The whole time when Linden went back she couldn't stop staring at the book. It was like she never knew she needed it but now she had it, she couldn't imagine a life without it.
"Morina...where are we going?" Linden questioned as they got out of the bookstore.
"Linden, if you paid more attention to the surroundings instead of the book you might've noticed that I told you we are heading back. To our chambers. Where we sleep! Look at the sky Linden!" She can hear the rising anger in Morina's tone. Linden complied to see the darkening sky.
Oh, that's right, Linden forgot this was a real world too. She fearfully trailed behind them, afraid to anger Morina even more, however, an important question obscured her thoughts. She she hopped over the crack on the pavement before piping up with a question, "Why do I live in your chambers Morina?"
"Because you're under my supervision. I was the one who accepted your body and brought you to the clinic so you are automatically my responsibility, until I resign that's it." She added the last one under her breath.
"Oh..." Linden murmured before staying quiet again. She decided to focus on the taps of their heels, clicking away at the concrete pavement. In a split second she was taken back to Celledine, the clear streets and the pavements which really have no dirt on it. The unpolluted air and the clear morning sky. Once in a while it might rain and the view looks like droplets of crystals showering the land.
Liden shuddered from the unprecedented memories, never did it happen before. While Linden's thought bubbled endlessly, they stopped by the globe monument that appeared after the door to the infinite labryninth faded out of sight.
Luca spun the huge sphere to find the compass and spun the needle in this particular order: East, West, South and North. The sphere disappeared and door came up again, which Luca entered. "Be careful Linden, if you mixed up the order you might be lead into another dorm."
"Wait why is ours East, West, South then North?" Linden furrowed her eyebrows, a bit in thoughts. She watched Luca enter the door and
"That's because '东西南北' (dong xi nan bei)." Morina answered dismissively, "It's the Chinese preferred order of saying the directions." She entered the door, holding it out for Linden to enter. Linden entered cautiously, tripping is the last thing she wanted to do.
The door clicked behind them after Morina gets in. "Do hurry Luca." Morina said, her voice a tone of caution. "We never know what resides here." Luca nodded and hastened his strides, going left and right along the labryninth, passing through endless of rooms. At a point even Heterge's store. They crossed over the glass floor that reflected the jewels, with the exception that it glows in the night, allowing colours to dance over them.
Linden followed behind quickly, staring at her feet until she bumped to Luca. She smelt his flowery scent and was takened aback. How does a man smell flowery? Almost like reading her mind Luca sniffed himself, "Ugh, Morina, I think I used your soap this morning."
"You just noticed?" Morina huffed incredulously. Looking up, Linden saw that the reason they stopped was because they have arrived in the front of the chambers. Linden stared at the stone arch, part of the wall and easily missed. Morina placed her palm flat against the stone and removed her hand, leaving behind a grey handprint which leaves almost at quickly as it appeared.
The stone arch crumbled and disappeared, allowing Linden to see inside. The invisible ceiling that allowed her to see the night sky, the wooden floor that felt homely as well as the light bulbs in strange-shaped wall lamps. Linden kicked off her shoes as she ran across the polished floor jumping to land on a stray beanbag. "THIS PLACE LOOKS SO NICE!" Bowls were scattered everywhere, things varying from little trinkets to hairties or maybe buttons and strings for hobbies.
A few hours later, after a scrumptious dinner and
Linden laid atop the beanbag in exhaustion and fulfilment before her face dropped, "Luca, Morina." She said seriously, "What did you mean by whatever resides here? Isn't this place safe?"
Morina and Luca gave each other a look, kne that spoke volumes. It wasn't a look of innocence but one that shows a void of emotions.
"Jason?" Linden questioned instead because God knows how long they'll spend giving each other silent messages. Jason emerged from the kitchen with a tub of ice cream, his mouth full,
"Oh Linden." He gulped down the ice cream, squawked because of the brain freeze that came along before continuing, "You asked about the thing that resides here? Haven't you heard of the shadows?" A clang was heard from Morina and Luca's direction.
From Morina's hand dropped a metal case one that looks like a cylinder but far shorter and Luca was staring at Jason with that look that shows no mercy.
"OKAY! WHAT DID I DO WRONG THIS TIME? SHE DESERVES TO KNOW!" Jason shrieked, shovelling ice cream into his mouth. He stomped his way to the couch and slapped a metal thing like Morina at the glass screen. Almost immediately, a film played on the screen. Showing a duck and a bird dancing.
"Sh-shadows?" She didn't like the term, not one bit. Although it was just a word, the name incites a lot of thoughts. Thoughts that once again did not belong to her. Memories threatened to swarm over her and the worst part is, she never remembered them existing. She keeled over in pain, clutching her head. Luca immediately sprang into action, scooping her up and placing her on one of the beds.
"What's happening?" Jason spoke worriedly, Linden can hear the fear in his tone but at this time she couldn't care less for her seizures began.
"It's the GMF." Morina said, her handbook appearing in her hands again. She flipped through the pages, "Where did I put the instructions again?" She fumbled and dropped the book.
Jason looked at her with his eyes wide, he placed his ice cream tub and took Morina's trembling hands, to calm her obviously frayed nerves. "Dial." He spoke.
