1.11 Bonding and Releasing

When the fire rescinded, Mesui noticed a figure lingering in the burned ground, shrouded in smoke.

They walked carefully, wary of any sudden movements. As they came closer, they noticed the charred remains of a rodentman, scarred on one of his eyes and with tentacles for an arm, protruding from a bony shoulder.

"Why..." the rodent uttered, "Could've... been beautiful... Cycloth..." he said, sorrowfully.

Mesui scanned the rodent, her mind flashing back to the moment her father spoke to the rodent chieftain, Gargag. She recognized the rodentman before her well—it was the same one whose ill-intended grin had pierced through her heart and mind in fear that fateful night.

"Even now," Mesui said, gritting her teeth, "after all that's happened, after all you've done, you still cling to that thing? You still wish for that abomination to come?"

The rodent's mouth twisted into a grin, showing teeth reminiscent of Voidmaw's monstrous jaws. "Why... if it isn't... the goblin princess... *cough* ... you certainly know how to pick... friends..."

Mesui frowned. "You certainly do not know how."

"Heh..." the rodent laughed weakly. "You've just delayed the inevitable... Cycloth... will bring destruction... to your kind..."

He raised his tentacles to the sky. "My... dream... will be... fulfilled...hehe *cough*"

The rodent laughed between coughs, his breath slipping away into a calm death—one that Mesui suddenly felt the urge to speed up. Her hand reached for her small glaive, and she thrust it into the rodent's chest.

The rodent once called Panagh, Voidmaw, exhaled in pain as his fainting heart was pierced by the blade. His one good eye, still blackened by Cycloth's influence, froze in an expression of pain and dread. Mesui pulled her sword free and cleaned it with the ground.

"I-is it done?" Stoat asked, her blue eyes opening beneath the mask.

"I hope so," Arsec said, "These days have been full of surprises."

"Why are you holding me?" Stoat followed up, annoyed.

"You would've smashed your head against the ground, you should thank me," Arsec snarked.

"Put me down!" Stoat begged, "Put me down now!"

Arsec dropped her and her body slammed into the ground, "Fine."

She quickly recovered and started at the young man as if she swore payback a thousand times, but then her eyes diverted towards Mesui, who had returned to the cubs' side.

The goblin princess was inconsolable, sobbing as she held them tightly.

"Hey, Stnky," she said.

"Who are you calling...? Why do you...?" Arsec protested as he checked his armpits.

"Why would a goblin weep for wilderkin?" she asked, intrigued, and ignoring Arsec's complaints.

Arsec sighed and looked at his friend.

"She's always been like this, reaching out for people otherwise hated by her tribe, slaves, for instance, why wouldn't she for defenseless cubs?"

"They stood up to her, they defended a goblin from a stronger attacker," Stoat said, mesmerized.

"Did they?" Arsec said, scratching his head, now understanding the depth of the situation, "Oh Mesui..."

"So abnormal," Stoat commented, "But noble, I see why the pesky winds guide her aim."

Arsec looked at the masked girl, intrigued, but before he could inquire further, a mighty wind from above opened a path in the clouds and blew the summit, rushing towards Mesui and circling her. 

Mesui lifted her gaze, as if an unseen force had gently raised it. The wind’s caress dried her tears, and she watched in awe as the air around her began to shimmer and coalesce. From the swirling mist, two orbs of vibrant green light emerged, swirling in a dance of luminous energy.

"Pfft... so it's the Twin Winds... disgusting..." Stoat muttered, a hint of disdain in her voice.

Arsec shot her an irritated glance but kept silent. His heart, though, felt a familiar warmth flicker to life, a recognition of something he had learned to trust.

"Blessed Flame..." he wondered, "Why... why are you happy?"

The two orbs, entwined by delicate whorls of wind, orbited each other with a harmonious grace. Mesui's eyes softened, and a smile broke through her tears as she saw the familiar breeze, her heart swelling with a mixture of hope and sorrow for the three cubs.

As if responding to her emotions, the orbs radiated brighter, and the gentle wind wove itself around her shoulders. At the same time, tendrils of air lifted the cubs from where they lay. Mesui heard a chorus of soothing whispers in the breeze:

"You’ve done well... deary..." one voice murmured, calm and gentle.

