The Magi's Society

Mevi’s other two companions, Zelkan and Ouapi, awoke soon after Saerin. In turns of silent confusion, Saerin and Ouapi awoke confused and wondering what had happened. Mevi was silently grateful for their bewilderment, hoping they wouldn’t ever recall the horrid experiences they certainly experienced. Yet Zelkan was a different kind of quiet, a somber brooding as if in deep and dreadful thought. Mevi could only assume he had some terrible notion of what had happened, or some other thing was recalled to him that Mevi couldn’t guess. Yet with her companions gathered and awoken, they had to begin their trek to return to the surface.

Saerin was curious on the way back into the dark, once again holding Mevi’s hand so as to not get lost. Mevi was reluctant to share the gruesome details, but told them briefly what had happened. It gave her the chance to introduce Hellion along with her story, who had become content to follow and listen to Mevi’s version of the events. Everyone seemed to quietly accept Hellion into their group, and Mevi left out the portion regarding him being the leader of the gang that attacked the Sentinel. Hellion stayed in a somber quiet, similar to Zelkan, and his described personality was yet to show itself on the walk. The mood of their travel seemed to have only gotten worse after their escape. When Mevi’s story was done they traveled again in dark silence, their only direction the far distant twinkling lights of the populated Undercity terraces.

While the group followed Mevi, who had begun properly leading her retinue to guide them as far from the Castle as possible, the Sentinel seemed to keep a diligent gaze across the surroundings. Mevi couldn’t help but notice the Sentinel’s well-hidden limp. The others seemed not to notice, either because of the dark or their own preoccupied thoughts, but Mevi kept their pace manageable for her noble protector’s sake.

Mevi assumed something terrible would ambush them or some additional catastrophe would occur just to add to their bad luck, but the journey from the Castle was quiet and uneventful. By the time they stopped, only a couple hours walk, they had once again reached the edges of the ruined Undercity outskirts. The desolate and abandoned structures were a strangely welcome sight compared to the tall alien towers.

Hellion quickly proved useful, before anyone even began scanning the area for shelter Hellion approached Mevi. The man, having been quiet up until now, drew everyone’s attention, “Little lady, if you don’t mind me sayin, I know a place nearby my crew used to hide in. Prolly still there, if ya want to check it out.”

“Of course, anything is better than staying out in the open.” Mevi replied quickly, trying to maintain her assumed confidence.

“Course, I’ll take us there quick!” Hellion smirked.

Hellion took the lead, and they traveled for another thirty minutes deeper into the ruins. After a time of navigating through old crumbling back alleys and decrepit streets, Hellion found them a small square building missing most of its walls and without a ceiling. If this was the place he hid in, it had fallen into complete disrepair. Yet Hellion approached confidently, moved some plastcrete aside from a pile of rubble, and revealed a trap door. Crawling inside quietly, Hellion descended on a short ladder that was revealed beneath the door. After a few moments he called up, “We’re good! Nobody’s home!” and then the rest of the retinue followed after. The door was just big enough to fit the Sentinel’s bulk, and likely would’ve been too cramped if the Sentinel still had their full suit of armor.

Inside was a meager living space without any furniture. Cool metal floor, mostly clear of rubble and trash, with indents in the walls like large equipment was once embedded there and left a vacant space behind. Everyone filed into the small space, which was surprisingly able to fit everyone without too much cramping. The area was large enough, but with a short ceiling, that everyone could find a space to lay down without touching one another, though they would not be far from accidentally rolling into each other’s space.

Mevi and her companions each found places to sit, the Sentinel forced to sit because of his incredible height and the low ceiling. When everyone collapsed into their respective spots, Hellion spoke again, “So! Now that we’re out of the open, I’d like to meet y’all proper.”

“I heartily agree!” Searin joined in.

“Well, darlin, you go ahead first!” Hellion grinned.

“My name is Saerin, and despite not being able to see you, you seem a wonderful person! I thank you on behalf of the others for helping our Lady, Mevare.”

Mevi couldn’t help but giggle as Saerin talked directly at the wall, but even Hellion and Ouapi seemed to struggle to see in the dark basement. When the others heard her quiet amusement, Searin and Hellion smiled wider, their goals both seeming to align. Ouapi followed Searin’s lead, “I am Stewardess, Ouapi. O-e-pi.” She emphasized, “A pleasure.” Ouapi said, almost regally. Mevi hadn’t known what rank Ouapi was, she hadn’t mentioned it before, but if Mevi recalled a Steward was a quite high rank.

Everyone seemed to wait for Zelkan expectantly, but in the dark with his mask’s lumens deactivated, Zelkan didn’t seem to notice or care. The quiet crept back into their mood, somber silence infecting the almost jovial air Hellion and Saerin created. Before it could properly take hold, Hellion spoke again, “Well I’ll introduce myself proper now. Our little lady already told you ‘bout me, but I am Hellion. Leader of rogues. Slayer of monsters! And recently, escapee of a pretty bad spot.” Hellion spoke confidently.

“What kind of monsters could someone like you ‘slay’?” Saerin retorted.

“Oh, my pride!” Hellion grasped at his heart, “‘Someone like you’, oh you wound me!” The man grinned wide, resting his arms on his knees as he pulled them close, “The kind you’d do well never to see.” A tint of bad memory escaped past his fake confidence and overdone amusement.

“Well, if you’re such a wonderful man, why don’t you tell us of one of your many adventures?” Saerin requested, eager to taunt the man with little jabs.

“Well maybe I will.”

