Nagith Chronicles: Discovery

It was gone.

“Oh fucking damn it, really? Really?”

Muttering all manner of obscenities under his breath he searched his chambers, under the furniture, in the furniture, in the pile of laundry that the maids had yet to collect for him. It was just…nowhere. Great. His lead was gone. It couldn’t have gotten far, right? Odds were he’d be able to find it as long as the boss didn’t find it first… Well, it looked like breakfast was out of the question until he found the damn thing.

He drove himself insane trying to find that little beast in a place so large, though by the sounds of it no one else had seen it out and about. After a couple hours of searching he finally slumped against the wall, sighing. Great. Just great. The one good thing that had happened to him in the last couple days and it was gone. That little pest had lead him right to that world, and there was no way he was going in the same way he did last time. The boss would have the big guy guarding it, no doubt. There was no way in hell he was going to get past Malochite in a room that size. Then again he could just…ask, what was going on, right?

Somehow he found the thought laughable.

No. There was no way that he was going to get answers like that. Tensombrek would simply dismiss him, if not punish him. This entire situation was obviously very touchy with him…it’d be nice if he knew why. Maybe he could try talking to Malochite again, maybe if he approached the subject by saying he wanted to know how not to bother their master, he would be willing to tell him. Without that cal he doubted he’d be able to find another way into that world; though now that he thought about it he wasn’t really sure how he seemed so certain that the cal could find another way in, or why it would be trying to show him a way there to begin with.

“Charin.”

Oh crap he’d been so lost in thought he hadn’t noticed the big guy, of all people, coming up behind him.

“Uh- hey, what’s up-?”

“Lord Tensombrek wishes to speak to you. Immediately.”

Immediately was never a good word.

“Sure thing, I’ll just go find him- hey!”

Malochite simply picked Charin up and walked off, Charin half-folded over the large man’s forearm.

“Oh come on, really? I’m not a kid anymore you don’t need to carry me around like this!” he huffed, glaring at him.

He did not attempt to slip away, though, it was pointless anyway. Even if he could get away, which would take effort, he’d end up going the same way anyway. Unless he felt like avoiding the boss, which he wasn’t quite sure of yet, though maybe in this case it’d be best to see what he wanted. If it had to do with that other place, then he might be able to get something out of it. The cal was gone it seemed, so all he had left was to try to convince the boss to let him investigate the light itself…

After a slightly demeaning trip through the halls, Malochite finally put him on his feet in front of a door to one of Tensombrek’s personal rooms. Of course, the big guy stood right behind Charin, letting him know clearly that the only place he was going was directly forward. Not that he had any intention of doing otherwise, yet somehow the gesture irked him a little. He collected himself and strode through the doors as if he owned the place, hoping the actions would somehow give him the confidence he portrayed. He caught one look of his master’s face and the verdict was in; it didn’t.

“How did you find it?”

“Find what-?”

A cracking sound whipped through the air as one of Tensombrek’s feathers lashed out, hitting him across the face and cutting into his skin. He swore loudly, clutching the wound.

“I am not in the mind for your little games, Charin. You know perfectly well what I mean so I suggest you answer me properly before I lose my patience.”

As if that wasn’t all the time.

“Look I just found it, okay?” He lied, glaring a bit. “I got bored of the party and went wandering about, I saw the door open and there was some weird light so I investigated. That’s all.”

He knew both of them hadn’t been present when he had torn out of the ballroom after the cal, but still he hoped beyond reason that no one who had witnessed it had informed them of that. Then they would know for sure he was lying, that he had been following something. Luckily for him, this seemed to calm Tensombrek a bit, so he had bought the lie. At least for the time-being. Then again, the party-goers would probably just assume that he had been drunk…

“I see. You’re dismissed.”

“What-? You had me carried in here like a sack of crap just for that-? HEY! Damn it, Malochite, what was I just saying?!”

The man grit his teeth, growling under his breath as his superior lifted him up and left with him without a word, yet again. Tensombrek eyed him for just a moment before turning his back to them, one feather reaching out and slamming the door shut as they left.

Proo

The hell was this thing?

She eyed it skeptically, poking it with one claw as it rolled around her table. It didn’t respond outside of making another cooing sound and then proceeding to bounce up and down. With a frown she crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair watching the strange little aberration bounce about. What was the point of this thing? It wasn’t intimidating in the slightest and it looked practically defenseless. Where had it come from? How had it even survived the trip into the town? There were at least five different creatures that could have and would have made this thing their meal the second they saw it, yet here it was.

