Moments before the sun peeks over the horizon, amber eyes awaken. At some point or another, he had fallen asleep. They both had.
Sirius' back is pressed against the damp bark of the large tree. Droplets of water fall from the hanging leaves. The sky is a dark, deep shade of purple. Instead of the normal black night he's used to, the world is a beautiful violet.
As his eyes adjust, he notices the ground is glowing. Each blade of grass is lit up in a luminous light blue. The draping leaves of the tree flourish the same neon. Sirius stumbles upright and takes his gaze over the cliff.
What once was a bland and dreary sight now sparkles with shining color. Gone are the basic greens he's grown accustomed to. All is replaced with lustrous beacons. Sweeping fields of brilliant cerulean, colossal trees comparable to distant disco balls. The lavender sky mixed with nature's glowsticks repaint the dull scene.
It's beautiful. Breathtaking.
The terrain is truly out of another world. Tiny insects buzz past, flickering golden lights from their bodies. Sirius sits down on the cliff's end and surveys the world in awe. It's the most stunning sight he's ever seen.
Having only just awakened, he considers if it's all just a dream. His hands brush the soft, shimmering grass. Their texture tells him he's awake. Very much so. He's never felt this level of consciousness in a morning before.
Reality begins to set in. So much has been happening, he's barely been able to take in the fact that he's not on Earth. It didn't seem real. It doesn't. But seeing this sprawling landscape, it all comes crashing onto him.
Gone are the endless cycles and numbing routines. Gone is school. Gone is his vacant room. Gone is his suffocating home life. Gone is his family. Gone are the people he wanted to get away from.
Gone are his shackles.
Gone is his old life.
The edges of his lips almost curl into a smile. He absorbs this moment into his soul.
...
There is a quiet rustling in the grass behind him. Korlin's honey eyes awaken to the same marvelous view. The boy props up and takes in his surroundings. His pupils widen along with a smile.
Korlin spots his companion sitting on the edge. He trudges up the incline, taking in every blade of grass; he even stuffs a few in his pocket. As he approaches Sirius at the top of the cliff, the world's majesty traps his breath.
The beautiful parade of purples and blues color his heart. His jaw drops and tears well in his eyes.
This.
This is what he's always dreamt of. A real, breathing fantasy world that he could be a part of. No worries about his past, no worries about his present... Only his dreams of what the future holds in a spectacular world.
It's everything he's ever wanted.
The spellbound boy falls to his knees and rests beside Sirius. His body is highlighted by the surrounding glow.
Two boys, both of differing upbringings, now sit together after their deaths under stars they've never seen. They marvel in silence, minutes passing in what feels like seconds. No words could fit this moment.
So they say none.
...
Suddenly, a golden hue bathes the terrain. The blazing ball in the sky creeps out from behind the distant mountains. Breathtaking violets wash away and transition into vibrant pinks and pale blues. The luminous glow of the grass and trees fades into their shineless, base colors. Greenery ripples across the fluorescent fields like a wave in the ocean.
Traces of translucent blue linger, but they are swallowed by the sun's rays. While the moment has passed, the boys remain awash in wonder.
"I can't remember the last time I've watched a sunrise." Korlin's voice is groggy, but brimming with fulfillment.
"Me neither..." Sirius' sound reflects the world's warmth. "It's a shame... sunrises have always been prettier than sunsets to me."
"You think so too? I've never met someone who thought that as well."
Both of them smile genuine smiles.
"Sunsets give me a saddening feeling, while sunrises... they show me... maybe today, it'll be different. Maybe today, it'll be better. It'll be okay."
The calm serenity is heightened by the passing breeze.
"...I was thinking more about how the colors are prettier, but there's that too."
Together, they laugh.
The chill morning is filled with sounds of laughter and happiness.
⧗⧖⧗⧖⧗
After stretching and helping each other crack their backs, they decide it's time to head back into the city.
Making their way through the rusty gate and narrow passage, Sirius' words echo off the walls.
"So, I kind of ran off yesterday, but did the Timekeeper say anything else?"
"I knew you'd come around to the name Timekeeper."
"I doubt you got his actual name."
"You would be correct." They exit the tunnel and emerge back into the waking town. "Timekeeper did tell me something, or rather, he gave me directions somewhere."
"Directions? Did he give you a map?"
"No! He didn't! That man is unbelievable. He literally only told me the street name and shape of the building."
"Wow. Does he not know we can't read?"
"That's what I was about to ask before he said he had to go. Old people these days..." Korlin is on the verge of laughing. They enter a main road; only a few people are up and about.
"Where does an old guy like that even have to go in such a hurry?"
"Who knows... he did say something about not being out past dusk or something."
"Huh..." Sirius doesn't give it much thought. "So, why the directions?"
"He basically told me that there is some guy named Alzir that can give us more information."
"Information? On our memories or...?"
Korlin shrugs his shoulders and whips his arms in the air. He clearly does not know. "No clue, but we have nothing else to do." As if reacting to his statement, both of their stomachs rumble. "Dude. I don't think I've eaten anything since coming out of the ground."
"I haven't either, besides the gummy. I guess we should find a place."
Hunger hadn't come to mind; they'd been rather preoccupied. For two nights they starved unknowingly. The only thing they've had to drink is some water Gary gave them.
As the hour hand of their watches passes the budding flower, the morning streets fill with magic. Both symbolically and literally.
