Ivor’s body unfurled as he allowed his body to fall deeper into the depths. It seemed the crystals only illuminated the cavern above, as the lower he sank, the more the crystals lost their luster, until eventually darkness consumed the blightborn. The darkness had never been a real issue since his transformation, but in the water it was different as the liquid somewhat obscured his vision, making his daunting task all the more difficult. Still he persevered, kicking his legs just enough to direct himself somewhat as he floated deeper downward. The darkness persisted further, but Ivor noticed that the walls were beginning to taper around him, a small blessing as he reached out to grasp the rocky surface closing in. Eventually it became narrow enough for him to gain purchase, perching himself for a moment to observe his surroundings. A small glimmer shone from the depths, a similar hue of violet and blue to the cave above.
Determined, he climbed down head first, forcing himself further into the well, the walls now pressing his body, their crystalline structure scratching into his skin. Eventually the walls closed in too much for him to comfortably force himself any further, but he caught sight of what lay beyond; a crevice too small for any adult to go through. More crystals glowed beyond, deep into this place he could not reach, it was only a small blessing that a glint lay just at the far edge of the hole. A gemstone, supple and smooth, hued the same violets and blues as the crystals, seeming to almost glow with an energy and light he could only describe as ethereal. The object certainly struck him as curious given its difference to the remaining geologic features.
Willing his girthy mass through, he forced his arm upwards sticking it deep into the crevice, the small jagged crystalline walls scratching into his flesh as he dug his way through. His hand tapped and felt around eventually finding the smooth, rounded features of the gemstone. Ivor attempted to retrieve it, but the gem was firmly attached to the surface. Not wanting to resurface empty handed, Ivor grasped onto the object firmly, pulling and straining his muscles as much as he could, until eventually it popped out of place. As he retrieved the gem from the wall, his whole arm was forced out of the crevice as well, dragging along a particularly large shard of crystal that sliced deep into his arm. The shock pulled him from the hole he forced himself into him, simultaneously he dropped the gemstone to clutch at the wound.
Ivor cursed himself, it had been so long since he’d made a blunder like that, but he couldn’t let that stop him in the moment, for now, he needed to secure that gem. Fortunately he didn’t have to look far as the soft glow guided him to his prize, safely propped against a crystalline cluster. Just as he was about to retrieve it however, a sharp pain gripped his shoulder as dozens of razor sharp teeth plunged into his flesh. Shock, adrenaline, pain, Ivor also cursed himself for getting caught so unawares by whatever was attacking him. His free arm shot up and gripped at scaly flesh, forcibly ripping away a now very aggressive and very hungry blue and purple fish. It’s maw mashed and chomped as it tried to regain purchase upon its perceived meal. In Ivor’s mind, this was extremely wrong, he was supposed to be eating the fish, not the other way around.
Quickly he dispatched the creature by slamming its head as hard as he could into the crystal, if not killing it as least stunning it temporarily. His arm shot down once more for the gem, retrieving he prepared himself for the long climb up. His gaze went skyward, his eyes widened as he was met with the unholy sight of a hundred furious fish, ready to claim him as their dinner.
On the surface, Zeph’s stomach plummeted as he watched faint traces of blood curl up from the depths. His eyes scanned the water for any signs of Ivor, watching as fish eerily turned in unison before darting into darkness.
“Fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.” he muttered a flurry of curses under his breath, his body rapidly moving on instinct to strip off his heavy metal armor piece by piece and tossing them carelessly onto the cavern floor. Down to nothing but his underwear, he snatched up the spear Ivor had left behind—a peculiar weapon with a metal ball at the base. It wasn’t ideal, but it would fare better underwater than his sword.
Zeph turned to Tia, his voice steady despite the tension in his body.
“Stay here.” he ordered firmly, his eyes locking onto hers with a seriousness that left no room for argument. Her breath came out in frantic little puffs as she looked up at him - then she did a double take at the flash of bare skin. Her eyes widened as they found his again, realizing his plan. Her head started shaking.
“Do not follow me. If we’re not back soon, head straight to Dawnhaven. Got it?” He paused, his eyes searching hers to make sure she understood. She could only stare back at him, the hotspring towel clutched tightly in front of her.
