Machinae mundi

xiv. straight, narrow

THE HEAT OF THE SUN FELT LIKE HOME.

Mori sat up, staring at the new world he'd landed in. The setting sun doused the buildings in soft autumnal light. A cobbled path, lined with streetlights, led down into a sprawling, multi-layered array of closely packed buildings. Bridges and paths connected the paths winding between the towering structures. The place teemed with greenery: bushy trees and shrubs lined the path and ivy dangled down the side of the buildings.

Argent winced, raising a hand to his face. "It's so bright here."

A smile drifted over Mori's mouth. He remembered for a moment the way the sun fractured against the buildings of Arkos like gemstones, citrine and sapphire blue against the glass; how it rippled across the lake surface like liquid gold. His heart twisted in his chest. He missed it so much.

"It doesn't look so bad here," Mori said.

"This is Hesperis, Argent replied. "Elete is the next world up."

Mori frowned. "Let's just find the tower."

They couldn't see it from their vantage point, so they followed the path down into the city. It had the same bustle as Arkos as well. People streamed past, shooting odd glances at the pair of them. Mori realised his clothes probably set them apart, but wasn't in the mood to care. He thrust his hands into his pockets, trailing behind Argent. He had no intention of making conversation with him, and Argent didn't force it.

They finally located the entrance to the tower, right at the bottom of the city. The air was cooler down here; the towering buildings and network of crisscrossing bridges above him shaded the light.

"This looks like the place." Argent looked up at the tower. It blended right into the other buildings on Hesperis — a narrow, cream building draped with patchy strands of ivy and a modest clock face halfway up. "But I don't think Valerno's in at the moment."

Movement to his side caught Mori's attention. He stiffened and turned. A vivid arc of violet snapped towards them. Mori stepped away to avoid it. The light hit Argent instead. Crackling electricity enveloped his body for a second before he slumped to the ground.

Mori ducked, whipping the edge of the cloak over his arm to protect his face and body. The next round snapped against the leather fabric and died harmlessly at its surface.

"Wait!" Mori shouted behind his impromptu shield. "We're not here to fight!"

A pause. Mori waited until it had gone on for a few seconds before daring to peek out from behind the fabric. A small, dark-skinned girl approached them, one arm outstretched. He thought she was a kid at first, but as she drew closer Mori realised she was probably in her teenage years, fourteen or fifteen at most. A strange metal gauntlet over her arm crackled with violet, sparking along its metal plates and the bolts and gears whirring on its surface.

"What do you want with the tower?" The girl demanded. A scruffy, oversized jacked drooped over her shoulders and covered her arms. Dirt smudged her nose and cheeks.

"Nothing, I swear." Mori lowered the cloak, lifting his hands into the air as slowly as he could manage. "Argent and I were just here to —"

"Wait, Argent?" the girl said. She glanced from Mori to Argent, her eyes growing wide. "Oh. Ohhh. You guys are from Dysis?" She lowered her arm. "Shit, I'm so sorry! I just overheard — I didn't realise —"

Mori blinked, taken aback at the shift in gears. "Hey, it's...okay?" he said.

She shook her head. "It's not! Now he's hurt because of me—"

Mori glanced at him, lying on his side on the ground. "Well, he deserved it."

He felt a little bad for saying it; nobody deserved to get hurt. Mori crouched beside him, assessing the damage. Argent breathed in and out in steady, gentle breaths, the slight flush to his pale face the only unusual thing about him. Mori watched him breathe for a few seconds longer. He looked so young when he was asleep, he mused. And not nearly as terrifying as he'd been the day before, threatening to drop him off the edge of the tower...