Glassmage Oblivion

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Port Vesper was not quite a city, though still much larger than a town. Kendra quickly realized that it was, beyond anything, an amazing draw for tourists in whatever world Sabernatch had grown up in. At the center was an incredible X-shaped crossing of raised platforms where people could walk freely and enjoy any number of pleasures: small casinos, a myriad of restaurants, street vendors, arcades… and positioned at the center a tall and imposing building. Rotating incredibly around the ebony surface of the structure were the glittering words Sphere-O-Dyne. It was toward this very building that Sabernatch led her, a permanent grin fixed upon his face.

As they moved down the wide thoroughfare, it struck Kendra as odd that they were the only people in evidence. She knew this was all some sort of illusion (though the mechanics behind it baffled her) but the absence of people gave her the creeps. This place just screamed for a moving, pulsing crowd.

An intricate ramp of carved wood led up to the theater entrance; two wide doors were propped open, welcoming any and all passersby. Set in frames at either side of the entrance were identical posters for the film Sabernatch had described to her earlier. My Sweet Marie. The art was simple, yet fascinating: a splash of blue paint behind a randomly strewn deck of Tarot cards.

They passed over the threshold and stood in an open lobby. There were several paths created by velvet ropes and brass stanchions. The burgundy colored ropes begged to be touched and Kendra found it impossible not to run her hand along the elegant barrier as they walked toward an unmanned concession area.

Sabernatch flipped his coin over and over into the air, smiling madly. “Almost all the candy here is off world. Normally, you can’t buy off world food, but the Sphere-O-Dyne Company made some kind of agreement with the Atoth board years ago to—”

“Atoth?” Kendra asked, eyebrows furrowed at the strange word.

Sabernatch turned to look at her quizzically. “Atoth is my home planet. You should at least know that.”

His tone was childish and patronizing. He truly did believe he was a child again, though, so the attitude was a given.

Kendra was about to ask more about Atoth, but her guide stepped up to the counter and started grabbing candy from the display before them.

“You’re going to eat all of that?” she asked.

Ignoring her, he stuffed brightly colored wrapped items into the filthy pockets of his threadbare coat. Finally, his pockets bulging, Sabernatch turned and handed her a slightly crushed box. The logo was simple and straightforward, the stylized words Pop-Top-Taffy filled the entire panel in a gradient of bright, neon colors.

“Tell me you’ve had these before,” he said, holding his breath.

Kendra shook her head to the negative, staring at the container.

Shaking his head sadly, the ancient one said, “Then you haven’t lived.”

She took the box of candy, then looked up at a stack of cups sitting beside a drink fountain. She was shocked to see a few familiar brands like Diet Pepsi and Orange Crush. A few were odd variations, Mountain Dew Delight and Fanta Fantastique. A brand at the end caught her attention and she moved toward it, taking a plastic cup from the pile.

“Oh, you shouldn’t drink that one,” Sabernatch said in all seriousness.

Kendra was holding her cup under the dispenser for a brand called Cherry Ace. Something about the name intrigued her and she was, quite honestly, thirsty.