When the Eldritch Meets the Ethereal, part 2!
Posting short fics like this is starting to become a habit ð not that Iâm complaining, this is fun!
This is a follow-up fic from When the Eldritch Meets the Ethereal, which was a gift to my good friend @wouldntyou-liketoknow, and to her fic that was a sequel to mine, Talking in Your Sleep. (Iâd highly recommend reading these before you read this if you havenât already ð)
The characters of LeviathanPat and Sylphanie both belong to her, but the rest are my own, save for Jack Harkness and Toshiko Sato from Torchwood, who are briefly mentioned (also, this short fic contains mild spoilers for Torchwood: The Alternate Universe season 4, if youâve been following that series, so read with caution)
Warnings include nightmares and descriptions of body horror, and with that out of the way, letâs get into it!
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âI⊠have to go away for a little while,â Sam had said - all the while avoiding direct eye contact, âIâm not sure where exactly, but⊠Iâll know everything by the time I get back.â
Jay knew by now that when they phrased it like that, it wasnât a mission Jack had sent them on. Sam was either following a gut feeling, or someone else - someone who existed between plains of reality and was nearly older than humanity itself - had asked her to go.
The latter option always made Jayâs guts twist with anger. There was something about Harmonia and the Ancient Ones asking Sam to do things for them on a whim that just irked him - even if Sam didnât seem to mind or even seemed happy to do whatever they asked.
Jay just didnât like the fact that his spouse could be controlled so easily like this. No one told Sam what to do, not even ethereal beings from the beginning of the universe. Jay knew that well enough, but Sam seemed to have forgottenâŠ
Maybe sheâd just mellowed over the years. The absence of constant abuse and religious trauma making her more likely to simply follow instructions from âspiritual higher-upsâ, so to speak.
Even if that was the case, Jay still wasnât sure he liked it.
He was distracted from his thoughts, however, when his and Samâs daughter, Alexa, cautiously walked into the living room.
âAlexa?â He asked softly, âwhatâs the matter, dear?â
âItâs nothing,â Alexa murmured, giving him a smile that he knew was forced, âjust⊠Dad⊠does it feel a little cold to you?â
Jay blinked. Now that he thought about it⊠there did seem to be a chill - the kind of chill that you knew without investigating had spread throughout the whole house, which was especially unusual considering the warm, tropical evening outside.
âIt doesâŠâ he answered Alexa.
âMight be Rift stuff,â Alexa said, âshould I text Jack or Aunt Tosh?â
âNot right yet,â Jay replied slowly, âweâll just wait and see if anything happens first.â
Alexa paused at this, phone in her hands and thumbs presumably poised over the keypad. Then she nodded.
âOkay.â She said quietly.
âDonât be afraid, sweetheart,â Jay assured her, âIâm sure itâs nothing. You know better than me that sometimes weird things happen around a Rift - especially this one.â
Alexa nodded again, but didnât say anything more.
Jay knew she was still on edge - and he couldnât blame her, he was too, something definitely felt off in the air tonight.
He just hoped it didnât have anything to do with Sam, and that she was alright.
~~~
â...ððœðð ðððð ðð» âððð ð⎠ððð ðððŸðð ððð'ðð ððððððð?âŠâ
Sam sat bolt upright in the hotel bed with a loud gasp, hand instinctively reaching for The Lionâs Breath - even though it had all been a dream, and it wasnât like the sword wouldâve done much to protect them, they felt like they needed it.
They sat there in the dark, panting and sweating and pointing the sword at a non-existent enemy, for a good five minutes before their frantic heartbeat finally began to slow down.
Allowing The Lionâs Breath to transform back into the simple bracelet they typically disguised it as (they werenât sure they were comfortable just setting it aside at the moment), Sam reached out through the dark with their other hand until the cotton sheets turned to soft, warm fur.
Zephyr stirred slightly as their fingers reached her, shuffling a little closer to her owner in her sleep, but didnât wake. Sam slowly lay back down beside her, pressing their body into the massive felineâs shape and realizing they were shaking - although that mightâve been from the sudden dry coldness in the room, one that Sam was certain hadnât been there when theyâd arrived back at the hotel.
