My head bounced from side to side. There was so much to see. Everything was new here. Different. Even the trees were different! The midday sun burned heavily through my cloak, yet excitement made me forget it. Of course I got the occasional stare, but my cloak hid me. Well, I think it hid me. No matter. This was exciting!
Walking down one of the many pathways of the outer town, I noticed a pattern of increasing house density. On the outskirts there were small cottages and farms, while closer in houses appeared in tighter and tighter clusters. At the same time the greenery decreased in kind. I found that depressing. The world needed its green to be beautiful.
A little ways into town there was a small clearing. One quite similar to the outskirts. In its midst sat a large grey stone building. Its columns tall and straight, steadily supporting the angled roof which lay above. Around it, grew a trove of trees, while on it moss stained it’s washed out walls. The building appeared very dark underneath the shade of the trees.
Oddly, the humans here tended to avoid it. I glanced at Ersel, she seemed fascinated by it. But not in the same way I was. Her eyes seemed lost in it. As if it had significance to her and only her. Petty humans, always obsessed with one rock or the other. This one was just another rock. I picked up my pace and after a while Ersel noticed me and sprinted to catch up.
I expected her typical remark. ‘Quit running, you log!’ or ‘Did that ‘rock’ scare you to?’
Instead she said, “Sorry.” I must admit I was taken aback. Though I did not show it. A god such as myself did not bend to such ‘emotions’.
I shook my head slightly, careful not to alert Ersel. “No need to apologize.” I said as I tossed my eyes to my side, “For this at least.” Why had she changed tone?
She did not seem to hear my second comment, “That building over there is a mausoleum. We bury our dead there. Including my grandfather.”
Perhaps that explained it. Yet her grandfather was dead. Why she cared so much escaped me. So I said nothing, hopefully that was the end of that conversation. I never was too fond in dead things. It was bit too dreary for my taste.
“He’s the man who made our family famous. The man who gave us a name.” Why was she still talking? “When he died we lost everything.”
She was silent after that. I thought I would enjoy that silence, but my curiosity ripped at me. I spoke up, “Why did you lose everything? And what is ‘everything’?” I had come to learn that in human, ‘everything’ did not always mean ‘everything’.
“Our money. Our name. Any noble right we once had, lowered to nothing more than a peasant’s.”
My pearl eyes peaked at her. That was new. “You were a noble?”
Ersel froze. Her face somewhat stretched in surprise. As if she had done something she regretted. “Right.” She sighed, walking once more, “I was a noble. My father kicked me out of the family because I refused to marry.”
How trivial. It was a wonder why this human thought such petty things interested me.
“Marriage, is that when the two humans gather with many more humans in long rows?” I remembered that distinctly, I hated it. Normally people gathered before me to worship me, not more humans! It was insulting. Lets see, yes! The stick humans did that. Those things thought fire bonded love. Incidentally they thought of me as the god of love as well as fire. I was used as an alter for weddings! It was absurd as well as deteriorating.
“That’s a wedding, not marriage. But yes a wedding is required for marriage.”
I decided to voice my thoughts, “Why do you care? A petty ceremony for an even pettier union. It is a union, right?”
Ersel glared at me with fiery eyes. She was mad. Why was she mad?
“There’s a nice alleyway up ahead. Feel free to stay there.”
My steps halted as I considered the proposal. I did not know what an ‘alleyway’ was but it sounded remarkably comfortable.
“Ok.” I conceded.
She stomped ahead of me, stopping momentarily to turn around. “Fine!” She yelled before turning back. Was she still mad? I really could not tell.
I shrugged it off. Besides she said my alleyway was up ahead. I past a few houses, and noticed the houses more packed than ever before. The road began to slop as well. Long strings of laundry flying over ahead of me while little imps- or children- spat past me. Giggling. Endlessly giggling. It made me shiver. As I journeyed up the hill, I noticed a low wall by the farthest house. Some of the houses even built up along it.
I got closer while the crowds of people grew thicker by the houses. When I got close enough I saw a bridge right before an open gate way. Two colossi sitting a top of it. I squinted my pearl eyes to see past the light. It was a serpent and a lion. Their skin the color of sap and their eyes locked upon each other. Frozen in eternal combat. Interesting.
My eyes fell from the statues to the faces around me. Apparently I had drawn the eyes of several humans. Why were the short so perplexed by the tall? Maybe they had noticed my godliness.
I thought back to Ersel and immediately I remembered not to draw attention to myself. I pulled my cloak closer, taking one step an instant later.
As I moved the eyes drifted away from me. My head swung from side to side. Where was this alleyway!? I stopped as I was on the bridge. The hum of rushing water below me. Oh right. I did not even know what an alleyway was.
A quick scan and I noticed an old crone by the side of the bridge. Begging it seemed. Or at least what I thought was begging.
It was wailing at every human that walked past it. “The gods walk among us!” she proclaimed, “Stars shine brighter, the end is near!”