Satisfied, Zeph faced the water again, forcing deep, controlled breaths to steel his body and mind against the inevitable shock. The water would steal his breath if he wasn’t careful. This was hardly his first time taking an ice plunge, but his experience never made it easier.
A final breath. One more curse. Then he dove.
Tia’s hand reached out reflexively after him, her face a mask of fear. She flinched back from the splash, more icy droplets hitting her. For a few pounding heartbeats, all she could do was watch his rippling form disappear into the depths.
The freezing water hit Zeph like a thousand needles piercing his skin. Every instinct screamed for him to gasp, to claw his way back to the surface, but he clenched his jaw and kicked downward.
The faint glow of crystals along the cavern walls provided a guide, their light fading the deeper he swam until they became distant, flickering stars in the abyss. Swimming with the spear was awkward, the weighted ball at its end dragging against his movements, but he clutched it tightly, his only sense of defense here.
The fish darted past him, seemingly uninterested, and he followed their path, deeper into the dark. His lungs burned with the effort, but he pressed on, his eyes scanning for any sign of Ivor.
Then, silhouetted against a faint glow emanating from smaller caverns, Zeph spotted him. Ivor was surrounded, twisting and striking wildly at a swarm of fish who sought to latch rows of jagged teeth into his arm. Blood spiraled upward, the source of the crimson they had seen from above.
Zeph gritted his teeth, the pressure in his lungs building as he steadied himself in the water. He adjusted his grip on the spear and thrust it through the swarm, the resistance of the water making each movement agonizingly slow. The blade sliced cleanly through several fish at once, their blood erupting around him in a murky cloud. Every swing was a fight against the water, the weighted ball threatening to pull him deeper and testing his strength, but the sharp edge proved effective.
The water grew heavier with blood, the once pristine pool stained with violence. He could feel his body screaming—the need to surface, the creeping numbness in his limbs—but he pushed through, focusing on clearing the way for Ivor.
Ivor was not a stranger to pain, to blood, to warfare, to wild animals and their unpredictable nature. This was, however, all of the above in a tiny packaged pool of water. Every bite, every ripped piece of flesh and muscle, was its own fresh hell as Ivor struggled to survive every bloody inch he climbed. Adrenaline coursed through him as he willed his body to climb higher and higher, taking some moments to defend himself as he swung his fists. It was all in vain though, their numbers greatly outnumbered him and despite all his strength, it mattered little when the water slowed his movements. Holding the gemstone was making the exercise more difficult, Ivor eventually forcing it into his mouth so he could purely focus his hands on climbing.
His eyes tried to make out the light, it was still so far away and he could feel his lungs burning; his body burned, everything hurt. He didn’t doubt that he could make it to the top, but he didn’t doubt that it wouldn’t take everything he had either. A small glimmer of hope though as a larger shadow seemed to be approaching from above and began to strike out at the fish. He focused through the swarm to see Zeph, attacking the fish using the weapon Ivor had so carelessly left behind. While the fish didn’t stop their relentless assault, there were already less biting at Ivor, giving him a chance to pick up the pace a little. Higher and higher he climbed, the illuminating glow beginning to encroach him as he raced to the surface.
Clinging to the edge of the pool, Zeph braced his feet against an uneven surface to stay afloat, still swiping at the ravenous swarm. For a moment, his vision wavered, blurred by exhaustion and the stinging cold, and he wondered how long he could keep this up.
As Ivor rose, so did Zeph—or at least, he tried. The weight of the weapon in his hand yanked him back, threatening to make this his watery grave. Frustrated, Zeph decided to take a page from Ivor’s book and climb up the side of the wall instead of attempting to swim against it.
His lungs burned, a sharp, searing pain that warned him he had seconds left, maybe less. With a frantic push, he launched himself from the cavern wall, desperate to break the surface. A mistake.
Pain lanced through his upper left arm as he grazed a sharp edge, slicing deep. He grimaced, but didn’t dare look. There was no time. No air.
Fresh blood swirled into the water, the fish turning on him in an instant.
