Chapter 3: Light
"You promised to use her power for a personal vendetta." Ariel seethed, looking in his tepid eyes under the shadow of his cloak. A scroll unrolled from his suspended hand, showing a highlighted sentence in the middle of the page.
"Our promise states that our child's power would better the world once they came of age. We both drew up this contract. Or did you forget?" Sloe growled, holding up the contract for Ariel to better see her handwriting.
"Do you know what you will turn her into?" Ariel whimpered, looking past Sloe to Rhinne as she stood at the balcony railing. He gently reached up to cup her jaw, stopped by Ariel, grabbing his wrist.
"She will be this world's end. Everyone will FINALLY have justice dealt to them." The fire in his eyes saddened Ariel further as memories of Rhinne's childhood crossed her mind.
"Why? Why would you want to destroy it all? There is such beauty here."
"There is nothing worth saving." He said, tilting his head almost as if he, too, were sad before adjusting his hand, gripping her hair so hard and so quickly that it made Ariel yelp.
"Now let our daughter come with me to fulfill her destiny." Sloe hissed, holding back a great deal as he spoke through clenched teeth.
"I will never hand her over to you!" Ariel swallowed, glaring at him from over her cheeks, making him chuckle.
Dane and Menodora visited dozens of people in Margata, noting their reactions as they invited everyone they met to a town-wide celebration of music, dancing, food, and good company. With each invitation, the Darkness appeared to separate from the person briefly. As they continued, Dane felt a strange phenomenon; it was as if the Darkness became agitated, trying to reassert its presence. Menodora noted the same feeling, wondering if the Darkness was more than merely an imbalance of sorrow in people's hearts.
Dane and Menodora invited those who suffered loss or those suffering from depression with a much gentler tone. They both noticed the Darkness clinging to them felt like it was eating away at their soul, and they would subconsciously accelerate their conversation to escape the spirit-crushing presence. It was difficult since the people whom this Darkness radiated from talked with such depressing tones as if trying to infect them like a virus.
Despite the many emotions they encountered, Dane and Menodora sent out invitations, and on the appointed day, scores of people came. Everyone laughed, and children played freely amidst the food and drinks readily available to everyone. Between talking to people, grabbing snacks, and monitoring the atmosphere of the celebration, Dane and Menodora would venture to the city's outskirts. They could feel stark changes as they left the main square; the streets were dimmer and colder than at the celebration, and the air felt heavy as if The Darkness were an invisible entity waiting for the celebration to be over and move back into place.
"It is a start, but this is still not enough." Dane sighed, writing down his thoughts as he walked.
"I didn't expect that it would cure the world. I mean, there are some in the square where you can still feel a heavier presence," Menodora answered sharply. Dane nodded, looking over his notes and confirming Menodora's statement.
"I, too, noted this. Perhaps there is something far deeper we aren't seeing," Dane interjected. Menodora chuckled, and Dane felt a pressure near him.
"I know of something you don't see," Menodora muttered. Dane looked over to her, noting the air around her had darkened considerably.
"What was it that you said, Menodora?" Dane asked, tucking his pencil and notebook away. Throwing her arms forward with a frustrated huff, Menodora almost shouted at Dane, stopping to face him in the middle of the empty road.
"Don't tell me you can't see it!"
"I honestly do not have a clue what you are talking about, Menodora. What is it?" Menodora threw up her arms and stamped her foot, turning back to Dane with a reddened face.
"You're so blind! You honestly can't see all of the women you talked to at the party were flirting with you! And you did nothing to sway them!" Dane sighed hard, thinking back over his interactions at the party and noting that there were, indeed, quite a few women who would freely talk with him. But he gave no thought to them or how it would affect his relationship with Menodora.
"Why would this upset you? It should be well established that I have no intention of courting another woman," He answered. Menodora clenched her fist tightly, eventually throwing her notebook at Dane.
"Why would it upset me?! Why would it… You wouldn't make them go away!" Mendora shouted, her breath beginning to hitch as her frustration rolled down her cheeks
"You just sit there and listen to their compliments and adoration, smiling as if you were enjoying it! Isn't my adoration enough? Can't I be the only person you need?" Menodora asked. Dane picked up the journal, reaching out to put his arms around her. Menodora backed away, her brimming eyes waiting for an answer.
"Menodora, you are the only person I have ever needed and the only person ever to try and understand how I think. I am not seeking attention from others. I have all I need in you." Dane replied, holding out his hand to her.
