Moments before the sun peeks over the horizon, amber eyes awaken. At some point or another, he had fallen asleep. Both the boys had.
Sirius's back is pressed against the damp bark of the large tree. Droplets of water drip from the hanging leaves. The sky is a deep shade of purple. Instead of the normal black night he's used to, the sky is a beautiful violet. A small sliver of pale blue is creeping up.
As his eyes adjust, he notices the ground is glowing. Each blade of grass is lit up in a luminous light blue. The draping leaves of the tree transmit the same neon.
Sirius stumbles upright and gazes over the cliff.
What once was a bland and dreary sight now sparkles with shining color. Gone are the basic greens of grass he's accustomed to. It is all replaced with lustrous beacons. Sweeping fields of brilliant cerulean, colossal trees comparable to distant disco balls... The lavender sky stirs with nature's glowsticks, repainting the entire scene.
The landscape is truly out of another world.
It's... beautiful.
Tiny insects buzz past, flickering golden lights from their bodies. Sirius sits at the cliff's end and gazes out in awe. It's the most gorgeous sight he's ever seen.
...
Reality starts to set in.
So much has been happening... He's barely taken in the fact that he's not on Earth. It didn't seem real. It doesn't. But looking at the sprawling landscape, it all comes crashing into him...
Gone are the endless cycles of numbing routines. Gone is school. Gone is his vacant room. Gone is his suffocating home life. Gone are the people he wanted to get away from. Gone is his family.
Gone are his shackles.
Gone is his old life.
...
The edges of his lips curl into a smile.
He absorbs this moment into his soul. This lasting, liberating moment...
...
-Let's restart... That stifling life is gone... It's just like that woman said. This is a second chance. The memory thing isn't real. Forget about it. Forget about everything.
No more acting out. No more over-displaying of emotion. Bottle it. Bury it.
Be perfect. Just like you've always been. Maybe in this life... I can change. Maybe in this life...
...
There is a quiet rustling in the grass behind him.
Korlin's honey-hued eyes awaken to the same marvelous sight. The boy sits up and takes in his surroundings. His pupils widen along with a grin.
Korlin spots his companion sitting solemnly on the cliff's coda. He trudges up the incline, taking in every blade of grass; he even stuffs a few in his pocket. As he approaches Sirius, the world unfolds before him.
The beautiful parade of purples and blues colors his heart. His mouth gapes as tears well in his eyes.
This.
This is what he's always dreamt of. A real, breathing fantasy world that he could be a part of. No chains to his past. No stress of his present. Only the dreams of what the future holds in a spectacular world...
It's everything he's ever wanted.
The spellbound boy falls to his knees beside Sirius. The surrounding glow highlights his entire body.
Two boys, both of differing upbringings, perch together after their deaths under stars they've never seen. They gaze on in silence, minutes passing in what feels like seconds. No words could fill this moment.
A golden hue suddenly bathes the terrain.
The blazing ball in the sky crawls out from behind the faraway mountains. The breathtaking purples wash away and transition into vibrant pinks and pale blues. The luminous glow of grass and trees fades into their base colors. Greenery ripples across the fluorescent fields like a tide across the ocean.
Traces of translucent blue still linger, but are swallowed by shimmering sunlight. While the moment has passed, the boys still watch on in wonder.
...
"I can't remember the last time I've watched a sunrise..." Korlin says, his voice groggy.
"Me neither. It's a shame... sunrises have always been prettier than sunsets to me."
"You think so too? I've never met someone who thought that as well." Both of them give genuine smiles.
"Sunsets give me a saddening feeling, while sunrises... They show me... That maybe today, it'll be different... It'll be better. It'll be okay..."
The calm serenity is heightened by the passing breeze.
"...I was thinking more about how the colors are prettier, but there's that too."
They share a laugh together.
Genuine, guileless grins attach themselves to their faces.
The chill morning is accompanied by sincere sounds, sparking shreds of warmth.
⧗⧖⧗⧖⧗
After stretching and helping each other crack their backs, Korlin decides it's time to head back into the city.
Making their way through the rusty gate and narrow passage, Sirius's words echo off the walls.
"So, I kind of ran off yesterday... Did the Timekeeper say anything else?"
"I knew you'd come around to the name Timekeeper."
"I doubt you got his actual name."
"You would be correct." They exit the tunnel and emerge back into the waking town. The streets are surprisingly dry. "Timekeeper did say something to me, or rather, he gave me directions somewhere."
"Directions? Did he give you a map?"
"No! He didn't! That man is unbelievable. He literally told me a street name and the shape of the building."
"Wow... Does he not know we can't read?"
"That's what I was about to ask before he said he had to go. Old people these days..." He's on the verge of laughing.
They enter a main road; only a few people are up and about.
"Where does an old guy like that even have to go in such a hurry?"
"Who knows... He did say something about not being out past dusk or something."
"Huh..." Sirius doesn't give it much thought. "So, why the directions?"
"He basically told me that there's some guy named 'Alzir' that can give us more information."
"Information? On what? Like, about this world, or...?"
Korlin excessively shrugs his shoulders and throws his arms in the air.
"No clue! But, considering we have nothing else to do, except learning magic, we might as well-" As if reacting to his statement, his stomach rumbles. "...Dude. I don't think I've eaten anything since coming out of the ground."
"I don't think I have either... Besides the gummy. Shall we go find something?"
Hunger hadn't come to mind; they've been rather preoccupied. The only thing they've had to drink is some water that Gary left them in the stable.
Korlin nods affirmatively, and they set off.
...
As the hour hand of their watches passes the budding flower, the morning streets fill with magic. Both metaphorically and physically.
Shopkeepers light up their stores with bursts of fire from their fingertips. Living blobs of slime divide themselves into smaller pieces and use themselves as a staircase, up a staircase. A kid grinds through the air on a rail of ice produced from his palm. A group of girls flies overhead and lands on the rooftops, walking casually across. Hair-covered men spray water from their palms, cleaning the streets; another man follows behind, drying the road with wind magic. A line of small men phase through the front door of a building.
-Is that why doors are rare?
Besides the literal magical beings, unmagical people thrive as well. Merchants set up and open their colorful stalls. Mothers wave their children goodbye, sending them off into town. Citizens walk upside-down beasts resembling dogs along the roads. Everyone goes about their lives, just like any other town...
...
The capital of Lunalir, Auretta, is a massive city. The sheer size of the place should lead one to believe finding a restaurant of some sort would be a piece of cake. They would be wrong. Especially for two illiterate boys who only arrived two days ago.
