Forgiveness and Flight - Chapter 27
Forgiveness and Flight - Chapter 27
“You can feel it too, can’t you?” the Dragon Mother said. “The magic in this world is dying."
Rais'd with success, the Dolphin swiftly ran;
For they can conquer, who believe they can.
Both urge their oars, and fortune both supplies,
And both perhaps had shar'd an equal prize;
-The Aeneid
The Dragon Mother stood on the ledge of the iron dragon’s tower, gazing down through the newly-repaired window at her last remaining child. He in turn leered mockingly back, as though daring her to reprimand him for the damage he had caused.
“Dragon Mother,” Laschna arrived on broomstick. “You alright?”
“As well as I can be,” the Dragon Mother sighed.
“You shouldn’t blame yourself,” Laschna said. “You and the others had no way of knowing she’d attack when she did.”
“I know,” the Dragon Mother replied. “You all did well in our absence. The school was well-defended.”
“Then why so glum?”
The Dragon Mother did not respond at first. When she finally did, it was with a voice hoarse and cracked with age.
“You can feel it too, can’t you?” the Dragon Mother said. “The magic in this world is dying. The fairies have gone to Fairyland, the eldritch horrors have returned to Dreamland, even the alien geometries have retreated to Flatland. Soon the magic will disappear entirely.”
“Aw come on, Dragon Mother,” Laschna said. “Surely it won’t completely die. Even with everything that’s been lost so far, there’s no way all of it could die.”
The Dragon Mother gazed down at her last child. “I used to think that too. I held on to hope, even in the face of… But now I see. I cannot cling to vain hope anymore. I have to move on. I have to let go.”
The Dragon Mother opened the jar she held in her hand, to reach inside and toss down the food that lay within.
“Ugh, what’s that smell?” Laschna pinched her nose in disgust.
“Sheep’s brain, Zahhak’s favorite,” the Dragon Mother wept as she saw her child greedily wolf down the grub. “I added something this time though.
“Come, let’s go,” the Dragon Mother got on her broom, and as Laschna followed her away, Zahhak began to fall asleep.
On the campus field, surrounded by his fellow questers, Hobie began to explain.
“What you know as the Heart was indeed the gem that Lon the Lionheart used as the Key of Sky,” Hobie gleamed.
“But… this button is the Key,” Morien gazed down at the button in his hand. “It feels just like a Key.”
“That’s because it is.”
“But how?” Julia exclaimed. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
Hobie sighed. “I’m afraid… I have been lying to you all. Or at least, concealing the full truth.”
“How do you mean?” Erin asked.
“The truth is,” Hobie explained. “The exact nature of the Keys is irrelevant. Any item can become a Key, provided enough magic has rubbed off on it. What makes a Key a Key is not its original purpose, but the virtue of those around it. Tell me, Morien, what were you thinking, back when you came upon this button?”
“I…” Morien remembered Gloriana’s face. “I wanted to save her. I knew she was evil. I knew she’d done all those horrible things, but I wanted to save her.”
“And in that moment, you showed an heroic virtue. You forgave her, and sought to save her, even knowing what she was. Just as you came back from the brink of death, for love of your friends. Just as you moved a giant, to save the soldiers of Bastilla and the jinni’s soul. Just as you have done, time and time again on this journey.”
“But… I…” Morien fidgeted uncomfortably beneath Hobie’s proud glow.
“I’m sorry to have kept this from you,” Hobie dimmed dourly. “It was cruel of me, but I had to let you show your virtue without my intervention. It had to come from you, not from anyone else.”
“So then… wait,” Erin furrowed her brow. “Were the other Keys just random junk too?”
“No,” Hobie glimmered. “The last two Keys were the same for Morien as they were for Lon. But this Key, the Key of Sky, it’s all Morien’s.”
All his? Morien stared dumbstruck at the glowing, green button in his palm. All his. And then he remembered, with all three Keys complete, Tar-Cruorem could be resealed! After all this time, all these adventures, his quest was about to be complete. Morien looked up, and saw the faces of his friends, just as awestruck and amazed as him. Soon it would all be over. But he would not forget the people he had met on this journey. No, not if he lived to be a hundred.
Erin changed after Naomi left, or rather, she reverted. She went to class, studied hard, and turned in all her assignments, but something had been taken from her, something deep and vital. It was like her world was devoid of color. Every day, Laschna would gently try to coax her into doing something fun, something to get her mind off Naomi leaving, but nothing worked. Erin went about her life as though in a trance.
