I'm a spirit in a tower. Things are sketchy and things are afoot...
The Spirit in the Tower
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Archive 1.1
Erithemaeus
GWS Recipient
- Location
- Around Dover Street
The Spirit in the Tower
Archive 1.1
"Hey there."
I turn my attention towards the young man giving me a genial smile. A weightless feeling permanates throughout my body as I slowly float my way down towards the floor, picking off any books of interest along the way.
"Greetings, Bree." I replied, using the same genial tone as the young man before me, holding up the stack of books in my arms. "Is there anything that you wanted to ask of me? I believe that I have already told you all that I knew."
Bree shook his head. "It's not about that. I uh, kinda lost a bet with my boss, and she says that she's been looking forward to meet you. We'll be coming here around a week, I guess. Until then, whatever you do is up to you."
Right, his... 'boss'. Inquisitive little rascal she is, nevertheless she holds great power to exert influence on Bree. "I see. Will she be causing any trouble, then?"
"Hopefully not." His snort betrays his actual thoughts. "I might need to get Frea at this rate."
"Well, she would be coming here later to stock up on her books before turning back towards her cove", I inform Bree, "I should be able to request some protection against your... 'boss', if the need arises."
"Zorah, it's when the need arises, not if." Bree gently chastised, his shoulders shuddering in a facsimile of fake terror. "My boss is a monster in human skin, I tell you. Don't cross her. Or anyone related to her. At all."
I roll my eyes. Or at least, specters of them. I didn't need to actually see through them in order to gain an accurate picture of my surroundings. "Are you saying that I should stop associating with you, considering that you are one of this 'boss's subordinates?"
Bree's face rapidly paled, placing a hand on my ghastly shoulder. His hand phased through of course, something that I had gotten a snicker out of even as my conversation partner gazed upon me with a look of utter horror.
"... It's too late. She's infected you, then."
My eyes close. "I imagine that insulting your superior behind their back is not a profitable strategy for everyone involved. Save for your 'boss', of course. From what I can put together from your words, it would seem like she would gain a net benefit either way."
Truly a terrifying woman. Or from my knowledge about her, it was merely something that she did entirely by accident. Fate always seemed to work in mysterious ways to accomplish her objective...
"Eh. If she doesn't hear of it, then it's fine." Bree airily replied, crossing his arms behind his head. "Well, I'll be going back to the forge. You know me."
"Then I shall wish you the best of luck in your endeavors." I called back to Bree's fading footsteps, the crystalline door leading out of the tower sliding open as he passed through. And with that, I was once again alone in the tower.
Turning back towards the stack of books in hand, I floated towards a nearby table and began reading the stack. History books and other forms of information eventually jumbled into one incoherent mess, but I had managed to gain a glimpse of my own history after I... got stuck here.
First Age, Second Age, Third Age, a warring period between each and every Age, alongside a heaping pile of artifacts and relics from previous ages. All of it could fit in a thick history book, which was why I chose to close the cover and remind myself to read this again for the coming days. While history had been my strong suit, remembering wasn't. Or at the very least, remembering the specifics.
"Huh. You went through those pretty quickly."
I jolt up, twirling haphazardly in the air as I turn towards the source of the voice. My eyes found a smiling woman by the head of the table, their hazel hair tied into an intricate braid. Markings glowed an eerie blue underneath the filtered light, and even then I could see the soft curl of their lips as they struggled to hold back their laughter.
My spectral face turns into a frown. "Not funny, Frea."
She blinks, as if forgetting her own words, then turns toward me with a Bree-like grin on her face. "Hm? What could you possibly be talking about? I was just amusing myself with one of the numerous essays scattered around here."
The thought of swift revenge crossed my mind. "Your grin looks even more like Bree's than last time."
As to my own amusement, the grin quickly disappeared from her face. She scowled at me, silver eyes flashing in the light, and her markings shifted to a dark red. "Thank you for ruining my mood then, Zorah. Know that your effort is appreciated, but ultimately unwarranted. Nay — unwanted."
