Enter Abyss

Chapter 7; The darkest hour.

Cogs felt as if he couldn't breath; his lungs were tight and his ears rung with the name the Keeper had said. HIS name, his true name.

Both Archer and Piper were looking at him in a confused way, then Archer's eyes widened in realization and he sunk to the ground right beside Cogs. Numbly, he felt his friend put his arms around him while the crowd surrounding them began to murmer, their voices mixing with the wails of a woman. No doubt Cogs' mother.

"Wait..." Cogs heard Pip say, "He said 'Levi'. Your real name is Levi?"

The boy nodded, his shoulders beggining to shake. 

"No. There has to be some mistake!"

"Don't you understand, Pip?" Archer snapped, making Cogs whince, "There was no mistake." his voice crumbled and Cogs let his friend hold him tight, as if it would help anything.

He felt empty inside, drained. Like all his hope had been snuffed out like a candle. Sudden and with very little warning.

He wouldn't live to see another sunset, or to stain his fingers with ink as he made maps, or kiss Pip like he'd always wanted to. He wouldn't be able to eat the food he loved, or test Archer's inventions, or grow up and have children of his own... All that was destroyed the moment the Keeper had read his name. It was gone; ash blown away by the wind. Funny, he never really noticed the joys and wonders of life until he was staring death in its grisly face.

Cogs was not sure how long he sat there with Archer's-- and eventually Pip's-- arms around him. He leaned his head into Piper's shoulder, noticing how nice she smelled, then realizing he would never smell that scent again. He could still hear his mother wailing, along with the cries of his little cousins. They had treated him roughly last night, but he was sure they had not wanted THIS to happen to the only cousin that would let them jump on his bed. In a way, he felt sorry for them. Not as sorry as he felt for himself, but sorry enough.

Finally a Keeper commanded Archer and Piper to leave so that the family of the chosen could spent time with Cogs. In truth, the boy only wanted to stay with his friends; just so he could see Pip's face, her smile, one last time.

Thankfully, Pip told the Keeper where he could shove that order and they stayed, following Cogs as he was lead into the cathedral and into a side room that contained a large bed, a nightstand, a few chairs, and a wardrobe. The room was simple but comfortable, yet it did little to put Cogs at ease as he and his friends waited for his parents. Unfortunately-- or fortunately, depending on how you looked at it-- Cogs parents never came and it was not long before the same Keeper returned, telling Cogs that his mother and father found it too hard to see their son at the moment. They would come later, he said, once they had been consoled.

Cogs almost laughed out loud. If anyone needed consoling, it was him. But he could not help but wish that he could be here with his parents; he knew how hard this must be for them. But Archer and Pip stayed and wouldn't leave even when the festivities started. Music floated through the open window along with a breeze that carried with it the scent of food. Cogs' stomach rumbled, but he could have cared less to eat. Instead, he sat in silence with his friends until Pip stood up and began to pace, muttering to herself.

"This wasn't supposed to happen!" she snarled more to herself than anyone else, "I've got a good mind to fight every Keeper here till they let you go."

In spite of everything, Cogs couldn't help but blush slightly at her words; she cared. A lot. And while fighting his way out sounded rather nice, he doubted it would work very well. Not only that, but he and Archer were men of science and knowledge with not much skill in the art of punching someone in the face.