“That’s great, Digg, but we came here to ask you a favor, remember?” Argent said with a frown, glancing down at the sheet of paper Digg was waving in his face. “We’ve got something huge on our hands and there may not be much time left. Have you been following what’s been happening in the rest of the world recently?”
“Not at all. I’ve had quite enough of the world. The only thing it’s good for is spoiling a good time,” Digg said conversationally. Penny got the impression that he was starved for an audience.
“That’s just as well. Listen now, we need help reading thi―”
“You there. When’s your birthday?” Digg pointed at Penny.
“Um, the eighteenth of March?”
“Has this young man suffered any head trauma as of late? I do not think he’s understood my question,” Digg said to Argent, still looking at Penny.
“I’m not a boy!” she squawked indignantly, putting her hands on her hips. Digg had already turned to Annette and repeated his question.
“I was born on the twenty-third of Carmine, Age of Akarmin year nine-hundred and forty-two,” she answered.
“Wonderful, someone born under the sign of the Tulip,” he said with a smile. “May I see your hand, little Miss?”
Trustingly Annette offered it to him, and Digg whipped out a pin and pricked her finger. Annette squealed as a drop of blood appeared and Digg wiped a tiny glass over it. He hurried to what Penny assumed to be a type of microscope on a rickety table.
“Digg,” Argent said in exasperation as the old man wrote down frantic notes about Annette’s blood, “can you please stop harassing my friends and listen to me?”
“Just as I anticipated. This adds onto my theory that the zodiac sign has an influence over―”
“Digg!” Argent shouted and the old man looked up, impatient. “We’ve got something for you to read and hopefully translate, can you do that? This is important.”
“Oh, you always were an impudent brat.” Digg scratched back of his mane of matted white hair with his quill pen. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not interested. Find someone else.”
“Come on, Professor. I’m asking you as your old student.”
“If you’re so sentimental, why did you not come find me before? We all thought you were killed, boy. The entire Guild grieved your loss. Why did you wait this long to return?” Digg pulled down his golden helmet of lenses, shielding his eyes from Argent’s.
“I’m not keen on talking about it, Digg,” said Argent quietly. “Not in front of them. Try to understand.”
Digg seemed to be thinking. “Have you improved since I last saw you?”
“Of course. I had seven years of intensive training from a goblin master, and I studied on my own after he died. I have licenses to create most crafts. Inquisitor’s Eyes, wands, vessels for souls…” he trailed off and smiled with satisfaction as Digg turned around and removed his headset.
The old man had tears in his eyes. “I’d always hoped for that. Oh damn you, Clemons. Well, at the sound of that, I’m guessing you’ve probably surpassed my crafting skill long ago―so long as you’re not lying, of course. I could use a little help in my lab. I need a young pair of hands to help me finish something. Lend me your expertise for a day or two and if you can actually help, I’ll consider translating for you.”
“Can they stay too?” Argent gestured toward Penny and the others with a nod.
“As long as they don’t get in the way. There’s room in the attic for them to sleep, I think.” Digg looked them over. “Oh, and one more thing. I need blood from all of them―and at least a pint from the kids with the weird eyes.”
“Sure, suck ‘em dry,” Argent laughed and Penny scowled at him. Mia was still clutching her brother, who appeared to be stroking invisible animals. He looked quite intoxicated with happiness. “You might want to get the kid first. He might try to light you on fire if you wait too long.”
The old man needed no encouragement, and the group silently gave blood, shooting Argent dark looks he didn’t seem to notice.
“All right, let’s get to work. What do you need me to craft?” Argent asked when he was finished, but Digg only laughed.
“Antsy, eh? Sorry to say, but you’ll have to wait. It is suppertime, and I don’t do any work without my supper. You’re welcome to join me. I think Grouch should have it all set up by now. I’ll ask her to have a few more plates out.”
“Who, pray tell, is Grouch?” asked Argent.
