Something Grows Amongst the Trees (Closed for Mr_Positive)

[Poprockz]

They were indeed very close... and she was relieved that they had passed through without incident. At least, that had been her thought until she saw it.

A hunched figure shambled down the path toward them, its face obscured by a shawl that looked like the night sky and was impossibly twinkling and shimmering. Its image was unchanging even with its movements as though the fabric itself was a portal to the stars above. Though it may have looked small from a distance, as it got closer it was clear that this being was very tall. It towered over them, being about a meter taller than Ethan himself. Only then when it was within two meters of them did it lift its head to look at them.

It had the face of an owl with deer-like horns, a grey human hand holding the cloak closed around themselves.

Illuvian stopped, positioning herself in front of him and gripping his hand more tightly. While she was certainly nervous about this encounter, it was not because she was afraid of them being attacked, per se.

Not all in the fae realm were aggressive or out to make a sport of humans, but some were ignorant to the ways in which they could harm a being such as Ethan even with what they thought was kindness.

Those yellow eyes fixed on the nymph, and one got the feeling that there was an ancient presence behind them. Its beak clicked before it tipped its head slightly in greeting.

"We greet the Whispering Maiden, healer, and acting mother to the Forest of Sunset Hues. We have not greeted you since..." there was a pause as though the being was trying to recall when exactly that was. Its voice sounded like several women speaking at once, some old, some middle-aged, and some young. To some, it might have been disconcerting, but there was no malice in the way it spoke, nor any of the cockiness that the other fae had displayed.

"Since you were... 500."

Illuvian paled slightly. She wasn't yet 500 and wouldn't be for more than a century. Yet, the fae didn't lie and she knew of this creature.

She tipped her own head respectfully and answered, "and I greet you, Star-Walker. I must bid you goodbye now as well- I need to go to my cave to retrieve my things."

The owl creature was uncomfortably silent for a time before her unblinking stare turned to Ethan. It was then that she shambled closer and bent down so that she could speak to him better, her face about a foot and a half away from his own.

"My child... you carry such a burden with you... Such pain..." There was a bird-like coo of sympathy from the figure. "Part of you is here with us, but part of you is in where the spirits wait for those they love. She... carried it there with her, didn't she?"

The owl's head rotated to look at him sideways, "do you wander to try to find the part that she took? You will never find it on your mortal coil, but she will keep it for you until it is time."

 

[Mr_Positive]

Ethan felt his breath hitch, his fingers twitching slightly in Illy’s grasp, but he kept his expression carefully neutral. The creature’s words settled over him like a slow, creeping fog, wrapping around thoughts he had tried to ignore for a long time.

She… carried it there with her, didn’t she?

He knew who she was. There was no question. No room for doubt.

Mia.

The name felt like a stone in his chest. The owl-faced creature studied him with those ancient, piercing eyes, as if it could see the weight he carried, the hollow ache that had followed him every day since she was gone. It spoke with certainty, with knowledge that was not guessed but known. The fae did not lie, Illy had told him that much.

So was it true? Had Mia taken something of him with her when she left? His mind turned over the possibility, uneasy and unwilling to accept it so easily. He had lost her—his best friend, his sister in all but blood. The kind of loss that left scars too deep to fade. But had she taken part of him with her?

Ethan had never been a man of superstition. He relied on what he could see, what he could prove. But there had been nights—long, restless nights—when he felt something missing inside him, something beyond grief. Something stolen. And now this creature was telling him that she had taken it with her. That he would never get it back, not while he still lived. The thought left him cold.

Still, he said nothing. He would not give it the satisfaction of a response, would not acknowledge the ache in his chest that threatened to tighten his throat. Illy had warned him to be careful with his words, and he would be. Ethan’s thoughts lingered on Mia. Had she really taken part of him with her? And if she had, what would be left of him by the time he reached her again?​

 

[Poprockz]

"Hmm..." The owl hummed softly, "to hold your tongue in these lands is wise, and we will not pressure you for a verbal answer but..."

Her two grey hands reached out as though she was going to caress either side of his face, though they stopped about an inch from his cheeks. It was a tender gesture, her head switching from being tilted from one side to the other.

"You have two paths before you. On one, you let the hand that holds you lead you from your past, though your life will be forever changed. You will lose the thing that is most precious to you, though what you decide to do will determine whether that which is lost will remain lost. It will be a difficult path... full of darkness, doubt, and pain, but if you plant the seed and nurture it with care, you will have a sturdy tree that will only get stronger with time, and you will be surprised by how deep the roots will go."