Now that they were awake, they could remember that finding their way back here hadnât been much trouble at all. Though they did faintly recall looking back in the direction they were certain that The Abnormal Orchard had been in and not being able to see it. Although, after having gotten a good look at Pat in the dream, they had an easier time believing that was just some clever trick of reality the eldrich being had pulled - whether it was specifically to freak Sam out or just something he always did.
As harrowing as the conversation with Pat had been, along with the frightening knowledge that a creature one could only imagine in their wildest nightmares actually existed out there⊠it wasnât just that that was bothering Sam. Something about the appearance of his supposed counterpart, whoâs name Sam didnât dare try to think of in case it melted their brain, had equally chilled them to the bone.
Seeming to sense their nervous thoughts, Zephyr nuzzled into them with a sleepy rumble, and Sam finally felt themself begin to actually relax, though the strange coldness in the air didnât seem to want to subside at all.
Their back was now facing the window, and even though they werenât exactly happy with that, theyâd much rather be cuddling Zephyr than facing away from her. Even if it meant being more vulnerable to whatever was outside.
If only you could twist your neck all the way around without breaking it like Pat. A small part of them joked, and they almost laughed. The only thing that stopped them from it was the shiver that ran up their spine at the memory of Pat taunting them in the dream-that-really-hadnât-felt-like-a-dream, head twisting at unnatural angles as he spoke. Jesus, that fucker was creepy, and they knew he liked that Sam thought that of him. But for some reason, right now he didnât hold a candle to the ethereal being who had suddenly shown up - Pat definitely knew her, but hadnât been expecting to see her.
Something about the way sheâd made Pat simply disappear, the way sheâd looked at Sam with all those eyes of hers⊠she was almost scarier than Pat.
Did Harmonia know her? Sam wished they could ask her, but to contact the Ancient Ones theyâd have to go back to sleep, and right now there was no way in hell they were doing that.
Suddenly, a flicker of movement caught Samâs eye, and they glanced up to stare at the wall of the hotel room.
Nothing moved, and the wall was cast in darkness - not even the moon outside was at the right angle to shine any light through the window.
For some reason, that was a hundred times worse than seeing anything.
Just as the feeling of uneasiness started to pass, Sam saw it again. A tiny pinpoint of radiant light dancing across the wall.
This time it didnât disappear immediately, and Sam sat up to peer at it, leaning over Zephyrâs sleeping form.
The tiger stirred, but still didnât wake.
The tiny speck of light kept shimmering and bouncing up and down against the roomâs nasty yellow wallpaper (ironic that it was that color, considering how Sam felt right now), even ever so slightly seeming to grow in size.
At first, Sam wasnât sure what the hell to even make of it, until they remembered that light typically didnât just randomly appear on surfaces without an outside source.
OutsideâŠ
Slowly, with a sense of dread creeping into their bones, Sam turned their head around to look out the window.
Despite the darkness in the city outside, somewhere in the near distance, there was light. Glowing and ethereal, just like in Samâs dream, just like⊠her. And it was moving, getting steadily closer as Sam watched, finding themself standing right next to the window without realizing theyâd moved at all.
Now, Zephyr awoke, her head abruptly snapping up as if on command and a growl rumbling in her throat as her piercing peridot eyes searched the shadows of the room.
Sam glanced back at her, holding their hand up to signal her to stay put, and when they looked back to the window, the view of the city was blocked by a massive, luminous face.
~~~
Deep in the impossible jungle, a place so full of life and light and a sense of peace one might think theyâd found the biblical Garden of Eden if they stumbled upon it, another great beast raised her head.
Harmonia swiveled her ears around, listening to the faint wind whisper through the trees. Something had definitely awoken her, and it had done so for a reason.
âLuca?â She called faintly into the night, but no reply came.
Regardless, the Leonasus stood from her nest and stretched, waiting for an answer to come to her.
That answer came in the form of Barsus, the Pronghorned Wolf, slinking out of the shadows of the trees, his amber eyes gleaming with a light of their own.
âHarmonia.â He rumbled, dipping his head in greeting. Harmonia copied the gesture.
âBarsus. What brings you here?â
âCan you not hear the voices in the wind? They have a message for you and I.â
Harmonia tilted her head at him.
