905. Season of change, 4
(Temee)
We went on our separate ways soon after the trail became suddenly colder. Something happened, scattering their traces all over.
Wardah lately has become unstable as well, and barely listens to my voice anymore.
We reached the recent wreck of a train and surrounding forest fires. I saw all this while how she grew restless and nervous. Something has turned bad inside of her. As much as I like her, I realize things will go sour on our next meeting with them with her in balance.
She’s in pain and I can’t help her. She shuts me off when I try to open my hands to her.
Inspecting the wrecks together, the trail of that Selya girl and her two boys were noticeable but also blown away and scattered to the winds. Their smell is faint and indicates they have indeed been around that machine, but something on the other side also exploded, radiating everything away.
W - Where they’re heading is no mystery however.
T - You’re right... Although...
I think it’s dangerous for her to push further. For herself and for others.
T - Would you please... Bring our findings to the queen?
W - You’re fucking kidding me...
We argue again. I know it’s a long journey and insulting to her. She’s in pain and I can’t help her. But coming to these lands and meeting these boys did awful numbers on her.
We reached a point where I don’t want to admit to her what I’ve actually come to fear.
I’m afraid maybe in a subconscious corner of her mind, there’s a little thing corrupting, even if unbeknownst even to her.
At least she hears that I’m concerned and serious.
She eventually averts my gaze and glances a little longer at my legs.
I got better, but I’ll keep nasty scars forever.
W - Fine... Fine! Let’s just finish checking this and I’ll head back...
T - Thank you...
I’m grateful she’s not completely lost yet.
~
We’ve all had dreams as children, on which we gradually discarded our hopes, or our sanity even.
Some in sorrow, some in anger.
Following the smell lingering most as best we could, we found a dying man. He reeked of anger and sadness turned hormonal. His wounded body was crawling ahead, lonely and abandoned.
A hand was missing but a stump with new skin still clawed the dirt to pull himself. His face contorted by all the alarms of his mind and body on the verge of collapsing.
Meeting our fate and wonders. A mostly human body, but with rapidly cellular decay and regeneration, at visible speed. He was weakening, trying to survive, some of his muscles already melting.
He was nearing the crisis point...
When hunger and weakness become too much for the systemic integrity to remain. When the balance would tip, some parts of his organism would rebel and separate, abandoning humanity. He wasn’t healing fast enough nor had he plenty enough of resources to insure his union stability.
He was on the verge of developing spontaneous cancers all over him, or even worse, abandoning his own humanity.
Wardah looked at him with a mixture of contempt and pity. We could both hear his despair there. His agony was clearly caused by a monster. He had faced one, and had been cruelly defeated.
W - Pascal?
T - Maybe... Maybe Selya. Can you hear us Mathieu? That is you, right?
The man moaned, ruminating more anger than anything else. He was still trying to crawl ahead instead of trying to rest. Despair and ignorance turned to animal instinct. He struggled with unbearable pain that echoed a little too close to Wardah’s heart as well.
We looked at each other, wondering which one of us should put him down to end his misery, and avoid the birth of a monster. Before we could agree on something, his limbs on the ground finally refused moving in a coordinated manner.
And then it appeared.
The doll landed suddenly out of nowhere and near his head. But what I mostly saw was something huge, much bigger. A golden bright glow filling the space and sky, like a whale suddenly there before us. That halo of light almost blinding to me had come with that tinier thing, floating with odd features like ribbons or strands of hair hovering along by its sides.
That surreal source of light soon vanished from my sight like an illusion. But the doll turned around to look at us two, before focusing back onto the lying man.
We realised soon after that it was caring for him. The boy collapsed but really, that thing just saved his life.
Honestly spooked by what I had just saw and now met, I still tried my best to represent the queen, with diplomacy.
Wardah behind me was still paralysed in shock. I think she saw that gleam too.
I introduced ourselves, but the being there now focused on healing the man didn’t react. Not much of my ensuing words caused a reaction from it, until it was the most mundane and improvised sort of question.
T - There were some kinds of white ribbons attached to that fiery orb behind you. It was odd, behind this brighter sun... Was that linked to you?
L - Ribbons?
T - Oh yes, long and thin appendages along the sides... Like lock of hair perhaps?
The doll turned around to meet me, putting a picture of surprise along her tiny face.
L - You... You were able to see me?
T - I could guess this doll isn’t all there is to you, but... What are you, to have a body shaped like that?
L - It’s not my body or a shape from me you’ve seen per se. It’s what I am. As... Well... If you could see me as light, it’s curious... That you could see my emissaries, it’s... Interesting... Who did you say you are?
