; it was but a dream within a dream (magnus)

[magnus]

Being with her is like peeling back the layers of himself that had been accumulated throughout the years; the ones that had been formed by hardship and sorrow—the ones that had grown like armor to transform him into something that did not think about what he had done and failed to do. She helped to pull it back though so that he could almost trick himself into thinking he was the same wild boy he had been.

It makes sense that she would root out what she had previously had and so he just smiles when she says that she is going to return to the sisters. “Then the sisterhood of Nerine is lucky to have you.” He was fond of the kingdom and had enjoyed his conversation with their Queen Nayl, but it wasn’t the same. They did not have the same faces of his youth and they did not have the same backdrop. Magnus could not help but feel like he was an orphan now, although he had been an orphan for so long now.

It was not something to dwell on though and instead of doing so, he just laughed at her response. As she nipped at his scarred shoulder and took off. His eyes flared with warmth as he took after her, lunging steps catching him up to her side faster than perhaps she had anticipated. He reached over to playfully pull upon her mane and then raced forward, tail snapping behind him. He was never one to ignore a challenge, and if she wanted to recreate their youth, he was happy to oblige. Without words, he raced forward, twisting his body through the trees, knowing full well that she could keep up with him.

With the wind picking up, Magnus could almost close his eyes and pretend he was at home.

out of the blue out into the loneliest place that you'll ever know
I carried the world just as far as I could but the damage had taken its toll