The Clockwork Heart

by T Ariyanna

  He clattered to the ground, Void falling from his grip. The boy let out a yell and curled in on himself. The bandages on his arm came loose. The wound there was covered in blood and dirt, the skin underneath cracking.

  “Void!” Cy reached for the boy, but the thing he had tripped over moved. Goyik walked with a slight limp as he sniffed Void. His nose twitched at the foul odor, but he seemed much more interested in something else.

  Goyik picked Void up by his coat and dragged the squirming boy to the doors of the library. Cy scrambled to his feet after him. He tried to grab Void, but Goyik growled whenever he got near.

  They reached the door after what felt like forever, and Goyik let out a sharp, low bark. The doors opened obediently, and he dragged Void inside. He released him in the middle of the room.

  Theresa was standing at the head of a long table. Gil, Adoette and Jayr sat to one side of her, while Jemmina and Holten took the other side. They had all gone silent when the doors opened, and Theresa stared at Cy with rage.

  “What is this thing?” she asked. Goyik moved to her side and laid on the ground, his eyes never leaving Void’s body. Theresa was the only one not looking at Void, as she bore holes into Cy’s metal with her gaze.

  Cy finally stepped into the room, as though he were waiting for Theresa to invite him in with her voice. “This is what we retrieved from Talgrin. He’s hurt, you need to—”

  “You risked the lives of everyone in this room for an empty and broken shell?” Her words felt like venom that could chew through Cy’s metal. He struggled to hold his ground against his mother.

  “He’s different. There’s something weird about him. Whatever it is, Crestyss wants it bad enough to send a demon after us, the one that tortured Void.”

  “You were followed into the woods by Grite?” Theresa asked. Her eyes had turned into slits, and she looked at Void for the first time. He was clutching his hands to his chest and mumbling incoherently.

  “I guess. He nearly killed Void, rambling on about needing him back no matter what. Sadistic thing wouldn’t shut up, not about Crestyss, or about you. He even knew me. But I shot him, and he ran away.”

  “He recognized you. This does not bode well. Holten was able to save those here without being tracked, but if you were found by Grite, there’s no telling if he could have followed this far.

  Theresa thought for a moment, and Cy shook with anticipation. He glanced around the room for help. Jemmina’s eyes were closed as she held Holten’s hand tightly. Jayr had already lost interest and was playing with the sword at his belt. Noma was whispering to Adoette. Gil was watching Void, and Cy couldn’t make sense of his dazed expression.

  “Are you going to help him? He was injured badly, and it was too much for Kaitlyn,” Cy pried gently. He knew it was best to deal with her calmly, but damn was it hard. He glanced down at Void, and saw Noma flitting around him and placing glowing leaves over the wounds. He made a note to stop teasing her, even if the pixie was only helping him because of Adoette.

  “Was that all?” Theresa asked after a long moment.

  Cy grit his jaw when she ignored him. There was too much he needed to sort through for himself, and he decided to give her only the bare minimum, “I'm pretty sure. Grite was talking nonsense most of the time. I think Crestyss might have switched Grite into another body so he could use his original for Void. He has demon blood, and he can't die as far as anyone can tell, but Grite had a bunch of scars on him, and the gun I used did more damage than I would expect for a demon.”

  “That wouldn't surprise me, knowing Crestyss. He’ll do whatever it takes to achieve his goals,” Theresa muttered, lost in thought.

  “He mentioned you, too, Theresa. He said he didn't know what Crestyss saw in you. What did he mean by that?”

  “It could be any number of things. Who's to know for sure if it even knew. It is a demon, after all,” Theresa answered quickly, avoiding his eyes.

  Cy ignored Jayr’s smirk at her remark. “What about Void?” he urged.

  “What about it?”

  Cy caught his breath before he snapped. “You need to heal him. Now.”

  Theresa changed. Even the others noticed. She lifted her shoulders and forced a commanding tone, “That thing is not worth my time or energy. You’ve brought nothing but trash into this place, and put us all in danger. It’ll be disposed of promptly.”

