Xelqua Rising || The Lost One AU

4.The First

This chapter has the Watchers speaking some of their language (which is just English translated into Galactic, don't question it, lol--). Originally in this chapter, I had things written out in galactic so you could read this as blind as Grian, who is only just beginning to learn Language. However, the further I got into the story the more annoying it was. Instead, I have decided to use italics anytime someone is speaking in Galactic. I hope you enjoy this next part!

Re-edited 10/29/23

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"What is my name?" Grian had asked early on. "In signage, I mean." He quickly added, realizing his mistake. Miesall showed him the slightest hint of a teasing smile; he would not poke at the human, verbally at least, this time.

"We usually do not differentiate between you humans." He answered honestly. Grian couldn't help but internally sigh. His head drooped a little. "Your name is not a word, so we can spell it out." He signed the Galactic letters in the air as Grian watched: ⊣∷╎ᔑリ . "But, we often call you..." He raised his pinky finger, waving it a little. Grian stared at it closely.

"Does it mean something?" He asked, continuing to stare at the repeated motion. Miesall nodded.

"It means First, with an implied 'the' before it." He explained.

"The First?" Grian asked, now watching himself copy the motion. He looked back at Miesall, allowing the confusion to show in his eyes. "But why..?" The Watcher stared at him, his face solemn like it often was.

"Because you, Grian, are The First." He replied seriously, although if anything, it left the human with more questions. It was a title? He had a title? What could it possibly mean? Was that a good thing or was it bad?

"What does that mean?" He pressed. The Watcher looked away, though seemingly not out of shyness.

"It means that you are The First, Grian. What else would it mean?" He responded, avoiding the question. Or could it really just be that simple, that it really had no meaning behind it? Perhaps they had numbered them like cattle and he had just so happened to be the first one. He hoped not.

"Well, The First of what?" He tried again. The Watcher now had not only looked away from him, but also turned his back as well. He walked up to the whiteboard and let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head. Silence overlapped the room for a minute, neither of them moving or talking.

"Hey, Miesall..." Grian began, a bit of nervousness making itself known as he wasn't sure what to say. Silence for a human like him was uncomfortable to say the least. The Watcher did not move, but he went on anyway. "How do you sign your name?" Now Miesall looked up. He raised his hand and dropped his wrist. He started to rub his fingers, almost as if he was sprinkling something. He then flipped his wrist so his fingers were now pointed up as he continued to rub them. He repeated the signs a few times as he walked back to Grian.

"Watchers usually make their own sign for their name since our names are not actual words," he began. "We could spell them out, but we seldom do. My name was derived from the ocean, so my name in signage is similar to the words 'sand' and 'shell.' "

Grian copied the motion a few times, continuing to watch as Miesall himself did it. "So it's a nickname?" He asked.

"Something like that, yes." Miesall replied, no longer repeating his name over and over with his hands. Grian soon stopped as well.

Miesall spent hours teaching Language to Grian. After the long lessons, the Watcher refilled all of the human's needs, except for sleep as he had requested previously. He had no idea how much time had passed, but he decided to call it a day and go to sleep once more on the cold stone flooring.