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Shillelagh
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 Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 7:00 pm Post subject: The Catchup Questionnaire (and full chapter list) |
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Tempora Crepusculi- Eight Questions
Please PM your answers to Shillelagh.
1) What caused Isaac's crystal to crack?
2) What is located in the backyard of Alex's frat house?
3) Who is Speravi?
4) What happened to freshmen at the party when the Crep started?
5) What is Sylecia's full title?
6) How does Sylecia know that Itori is under the window?
7) How does Isaac embarrass himself before taking the ritual?
8) Why is Matt angry at Reggie?
_________________
 
Ihniwid Chapter 5 is up- find it here!
Last edited by Shillelagh on Sun Jun 05, 2011 11:59 pm; edited 2 times in total
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| Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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Tempora Crepusculi - Chapter One
Isaac stood patiently in his crystal prison, waiting for time to resume flow. It had stopped at midnight, just as it always had for as long as Isaac could remember. Not that Isaac ever could remember- that was the problem of the Occurrence. Whenever the amethyst crystals appeared, Isaac could remember every single instance when it had occurred. But as soon as they disappeared, he would forget. Everyone would forget. He lived a completely normal life, totally oblivious to the nightly prison which he had to endure.
Isaac scanned the bar, turning slowly due to his restrictive prison. Most of the people here were locals or college students; everyone who lived in town adjusted to the Occurrence after a month or so. Anyone from out of town, though… Isaac could see several people from out of town who were frantically pounding against the walls of their crystal prisons. Probably screaming for help as well, but the crystals were sound proof. It seemed as though the Occurrence only happened here. Certainly, Isaac could never remember the crystals appearing in any other town he’d lived in. But then, that was the point. No one would remember.
There was one group of people who were unaffected by the Occurrence. Under the twilight sky, the supernatural population roamed the streets freely, paying no heed to the lesser humans encased in amethyst. It was difficult to tell which fantasy creatures did or did not exist. Fey creatures seemed to be the most common, but Isaac would observe demons as well, if the Occurrence happened while he was visiting the darker parts of town. There was at least one minotaur in town which Isaac happened to observe every few months; once, at a bonfire in the country, he had seen what appeared to be a manticore.
Isaac checked the clock by the door out of habit. Of course it still read 12:00. Everything stopped during the Occurrence, whether or not it was surrounded in crystal. Even objects overturned by the supernatural were reset once time reset. At least, that’s how he assumed it would happen. Surely mysterious moving objects would provide a major clue to discovering the Occurrence.
Sighing to himself, Isaac turned back to his friends. Will had been sitting at the time; he could do little more than rap his fingers against the table. Alex had been holding a beer, which he was trying unsuccessfully to drink in the cramped space. Tony, however… Tony was simply gone. For whatever reason, Tony never seemed to be trapped by the Occurrence. If this meant he was a supernatural being… well, Isaac had never seen anything else to suggest that Tony wasn’t human. In fact, Isaac had been completely unable to recognize the faces of any of the supernatural creatures he had seen. If they did have human lives, their two forms looked completely different.
The door swung open, slamming with a dull thud against the crystal of a person standing in the entrance. A red-skinned demon entered the bar, scanning the crowd with its yellow, glowing eyes. Isaac was once again thankful for the soundproof nature of the crystals; he could see the out-of-towners screaming at the sight of the evil creature. The demon was actually a pleasant sight to him, since it gave him something to focus on. Time seemed to move slowly during the Occurrence simply because there was nothing to use as a frame of reference. And besides, the amethyst crystal was just as effective as a shield as it was a prison.
“You had better hurry, Itori,” it said, chuckling to itself. “I would hate to think that one of the fey decided to abandon its friends. Of course, if you had kept out of my business in the first place, this wouldn’t be a problem, would it?” The demon walked up and down the aisles of people as it talked, though Isaac couldn’t figure out who he was addressing.
“Itori, in here!” yelled a figure from the doorway. A sort of upright canine- probably a lycanthrope- burst through the doorway.
“It’s a shame you insist on defying us, Jaikneb,” said the demon, focusing its piercing glare on the stranger to the room. “The rest of your pack seems so happy to serve us. We can grant you what the council would never consider giving you.”
“Then the rest of my pack is short-sighted,” he replied with a snarl. “I haven’t forgotten who put us into these circumstances in the first place.”
“Suit yourself,” it said, leaning up against the table where Will was frozen. “It’s no scale off my back what you decide to do, beast. I’m here for Itori. Although, if he can’t be bothered to show up soon, I might just start without him…”
“I’m here, Metos,” replied an elf, who appeared in the doorway behind Jaikneb. “What do you want?”
“What do I want?” repeated the demon, laughing. “Why, Itori, I merely wish to repay the favor you granted me. I thought it must have taken considerable courage to break into my lair and free my prisoners. I suppose you thought it was an incredible victory.” It traced the facets of Will’s crystal as it spoke; the contact clearly made Will uncomfortable, but the crystal was too restrictive to allow him to do anything about it.
“He must be joking,” replied Jaikneb, looking back at his companion. “Itori, surely not even you would… you did, didn’t you? Itori, what did you do? You told me you never left the Grove last night!””
“Why, one might even say you robbed me of my friends,” continued Metos, turning to stare at Alex. “That hurt me very deep, you know. And I thought to myself, ‘Why don’t I repay the favor?’ How else could I possibly hope to retaliate in a similar manner?”
“You wouldn’t dare,” said Itori.
“Try me,” said Metos. It held up its clawed hand to the others, stretching his fingers in jest before plunging them through the crystal straight into the back of Alex’s neck. Isaac watched in horror as his friend sank unconscious to the floor, his body propped up in a mockery of life due to the restriction of the amethyst prison. His grief was cut short by the sudden howl of Jaikneb.
“Jaikneb, wait!” said Itori, putting his hand on the wolf man’s shoulder. “Remember the Code! Alex will be fine, as long as he stays inside the crystal. Metos can’t hurt anyone unless you…”
“Unhand me!” yelled Jaikneb, pulling off Itori’s arm and charging straight for Metos. The howl had transformed him somehow; Jaikneb’s bristling fur could not account for his sudden change in mass. The frenzied, muscular wolf lunged at a demonic opponent which did not even flinch.
Itori could do nothing but watch. The demon’s trick had worked. Metos grabbed Jaikneb’s leading arm, and used his momentum to throw him bodily at Isaac. Jaikneb hit Isaac’s amethyst crystal with a sickening crunch. The wolf man fell to the ground whimpering in pain as the force of the impact caused the crystal to start cracking along the lines of impact.
“That demonstration should be more than enough to remind you of your place,” said Melos. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay away from Fraternity Row during the Crepusculum.” Melos vanished in a cloud of haze, leaving Itori behind to try and fix the situation. Isaac noticed with surprise that the elf focused on his broken crystal before examining his friend.
“Jaikneb, are you okay?” asked Itori, shaking his unconscious friend. “Jaikneb, c’mon, wake up! If we can’t mend this crack before the Crep ends, he’s-“
**********************
“I was thinking of heading out,” said Tony, turning to address his friends. “You don’t have to leave, but since I’m the one with the keys…”
“Man, you could’ve told me before I got another drink,” said Alex, pointing at the bottle in his hand.
