Chapter 13: You Know Sometime You’re Bound to Leave Her
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NotTheBaptist
Getting out there.
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'The ocean dividing the Light Continent and the Dark Continent is a murky waste. All who lay eyes upon it feel a deep pulse of wrongness at the sight of it. Seemingly, this does not just extend to people, but the world itself. A perpetual tempest stirs the jet black waters, whipping the waters into a frenzy. Striking it with lances of lightning.
It was the conceit of the sky to think it could kill the sea.
Even beyond the sky's wrath, the ocean is despised. The land underneath holds it's own hatred for the water and those that may cross it. Jagged spires of stone burst free from the wild waters, rising and falling at random.
It was the cowardice of the land to think it would be enough to contain the ocean.
Trapping ships in uncrossable rock pools for months at a time, though, the sea's bounty and permanent storm means that no starvation will come. People lost at sea either die by their own hand, or by the arrogance of above.
But… natural hazards aren't the only thing that stops travel. Light does not pierce it's inky surface. Contact with its waters, if they can even be compared to true water, burn and scar those who swim too long. By all accounts, nothing should be able to survive down there.
And yet.
And yet.
Science has failed to explain it, but… the ocean is bubbling, teeming, frothing with life. Eels writhe, snapping at the surface hungrily. Sharks circle, filling their bellies with eels. And even deeper than that, things lurk, beyond comprehension.
These natural defences prevented contact between the two continents for thousands of years.'
'An ocean filled with unknowable terrors, under constant lightning strikes and storm conditions, with rapidly shifting natural terrain defences. One must ask themselves, is it any wonder Yellowfield is the only beachhead the Light Continent holds?'
It was Saturday. Thursday and Friday had gone by in a blur. Frankly, Miera didn't remember anything about them, did she go to school? Maybe! Miera was waiting on the stairwell, staring at the front door and checking her watch.
She saw not a person walk by. She heard not a sound. And yet. At precisely 3:45, when her wristwatch struck the quarter… there was a knock at the door.
She rushed forwards and opened it. It was certainly the same elf, a gentleman with long black hair, but his outfit had been thoroughly substituted. The only part of his clothing that remained from Wednesday was his circlet. The elaborate robes were gone, and his cloak went with it. They were replaced by a pair of navy blue jeans, a messenger bag and a t-shirt with a roaring dinosaur on it that looked like it was made for a child and then scaled up to fit an adult.
Miera looked the man up and down, her jaw slack. It certainly was a change. The old outfit had been gauche, but this new one was an affront. What she wanted to say was 'what the hell are you wearing?' But what came out instead was much more pertinent.
"How do you do that?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Where you just…" Miera brought her hands in, clasping them into a tight ball before miming an explosion. "Poof! Appear like that!"
The man smirked, folding his arms and puffing out his chest. He glanced down at her with pride; both in himself, and in her. It was… nice. "Hah! I am glad you noticed. Perhaps there's hope for you yet. But I assure you, it is a paltry trick to one of my stature."
Miera stuck her pinkie in her ear and began to clean it. "No, yeah, but like, how though?"
"Perhaps under my ESTEEMED tutelage, you shall learn how I do so by your own will. Now, I have learned the 'moderne methodes' and I am eager to apply them in my tutelage, let us away to your dining table."
He turned to leave, but before he could, Miera grabbed him by the wrist and dug her heels in.
"Not so fast! First things first, undo whatever you did to my dad!"
He turned around, glaring down at her. There was a danger to his expression, as if he was considering whether tolerating the indignity he was suffering at the hand of this child was worth it, or whether he should just incinerate her.
"What are you prattling about, girl?"
"He said that you were, like, the best tutor ever!"
"Well, perhaps he has simple confidence in my ability, not everyone is such a skeptic, you know."
"Bull. Shit. He hates you. You did something."
"Oh, please. What on earth could I have..." He snapped his fingers and burst out a startled laugh. "Oh! Oh, of course! That old trick! Yes, I apologise, that would be <The Right Man For The Job> I'm afraid. Can't turn it off, even if I wanted to. You have nothing to fear, it simply means people hiring me believe me to be the best candidate unequivocally. It doesn't help me get away with bad behaviour, just gives me a little more leeway."
Miera frowned at the man and sighed. "I don't… exactly like that? Can you stop it? Break the spell somehow?"
"Well... if I told him I was incompetent, that would break it."