Attempting to translate the sign of a building, Korlin determines it to be a grocery store. Upon entering, a long set of stairs leads to an underground battle arena. Korlin, thrilled by the sudden development, takes the money from Sirius's pocket and tries to bet on a fighter. Sirius steps in and drags Korlin from the establishment. Parenting is rough.
After many failed attempts, they stumble upon the scent of grilled food and find an eatery. It's structured along the lines of a diner. A cozy interior with round tables and beast-folk waiters. They are taken to a table and handed a menu with only words, no pictures. They both examine their menus as if they can read them.
"Psssst, Sirius." Korlin doesn't want anyone else to hear him. "What do we do?? I can't read this."
"I don't know-"
"Have you decided on anything?" A waitress with a tail and stubby ears atop her head approaches them.
"Uhhhhh," Sirius struggles to act casual. "W-We can't seem to decide... It's our first time here. I-Is there anything you would recommend?"
"Of course! Today's special is grilled trawlgills, caught in the surrounding waters of Esflowna's Tomb. But as a personal recommendation, I'd suggest the Kindnel's Charcoal. It may look unappealing, but it is absolutely delicious!"
"I'll try the charcoal!" Korlin is very enthusiastic for burnt wood.
"Uh... I'll go with the t-trawlgills," Sirius says.
"Alright, I'll go put those in!" The waitress walks off. She didn't even ask for drinks.
"That was so awkward..."
"Indeed."
"Hmm, Esflowna's Tomb, huh?" Sirius mirrors the ladies' words.
"That's got to be some crazy lore, right?" He slams his hands on the table, his eyes are bursting with excitement.
"Must be... We really need to learn more about this place."
"Hey man, one thing at a time, alright? For now, let's just take in this fabulous restaurant, and soon-to-be amazing food." He says it with such confidence that it's hard not to feel uplifted.
Eventually, some glasses of water arrive and then their food. It, in fact, does not look appealing.
On Sirius's plate is a large fish, fully intact as if it weren't killed or cooked. Its gray skin has webbed engravings, almost like it was indented by a net. The only thing is, it looks completely natural. It must be the fish's natural anatomy.
The beady, black eyes stare at Sirius. It almost looks... disappointed?
"This thing looks like it's judging me." He pokes at the fish with a utensil resembling a knife. "I don't even like seafood..."
"Yeah, that's a real shame..." On Korlin's plate is what looks to be a pile of rocks. Fairly sized, black stones, all stacked on top of one another. "There is no way this is edible. This has got to be a health-code violation."
"You should try it. She did say it didn't look good, but is actually delicious."
"Delicious, my ass! This is actual charcoal! I thought it was just a weird name..." Korlin sighs and stares at his meal. He hides behind his glass of water. "Alright, fine... Let's do this."
Sirius cuts off a piece of the fish and Korlin prepares a coal to his mouth. They each take a bite.
Instantly upon hitting their taste buds, a wondrous swarm of flavors floods their mouths. An onrush of flavors they've never savored before. All textures are new to their rebirthed tongues.
"Holy... This is probably the best thing I've ever tasted." Sirius continues to eat the trawlgill, thankfully, every part of it is edible.
"I'm almost a hundred percent sure this is an actual charcoal. But this... This is heaven on my virgin tongue." A tear wells in his right eye, it's a bit dramatic... The thought-to-be wood crumbles and melts in his mouth, caking it in exotic flavors.
They swap their plates and try the others' food. They devour each and every bite of their first meal. It is glorious.
"Man... That was some life-changing stuff right there."
"I feel like I've transcended into a higher plane of existence." Korlin is on the verge of passing out.
"Did you enjoy your meal?" The waitress is apparently standing next to them. The two of them give her a nod. "Alright, that'll be 41 nem."
Sirius almost completely forgot the very concept of money.
"Oh- Right." He digs around in his pocket and pulls out the orange gem.
-Orange is supposedly worth fifty nem. I think. I hope.
Sirius hands it to the lady, and she tells them to wait there for a moment. She returns and gives back a blue gem and four green ones. Blues are worth five, greens are worth one.
"Thank you," Sirius places the gems in his pocket. The waitress leaves, and they let out sighs of relief. "Man, I think I need a wallet. My pockets are all cluttered."
"Want me to carry some?"
"Mmm, so you can go try and bet it all again?"
"Fair point," he pouts. "Guess we should find one on the way to the wizard."
"...Wizard?"
"Yeah, the guy we're supposed to meet."
"He's a wizard?"
"Well, I don't know for sure, but his name is Alzir. If Alzir isn't a wizard name, I don't know what is."
They chuckle, then head back into the world.
⧗⧖⧗⧖⧗
They simultaneously search for a shop and the place Timekeeper mentioned.
"The almighty Timekeeper told me it's a strange-looking building on Moonlid Path."
"Is that the street name? Not sure how we would find that... Can't read for it."
"Let's go ask around! There's got to be someone who knows."
"Asking people hasn't gone the best before... But I guess we have to."
"Ever the pessimist..."
The two wander about the streets. They ask people for directions to Moonlid Path, and occasionally get vague directions from pointed fingers. They head in those general directions, asking for further help on the way. Unfortunately, they are often shut down by the fact that they are 'Witch Spawns.'
"Yeah... This is getting us nowhere. Maybe there's an information center... or something?" Korlin drags his feet on the pavement.
"That would just add more steps. There's no guarantee that even exists."
"Hm... Oh- What about that place?"
Korlin points toward a dark building nestled between two trees. The structure is completely out of place and does not match its surroundings whatsoever. A sign sits outside, on it is a painted symbol of a hand with an upside-down question mark in the middle.
Before Sirius can get a word out, Korlin rushes over to the doorway. The boy passes under the dark arch and enters the lightless room.
An old woman sits in the center behind a low counter. Shrouded solely in shadows, an ominous aura surrounds her. Her wrinkled eyes remain tightly shut.
"Welcome, beloved child."
"H-Hey..." Korlin's drive hits the brakes. Nervousness creeps into his chest. "Does this place give out information... or anything?"
Sirius enters behind Korlin.
"Certainly. Come over to me... and I will show you what you desire."
"Uh, I don't- uh..."
"Come on, man, you got this," Sirius nudges Korlin forward.
"Dude-! She's going to murder me!"
"You never know, she could teach you magic."
The old woman smiles eerily, not moving in the slightest.
Korlin exhausts a sigh and steels himself. With false confidence, he approaches the woman.
"So... I-I was wondering-"
"Let my hand rest upon your chest."