Yet here it was, acting like a complete fool on her tabletop. What an idiotic creature. How did it even get in her house? All the doors and windows were locked, nothing seemed to be broken either. Hm…how did it-

“Rachel!”

Her eyes darted to the door, eyes narrowing on it. Oh, Charin. Of course. Probably still wanting to whine about what had happened at the party. That man was infuriating. Such an idiot.

…Damn him for being so cute though.

With one last hesitant glance at the puffball she strode over to the door, opening it.

“What do you want, Charin? Are you over your little hissy fit?”

“Rachel I have to tell you- hey!”

He brushed past her and she scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at him.

“What do you think you’re-?”

She cut off, staring at him as he began to poke and prod at the furry thing, which cooed and rubbed against his finger.

“How the hell did you get here? You just- what the fuck, man.”

It responded by affectionately rubbing its face against his claw.

Rachel glowered at him.

“You show up after all that and just burst into my house without so much as looking at me and go fawn over that aberration of hair?”

He looked at her and she saw it again. That weird look he got in his eyes, that strange flicker that he got when he talked about things to her, all his odd thoughts and strange musings, that light was in his eyes again. This time though, it was more intense than she had ever seen before.

“Rachel, this thing- I call it a ‘cal’ by the way- this thing lead me to the most amazing place! At the party I followed it to this strange light in-“

And there he went, without so much as an acknowledgment of her irritation. He went on about how the creature had lead him through the halls into a room, where apparently this strange light had been. Then he escalated, talking about some strange place where the sky and the plants were full of color, where the people where full of color, where the air smelled of clean, different scents and the water ran clear. What nonsense he spouted, she could only stare at him in her frank disbelief. At first she was quite certain he had simply gone mad, but no, the mad ones were not coherent. They could talk, they raved and ranted, but never with any sense to them. Yes, granted, what he was talking about seemed completely mad but the way he presented it, his excitement, his burning curiosity… No. No he was sane, at least mostly, but she had no idea how to approach him. If not for the small furry thing on her table she would likely have tossed him right out of her home. But there it was, strange as could be, so was it that much a stretch what he went on about was real as well?

At some point he became aware of the way she was staring at him and he slowly faltered in his speech, fidgeting.

“Rachel? Do you-…you don’t believe me, do you?”

She smacked him.

“Have you completely forgotten about what you did at the feast?!” she snapped. “You act like you own me then you come in here raving about such nonsense like it didn’t even happen!”

“But- Rachel-“

“But what?!” she snapped, hands on her hips.

“I’m sorry.”

She blinked, derailed by his apology. It was a phrase she had heard before, yes, but never directed at her, and so very rarely it was a shock to hear it now. To claim oneself was wrong was to display weakness, submission, and who willingly submitted themselves to anyone? Except their lord, of course. Yet here he was, Charin the unorthodox Lestuk, third most powerful entity in their world apologizing to a waitress and harlot. If she wasn’t standing right there, she never would have believed it at all.

“Sorry?” she repeated.

“I didn’t mean- I wasn’t trying to act like I owned you, I wasn’t-“ he frowned, his eyes downcast. “I just…didn’t want you to…be with any of them.”

“Because you wanted me? Then why didn’t you just outbid them?” she scoffed. “Did you expect I’d do it for free when I had people willing to pay? I may enjoy your patronage but-“

“No, that’s not it-“

She scowled, crossing her arms again and glaring death at him.

“Are you saying you don’t want me then? Am I not good enough for you anymore? Why-“

“What-? No!” he shook his head, a bit ashen in the face. “That’s not what I mean! Rachel, of course I want you, it’s just that at the time it wasn’t because of that that I wanted you not to do business with them, it was because-“

“Because of what?”

He looked at her, his eyes meeting hers. She swore, his eyes were not natural. There was that flickering in his eyes, that light, even though his eyes looked normal somehow there was a light. It was so foreign and unsettling, alien. All sense told her should she be wary of it, but damn it all when he looked at her like that she couldn’t help but listen to what he wanted to say. Slowly he opened his mouth, his gaze breaking from hers.

“I don’t know.” He said simply.

The man was simply impossible.

