Clock Strikes

[Qabian]

Qabian was abruptly awakened by a rough stone floor slamming into his face. He groaned as he pushed against the floor. The room spun violently as he lifted his head, making it difficult to decipher who the hell owned the shoes he was staring at.

He squinted, putting his fingers to his temples as he sat back. Every muscle in his body ached. He felt as though he had been tensed for years.

Then he realized who was standing in front of him. He dropped his hands and his expression went deadpan. "You?"

Araun grinned, opening his arms wide.  “Me!  I have rescued you.  Isn’t it beautiful?” It seemed impossible for his vicious grin to get any wider, but it did anyway. “A reunion of two old friends.”

"Rescued?" Qabian took a minute to look around. They were in some sort of cave or tunnel, brightly lit by a river of golden light streaming across the ceiling just above Araun's head. Floating in a bubble at the center of the stream was a featureless figure, made ephemeral by the light flowing through it.

Flashes came off the floating figure at distinct metronome intervals, flashes of gestures as though from a drawing study -- the figure on its knees, the figure lying flat, the figure wrapping its arms around the air, the figure grasping nothing in front of its chest, the figure sitting as though in a chair, the figure holding nothing under one arm, the figure running, the figure swimming, the figure... dancing?

The flashes had more detail than the light drowned shadow at the center of the streaming light. It had long hair and a masculine build.

"Is that... me?" Qabian asked.

Araun shrugged, never dropping the crooked grin.  “Oh, yes.  It is you, in all the ways that you are you, or were you, or could someday be you.  All the dreams of Qabian Amberlight that could ever be dreamed.  And yet here you stand; so while it is you, you are not it, are you?”

Realization dawned on Qabian. The self that felt whole around him was in truth only a part. "No... No!" The mage's expression opened into fear and despair as he turned on his rescuer. "What have you done?"

Araun laughed, merrily, like someone hearing a delightful joke. “The more interesting question is: what did you do to infuriate the Bronze so much that they’d choose this over simply snuffing you out?”  He turned to look pensively at the figure in the light, grin dwindling to a bemused smirk, “This is a rather audacious punishment; you must be proud.”

Qabian frowned, covered his face with his hands. “I... I don’t remember.”

“Mm. Why would you? Well, we should probably get out of here. As these stories usually go, this place will collapse at any second.”

Qabian reached out for the wall and pulled himself up with the jagged, spastic movements of a man in pain, but as much speed as he could manage. “Where... is she..”

“There is only you.”

“No... And I’m...”

“Still stuck in that bronze cage? Oh, yes.” Araun reached an arm out to Qabian.

Qabian pushed the other man’s arm away and took a few steps, before pausing, then reaching back for Araun’s shoulder. “If this place... collapses. What happens... to that?” Qabian grunted the words through gritted teeth.

“That is a mystery for which we will soon have an answer.”

“You’ll... tell me... how you found me...”

“I will tell a great tale of my heroics.” Araun took a step, letting Qabian’s weight settle onto his shoulder.  “When we are safe.”

Qabian barked a bitter laugh. “Safe.”