"...Huh?"
"..."
"...Uhhh, sure..." Korlin takes a half-step toward her.
Reaching out, she places a withered palm against his chest. After an awkward pause, a soft, red glow radiates from her hand.
"Magic..." Korlin's fears instantly subside. "What are you doing?! It looks awesome!"
"I am reading the shape of your soul."
"Not sure what that means, but it sounds really cool."
In deep concentration, the woman strains her wrist, causing the light to shine brighter. Her eyebrows furrow, and the red radiance starts to flicker.
Suddenly, her eyes snap open, and her wrinkled face morphs in anger.
"Witch Spawn..." the woman whispers.
"Huh?"
"Witch Spawn... Witch Spawn! Witch Spawn!" Her muted voice rises into a furious rage. "Witch Spawn! WITCH SPAWN! WITCH SPAWN!"
"Uh, granny..."
"WITCH SPAWN! WITCH SPAWN! WITCH SPAWN!"
"I'm going to leave now..." Korlin slowly backs away until he bumps into Sirius. He jumps in fear. "Dude, what the hell is going on?!"
"I don't know, but I think we should go..."
Korlin nods, and they slowly step to the exit.
"WITCH SPAWN! WITCH SPAWN! YOUR MOTHER WON'T TAKE ME YET! WITCH SPAWN! WITCH SPAWN...!"
The woman's voice trails off as they run out into the town. They sprint two blocks until they stop to catch their breath.
"Dude-" Korlin can't catch his breath. "I'm pretty sure the whole Witch Spawn thing is just racism."
"You're probably right..." Sirius composes himself. "I still don't understand how people can even tell we're Witch Spawns. Apart from our hair color, we look just like most people."
"Well, she did say she was reading my soul..."
"Do you just believe everything everyone says...?"
"Hm... Shall we go find out?"
"Right now?"
"Yes, right now! Come on! Side quest time, baby!" Korlin drags Sirius along to find someone who can clarify the meaning of 'Witch Spawns'. "Alright, Sirius. You see that guy over there?" He points to a young man with teal hair and dark wings. "Go ask him."
"Uh, sure..." Sirius walks up to the man and throws on a polite demeanor. "Excuse me, could I ask you a question?"
"Hm? What's your ques... Oh..." The man turns around, only to become immediately disgusted. "What do you want, Witch Spawn?"
"Aha... That's actually part of my question. How can you tell I'm-"
"Yeah, I don't have the time or patience to talk to you. Filthy Witch Spawn..."
The man walks off in anger, leaving Sirius smiling by himself.
-Figures... I really don't belong here...
The boy turns to Korlin and shakes his head. Korlin ponders for a moment, then runs off to a pair of young, white-haired people.
"Hello there!" Korlin greets them with an overblown grin. The boy wraps his arm around the shorter of the two men. "Quick! What is the difference between me and him? Besides our hair color."
"What the... The difference is you're a fucking Witch Spawn!"
"How do you know that?! By that definition, almost everyone here looks like a Witch Spawn!" As Korlin shouts, an anthropomorphic turtle walks by. "...Except that guy."
The guy Korlin's arm is wrapped around starts to cry.
"Do I... Do I really look like a Witch Spawn?" he weeps.
"Of course not!" The other white-haired man tugs his friend away from Korlin. He shoots a nasty glare at the boy. "You know, it's bad enough you exist at all. You don't have to be an asshole about it..."
The two men stomp off, leaving Korlin confused by himself.
"What the hell..."
Korlin regroups with Sirius, dragging his feet.
"At this rate," Sirius spirals. "We're going to get beat up just for talking to people."
"Nah, I'm sure there are laws in place. Besides, not everyone has murderous intent. I think you can afford to trust people a bit more."
"I don't know... I think I'll pass..."
"Hm... Oh! I have another idea! Watch this!"
"Huh- Oh, alright..." Sirius watches as Korlin runs up to a random lady with horns.
"Yo!" Korlin slides in front of her. "What do you think of my Witch Spawn outfit? Pretty accurate, huh?"
The woman is startled for a moment, then quickly mellows out.
"Oh my! You're right, that's really good! It's almost like you're actually one of them..."
"I know, right?! Tell me, what do you think the best part is? Or, the most accurate part."
"Hm..." The woman motions for Korlin to step closer. He does as instructed, and the lady leans into his ear. "All of it, you swine. Get out of this city, rotten crick corpse... Or better yet, die."
The woman tramps off in a fit of fury, brushing her clothes off as if they were dirtied.
Korlin stands with his mouth agape, in shock at the exchange.
The boy stiffly turns to Sirius, an exaggeratedly sad expression on his face.
"S-Sirius... These people are mean..."
"There, there..." Sirius walks up and pats the boy's head. "Come on, let's go back to finding the wizard."
Korlin, depressingly, nods in agreement.
...
-Three hundred and sixty-five days... As if memories could be erased just like that. It defies all logic. I haven't seen any proof of my memories disappearing... Korlin hasn't shown any signs either. That old man was just lying... He has to have been...
"Oy! You listening?" Korlin waves his hand in front of Sirius's face.
"Hm-? Y-Yeah."
"These NPCs are all very hostile... What do you think we should do, Sirius? How do we approach this conflict?"
"We just have to get lucky, I guess... I don't know."
"You say that a lot, you know?
"Say what?"
"You say 'I don't know' a lot."
"Ah... I'm not a very decisive person."
"Hah, well, lucky for you, I, the protagonist, am here to guide you."
"Right... So then what's the game plan, oh mighty Wizardseeker?"
"We continue asking around!"
"...Seriously?"
"Onward!" Korlin blazes off, a determined look in his eyes. He begins asking around, and despite consistently receiving failure, he persists. He scurries around, giddy as can be, getting distracted by magic at every opportunity.
It's like he doesn't even care that this world hates him. It's as if he's the happiest, most carefree person...
And it starts to make Sirius wonder...
-Why can't I be like that...?
...
Sirius stares at Korlin as he frolics. He stalks the boy's smile.
-Why... Why don't I find joy in this? Why can't I be like that? Why was I reborn...? Why me? I don't... I don't belong here.
...
Korlin strolls over.
"Hm? What's wrong?" Korlin flicks Sirius on the forehead. "You're spacing off! You must focus!"
"Ah-" Sirius snaps out of his daze. Holding his head, Sirius reminds himself of his resolve. Bury it. Be perfect. Throwing on a convincing smile, the boy brushes off his thoughts. "Sorry- It's nothing. Let's keep going."
