Chapter 4: Chapter Four—Arrival

After weeks of being chased by the hurricane, the ship separated, and the sunlight broke through the clouds, illuminating the porthole's frame for the first time in a month. We learned from the weeks of incessant studying to prepare for the Archon Academy that our voyage would pass through some brutal storms. It felt like nature was throwing tantrums at us for daring to embark on this path. I wished they had made a detour at this point.

The ship had progressed closer to the equator, which allowed us to see the sun for a few hours a day where hurricanes were not trying to kill us. Any schedule regularity was dearly missed. Sure, we had clocks, but convincing my brain of these artificial concepts had little effect. The lack of daylight made keeping a sleep schedule challenging.

I looked for May—not in my bed again. She hadn’t visited me for almost a week. The feeling of my arm going numb every night from the pressure of her head was sorely missed. May's presence was all I needed to take my mind off of the monstrous waves crashing against the ship. Her confident words and soft touch pulled the worry from my soul. I had done nothing to make her upset, so her disappearance was unprompted—to my knowledge at least. When she was usually upset with me, she would distance herself. May came on strong and fizzled out just as quickly. She had been too affectionate lately not to take a break from me.

After tossing my clothes on, I made my way to the top of the ship, handling my emotions well. As I put my hand on the handle, my fingers trembled and cold sweat formed on the back of my neck. My pathetic self couldn’t muster the courage to do it. What did I think would happen? The last time I came to the top, I shook like a leaf.

“Going out?” I heard May’s voice behind me, “Want to go together?” she asked in her light blue dress with long sleeves.

I smiled at her as she stepped in front of me, opening the hatch. We walked out to the sun shining on the wooden deck as the light snowfall melted from its surface. I looked over at the giant glowing arch crossing from one end of the sky to the other in the distance. It reminded me of a white rainbow in a way.

“I can’t believe it. I finally got to see them. Eurus’s rings,” May said as she ran over to the boat’s railing gripping it tightly as she leaned dangerously over, gawking at the horizon. “Sure, you learn about it—b-but seeing it,” she finished, staring into the distance with complete awe. Her red hair fluttered in the air, glowing a soft orange, like embers dancing around a campfire.

Her words shifted my attention to the horizon from her beautiful face. “Once a year, marking the new year, the horizon of my homeland would glow for a few hours before vanishing. Father had told me it was the planet’s rings and that they slightly swayed back and forth from Eurus’s magnetic poles. Unfortunately, this signalled a host of temperamental storms for us and didn’t inspire any celebration.” I said as I turned to May, “they’re… interesting this close.” 

“Eurus’s rings are truly as destructive as they are beautiful. Wait until we get closer to the Royal land. It will look outlandish,” May said and returned to gawking at the horizon. She was leaning way too close to the edge, making me anxious.

“Maybe step back a little,” I suggested as May glanced over at me.

She hopped on the metal railing as her hair blew in the wind. “Are you worried about me, Cyrus?”

“May.”

“Would you jump in if I fell?” she asked, leaning back with a grin, and I stepped forward, trying not to pay attention to the ocean in the background—seeing the monstrous blue waves was still a terrifying experience. May teased me when she shouldn’t be, and this was not an innocent game. If she fell in, May would most likely be lost at sea.

As I approached to pull her away, she wrapped her arms around me, yanking my waist between her legs. 

“This is dangerous,” I mumbled as she used me as support.

“Try to relax a little, my friend.” May smiled, pressing her cheek to mine. “Put your arms around me,” she whispered into my ear, and I sheepishly obeyed. “You didn’t answer my question.”

May’s skin was so soft and warm that it reminded me of a gentle summer rain at home. These moments flustered me, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t like it. I hadn’t seen her much in the past week, leaving me desiring her attention, wagging my tail pathetically in hopes of mutual feelings.

“Why haven’t you been visiting my room?” I asked, completely disregarding her question.

May sighed, “lady things.”

“Cyrus,” Edwin said behind me.  May let go and jumped down from the railing.

I turned around, “Yes?”

“Come with me. We have things to discuss,” Edwin commanded as he stood in his green slacks and a loose collared shirt that was only buttoned halfway up.

