040 Those Who Watch the Sky - 40
40 – Children Seeking Their Own Sky 7
“Well, this is certainly an experience.”
Stepping into the operating room Balgun felt as though he
stepped off of Icarus. The brick and pipes typical of the labyrinth beneath
Foothold disappeared beyond the door and only darkness awaited within. Except
the darkness itself gave off light and Balgun could clearly see the raging
flames of darkness that consumed the room. Curious the old man traced his hand
through a flame and watched its reaction.
“Most interesting. Is this Nectar? Fascinating. Tangible
Nectar that responds to physical contact. I’ve never seen anything like this in
all my years. I believe I can understand now why these fools would disregard a
human life for their pursuit of knowledge. Deplorable, but unfortunately
understandable. Was this really your doing Hazel?”
Walking deeper into the operating room Balgun continued to
trace his hands through the flames while also studying how the flames and
ground responded to the metal stilts beneath his boots. The thing he most
noticed though was that an operating room was nowhere near the size of room
necessary to accommodate how far he had walked from the door. Then his
attention was drawn upwards by the sounds of jingling chains.
“Oh my…”
Looking up and coming to a stop Balgun found himself facing
a pair of massive green flames that resembled glowering eyes. Beneath them he
could make out amongst the flames those that had taken to resembling the flesh
rending teeth of a dragon. Balgun did not retreat but rather grabbed his right
elbow and jaw. Stroking his bushy mustache with his forefinger and thumb he
looked quizzically upon the beast that snarled at him from within the darkness.
“Yes, you must be the Foreigner. An impressive specimen I
must say as well. If I’m not mistaken you would be an Ambrosial Apparition.
That would explain the massive quantity of Nectar, though I ponder what makes
it so tangible to physical contact. Forgive me for being presumptuous but I
rather much doubt you care to answer or can.”
“You should not be here ~♪ We
are accepting no visitors at this time ~♪”
“Ho! What have we here?”
Tracing the space to the right of the snarling face with
his eyes, Balgun spotted a tiny blue light. It zipped behind the face of the
beast when it realized that Balgun had spotted it however. Smiling, Balgun
began strolling to the side to see behind the face and relocate the light.
“You should just leave ~♪ You
weren’t invited and if you anger us we can’t guarantee being able to control
the Beast ~♪”
“That would be problematic. A good thing then that I have
no intention of angering you.”
“Yet you spoke of understanding us being tormented ~♪ How
can we be sure you do not seek to anger us? ~♪”
“I would be lying if I said I did not desire to study you
myself. I have rarely been so intrigued by a Sa·B·er as I am you. But it
violates my ethics to study a living being as the fools here have done to you.
That and I am positive that Mote and Hazel would never forgive me if I did.”
“You know– No, we won’t be so tricked ~♪ We have been lied
to constantly since arriving here and have known nothing but pain, and pain
feeds that one of us, the Beast ~♪ Feeding the Beast is unwise as it grows
stronger the more it is fed so please leave ~♪”
“I see that you do know them, then this current state you
are in is only possible because of Hazel. Whatever was he thinking?”
For a moment a smile lifted Balgun’s moustache as the light
revealed its familiarity with Hazel Sycamore and the woman known as Mote. His
smile did not last though as he was able to acknowledge that Link was indeed a
victim of Hazel Sycamore and not his brother Lewis. Sighing he walked back to
before the beast and reached out one of his gauntlet clad hands. Gently, he
stroked the snout of the feral rage given Ambrosial flesh.
“I can’t imagine Hazel doing something like this and yet
here we are. Perhaps my talkative friend you would be willing to share with me
what transpired to result in this sorry state. I’m afraid the man who called me
here did not share the details and the fools of the Cardinal Church are too
fond of ignorance to admit to their crimes against you.”
“Why should you care? ~♪ Since arriving everyone we have
spoken with has wanted nothing but knowledge we do not desire to share ~♪ To
get it they have done nothing but hurt us ~♪ We do not know why either ~♪ We
offered our knowledge in exchange for aid becoming one again and yet instead we
were broken and have become many again instead ~♪”
“Then Elliot was
right about that.”