...
As they roam the city, Sirius finds that the vast majority of people remind him of Aureole.
Teal hair. Gradient teal eyes. Pointed ears. Dark wings sprouting from their backs. And while they share these common features, each individual is unique. Males and females, short and tall, different facial structures... Just like humans, really. Perhaps this race, or species, is the main one of this country.
Korlin sends Sirius to confront one of them. A young male with short, teal hair. He doesn't wear anything nearly as fancy as Aureole did; no one does. The man is sweeping the pathway towards a building.
"Hey," Sirius greets him kindly. "Do you know where we can find Moonlid Path?"
"Huh? Oh, sure, take a right about three blocks down. That should place you along it," he smiles warmly.
-He actually gave an answer...
"Thank you," Sirius says, putting on his best friendly face. "Also, do you know where I can find something to place nem in?"
"Ah, a rich lad, are we?"
"No, nothing like that, just not much pocket space..." Sirius scratches the back of his head.
"I'm just messing with ya, but... are you dumb?"
"...Maybe?"
The man leans on his broom and points behind him. "What do you think this shop is?"
"Oh... Right... Sorry, I can't read very well."
"No sweat," the man smiles, then continues to sweep.
Sirius motions Korlin over, and they enter the stone building. Unlike other stores, this one is still stone on the inside. It's a little jarring to look at. Appearance-wise it gets two stars at best.
They scour the store for a wallet. Sirius stumbles across a small, fabric sack with a knitted image of nem on it. Taking it off the shelf, Sirius takes out his gems and places them into the sack. Strangely, the bag doesn't get heavier. He shakes the sack, there is no sound inside... Getting concerned, he looks into the bag and finds a black void.
The tiny bag swallowed all of his nem... Sirius reaches into the darkness, and somehow, his hand immediately hits smooth gemstones. Grabbing one, he pulls out a purple nem.
-Huh...
He places it back inside the sack, and it disappears from view. He reaches back inside and imagines himself pulling out a blue one. And what do you know, he pulls out a blue one.
Sharing his findings with Korlin, the boy explains that the sack, according to him, is like a pocket dimension. Whatever nem he places inside can be taken out if he thinks about it. Oddly, this only works with nem, not the inkclaws or journals. Other objects only sit in it like a normal bag.
The sack, surprisingly enough, only costs nineteen nem. He spends his red, blue, and four green gems. The only gems remaining are two purple and two green. Two hundred and two nem.
⧗⧖⧗⧖⧗
"This has got to be it."
"Definitely."
Following the man's directions, they arrive at Moonlid Path. A large, twisted building painted purple stands amongst the normal buildings. A large telescope sticks out of the roof.
They approach the poorly made, painted-black door. Sirius and Korlin glance at each other. This feels stupid.
Sirius sighs and knocks on the door; it almost falls out of its socket.
"Is anyone there? Alzir?!" Korlin peeks through the cracks in the door.
Something collapses inside the building, producing a very loud noise. Footsteps boom around, followed by grunts and groans. This feels increasingly more stupid.
A figure approaches, and the flimsy door swings open, falling off its hinges and onto the ground.
It's a middle-aged man. And judging purely based on appearance, he is quite the character.
He dons black, unruly hair with excessive split ends. He holds a handsome complexion with a sharp jawline. Round, black-rimmed glasses fall over his dark eyes, wrapping around his pierced ears. The temples of his glasses are replaced with thin strings, making it appear like his lenses are floating. A long robe drapes over his lean body; it has an intricate design with many constellations covering it.
Sirius is taken aback by the sight of him, though he gets cool uncle vibes.
"Shit... I just repaired that too..." His voice is soothing, despite sulking. He would make a great narrator for a documentary. The man scratches the back of his neck with his ink-splattered hands, then glances towards the two boys. His eyes instantly widen in surprise. He points a deep purple finger at them. "Are you guys... human?"
-He's calling us humans? Not Witch Spawns?
"Y-Yes..." Korlin says without thinking. "We are-"
The man claps his hands together and laughs gleefully.
"Ha! I knew it!" He's ecstatic. "Here, come in, come in!" The man waves them inside with a contagious grin.
The boys look at each other for approval. Sirius shakes his head in defiance, but Korlin nods and heads inside regardless. Sirius sighs and follows, keeping his guard up.
"So... are you Alzir?" Korlin asks.
"I am!" Alzir places the door back on its hinges. "Ah man, I haven't seen a human in years! This is great!"
The interior is much nicer than the exterior. A maple-colored wood makes up almost everything in the large room. Drawings and notes are planted all over the walls. Strange objects that glow violet and blue are scattered across the tables and chairs. It's cluttered, but very cozy.
"You're... glad to see us?" Sirius questions.
"Of course! I'm always glad to meet a fellow human." Alzir runs around, tidying up the place.
"You're a human, too?" His bizarre appearance made Sirius assume he wasn't.
"You couldn't tell?" he teases. He finishes up by putting piles of paper into drawers. "Yep, I'm a Witch Spawn through and through. Though I'm not a big fan of that title."
"Tell me about it..." Korlin is touching all of the glowing objects he can. Alzir doesn't seem to mind.
"Unfortunately, most people here don't even know the word 'human', so I've been forced to get used to it." He looks like he's reminiscing about something. "So," Alzir sits on a now cleared counter, his face beaming with a wide smile. His mature features offer wisdom and warmth. Faded crow's feet stem from the edges of his eyes. His pupils appear tired, yet they shine with liveliness. "What brings you guys here?"
"Timekeeper told us to seek you," Korlin matches the man's energy.
"Timekeeper...?" He rubs his chin in thought. "Oh! Do you mean that guy with the watches?!"
"Yes!" Korlin seems to have found a kindred spirit.
"Ah man, I haven't seen him in ages! I used to call him names like that, too. I called him..." Alzir clears his throat. "The Second Sentry." He smirks and puffs his chest, full of pride.
Sirius isn't very impressed, but Korlin's expression displays the opposite. "You're so cool..."
"Ha, I don't know about that, but thank you. Is that geezer still all vague about everything?"
"Yes! He didn't even tell us how to get here... Or why to come here."
"Damn..." Alzir smiles in reminiscence. "How long have you guys been here? In this world, I mean."
Korlin struggles to count, so Sirius butts in.
"We've slept twice, so this is our third day."
"Huh, you guys came in on the same day? Interesting... Hm, so... Do you guys... know?" His tone shifts to one more gentle.
"About our memories?" Korlin asks somberly. "Yeah..."
