“Sprytes don’t usually work like that,” said Tapestry. “That doesn’t make sense. And how would the spryte have known where you live?”
Malcolm gave the most casual shrug he could manage and moved forward to kiss her neck. Tapestry let his lips make contact, but only for a second. She pushed him back again.
“Malcolm,” she said. “I need you to be honest with me.”
She’s suspicious of me. Seducing her isn’t just about gaining an ally, it’s about keeping her from digging too deep.
“…It was the same shadow spryte,” he said. “The one that I accidentally saved on the first night I had my powers. She must have tracked me down, I guess.”
It was a lie, but close enough to the truth that Malcolm could put some confidence into his voice. Tapestry nodded slowly.
“To do what?” asked Tapestry.
“She wasn’t exactly vocal about her intentions,” said Malcolm. “I’m glad you showed up when you did. You probably saved my life, you know.”
Tapestry smiled, her intensity lowering a bit. Malcolm kissed her and pushed forward, letting the bulge in his pants grind against her crotch.
“You deserve a reward for that,” said Malcolm. “Don’t you think?”
He let his hands slide back over Tapestry’s breasts. She licked her lips, and then her expression hardened again. She was still smiling, but the way she looked at Malcolm, her eyes tinged with suspicion, was enough to put him back on edge.
“Goodnight, Malcolm.” Tapestry pushed him back and stood up from the couch.
“Oh, we’re headed to bed, then?” he said. “Cool.”
He made to follow her toward the stairs. Tapestry pulled her robe tight and glowered at him.
“The couch is comfortable,” she said. “There are some extra blankets in the back of the coat closet. I’ll drop you off at your apartment in the morning.”
Malcolm sighed and gave her a disappointed nod.
“Alright,” he said. “Goodnight… Aubrey.”
Tapestry smiled and blushed a little at his usage of her real name, but didn’t slow her pace as she made her way up the stairs.
CHAPTER 11
Tapestry drove Malcolm home the next morning. Neither of them said much, a bit of the awkwardness and tension from the previous night still lingering in the air. She parked on the street outside his apartment and looked over at him
“Well,” she said. “Here we are.”
“Do you want to come upstairs for breakfast?” asked Malcolm. “You could use it as an excuse to search my apartment for the spryte you’re so suspicious about.”
Inviting her up was a calculated risk. Malcolm was relatively sure that Rose would be able to hide in time, if he walked up the stairs loudly enough and announced their presence. It would also give him another chance to get back into Tapestry’s good graces, which would keep her from being so suspicious in the future.
“No need, Malcolm,” said Tapestry. “We will be doing some more training later this afternoon, though. Keep your phone on so I can give you a call.”
“Fair enough.” He nodded to her and then got out of the car. He paused before closing the door, feeling like he should say something more to smooth over the weirdness between them.
Tapestry waited, and it suddenly felt as though the awkwardness had been intentional on her part, a new tactic to try to get the truth out of him. Malcolm nodded to her slowly, and then shut the car door without saying anything else.
She drove off, and Malcolm headed upstairs. He unlocked the door to his apartment and walked inside to find Rose sitting on his couch, playing his PS4. She’d hung up a blanket over the living room windows for the sake of keeping sun’s glare off both the TV screen and herself.
I’m glad Tapestry refused my offer to come up. Though it would have been kind of funny to see her react to this.
“Have you been up playing video games all night?” he asked.
Rose smiled, but didn’t look away from the screen. She had on sweat pants and one of Malcolm’s t-shirts, and he had a sudden urge to plop down beside her and spend the day playing games.
“Not all night,” said Rose. “Only since I got back from the tavern.”
Malcolm shrugged.
“I guess it’s better than coming home to you in bed with some creepy demon dude,” he said.
“Is it really?” asked Rose. “Wouldn’t you rather have a sexually liberated live-in spryte, than a nerdy one?”
Malcolm frowned. Rose smiled and winked at him.
“I’m joking, Malcolm,” she said. “God, you’re too easy.”
She patted the seat beside her. Malcolm glanced around his apartment, as though expecting to find evidence of a wild adventure that went beyond just video games. He walked up behind Rose on the couch, watching as she ran around an alien planet with a character in a space suit.
“So,” he said. “I thought we might follow up on the lead we got last night about your sister. This ‘Awakened Children’ church…”
“We could,” said Rose. “Or… we could hang out here all day and do nothing.”
“Rose…”
“Think about how much fun it would be,” she said, licking her lips. “You know how fun I can be when I get bored, Malcolm.”
“Come on,” he said. “Don’t you want to find your sister? Think about what this could mean for you…”
It might help her find out who she is, but even if it doesn’t… she’d get to see her sister, after who knows how long of an absence.
“I want to reach the next story planet,” said Rose. “I think I have to level my party up for a bit before I’ll be able to, though.”
“Would you be serious for a second?”
Rose paused the game. She stretched her back, arching it forward in a vaguely catlike motion, and then turned halfway around to face him.
“I am being serious, Malcolm,” she said. “I… honestly don’t know if I want to see my sister. Or rather… I don’t know if I want her to see me.”
