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Chapter Text

The wind races through your hair, 

motes of light and the occasional Winged Light crosses your way as you once more descend the Valley of Triumphs sliding race. 

The spirits and music blare as you approach the end with a veritable wave of light following you, those you raced not long behind with their own hoards of light, as a whole six sky children (including yourself) participated in this race. Yet, even with so many, the bar had still not filled, allowing for that sweet speculative prize for a clean sweep.

However, if you were being honest, your mind wasn’t quite on that at the moment. Even as you twirl through the arena in large looping circles collecting the last of the lights you could, you can only think of the path ahead you’ve decided to walk. Eighteen more Ascendant Candles, one hundred Regular Candles, and nearly two hundred Hearts stand in your way. 

You thought you were crazy when you finally figured out what happens in Eden, and yet you persevered anyway. Now though, you think maybe those rocks had simply done such a number to your head, that not even rebirth could save you. After all, it’s not the prospect of winning a race, nor the looming fate that every sky kid lives through to soothe those in the Eye. 

No, you just had to be weird and have these dumb goals because the ones right in front of you just weren’t enough huh?

.

Ah shoot, you’ve been staring off into the middle distance and forgot to accept your candles for finishing the race. One of many you will be participating in as you slowly chip away at the task before you, just as a figure taller than you makes their way towards the elders. Giving a squint to their form, you realize it’s the sky kid that drove you to such annoying introspection. They didn’t do anything wrong mind you, it’s just the spiky hair, obviously permanently taller form, and dark season cloak that set you off.

Yes, they are an Ikemen, someone with an elders hair and a really nice getup. Already you can see at least two of the other racers from before following them, curious just as you were the first time you met another sky kid over a head taller than you. Thinking back to your first reactions, you blush underneath your mask and want to curl up in a ball of embarrassment. You were such a… A Moth you suppose. 

Still, the thought of your silly reactions a mere week ago causes you to realize you’ve been staring again. Damnit. It’s a bad habit of yours, but with a brush of your hair you attempt to play it off as you descend from the platform. Your golden (ahem, yellow) cape trails as you start forward. Adjusting the mask you got from the Mellow Musician and flattening down the hairstyle you learnt from Shivering Trailblazer, you try to reduce your self consciousness.

It doesn’t really work, since your mind is still on your own goals. A dark cloak either from the next season or the black cloak you may one day get, a new shirt that doesn’t glow like your body readily does, and finally the really cool hair-style the Forest Elder sports. You wouldn’t openly admit this to any of the other Elders, but she’s secretly your favorite. 

Cmon! She has a really cool hammer, and was able to craft your offering of fire into something like That! This doesn’t mean you don’t like the other elders though, just… She’s Cool. Even before you learned about Ikemen you wanted to be like her, so learning such a goal was possible really did something for your motivations. Even if it was a gargantuan task, but it seems the spirits like the hearts and candles… so at least it’s for a good cause?

You have to admit you’re probably one of the more shrewd sky children. Megabird sent you all here for a task, to experience the lives of those spirits in this land, to collect the winged light, and to walk through Eden, and ease the burden where you can. You realized this all after your very first cycle, going from clueless to sadly very knowledgeable. 

Yet all you can think about right now is aesthetics and your own personal gain. “How many candles will this get me” “Is this worth the hearts” bleh. You hate that you think this way, but you’ve given up fighting it. Your propensity to analyze situations like this was always there, just… the first time through you were so innocent and curious. 

You smack your face lightly beneath your mask as you shake away these thoughts. You found the final spirit in the valley of triumph finally, and now it’s time to meet… the twins. More like get bullied by them, but whatever.

Then, the Golden Wasteland… ergh, you’ll admit, ever since your first extended stay, you don’t really want to go back. However there’s work to be done, and you can just ignore a whole realm. Plus, you made it through Eden already, you can face anything at this point, including the Krill once more.

So, you begin to sit down in prayer to the twins, unbeknownst to you that most of the other sky children had moved on, only one remained looking at your kneeling form. Your eyes were closed, preparing for the trance, so you weren’t wholly aware of the shadow that sat beside you.

Whenever you’ve sat down for these meetings with the elders, at first they never really said anything. It was all emotions, gestures, and vague details you never really caught. Nowadays though…

Without even seeing them this time, a bat of some kind flicks the fire right from your hands, and a feminine voice speaks. “Look Brother, it’s the sister of that sibling pair that visited us recently!” You don’t know their names, but being reminded of your own brother, affectionately self named ‘Soda’, you wince internally. 

Your turn, and watch just in time to see the sister duck as a bat passes right past the both of you as your flame offering is taken up once more. This time by the spiky haired brother who considers you a moment. “Hm? Oh right! That pyromaniac who got the fireworks staff on their first day and their timid sister no?” At this, you want to huff, but once more the sister of the elders takes your breath away by practically skating past you to parry her brother's staff, which was previously juggling your offering. 

You watch as it flies up into the air where it belongs, but before you fade away from this chaotic meeting, the sister looks to you and says with far too much a smile in her voice for your liking. “Your brother visits often, you should too Pepsi, we might even teach you two a game.” 

Then just like that you fade out. You still think your brother's naming conventions are awful, but sadly he woke up first, so he chose both your names first. At least yours sounds nice… if a bit weird. Your brother however… he is insane as far as you can tell. True, sky children are all technically siblings in a fashion, but you and your brother fell at the same time. The connection you two feel is palpable. 

Which is why it’s constantly distressing to you that he does the craziest things on the regular. The madman purposefully corrales Krill for fun. FUN! He even spoke of a king krill in deep waters… the thought alone brought you shivers.

True, Krill are cool, but unlike your brother you prefer appreciating them from afar… where they can’t see or touch you… and you can’t hear their disturbing grinding flesh and met-

Honk

Wh- oh, you wake from your trance to see the shadow of a sky child sitting next to you, their candle outstretched. Huh, why was there still one behind? You blink at them for a moment as they Honk right at you again. Well, with your own thrum of the jelly call, you extend your candle to see who it was that stayed behind while you meditate.

To your surprise, or lack thereof by your dark mask, it’s the definition of a Moff. With the first hair you unlock from meeting some of the first spirits each sky child is guided to, and the signature brown cloak with a mere four stars on it. It seems this little one was left behind by the group, and decided to stick around. You can’t imagine why since Moffs are hard to read… and you were one a mere week ago. 

Well, not wanting to leave the kid hanging, you make a hopefully not concerning thoom with your jelly call and give them a polite bow. You notice how you’ve been standing a bit different, and realize both of your hands are on your hips. Normally, you’d be in the sassy idle stance, but now you are… confident? Oh, that final spirit in the Valley… that wasn’t an emote you got. 

It’s a bit late to change it now in front of the Moff, since that’d be rude to suddenly look disinterested. So instead, you decide to show a bit of entertainment before they move on. After all, what comes next is… scary. After this, you plan on returning home probably, and circle back to the forest. Unlock a few more things with the few hearts you’ve scavenged. So, for the moment, you sigh, and give the kid a small performance as you juggle for the moff. It’s just the level one version of the emote, but they seem relatively pleased as they beep and jump in place.

Then suddenly, they extend their candle to you, and the prompt is clear. Of course you accept, and suddenly you learn this Moffs name is Sei, and before you can do much else, they are holding your hand.

Ah…

You might not be leaving then… 

In fact, this might be their First Run… oh no you sweet child.

Chapter Text

It's fair to say you didn't have any other big plans today. However, even if you did have plans, you would have put them aside for this. This is partly because you are too awkward to crush a moffs dreams as they look to you so cutely. 

There's also the fact that Sei's grip strength feels like steel as they honk in glee. Little moff… you don't think they know just how strong sky children can be, since they need to hold on when flying. Technically this is good, since there's no chance they might accidentally let go mid-flight. For your poor hand however, it feels like your wax is being crushed. Giving your own low thoom to their jubilant honking, you lead him towards the edge of the temple, where a cloud tunnel awaits. 

Looking back on it, the Golden Wasteland really does come out of nowhere with the sudden atmosphere change. Were it not for the intimidating visage of Eden in the background with its red lightning and ominous presence, you would have never expected such a dark turn on your first journey. Luckily you saw the writing on the wall, literally. While you do know more now after your first passage, even then you had gleaned some important and yet terrifying information. Now turning your sights back to the moff holding your hand, you wonder just how much they know what to expect. 

So giving one more thoom, you hop off the ledge with moff in tow as you begin to guide them forward. Just as you expected, their grip doesn’t change as you two head into the cloudy tunnels ahead. At least that confirms for you that the near death grip they have was their maximum, else you’d fear for the wax that makes your hand. Still, this isn’t the time for you to get all introspectiony again, after all, the clouds are starting to turn dark, and surround the both of you. You look away for a moment to check on Sei. Ah… yup, he’s starting to edge a bit closer to you. The thundering clouds and extreme winds aren’t doing them any favors. 