Sirius stays quiet, a vague anxiety crawling into his brain. He's been suppressing the idea, denying it... He doesn't want to be told it's true again.
"I see... How are you handling it?" He directs the question to Sirius. Compassion hugs his words; he truly does seem to care.
"Huh-? Oh, I don't know... I don't... really believe it. Memories disappearing don't make much sense to me. It doesn't feel real, you know?" Sirius swallows. "I haven't seen any proof. And besides, even if it is real... there's nothing we can do, right? I shouldn't stress over something like that..."
His blatant lie makes him feel guilty. In truth, fear corrupts his thoughts. He doesn't want to believe it. He refuses to.
"...Denial, huh... You seem to be taking it better than others I've met," Alzir nods his head slowly.
-Denial... No... That's not what this is, is it? I still haven't seen any proof... Come to think of it, if the memory thing is real, and Alzir is human... Shouldn't that mean his memories are...
"...Besides, we still have a year, right? We have over three hundred days, so if it is true, we can figure something out..."
The man freezes. His empathetic face shuffles into one of sorrow.
"Alzir...? Something wrong?" Korlin asks.
The man rubs his eyes.
"Heh, that old geezer really didn't tell you anything..." Alzir hops off the counter. He walks over to a winding staircase in the back of the room. His footsteps thud up the hollow steps. "Follow me."
The boys share a look, fear creeping up their shoulders. Korlin heads up the staircase, followed by a stiff and silent Sirius.
The upstairs is blanketed by a large, black dome above. White dots are sprinkled across the makeshift sky, acting as stars to illuminate the room enough to see. Alzir stands at a desk lit by a lone candle. He opens a drawer and pulls out a strange, black glove. He slips it over his right hand and blows out the candle.
Alzir walks past the boys and shuts a hatch over the staircase. The room is swallowed in darkness, bringing the makeshift planetarium to life.
"Take a seat," Alzir's tone is mature, a departure from before.
"Oh shit- It's lore time." Korlin sits crisscrossed on the floor. He pulls out a bag of treats similar to popcorn and starts munching on it. No one knows where he got it from.
Sirius sits, leaning on one knee. He's weary of what's to come.
Alzir removes the lenses from his eyes, hanging them around his neck. On closer inspection, there aren't actually any lenses, only empty rims connected to string.
He raises his gloved hand and waves it towards the ceiling. The fingertips glow a pale blue, and the white dots on the ceiling begin to move. They streak across the dome, following Alzir's palm. It's a beautiful light show.
Korlin's mouth drops in awe. For some reason, Sirius feels cold.
"How much do you know of this place?" Alzir questions.
"Not much..." Sirius answers. "We can barely ask anyone anything without being called a Witch Spawn."
"I see," Alzir smiles. "Well, lucky for you, I happen to be a scientist. An astronomer, at that."
"Astronomer? Like the study of space?"
"Indeed. I've studied the cosmos my entire life. It started back in my past life, and when I got here... I knew I had to continue and find out the secrets of this universe... Are you interested?"
"I'm more into geology myself, but I think it's fascinating."
Despite not really knowing why, and despite the hopes of his parents, Sirius had set down on the path of becoming a geologist. Of course, that trail was cut short the moment he died. And while knowing some obscure facts and basic information regarding the science, he still never committed to anything. He's uncertain if that's even what he really wanted to pursue.
He's never been good at making decisions. Or sticking to anything.
"Geology...? What's that...?"
Raw confusion crosses Alzir's face. A curiosity that is impossible to be ingenuine.
-What...? He's a scientist... He should know what...
A grim realization takes root inside Sirius's mind.
-Don't tell me... He doesn't know...
No...
He doesn't remember.
...
There it is.
The first, indisputable evidence of human memory loss.
Sirius's heart sinks, a crushing weight retraining him. He shivers. Everything feels colder. Heavier.
-No...
He attempts to convince himself otherwise, but fear takes hold of his mind.
Alzir, sensing the boy's dread, ceases his curiosity.
"Sorry... So, what do you guys know about the universe?"
Sirius swallows and tries to shake it off, repressing the thoughts.
-Bury it.
"...Um, not a lot, but all of my mom's side of the family is named after stars."
"Are you?" Korlin asks.
"Yeah... Sirius, the brightest star in the sky..." Sirius stares at the fake stars above. He's always hated his name, or more, its meaning.
He can't live up to that star. It's merely a reminder of the person he's not.
"Hmm, so nothing of value. What about you?" Alzir diverts his attention to Korlin.
"Not much... But-"
"Forget about it!" Alzir cuts the boy off. "Everything you think you know... It's wrong! Well, most of it." Excitement elevates his voice; he's been dying to talk about this. "According to legend, the universe was created by The Goddess, billions, if not trillions, of years ago. She's said to have been birthed from nothing, and as she slowly gained sentience, she rose to extreme power. Crafting the universe from that same nothing, spreading her divine self through the blankness in the form of dark matter, particles, atoms, and so on."
"Are you sure you're a scientist-?"
"Shush! Eventually, she birthed three children from her own self. The God of Manifest, the first of her children, formed the celestial bodies. He created the stars and planets to fill the void his mother created. He cultivated the lands throughout the universe and the eight realms, this world in particular being his masterpiece."
"Lore..." Korlin whispers under his breath.
"It's fascinating, the inhabitants of Mirgaia don't question the universe at all. They don't wonder how the planets, the stars, or anything came to be. Most all believe in these gods. Of course, there are some religions that differ in ideals and beliefs, but the majority all accept these same creators."
"Mirgaia...?" Sirius repeats.
"Huh? Oh yes, that is the name of this planet. It's named after the celestial warden on the far reaches of this solar system."
-Mirgaia...
"As a man of science, I find it hard to believe the existence of these beings. But there are people and accounts of those who've lived on since those times. I've even met some of them myself."
"People who've lived for billions of years?"
The thought strikes him as mindboggling. What does one do with so much time...?
...
"Yes, and many still roam the world today, or have transcended into a higher plane."
"Woah..." Korlin awes.
"Woah, indeed. Those elders have stories I can't even begin to comprehend. It makes it hard to believe them..." Alzir scratches the nape of his neck. "But what do I know? I've only lived a measly fifty-five years..."
Korlin immediately starts choking on his food.
"FIFTY-FIVE?! You look like you're twenty-seven!" Korlin continues to cough in his elbow, banging on his chest.
