This particular day, keeping in common with a rather astonishing amount of other days, was one beset by the familiar resonant wails of the condemned. Mournful cries of agony that blanketed the air and brought a shudder to the spine. Most citizens would rather have avoided this unpleasant show (made more unpleasant mostly due to a severe lack of avoidability), but for little Faiz, these laments were sounds of industry, of equal importance to him as the dusk bell that rung for the crystal miners or the draconic screeches at noon that were for harpooners. These haunting noises drew always the interest of those unfamiliar to the locale, those few perhaps unused to a towns thoroughfares being paved with screams in addition to the usual worn cobble.
One's first query, as with so many firsts, usually involves a question-“What?”- for which Faiz had conjured up a myriad of answers, each more plausible, or if lacking believability, more intriguing than the last. The goal was not to inform well, but misinform even better, that the asker would be wracked with fear.
Perchance the Interrogators were tenderly plying their trade unto a fresh batch of hapless unfortunates, then. He would go on to enumerate the punishments reserved for many crimes, linking each to a differently echoing cry. It was relatively easy to remember all that information, since most illegal acts were punished with purification and then death. The Seat certainly lacked not for capable executors, having employed many a butcher to take up the silver thread and hunt down impiety and whatever wafted of rebellion, thusly paving the way for ‘entertainment’ of such forms as that evident at present.
One wonders where these seemingly limitless bands of ruffians emanate from, and in such a variegated assortment as well! From bodysnatchers and tidemakers, to accursed winged beings, there really was no end to this infestation, as if all these bandits were pulled from some infernal garden, for the sole purpose of harming the livelihoods of honest folk, and then being strung up as refutations of suffering as an art. That any such wrongdoers could have been innocent was unthinkable, after all-If one was innocent, they would not have been in the cleansing chambers screaming right now, would they? It was for this very reason that reporting theft was also punishable by cleansing, as only those of a decayed moral character could ever be stolen from, which precluded one from being innocent.
Faiz was of the humble opinion that, in keeping with the laws of nature that demanded sacrifice and equality, a collection of wealth naturally pulled such lowlife specimens of the world from their umbra of origin, into the streets of Shaiher, to torment the more privileged of the townsfolk, and lead to them being cleansed in turn. So kind of heart was Faiz, and so troubled by the thought of harm befalling the innocent, that every effort was made by him to persuade the multitudinous passers-by to liberate themselves of this grand burden of wealth, that which endangered. Preferably into his hands, more preferably in very large sums, most preferably immediately.
His success with such tactics varied from decent to terrible, perhaps due to the simple fact that the one extolling said truths to the crowd was a half mangy street urchin, who seemed to bathe in grime and dust. Certainly it could not have been that he had a smile forged only of forced cheer and desperation, borne on a face that seemed as used to joy as a mountain was to the sea. Regardless of this, he did manage to earn and whatever he did earn, he spent either attempting to claw his way out of inescapable penury by gambling on contracts at the wharf, or buying presents and gifts for his beloved.
Today had been a most unfortunate day for him, as the gilded tubes lining the roads had fallen silent far ahead of his expectation. Perhaps the Fourth Star had descended to personally purify whichever wretch was chained in the citadel? Despite the vast burdens of governance ladled upon a Star, the Fourth always managed to extract time enough for the Cleansing halls, perhaps dedication driving them. If such was indeed the case, there would be no more industry today for Faiz, a fact which made him resent intensely the hapless souls interred into the Stars tender care. It could not have been that difficult to continue wailing away, and in any case the sheer inconsiderateness of some bandits to impugn upon his honest work with their reticence was enough to vex him.
Fortunately, it seemed to him that noon was yet to pass, as his lightdial had yet to turn a full arc in its container. How it measured time of day in lieu of an actual sky to pull information from, he could not know, but its unfailing effectiveness in divining day and night against the perpetual shade of the heavens was a tested fact. Faiz would perhaps make it in time to see her if he hurried, and so he set off with haste.
