Unexpected Events [EXAM]

It was a partly cloudy day early in the evening as Malm walked through Hargeon's market district. All around he could hear people talking amongst themselves while merchants try their best to get the peoples attention so they could sell their goods to them before the day comes to an end. It was just another day for this part of town. Malm took quick glances at all the goods that were being sold, but nothing truly caught his eye.

"Y'know. I really do hope we can find something other then fish for tonight." Malm told Phosphera with a sigh. Having been staying in the harbor town off and on for a while now, he honestly was starting to grow tired of fish. Yet there was still some hours in the day left. Perhaps he'll still be able to find something different for a decent price.

Aknaid strolled around the docks, only wondering about the great mysteries of the sea. He heard stories of the adventures that Ravage Bones had embarked on with his father, Kaseki. He stood there, overlooking the few ships that were tied away, and the other boats that ventured out to the ocean...

He stood there, taking a pause to think about everything he had done. He changed his life with a simple choice for one purpose... to give people more time. He wore nothing more that simple attire, finally feeling free from judgement. In Fiore he was no longer a monster, but just another freaky take-over wizard... and that was okay with him. He dawned a dark scarlet scarf, which the wind gracefully picked up with the wind. Today he felt like retracing some steps, and perhaps going to the great tower that stood at the borders of this humble town...

"Thank you again sir." Malm said as he left a butcher shop with a carefully wrapped piece of venison in hand. Once he was some distance away from the shop, he paused for a moment in order to check on something. "It's alright Phosphera. We're out of the butcher shop now. You can leave my bag."

Almost as if on command, Phosphera poked her head out of his bag. She was deathly afraid of butcher shops. Malm couldn't blame her really. Being a small mouse like monster in a shop full of animal carcass would scare him to.

"Well we got something for dinner. I guess we should probably start heading back to the store, huh?" Malm asked the young Pichu, who didn't really give him any response. She seemed far to busy looking at all the people on the street. Malm sighed a little as he looked down the street too before seeing a familiar face that stood out in the crowd.

"Wait... It can't be. Aknaid?" Malm said under his breath as he saw the familiar looking insect walking down a street by the harbor. He was honestly a little bit surprised. He didn't expect to see the strange insect man walking down the harbor today. Though, in a way, randomly crossing paths with people he know just seems to be the way how reunions usually happen for the young mage.

Deciding to at least say hi to Aknaid, Malm quickly began making his way towards him. "Hey Aknaid." Malm then called out to the insect once he believed he was close enough for Aknaid to see and hear him.

"I often wonder how one's own life can be redesigned with a small choice."

He spoke, his gaze fixed on the sea. The ocean was vast, like a mystery. To anyone that knew nothing about starfalls, Fiore was untouched. It was just under half a year that these events began to unfold. With Aknaid, time no longer existed. He was as old as Urban City itself, his birth marked the start of an era. It was his choice to go back and save his father from himself. But now he stood at the harbors, something close to the former guild of Lamia Scale, something Kaseki took great pride in. He wondered how it was for him to abandon everything he believed in, just so he could protect his friends from the demon he gave up his life to lock up. Perhaps that's how Kodai got out... and that's why Aknaid decided to go back to save him...

He turned to the boy, his face no longer solemn and sorrowful. "Have you been to the Tower of Fiore?" he asked Malm, wondering if he even know about its construction.

As Malm reached the insect, he didn't exactly get the greeting that he was expecting. Instead Aknaid asked him about some Tower of Fiore. Though what should Malm expect from the child of Kaseki.

"I can't say that I have." Malm told the insect man in confusion. Malm then over towards the direction that Aknaid was looking at before he arrived. Yet all he could see was the sea endlessly moving off towards the horizon.

Malm couldn't help, but wonder about what exactly Aknaid meant when he mentioned the Tower of Fiore. As far as he knew, there were no towers that went by that title anywhere in Fiore. Could he perhaps been talking about that strange tower by the edge of Hargeon?

"It's the tallest tower in all of Fiore." He told Malm, "It was placed there the day after I met Yuna for the first time." He turned, his hands moved to the small of his back and remained folded. He had no time to play games, he knew the burden Malm carried... and the tower was the perfect place to explain.

"If you do not mind, I would like to take you to the top of the tower." It was a simple request, that was easier done than said. The tower itself was over a few hundred stories tall. Made from Dark Matter, a material created only in Pandora, kept it from falling no matter what. But Aknaid wanted to show Malm something important.

The tallest tower in Fiore. Well that sounds like that strange tower alright. Malm thought when Aknaid gave him a short description of what the Tower of Fiore was.

That tower was tall though. Really tall. It looked to be over a hundred stories tall. Malm had doubts that reaching the top would be an easy task. Plus he really should probably take the venison back to the bookstore as soon as he could. Yet, on the other hand, Aknaid probably wouldn't be asking this if it was not something important.

"Well I guess as long as we are quick about it." Malm said as he placed the wrapped piece of meat into his pack. He wasn't exactly sure this was the right choice, but he had to admit that he was curious now and wanted to know what was up.

