Chapter 98: Trail to a Difficult Love [Illustration]

Anne's trembling gradually subsides as she clutches her son, a beacon of warmth amid the enveloping gray. With no visibility of the night sky nor of the tear, Daniel wonders how his mother ended up with him instead of outside the fog.

Before any of that, he takes a deep breath of the humid air, drawing away while keeping his slime mother at arms length. He tries to smile as reassuringly as possible, but Anne tilts away, her lips full of disgust with herself.

The details of connecting mentally with him are as hazy as their surroundings, but the last memories from Amy of Mack are painfully clear. Although she already knew it, Anne relived those moments of her predecessor by sharing them with her son.

So, now that he knows, why is he the one to comfort her?

Amid her disdainful thoughts, the elder slime's foggy surroundings worsen the mood, stirring a suffocating silence between.

Daniel breathes in. "Mom—"

"No, stop," Anne pleads, holding her eyes. "Don't say it's not my fault. Even if the wish I made was circumstantial, it doesn't excuse the fact that I wanted him gone. I was so blinded trying to keep you away from your father...so angry."

His slime mother speaks as if she were Amy, owning the emotions of the astronomer. Whether that's right or not, Daniel understands his original mother's feelings about it as well.

She wanted to protect him, except what was shared with him was a man who wanted only to see his child. Ten years or late or not, he had the legal right. His efforts to approach and sue Amy showed how serious he was about it, too, compared to the time right when they broke up.

Daniel can't say whether he would've been pleased as a child if they met, but there's no telling what would've happened. Therein lies the rub to all of this: Amy kept this to her grave, leaving him to believe his father had never been serious enough to be part of their lives. He thought what his mother kept from him was simply confidential matters related to her work, but that was just a masked truth.

It's a hard history for him to swallow, but for the slime mother in front of him, he doesn't feel she or anyone should have to shoulder that mistake.

"You're right," Daniel admits softly, closing his eyes for a moment. "It was shitty and selfish, but you and I understand that well enough now."

"Daniel..."

"Look, it's not as if I'm not upset by all of this," he adds firmly. "I'm most upset that I won't know how Mack would've been to me and that I was lied to by my mother for so long. That doesn't mean I can remain frustrated with you specifically. You shouldn't own this."

Anne's lips quiver as she lowers her head. "No, I'm not any different. She was afraid that you'd hate her, and I share that. That's why I hesitated about joining with you. I didn't want you to think badly of her or me."

"And yet, you've finally shared the truth with me," Daniel whispers, sliding his arms down to close around her cold holds. "Thank you."

His slime mother lifts her head back to her son's sad, but stable shimmer in his olive eyes.

It just doesn't feel right.

"Even if you say that, what am I supposed to do?" She presses. "I can't just continue pretending all is well as I have."

"I'm not saying you should, but I won't despise you for the past that you inherited; neither would I hate Amy. I mean, how can I possibly hate someone who has done everything to raise me? All I can do now is..."

He pauses, then closes his eyes. "Yes, learn about him. I think once we've settled enough from the crazy we're dealing with, it's only right to find out what kind of man he became, but not on what my mother saw and harbored."

Anne lifts her eyes, taking in her son's choice. Although she won't be able to shake Amy's guilt away, acknowledging as much of the man that her predecessor tried to ignore may be the only to move forward.

She smiles bitterly. "Is that all that can be done?"

"It's a start. I think it would do you more than me to know," Daniel suggests, standing up and offering his hand.

Anne hesitates, but she ultimately takes his hand, pulling herself up. Although she'll have to carry Amy's shame the same, she feels a little lighter than before to have confessed what should've been.

She takes a small breath, then glows weakly, borrowed thanks to her son's warm eyes. "Thank you, sweetie."

"I should be the one to thank you," Daniel insists before clearing his throat. "For now, let's focus on where we are now. I don't suppose you've seen Mary?"

Frowning, Anne shakes her head. "No, and I don't even know how I ended up in this fog, either. After the memory, I just found myself in place with you on my lap. Were you that exhausted to fall asleep after merging?"