There was a click of her beak as she continued. "The other path is the one I will offer you. It is a path without pain, without suffering. You can reunite with the woman who called your name in her last moments... You will feel joy again, and the mortal plane will no longer hold any meaning for you. What you sacrifice in time you would gain in peace. If you walk with me behind the veil, I can take you without you having to go through the trauma of the severance between body and spirit. ..."

Her hands were withdrawn before she offered one of them to him like a parent would offer to a child, palm-up. "I will not begrudge you whichever choice you make, as my only aim is to offer you mercy. Will you walk with me? Or will you walk with she who is ill?" The owl waited for an answer, unmoving.

Illuvian could do naught but watch, wondering what Ethan might choose.

 

[Mr_Positive]

Ethan stared at the outstretched hand, his pulse a slow, deliberate drum in his ears. The offer was clear. A path without pain. A path without suffering. A way to see Mia again—not in some distant, unknowable afterlife, but now. No more nights haunted by the sound of her laughter fading into memory, no more days weighed down by the knowledge that she was gone. He could step beyond the veil, leave this world behind, and be with her.

His fingers twitched, just barely. How many times had he wished for this? To undo the grief, to erase the ache in his chest, to just go where she had gone? It would be so easy.

And yet…

His gaze shifted, just slightly, to where Illy stood beside him. He could still feel her hand in his, firm and grounding. The owl’s words echoed in his mind—the hand that holds you leads you from your past.

He had been walking that path since the moment he stepped into this world. He had felt it beneath his feet, uncertain but steady. He had seen the wonders that stretched ahead, the strange, shifting beauty of this realm. He had felt the pull of curiosity, of something new.

Mia would have wanted him to keep walking. Not just for her, not just because she loved him, but because she knew him. She had always pushed him forward, always told him to live. She wouldn’t want him to turn back now, to give up the road ahead.

Ethan exhaled slowly, then, without a word, turned his back on the owl’s offered hand. He took the first step down the path before him, choosing the unknown. Choosing Illy to guide him. And somewhere, deep in his heart, he hoped Mia would understand.

 

[Poprockz]

The owl paused before her fingers curled up and she withdrew the hand and thus the offer that he rejected. She didn’t give off any indication that she felt any way about it, merely that she accepted his decision.

For her part, Illy looked relieved that he had chosen to go with her. While the owl could certainly make good on their promise, she personally thought it would be unfortunate for him to stop living his life in order to go to the spirit plane. There was so much he had yet to see or experience, after all. It was not her choice to make though, so it would have had to come from him.

“He chooses the more difficult path… but also the path he may find more rewarding in the end.” The star-walker spoke out loud, her eyes meeting Illuvian’s as she looked back at her. “I bid you both farewell, Whispering Maiden and… The Artist.” There was a respectful nod before the owl creature started shambling down the path in the direction she had been heading in.

Illuvian started to walk as well, quietly leading him away until they were at the very cusp of the waterfall. There, there was a stone door that blended in to a large stone-base of a hill. Before going to it though, she paused and turned her attention to him. “Are you… alright?”

 

[Mr_Positive]

Ethan watched the owl creature retreat, its presence lingering in the air even as it vanished down the path. The Artist. The title settled over him strangely, a weight he hadn’t expected. He wasn’t sure if it was meant as an observation or something deeper. But the owl was gone before he could dwell on it.

As they walked, he focused on the steady rhythm of his steps, the way the ground shifted beneath him, how the air here carried a hum that was neither wind nor silence. He had made his choice, but the weight of it sat heavy in his chest. He wouldn’t be with Mia again—not in this world, not in this life. That door was closed now, locked by his own hand.

And yet, there was something else in its place. A flicker of something unfamiliar. Maybe it was relief. Maybe it was purpose.

When they reached the waterfall, he took in the scene before him. The hidden stone door, the way the water rushed past, carving its own path through this world. It felt like a threshold, like stepping further into something he hadn’t fully committed to before now.

Then Illy spoke, her voice breaking through his thoughts.

"Are you… alright?"

Ethan didn’t answer right away. He let the question settle, let himself feel whatever it was he was feeling.

“I don’t know,” he admitted at last. It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth either. He wasn’t not alright. He was just… still here. Still walking.

And for now, that was enough.​

 

[Poprockz]

Her eyes studied him with concern, scanning him for signs that he might be feeling one way or another. His expression was difficult to decipher for her though, so she simply turned away and hoped that his choice didn't weigh too heavily on him. She wasn't sure what she would have done if he had told her that he wasn't; comforting others wasn't her area of expertise.

