Disclaimer: I do not own the Ratchet & Clank franchise or any characters related to it. All rights go to Insomniac Games. I own the Grey Mages.
Chapter 10: The Falling of Winter
Cinder-coloured clouds and the rule of gray emanating from the thick mist marked the dawning of an ashen morning. The dying wind, the stony leaves and the marble pieces dispersed around the shale-filled land all fell under silence's dominion, cloaking the planet with a veil of lifelessness. The lethargy of the sun became the source of disquietude to some and forged the path to equanimity for others. Master Orion, belonging to the latter category, let the humid air delight his nostrils as he inhaled the cold breeze gratefully. Even if night's challenge of judgment had managed to surprise his weary mind and scorn him for his obstinacy at the expense of his wisdom acquired by the many years of existence in remote Ceilif and beyond, the slow movement of his head that sent his violet gaze towards the sky was in perfect concord with the placidity he felt.
He pulled part of his soft mantle closer to his chest as an act of seeking shelter from the chill that assailed him right when a puff arose above the infertile ground. He enfolded his body with the chalk-textured chiton, getting a firm hold of as much fabric as he could and let his harassed by the sudden, frosty wind eyes search for his desired destination as many little lines beginning from around his mauve orbs and gradually vanishing before they could reach his cheeks disturbed his face's pale complexion.
The resounding clack produced by his bold walking on the paving reverberated a devoid of remorse attitude. With a seemingly indestructible resoluteness Master Orion hastened his footsteps all the while being careful not to drop the small, circular object in his hand, his grip on it tight as if he might as well submit himself to lamentation if he allowed it to fall and join the pieces of broken statues.
A small, rectangular building came into sight when the mist ceased its deceptive effect on anyone who dared venture outside and now the leader could confide in his previously untrustworthy vision. A young Grey Mage stood relatively motionless before a copper-red door with his mahogany brown hair waving under the influence of the breeze which had grown into a callous gust. Orion's magisterial presence and a nod resulted in the abrupt moving of the sentinel who unlocked the metal door and granted access to the master.
Into the wall-surrounded space where the haze's misleading presence could not delude perception the silhouette of a Lombax sitting in a corner was distinguished by the rather reluctant dweller of the isolated planet. Heavy steps guided his fatigued form farther from the bleak realm silencing all traces of vitality and closer to the enervated occupant of the cell. The prisoner raised his head indolently and his eyes, though deficient in their familiar spark of hope and vigor that made them resemble two jade gemstones, turned into a hostile glare that penetrated Orion.
"So, what's on today's schedule? Do I get to go through the traitor's path?" Ratchet spat, his speech oscillating between utter contempt and irony. "Or you'd rather see me drown? Wait, choking actually sounds better. Or how about bleeding to death?" Orion believed Ratchet's words of anger would soon transform into daggers and be shot at him as the disguise of bitter sarcasm they wore wasn't enough to hide wrath. The Grey Mage searched fervently for words his mouth could mutter but nothing could be found for his thoughts suddenly became shadowed by a fog of contriteness. "Just let me reach my ship and I'll give you the armor before I go, I have a spare set there."
Eventually, Master Orion's insight was cleared when the petrifying fog in his mind dissolved, the change of his former state shown through the words he let escape him. "I was wrong about your robot friend. Turns out he's not a phony. I saw him decelerate the flow of time in order to survive. He… he is a Zoni" he admitted as his precedent obduracy began shattering in defeat.
Ratchet arched his eyebrows and the glint of rage immediately extinguished in his verdurous orbs. "Is he okay?" he asked while his voice gave into a softer tone.
Orion muttered a hardly audible yes before his reluctance to speak created an awkward quietness. His palms became sweaty and the physical manifestation of the remorse he had been immersed in turned his consciousness into a cruel judge that reprimanded him for his failure to be condescending as any leader should. The nonexistent yet daunting voice echoed in his mind, hurting the intactness of his aloof, magisterial attitude like a crackling glass.
"You dropped this while you were fighting" he revealed the true reason behind his visit and outstretched his hand that held the small object he had struggled to save from wind's greedy grasp.
The dim shining of the item's metallic layer triggered Ratchet's interest and magnetised his stare, wielding his attention to its cunning will by interfering with a few pleasant memories and many treacherous ones. The mechanic's fern-green eyes sent a somewhat saddened look at the object which reflected the slight narrowing of his emerald orbs as well as the mild blur that persecuted their lucidity. The linen fabric of his glove touched his pocket watch and his fingertips underneath his glove were benumbed by the cold born by disappointment. He secured the irreplaceable relic by clasping his palm, sheltering protectively the key to the most defining of memories, the only true reminder of his days with Alister and the sole way to know what his father looked like.