âUs? Why us?â She asked, swishing her tail.
Barsus stared at her gravely.
âBecause we are the only ones who ever met⊠her.â
The single word sent a shiver through Harmoniaâs wings, and she instantly found herself in a vision - or perhaps more of a memory - of when she was no more than a cub.
Back then, the island now known as Saint Lucia had been dominated by the Ancient Ones, though it wouldnât be for much longer.
Barsus was a little older than Harmonia, standing next to her on wobbly stilt-legs as she struggled to stand at all.
Harmonia couldnât remember what had happened before or after this moment, only that the sky had suddenly turned dark - so dark even the light of the stars could not get through - and great balls of fire shot across it, as the ground shook with the distant sound of an agonized wail of despair.
The adults had begun murmuring to each other, all with worried looks on their faces, and a common name that was repeated over and over was a name Harmonia was not familiar with - âðŸððð ðâ.
Time seemed to pass quickly, but while fire still rained from the sky, a luminous figure appeared, a creature neither Barsus or Harmonia had ever seen before.
She was crying, tears of burning sunlight falling from her many eyes, and the adults all gathered around to comfort her as she wept, telling them of a terrible mistake and a lost love.
âMama,â Barsus asked when his mother broke away from the group, having promised to hunt a Cloud Buffalo in the hopes that it might help calm this strange visitor, âwho is she? Why is she so sad?â
Barsusâ mother simply glanced back over her shoulder at the despondent newcomer, a look of deep sadness in her amber eyes.
âShe is a friend,â she answered finally, âa friend who needs our help. She has done something that has broken her own heart.â
âCan we help?â Harmonia had spoken up.
Barsusâ mother gazed fondly down at her for a moment, then smiled, nodding.
âYes. Perhaps you can, if you go and sit by her.â
The two of them had made their way to the strange visitorâs side, Harmoniaâs legs so wobbly that she hardly made it, but eventually a few of the visitorâs eyes had fallen on the little ones who had appeared next to her, and some of the pain in her expression seemed to ease.
âðºðœ, ðâŽðð ð¶ð ðâŽðâŠâ she cooed in a voice like howling hurricane winds, âðâŽð ððððžðâŽðð ðððŸðâð. ð°ððððððœðð¹ ð·ð ððœð ðððâ¯ððð ðð» ðœððððððð.â
Back then, Barsus and Harmonia hadnât known what âhumanityâ meant. That was before any human had ever set foot on this land.
Sometimes, Harmonia still wished she knew what Sylph had meant - although she had an idea.
Had humans destroyed her homeland too? Was that the heartbreak Barsusâ mother had spoken of?
It seemed like she might be finally getting an answer.
âShe has returned.â Harmonia murmured, and Barsus dipped his head.
âShe has.â He replied.
âBut why?â
âThat I am not sure of. But I feel that the universe wants us to know she is here for a reason.â
âAgreed. We must leave immediately. I had hoped Sam would have gotten home by now, but I could send one of the Guardian Cobras to relay a message to her family.â
âThat seems like a good idea. I will wait here for your return.â
Barsus sat down in the tall grass where he stood, and Harmonia dipped her head to him before spreading her wings and leaping into the sky.
From above the treetops, she could see that the Tree of Life had taken on an unusual glow, slightly brighter to look at than normal. It almost hurt her eyes to gaze upon it for too long.
That was definitely a sign from the universe as well.
Harmonia wasnât sure why Sylph had returned, but it seemed she might be in need of their help, and if that was the case, Harmonia would follow her parentsâ teachings. Helping other beings was the way of the Ancient Ones, even when they themselves were much weaker than they had once been.
She only hoped that after all these thousands of years, Sylph remembered them all as well as they remembered her.
~~~
Jay was finding it hard to sleep.
He couldnât quite shake the feeling that something was wrong - and even without it, it was still so damn cold in the house, cold enough that Jay was considering getting up and rummaging through the closet for his old long-sleeved pyjamas heâd bought when he, Sam, and their kids had still been living in Wales.
Maybe his mind was just playing tricks on him. Sometimes the air in a room felt colder when under the covers just because the bed was so warm. That had to be the reason. Or maybe he was just overtired.