Despite the early hour, the streets of Shaiher were as crowded as ever, and Faiz had to circumnavigate scaled shell and sullied feather, making a meagre attempt at pushing past the mob down even darker alleys, lit only halfheartedly by the stone plinths jutting down from the roofs above, as if light itself protested at the prospect of shining upon the ramshackle slums he now strode through. It was here, in this half forgotten and fully ignored hovel, that he lived. The root of his past endless toil and endeavour begat Faiz a somewhat less run-down house to live in. Most assuredly it was no paradise, but it was enough for him to feel mostly certain the ceiling would not collapse on his head in his sleep, more than once or twice anyway.
Faiz bit back a pained sigh as he unwrapped his aching back, sliding down listless onto his bed of straw, attempting not to gaze back at his (disgusting) somewhat disgraceful blemishes. He was aware enough to not fall asleep immediately, but the ever present crown mandated darkness above made it disconcertingly easy to lose track of ones day and end up missing all manner of activity or apocalypse. He had not even a moment of reverie before his rest was interrupted by her arrival. His beloved Alducine(Allie being her name of preference), whom he admired with a feverish intensity. With her hair the sheen of copper, visage kind and magnanimous, and citrine eyes, she was all that shone to him. As perfect and kind as the tapestries woven in temples, dappled with red and dressed in pure white.
“Faiz! There you are, I’ve been looking all over Lowport for you! You’re so hard to find. Were you off near the penitentiary again? Kalak has told you so many times to stay away already, and if you get caught..” Allie seemed as always worried for Faiz, which would have touched his heart if her caring words had not reminded him of old Kalak. The self proclaimed quartermaster of Lowport was an Ash worshipping hellkite who seemed to harbour a personal vendetta against Faiz, perhaps due to his sense of idealism, or his courage. Faiz could think of no other reason why he got a hiding every time he ventured off into Shaiher or peddled his trade near the tubes.
“Well, Allie, it doesn’t matter if I did since you wouldn’t snitch on your best friend right? Especially not when he’s managed, after remarkable difficulty, to snag a gift for you~” Thanking whichever god was being venerated today, he reached into his cloak and pulled out a poorly wrapped present, which he held in hand, “After all, you’ve been sneaking little glances at this thing for weeks now, yeah?” He injects into the wraps a sliver of Mana, causing them to fall away and reveal the intricately carved threadspawn sculpture within.
Her eyes widened in a disbelieving awe, her slender fingers trembling as she touched its filigree edges with the utmost care, “W-where did you get this?! Oh Faiz, don’t tell me you st-” He cut her off with a placating shake of the head, “I’m not an idiot, Allie..I promise no one’s gonna come after my pretty face for this thing.” She calms slightly, refocusing on the intricate carvings along the figurine, depicting a Paradiser, one of a series of heroes she was enamored with and talked at length with. By now Faiz could have recited the various outlandish monikers assigned to these legends in his sleep, though he was uncertain of their veracity, for which self respecting savior of the realm would allow themselves to be titled so oddly? There was also no information on which realms were saved, or when. Regardless, they made her happy, which was all that mattered to him.
“Oh thank you so much! You keep giving me such wonders and I just can’t appreciate you enough for this! You’re the best!” Allie embraced him tightly, clearly very pleased with his gift. Faiz unsuccessfully fought back a blush, trying to focus on the moment instead of the inevitable manhunt that would be raging even now in the esurient realms of the Citadel, for a certain thief of sculptures. Threadspawn was rare after all, birthed only from chelicerae belonging to ancient spiders, the sort that could reasonably be presumed to feed on large livestock or long armed scholars. This particular sculpture he’d filched..was most likely worth more than Faiz himself ever would be, but she didn’t need to know that, did she? This was in service of his beloved(if only he could tell her..) after all, a cause most worthy.
She pulled back, grinning still, as she cradled her present to her chest, “Well, I suppose I could forgive you just this once, haha! I’ll repay you with your favorite sweetbread tonight, promise~ Now, as for why I was looking for you, Artem told me he needs you at the docks as soon as possible, and I came to find you.” Faiz fell back into a sullen pout, thinking of any possible reason the prince of Lowport wanted him there. Perhaps a fresh batch of contracts had come in? He nodded reluctantly, wrapping up his back again, Fine, I’ll get going…wouldn’t want that prissy ass getting impatient right?” She stamped out her amusement at his choice of words, replying, “Right. I won’t even bother trying to tell you off, just take care of yourself there, please? An-and be back before second spin! I…have something to tell you. It’s important.”
