Gone?

How could the Chosen Light just be... gone. It didn't make any sense and the people of the banquet hall knew as much. It was too soon. How could Darkest Shadow have risen without anyone noticing? How could he have stolen the world's most precious light in the span of a single evening? How could they lose Kierli in the midst of an occasion meant to be of celebration?

Aristide was on his feet, running out of the banquet hall in an instant. Nerluce wasn't much far behind him. Nerluce didn't remember getting up but he sure as shit remembered running after Aristide as if his life depended on it. Aristide was faster than Nerluce but not by much so they reached Aristide's rooms, where Kierli was supposed to be to find an empty cradle and Fonbi knocked onto the floor, crimson blood mixing with her blue hair.

"Is she..."

Aristide bent down and then shook his head. "No. She's still alive. Barely." He muttered a curse under his breath before turning his head to the open balcony, doors banging in the wind.

"Kierli?" Nerluce asked.

"Not dead. Not yet at least," Aristide said. He closed his eyes and pressed his fingers together. Nerluce watched, quietly, well aware of what Aristide was doing.

In Ethera, there were three types of people. The first and lowest ranking were those in training, Nerluce. The second and middle-ranking were the Seraphs and disciples of the temple. Those who stayed year-round in service of the High Priestess, like Aristide. The highest-ranking members of the temple were the priests and priestesses like Taayir. They practiced Magick and taught the disciples. But most notably of all, they were all Seers.

Seeing was not something that could be taught. Not like Magick. It took a special gift. Disciples could work their whole life but never be kissed by the wisdom of the gods. Their minds were too weak and would crumble if they attempted to bear it.

Nerluce had seen Seers before. He had watched them take up a similar pose to what Aristide took now, fingers pressed together and eyes closed so they might more easily be given the visions of the gods. But Aristide was just a disciple, no more capable of receiving visions than Nerluce, and even if he was a Seer, there was no Seer in this world who could force the hand of the gods into giving them visions.

But what other choice did they have?

Many others. Nerluce wouldn't just stand here and wait on the whims of gods who clearly couldn't see a good thing when it hit them right in the face or else Aristide would already be a Seer and a better one than the High Priestess. He actually seemed inclined to protect and raise their Chosen Light. Nerluce gritted his teeth. No. He couldn't wait on the gods. There had to be clues or a witness or-

A witness. Of course. There was always a witness. You couldn't go anywhere without being seen by someone or rather something. Nerluce stepped out onto the balcony and skimmed the skyline, looking for a witness. They had to be around here somewhere... there. Nerluce put his fingers between his lips and whistled, drawing the attention of the nearby spirits.

Spirits were everywhere and they loved both Nerluce and Kierli. A couple of wind spirits floated up to him. They weren't intelligent but they weren't unintelligent either. Nerluce didn't know if this was going to be possible but... he'd heard stories of spirits doing odder things. But they were everywhere and they had seen everything and even if they couldn't tell Nerluce who had done it, they could lead him to the perpetrator.

"Hey," Nerluce said, reaching his hand out. The wind spirits blew friendly gusts of air at him. "Hey. Hey. I need your help. Do you know where they took Kierli? The Chosen Light?" He didn't think they'd know her by either of those names. "The... uh... the little one with me. The little light?"

The spirits chirped and tugging at Nerluce's sleeve they seemed willing to lead him to her.

"Aristide!" Nerluce called. "Aristide the spirits know!"

Aristide appeared from his rooms, eyes wide. They grew even wider when he saw the spirits tugging at Nerluce.

"Come on. It'll be okay now. We'll get her back," Nerluce said.

Aristide clenched his jaw and nodded. "Alright. Have them lead the way."

And with that, Aristide lept off the balcony. Nerluce nearly screamed before turning his head to look over the balcony to see that Aristide hadn't committed suicide but was nearly flying. Ice formed beneath his feet, the air crystalizing with his breath, making a staircase as he went. Aristide didn't seem the slightest bit afraid. He didn't doubt his ability to form the ice before his foot made contact.

