My Last Chance [Made in Abyss Fanfiction]

06| Idofront's Child

I find myself alone when I step out into the hall, Sciro nowhere in sight. I frown, walking a few paces up and down the hall to see if he's nearby, but I'm still alone. "Sciro? Sciro, are you there?" No reply. an I tense up, leaning against the wall in fear of wandering into a place I shouldn't be. Somehow I've gotten Bondrewd's permission, but I'm still more than wary.

   As I wait, I begin to pick up on another sound above the hissing pipes. It almost sounds... melodic? As if somebody is singing. Confused, I edge further down the hall and look around the corner. The hall is a straight shot to an open doorway, it seems, and I'm instantly amazed by what I see. The doorway appears to open up to Idofront's center where the light-filled waterfall cascades down, as purple and white light floods the last twenty or so feet of the hall.

   "Sciro?" I call out one last time, again getting no response. Curiosity and wonder tries to pull me down the hall, but I hesitate. Sciro could be back at any moment, and I don't want him to worry about getting in trouble because of me. Then again, it isn't that far of a walk, and I have good ears. Speaking of, the additional sound is more clear now, and it's definitely singing. I curse myself out under my breath as I head down the hall towards the light.

   The closer I get to the end of the hall, the more I can see outside, cold air washing down the hall to meet me. I don't shiver, however, entranced by the illuminated cascade. Behind it, I can make out a wall of gray with many black dots peppered across it in a grid-like pattern. Wait, no, they aren't dots... they're windows. That great gray wall is the other side of Idofront, and the dots are the dozens of windows lining it. I can catch a few pipes spewing water as well, though my limited vision prevents me from seeing it all. The true scope of this place starts to hit me, and my eyes widen more and more.

   Along with this, the song grows louder, heard just above the now-evident flow of the water. The lyrics are clearer, words noticeable, though I don't recognize a few of them. Are they ancient Abyssal?

   "Dyaho, deho, a gentle voice is calling you. Sparkling gold petals await in the distant nest... calling you awake. Dyahode..."

   I emerge out onto a balcony-like area with a railing and pillars supporting the roof—the floor above me. The song is now painfully clear, and I look around for its source. Not far from when I'm standing, somebody leans against the railing, looking out at the water. He seems to be a boy no older than fifteen with messy, curly, shoulder-length hair that I think is supposed to be purple, but it's difficult to tell in the light of the waterfall. As if feeling my stare, he stops singing and turns to look at me, face set in a firm expression before his brows lift in surprise.

   "Wait, you're not... I thought you were Uncle Bon," he says in a voice that has just started to hit puberty. It's full of intrigue but also hostility. To my surprise, I recognize the accent he has. It, like Bondrewd's, is from my home country. "Who the hell are you? The new Hands are never left—" The boy notices Aedia, and his mouth falls open a little. "You have what Uncle Bon has! Except it's... weird."