FENRER

Yuven refused to leave the garden behind.

But he needs to see outside it. Not everyone will think of him as a shadowy monster if they can see him! If they meet him, they'll see... He's not scary. He's scared.

He shared the idea during an outside meal, but Yuven scrunched his nose with a rejecting huff, but no words of argument left his lips, and he took that as a chance to broach the topic further, to convince Yuven he had nothing to be afraid of outside the mural walls. Whenever Neven passed the entrance of the garden Yuven made quick work of disappearing. In the deepest oranges of evening, Yuven often broke into tears when the thorn dug into his throat.

Questions helped perk his new friend up from his maelstrom misery. His curiosity created a bridge through the shadows. Relief spread through him whenever Yuven found the strength to demonstrate, then indicated at him.

"What you do?" Yuven gave another point at his chest.

Fenrer hesitated. "Nothing as amazing as what you can do."

Yuven folded his arms, and a memory clashed the pearls together. Deep inside the castle annex where his friend became a ghost. Night time ventures among the stacks of books, and the pearls crystalized with the sense of firelit peace. Fenrer stood up out of the grass. "I'm sorry for startling you back then."

"Ghosts... scary," Yuven replied in shaky, uneven Common and patted his own chest. "Sorlo d'lo—" He hesitated, then clasped his hands together. "I... I am sorry." He tipped to the side with a curious smile. "Molvisaliz... you are not scary."

"You know, I think you should leave the garden just once," Fenrer insisted, and Yuven frowned. "It'd be nice to walk around and see the citadel, wouldn't it? It's so huge."

Yuven stepped back to wrap his arms around the standing stone. "Safe here. In control here." He dug his cheek against the obsidian and closed away the violet beads. Pearls floated across the river of crimson-splattered goo. Serrated shadows lashed at the circumference and cracked the murky surface.

"You won't hurt people," Fenrer whispered. "I'm not going to let them hurt you either."

Yuven let go of the standing stone, and Fenrer leaned back when his friend stood on tip-toe to lean over him. "Won't?"

"Yes. Yes!" Fenrer nodded at Yuven's hesitant, but no less curious question. "I have Kon! He's a big wolf! You saw!" He extended his arms over his head to demonstrate. "No one would mess with us with him around! Come on, I know the Warden Trainees are going to walk over the practice patrol path! I even asked Miss Faehariel if we could take a peek at the first part, and she said yes, because it's safe!"

He had to go. He'd be a Storm Warden later, and Miss Faehariel would tell him what to do anyway.

Yuven held onto the standing stone again with a deep frown. Back to the silenced thoughts along the maelstrom edge. Fenrer closed in on him, but his friend didn't retreat into the shadows. "You trust me, don't you?" he asked, then held his hand out. "I'll be your shield. I promised."

I promise.

"In the way..." Yuven shrank from the extension of trust. Snowroses bloomed underneath icy fields. Tranquility engulfed the crimson. "Stay... stay here..." Activities sparked ideas against the pearls of solace without outside intervention. Hopefulness chewed at the murk, but Fenrer drew away when it dimmed.

"Yuven, I—I don't think we can stay here forever."

Yuven's gaze turned pointed. "No bothering and no judging. Why not?"

"You're alone," Fenrer argued. "How long were you alone until I came?"

Moonlit nights with flowers tickled the back of his mind and the edges of his fingers. Suns. Moons. Over and over. Constant and unchanging. Any shift in the wind cracked the pearls with fear. Fenrer frowned at the imagery, but he refused to let Yuven wallow in the garden of his own distorted perception. "If we go see that path..." He mulled over the next words, and he pushed, "We can... do whatever you want after!"

"What I want?" Scriptures of Navei notes ran through some of the sharp pearls. It exploded in understanding and a tiny smile dug into his cheeks. Wolves bounded across the river. A noise of question left Yuven's throat when he pointed at the arch into the garden.

"I promise," Fenrer said. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

Ever so slowly, Yuven released the standing stone. "When?"

"Soon!" Fenrer bounced on his heels at Yuven's acceptance. "We follow them to the start of the path, then come back! Easy!"

Yuven glanced between him and the stone of many names. "Molvisaliz..."

Wolf boy.

Yuven took to the nickname quickly, a tease of Fenrer's botched song. If it helps him, he can call me whatever he wants! It gave him a vine to latch onto, out of the swallowing crimson river. Yuven's trust in his hands, he led them out of the garden, underneath the mural arch. Hesitation slammed into the maelstrom rapids, and Fenrer turned when Yuven stopped at the edge, his hands tucked underneath his chin with his feathers puffed out.

