10 - i

 X - i

“...she’s awake?”

“More or less - close enough, I suppose…our fellow pickles are gushing over her every time she twitches…that’s a per second rate, at this point”

We need a renaming session

“...I’ll be there in a bit…want to take a little sun in first”

“I’d rather not spoil my eyes just yet, as well”

You really have it for them

Mikota breathed deeply, notching his saber ahead - rolling it out once, before swiftly sheathing - hiss, and click.

Three hours after dawn…training done for the day…grass rubbed off to cool his hands - cold air drenching the peak glancing off his body as the ‘thrumming’ warmed him up.

…part 6: standing

Head craning high, he shut his eyes - arms falling bent over his hips.

Yesterday’s class with Evaine was…suprisingly calm, given the little impromptu slipper fight intro. He’d listened to her explaining what her classes with him would focus on - Saridus had given him the rundown of it earlier, too - sensing the structure of Dragon blood through cube-thingy, or rather, a fragment of the Dragon’s nail.

Too bad she hid it the entire time…kinda wanted to see what it looked like

He could understand why, though. She wanted him to develop his senses with as little references as possible. Walking blind first, understanding the type of reference he needed, and then receiving it was far more effective than receiving everything at once, and trying to make sense of it all.

And that vial of scent - what was that? It smelled wonderful, and somehow after, he was out in just a few minutes after their class - despite regularly laying awake late every night until the last one, Saridus-chatting until his eyes finally fell over.

“What was the thing, Saridus? That Evaine had me smell at the end of her class?”

“Talking about Evaine’s neck buddy? That’s Night Oil. Its scent is very soothing to the mind, apparently”

“Night Oil…it was incredible…where did she get it from?”

“Nymph-feathers. They live underwater, rooted to the seabed. Pumps out loads of the good stuff when something brushes by”

“Woah…hey, that’s so cool! All I’d have to do as a fish is swim close to keep it coming?”

“Yes! And fall asleep in ten seconds, right as it starts to eat you. Alive!”

“H-hah!?”

“Welcome to Elegaidra, Mik - she plays hard to get. Name of the game: it’s probably carnivorous."

…full time, or…?

Sighing, Mikota opened his eyes.

Albic sky, dappling brighter still as it gently bled down the mountain - dark mullions from the forest behind digging into its tarping flesh.

Right behind him…the forest.

Grey, billowing lathers frocked it, spools of sinew fraying out lavishly - the sea of the sky…brighter, brighter…cinder strands now leaking out from the louder light, sewing across the heavens.


Okay - how am I supposed to sketch this?

“...it’s so…the clouds here, they keep circling around the peak…I’ve never seen them cross us from above…kinda wish it would, in noon especially - cannot walk out here then”

“The sky - like any respectable phenomena and divine being - is obviously conscious of symmetry, Mikota - forest runs around the peak, clouds run around the peak. I adore it”

Visible, that

“Yeah, but what about the Sun cooking both the peak and me alive? Dragon blood does not help”

“...I mean, we could…set up a tent here?”

Mikota fingered his lip. Here, right by the forest, a cool breeze did pass often, but even for shade, entering it was still…

…no. Please

“...yeah, let’s do that after”

~

“I don’t know what’s more frustrating: the fact that we’re still stuck to a simple white-shirt-black-pant combo, or the fact that our only guidance through the outside world happens to be our three delightful companions shaking up rent-free in our tower. Exhibit A: leaf girl, who can’t speak her mind for once in her thumb-twiddling life; Exhibit B: Ms Two-bit, short-fused jerk who keeps poking that stick of hers down to gut open the beautiful undented earth, and - let’s be honest here - probably using it to exercise some fetish or another in the modern sense; Exhibit C: Our dear Ms. Bowelless - we don’t even know what glittering fortunes are behind her closed doors, but the first time we sized her up, she was real gutsy. Literally. Do you see the issue here, Mik?”

“...uhh…huahh…?”