“What are you talking about?” Malcolm frowned, shaking his head. “She probably thinks you’re dead, Rose. Think of how much it would mean for her to see you again, to have a chance to reconnect.”
“You aren’t going to let this go unless I agree to it, are you?”
Malcolm smiled at her.
“Exactly,” he said. “It’s for you own sake.”
“Whatever,” said Rose. “But in return, I’m making you do some of the filler planets when we get back. I could use the extra resources for crafting.”
“I think you’ve gotten further in that game than I have,” said Malcolm. “But I’ll see what I can do.”
The two of them spent a couple of minutes getting ready before heading off to catch the bus. Malcolm walked down the street with slow, deliberate steps, allowing Rose to stay hidden in his shadow without too much trouble.
He paid the bus driver, getting the slightest sense of déjà vu as he settled into the same seat he’d been in the night before. Rose stayed in his shadow, rather than joining him in the seat, as it was too crowded for her to be able to get away with it. He could still talk to her, however, given how loud the bus’s engine was.
“Any clues on where we can start looking?” he asked.
“One of the sprytes in Terri’s Tavern said she’d heard of the cult,” said Rose. “Gave me directions to a small church on the edge of Halter City’s old industrial district.”
“I thought you said you weren’t interested in finding your sister?” asked Malcolm.
“I said I wasn’t interested in finding her. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to know where she is, in case I ever change my mind.”
Malcolm smiled into the darkness of his shadow.
“Rose and her sister, sitting in a tree, C-O-N-N-E-C-T.”
“That just spells ‘connect’,” said Rose. “And what are you, a child?”
“Takes one to know one,” Malcolm muttered.
They got off t
he bus a stop later than they had the night before. It was a little cloudy out, but not nearly dark enough for Rose to walk openly next to him. Malcolm followed her directions, stopping to tie his shoe when he needed to talk to her in order to avoid suspicion.
The buildings slowly became more decrepit and destitute as they headed into Halter City’s old industrial district. The mildew covered concrete smoke stacks and rusting chain link fences gave it a vaguely post-apocalyptic atmosphere.
Malcolm spotted the church from a distance, and knew they’d come to the right place without needing to check in with Rose. It was well maintained, with a polished bell in the tower on top and a recently redone white and green paint job. A small children’s park, with trim grass and new equipment, sat in the church’s side yard, surrounded by a waist high wooden fence.
“Alright,” muttered Malcolm. “Here we go. Any advice on how I should proceed here?”
“You should head inside,” said Rose.
“You are such a pain sometimes,” he said. “I mean, what should my cover story be?”
“You brought a hat with you, right?” asked Rose.
Malcolm nodded and pulled out a small beanie that he’d left in his back pocket. He put it on, hoping it would be enough to keep anyone who watched the Vanderbrook local news channels from recognizing him.
“Do you remember what your sister looks like?” asked Malcolm. “If you can describe her to me, I can keep my eyes peeled.”
Rose was silent for a moment.
“…No,” she said. “But… I think I’ll recognize her if I see her.”
Malcolm frowned, realizing he’d accidentally touched on a sensitive subject.
How would I have felt if I’d not had pictures of mom and Danny? That would have been hard…
He pushed the thought out of his head, focusing on where he was, and why he’d come.
“Alright,” said Malcolm. “Let’s do this.”
CHAPTER 12
Malcolm didn’t really know what to expect. He walked up the stairs of the church and in through the main door, which was made of painted wood and let out a loud creaking noise as he pulled on it.
There was a group of people relaxing and talking in the pews, and though a few of them turned to glance in Malcolm’s direction, none of them reacted. They were dressed in a manner that was just a little bit off, their shirts plain white or grey, all the men in jeans, and all the women in sweatpants or leggings.
“Please, come in,” said a woman’s voice. “Don’t be shy.”
Malcolm closed the door behind him and slowly walked further into the church. He saw the woman who’d spoken. She was short, and wore a flowing white gown. Her features were Asiatic, and she had an attractive plumpness to her. She smiled broadly at Malcolm as he approached.
“I am Priestess Rion, of the Awakened Children,” said the woman. “You are welcome here, friend. Can I get you food? Or something to drink?”
“Oh no, that’s fine,” said Malcolm. He subtly glanced down at his shadow, though there was nothing about it to tell him whether Rose was still hidden within or not. “I just came to…”
He frowned, realizing that he hadn’t taken the time to come up with a decent excuse for visiting the church. It was harder than he’d thought it would be to spin an impromptu lie in the face of a believer.
“Of course,” said Rion. “We are only a few minutes away from our Enlightenment Sermon. I invite you to have a seat and join us. You are most welcome here, mister…”
“Malcolm,” he said.
“Mister Malcolm,” said Rion.
“Oh no, you can just call me…” He trailed off as Rion walked away from him, immediately falling into conversation with another one of the church’s members.
Malcolm briefly considered trying his hand at small talk with a few of the other people in the room before deciding against it. He was there for a reason.
He moved through the room slowly, taking a seat in the back of the room, where he could hopefully whisper with Rose without drawing too much suspicion. Sunlight streamed in through the church’s windows, but most of them were stained glass and opaque, leaving plenty of shadow around the area where Malcolm had chosen.