Zeph barely had time to react before one of them latched onto his arm, several rows of razor blade teeth sinking into flesh. A strangled, muffled shout bubbled from his lips as he flinched, more precious air escaping.
Each grip brought Ivor closer to the surface, brought him further up into the glowing light, making it easier to find the next grip to take. A sharp pain jolted up his leg as one of the fish clamped down onto his thigh, making him nearly lose grip. He dug his fingers in deep, searing pain gripping his flesh all over as he forced himself to climb higher. Second after agonizing second he suffered new cuts, scrapes, bruises and bites. Bloodshot eyes focused on the pool’s surface above, so close, almost to the top; a breach.
Zeph swam harder, using the wall for support, his muscles straining and his vision narrowing as his pulse pounded in his skull. The fish twisted, digging deeper, and his grip faltered. A searing pain forced his fingers open, the spear slipping from his grasp as he involuntarily sucked in water. Instinct kicked in and he wrenched the fish off, tearing through skin, blood spilling freely into the water.
Lungs screaming, his gaze darted to the weapon—slowly beginning to sink. He reached out, fingers barely brushing against its metal surface before he was able to fully grasp it. With what little remained of his failing strength, he hurled it toward the shallows that he could see faintly illuminated by crystal light.
Ivor’s body resurfaced, air rushing into his lungs as he gasped and sputtered for air, his fingers scraping along the ground to grip onto the crystalline surface. His body, along with a gallon of bloody water was pulled from the pool as he flopped onto the cave floor, promptly spitting out the gemstone so he could properly cough out excess water and compose himself. He didn’t know how bad he was hurt, he just knew his entire body felt raw. He knew there was something missing from his shoulder, his leg, frankly bits of him everywhere. His hands felt slick, dozens of micro cuts from forcing his body to climb those uncut crystals.
Tia gasped, skittering backwards as Ivor erupted from the water. He looked a mess – Tia was only slightly better. Her entire body shook, her face blotchy and tearstained as she held a golden, glittering dagger in a white-knuckled grip. The jeweled scabbard was discarded on the cave floor. She hadn’t been alone long. But it felt like an eternity, with only her memories to keep her company as she waited to see if her companions survived. The entire time, all she had been able to think was –
Not again.Ivor brought the sickening scent of iron with him, drenching the floor scarlet. It was all Tia could see.
Blood. A river of it. His body was misshapen, carved and cut where he’d once been whole.
Training overpowered fear – or perhaps was fueled by it. The dagger clattered to the ground next to the gem as Tia raced forward to place shaking hands on Ivor, a golden glow mixing with the blues and purples of the cave.
Ivor inhaled sharply as he felt her magic flow into him, a white hot energy that seemed to burn deep into his core and flesh.
Free of weight down below, Zeph hauled himself faster toward the surface. Kicking and clawing, he did anything he could to propel himself upward. And finally—
finally—he reached the shallow ledge. He barely had strength to pull himself over, but somehow, he did.
Crawling forward, shaking and drenched, his arms trembled as he sought the dry cavern floor. He gasped and choked, lungs seizing as they fought to rid themselves of the water he’d swallowed.
Tia couldn’t think as she desperately poured her magic into Ivor, cataloguing his breathing, his wounds, his pulse. His blood coated her hands as she moved over him, her robes staining crimson where she kneeled in the small pond he’d created. Her head snapped to the side when she heard Zeph emerge, and his exhausted, labored breathing. Relief was so sharp in Tia’s body that it was painful.
They were both accounted for. They were both
alive.
Zeph was bleeding. His skin was pallid, his lips blue.
Feeling cold, dry stone beneath him, he collapsed onto his back, the world spinning. Lights danced in and out of his vision—specks of black, white, purple and blue spread out across the ceiling. He didn’t even feel the warmth of his own blood pooling beneath him.
Breathless and delirious, he lazily turned his head toward the waters edge. The tainted pool churned with hungry, frenzied fish. The spear gleamed faintly in the glow of the crystals, resting safely in the shallows.
Zeph exhaled, shuddering, his eyelids growing unbearably heavy. Just… a moment. He needed… a moment…
His eyes slowly drifted shut.
