Chapter Two

Before the Keeper

Being raised the son of a lord, Larva had seen his share of splendorous and awe-inspiring structures, but for some odd reason, the observatory that the Keeper of the Pages maintained was far beyond any that he had seen before.

It was not until he stepped into the observatory that he was truly amazed. The outside was, to be blunt, plain and almost unsightly. The actual observatory was a tall medal shaft of a tower fashioned completely out of copper, which was turning green and actually rusting slightly due to the long-term exposure to the sea air. It was topped off with a plated dome, which more than likely where the telescope was housed. A smaller, more rectangular building was joined to the tower, closer to the rocky cliff that looked out to the sea; the living quarters, without a doubt, made from the same dull medal as the tower. Both structures lacked the feeling of homeliness, especially with the shortage of windows with led to the extermination of what would otherwise be an impressive view of the city and port below. Not exactly a place Larva could see himself living in.

"This is the famous Shigaldi Observatory?" Lemures snorted under his breath to his comrades. "It appears as if it's more likely to have chickens pecking around on the inside."

"Cozy, isn't it?" As if she could read his mind, Miyu's words jarred him out of his thoughts so unexpectedly that he actually jumped. "Don't let the outside put you off. Keepers intend to be rather important, so the government takes care of us. Come inside, and take off your boots. Ranka hates it when the floors are messy; any excess dirt can mess up her observations. Oh, by the way, what time is it, would you say?"

"Probably a little after ten thirty." Lemures said after a moment's pause. "It might be a little closer to eleven. Why? Will we be in that much trouble?"

Miyu shrugged. "I'm not sure about that. I was just making sure, because we might have to duck once we get inside." Before any of the young men had a chance to question her comment, Miyu pushed the heavy double copper doors open, and they indeed had to duck as a large brass object missed their heads by inches. When they were able to stand up straight again, what rendered them completely incapable of speech.

The immediate center of their attention was the source of the object they had to dodge. Positioned in the center of the tower, rotating and spinning in a perfect, almost hypnotic precision, was a perfect replica of the known galaxy in which their whole existence lived within. Planets and moons crafted of shining copper spun in graceful, swooping arches around each other and around the "sun" centered in the middle, the movement of the very heavens mimicked in almost perfect harmony by the humble man-made clock motor set underground that controlled the fabulous model. Lining the circular tower walls were shelves upon shelves of books, stacked from floor to the ceiling, packed tight with yellowed parchment, ancient scrolls and dusty volumes that contained endless knowledge of the stars and heavens. And at one of the far ends of the tower sat a magnificent redwood desk piled high with yet more written documents, along with countless candle stubs, instruments used for calculations, scales, charts, crystals, and even a human skull. From where they stood, Larva saw that there was only half a ceiling under the Observatory dome, but since it was closed, it was too dark to see anything. If he was lucky, maybe the Keeper of the Pages would allow him to see the telescope once their meeting was over.

"The boots, please." Miyu's voice once again called them back from their trance-like state, and Larva had to shake his head once to clear his mind. He wondered if one could ever get used to coming into the tower and not gawking like a fool, but Miyu seemed to prove it as she propped her bow against a rack by the door, hung up her quiver and proceeded to remove her boots. Without another word and still unable to take their eyes off the sight that lay before them, the three young men followed her example, leaving their footwear neatly by the door as they followed Miyu deeper into the tower. Once inside it became a little more difficult to look around at their surroundings, as now they also had to keep their eyes on the model of the galaxy to avoid being knocked out cold by one of the passing planets. It was at last Lemures who spoke first.

"So where are Master Pazusu and the Keeper?"

"In the back." Miyu responded as she lead them across the width of the tower and over to a door that they had not noticed before, which more than likely lead to the adjacent building alongside the tower. Miyu approached the door and rapped on it with her knuckles three times, stepped back and listened. Even through the heavy wood, Larva heard from behind the door a soft voice that gave them permission to enter. "Please keep in mind before we go in," she said before pushing the door open. "Don't speak unless you're spoken to, and answer all she asks. The Keepers of the Pages are always highly respectable people, and therefore she will expect it. And you have to address her as 'Lady Keeper' to keep it formal. I think that's about it, but you'll probably know if you do something wrong. Oh, and by the way, Lemures, watch out for Abrion."

