Chapter Text
Moon walked a little closer to the brothers of the mindspace. He needed to know something that Luz had said earlier. “So… Luz, you said that this forest burned down… could you tell us why?” Luz halted in his foot-steps, freezing at the sound of the fire that burned down the forest that was once a safe haven. “Oh, uhm, sure.” Luz said nervously. Just thinking about the flames consumed his thoughts. How everything burned down, how he was so helpless to stop it. He took a shaky deep, someone patted him on the back, he looked up and saw Orion, giving a supporting look.
“So a super long time ago, this forest was a safe place!” It was the safest place, and it was so fun to explore. Every day was a new adventure, in and out of the mindspace. The world seemed so harmless, and so safe. “How long ago?” Moon asked, and Orion gave a nasty look to Moon. Which the moon model ignored. “UHm, back when Eclipse made me.” Luz fidgeted with his fingers, not daring to look up to his older brothers.
“It had lots more flowers, and I could climb up the trees.” none of the forest had yet been burnt. It was like the field that he played in everyday near home. Except it was so much bigger, and better in almost every possible way. “Uhm… but then lots of bad things started to happen…” So many things…
Yelling
Screaming
Hitting
Choking
All at the hands of Eclipse
His so-called brother.
“What kind of bad things…?” Sun asked softly, Luz took a step back once he realized that Sun was kneeling on the ground, and Moon was bending over to be one the same level as Moon. While Orion stayed behind him, keeping him close. “It’s okay if you don’t wanna talk about it.” Moon said softly. He didn’t want to send Luz off again, it physically pained him to see the small child cry. He didn’t know what to do to help, and Orion would no doubt give them a smacking.
Luz looked up at Orion who stared at him. They could tell that Orion would support them either way… So he continued on… “No, it’s okay! I’m super brave.” Luz tried putting on a brave face, and touching his chest.“He was brave, and he was strong! He could face it, and Orion was there to help if it became too much…
“Then Eclipse sort of started to hit us… and was mean to us…” It hurts a lot… No one would come help them. Lunar was stuck, and had no one to go to… He looked up and could tell his older brothers were worried so he quickly came up with a solution, to put their minds at ease. “But don't worry! I had places to hide in the daycare, so he wouldn’t find me!” this seemed to backfire, as their faces scrunched up with more worry. So he switched the topics.
“Back then I also had access to the inner mind, and the outer mind.” It was nice. He could shift between worlds, it was quite easy, and he was always safe… “but since so many bad things happened… Part of the forest burned down… You know nothing too bad.. Just the edges!” It was consumed by the same orange flames of Eclipse. Eclipse had done this to him, and had ruined their sweet innocence. Making the forest an ungainly place.
“And then we found you guys” And the flames died down… Finally a family that could care for him. ONe that wouldn’t judge him, or ridicule him for his childish behavior. They let him be free. They didn’t place expectations upon them. He was safe… “And we were safe…” they could play uno games. They could play with the kids. Sun and Moon would play with him. Moon would rock him to sleep. Sun would play make-believe. Monty would tease him just enough. “Until we died…”
“Then when we woke up… we were consumed by fear… and the fire spread… Manifestations started to pop up, but I ran from them…” Luz was too fast for them. He was brave, and he bolted. They couldn't stop him, the first manifestations were weak. They were slow, just some that looked like Eclipse. THreanting to fin Lunar and kill him, torture him, hurt him. “this is also around the time I was sealed away…” Lunar found no reason to keep a child with him. It wasn’t the time for it. Everything had changed. Moon died, and Nexus replaced him. Terra was there, but she was there but they were like patient and doctor… And SUn was sad. And Lunar couldn't do anything to stop it.
“A little time later, the rest of the forest burned away… and I was stuck with my field and my home…” Luz can’t remember exactly when it was, but it happened. Memories blurred into one, and combined into an ugly mess.
He felt a finger wipe away his tears, he looked up to see Sun giving him a soft comforting smile. But he could tell he held sadness behind his eyes… Why was Sun sad…? “That sounds awful… I’m sorry that happened to you…” Sun whispered, Luz shook Sun’s hand off. He liked the touch but he needed to be brave. “You do sound like a brave kid,” Moon said softly, as he stuck out his fist. Lux returned the gesture, bumping it with his own fist. Moon pulled his hand back. Luz chuckled softly as Moon did the symbolic ‘explosion’ of a fist bump. “Would you like a hug?” Sun asked, and Luz’s eyes brightened up.
“Y-yes!” Luz stuttered, before crashing into to hug Sun. Sun enveloped him in a tight, but not too tight, hug. One that comforted him, and reminded him why he missed being little, and having his big brother there… Moon gave a pat on Luz’s back, and Luz felt his eyes start to sting. He couldn't cry… not right now… they were on adventure, and adventurers don’t cry!
Luz pulled back,as he sniffled, and turned away. Facing Orion,and grabbing his hand. He felt a little woozy at the moment, his head feeling light weight, after so much had been taken off his shoulders. He’d been waiting to get hugged for a while… “Let’s get back to adventuring… I don't want to keep you waiting!” Luz said, as he walked forward, and took Orion with him.
“It’s no problem Luz-”
Suddenly they heard soft groaning coming from dead ahead. It sounded distorted, and low, as if
“What’s that sound…?” Sun whimpered, his rays shrinking in on himself.
Orion pulled out a weapon, and shielded Luz with his body.
“Manifestions.”