Chapter 22
WINDY
I had made up my mind after having my dream, Willow is the key to complete the quest. The constant bickering was getting us nowhere, and time was running out. The flower that blooms at midday and midnight on Mt. Celestia was our only hope of breaking this curse, and I wasn't about to let it slip away because of the petty squabbles.
As the first light of dawn broke, I snuck into Willow's room at the inn. He was sleeping soundly, his face peaceful for once, free from the weight of secrets he usually carried. I almost felt guilty for what I was about to do.
Almost.
"Willow," I whispered, gently shaking his shoulder. "Wake up. We're leaving."
His eyes fluttered open, confusion clouding his features. "Windy? What's going on?"
I tossed a packed bag onto his bed. "We're going to Mt. Celestia. Now. Before the others wake up."
Willow sat up, rubbing his eyes. "What? Are you crazy? We can't just?—"
"We can, and we will," I interrupted, my voice firm. "I'm tired of waiting, tired of the fighting. This is our chance, Willow. Are you with me or not?"
He stared at me for a long moment, and I could see the conflict in his eyes. Finally, he nodded. "Alright. Let's go."
We slipped out of the inn quietly, the village still shrouded in the early morning mist.
As we reached the outskirts, I heard a familiar voice call out.
"Windy! Willow! Where do you think you're going?"
I turned to see Wallace jogging towards us, his face a combination of confusion and anger. My heart sank. I had hoped to avoid this confrontation.
"We're going to Mt. Celestia," I said, standing my ground. "To find the flower. We can't wait any longer, Wallace."
Wallace's eyes narrowed, flicking between me and Willow. "And you didn't think to include me in this plan?"
I sighed, feeling the weight of his hurt and jealousy. "Wallace, please. This isn't about you. We need to do this, and we need to do it now."
"So you're just going to run off with him?" Wallace spat, gesturing at Willow. "After everything we've been through?"
Willow stepped forward, his voice firm. "Wallace, we're just trying to break the curse. That's all. Now let us pass!"
But Wallace wasn't listening. His face had turned red with anger. "I see how it is. You two have been planning this all along, haven't you? Behind my back!"
"That's not true!" I exclaimed, frustration building in my chest. "Wallace, please. We don't have time for this. The flower only blooms at specific times. If we miss this chance, who knows when we'll get another?"
Wallace's shoulders slumped, the fight seeming to drain out of him. "So that's it? You're just going to leave me behind?"
I felt a pang of guilt, but I knew I had to stay strong. "We're not leaving you behind. We're doing this for all of us. Please, try to understand."
"Fine," Wallace said, his voice cold. "Go. But don't expect me to be here when you get back."
As he turned and walked away, I felt my heart breaking. But I couldn't let this deter me. I looked at Willow, who nodded solemnly.
"Let's go," I said, and we set off toward Mt. Celestia.
The journey was long and arduous, which is a polite way of saying it was absolute hell. As we climbed higher into the mountains, the air grew thin and cold. I found myself gasping for breath, my lungs burning with each step. Willow, on the other hand, seemed barely affected. Damn blood mages and their supernatural stamina.
"You know," I panted, breaking the silence that had settled between us, "When I dreamed of being a hero, I always imagined more adoring crowds and fewer blisters."
Willow glanced at me, his glowing eyes unreadable. "Heroism is rarely comfortable, Windy."
I rolled my eyes. "Thanks for that profound insight. Next, you'll be telling me water is wet and mountains are high."
We trudged on, the rocky path becoming steeper and more treacherous. At one point, I slipped on a loose stone, nearly tumbling off the edge of the cliff. Willow caught my arm, pulling me back to safety.
"Thanks," I muttered, my heart pounding. "I was worried I might die without experiencing the joy of frostbite first."
Willow's lips twitched in what might have been a smile. "Your sarcasm is a curious defense mechanism."
"And your ability to state the obvious is truly remarkable," I shot back.
As we continued our ascent, we came across the skeletal remains of a previous climber, picked clean by scavengers and bleached white by the sun.
"Well," I said, gesturing to the grim sight, "at least someone's having a worse day than us."
Willow raised an eyebrow. "Your humor grows darker the higher we climb."
I shrugged. "What can I say? The air's getting thinner, and so is my patience for this whole nonsense."
The night was falling as we reached a small plateau, barely big enough for our camp.
As I unrolled my blanket, I couldn't help but quip, "Five-star accommodations. I especially love the 'plummet to your death' view."
