The Red Moon Always Shines

Chapter 70: One day

It was finally time for the group to leave the world and return to Glaella, some for their first ever. Grian was just happy to see his childhood kingdom again, because he could now visit all his family again! His excitement wasn't being hidden at all so there was no debate when he was picked to go through first, with Mumbo and Iskall going through with him at the same time of course.

The trip through the portal was quick but to Grian it felt painstakingly slow, his skin prickled with every swirl of the portal and as they built up their speed to transport them he felt it before it actually happened. And since it had been so long since he had used a portal Grian stumbled and nearly smacked his face onto the ground, but strong arms caught him before he could.

Grian looked up to thank and also apologize, he would probably stumble with his words and do them both at the same time - aka creating a mess of words, but frozen when a familiar face greeted him.

"Nielle?" The dirty blond breathed, and the adult, who had been a teen last time Grian had seen him, gave him a soft smile, "Hello Xel, good to see you again."

"Nielle!" Grian cried, flinging his arms around them, "Oh my god, I thought I'd never get to see you again! I forgot you, I forgot you all!"

The redhead smiled softly at the younger, "Hey, from the looks of it you remember me now. And that's all I need, you are not your past after all."

"Oh stop being poetic and let the rest of us have some!" A voice behind Nielle complained, and appearing over the redhead was the face of Tobias, face so much older than the one Grian was used to. Though as the man turned to look at him his face softened into something much younger, "Hi little Spitfire, took you long enough to get back to us. I mean, do you know how hard it is to keep a position open in the guild?"

Grian can't stop himself and choked up laughter leaves him, and in an instant he's transferred from Nielle to Tobias, arms hugging the blond tightly. The man doesn't even bat an eye and just starts gently petting the top of the young man's head, scarting behind his new ears whenever he gets to them. Around them the rest of the Archenstone members slowly closed in, all wanting to give the returning boy some love after having to live with so many years without him around.

After a while and many tears later the welcoming party had backed up from the dirty blond, letting him stand up again. The hybrid wiped a few leftover tears out of his eye with a finger before turning to the group before him, "Thank you all so much for this, it means a lot for me to see you all again."

Tobias let out a barked laugh, a grin on his face, "Don't mention it Spitfire! We're the ones who should be thanking you, for coming back to see us."

"Then thank them," Grian said, motioning towards the Hermits and co (it's too painful to write them all out okay?) who had been kind of awkwardly standing off to the side and watching the reunion, "They are the reason why I'm here after all - why I'm still alive even."

"Then thank you all." Nielle said with a half bow, "For bringing him back to us all. You truly have no idea how much this means to us, how much he means to us." They then rose and turned to look at Doc, "Your mother is with the Void's, so I recommend you all go there for the second part of this reunion." And so the group of builders headed off, saying goodbye as they went.

Grian looked after them with a bittersweet smile, having missed them now that he remembered them but knowing that he'll never know them like he could have. They've changed from the people he'd known just enough to be different. Shaking his head he turned back to the group behind him, family, friends, allies, and lovers. Maybe he missed one group, but he had another. "So, family reunion time?"

Stress smiled at him, "Oh we won't go with you luv. We are not family in that way, and it's no place for us to come with."

"I, Mumbo and Iskall will come with." Doc said before Grian's face could fall any more, "I want to see my mom, and Healer Void is the best there is, so he'll be able to help Iskall more than what we already have. And they are your boyfriends as well, so this is a perfect time to introduce them to the family."