Forged in the Light of New Stars

Brian

The door slid shut behind me and I leaned against it, humming the tune Ellya had taught me to calm myself. Being around Lin made me nervous, anxious; my emotions felt like they could spill out at any moment. Normally, that would be enough to stress me out; a man must always be stoic, as my father always said. However, now that I knew that my emotional state could also put me at risk of wielding magic…I was terrified. It would be alright…I just had to focus. Form the orb, hum the song. Everything balanced and contained. 

The process took me a few moments and I was glad that Aria hadn’t shown up to check on me yet. She was very kind to me, as was Ellya, but it was cruel of me to rely on that. Selfish, even. I needed to get my head in order to process everything that had happened. It all felt like a fever dream: wondrous and terrifying. Well, break it down into manageable chunks. Lin’s gender? Not my business. The fluxbeast? Ellya was handling that, I could trust her. All I needed to worry about was this trip. That couldn’t be hard, could it?

I walked slowly over to the closet and peered at the clothes the spiders had placed there for me. My current outfit was simple, as it should be. Neutral earth tone shirt and pants, black shoes that could match anything. Very functional. The closet contained a myriad of options in a rainbow of colors and for a moment I thought about how comfortable Lin’s clothes had looked, wondering if I could ask for something similar – no. The faint sense of a memory scratched at the borders of my thoughts, but I pulled away and started grabbing the most drab and baggy options I could find. Adornment was vanity, vanity was selfish, being selfish hurt those around you. You know better, Brian. 

The bed behind me was obscured by a pile of clothes in short order, gray and black and brown. Simple. Wait, shit, how much stuff did I really need for this trip? Was there a way to do laundry? Were the clothes self-cleaning? I mean, they could be. If they could shift to fit better, I suppose whatever magic they contained could handle the dirt and grime of the road. Or the train, as the case may be. 

The train! They had trains here! I clenched my fists and shivered with excitement. The town I’d grown up in sometimes had a freight train pass through, on the outskirts. A boxy, inelegant thing that trundled along slowly and surely, covered in graffiti and rust. Still, I’d spent summer after summer growing up just watching it go by, marveling at the engine and covering my ears with a smile when the horn blew. Now, I would get to see a magical train with speeds to rival a bullet train? Hell yes, I couldn’t wait. 

There was a soft tapping at the ceiling that startled me out of my train-induced trance and I looked up, but the panels remained shut. The tapping repeated and I realized one of the spiders was knocking. I cleared my throat and called up softly. “You can come in, it’s okay.”

The panel slid open and Aria peered down at me, waving her limbs in a quiet greeting. She began to sign slowly and carefully. “Big Sis said to prepare journey.” She paused, then flailed her limbs and wrote again. “Prepare for the journey. You’ll need a few things and I brought you something to carry them in.” Aria gestured at the door and I slid it open to find a medium-sized suitcase on wheels. 

“Thank you, Aria. I figured as much, that’s why I was pulling out clothes to wear. Didn’t want you all to have to wait on me when it was time to leave.” I pulled the case over to the bed and started folding clothes carefully while looking around for a zipper or something to open it. There was no such thing, only more of the strange symbols and patterns I saw on everything else. 

Aria noticed my struggle and shimmied down to land on the case, skittering over to one of the corners and pointing at a symbol that looked like a triangle, with a wavy horizontal line through it and another wavy line vertically between the top of the triangle and the horizontal line. It stood out for its relative simplicity compared to the symbols around it. I followed her guidance and tapped the symbol lightly, watching as it shimmered briefly and the top of the case grew transparent before vanishing, as Aria jumped off of it. 

“Wow, that’s really cool. Where does the top go? How do I bring it back?” 

She pointed at another array along the side, this one arranged around a symbol of an inverted triangle, with a straight horizontal line intersecting it with angled pillars at either end of the line. Aria wrote very slowly and carefully as she explained. “Opening the case invokes Air, in its aspect of formlessness. The surface isn’t actually gone, just turned into invisible gas that is held in place by the alchemical arrays inlaid on the case. Closing it invokes Tellar, in its aspect of form and solidity, returning the gas to protective material.”

I read along and looked at Aria with wide-eyed astonishment. “I know you said that signing is hard for you, but that was really good! More eloquent than your previous statements. I’m impressed.”

