BASTIAN WAS STUNNED. MOMENTS AGO, HE'D CYNICALLY MUSED THAT THE WORLD MIGHT BE BETTER OFF IF ALL LIVING CREATURES VANISHED. BUT NOW, THE TERRIFYING REALITY OF "TOTAL EXTINCTION" LOOMED BEFORE HIM.
THE SCOPE OF THIS DISASTER WAS BEYOND HIS IMAGINATION. IT WASN'T JUST ABOUT WHETHER LIFE ON THE SURFACE CEASED TO EXIST, IT WAS ABOUT A FUTURE WHERE NO ONE COULD EVEN HOPE TO GLIMPSE SURVIVAL.
"BUT… SURELY THE ELVES AREN'T THAT RECKLESS," HE STAMMERED. "THEY MUST HAVE A PLAN TO AVOID THIS."
THE SNOWY OWL'S GAZE DARKENED. "AS FAR AS I KNOW, NO," IT REPLIED, VOICE LADEN WITH GRIM FINALITY. "THIS ISN'T SOME SPELL OR CURSE, IT'S A LAW OF NATURE. AND THE ELVES, DESPITE THEIR ARROGANCE, ARE BOUND BY IT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. EVEN THEIR BIRTH RATES HAVE PLUMMETED IN RECENT YEARS. THEY BUILT THEIR SOUL-SUCKING TOWERS IN AN ATTEMPT TO GATHER MORE SOULS, BUT IN REALITY, THEY'RE THE FIRST VICTIMS OF THEIR OWN GREED."
THE OWL'S SOFT LAUGHTER FILLED THE AIR, STRANGE YET TINGED WITH SORROW. "YOU KNOW WHAT THEIR FIRST THOUGHT WAS WHEN THEY REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING? 'IF SOULS ARE LIMITED, WHY NOT KILL THE OTHER RACES?' SINCE ELVES AREN'T THE MOST NUMEROUS, THEY FIGURED IF HALF THE OTHER RACES WERE WIPED OUT, THEY'D HAVE MORE SOULS TO DRAW FROM."
BASTIAN'S JAW CLENCHED IN DISBELIEF. "THAT'S INSANE. WHY CAN'T THEY JUST STOP?"
"STOP?" THE OWL SCOFFED. "STOP WHAT EXACTLY? STOP THEIR ETERNAL SPRINGTIME CAMPS WHERE THE FLOWERS NEVER WITHER? STOP THE TIRELESS PUPPET SERVANTS WHO WORK ENDLESSLY WITHOUT COMPLAINT? STOP THEIR GARDENS THAT BLOOM YEAR-ROUND, OR THEIR POPULATION THAT'S DOUBLED IN JUST A CENTURY? TELL ME, WHO AMONG THEM WILL BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO GIVE ALL THAT UP? WHO DARES TO HALT THEIR PROGRESS?"
THE QUESTIONS HUNG IN THE AIR LIKE DAGGERS, AND BASTIAN FOUND HIMSELF SPEECHLESS.
YES, WHO WOULD WANT TO STOP LIVING IN PARADISE? BUT WHEN A LIFE OF LUXURY HAS ALREADY BEGUN, WHO WOULD WILLINGLY TEAR IT ALL DOWN?
THE SNOWY OWL CONTINUED ITS LOW, MOURNFUL COOING, BUT BASTIAN SAW THROUGH IT NOW, BENEATH ITS CALM FAÇADE LAY A DEEP WELL OF SADNESS AND ANGER.
AS THE WORLD INCHED CLOSER TO ITS DOOM, THERE WERE THOSE WHO SAW THE CRACKS FORMING, THOSE WHO KNEW SOMETHING WAS HORRIBLY WRONG. YET NO ONE DARED TO SOUND THE ALARM. AND EVEN IF THEY DID, IT WOULD FALL ON DEAF EARS. IT WAS AS IF THE ENTIRE WORLD HAD CHOSEN TO CLOSE ITS EYES AND PRETEND EVERYTHING WAS FINE.
"THEY'RE JUST PRETENDING TO BE ASLEEP," BASTIAN MUTTERED BITTERLY. "EVEN IF THEY MANAGED TO WIPE OUT ALL OTHER RACES, THE ELVES WOULDN'T STOP, WOULD THEY? NOT REALLY. ONE DAY, THE SAME FATE WOULD CATCH UP WITH THEM."
"THEY THINK THEY CAN OUTLAST IT," THE OWL SAID, ITS VOICE TINGED WITH A BITTER LAUGH. "THEY TELL THEMSELVES THEY'LL FIND A WAY. THAT IF GIVEN ENOUGH TIME, THEY'LL INVENT SOME NEW TECHNOLOGY TO FIX EVERYTHING. THEY EVEN TALK ABOUT SPARING CERTAIN SPECIES, KEEPING THEM AS SERVANTS TO REPLACE THEIR PUPPETS AND GOLEMS. IT SOUNDS NOBLE, DOESN'T IT? LIKE THEY'LL FINALLY MAKE THINGS RIGHT. BUT LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, WHEN THE TIME COMES, NO ONE WILL WANT TO STOP USING THEIR CONVENIENT SLAVES AND MACHINES."