…never ‘how look our prospects?’-ing again

Light wet his back, warmth gently prickling as he trekked up the last bulge - teal-licked, conical rooftop cutting up the earth from ahead, as he wedged his boot on the grassy sheer - wrenching up to the zenith of the peak.

…Last one down

The bone-white column of the tower pumped up and down, as he walked up the plateau mounds - the dark oculus embossed below the roofing spire opaque as he peered at it.

They’re in there already, then.

“...how long have they been up?”

“...I’m glad you’re giving real thought to my impeccable analysis…also, please - we have to change, Mikota - look at us! Professionals, dressing like this!?”

“...maybe we can ask Ms Evaine for something, but…why isn’t this fine?”

“Trust me, unless you want carbon copies of the same loose grey robes with make-do collar embroidery, don’t bother”

…how is that a bad thing?

The dark mahogany door neared, obsidian mullions stripping across its body.

“...say.. you wore it, right? Looked pretty good to me…only issue is - I’d probably trip while running and all. What I’m wearing right now…this is it, Saridus. The epitome of adventuring apparel"

“...I was going to cut you at the ‘Saridus looks amazing’ bit - true in all cases by the way - bless-your-pure-holy-soul - but you’re demonstrating my point: how can either of us accept these…rags to sheath our radiant minds? ‘Tis a necessity, raising your standards for the ‘epitome’. Think about the tales they will tell for this one err you - in one path of life - never remedied…Will you abandon your fate to certain evisceration down the ages - Stories of you coursing down jeering crowds as they shatter the air in your travesties!? Think grander, Mikota…for we are”

“...where would we even get the materials, like cloth and all? Do you know how to sew? Do we have a thread and needle?”

“Hey, the way I see it - we’d pull off the full-cloak far better than any of our pickle trio - quick unconsented borrowing, that one - and as for stitching…we can just bother Evaine until she gives in - she’ll have to, at the insistence of her precious apprentice!”

Mikota sighed as he stepped near the doorstep - patting the door as his fingers coiled on the dials, discs clicking as he spun them delicately in the order.

“...are you seriously fine with another slipper-throwing bout? When I mentioned you…I don’t want to see that look again…”

“...fiiine…mhmm…Aha! Leaf girl also sews regularly on a small scale, while exchanging gel sacks to keep her leaves fresh! Perfect. If we threaten her enough-”

Mikota’s fists tightened.

“Saridus, please! They’re still learning, okay? Yes, they made mistakes! It’s…it happens…we haven’t seen them at their best…look at Chanelle - she’s already getting the hang of her Helical Rapier!”

“Your design!”

“We did it together!”

“Since when is adding sassy remarks aiding?”

…this feeling…why do I want to-

Was this why his…his father…no…No-

“...t-that word….what does it mean…?”

There was another…pit - no, a surge-

“...It means we’d have a better chance if we had - I-can’t-believe-saying-this - Bongo Drums escorting us out. Listen, buddy. I heard everything he said, and let me just say - Wow. These are some proper idiots we’ve crossed paths with - they haven’t even told you why they came here!”

“...t-that’s true, but…”

“...but?”

Fingers slipping off the knob, he sank down on his knees.

“...maybe they’ll tell me when they’re ready…like with my duel with Ziekkah’s apprentice”

Saridus cleared his throat.

“...Yes, they probably will”

“Wai-hah!? Then why did you…Saridus?”

“Now, from one to ten - rate my impromptu anger-exposure therapy!”

“...w-what?”

“Findings from this show: Yes, you really don't know how to manage people disagreeing with you, and will absolutely hit rock bottom when confronting this - so, that’s a new lesson plan added to our nighttime routine…and two…are sure we can’t exploit Limani? That was improv and all, but the ramifications are…oh - what? It’s a good idea!”

“...I…am so…”

~

“...Chanelle…I get that you’re-”

“-Shhh…for sure this time…”

Limani yawned, straightening her locks.

…maybe I should sleep with a cap…my hair’s a mess…if he walks in right now-

Celia stirred, lashes twitching as bulges rolled around her eyelids again.

