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

Chapter Four

For the next few days, Blanche worked extra hard. She helped drawing atlases, providing all she knew about government agencies and loop locations of Caul's European empire. She even started volunteering to work overtime, going home so late and so tired that she and John almost had a fight about her overworking. Eventually John took pity on her and didn't argue any further.

At least gaining people's trust was something Blanche could do, and she had to try every option before going with John's plan to use spirit pool, which will inevitably make the entire loop their enemy.

However, at exactly three days after Emma left them, her optimism was crashed. It was the last job of the day, delivering a file for the head of mapping department to the ymbryne's office. And that was when she heard it, barely audible, someone talking behind the door.

"We can't keep unregistered ambrosia here, Francesca. There're too many ex-addicts in this loop." Noah Albiar, the peculiar general complained. "If we can't find any proof that vial belongs to the girl, we will have to destroy it. The words already got around. We have caught five people attempting to sneak into our compound this week."

"The circumstances didn't give us any 'proof' you want." The ymbryne said, "And we are not going to destroy someone's soul just because no one can actually claim it."

"You wrote that law yourself, no one but the Archive can keep unregistered ambrosia." The general argued, "I cannot allow it to stay in Talon Base any longer. It's enough trouble keeping your device a secret, the last thing we need right now is another ambro-addict peeking at our door."

Blanche had heard enough. She gave the file to an assistant nearby and went straight out of the building.

*

It was raining that afternoon.

The weather shouldn't change in a loop, but they said that Miss Bittern believed exposing the loop's residents to different weather can keep them somewhat attached to the outside world. Its effect remained to be tested.

Raindrops fell on the fountain. Waves of ripples spread out in near perfect circles.

So much now rested on this pool.

Surrounding it, the memorials of fallen souls stood proud in the raging wind.

As if aware of the hope and burdens they now bore, the stone carvings on the fountain seemed old, eroded, fragile almost.

As if nature was declaring its power to the arrogant ones, a warning to those that attempt to master it: even the strongest material can be compromised by time.

John stood by the fountain, hands resting on the stone. Raindrops and howling wind slammed onto his coat.

Summoning the dead, playing with souls, in a way, humanity never stopped trying to conquer nature.

John heard labored breathing from behind him. He turned around and saw Blanche running at him, her clothe soaked in the rain.

He quickly came forward and wrapped his coat around her, "You're shaking! What happened?"

Blanche finally looked at him, her eyes drenched in tears.

"They are going to destroy the soul." That was all she could say.

John held her tighter. Remembering what Emma taught him, he summoned a wave of heat from deep within his soul, fending off the coldness that surrounded them.

"We will get it back." He assured her. A promise, a commitment, both to Blanche and to himself.

This loop? This world? All of Peculiardom? They can all burn.