Ch.11: Darc
Chapter word count: 1562
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Finally leaving the arcade they returned to the street outside.
Peeking back, Airot confirmed that the building—indistinguishable from others on the outside—was drastically altered within. On closer inspection, he could also verify that the interior was much larger than the exterior suggested. No doubt yapper magic was at play.
Turning back to the street, he observed the slight crowd, some loitering and showing off prizes and food, while others moved in and out of the arcade.
Darc was already further down the street, having not waited for Airot. Picking up his pace, Airot followed while eating along the way. They walked for a while before taking a turn down another road.
Airot glanced at the library, remembering their deal. “Where’re we going next?”
“That’s a secret.”
“Is this gonna take another few hours? Remember, I have something to do at the library—and you’re helping me.”
“Don’t worry, I remember,” Darc took a bite of his hotdog. “It’s still daytime; no need to waste it. Besides,” he added while chewing, “the library stays open late.”
“Ah, okay,” Airot felt more assured. “But how late is ‘late’?”
“Like, a couple hours into the night at least,” Darc stuffed his mouth some more. “I’m not entirely sure when it closes, it’s not like I stay out all night watching it,” he joked.
Airot forced a chuckle, matching Darc’s tone.
Traversing more, they eventually pass another row of buildings. Instead of heading inside any of them, Darc veered toward an alleyway.
Arousing some suspicion, Airot raised a concern. “Hey, where are you going?”
“It’s a secret,” Darc turned back with a sly smile. “Just keep following. Nothing bad’s gonna happen.”
Airot hesitated but followed Darc into the narrow passage, which twisted slightly as it wound behind the buildings.
The alleyway was largely straight, with only a few slight turns. It wasn’t hard for Airot to keep up.
The midday sun hung high, casting uneven light over the alley. Ledges and pipes jutted out to form patches of shadows across the walls, while looming trash cans shaded the grimy pavement. Discarded, dirt-streaked parchment fluttered weakly underfoot. A faint smell of mold permeated the air, earthy and damp.
‘At least it isn’t the smell of piss.’
Despite the day’s bustle elsewhere, the alley was quiet, its sounds distinct. A rhythmic drip of falling water drops echoed softly, likely from a leaky pipe. Faint murmurs of muffled voices spilled from an open window above.
Heading deeper in, their steps would occasionally produce a soft, slightly squishy noise as they walked on soggy patches of old newspapers. The wet paper clung briefly to their shoes before peeling away and plopping back down.
The two walked in silence until they reached a staircase leading down into the back of one of the buildings.
Darc, hands full, lightly kicked the door to knock.
A little peephole slid open, revealing a shadowed grille.
“Yo,” Darc spoke with his mouth stuffed. “Let us in.”
The peephole snapped shut, and the door creaked open.
Darc sauntered in, prompting Airot to follow. He offered his pretzel bites to the doorkeeper as he passed.
While Darc exchanged small talk with the doorkeeper, Airot moved past them and fully entered the room.
The space was definitely small—especially compared to the vast arcade he’d just left—but its tight layout felt cozy rather than cramped. A basement window let in a sliver of sunlight, while the soft glow of candles lit the rest of the room, casting warm, flickering shadows.
Despite about half a dozen people inside, the space didn’t feel overcrowded. Framed pictures, small figures, trinkets, and even delicate paper origami dotted the shelves and tables, lending the room a lived-in, homey atmosphere rather than feeling run-down.
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Soon enough, Darc moved past Airot, setting his food trays on a small table. His hotdog was already finished.
“So, what is this place?” Airot asked as he caught up to Darc.
“A secretive place. You can’t tell anyone about it, okay?” Darc grinned, throwing an arm around Airot’s shoulders.
“What? Why?” A clear look of confusion appeared on Airot’s face.
Darc lifted a finger to his lips, making a shushing motion. “It’s a book club.”
Dumbfounded, Airot blurted, “How is that worth being secretive about?”
“Relax with the interrogation, ey. You’re an accomplice at this point.”
“Accomplice of what?!”
Darc simply dismissed Airot and approached the sole bookshelf of the room. Though small, with only a few books per shelf, and looking quite amateurish, they seemed well-kept. He selected a rather thin book and returned to Airot, who was still munching away.