The time passed by with some small laughter, grins of amusement, and boastful stories that Hellion almost certainly made up on the spot. The attempt to distract from the dreadful situation they had survived was appreciated, but soon everyone was becoming tired as exhaustion quickly caught up to them as they rested in the dark. With weak laughter and a lowered tension, Saerin admitted to feeling tired which allowed the rest in the group to follow with their own admissions. Feeling strangely safe in the underground hideaway, the group one by one layed on the bare floor and pursued real sleep after the exhaustion the last many hours caused.

Mevi seemed to be one of the last to remain awake, her Sentinel showing no sign of exhaustion and instead watching the trap door closely. Zelkan had moved so little the entire time since they’d entered the basement, Mevi wondered if he had fallen asleep almost immediately. The others fell asleep, or seemed to be asleep, quite quickly. Leaving Mevi alone with her thoughts and the occasional creaking of metal when the Sentinel adjusted their head to listen to the above ground. Thoughts and memories of the last few hours continued to haunt her, and she didn’t realize until now how cold she was. Zelkan had packed them traveling gear and had bought them heavy clothes from the Undercity, but Modrak and his minions had returned her companions with so little they only had what they wore during their trek to sleep in.

Mevi’s mind was a breeding ground for thoughts of a home that didn’t exist and a want for a warm embrace. But she had made a promise to be stronger than she was, so she could focus on becoming a person that could save her friends from any danger if it were to ever appear again. Yet in the dark, in the cold embrace of a metal hovel carved in the ground, a spark of orange popped in front of her. Appearing for an instant then disappearing as soon as she noticed it, the amount of light so little it was almost unnoticeable. She was startled, and saw the Sentinel’s head turn quickly as well. Mevi was stunned by its appearance, but she recognized that orange glow. It might’ve been some fluke spark, a glint of gold fleck that fell off the Sentinel, but it could also have been Mevi’s slumbering power manifest.

Focusing hard, Mevi tried to remember what she had been thinking about only moments before. Power and strength? Nothing seemed to happen. Thoughts of the dreadful Castle and Modrak? No, it only fueled a deep anger but produced nothing physical… Her friends, Kalesi, the warmth she felt remembering their kindness. To her astonishment, a tiny light of yellow-orange light blipped again into existence. The tiny spark glowed so weakly, it barely was noticeable, but when Mevi moved her hands to cup the small thing it felt warm and kind. A smile spread to Mevi at the warmth, it felt like a pleasant memory’s nostalgia made manifest, and it warmed her to the core. She clung to the feeling, and as she held it close the tiny light grew slightly and spread it’s warmth around her. The tiny spark’s influence spread other tiny sparks around the room, like a swarm of soothing fireflies floating around the room, their warmth slowly conquering the small room. Zelkan’s head lifted to behold the array of flitting lights. Mevi could see her other companions turn in their sleep, small smiles spreading to their sleeping faces as pleasant dreams of warmth and kindness came to them.

Zelkan looked over to Mevi, and seemed to think before he tried to speak. Mevi looked encouragingly at her chief attendant, not wanting to rush him to speak. Zelkan looked again at the array of lights around them, “My lady… I have been a poor attendant, and a worse advisor.” Zelkan whispered.

“What?” Mevi was genuinely confused, “Zelkan, you have been amazing to me. Patient, kind, and a vital help to me. Even when I wasn’t kind to you…” Mevi struggled to find her words, so shaken by Zelkan’s admission.

“Thank you, but you don’t understand… An attendant, a Magi’s Apprentice’s attendant, should be more than just kind. I should have prepared more for our expedition, used more influence to gather a proper escort. I should have foreseen dangers, for the Magi’s sake we were going to the Undercity. How could I have assumed we would stand a chance against anything with a single sentinel and sidearms as our only defense?”

Mevi got up and crawled to sit next to Zelkan, putting a hand on his shoulder as he turned away, “You couldn’t have known how powerful and… hostile… Modrak had become. You led us here flawlessly, and will continue to lead us just as well.”

“I should have known, I should have done better regardless. Forgive my insolence, my lady, but your knowledge of the Barge is a fraction of even the lowest acolyte. Things are dangerous here… I became overconfident, I thought that your rank alone would provide power for us, but I couldn’t even requisition Legionnaires. Our trip was poorly planned from the start, and as the one who was its architect I am at fault.”

Mevi didn’t know what to say, her brow furrowed in thought.

“My lady, I ask that when we return, before your trip to the planet, you requisition a proper advisor from Lord Alestair. I do not think I am fit-”

Mevi cut Zelkan off by jostling his arm in frustration, such a childish act catching his speech off-guard. Zelkan turned to look in confusion. Mevi’s face was a crumpled mixture of frustration, sadness, and fear. Tears were gathering at the mere thought of losing one of her few friends. The idea of one of her close companions leaving her shook her to her core, her attachment to her friends had only deepend in response to the events regarding Modrak. As Mevi struggled to find words, the orange flecks of light saddened to a cold blue. All Mevi could manage, without bursting into tears and sobs, was a whimper “No…!”

The outline of Zelkan’s face was almost visible from the soft blue light while his mask was deactivated, his face was full of bewilderment and shock, but he put a single arm around Mevi’s shoulders and relented, “I apologize, my lady… I will not bring this up again.” Facing utter defeat at his mistress’s tears, resisting her demands was impossible.

The two of them sat there, Zelkan wrapping an arm around Mevi’s quaking body as she forced breath into her lungs in sputters. The lights dwindled in number slightly, but soon returned to a weak orange glow. The Sentinel watched, and as Mevi looked up after calming down a bit, she saw the Sentinel’s gaze seemingly glaring daggers into Zelkan. Mevi and Zelkan exchanged no other words after that, and both moved to find a spot to fall asleep.