by Dusks, Rydre
"It looks like a bag of gel capsules filled with dark green herbs," Atta explained. "It has two triangles and three dots written in marker on the outside of it."
"Oh... Right. I'm assuming that's Anli script." Rook stood and rushed to get what he was ordered to.
"So you're Agastay's herbal remedy doctor?" I wondered.
Atta set the saw to the side. "I'm Agastay's only doctor, and I only use what I know for a fact works." He hesitated and picked up his tool again, then looked back at me. "Why don't you tell me about what happened to you?"
I knew he wanted me to concentrate on something else. I took a few breaths before talking, covering all the incidents about Saydea and leading to my imprisonment but excluding Stelliot's kidnapping before Rook came back in with the pills. Atta handed me three of the capsules, having Rook help prop me up so I could take them with some water. I'd never experienced the effects of tuhasat in the forest, as I'd been too young. But as I spoke, just reaching the details of the Roavo hounds, the herb took control. Everything dulled, especially the pain, and my words drifted away along with my coherence. I felt Atta working heavily on my knee. Rook spoke a few times, but I couldn't understand him and didn't care much anymore.
Atta asked me a question, but I paid no heed to it. He had to have Rook help me sit up to grab my attention. "Kro," he started, making sure my eyes were on him. I had a hard time concentrating on his face. "I have to go downstairs for a little while, so I'm going to have you stay up here in bed. Don't..."
His voice faded from my consciousness as I found myself lost in my own mind of swirling colors and undefinable shapes.
"Kro." He patted my cheek to bring me back a little. "Don't move your leg for a while. Do you understand?"
"Zut," I confirmed in Anli.
"Get a lot of sleep. If you wake up and need anything, your friend..."
I didn't catch the last of it. My mind had taken enough and shut down faster than I could close my eyes. I barely felt Atta rest me back on a pillow, then I explored dreams.
I didn't wake up to Rook, and I didn't wake up to my elder brother either. When I finally managed to open my eyes, I saw the young girl from earlier standing over me. Akri had long black hair like the OrrVieh family possessed, but she had mysteriously light eyes. I stared at her for a few seconds, still too groggy to speak.
"My dad told me to come check on you, because you've been sleeping a while," she stated.
I blinked and parted my lips, trying to think of what to ask my niece first. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to say.
"It's okay," Akri continued. "You're probably feeling awkward because you don't know me, and I'm family. My dad said you're my only uncle outside of the forest, and you fight robots. I think that's pretty cool." She sat down on the side of the bed. "I've lived here my whole life, but my dad said you're from GreyCross. Is it neat there?"
"It's smoggy and loud," I admitted weakly. "Townsfolk probably wouldn't be able to stand it."
"My dad said you got mauled by a dog. Is that true?"
It had taken me this long to remember that I had a ruined knee. I wanted to look at it, especially since I couldn't feel it, but I told myself not to--not yet.
"Uh... yeah. A big robotic one."
Akri glanced me over for a moment, leaving her eyes to linger on my leg. "Oh, he didn't say it was robotic." She looked back at my face. "Well, since you're awake, I'm gonna go tell my dad." And with that, she whirled around with her long hair whipping about, and bounced out of the room.
I sat up, gritting my teeth a little as my bruised shoulder complained from the movement, and finally took a much-awaited look.
Everything was clean and bandaged, at least for the most part. I understood, though, why I could no longer feel anything from the knee down. My leg was removed. Atta hadn't replaced my knee--he'd amputated my real one. A swell of anger fueled my heart as I leaned forward to run my fingers over the bandages. Atta had lied to me. It didn't seem real. My hand continued to brush over the wrappings, gazing simply at what wasn't there anymore. In my sleep, he'd also removed my coat and pants, leaving me in my shirt and underpants only. This was all happening too quickly for me. My mind attempted to comfort me and tell me that it could be worse, but I also couldn't help thinking that I'd just lost a part of me that I would never, ever get back.
Before I had time to scream my brother's name, Rook stopped at the doorway.
"Hey, blackie."
I held the furious shout in, one disbelieving hand on the end of my thigh.