A look of extreme puzzlement came over Lemures' face; it was to be expected. Abrion was their world's largest moon, so why would he have to look out for it? But before he could even open his mouth to question her advise, a loud metallic clang filled their ears and Lemures was left sprawled-eagle on the ground as the copper model of the moon swung away. "Told you." Miyu said with a shrug. "Let's go." She turned around to face the door once again, took hold of the crystal handle, and pushed the door open.

The room was unexpectedly dark compared to the tower, all the curtains pulled tight over the windows and tied shut, all outside light sealed behind their dark folds. And it was warm inside too, almost to a point of where it was uncomfortable, especially with the fire blazing in the far end. There were no other lights; the hundreds of candles that lined the shelves and walls were all unlit, their waxen stalks glowing orange. This must have been where the Keeper and Miyu slept; there were two beds set up on opposite sides of the room, and a round table in the center with several chairs surrounding it. It looked as if the entire room was in the exact same state it had been when it was first built; there was no obvious electric lights, no stove for cooking food, only a copper cauldron sitting to the side of the fireplace. A teakettle hung over the flames now, only placed there recently as a soft boiling noise was emitted from it. Even more shelves lined the walls stuffed full with more books and scrolls, their old, dusty odor mixing with the smell of some sort of incense.

As expected, their Master and Lord did not even as much as move his eyes when they entered the small room. Pazusu was a handsome man in his late thirties, his black hair long and tied into a neat tail at the back of his head. His whole manner and attitude clearly said that he was a man of high respect and honor, and even though he did not demand it, he excepted that he was to be treated in that way. And the presence of that feeling was doubled with the Keeper of the Pages sitting just opposite of him.

Larva was surprised at how young the Keeper actually was…or appeared to be, anyway. He had one of those imprinted images in the back of his mind that the wiser a person was, the older they were. From what he heard of Lady Ranka, he expected her to be an old woman with white hair and a frail, withered complexion. What she actually was the complete opposite of that. She appeared to be younger than Pazusu by some years, her shoulder-length hair ebony-black and her ice-blue eyes serious and focused, set in her pale, beautiful face. Even though she was sitting, she did not appear that tall, but she held herself as if she was six feet tall, back straight and head raised. Like Pazusu, she did not so much as twitch when they entered the room, but she was the one to speak first.

"You're late, Miyu."

"Forgive me, my Lady." Miyu said politely, dropped a small bow in respect. "I brought the young men for today's meeting, but we had some minor…troubles on the way. An unexpected monster attack."

"What was this monster, Miyu?"

"A T-rexaur, Lady. The first one to be seen in over a hundred years. We brought it down with ice spells and Lemures brought it down with a Holy."

The news of the monster attack was enough to make both Pazusu and Ranka look at them for the first time. "A T-rexaur?" Pazusu repeated. "This is serious. Have a seat , you four. We have much to discuss. Lady Ranka, may I introduce to you my three foster sons, Larva, Spartoi and Lemures." The three of them bowed to her before taking their seats around the table. Miyu walked around opposite of them and sat herself beside Ranka.

"So…these are the ones, are they?" Ranka said, looking over each of the young men. Larva had an itch on the inside of his skin that wanted him to move away from the Keeper's pressing glare. He felt like a mouse being stared down by a hawk, and just as helpless.

"Yes." Pazusu answered. "We were hoping to get some answers about their…situation. Lately the magic grows stronger, and are becoming harder to control. Their thoughts are becoming stronger, more prominent."

Once again, Larva fidgeted in his seat, and he could feel the same discomfort radiating from Lemures and Spartoi. The situation did not become any better when Ranka said: "Why don't the young men tell me exactly what's happening?" And it was an order, not a question. Larva was feeling even more trapped than ever.

"It's….it's not really speaking, but we can feel them. Their thoughts, their powers….their very wills. We can hardly fight anymore, because the battles excite them, calls to them. Sometimes… sometimes it's almost too much to control them, to push them back. They're growing anxious." Larva was looking at his hands the entire time as he spoke, but he risked a quick glance up at Miyu, wondering if he would meet a puzzled, confused look in return. To his surprise, Miyu was not even looking up… her own golden eyes were cast down at the table as she traced the patterns of the wood with her index finger. She looked ultimately…bored, as if there was nothing unusual about what he had just said.

