Catalyst

A sigh enveloped Ariel’s body as, for a moment, “sigh” could describe her action, her mood, her posture, her immediate plan. She’d been walking hard for days and still hadn’t made it to Jarion. She guessed that served her right for planning so little, but damn if it wasn’t a pain. She’d gotten her bearings right this time - probably. She was definitely starting to regret all the flashy jumping from tree to tree she’d been doing at first. It had been fun, though.

In the first place, it’s just a hunch… but I have to get there soon.

Walking through the woods, Ariel had made it to a relatively peaceful stretch. Learsi’s northern woods were as strange as the Xexens that inhabited them - the invasive Promethean Maple trees grew so aggressively that even now, at the turn of spring, some parts of the forest were covered by a dense canopy. By summer, some parts of the woods would be so covered that they would be in a state of “perpetual deepnight” - a win for nocturnal predators. Fortunately for Ariel, this was still the patchy time where even in the densest areas, thick shafts of light shone through the emerald leaves upon fresh grass, the logs, the moss all around her. It was a sort of beauty that she’d grown mostly bored of - a pity, she thought. For a moment, she remembered a time she and Isaac weren’t annoying each other - when she taught him to climb a tree. How proud he was to get a short way up. How angry their mom was - he could have fallen! It was hard to be sure, but it might have been in this very clearing, before things had gotten so dangerous.

That memory was followed by hollowness and she stepped up her pace to clear her mind.

“You’re thinking of him again - who is he?”

Ariel bit her lip hard and spun on her heels. No one. An empty forest clearing, and she stood amidst a wide shaft of light. There was nowhere for an attacker to hide. But she felt it. Some one was there, watching her. And they were close.

“I-I’m right here, but there’s nothing to b-be afraid of. Actually, there’s not too much to me altogether.”

Ariel turned around at this once more, drawing her machete, but couldn’t get a read on the voice. “Hold still.”

Ariel didn’t hear anything, but her bet was that the person hadn’t left. It felt important to try to find them - to make sense of whatever what happening. They sounded close enough that she should have seen them, but…

“How’d you get so close?” she asked.

‘Close’ was a guess on her part. Sound could be faked with magic, but that wasn’t the vibe she got from whoever this was.

“I just followed the big red light,” the voice said, seeming to take cues from her calm question. “Is that you?”

“You must be confused. A little lost, maybe,” she said. This guy’s totally high. Sighing, she continued, “where exactly are you? Maybe I can point you towards town.”

“But I’m right in front of you,” the voice slowly said, as if embarrassed to point out something obvious.

Ariel startled, dropping her machete.

“That way?”

After a long moment’s hesitation, a reply came.

“I think so,” the voice said.

Thoughts spun in Ariel’s mind, and it took her three deep breaths to get them in order. She decided to take it in stride, laughing.

“‘A big red light’, huh? I’d say I’ve slimmed down pretty well since I started training.”

“N-not like that! I can see you’re slim. You’re got a pretty glow, too…”

“Creep!”

“N-no, I didn’t - I don’t - I-I-”

A giggle cut him off. “You’re not doing yourself any favors, dude. Did you already forget my machete?” Ariel said, smiling.

“What else is new?” the voice answered, relaxing. “You’re n-not actually mad, right?”

“Not really, but I am wondering how you could see Isaac. Are you a… ghost, or something?” she asked. She sheathed her machete and gestured for the observer to follow as she set off on her way again.

“I don’t know,” the voice admitted, maintaining a constant ‘distance’. Though, she realized, she heard the voice inside her head, not her ears. “But I guess that doesn’t matter. I was wondering - when I was near you, I could see a blonde boy I’ve… I’ve never seen. And… I felt… warm. As if I’d always cared about him. That, and some more complicated feelings. Annoyance was in there somewhere, I think?”

“So you can really see him.” She signed and kicked at the underbrush. “I’m jealous,” she said bitterly. “Most days I can’t even see him, even if I try to think back. When I do, I mostly get the worst of the memories.”

“He’s there,” came the voice, suddenly more confident than timid. “If I could see him clear as day… you might not be able to right now, but the memories are still inside you.”

This is too nutty. Have I cracked up already?

But she had seen Isaac today, when she thought of him. She wasn’t losing him. Just… she shook her head.

