Mevi was led by the guiding hand of Kalesi, who brought them quickly in the direction of the rebelling village. The spiraling infrastructure made for complicated travel up and across any distance within the Pipes. Kalesi had mused about Mevi needing to practice her own navigation and climbing skills, in case of emergencies. So the two scaled across their path slowly, with Kalesi’s guiding and protective hand to explain Mevi’s every move.
As they came closer to the village’s outskirts, Kalesi became quieter and very few words were shared as they continued the climb. Kalesi seemed to make an effort to silence her own movements, and Mevi tried to follow suit but could not stop the clanging of boot against metal. Mevi assumed they needed to be silent for some reason, to avoid Rusted or some other purpose. The path they took was empty of souls or bodies, so Mevi wasn’t sure who they were hiding their presence from.
As they rounded the final approach, the final stretch was a short slanted platform that threatened to loosen Mevi’s footing and slide her down the slick metal. From their grand viewpoint of the entire rusted county, they had made short work of scaling down to the verge of the village. Their entire journey was only twenty or thirty minutes, time had escaped Mevi in several moments of excitement and physical strain. Yet in their last vantage, a short leap downward would put them on the outskirts of the cliff-side village. Instead of descending, Kalesi had them wait and watch. Kalesi seemed to be searching the hamlet structures for something, or someone. Mevi patiently awaited her mentor’s advice and direction, and as they waited sounds of cries and clashing occasionally echoed from within the village.
Mevi completely trusted Kalesi, and her judgment, but could feel her anxieties rising as her blood became impatient. Her hair stood on end and she snapped her head at every sound that echoed from the distance, then began to notice how she had started acting in a similar way to Kalesi on their arrival in the thick fog. Mevi watched her mentor patiently, and Kalesi searched the town for something. Eventually Kalesi looked back to Mevi, then gestured for their descent.
Attaching themselves against the cliff face, Mevi made slow progress climbing down such difficult terrain. The cliff was metal, stone, and decaying structure. As if something had cut out a section of the Barge yet left the Pipe’s infrastructure intact. The wall was smooth in many places, the only hand holds being those formed by Kalesi’s stabbing energy gauntlets or rogue strut and wire. Regardless of the difficulty, the two arrived at the edge of the town. Kalesi kept herself low to the ground, still maintaining some level of secrecy, and Mevi followed as best she could. As they both navigated the alleys and short roads that had gaps or crumbling holes populating most of the leverage, the sounds of conflict continued to rise.
Mevi and Kalesi arrived at the edge of what could be called a town center, where the main road would have intersected the middle of the cliff village. Buildings begin rising above and down the cliff as the road impacts against the wall, then branches off into the main strut pathway that is currently under the most attention. The main pipe road leads off, further down in a steep decline, while the main strut pathway leads up towards what once would’ve been other communities. A hectic array of individuals sprawl about the center of the town, most reinforce or repair the large metal barricade that is keeping the Rusted at bay. Shouts ring out, metal clangs against metal, and somewhere within the din a child cries. The bodies that scurry about the chaos carry dim lights fueled by oil fires from small pots, and they illuminate their path like bright torch bugs. The quick running darted the points of light across the growing inky black fog that threatens to blind Mevi.
Kalesi seems to be thinking about how to approach these individuals, and Mevi can understand her hesitation. Each person seems panicked, if not outright feral in their interactions. When one body bumps another screaming and yelling pursues only to be stopped by the responding crash and cutting of metal just beyond the barricade. Those that have them bare their fangs at other survivors as if each person is another enemy. Madness breeds in the tension, any single drop threatens to break the fragile cooperations between the scarred and maimed peoples within.
From the crowds of people, a few stand out from the rest that attempt to order and direct everyone’s efforts. One tall man, who is missing his left arm and is covered in scars, directs the effort to repair and reinforce the barricade. His diligence and attention notices every small flaw and points it out to a nearby passerby who quickly scavenges whatever material they can find to fix the issue. Another woman is directing water, or liquid of some kind, to be distributed to those reinforcing the barricade. She wears very little beyond ragged cloth tied over her chest and a short skirt with one leg under pant coverings. Finally an elder of the village, withered and leaning on a metal staff, is tending to cowering children who are clustered against the cliff wall.