Illy ran her hand along the smooth rock door and instantly from where her hand touched, grooves and lines in the door lit up with green light, illuminating an intricate design that had been etched into it. Though there was no handle or knob, the door opened inward, a wall of green light glowing as the veil between the two worlds. With another glance back at him, she pulled him through the door.

Immediately, one got the feeling that they were back in the forest, in the world Ethan had known his entire life. It wasn't forest one would see, though it might have been visible had there not been a waterfall blocking one's view of it.

They were in a cave that extended into the cliff in the middle of the waterfall, far enough away from the rushing water that it wasn't unpleasantly damp. Quite the opposite, actually: the place was dry and comfy. Or at least it was as comfortable as a cave could be.

There was a large human-sized nest made from twigs, moss, and feathers where Illuvian had spent her nights. It wasn't a very comfortable bed by most people's standards, but if she ever got uncomfortable, she could always change into a form that would be able to sleep in one place or another until she found more soft materials. A solitary pillow was inside, one that had been left behind from someone's camping trip. She had taken a liking to its softness so she had carried it back to her home to hold in her arms as she slept.

Though the bed itself might not have inspired awe, the glowing gemstones embedded in the walls might have. They illuminated the cave with soft lights of different colors, though it was mostly purples, pinks, and blues. It didn't seem like something that should have been possible in their world, but being that it was so close to an ancient fae door, some of the energy from her world had seeped into the place.

A cache of items could also be seen if one were to look around. It was a collection of lost things that didn't seem to have a rhyme or reason. A necklace, a shoe, a pen dispenser... there were all manner of abandoned things gathered in that cave.

Coming through the door was like being an astronaut who had finally returned to Earth, and the gravity felt heavier than ever. Her legs wobbled as she stood there, trying hard to remain upright. Perhaps she could stay on her feet as he gathered her things.

"My clothes and bag are over by the nest, and I'll need three large clear quartz, as well as the wooden staff against the wall over there," she explained, leaning herself against the cave wall for support.

 

[Mr_Positive]

Ethan took in the cave with quiet curiosity, his gaze moving over the glowing gemstones embedded in the walls. The soft purples, pinks, and blues cast an otherworldly glow, like a piece of the fae realm had bled into this place. It was strange and beautiful, but more than that—it was hers.

His eyes flickered over the odd collection of lost objects: a necklace, a single shoe, a pen dispenser. The kind of things people wouldn’t even notice had gone missing. There was something oddly fitting about it, as if this place had been built on the forgotten remnants of another world.

He turned to where Illy had gestured, spotting the pile of clothes and the bag beside the nest. The makeshift bed was rough—twigs, moss, feathers—but the single pillow stood out. It was old, worn, clearly not from here. A small piece of comfort, he thought. Something human in a place that wasn’t.

He gathered the clothes first, folding them roughly before placing them into the bag. Then he searched for the quartz, his fingers running over the cold, smooth surfaces of the crystals before picking out three of the largest ones. Finally, he grabbed the wooden staff, its weight solid in his grip.

Turning back to Illy, he stepped toward her, offering his arm for support.

“Here,” he said simply, steadying her as she leaned against him. He could feel the strain in her limbs, the exhaustion pressing down on her. She had guided him through so much already, and now he was the one holding her up.

“What’s next?” he asked, his voice quiet but firm. He was ready.​

 

[Poprockz]

She clung to his arm, finding it to be strong and stable like the sturdy limb of a tree. Truly, her strength was indeed worn out, and it was a wonder how she managed to keep herself upright. Perhaps it was possible because knew she simply had to keep going until they returned to the cabin.

Though... she paused at his question. Should she go back to the cabin? Now that she had her things, she could simply lead him through the paths, allow him to exit, and then return to her cave without issue. Illy might have needed to crawl when she got back here, but she wasn't a stranger to hardship. She had been alone for many years after all.

Ethan had already helped her plenty, and she foresaw herself needing at least a couple more days of rest before she was able to stand by herself.

"Well..." she started slowly, reaching over and rummaging in the bag until she found her enchanted amulet. "Now that we have my things, I can lead you back down the paths and help you exit through the tree where we entered. However... It occurred to me that we could part ways there, I could stay in the paths and return to my cave, then rest and recover. If another shadow comes after you, you could keep this amulet with you to hide, and you could call for me. I would come to your aid as soon as I was able."

Her hand lifted and offered him the amulet, her body still pressed against his side for support.

 

[Mr_Positive]

Ethan looked down at the amulet in Illy’s hand, the glow of the cave casting shifting colors across its surface. It was a generous offer—one that would keep him safe, allow him to call for her if needed. But as he stood there, feeling the weight of her leaning against him, something inside him hesitated.

