Memor sat across his uncle, recounting his adventures outside the village, the suicide of the horses, the arrows that ate the world in its path, the ruins smeared in blood, and the fall of sorrow.
Ceres listened, both of them enjoyed a bowl of roasted chicken, seasoned with salt, chilly and a touch of grape wine.
"You know Mori, Sorrow Rain came around only 2 centuries ago."
What's up with Uncle Ceres today, he was never keen on sharing knowledge with me. Maybe he got a change of heart since I will be a Learner soon.
"Really?"
"Before that it never rained at all in the Memory domain... well, except for those artificial ones."
"Artificial?"
Caressing his sparse beard, Ceres sat in a stupor as if in deep thought.
If you didn't want to tell me, why bring it up in the first place. Memor sighed internally, picking up another piece of chicken with a wooden spoon.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
A knock came from the dining room door interrupting Ceres's thoughts.
"Come in."
The door swung open, a man as tall as Ceres holding a black wooden box in his hands stood at the door, a subtle smile playing on his face. He wore a clear white robe, embroidered with wave like patterns. His face was clean shaven, revealing slight wrinkles on his skin, eyes gleamed like a green pearl in the warmly lit room.
Memor rose up from his seat, falling into a deep bow at the green-eyed man.
"Councilor Spyro." Memor welcomed.
Spyros walked in at a measured pace, sparing at soft glance at the bowing Memor, then he turned to face Ceres.
"How I've missed you, old friend," Spyro's smile widened, his voice high pitched but somehow gentle.
"Spyro," Ceres reciprocated with a slight nod.
Memor pulled at the chair he had sat on, offering it to Councilor Spyros, the man sat down in an almost elegant manner, placing the wooden box on his lap.
I should leave, don't wanna get involved in some political drama. Memor took a step towards the exits, but was stopped by a person's grab.
"Child," Spyro turned to Memor his smile gentle" You can stay for this one."
"Councilor Spyro, I would not want to distract you." Memor said, looking at Spyro his face almost twitching.
"I insist," his grip on Memor's arm tightened.
Memor, having no other choice moved behind Uncle Ceres, and tucked his hands to his back like a bodyguard.
"What pleasure do I owe you?" Ceres asked
"Just checking in on my favorite artisan."
Ceres nodded, scooping another piece of chicken. Spyro moved the box from his lap, placing it on the table.
"Here. A gift."
"What for?" Ceres asked, his face betraying no emotion.
"It's a long story." Spyro said, the smile never leaving his lips.
"I have time." Ceres replied.
Spyros smile was replaced with a dubious expression for a moment. He nodded slowly, the subtle smile clipping back on his face.
"There was a pup, he went around and around, park to park looking for friends to play with, but they all rejected him. Isn't that sad?" Spyro's voice was gentle, a lullaby of sorts.
What? I thought he was gonna tell us the reason for the gift.
"It is." Ceres replied, still focusing on his food.
"The pup looked long and hard, and finally in a park far away, far from all the others, it found its friends. They bathed him, played with him, gave him toys from the toy maker, but the pup wanted more, he went to the toy maker to ask for more toys, and he got them without his friends knowing. The pup went back to the other parks, showing the others that rejected him the toys and they took him in..."
"What happened to the pup afterwards?" A smile shown on Ceres face.
Spyro stood up abruptly, his smile gone, replaced by a frown so deep Memor almost shivered.
"I will take my leave." Spyro walked out of the dining room smashing the door on his way out.
What was that about? Memor sat back down at his empty seat. He looked at Uncle Ceres, the smile gone from his face, replaced by a serious expression as he turned his attention to his bowl of chicken.
"You're not gonna check what's in the box?" Memor asked.
"...I know what is inside." Ceres said, eating another chunk of meat.
"What? How?"
Ceres let out a deep sigh, he stared at Memor for long, too long, making Memor feel uncomfortable.
What!? You know I'm curious about these things! Memor fidgeted with his food, trying not to make eye contact with Uncle Ceres. Soon Uncle Ceres also focused back on his food, they ate in silence with a black wooden box sitting between them.
As soon as Uncle Ceres finished his food he went back to staring at Memor with his piercing black pupils.
What is he even thinking about?! Memor continued to eat his food, his head lowered to the point, that he could not see his uncle's face. After finishing his food, he was about to rush out of the room, but was stopped by his uncle.