"Aha, you're too kind, more accurately..." Alzir prances over to his desk and pulls out an unreadable calendar. "I've lived nine thousand seven hundred and fifty-six days in this world. Converting that plus my nineteen initial years into Earth terms... I am 45 years old or so in Earth years."
"I'm telling you this guy is a wizard. A math wizard..." Korlin whispers in Sirius's ear.
"Does time... work differently in this world?" Sirius asks, brushing Korlin aside. He places his fingers over the watch in his pocket.
"Yes!" Alzir throws the calendar at the wall. "While this planet may have been created by gods, I have studied the mechanisms inside and out to determine how it works." Alzir waves his gloved hand around. The starry dome transforms into a diorama of the planet. Sirius only gets a quick glance before it zooms out further to his new planetary system. "Before my memories were essentially sucked into a black hole, I wrote down all the knowledge I could about Earth and its Solar System. Comparing those facts to Mirgaia is fascinating..."
Sirius and Korlin are entranced by the image. Seven planets all orbit a massive sun. Their colors burst with vibrancy unlike any from their old system. The planet they're on now, Mirgaia, catches his eye again.
"That's us, right?" Sirius points to the blue, cloudy planet.
"That's right."
"So, we're the second planet from the sun? Not the third, like Earth?"
"Yes! Although we are the second, this planet is still at the same relative distance from the Sun as Earth was. It is a little closer, but the cooler atmosphere and thick ozone layer here protect us just fine. I suspect some magic is involved, too, but I've yet to prove that. The oxygen percentage is actually lower on this planet, so the air is slightly thinner, but I doubt you've noticed. Trust me, when I realized all of this, I was shaken to my core!"
"Huh..."
"Sirius, this guy is lore dumping right now... It's awesome..." Korlin whispers.
"In truth, this planet used to be the third from the Sun. Apparently, and remember this is all from sources I'm not fully sure are credible, the original second planet was decimated by the God of Manifest. After realizing it disrupted the orbit and entangled with Earth and Mirgaia's realm, he wiped it from existence."
"Realm...?"
"Hey, what is that thing?" Korlin interrupts. He points to the right of the further-most planet. A massive, misshapen entity looms off to the side, barely in view.
"Ah..." Alzir swipes his finger and zooms into the body. "That would be the warden, Mirgaia, I mentioned. A cosmic horror overlooking our system..." Alzir swipes over to the closest planet to the sun.
"Aatli, Mirgaia, Bhaogun, Izheith, Kliobbar..." Alzir lists the names of the respective planets as he passes each of them. He swipes over an expansive asteroid belt before getting to the next planet. Sirius is no expert, but from what he remembers, this is not how the asteroid belt was placed in his solar system. "Voxirc, and the final, seventh planet Throlhirc...
All the planets are named after ancient cosmic beings. Some worship them as gods, though I've seen little to no imagery of them... Mirgaia, the only observable being, now overlooks the bodies, which are named after its fellow nightmares. No one knows its true intentions, or if it's even still alive."
"Wow..." Korlin marvels at the grotesque blob. All three of them become captivated by its appearance. Just looking at its image inflicts dread in their minds.
"Can you go back to Mirgaia, our planet?" Sirius asks.
"Certainly," Alzir waves his finger through the air and zooms in on Mirgaia. The planet differs greatly from Earth. Continents and their countries are all colored differently. Some are basic green, while others are yellow or mauve. Like Earth, the planet's surface is mainly made up of water. There are a lot of islands scattered across the globe, and even a massive, swirling vortex the size of a country.
One landmark, or rather, continent, catches his eye. The biggest chunk of land on the planet. An icy mammoth sitting right on the equator.
"What's that place?" Sirius points at the frozen landmass.
"Ah, ol' Aeonice... Did you know it takes up a whole seventh of Mirgaia's surface?"
"Aeonice... I think some merchants mentioned it before... Hm, anyway, how does that even work? It's frozen, right? Even on the equator?" Sirius's previous worries, at least for now, have been overrun by his natural curiosity.
"Perspective, are we?" Alzir's smile widens. "Despite making up a seventh of the world, and being a frozen wasteland smack dab right in the center of the world, not much is known about it. It's a mystery even to me. It is the coldest place in the world, averaging about three Kiln."
"Kiln?"
"Oh, right, ha... That's my own little temperature conversion I made... It's still a work in progress, but that would be around -30.7 Celsius in Earth terms. Some parts of Aeonice can even reach one Kiln, or just above -42 Celsius. I'm... Not fully sure on the science of it all..." Alzir rubs his eyes in quiet frustration.
"That's not as cold as I thought it'd be..."
"Yeah, it's confusing... It's like some sort of force is keeping it from getting too cold there, but just cold enough to ward off anyone who tries to enter. Even snowsquallers..." Alzir clearly wants to change the subject from temperature. So he does. "What I can tell you is that Mirgaia's planetary rotation is different from what you're probably accustomed to." He waves his hand and makes it so that only Mirgaia and the Sun remain above.
"So, days are different?" Korlin breaks out of his awed silence, trying to keep up with the conversation.
"Yes... But only barely."
Mirgaia begins to spin and orbit the sun.
"Man, my mind is imploding right now, real-life lore is so complicated..." Korlin holds his head.
"Ah, we've barely scratched the surface! But I'll keep my explanation as simple as possible."
"..." Korlin nods in thankfulness.
"Earth days are twenty-four hours, correct? If that old Timekeeper's watches are correct, then the days on Mirgaia aren't that different. Days are just slightly shorter, about twenty-three and a half hours. As you can see, Mirgaia orbits around the Sun at relatively the same speed as Earth does its own. But, the axis of Mirgaia is unstable and is angled slightly more compared to Earth, resulting in temperature fluctuations and day/night cycles getting mixed up..." Alzir needs to catch his breath.
Korlin leans back over to Sirius.
"He's speaking gibberish again..."
Sirius shushes him. He's all for this science lesson.
Alzir regains his drive and starts back up.
"The four seasons are off schedule typically, so they don't really abide by months. The inhabitants of Mirgaia don't seem to care particularly much, surprisingly. It can cause farmers to lose yield some years, and is an overall flawed system... They are always quick to blame us humans, though..." Alzir whispers that last part.
"How do months work?" Korlin raises his hand like he's in a classroom.
"Not too incredibly different. There are ten months, each averaging around twenty-seven days long."
Sirius's eyebrows knit.
-Did I hear that right...?
The spherical room grows quiet. The ominous sun above illuminates their faces.
"Hold on a minute..." Sirius struggles to get it out. "Ten months... Each twenty-seven days long?" His mind begins to waver between emotions.