Ranka, on the other hand, did not brush the matter off so lightly. "So…they feel is as well."

"Feel what?" Miyu asked, finally looking up.

"The changing of the world." With one smooth motion Ranka rose from her chair, smoothing out the folds of her robes nonchalantly and circling the table to stand beside the hearth. She was smaller than what Larva expected – perhaps no taller than Miyu – but once again, she held herself in a way that made Larva feel like the small one.

Despite the closed window and the blazing fire, Larva felt a chill run down his spin as if someone had cast an ice spell on him. There was something frightening about Ranka's words, about her tone of voice, which made his skin prickle every hair on his body rise. And, to her words, something stirred in his mind, and a growl only he could hear echoing in his head. He angrily pushed the presence away and forced himself to listen.

"Um…Lady Keeper, if I might ask… What's with all the secrecy?" Lemures asked cautiously, a way to break the uneasy silence.

"The world is becoming increasingly more dangerous by the day, we cannot afford to take any risks." Ranka said gravely. "It would prove to be disastrous if the wrong person were to hear the conversation that will pass between us."

"More dangerous?" Spartoi repeated. The flash Larva was able to pick up in Miyu's showed slight annoyance; so far both Lemures and Spartoi had forgotten what she had told them about how to address the Keeper. Although he did not show it, he could tell that Pazusu was slightly taken aback too, as well as a little ashamed of them. But, surprisingly, Ranka did not seem to mind. Apparently what she had to say was more important than the respect they were showing to her. "I understand that there are a few more monsters running around, but I do not see how that makes the world more dangerous as a whole."

"Tell me, child." The Keeper's voice was even softer now; Larva almost had to strain over the growl in his mind to hear what she was saying. "If I were to ask you to find a village that was a mile away, could you see it better from the ground or looking down from on top of a mountain? You forget that I can read the signs of the planets, moons and stars, and they tell me more than the land under our feet ever could. And they are taking a path that I was hoping that I would never see in my lifetime.

"As you may or may not know, the serene balance of the world is based solely on the magic that runs through the veins of the very existence. It's like a river that will never run dry, a very ocean of raw, untapped power that surrounds us every moment of our lives. And, like an ocean, the magic is prone to tides, which is based on the movement of the moons and the stars of the heavens. It's an unending cycle, a partnership that will last until the end of time.

"However, just like any scale, no matter how well-balanced it may seem, it can always be tipped." Ranka sighed, and shook her head slowly. "That is what we are seeing right now. The moons are moving into alignment, the sun stands in their shadow, and the stars are forming into a very unlucky constellation. It's beginning to alter the flow of magic of our world, and it's turning it for the worse. So far, humans cannot feel it, but the creatures of this world – both monsters and animals alike – can feel it. This is why we are seeing so many rare monsters in areas that they have not appeared in hundreds of years. They know something is wrong, and it is brining out the worse in all of them.

"And there is also one very clear shred of evidence that the tides are changing."

She paused there, as if for dramatic emphasis, but it held their attention like a death-grip; only the sound of the crackling fire and the hissing teakettle could be heard. Even Pazusu was poised at the edge of his seat. After a moment of painful silence, Larva spoke, his voice uncomfortably loud.

"And….what is that sign, Lady Keeper?" He asked cautiously.

A small smile tugged at the corners of Ranka's mouth, but it in no way offered any sort of comfort. "If I understand it correctly, we have four Summoners sitting in this room as we speak. Rather …unusual, if you ask me, since the world has not seen a collection of more than two in the last hundred years."

