As much as I kept my head in the future, never living in the moment just like Sin and Art, I can't help but stop in order to fully allow myself to truly feel.
Oh how magic flowed around me. Like waves of soft light, endlessly twirling and flapping around. Forever and ever without an end.
It brings me back to the book I had been given to by Augusta. Where an exert of the textbook read as so;
"Magic is a force similar to gravity but works in its own way. It's more than the oxygen we breathe and more real than the concept of time itself. It's a force of life, an equation, but also a type of property. The fourth element that resides in the nature growing ever so extravagantly before our eyes. But unlike matter, it has no real end, like concepts. But it does run away with the force of the universe. Like two lovers, shaping the cosmos and galaxies they come across. Giving us life and energy. The power to lead and shape the world just like they."
But I have to focus and turn my attention to the next step. And his name is--
"Ezephyr. Where are we?"
He turns to me with his student's hat in his hand. A hint of sadness looming over his empty gaze. "My home. Where Augusta doesn't seem to be. Nor your elf."
"Ezephyr. I've always wondered..."
"Yes?" He sets the hat to a lone stool before turning to give me his full attention.
"Did you ever regret your choice?" I ask, eyeing him as question pushes his eyebrow to an arch.
"Which was...?" Ezephr's question trails away, as does his mind. His right wrist twitching nonstop until he holds it down with a deep breath. "The only thing I regret was getting caught."
I can't help but smile at his reponse. Such a storm was raging through his mind. Countless worries and plans. Yet the thing he had in his mind was complete passion for the betterment of his world.
"I don't mean to interrupt your chatter but I'm pretty sure the council will get here soon." Attor announces abruptly, resting his hand on my shoulder. "So let's wrap it up."
"Yes. Your little dragon friend, although seemingly just a head made of stone, is correct."
"What did ya say?" Attor barks, releasing his grip on me.
"Not the time. By now the dwarf has notified the council of our escape--"
"Nah, I heard what you said. You little fly..."
"....If we stay...."
"...Arsin?"
Their voices disappear into the distance. And I feel as if I'm drifting further away. The view of the inside of Ezephyr's cluttered home now within a small, squared picture frame.
"Out of sight. Out of mind." I recall, holding my aching head with a deep sigh.
Only with a quick glance at my surroundings do I not only see a dimly lit bar, sitting on a wooden stool with no person in sight, but I also catch no sign of magic. Not even through all my senses. So I come to the conclusion--
"This is a magical domain of sorts?"
Somehow, even though I am overcome by a strong desire to sleep, I feel the motivation to escape and also question my situation.
"You don't remember?" A raspy voice responds.
I pick up my heavy head only to be confronted by an alarming view of a broken Ezephyr. His face now full of cracks and his mouth spewing ancient curses out of pure anger. You could see it seep out in the form of glowing purple tears running down his cheeks as he clung to his open shirt, revealing the appalling sight of a gaping hole in his chest. Once seemingly sewn shut but forced open.
"Purple...a vision...You are the mad star, arent you?" I ask in realization.
"That's what many call me." Purple Ezephyr confirms, a quick bow of his head causes a mountain of purple light to fall. "Oopsie daisy."
"So what is this? A dream? A vision taking place in milliseconds? Another dimension?--"
The mad star grabs my face and forcefully turns me to face him. Not happy with me looking around I'm guessing.
"That Justice Gang's vigilante dream fairy put magical bindings on you. Some I was able to break but-"
I push him away from me. "Yes. I noticed." I growl, rubbing my cheeks with furrowed brows. "Make your point."
"Alright, alright. Impatient much?" He mumbles, patting down his robe. "I suppose it's fate. Your little friends trying to wake you up right this moment as I'm about to tell the truth."
"Good." I reply without hesitation, releasing my balled fists on the counter. "So far you've been nothing but cryptic and unhelpful. Useless, even."
"Hahaha, ouch."
"You're a mad star. In both of my past lives, I've never heard of you, but I have of your kind. You're very cryptic with an ego, yet sneaky and cunning. Giving responses to have me guessing till I go mad."
I lean in to stare at him as his body shifts to one more closed off with eyes trying to hide secrets. It makes me grin at how one attempts to do the opposite as the speaker says they are. Especially if it's an accurate description. So I continue.
"You- you're the classic red devil in disguise. Whispering sweet nothings into my ear while luring me into a trap through very loopy means." I say as I turn my gaze to a large painting of a man and woman dancing in a field of white poppy flower. Although they looked like they were having fun, they held ulterior motives as the lady held out a black cup to the man whilst the man held a dagger behind his hand.
"Like the painting?" The mad star asks, abruptly making his way to stand in front of it. Securing his safety behind the counter that now stands between us. "I once saw it in a market. Caught my eye."
"Extravagant." I mutter and hold up a finger. "But we're going off track. So let's dance back to the main stage, devil."
"Of course!" He leans against the counter, struggling to give me a grin.
