[Forgotten] Prompt 1

Alowyn swooped gracefully through the air as she hummed a gentle tune. The song wasn’t anything anyone knew, just a few notes strung together and repeated until she got bored and started a new one. She was wandering through the skies of Vitalus waiting for two vayrons to join her. She was going on an adventure through a new world beneath Vitalus and she knew it would be exciting. 

A few miles away, Garmr and Herja wandered through Vitalus on their way to meet the cheery empyrian. The duo wasn’t pleased with the situation, but they also couldn’t seem to shake the ‘marshmallow with wings’ as Herja described her. 

“We’re really doing this?” Garmr growled with a slight twitch to his tail. 

“She might be of use to us, we don’t know what we’ll be meeting down there,” Herja said with a voice that meant she didn’t want to hear any complaining. 

He simply huffed in reply and said, “You think that gentle tyrian is going to be any help?”

Herja glared, but being the one to think more realistically of the two, said, “We both act violently, maybe we’ll need someone with a nice bone in their body.”

Her tone was final, Garmr growled to himself but didn’t continue to both his partner. He knew better, and he was already pushing it after he ignored her tone earlier. The pair had been walking rather aimlessly for an hour or two, they didn’t mind, but it was getting late. 

“Where is this tyrian?” Garmr hissed.

Herja was about to answer when they felt the air shift around them and heard the sound of someone humming to themselves. They both rolled their eyes and walked towards the noise. As they expected, they found the third reosean that would join their exploration party. Garmr didn’t hesitate, he jumped at her with an uncontrolled growl and snapping teeth. 

Alowyn had spotted the pair earlier in the day, but she didn’t feel any pressure to make her presence known. She had followed them quietly listening to the things they were arguing about. The topic was her, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it because if she was being honest. She was using them as much as they were using her. 

When word got out that this exploration was happening and Konstantin didn’t want to come, she needed someone who could fight if it came to it. She tried to lean into more peaceful paths, but she knew it wouldn’t be all sunshine and roses in The Beneath. Alowyn was quickly introduced to these two and the rest was history. 

But back to the present, Alowyn didn’t look up until the growling was silenced. She looked up and looked at Herja’s surprised face before turning her attention to the angry vayron strung up and tangled in vines. Her magic, this pair assumed that her gentleness meant she didn’t have any power. Unfortunately, as Garmr found out, that wasn’t true. 

Herja sighed as her facial features settled into a more stoic expression, “Enough of this. We have to get going.”

Garmr struggled, as clumps of fire and lava fell from his lips. Alowyn looked at him and in an instant, the vines were gone. Herja sighed and was about to direct them, but Garmr had other plans. The second his feet were on the ground he launched another attack, but just as quickly Alowyn had him muzzled and strong up in vines. 

“Garmr!” Herja growled, “Enough of this.”

Garmr wasn’t one to be held down, he hated being restrained. Fire started to replace his coat and markings as a sign that things were getting out of control. Eventually, he looked nothing like a vayron, instead, he was all fire and blackened bones, something straight out of one of Alowyn’s nightmares. Her vines held, unaffected by the fire. 

Herja mumbled something in a language Alowyn didn’t know, but chains appeared around Garmr’s neck, legs, and body, wrapping around him like a snake. The chains glowed red and Garmr’s hell-hound form faded with his consciousness. Passed out, Alowyn released him from her vines. 

“Is this a good idea?” Alowyn asked aloud, mostly to herself, but she appreciated Herja answering anyway. 

“Once we get moving, he’ll be better,” Herja explained, “He needs something else to put his mind to use.”

Alowyn looked at the vayron wrapped in chains and nodded, “Okay let’s get going.”

Herja mumbled another phrase and Garmr’s body levitated with the chains still around him as they followed behind Herja as she walked. Alowyn took to the sky and followed along. It wasn’t long before they got to the meeting spot where they were expected to meet their guide, Cailu. It was a little way into the tunnel system that would lead them to this new world. 

“I was beginning to worry,” Cailu said when he spotted their approach, noticing Garmr he asked, “Is everything okay?”

“I’m told it will be,” Alowyn spoke quietly, still uncertain about this arrangement. 

“It will be,” Herja ground out and emphasized with a glare.

“Alright, well, everyone should be conscious as we descend further.” Cailu indicated to Garmr.

—————————————————————————————

The chains that contained Garmr faded as the hellish vayron opened his eyes. He immediately hit Herja and Alowyn with a withering glare. Alowyn stood ready to restrain him again and Herja returned his glare, daring him to try something. However, Garmr accepted the situation with a growl and turned to Cailu. 