“Alex- you’re okay!” blurted Isaac.
“Umm… yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Are you feeling okay?” Will asked.
“I… yeah, sorry,” replied Isaac, after a moment of awkward silence. His mind was racing. He remembered everything! There had been a demon, and some fey- and the battle! They’d killed Alex- the wolf man had been injured- and his crystal! He’d never seen anyone break one of the amethyst crystals during the Occurrence before. He didn’t even know it was possible. That must be why he still remembered everything. But Alex and Will… they obviously didn’t remember anything. And Tony hadn’t even been there! Where did he go during the Occurrence?
“Anyway,” said Tony, rolling his eyes. “I’m headed out. It’s already past midnight, and I should pretend to care that I’m working in the morning.”
“Well, you go do that,” said Alex. “I’m staying here. The bars won’t close for another two hours, and I can walk home from here. You guys could come too, y’know. There’s room on the couch. The floor too, I guess.”
“I’m not sleeping in a Frat House,” said Will, shaking his head. “I’ll leave with Tony. He's gonna drop me off downtown- it's on the way, and I can take a shortcut through the city park.”
“What about you, Isaac?”
_________________
Ihniwid Chapter 5 is up- find it here!
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| Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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Tempora Crepusculi - Chapter Two
“I’ll stay here with Alex,” Isaac replied, with a shrug. “I’m not ready to leave yet, and I don’t care if that means I won’t be sleeping in my own bed tonight. I’ll take Alex up on his offer.” Tony looked a bit disappointed for some reason, but he said nothing.
“Alright! Up top!” said Alex, waiting for Isaac to return his fist bump. Once Isaac obliged, he continued. “Trust me, bro, nothing ends the night quite like a round of drunken strip poker with the fine ladies of Beta Epsilon.”
“Well, you two have fun with that,” said Will, shaking his head. “I have no problem being a stick in the mud if it means I don’t have to spend time with the plasti-women.” Will walked out the door, leaving Tony behind to catch up.
“I guess I’ll… well, I… umm, see you tomorrow, Isaac,” said Tony, fidgeting with his pockets. He looked like he wanted to say something, but whatever it was, he seemed too afraid to spit it out. Tony wasn’t normally this awkward, but he had consumed his fair share tonight. And, anyway, it was his comment that had split the group. If he’d wanted to say something to the three of them, it was his loss. “Text me when you get the chance, would you? I… uhh, I keep forgetting to tell you… ahh, something. Anyway- bye.”
“I worry about him sometimes,” said Alex, shaking his head at Tony’s retreating back. “Dude just ain’t right. I know Will’s got holiness up his butt, but Tony ought to be more easy goin’. Honestly, Isaac, who snubs boobs and beer pong?”
“Not everyone shares your worldview, Alex,” he said with a smile.
“Oh, so I have a worldview, now, huh?” said Alex, cocking an eyebrow.
“I know this will come as a complete shock to you,” said Isaac, dryly, “but there is more to college than just red cups and ribbed condoms.”
“Why, of course not!” he replied, clutching his chest in mock offense. “Sometimes the beer comes in a bottle, instead.”
---------------------------------------------------------------
“Aww, man, we missed it,” said Alex, looking around the common room. A makeshift table had been formed in the center of the room by shoving together several of the study desks; several decks of cards and a large amount of poker chips still scattered the surface. There were also numerous red cups scattered all over the place, though of course they were mostly located over by the ping pong table in the corner.
“I expected to see more loose clothing strewn all over the place,” said Isaac, staring at a shirtless man passed out on a sofa, drooling.
“Nah, we confiscate all of it, and hold it ransom for beer,” said a stranger from the doorway. He was wearing a pink polo shirt with a popped collar, plaid shorts, and a cap tilted at a ridiculous angle, yet he still managed to look like someone you shouldn’t cross. His smile was friendly enough, but there was something oddly cold about his eyes.
“Hey, Matt, what up?” said Alex. “Isaac, this is Matt, our chapter president. On top of being a lowly Junior, he’s also council pres of the whole Greek community.”
“He’s accomplished that much? Makes your five years seem pretty worthless, huh, Alex?” said Isaac, laughing.
“It sounds more impressive than it really is,” said Matt, with a shrug. “And, really, Alex is one of the best recruitment chairs we’ve had. Even if he did manage to fail Intro to Financing.”
“Yeah, yeah. Rub it in. How went the party, dude?”
“It was awesome, natch,” he said. “Oh, by the way, nice to meet you, Isaac.” Matt stepped forward, hand outstretched, to greet him. Isaac was briefly reminded of politicians; all smiles and manners until they had what they wanted. But Matt seemed like a genuinely nice guy. Besides, Isaac had to admit his nerves were getting in the way of his judgment. If it hadn’t been for the scene at the bar, he wouldn’t have been so untrusting.
But then, if it hadn’t been for his memories of the Occurrence, he wouldn’t have followed Alex back to Fraternity Row. Metos had targeted the three of them as a means of striking back at Itori. Had they been chosen at random? Isaac couldn’t remember ever meeting Itori before… but as tonight had proved, his memory didn’t mean much. Who knew what other events magic had locked away, deep in his mind?
Well, if Itori hadn’t known Isaac before tonight, that was going to change. Like it or not, Isaac had been thrown directly into the battle. Whatever business was between Itori and Metos, it was now his business, too. Something had happened up on Fraternity Row, and he was going to find out what.
“Hey. Hey. Hey,” said Alex, waving his hand in front of Isaac’s face.
“Oh, sorry. What’d you say?” he asked, snapping out of his reverie.
Alex sighed. “I said, ‘Have you ever met Matt before?’ He didn’t say anything, but it looked like he recognized you from somewhere.”
“Not that I can remember.”
“Well, whatever,” said Alex. “Let’s go up to my room.”
---------------------------------------------------------------
Isaac fumbled with his phone, trying to turn off his alarm through squinted eyes. He stared at it blankly, wondering what had possessed him to set an alarm at ten in the morning. Still, the sun was far too bright; there was no avoiding it. He would be unable to fall back asleep. Placing his phone back underneath his pillow, Isaac stepped out of bed. Or, rather, he took one awkward step on the ground before sprawling out of Alex’s sofa.
“Alex’s room, right,” muttered Isaac, slowly remembering more of the previous night’s events. Alex usually slept in until four in the afternoon, so in the past, Isaac would let himself out. It was late enough in the morning for Isaac to wander around the Greek houses without seeming too suspicious. And since most of the residents would be nursing hangovers, the chances of him meeting other people would be slim. The morning was a perfect opportunity to spy on Metos’s Fraternity Row operation.
“That is, if I knew what I was looking for,” Isaac muttered to himself. He had never noticed any unusual when he’d been here during the Occurrence, stuck in crystal. What, exactly, had he hoped to find here? Surely Metos wouldn’t be able to keep his prisoners hidden during the day? Did his lair even exist outside of the Occurrence?
Isaac shrugged. The least he could do would be to walk around the area, and get a good feel for it. The more familiar with the area he could get during the day, the better he’d be able to navigate it during the next Occurrence. Most of the buildings had elaborate fronts facing the main street, but a few of them had to be built on side roads due to spacing issues. On top of that, the various backyards mixed together into a sort of park, with fences and hedges placed to divide the lots without forming a complete barrier.