ONCE THE SNOWY OWL STARTED ITS RANT, THERE SEEMED TO BE NO END TO IT. ITS FRUSTRATION AND WEARINESS POURED OUT, LAYER BY LAYER, AS THOUGH IT HAD BEEN CARRYING THIS BURDEN FOR TOO LONG.
BASTIAN SAT BACK, HIS MIND RACING AS THE PIECES CLICKED TOGETHER. AT THAT MOMENT, A REALIZATION DAWNED ON HIM. HE NARROWED HIS EYES, STUDYING THE OWL MORE CLOSELY.
"YOU… YOU'RE NOT JUST SOME RANDOM CREATURE, ARE YOU?" HE ASKED QUIETLY, HIS VOICE TINGED WITH AWE. "YOU'RE A GENIUS, "
THE OWL CUT HIM OFF WITH A DISMISSIVE FLUTTER OF ITS WINGS. "OH NO," IT SAID WITH A WEARY SMILE. "NOT AT ALL."
BASTIAN NODDED SLOWLY, HIS FACE SERIOUS. "IF YOU SAY IT'S TRUE, THEN IT MUST BE. THERE'S NO POINT IN ASKING MORE QUESTIONS."
HOW COULD ANYONE KNOW SUCH INTRICATE DETAILS, PAINTING SUCH A VIVID PICTURE, EXCEPT FOR THE ELVES THEMSELVES? YET, AS THE OWL HAD SAID BEFORE, RACE DIDN'T MATTER NOW. WHAT MATTERED WAS WHICH SIDE YOU CHOSE IN THE END.
"AND SOLESIA, THE DECLINE IN POPULATION… THESE ARE ONLY THE BEGINNING," THE SNOWY OWL CONTINUED, VOICE GROWING HEAVIER WITH SORROW. "THE CURSE WE'VE BROUGHT UPON OURSELVES BY BREAKING THE NATURAL CYCLE GOES FAR BEYOND THIS. THESE PROBLEMS, TROUBLING AS THEY ARE, ARE ONLY A SMALL PART OF WHAT'S COMING. BUT NO ONE SEES THAT FAR AHEAD. OR RATHER, NO ONE DARES TO SEE."
BASTIAN WATCHED THE OWL INTENTLY, FEELING THE WEIGHT OF THE UNSPOKEN HORRORS. HE WANTED TO PRESS FURTHER, TO DEMAND MORE ANSWERS. THE OWL, SENSING HIS GAZE, PAUSED FOR A MOMENT AND THEN LET OUT A SAD CHUCKLE.
"HAH… WHAT HAPPENS NEXT ISN'T YOUR CONCERN, AT LEAST, NOT YET. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE WHEN WE SURVIVE LONG ENOUGH TO SEE IT."
BASTIAN COULDN'T HELP BUT FEEL A FLARE OF IRRITATION. THE OWL'S TWISTED PERSONALITY WAS STARTING TO SHOW. BENEATH ITS WISDOM WAS A SMUGNESS THAT MADE BASTIAN WANT TO THROTTLE IT. BUT NOW WASN'T THE TIME TO INDULGE IN FRUSTRATION.
TAKING A DEEP BREATH, HE REFOCUSED. "ALRIGHT, FINE. BUT HOW DO WE STOP THE ELVES? ISN'T THAT WHY YOU CAME TO ME? DON'T TELL ME YOU JUST NEEDED SOMEONE TO CHAT WITH."
THE OWL'S EYES GLEAMED, A MISCHIEVOUS SPARK RETURNING TO THEM. "OF COURSE NOT. FIRST, WE MUST SEE IF YOU'RE TRULY QUALIFIED."
WITH A SHARP SNAP, A SMALL WOODEN BOX APPEARED ON THE BAR IN FRONT OF THEM.
THE BOX CLICKED OPEN, REVEALING ITS SINISTER CONTENTS: A SEVERED HAND, ENGULFED IN PALE BLUE FLAMES. THE FLAMES FLICKERED QUIETLY, BURNING WITH AN EERIE CALM, YET UNTOUCHED BY THE WOOD OF THE BOX OR ANYTHING AROUND IT. THE FIRE WAS MESMERIZING, BOTH SACRED AND DANGEROUS. BASTIAN FELT HIS BREATH CATCH IN HIS THROAT, HIS SOUL ALMOST DRAWN TOWARD THE FLAMES.
HIS BODY REACTED BEFORE HIS MIND COULD PROCESS THE DANGER. HE STUMBLED BACK, HEART POUNDING, AS HE REALIZED THAT THE MERE SIGHT OF THIS CURSED OBJECT HAD NEARLY KILLED HIM.