Lemures broke down into a serious of violence coughs; Spartoi fell off his chair. Larva felt the blood drain completely away from his face and suddenly felt sick to his stomach. He wondered later why their reactions were the way there were; it was obvious that Ranka knew that they were Summoners, that was the sole reason why they were there in the first place. It must have been hearing it said aloud; it was very rare when someone said the world "Summoner" aloud because of the fear the title installed…

That thought made Larva remember what Miyu had told them earlier…

"The only thing that people fear more than Magicians are the Summoners…"

He was almost afraid to look at her. Was she one of those people who feared Summoners? Very slowly, he raised his eyes to look at her, only to see that she once again went back to studying the tabletop; he was not able to make out the look on her face. He guessed he would have to wait and see what her reaction was when he finally made full meaning of what exactly it was Ranka had said.

"Hold on a moment…four Summoners? There were only three by my last count."

This time a smile of amusement did appear on Ranka's otherwise serious face, a smile that still did not reach her eyes. "Ah, then I suppose that your Master had done a fair job at keeping his secret from you."

The three young men turned to stare unbelieving at their Lord and Master, but the older man only shrugged. "Some people choose to keep secrets for their own reasons."

The silence lasted for another moment before Lemures fell back against his chair, arms crossed and pouting slightly. "Well, I certainly feel violated of trust."

"However…" Ranka broke in, bringing them all back to the current situation. "It's not enough that there are four of you alive as it is. Being Summoners yourself, you should at least know how it works. The ancient scrolls have kept a record of sixteen known Spirits, born from the very moment that time began, to be reborn into the souls of mortals when fate calls them to be. There has not been an event that has touched the lives of mortals in the history of this world that did not have a Spirit involved in it solution…or its problem. The direr the event was, the more and the more powerful the Reborn Spirits were."

The Keeper drew a deep breath and slowly turned to return to her chair at the table. The ominous feeling that was already present in the room was now pressing down upon them like a lead weight, making it seem hard to breath. "From what the stars have told me, our world is falling into a dark, downward spiral towards something that I don't dare to imagine. All sixteen Spirits have been reborn to mortal spirits, you four being the first I was fortunate enough to find, but unfortunately, your power is not enough to stop whatever it is that is coming. The reason why they have been called into this world again is still unclear to me; even the stars can only tell me so much. But what I do know is this; your destinies have been laid out before you, and even though they are foggy, you must not run away from them, and you must not be afraid. You can not change your fate, it has been written in the heavens long before you were ever born. The only thing you can do is prepare yourselves so when the time comes, you can rise to meet it, if you are strong enough to."

Larva lifted his head from his hands when she was through speaking; he had not even realized that he had been rubbing his eyes in a desperate attempt to clear his mind to make sense of what Ranka had just told them. A part of him understood vaguely; the other part only wanted to run away as he felt his own destiny pressing in all around him. It was too much, too soon, and the fact that they did not even know what it was did not help the situation.

"So…" Spartoi began slowly, unsure. "What are we supposed to do? Wait until something somewhere happens, then rush in to stop it?"

"Until the stars tell me more, yes. However, as I have stated before, the four of you are not enough to stop whatever it is that is coming. That's why your Master and I have come up with a little task for the four of you, and when I mean four, I mean Miyu is to accompany you. I have already spoken to her on the subject." Miyu was looking up again, looking but not seeing as she nodded in agreement. "The four of you are to seek out the remaining twelve Summoners, wherever they may be, and rally yourselves together. Your Spirits must be joined together if we have any hope of overcoming what it is fate has in store with us. Just one missing can be the drawing line between victory and defeat."

"What you ask sounds impossible." Lemures said, doubt shadowing over his handsome features. "That's twelve people out of the entire world population. And, if I understand correctly, the Summoners are not the most welcomed people in the eyes of humans. We just can't go up to people and ask them if they know of any local Summoners. And even if we happen to come across one, they're not going to be too willing to openly admit what they are. I know that we wouldn't if someone asked us."

"That is why Miyu is going with you." Ranka said, her voice slightly hinted with agitation. "When you begin your journey, I will give her a crystal that has fallen into my possession many years ago that will specifically single out those who have Summoning powers in their spirits. The aura that radiates from your soul is quite different from everyone else's, so when the crystal glows, you will know when you are in the presence of a Summoner. It has come to my attention that other than your four, there is another in this very city. I highly suggest that you search for him as soon as possible; as soon as tomorrow would be the best time. After you find him, you can begin the search for the remaining eleven.

