More Than Meets The Eye

*February 14, 2019*

 Even this late into the evening the crowd had barely dispersed. Onlookers came and went, a constant swarm of buzzing conversation. Taking photographs upon photographs doomed to eventually fade into the oblivion of the internet. There was still a news crew or two about, cameras on standby in case the tree decided to something. Wouldn’t entirely be out of the realm of possibility.

To make sure the media didn’t spin anything out of his visit, he’d looped around for an approach outside their line of sight, flying in close to the surface of the water to remain unnoticed. A light illusion shimmered across his form, a cheap attempt at making his approach look nothing more than a wave. A strange, almost static wave. Once close, he ascended, flying between the twisting branches and blue leaves, till he could easily approach the trunk of the tree.

Herald reached out, fingers tensing with doubt. For a moment he considered leaving. Then with a sigh he let his hand rest against the trunk, the white bark smooth to his touch, “Hey…”

The trunk emanated a cool, comforting sensation, its presence washing over him. Fingers grazed against the young bark, still so fresh, much like the memory of what had happened over a day before.

He felt the Eye stir, glowing briefly. What it did couldn’t really be described as speaking, but it spoke to him. For a moment Herald was floating by the tree, hand pressed against the bark. Then it was all gone, swirling away into the lab under Zodiac City, the ground shaking as the city fell.

And they all fell with it.

He heard himself tell her he trusted her, that if it didn’t work out he would be right behind her to help. He could sense the fear in his voice, words shaking as they struggled past his lips. Then it all happened so fast, one moment she was the Rhiannon he knew - confident that she could save the city - and then she was so much more.

Rhiannon floated inches off the ground, a curtain of ice crystals shimmering around her. Long snowy hair flowing in the breeze, pierced by her pointed ears. The runes that had crisscrossed across her skin were gone, leaving it tinged a very light blue. The purple she had worn had shifted, a gossamer dress layered across her form, striking against the three pairs of dark, black wings on her back, feathers glistening under the light of the room. Where her feet touched the ground, tiny ice flowers grew - even on the metal floor - frost creeping out from them.

Then with a reassuring smile she vanished into a swirl of snowflakes, leaving an unspoken question upon his lips. Rhiannon?

“I’m sorry I didn’t come earlier…” he continued, surprised by his own shaking voice, “I was just…”

Just what? After he’d made sure ES-17 and the Mortem were safely with the Big Team, all he’d done was spend time at home. He’d barely even left his room, curled up on his bed, wallowing in the weight of the aftermath. Rodriguez’ distorted laughter had filled his head, mocking him, mocking his friends before it shifted into Bestiary’s screams. Gut twisting, Herald had attempted to find escape on the internet. That’s when he’d come across the video.

He must have watched it a dozen times since; of how she’d stopped the city’s descent, prevented unprecedented disaster, and left Halcyon with a brand new landmark in the process. It hadn’t been until he’d run into Elle that he’d realized he had been avoiding it. The ‘why’ of that hadn’t become clear to him until now.

He’d been afraid.

“You saved the city. You saved everyone, you know? I don’t...I can’t even imagine what would have happened if you weren’t there.” his hand tensed against the tree, “You…”

Herald grit his teeth, biting back at the cracking in his voice.

“...saved me.”

How did you really even talk to someone about this?

“The Eye...my Eye could have helped. It could have stopped the city from falling. But…” he cut off, drawing in another shaking breath, unsure of how to really continue. “Back when we were falling, I told you I’d have to lose it to make it all stop. I just didn’t tell you what that meant…”

She’d noticed back then. He could tell - despite his insistence, his willingness - she had noticed.

“It’s…” a shudder coursed down his spine and Herald dipped a little before floating back up. He owed this to her. “Back then when I said I knew what I had to do...it was because of the Eye. It talks to me. It let me know that I could give it up to...make sure the city didn’t fall. I don’t...I know I wanted to do it...I would have, but I was terrified. I...deep down I didn’t want to. When you said you could do something, I was so relieved, so...it feels so awful, so...I shouldn’t have let it feel that way. But…”

He cursed himself, and then the Eye. It stirred again,tugging at his memories. Kauket’s shadowy form floated behind Alloy. Panic growled, clawing at him. He felt himself stiffen, fear joining his panic. Then he swore at the Eye again.

“It’s all that’s keeping me alive. The Eye...it somehow bonded with me when I needed help the most. It was only meant to heal whatever was killing me...but it decided to stay. And...I want it to. I didn’t want to give it up...no matter how willing I sounded. I mean…” he laughed weakly “...it lets me do all of this.”

“It…” he paused. The Eye glowed warmer, tugging at his attention.

There was something else beneath the bark though, something deeper, flooding the tree with a power. With life. His Eye could sense it, guiding him to follow the flow of energies upwards. Rhiannon?

The breeze picked at his hair as he ascended, the flow of energy guiding him in a spiral around the tree, higher and higher before stopping. The energy glowed around an opening in the trunk, stronger than they trail he’d followed. Herald set himself down on a branch, squeezing through the opening and stumbling into the alcove beyond. The same comforting cool filled the chamber, glowing brightly wherever he looked.

“Rhi?” he blinked, noticing a solitary crow looking at him, “I’m goin- we...we’re going to get you out okay? Just, just hang in there...okay?”

“And Rhi?” a moonlight glow washed over Herald, his costume shimmering before the glow faded. A teenage boy stood there, in a plain t-shirt and dark jeans, a smile tugging at his lips as his eyes met the crow’s, “Next time we meet, it’s...Aman.”