He had made his choice. He had turned away from the star-walker’s offer, from the promise of reunion with Mia. That door was closed. And yet, stepping back into the world he had known before—alone—felt just as final.

His grip on the staff tightened as he glanced around the cave again. This place, strange as it was, felt like a threshold between two lives. One foot still in the familiar, the other in something unknown. And he wanted to know more.

He exhaled slowly. “I could stay,” he said, his voice even. “For a while.”

The words settled between them, a quiet certainty beneath them. He wasn’t entirely sure what he was asking for—for her to let him stay, to let him help, to let him *see*. He only knew that stepping back through the tree, back to the cabin, felt like leaving something unfinished.

His gaze flickered back to the amulet, but he made no move to take it. Instead, he met her eyes. “I want to see more of the paths.”​

 

[Poprockz]

Illuvian blinked in surprise. Did he want to stay in her cave? While it was indeed something a human might find interesting, one could argue that the place was also not set-up to accommodate a human such as himself. There were no chairs, and the nest would be supremely uncomfortable for him if he were to rest there. There was also no food that would satisfy him there. She was starting to wonder if he was trying to say that they would both either stay here or at his cabin; if forced to make that choice she would choose the cabin. After all, while imposing on his company wasn't ideal, she disliked the idea of putting him through a night in her cave even more.

His comment about the paths had her concerned though.

"The paths are indeed alluring to most humans, but it is dangerous for you there." She shifted slightly on her feet. "If we are to stay together though... let us go back to your cabin. My home is not suited to host you. On the way back, I can... See about taking a different route so you can see a little bit more if that is acceptable."

 

[Mr_Positive]

Ethan hadn’t expected her to agree so easily, but as she spoke, he could hear the hesitation beneath her words. It wasn’t just concern for his well-being—though that was certainly part of it. She didn’t want him staying here. And as he looked around the cave once more, he understood why.

The space was fascinating, otherworldly even, but it wasn’t meant for him. The glowing gemstones embedded in the rock pulsed with an almost living light, their hues shifting subtly, casting Illuvian’s figure in an ethereal glow. The nest, the scattered trinkets, the faint hum of magic in the air—it was hers. A space built for solitude, not for company. He had intruded into her world, and though she had allowed it, that didn’t mean she wanted him to stay.

Ethan exhaled, feeling the weight of that realization settle over him. “Alright. The cabin, then.”

He slid her arm more securely over his shoulders, careful with his movements. She was light against him, but he could feel the exhaustion in her frame. It was remarkable that she was even standing after what she had been through. As he guided her toward the entrance of the cave, he kept his grip firm but gentle, steadying her with each slow step.

The cave was deeper than it had first appeared, the glow of the gemstones reflecting off the damp stone walls as they moved. The sound of the waterfall outside was a distant roar, muffled by the rock, but as they neared the entrance, it grew louder, the air thick with the scent of moss and water.

Ethan felt the shift before he saw it. The boundary.

The place where the cave in his world and the fae realm overlapped. It was subtle—just a slight change in the air, a faint shimmering at the edges of his vision, like looking through heat rising off pavement. He had felt it before, back at the tree where he had first stepped into this strange place, but here it was different. More alive. More ancient.

Illuvian paused, catching her breath, and he slowed with her. For a brief moment, he considered saying something—asking her if she was sure about this, about leaving her home behind for his sake. But the answer was already clear. She had made her choice just as he had made his.

When they reached the entrance, he adjusted his grip, steadying her as they stepped through the veil. It was like stepping from one dream into another. The world of the fae stretched before them once more, vast and endless in its strange beauty. The light was softer here, diffused in a way that made it difficult to tell if it was day or night. The trees loomed tall and ancient, their bark shimmering faintly, as if touched by starlight. The path ahead twisted and curved, unfamiliar yet inviting. Ethan felt the pull of it, the quiet lure of the unknown. She had offered to take a different route. To show him more. And for now, that was enough.

“Lead the way,” he murmured.​

 

[Poprockz]

As soon as they crossed the threshold, she once again felt immediate relief. The woman stood up straighter and no longer needed to lean on him any longer. He was a kind soul, to bear the weight of her frailty, but she didn’t want to take advantage of this kindness too much.

"Alright," she nodded, taking his hand once more as she led him away. She had indeed promised to take him back to the cabin via another path, but now she was slightly regretting that promise. Illuvian had chosen the path that least dangerous aside from the previous, but it still posed its own threats and unexpected situations. Every now and then her eyes would glance at him as though making sure that he was still there despite being able to feel him against her palm.