"Great! Let's do that, then?" Miera grinned, starting to tug him upstairs. He laughed, voice rich with amusement.
"Oh? I thought you wanted to discover what I am."
"I do!" Miera said, still trying to tug him around.
"And how do you plan on doing that with me five miles south?"
Miera stumbled forwards, before slowly turning to face her tutor. She blinked and frowned in consternation.
"Wh-what do you mean?"
"Come now. Surely your Father won't suffer a fraud, let alone one who flagrantly boasts of their inability! Breaking the enchantment on him is tantamount to getting me fired. I know for a fact that I am only here now because of your little comment at the end of our last session."
Miera opened her mouth to squabble and then blinked. "What comment?"
"'He's okaaaaaaaayyy…' or what have you."
"You were listening??"
"I have VERY good ears, Miera Lum Sundew." The man spoke, dryly. "Anyway. That is besides the point, I myself would not care if I were to end our relationship prematurely, but you… are an arrogant, curious little child who just has to know everything, aren't you?" He said, with a proud smile that said he meant it as a compliment.
"Okay, okay, slow down!" Miera waved her arms in a stopping motion as she gathered her bearings. She took a breath and evaluated everything he said. "First off, you said you don't care about this job, so why stick with it? Second off… what the hell makes you think I care enough about what you are to keep you as my tutor? Intentional or no, you're still mind controlling my dad! Third of all… if you're mind controlling my dad, can you at least be a li'l more pleasant to him? He wants you to give him a lesson plan before the sessions and report on my progress after."
"Because, Miera, you have a chip on your shoulder. I can feel it, gods ABOVE, I can almost TASTE that delightful little complex you're developing." He grinned nastily, looming over her. She could almost feel him resisting the urge to coil around her like a serpent.
She began to tremble, and he immediately backed away. "Food for thought, yes? For now, I shall, at your humble request, go report in to your Father, and then the lesson shall begin. Wait at the table."
For some reason, Miera felt tense and bundled up, like she was preparing to fight something much greater than herself. Without saying a word, she turned and walked down the steps. She was struck with a realisation as she kicked her legs at the table. He never actually explained anything about why he was still here.
—
By the time she stopped shaking, Miera saw him step downstairs. He was shaking his head in perceived disappointment. "Well, it seems to me like your father has… well… he seems rather engrossed in his work, it would be a bad idea to disturb him."
"…Y'know, you were talking super fancy before, but now you're… well you're still a little fancy I guess, but it's all… different."
"Well, I am disguised as an elf. They are known to mull into a fine, pompous vintage as they age." He barked out a mean laugh.
Miera hummed, seeming to have only really listened to the first sentence. "…Y'know what, fair enough. You just sounded exactly like my grandparents."
"I expect they must be quite esteemed folk, then!" He chortled.
"No, they're mostly just racist."
"Racist?"
"Like, well… thinking people are worse because of what they are, like… hating specifically elves for example."
"Well that's not so bad!"
Miera gave him a withering glare. "I will throw things at you. Hard."
The man flinched, his brow furrowing. "Pah. Larvae…"
"Huh? Larvae?" She looked up with sudden interest, scrambling to find a pen. "So are you like… a bug??"
"Oh my. How… bold." He let out a deep, relieved chuckle. "No, young one. I am not 'like a bug'."
"Aw man…"
"Haha! Well, what did you expect, young one? For me to make it easy?"
"Okay, fair enough! Gosh, this is a tricky mystery."
Miera loved mysteries. This new one was so exciting! And he was a way better teacher this time! She was learning so much about being a wizard, she was gonna be the best wizard in the world.
"Now, here's a tough multi-part question." He smirked, clearly quite pleased with himself.
"Ahem!~ Where do magic users draw their mana from?"
"Uh… exercise… eating healthy food… that's it." She had started putting fingers up, but she realised she only remembered the two points.
"Ha! No. Mages draw mana simply by living life. Novel experiences, sleep, intellectual stimulation, high emotions, talking to friends, exercise, good food. GOOD food, not healthy food. No idea where you got that idea from. Next part! With this information in mind, what would the best way to drain a wizard of their mana?"
She hummed and frowned, it was an exaggerated pout of a thinking face. But such a hard question deserved hard thought! "Hmmmm!~ Gosh, I suppose I'd… break their legs?"