She ran her limbs along her head and body, like a cat combing their fur and I got the sense it was her version of blushing. “I cannot accept praise for this. I merely repeated the instructions Big Sis gave me.” 

I shook my head. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. I…I know what it is like to have trouble communicating. Took me a long time to learn how to do better, and one of the things that helped me was appreciating every little victory.” Memories of Ms. Lavender encouraging me as I struggled to tell her about the stories I’d read, my tongue tripping over words and pronouncing things oddly. She’d always been so patient with me, even though Lin was often faster than me, more gifted as our teachers put it. Thinking was easy, talking to people was harder. 

Aria hopped on to my arm and ran up to my shoulder, rubbing her body against my neck in a way that tickled a little, but felt nice. I felt like laughing at the absurdity of the moment: a guy like me who was terrified of spiders back home making a friend like her. But I understood her, I think, and she seemed to understand me. My attention drifted back to the symbols and I picked up my little friend to hold in my palms as I spoke. “Okay, so I want to understand this a little better. Back home, there were people who believed the world was composed of basic elements: Water, Air, Earth, Fire, so on. The Air symbol you pointed out, that sounds like the same thing. Tellar…is that like Earth? Referring to rock and soil and that sort of thing?”

She nodded. “Yes. I’m glad you understand, you are very clever.”

I blushed, unused to compliments. “Well, I try to be a good listener. Takes me a little while sometimes to process things, but I can be smart sometimes.” I set her gently on the bed and started placing clothes in the now open case. Soon it was full of pants and shirts, but I realized that I was lacking undergarments and wondering if my old hoodie was somewhere around. The shirts were pretty baggy, but I craved something a bit more familiar. I asked Aria and she directed me over to a panel on the wall that slid out to reveal drawers full of what I needed. 

It was a little surprising that they would have so much clothing on hand for strangers, since Ellya was the only one in the house that wore anything. “Hey Aria, where do all these clothes come from?”

She tapped her forelimbs together and signed back. “I make them. Weaving is…something I have joy in. Sharlat encouraged her followers to make things to help people and this way I can…I can help. Do you like the clothes?” 

I nodded. “They are really well made. Softer than anything I’ve had before; everything was always so scratchy.” Gesturing at my current outfit, I smiled appreciatively. “This is the nicest thing I think I’ve ever worn–” A part of me chafed at this, insisting it wasn’t quite true, but I pressed on. “The only thing I’m missing is a nice hoodie.”

Aria grew very excited and waved her hands, her symbols overlapping in her excitement to the point I couldn’t read them. She realized the problem and slowed down after a moment. “I don’t know what a hoodie is! But I’d like to make one for you! If that is acceptable!” 

Tears formed in my eyes and I felt a warmth deep inside me at the thought. “You are too nice to me, I couldn’t possibly ask for that.” 

“You can have nice things! Comfort important! Tell me what this hoodie is and I’ll make it! It’s no trouble!” 

Hard to argue with that. I talked her through the details of the garment and she wiggled with excitement at the prospect of making something new. I felt guilty about it, taking advantage of her kindness, but she was so insistent. Our discussion stretched on and on, drifting from talk of clothes to things we liked, and I let myself just live in the moment. One step at a time, Brian. It’s easier to take things a step at a time. 

 ****

 

After a few hours of working with Aria, a soft chime rang through the house and Ellya appeared at the door. She looked at the carefully packed suitcase with approval and smiled at catching Aria and I in the middle of a fierce discussion about what kind of stories we liked to read. “I’m glad to see you two getting along so well. Gwen and Melody are nearly finished packing, I was wondering if you might like to get a little fresh air and walk around while we finish up. It’s a lovely day and we’ve got an early afternoon moonrise that is rather stunning. If that sounds like something you’d enjoy.”

I nodded and tapped the Tellar symbol on the case, closing it up. Aria hopped back on my shoulder and we followed Ellya as she led us through the halls and out of the main entrance. The sight that greeted me took my breath away. Ellya’s lighthouse was situated on top of a cliff, with long, soft cerulean grasses swaying in the wind as the dim light of Tellara’s many moons cast a rainbow of colors across the landscape. The distant jungle gleamed in a riot of colors, like a stained glass window had appeared in the sky. Deerlike creatures with six legs and phosphorescent antlers grazed at the boundaries of the woods, unaware of our gaze. It was beautiful, absolutely beautiful. I found myself humming that familiar tune again, a part of myself resonating with the land in a way that soothed my stress and anxiety. 

