The Clockwork Heart

by T Ariyanna

  She stepped into the room, leaving only a short distance between them. “I woke up, and wanted a drink. I thought I could find the kitchen on my own, but I got lost. I saw your light, and thought it might be a way back.” Kaitlyn played with her hands behind her back, pushing her toe against a raised stone in the floor. They spent a few moments staring off in each other's general direction.

  “Oh. . .”

  “What about you? Shouldn't you be sleeping? Or resting?”

  “I don't really sleep in this body. At least, it doesn’t feel like it needs it. My magic is my energy, so I’m not sure how limited my supply is. I haven't used much of my magic, and it feels like it recharges slowly while I'm conscious. If I'm careful with how much energy I spend, I won't have to rest ever again, but I doubt it'll be that easy.”

  “Oh. . . I'm sorry. I didn't realize,” Kaitlyn whispered, embarrassed.

  Cyllorian's hands flew up in front of him and he waved them awkwardly. “No, no it's okay. You didn't know. I don't know the specifics. Arion knew, but he didn’t get the chance to tell me. And Tome won’t open up to me. It went dormant as soon as. . . Anyway, it won’t open, or do anything at all. I’m not sure even Theresa knows anything about this body.” Cy waved his hands out to gesture at himself as a whole.

  “This body?” Kaitlyn asked reflexively. She immediately regretted the question, and looked away with guilt. “Sorry. It's not my business, I shouldn't have asked.”

  “It's fine. You deserve to know, after all. You know I was in Arion’s head for a while, but when we got to the castle, we figured out how to get me out. Mostly. I still had to go back to Arion, but I could hop between the statues and sets of armor in the castle. They weren't hard to understand, because nothing really changed between Arion and them. Just that I had to move myself if I wanted something done.” Cyllorian laughed at himself, putting one hand behind his head. Kaitlyn couldn't help but laugh a little with him, and this made his small smile grow.

  “This body is completely different. I have more energy, and full control. I don't have to share with anyone, and it can do more. The others were just puppets, but this is the real thing. Arion really knew what he was doing. Makes me glad, for once, that he spent so much time making all those birds.”

  “Birds?” Kaitlyn asked again. She had so many questions with each word that Cyllorian said. There was so much that Arion had never told her. She hadn't realized how much of his world she was missing out on. And now she had the chance to learn it all.

  “The phoenix he made to give you letters was the last one he made. He had four others, owls that he had created to look for Theresa. They worked. We found out later, but Theresa had messed with them so we didn't know at the time. But they drew us a map, showing everything in Lontorra. Did you know that there's a giant hole in the middle of the mountains to the north? It goes straight down, and looks endless. Arion called it Plummet Summit, but it never stuck with me.”

  Kaitlyn laughed at that, and Cyllorian rolled his eyes. Once again, she found her curiosity taking complete control over her. Her weariness had been chased away by her questions, and she wanted nothing more than to listen to Cyllorian's stories. She walked past Cyllorian, and sat on the bed. Looking at him with wide eyes, she asked, “What else did you and Arion do, Cy?”

  A wide smile spread on Cyllorian’s face. He sat down beside her, putting as much space between them as possible. He turned to her and all of the stories, the missing pieces, spilled out of him. He talked with so much enthusiasm, yet there was an unmistakable undertone of sorrow to his voice. He paused at seemingly random intervals, then would continue with broken pieces of his story.

  Kaitlyn listened intently to every word. She was getting more time with Arion through Cy's retellings, and she could tell how grateful he was to talk about him. Even though she’d been selfish in asking, she was glad that it helped the demon. The weight was lifting from his shoulders with each passing minute.

  Kaitlyn laid back as Cy began speaking of Centric. He had been there a few times with Theresa, and once with Arion. He described the various creatures he had seen wandering the street, and the displays of magic that were common in the market sectors. He passed along wondrous stories he had heard from others passing through. Many were impossible stories from those that claimed to come from across the sea, but the most incredible were those of Lontorra. A war of great magnitude fought long, long ago; legend of gods and prophets that kept the world in balance; a Mage that swore she was engaged to a dragon. All were stories too complex to be found even within her books.

