by Brindi Quinn
“Kill us?” said Darch, brows pouting. “Well, that doesn’t sound very good.”
“If we can’t take this risk, then why are we even doing this?” I said. “What are we even doing here?”
“You are right, Aura,” said Nyte. “Let us go. Rend and I shall take the lead, so that-”
“Playing brave again, are we, Elf?” interrupted Ardette. He rudely brushed past Rend and slinked ahead to the front of the line, but before moving on, he turned back to place his eyes challengingly on Nyte. “They won’t harm you. Why, I’ll be astounded if they even notice you. It’ll be a bizarre experience for you, won’t it? Going unnoticed. What, with your gangling stature, you’ve never been the most inconspicuous of brigands, have you, Nyte?” Ardette lowered his eyes to me, and they turned softer . . . but just a little. “They won’t kill you. They won’t kill any of you.”
Darch got that pouting look again. “Ardetto . . .”
“Ugh. Try not to look so antsy. It’s unappealing, even by your standards, Darch.”
“But-”
“I assure you that your concern is unnecessary.”
I ignored the crypticness of their exchange and gave Nyte a nod to solidify the plan. I wouldn’t press Darch and Ardette for more now. Both of them had proven that they’d reveal details only when they were ready, which usually ended up being at the most random of times. It was teeth-grindingly frustrating, but I’d just have to wait for the proper opening to arise.
We continued onward toward the distant city, not looking back, keeping all second thoughts in check. The sky darkened to night, and both above us and below, the stars started to peek out. They were colorful stars, like those of Elenque, but they weren’t the same. They were stationary – like the ones at Carpar had been. That was okay, though, because even though they didn’t hop or dance or spin, they were still lovely in the way they brightly showed off their many tones in a twinkling display all around us. Rose. Almond. Mint. Teal. Gold. Silver . . . Okay, they were more than lovely. They were alluring. So alluring, in fact, that they made me wish we’d decided to make camp before moving forward. Nonetheless, in favor of making good time under the awareness of everything yet to come, we persisted on until we reached the first signs of the city.
These first ‘signs’ weren’t anything visible, but they were apparent all the same. The closer we got to that distant brightness, the more the atmosphere changed. I’d felt at normal speed ever since stepping out of the tunnel, but as we neared the city, I started to feel slow – like I was lost in that same slow daze I’d had upon meeting Lusafael; only, it wasn’t as bad. Actually, it was incredibly minor by comparison, and it was barely noticeable at first, but as more dirt mounds went by, I felt more and more lethargic.
That had to mean there was at least one angel ahead of us.
The thought of something like that made me excited, but more than that, it made me tense. I knew we had to press on, but remembering the way I’d gotten lost like that in the presence of Lusafael . . . That feeling wasn’t something I wanted to experience again.
Maybe it was because I had no idea what expectations to hold for the angels. I knew they weren’t all like Lusafael. He’d been a ‘rogue’ angel, and therefore, he’d probably broken a lot of rules. But that didn’t leave me with much to go off of for the rest of them. It’s not like I expected them to have gardens or sleep in beds or anything. No, I didn’t imagine them holding town meetings or practicing business. I didn’t really imagine them doing anything, really. My mind, in regards to them, was completely blank, and as such, it was completely impressionable.
“What do you think that is used for? It is not a dwelling, is it?” Nyte pointed to the first building we encountered – the first sign of civilization. It was a tall, rectangular white thing without doors. If it was a ‘dwelling’, it was a tiny one, for the base was only large enough to hold one small room.
“No. Perhaps it is an outhouse?” suggested Rend. She wasn’t kidding. Of course she wasn’t. – Did she ever?
Thus, I began imagining every similar thing we saw as an angel’s outhouse. And we saw a lot of them. What started as one lonely structure quickly grew into clumps of two or three, and then entire scatterings of them were thrown about on either side of the path. They couldn’t ALL be outhouses, could they?