"I could finish this journey on my own. However, I do not wish to." As Dane spoke, he noted that the dark feeling around Menodora dissipated, not entirely but significantly.
"You never cease to amaze me, Dane. How can you be so infuriating and so enticing at the same time?" She asked, sniffling slightly as her brimming eyes receded.
"That is my curse, I suppose. Every time I look in a mirror, its reflection reminds me that I am unique in many ways. In some cases, so much so that it has left me feeling isolated, that no one person could see the world as I do. And I have found that in you. You surprise me, as well. Your compassion to so many, your deep thoughts, your thirst for finding answers in places that no one would think to even peek." Menodora sighed long, reaching out her hand and placing it in his, the unease in her heart disappearing and a slight warmth taking its place. Deep down, Menodora knew that Dane didn't entertain any thoughts of other women, but it was still frustrating that he did nothing to dissuade the multitude of women who would attempt to sway him.
"I'm still mad at you." Menodora huffed as Dane smirked and put his arms around her, this time pulling her in close.
"I am aware. In the future, I will attempt to curb other's approaches. Though I can't say that I'll always remember." Menodora sighed: being with Dane was many things, but at least it would never be boring.
The day after the party, the entirety of the city seemed brighter. The mood had lifted, allowing those who had been stuck to charge ahead without reservation. Menodora and Dane wove through Margata, talking with dozens of people. Those who had been depressed expressed how they were genuinely able to smile. Those who had lost loved ones expressed how they could share memories, and others simply thanked them for the beautiful gathering. Their wandering brought them to the Great Circle, where they watched the scientists perform experiments on Dr. Long's new body. Despite some tests failing, no swells or synergies of Darkness appeared, leaving everyone free and determined to find another way to success.
Dane and Menodora compared notes that evening, confirming that whatever this 'Darkness' was, something Menodora coined 'Light' countered it. She also concluded that to understand what 'Light' was, they would need to find a city with abundant happiness and compare it to Margata. Once they had gathered a few days' supplies, the two scholars left to find this place, planning to watch the sunset as it painted the deserts of Nihal. But as they left the city's borders, nearing the first mile of their journey, a weight dropped onto their chest, forcing them to their knees. The world around them became darker, nearly bringing them to tears as an invisible force slowly flowed around them toward the city, further pressing down on them.
"What is that?" Menodora asked, struggling to compose herself and regain her footing.
"This must be the Darkness within the world. How could it be this powerful? It was never this strong in my youth!" Dane exclaimed, reaching into his sleeve to consult the Mage's Journal. Menodora managed to regain herself and look over his shoulder as he turned pages, putting her hand between the sheets when she saw something that caught her eye.
"Wait, go back." She said. Dane flipped back a few pages, listening as she read the neat handwriting aloud.
"Why is it that as I enter a city? However, as I leave, I notice that the point where I ceased feeling this Darkness is closer than before. Is this my doing? Perhaps I shall find my answers as I travel. Do you think he had the same experience we just did?" Menodora asked. Dane read it over again, holding his chin in thought.
"I would say he did, but to a much lesser extent, it seems." Dane surmised, turning to later pages for something that would explain it. Yet no clues or additional mentions came as he reached the end of the journal.
"What if this weight we're feeling is the Darkness trying to reassert itself as if it were alive? The Light within Margata must've either chased it off, and what we're feeling is its retaliation."
"Then what about its flow toward Margata?" Dane asked as Menodora took out her notebook and read over statements from the people of Margata. Dane had a theory, but as he had seen many times before, Menodora could come up with answers he hadn't considered.
"Think of a pond. If you were to throw a massive boulder into it, much of the water would flow away from the impact point but eventually settle back into its original place. What if the Darkness of the World and the Ultimate Light works the same? After a mass gathering of Light, it pushes the Darkness away, like the boulder into a pond, and once the intensity of the Light begins to fade, the Darkness settles back in." Dane concentrated as the glow of magic ignited in his eyes, and he looked over the dunes outside Margata. He could see a flow of Darkness all around him moving toward Margata, some appearing to be forcefully drawn into the city. Dane pointed this out to Menodora as her eyes glowed to see the Darkness.
"What if the intentional direction of the Light is the cause?" she asked, looking back at the city.
"The people of Margata are expressing their joy, or rather Light, in an inward direction, focusing it within the city of Margata. If this is the case, it won't spread worldwide. It may push the Darkness back initially, but because of its inward focus, it will pull the Darkness back in given enough time." She further explained, gaining momentum as she looked over her notes.