May pulled on my shirt’s sleeve. “I’ll come by later. I promise.” She smiled, walking past Edwin with her skirt swaying side to side.

I followed Edwin in silence as we navigated to his office below deck. It looked more like a bedroom with pillows and a blanket scattered on the couch than a work area. His desk, however, was covered in papers and open books were filled with yellow highlights. He moved a mountain of books from a chair, allowing me to sit down in front of him. Edwin then walked around to his chair, putting his hands on its backrest.

“I have been reading about known elements. Trying to figure out what I felt when I surveyed you,” Edwin sighed, looking down at the desk. “There are seven core elements—Terra, Water, Wind, Fire, Spirit, Life, and Light.” He looked up. “You don’t have any of them but still possess anima and something else. Now having anima without an element is not unusual, but... I sensed something more.”

I glanced over at the half-eaten sandwich; I was obsessed with this soft dried meat the kitchen cooked, and adding bread with cheese to it was a combination I never knew I needed. “Are you going to eat that?”

Edwin paused, slowly taking his glasses off, staring at me in disbelief. “Are you listening?”

“Yes, but I would listen more with that sandwich,” I said as he rolled his eyes.

“Eat it,” Edwin said, irritated. He walked over to the window, looking out at the ocean. “I see your disinterest, but I have a proposition,” he said, glancing over at me, “I think it will interest you.”

“So perceptive, Edwin. It’s as if you’re a mind reader,” I mocked, taking a bite of the sandwich. Some meat fell onto the floor. “Shit,” I mumbled, picking it up and tossing it in my mouth.

Edwin pulled the chair to sit and leaned back into his chair and focused on the ceiling, “Cyrus, I know you’re intelligent, possibly a genius. From your behaviour and disinterest to life these last few weeks. But unfortunately, you were born into the world to suffer a life of normalcy to the point of monotony. You try to act dull-witted because your strong point is manipulation. Do not take offence to my words. Your manipulation is harmless, but apparent enough for me to know the theatrics when I see them.”

I finished the sandwich, dusting crumbs from my hands. “Wonderful talk, Edwin,” I said, getting up. This man thought he was so intelligent, but the reality of the situation was I didn’t care. Manipulation required effort, and there was no energy in my actions. The event unfolded as they did, and I just followed the direction without thought.

“Does May know you act like an idiot around her?” Edwin asked. “Her cute, naïve little brother is what you’re playing at,” he finished, raising his eyebrow.

“I do not know what you’re talking about.” I stared at him, hoping he’d let it go.

Edwin shook his head. “Drop the act. You know May would be put off by the real you. This childish act is but a mirage.”

I rolled my head in annoyance. “Look, Edwin, whether you are right or wrong, does it really matter? What was your proposition before?”

Edwin let the silence hang for a moment. “Let me teach you how to control your anima, possibly allowing you to discover your element. Then, I can tutor you so when you get to shore. You will not fall behind.”

He just didn’t stop talking. This man loved the sound of his own voice. Asking questions as if I had a say in any of this. “May and I—”

“That’s cute, May and you. Have you told her you’ve already memorised every word on those pages?” Edwin leaned forward, “I will make sure May stays close to you at the academy, and I promise she won’t be a battlefield medic—”

“Deal.” I thrusted my arm towards him trying to get him to shut up. I didn’t trust his words, but I also didn’t feel like listening to him try to convince me anymore.

Edwin didn’t bother to stand up and smuggly grabbed my hand, “I will continue the tutoring after we arrive, as you will see a lot of me at the academy.”

“Just keep expectations low,” I said, walking towards the door. I wasn’t excited about the idea of Edwin being a teacher. Is he even old enough to teach? I certainly wasn’t looking for a mentor—My hand froze as it grasped the doorknob, “How old are you?”

“Twenty-nine.”

“Interesting.” I said indifferently.

“What?”

“Nothing,” I said, sliding open the door and leaving.