Jay took a deep breath that turned into a yawn, rolling over so his back faced the bedroom window.
The bed felt so empty without Sam. Now that he thought about it, not having his living-furnace of a spouse sleeping next to him mightâve also been contributing to the chill in the air. The only part of Samâs body that didnât radiate constant warmth was their feet, which were always cold, something their older brother Daniel had always said they should get checked out since it could mean they had poor circulation.
Sam would always roll their eyes when he said that, tell him theyâd give him poor circulation if he didnât leave them alone about it.
A smile had found its way onto Jayâs face as he thought of Sam. He could almost imagine them suddenly climbing into bed next to him after a late-night weevil round-up, snuggling up close to him and complaining about being dragged out of bed at this hour, pressing those cold toes of theirs in between his legs and making him shriek loudly enough to wake Athena in the nursery at the end of the hall.
Jay was startled from the half-fantasy, half-dream by the sound of the horses braying outside.
He had sat up in bed before he knew it, the vision of Sam being there shattering in the face of whatever had caused the horses such distress.
Throwing the covers off of him (and in doing so noting that the room was, in fact, still as cold as heâd expected it to be), Jay got out of bed and ran to the window, pushing it open to scan the yard for anything that might have disturbed the horses. However, their frantic neighing soon subsided. Jay could still hear them nickering to each other, but that sound was quickly replaced by something else.
SsssssssssssssâŠ
At first, Jay thought it was the wind in the palm trees outside. Their leaves were dry this time of year, so they usually made a hissing sound when the breeze picked up.
But then it came again, louder and closer than before.
SssssssssssssssssssâŠ
Jay stepped back from the window, frantically looking around. The noise seemed to be coming from everywhere at once - above, below, directly in front and behind him, his left and his right.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSâŠ
The sound was now more like that of the steam coming out of a boiling pot whoâs lid had just been lifted, or someone pretending to be a snake, or-
Jay froze.
Pretending to be a snake, or actually a snake? He thought.
The notion seemed ridiculous, since the sound had to be coming from something pretty big - larger than any animal besides maybe a blue whale could ever possibly be - but now that the thought of snakes had entered Jayâs head, he couldnât deny that the organic hissing likely couldnât have come from anything else.
His thoughts were confirmed when there was a dull scraaape from the balcony outside, followed by a faint creak as the door was pushed open.
HiiiissssssssssssâŠ
Jay fell back with a cry of fear, tripping over his feet and falling out into the hallway, landing hard enough to feel a sharp pain shoot up his spine from his tailbone as it hit the floor.
The long, shadowy form that had broken and entered into the bedroom slithered further across the floor, then raised its impossibly large head and blinked down at Jay with three massive, glowing yellow eyes.
Its forked tongue flicked out with another tiny hiss, and then, to Jayâs utter bewilderment, it spoke - without even opening its mouth.
âDo not be afraid, I do not come to bring you harm.â
Jay realized his mouth was opening and closing as he breathed heavily, but no words would come out.
âI am Serpentus,â the massive snake continued, âa friend of Harmonia, and of the human named Sam.â
That finally snapped Jay out of it. This was an Ancient One, not just some random talking snake.
That really should have been more obvious.
âSamâs not here,â Jay replied steadily, with an edge to his voice, âHarmonia sent her away on some quest, or whatever you call it.â
Serpentus bobbed their head, and Jay realized they were nodding.
âThat is why I am here. Something has occurred elsewhere on this planet tonight, and Harmonia had to leave to take care of it. She asked me to tell you so that Sam does not worry if they return before she does.â
As much as Jay was annoyed that this was the way the Ancient Ones were passing on this strange message, he knew Harmonia was right to suspect that Sam would worry if they came home and she had gone.
At least the Ancient Ones cared enough about Sam to ensure they wouldnât worry needlessly - theyâd done enough of that in their life, and not just over weird semi-mythical Rift-creatures, Jay knew that better than anyone.
He dipped his head briefly in respect.
âThank you,â he murmured to Serpentus, âIâll tell her that.â
Serpentus flicked their tongue out again, then wordlessly made to slither back out the way theyâd come.