Ellya placed an arachnid limb on my shoulder as she stood next to me. “It warms my heart to see you looking so happy. Gwen has been worrying about you, you know. You’ve looked so distraught since waking up, it’s nice to see you find a measure of peace.” 

Her words were icewater, shocking my mind and pulling me out of my reverie. Tellara was lovely, truly, but the effect it was having on Lin made me uncomfortable. Bizarrely so. “Lin – Gwen has nothing to worry about. I’m fine. It’s all just so new, that’s all.” 

Ellya pulled forward and turned to face me directly, studying me. Her eyebrows furrowed in thought and the silence stretched on and on before she shrugged. “If you say so. I won’t pry. But–” She paused, considering. “If you ever want to talk about it, I’m here for you, Brian. I won’t judge you or share your secrets. I hope I can earn your trust, help you believe that.”

My chest was tight and I looked away, focusing on anything but her. I didn’t have any secrets. There was nothing to say. If I told her how Lin made me feel…hell if I even knew exactly how I felt about Lin, she’d just be upset with me. I wouldn’t waste her time on me. She had better things to do. My response poured out of me, following a familiar script my father had drilled into me with rod and lecture. “Thank you for the kind thought. I’m fine, though. Truly. Fletcher men can take care of themselves.” 

“Alright, suit yourself. I won’t force you.” She turned her gaze back out over the land and pointed. “Look, over there. The lighting is just right, you should be able to see the rail line in the distance.” 

I followed her gesture and peered carefully at the distant jungle. There was a clearing I could just barely make out, with a shimmering line of crackling energy like lightning, floating between thin black pillars capped with coppery pyramids that looked oddly rough for metal. “That’s what the train travels on?”

She nodded. “I don’t know how it works, not my area of expertise, but the train soars on the Levin lines, passing by with a faint whisper. You’ll get to see it pulling into the station if we get there soon enough.” Ellya shot me a conspiratory grin. “Gwen is taking a little longer to pack than you did. You should have seen her face light up when Melody showed her all the fine things Aria has made. Like a child planting her first hopeblossom.”

“Like a child doing…what?”

“Oh, apologies, I didn’t realize that idiom wouldn’t translate. Hopeblossoms are flowers that you plant as part of a yearly celebration of life. Children are only allowed to plant them once they reach a certain age, so they tend to get rather excited to show off how grown up they are.” She smiled with a dreamlike expression, recalling fond memories. “Sometimes it takes hours…every kid wants their first blossom to grow strong and healthy, to renew the land. It’s a reminder that we are all still here, that the world continues to heal.” 

“Ah, I understand. That sounds really wonderful. Is it a yearly thing? Could I…could I plant one of these sometime, if it is happening again soon?” I spoke in a rush before I could stop myself. Shit, I’d fucked up now. Ellya would think I was pathetic for wanting to plant flowers. Stupid Brian, always speaking before you think–

“Oh! That’s a great idea! The official ceremony is still a month or two away, but I can talk to Thalassa and see if we can’t find a nice garden for you to plant one. That’s if the little surprise I have planned for you two doesn’t distract you.” Ellya grinned mischievously.

She…she wasn’t mad at me? I…every time I thought I had a handle on life, something like this would happen and throw off everything. Well, maybe it wasn’t so strange. Guys could pick out flowers for Valentine’s Day back home, that was okay. Maybe this ceremony is like that. Yeah. Or…maybe she was just pretending, just waiting until I was gone to make fun of me. Smiling to my face and laughing at me behind my back. Just like everyone back home. It was okay, I deserved it. Mother always told me that I got what was coming to me when I said weird things like that. 

“Brian, are you alright? You’re sweating and you look upset. Do…do you not like surprises? I have friends who find them stressful, I can tell you if that helps–”

I shook my head and fixed a smile on my face, hiding my thoughts. “No, no! Surprises are okay. Something you said just reminded me of some bad memories, that’s all. Just silly things, don’t worry about it.” 

