Chapter 5 - Link to a Pale Memory

The sounds of stepping on the hard stones beneath us give an unsatisfactory feeling to my whole body, their near round or oval shapes make me shiver as I step lightly over them, as if stepping on them on a cold morning in bare feet. 

The tall pale constructions enclose us in the middle of the town, sort of cut off from the world. And even this late at night, yells and cheers can be heard from different bars and inns. A board stands out in the middle of the town square, right next to a sort of statue of a figure, it's eyes are covered up by a blindfold, and it looks to have a long cape, or coat of sorts. It's completely made of stone and seems quite ancient. We walk over to the board to see, it's a map of the town.

"Of what I can see here, we need to take a left, and follow the path up to that giant tree over there." Rito points to one of the titan trees in the forest, though separated from the others, may even be in the ocean itself. A large rim-like pathway travels across the midpoint of the trunk, mimicking a walkway. 

On the side of the tree facing out towards the town, a small entryway was visible, but was covered up by a sort of white mist, or barrier. I quickly set foot even as Rito is still staring at the map of the town. As I skip my steps over to not touch the large stones on the path. Feeling any wrong movement could potentially slip me or knock me to the ground.

 "Judari, hey?!" Rito yells after me looking frustrated. He quickly runs after me as I speed up towards the shore of Palelink. The potent smells of the sea-salt enters through every creaves of my body. And away from all the noises of the bars and parties, the waves of the sea crashing against the hard stone shore flood my ears. As I come closer and closer to the tree, Finally catches up.

"Judari.." He takes a deep breath in and out with a raspy voice.

"We are going that way." He points towards a slight off-path branch towards a small wooden hut, a sort of platform connected with long metallic wires connecting it to the rim of the massive tree, sits comfortably next to the hut. But as we slowly get closer, a sort of gray figure becomes more clear. As made of metal and iron, with white shining eyes. In front of me is a Gaian. 

Back at the Southern Sanctuary, dad used to tell me stories of these living robots, and how they are just as much as us, as we are as them. Only difference of course being they are made of metal. Though they still inhabit a soul of sorts, making them able to choose what life to live. The cranky Gaian was happily churning and churning on a sort of mechanism connected to the platform.

 "Ah, two last passengers for the ride?" The Gaian speaks clearly, but still with an echo building up inside of it. Rito and I are now right next to the platform.

"So young ones, get onto the elevator, an old piece of alloy like me needs to rest my limbs hehe." His laugh feels aged, like blowing away dust from something ancient. We quickly step onto the wide platform, feeling it give slightly into our weight. 

 "Oh and for next time, the name's Walter, what would your names be?" Walter asks. Incredible how many times today I've had to say my name.

"The name's Rito." He reaches out his hand to shake Walter's.

"And I'm… My name is Judari."

"Ah, Rito and Judari, not common to see you sky people down here. I've met some of you before but you always speak some fancy language. I tried to learn it, but I simply can't wrap my head around it hehe." Walter chuckles slightly to himself.

 "Anyway, enough chit chat from me, let me send you two up. Luckily you made it just in time before I closed up for the day." Walter steadily makes his way over to a sort of pulling contraption. He begins turning it around and around. Rustling and cranking the platform slowly lifts up from the ground. It raises slowly over the hut as the metal wires grind against the cogs below.

 All of Palelink suddenly becomes much more wide, the long docks spreading across the shore line. The various ships parked and anchored to the sea. Though at this late, everything outside the city is but a dark shadow. 

The platform finally stops at the edge of the tree. We follow the wide pathway carved into the trunk, as we make our way over to the entrance. The mist blocking it flows back and forth, folding itself like a towel, over and over.

 "Just beyond here, starts a new life. We've been so patient, and we're finally here." Rito tries to wipe off his smile, but he keeps having it on.

"You were right Rito, all the hard work paid off."

"I know." He winks and grins at me, as I slowly lift my foot into the mist.

Back at Southern Sanctuary, we also had this sort of pale mist at the entrance as well. My dad used to tell me what use it gives, and how they were even made. The mist itself judges one soul and actions, being able to deem one worthy of entering past it. 

It was originally made as a defense against a great evil, in a long ago war. The mist was set into the very stone or bark around them by powerful Illusionists and mages. But nowadays it is used to ward off the chaotic type of people. 

And even if I've gone through the one back at the Sanctuary multiple times. I still feel like this one is more of a hurdle, like it could reject me at any moment. Flinging me towards certain death into the spiraling sea. I stepped through the mist going through every possible way this could end badly, as the feeling of bliss washes over my body.