"It's okay," Fenrer insisted, as Father had done for him. "I'll be here. Trust me. I promised."

'I promise, son.'

It didn't matter if Yuven stayed in the garden. Day after day. Night after night. What mattered was that for once, he left his own frosty confines and embraced the sunny world. Fenrer smiled when Yuven dove into his shadow, and he took the lead away from the singing walls. It had to be an odd sight for any passing Wardens. Two boys, with one using the other as a shield.

But what would harm Yuven out here?

It was the home of the Storm Wardens, and they protected others from the dark. Fenrer dropped the questions. Father would've protected both of us... no questions asked. I don't need to know.

Flames chewed through scaled shingles, but he shut himself away and avoided the embers and guided Yuven closer to the huge citadel which bloomed in the middle of the inactive caldera. Wait! Maybe I can take him to Neven! They're both Naveerans! Both of them can speak Navei! And they both have fair hair and feathers! He can help Yuven like he helped me! He led Yuven to hunt for the Naveeran Storm Warden of warm winters, but they came across Miss Faehariel instead leaving the massive doors.

"I'm glad to see you two out and about." Faehariel smiled at Yuven. "Are you feeling well, Yuven?"

"Syu'dol..."

What a weird way to say yes. I thought it was just 'Syu'. Grateful for Neven's patient teaching of their tongue, he took it in stride as a different version of yes. It hurt his head to think about all other possible variants Neven didn't teach him, but he dragged his attention back to the important matter at hand.

"I told the squad leader of the Unit you will join them for the first part, a bit of a training exercise for them as well when it comes to escorts, an important lesson for the Trainees," Faehariel said, then leaned down at Yuven, though she continued to tower over them both. "You'll be alright, Yuven."

Fenrer waved at her. "Where's Neven?"

"He's running a bit of an errand for me down at the harbor," she replied. "He should be up soon. I don't want you two wandering too far into the Trainee's path. Their first hurdle is a simple bridge. You can cross it and see them off, but don't go into the route itself. Stick near each other and the Trainees."

"We will!" Fenrer waited for her to walk off and meet with another Storm Warden. Kemal, if he remembered correctly. A Hanekan. Tyronai. Father mentioned the Tyronais. Arrows whizzed, and Fenrer shook his head at the noise.

"Neven..." Yuven held onto his arm as Fenrer led him to the entrance of the caldera.

"You've met him already! He's a Naveeran, like you. He..." Fenrer tightened his grip on Yuven's hand. "He helped me out of a bad place."

One pearl slipped underneath the icy surface. Neven, basked in the light and shadows of the garden. Sharp, but no less gentle sapphire eyes as he sat underneath the large tree. Music danced around his aura to give shape into wyvern wings. His fingers plucked soft notes, and intensified louder ones. A playful beat, utter focus on the unseen passage. It hummed through the river, to ripple it and even out the scattered waves along the tall, wheat-spun feathers. "No..." Yuven shook his head. "Not like me..." The wyvern mirage disappeared with the final strum.

Fenrer held on, mystified at the glass. "Come on. Let's go watch the Trainees. It'll be fun."

Yuven smiled in return.

He took the lead with Yuven clinging onto him for support. It'll be okay. Everything will be alright. They're Storm Wardens.

He found the group of Trainees hovering beside the start of the patrol path — the Gauntlet, he overheard some of the Storm Wardens call it. Fenrer stomped up to them and tried to project Father's confidence and size. Yuven stuck in his shadow, a ghostly mirage.

A young woman, a little older than Nikos, turned to him. "Here's our curious onlookers," she said, and knelt down to him, her aura warm. "We're to escort you across the bridge, I hear. You two just sit back and watch us."

"We understand." Fenrer smiled at her.

Her gaze flicked to Yuven, and her warm aura dimmed. Sympathy curled the wispy orange color, but Fenrer found no hint of hatred or fear. "Okay," she said and stood up. "Keep at the back and be careful."

Fenrer followed the Trainees over the well-worn mountain trail of well-maintained cobblestone along the outside of the caldera. Yuven kept his face hidden in his back, but Fenrer frowned when he let go of him. As the Storm Wardens ahead of them spoke in hushed voices, he kept himself between them and Yuven. The path twisted and turned to a little mountain creek flowing through the tiniest caves. A log bridge rose over the slope. Fenrer watched the Trainees go one by one with ease and impressive balance.

He hopped onto it and balanced himself to move forward. Fenrer reached the end, and wriggled in excitement at the first task of Storm Wardens as they went deeper into the mountain ravine, following the squad leader's steps when she went ahead.