“It’s almost like a labyrinth…” said Isaac, aloud.
“You will get used to it eventually,” replied a voice behind him. Isaac turned around to see someone sitting on a bench, partially hidden by the shade of a tree. It was a man’s voice, but Isaac wouldn’t have believed him a college student if it weren’t for the letters on his T-shirt: Mu Chi Delta. His clothes looked a little large for his frame, and his short stature wasn’t helping out his baby face.
“My name is Jacob,” he said, smiling. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”
“Oh, ahh, I didn’t see you there. I’m Isaac,” he said, out-stretching his hand.
Jacob ignored it. “I was unaware that you were living in one of these Fraternities,” he stated, looking directly at Isaac.
“I… don’t,” replied Isaac. “I spent the night here at my friend’s place, and I thought I’d try to take a shortcut home. I didn’t realize how much of a garden it was back here.”
“I understand,” Jacob said, turning his interest back to the textbook at his side. “I will let you continue to your home. Do not let me bother you further.”
“Umm, yeah. Nice to meet you, Jake.” Isaac nodded goodbye, but Jacob did not respond. He was clearly an awkward kid, but thanks to the white lie, Isaac had no choice but to leave the area. Once Isaac was out of sight, he decided to swing past campus and pick up some food at the Student Union. It was a central location, and Isaac could figure out his next course of action once he had some lunch in his stomach.
“I guess I’ll…”
_________________
Ihniwid Chapter 5 is up- find it here!
Last edited by Shillelagh on Fri May 20, 2011 9:58 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Shillelagh
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| Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 7:04 pm Post subject: |
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Tempora Crepusculi - Chapter Three
“I guess I’ll send Tony a text message,” Isaac said aloud. Tony was usually bad about prompt replies, so Isaac was shocked when Tony responded to the text with a phone call.
“Hey, Tony, what’s up?”
“Isaac, where are you right now?”
“Why, I’m doing just fine, thanks for asking.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” replied Tony, dismissing the unspoken insult. “You know that I’m the one talking, and I really don’t have time for pointless chatter. Are you alone, by any chance?”
“Umm, no. I’m getting lunch, and then I’m heading back to the dorms. Why?”
“And I’m assuming your roommate will be there?”
“What, Ben?” said Isaac. “Yeah, the dude never leaves the room unless it’s a holiday. You know that. Why? You’re being really weird right now, Tony. I can only handle so much surreal crap in one day.”
“So you’ve witness other surreal things today?” asked Tony.
“What? I… look,” said Isaac. “You’re the one who wanted to contact me. I have no desire to talk to you, especially if you’re just going to be weird.”
“…Alright, fine. I understand how weird this must seem from your point of view. But there’s only so much I can tell you right now. I can’t risk this. By the time you have the chance to be alone, I’m going to be at work. I’ll get off around 10:30… can you meet me at the park downtown?”
“Tony… you’re seriously creeping me out here.”
“I’m sorry, Isaac. Especially if I’m wrong about this. But if the image of a demon throwing a wolf means anything to you, I have to talk to you in person.”
“How did you!? You weren’t even… Tony! Tony!?”
There was no reply.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Isaac found Tony standing in the middle of a cluster of oaks. “Sorry if I’m late,” he said, noticing Tony’s worried face. “I assumed I’d be meeting you at the main sign, or at the gazebo, or something.”
“Right, sorry,” replied Tony, sighing. “It hadn’t occurred to me that you wouldn’t know to meet me here. My fault. I’m not exactly thinking straight. You have to understand, Isaac, that this whole thing is practically unheard of. Any information we have about cracked crystals is entirely theoretical.”
“Hang on,” said Isaac. “I thought you said we couldn’t talk about this in public. Suddenly the city park is okay? I know it’s nighttime and all, but…”
“Just trust me when I say this place is safe. We’ve still got over an hour, but the each nexus slowly builds power until midnight. The Grove will… ahh, I think I’m going out of order. The Grove is the nexus of the fey, and the nexus of the demons is… well, they call it Pandaemonium. Any supernatural being who has a mortal tether will arrive at their respective nexi during the Crep, the Crepusculum.”
“The Crepusculum being the Occurrence,” observed Isaac. “What do you mean by mortal tether?”
“Mortal tether is the archaic term for having what you would consider an old life,” said Tony. “The reason we get ‘ported by the nexus is the same reason everyone else gets put into a crystal. Even the slightest bit of movement outside of time would give everything away. It’d be hard to explain myself if I suddenly appeared five feet to your left, without ever having moved.”
“What about objects, then? Metos trashed up the bar pretty good. And he killed Alex, except that didn’t actually happen.”
“That’s a bit more complex,” replied Tony, with a sigh. “Objects don’t have a soul, so they’re easier to manipulate with magic. Thus, they are restored to a pre-Crep state regardless of what happened. Same with anything in a crystal. There’s a loophole here, but we’ll get to that later. If every object was locked into the place during the Crep, it would be a disaster. Mostly doors, but there are other things you don’t think about. That was one of the first things Speravi fixed.”
“What do you mean, fixed?” asked Isaac, raising an eyebrow.
“The Crep isn’t natural,” said Tony, kicking the dirt with his foot. “Humanity used to coexist with the supernatural. We… they… well, anyway, the humans didn’t fare too well. The supernatural weren’t as powerful back then, but even limited magic is an overpowering advantage. And the few who were powerful… well, Speravi and some of the other elder fey created the Crepusculum. The two… races, for want of a better word, were torn from coexistence- when time flows for one, it ceases for the other. And by making the Crepusculum a short amount of time… well, I don’t think they had enough power to do it any other way. But a side result was that it made all of the supernatural beings more powerful, for better or for worse.”
“What, is there some sort of time versus magic concentration ratio?” scoffed Isaac.
“Think of it that way if you need to,” said Tony, with a shrug. “I don’t know why it works out like that, but it does. Humanity was saved from the harmful influence of the demons, in exchange for removing the beneficial influence of the fey. Except that they didn’t plan for the effect it would have on half-breeds. They’ve been trying to tweak the problems ever since, but new ones keep popping up. We meant well, but we messed up big time.”
“Can’t you just reverse it? Unmake the Crep, somehow?”
Tony shook his head. “It’s no longer that simple. There’s no word to express the cost it took to alter the world like this. For one, it takes a lot of power. The fey used to control all of the nexi over the world, but now it’s a near split between the fey and the demons. We were too weak to defend all of them after making the Crep. For another, there’s no telling what it would do to the half-breeds, or the supernaturals that only exist during the Crep. Also the lycanthropes,” he added, with a shrug.
“Wait, shouldn’t a werewolf be either a fey or a demon?”
Tony laughed. “Most of what you know about lycanthropes- all of that popular culture stuff is just propaganda that’s leaked over into the other world. Don’t believe a word of it. The transformations don’t work like that, and their bite is not even remotely contagious. But that’s an entirely different issue. I probably shouldn’t have even mentioned it.”
“Fine,” said Isaac. “Then let’s address something a bit more simple. Who are you, really? How do you know all this, and how did you know what happened to me last night?”
“I’m surprised you haven’t figured it out yet,” replied Tony, laughing. “Which is a shame, because my oath prevents me from telling you. You’ll find out in an hour, though, I think.”
“What do you mean, ‘you think?’”
