☼

Fae turned around to face the door, but turned back to what she was doing before immediately after once she saw the small child, “Did your parents send you in for transquilsis? For sleeping.” She said coldly before whispering not quite quiet enough for the boy to render inaudible, “damn theres been a lot of kids lately.” To finish her task, Fae stepped down from her stool after placing some new batches of potions on the shelves behind her counter and began to lazily walk towards the counter table.

He stared, taking in her words slowly. It felt odd, how suddenly the two were forced into the situation, and somehow he was asked to place all of his faith into this shopkeeper who he once wanted nothing to do with.

“Ah…” He found himself regaining his voice once more, blinking and coughing out the words. “Y-Yeah. Of course.”

This creature, this beast, whatever it was, was angry. It shifted to loosen its muscles in anticipation, more so because the smaller appearance of the two made for an easy game. Despite being much different, the animal was still a sentient being. It could sense fear, the monster allowing its jaw to open and close to flash its fangs. 

Fae turned around to face the door, but turned back to what she was doing before immediately after once she saw the small child, “Did your parents send you in for transquilsis? For sleeping.” She said coldly before whispering not quite quiet enough for the boy to render inaudible, “damn theres been a lot of kids lately.” To finish her task, Fae stepped down from her stool after placing some new batches of potions on the shelves behind her counter and began to lazily walk towards the counter table.

Just as Fae tried to take a step forward, she felt the boy tug hard at her. 

‘We need to run’

The words rushed into her head and created a chaos. Running? Away from what should be faced and pretending once you’re gone that you were just protecting yourself? She thought. it amazed her how some people just won’t take opportunities like these to improve themselves.

Fae opened up her weapon, showing the two thin blades next to each other with a little gap in between them leading down to a bright blue gem. This would be the first time she fought a real monster and protect someone else from getting hurt in the process, all outside of her hometown Lucerna. 

It was a chance that would be a waste to simply flee from. Fae tried to shake off the boy and then practically growled at him. 

“Run away?” She scoffed cruelly. “I don’t run, kid. I advance.”

But if this thing went on a rampage… It could easily set the forest on fire. Apollo lowered his head, thoughts racing between unresolved fears and the desire to be somehow useful. It was shameful, and he felt as though he should apologize to the female for speaking out of line. His own self criticism was enough, anyways. He nodded meekly at her words, although held his ground. He wasn’t of much use, but he couldn’t run. He couldn’t get in the way. It was better to stand still and pretend that he didn’t exist.

Fae turned around to face the door, but turned back to what she was doing before immediately after once she saw the small child, “Did your parents send you in for transquilsis? For sleeping.” She said coldly before whispering not quite quiet enough for the boy to render inaudible, “damn theres been a lot of kids lately.” To finish her task, Fae stepped down from her stool after placing some new batches of potions on the shelves behind her counter and began to lazily walk towards the counter table.

“I’m perfectly able to handle the woods!” He argued, turning to face the older. “It’s not that dangerous, and we both have weapons.” Apollo tilted his head, blinking at Fae. It was a bit careless of him– he had actually left most of anything he had to defend himself at home. Nothing really horrible happened in the forest anyways– so it was fine! The blond frowned at her comment, folding his arms. “That definitely sounds like something you’d say.” He mumbled. “Isn’t there something you want to do beyond your job?”

“Weapon?” Fae asked as she observed that boy before smugly smirking, “did you…not bring it?” Stifling a giggle Fae quickly brought her hand up to cover her smile, “y-you can’t even use magic, and you don’t e-even have a weapon? N-n-ot that dangerous? Hah!” Fae’s face was flushed red until the boy asked her about going beyond her job. Gradually the laughter died down and she replied, “of course there’s something. Its just…not the right time. But magic will help!” Fae gushed about the world of magic, how it could make the impossible possible! Talking on and on without looking at the boy she didn’t see his distaste. After the boy’s reveal only did she finally look direct at the boy’s face, “Are you…alone?”

She watched intently as the boy slow opened his mouth to speak before the silence was interrupted by a barbaric high pitched screech. 

“…Ah...?” He pulled the bag from its side, face growing pale as he tipped the bag to its side. A couple of stray coins fell out, the blond’s gaze darkening in pure terror. Typically the paranoid one, it didn’t take long for fear to be shown in his features, Apollo mostly focusing on searching every pocket. He tried to ignore the laughter, finally giving up on the lost weapon, although it only caused his face to grow much more red. 