At one point, they came upon a place in the path where it was overrun by flowers. They were cute little flowers that looked like daffodils if daffodils were the size of large teacups and were a vibrant shade of blue. Illuvian stopped a good three yards away from them and frowned, looking around.

She knew those flowers, and she didn't want to cross there with him. Though it was never wise to go off the beaten path as a human even with a guide. Of course Illuvian could try to fly him over the flowers, but one wrong thought and they both might drop. Thoughts were very powerful here, so if at any point he thought about the possibility of falling, it would as good as guaranteeing that it would happen. She could tell him not to think of falling, but when had that ever worked for anyone?

"So... we have three choices. I a fly us over those flowers, we can turn back and seek another path, or we can go off the path around the flowers. I personally do not like any of these options, least of all going off the path. I would be willing to fly us, but you would have to continue to talk the entire time and focus your attention on our conversation without letting your mind wander. What would you like to do?" The fae regarded him seriously, wondering if he would take the risk.

 

[Mr_Positive]

Ethan stared at the field of flowers, their oversized blue petals swaying gently, though there was no breeze. They looked harmless—beautiful, even—but by now, he knew better. Nothing in this world was ever just what it seemed. If Illuvian was wary of them, then there was danger hidden beneath that beauty.

His gaze shifted to the edges of the path, where the trees twisted into unnatural shapes, their dark trunks blending together in an unsettling way. There was no clear way around, not without leaving the path entirely. He had learned enough about this place to know that straying from the path could be far worse than any obvious threat.

That left two options. They could turn back and try another route, but that could take them deeper into unknown territory, possibly leading to even greater dangers. Or they could fly.

Ethan clenched his jaw, considering the risks. The thought of flight wasn’t what unnerved him—it was the knowledge that here, in this strange and unpredictable world, thoughts had power. He had to keep his mind steady, his focus sharp. If he so much as entertained the idea of falling, it could become reality. He had never had to control his own thoughts so carefully before, never had to wield his own mind as both weapon and shield.

He took a slow breath, forcing his muscles to relax.

“Flying,” he said finally. “Let’s do it.”

The words felt heavy as they left his lips, like they had set something into motion that couldn’t be undone. His heart pounded, but not with fear—at least, not exactly. It was the weight of the unknown pressing against him, the realization that he was about to trust something completely outside of his experience. His gaze flicked to Illuvian, watching for any sign of hesitation. But there was none. She had given him the choice, and he had made it.

Now, all that was left was to see it through.​

 

[Poprockz]

He was given a searching look for a moment to make sure he was certain, but the conviction was clear in his eyes without too much pause. She nodded and gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile, “do not worry; while the flowers are indeed dangerous, they will not kill you, nor will they maim you. The only advice I would give you would be that if for some reason you find yourself in the flowers in the future, hold your breath and try not to breathe in the pollen.”

The advice given, she closed her eyes for a moment and started to glow that familiar green. The soft light spread from her body, to her hand, and then crossed over to him as well until they both had the glow of her magic. It would feel like something was almost imperceptibly buzzing against his skin, the smell of the forest in his nostrils, and the soft sound of wind whispering in the trees. The wind wasn't the only thing whispering. He could hear the faint sound of the trees speaking in hushed tones, mostly about him.

"Who is that human?"
"He helps."
"Not worthy."
"He was acknowledged."
"Foolish."
"Brave."
"The Artist!"
"He doesn't belong."
"Already has roots."
"Fire-bringer."
"He knows the name."

Illuvian slowly raised them from the ground; one might find it reminiscent of Peter Pan in the way she simply moved through the air the way she wanted to. Once they were at an appropriate height of about seven feet, she started to float them over the flowers.

"Do you hear them?" she asked, hoping to distract his thoughts.

 

[Mr_Positive]

Ethan felt the shift as soon as the magic touched him—like a current running just beneath his skin, a hum that he couldn't quite hear but could somehow feel. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. The glow spread from her to him, and the air around him seemed to change. The scent of damp earth and greenery intensified, filling his lungs like the deep inhale of a storm-drenched forest.

Then the whispers began.

They came from all around, woven into the rustling of leaves and the distant creak of unseen branches. At first, it was like hearing voices through a thick wall—muffled, indistinct. But the longer he listened, the clearer they became.

"Who is that human?"

"He helps."

"Not worthy."

"He was acknowledged."

Ethan's brow furrowed. The voices carried so many different tones—some disdainful, others neutral, a few almost... approving. They spoke like they knew him, as if they had been watching all along.