“Well, we’ve never had a chance to study a cracked crystal before,” said Tony. “Neither demon and fey have the ability to break crystals. If we did, there’d be no point in making the Crep. The whole point is to prevent us from affecting humanity. Some spells work through the crystals, but those get reversed when it’s over. And the lycanthropes… well, they’re a bit all or nothing.
“This is what I do know,” said Tony, focusing his thoughts. “If you are here in the Grove at midnight, we’ll make you a full-fledged fey. You and all your children will become half-fey, but you’ll also be freed from the amethyst crystals. If you want to forget everything… well, stand over there by that sign, and someone will restore the crystal. I can’t say that none of this will have ever happened, but it should be close enough. You’ll probably think me a crazy drunk or something.”
“What, that’s it? Hey, guess what, we have a secret magical society, so are you in or out? Did I stumble into a Matrix movie? Should I ask Keanu for some advice on pills?”
“I’m sorry, dude. I really am. But I don’t think anything else I say will make a difference. If you were really meant to be a fey, you probably already know what your decision is. You can feel it inside you. Now you just need to rationalize it.”
The next Crepusculum is in an hour. Where will you make your stand?
_________________
Ihniwid Chapter 5 is up- find it here!
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| Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 7:04 pm Post subject: |
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Tempora Crepusculi - Chapter Four
“Tony, this is just too much.”
“Well, again, dude, I don’t know what to say… this has never happened before, and I…”
“No,” interrupted Isaac, “you’re done talking. You’ve given me a lot of information, but you haven’t given me a single answer. I don’t know who you are, I don’t know why you’re able to tell me everything… and I still don’t know why I can remember this!”
“Isaac, calm down. I think I might know why you can remember the Crep. The crystal is what protects people from supernatural harm, and makes them forget, right? Well, if it gets cracked, it obviously won’t work right, so I guess…”
“You guess?”
“Well, I told you, it’s never happened before,” said Tony. “Back in the early versions of the Crep, the crystals were a bit more fragile. Demons and fey still couldn’t break them open, but if…”
“And we’re done here,” said Isaac, turning his back. “If you’re not going to help, then I guess I really am alone in this.”
“Isaac, please,” said Tony, resting his hand on Isaac’s shoulder. “I can’t imagine what this is like. But I’m here for you. Really, I am.”
“Oh? Then what type of fey will I become? What if I become a demon? Will you kill me on sight?”
“Isaac, it doesn’t… you won’t… that is, I…”
“Can you answer my question?”
Tony’s intent gaze shifted down to Isaac’s elbow. “I can’t answer you,” he said, after an awkward silence.
“Then that’s it, then. Thank you for you time- I’ll be sure to get in touch if I ever have any more scholarly questions I wish to have evaded. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to call Alex. It seems I’ve changed my mind about hanging out and playing beer pong. It’ll be my first party at his place. Funny, huh?”
“Alex!? Isaac, he lives in a fraternity! You can’t just… “
“I can’t?” said Isaac, crossing his arms. “The discussion I overheard hinted it might be a bad idea. You haven’t said anything about it, though. Care to comment?”
“Isaac,” replied Tony, taking a breath. “I know that you’re hurt and confused. I know that you’re not being serious when you lash out at me. But you have to trust me. Please don’t do this. Your petty anger is going to…”
“Petty? Is that all it is? And here I thought I had a pretty good reason for being ticked. Tell Itori that if he wants to come and find me, I’ll be at Alex’s place.”
----------------------------------------------------------
“Isaac, are you okay?” Alex asked, shouting over the noise of the party. “You seem kinda down, and you’ve been staring at your watch all night.”
“Oh, yeah, sorry,” Isaac responed. “It’s nothing. I’m just, ah… I’m expecting a call around midnight.”
“What? Don’t answer that! Who’s calling you at midnight? Man, dawg, that’s what voicemail is for! If I were you, I’d…”
“You’d what?” asked Isaac, confused that Alex would stop speaking mid-sentence. But as Isaac looked around, it became clear. The Crep was starting.
Isaac was unable to control his body, so he could do nothing but watch as the familiar amethyst crystal began to grow around him, encasing him in a mineral shell. Normally, the Crep was a blip of reality- he would suddenly find himself encased. If he was watching the process form, it had to do with the crack. Sure enough, his crystal did not form as Alex’s had. The crack had reappeared tonight, and would quite probably reappear every night, until it was fixed or broken entirely.
Alex kept tracing a pattern on his crystal- he was mimicking the crack, Isaac realized- and pointing at the windows. He was also shouting something, but Isaac still couldn’t hear a word of it. Shaking his head, Isaac turned to look at the rest of the room.
There was not a single crystal in sight. Isaac could do nothing but stare at the scene of horror in front of him. What had been a group of freshman at a party was now a gross mockery of life. They all lay unconscious- dead- propped up in grotesque positions, as if the life had been removed from their bodies at the moment of the Crep.
Two werewolves walked out of the kitchen and into the lobby. They were laughing amongst themselves; the one of the left shoved one the bodies off the table and onto the floor so that it could reach the keg. It landed with a dull thump, crushing the plastic cup which had fallen out of its hand.
“Why, Alex,” said the other, noticing the two crystals in the room. “You’ve brought us a friend over. You recruit us, but not him? Why, I’m hurt!”
“He already wants to join us,” said the first, throwing aside his empty cup. “Look, his crystal is already half broken!”
“But he’s still trapped, brother,” said the other. “Why don’t we finish the job for him, hmm?”
“Why, you’re right, brother,” said the first. “I bet we can count this as community service…”
Instinctively, Isaac looked over as Alex for help; of course, Alex could do nothing, trapped as he was. Nevertheless, Alex kept pointing at the window. Isaac glanced over- the window pane was gone, but there was an eerie red glow shining through from the outside- from the garden.
It seemed to be his best option. The first werewolf was standing in front of the main exit, while the second was standing next to him, his fists raised high above his head. The lycanthrope was not significantly taller, but it was enough; he brought his fists down with all his might, hitting the top of the crystal and cleaving it into clean fragments.
He grasped at Isaac’s arm as he made a mad dash toward the window, skidding and sliding on the crystalline fragments at his feet. Isaac’s vision flashed white with pain- he could feel the gash in his left arm- but they hadn’t expected him to run for the window, they wouldn’t be able to catch up to him in time.
Isaac collapsed to the ground; the building had a basement level which opened up to the courtyard on the west side. Gasping for breath, he risked a glance behind him- they were not chasing after him. Or, if they were, they were going to leave through the main exit to run down the hill, herding him like a trapped sheep. He tried to lift himself up, only to stumble, face first, back onto the ground; he had tried to support his weight with his left arm. Taking the few precious seconds to lift himself up with his knees, Isaac looked around the garden.
The red glow was coming from the center of the garden. What had been a cluster of fences and hedges by day was now a giant, sinister pit. Yellow smoke coiled from fissures in the ground, and large spiral steps lead down into the darkness.
The tree was gone, but the bench from before was still there. Where Jacob had sat during the day, there was now a white-furred humanoid figure sitting there, arms crossed, feet splayed apart. The creature was half feline, its lithe muscles gleaming under the coarse fur, its tail twitching in annoyance.
“Human, you had better have a good explanation for this.”