  “Disposed of? What the hell are you talking about? He’s alive, and we need to keep it that way. I didn’t bust my ass getting here so you can just back out! You already left Arion for dead, I’m not letting you do it again!”

  “Do not speak of things you know nothing about, Cyllorian!” Theresa snapped. She slammed her hand on the table, and everyone jumped back.

  While most would be embarrassed to have an audience when fighting with their parents, it gave Cy courage. “Have you even tried to help him yet, or have you just spent these past couple days having a tea party? I’ve heard about war everywhere for the past month since you sent us out. You had us gather your army, didn’t you?”

  He glanced at those around him, but no one would meet his eyes. That was more than enough confirmation.

  “The boy is beyond repair. It’s not what you want to hear, and I knew you wouldn’t listen to me before, so I allowed you time to come to terms with this. It seems that was counterproductive. Let it go, Cyllorian. As hard as it might be for you to accept, this is for the best.” Theresa had collected herself easily.

  Cy had hoped to reveal her true self to the others, but it wasn’t as easy as he had hoped. But he wasn’t done trying just yet.

  “Best? You seriously think this is best? By whose standards? Who would this be helping, to leave him a rotting heap in here? How can you be like this, treat your own child with such disregard. You know, I really thought I was wrong, that I was just being pissy, but no. You're a terrible person and a terrible mother! You never gave a shit about me, or Arion, did you?”

  Cy lost control. Years of anger and pain burst from him, and he screamed until the metal of his jaw groaned in protest. “Why the hell did you even come back? All of this is just for your own personal gain, you don't give a shit about anyone else in this castle, the whole world for that matter. Kole was a tool, I was a waste of your energy, and Arion was a mistake, right? I'm right, I finally got you figured out. It only took me eighteen years, but I finally figured the bitch out! We were just a means to an end, like Grite is to Crestyss! You're just like him, aren't you?”

  “That is enough, Cyllorian! I have had all that I will tolerate from you. Do not speak of things that you do not understand!” Theresa yelled, stepping around the table towards Cy. She raised her hand as though she meant to slap him, and Cy stood his ground against her.

  “If I'm wrong, then tell me so. Put me in my place. You can't, can you? Because I'm not wrong,” Cy challenged. He squared his shoulders and stared his creator down, wanting nothing more than to snuff out the glimmer of hope that still resided in his essence…the hope that she could still be his mother.

  “You don't know what you are asking for, Cyllorian. You couldn't even begin to understand what lies in the past,” Theresa hissed, a threat clear within her words.

  “Like what?” Cy growled in return, losing all caution he had held in regard to her. “What are you so afraid to say? What are you not admitting? What did you do, fuck the bad guy?”

  Theresa's hand connected with Cy's cheek with enough force to send him sprawling to the floor in shock. Her magic raced throughout his body, shocking him at the joints and rendering him immobile.

  Theresa stared at Cy for a long, hard moment. Tears welled in her eyes, but she spoke clearly. Once she had begun talking, it all rushed out in a flood. “I was under orders to serve Crestyss. All Mages were. I gave Crestyss the idea to start the war, to bring the ancient army of our ancestors to life and have them slaughter everyone in this land. We scoured the whole world, searching for someone with a power strong enough to achieve this,
stealing their power for ourselves, but it was never enough. No one was ever good enough. Crestyss was driven mad by the constant failures, but that's not to say he changed.

  “Then I met Kole, and I betrayed him and Crestyss both, serving both at the same time. I no longer hated humans, but my loyalty was to my own people. I couldn’t fool Crestyss. He knew as soon as my resolve wavered. Twisted by anger, he raped me. Arion is more that man’s child than mine.

  “So I stole Arion's power and hid him away from Crestyss, terrified of what that influence could do to him. He became a monster without ever knowing his true creator. If he were allowed to live, there would be no hope for him. He’d become a monster worse than Crestyss, and I cannot allow that.”

  Cy looked forward, seeing nothing, feeling nothing, as the information was processed in his mind.