Keeping the both of you aloft is easy enough with the increased air currents of the area, needing only one boost from your cape before you feel confident the height you both have will be sufficient. It’s not that you fear the clouds yourself, it’s just that in your first time through, you had been hugging the bottom clouds when the-

WOO- WOOUUU 

Y- yes…. The fuzzy sky whale that you nearly ran into the first time you came this way. The moff besides you gives their best Honk, but not their deep call. So as the light and vibrations of the whale call wash over the both of you, you give a deep call of your own back, the jellyfish never did you wrong, and you alight towards the gathering area just before the Golden Wastes. The moff besides you seems less… enthusiastic as the obvious vortex ahead is made obvious, but you give them a smaller affirming thum as you nod and sit the both of you near the fire. In fact… yes this should do. You point to the bench nearby with an unlit candle already on it and lead the moff over.

You don’t have the spare candles to speak with them freely yet, buuut… free talking benches. Hey! You said the road ahead was long alright? You already gave them a candle for the high five, leaving you with a single candle. So, lighting the speaking candle, you sit down and pat the other seat for the Moth Sei to join you at.

It uh… takes him a moment, but he figures it out, and you start off this little chat.

“Hello friend, thanks for the request, I’ll admit you caught me off guard.” As you emote a laugh, Sei responds after a moment.

”Wait, we can talk now? How?” Their ability to emote a bit dampened compared to you, but visually showing dismay wasn’t what you expected.

“Well, Sei, these benches and anything that uses spare candles can allow any Sky Children sitting at them to talk for a short period. Once this candle burns out, someone will need to replace it with another, then they can talk with whomever sits next to them!” Giving a little tiny thoom, you hum pleased to help teach a new Moff something like this. Maybe they didn’t see when the spirits showed them, so being a nice extra guard against misinformation feels nice.

“Awe! Wait, what happens when the candles are lit and no one sits at the benches?” They question with an imperceptible tilt of the head as they look at the slowly melting candle. With which you answer with a low laugh.

“Well, the candle melts away, and someone else replaces it, why do you ask?” You say this, but it’s not hard to guess what he did. After all, practically every other moth does the same thing.

“Well I might have maybe just maybe lit each one… along the way… ” they obviously seem guilty, but you honestly can’t help but laugh as you assure the poor moff.

“Don’t worry Sei, Veterans and Social Butterflies have more than enough candles to spare for such occasions. If anything, I’m just glad to hear you didn’t accidentally use your own candles without knowing. So, how has your trip been so far?” And this causes the Moth to light up, sitting straight up as they regale you with their epic journey so far.

They are… so full of Light ohmygosh this Moth is going to kill you with their cuteness. They might only have four stars on their back, but they sure do remember each location they found each Winged Light, and just how cool or daring they were to reach some of the more dastardly children of light. They speak about how so far their favorite elder was the second with the butterflies and the giant figure, how their pots were so cool, and how the land said elder looked over was so fun to fly around in.

You even decide to give some spoilers, assuring Sei that once they return, the Daylight Prairie will have many secrets waiting for them to discover once they get around to it. This gets them all excited, but they confirm their desire to see each realm before turning back, and you casually assure them that’s a good idea.

However, it’s when you hear some sputtering that you realize the candle between you two is nearly out of time, so you decide to cut them short.

“Hey Sei, we’re almost outta time with this talk, so I wanted to tell you something. This next part is going to be… difficult. There is an elder we must meet, but the Golden Wasteland isn’t kind to any Sky Children. If you are fine with it, I would like to guide you through until the end. Is this alright with you?” Giving them a serious look through your admittedly sleepy looking mask, they seem a bit shocked by this tone turn, before he also notices the dying candle.

“I mean… I was hoping you’d come along, since it’s been really lonely with the others leaving me behind. So yeah! That’d be awesome! But what do you mean ‘not kind’, that’s a bit scary sounding. Is it that fuzzy beast we saw earlier?” To which you are left giggling again as you shake your head.

“No no… hrm, there are some things we sky children just have to learn. However, what I can tell you is this. The water will drain your light, there will be more crabs, and… well lets just say a new ‘entity’ to watch out for. Don’t worry though, I’ve been through here without a scratch! So I know all the best paths we can take.” Pulling out the bravado, the candle suddenly putters out, and once more all you can hear from the moth is honking. Ah well.

You stand and dust yourself off, as Sei seems annoyed at the candle running out at such an important moment. However, before they can do something silly, you Thoom, and hold out your hand.

With a small pause, they take your hand, and you lead the moff towards the giant vortex that marks the beginning of this truly difficult journey ahead. Already, you and Sei can see several shadows of others jumping into the vortex before being swept away. They look up at you and honk a bit as they start to shake slightly. You can’t tell from what, but you just give them an affirmative Thoom one more time before you jump high up. Then, with all the ease of a loose shirt in a hurricane, you dive right into the center, before you and Sei are ripped from each others grasp and tumble around into the depths of the vortex.

Ah shit, you didn’t think you’d actually loose grip like that.

Fuuuuuuuuuuuck!

Chapter Text

As the wind is once more flowing through your hair, you find your perspective impossible to follow. Normally this wouldn't be an issue, since one is supposed to resign themselves to the vortex on the way down. You just didn't know this also meant any hand holding between sky children. If you knew that, you would have warned Sei from the get go to loosen up during the fall or else one might end up wayyy off course. 

Hrm, damnit. You can't hear them over all this wind, nor are they on the same wind path as you are on. They must have panicked and tried resisting, which must mean they were flung out early. If it was too far, they could be… anywhere in the Golden Wastes…

Grabbing the side of your cloak, you enter a death spiral, forcing your cloak to be as slim as possible by pulling it tightly to your body. You don't have time to wait for the storm to spit you out, so you're going to cut through the traffic. 

The downside to this plan? You're currently spinning the fastest you've ever experienced, and your hands hurt trying to keep your cloak this close when the traitorous winds are trying to make your cloak into a wind brake. Somehow even less orientation, for what is essentially a straight shot right into the dun- 

Suddenly the clouds break away, and you are launched into the dunes of the Golden Wastelands starting zone at the fastest speeds you've ever gone. 

This isn't great as you don't just go splat, as instead you break through the top portion of the first dune. Now skidding and rolling uncontrollably, you'll admit not even rebirth landings we're this bad. At least then you only hit one stone. Here you have the auspicious glory of breaking your fall on five rocks before you land into The Oil.  

You don't really have time to complain but, ah who are you kidding. There's always time to complain! See this is why you haven't revisited the Golden Wasteland yet, everything here is dark, gray, and depressing. Just entering the place is a test of will and strength alone, not to mention the absolute nonsense that follows. You think you have the king spirit, whoever that is in Eden, to blame for said 'nonsense' you refer to. Were your existence not to be for love, compassion, and a cycle of rebirth and rebuilding, you would have wrung out his neck the first time you made it to Eden. 

Then again you didn't really have the strength to do that, but the thought makes you happy. Maybe when you learn more or someone deigns to tell you more, you might change your opinions. Until then you are… getting completely sidetracked. 

You rip yourself from the oil and drag yourself out towards the second dune. Once there, you very quickly do a deep call, and scan the first zone of the Golden Wasteland. 

It's to both your immense relief and horror that you see your moff right away. You can hardly see them, which is why it concerns you that they seemingly blend in more with the gray and blue backgrounds than stand out like the candles you sky kids are. 

It seems he noticed you too, as they start to honk quickly, but don't approach you. That might be because they're on a small platform in the middle of another oil lake. Looking a bit closer, you also realize they're surrounded by crabs. Little buggers can't get on their platform, but they're also seemingly blocking their way out towards either you or another light source. 

Thinking rationally you can already see what happened. They fell into the crab nest. You're not sure why but the crabs made in the wasteland and eden just hit different from all the others. Not only that, but you don't notice a single one turned over, which must mean they don't know how to deal with them. 

So falling into a krab nest, in The Oil, with probably less than three stars of energy… if anything it's a miracle they even have any light left, and they aren't just a shadow right now. 

However, that doesn't stop you from using a whole three stars of energy yourself to boost towards the abandoned moff post-haste. As you come down hot, you're already shouting your Thoom at both the crabs and the moff. The effects are immediate as well. The krabos that had turned towards your lowering figure trip over theirselves while Sei suddenly lights up significantly in your presence. It doesn't seem like he lost any light, just came really close to it. 

Still, he shakes while looking at you, almost hurt. Like he was freezing or just scared. So, in giving a quick thoom to increase his light more, you turn away just to pick up a knocked over crab, and he seemingly pauses seeing his assailants brought so low. You place it down, and hop over to another upright crab… just to deep call again and knock it over too. Making a beckoning gesture to the moff, you then point to the remaining Krabs and nod. 

While you two might not be able to talk directly at the moment, your ability to emote must be something special. Either that or the call to violence exists deep within every moth, as the krabos are soon counter assaulted by Sei's own deep honks. It's a fond sight watching a moth so readily chase down their foes screaming. 

Then, all the Krabs were down, and Sei spun in place carrying his victory. A warming sight for certain, it seems this moff doesn’t back down easily. Giving a little thoom, you hold out your hand to Sei, offering your direct guidance once more. However they pause, and look down at the wriggling crab in their hands before looking back up at you pleadingly. It takes you a moment, but you suddenly face palm with a small musical clink, before nodding at Sei and motioning towards the rocky path forward.