“No. I’m pretty sure those aren’t outhouses,” I said to Darch, low enough so that Rend couldn’t hear. “Okay, any new ideas?”
“Sheds?”
“For what?”
“Keeping angel-type things in?”
“Wow, Darch. Way to be specific.”
“They are rest chambers,” said Ardette. He paused to scratch his neck, holding up everyone else behind him. That included me. The annoyance flared.
“Rest chambers?” I said. “You mean you knew the whole time? Then why didn’t you say anything?!” It was more than a little maddening.
Ignoring the later, Ardette responded, “Yes, rest chambers. It’s where they go to recuperate after a hard year’s work. Find it intriguing, do you? Finding yourself to be an angel-lover of sorts?” He eyed one of the chambers with scorn. “How palatable, my pit.”
“Why? Jealous?” I kidded.
“You know that better than anyone.”
“Er-” I regretted kidding with him. Now I just felt awkward. “Anyways, a year? Was that a joke, or do they really only sleep once a year? And how do they fit in there? Lusafael was regular size.”
“They don’t live by the same rules,” reminded Darch. “They probably aren’t restricted by our spatial limitations. For instance, maybe here you don’t have to be smaller than something to fit comfortably within it.”
“Huh.”
“Then again, it’s really all just speculation!”
“Do not say such worthless things! Speculation is simply a fool’s contemplation!”
“Well, that’s an interesting take on it . . . . Thanks, Rend!” Darch’s joyfulness made clear that he was being absolutely sincere.
“Yes, thank you, dear Rend, for gracing us with your pleasantness,” said Ardette.
Rend scowled deeply, but the havoc-loving Daem simply sighed happily and soaked it up. It was such a brainless cycle. A brainless cycle that the pair of them just couldn’t seem to keep from falling into. Just once I’d liked to have seen Rend respond to one of his jabs with a polite smile. That would have pissed him off more than any of her scowls ever could.
“Come. Let us continue,” said Nyte. “Let us not be distracted. We are nearly there.”
Yes, get those two idiots moving.
So, thanks to Nyte, we went deeper into the city. And with each step, we became slower and slower.
“This is ridiculous!” said Rend when things started to get bad. “Why can we not move?!”
“We are moving, Rend! Just really sloooooowly,” said Darch.
“Argh! I know that! We will never get anywhere as long as this keeps up!”
“Keep it down, would you?” Ardette glanced back at them and let out a sniff, as though he actually found their behavior offensive or something. That was ironic. “Darch I expect this out of. But Rend – Rend, you should know that discretion is an asset.”
“I certainly know that! Do not tell me how to behave!”
“Cousin, do not let him bother you. It is not worth it. Come along.” Once again, Nyte was the one to prod them forward.
Ever faithful to the mounds, we passed more and more of the resting chambers. If there were any angels inside, they were still. Actually, everything was still except for us, and even we were getting there with our rapidly-declining pace.
Hopefully some sort of solution would present itself sooner or later. But for now, none of us could think of anything but to continue on.
Eventually, we spotted a line of white light that ran overhead, lighting the way along the path. It was a hopeful sign that we might be reaching the greater part of the city soon. By this time, that feeling of slowness was so intense
that we knew we had to be close to an angel. Still, we heard nothing stirring. However, several lagging steps later when we did, in fact, reach that greater part, everything changed.
The center of the city was filled with more of the white sheds, but there were also larger stacks of them. Some stacked three high, others stacked six. Apparently, the greater the height, the greater the building? Maybe. Even though their bases were still just as small. Not only were there the white buildings, there were also strange metal coils extending from the ground. These were giant and went up well past the highest stacks of rectangles. Again, I couldn’t imagine their purpose until Darch took a stab at it.
“Recreational slides!”
Thus, that’s what they became in my mind.
Outhouses and slides.
Some of these coils had flat pieces of metal resting at the tops of them. Others held brilliant spheres of white light. Those had been responsible for showing us the city while it was still distant. Suspended from the ‘up’ sky were more ropes of light, holding up even more metal planks. What were they used for?
