Smoke choked out the lungs, though long left behind. A bloody haze tainted the world. The constant drone of clashing weapons and dying men. Everything was numb. It had to be or it would all fall apart. The loneliness would set in and then just a shattered emptiness. Love could not cross that threshold. Love needed life to be felt.

Miles melted to nothingness in his dissociative state. Dirt roads turned to paved streets. Trees turned to buildings. Emptiness turned to crowds. Crowds that parted away before the image they saw. A lumbering giant, soot stained skin, arrows in his shoulder, and blood… too much blood.

His feet took him where they were wont to go. At this point his mind was too far gone to even notice where they followed until they stopped. A hilted breath caught in his throat as he stood frozen. He didn’t even have the strength to knock on the door. The loud thud of his head hitting the side of the small home was the closest he could get to a knock.

The door cracked open briefly before swinging wide and the redhead that owned the home stepped into view. Confusion crossed her face. “Lejfur?” His condition, the pain that laced his features, and his presence, alone, filled in the many questions she wanted to ask. Why he was there became abundantly clear. “Oh… oh no… Lejf…”

A cracked sob broke Lejfur’s mindless agony. He fell to his knees on her doorstep, caught only as she put herself in his way so he wouldn’t fall to the floor. Alyx hugged him to her chest, brushing her hands through his hair, letting him pour out his grief as he sobbed. Blood and tears would stain her shirt but it was a small sacrifice. 

There was nothing she could do except provide him any comforts he might need and heal what physical wounds she could. There was no replacing that life he’d lost. “I’m so sorry, Lejf. I’m so, so sorry…”

Crickets were the only thing that Lejfur could hear when he finally willed his eyes to open. Instead of hearing the drum of his heart in his ears it felt like it had stopped. Losing Chen… he feared that more than anything, and his mind knew it. Just like it used to torment him with memories of when he hurt Tajsa, now it tormented him with losing her.

He could feel the tiny firebrand curled up against his arm. She was tucked warm between him and Heilang, the two largest creatures a tiny human like her could claim as her own. Willing away the agony of the fear in his heart, Lejfur wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in close.

“Lejf…” her tiny voice squeaked out from against him.

“Hey, big guy. You okay?”

Pain throbbed and white flashed behind Lejfur’s eyes, distorting the voice and drowning out much else. He groaned and tried to stand but didn’t get very far.

“Woah, slow down there. You took a big fall. Take it easy. Take it easy.”

Soft hands brushed his cheeks and a wet cloth dabbed at his forehead. Lejfur tried again to open his eyes but the light was blinding. Blinking away the glare, he saw the face of an angel. As his eyesight focused he saw the most beautiful smile, sparkling hazel eyes, and a halo of red hair. Before he could speak, she shushed him.

“You’re still bleeding. If you’re able, drink this.”

The familiar red liquid passed over his lips and all his aches and pains seemed to fade.

“That’s better. You may be big, but you’re not indestructible. Don’t push yourself so hard next time.” The woman stood up, towering far and above what he expected, and offered her hand to help him stand. He hesitated to take the help and she seemed to understand why. “I wouldn’t offer my hand if I didn’t think I could stand. Come on.”

And help she could. With a heft and a push, Lejfur was back on his feet. A bit woozy but stable. Shaking off the vertigo, he oriented himself back towards the woman that presumably saved his life. “Thank you… miss…?”

“Alyxeria, Valkyrie of Elion. But you can call me Alyx.” She gave him that brilliant smile and for a moment he was light headed again. “Why don’t you come back with me to Calpheon? You could get that head of yours checked out and maybe I’ll buy you a drink for being such a good patient.”

“That… sounds very nice. Thank you. Alyx.”

“It was my pleasure, really. What was your name?”

The swamps of Serendia are not kind to the faint of heart. Their thick mud, dangerous plants, and aggressive inhabitants drive off even the well prepared. Most who frequent its domain stay to the roads and try to keep as close to the city of Glish as they can. Some, on the other hand, just want to see the world and everything it has in it. For better or worse.

The fogans did not respond kindly to the giant, his small friend and her black creature. Their packs grew thick and though they could fight off most of them they were driven away from the roads by the masses. For the most part the small girl was able to direct her furred companion to her own defense, but occasionally had to draw her blade on one that got too close.

“Chen, stay close to me,” the giant called back to her. There was no immediate response. The sound of Heilang attacking and clawing his way through enemies meant he was protecting her but it was hard to hear where he was through the din of the fogan’s battle cries.

“Lejf!!” The scream came shrill through the air and made his heart stop. 

He snapped around in place and his blood ran cold when he saw how much they’d gotten separated. “Chen!?”

Heilang was doing his best to protect her but they were cornered against a ruined building and he was growing weak. Spears pierced his side and he roared until they shrunk against his force. Maybe one or two fell to his teeth before they recovered and continued their incessant attacks.

One of the fogan commanders, mounted high on his rough lizard’s back, charged through in a straight line for Heilang. He met it head on but was forced back to the ground. It was a battle he was going to lose in his weakened state. Chen seemed to recognize that, folding her hands together and then snapping them outward. Heilang’s mournful whine resounded in the swamp as he vanished from space, dismissed. She was now completely exposed.

“Chen!” Lejfur swept his axe through the frog like bodies and crushed those that did not move under foot as he charged. Nicks and cuts found their way past his armor as he ignored every creature between him and Chen. Shoulder down, he ran straight into the beast that the fogan commander rode and knocked them both flat into the water.