They will probably realize how hard it is to keep a grip, but who are you to deny a Moffs curiosities. Plus, after that terrifying introduction to the wastes, at least a little levity would go a long way. So leading them forward, you both reach the first spirit of the wastes, and you watch as Sei contends with the fact that they either need to hold the crab, or their candle.  

Eventually he’s able to come to the compromise that he can’t hold the crab all the time, as he probably realized when he dropped it after flying up with a hop. Indeed, you remember how heartbreaking it was when you realized how hard it would be to adopt the crabs and raise them as your own. That, and your first Krabbo (named Skittles) was sadly not treated nicely by your brother. You specifically remember the moment when he said ‘Hey, look at what I learned in the Golden Wastes’, and proceeded to do something absolutely horrifying with that firework staff of theirs. 

Shivering, you realize Sei has gone ahead a bit, into the first alcove where the end goal of the spirit lay. So with a quick extra jump, you come in time to see the Moff learn the cowering expression. Honestly, if there were ever a more fitting place to learn such an expression, you sure wouldn’t want to know about it. 

Still, Sei looks to you again after the both of you gather the nearby wax from burning away some darkness and honks. Tilting your head, you watch as they look back to where they left their crab. This time however… you shake your head and point forwards. Yes it’s time to move forward, and guiding not only Sei… but with a crab through this next part would be a bad idea. 

Still, Sei does a little crying emote and you thoom lightly, giving them a bit of encouragement as you both move forward. It still scares you that he’s wanting to do this next part without holding hands, but it’s his choice… just as it might be your choice later to devolve into sudden primal panic. Which is why you are walking with Sei at a fairly close step behind. The Moff may be leading, but that’s mostly because this IS his first journey, you want him to feel the fun of exploring rather than Just being led.

However, you both have finally entered the room, and you can already see what’s going to happen here. A manta, sorta on the small side, was drifting about the room at a lazy pace. Sei gives a honk to them, but you quickly thoom three times and hide behind a pillar. Already, you can hear the slow sounds of doom approaching.

Like the slow looming shadow of death it was, the first Krill comes, A Dark Dragon whose body resembles that of a sea creature emerges from The Oil. It’s deep low growl like a lion or mammoth coming from deep within a cave, instead coming from this insidious creature. Its body constantly drips black ooze as its appendages snap and grind against its own carapace. The sounds of metal scraping against rocks and itself a constant reminder of its overbearing presence. A vast and brutal creature, only to finally reach the apex of its terrifying visage once its searching blue eye opens.

You and your brother sadly share one opinion about the Krill, they are absolutely the coolest looking thing you’ve both seen. However, you both have wildly different reactions to actually being in front of one. 

You feel like your reaction is probably one of the better ones, hiding behind a pillar as you practically try and drag the nearly catatonic Sei from the center of the hall. Suddenly, the Krill turns, and Sei actually freezes watching behind the pillar as it looks your way. However, you know it’s not looking at the both of you. No… that red light and slowly gaining growl… it saw the manta.

It sucks, but there’s nothing the two of you can do but watch as the manta is brutally consumed by the Krill. That scream… the Krill roar causes Sei to disappear behind you again and just…. Yup- he’s cowering. That’s fair. You give the poor Moth some time to figure out how to cope with such a creature. Everyone has a different reaction.

You respect the Krill and their terrifying presence. Hiding away from their sight and generally taking the areas they overlook slowly and carefully. Your brother, on the other hand, wrangles Krill for fun. You can’t imagine how many times you’ve seen him running around the other realms talking about how he was on another ‘Light Run’ since his ‘ pet ’ krill had bit him one too many times. 

That baffling enigma of a sibling aside, you sit next to the scared Moff, and give them a moment to collect their thoughts. Eventually, Sei would stand, and as you do, you are completely caught off guard as they just… Start Booking It. 

You’ll admit, you’ve never seen a four star move THAT fast before, but it’s also Harrowing to watch as they practically dive for the second spirit and stop only once they’ve hit the house that lies at the center of this room. The Krill, meanwhile, only just starting to crest over the building doesn’t see the Moff as they hide beneath the stairs. This forces you to wait it out before you just whole on jump and glide right into the building where your moff was practically glued to the wall waiting for you. 

They seem more terrified now, which doesn’t surprise you in the slightest. At first, you pout at them and give a finger wag for scaring the very light out of your candle. However, you also still hold your hand up, confusing them for a moment. 

While you were deeply displeased by them just scaring you like that, you had to admit the speed and dexterity they showed in a moment of crisis was EXACTLY what one needs when dealing with Krill. So with a quick high-five, you both pause as the krill passes overhead again. The blue light pierces through the abandoned building, the trail of the spirit Sei is awakening just barely visible to your eyes. However, you know this timing, and the moment the blue light passes, you point up the stairs and only start moving once Sei gets going. 

Sei starts to run up at your recommendation, but freaks out and speeds up… since the front appendages of the Krill just passed by. You feel bad, but this should help him learn that Krill are… practically deaf. True, as you run across the bridge with Sei, it sucks being literally underneath the Krill. The sounds of its limbs cracking against its carapace is not something one wants to hear up close… ever.  

However, at the speed you two are going at, it takes mere seconds to get sei over to where this spirit finally rested. So, as Sei relives the memory of another spirit, you peek out back into the main hall and check where a Winged Light stood alone. Hrm… should you bot-

Red Light!

You duck back into the hall quickly, as the Krill had spotted your snooping form momentarily, but not long enough to really check anything. Instead floating back into its usual pattern of circling around the room. 

Taking a breather at the wall, you realize Sei is just staring at you… before you see them… oh don’t laugh! You pout a bit as you march along and show Sei the two Winged light at the end of the hall before the Golden Wasteland opened up before the two of you once more. In the distance off to the right, you could hear the faint distant sounds of a charging krill and tiny explosions. 

Well… your brother sure is around, just off the side cave rather than in the main proving grounds of this hellish place. Sei still gives you a worried glance, but you just make an x-cross with your hands as you silently lead them down the slope towards the hardest part… and stop.

Before the two of you is a lake of Oil, distant spirits and winged light can be seen for mere moments between the pillars of rock and bone. Yet, between all of these safe spots, overlooking the valley of Oil… are four Krill patrolling the area. It’s at this that Sei silently takes your hand, and you can’t blame him.

This will be the hardest part. 

Chapter Text

Sliding down this slope, your eyes are no longer on the skulls or even your moff. No, this place requires four eyes just to keep track of the Krills that surround it. Besides, Sei is currently holding your hand. As long as the both of you take the same path you did the first time coming through, there should be no issues. Taking refuge in the first skull, you slide into the safe crevasse with Sei. 

Inside are some dark crabs you take little time knocking over, while Sei notices the darkness present before you and burns it away. Gaining some wax for the both of you, you peek out, watching the dark dragon making its rounds. Sadly, your brother is apparently marathoning getting theirself ripped apart… or just exercising their eight stars of light. You say this because you can still hear the other Dark Dragon near the downed Arc making another roar in the far distance.

Suppressing your own shiver, you’re just glad the Krill are deaf, as none of those present here seemingly care about their screaming brethren literally just over the hill. Sei, meanwhile, grabs your hand again as he looks over your shoulder at the veritable mess before the two of you. You are still in the zone though, and don’t realize you might have scared him when you suddenly burst from the first hiding place. 

Moving across the oil quickly with some timed jumps, you can already see your first window closing as a Krill rounds the corner and looks at the both of you. This was expected, and luckily Sei doesn’t let go as you practically hustle him into the second cave, actually IN the graveyard. He’s terrified as the red light turns blue, as a second blue light looks over the cave as well. The Krill on the left having seen you takes its sweet time moving on, but that’s good. It means you can recuperate with Sei before moving on.  

He still seems terrified, probably because that sighting confirms for him that they will come after players. True, getting hit by one sucks, listening to your brother describe being bitten by krill has given you more than enough details. 

Other sky kids might not realize this, but until rebirth, all their actions leave tiny imprints. Do the races a lot? The nubs of one's feet become a little darker. Play instruments often with strings? Same there but with the hands. You've even noticed very light ankle impressions on those who gather around crabs a whole lot. Normally, this would not have been a detail you would have noticed were it not for your brother. However, due to their constant injury via krill, you have noticed a very distinct pattern of lines about their chest and midriff. You don't even know if he's realized it yet, but it's caused you to become hyper analytical of other sky kids. After all, just seeing the very light scarring is enough to make you worried. 

It can't be worse than Eden, but that doesn't make it any more pleasant either. You can’t really give any encouragement besides your own little thoom before you nod to him. The krill has just moved past the cave, and with that, you run again. Flying a bit, keeping below the krill you’ve been tailing, you lead Sei towards another winged light and the sneaking spirit. True there are like… three other winged spirits around here, but you don’t think staying in the graveyard with a new kid is a smart idea. 