"We’ve heard your plea... princess of the Tulag," another intoned, authoritative yet warm, "By your wish, these children will be blessed by the winds."

Mesui blinked in astonishment, her heart lightened by the comforting presence of the whispers, though a touch of uncertainty lingered.

The cubs began to shimmer and transform under the wind’s embrace. Their forms glowed with an ethereal light, shifting from their original shapes into beings of radiant green energy. As the light faded, they revealed their new forms: their bodies were now covered in light brown fur, adorned with vibrant lime green stripes along their backs and a single white spot on their foreheads.

Mesui cradled the cubs in her arms, their eyes fluttering open with sleepy blinks and gentle stretches, like they were awakening from a long and peaceful slumber.

"These little ones need a mother... to fill the void left by the devastation," the soothing voice said, wrapping her in a sense of calm reassurance.

"Perhaps it is you who will take on the mantle of nurturing their growth," continued the commanding voice, "Through your guidance, they may become a source of strength and support."

As the cubs adjusted to their new surroundings, they recognized Mesui and nuzzled against her, their tiny chirps filling the air with a melody of innocence and trust. Mesui embraced them, her heart swelling with a mix of joy and uncertainty, her mind still searching for the meaning behind these miraculous events.

"May the winds guide you, Mesui of the Tulag," the commanding voice intoned.

"We will always be with you," whispered the softer one, a final note of reassurance.

With that, the orbs of light collapsed inward, their energy dissipating into the rain-soaked air, which resumed its gentle rhythm.

"Hmpf..." Stoat remarked with a hint of skepticism, "She has no idea what just happened..."

"What exactly happened?" Arsec inquired, his curiosity piqued.

"It doesn't matter, stinky," she said, shaking her head and kneeling, "My time is up."

A guttural growl echoed from behind them, the ground shifting with a tremor of stone and dirt. Arsec spun around, eyes widening as an inky darkness crept from a newly opened chasm, swallowing the light.

"This place has been a shrine dedicated to the Ancient Ones for generations," Stoat's voice was cold and distant as vines, like serpents of shadow, slithered out from the abyss, ensnaring her wrists and ankles.

"Wait! What is happening?" Arsec shouted, panic rising in his chest. "Mesui! Mesui, come here!""Fitting," Stoat said, her tone oddly serene as the vines yanked her harshly, "that my masters would reclaim me here..."

The vines tightened around her, yanking her violently toward the dark maw. Arsec lunged, grabbing hold of her body, struggling to pull her back from the grasp of the relentless vines.

"Wait! No!" he shouted, his muscles straining as he fought against the overpowering force, "I'm not letting you go!"

"You worry about me, stinky?" Stoat's voice held a bitter amusement, "Why would you, of all people, worry about a revenant of the Ancient Ones?"

Arsec's mind flashed back to her cryptic words before the fight, his heart pounding with dread. Mesui arrived, her face set in a determined frown, and together they heaved against the pull of the vines.

"We're not letting you go! That place does not look like a good place!" Mesui declared, her voice fierce despite the fear in her eyes.

"Why do you care? Let me go!" Stoat's voice grew desperate, her defiance wavering. "I am nothing, and I will return to be nothing until I am summoned once more!"

"I don't know anything about these Ancient Ones," Mesui cried out, "they are not my masters... I refuse to let you remain a slave to them!"

"Leave me, there's nothing you can do..." Stoat's voice was tinged with reluctant acceptance as the vines began to overpower their efforts.

"Stoat! Fight back!" Arsec's voice was a desperate cry, his eyes wide with fear as he struggled to pull her away from the encroaching darkness. "Stoat!"

Her name echoed through the cavernous darkness, seeping into Stoat’s consciousness like a relentless tide, awakening a forgotten identity that had been buried in shadows. The realization surged through her, pushing back against the encroaching void as Arsec and Mesui pulled her away from the tunnel’s edge. Behind her mask, her heart pounded furiously, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Stinky..." she managed to gasp.

