The sun had began rising on the darkest forest the kingdom had ever seen in its entire history. It shone from Soran's left side since he sat facing both Alloy and Argentum, the Silver palace. He had gotten all the information he needed about what happened that night from a call with his wife, who had regrouped with everyone and was about to leave. He decided on what he was going to do, and just then Alloy began moving and making weird sleep sounds, like she enjoyed a meal in her dream at the same time.
"Alloy-kun…" He called lightly…
"Mmm… gimme a… a second…" she groggily mumbled.
"Alloy-kun…" He called, louder.
"Three… just three minutes… I promise…"
"Alloy-kun."
"Zed… I said thr…"
"HOW MANY TIMES WILL I TELL YOU TO CALL HIM FATHER??!!" He demanded, letting his irritation by the unconscious statement fuel his other ways to wake his niece up. Alloy's upper body got up as she bellowed in pain and held her head with both her hands. Her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets and so did her tongue as she reacted to the sudden choices of those around her while she slept.
"That hurt!! Old man!!" She said, rubbing her head slowly, slower and slower as her shoulders slumped more and more… she got up from the purple floating table Qete had placed and it shrunk to nothing immediately after. Soran watched her try to settle her thoughts without any anger, but when she held her head down and got quiet again, he got the hint.
"Do you remember what happened??" He asked.
"Ivy…" a tear dropped on her face.
"Ivy…" more tears formed faster than ever.
"I…v…y…" she said… trying to catch her breath, her memories, and her emotions all at once.
"Yes… Ivy… Alloy, I'm unsure of how to move forwa…"
"Wait… what is this??" She spoke, immediately realizing the atmosphere around her. Wisps of shadows were set free upon the forest of the night. The sun had risen, helping with the light situation of the place, but…
"Your drift… when you went loose in the forest, you left bits and pieces of it all over. Since they couldn't hold it in… they all began letting it out, slowly, but massively… it is still trying to empty it as much as it can." He said, looking up at the trees that just kept releasing traces of Alloy's drift… however, way less than it was originally, mere hours ago when one would think literal fires were combusting within the trees themselves.
"I see…" She responded, with her eyes still filled to the brim with crocodile tears.
"Uncle Soran."
"Yes??"
"What should I do…" she asked, her voice nearly helpless from the position she was in.
"What do you mean??" He asked as he stood to walk up closer to her. "What do you want to do??"
She looked up at him, her eyes full of pain, sorrow, and the want for revenge… they basically leaked desperation to get Ivy back. His eyes widened just a bit, his expression turned to a frown as he understood her feelings. She looked back at the ground, where her tears began flowing freely as she crouched.
"What can I do??!!" She urged. "Zed won't let me leave this place for my parents, and even though I told him I'd go for Ivy, I don't know how to leave without having to fight the people who protect this country. And I can't get past Qete. Her runes are too strong for me to pass through undetected." She held both her hands on her head as her bracelet gleamed.
Soran crouched next to her and asked.
"Don't you sense anything different??"
"Different?? Like what??" Just then, a chill went down her spine… something was off, she put her hand down and looked at her bracelet. "The same… huh??" She glanced it again when she noticed the inner part of it had turned a blood red hue that she saw easily due to the shine of the sunrise behind her. It was unknown to her, but she could tell that her powers weren't forced down more like Eliza did each time they went a bit nuts. They were untouched, but she could tell something was different.
"Brother Zed asked Qete to modify it slightly."
"Modify it how??"
The same thing happened when Zed told the others the same… the trees, struggling quite a bit to beam with life due to the night, had some of their leaves escape as the wind forced its way through the space in the forest. Alloy's eyes sparkled as she heard those words escape Soran's mouth. She was so happy she cried. But it wouldn't end there.
"Zed…" she smiled.
She held her bracelet as she got up to stretch quite a bit. She clasped her hands together as she put them behind her neck to assume one of her usual relaxed stances when she suddenly felt something slightly painful and she winced a bit.
"What was that??!!" She jumped, startled. "Soran… what the hell is on my neck??!!"
Alloy began turning her head as far as she could to look for what she just felt. She touched it again and it still hurt, just a bit though.
"Calm down, Alloy." Soran said. "Let me see."
He moved her shoulder-long hair aside with his right hand to view a symbol etched onto Alloy's skin. The symbol held a puffy, dark-outlined cloud with three jagged lightning bolts striking downward. The design was simple and bold, with a clear hand-drawn feel. The cloud had rounded, overlapping sections, while the lightning bolts were sharp and angular, creating a direct contrast between softness and intensity. The symbol looked quite simple. But Soran was immediately taken aback when he saw it.
"No… he couldn't have…" Soran spoke, certain uncertainty beamed from his now, lower-toned voice.
"What?? What is it?? Did a spider bite me??"
"No… All…"
"Did a bee sting me??!!"
"No… Calm do…"
"Oh no…"
"What is it??"
"DID SOMETHING CLIMB ON ME??!!" She shouted, screaming immediately after.