Faiz nodded, embracing her once more and then set off for the second time today, down to the shoddily built port in the far distance.
The seaport was, by some accursed miracle, both more well lit and much less navigable than the streets or slums. It included not just the docks (which saw less and less traffic every day), but included also a plethora of abodes and buildings lining the Starlit sea, once houses of manufacture and progress, now in the business of producing only the healthy crop of criminals in Shaiher. Built upon starwood, this area was precarious as well. One unsuspecting step on a false plank and you’d go careening down into the shining depths below. There was also the fact that the jetty the structure was built upon very evidently crumbled with each passing cycle, futilely being buttressed with Mana Arts and plain engineering work, desperate attempts to beat back an unfeeling tide.
Altogether, this made the seaport a nightmarish maze of rotting buildings smashed against an ever calling waterfront, with only the docks offering respite from the cloying stench and cramped quarters. One would be hard-pressed to see any officials or rankbearers anywhere near here, this ostensible bastion of trade and commerce. The metaphysical stench of poverty and very physical stench of sailors, cargo and the sea clung to every structure and person present. Law was a foreign nation to this part of town, and hygiene a distant continent entirely.
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Perhaps it was for these very reason the city orphanage was built here, fit snugly between a pub and a seminary, far away from any potential beneficent beasts of prey, who would rob the innocent youth of the wondrous opportunity to contract all manner of interminable vice and incurable ailment in their childhood. When he was but a boy, Faiz would climb to the top of the building, away from his mocking peers and the unfeeling staff, and gaze out at the ever darkened horizon towards Shaiher proper, squinting to make out the far more luxurious Skyport being constructed in the distance. That people would choose willingly to sit in contraptions that flew seemed very highly unlikely to him even then, but the glinting lights and sheen of the citadel still enticed him… Faiz shook himself out of his daydreams as he reached the dock.
What the wharf lacked in shine, it made up for in the revenue it generated via the trade of illicit goods, from reaki horns to sheep wool, all packaged up and labelled as ‘spare parts and industry’ in large boxed heaps. Perhaps a customary holdover from when smuggling required effort and customs officials still visited the seaport, times long past now. Procuring this lifeblood of Lowport were the various unhappy sorts press-ganged into service for voyages to far-off lands and far closer cities, the entire operation overseen by old Kalak and administered by his son Artem. How this operation managed to stay afloat and avoid being blown apart by the Constellations, only Kalak knew, rambling on about ‘economic subsidies’ when Faiz had asked in one of the ancient fogey’s good moods.
Artem as usual stood leaning against a grounding rod, surveilling the ships coming and going, as well as grinning charmingly whenever someone he caught interest in walked by, receiving warmth in response. His popularity was perhaps in part due to his affable demeanor and admittedly appealing face, his pallid eyes standing out against the general darkness of the area and his even darker skin attracting all manner of admiration, but mostly due to his enormous influence in all matters surrounding Lowport. For Faiz, the man had aught but a smirk of smug calm, “Faiz, ya vagrant! Wha’ took ya so long? I had ta send swee’ Alducine over jus’ ta fetch ye!”
He spoke as he rarely did for hilarity, in that irritating accented drawl, looking him over with amusement. Faiz glared up at the taller man, a heat flaring in chest as he spat out, “You’re still playing at accents? Aren’t you tired of acting so childishly, Artem?”
Artem only chuckled and spoke with thicker drawl, “Than’ ta Ashes tha I still got work for ya kiddo, or ye’d be dead by now for yer insolence. Anywho, I needya ta fetch a cap’n from a wee pub for me, righty?”
Faiz sighed, knowing already he wouldn’t be able to refuse, but protesting anyways, “Why can’t you do it? Why bother looking for me of all people? Is everyone else you employ on strike or something? And also, if-just maybe if-I accept, I’m gonna need you to stop talking like that.” His ears could bear no longer the strain of listening to Artem butcher a tongue with the same eagerness with which he usually butchered lawpeople.