. . .
Nope, still all I could see were slides.
It was pretty rare – the whole thing – but none of those accounted for the most intriguing part of this Célesteen city we’d happened upon. It wasn’t the slides or outhouses or planks or ropes of light. The thing that made it all otherworldly was that the moment we reached the central area was the moment we encountered our first angel. Not that it was much of an encounter to speak of. It nearly went unnoticed, and in fact, it would have, had it not been for Nyte.
“There!” Even that one word took so long for him to deliver.
There was a blur of something white skitting just across the path in front of us. But before we could focus on it, it was gone.
“Was that an angel!?” I said.
The others waited for the words to finish forming.
“Yup! It sure was! And Ardetto, you were right! It didn’t even notice you!”
‘It didn’t even notice you.’ Darch had just said ‘you’, not ‘us’. That was something notable. I stored it away and asked,
“Why was it moving so fast? Lusafael wasn’t moving that fast.”
“Lusafael was constricted by our plane, was he not?” asked Nyte.
“Oh, yeah. Of course. Sorry, I still don’t understand how that works.”
Rend started a slow-motion glower, which took so long to fully deliver that it was comical. I refrained from laughing, though, because the laugh would have been so drawn out that it would have given Rend much too much time to daydream up a most suitable form of torture for me, and that was terrifying. At last, when the glower was complete, Rend said,
“If they are to move at such a speed, then how will we be able to converse with them!?”
In the middle of our discussion, another blur appeared off to the left. Again, Nyte was the one to spot it and point it out. “There!”
That was when Darch started a motion – a motion that was way too over-the-top for such languid circumstances. His hands, which were outstretched at his sides, slowly began to come toward each other. I didn’t quite understand it at first, but then . . . Oh. It was a clap. The longest, most unnecessary clap in the world. Even the sound of it dragged on. Rend was shaking in fury – each shake drawn out to the extent that they made for another dangerously comical scene. I’m not sure how I managed to contain myself, but it wasn’t without a struggle. Biting my tongue, I waited for the too-exuberant-for-its-own-good gesture to come to an end.
“Okay,” said Darch at long last. “For the next one, as soon as it comes into view, make sure you focus your mind on it. We might be able to see it then!”
With the third angel that zoomed by, I tried to do what Darch had suggested, but it didn’t work. It was the same outcome with the fourth, fifth, and sixth. But the seventh? With the seventh, I got lucky.
The angel stopped mid-sprint to do something at the base of one of the coils. That’s when I made my move. Squinting, I pressed my immaterial mind against my forehead in an attempt to gain ultimate focus. It worked . . . sort of. For a brief moment, I was able to capture the angel’s image. He was almost identical to Lusafael. Same lighted, metallic skin; same stern expression; same pristine, white tuxedo. Everything about him was the same. Except for his hair. His hair, which was in no way lacking that silver, silky quality, was short. Lusafael’s had fallen to his back, but this angel’s sat nicely upon his shoulders. At least that meant we’d be able to tell the difference if we encountered Lusafael.
Sure, Darch had said that the vengeful angel would be unable to enter Célesteen while in a pact with Illuma, but even so, I was worried about it – like he might somehow show up here at any moment and ruin everything. It was probably because I was having a hard time fully grasping the concept that this was a different dimension or plane or whatever. Lusafael had been hiding in the clouds on our way to the Mistlands, and since we were presently between what appeared to be those same clouds, the threat still seemed real. I couldn’t shake the feeling that he might appear when we least expected it to erupt us into a blast of white. Thus, it was comforting that we’d be able to tell him apart from the rest.
But just when I was feeling a very, very small amount of relief, I realized something so obvious that it was stupid.
Oh Creator! What if he cuts his hair?
The angel didn’t notice us. Or maybe he did. We were, after all, standing right there. But if he did, he didn’t acknowledge us at all. After completing whatever business he had at the base of the coil, he quickly zoomed away.