  She closed her eyes, and smiled. His voice was high pitched, but not feminine. It held a certain excitement, rising and lowering with each word. She could hear the mechanisms of his body whirring as though he was breathing, and the magic echoed from his chest like a heartbeat. He sounded human and musical, and it soothed her. The moon shone on her face, and she crossed one arm over her eyes to shield them from the light.

  Cy's words became less discernible as Kaitlyn began to slip away, his voice turning into a calming drone. It lulled her to sleep with minutes, feeling as close to peace as she had been in months.

  Cyllorian

  Cyllorian closed the door slowly as he crept from the room. Kaitlyn laid on her side on his bed, her hands tucked under her head. He had been talking for so long, he had no idea when she had fallen asleep.

  He turned away from the room, and jumped at the owl flying silently in his face. Snow hovered in the air easily, though one wing was beating furiously to keep him aloft. Though Arion had permanently damaged the owl, it wasn’t impairing his life.

  The owl lunged forward suddenly, and Cy ducked. Snow made a large loop in the air and soared down the hall. Remembering Snow’s distinct method of communicating from his earliest years with Theresa, he followed the owl obediently.

  Snow led Cy to a set of large double doors, pacing in a circle around them as he waited. One door was propped open, and Snow perched atop it when Cy approached. His deed completed, the owl ignored Cy to preen his feathers.

  Theresa could be seen inside, holding her arm up. A large silver mass sat on it easily, pecking at her fingers as she reached for it gently. Cy glanced up at Snow, wondering if the real, living owl felt any sort of jealousy towards Arion’s creation, but he gave no sign whether he cared or not. Shrugging, Cy proceeded into the room.

  “What are you doing with Fletcher?” Cyllorian asked as he entered the grand study in the center of the castle.

  Fletcher turned his head toward Cyllorian at his words, the bright eyes of the owl watching him closely. Cy crossed the room to stand a foot away from Theresa, staring the mechanical owl down.

  Holding a finger out to it cautiously, he asked, “You're not gonna freak out and attack me like the damn phoenix, are you?” He narrowed his eyes in anticipation.

  With a surprised hoot, Fletcher took to the air. He circled twice around Cy, the demon flailing below. The owl swooped at him, and Cy dove out of the way. Fletcher lunged for him again, and again, but Cy managed to dodge each attack.

  He hadn't been paying attention to his movements, and the owl now had him backed against a wall. With nowhere for Cy to run, the owl dove again. Cy raised his arms to shield himself, bracing himself for the screeching sound of metal talons scratching at his own metal arm.

  A soft coo broke through Cy's fear, and he opened one eye slowly. Fletcher was perched obediently on his arm. Cy lifted his other hand to the bird's head, resting it on the metal. The bird's eyes closed, and it rubbed against Cy's hand.

  “It seems that it recognizes Arion's magic within you,” Theresa said, watching from afar with little emotion. Cy turned to her, smiling lightly, but her blank expression rose up a bout of irritation within him. He dropped his hand from the bird, who hooted in dissatisfaction. Cy stood in an awkward mix of fear and adoration of the bird, moving cautiously so as to not disturb Fletcher. He closed the space between him and Theresa, the bird hopping on his arm nervously.
>
  “What were you doing with him?” Cy asked again. The bird looked from him to Theresa, awaiting the answer along with the demon.

  Theresa cocked her head to the side and looked around the room absently. “Where's the girl?” she asked, staring pointedly at Cyllorian.

  “Kaitlyn is still asleep. I thought it best to let her rest, so I left her in my room.”

  Theresa's eyes narrowed at him, and she opened her mouth. She looked as though she would scold him, but he cut her off.

  “She woke up in the middle of the night and found me. She fell asleep, and I didn't want to wake her. Do you have a problem?” Cy stared Theresa down, challenging her.

