048 Those Who Watch the Sky - 48
48 – Children thrust Into the Sky 6
The sun set slowly behind the western
horizon and the bishop stood upon the balcony of the cathedral’s main steeple.
His eyes were turned to the south and a gentle breeze pulled at his slim,
cassock inspired, white long coat. His hands were clasped behind his back and the
Mouser brothers from within the stairwell door watched those hands wearily.
They had failed at their jobs and had allowed Melody to extract Link from
Foothold uncontested. Their pride was perhaps as wounded as the bishop’s, but
as he was their client there was nothing they could do save for the chance to
restore their reputation. When that opportunity would come was a mystery to
them as after they reported Link’s escape the bishop had taken to the steeple
leaving the city in the hands of the civilian government and the lesser members
of the clergy. What he was waiting for or thinking was anyone’s guess and the Mouser
brothers simply wished he would hurry up.
Far to the south of Foothold and
standing on the open chest plate of his Dolmen, Elliot watched the sunset from
where his Dolmen stood on a train car built like a Dolmen bay. He shared in the
view with all of the other Dolmen upon the train including the general’s and
those of the first wave’s scout units. They were no longer outfitted for reconnaissance
and had been outfitted with external armor coats and heavy cannons. It was a
far cry from Elliot’s own bronze Dolmen, which while also outfitted with an
armored coat of the same blue colors of the others, was equipped only with its revolver
and a sword that had been fitted to the unit’s left hip matching Elliot’s own
armaments. Elliot was armed in further ways but they were invisible to others,
though Feast made his presence known to Elliot as he sat down beside him and
let his legs dangle off of the chest plate.
“I love sunsets… the warmth and the
color…”
“Do they remind you of blood
Feast?”
“Heh, you know me well Elliot… But,
sunsets are special. I can bathe myself in them without having to kill a soul.
They bring me a sense of peace that humans simply can’t. It’s why I wonder
about your attachment to that girl.”
“Link is my everything and
everything I could dream of being. Being closer to her helps me live that dream
if only a little…”
“Yet she torments you as much as
she comforts you.”
“She doesn’t know that and doesn’t
need to either…”
A soft smile spread across Elliot’s
face and he looked down, raising his right hand curling his fingers so as to
look at the tips. Resting his left arm on his knee, Feast leaned back and
looked at Elliot with his own kind of softness.
“You know, there are other ways
to grant your wish. You don’t have to dream about a legendary giant tree and the
possibilities it carries. Though perhaps you enjoy hating yourself and that’s
why I’m what I am. Had you shaped me in your ideal self-image–”
“You’d have ruined it Feast, and
destroyed any desire I have to live. Being Link’s sword would never be enough
then. I’d just be a monster tortured by my out of reach desires that burn away
at me from within.”
“And you aren’t a monster now?
You repaired this Dolmen with the bodies of the dead without thinking twice
about it and we both know you would kill again and again for her. Human life has
little meaning to you when compared to her.”
“That’s why I have to take being
the Knight Prince seriously. I don’t know what my duty is, but Her Eminence,
Lady Cardinal blessed me with a light that will allow me to fight any foe. I
can feel it welling up in me even now as we grow closer to Ibrand and I hope in
time I recognize the foe I am to use this light against. I can’t afford to mess
up as her light is what keeps us Sa·B·ers from becoming monsters and it will be
the symbol of my humanity. If I must kill my fellow human beings, then it must
only be those who will not relent otherwise.”
“So you’ll deprive yourself of
blood for light. I wonder if you can really call yourself human that way?”
“Ah–!”
Feast’s smile and words reached
Elliot in a way he did not expect, and he inhaled sharply in surprise. He was
reminded of the state Melody had ended up in after they had slain the White One
and a slight pain became visible on his face. Satisfied with Elliot’s reaction
Feast returned his gaze to the sunset and did not see the smile that Elliot
donned as he contemplated being a monster.
“Perhaps the truth is that all
humans are monsters, and we simply cling to the light to deny our true nature.
But then why do we hate ourselves so that we must change I wonder? What identity
do we desire to hold if not our own?”
“Do you really have the right to
ask those questions considering your own self loathing and desire to be someone
different, even if only a little bit from who you are now?”
“A fine question Feast. Your
insight and ability to help me reflect on myself and who I want to be is
strangely comforting.”
“It’s the sunset is all. It
keeps me calm and satisfied so I can be thoughtful myself without feeling quite
so vindictive.”
“The sunset huh?”
Watching the setting sun almost disappear
behind the horizon, Elliot became aware of the first few evening stars. Lifting
his head with a look of wonderment he gazed up into the darkening sky and marveled
at the stars. A melancholy donned on him and a thought nearly crossed his lips.
