Is this home? |ranboo x oc|

Part 4- The Ways of War

•Ph1lza pov•
Three weeks after the festival

I haven't been able to sleep since the festival. My brain wouldn't let me take a break, I've been searching since she disappeared. I decided to take a break today. Resting will bring your focus back to Kataena. Then it will be easier to look. Opening the spruce door, I walk into the familiar place, memories of Kataena and I bonding flashing through my head. Going straight into my bedroom, I find a simply wrapped package for me. From Kataena.

Ripping open the box, I see two similarly wrapped gifts and a letter. I decide to go for the letter first.

   Dear Ph1l,

If you're reading this, I've been abducted by someone I don't know yet. More than likely, this person wants to stop me from getting my title as a god. They want to stop me from finding my power. This package will help you find and save me. Enclosed is a book I wrote for you and a bracelet. Both are vital for your search for me. I know you don't know me very well, and there is a chance you don't even want to look for me, but I'll give you a reason now. A powerful ally can change the tides of war. If you don't save me, I'll find a way out and you will have an enemy. Save me, and you will have a god on your side.

Your decision.
   -Kataena

Opening the bigger package, I find a book with the words The Ways of War written on the front in Kataena's elegant and powerful handwriting. I open the other gift next, finding a bracelet with a glowing orb connected to it. A note falls out of the envelope with the words 'May the stars guide your path, and may the most important stars be the stars of your spirit.'

Ignoring my need for sleep temporarily, I open the book and hope that it will explain why I need the bracelet.

The Ways of War
⚠️tw a$$ault, mention of d3ath⚠️

I was born in the preparations for war. I trained my skills with the sword and with words. I was cursed in my past life, the life before I was a god. I was a flower nymph. I was born from a special flower and my duty was to protect the grove I called home. The God of War, Mikeos, came to my grove and hurt me. He blinded my right eye, and left me on the ground on the brink of death. As a gift to repay all I had gone through, the universe gave me the gift of never forgetting. When you went to visit the Queen of gods, Mikeos came to the grotto to take his anger out on me. He killed me when I was a nymph. Little did he know I would be born again as his niece. He figured it out when I was three and has killed me five times and I can only stay dead when my soulmate dies. The information about what happens when I die comes from those experiences.

The flower in my past life had four petals. Coincidentally, I have four forms. Two for life, two for death. When I die, a few meters around where I died change. The area becomes flowered and the flower on the spot where I died dictates what my next form is. I'm going to go ahead and explain my forms and the magic that I know about.

The first form is one you've already seen. Life. My magic is limited in this form, but powerful. Until I have my title as a God, which I will get at a seemingly random time, my magic will stay limited. The form of Life is the form of balance. It's why my appearance is mirrored with black and white.

The second form is Spirit Nymph. It is the first death form. When I die and become this form, a small, wilting, blue flower is left where I died. In this form, I have no wings and the appearance of a human. I have earth magic in this form and a crown of dead roses and thorned vines sitting on my head. I can feel very few emotions in this form, mostly joy and silence. I come back to Life from this form when my spirit is ready to be back.

The third form is Spirit Justice. It is the last death form. If my death started from an injustice, this is what my form will look like after death. When I die, a white flower blooms where I died in place of the blue flower of the other form. I have the same gifts as you in this form Ph1l. Wings, skills with the sword and the bow, high intelligence. I am neutral in this form. I make decisions in the name of justice. I come back to Life from this form when a justice I made a focus is resolved.

The fourth form is my God form. Since I do not have my title, I do not know anything about this form except that I can switch from this and Life at will after I 'unlock' it.

In Life, my hair has stars woven into it. The stars are made from bundles of things that make me happy and I can hide them at will. The star in your bracelet is made from my happy memories with you. I still have the memories, don't worry. The star acts as a guide to me when I'm in trouble. It makes a shadow of Life that follows you around, giving advice and helping you in what you need. As long as you wear the bracelet, a piece of me will always be there.

Slipping on the bracelet, I admire the feeling of warmth and joy emanating from the star. Sighing, I ask for the star to show me my daughter.

"Hello." When I hear the light, airy voice, I turn to see Kataena's spirit. It looks just like her, but her hair is braided into a bun and her wings are missing. The 'shadow' is pale, the life and emotion that Kataena carries everywhere completely absent, and it wears a white lace dress.

"Help me find my daughter."

"She knows how hard you have been looking. She will escape in due time. I will lead you to where she hides after she escapes but for now, we must wait until we can help without it being a suicide mission."

Okay, I can wait. I know that Dream is building a war. While I wait, I can prepare for war.

Learn the ways of war.

(A/n) sorry if I made the OC overpowered, I just like the backstory behind the forms and stuff lmao. Take care of yourself and have a good day!
-Ender

1151 words