***
Pird silently lowered himself onto a couch. He only had brief, fuzzy memories of his parents. His mother, he was told by Magist, was beautiful and possessed a boundless patience that was often tested by Pird's father. Magist said that Pird was the image of his prankster father and smiled like his mother.
It had bothered him that he had no parents, if only a cold twinge every now and then, but that was how it always was. He had known no other life. But the reality, the stark proof of their existence was separated from him by a clear surface and a few meters of seawater. He didn't know what he was supposed to be feeling. Zook shook horribly under his pain, his sobs choked and trembling. Why don't I feel like that, Pird asked himself, Zook is only a few years older than me, is that really enough of a difference to remember?
Tap.
Pird looked up at the sound. Eris sat next to an endtable, her gauntlet arm resting across the wood. Her expression was tranquil, as though bored by everything that was going on. She slowly and methodically tapped the desk with the pointed end of one metallic finger. With each wooden syllable it was driven deeper into the desk. Pird reached out and lightly touched her shoulder. Eris jumped in her seat, but only glanced at Pird without expression before returning to her rhythmic tapping
“They could be alive,” said Sye, his voice like a cruel blade through the quiet. Pird looked to him and for a moment Sye's face was not his own, but the shifting visage of many children. Pird could hear their cold laughter.
Suddenly Pird felt an intense anger, a wave of loathing against his best friend. He was not one of them, he still had his father.
Sye had never felt that kind of pain.
Sye was never exposed to such cruelty.
Pird opened his mouth, prepared to strip Sye down to his most secret bone to make him feel what he felt, when Zook cut him off.
“How do you think they possibly survived this Sye?” Zook asked, his voice still. Pird caught the scarlet that swam in his pupils.
They’re almost completely red, Pird thought fearfully, This isn’t going to end without somebody getting hurt. Seriously hurt.
“Look,” Sye pointed. The lights swiveled to focus on yet another ship. It was a long thin vessel that looked like it sailed with its deck slung low to the sea. Strung atop its broken mast were the tatters of a black flag, a strange white symbol sown into the fabric. It looked like a grinning face, heavy tusks jutting from its mouth and a clump of horns sprouting from its head
“Pirates?” Pird asked. He spotted the ship, he thought, I didn’t. I’m too busy being a fool while he’s being the only sane one here.
“Pirates. Raiders. A scourge not often seen on the Lermur Sea,” said Sye, “They don't sink ships for fun, they do it for gain.”
“And?” Zook asked patiently, dangerously.
The tones in Zook's voice set off red flags in Pird's mind. He saw the way Sye hesitated. The safest thing for him to do was to remain silent, to abandon his theory. But, to Pird's despair, Sye harbored no want to discontinue.
“And, they could've taken the passengers for slaves, or held them for ransom.”
“Slavery has long ago been wiped from the face of Adrala, over a century ago when the last pirate fleet was crushed by a handful of Eretian warships,” said Zook, his already short patience beginning to show signs of strain, “Or have you forgotten our lessons? And a fifteen-year long ransom? What do you take me for?”
“Maybe they escaped.”
Zook balled his hands into fists, “Why do you insist on false hopes?”
“Why do you insist on killing your parents?” Sye countered.
Zook was caught off guard so Sye pressed further, “What's wrong with believing that they could be alive? What's wrong with a bit of hope Zook, especially after Eretia?”
“What's wrong? What's wrong?” Zook gave a barking laugh, “What's wrong is your head, Sye! Don't twist what you don't know!”
“You don't want to believe they're alive because you're afraid of being wrong?” asked Sye in realizing disbelief, “How the Dark did you become a Doctor?”
“I'm no Doctor, but that's off the point-”
“You're overqualified to be a Healer and we both know it.”
Zook was silent for a moment before he turned to the Oracle, “Take us closer.”
The Oracle looked surprised for a moment, then nodded. They felt light for a second as the ship descended.
“No,” said Sye. There was a slight shake as the submersible halted. The Oracle said nothing, her eyes flickering between Zook, Sye, and a place beyond them.
“Take us closer, Oracle,” Zook said forcibly, his terrifying eyes daring Sye to defy him again.