"Ha! Don't be an idiot, pain is a very strong emotion. No… you simply… starve them. Starve them of anything but tasteless gruel, keep them inside, isolate them. Isolation and monotonous tasks. The Order Continent has perfected this system, actually, though strangely, they apply it to everyone who transgresses, not just their mages. How odd, yes?"
"Wait, wait, wait! The who continent?!"
"Oh, hah. Yes. I believe your people call it the Dark Continent these days. How… nationalistic of you cockroaches." He laughed, full of scorn.
Miera blinked as he leaned in, both exchanging warm, sunny smiles.
"You all disgust me."
—
By the end of the session, she was grinning wide and happy. Utterly relaxed, body loose and free. She learned a lot today! She eagerly waved to Mr. Frio as he left. She caught herself and frowned. The words had a weird shape to her.
"Mister… Frio…"
That name… hm. It sounded correct. It certainly registered to her as his name, but he never mentioned his name, did he?
—
It was Monday. She was hungry, so she moved her body to the fridge. The fridge was empty. She searched the cupboards. There was a large sack of rice. She began to scoop the uncooked rice into a bowl.
But then, something amazing happened. Like clockwork. Like magic. At precisely 3:45, there was a knock at the door.
It was like an alarm had gone off in her head, excitement buzzing through her. Had he decided to come early?! She dropped the container of rice and sprinted to the front door. She threw the door wide open… but it wasn't Mr. Frio. The girl on the other side was pretty. She had very beautiful red hair, a long brown coat and a newsboy cap on and a magnifying glass clenched in a white knuckled grip.
"Mimi! You're-"
She slammed the door with all her might. She should've punched that ugly cunt's face. How DARE she get her hopes up?!
She returned to the kitchen (thankfully, the curtains were drawn so she didn't have to see that bitch as she walked away) and began to eat uncooked rice off of the floor, one grain at a time.
—
3:40.
3:41.
3:42.
3:43.
3:44.
3:45-knock knock knock.
Miera tore down the stairs like a bat out of hell, scrambling as fast as she could, she tore the door open with excitement.
"Mister Frio!"
She ripped the door open, and… the person standing there was not in fact Mr. Frio.
"Nah." It was an teen orc girl in a hoodie. "Seems she was right though, 3:45's the only time you answer the door."
She didn't really care what this girl was saying, but she wasn't Mr. Frio, so Miera went to slam the door as hard as she could.
An arm braced the door before she could. "Ah. Ah. None of that now kid."
The orc's fingertip grazed her nose, and she uttered two words before Miera managed to pull away. "[Clear Mind]."
And the last six days fell into sharp relief.
—
"Haha! Well, what did you expect, young one? For me to make it easy? Not so. Miera Lum Sundew, look at me. I need you to be absolutely quiet for me, can you do that?"
Miera turned to him with a blink. She nodded slowly, quietly. Her throat felt like it was sealed shut.
"My name is Mr. Frio. I know I remain here only because you want to solve my mystery, but, I am still your tutor. I am the one who is supposed to teach you, correct?"
Miera nodded.
"And as your tutor, I need you to have an open mind so you can be taught correctly."
Miera nodded.
"If I ask you to do something, I need you to do it. If I ask you a question, I need you to answer it to the best of your ability. Because if you don't do these things, I can't guarantee the quality of my lessons."
Miera nodded.
"Good. Which guardian protects this settlement? And what are they?"
"None."
"None? This is the Chaos continent, is it not?"
"This is the Light Continent."
"It most certainly is not! What… arrogance have your people succumbed to? The cockroaches skittering in the dirt of this wretched land think themselves its wardens, do they?"
"Yes."
"Hm? Growing a spine are we, little doll?"
"Yes. We cockroaches do." The doll turned to him, twitching, straining against it's strings. "Is there a problem with that?"
"Yes. Where are the dragons? The sphinx? The elementals? The spirits? The true shepherds of this flock."
"They're all dead or dying."
He blinked. Then chuckled. It turned into a laugh. Long, and loud, and rich, and hoarse.
She laughed with him politely, smiling warmly.
"Dead! This uneducated CHILD proclaims the natural order of things dead!"
Still retaining her Marcusian smile, she spoke.
"Of course. This is the era of the Folk. We can feel it, Mr. Frio." She turned to face him, expression suddenly serious. Older. "We aren't supposed to be on this land. We crave the solidity of order, we appease the patterns in our mind. Now the old masters are usurped and we roam free in this land, yearning for something we do not even know."
