!"
The lights turned in his direction, and distant voices shouted.
"ILLUGA!"
His pops was there! He must have been out looking for his son.
The lights grew closer, but so did the Wild Hunt. Illuga tried to crawl forward, gripping the handle of his broken lantern, as if that would save him. His pops was there; he couldn't die now!
Strong hands reached through the fog, grabbed Illuga under his shoulders, and quickly pulled him out of the fog. Illuga was lifted off the cold ground, and into his father's warm arms.
"What are you waiting for? Take care of them!" Illuga's father barked an order at the other lightkeepers. "Finish them off!"
"Yes, sir!" one of the younger lightkeepers responded, before they rushed towards the horde.
"Pops!" Illuga sobbed, throwing his arms around the man's neck. He was still holding the broken lantern.
His pops held him tight, pressing the boy into his body. "I'll take the boy home!" he called to his men.
As his father carried him home, Illuga opened his teary eyes, watching the Lightkeepers take down the Wild Hunt. There were only four, but it had seemed like so many more…
Illuga buried his face into his father's warm coat, crying quietly into the fabric. Oh, he was so scared, he thought he was going to die. His whole body hurt, his right ankle felt like it might fall off, but he was so relieved to be going home.
"Illuga," Pops said. "You're in so much trouble, young man."
"I— I know," Illuga whimpered.
Pops held him even tighter. "I'm so glad you're safe. God, Illuga, what were you thinking?!"
Illuga sniffled.
The man patted his son's back. "When we get home…" He sighed. "You're going straight to bed, got it?"
Illuga nodded into his father's shoulder. "Yes, Pops."
"And don't you ever do that again."