Honestly, I took Edwin to be much older with how he talked and acted. I wasn’t sure of the angle he was playing at here. I thought he might mistake my awkwardness for something grander than it was. He was, however, somewhat correct on the part of playing dumb around May. I found myself toning down my demeanour with her. I enjoyed letting May feel like the smartest person in the room. She’d maintain eye contact with a smirk in the corner of her lips, waiting for me to shift my gaze, giving her the satisfaction of submission. I rarely met people I couldn’t figure out, but May confused me. She would flirt with me and then not carry that emotion in her actions. I could only describe it as hollow teasing, but that could also be me overanalyzing everything.

“Hello, love,” May said lying on my bed in her blue dress. 

I blankly stared at her. She had never called me… Love. 

“Cyrus, you don’t have to stand there all day, speak l-l-less in your head and more out loud,” May pouted while patting the bed.

 

***

Bad things happened to me, and I kept choosing to make my life more and more miserable; I didn’t think I deserved this torture. Or maybe my problem was that I often compared terrible things to minor annoyances with the same energy. But, at this moment, I couldn’t choose what was worse; Edwin going on for hours without an end in sight about magica or me starving on a slave boat—at least dying had a destination.

Edwin coughed. “Are you listening?”

“Yes. The answer is forty two,” I yawned. “Teaching me mathematics is a waste of time. I’d rather just read the book and familiarise myself.” 

Edwin snapped the book shut. “Your intelligence is infuriating.”

“Are you not a genius?” I scuffed.

“I am, and now, I am questioning how I act around others,” Edwin said, as his eyes twitched in annoyance.

“I am saddened.” I said, sighing. 

Edwin would oddly ask about my feelings on various subjects and would request that I elaborate. I was sure I ended up over-sharing, finding myself getting deeper into the conversation. Edwin had such a way of putting things into a logical perspective. When I would put my guard down, we had rewarding discussions that lasted hours.

“Why?” Edwin tilted his head. 

“Numbers explain all the mysteries in this world. I can no longer pause to wonder and bask in the idea of the unknown. Everything has an explanation. I’ve lost as much as I've gained by prying into matters better left unknown. My sense of awe is broken,” I sighed again.

“Yes, it’s a burden. But that’s why chaos is a comfort in a world with too many answers.” Edwin sat down at his desk. “A mystery without an explainable truth is exciting… but there is always truth. And, unfortunately, facts don’t cater to your emotions.”

I just stared down at the floor in boredom from today’s lessons. Edwin was so monotone that it made me want to beat my head against the wall. “We’ll be at the shore in a few hours, correct?”

Edwin nodded, looking over at the window. The ring was almost just a line in the sky, signalling our closeness to the equator. Eurus belt was underwhelming at this latitude, but for its shadow, that would pass once a year. Nevertheless, travelling through the silhouette was an exciting experience.

The metal railing froze over, and we could see our breath for around twenty minutes before slamming into a wall of warm air and a hurricane. I, of course, had flashbacks for a few days, which debilitated me in bed until the storm stopped.

“Eurus is massive. It truly is a marvel of nature,” Edwin said, pushing his glasses up his nose.” I don’t think my awe will ever escape from that feeling.”

“I’ve been doing those exercises,” I said, putting my hand in the air as a coffee cup flew off the desk to my palm. I set the cup on the desk edge. “But I can’t push things.”

Edwin became visibly irritated, you could almost see the veins on his shiny forehead throb as he forced the gears in his brain to work overtime. “I have no idea what element this is. At first, it seemed like wind, but that’s not what’s happening,” Edwin said, getting lost in thought. “Anima leaves a trail, and I can see it. However, moving the cup leaves no trail. It actually devoids the anima from the area,” he said, scratching his chin, thinking.

“So anima is just floating in the air.” 

Edwin nodded. “Anima is in many places. However, it is most abundant in the atmosphere. Similar to oxygen. You replenish most of your anima through breathing.”

“Interesting”—I stood up to stretch—“I’m going to rest until we arrive,” I announced, leaving the office while Edwin sat lost in his thoughts. I rushed today’s lesson just to let him dive into the unknown roadblock by himself, or I would end up listening to him be overly analytical for hours on end.

While packing my leather bag, I noticed May slide into the room out of the corner of my eye. She peeked beside me, whispering, “Hello.” 

I glanced over at her with her hands behind her back in a strappy white sundress that stopped slightly below her knees. I was honestly glad she had dropped the church attire. “Hello,” I returned, pulling the strings of the bag.

