Chapter Text
Skeppy doesn’t remember all of his life. It’s a long long long life, one of endless moments that stretch on into nothingness and everything.
Memories swirl back and forth in his mind's eye, spinning and dancing in and out of reach. Splintered fragments of distant recollections.
Whether mortal or immortal, we all fall victim to the sands of time.
~~~
Sometimes the moments he remembers most are moments he badly wants to forget, to change, to do over. The moments that he realizes are catalysts to something greater.
~~~
Skeptical giggled as he ducked behind a tree, squealing in delight as he spied his sister peeking behind bushes and large boulders from across the grassy clearing. Sam’s face was tight with concentration as she scanned the area
“Having fun?” a voice called from the edge of the forest. The two turned to see their mother leaning against a tree, smiling cheerfully.
“Mom!” heyelled, sprinting towards her and crashing into her legs, tugging at her skirts. “Sam and I were playing hide and seek and I found her way more times than she found me, and one time she spent almost ten minutes trying to find me, and I was on a tree—”
“That’s not true!” Sam protested. “Mom, that’s not true, it wasn’t even that long, Skeptical’s just lying—”
“Was true!”
“Was not!”
“Okay, okay!” their mother said with a laugh. She ruffed Sam’s hair. “I’m sure the both of you did great.”
Skeptical smiled up at her and stuck his tongue out at Sam, who retaliated by poking him hard in the side.
“It’s just not fair! Skeptical has Saints to teach him all this hunting stuff and he never teaches me tricks!”
His mother frowned in confusion, “Who’s...Saints?”
Sam rolled her eyes, “One of Skeptical’s friends, he’s kind of rude if you ask me,” she huffed, turning her nose up.
Skeptical grinned, “Saints only likes me!” He turned to his mother “Saints is from The Nether,” he whispered, leaning closer as if divulging an important secret. “He’s so cool he’s got these glowing eyes and horns and everything!”
HIs mother’s frown deepened. “What about Lya? I thought you two were friends?”
“I can have more than one friend mom,” Skeptical said, pointing out the obvious. “And Lya can’t fly so she’s not as cool as Saints—not that Lya isn’t cool too!” he winced. “But really mom! Saint’s got huge black wings that disguise as his cloak too!”
For some reason, his mother didn’t look as excited about it as Skeptical thought she would be. He scowled. Of course grown ups wouldn’t think cool things were cool.
And Saints was the coolest person he’d ever met.
~~~
“Cascading waves of change
The future
Events we think to be inconsequential,
Can affect the future unintentionally
~~~
Saints didn’t come up in conversation until nearly two months later. Years and years later, Skeptical would wonder why his parents waited so long to confront him on it.
Yet another thing lost in mystery.
~~~
“Wow, mom, this steak is delicious!”
His mother smiled warmly. “Thank you, dear. I used the new spice blend your sister bought from the store.”
Sam grinned triumphantly. “The newest blends from the traveling villager that passed by the other day! And I got them for a bargain deal!”
“Well, they’re great!” Skeptical exclaimed, turning to his older sister.
“Yeah they are!” she said. Then, with a teasing glint in her eyes, she taunted: “Bet you couldn’t do it!” and went in to poke him with her fork.
“Hey!” Skeptical tried to jab her back with his own pair. She retaliated and they both laughed as they parried and attacked.
Their mother watched them, shaking her head good-naturedly. “Children, please stop playing with your silverware. It’s very disrespectful.”
“C’mon, mom!” Skeptical said, “It's fun! Besides, Sam and I—”
“Skeptical, we need to talk.” His father’s cold voice cut into the playful teasing like a knife. The temperature in the room dropped.
Skeptical froze. “Did I do something wrong?”
He and Sam set their forks down and turned to face their father at the head of the table.
“Ah... that.” His mother frowned. “Darling, do we really have to talk about that now? In the middle of dinner?”
“Sam, go to your room.”
“What? Dad, I didn’t even finish dinner yet!”
“Do not argue with me, Sam,” he said. “We’ll call you back down.”
She hesitated for a moment, then stood to leave, shooting her brother a worried look before vanishing past the doorway.
Skeptical’s hands twisted together nervously. “Am I in trouble?”
“No no, you’re not in trouble, Skeptical,” his mother soothed. “This is just a talk.”
“It's about that demon boy, Skeptical,” his father said. “I don’t think he's a good influence on you.”
“Saints?” Skeptical frowned in confusion, “What? Why not? Saints is great! Just the other day we went racing around the—”
“That’s what I’m talking about, Skeptical!” his father interrupted. “He’s wild and undisciplined. Not to mention a demon.”
“Your father’s right,” his mother added sadly. She shook her head. “Quite frankly, they are akin to the mobs we see at night. They’re horribly entitled.”