Willow, setting up a small fire, actually chuckled at that. "You know, Windy, your relentless sarcasm might just be what keeps us sane on this journey."
I grinned, settling down by the fire. "Well, someone has to keep things light when we're on a quest that'll probably end with us as dragon food or sacrifices to some ancient, cranky god."
As the stars came out above us, impossibly bright this far from civilization, I found myself wondering not for the first time what I'd gotten myself into. But looking at Willow across the fire, his face etched with determination and something that might have been hope, I knew there was no turning back now.
"Get some rest," I told him. "Tomorrow, we either reach the summit or become very unfortunate statistics. Either way, it should be exciting."
And with that cheerful thought, I closed my eyes, letting the mountain winds lull me into an uneasy sleep. Tomorrow would bring its challenges, and I'd need all my strength to face them.
***
As the first light of dawn crept over the jagged peaks, I peeled my eyes open, every muscle in my body screaming in protest. Willow was already up, of course, looking annoyingly refreshed.
"Rise and shine, oh great hero," he said, far too cheerfully for my liking.
I groaned, sitting up. "I'd rather rise and whine, if it's all the same to you."
We packed up camp quickly, the biting cold motivating us to get moving. As we set off, the path narrowed even further, forcing us to walk single file along a precipitous ledge.
"You know," I called back to Willow, "when I was a kid, my mother always told me to stay away from ledges. I guess this is what rebellion looks like."
Willow's response was cut short by a sudden rumbling above us.
I looked up just in time to see a cascade of rocks hurtling down the mountainside.
"Rock slide!" I yelled, pressing myself against the cliff face. "Because apparently, the universe decided our day wasn't exciting enough!"
We huddled there, rocks pelting us as they thundered past. When it finally subsided, I turned to Willow, covered in dust and sporting a nasty cut on his cheek.
"Well," I said, brushing debris from my clothes, "that was bracing. Nothing like a near-death experience before breakfast to get the blood pumping."
Willow touched his cheek, wincing. "Your optimism is truly inspiring, Windy."
"Oh, this isn't optimism," I replied, starting to climb again. "This is pure, unadulterated sarcasm. Optimism left the building about three near-death experiences ago."
As we continued our ascent, the wind picked up, howling around us like a pack of angry wolves. The temperature dropped even further, and I could feel my fingers going numb.
"You know," I shouted over the wind, "I'm beginning to think this mountain doesn't want us here. Call me crazy, but I'm getting some real 'go away' vibes."
Willow, struggling against the gale, managed to reply, "Perhaps it's testing us. Many sacred places do."
I snorted. "Oh great, a sentient, sadistic mountain. That's exactly what this trip needed."
Just then, my foot slipped on a patch of ice. I felt myself falling backward, the world tilting crazily around me. Willow's hand shot out, grabbing my wrist in an iron grip.
For a heart-stopping moment, I dangled over the abyss, my life literally in Willow's hands. With a grunt of effort, he hauled me back onto solid ground.
We both sat there for a moment, panting. "Thanks," I finally managed. "I was worried I might miss out on more of this delightful climb."
Willow shook his head, seeing exasperation and amusement on his face. "Your ability to joke in the face of death is... remarkable."
"Well," I said, getting to my feet, "when the options are to laugh or scream in terror, I prefer to laugh. It's better for my throat."
As we neared what I hoped was the summit, an eerie mist began to swirl around us.
Visibility dropped to almost nothing, and an unnatural silence fell.
"Willow?" I called out, suddenly unable to see him despite him being just a few feet behind me.
"I'm here," his voice came, sounding distant and muffled. "This mist... it's not natural."
"Oh, fantastic," I muttered. "Magical fog. Because regular fog just isn't ominous enough."
We inched forward, the mist thick as soup around us. Suddenly, I heard Willow cry out in alarm.
"Willow!" I yelled, spinning around. "What's wrong?"
His voice came back, strained and fearful. "The mist... I can see things in it. Memories, fears..."
I squinted into the fog. Shadowy figures, whispers of past failures, glimpses of terrifying futures.
"Well," I said, my voice shaking slightly despite my attempt at nonchalance, "I guess the mountains decided to spice things up with some psychological torture. How thoughtful."
I reached back, fumbling until I found Willow's hand. "Stay close," I told him. "And whatever you see, remember it's not real. We're almost there."
As we pushed forward, hand in hand, facing our deepest fears in that mystical fog, I couldn't help but think that this was not in the job description for a 'reluctant hero'. But then again, nothing about this journey had been what I expected.
"Come on," I said, as much to myself as to Willow. "Let's show this mountain what we're made of."