“You make no sense at all, I don’t know why I even bother to try and figure you out.”

He blinked, a smile working his way into his face and his eyes seemed to glimmer.

“You try and figure me out?” he began to grin. “You must really like me if you care that much!”

He was such an idiot. A fool. Damn him.

“Charin.” She said more firmly, eying him. “I want to make sure you understand my point. You do not own me. Do you hear me? No one owns me, I do with myself what I will.”

The grin faltered and he frowned, looking far-off again, thoughtful. She half expected him to argue with her but he met her eyes, nodding once.

“I know. And I know I’m hard to deal with, and I know I don’t make sense, but believe me when I say I am not trying to own you, Rachel. I just…I don’t know, when I figure it out, I’ll tell you. I promise.”

They looked at each other a moment and she sighed in resignation, strolling over to the table and pulling up a chair, sitting and eying the cal waddling about on her table. Her eyes scrutinized it a moment, then Charin, then back, resting her chin on her laced fingers.

“All right, then from the beginning, Charin.” She eyed him, then gestured to the cal. “What is this thing, exactly?”

It was odd that she found she actually cared, but like Charin, this creature intrigued her. It did present all kinds of implications, and though she should probably leave well enough alone, she wanted to figure out what exactly was going on.

After all, the reason Charin had been attracted to her to begin with was the fact she was a bit odd as well. It did make her own personal oddities seem more valid.

“Proo!”

Stupid puffball.

He talked throughout the day and well into the night, until she insisted that he either leave or stay till morning. Tired as his eyes were they seemed to light up at the invitation, eagerly agreeing. She rolled her eyes and opened the door to her bedchamber, disrobing into her nightgown while Charin removed his boots and outer clothing. She slipped into bed, eying him as he climbed in next to her. Internally she debated whether or not to charge him this time, when he kissed her. Suppressing a scoff she went to push him back, how dare he assume she wasn’t charging-

“Good night, Rachel.” He smiled at her.

Then he wrapped his arms around her, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.

And that was all.

She stared at him, a mix between stunned and confused. This man would drive her to madness. Why was he so strange? Was he even a man? It was almost insulting, was he rejecting her? No, no wait that didn’t make sense. So what was he doing? He had made it clear he wanted her and his arms around her said that he did, yet he sought nothing more than a kiss and her warmth. What a strange freak of nature.

After a few hours of sleepless contemplation she rose, his arm sliding off her in his slumber. She sat there, frowning at him for a moment or two then sighed, swinging her legs over to sit over the side of the bed. It wasn’t long before that odd cooing sound met her ears and she spotted the little creature rolling into her room through the partially open door. It popped up onto its tiny spade-feet, twisting to look around despite not seeming to have a neck, or waist, or...anything.

“So many freaks in my home lately,” she muttered as she watched it.

It responded with another coo and rolled over to her foot, hopping up onto it. Her body tensed up, eying it as it pattered about on her skin, looking up at her with its big black eyes.

Where had it come from, if Tensombrek had not made it? That strange place Charin had been going on about? But he didn’t seem to think so, then where? Where else would such a bizarre thing come from? A place with a clear sky, with a blazing star, with green plants and fluffy things in the sky. Was that where it had come from? Had the puffball fell from one of the fluffy blobs in the sky of that world? Is that how it worked there? Charin had told her there had been people, like them, but not like them. Just the few he encountered were all so different from each other. He said one had dark skin, another pink, with flecks of brown on them. And their eyes were not black, they were green and brown. One had hair that twisted around like ribbon curls, one had tight short twists, and their faces, he had said. So much diversity in just that one group. What need have a world for so much variety?

She wanted to see it. The thought made her frown, glancing between the cal and her sleeping companion. Why did she want to see it? Was it the way his eyes lit up, or- no, somehow she was sure that even if Charin had not had so much enthusiasm of it she would have wanted to see it. It was like some fantasy she would imagine as a child, but real. If it really was real. Wouldn’t it be something, though? Imagine what other strange things could be there, what splashes of colors, colors she had never seen before even. He had told her there were colors he had never seen, but she couldn’t begin to think what they would look like. Reds, blues, greens, but then others he had said. Soft parted plants with colors he had never seen. How could anyone resist, really? Heh, he had been right, she supposed. She was curious. Well, she hadn’t gone mad yet, so…perhaps digging a little bit more wouldn’t hurt.

