II

I had added a bit to last chapter that was suppose to be in this chapter but thought it would be there instead. It is somewhat important so please check it out before reading this. And also, sorry for the long wait lol.

The boy in green awoke from a bed of straw inside a henhouse, or perhaps a stable, he was not sure. The god, who now had convinced him to call him by a humble more name of David Norvaborne in place of whatever honorary titles his small village had conjured up throughout the years, before he succumbed to slumber last night, after being dragged across the dead of night.

The smell of fern and pine of the north that he was used to, even in the unfamiliar land of the giant the day before was gone, replaced by the floral scent of osmanthus, orchids and peonies. The lingering of fungal spores floats about every now and then.

The god brought in bread with freshly churned goat cheese for breakfast, and they went outside. They stood on the outskirts of a city, tall with stone walls that peaked over the horizon; it was stationed along a river that was lined with massive trees, blooming with flowers, osmanthus leaflets that were the size of a blacksmith’s hand. Those that had grown to be too heavy fell onto the river surface and laid with petals, flowing with the ever-carrying stream.

The god in hiding had a coif on, stuffing all his long pale pink hair into the cap. His gaze firmly away from eyesight, staring into the ground. “We are at Blossomfall, border between Hearthstone and Meralic,” he laughed. “How does it feel, to have traveled through a third of all the Great Lands at the age of eleven? We’ll stay here for a while before we travel again, you need time to recover, not just your body but your mind as well. Try not to think that much, alright? It won’t be fast for you to return home either way, and coming here would be better than crossing the slate and granite forest without supplies, I’d think you would agree.” Shifting around his belt and adjusting his cape, the god attempted to hide his sword as best he could, not that he’d need one to have a quick bath in blood anyways.

The cityscape struck awe into the boy in green. Buildings taller than he had ever seen before, built with stones meticulously cut and stacked. Temples taller than the elder’s bell was hung; figurines and idols of gods he had never known before, after all why would he? All that he had ever known was Winter’s embrace, before being spirited away by a servant of Spring. The flowers here grew as tall as trees would, their petals shaded the play area of children and elderly’s restplace.

Midday bell rang and the market was flooding with people, it didn’t take long for the boy in green to get separated from his temporary guardian, even under a divine perception. He was pushed around, surfing in the shuffling of families looking for the meat for dinner, deafened by the constant yelling of numbers and prices.

Their backs touched. An adolescent, not yet fully matured but still an arm taller than the boy in green turned and they faced. He had ruffled brown hair on a small face, wearing a pair of big circular eyeglasses with freckles underneath it. “Oh, excuse me—” He apologized in a soft voice, about to continue but paused abruptly, before apologizing again and laughed a little. “I’m sorry, I just didn’t expect to see someone like you here. No, not as an insult, you just look a lot like my little brother, that's all and I didn’t expect that. What is your name?”

The boy in green spoke, but held his breath before a sound came out and replied with the name the god had given him. The tall boy followed immediately, “That’s an unusual name, I’ve never heard of one that sounds like that before. You must be from somewhere else!”

“I came down the ash elf’s land, I was adopted when I was left there as a baby.” He thought up a quick lie, somewhat embarrassed by his pseudonym.

“It must be a pretty rare name up there as well. I’ve heard some stories and poetry passed down from some of the bigger tribes there but none of the words or names sound like yours.” He put his hand on his chin and massaged it a little. “Well, my name is Xavier, it’s good to have met you. And since we have been acquainted, why not let me show you around. I doubt those elfs up there traveled outside much, did they? Especially not with someone your age.”

Xavier’s smile was shining with warmth and sunlight, it was practically hypnotizing the boy in green, and so he followed him. Xavier took him on a journey through the streets, showed him his favorite candy shop when he was a child, and bought him slices of local fruits and crepes filled with them. As he slowly got used to Xavier's presence, a smile showed on his face; his pockets as well, started to fill with snacks given by the senior shopkeeps that Xavier had brought him into for being an adorably out of place lost child.

And as they tired, they found a bench under one of the massive peony’s shade and rested. Xavier began to monologue out, not particularly caring if he was being heard. “My little brother, who looked a lot like you— Well, after our walk, I’ve realized that you act a heck of a lot like him as well. But,” he dragged on for a while, “he’s dead. I lost him to an illness, after we both tried caring for our mother who also did not survive it. Oh what I would do to have you come live with me, or at least act like it so I can forever be with my family again. But I know I can’t do that, you have a family of your own that we need to return to, and furthermore, you are from a faraway land!”

The boy in green looked on with the innocently caring eyes of a child until Xavier noticed them. “I didn’t mean to say that out loud, but at least it was honest and truthful. Pay it no attention if you will.” He grimaced. “We will likely not meet again, after a few days to weeks when you eventually return.”

In the distance, a man equally as outstanding as the boy in green stood with a bright red cape and a hood over his head scanned around. A few streaks of pink hair peeked out from his coif, semi-hidden ears not quite human yet not sharp enough to of an elf’s. The boy in green noticed him first, then Xavier followed his gaze and he too found himself with his eyes on someone he did not know to be a god standing in the mortal plane.

“He must be one of your people. What are you doing then, don’t wait, go for him!” Xavier said with a smile still on his face, but not as sunny as it was. He pushed on the boy in green’s back lightly, until he got up and started walking, giving his back a few glances as he continued.

The boy in green was just a few steps away from reuniting with David of Norvaborne again, then a soft sound like a light and thin bronze bell rang through the air. At that moment, the present dragged on longer, way longer than it should have been, before collapsing back into the reality that they were used to.

“Looks like you met someone. He seems like a nice lad,” the god said looking down at the boy’s face, “not easy parting ways huh? It never will be. I wonder what kind of person he will turn into in the next few decades. In my divine eyes, I see a path of poetry and kingship. Go on, have a proper farewell. Blossomfall is a big place, this might be the last time you two met.”

Xavier had now gotten up and was now checking and feeling the flowers that had bloomed near where they had sat, interrupted by the boy in green’s tapping on the shoulder. “Hullo, who may you be? If you don’t mind, please excuse me. I had found this wonderful bundle of wildflowers that I would love to bring to my family tomb. I apologize for the grim topic but, I will leave now.”