As Tia’s magic flowed out of her, fresh panic rushed in to fill the space. Looking back at Ivor, she tried not to see a person, or his booming laugh, or how he’d pat her head. She couldn’t afford to. There was just a body to be healed, a mass of flesh to sew back together, muscle and sinew and skin.
And now there was another body behind her – smaller. Colder. More fragile than this hulking form that dwarfed her own.
She couldn’t stop. Her fear wouldn’t allow it. Anxiety was tight and painful around her heart, clawing up her throat. Her breathing grew more and more labored as her magic emptied out of her. Scrunching her eyebrows together, Tia grit her teeth and forced a bloody hand away from Ivor. She didn’t lessen the amount of magic she channeled, though. The arm she still held against him shook as the stream of her power intensified, with only one outlet.
As far as Tia could tell, the injuries both men had suffered were fairly straightforward flesh wounds. They looked painful and needed care, but there were no broken bones, no poison that she could detect within Ivor, just the soft fabric of their bodies that Tia
knew she could mend easily enough. Had this occurred six months ago – had this even occurred
three months ago, and her hair was still dark and her voice still clear – then perhaps she would’ve acted with more clarity.
Instead, when Tia looked back towards Zeph, she didn’t see the Lunarian guard. She saw a different face, with vacant eyes and an Aurelian uniform soaked with blood, laying lifeless under the starry sky.
Half her attention still on Ivor, Tia squeezed her eyes shut and brought her free hand to the space in front of her stomach. She felt for the diminishing well of power that churned in time with her heartbeat. Tia flexed her fingers, willing a fresh stream of magic to lift away from her core. She
pulled. Raising her hand up, up, up, along the path of her torso, Tia forced her magic through her body, down her arm, and finally into the icy skin of Zeph’s shoulder. Golden warmth flowed down the veins of both her arms, leaving a hollow chill in her core.
Zeph’s eyes fluttered open, vision swimming in a haze of color. His breath came in short, uneven gasps, his body trembling violently beyond his control. The cold felt suffocating, his limbs unresponsive. Panic set in.
But then… Tia. Bathed in a faint yellow glow that filled the edges of his blurred vision, she looked ethereal, shimmering against hues of blue and purple.
He blinked sluggishly, his gaze trailing down her arm until he spotted the bloodied hand she was pressing to his mangled skin. He couldn’t feel her, but something in him eased. His heartbeat, once frantic, slowed, steadied. The faintest smile ghosted his lips before the darkness pulled him under once more.
Not again, please, please not again.Despite her station, she so rarely entreated Aelios. But now, her mind focused on the two bodies she’d connected herself to, Tia found herself frantically reciting prayers for mercy and light that she’d been forced to memorize as a child. There was no voice to them, her mouth moving silently. Only Aelios would hear – if She was even listening at all.
Eventually, her magic scoured the bodies for additional wounds to heal, only to find the two men whole again. She was shaking, her cheeks damp, a dull ache pounding in her head. But all she knew was their steady pulses and her palms.
Zeph was still too cold.
Ivor’s eyes slowly opened and as the hot glow receded, so too did the pain. The giant sat upwards and checked himself over, his wounds having miraculously healed under the priestess’ magic. He’d never seen Aurelian magic in action before, let alone be the recipient to it, it was powerful and he understood why it was so respected and feared. Ivor flexed his muscles, no tenderness, no pain, just a feeling of being whole once again. He smiled as he turned to the priestess, ready to thank her, only to realize that things were still dire. She looked out of it and to make matters worse, though Zeph appeared physically healed, he was shaking heavily.
Ivor quickly got to his feet, ran to his gear and grabbed his furs and leathers, doubling back to drape them over Zeph’s body. It wasn’t enough, as he could see Zeph continue to violently shake. Ivor had seen this a few times before, people who had been out too long from his village, people who were rescued from the cold who couldn’t seem to warm up. In those cases his people would have wrapped the individual in multiple layers of furs, setting them by a roaring fire and after some time, their bodies would respond to the heat. There were not enough furs here, no fire big enough nor enough materials to prepare one. Body heat was an alternative, however all three of them were ice cold…unless he became something bigger and warmer than either of them.