Shopkeepers light up stores with bursts of fire from their fingertips. Living blobs of slime divide themselves into smaller pieces and use their smaller pieces as a staircase, up a staircase. A kid grinds through the air on a rail of ice produced from his palm. A group of girls fly overhead and land on the rooftops, walking casually across. Hair-covered men spray water from their palms, seemingly cleaning the streets; another man follows behind, drying the road with wind magic. A line of small men phase through the front door of a building. Is that why doors are rare?
Besides the magical beings, unmagical people thrive as well. Merchants set up and open their colorful stalls. Mothers wave children goodbye and send them off into town. Is there a school nearby? Citizens walk upside-down beasts resembling dogs in a park. Everyone goes about their lives, just like any other town.
The capital of Lunalir, Auretta, is a massive city. The sheer size of the place would lead one to believe finding a restaurant of some sort would be a piece of cake. They would be wrong. Especially for two illiterate boys who arrived a mere two days ago.
Attempting to translate the sign on a shop, Korlin determines one to be a grocery store. Upon entering, a long set of stairs leads to an underground battle arena. Korlin, thrilled by the sudden development, nabs the money from Sirius' pocket and tries to bet on a fighter. Sirius steps in and drags Korlin from the establishment. Parenting is rough.
After many failed attempts, they catch the scent of grilled food and find an eatery. It's structured along the lines of a diner. A cozy interior with round tables and beast-folk waiters. They are taken to a table and handed a menu with only words, no pictures. They both examine their menus as if they can read them.
"Psssst, Sirius." Korlin doesn't want anyone else to hear him. "What do we do? I can't read this."
"I don't know-"
"Have you decided on anything?" A waitress with a tail and stubby ears atop her head approaches them.
Sirius unconsciously throws on a polite tone and face.
"Hm, we can't seem to decide. It's our first time here. Is there anything you recommend?"
"You're really good at that..." Korlin whispers, shocked by the boy's performance.
"Of course, today's special is grilled trawlgills, caught in the surrounding waters of Esflowna's Tomb. But for a personal recommendation, I'd suggest the Kindnel's Charcoal. It may look unappealing, but it is absolutely delicious!"
"I'll go with the trawlgills," Sirius replies, a smile breaming off of him.
"I'll try the charcoal!" Korlin is very excited.
"Alright, I'll go put those in."
The waitress walks off. She didn't even bring drinks. Sirius' facade collapses the moment she steps away.
"Look at you mister sociable."
"Hm?"
"Ah, nothing..." Korlin sways side to side in his seat. "Hehe, my body is ready for food."
"Esflowna's Tomb... huh?" Sirius mirrors the ladies' words. He can't help but be curious.
"That's got to be some crazy lore, right?!" He slams his hands on the table, his eyes bursting with enthusiasm.
"Must be, we really need to learn more about this place."
"Hey man, one thing at a time, alright? For now, let's just take in this fabulous restaurant, and soon-to-be amazing food."
He says it with such confidence that it's hard not to feel uplifted.
Some glasses of water arrive. Then, their food. It, in fact, does not look amazing.
On Sirius' plate is a large fish, fully skinned as if it wasn't killed and cooked. Its gray skin is webbed like it's been indented by a net. The only thing is, it looks natural, it must be the fish's natural anatomy. The beady, black eyes stare at Sirius, it almost comes off as... judgmental.
"This thing looks like it's judging me." He pokes at the fish with a utensil resembling a knife. "I don't even like seafood..."
"Yeah, that's a real shame..." On Korlin's plate is what looks to be a pile of rocks. Fairly sized, black rocks, all stacked on top of one another. "There is no way this is edible. This has got to be a health-code violation."
"She did say it didn't look good but is delicious. You should at least try it."
"Delicious, my ass! This is actually charcoal! I thought it was just a weird name..." Korlin sighs and prepares himself for this meal. He hides behind his glass of water. "Alright, fine... let's do this."
Sirius cuts off a piece of the fish and Korlin takes a rock to his mouth. They each take a bite.
Upon hitting their tastebuds, a swarm of wonderous flavors floods their mouths. An onrush of savors they've never tasted before and textures new to their rebirthed tongues.
"Holy... this is probably the best thing I've ever tasted." Sirius continues to consume the trawlgill, every single bit of it.
"I'm almost a hundred percent sure this is an actual rock. But this... this is heaven on my virgin tongue." A tear forms in his right eye, it's a bit dramatic. The thought-to-be rocks crumble and melt in his mouth, coating it in exotic flavors.
They swap their plates and try the other's food. They devour each and every bite of their first meal. It is glorious.
"Man... that was some life-changing shit right there."
"I feel like I've transcended into a higher plane of existence."
"Did you enjoy your meal?" Apparently, the waitress is standing next to them. The two of them give her a satisfied nod. "Alright, that'll be 41 nem."
Sirius, in this moment, almost forgot the very concept of money.
"Oh, right..." He digs around his pocket and pulls out the orange gem. Orange is supposedly worth fifty nem. He hands it to the lady and she tells them to wait there a moment. She returns and gives back a blue gem and four green ones. Blues are worth five, greens are worth one.
"Thank you," Sirius places the gems in his pocket. The waitress leaves and they let out sighs of relief. "Man, I need a wallet. My pockets are all cluttered."
"Want me to carry some?"
"Mmm, so you can go try and bet it all again?"
"Fair point," he pouts. "Guess we should find one on the way to the wizard."
"Wizard?"
"Yeah, the guy we're supposed to meet."
"He's a wizard?"
"Well, I don't know for sure, but his name is Alzir. If Alzir isn't a wizard name, I don't know what is."
They chuckle, then head back into the world.
⧗⧖⧗⧖⧗
They search for either a shop or Alzir's abode.