"You must be crazy pissed."
"You think, Rook?"
"Listen, Atta told me he couldn't save it. He didn't want to upset you since you were already stressed. I mean you were so pale you looked Souloran. He's a lot more patient than I thought. He worked on you for like two hours trying to do what he could, but there was just too much damage."
I scooted myself to the edge of the bed and stood, throwing a hard grip to the bedside table to avoid falling.
"Whoa, hang on, Crow. Let me help--"
I waved Rook off, balancing myself on one leg. The sudden movement made my stomach swirl belligerently, and I moaned and sank back to a sit on the mattress. Rook persisted, picking up a couple of crutches from the end of the bed. "He told me you'd need these to come downstairs... at least for a few days until we can figure out how to get you a prosthetic."
I took the crutches from Rook silently. I knew how to use them, because as a kid I'd been in an accident when I’d first moved to GreyCross. I'd broken my leg falling from Kajaru's roof after trying to get a better view of the city.
"Damn you, Rook," I uttered, trying to calm my rising rage. What happened had happened, and I had to make the best of it now. There was no point getting angry.
Rook raised his purple eyebrows. "Huh?"
I nudged him with an elbow after positioning the crutches under my arms. "I get out of Roavo with one leg, and you get out of Roavo with one scratch."
Rook raised his arms innocently. "I may be lucky, but then again so are you. We could have both died out there."
I supposed he was right, though I still felt irritated that he’d hardly been injured at all. I let him escort me downstairs and to the living room, where a tall woman with ginger hair curling around her shoulders stood in the kitchen to the right. Atta wasn't anywhere to be seen, but Rook hurried forward, gesturing toward me and then to the woman. "Crow, this is Lorna--Atta's wife. Lorna, this is Atta's brother Crow."
Lorna came forward out from the kitchen, smiling a welcome. "It's nice to meet you, Crow. Perhaps not under these circumstances, but things could be worse, I suppose."
I gave her a weak smile back, hoping it looked sincere enough. "I suppose. Likewise, Lorna."
I turned to Rook. "I think Atta left my tailcoat somewhere. Could you go get it for me? I need my phone." I wouldn't be able to do much in the state I was in currently, but I could at least call Toanwar.
Rook rolled his eyes and smiled. "I've been everyone else's gopher since we got here. I might as well."
I felt a little bad making him fetch my things, but I didn't want to travel too far on my crutches.
After I'd sat down and had my phone placed in my hand, I dialed Toanwar's number and waited. It didn't ring for long.
"Crow."
"Toanwar, I made it out. When do you think you can come pick me up?" My words were in Iasona, hoping anyone around would stay out of my conversation.
There was a long sigh on the other end.
"What's the matter?"
"GreyCross is a nightmare right now, Crow. You're not going to like what I have to say."
"Oh... please tell me. I'd love to know what heinous corruption Era has gotten into now. Is Insidd okay?"
"Insidd is hurting from what I've heard, but he'll live. That isn't what will get your blood boiling. And that anger isn't going to be directed toward Era. It will be directed toward me." Before I could ask him what he was talking about, he continued. "The police did
n't appreciate me harboring Va'th. They threatened to take the house."
"But you're one of Era's favorites! He can't allow that!"
"Let me finish, please. I ignored their threats, but before Era could send in men, I got a call from Saydea."
"Dentrin?"
"No, actually. President Draago Black. I know it's a surprise that he even attempts to run Saydea by the way Dentrin overpowers him, but he offered me and my company protection."
"Why would that make me angry with you?" I couldn't help but ask.
"Because, Crow, this is Saydea. The very place I told you was packed full of nutjobs."
"But it isn't Dentrin. If it were Dentrin making the offer, I would be more concerned. What does that mean then? Am I definitely not going back to GreyCross?"
"Zlade will come out to meet you with your bike at least until we can make a plan. Where are you at?"
"I'm in Agastay, currently staying with my brother. And... I can't ride my bike right now, Toanwar. I injured my leg pretty badly after I got out of Roavo."
Lorna came forward and set down a plate with a sandwich on it in front of me. I looked up at her in surprise but accepted it gratefully. She simply smiled.
