Chapter Text
The snow-white pooka stormed into a meeting tent, his breath uneven and heavy. A combination of startled and annoyed gazes fell upon him. Only after taking in his identity that everyone in the meeting refrained from chastising him, their eyes lighting up with recognition, some shadowing with pity.
The pooka turned to the host of the meeting. “W-who was it?” His voice was straining, almost choking even.
Everyone was in silence, unable to look away from the desperate, grief-filled pooka.
“Hayle, please calm down and join us for now,” the host stated, her expression stoic and composed. Though, anyone who had been by her side prior to the start of this meeting would know how much pressure she had been in.
“Calm down?” He huffed. “How am I supposed to calm down? My father is dead!” His fists balled as tears gathered in his eyes. Sucking in a breath to calm his nerves, he ran his hand through his face, trying to collect his composure.
She didn’t mind his objection. Or if she did, she had no intention to voice it. No one really could, or would, after what had happened. “It was what, not who.” She sighed. “An unidentifiable black beast attacked Warrus’s squad. He sacrificed himself to defeat it.”
“Where is he? I-I need to see him,” the desperate pooka asked.
“In the infirmary. The healers are probably dressing up his corpse for the ceremony right now,” one of the pookas present in the meeting informed him.
With that, Hayle darted out of the tent without any more words. His surrounding became deafened and blurred as he rushed to the infirmary. His father was on one of the mattresses, patches of his fur missing with cleaned gashes all over his body.
“F-father,” Hayle let out, collapsing beside the lifeless body of his father.
Tears soaked his cheeks as his chest tightened up, unable to contain the raw emotion and turmoil bubbling inside of him any longer. He clung to his father’s hand as he cried out his despair.
The ceremony was quiet and sorrowful as the fire turned his father’s body into ash. Numbness weighed down his chest as he collected the ash, unable to express anything to the surrounding pookas.
The hunting squad manager excused Hayle from the duty for the time being, and he appreciated it. The past few days comprised a series of agonizing acceptance of his loss. He couldn’t go to the dinner area without flashing back to the time he and his father would enjoy a hearty meal together after a training session.
So, he stopped going there. All his appetite vanished. His will to live dwindled as days went by. He avoided other people, isolating himself from everyone he knew.
He laid on his mattress, gazing at his father’s shrine. Their habitat had become a lot more spacious. His father’s belongings had been moved out or stored in a corner. Only the shrine in the back of the room was the reminder of his presence here. While it comforted him to a certain extent, it couldn’t help with his loneliness and longing.
The day was still going, but he was desireless. He wanted to rest, but it would only bring another nightmare or memories turned mournful.
“Hayle?” A voice called for him from outside. “You in there?”
Recognizing the voice, he sat up. “Aster?” he responded. “Uh, come in.” Why was Aster here? It had been a few days, but he couldn’t reckon the exact time. Keeping track of time was hard when all that he had been doing was losing himself in his head and letting the grief eating him up from the inside.
The gray Spring Pooka, E. Aster Bunnymund, pushed past the curtain and spotted the white pooka on the mattress. “Hey,” Aster trailed off. “We’ve just finished up the hunt. The guys are concerned for you.”
Hayle patted the mattress, inviting the other pooka to sit with him. Isn’t everyone? He thought as he did so. None of the pitying and longing eyes the other pookas sent his way had gone unnoticed. It was nice to have some folks care for him, but he couldn’t find any cure or comfort in them, unfortunately.
The gray pooka sat on the mattress as he turned his worried expression to the white pooka. “Are you okay?” Aster asked, noticing Hayle’s reddened eyes.
Hayle turned back to the shrine. “I need time to cope.” He cringed at the tone of his voice. The once joyful and energetic pooka becoming so depressive must be an awful sight to see. It made him wonder if he could bounce back to being himself once again.
“We’ll give you all the time you need,” Aster said, flashing him a sympathetic grin. “Wanna talk about anything?”
There were things he wanted to vent about, but he didn’t have the motivation. Since the death of his father, there had been a growing blankness in him. It ate him up, leaving his shell in a sea of sorrow that would later strangle him.
He turned to his side before responding. “How was the hunt without me?” Considering how his squad depended on him to set up bindings and thin ice traps, it picked his interest about how their hunt had gone without him.
“We managed to hunt enough. It took much longer than usual, however.” Aster kneaded his wrist in a soothing manner.
