CHAPTER NINE - SCRYER'S REMORSE

After a while of frolicking in the shallows, I can’t help but feel bored. Sure, this is nice, but as Anton and Catherine’s voices grow louder, I can’t help but wonder what they’re talking about. I walk over to them, and immediately Catherine takes notice.

“Look, Anton, your little friend has come to join us,” she says cheekily, squinting at me.

“‘Little’? Really?” I cross my arms and pout, “I’m not that short!”

“You’re like, what, five feet tall?”

“Five foot one, actually!” I correct her, standing up straight and puffing out my chest slightly.

“And that one inch is just so important to you now, isn’t it? Hmm, you’re not that short, actually. For a thirteen year old girl, that is!”

“Ugh! I’m not a thirteen year old girl! I’m nineteen! I’m a grown adult, and not even female to begin with!”

“‘Grown’, you say?”

“Stop making fun of me! It’s not like I can control how tall I am! You’re not even that much taller than me, so you have no right calling me short! The only one who can do that is Anton, but he’s way taller than the both of us, anyway…”

“Lighten up! I didn’t realize you were so sensitive. You do have a point, though, I’m only five foot three. Funnily enough, Anton used to make fun of my height too.”

“Huh, I guess we have more in common with each other than I thought,” I say half-jokingly, “But I think I’m a lot nicer than you are.”

“Well, of course we have a lot in common, Anton has—”

“This must be what they call déjà vu,” Anton interrupts hastily, “Again with people talking about me as though I’m not here. And vertically challenged people, at that. Fair weather down there?”

“Man, you’re such a drama queen,” I roll my eyes, “And you’re just confirming what we were saying by turning this into a short people joke! You’ll be the first out of all of us to be struck by lightning during a storm because you’re so damn TALL!”

“Then so be it. At least I am able to reach the top shelf.”

I stick out my tongue at him in response, and Catherine laughs.

“Anyway, Hong, why are you here? Did you need something?” He asks, the sun catching in his hair and making it shine like flax for a second. It barely moves in the wind and smells vaguely of Aqua Net Extra Super Hold. If it was anyone else I’d think it was pretty. I shake my head to clear my thoughts, already having thought of him for so long yesterday and not wanting him in my mind more than this.

“Um, I was just bored and wanted to know what you guys were talking about, I guess. But I don’t really care anymore. I’m gonna leave now.”

“Yes, please leave now. Catherine and I have quite the catching up to do still.”

“Wait, Anton, this is actually perfect!” Catherine exclaims, “If you don’t mind staying, Hong, I want you to try something out for me.”

Anton begins to object but before he can say anything she shoves her star-shaped device into my hands. I turn it over a few times to examine it. With the rounded corners and rainbow decal on the front side, it looks more like a toy than anything.

“Woah, what is it?” I raise an eyebrow, “A new game console?”

“No, not at all. It’s an Electronic Scrying Machine, or an e-Scryer for short. My dad’s company, Whitehall Labs, manufactures similar ones, but I’ve been looking to refine the divination experience. The older models are pretty clunky, and their readings aren’t always as accurate as we’d want them to be. The one you’re holding is one of my prototypes— there’s still a long way to go— but I’m hoping that these will soon be in every household, and every wannabe wiz-kid will be a formidable seer in time.”

“Wait, your dad owns Whitehall Labs? Like, the computer company?” I ask, my jaw nearly dropping to the floor as I turn to Anton, “Anton, how come you never told about this?! I mean, you literally dated Will Whitehall’s daughter! The guy who, like, invented home computers or whatever! If I were you, I’d be milking the crap out of that since it means Catherine’s practically a celebrity!”

“As I said earlier, that is irrelevant and has nothing to do with your lessons or who I am as a person in the grand scheme of things. There are very many things you don’t know about me simply because I’ve never felt it necessary to tell you,” Anton replies coolly, pushing his glasses up his nose (likely thinking he’s some charming anime character), “Anyway, don’t be charmed by Catherine’s electronic nonsense. She may be very gifted with technology, but machines and magic are two opposite ideals. Scrying is a sacred art that has existed long before the invention of machine, and will continue to exist long after the advent of technology has passed us by. Machines have no business replacing traditional methods of magic.”

“Anton, you Luddite,” Catherine sighs, rolling her eyes, “And I’ll bet you’re still using that old computer I gave you back when we graduated. You have no right to throw stones from your glass house.”

“It is not exactly the same thing,” Anton argues, “I use it for research, not divination. My electronic devices have no right to see into my future or know of my greatest hopes and fears. That is the way it has always been, and that is the way it should remain.”

“Paranoid as ever, I see… And you’re still so stuck in the past! I don’t get why people like you are so scared of technology. After all, it’s our future! In ten years, the looking-glass and crystal ball will be things of the past. More and more people are choosing to use electronic scrying machines very similar to the ones Whitehall Labs produces now,” Catherine states matter-of-factly, “Hong, just ignore him. I wanted you to try and get a reading for me since I haven’t been able to get it working on myself. If you’d test it out for me, it’s be a big help!”