Then one day, the warlock Deus ex Machina came. His arrival was met with much awe and amazement. And when it was revealed that he had come to select a new pupil, the Headmistress was honored to show him her best students. Erin, of course, with her grades, made the cut, as did several other students, including Gloriana Clem.
“A real shame, what happened,” Gloriana whispered to Erin before the selection process began. “I know you two were very close.”
Erin grunted noncommittally.
“But let’s be honest,” Gloriana whispered in her ear. “As soon as she saw that cowboy, she couldn’t wait to get rid of you. You hardly compare, after all.”
And a great, yawning void filled Erin’s heart as she and the other girls stepped into the classroom, where Deus ex Machina and several eager students sat.
“Let the selection begin!” the Headmistress said from beside old Deus. “Tell me, O great wizard, what task shall you set for the girls?”
“Oh, nothing much, nothing too hard,” old Deus grinned. “Just make themselves a pair of wings.”
Wings? Much murmuring and muttering mulled throughout the crowd. What an odd request.
“Oh my,” the Headmistress laughed. “Why, if only you’d come to this school a little earlier, we had a student here who already had wings!”
“Yes,” Deus said. “I know.”
“O-oh,” the Headmistress blinked in surprise, wondering how the old warlock had known, before remembering his name and what it meant. “Er, w-well, ladies, hop to it. One at a time now.”
All the girls did their best, as they each slowly went down the line. However, making wings proved harder than expected. It hadn’t been taught in the curriculum, after all, so no-one was quite sure where to begin. Some girls could only produce feathery stubs, others couldn’t even manage that. The test was obviously an exercise in unorthodox thinking. A few girls managed to make positively decent wings, but they were evidently not up to Deus’ expectations, as his reaction was always a nod and congratulatory grin, but nothing more.
Then, second-to-last, came Gloriana Clem. As she stepped up and summoned all her magical might, wings of fiery crimson burst forth from her back, and everyone oohed and aahed at their impressive splendor. Even Deus ex Machina gave an impressed whistle at the sight of her brilliant wings. Erin, standing last in line, knew it was hopeless, and the grin Gloriana flashed her as she called the wings back only confirmed her fears.
When Erin’s turn came, she couldn’t even bear to look up. She already knew the outcome, so why bother? What was the point? She didn’t know how to summon wings. What was she even doing there? Was someone calling her?
“Young miss?” Yes, it was Deus ex Machina, looking down at her with a curious, yet comforting gaze.
“Uh… y-yes?” Erin stammered as Gloriana silently snickered nearby.
“Are you feeling a bit nervous?” Deus asked. “Perhaps you ought to take a break first.”
“Uh, n-no,” Erin muttered. “It… I mean…”
“Well then,” Deus smiled ignorantly. “Try thinking happy thoughts in that case.”
Happy thoughts? Where in the world could she possibly find those? Erin couldn’t think of a single one. But then, as she looked back up, right there, right behind Deus ex Machina’s smiling face, she saw Laschna’s patient eyes staring back at her.
“Laschna…” Erin mouthed the words, and saw a gentle smile spread across her friend’s lips. There, just past her, waving encouragingly, Mim and Mer! Susan, Cija, all around Erin saw girls she had met, friends she had made, giving her silent encouragement from the stands. They hadn’t abandoned her. Even after shutting herself off for so long, they were still there, still present, still friends. Tears began to well in Erin’s eyes as she realized how she must have worried these friends so. She wasn’t alone anymore! She had Laschna, Mim, Mer, Susan, Cija…
And Naomi. No, Erin realized now. She could never face Naomi again. Not after how she had treated her. There was no way she could repair that friendship, not after breaking it so thoroughly. But even if she couldn’t go back, she could still move forward. And as Erin felt all the love and support of the friends she had made, a powerful magic welled up from inside her. Brilliant wings, green as grass and bright as emeralds, burst from her back, and she felt a sense of calm and peace.
The crowd erupted as all of Erin’s friends cheered. Gloriana’s face was twisted and contorted, ugly with hatred and bile. And Deus ex Machina turned to the Headmistress, a charming grin splayed across his face.
“I believe I’ve found my pupil,” he said.
“Hey! Rina!”
“Huh?” Rina glanced back down the hall, to see Lem and Lam running towards her, followed by several other girls. Instinctively Rina tensed up. Although she hardly spoke to Lem or Lam, from her experience being surrounded by her classmates was never a good sign.
“I heard you helped stop that evil witch that came here!” Lem beamed.