The spirits chirped and Nerluce grinned before jumping off the balcony as well.

The descent was steep and Nerluce was sent slipping but he didn't fall. He just followed Aristide down and then they both took off running, following the wind spirits.

Nerluce didn't really know what to expect from following spirits. No one had really... done it before. Well, sure people had done it but spirits were creatures of pure Magick. Stories ranged from following a spirit will lead you into the place spirits go to when they disappear to the more scientific spirits would just disperse after a long enough period of time, the Magickal energy which made their bodies returning to their original element.

Half afraid these spirits would disappear with a breath, Nerluce pushed himself to run as fast as he could. But the spirits didn't. They floated cheerfully, waiting when they needed for Nerluce to catch up.

They led Nerluce and Aristide down the mountain using a path that wasn't commonly used. Nerluce was vaguely familiar with it and Taayir had them run it a couple of times when she was in the mood to challenge them, but it wasn't a path Nerluce or anyone commonly used. When Aristide saw where the spirit was leading them, his lips thinned.

"The fire snake path," Aristide said. "Of course."

"The what?" Nerluce asked, snapping his head to the side. "Taayir called this the fire stone path. No snakes."

Aristide gave a wry smile and continued onto the path.

"Aristide!" Nerluce called, hurrying after him. "Aristide! You're messing with me, right? There aren't any snakes, right?"

"Let's just focus on finding Kierli, Nerluce."

That... was not what Nerluce wanted to hear. His stomach twisted as he eyed the rocks with newfound suspicion and while he continued to hurry, his pace was much slower than what it had priorly been. The path was dangerous and Nerluce had been cautious on it when it was called fire stone, but now there was an extra layer of fear added.

The rocks on this path were extremely hot to the touch, heated by underground hot springs or something like that. No one was actually sure. The spirits didn't like them messing with the stones. What Nerluce did know was that he'd learned to stay on the path extremely quickly when it burned his feet to step off of them. He'd learned even faster when Taayir blindfolded them and told them to take off their boots.

Taayir could be awful but she was always efficient.

The last time Nerluce had been on this path, it had been the middle of summer in the heat of the day. It was a time too hot for any creature. Now the chill of autumn had begun to set in and the sun had disappeared below the horizon a while ago. The stones weren't unbearable to the touch now and so... something had claimed them.

Nerluce hadn't seen them at first but after the first one slithered across the path, nearly claiming Nerluce's soul as it did so... he couldn't stop seeing them.

Snakes. Hundreds and hundreds of snakes. Nerluce's entire body froze as he resisted the urge to vomit. Of course, it had to be snakes. He hated snakes. Nerluce fumbled to the side, trying to get as far away from them as possible and running smack into Aristide's side.

"S... sorry," Nerluce mumbled.

"Nerluce. Focus," Aristide said. "If you don't both the snakes, they won't bother you. Just follow me, alright?"

"Okay," Nerluce said.

Still mostly pressed against Aristide's side, they walked down the path. Nerluce kept his eyes fixed firmly on the sky and the spirits guiding them. Aristide could keep an eye on their feet and make sure Nerluce didn't trip. He didn't care. Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes? He hated snakes. Gods, gods, gods, curse the things!

Aristide's face was fixed in a grimace. He probably wanted to leave Nerluce. He probably would have if the spirits were leading him instead of Nerluce. But every time he ran ahead, the spirits wouldn't run with him. They didn't care for him, one way or another. They loved Nerluce and they loved Kierli but Aristide had never shown them any favor so why would they help him out in a time of need?

The good thing about the spirits was that they were persistent. They didn't seem to mind Nerluce's slowed pace. They understood things would happen when they happened and there was no need to rush. They were kind too. They nuzzled Nerluce's cheek and helped stead the air in his lungs. They knew he was afraid and wanted to help. Aristide just made a face at Nerluce whenever Nerluce gripped Aristide's arm tighter because he felt the brush of scales against his ankles.

Wait... arm?