âWait,â Jay said, âdo you know if Samâs alright? Has this⊠other thing Harmonia has to deal with affecting them?â
Serpentus blinked at him, head tilting to one side as their tongue poked back out and tested the air for a bit longer this time. Then they unhelpfully answered, âthat, I do not know.â
~~~
Sam couldnât help but scream and jump back from the window, just as Zephyr leaped from the bed and came to stand defensively next to them, still growling softly.
The massive face in the window remained impassive, thousands of eyes the color of smoky quartz all trained on Sam and their feline companion.
The beingâs gaze focused on Zephyr, and slightly softened.
âðŸððâ¯ð ðâŽð.â She murmured, and suddenly Zephyr had sunk to the floor in a ball, her chest rising and falling rhythmically.
âWhat did you do to her?!â Sam barked against their better judgment, defensiveness momentarily overcoming their fear.
The beingâs eyes all slowly moved back to Sam.
âð¯âŽ ððð ð·ð ðð»ðð¶ðð¹,â she said, âððœð ðð ð¶ðððâ¯ð, ðððððŸðâ ðžðð ðœððð ðâ¯ð.â
Sam took a shuddering breath.
âWho⊠what are you?â
âðŽ ðð ð®ððððœ.â
The last word was indiscernible, but it still sounded familiar.
âThatâs what he called you.â Sam said, once again without thinking.
Pain momentarily flooded the beingâs gaze, but quickly vanished.
âðâ¯ð. âðððð¶ððœðð ð¶ðð¹ â⊠ðâ¯ððððŸððð ððœððð ð ððŸððððð.â She said.
Sam wanted to say that based on what theyâd seen, Pat and this being definitely shared much more than just âa historyâ, but decided against it.
An angry ethereal being was just as bad as an angry eldrich being, and by now Sam knew better than to tempt either.
Instead, they dipped their head respectfully.
âI see,â they murmured, âforgive me for not being courteous. Your presence here startled me.â
âðŽ ðð¶ð ðâ¯ð ððœðð.â The ethereal being said, with a hint of annoyance. âð¿ðœððâð ððð â ðžððð ðâ¯ðâ¯. ðâŽð ððð ðð ð»ðð ð¶ðâŽð⯠ðððð ðâ¯ðð¹, ððŸððð⯠ðœðððð. ðâŽð ð⎠ððð ð·ððððð ððœðð ðžðâŽð⯠ðð ðâŽðâ¯ððœððð ððŸð⯠âðððð¶ððœðð.â
âI understand,â Sam replied, head still bowed, âbut I think you may not know the reason Iâm here. I was sent here by ethereals like yourself.â
âð¿ðœðð ððâ¯ð ððœðððð¹ ððâŽð ðâ¯ðððð ððð¶ð ð⎠ð¶ðððð ð¶ ð»ðð¶ððŸð⯠ððððð¶ð ð⎠ðžððð ð⎠ððð¶ð ð⎠ð¶ð ððððððžð ððððŸðð.â
Defensiveness flared inside Sam again.
âThey sent me here to assure that they werenât in danger. I am connected to them in ways that shield me from Pat. Besides, he said they might know you, if you are who I think you are.â
âð¿ðœðð ðððð ð⯠- ðð⎠ðððð ðâŽð ðâ¯ðâ¯?â
âThe Ancient Ones.â
The world seemed to stop for a fraction of a second - and, considering who Sam was talking to, perhaps it actually did.
âð¿ðœð ð¬ðððŸððð ðºðððâŠâ the ethereal being echoed.
âThatâs right,â Sam replied, finally finding the courage to look up into her face again, âI am bonded to the Ancient Ones, chosen by the universe itself to defend the space-time Rift they call home and assure that the balance of the cosmic energies in the galaxy remains intact. I wield the etherium sword named The Lionâs Breath, and I am The Queen of Hearts.â
The ethereal being stared at them for a moment longer.
âð¿ðœð ðŒððâ¯ð ðð» âðð¶ððð,â she murmured finally, âððœð ðððð ðâ¯ððŸðð¹ ððððâŽðð âŽð ððœð ð¬ðððŸððð ðºððð. ðžð ð¶ðâŽðâŽððŸðð, ðâŽðð ððð¿ðððð.â
âJust âSamâ is fine.â Sam replied with a wince.
