Authors Notes: Here we go. Adventure begins here. Also answers as to who Inkys parents really are.
Of Smoke and Steam
Fractured Code
Chapter 4
Clouds
Once again up before anyone else. It wasn't unusual, it never really was. Untangling myself from my Uncles arms and walking over to my bag. Fishing my sketch pad and pencils out of the bag I walk out into the garden.
My feet crunched under the sandy walkway. It wasn't like the sands by the beach. This one was as if it were peppered with black sand. Sitting down on a granite bench. I opened my sketchbook and ran my nail over the page. It took me a few moments before a cherry blossom tree took the empty pages place.
"Oh you have a beautiful talent." I gasped looking around the garden. My eyes fell on Kades kind face. He was off to the side covered in clay. His hands were gray with the dirty water created from the clay.
"I'm the master of Ink." I said to him. He chuckled.
"Well of course you are. Its written all over your features. So much like your ancestors." Now that was news to me. Who were these ancestors he was talking about? I knew nothing about...I looked up at the man who just chuckled to me. He took the huge square of clay and dunked it into the water.
"Would you like for me to sculpt you?" He asked and smiled at me. His teeth were far to perfect for me. But then again they were probably dentures or something. I nodded my head. I technically wanted to see how he did it. So I sat down in the chair across from him and he got to work. His fingers kneeding the clay like dough first. Softening it up.
"You know...I seen the cloud kingdom once when I was a boy." I've heard of that place from one of my uncles. They had gone their when they were teenagers. The door to another realm. Only three ways to get their. The realm crystal. Blind man's eye, and a back door no one talks about. But he seen it.
"Oh?"
"Mmmhum…" He dunked his hand into the dirty water and started to run his fingers over the hold again. Picking up a small clean stick and started to shape my parts. I think they were my legs.
"You see like yourself I am the master of clay. My wife was just really good with her hands." He chuckled and smiled fondly. "A beautiful woman always trying to keep my out of trouble. Like most women do." He laughed kindly. "I'm sorry here I am talking about me. How have you been...Nina?" My heart skipped a beat. I felt the pain. Did I know this man? Did he know me? Perhaps from a long time ago from the press? I tried to get up and run but my legs wouldn't move. I looked down to see that they were gray in color.
"I know you...I knew your parents." He said trying to make my arms from clay. His fingers moved quickly. My arms felt so numb.
"Stop." I tried to say, my skin was turning gray.
"Your fathers name was Nobu, your mothers name was Nodia." Who? What...it was beginning to hurt.
"Stop please." I tried to say louder, but I couldn't.
"Oh no I can't stop now Nina. you see I have a mess to cover up. You see...theirs a reason why I remember you...for I went to Cloud Kingdom as a young boy...and I came back twenty years later...carrying you with me." I gasped trying my hardest to break free of his old.
"Oh don't do that now Nina...you'll only shatter. Then what will you precious Uncles do?" he chuckled and stood up walking over to me. I could feel my eyes changing to stone as he was. My last thoughts of reality I could hear him.
"Just think...I believe your parents are still looking for you...even now." I could feel him moving my body to a position less worried, less scared looking. He could do that right? I felt so tired, so weak, please...help me…