A quick thought alit vigour and sent it flowing through every inch of his body, causing him to stand upright. Crepuscular hope smoldered in his lively gaze as he opened the spring-hinged lid and glimpsed at the photograph of General Azimuth and Kaden it contained before showing it to Orion. Ratchet only wished it would arouse the leader's attentiveness just like in his own case when he was told about it by the exile for the first time.
"And you, my dear boy, look just like your father."
Orion recoiled while his bewilderment spread through his nerves like a contagion, making him lose control of his own body as his pair of amethysts widened and his lips failed to remain sealed, mouth agape in infragible shock. An involuntary journey to remembrance instantly began, crossing the scenes of his times with Kaden accompanying his old friend. Orion imagined him in a wraithlike form but even this way his presence in his memory lane was mood-elevating. His faltering purple eyes fell on Ratchet and only his logicality held him from swearing that Kaden escaped the spectral realm and arrived to meet his friend in flesh and bones. Father and son were almost identical and Orion shortly recognised the playful wittiness, the bravery and the stubbornness that extended the resemblance between the two Lombaxes beyond mere façade.
"It is you…" Orion barely managed to pronounce with a tingled tongue that hindered his speech as his mind began functioning normally again, deducing that only someone who was close to either Kaden or the Lombax with the maroon stripes, who he assumed must have been that close friend of Kaden's, would carry the particular object with him. Evidence arose from his own intellect to mock his arbitrary behavior but this time, he didn't care. The adjudicator in his head was now silent. "You're the right one."
"It's not like you were running the risk of being deceived, Orion" Ratchet muttered in an ostensibly reticent manner, traces of frailty suppressing the volume of his voice and making him sound as though he had just come out of a lost fight. "I'm the only Lombax left."
Orion shook his head in recurring blameworthiness. "You never got to meet your parents… Or your kind. Did you?" he questioned pitifully. Instead of an answer, sonic void remained prominent. Ratchet's lack of words worked as a sufficient answer. "There are things we need to talk about then" Orion sighed. "Let's take a walk on the Monument Square."
TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT
An old vendor near the communal warehouse came online and Ratchet was allowed to refill the ammunition of all his weapons. When his attention was detached from the cube, he pryingly observed Master Orion speaking to a Grey Mage as a calm wind blew against his golden fur. Seconds later, the leader's subordinate took off and the newly released captive traced slow steps towards the ruler of Loric's kind.
"Where's Clank?" Ratchet's inquiring sounded more like a demand than a question.
Orion only stared at him with eyebrows becoming a bit lowered as the corners of his eyes crinkled. A huff escaped him before replying. "I don't intend to harm him. You'll see him in a while."
Treading the granite of the Monument Square in a quiescent, nebulous morning was not so unnerving as Ratchet expected it to be. Aanwathir's marble figure looked indifferent of his surroundings and merely stood on his pedestal carved on onyx and admired the gathering of the clouds, losing his interest in intimidating the restless outlander. The freshening wind welcomed the two of them with a whistle and despite the cold intolerance that was an innate trait of his species, Ratchet felt rejuvenated by the frigid waft which quelled his foreboding.
"A brilliant Lombax Kaden was" Orion began, still wandering remembrance's domains and the simple stroll forthwith acquired a much greater significance for Ratchet, whose ears perked up immediately after hearing his father's name. "I met him on Fastoon many years ago, when our kind still roamed in-between galaxies. You see, we didn't always hide. That came later" the leader mused. Even though Ratchet felt content for having regained his freedom, appreciation failed to manifest from his side as indicated by the few feet distance he kept from Orion and his rather sullen look. "I can't forget the city of your people, so vibrant, so full of life. It's magnificent" Orion reflected back on his carefree days.
"Was" Ratchet corrected. "There's nothin' left but ruins now" he revealed solely a part of his kind's irreparable woe. He decided to change the subject before Orion inquired to learn more, which would only result in re-opening old wounds. "What were you doing on Fastoon?"
Orion stared at Ratchet with wide eyes occupying a more extensive part of his face than normally. "Isn't it obvious?" his low-pitched voice penetrated the air, brashly rivaling the soft howling of the wind. "If you go to Fastoon you're either searching for good engineers or for gemstones. Fastoon was renowned for its gemstone trade. No planet could top it. I was assigned to make staffs for our apprentices so I was travelling all over Polaris to find the materials for months and had the luck to visit your homeworld."
"Gemstones?" Ratchet pondered and a spark of enthusiasm outshined his suspicion as his narrowed gaze faded like an ink droplet falling into water. "Cool."
"Indeed. You could only get the best of the best on Fastoon, precious stones of outstanding quality and nothing less. I met Kaden on Fastoon. He was a bit older than you are now. What a brilliant Lombax, truly intelligent and driven by a continuous existential anxiety. His mind was one age ahead of our own, his questions about life and the Universe more intriguing than those of any philosophical movement" Orion claimed in fervour.
Ratchet's eyes were radiant as haloes with excitement and the wish to find out more about the man he barely knew, yet he seemed to determine his life with such ease even though deceased.
