MASKTOURN

12:01 PM

@innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Albanes tore her gaze away from ETERNITY as Aarni approached, then frantically looked between him, and it, and him again. "A-Aarni-" She said, her voice weak. "Aarni, it's- it's gone-" @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Aarni stumbled onto his knees in front of Albanes, and scooped her into a hug, almost tackling her onto the ground. He held onto her tightly, with rekindled joy and desperation. He didn't know what Albanes was talking about. He didn't care. She was here, and she was like he knew her, like none of the bad things had happened. "What?" he breathed. "What's g-gone?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Albanes doesn't fight against the embrace- in her weak state, it's likely she can't. "Th- the Lifebringer. The Lifebringer is gone now." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Aarni doesn't let go. If anything, he squeezes Albanes even tighter at her reply. "Good! You're, you're free!" he speaks with a slight tremor in his voice, but he sounds happy, and relieved. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"F-free..." Albanes repeated, like she didn't believe it. She clung onto Aarni and nestled her face in his shoulder, and began to cry. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Aarni smiled, even though he could hardly hold back the sobs in his own chest. Quiet tears dripped off of his face as he held Albanes and began petting her hair. He sniffled, but looked over the planes through the tears. "It's okay... it's over..." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Albanes held tightly onto Aarni. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

He leaned his head lightly against Albanes', and continued gently comforting her. His tears disappeared into her hair. "I know, it's okay now, it's going to be okay", he mumbled quietly. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"It's- it's not okay, Aarni-" Her words caught in her throat, "What am I going to do? What are any of us going to do now?" @Twig | Seki / Aarni

He paused to think. It was true, she was no longer a god, it appeared, so she couldn't send them home. "I... I don't know..." he admitted. "But... you're not alone. We will figure something out." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Albanes clung onto him still. "I'm so sorry. Please. Please accept my apology, Aarni. I'm so sorry." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Aarni sighed. All of this, it hadn't been pleasant, no. He had died. He couldn't forget this. It would be difficult to make peace with all of this and move on, live again, a normal life. At least, if they could go back home... And yet, Aarni didn't have it in himself to be angry at Albanes. Even if this was her fault, if he never ended up here if Albanes hadn't crossed Naiyta, he wasn't mad at her. He blamed Naiyta, not her. "I do, I forgive", he hummed, and kept holding Albanes in his arms. "I don't know if everyone does, but I forgive you." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Albanes buried her face in Aarni's chest- wanting to stay there, in that safety, forever. "Thank you... thank you." As they sat there, Anore cautiously came over. "Ah... I don't mean to interrupt," He said awkwardly, "But might I have a word with Albanes?" (edited)

1:35 PM

@Twig | Seki / Aarni

Aarni held his hand on the back of her head, and stroked her in a soothing manner with his thumb. It was calming to him as well, and he had forgotten there was other people around as well. He glanced at Anore cautiously, and his hold on Albanes became protective. "Who are you?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Anore was, at least, a pretty nonthreatening guy. He gave Aarni a respectful nod. "My name is Anore, I'm the Lifebringer that came after Naiyta. Myself and some of the others are... discussing what to do next, and I believe Albanes has a right to be part of that conversation." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Aarni listened and glanced over to where the others had gathered. He nodded slightly. "Oh, okay... Um, nice to meet you? I'm Aarni", the boy's voice was still weak and unsteady. He turned back to Albanes. "Do you want to go? Are you feeling okay enough?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"It's nice to meet you, Aarni." Anore nodded. Albanes hesitantly parted from Aarni. "Uh... yeah, I should go talk to them... see what's going on." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"Okay. Do you want me to come with you?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Albanes shook her head. "It'd probably be best if you didn't. But... thanks, anyways." She stood up with a bit of help from Anore. "Again.... I'm really sorry." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Aarni nodded, and smiled faintly. "Okay, good luck. I'll wait here." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I'll come talk to you again later." Albanes said, and went with Anore over to the other Lifebringers. @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Aarni waved as she went, and after a moment laid on his back on the grass. He took a deep breath, and let himself relax. Kettu, who was still linked to Aarni, but moving freely outside of his body, was most curious about Eternity. She had kept looking at it with twinkling green eyes for as long as they had been here. "Now you're a real god. Not a bag of flesh anymore", she mused to herself. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs (edited)