"Let go of your hate, you must." I professed, closing my eyes and warbling my voice for the full effect. "While I do not know what had transpired between you and Bree—" I did. Bree told me a while back, and he had looked like an oversized child when he told me of the events that had transpired, "—I assure you that I would be doing my best to help. So what seems to be the matter?"
Frea pouted and held on. She only lasted for about a second.
"It's about Bree."
... Of course it's about Bree, you lovestruck child of ten thousand years.
Archive 1.1
"Hey there."
I turn my attention towards the young man giving me a genial smile. A weightless feeling permanates throughout my body as I slowly float my way down towards the floor, picking off any books of interest along the way.
"Greetings, Bree." I replied, using the same genial tone as the young man before me, holding up the stack of books in my arms. "Is there anything that you wanted to ask of me? I believe that I have already told you all that I knew."
Bree shook his head. "It's not about that. I uh, kinda lost a bet with my boss, and she says that she's been looking forward to meet you. We'll be coming here around a week, I guess. Until then, whatever you do is up to you."
Right, his... 'boss'. Inquisitive little rascal she is, nevertheless she holds great power to exert influence on Bree. "I see. Will she be causing any trouble, then?"
"Hopefully not." His snort betrays his actual thoughts. "I might need to get Frea at this rate."
"Well, she would be coming here later to stock up on her books before turning back towards her cove", I inform Bree, "I should be able to request some protection against your... 'boss', if the need arises."
"Zorah, it's when the need arises, not if." Bree gently chastised, his shoulders shuddering in a facsimile of fake terror. "My boss is a monster in human skin, I tell you. Don't cross her. Or anyone related to her. At all."
I roll my eyes. Or at least, specters of them. I didn't need to actually see through them in order to gain an accurate picture of my surroundings. "Are you saying that I should stop associating with you, considering that you are one of this 'boss's subordinates?"
Bree's face rapidly paled, placing a hand on my ghastly shoulder. His hand phased through of course, something that I had gotten a snicker out of even as my conversation partner gazed upon me with a look of utter horror.
"... It's too late. She's infected you, then."
My eyes close. "I imagine that insulting your superior behind their back is not a profitable strategy for everyone involved. Save for your 'boss', of course. From what I can put together from your words, it would seem like she would gain a net benefit either way."
Truly a terrifying woman. Or from my knowledge about her, it was merely something that she did entirely by accident. Fate always seemed to work in mysterious ways to accomplish her objective...
"Eh. If she doesn't hear of it, then it's fine." Bree airily replied, crossing his arms behind his head. "Well, I'll be going back to the forge. You know me."
"Then I shall wish you the best of luck in your endeavors." I called back to Bree's fading footsteps, the crystalline door leading out of the tower sliding open as he passed through. And with that, I was once again alone in the tower.
Turning back towards the stack of books in hand, I floated towards a nearby table and began reading the stack. History books and other forms of information eventually jumbled into one incoherent mess, but I had managed to gain a glimpse of my own history after I... got stuck here.
First Age, Second Age, Third Age, a warring period between each and every Age, alongside a heaping pile of artifacts and relics from previous ages. All of it could fit in a thick history book, which was why I chose to close the cover and remind myself to read this again for the coming days. While history had been my strong suit, remembering wasn't. Or at the very least, remembering the specifics.
"Huh. You went through those pretty quickly."
I jolt up, twirling haphazardly in the air as I turn towards the source of the voice. My eyes found a smiling woman by the head of the table, their hazel hair tied into an intricate braid. Markings glowed an eerie blue underneath the filtered light, and even then I could see the soft curl of their lips as they struggled to hold back their laughter.
My spectral face turns into a frown. "Not funny, Frea."
She blinks, as if forgetting her own words, then turns toward me with a Bree-like grin on her face. "Hm? What could you possibly be talking about? I was just amusing myself with one of the numerous essays scattered around here."
The thought of swift revenge crossed my mind. "Your grin looks even more like Bree's than last time."
As to my own amusement, the grin quickly disappeared from her face. She scowled at me, silver eyes flashing in the light, and her markings shifted to a dark red. "Thank you for ruining my mood then, Zorah. Know that your effort is appreciated, but ultimately unwarranted. Nay — unwanted."
