Aaron sat at his table with a carved wooden mask he bought. It was a simple oval with three hole’s eye holes and a hole where the mouth was. the night of the dead, the only night that the god of death’s power wanes.
The harvest was getting done today. No thanks to him he was getting better faster than expected thanks to being a godling. But here I sit in this tavern with a mug of ale. At least I got my bandages changed and more herbs applied to my wounds. The tavern was mostly empty with only a few people at two other tables
rubbing the celestial iron key under the table to hide it. Celestial iron at almost any size is worth a fortune. But the same questions always nagged at him: what is inside that chest, how do we get it and how am I going to open it and what is inside. Anything is possible when my father is involved.
“More ale?” a serving girl asked
“no thank you I’ve had enough” she left to serve others tables. Jessica walked in holding her bird mask from the festival all sweaty from picking at her orchard.
“I was told I'd see you here”
“well you found me” Aaron replied dryly
“you can’t feel too bad about yourself in your condition Aaron you were attacked and almost died five days ago”
“I don't feel any better but thanks anyway” downing the last of his ale then setting it down with a thud
“So what can you do?” Jessica asked
“do? I can almost run..”
“no what can you do” with excitement on her face. What is she talking about? Oh looking to make sure no one was listening and seeing no one close enough. To overhear “you saw me use skylight that burns things weirdly. It's hot and cold at the same time”
“why does it burn things?” “
Why is it hot and cold?”
“I don’t know maybe to help warm the planet” “but the higher you get the colder it gets” “really? well maybe”
“weird. What else can you do”
“nothing”
“nothing? That doesn't sound right, maybe you haven't tried anything new” “
I haven't tried anything new yet. I’m the godling here
“have you talked with William about it he once hold your powers when he was young” he tried to keep from gaping of course William knows it about more than I do it was strange to think but William was a priest for my father
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“I’ll ask him next time I see him” she squinted at him probably thinking gee maybe talk about your one power more
“So can you fly?”
“no I don’t think a child of Aeris can fly” Aaron snorted
“Have you tried?”
“No, how do you think this work’s?”
“I don’t know your the godling” she laughed
“not so loud” the serving maid was close by
“sorry”
“it’s ok” Aaron sighed
“we should get home soon” Jessica said putting on her mask as did I people were preparing for the day of the dead buying masks preparing some food for the dead and in the fields with the alter of straw so the dead can eat they made there way to the main street then stop to admire the mastodon he didn't expect anything to awe him more then the forest elephant but the mastodon did white furry elephants but bigger. The north men now a vassal to the king with the news of lord Falkner and princess Lily's wedding was interesting news to say the least he even saw him and Jessica talking with him for a day. they made there way to the main street to
“Do you want to spend time alone tomorrow?” Aaron asked nervously
“Of course! I'd like that'' Jessica lifted up her mask and kissed him on the cheek. face burning they replace their masks Jessica left him there to go home probably he went home to wait out the night of the dead.
At home with mother making the final prepositions for the night carving turnips into scary faces.
The sun set leaving only a few minutes before it began, the wind always was fierce on the night of the dead, the wind howling he watched by the window hearing the shutters rattle. mother had a red and black wolf mask as we sat at our table with only a candle for light with blue flame as all fire turned a whitish blue on night of the dead. someone banged at the door. no spirit could knock let alone bang but who could it be? mother opened the door and a man came right in and closed the door in a hurry. wearing a cloak head to toe and a sword at his hip in a boar mask of polished wood he tensed a robber?
“It’s me William,” William said, sighing in relief
“what are you doing here?” mother asked
“I have a theory. bring the key we can only open it tonight. I believe the chest is in the spirit world. Come” waving an arm for me to follow. Once outside the wind was loud he gasped he had never been outside on the night of the dead. fog covered the land, sprites of the dead were everywhere, whitish blue misty forms of humans. some weeping others laughing as they wandered to the altars for the dead in the fields. I wonder If I can find my ancestors wandering about what I am thinking!
“Are you alright?” William asked grabbing my shoulder
“I’ve never done this before”
“Me neither we are safe with these masks if we are careful” William shouted to be heard over the unnatural wind then handed me a carved turnip which he nearly dropped the face lit up with the same whitish blue fire giving the face a menacing look. then went towards the hole with me following the wind trying to push us away. with heavy steps
“what if the chest’s contents get stuck in the spiritual realm! It's a huge risk for a maybe!”
“I’m willing to take it are you!” I do want something from my father, the king of the gods himself. It has to be made
“yes!” a spirit came close to them, a soldier passing by another just floating by trying to ignore the dead around them. Walking to the hole was a challenge. The wind pushing us in the opposite direction we reached the hole and the chest looked more solid climbing into the hole and touching the chest I could feel it was solid. A chest made out of celestial iron William and Aaron grunted as if they pulled the chest out of the spirit world and into the physical. We climbed out of the hole with William carrying the chest into the shed then placed in the corner then covered it with a cloth
“will have to open it in the mooring”
“agreed” As much as I want to open it now, I have to wait until morning when they hurried into the house to tell mother everything she was thrilled about the news. None of them got much sleep that night.