08 Pride

I stood outside waiting, unsure, fearing the worst. Earlier I saw my son staring at noting, leaning  against the well. His eyes were glossed over, body limp, clothes a mess. I took care of him as best I could but I have no clue what happened. I know Seed had something to do with it, but I'm not sure what role he played in this.

I rubbed my eyes and stared at the dark. I heard a cow moo in the distance. I'm not sure why there would be a cow this far from other farms but I have to check. I ran towards the sound. A figure emerged from the darkness.

"Who goes there?"

"It's me."

I ran towards the voice and wrapped my arms around my husband. Wet clung to me as I held him. When I didn't feel his arms around me i pulled back to look at him. His face was blank, eyes empty and his clothes were stained with blood.

"Love," I begged, "What happened?"

He looked at me and looked away. "I... I have the trade money and a cow."

I placed my hands on his chest, "Please,"

He closed his eyes and held me close. "I saw something I wasn't prepared to see."

"Are you wounded?"

He shook his head.

I pulled back once more and slid mu hands to his cheeks, "Look at me."

He blinked and looked into my eyes.

"Is Seed involved?"

He nodded.

I felt my world crumble around me. Something was happening and that thing is part of it. I need to know what's happening.

I blinked my tears away and lead him home by his arm. I stopped just outside our cottage and looked at him, "Please talk to me."

His eyes focused on me and he wiped a tear away with a finger.

"Things are happening and I feel so helpless. I want to stop it, but I'm stumbling in the dark."

He held me as my knees gave out and sat me against the well. He sat beside me and I heard a deep sigh. "I don't think you can stop it." His eyes met mine, "I don't think anyone can."

My sobbing kept silence at bay for a while. I felt his hand on mine the whole time, holding tight. "What should we do?"

"Change."

"We have been. Ever since we lived here, we've had to change so many things."

"Sorry, I mean we have to change with who we are now."

"What do you mean?"

"This thing with Seed. It's really changed us. I'm afraid if we don't change, we'll be left with regretful options."

I wiped my tears with the back of my hands and looked at him. He smiled warmly enough but his eyes were resigned. "Tell me what happened."

He nodded and told me about the day's events.

I listened and tried to soften my reactions, but dread built up inside me at what I heard. Was this why my son was dazed this afternoon? I held his arms tighter as my frustration built.

"Seed tried to do what's best, but I don't think we have the same definition of right. He's really not like us." He straightened his back, "I think I have to stop relying on him."

"We can leave here and he'll never find us."

"I doubt that, but regardless, he has my word. I mean he's given us so much. If I don't like how he does things, I can do it on my own."

I looked at my hands on his arms and loosed my grip.

He pulled me up and guided me inside the house. We have to take what he gave and use it lest he use it for us? I'm not sure what that means for us but —. I faltered and he held me up. I looked up into his tainted eyes and my tears fell once more.

I tired to keep quiet for Ash, but I could not stop crying. I curled up by my beloved and let myself go.

Movement. I stirred as warmth moved beneath me. I slowly opened my eyes. Larch got up and looked at me. I stared back at tainted eyes, shadows underneath, silver hair grown longer than usual. I reached out and his strong hands took mine. He bent to kiss my hand before turned away and dressed himself. I collapsed back into the embrace of our pallet. Change. That's what we talked about.

I stared up at the wooden ceiling, tracing the grains with imaginary lines.

But change what and how?

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

I need answers. I guess I can't avoid it any longer.

Movement and I was drawn to it. I curled myself around him as he sat on the side of the pallet. I rested my head on his lap and looked up. I brushed a few stray locks to see him better.

"I'll go out today."

I felt my spirit dim. "We'll be okay." I reached out and caressed his cheek. Rough stubble tickled as I ran my fingers along the lines of his face.

He smiled at me, a warm smile that reminded me when we first met. Hands brushed back my hair and kissed me. I closed my eyes, but it was already over before I was ready. I waited in darkness, brimming with anticipation, but he slipped from beneath me. I opened my eyes and lay there. I watched him kiss out son's forehead and leave.

He left.