“With a type of magic you made up all on your own!” Lam beamed.
“Um… I… I mean…” Rina stammered, unused to positive attention from her peers.
“How did you come up with it?” one girl asked excitedly.
“You must be, like, a magic genius or something!” another girl exclaimed.
“W-well… I mean…” Rina laughed nervously.
“Now now, everybody,” Professor My intervened. “Don’t crowd the girl. Give her some room to breathe.”
“Professor My!” Lem bowed politely.
“What are you doing here?” Lam asked politely.
“Well, actually I was hoping to chat privately with Rina for a bit,” My replied. “It’ll only be for a minute though.”
“Oh, no worry at all,” Lem smiled.
“Take all the time you need,” Lam smiled.
“We should hang out sometime, Rina,” one girl said.
“Yeah, after you’re finished with the professor,” another girl added.
“Th-thanks,” Rina breathed a sigh of relief after she and My were safely away.
“Don’t worry,” My smiled. “I would think you’d be flattered by all the attention though.”
“I just… I’m not used to it, is all,” Rina muttered.
My’s expression became somber, and she turned her gaze away guiltily. “Listen, Rina… I’m sorry. I know, with all my duties as a professor, I haven’t always been that good a mother.”
“What? No!” Rina exclaimed. “My, you’ve given me everything! I… I couldn’t ask for anything more from you.”
“But, I-”
“No, My… mom, it really is okay,” Rina wrapped her arms around her mother. “I love you.”
“I… I love you too, Rina,” My returned her daughter’s embrace.
“Everything alright out there?” the Shanachie poked her head out from her office.
“Ah, y-yes ma’am,” My remembered her original purpose. “Here she is.”
Rina gulped as she saw the Shanachie. Why did such an important figure in the school want to see her?
“So,” the Shanachie walked up to Rina and looked her over. “You’re the little girl that saved the school, eh?”
“W-well, I mean, I don’t know about saved,” Rina flinched under the Shanachie’s gaze.
“You know, Mirror Magic is still a developing field,” the Shanachie said. “We could use a girl like you to research it.”
“Re-research?” Rina gawped. “Like a Professor?”
“Well, you’re still too young for that,” the Shanachie grunted. “But it’d be a great help to the magical community. Your name could very well go down in history.”
History? Her name? Rina’s head swam with bewilderment and awe.
“Well, what do you say, Rina?” My asked. “It’s your decision.”
Rina stared up at her mother, then up at the Shanachie.
“Um… I just have one question,” she asked.
“Yes?” the Shanachie grunted.
“W-would it be alright… if Professor My could help me?”
“I don’t see why not.”
“Then…” Rina grinned from ear to ear. “Yes!”
Morien was looking through the library when he noticed the new professor. As she glanced up at him, and their eyes met, all they could do at first was stare dumbfounded and mute at each other. Then, Professor Andromeda’s lips curled into a smile, which flashed white against her pitch-black skin. And as she curled her thick, wiry hair over her ears, she said in a friendly greeting “Hello. You must be Morien.”
“Huh?” Morien gibbered. “Y-you know me?”
“Well, you’re rather the talk of the school,” Andromeda said. “After what you did.”
“I… um… wait!” Morien steered the conversation away from him. “Who are you? What are you… I mean, here?”
“Yes, I imagine we’re both a long way from where we started,” Andromeda laughed. “In my case, I come from Sheba. And I take it from your dress you’re from Songhay?”
Morien gulped. Sheba, being the dominant Yeshuan kingdom in Soudania, had a history of not getting along with its Rahmanite Songhay cousin.
“Uh… afraid so,” Morien grinned sheepishly. “Don’t hold it against me?”
“Not at all,” Andromeda smiled.
“But, the students, they said you were Vanske,” Morien said. “How…?”
“Well, I may have been born in Sheba,” Andromeda explained. “But when I was little, I discovered I could do this.” From her hand, there formed a snowflake, its intricate patterns made by powerful magic. “Ice magic isn’t anything new to Sheba, and we had several fine witches to help me learn control over it. But I was a prodigy. I outpaced everything they had to offer, so eventually, they sent me down south, where our king Memnon became the god Thor. Then I got so good at ice magic, I got noticed by the Academy. And now, here I am.”
“Wow,” Morien grinned. It was amazing. Had he met this woman in Soudania, he might have regarded her with suspicion and mistrust. Now though, after being so long in a sea of pale faces, she seemed a welcome breath of familiarity.
