"Ugh...Help?"
Orion was flat on his back when he woke up. Looming over him was the tree but it was no longer gray and decrepit. The golden and red blossoms had returned and where the fruits once were there were now fresh buds with golden light trailing out of them. In the far distance, he could hear the faint chirping of birds returning to the forest.
He slowly turned his head and saw Shen sitting cross-legged in a deep meditation at the base of the tree.
"Awake you are!" Kennen beamed, his head popping into view with oversized blue eyes blinking and ears twitching.
"...Help?"
Kennen shook his head. "No can do. You just have to lay there for a while."
Very slowly Orion's gaze turned downward.
Ah, My skeletal look has returned...
"The spirits and souls are moving on," Kennen said, bringing Orion's attention back up. "Shen is helping with their departure."
"Though some spirits do not wish to depart just yet," he finished amused, eyeing wisps of gold, turquoise, and more that had begun to dance in the air.
"Why not?" Orion asked, quietly satisfied as he watched the beautiful spectacle descend.
"Why do you think?" Kennen answered gleefully.
Orion blinked as they came closer and closer. It really was beautiful and somehow he could feel their friendly intent as wisps of light reached out.
When they touched his body, he felt warmth radiating through him and his body began to glow. His fatigue faded and looking down with surprise, he saw his body filling back out and a healthy glow returning to his skin.
"They are thankful," Kennen hummed as the spirits broke away.
Orion, bewildered, turned his arms and flexed his hands as he sat up. A slow smile grew on his face and he looked up at the dancing wisps.
"Thank you," Orion said and paused for a moment. "If it isn't too much trouble, could you help out another young lady at the temple? She's missing a leg..."
The spirits responded with a radiant glow, flowing in the air like silk veils in a dance, before shooting off into the forest.
All but one wisp remained and it hovered at Orion's feet.
Coo...
Orion blinked, then smiled faintly. "I didn't expect to see you again."
The green and white mist began to concentrate, and green, fox-like eyes popped into existence. Next came its shining white fur that faded into a vibrant green at the base of its tail, and then a similar hue formed lining its eyes and ears. These colors moved and shifted with a seemingly will of their own.
Once fully materialized, a ripple of rainbow colors spread across its fur and it sat, cooing at him again softly.
"All of the spirits and souls have departed," Shen said, standing up. "All but this one. How do you know each other?"
"We met at a menagerie in Piltover," Orion said, patting its head and it let out high-pitched happy yips. "A nine-tailed Ionian lady broke it out while I was running a gig."
"Nine tails," Shen mused, exchanging a glance with Kennen who shrugged, "It could have been."
While petting the fox's head, Orion suddenly felt a strange sensation of happiness and curiosity except it wasn't his. His gaze returned to the spirit fox panting smile and happy yipping and figured it out.
"I can feel the fox's emotions," Orion exclaimed.
Shen and Kennen exchanged looks again before Kennen slowly spoke up, "If you can feel the spirit fox's emotions then..."
Shen sighed, shaking his head slightly. "Congratulations. You have a new traveling companion."
"What?" Orion stared blanked and the fox yipped.
"It may leave at any time," Shen continued. "But for now it looks like it has taken an interest in you. Out of gratitude and perhaps because of the unusual magic you possess."
A fox spirit. How amusing. As if the universe does not contain enough of mischievous creatures.
Orion shook his head as the familiar cosmic voice echoed in his mind and the fox yipped angrily, pacing side to side as if startled by something it couldn't see.
Aurelion's dismissive laughter echoed back in return which only seemed to agitate the fox further.
"I have a dragon picking on a fox..." Orion commented dryly, glancing at Kennen's curious expression.
"Ah..."
------
Meanwhile, back at Xuanain Temple the lights danced with the colors of freed wisps. The residents stared up in awe and some of the kids ran down the pathways reaching up trying to catch one.
"Their mission was a success," Mayyam commented with her arms crossed, her judging expression neutral until several of the wisps descended.
"Faey!"
"Huh, what is...?!" Faey began, looking up with childlike curiosity until multiple wisps swung down toward her. She stiffened unconsciously as they danced around her before swirling around her missing leg.
"Mayyam...?" Faey whispered, her crutch slipping from her grasp as her missing leg below her knee slowly began to materialize.
Mayyam, who had already begun sprinting toward her, slowed to a halt. She stared between the forming limb and Faey's stunned face.
Faey wiggled her toes, bent her knee a few times, and finally looked back up at Mayyam with tears beginning to swell in her eyes.
"Mayyam...?" Faey sobbed, tears starting to fall freely.
Mayyam breathed out with relief and joy. She rushed forward and pulled Faey into a tight embrace and she felt herself beginning to tear up too.
Their embrace broke when a basket clattered against the ground.
Akali stood there frozen, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"Faey," Akali gasped. "Your leg! It's back!"
Faey wiped at her tears and laughed softly through them, taking unsteady steps forward before wrapping her arms around Akali in a sudden hug. Akali stiffened, unsure how to act for a moment before hugging her back just as tightly.
Just as quickly Akali began to cry too.
Mayyam watched them both, her expression softening as she rested a hand gently on their heads. She looked up realizing it wasn't just Faey. Others who had lost limbs were beginning to break down in joy after their limbs re-materialized with their loved ones held them tight.
"What in the world...?"