Ellya frowned and crossed her arms, peering at me in a way that felt like she was looking right through me. She opened her mouth to speak and I was saved by a crashing sound behind us. We both spun around to see Lin sprawled on the ground, a pair of cases rolling slowly away as he groaned. 

“I’m…ouch…I’m okay.” His voice was muffled as he strained to lift himself up, his thin arms trembling. Never was good at pushups. Ellya strode past me as I was processing and helped him up, patting the dust off his skirt. I turned away as he started patting his chest, making his…well, it moved in a distracting way and it felt appropriate to give him some privacy. If he was going to act like a woman, the right answer was to not stare…right?

“Sorry I took so long. I hope you all weren’t waiting very long? We aren’t going to miss the train, are we–” He paused and looked out past us. “Oh, oh that’s beautiful! Look at all the colors! Is this the moonrise that Melody was talking about?”

Ellya looked over at me, her expression telling me in no uncertain terms that our discussion would resume later. She turned back to Lin with a smile. “Yes! I was just showing Brian the Levinrail in the distance and telling him a few things. We’ve got plenty of time to make it to the station; I wanted to have time to spare in case you two wanted to take in the sights a bit more on the way.” She reached her limbs out and snagged Lin’s cases, stopping them from rolling away. “Packed a little heavy, eh?”

Lin blushed and chuckled nervously while clutching his skirt. “I was having so much trouble deciding that Melody offered to get me a second case.” He smirked at Ellya. “You can’t give me any shit over it, though, since I’m borrowing your clothes and your wardrobe is apparently extensive as hell.”

I cleared my throat and they both looked over at me. I winced and didn’t meet their eyes as I spoke. “Actually, Aria was telling me that she made those…to help…”

The spider in question waved softly from my shoulder. 

Lin beamed at her. “Well well well, then I have you to thank for all the beautiful things! Your skill is top notch, I haven’t worn anything this nice in years. How did you do the…” His words faded into gibberish as I pulled my attention away, letting Aria skitter down my arm and on to Lin’s waiting hand. Hearing my best friend, someone I viewed like a brother, talking about dresses and embroidery and so on gave me a funny feeling, like a tingling in my gut. Not pain, but something else. 

The chatter continued for some time until a cylindrical container draped in dark cloth appeared in the doorway and floated towards us. It was smaller than the container in the basement, more compact, and it hummed as it moved. I found myself humming in sync and the outline of the vessel began to glow softly to my eyes, before I stopped myself, worried that I was inadvertently practicing magic again. 

Another spider with a black carapace and bright red markings on her thorax was riding on top of the cylinder, hiding partly behind a fold in the cloth. That must be Lyric, the shy one. I waved to her and smiled as she drew near. She waved back with her left limbs and lost her balance when the cylinder came to rest next to us. Ellya caught her in a shimmering bubble and lifted her back in place. 

Ellya gestured at the little spider as she introduced her. “As you may have guessed, this is our youngest sister: Lyric. She doesn’t like to be touched and is shy, so please be gentle around her.” 

Lyric signed back with distinct sharp motions, contrasting with Melody’s graceful script and Aria’s halting symbols. “Hello. I’ve prepped the beast for transport, tell the conductor to slot it into a Class C port and it should be safe during the trip. Make sure he uses a C port; I checked which train you’ll be on and that conductor gets lax if you let him.”

Ellya smiled. “Still holding a grudge against Nightshade, eh?”

“It took us three weeks to clean up the mess last time and he still hasn’t apologized. It’s on his head if we lose the best flux specimen we’ve seen in decades due to his carelessness.” Lyric signed angrily and paused, bobbing up and down slowly in a rhythmic pattern before continuing, much calmer now. “Well, with that, it was nice to meet you, Brian and Gwen. I have work to do. Goodbye.” 

I watched as she stretched her limbs, adorned with new webbing, and leapt into the air to sail on the currents back to the lighthouse. When had she made that? 

Melody crossed her forelimbs in a very human gesture while signing with her midlimbs. “Please excuse our sister’s rudeness. She’s young, very precocious, and has a tendency to be a little…brusque.”

Lin laughed. “No worries at all, Brian used to be just like that when we were kids.”

My face grew hot with shame. Why did he have to bring that up? I worked hard to be polite. Turning my back on Lin, I addressed Ellya. “So, how are we getting to the station?”

