47 *Dreamscape* 8

Chapter 47 *Dreamscape* 8

Flange Orphanage, City: Three Prongs Fork, Republic of Shantu, Continent: Barat, the Year 2022, Planet: Grimoire

thunderous booming followed by crackling sizzling noises fizzing through the air roused Grifton from a sound sleep. He awoke with an annoyed growl. "What the hell is this?"

"Chill, it's not what you think." Calico spared him a glance. "It is kinda pretty too." He nodded in the distance. "Check it out." He chewed on a stem of grass.

Huh? Grifton looked in the direction that Calico indicated. Come to think of it, there were twinkling spots in the nighttime sky. Then colorful bursts of sparkling lights filled his vision. He jerked back in surprise. "Oh, fireworks." He shivered from slight unease. His vision temporarily clouded before it cleared. Now as Grifton looked around, he saw the colorful sight was gone, leaving the dark night with stars back.

"Well, that was the ending, you won't need to hide from the sight any longer." Calico looked amused him. "I wouldn't have taken you for a scaredy-cat, then I realized it might make you think of war-torn areas and gunfire." His amusement faded. "You have quite the baggage in there." He tapped his head.

"Yeah, I suppose I do." Grifton hoped he hadn't ruined the moment for anyone else.

"Ah, my sisters are seated on another riverbank with their fiancés." Calico seemed to know where his thoughts wandered. "I hung out with you because your blood relatives took off for that place, Fountain Grove." He shrugged.

Huh, so they hadn't completely vanished from his life. That was good to know.

That's when Calico hit him with disappointing news. "None of us can stay long." He leaned back on his arms behind his head. "We just came to check in with the Director and see how you're faring."

Grifton sighed. "Well, I'm just glad you're doing well."

A grin tugged at Calico's mouth. "I finally mastered the simple magics and stuff that was earth-based." He glanced at Grifton who nodded in congratulations. He knew how hard it was for Calico.

Calico sighed. "For whatever reason, I wasn't able to get it back when a kid." He shook his head. "Well anyway, I'm a blacksmith and cobbler in Lot's Smithy and Forge. That's in a new republic that has formed in the far southwestern pacific portion of Barat."

Grifton was amazed. "So, another one formed there, huh?" He'd never thought that was remotely possible.

"It didn't come without a huge price, sadly." The contentment on Calico's face dimmed slightly when he glanced at Grifton.

"So, what happened out there?" Grifton remembered that communications had cut off early on.

Calico scowled. "Yeah, though it took a lot of lives because of the number of feral creatures roaming the area." He shook his head. "I hate to frame it this way." He sighed. "If you had gone at the same time as us, you would've died in the first wave of attacks."

Well, not like he hadn't known about his limitations early on. "Yeah, I figured that out quickly enough." Grifton rolled his eyes. "The bullies took advantage of your absence. On the other hand, I was able to master all kinds of fist and physical combat techniques." Unpleasant to face but that was his reality. "So don't feel too guilty about leaving me behind. One of us had to stay as a representative of the Tinroy family." Although he'd loathed the idea at the time.

Calico snorted sourly. "Yeah right. I know damn well that the clan never viewed us as one of the bloodlines."

They both shook their heads.

"Yeah, those other siblings and cousins erupted from the woodwork as soon as you all left." A valid truth that Grifton knew about his cousins. "They honestly believed that once I was gone all stains would be removed from the clan's heritage." Too bad for them, they'd been shocked into stupefaction when Calico, Marlayne, and Amberlyn made their reappearance rather conveniently when Grifton was graduating from Cornell Academy with the highest honors.

Grifton grunted. "So, I might come visit that area. This place has become overcrowded." He glanced sideways at Calico who started at his comment.

"You'd be welcomed. Though if you do come, please bring seasoned adventurers with you." Calico smiled at him, relief and delight was crossing his features.

Grifton nodded. "I know of eight or a couple dozen of them." They'd coddled him too much when a child. While he'd had it rough after they departed, he'd toughened up and became smarter and wiser in how to use his surroundings against his tormentors.

It took Calico a moment to figure out what he meant. "Ah, your sibs who headed off to Fountain Grove?" He'd been disappointed in missing an opportunity to get to know them.

"Yeah, seems I have possibly eight or more back there." Grifton wasn't too clear on the details.

Calico whistled. "Your sire sure was prolific, wasn't he?"

Grifton nodded. "Eh, yeah, there are more." He sighed. "For a while, the possibility that you three were our siblings was bounced around. It was trashed when Director Moline produced the official paperwork that proved we were cousins." He shrugged.

Calico rolled his eyes. "If I remember correctly, you didn't trust the paperwork results back then." He reminded Grifton dourly. "What made you think we ever trusted it either?"

Grifton blinked. "So, what did you do?"

"We got tested again." He smirked. "You're stuck with us, kiddo." Calico laughed when Grifton pounced on him. "Yep, it's confirmed that we're brothers and sisters through a common sire."

Calico hugged Grifton. "I'm glad that you aren't rejecting the news."

Grifton sighed. "I didn't want to, but someone told me from the start that we were cousins and even that was doubtful." He'd never spoken about that suspicious voice that tormented him in his early days.

"Well, anyway, I think we should celebrate the good news with the Director and staff..." Calico stared off into the distance, his face whitening. "On second thought, we need to scramble."

"Why?" Grifton had an ominous feeling in his gut when he followed Calico's gaze. "Ah damn, I'd hoped that wasn't going to happen."

Calico glanced at him. "Oh, that isn't the Orphanage. That's the dormitory where you've been residing this entire time."

"WHAT?" Grifton hadn't received any warning about that happening. He scrambled to his feet after receiving a helpful shove from Calico.

They didn't waste any time, running to locate Marlayne and Amberlyn who'd become aware of the disaster threatening Grifton's home.