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Antoine desperately wriggled in the beast’s monstrous claws; its hot breath huffed into his face.
“You’ll devour all those fools who didn’t care, after you knaw on the dwarf’s bones”
The white wolf’s fangs sunk into his shoulder.
The elf yelled out in pain as the blood flowed down his arm and onto the werewolf’s fur.
Those words relapsed in Antoine’s head over... and over... and over as he dropped to the floor.
He would never.
His dearest Evka, his beautiful children.
Were they safe with him anymore?
This vivid reimagination of that potentially fateful day made the elven Warden’s heart throb agonisingly.
They broke the curse.... or... at least they thought they did.
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Evka squeezed her deep sleeping husband’s cold hand as she listened to Martin’s terrifying theory of what has happened to the poor elf in the bed.
Mila had a comforting hand on the dwarven woman’s back while the other held her free hand.
“That’s basically what I’ve got right now... there’s no definitive proof at the moment, I haven’t seen him turn but... the signs are clear, I think”
“But... I thought we broke the curse... why is this happening now?”
“... the only thing I can’t think of an explanation for...”
Warden Martin gave a sad little shrug as all three of them looked down to Antoine, his breathing was slow, he hadn’t moved an inch in the last hour since they brought him back.
Greta informed Flynn of the situation, they said they could get there as soon as they can, meanwhile, Veil Jumper Carius ran off to get word to Irelin, Martin made sure to beat it into the Jumper that this needed to stay low and that he’s only to tell Irelin, to which she could inform Strife, Bellara and Kage.
“How long until he wakes up do you think?”
Let’s just hope he didn’t end up like poor Wylan.
“I don’t know... Flynn will be here soon; odds are they probably won’t be able for the lycanthropy stuff... but maybe they can try and wake him-”
“Hello, Marty, Evka?!”
Speak of the witch, the physician called out from the front door.
“We’re in the bedroom, Flynn!”
Rushed footsteps approached the room, a panting, panicked looking Flynn rounded the corner with their medical bag in hand, “right over here, darling”
“What happened?”
The physician walked around to the other side of the bed to get a closer look at Antoine, the elf still out cold.
“Martin found in the woods like this... we think he might be...”, Evka struggled to finish that sentence, her chest aching as she stared at her poor spouse just lying there, the younger woman’s hands slowly embracing her as Flynn came around to them.
“I’ll see what I can do...”
The dwarven woman reluctantly removed her hand from Antoine’s to allow the physician to work, Mila holding her close to comfort the anxious woman, “where are the boys??”
“Greta took them down to the lake to keep them occupied for the time, don’t worry, they’re safe”
Evka let out a shaky sigh that was meant to express relief, but the dwarf was very clearly still in distress about her husband’s condition, the younger woman continuing to hold her.
Flynn pressed two fingers into the elf’s neck, holding them there for a couple seconds to check his pulse, “his breathing is regular... if not a little slow”, the physician then reached down into their medical bag and pulled out a lighter, using their two fingers again to part the sleeping man’s eyelids, his eyeball lazily shifted in his socket.
As the physician lite the lighter and held it to Antoine’s eye, his pupil contracted with the brightness of the flame, dilating again as Flynn extinguished it.
“Well... good news is he isn’t comatose”
“...is there... bad news?” Mila asked for Evka, the woman still processing what is happening, “not that I can see... depending on when he fell unconscious, he may wake up at some point today... we just need to keep an eye on him till then”
Evka returned her hand back to Antoine’s, lightly squeezing his bony fingers, looking at his closed eyes with worry.
“Evka, are you alright staying here? I’m gonna go check on the Veil Jumpers, see if they got a hold of Strife and Kage”
The dwarf didn’t say anything.... she just nodded while not taking her eyes off Antoine.
Martin got up and exchanged a concerned look with his fiancé and Mila before heading off to the Veil Jumper camp, possibly checking in on Greta and the boys on the way.
“I’ll go put some tea, calm your nerves” the long-haired physician said, standing up and headed to the kitchen, leaving the two ladies and the sleeping elf along for a bit.
“Evka?” Mila started.
“You think he knew about it....”
“What?”
