Peak 3: Nin

"Huh?" I go.

Eh?

"Huh!?" I repeat.

Eh.

I pat my chest, I pat my arms, I drum loudly as I look around at the night-covered land. Emerald winds, towering mountains, fourteen moons with one in full dominance over the others. Taking in a deep breath and feeling how everything is working properly, the way my heart thuds and lungs swell to their limits. I smile with a chitter?

Well, this is certainly something, was eating my perfect food without a care in the world and then... I'm here! A mountainous valley with for-once welcome signs of magic. I'm alive again.

They, He, someone brought me back to life!

"Oh... Oh! THANK YOU! THANK YOU SO MUCH!" I excitedly screech with every bit of air I can fit into and kick right out of my pair of breathing lungs. I rub an ear and dig into it as insect chitters keep sounding oddly close. Pulling the used hand away, I stare at its black form and three digits, frowning increasingly so. Why do I still have this arm?

Guess I am stuck with it... How annoying.

I shrug with a returning smile and start to walk until a light suddenly flashes on my right. Covering my eyes with my turned arm, I blink as eye-staining light marks continue to bother me. My skin seems to be quite the holiday spot for these things. Looking on towards where the flash came from, I spot a small, blue disc.

Moving up to it, my nose comes alive as a favourite smell is instantly netted into it. Such a fine, sweet scent and my hand can even feel the warmth it was so recently baked with. I laugh gently and pick up the covered plate. The blue cover quickly comes off so I can confirm the treasure within.

"Oooooo... Blackberry tart. Thanks, Motrtha!" I let out giddily and I put the thing back on, triggering some kind of magic that thoroughly seals it. I thank the Goddess of Mothers again in my head and move on with a joyful skip. Breathing deep chuckles, I slow down before my magic ends up sending me flying. Actually, now that I focus on the topic, my strides are feeling off for some reason.

Hearing rocks crunch underfoot, I stop and glance around as if I have raised ears. I calm down slightly and frown at the somewhat fresh destruction all around me, nervous shuffling disturbs some of the smaller debris. Shattered rock and torn up earth, it's everywhere around here. I suppose this must've been where I was put down when I...

"This definitely isn't the place the flower was set up." I comment with some relief as that means they must've had an easy time, right? I am far away from where they had set up the flower. I can't see the lake or the ramp and its attached cliff, I nod quietly with a slight smile.

They got me out of there, it wasn't as bad as I've been thinking it to be. I hope, anyway.

More chitters come out close to me and I protectively clasp my covered tart. Backing away towards the safety and shadow of the closest mountain. The way it's broken is quite something, I can only imagine that Vapooliar is responsible. Glancing across the night-covered valley, it's easy as well to see this is something shattered from the other side.

Going through a... Vapooliar really is something.

I hide behind one of the larger bits of stricken-off mountain and clutch the stone. Peeking every now and then, the insect noises seem to stop as my mouth lingers open. Looking back up at the mountain, I turn to the moon and smack my head. Come on, think, is this the full moon that was out about the time we were preparing to leave the flower?

Either way, find the flower, maybe the damage kept it stationary or the aelenvari were staying longer there anyway. Get back to them, ask which way Vapooliar and the girls headed off to with the seed, and, maybe, I can catch up with them. City... That city and the school, Thr- Thirstaten?

"Well, shit. Eh, had bigger problems." I moan before I laugh as my death suddenly feels so light on my heart and mind. I literally walked out of being dead because I did a good deed! I heartily laugh some more and grip my oddly loose mouth. Gently squeezing it, I get back to walking.

Got a lot of that to do, now that I think about it, but at least I am not carrying all the bags. I will need to see if I can get something from the aelenvari, all I have is this single, yummy tart. Magically sealed and preserved as it might be. Something as nice as this will only last so long with such shaky discipline.

I smirk and think about what can happen now, home. I can finally get back to going on my way home. I've got another chance at it, another chance to finally get back there. I slow down and frown.

"But, home's a bit shit." I mutter ponderously as I bounce the tart up and down. Hmmm, have plenty of time to think about it, who knows. Letting the joy come back to me, I start to tap out a little dance and head on over to the glint I spot in the distance. Smiling more at the reflective liquid, I head on over, intent on treating it like I am a child on a rainy day.

Jump in the puddle, jump in the puddle, jump in the puddle and make it go splash!

"Hehe, come on..." I start to cheer before I slow down, spotting the shadow in the water. Turning around with blatant paranoia, I steady my breathing. Gulping carefully, the chitters come back and I step back towards the puddle, the noise not going any further away. I bend down to look closer at it once I arrive at its deceptively nearby edge.

A dropped dish fills my ears and I slowly raise my right hand, my turned hand. Bringing up my left hand as well, my eyes ignore Motrtha's gifted bracelet and I flex all six of my digits. Testing the motion in each one, I focus and get them to move out of synch, unlike the other. I clench both hands into fists and look down towards myself as the moonlight seems to brighten.

Dark carapace, all of me is...

A burst of twisted laughter escapes me and I cackle as I stand up. My double knee joints offer quite the spring to my steps...! I stop laughing and clench my strange jaw tight, curling my arms up as my fists do the same. I can feel the blood fill out my eyes and heat up so quickly.

I roar and howl.