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May frowned. “You’re acting w-weird.”

“Can I be honest, and you not think less of me?” I sat down on the edge of the bed, letting out a long sigh. 

“Of course, Love,” May said, stepping between my legs, hugging my head to her collarbone. She took one of her hands and began petting my head.

“I am nervous about what happens off this ship. What will happen between us?”

May laughed, “So that’s how you choose to open this discussion, Interesting. I’m pretty sure you already sold your soul to Edwin to fix that issue.”

I pulled away from her embrace, staring up at her. “How did—”

“Edwin is quite the person. He asked me before if I would be comfortable with him keeping us close. He said he didn’t want me to be in an uncomfortable position with you,” May said with a smile, patting my head. “Which is impossible. But—” May cupped my cheeks, “you don’t need to h-hide things, Cyrus.”

“It seemed… creepy after I thought about it for a while—what if you fancy someone at the academy? The book I read said something about over a hundred thousand students attending it throughout the year. That’s many people for you too—”

“Would that make you jealous? You know I can’t marry right,” she interrupted me and shook her head.

“That is not what I mean. I am under no illusion…  I know most women of the church don’t practise abstinence.” I stared deeply into her eyes, trying to gauge her reaction.

May shifted her gaze to my lips. “Do you love me, Cyrus?” 

Those words sent me to my feet, causing May to stumble back as I grabbed my bag and quickly stepped around her towards the door. Jolene ambled in at that moment, and a rush of relief flowed over me as I met her at the door. She looked at me oddly, of course.

“You okay? Your face seems flustered,” Jolene chuckled.

I nervously coughed, “Yes. I am fine.”

May walked over, bumping into me. “Are we close?”

“Very. The city will come into sight soon,” Jolene said, pointing towards the lobby, “let’s go watch.”

We walked to the upper deck, and May stayed close to my side, bumping into my arm a few times. When she asked that question, her face was… disturbed, bothered. I am not sure how to explain it, but it didn’t make me feel good. Now she was glued to my side, probably feeling guilty about her reaction.

I gazed up at the giant steam stack blowing a thick cloud out as the pressure lowered. The blueprints of this ship were a technological masterpiece. It was considered the fastest sea vessel at the time, and I’d seen why. The ship travelled up to forty knots even in rough weather.  

As we arrived at the boat’s railing, I noticed the prodigiously sized city hugging the white-sanded coast in the distance. The vast beaches slowly moved into a thick tropical jungle. I was excited to see palm and coconut trees. Unfortunately, my island only had pine and oak foliage, which were rather dull. The shore was also very thick and rocky at home. Father had talked a few times about the soft silky sand at Rosia beaches.

In the distance, stood a mountain that touched the clouds. I read about this god-like mountain that was actually an active volcano. It sat resting four decades before having small eruptions that sent iron-rich magma down the side—supposedly, there were humans called Dwarfs that had built into the side of it and created an immense city deep underground. They supplied most of the world’s refined metals that were only sold through The City of Rosia, giving the crown a death grip on the other nations’ supply.

Dry, hot winds blew strongly, tossing May's hair around, and I got caught staring at her. I quickly looked away, wiping the sweat off my forehead. This was the warmest temperature I had felt on this trip. The outlands were in a wind stream that ran through The City of Rosia, which allowed us to experience the cold season without snow. Solace winters were pleasant, but the storms and hurricanes, getting caught in the current, plagued us. 

There were enormous castles in the distance, with moderate-sized buildings packed to the base of the towering structures. It wasn’t until we got closer that the size of the city was apparent. The medium size buildings were massive and calling them anything but was an insult. This, in turn, made the castle a titanic wonder that somehow fought the laws of nature.

The boat took almost an hour to arrive at the docks where other ships that made this one look pathetic sat. The giant floating metal structures had men and women loading crates into the hulls like ants carrying food into their homes. There was barely any room to walk on the deck to the city.

The mediaeval architecture we approached was covered in copper pipes and smokestacks shooting out of the brown shingled roofs. Some buildings had gears rotating on their exterior for a purpose unknown to me. It was as if someone took the inside of our boat and slapped it on these tan brick structures.