***
"Do you think we did the right thing?" I asked as we set up camp on the second evening. "Leaving Wallace behind?"
Willow was quiet for a moment, poking at our small fire. "I don't know," he admitted. "Sometimes... sometimes we have to make hard choices."
I nodded, pulling my cloak tighter around me. "I just hope he can forgive us."
That night, after setting up camp, I felt a surge of excitement. "We're close, I can feel it," I said, pointing to a plateau just ahead of where we were. "The flower should be there."
As we crested the ridge, I gasped. There, in the center of the plateau, was a single flower unlike any I'd ever seen. Its petals shimmered with an otherworldly light, changing colors as we watched.
"We did it," Willow breathed, a rare smile crossing his face.
I checked the position of the sun. "It's almost nightfall. We made it in time."
“Now, to wait for midnight.”
As we approached the flower, I felt a sense of anticipation building. This was it. The key to breaking our curse is to free ourselves from the shadows that have haunted us for so long.
As the moon reached its zenith, the flower began to glow brightly. I closed my eyes, feeling the warmth of its magic wash over me. At that moment, I knew that no matter what happened next, this journey had changed us forever.
Not only Willow and I, but Wallace and Warrick too. I felt as if the flower had healed a part of me inside.
I wonder what Willow felt, if anything?
Suddenly, I felt lips touch mine and they felt like they belonged.
What? Willow?
The pink light flared behind my eyes for the second time.
He is one of my mates? Who would have thought?
As the light faded, I opened my eyes to a new world of possibilities. I gazed up at Willow and smiled.
“Windy… I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry. The moment just seemed right.”
I reach up and caress his cheek. “It was the perfect time Willow, I’ve been feeling a pull towards you but didn’t know why. You’re one of my possible mates.”
He leans into my hand as he smiles down at me. “I’m glad. Should we head back now?”
“Yes, we can explore this more later.”
I step forward, carefully plucking the flower. I place it in my bag to hopefully keep it safe on the trek back to the tavern.
After our harrowing experience on Mt. Celestia, the journey back to the village felt like a strange feeling of relief. The steep, treacherous paths we had climbed now seemed to rush beneath our feet as we descended, as if the mountain itself was eager to be rid of us.
We had to go through the mystical fog again, but this time, it felt different. Almost as if it was trying to change our emotions. I couldn’t pinpoint what exactly it was doing.
***
"You know," I said to Willow as we navigated a particularly precarious ledge, "I never thought I'd be so happy to see flat ground again. I might just kiss the earth when we reach the bottom."
Willow, still looking a bit shaken from our encounter with the mystical fog, managed a small smile. "I'm not sure the earth would appreciate that, considering our current state."
I glanced down at my mud-caked boots and torn, filthy clothes.
"Fair point. Maybe I'll settle for a respectful nod instead."
As we continued our descent, the air grew warmer and thicker, filling our lungs with the rich scent of pine and wild herbs. The sound of a distant waterfall reached our ears, a welcome change from the howling winds we'd endured at the summit.
"Do you think Wallace and Warrick managed to stay out of trouble while we were gone?" I asked, half-joking, half-worried.
Willow raised an eyebrow. "Based on what I know about them, I'd say the odds are not in their favor."
I sighed dramatically. "You're probably right. Ten gold says we find them in the middle of some ridiculous situation that they'll claim 'just happened.'"
As the trees began to thicken around us, signaling our approach to the lower elevations, I found myself growing increasingly anxious to reach the village. The weight of what we'd done on the mountain pressed heavily on my mind, and I longed for the familiar bickering of my companions to distract me.
We rounded a bend in the path and suddenly, the village came into view, nestled in the valley below like a child's toy set. The sight of it, with its thatched roofs and winding streets, filled me with an unexpected sense of homecoming.
"There it is," I said, my voice oddly thick. "Home sweet temporary home."
Willow nodded, his glowing eyes scanning the village. "It looks... peaceful."
As if on cue, we heard a commotion coming from the village square as we approached the outskirts. Shouts and the sound of breaking pottery reached our ears.
I turned to Willow, a wry smile on my face. "See? What did I tell you?"
We quickened our pace, following the sounds of disorder. As we entered the square, we were greeted by a scene of utter pandemonium. Wallace and Warrick stood back-to-back in the center, surrounded by a group of angry villagers. Broken pots and scattered vegetables littered the ground.
"Wallace! Warrick!" I called out, equal parts exasperated and amused. "What in the seven hells is going on here?"