"Just keep in mind that the universe and fate alike move to their own schedule, and wait for nothing. I cannot stress how important it is that you find the other twelve Summoners as soon as possible. This event will not wait for you to catch up, and so if you shall fail to gather all sixteen Spirits…" Once again, she shook her head. "I cannot even think of the consequences. Do you understand what I am telling you?"

"Yes, Keeper." Larva said, his mind remarkably clear and rational. "We will search for the fifth Summoner tomorrow. Once we find him, we await your orders for the next move."

Both the Keeper of the Pages and Lord Pazusu nodded at the seemingly unanimous decision and stood up from their chairs. The looks on both his foster brother's faces suggested otherwise, but they did not say a word against it. "Well then… it looks as if you have a long task before you. I have sent the servants away for the occasion of this meeting. I know that they are not the same as your luxurious quarters that you are used to back at your own home, but they will have to do for the time being. I can assure you that at least there are no chickens pecking around on the floors." The Keeper smiled again, and Lemures fidgeted noticeably, his face growing beet-red. "You are free to return to the city if you wish until sundown. It is not wise to wander in the fields after dark, or you may retire early. Miyu, tonight is the eve of the third quarter. I expect the reports on my desk in the morning."

"Yes, Lady Ranka." Miyu said as she stood from her chair as well. Taking it as a signal to the end of the meeting, the three young men followed her example and rose as well to leave the room. Larva was, as usual, the last to go, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him where he stood. When he glanced over his shoulder, he was surprised, to say the least, that it was Ranka holding him back.

"I would like to speak to you before you join your friends." She said. Although he voice did not hold the tone, there was something in her eyes that told him that this was going to be an important conversation, and one that was meant to only be between him and her. He nodded without questioning, and closed the door when Spartoi had exited.

When the Keeper spoke again, her voice was softer and more serious than it had been before, frightening him to the core. "I do not know exactly who it is you and your friends Summon, but Lord Pazusu has told me about your rather interesting case. Dreams, as I understand, of a burning city, and a light that overrules all senses at the end?"

Larva did not meet her gaze or answer her. If he had felt sick to his stomach before, it was nothing compared to what he was feeling now. Without looking the Keeper in the eye, he nodded slowly. Why was it that something you were already aware of sounded so much more horrible when someone else spoke it in words?

If Ranka's face could look any more graver, it did at his affirmation. "Unlike your Lord and comrades, I know what is happening in those dreams. I am also unsure of whether you want to hear it or not, but before you give me your answer, I have already decided that you are not ready to learn the truth behind it, so you don' even have to worry about asking. But when the time is right, I will tell you; this is something that you must learn to rise up and meet. I will tell you this much, however.

"You must fight him, resist him. He calls to you within the shadows of your mind, doesn't he? A sweet beckoning that you feel your soul bending to as if you have no control over it. Just keep in mind, child, that you can fight him and win over his own summons. Remember that is your will and soul is strong, it will be him bowing to you, and not the other way around."

"You make it sound easy." Larva said softly and perhaps a bit more bitterly than he had intended.

"I was not saying that is would be. However, you must keep this in mind." Larva was now looking at the Keeper's face, as if an invisible hand had turned his head to make him do so. "If you should fail to quail his summons, then I think we can say why it is that all the Spirits have been called back into the mortal world. It was because of him that they were called into this world the last time. History has a funny way of repeating itself. Let's try to make an effort to keep it from happening. That is all."

There was no use to further try to talk on the subject. Larva's mind was spinning as if it had been caught in a whirlpool. Nodding again, he opened the door of the Keeper's living quarters and left. As expected, Lemures and Spartoi were waiting outside. Miyu was sitting in the corner, re-stringing her bow. "What was all that about?" Spartoi asked when they saw Larva re-emerge. "Hey, Larva… Are you feeling all right?"

