Ruby stopped outside my aunt’s ho and howled as I carefully hopped off her side. I groaned and squatted a bit as my thighs arched from having ridden her with no saddle. I then turned and began to decide the best way to get my mother off her when the house's front door opened.
“Luna?” I heard my father. “What is going on…?” He started but then stopped when he saw his mother hanging over the side of Ruby.
Varis scurried past him, his expression excited and relieved though quickly soured like my father’s when he saw Mother.
“She’s okay,” I said quickly. “Just passed out. Please, help with her.” I gestured to Ruby, who was already getting down to the ground.
“What happened?” Varis asked, but I didn’t respond.
Father was already approaching and helping grab Mother off of Ruby. “Varis, hold the door open, Luna, go prepare our bedroom.”
I hesitated and held a hand up to Father. “Actually, Father, I think we should see a doctor.”
Father blinked and looked at . “Why, what is wrong?” He asked.
“Mother’s been unconscious for a while. I don’t know what’s wrong with her,” I said, and his eyes widened slightly.
“Were you able to heal her with your magic?” He asked.
I nodded. “I tried but… She still isn’t waking up. Where is Isa? She might know sothing.”
Father sighed. “She went to Trentonville to check on Dr. Kegan to see if he’ll need help with any wounded.”
I assud as much. I thought with a nod.
Varis ca up behind and looked at , worried. “Luna, what’s going on?” He asked, his voice soft and wavering ever so slightly.
I looked at him and smiled gently, trying to soothe him. “It’ll be okay,” I said. “I’ll explain everything soon.” I turned back into the room and looked at Father.
“Do you think we should take Mother to see Dr. Kegan?” I asked. "As said, my magic didn’t help her; I’m afraid it might be sothing beyond it.”
Father looked back at her and was silent for a mont. “Maybe,” he said softly. "If magic couldn’t wake her, I don’t know if Kegan could. Though, I’m not a physician, so who knows?” He shrugged.
“What’s wrong with her?” Varis asked, sounding more annoyed. “What happened to Momma? Where’s Aunt Saria, weren’t you going to get her, Luna?”
I looked at Varis. “It’s a long story, I’ll explain soon. Though short of it is Momma and I encountered a bad man and got into a fight.”
Varis’s jaw set, and he looked at annoyed but sighed and didn’t press further. “It’s okay, Varis,” Father said. “It’ll be faster if Luna gives us the rundown while we move. Luna, help take Ruby to the alley, we can get her hitched to the wagon. It’ll be more comfortable for your mother there.”
“What about ?” Varis asked, and Father looked at him and pursed his lips.
“Go inside, grab a pillow and blanket for her,” he said, and this seed to satisfy Varis as he nodded, gave a mock salute, and ran inside.
It didn’t take long for Ruby to hitch up to the wagon. The strider seed pleased to be hooked up to the vehicle. Probably cause she no longer had Mother slumped over her back. Varis and I piled into the back of the wagon while Father took the driver's seat. My mother was comfortably bundled up in a thick blanket Varis got for her with a pillow tucked under her head. She looked so peaceful and warm beneath those covers; her eyes continued to fidget slightly beneath her lids, and her lips twitched as she mumbled unintelligibly beneath her breath.
Seeing her cocooned in the warm covers made aware of the weather, and I couldn’t help but shiver as a cool breeze blew into the alley. I wrapped my arms around myself and shuddered. “It’s so cold,” I said. "Isn’t it supposed to be close to sumr now?”
“Not till at least another month,” Father said, “It’s probably just a Frostwind. Most likely the last before Sumr.” He grabbed the reins. “Keep your arms and legs in the cart, and don’t talk to anyone.” He then looked at . “Central Park was hit by one of those cylinders, Luna. There are bound to be hurt people there, I know this sounds horrible, but please, do not use your powers.”
I blinked. He’s right. Do you recall what happened last ti with the priest and his family?
“What if the people recognize anyway?” I asked Father. “People already know what I did before.”
Father flicked the reins, and Ruby began to move onto the road. “I know,” He said, not looking at . “But it’s best we try to be on the down low. If people recognize you, just try to ignore them. We can’t afford to be sward by those who need help.”
