forum put me back together (one on one/closed)

Started August 10, 2018 by @_sleeby_rat_

tune

"Hey, it's okay," Bastian soothed gently. "The mountain is a safe place. Nothing will hurt you here."

Halo nods, his eyes wide with curiosity and wonder. He smiles a little towards Bastian.

Bastian smiled back at him, and he pecked Halo’s forehead before looking up at Llano. The boy was leading them towards what looked like a makeshift gondola that led up to the top of the mountain

Halo held on to Bastian. "Where are we going?" He whispers softly.

"The palace," Bastian answered softly. "It's been empty since the fall, but the prince still lives there."

Halo looks up and gulps quietly. "It's safe, right?" He asks.

Bastian nodded. “It’s the safest place in the whole kingdom,” he assured him

He nods and leans against Bastians chest tiredly. He was exhausted and just needed to sleep.

Eventually they reached the gondola. It seemed a bit old, but as Llano led them into it he seemed confident they would be alright

Halo shuts his eyes, releasing a tired sigh.

They got into the gondola, and it creaked a tad as they began to ascend up the mountain

Halo grunts, his bones getting jostled.

Bastian did his best to keep Halo steady, moving against the gondola as best he could. It began to climb the mountain, and the higher they got, the easier it was to see just how immense the city below them was

Halo watches the climb and sighs quietly.

Eventually they reached near the top of the volcano, where an enormous palace seemingly made of gold sat. There was a boy sitting on the railing of the gondola, his appearance oddly similar to that of Luno's

Halo looks at Bastian. "I think I can walk…" He says softly when he sees the building. He was nervous, but he wanted to be less of a burden to Bastian.

"You don't have to," Bastian told him gently. "I don't mind carrying you, and you probably shouldn't be walking after getting hurt like that."

Halo nods and sighs, returning to holding onto Bastian. "Why did I have to touch that necklace?" He whispers, resting against Bastian.

"Because our jewelry is usually made with spells that draw your attention. My father was an alchemist and a blacksmith, and he made that necklace to draw the eye," Bastian explained

Halo nods and sighs, "But now we're here, in this big mess and there's…" He sighs. "There's no point in getting stressed."

"It's not your fault, angel," Bastian soothed, pressing a kiss to his forehead before righting himself. "I should have kept it in a safer place. It's okay. It's not your fault." Even as he spoke, Bastian couldn't help but worry. If Halo died and went to the afterlife human, he would never see him again. And that would be torture for him

Halo nods, feeling weak and sickly. "Ngh… I don't feel good…" He mutters. " 'M so tired…"

Bastian immediately felt worried when Halo spoke up. He knew why Halo was feeling bad–he had felt that way once before. "Don't worry baby, we're almost there," he soothed

Halo nods and nuzzles into Bastian. "Can I sleep?" He asks softly.

"Yeah baby, you can sleep. Don't you worry about a thing," Bastian soothed. The gondola slowed to a stop, where the strange person from before was now standing atop the railing. Up close, he appeared almost identical to Luno, which was almost offputting