He narrowed his eyes at Fae’s comment, ready to answer with a retort. First she was mocking him, and now she was trying to pity him? “I–” He jumped at the inhuman noise, his first reaction to turn sharply towards its source.

Fae turned around to face the door, but turned back to what she was doing before immediately after once she saw the small child, “Did your parents send you in for transquilsis? For sleeping.” She said coldly before whispering not quite quiet enough for the boy to render inaudible, “damn theres been a lot of kids lately.” To finish her task, Fae stepped down from her stool after placing some new batches of potions on the shelves behind her counter and began to lazily walk towards the counter table.

“You can find ingredients everywhere, it just depends if you know how to put them together and how they react.” She began to point a finger up, starting to give the boy a speech about the wonders of potions until he declared his place of residence. “You live here?” She asked incredulously. 

“I’m perfectly able to handle the woods!” He argued, turning to face the older. “It’s not that dangerous, and we both have weapons.” Apollo tilted his head, blinking at Fae. It was a bit careless of him– he had actually left most of anything he had to defend himself at home. Nothing really horrible happened in the forest anyways– so it was fine! The blond frowned at her comment, folding his arms. “That definitely sounds like something you’d say.” He mumbled. “Isn’t there something you want to do beyond your job?”

The forest, a second home to the boy, was filled with the unsettling haze, the blond looking up in alarm. The vulnerability unnerved him, causing him to visibly flinch at the sound of the voice from above. At its words he self-consciously lowered his head, clenching his teeth in a mild scowl. It was almost like this thing knew about him, and he couldn’t decide whether the fact that it appeared so powerful, or that it knew more than absolutely anyone was the most unsettling. “… I don’t have this ‘great power.’” He finally muttered, not daring to raise his tone. He took a step back, trying to appear composed. “I-I would never want to get involved in that. I’m not meant to use magic, anyways.“ Apollo countered, cursing his inability to keep a level voice.  

The mist was always useful, it helped towards corrupting others. Now the dragon was free, the mist it used regained it’s full power. It made others thoughts unclear. And helped to draw out their darkness. Darkness that it needed. The moment Apollo turned his head away, the dragon knew he was starting to question himself.

More reactions only made it clear that it was getting somewhere. To start with, he wasn’t trying to give the monster a reaction, but now, he seemed to be losing himself. “You’re not? … Then you can use it to become powerful. When he lifted his head up, he was met with a fake smile on the Queen’s face as she put her hand on his shoulder. “I see you’re finally starting to come around.”

The thought of getting stronger interested him. Perfect. It appeared that his intent to listen had greatly increased. And when he started laughing, the dragon was pleased indeed. The mist took full advantage of the darkness he was showing. “Power is what you want, right?”

The smile changed to more of a smirk now as she moved the card closer to him. Apollo’s was fixated on it by the way he was acting. The cards power started to pull him into a trance. It glowed with a corrupted aura and revealed itself as Number 92: Heart-eartH Dragon. “I want you to collect souls for me. I need them to become stronger. And with the power I gain, I will bring about a new world. Will you become one of the warriors who will help me with this…? If so then go on, take the card. It’s your choice.” Despite the mist affecting him, Apollo would be able to hear those words clearly. And with the state he was in now, if he did take the card, he would fall completely under its control.

The blond paused, stiffening slightly as the stranger placed a hand on his shoulder. He studied her face, features relaxing as he realized she was... smiling? It was an immediate reassurance-- Why... did he want to leave?

The mist... was easy for corruption. It first met barely any resistance, being that he’s never so much as seen anything like it. What was the worst to prepare for in a forest where the occasional traveler and pink-headed girl wandered into?  He wasn’t anything. He promised himself he was not over and over, but at the offering of power and every ugly wish bombarding his head made it simple to give in.  Give in. 

“Power?” He raised an eyebrow, making eye contact with a dull blue gaze. A smile crept onto his face, a small laugh coming out in a huff. “Of course...it-- It’s the only thing I could ask for.” Laced in subtle desperation, Apollo tilted his head, lowering his head slightly as he recognized the object as a card. Numbers? His knowledge of cards didn’t go beyond a basic summon, but something foreign to him would be good, right?

               Not being able to ᴛʀᴜsᴛ anyone and not knowing what’s going on…

Fae turned around to face the door, but turned back to what she was doing before immediately after once she saw the small child, “Did your parents send you in for transquilsis? For sleeping.” She said coldly before whispering not quite quiet enough for the boy to render inaudible, “damn theres been a lot of kids lately.” To finish her task, Fae stepped down from her stool after placing some new batches of potions on the shelves behind her counter and began to lazily walk towards the counter table.