[The stars, hidden by the light of
day… They’re almost like the truth of a person. Countless facets of who someone
really is hidden away by the most brilliant, seen only in the darkest of
moments. But each one of those pinpricks of light is just as important to the whole
as the most visible, and perhaps to some more so. The star most difficult to
see by others could perhaps even be what’s most important. I know it’s true for
me at least, but a star that can only be seen in a darkness with no light also
terrifies me. What would I have to face for others to see that light I wonder,
and could I face it or those seeing me at such a time…?]
Elliot’s thoughts would not
continue to linger on his allegory between the sun and stars and people as a
flare to the south distracted him. Under it’s harsh, artificial light the shadows
of Dolmens and mounted soldiers alongside centaurs could be made out. The train
had reached the second wave of scouts and came to a halt to welcome them aboard
and prepare the Dolmens for the next part of the operation. During this time the
train became a flurry of activity and Elliot was escorted from his Dolmen to
one of several barracks cars where he settled down for the night. Even knowing
vaguely what lay ahead of him he soon fell fast asleep and did not notice when
the train again departed.
The peacefulness of the night
was nothing of note to Elliot, but for the bishop back in Foothold and the Mouser
brothers it would prove the turning point for the hunt for Link. The message
came from a messenger who was breathless as they reached the top of the steeple.
At last turning from where he had stood for more than half a day the bishop
turned to welcome the messenger. He did not say a word however, but rather ordered
the messenger to speak with but a look.
“Lord Bishop… *ha*…*ha* … the
report from the second checkpoint… states that there was no signs of the heretic
or a Choir agent. The redeployment of the first wave and accompanying retrieval
of the second wave proceeded with no noted difficulties or complications and the
supply train is en route per the operations timetable.”
“Well this is troublesome news
brother. Our targets didn’t show at all.”
“It is troublesome Lute. The
possibility now exists that the harpy girl realized the heretic was indeed a
heretic and has taken her position as a Choir agent seriously but didn’t trust
anyone here to handle a heretic properly.”
“Can you blame them brother?”
“Not at all.”
“I’m certain you two are more
than glad to forget your own involvement, but this news is actually good news.”
“Good news?”
The question was asked in unison
by the Mouser brothers and the bishop only answered them briefly as he still had
to address the messenger.
“Yes, good news. Soldier you may
return to your post.”
“Yes Lord Bishop.”
With the bishop’s permission the
messenger departed leaving him and the Mouser brother’s alone again. Turning
back to look out over the city and the southern skies the bishop better
explained to the brothers what it was he meant.
“It is obvious now that this
whole situation is being played by Bird and his cronies, including the sorcerer.
They all likely share the same suspicions of who the Sa·B·er accompanying
Sycamore is and is hoping that they’ll slaughter the lot of them. Then they’ll
flee with the Knight Prince in tow under the guise of tending to him. They’ve
robbed everything out from under me, but perhaps I still have an opportunity to
make this work for me. They have not accounted for you two or my willingness to
work with that Sa·B·er. Should things proceed as it is likely they are planning
then it will be possible to make a deal with that Sa·B·er. To that end, you two
are to leave in my stead and offer him an invitation to meet with me. It should
be a simple enough task, even more so than guard duty, though should you
encounter the Sycamore cursed girl simply retrieve her and Sycamore both if at
all possible. Though perhaps I am being to hopeful…”
Neither Mouser brother
particularly took kindly to the implications of the bishop’s words but did not
retort to openly. At most the bishop’s back received stern disapproving glares
before Pan Mouser simply shrugged dismissively.
“We shall see. Come Lute, the hunt
has begun.”
“It’s been too long brother. Let’s
enjoy it while we can, shall we?”
“Of course.”
Disappearing down the steeple
stairwell the Mouser brothers left the bishop alone overlooking the city.
Watching the lights dance below a smile made its way to his lips and he spoke
into the summer night air.
“You’ve really played your cards
well Bird. But you have none so powerful as that sorcerer in my city any longer.
I however have the research notes that he left behind that I can undoubtedly
use to bargain with that Sa·B·er. If his reputation holds true though then I
will soon be with no forces at my disposal and the High Bishop will be forced
to request the use of greater technology out her on Mergaol. At that point my
expertise will allow me to easily ascend to the rank of high bishop myself and
recover all that I’ve lost should the Mouser brothers fail me. Regardless, I will
have Sycamore’s secrets and return the Light of Hope to the Cardinal Church. Then
I can right the wrongs of those so foolish as to be led astray by the Sowers of
Chaos and the foolishness of Lucir. Once again the world will be as it should; at
peace in Her Eminences’ light with me possibly even finding my way to becoming
one of the cardinals. It’s been a troublesome road so far thanks to you being
here when I was granted the tools to destiny Bird, but destiny is unstoppable and
thus, so to am I.”
Copyright © 2019 Joshua D Tarwater
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