"Foolish."

"Brave."

"The Artist!"

That one struck something deep within him, though he couldn’t say why. It was spoken with more weight than the others, as if the words themselves meant more here than they ever had in his own world.

"He doesn't belong."

"Already has roots."

The words coiled around him, wrapping tighter, settling into the cracks he didn’t even realize he had. He clenched his jaw, his hands flexing instinctively, though there was nothing to grab onto.

"Fire-bringer."

That one sent a shiver through him.

"He knows the name."

What name? What were they talking about?

Illuvian’s voice broke through the haze. "Do you hear them?"

Ethan let out a slow breath, steadying himself. His eyes flicked toward her for the briefest moment before returning to the open air ahead of them.

“Yes.”

The word came out quieter than he intended, but firm. He wasn’t sure if acknowledging the voices was wise, but ignoring them felt impossible. The ground drifted further beneath them as they floated higher over the cursed field. The strange blue flowers swayed below, their petals yawning open, as if reaching for something unseen. Ethan forced himself to focus. He had made his choice, and he wouldn’t falter now. The whispers continued, threading through the wind, weaving stories he didn’t yet understand.​

 

[Poprockz]

MShe gave him a small, knowing smile as they moved forward. They weren’t going slowly, but she also didn’t want to go too fast. While she was capable of shooting over the flowers with him like a bullet, she didn’t want his crash to be that much harder if he did fall.

“Pay them no mind. Some of them are mistrustful of humans, and others begrudge the fact that I have given you permission to use my name. They are very protective of me, as I am of them. You will find that trees are quite stubborn.” There was a little chuckle.

They were about halfway past the flowers at that point, and she was pleased with their progress.

 

[Mr_Positive]

Ethan listened to her words, but the whispers still clung to him, curling around his thoughts like creeping vines. Pay them no mind. That was easier said than done. They weren’t just noise—they were speaking about him, judging him, measuring him against something he didn’t understand.

His grip tightened instinctively, though on what, he wasn’t sure—there was nothing solid to hold onto, no ground beneath his feet. The air carried them forward at a steady pace, slow enough that he could feel every inch of movement. He wasn’t afraid of heights, but there was something unnatural about being weightless, about trusting something unseen to hold him up.

"They are very protective of me, as I am of them."

His gaze flickered toward the trees that lined the path. They stood tall, ancient, their branches weaving together like clasped hands. He could almost feel their presence pressing against him, watching, judging.

"You will find that trees are quite stubborn."

He exhaled, willing himself to focus. “That doesn’t surprise me.” His voice was quieter than he meant it to be, but steady.

They were halfway across now, the field of strange blue flowers stretching beneath them like a living sea. The way their petals moved, the way they seemed to breathe in unison, unsettled him more than he wanted to admit. He didn’t doubt her warning—whatever magic lay in those flowers, he had no desire to find out what it could do.

The whispers hadn’t stopped. Some had grown fainter, like wind through distant branches, while others still curled at the edge of his hearing. The Artist. That one had been spoken with such certainty.

He forced himself to push the thought aside. One step at a time. Or in this case, one slow, floating inch at a time.

“We’re almost across,” he murmured, more to himself than anything. It was a reminder. A tether.

The air still hummed around him, alive with energy he didn’t understand. But he held onto his focus, forcing the whispers to fade into the background.​

 

[Poprockz]

“Fly, human!”
“Don’t give up!”
“It came for him.”
“Why?”
“Darkness eats light.”
She eats darkness.”
“He’s going to fall!”
“Don’t say that!”

Illuvian glanced at him in concern, though she tried to keep a straight face. The trees weren't helping, and she didn't want him getting distracted after they were almost through.

"When we're back at your cabin, can I have some more honey?" she asked quickly.

 

[Mr_Positive]

The voices wove around Ethan like a tangled net, pulling at his thoughts, pressing into his mind with each whispered word. "Fly, human!" "He’s going to fall!" He ground his teeth against the words, willing them away. He wasn’t going to fall.

But the weight of their attention sat heavy on his chest. They were watching, waiting, judging. And the way they spoke—it was as if they knew something he didn’t. Something about him. His breath came slow and measured as they drifted the last few feet over the field of strange blue flowers. He could see solid ground ahead, the path winding away into the trees, back toward the mortal world. Almost there.

"When we're back at your cabin, can I have some more honey?"

The question caught him off guard, a sharp contrast to the eerie murmurs still hanging in the air. He almost laughed—almost. But the tension in his shoulders didn’t ease. “Yeah,” he said simply, keeping his focus straight ahead. “You can have all the honey you want.”

