You Are My Escape (G/T) (Completed)

14

Ventus started to take him deeper into the palace than he'd ever been, through hallways he'd never seen before. It was interesting to see something new for once, but it was strange- these walls weren't pristine like the central parts, it was old and decrepit and Ezriel couldn't help but stare in awe as the two walked in silence. He knew that the entire building was built into a giant boulder in the forest ages ago, but he didn't know just how far it really went.

The two walked for quite a while, only going deeper and deeper into the ancient stone maze. It now looked nothing like the palace anymore, littered with chipped walls and broken tiles that echoed their every step. It was clear that no upkeep had been done to this place in years, but still his teacher pressed on and after a while Ezriel couldn't help but speak up.

"...Where are we going?" He asked curiously. "To the mana pools?"

"No," Ventus shook his head, "this is different. Mana would do nothing for you now-- it's impossible to be given a magic boost when you have none to use in the first place. Your real magic must re-grow from within." He explained. 

"You're aware of what mana is, but do you know where it comes from?"

"Extremely high magical energy sources..?" Ezriel answered, recalling back to what he'd been taught in class.

"Correct. Where we're going is the birthplace of mana in this region, but I will say now, what you learn here today is not to be repeated. Very few fairies are allowed to be down here for a reason."

The prince's brows furrowed. Could he really be taking him there..?

His suspicions were confirmed after another minute of walking when the corridor they were in opened up to a massive chamber, with a ceiling so high he couldn't see it from the ground. Despite their age and the vines that choked them, the intricately carved pillars around the room stood strong, disappearing into the darkness above. Ancient murals and designs he couldn't recognize were carved into the walls and the prince stared slack-jawed at everything around him as he took it all in, but nothing could prepare him for what he saw as they approached the end of the room.

"Is that--?" He could barely ask it, his face twisting from wonder to utter shock. Encased in the wall, between two waterfalls of mana that flowed into the channels in the floor, was the Dawn Crystal, the grand fairy jewel, broken into pieces.

"Yes." Ventus confirmed, wearing a grim expression.

"...What happened?"

The elder fairy sighed. Ezriel had never seen him look so serious before. 

"Contrary to what we are forced to teach, the humans did not just 'give it back' after they stole it. When it was in their possession they shattered it into pieces, trying to divide its power-- a power that they couldn't properly wield. We tried to negotiate for the pieces, but in the end no price we offered seemed high enough for them. So we took them back, by any means necessary."

The blonde only stared. So humans weren't the only ones who hid their ugly history.

"It was a long battle.." Ventus continued after a few seconds, stepping towards the wall with a somber look in his eyes. "We managed to get it all back into its proper place, but our magic remains faint as long as the crystal stays fractured."

He placed a hand on the stone below where the jewel was intertwined and the wall lit up faintly, as if it was alive and aware of the touch. In fact the whole room seemed to be responding to their presence, if only a little. The prince had ignored it at first, but when he focused he could hear a light humming all around.

"But that seems very important- why shouldn't everyone know of this?" Ezriel asked in disbelief, unable to take his eyes off of the damaged power source.

"Think of the panic that would cause." Ventus shook his head lightly. "Imagine if the public were to find out that our magic will never be the same as it once was. Imagine if they learned that the crystal is no longer strong enough to stop a human from entering the barrier, and hadn't been for years."

Ezriel winced. It would be unfortunate indeed if this information got out, and he could see why his teacher asked him for confidentiality. Most fairies are already deathly afraid of humans even without knowing this darker side, and if they were to find out the true extent that their history ran then things would be much, much worse.

But as he stared up at the shining gem, he couldn't help but feel conflicted. In stark contrast to his own experiences, this was living proof that humans did not get along with his kind. They had crossed a line that the fairies could never forgive and the effects of it still lingered to this day.

He was upset at this discovery, reasonably so, but he felt more frustrated than anything. A tainted past should not hold back a brighter future. Regardless of what happened it happened ages ago, long before Ezriel or even his mother had been born. They'd lived in isolation for so many years since then, holding onto their hatred and fear while the human world simply moved on around them. So much has changed since the books were written, this much the prince had seen with his own two eyes, yet it's still forbidden for the two to interact.

He sighed longingly, wondering if things would ever change.

"Here," Ventus beckoned Ezriel closer, bringing him back to the present. "Come place your hands on the wall."

The prince stepped forward and did as he was told, letting his palms meet with the cold, sleek surface of the stone. It didn't respond nearly as strongly as his mentor's touch, but there was still something there for sure. The low hum in the room seemed to resonate throughout the wall and it traveled through his fingers, up his arms and to his wings, giving him one of the strangest sensations of his life. He could feel the energy of it, feel it flow through him, and he let out a long breath of relief. 

His magic was still there.

"You must stay within this chamber for a little while longer, the energy here will help speed up the regeneration process." Ventus said, noticing the reaction as well.

"How long will it take to completely replenish..?" 

"Perhaps hours, perhaps days." The older fairy gazed at the crystal with an expression the prince couldn't read, something between longing, sadness, and acceptance. "There was a time when it would take merely seconds, but that light of a dying era is fading." 

Ezriel simply nodded as he let his hands slowly fall to his sides. 

"And what if my mother asks where I am?" He inquired.

"I expect you to say nothing of this to others, so I will cover for your absence." Ventus looked at him with a soft smile. "I will help you recover, but please refrain from doing something like this again in the future." 

The two shared a short laugh, and the blonde expressed his thanks and admiration as Ventus left him alone for a while in the vast room, insisting he'd return for him at dinner. 

But once the prince was alone his smile faded, and he couldn't help but fall to his knees as a hollow ache settled in his chest.

Everything felt so complicated and wrong. The secrets he held fought desperately to escape, burning a hole deep inside him. He should hate the humans and everything that they'd done after what he learned today, but every time he closed his eyes and tried to convince himself that they were vile and evil like everyone said, the only thing he could see was Matt's face and careful hands.

What had he gotten himself into?