Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

 

Wade and the professor walked out of Malick’s building without saying a word to one another. Wade walked quietly clenching the letter in his hand as his eyes scanned over it. The Professor attempted to get a look at it out of curiosity alone. Wade quickly put the letter away once he caught the Professor.

“Sorry mate, not for wandering eyes,” Wade said still with a solemn look on his face.

“Besides it is a boring document at that, you’ve got something more interesting to discuss I assume,”

The professor could see that Wade was trying to change the subject. His face gave the look of a man being deeply troubled. However, the professor knew attempting to pry would only make Wade annoyed.

“Do you know who Robert Blunt is Wade?” asked the professor. Wade’s seemed taken off guard by the question.

“Sorry professor, politics have never really been my thing, I know he is some noble but that’s all I know.”

“Yes he is a noble but he wasn’t always one. He started out as a commoner in a low Candent family. But he, somehow, broke out of his social class and into the nobility of Candent. He is the first of the house of Blunt. I don’t know much about him but I know the rumors say he is ruthless,”

“Ha, sounds like a person I’d like to meet. Don’t know why you look so worried,” Wade’s demeanor had returned to normal and his face had finally lighted up.

“To say the least Wade, Sir Robert Blunt is a man I do not wish to be on the wrong side of. However, if he really found the core then I have to meet him. It is something I’ve been looking for my whole life,”

“You’ve got me a disadvantage Professor. What is this core?” said Wade with an inquisitive look on his face.

“Well I don’t even know where to begin with describing it. The very concept of it alone would take an entire class at the university to grasp the very basics. I am sorry my boy but I would be like teaching you another language without knowing your own. Or trying to fly without the wings of a bird. Or teaching a man without arms how to fence. Simply and utterly impossib…” the professor was halted when Wade grabbed him by the shoulder.

“Why not try and give me the abridged version then mate. If that is possible for you.” said Wade as he let go of the professor’s shoulder.

“Right, very well then. Think of it like this. The world has been around for seemingly countless of millennia. However there is strong evidence to support that the world didn’t have magic until two thousand years ago. Whatever was the source of the force we now call magic is unknown. Humanity didn’t keep written records back then. This has led those in my field to support the “Core” theory.” said the professor while the men continued their walk.

“So this core theory is about the origin of magic?”

“Much more then that Wade. Magic, Script, constructed body part, charms, and even arguably the source of human intelligence is all linked to the Core. If the theory is right a large concentration of magic was brought into the world and then release in a powerful explosion.” said the professor.

“Seems that Sir Blunt has himself quite the find Professor,” said Wade as him and the professor began walking in the middle of town.

“Yes, quite the find. It has the potential to change the world as we know it…..” the professor stopped and began scanning the buildings around him.

“Something wrong professor?” said Wade as he stopped next to him.

“Yes just…” The professor took a pause. “Just that… I don’t have a place to stay. It just hit me that I don’t have any resistance on this island.” Wade stopped and gave a small chuckle. He was stood in front of the professor and placed his hand on his shoulder.

“You are staying with me my friend. Well to be exact you will be staying with my mother and her husband.” Wade said with a smile on his face “Come with me my friend.”

 “Are you sure?” said the professor.

“Yes of course. You wouldn’t even be on this island if it wasn’t for me.” said Wade.

“Ok my good sir. I thank you for your hospitality.” The professor followed Wade to the center of town. The sun started to set and the houses around them light up with an orange hue. Dull light hung over them as their boots made impressions in the sand. The sound of waves coming in from the beach flooded the night air. The two men walked up to a tall white tower. The white concrete of the tower contrasted with its dark red top. Glass panels stood in rows shimming in the moon like. Looking down on the men as a watchful protector. The rough dark grey tiles jutted downward on both sides until they joined at the top. The flickering of the lighthouse fire could be seen through the glass with a weak, exhausted hue. Wade placed a shoe on one of the steps leading up to the building and lended on it towards the door.