Grouch turned out to be an elderly gobless with a pronounced under-bite whom Digg had hired a year ago to be his cook. She wore her grass green hair in dirty pigtails on either side of her head and grumbled in her native language to herself as the party shuffled into the kitchen. The table they sat around sported a few holes, claw and scorch marks. Digg asked Grouch to lay out more places.
“Filthy son of a glicknard,” Grouch hissed as the group took mismatched seats.
“What was that?” Digg demanded in her language.
“Right away, sir,” she replied, and threw some pewter bowls and forks onto the table. Argent frowned at the contents of his bowl.
“An organic mixture of bio-matter and specially selected vitamins,” said Digg. “It does wonders for digestion and vitality. You don’t live to be a hundred and two noshin’ cakes and tea, I’ll tell you that much. Eat up, go on.”
Silence descended as the group picked at their organic dinners. Digg remained focused on Argent. “What exactly has you worried about the rest of the world so much that you had to come to me in search of answers? What could be so bad?”
“Lord Nestor’s turned against the world and is planning to release an army of wraiths on everyone so that he can find a weapon capable of splitting the fabric of reality―and we still don’t know why,” Argent said conversationally.
Digg was unfazed. “What’s stopping him from doing it then?”
“That girl sitting right over there.” Argent pointed at Penny. “She confronted him and somehow did something to him that’s inhibited his power and made him very weak.”
“He said it was called Anti-Magic,” Penny piped up hopefully.
Argent glared at her. “Little sis, I told you Anti-Magic is just a theory and tha―”
“Quiet, you,” Digg told Argent sharply and stabbed him in the hand with his fork. Argent winced, and Digg took the floor. “Anti-Magic is very much a reality, and don’t you let this fool tell you otherwise.”
“Can you perhaps elaborate on that subject, Professor?” Hector asked.
“I most certainly can. Anti-Magic is something I’ve been studying for years now. It is a particle as far as I can tell, but its properties are very unstable. It exists in most creatures and appears to come straight from the Dawn Mirror itself, just as magic does. There appears also to be a correlation between the amount of destructive or antisocial action a living being with free will is likely to commit, and the levels of Anti-Magic present in the body. Furthermore, it appears to affect our Angelic Lord more drastically than it does other creatures, and judging from what you’ve said just now, I believe it adds more proof to this theory.”
“What exactly does that mean?” Annette questioned.
“That the Angel, the paragon of a creative force, when burdened with Anti-Magic is prone to extremely destructive notions. It will of course make him weak and confused―he showed a similar pattern about seven decades ago as well, though nothing quite this drastic, though he had some way of removing the Anti-Magic from his person. He mentioned something once or twice about going to see a sibling of his to be able to refresh himself. He spoke of another Tree of Mana in a distant world that was guarded by this same relative, and I think that’s what was drawing the Anti-Magic out from his body―though back then, the amount he carried was so negligible it was hardly of any consequence.”
Digg looked to Penny. “I’m guessing you must have somehow transferred the Anti-Magic from your body to his. My only question is how did you accumulat
e so much? Surely enough to stop an Angel would kill any human being, especially a scrawny little one such as yourself.”
“Whoa. Back up―you know Lord Nestor?” Annette cried.
“Of course I did, I needed answers to scientific questions only he could answer so I sought him out in my youth. He and I were what you might call friends once,” Digg returned, and looked to Penny once more. “I believe I asked you a question, Little Miss.”
“I don’t know how I got it all. I didn’t even know I had it. I just felt fatigued and ill all the time and…” she trailed off, not wanting to admit it had forced her to jump off an airship.
“How intriguing,” Digg mused. “And what is it you think this document will do if I’m able to translate it?”
“We don’t know, really. Penny found the symbols around Nestor’s Mana Tree and we had hoped they might give us a clue. We have reason to believe it’s got some sort of answer for us,” Argent told the professor, but Digg could not tear his eyes from Penny. His intense stare made her uncomfortable.
“What are you, girl?” he whispered at last.
The silence that followed was heavy and Penny felt her throat grow tight.