Now in this somewhat safer cave area, Sei seemingly takes the lead as he follows the spirits remmentant memories. If you remember correctly, there should be a winged light or two you both should be able to reasonably acquire before heading towards the Battlefield. Thinking about it, your mind finally wanders to your first time through here. It was… well it was tense. Your brother had burst through it like nothing, and kept telling you about this “Really cool location with all these neat flying things.” What a joke, you were expecting the sky whales to play a bigger part in this area when he said that. Definitely the biggest red-herring you will hopefully ever fall for. 

Honestly your experience here was less traumatic though, and more just… unexpected. Going from such a bright and cheery environment to one so openly hostile still plays hell on your palette. 

Ah good, Sei is learning the sneaky stance and found the winged light you jumped up towards as well. Now, all that’s left is the final glide and you should both be outta here. 

At this moment, as you were calculating the glide angle, you suddenly hear the low-growling… and it's getting louder. Turning, you realize something about the Krill that guards the entrance to the Battlefield. It can Fucking Come Up Here. 

Seconds, that’s all the time any Sky Kid… or really any Light Creature has to duck and hide before a Krill charges. Yet Sei is stuck solid to the ground in what you can only imagine is fear as they stand not even two yards away from the face of a Krill rearing up from the cave, looking down upon him.

The red light is flashing, but you slowly realize it’s also getting closer. Ah, right, the second you heard the growling, you began running. However, in these brief moments, your mind comes to conclusions you normally wouldn’t ever make on your own. Like when you expend two light boosts to shoot up and forward, giving your deep call as you buy Sei just enough time to hide. Your bright candle yellow cape flares open as wide as you can manage, forcing yourself far closer to the krills perspective than Sei. 

Of course, this comes at a cost, said cost being that the Krill, who you flew right in the face of, is now looking up at you. It seemed only mildly confused at the target change, in that it reset its charging buildup. So, you fly, expending every charge you can to ascend as quickly as you can, but there’s just not enough air current. Even then, it only occurs to you now that your brother always leaves a charge or two in reserve to actually… yknow… dodge the Krill charge. 

So, staring down at the light hungry predator, its red eye flashing like a strobe now, you only repeat in your head ‘it can’t be worse than eden, it can’t be worse than eden, it can-’

KROAR

HHHH-SKINK

Honestly, you really sure what was worse. The dreadful leadup to the Krill charge, the feeling of being stabbed through as it passes you by, the deafeningly loud noises it made all the while, or the hollow feeling you were left with after Winged Light pours from your open wound and you fall… quite far. Interestingly, unlike with Eden, you were able to retain consciousness for all of this. It doesn’t…. Hurt as much as you’d expected. It’s just a terribly hollow and cold feeling as you watch Sei float down towards you, honking fearfully all the while. 

Funnily enough, in this moment, all you can think about is how traumatic an experience this must have been for Sei to see. Which is why, even in your horribly dulled and echoing form, you stagger to your feet. Playing this off as best as you can, you return to your confident idle position and (once Sei honks near you worriedly, returning the light to your body) you Thoom defiantly against the seemingly deadly wound you had just taken. Now nothing more than a fading line on your body. 

Though, in posing like this, you realize you missed out on regaining two winged lights as they pass away. Still, taking quick stock, you know the both of you have no time to waste. So, holding out your hand to Sei, showing little pain from the attack just then, you are elated when he takes it. He doesn’t even seem to be shaking as badly as he had previously. Which is good because the two of you Fucking Book It one final time towards the battlefield, picking up the winged light along the way before finally making it to actual safety. 

You honestly just want to collapse there on the ground, take a nap, and just try to remove that hollow feeling from your memory if you can. However, Sei is currently holding your hand, and keeping him safe and happy takes priority in your mind. So, to signal that everything's alright, you hold up your hand. Once more, Sei is decently confused until he picks up it’s for a high five and takes it, just continuing his surprise after as you thoom happily and clap. 

Now making a following gesture, the two of you experience the Battlefield, the extremely large and barren landscape wherein you get to partake in some far more casual collection. Showing Sei towards TWO more winged light and another spirit for him to relive the memories of. Sure your run for Sei will have only got him… six of the winged lights and three of the relivable spirit memories, but honestly for a first time through, that’s some impressive numbers for the Golden Wasteland. 

Still, watching sei, it seems like he’s waiting for the other shoe to drop. Like he keeps pausing and looking out over the desert to look for something. However, in a rare twist of luck, it really is only the two of you out here in the fields. Silently, you collect enough wax to finally create your candles and… hey, two candles. Nice. 

Still, you know it’s time to go, so you make a big Thoom to Sei, and convince him over towards the gate where the Wasteland Elder resides. You uh… also don’t know  what to expect from him this time around, but who knows, he might be nice. 

Sei still freaks out when he lights the pedestal and thee more Krill appear after the both of you. However, considering the distance between them and you, you aren’t personally worried. Sei, however, takes a rare moment in leading you, practically dragging you inside the temple as the gate closes behind the two of you. 

Now, gathering one more Winged Light, the both of you approach the elders shrine and light it up. 

Here’s hoping the Wasteland Elder won’t do the weird sparring flex thing again.

Chapter Text

You know, you hate being right, but looking up again, you see the Wasteland Elder atop the wall once more.

To be fair, you don’t quite know how this space with the Elders works, but you do know they are spirits of habit. Not just fractured memories like other spirits however, no. The Twins are a star example of Elders who at least keep things fresh with each visit. Still, you step back a bit as you hear the whistling winds as the Wasteland Elder lands before you once more. 

His little spar with the air reminds you of how sometimes spirits in their memories interact with invisible objects, and you can only imagine him fighting off Krill with those movements. He’s definitely the right size, but what the hell does fighting krill even look like? Still, he stumbles just like the last time you were here, and you begin to instinctually move just as then.

Even in fear, instincts of the skykid rights are like a weird niggling part of your waxy brain you just don’t quite get. You know what to do, but you don’t know why you know what to do, if that makes sense. Maybe Megabird left each skykid on what to do? Regardless, as you kneel and imbue the elders weapon with the fire, you pause as you realize he’s still looking at you. 

Your weird brain for specific details followed by the strange instincts of ceremony alert you to the fact that something has already changed from last time. It’s only when the Elder points, and trails his finger along what is now a hardly visible darker line on your abdomen do you realize it was indeed the elder who broke convention. 

“You protected your younger, Thank You.” His voice was deep, so deep you almost stumbled upon hearing it. That’s the third… well fourth elder whose voice you’ve heard. Each one was obviously unique, but that was nutty. Still, his head dips a bit as he grabs his spear, and stands resplendent now. “Not many would be willing, but those that do stand taller than most. You have my respect.”

He would then flourish, raising his spear now as he sends the light up towards the sky, and the vision of the elder fades. As your eyes clear, you realize you must have been meditating a lot longer than expected. This is mostly because Sei is sitting next to you, sleeping, rather than meditating. In the background, you see the half-shadows of other Skykids also heading towards The Vault. This is also when you realize he’s holding your hand again. You still don’t quite get it, willing to run through a dangerous zone with trepidation, but holding your hand during meditation? Maybe the Wasteland Elder just gave him a spook was all. 

Still, you humm and realize you’ve got exactly three candles now. Man… you are lacking, but you think this is a good investment. Which is why Sei is suddenly awoken by you hugging them full on now. When you pull back, he’s rubbing his eyes, but seems definitely surprised by the action as you’ve put a bit more into showing your appreciation towards this Moth. 

Now, you stand, and make a little hand gesture for him to follow. Sure, he was holding your hand, but you still wanted to make sure he was ready to continue. Still, he gives a cute little nod and with your own back, you step forward into The Vault. 

That isn’t to say you don’t have plans to sit down with him at the nearby bench, but if he wanted to be done already, you wouldn’t give him any grief. 

There’s actually already a bench whose candle has been lit, so knowing this shouldn’t last long, you sit down and watch as Sei takes his own seat, and both of you find understanding again.

“Congratulations Sei, you survived your first trip through the Golden Wasteland! A little scary though wasn’t it?” You decide to open with a bit of an upper, since it seems like the Golden Wasteland was as terrifying as you expected. You worry for his Eden run.

“YEAH! It was really scary! What even were those things, it looked like you had died for a bit there? Why didn’t you warn me???” Well, good news is that he seems more annoyed and peeved rather than actually terrified or mad, which causes you to giggle and respond.

“Well, one, we DID run out of time for that first candle. However, there are some things you’re never gonna be ready for. So I thought it’d be better to kinda… ease you into it. After all, i was holding your hand whenever I could. I’d never leave a cute moff like you to danger” As you pat his shoulder and give a happy little nod.

“I- mmmmm. Fine! But you still didn’t answer my questions! What were those things? Why did you look all grayed out when it hit you? You were really cool though when you… saved me i’m sorry. ” It sorta occurred to him in the moment that you did indeed take a bullet for him, but you just hum loudly to interrupt his probably less than kind thoughts as you say.

