Chapter 152: There. See? You found something worse than the Rot

Chapter 152: Chapter 152: There. See? You found something worse than the Rot

Thalara shut her eye.

"Yes."

"But not willingly."

"That does not change what happened."

"It changes a fucking lot."

Thalara looked at her.

Swanly’s jaw tightened.

"You were prisoners."

"Our power made it possible."

"You were prisoners."

"Millions may have died because of us."

"And the people forcing you?"

Thalara said nothing.

"Where is their guilt?"

Thalara’s claws trembled.

Swanly immediately understood.

She had been carrying this for longer than Swanly could imagine.

Not merely fear.

Guilt.

Thousands of years of it.

"What happened after?"

"I do not know all of it."

Thalara looked toward the trees.

"Everything collapsed."

"The Rot escaped?"

"Yes."

"The Veskari?"

Thalara’s expression hardened.

"They were already involved before the end."

"How?"

"Some served those who held us."

Swanly’s eyes narrowed.

"Some?"

"Not all."

Important.

Thalara continued.

"Some tried to free us. Others betrayed us. Others changed sides when they realized what had been created."

"And Vaelith’s people were wiped out?"

"I believed so."

"That’s why you told them they should have remained dead."

Thalara’s jaw tightened.

"Yes."

She looked toward the western ridge.

"The last Veskari forces I remember were swallowed by the collapse."

"But clearly someone survived."

"Yes."

"Or something brought them back."

Thalara looked at her.

"That possibility is worse."

Swanly did not particularly enjoy that sentence.

"And your sisters?"

Thalara’s expression emptied.

"I do not know."

Swanly’s anger vanished.

"What do you mean?"

"I do not know where they are."

"None of them?"

Thalara shook her head.

"I have searched."

Her roots moved restlessly.

"I have listened through forests."

She touched the earth.

"Through old roots."

Her voice became painfully soft.

"Through places that still remember us."

Swanly’s chest tightened.

"Nothing?"

"Sometimes..."

Thalara hesitated.

"I think I feel something."

Hope flickered.

Then died.

"But I cannot tell whether it is one of them or merely something carrying their power."

Swanly stared.

"You’ve been looking for them all this time."

"Yes."

"Alone?"

Thalara did not answer.

That was answer enough.

Swanly looked down.

Fuck.

"What about everything waking up?"

Thalara’s forehead eye lifted.

"The prisons were not only prisons."

"What were they?"

"Anchors."

Swanly frowned.

"For what?"

"Seals."

The word crawled unpleasantly down her spine.

"Many ancient creatures were forced into sleep."

"Why?"

"Some were too dangerous."

Thalara paused.

"Some were guardians waiting for something."

Another pause.

"And some..."

Her expression darkened.

"...even we feared."

Wonderful.

Absolutely wonderful.

"The Rot damaged the seals."

"Yes."

"And you escaping the Rot Nest?"

Thalara looked guilty again.

"Broke one completely."

Swanly exhaled.

"So that’s why everything is waking."

"Not everything."

Swanly stared at her.

"That is somehow not comforting."

"It should not be."

Fair.

"And what’s beneath Ironwood?"

Thalara stopped moving.

There it was.

Swanly leaned forward.

"The Veskari came for something."

Silence.

"Thalara."

"The First Rot Heart."

Swanly’s blood went cold.

"The what?"

"The first living core that survived the forced joining of our powers."

Thalara’s voice lowered.

"It was not the first creature infected."

"It is worse?"

"Yes."

Swanly swallowed.

"Is it alive?"

"I do not know what word should describe it anymore."

That answer was horrible.

"It sleeps beneath Ironwood?"

"Sealed."

"For how long?"

"Longer than any tribe living here remembers."

Swanly thought of the massive underground door.

The broken chains.

Druun refusing to let the cubs near it.

"And the Veskari want it."

"Yes."

"Why?"

Thalara shook her head.

"I do not know."

"You really don’t?"

"No."

Swanly studied her.

Thalara met her gaze.

No deflection.

No strange half-smile.

Just uncertainty.

Swanly believed her.

"Could they destroy it?"

"Perhaps."

"Use it?"

"Perhaps."

"Wake it?"

Thalara’s face hardened.

"Perhaps."

Swanly rubbed both hands over her face.

"Fantastic."

Thalara almost smiled.

Swanly dropped her hands.

"One more question."

"You have asked many."

"This one matters."

She looked directly into Thalara’s strange purple eye.

"Can the Rot be cured?"

Thalara went completely still.

Swanly’s heart began beating harder.

Not controlled.

Not slowed.

Not survived.

Cured.

"Can we actually end this?"

Thalara looked away.

For a long time, she said nothing.

Swanly waited.

Finally:

"I do not know."

Her heart sank.

Thalara continued.

"We created life before."

Swanly looked at her.

"We changed it."

A root curled around Thalara’s wrist.

"We healed things that should have died."

Her voice became barely audible.

"So perhaps..."

Swanly leaned forward.

Thalara looked at her.

"Perhaps there is a way."

Hope hit Swanly so quickly it hurt.

"But I do not know it."

And there it went.

Not gone.

Just distant.

Swanly exhaled slowly.

"That’s still better than impossible."

Thalara stared at her.

"You are strange."

"So I’ve been told."

"You heard that my sisters and I helped bring this disaster into your world..."

"You were tortured into it."

"...and your first thought is still whether it can be repaired."

Swanly’s mouth twisted.

"I survived one apocalypse already."

Thalara tilted her head.

Swanly looked toward the sleeping shelters.

Toward where three ridiculous cubs were probably supposed to be sleeping and were almost certainly whispering.

"I’m not interested in surviving another forever."

Something in Thalara’s face broke.

Only slightly.

Swanly stood.

Then hesitated.

Thalara looked up at her.

Swanly had absolutely no idea how one comforted an ancient root-eyed creator who had accidentally helped destroy civilization.

Apparently there was no guide for that.

So she stepped closer.

Bent down.

And put one arm around Thalara’s shoulders.

Thalara went rigid.

Completely rigid.

Swanly almost pulled away.

Then one pale hand slowly caught the edge of Swanly’s clothing.

Just barely.

Swanly said nothing.

Neither did Thalara.

It was not a proper hug.

More like two extremely damaged women sitting awkwardly beside a spring, pretending this was not a hug at all.

Swanly rested her cheek briefly against Thalara’s white hair.

"You’ll find them."

Thalara’s fingers tightened.

"You cannot promise that."

"No."

Swanly looked toward the stars.

"But you’re not searching alone anymore."

Thalara froze.

Swanly felt it.

For a long moment, nothing happened.

Then the Root-Eyed Mother leaned the smallest amount against her.

Barely enough to notice.

But Swanly noticed.

Across Ironwood, a cub suddenly screamed:

"MAMA! KAIRO KICK MIKO!"

Swanly closed her eyes.

Thalara’s forehead eye slowly closed too.

Then, unbelievably, she laughed.

Quiet.

Rusty.

Almost forgotten.

Swanly pulled back.

"There. See? You found something worse than the Rot."

Thalara looked toward the cub shelter.

"Miko?"

"Miko."

Another scream came.

"I NOT KICK! HE BITE!"

Swanly sighed.

"I should go before my children create the Second Rot."

She stood.

Thalara watched her walk away.

Then spoke.

"Swanly."

Swanly turned.

Thalara’s expression had become serious again.

"If the Veskari survived..."

She paused.

"...then perhaps I was wrong about something else too."

Swanly’s brows drew together.

"What?"

Thalara looked toward the dark horizon.

For the first time, something fragile entered her eye.

Hope.

"My sisters may still be alive."