The last of the whispers faded as they finally touched solid ground. The second his feet landed, he felt the weight of the world return, the strange sensation of floating disappearing in an instant.

The journey back through the fae paths was a blur. The magic of the place still hummed in his bones, but he forced himself to keep moving, step by step, never looking back.

Then, finally, they stepped through the veil, and the world shifted around them. The air changed. The scents of earth and magic faded into something familiar—pine, damp leaves, the distant scent of woodsmoke from his cabin. The mortal world.

Ethan barely had time to steady himself before Illuvian’s weight sagged against him. He caught her without hesitation. Her legs—he already knew. Whatever strength she’d had in the fae realm was gone now, leaving her too weak to stand.

He adjusted his grip, supporting her with ease as he guided her toward the cabin. The walk was short, but every step felt longer with her leaning against him, her body light but fragile.

The cabin door swung open with a creak, the warmth of the space inside wrapping around them both. He didn’t hesitate as he brought her to the bed, lowering her onto the mattress with careful hands. She looked impossibly small against the blankets, exhaustion weighing heavy on her features.

Ethan exhaled, rolling his shoulders as he straightened. “I’ll get your honey.” His voice was quieter now, steadier. He moved to the kitchen, pulling the jar from the shelf.

A spoon clinked against the glass as he scooped out a generous amount, bringing it back to her. Without a word, he set it within reach before stepping back. The cabin was silent now, the only sound the distant wind through the trees outside. The weight of the fae world still clung to him, but for now, he let it rest.​

 

[Poprockz]

Illuvian was relieved that they had made it over the flowers and through the paths without incident. Ethan seemed… troubled though. Could he have been disturbed by what the trees had whispered about him? The fae was tempted to ask him, but she wasn’t sure whether it was her place to ask him of his inner feelings.

She reflexively reached for the spoon, but when it passed between them she let out a little hiss and dropped it on the floor. Immediately she felt a sense of guilt; he had taken the time to get her what she had asked for, and a generous amount of it by the looks of the heaping spoon, and now she had made a mess.

While a lot of human customs weren’t known to her, at the very least she knew that dropping something on the floor usually meant that the food in question would be thrown away or given to an animal. The fae had similar inclinations as far as that went. Most of them, at least. As a fae who could shift into an animal, ate things with her hands, and lived by herself in the woods, she had no qualms about eating something from off the floor. His cabin floor looked much cleaner than the forest floor too.

“My apologies- I was distracted. Don’t worry, I have no intention of letting it go to waste,” she responded, pulling back the covers as she prepared to turn into a raccoon or some such animal.

 

[Mr_Positive]

Ethan barely had time to process what had happened before Illuvian reacted. The sharp hiss, the clatter of the spoon hitting the floor—he winced, realizing his mistake immediately. Metal.

“Damn. Sorry, Illy.” He was already moving, crouching down to clean up the mess before she could do whatever it was she had in mind. Her words barely registered before he cut in, voice firm. “Leave it. I’ll get you more.”

There was no room for argument in his tone. He scooped up the dropped spoon, wiping the honey from the floor with practiced efficiency before tossing the contaminated bit into the trash. Then, without hesitation, he reached for a wooden spoon instead, grabbing a fresh scoop from the jar. This time, when he returned to her bedside, he was more careful. He held it out in offering, watching her closely, making sure there would be no more mistakes.

“Here. And stay put.” He straightened, crossing his arms over his chest. “Rest. You’re not moving from that bed until you’ve gotten some actual sleep.”

The way he said it left no room for argument. He was done watching her push herself past exhaustion. Done watching her pretend she wasn’t barely holding on. The moment they had stepped out of the fae realm, her body had given up on her, and he wasn’t about to let her pretend otherwise. Ethan let out a slow breath, forcing some of the tension from his shoulders. It was only then, as the adrenaline of the journey began to fade, that he caught another detail.

She hadn’t bathed. Since the fight. Since she’d swallowed the dark creature whole. His jaw tightened. He hadn’t thought about it before—hadn’t let himself think about it. He had been too focused on getting them both back in one piece. But now, standing there in the quiet, the realization settled over him like a weight. She needed to wash off whatever that thing had left behind. But how the hell was he supposed to bring that up? His eyes flickered to the basin in the corner of the room, the stored water, the cloth. Simple enough. But the words stuck in his throat.

He shifted on his feet, clearing his throat. “Uh…” He hesitated. This wasn’t something he could just order her to do, like with resting. This was different. More personal. And the last thing he wanted was to offend her.

Still, he couldn’t just not say anything.

