Ashes

Arch I. Enia and Xentaron. Story 3. Neon Sonata

After a while, the virus that had been raging in the city for a long time subsided. This disaster was replaced by something that no one expected. Winter is here. Longest winter ever. Coldest winter ever. It seems that the nature itself wanted to get rid of people in this place. Winds were howling. Many houses were empty as people tried to leave Xentaron in search of warmth. A lot of people couldn't handle the cold, then they died... Mayor Deimos tried to help his people with everything he could, but even this wasn't enough. This drove him even more crazy. It seemed to him that his people began to despise him for his inability to provide them with warmth and food...

It lasted three years. One winter evening, when everyone had already begun to go to bed, and the lights were still on in the laboratory, a loud noise was heard within the castle walls. After sending his daughter to bed, John went to the source of the noise. The sound came from the master laboratory. There Ward kept spare details, generators and other garbage that can deprive anyone of sleep. John turned the lights on. It seemed like no one was here, but the trap that Abby had set long ago in case Deimos dared to break in and destroy all the work worked flawlessly. 

The young man stood in an electric cube that resembled a cage. Any sudden move could cause any injury. The boy understood this perfectly and froze in place, catching the serious look of the scientist who had just entered. 

"What are you doing here?" John's voice sounded loud.

"I... Um..." the boy tried to come up with some non-obvious lie, clutching some kind of package to his chest more and more tightly, as if trying to make sure that John did not see it.

Obviously, John saw it. He came a little closer, so he could see an intruder that broke in the workshop. The boy had blue-gray hair and gray eyes that showed despair and panic. He was dressed in some torn clothes, through which scars from deep cuts and bruises were visible. The young man tried to avoid eye contact with the scientist. Realizing how frightened he was, Ward softened his tone a little.

"Tell me, little one. What is your name?" 

"My name is... Eclip, sir" he answered timidly. Eclip did not know what exactly the stranger was going to do 

 "Eclip? You have... Interesting name." John smiled. "If you tell me why you need THESE parts, I will open the cage." 

"They... I need them to survive" 

"Are you planning on eating them, or what?" the apothecary laughed trying to defuse the situation a little and make Eclip feel safe. By the way, he opened the cage. "Follow me"

"What? Where?" Eclip panicked.

"To the Mayor." Ward came closer and took the package from  his hands. He didn't resist "Let's see what he'll decide."

"But.. I don't want to..."

"I understand" John sighed. His voice sounded very tired. It seemed that he was not enthusiastic about this idea. "But that's how it should be. Do you know why? Because if anyone else had caught you, you'd be dead where you stand. So maybe my daughter's trap saved your life. The question is, for how long..."

Ward brought the boy to a throne room. Mayor Deimos was surprised when he saw him, because at such a late hour he is usually busy with other things. Then his attention was drawn to a boy walking behind him. He never saw him. Bowing, John began to speak

"Your grace, I caught him in my workshop" 

"Really? Interesting... What he was doing there?" Deimos sat down on a throne, listening carefully. 

"It's not what he did there. And the thing is, did you know that he has been living in the castle for... How long? - He turned to Eclip. He said in a whisper, "three years." - Three years? Wow... About the fact that he lives in the castle for three years?" He looked at the Mayor again.