Kalesi seems to make her decision about where they would appear, and Mevi is taken back into the alley the way they had come. Navigating around the main center of the village, they end up exiting against the cliff wall, and begin slowly heading towards the older man and his gaggle of children. Staying within the shadows, Mevi and Kalesi slowly approach the group. When they are in the shadow of the last building before their target, Kalesi strides out with her arms raised above her head. Kalesi motioned for Mevi to back up and stay put, or at least that was how Mevi interpreted her hand movements. So Mevi moved backward and watched.
The elderly man shouts in surprise, calling attention to himself from those working to protect the village. Several people yell incoherent language that doesn’t seem to make sense to Mevi. The words reach her, but with blanks between their statements where instead Mevi only hears a dull rining. The elderly man shouts, “depth back demon host begone!” and similar other statements about ‘Depth Demons’ are shouted. A burly man grabs a loose rod sitting near the ground and charges at Kalesi, who easily dodges and pins the man. A gasp rings out, as if the onlookers hadn’t expected Kalesi to defend herself. Kalesi releases the man after kicking his weapon to the side.
As Mevi listens to the calling and yelling of the survivors, she finds herself becoming confused and almost dizzy. As she sways from side to side she catches herself, but stumbles out of her cover. The people who were staring at Kalesi now turn their attention to Mevi as she leans against a nearby wall. Mevi’s head is becoming fuzzy, and her body feels strangely heavy. Kalesi runs over, just as some nearby survivors begin to ready themselves to engage Mevi. Kalesi easily intercepts them and reaches Mevi first, brandishing her energy shield to intimidate the survivors who thought to attack. Kalesi’s words arrive to her ears jumbled just as the other people’s, “difficult wind without must create breath.” Kalesi states with urgency. Mevi sits to fathom what she says, and it occurs to her what Kalesi might be asking. To create her wind bubble again, Kalesi must need some fresh air.
Mevi, suddenly understanding Kalesi’s request, begins to draw her mind to focus. Her head strains against her own thought, and a throbbing pain stabs into her mind as she feels what little air in her lungs slowly disappears. Her throat feels scratchy and she now notices her lungs feel laden down and struggle to inhale. Regardless, Mevi hears her mentor repeat some of the jumbled words and she focuses, concentrating to create gusts of wind. Her body remembers the procedure, but random bouts of wind gust out of her palms and into Kalesi’s face. Kalesi grabs Mevi’s hands and points them at Mevi’s own face. Brief gouts of air rush past Mevi’s face and small amounts of crisp sustenance fill her lungs. Her clarity increases, and begins to realize her own panic at not having the ability to breathe. Realizing Kalesi’s motivations, Mevi forces all her strength on her Maige and a small pocket of clean air is created.
Real air rushes into Mevi, and the throbbing begins to subside as she can fully hear the words of those around her. Yet a ringing persists over Kalesi’s voice for a few moments. Eventually the ringing stops and Mevi feels the world return to some kind of normal again. Kalesi urgently asks, “Mevi! Are you alright, I didn’t even anticipate this blasted fog.”
Mevi can hear and perceive things clearer, and realizes she worried Kalesi, while coughing and fighting to take in air Mevi says, “Thank you, I didn’t realize what was happening.”
A man standing far away, wielding a sharp blade of some kind, demands, “What devilry is this? What plague does she bring, is she infected?”
Kalesi snaps back, still brandishing the shining energy shield, “As I said. We are here to help you, she is not infected. This fog and rust was suffocating her.”
“We are all suffocating, how can you possibly expect to ‘help’ us if that kid can’t even breathe on their own?” calls a voice from the village.