They both turned at the sound of my voice, relief washing over their faces.
"Windy!" Wallace exclaimed. "Thank the gods you're back. We can explain everything!"
Warrick nodded vigorously. "It's not what it looks like!"
I crossed my arms, fixing them with my best 'I'm not impressed' stare. "Oh really? Because it looks like you've managed to anger the entire village in two days."
As the villagers began to notice our arrival, the shouting died down, replaced by curious murmurs.
I turned to address the crowd. "Alright, everyone. I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for... whatever this is. Why don't we all take a deep breath and discuss this calmly?"
An older woman, whom I recognized as the village elder, stepped forward. "These two," she said, pointing accusingly at Wallace and Warrick, "have been nothing but trouble!"
As the elder launched into a detailed account of my companions' misadventures - which involved a missing prized pig, three barrels of ale, and a very unfortunate incident with the village fountain - I couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, facing mystical fog and treacherous mountain paths wasn't so bad after all.
"Well," I said, once the elder had finished her tale, "it seems we have quite a mess to clean up."
I turned to Wallace and Warrick, who at least had the decency to look sheepish."You two are going to apologize to everyone here, and then you're going to spend the next week making amends. Understood?"
They nodded meekly.
As I began the process of smoothing things over with the villagers, Willow leaned in close. "Is it always like this with you?" he asked.
I laughed, the sound tinged with equal parts exhaustion and affection. "Welcome to my world, Willow. Saving it is the easy part. It's keeping it in one piece afterward that's the real challenge."
"Windy!" Wallace called out, his voice tinged with an emotion I couldn't quite place. "I’m glad you're back!"
I raised an eyebrow. "Miss me that much?"
Wallace's eyes darted between me and Willow, his jaw clenching slightly. "We had everything under control," he muttered unconvincingly.
Warrick snorted. "Yeah, if by 'under control' you mean 'one step away from being run out of town with pitchforks'."
Wallace's gaze zeroed in on Willow, who was standing perhaps a bit closer to me than strictly necessary.
Willow stepped forward, his gaze meeting Wallace's. “I hope we can put our past differences aside, given the current circumstances and help Windy finish this."
Warrick nodded. "Welcome back, Willow. I'm sure we can all work together, right Wallace? It’s for Windy afterall."
Wallace's eyes never left Willow. "That remains to be seen. I haven't forgotten what happened."
"What are you talking about?" Warrick asked, confused.
"You know, the little mountain trip," Wallace said, his voice laced with venom. "The one where Willow decided to spend a little quality time with someone while I was stuck dealing with the villagers."
I sighed, feeling a headache building behind my eyes. "Look, Wallace, I know you have your reservations, but Willow saved my life up there. Multiple times."
"Oh, so he's a hero now, is he?" Wallace's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Should we start planning the parade?"
Willow remained calm. "I assure you, I'm no hero. I'm simply trying to right some wrongs."
"Right," Wallace scoffed. "And how exactly did you do that? By disappearing with her for days?"
I stepped between them, feeling the heat of their animosity. "Wallace, that's enough. It's not like Willow had a choice. We were trapped on the mountain."
"Trapped? Like I should believe that," Wallace shot back.
Willow's face hardened. "Wallace, I understand your anger, but I am not here to fight. I am here to help."
"Help?" Wallace laughed, a bitter sound. "You think you can just waltz back in here and pretend everything is fine? You think you can just erase what happened?"
"Wallace, please," I pleaded. "We need to focus on the villagers right now."
Wallace's eyes flickered outside. "Fine. But this isn't over."
"You know," I whispered to Willow, "when I said I missed the familiar faces of my companions, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind."
Willow's lips twitched in a small smile. "Never a dull moment with you, is there?"
I sighed dramatically. "Welcome back to the circus, Willow. It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye. Or their sanity. Whichever comes first." And with that, we went back to the inn. “Let’s go to my room guys, and you can see the moon bloom!”
Once there, I open my bag, pulling out the moon bloom, just to see it has faded and wilted. “What happened?! It was fine when I put it in there!”
“There must be more to this than what your grandmother told you, Windy. I wonder if it can’t be plucked until you’ve had the kisses with all three of your mates?” Warrick mentions.
“Or maybe you have to have all three of us with you when you do it?” Wallace pipes off. “Maybe you shouldn’t have run away together, leaving us here.”
“I guess we’re back to square one guys. Can you leave please? I want to just be alone for now.”
“Of course,” they all state at the same time and shuffle out, leaving me to my thoughts.