"The almighty Timekeeper told me it's a strange-looking building on Moonlid Path."
"Is that the street name? Not sure how we would find that... Can't read for it."
"Should we ask around? There's got to be someone who knows."
"That hasn't gone the best before... but I guess we have to."
The two wander about the streets. They ask people for directions to Moonlid Path, only to get vague directions from pointed fingers. They head in those general directions, asking for further help on the way.
"Yeahhhhhh, this is getting us nowhere. Should we find an information center... or something?" Korlin drags his feet on the pavement.
"I don't know... That would just add more steps, there's no guarantee that even exists."
"What about that place?" Korlin points at a dark building. The outside has a sign painted with a hand that has something like a question mark in the middle. Before Sirius can even answer, Korlin rushes over to the doorway.
Korlin walks under the dark arch and enters the lightless room. An old woman sits in the center behind a low counter. A singular candle sparks behind her, shrouding the woman in an ominous aura.
"Welcome, beloved child."
"H-hey, does this place give out information... or anything?" A hint of nervousness creeps over him. Sirius enters behind Korlin.
"Certainly, come over to me and I will show you what you desire."
"Uh, I don't- uh..."
"Come on man, you got this," Sirius shoves Korlin forward.
"Dude, she's going to murder me. I've seen way too many horror movies! I know how this will end!" Sirius taunts the boy forward and he begrudgingly abides. The old woman smiles kindly, not moving in the slightest. Korlin steels himself and approaches her. "So, I-I was wondering-"
"Let my hand rest upon your chest."
"Huh? Oh, sure..." She places her withered palm against his chest. After an awkward pause, a red glow radiates off her hand. "Magic... what are you doing?"
"I am reading the shape of your soul."
"Not sure what that means, but that sounds really cool."
The woman is in deep concentration. The red light expands and illumes.
Suddenly, her closed eyes snap open. Her wrinkled face morphs into burning rage.
"Witch Spawn..." the woman whispers. "Witch Spawn, Witch Spawn, Witch Spawn!" Her muted voice rises with furiosity. "Witch Spawn! WITCH SPAWN! WITCH SPAWN!"
"Uh, granny... I'm going to leave now..." Korlin carefully withdraws from the situation and bumps into Sirius. He jumps in fear. "Dude, what the hell is going on?!"
"I don't know, but I think we should go..."
Korlin nods and they slowly back away to the exit.
"WITCH SPAWN! WITCH SPAWN! YOUR MOTHER WON'T TAKE ME YET! WITCH SPAWN...!"
The woman's voice trails off as they run out into town. They sprint two blocks until slowing to a stop.
"Dude," Korlin can't catch his breath. "I'm pretty sure the whole Witch Spawn thing is just racism."
"I think you're right...I guess," Sirius composes himself. "Anyways, let's keep asking around." Korlin reluctantly agrees.
...
As they roam the city, Sirius notices the vast majority of people remind him of Aureole. Teal-tinted hair, gradient blue eyes, pointed ears, and dark wings sprouting from their backs. While they share these common features, each individual looks unique. Males and females, short and tall, facial structures all different, just like humans, really. Perhaps this race... or species is the main one of this capital.
Sirius confronts one of them, a young male with short hair. He doesn't wear anything nearly as fancy as Aureole did, no one does. The man is sweeping the pathway towards a building.
"Hey, do you know where we can find Moonlid Path?"
"Huh? Oh, sure, take a right about three blocks down. That should place you along it." The man speaks kindly.
"Thank you," Sirius puts on his best friendly face. "Also, do you know where I can find something to place nem in?"
"Ah, a rich lad, are we?" The man's air shifts smug.
"No, nothing like that, just not much pocket space." Sirius scratches the back of his head.
"I'm just messing with ya, but... are you dumb?"
"...Maybe?"
The man leans on his broom and points behind him. "What do you think this shop is?"
"Oh... right... sorry, I can't read very well," Sirius mirthlessly laughs.
"No sweat," the man smiles then continues to sweep. Sirius motions Korlin over and they enter the stone building. Unlike other stores, this one is still stone on the inside. It's a little jarring to look at. Appearance-wise it gets two stars at best.
They scour the store for a wallet. Sirius stumbles across a small, fabric sack with the image of a nem on it. He takes out his nem and drops it in the sack. Strangely, the bag doesn't get heavier. He shakes the sack... there is no sound inside. He worriedly peers into the bag, only to find a black void.
The tiny bag seemed to swallow all of his nem. Sirius reaches into the darkness and his hand immediately hits smooth gemstones. He pulls out a purple nem. Confused, he places it back inside the sack, and it disappears from view. He reaches back inside, imagining himself pulling a blue one. And what do you know... he pulls out a blue one.
The sack, according to Korlin, is like a pocket dimension. Sirius has no idea what that means but categorizes it as magic. Whatever nem he places inside can be taken out if he thinks about it. This, however, only works with nem, not the inkclaws or journals, they only sit in it like a normal bag.
The bag, surprisingly enough, only costs nineteen nem. He spends his red, blue, and four green gems. The only gems remaining are two purple and two green. He has two hundred and two nem remaining.
⧗⧖⧗⧖⧗
"This has got to be it."
"Definitely."
They followed the man's directions to Moonlid Path. A large, twisted building painted purple stands among the normal ones. A massive telescope sticks out of the roof.
They approach the painted-black door. It is poorly made. Sirius and Korlin glance at each other, this feels stupid. Sirius sighs and knocks on the door; it almost falls out of its socket.
Korlin peeks through the cracks in the door, "Is anyone there? Alzir?"
