The Ninth Entry

The howling of the Obelisk gradually subsided as time passed in my room, but only to whispers. The plate of food had disappeared, but the fire still crackled on strongly. I opened slightly the large dark grey shades of the window, watching as rain began to pour down upon the garden. The whispers of the Obelisk grew steadily, it was not a comfortable thing. My mind felt as if it were coiled at the ends of string and if I did not return, they would snap.

A knock came at the door and it creaked open. Mira entered and made sure to close the door behind her.

“Did you see it?” She asked.

The whispers grew louder, a multitude of lingering voices.

“Are you alright, Sir Axiom?” She asked after I did not answer.

“Yes, I found the creature.” I said snapping back into reality. I turned away from the shades to face Mira.

Mira pulled her hands in front of her, perhaps a nervous habit.

“And what did you think?” Mira asked.

“It is a pathetic creature.”

“Still, it is the creature my Father made a pact with.” Mira said.

“Yes.” I said. Doubt had started to plague that notion. While the creature was capable of already warping and changing reality to Halgrim’s wants – it was risky to begin a metamorphosis that it had started on. If the creature desired its true form, it would not be capable of attaining it through sheer numbers. Someone or something is steering these events, perhaps even steering the creature.

“Will you destroy it then?” Mira asked appearing to become nervous at my long pauses.

“No.” I answered.

Mira shifted closer to one of the chairs, griping the top.

“No?” She asked, “Then what will you do?”

“I will wait.”

“For what? It will have consumed everything, including me, if you wait too long.” Mira said with a ting of panic in her voice.

I said nothing. I could not read Mira; something was pulling me towards her, but I could not tell if she was aware of it or not.

“If you won’t destroy it, then I will.” Mira said defiantly.

“How?” I asked.

“You will teach me how to use a sword, and I will kill it. It doesn’t move or anything, so I should be able to swim down or something to kill it.” Mira said.

“I cannot teach you.” I said.

“Why not?” Mira asked.

“I do not know how to wield a sword.”

“I don’t understand. I saw you using one before.” She said.

“It may be in reference to a sword, but that thing I use is not a material sword. It is an extension, a tool derived from my own soul. It is like using an arm.” I said.

“Then teach me how to do that.”

“That would require you to be able to manipulate your own soul.” I said. I realized then, in that moment that I had never shown Mira my sword or that ability. How did she know?

“I-I think I can do that.” Mira stammered out, taking her hand away from the chair.

A silence filled the room.

“You have asked before me what I am, Mira, but now I must ask you: what are you?” I asked.

Mira walked away from the chair and closer to me.

“Ever since I was a child I could see and hear things no normal person could. Thoughts, places far away, feelings. Sometimes I could even manipulate them.” Mira said.

“You were what I felt when I entered through the portal. Did you manipulate those corpses to attack me?” I asked.

Mira nodded.

“I can manipulate the energies that course through the city and through the planet. I-“ Mira paused as tears began to streak down her face, “I tried to warn them about Father’s ritual, but they went anyways! He used them, everyone and anyone that ever used to live here for his own gain! He sacrificed them all to try to bring some other horrible monstrosity here! I hate him! I couldn’t stop them! They died and I-I used what was left to try to destroy whatever came through! I’m sorry!”

Mira cried, wiping her tears as they fell, but did not waver from her standing position.

“Does your Father know you are capable of these things?” I asked.

Mira nodded.

“I see.” I said.

I waited until Mira’s crying became sniffles.

“I was afraid if I told you, you would hate me or worse – leave me.” Mira said wiping away the remaining tears.

“I cannot leave.” I said.

“I’m sorry.” Mira said laughing slightly. Mira’s nervousness appeared to subside, she stood more comfortably in my presence.

“I can teach you, but whether you will be capable of doing so will be up to you.” I said.

Mira smiled for the first time.

“In exchange, however, I wish for you to teach me how to…be.” I said.

“I’m not sure what that means.” Mira said.

“Neither do I, but that is why you will teach me.” I said.

Mira paused, nodding slightly.

“Very well, I think I will keep coming in and we can chat between our sessions.” Mira said smiling.

I nodded.

“Then our pact is made.” I said.

Mira reached out a hand and I mimicked her movement. I was not sure what to do, and instead Mira grasped my armored hand and shook it up and down. Releasing my grasp, she stood back.

“First lesson.” I began.

“Oh, we’re going right in?” Mira asked.

“You do not have much time, correct?” I said.

“A few days I think.”

“Then, first lesson. I must ask you, what is your reason for attaining this power?” I asked.

“Is wanting to live too little?” Mira asked.

“No, that will be suffice.” I responded.

Mira began learning then, the basics of soul manipulation. She learned of the Excess and how to form the basis of a tool. Which, to my own surprise, was yet another sword when she was finally able to form her own.

“I only had yours as reference.” Mira said slyly.

Mira, in turn, taught me how to be. Though, it felt more like a refresher – as if my body were already capable of conversation. As we spent time together, I realized that I had already begun reading before – as if a natural thing. Yet, I had never read before coming to Kanav.

The voices of the Obelisk eventually seemed to disappear, though perhaps only because Mira distracted me. She admitted that she could also hear them faintly. She grew on me, and perhaps I grew on her. She attempted, quite handedly, several times to remove my mask and failed each time. But her boldness did not conjure my normal annoyance. Something was happening to me.

Our time, however, was limited. A few days passed in what felt like a lifetime, and the fated day arrived.