Looking Through

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An old entity grapples with unfamiliar feelings for a woman.
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Severod
Severod
14 Followers

Looking Through

Written by: Severod

I awaken, barnacles encrusting my eyes, sand weighing me down. I’ve slept awhile-- I can’t tell how long; that detail was always irrelevant anyway. I stand, a cascade of sand and reef fauna falling off of my back. My head emerges from the icy water, so I open my eyes. I feel the crackling of the barnacles that have so long called my eyelids home.

The sun is nowhere in sight, but the moon is full. An expanse of light lays before me, artificial in nature, by the look of it. Humans have captured light it seems. They do love twisting nature in their own way. These structures as well, many more than three stories tall. I wonder how they ascend so far without tiring.

Immediately in front of me, is a beach. A solitary human sitting there, likely stunned by my appearance. I let out a low chuckle, which must sound so overwhelming to that lone being. I stretch my many arms out around me, making my already gargantuan size seem so much larger. I wouldn’t interact with one of them in normal circumstances, but there are things I would like to know.

I lower my head down to its level, allowing my four-eyed gaze to land upon this human. “The humans of my time called me Mek’Shiir, what may I call you?” I say in my low, gravelly tone.

The human, a female, answers with surprising haste, “I’m Lyrin.” She says her name shakily, but without stuttering. Most would be at a loss for words, or stunned... or screaming.

“Do you not fear me, Lyrin? Perhaps you know of me?” I inquire mercilessly. I continue before she can answer, “What is the year of your lord?”

I can see her panicking to recall the year. “It’s 2009.” Only 200 years later, I awaken? My hibernations have never been so brief, 400 years at their shortest. Unexpectedly, I hear her begin to speak, “What are you?” Her inflection suggests curiosity, not fear.

I’ve been asked to define myself before. My answer is often that I’m beyond comprehension. Strangely, however, I choose to answer her honestly. “I am something old, from far away. Those parts of the cosmos that are void of stars.” I pause before continuing, “Is that explanation satisfactory?” I allow my many tentacles to creep onto the beach and surround where she sits.

She doesn’t seem to notice my movement, and asks another question instead, “What do you plan to do with me?” I cease movement and blink at her.

What do I plan to do? She asks so calmly, as if posing a question to a child. I let out a bellowing laugh and respond, “Absolutely nothing, Lyrin.” I retract my arms from the beach and sigh. My breath blows her dark, shoulder-length hair back.

She stands, legs trembling very slightly. “That’s good, I don’t think I could have done anything about it if you had plans for me.” She sounds so... matter-of-fact.

I narrow my eyes at her. “Accurate.” I have killed before. I’ve killed a great many in fact. Though, those acts were always a necessity. A part of some deal, or a punishment for insolence. “I am Mek’Shiir, but that is not my only title. To your kind, I am also called The Broker. I haven’t made a deal in thousands of years, however.”

Her eyes widen slightly. “Why tell me? Am I being offered a deal?” She seems amused, such a strange one.

I am intrigued with this, individual. There isn’t much harm in playing along. “Yes, tell me what you desire. It can be almost anything, excluding action directly against myself.”

She looks as if she’s considering something. “What have others asked you for?” She asks, likely hoping to avoid mistakes made by other humans.

I am always truthful, “Power, love, help... knowledge.” I move a few inches forward, “Some acquire what they want, some acquire only regret. Or death.”

She looks up at me, a devilish smirk having formed on her face. “I want you to stay here and talk to me whenever I want.” Her wish is sudden and... aggravating.

My tentacles coil onto the beach once more. “You would seek to imprison me with my own power?” I am no fool, she must know that.

She notices my arms encroaching on her this time. She seems unfazed as she says, “I just wish to talk to you more, you seem like the type that travels.” I pause my movement. “I just want to make sure you’re here for me to talk to.”

I begin once again moving my tentacles around her, enveloping her arms and legs. “That is...” I hold her firmly but not painfully. “Acceptable.” I feel her muscles relax at my affirmation of the deal. I uncoil from around her and bring my arms back into the sea.

She sighs as I let her go. “I thought it was over for a moment there.”

I retort, “It almost was, Lyrin. You should speak more quickly and clearly.” Her demeanor amuses me, she is unaware of how lucky that is. “Return to your dwelling, I will await your return for another time.” I say, receding into the depths.

