Tale of Four

”What now?” Walking down the street, Alice stared at Chesh. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see others looking her way, with strange eyes, before carrying on, enjoying their own conversations.

”What do you want to do?” Chesh replied, making Alice huff and look up. Bar the feast that she could easily smell, it wasn’t all that was going on. Across the settlement, music boomed, many different songs and instruments overlapping from all over, creating a deafening mess.

”Maybe.” Pulling Chesh aside, she mobilised the arcane in her hands, propelled herself onto the rooftops, and looked around. The sea of smoke, rising from the streets, flooded her vision, but seeing an opening in the distance, she ran for it, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, careful not to fall off. Behind her, Chesh gracefully followed, chuckling in delight at the prospect of an adventure.

Stopping on the rooftop, Alcie looked down at the large opening within the town. Lining every side, stalls full of food, games and other activities summoned numerous crowds, as others continued to work, finishing the decorations hanging between the rooftops. But in the centre of it all, a grand piece of art stretched out from a table with food.

At the centre of the table, a lone raven sat, pecking at the plate, the only statue not left uncoloured, instead heavily detailed, until it looked alive.

Around it were seven people. One was a sleeping man, sprawled across the table, never to be awoken, uncaring of how others saw him. The next was a fat man holding their stomach, booming with laughter. The next was a man leaning over on their fist, staring past the rest of the guests, watching something that no one else knew in the distance. The next was a woman holding a skull in her hands, staring into its eyes, defiantly smiling. The next was a young boy, laughing as he filled his plate with more food than the rest. Next to them was a man working on numerous documents, ignoring the feast, a sword leaning against his leg. Finally, the last was a woman who covered her mouth with her hands.

Looking past the statue, Alice saw in one of the corners a group of people dancing around a small bonfire in a segment of the square that had been cleared just for them. Grabbing Chesh’s hand, she jumped from the rooftops, closer towards it, watching the dance, focusing on the music. It was a simple dance, one where people led the others in circles, clapping each other’s hands, and going the other way.

Looking to Chesh, she held out her arm, and with a serene smile, Chesh interlocked her own with it. Waiting for the claps down below, they began to move around, swinging each other around, happily laughing as they missed more claps than they made, unbothered that they fell out of tune and began their own dance.

”Chesh.” Saying her name, Alice looked across the settlement. ”I wondered what to do when I make the world mine.”

”Oh.” Intrigued, Chesh slowed down so she could listen, still, however, making sure to keep the dance going for Alice.

”I want lots of food.” With a smile, she took a deep sniff, tasting everything that she smelled. ”But I also thought a little more since that last time, when we saw the statue of the guy crying blood. You remember the story that guy in the church told. How that god did it to punish him.” Nodding, Chesh patiently waited. ”That won’t happen again. No one will be allowed to be bad anymore, so they don’t need to be punished. Also, I remember how the teacher kept me from leaving the Mad House for a year. It wasn’t fair; I was already old enough. So I will also make it so that anyone can explore the Mad House whenever they want, not only when they’re sixteen.”

”Anything else?” Hearing the question, Alice came to a slow stop, both tired and needing to think. Sitting down, she felt Chesh lean against her, her head resting on her shoulder as her black hair tickled her fingers.

”I think...” Alice paused and grabbed her chin, thinking, ”I think that should be fine. If no one is bad, then I don’t need to look after them. That way, you and I will have more time to play and go on adventures.”

”Alice,” Chesh said with confusion. ”If the world is yours, how will there be more adventures?” Covering her mouth, Alice’s eyes widened in disbelief, as if she’d missed soemthing so obvious.

”You’re right.” Furrowing and un-furrowing her eyebrows, she began to nod. ”No, actually, you’re wrong.” Alice looked into her eyes. ”The world will be mine, but not the immaterial. I can explore there instead.” Chesh took a deep breath and brightly smiled.

”Exploring the immaterial? It sounds fun.”

”Doesn’t it.” Sharing a smile, Chesh looked around and got up, patting herself down. Before Alice could follow, she felt Chesh’s hand on her shoulders to stop her from following.

”Wait here. I’m going to look around to see if I can find more interesting things.” Seeing Alice’s pitiful expression, Chesh playfully grinned, ”I want it to be a surprise, so just wait.” Running across the roof and jumping away, Alice sighed and looked back down at the festival, humming a tune to herself.

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Stepping into the large square, an exhausted sigh left Randolf’s lips as he looked around, Elva by his side, matching him. ”You see her?” Looking around, Elva clicked her tongue and nodded, pointing toward a rooftop. Following it, Randolf frowned, seeing Alice staring down at the festival with a thin smile, holding herself in a ball, swaying side to side, wearing a childish green frilly dress and a poor headchain.

”Finally.” Stepping forward, Elva was stopped when Randolf grabbed her arm. ”What?”

”Look at her,” Randolf said, his voice carrying a trace of pity. ”She’s just a child.”

”Randolf. Don’t do this.” Elva said dismissively and looked up at Alice. ”Did you forget she dissected a mimic in front of you? How she tried to burn a forest down. How she can’t even remember your name. She’s a Magi. A danger to our land.”

”I know all that.” Not disagreeing, Randolf rubbed the back of his head and stared at Alice. ”I’m not saying she isn’t dangerous; what I’m saying is, she’s just a child.”

”What do you want?” Elva snapped, turning around. ”You, as much as I know she is dangerous. Are you saying we should leave her here to be alone? What happens when all of a sudden she stops sitting on the roof and feels like experimenting on one of the people dancing because she wants to? You may not think she can do that, but trust me, Randfol. The way she looked at me, my scar. I know that despite everything she appears to be, she is a deranged danger that needs to be contained and monitored. She may be a lonely child, but it doesn’t stop her from also being a danger to everything around her.”