“...why is she doing that…is this supposed to happen? Why didn’t Ms. Evaine tell us anything? Honestly…”

“...don’t know, Chan…”

It was probably the earliest the two of them had ever woken up…if she ignored that one time when Pops first tested her hearing device. It did not help that bedtime story that day centered around the sky cracking.

Yawning, Chanelle rubbed her eyes, trying to get the sleep out.

Make your goddamn mind up - are you tired or do you wanna move?

One of those days, again-

Don’t even try - it is NOT that…what the hell even happened yesterday?

All she could remember was the sky darkening, and all of them disappearing from existence. From what Limani said - an extremely powerful mage suddenly showed up to their tower…and somewhere between that, she’d been knocked out cold. When she came to, it was already over.

Mikota wouldn’t say any more. And Limani wouldn’t dare ask him…and-

-I can’t…not me…

It was just…too hard. Even just setting aside the fact that he could cook - he was really…he just wasn’t the type of person that she could even think of blaming, or losing it at without cringing.

Back at the guild - which she was starting to believe was just a really weird dream now - picking fights was a third of the day…the next third being Limani patiently wrangling her and Celia out of a brawl, profusely apologising to another asshole…oh, and the last part!

What exactly did their efforts to pursue their adventuring dream to date - for which she whined and yelled at Pops for day and night until he finally let her go out on her own - accumulate to after three years?

Gathering herbs.

…no…shut up…Shut. Up-

“Chanelle…? You-”

“I’m Fine!”

…what? No-

Chanelle looked up, catching Limani curling her lip as she hugged herself.

“...right”

“...sorry, Linnie…I wasn’t…I don’t know…I just keep thinking back to…”

…why did I wake you up?

“...Chan, I get you can’t sleep, but Celia’ll wake up when she does, okay? And…by the way-”

Limani pointed at the dark-stained oculus.

“Did you know that Mikota was already awake before us, even today…? I saw him walking up a little earlier…”

Chanelle sat up, goring Limani - who for some reason, didn’t look a least bit-

“...why were you watching him?”

“I just saw him, okay? Stop turning every…hughh…how do you even have the energy for-”

The door quietly flinched open, the two of them yelping quietly as Mikota stepped, a tray of sandwiches in hand as she waved cordially.

…he’s a boy…idiot…

He’d found his clip again…and his curly hair really was blue now - and shinier, too - falling down in a cute pony over his shoulder.

Quickly eyeing the two of them sitting on either side of Celia’s bed, he took another step in, carefully shutting the door behind as a gentle smile drank into his lips.

“Top of the morning, Limani, Chanelle - Good-day! Not too late with breakfast, I hope…how is she?”

…we need you…so bad

~

He ate his really quick - or, perhaps better said - wolfed it down.

Limani stared at her sandwich…glistening, well-baked brown, bits of green fraying out over a grainy red patty.

A rich man’s dish…especially this bread…we really are living it up good here

Ms. Evaine must’ve earned a lot of money, somehow. Then again, given she was a mage who - with Mikota’s help - had driven away that man…yeah, that made sense. But either way, it had been put together with a lot of care - the bread cut off cleanly into two halves of a cylinder, clothing the insides generously, yet keeping not the filling too sparse.

She looked up, watching Mikota wiping his mouth, staring intently outside as Chanelle munched on her sandwich, eyes conveniently wandering around him as she not-so-discreetly herded away her pink and black strands.

…should I…?

“...So…Mikota…how was your class? With Ms. Evaine?”

Mikota froze mid-wipe, eyes slowly rolling over to her, his lips stretching quizzically…was he smiling or in pain? No, this was a pained smile-

Limani gulped, quickly looking down…was her face…Again?

“O-oh! Nevermind…h-hah…lovely…morning”

“Yes, Lamie. Lovely morning, isn’t it?”

Chanelle. Not. now-

“It was…really nice…my friend and I…we finally met…”

Fists stiffening, she rolled her gaze up.