"Let go of your hate, you must." I professed, closing my eyes and warbling my voice for the full effect. "While I do not know what had transpired between you and Bree—" I did. Bree told me a while back, and he had looked like an oversized child when he told me of the events that had transpired, "—I assure you that I would be doing my best to help. So what seems to be the matter?"
Frea pouted and held on. She only lasted for about a second.
"It's about Bree."
... Of course it's about Bree, you lovestruck child of ten thousand years.
Last edited:
Archive 1.2
Erithemaeus
GWS Recipient
- Location
- Around Dover Street
The Spirit in the Tower
Archive 1.2
I need help. Or an adult. Both would be preferred.
"So he comes up to me while I was in the middle of sorting out some files, and—"
"Stop." I stressed, cutting her off while I massaged my temples. While it was still disorienting to be a spirit, I was slowly getting accustomed to its little idiosyncrasies. Like how I can't seem to pierce myself with my hands or feet. "I understand, and you do not need to tell me any more of your... 'escapades' with him."
It was an understatement. While I knew their poorly-hidden attraction from one another from my brief interactions with the two of them together, I had not expected them to go this far. The things that I have heard would have most certainly made me retch out the contents of my stomach. If I still had a body, that is. Oh, how I both loathed and loved my condition.
"And your worry is that...?"
"He seems to lose all interest right after!"
Oh no. I think I know this line of conversation. "You know that Bree has some extenuating... circumstances beforehand, right? I do remember you telling me that he used to be different before your trip to the Enclave. Or former Enclave, if I am to be more caught-up in current events."
"Yes, but—"
"Give it time, Frea." Her face softens, the scowl slowly turning back to a neutral line. "He's difficult to interact with, I admit, with a few caveats here and there. But I do think that you should compromise. Maybe seek topics that interest the two of you and bring it up the next time you meet him."
I turn towards her current stack of books, a slight grin forming on my lips. "... Then again, I already think that you're halfway there."
Frea flushes, the scowl back in place as I quickly flitted out of reach. I blew a raspberry, watching her fingers twitch at thin air, and waited until she recomposed herself before slowly floating back into range.
"I hate you."
"You say that to everyone." I reply back, "Say it a few more times, and I'll start to think that you don't actually hate me all that much."
"You're annoying."
"Considering you keep Bree company, I assume that you're already inured to it."
"Spirits aren't supposed to be annoying."
I huffed, crossing my arms while sitting cross-legged on the table. A few books read here and there told me that spirits were supposedly benign beings, more interested in their isolation than interaction with others. Maybe Bree's analysis was correct — that I was a wraith, one with a lingering wish to stay in a metaphysical form even after death. Although I do not remember swearing revenge or anything like that in my admittedly fragmented memories.
"Maybe I'm not a spirit, then." I sulkily replied, huffing and pouting away as Frea stared on with a vaguely disgusted expression.
Considering that I looked like an Empyrean in their middle cycles, it was indeed a disgusting expression.
"... Alright, fine. I apologise if I hurt you."
"You didn't." I preen. "But it is nonetheless heartwarming to see you apologize without the words being forced out of your lips."
She flinched. "It's only because of—"
"Bree?" I guessed. She nodded, and I sighed. Always the troublemaker, that one. If he wasn't causing any trouble, then he would most likely be at the forge. Wherever that is. The only mention of a forge in the books of this tower was a relic of the Second Age. Perhaps that was the reason why he was so eager to get back during the last time we spoke? Maybe. Probably. I'd like to think that I know what Bree usually thinks about.
"If you think it's stupid, then go do it." I ventured, "Bree might scold you for it, but at least you can use it as an excuse for the two of you to spend time together."
"Now that's just going too far." Frea said with a frown, a sigh escaping my lips. Something to tell Bree in the future when he stops by, then. Whenever that would be. "I'm the one doing the most of the work in order to keep our relationship strong. He needs to do his share of the work as well."
"Who knows?" I replied with a shrug of my shoulders. "I don't have much experience with this. You'll probably have to work this out on your own."