A gasp and a loud splash made him turn with the Trainees left to follow.

Yuven had fallen off the log and into the creek. He hauled himself out of the water and wiped his face. Fenrer eyed the Trainees for guidance, for them to rush to Yuven's side and assist him.

None of them moved.

Fenrer frowned and slid down the slope to help. He stumbled into the wet pebbles. Boots soaked, he held out his hand to Yuven. "Let me help you."

Horrific, crimson pain slashed the violets apart. "Nex," he rasped, and Fenrer recognized the incoming storm. "I..." Yuven jumped to his feet, drenched down his front, but Fenrer reached for the shimmer, then phased through his friend.

He disappeared, a ghost.

"Yuven, wait!" His voice echoed along the mountain and caused some of the Trainees who crossed into the ravine to return and investigate the commotion. "Yuven!"

He shook when the squad leader pushed through the back. "What happened?" she demanded, but whether to him or her team, it didn't matter.

"The Corruptor kid fell," one of the Trainee's replied with a hesitant shrug. "It's just a little water."

Corruptor? What's that?

"We have to find him," Fenrer gasped in alarm. "What if he's hurt?"

Everyone eyed the squad leader, who jolted in rippled confusion and uncertainty.

None of them moved. Frozen in their auras. Fenrer rushed up the slope and back the way he came. I should've held onto him! He wouldn't have fallen!

"Yuven!" he called through the start of the trail. "It's okay!" He stopped. Maybe he went back to the garden?

Fenrer returned to the caldera, guided by the small landmarks. "Yuven!" He ran through the training fields, past the paddock where some hippogryphs played with their younglings, one of them white as snow. Clouds swallowed the sun with thunderous might. Lightning's roar. It blocked the patches of light within the flower fields behind the marble arches. He shuffled through them to reach the standing stone.

No Yuven.

The garden shed.

No Yuven.

He has to be somewhere!

Empty.

"Yuven?" he asked, then opened his sight to the overwhelming colours, but he sorted through them, to find the last remnants of his friend, to keep his promise. Empty. Auras mixed, but the icy maelstrom disappeared with the wind. "Yuven?"

His friend ceased to be.

I can usually see him even if he's in his magick, but his aura isn't... Embers sliced into his heart at the screech of terror within the flames. He escaped the garden, to find someone, anyone, that could help. He raised his head to the incoming storm front birthed from the ocean. No, where is he?

Fenrer rushed out of the caldera, and spotted Neven climbing up the steps through the artisan's quarter, closer to him, but he had no time to greet him. He rushed through the muddy paths and ignored the drizzle slicking across the rocks. Auras danced, but he gripped onto the ice-carved whites. It poured and drained the colours into empty shells, but he stuck to his path — to keep his promise. He followed the trail where it wound upwards into a smaller path. Wide enough for a kid to tread — but not for adults.

I need to get to him.

Knees close to the ground to keep himself steady on an uncertain world, he climbed.

"Fenrer!" a voice gasped, a ringing melody. "What are you doing?"

He checked back at the music, where Neven ran down the path.

"I think Yuven's in one of the caves up here!" Fenrer stepped onto the slicked rock path, but he hesitated when a pebble clattered at his heel.

"A storm is rolling in!"

Fenrer ignored him to climb.

"Stop, Fenrer!"

He stopped after one last heave over a ledge. Ocean waves crashed into the rocks far below.

"You'll slip!" Neven snapped as he hopped onto the path.

The icy maelstrom dimmed.

"He needs me, Neven. I promised." Fenrer continued the ascent, but heard Neven hiss something in Navei as more pebbles clattered to the snarling foam jaws of the sea.

I have to get to Yuven.

Fenrer's hand slipped on one rock, but he kept his magick at his fingertips to keep him stalwart on the slippy path. Off to his side, Neven shimmied against the wall, where the path never gave him room to stumble. As Fenrer hauled himself over another ledge, he stopped at a wave of nauseating fear.

Neven came to a stop on a slicked, narrow ledge, focused on the noisy sloshing below. A glyph studded with sapphires grew out of his fist, and he pushed an icepick into the rock face. "Alright." Mist billowed out of his nose when it flared, and the beats formed in his eyes. "Fenrer—"

"I won't leave him!" Fenrer hauled himself over another rock, into the maelstrom.

"You should," a voice whispered above his head.

