Gods From the Machine (22 page)

“
The way he looked and the dressed…do you think it could have been a Pailean knight?” Nick asked.

“
Matt’s description was odd. Since I wasn’t conscious at the time, it all seems more than odd. I can’t imagine anyone striking me as ‘wet warrior’ when I visited Pailo. Besides, that Garrison has no business in Glenhaven or Fyria. The location is too far in the east to even know about the problems we have here. I think it was all in his imagination, a compilation of the stress from fending off a horde of Hellbeasts.”

“
What about the fact that he blames himself for losing the sword?” Nick said.

Garreth blinked a few times.
“I’m sorry it fell into the wrong hands. If only I had repaired it before then it would be safely tucked behind the Garrison walls.”

“
It’s in the past. But something else bothers me. I thought demons couldn’t touch weapons imbued with holy magic, but I thought that only applied to it being used offensively. Last time I barely touched a piece and it nearly burned through my hands.”

“
A great whitesmith can forge a weapon based upon their level of skills. Perhaps Sir Marcus found a whitesmith capable of crafting a weapon with so much Orichalon that it could repel demons by mere touch,” Garreth said.

“
Then how do you explain the Hellbeasts that stole it? Shouldn’t it have warded them off as well?”

“
That I can’t answer. Even with my talents, I have never been able to create something like what you describe.”

“
I would think being related to one of the greatest archangels of our time would give you some exposure to a few famous whitesmiths,” Nick said.

“
So Alyssa told you. Gabriel’s no brother of mine. Not after what he did.”

“
Some say that it nearly drove you insane,” Nick said.

“
Emotions are difficult to predict because they can be controlled and manipulated. That’s why most Garrisons are very careful about who they allow into their forces. Demons can easily corrupt the weak-minded. But they have not been able to turn me,” Garreth said.

“
Doctor Numerous was a wise man as well. From what I know he was also a brilliant academic, just like you,” Nick said.

“
Yes, the similarities are uncanny.” Garreth put down his sword for the first time. “Everyone, no matter who you are, possesses a certain light and darkness inside of them. Sometimes if you’re unstable, it’s hard to distinguish what is supposed to be good or bad. Demons like to find knights at these crossroads, exploiting their vulnerabilities, and bringing out the worst in them to create fallen knights. What’s even worse is that these emotions eventually create a void in you. And you desperately search for some peace, or some way to ease the frustration and the isolation. You eventually turn your back on the people you once cared for and eventually lose sight of who you truly are.”

“
I’ve been trying to deal with some inner demons myself,” Nick said.

“
Is that why you’ve been hiding out in your room? Alyssa’s been worried about you. She’s wondering why she’s barely seen you the past couple of days. Would you care to elaborate?”

“
Just some personal issues I have to deal with on my own.”

“
Well, she waited up for you earlier.” Garreth picked up his sword went back to his routine. “She said if I happened to bump into you, to say she’d like to see you.”

Nick
cleaned his empty bowl and headed to her room.

Alyssa was sleeping quite peace
fully. It had been a tiring day, especially for him. Looking at her though, in her absolute perfection, made him feel a lot better. She stirred slightly. Nick didn’t want to disturb her now. He could talk to her in the morning. As he was about to leave, she spoke.

“
Stop…” she mumbled. Her expression was suddenly distraught. Her body tensed up as she grabbed the sheets with both her hands. “Help…somebody help! Help me!”

Nick didn
’t know how to react, except for reflexively rushing to her bedside.

“
Stay away from me!” she screamed, thrashing around. It looked like she was trying to lift this invisible weight in front of her as she struggled. “Help! Help!” She tossed and turned until her fear appeared to have finally peaked, and she shook herself awake. She leapt into his arms.

Nick held her tightly, cradling her head into his chest.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. Everything’s going to be fine, I’m right here,” he said softly. “You just had a bad dream.”

“
I-I couldn’t.” She sobbed incoherently. Nick brushed his hand through her tangled hair. Warm tears soaked through his shirt as she continued to cry while burying her face deeper into his chest. “I was so scared, Nick.”

“
Tell me what happened.” He rubbed her back gently and rocked her back and forth. “What did you see?”

“
I was so helpless,” Alyssa sniffed. “I couldn’t run. I couldn’t do anything. Only watch.”

“
Did you see demons?” Nick asked.

“
I don’t know. It was standing over me but I couldn’t see what it was.” She pulled her head back slightly, to look at him now. “That was the scariest part. I can’t even describe what it was. All I know was that something was trying to take me away from you, and no matter how much I struggled I couldn’t fight it.”

“
Whatever it was, it won’t get to you now. I’m here, and nothing’s going to take you. I’m going to get you a glass of water, okay?”

Alyssa grabbed his hand.
“No don’t. Don’t leave me alone right now. Please Nick.” She was absolutely terrified, trembling as she spoke. “I don’t want to be alone right now.”

“
It’ll just be a sec—”

“
No! Please Nick, I need you to stay right here with me.” Her eyes were puffy and red. She could start all over again if he left. Nick knew couldn’t bring himself to leave now.

“
Of course,” Nick said.

Alyssa pulled up the sheets and Nick climbed in with her.
“Promise you won’t leave.” She made herself comfortable on his arm as a pillow.

“
I promise.” Nick wrapped his arms around her waist. He could feel her heart pounding quickly against him.

“
I hate sleeping, Nick. I hate it so much,” Alyssa said softly. “The night terrors never seem to stop no matter how hard I try.”