“I’m not anything. Please, don’t look at me that way,” Penny breathed, standing and wishing she knew where to flee. Argent stood and drew close to her side.
“Don’t let him bother you, Penny; he’s nuts, he’s always been this way,” he mumbled into her ear. “Digg, they’re all really tired. Let’s allow them to sleep and we can get to work on your project.”
“Wouldn’t you want to rest as well, boy?” Digg asked lightly, as though nothing peculiar had happened.
Argent gave a sardonic laugh and shook his head. “I never sleep.”
NOCT FINALLY AWOKE from his troubled sleep, visibly distressed and drenched in sweat. Frantic questions shot from his mouth and a calm Mia consoled him. Satisfied he knew what was happening, Noct told them what he had been through.
“I thought I’d died when he shot me and what I saw was the Dawn Mirror,” Noct said. “It was nice at first. I was swimming through an ocean with all these fantastic fish and little coves and coral and stuff, but then it changed when I started coming back to reality.”
“What did you see then?” Mia breathed.
“It was these rooms, but there were all these warped animals. There was something wrong with each of them, some had human faces or hands, or eyes of different sizes, or messed up skeletons. They ran across the floor or stood very still and stared at me from the corners, and I thought they’d never go away! I thought I’d be like that forever. You have no idea how scary it was!” Noct cried, his eyes watering. No one seemed to know how to respond to this. “I hate that Digg guy!”
The next day passed without further incident, largely due to everyone but Argent and Digg hiding away on the top floor of the observatory. As the sun rose that evening and a dry wind whipped the heads of the sunflowers in all directions, Penny ventured outside for a walk and was joined by Hector. Realizing that neither Annette nor Mia were interested in accompanying them, Penny grew anxious, and blamed Simon for ruining something she had so thoroughly enjoyed up until then.
The sun burned just above the horizon and radiated its lucent orange with an intensity that burned dark spots on her retinas. They wandered deep into the sunflowers, where the plants grew above their heads and the reddish hue of the sunset spilled onto Penny’s pale skin and white dress. It felt so warm and comforting that she forgot her awkwardness and happily milled about, stretching on tiptoe to cup sunflowers and admire the flaming blooms.
“It looks like they’re on fire. See, Hector?” She pointed to the swaying stalks, but Hector’s eyes were fixed on her. His expression changed to something she could not read; it looked as if he had been jolted by electricity but had tried with all his might to absorb the shock. A bittersweet sadness gathered behind his eyes, but he smiled at her so warmly that Penny felt her heart skip a beat. When she could bear the feeling no longer, she turned and stumbled back in the direction of the observatory, her heart hammering in her chest.
Argent and Digg didn’t appear until dinner was served, and looked to be in the middle of a heated argument. Grouch had prepared palatable food for everyone but Digg, who ate a simple heap of boiled purple potatoes.
“You worked well today, boy. I’m impressed with how skilled you’ve become.” Digg showed his gummy smile to Argent. “Ah, yes. That reminds me of something, boy. Your brother was killed last year. Did you know?”
Argent stopped eating. “Which one?”
“The eldest. What was his name again?” Digg pondered.
“Jet,” Argent uttered, letting his arms drop and blinking slowly. “How’d it happen?”
“Murdered by the people he was involved with. The people at Guild mentioned he’d been trying to outrun a debt.”
Penny wasn’t completely surprised at Digg’s lack of sympathy, but was shocked to see a tired smile on Argent’s face.
“Are you…?” Annette could barely form the words as she watched Argent’s reaction.
“I always knew that’s how he’d go.” Argent’s laugh was pronounced this time, and even Hector dropped his eyes. “Stupid bastard couldn’t keep his gambling under control. I’m surprised they put up with him this long.”
Annette stood and slammed her hands down on the table. “Your own brother dies and all you can do is laugh and mutter a few disdainful insults in his memory?” she hissed. “What’s wrong with you?”