“Never mind all that, Spook,” Ariel said. “What brings you - whatever you are - to this stretch of the woods?”

“Do you really need to make up nicknames?”

“Of course I do, Spook. You’re a ghost that scares easily. It’s the perfect name,” she said, arms crossed with a self-satisfied grin.

“Says the demon that threatened me,” the voice said with a tired sigh.

“Feeling brave, are you?” Ariel said, eyebrows raised.

“Not especially,” the observer said, “but I’ve got a hunch your weapon couldn’t get me to me anyway.”

As she walked, she had some strange sense of something coming closer. She wasn’t going to let him startle her - she wasn’t that squeamish.

Then, for just a moment, Ariel saw darkness all around, overlaid with her own vision like a glass door’s reflection. In the distance were flickering, vague lights like fire of all colors. She felt invaded as her hand jerked involuntarily forward. She dropped to the ground then, back under her own strength, shaking.

“What did you just do?!” she asked, her voice uneven.

“I d-don’t know! I’m sorry. I just moved past you, I didn’t think it would do anything to you - I don’t think I’m physically here right now.”

Ariel shook her hand out a little bit and shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re normally like, but something is here. We’ll call it even this time. It probably wasn’t too smart of me to taunt a ghost. Just please don’t do that ever again.”

“I won’t,” the voice replied seriously.

Conversion came to halt, as Ariel marched on, and soon the sun was starting to set. By this point, Ariel was sure he was gone he might be gone.

“Hey, Spook?”

“I have a name.”

She sighed, this time with relief. “Well, Spook, you haven’t told me your name, so I’m stuck calling you that.”

“…it’s Terrence,” he said after a pause.

“Ariel. Good to meet you.”

Surprisingly, conversation went more easily from there - they quickly got to telling stories.

“…you thought that GG’s live action movie was real?” Ariel asked, incredulous.

“Oh, sure, it’s so ridiculous,” the voice said, exasperated, “in a world with mages that can blow floating islands out of the sky.”

“Doesn’t the main character turn back time in that movie?” Ariel asked.

“Oh, have you seen it too?!” the voice asked.

“Nah. No theatres in town. Had a bud talk my ear off about it, though.”

“Either way, it’s your turn. I’m sure you’ve got at least one embarrassing story.”

She shrugged. “Do you want to hear about the time I picked a fight with a kid’s mom or the time I electrocuted a cat?”

“You electrocuted a cat?!”

“Well, it wasn’t on purpose! I just… wasn’t too great at magic when I was ten.”

“You electrocuted a cat accidentally?” the observer returned, clearly aiming for deadpan but laughing instead.

“Oh, screw off. It’s different,” she said, batting away the air beside her.

“Do you think the cat would agree?”

“Even a cat knows that you can’t turn back time,” Ariel shot back.

“Not with that attitude,” the ghost shot back.

Ariel rolled her eyes.

“No, I’m serious!” the voice said. “It’s pretty cool. It’s not exactly time travel… more, causality editing. You see-”

Ariel felt her eyes glazing over as he started to explain, but startled as the voice cut out. She begrudgingly asked him to continue once, twice. Seconds become a long minute. There was no reply.

“Shit.”

Now alone, Ariel started to sigh again, but stopped herself. He’s still out there. She remembered Isaac’s face for just a moment, and pressed on.

***

Ariel arrived at dusk, traveling by the last beams of sunlight. She knew it wasn’t a huge risk to press on because all the marks of the city were there. The maples grew more sparse, and between them occasionally the solemn grayish peak of a relic tree rose up. As forest turned to fields of wheat, she knew she was close. And as much as a couple of nights of camping were fun, it was much nicer to be back amongst people - trees aren’t the best company. But before she approached the walls, she stopped to drop her machete in an animal’s abandoned borough - she didn’t have a license for it, and city folk were particular with that stuff. Before she left it, though, she grabbed the handle and, after letting out a shuddering breath, she dragged the blade across my middle of her left cheek. It screamed with pain and Ariel dropped the blade, fumbling for some ointment and a bandage from my dad’s first-aid kit. This should do it, she thought. When she had steadied her hands, she wiped the drops of blood off blade with a clean cloth and was on her way.

