The Second Carpenter

XII

XII_I_Let_Me_Out_I

"My love," said Galah'aasu, addressing Raznaxard, "I have done that which you asked of me. I've killed the vampire named Saren."

"You've done well, dear. Hand me the infant."

The Scarlet was cascading beside their ears. Its significance in width was more than it seemed from afar. And the altitude whence it poured down, also understated. The hue of blood vaporized at a radius to crimson clouds in the body of the water and then faded. It was dark even further away from that radius, as if to manifest the contamination of this world by this bloody scourge. Or so some liked to interpret.

"What will become of the child, my love?"

"He will find his way home. Then he will return to me. Once he's done his duty." Raznaxard kneeled and put the child to the current. The infant escaped eyesight almost immediately. "This child carries significant potential. But I will have to empower him."

"And what should I do?"

"Say . . ." he did not look at her. "Did you encounter Kalgaros in Maiariot?"

"No. It was supposed to be a secret mission. I could have been discovered if I had tried to contact him. But I trust he will return home soon . . . My love, I still fear of the consequences of killing the daughter of Maiariot's leader. Does this not endanger the peace? Was she really that great a threat-"

"Go home. Go home to your brothers."

"Will you not be with me?"

"I must head to Maiariot. Just go to your brothers."

"All right. Kiss me before I go."

XII_I_Let_Me_Out_II

The tower was lit by direct lightning. Not the kind of lightning that rather randomly hits a peak, led by physical predecessors rather than conscious will; but the kind that is summoned by someone under the peak. Galah'aasu entered the dome of the tower. Rakard and Rikey were standing upon the uppermost gallery. Looking at the receiver. Contemplating. Anticipating. Scheming?

"Raznaxard had me come to you two," said Galah'aasu, noticeably discombobulated. "What . . . what is going on? You're ever so at home while in the tower. You're not so elegantly dressed now either - not that I mind - but you seem to be set to go somewhere; or meet someone?"

"The meeting just ended," said Rakard, without looking at her.

"Uh, Raznaxard was here?"

"No. Raznaxard sent . . . word. Anyway, a new era is looming. I am expected elsewhere. I need to be at the target coordinates to make sure the landing occurs without trouble."

"What are you talking about. Whom did you meet? Where are you going?"

". . . You cannot begin to imagine the terrifyingly quick pace of progress that is achieved when two universes cooperate."

"Rakard, you're scaring me. Are you mad? Why won't you speak plainly?"

"I can't delay any longer. I will go. I hope I will see you both there. Rikey will fill you in."

Space cracked and opened. A milky, holographic, oval plane appeared vertically in front of Rakard. Then he was gone. Shortly after, a similar plane appeared atop the dome, lightning passing through it, it started expanding, condensing, scheming?

"Rakard wouldn't believe you'll come; but you will, right?"

"Whatever do you mean, darling? Go where? Pray just tell already!"

"We are going to Maiariot. We're going to help them attack humans. We want you to come with us."

A moment passed. Another moment passed. And another. But her face was still frozen.

"Galah'aasu? Did you hear me?"

"Why . . . Why would you betray our realm?"

"What do you mean 'why?'?! what did this 'realm' ever do for us? We gave it everything and all it did was look down on us! Are you really siding with those who were mean to us all this time?"

"Wait, he told me to come to you . . . Was Raznaxard scheming with you this whole time? No! Oh dear, no! Why he . . . But why did he have me kill a bat? And the child . . . Oh dear . . . Nothing makes any sense!"

"Sister! Are you coming or not?!"

"But . . . you might have to kill your own kin. You might . . . Oh no! Kalgaros is there now! You might have to fight your own brother! I'm confident he'll be the one to kill you should that occur! Please don't act foolishly! Have him come back! I'll help you if that's what it takes, let's bring Rakard back! You don't have to listen to everything he says! There's still a place for you here! I still love you! I really love you, Rikey! Please don't leave me!"

"So . . . you're not coming."

"But I don't want to fight my own kin! I don't . . . I don't want to fight Kalgaros . . ."

"You would choose Kalgaros over us?"

She approached and took his hand, holding it close to her chest. Her desperation had rendered her relatively calm. "I would choose reason. Be honest with yourself, my dear brother, and think carefully. You know that I have respected you ever more than Rakard has. You have a choice, little darling of the night. You don't have to be his pawn . . ."

But he left her touch and the room. Galah'asua gasped, touching her broken heart over her chest. The building began to crumble - even more than before.

"Oh, I must leave at once!"

She had to break the glass of the dome and fall off to the side of the mountain. Such a descent would not kill a vampire. But . . .

"Everyone." She was too shocked to even cry, or even feel her own sorrow. "I have lost everyone. All at once. Why . . ." She could not possibly inform the queen of her brothers' betrayal. She still loved them too much for that. She would never tell on them. But remaining silent would also render Galah'aasu herself a betrayer. She could not look into her mothers' eyes bearing that guilt.

"Oh! Whatever should I do? Whither do I go?"

She was mentally paralyzed. But she had to move. Her confusion was channeled to maximize his vampiric, super‑human mobility. Soon, she fell down the edge of the Scarlet. Raznaxard had already left. Of course he had.

"I must go south . . . I must help humans . . . I must do something . . ."