Chapter 13: Galsin, Home of the Monks

Through various spy networks and nefarious undertakings, I managed to locate the being known as the Conjurer. As fate would have it, he was also looking for me ... to arrest me for war crimes. It was an inevitable union that brought us together; a battle predestined by Destiny herself. In all my years, I have never come across a more fearsome adversary. An opponent well-versed in the arts of Elemency and warfare. Truly, his heir must be a most worthy candidate indeed.

Ryan sat in his chair clutching the armrests so hard that his knuckles were turning white. His eyes were popped, his brow sleek with sweat, and his teeth were chattering. If Éclair hadn’t known Ryan so well, she could have sworn that he was putting on some kind of act. That being said, Ryan was far too dumb to put on an act so elaborate - and for a whole hour no less.

Éclair probably should have been more annoyed - in fact, she should still be furious with him at this point - but the pitiful look on his face was far too much for her to handle. Little by little, Éclair felt her anger give sway to humor as she savored every moment of Ryan’s hilarity.

“This really isn’t a put-on, is it? This is for real? After all your big talk, the whole tough guy routine, you’re seriously afraid of heights?” she asked.

“For God’s sakes, I was traumatized as a child, woman! After nearly falling off a cliff, I just don’t do well with heights ... or flying ... or space ... or...”

Ryan’s face seemed to be turning green ... literally. As a relative of the Earth Dragons, he had very sensitive scales that sometimes portrayed his inner feelings. At the moment, however, it wouldn’t be too difficult for anyone to guess what Ryan Uruks was feeling. As he retched and gulped down his barf, Éclair suddenly became aware of her own hazardous situation.

“You should know that if it seems that you may vomit on me, I’m freezing your mouth shut,” she warned.

As Ryan regained control of his bodily fluids, he managed a retort – somewhat impressive given his weakened state. “My dear Éclair; as cold as your ice arrows.”

“Still, I am puzzled,” said Éclair as something came to mind. “I seem to recall you not being quite this uncomfortable when we flew in my limo together last year to bring you to the Fire Ministry.”

Ryan raised a finger wearily. “That’s because we weren’t ‘flying’ flying! We just ... kinda floated between the buildings a little. This is different. I don’t know why completely, but going into space makes me feel a lot worse than when...”

Ryan trailed off as he glanced out the window to be confronted by the black voice of space. Then covered his eyes and sighed deeply as if he had a bad headache.

Éclair folded her hands in her lap, feeling quite content. “Had I known I might’ve gotten this reaction when I escorted you to the Ministry that first time, I might’ve asked my chauffeur to take a little detour through the planet’s atmosphere.”

Ryan jerked back and emitted a most disgusting gurgling noise before saying, “If you’re still mad about what happened with Leon, you should know that we made up.”

Pause. More gurgling noises. “Guys aren’t like girls. We’re not all touchy-feely and junk. We relate better with our fists than with words. Some people go to therapists to solve their problems, but we just go a few rounds beating the snot out of each other, and then we’re best friends. Saves a lot of time and effort on talking ... saves a lot of money on therapy bills, too.”

More gurgling. “For the love of Chuck Norris, are we there yet?”

Ignoring another of Ryan’s quirky references from Ancient Earth, Éclair simply smirked as she crossed her legs and said, “Oh, I’m not angry ... at least not as angry. In fact, I’m enjoying myself quite thoroughly at the moment. Karma does seem to be working in my favor for the time being.”

“Have you ever considered a career change? Somehow, I get the feeling that you would’ve made a great villainess in another life.”

As always, he spoke in his overly dramatic fashion that Éclair couldn’t help but giggle at. It seemed almost impossible to stay upset at a guy like Ryan, especially when he was acting so ridiculous. “Only when I’m around you. You have a way of bringing out the evil in me.”

“Are you okay, mister?” interjected a voice that sounded familiar.

Éclair only then noticed two adolescent Elves sitting across the aisle from them, a boy and a girl. They looked to be in their mid-teens, fifteen or sixteen by Éclair’s reckoning, but there was no way for her to know for sure since they were Elves. Even though Éclair had never seen them before, she had to admit that there was something familiar about these two particular elves.

At the point of hysteria, Ryan pointed dramatically across Éclair at the Elven adolescent. “Do I look okay to you, huh? My eyes are bloodshot and my skin is turquoise. My body can’t decide if it’s sick or panicked. I’m losing my grip on reality, you...” Another bout of choking and retching followed as Ryan was forced to cover his mouth before swallowing hard.

Surprisingly, the teenage Elf only laughed and said, “You haven’t changed. You’re still funny, fatty.”

Eclair gasped when she suddenly realized why the Elves seemed so familiar.

Ryan blinked at the Elf in confusion. It took him a few minutes as he squinted at the Elves, all the while making annoying ‘hmmm’ noises. Ryan finally snapped his fingers, pointed, and exclaimed, “You!”

