Chapter 103: Home, Sweet Home
Kestrel smoothly made her way to the grand Imperial Nexus. After saying her goodbyes to Ren, she went back home.
As she pushed the big doors open and strolled through the empty courtyard, she was warmly met by Locky, who peeked out from the doorway. Locky noticed Kestrel holding a big box and quickly moved to lend a hand. However, the second she touched it, she pulled back like she got a tiny shock.
"What’s... what’s in there?" The color drained from her face, making her look ghostly. "It’s so... scary. Does it have something... something related to me?"
Locky felt a powerful force coming from the box, which reminded her of a time from long ago. Years earlier, she had lived in the Polluted Zone. Everything seemed strange and confusing there. There was a force there too, so strong that it made everyone feel trapped and afraid.
The box in Kestrel’s hands was a little different, but it had a familiar feeling, reminding Locky of the Backbone, which made her scared.
"It’s a gardener, someone I brought to work for us," Kestrel answered, not mentioning why the gardener was inside a box. "Please set up a room for him. A sunny one with a terrace would be perfect." After that, she took off her dirty shoes and coat and walked barefooted on the creaky wooden stairs.
Locky, still holding the box, shouted up to Kestrel. Looking up, her voice filled with uncertainty, she said, "Miss, was everything okay on your trip?" Her pretty face looked worried, and her eyes showed true concern.
"Okay... I guess." Kestrel thought about it.
She faced so many problems, witnessed darkness, and had a close call with death. Thinking back to that scary moment, she realized that the only thing she longed for was her quiet house and Locky. As she was in Ren’s arms, close to saying her final goodbye, Kestrel almost thought of asking Ren to look after Locky.
"The one in the box? He’s a gardener," Kestrel mentioned again. "He’s... like family. From now on, he’ll be part of our lives. Just like you are."
The word "family" felt so much heavier to Kestrel once she said it out loud.
She understood that this place, though silent and empty, was her true home. Everyone who came here would be treated as ’family,’ someone she would hold dear.
Holding onto this heartwarming thought made Kestrel feel a hole in her heart being filled.
When she reached her room at the top, she opened the window and let herself fall into her comfy bed.
The wind came in, and the moonlight was soft and calming.
The weariness from her long trip seemed to vanish in this cozy room. The outside world felt peaceful, as if all the problems just faded away.
Lying cozily in bed, Kestrel’s hand brushed against the soft orca plushie on her nightstand. Picking it up, she discovered the little box hiding underneath.
Sitting upright, she unclasped the heart-shaped pendant from around her neck and compared its size to a slot on the box.
It didn’t seem to fit.
Vanessa had given her this pendant, originally just a simple heart-shaped stone. However, once it was touched by the magical Erdtree’s tears, it had changed from a mere stone into a glistening golden heart.
Kestrel had set out to the Erdtree’s Polluted Zone to find a specific gem that would fit this box, but she got sidetracked due to the events at the Rosarium. Only after the dust settled, and the Polluted Zone crumbled, did she recall that she’d missed the gem she needed.
Since she hadn’t found any other item from the Erdtree’s Polluted Zone, she attempted to fit the golden heart into the slot on the box.
On the rustic box, a scene once shown of the Erdtree phantom, now had a golden heart pendant atop.
Withdrawing her fingers, Kestrel watched in awe as the golden heart turned liquid. The gold smoothly filled the carved slot, gleaming brightly.
The ghostly image of the Erdtree reemerged over the box, now covered in golden liquid. The tiny tree spun slowly, its shimmering branches and leaves rustling softly. It sounded like Vanessa’s melodious voice singing a happy tune.
The gold gem fit snugly into the slot, with gold lines weaving their way across the box. They originated from the brilliant Erdtree and ended at another gem-shaped void.
Above this space, a golden light shone, revealing a lone, saddened eye. Its gaze was empty, its color a faded gray, almost as if it couldn’t see, with a single tear, red as blood, falling from it.
This eye phantom hinted at another Polluted Zone—the Blind Eye.
Kestrel eyed the design carefully, wondering which region this eye might represent. Taking the pendant again, she saw the gold morph back into a heart shape, which she promptly wore.
Lying down once more, Kestrel gently touched the pendant on her chest, eyes shutting. Vivid memories of her time in the Erdtree’s Polluted Zone flashed through her mind—the strange bull-head creatures, the pig men, the giant spores, the horrific farms where humans were imprisoned and fed like animals, the Rosarium that kept repeating itself for centuries, the crevice filled with glowing crimson eggs, and her own body injured. These haunting visions settled in her consciousness, feeling more like a far-off bad dream from which she had already awakened.
After going through such a close encounter with death, feeling her body turn ice-cold from the immense loss of blood, and sensing her spirit being pulled into an endless dark void, Kestrel sensed a shift in herself. It was as if something inside her was waking up, leading to moments where she felt distant, more detached, and at times even wild. She worried she was turning into something dark, maybe even monstrous.
Yet, not all of her experiences were grim. Her journey had shown her a myriad of emotions and situations she’d never known before. She’d felt the heat of anger and the sting of desire, the highs of joy and laughter, the strength that comes from loyal friends, and a deep connection to the pain of others. When she thought about these feelings, she felt more human, someone made of emotions and experiences.
Kestrel touched the spot on her stomach where she had once been injured, drawing the small orca toy close to her, squeezing it. An odd sense of déjà vu hit her, as if in another time, she had cuddled the same toy and found solace in its embrace.
"When did I start feeling like this?" Kestrel thought, but no answers came.
As she lay in bed, holding the plush orca, sleep took her, leading her into a vivid dream. In this dream world, everything was threaded with glowing red veins. She journeyed through a pitch-black realm, where she was made of tendrils that writhed and moved.
In the engulfing shadows, her tendrils found a human form, different from anyone she’d ever known. He was unusually soft, gave off an alluring aroma, and had a flavor of sweetness.
Visions of a radiant gold tree intertwined with the red web played in her mind.
"Is this some kind of weird memory or a figment of imagination?" Kestrel couldn’t tell. But this dream or memory lived deep inside her.
Her tendrils held onto the figure firmly, making sure he couldn’t flee.
In the consuming darkness, a strange voice echoed. After a bit, Kestrel realized it was coming from her.
"Come closer," she beckoned the trapped figure, "let me get a good look at you."
The muffled sound of squirming tendrils and stifled cries reached her ears. She couldn’t see the person’s face; it was as if she had no eyes to see.
"Don’t fight it; I promise to be gentle. I won’t cause any harm," she whispered, her tone chillingly cheerful.
Suddenly, Kestrel jolted awake, the stuffed orca tumbling from her grip.