‘Gods’? Stars? Perhaps she recognized me! Finally a devotee. I walked up to her and thought of what to say. At first I thought ‘hello’ would do, but it seemed her surprise when she saw me warranted more of an introduction.
I raised my proclamation finger, but Ersel’s narrowed eyes flashed in my thoughts. I lowered the finger, perhaps I should not say ‘I am your beloved god Atechrities! Bow before me mortal and tell me what and where this ‘alleyway’ is’ .
I cleared my throat and her initial surprise faded. “Can you direct me to an alleyway?”
Her brows contorted, “Alleyway? I will direct you to the heavens if you heed my words! The end is near! Be wary.”
“And what of the alleyway?”
She scowled and pointed across from the bridge, “Go to your precious rat’s nest then. Burn like the rest of them.”
Hmpf. To think someone could be more insolent than Ersel. I past the crone and made for this alleyway. It was as she said it was. A rat’s nest. Nothing but a space between one shop and another. I leaned by one of the grimy walls. Little black figures scurrying in the darkness.
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At least the sound of the humans was dulled.
I craned my neck to the streets I had left. Their figures shot past as the days used to. How had time slowed so much? It made me wonder. Maybe it was this form. Maybe it was Ersel. A strange feeling irked at me, I sat up straight. Where was she anyways?
This alleyway was certainly not enough for my godliness. I dusted myself and got up, the little shadowy figures squealing and scurrying away.
It was not hard to navigate the streets, I saw a great distance from just standing and the humans usually moved out of my way. As I went further in the city, I noticed the unique intertwine of the canals and roads. More and more roads were replaced by a contingent of canals. The carts now boats and the houses looming over the banks.
Luckily, I was able to follow the narrow walkways that stretched alongside the canals. There were fewer people here. Lucky again. Though a god did not need luck.
I followed the cobblestone pathways until I came across a series of large houses which formed more orderly along the waters. The waters even looked nicer here. Clearer instead of mossy. I saw strange posts around the area, little lights flickering in their sockets.
Perhaps I had been consumed in the moment, but I had completely missed the fact that it was the evening. Hmm, maybe that’s why there were so few humans. I walked a little forwards, taking it all in.
I wondered what it meant. Why the city sloped, why it had little rivers within it. Why Ersel had abandoned me. The nerve of her! The urge to see her got stronger.
I stopped as a familiar voice greeted my ears. It was unmistakably Ersel, as if thinking of her had caused her to appear. There was a tap then another. I tossed my eyes to the skies and blips of water blurred my vision. The small trickle quickly picked up, and I found myself standing in it, the muffled barks of Ersel resonating from a nearby house. I followed that sound. It came from a house smaller than the others, almost cramped between the larger ones. It’s interiors were alight, and shadows argued fervently against the shades.
One of the figures, as short as she was, was most definitely Ersel. I could have approached her, I could have invalidated our deal there and then. Yet I stood still, listening amidst the drumming of rain.
“Do I mean nothing to you!” roared Ersel.
“Ersel, you chose your path.” answered a man. “Please listen to me. We all have a duty-”
“And you failed yours!”
“Ersel! That’s quite enough.” This time a woman.
“I swear when I return- You’ll see. I’ll make this family right just as Granda did.”
There was silence.
“I need to go see him.” Ersel’s tone had completely shifted. Almost as it had before.
“Ersel! Wait!”
A slam and wet stomping. Footsteps which echoed across the househood. The footsteps stopped.
“Oh just bloody fantastic.” She was glaring at me.
“Have you ever felt this!” I batted back, “This rain! It’s so.” I breathed inwards closing my eyes, “Refreshing!”
“It’s rain!” she screamed running past me.
My eyes trailed from her to the house. The figures inside covered the windows then disappeared. I put on my hood.
Following Ersel was not as hard as I thought it be. After turning a corner she simply walked. Odd.
The night sky sunk deeper into ether. Our footsteps synchronized in pace. I had to admit the city seemed completely different at night. It was emptier. The stalwart reflection of light sticks wavering along the canals. The prowl of cats here and there. Even the odd boat floating below.
I studied one canal as I crossed the bridge over top of it. A collection of silver fragments shimmered across it . I could tell it was an image, though, of what? My eyes followed the sky. It was clear tonight. Nothing but bright specs in it, and- Oh my.
It was a wonder why I had not noticed it before. The moon. Fabled as it was in its many tales. And just as those tales foretold the moon was indeed shattered. It looked small from where I saw it, but I knew it was large. Larger than I could ever imagine. It felt like a dream. A mere image of fantasy. One so absurd I did not trust my eyes. I did not know how long I stared at it for.
My eyes fell from the sky and to my front. Ersel was gone.
Panic. Fear, stress. I had never felt that before. Where had she gone? I moved ahead, my feet thinking for me. I reached the corner in seconds, my head twisting side to side. Not here. I ran further, then further. The town shrinking as if I had gone back in time.
I stopped before the gated bridge. “Think” I whispered to myself, “Where did she go?”