“Here is the place. What I call home for the time being.” said Wade as he lend on his leg.

“It's a Light House? Surprising old too. It looks like it might be the oldest building I’ve seen so far.” the professor stated as he walked up to Wade.

“Oh trust me. It is the oldest building on Cleave. Come in and meet the family,” the two men climbed the steps of the building. The wood bent and cracked with each step. Chills ran down the professor’s back as the men climbed up hire. They eventually reached the tall wooden door. The professor looked over it with its long running splintered wood. The tracks in the door looked like small snakey hands that stretched out to touch each other by the finger tips. Wade reached forward and grasped the doorknob. The sound of the rusted door sent waves door the professor’s spin. The knob itself was old and brass, rust had formed on it to take away its color. Much of the lighthouse was lacked in color in the same way. It felt muted, even the air lost its hue around the building.

Once the door was open the only thing in site was a poorly lit staircase. Touches sat on the walls running along the staircase but the oils in them had been clearly running low. Wade lead the way up the steps with the professor following him meekly. The creaking of the earlier steps had joined them as they climb the stairs.

“How do you live in such a place? It must be difficult at night with all this noise we are making by simply walking,” said the professor as the men walked.

“Oh no it’s actually very homely once you get use to it my friend. Just wait till we get till we get inside,” said Wade patting the professor on the back in reassurance. The men climb for no more than a minute when they reached their destination. A wooden like door much the one that sat at the entrance to the building. Wade turned the handle and open the door as a flood of light poured into the bleak hallway and much to the professor’s surprise the room they walked into was extremely lovely. The scent of freshly made bread filled the air and warmed the professor’s body. Before him sat a dusk man with snow white hair formed into low dreads running down his back. A pair of glasses sat on his nose as his fingers passionately ran up and down the words in the book he was reading. He looked up from his book and towards the professor and Wade.

“Well you’ve finally made it back huh Wade? How long were you at sea?” he said. Rows of wrinkles pressed together on his brow as he looked up from the book. He closed it and a smile spread across his face like that of a gently soul. He stood up and walked over to Wade and the professor.

“Well hello Professor Franc, it is an honor meeting you. My name is Ptolemy, I hope you travels here weren’t too difficult,” Ptolemy said as he presented his hand for the professor to shake. He noticed that Ptolemy’s hair wasn’t white but silver. It glinted in the light of the cabin and helped illustrate his equally as silver eyes. Between his silver eyes and Wade’s blue eyes these men stood out among then typical Dusk men.

“Yes, we made it here safe enough thank you for asking sir. Excuse me but I must know, how do you already know my name?”

“Why I am a fan of your work professor. I am also interested in the study of the magical field. Your work on deciphering agent precursor languages has helped me make progress in my own field. I am highly grateful to you,” Ptolemy said with a smile forming on his face.

“Oh, are you a researcher yourself?” the professor asked feeling his curiosity spark within him.  

“Think of him as my gloried assistant,” said a female voice from another room. Heavy steps could be heard coming from outside the room. The pounded with a bold determination but stepped off with a skillful gentleness. The professor’s eyes widened when he saw the women that these steps belonged to. Her build was tall and slender like that of a reed. She had raven black air with the skin tone to match and eyes made of onyx. Her hair bounced with the graces of nobility as she walked each black lock flowed over the other with gently. However, none of these were her defining features. Both her armes and her legs were made from constructed material. The metal ingrained with similar signs as the man from the ship, Mozi, however her’s were more balanced and precise. Mozi’s arm was strong built like a machine of war. Almost like a metal slab. Her arms and legs glided across the room with determine and grace. Almost like nobility made human.

“Welcome to our home Professor,” she said with calm and soothing voice.

“I am Wade’s mother, Calypso. I deeply apologize for any hard ships you’ve experienced on your way to this island. And I absolutely apologize for that brute Malick. He isn’t as welcoming as many on this island feel he should be,” she said with a sincere small on her face. Franc was confused on how could she have possibly known that he spoke with Malick. However there other questions to ask at this point in time.