“Don’t worry about it Sei, if anything I’m glad I could take the hit for you! It was really cool too, I'll admit. We call them Krill by the way, mostly since they look like shrimp when they arch during their stares. As for the hit itself, it honestly looks worse than it feels. It does cause you to lose winged lights, but it was more cold than anything. However, you came down and warmed me up right quick.” You bob your head happily as you thum in happy beats. He still seems to look down a bit, but responds.

“Those Krill were… really scary. Is that the only time we will see them, or will there be more ahead? I don’t think I’m ready to deal with that again.” And as he says this, he sorta curls up a bit on the bench. You give him a hug, and assure him.

“Until we reach the next Elder, there is NOTHING that can hurt you ahead. However, there is something after them that’s… well it’s both the start and end of this journey. It is a trial unlike any before.” You aren’t sure how to broach the topic of Eden, so you start slowly. 

“A trial? So there’s more Krill? Also what do you mean the beginning and the end?” He’s looking at you now, fear evident, even though his cute mask. So, nodding your head, you try your best.

“Every skykid at some point reaches the summit, the light we’ve been journeying towards this whole time. You’ve seen it many times as the other elders have pointed you upwards, no? We call it Eden. I’ve been there before, and now I’m going through the lands once again.” He seems to ponder your words, so to assure him, you continue. “How about this, lets traverse the vault, and meet the Vault Elder. If you feel ready for Eden, I will go with you to the very end. If not, there’ll be an expressway trip back to home, or the hub if you call it that.”

“Is the Vault Elder at least nicer than the Spear man? He was very… intense.” You can’t help it and laugh a bit. You laugh still echoes in a strange and low tone, but it’s still obvious that you’re laughing before you are able to say.

“Tr-trust me. The Vault Elder is NOTHING like the Wasteland Elder. She’s very nice in fact, and has something very important to tell you. Just as they do every Sky kid.” You wipe away a little tear of wax at the absolute sincerity Sei showed there, it reminded you too much of your first reaction. “If anything, the journey to her is quite peaceful, and quite pretty. The mantas here are very unique in fact.”

“Well… fine ok. I was gonna ask if we could stop, but if the vault is as nice as you say it is, I’ll go up to meet her at least.” But then, after a pause, he would ask. “How bad is it? Eden I mean.”

“...!” You honestly thought the conversation was over, so when he catches you at the end there, you pause. Then, after a moment, you say. “On one hand, I can confirm there is nothing worse than the ordeals you will face in Eden.” At this, he obviously shrinks up, but you say with swelling confidence. “However, on the other hand, what you do in Eden far outstrips the ordeal. The task you do there is pivotal, and your understanding of why we are all here deepens immensely. Plus, once you pass the hardest part, there will be a great gift waiting for you.”

He sees you in this moment, pride in your voice, posture high but not formally straight, and he must see something, because he beeps loudly before saying. “I might not be ready yet, but I think I’m more willing now than before at least!”

“Good! Then before we burn this candle out, shall we ascend the vault?” and as he nods, you both stand to enter the first looming room. 

Chapter Text

You look up and sigh, seeing details of things Sei can’t quite make out himself from the base floor of the Vault.

If the Golden Wasteland was the first time you truly realized just how bad things had become for this world, then The Vault was where all your understanding came to fruition. Wherein what you could read and watch from the memories of spirits, to what the Elders had confirmed for you on your first pass through, it was when your daunting task came to you wholly. Every moment before that understanding, it was like you were moving on instincts and pure curiosity. Now… it was more like the task it truly was. And soon-

Honk?

You weren’t holding Sei’s hand, but he seemingly stood there, waiting for your dumb introspection to end. Whoops. You give him a quick ‘Thum’ as you do a full proper bow and point to the torches ahead. No hand holding needed here, it’s practically impossible to get lost. So letting him explore and complete these tasks on his own is perfectly fine.

Sure you light a torch here or make sure he gets his wax, but really you want to give him free reign of all the fun moving parts at play here. Nothing dangerous, and honestly besides the side paths, the vault climb is one of the most peaceful things one can do really. That, and sleep in the woods under a tree, or maybe even near that one campfire.

Sorry, you’re losing the plot again, but you feel this is the time for introspection. Even if Sei is needing to remind you to sit at the pedestal to follow him upwards. It’s just that you suppose this journey with the Moff here has been the longest you’ve been out of your own head. Besides your brother, you don’t deeply interact with many other skyskids. Sure, you’ve watched them, made friends, shared candles, and brushed up with some of the groups, but you don’t really… feel any further attachments beyond a passing interest.

Maybe that’s why your brother took to the loudest hobbies so quickly.

…

Your brother waves at you in the distance, the winds of the Golden Wasteland bite into your form as he dragged you all the way out here for some reason. He led you down a side cave, showing you a whole new area where the dark-crabs are abundant and a krill looms overhead. It seems to be a vast area where a broken ship resides, whatever it used to carry is something you can only currently imagine. However, remembering some of the cave drawings, probably those who inhabited these lands before you all.

Still, your brother said he had something ‘really cool’ to show you, just why it has to be here you have no clue. Suddenly, he pulls out his trusty fireworks wand and gives a cast in the direction of… the krill? You don’t really know if krill can hear, but it sure does see your brother as he’s… flying right for you??? He’s going upwards but still directly towards you as you hear the krills growls quickly crescendo, your brother laughing all the while in the air.

The krill screams and charges for your brother, but the moment it does, your brother drops from the sky like a rock. You see him flap his wings whilst pointed downwards, and above the both of you, the krill crashes into the nearby dunes rather than through your brother. Instead, your brother slams into You at mach speed laughing. “Cmon Sis! You gotta start running now! Else the krills gonna get its eye back open and krill the both of us!”

At that point, you had decided never to participate in your brothers activities when it concerned the Golden Wasteland.

…

Ok well maybe is the excuse you’ll use for him, considering all that you’ve seen. Maybe he just has soupy wax for a brain, and just likes the more dangerous activities. Why can’t he be like the other fly kids at the valley and get really good at the races or something like that? Urgh.

The platform beneath you shudders, and another constellation is lit up. You look over in time to see the moff return, and you offer him a high-five for his efforts, which he takes up happily. The platform raises, and about here is when the vault really gets interesting. The darkness of the sky seemingly takes over, and you are both treated to moving platforms and stars. Deciding to do a bit of leading, you thum to Sei and do a little point up past the moving platforms to some of the more stable floating ones.

Your brother apparently never saw this, but today you get to show this little moff the tree sequence. Sure you both missed out on a few four kid doors, but the Vault seems empty today anyhow. It makes you a bit sad it’s not more popular, but it seems your favorite locations aren’t quite beloved. The Vault ascent feels like a nice end to the journey, and the Forest and its rains have lulled you to sleep many a time. Plus, you are certain there are still deep secrets in both areas you’ve yet to unlock.

Floating up to the platform where the spirits memory resides, you get Sei started on the fun tree memory with the Polite Scholar. It doesn’t take long for Sei to catch onto the path, and as you follow along, watching him get all excited over the changing environment is quite fun. Indeed, when you think back on it, The Vault tends to have the most interaction between Skykids and the environment. Maybe it’s because the whole Vault is technically the Elders temple? Regardless, you watch Sei bring forth the bigger tree, and even find the upper winged light on his own. Giving a small clap, you both float back down to the moving platforms to continue onwards to the next area of The Vault.

Another constellation lights up, and as you rise, the possible areas to explore open up a whole lot. Mantas moving in circles greet the both of you, as floating rocks extend far into the sky. This time, you take Sei’s hand, but here he’s the one leading you as you thum happily. Essentially giving him free reign to explore as he desires whilst making sure you don’t lose him around here. He said he was tired earlier, so letting him set his own pace seems important. Good news is that this doesn’t stop him from suddenly taking off towards wherever his five stars of flight could take him.

You’ll admit, he tried Really Hard to figure out the no-star jump parts, but seemed to be just beyond what his waxy legs were capable of. The weird part is that you know he CAN, physically, but mentally he might not be just quite there at understanding how to move himself. That’s another part of your existence you don’t quite get, but haven’t had enough time to ponder. The spirits all sky children guide range from children to the elderly, yet sky children are just that… children.

Sure others take potions, use magic, or even masks to seem larger or smaller. However, you’ve quickly realized that size does not equate to maturity or age of sky children. Indeed, some like Looking more mature to reflect their age, but really there’s only so much you all can do to look older. You wouldn’t mind if more adult spirit looking forms were possible in the future, but really the oldest sky child you’ve ever spoken with was around three years old, and they informed you very few were even a year older than that. You really aren’t sure why that’s a point of interest in your mind, maybe it’s because what you’ve been able to learn from the guiding spirits?

Regardless, you are left wondering about the fates of your kind, and you’re probably not the only one who sat thinking about this. The point of this journey is to guide the spirits back to the sky, and soothe the damages of Eden. However, what happens if/when all spirits are finally guided and Eden is no more? Do you all just fade, or will it be the sky childrens turn in the clouds on their own? You really wish Greatbird mom was a bit more direct with her will, but maybe that’s the point?