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| Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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Tempora Crepusculi - Chapter Five
Isaac stared into the harsh, cold eyes of the creature in front of him. He could feel the intense, soul-searching heat of the pupils. This was not the gaze of the feral, crazed wolf-men from whom he had escaped. This gaze was calculating, cautious, detached. And above all, there was no mercy to be found in these eyes.
The feline- she, Isaac observed with surprise- leapt to her feet with one swift motion, though Isaac observed her tail wrap awkwardly around her legs. If he hadn’t known better, he would have guessed that she was unused to its presence…
“My eyes are up here, human,” she whispered, forcing his chin upward with her hand. Leaving one hand on his neck, the werecat slowly walked around Isaac’s back, resting her head on his opposite shoulder. It was a seductive embrace, but one which left her claws at his throat. “I must admit that I really don’t enjoy this part. Why don’t you tell why you’re here, and then we can skip this whole awkward business, hmm?”
Isaac tried to slip out of her hold; her arms, deceptively frail and slender, held his body in a firm vice. He could not turn to face the feline, so he began to speak toward the ground, imparting the truth as he saw it.
“I shouldn’t even be here. I should never have come. It’s all Tony’s fault, really. My crystal broke, and he knew it. He knew it, and he did nothing to try and fix it. All the help he could offer were a few worthless facts and an oath that prevented him from doing anything else. I chose not to listen… I shouldn’t have had a choice! I, who know nothing of this? You know Tony, right? You’re enemies, aren’t you?”
“How dare you speak such a name!” she hissed, grabbing his bad arm with her free hand and clenching tightly. Isaac screamed in pain, his knees could no longer support his weight. The werecat held him in place, gripping him by the arms like a ragdoll. “I will not be taunted so! You- you who still has form!” She had only begun to speak, but her words were drowned out by the shrill wail of a horn.
It’s the wolves from before, thought Isaac. They’ve come to finish me off.
“No! No, it’s not fair! I can’t be demoted again!” she said. Her left hand sunk its claws deeper into his injured arm, while the other clawed frantically at his chest. Isaac winced; the pain was beyond noise. He could feel his wounds pulse with the beating of his heart as his vision blurred into white. In the distance, he could see what looked like four people riding horseback- two per horse- charging straight for him.
There was no doubt that the werecat had seen the new threat as well. She paused her frantic scratching once the sound of hooves on cobblestone became audible. “They can’t! I won’t let them!” she shrieked, sinking her fangs into the base of Isaac’s neck. If she had intended for the bite to be lethal, she had missed. Nevertheless, it was enough to cause Isaac to black out. He was vaguely aware of a bolt of light hitting his captor, causing her to release her grip. The last sensation his mind registered a sharp tug, yanking him bodily into the air. The last sound he heard was the dull clack of hooves.
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Isaac awoke to a soft cushion of fabric underneath his body. His wounds no longer hurt, but he found it difficult to open his eyes. He settled instead on sound, deciding to focus on the conversation at his side.
“So then, this is the boy, Sylecia?”
“Come now, is there really need for such formalities? How many people around here look like… well, look like that?”
“Does he have any idea how much trouble he has caused?”
“Well, of course not, the poor thing. He’s been unconscious this whole time. It’s a good thing they brought him back to the Grove when they did, or he would have been forced to spend another Crep out in the lurch. As it is, he’s only got a few more hours. But I suppose you and the rest of the council will be informing him just how much trouble he has caused? Well, I will add you to the list, and he will visit you when he wishes.”
“My dear woman! You make it sound like he has some choice in the matter! The boy must visit us for the fey blessing. He cannot have any interaction with our culture until such an event occurs. And it shall certainly not be bestowed until we have finished our discussion! I have never seen such a flagrant disregard for treaties until…”
“Treaties that he never knew existed, you mean. Council or not, you have absolutely no authority over his free will. What if he wants a restoration? Who can fathom the mind of the young? I will arrange for his visitors in whatever way he sees fit.”
“Visitors? My dear Sylecia, I must have misheard you. For a moment, it sounded as though you were suggesting that a meeting with the Council was not his first priority.”
“Oh, forgive me. I must have overstepped my bounds as Mother Hama of the Healer’s Guild. I was under the impression that this boy will stay under my care and guidance until I see fit to release him.”
There was a disgruntled cough, and the scraping of feet. “You can try to open your eyes now, dear,” said the female voice. “He’s left. He knows I’m right, even if he doesn’t like it. Come now, time to wake up. You’re fully healed, though I’m not sure your body knows it.”
Isaac tried once more to open his eyes. The light was blinding. As his eyes slowly grew accustomed to the brightness, he began to make out blurred shapes against the white. He could make out a series of beds and tables, an infirmary, clearly, but one which seemed to have been formed out of the hollow of a large tree. There was no escaping it; all of the furniture had been carved out of the tree itself, with moss and boughs of leaves to serve for anything which could not be made from wood.
“Allow me to formally introduce myself, dear. My name is Sylecia.” Despite her kind, elderly voice, Sylecia still appeared to be in the prime of her youth. There was a humble, homely charm to her beauty, and she was dressed in a beautiful silk robe, which managed to provide a great deal of modesty despite its short length. In fact, the robe appeared to end at waist level, where…
“Sylecia! You have no legs!” Isaac blurted.
“Thank you, yes. I believe I might have noticed this once or twice in my life,” she said, smiling. “I am a Hamadryad. I am a spirit of the forest, one which is tied directly to the trees. Though bark, my lower body can still propel me about, though as you might guess, I cannot leave this tree. But enough about me, my dear. This is about you.
“You spent about forty-five minutes outside in the Crepusculum. That translates into about eighteen hours here in the Grove, not to mention the time you spent resting. If you wish to explore, it ought to wait until tomorrow night. As I believe you heard, you have a few visitors who would like to see you. This is a closed wing, so you won’t have to see anyone who you don’t want.”
“Thank you, Sylecia. Who, ahh… who are they?”
“Well, naturally, the rescue party would like the chance to visit you again. Seeing a live human being is a bit of a novelty, and they didn’t get the best chance to examine you while evading pursuit. And your friend Itori would like to see you. I’m not sure how he found out you’re here; he must have been watching the incoming traffic this whole time. And of course the Council wishes to talk to you, but you’ll have to do that sooner or later anyway.”
“Is that all? Didn’t you just say that I’m a rarity here?”
“Well, you’re not exactly royalty, dear. We kept you under wraps, you see. If word got out, my poor tree would be a mess of people. You could visit with me, I suppose, though I’m not sure what company an old woman like me could possible give.”
“Well, …yeah, I guess. I’ll, ummm… I think I’ll visit with…”
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| Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 7:06 pm Post subject: |
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Tempora Crepusculi - Chapter Six
“Actually, Sylecia, I’d really like to talk to my friend Tony. Is that possible?’
“I’m…sorry? Who did you say?”
“Well, my friend, Tony. Considering how much he knows about the Crep, he’s got to be a half-fey. I mean, he hasn’t actually told me that, but if humans are as rare as you say, then he must be some sort of fey, right?”