Something collapses inside the building; it produces a very loud noise. Footsteps boom around followed by grunts. This feels increasingly more stupid.
The flimsy door flies open and falls off its hinges, crumbling to the ground.
Before them stands a middle-aged man. Black, unruly hair with multiple split ends sits atop his handsome complexion and sharp jawline. Round, black-rimmed glasses shield his dark eyes, wrapping around dually pierced ears. The temples of his glasses are replaced with thin string. The man dons a long robe, it has an intricate design with many constellations covering it.
"Shit... I just repaired that too," his soothing voice sulks. He sounds like he'd be a great documentary narrator. He scratches behind his neck with ink-splattered hands. The man directs his focus to the two boys. Almost immediately, his eyes widen and his eyebrows skyrocket. He points a purple finger at them. "Are you guys human?"
Sirius is taken aback by the sight of him, though he gets cool uncle vibes. Sensing no hostility, Sirius hesitantly reveals their identities. "Y-Yes... we are-"
The man claps his hands together and laughs gleefully. "Ha! I knew it! Here, come in, come in," he waves them inside.
The boys look to each other for approval. Korlin shrugs and heads in first, "So... are you Alzir?"
Sirius trails closely behind.
"I am!" Alzir places the door back on its hinges. "Ah man, I haven't seen a human in years. This is great!"
Compared to the vibrant exterior, the interior is much tamer. Maple-colored wood makes up almost everything in the large room. Drawings and notes are planted all over the walls. Strange objects that glow violet and blue scatter themselves on the tables and chairs. It's cluttered but very cozy.
"You're glad to see us?" Sirius questions. Most people try to swat us away like flies.
"Of course! I'm always glad to meet a fellow human."
Alzir runs around, tidying up the place.
"You're a human, too?" His bizarre appearance made Sirius assume he wasn't.
"You couldn't tell?" he teases. Alzir finishes up by shoving piles of paper into drawers. "Yep, I'm a Witch Spawn through and through. Though, I'm not a big fan of that title."
"Tell me about it..." Korlin groans, granny still plaguing his mind. The boy touches all of the glowing objects he can. Alzir doesn't seem to mind.
"Unfortunately, most people here don't even know the word "human", so I've been forced to get used to it," he reminisces on something. "Though, in recent years everyone just calls me the crazy telescope guy."
"That checks out..."
Alzir chuckles to himself.
"So," Alzir sits down on a now cleared counter, his face beaming with a whole smile. His mature features offer wisdom and warmth. Faded crow's-feet stem from the edges of his eyes. He looks tired, but still lambent with liveliness. "What brings you guys here?"
"Timekeeper told us to seek you," Korlin matches the man's energy.
"Timekeeper...?" he rubs his chin in thought. "Oh! Do you mean that guy with the watches?"
"Yes!" Korlin seems to have found a kindred spirit.
"Ah man, I haven't seen him in ages! Haha, I used to call him names like that too. Let's see... I called him," he clears his throat. "The Second Sentry." He smirks, full of pride.
Sirius isn't very impressed, but Korlin's expression screams the opposite. "You're so cool..."
"Ha, I don't know about that but thank you. Is that geezer still all vague about everything?"
"Yes... he didn't even tell us how to get here. Or why to come here."
"Damn..." Alzir smiles in reminiscence. "How long have you guys been here? In this world, I mean."
Korlin struggles to count, so Sirius butts in. "We've slept twice, so this is our third day."
"You guys formed on the same day?"
"That's right."
Comparing his old self to his new one, Sirius has pieced together he's in a new body with the same mind.
"Hmm, interesting..." Adjusting his posture, his tone shifts to one more gentle. "So... do you guys... know?"
"About our memories? Yes..." The thought makes Sirius anxious again. Since last night, the fact has been pushed to the back of his mind. Now it creeps its way to the front.
"I see... how are you handling it?" Compassion hugs his words; he truly does care.
"I don't know... it doesn't feel real, you know? I don't really believe it," Sirius swallows. "Even if it is real... there's not much we can do, right? I shouldn't try to deny it..."
In truth, fear corrupts his thoughts. He doesn't want to believe it. He refuses to.
His blatant lie makes him feel guilty. It's hard to act strong.
Alzir nods his head slowly, "You seem to be taking it better than I did."
"...Besides, we still have a year, right? We have over three hundred days, we can learn and figure things out before then..."
Alzir freezes. His empathetic face twists to one of sorrow.
...
"Alzir...? Something wrong?" Korlin questions.
The man rubs his eyes.
"Heh, that old man really didn't tell you anything..." Alzir hops off the counter. He walks over to the winding staircase in the back of the room. His footsteps thud on the hollow steps. "Follow me."
The boys share an unsteady look, then head upstairs. The second floor is blanketed by a large, black dome above. White dots acting as stars illuminate the room enough to see. Alzir stands at a desk lit by a candle. Alzir opens a drawer and pulls out a strange, black glove. He slips the mitt on his right hand and blows out the candle's flame.
Alzir walks past the boys and shuts a hatch over the staircase, cutting off all intruding light. The ceiling now acts like the night sky. A makeshift planetarium.
"Take a seat," Alzir's tone is mature, the polar opposite of before.
"Oh shit, it's lore time," Korlin sits crisscrossed on the floor. He pulls out a bag of treats similar to popcorn and starts munching on it. No one knows where he got it from. Sirius drops down, leaning on one knee.
Alzir removes the lensless glasses from his eyes, hanging them over his neck. He raises his gloved hand and waves it towards the ceiling. The fingertips glow a quiet purple. The white dots on the ceiling begin to move. They streak across the dome along with Alzir's palm. It's a beautiful light show.