“Did you say Elliot? ~♪ Why would you speak the name of one
so important to us? ~♪”
“Hm? I was merely muttering to myself, but if you must know
Elliot claimed that the Saint had already saved you back at the dam and feared
that you were perhaps being treated as an unworthy due to a lack of knowledge
on the part of the church. Our conversation has revealed to me that he was
indeed correct. I had already suspected as much but stepping in here filled me
with doubt. I’ve heard of Sa·B·ers being consumed by the Foreigner’s that
possessed them long after conquering them, but I’ve never seen anything like
this. The state you are in beggar belief.”
“Then Elliot is well? ~♪ This one desires to know if that
is true as well as if it is true for Melody ~♪”
“The harpy girl? She seemed quite lively when I spoke with
her earlier today. Her thirst for knowledge was most endearing and I do look
forward to speaking with her more. As for Elliot, well, the boy seemed well
enough. It’s hard to say as it seems he is fast taking to life as a Sa·B·er of
the church and been given some fancy title or another.”
“No! ~♪ We do not desire Elliot to join with these people
who are nothing but cruel ~♪”
“Nothing but cruel? I would not be so quick to judge from
only meeting a handful of members of the Saint’s church. A few pieces do not
make the whole. I would like to presume that you are intimately familiar with
that concept.”
Leaning backwards Balgun looked off to the left side of the
Beast’s head as he spoke. He did not expect to see the light again and was
pleasantly surprised when a very tiny blue girl stuck her head out from behind
the Beast’s head. It was Balgun’s first time seeing Link in any capacity and he
smiled softly to her finger long mermaid counterpart. She was not feeling as
friendly however and complained about Balgun’s last statement with a pout.
“You have a trickster’s tongue and your words are hurtful
~♪ But they are truthful words and the pain is ours to feel and not yours to
inflict ~♪ But we also realize that you desire to see the last us ~♪”
“I would be delighted to. I did come after all to meet you
and not just pieces of you. It is most frustrating that they’ve done this to
you, and it makes my blood boil no matter how much my curiosity is peaked by
you. I would love nothing more than to study you myself as well, but I believe
there is plenty I can learn from the notes of the fools here to that end with
all that they have done to you. However, there is only so much I can learn from
them whereas you can teach me so much more my dear.”
“Us teach you? ~♪ But you seem so old that it is hard to
believe that we can teach you anything ~♪ It seems more likely that you could
teach us a great deal ~♪ If we were better we would love nothing more than to
hear the tales of such a small old man with such big hands ~♪”
“Why not learn from me now? It seems a fair exchange after
all. I get to learn about you and you about me. And if that is not enough I can
relay any messages you have for Elliot and the harpy girl as well. Though that
seems a given courtesy as I have already delivered knowledge of their wellbeing
to you. Though without seeing the last of you it may be difficult for them to
believe me. Though I understand you’re concern, I’m a stranger and one your
tormentors have let in here no less. Ha! You’ve reminded me I have yet to
introduce myself.”
Stepping back away from the beast so that Link’s mermaid
self could better see him, Balgun performed a fine gentlemen’s bow. Looking up
he smiled and winked at the mermaid and beast as he introduced himself.
“Though many have taken issue with me, I am still one of
the most respected and renowned scholars on the face of Icarus. An adventurer
in search of knowledge long lost and engineer seeking to understand the
technologies of the Ancients. Above all the I am student of the weaving of
Nectar into spells and am most commonly known as Sorcerer Balgun. It is a pleasure
to make you acquaintance my dear girl.”
Balgun’s smile faded as he noted a very distinct change in
the atmosphere within the flaming darkness. The Beast had ceased it’s snarling
and fell quite which was usually the sign that a beast would soon strike. The
only thing that kept Balgun holding his formal bow instead of bracing for
combat was the widening of the mermaid’s eyes as she held her hands to her
mouth.
“Did you say that you are a sorcerer?! ~♪”
“Why yes my dear. If I might be so brazen, I would even say
one of the most powerful on the whole of Icarus.”
“And you said you were willing to teach us? ~♪”
“It seems only a fair exchange for learning about you my
dear.”
“Would that invitation perhaps include a willingness to
teach us magic? ~♪”
“Ho~! You’ve an interest in magic have you? Well, it’s been
sometime since last I took on a student and I must say I am interested to see
how much potential you have seeing this space about us.”