And even if there was no real water in it, this feeling of dampness and sprinkles of water still consumes my body. As the mist comes to an end, I am greeted by a warm tall hallway, two sets of staircases lead up to a desk embedded into the wall. 

A pale wrinkly man with thin blonde hair sits quietly at the desk perring into an open leather book. The room itself separates itself with a large pillar upholding the barked roof. Small inscriptions and metal plating is hammered into the rims of the walls, casting a slight glint of light into my eye.

Rito yanks in my arm, signaling me to move. We quickly bolt up the rugged flight of stairs and over to the wrinkled man. He unlocks his eyes from his pages and onto us.

"So, what are you youngin's doing here so late, the sun's already set way beyond the horizon." He takes out a new larger book, featuring rows and rows of names and dates inside it.

"I hope we aren't too late, we are here to enlist in The Order." I quickly say.

"Thought so, alright what's ya names, I gotta note you down." The man holds his pencil above the paper with an anxious vibrancy radiating from his hand.

"Rito."

"Judari Onyx, oh also, I've heard something about an exam, when is that?"

"Wait a second, let me check." He takes a long pause, throwing his body and head back to shelf of letters. He yanks out one called 'Sentinel Bounty Reports', the text engraved in a plate of gold.

"Hm, seems like you two have done quite a lot during this past year. And hmm." He pauses again.

"Oh? You two measly knights took down an assassin huh? Well considering that sort of achievement, I suppose we can just let you enlist right now. The exam isn't needed." He scribbles on, noting us down in the large tome.

"Alright, considering you've already joined, I would like to welcome you, into The Order." The man raises himself and shakes our hand.

"Very very good, I'll have Frey woken up so he can show you around, and get you a room, guessing you would want a room together?" He stands himself next to a button.

"Yes please, separate beds if possible." We both quickly say in sync.

"Good, now please be on your way, I have some more work to do." He flicks his hand down on the button, and sits back down to look at his book yet again. We walk off to the right, into a narrow staircase ascending upwards. 

Small rims follow the stairs steps as we go up. I try to listen to the sounds around us, small bits of chatter penetrate through the thick tree's bark very roughly, no words can be heard, just noise. The creaky steps bellow out their satisfying noise, like stepping foot in fresh glossy snowflakes. As we reach the peak of the stairs, we turn a corner to the left into another hallway, it connects with the secondary staircase below us. We walk further ahead to the middle, which opens into another hallway.

 "Tch, how many hallways does this tree have, it's like a maze." I complain.

"No idea, but there should be a map or something on this whole place. Judari, are you ready to become Sigil Knights?" Rito asks with stars in his round eyes.

"SO!" A loud deep voice behind us yells. "You two's wanna become Sigils eh?" We turn around to see a large bald man wearing dull silver armor, his gray beard blending in with his fair skin. His imposing figure shadowing us.

 "Yes sir we do!" Rito suddenly blurts out, I see his arm jolting up to salute but he quickly takes it down again.

"Well well, that's good to hearh! And from what I can see with me eyes, you're Inari's kid right?" He points to my forehead with his dry fingers.

"Yes I am, how'd you know?" 

 "Rahaha, I can always tell who Inari has his lil' influence over, you look just like him when he was a youngin', just how I still am, at hart at least!" He yells. 

"Any how, name's Frey, or as the poshy would call me, Knight Captain Frey, but Frey's fine. and seems you two are gonna be mah newest cruits in this year's batch. I betta' show you yer rooms, it's getting late, and even if ya got the pass to skip the exam, you still need rest for tomorrow." He does a large belly laugh, as he walks past us, and magnetizes us with him, even with no hands used, he still makes us follow right in his footsteps with his very presence.

"He's an eccentric fellow huh?" I whisper through my lips to Rito.

"It's kinda fun though, imagine him as our teacher." He smiles back at me.

He takes the lead as he shows us through the many hallways of the tree. A lot of rooms seem embedded into the walls with an open arch inside. We finally reach a section of the hallways with actual doors, he brings us to a room with the number fourteen carved into it.

 "So, this is yer bedroom, it's also where me and Inari used to bunk, with two separate beds, they were originally a bunk!" He begins another long roar of a laugh. He turns the knob on the door to the inside.

 "Now goodnight you two, I betta get to bed now, see ya in the mornin'!" Frey walks off in a large strut. Rito walks inside first, a slight glow between the small specks of dust flying about the room, slowly hovering down to the floors.

"So, this is really it, I just hope we can sleep in tomorrow." I say as I give a slight chuckle.

"Sure Judari. Do you want to join me for a prayer?"

"To Solan, no thanks, I want to sleep right now."

"Fine, just don't snore too loudly tonight ok?" Rito asks as he sets himself down to the floors with his legs crossed over.