“What happened to your wrist?” Hayle eyed the gray pooka’s wrist.
Aster chuckled. “An ambush didn’t go as planned. Roggo accidentally hit me on my wrist. My magic is mending it now.” Aster let out a small sigh. “I wish my magic could soothe your pain, just like how it soothes and cures wounds.” Placing his hand on Hayle’s feet, he caressed them lightly.
Hayle hummed quietly, liking the pleasant touch. Aster’s touch was an exceptional distraction from the emptiness. It was what he now realized he craved. His Winter Pooka body and depressed mind didn’t seem to get along well, and the caresses helped strip off the instinctual urge to move around and be productive.
A comfortable silence fell upon them, with Aster soothing his friend’s distress and Hayle relishing the touches of the other pooka. Unknown to both of them as they lost sense of time, falling into the flow.
Mimir, he had needed this.
Both of them jumped as a bell rang through the area. In the past, he would have been bouncing to the dining area already. However, the bell meant nothing to him now. What was the point of eating without any appetite? Forcing himself to eat one meal a day was already tough enough for him.
“It’s dinner time,” Aster told him.
“You go on. I’m not hungry,” Hayle said, curling up on the mattress, a little disappointed that his companion had to go now.
Looking at the white pooka with concern, Aster said. “Hayle, you haven’t been to dinner in the past five days. Do you even eat anymore?”
Hayle buried his face into his pillow. “It’s been hard to get something down to my stomach.”
“You must be kidding me,” Aster exclaimed. “Hayle, you are a hunter. You need to maintain your condition at the top! How did you even manage to go five days without food?!"
“At least, I try to have one meal a day.” Hayle’s voice turned meek under Aster’s glowering presence. He almost forgot how protective Aster could get.
Aster shook his head in disapproval. “That’s still two fewer meals a day.” He then snatched the white pooka up onto his shoulder, earning a startled yelp from Hayle.
“Can’t you ask if I’m going or not?!”
“You would refuse to go anyway,” Aster grunted. “You have to eat, or you’re gonna get yourself kicked out of the squad by being malnourished.”
The white pooka grumbled as he struggled against the hold only to accomplish nothing. He couldn't fathom why the gray pooka cared about him to this extent. They only had known each other for one year after joining the hunters.
As they entered the dining area, Aster set Hayle down and escorted him to get the food. Hayle followed him along with absentmindedness, not staying with the present as his eyes swept around the area. Without the distractions Aster provided, his thoughts and memories were resurfacing at a rapid pace, detaching his attention from the world around him.
He could still remember the times he spent with his father in this area, his father’s favorite food, his ridiculous yet inspiring talks. It had been heart-rending to accept the fact he would never be able to experience it ever again.
“Hayle?” Aster turned to him. “You okay there?”
Hayle shook his head to fling back to reality. “Y-yeah.”
“We could grab the food and go back to your tent,” Aster offered, seeing how distant Hayle seemed to be.
“I… okay, thanks.”
After grabbing the food, they made their way back to Hayle’s place, sitting on the carpeted floor with their food in front of them. “What happened back there?” Aster inquired with worry lacing in his voice.
“I got lost in my head. The dining area is- was where my father and I occasionally spent time together.” He poked at the plate of food in front of him, not getting any appetite at all.
Aster reached out a reassuring hand and placed it on his shoulder. “I’m gonna take care of you from now on.”
Taken aback by the boldness of that statement, he could only blink back confusedly at the other pooka. However, a pleasant warmth settled in his chest shortly after. What did he do to deserve this guy?
He gave the gray pooka a grin. “Thanks.”
“It’s what companions do, isn’t it?” Aster said, pulling back. “Now, let’s dig in. Or just eat as much as you can, in your case.”
A sigh escaped him as he grabbed a spoon and picked at the meat. “I’ll try.”
There was no excitement or the fulfillment he used to get when having a meal. Everything tasted so dull, no matter what tastes they were. It had been ‘eat and survive’ for him these past five days, and he was unable to relish the meal like he used to. It felt almost suffocating to even try and acknowledge the tastes.
He managed to finish half of the plate before putting it down, not feeling like eating anymore. Aster only nodded in approval at him and finished up his portion. Letting the other pooka take the plates back to the dining area, he went back to lie on his mattress again. His habitat had become a sanctuary to him, the place where he could hide from everything. Although it didn’t make the blankness vanish, it still helped him stay with the present in peace.