The Elf twins from the first stage of the exam got up from their seats to stand shoulder to shoulder across from Éclair and Ryan, all the while giggling in absolute mirth. Their laughter became so uproarious that Esan had to support his companion from falling over.

Meanwhile, Ryan growled and ground his teeth together. “You’re the little jerks from the first stage that called me fat. So you went from twerps to teens. Actually, I like it better this way. It’ll be much easier for me to pound you now that you’re old enough to have zits.”

The Elves stopped laughing and gave each other a knowing look. Suddenly, a bright, green light enveloped the children. Éclair beheld in fascination as the children shrunk in size. Although the transformation was slightly obscured by the light, she watched as the children reversed in age. Their cheekbones became less angular and more rounded, and their tall, lean frames became stouter and softer. When the green light dissipated, the children came out looking like toddlers this time, no older than four.

With their adorable, baby-blue eyes, the Elf twins stared up at Ryan with a kind of puppy-dog pout and said simultaneously, “Would you hit us now?”

Ryan huffed in frustration. “That’s so not fair.” Before he could say anything else, he covered his mouth and bolted from his seat, his eyes going wide with alarm.

“Uh oh,” said Éclair, steadily becoming alert of Ryan’s weakened constitution. “I think he’s going to pop this time.”

“No worries,” the Elf girl said, holding her hands together as a pink light danced in her fingers, producing a flower-shaped bowl made out of purple crystal.

Ryan took the bowl from the girl’s hand and plunged his head into its contents. This was followed by some quite graphic hurling sounds that can only be described as barf! Luckily, the crystal flower bowl was large enough to take in all of Ryan’s exhaled juices. Gasping for breath, Ryan handed the bowl to the boy Elf who grimaced in disgust before summoning a myriad of vines, which entangled the crystal, engulfed it, and finally dissolved it.

With the vomit gone, the atmosphere became bounteously more tolerable as Ryan sighed in relief and said, “Thanks. I owe you one. But don’t think that...”

He paused as he made a gulping noise that sounded something like ’blurg’.

“That I won’t...” He started, then paused again and burped loudly. “Kick your little butts when the time comes.”

“You can expect the same from us,” responded the Elf boy.

“Fatty,” finished the Elf girl with a smirk.

“Why, you little...” started Ryan before another bout of gulping came on.

“Elan and Esan, right?” asked Éclair for clarification, pointing to each in turn.

“Yes,” responded the two children simultaneously.

“Didn’t think I’d see you two again. I apologize for my companion’s lack of tact. Despite his looks, he’s usually a bit more ... chivalrous.”

“Who cares about being shrivel-less when you’re as awesome as I am,” replied Ryan confidently before bending over once again and waving his hands frantically. At least he managed to say, “‘Nother bucket! ‘Nother bucket,” before the barfing commenced once more.

Elan displayed superb reflexes as she summoned another flower-shaped crystal bucket just before the worst came to pass.

“Hmm. Heroics abound,” commented Éclair slyly as the Elf children giggled in unison.

“Attention, Firsts,” said a woman’s voice over the intercom. “We will be landing momentarily. Please return to your seats and prepare for docking procedure. In the meantime, do enjoy the view of the Moon of Galsin as we make landfall.”

“Tata for now fatty and lady,” said the twins simultaneously before returning to their seats. Other candidates who were walking around the cabin quickly followed suit.

Éclair squealed in delight as she turned to the window to take in the sights. What was most amazing about Ministry of Fire transport ships were the glass windows that surrounded the cabin. It almost made up the entire breadth of the walls and ceilings, making for maximum viewing opportunity. She always loved traveling, especially watching the sights as the ship came in for landing.

Ryan watched as Éclair gazed with the marvel of a child. Somehow, seeing her so happy and excited made him feel a little better. Despite his efforts to keep up a good humor, Ryan was in turmoil both physically and emotionally. He never liked ships. He didn’t even like taking the few transports back at the Ministry to get around, he preferred walking like most Elementals. There was a reason for this behavior, and it went far beyond a simple fear of heights. Transports and starcraft always reminded Ryan of that day. Although his memories were fuzzy after the Dark Creature appeared, Ryan got the faint feeling of being in some kind of space vessel before ... before something bad happened.

However, seeing the wonder of space travel through Éclair’s eyes brought a little solace in his moment of depression. If he stopped and took in the sights for what they were instead of what they reminded him of, it all really was quite fantastic. Ryan watched as their vessel came closer and closer while the moon grew larger with each passing second. The entry into the moon’s artificial atmosphere was incredible. Fires danced and spun just within arm’s reach of him from beyond the glass. If he wasn’t certain that the ship’s shields would protect them - and if not for Éclair’s calm demeanor - Ryan might have been terrified to watch such a blazing inferno engulf the ship.

