The Catalyst
Chapter Seven
I clasped the handle of my grandmother’s bedroom door and quickly twisted the knob, anxious and excited flutters dancing in my stomach. The chance to explore the cities outside this tower and forest was driving me on, perhaps causing me to be a bit jumpy. Seeing as once I entered the room and saw Caleb lying on the bed, my body seemed to leap in itself.
“What are you doing here!?”
Even from the threshold I could make out his wry smirk, as he calmly flexed his foot with an impatient rhythm. Despite my irritated question, he continued his same movements as though I hadn’t even appeared.
I narrowed my eyes at him and with firmly placed steps I walked over to the bedside.
“Caleb, why are you here?”
“Jade…” his closed eyes opened suddenly, flooding violet into my view “…did you know, that piece of clothing is rather thin in the sun’s light?” His gaze slid over to look at me.
I felt strong flares of heat all over my face, and then all through my body, at the idea of Caleb being able to see my underwear. I crossed my arms tightly across my chest. “It’s not supposed to be worn this way…I-I was in a hurry this morning.” I kept my face turned from his, while I tried to control the blush tinting my cheeks.
As I felt the heat subsiding, I dropped my arms and quickly turned back to face Caleb. I opened my mouth to speak but instead of words I found my lips molded against Caleb’s and the warmth I had once pushed away came rushing back with more force. His hands moved to my hips and tried to gently pull me down with him, but, a little against some part of my wishes, I broke myself off from the kiss and stepped back to turn away.
“So touchy.” He chuckled behind me.
I scoffed. “I wouldn’t be so…touchy...if you would stop being such a…a…”I groped about for a word, my mind still kind of jumbled. Then, with an irritated groan, “...a depraved, egotistical creep!”
He laughed again, a little louder than before, and with a light tap I heard his shoes fall against the floorboards. I tightly bit the inside of my lip and spun around to face him with my hands resting on my hips.
“Yes, yes. I apologize.” His smile glistened; he was clearly trying to turn on the charm. A strong, seemingly innocent hand was then held out to me. “Peace?”
I raised a brow at the gesture and stepped forward. Slowly, I lifted my hand to his, but just as we went to grasp one another, I moved my hand in orbit around his and as quickly as I could I flicked his forehead playfully.
I grinned in mocking triumph at his shocked expression. “There doesn’t seem to be any peace with you.” A small giggle escaped at my own comment. I then sighed with exhaustion as the events prior returned to the forefront of my mind. “Anyway, you should get going now. I have to finish getting ready.”
“Ready? For what?” He questioned as I shooed him to the open balcony.
“The Immortal is bringing me to one of the cities so that I can finally get some food…and other quite needed supplies as well.” I tacked on that last part, remembering where I was and that I only showed up with the clothes on my back.
“HA, that will certainly be a show.”
“Why?” I paused at the rails as Caleb stood nimbly atop them.
A bright violet eye looked at me from the side. “You’ll find out soon enough.” He jumped from the rails with that stupid smirk playing on his features.
I watched him land gently on the brown land surrounding the tower’s walls. “A show? Why would it be that interesting to see us in town?”
It’s not that the idea didn’t seem a bit peculiar; the Immortal is a legend. A great person, shrouded in mystery. “But…” I stopped my movements as the doors of the balcony shut with a light thump. “What on earth does Caleb mean?”
After a few seconds I shook my head and ran my hands swiftly against my face. “Stop worrying. I better just get ready… I’m sure the Immortal will already be waiting.”
I moved over to the side of the bed and grabbed the rest of my clothing. I slipped into the outer half and laced the second set of ribbons in the back of my dress, as well as the cords for my sleeves. I did like the dress, especially since grandmother had made it for me for my 17th birthday last year. “I should try and get some more cloth in order to create some of my own, I miss making clothes. Not to mention I simply can’t continue to wear the same thing every day.” I smoothed out the fabrics and pulled my shoes on as I headed toward the door.
“Shoot…” I looked at the blackness and tried to remember the way to the crossroads at the Immortal’s hallway.
