//------------------------------// // 47: Waking the (Not Quite) Dead // Story: Dark Body, Light Soul (Or the Tale of the Stalfos) // by Garino //------------------------------// Chapter 47: Waking the (not quite) Dead Breath in through your nose… and out through your mouth… now, try again. I opened my eyes and took aim. I looked like a playground kid playing Cops and Robbers, using my hand as a ‘gun.’ In front of me were little Servbots, holding up target signs and running around. As I mentally chose which taget to shoot, my bracelet glowed in response. There we go. “Zio!” I shouted. A small bolt of lightning shot out, flying through the air. It hit a poor Servbot and sent the little guy flying. I felt a toy hammer smack my head in response. No no no! The goal of the exercise is to hit the target, not the Servbot! Get your bearings and try again, lunkhead! At this point, I couldn’t tell if that was me berating myself or Bard being Bard. Learning to control my new power was proving far more difficult than I thought. While my swordplay wasn’t as up to snuff as it was back in Necro City, I considered what I learned good enough to pass. Looking at my targets, only three of them showed signs of being hit. There were medical Servbots taking care of the poor toys I blasted, which was now approaching double digits. The battlefield itself was littered with black scorch marks where I missed both target and Lego. Just channel your energy. Breath in through your nose… and out through your mouth… once more. I furrowed my eyebrows as I aimed again. Before I could fire another bolt of lightning, though, I heard a ringing noise. “Damn. Time’s up,” I muttered. That ringing signified that it was just about time to meet up with Igor and get all of the last-minute details out of the way. It seemed the Servbots were relieved to here it, if them dropping their targets and hugging each other for dear life was any indication. As the scene went to black, the blue door appeared in front of me. Well, this was it; the final moments before I went back. I repeated the relaxation exercise and put my hand on the knob. The moment I pushed open the door, I met an unexpected sight. Instead of the inside of a limo, it looked like a battleground. A meadowy field filled with huge craters, probably from the impacts of cannons or missiles. Why would the Velvet Room become this? “Uh, hello?” I called out. “Igor? Margaret? The hell happened to the place?” There wasn’t an answer. Looking around, the grounds were far quiter than it should be. Almost like a wasteland. I contemplated going around the battlefield looking for answers, but I wanted nothing to do with this. I turned around, thankful that the door didn’t disappear, and went back to the darkness. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The door shut just as the monsters came out of the ground. A shadow skeleton, which looked suspiciously like a Stalfos, cursed under his breath from a nearby tree as he dispelled the enemies. “Damn… wasn’t the door supposed to go away once he went through it? Now my pla- er, I mean our plan is shot,” he said. “Worry not over a setback. He’ll return, of that I’m sure,” a distorted voice answered. “Heh… that’s true. Al’s a creature of habit; he’s not gonna stop unless either it’s impossible, or he actively tries to break it,” the shadow chuckled. “And you say he’ll risk it all to protect a friend?” the distorted voice asked. “Damn right,” he answered. “I should know; we’re one and the same.” “Hmph. Such a foolish ideal; he only invites suffering on himself with a mindset like that,” the other shadow grinned, revealing sharp fangs. “And with your permission, I’ll be the one to give him just what he wants.” “As if you need it!” Shadow Dan remarked. “If I said no, you’d pop me like a balloon and attack him, anyway!” “Formalities, my friend,” the fanged nightmare responded. “But I have a slight… alteration… to our original plan.” “Oh? Just what do you plan to change?” he asked. Another smile graced the shadow’s form. “I say you introduce the two of us, on a first name basis.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “C’mon, where the hell is that door?” I muttered. If I didn’t hurry, I would be late to my appointment. And I hate being late. Was the battlefield actually the Velvet Room? Was it a trap? Was it both, and Igor was wanting to test my skills? I doubted that such a battlefield could be… There it was! Another blue door! I went to the door and took another deep breath. Silently pleading for this to be the real door, I opened it. I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw the inside of the limo. Strangely enough, there wasn’t anyone in the Velvet Room. “Hope I’m not late,” I said to myself. I closed the door behind me and took a seat, waiting for Igor and Margaret. There wasn’t much to do, so I simply tapped the table, mostly to random tunes I learned from all of the music I heard since fifth grade band class. They would show up soon, right? I heard the door behind me open. Turning to see who it was, the door opener caught me off guard. She looked a lot like Margaret, but her face seemed to be younger, her blonde hair was a bobcut, and her blue attire seemed closer to a flight attendant. She held a tome similar to Margaret’s in her hand. When she noticed me, she gave a gentle smile. “Ah, someone is here already,” she said. “Are you the boy with the contract?” “I am a boy with a contract,” I corrected. “Then allow me to introduce myself. I am Elizabeth, a Dweller of the Velvet Room. Welcome.” She took her book and held it across her chest as she bowed. I stood up to face her and bowed myself. “Daniel. A pleasure to meet you, Elizabeth,” I greeted. Elizabeth righted herself. “I’m afraid Master Igor is away on business right now. If you could wait a little longer, it will not take too much more time for him to arrive.” “I have much time on my hands. A few minutes longer will not kill me,” I chuckled. The Dweller approached me and gazed into my eyes. I took a step back, only for her to take another step towards me. “Hmm… oh. You are different from our… past guests. I wonder if you are