"Clean up the table... I will tell you how I knew."
He was gonna tell me in the end! Lucky me! Memor lips curled up, as he cleared the table of spoons and bowls. He sat down, his feet almost tapping from excitement.
I wonder what he is gonna teach me?!
"There are 3 layers to our world, the Real Plane, The Phantom Realm and Fate."
"Fate?"
"No questions before I finish," He ordered." The Real Plane consists of what you are currently seeing, the surface Plane of our world. The Phantom Realm, has many layers, as a Grade 2 Mnemonist I can see a fair number of layers. We don't know how many layers there are, what we know is that it holds the entrances to souls of people and objects."
Memor was tempted to ask more questions, but the gaze Uncle Ceres gave him was chilling.
"Fate is a very peculiar Plane, it holds the past present and future, not only of the Real Plane but all possibilities of the Real Plane."
"With the Phantom Realm I can sense the memory objects hold."
"OBJECTS HAVE MEMORIES?!" Memor jumped out of his seat, the curl in his lips replaced with an open mouth.
Ceres Caressed his face, his green gloved prickled against his beard.
"Well yes, and no. They have no senses... It's hard to explain, when you become a Learner, you can see for yourself."
Memor's excitement settled, the same way he did.
"So... What's in the box?"
Ceres looked at Memor with a frown, staring deep into Memor soul. Before the gaze got too uncomfortable Memor chose to surrender, he got up and headed straight for the door.
"Wait Memor."
He using my real name? This is serious stuff huh? Memor went back to his chair and sat down, feeling curious.
"Open the box." Ceres gestured, his voice even.
Memor pulled the wooden box closer to him, the box felt polished, but it had no gleam. He spared one last glance to his uncle, the frown, ever present on his face.
Click.
He pulled off the cover and he saw. His eyes narrowed; his hands shivered. A tear broke free from his eye.
In the box, flowers bloomed, white in color, its roots deep like an infection, it fed on blood. He looked right, more flowers bloomed, in shapes of foot prints towards the door and back, some latching onto the door itself.
He looked down, his chest bloomed, the black roots reaching his heart, pricking it with every breath, he looked farther, the chair he sat on bloomed, streaming down its legs, feeding.
He looked forward, A man bloomed, the infection deeper than them all, his face, his arms, his chest, his waist, his legs, his feet, his hair. They bloomed, it was no man, it was an infection, a parasite, a weed, a sickness, a virus, a disease, a germ.
He imagined burning, breaking, ripping, clawing, biting, crushing, but it ate them all, he shed tears but it ate those too. He closed his eyes, but they appeared in his mind, he escaped to the past, but they infected those too. And finally, he—
Snap.
Memor took in a shallow breath, his hands still shaking, no they twitched. He saw a hand reaching to his ear, and the fingers that snapped.
"Memor." Ceres stared at Memor, his emotionless eyes betraying nothing.
"Yeah. Yeah. Sorry I spaced out." Memor's answered, his lips pressed against one another.
Have calmed his nerves, he looked in the box— A severed hand. It wore a ring on its index finger, brown pearl, silver. The hand still dripped blood, though its heat has left.
Aggressive message huh? He looked at Ceres with curiosity.
"I had a client. He wanted an Artifact made...So I did and..." Ceres clarified, interlacing his fingers on the table.
"The pup?"
"The pup," Ceres nodded.
"Ohh Checking in." Memor nodded to himself, but a sudden question slithered into his mind.
"Isn't this too aggressive?" Pointing at the hand.
Shaking his head Ceres answered," No... that is not for the pup it's for us."
"Us?"
"Councilor Spyro wants me out the village." Ceres said, not showing any emotion.
That explains the gift.
"Why is that?"
Hearing this question, Ceres stared.
Not this again! I thought we were good after you shared the knowledge of Planes of existence with me! Memor let out a sigh, trying not to make eye contact.
"Memor," Ceres called, looking down at his green glove." Be careful from now on."
Memor looked down as well, contemplating this new wisdom.
Aaah, so that's why he wanted me to stay, can't say I blame him, it's a good idea to pressure Ceres that way.
It's already pretty late, I should leave. Memor had to go to the academy the next cycle. The academy is open every other cycle. He bade farewell to Ceres and left for his hut.