all alone, open eyed, burn the page my little dark age
Rigby wasn't in Torchline, which was a rare event. He didn't leave the region he'd grown up in often, he was used to the shady streets and sea breezes. They'd always provided enough for him, and he was the kind who asked for little. But today he'd wandered to the portal, he'd only used it one other time after being teleported away to another part of the world, a sweltering stinking swamp. Traumatizing, but the portal part had been the least awful aspect.
He'd come through the Hollowed Grounds to get home from that swamp, ended up at the Spire that he'd heard so many rumors about. And he hadn't wanted to stay at all, but he'd thought about the place every so often since then. Maybe it was the annoyance of Aurelia and Milo being home that pushed him out of the house, but Rigby wandered to the Torchline portal in late afternoon, with the hint of a destination in mind.
The grounds were cast in twilight when he stepped from the spire, the faint chirping of night bugs filled his ears. It was calm, where nights in Torchline were always loud and bustling. He was drawn to a set of fireflies nearby, the playful bugs wiggling and flitting from place to place. Rigby followed the trail of shimmering insects to the glade, to the radiant stones that pulsated their light all around.
He followed a specific bug, hands outstretched to capture it, almost missing the figure nearby. Almost. Fingers closed quickly around the creature, but he was no longer looking at it's light. His gaze fell upon the queen, he watched her silently, wondering if she'd seen him or if he could slip away quietly with his glowing prize.
He'd come through the Hollowed Grounds to get home from that swamp, ended up at the Spire that he'd heard so many rumors about. And he hadn't wanted to stay at all, but he'd thought about the place every so often since then. Maybe it was the annoyance of Aurelia and Milo being home that pushed him out of the house, but Rigby wandered to the Torchline portal in late afternoon, with the hint of a destination in mind.
The grounds were cast in twilight when he stepped from the spire, the faint chirping of night bugs filled his ears. It was calm, where nights in Torchline were always loud and bustling. He was drawn to a set of fireflies nearby, the playful bugs wiggling and flitting from place to place. Rigby followed the trail of shimmering insects to the glade, to the radiant stones that pulsated their light all around.
He followed a specific bug, hands outstretched to capture it, almost missing the figure nearby. Almost. Fingers closed quickly around the creature, but he was no longer looking at it's light. His gaze fell upon the queen, he watched her silently, wondering if she'd seen him or if he could slip away quietly with his glowing prize.
RIGBY