“It isn’t far, so I thought we might just go on foot. If either of you get tired, you can ride on the containment vessel. It’s quite safe and can stand the extra weight. Follow me!” She set off at an easy pace, the vessel floating behind her while Melody and Aria hopped on. Lin took up a position on the right side of the cylinder, so I moved to the left, putting it between us. 

He kept looking at me like he wanted to talk and I…I wasn’t ready to talk to him just yet. Later, perhaps. Aria looked over at me and skittered over, sketching a shockingly detailed portrait of Lyric with a cartoonishly grumpy expression on her face. I couldn’t keep a straight face and she danced with joy as I laughed. 

“What’s so funny over there?” Lin asked.

“Ha..ha…uh, nothing. Aria was just showing me something that made me chuckle, that’s all.” 

As we made our way down the hill, I noticed the route Ellya was taking us on followed an overgrown path, lined with ceramic tiles just barely visible through moss and grass. The taller grasses around us swayed gently in the sea breeze, carrying the scent of salt and verdant soil. A few of the deer creatures I saw earlier watched us approach with calm regard, noting our presence and then resuming their grazing. They weren’t skittish like the deer I saw back home. Perhaps there were few predators around…or maybe Tellarans were considered safe by the wildlife? 

These thoughts gave way to sheer wonder as we entered the jungle. All around us were towering trees with blue bark and seafoam green leaves. Pale pink vines swayed gently with darker flowers adorning their length. Cerulean crystals glowed along the edges of the path, lighting the way as the canopy above obscured the light of the sun and moons. I was never one for hiking back home, it was always too hot or muggy and bugs had a tendency to eat me alive, but this was pleasant. The air was cool and the mossy pathway was soft and comfortable to walk along. It was peacefully quiet, too. Lin and I both were enraptured by the sights and I caught Ellya sneaking smug glances back, delighting in our joy. 

The path curved gently around a particularly large tree that obscured the way forward, meaning that as we passed by, the station seemed to materialize out of thin air. It was an open air structure, with a crystalline awning, covered with pink vines and surrounded by seafoam bushes with white flowers. The smell of honeysuckle and cherries greeted us as we approached the smooth white ramp, our steps making soft tapping sounds on the flawless surface. The interior of the station was full of benches, made of carved indigo wood and plush white cushions. 

Lin promptly walked past us and sat down with a satisfied sigh. “Oh, this is soft; this is really soft.” 

“Yes, they are quite soft, aren’t they? I’m glad you like them, it took me a few years to get them right.” A melodious, yet unfamiliar voice spoke from behind me and I jumped and whirled around to find someone had been leaning against one of the pillars, hidden from view. The shadows obscured their face as they raised their hands apologetically. “Ah, sorry for startling you!”

The person stepped forward into the light and I got my first good look at him. He was a tall, willowy man with bright green eyes and silver, braided hair tinged with green, like the leaves of some vines back home. I realized with a start that his skin was made of smooth, gray-brown bark, with faint wood grain patterns. Small antlers poked out from his long hair and anchored a crown of flowers that looked alive, as if they were still growing. The man wore something akin to a toga, with a loose short-sleeved shirt underneath that still showed enough skin to reveal that all of his skin was bark. His feet were bare, with luminescent blue moss forming swirling patterns that grew up along his legs. His expression was gentle, with a wide smile and sad eyes. 

“Ashforth, is that you?” Ellya walked up and embraced the man as he chuckled and returned her embrace.

“Little Ellya, it has been too long. I never thought I’d run into you here! And–” His eyes shimmered for a moment before he continued. “Who are your otherworld friends?” 

Ellya pulled Lin and I gently forward as she introduced us. “This lovely girl is Gwendolin and the gloomy lad is Brian. I’m taking them to Valoris to show them the sights.” 

Was I really that gloomy? The thought brought a frown to my face, which probably didn’t help. I plastered a smile on as the strange man turned to Lin and I.

“Wonderful, it has been so long since we’ve had otherworlders here on Tellara, much less on Bellius. May the Oak shelter you both.” He made a circle with his hands as he spoke the last part, evoking the feel of a priest blessing his congregation. “You are in good hands; little Ellya here is one of the finest mages I’ve had the honor of knowing.” 

‘Little’ Ellya blushed at this and pushed him gently on the arm. “Don’t listen to this serpent-tongued old tree. He exaggerates.” Her expression grew serious. “Ashforth, have you been keeping up with news from the Valorian Magisterium?”