  “Is that what you wanted to hear? Is it, Cyllorian? Tell me, do you understand my actions now? Or was I right in assuming you are nothing more than a selfish demon, that nothing could change what you are?” Theresa spat.

  “He'll never have to know. We don’t have to tell him once he’s back. It would be too much for him if he knew. But he's not past hope. You thought I could change, you tried. So why can't he?” Cy said. He was trying to convince himself more than anything, but he couldn’t deny his own memories. His gaze flashed to Void, and remembered the look on Grite’s face when it attacked him. It was just like Arion’s when facing Kraven, when he nearly ripped the boy’s heart from his chest.

  “Some just can't be helped, Cyllorian. You should know that from personal experience,” Theresa hissed before storming out of the room. No one else moved. They didn’t even dare breathe.

  Her magic had faded from his body soon after she had struck him, but he only just found the strength to stand. With one last shred of hope alive in his chest, Cy scooped up Void’s body and ran from the room.

  Void

  Void shook himself awake, jolting upright. His heart was racing, and he pressed his hand to his chest. It's beating. I'm breathing.

  “Hey, how are you feeling?” Kaitlyn asked from beside him. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, watching him with sad eyes and a tired smile.

  Void swept his eyes over the room he was in, taking it all in quickly. Though the bed he lay in was large and comfortable, it was placed in a dark cell with only a small source of light. “Alive,” he replied. His pulse returned to normal within seconds, and being in another cage didn't incite a single reaction from him. I just nearly died for real, and I still can't feel anything?

  “I'm sorry we had to put you in here. We'll get you out as soon as everything clears up, I promise.”

  “It's fine. I'm used to it, so it's actually a bit comforting.” His gaze wandered around the room. He met a pair of bright green eyes belonging to a wolf in the corner of the room, watching his every move. “This is better, anyway. You can't trust me, and I certainly can't trust me. This makes it easier.”

  “What makes you think we still don't trust you?” Cy asked, entering the cell. He stood at the foot of the bed, his hands shoved into his pockets. The demon's attire always confused Void. He always wore pants, though Void doubted he needed to, but his chest was bare, suggesting that he didn't like clothes at all. This was all Void could think, despite the haunted look that hinted at a much more interesting conversation.

  “We can handle it from here, Tuft. You should probably see to your pack.”

  The wolf inched out of the corner, his eyes never leaving Void. Reluctantly, he ducked out of the cell with his tail tucked between his legs.

  “So, what's the deal with Grite? He seemed to have a major obsession with you,” Cy asked, diving straight into the interrogation. His voice was hostile, but his eyes suggested that Cy already knew the answers.

  “He was the one that got to torture me. He always says weird stuff like that, so I've just stopped listening.”

  “Did you know about your blood, or your body?”

  “How could I? The only person I ever talked to was a demon, and he certainly wasn't teaching kindergarten.”

  “Well, would you look at that. Personal growth,” Cy mused, barking out a bitter laugh. He was holding himself stiffly, and the light within him was dim. Was he tired, or distressed?

  “What are you talking about?” Void inquired, watching the demon with suspicion.

  “You made a joke. And here I thought you didn't have a sense of humor. Or a sense of anything, really.”

  “I blame you,” Void muttered.

  Cy didn't seem to hear, just went back to his questions. “What did they want from you? You kept telling us that you're worthless, but they wouldn't chase you all that way if you were. So what are you hiding? What do they have planned for you?”

  Cy leaned forward on the bed and glared at Void. Kaitlyn looked ready to scold him, but Void didn't give her the chance.

  Void slammed his hands down on either side of him, Cy’s own anger affecting him. “I've told you, I don't know! Do you think if I did, I wouldn't have told them already, and stopped the torture? Or told you to get back at the bastard? As far as I know, I'm as good as nothing! I'm still trying to figure out how to feel the emotions that I know I should. I'm not stupid. I know how I'm supposed to feel and react, but I literally can't! I'm trapped inside this messed up body, and I've got a hunch my mind is even more messed up. Give me a break, already!”