"When you say injured, how badly do you mean, Crow? You shrug off broken bones and impalings like they're paper cuts."
I held my breath for a moment, poking at the crust of my sandwich and lifting it up to see what was in it. "I mean... Atta had to amputate my leg."
"Oh Sol, Crow!" Toanwar's panicked voice was loud enough for Lorna to hear from across the kitchen. She turned my way again, her eyebrows pulled in with worry.
"It's... not that big a deal--"
"Like hell it isn't!" Toanwar shouted. It'd been such a long time since I'd heard him raise his voice that I felt a knot forming in my stomach. I felt sick for worrying him. "My gods, Crow... What happened?"
Once again I trudged through the story of leaving Roavo and fending myself from the hounds.
"I could have destroyed them all, Toanwar. My shots were perfect, but I ran out of bullets. They caught up to us. We both got away, but not until I was mauled."
"And your friend Rook took you to Agastay on his own? You damn well better thank him for saving your life, Crow. And had I known you would get that messed up, I would have sent Zlade to Roavo to break you out instead. I would rather risk a robot than my own godson's life."
"I'm not messed up, Toanwar," I argued. "I'm alive. Shouldn't you be happy that I'm still breathing?"
"Losing a leg sounds like getting pretty messed up to me, Crow Hightower. Remember how Kajaru lost his life?"
I wasn't hungry anymore. I pushed myself away from the table. "Don't bring Kajaru up. You know I don't--"
"He made one small, brash decision and was ripped to pieces because he didn't take the time to think before acting. He went around boasting his ego, and he paid for it."
"Toanwar, stop it! I hate listening--"
"And you know what he'd done that morning? He smiled at me! When I told him it was a bad idea to go off on that particular job, he simply smiled and told me 'it wasn't that big a deal.' So don't you dare pull the crap that Kajaru did with me!"
"T-Toanwar, I--"
"I'm sending Zlade with the bike and a repair kit so we can fix this issue."
I was near tears. I despised it when Toanwar brought up Kajaru as a lesson. I didn't need to hear it. It was difficult enough coping with Kajaru's loss on both our accounts, but hearing the distress in my godfather's voice when he talked about my adoptive father in such an angry manner was more than I could take now. I took a couple deep breaths before speaking, not wanting to raise my voice any higher in Atta's house.
"I understand you're mad, but there's nothing we can do about it right now. Believe it or not, Toanwar, the route Rook and I took was the safest option. I'm just going to have to stay here until Zlade can take me back to GreyCross so I can get an animatronic limb. Things happen as they do. Just... don't talk about Kajaru."
He was silent for a lengthy moment. When he did speak, his voice had quieted to a more resigned level. "I'm sorry, Crow. We can't get you back to GreyCross yet. Not with how bad things are for the Strejca. Va'th and I have had to stay in an empty office on one of the top floors of Saydea for the past few days. Black has been kind enough to offer us anything we need, but I couldn't imagine you getting back through the eastern gates."
"Then... where am I to go? The only lead I have on Stelliot's kidna--" I glanced over at Lorna, "--location is that he's south of Roavo." My words were still in Iasona, but Lorna could have been multilingual for all I knew.
"Then travel south," Toanwar said simply. "As far as your wish for an animatronic leg, stay with Atta until Zlade gets there. He'll do what he can--he knows just about as much as I do when it comes to robotics."
My sigh was loud enough for Toanwar.
"Don't get discouraged, Crow. Stelliot is out there--I can feel it."
"Thanks, Toanwar. I'll... see you when I see you, I guess."
"Hm. Goodbye for now."
I hung up and set the phone on the table, slumping my shoulders a little. The call had been what I'd wanted, but Toanwar's lashing out had bruised me. I looked at the sandwich Lorna had given me again, no longer feeling hungry but not wanting to upset her by not eating.
"From your tone of voice, it sounds like life is less than enjoyable for you right now." It was spoken in Anli.
I turned to look at Atta as he rounded the table and sat down next to me. "Look... I'm sorry for not telling you about your leg."