"Huh? Yes... Why?"
"That would mean there are only two hundred and seventy days in a year, wouldn't it?"
"Well, it's actually two hundred and seventy-one, but... Yeah..." Alzir realizes what he's said.
A glacial chill drives goosebumps up Sirius's arms. Yet another whiplash... This time, he doesn't stumble. His feet remain rooted to the floorboards. He shuts his open lips and looks down at his fingertips. They feel numb.
There is no trembling, no lightheadedness, only numb fingers and deafeningly quiet thoughts.
-What is this...? Does this even make a difference? No... The memory thing isn't real. It's not... I can't do anything anyway... It's only less time... Whose to say he's even telling the truth...
Sirius turns to face Korlin.
He's silent. Quietly staring at the ground. Sirius senses no sadness from him, though his foot is tapping repeatedly. He's anxious...
-Less time for what? For these memories to pass...? They won't... Why... why do I care so much?
He clenches his fists, and the numbness fades.
"..."
"..."
"Hey..." Sirius murmurs.
"...Yes?"
Sirius grasps the beating clock and pulls it from his pocket.
"Can we... Stop here for a moment?"
"Mm," Alzir nods and slips the glove off his hand. The makeshift planetarium returns to a sky of forged stars. "We can step back downstairs..." His voice is wrapped in guilt.
Alzir walks by the two statues and lifts the hatch covering the stairs. Yellow candlelight floods the dark room. The two boys squint their eyes, adjusting to the light. Alzir jogs down the steps.
Sirius's blank, squinted stare points toward his fellow statue.
"...Are you alright?"
Korlin blinks like he's crushing bricks with his eyelids. He slows down and then turns his attention towards Sirius.
"Yeah, of course," the boy smiles. "It's only like... a hundred less days. Not that much less time." He hides his worry with an upbeat mask.
"..."
"Come on, let's go," Korlin makes his way downstairs.
Sirius observes his companion's struggle to maintain his facade.
...
-We are alike, aren't we?
⧗⧖⧗⧖⧗
The three sit around a small table. A clash of sunlight and candlelight illuminates the room. The distant hum of people reaches their ears.
Alzir has given everyone a cup of tea. It is, at best, hot water with leaves.
"I rushed through my youth," Alzir begins his story. "From what I wrote down, I tried leaving my home as fast as I could. I took up an interest in the stars from a very young age, and I became so enthralled, I pushed everything else aside... Absorbed in my studies, I missed out on my childhood..." Alzir doesn't seem regretful. "I didn't care about interactions with others. Any attempts from my family to engage with me ended in failure for them. I didn't see the point. I isolated myself."
The phrase resonates with both of them.
-Did I... Do the same thing...?
He doesn't know. If he did, he didn't want to. He didn't want his life to turn out like that. He didn't want to be alone... Right? His feelings conflict with each other.
Alzir observes their body language.
"If you asked me when I first came here, I would have said I'd do anything to go back. To go back and hug them. To go back and enjoy my life, instead of flying through it... It took me a while before I realized... I shouldn't dwell on it."
The statement irritates Sirius. Something isn't sitting right.
"I wrote down all I could about myself," Alzir flips through a short journal. "Clinging to the past... To the old me. But now..." Alzir slams it shut and grins. "I'm happy. I hope they're happy, too, but I don't even remember them, so... All I can do is focus on myself. In hindsight, I don't even consider my previous life wasted. I engrossed myself in something I was passionate about, and that I am still passionate about. While I may have told that witch otherwise... I have no regrets."
Sirius's eye twitches. Alzir's words remind him of Timekeepers'.
-Stop...
"That's great," Korlin smiles. What hides behind there?
"What I'm trying to say is... Don't stress over your memories disappearing. It'll take some adjusting, but once they're gone, you won't even notice. The way I like to think of it... Is that this is a fresh start. Gone are your earthly tethers holding you back; here you can live and achieve anything you want."
Frustration boils inside Sirius. This should be uplifting...
-Stop it... Bury it.
"Timekeeper said something similar..." It spills out of Sirius's mouth.
-STOP.
"Oh yeah? That guy... I wonder what his past was like. Not that it matters-"
"Question."
-Why am I like this? Bury it. Bury it!
"Huh? Oh, yes?" Alzir is surprised at Sirius's sudden change in demeanor.
"Are you messing with us?" Sirius scowls at the scientist.
-Damn you. Why?
"Sirius?" Korlin is first to respond. "What are you talking about?" He fails at an attempt to whisper.
"What do you mean?" Alzir gives a sympathetic look. It aggravates Sirius more.
-His eyes... He is... He's pitying me.
"I'm just saying, I've been in this world for almost three days. I haven't noticed any signs of it myself. It's only the humans I've met that talk about it. It's starting to feel like you and the Timekeeper are just messing with me. I'm... tired of it."
-Bury it... Stop... You're supposed to be...
Alzir sinks into thought.
"...He has a point..." Korlin agrees.
"Well then, should I test you?"
"Test?" Sirius rests his head on a hand.
-You're overstepping your bounds. You're showing too much of yourself. Stop being rude... Alzir is a kind person... You're making Korlin feel awkward... Drop the bratty attitude. Bury it.
Sirius takes a breath and smears a shallow smile on his face.
"Yes, you've certainly already lost some memories. Likely very small ones, but aspects of your life, nonetheless. It's tough to narrow down what those would be at this stage... But I'll give it a shot."
"...Sorry. Alright... Go ahead..." Sirius doesn't feel confident in Alzir's abilities, but still, this memory thing needs to be cleared up.
Alzir pauses to think a moment.
"Picture your house, or wherever you lived. Now, outside of your room or wherever you spent the most time, can you recall any photos hanging on the walls?"
"Man, I hate tests..." Korlin sighs.
Both boys dig through their memories. They retrace the steps of their homes, scouring the walls inside recollections. They search for multiple minutes.
"I can't..." Sirius mutters. "But that doesn't mean anything. I wouldn't have remembered those anyway."
"I've got nothing either," Korlin announces.
"Hm, alright then..." Alzir ponders once more. "What about birthdays? They don't hold much weight here considering the month conversions, but can you two remember any of your past birthdays? Think of your early years. Five or seven."
Sirius quickly recalls something.
"On my seventh, maybe eighth, birthday, I believe I got my first bike."
"Do you like bikes?"
"I guess I do. I haven't ridden one for a while, but I liked going out to ride while listening to music."
"Then that means that memory still has a reason for existing."
"..." Sirius doesn't buy it.