It felt weird for an ethereal being to be calling them âyour majestyâ, even if Sam had been fond of the term in any way - which they werenât. It was likely just a formality.
This being wouldnât need to have any real respect for them, she wasnât the one they were connected to.
âðŸð¶ð,â the being echoed, âðâŽð ðð¶ð ðð¶ðð ðð⊠Sylphanie.â
Sam nodded respectfully.
âSylphanie,â they repeated, âIâm glad thereâs something I can call you that I can say without my brain melting through the roof of my mouth.â
To their surprise, Sylphanie laughed, though it sounded more like huge sheets of metal scraping together on a building site, or an old, rusty machine trying to do its job one last time before collapsing under its own weight.
âIâm here to ensure the safety of the Ancient Ones,â Sam explained when the sound died down, âthey sensed your buddyâs presence nearby and wanted to make sure he wasnât coming after them.â
âð¿ðœðð ðððð ððœðð ððâ¯ð ðð¶ð⯠ðððððŸðâ ðð ðâ¯ðð,â Sylphanie said, âð·â¯ððŸðððð¶ð ðð ð¶ðâðð, ðâŽððððððð. â¬ðð ðœð ðð ððð âŽðð ðð ðð¶ðð ð¶ððððð. ð²ððð, ð¶ðð â¯ððœðððð¶ðð, ððœðð ðŸð.â
Sam nodded awkwardly.
âThank you,â they said, wishing they could know more about her past with Pat, but smart enough to know that asking a deity-like being nosy questions was a good way to end up dead - or worse, âIâll tell them. Though from what I gathered at The Abnormal Orchard, I was already fairly certain of that.â
âðâŽð ððð ððŸð⯠ð»ðð ð¶ ðœðððð, ððœðð ðŸð ððððð ðððð¶ð,â Sylphanie murmured, âðâ¯ððœðð ð ðð» ððð ðœðð¹ ð·ðâ¯ð ððððð ð ðâ¯ð ðððð¹ðâ¯ð ðâ¯ðððððâ¯ð ðâð, ðð ðâŽððð ðâŽð ð⯠ððâ¯ð⯠ðð ððð ððŸððœð ðâŽð.â
Sam had absolutely no idea what that meant, but again, they knew better than to ask questions.
Besides, at that moment, Sylphanie looked up into the sky, and Sam leaned closer to the window to see what sheâd seen.
At first it just looked like two of the stars against the blackness of night were shining brighter than the others, but as Sam watched, they realized these werenât stars at all, and they were slowly getting closer, turning to brilliant silver and gold.
The gold ball of light took the shape of a massive winged lion, with a silky flowing mane and blazing blue eyes, and back legs that ended in pale pink hooves instead of paws.
The silver orb became an amber-eyed wolf the size of a horse, with three sharp horns like those of a ram on its head, and that appeared to be walking on nothing but the wind.
Sam opened the window and jumped out onto the ground, momentarily forgetting about Sylphanie.
âHarmonia!â They exclaimed, âBarsus! What are you doing here?â
âThe wind directed us to come here,â Barsus answered, âthereâs been another disturbance in the universe tonight.â
âAnd I believe weâve found her.â Harmonia added, stepping up to Sylphanie.
Now that Sam was outside, they could see the way Sylphanieâs body seemed both there and not-there, flowing in intricate billowing patterns like clouds in the wind, or translucent silk. She glowed like the afternoon sun, though if one looked closely, they would notice small ribbons of rainbow colors twirling within her form. Her flower-like head and shoulders were dotted with thousands of eyes, the only things dark about her, though they still glowed from within, as though someone had held a light up to a piece of amber.
She had been staring at Harmonia and Barsus since they appeared in the sky without saying a word, and now she bent closer to them, as if trying to get a better look at them both.
âðžð âðâŽðððððâŠâ she murmured, âðð ðŸð ðâ¯ðððð ððð? ð¿ðœð ðâ¯ðð ðððððð ðð¶ðâ¯ð ðŽ ðâ¯ð ððð ððœððð ðâ¯ððð ðâð?â
âIt is us, ðŸððð ð,â Harmonia answered as she and Barsus both dipped their heads respectfully, âwe heard your voice on the wind and thought perhaps you needed our help again.â
Again? Sam thought, but was too awestruck to say out loud.
