Chapter 8 - Another Heart Calls

Tuna, RedKora, and Tamerlane surrounded the fawn. "Pent, what have you done?", RedKora cried. Tamerlane stomped the ground angrily, and Tuna lowered her antlers at the fawn. Many other deer had gathered around them, all angry and confused.

Pent backed away from the trio already threatening him, and bumped into Lorak, who scratched at him, shoving the fawn into Taliene. The doe stomped at him, and Pent stumbled to his feet and almost ran into Leo, who growled at him. Several other deer approached, all wanting a piece of Pent.

Mazey and Auriea arrived to find many of the deer stomping on the fawn. "Hey! Hey! Get off of him!", Mazey called, nudging many of the deer and moving her way toward the fawn. Auriea, however, was distracted by the fallen statues. "This isn't good...", she said to herself.

The deer backed away as the doe collapsed and nursed Pent. The fawn trembled and cried, his body already battered and sore. "I...I...", he tried to say, but the words would not come out. Mazey nuzzled him, "Shh...just rest", she soothed the fawn.

At this time, a ball of light fell from the sky, coming to a rest on the hill and forming a deer silhouette. The light faded and Michael appeared, a look of shock and disbelief on his face. "The statues! What happened to the statues?", he questioned at once. Auriea approached him, "Hang on, it was a...", she began, but Michael walked toward the downed fawn. "Is this fawn responsible?", he asked. Many of the deer around nodded, and Michael looked down to Mazey, "Back away from him. He deserves no mercy."

Mazey looked up to the god, "He didn't mean it.", she tried to say, but Michael stomped his hoof, "I won't ask again, Mazey." The doe lowered her head and rose to her feet, backing up. Pent looked up at the god in terror, as Michael rose and began to stomp on the fawn.

Auriea approached quickly, "Michael, no! We need him!", she cried, but Michael continued to pummel Pent's body. Auriea pushed Michael off of the fawn. The two gods then stared into each others' eyes, while Pent curled up and took short, raspy breaths. "He has to be alive, Michael! It won't work if he's dead!", Auriea cried. Michael looked back at the fawn, then snorted and walked away.

At this time, Axie and Zephyr arrived, surprised to see all of the deer gathered at the Twin Gods' hill. Mazey looked to her two children, her face brightening as she ran to them. The two children embraced their mother, who happily said, "Axie! Zephyr! Thank the Twin Gods you're here!"

The two adventurers looked to the hill, and then began to ascend to where Pent lay. His breaths had slowed, but his body continued to shudder. Zephyr fell to her feet by the fawn, nuzzling him as she said, "Pent, there is something we need to show you." The fawn lifted his head and looked to her, as Axie rested the bag around his neck nearby. He opened it and stepped away. Zephyr helped Pent to his feet, and the weary fawn approached the open bag.

He looked inside for a moment, softly asking, "E...Eva?" Pent nudged the bag open further, to where Eva's body was exposed. Pent sat and rested his head on her side, listening for a heartbeat. "Eva...I understand...I was the corrupt one...", he said, and he closed his eyes.

"Pent?", Zephyr asked, but before she could check on him, the two fawns began to glow. The light radiated and engulfed all who were standing around. Michael and Auriea looked to all the deer as one by one they vanished into the light. "It's finally done!", Auriea cried happily.

In an instant, the light subsided. All of the deer lay on the hill, who slowly rose to their feet, shaking their fur and questioning what had just happened. Zephyr stood and wiped her eyes, looking to Axie. "Are you...", she began to ask, but suddenly changed the sentence to, "Axie! You have wings!"

The other deer all looked to one another surprised. They all had a set of wings. Each one was different, all in different colors, markings, and styles - some had fleshy wings, others had feathered wings. The sudden event caused each one of them to run about excitedly, flapping their new wings and soaring into the air.

Mazey, Axie, and Zephyr approached the Twin Gods. "Does this mean...?", Mazey began to ask, but Michael nodded at once, "Every one of us is a Talux." "I don't understand, I thought my father was the only adult one.", Axie said. Auriea smiled, "He was one of the first to gain his wings. Have you ever noticed that there were two kinds of deer in the world - those like us with flat faces who could use magic, and others with snouts that knew nothing about spells and such?" Zephyr nodded, and Auriea smiled, "We never were deer, but we all were Talux."

Michael and Auriea revealed their own wings - which were ghostly and transparent. They had kept them hidden for a long time.

Zephyr then looked to where Pent and Eva were, and was shocked that the two had vanished. "Pent! Eva!", she cried, and ran to the spot. The bag lay empty on the hill, and before her was a small ball of light. The Twin Gods approached her, and Zephyr asked, "What does this mean?" "They are right there.", Michael said to her. "Pent?", Zephyr asked at once, but Michael replied, "Perhaps...or perhaps it is Quad you see."

She turned to the ball once more, "Dad?", she questioned, then looked back at the Twin Gods, "You can bring him back?" Auriea nodded, "Though he was in a different body, he never could die. We could return his soul as Quad, or we could allow Pent and Eva to have another chance at life. We will let you choose."

Axie and Mazey stepped foward, standing next to Zephyr. "We'll support your decision, whoever you choose.", Axie said to his sister. Zephyr looked to Mazey, who nodded, "It's fine either way, Zephyr."

The doe looked to the ball of light, and finally said, "Please...bring my father back."

The Twin Gods nodded in unison, and the ball of light disappeared. Zephyr looked to the gods curiously. Michael smiled, "He's in the Forest now, near the Ename Ruins."

Zephyr's face brightened as she stood and ran in the direction of the Ruins. Axie and Mazey followed her, all three running happily with their heads high. Auriea laughed, "I think it was for the best choice, for all of them.", she said to Michael. The god stag nodded, "Maybe one day Pent and Eva will have their own souls, but for now, it's best to give Quad his life back."

The trio slowed and looked around the Ruins. The stag wasn't sleeping on his old pillar, and they looked to one another worriedly. Axie saw something in the distance, "Is that...?", he began to ask. The two does looked in the same direction, both at once running to it.

In a nearby patch of violet flowers, a large red antler stuck out. The trio slowed to a halt, approaching the sleeping stag hesitantly.



They each sat near him. Mazey was the first to speak his name, "...Quad?" The stag opened his eyes, sitting up and yawning. Mazey nuzzled him at once, "Quad! I'm so happy to see you again!", she said. Their two children nuzzled their father as well.

Quad rubbed his eyes with his arm, and looked to each one of them, the first words out of his mouth were, "How long was I asleep?"

To Be Continued...