Artem sighed, looking uncharacteristically morose, “Yes, actually. You are all I have left, Faiz.” This left Faiz stunned for just a moment(Partly at the fact he actually dropped the drawl), before Artem broke out into guffaws, “Oh that’s good, you should’ve seen the look on your face! No, my usual gang is busy doing real work, which is where you come in, kiddo. You’re teensy and expendable, which is handy because this particular fellow seems to be.. ‘Volatile’ to put it mildly, put one of my girls into the infirmary with weird spells when she gave em a talking to,” he said, gesturing at Faiz, “So its your job to go there and get me my docking fees, preferably without violence, for your own sake. You can have a lil cut of the money in exchange if you manage not to get fried in the process, hehe”
In common parlance, Faiz was expected to march into a seedy bar, find a dangerous sea dog, shake them down for smuggling bribes, and return unharmed. All that for some change, with a high chance of death. He should have tried to decline…but then again, Allie had a birthday coming up soon, and he wanted nothing more than to give her a present, for which he presently lacked the funds. Faced with a choice of life or love, he picked the road most boys his age would have taken…”Fine! I’ll do it, but only if I’m going to get a big payday, alright? We both know I’m the only person you have free currently who’s brave(or idiotic) enough to go along with this scheme” Though he felt immediate regret for his loose mouth, he hardened his will, thinking of her soon to blossom smile.
Artem grinned, “Attaboy, knew I could count on you. Don’t worry, I’m nothing if not fair, and I’ll even put in a word with Pa so he doesn’t beat you up for begging near that screamatorium again. Sounds fair yeah? The captain’s a Tubespawn, holed up in the Heartless Maid. Best get moving kid” Faiz did not question his words, given Artem had literal eyes in all corners of Shaiher reporting back to him. He only nodded curtly and turned on his heel, marching off with a stiff back (to show his maturity, no matter how it ached) and a steady spirit.
The Heartless Maid was either a tavern, or a very shoddy and grimy taproom brimming with every manner of ruffian that cast aspersions at tavernhood. In either case it wasn’t a place a person would come to without a desperate deathwish and a desire to purvey the seedier side of life. Built into the ground, and sustained in form only by a tenacious Art, the narrow entrance passageway immediately discouraged any larger races from entering, provided one didn’t just turn to heresy and research essence morphing Mana. Inside was a watering hole replete with creaking shimmering wood furniture, seating not so wooden patrons of every sort of type, and with his deformity and soot laden face, Faiz fit in near perfectly with them, being spared nary a glance by the stuffed bars’ usual clientele.
If someone stuck out like a particularly sore extremity, it would have been the diminutive figure seated at the near end of the bar counter, surrounded by a nearly translucent nimbus, perhaps a Lightshield Art, or a very confident release aura? Either would mean his mark was far beyond him in power, given that he could only sometimes manifest a thimble sized light on good days. He adopted a cautious manner, thinking of contingencies(most involving frantically begging for help from the others present) as he made his way over.
“Ahem, hello there..captain, I’ve been sent to-” He defers speaking as they turn to face him. Ah, a ‘tubespawn’ indeed..judging by the mass of dull azure appendages forming the chassis of their face, a storied one at that! He scrounges for words to load onto his tongue, but they do it for him, “What’s the matter kid? Never seen one of us Alks-Agan before? You must lead a sheltered life here. Can’t believe this dump is a nursery..” Their voice is an unsettling chorus of warble, that seems to emanate from within each of their componential tendrils, highly irregular. Their words however, are perfectly parsable, and make him flush slightly(though one wonders why they don’t sound more..alien?).
“Ah, I don’t think your kind are common here, no. Wait that doesn’t matter, my main issue here is that you haven’t paid up your docking charges, captain. That could lead to rather severe consequences, so I’d advise you pay them now, and the people I represent will happily leave you to your own devices.” Faiz thinks he’s got the right tone perhaps, a junction of concern and threat, with a few highfalutin words thrown in for good measure.