"Ever since I was brought to existence, I knew nothing but confusion and pain. Anger and betrayal. I've felt heat burn my lungs like a freezing comet to a burning planet." I look at my fist, then at the mad star, before landing a strike.
The poor devil falls back against the floor, a puddle of the purple crashing against it.
"No!" He spits. "I-I thought you've forgotten.....That fairy saw everything...showed you..."
He inches back, smearing the wooden floorboards.
"I've given him, I've given them all, only what I want them to see." I then hold out my hand to him.
"Are you going to...?"
"Ha, no. I'm going to use you well. After all, you are the source of my magic." I wink to which he drops his gaze at in understanding.
"I see... The puppet master now turned ito a puppet by his own creation." He chuckles through clenched teeth. "What a mouthful."
"Yes. The creator's creation now turned against their God, blah blah. I don't want to ruin the whole story so let's cut this reunion short, alright? My friends are about to save me."
"I just don't understand. I don't understand everything..."
"And it'll stay that way. For your own good." I reply and just as the mad star was about to accept my outstretched hand, a much larger one intercepts. Cutting between us from above before scooping me out like a fish from a lake.
"We all forget dreams sometimes, dear. And those that don't fade, question reality."
Then I pop right out the Mad Star's "hidden lair", watching as it disappeared below me. Dissolving like curling dry paint fluttering into the wind until it was reduced to nothing but atoms.
"Arsin!" Attor shouts, immediately pulling me up to my feet.
"Have I been gone long?" I ask him, looking at the trees stretching above us as the rain trickles past the gaps.
"For a good ten minutes you were walking straight without stopping until Ezephyr pulled you out of wherever you were."
"I see..." I breathe, allowing for the cold rain to replenish me.
I even let out my tongue for a taste to quench both my thirst and my magic. And it tasted like normal water with a miniscule mixture of magic (tasted like pure sweetness).
"Art." Attor peeped.
I turn to him, shaking away the buildup of water that had pooled in my cupped palms.
"Yes?" But then I froze. "Wait, you called me ▇▇▇."
"Hm." He immediately huffed with eyes deep in thought. "Looks like I was right. You say anything about yourself or your past and this world censors it like some forbidden word."
"What do you mean?" I lie.
Attor holds up a hand. "Before we jump into the complicated, let me ask; what would you like to be called now?"
He switched topics as if wherever I have been, did not happen, as I suspected. Whatever that damned trickster does seems to fade from those unable to grasp such concepts, like sand in a storm. Even from one of such immense power, like a dragon. But he belonged to Art's world. So why?
I know why. I realize.
But now isn't the time to dawdle. I need the word.
"Curious of you ask." I gaze at the grass beneath us. Watching carefully as droplets bounced off blades of grass.
"Art?" Attor peeps softly. I then realize my mistake in my actions.
So I immediately pull myself from my blank state and clap my hands together.
A plan, I needed a plan.
I let out a laugh. Which seems to concern Attor--raise extreme suspicion--since he continued to eat silence.
"So far I have been tossed and tossed around. Uncovering so many things. Combined with two clashing personallties. Almost like fate, don't you think so?"
"Fate has been quite cruel to you so far. So yeah." He answers.
"Call me Arsin." I reach out for a handful of wet grass, observing the lines of mana within it become replenished by the water.
"Edgy." Attor notes. "Though it was always yo-- Art's style."
"I have a theory." Ezephyr jumps in, spooking the both of us.
"Wha-- about what?" Attor stammers.
"About Art and Sin, obviously." Ezephyr sighs to which Attor immediately shook his head.
"Who said that? We sure didn't! Right, Arsin?"
"Relax. He knows." I tell him.
"Hence these magical cracks on my body. Same as his." Ezephyr adds but Attor appears even more confused. "Ah...to put it in more simple terms: I was inside of him."
Silence.
A very long silence continues.
Until Attor breaks into sudden laughter.
"Inside of him, huh! Ooookay, I understand." Attor giggles, nudging me continuously.
"You may continue." I suggest and Ezephyr nods nonchalantly.
"Since you merged with Sin, a being from this fantasy world--you pulled our world into this one. Causing an event I now call The Great Collapse. I just don't know whether or not this world existed before or not. And I don't know how much has changed either. Or why it all happened in the first place. Except Sin."
"You think Sin had everything to do with it?" Attor asks.
Ezephyr nods. "Every conversation I peeped into has always pointed to Sin in some way. Every great mind only had Sin--"
"You can read minds?"
"Not really. That's a special dragon race thing." Ezephyr points at Attor. "I simply observed their memories and dreams. I visited the sites Sin has been to get anything. Even if it was a single clue."
"And what did you discover?"
"We discovered this." Attor jumps in, reaching into his pocket to pull out what seemed to be a crispy burnt scroll tied in place with a red ribbon. When he holds it out to me, pieces of the paper withers away. Not by physical intrusion, but by magic itself.