Ethan exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Illy…” His voice was unusually careful now. “You, uh… might want to clean up. After everything.”

It was vague, awkwardly phrased, but it was the best he could do. He waited, bracing himself, unsure how she’d take it.​

 

[Poprockz]

“Oh but-… okay.” she was about to protest his command to leave it, but his demeanor and the look in his eye stopped her. The wasted honey was regrettable seeing as the bees worked hard on that sort of thing, but it couldn’t be helped.

The honey was just as wonderful as it passed her lips, the fae glancing at him as she ate it bit by bit like one might eat a spoonful of peanut butter. Eating it all at once would have been foolish in her opinion- better to savor the sweet treat.

Her name had her looking up at him expectantly, though what he said next gave her pause and she looked down at herself. Now that he mentioned it… several days of sweating and coughing up black goo had left her in a less than ideal state, and she imagined she probably didn’t smell the best.

How was she supposed to bathe though? They were too far from the hot springs pool and the river as well. The lake was even further still. He seemed to have access to water in his cabin from the kitchen sink, but she had never been in nor used his bathroom so she was unaware he likely had a bath. She could try washing off with a cloth, but wasn’t sure if she could do so from the bed without getting the bed wet and being able to reach everything. It sounded tiring as well…

She pressed her lips into a thin line, looking rather conflicted. “How do you propose I do that? I’m… a bit weak at the moment, and you only seem to have access to water from that.” Her finger indicated the kitchen sink.

 

[Mr_Positive]

Ethan hesitated, watching her reaction carefully. He could see the conflict in her expression, the way she weighed her options. He’d half-expected her to shrug it off, to insist it wasn’t necessary, but she didn’t. That, at least, was a start.

He shifted his stance, glancing toward the back of the cabin. “I, uh… I actually have a small bathtub out back,” he admitted. “Not much, but it’s enough to get clean.”

That much was true. It wasn’t anything fancy—just a deep, old-fashioned tub he used every now and then when he wanted more than a quick rinse. He had a way to heat water, too, though it took a bit of effort.

But saying that was the easy part. The harder part was the thought that followed.

She was weak. Too weak to stand, too weak to move much at all. He knew that. And the idea of just letting her struggle through it on her own didn’t sit right with him.

He exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. “If you want,” he said, choosing his words with care, “I could help. Just to make it easier.”

There it was. The offer was out in the open now, hanging between them.

Ethan wasn’t sure what bathing meant for fae. If it carried the same weight as it did for humans. If it was the same kind of vulnerable. The thought made him cautious, hesitant in a way he rarely was.

His fingers curled slightly at his sides. “Only if you trust me.” The words were quiet but firm. He wouldn’t push, wouldn’t insist. This had to be her choice.​

 

[Poprockz]

Ah, so he had a tub outside… still, even if she was able to soak and perhaps clean herself in it, getting in and out would be an issue.

His offer of help made her eyes widen slightly and her cheeks started to become more pink, her eyes averting from his to look down at her honey-spoon. They both knew what that meant- that he would be carrying her naked form to and from the bath, perhaps even helping her wash her back and hair.

Normally she would have immediately and firmly refused him, seeing as being naked was a very vulnerable thing to do around someone. While the fae were capable of tricks and illusions, the only way she could actually hurt him would be to physically strike him.

Typically for nymphs, they remained hidden for their own safety. If they were discovered, they used tricks and illusions to confuse and disorient until they could get away. If all else failed they could strike someone physically, but she was far from being at her best in that regard. Even at full strength, she doubted she could prevail against him without a knife. One didn’t typically take knives to the bath though. Well, not humans, anyway.

That all being said… if he had wanted to do anything to her, he likely would have done it by now. Trust was a very difficult thing for her to do, especially with a human. But as she looked back up at him, she decided that perhaps she would place her faith in him once more. His eyes didn’t have greed tainting his gaze- he actually looked just as awkward about this as she felt.

“I… will accept your help in this if you are willing,” she said with difficulty. It would have been a lie if she claimed that this didn’t also hurt her pride a little to be so helpless that she needed to be washed by another. “Trust is… not an easy thing for me to do, so I hope you will not make me regret placing myself in your care. I would hate to have to make you regret it as well.” The fae had tried to make her tone give off a self-assured tone, as though she was perfectly capable of what she said but she couldn’t hide the way in which her hands nervously fiddled with the spoon.

Part of her felt a little guilty for making that veiled threat in the face of his goodwill, but she hadn’t been able to help it. Like a wounded animal she was putting up the front of strength to protect herself whether or not his intentions were good or bad.