 "I'll try my best, and just don't pray too loud then." I comment back.

"Alright alright, just go to sleep." I rush over to the mirror to quickly splash some water in my face from the wooden bucket beside it. Scrubbing over my lavender skin, and onto my curly gray hair. What are these weird star shaped bits of darker gray hair even? I've had them since forever, but I've never asked about them, 

I know dad doesn't have them. Maybe mom did. I push the main piece of hair along my right eye, and leave my left eye a bit more open. I get done at the mirror and go over to the bed, on it lays a green blanket. It's sort of stiff and itchy, but still brings me a sense of comfort with its weirdly nostalgic smell. I look over to Rito as I cover my mouth with the green blanket.

 "Solan, bound by thy chains of Order, restrict thy self in any sort, in an endless wander across a blank beach, I am chained to you my god, a world of hurt I neigh hath to see. Visyn." Rito finishes his quiet whisper as he lifts himself up and lays to bed. My eyes feel so heavy, the small lantern flickering in the corner being the only thing keeping me from falling into the abyss of slumber, just one more thought. 

As my eyes peel open slowly, I feel the small bits of crum and dust that's taken rest in my eyes. I quickly wipe it off to raise myself up from my soft pillow, I throw aside my red blanket to the sandstone floor. 

I look around the dimly orange hued room, and find myself faced with a familiar tall slender hairless man, dressed in white fine robes, and standing at a neatly constructed wooden desk to my left. He suddenly turns around with a warm smile.

"Ah, Judari. How was your nap?"

"It was alright Master Isaac." I say apologetically.

"Don't go dozing off like that next lesson, okay?" He says as if stepping on clouds.

"Yes." I look to the floor.

"Oh and for your information, your parents are out on a mission currently, they should be back either today or tomorrow." His face glows up as he slowly steps towards me.

"What do you think their mission is this time, maybe hunting assassins, or uh… Abyss Walkers?" I say with an enthusiastic tone.

"I have no clue Judari, and for now it does not matter, take my hand, and we will go to the library." He reaches his hands towards me. I quickly grab them and raise myself out of the rustic bed.

"What sort of subject would you like to read upon today?" Isaac asks while he tugs in the barked door. We enter out into a wide hallway, the ceiling doesn't reach much farther than most adults' heads.

"Maybe, hmm. a book about dragons?" I ask with my head turned up towards Isaac.

"Any sort of dragon you are taking an interest in? Perhaps the Amphithere's just below in the Desert Catacombs?" 

"There are dragons below us!" My voice raises quickly, as I try to lower it.

"Of course, but they rarely come above from their narrow tunnel bores." Isaac explains as we walk through the hallway, slender pillars of sandstone stand out between each door present on the walls, dividing the hall into neat sections. 

A wide gate of plywood stands as an entrance, Isaac reaches for a lanky lever on the side of the door, and suddenly the wood comes to life, and lifts itself from the ground and into a small intersection between the walls. A barrage of warm light floods into the hallway behind us, as my eyes are met with a large open hall, rims run across the ceiling, with wine dyed banners and tables filled with jewelries and gold.

 Isaac pulls me forward onto the dark crimson carpets, following along the path of the rug, we pass the large wall blocking the entrance to the Sanctuary. It's an entry accessed by two doorways. As we walk further along in the tall hall towards the library's plywood gate, a large crash of metal bangs out from the entrance, shocked panics and chatter form around the hall. As crowds begin to hurriedly walk to see what has transpired, I let go of Isaacs hand and rush beyond the closest of the two gates.

As chatter turns to shock from the rows of people blocking the entrance, I slither my way through to see what has happened, I finally make it out beyond the wall of folk. A plated bloodied man lays at the doorstep of death, his face and long soiled hair is covered in crimson. A browned cape lays over his left arm, with a child underneath, the child's eyes scream of trauma, their roundness contrast with the shivering mouth and teeth. 

The man's violet skin get outshined by the scars and wounds covering him. His left arm is all but there. Not chopped off or any of the sort. But ripped from the very bones and nerves.

"D-dad?" My voice trembles over my words. I stand unmovable as I lay watch to a scarred man, my father. Being kneeled over completely broken.

"I'm… I'm sorry Judari, your mother, she didn't... She didn't make it." His voice seems to not even believe itself, as his shallowed eyes empty of light.

"What do you mean? She just isn't here yet right, right!" I yell as the monks of the sanctuary enter the scene. He looks sorrowly to the ground, closing his eyes as he collapses, his face dotted around with vicious dark pinpoints, seeming to emulate that of voluptuous pimples. The boy under his cape, was named Rito.