Closing his heavy eyelids, he hummed softly against the mattress as he curled up. Despite being idle all day, he found himself tired out by all the thinking he had done until now.
It didn’t take him long to go back to duty, despite Aster’s insistence on taking a little more time. The gray pooka was a pleasant distraction from all the negative moods, and Hayle found himself trying to be more productive for the past three days.
“Tell me if you don’t feel well, okay?” Aster advised him as they put on their gears.
“Okay.” Hayle slid on his arm guards before working on his chest straps. Once finished, he snatched his hunting knife and sheathed it into a socket on the chest strap.
Aster tossed him his spear as they both slinked out of the armory and joined their squad.
“Hayle! How have you been? Aster taking care of you well?” Roggo, the green Summer Pooka of the squad, spoke up as he noticed them.
“I’ve been better,” Hayle replied, giving Roggo a wan smile. “Having someone close helps me through it.”
Aster sighed. “I would prefer you stay and recover more.” He turned to Roggo. “He was having only one meal a day until I visited and forced him to eat normally three days ago.”
“Hm, that’s bad. Really bad.” A voice came from behind the three pookas. It was the reddish female Autumn Pooka of their squad, Wundr. “Perhaps, we should take it easy today for our Winter Pooka?”
Hayle pouted under all the gazes from his squadmates. The concern was to be expected from them, as the squad was their second family. That also meant what Hayle had left as a family was only the squad now. It was great to be back with them.
“In that case,” Roggo pulled out a map from his rucksack, "we could go here.” He pointed at a river on the map. It was moderately far but manageable for hunters.
“We’re hunting for river animals then.” Aster nodded.
Taking a closer look at the map, Wundr said. “That would be the most reasonable way, but isn’t this area the one where they encountered the black beast?”
“Is it? If that’s the case, then we can go to the other area of this river.” Roggo pointed farther down the river. “There will be two mountains to cross if we don’t pass the area of... incident.”
Attentively listening, his grip on the spear tightened at the mention of the black creature. He wasn’t one to suggest a location as that was Roggo’s job, but he needed to know. “Um,” He started, gaining the attention of his squadmates. “Can we go to that area you first suggested?”
Aster figured him out in a second. “Hayle, we can’t go there. What if there’s another one?”
“I know, I-I just… want to investigate,” Hayle stammered. “Just forget it then. There’s probably nothing to find there anyway.”
“Or we could go around that area on our way back,” Roggo suggested with an enthusiastic grin. “Because, not gonna lie, I’m curious as well.”
“No, we’re not going there.” Aster glowered before grabbing four baskets for each of them. “Let’s get going. We’re wasting our time.”
Shrugging, Roggo turned and started leading the squad.
As hunters, they didn’t do fishing the customary way. The summer magic and the winter magic would be the most effective here. The spring magic and the autumn magic would aid the other two.
First, Aster would make bridges of vines for them to move above the river, then Hayle would freeze chunks of the river while Wundr flung them to the river bank with her wind. Roggo would melt off the ice and collect their fish.
It was a relaxing hunt without much effort and planning. Everyone would appreciate anything the hunters hunted for them, be it simple fish. However, exhaustion started to overcome Hayle after a while of constant magic usage.
“That should be enough!” Roggo informed them from the river bank.
Getting back onto the bank, they peered up at the sky. The pale sky had dulled down for a good bit. It was the evening time.
Hayle’s stomach growled as he slung the basket onto his shoulder, heat settling on his cheeks when his squadmates turned to him with knowing looks.
Aster beamed, “Finally got your appetite back?” He offered Hayle a waterskin.
“It was more tiring than I expected,” Hayle said, accepting the water before guzzling it down. Once done, he turned to Wundr. “Wundr, would you, please?”
As Wundr touched his shoulder, a surge of stamina racked through him. “That should keep you going until we get back.” She said, smiling proudly at her display of magic.
Offering her an appreciative smile, he tossed back the waterskin to Aster and strapped the basket tightly around his shoulders and chest.
“Ugh, you sure we can carry this up two mountains?” Wundr whined as she picked up her basket.
“Most likely not,” Aster replied, remembering all the jumpings and rollings on the way through the mountains. “We took quite an extreme path to get here.”