Ivor briefly debated within himself before coming to a decision and addressing Tia.
“Miss Priestess,” Ivor kneeled in front of her. Her eyes snapped up to him.
“Mr. Guard, he is not going to be making it, not unless he gets warm,” he turned his head briefly to him before looking back at Tia,
“Ivor can help warm him up, but…I must be warning you, Ivor will be scary…” the blightborn stood up and walked to the edge of the pool. Tia watched, her attention glued to him even as her hand measured Zeph’s heartbeat. In the water below the fish frenzied, now cannibalizing the carcasses that Zeph had killed while down below. It wasn’t a lot, but he needed as much energy as possible to do what he needed to. Reaching out, he beckoned the fallen souls forth, inhaling as a cloudy white mist emerged from the water, entering Ivor’s mouth as his lungs filled, his chest expanding. Tia’s lips parted, her breath catching as she realized what she was witnessing – the blight-born was
feeding. She was petrified, unable to look away from the evidence of how very inhuman he was. When he gathered as much as available he turned back to Tia,
“Do not be afraid, just remember, Ivor is here to help,” he smiled sheepishly. Dark eyes met glowing purple.
Ivor closed his eyes, willing himself to focus as he searched deep within, that wild form that inhabited a part of his spirit. A dull roar from the back of his mind, he called it forth, willing it into existence, so that he and the creature were one. He felt the emergence like a snap as his body hunched forward, his frame crouching as he felt his entering form changing. Muscles shifted and rearranged, bones cracked and grew thick with the new physiology, hair began to grow and multiply along his flesh. All the while he grunted and groaned, holding back his yells as a new kind of pain wracked him. His ears grew rounder, his face elongated into a snout, his grunts turning into growls and yells into roars as he willed himself into the form of the bear. What once stood before the priestess in the body of a man, was now that of a massive, thick, black haired beast with glowing purple eyes. Clouds of hot vapor escaped with each breath as he stared at the terrified woman and unconscious man. He didn’t want to scare her, but only a few people knew of this form, among them included the prince and princess, as well as Eris being both the lead sage and a good friend.
Something was caught in Tia’s throat. She thought it might’ve been a scream. Or maybe her heart. Her breathing was shallow and frantic, both hands clutching at Zeph’s body under the furs as if she could pull him away from the monstrous creature. The transformation had been unlike anything she’d ever seen before – a horrific twisting of his massive body, like something out of a nightmare, the way his flesh had pushed and pulled from within to accommodate a beast. The snapping of his bones seemed to echo in Tia’s ears. The pained shouts that had morphed into snarls.
Hoping that his words reached her earlier, he laid his entire body down so as not to be a threat. His head plopped to the cave floor as he licked his chops and yawned, the transformation had felt a bit draining on him.
Tia was frozen. She trembled violently, hands tightening against Zeph. All she could feel was the cold that seeped through her, and the phantom burn of blood against her neck.
Zeph drifted into consciousness, his eyes barely cracking open. The world around him was still a blur, but one shape stood out—a massive, dark figure resting not far from him. A bear.
His heartbeat slammed against his ribs, a new sort of panic surging through his veins. Instinct told him to get up, but his limbs remained numb and useless. For a moment, he simply watched, his breathing shallow and ragged as he wondered if he was dreaming.
The moment stretched between them. Tia counted the heartbeats – one of them would be her last.
But the counting didn’t stop.
She continued to live.
The monster across the cave didn’t pounce. He continued to lay there, watching her with glowing purple eyes.
“...Ivor?” Her voice was frail and fractured as she stared at him. Somehow Tia managed to pull a shaking hand away from Zeph, lifting it out from under the furs. She couldn’t hold it steady. Icy air bit into her skin as she raised her bloody hand up to him, waiting for him to approach – or tear them to pieces.
Ivor lifted his head, ears perking up as logic and recognition replaced terror. The bear made a groaning sort of sound, nothing ferocious, something that said, ‘there you are’. Ivor lifted his body up as she stretched her hand out, his massive padded paws plopped along the cave floor as he neared the two humans. Tia’s hand was covered in blood, instinctually he sniffed the hand, recognizing this as a source of food, tasty sustenance. He was in control though and he only pressed his snout gently into her outstretched palm, feeling her flinch against his touch.