“So, does that make you Wade’s father?” Asked Franc as he turned to Ptolemy. A sense of seriousness filled the room as these words left the professor’s mouth. Ptolemy stood running his hand through his braids.

“See that is actually a complicated subject,”

“No, he isn’t,” Wade interjected before Ptolemy could finish his sentence. “My father is Black Edward Hawkins, never forget that professor,” Wade said as the tension grew with each word. Wade had become rigged the instant these words left the professor’s mouth. The professor began to grow uneasy and wanted for nothing more than for someone else to say something.

“Well let us eat for the night! Professor you will be staying her after all, you will of course enjoy the meals we prepare every night,” Franc breath a sigh of relief. For now, he had a way out of the situation.   

“Yes, I would love to dine with you tonight! Please let me see what you have prepare!” Franc said as Wade’s mother took him by the arm and led him out the room. The professor looked back as Wade and Ptolemy began to speak to one another. Wade appear to be rubbing his brow from frustration.

The professor lad in his bed thinking of the positively massive diner he just consumed. Large portions is an understatement when eating with Wade’s family apparently. He sat and thought about how different his life is now. And whether there will ever be a semblance of normality given back to it. He sat up and decided to walk along the outer ramp of the light house. The hallway outside his room was shrouded in shadow. Before him not a sing beam of light could be seen but he was able to feel his way to the door leading to the ramp. Once outside the bright moon light up the sky as a thousand stars danced before him. Professor stepped out onto the ramp and took in the sweet scent of the night sea. He had never seen the sky so clear before in his life. At that moment, he indeed felt like he could get use to this life.

“Going on a late night walk?” said a voice on the other side of the light house. Franc rushed to meet the new person only to discover that it was Wade.

“Ha, you caught me off guard Mr. Hawkins,” said the Professor smiling for a quick second. However, after seeing Wade’s face come into view with the light of the moon lighting half of it he remembered the tension built just hours ago by his question.

“I apologize for my question earlier. I didn’t mean to make things awkward”

“HA! No worry my friend things are all fine. You had very little understanding of my parentage I guess. Just remember what they said at my ‘execution’ was indeed true. I am the son of Black Edward Hawkins,” replied Wade with the return of his classic smile.

The two men stood there for a while in silence with nothing but the sound for sea all around them as waves crashed against the light house. The moon hanged in the sky light a brilliant beacon. The night seemed to dance around them as the winds blow and the waves crashed.

“The world is a glorious place,” said Wade after a moment. “That has always been my moto for as long as I can remember Professor.”

“What do you mean by that?” Franc asked with a look of curiosity growing on his face.

“I mean think about it. Just a few months ago you were an established professor teaching the next wave of magic users without ever being in so much as a fist fight. Now you’ve successfully escaped from prison with the aid of a famous pirate’s son. Survived a battle with the royal navy that would have killed a normal man like you. And now you are going on the archeological dig of your dreams. And to me it’s things like that being possible that makes life so exciting,” Wade said as he stared out into the night sky with the stars and the moon reflecting their light off his eyes.

“But at the cost of one of my favorite students Mr. Hawkins,” said the professor in slight bewilderment.

“Professor, life is a journey. And on journey’s people die,” as those words left Wade’s mouth the professor’s hand formed into a fist. He walked over to Wade fully prepared to much him.

“But don’t fret professor, your journey isn’t over yet. And as long as your journey, your story, continues. Neither does hers,” the professor stopped as the words left Wade’s mouth. He glared at him for a while and turned around.

“Good night captain,” he said as he left to return to his room.

“Good night Professor,” Wade said as Franc slammed the door behind him. Wade stood there for a short while afterword’s and continued looking out at the night sky.

“What kind of story will we forge for ourselves in this world?”