"I shared my beliefs with him and we soon realised we could communicate well, tell our spiritual concerns to one another without the fear of being mocked. I suppose after a while he trusted me enough to tell me there was a secret he'd like to show me" Orion disclosed his reverie about days past. "We soon scheduled our trip to Quantos and there I saw the Zoni."
"Hold on! You mean Kaden had actually seen the Zoni?" Ratchet interjected, shoulders raised due to a sudden surge of energy that rendered his limbs tense.
"They seemed to trust him though he told me they rarely showed themselves, even to him. He said he'd only spoken to them two times. I was able to commune with them, learn some things about the order of the Universe. I got a lot of answers but in the end I was left with more questions. I guess we're made to be never satisfied, it's in our nature to go after what we cannot have. It was an encounter that changed my life. And I'll forever be grateful for that. I only owe this to your father." Upon Orion's confession, his unnaturally violaceous orbs glittered as transparent liquid gathered in them which Ratchet attributed to the intensity of the wind harassing the old man's eyes, declining the possibility of thrill forming tears in them.
As the uneventful walk continued, Ratchet caught a glimpse of the sun beginning to defeat the thick vapors smothering its light and while in its continuous strife it evaded obscurity and partly lit up the sky as it transformed into a pale white discus. The cold wind receded in fear of the rays that were now warming his lean form. The slight illumination of the grey landscape stretched all around reviving the colours and although they were far from surmounting their dusky state, the mechanic's sight perceived this small but exalting metamorphosis as he let his vision feast on the small uprise of the dead nature.
As his narration carried on Orion's words came out steadily, untouched by the change transpiring peripherally. "As a gift to express my gratitude, I created Kaden's Armor. I knew Lombaxes had military affairs so I thought Kaden would find it to be useful. I spent months forging it, searching here and there to find everything I needed. It's made of a material known as Aetheric Silver. It's a very durable alloy, as strong as Raritarium if not stronger yet light and easy to move with. And the ruby, well, Kaden's favourite colour was dark red so I found it fitting to use a ruby for decorative purposes."
Ratchet once again found his world in a swirl, submerged in a quandary, wondering if he should cling to what he knew or embrace the chance to find out more about the true yet the unknown. For years after his reunion with Clank he had believed that learning more about his father or his race was a lost cause that could only end up jeopardizing what he had built up until then. However Orion's disclosures kept making him feel as though he had suddenly regained his vision, like someone had just removed a cloth covering his eyes only to realise he had been walking blindfolded all along and therewithal freed from the dense darkness he could now observe the light, see the textures and cherish the colours for the first time.
A chill suddenly pierced the tips of his ears and as a soft substance melted and moistened his fur on the same spot Ratchet restlessly sought the cause of the algidity that sent shivers down his spine. Viridescent orbs blinked from the soundless descent of snowflakes falling from seemingly crying clouds for their near defeat as they obdurately reassembled into a smoky shroud that sent the sun into a state of torpor once again.
"Unbelievable. It hasn't snowed in decades" Orion opened his palms and let the frigid, white particles land on his hands before transforming into freezing beads. "The Astral Ones are giving us a sign. You are worthy of the Purification you earned."
"And you figured this out because… it's snowing?" Ratchet asked, raising an eyebrow as he failed to conceal his contemptuous mood that took shape in his perplexed look.
"Didn't you listen to what I said seconds ago? We haven't seen any snow in ages. I'm telling you, it's a sign from our ancestors" the Grey Mage barked with insistence as his irked spirit was embodied in the firm fists his hands formed, the pressure turning his knuckles rosy red.
"Seriously Orion, it's just snow" Ratchet argued unruffled and raised his shoulders in an instinct-driven urge to withstand the cold.
"Nevermind!" Orion grunted while performing a sharp movement with his hand as a gesture of wishing to dismiss Ratchet's belief. "Your stubbornness is starting to annoy me."
Retracing their steps led to a walk on the familiar set of tiles and with caution due to the now slippery path they returned to the Monument Square. The bleary rays had fled aghast when the coal-grey clouds seemingly reversed the flow of time, turning day into an ever-rising night.
"The last Lombax, uh? Must be quite lonely" Orion's voice travelled softly like the snowflakes harmoniously whirling all around. Little did he know the content of his words turned the air around Kaden's son into noxious effluvium that slowly began messing with the cadence of his breathing.
Angela Cross. He hadn't realised they belonged to the same race at the time and in reality, he didn't really care. He could only attribute such omission to the immaturity he was whelmed by back then which would only lead him to failure even if he tried to pay attention to the signs. Nonetheless, the time of cruel awakening dawned for him as soon as Tachyon set foot on Metropolis but when he tried to search for her, it had been too late. And he was already giving up any hopes of overruling the storm, she had been missing for way too many years to harbour any faith in this cause. Sheltering thoughts of his reunion with her was equal with fain diving into a maelstrom, succumbing to its unstoppable force.
