Tale of Four

Looking up at the wooden tower, Isis clenched her fists and took deep, angered breaths. ’Thankful to be a slave.’ She finally understood why Seth hated the place, why he could easily say it was worse than the Cras. Cras was terrible, stripping people of what made them people, but it was its own mercy in a sense, even if a terrible one. To make one thankful for their chains was worse in a twisted way. For a man who could say there was humour in tragedy, there was nothing to laugh at.

”This. Danmor.” Her teeth clenched. ”It shouldn’t exist.”

”No, but what can you do, Isis. You are a single woman, one who has seen much, but still a single woman. Cras has existed for nearly two hundred years. Danmor, over three. Many have tried before you, and all have failed.” Seth coolly said, following her gaze up to the top of the tower, staring at the crystal.

”I know.” Her nails dug deeper into her palms. ”And because of my arrogance, my selfish desire, I send Teja back there.” Seth rested a hand on her head and took a deep breath.

”You didn’t know. Stupid as it may have been, you didn’t know.”

”Does that make it better?” Isis looked up at him, ”Are you absolved of your sins because you didn’t know. I dragged her out of hell and pushed her back in, and all that is left is a page in my journal. Teja will live as a memory because of it, not a number, but at what cost?”

”Isis, there is no need to linger on these thoughts. This is reality. Some are lucky to be free, others are dammned to be slaves. Some are rich, some are poor.” Seth leaned closer with a mocking smile, ”And the Gods witness to it all.” Isis smirked and scoffed.

”Then what good are they?”

”They aren’t. It’s why you should hold none, worship none. Rather, curse them, mock them, spit on their name. Gods preach mercy, yet don’t follow their own teachings. They say to help your fellow man, but believe themselves above such rules.” Seth’s smile turned proud, ”My teacher understood the truth, that the Gods are not what they claim to be, but are the greatest liars to exist.” His gaze turned back to the crystal, ”Hate them, reject them, do not dream of salvation but create it yourself.”

Isis looked down and thought about his words. Looking back up at the tower, staring at the humming crystal, her gaze chilled. It was a beacon, one of oppression. To destroy it was an impossible task for her, but there was one thing she could do.

”You know runecraft, right?” Seth nodded and looked at Isis with a strange smile.

”Of course.”

”I assume you also know alchemy, as well?” Seth nodded, wondering where she was going.

”I had to learn for my own reasons.” Isis smiled and stared at Seth. Although she never studied the arcane or alchemy, she knew Magi who did, spoke to them and understood how they worked. When they travelled, they would never leave without materials.

”Do you have any seeds on you that you use as material? One that would grow soemthing huge and beautiful.” Seth chuckled and threw his bag over his shoulder. Sinking his hand in, he reached deep, deeper than the bag’s depth. Eventually, he pulled out a large, brown-and-white seed. Holding it out to Isis, he pulled it away the moment she reached out to take it.

”This is a rare thing, Isis. Why should I give it to you?” Seth said with a merchant’s smirk. Isis looked at him before looking back at the tower.

”It is horrid. No real sunlight, that noise it makes, what happens inside.” Looking around the city at the grey that towered, she frowned, ”No colour or beauty, just streamlined cruelty. Where is the joy in it?” Looking back at Seth and staring into his eyes, she smiled, ”I can’t destroy what this city is, Seth, nor can I end what it does, but I can leave a spark, leave soemthing for them rather than them for me.” Seeing her words hardly fazed him, she grabbed his collar and forcefully pulled him down, bringing his face an inch away from hers, ”Wouldn’t it be funny to leave some colour in this dull city. Make a tree grow where grass doesn’t exist.”

Her offer was the thing he was waiting for. Seeing his lips curl, Seth let out a short chuckle and shook his head, ”Not enough. We will be in grave danger. I won’t protect you if you bring it upon yourself. Not for free, at least.” Isis rolled her eyes and planted a soft kiss on his lips. There was no feeling behind it, nor a desire to make it anything more.

”A pretty lady’s kiss. Is that enough?” Seth stared for a moment, bewildered, before bursting into laughter, a sound likely never heard with Cras. Pulling away, he ran a hand through his grey hair and played with the seed in his hand.

