It was a cold night in the Eurus Mountains; snow fell harshly as the wind blew through the rustling trees. A light gleamed through the darkened snow, only illuminated by the moon's shine. Travelers slowly trudged through the landscape, donning cloaks to cover the harsh conditions. The group continued on until a small shack came within sight. It was an older and rugged cabin, but it was covered by the conditions. The group settled in as they secured the area for safety, making sure there were no airways or open spots for the weather to inflict the cabin's security.
Four people gathered inside the cabin; two were mainly securing the area, while another took care of one who seemed to be struggling. They sat achingly, and the trudge up the mountain took much of their energy. They had the shape of a more petite woman who held her plump stomach tenderly as she breathed slow breaths, trying to recover stamina from the trip. A man with a more prominent figure took care of her; his skin showed many scars, and he had a rough exterior. Seemingly unphased by the conditions, he set a fire in the nearby fireplace and placed the more petite woman in front of it to give her warmth.
"Thank you…sorry, I can't carry my weight…in a time like this."
"Don't speak. Conserve your energy."
"Right…"
He began to trudge through his bag and pulled out a canister of what seemed to be water. Holding it up to her mouth, she slowly began drinking from it. Her breaths still achingly slow, she gulped as a sigh of relief came from her. The trip up the Eurus Mountains was dangerous, as it's been known as a monster sprawling grounds for centuries, but for whatever reason, it was the safest place for this group to be. The two others finally finished securing the cabin before sitting beside the younger woman. Their faces filled with concern as they looked over to see her condition. She winced in pain as they looked at the man who sat beside her; he held her hand firmly as she continued to try and control her breathing.
The two then began to set up a pallet from their bags, taking care to ensure her security.
"She can handle this…right?" the woman said as she took off her cloak and covered the woman on the ground. Her face was filled with concern over the matter, but she was met with a smile from the girl.
"It's not like you to worry, Rita. I'll be fine, I swear!"
"Didn't I tell you to conserve your energy, Eleanor?"
"Ah...sorry, hehe."
Rita felt reassured by Eleanor's words. She inspected her condition and wanted to make her comfortable, so she let her long, bright hair out of its ties and set soft blankets under her head to support her. She smiled as she began to continue controlling her breath as she grabbed Rita's hand with her free one. Eleanor's eyes began to water as she tried to speak between her breaths, much to the man's displeasure, as she ignored his requests.
"I'm sorry… I'm just a bit nervous, is all…I want to do this right, so…my child comes out of this fine…"
"You don't have to apologize to us Ellie."
"It's fine, you're a strong warrior."
"Yeah… you're right, I'm strong!"
She uttered these words before letting out a wince, and a yell followed slowly afterward. The time was coming for the baby to finally come, and it was pressing that it was handled correctly. The man's face stiffened as he heard his loved partner's pained yells and grunts. He knew this was a lot for her, especially with such a small and now frail body, but he believed in her nonetheless. His grip on her hand was firm as she continued to grip his and Rita's for support. The other man came over, fully equipped with the proper equipment to help; it was a local doctor from the town of Rivera. It resided next to the Eurus Mountains and wasn't known for much, but it was Eleanor's hometown, and she'd known him since she was a kid.
He took care to adjust her with the help of Rita as an assistant in the process and knew that the final battle was just ahead. The light from the cabin fluttered ever so softly in the harsh conditions. It was as if there was calm within the storm within the cabin, as the room filled slowly with a golden glow. Eleanor winced and yelled as the others supported her. Her mana spilled into the room. It was taking everything within her to keep stable so she wouldn't pass out from the pain, but one thing was for sure. She was not giving up on her sworn promise to give birth to this child. Even resorting to using her magic in such a state to ease the pain. Her breaths became faster and harsher as she continued.
"Keep going; you can do it!" Rita yelled supportingly as she held her hand firmly with both of hers. She worried greatly for Eleanor, so she wrapped their hands within hers with her magic. She was casting a low-level healing spell as it wasn't her most proficient skill, but she prayed it'd be enough to help soothe the pain. The man beside Eleanor didn't speak as he stared intensely at her. Their eyes met multiple times throughout the process as the struggle continued. They continued one until finally, the lights settled down, and the storm slowed. It began to fall softly to the ground as the whine of a baby was heard from the cabin. Its whines sounded off as it was wrapped tightly within a blanket and handed to Eleanor. She held the baby tenderly in her small arms, holding him close as his cries softened.
"I did it, my little star…mama did it," she said as tears began to flow from her eyes; Rita began to sob as well as she saw that Eleanor was fine after such a treacherous trip and birthing. The man looked at the two, turned away, and looked out the window. The moon shone brightly as its light illuminated the outside surroundings. He looked to Rita and motioned for her to follow him as she hesitantly left Eleanor's side and followed him outside. The doctor took care to help Eleanor settle with the baby while the two shut the door behind them.
"Shouldn't you be with Ellie right now…"
"I will be, but there's something we must discuss."
"What could that possibly be?"