Larva brushed past them in a very uncharacteristic way, heading for the door of the Observatory. "I'm going to go lay down for a while. I'll see you around later." Ignoring the questioning remarks of his friends, Larva shut the heavy brass door behind him and walked around to the other side of the tower. The servant's quarters were there as the Keeper had said, as rusted and broken down as the rest of the tower. Thankfully they were also empty on the inside; Lord Pazusu had done one of his strange disappearing acts again, which means that they would not be seeing him until later that night. There were five beds on the inside, all of which were empty, their traveling supplies piled on four of them. Larva found his bed at the far corner, near the window, his traveling bags on the mattress and his weapon of choice, a modified scythe, propped against the wall. In the past, the site of Gravedigger always gave him some feeling of safety, but today, he did not feel it. With a heavy sigh, he pushed his bags on the floor and lay down on the bed, closing his eyes tightly, trying desperately hard to block out the low laughter in his head.

* * *

When Larva awoke again, it was night. The sky outside the window was black and scattered with stars and the waning sliver of the moon hanging among them. He wondered how late it actually was until he heard Spartoi's trademark snore told him it was later than he would have guessed. Lemures and Spartoi were notorious for being night owls; they were always up later than anyone else who lived within their castle. So if they were both asleep…

But what did it matter if they were both asleep? He snapped inwardly at himself, pushing himself up from the rumpled sheets. The fact is that now I'm awake, and I probably won't be sleeping well for the rest of the night. Maybe a walk will help me clear my mind….

Or get me thinking too much.

Swinging his legs over his bed and running a hand through his powder-blue hair, Larva crept as silently as he could to the door of the servant's quarters and slipped out into the night. He did not even bother with his weapon; there could not be anything too incredibly dangerous hiding in between the quarters and the Observatory tower that his magic could not take care of.

The night was comfortably cool and clear, the light of the pale moon shimmering off the calm ocean below the cliffs. The breeze was light and coming from the west, bringing with it the comforting salt smell of the sea. Larva breathed in the scent deeply, a soothing sensation washing away his worries for the present. Times of tranquility like this were rare anymore; at least for him, anyway. Ask anyone else and they would think the world was find and dandy, but the information Ranka had given them was hanging over his head like a dark cloud over his mind, misting over his thoughts.

Of course, he knew he was being ignorant if he assumed that Lemures and Spartoi felt the same way. The two of them put together were never nearly as serious as he was the majority of the time. But, then again, they did not have nearly as much to worry about either. True, the Spirits that resided in their souls were becoming more active than they were in the past, making them a little more difficult to control, but it was not a fraction of the problems Larva had with his. And after what Ranka had told him today…

Shaking his head, he pushed the thought away. He had come out here to clear his mind, not to get himself worked up.

Sighing again, he looked up towards the sky, looking at the sea of stars that filled the world beyond theirs. It was also then that he noticed the dome of the Observatory; it was open, and the fabled telescope protruding towards the sky. He remembered Ranka telling Miyu earlier that day that she was to observe the sky tonight; did that mean she was still awake? She did not seem like the type to retire without returning the telescope to its proper place when not in use. It would be nice to have someone to talk to, he thought to himself, but then paused. Would she even want to talk to him now, now that she knew what he was?

You're being a fool. Stop being such a coward. He retorted to his own naïve thoughts. You're going to have to work with her to find the other Summoners, so it's no use running. Might as well find out how she feels now so you know what to expect for later. All he worried about now was the Keeper and her apprentice not minding him paying a midnight visit. Scanning the area for any possible monsters that might be hanging around, he hastily made his way to the front door of the Observatory. Opening it the tiniest bit to make sure he would not be knocked out cold by any passing planets, Larva slipped in and shut the door behind him.

There were no lights in the tower; the objects and grand galaxy model were only outlined in the slightest by the light of the waning moon. Up above, it looked as if the roof had been removed from the tower, giving him a full view of the heavens above. And, several seconds after the door had closed, a head poked out from the platform that the telescope sat on, long hair falling over her face like a sheet. "Are you always like this, or do you just sleep walk?" Miyu asked in a teasing manor that actually took Larva by surprise. At least she was not afraid of him.

"No, I just could not sleep. I thought watching the galaxy model would help calm my mind. It has a soothing rhythm."

"That it does." Miyu agreed, her voice echoing faintly off the walls of the tower. "But I know something that's even better. Come on up, and I can show you something really neat. The ladder's on the wall that faces west." She disappeared from sight.