"I never seen seen magic like this either. No where else. In no other region. Not even in the forbidden areas."
I take the scroll, running my fingers over it with a curious gaze. "I'm not sure whether to be surprised at the fact that you two knew each other before me or why this scroll seems to defy logic."
"I just know the magic within it is strong and requires the maker, or descendants, to uncover its secrets." Ezephyr explains.
Indeed the burnt scroll did not wither at my touch. But it did give out a purple glow between the cracks of the paper. Magic eating away at the pages. And the cracks I smooth my fingers over does nothing but fog my mind.
"Arsin. It seems to react to you. Pull the ribbon and see if it lets you in." Attor whispers in awe.
"Okay." I mutter, turning the scroll around until I pulled the ribbon without hesitation.
Immediately after it opens, a tiny glowing symbol burned in my foggy mind. "I see a symbol in my mind." But then many images spring across my mind like flipping pages of a picture book at a pace no one could read. Flipping faster and faster until I closed the scroll. "What kind of scroll is this!?"
"Oooh!" Attor breathes, standing next to me with a chuckle. "It is a Telepath Scroll. A magic user takes whatever thought they want to record into a scroll using a magic technique and seal it in with a cloth from themselves. Used to be an ancient technique used by witches but anyone with magic can do it now. Although no one really does to be honest. Just old scholars and cartoonish villains. Or those who are at the verge of death, but that is dangerous."
"So you say." I frown, waving the scroll at him. "But if it opened to me, does that mean it was Sin's? Perhaps his family's? Or someone who wanted him to see it?"
"One question at a time, bro!" Attor whines before smearing the pout off his face with a grin. "It's good to see you again, Arsin. I mean it for real."
I give him a tiny smirk. "Despite this place being another fantasy world with strange unknown accents and languages, your slang and American-ness has remained the same." I acknowledge to which he rubs his nose at.
"'Course it hasn't changed. Otherwise, I'd not be me." He replies.
"America must be a wonderful place, huh?" Ezephyr wonders in a more stating manner.
But Attor and I shake heads.
"Not really. No." I answer.
"It's alright. Only pretty parks and stuff." Attor comments.
"Alright, I understand." Ezephyr jeers, turning to the open road ahead. "Rain seems to be lifting. You should take advantage and move to avoid detection."
"Yes, please. I'm tired!" Attor moans but I turn to Ezephyr with a raised brow.
"But you barely did anything." Ezephyr whispers, puzzled.
"Easy for you to say. Getting summoned and creating an exit takes a lot of magic and energy!" He argues, his tail lightly tapping my ankle.
I feel my brow twitch in annoyance, but suck it in and release it with a defeated sigh. "I agree. We all need rest. And so do you, Ezephyr." Although it may be wise for me not to.
Though Ezephyr continues to watch Attor and I walk off, wearing a rather regretful face while gripping his cane tightly.
"You plan on just standing there, wallowing in self guilt?" I ask.
"I know I said I'd rather be under you than the council's thumb, but I don't think I have much time." He replies, smoothing his fingers over the cracks on his face.
"It's just like the one under your eye." Attor suspires.
I nod in understanding. "Your body couldn't handle whatever has been hiding within me very well."
"Am I going to die?"
"I-" Before I can utter a word, Attor stands between us with an outstretched hand.
"I can tap into you and see what's wrong." He suggests softly, bringing his hand closer to his forehead without Ezephyr's rejection.
But he quickly intercepts.
"Death has no grip on me. Only a labyrinth of dreams and memories envelop my soul and mind. Some forbidden, others unbearable." Ezephyr tells, looking off to the side.
"I'll take that as a no, then." Attor then takes a large step back.
"I think you should come with us. Regardless of your state."
"Why is that?"
"Because you're going to be fine as long as you remain with us."
"Why should I? This unstrung instrument attempted to end your life. Put you through such deep psychological torture and imprisoned you!"
"Well, for one you've been inside of me--in a psychological way of course. Which is more than anyone has ever gotten before. And two, your intentions are true. I believe to a certain line, your path crosses with mine more than once. And three, you're a Dream Master and follower of the Goddess Aralaine. Isn't that more than enough to me? Regardless of your past actions?"
Ezephyr pauses. And then smiles from deep inside his thoughts. "I suppose only our future defines us. Which many fail to realize..." He acknowledges. "I know a place we can stay. It's not that far from here since we'll take a shortcut and it's quite different but it'll keep us hidden. AND it can hopefully provided us with answers."
He then speed walks ahead of us to lead the way.
Both Attor and I follow without hesitation, though I can tell he's hesitant. Which is strange given their history. Though, I can't blame him at all for questioning everyone.
"Do you trust him?" Attor whispers to me.
The question surprises me, despite my conclusion. But I nod, although unsure of the answer myself.
I trust him, it's only myself I don't trust.
"Yes, so go easy on him." I reply.
And a soft 'alright' is his only response before we continue.