"I don't think so, but...maybe?" Daniel questions, twisting his lips. "Whatever the case, it would've been better if you had stayed near the lakes. I'm not sure why you were delivered here with me, considering your last position was when you entered with Mary."

Anne hums. "Actually, I was nearby Mary last time we merged, and now I'm with you. Do you think joining has something to do with it?"

"Maybe."

It's rather annoying to deal with so many maybes, but they haven't traveled enough through this dream realm, even though there's been plenty of discoveries.

Anne wraps her fingers around his hand, huffing. "Well, I'm relieved! Mama would rather be together than separated."

Daniel snorts, feeling more at ease to hear his slime mother's upbeat tone returning. "I just hope that Mary isn't alone if she's connected to this realm as well."

"Before that, haven't you noticed anything about yourself?" Anne poses, her brow raised.

The artist blinks before looking down. His eyes only widen slightly as he finds himself wearing the same sleepwear that he slipped into bed with. He had been so wrapped, literally, with his slime mother, he never realized this was the first time he wasn't naked in bed. Of course, his slime mother remains bare like before.

"Seriously?" he scoffs.

Anne giggles. "Well, that's one mystery down! Sleep in clothes, dream in clothes."

"No, that just makes this realm stranger! Why would it matter what I'm wearing to be projected in here?"

"Isn't this good, though? Maybe we can bring stuff we're holding with us next time."

"Ugh, of course you'd want to experiment more."

The slime mother's eyes shine. "Hehe, you bet! Speaking of which, this area is filled with Vivi-Mama's memories, just like our lakes, right? I want to try focusing on a memory of her!"

"Wait, let's not—"

It's too late.

"I just love wearing comfy scrubs, that's all!"

With that reverberating declaration from the recent day, a bookshelf manifests from the fog a meter from them, showing how Viviane encountered Lecia. Watching the three-dimensional replay of the memory was admittedly cool to see, but this was not the time to fool around.

That doesn't stop Anne from grinning. "Wow~ I know I saw it already as Marianne, but you really do fit seamlessly inside your Mother. I wonder what that says about you?"

Daniel rolls his eyes as he walks through the memory, waving through and dispersing it away. "Mom, this is no time for teasing! Let's go see if Mary might be around."

"Fine, fine," Anne gives, but squeezes her son's hand tightly. With her other hand, she cups around her mouth.

"Oh Mary! Are you here?"

Her voice travels through the fog, but to no avail. After a few seconds of eerie silence, Daniel follows louder.1

"Mary!"

Still nothing.

"Hmm...Maybe she'll respond if you call her Mum," Anne suggests, failing to keep her lips straight.

Snorting, Daniel tilts his head a bit higher. "Hey, stop being so mum! Are you anywhere?!" 2The word "mum" refers to the British addressing for Mom as well as describing someone being silent. This is very much a dad joke, so I'm very sorry.

"Aha! Well, aren't you clever with words?" Anne raises, her eyes a smile.

Flushing, Daniel coughs. "Anyway, she's not nearby. I really hope that if she's dreamed into this world, she didn't just wander off."

"You should know better," Anne admonishes, raising a finger. "If I were Mary, I wouldn't even try to spend any time sitting alone in a spooky fog, waiting to wake up."

"You're right," Daniel groans. "If so, she should leave a trace for us or to return, at least."

With that in mind, and knowing Mary's personality far too deeply for their own good, the slime mother and son scours the nearby ground. They waft any low cloud bending around their feet until, eventually, Anne gasps.

"Wait, what's this?"

Daniel stops brushing his feet around the soft, moist grass to join his slime mother. Not far from their placement, grass and dirt split into a line, trailing off into an unclear direction from them.

The two glance at each other. Since there was nothing around like sticks or rocks, digging like this seemed like the only way to make a mark. Still, the cut seemed quite deep, like a hoe being dragged across the ground.

"That's certainly a sign. Do you think Mary did this?" Daniel asks.

Anne squints her eyes with an idea forming. To test a hypothesis, she silently straightens and morphs her arm into a sharp blade. Her son doesn't have time to question as she swipes across the grass, swirling the foggy air.