Jarion was the same as ever. A relic-wood fence three meters high surrounded the city in gray posts hard as stone. At the each of two gates a dirt road lead to a massive redwood door. This could be seen as a break in security. But there were two guards at the gates in full black grensteel armor, with rifles in hand and spears on their backs. She knew it the metal by the dark color of obsidian shine of it - that substance would deflect bullets with ease. If someone was to get past them, no wall would stop that attacker. They were strict on procedure when Ariel approached them, but after a pat-down and a scan of her bag, they stepped aside and the door opened for Ariel.

Inside the walls, everything was set up in a pretty obvious way - the poorest were the furthest out from the center in homes ranging from huts to cabins - though the homes were shabby, they still had plenty of yard space often framed by high maples. Space wasn’t at a premium, depending on the district. But that didn’t mean you didn’t get folk with bad harvests or hard times. Ariel ground her teeth as she walked past not just adults, well or crippled, but children, hands out, begging for coin. Passing that first suburban area, Ariel came upon a vibrant open-air marketplace with traveling sellers shouting from their carts and trucks and wagons to get the attention of buyers. The loudest of was fish salesman proud of his catch - “the best in decades! Fresh as a sea-daisy!” When she drew close and saw that he also sold cooked fish to go, she was impressed and, more than a little hungry, thought about buying some.

No, Ariel thought. I’m here now. I have to get serious. She wasn’t sure what kinds of weird taxes or fines or expenses she might run into out here. Already, she was short on cash and knew she’d either need to make a take a big win in a tournament or start running odd jobs. That was a thing… right?

She thought of the starving kids and her stomach turned. It made her upset, afraid, angry. Her eyes turned to the fish again. She could get some. With her top speed, it would be so easy. She’d be halfway out of the market before the owner could even shout, and then she could find a mass to blend into further downtown. And then…

She remembered her dad’s face, the last time she stole. It was the only time she’d seem him so stern, so disappointed. The same folk you can get away with stealing from, are the ones who have it just as bad as anyone. Damn dad.

Frustrated, Ariel made her way back to little runts at the edge of the market, where they’d surely be if they were allowed. She tossed her remaining jerky to them without breaking stride, stomach growling and the urchins deftly snatched it up. It was all she could spare - for now. But she didn’t have time for doubt or self pity.

The plan was simple. Step 1 - get into the governor’s mansion for a chat. Step 2 - talk politics stuff to get some help. Step 3 - find a side hustle and get some grub. Step 4… well, she’d probably have some ideas after her little chat. Her dad would’ve had a better plan - but he’d have made much worse time. If he made it at all.

Doubling back through the market, Ariel walked quickly on worn legs until dirt roads turned to pavement, where she needed to take to the sidewalk. She walked past neon lit storefronts, arcades, foundations, even a concert in the center of town. She vaguely remembered where the governor’s house sat, and with some trial and error, she made the right turns and spotted the house atop the hill, just outside of the busiest district. An iron gate ringed the two-story, sprawling house and the mound of immaculate grass around it. Before approaching the center of it, she threw her backpack over the gate and into the yard, then gritted her teeth and ripped the bandage off her cheek. As she hoped, blood was still slowly flowing from the wound. Ariel then mixed some dirt from the sidewalk with water from her bottle and smeared it on her face and arms. Then, she was as ready as she could be. Showtime. She could be deterred from pulling tricks on regular folk. But the governor? He had high walls and dumb laws, she had lies. Ariel made her way to the security panel and, putting her face where the camera could see it, she pressed the button to request entry. The sky had recently become fully dark, and there was silence for several seconds until a woman’s drowsy voice came through.

“Who is it? Wait… almighty Xexherre, what happened?”

“I’m sorry miss,” Ariel said quickly, and quietly, before remembering Terrence’s stutter and borrowing it. “It’s Ariel - Darin’s daughter. D-do you remember me? Some bad men c-came after us and now I can’t find my dad, and I didn’t know w-what to do and I… I…”

“Arielle, of course!” the voice said, pronouncing Ariel’s name just a little wrong. She forced herself not to grin at the attempt. “Come in. We’ll help you find them.”

As the gates flew open, operated by some remote gizmo, Ariel almost felt bad for tricking the governor’s wife. She didn’t remember her name either - it’d been years since her father did work on their house - but she seemed nice enough. Ariel shook it off, allowing herself the momentary victory. Step 1… check. She walked tentatively up the brick steps, climbing the incline to their front door - this also flew up open moments before she reached it, and Ariel walked tentatively, eyes open wide.