“Then you must come! ~♪ Our desire for adventure is only
matched by our desire to learn magic and become a world-renowned adventurer!
~♪”
Zipping out from behind the face of the Beast the mermaid
version of Link finally revealed itself to Balgun. It did not seem concerned
anymore as it was too busy pointing a commanding finger at the Beast.
“You stay here Beast and keep snarling at the ones beyond
~♪ It is not time for them to speak with us again, but this one will gleefully
bring the sorcerer to meet that last of us ~♪”
Obeying the commands of the mermaid the Beast rose and
Balgun became quite aware of just how massive the creature was. He felt quite
miniscule next to it and felt as though it walked over him growing ever larger
as it headed towards the operating room door. He was not allowed to stand idly
marveling at the Beast however as the mermaid demanded his attention.
“Come now! ~♪ Quickly Sorcerer! ~♪ We are still weak from
the cruelty of the ones outside and desire to sleep a great deal ~♪ Only our
desire to meet you is letting us fend off our desire to sleep, but it is a
losing battle ~♪
“Is that so. Then please my dear, lead on.”
Balgun was not sure what he expected to find in the
darkness as he was led ever deeper into it by the finger long mermaid that swam
through the air. He did however know what he hoped to see and was not sure
quite how felt when he reached yet another toothy maw like the one that the
Beast possessed. This one was far larger though than what the Beast had shown
him as the teeth were larger than a person and served as ample bars to a cage
with flaming green eyes above serving as the guard. Balgun paid the eyes little
heed even as he could feel them watching him as he approached. Somewhere deep
in his mind he pondered just what was the nature of this Foreigner parasite as
well as how fractured Link was and what it meant that the mermaid her referred
to her as the last. Whatever the answers to his unvoiced questions they would
all be answered by the shape of girl in the darkness sitting beyond the teeth
of her cage with her arms wrapped around her knees and her face buried into
them.
“Forgive my intrusion my dear, but I just had to meet you
tonight.”
“Is it really night? I’ve lost track of time and haven’t
seen the sky in what feels like forever… But it’s okay now… I can sleep safely
here if you tell them that I’m still in here; right? You’ll teach me magic and
help me put myself back together again so I can leave…”
“I’ll do what I can for you my dear, but truth be told, I
may have to help you escape from here more than walk out a Sa·B·er of the
church.”
“But I’ll get to leave and see Elliot and Melody again,
right?”
“At the very least I’ll get you out of here and help you
track them down should keeping them in Foothold prove impossible.”
“I guess that’s enough. If I learn magic though I should be
better able to control the scarier parts of me and then go looking on my own.
If I can claim more than just its gate then I’ll be so strong that no one can
stop me.”
“Control it’s gate? Do you mean to tell me that you can
control the Foreigner Parasite’s Ambrosial gate?”
Dumbstruck Balgun let the questions spill forth and he took
a step back trying to comprehend how it was possible to utilize another beings
Ambrosial Gate. His thoughts and questions all came to a halt however as Link
slowly lifted her head reveling that her face and hairline were all still human
and not the flaming darkness that threatened to consume her. Opening her
massive sea gem green eyes slowly to look upon Balgun as she lifted her head
Link wore a beaming smile from ear to ear. Transfixed by the eyes of a color he
had not seen in twenty years Balgun nearly forgot himself. Had he realized how
much younger Link was looking in the face compared to when she arrived he
probably would have had even more questions to ask her as her face was almost
too childish now for her maturely developed fifteen year old body. The next
spoken words were not by either Link or Balgun however, but rather the mermaid
again who freely swam into the cage and about Link.
“Do you hear his speech? ~♪ He is intrigued and willing to
help us! ~♪”
“Sorry if I don’t get up… I don’t have as much energy as my
little me right now… But I really am excited to learn magic… It makes me so
happy that you’re going to teach me though… oh yeah, I’m Link… it’s nice to
meet you Balgun…!”
Link’s sleepiness was obvious and she struggled to
transition from one sentence to the other. Still she persisted, though even the
childish energy she spoke with could not overcome her exhaustion. Closing her
eyes as she smiled even brighter and tilted her head playfully to one side she
finally gave out and fell asleep.
Copyright © 2019 Joshua D Tarwater
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