Euphoria (Fundywastaken/Dundy)

Chapter 11

"So... how exactly will we find an unknown person?" Sapnap asked, resting his hand on the handle of his sword.

Fundy hummed, looking to Niki. She looked back at the two boys and shrugged. Fundy nodded his head, pursing his lips. None of them knew where even to start looking.

Sapnap snapped his fingers, looking at his two companions. "We can start in the castle. Maybe he's one of the servants."

"Or the king himself," Niki added, smirking.

Sapnap and Fundy looked at each other. "The king isn't a fan of us. He's like his father in that way," Sapnap said, cutting through the brush. 

Niki groaned. "Just because he hates us doesn't mean he isn't like us. Maybe, he hasn't figured out he's a gifted one?"

Fundy stopped, looking at the woman. "Holy shit... You might be on to something." Fundy ran ahead of them, climbing up the hill and looking down at the town down below.

"What are you talking about, Fundy?" Sapnap asked.

"The king grew up with a father who utterly hated gifted ones, however, we grew up around people who were also gifted."

Sapnap caught on. "So Dream could be a gifted one and not know it because of his father! Fundy, you genius, where have you been all our life?"

Fundy smiled, his face heating up at the praise.

The three quickly made their way into town, passing by the folks bustling past them. They came up to the castle, stopping at the gates.

Sapnap stepped in front, holding his ground against the guards. The guards looked at each other, then stepped aside, letting the three through. Sapnap nodded at them, letting them get back to work.

The prince ran ahead of the other two, heading to the gardens with Niki in tow, while Sapnap headed back into the castle to find the king.

Niki gawked at all the beautiful plants around her. She was never able to see the plants in the royal garden, even as a young girl.

"The royal family used to love gifted ones. They used to be gifted themselves," Niki said, stopping to look at a dying Azalea shrub. She rested her hand near one of the dying flowers, letting it blossom in her palm. Fundy stood to the side of her, amazed.

"The family was always so caring for us. Then Chelem died. He was the prince, the family's only heir to the throne."

"How did he die?" Fundy asked, already knowing the answer.

Niki's face darkened, the flower turning a blood red before wilting. "You know what happened. You were there. You watched it happen."

Fundy bit his lip. It was true. His lover of centuries died in front of him when they were both helpless.

Niki shivered, the temperature around them dropping. She looked to her comrade, the tears and anger welling in his eyes telling her everything. "I'm sorry, Fundy, that was rude of me. None of us could have known what was going to happen."

He stayed quiet for a moment, letting her words sit in the air. "Yea."

They stayed quiet, neither wanting to speak after their last conversation. The only thing to break the silence was Sapnap and a complaining George.

"Guys, this is George. George this is Niki and Fundy," Sapnap introduced.

George rubbed his eyes, yawning. He looked at the two new people in front of him and nodded. "Nice to meet you. Can I go back to sleep now?"

"Narcissus?"

George hummed, looking at the girl. He paused, quickly realizing what he did. The other two stared at him, both just as shocked as George himself.

"How do you know that name?"

"My greek given name is Jacinta, but my rebirth name is Niki," Niki explained.

George nodded. "What's Sapnap's?"

Niki smirked, "Ajax."

George hummed. "That's actually a cool name. What's Fundy's?"

Niki's eyes darkened. She looked away from George to Fundy. "Achlys."

George stiffened and took a step back. Sapnap following suit.

"What does Achlys mean? Guys? What's going on?" Fundy asked worriedly.

George answered him. "Achlys means darkness. Which is strange for someone gifted by Artemis."

Fundy stared at him. "Who told you I was gifted?"

"Sapnap did. He's Ares gifted, Niki is Aphrodite gifted, you're Artemis gifted, and I'm Hypnos gifted."