A terrible gurgling pitch emanates from them, their frame shuddering, drawing the gaze of most everyone in the bar still. Faiz braces for an attack or perhaps even a threat. The noises slowly resolve into more familiar territories and he realizes what that sound is-Laughter. The captain is laughing at him. “Y-you..pft..you sure are something little boy. Did your daddy teach you how to act tough? Lemme tell ya, you’re not very good at it, even a newborn drake would do a better job,” One of their tentacles pats his head patronizingly, “So how about you run off to whichever coward hired you? Tell them to come themselves instead of relying on half weaned whelps to do the talking.”
Faiz erupts in rage, trying to get the slime out of his hair as he growls, “You wretched sack of rubber! D’you think you can babble on without repercussion? I’ve already trekked half a city begging, and had nary a moment to rest before I was sent here to this stain of a hole, to find your miserable self…and you mock me?! I’m Faiz, I know this city better than anyone, have the ear of so many lords of the night, and right now, I know you’re going to die very soon...because you would not stop mocking me.” He’s panting, more eyes on him, his back aches now more than ever. As it is not wise to taunt the morning flame with wooden stick, so is it equal folly to imply a fault of parenthood in an orphan, as the captain finds out.
They seem utterly lax in spite of his venom, burbling with amusement, “Calm down boy, you half look as if you’re about to shirk your skin and launch your spirit at me. And I would rather not experience such an incident again..okay, I shall pay! But…you’ll have to help me find someone I think is here first. You said yourself you know the city better than anyone else, right? A small request, then I’ll even throw in a little bonus for you.” Immediately Faiz clamps down his wrath, forcing a smile onto his face, “…Haah, alright. I’m glad we could come to some form of agreement in the end. Who do you need to find?”
Tasks are what he’s good at, Faiz knows this. It’s all what his worth lies in. So Focus and finish this latest excursion. If he does, he won’t have to tolerate another infuriating figure for long. So he breathes deeply and settles down. This will all be over soon.
The captain reach into their being, pulling out a fine vellum sheet, “Oh you gave me your name before didn’t you? Faiz was it? I’m Jesyll,” they turn the scrap over to him, “..and this is who I must find. Do tell me if you know her, please? Her life is at greater risk with every passing moment.”
He sees the person drawn on, and his blood freezes, “A-Allie?!”
The capt-Jesyll leans in slightly, “So you do know the Anima-sworn Heir! Take me to her now then, before the Rent arri-”
KABOOOOOOM
This day seems to be one of interruptions and surprising events. The most surprising and interrupting one having occurred presently, making Jesylls tentacles go pale and Faiz crash to the floor, coated briefly in light. The noise seemed less an explosion and more akin to a primal behemoth falling onto the city, decimating all. “Too late…They’re already here. Get up boy! We need to find the Heir and leave now!” A shuddering Faiz staggers after the retreating tentacled figure, chancing a look back at the bar to see mangled smashed bodies hewn limb from limb and crushed with viscera that dangles-
He fights back the bile rising in his throat as he crawls out of the half collapsed passageway and the sky
The Sky Is On Fire
He gazes uncomprehending, up at the heavens, ablaze with a prismatic flame that dances across the clouds, searingly bright against the ever darkening umbra of its canvas. It surges from the citadel, or what remains of the citadel now, after it has been shorn apart, its silvery dome incandescent as atop it a rainbow strobes. No, those aren’t just flashes he sees. They’re people and one of them is ALLIE! And-
“-Snap out of it boy!” He comes back to reality. The captain, their appendages an ominous red stand before him, “You’re my only shot at stopping the Heirs rampage now..come on! Do you want to save your friend or not?!” At this he nods mutely, driven only by an instinct to help his beloved.
“Then quit gawking and come with me! We need to get to that battleground before she or that half-god demolish the rest of the city in their dying throes!” Saying this, one of their tendrils wraps around his wrist as they lift off the ground, carrying him along as they ride the Art.
Someday, another day, perhaps Faiz would find in him displeasure at being made to fly. Today, he can see only the fast approaching citadel and the inferno of the skies. And he thinks only one thought.
Save her.