Argent didn’t appear bothered by her outburst. “Calm down. You didn’t even know my brother. If you did, you might laugh too,” he told her, but she would not stand down. She marched straight over to where he was sitting and stared down at him, her ire inflating exponentially.
“I may not have known your brother, but I know what it is to have a sibling! No matter what they do, they’re still you’re family and any person with a soul has got to love their family―at least enough to shed a tear or two when they’re murdered!”
“What a naïve thing to say,” Argent growled. “It’s just like you to believe in something as hollow as that.”
“You…heartless…horrible…” Annette gasped, her hands clenched into fists. “Is this really you, Argent? Is this how’d you act if Penny or Noct was killed? Would you laugh if it was me who was dead? You would, wouldn’t you?”
“Why do you feel the need to make everything so dramatic?” Argent seethed, sounding less nonchalant now. “Just drop it, and go sit down before you embarrass yourself some more. You have no idea what you’re talking about when it comes to this—you couldn’t possibly understand.”
“Of course I couldn’t! And that’s because you never share anything with anyone. You think that shutting out the world out makes you a better, stronger person? You’re the one who’s naïve if you believe that. We’re your friends, and it’s cruel to treat the people that care for you so coldly. Do you really think that’s any way to get people to like you?”
“I don’t want people to like me!” Argent shouted, standing up to face her. Annette didn’t flinch. “I never asked for you to drop into my life. All friends are is a liability, and here you stand so accurately proving that point.”
“Excuse me for caring about you! I can see that’s where I went wrong! I won’t make that mistake again,” Annette spat.
Try as he may, Argent could not conceal the fact that her words affected him. Annette turned to leave the room, then paused. “You know, you almost had me fooled. I was honestly starting to think that underneath all your silly posturing and rude defenses, there was actually a wonderful person I would be proud and privileged to know, but you just showed me how wrong I was. You’re far worse than anything I could have imagined.” She left the room.
Argent’s head drooped, and Noct sprang to his feet and grasped the crafter’s forearm in a gesture of comfort. Argent stood still for a moment, then patted Noct on the shoulder and sat. The others took their leave
one by one, Penny being the last to trail out.
“Penny!” a voice hissed, and she turned to see a red-eyed Annette poking her head out from behind curtains. “I couldn’t find my way to the elevator in the dark and I didn’t want to go back in and ask for directions after I’d made that big scene, so I just hid here and waited for you.”
Penny smiled. “Come on, it’s this way.”
They were passing the double doors leading to the dining area when Annette stopped short. “What’s wrong?” Penny asked.
“Hold on a moment.”
Penny watched Annette creep toward the crack in the door and press her ear against it. The low, serious voices of Argent and Digg behind the door did not invite interruption.
“What are you doing?” she whispered.
“I need to hear this,” Annette insisted.
Penny swayed uncomfortably in place, torn as to what to do. But she could not stop herself from paying attention to the conversation on the other side of the door.
“…and on top of that, why’d you have to bring it up in front of everyone, anyway, Digg?” Argent was saying.
“I thought you’d like to know!” Digg replied defensively. “It seems natural that you should be concerned. You adored Jet—hero-worship like I’d never seen before! And besides that, I heard he was so torn up after you went missing.”
“Went missing? Is that what the story was? How…how could…” There was a strained emotion in Argent’s voice that Penny had only heard once before: on the night his shop burnt to the ground.
“What did happen, then?”
“It was…” his voice trailed off, and suddenly the door flung open. Annette and Penny stood rooted in place as Argent glared at them for a long, tense moment. Finally he pushed past them and disappeared down the dark hall.
They’ve finished! The old man is going to help us now!” Noct cheered, pulling Penny to her feet. She was pushed into the elevator and lost her balance as it dropped past the labs. At the kitchen level, the door coasted open and they found Digg, Argent, Hector and Mia sitting at the table. Annette was leaning against a wall, her eyes glued to the professor as he examined the sheet of paper Penny had copied the stone symbols onto.
Eden Undone (The Dawn Mirror Chronicles Book 2) Page 23