Are you okay with that, Luna? A familiar part of wondered. Do you honestly think you can listen to him? What if you see another girl your age who’s badly wounded? What if you see a family hurt by the Veilanrite bombs? Can you live with yourself knowing you can help them but refuse not to?
“No…” I mumbled to myself. “I couldn’t. I want to help everyone.”
“Luna?” My ears perked up, and I looked to Varis, who watched with concern.
“What happened? You said you would explain,” He said.
I nodded, looked at Mother, and sighed. Then I told them everything—well, almost everything. I told them the events of Mother and I arriving at the arcanium plant, the Master possessing and fighting Putinov, and finally, my talk with Shaed and eventually Mother accidentally rging with .
What I left out, however, was my talk with Cereb and Shaed’s na. I didn’t tell them about his na because nobody, even , was supposed to know it. If his na began to spread and the other gods or religious nuts found out, that’d be bad for us. As for Cereb, I believed what that thing told , even though I didn’t want to. The idea that I was so echo of a being much more significant than . A thing constructed by Shaed that, in turn, made caused my mind to quake. It spoke like I was made like a machine, a product to do its bidding. What did it an? What was I made for?
To gather perspectives. At least that’s what it said. That familiar within reminded .
What did that even an? Gathering perspectives for what? The thought unnerved , but are there other versions of out there? Echoes living lives and coming back to Cereb? The thing said I was different and wasn’t like the others. I just… God, my brain is hurting now.
Would you like to take over? The piece within asked.
Excuse ? I thought in response.
I can take over, Luna, relax. Or else you’ll start to spiral again. Trust . I’ll return control once you’re calm.
Take over… This feeling in felt like . It was . It was Truth. They were back. After all this ti, they were still here. Despite all I’ve done to them, all I’ve said, their presence was warm and comforting. Although I knew they could be harsh, that was who they were. Truth. They knew what they were doing. I was terrified at the idea of letting them in control again. I was different back then. I wasn’t even Luna, but… what they did in the Cerebellium. Truth was correct. They… no. I knew what to do, except… I can’t do it. But they could. They could do it for , and they said they wanted to help . If they were in control, I could rest… I could focus, and I… I wouldn’t mind…
Truth
“I… I wouldn’t mind…” Luna thought, and for the first ti in ages. Relinquished control.
She closed her eyes, quieted, and took a deep breath. Allowing Truth to step into her place. A spot that felt all too familiar and new at the sa ti. A place in which they’ve been gone from far, far too long. And hopefully, it’ll be a place in which things can be made to change.
Now. What was Luna doing beforehand? Oh, right.
“And that was that,” Truth finished the story. “I found myself spiraling through Mother’s mories before the Master ripped and her out, and I found myself back in the plant.” They kept their voice calm and straightforward.
Varis watched his sister with attentive eyes as Truth t their gaze. A bit of concern and curiosity could be seen within his mixed-colored gaze, though he kept a brave face. She then glanced up to her father, who occasionally glanced over his shoulder at her as they rode down the street, his expression also concerned.
“That, that sounds like a lot,” Was all he could say.
“So…” Varis blinked as he leaned back, now mulling over the details. “You and Momma, shared, mories?”
She nodded. “Yes. I was linked to the cognitive realm as I ntioned. The place of thoughts and minds. When mother touched we beca linked together. I don’t know why, or how, but it happened. The Master hadn’t anticipated this either, but he did shout sothing just before we were shunted into the void. Sothing about how he should’ve warned us. So I guess he did know this could’ve happened, but didn’t think it would.”
Father snorted. “For a god he’s pretty stupid then.” He shook his head. “You were in a power room surrounded by people. Soone was bound to touch you.”
Truth shrugged and leaned back, their eyes flicking to the clouds above. “Perhaps. Though, the Master is no god.”
“Huh?” Father arched a brow. “Luna, everything you’ve told us, he’s the…” He trailed off. “You know what he is,” He said, not wanting to say the Dark Lord’s title out loud.
“I know,” She said, eting her father’s eyes. “But you heard what I told you. The Master is a man, one who acquired great power. Though that is all. A god, at least by the definition I’m familiar with is a principle of morality and belief. A being of supre power and justice…” Truth trailed off as Slyran slowly turned to look at her as Ruby stopped at an intersection.