General Alister Azimuth. The days spent with him had defined him profoundly but equilibrium between utter respect and hurtful disappointment, if not even involuntary resentment, made the memories evoke the bitterest of emotions. Forging his own path had always been Ratchet's way of living, fighting the greatest odds bent on keeping the stars away from his reach was the hymn of all his days. But in this age of deterioration during the two years of trying to fill the void the absence of his best friend had created Ratchet felt content with the thought that he had found a mentor to guide him. However, all joyful traces of finally meeting another one of his race were eclipsed when ruthless logicality told him Azimuth had taken advantage of his vulnerability caused by Clank's disappearance and that his only objective was to get to the Great Clock while using anyone that could serve that purpose. Regardless of the disorder equilibrium's shattering noises created in his mind, he would still want to learn so much more about his past and his kind from the General. Forging his path would be much easier. They could search for their race together. His death still scarred him and left him sleepless during some nights.
Kaden. Despite their relation he was, to Ratchet's own dismay, merely a stranger yet the one who had decided to let him live on Veldin, away from his own, away from Polaris, without even his consent. Ratchet found it rather funny; how someone he never got to meet was the alpha and the omega of his existence. Every time he opened the lid of his pocket watch a warm smile of the adventurous Lombax that looked like he was the reflection of his future self greeted him, voicelessly telling him to seize the day. After all, all his strife and eventually his fall had been so Ratchet could breathe into the light of day for many, many years. Following his daredevil wishes was all he could do to honour his poor father's memory.
After retracing his life Ratchet was brought back to reality, a tranquilized look all over his face as though he had the answer to rid himself of the heavy, agonizing burden Orion's words had placed on him. "You get used to it sooner or later. Besides, I have Clank. I couldn't ask for a better family."
"I see. Kaden told me to help you find someone named Azimuth and also another girl in case you came here" Orion exclaimed.
An audible huff escaped Ratchet's mouth, his forthcoming answer shaping a despondent look on his face he didn't wish to be noticed by Orion. "They're long gone" he muttered as he directed his gaze straight ahead.
"It must be rather hard. I admire your strength" the Grey Mage confessed but shortly talked about another issue that was more pressing at the moment, the severity of which made his thick black brows lower as they literally touched the old leader's eyelids. "I think it's about time you learned why I wanted you to find Kaden's Armor. About 26 years ago, Kaden visited me here on Silthrin. He told me he had suspicions that something bad would happen to their planet. He was afraid of an irreversible tragedy. So he told me to expect you and warn you about the enemy."
"Tachyon" Ratchet concluded, almost wincing after pronouncing the Cragmite's name. "I dealt with him a long time ago. Nothing else I can do."
"That's not all" Orion interrupted without hesitating to raise an open palm to prevent the young Lombax from saying anything else. "Indeed Kaden spoke of someone with this name but he also told me something else" Orion added. "He said the Zoni spoke to him again and warned him about a creature of mysterious origins. A dark figure that can manipulate minds, capable of causing great havoc."
Ratchet refused to take another step and his frame remained still as if frozen by the frost of the winter growing in strength and rendering everything on Silthrin under its dominion through the delicate white that covered the planet's surface. "The Unseen Destroyer?" he turned to look at the master as his emerald eyes widened.
"The Zoni told him only his son, though still a newborn at the time, would be able to face him when the time came. They called you the Son of the Stars. Kaden hated that kind of things, he never believed in prophecies. In fact he considered everyone that tried to predict the future a fool. You see, he had the strong belief that nothing is predestined" Orion also ceased walking and as he spoke, his peculiar-coloured eyes were fixated on the young outsider as white flecks landed on his pitch-black hair, incarnating the essence of chromatic contradiction. "He came to me, thinking I was the only one who had the right answers. Or the answers he wanted to hear for that matter. I told him he was really dealing with a prophecy and that you were fated to fight this creature the Zoni told him about."
Worry grew into a disturbing force within Ratchet. He didn't want to believe the Unseen Destroyer's ascension was predicted years ago… and that he was expected to be the one who would lead his reign into dusk. The words alone made his fur bristle beneath the cold, silver alloy of his armor and instead he dedicated the brief seconds of silence to convince himself that his bewilderment from the previous night's ordeal was making him misinterpret things.
Heavy footsteps came as a response to the master's claim and after a while, the continuous pounding of angry drums ceased so suddenly Orion blinked twice in agitation. He observed his visitor hiding his face with a gloved hand in a hopeless attempt to keep the shameful desperation shown on his features away from his perception. Orion watched as the outlander thoughtlessly performed one wayward movement after another, the twitching of his tail spasmodic, until he set a wrathful stare at the one native to Silthrin.
"You honestly can't expect me to trust in such foolish interpretation and be off" the golden-furred wanderer spat.
