Page 9 of Gift from the Wing

Scalding tears burn a trail down my face, and I command every gift, every element free, begging them to do something, to fix this. Protect us. Put us back together again. There’s a slight crack in the pressure surrounding me before my powers are shoved back down.

“Bear with me, Ultima unum. It is almost over.”

“Elementra, please don’t do this. Please give him back to me.”

“I vowed to you before, and I will vow it once more. Your bonds will never break. None of them.”

Every ounce of air in my lungs is sucked out and my back bows as power pours from my chest. I faintly hear Gaster’s grunt as the force of Elementra explodes between the two of us.

The arch in my back corrects itself and I’m left gasping, staring at the bright luminescent cords connecting my chest to Gaster’s. Not two but three purple threads of fabric braid themselves together, weaving tightly as one.

Starting from the middle point between us, the strands work themselves until they reach our hearts. The second they penetrate, they latch on to our souls, and our awakenings blossom.

Just like the moment at my willow tree when I shook Gaster’s hand for the first time, my mind begins to play a picture of the past.

Gaster bops a tiny little swaddled baby on the nose. A baby whose face I now get to see. Even as an infant, his features alone tell me exactly who that is. He has the lightest sky blue eyes. They’re almost clear. Even his pupil is a fairer shade of black. His hair…it’s as white as snow.

“Your mother has bestowed on me the privilege of gifting you a middle name. Under the stipulation, I couldn’t name you after myself,” Gaster says gently, to which the baby, I swear, narrows his eyes.

Gaster chuckles and the soft sound has the baby’s face morphing into a smile before a small, sweet little laugh falls from his lips.

“I believe we can work our way around that a little. There’re ways to spin Gaster Ducere Cato. Let us think…” Gaster hums, continuing to grin down at the baby as if he’s his whole world. “How about Caduceus? CC for short, when you’re behaving.”

As the baby coos and reaches his little hand up, Gaster sighs deeply, falling into his eyes, and I continue to fall through time.

Watching, reliving, experiencing our awakening in a whole new light.

CC is no longer hidden from me, and I get to watch the true growth of their time. Their bond together grows and flourishes from one that started as a father-son relationship, one CC desperately needed, to a beautiful, impenetrable friendship.

Coming back to the present, Gaster’s soft eyes are on me, and as the new threads of our bond slink their way deeper into our hearts, we’relowered to the ground. When my feet touch the floor, I throw myself into his arms and cry in relief.

“There, there, child. Everything’s okay,” he murmurs repeatedly, patting my back and holding me close.

“Do you…I…” I stutter through my tears. The question, maybe comment, I don’t know, is stuck in my throat and my whirling mind.

I know what Elementra just did. My soul sings out in elation at the feeling of being whole once more, but I’m so confused. How is any of this possible? What is going on?

“I’m so sorry for the things I’ve put you both through,”CC softly mumbles, and Gaster and I twitch, startled by the sound.

“How is this possible? Please explain this to us,”I beg.

“I will. It will take some time for all your memories to settle down, and the ones that are still locked away will be revealed with time. There’s so much at play, but it will all continue to make sense.”

Gaster and I huff, rolling our eyes, causing not just us but CC to chuckle as well.

“After two hundred and fifty-two years, I didn’t believe you could surprise me anymore, Orien Caduceus Vito. Is this communication here to stay?”Gaster asks timidly, sniffling even in our minds.

“Not exactly. You can hear me now because of the contact and bond with Willow. Her Memoria stone is the conduct for many, many possibilities.”

“So the original severing…”Gaster trails off.

There’s a long, tense moment of silence where I feel his hope rising like a tide. We hold our breaths, waiting for the true verdict, although my heart knows the truth. I just don’t want to be the one to tell him. CC needs to. I don’t know how he’s doing what he’s doing or all the whys yet, but he’s gone.

He’s in the beyond.

“Truly happened. I asked, begged really, Elementra for many, many things over the years. Some of my requests were granted while others were not. This situation we’re in now is one of those requests she allowed.”

Gaster squeezes his lids shut, blocking the tears that are gathering again. His pain isn’t nearly as harsh as it was earlier. Having the severedbond restored has helped ease that burden, but it doesn’t truly take away the grief we both feel. The pain now is just emotional, no longer physical as well.

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