Past the wind that blows, a similar cut dragged across the ground in front of the slime with similar depth. The answer to Daniel's question becomes evident.

"That's right, she could do that on her own now."

His slime mother reforms her arm back to normal, flexing her fingers indecisively. "No way to be sure, but if Mary arrived with my split, it's possible they could've dragged a cut like this for us."

"A bit unsettling," Daniel admits, reminding himself not to test his girlfriend too much. "Anyway, let's hope that it's from her."

"Hehe, scared? Have some faith in your Mummy, won't you?"

Daniel scoffs. "You know very well that my sense of faith is shattered."

...

..

.

Walking onward, time blurred, barring no indication when the gray haze would diminish. Anne and Daniel could still see each other, at least, but that was about it. Aside from the magical lakes outside of Viviane's fog, no other features dressed the vicinity except the grassy crunches from their steps.

They called out many times in their walk. Sadly, no response ever echoed back from the illusive dark artist. The only thing they had was to keep following the dragging of dirt, which kept going straight. Occasionally, Daniel would look up, hoping to see the stars return to visibility, but the fog remained as thick as ever.

"So...question, sweetie," Anne starts.

"Hm?"

Daniel perks to his slime mother, who squeezes his hand to ensure they wouldn't have a chance to lose each other. Remembering Mary's fall into the large ditch, they needed to support each other at a moment's notice.

"When are you thinking of marriage?"

Speaking of ditch, A different kind stumbles the artist forward. Sure enough, Anne helps her son out with a giggle, saving him from the weight of her out-of-the-blue question.

She sticks her tongue out. "Hehe, sorry~ Was that too much?"

"Yeah, it is!" Daniel squeaks, snapping his head back to his slime mother. "What the hell is that?! Marriage is the last thing on my mind right now!"

"Ah, but you should have considered it at least once. You and Mary know everything about each other, after all."

She then huffs, leaning closer. "Besides, I'm pretty sure neither Viviane nor I can have kids, so it's up to you two humans to paint some kids of your own so we can have grandkids!"

Daniel pinches the bridge of his nose. "It's too early for that. Might I remind you that it's only been a little more than a week since we entered this strange relationship? Whether we're in sync more than before doesn't change the possibility that it won't work out."

Anne narrows her eyes. "If we're talking about time, you've been shared a lifetime of memories through us! Don't you think you're being too cautious?"

"Of course I'm being cautious! Look at everything that's happened so far!"

His slime mother clicks her tongue and glances away. "At least entertain the...?"

The slow roll to a stop of Anne's voice grounds Daniel back to their situation. Focusing ahead where Anne is looking, they see a silhouette of something rectangular in rows. Before considering it, Daniel looks down, noticing that the dragged cut through the ground seems to be fading.

"Hold on."

He parts away from Anne to peak ahead a few meters, waving away the fog as he goes. The trail does appear to end, meaning...

"Wherever those shadows are, it must be where we need to head now."

Anne wiggles her lips, unable to help but grow worried.

"Hello? Mary?" she calls, hoping the British artist is near enough to hear.

However, after a few seconds, it's the same silence as ever.

Daniel links back to his mother's hands, his lips smiling weakly. "You get my caution now?"

His slime mother snorts, shaking her head. "Alright, you've made your point. Just stay close to Mama, okay?"

"Always."

They step lightly to the only mass they've been able to see so far. As they draw closer, the shape and arrangement ahead of them grows clearer in form, marking a set of entryways circularly.

"That's...!"

Woo!

In their next step, the two stretch out their eyes, mouths agape, as the wisps of the low cloud wrap around their bodies and withdraw into the fog behind them. There was no warning as they entered a large circular acre of land, untouched by the cloud. In fact, the whole clearing is unnaturally separated, with the surrounding gray lining the perimeter like a wall.

In the center of this clearing lies Stonehenge, but of a time when it was complete. Seemingly uncorrupted by nature, its presence shimmered under the dark sky.

