Falias, Finias Chapter Twenty-Five

Kazdan feels like he's stuffed with cotton balls. He'd cough one up if he had any energy to do so. Sleep didn't rejuvenate him, and he suspects it was because of whatever the drug. He's surprised that he's alive considering the medicine was probably intended for Creatures and not humans. He knows he doesn't have the energy, but he wants to get out of the bed. He tries to move a foot and can't even get a single toe to wiggle. He doesn't feel like screaming anymore since he knows that he can't even if he wanted to. He's overwhelmed with helplessness that he can't voice or act out. He'll endure it much like the knowledge of another being occupying his body.

Yet, he needs a distraction from his current hell, so he doesn't go mad from his thoughts. He turns his head to see if the room can offer any. Instead of a traditional square-shaped room, he finds himself in a silver, oblong room reminding him of a piston engine. Blue whorls pop from the muted color in hundreds. He's reminded of a beach he went to once.

Da took me to a beach at night. The moon was out, and its light reflected on the blue-black waters. Like dozens of armor suits that fairytale knights would wear was trapped beneath the waves. I wanted to get the armor, but da wouldn't let go of my hand. He didn't want me to fall. I don't remember much else about the trip, but da was there.

His eyes burn, so he looks to the floor, hoping to not find any more dead people lurking down there. The floor reminds him of polished, black marble that's been turned into bricks. Flecks of red glint from the stone, and he recognizes that the color is exactly like UnderWorld mugic. Glowing with its strange notes.

Did mugic come from this stone? Or was mugic mixed into it? Why? Is it just for decoration, or is there some other purpose to it? Does it strengthen the UnderWorlder in this room? And what is this room? It's too finely made to be a prison for someone like me. Maybe, it is a prison, but for royals or someone important. There's blue in the walls. Is it possible this room was constructed to hold OverWorlders?

He hears a sharp click of a lock unlocking. He tries to look toward what made the sound, but his neck refuses to strain anymore.

"I hope you didn't sleep with your neck like that." Iso's reedy voice greets his ears. Soon, the small child is by his bed. His white hair is a messy nest on his head like he just got out of bed. Now, Iso uses his little talons to try and hurriedly comb the messy locks, but he just loses strands of his white hair.

Quit doing that before you lose all your hair!

Iso ceases and puts his hands at his sides like a good little soldier.

"Don't speak, just think. I hear you just fine."

Oh. He reads minds. I should be more freaked out, but I think I'm too tired for that. And I'm afraid of waking that person up.

"Melinoë won't. Fighting you for control wore her out."

His mom!? I'm being possessed by a ghost!?

"The dead walk during Spirit Night like Dairus said. Apparently, she was telling the truth. Somehow, she found her way to you. Caretaker, do you remember what happened to you that night?"

What happened again? I left the party at the theater. I was walking and then I got distracted. Or maybe that's when I got jumped? I know I ended up in a pit with Creatures arguing about a ritual. There was fire, and that's where I saw her face. Were they trying to bring back her? No, no, it didn't sound like they were. They were wondering if the ritual would work at all. And they used me because I'm a human, and no one would miss me.

"I'd miss you."

Iso knows his cheeks are taking on that awful shade of pink right now. His face must be splotchy like he's suffering a bout of acute plague pox. He did keep his eyes on Kazdan if only to gauge his Caretaker's reaction. Kazdan looks at him with more alertness in his eyes, but he doesn't try to say anything. His mind is strange again, but it's not from Melinoë. She's still sleeping.

"Um, Agitos told me the history of the tower. Would you like to hear it?" He knows how much his Caretaker loved history and he'd rather not have to deal with his own feelings right now.

Yes.

"The Queen's Tower is all that remains of The Liberator's original palace. The Fire Geysers were even more wild and unpredictable back in those ancient times, so he lost most of his palace to a massive one that destroyed most of the city. The tower only survived because of its construction material. The stone came from a pit where failed Mugics were abandoned."

Failed Mugics? Like they didn't work?

"Not every Mugic is guaranteed to have a desired effect. It's a lot of trial and error to make a Mugic. The failed Mugics would degrade over time and mix with the earth around it. Eventually, they hardened into the stones that would be used for the Queen's Tower."

All those failed Mugics recycled into a Location. I'm sure this place has some power to it. If only I had my Scanner, then I could find out.

"What happened to your Scanner?"

Before Kazdan could reply, the door opens again. Iaen, the golden being with coal-black eyes, comes through with his small pack of medical supplies and his notepad. Kazdan's mind swirls with anxiety at seeing Iaen.

"Kazdan, this is Iaen; he's a doctor." The anxiety increases in Kazdan's mind. "He's here to help you."

I remember him! He drugged me!

"So, you wouldn't hurt yourself or Melinoë wouldn't accidently hurt you." He glances at Iaen who pulls a roll of bandages from his pack and presents it like a treat. "He's here to change your bandages. He doesn't need to drug you to do that."

Iaen nods to confirm this. He even takes off his bag with one hand and puts it on the floor. Kazdan's anxiety finally relents, and he closes his eyes.

Please, be quick.

"Iaen, you can begin."

Perhaps, the drug lingers in Kazdan's body since he doesn't wretch himself from Iaen's touch. His Caretaker remembers a sterile, white room. There's a man, a human one, on a bed with strange machines hooked into him. His mouth is covered by a clear mask that breathes for him. There's a little boy clutching at the man's hand.

Iso stops his incursion.

I will learn something I never wanted to learn like the pebbles.

Iaen taps at his shoulder, getting Iso's attention. Iso returns the notepad and waits as Iaen jots down his thoughts.

"Is he experiencing any pain?"

"No. He's just very tired."

"I calculated the dosage needed for a Creature of Melinoë's size. It may have been too much for the human."

"Perhaps," Iso replied noncommittally.

Iso, what are you going to do today? I think I usually take you to the Inferno Inn on this day.

"It's okay, Caretaker, I can entertain myself. Agitos gave me plenty of work."

All work and no play.

"I can work on my scroll here. Any objections, Iaen?"

"As long as you don't excite the patient, then it should be fine."

"Iaen says it's fine. Maybe I can teach you to read the Common Script like you taught me English."

You love giving yourself more work, but it's not like I have anything else to do.

Iso smiles.

She wakes a night later. This time the body moves to her liking, almost like a puppet on strings. She stands on the balcony and gazes dreamily out at the city. Her eyes then catch a human watching her. This human is a female with short brown hair and green eyes. Her all pink ensemble makes her easy to pick out at night. She waves at the human. The human politely waves back and then pulls out a silver version of Kazdan's device. The human points it at her, and she responds with a curious look.

There's a blue light that whirls in a flurry of code, and then it's gone.

She blinks and sees the human then disappear in a flurry of code for parts unknown. Perhaps, she's returning to Earth. Or her little game.

All work and no play.

Author's Comments- There are no links this time.

When I look at the written language of the Creatures in the show, their writing looks aesthetically like Hebrew, Arabic, and animal footprints. I am not sure how it would correspond in English, and I don't plan on making sense of this writing system since I wasn't any good at languages. Perhaps if the show went on longer, we may have gotten more insight onto the writing system. And maybe it would have a name same with their spoken language. For now, the written is Script, while the oral is Tongue.

I believe the Tom chapters are going to be longer than this arc. There's a lot I must establish about Tom and his rescue mission because Tom can't go in Scanner a-blazing. He needs a plan, resources, and allies to execute the mission. Then, it's another thing if it'll go successfully.

Next chapter: Tom gets in way over his head.