A Weapon’s Serenade

“So, to learn you sit in these large rooms and a scholar tells you things?”

Serena nodded. “Yup, pretty much. There are other parts to it, like tasks to do at home and then compare with other students or get graded by the professor and exams every half a year. Melody had to do a laboratory experiment between lecture seasons this time and I would have gone out to sea with the other marine biology students if it hadn’t been for my heart.” She smiled. “That was certainly for the best though, I got to meet you.”

Isha returned the smile. “I am glad you did. I wonder if demonic education is similar to how humans do it.”

Serena shrugged and looked at Melody who returned a nod. “It has certain similarities. When there are enough students around, lectures are held like the humans do them. But these days, students are taught one on one by the scholars. Maybe, if enough sirens want to attend them, we might actually see lectures again.”

 “I am certainly interested and I’m sure there are others who would love to learn whatever they can.”

“I am sure we can coordinate when each topic gets dealt with and organize proper student groups then. That will be amazing even if some will have to wait for their field of study to come around.”

“That still sounds great, we have eternity after all.”

“True. Anything you would want to learn in specific?”

“For the most obvious, I want to learn how demons make their tools. I love what I do even if I can imagine doing something else eventually. Maybe learning about demonic history would be good too.”

“That sounds like a good plan. I want to continue what I am studying here, physics and consequently also the more advanced mechanics of reality.”

“A fascinating and important field of study to be sure. I’m not sure I’m smart enough for that.”

“I am very sure you are. You just need the right entry point. It’s like that for everything, you just need someone or something to open the door.”

“I suppose that’s true.”

“On a different topic, should we go get some food? It is getting late.”

Isha nodded. “Of course, yes.”

This was the moment Tiny, who had been discretely following the group, had been waiting for. Dinner. So, she approached Isha and complained at her to pick her up and carry her to the food.

Isha tilted her head. “Do you wish to join us, Tiny?”

Tiny meowed loudly.

“I take that as a yes. I suppose that was obvious, you have been following us all day. I almost didn’t think you would, you patient cat. Here, let me carry you. As a reward for having to deal with our antics.” Isha finally picked up Tiny.

Many hours later, the orator of the Isha’s siren school, recently turned into a demon as well, stood in the observation dome and watched the guardian outside. Nemesis flickered into existence beside her.

“Orator, I did not expect you here.”

“You are the demon inhabiting the flying machine, right?”

“I am, yes. Name’s Nemesis.”

“It is good to meet you.” The orator took a moment to ponder how to continue. “I need a name for the dry lands too. Our young pioneer calls herself Isha, correct?”

“Yes.”

“The dominating syllable of her name. My name should be Zia.”

“Zia. A lovely a name.”

“Thank you, Nemesis. Did you choose your own name or was it given to you?”

“I chose it as a goal, to be worthy of the same name as the strategist who won the second war against the angels. It is not that deed that inspired me but her words after the war ended. She wrote that it had to be her because she did not want anyone else to stain their hands with the blood shed in that battle. She would do what was necessary so others didn’t need to. It has not come to such a moment yet, but I hope that I too will stain my conscience so others don’t have to.”

“A worthy goal and a good reason to choose that name. So few words and you are already not what I expected.”

“And what, if I may ask, did you expect?”

Zia smiled. “A machine, to be blunt. An underdeveloped spirit operating on cold logic and the demands of her executor. You are none of that. You are Nemesis, you are your own.”

“I hope you understand how much that means to me.”

“I have a vague idea.”

“Good. I assume you didn’t come here to see me though.”

“No, that’s true, I came here to see the guardian. I gave what I knew when Focalor asked me about it but I had to see it for myself eventually. I was afraid of it and postponed my visit for too long.”

“That is why you are in here and not out there with it.”

“Exactly. Even just this glass gives me a sense of safety.”

“I must wonder, if what you told Focalor is true and this guardian enforces the divide between the beings of the oceans and what lurks in the trenches, shouldn’t it be a source of comfort? Its presence means you are protected.”

“The humans have a concept of law enforcement workers, humans that are supposed to ensure all act in accordance with the law. The guardian is like that, a presence that is only needed when something is wrong.”

“A fair assessment. Do you know what these things in the trenches are?”

“No. It is one of the few pieces of knowledge that is not handed down orally but was written down. We brought those writings with us but I have not read them. I was only told by my predecessor that an orator who knows any details is a sign of something bad having happened. The only thing we need to convey to others is the utmost importance of never diving that deep.”

“And if there is a reason for you to know more, that reason can never be good. Well, at least until now. For Hell, we know that the things that slumber in our depths are benevolent. Their existence is enigmatic to say the least, but any we have met had very clear intentions. They are dreamers who share their dreams with those who run into them. Dreams of what is, what was and what would be good.”

“You are right, maybe it is time to know.”

The guardian stirred. It didn’t do much, just rolled slightly to the side before rolling back. After a moment it did so again a few more times.

Nemesis and Zia watched the spectacle and shot each other concerned glances.

“What is it doing?”

Nemesis shrugged. “According to my sensors, it is just rolling. Wait, there is something else… look.” She pointed to a small animal in the distance.

“Is that one of those cats from Hell?” Zia sounded very confused.

“It is. I know that cat, its name is Tiny. What is she doing?”

Zia watched for a few more moments before finding an answer. “Playing. They are playing together.”

Nemesis stared at Zia in disbelief. “We tried everything to communicate with the guardian, even our telepathic Nightmares couldn’t establish contact and here is a cat just playing with it.”

“Playing in a way that implies communication. It’s almost like a dance.”

“That is amazing.”

Zia and Nemesis continued to watch for a while until the guardian decided to turn around to face the dome just as Tiny teleported inside. The cat shook itself dry and slowly blinked at the massive guardian who returned the gesture. Tiny then jumped onto one of the armchairs and curled up. Seemingly happy with the cat’s decision to nap, the guardian turned away again and returned to its protective stance of the dome and the portal.

Baffled, Nemesis and Zia just looked at each other for several minutes.

Eventually, the orator spoke. “It appears that our knowledge of many things is woefully inadequate.”

Nemesis nodded. “I couldn’t agree more.”

“I don’t know if we should just leave Tiny here on her own but I have a strong desire to, well, broaden my knowledge on the guardian and what’s in the depths. I feel left in the shallows a little…”

“Huh, one human language calls that ‘being out of your depths”. Fascinating that those two idioms converge like that. You are right though, I feel very underinformed too. I assume Tiny will be fine, the guardian seems to protect her.”

“It seems so, yes. I have never been to your library but I have heard great of it. Shall we go there?”

“Yea, we should.”