  Tears came into Void's eyes and he let himself dissolve into crying. Kaitlyn put her hand on his shoulder, but the gesture was stiff and awkward.

  “You're right. I'm sorry, Void. Ignore me, I'm just a self-absorbed demon, myself. It comes with the territory, or so I've been told. Apparently, we can't change who we are, no matter what we do,” Cy mumbled, rubbing his hand over his head.

  “What are you talking about, Cy? Did something happen?” Kaitlyn asked, her concern shifting.

  “Nothing. Come on, we'll take him to Theresa. Not like there’s any other choice. She'll know what to do, because she knows everything, and is always right no matter what. This is her castle, and she's the queen, ruling over everyone and everything.” Cy marched to the cell door, holding it open.

  Kaitlyn helped Void untangle himself from the blankets and led him from the cell. Cy stared at the ground as they passed. For once, Void was unable to read his emotions.

  They followed Cy throughout the castle, forced to keep up with his impatience. Void was awestruck by everything in the castle, an odd feeling growing in his chest with every room they passed. Kaitlyn questioned him every time he paused, but the feeling would slip away as soon as his attention was on anything else. Kaitlyn turned her questions onto Cy, though their conversation was forced and uncomfortable.

  A feather fluttered in front of Void, and he stopped. His pause went unnoticed by the others. He reached his hand out to them, ready to call out, but a small black and white owl landed on his arm. His chest tightened. He could practically hear the bird telling him to stay silent. He swallowed a lump in his throat and nodded once.

  The owl took to the air awkwardly, one wing beating faster than the other. The bird flew back the way they had come, and Void followed automatically. His eyes never left the owl as they went through winding hallways and climbed more stairs than Void could count.

  The bird ducked into a small doorway at the end of a thin hall. Void dove in after, but the bird was nowhere to be seen. Void was alone, lost and wondering if the owl had just been a hallucination.

  The room was small and crescent shaped, a round table taking up most of the room. Two bare shelves stood opposite each other. A small door was set in the wall that curved inward. Despite the barren state of the room, there wasn’t a single speck of dust.

  Something about that door seemed… off to him. Before he could place it, his body moved on its own. He approached the door, and his left hand raised to grip the handle. Void held his breath as he swung the door open.

  This room was even more empty than the last. It held a sin
gle, occupied bed, and an old book that lay in pieces on the floor. It was nothing more than a secret napping room, tucked into the furthest corners of this building.

  If it weren’t for the ominous chill in the room, Void would have been able to convince himself of that. The air here was heavy with death, and after his recent close encounter, he wanted to stay far away from death. But he couldn’t bring himself to leave.

  Void gaped at the body on the bed, clearly the one Cy and Kaitlyn had been hoping to bring back from the dead. He looked exactly like Void felt… broken, beaten, and rotting from the inside out. He looked far worse than death.

  Void had always thought that the body would be perfect, except for the killing blow. He never would have thought they still had their hopes up for someone that looked like they had died dozens of times.

  Void drew near to the bed, entranced by the wounds that covered the boy's body. He gazed into the clouded eyes of the body, and his stomach flipped inside of him. Without fully understanding his own actions, he touched his hand to the hole in the boy's chest.

  Green magic sparked as his fingers touched the boy's skin. Void flinched, but refused to pull away. A migraine had set in his head, but he lost all thoughts to the pain. The boy's pale skin regained color under Void's touch, while his own hand started to wither and turn black, creeping up his arm.

  Void collapsed to his knees, gasping. Nothing Grite had ever done to him compared to the pain he felt now. His lips parted in a silent scream, and tears burned a path down his cheeks.

  “What are you doing here?” a choked voice said behind him.

  Void turned as much as he could, his body refusing to obey him. A woman stood in the doorway, her face pale and beautiful.

  Theresa.

  The name was loud in his crowded mind, and Void doubled over with a shriek. He couldn’t move, couldn’t resist as she strode over to him. She grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into the wall.

  Threats and curses spewed from her mouth, but he ignored her. He watched in astonishment as the healed patch of skin on the boy's chest reverted to its original state.