Skeptical scowled. “What are you talking about? Those are just- just fairy tales! They’re wrong!”
“Skeptical!” his father interjected, “Do not be disrespectful.”
“But- but,” Skeptical spluttered out, scrambling to find the words, “You’re the one saying that Saints—”
“That’s exactly the point,” his mother said patiently. “Father figure. That’s not a real father. And what about the boy’s mother? It’s important that children have a mother and father to care for them.” She reached behind her and grabbed a scroll of the table pushing it towards Skeptical. “Here, take a look at this.”
Still glowering, Skeptical gingerly picked up the scroll then unfurled an inch to read the heading. “The True Nature of the Nether Demon,” he read out loud. “An in-depth study of the lives and powers of—” he cut himself off, roughly closing the scroll to avoid reading more.
“It’s conducted by several well renowned travelers,” his mother said, frowning at Skeptical’s refusal to read more.
“I’m telling you right now, Skeptical,” his father said gravely. “This demon is a bad influence. I absolutely forbid you from meeting up with him.”
The scroll crumpled in Skeptical’s hand. “You can’t do that!”
“Skeptical!” his father snapped. “Do not talk back to your parents, I did not raise you to—”
“I don’t get it!” Skeptical interrupted him, words rushing out, and his volume grew steadily louder. “All these years, you were fine with me hanging out with him!
His mother sighed. “Skeptical, please. This is for your own good. Think about it. How can you focus on your studies and get a good job when you spend time with a monster?”
“Saints is not a monster,” he retorted hotly. “He’s a living being,” His fist around the scroll tightened. Skeptical ran out of breath. It felt like his throat was closing in on itself.
His father’s eyes were cold. “Demons are immortal monsters. That thing just wants to use you for his own gain.” He snatched back the crumpled scroll in Skeptical’s hand and smoothed it out before handing it back to his wife. “Think about this for one second, Skeptical. When you die, it will live on. I have no doubt it’s using some kind of demonic magic.” He spat out the last word like it was poison.
“WHAT ARE YOU TALK—”
“This conversation is over, Skeptical! You are not to see that thing again, and don’t think for one moment that we appreciate your attitude tonight.”
“Please try to understand, dear,” his mother pleaded, clutching the scroll anxiously. “We just want what’s best for you.”
Skeptical looked away and closed his eyes in defeat. There was nothing else he could say.
~~~
Once you had the power to effect monumental change, would you let fear consume?
Or would you overcome?
~~~
“I don’t understand! Why won’t they let us be friends?”
Skeptical winced, hands yanking at the grass he was sitting on, “They- they said really horrible things about um—Nether beings and-and they think that you’re a bad influence on me even though I told them it wasn’t true!”
“What? What did they say?”
“I- I don’t want—” he said, struggling to get words out. Skeptical looked down. “I'm sorry Saints,” he said finally.
“It’s ok,” Saints said morosely, chin on his hand.
“But we’re still friends though!” Skeptical said hurriedly. “Even if I can’t see you! Only- well, only if you still want to.”
“Of course I do!” Saints exclaimed, turning to face him, “We’ll always be friends.”
Skeptical nodded, taking a deep breath. “It’ll be ok, Saints.” Then he brightened, “When I grow up we can meet up again! My parents can’t forbid me from having fun with you if we’re grown-ups!”
Saints grinned back, standing up in excitement. “Yeah!! That’s a great idea! We just have to wait a few years or so.
Skeptical stood too. “Thanks Saints,” he opened his arms for a hug and Saints tackled him into a tight embrace, nearly knocking him over, massive wings reaching around to embrace him.
“Guess I’ll see you in a few years.” Saints replied, releasing him after the crushing hug.
Skeptical smiled and patted his friend on the shoulder. “You too!” he replied.
Eventually, the moment passed and silence hung in the air. A sense of foreboding Skeptical had never felt before washed over him, like the cold chill before a storm. Strangely enough, he could tell Saints felt it too. He shivered, then pushed it away.
After a few seconds, his friend smiled crookedly again, but his expression was tinged with sadness, pure white eyes slightly dimmed. “Take care Skeptical,” Saints said, voice more subdued.
He nodded back, “You too, Saints.”
Saints walked a few paces, glancing over his shoulder as he went. Then, he unfurled his wings and took off, tossing bits of leaves and dirt into the air.
Skeptical watched him go, his friend’s figure slowly becoming smaller and smaller up in the sky.
And then he was gone.
~~~
We sent a message into the past
A warning of man's imminent demise
~~~
Only a year or so later Saints and his family had traveled far far far away. Skeptical never saw him again.
~~~
His heart hurt, hurt badly, just from remembering a lost childhood friendship that never fully blossomed.