Hello, what's this? I said to myself. Surely not an Arbiter. And yet, there it was, shined to a perfect polish from constant use. Who would leave this laying around?
The Arbiter pulsed with a vague blue light that was just on the lower end of annoying. I looked deep into its processing core to find the usual owner's label. There was none. Holy credenza, an off-market Arbiter just laying around. This was a bigger find than Benji's Three-Quarter last week, which was the last piece we needed for the truck. This Arbiter was worth two trucks, at least. Its elegant curves meant it was a newer model, and its power pack would last for weeks on a single charge, barring heavy use. Oh, yes. This was worth a lot. I threw glances in every direction. Nothing. I scanned the ground for traps. Nothing. Slowly, I pivoted my head and looked up. Disintegrating in the air above me was a body, slowly revolving in an energy field and quickly being torn to pieces by sub-atomic forces.
I paused in horror.
I prayed for the soul of the body above.
I prayed for the soul of the body above.
I ran, never looking back. If Luck maintains a continuum like Father Jerrick teaches, such a huge disparity between that body and I would have to be quickly rectified. I ran from Luck like a beast pursued by hounds. I weaved through empty city blocks until I finally found the market. Tying the Arbiter around my midsection, I waited for a break in the foot traffic. Finding one, I plunged onward.
Three minutes and twenty feet later, I was on the other side of the market. I checked my stomach for the cold plasticine of the Arbiter. Thankfully, it was still there. I ran the rest of the way to the old Abbey. Father Jerrick was inside, his cloak full of holes and his boots laced high. He turned a hard face toward me.
"Maynard, what are you doing back so early?"
"Father, I found something."
"Show it to me, then, boy. And be quick about it."
"Inside, father?"
"Inside, father?"
The old man flicked his eyes at me and sighed. "No, Maynard. It isn't safe in there. Show it to me or forever lose your chance."
I pulled the Arbiter out and handed it to Father Jerrick. His eyes lit up and he laughed so loudly my ears hurt.
The doors to the old abbey opened and men in mechsuits poured out. The government operatives stopped when they saw what was in the old man's hands. Jerrick laughed even more loudly. "You think you can stop me?" he screamed. "Stop the hand of God!" With that, he released the Arbiter at the men. A single blade of blue light flashed from the Arbiter and it exploded in his hands, fragmenting into a hundred thousand shards of biting waspish pain. Jerrick perforated. The mechsuits melted. I screamed.
To this day, I carry a horrific disfiguration: down one side of my body, I pulse with a vague blue light that is just on the lower end of annoying, and I have the ability to kill Luck--whenever, wherever I see it.
Oh man, please tell me this isn't a standalone.
ReplyDeleteArbiter, huh? Interesting choice.
I don't believe what you said about speaking German. I think it's more like a learning curve.
Questions I have:
1) When is this set?
2) Where is this set?
3) Are "trucks" and "Arbiters" the same sorts of things of which I am thinking?
4) Is there special significance to the vague blue?
5) Is Father Jerrick good or bad (I know he's a complicated mix, but which way does the scale tip)?
6) Was Father Jerrick right about Luck?
7) Why did the Arbiter kill everyone but Maynard when Maynard was standing closer to Father Jerrick than the mechsuits were?
Anyway, I like that the Arbiter seems to work a bit like a complement of the Philosopher's Stone. I like the vague blue light that sort of cast a tint on everything in this piece. I like the voice of the narrator. I like the possible ramifications of the elements of this world. I like that it made me think.
1. Not now.
ReplyDelete2. Not here. (to really answer, I have no idea)
3. They might be. Trucks are trucks. I mean, not much thought in that one. I didn't want a fancy name. Arbiter . . . I was thinking a weapon? Or a weaponized factory tool? Something.
4. No.
5. I hope to high heaven he's bad, because I love an evil monk. I wrote him to be just plain confusing. I mean, he's like a man of the cloth, but he's killing dudes in his church, but the government might be evil . . .
6. Actually, this is the whole point (which I only now really discovered after re-reading, because I wrote this in a single go without really thinking the point through). You get to decide if being blessed as a living Arbiter is good or bad luck for the kid. If it is good, then Luck is not a continuum. If it is bad luck (I can think of a dozen reasons why) then Luck IS a continuum.
7. Maynard was standing to one side. I think that if you've weaponized a factory tool (which is what I'm leaning towards here) it is very unstable on the pointy end and the power end. But the sides? Why would it explode so much on the sides? So it shot and then blew up at the same time. So it both did its purpose (maybe a little too well) and then malfunctioned.
The reason why the men in mechsuits died is because they were supposed to.
I've never read the Philosopher's stone.
I might write more. I haven't decided. I haven't finished Sherlock. I like the name Maynard. I have no idea what the possible ramifications of this world are. I'm glad that it made you think.
So, basically, what you're saying is they're all questions I probably could have and should have answered myself? :-) I like the ambiguity in the answer about Luck. Rather profound, really. (Moth-lesson blah blah blah.)
ReplyDeleteIt's a thing in Harry Potter. It's a stone that resurrects people and only comes to those who "want to find it but not use it" thanks to Dumbledore's protection.
You should write ALL THE THINGS but especially Sherlock because that is my favorite. :-)
I'm glad it made me think, too. I like to think.
Oh, this definitely sucked me in. I like this set-up and what not. I hope this isn't standalone. FOR SURE.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I was going to make this a funny piece so I left "Holy credenza" in there because I like the sound of that as a curse word. HOWEVER it turned all moralizing and normal and now "credenza" sounds weird as all get out.
ReplyDeleteJanelle, you are making me like harry potter less and less lol. first cheesy spell names, now cheesy artifacts? I like cheese, but....not THAT much. Also, I'm pretty sure it's also a thing in Full Metal Alchemist, and it's used to create monsters.
ReplyDeleteThat, too, is brilliant. But don't go hating on the old HP until you try it. It IS . . . well, it's sort of children's literature, and you have to remember that, but at the same time, it has lots of great qualities and is great storytelling.
ReplyDeleteI really liked "Holy credenza." It's the sort of thing of which worlds are made.
(It starts as children's literature, then grows to young adult.)
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this, Robby. You write enough short things that I forget how good of a story teller you are.
Thanks!
ReplyDeleteToday I am feeling more like fleshing out this universe, so you may see more of it.
Sherlock will just . . . atrophy. Until I am ready for it.
NOW
TO THE KEYBOARD
WITH FORCE
TO WRITE MORE THINGS
Wait, did you say "atrophy"? Noooo!
ReplyDelete