“So… do you ever miss it? Home, I mean,” Morien asked, his thoughts turning to his mother and the imam.
“Well, I don’t know if I can answer that question,” Andromeda said. “If you mean, do I miss Sheba, of course I do. I still talk with my friends and family there, whenever I get the chance, and I carry all the things I learned from them with me. But I think home is really just where you feel most comfortable, and I feel that way with my husband, and my children. I don’t really mind where I live, so long as I can stay with them.”
“Husband?” Morien blinked in surprise. “So… you… I mean…”
“Of course,” Andromeda seemed surprised. “Why wouldn’t I? He was a good-looking guy, I was a good-looking gal, of course we got married. And now we’ve got three baby girls, and we’re planning on more along the way.”
“But… I mean…” Zahhak’s taunts still haunted Morien’s memories. “Isn’t it… strange?”
Andromeda stared back at Morien, and sounded off a long, slow sigh.
“Well… there are stares. There are people who don’t understand. There are people who still say it’ll never last. But at the end of the day, I can’t really imagine myself with anyone else. It’s not that I don’t see him as an Augustine. I see that every day. But that isn’t why I married him. That isn’t why I fell in love with him. There was something there beyond him being an Augustine, and me being a Soudanian. And besides, why should I be ashamed over who I fell in love with?”
“I…” Morien thought of Julia, and found to his dismay his love had not subsided.
“Here,” Andromeda showed Morien the book she was reading. It was a story he had read a million times, that of the hero Perseus. Perseus, first of the Valiants, was born the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Danae. Upon his birth, a prophecy was foretold that he would kill his grandfather, King Acrisius. And so the king locked Perseus and his mother in a box, and cast the box to sea, where a humble fisherman named Dictys found them and took them in. Perseus grew to be a fine, young man, and one day his mother’s beauty drew the attention of the local King Polydectes, who ordered her to become his new bride. Perseus, to protect his mother, objected, and was tasked by the king to bring back the gorgon Medusa’s head. Should he succeed, his mother would be free, but should he fail, she would be the king’s. It seemed an impossible task, but with the aid of the Mycenaean gods, Perseus succeeded, and even slew the monstrous Cetus on his way back. With the gorgon’s head, Perseus turned Polydectes to stone, and became a king who ruled justly and nobly. And his grandfather? By pure accident, he was killed by a misaimed discus thrown by Perseus, many years later. At this, the gods merely laughed.
The professor had opened the book to Perseus’ battle with the Cetus. “You see her? Chained to the rock? That’s Andromeda, the woman I was named after. She was a princess of Sheba, and to this day, you can find all these poems, all these paintings, all these stories about her. I know that look on your face. I had it a million times when I was your age. I even have it now sometimes. Because sometimes you feel like an outsider here, like you don’t really belong. But you and me, we’ve always been here. Andromeda, Feirefiz, St. Maurice, Queen Makeda, Ruggiero, Giovanni Moro, since day one we’ve been here. Don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise.”
Morien only recognized a few of the names the professor spoke. But from the passion with which she’d spoken them, he knew them to be true. She was right. Ruggiero, Feirefiz, Andromeda, they had all hailed from Soudania. And they had not been fools, they had not been like those emirs that had haunted Morien’s mind for so long. They had been brave and noble souls. It was then that Morien knew what he had to do.
“Thank you,” Morien said, before he bowed, and made his way out the library.
Erin stood alone in the stables, gazing down at the magic yoke she held in her hands. It wasn’t fair. When she had been his student, old Deus ex Machina had always found a way out of everything. But even after the battle was won and the school was rebuilding, Deus was still gone. Erin’s thoughts turned back to her brothers and sisters, those who were gone, and those who were left behind. After their parting in the Mirror World, Magnus had sought out his castle, to return to his solitude. Gogmagog had sought out Annwn, to return to his people. And Monkey had sought out heaven, to give the celestial stuffed shirts a piece of his mind. Who was left? Joan was still a ghost in Romany, navigating the tricky worlds of church and state. Bluebeard had perished, by Erin’s own hand. And Tituba, Sister Indigo…
Was Erin the only one left? The only one still alive? She suddenly felt so lonely, so very, very alone. What would happen once she perished? Would the spectral spirits die with her? Would there be no more spectral sorcerers? Was all of it to die?
“No…” a wispy voice, ethereal in the air, drifted through Erin’s mind.
“Deus!” Erin cried. It was him. He was alive.
