Attack

Y’aaku. That was the child’s name. In the days that followed, Y’aaku slowly regained her color and life. Her skin was smooth and light grey. Her eyes were deep and pink. Though she could barely speak, everyone agreed she was getting better. Pockmarks faded. Raw vocals turned soft. And, with time, the subtlest signs of a smile appeared.

Echo and Y’aaku were given shelter in the last empty space in Azag’s back hall. Having Sayane near her made tending to Y’aaku easier. Echo, to his credit, threw himself into helping in the district. Every day, he set out to clean water lines, gather and serve food, and provide whatever handwork he could. His heart had genuinely changed.

Though many in the district still passed silent judgement on the origin of his change, none could deny its authenticity.

For Sayane, it was all starting to feel too much once more. Carrying such a wonderful burden came with its own struggles. Even though she cherished every night of singing there in The Shattered Stone, she couldn’t help but feel she needed to be doing more.

With every revelation of power and every new instrument capability, she found herself feeling a need to go bigger. Bigger meant helping more people. But it also meant more risk to herself and those she cared for. It also meant figuring out what her relationship with The Revolution would be.

Again, thinking on it almost became too much. So for the immediate moment, she focused on Y’aaku, and helping Attis decorate his nook.

That was what she found herself doing that evening. Attis had bartered a small amount of trinkets from Can-Mo and several other vendors. Sayane had joined him on his shopping day so that she could carry his decorations. As the had walked through The Underworld’s myriad shops, Sayane found more and more people bowing to her. More importantly, she was learning more and more names and faces.

There was Anhahan, her blind cat friend, who sold incense. Custarsi was an elderly mass of wood and mushroom who sold fresh produce. Sayane had yet to adjust to the vinegar taste, but she still frequently traded pleasant humming melodies for bundles of the unusual greens. Can-Mo was beyond familiar now, officially agreeing to be Sayane’s exclusive tailor. Pinst was another tinkerer, who frequently swapped parts with Azag.

All of these beings carried their own stories and sorrows, but also carried joys and laughs. Time was surprisingly gentle then. For a few weeks there, in the flurry of regaining her voice, soothing the pained hearts of hundreds, learning a new instrument, developing an attraction to Azag, and curing a child of disease, Sayane had almost forgotten this was not her first reality.

It was impossible to decipher if either was more true than the other. At times. Sayane would find herself wondering if this was some hyper-realistic hallucination as she faded from life after being crushed in her previous life. One day, she realized she was no longer thinking of the previous world as the ‘real’ world. It was simply her previous world. Now, she was here, helping a furry mass of fangs stage his reading area.

“Oh, the recliner bag shall be lovely here!” Attis clapped as he observed the placement of a small padded satchel.

“I like your closet house,” said a small voice from behind them.

Attis and Sayane turned to see Y’aaku slowly walking towards them, with Echo holding her hand for support.

Sayane and Attis both clapped and jumped in unison.

“Bless my spirit! Look who is up and about!” Attis cheered as he leapt down from his shelf to greet the child.

“Y’aaku! You’re walking so well! I’m so proud of you!” Sayane cheered.

Echo smiled a kind smile and bowed to them both.

“We’re still taking it very easy, but she wanted to go tell Mr. Azag thank you for letting us live here. So we’re going to the tavern,” explained Echo.

“We should all go thank Mr. Azag! He’s let quite a few of us come live in his building!” Attis smiled.

“That’s a lovely idea,” Sayane agreed.

The four of them slowly made their way down the hall and entered the tavern. By this point, Azag was leaving Esca in the corner. That was where they found him, tinkering away. His back was to them and Sayane noticed his mask was off. When he heard them approaching, he swiftly picked up the mask and latched it into place before turning and facing them. Upon seeing Y’aaku up and walking, Azag let out a quiet grunt.

Sayane heard him start to speak but he stopped, and Sayane realized he was steadying his voice from tears. Realizing that brought tears to her own eyes. Seconds passed and Azag finally spoke.