Korlin's jaw drops in awe. For some reason, Sirius feels cold.
"How much do you know of this land?" Alzir regains some of his kindness.
"Not much," Sirius answers. "We can barely ask anyone anything without being called a Witch Spawn."
"I see," Alzir smiles. "Well, lucky for you, I happen to be a scientist. An astronomer, at that."
"Astronomer? Like the study of space?"
"Indeed, I've studied the universe my entire life. It started back in my past life, but once I got here, having been reborn under a new sky, I knew I had to find out its secrets. Are you interested?"
"I'm more into geology myself, but I think it's fascinating."
-Despite what my parents have hoped of me, I started leaning towards becoming a geologist. They've always expected me to be a doctor or lawyer. For a while, I was fine with it. I could've done it. But eventually, I realized... I could never do that. I'm not someone who can ever amount to much. Me becoming a doctor? Forget about it... Of course, I've never told them as such. Geology... I hardly know if that would have been the best option. I got interested one day and learned a whole bunch of stuff... but is that... really what I even like?
I don't know.
"Geology...? What is that?"
...
Raw confusion spreads across Alzir's face. A grim realization forms inside Sirius' mind.
He doesn't know.
No...
-He doesn't remember.
There it is.
The first, in person, example of human memory loss.
Reality weighs on Sirius. He shivers. Everything gets colder... Heavier. Fear takes hold of his mind.
Alzir, sensing the boy's dread, ceases his curiosity. Clapping his hands, he derails Sirius' train of thought. "Sorry... So, what do you guys know about the universe?"
Still shaken, Sirius, as to not attract any pity, represses the thoughts. Swallowing his beating heart, he speaks.
"Not a lot, but everyone on my mom's side of the family is named after stars. So I know a bit about some of them."
"Are you?" Korlin asks.
"Yeah... Sirius, the brightest star in the sky." Melancholy sneaks into his words. Sirius stares at the stars above. He's always hated his name, or more so, its meaning.
He can't live up to that star.
"Hmm, so nothing of value. What about you?" Alzir diverts his attention to Korlin.
"Not much... but-"
"Forget about it! Everything you think you know, it's wrong. Well, most of it." Excitement elevates his voice, he's been dying to talk about this. "According to legend, the universe was created by The Goddess, billions, if not trillions, of years ago. Birthed from nothing, she slowly gained sentient, rising to extreme power. Using that same nothingness, she crafted the universe. She spread her divine self through the null in the form of dark energy, particles, atoms, and so on.
Eventually, she birthed three children from her own formless skin. The God of Manifest, the first of her children, molded the celestial bodies. He created the stars and planets to fill the void his mother created. He cultivated the lands throughout the universe and the eight realms, this world in particular being his masterpiece."
"Lore..." Korlin whispers under his breath.
"Are you sure you're a scientist?" Sirius interrogates.
Ignoring the boy's ask, Alzir resumes.
"It's fascinating, the inhabitants of Mirgaia don't question the universe at all. They don't wonder how the planet, the stars, or anything came to be. Most all believe in the gods. Of course, there are some religions that differ in ideals, but the majority all accept they have creators."
"Mirgaia?"
"Huh? Oh yes, that is the name of this planet. Named after the celestial warden on the far reaches of this solar system."
-Mirgaia....
"As a definite man of science, I find it hard to believe the existence of these beings. But, it's true that there are people who've lived on since those times. I've even met some of them myself."
"People who've lived billions of years?"
The thought is mindboggling.
"Yes, many still roam the world, or have transcended into a higher plane."
"Woah..." Sirius and Korlin mimic each other.
"Woah indeed. Those elders have stories I can't even begin to comprehend. It makes it hard to believe them..." Alzir scratches the nape of his neck again. "But what do I know? I've only lived a measly sixty-two years."
Korlin immediately starts choking on his food. "SIXTY-TWO?! You look like you're twenty-seven!" Korlin continues to cough in his elbow, banging on his chest.
"Aha, you're too kind, more accurately..." Alzir prances over to his desk and pulls out an unreadable calendar. "I've lived nine thousand seven hundred and fifty-six days in this world. Converting that plus my nineteen initial years into Earth terms... I am 45 years old or so in Earth years."
Korlin whispers in Sirius' ear, "That was a whole lot of math I didn't understand."
-Earth years...?
"...Does time work differently in this world?" Sirius asks, placing his fingers over the watch in his pocket. Something's not right.
"Yes!" Alzir throws the calendar at the wall. He's ecstatic. "While this planet may have been created by gods, I have studied the mechanisms inside and out to determine how it works." Alzir waves his gloved hand around. The starry dome transforms into a diorama of the planet. Sirius only gets a quick glance before it zooms out further to the new solar system. "Before my memories were sucked into a black hole, I wrote down all the knowledge I could about Earth and its Solar System. Comparing those facts to Mirgaia is fascinating."
Sirius and Korlin are entranced by the image. Seven planets all orbit a massive sun. Their colors burst with vibrancy unlike any from the old system. The planet they're on now, Mirgaia, catches his eye again.
"That's us, right?" Sirius points to the blue, cloudy planet.
"Correct."
"So, we're the second planet from the sun? Not the third like Earth?"
"Yes! Although we are the second, this planet is still the same relative distance from the sun as Earth was. It is a little closer, but the atmosphere and thick ozone layer here protect us just fine. I suspect some magic is involved too, but that's just my excuse not to figure it out more in depth. Actually, the oxygen percentage is lower on this planet, the air is slightly thinner, though I doubt you've noticed."