A spark. No, a thought! She had mentioned her ‘Granda’. I scanned the road in front of me. If I was right, she would be there. That was guaranteed of course, since I was always right.
Three corners later I found her in front of the mausoleum. Staring at it. I made one step, and she headed in.
“Ersel, wait!” I called. No response, perhaps she had not heard?
I made my way to the front of the building as she had, then stopped in front of it. It seemed far darker than it had during the day. Its grey walls as dead as its residents. The seeping moss more akin to a deep sludge than fauna. And the entrance, that entrance, it was as black as the void.
The nerve of that girl, to put a god such as I in such danger. I gulped instinctively. It was now or never.
The shadows fell upon me as entered its halls.
Black in front of me, black overhead of me and soon nothingness behind me. I had entered the void and despite all my hesitation I kept moving forwards, one step after the next.
A few feet forward a light brushed past my face. I froze as quick as it appeared. It was a torch.
My eyes fell on the figure holding it. Ersel. Of course it was Ersel. And she did not seem pleased.
She spoke before I could, “Why did you follow me?”
As if she did not already know the answer, “You left me in an alleyway.” I said.
“Ofcourse I left you, the deal’s off. Go do whatever walking trees do. Oh, and make keeping away from me one of them.” She spun forwards and marched.
Odd, I was the one about cancel the deal, yet why? It seemed out of my best interest, especially as I watched the short human walk away, the light following her as she was the day. No. I flinched, the dark encroaching on me once more.
I started after her and she shot a glance my way. “If you follow me I’ll burn you.”
I stood still as she did, a moment later she moved and I followed her.
“Honestly, what do you want from me?”
“I’m curious.” I responded, “In this hall I mean.”
I saw Ersel’s brows twitch and she rose her free hand as to ignite a rebuttal. Footsteps and both heads turned to our backs. We were not alone.
Ersel cursed something to the side, then grabbed my arm and started down the webbed path.
“This way.” She whispered. The footsteps faded as our own took hold. Ersel, apparently familiar with this place, took a turn a little ways forward, bringing me along with her. Somehow we managed to fit in the small enclave, and Ersel leaning against the wall in front of me doused her flame against the floor. She then peaked just over the side of the wall.
The footsteps grew louder and louder, until Ersel pulled her head in, and four humans rushed passed us.
“What are they?” I questioned, footsteps dying in the background.
“Bloodscarves. They hunt nobles and they know me.”
Hunt nobles? Another ridiculous human tradition no doubt. I could tell she knew that I didn’t.
She sighed. “They hunt nobles for gold. But...” She hesitated, her eyes drifting, “People say they’ve been collecting noble blood. I don’t know what for.”
“Then leave this place. I do not know why you even bothered coming.”
Ersel picked up her torch, “I’m still going.”
I did not know why humans did that. Even when the situation was as damned as it was they still went on with it. Increasing their stupidity to unprecedented levels.
“Though could you…” She swallowed hard, “Stick with me, that is, if anything happens. You know.”
I didn’t. “Fine.” I conceded. “It is rather hard to find another guide. Humans these days just do not worship their gods as they used to.”
“Oh they do.” Spoke Ersel as she stepped into the hall. “It’s just that you- whatever you are- are not a god.”
Why did I even tolerate her? Obviously I had to remind her, “I am Atechrities. God of fire and flame!”
“Alright. Relight the torch.”
I lowered my proclamation finger. For a god of flame, creating fire sticks was not something I was familiar with.
Ersel smirked, “I thought so.”
She crouched to the floor, reached for her knapsack and pulled out a small bag of odd sticks. She swiped one stick against another, and the first lit aflame. Soon she relit the torch and motioned towards the end of the hall. “If we’re lucky they’ve already passed my family’s hall, but just to be safe keep as quiet as possible.”
I followed her hesitantly, defeated. It was a minor defeat of course, I could not be so easily toppled.
We traversed the mausoleum slowly, one light to guide us through. Ersel was familiar with this place so I followed her, crouching at points to avoid gate fixtures as we entered new halls. It occurred to me that this place was much larger than I initially imagined. An underground labyrinth almost.
I noticed small burrows in the wall as I passed them. Smalls plaques or scratches indicating the names of humans above each burrow. Was this where the humans were buried? It seemed to be a lot of effort to simply disguise the dead.
Ersel stopped me before we descended another flight of stairs. “Watch your step.” She warned.
At the end of the stairs, which was quite a long flight, we reached a small round room. One that had its own torches. Ersel pointed to one entrance among the back round walls. “Past there lies the noble burials.” She hushed. I nodded. This adventure would soon be over. I thought I would never be as glad to reach the ground as before now.
Ersel was about to douse her flame when I noticed the rest of the fixtures along the wall. Among other entrances lay small tombs. Tombs such as these would never interest me enough to do anything, but a small feature at the corner of my eyes made me think twice.
Ersel glanced at me as I held her torch arm. I shook my head slowly then pointed to what I could not ignore. Ersel followed my gaze. It was an apple as read as a rose, seated on a silver tomb.