The wind howled through the air as thick waves blew around the branches of trees, accompanied by their leaves in harsh swirls. A young boy with a pale complexion ran through the forest, holding a hood tightly over his black, curled hair. Bright blue eyes gleamed around frightfully; grass crunched beneath his feet as he tried to stay upright, maneuvering through heavy currents of wind.
What followed the lightness of the teen’s footsteps were numerous ones that sounded heavy in comparison. A large, cinnamon-colored wolf leaped through the forest behind the boy in crystal-clear pursuit, its movements sharp as it cut through the heavy wind.
The wolf was catching up to the boy, who had only been able to dodge it by running behind trees. His luck ran out when the wind caused him to crash with a loud thud. The boy was too slow as the wolf lurched forward — a sharp cry pierced through the air.
“ATLAS!!” a voice screeched, and then the environment — the forest of pine trees — shattered within seconds like broken crystals. A boy with brown hair jolted awake as the name left his lips.
He panted, heavy, panicked breaths moving in and out, as his lime-green eyes darted around the scenery, confusion wafting over him as things began to slowly click into place.
“E...lios…” a voice groaned. Elios snapped his head to the side as Atlas sat up, rubbing his eyes.
“Atlas! Are you okay? …You should be okay, ri-right…” Elios drifted off as Atlas’s hand patted him on the back.
“I’m fine, Elios. No injuries, see?” Elios gave Atlas a hug as the other boy inquired, “What was the nightmare this time?”
After Elios took a few minutes to calm down, he answered, “You got attacked in a forest by a wolf with—”
“One that looks like a red wolf?” Atlas finished, then sighed. “Should I be concerned about your mental state when you continuously dream of me getting maimed by a wild wolf? They aren’t even native to Theylasen,” Atlas questioned.
Then snores broke through the room. The room wasn’t anything special — it was what one expected of a cheap two-bedroom motel room. They both sighed.
Atlas chuckled. “Dad is talented at heavy sleeping. I wish I inherited that.”
Elios answered, “I used to wish I slept like Mr. Connor, but with these nightmares… I don’t wanna feel trapped.” He sighed. “I’m sorry for waking you up, Atty.”
Atlas waved it off. “YOU are the one dreaming of me dying — it might help to have the reassurance that I’m still breathing. Also, why do you refuse to call him Dad?”
Elios thought it over. “Still feels weird. He is my adoptive dad... I have a good bond with him like he’s my real dad, just like I’ve got a good brotherly bond with you. I just... it feels awkward, I guess? I don’t know.”
Atlas nodded and stretched. He fished his phone from the motel-provided bedside table. The phone screen flickered to life; Atlas’s eyes flickered between opening and closing as he adjusted to the bright light from the device.
“5:30 AM... I swear, E, you’re better at waking me up than my alarm. Let’s get up. We’ve got some preparations to do before the festival. I think Dad planned on eating out for breakfast,” Atlas spoke as he yawned, sitting up.
Atlas waddled over to the spot where they had put their backpacks — not really trusting the dressers the motel provided — and rummaged for some clothes, heading off to the bathroom to change out of his grizzly bear onesie. Elios stood up, assuming it was his cue to drag their father out of bed. Unfortunately, that was more literal; a zookeeper in truth might have a better time waking up a damn koala.
Elios grabbed the man’s feet and started his attempts to yoink him. “Mr. Connor? Wake up!”
Mr. Connor only moved about an inch; he was heavier than what Elios or Atlas could carry. Elios kept yanking backward in desperate attempts to get the man to fall off the bed.
Once Atlas walked out in a change of clothes, he told Elios, “Go get changed out of the fox onesie. I’ll handle this.”
That was all it took, really. Elios grabbed his backpack, ran towards the bathroom, and pulled on a white T-shirt, jeans, and a red flannel jacket that had a white hood. Timing had always been one of Atlas’s specialties, Elios remembered growing up.
This proved relevant, surprisingly, as Elios heard a thud once he opened the door and stomped out, seeing the older man groaning on the floor and Atlas shouting,
“C’MON DAD, WE GOT A LONG DAY AHEAD OF US! FIRST DAY OF VAYCAY IS A GOOOO~!”
Elios snorted at the sight. However, it didn’t take long for the man to start getting ready himself. By 6:30 AM, the three headed out for the day. It seemed like a normal day — something that put Elios at ease despite the nightmares that refused to cease.
First, they headed to a place called... Elios had to squint his eyes —
“The Everest’s Eatery?” It was hard to read when it was spelled in thick, shriveled-up tiny cursive with bright colors that clashed horrifically. It was not good on Elios’s eyes, at least. The sign was attached to a building that looked like an old cottage — probably meant to mimic the style of ‘cottagecore,’ though it took the term "cottage" much more literally.
Atlas shrugged. “Seems to be the case! Let’s go get some grub.” As he spoke, he patted his stomach, licking his lips.
Their dad spoke up. “And discuss our plan for the day. The festival doesn’t start until 8 PM, when the sun sets.”
They both nodded and walked inside. Upon closer inspection, the diner seemed to be made purely out of real wood; the log ends could be seen, and the wood was drastically thicker than typical planks. They checked in and sat at a booth near a purple-stained window. It had a pink figure ingrained into it, which brought a mystical contrast to how else the diner was structured.
“Alright boys, we’ve got some options for activities while we’re in Diresdale,” their dad told them.
He sighed. “Atlas, put the phone down. What’s so interesting that peaks your interest this early?”
Atlas answered, “Oh! Seems a school was caught on fire over in the country Aciesmarrow. I think it was located in a town called Dashburke? Anyway, it’s unfortunate.”