Orion refrained from drawing back. A childish fear that his friend's glare was ready to emit emerald shards to stab him plagued the integrity of his composure and a forlorn scowl made the first, hardly discernible lines that indicated his age more apparent. "You came to me for answers when you already have them. The Zoni wouldn't lie nor would they speak of impossible things. It's not my fault that you can't accept the facts, Kaden!"
Kaden's eyes widened, turning into windows revealing the confusion which forced his thoughts into a chaotic vortex bound to lead all his actions to serve disarray. "Is this all you have to say?" he tried his best to sound bold but his quivering voice condemned his attempt to utter failure.
The distressed Lombax's breathing lost its regular rhythm as soundless sharp breaths hurt his lungs while he strove to suppress them, refusing to cry in front of Orion. A liquid veil covered his normally shining, brilliant eyes, turning the colour in them blurry, subjected to the reign of tears threatening to fall. Kaden stumbled backwards with hands blindly searching for a wall to support himself on. Once a solid surface had been spotted, he allowed himself to lean on it and slide to sit on the floor of the master's archive room. He heard footsteps rushing to his direction but the sound of them only reached his ears faintly as the crumbling of all he had accomplished in his life far surpassed Orion's hasty walking. As soon as he felt a hand touching his shoulder, he wearily let his shoulders sink and allowed his gaze to remain attached to the floor.
"I'm afraid, Orion. I have a feeling something very bad will happen" Kaden's voice was as intense as a small flame slowly diminishing, abandoning its lively, radiant existence. "I had a fight with Alister. This… this Tachyon hasn't come to help us. But he's always been headstrong and on top of that he hasn't even been listening to me ever since he became a General." A slight trembling harassed his frame, invading every inch of his body and preventing him from speaking until he could keep his shivering from worsening. "My family is all I have" he looked at Orion's sullen face for the first time after the ravaging storm inside him had quelled.
"Then be dedicated to them. Forget about that far-fetched Zoni clock theory of yours and forget about Tachyon. He might not be a threat after all."
It was Kaden's wish to somewhat regain his waning courage by letting Orion's confident and steady voice conquer the disease that spread in his mind and separated him from clarity but his friend's words had little to no effect. A sense of doom cast shadows to every dawn and Kaden couldn't find release from the ominous signs that told him destruction was at hand.
"And when this mind-manipulator comes, we'll make sure your son is ready. I promise I'll help him the best I can" was Orion's truthful endeavour to calm the tide that relentlessly swept away his friend's sanity more and more with every passing day.
Kaden winced when a painful sting momentarily hurt his chest. The cold in his hands receded as a fiery denial burnt all fear and doubt in him, only for them to leave ashes behind from which resoluteness arose. He uttered his son's name clearly, repeating it with a hint of tenderness that diluted the rage simmering in his voice while he was picking himself up off the floor. "You won't tell him a thing about this. The Zoni are wrong."
"Kaden, listen to yourself!" Orion stood upright as well and spoke as he forsook the will to be compassionate. "The Zoni are beings of Time itself. They are… deities. You've no authority to doubt them."
"I' have no authority to care about my own child?" the Lombax found himself surmounting the shuddering and speaking vociferously. Bewilderment due to the fact that he was in need to be defensive against his own friend didn't affect the fervency of his speech for a second. "Are you asking me to spend my life raising him with the sole purpose of leading him into a battle one day? Next thing you're going to say is I should throw him into a pit full of War Groks!"
"Fine do what you want, fight the Universe's forces if you wish. But one thing's for sure, you can't hide him. The Zoni are wise, their watchful stare set on all over Polaris" Orion managed to bring his tone within the limits of collectedness, his initial anger gradually abating.
"I'm not going to hide him from a threat that's not even real, I have more tangible matters to worry about. But if I ever have to I'll do whatever it takes, I'll cross the boundaries of Polaris and find another galaxy if I have to…" As if exhausted by the announcement of his decision, Kaden panted a few times hoping the excessive air he inhaled would soothe the turmoil sending his mind and spirit into the hungry grasp of decadence.
When no sound escaped Orion's thin lips to perturb the settling of silence Kaden turned his back on the Grey Mage and headed for the door. The leather of his glove came in contact with the knob of the obsolete door but before he could grip it properly to turn it and walk outside, silence was eventually not permitted to settle. "You never used to worry about tangible matters."
Hearing a realisation he hadn't reached until then sent a violent chill all over him. His hand remained frozen, attached to the knob but lacking the strength to move it, as he abruptly awoke in a reality where he was deprived of all vitality and diligence to seek the intangible, the unseen, the divine and the chthonic. He shut his eyes as though defeat awaited him on the other side of the door. "My father always told me, 'times change for us and time changes us'. I failed to understand what he meant, until now." Relinquishing the wish to leave so soon and in a desperate attempt to keep the distance between him and Alister as great as it currently was for a little longer Kaden deigned to look at Orion though with a frown as intense as his quarrel with his best friend had been. "I have some preparations to make, to ensure my son will be safe in any case. If I'm right, if things go astray I'll-" Kaden had to sigh before fully declaring his request. "I'll make sure he ends up finding you and when he does I need you to help him fight Tachyon."