Pulling out the map, Roggo trailed his finger on it to plot the way back. “Here"—he dragged his finger, forming an imaginary pathway for the other three—“we can take the path around the mountains and get back without much issue. The problem is we have to cut through the area where they found the black beast.
“That said, we can walk through it quickly as the forest starts, or ends, there,” Roggo finished. “What are your thoughts?” he asked the other three.
Aster took a deliberate look at the map, hand on his chin. “Going the opposite way would be a long detour to get back.”
“We could make it quick anyway,” Wundr voiced with confidence. “I say we take the path.”
“What do you think?” Aster turned to Hayle.
“Well… I guess we could pass the area as quickly as possible.”
With the agreement, they set out with Roggo leading the way again. As he walked, the thoughts about his father’s fight against the black beast distracted him. Although Hayle wasn't there to witness the incident, his father had fought bravely to protect his squadmates. It didn’t take long for them to enter the area of said tragedy. That the others picked up their paces brought Hayle back to the present.
“Huh?” Wundr perked up.
“What?” Aster questioned, eyes darting around.
“I can feel the wind.” Her attention landed on a tree at the edge of the forest with a sizable hollow under it. “They’re… flowing into that tree? What on Alfheim is this?”
“It means the air inside is warmer, right?” Hayle asked Roggo, who then nodded in confirmation.
“Warmer air under a tree?” Aster wondered.
Roggo squinted at the tree. “Do we check?”
“No,” Aster immediately responded. “Stay away from it.”
“Well, I can’t say I’m not interested, but safety first.” Wundr shrugged. “Let’s go on.”
Hayle’s gaze lingered on that particular tree as they walked into the forest. Once they arrived back at the town, a plan started to form in his head.
A week had passed, and Hayle had recovered well from his depressive state. Aster made him interact with other pookas more, and the younglings missed playing with him. Those were all healing processes for him, according to the Spring Pooka.
On the first day, he struggled to be cheerful and joyful around children. Why was he even trying? The question often plagued his mind whenever the blankness reminded him of its presence. That blankness was there to consume his happiness little by little as he gained it. So wrong and unfun it was that he told Aster about his struggle the next day afterward. The gray pooka suggested he kept going for a few more days.
He faced less difficulty as time passed, being able to smile and laugh a little as he played with the younglings. The blankness in his being was still there, but it had become small. It would never become fulfilled, but this was fine as long as he had everyone here with him.
Something told him he should tell Aster about that blankness soon. He agreed that it would help him a lot.
And that was the week.
At the moment, he was standing in front of the tree hollow his squad had found last week. It wasn’t like he would get in trouble for Aster technically let him be free for the first half of today. It meant he could do whatever he desired, right?
Taking a look inside, he found what seemed to be a dark tunnel. His curiosity won over all other reasonings. With his spear raised in front of him, he went inside the tunnel. He spread his palm and summoned his magic, letting the light illuminate the wooden walls around him. His eyes traced along the seams between the roots weaving together to create the tunnel.
The air was indeed warmer than the outside. A sharp right turn appeared not long after he stepped into the tunnel. He peeked around the corner, and at the remote end of the tunnel was a light. As he came closer, the shape of the light became clear. It appeared to be an exit out of the tunnel, curtained by a sheet of light. He nudged the opening with his spear, but it met no physical mass at all.
“Here goes nothing...” Closing his eyes, he took mindful steps through the light.
When the light dimmed, he opened his eyes to the sight before him. Bewilderment bloomed through him as he took in the view.
“This…” He breathed. “This is the branch of the World Tree?”
He was standing on a humongous branch, attached to the colossal Yggdrasil. The void around the tree was what he recalled as Ginnungagap. The other worlds, or realms, appeared in vast distances, circular shapes.
On the numerous branches, he spotted a massive beast. Was that the Ratatosk?
Spooked as it came near the branches around him, he rushed back into the tunnel. Blinking his eyes as the light enveloped him, he stumbled and fell to his behind. In eagerness, he left the hollow, intended to tell the pookas about what he had discovered.
But as the thought came, he halted. Would they believe him? A pooka who had just lost a father not long ago. Would they think him crazy after undergoing that? While this discovery was fascinating, it would be foolish to babble it to just anyone. What use would the knowledge be for them? They barely interacted with the Light Elves. They were more unlikely to interact with another realm.
Deflated by those thoughts, Hayle made his way back to the village, deciding to keep the knowledge to himself.
