Everlasting dream (18+)

Chapter 58 — Restless

[Aster]

The morning was quiet and peaceful, the kind that promised a beautiful day ahead. Once hidden behind a blanket of grey clouds, the sky began to clear, revealing a stunning sun that just started to peek over the horizon. It bathed the forest in the colors of warm yellows and vibrant oranges while the wind whispered through the pines, causing their needles to dance and rustle. The morning mist began to thin, uncovering dewdrops that clung to the grass, making the world glitter and sparkle.

But to Aster, this beautiful scene was lost. The forest around him was a blur of green and brown. The trees and bushes were nothing but an obstacle. His boots, covered in mud, crushed the fallen leaves and branches beneath him, snapping and crunching loudly. His clothes were soaked with sweat, his breaths ragged and heavy, his muscles screaming in protest. Yet, he had only one goal: to run.

His sister, unconscious, was secured to his back, her limbs tied together around his body, her head lolling against his shoulder. He ignored the pain, the exhaustion, the fear. He just ran. Alone, surrounded by the dangers of the forest, away from home. 

'Just keep going,' Aster urged himself mentally, his lungs burning with each heavy breath. He adjusted his hold on his sister's thighs, his fingers digging into the softness of her legs. 'Almost there,' he lied to himself, pushing his body beyond its limits.

...

In the quiet of the previous day, as his mother dozed peacefully in his lap, he found time to think about their whole situation, his new powers, and the inevitable return of the goblins. While his fire magic is undoubtedly impressive, realistically speaking, it will do almost nothing against an entire tribe of goblins. In the most optimistic scenario, he could perhaps scare them off again.

The chances he could quickly master his magic enough to kill them all are basically zero. Aster is no genius, and he has no delusions in that regard. It took Silvia years of everyday training to get to her current level, and all she could do was create a massive wall of ice to block the entrance at the cost of her health, the long-term consequences of which remain a disturbing unknown.

Magic isn't an option right now, maybe in a couple of years, but at the moment, it's simply not enough. What else can we do? Creating a sturdy door and hoping the goblins won't get through it? That's not a very comforting thought and not very safe either.

Another idea crossed his mind — setting traps around the cave. While Aster liked the home-alone vibes of it, his knowledge about traps is pretty much the following: sharpen the stick, cover it with feces, and hide it in the ground. After that, watch for a foot to land on it. And, of course, pray it is not your foot. Forgetting where you put your traps is no fun.

Even so, it wouldn't stop all the goblins; there are simply too many of them. It might wound a couple, slowing down the rest slightly.

The third option would be to run away. The idea sounds reasonable — just get the heck out of this island surrounded by rivers. But this is probably the worst option of all. This scary, ancient forest surrounds them, and who knows what other monsters and beasts live there? Not to mention, Nivalis barely moves, and Silvia is still unconscious.

Theoretically, they could make a raft and try their luck in the rivers, traveling down the stream until they meet a civilization, but... Aster would rather not test the raft's durability in a river filled with rocks, dangerous bends, and possibly even monsters. They would likely be smashed and drowned before getting far, not to mention how cold the local waters are, even in summer.

The only option left is the best, or perhaps the worst, of them all — hiding. After a lengthy discussion and much hesitation, Nivalis finally agreed to his plan, which is in the middle of implementation at this very moment.

...

When Aster reached the destination, the mist was almost gone. It was still early, so the air was chilly and crisp. Aster could see his breath escaping his parted lips in tiny puffs of white steam.

'I can see it! We are almost there,' Aster thought, glancing ahead. His heart raced like crazy, pounding loudly in his ears, his breathing ragged and heavy. Twenty more steps, and his sister will be safe and warm again. He just had to hold on a little longer.

He approached the seemingly random spot in the forest—a natural, rocky wall covered in moss and vines. Waist-high grass and bushes surrounded it, making it difficult for him to reach one particular part of it.

As Aster approached the wall, he spotted a small, almost invisible opening between bushes covered in thick vines, which he needed to push aside and squeeze through. 'Found it!' he thought, with a weak, victorious smile. Once inside, his boots began shuffling against the rough, uneven stone, his back aching from the weight of his sister.

In complete darkness, Aster moved slowly and carefully through the tight corridors and narrow gaps until he finally reached the main cavern. He stumbled forward, almost tripping over the loose, uneven stones illuminated by the bright light streaming in from a hole high in the ceiling.