What stood before Orion was the absence of things that weren't there anymore. Instead of looking at a simply distressed Kaden, his vision only captured the lack of vigour in his friend's motion, the missing enthusiasm in the waves that travelled when he spoke, the deficiency in determination and confidence that had guided both of them in only a few yet the most fascinating of adventures Orion could ever dream of. "You can count on me, Kaden."
"And you will never tell him about what the Zoni said. Orion, if you do I won't forgive you" he pointed a finger at the newly-appointed leader of the Grey Mages. The shades and floating dust of the old archive chamber seemed to suit the broken Lombax's mood, the dark shadows in the corners of the lonely room blooming as anxiety left its marks on Kaden's sullen face and empowered them. "Promise me."
Master Orion abstained from giving a fast reply. The words Kaden wanted to hear clashed with his true will and the collision showed itself through a cloud of hesitation that hung over him. The more Kaden waited for a response, the more his mood swung between paralyzing sorrow and fervid rage. The shadows became wider, their covetousness extending their reach closer to the two individuals. If Orion didn't know better he would believe the room was alive and conformed with the outsider's inner struggle, obeying to mirror the apprehension he felt. "You need not worry."
Thinking about his return to Fastoon made Kaden miss the desert landscapes and the endless orange covering the sky at every sunset but his fight with the city's proud General smeared those images in his mind. Reluctance distorted the vibrant sunset and covered the spectacular violet lines and splashes with bleach, washing the colours away. Something dreadful was about to transpire and Kaden could already see masses of smoke descending on Fastoon, suffocating the unsuspected and even the most well prepared. He gritted his teeth, lost in his thoughts as his forest-green orbs narrowed in submission to lugubriousness, no longer staring at the leader. Harshly he turned to head out of the chamber, his rigid walking betraying his unwillingness to embark on his homecoming.
"Come back again if you need help. You're always welcome on Silthrin now that you know the way" Orion informed quietly as serenity made his voice sound soft and weightless, ridden of the burden of anger.
The exiguity of light transformed the stature of the master's friend to an ebony figure giving the impression he would soon reconcile with the shadows. Orion hardly detected a slight movement of Kaden's head, who was now looking at him from the corner of his eye. "So long, friend."
The door shut gently but for an inexplicable reason Orion almost jolted as if it had been pushed with force. He sighed heavily and rubbed his amethyst-purple eyes as weariness suddenly incommoded his sight. He thought he sensed defeatism in the way Kaden bid his farewell to him, his hope deliberately left here amongst the yellowed manuscripts and beneath the leaden dust. All Orion wished at this moment was that the Lombax would land for a second time on Silthrin to retrieve it. And preferably, soon…
"I didn't see him again. Four years went by and still no news from Kaden. I grew worried but I wasn't able to visit him. As a leader, I cannot leave Silthrin unless there's an emergency. So I sent a Grey Mage to Fastoon but his ship wasn't given permission to fly within the galaxy's limits. Someone was forbidding people from going in and coming out. It sounded like all of Polaris was under siege. Even trade fell into a state of stagnation. Now I understand your father was right about Tachyon. In our seclusion, we couldn't be certain about his actions and never learned that his terrible reign plagued Polaris for years. So I never searched for you" Orion explained as he recalled the bitter memory of his last encounter with Kaden.
After silently taking everything in Ratchet observed the vast grayness enveloping him and his ears lowered while he pondered the sad situation his father found himself in before his final day. It felt as though the Keeper's despondency travelled through time and was reflected in the immensity of the bleak and colourless lands of Silthrin. Ratchet avoided making eye contact with Orion. He rubbed his elbow and as though gravity's force transcended him he somewhat stooped which made Orion believe frailty from last night's morbid trial began to catch up with him.
"About a year ago, we found out about the Unseen Destroyer's existence. Inhabitants from other parts of Ceilif landed on Silthrin asking for help. Not long time ago we learned that he enslaved Zanimal and made it his sanctuary."
The sky-reaching walls surrounding the Coliseum quickly formed in Ratchet's active mind and the Lombax's stare fell on Orion as a mild frown appeared on his face. He crossed his arms and concentrated on the leader's confessions, calm and resolved save the slight movement of his tail which was the only sign indicating nervousness and discomfort.