“But my dear, Tony isn’t here. He can’t be here. If he is a half-fey, and I bet that you’re right in your guess, then he’s in fey form right now. Being half-fey isn’t like having traces of fey in your blood, dear. Fey is not a race, it’s an entirely different category altogether. It means that you live two lives; one as a human, and one as a fey. Whoever Tony is, he’s literally not himself right now. Oh, he has the same memories and everything, he’s mentally the same. But he’s physically someone else, and he goes by a different name here in the Grove. It’s for his protection. His magic peers need to be able to refer to him with a name that won’t give major clues about his identity to the mundane- or worse, to the demons. Tony could be anyone.”
“Well…that was straightforward. Sylecia, why couldn’t he explain it that way? Every time I mentioned the subject, it seemed like Tony dodged the question.”
“Well, there are oaths about this sort of thing,” she said with a shrug, “but I’ve never been one for keeping secrets. That, and they only apply to any reality outside of the Grove. I’ve never been particularly worried about breaking them,” she said, laughing. “Now come along, come along,” she said, waving her arms. “The Council will have my bark if they don’t see you before End-day.”
Sylecia guided Isaac through the various hallways and corridors; clearly, the tree was as massive and expansive as a hospital. Numerous identical rooms branched off of each hallway, and Isaac could make out structures like guest lobbies, waiting rooms, and nurse’s stations. “Sylecia, are you the only one attached to this tree?”
“Well, yes,” she replied, blushing. “It was quite an honor to be chosen as the Grove’s hospital, I assure you. Though I don’t work alone, if that’s what you’re asking. My assistants are mostly dryads, though we end up with a few naiads and elves and the like.
“Oh, look there,” she said, pointing into one of the waiting rooms. “That’s your rescue party, the fast response division of the… well, of what you would consider policemen. I’d introduce you, but we probably don’t have the time. Perhaps tomorrow you can pay your respects, hmm?”
Isaac had remembered his rescue party as being four people, two to a horse. Looking into the room, he realized his mistake. There hadn’t been any horses at all. Two of the men had been centaurs. “I thought centaurs were notorious for their immaturity and their raucous parties.” he observed.
“Don’t let them hear you say that,” replied Sylecia, laughing. “You mustn’t believe everything the Greeks said. I can’t begin to tell you how many racial stereotypes the minotaurs have to overcome. That said, I will admit that each of the fey races have certain stereotypes attached to them. But that’s not to say they can’t be overcome. Look at Chiron, after all. I’m not sure that training Heracles is something to be proud of, but at least he taught all of those other heroes, hmm?”
“Is Greek Mythology real, then?” asked Isaac.
“We’re not sure,” she replied with a shrug. “Certainly the creatures are all there, though we’ve never found any definitive proof to suggest that the people really existed. Anyway, here’s the exit. Hang a sharp left- Itori is probably still loitering under your window.”
“Oh, ok, I… wait, what?”
“He’s under your window,” repeated Sylecia, pointing in that general direction. “Do you find that weird? It’s not just that I’m attached to the tree- I am the tree. I have a sort of spatial sense of where everything is, both in and around me. It’s not as though he were doing anything wrong. Anyway, he’s agreed to take you to the Council for me.”
“That’ll be just great,” muttered Isaac, glaring at Itori as he crossed the lawn.
-----------------------------------
“So, umm, that’s the library,” said Itori, walking alongside Isaac. Isaac had yet to say anything; nevertheless, Itori was playing the role of the helpful tour guide. “Most of the important books are bound with wood from the tree so that Sciatis, she’s the library’s hamadryad, can serve as a sort of master indexing system. If you’ve got a question, she’s got an answer,” he said, looking over at Isaac with a smile. Isaac didn’t even return the gaze.
“Alright, we’re here,” said Itori, with a sigh. “Just walk through these doors- I’m sure someone will be waiting for you. Hang on, I’m not done yet,” he said, shoving Isaac in the shoulder. “You’re obviously blaming me for all this. And I’m sorry, for whatever that means to you. The guilt is bad enough, without you being ticked at me. Once you’re a half-fey, if they make you a half-fey… the oath will be null, and I can talk straight to you. I’m Tony, Isaac. Metos was using you and Alex to get back at me. And I’m sorry that you don’t feel like you can trust me… but, I hope that, after tomorrow, you will.”
Isaac watched as Itori walked away. There were no traces of scorn on his face, but Isaac had nothing to say.
----------------------------------
“Well, I think that it’s safe to say we’ve never had a situation like this,” joked a figure on the end. The Council consisted of seven cloaked figures, seated in a half-circle around a chair where Isaac was sitting. He was allowed to hear their discussion, but he was not able to speak until asked. He had delivered his half of the story; all he could do now was wait.
“And that’s why I say ‘no’,” remarked a voice which Isaac recognized from the hospital. “Repeated visits to the Pandaemonium area? Willful disobedience and a blatant disregard for safety. Such a reckless mortal will create nothing but trouble.”
“It was neither willing nor reckless,” observed another. “He didn’t know. Itori was unable to properly inform him of the dangers of the situation. Allow him the chance, but keep Itori at his side.”
“Absolutely not,” said a third. “I agree we should give him a chance, but he shouldn’t be anywhere near Itori. Give him awhile to adjust before throwing him to Metos and the lycanthrope problem. You all are forgetting how little he knows. Boy, do you understand what you observed tonight, in the Crepusculum?”
“No,” said Isaac, a chill running down his spine as he suddenly remembered the sight of all those dead bodies. “Everyone fell over dead, and then they hunted me, and I…”
“Yes, yes, we heard you the first time,” interrupted the hospital voice, impatiently. “She’s got a point. Let’s give him a simple job, like Crep Patrol Duty, until he learns the ropes.”
“You speak with bias,” spoke the central figure, “but your point is true. Isaac shall be granted a fey blessing, provided he proves worthy. During this initial period, you will serve under one of the hamadryads to serve as an education of the supernatural. You are forbidden from seeing Itori or Jaikneb. If you encounter Metos, or any other demon or lycanthrope, you are to run toward the nearest authority figure. Is that understood?
“Then which office do you wish to serve?”
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| Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 7:06 pm Post subject: |
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Tempora Crepusculi - Chapter Seven
"Office of what!?” yelled Isaac, jumping to his feet. “You haven’t told me! You haven’t told me anything! You keep expecting me to make all of these decision about lycanthropes and demons and dead frat students, but you haven’t told me anything! Don’t expect me to play along with your little secret society rules if you won’t let me in! You think I don’t understand? Yeah, you’re right! I don’t! How can I, when you don’t understand me either?”
“How dare you!” countered the hospital voice. “You will behave with respect when-“
“Calm, Wistor,” said the central voice, placing a hand squarely on his chest. “There is a time and a place for tradition. This is not it. The boy may be onto something,” she continued, standing to address the rest of the council. Were we not lamenting an inability to understand the demons’ new plan? He knows nothing. He sees with fresh admiration or horror everything which we have long since taken for granted. Moreover, he does not even act like one of us. His human form may yet gain the trust of our enemies.”
“But, Milady…” pleaded Wistor, “they saw one of our teams rescue him! Surely you don’t plan on putting him onto the task force? We haven’t even decided if Itori will-“
“My dear Wistor, your logic is sound. It is also irrelevant. Itori will solve the problem to the best of his abilities, and he will no doubt attempt to include the boy, here. And I have no doubt that he is more than willing to help. Who are we to prevent the passions of youth? You just heard for yourself how little respect he shows for our laws.”