Fae spoke up, her voice quivering slightly. “Hey. Where are you off to?”

“My house.” He smiled, lightly patting his bag. “I got what I needed, right..?” The blond tilted his head, cobalt gaze . “...You aren’t going to charge me more, are you?” 

The forest, a second home to the boy, was filled with the unsettling haze, the blond looking up in alarm. The vulnerability unnerved him, causing him to visibly flinch at the sound of the voice from above. At its words he self-consciously lowered his head, clenching his teeth in a mild scowl. It was almost like this thing knew about him, and he couldn’t decide whether the fact that it appeared so powerful, or that it knew more than absolutely anyone was the most unsettling. “… I don’t have this ‘great power.’” He finally muttered, not daring to raise his tone. He took a step back, trying to appear composed. “I-I would never want to get involved in that. I’m not meant to use magic, anyways.“ Apollo countered, cursing his inability to keep a level voice.  

“Heh.” It got more of a reaction, good. The more darkness the other showed, the easier it was going to be. By the way he was speaking he was clearly starting to panic indeed. “I don’t expect you to tell me everything. I just thought that you would at least know why you can’t use it. … Believe it or not, I sense that you would be very powerful if you used magic…” It pauses. “Or, are you just afraid?”

The figure who approached him waved her finger around mockingly. “Sorry if I ruined your plan of running away~.”  She then claps her hands together. “I’m so glad you’ll hear me out. Now then, is there something you want to be stronger for?” She gestures her surroundings.  “Maybe you want to protect this place, or maybe you want to feel brave enough to leave?”

Blue eyes widened at the dragon’s words, Apollo clenching his teeth. “Afraid…?” He echoed, lowering his head. “I’m not afraid of magic. I-I would never…”  His voice was laced with desperation, more so to convince himself of the lie.  Apollo mutely gripped at his neck, lifting his head to face the figure that spoke. 

Through the haze of muddled thoughts he was able to comprehend her words. The taunting… was annoying. He would’ve spoken out against it, but fell silent at the female’s proposition. Stronger. A logical part of him was terrorized of it, but there was a new crave for it, a need to be something. To be like Father. To be someone Mother could be proud of. In the brief moment of hysteria, he smiled, holding a hand to his face and laughing. 

Fae turned around to face the door, but turned back to what she was doing before immediately after once she saw the small child, “Did your parents send you in for transquilsis? For sleeping.” She said coldly before whispering not quite quiet enough for the boy to render inaudible, “damn theres been a lot of kids lately.” To finish her task, Fae stepped down from her stool after placing some new batches of potions on the shelves behind her counter and began to lazily walk towards the counter table.

The forest, a second home to the boy, was filled with the unsettling haze, the blond looking up in alarm. The vulnerability unnerved him, causing him to visibly flinch at the sound of the voice from above. At its words he self-consciously lowered his head, clenching his teeth in a mild scowl. It was almost like this thing knew about him, and he couldn’t decide whether the fact that it appeared so powerful, or that it knew more than absolutely anyone was the most unsettling. “… I don’t have this ‘great power.’” He finally muttered, not daring to raise his tone. He took a step back, trying to appear composed. “I-I would never want to get involved in that. I’m not meant to use magic, anyways.“ Apollo countered, cursing his inability to keep a level voice.  

“I’m not lying!” He protested, raising his voice in a moment of weakness. He promised himself he wouldn’t give this thing a reaction, but it was more so the growing panic within him that threw him off. Apollo’s voice faltered, fumbling over his words. “W-Well... I’m just not. What makes you think I’ll just blurt out everything about me, anyways?” 

Apollo whipped his head around at the sound of a voice, immediately halting. He was trapped. “That’s...” He shook his head, attempting to assert himself, even if he didn’t believe in his own words. At the mention of leaving did he pause, thinking the situation over. “...Okay.” He frowned, waiting in hesitate compliance. 

Fae turned around to face the door, but turned back to what she was doing before immediately after once she saw the small child, “Did your parents send you in for transquilsis? For sleeping.” She said coldly before whispering not quite quiet enough for the boy to render inaudible, “damn theres been a lot of kids lately.” To finish her task, Fae stepped down from her stool after placing some new batches of potions on the shelves behind her counter and began to lazily walk towards the counter table.