“Umm, I guess I could try, but I don’t know how much I’d be able to help you out. Scrying is more Anton’s thing than mine. I’ve never been all that good at divination stuff,” my voice trails off as Anton walks to the shoreline. I guess he really doesn’t want to take any part in this.

“Don’t worry about that, this is something anyone can use. I suggested that Anton try it first, considering his talents, but of course he didn’t want to,” Catherine replies, “Even though this is a dream, as long as you’re here it would be awfully helpful if you could try to get a reading. Of anything, really! Doesn’t matter what.”

Even though I’m willing to help, I don’t exactly have high hopes about getting this thing to work. I have basically no experience in scrying, especially not with something like this. If the person who made it can’t get it working, why would it start working suddenly for me? I fiddle with the device awkwardly, unsure what to do.

“Before you start doing anything, you might want to turn it on first,” she smiles, pointing to the POWER button, “Otherwise, nothing will happen.”

Duh, of course, I think to myself as I press the power button on the back. The screen comes to life, the pixel-ly text saying WELCOME TO THE E-SCRYER 2.0 PROTOTYPE. Bell chimes similar to the ones I’d heard earlier begin to play. PLEASE LOCATE THE ANCHORS ON THE BACK AND PLACE THEM ON YOUR FOREHEAD.

“Anchors?”

“Oh, right. On the back there are some wires with suction cups attached. Those are the anchors. Put the suction cups around your temples. There’s four in total, so put two on each side of your head.”

I nod and pull the anchor wires out, pushing my bangs and side fringe back and affixing the suction cups to my forehead as she said. I probably look a bit silly with these things sticking to my head…

“Now what?”

“This is the fun part! So, what you’ll do is press those two buttons on the bottom part of the device at the same time. Hold them down and think deeply of something you’d like to have knowledge of. Could be the future, could be anything, really, your mind is the limit here.”

My mind is the limit, I think to myself, closing my eyes, Seeing into the future is so cliché, but can I really think of anything better to do? I try to clear my mind in order to get a good reading, but all of a sudden there’s a huge commotion behind me. I’m startled as the sounds of loud roaring and screaming fill the air, and I nearly drop the e-Scryer to the ground! I quickly unanchor myself and turn towards the source of the noise.

“What’s going on?!” Catherine shouts, turning to face the noise as well.

A good few feet away, there’s a HUGE dragon that’s decided to land on the beach! Tim, Maggie, and Anton are running to us, all panicking.

“Stand back, everyone!” Maggie commands, her voice trembling slightly, “This is where my powers come into play! I’ll save you!”

She quickly runs a big circle around us, her hands glowing with brilliant blue. With that, once she’s ran all the way around us, we’re encompassed by a glittering forcefield the same blue color as her magic.

“If you stay in here, you’ll be protected by my impenetrable shield! So don’t move a muscle unless you wanna be dragon food! I’ll be right back to deal with this thing!”

She runs off, waving her hands at the dragon; it’s pure white and shimmery under the hot sun, and it’s at least ten times the size she is! She’s so small! Will she be able to defeat this thing on her own?

We all look on anxiously as her magic uselessly bounces off the dragon’s armored scales. It lands in the sand all around us and bounces off her forcefield. It’s still headed right towards us, and it’s looking like Maggie definitely won’t be able to deal with this awful thing all by herself. I’m more scared than anything, but at this moment I’m overcome with a strong urge to get out there and save her. I can’t just sit here and watch her get hurt, and if I don’t do anything, who will? And if that dragon comes any closer, then we’re all gonna be toast!

“I have to go help her,” I say, taking a deep breath and swallowing my fear.

I go to take a step out of the forcefield, but I feel a large hand grab my arm and pull me backwards into it. It’s Anton’s.

“Let me go!” I shout, grabbing his hand and frantically trying to pry it off of me, “Do you want me to bite you again?!”

“I know you won’t, your threats are empty. I am not letting you leave,” he replies. Does he really think I’ll listen to him? Does he really think I’m just going to stay put in the face of danger?!

“But Maggie’s… She can’t do it on her own! Look at her! She needs my help to kill this dragon!”

“Are you an idiot?!” He exclaims, his tone growing more anxious once he realizes I’m being serious, “There’s no way you could defeat such a terrible beast! If Maggie’s powers are unable to neutralize it, then…”

Tim and Catherine are both looking at us, terror in their eyes. They’re frightened, which is why I must do this. I must protect everyone here, not just Maggie.

“I can’t just stand here and watch! She needs me right now! So let me go!!”

“I will not! You’re staying put! Risking your safety for someone you’ve known for but a few hours… We still are unaware of her true motives, and—”

“So what?!” I reply exasperatedly, trying to wriggle free of Anton’s grasp in a way reminiscent of before, “So what if you don’t trust her?! She’s still in danger! You can stay here, but I’m going to be a hero! Because, after all, once it gets her, what’s stopping it from getting us next?”