Golly you are getting lost in your own head, it’s just seeing Sei, and knowing he’s probably hardly older than a few hours just occurred to you properly. He doesn’t know a lot about the world he’s in, just that he has to reach the summit, and bring with him as much light as possible after meeting with each elder. This isn’t even discounting yourself! After all, you’re merely a couple weeks old, and yet here you are acting as if you have some sort of guiding advantage above this Moff! Yet that’s apparently a very normal reaction for a lot of sky kids.

As you think about the honestly concerning ages of sky children compared to spirit memories you’ve been privy to, you do help Sei lighting the ghostly lanterns that now surround the pad. It seems he had a small fascination with the ghost-mantas, but now you’re both floating about the pad trying to get the gate open. You’ve honestly had small struggles with this section, mostly because it’s really hard to reach the higher lanterns in the circle if you aren’t going fast enough. However, you both figure it out with relative speed and ascend again.

Now, finally, one of the cooler events both you and Sei are treated to is the larger ghost manta making its way through the room. The calls of this manta temporarily expose the vast halls of the Vault in the background as you are both enraptured by its progress around the room. You give Sei a friendly nudge, and hover across the floor with him towards the big fella.

This next part is really fun, as each lantern is lit, more ghost mantas suddenly shoot up from the floor, and Sei is quickly stolen away by one. You’d laugh, but you instead find yourself tripping up as another catches you from behind. Now the both of you ascend once more, to the summit where everything changes.

Chapter Text

Alighting on the pinnacle of The Vault, both you and Sei are tripping over each other as the Ghost manta deposits the two of you. Honestly you knew that landing was going to be messy, yet you still had no chance of an easy recovery. This just leaves you laughing however as the two of you untangle from each other. Sei also seems to have enjoyed it, as his cute little honks of laughter are made obvious to your ears.

However all things have to end, and just like that you are both looking up at the Vault Elders shrine. Sei seems a bit hesitant, but doesn't falter for long before moving up the steps with you. You both only pause to collect wax and light, before you both with synchronicity sit before the Vault Elder. The candle having already been lit by someone who came before you both, unexpected but nothing too bad. 

When you come to, you can tell immediately this vision has changed. For a start you are not looking at the Vault Elder, instead it's at Sei who stands a great distance away from you. Looking a bit more, you see the elder, and it feels like you're watching them both through glass. Then you hear it… 

"I'm surprised, usually the children take far longer before deciding to lead their own through the lands." 

And right next to you is also the Vault Elder. Sure you've been through here a few times, and you even get close with her during the ritual, but this is almost familiar levels of standing. You're also forced to do a double take as you look at her and then her over by Sei. Just as you are about to question them with an emote, she interrupts again. 

"We elders have been doing this for a long time, and I the most studious of them all. Even though you children have only been at this task for a few years, it's not like we've been doing nothing this whole time, both before and after the arrival of the children. You can see this as me splitting my attention, after all it's not like you children get in a queue." 

She would huff at that last part, and it only occurs to you now that they all must be constantly busy with sky kids like you coming through. However it seems she is quick on the uptake and says. 

"This is a task we long new would be before us, even if the shattering was less expected. While I have probably answered a few of your deeper questions, I'm sure you still have some more immediate queries." 

She tilts her head down at you when she says this, and with a nod towards your guided moff, She would continue. 

"I like to keep track of all the new children, even if that tends to be a daunting task. You and your brother were one of the few anomalies I have noted, in that sky kids pairing off so early with familial bonds are rare. Now you have shown deviation again, in that opposing your pragmatic nature, you have decided to become a guide. Not just guiding us and the spirits beyond Eden, But more of your own kind as well, those that might not know the way." 

And with that she would pat your head, which really throws you for a loop, an elder patting your head! 

"While they won't be here this time, we are all proud of you and every child that takes up this task. However, I had to be sure of one thing. When this vision is over, if this child decides to finish their journey into Eden, promise me you won't abandon them." 

The thought of doing so, a horrid thing some veterans do to moffs because they think it's funny, causes your light to flicker. "I would ne-" right before you cover your mouth. You expected your normal thumm to come out, so hearing your actual voice has thrown you for an additional loop. Your head's going to be tied into knots by the end of this if you get put through any more loops. Yet the Vault Elder simply chuckles as she says. 

"We don't share this fact often, but in these visions there are no restrictions on speech. After all, This is not the land of the physical. Instead our minds speak to each other, letting even vague motions hold greater nuance." 

Without giving you time to recover, she would say. 

"And with so little, I am able to tell that you will be a great guide. Lead the child to Eden, And be there with them for the Ascent. Just as one had done for you, now you return the favor." 

Then as if that were all, the vision fades and you wake up. The storm outside rages, as the way to Eden is open. Sei Is there looking to you, and you can tell he knows what comes next is grave. It's not in his face or his posture, it's in the trembling of his legs just barely visible beneath his cloak. Standing, you walk to the nearest bench and light the candle waiting for him to sit next to you. 

When he does, you start immediately. 

"What do you want to know?"

Chapter Text

It only slightly surprises you that he doesn't just bombard you with questions right away. Instead, Sei, your moth, is quiet as they shiver for a bit in place. You can't blame them either, as Eden changes everything. The air is cold, lights dim, and the very fire within every skykid… shudders upon meeting the airs of Eden.

You find it completely unsurprising when they take your hand, probably for both comfort and warmth. This moth… only hours before was so bright and excited. You could only imagine how they jumped and sang through the first realms. Imagining that the rain would be the worst they'd ever see. 

In a really ironic and cruel twist, you know it's going to be the rain anyway. Not the light darkness that falls in the forest however… but the heavy stabbing rocks that fall in the skies of Eden forever. 

"You said you've been here before, right?" It's Seis first question, and you can't tell where this leads yet but you answer anyway.

"Yup, although it's only my second trip, I am making the journey again." You've really begun to pick up on his body language, which is why the added confusion has you interested.

"Then why does it feel like I'm walking into my funeral?" Ah. That's where it's going. For a moth so Young they absolutely have an intuition about these things. Some are a little deaf to it… You probably were too before you started tearing into any learning available. 

Luckily, the answer is not as cruel as Sei might be imagining. "Sei, throughout this entire journey, you've seen many spirits and their memories. Reliving both significant or small parts of their lives left behind. Didn't you ever wonder why?" 

He would actually make a pouting noise at you, giving you grumpy child vibes as they say. "It's because we're helping them move on right? Just like the mural on the cave said, The spirits were disconnected from the sky, and we are helping them-" He would pause, which you take as a good moment to cut in. After all, you're watching as his eyes look past you, to the peak of Eden barely visible even this close. 

"Ascend, yes. I'm glad you actually remember that. And with them, what else did we collect? Besides the memories of spirits, giving them candles and love as remembrances, What was the one other thing every child of sky collected on their journey?" As you ask this, You casually tilt your back sideways, showing off the back of your cape. 

"... Clothes?" 

All right, you'll admit, It was really hard not to laugh at that. Here you are trying to give this important talk, yet this moth goes and throws you off track. "Pfft, No, I mean yes but no. The other thing!"

Waving your cape in his face a bit more, he eventually mimics your maskpalm from earlier, mildly surprising you as they're capable already of a spirits emote without meeting them through you. "Light! The figures that kind of look like us, we collect winged light… That's it right?" 

Now audibly chuckling, you nod whilst taking your cape out of his face. "Yes! We collect light on our journey, take it into ourselves and become stronger for it. However, the winged light serves another purpose. To help those who made the first journey to Eden, and to let the spirits ascend back into the stars." 

He seems to contemplate that for a moment, The words you just said visibly bouncing around in the moth's head before they give you a far bigger tilt of the head. "Who were… The first ones to journey to Eden? Also, why is Eden so terrible in the first place? What could be so terrible to stop the spirits from returning to the sky?"

Crossing your arms (and giving the flaging candle a side glance), you would begin to answer. "Now that delves into a lot of theory that most sky kids have only pieced together through murals. However, I can give you two simple answers. The first ones who journeyed to Eden are what I think were the first skykids. Mother birds first attempt to return the cycle to normalcy. Unlike us, they stay in Eden, their light spread across the land to then be returned by us. Only by completing this cycle, and returning at least a fraction of the light back to them, can Ascension happen." 

"As for what Eden is? Darkness. Darkness and the final elder. I think they were their king actually… still, that's the best answer I have. And we're running out of time. Tell me, do you have any other questions?" You don't mean to hurry along this last part, but the candle only has so much left to give.

Which is why you're glad he chooses such a nice closer. "You keep talking about Ascension, and going through this sort of cycle. I know you're still here but… are we going to die?" Well, you've been putting it off long enough.

At this you sort of tilt your head back and forth a bit, letting the thought sort of roll about before you answer. Trying to get the phrasing right for the time you have left. "Yes and no? We sky kids know about death because all the spirits are… Well dead. However, if we were to never learn of our purpose, and to never meet a Spirit, sky kids would probably never have a concept of death." That one seems to get his attention, So you continue. "We are made to help spirits back to the stars, to live this world and to take in its light to then guide through to Eden. However, just as the spirits are unable to fully move on, sky kids don't really die. Sure our flames can go out, but as beings of rebirth, we sort of just… Wake back up anyway? So yes, Eden will hurt, and we will technically die, but we will also not die and return to the cycle again. This is what we do." 

