#lore legacy

The lights were beautiful, and Sirena stood in awe of them even after almost a dozen sightings.

It was a familiar dance. They would whir above, the creatures in Their strange, metal ship. A hatch would open underneath, and a light would beam down. Within that light would be her gift, one that rarely disappointed.

And this moon’s specimen was perfect: broad, tall, with a full beard and a disheveled outfit.

She caught the stranger as he collapsed forward and lowered him to the ground. “I got you,” she murmured, “you’re fine. I got you.”

“Where–where am I?” His voice rumbled from his chest, but despite the depth it was boyish–innocent even.

“You’re home,” Sirena smiled. Her teeth gleamed, and he shuddered.

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𝙻𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝙻𝚎𝚐𝚊𝚌𝚢 𝙵𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛

𝙶𝙰𝙸𝙰: 𝙶𝚘𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝙴𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚑 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙼𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝙰𝚕𝚕

𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚏𝚞𝚗 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝙶𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚔 𝙼𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚢 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊 𝚖𝚘𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚗 𝚝𝚠𝚒𝚜𝚝! 𝚂𝚘 𝚖𝚎𝚎𝚝 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝙶𝚊𝚒𝚊!

𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙾𝚞𝚝𝚍𝚘𝚘𝚛𝚜, 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝙶𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝙵𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚜 𝙵𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚢 𝙾𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍.

𝙷𝚎𝚛 𝙰𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚋𝚒𝚐 𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚢 𝚏𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚢 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚍𝚊𝚢.

A cool wind rolled over Palm Lake, providing a small reprieve from the late afternoon heat. But Carwin wasn’t in any space to enjoy it. His arches were killing him, he had a stitch in his side, and no matter how fast he ran his brain was outpacing him.

He slowed to a saunter, inhaling deeply. He felt for his phone in his pocket–still there, still on, still in service. So why hadn’t Nova texted him back?

He knew the answer: he had fucked up.

Nova’s jaw dropped. Fuck Alex, she thought, a futile attempt at defense. Still, her heart dropped to her stomach and she pulled her legs up to her chest. Her first try, and she had already struck out. Fuck Alex, she thought again and she angrily swiped on the screen, and fuck his dog, and fuck Sirena, and fuck this guy, fuck that guy–

She stopped and stared at her screen.

Carwin, 23. Only 5 miles away. Nova read his bio three times, trying to reconcile the snobbery with the picture: a pale green man with deep, inky eyes, just like hers.

She matched.

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“What’s going on?” His date said, “Alex, who is this?”

“I–I don't know,” Alex said.

“Oh my Maker,” Nova rolled her eyes, “don’t pretend you don’t know me. Let me guess, you didn’t tell her you were engaged, Alex?”

“You’re engaged?” the woman jolted up from her seat and glared at Alex. He started to protest, but Nova interrupted.

“With a baby on the way, we have to get married,” Nova sobbed, “isn’t that right, Alexander McGee?”

“I’m not engaged,” he growled, “and my name isn’t Alexander McGee.”

“You’re scum,” she said as she poked a finger into Alex’s chest.

He winced. “Sarah, wait!”

Sarah ignored him as she sauntered to the stairs. Alex leveled his eyes at Nova.

“You–you’re the girl from Simder.”

Finally, she typed: “What’s the most condescending kind of bear? 🐻”

An ellipsis appears in his chat bubble, indicating a forthcoming response. Nova watches it, rapt. When it comes, it’s too short: “No thank you.”

And then he unmatched.

Most magical creatures hated the new moon–werewolves couldn’t shift and spells lost their potency–but for Sirena it brought her hope. Without competition, the stars were bright and glittering, seemingly endless.

And even though she hadn’t come to Lucky Palms of her own free will, she stayed by choice–in part due to the magic of new moons in the desert.

They came at midnight on every new moon, always arriving at the same location: a small patch of desert circled by Joshua trees and cacti, about a mile northwest of the road. She had marked it with a circle of stones and protected it with a ward. She had no pretense of understanding what was happening, beyond the basics: she brought an offering for Them, and the people They brought were gifts in return. She would handle those gifts appropriately.

Sirena lifted her chest, raised her head, and spread her arms out. A deep rumble signified Their approach.