T - I’m Temee Hoatra de Kyameli... Or, just Temee... What would be your name little one? Where are you from?
The doll reacted with an imitation of laughter. A song of sinister sounds. I didn’t understand why it did that.
L - You can call me Line, tall one... Tell me more about you.
T - With pleasure... If you’re willing to tell me more about you as well?
The doll made the creepiest of smiles. I took that as an agreement. Wardah behind me was spooked facing a daiûa.
Me I somehow managed to see through the show and guess some honesty behind the mask. It was a weird sensation of intuition.
I took that chance I was confident in, and kneeled to her height, to extend a greeting hand to the doll.
T - I’m pleased to meet you Line.
L - I already am as well. I’m looking forward to our budding friendship.
The tiny broken doll shook my hand, manipulated by wider fields from its sunny orb mostly invisible behind.
Again, I didn’t feel any poisonous intention like they most often have.
Behind her weirdness, I think she is honest.
My own growing smile amuses her and me.
I’ll discuss with this little demon whom came out of nowhere suddenly.
I want to be a good ambassador...
~
I told her a little about myself. From my homeland, and the next.
T - I eventually arrived around here therefore following the trails of this previous family. We wanted to understand what happened to them and the source as well. We’ve learnt of Selya only too recently.
Wardah is growing distant from me, already readying herself to go back her own way. She’s not in the mood to chat with Line like I am. It’s a little surprising to me, but I let her be.
T - What about you, where are you from Little, I mean, Line?
L - To be honest... I don’t really remember where I’m from. Because I wasn’t a conscious and aware individual like this now, for the longest time. I have been an unintelligent thing without awareness or conscious memories for ever. Thankfully, somewhere near the end of my wandering, I’ve eventually encountered something helping me to become aware and conscious while nearing Earth. And then reaching material and reliable presence, thanks to this boy and this doll. And now, maybe something else with you Temee.
T - Did I?
She smirked, not developing that thought. Her past is mostly abstraction hard to relate with. But I hear she’s happy to have reached this level of reality.
More to the point, she returned.
L - I don’t quite know where or when I’m from, but I was not created through earthly evolutionary or synthetic processes. And I know, I’ve come to realise I’m closer to the Tamźródlo out there than any of you ever will. I know more of what it is and how it functions. I don’t know sadly why it’s here nor how to control its discharging properly now.
I was flabbergasted. Nokarlık was right in her concern. Something did fell out of the sky.
T - So you really are a visitor from elsewhere. Perhaps with similar origin.
I glanced above at the transparent halo in the background of the doll. That thing radiating T.I. wildly, but not exactly structured or organised like a common spore or daiûa. It’s hard to accept...
It didn’t kill this boy, nor did it turn him into a monster. It went a step further even, healing him and confirming some of my thoughts.
L - I’m not one of your demons exactly I can say. As much as you could fear me, I’d like these boys to live. I don’t understand much about biology, but I would wish for these kinds of life to remain on the planet.
Mathieu moaned in his sleep. I looked back at Wardah, my puzzled friend. She had heard more than enough already and simply waited for my nod.
We went on our separate ways then.
~
Wardah left, returning to share what she learnt with the queen. It’s a very long journey on her own ahead of her. It’s a big chore.
As for I, I seek to learn more while I can, making the most of this moment.
L - Mathieu won’t obey you. You’ll be better on your own looking for Selya.
T - You must realise...
L - It’s not important.
She knows that these boys may hinder the success of Selya, which she looks forward to as well.
She’s convinced they won’t be able to affect her success. That their little struggle will have no effect on others but themselves in the grand scheme of things.
I can’t imagine myself fighting so bitterly against Wardah...
But to Line, I’m able to see the bigger picture like she can. Not the boys, or not this one here at least. And it doesn’t matter to her.
She’s just fascinated by what they display, like we are watching a movie or reading a book.
T - You will continue to play with them?
L - Until we reach the source and Selya’s end, yes. Until they end their little show and meet their fate freely.
T - And what then? What will you do when they are all dead? Where will you go?
L - I’ll see what I can do for the source as well. And then, well...
She accepts to die as well? What’s with all of them... I kneel again and reopen my hand to her.
For after the end... I feel enough empathy even for a thing like her to wish as thus now.
Whatever you are, I’ve seen you, and you have the right to live.
T - When your duty is over... Come to live on freely with me instead... Line.
I was a little surprised myself by the words that escaped me, but I felt sincere.
I want to give back the chance I was given before...
It is real...
The doll didn’t react.
But the golden orb above did.
~