The older woman lifted her husband’s cold hand up to her mouth, placing a small kiss on the dorsal area of his hand, “what if he knew he was still cursed... and he didn’t tell me, there’s clearly been something wrong with him for a while... I should’ve asked him more about-”
“Hey”, Mila wrapped her arm around the dwarven woman again, pulling her into a reassuring hug, “this isn’t your fault... whatever this... lycanthropy is doing to him, we will find a way to help him, and knowing Antoine... he isn’t going down so easy, just... don’t blame yourself for this, please”.
Evka felt rivers silently flow down her face as she leaned against the young woman, “... yes”
“I’ll go talk to Flynn, okay, see if they know what we can do next”
“Okay...”
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“Mama?”
“Yes, my little one?”
Antoine snuggled up to his mother’s chest, her golden hair draped over her shoulder, brushing against the young boy’s neck.
“Why can’t I go outside?”
“I told you, mon garçon, it is dangerous”
The boy looked around the tiny, dark shed they called home, the floor of dirt was empty with the exception of the one bedroll him and his mom were sitting on, “but why do you go out there?”
“I have too, I go out and I make money to get us food”
“Why can’t I help you?”
“You are... you are too young to work, mon fils, it is my job to look after you and keep you safe...”
Antoine looked up at the woman holding him.
She was so beautiful.
Long golden hair, silky pale skin, sparkling sapphire eyes and pretty tree branch tattoos decorating her cheeks, she said that they’re called ‘vallaslin’, markings that elves like her have to get once they become old enough, ready to become an adult. Antoine wonders if he’ll get it someday.
“Does everyone have to do that?” the boy asked his mother.
“If they have children, yes...”
“Why did you have me?”
Marigold paused, looking down at the curious little boy in her arms, the eyes he shared with her twinkled at the woman with wonder about his existence, ‘what was she supposed to tell me?’
‘That I was an accident?’
‘That my possible noble human father unknowingly impregnated her and she had to give birth to me all alone in an abandoned shed, hiding her secret away just to go out and get paid for doing the exact thing that led her to her fate?’
“I... I had you because... I wanted the joy of having a child, and I’ve got that...”
The little elf smiled and cuddled his dearest mother close, her soft smile fading as the vision of her and the man’s young, oblivious self vanished.
‘Did she really love you?’
‘Were you just a burden on her?’
‘Maybe it was good for her... to die... better to die than care for a little bastard she never wanted’
“Shut. Up”
The frustrated man stormed through the void of his mind, trying to ignore that familiar yet unknown voice following him and focus on finding his way out.
‘Do you even know where you’re going? This place is a mess, no offense’
“Listen, I have no idea who... or where you are, or why you’re in my head but if you have to follow me, just be quiet!”
‘Wow, someone’s moody, your wife’s hormones rubbing off on you?’
“Don’t talk about my- uggh, I’m just gonna ignore you”
A low, ominous chuckle followed the elf after.
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Mila walked back into the living area of the cabin, looking over to the left at the kitchen, Flynn opened the hatch of the stove and lite a fire inside, chucking small logs and sticks inside and placed a kettle of water on top of the stove to boil.
“Hey Flynn”
“Mila... how is Evka?” the physician asked softly, taking out three mugs and the container of tea in the cupboard, “she’s worried... but she’s calm at least...”
“Good, I may check on her while I’m here too... see if the baby is okay”
“What do you think we can do... for Antoine?”
The young lady sat at the table and watched Flynn prep the beverages as they try to think of an answer, “I don’t think I’ll be able to help much, this is way outside my field of expertise... honey?”
“No, I’m good, thanks”
Flynn kept the small jar of honey close by, “... we’ll have to wait and see when Strife, Bellara and Kage get here, if they can, we need actual magic experts”, the physician proceeded to pour the now boiled water into each mug, leaving them to brew as they sat beside Mila.
“You think Martin is right? That Antoine is.... a werewolf?”
“Marty’s theory isn’t impossible and the evidence lines up... I just won’t say it’s definitive, but I trust that he knows what he’s talking about”
“Yeah, me too”
The older person got up again and returned to the mugs of tea, stirring each one and putting additives into certain cups corresponding to the drinkers.
“If this is anything to do with Arlathan, Strife and Bellara will know what to do”
“I just hope no one sees him differently...”
