Forgotten by the Realms

Chapter 8: In the Atrium

"Isn't it beautiful?"
Coven pulled his cloak away from Báye's eyes revealing the solitude of a quiet moonlit garden. Báye stepped forward in awe, running his fingers over the soft tendrils of leaves and petals. He looked up at the slowly dimming moon as it cast its weak light down on his face. Large calm jelly fish floated aimlessly around them, casting ripples of light through the still garden.
"Beautiful doesn't begin to describe it..." he said turning to Coven. "What is this place?"
Coven smiled as he walked over to a large stone fountain, and patted the seat beside him.
"Mama calls it the Atrium, even though it is outdoors. But this one also leads to all the rooms in the house." Báye ran his hands over the surface of the still water, watching the ripples fan out over the expanse. He looked up into Coven's amber eyes glowing in the low moonlight as he leaned in conspicuously. "But my sister and I think it was also the place that mama and our papa met. That's why mama doesn't come here often..."
Báye's throat felt tight with guilt as he watched a brief pang of sadness pass through Coven's eyes. Coven turned away from him looking around the Atrium.
"I mean... I didn't know him... well... well I remember some things ... but he left and didn't come back... so he could jump off a cliff and I wouldn't care.. I guess..."
Báye tugged on a seam on his cloak as he worked to change the subject. He didn't want to make Coven feel worse.
"You have a sister?"
Coven turned back towards him, smiling again. A silent thank you passed between them as he quickly answered.
"Oh yeah! Her name is Druzzita, she just turned ten last week! I think you have her in one of your classes, woodworking I think! She's actually at a friends house tonight but she should be back in a couple days!"
Druzzita Graxielli. That name was awfully familiar, Báye could vaguely picture her face from class, but like her brother she was also wild and energetic and Báye tended to keep to himself at school.
"I think I know who you are talking about. She's very good at carving."
Coven grinned, pointing at a pale marble statue beside them.
"You bet she is, that took her a month but was worth it!"
Báye smiled listening to Coven's chatter, it almost made him forget about the pressing danger that lurked in his shadow. Almost.
Coven paused a moment as he looked Báye up and down, scrunching his nose as he scrutinized him.
Báye felt a slight shiver at being observed this close. No one had done that since his parents died, not even the twins. It felt wonderful to be seen, but unnerving.
"Báye, I promised myself I wouldn't ask you this, but I just can't hold my tongue... will you please accept being the protector...? For me at least?"
Báye looked down guiltily at the dark dirt under his feet. He was afraid. Dangerous things happened to people like this, he didn't want to constantly worry about other peoples lives, and not have a moments peace to worry about his own. Having so many people relying on him was nerve racking. But looking back at Coven's hopeful eyes, he felt certain he wouldn't have to do it on his own.
"I accept Coven..."

~

"Schools aren't supposed to be this scary" Sasi thought as they leaped in through an open window. Outside had been completely deserted, no one in sight at all. They had flown from the wind path system landing in Sanctuary for several hours to reach the school, and it was already growing darker close to dinner time. The manta system didn't run on Saturdays, and they had to fly the entire way themselves. Needless to say it was exhausting.
The wind had even stilled to barely a ripple, a sign of the coming winter season, but it was eerily unlikely in the Wind Path area.
Sasi paused to sit on the classroom floor, collecting their wits about them as they caught their breath from the long flight.
They hadn't been in a school since they broke their wrist falling off the bell tower. Sasi remembered it vividly. It had happened at recess, their crush, Frezik Korms, had dared them to climb up the tall tower to retrieve the tangled kite that he and his friends had gotten stuck. Of course being the young impressionable 11 year old that they were, Sasi melted at the chance to impress the rather unimpressive Frezik. The tower proved no trouble due to Sasi's freakishly good climbing abilities, but the kite wasn't going down without a fight.
Eventually it wiggled free, taking the terrified Sasi down with it. They fell in a painful heap at the base of the tower as Frezik and his friends laughed themselves silly. Sasi broke their wrist, their pride, and lost all the respect they had for Frezik Korms all in one day.
Their parents had been terribly worried when Sasi and Odë got off the school manta that day, and found Sasi near tears with a limp wrist. Their father paced around the house muttering curses and complaints, as their mother gently wrapped their wrist tightly with a cloth.
"Relax dear, we should have homeschooled them a long time ago. Especially with our line of work, we already pull them out more then necessary. Besides, how much more could they learn at school now?"
It was decided that the twins wouldn't go anymore, and Sasi remembered sitting on the couch the next day sipping on broth and being showered with attention. They had felt like a god.
"A god that got kicked out of its throne..." Sasi muttered in response to their thoughts. Tears pricked their eyes as they brushed their long hair out of the way, and stood up.
It had been three years.
Their parents were gone, and tears were no good in the present situation.
They had to find their family. Those that were still alive. At least they hoped.
The marble clocks made a monotonous ticking as Sasi diligently walked the hallway towards Báye's class.
The polished walls and floors felt hard and pressing against Sasi, like they would swallow the lone Aryonwyn to rid the world of the family once and for all.
Sasi jiggled the ornately carved gold handle of the carving class. Locked. No problem. They walked over a few feet towards the janitors closet and swung the door open to look for the key ring.
"It's got to be here somewhere. Why in Eden would the janitor hide their keys?"
Sasi riffled along the racks and hooks, flipping gears and cloths until they heard the telltale jingle of keys on metal.
"Finally."
The clocks had gone quiet. Sasi froze as they walked back into the hallway, listening, waiting. Nothing. No noise. Nothing to worry about. Right? Suddenly Sasi missed the grueling ticking of the clocks. They shuddered as they quickly went over towards the class door and tried the skeleton key in the lock. An ominous click made a mountain of sound. The loud reverberation echoed down the dark hallway fading as it grew. Sasi slowly slid into the room.
Their palms were sweaty as they wiped them on their overalls in anxiety. Sasi slowly walked the length of the room, looking around all the desks for clues as to Báye's disappearance. They ran a hand over the surface of a table, causing dust to fly onto the floor littered with specks of gold.
Sasi sat on top of the table burying their head in their hands, as the tears came. Silent at first before they wracked their body with sobs of fear. Seconds felt like minutes, minutes felt like hours, hours felt like days, pouring their emotion, grief, and pain into the hot salty liquid.
Eventually Sasi stopped. They had an uncomfortable feeling of being watched. The room still remained desolately silent, the only sound an unsettling drip drip dripping coming from the teachers desk.
Sasi slid off the table increasing their pace towards the sound. Their footsteps quickened with the pace of the dripping as they smacked a hand down on the desk and swung around to look behind it.
The horrifying scene climbed up towards their eyes, as if it would gouge them out with fear and disgust. Sasi stared mouth open in terror as they looked down upon the broken and mutilated form of a young woman lying in a pool of her own blood. The woman convulsed with a spasm of pain as she opened her eyes to stare into Sasi's soul.
"Run...they want you...not me..."