His hand had fallen away, mouth lit in an artless gape - head tilted back, pink eyes shyly sitting on her.

…why is he still…Chan, stop staring - now

“...yesterday’s class with Ms. Evaine was all about learning how to ‘meditate’, which is a state of existence, where one exposes themselves to their sensations entirely - a type of focus…”

“Oh, yeah - that’s what you’re gonna want to do for a Sympathetic Link - did Ms. Evaine say which demon you’re contracting?”

Mikota quickly shut his mouth, gaze ruefully swerving to Chanelle as he righted his head, sighing.

…what happened?

“W-what? Hey - wait, where are you..Mikota…?”

Brushing off his shirt as he slowly stood up, the boy wrapped his hand around his saber, stepping behind Chanelle - her friend palling, eyes jittering nervously as his palm gently set on her shoulder. His gaze mellowed as it rolled around the room, finally settling ahead.

What is he…? Did she say something-

“M-Mikota, wait…it was just a- she wasn’t thinking-”

“Limani, it’s okay…Chanelle…I learned that you were all alone in your dome, for all that while…”

“...n-no…I…”

“I see. So you were knocked out…either way…I want to tell both of you that the man who came to the tower that day…was Ziekkah, the God Mage”

…who?

Chanelle blinked, shaking her head as she turned to Mikota - disbelief wrinkling into her face.

“...Mikota, that can’t be true…why would he randomly show up now, and here, that too? No one’s seen him since…over a decade…when he singlehandedly obliterated the E’badea Empire by…don’t you know the story? Limani…?”

“D-don’t look at me…I don’t-know anything…”

Hand drawing away from her lap, Chanelle prodded her staff on the floorboards, gazing out the oculus.

“...the legend of Ziekkah…the man who brought down the Sun…no one knows how he did it…what demon could possibly have that much power? What Domain would even…he just doesn’t make sense…”

“...Limani…did you..?”

“No, Mikota…I didn’t see anything else besides those…black tendrils - I swear…”

“I see…from my understanding, it was that demon’s domain…she was powerful enough to manifest her-”

“H-hah!?”

Mikota hesitantly curled away his hand on Chanelle as she shakily hunched over, cradling her head - eyes wide in fear…horror.

…What-

“W-Wait-wait-wait…no…there’s no way…t-th…no…what…? How did…what!?”

Mikota leaned by her ear, concern furrowing his brow.

“Chanelle…do you…Chanelle…?”

Breathing out fitfully, her friend craned her neck back up.

“...we just went…toe-to-toe…with Umbra Circus”

~

But it’s not supposed to actually…how did I…Ziekkah…we actually saw him…that was him…and Imona…I’m so stupid! Why didn’t I…?

He was the God Mage…from Pop’s Society - this had nothing to do with Nirote, or the Guild, or adventuring - why in the piston-screeching hell did that man - who’d never involved himself with anything of the world for the last 10 years suddenly turn up here? And how the hell did they make it out alive?

But he did. All the signs were there - every tale Pops had told her about. White hair….broken body - it was all coming back now. She’d tried to get closer before it all went black. And the shadows. That demon…his demon. It wasn’t like any other…she could talk and think clearly…there were no artifacts on the man’s body drawing her domain - no safety nets to guard him from her will.

‘...For all intents and purposes, it is your kind of demon that you against it…there you must battle the mage…that works for all of us…except for that man, Ziekkah’

‘...so why’s that?’

Pops had given her a funny smile(but that was just his mask, which she knew moved as he wanted it to) then, patting her cheek as he tucked her in.

‘...Imona serves him out of her own volition…she would cloak him eternally with her body if he allowed it…and readily drain her Umbral Circus, the formless void of shadow - every last drop of her life force, to save that ageless, gaunt man the thinnest wound…so her sayings go…and so I can tell you, with all the certainty of seeing it myself’

…how…did we-

“Chanelle…can you talk to us?”

Mikota. He was right by her side, hand gently pressing on her back.