Larva felt the heat rise a little in his face and was ashamed of the thought that had entered his mind. I've been hanging around those two oafs for too long. He thought with a small smile, climbing the ladder up to where Miyu was. I guess I can just be really grateful that they are not here right now, or I'd never hear the end of it.

Like most of the other instruments of the Observatory, the telescope was crafted of brass; twenty feet long with a lens that had to be eight feet in diameter, narrowing down dramatically into the eye piece that Miyu was looking through. She had a notepad on her lap, her pencil skipping across it madly, and she was holding her hair over one shoulder to keep it out of the way, her features softly accented by the illumination of the stars and moonlight. Larva actually found himself having to tear his gaze away from her, wondering if she could see the color in his cheeks he knew was there. "So…do you know what the stars say, like the Keeper does?"

"Not yet." Miyu answered without removing her eye from the eyepiece. "Right now the only thing I do are take the reports of their current position, and then Ranka's the one who does the reading. Sounds like fun, huh?" She moved away from the eyepiece, throwing her long hair back over her shoulder. Larva had to advert his eyes away again, but before he did, he could not help but notice the half-smile on Miyu's face, the type used in a sarcastic, joking manner. Did that mean that she…was not afraid of him? "Actually, she's been teaching me a little more about what the patterns and numbers mean that I take down, but right now, it's just the small stuff. See this one?" She stood up from her chair and walked over to him, showing him what it was she had been writing. It looked only like a bunch of gibberish to Larva; small dots connected by lines and tagged with numbers, creating some sort of carefully calculated pattern. Miyu traced a slim finger over one side and corner. "I kind of know what this one means, but I can't tell you what it really means, if you get my drift." She ran her fingers gently down the pattern. "'Change comes to all, seeming betrayal turn to hope.' As you can see, it's really simplistic right now. Ranka's so good that she can get these readings down to the day they're going to happen. I have a long way to go. Right now it's mostly just broken sentences, like trying to read a whole other language." Larva was only half-paying attention to what she was saying. Her shoulder had been resting against his arm while she spoke, making it incredibly hard to concentrate.

"That's pretty good for someone with little experience. I couldn't tell you what any of that meant if my life depended on it." Larva looked up at the stars above. For some reason, they seemed much closer from up here. "I almost like it better when there's no moon. You can see more of everything else."

"If you think that's impressive, you should try looking at it through the telescope. Just don't mess with any of the knobs and whatnot. It can mess up a whole night's reading, and besides, it takes hours to get right again." Moving aside so he could look, Larva bent his head and looked through the eyepiece.

She was right; the universe as seen through the telescope was absolutely incredible. The stars glowed with a fierceness that could not been seen from the ground, and the telescope was so powerful that he could actually see some of the galaxies beyond theirs, their spiral shapes drifting lazily through the grand sea of nothingness. "Wow. That's really…really something. I don't even know how to describe it."

"I know." Miyu said. She was now sitting on the ground, her legs drawn up to her chest. "No matter how many times I look at it, I never get tired of seeing it." Larva nodded and stepped back, but Miyu did not return to the chair. She had a peaceful sort of look on her face that gave Larva the feeling that she was enjoying the break and, moreover, enjoying having some company. It wouldn't hurt to stay here a little longer than, I guess.

"So…how long have you been here?" He asked. It sounded cheesy, but it was at least something to start a conversation with.

"As long as I can remember. I don't know who my real parents are. Ranka adopted me when I was three, and I've been here ever since. She said that I had the rare gift of Star Reading, and she desperately needs an apprentice to carry on her work. What about you? Your Lord said that you were his foster sons, but what of Lemures and Spartoi? Are they your real brothers?"

"As much as I wish, no. We were like you; three orphans abandoned in a cold, uncaring world. Pazusu took us in when we were toddlers. We know that he's not our real father, but he did such a good job raising us that what else can we call him? Sort of like how I would never hesitate to call Lemures and Spartoi my brothers although we are in no way connected by blood."

"But you should be grateful you have that." Miyu said, a small, almost sad smile on her face. "Although Ranka took care of me since I was a child, she's always been by tutor. I can't call her mother, as much as I would like to sometime. She will always be my superior before my family."