"That could explain why we felt such a stark difference; the source of joy and Light was the city of Margata. We crossed the threshold between Darkness and Light because we were at the edge of the Light's reach despite its inward-facing property." Menodora spoke faster and faster, talking so fast that her face began to brighten in a broad smile. Her smile was infectious, and Dane could feel the corners of his mouth turning into a grin. Around them, the air brightened, lessening the pressing presence and returning the vibrance to the desert's colors.
"What… what's happening?" Menodora asked, looking around at the air around them.
"I believe that we are creating our own Light, a light that is turned outward to the world around us." Answered Dane. Immediately, the two of them furiously wrote the findings in their journals. Menodora had to sharpen her pencil twice as her excited penmanship blazed across the pages and snapped the lead. With this theory, they decided to stay within Margata, watching the people more closely. These observations uncovered "shades" of Darkness and "hues" of Light appearing and disappearing all over the city.
After a short while, Dane forged the theory that Darkness was rooted in a selfish desire for others to feel their discomfort or sadness, giving it an outward direction. It may not have been intentional, but the phrase 'misery loves company' proved more fitting than most. Menodora also formed a Theory of Light in that it was a partial outreach of care to others to ensure their well-being and help the healing process away from this Darkness. However, the person providing the Light would often unconsciously share it to alleviate their discomfort from the Darkness, resulting in an inward or self-serving direction.
The inward-focused trait of this Light led those offering comfort to be affected by Darkness all the faster, absorbing it. If anyone offering Light lingered too long near a source of Darkness with this inward-focused Light, The Darkness would eventually overcome the Light and create another source of outward-facing Darkness.
However, some people radiated sources of outward-facing Light; this hue was brighter and more potent than others. It was always created by one person genuinely wanting another to feel joy, one who cared for the hurt others felt without regard for themselves. The Light was potent enough to burn away one's Darkness and re-ignite the Light within them. Unfortunately, it often came at a price. The person exuding the outward Light would become drained, as if giving their Light away. Menodora witnessed one of these people give so much of their Light away that they became another source of terribly black Darkness. If these people didn't take time for their well-being, the very source of their light would permanently burn out, turning their personality into one of anger and resentment.
"This outward Light must be the path to 'The Ultimate Light,' it has to be," Dane said one evening as he and Menodora ate dinner.
"I'm sure it is. But for now, sit down and enjoy the food. We won't be able to find this path if we can't even walk." Menodora commanded jokingly, spooning a large helping of potato salad onto her plate before reaching for the bread basket. Dane smirked, staring at her and thinking over the day's observations. Menodora had taken a few moments to dance with children or watch as they fiddled with alchemic experiments. Her smile was infectiously radiant, and Dane realized she was a source of outward-facing Light. Menodora stopped when she noticed his stare, smiling awkwardly.
"What? Is something stuck to my face?" She asked, instantly reaching for her napkin and wiping the sides of her mouth. Dane shook his head, fiddling with a fold of the tablecloth.
"No, I was just thinking about the path we've taken up to this point. I don't ever remember seeing you this happy before, Menodora." Dane smiled, chewing a large forkful of food.
"To be honest, I'm a little surprised myself. It's been almost three years since we've been studying this together. And you've been studying it for longer, if I remember," Menodora answered, taking another bite of her food.
"Eight years in all; it's hard to believe. I almost shudder to think about how dark this world would be without your existence." Menodora lifted an eyebrow and tilted her head slightly.
"What's this all about? Are you getting philosophical?" she teased. Dane smiled and chuckled under his breath.
"No, not in the strictest sense," Dane replied, pausing for a long moment, staring at the woman sitting across the table from him before reaching for her hand as a realization came to him.
"So that's it. It's all so clear." Dane almost whispered in awe.
"What is?" Menodora asked, wiping her mouth and tightening her grip on his hand.
"I've figured out what the Ultimate Light is." He grinned, running his thumb over her fingers.
"Well, don't leave me in the dark; what is it? Menodora asked eagerly.
"We are the Ultimate Light. I don't know how or when it happened, but you have sparked a new outward light within me. Together, our Light resonates and is made stronger. Together, we can be the cure for the world's darkness." He answered, getting up from the table, not letting go of her hand, and kneeling before her. Menodora took in what she saw briefly: his posture and position. It made her stop and think harder before her eyes became wide with realization.
"Will you be the Ultimate Light with me, Menodora Parnell?" Dane asked, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a ring of moonstone and gold. Menodora nodded, unable to speak as the ring Dane slipped the ring onto her finger, slimming it down to the perfect size with a small burst of magic.
