Songbirds (FTO Fanfic)

Ori's POV (Present Day)

You stumble again, struggling to walk amongst the uneven stone path.

"Take it easy, we're almost there. Don't put too much pressure on your legs. I got you," Xerin said, guiding you. If only you had made it to The Protectors guild...

"Oh gods.. the captain's gonna kill us, ya know? We got beaten by a blind man-"

"He's not blind."

"- and our whole squad is gone! What do you think happened to their bodies? Did he just throw them in the ocean? Did he go through them to make sure they were dead? I'm damn glad he didn't stab me again, or I might actually be dead."

"The captain isn't gonna kills us, Xerin. She'll understand once we tell her what happened."

"That's what you think! She got mad at me pne time for putting a book in the wrong place."

"Because you put your sister's collection of girl pictures on the captain's desk, dumbass. Why'd you take it anyway?"

"She takes my stuff without asking, I take hers. The photos couldn't be that bad anyway, right?"

"...."

"... Right?"

You turn away from Xerin with a snicker.

"HEY- WHAT AREN'T YOU TELLING ME?? WHAT WAS IN THE BOOK, ORI!?"

"Find out for yourself."

"For someone who looks half-dead, you sure sound energetic."

"Shut up."

The rest of the walk was mostly quiet. After walking away from Eden, Lucas, David, and Devin thought it would be best to get you and Xerin out of Atlantide. You two decided to head home, back down south: home to your city, Valen.

Valen was large and bustling with life. People roamed the streets at every turn, stalls were always occupied, and citizens charted about the latest events. Fellow guildmates were dotted among the crowds. Children raced down the roads with kites and bouncy balls, skipping and hopping and singing on their merry way.

The buildings themselves ranged from small to massive, and as you ventured deeper into the city, they got taller and taller. Roofs were typically a dark, spruce brown, a contrast to the white walls of the actual house. Windows were crystal clear or a rainbow of colors, stained in beautiful ways that moved the hearts of everyone. Around the houses were a plethora of flowers and trees, some of which already had their autumn leaves. Some people even had pumpkins on their doorsteps, ready to celebrate the oncoming season.

As they walked down the main street, they turned onto a faded path. Here, grass and roots and dirt overtook the bricks. Wildflowers grew between the cracks, and large evergreen trees loomed over anyone who dare follow the road. As you and Xerin maneuvered over and around the obstacles, following every twist and turn on the route, you finally came in sight of the greatest view ever- your guildhall.

The massive structure was twice as large as Divnus Magia's castle. Around the front perimeter were the remains of the first wall, which was destroyed in one of many incidents. Behind it was the entrance to the courtyard, which connected the main hall and two branching areas together. Two massive towers stood on either side, watching for any unknown visitors. The rest of the exterior was a mess of walkways, halls, and rooms. Windows were scattered among the place, letting in the natural light of the setting sun.

"Ah, home sweet home. Look at our emo castle."

"It's not emo, Xerin."

"Black walls? I'd say it's pretty emo."