as strong as they were, though?” She took a step back and held her book to her side. “I, uh… I’m working on it?” I said uncertainly. “If you do not mind, Daniel, shall we test your skill?” Her smile never faded, but she seemed to be prepared for combat. “W-Wait, here and now? Wh-what abo-” “Now, Elizabeth, you know the Velvet Room is far too small for these sessions,” a familiar voice announced. I turned around and, to my relief, Igor was sitting in his spot, as serious as ever. Elizabeth’s voice seemed to carry a hint of nervousness at the reminder. “Y-Yes, sir. I simply wanted the confirmation. We would have taken it outside.” She walked over and sat to Igor’s right (my left) and opened the tome. “It is good to see you once more, Daniel,” Igor greeted. “I take it your time in the dream world was time well spent?” I took my seat across from him and nodded. “Yes, sir. A lot of progress within a week, if I do say so myself,” I replied. “That is always a matter of opinion,” he commented. “A lot of progress for you could be astronomical in another’s eyes, while another would believe you could have tried harder.” “What is your opinion?” I asked. Igor simply chuckled. “My opinion is nothing more than that. Pay no mind to the idea.” He made a sweeping motion over the table, a few cards appearing on them. What was he doing this time? “Your focus for now is what you shall do from here. We are here to discuss the… favor that we ask of you. Or, I should say, favors,” he said. I looked to the other Denizen for an explanation. “The first favor is a simple one; the actions you perform will have consequences, both positive and negative. Whatever happens, you must take responsibility for those actions,” Elizabeth said. “Of course. My actions are my own, not anyone else’s. You have my word I will follow them through,” I nodded. “Our second favor is a bit more important to your journey,” Igor continued. “Though, I’m afraid those terms have… altered slightly.” I looked at Igor in confusion. “Altered? How altered, if I may ask?” Igor adjusted himself before continuing. “You see, I have many Dwellers who reside with me in the Velvet Room. You have met Margaret…” He paused before gesturing to Elizabeth. “...and you have just met Elizabeth. They have two ‘siblings’ that also reside here; Theodore, the only male Dweller apart from myself, and Marie, the youngest of my charges.” “Pretty soon, I’ll meet the whole family,” I muttered to myself. “The ‘favor’ I ask of you involves Marie,” Igor continued. “I had wished for her to accompany you back to Equis so that you may teach her of the world. With your guidance, I believe she will become a better person. However… when I searched for her earlier, she was gone.” “Gone? How did she even leave?” I asked. “The same way you came in,” Igor replied nonchalantly. “I believe she was eager to leave, and didn’t wish to wait for you. As it stands… I do not know where in Equis she is. I have no doubt, however, that she is close to your position. With this in mind, you have probably already guessed what my favor is.” I nodded. “Find Marie and have her join me. From there... teach her how to act and everything?” I guessed. Igor chuckled as he flipped the card in the middle. It was a door, and in front of it was a skull. I gulped instinctively, as skulls usually mean bad things. “Ah, your immediate future reflects exactly what you will be going through. Death, in the upright position.” Igor looked up to me. “Tell me, Daniel. What does Death usually mean?” “Uh… exactly what you think? It means to stop living…” Elizabeth giggled at the answer. “In life, that is true. However, in the world of fortune telling and Arcanas, Death is not the loss of life. Rather, it is change. You cast away your old self and transform into something new,” she corrected. “You have given up a life on Earth, a safe life, to join a select group in deciding the fate of another world. I wonder… how will this change affect you?” I looked at the unrevealed cards. “Um… will I know the rest of my future?” I asked. Igor simply chuckled. “Your future will present itself in due time, Daniel. Piece by piece, just like the power we have bestowed upon you.” On those words, I instinctively looked at my bracelet. It still felt weird to have such power in such a small item. Then again, greater power’s been locked up in far smaller objects. But to actually wield it… “Speaking of that power,” Elizabeth spoke, interrupting my train of thought. I looked up as she opened her tome, showing the battle I had against my Shadow. “I see you faced your other self, and won. Do not revel in your victory, however, as one’s own Shadow is not so easily dispelled. You will fight it again, and I believe it will be stronger. Be cautious in your next encounter.” “Beyond that, you have found an Aspect of the Moon; the Aspect of Dreams,” Igor commented. As the meeting with Luna and myself played out, he chuckled. “Of course, it should be no surprise that the Princess of the Night herself is an Aspect. But you have a ways to go, young Daniel. There are six other Aspects out there, each giving you a new ability. This is adding on to the fact that strengthening the bonds you have strengthens the power they give you.” I took the speech in stride. “Uh, wow. That’s quite a mouthful,” I replied. I thought I heard Elizabeth mutter something under her breath, but that could’ve been me. The look Igor gave her, however, told me she did say something; something he didn’t approve of. “Regardless, you now have your task. Find our Dweller and teach her the ways of the world to the best of your ability. Remember also, Daniel, that the Velvet Room is open to you, and do not hesitate to enter should you find yourself lost. Do you understand?” I took a deep breath. It was time to begin again. “I understand, and I’m ready to go back.” Igor swept his arm across the table. “Then it is time for you to reawaken in Equis. Until we meet again…” With that, the door behind me clicked. As I stood, both Dwellers gave me a nod. I nodded in return and went to the door. Upon leaving the room, a sudden wave of dizziness hit me, and everything went dark.