Morina immediately understand and took her metal cylinder which she retrieved earlier from the ground and place it over her handbook. She twisted the metal circle and it showed a hologram-like screen which she tapped on mid-air.
Within seconds she found the page she was looking for and opened the book swiftly. She scanned the page once, twice before finally turning to face the mewling girl. She vanished the book and hold her right hand out. She murmured inaudibly and a soft flame the size of an average pinky finger lit up in the midst of her palm. She pressed her palm on Linden's head, humming a soothing lullaby. Slowly, Linden's convulsions softened until she finally stopped completely.
Whilst they let Linden rest Morina turned to Jason angrily, "How could you? What if the GMF took over her body!" She shouted at him.
"Look Morina! Nobody ever knew a Gene Memory Failure would happen at this very moment. From the way her gene reacted it's almost obvious that she was probably killed by a Shadow." Luca defended Jason. "And how many people do you know have been killed by shadows?" Luca looked straight into her tear-filled eyes. "Because I only know one."
Morina swiped at her tears angrily and said, "Do not mention his name in front of me." She took a hairtie from a nearby bowl and tied her hair up.
"Look Morina, as much as we know it's hurtful to think of, Hosea's dead. And for the sake of everyone I think it's time you accepted it. Do you think we can't see the way you look at Linden, another Callahan like your own child? How you care so much of her when you barely spare a glance to another kid?" Jason shook his head and took her hands in his. "You are more than our ally Morina, more than a teammate and despite all you protests, you are a friend to us."
Morina looked at him, before shaking her head and retrieving her hands from his. "I'm sorry, I just need some time alone." She fled to her room and seconds later the audible click was heard, including the telltale runes of enchantment she placed upon the doors were seen.
"Well, I think I need a drink tonight. Old man, you ready to wake up late?" Jason grumbled, placing the tub of ice cream back in the kitchen and taking a bottle of 20 year old wine instead.
"You know what Thistle? I may just take you up on that offer." Luca flicked his hand another identical bottle flew into his hands. They give each other a secretive smile before popping and chugging the whole bottle down.
10 minutes later and the duo are half drunk. Talking nonsense on the couch. "Tell me something Luca. Is there a Juliet to your Romeo or a Hosea to your Morina?"
"Who the stars are Romeo and Juliet?" Luca slurred, raising his hand so that a third bottle is retrieved. Jason did the same and his third bottle came hurtling towards his stomach.
"Romeo and Juliet are some ancient Earthling figures that kinda fall in love? I'm not quite sure. I think humans worshipped them in the ancient days." Jason hummed thoughtfully before popping the bottle.
"That's interesting!" Luca giggled, "To answer your questions yes, I had someone I loved onceeee. Her name is Mya, Mya Silverwell! It's pronounced like Me-yah but spelled M-Y-A!"
"Is she still alive cause mine is still alive!" Jason snickered, "Her name is Addddddiiiiiiieeeeee." He elongated his words.
"Addie?" Luca affirmed.
"YES! YES! BINGO YE SMART GRANDPA!" He shrieked excitedly, slapping the arm chair of the couch they're sitting on.
Luca let out a bark of laughter in contrast with Jason's chortles as they drifted off into mindless laughing. However, as happy as alcohol made them be, their laughters soon turned into a sullen mood.
"Jason." Luca said. Pouring the wine in a mug. "I think I'm really drunk to the point that I'm using a hot chocolate mug for wine so I'll just get over with it. Do you believe in the Shadows? I mean other than the fact that Morina wholeheartedly believe in it and even claims to have seen them once?"
Jason grunted in response. "Yeah. Maybe. I think so. There are several unexplainable events that could support the theory. I mean what are the chances that our secret lab getting burned down is an accident? I worked on that case for a while and I noticed some of our gene samples are stolen. That lab burning down was not an accident. And through further research, it is known that the seers who died there were poisoned by gas beforehand."
"Gas poisoning? But that's unheard of! Seers are immune to them unless..."
"A poison extracted from the Serpent of Eden? It is. And I'm not sure how because Eden is a place where only the most exeptional can go. In fact the last known manukh to go there is Morina's mother, Isla Adams."
"How strange." Luca pondered. "Ahh I couldn't care less. Shadows are supposed to be failed seers right? Like rumors are the seers that failed to be immortalised gets revived through some unorthodox methods right?"
"Uhuh." Jason confirmed before letting out a fart rivalling an explosion. Luca snickered and Jason choked on laughter as the pattern began again. They laughed and drank and talked and drank over and over again until sleep beckoned to them. And as they closed their heavy eyes and drifted off to dreamland, they were unaware of the girl, or the fact that she was awake, that she heard everything.
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HELLOO GUYSS! I DECIDED TO UPDATE THIS EARLY BECAUSE TWO WEEKS AGO I FAILED TO UPDATE. Did you know i had to rewrite this chapter? I just felt that the previous chapter I made had really no connections. So I moved that chapter to chapter 6 and this became chapter 5! This is probably the first time I finish a chapter and instantly upload it so you can be sure this is really unedited. If you see a spelling or grammar mistake, don't be afraid to comment on it. - Rory ❤
About Glossary: I'm really too lazy to do this. Because all I post is things I've previously explained sooo. Yeah. Btw the dial will be explained in about 2 chapters from now so yeh.
