Curtain Call

Hours had passed and Ryder was still searching for his friends. Unluckily for him, he had delved deeper into the forest and had gotten himself lost. There was no sign of anyone anywhere. Through his search for Xiu and Cesc, — and now, if he were being honest, just trying to find a way out of the forest — he stumbled upon a dirt path and began to follow it, pleading with the gods that it would lead him out of this forest and on a path towards home.

After what seemed to be ages, and with a huge sigh of frustration, he floated over to a large boulder nearby and leaned upon it, admiring his belly once more, pulling up his shirt to inspect the new skin, muscles, and freckles that had never been there before. Much of his frustration was lifted upon that sight. It was amazing, what he had just been through and now he had officially grown and was now a sigel! He felt his belly, rubbing it, and picking at the little button that adorned the center. A little mushroom belly button.

After admiring his belly, it was time to continue the journey homebound. With a flap of his toadstool wings, he pushed off the boulder and was off down the dirt path once more. It was on this next stretch that he had a moment of reflection. His life, up to this point, had been consumed with and all about gathering power, practicing magic, learning control, losing it, and then regaining it all back and then some. Many ups and downs, twists and turns. But one thing was for certain, he knew that everything he had once lost to the Trader was back again. Cesc and Xiu had done their part and took care of the Trader, that much was clear. Both, his imagination magic as well as his poison had returned. Having to take back his poisonous skin was a small price to pay to have Erryd and the Trader dealt with. It would just be something he would have to learn to control, just like his other powers.

Twilight began to creep up over the horizon through the trees as Ryder neared an opening in them. The dirt path had been a refuge after all. He entered the opening and saw rolling hills and a winding dirt path down to a small village. They were safe after all. Ryder released a huge sigh of relief as he took in his surroundings. Dew glistened off the grass as the sun’s rays began to peek and spill out over the landscape. Sunrise is such a beautiful sight, especially at the edge of the forest, Ryder thought as he leaned up against a nearby tree.

“You can say that again,” a deep voice echoed from above.

Ryder spun around and looked up, a smile appearing on his face when his eyes rested upon the small fawn form of his dear imagining, Bastian, who had perched himself delicately on some branches above. “You do realize that my thoughts should be mine and mine alone, correct?” The creator questioned, a chuckle escaping his lips. 

The fawns fiery eyes gave a bashful look. “Agreed and noted.” Bastian began, eyes glowing. “I came because I needed to tell you something,” The fawn’s flames shown brightly as the words echoed in Ryder’s head.  “Thank you, Ryder. I am so proud of you. You made the correct choice. Sealing Erryd away and absorbing his power, I believe, is what caused your growth to occur,” the fawn muse replied, the fiery flames of his head glowing brighter with each word he spoke.

Ryder smiled. “No, I must be the one thanking you. Without you, Bastian, I would have not had the courage nor the strength to fight Erryd in the first place.” He said looking up at his muse.

The fawn happily leapt from the tree and floated, landing softly on the ground in front of his creator, looking up at him with expressively happy eyes. 

Ryder continued. ”I agree with you, taking back all of my magic, including the power and strength that he had gleaned from the time on his own, was more than enough magical energy to allow me to grow. But…” the toadstool stopped briefly, recalling the moment he decided not to use the knife crafted for him from Cesc in order to end Erryd’s life. “I had this nagging feeling all of a sudden that I would have gravely regretted that decision had I followed through with it…almost as though I had someone in my head telling me it would be the greatest mistake of my life,” Ryder said, a sly smile growing on his face. 

The muse sat and nodded, eyes expressing happiness. “I, for one, am glad you heeded that warning. I knew you would not have been able to live with yourself had you gone through with the original plan.”

“Well, for that, I thank you again, Bastian.” 

“You only have yourself to thank, Ryder.”

The muse had a point. Every part of Bastian was also an extension of Ryder. Every muse Ryder had was an extension of him in some way or another.

It was then that Alice appeared from thin air, clothed in her originally imagined attire, no longer shackled to reality, a muse once more. “I am so glad you have found yourself again as well and have learned to be you, flaws and all. However, the only flaw I see is that this shirt no longer fits you! Why don’t you conjure up your next outfit? Your first outfit of your sigel life! Then we can get the plans together and take them to a seamstress!” Alice proclaimed with excitement, clapping her hands and then pulling at Ryder’s shirt, eyeing him up and down, trying to think about what she would prefer he dress like.

Oh, how Alice had loved to play dress up. But if Ryder were honest, he would say he loved it as well. She had a point, however. He did want to see what kinds of designs he could conjure up for a wizard like himself now that he had a belly and his magic back. “Thank you, Alice. I could not have taken on Erryd without you,” he said, a smile growing on his visage. “And I believe you, too, are right, Alice. Let me see…”

Ryder took the next hour and a half with his muses by his side to craft the perfect outfit, fit for a wizard like himself. One that was elegant, yet sleek and full of magical intrigue, giving off the vibe of a seasoned mage. After much back and forth with his muses, his outfit was complete. 

“Well, if I do say, what a princely mage you have become,” Alice finally said, sitting on the nearby grass, taking in the sight.

“Yes, this is perfect. Thank you both for your opinions; however, as a note to you, Alice, there is no need to tell someone they have ‘so obviously gained weight’, when it is clear I have gained an entire lower torso worth of weight within the last day,” Ryder said, scoffing as he gave his outfit another glance over.

”Oh stop-it, Ry, you need to learn to accept a joke.” Alice said with a wave of her hand and a chuckle.

The three continued to talk and admire the work Ryder just put forth. That was, until…

“I am feeling very inspired by all of this. How about we go back into the forest for a few more hours now that we know the way home? I am itching to get back into the groove of my magic.”

”Lovely idea,” Alice stated, standing from her previously crouched position on the ground. She grabbed Ryder’s hand and began leading him down the dirt path back into the forest, whilst explaining her version of events that occurred with Ivy during the battle.

Meanwhile, Bastian hopped over Ryder’s shoulder to come along for the ride, listening to Alice as she detailed her experience.