“Hayle! I was searching for you. Where had you been?” Hayle spotted Aster when he went into his habitat.
“Just a walk around the woods. What can I help you with?” he replied, suppressing the thoughts about Yggdrasil.
“Well, I was going to invite you to a picnic.” Aster chuckled, eyes averting shyly. Hayle squinted. Was he covering up his shyness? That was new.
He needed a distraction, anyway. Hanging out with Aster wasn’t a bad idea either. “Is the offer still up?” he asked.
“Of course.” Aster held up a basket. “Wanna go now?”
Smiling, he nodded. The situation vaguely reminded Hayle of his parents. His father had told him about the days of their courting, and there was too much picnicking involved. He grimaced at the thought, shaking his head. This picnic would be nothing more than a hangout.
The lush greenery of the land was much more vibrant and breath-taking under the lightened sky of Alfheim. The wind in the field was serene, carrying the welcoming scent for both of the pookas.
They both sat down on a piece of cloth laid down above the grass. Aster opened the basket, revealing many kinds of fruits. Hayle was flustered when Aster picked up one of his favorites and offered it to him. Their time together the past period of time had opened them up to each other, making Aster the closest person to him. His chest warmed at the thought of the shared closeness between them, fluttering lightly as he accepted the fruit.
“So, how are you today?” Aster asked.
“I’ve been better. I’m okay most of the time now, but I guess there are times I find it hard to be positive? Or even feel things at all,” Hayle said, shrugging as he fidgeted with the fruit in his grasp. The fluttering of his heart dissipated at the mention of his state.
Aster appeared to be bitter about it. “Is there something I could help you with?”
“You have helped me more than enough, Aster.“ He offered the gray pooka a grateful grin. “Thanks for being such a great companion...”
Aster seemed to light up a little, a grin splitting for a fraction only for a slight grimace to replace it. He frowned as he squinted at Hayle. “There’s a but, isn’t it?”
It was surprising. Aster seemed to be able to read him whenever he wanted. Perhaps, that was expected to happen with how close they were, and Aster had always been observant, even in their training days.
He nodded in response to that. “There’s this blankness inside of me, the void consuming my happiness bit by bit. It was so suffocating at the beginning,” he trailed off.
Taking a breath, he continued. “It was taking away my will to live. After you decided to take care of me, that blankness started to become smaller over time. However, as I said, it’s still here.
“It will never be filled again, something I have to live with now. But, as long as I have you and everyone, I think I’ll be fine,” Hayle finished, turning to Aster with a faint smile.
Admitting it felt like lifting off a boulder, and his chest had never been lighter these past few days. To have someone to share his feelings and thoughts with was indeed a great way to recover.
Aster slowly, almost awkwardly, pulled him into a sideways hug. “You’re welcome, Hayle. You’re a great companion too.” He nuzzled his chin against the top of Hayle’s head, being the taller pooka.
Ignoring how inappropriately affectionate from the outside, Hayle let out a faint hum, enjoying the pleasant caresses. He should ultimately accept that touches were his weakness. So pleasant.
“Hayle Winterseer? The head elder Erik requests your presence.” A pooka poked their head into the armory and told him just as he was about to grab his spear. His hand paused as he turned to the pooka.
“What? I’m about to go hunting.” A little annoyed by the abruptness, he continued grabbing his spear. “Can this wait?”
"It is urgent,” the pooka insisted.
“How long will this take?”
“Depends on how long you take to get to him.” The pooka offered him a dismissive response before skittering away.
Sighing, he holstered his spear onto the strap behind his back and walked out of the armory. “What did that advisor want?” Aster asked him. It wasn't a normal sight to see an advisor entering the hunter's camp and requesting for someone other than the managers themselves.
Hayle huffed at the retreating advisor. “The head elder requests me. Can you guys wait? I’ll be quick.”
“Go on.”
Nodding to his squadmates, he immediately rushed to the town’s sacred tree. Built around the tree was a working space for the advisors, and inside the tree was, he imagined, a room for the elders to perform ceremonies.
He honestly didn’t think there was anything sacred about the tree. It was just a relatively towering tree. Despite being impressive for a tree, it paled in comparison to the world tree, Yggdrasil. He bounded up the stairs into the outer hallway, turning to one of the passing advisors and asked where the head elder was.
“Ah! Yeah! He’s in the ceremonial area!” The youthful advisor pointed at the ponderous door behind him.