“What do you mean?” Flynn asked, stirring the tea.
“You know... Martin said that the woman that saw him last night was terrified, not just of the Venatori... but of him, if people find out about this... what he might turn into... people get scared and do things that they shouldn’t, try to ‘solve the problem’ themselves...”
Flynn stops, placing the spoon they were stirring the drink with on the table.
“You think people... would want Antoine dead?”
“... I don’t want to lose him, Flynn, I can’t lose someone so close to me... not again”
Flynn went over to the young woman and hugged her against their chest, “we’ll keep him safe, I promise...”
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“Antoine”
“Yes, mon seigneur?”
A young Antoine responded to his nobleman, the pudgy, middle-aged man sat in the armchair of his quarters.
“Come here, my boy~” the lord requested, luring the elf boy toward him with his fat pointer finger.
“Did you need something, mon seigneur?”
“Have I ever told you, you’re my favourite out of all the servants?”
“Really?”
A condescending grin grew on the fat man’s face, “of course, you’ve been here, what, a year, you’ve never complained, you work hard and... you do exactly what you’re told, you’re such a good boy~”
“Th... thank you, monsieur” the younger teen said, squeezing his own wrist.
“And... since you’re so well-behaved, I was hoping you’d do something... special for me~”
Antoine’s jaw and fists clenched, the day his issues began, watching it from behind his teenage self.
Lord Mauvais.
The evil bastard that crushed the elf’s childhood.
“Come closer~”
The younger vision of Antoine shyly approached the old, fat man, unaware of the horror that was only beginning for him.
Antoine knew he could only watch, but the urge to jump at that over-sized nug of a man and beat him into the ground was strong to understate it. He nearly attempted to tell himself to run, but even if he did, it was just a memory, it wouldn’t do anything.
‘You were his favourite, huh?’
“Go away”
‘Maybe you shouldn’t have been such a suck-up, if you ran away, would’ve saved you a ton of good, innocent childhood memories’
“When I find you... I’m going to fucking kill you”
‘Heh, good luck with that, little elf~’
Antoine growled, swatting through his traumatic memory like it was just smoke, refusing to re-experience the disgusting act he was made to do.
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Martin arrived at the Veil Jumper camp.
The small ruin was crawling with various members all dressed in warm colours ranging from brown to orange, signifying the Jumper uniform, he held the robe of Carius in his arm as he looked for that Jumper in particular to return it to him, but not before he gets confirmation on contacting the Veil Jumpers leader.
As the Warden calmly marched into the camp, he almost immediately spotted the camp’s co-leader, Irelin, the elven woman was speaking to a group of other Jumpers before they retreated past by Martin.
“Irelin, I was wo-”
“Warden Martin, follow me”
The dark-haired elf woman stopped him and led him away, the man followed, assuming she knew exactly why he was here.
Irelin and Martin walked down the stairs that led to the Eluvian sitting on a cliff-side balcony, the elf woman frantically looked around and up to make sure no one was looking at them.
“I sent Carius to message Strife and Bellara, hopefully they can make it here soon”
“Good... he told you-”
“Antoine... Fen Vallas...”
“Sorry?”
The elven woman looked around nervously again before luring Martin away from the camp a little more, or at least as far as she can, “this curse Warden Antoine has... Fen Vallas, Wolf’s Blood”
“Lycanthropy, we haven’t... seen it, yet, but the evidence is overwhelming to say the least...”
“Mythal'enaste...”
Irelin looked at Martin with fear and worry, gripping his shoulder and whispering very closely to him, “listen to me very carefully, you must make sure this is kept under control, Warden Martin, Antoine and Evka have always been welcome here and they will always be dear friends to us... but if this gets out of hand...”, Martin places his hand on Irelin’s.
“I won’t let any harm come to Antoine or Arlathan, I promise”
“I hope you will be able to keep that promise”
Martin gave Carius’ coat back to Irelin before leaving, now satisfied that actual experts are on their way.
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Stopping by the lake first.
Martin saw his fellow Warden, Greta, along with the other two Veil Jumpers who went up here to search for the now found elf.
The three seemed to be having fun keeping his nephews entertained and most importantly, distracted from what was going on with their father.
One Jumper was using magic to control the water in the lake, swirling a long spiral upward, leaving the two dwarven toddlers speechless.