"Huh..."
"In truth, this planet used to be the third from the sun. Apparently, remember this is all from sources I'm not fully sure are credible, the original second planet was decimated by the God of Manifest. After realizing it disrupted the orbit and entangled with Earth and Mirgaia's realm, he wiped it from
"Realm...?"
"Hey, what is that thing?" Korlin interrupts. He points off to the right of the furthest planet. A massive entity looms off to the side, barely in view.
"Ah," Alzir swipes his finger and zooms into the body. "That would be the warden I mentioned, Mirgaia. It is a cosmic horror stalking our solar system." Alzir swipes back over to the closest planet to the sun.
"Aatli, Mirgaia, Bhaogun, Izheith, Kliobbar..." Alzir lists the names of the respective planets as he passes each of them. He swipes over an expansive asteroid belt before arriving at the next planet. Sirius is no expert, but from what he remembers, this is not how the asteroid belt was placed in his old solar system. "Voxirc, and the final, seventh planet Throlhirc...
All of the planets are named after ancient cosmic beings. Some worship the entities as gods, though I've seen little to no imagery of them. Mirgaia now oversees the bodies, which are named after its fellow nightmares. No one knows its true intentions, or if it's even still alive."
"Wow..." Korlin marvels at the grotesque blob. All three of them become captivated by its appearance. Just looking at an image of it inflicts dread in their minds.
"Can you go back to Mirgaia, our planet?" Sirius asks.
"Certainly," Alzir waves his finger through the air and zooms in on Mirgaia. The planet differs greatly from Earth. Continents and countries are colored peculiarly, some are basic greens while others yellow or mauve. Like Earth, however, the planet's surface is primarily made up of water. Lots of islands are scattered across the globe.
One landmark, or rather, continent catches his eye. The biggest chunk of land on the planet, an icy mammoth sitting right on the equator.
"What's that place?" Sirius points at the frozen landmass.
"Ah, ol' Aeonice, did you know it takes up a whole seventh of Mirgaia's surface?"
"Aeonice... I feel like I've heard that before somewhere... Hm, anyway, how does that even work? It's frozen, right? Even on the equator?"
"Perspective, are we?" Alzir's smile widens. "Despite making a seventh of the world a frozen wasteland, smack dab right in the center of the world, not much is known about it. It's a mystery even to me. It is the coldest place in the world, averaging about three Kiln."
"Kiln?"
"Oh right, that would be around -135 Celsius in Earth terms. Some parts of Aeonice can even reach one Kiln, or just above -160 Celsius. I'm not fully sure on the science of it all..." Alzir rubs his eyes in quiet frustration. "What I can tell you is that Mirgaia's rotation is different from what you're probably accustomed to." He waves his hand so only Mirgaia and the Sun remain above.
"So, days are different?" Korlin breaks out of his awed silence.
"Yes, although only briefly." Mirgaia begins to spin and orbit the sun.
"Man, my mind is imploding right now, real-life lore is so complicated..."
"Ah, we've barely scratched the surface. But I'll keep my explanation as simple as possible." Korlin nods in thankfulness. "Earth days are twenty-four hours, correct? If that old Timekeeper's watches are correct, then the days on Mirgaia aren't that different. Days are slightly shorter, about twenty-three and a half hours. As you can see, Mirgaia orbits around the sun at a faster speed than Earth does its own. The axis of Mirgaia is angled slightly more compared to Earth, resulting in temperature fluctuations and day/night cycles getting mixed up." Alzir needs to catch his breath.
Korlin leans back over to Sirius, "He's speaking gibberish again."
Sirius shushes him, a quiet sense of dread lurking onto his shoulder.
"The four seasons are off schedule typically, so they don't really abide by months. The inhabitants of Mirgaia don't seem to care particularly much, surprisingly. It can cause farmers to lose yield some years, it is a flawed system. They are always quick to blame us humans though..." Alzir whispers that last part.
"How do months work?" Korlin raises his hand like he's in a classroom.
"Not too incredibly different. There are ten months, each averaging around twenty-seven days long, it depends on the year, really."
Sirius' eyebrows knit.
-Did I hear that right?
The spherical room grows quiet. The ominous stars above illuminate their faces. Alzir is about to begin again when-
"Hold on a minute," Sirius is frightened to get it out. "Ten months, each twenty-seven days long?" His legs begin to wobble.
"Huh? Yes, why?"
"That would mean there are only two hundred and seventy days in a year, wouldn't it?"
"Well, it's actually two hundred and seventy-one, but... yeah..." Alzir realizes what he has said.
Sirius' heart sinks.
A glacial chill drives goosebumps up his arms. Yet another whiplash of emotions and thoughts. This time, he doesn't stumble. His feet remain rooted into the floorboards. He shuts his open lips and looks down at his fingertips. They feel numb.
There is no trembling, no lightheadedness, only numb fingers and deafeningly quiet thoughts.
-Does this even make a difference? I can't do anything anyway. It's only less time...
Sirius turns to Korlin. He's silent. Soundlessly staring at the ground. He senses no sadness from him, though his finger rapidly taps his sleeve. He's anxious.
-Less time for what? For these memories to pass...? Why... why do I care so much?
He clenches his fists and the numbness fades.
"..."
"..."
"Hey," Sirius mutters faintly.
"...Yes?"
Sirius grasps the beating clock and pulls it from his pocket. "Can we... stop here for the moment?"