“Well, I didn’t… that is…” muttered Isaac, scratching the back of his neck.
“Do not apologize,” replied the central voice. “You are nothing if not honest. You are allowed contact with Itori, with the hopes that you do not provoke another confrontation for at least a week. We shall try to create the illusion that you have not received the fey’s blessing. When the Crepusculum falls, make sure you are nowhere near any lycanthropes or demons who might observe your disappearance. Itori shall help you with this.”
“Milady!” cried Wistor, jumping to his feet.
“Calm, Wistor,” she repeated, silencing him with her hand. “He is not without fault. We must find something to temper your fierce emotions,” she said, turning to Isaac. “I hope knowledge will serve this purpose; perhaps the next time you are washed away in your anger, you will at least understand the gravity of the situation. You are lucky to have escaped Pandaemonium with little more than physical harm. I am assigning you to Sciatis, the hamadryad of the library. When you are not asking questions or researching your new situation, you are to record a journal of your thoughts and reactions as an outsider.”
“A diary?” Isaac said, raising his eyebrows. “You want me to…? …fine. I see your point, even if it does suck. But what now? I can’t stay human, right? What if your little magic things turns me into a demon, not a fey?”
The figure on the end burst into laughter. “Oh, child, to think your mind can even entertain such a worry! Itori can choose his friends better than that. Anyway, let’s assume your personality is closer to that of a demon than that of a fey. The ceremony is connected to the pure essence of the Grove itself. If it determines you are unworthy of becoming a fey, it will obliterate you. So you see, there is nothing to worry about! Either you will be fey, or you will be nothing.”
“What!?” exclaimed Isaac, raising his eyebrows in disbelief. “How is that nothing to worry about?”
“I think he means that you will be forced to receive the fey’s blessing regardless of your wishes,” replied Wistor. “If you cannot control this fact, it is therefore nothing to worry about. Pay him no mind. His logic is helpful to few beyond himself. We cannot allow you to remain a human here… yet even I have no doubt you will become a fey of some sort. If we were truly worried, we would merely exile you.”
“I… nevermind,” said Isaac, shaking his head. “Let’s just get it over with.”
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The central figure led the way, followed closely by Wistor. None of the other council members followed. The path slowly wound its way through the layers of the tree, steadily approaching the core of the tree.
“I expected there to be more security,” Isaac said, after walking under the third elaborate doorway.
“I told him we would be coming,” Wistor said, simply.
Isaac shook his head in irritation, but made no further attempts to break the silence.
The winding path began to lead them downward, through the bottom of the tree. The massive roots slowly gave way to rock and soil, though the solid tendrils of ancient wood never truly left the path. The trail took a sharp jut to the left, straight into the center of the slow spiral. Here the roots grew straight down, creating the illusion of a thatch hut. The slow trickling of water could be heard from inside, and a cool mist could be observed slowly seeping from the doorway.
“This is where we will leave you,” she said, gesturing toward the structure with a bow. “Inside is the nexus of the Grove. This ceremony, even for you, is far too personal for us to escort you any further.”
“I just have to submerge myself into the water, right?” asked Isaac, pulling off his shirt.
“Kindly do not enter our sacred shrine in the nude,” Wistor said with a grimace, looking away.
“Oh! I… uhh…” he stuttered helpfully, standing awkwardly with his shirt at his waist, constraining his forearms.
“Do not worry about it,” she said with a laugh. “It is not water, but you are correct that you must submerse yourself. The ritual should not take too long. We will wait here, for your name.”
“But… my name is Isaac,” he said, pausing in the doorway.
They said nothing. Isaac shrugged, and entered the mist.
-------------------------------------------------------
Isaac could no longer see the earthen root walls. In the center of the ethereal whiteness was a soft, blue liquid which cascaded from nowhere in particular into a small pond outlined by amethyst crystal stones. Isaac carefully extended his arm into one of the waterfalls; the liquid shaped like honey to the touch, but it was dry, and shimmered like fabric. Isaac knelt down at the side of the pool, and splashed the surface of the pond. It, too, was completely unlike water. The sensation of the blue passing through his hands like liquid was completely at odds with the touch of a soft chill. Sitting at the liquid’s edge, kicking his feet in the blue, Isaac noticed his pant legs remained perfectly dry. With a shrug, Isaac pushed off with his arms and cast himself bodily into the blue.
Isaac gasped; the substance surrounded him like foam, a mould which cast itself against every edge of his body. The blue was inside him, he was filled with it, his lungs burned for air as he suffocated. His eyes could see nothing but blue, his consciousness slipped away in the alarming presence of a solid, unending nothingness which held him in place. Was he sinking? He could not tell. His last thoughts were of the blue; he could think of nothing else as it wrapped around his mind, piercing its way into his psyche.
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He jerked awake, coughing and spluttering. He was inside the thatched hut, hanging restrained from the ceiling by his wrists and ankles. He coughed several more times at the sensation of the blue congealed in his throat, though there was nothing there.
“A satyr,” Wistor noted with disdain.
The words jolted his mind; Wistor was correct. His legs felt much more tense, more ready to release a leaping stride at a moment’s notice. They were warmer, covered in a coarse fur, and the feet which felt numb were now hooves. Presumably he had horns as well; he could not feel them.
“What is your name?” she asked.
“I told you, already,” he groaned, “it’s Yasik.”
That jolted the satyr awake. He should his head, trying to clear his mind. “No, I mean, Yasik. No… Yasik. I, ahh… Yasik. I-S-A-A-C. Yasik.”
“It’s okay,” she said, laughing, as Wistor tapped the roots which held Yasik in place. “It is your fey name. You will find it very hard to pronounce your mortal name in the Grove, especially here, so close to the nexus. You may share the same continuity of memory, but you are two separate people. Over time, you might even develop different habits and preferences.”
“That doesn’t… am I… are we really?” said Yasik, poking the tips of his new, stubby horns.
“The short answer is yes,” replied Wistor, shoving him in the back. “But don’t think about it too hard yet. You’ll come to terms with this over time. Try walking. You’re not used to your legs, yet. Don’t run, and don’t think about how weird they feel.”
“The Crepusculum has almost ended,” she said, apologetically. “You will have more time to adjust tomorrow. For now, we need you to leave this tree.”
---------------------------------------------------
Yasik wobbled down the front steps of what he now assumed to be the capital building. Wistor had been right; walking was easy until he remembered his feet were now hooves. As he expected, Itori was waiting for him outside. The sun was rising over the treetops… yet, unlike the sunrise he expected, this one seemed to slowly envelope the sky.
“So, what’s your name?” Itori asked. “Essec? Sykaan?”
“Yasik,” he replied, with a shrug. “Are our names always that similar to each other?”
“Well, yes,” admitted Itori, “but without last names and facial features, that’s usually enough of a disguise to protect your identity while still allowing friends to connect your two selves. So, what now?”
“What do you mean?” Yasik asked, confused. He was partially distracted by the sun, which had now consumed the entire sky with a dull, light yellow. The not-sun was now casting its pallor over everything in sight, creating the illusion that reality was slowly fading away. Well, Yasik thought to himself, it probably was.
