Tower of Ghenjei: An ICanon subplot

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Haly stumbled onto the red rug in the marble hallway, nearly knocking over a lamp. She caught her breath, then rounded on Sykel with a glare. “How could you? Wynn was in trouble!”

Sykel shooed their confused little brother down the hallway. “‘I know, Evalyn. Basilica needs to come first.”

”But—“

”It’s over, Wynn’s good as dead, TAAron’s actually dead, and nothing we can do will make a difference. They can do it just as well without you.” She folded her arms, looking guilty. “Besides, there’s a feast. Tonight. To make your betrothal official.”

“Tonight?”

“Yes, we cut this thing insanely close. Come on. We need to get you ready for—“

“No! You can’t just take me! I’m not your puppet.”

Squinching her eyes shut, Sykel rubbed her temples and let out some sort of a squeaky noise. “I don’t like this any better than you do. Evalyn…” she opened her eyes, voice softening. “I’m so sorry it’s like this, I really am. But… please, play this game. Please. I’ll find some way to make it up to you, I promise. But Ev—“ she stopped. “Leiance Saeri Basili, little halcyon, we need you now. We need you to be Evalyn. Just for a little while, please.”

She hasn’t called me that for… years. So many years. It’s so good to hear it from somebody who didn’t—she derailed her train of thought before her sorrow could manifest more than a jerk in her chest. “Okay. Okay, Sykel. I’ll play along.”