  Anger swirled in her eyes, but she blinked it away. Her expression blank again, she said, “I simply don't agree with her being here. It's not safe for any of us to have a human among us. She needs to go back to where she came from.”

  “She's Arion's friend. She doesn't have to go anywhere if she doesn't want to. And since when did you distrust humans so much? I thought you always advocated for things to return to the way they were before the riots?”

  “I was, but I quickly found that humans cannot be trusted, no matter what. Have you forgotten that regardless of her intentions, she's the one that led the murderous group that killed Arion?”

  Cy fumed at her words, but could not argue with them. He turned away, fighting the urge to yell at her again. Kaitlyn had been the reason that Kraven had found them, but Cy didn’t blame her.

  None of the fault could be put on the girl when she hadn't been the one to formulate the plan.

  Cy shook his head and turned back to Theresa. Forcing himself to remain calm, he asked again, “What were you doing with Fletcher?”

  “I was sending a message, if you really must know. We've got a lot to prepare, and it would help to have the owls give us a head start.”

  “A head start on what?” Cy asked tentatively. He laid a hand on Fletcher's head protectively.

  “I've already sent the others to a few colonies and clans I've passed through these last few years, telling them of our plan.”

  “We have a plan?” Cy cut in, gaining him a glare. “What’s the plan?”

  “I have been studying the cultures of the other races that inhabit Lontorra, and few of them have either myths, legends, or rituals that involve bringing the dead back to life in some way. Though most are farfetched at best, there is some truth to every story. I’ve contacted the races afore mentioned, and some have accepted my call for help. Unfortunately, only locals of each colony have the true details to each method, so we must have them here for further research and to make any progress. To show our dedication to the cause, they have requested we go to them for the final judgement.

  “You will traverse around to these places, to those that have agreed to help, and gather one representative from each. After you've gathered them all, you'll return here for further instruction.”

  “So, I'm just picking up a few friends for a play date. Sounds wonderful.” Cy rolled his eyes and turned away from Theresa. She didn't say anything, but Cy could feel the disapproving glare he was getting. “Where is Fletcher going, then?”

  “This one is scheduled to stop at the Pools of Lorile, though I doubt they'll be of much help. Then to the summit of Mount Draken.”

  “How are Drakens going to help us bring Arion back? They're not healers.” Cy turned to address Theresa. She was facing away from him, writing at a nearby desk. She raised her arm and made a clicking sound. Fletcher jumped from Cy's arm and landed on Theresa's.

  Attaching a piece of parchment to its leg, she crossed the room. She said something to the bird quietly, and it flew out of the window. It disappeared into the sky within moments, Theresa watching until it was long gone from sight.

  She paced to the middle of the room. With a wave of her hand, she was surrounded in smoke that looked like the night sky. It faded quickly, leaving behind a leather bag in its wake, strung over her shoulder.

  “Where are you going?” Cy asked, surprised. He watched as Theresa marched through the room, gathering random supplies into her bag.

  “There are some colonies that you will be unable to persuade into helping us, but others have demanded my own presence, or they shall not offer any assistance. I'm sure I should return before you do, don't worry, and I will make the necessary accommodations for our guests. You worry about your small list, and I will handle the rest.” She paused for a moment. Her outstretched hand shook noticeably, and a shadow had come over her eyes.

  “I needn't burden you with this more than absolutely necessary,” she said quietly.

  Before Cy could ask her what she meant, she was buzzing around the room again. He lifted his hand, wanting to stop her and demand the answers to all of his questions. The frazzled expression she had and the desperation in her eyes stopped him, and he stood frozen in his helplessness.

  With her bag full, she made for the door, walking past Cy as though he wasn’t there at all. “Theresa!” he called after her.

  She whirled around, staring at him with wide, confused eyes. It looked as though she had just remembered he was there. “You're leaving now? You haven't explained anything, what exactly are we doing?”

  “We’re gathering allies. I thought I made that clear? Without their physical presence here, we cannot advance our plans.”