“No…” the voice sighed. It sounded so faint, so distant. But the runes on the yoke had begun to pulse and glow, each one corresponding with a color of the spectrum.
“Where are you, Deus?” Erin asked.
“Gone…” The yoke’s runes began to glow brighter than ever before. “But not forgotten… When the time comes… Erin… our school… lives on… through you…”
“What do you mean? What are you talking about? Deus, I-”
“I… I’m sorry… I failed you… when you needed me… when all my children… needed me the most… Be better than me, Erin… and remember… you are never alone.”
Erin felt a soft breeze blow along her forehead, gentle as a kiss. And as she gazed down at the yoke, its runes smoldering with newly infused power, Erin realized the responsibility she had been tasked with.
I won’t fail you, master, Erin closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. I promise.
“It’s good to have you back, Hobie,” Julia smiled at the glowing orb, as they walked down the hallways towards the stables.
“It’s good to be back,” Hobie replied. “With that boost of energy you gave me, I feel like I can at least make it back to Thule.”
Yes, Yann grinned. With three Keys found, all that was left was to re-seal Tar-Cruorem.
“I suppose…” Hobie dimmed slightly. “After all is finally complete, we shall each go our separate ways…”
Yes, Julia slowed in her pace. That was right. She hadn’t considered until then just what they would do after the quest was over. Soon she would be alone again. After all, once the quest was complete, what reason did the group have to stay together? Hobie, Yann, Erin, even Morien, they would all leave her soon, and then what? Julia saw now, as the river passed through her fingers, a rock had flowed into her palm. But unless she chose to grab it, to grasp hold with her own initiative, it would still drift away, just like the rest of the river. Unaware of her surroundings, Julia hardly noticed that she had stopped walking, and now simply stood alone, lost in her thoughts.
Then a gentle hand returned her to the waking world, and as she glanced up to see Yann’s knowing gaze looking down at her, Julia knew what she had to do.
“Yann…” she mumbled, before a smile made its way to her lips. “Thank you.”
And with that, she made her way towards the library.
“Er, Julia? I thought we were going to load up the wagon.”
“Just… I just need to do something first!”
Come on, Yann nudged the orb along. They could manage the loading by themselves.
“Oh! Julia!” Morien sputtered as he bumped into her in the hall.
“Ah! Morien!” Julia stammered as she ran into him in the corridor.
“I, uh, I mean… I didn’t…” Morien tried to calm his thumping heart, as it threatened to tear right out of his chest.
“Uh, yeah! Me, I… er…” Julia simply couldn’t understand. Why was she so nervous?
“I was looking for you!” Morien blurted out, before whimpering out an “Um, I mean…”
“Oh! No, that’s… I was looking for you too!” Julia said.
“Wh- Oh!” Morien stiffened. Him? She had been looking for him? But why? “D-did you need help packing up the wagon or something?”
“Ah! N-no,” Julia blushed. “I, uh, Hobie and Yann. They’re doing that.”
“Oh, uh, okay…” That was right. Julia was enamored with Yann. The whole reason she’d joined the quest in the first place had been to be with him. How could Morien ever compete with someone like that? Maybe it was better to just give up. Mumble out an excuse and go back to the way things were. There were still all those books in the library. Surely one of them would take his mind off the soul-crushing loneliness he felt. Yes, that was best, that was easiest, to retreat and hide in the pages of a book. That’s all he was in the end, a shy and awkward bookworm. He couldn’t satisfy someone like Julia. She’d only laugh at him. He had to give up this fantasy, give it up completely.
“So, um…” What was she doing? She felt so scared and small, she felt the very thing she’d sworn never to suffer again. And for what? Some silly boy, who still believed in fairy stories? Could she really picture them, together in their own happily-ever-after, like some stupid, lovesick knight and princess? It was ridiculous. The real world didn’t work that way. Morien would leave her one day. Or she would leave him. Or one of them would die, or fall victim to some evil magic, or be cast down by the gods themselves. Happily-ever-afters didn’t really exist. They were nothing but a fantasy that she had to give up, give it up completely.
But then he remembered. Morien’s whole life had been nothing but books until the day he’d met Julia. It was thanks to her that he’d met all these friends, seen all these lands, made all these memories. If he gave that up, went back to his old life of stories and solitude, he knew he wouldn’t be able to find the happiness he’d once had again. Julia had made him see that the real world was so much more frightening, dangerous, and amazing than anything he could find in a book. He had to take the plunge. He had to take whatever risk this came with, and step into the real world.