His head pulled back slightly as he stared at her, he knew this was unusual, it was just as much for him too. He took notice of her shivering, how her clothes and hair were soaked, face damp; she needed just as much warmth as Zeph did and the only way to do that was to bundle up together. Ivor used his rather large sized head to gently prod and move the priestess closer to the guard, he needed them to come together if he was going to envelop the pair in combined warmth. Once satisfied the two were close enough he began to pace around them, finding what would be the most comfortable spot. Was it necessary? Instinctually yes, something needed to feel right about where he was going to lay. Eventually that moment came after a few passes where he plopped himself as coiled around the pair as he could, his fur pressing into their bodies, squeezing the three of them together into a cuddle puddle.
Zeph’s shaking didn’t stop, but slowly, as warmth enveloped him, he began to feel the numbness receding. His fingers twitched beneath the furs, a small movement that sent a spark of relief through him. His mind still felt fogged, the line of reality and dream blurred together, but his eyes flicked toward the bear—docile, purple eyes briefly meeting his. The bear seemed… aware?
Feeling his nerves slowly return to life, his fingers moved to brush over his shoulder. His skin felt renewed, slick with blood and water still, but no torn flesh. He gently squeezed his shoulder, testing reality, but there was no pain—as if it hadn’t happened at all.
As a body pressed into him, his eyes found Tia again. Blood stained her in varying shades of red and he exhaled an uneasy breath. Though shivers, a weak smile tugged at his lips.
“Th-thanks, F-firefly…” Tia’s eyes met his briefly, something soft cutting through the fear and chill.
His gaze drifted back to the bear, still unsure if this was all just a dream. Perhaps he had actually died in those waters after all.
With a barely conscious effort, he shifted closer, reaching out to press his fingers into the bear’s fur. Its warmth seeped into him, and for a moment, he felt a fleeting sense of comfort, fighting to keep his eyes open.
Tia was fighting her own battle against exhaustion. She wasn’t completely drained of magic, but healing two bodies at once had been reckless. The sunless sky had diminished her magic day by day, and she was still unaccustomed to how
hollow she felt after healing now. She felt emptied from the inside out, with heavy limbs and a pounding headache that only grew stronger the more her adrenaline drained out of her.
Cocooned in Ivor’s warmth and pressed against Zeph’s shaking body, she found that she couldn’t move much. She doubted she’d have the energy to, anyway. Or the desire. The cave was cold and bloodsoaked, and the Lunarian landscape stretched out beyond it in every direction, coated in snow and filled with danger.
No… she didn’t want to move. She was warm here. Held close. Even if the ones who had her were strangers that
she’d put in danger with this foolhardy mission.
Something glittered in the periphery. Blinking, Tia forced her eyes to focus. There, sitting in a diluted puddle of blood, lay two glittering objects. The first was familiar: the golden dagger that she’d drawn, in case whatever had drawn Ivor’s blood underwater decided to emerge and find her as its next meal. But the other object…
A glow of the crystals bounced off of a small, perfectly cut gemstone. Its flat edges and corners created a geometric ball, an iridescent pink beneath the cave’s blues and purples. Tia’s world seemed to narrow to the tiny gem. She couldn’t look away from it.
A certainty echoed through her like the cold: she’d found what she was searching for.
The two bodies surrounding her breathed in time with each other. The steady rhythm of Ivor’s rise and fall, the soft sounds of Zeph’s exhales, eased Tia into something close to calm.
She didn’t want to move. She was warm here. Held close.
Tia finally looked away from the gem. She nestled into Zeph, pulling the fur over her body and wrapping her arms around him, that he might have more heat. She tried to time her breath with Ivor’s rise and fall, like bellows stoking a fragile flame. When she closed her eyes, she could almost feel the traces of her own magic, still drifting through their bodies.
Huddled together, the three strangers created their own bubble of heat, bloodsoaked and exhausted as it was.
The gem sat beside them, its colors flickering like firelight.
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