Nick lay
perfectly still by her side waiting for her to drift back into sleep. It happened rather quickly, and soon her heartbeat returned to a normal pace. He didn’t want to move away now, in the chance that he would wake her, so he waited until morning. Before long, he drifted away.

He woke
the next day with her still in his arms. It was the most pleasant sleep he had in a while, and he felt refreshed. He stretched feeling back into his arms, which had gone numb through the night, trying his best not to move so much as to wake her, but it was too late.

Alyssa turned into him.
“You’re awake?” She rubbed her eyes. “What time is it?”

Nick g
lanced at the clock in the room. “It’s three in the afternoon. We slept almost half a day.”

Alyssa shrugged, wrapped snuggly in the blanket.
“Are you saying spending the night with me wasn’t productive?”

“
Actually, it was the best sleep I’ve had in a while.” Nick stood up. He yawned loudly as he reached for the ceiling.

“
Where are you going, mister?” Alyssa asked, still half asleep. “You’re not planning on leaving me are you?”

“
I’m going to make us some breakfast, err—lunch.” Nick couldn’t tell if she was really paying attention because she responded in a half sleep language which Nick took for consent, and he went to the kitchen. On the way he checked all the rooms and found that the loft was empty. Where could the others have gone?

Nick was too lazy to
make anything extravagant, and since breakfast was the least appetizing meal of the day, he decided to cook something simple. He settled in making waffles, eggs, and toast, the staples to a nutritious meal. After making enough for two equal portions, he distributed them onto separate plates and set them at the table. The sweet aroma from the cooking must have woken her up, as she was at the foot of the stairs just he finished pouring the last drops of orange juice into a cup.

“
Smells wonderful,” Alyssa said. She planted a quick kiss on Nick’s cheek. “My very own bed and breakfast. Remind me to give you a good tip later.” She took a seat at the circular dining table. She was quite happy, seemingly oblivious to the awkward conversation they had a couple days before. Or perhaps she wanted to continue on with their lives as if none of it ever happened. It was a welcome change, one Nick didn’t want to ruin by opening his mouth about the past.

“
I’m holding you to that.” Nick sat opposite her. They swallowed up the food hungrily, with every piece seemingly disappearing in a matter of minutes.

“
That was delicious.” Alyssa glanced around the empty room. “It’s pretty quiet around here. I wonder where everyone is.”

“
If I had to guess I think they’re doing recon. We should join them.”

“
Right. Give me a minute to get ready!” She went to her room, and came back changed into a white, sundress with a green ribbon in her hair to match her eyes.

Nick smiled.
“Let me grab my jacket.”

They went up and down the streets looking for any clues to the
“wet warrior” and found only dead ends. Every person they asked led to different areas of the city. Eventually they were led to the park that was adjacent to the Garreth’s building complex. From the numerous testimonies, there had been several sightings of a man who wore Pailean clothing standing suspiciously by the pond at various hours of the day. They could not pass up the smallest chance to finding a lead.

A
ccording to the big stone sign, the park was called Paradise Pond. It was a spacious area with a large, clear pond in the center. The place was crowded with people running with dogs on leashes, old folks on benches by the pond feeding the ducks, and kids playing on the swings and the sandbox. Alyssa and Nick walked hand in hand to a more secluded side of the park and sat on the grass in the shade of a giant willow. Its branches loomed over and touched the surface of the pond.

“
This seems like the most inconspicuous place to wait for this guy,” Alyssa said.

“
I’ve missed you.” Nick held her in his arms. “I’ve missed this. Listen, there’s a lot I want to say—”

Alyssa put a
finger to his lips. “Let’s enjoy what we have for what it is. The past is behind us now.” Her eyes lit up suddenly. “How about a reintroduction? Tell me a little about yourself—I mean the demon part of your life.”

“
Well, there’s an evil demon that occupies my body and occasionally we like to work together and kill other demons in order to keep the world from being enslaved. But on the plus side, I have a wonderful girlfriend to keep me sane.”

“
Yikes. So it’s kind of like being a coin that’s always flipped isn’t it? You never know when you’re good or bad,” Alyssa teased.

“
No one likes predictability. I guess you could say it’s kind of a quirk I have. Some might find it charming.”

Alyssa smiled.
“Your girlfriend must be real special to put up with that kind of charm.”

“
She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. It doesn’t scare you though? Knowing what you know about him?” Nick asked.

“
Quite the opposite. I was worried that I would have scared him.”

“
Why would he have any reason to be?”

“
I think playing with fate can have adverse effects on people. One day you think you’ve met the perfect person, but then it turns out that in the grand scheme of things, it was always meant to be,” Alyssa said.

“
Fate brings people together, but it doesn’t guarantee a happy ever after.”

Nick
leaned in and kissed her deeply. When their lips parted, she took in a deep breath, exhaling euphorically as the wind gently pushed through her hair. The natural atmosphere was exquisite, but no beauty could come close to matching hers. Like an intricate work of art, Nick could just sit there and watch her for hours.

“
I love this…it’s perfect,” Alyssa said. “Just living in the moment, you know? Something as simple as a day in the park is really all there is to it.”

Nick smiled at her.
“Serenity is all around us.”

Alyssa eyes closed her eyes, soaking everything in.
“It reminds me of my parents. Every weekend we’d have a little picnic in our backyard, and play games. We had a giant willow tree just like this one, and my dad had built a swing on it for me. At the end of every picnic, I’d swing on it until the sun went down. It was my favorite part of the week, just being with family.”