"Atta, I--"
"I realize you didn't want me to cut it off. It was just that--"
"Atta."
My brother stopped, finally looking at me fully.
"I don't care anymore. What's done is done. You did what you had to."
He seemed surprised but then nodded, smiling out of relief. "I'm glad you understand, brother."
I picked up a half of my sandwich, gazing at the meat in the middle, and idly wondered if Zlade had changed at all in two years.
That night after taking a much-needed bath and going to bed, I had little restful sleep. In the end room bed I thrashed under the sheets, caught in a nightmare. There was a lot of pain. I couldn't see--stumbling around with a pounding headache, a swollen knee, and a knot in my stomach that I could not get rid of. Saydea loomed in my mind. I woke up in a sweat and sat up swiftly to settle my stomach before I could become sick. Something was terribly wrong. I didn't know if it had to do with Stelliot or Velzae, or even anyone else I knew, but there was a new presence somewhere in GreyCross... and it was evil.
As some would call a heinous birth, my dear brother.
I held my breath after lying back down. I'd expected to hear from Sylvain again.
All gods have a connection to each other, and now that a new one has been born on this planet, we are a step closer to stopping the Mirror Curse.
Sylvain had never been this direct before. It took me by complete surprise. What do you mean all gods have a connection? Are you saying I've just witnessed the birth of a new High Saydea Project?
There was a small sound of amusement from Sylvain. Indeed, brother. My closest partner has finally found his way here.
What are you talking about?
At this, Sylvain truly laughed. His voice was excited, lucid, dreamy. He sounded like someone who'd just won a grand prize. I have continuously told you that you are special, have I not? Dentrin has shown you physical proof. Why do you think you are so attuned to Velzae's whereabouts or the goings-on of Saydea of the Future? Tell me, Crow. Brother. Friend. Who is to say that you are not one of us?
I sat up once again, biting my lip and trying to humor Sylvain by just thinking of myself as being different from others on a scientific level. That's a lie. I only have a connection to you because of the chemical Dentrin placed in my brain. That's the only reason I came up with--the only one that makes sense.
You have overwhelming willpower. You
endure on a level that most humans could not. You are talented to the point of perfection. You have proven yourself as the King of Roavo and managed a once deemed impossible escape. Who is to say you are not one of us? Sylvain asked again.
"If I'm one of you," I said aloud, "then explain why I have a growth like your projects. I didn’t grow in a tank like you did."
God incarnates such as us are all connected. Whether your birth was natural or experimental, you possess the same traits that we do because we were all born for a sole purpose--to restore Kairenz's balance. That growth is unique to incarnates. SolTansra planned to allow his godly children to be born onto the world for the sake of making peace. All of us remember traces of our divine past, save SiyariDendo who remembers all. But your memories have been suppressed, IkioElle. You remember nothing before coming to Kairenz, but you will.
"Ikio... Elle...?"
The God of Justice. You are entertaining the idea. I can feel it. You do believe in the Crei, Crow. You just wish to deny them.
I gritted my teeth, glaring at the ceiling. I don't believe in the gods because the gods don't believe in humans. Where were the gods when Era decided to take over Iason and ruin the south with war? Where were the gods when Lenta went to shit? Or when Kajaru died, or when my birth father tried to kill me? Where were the gods in Roavo?
In Roavo, they were right beside you the entire time, Crow, Sylvain answered. I'd expected to have startled the being into silence, but he'd had an answer waiting. Why do you think your Shelian prince is named Rook the Lucky?
I widened my eyes, gripping the damp sheets firmly. "Rook can't be a god incarnate. Luck isn’t some super power--It’s just a concept." At this point I had truly begun to feel as if I were losing my mind.
Rook cannot die, because Rook is the God of Good Fortune. LasNuk. The longer a person stays around LasNuk, the more fortune they have on their side. It was fate that you two met and escaped Roavo. He was destined to help you.
Does he think this too? Is he aware of it all?
That, I cannot say, Crow. I cannot communicate with LasNuk like I can with you because he does not possess prototoxine in his body. But I can see that you believe now. Don't you?