But then she remembered. Julia’s whole life had been nothing but one tragedy and misfortune after another. Ever since her childhood, the world had conspired to beat her down. So she had gotten smarter, more cynical, craftier and meaner to survive this brutal and sadistic world. But then she had met Morien, and she had seen that storybook heroism could survive, even in spite of what the world might throw. Morien had made her see that stories were more than just meaningless escape and pointless fairytales. They contained hope, inspiration, courage, and love. She had to take the plunge. She had to allow herself to be vulnerable, and trust in the truths that fairy stories held.
“I… uh…” Morien’s mind raced with a million possible hooks, a billion possible beginnings before he rerouted the conversation to his confession. But in the end, all he could manage was more stammering, more sputtering, just like he always did. Words always failed him when he needed them most.
So he blurted the only important ones out, before he could think to do anything else. And for a moment, the world went silent, as Morien’s eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat and had he really just said that out loud he had hadn’t he oh merciful Ar-Rahman he had! Immediately regret and remorse flooded through him, and Morien’s mind desperately scrambled for an excuse to retreat. Something, anything, he had to find it so that he could go back. How could he have ever thought this was a good idea in any way, shape, or form? He had to get out. He had to
“I love you too.”
Morien stared blankly at Julia, as tears began to run down her smiling cheeks.
“W-what?” he barely whispered.
“I love you too, Morien,” she said.
“So… I guess this is goodbye,” Erin smiled sadly.
“I guess so,” Laschna replied.
With Erin chosen as Deus ex Machina’s pupil, she could no longer stay at Morgana Academy. Now she had to begin her tutelage under the warlock, which meant leaving behind all the friends she had made. Erin cursed herself. She had been so worried about being left behind, she had never expected she would be the one leaving someday.
“No, don’t think like that,” Laschna had said. “This is an amazing opportunity, and no matter where you go, you can always come back here. We’ll still be here.”
She had said that, but was it true? Soon her friends would graduate, and go off to do new and exciting things around the world. She couldn’t possibly keep track of all of them, could she? Sooner or later, Erin would have to leave the friends she had made behind.
“Maybe,” Laschna said. “But even if that’s true, the memories will stay. Even if you never see us again, you’ll have the stories we made to tell and remember forever.
“And speaking of which,” Laschna pulled out a familiar pearl, to hand to Erin. “The offer still stands.”
“I…” Erin stared sadly at the pearl. “I can’t! Not after what I did to her.”
“Erin-”
“No! I’m sorry, but I can’t!” Erin ran away, leaving Laschna alone with the pearl still in her hands.
They would keep in touch, even as the years passed and the friends left each other’s lives. For many years Erin and Laschna would remain friends.
“Um… h-hey! Laschna!” Erin cornered her friend in the hall.
“Yes?” Laschna asked.
“Um… I just… I was, um, wondering…” Erin gulped. “Is… you said, you said the offer… it still stands?”
Laschna gazed at her friend in surprise, before a smile made its way to her lips, and she pulled out a familiar pearl from her robes.
“Yes.”
As night approached, Yann and Hobie began to nod off after a hard day’s work, while Rina lay awake in bed, nervous and excited for what the next day would bring. Morien and Julia talked and talked and talked, as the hours passed by with hardly either of them noticing. The Headmistress and the Shanachie comforted the Dragon Mother as she wept and grieved. And in that dark and gloomy castle, a red ghost found his little one huddled and scared in its special hiding place. With whispered words of comfort, the ghost and his pet were once again united.
Sitting in the bedroom of her three daughters, Professor Andromeda began to read a story. It was a story she herself had heard many times, growing up in Sheba. And though her children, as time went on, would forget the names of birds and plants, would dress and talk as Vanske girls did, would find their “home” of Sheba just as foreign as any outsider, Andromeda knew they would never forget the stories she told. Just as every parent passes down their traditions, like a bucket overflowing with spilt water, Andromeda knew her daughters could only contain a fraction of Sheba in their hearts. But if they remembered the stories, if they kept those alive, Andromeda would be satisfied. As the children lay asleep, and her husband held her hand tight, Andromeda hoped that the stories would live on.
And in the bedroom of the shahzadeh, a pearl began to glow brightly on the necklace where it lay. With a start, the shahzadeh looked incredulously down at the jewel, before a beaming smile made its way to her lips, and she answered its call.
“Hello?” Naomi asked.
“H-hi, Naomi,” Erin said. “It… it’s been a while, huh?”