She doesn’t hide her exhaustion. “My bed does sound nice right about now. I’ll be back sometime soon!” Her apparent anticipation of our next meeting is baffling to me.

I disappear into the dark waters.

A stretch of twenty-four hours pass by, yet she doesn’t return. I don’t know why my thoughts wander back to her. Never has any human been significant enough to warrant additional consideration. She shouldn’t be an exception.

Perhaps it was her demeanor. It’s not as if she was fearless, I could feel the tension within as I gazed upon her. I could see her muscles lock. I could see the shock in her eyes.

It didn’t take long, however, for her to speak to me as if we were equals. I’ve travelled between stars, seen things more immense than any human. I’ve spoken with beings the size of planets, obtained knowledge unrivaled. Yet I am fixated on this, mammal.

I should hope she didn’t strike this deal as a method of keeping me here. She didn’t seem so foolish to me. No clause was created that prevents me from annihilating her. I have to believe that she is, perhaps, afraid to return. I wasn’t very inviting during our first meeting, this is likely my mistake...

Wait a moment! What mistake? No such thing exists! I couldn’t care less about seeing that woman again. She is no more significant to me than the barnacles covering my eyelids. What a strange series of emotions. This must be due to waking up too soon.

If she doesn’t return by the next night, I’ll simply find and destroy her. The deal will be nullified, and I can find somewhere to return to my hibernation. Maybe I’ll travel instead, who knows what’s occurred during my absence from the greater expanse. Well, for now, I will wait for Lyrin’s return... the name invokes a strange pleasantness in my mind. Lyrin.

I feel a presence on the shore. I emerge from the water faster than I intended and soak whatever happens to be up above. I’m usually much more composed, this is concerning.

“Ah! I’m drenched and it’s cold out here!” Lyrin says now covered in seawater. “You didn’t have to come up so fast!” Her frustration is overshadowed by the amused grin on her face.

“Apologies, that’s never happened.” I don’t understand why I anticipated her return so fiercely. Nor do I understand my own lack of restraint.

She shakes herself dry, or as dry as she can get. “Sorry that I didn’t come by yesterday. I had a long workday... didn’t have the energy to show up.” She appears to have a see-through bag with her.

I rest my head on the sand. “What have you brought?” It seems like a book rests in the container, completely untouched by the water.

She holds up the bag to more clearly display its contents. “Just a book I’ve been into lately. Thought I might be here longer tonight.” She intends to read during our visit?

She is well-read for a human then, hardly any of them could read when I was last awake. “Are you a scholar? You come from relatively high birth then... at least among your kind.”

Her look turns inquisitive. “No, I would say that I’m middle class... at best. Most people in my country are able to read.” Her look is soft, like she’s realised just how old I might be.

I decide to explain my assumption, “I last awoke in the 796th year of your lord. A time when the ratio of literacy was comparatively low.”

She interjects before I can continue, “You can just say you woke up in 796. I’m not religious, and no one says the year of our lord anymore.”

My eyes widen involuntarily. “Has your kind finally abandoned them then?”

She raises a brow. “Abandoned who?”

I take on a tone of mild condescension, “Your gods, the very same whom you once believed made all of creation, who made you.”

She turns indifferent at that. “Oh, no. Many people still have a faith. Not me, but a lot of other people.” She looks concerned as she continues, “Religion wasn’t a positive thing for me growing up, can’t say I miss having faith.”

Her admission of heresy endears her to me ever so slightly. “Does this not bring you against the church? Do humans no longer kill over another’s faith... or lack thereof?”

Her smile returns and she giggles. “Not here, though it still happens in less developed places.” She stares into my gaze. She’s considering something.

I decide to give her something for free. “Would you like to know something that very few of your kind are privy to?”

She comes out of her own thoughts to say, “Sure, but only if there are no strings attached.”

Her caution is warranted, clever. “No strings.” I allow my tentacles to errantly creep up to the shore as I continue speaking, “Your kind wasn’t made through benevolence, or the hand of an omnipotent being. It formed from the remains of an entity similar to I.” She looks moderately intrigued, so I elaborate, “Beings of my magnitude do not often perish. Such events are only the result of one thing, a conflict. I’ve never seen it happen, but I’ve heard that when two of my kind clash...” I pause, thinking that it may be too much for a human to handle.