”Has all my kindness finally got through to you?” Seth playfully said, touching his chest, looking to the sky, ”How could I ever refuse such a sincere display of emotion?” Clapping his hands, he chuckled, ”Deal. But escaping will be annoying.”

”I think we need an audience to make this work.” Seth smiled and nodded. Reaching into his bag again, he pulled a blue pen with a white tip, engraved with numerous runes that extended towards the tip. Looking around, he walked into the empty lot around the tower and took out his pistol. Crouching down, he held the barrel to the ground and pulled the trigger three times, finally piercing through the concrete floor. With a fourth shot, he burrowed a space underneath it.

”Give me time.” Sitting down, Isis watched as his face turned serious, placing the tip of the quill on the seed. The pen lit up just before he brought it close to the seed, arcane power spreading throughout it. Bringing it to the seed, he carefully drew over it, making sure never to press too deeply. Isis stared in amazement, never seeing such a serious side to him, his focus disturbed by nothing.

She couldn’t understand anything he wrote, but it didn’t matter; she was mesmerised by the work. People walking past watched in confusion, but said nothing, carrying on with their day. Ten minutes turned to twenty, which turned to an hour. Finally, he let out a tired breath and groaned, slipping the seed into the ground, pushing it deep into the mud underneath.

”Done.”

”What now?” Isis asked, making the old man smile.

”You said we need an audience. Cover your ears.” Turning to the tower, without hesitation, he pulled the pistol back out and shot the crystal. Quickly putting it away, he reached down and touched the hole in the floor, muttering in a language Isis couldn’t understand, the arcane power spreading out from his palm. Unlike when he did his rune work, she could see he was straining, struggling to do what he did, but still did so.

A second passed, and whilst he was on the ground, the faint humming erupted into a fury, the deafening sound within the tower exploding for the entire city to hear. Isis collapsed to a knee, as Seth’s face paled in an instant, but he didn’t remove his hand, finishing what he said before holding his hands over his ears.

Running off, Isis quickly followed as they hid in a nearby alley. Trying to fight against the sound. From the tower, numerous masters ran out, staring up at the crystal before looking around, trying to see who caused the issue. The empty lot around the tower slowly filled with masters, slaves, merchants and visitors as they held their ears, shouting curses at what was happening. Atop the tower, an old man walked out and touched the crystal, stopping the noise.

Seth pulled his hand away and looked at Isis with a smirk. Holding three fingers, he lowered them in a countdown, indicating for her to watch where the seed was planted. When he created a fist, the ground vibrated centred around the seed. The master closet was the first to notice the strangeness, and many believed it was the cause of the crystal acting up. Trying to find the source, they were seconds too late before the concrete ground broke, a tree shooting up through it.

Like a peacock, once the tree grew large enough, its arms spread, and with them, beautiful leaves that were otherworldly. Half of it, the leaves glowed white like moonlight, absorbing the terrible light of the crystal and changing it into something warm and comforting. On the right, they were a deep blue, with flashes of white inside, like a perfect midnight sky filled with stars. The tree grew nearly to be half the size of the tower, the surrounding ground destroyed with it as its roots spread.

Isis stared at the tree and reached for her journal, lost in a trance, staring at the tree and those who surrounded it.

’The humming has changed. Before, it was invasive, but as the leaves blow, the humming carried with it feels different. Moonlight and a starry sky, a tree, otherworldly yet before me. This beauty, only visible on a clear night sky, is seen by someone every day somewhere in the world. Seth never told me what it is called, but looking at it, only one name makes sense. Midnight Tree.’

Looking at the people staring at it, she carried on.

’And now those who didn’t even know true sunlight see it. They are as broken as they were before it sprouted, but maybe it will be enough to make them realise there is more in life than these grey walls.’

Closing her journal, Isis looked to Seth, ”Shall we leave?”

Seth stared at the tree for a moment, taking in the sight with a satisfied grin on his face. With a deep exhale of satisfaction, he nodded and turned. ”We better.”