"I couldn't forget the Zoni's words. As the years passed by I forgot about them, I even thought they might have been wrong. But when I learned of the Destroyer's arrival it troubled my head. The thought that I was living the beginning of a phenomenon foretold two decades ago left me with no appetite and I was unable to sleep. Then I knew it, I felt it in my gut that I should ignore Kaden's demand and bring you here to help defeat him. So I sent Loric to find you" Orion's voice followed the tune of serenity while he admired the crumbled chunks of marble on various parts of the sterile soil, a faint smile extending to the lower part of his pale cheeks. "And since Tachyon's been dealt with, you can help us." He veered to direct his gaze to Ratchet, who refrained from letting his thoughts imprint their essence on the features of his face and only stared back at Orion with an equivocal expression. "Right?"
The Lombax averted his stare for only a short while and sighed before addressing his question to the leader. "Why didn't you help them?" he inquired in an unfavorable manner, the tone of his voice wavering between discontent and hostility and the more vividly he recalled his conversation with Loric the more boldness intensified the volume of it. "How could you hear people asking for help and just disregard them?"
With eyes now shut Orion shook his head. "I won't justify my decisions to you and I won't even try to make you understand. I did what I thought was the best for our community's security. That is all" he stated with a stolidity that kept his voice unaffected by stings of pity and guilt. "As you understand finding the Armor and going through the Trial of the Sovereign have already cost you precious time and I know that in a way I am to blame. But I believe we should pay attention to the task at hand, now will you stop the Unseen Destroyer?"
"I'm nothing like you Orion so I'd say you're in luck" was Ratchet's crude response.
A wave of alertness surged though him as his senses detected motion that trespassed the colourless vastness behind Orion. Ratchet's head tilted slightly and as his attention transcended Orion's imperious presence his restless stare was fixed behind the master. The traces of suspicion in his eyes melted into bright pools of great affection as they widened and their luster adjusted to the glow of pure diamonds. Before Orion could arch an eyebrow in bafflement he saw a smile of relief softening the usual resoluteness on his face just as the Lombax spontaneously walked past him. Turning around brought him faced with the Grey Mage he had spoken to near the vendor and the joyful mechanic knelt in order to greet the Zoni robot whose nature he had disputed in such orneriness.
Near the reunited friends stood Loric with an aura of relative calmness hovering around him. Agitation was absent from his face and weariness did not triumph over his being even if it didn't forsake it completely. Mirth left its discreet trails on his face as lightly as the snow fell and Loric's lips appeared as if he was barely holding himself from letting them form a merry smile. However, his deep-cyan eyes were lost into a shade of utter contempt and before them floated a cloud as thick as the vapors above their heads. "Good to see you in one piece" he told Ratchet with his ambiguous expression unchanged as his ostentatious mood towards his leader reigned over the tone of his voice.
Upon hearing this Ratchet focused his gaze on Loric. Having neglected to ponder on whether he would forgive him for what the Grey Mage had said about his race before the trail, he blinked while looking at him with uncertainty which as if contagious soon seemed to leave dents and cracks on Loric's firm, unbending attitude. But shortly after, the mild line between Ratchet's eyebrows disappeared as they ceased their furrowing and his mouth curved into a smile. "Good to see you too, Loric."
Though somewhat self-restrained, Clank took small steps sideways with his tiny feet and lay a rather suspicious look on Orion as his one optic lens became narrower than the other. "You believe us?" he hesitantly muttered and took a quick glance at the slippery ground, calculating the distance between him and Orion so as to know if it could be deemed safe.
"I saw you wielding time at the Trial. And this incredible youngster" Orion's voice reached a higher than normal pitch in order for it to integrate with his cheerfulness, much to Loric's justifiable surprise. "He's a spitting image of Kaden" he shook Ratchet's shoulder fondly, who held a composed look and the corners of his lips barely lifted to form a weak smile.
"Clank, we must stop the Unseen Destroyer" Ratchet declared determined during the process of rising to stand back on his feet.
"Loric mentioned that you are aware of locations we must go to in order to defeat him" Clank evoked the morning he and Ratchet modified Aphelion beneath the rays Igliak's sun, repressing the surprise he felt when he realised how far that day seemed, how irredeemably lost it was in time's recesses.
"Although we never came in direct conflict with him, we searched around the Twin Galaxies to find out more about his origins. He's something none of us has seen before" Orion acknowledged the heroic duo as he took casual steps onto the graveled ground. "Don't take this as a definite answer but I have evidence that convinced me he's been created in a laboratory."
"A product of consistent experimental procedures" Clank surmised with a finger on his metallic chin. "But performed by whom?"
"I don't know. We traced a lab on planet Everos. Search for it in the Astarte Galaxy. Careful, don't get confused and go to Triquetta or you'll waste time. It's in Astarte." Orion instructed with a flare of necessity raising the boldness of his voice.
"The star charts are already installed on Aphelion and she can download the coordinates of the lab's location" Ratchet thought aloud and his ear immediately gave into one fidgety movement as his mind raced to remember where Aphelion had landed. In reality the more he imagined himself and Clank taking off and abandoning the cold stones and ashy mists the more his nervous movements became the mirror of his anticipation to be away from Silthrin.