Kalesi looks angered at the responses, and helps Mevi to her feet before giving a retort, “We are here to guide you to safety. Pilots await to evacuate you once we escape this fog.”
The elderly man approaches, stepping past the survivors wielding various weapons, “If we could escape this fog we would have. The moment any of us leave the barricade will break and the Rusted will be at our heels. How could we possibly hope to outrun them?”
Kalesi ensures Mevi can stand on her own, and turns to face the elderly man. Instead of speaking she simply produces a small device. It is rectangular but seems to have a sort of nozzle at the end, a hand-sized interface lights up. Kalesi displays the item and explains, “This device can create small quantities of certain substances. I plan to create explosives that will detach this village from the main source of the Rusted. If we plant it by the barricade’s base, it will blow away those behind it and create enough holes to stall our pursuers.”
There are only five adults listening to Kalesi’s words, the rest seem to cast glances towards the group but continue their defense. The survivors seem skeptical of Kalesi’s promise, or possibly of her intentions. The elderly man seems to listen and think before turning to hobble towards the one-armed leader who is directing their survival. The man shouts at the elder for distracting him and his efforts, but after mumbled responses the angered man turns and appraises Kalesi. Kalesi, who still wields her energy shield at her side, remains cautious and alert against the various survivors. Mevi had regained some amount of herself with the help of her Maige, and as she looked on at the conflicted and scared faces she noticed several of the huddled children seemed dazed or confused. Mevi approaches Kalesi’s side and whispers, “Kalesi, I think their children are dying. They don’t look healthy.”
Kalesi holds a pained look as she watches the huddled children, half of them laying on the ground barely breathing, “Mevi do you think you can help them breathe from here?”
With the challenge posed, Mevi tries to concentrate. She focuses what wind she can create around herself and blows it in a current in their direction. The children huddle against the cliff, some four or five meters away. Mevi begins the spreading of her air bubble, but as she soon realizes it won’t reach if she expands it evenly she instead shrinks it so it barely covers her own upper body. Focusing the wind, she projects an oval current from herself towards the nearest child, a nearby villager cries out as they notice the strange billowing gusts approaching a barely breathing adolescent. Before they could do anything, Mevi controls the wind to further expand it enveloping the first body, then another, and those few children that don’t jump up and try to escape are now held within a thin blanket of pure air. Their chests fill with the essence they had lacked only moments before, taking in great breaths to supplement an unknown amount of negligence.
There looked to be ten children in total, and only three managed to notice the wind and tried to escape it. The rest were blissfully unaware or simply had so little strength they couldn’t resist. Yet as the clean air billowed into their lungs and bodies, the once vacant eyes brightened and energy began to fill them. The breath of fresh air awoke several of them, and invigorated those that were already conscious. The onlookers stopped yelling towards Mevi, and even several of the active defenders stopped to gawk at the apparent miracle. The children were breathing properly again, and as they gulped greedily at the air all but one awoke fully with confused glances and aware eyes. Several adults ran towards the group, and the three escaped adolescents submerged themselves into the current of wind to partake in the sustenance themselves.
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
A shout for order called from the barricade, the adults who tried to abandon their post to reach their awoken children stopped in their tracks. After some exchanged longing looks with their apparent children, a redoubled effort to support the barricade ensued. The barricade’s leader, the one-armed man, called out towards Kalesi and Mevi, “I don’t give a damn about your Magi or what reason you came here. You aint Demons, and want to help? Get helping.” The gruff voice rang over the din and clamor of metal and work. Those that watched Kalesi and Mevi with cautious suspicion dropped their guard and returned to what they had once been doing. Most of the residents seemed to continue eyeing the pair, and most of the attention was firmly placed on Mevi.
Mevi maintained the air bubble, but could feel her concentration slipping as she focused on such a strange command. The billowing air wavered until it eventually began to slowly collapse, to the dismay of the children inside. Most of the children looked to be just younger than teens, yet were hardened and dirty from their difficult life in the Pipes. As Mevi fully collapsed her current of air, she suppressed her Maige to join herself with the difficulties those younger than her faced.