Martin chuckled at how peaceful and fun the scene looked... almost forgetting the possible jeopardy Antoine was in...... almost.
“Uncle Marty!!!”
The dark-haired boy spotted his uncle from a mile away and started bolting excitedly towards him, his tiny arms spread out for a hug, which he got once he arrived in front of the Warden.
“Hey, you look like you’re having fun”
“Uh huh, the Veil Jumpers are soooo cool, look, they can move the lake with magic!”, the bubbly toddler yanked on the man’s side while pointing at the two Jumpers manipulating the water to make various shapes to amuse the children.
Martin chuckled at the fresh air of innocence before he copped Greta, slowly approaching him and Claude with a concerned look in her eye contrasted by a smile.
“Here, you go back and play with your brother, yeah? Auntie Greta and I have to have a quick chat”
“Okay!”
The oblivious little boy ran back to his twin brother who was admiring the spirals of water twisting around them, the two Veil Jumpers laughing with the kids as they swirled the magic water tendrils around the curious little dwarves.
“How is Antoine?” Greta asked, her arms folded.
“Flynn said he’s stable, not in a coma anyway, he should be awake at some point today...”
The woman sighed with relief and slight sorrow, “... you think he’s gonna...”
“I know what you’re gonna say, Greta, it’s not gonna happen, cursed or not cursed, Antoine wouldn’t hurt anyone who doesn’t deserve to be hurt...”
“.... I hope to the Maker that you’re right”
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‘They all left you to die... and after you went out of your way to save their own pathetic lives’
Antoine ignored the voice once more.
Staring down at what would’ve been his corpse.
His young adult memory, laying there, his eyes dark and red, blight pulsing threw his veins, he was dying.
‘Poor Antoine.... I think out of all the misery I’ve seen, you really take the cake... I mean, orphaned at eight years old, watching your whore mother slowly die and rot in that bedroll before having to bury her yourself, only to then be ‘taken in’ by a slobby snob nobleman who got off on you nearly every night since you were twelve... and then left to rot away and potentially become a monster like the one that ruined that pretty lip of yours... didn’t even make it to your twenties’
The elf huffed, reaching over to touch his own arm.
‘I just have a question.... was it worth it? Distracting those beasts so those servants could get away? Those servants who tormented you for being the master’s ‘favourite’? Those servants who didn’t even give so much as a wink when the Lord touched you at gatherings? Those servants... who would never have done the same for you as you did for them? Tell me...... was it worth it?’
Cold.
His lifeless body, freezing cold on the brink of death.
Black sludge dripped from his freshly cut mouth, the cut that soon became his memorable scar.
The younger Antoine let out heavy, shaky breaths as he gripped his shirt.
“This moment... I think... I would’ve said no... no, it wasn’t worth it...”
‘Well, it was-’
“Because I wasn’t alive yet”
‘I... excuse me?”
Antoine got up from where his body laid and stood back, ‘SIR!!!’
A voice rang from the void as another figure appeared from the darkness.
“Sir, can you hear me, sir?!”
Evka.
The young dwarven woman rushed up to the elf’s heaving body, the dying man looked up at her with his black and red eyes.
“Oh good, you’re alive, can you stand?”
“Madam... it is not safe-”
“Don’t worry... I’m a Warden, I’m here to help”
Antoine smiled as he watched his first amazing memory with the woman he loves.
“This.... is when I came to life”
‘Ugh, are you gonna go all “the power of love saved me”, because please don’t’
The elf rolled his eyes and continued watching himself and his wife meet for the first time, Evka lift his almost skeletal body in her arms, wisping him away to become a Warden and begin his life anew.
“That day... when I became a Warden... I realised that I was never living... because I had no prepose, when I saved those servants... I may have regretted before, but then I lived to save and protect more people, I became someone, someone who protects good people and helps them live another day... like what Evka did for me...”
A lone tear travelled down the man’s face as he spoke to the disembodied voice that followed him this whole time.
“So yes, it was worth it... whether or not those people went on to have good lives or not, I saved them from dying and becoming darkspawn... and I would do it again, because it was the right thing to do...”
Silence filled the space Antoine stood.
The voice didn’t respond for a moment.