His grip loosens slightly.

“This is a dream, and I don’t know what’ll happen if I get hurt by this thing. But I’m willing to risk the very worst for all of us, not just Maggie!”

“Always so noble,” he murmurs under his breath, “I suppose I can’t stop you, can I? I really have learned nothing. Go on, then. We shall see what happens. You only have yourself to blame for what transpires next.”

He lets go reluctantly and I rush out of the forcefield to Maggie’s aid. The sandy terrain is difficult to run quickly in, even with bare feet, and before I can get to her the dragon’s huge footsteps shake the ground and she loses her footing. She falls backwards, landing hardly on the sand.

“HONG!” She shrieks, noticing me clumsily rushing towards her, “I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

“I’m here to help you!” I reply valiantly, offering my hand to help her back up, “I’ve got this!”

“But you’ll get yourself hurt! J-Just let me handle it, okay?!” She takes my hand anyway, and stands back up shakily.

“I can’t just sit here and watch you struggle! Now if you’ll excuse me…” I tear the bandages from my arm to let my feathers free, tossing them to the wind, “I’ve got a dragon to slay!”

I leap into the air, the dragon’s fearsome gaze locked onto me. Down from the beach, Maggie is screaming at me to come back, and everyone in the forcefield is freaking out too. I know I’m making the right decision– of course I am– even if everyone thinks I’m crazy right now. I’ll let them think I’m crazy. They won’t be cursing my name anymore once this stupid dragon’s taken care of!

And speaking of that dragon, its steely reptile gaze is locked onto me. It grunts angrily, snorting out a whiteish-looking powder. Almost like… snow? No. My eyes must be tricking me. What kind of a dragon breathes snow instead of fire and smoke?

“HEY, YOU BIG STUPID LIZARD!” I shout, flying a circle around its head, “CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, HAHAHA!!!!”

It groans in frustration as its head can’t swivel around fast enough to keep track of me. Though it’s fun to mess with it a bit, it’s time to start coming up with a plan to defeat it. I fly up way high in the sky, so far that I can barely see the beach below. The dragon spreads its huge wings and leaps into the air after me, that white powder stuff still coming out its nose when it exhales.

“GONNA BREATHE SOME FIRE AND BRIMSTONE AT ME? HUH?” I jeer, “‘COS IF YOU DO, IT’S NOT GONNA WORK ON ME SINCE I HAVE FIRE POWERS TOO!!”

Which is true, by the way, I’m completely invulnerable to fire due to my pyrokinesis! …But, now that I think of it, that means this dragon’s probably invulnerable to my magic too. I continue flying fastly around it to bide time while I continue with my planning. This enrages the dragon, and it opens its mouth. I quickly dodge as it sends a flurry of cold air and sharp, daggerlike ice crystals my way.

Huh, I think to myself, watching the ice turn to snowflakes and fall to the sea, An ice dragon? It almost seems too convenient, but hey, this is a dream, after all! Anything can happen! With my fire magic I’d be able to melt it into a puddle pretty quickly, granted it works here… Though it seems easy in my head, I must avoid getting hit by the dragon’s icy breath while fighting it. My powers are weakened when I’m exposed to the cold, and since this dragon is so huge I worry about it turning this sunny day into a full-on blizzard with just a few more breaths! I’ve gotta be quick with this if I’m to save the day!

As I fly about and the dragon continues to breathe its ice breath at me, I focus on summoning huge balls of fire with my hands. I can feel the tips of my fingers begin to spark with that familiar heat feeling, and as I concentrate, that heat feeling begins to spread to my palms and wrists. I glance at my hands, and they’re engulfed in red flame. Yes! My powers do work here! While I’m distracted looking at my hands, though, I feel a giant icicle nearly clip the side of my head. It misses, but the coldness gives me goosebumps all over and the flames disappear for a second.

“DAMNIT!” I scream, frustrated and shivering.

I mustn’t get distracted again! I must keep my eyes on this dragon, it’s smarter than I thought. I focus again, and the flames return. Once I’ve reached the front side of the dragon, I throw the fire balls I’ve summoned at its face. It manages to avoid getting hit directly by flying away, but the fire catches the edge of its right wing. Not exactly the target I was aiming for, but the wing is starting to melt and leak water. The dragon lets out a horrible shriek that deafens me for a few seconds, I screw my eyes shut to cope with the noise. While I’m off-guard, the dragon shoots millions of ice crystals at me with its breath. A stabbing coldness begins to spread through my entire body. It hurts! It hurts worse than anything I’d ever felt before, and I feel my feathers retract as I fall out of the sky and onto the sandy floor below.

I hit the ground and lie there uselessly, winded and frozen, as Anton runs out of the forcefield to me. Although I’m nowhere near the e-Scryer, in my mind’s eye I catch a glimpse of it from here, and on its screen there is an image of an oddly familiar looking woman with white hair and celestial-themed makeup laughing wickedly.