“I see Isa has been speaking to you a lot lately?” He asked, blinking slowly.
Truth pursed her lips and shrugged. “All I’m saying is that the Master is none of these things. He is powerful and knowledgeable, though that is all. He doesn’t know everything, and clearly,” she gestured to her mother. “Makes mistakes. Stupid ones at that.”
Varis smirked and chuckled. “So the man in your head is dumb?” He crossed his arms. “I guess that ans he’s not so scary afterall.”
Truth giggled and nodded. “Exactly. He’s no different then any of us.” She turned her attention to what was around them.
As Luna had seen before, the streets were packed with panicked citizens running to and fro—so much so that cart travel was almost unbearable. The constant stopping and going, waiting for people to cross, mixed with constables and soldiers shouting and blowing into whistles, made it a nearly agonizing experience. Truth could feel Luna shudder inside as the little girl empathized with those pleading for help.
Nearby, a shop with broken windows, a man clutched at his bloodied arm as he sat along the curb. A constable was questioning him while others inspected the broken-into store. The man’s face cringed with agony as he gripped a slash wound that Luna yearned to cure. Yet, Truth simply watched and turned away as their wagon rolled past.
There is a ti and place, Luna. Truth thought to the girl. Right now isn’t that ti. We can’t stop and help everyone. Not when there are more important things that need to be done.
The cordon around their district was lifted when they reached the barricade between Old Town and Central. With the Cylinders neutralized by the pulse Lucien had released from the plant, the machines within were no longer a threat. While magic slowly returned to the city, much of the illusory billboards and advertisents remained inactive, leaving the once lively city almost hollow and dilapidated.
While the cordon was gone, soldiers and constables always remained on guard. Squads of Ionan troops and heins guards patrolled on either side of the road along nearly every street. In the sky, Truth wasn’t surprised to see airships displaying the Ionan phoenix hovering above. Luna whimpered at the sight. The mory of when the invasion started was fresh in her mind.
Don’t worry. This is to be expected. Truth soothed her. Relax. Having ships above is a good thing. Attacks from above should be less frequent if they can secure the sky.
Being in control again after so long felt strange to Truth. The last ti she’d been in this spot was well… If you account for Enora’s extended calendar compared to Earth’s… That’d be about eighteen years. Eighteen years since that day, that…
“Don’t bring it up,” Luna said sternly in Truth’s mind.
Truth’s jaw set. What do you an? I’m the one in control here.
“Because I’m letting you. Just because you’re in the driver’s seat, doesn’t an you can go through my shit.”
Truth frowned. You an our shit. I was there, too.
“Please,” Luna said with a sigh. “Just don’t…”
Truth rolled her eyes and leaned back as she crossed her arms. Whatever…
So pathetic. In a literal sense. The poor thing had regressed so much since then. It bothered Truth that Luna wouldn’t face it. Alas, she couldn’t force them. She shouldn’t either. Trying to recall it then was pushing too hard.
“Luna,” Varis’s voice drew her attention. The boy was sitting on the other end of the cart, his knees pulled up to his chest, arms hugging them. “It’s okay, " he said.
Truth blinked and cocked her head. “Excuse ?”
“You look sad and angry,” Varis said, giving her a gentle smile. “I’m telling you it’ll be okay. Momma will be alright.”
She straightened up and smiled gently. Truth hadn’t realized her expression shifting while talking with Luna.
“We really are insane,” Luna mumbled in the corner of her thoughts.
I said to relax. Go, watch so pleasant thoughts or sothing. Truth ntally waved her away.
“Kind of hard to do when my mother isn’t waking up–gah!” Luna went silent as Truth stuffed her away. She didn’t want to be forceful, but the girl was becoming a nuisance.
She needs to stop with the pessimism. She thought, then smiled at Varis.
“Thank you, Varis.” She rubbed the back of her neck.
Her brother’s expression brightened so more. “I’m sure Dr. Kegan will help. You rember all those dicines we helped him organize? He’s bound to have sothing that’ll snap her awake.” He snapped his fingers.
Amused by his optimism, she chuckled. “I hope so. Dr. Kegan is a smart man.” She sighed and turned to Slyran, who was focused on the road. “Father, what do we do when we get there?”
