Occam’s Razor

Mr. Ren had started a fire, and we huddled around it while Mr. Journeyman fished some sea creatures to eat, and Lady Scarlet cuddled Buddy and me. We decided it was best to spend some time commemorating Mr. Jason and those we lost along the way and learn more from Mr. Journeyman.

After Mr. Journeyman returned with some fish-like creature with six stumpy legs, we sat around the fire as Lady Scarlet and Mr. Ren continued to probe Mr. Journeyman for information. I would have liked to join them, but I didn’t know very much, so I would just get in the way. So I just listened in.

“So, Journeyman, why are you helping us to find the chalice? Why not anyone else?” Lady Scarlet asked.

“I suppose that is an excellent question. Well, to answer your question, you are far from the first I have attempted to assist.”

“You have helped others?”

“Indeed, many other species are from various different entry points.”

“You mean from the other worlds, the different rifts?”

“Yes, I had tried to assist them. But that awful Laughing Man has always intervened and killed those who had gotten close. Others gave up and went off to assist others entering the rift for the first time.”

“You mean like the Teraxious?”

“Oh my, did they come and assist you with the knowledge of the rift? Yes indeed, I assisted them. I was the one who gave them the knowledge of the rift.”

This seemed to surprise Lady Scarlet and Mr. Ren. So, the tales we had been taught were all passed along from Mr. Journeyman. He must be very smart if he taught Lady Zaloneas and others like her.

“If you assisted them, why didn’t you tell them to warn others of the Laughing Man?” Lady Scarlet snapped at him.

“What do you mean? Of course I told them. They witnessed it themselves. Let’s see, what did I call the Laughing Man at the time…?” He paused to think. “Oh yes, that’s right. I called him the man with the crescent moon smile because his smile looked like a crescent moon. It was a good name; I did like it, but it didn’t roll off the tongue.”

“No day or night in the Chaos lands, but a Crescent Moon, a legend spans. The moonlight’s reflection is a cruel liar, preventing you from finding your desire.” I recited from what Miss Zaloneas told me.

“What’s that kid?” Mr. Ren asked.

“Oh, so you heard that little poem. That certainly wasn’t one of my best works. But I must confess I am surprised you didn’t know about the laughing man if you knew the tale. I did say the laughing man would prevent you from finding the chalice.”

“Why didn’t you just say something along the lines of; there is a shapeshifting monster that will try and stop you from finding the chalice?” Lady Scarlet asked, clearly annoyed.

I had to agree with Lady Scarlet. If Mr. Journeyman wanted to warn us, why didn’t he just say it clearly? Maybe he wasn’t good with his words. I wasn’t good with my words. He knew fancy words. He was clearly much smarter than me.

“I thought those I told would simply tell the adults about the Smiling Man and use that poem for the children to keep them safe. I had no idea the adults would be foolish enough not to forget to warn about anything else. For that, I am sorry.”

Lady Scarlet and Mr. Ren both sighed. It seems like they accepted this answer from Mr. Journeyman. I didn’t get it, but if Lady Scarlet and Mr. Ren understood, then maybe it was fine.

Some time passed before Lady Scarlet asked another question.

“Did you ever try to get the chalice for yourself before you were all bones?”

“I did, though I can no longer remember the extent of my past. I can remember I lost my dear love, my dear maple. And so I wandered, trying to save her until my own limitations caught up. Now, all I can do is assist the other looking for it.”

“Is that not sad?” Lady Scarlet asked, concerned. I also think it would be lonely to lose everyone close to you and be forced to walk alone. I felt this way about Mr. Journeyman, I felt this way about the Maestro, and I felt this way about Mr. Xilu. Maybe it was because I, too, had been lonely alone in my room.

“I suppose my heart has wilted and died. Though the memory of my love lives, I have grown numb. I have seen too many perish. Much like your friend, I cared not for his death, only the cause of it. I am truly sorry for that. I suppose I’m very much the monster of the laughing man. I no longer have a heart for such human emotions.” The Journeyman sorrowfully commented.

I didn’t like the sound of Mr Journeyman not having a heart. It made me sad, and I don’t like being sad, so I imagine not having a heart is sad and lonely as well. I may be a dummy, useless, but that didn’t mean I had to accept this. I wanted to learn more, to no longer be useless. I opened the book I had brought with me.

It was the one from Mr. Library’s room. It was a story about a prince rescuing a princess. Though I could not read it properly, I had heard the tale from Lady Scarlet reading it to me. The pictures in it also made the story clear.

Books are magical, so the pages must be, too. I quietly tore out a page of the prince and princess reuniting at the end. Quietly, I did my best to make a heart with the picture. I wasn’t very good, but it turned out alright.

“Here, Mr journeyman,” I said, giving him the paper I had torn into the shape of a heart. “I made you a new heart.”

Lady Scarlet made a cute squealing noise when I did this. I had gotten to know this was the noise she made when she thought I did something cute. But what was cute about this? I was just gifting Mr. Journeyman a heart. Everyone should have one of those.

“Why, thank you, kid. I shall put this in a very special place.” He took off his top hat and placed the paper hat inside before putting it back on.

I may be a stupid girl, but even I know that’s not where hearts are meant to go.

“That’s not where a heart goes, silly,” I told him.

Mr. Ren and Lady Scarlet looked like they were holding something in. Mr. Journeyman looked over at them and then back to me.

“Oh, you are quite right; where should a heart go?”

I pointed at his chest.

“Oh, I see, so a heart goes in there. Well then, I should put it in there.” His voice had a particular tone, acting like he was playing along with something. But he was the silly one putting his heart in his hat. So he was the silly one. Not me, for once.

He took the heart out of his hat and into his chest.

“Is this correct?” He asked me.

“Yes, that’s where a heart goes,” I told him confidently.

“Well, I will have to be careful not to lose my new heart.”

“Kid, you’ve had a very long and emotionally draining day. Why don’t you get some rest with Buddy?” Mr. Ren offered.

I was feeling a little tired, so I thought I might take a slight nap. As I lay down, almost asleep, I overheard Mr Ren, Lady Scarlet, and Journeyman continuing to speak.

“If you can’t answer us, that’s fine, but are you the bones of the former god Xilu?”

──✩₊⁺⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧──

End Chapter 21