The familiar, steamy air filled his lungs as he took a deep breath, the faint scent of sulfur and wet stone invading his nostrils. The bubbling water echoed throughout the cave, reminding him of the many happy memories they had made here — birthdays, holidays, or just lazy days when they had nothing better to do.

The hot spring.

— "Finally," Aster whispered, looking around the cavern that would now be their home. 'It's so warm in here,' he thought, a small smile playing on his lips. 'It will be amazing during winter.'

Carefully untying his sister's legs and arms, he lowered her onto the ground. Aster began removing the handmade disguise cloak she had been wearing—a long, brown piece of fabric with leaves sewn onto it—one they made for gathering trips.

Aster quickly untied her boots, revealing her cute, slightly dirty feet. Her pink toes curled slightly, making him chuckle. He put them under her head, trying to make lying here more comfortable.

— "I'll return soon, Silvia. Don't worry," Aster whispered, lowering himself closer to her face. His sister's pink lips glistened slightly in the dim, golden light of the cavern, slightly parted.

Aster pressed his mouth against hers, giving her a soft, loving kiss. One that only a brother could give his sister. When he pulled away, a strand of saliva still connected their mouths. "I'll bring Mom," he whispered, licking his lips.

With that, the boy turned around and rushed outside through the dark, tight tunnels. His footsteps echoed and bounced off the stone walls, mixing with his heavy, exhausted breathing. He had a lot of work to do today, and resting was not an option.

...

Returning to the cave was much easier and faster, though a lot scarier without the mist covering everything. Aster felt like someone was watching him despite repeatedly checking around and finding no one there. The boy was just too nervous, his imagination playing tricks on him. Or at least he hoped so.

The fact that his sister's unconscious body was still lying somewhere in the cave, alone and unprotected, weighed heavily on his mind. He kept telling himself, 'No, they won't find her. She is safe there,' in an attempt to stay calm. And only the sight of their cave, illuminated by the morning sun, managed to calm him down.

Aster stepped inside, his footsteps echoing, announcing his arrival. The first thing he saw was his mother sitting near the fire, with all their belongings neatly packed beside her. Her silver hair was tied in a bun, with a single strand falling over her face. When she saw her son unharmed, the look of relief on her face told Aster how much she had worried about him.

"Aster!" Nivalis whispered, her voice a little shaky. Her blue eyes watered, and a gentle smile appeared on her lips. "H-How did it go?" she asked, her gaze quickly scanning her son from head to toe. "Is she alright, honey?" she asked, looking up at him.

— "She is fine, snoring inside the cave. I got there before the mist cleared," Aster replied, kneeling beside his mother. His face was all red and sweaty from the constant running. "She will be safe there," Aster said, giving her a tired smile. He removed the hood of his disguise cloak, letting his messy, silver hair flow down. "Don't worry, Mom."

He glanced around the cave, noticing how empty it felt without all their stuff lying around. A place where he spent most of his life suddenly became unfamiliar.

"Alright..." Nivalis nodded, exhaling deeply, relieved to hear everything went as planned. "Are you okay?" she asked, gently cupping his cheek, her thumb tracing along his cheekbone. "You look exhausted, sweetie."

Aster leaned into her touch, his hand holding hers. "I am fine, Mom. Just a bit tired, that's all. But I'll manage," he mumbled, smiling weakly. "Are we ready?" he asked, glancing at the pack beside his mother.

"Yes," Nivalis answered, pulling her hand away. "All our clothing and cooking utensils, rags, sewing stuff, your drawing materials, all our herbs... pretty much everything important I found around," she whispered, gesturing towards the heavy-looking sack made from their blanket. "Blankets and the remaining food are in the leather backpack, which I'll carry, along with my bow and arrows. It is not heavy, so I should be fine," she said, gently massaging her injured thigh.

— "Mom, I can take the backpack," Aster insisted, already reaching for the backpack. "You just take your bow."

"No, I will," Nivalis stated firmly, slapping his hand away. "Your sack is already heavy enough," she added, giving him a stern look. "It's not heavy," she repeated, attempting to stand up.

— "Okay..." muttered Aster, helping her up. With only one functional leg, Nivalis really struggled to get on her feet, even with her son's support. Once up, Aster leaned her against the wall and picked up her leather backpack from the ground. It was pretty damn heavy.

Nivalis allowed her son to help her put it on and adjust the straps and buckles. "See? Nothing I can't handle," Nivalis smiled, trying to hide the pain from just standing. She was unsure how she would manage the trip. It typically took them an hour to reach there. But now? It would be a miracle if they could arrive before the afternoon.