The tear in space returned too, the same as ever, spilling magical symbols with an uncertain connection to the stars of Earth. Whatever its wavering disruption entails, it illuminates the bluestones like moonlight.

"Nope. Mama is going back."

Anne's flat tone and quick turnaround to the wall of fog snaps Daniel out of his daze. He tightens his hold on her, pulling her back.

"W—wait, you can't ignore this!"

"Who says I can't?" Anne shuts her eyes, looking down and away. "It's just a bunch of stupid stones anyway!"

"Are you kidding? All of this is more than simply stones!"

"I have memories of being an astronomer, damn it! Why do I have to be involved in more nonsense of this magical world?!"

"Because it's your world!"

"I just wanted to help find Mary and talk about wedding plans!"

"Viviane..."

A familiar whisper to the elder slime mother rings through both of them, ending their opposition. Following, a flame erupts from the center of the Stonehenge formation, where an altar lays, seizing their attention.

Anne reluctantly pivots back to the monoliths, her lips crooked as the flame's orange glow that adds to the stars' light across her face. She sees a cloaked, hooded figure, its form distorted against the backdrop of the fire.

"I knew it." She breathes. "This is like the first vision I had when you started working on the Stonehenge painting."

Daniel swallows. "Which means the person ahead must be..."

"Merlin," Anne completes. Shutting her eyes, she sighs. "Is this another of her hidden memories?"

Although, if it comes from Viviane, one would imagine the area also being shrouded by the fog.

Putting behind the discrepancy, her son shrugs. "We won't know for sure unless we get a closer look."

Anne grumbles, tilting her head to the side in dismay. Eventually, she pushes out air to clear her mind, then straightens. "Alright, let's go."

While creeping closer to the famous sacred circle, they look around for any signs of the dark artist. Out of the fog, it should've been a good place as any to wait for them.

However, a few of the same calls to the British girl were just as one-sided as before.

'Maybe she's not linked to this place, even though she's covered by Mom's slime,' Daniel thinks.

But then, who else could've dug into the ground, leading them to this place?

Daniel keeps any conclusions to himself as they pass through the stone gates. The cloaked figure lifts as soon as they enter the inner perimeter, then twists his body towards them.

Keeping distance, Anne and Daniel stand several meters from the fire and the figure, unable to see the legend's features under his hood.

"Viviane..." He repeats, his deeper voice clear enough to suggest a dryness in his throat.

Opposite of him, Daniel shuffles uncomfortably, reminded of his experience with Victor. Still, he musters forth his voice, not knowing whether this person is real or part of a memory.

"Are you...Merlin?"

The figure remained silent for a few breaths.

"...No, you're not her."

Anne and Daniel widen their eyes. Before any of them could follow, a chuckle echos between the stones, freezing the words in their hearts.

Fwoo...

The flames at the center of the altar waver.

"Oh my, Merlin, very impressive! You've gotten better at distinguishing the flames in us."

Viviane's voice, playful but warm as the fire, arrives behind the mother and son. No sooner do they break free from their shock as the elder slime walks past them, her gaze deep onto the magician's form.

'Mother?' Daniel questions.

"I'd rather not see my apprentice taken so lightly, so would you please change back, Nimue?" Merlin requests, unamused.

"Viviane" raises her hands, sighing. "I think you're the one who needs to lighten up, but if my daughter tempts you that much, I'll be sensitive."

Merlin scoffs. "Nonsense."

With the scene more likely to be a memory, Anne and Daniel cease any thoughts and observe silently. Their eyes lock on the first Lady of the Lake as her appearance shifts fluidly, her hair turning from silver to dark and iris fading to its deep oceans.

"Come now, my love," she begins more gently, stepping closer to the magician. He doesn't move an inch as she leans against his robes while brushing her hands against his shoulders, staring up into his shrouded face.

"Tell me, what's troubling you to come out here all by yourself?"

"...You, for one."

Nimue giggles, her eyes unoffended. "Then, I suppose we'll have to fix that, shall we?"

She leans forward, pressing her lips into the shadows of his hood. With it, the magician reciprocates, his hands roaming across the enchantress' contours...

Shaking.