Elios sighed. “So sad. Hope everything is okay over there.”
Atlas told Elios, “Who knows? They’re a pretty distant and self-reliant country. I’m surprised this much got out.”
A young woman, donned in a patchwork dress — which seemed to be the uniform for the employees — strolled up to their table. Her hair was a yellowy blonde that fell in waves. Upon her head was a crown braid that went down against her right shoulder. Violet eyes gazed over the family with a soft smile as she spoke:
“Helloh, lovelias! Welcohme ta Everest’s Eatery, ‘em Eden. What has tak’en yer interest this loveleh mornin’?”
Elios answered easily after gazing at the menu, “The morning has been a good one, Ms. Eden. May I have a Venierèa Syh?”
Eden scribbled down the order. When Elios had read the description on the menu — he had to try it. Theylasen had far more varied dishes than Maerahwin. Venierèa Syh, according to the menu, was venison noodle soup paired with carrots, rice, and parsnips.
“I’ll have the, uh, Curmena Vyle,” Atlas answered awkwardly, shifting uncomfortably. When Elios looked on the menu for it, he found it was an egg sandwich with a mixture of hot sauce and mayo, plus berries called Lythol berries. Must’ve been a local berry, Elios assumed.
“I’ll just have some of these strawberry pancakes,” their dad told Eden with a chuckle. “I’m not as explorative as my boys, you know?”
Eden nodded. “I knoe!” She sighed. “Chil’ren so aventurous theyse dahys! Mah daugh’ers are very simila’! I taken’n it ya three are on vayca’ion?”
The brothers just watched the interaction. Responding to Eden, their dad answered, “Yes, what gave it away?”
“Theh Ahstrolgie fesht is tis week,” Eden answered. “We’re ahlways gettin’ touries’s ‘round this time of year! Jus’ make sure ya don’t s’ray too far from theh fes’ivi’es ‘onight, ya hear?”
The three of them nodded, then Eden inquired, “Nowh wha’ya wan’in’ for drinks?”
A man with blond hair bumped into her after she asked. Eden let out a huff. Elios made a mental note that this guy couldn’t have been much older than Atlas or himself — he even dressed like one of those cosplayers. It wasn’t an understatement; it was a particularly elaborate outfit, like a regal uniform. Almost as if he were dressing up as a prince or king from a cartoon: bright blue with golden epaulets, large white cuffs engulfing his wrists, and a white cravat. Various other white and gold embellishments accompanied it, matching strangely well with the teal color of the boy’s eyes and neck-length curly blond hair.
Eden made an ‘ahem’ noise.
“Ohryon, any’hin’ bo’herin’ ya?”
‘Ohryon’ looked at her and stated bluntly, “No, and it’s pronounced ‘Orion,’ unless you want me to call you ‘ehdan’?”
Eden shrugged. “Would make ya sound lot more from here.”
He groaned and then looked at the Connors. “My apologies for my rudeness,” Orion stated curtly while taking in their appearances individually.
Elios noted how this guy didn’t seem to like Atlas very much. Hell, even Atlas felt it under the scrutinizing gaze. Atlas drifted his arm around Elios’s shoulder, responding, “No issues, sir? I mean, you didn’t bump into me or my brother or my father, so you only owe Ms. Eden an apology.”
Atlas seemed so uncomfortable. Elios patted his shoulder. Orion blinked.
“Brother? You look nothing like brothers—”
“I was adopted!” Elios shouted, though he was surprised he didn’t panic.
“Well, guess the term is I am adopted. But I don’t get why you’re giving us so much attention? Don’t you have something to attend to? Some festival with costumes?” Elios said, gesturing to Orion’s outfit.
Orion managed to stay stone-faced, yet Eden could tell he was holding back a laugh. She spoke up.
“Ya ‘eard the boy, Mr. Lukos. Goh back ta ya family,” she waved him off.
Orion let off a huff but disappeared back to a group that also seemed oddly dressed. Eden turned back to the Connors.
“Ah righ’, where were wee? Drinks?”
Elios answered, “Berry smoothie, please, Miss.”
Their dad answered, “Just a cold water is fine.”
Atlas stated bluntly, “The strongest coffee this place has — without cream, sugar, or sweetener.”
Eden wrote it down and disappeared. Atlas hit his head against the table with a thud that made Elios and their dad jump. Elios was quickest to tend to Atlas, forcibly yanking him up.
“C’mon, Atty, what’s up? You don’t drink coffee unless you’re drowning your sorrows.”
Atlas complained, “E... that guy hated me!”
“We don’t even know him, Atty. We likely won’t get to know him. There’s no reason to beat yourself up over a pompous stranger,” Elios told Atlas, picking up a napkin and wiping a smidge of blood from Atlas’s forehead.
Atlas grunted uncomfortably as it was wiped away, Mr. Connor speaking up, “He’s right, Atlas. The kid was just a strange kid. No big deal.”
Once the blood was wiped away, Atlas frowned. Their dishes were served quickly; they looked surprisingly delicious with an aroma that revived Atlas’s dying appetite. As he took his meal and coffee, Atlas murmured,
“Something still feels wrong…”
Atlas murmured, then took a bite of the egg sandwich solemnly. He swallowed then sighed. “Ah, even the sandwich tastes like edible sadness…”
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqLPhIeDiC
Elios slurped up his soup with one hand holding the fork, the other patted Atlas’s back comfortingly. Their dad poured syrup on his pancakes. The morning seemed to calm in that moment. Yet a feeling of ‘jinxed’ lingered the the air once their dad said.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlealoiWjDz
“Atlas, what’s the worst that could happen?”
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXW3OWtwbwc
然後按「加至主畫面」