"I think," Korlin utters. "I remember on my sixth birthday, my sister destroyed my cake. I can remember my parents laughing... I didn't get a new cake."
"Hmm..." Alzir spaces off. "This is tough. The memory loss we're talking about isn't like dementia or whatever I called it in my journal; your cognitive abilities will remain intact after your memories disappear. I'm sure you've heard, but the memories fade from least important to most. Or rather, from how significantly they impact your personality."
Korlin nods.
"What I'm getting at is that I can't really find out what's gone without knowing what's important to you. Truly important to you. Not surface-level value, we're talking the inner depths of your psyche." Alzir places the round frames over his eyes. "So, what is important to you? What makes you, you?"
"..." Sirius buries his hand in his hair. He's never thought much about it before.
"Friends, family, vacations..." Alzir lists. "It can be things like that, but in reality, those aren't always what's really important to us. For the you that you project to others, those things may be, but when it comes to your personality, the important things are often obscure. Likely... they are bad memories; memories you wish you could forget."
"Is that how it was for you?" Korlin questions.
"Somewhat," Alzir flips through his journal. He stops at a page, glances over the lines, and shuts the book. "My final memory was a happy one. It was when I was a child, going to my first planetarium. I met this professor who taught me many things and ultimately fueled my desire for knowledge. It was the memory that set my life in motion."
"You wish you could have forgotten that?"
"No, of course not, I'm a bad example for what I'm trying to say. Here... My second-to-last memory... Deemed the second-most important memory to me. It was... my death."
"Oh..."
"I won't bore you with its details, but that death helped define me. It... rebirthed me." A strange undertone emanates from the last sentence. Alzir clears his throat. "As crazy as it sounds... my old family was one of my first memories to go. They weren't seen fit as incredibly important to me. And I would agree."
There is a short pause. Then, he restates his question.
"So, what is important to you?"
-What is important to me...
Sirius digs through his pool of memories. While he sees so many, none stand out. How did I end up like this?
"I don't know..." Sirius can't find any words.
...
"But hey, I could be completely wrong," Alzir asserts. "It could very well be something as simple as your father, mother, maybe even a grandfather..."
A blurry image of a hospital bed flashes in Sirius's mind.
"Grandfather..." As soon as the words came out from Alzir's mouth, a strange feeling washes over Sirius.
"Hm? You got one? Is he important to you?"
"No... I don't..."
"Sirius?" Korlin waves his hand in front of the boy's lost eyes.
-Do I have a grandfather? I... I can't remember.
Sirius concentrates. He must have reacted to this word for a reason. If he does have a grandfather, he would be present in certain moments in his life. He scans his memories of himself and his father for any trace of an extra person. He does the same with his mother. It doesn't help. He doesn't know whose father his grandfather would be.
Digging deeper, he recalls a clearer picture of the hospital room. His mother cries. His brother, too. But the tears aren't for Sirius. So, for whom?
He remembers standing there, angry. No, envious... He remembers degrading himself as everyone in the room drains their tear ducts. Canopus was the most affected... Wasn't he always excited for someone to come visit?
As if a flicker, an indistinguishable voice asks a question.
-"Sirius, are you happy with your life?"
...
Withered hands touch his own. Whose are these?
Who asked that question? How did I respond?
It seems like too big of a coincidence to be thinking of this right now. It must have been a grandfather, right? But how can a whole person's existence be wiped from his brain?
"I think I do... I'm... not sure." Something in his mind feels like it's missing. But not something big. Something insignificant, like a handful of sand scooped off a beach. No matter how deep he searches, the results come back blank.
"You must have forgotten," Alzir's eyes emit warmth. "But not to worry, that just means, especially at this point, he wasn't important at all." Alzir smiles as if he didn't just invalidate a possible man's existence.
Sirius's heart pounds. He feels no grief, but rather fear.
-Does this mean... My memories are actually...? No...
"This feels strange..." Trying to recall any memory of the man leaves him with a fuzzy sensation. Like static in the mind.
"You'll get used to it after a while. It goes away eventually." Alzir rests his hand on Sirius's shoulder. "What about you? You got anything you think you're forgetting?"
"I don't believe so..." Korlin rubs his temple.
"A cousin, an old toy, a dusty old shed, a leaf, it can be anything."
"Yeah, those are a little broad..."
"Your bed, a shirt... maybe a dog."
Korlin twitches.
"A dog..." It tumbles from his lips.
"You think of something?"
"Maybe..."
Korlin distances himself away from everyone, presumably to gather his thoughts.
Sirius taps his foot rapidly. He keeps trying to grab something. But nothing is there to hold.
Alzir gently shakes Sirius. "You alright? You remember something?"
Confusion and guilt rush over him.
-Why...
"I take it you had a grandfather, but can't remember him at all? It just means he wasn't-"
"No! You're wrong!" Sirius blurts. Stop... "He was important to me! I-I should remember him! I think he died and I-I was sad about it... I was... sad..." His breathing grows rapid.
-Was I even sad?
"Take it easy, I know this is difficult, but-"
"No... I wasn't, was I? They were sad... I..." He laughs at himself. He laughs at how pathetic he is. "Of course I wasn't sad..."
-What's wrong with me? I need to... I need to get out of here.
Sirius leaps out of his chair, rattling the table. He sets his hands on it to stop it, but it doesn't last long, as his hands make the table tremble along with him.
"Sorry, I'm going to... Step out for a minute." He takes Alzir's hand off his shoulder and shuffles across the room.
"Sirius, wait-" Korlin stumbles out of his chair. His approach is stopped by Sirius's outstretched palm.
"Just... Leave me alone a bit," Sirius offers a pathetic smile.
He catches a glimpse of Korlin's eyes...
And finds pity.
...
Sirius feels vulnerable. Exposed. Meeting Alzir's gaze gives him the exact same feeling.
-They're pitying me... I need to get out of here... I can't... I don't...
Sirius pushes open the door and breaks it off its hinges.
"Sorry..." he mumbles, stepping over the fallen door.
He walks out into the deafening city, shouldering a storm of swirling emotions.
Memories, pity, people, time...
All of it is too much to bear. Denial won't solve a thing.
This was a mistake. All of it has been. He's too flawed for all of this.
...
The brightest star fails to retain light and instead prays for the seclusion of night.
...
Yet again, he runs.
The boy falls out of sight, smoldering in shame and distress.
Korlin watches for a second time, a guilt striking his sides.
"Sirius..."
...
The boy and the astronomer stand in silence, as time ticks ever by.
22760404 seconds remain.