Mevi looked up to Kalesi, who was cautiously watching the progress and efforts of the survivors. While she maintained her vigil over them, she interacted with the device she showed before. The small interface, with a nozzle at the end that seemed to allow the production of something. Mevi felt it was almost familiar, and remembered the jumbled memories of her learning at the Education Forum. Similar devices were used in her training, and Mevi wondered if explosives could really be made from such a small device. Just as Mevi began to wonder what it was capable of, an angry beep squeaked out of the device and Kalesi cursed to herself. A red symbol shone on the interface, the text below it reading ‘Access Restricted; Not Enough Power’. Kalesi clenched a fist, but calmed herself down and decided now was the time to deactivate her energy shield. Most of the survivors, beyond the elderly man and children, were back to the defense of the invaded road.
Kalesi seemed to be fighting against the device’s desires, imputing commands and fervently attempting to process her requests, but received only error messages of restricted access in various forms. After several additional attempts, Kalesi threw her hands in the air in frustration at the small device. Mevi was confused why it wasn’t working, and Kalesi was becoming upset with its temperament. Mevi, however, had an idea, “Kalesi, do you think my Maige could help power the device, or remove the restriction somehow?”
Kalesi thought for a moment, using the opportunity to calm herself fully, “I am not sure, I’ve seen Magicae do strange things, and some have more ease of access with certain devices… I don’t even know how you could possibly power it without some kind of stable connection.”
“I think I might have an inclination. Or at least if my Maige listens to my request.”
Kalesi didn’t mull the idea over long before relinquishing the device to her pupil, “All I ask is that you don’t strain yourself, and I will continue to remind you of that temperance.”
Mevi eagerly took the device, it was a simple interface with a sort of complex search feature. Kalesi showed Mevi how it worked, the components and chemical compounds desired could be imputed and then produced. Simple elements were easy to make, but Kalesi warned that many came out unstable without strong molecular bonds. Mevi wasn't sure what exactly that meant, but didn’t need to understand to try her idea. Placing her gloved hand on the top of the device, Mevi imagined a current of power. A small current, only a few sparks, but enough that it would stream into the device. She thought of the idea from her use of wind, if she could produce wind then maybe she could create electricity as well.
Small sparks arced from Mevi’s fingers and into the device. For brief moments as the electric current spread into the device, its interface lit up a brighter hue. Mevi continued to increase her Maige’s output, and the device responded with a growing glow from its interface. Kalesi noticed the effect, and began typing in her various requests. Inputting complex algorithms with combinations of foreign materials, the device sputtered into a slow production. The constant stream of power seemingly enough that it could produce whatever it was just programmed to create. The ability it had to create materials from seemingly nothing was as miraculous to Mevi as her own growing abilities. She had used synthesizers before, but those were always large and intimidating machinery with hidden substructure and mechanics. This device was little larger than the tablets her previous family used to view old texts and information.
The constant stream of power arcing from Mevi supplied the device with its requested additional power. The energy stream out of Mevi’s fingers was a warm orange that shone its hue regardless of the oppressive dark around them. Several onlookers gawked at the strange display of light that stood out so greatly from the dark and grim around them. As the device finished its processing, small dough-like materials exited from the short nozzle at the end. Kalesi caught the odd material, and held them carefully. She made several of these items, and seemed to be inclined to make more before a sharp pain stabbed once again into Mevi. As the pain plunged itself suddenly into Mevi’s mind, her body spasmed in a jolt and accidentally increased her electrical output and she shot a violent blast of orange power into the ground. The sudden pain weighed on her heavier than when she manipulated wind, and it almost sent her collapsing to the ground. Kalesi grabbed her pupil with her empty arm, and Mevi immediately suppressed her Maige.
