PART TWO: HUMANITY
Chapter Five
| THE LAST CITY, CITY WALL MEDICAL |
The rhythmic beeping of the EKG reverberated through the empty medical ward. Inside, a ghost hovered above a bed and worked carefully to mend his guardian's wounds as she laid curled up within the clean white sheets. Her clothes had been changed into a grey long sleeve shirt and black pants, and her previous ragged ones had been folded and placed beside her on a bed stand. The crimson red energy emitted by her ghost blended with the orange luminescence shining through the ward's window from the afternoon sun. Through the bloom of the light walked a tall awoken man, dressed neck high in his red and grey uniform. He took hold of his wrist behind his back and stood quietly by the door as an older human entered beside him. The human was dressed in loose brown and golden cloth, crossing his arms and keeping his focus drawn to where the awoken's eyes pointed.
The ghost turns, having heard the footsteps, but with a single wave of the awoken's hand, he returns to his work. "This is her," the awoken man mumbles. His register was bassy and deep. It was almost felt instead of heard.
The human tries to peer over and get a better look at the unnamed girl. "So it was only her arm," he notes. "I had figured it might be worse."
"Do you recognise the wounds."
After the delay of a deep breath, he answers. "None of Caiatl's weaponry would create such an effect. That part is obvious. Perhaps it was modified, to appear fallen." The peaks of his cadence were much more intense than that of the awoken man. "We cannot be certain that she hasn't framed it as such."
"The ghost reports fallen intruders. And the action would not suit her."
"You are to know the character of a distressed Cabal empress?"
"No. I am to know the character of a commander who wishes for the survival of their people. I believe she will continue to uphold this armistice. If at all, it would be an attack framed from one of her subsidiary commands. Defectors. This was an unnecessary concern, Osiris."
"There have been assassination attempts on you twice, commander. Excuse my elevated concern for humanity's safety."
"I understand that."
"And are we sure the darkness has made no attempt to communicate with her before she arrived? The sheer number of corrupted Guardian's being reported—"
"Osiris, quiet." The commander interjects. "There will be no speaking of that here. Someone might hear you. And no, her ghost made no report of such a thing."
"The Ghosts never do. You see it's not just humans that have fallen to the darkness."
The two stand in silence for a moment. Watching as the ghost slowly mends their guardian's arm.
"She fell unconscious after the encounter," the awoken mutters to his companion.
The human furrows his eyebrows. "That is strange. Perhaps her lack of resilience is evidence of alternative strengths."
"You're suggesting she is a warlock."
"Sure," he appears to agree.
"What does her ghost's data suggest."
"Nothing." Osiris states.
"He didn't report?"
"No. He reported that there wasn't any data. His guardian was never able to use her light."
The awoken man rests, crossing his arms and raising a fist to his mouth. "I have seen less and less of our guardians arrive back at the city wall. We are a dying breed, Osiris. Our foes are getting stronger with every passing day, and larger handfuls of guardians are becoming 'persuaded' by those threats. The last guardian like her never made it past his first patrol before he was taken…" His head falls toward the floor. "We need to keep watch over her. All of us were born with this power but none of us asked for it. She may never understand how to use it for the traveller's will as we do. And I fear we are running out of time."
Osiris corrects his stance. "You wish to assign mentors to the new lights? Is this correct?"
"Not quite," he amends. "Moreso 'guides', 'watchers'. But we do not have the resources for such a thing yet. Our guardians are already spread too thin."
"Should we begin testing with just this guardian then."
"Indeed. For now." He glances back toward the bed, noticing her now drooling on the sheets. "Just her…"
"Consider it done. I'll find a guardian to take the task personally. I presume we are done here then?"
"Future cases like these will require some thought. But yes, we are done here."
"Good," Osiris acknowledges. "Now. The Young Wolf has requested your presence within the H.E.L.M regarding the crow, and what you have planned for them moving forward considering… well I'm sure you can guess, recognising his latest troubles. Now I would normally join for matters concerning him. Sadly I, however, have other matters to attend to, so I'm sure I will be seeing you again soon." He nods his head, and in one swift movement, turns to leave. "Until then."
A moment of silence ensues. Then without another word, the awoken man trudges away.
The Story Continues... 09/09/22