“Poor dear, come here. I’ll run a bath for you, okay?”

“I-I’m alright, really,” she said in the most not-alright voice she could muster. “D-do you think your husband could help find my dad? I know he’s in charge. I-I hate to bother him, but…”

“Of course! I’m sorry, I’ll fetch him.” She turned and hurried up a stairwell, and a man in striped pajamas and a nightcap stomped down moments later. How early do they go to sleep around here?

“What’s going on?” Governor Darius Stalwart asked, his expression bewildered, looking between his wife and Ariel’s face.

“Nothing that can’t be handled here,” Ariel said firmly, shedding her ‘in shock’ mannerisms. “But we need to talk.”

***

The door to the study slammed, and the governor strode to his desk quickly gesturing Ariel to a chair along the way. He asked his question before she was fully seated, eyes bearing down.

“Who sent you? A council member? Perhaps Vaere?”

“None of them. I came on my own.”

“So you’re not here on official business.” The governor deflated, rubbing his temples a little as he let out a sigh. The moon in the window behind him backlit his sudden drowsiness well. “What are you here for then, girl?”

“I’m here to ask you to launch an investigation into the kidnapping of Isaac Beskyte, my younger brother.”

“So you came into my home after hours to ask me to do the job of a law officer,” the governor said with obvious agitation.

“No. If I wanted a cop, I’d go to a cop,” Ariel said, raising her voice more than she’d planned to. “We have a couple of those in Oakheart. These guys took my brother from me, a mage, in broad daylight, and vanished before help could arrive. They’ve struck again since then, but they’re too fast and slippery for us to catch. If Oakheart sends all our town guards after them, for all we know they’ll slip in and burn our town to the ground. Get it?”

“I did get that call,” he said, rubbing between his nose bridge, his voice lower. “But we can’t spare the resources right now for an investigation somewhere so remote.”

Trying to control her anger, Ariel took a breath. She needed to stay calm. The plan. She had to stick to the plan. But youthful anger is not snuffed out so easily.

“So would you prefer we sit by and get picked off one by one? Or should we risk everything and die to these guys in a blaze of glory? In what way are you telling us to die?”

That slowed him down for a second, his eyes widening before he couldn’t hold eye contact and shook his head.

“You need to be patient. We have problems with the Black Hand in the capital, too. There’ve been a lot of reports of suspicious activity. Based on information we’ve gather so far, their leader is worshiped like a god. They started with more scattered attacks, but for all I know, their cross-hairs are on Jarion right now.”

“Jarion has the best security in the Woodland Territories. Are we really afraid of some terrorists?”

“You researched well. We have great soldiers - professionals, trained in Tronen. Our men and women from the capital are strong, and we have enough to shut down an attack… but not many, not more than enough.”

Ariel felt a slight chill, but her blood went hot at the thought of Isaac’s screams. “In that case, shouldn’t we be going after them?” Ariel said, each word more quick and breathless than the last. Some part of her screamed that she had to take back control of the conversation - but she couldn’t figure out how. “What if they get too strong for us to handle? If we don’t take action, more and more people are going to be taken, or worse!”

“If we make a wrong move, our city’s in the same danger as Oakheart. I don’t like leaving them be - but right now, I don’t have enough confidence in our success to risk that blood on my hands.” The governor stood with that, as if the matter was settled. The plan crashed and burned at step 2.

Ariel felt herself go breathless. She couldn’t find anything to say. She wanted to scream.

“Please…”

“I’m sorry… Ariel. I’ll have my butler drive you home. It’s obvious now that you must have walked here - your parents must be worried sick. You could have been taken.”

It should have been me in the first place.

“That’s fine,” she said dizzily, standing up from the desk and taking a step back. “I’ll find a place tonight and leave in the morning. I can handle myself,” she said, the last words almost feral with anger as they covered an unbidden, but firm, thought.

I’ll kill them all myself.

“Ariel,” he said firmly, taking a step closer and reaching for her. She darted for the door, mana burning in her muscles, and reached it in an instant.

“Lockdown!” the governor shouted, and when she reached for the knob, it wouldn’t turn. She looked back - the windows were all gated. As his hand closed in, Ariel realized that the security had never been lax for a moment. She swung to parry his hand. Too slow. That was the last thought Ariel had.