“No, I’m returning from a period of seclusion and I haven’t had a chance to check the aethernet. Is something amiss?”

She gestured over at the cylinder as Melody and Aria raised the cloth briefly to show the quiescent fluxbeast within. “This beast attacked Gwen and Brian on their arrival here, before I could get to them. They’re alright now, but the beast itself is…strange. I’ve never seen one be this calm or stable before. Lyric ran some tests and the initial readings are like nothing we’ve ever encountered. We’re taking the specimen to the Magisterium for further study. Plus, Gwen here has an interest in some of the Magisterium’s services, so it seemed a sensible course.”

Ashforth approached the cylinder carefully, rubbing his smooth jaw in thought as he observed the creature. “Fascinating, simply fascinating. If you hadn’t told me it was a fluxbeast, I would have assumed this was the work of some errant Eidolon that washed ashore. And you say it was like this after attacking these two?” 

I cut in before Ellya could respond, approaching the cylinder while trying not to stare at the beast. “That’s right, sir. It hurt…Gwen pretty badly and even drained me a bit before Ellya could rescue us.” I paused, taking a deep breath before I could lose my nerve. “What’s an Eidolon? Are they like fluxbeasts?”

Ashforth laid a hand on my shoulder as I flinched. “No need to be so nervous, lad, and you can leave off the sir. Just Ashforth will do; sir makes me feel old.” His tone was warm and reassuring and I relaxed a little. “You two are very lucky to have faced a fluxbeast and come out intact. I commend your bravery and resilience; you do your world proud. As to your question…has Ellya not told you about Eidolons?” He turned to Ellya. “You were going to just leave the conductor a surprise, eh?” 

She shrugged with a wry grin. “Not all of us have the gift of lecturing, my friend. I thought it might be helpful to let these two experience Tellara a bit at a time, lest they be overwhelmed.”

Lin had been quiet, listening patiently on the bench, until now and he frowned at Ellya. “I’m not really fond of surprises.” He looked back over at Ashforth. “Don’t keep us in the dark; I’m dying to know what the hell an Eidolon is.” He was doing that thing with his voice again, that almost magical trick to sound melodious and bright, like a woman’s voice. How the hell did he do that?

Ashforth still had his hand on my shoulder and so he raised the other one, palm upwards, and viridian energy coalesced into the image of a crystalline structure, surrounded by fantastical creatures, some very similar to the fluxbeast. His magic carried the scent of fresh spring rains and I realized he was probably a mage like Ellya. “Eidolons are artificial people created by the empire that ruled our world before the cataclysm. The ancients designed them to be ideal caretakers and administrators, magical governors who could ensure that every city and province was managed efficiently. When the disaster struck, many Eidolons were trapped beneath the rising seas, locked in their labyrinthine fortresses. Loneliness and the loss of the citizens they cared for drive them to grief and rage, manifesting in constructs they create to guard their complexes. Some Eidolons even take to treating their constructs as the people they lost, in an attempt to assuage their grief.” He paused, visibly shaken with sorrow, before continuing. “The knowledge of their making has been lost, like many things, but those that survived are sought out, so that we might heal their pain and welcome them into our homes.” 

“That…that’s so tragic! I can’t imagine how painful that must be for them. But how does that relate to the conductor?” Lin asked. 

The images faded as Ashforth’s expression brightened. “Ah, an astute question! You’d do well in one of my classes, young lady. The conductor of the local Levinrail is an Eidolon. A recent rescue, in fact, still adjusting a bit to society. Be kind to him, won’t you? Healing the pain of the mind and soul is a process we must all do our part to contribute to. Social interaction has been shown to improve Eidolonic recovery rates by thirty-seven percent in recent studies and the Topazian protocol could augment that by as much as ten percent, if applied simultaneously, and so–”

“Still fond of your lectures, old man?” Ellya cut in with an exasperated smile. She turned to Lin and I. “Ashforth was one of my mentors at the Magisterium, before I left for Silkspire. He’s something of a living legend in these parts. The Wise Old Man of the Woods, they call him. Once he gets going, you’ll be here for hours.” She tapped her chin pensively as she continued. “It’s actually a little odd to see him traveling. Did they finally make you retire, Ashforth?”