“So, was that akin to a half of an hour for him?” asked Rend, staring after him.
“How should I know?” said Ardette. “Think I’d do something so boorish as to keep tabs on the angels?”
“Argh! Do not pretend to have knowledge that you do not! Do not act in a manner that argues your competence if you have none!”
A manner that argued his competence? When had Ardette ever acted that way? But I knew what she was getting at.
A whole half hour, huh? When it had been only a handful of seconds to us? Maybe Ardette was right. Maybe they really would pay us no mind. That was troubling. I mean, how were we supposed to get their help if we couldn’t even exist at the same speed as them? There was only one option left.
“How can I catch their interest, Ardette?”
“Absolutely not. It isn’t even a question. I already told you; I won’t let you do something so disgusti-”
“What about me?” asked Nyte. “Can I not seize one by its interest?
Rend and I shared in a rare mutual snort.
“Well, there is always the possibility, though I can’t imagine who would want you. Don’t forget that, should you happen to form a pact, you’ll be forced back into our realm. You’d be separated from our dear Aura. But don’t worry. I’ll be here to take care of her in your stead.”
“In that case, I must revoke my offer.”
“It’s okay,” I said. We couldn’t let anyone be separated from us. “We’ll just think of something else. It’s no big dea-”
“I will do it,” interrupted Rend.
“What? Rend, that’s-”
“Do not speak against it, Havoc! If it will aid in this mission that we have been assigned by our sworn elder, I will oblige. It would be dishonorable not to!”
“My, my, how surprising. Rend has a redeeming quality. Just one though. That is, of course, if we’re limiting it to the non-physical? Because if we aren’t, I’d say she possesses let’s see . . . I count at least four redeeming qualities right off the bat.”
“Do not look at me in such a way, vile Daem! Now, make haste and tell me what must be done.”
“Nyte,” I petitioned, “tell her. Tell her not to.”
But Nyte studied his cousin’s blazing face of determination and said, “I understand your resolution, Cousin.”
“Nyte! If Rend does this, she’ll be separated from the re
st of us!”
“It matters not, does it, Rend? I will fully condone your decision.”
“No!”
“Aura, you do not understand. As I have told you before, it is impossible for me to fully explain the severity of our honor system. If Rend feels the need to do this, she must. To be truthful, I would do it myself, did it not mean leaving your side. Therefore, it is the best option for her to go, for I can offer you more protection than she.”
Ardette raised a brow. “Hmph. Are you certain that’s your only reasoning behind this little decision? It isn’t because of something more selfish like the fact that you’ve no self control?”
“I will not lie. That is also amongst the reasons. I will not leave Aura. I will never leave Aura. Although it is selfish, I love her too deeply to leave her side.”
Rend choked down whatever response she wanted to give to Nyte’s confession and said instead, “Regardless, my cousin has more strength that I have. That is why it is ideal that I do this.”
“Well, what about me?” asked Darch, poking himself in the top of the head with his thumb. “Do you think an angel will want me?”
“Also out of the question,” said Ardette. “I need you.” He didn’t offer any further explanation than that, and Darch didn’t require any. He just nodded obediently and dropped his thumb.
“Speak now, Daem. How might I gain this interest?”
“What? Well, how should I know?”
“Seriously, Ardette?” I groaned a long, drawn-out groan. “After all of that? You really don’t know?”
“Fine,” said Ardette, eyeing Rend up and down and then back up. “Take off your clothes.”
“WHAT?! You dare utter something so-”
“Relax, would you? It was a j-o-k-e. Got it?”
“Come on, Ardette, do you know?” I said. “Or don’t you?”
“I told you already, I don’t know. Drop it, won’t you? You’re beginning to sound quite repetitious.”
“Great. Then what are we supposed to do?” I rubbed my forehead. “Wonder how Illuma did it . . . . Wait a sec! I think . . . I think I can help! The Song of the Midnight Flower!