Honestly, you hope this is comforting for him, as saying this out loud has essentially let you… remember. It sounds silly to say, but by running through this exposition, you've sort of lifted your own spirits. Removed from the rewards, and removed from all the strange yet fun groups sky kids are making, each of you still have a purpose you can return to at any moment. You are all here for a reason, and once that task is done… Maybe the skykids will have their turn as a 'people'. Technically, the sky kids already are a people with how groups are starting to crop up where the spirits left behind. 

Still, your own introspection aside, the candle finally flickers out, and Sei makes a surprised honking noise as the speech between you two is cut off early again. After this, maybe once you do another candle run, you'll have to strengthen the bonds between the both of you so that you can talk whenever. You're sure he'll love listening to espouse paragraphs upon paragraphs of supposed 'lore'. (Look, with no one actually saying anything, cave paintings are hard to follow, and the spirits ways of containing memories in the vault is confusing to read but possible).

Still, you carefully watch Sei stand from the bench, because this is it. The decision you've been waiting for, ever since he took your hand and brought you along. As a head, the storming and raging world of Eden awaits. Just outside the vault, light becomes darker, and darkness glows with that false red hue. He's looking too, seeing the doors further beyond, and then beyond that the angry red darkness that is the center of Eden. Then he looks back to you, and you see he's holding out his hand for you. 

You've never been more proud of a moth.

You both stand before the gates of Eden hand in hand, Sei shivering as he finally feels the effects of true darkness. Here, light is scant, and the ability to warm up with your friends is greatly diminished. The suffocating presence of Eden's core can be felt even here, as ripping winds already attempt to steal away the light, any light brought before it. Luckily neither of you are alone, as before the gate other groups and even lone sky children congregate. 

As a few are working on lighting up the runes to actually open the gate, you have yourself and Sei share light with all sky kids present. So that, before the dash to Eden begins, you may all more readily help each other before the end. This was something you were told after the fact, but it helped that the one who guided you through Eden did the same thing for you. 

However, the gates are beginning to open, and that same cutting wind from before blast through as every child present involuntarily shivers. Veteran and Moth alike, the darkness of Eden, and it's false red lights of condensed darkness are absolutely the most terrifying thing. This is the greatest failure of the final elder, and everyone suffers for his actions. You can only hope they had good intentions, because that would be the only redeeming quality to this primarily horrific scene. 

But now the gates are open, and the rush to Eden begins. Children running forth down the broken rocky path, possibly once paved now instead a jagged and dangerous mess with ripping winds threatening to throw them off the cliff. Freed jagged rocks flying through the air at imprecise periods, whilst shattered red shards of condensed darkness seep away at their bodies and attempt to trip up both the unaware and the unwise. 

Out of everything, what gets you the most is the cold and numb feeling that starts to overtake you just being here. You'd say it's because you know what happens, but really, you remember this cold feeling the first time. This realm, Eden, everything about it is hostile including the air. It wants to take the light from you, and you will be giving it away, but not here.

You push forward with Sei, joining the others who take the more sane route forward through the rocky rain. Behind you, a group of five veterans holding hands shoot up into the air and fly over this first joint. Giving them a quick look, they were the same five who were opening the door to begin with. They must have made this journey hundreds of times by now, guessing by their apparel. 

Suddenly you rip your eyes forward as you hear a shattering sound, as a sky kid from another group flies backward after getting slammed by a rock. Up ahead, you can see him off hiding behind a rock but shouting back in their own honks to the fallen sky kid. Luckily they fell back enough to be outside of the rock rain, and so you and two others including Sei help them back to light. It doesn't seem like they lost any winged light, but a hit like that still stings like no other. 

The winds die down for a moment, and so the four of you take this chance to run forward to the next safe point, where the moth is waiting for their own guide. Now a group of five, it's a bit of a tight fit, but you all manage to keep behind as others behind you and ahead of you also wait out the current bout of Rocky rain. 

One more mad dash, and the first part is over. Now, a dreary climb as winds continue to rip at all of you. No rocks for now, but that's a low sentiment given the circumstances. Just a slow trawl upwards, as the warbling cries of sky kids calling out to each other, or heating up one another can be heard and seen. Jumping across small gaps as the winds make such usually trivial matters an issue. Still, everyone's in it together, and no one gets left behind. Sure you've heard horror stories of cruel veterans leaving moths alone, but this time too many are present for such a cruel twist. Unlike the previous steps of your journey with Sei, this is the community you've grown used to. 

Which is why it's not long before you reach the second gate, where a child of light awaits with a winged light for everyone. You've always wondered what they think, being so close to themselves and yet unable to go forward without the sky children. Still, to you they represent a beacon for the next bout. Another long stretch of violent shards of rocks, and you can feel Sei hold on to your hand even tighter. 

As the next gate opens, a mural lights up beside all of you. This one you didn't see last time, but it's depiction is clear. The final elder, the elder of Eden before their gift from mother bird broke, as the impressions of… not an Elder, but a King come to your mind. You don't know how that sits with you, especially when compared to the scene before you. You hold his hand back, just as hard if not harder with these realizations. 

This time, the thought of your wax bending beneath his grip doesn't occur to you. Especially as the pylons of red aggressive sucking shards of darkness litter the path before you. It's already clear several have been hit by the rocks here. As sky children sporting fresh scars on their wax are recuperating their light with others before attempting to sally forth. 

You see one, with what looks like over 10 stars on their cape get hit in the face, stumble back just to try and catch their footing. Each time they seemingly have a grip, the ground beneath them falls away or the winds pick up even stronger, blowing them all the way back to the group. A nearly sisyphean effort, If you even knew what that meant. 

However, the collective sky kids here push on, each of you finding places to hide from the red monoliths and flying stabbing rocks to keep moving forward. Those who know more are guiding others to places of safety, whilst the moths of the groups diligently follow instructions in lieu of seeing even veterans stumble and fall. 

The wind is howling, and the sky storms more aggressively as each of you step closer and closer to the center of this madness. Eden does not want any of you here, it wants you all to turn into inanimate wax, and for your light to be snuffed out forever. Yet, each of you dance between the pillars, hiding in crevices and behind ruins as more sharp and vicious rocks rain down on all present. 

If each of the realms represented a state of the world, from spring to victory to defeat and dusk, then Eden is the end of the world forever. It is an endless apocalypse, and yet each of you continue forward to ease this burden even slightly. Striving against the violent winds and oppressive darkness just to transport your light to the end.

Sadly, that's why it's not surprising that after this second stretch, you reach your pipe filled with muck. The inside is disgusting, as the liquefied darkness bites at everyone's feet as they hop across. Then, ahead, not violently rushing rocks and wind greet you, as instead two krill surround a piped structure you know you'll have to climb. Well, you would were it not for the five sky kid veteran group from earlier. The ones who opened the Eden doors for everyone else. It seems they're showing everyone a trick, a quick way to fly into the pipe and into safety. They're doing the rounds, one at a time as they dodge past the krill, practically flying behind them as they go into an unseen area. However, you know they're essentially slipping into the back of a pipe, just to pop out of the top and fly back for everyone to see. 

You know this path, and with seven charges on your back, you know you could get Sei there. The wind here is less aggressive, the cliff ahead of you blocking quite a bit of it. You'd assume that's why the krill are here, but considering the next zone that's a dead lie. No, maybe it's the piping that so readily resembles their tunnels they like to make in the wasteland. Or maybe it's because they know sky children take this path upwards, and want to try and get a tasty treat. You can't be sure, but what you are sure of is that you need to go right now!

Flying alongside one of the veterans five, you and Sei quickly ascend and wrap around the pipe as you expend five charges before you both turn into the cliff face. Still, your second slower than the Veteran, and for a moment, the Krills Blue Eye sees you, and with a rising roar a red light bathes both of you. You don't know why the krill wait so long to attack, but you are going to use every second to run the both of your waxy asses directly into that pipe. Basically crashing into the other veteran as the krill behind you shoots past the pipe opening with a roar. 

Funnily enough, the veteran isn't mad at you. Clearly taller, definitely older, wearing what seems to be the vault elders hood, they look over the both of you before nodding and motioning their hands up ahead. Then, giving you both polite bow, they zoom out of the room so that the next one can take their place. 

You can't really blame them for not being here for the next part. After all, it's the worst stretch so far. Ahead of both you and Sei, You're already seeing kids crawl back with their forms grayed out as others run to help them. The storm is twice as long here as the previous sections, with bigger chunks of angry red darkness crystals seeping away at each spot of what could have been safety. All leading up to a temple, and the krill that has decided to overlook it. Patrolling along as the violent storms hardly even bother it. The only thing that could make this worse is if dark crabs were also along the way, but luckily it seems they can't exist in the high wind areas, so small blessings.

It doesn't help that along with normal rocky blockings, the other things that get used along the way to hide from both the krill and the rock storm are ruins and the petrified bodies of warriors past. However, right at the Pinnacle, to the doorway that leads to safety, stands a child of light. The clear and obvious reward for traversing so much danger. 