Ceremonial area? It must be pretty spacious then. He approached the door and pushed it open, meeting a brief series of stairs leading down into a bright room. Unhesitant, he stepped down the stairs and squinted at the source of light in the room. The brightness of the light source was eyes-watering, and Hayle quickly found himself not liking this place.
“You’re here.” He turned to the head elder Erik. The old pooka was adorned in a purple and white patterned robe. His black fur glistened as the light bounced off from him.
“It’s pretty dazzling in here,” he commented, turning away from the light in the center. “What can I help you with?”
“For now? Nothing. However, in the unknown future, I want you to become the protector of the light, just like your father,” the elder said as if he had spoken such phrase for a million times already.
Hayle tilted his head in confusion. “I’m sorry, uh, I can’t quite comprehend what you’ve just said.” He frowned as he processed the elder’s words. “What light? What about father and I?"
“Ah, please forgive me for rushing.” Erik averted his eyes in slight embarrassment. “Walrus have not told you anything, considering you aren’t of age”—the part ‘and because he has passed’ went unsaid understandably—“so, let me tell you something about your family, the Winterseer.”
“The Winterseer family has been one to take up the responsibility of a protector of the light.” The head elder gestured at the light source in the center of the room. “This light is one of the many lights scattered around Alfheim. They constitute the source of life for every being here: the forest, the creatures of Alfheim. Every—”
“So, basically, I have to protect this light.” Hayle interrupted the elder, his mind still on the fact he had been pulled away just before his hunt. He just wanted to hurry up. “But do I have a choice in this?”
“I was just about to get to that.” The elder refrained from chiding him and answered the question. “Yes, you do. You can put the responsibility on someone else. Winterseer isn’t the only family who used to protect the light. Bunnymund, I believe, used to be the protectors as well.” Aster’s family used to do that? It was quite an intriguing piece of information.
Not that he wanted to push away the responsibility. His father had been the protector after all. It was an honorable role. Yet, he questioned his worth and what he had done to deserve the position.
Seeing his hesitation, the elder said, “Your father must have wanted you to take up his position, Hayle. He did train you to become a fine hunter, after all.” That was such a manipulative statement. Of course, his father would have wanted the best for him.
“I’m not trying to manipulate you either, Hayle. I could just reveal this to someone else after seeing your display of hesitation,” Erik said. Now, it was as if anyone could read him with ease. Was he that easy to figure out? “All I want is for you to fulfill his last wish.”
“My father’s last wish?” Hayle repeat, his tone inquiring.
“Before passing away, he wished for you to take over this role,” the head elder said. “Knowing you, he had faith you will be able to bring the new era to us, the Pooka. While I don’t exactly understand his faith up to that extent, I do agree you would make a fine protector of the light.”
Pride bloomed in his chest at the knowledge of how much faith his father had put in him. Despite that, there was still a sense of unfairness in knowing that he could have this honor without any hardship to get over. “Do I deserve this? I haven’t done much for them. It- it feels like using my father’s merits. It doesn’t feel right.”
“Reluctant, I see.” Erik nodded in understanding. “Well, the offer is still here. You can take your time to make up your mind.”
Hayle nodded in agreement at that. Unquestionably, he needed to think about it more. It was no straightforward decision for him.
“Don’t let them touch you!” Aster yelled over the chaos around them, hurdling the other pookas behind him and Hayle.
The twisted dark beasts let out growls and shrieks as they approached the group. Once coming within a certain range, the beasts lunged for them. Hayle put up an ice wall, separating the group from the creatures. The thump they made sounded almost satisfying if not for the heat of the situation eating at his concentration. His mind ran through all the options they had. It wouldn't be long until the ice wall broke down.
Everything the creatures sank their teeth into became rotten and dissolved into black oozy sludge. Hayle’s trusty spear had become one of those things a few minutes ago.
As Hayle turned to the frightened pookas behind him, his thoughts ran through all the options he had. At the last minute, Hayle decided to screw it all. Alfheim wasn’t safe anymore. They had to evacuate to another realm.
“Guys! Follow me! I have a plan!” He yelled at the group of pookas huddled behind him and Aster.
“You heard him!” Aster pushed the group as Hayle took the lead into the forest.
He led them to the tunnel of Yggdrasil he found long ago. The sphere of light juggled in his rucksack as he sprinted through the forest. He had become somewhat a reluctant protector due to the current unforeseen situation. Being the only other pooka to know about the light, he must keep it safe from those creatures.
