As they left the village the next morning, the air turned colder. Atilla led the way, his horse moving steadily, as if it, too, understood the seriousness of the mission ahead. They rode through rugged terrain—rolling hills, dense forests, and small frozen streams. The farther they ventured, the harsher the landscape became.
By nightfall, they had entered a mountainous region where the ground grew uneven, and the wind howled through the crags as if its sole purpose was to slow them down, to keep them from reaching their destination. Ceremus pointed out several caves along the cliff sides. "We should make camp here for the night," he suggested. "It's safer than pushing forward in these conditions."
Atilla agreed, and soon they huddled around a fire, finding temporary reprieve from the bitter cold in its warmth.
As the flames flickered, Ceremus couldn't help but wonder what awaited them at the end of this perilous journey. Tiresias was elusive, and even though Atilla had knowledge of the northern lands, there was still so much unknown.
"You said Sir Hael is someone you care for, but in what sense?" the boy asked, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between them.
"You are quite the curious boy," Ceremus remarked.
Atilla's cheeks heated as he felt Ceremus' gaze on him.
His own actions surprised him. He'd always been the kind of person who kept to himself, choosing not to get into other people's business and expecting the same in return. Perhaps it was because of the closeness they had developed during their journey, or because it pertained to Hael, someone he deeply admired and respected. He couldn't help but be curious.
"…I look at him the same way a man would look at a woman," Ceremus answered.
Atilla froze. For a moment, he thought he'd misheard. His gaze darted to Ceremus, searching for any sign that the man was joking. But the soft smile tugging at the king's lips told him otherwise.
"W-What?" His voice cracked slightly, betraying his surprise.
The king chuckled at his reaction. It was to be expected, but he no longer cared about the implications. His mind drifted off to the white-haired giant, a soft smile tugging at his lips.
Atilla looked away, suddenly feeling awkward. He had always admired Sir Hael, but in a way that was more like reverence—respect for a warrior of unmatched strength. The idea of looking at someone, anyone, the way a man looked at a woman? That was unfamiliar territory.
"It's ridiculous how he's managed to change everything in such a short amount of time… well, if you consider almost a year a short amount. How could such a kind and precious soul sacrifice himself for the likes of me?" Ceremus wondered.
Atilla, who had been sitting at his side, lost in his own thoughts, quietly listened to his musings and cast him a fleeting glance before returning to his meal.
"...Would you have done the same if the roles were reversed?" he suddenly asked.
His direct question took the king slightly aback, but he soon became thoughtful. "...I suppose I would."
The young boy nodded, unsure as to why hearing those words made his heart settle, if only slightly. "You have your answer, then."
Ceremus furrowed his brows. "My answer?"
"Yes. You wondered how someone like Hael would be willing to sacrifice himself for you, and you've already answered your own question. It's because you would've done the same for him." He shrugged.
"...I see." The sound of the flames soon overtook the cave, each lost in their own thoughts.
Tomorrow, they would push further into the mountains. They had a long way to go and no guarantee of success. But Ceremus had made a vow to Hael, and he would not return without that plant.
The fire burned low, casting elongated shadows against the stone walls of the cave. The steady crackling of wood and the howling wind outside soon faded into silence, leaving only the rhythmic rise and fall of their breaths. Sleep crept in, slow but inevitable.
Elsewhere, far removed from the biting cold and treacherous mountains, a different scene unfolded.
~*~
The familiar scent of clean air, fresh wood, and flowers filled Hael's nose as he felt the tickle of grass beneath his bare feet.
He knew where he was without having to look around. He was back home. Hael gazed up at the sky. Dozens of birds flapped their majestic wings in circular motions as they made their descent. One bird in particular stood out from the rest, flying directly toward him. The young man extended his arm, hooking his fingers as the bird landed on his hand with open wings.
Hael smiled as he watched the bird puff out its chest, his emerald eyes gleaming in the sun. "Loki, welcome back," he said softly.
The bird nodded. "How was your morning walk?" he asked the giant.
Hael smiled. "It was nice. I made it back in under an hour."
"Oh? A new record," Loki chirped.
The pair then walked along a creek that connected to the other part of the forest. Here lived the normal animals, and where humans did most of their hunting. To avoid being hunted, the divine animals avoided this creek; however, Loki and Hael frequently searched this area for a mischievous chimpanzee who often liked to wander off.
And just as expected, Nia was there, playing with the plants without a care in the world. Hael shook his head as he scooped up the chimp, once again reprimanding her for venturing so far away.
"Your mother will not be happy to hear that you were playing out here without her permission again."
"Sorry, Hael. I was looking at the pretty flowers," the young chimp pouted.
The young man nuzzled into her face, taking in her warm scent. "We have flowers back in the inner forest, Nia. Why do you always come here?"
"The flowers smell different here," she argued.
Hael raised an eyebrow. "Different? How so?"
The young chimp glanced at the flowers before looking back at him. "Hmm… these flowers smell fresher, while the flowers in the inner forest smell sweet," she said.
"Sweet?" he repeated, leaning down to smell the flower in her hand.
He scrunched his nose, inhaling the scent, but noticed nothing different. It smelled just like grass to him, but then again, Hael paid little attention to scents unless it was something he was going to eat.
One reason he avoided the outer forest was because most of the plants there weren't good for consumption. Looking at the flower in Nia's hands, he recognized it as an inedible plant.
"Now that I think of it, in the human world, flowers aren't things that are consumed but are usually given as gifts," Loki said as they made their way back.
"Gifts?"
The bird nodded. "You would normally give them to your family or loved ones."
"Hm. I never thought about flowers being that valuable," Hael replied. "How do you know this?"
Loki shrugged. "I'm a divine bird. I know everything," he said smugly.
"Hm."
As Hael returned to his cave that night, he sat on the edge of a boulder, staring out into the forest. The leaves rustled softly in the wind, and the scent of pine and moss filled the air. It was peaceful, comforting. But he couldn't help thinking back to Loki's words.
"Something you give to family or loved ones."
He glanced down at the small wildflowers that dotted the meadow in front of him. Their vibrant colors seemed to glow in the moonlight.
Would he ever give a flower to someone? The thought felt strange.
Maybe… if he ever found someone who felt like more than just a companion, he'd come to understand.
But who could that be? And how would he even know?
The thought made him anxious, even a little embarrassed, especially since there was no one else like him in the forest.
Would that mean having to venture off to find that so-called "loved one"? "But I could never leave the forest, so that wouldn't be possible." His heart sank at the thought. Hael put the flower away, careful not to ruin its petals as he laid down.
The light breeze of the night flowed through the flowers, untouched, as if waiting for something—or someone—to notice them.