This gave the creature pause.
"Who… are you?" It asked.
As if it was being held back by a rubber band, her smile snapped back into place. "Miera Sundew."
After minutes of no elaboration, it shook its head and scoffed, intent on moving on. "And I suppose you invented a new calendar for such an ostentatious boast?"
"Yes. The current year is FY199."
"How… repulsive." It turned to The Doll, glancing down at her with mild interest. "If there are no guardian beings… how do you tame the land? How do you tame the beasts? How does anything happen?
"I do not understand the question."
"Only a guardian could bring the Chaos Wilds to heel, but you come to me saying that the guardians of the Chaos Continent have died, this continent's name has changed, and yet this… settlement stands, taller than any other?"
"It's not."
"…Not?"
"Not taller than any other. Dad says Grey Dominion has… they call them 'sky scrapers'. Giant towers made out of concrete and steel. But no wizards live there. And in Grey Dominion, that is what a normal building is."
"…You are quite…Forget this ever happened. I am the greatest tutor you know, I am your idol. You worship me, and only me."
It let out a creeping little chuckle. The Doll stared back with a pleasant expression.
"You know… you… really really really almost had me, Miera, you… sneaky little so and so. But you're just as vulnerable to me as the rest of them. I thought you might have the mark of the sphinx. Perhaps in another life… you would have."
The being frowned. "Hah. How sentimental of me. I'm mourning the sheepdog."
It suddenly remembered that it wasn't alone, it swivelled to face the girl.
"Wake up, Miera Sundew. And banish this from your mind."
—
Miera's mind was cleared. Her limbs, which were being held up purely by the fact they did not know their own weight suddenly gave out and she collapsed into a hungry, exhausted heap. She could feel she was fading fast, she… she… she felt the orc scoop her up.
"You're… from the church…" She croaked.
"Yep. Let's you and me get outta here, huh? Holy shit, you are… hhheavyyy…"
Miera was vaguely aware of the orc shifting her around until she was placed on the orc's back, and then, sudden rhythmic bouncing as she began to run.
Miera groaned, quietly, head pressed against the back of her neck.
"Can… can you waive the fine…? 'S my fault… I'm sorry…"
She quietly laughed. "Sorry kid, you'll have to settle for your life!"
It was the conceit of the sky to think it could kill the sea.
Even beyond the sky's wrath, the ocean is despised. The land underneath holds it's own hatred for the water and those that may cross it. Jagged spires of stone burst free from the wild waters, rising and falling at random.
It was the cowardice of the land to think it would be enough to contain the ocean.
Trapping ships in uncrossable rock pools for months at a time, though, the sea's bounty and permanent storm means that no starvation will come. People lost at sea either die by their own hand, or by the arrogance of above.
But… natural hazards aren't the only thing that stops travel. Light does not pierce it's inky surface. Contact with its waters, if they can even be compared to true water, burn and scar those who swim too long. By all accounts, nothing should be able to survive down there.
And yet.
And yet.
Science has failed to explain it, but… the ocean is bubbling, teeming, frothing with life. Eels writhe, snapping at the surface hungrily. Sharks circle, filling their bellies with eels. And even deeper than that, things lurk, beyond comprehension.
These natural defences prevented contact between the two continents for thousands of years.'
- Adam Erlen, [Legacywright]
'An ocean filled with unknowable terrors, under constant lightning strikes and storm conditions, with rapidly shifting natural terrain defences. One must ask themselves, is it any wonder Yellowfield is the only beachhead the Light Continent holds?'
- Captain Vahn Erlen of the 21st Artillery, upon reading his grandfathers notebook.
It was Saturday. Thursday and Friday had gone by in a blur. Frankly, Miera didn't remember anything about them, did she go to school? Maybe! Miera was waiting on the stairwell, staring at the front door and checking her watch.
She saw not a person walk by. She heard not a sound. And yet. At precisely 3:45, when her wristwatch struck the quarter… there was a knock at the door.
She rushed forwards and opened it. It was certainly the same elf, a gentleman with long black hair, but his outfit had been thoroughly substituted. The only part of his clothing that remained from Wednesday was his circlet. The elaborate robes were gone, and his cloak went with it. They were replaced by a pair of navy blue jeans, a messenger bag and a t-shirt with a roaring dinosaur on it that looked like it was made for a child and then scaled up to fit an adult.