"The faster we get there, the sooner you'll understand." He said to his friend. He took to time to make his way to the tower. He would go at a speed to get there before the sun reached the halfpoint in the sky. He would urge Malm to hurry behind.

---

Later, at the tower...

---

He stood in the lobby of the grand tower. Visitors from all over Fiore gathered around, as well as people of other kingdoms. People were adjusting quite well.

Aknaid looked over at the elevator at the far side of the great room... he would take that up with Malm.. and whoever else joined their company. It was his goal to get Malm to the top. He wondered if he was claustrophobic and hoped it not to be the case. Here, he would prove a point that only someone of Kaseki's blood could reveal.

((So this is a popular tourist stop, yet Malm isn't suppose to know anything about it >.>))

Malm stopped for a second to take in the sight when they had finally reached the tower. It honestly surprised him to see so many people there. How in the world had he never heard of this place before? Sure, he never really took a chance to check the tower out himself before now. Yet still. He would of thought he would of heard at least something about it before now.

Malm sighed a little as he quickly entered the elevator. It didn't really matter much now, did it. He didn't have much of a need to go here before now anyways. Yet it did make him wonder what other places in Hargeon that he didn't know about.

Once in there, he could feel Phosphera growing slightly tense. While she wasn't claustrophobic per say, she felt uncomfortable being in a confined space full of other people. So Malm scratched her behind her ear to comfort her as he waited for them to reach the top floor. Hopefully this elevator ride won't end up being to long.

He took a step into the elevator, taking a spot just to the right of Malm. Almost immediately the elevator car filled with creatures of all kinds. None of them natives of Fiore. None that knew of the war. None of them knew about the great war in Urban City either. None could recall either battles. Not the one that claimed Malm's limb, nor Aknaid's body.

"Do you ever have dreams about the war?" He leaned and whispered it to the boy, "I often wonder if the lives I took were meant to be taken."

Huh... Why are there so many people here? For that matter, what's exactly is this tower for so many people to want to visit it anyways? I know it's tall, yet I highly doubt that's the only reason. Malm wondered as the elevator suddenly flooded with people. Despite his efforts to keep Phosphera happy, the crowd was to much for the anxious Pichu as she quickly hid in Malm's bag. Malm really hoped she didn't end up messing with the venison.

"Huh... Ohh uhh... Yeah. More often then I would like to admit." Malm replied with a slight mumble. There has been several nights when the nightmare of that war wakes him up in the middle of the night. Though why did Aknaid ask him about that? Was the insect just making small talk, or was there actually something more to it?

Ugh... All these questions were starting to give Malm a headache.

The elevator stopped around the eleventh floor. Half of the cart emptied out, and a few people hopping inside. It was not the same number as before, but these people did not smell as bad.

"Do you often wonder why these things happen to the best of us? You wonder why the corrupt are freed of this guilt?" Aknaid asked. It was not that he really cared to know the answers, but he wanted Malm to understand the "greater good" of life, and the reasoning behind the world. There was much to be learned, and this conversation was just the tip of the iceberg.

Why these things happen to the best of us? Corrupt are freed of this guilt? Is there even a reason for these? Malm thought as Aknaid brought up these questions. It was obvious that Aknaid had something planned, but what it was, Malm couldn't quite tell. Yet he's already came all this way, so he might as well play along.

"I used too. Yet now I see it as the way how the world balances itself out. How it keeps everything in order. There must always be another challenge for us to conquer in order for us all to learn and grow." Malm explained to the man, not knowing if Aknaid was even paying attention to what he was saying.

The elevator continued to ascend and people disembarked, and fractions of the crowd found their way back in. The numbers dwindled down. Around the 170th floor it was no one else besides Malm, Aknaid and a small child who found it necessary to pick her nose and wipe it on the wall of the cart...

"You see, there is a greater being than all of us, who watches what we do." he told Malm, "You see, these heroes go through pain, so they will craft a world where everyone can heal." He smiled at Malm, thanking the great creator that on the 200th floor the girl got off. Aknaid returned his focus to his guest as the cart continued to go up. "Take this elevator for example." Aknaid reached out, and reluctantly tapped a button on the panel, something just a few floors from the top. "This journey started with a full cart of people. Some got on, some got off. With everyone that left, they were replaced by smaller numbers. These people became more defined in our minds as we both began to judge and observe who they could be, no?" He stood erect, resting his hand on the mage's shoulder, "Life is like this elevator. Sometimes you have to let things out before you can let new things in. And all you want to do is reach the top."

The elevator gave a ring, and it begun to slow down around the 260th floor. Aknaid took steps to the door, not turning to allow Malm to see his face at all. "Enjoy the view my friend. And don't remember to empty some things from your cart."

The door opened just half way, and Aknaid slipped through the crack. Without hesitation the doors closed once more, dividing him from the boy and his mouse.

That was all Aknaid wanted to say.

There was nothing more to show him. Whatever he could see from the penthouse on the top floor, it being a view of all of Fiore, would be for Malm to show himself.