‘I really need to stop going along with everything… There’s no way he actually made me a criminal, right?’
Darc reached out, offering the book to Airot. “Here, try this.”
“What is it?”
“Fantasy adventure. Didn’t you say you like those?”
“Huh? Oh, right, I said that,” Airot accepted the book.
“I think it’s neat. Give it a shot while I take care of something.”
Airot was taken aback. “One of us has a book club meeting while the other can’t even carry money, yet here we are, at the book club,” he scoffed.
“C’mon, man. Who knows when we’ll meet again?” Darc’s gaze sharpened as he looked Airot in the eye. “The library will always be there, but we’re on a schedule. I’m just offering a distraction to pass the time,” he moved away from Airot and toward a door. “Read it or take a nap, just don’t damage the book.”
Airot rolled his eyes, setting aside his food trays now that his hotdog was finished.
He strolled off to the side trying not to get in anyone’s way. Finding an unclaimed chair, Airot bothered to check the book.
Though he wasn’t in the mood, he still flipped the book open. Uninterested in immersing himself deeply, he lightly skimmed over the opening pages. The story seemed like a standard hero’s journey. He yawned, leaning back as the tale began to unfold.
In city walls, beneath the titan sky.
A world beneath the clouded, starless high.
There dwelled a youth who bore a flame unbound.
A strength to scorch yet could not understand.
With heat that leapt and danced at his command.
No choice but march, bound tight by Earth’s decree.
Fated conflict gripped him firm and fast.
His flames were tried upon an opposing path.
A rare opponent raised a wall of night.
A darkened veil that hid the fiery light.
Yet his embers pierced through shadow’s dark,
And scattered all illusions he had known.
The older’s place is now the younger’s own.
Allied beside a tower none defied.
There came a wielder cloaked in winds and sky.
They carved a path and pierced the great above.
Defying tempests, the flame burned serene.
A monolith remained, its gaze kept keen.
But what came next was a tale best untold.
Shifting worlds anew, sinister and bold.
Dividing time and Earth for their accord.
The blaze met its match in power sixfold.
Compelled to join memory and abyss.
They fought a force with perfected resist.
Branded and tainted, yet not overboard.
Tampered beyond dull, his vision was toyed.
Made a safekeeper so all could survive.
With that newfound freedom, the flame could strive.
The sole existence able to break free.
Unshackled by the ‘walls of harmony’.
Promising hope to all of man within.
Scorched, burned and melted right through Earth’s own.
He exited out into the unknown.
Airot closed the book and leaned back, letting what he’d read linger in his mind. There was a strange resonance in the words—it felt like cooling embers.
Recollecting himself, he glanced at the book’s cover, taking in the title again.
“The Starburner,” he muttered.
‘Not just starborn, but starburner. How could anyone even burn a star?’
Curious, Airot looked at the author’s name to see if he could recognize it.
“Skorber.”
He scoffed at himself as he failed to recognize the name. Not being much of a reader in the first place, it was an obvious outcome. Yet through this spur of curiosity, there was something else of note as Airot’s eyes drifted to the publication date.
‘Published… Two years ago?’
His brow furrowed before reaching a conclusion.
‘Ah, I see. This is some self-insert fanfic. From that lens it makes so much more sense.’
Airot rubbed his eyes, glancing up to find Darc still absent.
Recalling his parting words, Darc hadn’t stated how long he’d be, though his suggestion to take a nap implied it’d be a while. Airot got up and stretched his stiff limbs, certain he wasn’t sleepy.
His eyes drifted to the food trays they’d brought in; the pretzel bites and loaded fries had been shared with the rest of the club. He didn’t mind—he’d already eaten his fill.
He moved toward the bookshelf, intending to pick out another book.
Another member lounging near the bookshelf caught his movement and seemed to deduce his motive. They threw a book at him. Airot caught it, glancing at the cover. It looked older, its edges worn and the cover faded. This one was definitely from before the fall.
The club member gave him a knowing nod, and Airot silently accepted, returning to his seat.
This book, however, didn’t hold his attention for long.
As he read, Airot’s eyes began to waver.
They grew heavier with each line until they finally closed.