Frea groaned, slamming her face onto the wooden table. "... Why did I ask you for advice when you're totally unqualified for this?"
"Because you started spilling everything out the moment I asked an innocent question." I said with the most obvious tone in the world. "Although it would have made me guilty if you went on that tirade and I would be unable to give any sort of advice."
"That would've fine", Frea whined, hands grasping for another book on the stack that I nudged in her direction. "No one asked you to dispense advice, and I'm not sure that you would be one with enough experience to do so in the first place."
Harsh. Nevertheless, it was the truth. I floated around to take a look at what Frea was currently reading, and saw the very visage of my tower drawn in print with elegant script.
Tall, with a branching structure made out of crystalline glass, colored with white, black, and gold. A symbol of opulence for whatever purpose, and a relic from... the First Age, apparently. Wow. "Who wrote this?"
"Me", Frea answered, snorting with furrowed brows, "And since we've been using the Rails ever since Bree discovered them during our escape from that Labyrinth, I've been compiling all information that I had on them. This was around two hundred years ago, I think. Relatively recent, but now showing its age."
"I've heard about the Rails before." Both of us knew where I heard it from. "Lifeblood of the Ethumerian Empire, right? Responsible for rapid communications and transportations all over its territory, with one almost guaranteed to be situated in every province."
Something clicked.
"Oh. Is the tower that I am in one of these Rails too?" I asked, only to be met by Frea biting her lip. I quickly flitted around her, waving my hand in front of her face, and she blinked to see my worried expression. "Ah, you're back. What were you thinking about?"
Frea didn't reply for at least a while, but when she did, she had that gleam in her eyes that shone whenever she got a new book from the stack. "Zorah, this may be a weird question, but... Do you know any places in the tower that seems to exude some kind of energy?"
"Well, there is a giant churning orb that's powering the place up ever since I woke up here." I answered, "Or maybe it's just been toiling away and my presence here woke it up from slumber. I didn't have much to go on."
Her hands twitched. I resumed leaning back to a safe distance just in case she wanted to launch herself at me once more. "And where is this 'orb' located?"
I pointed up, towards the archive's skylight, it's light reduced by panes of colored glass. Frea's eyes widened, mouth hanging open at the sight, before beginning to slam her head against the desk with greater frequency.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid...!"
I immediately tried to help her out of... whatever she's currently doing.
Archive 1.2
I need help. Or an adult. Both would be preferred.
"So he comes up to me while I was in the middle of sorting out some files, and—"
"Stop." I stressed, cutting her off while I massaged my temples. While it was still disorienting to be a spirit, I was slowly getting accustomed to its little idiosyncrasies. Like how I can't seem to pierce myself with my hands or feet. "I understand, and you do not need to tell me any more of your... 'escapades' with him."
It was an understatement. While I knew their poorly-hidden attraction from one another from my brief interactions with the two of them together, I had not expected them to go this far. The things that I have heard would have most certainly made me retch out the contents of my stomach. If I still had a body, that is. Oh, how I both loathed and loved my condition.
"And your worry is that...?"
"He seems to lose all interest right after!"
Oh no. I think I know this line of conversation. "You know that Bree has some extenuating... circumstances beforehand, right? I do remember you telling me that he used to be different before your trip to the Enclave. Or former Enclave, if I am to be more caught-up in current events."
"Yes, but—"
"Give it time, Frea." Her face softens, the scowl slowly turning back to a neutral line. "He's difficult to interact with, I admit, with a few caveats here and there. But I do think that you should compromise. Maybe seek topics that interest the two of you and bring it up the next time you meet him."
I turn towards her current stack of books, a slight grin forming on my lips. "... Then again, I already think that you're halfway there."
Frea flushes, the scowl back in place as I quickly flitted out of reach. I blew a raspberry, watching her fingers twitch at thin air, and waited until she recomposed herself before slowly floating back into range.
"I hate you."
"You say that to everyone." I reply back, "Say it a few more times, and I'll start to think that you don't actually hate me all that much."
"You're annoying."