Mevi could feel the throbbing pain railing against her mind’s gates. The worst of the symptoms subsided, but Mevi’s hands were already covering her ears instinctively. The sudden pain ambushed her senses, and her body seemed to have a delayed reaction to telling her about the oncoming exhaustion. She was so focused on her new ability, and helping Kalesi, she had ignored the slight headache and forgotten for a while that her Maige produced such violent pain if used too much. Kalesi lowered Mevi to the ground slowly, and placed her strange materials on the ground nearby. Kalesi held onto Mevi to ensure her stability, and the pain eventually began to dissolve into a memory.
Kalesi silently appraised Mevi, who was still clutching at her head as the memory of pain slowly faded. Counting what materials she had, it seemed to be enough to begin their preparations. A dull ringing was all that was left in Mevi’s head, the pain gone but leaving behind some token in her mind. The ringing eventually began to also fade, and Mevi shook her head as she tried to clear herself free of the effects, “Kalesi, I think I am better… I apologize for not letting you make more…”
Interrupting her pupil’s speech, Kalesi demands, “Do not apologize for prioritizing your safety. It was the exact order I gave to you, and the only directive you need to truly follow on any mission. We produced plenty of explosives thanks to your smart thinking. I think I can begin our preparations while you rest.”
“I’ll be able to make more soon, I think. I just needed a moment…”
Mevi attempted to rationalize to herself, but Kalesi wanted none of it. Kalesi sat Mevi against the cliff wall, not very far from the other children and commanded her to rest. Then, leaving Mevi behind, Kalesi gathered the strange doughy materials and left to cross the village center and explain her plan to the one-armed man. Mevi did as she was told and rested against the cliff, but noticed Kalesi left behind the odd synthesizing device. Gathering it up, Mevi began attempting to search its features in idle fancy.
The hand-held synthesizer seemed fairly similar to those they used at the apartment, save for the fact that those at the apartment had pre-programed materials put inside. This device seemed exclusively capable of inputting ‘ingredients’ together to attempt to create things. Mevi looked on towards the children, who were now awake and aware but covering their faces as if to hide from the dense fog. Mevi wondered how long it had been since any of these people had eaten, most seemed emaciated and showed the outline of bone under their skin. Using the device, and supplying a much smaller amount of power to reactivate its full potential, Mevi attempted to produce some idea of food. The device’s system seemed to understand the separation of food and other uses, and attempted to automatically help with the assumed desire. After some inputs, and guesses, Mevi produced a strange meaty paste.
The smell of the paste began to spread out from the device quickly, and was more pungent than anything Mevi had experienced before. As the smell spread, the nearby children reacted instinctively, almost like animals, their heads darted up and spun around to face Mevi where she sat. The food paste didn’t look amazing, and smelt strange, but according to the device it was a healthy concentration of vital nutrients. As Mevi inspected the substance, one child slowly made their way near to Mevi. Keeping a cautious distance, as if Mevi was some kind of feral animal that might attack at any moment. Mevi used the child’s curiosity and offered the doughy paste to them. The odd food’s form maintained as a floppy cylinder of reddish brown. The child eagerly snatched the food away, and without a second thought devoured the nutrients.
The remaining children got up and made their way over, as if to beg for their own portion. While Kalesi helped direct, and plant, the use of her explosives, Mevi was now feeding starving children. And Mevi felt some strange amount of glee helping so many, even in this simple way.
By the time Kalesi seemed content, and finished with the preparations, Mevi had already befriended the collection of children. Producing more than enough food for each of them, and giving each extra enough that they were simply snacking on the food while they sat down in a protective collection around Mevi. The elder had left before Mevi dolled out food paste, and now returned to the curious sight. All but the still unconscious child were now gathered around Mevi like she was their hen mother. The elder approached with a bemused expression, “I came to ready the children, but it seems most are as prepared enough as can be. I need them to come with me now, we will be leaving before the barrier is destroyed.” The children groaned and became sad at the idea of leaving their new source of nutrition, but with additional strips of food paste printed the group gathered themselves to leave. The elder began leaving, but seemed intent on abandoning the still conscious child, and Mevi called after him, “Sir, what about this one? You can’t be thinking of leaving him would you?”