Scoffing, Elva spun around. ”I’m going to get her. If you’re going to let your emotions get in the way, then ask to be switched out for another. We must escort her. That is all.” Watching Elva walk off, Randolf looked to the ground and took a deep breath before looking back up at Alice.

Remembering her desire to create life, to master the material, he couldn’t help but find it different; the fear when he first heard it was replaced by pity. On its own, it was the deranged ramblings of a Magi, but seeing her sit alone, smiling to herself, watching without getting close, it was different. They were still dangerous, but they took on a different meaning.

’She’s just a child, without friends and unable to make them normally.’

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”MAGI!” Looking down, Alice saw the scarred woman shouting at her, her expression warped in deep annoyance. ”GET DOWN HERE!” Around her, people looked up, noticed Alice, and slowly gathered around, a mixture of worry and intrigue as they wondered what would happen.

”I’M WAITING!” Shouting back, Alice looked away, staring ahead, continuing to sway to the music, wondering when Chesh would come back.

”YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE WITHOUT PERMISSION, MAGI! IF YOU DO NOT RETURN NOW, YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SEE LORD RAVEN!” The scarred woman threatened, and Alice frowned, realising who she was speaking about.

’I need to see the guy with red irises, but I can’t just leave. What if Chesh comes back and I’m not here?’ Taking a deep breath and looking behind her in the direction she saw Chesh leave to, she shook her head. ’Chesh will always find me. Besides, she wouldn’t care too much.’

Sighing, Alice stood up, wiped down her dress and jumped off the roof, using the arcane to break her fall before she landed, blowing down a few people who had gathered around. ’Oh, well. I already ate. There’s nothing else to do anyway.’

”Fine.” Running a hand over her dress and mobilising the arcane, she made her robes morph, returning to the normal thick green cotton. Reaching up and grabbing the chain, Alice ripped it off before dropping it on the ground.

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Stepping outside, a cold breeze hit Anno, sending a cold shiver down his old bones. Hobbling forward, down the cobble path of the empty courtyard, he saw the lone figure sitting cross-legged before a tablet, the tablet etched with names all ending in Raven.

”My Lord.” With a back that shook, Anno lowered himself as far as he could, resting a bony hand with fingernails that were far too long on his heart, his long grey beard falling atop it and tickling the dry grey skin. The sat figure opened their eyes, finally giving the bleak courtyard some colour with their blood-red irises.

”Anno.” Lord Raven’s whispering voice spread across the courtyard, so quiet yet heard in every corner. Unconsciously leaning forward, Anno took a deep breath.

”Lord Eversight wishes to know a rough timeline for when his duty begins. He fears that it will require the people of Vigilant Watcher to be evacuated.” Lord Raven didn’t blink, didn’t move, continuing to stare ahead.

”Anno.” The old man knelt deep into himself, knowing that his Lord’s orders were coming. There was a moment of silence, one that was rare for Lord Raven, yet Anno knew better than to try and fill it. Seconds turned to minutes, the minutes dragging to ten, then twenty. Finally, Lord Raven spoke, his whispering voice, his usual calm possible in the silence he contemplated.

”The Old Ones have awoken.” Anno took a sharp breath, his old heart stopping for a moment, as his hand trembled. ”Anno. The seal is secure.” The words offered no comfort to Anno, his mind paralysed by the words that continued to repeat in his mind. ”Anno.” There was silence again, with Lord Raven pausing. Keeping his head low, tucked into his body, Anno couldn’t see but heard the man stand. A long shadow loomed over him afterwards as the silence continued.

”Anno.” The silence was broken, yet Anno was not comforted again; his fear growing at the sound of his name again. His name being spoken whenever Lord Raven spoke was normal, but he hadn’t said anything different between the two times. Anyone could read it as a slip of the tongue, him having forgotten what he had already said the name, but for Anno, it was different.

’He doesn’t know what to say.’

There were hundreds of possibilities why he didn’t know what to say, but it didn’t matter. Anno couldn’t help but instantly think of the worst possible outcome. A cold touch on his shoulder broke through his thoughts, and looking up, he saw Lord Raven, almost curling over him, looking down with the sun behind his body, a dark shadow covering his face, with only the red irises visible on his face. ”Anno.” The whispering voice spoke again, ”I have two choices.”

The touch changed; Anno was able to feel Lord Rvaen’s grip tighten ever so slightly. ”Anno, my most faithful servant.” The voice spoke, a subtle change within it, almost as if begging for an answer. ”I do not know which is correct.”

”Anno.” Looking up ever so slightly, Anno met the crimson irises, filled with unimaginable power. ”Give permission to Lord Eversight.” Anno bowed, finally breaking eye contact with Lord Raven. ”Anno. Send a warning to the nomads.” Lord Raven paused for a second. ”Anno. Ask them to help Lord Eversight.”

”My Lord,” Anno spoke, not daring to look up, his head tucked as deep into his chest as he could get it. ”What do I warn them of?”

”Anno. Warn them of the Old Ones.” Lord Raven finally removed his hand. No words needed to be said for Anno to know to rise, yet he didn’t lift his head to look at Lord Raven until he heard him sit back down before the tablet. Looking up, Anno saw the man cross-legged with closed eyes, hardly breathing, looking more like a corpse than a person, yet over the decades of having watched, having learnt, he could see a deep uncertainty in the man alongside an anguish.