Disarm Evil

Chapter 1: Rirbuseha

[In the world of the Shattered Skies there exists the vertical nation, Rirze, which stretches from the cities of the exalted closest to the sun to the cities of the disparaged where the sun barely pierces through the many floating land masses above. In an uppermost city, Rirbuseha, a young, highly exalted, human-like atu, has just acquired a letter from a resident of the city's "Market Town", a company town that exploits laborers and often drives them to lives of crime...]

There is a venomous thorn, capped in red wax, tied to the front of the parcel. My face cannot resist the smile this gift forces upon it. I slide the thorn free of its restraints and let it roll around atop my palm as I muse over its brilliant violet color. A gift from my love Lise. It has been a salary since I first met ver- mature, handsome, and interested in what I have to say.

Lise often poetically compares my beauty to that of the flower that shares a vine with this thorn, and if I am the flower, then my parents and their underlings are the thorns.

I open the parcel:

"My dearest Dima,

With each passing labor, my body yearns for you.

I fear being apart from you for a moment longer.

If you do not act swiftly, I may turn back to drugs just to numb the pain of the distance between us. I can remain strong for now, but the time apart from you beats away at me.

I know that you cannot bear to remain under the control of your greedy parents.

So I trust that you will use this opportunity I have gifted you to be with me as soon as you can. I will do my best to wait for you, my prized flower.

Your beloved,

Lise Fo"

The fear I feel for Lise's health is compelling. Each labor I have to delay my escape increases the odds ve might be driven back to the harmful addictions I rescued ver from. Since Lise needs me, is it selfish to delay a moment longer?

I could do it now. I could leave this stall, use the thorn to knock out Gele, whom my parents always have surveying me. But then there is Joho, whom my parents have started to send to help me run errands. Can a thorn be used more than once? Assuming it can, and I were successful, I could run away with Lise this labor. Off on an adventure to Sudihatosema to help those in need. All I'd have to do is leave behind everything I have ever known...

Is this really the direction Ritu wants for me? Dear Ritu, if I am making the wrong choice, please stop me. Close the door so that I cannot go a step further. Otherwise, please quiet my fears.

Every time I pray I reach the same confusing conclusions. On one hand, I don't feel as though I, or anyone for that matter, is really meant to live in such luxury and comfort as we do in Rirbuseha. Especially when there are souls in need of saving. Afterall, there is the lesson:

"We have no time to live for pleasure.

With so many still lost we feel the pressure

To guide all that we can before Ritu's measure."

On the other hand, my family was exalted to this life of luxury and comfort by Ritu Verself. Is it wrong for me to question if my family really should have this life when it was given to us by Ritu?

I won't do it now. I'm too uncertain and it's too risky. I will give my parents one more chance to convince me that life in Rirbuseha is necessary. Or perhaps I should only speak with Numo. Of my two parents, ve is the most likely to even let me get a word in.