The Exceptional Clockwork Journey of The Perpetually Alone Hugo Gerard (NaNoWriMo 2012)

Chapter 9

Awkward spacing, slow writing, blah blah blah...

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Chapter 9

When Hugo returned home he was no longer a boy, no. In that short space of an hour Hugo had grown from boy, to man. Even Time could tell this. So instead of comforting his boy, he observed the grim determination in his eyes and met them.

“Hugo, you are a solider, not a boy. It is not time to act like one anymore. Come here,” Time ordered, and Hugo stepped forward, shoulders squared. “Have I told you what we Clockwork can do?”

Hugo shook his head.

“Our blood, Ambrosia, holds power. When take from a Clockwork, or in your case, a Clockrete, the Ambrosia can heal even some of the worst injuries. For example, if your mother were to be injured, to save her you would have to slit your wrist and place three drops of Ambrosia into her mouth and make her swallow. Within three minutes she would have been completely healed. This is how, as you have learned before, when you cut your hand it healed almost immediately.

“We can also disappear, literally. Since our bodies are always on time, always perfect, we have the ability to blend into our surroundings like a chameleon. As you have seen before, we can travel from place to place, not time to time like a Lanrete, but for example, from Paris to London. These traits can and are abused often; Hugo, and you would be wise not to give any of your blood to a Lanrete, ever. Since they cannot heal quickly, that is their only weakness. Use it wisely.”

“When I was captured by Oblivion, he made me give him pints of my blood in exchange for my freedom. I took it,” Hugo winced, waiting for his father’s reaction.

“That explains his reaction when I met him,” Time muttered under his breath, Hugo just barely catching what he had said.

“You saw him?” Hugo exclaimed, standing up abruptly.

“Of course,” Time looked confused. “I was in Clockwork Manor, and he appeared right in front of me, telling me that you had breached the rules and slid into Lanrete territory and he was returning the favor. He sounded very smug.”

“Oh, that. What can Lanrete do? “

“Lanrete can, as I am positive you have experienced, slide. This is a sort of nickname for the main ability of a Lanrete. They have the ability to slide from both place-to-place and time-to-time, which it seems you have those very same abilities. This is why they defy time and are the Clockwork’s greatest enemies.”

“Then why did you meet my mother?”

“It was only eighteen years ago. Your mother had accidently slid into my manor and I had sent guards to remove her. When I saw her before I was going to send her back, I looked into those wide and innocent silver eyes and for the first time in my entire existence, I felt something. After finally convincing her to stay, you were born a year later. She told me she didn’t want the life for you she had had, so I allowed her to return to Earth, but not before building her the cottage and making her promise never to forget me. It seems she did.”

For a moment there was a flicker of emotion hidden in Time’s eyes, almost, well, sadness, but it disappeared as quickly as it came.

“You would be best to get some rest,” Time cleared his throat. “It has been a long day. Goodnight,” and with a turn of his coat Time vanished into golden dust and traveled from the window.

-

Hugo woke up the next morning with a knife pressed to his throat.

“Good morning,” a voice hissed, Hugo identifying it as Oblivion’s.”

“What a lovely way to be woken up at…” Hugo looked at his watch. “Three o’clock in the morning.”

“Quite,” Oblivion grinned. “I have heard my brother has been giving you lectures about your abilities.”

Hugo grimaced, “Yes.”

“Would you like to learn how to use them instead?” Oblivion smiled, showing perfect white teeth.

“Yes,” Hugo mumbled, feeling a small stab of betrayal but ignoring it. He didn’t have to like him, just learn from him.

“Then get dressed and meet me in the forest, I will be waiting,” with a sadistic smile Oblivion disappeared with a twirl of his cloak into silver dust.

Wondering what he had just gotten himself into, Hugo swung his legs over the side of his bed and began to get dressed.

-

“First of all, you need to learn to Travel and Slide. I believe you’ve slid before, am I correct?” Oblivion questioned, Hugo nodded in response.

“Alright, how about we attempt to Travel? You should definitely be able to do this as both Lanrete and Clockwork can,” Oblivion paused, removing his cloak. “Cloaks help. From now on always wear one.”

Hugo nodded, soaking in all the new knowledge and placing the cloak around his shoulders.

“Now, to use a cloak, think of where you want to go. When you chose your destination remember that if it will be close to a human populated area, try to go somewhere darker so you will not be seen. Traveling will get you there, but it will not hide you. Now, hold a corner of the cloak,” Hugo did so. “And whisk it around as fast as possible, try to Travel over to me!”

And in a blink of an eye, Hugo suddenly dashed through the air and right next to Oblivion.

“Huh, that was interesting,” Oblivion commented, surveying his movement. “Instead of disappearing into golden or silver flakes, you disappeared into…” Oblivion paused, obviously not sure if he should tell Hugo. “A flock of black ravens.”