"Mm," Alzir nods and slips the glove off his hand. The makeshift planetarium returns to a sky of stars. "We can head back downstairs," his voice is wrapped in guilt. He walks by the two statues and lifts the hatch covering the stairs. Candlelight floods the dark room. The two boys squint their eyes, adjusting to the light.
Alzir jogs down the steps. Sirius' blank, narrow stare finds to his fellow statue. "Are you alright?"
Korlin blinks like he's crushing bricks with his eyelids. He calms his mind and then turns his attention towards Sirius. "Yeah, of course," the boy smiles. "It's only like a hundred less days, it's not that much less time." He hides his worry with an upbeat mask.
"..."
"Come on, let's go," Korlin makes it down the stairs. Sirius observes his companion's struggle to maintain his facade.
-We are alike, aren't we?
⧗⧖⧗⧖⧗
The three of them sit around a small table. A clash of sunlight and candlelight illuminate the room. The distant hum of people reaches their ears. Alzir has given everyone a cup of tea. It is, at best, hot water with leaves.
"I rushed through my youth," Alzir begins his story. "From what I wrote down, I tried leaving my home as fast as I could. I took up an interest in the stars from a very young age. I became so fascinated, I pushed everything else aside. Absorbed in my studies, I missed out on my childhood..." Alzir doesn't sound regretful. "I didn't care about interactions with others. Any attempts from my family to engage with me ended in failure for them. I didn't see the point. I isolated myself."
The phrase resonates with both of them. Sirius thinks about it. I did the same thing, didn't I? He doesn't know. If he did, he didn't want to. He didn't want his life to turn out like that. He didn't want to be alone... right? His feelings conflict with each other, fueling his uncertainty. It's my fault, isn't it?
Alzir observes their body language.
"If you asked me when I first came here, I would have said I'd do anything to go back. To go back and hug them. To go back and enjoy my life, instead of flying through it. It took me a while before I realized... I shouldn't dwell on them."
The statement irritates Sirius.
"I wrote down all I could about myself," Alzir flips through a short journal. "Clinging to the past, to the old me. But now..." Alzir slams it shut and grins. "I'm happy. I hope they're happy, but I don't even remember them, so... all I can do is focus on myself. In hindsight, I don't even consider my previous life wasted. I engrossed myself in something I was passionate about, that I am still passionate about. While I may have told that witch otherwise... I have no regrets."
Sirius can't help but feel annoyed. Why? He doesn't dislike the man. He finds him rather pleasant to be around. But something in his words doesn't sit right with Sirius. Just like the Timekeeper's.
"That's great," Korlin smiles. What hides behind there?
"What I'm trying to say is... don't stress over your memories disappearing. It'll take some adjusting, but once they're gone you won't even notice. The way I like to think of it... is that this is a fresh start. Gone are your earthly tethers holding you back, here you can live and achieve anything you want."
Frustrations boils inside Sirius. This should be uplifting...
"Timekeeper said something similar..." it spills out of Sirius' mouth.
"Oh yeah? That guy... I wonder what his past was like. Not that it matters-"
"Question."
"Huh? Oh, yes?" Alzir is surprised at Sirius' sudden change in demeanor.
"Are you messing with us?" Sirius scowls at the scientist.
Korlin is first to respond. He fails at an attempt to whisper, "Sirius? What are you talking about?"
"What do you mean?" Alzir gives a sympathetic look. It aggravates Sirius more.
His eyes.
"I'm just saying, I've been in this world for almost three days. I haven't noticed any signs of memory loss myself. It's only the humans I've met that talk about it. It's starting to feel like you and the Timekeeper are just messing with me... I'm... tired of it."
He hates this. He hates sharing his feelings. He wants to leave.
Alzir sinks into thought.
"He has a point..." Korlin agrees.
"Well then, should I test you?"
"Test?"
Sirius rests his head on a hand. Thinking on the words he spoke; he comes to the conclusion he overstepped his bounds. He showed too much of himself. He doesn't want to be rude to Alzir. He doesn't want Korlin to feel awkward. Sirius drops the bratty attitude. He puts a shallow smile on his face.
"Yes, you've certainly already lost some memories. Likely very small ones, but aspects of your life, nonetheless. It's tough to narrow down what those would be at this stage... but I'll give it a shot."
"Alright, go ahead..." Sirius doesn't feel confident in Alzir, but still, a looming sense of dread hangs over him.
Alzir pauses to think a moment.
"...Picture your house, or wherever you lived. Now, outside of your room or wherever you spent the most time, can you recall any photos hanging on the walls?"
"Man, I hate tests..." Korlin sighs.
Both boys dig through their memories. Retracing the steps of their homes, they scour the walls inside any recollections. They search for multiple minutes.
"I can't..." Sirius mutters. "But that doesn't mean anything. I wouldn't have remembered those anyway."
"I got nothing," Korlin announces.
"Hmm, alright then..." Alzir ponders once more. "What about birthdays? They don't hold much weight here considering the whole month conversions, but can you two remember any of your past birthdays? Think of your early years, five or seven."
Sirius quickly recalls something. "On my seventh, maybe eighth, birthday I believe I got my first bike."
"Do you like riding bikes?"
"I do. I haven't done it for a while, but I like going out to ride while listening to music."
"That means that memory still has a reason for existing."
Sirius doesn't buy it.
"I think," Korlin utters. "I remember on my sixth birthday; my sister destroyed my cake. I can remember my parents laughing... I didn't get a new cake."
"Hmm..." It looks like Alzir has spaced off. "This is tough, the memory loss we're talking about isn't like dementia, your cognitive abilities will remain intact after your memories disappear. I'm sure you've heard, but the memories fade from least important to most. Or rather, from how significantly they impact your personality."
