The Pendant of Hyacinth: Illuminated by Riley S. Quinn

Author:Riley S. Quinn
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Riley S. Quinn
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Hazel watched their toddler self go waddling by, chased by an anxious Nanami shouting about her duty to protect them from falling. Then they were six, running back the way they’d come with both her and Monty in tow, gossipping as they raced ahead. Then twelve, introducing an unhappy new friend to their group as Maku. Just a trader trying to get through town that ended up staying as long as they could. Despite all they said about it, Hazel knew Maku hadn’t had a proper family in a long time.

They’d hardly been able to imagine a world larger than the one they’d created with their people here, in this little village. Now they watched it like a ghost, immune to time. This is what it was going to be like if The Pull failed.

Hazel wasn’t ready for that. They closed their eyes tight, wishing hard for the world to slow down, but when they opened them, they were in Knowledge Terrace, in the palace. There were voices in the other room. Laughter. Hazel sat up when the voices drew nearer, and Arael and Thalia rounded the corner, followed by a little girl who demanded that her future sibling be a sister. They laughed, promising that it wasn’t going to be up to them, but beaming at each other as if they hoped for the same. That little girl, then… that was Thalia and Arael’s daughter. Hazel leapt up, hurrying closer in hopes of a better look, but before they could get one, they stumbled back into the forests of Eos. They wobbled on their feet, overwhelmed by all they’d seen and wondering why it had all felt so real and unimaginable at the same time. Esme walked up beside them, smiling. She looked older too. “Hey. Everything okay?”

“I’m… not sure.”

“That’s alright. Come back inside whenever you’re ready. I know parties aren’t really your thing sometimes.”

“Wait.”

“Hm?”

“Can you stay?”

“Out here?”

“Yeah.” Hazel grasped her hand, fighting back tears at the feeling of being able to hold it again. “With me.”

Esme sighed, rolling her eyes with a grin. “Okay, fine. I’ll stay. Not forever, though, alright?”

“Of course not forever,” Hazel whispered, blinking hard. “Who needs forever? Just a moment is fine.”

Esme was quiet for a while. “I’ll have to go back to the party,” she spoke. “But you can come back with me, if you like. Everyone would love it if you stayed.”

“I would too.” Hazel nodded. “I’d love to stay.”

But taking one step towards the house sent them falling again, as they’d known it would, and Hazel let it take them. All they could do to bear it was try to remember every face and moment they’d seen. All the people they wanted to hug again.

Then, they were in the Subconscious again, laying on a bed of glowing blue mushrooms and staring up into Strudel’s gigantic face. He was staring right back at them, the faint whine in the back of his throat enough to shake the trees around them in his Wild form.

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