May and I stayed quiet the whole way to shore, staring at the unbelievable city. We were too busy in our moment of awe. I didn’t think I’d be this impressed as the ship docked and the colossal metal segment from the side slammed into the ground. A crowd of men filed over the bridge to the steel-enforced dock leading to the city.

“So, they couldn’t put that down for us?” May complained.

I laughed, “No, they wanted us almost to die climbing that flimsy wood ramp.”

“That deck couldn’t hold the weight of a ramp that size,” Edwin said, as he arrived next to us glancing down at the sea of men leaving the ship. “But I agree that ramp was a horrible substitute.”

“Are we ready?” Jolene asked, smoking an almost finished tobacco roll.

“Those are bad for you, and yes,” Edwin replied, and Jolene rolled her eyes at him.

She flicked the bud into the water below. “I’m here for a fun time, not a long time.”

“Clearly,” Edwin mumbled as we made our way to the lower deck and out the ramp as men unloaded supplies from the hull.

Edwin surveyed the area, looking for someone before a man waved at him, standing next to what I was waiting so eagerly to see; a steam car. I abruptly went over to the car, passing everyone before touching the black glossy surface of the hood with golden trim. The seats inside the cabin were a velvety maroon colour. I dropped into a squatting position, touching the wagon wheel with rubber tubes around it. It  didn’t quite feel what I imagined rubber would be like, but it was an exciting experience, nonetheless.

“He’s… from a low technology region,” Edwin said as the man smiled, leaning against the car as I ran my finger along the copper pipe coming from the engine bay.

“It’s cool, isn’t it?” The man said with an accent, putting his hand out. “I’m Ricky,” he smiled, chewing something.

I stood up, “Cyrus,” grabbed his hand, and shook it.

Ricky walked over, opening the back driver’s side door before motioning us in. “Let’s go,” he said, grinning.

May gave me a gentle push as we both jumped into the back of the car, sitting on the soft couch-like seat. The inside of the car was tiny. Jolene got in, pushing May onto my lap as I looked forward, not making eye contact—I was still embarrassed about earlier.

Edwin got in the passenger side, glancing at me in the rear. “You were a last-minute addition,  sorry not sorry.”

I just kept silent as May sat on my lap with her hands folded and everyone closed their doors. Ricky turned the car on, letting it warm up before taking off towards the city. The engine’s rumbling was off-putting—the entire vehicle sounded like it would be engulfed in flames at any moment… and that concerned me.

Ricky was an interesting man, from his accent down to his clothes. He wore a grey three-piece suit with a beret matching the colour. He constantly shouted at people getting in the way, yelling obscenities at them. Edwin was visibly embarrassed at his outbursts, putting his hand over his eyes.

After waiting in a long line of cars and carriages, we came to a giant gate. A man put his palm up, stopping the vehicle. Ricky handed papers to the guard in a charcoal uniform. A couple more guards came over to inspect the car. They checked under the vehicle before looking at me through the window. The guard stared at Ricky before looking down at the documents, nodding his hat at him, and we proceeded into the tunnel. 

“The police are really monitoring the gates,” Ricky said, glancing over at Edwin.

Edwin moved his glasses up his nose and said, “You know why.” 

“Actually, I don’t. The government is secretive, and the King doesn’t seem like he wants to be King anymore,” Ricky replied, shaking his head.

“I’ll discuss this with you later,” Edwin replied, looking out the window as we passed through the dark tunnel leading to the city on the other side. The city’s walls were unnecessarily thick. Nothing was going to make it through them.  

We sped down the red brick road, passing wagons being pulled by horses and a few other steam cars as we came out the other side. Owning a vehicle wasn’t ordinary. Carts were still a substantial part of the daily commute in this city. Yet, surprisingly, the horses were unfazed by the engines zooming past them, and by no means was the steam-powered machinery quiet.

The sea of the buildings was impressive, spanning up to a couple of hundred feet. Structures this large couldn’t exist on my island. The winds would have toppled them easily, putting an end to their gravity-defying taunt. Copper pipes ran up the sides like vines, with no particular meaning to their flow. As Edwin had described it, the anachronistic design really did clash with the old architect—I was curious to see the inside of these buildings.