THE OWL, MEANWHILE, INCLINED ITS HEAD RESPECTFULLY TOWARD THE BARTENDER, WHO STOOD BEHIND THE COUNTER, HIS EXPRESSION CALM AND KNOWING. "THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY," THE SNOWY OWL SAID, ITS TONE UNUSUALLY HUMBLE. "WE WILL PUT THIS FLAME TO GOOD USE. IT WILL MELT THE ICE THAT BLOCKS THE CYCLE OF REINCARNATION AND RESTORE BALANCE."
BASTIAN BLINKED, SURPRISED BY THE OWL'S SUDDEN CHANGE IN DEMEANOR. HE GLANCED AT THE BARTENDER, WHO SIMPLY SMILED AND NODDED IN SILENT APPROVAL. IT WAS CLEAR THAT THIS EXCHANGE WAS PART OF SOMETHING MUCH LARGER THAN BASTIAN HAD ANTICIPATED.
BUT JUST AS QUICKLY AS IT HAD SHOWN HUMILITY, THE SNOWY OWL'S COCKY ATTITUDE RETURNED. IT FLAPPED ITS WINGS AND LANDED ON BASTIAN'S HEAD, PECKING AT HIM IMPATIENTLY. "WELL, SINCE YOU MANAGED TO SWIM IN THE RIVER STYX AND COME OUT ALIVE, YOU MIGHT JUST BE WORTHY OF THIS ARTIFACT, THE SOUL-BURNING FLAME. THE ULTIMATE WEAPON, THE FIRE OF DEATH."
BASTIAN FROZE. "THE FIRE OF DEATH?" HE LOOKED BACK AT THE BARTENDER, HIS MIND RACING. IMAGES OF A FUNERAL FLASHED BEFORE HIS EYES, A CURSED DEATH, AN INNOCENT BABY'S SOUL STOLEN BY A GRIEVING MOTHER'S CURSE. COULD IT BE? COULD THE FIGURE STANDING BEHIND THE BAR TRULY BE DEATH ITSELF?
BUT THERE WAS NO TIME TO DWELL ON THE THOUGHT. THE SNOWY OWL WAS PRACTICALLY SHRIEKING AT HIM NOW, URGING HIM TO PICK UP THE ARTIFACT. "FUSE WITH IT! THIS IS YOUR DESTINY, OR PERHAPS SOMEONE ELSE'S, EITHER WAY, TIME IS RUNNING OUT. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO FIND YOU? CLAIRVOYANTS WITH SOULS STRONG ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND THE CORROSIVE WATERS OF THE STYX ARE RARE. I DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF WAITING ANY LONGER. WE'RE OUT OF TIME."
BASTIAN TOOK A SHAKY BREATH, HIS MIND REELING. THIS FLAME, THIS TERRIBLE, SOUL-BURNING POWER, WAS MEANT FOR HIM? AND THE OWL EXPECTED HIM TO MERGE WITH IT, TO BIND HIS VERY SOUL TO SOMETHING SO DEADLY?
"LET ME THINK ABOUT IT," HE SAID, HIS VOICE THIN AS HE STRUGGLED TO STEADY HIMSELF.
THE LIGHT BLUE FLAME ARTIFACT FLICKERED SOFTLY ON THE TABLE, CASTING AN EERIE GLOW IN THE DIM ROOM. THOUGH NO HEAT EMANATED FROM THE FLAME, BASTIAN COULDN'T SHAKE THE FEELING THAT IT HELD THE POWER TO UTTERLY DESTROY HIM. HIS BODY TENSED, AS IF STANDING ON THE EDGE OF A PRECIPICE, ABOUT TO BE PUSHED INTO AN ABYSS.
"I NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHY I HAVE TO MERGE WITH IT BEFORE I CAN GRASP THE FULL PICTURE," BASTIAN SAID, HIS VOICE UNCERTAIN BUT EDGED WITH DETERMINATION.
"NO," CAME THE CURT REPLY. "THERE ARE SECRETS AT PLAY THAT CANNOT BE REVEALED. IT'S TOO DANGEROUS."
BASTIAN FROWNED, FEELING FRUSTRATION BUBBLE UP INSIDE HIM. "BUT IF I FAIL... IF THE FUSION DOESN'T WORK, THERE'S NO RISK OF REVEALING ANYTHING, RIGHT?"
THE SNOWY OWL, PERCHED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TABLE, NARROWED ITS EYES. "IT DOESN'T MATTER. WORDS LEAVE TRACES. MY PLAN CAN ONLY BE CARRIED OUT ONCE. THERE'S NO MARGIN FOR ERROR, NO SECOND CHANCES."
BASTIAN BIT BACK A RETORT, KNOWING IT WAS FUTILE. THE OWL, AS EVER, WAS MADDENINGLY CRYPTIC. HE TRIED TO EXTRACT MORE INFORMATION, BUT THE CREATURE WAS UNYIELDING, A RIDDLE WRAPPED IN FEATHERS.