Larva felt a pang of guilt and wished that he had not said anything. "Ah…oh, I'm sorry…I hope I didn't offend you…"

Miyu waved his apology away. "No, no, it's not a problem. I'm not saying that there's not a bind between us, it's just not like the one you have with your family."

"It didn't start out like that." Larva continued, glad that he did not upset her. "As good as a man Pazusu is, I don't think he would adopt three sons out of pity. He told us not too long ago, actually, that there was something special about the three of us that he had to look over. Well, you can guess what that was. I mean, no one would have been too willing to adopt three would-be Summoners. Like you said yourself, people are afraid of people with that much power. Something tells us that we would not have made it very far on our own if anybody had found out."

Miyu had changed her position a bit, so now her elbow was on her knee so she could rest her chin in her hand. "I wonder why it is that people fear you. I mean, from what Ranka said today, it sounds like the Spirits were created to make sure everything goes right in the world."

"Something tells me that we're not getting the whole story just of yet. I know that the Spirits, although their ultimate intentions are good, have caused some serious problems in the past, perhaps when they were even trying to fulfil their duties in that era. I also have a feeling that we might be finding out what that is, whether we want to or not."

Silence fell in the tower after that. What was there to say, on both of their parts?

"I have to finish these observations, then get to bed." Miyu said, standing up and returning to her chair. "You can stay until I'm done. I don't know how tired you are know, but you're welcome to stay until I'm done."

Larva nodded, walking over to the far end of the telescope platform to look out to the city of Shigaldi. The cool spring breeze played with his fine hair, and the moonlight illuminated his handsome features with a sort of angelic grace. It was now Miyu who felt herself blush and focus towards what it was she was supposed to be doing. It was also her turn to question her words "I didn't…say anything, did I?"

Larva looked back over his shoulder, and smiled a little. "No, it's not you. I just have a lot on my mind. It was nice up here, though. I think I can say that I'm going to enjoy the trip with you with us." This time Miyu did blush and buried herself in her notebook again. Larva smiled a little more; there was something about her blushing that was so much cuter than the other girls he met. He would never admit it aloud, but he liked being with her, even though he had just met her earlier that day. What was it about her that made her so different from everyone else…? Shaking his head, he turned back, looking back towards the port of Shigaldi…and paused.

"What the…?"

Miyu looked up from the telescope. "What?"

"In the city…I see smoke. And flames. Lots of flames." Miyu was at his side with a smaller brass telescope in hand, looking out towards the city.

"It's not just one…there are several, spread throughout the city. It…it looks like it could be a raid, like it's under attack."

"Let me see." Miyu handed Larva the telescope.

"Who could be attacking Shigaldi, and for what reason?"

"Not who, what." Larva said, setting down the telescope and dashing back to the ladder, Miyu closely behind him.

"What do you mean what?"

"I saw them going into the city, and I know their weapons. The serrated ends of their spears…those are ogres, and they're on the warpath. It looks like they're searching for something."

"We have to go, then." Miyu said when they touched back down on the bottom floor of the Observatory. "A lot of those people there are going to be defenseless, but at least we can do something. They're only ogres…they cause a lot of damage, but they're not that dangerous. Between you, me and your brothers, it should not take us long to flush them out of there."

For a brief moment, Larva considered the risk involved. How worked up would the Spirits get if they went into this battle? But, then again, the longer their waited here, there was a higher risk of people getting hurt. "Alright. I'll go get Spartoi and Lemures, and I'll meet you outside."

-----

To be Continued…

----

Author's Note: I've already got some questions about this story, so I'll clear a few things up.

A monster is an animal that is potentially dangerous, and will attack almost anything that moves, as compared to any other animal that is pretty passive. Monsters are also originally created from magic, so even today they have a high concentration of magic in their bodies. Each monster has a different type of magic, and this can be drawn from the monster by those who use magic. People are not born with magic, but those who can use magic can draw. Depending on a person's soul, they can store a certain amount of magic within their own soul and each type of magic is kept in a neat little package in a way. Although it sounds weird, the magician can tell what type of magic they have and how much of each there is.

Wow, never knew it was so complicated, huh?

Until next time!