It seemed like an eternity had passed before we arrived at the metal building resembling a warehouse with two men standing at the back door. 

Edwin looked a bit nervous as Ricky leaned closer to him. “I hope this thing is worth dealing with these… types of people.”

Edwin looked back at Jolene. “Make sure Cyrus is kept safe,” he said, glancing over to May. “And the church girl too, I guess.”

Jolene huffed, “You guess?”

Ricky and Edwin got out of the car as the men in black suits and fedoras approached them. They exchanged words I could not hear. The four went into the building, and Jolene rolled the window down, pulling out another roll with matches, lighting the tip. She took a big hit, blowing the smoke out the window, clicking her nails on the door’s armrest.

“You’re nervous,” I said as she turned to me, blowing smoke towards May and me.

“We’re fine,” she replied, returning to the window. 

May looked at my reflection in the window, worried. “That is not what I asked,” I said as another uniformed man put his hand on the locked door handle.

“Oy, boy open,” he said, and I cracked the window.

“Sorry, I am not supposed to talk to strangers.”

The man ripped the door off, tossing it behind him. Jolene leaned back into her headrest and sighed deeply. 

“I wasn’t asking,” he said.

The man's hand appeared as if it had been dipped in melted silver before slithering to his finger and solidifying into a ring.

Jolene’s head turned unsettlingly slow as her piercing brown eyes stared past me to the man. Seeing her become serious sent chills down my spine. 

“You really thought you could take on an actual hero?”

The man’s head slid off his body, spraying blood into the air like a fountain, drenching May and me. He fell to his knees before slamming into the ground as I saw his heart give a few last pumps. I slowly looked up to Jolene standing behind the body covered in blood with pure excitement.

Jolene’s face fell from excitement to neutral. “This is going to be so much paperwork,” she moaned, putting her hands behind her head. 

May sat staring down at the body with blood splattered on her. Her brain couldn’t process what had happened as multiple emotions took over her face, from fear to disgust. While this was all genuinely disturbing, I was more shocked that Jolene was a hero.

Another man in a black suit touched Jolene’s shoulder, and she rolled her eyes in annoyance as the two disappeared, leaving a thunderous sound behind.

“Cyrus, where did she go?” May panicked, sliding off my lap to Jolene’s seat in shock.

I nervously swallowed, “I think that was teleportation magica—” I said as a hand grabbed my shirt collar, tossing me out of the seat, slamming me into the bloody ground. I lifted my face from the road as blood dripped off my forehead and into my mouth, Spitting the bloody sputum on the brick, not sure if it was my own or the dead man’s. However, it probably didn’t matter since it seemed likely mine would join soon. 

“Come here, girl,” the man grinned, reaching for her ankle as she kicked her legs away from his hands at him from the other side of the car. May yelled at the man to stop as I stumbled to my feet. He yanked her out aggressively into the street, which sent her rolling across the blood-painted streets. May’s now dark red hair was stuck to her face. She looked down at her white dress, soaked in blood, indicating early signs of her falling into shock. The man walked towards her as she stared at him, petrified.

I mustered the energy needed to sprint towards him, slamming into his side, causing him to stumble. He took his focus off May, staring down at me on the ground—I thought I would do a little more than pathetically bounce off him.

The man laughed, slapping me in the face a couple of times as I stumbled to my feet. I thought that by this time, I deserved at least a punch. The slaps were beginning to hurt my ego… was I so pathetic that people couldn’t bring themself to punch me?

I tripped over the beheaded body and fell to the ground. The man grabbed me by my throat with both hands, picking me up as I dangled in the air. His grip tightened around my throat, and I felt myself gasping for air as my surroundings began getting blurry and my vision darkened. I felt my heart rate pick up as my chest burned, and I clawed at his forearm, attempting to dig through the black suit. Desperation set in as I tried to kick him, but there was no power in my fading strength. A burning flesh smell started filling my nostrils as the pain of what was happening set in. The man’s hand was smouldering my neck as his copper eyes glowed an illuminating blue. It wasn’t long before I passed out from the lack of air or the pain of my skin melting.

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