"Considering you keep Bree company, I assume that you're already inured to it."
"Spirits aren't supposed to be annoying."
I huffed, crossing my arms while sitting cross-legged on the table. A few books read here and there told me that spirits were supposedly benign beings, more interested in their isolation than interaction with others. Maybe Bree's analysis was correct — that I was a wraith, one with a lingering wish to stay in a metaphysical form even after death. Although I do not remember swearing revenge or anything like that in my admittedly fragmented memories.
"Maybe I'm not a spirit, then." I sulkily replied, huffing and pouting away as Frea stared on with a vaguely disgusted expression.
Considering that I looked like an Empyrean in their middle cycles, it was indeed a disgusting expression.
"... Alright, fine. I apologise if I hurt you."
"You didn't." I preen. "But it is nonetheless heartwarming to see you apologize without the words being forced out of your lips."
She flinched. "It's only because of—"
"Bree?" I guessed. She nodded, and I sighed. Always the troublemaker, that one. If he wasn't causing any trouble, then he would most likely be at the forge. Wherever that is. The only mention of a forge in the books of this tower was a relic of the Second Age. Perhaps that was the reason why he was so eager to get back during the last time we spoke? Maybe. Probably. I'd like to think that I know what Bree usually thinks about.
"If you think it's stupid, then go do it." I ventured, "Bree might scold you for it, but at least you can use it as an excuse for the two of you to spend time together."
"Now that's just going too far." Frea said with a frown, a sigh escaping my lips. Something to tell Bree in the future when he stops by, then. Whenever that would be. "I'm the one doing the most of the work in order to keep our relationship strong. He needs to do his share of the work as well."
"Who knows?" I replied with a shrug of my shoulders. "I don't have much experience with this. You'll probably have to work this out on your own."
Frea groaned, slamming her face onto the wooden table. "... Why did I ask you for advice when you're totally unqualified for this?"
"Because you started spilling everything out the moment I asked an innocent question." I said with the most obvious tone in the world. "Although it would have made me guilty if you went on that tirade and I would be unable to give any sort of advice."
"That would've fine", Frea whined, hands grasping for another book on the stack that I nudged in her direction. "No one asked you to dispense advice, and I'm not sure that you would be one with enough experience to do so in the first place."
Harsh. Nevertheless, it was the truth. I floated around to take a look at what Frea was currently reading, and saw the very visage of my tower drawn in print with elegant script.
Tall, with a branching structure made out of crystalline glass, colored with white, black, and gold. A symbol of opulence for whatever purpose, and a relic from... the First Age, apparently. Wow. "Who wrote this?"
"Me", Frea answered, snorting with furrowed brows, "And since we've been using the Rails ever since Bree discovered them during our escape from that Labyrinth, I've been compiling all information that I had on them. This was around two hundred years ago, I think. Relatively recent, but now showing its age."
"I've heard about the Rails before." Both of us knew where I heard it from. "Lifeblood of the Ethumerian Empire, right? Responsible for rapid communications and transportations all over its territory, with one almost guaranteed to be situated in every province."
Something clicked.
"Oh. Is the tower that I am in one of these Rails too?" I asked, only to be met by Frea biting her lip. I quickly flitted around her, waving my hand in front of her face, and she blinked to see my worried expression. "Ah, you're back. What were you thinking about?"
Frea didn't reply for at least a while, but when she did, she had that gleam in her eyes that shone whenever she got a new book from the stack. "Zorah, this may be a weird question, but... Do you know any places in the tower that seems to exude some kind of energy?"
"Well, there is a giant churning orb that's powering the place up ever since I woke up here." I answered, "Or maybe it's just been toiling away and my presence here woke it up from slumber. I didn't have much to go on."
Her hands twitched. I resumed leaning back to a safe distance just in case she wanted to launch herself at me once more. "And where is this 'orb' located?"
I pointed up, towards the archive's skylight, it's light reduced by panes of colored glass. Frea's eyes widened, mouth hanging open at the sight, before beginning to slam her head against the desk with greater frequency.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid...!"
I immediately tried to help her out of... whatever she's currently doing.