Chapter 30 — Lumina Berrywren

Yasu lets out a pained chuckle as the iridescent bird lands on his shoulder, its delicate plumage shimmering even in the dim forest light. He reaches up with bloodied fingers, shakes them clean before scratching the bird's head gently.

"Took you a while," he mutters, voice strained but amused. "Sorry, I kinda ate all the berries along the way... didn’t leave much for ya."

The bird chirps softly—as if scolding him for his poor planning—before nestling closer against his neck like it always belonged there.  

A weak smile tugs at Yasu's lips."Despite everything: At least one thing here isn't trying to kill me." He claims in a thought. 

Yasu exhales through his nose, watching the bird tilt its head at him expectantly. 
"You know, since you've been hanging out with me a lot. How about I give you a name?"
His fingers pause mid-scratch against its feathers as he considers it.

"The feathers remind me of the radiant and ethereal nature of the auroras, symbolizing this strange aura around us.."

Yasu rubs his forehead with his thumbs, eyes closed as he thinks of a fancy way to name it.
"Ermmm... Uhhh.... Hmmmm."
"Alright!" He opened his eyes after shouting, voice low but firm with finality. "Lumina Berrywren. Sounds... fancy enough for you and your preference for berries.

The bird—no, Lumina—lets out a bright chirp in response before fluffing up proudly under his touch like she’s just been knighted or something equally ridiculous.

A smirk tugs at Yasu's lips despite himself: "Guess I owe ya berries now too after that name..."

Lumina chirps softly, as if to say "Damn right, ya do", and rubs her little head against his chin affectionately.  

"Yeah, yeah, I got it," he grumbles, scratching behind her head with a tired smile. "I'll make it up to you by feeding you all the berries."  

Lumina lets out another satisfied chirp before nuzzling closer to him like she's trying to comfort him—or maybe just claim dibs on whatever berries he manages to find next.

While Yasu was about to speak, his breath hitches sharply as the pain below his ribs twists, a white-hot knife of agony that makes his vision swim. He sways where he sits, hand clutching at the wound as blood seeps through his fingers.

Lumina lets out an alarmed chirp, wings flapping frantically against his shoulder like she's trying to keep him upright through sheer willpower alone.

"I'm okay, L-Lumina. Perhaps... soon you'll eat some berries. I'm feeling a bit tired." He slurs weakly, voice barely above a whisper now—darkness creeping in at edges of sight while weight behind eyelids grows impossible to resist anymore either way really...  

And then? 

Nothing.

The world fades away, replaced by darkness and the sound of his own heartbeat, fading in andout like a distant metronome.  

"Lumina..." he manages to murmur before even that last weak link of connection is lost, leaving only an endless void behind.

Lumina tries everything possible to wake Yasu up, pecking at him gently, flapping her wings desperately against his cheek, even letting out sharp alarm calls that should have been loud enough to wake the dead. But he only slumps further into unconsciousness, his breathing growing faint and labored by the moment.

Seeing that nothing she can do will work at this rate, Lumina reluctantly takes flight, soaring into the air above the dense forest. Her little heart pains with every beat as she scans the woods below, searching desperately for any sign of help.