“Lost?”
The Immortal’s voice came from beside me and I swatted at his chest for startling me. “Why do you do that?”
As he walked from the doorway, leading me through the dark, I saw his shoulders shrug briefly. “Because I can.”
“UGH!” I growled at him but followed his figure through the corridors until we again passed by the long hallway leading to his large, antique bedroom. For a moment I caught myself wandering towards it again with brimming inquisitive tenacity, but stopped after a hard smack in the face from running into the Immortal’s back. “OW!”
I heard his voice echo a laugh at my ignorance. “You did that one purpose.” I grumbled.
“Perhaps it is you doing this on purpose.”
I scoffed at his response. Luckily once we reached the last staircase I knew we were close to getting outside and into the light. A smile slid onto my face at the memory of warm sunlight gracing my skin again.
“Step back a bit, the doors send in a strong rush of air when opened.”
I looked at the two large double doors I had opened when I first arrived. “I don’t remember that?”
“You weren’t on this side of the doors.”
I shrugged with a careless sigh and stepped away from the exit. There were times I could make out subtle shadows of the Immortal as he stood by the doorway. A sudden bright red colored light illuminated the hall for a second at most and quietly settled in the area between the Immortal’s hand and the doors.
“What’s that?” I stepped closer, but he didn’t reply.
The doors pulled open, bringing with them a huge gust of winds that sucked into the lobby like a vacuum. I shielded my face, but through the slit of my held up arms I saw the Immortal standing perfectly still while the air rushed past him, blowing his long black hair and clothes.
When the current died down I moved over to where the Immortal was standing. “Immortal?”
He blinked a few times, as though he were regaining his senses. His black eyes turned to me. “Yes?”
“Uh, are you alright?” I resisted the urge to place my hand on his arm as a form of comfort.
“Of course. Come on, we have a stop to make before we begin heading out.”
I pulled back in confusion. “A stop?”
“Yes, there is something we must retrieve before making the journey.”
“Journey? How long will it take to get there, exactly?”
“With your pace, it will be around five days.”
“Five days!? Wait, my pace? What is that supposed to mean?” I ran to continue walking beside him as we began crossing the barren grounds surrounding the tower.
“Normally I could reach the city within two days time, but with you it will take longer. Although, since you are more athletic than a normal human, I cut down the general eight day hike to five.”
“Eight! Just how large is this forest anyway?”
“Quite enormous, but I have never invested time in discerning the approximate size.”
“No, can’t imagine you’d ever take the trouble to.” I derisively mumbled as my arms crossed.
We kept silent for the nearly 40 minute walk into the woods, until a large brick-like building started to appear in the trees. “What’s that?”
“A stable. Autumn takes care of it for me.”
“A stable…? You have horses here?”
“Sure, horses are needed at times, and you’ll definitely need one.”
“And why’s that?”
“Would you rather carry everything you get in town?”
“Well…no.”
“Then you’ll be needing a horse. There are several in the stalls, however I have a specific one in mind for you.”
“Oh…what kind of horse?”
“I have no idea; I have no expertise on horses. Autumn may know.”
“Right, Autumn.” I slowed my pace in thought as we reached a side door for the stable. “How do you know her again?”
We stepped into the large and very clean stable where a few small grunts and whinnies escaped from the alerted horses. He declined to answer and walked down the hay laid path between the stalls. His feet stopped in front of one of the larger containers.
I jogged over to the wooden door, though I wasn’t quite tall enough to see over it, the thing was very large. “Geez, just how big is this horse?”
A large bang against the door startled me and I stepped back.
“The blockade isn’t necessarily for height or girth…rather, temper.”
“You’re going to give me, a fairly inexperienced rider, a temperamental and somewhat large horse…let me guess, a male?”
“Yes.” He removed the three sets of chain restraints from the door.
“Wait just a second young man, what exactly do you think you’re doing?” Autumn’s youthful and angry voice erupted from the opened side door of the stable.
The Immortal dropped his hands.