He spotted the mouth of a small cave entrance Yuven took shelter in. Rain masked the tears in his aura. His icy aura waved through the winds of despair. "Molvisaliz, you see now?" Images fell into a cold, crimson abyss, and Yuven hid in the shadows. "No help..."

Neven came closer with a quick glance upwards, then down. Tension and terror cracked through the auras, but Fenrer refused to retract his hand.

"Yuven," he begged. "Please come down. I'm still here. I said I'd be here!"

He reached his hand out, and Yuven stared at him.

Neven formed another ice spike with his freehand as rain drenched his feathers and stopped at the final hop which would bring the warmth of winter to them. "Neven," Fenrer rasped. "You have to help me."

A spray of snow dragged against the wall, forced through hesitance. "I'm trying. Just don't move." Neven dug the icepick deeper between a tough crevice. Twine wrapped around his arm as he bent his knees.

Fenrer returned his attention to Yuven when he cried softly. He kept to his promise, and hopped onto the final ledge and brought himself closer to the mouth of the cave. His fingers clasped onto the pebbles, but as he tried to lift himself into the cave, his heart fluttered into silence when a rock crumbled underneath his boot.

Yuven twisted in slow motion, and reached his hand out.

A blur of ice sped past him to slam into the other side of the rock. Wings fluttered on the storm, a leap of faith. Someone's hand shoved him into the cave as the rest of the rocks broke beneath them, and his heart hammered when Yuven latched onto him. "Neven!" He gasped out the realization, and rushed back to the edge.

He clung onto the remaining rocks, where a beautiful mirage of wyvern wings fluttered with a deep hum against the flow. Rain slicked against his feathers, shimmering with the extra layer of his aura Fenrer had never noticed before. So massive. So bright. Golden scales shimmered as the mirage of a wyvern followed Neven's movements, a second touch of sapphires. Fenrer leaned closer to investigate the strangeness in his aura, but stopped when Neven muttered something under his breath. Terror filled the golden scales muted by snow. He peeked at the ocean maw, and drove another icepick into the rocks. Fenrer frowned at the hot pain gathering around Neven's ankle, shoved between a crevice Fenrer broke.

"Neven!" Fenrer swung his legs out to go help him.

"No," Neven whispered in the icy song. Calm against the terror ripping him to shreds. Wings expanded around him, a hum of a different being. A deep, endless melody of ice. "It is alright. I need you to stay there." His hand slipped on one of the spikes, but his expression remained constant, consistent, as he slowly pulled his foot out of the ruined crevice. "I can get myself up."

Terror and pain washed out into the song.

Winter's wings gathered closer to push out the rain in slow droplets and Neven pushed his head into the rock and continued to mutter in Navei as Yuven joined Fenrer at the edge. The hazy mirage of wyvern wings fluttered, a pale-gold to match Neven's feathers, frayed out at the ends. Auras weaved through the rain, and Neven glanced at them.

He braced himself, and Fenrer widened his eyes when the mirage of wings expanded.

Neven jumped the rest of the distance when the wings fluttered across his face. The mirage scattered into golden dust when Neven rolled into the cave. Water droplets slicked off the tangles of his pale-blonde hair. He knelt down with a rumbling hiss of pain through his nose, then raised a giant shield of ice to block them from the storm.

"What were you two thinking?" Neven scooted to rest himself against the wall to rub his ankle.

"Didn't want," Yuven whimpered from the shadows.

The next words out of Neven's mouth came out in Navei. Realization and shame filled Yuven's maelstrom at whatever Neven told him. He sighed, then eyed them both. "What are you two doing all the way up here?"

"We went to go see the Trainees off on their patrol, and Yuven fell—" Fenrer hesitated when Yuven whined in Navei, the bells clanged into silence.

Neven hauled himself to his feet with one hand on the rock face, and shuffled for Yuven, who scrambled out of his reach. Clear, strong chimes slipped between Neven's fangs, and Yuven flinched from the words.

"Don't yell at him," Fenrer said.

"I'm not yelling at him," Neven said. "I'm scolding him, but now that you mention it—" He twisted around on the hot aura of an ankle, then flinched. "I told him he shouldn't put others in danger, nor should you." He went to stand straighter, but Fenrer reached out when another soft hiss left his nose, though his lips thinned from the pressurized pain in his aura. "Come on. We need to find a path down. I know all these cave systems are connected. Kah'mai, sin touula nex'karva d'lo..."

Fenrer helped Yuven stand. "What did he say?" he questioned under his breath.

Yuven mumbled, "This why I don't..." He hesitated, as if trying to find the correct words in Common. "...rock climb."

They followed the golden wyvern into the dark.