She suddenly seems disappointed. “Go on. This is interesting.”

I narrow my eyes at her and let out a small grumble. “When two of my kind clash, entire galaxies are rearranged or destroyed. This results in the creation of entirely new ones. It results in the creation, of you.” My arms begin to undulate with amusement. “All of you, everything you know, is an accident.” This statement has historically been met only with horror.

I hear a laugh instead. “Yeah, that sounds right. Actually that’s cooler than just randomly evolving from a fish.” I inhale suddenly, which inadvertently pulls air past her at high speeds, both drying her off and knocking her over.

I let out a grunt of frustration with myself. “Ah, sorry.” I gently wrap my tentacles around her and put her back on her feet.

It’s hard to make out her expression through her sand-caked face. “That’s okay, I’m glad to elicit such funny reactions.” She begins squirming. “You can definitely let go now, though.”

I realize that I’ve still not retracted my arms from her. “Yes, of course.” I pull my appendages back towards myself. My own lack of focus is becoming more and more frustrating. I have a quaint thought. “What if you decide the next topic of conversation, Lyrin?”

She puts a fist under her chin and leans into it. “I suppose I could.”

We talk of human morals and relationships. My vast knowledge presents new perspectives to her, and her humble thoughts surprise me with their depth. The sun begins to rise all too soon.

“That’s not good.” Lyrin says, worry permeating her voice.

I see the orange-red hue bouncing off the water. “Does the sunrise have some implication for you?”

Her next sentence mixes with a yawn, “Only that I’ve been up for far too long.” She thinks for a moment. “You’re nice to talk with.”

I feel something, unfamiliar, at that. All I can manage is, “I enjoy you as well.” I find that I can’t adequately articulate this emotion.

A grin takes over her face. “That’s good to hear.” Much to my disappointment, she promptly takes her leave.

I’m restless, I did not wish to return to the depths after Lyrin’s visit. But I also cannot let too many humans see me, lest I have them summon their warriors to poke me with sticks and the like. Luckily I learned how to alter my form many thousands of years ago. Taking on a human form should be relatively simple. As opposed to other much more tremendous and complex forms I’ve used in times past. The humans seem to enjoy putting faces on large shapes and displaying them in the open. Those strange signs have words on them as well, such as: “Need a lawyer for the fender bender?” or, “Form fitting underwear for men.”

At the very least, those signs give me a good basis for what a modern human male might look like. So I take form. I’m about six feet tall now, my hair is long, straight, and void black. My eyes are a sea green, and I wear glasses over them. My attire is the same as that of a “lawyer”, and my body seems correctly proportioned... at least from what I could see of the man in the underwear.

Mercifully, the transformation took most of the day. The sun is going down, it looks strange from this perspective. I’m so small. I hear the sand shift behind me and turn my head to see Lyrin, dressed in relatively complex clothing.

She looks curiously at me. “Hey! What’s up!” I think that she doesn’t realize what’s happened. “Why’re you wearing a suit on the beach?” She says through some giggling.

“Is this not what all males wear nowadays?” I say, genuinely unaware of the norms of this society.

A look of comical realization takes over her face, as if she’s just understood a joke. “It’s you!” She fumbles over her words. “I- uh- why?”

“I didn’t feel like submerging myself all day again.” I’ve grown increasingly restless for reasons I cannot fathom. The expression that Lyrin is projecting towards me suggests that she knows something, something amusing.

She begins to speak, “You missed me, huh?”

I wrench my neck in her direction. “What was that? What did you just utter?” Rage radiates from me. “I what? You dare to tell me how I feel?” Veins protrude from my neck and face.

I can taste her sudden fear, and she begins perspiring instantly. “N- No. I just think that maybe you were bored while I was gone.”

I walk to her, “You think that your absence is of any consequence to me?” I’ve killed a human for much less than this. “You are to me, as an insect is to you. Beneath consideration.” My rage subsides and Lyrin backs away, tripping over her long clothes. What she feels now is genuine horror, she may finally see me for what I am.

Her voice falters as she speaks, “Why would you do that? I’ve been nothing but nice to you, even with all your condescension and posturing!”

Her words don’t just bounce off like I expect them to. Something in me tears at hearing her pain. Why must I care? I didn’t know I had the capacity for these feelings, I don’t want them. I open my mouth but only choked noises come out.