Miera looked the man up and down, her jaw slack. It certainly was a change. The old outfit had been gauche, but this new one was an affront. What she wanted to say was 'what the hell are you wearing?' But what came out instead was much more pertinent.
"How do you do that?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Where you just…" Miera brought her hands in, clasping them into a tight ball before miming an explosion. "Poof! Appear like that!"
The man smirked, folding his arms and puffing out his chest. He glanced down at her with pride; both in himself, and in her. It was… nice. "Hah! I am glad you noticed. Perhaps there's hope for you yet. But I assure you, it is a paltry trick to one of my stature."
Miera stuck her pinkie in her ear and began to clean it. "No, yeah, but like, how though?"
"Perhaps under my ESTEEMED tutelage, you shall learn how I do so by your own will. Now, I have learned the 'moderne methodes' and I am eager to apply them in my tutelage, let us away to your dining table."
He turned to leave, but before he could, Miera grabbed him by the wrist and dug her heels in.
"Not so fast! First things first, undo whatever you did to my dad!"
He turned around, glaring down at her. There was a danger to his expression, as if he was considering whether tolerating the indignity he was suffering at the hand of this child was worth it, or whether he should just incinerate her.
"What are you prattling about, girl?"
"He said that you were, like, the best tutor ever!"
"Well, perhaps he has simple confidence in my ability, not everyone is such a skeptic, you know."
"Bull. Shit. He hates you. You did something."
"Oh, please. What on earth could I have..." He snapped his fingers and burst out a startled laugh. "Oh! Oh, of course! That old trick! Yes, I apologise, that would be <The Right Man For The Job> I'm afraid. Can't turn it off, even if I wanted to. You have nothing to fear, it simply means people hiring me believe me to be the best candidate unequivocally. It doesn't help me get away with bad behaviour, just gives me a little more leeway."
Miera frowned at the man and sighed. "I don't… exactly like that? Can you stop it? Break the spell somehow?"
"Well... if I told him I was incompetent, that would break it."
"Great! Let's do that, then?" Miera grinned, starting to tug him upstairs. He laughed, voice rich with amusement.
"Oh? I thought you wanted to discover what I am."
"I do!" Miera said, still trying to tug him around.
"And how do you plan on doing that with me five miles south?"
Miera stumbled forwards, before slowly turning to face her tutor. She blinked and frowned in consternation.
"Wh-what do you mean?"
"Come now. Surely your Father won't suffer a fraud, let alone one who flagrantly boasts of their inability! Breaking the enchantment on him is tantamount to getting me fired. I know for a fact that I am only here now because of your little comment at the end of our last session."
Miera opened her mouth to squabble and then blinked. "What comment?"
"'He's okaaaaaaaayyy…' or what have you."
"You were listening??"
"I have VERY good ears, Miera Lum Sundew." The man spoke, dryly. "Anyway. That is besides the point, I myself would not care if I were to end our relationship prematurely, but you… are an arrogant, curious little child who just has to know everything, aren't you?" He said, with a proud smile that said he meant it as a compliment.
"Okay, okay, slow down!" Miera waved her arms in a stopping motion as she gathered her bearings. She took a breath and evaluated everything he said. "First off, you said you don't care about this job, so why stick with it? Second off… what the hell makes you think I care enough about what you are to keep you as my tutor? Intentional or no, you're still mind controlling my dad! Third of all… if you're mind controlling my dad, can you at least be a li'l more pleasant to him? He wants you to give him a lesson plan before the sessions and report on my progress after."
"Because, Miera, you have a chip on your shoulder. I can feel it, gods ABOVE, I can almost TASTE that delightful little complex you're developing." He grinned nastily, looming over her. She could almost feel him resisting the urge to coil around her like a serpent.
She began to tremble, and he immediately backed away. "Food for thought, yes? For now, I shall, at your humble request, go report in to your Father, and then the lesson shall begin. Wait at the table."
For some reason, Miera felt tense and bundled up, like she was preparing to fight something much greater than herself. Without saying a word, she turned and walked down the steps. She was struck with a realisation as she kicked her legs at the table. He never actually explained anything about why he was still here.
—
By the time she stopped shaking, Miera saw him step downstairs. He was shaking his head in perceived disappointment. "Well, it seems to me like your father has… well… he seems rather engrossed in his work, it would be a bad idea to disturb him."