"I don’t care if you call me that forever," Arsec shouted over the roar of the vines, "I will save you! Come on, Stoat, give me something!"

"Stinky...!" Stoat’s voice was choked with pain and desperation.

The little cubs, sensing their mistress’s distress, scrambled to help, tugging at her pants with tiny, frantic paws.

"Stoat!"

"Help me...!" Stoat’s voice trembled a cry that cut through the chaos.

Arsec's eyes locked onto Stoat’s, and in that agonizing moment, their gazes met with a profound connection, understanding their shared desperation. He grimaced, his body straining against the pull of the vines, but he refused to let go.

"Blessed fire..." he muttered through clenched teeth, "Here I go..."

A wave of calm washed over him, guiding his actions despite the turmoil.

"So-sha-nim!" he roared, his voice cracking with intensity.

His body erupted in brilliant red flames once more, the heat searing the air. Mesui and the cubs recoiled, shielding themselves from the blistering heat.

"Stinky... it... hurts! It hurts!" Stoat cried out, her voice mingling with the writhing vines."Hold on!" Arsec shouted, his grip tightening as he wrestled with the first vine, which recoiled in agony with a shrill squeal. He moved to the next, tearing it away with renewed effort. Each vine he removed lightened Stoat’s burden, her struggles growing weaker.

Just as he was about to free the final vine, a guttural roar reverberated from the tunnel. The ground trembled with the approach of a massive creature, each step echoing with menace.

"My master!" Stoat cried, her voice laced with terror. "He's here!"

"Just... one more..." Arsec gritted his teeth, ripping the last vine free. The tendril thrashed violently before disappearing into the darkness, followed by a massive bear-like paw that grasped at the tunnel's threshold, using it as leverage to force its way out.

"He's here!" Stoat shivered, panic-stricken. "We have to go! Where? There’s nowhere to go!"Arsec’s gaze darted to the entrance, his mind racing. He seized his spear and faced the encroaching darkness.

"Run, all of you!" he commanded, his voice steely with resolve.

Mesui grabbed the weakened Stoat and began to head for the exit with the cubs in tow. Arsec, still covered in embers, looked to the sky and tensed his legs.

"Please work... Blessed flame, please let it work!" Arsec’s plea was a desperate echo in the chaos, his voice trembling with hope and fear.

Summoning every ounce of his strength, he launched himself skyward, propelled by the fierce, crackling flames. To his astonishment, the fire’s power lifted him higher than he’d ever managed before. But as gravity reclaimed him, he pointed his spear downward, bracing himself for the impact.

With a bone-jarring crash, he struck the mound with all his might. The earth shuddered violently, fissures spiderwebbing across the surface until the entrance began to crumble. The mound, once a looming threat, disintegrated under the relentless force of the spear, its magic faltering and dissolving. The gaping maw retreated into the darkness as the summit began to collapse.

"It worked! Good Winds, it worked!" Arsec shouted, his voice a mix of triumph and panic, "Oh crap! Blast it! Blast it!"

He sprinted, leaping from rock to rock as the terrain disintegrated around him. With a final, desperate bound, he reached the narrow passage where his friends waited. They pulled him to safety, their faces a mix of relief and anxiety as they watched the sacrificial shrine collapse into a crater below.

"I’m... free?" Stoat’s voice was barely a whisper as she slumped to the ground, her body collapsing into unconsciousness.

"Hey, Stoat! Are you—" Arsec called out, but his strength was drained, his feet crumbling beneath him as exhaustion overcame him. He fell to the ground, darkness encroaching at the edges of his vision.

"Hey! Hey! Don’t do this to me! Not agai—" Mesui's voice broke into a desperate plea, but the strain of their ordeal took its toll. She too crumpled to the ground, her breath ragged as her eyes fluttered closed. The cubs rushed to her side, their small forms huddling around her for comfort as the rocks continued to tumble in the distance.

The rain finally began to dissipate, and the clouds moved onward to their endless journey across Gaia. The sunset shed its red light on the Rodentmen mountains and the new hole that was created in the dented peaks. There, by the precipice of that crater, a cape shone brighter than ever before as the red light touched it as its owner, and his friends, finally gave themselves respite.