Cailu wasn’t sure what to make of the situation, but Herja assured him everything would be fine. With her assurances, Cailu turned to guide the group of reoseans toward the first clan they’d be visiting. He asked them to hold their judgment, telling them this clan had a way of living that wasn’t necessarily accepted by all. Herja and Garmr, being nomadic warriors, told him there was nothing they hadn’t done or seen. He didn’t need to worry. Alowyn couldn’t offer the same comfort but told him she would be open-minded. 

The rest of the trip was quiet outside of the odd noise echoing through the tunnels. The further they descended the more Alowyn’s concerns grew. She was uncomfortable in the dark. Garmr and Herja were at home in the darkness. However, the dark wasn’t with them for long because a few minutes later crystals started to appear along the tunnel walls lighting their way. It was only another short walk until the group noticed a large opening and various makeshift structures that looked thrown together. 

“Is this… Is this how they live?” Alowyn whispered. 

“What happened to your open mind?” Garmr sneered. 

“I’m concerned,” was all Alowyn said as she spied a small Haedian that was quite thin. 

Garmr gave her an irritated growl and would have said more if Herja hadn’t stepped on his foot. Cailu watched the potential argument fade before directing them toward another small haedian. There were brief introductions before the leader eagerly tried to enlist their help. 

“How would you like to help us?” Troall spoke quickly, “We can help us steal, or cause a distraction, or I’m sure some of our younger members would love to show you how to prank someone properly.”

Garmr and Herja immediately said steal. Alowyn agreed with them, much to everyone’s surprise. Though her reasoning was different from the pair, where they just wanted to sow some chaos, she wanted to help. Especially with the sight of the little one she saw earlier replaying in her mind. 

Troall clapped, “Excellent!”

Cailu followed the group until they got to the other end of the clan’s territory. Troall explained who they would be stealing from and what they should steal. It was fairly straightforward, they needed supplies or food. Troall gave them directions and sent them on their way. 

Garmr looked at the bright-eyed tyrian and said, “I don’t believe you’ll be any good at this.”

Alowyn rolled her eyes, but Herja spoke first, “I have to agree with him, Al. Maybe you’d be better suited doing something else.”

Alowyn chuckled softly to herself but didn’t respond to their comments. It was only when they approached The Brutes' territory that she said something. 

“If that’s how you feel,” Alowyn whispered as she scanned the immediate area, “We can go our separate ways and meet back at the Forgotten clan.”

Herja was about to say something, but Alowyn caught her off with some out-of-character sarcasm, “Wouldn’t want to get in the way.” With silent wings, Alowyn disappeared into the ceiling above this new territory. 

Herja and Garmr huffed as they watched her effortlessly crawl around the ceiling. Separating into two groups sparked the pair’s competitive nature. They looked at each other and quickly agreed to steal more supplies than Alowyn. Their previous intention to simply create chaos was on the back burner as they fell into their roles. 

Herja would come up with a plan, and they both would efficiently execute it. 

Alowyn kept her eye on her companions, it would be so much easier if they had just stuck together. However, Alowyn could admit pride got in the way. She sighed as she refocused on her task. She was trying to sense roots or plants she could use, but she struggled not realizing how far this clan was from plants. Eventually, she managed to connect to some large roots and asked them to come help. 

As she clung upside down on the ceiling she directed the few roots she could manage. She watched them coil around wood, fabric, and pelts. This clan was busy working, they didn’t seem to notice small amounts of their belongings being dragged away. Alowyn directs the roots to leave the goods where she originally stood with her companions. When she was satisfied, taking just enough to be useful, but not enough to damage this clan, she landed next to her pile. 

Her eyes found her companions lurking in the long shadows of this clan’s borders. Garmr and Herja were single file and low to the ground as they crawled to their target’s hut. They stilled when they heard someone rummaging inside and waited. It wasn’t long before there was silence in the hut and the pair moved together. 

Garmr grabbed a few things between his teeth while Herja used her levitation magic to gather a few extra things. The pair wasn’t paying attention to the work Alowyn had done, so they had no reference point. They didn’t know if they would ‘win’ or not, but the sound of heavy steps heading toward them ended any thought as they quickly left. 

The pair carefully returned to where they saw Alowyn and quickly saw the pile she had obtained. Garmr bristled at the thought of losing to someone so soft. He wanted to go back to get more, but Herja stopped him. 

“Let’s quit while we’re ahead,” Herja urged her hot-headed partner. 

“Fine,” Garmr growled. 

Alowyn smiled, “Nice work guys.”

The compliment further ruined Garmr’s mood, but he didn’t say anything. Herja eyed him, and quickly told them to return to the Forgotten clan. 

[1849]