As fires danced and spun before Ryan’s eyes, he could have sworn he saw distinguishable patterns within the flames, as if the fire was more than a simple chaotic mixture of gas and energy ... as if it were alive. Chaos and order interwoven into a maelstrom of destruction just beyond the thin glass and shields which served as their only protection from certain doom. As the vessel shook from the turbulence, he was reminded of his insignificance in the grand scheme of the cosmos. It felt humbling for him, knowing that at that moment, his very existence depended upon a mechanical vessel and the expertise of the pilots who operated it.

Soon, the flames dissolved as the ship began to enter the lower atmosphere. As if the atmospheric plunge wasn’t breathtaking enough, the surface of the Moon of Galsin came into view in all its magnificence. From the surface of Tarrus, the moon had always looked like little more than a gray, round rock floating in space. However, as they entered the atmosphere, Ryan was beholden to a much more majestic view.

Much of the moon’s surface was a massive stone labyrinth of pillars, coliseums, temples, and statues. Nearly every inch of the moon was covered in stone arches interlaced with both towers and terraces. It all looked ancient, yet vibrant at the same time. He had heard that the monks were among some of the finest artisans and architectures within the Tarrus Empire, and that certainly proved to be the case here.

Though it was an urban setting, everything seemed to be made from stone in the place of gray steel which Ryan had grown accustomed to on Tarrus. To add to the mystical atmosphere of the countless temples and monoliths, gigantic letterings were interlaced within the structures. The runes were so massive that they were visible from orbit in a clear definable pattern. He was not sure what they meant, but he felt certain that he had seen these same symbols before on Éclair’s ship - the one with white feathers like a swan when she visited Toramirese. The runes even seemed to be glowing with a soft, white light. Against the gray stones of the temples and sculptures, it added an almost surreal feeling to the planetoid.

“Consider yourselves fortunate, Firsts. It is quite a rarity that the Monks elicit to host Second Placement Exams on their own moon,” said the female voice over the intercom. “You should be honored. The Monks that serve the Light do not play host for just anyone. This is sacred ground you are about to set foot on, cultivated over thousands of years by the best artisans in the Empire. A more traditional type of architecture than you are used to, I’m sure, but nonetheless beautiful for its unique design attributed after the Aztec civilization and the Baroque period from Ancient Earth.”

A happy realization occurred to Ryan then. I wonder if I’ll be able to see Hannah again. She said that she was part of the Monks that serve the Light. After the test is over, I should go check up on her.

“It’s magnificent,” whispered Éclair, her eyes amassed with wonders. However, despite her words, Ryan somehow sensed a melancholy in her tone.

“Okay, I know that look. What’s wrong?”

Éclair sighed. “Am I really so transparent that someone as thick as you can read me so easily?”

“I’m just smart like that. Now spill.”

“It’s just that it’s starting to become real for me. I know I’ve trained and I know I’m ready. But ... just seeing all this grandeur. It reminds me how insignificant I am. We are about to be tested by the Monks that serve the Light. And I’m not a scholar, not a scientist ... I’m not even a proper warrior. My skills are nothing compared to the vast might of our Elemental heroes. I’m just me.”

Ryan rubbed his chin reflectively before responding. It was a trick he learned from spending more time with girls. With most guys, one could say just about anything that came to mind and get away with it, but girls were more delicate. “Just you, huh? And is that really such a bad thing?”

“What do you mean?” she asked, perplexed.

“I mean, it was you who saved our butts at Gregory Tower. Several times, in fact. It was you who rescued me from the mercenaries. And it was you who survived ... like ... three days of torture from Lord Gregory. And then you escaped and took on his army of mall guards single-handedly. It wasn’t some great Fourth or an all-powerful Wielder like Eramar, it was just you. I’d say that it’s pretty good to be you. And if these guys don’t think so, they can just ‘shove it’ for all I care.”

Éclair smiled a little. “How can you sound so confident all the time? I mean, I know I’m a screw-up, but I’m nothing compared to a dunce like you.”

Ryan laughed a little and waggled a finger. “We really need to do something about your ‘dumb Ryan’ comments. I think they’re becoming a habit.”

“I’m sorry. That was supposed to be a compliment. I’m only acknowledging the resiliency of your ego. I just wish I could be as irrationally optimistic as you are about my own prospects sometimes, that’s all.”

Ryan snapped his fingers. “And that’s why our dynamic works. You’re the serious, boring one. I’m the energetic, likable one. And don’t worry. I’m plenty irrational enough for the both of us.”

Éclair rewarded Ryan with the smallest, but sweetest of giggles.

The sound of her laughter felt soothing to Ryan’s ears. “That’s the laugh I’ve been waiting to hear. I guess I am just ... irresistible.”

Éclair’s momentary good mood was quickly replaced with a frown as she said, “I’m still angry with you, you know. The way you treated Leon was unforgivable. I can only hope that he doesn’t think ill of me now. So don’t think that I’ve forgiven you just because I’m granting you a slight reprieve from my wrath.”

Ryan grinned and stretched his hands to the back of his head. “As long as we’re on talking terms again, I can live with that.”