"…Y'know, you were talking super fancy before, but now you're… well you're still a little fancy I guess, but it's all… different."
"Well, I am disguised as an elf. They are known to mull into a fine, pompous vintage as they age." He barked out a mean laugh.
Miera hummed, seeming to have only really listened to the first sentence. "…Y'know what, fair enough. You just sounded exactly like my grandparents."
"I expect they must be quite esteemed folk, then!" He chortled.
"No, they're mostly just racist."
"Racist?"
"Like, well… thinking people are worse because of what they are, like… hating specifically elves for example."
"Well that's not so bad!"
Miera gave him a withering glare. "I will throw things at you. Hard."
The man flinched, his brow furrowing. "Pah. Larvae…"
"Huh? Larvae?" She looked up with sudden interest, scrambling to find a pen. "So are you like… a bug??"
"Oh my. How… bold." He let out a deep, relieved chuckle. "No, young one. I am not 'like a bug'."
"Aw man…"
"Haha! Well, what did you expect, young one? For me to make it easy?"
"Okay, fair enough! Gosh, this is a tricky mystery."
Miera loved mysteries. This new one was so exciting! And he was a way better teacher this time! She was learning so much about being a wizard, she was gonna be the best wizard in the world.
"Now, here's a tough multi-part question." He smirked, clearly quite pleased with himself.
"Ahem!~ Where do magic users draw their mana from?"
"Uh… exercise… eating healthy food… that's it." She had started putting fingers up, but she realised she only remembered the two points.
"Ha! No. Mages draw mana simply by living life. Novel experiences, sleep, intellectual stimulation, high emotions, talking to friends, exercise, good food. GOOD food, not healthy food. No idea where you got that idea from. Next part! With this information in mind, what would the best way to drain a wizard of their mana?"
She hummed and frowned, it was an exaggerated pout of a thinking face. But such a hard question deserved hard thought! "Hmmmm!~ Gosh, I suppose I'd… break their legs?"
"Ha! Don't be an idiot, pain is a very strong emotion. No… you simply… starve them. Starve them of anything but tasteless gruel, keep them inside, isolate them. Isolation and monotonous tasks. The Order Continent has perfected this system, actually, though strangely, they apply it to everyone who transgresses, not just their mages. How odd, yes?"
"Wait, wait, wait! The who continent?!"
"Oh, hah. Yes. I believe your people call it the Dark Continent these days. How… nationalistic of you cockroaches." He laughed, full of scorn.
Miera blinked as he leaned in, both exchanging warm, sunny smiles.
"You all disgust me."
—
By the end of the session, she was grinning wide and happy. Utterly relaxed, body loose and free. She learned a lot today! She eagerly waved to Mr. Frio as he left. She caught herself and frowned. The words had a weird shape to her.
"Mister… Frio…"
That name… hm. It sounded correct. It certainly registered to her as his name, but he never mentioned his name, did he?
—
It was Monday. She was hungry, so she moved her body to the fridge. The fridge was empty. She searched the cupboards. There was a large sack of rice. She began to scoop the uncooked rice into a bowl.
But then, something amazing happened. Like clockwork. Like magic. At precisely 3:45, there was a knock at the door.
It was like an alarm had gone off in her head, excitement buzzing through her. Had he decided to come early?! She dropped the container of rice and sprinted to the front door. She threw the door wide open… but it wasn't Mr. Frio. The girl on the other side was pretty. She had very beautiful red hair, a long brown coat and a newsboy cap on and a magnifying glass clenched in a white knuckled grip.
"Mimi! You're-"
She slammed the door with all her might. She should've punched that ugly cunt's face. How DARE she get her hopes up?!
She returned to the kitchen (thankfully, the curtains were drawn so she didn't have to see that bitch as she walked away) and began to eat uncooked rice off of the floor, one grain at a time.
—
3:40.
3:41.
3:42.
3:43.
3:44.
3:45-knock knock knock.
Miera tore down the stairs like a bat out of hell, scrambling as fast as she could, she tore the door open with excitement.
"Mister Frio!"
She ripped the door open, and… the person standing there was not in fact Mr. Frio.
"Nah." It was an teen orc girl in a hoodie. "Seems she was right though, 3:45's the only time you answer the door."
She didn't really care what this girl was saying, but she wasn't Mr. Frio, so Miera went to slam the door as hard as she could.