“Stop this Zook,” said Sye, “You don't need to know.”
“I have to see this.”
“Oracle take us back up.”
“Take us closer! This isn't yours to bear Sye! Stay out of it!”
“Back us up, Oracle,” Sye said, almost sadly, “Ignore Zook's commands.”
The vein on Zook's temple bulged now and the the last of the dark in his eyes was gone, “Take us closer!”
The Oracle bit her lip and hesitated.
“Oracle! Take us closer!”
She suddenly dissolved and disappeared back into her Talad, zipping down the hall.
“I have to see, Sye!” Zook shouted furiously, stepping toward Sye, “I have to know!”
“Does Pird need to, or Eris?” asked Sye quietly. “Do they need to know the reality? Is that something any of you can handle right now, especially you Zook?”
It came so fast, so unexpectedly that Pird didn't even know that Zook had moved until his fist connected with Sye's cheek. Sye’s head snapped to the side and he stumbled back, a few specks of blood flecking the tile. Zook leapt forward, his eyes so red they nearly glowed. Pird started toward him but Eris was already there. She grabbed Zook by the back of his cloak and lifted him clear off his feet.
“Let me go!” Zook shouted, his eyes still locked onto Sye.
Sye straightened up and wiped away the blood at the corner of his mouth. The little scrubbing light zipped out of the hall and began its task on the red specks on the ground. He touched his swelling cheek, wincing at the light brush of his fingers.
“Let me go!” Zook thrashed.
“Not until you're Zook again,” Eris said. Pird looked to her and saw that her eyes looked to the floor, her gaze tear-filled and distant.
Sye spat a sanguine wad, summoning another light. He met Zook's hating eyes. “Why'd you hit me?” Zook stopped struggling and furiously looked away. Sye stepped closer, “What did you think you would accomplish. What'd you think you would solve? Look at me!”
Zook's eyes flickered up in surprise at Sye's commanding roar before looking away again.
“Our chances against that monster that destroyed our home are already small enough as it is without us attacking each other! You need to remember what's happened and who our enemies are and stop acting on every whim that comes your way!” Zook still didn't look up. Sye watched him for a while, then said quietly, “When we reach Benji we're going to Mirith.” He spat once more to the pleasure of the lights. He turned and walked into the hall. He made to close the frosted doors behind him then hesitated. He looked back at Zook.
“With or without you.”
He quietly closed the door behind him.
Eris released Zook. He slowly walked back to the wall, a defeated slump in his shoulders. Pird watched him warily. Once before he had seen Zook act like this. It seemed like ages ago, even without the memories of Eretia disappearing in a stony cloud. During that occasion Zook had withdrawn into himself, entering into such a state of depression and flammable anger that Magist worried for Zook's sanity. Pird once made the mistake of trying to cheer him up, a mistake that he never made again.
But
this is different, thought Pird, watching Zook. The muscles in Zook's neck tightened, then relaxed, then tightened again. This isn't some 'pity me' play; he really wanted to hurt Sye.
When the chasm had disappeared in the depths of the sea behind them, Zook left to the submersible’s front.
“Well,” said Pird, “That could've gone better.”
Pird shifted weight as the submersible turned back on course. The floor shuddered, a sign that they were picking up speed. Pird turned to Eris, joke at the ready, when he saw Eris’ expression.
“Do you think our parents are down there?” Eris asked quietly.
Pird hesitated, then shrugged, “If they're anything like us, probably not.”
“You sound like you don't care.”
That caught Pird off guard, “I care, just...” he gestured down the hall, “You saw what happens when you let it get to you.”
Eris heeded him with a slight nod and her eyes were drawn back to the invisible walls.
Pird's mind was filled with conflicting thoughts, Where will Benji take us? I feel like I'm about to take a dive, is this just the beginning? Pird shook his head, reassuring himself, No. It'll all end soon. We're not heroes, we're not on some quest. Pird looked on into the sea around them with Eris, but then his thoughts were broken by a strange absence his keen eyes caught.
“That's odd,” said Pird.
“What is?” Eris asked.
He turned to her, perplexed, “All the fish are gone.”