An Unlikely Friend. part 1

Chapter 15: Taunting

Nero

Nero finally slows down from a run with a heavy heart and the memories of the dream still clinging to him. The streets are virtually empty at this hour of the morning as he walks towards the park.

Just when I thought I had a friend, I'm ditched again... He reaches the park and wanders along the empty paths with his head down. A fall breeze rustles the leaves in the trees. This might be a good place to die. Maybe they would think about me then.

You don't mean that.

Nero looks around. Maybe I do.

Then you're being stupid.

Jeeze… He throws up his hands. I’m going crazy and my imaginary friend isn’t even nice to me. “Why don’t you keep your comments to yourself?”

Fine...

Nero shakes his head and starts to walk vigorously. When will anything good ever happen to me? Just out of the corner of his eye and behind a thick clump of trees, he sees a strange light. Again? This is the third time I've seen it here...

He runs over to the trees and sees a violet colored entity, similar to the one in the back of Fae's house but darker in color; orange, red, and yellow light swirls from within. He tentatively walks towards it and it slowly moves away. Well at least it’s not attacking me like the green one in the mountains.

Nero shifts his perspective to see Aether and instantly he is overwhelmed by an intense energy. Wow it must be strong! Maybe I can absorb this one!

Nero lunges after the Entity and it dodges him easily, zipping off behind some trees. He runs after it, chasing it around obstacles and through sections of thick growth. He comes close to touching it a few times, but he is always a fingernail's length away. He catches his foot under a large root and comes crashing down. He lies on his back without moving. I can't do anything right! Before he knows it tears are welling up in his eyes and he starts to sob. I'll always be alone...

After his tears run out and his head starts to hurt from resting on a rock, he uncovers his face. The Entity, which is now a lighter violet with less swirling light coruscating from its core, is just off to the side, within reach. He slowly reaches out for it and feels a tingling warmth, but not the same surge of power he felt when he was at the hideout with the canisters. The Entity dissipates into nothing.

Did I absorb it? Nero looks at his arm and when he shifts his perspective, it looks exactly the same. Still nothing... but what the heck happened and why did it come to me? He jumps up. Maybe Sosimo will know.

*****

Later that day, Nero hides around a corner as Iona and the other children leave the training room. When Sosimo is alone, he pops out.

“Hi Sosimo. Can I ask you a question?”

“Oh course.” Sosimo pulls out a toothpick from his little container and starts to chew on it.

“I was wondering about entities. Do they think?”

“As I said back in the mountains they don't really think. They only react to their environment. Kinda like jellyfish in the ocean. Do you know what those are?” Nero shakes his head. “A jelly fish is a primal creature, it can’t reason. To train it to do something like a dog would be impossible.”

“So it wouldn't come up to you if you were feeling sad or something?” Nero asks.

Sosimo creases his brow. “That's a strange question. They do react to emotions but I doubt they would.”