âðŽ ð⎠ððð,â Sylphanie said, âððð ðŽ ðð ðððð ðððð¶ðâ¯ð ð⎠ðð⯠ðð⯠ðð⎠âŽð ðâŽð ðâððŸð, ð¶ðð¹ ðð ðâ¯ð ðâŽð ðâŽðâð⯠âðâŽðð ðððð⯠â ðððð ðð¶ð ðâŽð. ðŽððð ðð¶ðâ¯ððð ðâŽððð ð⯠ðœðððððâ¯ð ð⎠ðð⯠ðœðð ðððððð ðâŽð ðâŽððœ ð¶ðâ¯, ððð ððœðð ðððâðð ðâŽððð ððœð ðŒððâ¯ð ðð» âðð¶ððð.â
âThank you, ðŸððð ð,â Barsus rumbled, âand we are honoured to be in your presence once again.â
At that moment, there was an abrupt wrrouwr! from inside the open window of the motel, just before Zephyr shot out into the night.
She pranced up to Harmonia without hesitation, chuffing and rubbing her head under the larger felineâs chin.
âHello, my dear,â Harmonia said adoringly, âoh, how Iâve missed you. You must tell me all that has happened, my love.â
Sam smiled warmly as she watched the mated pair, but found their gaze subconsciously drifting to Sylphanieâs face. They were shocked to see that an almost mournful expression had manifested in her thousands of eyes.
âðâŽð ðð¶ð⯠ð»ðððâ¯ð ðð ðððð ððŸððœ ð¶ ððððð¶ð ðâ¯ððð.â She said to Harmonia after a long silence, in which she simply stared at the two as they nuzzled each other.
âI have.â Harmonia murmured.
âð¬ðð ðâŽð ððð⯠ððð¶ð ðð ðððð? ð ðððð ððŸððœ ððððâŽð⯠ðð ððŸðð»ððððð ðððð ðððððððð ðð¶ð ðððð â¯ðð¹ ðŸð ðâ¯ðððð·ðâ¯ðð.â
A different sort of sadness crossed her face, and suddenly Sam understood all too well what her connection to Pat was, and why he had reacted the way he had to seeing her again.
âI understand this,â Harmonia said, âbut I have taken a lesson from the humans I now share my home with, that it is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.â
Sylphanie seemed to consider this for a moment, then bobbed her head in a way that made her flowing body wave like sheets on a clothesline when the wind got stronger.
âð»â¯ððœðð ð ððœðð ðŸð ððð ðððð¶ ðŸð ððœððžð ðððð¶ððŸðð ðŸð ðððððâ¯ð - ððð ðððððð - ððð¶ð ððð ðððâ¯ðâ¯ðð âŽð ððððððžð ðâ¯ððð ðð ðððŸð ðððððððâ¯.â She said.
âI⊠guess Iâll take that as a compliment?â Sam huffed.
âðâ¯ðð,â Sylphanie sighed, ignoring Samâs comment, âðŽ ðâ¯ððŸððð ðð ð·ððððððð ðâ¯ð⯠ððððâðð ðŸð ððŸððŸððœðð¹. ððð ðâŽð ððœðð â ððâŽð ðŽ ððððð ðð¶ð⯠ð¶ðððâ¯ð ðð ðððŸð ðâ¯ððð, â ðððð ðâ¯ðð¶ðð ððð¶ð ð⎠ðŸð.â
Barsus and Harmonia both dipped their heads again.
âWe thank you for that,â Harmonia said, âand until we meet again, may the cosmic energies look faithfully upon you.â
âðð ðð ððð ð¶ð ðâ¯ðð,â Sylphanie replied, her ghostly form beginning to melt into the shadows, âððð ððœððð ðâŽð ðð ðððð. ð²ðð¶ð ðâŽð ðð¶ð⯠ððð¶ðâ¯ð ððŸððœ ðð ðâŽððŸððœð ðð¶ð ðâ¯ððð ð⎠ðœðð¶ð ð ðâŽððð ðŽ ðâ¯ðâ¯ð ððœððððœð ðâŽððð ðâ¯ðð.â
With that, she faded from view completely, though the way the hair on Samâs arms remained standing upright for a few moments, along with the fact that it took a bit for the chill in the air to go away completely, told them she wasnât fully gone just because she couldnât be seen.
