A Circuit of Time: Book Two of Spark (A MPHFPC Fanfiction)

Chapter One

In the middle of the circle of memorials was a fountain, the stone outlet stood dry at a side. Something about that fountain gave her a sense of dread, as if she had seem it in a distant yet lingering nightmare.

"I thought you were still trapped in their never-ending interrogation." Someone said.

Emma turned around to look for the owner of the voice and found a man lean on a memorial.

"I... they let me go early." Emma lied.

"Somehow I doubt that." The man mumbled to himself. "You must be Emma. My name is Patrick Sceawigend." He raised a hand, and Emma shook it. "Emma Bloom." She said.

"I believe I saw you two days ago," Patrick said.

"In the bottom of the stair room." Emma recalled, "You are the man that called me Velya. Why?" Emma asked.

"You look like her, a little. Velyana was an old friend from work."

"Velyana? You mean V, the hollow hunter? You are one of them?"

Patrick nodded in reply.

"I never thought there's anyone left." Emma exclaimed.

"I was, until I retired." He said. "I do what I can to help our resistance in this loop, but I don't go out anymore." Patrick looked around and sighed, "It's a beautiful place. We meant for this loop to be an ark, but it's slowly becoming a tomb."

"If this loop was a shelter for hollow hunters, how is it so modern? Abe's mission log said it was extremely old." Emma asked.

"Abe probably put some false information in his journal in case it fell into wrong hands. He does things like that." Patrick explained, "I also don't think he was referring to this loop. We have another one in Everglades, which fits your description better. Also, this loop wasn't modern at first. Our normal allies helped us acquire most modern technology and weapons. And so our 50s old town got turned into a rather lovely modern community. But some electronics still don't work, it's kinda annoying."

"But why will you want to modernize this loop? I know it make lives more convenient and all that, but that's not exactly what ymbrynes, or peculiars, do, right?" Emma asked.

"No, we normally wouldn't do that." Patrick replied, "But I guess the fact that Caul defeated us ten years ago made the remaining ymbrynes realize we need more than just our peculiarities to fight this war."

*

"Emma!" a familiar voice shouted from behind.

They turned to see Olive running towards them, panting.

"Olive? What does your precious council want this time?" Emma said.

"Can we have a talk in private?" Olive breathed heavily.

Emma stared at her for a moment. Then she saw Patrick mouthed "I'll go."

"Alright." She said to Patrick, who nodded and left.

Olive sat down at the edge of the fountain. "Emma, we have known each other for a century. I know you hate wights as much as I do, but even you should be able to see why the council has doubt."

"You are part of that council, too, Olive. Don't act like it's none of your business. And if you trust me so much, why didn't you say a goddamn thing?" Emma snapped. "How many dead wights do I have to show them before they decide I don't work for those monsters?"

"If I said anything, they will think it's just my personal feelings." Olive said, but her calm demeanor was failing. "And you are the one missing for tens years and show up out of nowhere, you tell me how we can trust you!" She paused, trying to regain her composure but couldn't, "Where were you?" Olive demanded, tears ran down her cheeks. "I spent ten years looking and hoping that one of you may come back, and all the while you were sitting in an old ruin doing nothing! Haven't you even try to look for us?"