I stared at the doorway. The gray light of morning was replaced by golden rays. I struggled to get up and do something. I looked at Ash, sleeping peacefully. I walked to him and reached out, but stopped before I touched him. He seemed so different from the lost boy I found yesterday. I let him linger in his sweet dreams for a while longer.

I looked back at the doorway. A cow was looking back at me. My eyes widened and I rushed to push it back. It didn't resist, instead it turned and walked to graze a few steps away. So this is the cow he bought.

I walked to it as it grazed and placed a hand on it's back. I ran my hand through the soft black fur. I smiled as it ignored me. I walked around to its head. I was surprised by the lack of rope. I wonder how he got her home. I took away my hand from hits head when it mooed.

Odd, but I smiled at the brief respite the animal brought. I walked back to the house and bumped into a small figure. Breath escaped me  with the force of the impact. I grabbed the doorpost for support and my body absorbed the rest of the force. My arms were already around the the small autumn haired boy that dashed out. I hurried to paint a smile on my face. He must have heard the cow moo. I assured him it was real and told him to change before going out. I kissed his cheek and urged him to go back inside.

How could something so normal like running out in excitement be so forceful? Larch, he's right and there's no going back. I walked to the well in search of Seed.

It stood facing the sun, back turned against me. Its silhouette empty void drawing us all in. "Seed."

It turned and gazed at me with its empty eyes and emotionless face.

"I need to understand," I said. My hands clenched at my sides.

"You can't stop it."

"I know," I said. I took a step towards it. "That's why I wan't to understand. If I know more, I'll be able to help everyone."

"Are you sure you want to understand? I don't think you know what you're asking me to do."

I stood a pace before him and stared into the empty sockets of his mask, "I don't care. Just tell me."

"What if knowing drove you mad?"

"Not knowing is slowly getting me there anyway." My heart raced as I considered the possibility.

He walked to the other side of the house and I followed. I stopped as his form blurred and a copy of himself stepped out of his body. There were two of them. My eyes were wide, but I didn't scream. I swallowed a lump in my throat. One walked back to the well while the other walked towards me. I took a step back.

"I thought you wanted to know."

I stepped back and aside to distance myself. "I do."

"Why are you running away?"

I stopped moving. I felt wood behind me. I clenched my hands again, then took a step forward. "I'm not running away."

Ash ran out our home. I looked at seed then ran to my son. I held him tight. I smiled and pulled away to look at him but the smile on my face froze as I noticed what he wore. I asked if Larch gave it to him and he said it was Seed. My heart dropped, but i held on to the smile on my face.

He wanted to play with the cow so I let him. I smiled as best I could for him. I watched him play with the animal and I was happy. I languished in the silliness of childhood and indulged his whims this once. I couldn't bare the feeling that I was replaced somehow so I made excuses and left.

My feet brought me back to Seed. "You can't take them from me."

"I'm not going to."

It took my hands and cupped them. My eyes focused as fine almost invisible grains of sand filled my hand. It was a very slow process and at first I thought there was not thing, then it poured. From an invisible stream or sand a small pile of silver dust was in my hands. I looked at him and almost jumped, but his other hand held me steady. My eyes were wide as I looked at his other hand, slowly disappearing into fine dust.

"This is who I am."

I couldn't bare it and shook the silver dust from my hand. Instead of falling to the ground, it coated my hand. I stared at the silver gauntlet I now wore.

"I can protect you."

He lunged at me with a sword. I raised my hand to block the blow. The clash of steel ringed in my ears as the gauntlet held.

"I can allow you to fight back."

The gauntlet melted into a dagger. I clutched it tight.

"What are you?" I opened my hand and let the dagger fall. My hands trembled.

"Nanites."

"What?" My brow furrowed at the foreign word. "Is this magic?"

"You could say that if it helps you understand. I'm pure magic. Let me help you see."

Everything was black. I panicked and a cold hand held me up. Color appeared. Everything was just black and blue. I could see the grass, our home and myself in varying intensities of blue. Seed was blindingly blue and my shielded my eyes.

"Everything in your world is black."

"But I c—"

"The blue you see is my magic suffusing everything around you."

"But everything is blue."

"Do you see the horizon? Or the sun?"

I looked around and we were in an island of blue. Everything outside it was just empty.

"My magic is spreading though. My hope is to envelop this world."