Sirius nods.
"What I'm getting at is I can't really find out what's gone without knowing what's important to you. Truly important to you. Not surface-level value, we're talking the inner depths of your psyche." Alzir places his round frames over his eyes. "So, what is important to you? What makes you, you?"
Sirius buries his hand in his hair. He's never thought much about it before.
"Friends, family, vacations," Alzir lists. "It can be things like that, but in reality, those aren't what's always important to us. On the you that you project to others, those things may be, but when it comes to your personality, the important things are often obscure. Likely... they are bad memories; memories you wish you could forget."
"Is that how it was for you?" Korlin questions.
"Somewhat," Alzir flips through his journal. He stops at a page, glances over the lines, and shuts the book. "My final memory was a happy one. It was when I was a child, going to my first planetarium. I met this professor who taught me many things and ultimately fueled my desire for knowledge. It was the memory that set my life in motion."
"You wish you could have forgotten that?"
"No, of course not, I'm a bad example for what I'm trying to say. Here... my second-to-last memory... deemed the second-most important memory to me. It was... my death."
"Oh..."
"I won't bore you with its details, but that death helped define me. It... rebirthed me." A strange undertone emanates from the last sentence. Alzir clears his throat. "As crazy as it sounds... my old family was one of my first memories to go. They weren't seen fit as incredibly important to me. And I would agree."
There is a short pause. Then, he restates his question.
"So, what is important to you?"
-What is important to me...
Sirius digs through his pool of memories. While he sees so many, none stand out. How did I end up like this?
"I don't know..." Sirius can't find any words.
...
"But hey, I could be completely wrong," Alzir asserts. "It could very well be something as simple as your father, mother, maybe even a grandfather..."
As soon as the words come out of Alzir's mouth, a strange feeling washes over Sirius.
"Grandfather..."
"Hm? You got one? Is he important to you?"
"No... I don't..."
....
....
"Sirius?" Korlin waves his hand in front of Sirius' lost eyes.
-Do I have a grandfather? I... I can't remember.
Sirius concentrates. If he does have a grandfather, he would be present in certain moments in his life. He scans memories of him and his father for any trace of an extra person. He does the same with his mother. It doesn't help he doesn't know whose father his grandfather would be.
Digging deeper, he recalls the hospital room. His mother cries. His brother too. But the tears aren't for Sirius. So, for who?
He remembers standing there, angry. No, envious. He remembers degrading himself as everyone in the room drains their tear ducts.
As if a flicker, an indistinguishable voice asks a question.
"Sirius, are you happy with your life?"
Withered hands touch his own. Whose are these?
Who asked that question? How did I respond?
It's too big of a coincidence for me to be thinking of this right now. It must have been a grandfather, right?
"I think I do... I'm... not sure." Something in his mind feels like it's missing. But not something big. No matter how deep he searches, the results come back blank.
"You must have forgotten," Alzir's eyes emit warmth. "But not to worry, that just means, especially at this point, he wasn't important at all." Alzir smiles as if he didn't just invalidate a possible man's existence.
Sirius' heart pounds. He feels no grief but rather fear. "This feels strange..." Trying to recall any memory of the man leaves him with a fuzzy sensation. Like static in the mind.
"You'll get used to it after a while. It goes away eventually." He rests his hand on Sirius' shoulder. Still smiling, he faces Korlin. "What about you? You got anything you think you're forgetting?"
"I don't believe so..." Korlin rubs his temple.
"A cousin, an old toy, a dusty old shed, a leaf, it can be anything."
"Yeah, those are a little broad..."
"A song, maybe? No... those are usually some of the last..."
"Hm..."
"Your bed, a shirt... maybe a dog?"
Korlin twitches.
"A dog..." It tumbles from his lips.
"You think of something?"
"Maybe..."
Korlin distances himself from everyone, presumably to gather his thoughts.
Sirius taps his foot rapidly.
He keeps trying to grab something. But nothing is there to hold.
Alzir lightly shakes Sirius. "You alright? You remember something?"
Confusion and guilt rush over him.
-Why...
"I take it you had a grandfather but can't remember him at all? I guess he just wasn't-"
"No! Y-You're wrong. He was important to me! I-I should remember him! He died and I was sad about it... I was... sad." His breathing grows rapid.
-Was I even sad?
"Take it easy, I know this is difficult but-"
"No, I wasn't, was I? They were sad... I..." He laughs pathetically at himself. "Of course I wasn't sad..."
Sirius leaps out of his chair, producing a loud screech. The table rattles so he places his hand on it to stop it. It doesn't remain motionless for long; his hands make the table tremble.
"Sorry, I'm going to... step out for a minute." He takes Alzir's hand off his shoulder and shuffles across the room.
"Sirius, wait-" Korlin stumbles out of his chair. His approach is stopped by Sirius' outstretched palm.
"Just... leave me alone for a bit," Sirius offers a pathetic smile.
He catches a glimpse of Korlin's eyes.
Pity.
Sirius can't help but feel vulnerable. Exposed. Meeting Alzir's gaze gives the same exact feeling.
-I need to get out of here.
Sirius pushes open the door and it falls off its hinges. "Sorry," he mumbles, stepping over the fallen door.
He steps out into the deafening city, leaving behind that which he hates. That of which he fears.
Concern for Sirius plagues Korlin, who watches the boy flee.
"Sirius..."
The boy and the astronomer stand in silence.
The brightest star fails to retain its light and instead prays for the seclusion of night.
Yet again, he runs.
22760404 seconds remain.