Slyran curled his lips into a tight line as he thought. After a mont, he said, “I don’t know, Luna. Kegan is bound to have his hands full with the panicked and injured. Isa will probably help however she can but…” He closed his eyes. “Things are a bit hectic right now.”
I assud as much. Truth thought. “Father, after we check with Kegan and Isa. I would like to go to the construction site next.”
“What?” Father looked over his shoulder. “Why?”
“The Master told to,” She said.
“I thought we were going to do our own thing?” Luna asked deep within.
Of course, you found a way out.
“Hey, this is my head. So what gives?”
We are doing our own thing. I told you to trust . Rember what Cereb showed us? Mother is related to what was being made. What’s there also happens to interest Shaed. Everything seems to be connected to that, so we need to investigate.
“But what if it’ll just lead to more issues?”
It very well may. Don’t have second thoughts now, Luna. You said to yourself, "We should try to help." Luna fell silent.
“Luna?” Slyran prompted her again. “You’re staring off into space. Is that voice talking?” He asked.
“No.” She shook her head. “I just recalled sothing,” she lied, which, of course, wasn’t sothing Truth was good at, and her father frowned. Thankfully, he didn’t press the issue. “The Master told that what’s being made there could help the city. I need to make sure that it gets finished.”
He blinked. “So what, you’re so kind of work foreman?’ He shook his head. “I don’t get it. Why do you have to go there?”
“I just do, Father,” Truth said, “Trust . It’s important for one reason or another.”
“So you don’t know?” He snorted and sighed. “Does that guy tell you anything?”
“Not really,” She admitted. “He yaps about a lot of old stuff but never gets to the point.”
Slyran huffed. “Sounds like my father…” He fell silent, then shrugged. “Fine, but… There’s a problem. Aenorin got a job there as a contractor, so I can get in, but I doubt they’d let any kid in there. Daughter or not.”
Truth pursed her lips as the wagon strolled down the road. Far off, a distant klaxon alarm sounded, followed by a booming voice. “dic! Report to the construction site imdiately!” As it faded, a devious smile ford across her lips.
“I think I know a way inside,” She said, humming with amusent as a plan brewed in her mind.
It was bad. Very bad. Like the airfield, Trentonville had been pounded hard by the Veilanrites. As if the invading army hadn’t already done enough war cris, the refugee camp had nearly been annihilated by the bombs. The lake in the park's center had been expanded by massive bomb craters along its edges. The forest of trees mainly had been flattened and burned by the explosions, and worst of all, the makeshift tent city itself was practically ruined now. Only a few dozen tents and shanties remained standing, and the howls of the wounded and dying sounded like a horrifying choir.
Luna inside Truth raged like never before. The girl scread and cried, demanding how and why they did this. She vowed to seek retribution and sobbed for those lost. Truth, however, displayed none of these emotions. Her face was frozen in a state of neutrality.
They did this to send a ssage. She tried to explain to Luna. They tried to destroy the Ionan reinforcents to say that no help was coming. Then, they killed as many refugees as possible to show that nobody could escape them.
This did little to soothe her. Truth reminded herself that logic for soone like Luna isn’t how you try to cool one’s temper. Though even for her, Truth found it difficult to stomach the sight. Corpses and debris lay strewn around them. n, won, and children sobbed and raged as they dug through the wreckage, searching for lost loved ones.
Soldiers and guards of both nationalities assisted those as best they could. “Please consult the casualties list before asking the whereabouts of a missing loved one!” A woman shouted from the top of a crate ahead at the road's bend leading to one of the few remaining tents. Kegan’s clinic.
The sight relieved Truth and Luna, who released a breath she hadn’t known she was holding. As expected, the area was crowded with dozens, if not hundreds, of wounded and their desperate families. So much so that cots had been set up outside, and Truth spotted military doctors and even Slyondrite acolytes tending to the severely wounded and dying.
Suddenly, Truth’s vision went dark as a heavy blanket was thrown over her. She gasped and scoffed before pulling the thing off her and turning to face Varis, who smiled sheepishly. “Father told before we left to get an extra blanket.” he pointed to the fabric in her hand. “You might want to hide under that, cause… you know father said he doesn’t want people bother us.”
