Chapter 21: A Debt of Life
The mushroom could see it in his eyes. Right now, he wasn't looking at them as harmless creatures.
He was looking at them as threats.
A wave of tension spread through the air. The chicks, oblivious to their father's suspicions, chirped and rubbed against him for comfort. But the falcon wasn't responding. His muscles were locking up, his vision unfocused.
Night fell over the prairie.
The only source of warmth now came from a small fire burning nearby. The flickering glow illuminated the falcon's weakened form, casting long shadows across his feathers.
And inside the fire.
The chicks.
The mushroom's cap tilted. At first, it thought its eyes were playing tricks on it. But no. The three chicks were curled up inside the flames, their small bodies rising and falling with deep, peaceful breaths.
For a brief second, the mushroom panicked. They're burning alive!
But then it remembered.
These weren't normal birds. They were Firestorm Falcons.
They weren't suffering.
They were… sleeping.
The realization made the mushroom exhale in relief. But the falcon—who had just regained a sliver of consciousness—saw something very different.
His eyes widened in pure horror.
His children, his precious chicks, were engulfed in flames!
With a sudden, panicked cry, he jerked forward, attempting to rise. His wings flapped wildly, his talons clawing at the ground. But his body was still too weak, and with a painful grunt, he collapsed again.
His breath was ragged, his body trembling harder. Every movement was agony.
His golden eyes flickered toward the mushroom.
There was no logic left in them. Only desperate, burning rage.
"You" he growled, his voice laced with pain. "What… have you done…?"
The mushroom's tiny body stiffened.
This was bad.
The falcon was at his limit, and if he lost control now, even in his weakened state, there was no telling what he might do.
The piglet squealed nervously. The tension in the air was suffocating.
And then.
Clink.
A soft sound echoed through the night.
The falcon's sharp ears twitched. He turned his head slightly, following the noise.
There.
The mushroom was rummaging through its bag, pulling out small flasks. The glass containers clinked together as it set them on the ground.
The falcon narrowed his eyes.
Among the vials were various glowing liquids, dried herbs, and… gold coins?
The mushroom carefully arranged the items before looking up.
A small, mischievous smile tugged at its mouth.
"Well, well," the mushroom said, stepping closer. "Look who finally woke up."
It was a joke. A lighthearted remark to ease the tension.
But the falcon, paranoid, exhausted, poisoned, only saw one thing.
A small creature.
Approaching him.
With a vial in its hands.
A violent, instinctive alarm went off in his brain.
His pupils shrank. His body tensed.
He had seen this before.
He had felt this before.
It was the same moment when that human had poisoned him.
His blood turned ice-cold.
A deep growl rumbled from his throat.
And the moment the mushroom took another step forward.
his body moved.
The falcon's body tensed as the small mushroom climbed onto its chest, holding the vial firmly in its tiny hands.
The creature's golden eyes burned with warning, but the mushroom showed no hesitation. With a sudden push, it forced the contents of the potion into the falcon's beak.
The bitter liquid rushed down its throat, making the beast gag. It coughed, its sharp gaze locking onto the mushroom with pure hatred. If looks could kill, the tiny fungus would have been incinerated on the spot.
The falcon's breaths were still uneven, its powerful chest rising and falling as it tried to suppress the pain spreading through its body. Despite its intimidating size and overwhelming strength, at this moment, it was completely at the mercy of the small mushroom. The bitter taste of the potion lingered in its beak, and for a brief second, it considered whether this tiny creature had poisoned it instead.
But the effects spoke for themselves. The burning sensation coursing through its veins gradually faded, replaced by a slow, creeping warmth. The exhaustion that had shackled its limbs lessened, its body no longer trembling as violently. The falcon clenched its talons into the dirt, testing its strength, but it was still too soon, the poison hadn't left entirely.
Yuno, had gotten the potion from the dead mage's earlier.
A deep, gravelly voice cut through the air.
"Why?"
The falcon's golden eyes locked onto the mushroom, its gaze sharp. Even in its weakened state, there was a dangerous glint in its stare. "Why did you save me?"
The mushroom blinked, tilting its small cap to the side. It was clear the bird didn't understand. "If I hadn't, there would be no one left to take care of your offspring."
The words made the falcon pause. Its eyes drifted toward its chicks, nestled together in the warmth of the fire. Their small bodies rose and fell in a steady rhythm, completely unaware of the world around them. For a long moment, the great beast said nothing. Then, with a slow exhale, its wings relaxed.
The antidote was working, but the falcon could still feel the lingering weight in its limbs. Standing would be difficult, let alone flying. It would need time.
Sensing the shift in the atmosphere, the mushroom saw its opportunity. "I don't mean to impose, but I was hoping you could take me to the Mushroom Kingdom."
The falcon's head snapped toward it, eyes narrowing. There was an undeniable authority in its voice as it spoke. "You may survive the journey... but the piglet will not."
The mushroom flinched. The mushroom looked at its friend while the small piglet rested calmly and snorted contentedly in restful slumber. The mushroom experienced an unsettling sensation throughout its body because its companion had been with it since the start.
With its voice coming out weak the mushroom asked "Why do you want to go?"
The falcon released a heavy tired breath. "The path is full of dangers. Your survival at the kingdom will be guaranteed because you are a mushroom but your companion faces death.
The heavy words created a heavy burden that crushed the small creature as if it were a stone. The Mushroom Kingdom held a special place in the mushroom's heart yet its desire to visit this place seemed destined to bring about its demise.
The two remained silent while an uncomfortable atmosphere grew between them.
The falcon resumed speaking with a soft tone. The Mushroom King stands as a terrifying force that people fear throughout the realm. It does not tolerate intruders. The kingdom attacks all visitors who attempt to enter without hesitation.
The mushroom's body stiffened. The falcon confirmed the difficult path ahead which the mushroom had already anticipated.
The bird became furious when you requested its help to reach that place. Your lack of understanding about the danger makes you foolish.
The night air became colder as the weight of its words descended upon them. The mushroom had no response.
The falcon made its move before the mushroom could respond.
It took a step forward.
The mushroom reacted with fear as it moved backward from the approaching threat.
One golden eye stared down at the mushroom from above.
"You're... strange," the falcon muttered.
The mushroom froze.
Strange?