An arm braced the door before she could. "Ah. Ah. None of that now kid."
The orc's fingertip grazed her nose, and she uttered two words before Miera managed to pull away. "[Clear Mind]."
And the last six days fell into sharp relief.
—
"Haha! Well, what did you expect, young one? For me to make it easy? Not so. Miera Lum Sundew, look at me. I need you to be absolutely quiet for me, can you do that?"
Miera turned to him with a blink. She nodded slowly, quietly. Her throat felt like it was sealed shut.
"My name is Mr. Frio. I know I remain here only because you want to solve my mystery, but, I am still your tutor. I am the one who is supposed to teach you, correct?"
Miera nodded.
"And as your tutor, I need you to have an open mind so you can be taught correctly."
Miera nodded.
"If I ask you to do something, I need you to do it. If I ask you a question, I need you to answer it to the best of your ability. Because if you don't do these things, I can't guarantee the quality of my lessons."
Miera nodded.
"Good. Which guardian protects this settlement? And what are they?"
"None."
"None? This is the Chaos continent, is it not?"
"This is the Light Continent."
"It most certainly is not! What… arrogance have your people succumbed to? The cockroaches skittering in the dirt of this wretched land think themselves its wardens, do they?"
"Yes."
"Hm? Growing a spine are we, little doll?"
"Yes. We cockroaches do." The doll turned to him, twitching, straining against it's strings. "Is there a problem with that?"
"Yes. Where are the dragons? The sphinx? The elementals? The spirits? The true shepherds of this flock."
"They're all dead or dying."
He blinked. Then chuckled. It turned into a laugh. Long, and loud, and rich, and hoarse.
She laughed with him politely, smiling warmly.
"Dead! This uneducated CHILD proclaims the natural order of things dead!"
Still retaining her Marcusian smile, she spoke.
"Of course. This is the era of the Folk. We can feel it, Mr. Frio." She turned to face him, expression suddenly serious. Older. "We aren't supposed to be on this land. We crave the solidity of order, we appease the patterns in our mind. Now the old masters are usurped and we roam free in this land, yearning for something we do not even know."
This gave the creature pause.
"Who… are you?" It asked.
As if it was being held back by a rubber band, her smile snapped back into place. "Miera Sundew."
After minutes of no elaboration, it shook its head and scoffed, intent on moving on. "And I suppose you invented a new calendar for such an ostentatious boast?"
"Yes. The current year is FY199."
"How… repulsive." It turned to The Doll, glancing down at her with mild interest. "If there are no guardian beings… how do you tame the land? How do you tame the beasts? How does anything happen?
"I do not understand the question."
"Only a guardian could bring the Chaos Wilds to heel, but you come to me saying that the guardians of the Chaos Continent have died, this continent's name has changed, and yet this… settlement stands, taller than any other?"
"It's not."
"…Not?"
"Not taller than any other. Dad says Grey Dominion has… they call them 'sky scrapers'. Giant towers made out of concrete and steel. But no wizards live there. And in Grey Dominion, that is what a normal building is."
"…You are quite…Forget this ever happened. I am the greatest tutor you know, I am your idol. You worship me, and only me."
It let out a creeping little chuckle. The Doll stared back with a pleasant expression.
"You know… you… really really really almost had me, Miera, you… sneaky little so and so. But you're just as vulnerable to me as the rest of them. I thought you might have the mark of the sphinx. Perhaps in another life… you would have."
The being frowned. "Hah. How sentimental of me. I'm mourning the sheepdog."
It suddenly remembered that it wasn't alone, it swivelled to face the girl.
"Wake up, Miera Sundew. And banish this from your mind."
—
Miera's mind was cleared. Her limbs, which were being held up purely by the fact they did not know their own weight suddenly gave out and she collapsed into a hungry, exhausted heap. She could feel she was fading fast, she… she… she felt the orc scoop her up.
"You're… from the church…" She croaked.
"Yep. Let's you and me get outta here, huh? Holy shit, you are… hhheavyyy…"
Miera was vaguely aware of the orc shifting her around until she was placed on the orc's back, and then, sudden rhythmic bouncing as she began to run.
Miera groaned, quietly, head pressed against the back of her neck.
"Can… can you waive the fine…? 'S my fault… I'm sorry…"
She quietly laughed. "Sorry kid, you'll have to settle for your life!"