Camosky

It had been a normal day, I had done boring patrols with Perry. I was finally returning to my room for the night and I pulled open the door. Every part of me was either bored or aching from extensive training and patrol.

There was a patch of silver moonlight going through my room from the window. I fell on my bed, not bothering to take off my armor, and I instantly started to fall asleep.

Right before I fell asleep I heard it begin to pour outside, and my bedroom instantly became darker. I groggily stood up and walked towards the window. I always leave my window open at night. I have no idea why, but I think I just like to feel the breeze or something.

I reached the window and closed it. It was storming outside now. Usually I find it hard to sleep when it is, but I was so tired now that it wouldn't be difficult.

I didn't lock the window. Why would I? I'm like four floors up. Eventually I fell into a dreamless sleep.



I woke up sometime before dawn because I heard a strange noise. I rolled over to face the room. Rain was coming through the open window.

I groaned and stood up. I walked over to the window and let the light spray hit me. I leaned on the window sill and looked up at the moon. It was obscured by clouds, but they were clearing up.

The drizzle turned to a sprinkle, and then it wasn't raining at all. I was too tired to remember that I had closed the window before I had fallen asleep.

The clouds cleared and moonlight filtered into my room. I was still leaning against the windowsill when I felt something cold against my neck.

I was smart enough to know that I shouldn't move. I waited for the owner of the silver blade to show their face.

"I need your help." The cold voice said.

I tried not to think how easily the person could push me out the window. "That depends on what you need." I briefly glanced down at the ground below.

"You're a telepath right?"

"Uh, yes."

"Will you help?"

"Okay..." I knew I'd probably get pushed out the window if I disagreed.

The person removed their blade. I turned to look at them, but then I lost my balance.

I managed to catch the end of the sill with one hand. I hung on the outside, trying to get my other hand on the sill, and try not to look down. I'd fallen from more before, but that was different... The window ledge was wet from the rain and my hand slipped.

Then someone grabbed my wrists from inside. I had seen this person a few times before, but I didn't know him very well.

He wore red armor with a phoenix in the center. His hair was dark orange and he was apparently stronger than me.

He hauled me back through the window, and closed it behind me.

"So, I'm Liam, and you're Phillip and-"

"Wait." I interrupted him,"You climbed through my window why I was asleep?"

"And?" Liam stuck his sword into a sheath at his side.

"Nothing. It's just creepy."

"You left it unlocked. What else was I supposed to do genius? Walk through the front door?" He gestured to his armor.

"What do you even want?" I asked. It had to be four o' clock in the morning by the color of the sky. I sat on the edge of my bed.

"I want you to do fancy telepath junk and give me my memories back."

"I don't think I've ever done that before. How much did you lose anyway?" I askehim
"Only my entire childhood." He looked around my room as if he was looking for something to steal. He probably was.

"Why should I help you Firidian?"

"I'm not from Firidi."

"Huh."

"Yeah." He was looking at the red chest on my shelf.

"Don't touch that." I said.

"In normal circumstances I totally would, but you agreed to help me." He paused for a moment."And just so you know, I never ask anyone for anything. So you had better do this right."

"Why should I even try to help you?''

"'Cause I have the sword." He waved it in my face then put it back in the sheath.

"That's a very good point." I was aware he probably wouldn't hesitate to use it too.

"So, do your magic. I don't have all day."

"Do I get payment if I do?'' There was no harm in asking...

"Your life."

"Yeah, that seems fair."

"It does. Can we start?"

"You know, if you had just asked me normally I probably would've helped you without you threatening me." I stated.

"But that makes it so much more fun." He said.

So far I didn't like this person any more than his reputation stated. I didn't have much of a choice, and anyway, it would be nice to practice this in case I needed it again in the future. "Fine, but I have a partner who could help me do this easier."

"Oh, your little girlfriend? Nope, I'm not getting help from her." He glared at my door as if he expected someone to come in at any moment.

"My, uh... No, we just work together." We did. That was true. "Do you want me to help you or not?"

"Why else would I be here? To- What's that?" He was looking under my bed.

"Probably just the monkey. Why, do you not like monkeys?"

"Where did you get a monkey?"

"He fell from the sky."

"When?"

"Two months- why do you even care? Can we just start?" I felt something bite my ankle and I kicked it. The monkey whimpered and retreated under the bed again.

"Yeah, do your... Stuff. Be warned, you-"

I reached forwards and slapped his forehead.

"What was that for?!" He demanded.

"I needed physical contact to make a connection." I shrugged.

He said something else, but I didn't hear it. I wasn't in my bedroom anymore.






With a gasp I emerged from Liam's mind.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" He shook my shoulders, but I was too numb to feel anything.

"I..." Didn't know what to say.

"WHY?!" The sparks in his eyes were so bright it was almost blinding, and I could feel the flames from his hands on my shoulders.

I pushed him off and blindly walked over to my bed. I stuck my hand under and pulled out a thick book.

"EXPLAIN!" Liam sat on my floor and buried his head in his hands. I couldn't tell if he was hysterically laughing or crying.

I didn't answer, I just opened to one of the bookmarked pages and pointed to certain lines.

