Leafdusk Fete: Return Home [Legendseekers]

Shortly after leaving Troia trudged along in the blizzard of Valorise’s streets with all of her personal enchanted weapons: Spearbie, Axebie, and Macebie. Pantalaimon’s Ophistles remained hidden in her Scout’s cloak together with Keybie. The keybie radiated such an intense warmth within her pocket that she did not have to fight ever muscle to stay as warm like the first day she had arrived here- but despite how much Ophistles sought out warmth, Hermes and Mercury shied away from the dormant keybie, as if repelled by something within it…

Troia looked around to survey the area; normally, at this time of year in temperate areas such as Moonreach, xyns would be celebrating the Leafdusk Fete, basking in the autumn moonlight and dancing amongst the leaves. But Valorise was typically frozen cold. The Moonpine trees never changed their foliage like the deciduous trees of warmer regions of Lunerest; this day was no exception. The local citizens seemed far from festive as numerous Vexyns in the streets prepared for war; rushing about with sleighs of supplies, hauling heavy weapons such as catapults through the snow, heating up buildings as best as they were able within the freezing  temperatures. The constant shouting of the guards and citizens echoed throughout the city- it was just like back in the barracks and hallways of the Royal Knight’s headquarters, not too long ago.

Troia knew that she needed to alert the local authorities as soon as she could about what was happening within the Corrupted Lands, after her encounter with the villain; then she needed hurry back to Moonreach to try to reach Pantalaimon as soon as she could, if they had even made it back alive. But it was too dangerous to return to Yang’s dimensional portals to try to get back to moonreach, lest she froze to death in this blizzard. She couldn’t mention Yang to anyone, either; not if she needed it’s help… 

Just out of the corner of her eye, one particularly fluffy vexyn approached her. Their thick fur coat seemed to shield them from the cold, and their nostrils exhaled with smoke; they were keeping themself warm with intense fire magic. “You look like you’re a newcomer. Do you need help? Are you lost?” Said the stranger. “I can take you inside to talk and help you out. I know things are grim right now, but there’s a little Leafdusk Fete celebration going on in one of my favorite taverns, with hot refreshments and snacks inside. Would you be interested?”

Troia nodded. “Yes. I need help.. Please take me in. I have something urgent to tell the authorities, and I need to make it back to Moonreach, but I don’t know where to begin.”  

“Follow me, then,” the stranger replied; they beckoned to Troia with a swish of their massively warm tail to beckon to her.

The two xyns entered a local tavern; it was significantly larger than the average Moonreach cafe to accommodate a full house of fully-sized Vexyns. Despite everything that was ongoing outdoors the xyns here were apparently trying to relax and cozy themselves inside, if not be somewhat cheerful. Garlands of dried leaves and dawnberry flowers were strung across the walls, and two vexyns worked to spit out fire into a sputtering fireplace. The rack of Moonpine logs and box of coals used to feed the fire was nearly emptied from continuous burning.

The Vexyn guided Troia towards a table, and the both of them seated themselves on thick, warm floor cushions; Troia’s cushion was especially large for her size, somewhat ragged and nearly crushed flat from the number of Vexyns that had sat on it for too long. A waitress vexyn arrived with a tray of goodies, but the portions were far smaller than Troia would have expected. The vexyn that sat across from her was given a moxyn-sized mug of cider, and as for her, the waitress gave her a Pixyn-sized cuplet of cider. The both of them were each presented with a small dish of pumpikorn nuts and a tiny dawnberry scone, though it was clear that the scones were old and stale- they resembled dry hardtack more than anything else. Troia normally enjoyed observing festivities, but it felt difficult to get into the mood when she was reminded of what was happening within the world.

“Happy Leafdusk Fete,” said the waitress. She seemed somewhat worn out from a lack of moon energy and sleep, but managed a warm smile. “Hope you enjoy the goodies; you’ll have to excuse us. Today’s going to be one of the last days this tavern will remain open before all of Valorise will go to war- you know, we’re nearly out of the provisions we’re allotted to serve to guests, and we’re really stretching the last of our supplies to help celebrate whatever we can of this holiday. Many of the remaining establishments that haven’t already shut down are discussing pooling their foodstuffs together to support the local soup kitchen… oh, sorry to prattle on! I have some more guests to attend to.” 

Before either xyn could respond, the waitress had already left to serve the next batch of visitors. 

Troia could not take off her mask halo to eat in the presence of so many strangers. She was already beginning to feel deeply uncomfortable to be so visibly out of place in Valorise, and she shifted in place, staring at the plate of food set before her.

The vexyn sitting across from her noticed this, and tilted their head, trying to think of what to say to Troia to distract her.

“It’s good to meet you,” said the Vexyn. “We hardly see newcomers anymore ever since the moons fell. The Telestones and Warpstones all across Lunerest stopped working recently; they start to crack, they even shatter, every time we use them, and we don’t know why- higherups orders are that we can’t risk losing any more of them. We’re struggling to do snail mail and travel the old fashioned way by flying or running on your paws... at least, if the Corruption Beasts and Corrupted xyns don’t catch us. Oh, how did you even get here?”

Troia nearly paled in her seat. Telestones and Warpstones weren’t working anymore…?

“Um… it started like this…” she began. She recounted the story of what had happened within the Corrupted Lands- sending pantalaimon back to Moonreach- fleeing for her life from the corrupted xyns that the villain had sent after her. She omitted everything that she knew about Yang, instead telling the vexyn that she had fled to Valorise while barely making it out alive.

By the time she had finished, the Vexyn was staring at her, wide eyed and jaw nearly agape. Their moxyn sized mug of cider had gone cold, and their dish of treats untouched. 

“Well,” they said, and rose up immediately. “We can’t afford to wait any longer. I’m no Knight, but I’ll take you to the embassy for Moonreach straightaway; if I understand right, they have a large deployment of xyns looking to be escorted home to Moonreach by tonight, along with delivering supplies and weaponry from Valorise.” They downed their own cup of cider, and pointed their snout to their plate of treats. “Don’t forget to take your snacks, and you can take mine too- you’ll need solid moon energy more than I do for a long journey back. Can I have your cider?”

Troia nodded. She would have smiled, even laughed if she felt the inclination to; it was comical watching the vexyn bring the pixyn cuplet to their lips with their horn’s magic, pouring what little of it’s contents were onto their tongue like a drop of water on a leaf. Perhaps not all of the merriment of Leafdusk Fete had left, through sharing food with friends and strangers.

—

The both of them arrived inside the embassy, with Troia shuddering from the cold. It didn’t take them long to reach the captain and troop of xyns returning to Moonreach. Troia explained to them what had occurred within the Corrupted Lands, her escape, and her urgency in needing to go back to Moonreach to warn the queens and Valorise of what they would inevitably face in the coming days.

Everyone, just like the vexyn she first talked to, was modified by what she had told them. They agreed to let her join their escorted return back home, a journey that would take several nights with everyxyn having to go by foot and air together; a local Valorise knight agreed to forward her warning to the local authorities.

Troia said her goodbyes to the vexyn that escorted her, and they parted ways; in only a few hours she would have to prepare herself for the difficult nights ahead, surviving the journey back to Moonreach. At this time it was more perilous than ever knowing the spread of corrupted xyns and corruption beasts throughout Lunerest…

She was determined to survive and see Pantalaimon again- no matter how difficult it would be. And, perhaps, as Pantalaimon would always insist, they could enjoy their time together with the last of the Leafdusk Fete before the war began…