The two left to get ready for the feast.

~~~~

Essa left the comfortable, carefully decorated offices behind for the Caves.

The Caves was where all the important things were stored, the things that—for some of them—not even the agents were allowed to be near. But the library was fine. It was always available. 

Everyone she passed with a curt nod knew there was nothing to fear. Essa never went past the library. She was very law-abiding, carrying two titles—High Caseworker and Manager of Risk. Essa? Rebel? 

Never.

The shelves rose in the stone room, miles and miles of thumbnail-sized manuscripts that could be grown when called upon. She passed them all without a second glance. She was here for something else.

Ah. Here. 

Average cover—set with opaque gems that hinted at various elements within. Waving a special rod over the book enlarged it.

Title page, chapter one, two, three. She wasn’t interested in any of that.

How does it end?

Footsteps sounded behind her. She used the rod again, shoving the small book into her pocket. Then she stacked some fallen ones unconcernedly.

Jove rounded the corner and smiled. “Enjoying the atmosphere?”

”It helps me focus to be around them—all the books.” A believable lie, one that was usually true.

”I’m looking for that one with the ninja? Who can’t lie?”

”Index is over there.”

He left. She reopened the book.

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

9 minutes ago, Ranryu said:

Wynn cursed in Gaelic and ran over to him.

"Lerac, can you hear me?"

Dharc trailed behind her, curious about the new person who had suddenly appeared.

"Yeah, I'm..." Lerac shuddered. "Fine."

He stood up, glancing at TAAron's body, then winced and looked away.

Edited December 30, 2022 by Ookla the Inverted
Edit: I'm big stoopid dumb

[Ranryu she/her]

3 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"Yeah, I'm..." Lerac shuddered. "Fine."

He stood up, glancing at TAAron's body, then wife's and looked away.

I had him... Malum was here, but I missed my chance. Wynn bit the inside of her cheek.

Lyna used the break in the fighting to drag Dharc back onto their duel runner. "Come on. Orange and Purple are going to kill us if they find out we ran away."

Dharc looked guilty and submitted to her. He turned to Wynn. "Sorry. We need to go. I promise I'll find you again."

Wynn nodded and waved as they drove off. "I'll count on it." Then she turned to Lerac. "Are you sure you're okay?"

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Essa snapped the book shut, louder than she should have. 

No. I can’t accept that.

Then she laughed. What am I going to do, change it? I wouldn’t… maybe I would.

Maybe I will. 

Um! No! That’s forbidden for a reason! Don’t be stupid, Essa, she told herself. 

Yet her feet still took her to the Sunray.

 

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

Just now, Ranryu said:

I had him... Malum was here, but I missed my chance. Wynn bit the inside of her cheek.

Lyna used the break in the fighting to drag Dharc back onto their duel runner. "Come on. Orange and Purple are going to kill us if they find out we ran away."

Dharc looked guilty and submitted to her. He turned to Wynn. "Sorry. We need to go. I promise I'll find you again."

Wynn nodded and waved as they drove off. "I'll count on it." Then she turned to Lerac. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine... Wynn, will you say goodbye to Haly and Sykel for me?"

[Ranryu she/her]

2 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"Yes, I'm fine... Wynn, will you say goodbye to Haly and Sykel for me?"

She wiped a single tear from her face.

"What? What are you talking about?"

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

Just now, Ranryu said:

She wiped a single tear from her face.

"What? What are you talking about?"

He smiled, but it wasn't his normal, jovial smile. It was sister, warmer, and sadder. He walked over to TAAron's body and placed a hand on his bloody forehead. He took one last look around, and at Wynn. "Better me than him."

Suddenly, the blood began to clear away, and the cuts to heal.

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Crystals studded from the walls, in branching passageways and all over the low ceiling… they glowed dawn purple and flickered like flames.

It took some time to locate the crystal Essa was looking for. But finally, she lay her finger on the one. 

She delved through Haly’s mind, only Haly’s mind. 

It lines up, she thought with foreboding. Surely it will happen. 

Unless…

She glanced at the tiny book she carried. To enter it would be to lose her foresight—her one true advantage. She would be nothing but a character. A person. 

How she hated the very idea. 

But no, her mind was made up. 

Here goes nothing.

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

The wounds on TAAron finished clearing, and Lerac fell to the floor, eyes open yet unseeing.

TAAron sat up with a gasp. "Haly!"

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Essa walked out of nowhere, looking very much like a businesslike nine year old… but strangely, no clipboard. “I’m afraid she’s not here at the moment.”

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

Just now, The Halcyon Girl said:

Essa walked out of nowhere, looking very much like a businesslike nine year old… but strangely, no clipboard. “I’m afraid she’s not here at the moment.”

"Where is she?" TAAron was understandably startled. "I was dead, I... What happened to Lerac?"

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, Ookla the Inverted said:

"Where is she?" TAAron was understandably startled. "I was dead, I... What happened to Lerac?"

“She’s in Basilica. I’ll get you there. Lerac’s dead—he healed you. Yes, you were dead.”

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

1 minute ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

“She’s in Basilica. I’ll get you there. Lerac’s dead—he healed you. Yes, you were dead.”

"What? Lerac... I told him not to." He stood up, tears in his eyes. "Take me to Haly."

Suddenly, flowers began growing around Lerac's body. They bloomed, flowers if every color, shape and size.

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 minute ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"What? Lerac... I told him not to." He stood up, tears in his eyes. "Take me to Haly."

Suddenly, flowers began growing around Lerac's body. They bloomed, flowers if every color, shape and size.

She glanced down at them with mild interest. “Explain this first.”

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

2 minutes ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

She glanced down at them with mild interest. “Explain this first.”

"Ah. He is... was a life magician."

The flowers continued growing, covering the man. There was the familiar sour grass and the sweet flower he had offered Wynn, and what seemed like hundreds of others.

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 minute ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"Ah. He is... was a life magician."

The flowers continued growing, covering the man. There was the familiar sour grass and the sweet flower he had offered Wynn, and what seemed like hundreds of others.

She nodded thoughtfully, watching the flowers. “Rest well.” 

Turning to TAAron, she pulled a glass ball out of her pocket, identical to Sykel’s. “Ready?”

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

Just now, The Halcyon Girl said:

She nodded thoughtfully, watching the flowers. “Rest well.” 

Turning to TAAron, she pulled a glass ball out of her pocket, identical to Sykel’s. “Ready?”

"I... Yes." He wiped his eyes. "What do I do?"

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, Ookla the Inverted said:

"I... Yes." He wiped his eyes. "What do I do?"

“Envision her. Call her with your mind. Ask for permission to follow her—I’m your words, but use the word ‘permission’. I will bring the others shortly.” She handed him the glass sphere.

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

Just now, The Halcyon Girl said:

“Envision her. Call her with your mind. Ask for permission to follow her—I’m your words, but use the word ‘permission’. I will bring the others shortly.” She handed him the glass sphere.

And so he did, concentrating on the image in his head. Haly, are you there?

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

4 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

And so he did, concentrating on the image in his head. Haly, are you there?

Haly sat at the end of a long table, next to a nice looking man named _______. 

Then TAAron’s voice filled her head. She tried not to gasp. Are you haunting me or something? I mean, that’s not bad, but… are you?

Edited December 30, 2022 by The Halcyon Girl

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

Just now, The Halcyon Girl said:

Haly sat at the end of a long table, next to a nice looking man named _______. 

Then TAAron’s voice filled her head. She tried not to gasp. Are you haunting me or something?

He sighed in relief. No, I'm alive, Haly. Lerac... sacrificed himself.

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 minute ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

He sighed in relief. No, I'm alive, Haly. Lerac... sacrificed himself.

Oh. Her mental whisper was quiet. Poor man. Wonderful, crazy man. So you’re alive now! How are you talking to me?

”Dont you want to have a conversation, face to face?” Essa sighed. “Get out of here.”

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

3 minutes ago, The Halcyon Girl said:

Oh. Her mental whisper was quiet. Poor man. Wonderful, crazy man. So you’re alive now! How are you talking to me?

”Dont you want to have a conversation, face to face?” Essa sighed. “Get out of here.”

Not wonderful, Haly, he died for me. I told him not to. He sighed, feeling a new wave of grief. I think I need your permission, or something.

Edited December 30, 2022 by Ookla the Inverted

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 minute ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

Not wonderful, Haly, he died for me. I told him not to. He sighed, feeling a new wave of grief. I think I need your permission, or something.

It’s wonderful to me, she insisted.

”What’s wrong?” ______ asked, concern in his eyes. 

“Nothing,” she replied quickly. “Excuse me for a minute.” She stood and fled the hall down to her rooms, then locked the door. When Sykel did it, she asked for permission to follow my brother. So… permission to follow me granted. 

“Once she says yes,” Essa said, like she could hear Haly, “Smash the Permissive at your feet.”

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

Just now, The Halcyon Girl said:

It’s wonderful to me, she insisted.

”What’s wrong?” ______ asked, concern in his eyes. 

“Nothing,” she replied quickly. “Excuse me for a minute.” She stood and fled the hall down to her rooms, then locked the door. When Sykel did it, she asked for permission to follow my brother. So… permission to follow me granted. 

“Once she says yes,” Essa said, like she could hear Haly, “Smash the Permissive at your feet.”

"Got it." He smashed the Permissive.