At this point, it's one step in front of the other. Sometimes really fast, but there's a clear path the other sky children are making. It's definitely not a concise path, but it's safe enough that it seems the recent fallen and re-lit we're just the more experimental types. So you and Sei do your best to follow this path. Stopping in huddling down each time the space becomes narrow, trying to not trip over others when possible. 

So of course things have been going too all right. Sei, without you realizing, hits a shard of red crystal hard with his foot. Immediately stunning him in place as the aggressive thing tries to drain his light as quickly as possible. This causes him to stumble, and your hold on him to almost falter. However, you are in between two safe spots, and the ruined arch ahead is still a bit too far away to be safe. You do the only thing you can think of, and practically tossed him forward before yourself. Turning as you boost into the arch with him, still feeling jagged rocks fly through the side of your cape. 

Still, you both can't stay here for long. The rocks flying past you are nicking your cape on both ends, sending shivers into the light within you as only Sei's presence keeps the darkness at bay. Meanwhile, his foot has a clear brighter patch where the crystal touched him. Officially giving him a waxy scar. You tried to comfort him, but he makes it clear pretty quickly he can tell you're getting beat up. 

Which is why he reaffirms his hold on your hand, and as the storm subsides once more, he dashes out. You can only consider yourself lucky that another group decides to do the same thing. Not lucky because you both brave the storm together, or make one another faster. No…

You're both lucky because the krill chose that moment to peek its vision out over the very field both you and the other group were running across. This is lucky because both of you going at the same time confuses it. Although the horrid red light shines on you again, it quickly pauses and changes to look at the other group. However it's indecision costs another meal, as you both slam into the cave, all four of you collecting the light child as both you and Sei fall to the ground. Sei still favoring his freshly hurt foot, and you, exhausted, as your cape is attempting to heal itself. The holes from before slowly filling in as you take in the new winged light. 

Nothing brings more light to oneself than taking in a winged light though, so the collapse fest only lasts so long. The other group having given you both a bow as they move in, looking like… honestly some of the figures from the reef. You've meant to explore the area more, but after your brother excitedly told you about the krill there, you decided to rain check that.

Once you look over, Sei is no longer favoring his foot, and is actually looking at your cape with worry. However, by now, all the holes have filled in and your golden (yellow) cape is once more restored. You give him a little wave on the floor as you collect yourself. Holding out your hand, you lead him through the final path.

It's eerily silent again, as the storm outside can't be heard in here. Instead, all that greets you are the several children of light that litter the way to the 'light' of Eden. As Sei reaches his fifth star, You actually just barely reach your eighth at 76 winged light. It's a small victory, especially when compared to what lies next. You can both feel it, a finality that lies behind the archway that you will both only experience together. 

Sei grips your hand, and you hold his back.

The dark light is there, a testament to something you could never hope to understand. Abused, broken, and spilling out dark malice as much as the rocks themselves rain from the sky. Nowhere else is it as clear as it is here something terrible happened. However, until more is learned, either by spirit, or by portraits found in caves and ruins, no sky kids truly knows what happened in Eden.

What is clear though is that the purpose you were all made for is clear. You must ease the burdens of Eden, and ferry the spirits into the sky, to hopefully redact the insanity of this darkness. 

Unlike last time, your first time, when the light felt heavy in your chest, It now feels loose instead. You still burn as brightly as you can, but now their resting places are nearby. So as the first alcove protects you two from the rain, you calmly move up to the first statue. A child, just like all others before you, dull and covered in dark crystals. With how long they've been here, any discernible features have been eroded away. However, that's not what matters to you. Instead what does is what comes next, as you bring your hand to the light in your chest. Then you show Sei The most literal part of this whole journey. Delivering the light. 

For you, it doesn't hurt this time. As you remove the winged light from your body, you can feel your waxy existence dull just slightly. Nothing more and nothing less, the statue before you starts to glow, a blue fire of stoked embers within. You turn to your dear sweet moth, and they're looking at you, at your chest where the fire within has dimmed just barely. It's not an easy thing to understand right away, especially with a storm overhead threatening to destroy everything that makes you what you are. The red glare of Eden just staring at you with red malevolence. Truly, the palette of reds and grays are all that make up Eden without the sky kids.

Then, Sei carefully approaches the same statue you just fed, and reaches towards his chest. Sadly for him it's not as easy. He has never given light before like this, and it requires… tearing. Just like you, he visibly winces as one of his far fewer lights are removed from his body and given to the statue. The blue flame within a bit brighter as you lead him to the next. After the first three, you have to start going into the line of fire of Rocky rain. Unlike before, this rain breaks like glass and spills darkness over your form. Somehow both easier not to stumble from, and yet far more capable of causing pain before dark numbness sets in. 

You both already get tagged once, as you misread the storm shifting from one side to another. However it's not enough to bring either of you to your knees. Even with shards of darkness sticking out of the both of you, you hold him close and Thum loudly as he honks while you both crowd around a mostly broken statue still holding a brazier. Everything is loud and violent, yet you know this is the kiddie pool compared to another couple yards ahead. So once your capes are recharged, you keep him going. Each of you giving up a bit more light with each statue, both your eighth star and his fifth disappearing relatively quickly. 

He seems to be stumbling often, as you move up to the second phase of Eden. The rocks here are less, and the rain is more frequent. Even just offshoot darkness seems to really get to him. This doesn't surprise you, as by this point you've both already given about 10 or so winged light. It's starting to become hazy to keep track, as the dull ache is buzzing in your mind. However, you know he didn't have 40, in fact, it's unlikely he had even more than 30, So he must be down to 20 or less. In this air, the loss of winged light does not heal, and thus the mind becomes more impacted as more is gone. So he's already a third gone… You have to keep him moving. Each one he's able to give away instead of lose is a win. 

You're able to get him maybe 10 more in, before one of you stumbles. Looking back on it, you really don't know who did what, but what you do remember is the both of you being dead in the center of a storm shift. Large rocks of darkness slamming into the both of you as your forms start to stiffen. The malevolent and yet uncaring glare of Eden's immense rage slam into the both of you, and your light flickers. You are forced to retreat, dragging your stiffening body away to a torch nearby that you lit. Reduced to the gray state, your song is but the basic honk as you call out to your moth. He's coming to you too. Slowly but surely, however you see the light on his back being torn away by the storm that rages. 

Once you're able to relight him, only three stars remain on his cape. Doing some quick mental math, there is less than his original third of his light remaining. This is when he looks up at you, the cold still clearly seeping in even with both your flame and the flame of the brazier. He's so small…. Technically you're the same size, but something about this… You can't unsee it. The shivering small child, with gray coming in about the edges. Rocks still forming on his hands, hands that had recently just learned to tear out his own light. You know it's not pretty, but seeing it from this end is horrific. A child, not even a day old, experiencing a facsimile of death…

You know it's worth it, you know neither of you can truly die. This is the cycle that everything must complete, and you both (as well as every other sky kid) are uniquely tasked and made to deal with this. However, that does not detract from how uniquely horrifying the experience is. 

So, you put on a brave face, Giving the lowest quietest Thum you can. It seems to register on him, just barely, like he was on the verge of the deep sleep. You offer him your hand, and he still takes it even now.

You both only get hit one more time, before he is able to give away three more winged lights. However, for him and his moth body, it was simply too much. Sadly, you get to participate in the uniquely horrifying experience of watching Sei curl up beside you, hand holding yours after he gave away his final winged light. His body dulling, his features fading, and soon he is replaced by a gray image of himself, before that is overtaken by growing darkness. Rocks litter his form, and all that shows his consciousness is a small blue flame that now darts about you. 23 on his first run… He should be pleased. However, you have much more to burn through, and you still have an audience. Even now, he can see your actions.

You will show him an Eden Run.

…

The rain here never ends, the rocks from above constant as Eden stares you down. There is nothing more hiding you from it, as it has nothing to hide from you anymore. It is pain, aggression, and unchecked power that radiates with malice. There's no more cover here. There is no more fire either. Just the constant rain, and the frozen bodies of the first who came before. Here, the only thing you were told was that hesitation is the killer. So you jumped, you sprang and leapt as rocks fell about you violently. Edges of darkness still painting your form as Eden did its damndest to end you… and after your 51st winged light, you trip, and several rocks hit your body consecutively. You are too far away from the fire from before to make your way back in time. The dull ache around your body grows as your mind becomes more foggy and mystified. You lose definition, you lose the ability to walk, you lose the ability to call, all you have left is crawling. 

Rocks forming on your hands, seizing up your joints, and trying to seep into the depths of your body, you continue to crawl forward, as the blue light of Sei flies above you watching your demise. And you keep going. Ruined hand reaching towards your chest, you pull forth another winged light, and light up your 52nd statue. However, the 53rd is too far away, as more rocks hit your frame. It's taking everything within your power not to just be blown back, much less go forward much further.

Your mind is blanking, the winged light within you being torn out by the moment, and with the rain ripping away, you finally…

Fall…

Asleep. . .