Once arriving at the tree, Hayle yelled over his shoulder. “Follow me! No questions until we’re safe!” With that said, he escorted them down the tunnel as Aster stayed behind to watch out.
The light at the end of the tunnel had become so dull. Hayle gulped, his heart thumping against his chest. It was hard to believe Alfheim would be no more.
As he expected, they all stopped in awe as they passed the light curtain. “Hayle, they’re following up!” Aster yelled over to him from the exit, being the last to come out.
He whipped around trying to find the closest realm to them. There was one at the opposite side of the tree, and he wasn't about take time and analyze its availability to them. “There! Guys, we need to get to another world. Come on!” The hurriedness of the situation crowded his head, making it hard for Hayle to assess their escape route. Unconcerned of which realm it would be, he helped make ice bridges from branches to branches with the other two winter pookas.
From the tunnel, there was one—well, two—dark creatures emerging out into the branch, almost knocking each other over. There were still some pookas falling behind, and Aster was already preparing to fight them.
They were so close now, but the beasts were approaching swiftly. When they arrived at the small entrance, which Hayle believed would lead them into the unknown realm, he yelled his order to the pookas. “Move in. Quick! They’re getting close!”
How inconvenient in a time like this? The thought came to him as he pushed the pookas into the small seam.
“Hayle!” Aster shouted from the back of the line.
The branch shook as growls rang through the air. Hayle whipped around, responding to both Aster’s shout and the shaking. The dark beasts were creeping along the branch. Was that the third one?! It crept up from Aster’s side, sandwiching him between the other two enemies.
“Aster!” Hayle rushed in between them, throwing an ice blast at the extended claws to knock them away. Aster’s back pressed against him as their respective enemies pushed forth.
Then they stopped. The white pupil-less eyes of the beast in front of Hayle bore into the pooka. Hayle held his breath, risking taking a glance around. The other two beasts were staring at him as well. Aster pressed himself against Hayle more as the tension in the air grew.
“What are—” Hayle gasped as the beast in front swept at him.
He jumped as the claws swept under him. The creature then made him realize his mistake when another one reached over to him, ignoring Aster. A gasp was knocked out of him as its claws walloped him over the branch. He gripped on Aster’s damaged vines in panic, his heart sinking at the sight of the void below him.
A realization came upon him. They were hunting the light, and he wasn’t their target. If he let the light fall into Ginnungagap, they wouldn’t be able to destroy it. However, after he had taken a glance at the darkened Alfheim, this light was probably the last one. He wouldn’t allow the last bit of their home to get lost in the void. He could not go back with the light. The hunt would go on until he broke down. He must leave the others here to keep them safe.
But before he could decide what to do next, the creatures rushed to him, unafraid of falling into the void. Aster must have held them back with his best.
Screw it.
He let go of the vine, letting himself fall into the void below.
From the branch came Aster’s anguished cry of his name. He understood how it was like to lose someone. However, that he was to be the lost one manifested something he couldn’t quite comprehend. He believed no one really could when they were willing to be claimed by Hel. Was it regret? Was it acceptance? No answer to deliver.
“Goodbye, Aster.” That was all he could say as he fell.
Vines and thorns punctured the creatures and held them to the branch. Aster must have unleashed every bit of his magic in anger.
He was falling faster than he thought. The battle on the branch was becoming a spot of chaos as the distance grew.
Tempted to glance down, he found that he was falling directly into a realm. It was at the trunk of the world tree. He hoped it was not the so-called Helheim .
Hope. Was there any hope for him at all?
He wouldn’t be able to survive the fall. The light would be secure in whatever realm he fell into nonetheless. He cradled the light in his rucksack close, preparing for his death. He was unable to fulfill his father’s wish. He broke the promises he made with his squad. He could do nothing to redeem himself now.
At least, he had protected the light and the remaining pookas, burying the light with himself, not allowing anyone to take it.
The change in atmosphere was instantaneous as he plunged into the realm below him. Knowing his death was near, he shut his eyes and held his rucksack close, not letting the light stray far from him when he finally hit the ground.
A thin layer of ice received the impact of his fall.
Hayle’s death was quick.
The coldness of the water underneath the frozen surface encased him. His lifeless body fell to the bottom of the lake along with the light.
It would be quite a while until someone found him.