— "Mhm," Aster responded, draping his sister's disguise cloak around his mother. After tying a few knots, he covered her face, concealing her pale skin and silver hair. Being made for her daughter, it was quite small and short for Nivalis, but it would do the job.

She was right. Aster's bag was heavy. For a boy of his size, that is. With a groan, he hoisted it onto his shoulder and looked up at his mother. "Ready, Mom?" he asked, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Yes, my love," she replied, nodding, and slowly limped towards the entrance, leaning on her son for support.

A chilly wind blew against them as they exited the cave, rustling the grass and trees. The burnt goblin's head on the spear met them, its empty eye sockets staring away into the forest. Nivalis had done this yesterday to keep goblins away, or at least try to.

Speaking of that spear. It had strange symbols carved on the wood and a few colored strings near the sharpened stone head. While it looked cool and could actually pierce something, they decided to leave it behind and try to make something similar later. Who knows those creatures' traditions? It could be important for them. They might decide to double down on finding their new place to retrieve it. Better not risk it.

With a deep sigh, the two slowly started their long walk through the wilderness.

...

[Nivalis]

— "Agh, dammit," Nivalis swore as she clutched her injured thigh, wincing in agony. Despite her best efforts not to put weight on it, the pain was still unbearable. Using her son's shoulders for support, leaning more and more against his fragile, tiny body, she forced herself to move. Aster struggled to carry the heavy bag and help his mother walk, but he didn't complain.

"You alright, Mom?" Aster asked, looking up.

— "Yes, yes, honey. Just... I need a moment to catch my breath," Nivalis said, wincing from pain. She leaned against the closest tree, sliding down and landing on the grass. "Let's take a break here, alright?" she whispered, her head resting against the tree trunk, eyes closed.

"Okay, sure," Aster agreed, placing the sack on the ground. He sat beside her, panting, looking around the quiet forest.

Nivalis sighed as she massaged her injured thigh with her fingers. When the boy noticed this, he crawled closer and placed his small hands on her thigh, replacing his mother's. Slowly, gently, he began to press his fingers into her soft flesh, squeezing it lightly.

His mother let out a quiet moan, her eyelids fluttering. "Asty... Oh... Right there," she whispered, guiding his hand towards the source of her pain.

"Here?" Aster asked, his fingertips digging into her sore muscles.

—"Mhmm..." Nivalis murmured, biting her lip. "It helps... thank you, honey."

"No problem," Aster smiled, trying to ease his mother's pain as he massaged her thigh. His hands traveled up and down, squeezing her muscles and then kneading them, gently pressing his fingers into her skin. It was slightly uncomfortable with her pants on, but they didn't have time for a proper massage.

Every minute outside is a risk they have no choice but to take. They had been walking for over two hours but had only covered maybe a third of the way to the hot spring. Breaks like this were becoming longer and more frequent, slowing them down significantly. And her injured thigh wasn't getting any better; the pain worsened with each step she took.

Nivalis took a deep, calming breath, the smell of pine filling her nose. 'I don't know for how much longer I can keep going... How will I make it?' she asked herself, her blue eyes slowly opening to see her son.

His small hands continued to massage her hurting thigh. 'He's too young to worry about all this. To be burdened by such things. The food, winter prep, safety... It should be my responsibility, not his.'

— "I'm sorry, sweetie," Nivalis suddenly apologized, looking down at him.

"Huh? For what?" Aster asked, pausing the massage.

— "For everything... I... I am the one who should take care of you. You shouldn't have to worry about anything other than having fun, playing with your sister, and enjoying your childhood," she whispered, gently cupping his face.

"Oh, that... Don't worry, Mom. It's fine," Aster replied, smiling at her. "It's not your fault. Besides, we are going to live in the hot spring now! Can you imagine how awesome and fun that will be?!" he said, trying to cheer her up. "We will be able to relax in the hot water every day! Every single day! Swim and splash all winter long... Just imagine! I will get my share of childhood, alright!"

His excitement made her giggle, momentarily forgetting her worries. "You're right. It will be nice," she said, pinching his cheek lightly. "Alright, I feel better now. Let's keep going?"

"Are you sure? You can rest a bit more if you want," Aster said while helping her stand up.

— "Ugh... Yeah, let's keep going," Nivalis agreed, leaning against him. The two slowly continued their trek through the forest, one step at a time.