“Autumn, why are you here?” I moved from behind the Immortal and walked towards her.
“Ah, Jade. I see you found your way just fine.” She smiled happily and then turned back her heated glare on the Immortal.
“You know that he is not a tame creature, and this last year has not lowered that in the least.”
“He’s not for me, Autumn.”
“You can’t possibly be suggesting that Jade ride him, he’s far too wild and furious.”
“She doesn’t have to ride him; he shall be for transporting goods only.”
“And what makes you think he’ll comply with that so willingly?”
“Uh, well…” The Immortal looked away from Autumn. I had never seen him at a loss for words like that, especially in front of one so young.
“You think that he’ll miraculously take to her and calm down?”
“Actually, yes.”
“How reckless… can’t you ever do something that doesn’t endanger lives?”
“Don’t worry Autumn; I’m sure things will be fine. And if not, it’s only a few days.”
“Right…more like ten…” I mumbled under my breath.
Autumn placed a small hand in my own; it shocked me that she was so suddenly next to us, and not shouting by the threshold. “It’ll be fine Jade, the trip should be a nice change from the tower.” Her innocent smile glowed up at me.
“Uh, thanks.”
The Immortal pulled open the stall door, I stepped back mostly due to the tugs from Autumn. She left my side and went into the pen with the Immortal, the loud bangs and neighs increased.
I moved around the edge of the wooden door and abruptly came face to face with a perfectly pure white horse with the bluest eyes I have ever seen. Warm air rushed from his nostrils at my sudden appearance, as though he scoffed at me.
I stepped into the stall and stood next to Autumn. “Those are blue eyes, horses don’t have blue eyes…they have black eyes, maybe brown…not blue…”
Autumn nodded at my confusion. “Yes, he does. Beautiful, aren’t they?”
I moved closer to him, his coat was whiter than anything I’d seen but his mane and tail were a warm brown or almost deep auburn. I reached out to touch him, but the Immortal stopped my progress.
“Don’t trust him simply because he’s quiet for a moment.”
“But he seems fine, just nervous…a little agitated.”
“Jade, don’t trust him. He’s killed before.”
“He’s a horse, Immortal.”
“And being purposely kicked by a horse can kill you.”
I sighed with frustration. “If you are so against him, then why bring him with us?”
“Because, he needs some air. We have had him in this stable for a year now and he needs to move around.”
“A year!? Gosh, why can’t you just let him out once in a while?”
“He was found wandering in Talen over a year ago and Autumn brought him here. He was confused, ill, and severely injured. He has been recuperating in this stable since.”
“I wonder what happened to him.”
“We don’t know really, nor have we tried much to discover it.”
“How come?”
“He simply won’t let us.” Autumn mentioned as she started leaving the stall, heading back into the forest.
“Immortal, when shall we get going?” He handed me a deep green cloak, I took it gently and found that it was rather heavy but also thin in its own way. “What’s this for?”
“Warmth and also to keep yourself hidden, once we enter town you’re to make sure that you never remove the cloak.”
I wrapped it around my shoulders and fastened the few buckles at the front. “Why not?”
“People here aren’t accustomed to new comers. Especially ones that look like you.”
“Look like me? Why should my appearance matter?”
“The inhabitants of this world are generally fairly…plain, in appearance. You would stand out greatly and draw unwanted attention. Just make sure to keep your head covered.”
“Uh, alright.” I tugged at the buckle as I mumbled, “don’t really know whether that’s a compliment or an insult.”
The Immortal seemed to ignore me and simply finished getting the horse ready to leave, and just before we left the stall he placed the reins in my hands. “You’ll lead him. If he stops for whatever reason let him go and wait until he returns.”
“Sure, but why?”
“Food, bathing, bathroom…essentially anything that he needs, he does on his own.”
“He’s a horse, though.”
“I know.”
We walked out of the stable slowly and began our journey through Talen.
“Oh, what’s his name?” I had nearly forgotten to ask with all the insanity going on.
“Orion.”