Suddenly, a blue light shined from behind the elf, eliminating the void.
“That’s more than enough for me”
Antoine turned slowly to see what was sourcing the light, a blue figure stood across from him with a pleased smile.
The person... figure... had no distinguishing facial features or voice, their body was made up of just a blue shine.
“Who are you?” the elf asked the figure.
“A friend.... I know I haven’t been acting like one, it was just for the test... and you passed my dear elf”
As Antoine walked towards the blue figure, they didn’t seem to be getting closer for some reason.
“You don’t cave easily, not at all, you’re heart and mind are strong... you’re perfect”
“Perfect for what?”
“No time for that now, we’ll have much to go over later... but for now... let’s make sure your family knows your still alive”
“What-”, Antoine got pushed back, the figure fading away as he fell into the void of his mind.
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“Breathe in.... out....”
Flynn and Evka sat on the couch together, allowing Mila to take watch over Antoine for a while.
The physician had a stethoscope pressed against the dwarf’s lower back as they instructed her to breathe, “in.... out... good, the baby’s heart rate is regular, and I trust that you are sticking to your diet”
“Trust me, I’d rather eat the bland slop I’ve been eating for years than throw more than once a day...”
Flynn let out a small snicker as they put their medical equipment away.
“I’ll go check on Antoine in a minute, see how his...”
The physician looked back at Evka, the woman was in tears again, but she just sat there... staring at nothing as her cries silently streamed down her face, “hey, Evka, it’s gonna be okay...”
Evka leaned into the physician as they wrapped their arms around the pregnant woman, still trying to shake off the distraught of finding Antoine like that, “I really hope you’re right...”
“Hey”
Flynn turned the woman gently to look at them, holding her with comforting hands, “Antoine is strong, you know that more than anybody, he’s not letting something like this take him... if anything a curse like that should be scared of him...”
Evka chuckled softly at Flynn’s sweet attempt to bring her hopes up.
“I know this has been really difficult and a lot to process, it has been for us too... but we’ll be here to support you guys, so will Kage... once he gets the message”
“Heh... he’s gonna be pissed that we haven’t updated him in a while...”
The physician and the dwarven woman laughed a little in their conversation, the long-haired one placing a hand on Evka’s shoulder, “we’ll get you guys through this... promise”
“... thank you, Flynn...”
The two leaned against each other, trying to make light of this terrifying, unpredictable situation, “hope he’ll be better for next week.... can’t get married without the best man”
“Hehe, yeah, Marty would be crushed... we’d have to put it off for at least a few years so he can start another bromance”
Evka nearly burst out laughing at that sentence, the first expression she’s made resembling happiness in the last twenty-four hours.
As the two were joking around, the front door suddenly opened widen, two little boys rushed in and went straight for their mother, jumping up on the couch and hugging the woman tight.
“Mama, Mama, guess what we saw, those two nice Jumpers made the lake water move!”
Claude latched onto his mom’s arm, his sapphires twinkling bright, just like his father’s, that same twinkle he gets when something truly fascinates him.
“Really? That must have been fun”
{They made them into long spirals; you could see the fish inside them} Clem signed, his ocean eyes sparkling like the water was.
“Well, I’m glad you two had fun”, Evka said sincerely, gifting her sons each with a kiss on the head.
“Hey love~” Martin sauntered in, addressing his fiancé sat on the couch before gracing them too with a kiss on the cheek, “how is everything here?”
“Good, spirits are lifting”
“Good, Irelin sent Carius to go message Strife and Kage, should be hearing from them soon”.
Flynn felt a small hand tug on their sleeve, Claude looked up at them with slight sadness, “Nini Flynn, his Papa okay, we haven’t seen him at all today”
Evka looked at the other two with an indescribable face, almost like she was trying to signal something to say, “oh, Papa will be okay, Claude, I just need to-”
“Flynn!! Evka!!”
Mila bolted into the living room, almost falling over at the edge of the wall, “Mila, what’s going on?”
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“Antoine’s awake”
KylaGalaxyWorld Wed 31 Dec 2025 03:30AM UTC
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DevilsReject Wed 31 Dec 2025 08:55PM UTC
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KylaGalaxyWorld Thu 01 Jan 2026 12:46AM UTC
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