When Blackbirds Fly

Chapter Twenty Seven

 "We're almost there!" Zero runs ahead of the group, excited. Everyone follows him, infected with his childlike glee.

We are indeed getting close to our destination. The only indicator so far is the quickly thinning trees. I can see a little bit of the purple sky, telling me that evening is giving way to dusk. As we're all focusing on the prospect of a long journey coming to an end, it's no wonder that only Audrey notices the strange smell wafting through the air.

"Is that...smoke?" she asks warily. We slow to a jog. As I begin to pay attention I notice that she's right. More than that, I can now see through the trees almost completely. Thick, black smoke is curling above the canopy.

"Oh no," I breathe.

"Guys, we have to hurry, I think something happened!" Zero shouts from up ahead. He doesn't betray much with his actions but his eyes show his increasing panic. We quicken our pace.

Finally, the trees give way to the disaster before us. The Mithril Towers are completely destroyed. Burned. They're still burning, although it's clear that wasn't the only damage done. Their foundations are ripped to the core, the metal creaking and groaning as it falls apart. Some parts of the tower are already on the ground. The glass windows- beautiful glass windows- are completely shattered. Holes randomly spot the sides of the once regal buildings, adding to the horrible sight.

"Oh God," Zero gasps, putting a hand over his mouth. All of us are shaken, Audrey seemingly the most. She screams outright, tears running down her cheeks as she sinks to the ground. Ian just stares at the collapsing rubble. I sit down next to Audrey, hugging her to try and help the shaken girl.

"It's okay," I tell her. "It'll be alright." Empty words. I didn't notice I was crying before, but now the tears run freely. Zero doesn't say anything, putting a hand on either of our shoulders. It's a silent comfort.

"Do we search for..." I trail off, not knowing how to finish the sentence. Clues? Evidence? I shrink back a little when I think of all that might have been lost.

"We should- we should probably try." Zero responds. I'm shocked to find that he's crying as well. I look at Ian, wondering if I'll see something similar, only to find an icy determination in his eyes. And a glint of fear. He catches my gaze before looking away quickly. He probably just finds this as rattling as the rest of us. Who wouldn't?

I turn to Audrey, gently putting a hand on her arm. "Are you okay?"

She nods. "Just needed a minute. I didn't think...who would do something like this?"

Who would even think to destroy such a sacred place as this? Something we'll find out soon, with our luck. I help Audrey stand up. Once more, we look to what was once the Mithril Towers.

"Ready?" I ask her.

"Ready."

I grab onto her hand, hoping to ease some of the weight on her shoulders. I don't know much about her personal life, but her reaction has me wondering if maybe she had some kind of connection to this place.

We begin walking towards the wreckage. Once we get there, we each start peeling away at the pieces of metal that we can find. Searching for a body. Searching for something useful. Searching for hope as much as anything. With each yank I dread what I could find underneath.

The only proof of life I find are pieces of armor scattered in various places of the Towers. I close my eyes and sit for a second. I almost jump out of my skin when I hear a pulsing noise. It's gone when I open my eyes. So I close them again.

To my right. I keep my eyes shut, letting my senses guide me. Slowly, I find myself standing above a throbbing orange light. I force myself to look. Something is under that piece of metal. Hands shaking, I pull back the damage.

Beneath it I find an orange crystal. I carefully lift it up, inspecting it from all sides. There's a gray button. Do I push it? Or is it a trap? In the end my curiosity wins out and I push the button. A holographic image projects a very old looking man leaning on a walking stick.

"If someone is watching this, then I assume I am dead." The man says. "I am Bastian, the last surviving Seer Master. I have used this crystal as a fail safe in case of... unfortunate circumstances such as this. Only one destined to become a Seer Master is able to activate it. Meaning that you, my dear one, are very important."

I watch in wonder as Bastian begins to pace along the ground. "The Seer Masters aren't supposed to be a show of power and greatness as the name suggests." he continues. "Underneath that name, there is a special job given to those who are chosen. We are here to protect the God's Stone. The God's Stone is a type of crystal formed on a different planet in a different dimension. How it got here, nobody knows. We do know, however, that in the wrong hands this stone would mean the destruction of all life everywhere; in every dimension, every galaxy, and every single space-time. It would be as if nothing ever existed. Of course we don't have it on hand; that would just attract unwanted attention."

Bastian waves a hand and a scroll appears in front of him. "This is the scroll that leads to the God's Stone." The scroll hovers in front of me and I hesitantly reach out to grab it. It feels thin in my hands. "Follow it. Do not under any circumstances let someone else so much as touch it. You are the one I want to make this journey. Not alone of course, but I need you to hold onto this. Be safe. Be careful. May the spirits light your path." Bastian nods before disappearing.

I'm left breathless. Me? Can I do this? I look at the crystal on the ground. He couldn't have known things were going to end this way, could he? The last Seer Master had some sort of supernatural instincts if so. A voice cuts me out of my thoughts.

"Merle." I spin around to see Ian. But not the Ian I once knew. This one is cold and demanding. "Give me the scroll," he reaches out his hand.

"Ian?" My voice trembles. I'm confused.

"Give me the scroll, Merle. Now." He tilts his head. "I don't want to make you."

This is not the boy I joked around with. This is not the boy I danced with. This is not Ian.

"Who are you?"      

Word Count: 1126

That's a lot of words 😲☝

I feel so evil bc of this chapter >:) 

Did you guys catch the little hints I threw in there earlier in the book? Idrk if they were subtle or not, but that's fine. 

Also...TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY???? LOOK AT ME GO!!!

-RS <3