Charin woke late, as was his habit, stretching out and falling over the side of the bed onto the floor with an audible thump. He cursed loudly, rubbing his head as he pushed up into a sitting position. Stupid floor. He was used to his bed being a lot wider- oh, right, he had spent the night in Rachel’s bed. With a small smile he chuckled at himself, getting to his feet and looking about. Rachel wasn’t there, maybe she had to go to work? It was pretty late in the day after all. At least he thought so, that’s usually when he woke up. There were no words to describe his detest for mornings. Wait, no, Rachel wouldn’t be at work just yet then. He dressed himself and entered the main room, where he found her, attempting to stuff a small piece of meat into the cal’s mouth.

Her brow was furrowed with frustration but determination, poking the bit of food into the mass of fluff as the Cal blinked at her, making all manner of strange rumbling sounds.

“Damn thing, where’s your mouth? Come on.” She huffed, wiggling the food in front of the Cal’s eyes. “Do you eat roots or something?”

“I have no idea what it eats, actually, I don’t even know if it has a mouth yet.” He said with a grin, chuckling.

Rachel flinched, her eyes darting to him and a scowl forming on her face.

“Well how does it eat, then? Everything has to eat. Why did it show up here anyway? I thought you found it at the citadel, it’s a far way for something this small to come on its own.” She frowned, scanning the cal again. “It’s a little freaky how it came to the same place you were, too…”

Charin stared at her and for a moment she regretted what she had said.

“That’s true! Why didn’t I think of that?!” his eyes widened. “That can’t be a coincidence- did it know I’d come here? But how would it know? How did it even get here before me? How-“

“Charin you do realize you’re asking me and you know full well I have no idea?”

He blinked, looked at her and then laughed, smiling at her.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“Why are you always smiling like that?” she snorted, her eyes narrowed. “You look like a fool, what is there to be so happy about?”

“Well, I’m with you so that’s one thing.”

She stared at him and was almost angry. That stupid smile on his face, those sugary words. Ugh she wanted to hit him he was just so- so-

“Stop it.”

“Stop what?’

“Being…you.”

“But then you wouldn’t find me half as interesting.” He grinned.

“I’m ignoring you.”

He said nothing, but she was fully aware of him pulling up a chair beside her, watching the cal as she continued to attempt to feed it. It was frustrating, being unable to find the damn thing’s mouth. It shouldn’t have concerned her this much, what did she care if it was unable to eat and died? It wasn’t her problem.

“Rachel? Can I ask you something?”

“I’ve no doubt you will anyway so you might as well.”

Charin chuckled and she eyed him, watching that stupid smile spread on his face and that shimmer come to his eyes.

“Could you keep the cal here? For me?”

“Why the hell would I do that?” she scoffed. “It’s your weird creature, you deal with it.”

“I’d keep it if I could, but the last one Tensombrek caught back home he killed.” Charin frowned, brow furrowed in thought. “I don’t know why he wanted it dead but I don’t want this one getting killed too. It means something, Rachel. It took me to that place, it lead me there, it’s- it’s important. It means…something. I can’t let it go away, Rachel, it’s my only lead. Please, take care of it for me. Please.”

“Lead? Lead to what?” Rachel rose a brow, waiting to see what he’d come up with this time.

“…I don’t know.”

He was an idiot.

“Fine.”

She was a bigger idiot.

Charin left Rachel feeling significantly lighter than when he had gone to her. It didn’t make much sense to put it that way, it wasn’t as if he’d lost any weight, yet somehow that was the only word he could think of that fit the sensation. Like he’d been carrying something and put it down. Better. He just felt…better. Rachel wasn’t mad at him anymore, the cal was still around and out of Tensombrek’s view, there was still some clue he could hang on to. Though he still didn’t know what he was going to do, it didn’t seem as daunting as it did beforehand. That may not have made much sense but the things that didn’t make sense seemed to work out a lot lately.

For then he simply made his way back home, wondering if somehow he’d be able to sneak in to see that light again. He doubted the boss would let him, but he might as well scope the area out. Who knows, maybe something had come here from it and was running around. That would be amazing, but probably very bad news for the thing itself. Still, he might as well just check to be sure. What he would do if he found something, he wasn’t quite sure though. He couldn’t ask Rachel to hide everything that he found, after all.

Ah well, he’d deal with that as it came.