“Old man?! Retire?! Little Ellya, I am a mere two centuries old, I’m in the prime of my life! I’m merely taking a sabbatical to see the world and reflect on its growth. There were a few things that needed sprucing up in this part of Bellius and you know how reluctant the sylvan initiates can be about caring for the tropics.” He stammered in mock outrage. “Sprouts today need to travel more. Broadens the mind, strengthens the branches. I’ll say it’s one of the few good ideas the alchemists have had, with their routine expeditions.” 

“You don’t like alchemists?” Lin asked, his eyes narrowing. I remembered that Ellya had said something about an alchemist being able to help him.

Ashforth’s eyes grew wide before he closed them and sighed. “Don’t mind me, children, I just have a few axes to grind with my peers back home. Differences of opinion on a few trifling matters. Pay them no heed.” 

Ellya chuckled. “He’s still miffed that the alchemists poached Thalassa before he could convince em to join his order.” 

“Yes, well, ey was a very promising student and would have made a fine mage.” He looked over at the wall where an ornate timepiece of crystal and carved wood ticked away quietly. “The train should be arriving any moment and I wouldn’t want to distract the otherworlders from their first time seeing its arrival.”

I looked out at the glowing stream and pillars floating gracefully next to the station platform. Up close, I could make out the details on the copper caps, unsurprised to find them covered in more arcane symbols. The tops of the pillars were level with the station, but as they continued onwards they followed a graceful slope upwards on either side, to the elevated line. I glanced in either direction, wondering if I could spot the train when it approached and I nearly missed it as Ellya tapped me and pointed off in the distance. At first I couldn’t see what she was gesturing at, but as I squinted my eyes I could make out a white and gold shape approaching at high speeds. It grew larger and larger as it drew near and I felt a flicker of panic at how fast it was still going, this close to the station.

My fears were unfounded as the pillars near the station began to glow and a field of shimmering light sprang forth to surround us, catching the train and slowing it to a walking pace as it descended the gentle slope to stop right in front of us. The softest whisper of displaced air was the only sound the machine had made, eerily quiet compared to the trains back home. 

The train was composed of smooth white panels separated by strands of gleaming gold and crystalline blue panes of varying opacity, some crystal clear and others darkened to obscure the interior. The front of the train was oddly square, with caged crystals on either side that emanated lines of energy to the nearby pillars. Wouldn’t that shape slow the train down? Unless… air resistance wasn’t a problem? 

Previously invisible door panels slid open and a small crowd of people made their way out, most chatting amongst themselves and a few sliding curious, yet kind glances over at Lin and I. My own curiosity got the better of me and I stared openly at how different everyone looked. I glanced from person to person, noting a familiarly human, yet androgynous, person with warm brown skin and close-cropped hair as well as a snake woman with ivory scales and pale skin with intricate, geometric red tattoos. It was hard to take in all the details of each person before another caught my eye. Was that a body of glass encasing a cloud? They had no mouth, how could they speak? And then there was a man with the head and tail of a wolf, clad in blackened leather who caught me staring and winked with a smile. 

I couldn’t stare any longer because Ellya gently pulled me aboard as the crowd dispersed. Not that I minded, because the interior of the train was just as fascinating as the crowd had been. The car we were in was laid out more like a study, with shelves full of tablets and soft, plush chairs and couches connected to the floor as if they had simply grown into place. I looked at the car behind us to see glimpses of a bar and dining tables.

Lin gasped beside me. “Are those flowers growing out of the wall?!” 

I followed his gaze and saw golden blossoms amid a bed of moss that covered the corner where the wall meets ceiling. The flowers glittered like precious metals in the soft blue light coming from the strip of crystal that ran along the length of the car’s roof. Plants! On a train! Everything was so open, designed for comfort rather than economy. 

I was so enraptured by the sights that I nearly walked right into the containment vessel as it floated by, traveling to a car in the rear of the train. Ashforth had already found a comfortable chair by a window and was looking at us with a bemused expression as Lin and I spun this way and that, trying to see everything. Ellya giggled quietly before looking towards the front of the train, where a sturdy black door slid open.

A figure stepped forth and spoke in a beautiful, slightly raspy voice. “Welcome to the Nightshade Express! Next stop, Valoris!”