[Aster]

His plan became a disaster. Their breaks became increasingly frequent, while their walks became much slower. Three more hours of walking, but they had only made it halfway to the hot spring. It is a miracle that goblins haven't found them yet.

He tried to help as much as possible, making her lean on him more and rubbing her sore muscles during their breaks. But it wasn't enough. At some point, Nivalis couldn't take it any longer. She just fell to the ground, letting out a cry of pain.

"Aster... I'm sorry. I'm sorry, baby, I can't..." Nivalis whispered, tears glistening in her eyes. "I don't think I can walk any further," she muttered through quivering lips. She had been trying her best to hide the pain from him, but now she had no strength left to do so.

Aster dropped the sack on the ground, exhaling heavily. "That's fine, Mom. You did good," Aster reassured her, his face covered in sweat and dirt. He was exhausted, too. The boy's legs felt weak, and his arms were sore. Everything in him screamed to take some rest. Yet, the only thing that mattered to him right now was his mother.

— "I'll carry you," Aster said, his voice strained and tired. "Don't worry, Mom."

"I-I... I'm too heavy, honey, and..." Nivalis tried to protest, looking up at him through her tears.

— "I will," Aster interrupted, giving her a reassuring smile. "If I can't carry you, I'll drag you," he added, his tone determined and confident. "I won't leave you here. Just give me a minute to catch my breath."

"Asty..." Nivalis whispered, her blue eyes welling with tears. The boy's golden eyes stared into hers, full of love and determination. "Alright... If you say so," she muttered, giving in. "I am sorry, honey... I wish I were stronger," she apologized, covering her face with her hand and sniffing loudly.

Aster whispered softly, "Shh, shh," as he sat beside her face and gently tugged down her hood. He stroked her silver hair, weaving his fingers through the strands, whispering, "Everything will be alright, Mom." Then, he pressed his lips against her forehead.

Nivalis clung to him, her arms wrapped securely around his waist, her face pressed against his chest. Aster hugged her back, gently stroking her hair. They stayed like that for a few minutes, holding each other closely.

Finally, Aster spoke, "We need to leave. Silvia is waiting for us." He pulled away from her and stood up. Nivalis looked up at him, her face marked with tears, and nodded. "I'll hide our stuff nearby. I don't think I can carry it all," he added, taking the backpack off his mother's back and picking up his bag from the ground.

Aster moved everything to the nearest bush and hid it. He then took a small knife from his boot and quickly marked the nearby trees, making sure the marks could be seen from a distance. All they had left on them were their knives and a bow; everything else he would retrieve later. After putting the knife back in his boot, Aster returned to his mother. "Are you ready, Mom?"

"I am," Nivalis replied, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

— "Alright," Aster said, placing his arms under her armpits and helping her to her feet. His knees shook with the effort, but he remained steady. Once Nivalis stood, Aster turned around, his back facing her. "Just lean against me and relax your legs," he instructed, bending forward slightly.

"O-okay," Nivalis mumbled, wrapping her arms around his tender shoulders and pressing her chest against his back. Her son was too small for her, making her knees touch the ground. She simply relaxed her legs and let her entire body weight rest on her boy.

Aster nearly collapsed under her weight, his knees trembling. "Oh... Uh..." he gasped, struggling to regain his balance. He took a few careful steps forward, dragging her along. It was even harder than he expected.

"Are you alright, Aster? Put me down. It's too much. Let me-" Nivalis said, her arms holding onto her son's neck, her legs dangling uselessly against the ground.

— "No, no. I got this," Aster said, gritting his teeth. 'I can do this,' he thought, taking one careful step after another. His lower back was already screaming in pain. "Just hang in there," he told her, struggling forward.

"Honey... Just... Stop. You'll hurt yourself. Let me walk. I think I feel better now," she whispered, her heart pounding furiously, worried for her son's health. She could see how much strain his petite, little body was under. "Please."

— "N-No... No. We both know this is not true," he panted, refusing to give up. Slowly, one step after another, Aster carried his mother through the forest, his muscles burning and his legs shaking from exhaustion. Every part of him wanted to stop and collapse on the ground, but he couldn't. He promised his sister he would bring their mother.

Nivalis didn't know how to respond, managing to utter only a single "Sorry" as her son continued to drag her.

Aster remained silent, too busy trying not to break his ankles on the uneven forest floor.

...

Each step was more difficult than the last. Sweat dripped down his forehead, stinging his eyes. His vision began to blur and darken at the edges; the heartbeat rang in his ears, drowning out all other sounds. While his body moved automatically, Aster tried to think about anything else but the pain.

