Beyond Comprehension

Thirty

After Michael got settled in a seat next to Caspian ‒ after, of course, inspecting EW-2 while it did the same ‒ and Tadora took her place standing beside Max against the wall, all we could do was wait. In the meantime, Michael admired Caspian's and Sean's new clothing, and Ice admired both me and EW-2. Next to me, EW-68 seemed to be dissociating, blue eyes glazed and distant. He hadn't once spoken, or even reacted to anything outside of when something surprised him.

Finally, the door opened once more, although EW-68 didn't react this time. Agent Violes ‒ a pale, relatively tall red-head ‒ entered the room, carefully coaxing in a person with fluffy brown hair that fell just past their shoulders. They were sure to avoid looking at anyone as they curled up in the chair next to EW-68, their beige and black tote bag on their lap. Agent Violes stood behind them, a comforting hand on the back of the chair. Jr. Dir. Swann offered a glass of water to the frightened shapeshifter.

"Riley, thank you for being willing to travel here to join us today," Sr. Dir. Klaaus smiled, an act which seemed to ease them a touch. "Now we can get started. All of you already know us," he motioned to the three other directors, "but only a few of you know each other and why you're all here today."

Sr. Dir. Alton began introducing us, and listing the numbers and species of the EWs in the room. Apparently, the man sitting next to me, EW-68, was simply a human who had a relationship with an alien. The young woman behind him was indeed Clementine's assistant, named Rosalind Harvard, and she was only here because making sure EW-68 didn't hurt himself or others was a relatively simple task to help her get some experience.

"Aliens exist?" Caspian gasped when he heard that word. "I knew it!"

"Oh, you have no idea," Ms. Harvard behind me muttered.

"Yes, your friend Hawk is an other worlder, as is Two," Klaaus chuckled. "We have others here, but this meeting isn't about them. This is about the world of magic and the god known as Chaos." The shapeshifter lightly whimpered, green eyes going wide. "Ice, you told Dr. Davidson that Chaos is a god."

"Not just any god. The god."

"Riley?" Agent Violes gently asked the shifter. "Do you know something about Chaos? You study that stuff, right? You brought some of your books."

Riley nodded, but didn't say anything.

"Hm, Chaos," Two hummed, touching the screen along the left wall. It turned to static for a moment, mimicking their television head, before settling on an image. An image blurred around the dark edges, showing the bare torso of a tall figure. Brown skin turned to black down their arms, which were draped in a sparkling blue translucent scarf. Thick green curls that seemed to be flecked in silver glitter cascaded down their back and shoulders. Around their neck, resting on the clavicle, there was a silver choker necklace with seven pendants. Their face was hidden above where the image cut off, only a gentle smile shown.

"...And that would be Chaos," Ice curtly nodded. "That is Chaos. Wow. Don't usually see color images. Usually just carvings. That is Chaos."

"Ms. Harvard?" Sr. Dir. Klaaus asked. "Can you confirm that that is the figure of the carving you saw in the City of Books?"

She didn't even need to study the image. "Yes, sir; that's them, that's the figure I saw in the City of Books." She looked at Two, "...Who is he? Back in the City, Sheigh said that he was 'The Creator'."

"...Unsure," Two shrugged. "Sent us here. To stop Chernobyl. Didn't make it."

"Oh, Creator, you're an Architect Of Chaos," Riley breathed, soon covering their mouth with the realization that they had spoken aloud.