"We will forever be in your debt" Orion articulated with gratitude and Clank spotted Loric eyeing them with the same amount of appreciation the master expressed seconds ago. "Kaden would be very proud to see what you've become, Ratchet. Or should I say-"
Time suddenly came to a halt for Ratchet and he felt like he was trapped in split seconds that refused to breathe their dying breath and become incarcerated in the wide spectrum called past. He clearly saw Orion's mouth open and close but instead of syllables a roaring rumble invaded his ears. His vision wanted him to believe it came from Orion but it was clearly produced by the ground. Ratchet never managed to hear the master's next words and felt like invisible chains forcefully held him frozen to his place. Paralysed by fear his mind was the only part of him still in rapid motion, chasing logicality and chased by delusion. His stun was broken by a deafening bang that shook the earth beneath his feet and made his entire core tremble. Black smothered all shapes and colours. The only sound his hearing received was a perpetual buzz that harassed his ears as well as the noise he himself made in his desperate attempt to force some air into his lungs.
The soles of his boots touched no ground and half of his face felt cold and dump but he couldn't comprehend why. He called Clank's name but his voice barely emerged from the restraints of a whisper. The first thought clarity brought forth into the conscious part of his mind was his friend being harmed. Still into a confining state of blackness depriving him of visual perception, a frenzied urge made Ratchet scratch the tiled ground of the plateau hard. Oxygen finally flowed through him, somewhat taming the despair. One breath and he did feel a small rush of calmness regulating his breathing as it parted with fear's symphony. Two breaths and the incessant droning sound already started to recede.
His eyelids felt heavy but a few blinks rid them off the weight. Ratchet opened his jade-like eyes slightly and the blackness fled but left a blur in its place. As his vision began to focus, the colours materialised into clear hues of white and dazzling golden. Everything could be seen from a horizontal angle which quickly led him to the conclusion that he had collapsed, possibly even passed out. When the blurry haze dissolved and delivered his sight from hindering trance he saw fire joining the snow. Both equally fervent engaged into a violent confrontation as the recalcitrant blaze collided with the thin layer of snow that evanesced in the form of vapors rising from the ground. Wild blasts echoed through the Monument Square leaving everything they touched in nothing but ruins, their crashes echoing the hymn of destruction which was a sound so familiar to Ratchet and Clank.
Fastoon's warrior made an attempt to win the battle against gravity but his knees wobbled and he fell on the ground once again. An intolerable ache momentarily struck his rib cage as he fell with his chest straight on the hard tile which made him clench his teeth to withstand the pain.
A small hand held his forearm and Ratchet immediately turned to his right, his swift movement indicating alarm which vanished in defeat as soon as he saw Clank next to him. The robot was struggling to keep his balance and holding onto Ratchet worked as an effective means of support.
With extreme difficulty Ratchet touched the ground with both palms, then slowly placed them on his knees and pushed in order to stand up. His second attempt proved to be successful and even though he was staggering in a stupor he still managed to remain upright and walk.
A closer inspection revealed a blaze devouring the earth all around and burning near the Monument Square with an unsaturated hunger to tear down all that was made by a Grey Mage's hand. In the heart of chaos Ratchet saw Loric trying to use his staff to stand up and Orion lying on the ground a few feet farther from him. Like amethysts encased into protective shells his eyes were closed, his face was wan and the usual tint of faded lilac took a hue closer to the snow's colour.
Standing on his feet disencumbered Ratchet of the oblivion clinging to him with rapacious hands pulling him back to the ground. With misguided steps he rushed to the fallen leader and shook his shoulders vehemently as if the action would summon his consciousness right back to reality. "Orion, wake up! We're under attack! Wake up!" he bawled.
His anguished attempts immersed into futility as Orion reacted to no pleas, his form refusing to revert to movement as winter's soft beads fell on him and slowly began to ostensibly intertwine to blanket his entire figure.
"Ratchet, there is no time. We must counter-attack before Silthrin is completely destroyed" Clank tried to persuade him to take action but Ratchet seemed totally distracted by Orion's state.
Hot liquid harassed Ratchet's eyes and tortured them with a stinging feeling. Lifting his gaze he saw rising smoke encircling him and the toxic fumes hindered his vision. That menacing rumble right before the explosion echoed in his head and the way it stifled the declaration of his name, his true name, haunted his thoughts. A sharp exhale broke free from within as he felt something writhing and twisting from the inside, enclosing his heart and throttling the life out of it like a serpent.
Bursts kept reverberating from the surrounding areas. The crackling of the solid cement resounded with every single blast that eliminated the structures of the Grey Mages' community into mere smithereens, their civilisation razed to rubble and detritus. Despite the mayhem unfolding with vicious sounds composing the call to arms, Ratchet's stare couldn't leave Orion's motionless form.
Beneath war's coal-black smog and by the infernal blasts resonating destruction, the battle for Silthrin had just begun.
