The Ashen Keeper

V4: Chapter 44

"Thou know'st of Yharnam?", she didn't think that she would be hearing the words Yharnam from the first being she saw in outer space much less a pirate who roams it.

"So many people think of it is a legend, but I have been there personally."

"Personally? So, thou knows't the way to go there?"

"Well, I don't exactly know how to get there. I went there in a dream or a nightmare."

"A nightmare? How doth thou come to conclusion that thy nightmare is the legendary Yharnam?"

"Look here, I know it sounds fake, but I was indeed there. In fact, I was lead there by a woman with pale blond hair."

"A woman with pale blond hair? What did thou do there?"

"I-I don't know. I was just sleeping one day and in my dreams that woman called out to me. She pointed at that horrible city. Then she would point at me. She would always tell me to seek the pale blood and the embers. Bring them to Yharnam And then, ..." he gulped.

"She would behead me. I have had the dream for months, but it has stopped recently. You can even see the scars on my neck.", he said as he raised his chin. There were indeed scars left by a sharp weapon.

If it were to be done in the waking world, he wouldn't be standing here talking to her right now. And the phrase 'Seek the pale blood and bring the embers.' clearly meant her. She did not know what the pale blood was, but it is obvious that the ember meant her.

"Since the moment I had my first dream about Yharnam, I was cursed. I do not know how but it felt like I could never feel full no matter how much I drink. My thirst never disappears, and I have a feeling that I can no longer die but it has disappeared from the moment I met you. You are either the pale blood or the ember."

"Even if I am, what would thee do? What can thee do?"

"Nothing! I have but a simple request for you. My boy, Quill, I want you to save him."

"Thou boy? Is it thy son? Why should I do that, my dear Yondu?"

"Because I am your only clue to Yharnam. I don't know why but I can clearly tell that you are looking for that place."

"It is indeed true that I seek Yharnam but doth thou think thee can threaten me with the information?"

"No, I merely seek a bargain for my son and my men. Do you really think that I gave you every information? I still have some left to say, but you will have to let me and my men go. And it would be nice if you save my son."

"Save thy son? Is the boy suffering from an illness?"

"No, I want you to save him from his father."

"Art thou not his father?"

"I merely adopted him after his father hired us to kidnap him."

"His father? Why would he kidnap his own flesh and blood?"

"Yes, I have kidnapped many children for him that he claims to be his children and I never saw them again. 

But I had a change of heart as you will see. So, I adopted him and raise him to be one of us. But he went ahead and ran away from us. Now, his father is coming for him. I can't let him go back. His father will kill him."

She pondered on whether she should help his son but decided to do it. It could also be used to teach her disciples a lesson.

"Then so be it, lead the way my dear Yondu."

"Huh? You will?"

"Doth thou wish to go back on thy words?"

"No, no, I will enter the coordinates now.", he said as he scrambled to the deck. His men were now waking up. She directed them all to their captain to talk about what happen.

"Why did you do that?", asked Wanda.

"What, little one?"

"Why would you help him? I can easily get his memories."

"A journey is never a straight path. I still remember the Ashen one who would always get sidetracked with his random quests."

"By why do we need his crew when we can sell them?"

"Sell them? My dear Wanda no job is ever accomplished alone." She then took out something she brought from Earth.

"What is this, my dear Wanda?"

"A pencil." By now, Thor and Loki were paying attention to their conversation. Perhaps they would like to know how she teaches her students.

"My disciples, come over. I will now tell how important people are." They come over as she held the pencil.

"Does the both of thee know of the different countries that exist on Earth?" They nodded. It seems they were well aware of the affairs on Earth.

"Well then, take a look at this pencil. There is not a single person in the world who could make this pencil." She saw the unbelievable looks from their faces.

"Thou believe to be a ridiculous statement? The wood from which it's made for all I know comes from a tree that was cut down in the state of Washington. To cut down that tree, it took a saw. To make the saw, it took steel. To make the steel, it took iron ore.

This black center is compressed graphite. I'm not sure where it comes from, but I believe it comes from some mines in South America. This red top up here, the eraser, bit of rubber probably comes from Malay where the rubber tree isn't even native.

It was imported from South America by some businessman with the help of the British government. This brass ferrule, I haven't the slightest idea where it came from. Or the yellow paint? Or the paint that made the black lines or the glue that holds it together.

Literally thousands of people cooperated to make this simple pencil that thou might use without even realizing it. People who don't speak the same language, who practice different religions, who might hate one another if they ever met.

When thee go down in a store to buy a pencil thou art in effect trading a few minutes of thy time for a few seconds of thousands of people who cooperated to make this pencil."

They look at the pencil with wonder this time trying to see how thousands of people cooperated to make this one thing. Wanda was trying to squint her eyes for an unknown reason as she stared at the pencil.

"No matter how much thou may deny it, it is a fact that cooperation is always essential. The clothes thou wear, the weapon thou wield, the food thou eats it is something that is made with the cooperation of people. I hope none of thee will ever forget it."