…does he know…? The Godmage…knows Ms. Evaine? So…Witch of the Crown…she really does make monsters? But why…but she hasn’t-

“Chan…?”

Chanelle blinked, gaze settling on Limani.

…you as usual, have no goddamn…who am I even blaming?

Sinking. Her feet were sinking. No….her head-

“...M-Mikota…”

“...that is I”

Why do you talk like that? Did Ms. Evaine-

“...did you grow up here…in this tower? Have you ever left here?”

Why else would he be like this? Then he really doesn’t know who Ms. Evaine is…he’s as clueless as-

Sniffing. Sobbing.

…huh?

She spun back, heart catching still as she faced Mikota.

Tears streamed down his face.

…did I just…?

She’d made him cry…no…no…not him…what just-

“M-Mikota!? W-wait - what’s…Mikota…hey-hey-hey…what’s wrong? Mikota? Come on, look at me! Limani, Help!”

~

“Mikota…just…calm down, okay…let it out…we’re right here…hey…what’s biting you?”

Limani bit her lip, chest tight as she watched Chanelle desperately stroking his back, sitting beside Celia as the two of them stood in front.

…what happened to him? Did he…was he…what? I can’t…

Her lips wouldn’t move now. They weren’t any words-

His wail choked still, coughing wetly as he wiped his tears, spine stiffening.

…Chanelle, please

Her friend gently touched his face, wiping it off.

“...Mikota…what’s wrong?”

“...I-It’s…n-nothin-”

“No, it’s not…come on…spit it out - is someone bothering you? Was it…did I say something wrong?”

“...I-I don w-wan him b-back…”

“...who’s him?”

“...F-Father…h-he’s inside me…”

Limani gripped her cloak, eyes widening.

…no…just like me, he-

“Your father? What do you-”

“Chanelle…wait-”

Stepping close to him, she gently touched his shoulder. Mikota stirred, blearily looking up at her.

This, I know.

“Mikota…you’ve come to this tower, just like us…right?”

Sniffing, he nodded.

Taking a breath, she leaned down, embracing the boy.

“...We’re all glad for that, Mikota”

“R-really?”

“Of course…don’t doubt what you’ve done…don’t doubt what you want…what do you want?”

“...a-adventurer…b-but-”

Limani palmed his crown, swiping it gently.

…that’s it…breathe slower…

“Then you’re an adventurer…you don’t need to run away…because he can’t find you…so you won’t be him…”

…I can’t tell you about me, but at least now, both of us have…a little something to share, Mikota

~

Dragon blood.

A breeze sifted down, the olive quilt of the peak rippling down with his dusk-blue tresses.

Mikota rolled to his side, palm prickling over the grass as he lay down outside the tower - skin prickling as his fingers ran through their blades.

You’ve taken away...what held me back…you’ve made me this strong, and tireless, and-

His fist tauted, clenching out a tuft of grass as it stilled.

You didn’t…you didn’t take Father back…so…I didn’t need him gone?

With the wrath and spite…to hunt down the one up above himself. A God killer.

…you…won’t let me forget him anymore…

“...I-It’s the rainbow, Father…the rainbow of this world, beyond the mountain you sent me to…what Ried said about you…you have anything to say?”

One second.

Two.

…is he..?

Three.

Lips falling loose, he blew out his air…his chest was lightening.

“...looks like…I can’t hear you…”

Smiling. He was smiling again. Sighing shakily, he let his eyes fall over.

“...thank you…Elegaidra…for Limani…for Chanelle-”

His stomach…was unclenching…

“...for Ried…for Ms. Evaine…and Saridus…for the Dragon in this earth’s bosom…thank you…so much…”

The cool air slackened its spill as he sighed indolently - sinews loosening as it rolled off him thinner….and caught still.

Mikota breathed in, hanging his arm out as he splayed his fingers over the albic lather…it was frozen bubbling, wreathing around the naked, azure sky.

…something like this

Stroking the air, he drew his palm to the center - cupping the churning corona of the Sun.

“...I won’t fail you, Elegaidria…I promise”