"We still have a long road ahead, but at least we will not travel alone, right?" Dane asked. Menodora's smile became all the brighter as she tackled him to the floor, and the room all around them brightened. It was ecstasy.
"Wait!" Menodora snapped, propping herself up over Dane after a sudden realization.
"If we are this Ultimate Light, how are we going to counteract Darkness? There's only so much that we can do." Menodora asked. Dane grinned and explained his plan.
"I want us to travel the world. We can be the beacon for others to look to. We can be there to help others. The world may be warped and dark, but by sharing our Light and doing what we can to brighten every corner, even by the smallest amount, we can combat this Darkness once and for all."
"What about turning Margata's Light outward? It may not be much, but it would still provide something."
"That will be much harder. The people here know us and our past and may be more resistant to the change we would like to enact. Let us attempt our hypothesis outside Margata where it may be better received by those less familiar with who we are." Menodora nodded and grinned wide before hugging him again, collapsing to the floor. It felt like her heart would burst with all the joy she felt. The following weeks were a blur as Dane, Menodora, and the whole of Margata prepared for the grand wedding.
Bakers, tailors, mechanics, alchemists, and florists buzzed through the city, turning the once dreary, greasy square into a palace courtyard. Most offered their help as thanks for the joy the couple brought to the gloomy city. Dane noted that as preparations for the wedding progressed, the inward Light of the city felt as if it were slowly ebbing outward, spilling into the world and pushing back the Darkness of the world lingering at the outer border.
When the day finally arrived, the air seemed to shimmer like gold. Anticipation and bliss reverberated in everyone as the couple married in a service that the citizens of Margata would talk about for years to come. None was so grand as the marriage of Dane and Menodora Altoor.
Soon after, they set off to share their Light with the rest of the world, taking a heavily loaded horse-drawn wagon full of food, decorations, and small trinket gifts. Their first stop was a small village a days' journey south of Arentia. Menodora could almost see the Darkness permeating everyone in the town. Wasting no time, they invited everyone to a village square celebration that night. But with each invitation, Dane and Menodora discovered that the Darkness didn't suspend itself from the people as it had in Margata.
They spent the day emptying their cart of its cargo, bringing life to the drab, sand-etched square. When the time for the celebration did come, it was anything but; everyone was lethargic, dull, and uninterested. Dane and Menodora began conversing with different people about their lives, trying to ascertain why such a lively event would seem so dead.
"I suppose there really isn't much to celebrate." One farmer said. "Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for this distraction. But when tomorrow comes, it will all be a distant memory."
"What do you mean?" Dane asked, noting that the Darkness from this particular individual seemed like someone forced it on him.
"The new queen of Arentia has made our lives difficult. She's taxed us into the ground with really no explanation. Because of that, it is getting harder and harder just to get by." Dane and Menodora looked at each other, feeling defeated and a little embarrassed that they would force upon these people happiness that would only fade once they were gone. This Darkness was much more rooted than what existed in Margata.
"Perhaps we could speak to this queen on your behalf," Menodora suggested, handing the farmer a glass of punch.
"It won't work. Many people have tried to speak with her; even traveling Bishops have tried and failed. Rumors say she's even killed them." Dane sighed and set his hand on the man's shoulder.
"Then she has not met us. We will speak to her on your behalf." He said, noticing the area beginning to feel lighter but hesitant. Was this reluctant feeling another hue of Light? Hope for a new and better future tainted with past experiences of failure? Dane and Menodora left the following day for Arentia, determined to help these people.
As they visited more towns or villages, the story repeated itself. All the people were downtrodden and despondent, searching for some way to improve their lives. It was becoming clear that a different approach was needed to fix the world of this Darkness. The cure wouldn't include distraction and celebration but reassurance and hope. And it would start by speaking with the queen.
"What are we doing wrong?" Dr. Long asked, examining the data from their latest test. Although this project had begun almost a decade ago, they were no closer to solving the problem of the parts breaking down. Every time they tried to activate a component, something failed, and they had to start again, sometimes from scratch.
"Even differing our approach to bio-mechanical, it still won't fully amalgamate," Maxus added, looking over the data in more detail. There was just some force at work, preventing that last little bit they needed. Adelia picked up one of the sheets, pointing to a line of numbers.