“Well, when the Crep ends, you’ll be back at the frat party. Tony won’t be around to answer your questions, and you probably aren’t good enough of an actor to shrug off the post-Crep shift. You’ve got to act like no time has passed since you’ve been here, which means setting aside all of the events of today lest you act suspicious.”
“I… hadn’t considered that,” said Yasik.
“And then there’s the big picture,” he continued. “You’ll have to be at least somewhat diligent with that journal they assigned to you, but that’s no reason not to have fun here. I’d be more than happy to hang out with you and show you around, and I’m pretty sure Jaiknob would like to meet you, and apologize to you.”
“You’re right,” said Yasik, squinting to see Itori’s silhouette against the all-consuming light of the not-sun. He probably had less than a minute before the Crep ended.
“I guess I’ll…”
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| Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 7:07 pm Post subject: |
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Tempora Crepusculi - Chapter Eight
“I’m going to try and stay close to Alex,” said Yasik. “I don’t know how many of his frat brothers noticed the weirdness of tonight, but it seems like they leave him alone. I don’t think they’ll try anything funny to me if I’m around Alex; and anyway, he’d stand up for me if they did.”
“Well… yeah, that’s probably true, but would you please call Tony in the afternoon? I know that it’d be way too suspicious if you just left, but… Alex or not, I can’t begin to tell you how dangerous it is to be there. Especially Alex’s house.”
“Wait, what?” asked Yasik. “Why would that make a difference?” But Itori did not answer. He merely smiled knowingly as the increasing intensity of light blinded the world in a soft, pure whiteness. Yasik felt a brief moment of peace as he became one with the nothing.
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“-tell them to leave a friggin’ message. If you can’t call me at a decent hour, then don’t expect me to be sober!”
Isaac blinked in surprise. The shift back into reality had happened suddenly, and he felt a bit disappointed to be separated from the soothing white nature of the Grove’s sunrise. What was going on? That was Alex speaking, he had just said told him something about waiting for a call at midnight… so that was probably the rest of what he had been saying when the Crep interrupted him.
“Seriously, dude, are you okay?” asked Alex. “A response? Eye contact? Anything?”
“What? Oh, sorry,” replied Isaac. “I… it’s complicated. I appreciate your humor, I really do, it’s just…”
“Is Tony being prissy?”
“I…what?” Alex’s observation pierced through the white lies he had been trying to formulate as a cover story. Did Alex know more about the situation than he let on?
“Heh, I’m right, aren’t I? Well, you’ve been snubbing him more than usual over these past nights, and it seems like he’s been oddly clingy. Honestly, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think that Tony is gay for you. He’s like a queer little puppy, trying to follow your every move.”
“Well, that’s true…” replied Isaac. It seemed that Alex was clueless about the Crep, but really good about reading people’s feelings. It was a social skill that was both frustrating and useful. He wouldn’t be able to lie to Alex, but he could at least use easy to remember half-truths instead of invented stories about a psycho girlfriend.
“Don’t worry about it,” said Alex. “It’s just a phase. He’ll get over it once he realizes you aren’t joining the brotherhood. For all of his words, he hates the Greek life.”
“I… wait, I thought he was fine with you being in a fraternity. Has he approached you about it before?”
“Well… only in passing,” admitted Alex. “We’ve known each other since high school, right? When I decided to rush, he got really upset with me. It was worse when I pledged Mu Alpha Lambda. He came to terms with it a month or two later, but every now and then he’d get all awkward about it. When I got elected recruitment chair, he got prissy again. As if I was doing something wrong.”
“I…huh. I never noticed,” replied Isaac. “I mean, you guys are still friends, right? You don’t have problems hanging out with each other, right?”
“Oh, yeah, it’s fine. It’ll work out for you, too. He’s probably mad that you’re attending parties or something dumb like that. The moment he figures out that you haven’t changed, he’ll back off.”
“I’m not worried about that,” said Isaac. “He’s been-“
“How are we doin’ over here? Good night? Buzzed yet? We on for tomorrow, Alex?” Matt approached the two of them, pausing to rest his arm on Alex’s shoulder.
“Oh, hey, bro,” said Alex. “Yeah, we’re on. And I’m doin’ fine. Isaac here has got bromance issues, though. Dude insists on making a phone call at midnight. Can you believe that?”
“Really…” said Matt, staring at Isaac with cold eyes. “What an unusually specific time. I can’t imagine why someone would do that.”
“Yeah, I…” replied Isaac, staring at the floor. “I think he’s just trying to call in the middle of this party just to tick me off. But, midnight came and went and nothing happened at all,” he added, quickly. Was Matt acting suspicious, or was he just paranoid? “What about you? How’s the party been for you?”
“Ah, y’know,” said Matt. “It’s been good. I’ve been wandering around, seeing how everyone’s doing. Monica and Devin are back together. I give it a week.”
“You’re too kind,” said Alex. “Three days, tops.”
“Five bucks?”
“You’re on,” replied Alex, shaking the bet. “Have you seen Reggie around?”
“I haven’t, actually.”
“That’s because he’s passed out in the basement. He decided to follow up a five minute kegstand with some tequila shots.”
“Again?” said Matt. “It hasn’t even been two hours yet. The dude is embarrassing. I swear, if he…”
Isaac shook his head. He had no interest in the latest stories of people he’d never met before. He caught Alex’s eye, pointed at his phone, and pointed in the general direction of Alex’s room. He was tired, and all he wanted was to mull over the events of a very long evening.
“Oh, yeah sure,” said Alex. “No, wait, are you spending the night here? ‘Course you are, you’re drunk, and I’ve got your keys. I need you to sleep in the lobby tonight- If Devin’s back with Monica, she’ll be taking the couch. Roommate contract. Sex trumps. Sorry, dude.”
“Oh, ummm… I… well…” said Isaac, stuttering in alarm.
“It’ll be fine,” added Matt. “You can take the study room. It’s for books, not booze, so no one’s in there right now. My friends crash in there all the time. It’s semi-quiet, you should be fine.”
“I… okay, thanks,” said Isaac. He couldn’t leave the party; they had his keys, leaving him unable to unlock his own front door. He didn’t want to separate himself from Alex, but arguing the point would only further raise suspicions. It sounded like Alex had already made plans for tomorrow, which threw a wrench in his. There was no way he could justify cock-blocking Alex’s roommate without sounding creepy, especially since he wanted to act like the very tagalong that Alex had accused Tony of being.
He’d have to think about it later. He had obligated himself into leaving the room by pointing at his phone- if he tried to stall now, even Alex would realize that he was acting funny. With Alex’s room off limits, he didn’t have many options. Isaac retreated to the study, and laid down on the couch. To his pleasant surprise, he fell asleep within minutes.
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Isaac awoke to someone poking him repeatedly in the small of the back. He squinted around the room; sunlight trickled in through venetian blinds, reflecting off of the face of a grandfather clock into his eyes. It wasn’t even nine o’clock yet, let alone noon. He stared at a bookcase filled with fragments of six different encyclopedia sets. The study room of Alex’s frat. Right.
The stranger was still poking him. “Alright, enough, I’m awake,” said Isaac.
It was the creepy kid from before. “You need to leave,” said Jacob. “Now.” He held out his hand, revealing Isaac's keys.
"I...what?" said Isaac. "Alright, alright. Dude, calm down. Let me just..."
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Ihniwid Chapter 5 is up- find it here!
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