CONTENT WARNING: Referenced genocide
“Child,” her grandmother’s voice echoed in her head, “For every Troll they have killed, every sin they have committed, we will kill twice as many humans. One day, you will be there to see what a world clean of their carnage looks like.”
CONTENT WARNING: Blood and injury
Helgi could feel the way it weakened bit by bit with every breath, fading from his tail and underbelly like the sunset into night. His body was dulling it to conserve the energy it burnt, vital to keeping him alive through his injuries. He watched with intent blue eyes the same color as the borealis still shifting above him. The earth around him smelled like soil and pine needles and metal.
“Huh. So you’re the other newcomer everyone’s been on my ass about meeting. You’re a lot different than I expected. More nerdy. No offense. Who’re your folks?”
“Hey, heads up; Josephine’s gotten us lost.”
CONTENT WARNING: Referenced suicide, menstrual cycles, referenced genocide
Who even were they? Small, plucky Astrid, who had run away because of lack of parental support and a few mysterious pranks taken too far, but who could kill a bear all on her own with nothing but spite and a kitchen knife. Aloof, prideful Finner, who had lived in the shelter of one body of water his whole life, yet could hypnotize and drown foes with something as seemingly innocuous as a melody. Brazen, emotional Greta, who had fled her home after failing to stand up to her family’s violent crusades against humankind, and yet put her all into trying to help others. Bitter, frightened Esko, who had never even been outside the walls of his home city. Who had lost everything he’d ever loved. Who swore revenge on the entirety of his own species. Who was lost and had no idea where to go or what to do. Whose only experiences with nature came from botanical gardens and zoos. Their advantages were few, and their flaws were numerous and prominent.
“I’m Cairo Anubis. I… uh… talk to ghosts and hit people with cool swords,” he said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Bad guys, I mean. Not civilians. With the swords.”
“Beware the one who will bring down the stars, and trust what grows in the dark.”
The shape that shot out of a nearby stand of bushes and reeds was that of a young woman. Shaped like Glais, she bore piercing blue eyes and her black fur was marked here and there by white specks like stars against the night sky. Her hair, long and tied back into a single braid, whipped behind her as she moved.
“You can’t see past the worst-case scenario, and that’s only going to do you harm. You have wonderful potential, if only you could learn to put your worries to rest.”
CONTENT WARNING: Mentioned suicide, survivor’s guilt
Surrounded by dark pines, it seemed like the gates of a unique heaven had opened up above the quartet, beckoning them in.