She looks up at me, angry and hurt. I feel a snap, guilt. “What, what are you trying to say? Gonna tell me I’m worthless some more?”

I reach for her, but she recoils. “I’m- I’m...” I can’t. I can’t be beholden to something so small. So small, so insignificant, so ignorant... so precious and fragile. A tear falls from my face. “I’m sorry, Lyrin.” I pick her up and pull her in. I don’t know how to show affection, but this seems right. I feel her arms wrap around my back, the sensation is intoxicating.

She breathes deeply, likely as a method of calming herself. “It’s alright, I should have expected that you might not understand some human emotions. You must have been confused.” She says, her voice sweet and soft.

I was confused, not only because I didn’t understand, but because I wouldn’t accept those feelings. “I need you, you are a missing piece of myself. I’m so glad that you found me.”

Lyrin looks into my eyes. “I think that I feel the same way, I want to know more about you. I want to spend more time with you.” She leans into me, and whispers in my ear, “Wouldn’t you like to know why I’m so dressed up?”

I have no metric by which to judge how “dressed up” someone is, but I humor her. “Why are you dressed up?”

“I wanted to show you my favorite outfit. I never have occasion to wear it.” It’s long and flows to the ground. It is comprised of vibrant purples and reds that lead into each other. It reveals only small portions of her thighs, but also hugs her well enough to emphasize her figure.

I don’t know what to say about the outfit. “I like it.”

Her cheeks puff up in response. “But what do you like about it?”

I don’t wear clothes, I don’t know how to judge them. I tell her the truth, “I like your clothes, because you are in them.”

She turns red, from both embarrassment and laughter. “I suppose you would.” She steps back and looks me over more closely than before. “You made yourself really hot.”

I don’t feel hot. I actually only now notice that I feel somewhat cold, especially with the wind blowing over the beach. “I am now warm-blooded, if that is what you are referring to.”

She pinches the bridge of her small nose. “No, no. I mean that you are attractive, by human standards.” I decide not to mention the signs I used for reference.

“I’m happy that you find this form pleasing to look at.” That’s an understatement. I’m inexplicably ecstatic at the idea that she finds me aesthetically pleasing.

I can see an idea forming as she stares at me. “Let’s go into the city together!”

A human city, I’ve never been to one... that I wasn’t obliterating. “As long as I’m with you, our deal will not be broken. Are you certain I should accompany you inside a human settlement however?”

I can see when she switches between thinking of me as a human or as a monster. The fact that she can think of me in that way at all is part of her allure. Her tone is cautious, “I think that you need to promise not to hurt anyone.”

It’s an interesting proposition, but I have to alter it slightly. “I can promise not to kill any humans.”

A look of relief takes over her expression. “That will work just fine.”

A surprisingly long walk brings us to a waterlogged bridge. It leads from the beach to a neighbourhood. Lyrin walks ahead and gestures for me to follow. As we cross over, I am struck with the countless lights that permeate the many homes along the roads.

“How exactly do you manage to keep such consistent lighting without fire?” I say, genuinely curious. Even I have no clue how one would manage to capture light.

“You don’t know what electricity is?” She says with a smirk.

“Of course I know what lightning is. It’s among my abilities to create such power. I don’t see what that has to do with capturing light.” They’ve come so far, in such a short time. What could have accelerated them in this way? Questions for later.

I feel a hand grasp mine. “My house is just down the road, I’m sure you know what liquor is.”

I am aware, it’s a substance that causes humans to commit more idiocy than usual. “I hope you don’t intend for me to partake of something like that.”

Her disappointment is visible as she continues, “Would it be so bad?”

She doesn’t realize the implications of something like me being, impaired. “If I’m affected poorly by that substance, it could end badly. My powers are nothing to scoff at, and must be kept in check at all times.”

Shockingly she doesn’t seem too concerned. “I think it’ll be okay, but it’s up to you. I will definitely be drinking.”

I’ve never understood the allure of something that makes one, less coherent. “Why do you drink?” I hope her reasons aren’t related to my interactions with her.

She looks at me with a small grin. “The way you phrase it makes me sound like I have a problem.” She takes hold of my hand. “Don’t worry, it has nothing to do with you. I drink for fun, it makes me... bubblier.”

Severod
Severod
14 Followers
12