"Bring back my sight."

Darkness surrounded me, then light pierced it. I shielded my eyes from the sun and looked at the green grass I stood on.

"My magic will change everything as it has changed you."

I took a step back. My body trembled as I tried to fathom the span and complexity of his power. I dug my heel into the ground, "But you need us."

"I do. That's why only you and yours will have my power in you."

"I want your power."

Seed stood there, a silver statue staring at her. "I can give you limited access."

"I'll take it." Anything to help them. I will do what I can to hold on.

"Granted. Let's start with this fence."

Seed walked over to the nearest length of fence. He aimed his hand at it and liquid stone devoured the wood. After a few moments, a stone wall had replaced it.

I just stared at it. How do I do that?

"The material is concrete. My magic has completely coated this area. Instruct my magic to analyze the material, look for the material underground and copy it through the length of the fence."

I looked at the stone wall and walked toward it. I ran my hand across the rough gray material. When I reached the end of the wall I saw stones of different sizes within.

"Reach out with the magic and understand it. There may be confusion but, with determination and magic, you will succeed."

I closed my eyes and let my mind call the silver dust. There was silence, but a odd chirp told me they heard. I told them to analyze the material. I got another chirp in response. I opened my eyes and looked at Seed. "I heard them."

"I gave you access."

I saw a word at the lower left corner of my vision, 'DONE'. I tried to touch it, but I couldn't. I looked at the horizon and still saw it. I turned to Seed. I tried to keep the panic in my voice. "I'm seeing something that's not there."

"It's a message from your nanites."

I blinked at him. "The magic?"

"Yes."

I closed my eyes reached out to them and got a chirp in response. I told them to gather the components and to copy the structure. I opened my eyes and a mild tremor shook the area. I looked at Seed.

"Check your interface."

I blinked and saw 'LOCATION' at the lower left corner of my vision.

I closed my eyes and reached out again. I told them to follow the fence.

'REINFORCE WITH METAL?' followed next and I agreed.

"Metal is iron right?"

"Close enough."

The wall seed created slowly expanded in both directions.

"Copy this."

Seed held a small knife. It was silver and leather, as long as my hand from palm to finger tip.

I send closed my eyes and reached out to the magic. After hearing the chirp, I asked it to analyze the weapon Seed held. After the chirp I immediately saw that it was completed. I asked it to put a copy in my hand. The magic responded and a copy of the blade materialized in my hand. The light weapon was easy to handle. I opened my eyes to inspect it.

"Copy me."

He held the knife in one hand and threw it at the tree behind the house. I heard the thump as the knife embedded itself in the wood.

I held the dagger and cold hands were on me, correcting posture and hand placement. I threw mine and heard the same thump of steel on wood.

"Practice while you follow the wall."

I looked at it. Do I really need to learn this? I pursed my lips and nodded. "How long will this take?"

"Most of the day."

"I'll continue tomorrow."

"No."

"I have duties to attend to."

"This is more important. I'll take care of the rest."

I screamed and threw a dagger at him. I watched it go into his body.

"I'm glad you're getting better at controlling the magic."

It walked close and emptiness stared into my eyes. I stepped back unsure of the retribution he'd take.. Pain erupted from the back of my head and I couldn't breathe. My feet scrabbled for purchase but couldn't find the ground. I was pinned to the wall of our house. I clawed at the cold hand that choked me.

"I'll forgive this foolishness once."

It drew the dagger from within its chest and pain exploded from my left hand. I looked at the dagger that pinned it to the wood.

"Don't do it again."

He walked away and left me slumped against the wall, struggling to support my wait so that the dagger wouldn't rip through my hand. Tears flowed down my face but I gathered myself and pulled the dagger out. It dropped on the ground. I sobbed, trembling at the casual threat.

"Go heal yourself."

My eyes widened and I looked around. I crawled to put my back against the wall as I held my bleeding hand. There wasn't anyone. I reached out to the magic hesitantly and asked it to heal me. The chirp of acknowledgement was followed by the loss of pain. I looked at the wound in my hand slowly knit itself back together. I closed my eyes and wept.

Daggers were in my hands. I stood threw it at each tree I passed until the wall surrounded our home.