Nerluce hadn't noticed it before but he was latched to Aristide's arm. It was embarrassing but... another brush of scales and choked noise from Nerluce's throat and he squeezed Aristide's arm, half burying his face in Aristide's shoulder.

"You really are afraid of snakes," Aristide said. "I thought Taayir said that as a joke."

Nerluce shook his head then belatedly realized that Aristide had allowed him to walk down this path fully aware that he was afraid of snakes. Then that Taayir had taken him out here to train with that same knowledge.

"I'm really afraid," Nerluce said.

"They aren't poisonous."

"There are poisonous snakes?" Nerluce asked, eyes wide.

Aristide made a face that told Nerluce that he probably wasn't joking and Nerluce decided that somehow - impossibly - he felt even more terror and choking sickness than before.

"Snakes are good luck in Tilica," Aristide said, speaking slowly and under his breath, almost as if he didn't want to admit it. "They're a symbol of rebirth and survival. A mark of the Goddess Ophiuch."

"Ophiuch..." Nerluce mumbed in echo. "I've never heard of her."

"That makes sense. She's one of the seven desert gods."

"There aren't many deserts in Itoroh," Nerluce said. "But there are snakes. Sahpu is our god of snakes. He's also a god of mountain burrows."

"He's commonly worshipped alongside Ophiuch in most of Tilica too," Aristide said. "Some stories have Ophiuch fighting Sahpu and then skinning him into her belt. Sometimes she's earned his respect and he helps her and she still wears him as a belt." Aristide frowned. "And sometimes Sahpu is Ophiuch's ally, friend, or even lover and he rests on her hips to always be with her."

"Those are good stories. You see, you do have some," Nerluce said with a choked laugh. "You should tell those to Kierli. When we get her back."

"Yeah... alright."

"Do you have any more stories about Ophiuch? Is she ever said to be a giant snake, like Sahpu?"

Aristide shook his head. "No, Ophiuch is said to be the creator of snakes. In Tilica, it's said that snakes are a mark of survival. So long as we have them, we will not only survive but be born stronger."

"Really?" Nerluce asked, barely flinching when something crawled right over his foot. "Why- why's that?"

"Snake meat is eaten as a delicacy in the high courts of Tilica. It's a tough meat, bland and difficult to eat due to the bones but the high courts take that as a challenge." Aristide shook his head in disapproval. "Many people eat snakes because that's all that can survive. And all that we can find."

"Have you eaten snake?" Nerluce asked.

Aristide nodded. "Snake venom is also useful. It can be used to coat weapons and make medicines. Snakeskin is also rather useful."

"Can you make-" Another bump of scales, "-armor out of it."

"No," Aristide said with a grimace. "You keep the snakeskin in a tube and... it can be used to preserve water."

"Like... a waterskin?"

"Yes," Aristide said. "You'd fill it with river water if you could. If not... well you made do with the fluids the body produced."

"Piss?"

"Yes."

"That's... disgusting," Nerluce said.

"The desert is harsh, Nerluce," Aristide said. "Water is sparse and people have to make do. Snakes are survival, not luxury no matter what the high courts want the world to believe."

"Snakes are the worst."

Aristide smiled.

Perhaps both of them were feeling just a little bit better thanks to one another. The snakes were still there and Kierli was still missing but... they were still together and so long as that was true what couldn't they accomplish?

However, that was when the spirits began to chirp with excitement and rush forward.

Nerluce and Aristide exchanged a glance before they went running after the spirits. They were past the worst of the snakes and while Nerluce was still relatively certain he'd be having nightmares for days, he was able to stumble down the rest of the path without gripping Aristide's arm, hurrying to catch up with the spirits.

And it was then that they also saw the person responsible for stealing the world's Chosen Light, the spirit's little one, and Aristide and Nerluce's Kierli. He looked as he always did, despite being caught in the act of kidnapping. He wore an easy smile and held lax posturing. He was good-looking; strong and worthy of his reputation as the best of student in the fire Affinity dorms.

There, among spirits and snakes, was Doite.