“It is lovely to see you, young friend,” he said.

“Your voice is very deep. I like your face. You have blue eyes. What is your metal friend’s name?” Y’aaku asked in a childish stream of consciousness.

All of them laughed.

“Well, thank you. And thank you, I made my mask myself. And yes, my eyes glow blue. And her name is Esca.”

Echo led Y’aaku closer.

“Aaaaaalso, didn’t you have something else to say?”

“Oh yes. Thank you for letting me live here, Mr. Azag,” said Y’aaku.

“Thank you for letting me live here, Mr. Azag!” said the three adults.

Azag laughed and shook his head.

“I am not used to thanks. You are all welcome. And you are all welcome here. Always.”

Sayane met his gaze and he didn’t immediately look away. After everything, and after their embrace in the hallway, Sayane felt herself becoming more drawn to him. Every complexity perplexed her while simultaneously unveiling more of his secrets. He was hateful, taciturn, and isolated, but he was compassionate, empathetic, and willing to grow. And his hands could hold Sayane’s entire waist.

Beyond the complex emotions, there was also a simple girly and womanly blush to Sayane as she thought about his voice, stature, and hands.

As they stood there, she wondered if he felt the same. The blank mask and silence did not give her any clues.

Echo spoke up and broke their gaze.

“Well, I’m going to return Y’aaku to bed before fetching dinner for us both.”

“I shall join you for dinner,” said Attis.

“As will I,” Sayane agreed.

“I will stay and watch over her and the Stone. I will go after,” said Azag.

“Would you like me to wait?” Sayane asked, hoping he’d say yes.

But he didn’t. Instead he shook his head.

“You can go with them. I’ll be a little while longer,” he said as he turned back to Esca.

Sayane accepted defeat and prepared to depart.

Minutes later, she was back at the top of the winding stairs and entering the Omega Bazaar. Familiar scents pulled Sayane towards the food line and she knew this meant dinner would be a spiced soup of vegetables and something resembling cabbage. It had become her favorite dish.

“I’m very happy to see her up and moving,” Sayane said to Echo.

“Aye,” agreed Attis.

“I cannot thank you enough, Sayane. You are truly an incredible songstress,” said Echo.

“Best songstress in the world!” Attis cheered.

Sayane laughed.

“Best in class in a class of one! My kind of odds!”

“Hey, take the victories where you can!” Attis said as he breathed in deep through his nose.

Above them, there was a thunderous hum. It happened so quick, and was such a strange noise, Sayane didn’t even think to be concerned. Nor did Attis. Only Echo stopped. His eyes widened as he listened.

“I think I’ll treat myself to a second bowl tonight!” Attis said without concern.

Sayane noticed Echo was stationary, listening with focus.

“Echo?” Sayane asked.

Now the hum registered. Not just for her. Attis’s ear twitched. Beside them, several other beings stopped.

“Oh darkness, no…” said Echo as the color left his eyes.

Then the explosion happened.

A single beam of pure, raw wrath tore through the guard plate high above them. Its terror tore through the open air near the massive waterfall and down onto the lines of waiting dinner attendees. Heat and energy were so intense, the entire waterfall instantly evaporated into a concussion of scorching steam. By the time Sayane realized what was happening, the explosion’s force was throwing her and her companions across the open space like ragdolls.

Screams of suffering and terror burst across the space as everyone struggled to comprehend what had happened. Then the hovering drones appeared. Sayane looked up through bloodied eyes to see dozens of floating death machines entering through the gaping hole that was now exposing the bazaar to the world above.

Attis let out a grunt of pain as Echo gasped in agony.

“Echo! Sayane! Sayane!!” Attis called out as the steam began to envelop them.

Sayane couldn’t move. All she could do was look up in terror as the drones entered the secret realm. Glowing red targeting beams cut through the steam with murderous intent. Fires roses from the attack beam’s crater.

The Silence was here.

The invasion of The Underworld had begun.