After a while, Albanes hesitantly returned to Aarni. She seemed... to be doing better now. But she didn't smile yet. "... hey." She greeted softly. "You can go home now." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Aarni was sitting and watching everyone make their way to the water. He hadn't quite fathomed yet that he would be back home soon. Back with Firefly and his other friends. Oh, he hoped she was alright since he had disappeared like that. He stood up when Albanes approached. "I know, I was waiting for you" he smiled. "How are you feeling?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I'm feeling... better now. It's all so weird." Albanes sighed. "I... don't think I can go with you, Aarni..." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"It really is", Aarni sighed. "You can't? Where are you going?" He glanced around. "Oh, are you going with Maddy?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I'm- I'm not really sure yet. I need to talk to Maddy. But... I can't go back in time." She sighed heavily. "There's a version of me that you know, though. So... this isn't really goodbye." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"Alright... but, Albs, even if you didn't go with her, you are not alone, ever, okay? You can find new friends, like we became friends pretty randomly. Right?" he tried to smile supportively. "And yeah, that's true. She will have no idea about this... hey, Albs, how did Maddy die? If I can prevent that from happening, this tournament won't happen again in my future. Or... well, at least you won't have to lose her like that." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Albanes nodded and sighed. "There will always be... something for me." She looked away at the question. "I... don't think it was something that could be prevented. She... things were really rough for her after Persis died. Maybe... ask Persis to write her a letter in case he dies unexpectedly?" She sighed. "And maybe... talk to me about not becoming the Lifebringer? I don't know if that would change anything, but..." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Aarni nodded, smiling a bit more. "Oh... okay, yeah. That's a good idea, I'll tell him. And totally. Do you think if I told you all that happened here, you'd think twice before making that decision?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Albanes frowned. "I don't know... I don't know if I would've believed you. But... you can try." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"Well, I'll try", Aarni hummed. He didn't exactly come up with crazy stories for fun, so maybe she would believe him. Or, she might suspect he had some sort of psychotic tendencies.. "Hmm... could you... maybe give me something to show her? To prove I'm not just talking crap?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Mhmmm..." Albanes thought for a moment, and eventually took off one of her pearl earrings- the earrings Aarni had seen her wear almost every day of her life. She handed it to him. "This might prove you met some version of me." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

Aarni took the earring in his hand, feeling oddly ceremonious. He held the earring in his palm like a precious treasure. "Thank you", he said, closed his hand around the pearl and smiled, before putting it inside his pocket. "I guess this is a goodbye. Thanks for looking after me." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Albanes smiled. There was still a sadness behind her gaze, but she smiled. "Thanks for being my friend. And... for staying my friend. I'm sorry about... everything." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

"Always", Aarni replied, "and don't worry about it, it's over now." He pulled Albanes into one last hug. "Good luck going forward, Albs." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Albanes fell into the hug, wrapping her arms tight around Aarni. "Good luck to you, too." She said. "You have so many good things to come." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Albanes fell into the hug, wrapping her arms tight around Aarni. "Good luck to you, too." She said. "You have so many good things to come." @Twig | Seki / Aarni

A warm but melancholic feeling swelled in Aarni's chest, and he held the side of his head against Albanes' for a moment. "That's good to know, heh", he grinned. After a moment, he let go of Albanes, and gave her one more encouraging smile, and squeezed her hand a bit while taking a step towards the water. "Bye, Albs, take care." Then he turned, and walked to the pool, hoping his friend would be alright. Hopefully she and Maddy could make up and be friends again. But he was longing home, he couldn't wait to be safe in his own room again, to hug his horse and to text all his friends to see if they would freak out since he had been gone so long. He sloshed into the water, and dove in.

As Aarni entered the water, he was enveloped by a warm glow, and he was teleported home... @Twig | Seki / Aarni

2

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