Saying that Kael felt shocked at hearing the voice of the recently deceased elder addressing him, would be the understatement of the year. In the few seconds that followed, he felt his vision grow dim while all noise began to recede from his senses. It took a moment for his heart to start beating again and fight against the desire to fall unconscious. Whatever it was behind the barrier of plastic cutting him off from the outside world, Kael had no intention of meeting it.
Sometime later, the voice from outside returned, containing some genuine concern this time around. “Oy! Yo, Boy?! You Ok in there? I was just joking about the whole blow you to bits thing. Wouldn't do that to someone I don't even know. I'll be dead in a few minutes anyway, and look I already sent the annoying ones away. Lend an old man some company as he passes please? I'll make you fire...” The terror coursing through Kael had receded a lot hearing the man speak. He noticed the difference in the way the man talked to him compared to the others and it conjured a very different picture of the old man in his mind.
The longer Kael listened, the more he felt like he was dealing with a nice old man, instead of some bloodthirsty, rebellious madman that was living out the last few minutes of his life looking for some poor sod to kill. Just one last time, for old times sake. Thinking for a second, he quickly dismissed the thought that the old man would just think he had made a mistake. Ignoring the old man was equally stupid and would most likely lead to a worse outcome than complying for now. He also did like fire; at least when it was not him that was the source. With no way out, he did the only thing he could, come out from under the tarp.
Without the thick sheet of dyed plastic impeding his vision, Kael finally got to see what, or rather who had crash-landed on his roof. Even with the storm still hiding the moons and stars he could see. Slowly dying flames, scattered all around the roof, the reason he could see at all, made the abandoned roof appear like a mix between warzone and beach party, almost at least. Sitting just two meters to his left, he spotted a human leaning against the wall surrounding the roof. Ignoring the heavy rain, Kael slowly began to crawl out from under his improvised umbrella and move closer. As soon as he left the tarp behind, he felt the icy cold rain and wind attacking him again, making him shiver for a good few seconds.
Arriving next to, what he could now confirm, was an old man with a long beard, wearing something between a coat and a robe, leaning against the wall surrounding the roof. Kael halted as he took in the strange figure that had intruded upon his life. The old man turned to him and their eyes met. Moments later, the old man lifted his right hand and snapped his fingers. The wind and rain, that had been trying to hurt him just a few moments ago vanished and were replaced by a midsummer-like warmth that reached his core, driving the chill right out of him. Struggling to comprehend the sudden change in climate, Kael almost missed the old man talking to him again.
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“Ah, now this is better, wouldn't you say? What horrible weather to die in... Though, if I am to be honest about it. It certainly fits this abomination of a life I lived. At least fate is consistent if nothing else. Haha! Oh, right! Let me make some light. The remnant flames are nice and wonderfully post-apocalyptic and all, but I prefer seeing who I'm talking to.” With his mind still rattled by what had happened moments ago, Kael tried his best to listen. The gentle light that suddenly appeared above them out of nowhere still startled him nonetheless.
Kael fought hard to remain calm as the old man simply created a floating ball of gentle white light above their heads. “Wha... What is that?” He couldn't stop himself from asking. Looking at the strange ball of white and what it illuminated, drew his eyes away from the light and the old man. The roof had been devastated. Big sections of the wall and floor were missing, and black marks, the result of high temperature or soot, everywhere helped complete the picture. The scattered chunks of concrete littered all over the place were certainly a clue in the puzzle.
“That's what you want to ask? Really?” The calm and amused voice of the old man ripped Kael out of his thoughts, refocusing him on the dying man before him. Despite the apparent absurdity of Kael's question, the old man still answered it. “Ignoring the how for a second it is a contained and self sufficient bubble where Hydrogen and Oxygen get ionized, only to recombine just a moment later. It is this recombination that...”
Listening, Kael felt like his head was going to explode. Feeling the warm air around him, instead of the wind and rain that was still raging just a few steps away, was magical enough for Kael. The floating ball of light hovering above the old man's hand, however... It was so quintessentially magical, that he ignored the scientific explanation that was coming his way almost entirely. It allowed him to finally calm down some more while he inspected his lecturer closer.
A face, full of wrinkles, so expressive that Kael had no problem reading the man's emotions on it, with clear eyes that pierced his soul. That was his verdict after a first look. The long white beard, singed in many places, gave him character and depth somehow. Short white hair, partially hidden under a hood, completed the picture and made it whole. The coat-robe was just a very long and wide coat. It had holes everywhere and below it, Kael could see a lot of red. Before he had the chance to inspect some more however his lecturer had finished his explanation and seemed to be waiting for some response from him.