Aster's mind was filled with thoughts of magic and how amazing it all seemed. He could actually create fire right from his hands just by thinking about it! What could be cooler than that? Nothing.

Even now, he could feel his lungs gathering mana with every strained breath he took, even though his breathing sounded like he was dying. He was not. Aster was, like, ninety-five percent sure of it.

This raw mana gets concentrated in his arteries, lazily drifting around his body, doing nothing. Whenever Aster needs to, his heart changes the raw mana, making it fire-like. It just starts to feel warm inside, so it's all just a guess. Aster likes to call it the "ignited" mana.

Then, all he needs to do is concentrate hard enough, direct the ignited mana into his palm, and picture the exact size, shape, and intensity. And the flame will come — in a minute or two, but still.

One interesting idea crossed his mind as he struggled to walk. What if, instead of pushing mana from his body, he tries to do something with it inside of him? If he concentrates his mana in the muscles of his legs, will they get stronger? How does fire mana affect the body? Or ice mana, for that matter?

It was quite risky to attempt, though. Aster had discovered yesterday that his fire could burn his skin. His palm remained intact only because the flame of his spells hovered high enough above it.

'To think of it, the fire mage without fire resistance is a very stupid concept,' Aster realized, chuckling softly. 'Yet, here I am, with a genius idea to set my own legs on fire. That's what a good plan looks like,' he thought sarcastically before shaking his head. 'Nope, no way. I'm not doing it.'

— "H-how... l-long did we w-walk?" Aster managed to ask, his throat dry. They should have taken some water.

"About twenty minutes, honey," Nivalis replied, glancing around, making sure no one was following them.

'Oh, for the f-' Aster mentally swore, making another painful step ahead. 'Alright, change of plan, I am doing it. There is no way I will make it otherwise,' he decided, taking a deep, calming breath. Ignoring the ache in his legs, Aster concentrated.

The familiar heat appeared in his heart, slowly growing hotter. He decided to start with the smallest amount of mana possible and gradually increase it to be extra cautious. A single tiny drop of ignited mana into his left leg would do. He chose to do only one leg to compare the difference between the two.

'Slowly... Slowly,' Aster repeated in his mind, imagining a little droplet of mana inside his chest, like a glowing ember that traveled through his veins, heading towards his left leg. It took a while, but eventually, he felt it — a barely noticeable, warm sensation in the middle of his thigh.

His leg didn't burst into flames, which was a relief. In fact, it didn't even feel painful or uncomfortable. There was just a faint feeling of warmth, as if his skin had been touched by the sun but from the inside. 'Now, let's see the effects,' he thought, taking a few more steps, comparing the difference.

It didn't change a thing. Aster's left leg was just as weak as his right one.

'Okay, a bit more then,' Aster thought, imagining two droplets of the same size. It took Aster a while to navigate them to his left leg, and this time, the warm sensation was slightly stronger and lasted a bit longer. But, sadly, his left leg was still as weak, so that still wasn't enough.

Aster continued the process of gradually increasing the amount of mana, slowly but surely draining his reserves. After an hour of constant concentration and focus, all while carrying his mother on his back, Aster finally felt the difference. Thirty droplets into his left leg made it about twenty percent stronger than his right one — a slight difference, but a difference nonetheless.

The only downside is that the warm sensation turned into a terrible pain, as if someone had poured boiling water on him. Normally, he wouldn't be able to stand it, but his legs already ached so much that it barely made a difference. The pain lasted for five minutes or so before it slowly disappeared, and with it, the effect of his spell.

During their short break, he checked on his leg, and visually, it was all fine. 'Alright, good,' he sighed in relief. He expected to see some nasty burn on his skin, but thankfully, that wasn't the case.

— "Let's go. I feel a bit better now," Aster whispered, helping his mother get onto his back.

"Are you sure, sweetie?" Nivalis asked for what felt like the twentieth time. "I can try to walk for a bit," she added weakly.

— "Yep... Ugh... I got this," Aster insisted, starting to walk. 'Okay, let's try the same, but with both legs now. It should work,' he thought, picturing the fire mana flowing through his veins. Thirty drops for each leg, evenly spread, should do the trick.

And he was right. Carrying his mother became a bit easier, and his steps quickened. The hot, boiling pain of the mana in his muscles was almost unbearable. Almost. But he can handle it. He has to. 

Aster pushed himself, knowing the sooner he arrived, the sooner he could rest.