“See anything yet?” he said, in a quiet voice.
A couple of silent seconds passed. Malcolm frowned, suddenly wondering if Rose had split off from him at some point.
Could she be in one of the corners of the room, waiting for her sister to come close?
“It’s hard,” came her quiet response. “I need to see faces, maybe even hear her voice. You might have to play along for a little bit.”
“They seem nice enough,” said Malcolm. “That shouldn’t be too hard.”
The rest of the congregation had begun finding their seats. A silence fell over the room that was so perfect that it seemed somehow orchestrated, as though all of the Awakened Children had received a signal to go still.
Rion made her way up to the altar. She smiled as she looked out over the pews, taking the time to let her gaze scan all in attendance, making brief eye contact.
“Welcome, fellow children,” she said, extending her arms out. “I am glad to have all of you with us today, new friends and old.”
“Thank you, Awakened Priestess,” said the congregation.
Malcolm expected to feel uncomfortable, sitting in for a sermon of a belief system he didn’t share, but there was something very calming about it.
“We are the Awakened Children, though we do not take this name to imply that others in the world are asleep, or have lost their true purpose in life. We take this name in honor of the star touched who walk among us.”
“Stars guide us,” chanted the congregation, in unison.
Malcolm folded his arms, considering where her words were taking him.
Is she talking about champions? Or…?
“Demons and sprytes,” said Rion. “Monsters, as they are known in sleeping society. These are the true descendants of the holy line, sent to us now in humanity’s time of need, to show us a way forward, into a better future.”
The congregation repeated something else back to her, a word that sounded half mumbled that Malcolm couldn’t make out.
“We here, in the Awakened Children, we ask for guidance,” said Rion. “What was the question sleeping society asked of the star touched?”
The room went deathly silent.
“Sleeping society asked the star touched how much blood they would unwillingly give,” said Rion, her voice sharp. “Sleeping society asked how many of the star touched could be made into false sacrifices to placate the true evil in this world.”
Rion took a slow breath. She ran her hands down the front of her robe, as though wiping some of the blood she’d just been speaking of off.
“The sleeping men, women, and children, even if they do not aid directly in the genocide taking place, do little to stop it,” she said. “They sit and watch on their televisions. They pay taxes to a government of liars. And they let their salvation and ours be slaughtered in front of their eyes.”
Rion breathed out sharply. She let her gaze scan across the congregation again, pausing as she made eye contact with Malcolm. He felt his cheeks flush slightly at the attention.
“Demons and sprytes,” said Rion. “The heroes of the Zodiac. Our salvation, finally come to us, and yet the sleeping men and women of the world rebel against the message they bring!”
Rion slapped her hand down hard on the altar. The silence of the rest of the room was absolute. Malcolm scratched his head, unsure of how to feel.
“The message we’ve been brought by the heroes of the Zodiac is one of peace,” said Rion. “And yet, the sleeping society rebels against it at every turn? Why, I ask you? Why is it that they refuse to accept the bright future we’ve been presented?”
Rion waited for a moment, looking up at the stained-glass window inset into the wall over the main doors.
“The Illuminati,” she finally said. “And the New W
orld Order…”
Malcolm blinked a couple of times.
“The Illuminati,” repeated Rion. “The true source of the evil, hatred, and propaganda that defines our time. The Illuminati, aided by agents who’ve infiltrated not just our country, but our entire planet
Why is it always the Illuminati?
“They move through both the day and night, unseen,” said Rion. “They shapeshift their form, replacing our leaders, corrupting the political system. They poison the sky with their emotional toxins, and pollute our society with sinful drugs.”
“Stars guide us,” chanted the congregation, in unison.
Malcolm wondered how they knew just when to chime in with that. He looked around the pews, trying to find someone whose expression shared the same confusion he felt. Everyone else had their eyes glued on Rion, their faces serious and resolved.
“For us to hold onto the truth,” said Rion. “The Illuminati and their agents must be routed out. They have the advantage. They travel freely through time and space, read our thoughts and feel our emotions. They kill without killing, talk without talking, and exist without existing. Only through the guidance of the heroes of the Zodiac, the star touched, the ‘demons’ and the ‘sprytes’, can we follow the path of the righteous.”
Malcolm sank a little lower into the bench. He glanced down at his shadow, wanting nothing more than to get Rose’s perspective on the over the top sermon.
For the next few minutes, Rion veered into more traditional religious territory. She spoke of helping men and women in need, and always finding ways to improve oneself through small feats of will and dedicated habits. Malcolm relaxed slightly, though his mind was still overloaded by conspiracy theories and pseudoscientific mumbo jumbo.
“The star touched will lead us forward,” said Rion. “And we will worship them by any means necessary.”
“Any means necessary,” repeated the congregation.
“May you all walk with blessings,” said Rion.
CHAPTER 13
Rion stepped away from the alter, disappearing into the church’s back room for a moment before reappearing with a wheeled cart in front of her. It was laden with tiny squares of chocolate, along with several bottles of wine and a few dozen glasses.
Wind Runner: The Complete Collection Page 23