âWellâŠâ they said finally, realizing they were shaking a little, âthat was⊠a very weird night.â
~
{EPILOGUE}
âGuys! Wait up!â
âYou shouldnât have come with us if you couldnât keep up!â
The peace of the jungle was disrupted by the sound of bickering human voices, those belonging to Athena, eleven, and Lucas, fifteen. With them - and being much quieter - were their older sisters, Hanna and Alexa, both in their early twenties.
Lucas turned on Athena with a leering smirk.
ââIâll tell Dad if you donât take me with you!ââ He mocked, and Athena stuck their tongue out angrily.
âLeave them alone,â Alexa cut in before their arguing could escalate, âand shut up, both of you. Did you not listen all those times when Mom told us not to draw attention to yourself when out in the woods?â
âWeâd get away,â Lucas retorted, âthe short one might be easy prey, though.â
âSTOP, Lucas!â Athena shouted, making to hit him, but Alexa held them back.
âDonât, heâs just trying to get a rise out of you.â She murmured.
Ahead of them, Hanna, the oldest of the four, stopped in a clearing bathed in sunlight from a gap in the trees and placed her hands on her hips.
âHey, âLexa?â She called over her shoulder.
âYeah?â Alexa replied, ignoring Lucas and Athena as they continued making faces at each other.
âI think weâre about to be in big trouble.â
âWhat? Why?â
Alexa followed Hannaâs gaze, and immediately realized what she was talking about.
âOhâŠâ she mumbled, just as a massive winged lion and a three-horned wolf that seemed to be walking on thin air descended from the sky and into the clearing.
From the lionâs back lept Zephyr, who raced to greet Lucas and Athena as if it was perfectly normal for her spirit-bondâs children to be wandering in the jungle.
Sam jumped from the wolfâs back, The Lionâs Breath in hand and looking ready to scold their children before the four of them could even come up with an excuse.
âWhat are you kids doing out here?â They demanded the moment their feet touched the ground.
âUh oh,â Athena muttered under their breath, âbustedâŠâ
âOkay, first of all, Iâm twenty three,â Hanna objected, âand Alexa is twenty one, weâre adults now.â
âYouâre still incredibly young, and youâre avoiding the question,â Sam shot back, ânot to mention you brought your little siblings out here too.â
âWe were just gonna bring Lucas, but Athena said theyâd tellâŠâ Alexa said lamely, realizing too late how stupid and childish that argument was as Sam raised an eyebrow at her.
âWe can take care of ourselves.â Hanna added.
âWhich I donât doubt,â Sam said dryly, âIâm just not pleased that you took it upon yourselves to come out here for the first time.â
Hanna and Alexa looked at each other in confusion.
âFirst time?â Alexa echoed as they both looked back at Sam.
âYes!â Sam exclaimed, âI wanted to take you myself! Now, you didnât get in any fights with any wild animals, did you?â
âUh⊠no?â Hanna replied uncertainly.
âGood,â Sam murmured, putting their arms around their daughtersâ shoulders and leading them back towards the Ryder Estate, âyour first encounter with a wild beast is important, and I want to be there to see it.â
Zephyr paused at the edge of the trees before following her human companions, glancing back at the two mythical creatures still waiting in the clearing.
Harmonia blinked fondly at her.
âGo on, my love,â she said, âwe will see each other again soon.â
Zephyr chuffed in response, tossing her head before bounding after Sam and their children.
âWell. That was certainly an interesting experience.â Barsus murmured beside Harmonia, who nodded.
âIndeed,â she agreed, âit was. Though I was happy to see ðŸððð ð again.â
âAs was I. And I have a feeling that this is not the last we will see of her either.â
âI feel the same. Though I suppose we will have to wait and see.â
âWe will. But until then, what shall we do?â
âTake care of our own, and keep in mind that she is always nearby.â
Barsus nodded, and then, with a wisp of pale golden smoke, the pair disappeared, leaving the clearing looking as though it had always been empty.
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