  “And what exactly is our plan?”

  “Must I really spell it out to you? They will bring their knowledge of unique magics to us, and we will put it to use for our purposes. Are you going to argue with me, Cyllorian, or would you like to do something useful?” she snapped finally, losing her patience. Her gaze on him was steely and cold, and he cringed at her tone.

  Cautiously, he pressed further, “I need to know where I’m going before I can do much of anything.”

  “Ah, yes. I nearly forgot. I'm not used to having help, you know.” She chuckled lightly, though it didn't seem to help her mood.

  “I figured,” Cy said bitterly, controlling his reaction.

  She marched over to him, digging around in her bag. She pulled a small crystal ball from it, and Cy immediately jumped back. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! The hell do you think you're doing with that?”

  “Oh, calm down. It's not for you…not in that way, at least. Here.”

  She dropped it into his hand, and he scrunched his eyes. When it seemed to be safe, he opened his eyes and stared at it as though it would bite him any minute.

  “I told you, it doesn't have that purpose. Shake it, and you'll see.”

  Cy glanced at her for a second, then shook the ball. A white smoke formed in the center, filling the glass. When it cleared, it showed the base of Mount Draken within.

  “A map?” Cy asked. He watched the image ripple and fade away, a little disappointed. “A bit anticlimactic, don't you think?”

  “It will help you reach your destination. That's what's important, not how grandiose it is. Be thankful.”

  Cy tossed it into the air and caught it. The smoke reformed and showed the mountains again. “If I have to.”

  Theresa turned away from him again, stepping toward the door. “Take the girl back to the village on your way,” she said shortly.

  Cy nearly dropped the ball, barely catching it before it shattered on the floor. He stared incredulously at Theresa's back, soon replaced with defiance.

  “No.”

  “No?”

  “No. She was just as much a part of Arion's life as I was. More than you were, that's for sure. She deserves to be a part of this just as much as us.”

  Theresa looked at him over her shoulder, sorrow clear in her eyes. He stood his ground, staring her down until she sighed.

  “You don't know what you're doing, Cyllorian. Please, just listen to me. Just this once, you have to trust me.”

  “Trust you? Know what, nevermind, I’m not touching that subject.” Cy raised his eyes defensively at Theresa’s glare, and continued before she could scold him. “But I won't
force her to leave her friend if she doesn't want to.”

  “I just have to hope that she's not as stubborn as you.”

  Theresa turned and marched out of the room. Cy stood there until she left the grounds, the slamming of the grand doors resonating throughout the entire castle.

  Cyllorian

  “Where's Theresa?” Kaitlyn asked as she walked into the room. Cy whirled around, the crystal ball still in hand. He looked away, embarrassed when he found her buttoning her shirt, though she had a white blouse beneath it.

  Cy glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, stunned at her clothing. He had rarely ever seen her in anything but her favorite blue dress. Now she was dressed in a Mage's attire. It was both shocking and appealing.

  She buttoned her navy shirt almost all the way, the lace at the top of her blouse still visible. The sleeves were too long for her, but she remedied that by buttoning the cuffs around her thumb so that they covered most of her hands. Her pants were black, skin tight, and looked to be of a thin material. She wrapped her long hair into a messy bun on top of her head, tying it into place with one of her bright blue ribbons. It fell sloppily to the side, half of it falling out. She tried again, but didn't fare any better. With a groan, she simply tied it all up into a high ponytail, resting on her back in crinkles from their previous braids.

  “Well, what do you think?” she asked, spreading her arms wide. She gave a twirl, then stared at Cy expectantly.

  “Uh…I like your shoes,” he muttered uselessly. He pointed down sheepishly, and she giggled. Her shoes were still the bright blue flats she had always worn, covered in white frills.

  “There was a closet full of everything except for shoes, so I'm stuck with mine.” She shrugged and shifted her feet. She looked uncomfortable. Cy couldn't tell if it was because of the strange clothes, or simply that she didn't match.