"Perhaps the bonding polymer between the artificial tissue and the mechanical components is too viscous when it is introduced, vaporizing the tissue. Right here, the data shows a massive spike in temperature just before it becomes solid. So if we were to… no, that wouldn't work either." She sighed, bringing out a pad of paper and writing out equations.
"Making the polymer thinner would only increase the temperature spike, and making it thicker would lower the spike, but we would need to sustain the reaction for a longer period, which could induce necrosis." Maxus sighed: being the Master of Metallurgy, he thought of, tested, and created thousands of alloys that would be stable enough to meld with the artificial tissue, and he had found it in something called Amalgite Carbide. But…
"We almost need to suspend or slow time for multiple reactions at once." He sighed, the group collectively dropping their heads to their hands.
"I could introduce some agents into the Polymer that would slow the reactions, but it would weaken the final bond between flesh and metal," Adelia answered, all of them sitting in silence for a long while when another voice spoke behind them.
"What if standard alchemy alone was not enough?" a man asked. Long and Maxus looked up to see a young man with long black hair draped over one of his eyes sitting at their table. They hadn't heard him come in, wondering if he'd been present the entire time.
"You're Russel, Madae's apprentice, are you not?" Maxus asked. The man looked up slightly, his hair falling away from his face and revealing a small mechanical brace on the side of his eye socket.
"Yes, I am he," he answered proudly. Dr. Long set the datasheet aside and grabbed his chin in interest.
"What do you mean 'standard alchemy' isn't enough? What do you know?"
"I couldn't help listening, but it sounds as if you need to slow your reactions to bond the components. Is that right?" Russel asked as Dr. Long nodded, simultaneously interested and suspicious.
"Then it is time to look beyond mere science. A man living in a country south of Nihal Desert named Kritas is an expert with alchemy that works outside the natural laws of science, allowing for the construction of wonders beyond our imagination." Maxus and Dr. Long looked at each other briefly.
"What you suggest sounds like it dabbles in Magic. We are men of science. How can fairy tales and misdirection help us?" Dr. Long asked with conviction. Russel smirked darkly.
"I have been to Kritas. And I have seen firsthand the results of these 'fairy tales and misdirection,' as you call them. It is real. It has even allowed them to create their enormous guardian golem, Hekotone." The three scientists appeared to think for a while until Adelia seemed to recognize the city's name.
"Isn't Kritas the kingdom ruled by King Hekaton, The War Spear?"
"The very same, Master Adelia. And though Thier king may have a reputation for war, the man I speak of is a scientist, like us. His art is known by different titles but is commonly called Dark Alchemy. I believe this branch of alchemic research will give you what you seek." Russel grinned. Maxus sighed, calling Dr. Long to a more private corner.
"I don't think we should pursue this. Watching my son's research, I've seen where 'dark' can lead. If we do this, we could travel down a road with no return. We could become depraved lunatics and cultists, not men of science. Besides, what thing, other than magic, do you know that doesn't follow the world's rules as we know them?" Dr. Long took a long breath and looked back over his shoulder to Russel as he looked over the data left on the desk.
"It is the nature of our research to investigate and pursue any leads that move science forward. I hear your concerns. But we must move forward; if you believe that we are beginning to cross a line at any point, I want you to stop us."
"If you are giving me this responsibility, I must protest this 'Dark Alchemy's use and say that we need to suspend the creation of this body permanently." Dr. Long lowered his brow as if shocked by the news.
"Why? You've helped with its creation for all this time."
"You may not remember, but from the beginning, I've warned our team multiple times we are stepping into territory reserved for the gods by toying with the human life force. If we go further, we'll open a door that can never be closed! I know you want to be with your wife forever, but humans were never meant to live that long. I'm sure Falicia understood that when she married you." Maxus pressed as Dr. Long's face twisted into mild agitation, seeming to think long and hard about his response.
"I understand, Maxus. But I can't simply abandon this project, not after we've come so far and now have a path opened to us," he growled, punching his fingers under his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Once we have completed this project, I will gather all the research about it, destroy it, and even erase it from the Knowledge Depository. Will that Satisfy your concerns?" Dr. Long asked. Maxus thought hard about his responsibility. How much farther was left until it was too late? Sighing heavily, Maxus gave his consent. He wanted to stop Dr. Long, but he was so close to his goal that he would only hear concerns and not heed them. With Maxus's agreement, they returned to the table.
"What is the name of this expert in Dark Alchemy?" Dr. Long asked, gathering the Datasheets. Russel smiled, proud that he had brought something of interest to Margata. With a dramatic toss of his cloak, Russel straightened.
"His name is Arkarium."