The man looked towards the unconscious boy with a small amount of sadness in his eyes, “The boy was wounded by a Demon, what you call Rusted I think, and his parents have perished. There is none to look after him, even if he was able to wake. Most suspect his infection of the Rust, but his coma saves their wrath and focuses it on other things. He is too much a burden, and those that are our burdens must fend for themselves or die.”
The matter of fact statement jarred Mevi. The young boy looked to be the eldest of the group but still barely a teen. Filthy and comatose, was being abandoned so easily. The elderly man and his group of children left for deeper into the village, leading away from the road that would soon be subject to explosives. Mevi moved herself over to the unconscious boy, and sat with him. Deciding to allow clean air to flourish in her lungs again, Mevi projected a bubble of air around herself and the boy. Her small hope that additional healthy air would wake him, and allow him to escape, failed as she exposed him to almost a minute of fresh air. He made no motion to stir further beyond his quiet breathing. The idea of him being a burden, that because of this the entire community would abandon them to die… It reminded her too much of the reasoning and excuses her previous family made for her mistreatment.
Eventually Kalesi returned to Mevi, and Mevi collapsed her bubble of air. Sad, Mevi looked up at her mentor who seemed concerned at what Mevi was doing. Mevi wasn’t sure what to do, but didn’t like the idea of leaving this child behind, and she looked up with confusion and slow-growing sadness. Kalesi wasn’t sure what was going on but kneeled down to Mevi’s seated height. Mevi wasn’t even entirely sure why she cared, but told Kalesi, “They are going to leave him here because he won’t wake up. What do we do, Kalesi?”
Kalesi wasn’t sure exactly what to say, and looked at the unconscious boy as she rationalized her words, “It can sometimes be difficult, in places like these. Even if we bring him ourselves, who would take care of him? If he remains… asleep, then how would he eat and survive on his own?”
Mevi was conflicted, because she knew the words to be true, but felt some need to help the young boy who reminded her of herself, “Can’t we protect him? With all our space in the apartment, we could take him with us if we brought him away from here.”
Kalesi looks at Mevi and with a firm, but gentle, tone said, “Mevi, he isn’t an animal we can simply adopt. The society we live in… It is not kind to those that abandoned the Magi, or their descendants. And if we try to save this one boy, what about all other lost and orphaned children? We couldn't possibly save them all.”
Mevi understood the words, and knew the logic, but still felt conflicted about purposefully leaving the child behind for some malady outside of their control, “What do we do then?”
Kalesi thought for a few moments, “You and I will transport him. We can offer him to those that come to evacuate the survivors we save. I am sure they can handle it, and see to him as is appropriate.” With her words fair, and Mevi content with his promised rescue, Kalesi states, “We will begin our flight soon. The explosives you helped create are set, and what remains of the village is gathering to leave. Only a few will remain behind, myself included. I want you to travel with the survivors and help if you are able, but prioritize your own safety… I will retrieve this boy when I escape myself, and return to you. With my speed and power I won’t be gone for more than a few minutes, so don’t worry.”
Mevi understands, despite still feeling her strange attachment to the boy and concern for both him and Kalesi, but reassures Kalesi regardless, “I will keep myself safe. I will wait for you. Please be safe, and return with as much haste as you can muster.”
Kalesi smiles at her pupil, and pats Mevi’s head, “I will, have no fear.”
With their words exchanged, and promises made, Mevi rises to leave. Directed by Kalesi, and following the hustling survivors, Mevi arrives at the large group as they cluster to escape. Those in front mount an effort to begin climbing up a decrepit platform towards a high pointing strut that would lead upwards to an escape. Those at the top assist the others as they reach the top, and move them along the path above. Mevi looks back towards the center of the city, and prays to silent ancestors for her mentor’s safety. Then turns back to begin her own ascent out of the village.