The numbers didn’t matter anymore. All he cared about was getting them both out of there. Stowing one axe, Lejf scooped Chen up into his arm and bolted. His foot met the chest of the still struggling commander and ensured that it did not get back up.

He ran north with no specific destination in mind so long as it was free of danger. He didn’t stop until they reached the river that separated Serendia proper from Heidel. Chen was still curled in a ball against his chest, muddy and shaking, but safe. Unharmed.

Better safe than sorry, he walked a short while east to get them closer to the city, just in case they needed supplies. Stopping near both a bridge and a small farm seemed like the best place for now. Gentle as he could, Lejfur set his small companion down on the river bank and began helping her clean the mud from her legs. No sign of blood. A relief.

“Are you alright?” She nodded quickly. “And Heilang?”

There was hesitation now. Chen repeated that same motion as earlier and the large black creature rematerialized in a space nearby. He landed rough, stumbling on his feet, but did not intend to let that stop him from threatening any that might pose a danger. His roar echoed out across the water but was unnecessary. There was no danger here. Realizing that, he settled and began nursing his own wounds.

Now clean, and assured that Chen was not hurt in any way, Lejfur calmed down. They were all okay despite the anxiety of the situation. Maybe they would stay in town tonight and treat themselves to a nice meal and maybe a hot bath. Interrupting his musings, Chen suddenly threw her arms around his neck in a hug and started crying.

“What’s wrong, are you hurt somewhere?” Lejf’s anxiety immediately picked up again.

She shook her head quickly but the crying didn’t stop. “That was… really scary. They really hurt you and Heilang. When we’re stronger we need to go back and teach them all a lesson.” Heilang accentuated her comments with a deep growl.

Now that his heart rate was allowed to return to normal again, he rumbled out a deep laugh. “We don’t have to go there ever again if you don’t want to. You’ll probably just get stuck in the mud again, being so short.”

The playful insult seemed to stop her crying as she scoffed at his comment. “Then you’ll just have to carry me! Or… I’ll ride on Heilang’s back.”

“I won’t be carrying you. Heilang, will you?” The creature stopped licking its wounds for a moment to huff at them both. “That sounded like a no to me.”

“You… you…!” Her face turned bright red and she dropped down from her embrace to huff on the ground next to him. “You meanies.”

some self indulgent fluff to help ease a bad day :)

Calpheon rose about the surrounding farmlands, ever the same as it has always been. A city as big as this saw all sorts of people coming and going. None paid any mind to the large giant walking through the streets with his rather miniscule companion skipping along side.

“While you’re in the market, I’m…. going to go run an errand,” she chirped, not quite hiding the fact that she was certainly up to something.

It certainly didn’t go past Lejfur’s notice. “Don’t cause any trouble, Chen.”

“Never.” With a coy little smirk across her face, she trotted down the street in quite the opposite direction.

Across the bridge on the south side of the city, the bell tower of the Holy College stood high and large above the city. Pretentious priests and their ever present need to be better than everyone else. Chenamin huffed and whistled into existence her beast companion. Heilang growled with her discomfort. “Yeah, you get it.”

Within the pristine walls of the college she garnered many looks. Most of those that walked these halls were among the clergy, or one of the many red-haired defenders. Her target was one of them.

“Excuse me, young miss? Are you lost?” A keeper of knowledge stopped her when she entered the library. Heilang growled at him and he backed off. 

Nestled deep within the stacks of books she found what she was looking for. A giant by Chen’s own standards but still dwarfed by Lejfur, a red-haired Valkyrie nose buried in whatever book had caught her fancy. “Ahem.”

The woman looked up, her wide eyed stare caught off guard from the sudden interruption. “Oh, ah, Miss Chenamin. I wasn’t… expecting you.” Her eyes glanced around the stacks but only found the black creature that always accompanied her. “What can i do for you?”

“Don’t get your hopes up, Alyx, Lejfur isn’t here.” She sat cross legged on the ground before her and snapped Heilang out of existence. “I unfortunately find myself in need of your help with him.”

“He’s not in trouble, is he??” Alyxeria quickly snapped her book shut and got to her feet.

“No, don’t be ridiculous. And I thought you had faith in his ability to defend himself,” Chen scoffed.

The reply didn’t garner much relief from the Valkyrie. It only spurred mild irritation. “If he’s not in trouble, then, what help could you need?”

Chenamin opened her mouth but stopped, not really sure what or how to say why she was there. This woman was a known entity, easy to predict, the ideal source of the information she was after. But ultimately, the reason why she had that knowledge made the jealousy bubble in her gut. 

“I… uhm… It’s, ah...” The words just wouldn’t quite come out.

“Chenamin, you can say whatever it is you need to say. There is no fear or judgement here.” Those sweet hazel eyes gave her that same sickening affection that they gave every other poor soul. That jealousy bubbled up higher.

“It’s nothing! Forget it!” With a huff and a stomp, Chen bounced back to her feet and marched off.

Alyx was quick behind her, bounding in front with her longer legs to kneel and stop her before she got too far. “I don’t know what’s got you all worked up like this. If Lejfur is alright, then surely it’s not so bad. Just tell me what it is.”

“But it’s not alright!”

“What isn’t? What’s not alright?

She didn’t immediately respond, instead looking for a way out. That simmer in her gut was starting to hurt.

“Chen?”