Pan stares at the creature on the throne, struck speechless for a moment while he tries to take it all in. It watches with too many eyes, grins with too many teeth. As unnatural as the abomination is, Pan cannot look away, though his face is fraught with horror instead of awe. It is everything, Leonidas whispers and Pan shivers with an uncomfortable feeling creeping up his spine. For if this was everything, he wanted no part of it. Just looking at the beast upon the throne was enough to turn his stomach topsy-turvy, as he wondered what god had dreamed up such a thing. He swallows hard, pressing closer to Leonidas as if the two could take on the world together, bravery lost as he stands helpless before the throne.
Do we live in there? he asks, and Pan can only shrug. For there is some familiarity in the world between his jaws. But before he can ponder the thought for long, the king gives chase, and Pan knows only to run. He does not turn back to check on Leonidas, but instead tries to flee as quickly as possible, even as the floor begins to swallow him whole. Down he falls, and the boy squeezes his eyes closed tightly, unwilling to see what would come at the end. Not for the first time, he prayed to whatever god would listen, casting his final goodbyes to the universe with little more than a whimper.
And he splashes into the cool water, jolting him from the thought with a shock of surprise, as he twists and turns in the current. Pan fights his way to the surface, calling to Leonidas as he pulls himself ashore, shaking off as he shivers on the riverbanks. With a breathless gasp, he looks to the sky, seeing a brief flicker of the creature in the clouds, before they fade and leave only the two boys beside the stream, tranquil and still.
Clearly shaken, he offers a half-smile to his companion. Well… that was… unexpected. He swallows the last word down, even as Oliver peeks out to scold him for such risks. I guess… I guess that’s it? It seemed anticlimactic now, looking back at the castle in the distance… and yet Pan felt a yearning for home, eager to leave this strange and magical place behind. I’ll see you around?
But he doesn’t wait for an answer, turning to leave this place behind, without a second glance.
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