Chapter Text
Day 1: Fire/Memory
(this is shorter than usual but it’s 2am and i am very tired)
Vel’s exasperated sigh was louder than usual.
“Br’aad, seriously, again?”
Br’aad shrugged sheepishly and looked up at the wildfire. “Sorry..?”
“A ‘sorry’ can’t fix another unnecessary fire for the third time this month! Give me your wand.”
“Vel, please, it isn’t that bad, it’s in the middle of the forest, no one can get hurt-“
“Besides Taxi’s mental health.” Vel muttered, snatching away the glittery-gold wand.
“Go on, run off with the others. I’ll take care of this.”
Br’aad couldn’t stay angry at the tiefling, (last time that happened, it went worse than expected,) so he turned to run off through the burning forest, chasing his friends through the fire.
Fire.
A lot of Br’aad’s problems started with fire.
Dimly, through the haze of smoke, old memories began to resurface.
Now is not the time to fucking reminisce, Br’aad!
Unfortunately, the memories didn’t care.
He stared at the flickering flames, holding out his hand to the fire.
He blinked.
Instead of staring down a forest fire, he was holding his hands out to candles.
This memory was familiar.
With shaking hands, Br’aad lit the candles, their fire dancing quietly, casting lilting shadows against the wall, against the floor.
A familiar symbol was painted on the floor.
The candles fire grew, dancing higher, brighter, growing bigger with every second.
Br’aad crawled toward the symbol on the floor, collapsing on the floor, shielding his face from the fire.
“Br’aad! Br’aad- get up, we have to go!”
Br’aad was snapped out of his memory, to see his brother, crouched next to him, frantically shaking him, trying to get him to his feet.
“C’mon, hurry, you are not dying on me!”
The fire blazed around them, all too close and all too familiar, tinting the world red and orange and… purple?
Close your eyes Br’aad, it’s an illusion, you know this.
It didn’t really help.
Dark, golden eyes peered out of the purple fire, hissing inaudible words into his mind. He closed his eyes harder, feeling himself buckle against Sylnan’s side, but the illusion just would not let up.
“P-please, stop-“
“No, Br’aad, we have to keep going, we’re so close.”
The brothers limped through the fire and flames, Br’aad wincing with every step because of the burns decorating his body, going hand in hand with his lovely tattoos.