Ocular to the Dying Sun

Dire-eater Fascination; part 3

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Sweat trickled down the wrinkled neck of Elder Lymantera as she held the crib when the shaking started. Sounds of chaos and magic surround the rock walls of the building they reside in, a part of the private building within the barracks that serve as the living area of the Prime Magician and all other residents. The place also contains several empty rooms to accommodate anyone not part of the ceremony but who needs to stay in the barracks.

The room’s walls are barren with a large ornate cabinet, wooden sofa, table with a plate of cookies, and a few bottles of milk; finished with a king-size bed with a Slitark shard chandelier on the side walls. Two windows bring light to the room that shows the expanse of the showy garden that is used to receive guests or for bigger parties, or official celebrations. Big as the garden may seem with its well-cultivated landscape and plants, it was still enveloped by the tall trees and the vast valley. Hiding it from the view of anyone unless you ride into the land through an airship.

Old as she may be, Elder Lymantera can still hold her ground, evident when she strong-armed the cabinet and moved it to the side, showing a hidden passage. Looking at the window and then back at the babe in the crib, she could not stop admiring the baby and how comfortable the young babe slept like there was no chaos happening around them.

High screeches shook the walls, again, sending dust from the wooden ceiling on the floor and atop the old woman’s head. There was no time to lose, the old woman looked at the child and then back at the baby bottle she was preparing. Besides, the baby bottle, uncapped, was a vial of clear liquid. The vial is half filled with its cap tightly back on its top, but it soon toppled along with the uncapped baby bottle. Spilling milk everywhere, on the table all over the floor, and the plate shook until it spilled its cookies on the table.

Another shaking with louder explosions crashed through that it sent cracks in the window. But the old lady still looked at the crib, her face painted stoicism but her insides were swirling with pain. The emotions were not foreign to her, they were the kind she felt when she couldn’t give her children what they wanted and at times enough to make them cry. This is what she was feeling, the regret built upon the conscience that grew as she spent the smallest of times with the babe.

There was no reason for her to be so attached to a child, she believes; like any of the Kabay faction, an existence that could bring an imbalance to the Prime Magician. There is no prophecy to fulfill and abhor, nor an edict against the Prime Magicians having their children. It’s just that this current one is bound by a fate that did not fit with the script they intend. She believed in that, or at least she thought she did until she realized her own belief was shaken and mistaken.

She will need to take all the guilt and regret in one gulp without stride, as she decided to follow the task she was given to do with the child. Either she dealt with it or bear the consequences of the unfinished task. Because of that condition, she had no choice but to think of a different way. It was time to take the child into the woods and let fate due its course.

Carrying the child in a wicker basket meant for carrying by hand, she entered the hidden entrance behind the cabinet just in time for another shaking to disturb the halls. This time, the sound is nearer and directly from a part of the building. Although, Elder Lymantera will not hear it from where she is going. Deftly pushing the babe down on the slide like the flooring of the hidden passage.

Pushing the basket slightly, she listened to it fall to a level on the other side and she soon followed, avoiding any crisis to fall upon her when another shaking broke the ceiling and wood dust, fell on the ground.

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Sparkling eyes stared outside the closed window, several of these sparkling eyes are children in awe of the chaos happening around and under the ship, they rode. Their red cheeks squished on the glass pane as several Dire-eater Sprouts fell from the top deck one after another. Every single time they fell, a child would cheer like the excited energy they wasted sleeping arise and fresh. This was not the first time they’ve experienced robust sounds coming from the outside of the pretend nursery, usually, it indicates the job of their parent’s ongoing.

Thrilled at their parents doing their jobs, fighting creatures, and winning against them like nothing, they all would stuff their minds with the thoughts that their parents are awesome without regard or worry. That’s what surrounded Amegra, fellow kids who grew showered by the concept of adventure in every corner of their lives. Since they grew up in this ship, unsheltered, none of them understood that it’s truly fearful to fight creatures that can harm or take one’s life by the swipe of their tail.

Amegra is the same as every kid, a glint of wonder and curiosity, void of cautious fear. That’s what prompted him to try and push the window open again, to see the majestic silver-scaled creatures in all their glory. Sparkling with different colors from the light of somewhere, the bursts of magic a distance from their ship brought dancing color lights into their room that they couldn’t stop playing amidst the shaking ship.

The caretakers in the room all shrieked in worry for the children, each one trying to pull all fifteen kids of varying ages, away from the windows. Especially the children under ten years old like Amegra, but to be specific, the caretakers made sure to focus their utmost caution and worry on Amegra, the captain’s son.

There was no stopping when he opened the window with ease, as the pressing group of children forced the frame forward, almost in time as a Dire-eater Sprout fell inches from the opened window. The screech shocked the children enough to have them squeal in a mix of curious fear to fearful delight. Amegra was the only one who remained to hold on to the window and watched with wide eyes, looking below them as he watched the creature fall and feel the shudder of magic across his young skin.

Swirls of colors flashed through his eyes into his mind, registering a vivid image of blurred clarity. Though contradicting, at the age he is, he cannot confidently or anyone for that matter, vouch for a sense of understanding within his mind. He is, just, a three-year-old child. Left to his devices often but spends most of his time in his father’s arms outside of the caretakers.

Thus, his imagination proved the fuel he only needed how to understand things, and how he understood this barrage of wonder and swirl, is food for his mind to believe that those large white silver creatures as beautifully fascinating. All his wonder flew levels higher to how amazing the creature works and moves amidst the world it grew. Thought’s accompanied by the glimmer of the swirling lights and magic that buzzes around, it sent signals of colorful comprehension in his mind, about what is what to the grand map of his vision. It was exhilarating to him who felt like he belonged to this sparks-filled world.

That is until he felt pressure on his arms that held the window. Cramping pain riddled his tiny arms and it gave him no wriggle room to adjust himself as he realized that his body had been pushed outward too far following the window. A force suddenly pulls him down as winds rushed from below just as his vision that looked down saw a large Dire-eater pass and a group of Sari-riders shoot at the creature.

The scenario may happen far under the ship, but Amegra saw every detail; every moving dot had a level of clarity he could not explain. Perhaps the shouts of worry and fear brought his mind back to the waking world as his focus-steeped mind came back to look above him and see that several of his friends, the kids in the group, are hanging onto him for their dear life.

Droplets of water hit his face as he saw one of the caretakers crying in shock and worry, his voice couldn’t be heard but they manage to be pulled from the window into safety. They come back to the room, shocked and crying. Amegra had his eyes well in tears as he realized his mistake, his hands shaking in sudden fear. The caretaker who pulled them in hugged and cried his eyes out.

Only, everyone fell silent as a visage of darkness loomed over them through the windows before a loud crash shook their every muscle, sending everyone to the opposite wall. Children spewed blood-curdling screams when the wall leading to the outside crumbled and the dimness reflected silver scales, glinting amidst the lack of light.

Awestruck Amegra sat between the arms of the unconscious caretaker who cushion his body from any danger. The young boy shielded the caretaker but found himself tumbling sideways to the edge of the large gaping hole. A select few followed him and from there they fell to the field of trees.

With his body plummeting downward, his back facing the ground, and his face forward to the sky, Amegra realized that the dark clouds above hid several sparkling lights that moved overhead. Thinking without realizing it, he reached out towards those things he thought might be starlight, when they are only the glints of Kneada’s far up.

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