The Bone will seek the Stone, in order to reclaim his throne.
Still, their futures reek of being alone.
The Bone?
Fame, flames, or framed for proclaiming lies.
The surprise dies with a loved one,
The shame will never be undone.

Then the Stone shall be alone, facing the unknown when he is shown how much the power has grown.
Far from home, he must find what is his own;
The Stone and others must come together through trust to defeat the crone.
Although, the walls will groan and fall, blood may flow, it may not be so,
Forever the possibilities stretch as far as my abilities allow:
I cannot deny, plenty may die, for this battle will be goodbye for many.

Liam took the book and flung it against the wall. "WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?"

I retrieved the singed and battered book. "Can you be a little quiet?"

He stood and slapped the book out of my hands. "NO! WHY WOULD I? I JUST FOUND OUT I-..." He sat on my bed and glared at me as if it was my fault. "So, what's in that book anyway?"

"It's talking about us right?" I held out the book to him again.

"Yeah, some weirdo wrote some words, what does it mean to me?"

I rolled my eyes. "'The Bone will seek the Stone, in order to reclaim his throne.'"

"And?" He prompted. "I don't care about the future. I need to take care of some things of the past first. I KILLED HER, PHILLIP! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT? I SAW THE LOOK IN HER EYES AS SHE DIED! SHE KNEW IT WAS ME, BUT I DIDN'T. I still remember that look as I thrust that sword into her." His glare seemed to pierce into my soul.

"I don't know..." I was barely paying attention to him anymore, my rushing thoughts the only thing audible.

He pushed me against the dresser. "YOU HAVE NO IDEA, DO YOU? WHAT IT'S LIKE TO-"

I ignored the stabbing pain in my back and the grip on my shoulders. "Please, I don't fully understand, but that doesn't mean you're the only one who ever struggled."

"I DON'T CARE IF YOU STRUGGLED! TAKE MY MEMORIES AWAY AGAIN!"

"I can't do that."

"WHY?"

"It's what's best for you."

"I DON'T WANT WHAT'S BEST!" He took a few steps back and flung his sword out my window. It sailed out of sight into the darkness.

There was a knock at the door. "Phillip? What's going on in there?" I recognized the voice as one of the other knights I had worked with a few times before. Although, his name slipped my mind.

"I'm fine." I called out to him.

"Uhh, are you sure?" He asked.

"Nope."

"What?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Really?"

"Yup."

"Are you-"

"I was yelling at my monkey, go away."

"You have a monkey?" He asked.

"Yup." I answered.

"Fine I'll go."

"Bye."

I waited until his footsteps were gone before turning to Liam. "So, what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know." He said, while leaning over my desk, deep in thought.

"You could stay here."

He scoffed."I wouldn't last a week. Just because I got my memories back doesn't mean my personality changed. I can't stand people like you, and this place is full of them. Plus, if anyone finds out what I've done for your mother I'll be dead as quickly as someone can tie a noose."

He had a point. "You could stop working for her at least."

He shook his head. "Have you heard what happens to people who quit on her?"

I thought for a second.

"Yeah, 'cause the're all dead. I guess I'll just be the first to survive." He shrugged.

"Do you need-"

"Nope. I don't accept help for things I can do on my own."

There was silence for a moment. "How bad is Firidi?"

"If you don't mind- hey wait... I see where this is going. You think that because of what you saw you think you're entitled to go over there?"

I saw no point in lying. "Wouldn't you?"

"Heck no, I wouldn't go anywhere as bad as Firidi willingly. Even if it was my mother."

"Really?"

"Yeah, your mother's not worth that anyway."

He had a good point. It stung, but it was a good point.

Suddenly my door was flung open and someone walked into my room backwards. "So, Phillip--" Water said with his mouth full of something yellow--" I already tried with Perry (she hated it), but I thought since you like yogurt, you might like some-" He turned around and dropped a tray full of some weird triangle-shaped brown things with melted cheese on top. "FIRIDIAAAANNNN!!" He ran out of the room screaming at the top of his lungs. (Does he even have any?)

I glanced over at Liam. He gave me a confused look. Yeah, Water's something...

"Well, you should go."

"Yeah. In hopes of never seeing you again?" He held out his hand for me to shake.

I did. "Well, don't get your hopes up, you owe me."

He groaned. "You'll get the golden opportunity of never seeing me again." He gave a exaggerated and mocking bow. "Your Highness."

"Just no." I shook my head.

I heard a scrape behind me and through the still open door saw several knights taking their swords out of their sheaths.

"Really though, thank you. Even though I wasn't excited by the prospect at first... But I still don't like you." Liam said as he looked at the knights behind me.

"Yeah, you're still a terrible person." I said.

"So are you, just don't do anything to make it worse."

The knights rushed past me, but when they got to Liam he was already gone.

---

One of the Captains promised me a interrogation in the morning and told me to go get some sleep. I made a mental note to be conveniently gone in the morning.

So, what had that night changed? Everything, for a lot of people. What I had seen occupied all my thoughts and dreams and made me wonder.

Why hadn't I joined my mother yet? It may not be right in other's eyes, but I was starting to realize how little those eyes may see. A person's thoughts and feelings aren't usually written on their face, much less explained to others. What if Ember wasn't the bad guy? Just the misunderstood good guy?