She pursed her lips and glanced at the plain blue blanket. It was thick and large, far too cumberso to carry around casually. If she had a knife, she’d cut it shorter. Though Varis made a point, and father was wise to think this far ahead, at least. Truth nodded. “Good thinking, Varis.” Truth pulled the blanket over her shoulders. “Next ti, though, warn before tossing stuff over my head.”
Varis blushed and smirked. “Okay.” He nodded.
Slyran had to park the wagon a little further up the path away from the clinic to avoid taking up space in the makeshift triage. The three of them hopped off the wagon, and Slyran hesitated before telling Ruby not to go anywhere without them. After a few monts of repeating this, the strider squawked and bobbed her large head.
They then began to walk towards the tent. Inside Truth, Luna yearned to do sothing. She was practically pleading with Truth to heal those they encountered. Bundled beneath their tight blanket, which she pulled over her head, she hissed, “No. I told you, we need to lay low for now.”
“We can’t just leave them here to die, look at most of them.” Luna urged. “We can help these people.”
“I know we can, but so can they.” Truth’s eyes flicked over to a few acolytes performing a rejuvenation scroll on a middle-aged woman whose torso was bloodied with shrapnel wounds.
“Yes, but what’s the likelihood that they’re reserving such magic for those who desperately need it? What about those who will live but suffer life long debilitating issues? We can fix everyone.”
“Jesus Christ, Weepy, we’ve been over this.”
“I’m not Weepy!” Luna cried.
“Yes you are,” Truth hissed. “We’ve been over this. Your mother and father have been over this with you. Yes we can help these people, but at what cost? Alerting everyone to our presence? Consuming all our magic and leaving us tired? What if Putinov cos back and hears about this? He’ll know where to find us, and we’ll be all tuckered out–”
“You’re just reaching–”
“I’m thinking rationally, Luna. That’s why I’m here. That’s why you finally let out. To think rationally for you. I know it hurts, I know you want to help these people, but you need to stop going off just your emotions.”
“So you want to beco cold hearted?”
Truth stopped in her tracks as Varis and Father went on ahead. Varis stopped and turned to her. “Luna?”
“Hold on,” She said to them.
“Voice?” Slyran asked with an arched brow, and Truth lied with a nod.
“Run that by again?” Truth asked Luna.
“I-I, uh, I said…” She stamred, trailed off, and in a low voice, she said, “I asked if you want to beco cold-hearted.”
Truth scowled. “That’s what I thought.” She shook her head. “You really are dense aren’t you?”
“Huh?” Luna shrunk.
“Dense. Not stupid, I know we’re smart, but you’re dense. Like a brick wall.”
Luna shrunk further. “Why are you acting like a dick now?”
“Oh, shut the…” Truth gripped her little fists. “If we were in the Cerebellium I’d smack the denseness out of you. I’m the dick? Really? The one who offered to take over when you started spiraling? The one who’s been laying the facts out for you and helping you. I’m the dick, really? Matter of fact, lets go back a bit. Cold hearted? You think what we’re doing is cold hearted? No, Luna. Think, think!”
“I-I… I’m sorry…” Was all she whimpered.
Truth sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I’m sorry,” she said, “I shouldn’t have gotten riled up like that. Luna, I asked you to trust . I know we never got along in the past, but know that I want to help. I do. That’s why you created anyway.”
“Created…? You?”
Truth sighed. “Oh, sweet sumr child, you bottled that away, didn’t you?” She shrugged and began walking forward again. “We’ll talk about it later.”
“I’ve seen them after death, the collectors… There is no escape…”
Na: Sensha Eldori
Cause of death: Maternal death.
Ti of death: Aquila 13th, 1943 22:30
Ti of death speech: Aquila 16th, 01:14
Notes: The subject was a one-hundred-and-thirty-two-year-old elven woman from Branoria. The child she bore, unfortunately, resulted in her having a weakened heart, which caused her to pass. Her corpse was donated to Karlston’s learning hospital in Shenfeld, where her death speech was heard and recorded in the morgue.
A typical pattern was noted among the recent death speeches. It occurs three days after passing. We do not know the significance of this. However, regarding this one’s particular ssage, I’ve contacted the Guiding Hand to see if they know anything about these “collectors.”
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