“Okay, so the instructions are written for if it’s one changeling trying to make the fire in a jar. But I’ve been looking it over and I think we can alter it.” Ocellus said
“So what do we need to do?” Pharynx asked
“First, let’s put the hibernating changelings closer to the fireplace.” Ocellus said, and they nodded.
The group of four carefully laid each of the sleeping changelings in a small huddle before the fireplace. Thorax, Pharynx, and Apex then turned to Ocellus, who grabbed the book again.
“Um… alright, Apex, stand on that side of the fireplace.” Ocellus instructed, and he did as she asked. “Good, now, Pharynx, stand diagonally from him… Thorax, opposite from Apex, and I’ll stand opposite Pharynx.”
The four changelings moved into place around the fireplace, and Ocellus read from the book again.
“The fireplace is going to act as our ‘Focus Point’ where we’ll concentrate our love reserves. But we’ll also need to concentrate hard on what we’re trying to do, which for us is heating the Hive. The good thing about Love Fires is they’re not like normal fires, so wind or rain won’t make them go out.”
“Good to know.” Pharynx muttered, glancing up at the open ceiling of the throne room. “Alright, what now?”
“Everyone light up your horns and I’ll tell you what to do next.” Ocellus directed.
Ocellus and Apex’s horns lit up with their magical auras, while the royal brothers ignited their antlers along with their own horns. Ocellus scanned over the rest of the page, committing it to memory before she bookmarked it and closed the book, setting it aside. The blue nymph put a hoof to her chest, then closed her eyes. The others silently followed her lead without need for instruction.
“Once you close your eyes, you will only see darkness. But imagine there is a small spark of light in the dark – where it is specifically doesn’t matter, just find it.”
The three nodded, though knowing she couldn’t see them, and did as she instructed. Ocellus continued, speaking slowly and softly so as not to break anyone’s concentration.
“Now… imagine your magic is a long rope of light. Using your mind, guide your magic to the light. The light is your love reserves. Will your magic to bond with the love and draw it closer to you. If it’s working, you should feel a sudden warmth in your chest.”
“I feel i’!” Apex breathed out in excitement, but Ocellus shushed him quickly.
“No distractions or you’ll lose your control. Now, once the light has reached you, imagine that you are reaching out a hoof to touch it – but don’t actually move.” After another moment or two of silence, Ocellus continued on. “The warmth in your chest should be burning now, if it’s not, wait until it is. Then open your eyes.”
They each opened their eyes, one by one. Once they were all looking at each other, Ocellus gestured for them to watch her. She charged up her horn even more, until her clear white aura began to turn pink.
“Celly, wha’re you doin’?” Apex whispered
“I-I’m tapping into my love reserves with the magic.” Ocellus said. “You need to do it too.”
Apex’s horn grew aflame with his ruby red aura, and it soon began to flicker pink. Thorax and Pharynx’s antlers lit with their respective blue and red auras, which turned pink as well as they managed to tap into their love reserves.
“A-Alright, a-all at once, concentrate on what we want to do and blast the fireplace!” Ocellus shouted.
The four changelings planted their hooves on the ground firmly, then lowered their heads and blasted their magic at the fireplace. Thorax screwed his eyes shut, concentrating hard, knowing from the straining noises the others were making that they were doing the same.
“Warm the Hive. Warm the Hive. Warm the Hive.” Thorax repeated in his head, feeling his wings open up on instinct as he strained to keep the beam of love-fueled magic going. It felt like it was draining his very essence from him. “Warm the Hive… warm the Hive… warm my Hive…”
Finally, he felt the last of his magic slipping out of his horn, and collapsed onto his stomach, panting with effort. The others, he could see, hadn’t fared much better. Pharynx was sitting on his haunches, chest heaving as he caught his breath. Apex was lying on his side, breathing heavily. Ocellus lay nearby, head lowered to the ground, but her eyes flicked upward.
“I-It worked!” The nymph shrieked suddenly, and they all looked up.
A giant, roaring fire now lay in the fireplace, warming them with its presence. The fire itself was not a normal one, or at least from what Thorax could see. The flames were bright pink, and the smoke it released formed silhouettes of hearts in all shapes and sizes. Thorax panted, smiling happily as he lay on the cold ground, his chest alight with the joy of their success. It had worked.
“It worked! It worked, it worked, it worked!” Ocellus cried, leaping over and hugging Pharynx tightly.
“Ack! Okay, okay, I get it, it worked, you’re happy, now get off!” Pharynx grunted, shoving her and getting up onto his hooves again.
Thorax heaved himself up as well, then moved over and helped Apex up. The little nymph immediately rushed over to Zenith, pulling him closer to the fire. The golden nymph began moving after a moment of soaking in the warmth of the flames, and Apex gasped happily.
“‘Nithy!”
Zenith opened his eyes slowly, blinking as he rose to his hooves at last. The nymph yawned, rubbing his eyes tiredly.
“‘Pexy? What happe– mmph!” Zenith was pulled into a kiss by the lime green nymph. Of course, he kissed Apex back, and the two nymphs fell over into the snow.
“Pharynx? What’s going on?” Hunter asked as he stood as well, yawning widely.
“Long story.” Pharynx said simply.
The other changelings slowly began to wake once the warmth of the fire reached them, all yawning and stretching. Of course, they spotted the fire almost immediately, turning to gaze at it in awe. Thorax smiled widely as he saw other changelings entering the throne room, drawn by the light, then instantly rushing to the source of the warmth when they realized what it was.
“The whole Hive’s warm now.” Ocellus said, walking over. “I peeked into the hallway. With the window panes Pharynx had installed to insulate things, the fire’s helping to keep everything heated.”
“It really worked.” Thorax breathed, watching the other changelings admire the fire.
“And this fire looks big enough to last the entire winter!” Ocellus added chipperly.
“Which means we get to do Thorax’s fun traditions. Yay.” Pharynx said with a roll of his eyes. Thorax nudged him gently. “What? I never said I was excited for the traditions you wanted us to try… I just knew doing them meant a lot to you.”
“Aww, Phar!”
“T-Thorax, don’t–”
Thorax scooped his brother into a hug, which Ocellus joined, giggling as she grinned up at the irritated beta changeling.
“If it helps, the love we’re sharing will help us refill our love reserves after draining them to make the fire.” Ocellus offered to him.
“It doesn’t.” Pharynx said flatly. But neither the young nymph nor Thorax let him go. Eventually, he sighed and leaned into the hug, though reluctantly.
Thorax smiled, looking up at the changelings surrounding them, talking and laughing, some of them even feeling warm enough to play in the snow still piled in the throne room. He smiled widely. They had done it.