"Wait. Where are you..." Malm tried to asked, but was unable to before the elevator door separated him from Aknaid.

Malm sighed as he found himself now alone in the elevator with only his thoughts on what Aknaid said as company. Oh... And Phosphera as well. Though she seemed more inclined in staying in his bag for the time being in case the elevator gets crowded again. So Malm leaned against one of the walls as he waited for the elevator to reach it's destination.

"Great creator huh? He would know better then me. Ugh..." Malm sighed before noticing that the wall was strangely sticky. He backed off from the wall as he quickly wiped his arm, remembering that the girl had just wiped her snot on it. Then Malm took notice of something. "Did that girl come here all by herself?" Well there wasn't anything Malm could do about it now. The question will just have to linger in Malm's mind as he waited for the elevator to reach it's destination.

*Bing* The elevator went as it's doors finally opened to reveal the top floor. Malm took a careful step off the elevator, taking a second to look at the room he found himself in. It looked liked he was all alone in an observation room of some kind. After taking a few feet into the room, he heard the elevator go bing again, and was able to turn around just in time to see the elevator close behind him.

"I guess were not going to be leaving anytime soon." Malm said with a sigh before looking around the room again, "What did Aknaid want me to look at anyways? There's nothing in here." Malm questioned out loud. "What did Aknaid say again? Something about letting something go to let something in. What exactly is that suppose to mean?"

Phosphera poked her head out of Malm's bag as she took notice that they weren't in the elevator anymore. Instead it looks like they were in a large floor all by themselves. The Pichu jumped out of Malm's bag deciding to take a look around. Feeling the sudden shift of weight, Malm turned to see Phosphera climb onto the railing in front of one of the large windows.

"Oh yeah. I guess he did said for me to enjoy the view. Yet what exactly does he expect me to see from here?" Malm asked as he approached the window.

In hindsight, maybe this wasn't such a great idea. As when Malm looked out the window, he didn't notice Fiore as Aknaid may have expected him to, all he noticed was how up they were. He could feel his heart begin to pound as his body grew very tense and his hands tightened their grip on the railing in front of him. Images were flashing before his very eyes of every way he could fall off this building right now. Sure his fear was irrational, but that didn't make the fear any less real.

It took every part of Malm's will to just push himself away from the window. He couldn't be anywhere near it right now. Yet being away from the window didn't help much as his currently terrorfied mind made him believe that not even the floor was safe. What if the floor were to suddenly give below him? He just needed to get to the elevator as soon as possible and never come back to this tower again.

As he backed towards the elevator door, he noticed Phosphera was still by the window. "Phosphera. Come here quick before something happens." Malm called out to the yellow mouse. Phosphera turned towards him with a frown. She was enjoying herself. It wasn't often everything looks smaller then herself.

Phosphera just stared at Malm for a bit. This is not like the young man she knew. Surely something must have gotten to him. Maybe if he looked at this view, it'll calm his nerves.

"Phosphera. Please come quick. We need to get away from this tower as quickly as we can." Malm practically pleaded to her as he continually pressed the elevator call button. He felt a slight bit of relief as he saw the Pichu come over to him. Then that was soon followed by a pain in his leg as said mouse gave him a small bolt. Not enough to do any damage, but strong enough to definitely get his attention.

"Hey. Phosphera. What on Pandora was that for?" Malm asked the small rodent who just pointed towards the window. "What? You want me to look out that window? Are you kidding me?" Phosphera shocked him again. "Hey! Cut that out!" Then for a third time. "Okay okay. I get ya. I... I'll look out that window." Malm said as he finally submitted to the Pichu's commands.

Wow. This must be a new low for me. Being bossed around by an electric rodent that's barely one foot tall. She's clearly been hanging around Mouse far to much." Malm thought as he made his way over to the window. Any time he showed signs of stopping, Phosphera gave him another shock just for good measure until he finally reached the window again.

Malm's whole body became tense again as he held onto the railing as if his life depended upon it. His eyes were staying firmly upward so that he would not see how high they were again. "Chu" The Pichu barked after climbing back up on the railings and pointed down towards Fiore. Yet Malm refused to do so, so she decided to give him a little more encouragement with yet another shock.

"Ow! Stop that. What did I do to you for you to torture me so?" Malm asked as he got her message. While he was terrified of falling, he was more terrified of Phosphera of over doing it with the electricity, shocking him out the window in the process.

So his eyes began to lower their gaze down towards the ground. At first he couldn't see much as his mind went into overdrive, believing it was in danger, bluring his vision. Yet as he slowly fought to regain his composure, he saw what Phosphera wanted him to see. A bird's eye view of the country that he calls home.

"You have to let some things go in order to let new things in." Malm echoed what Aknaid told him as he looked at the country below, "Maybe he was onto something after all."

Malm then heard the elevator bing once more as it's doors open. "Come along Phos. We should get going now. We held Mouse up for long enough." Malm said as he walked back into the elevator. Phosphera followed, happy to see that Malm was not having his panic attack anymore. Maybe he was able to get over his fear of heights?

"Just so you know. We are never coming to this tower ever again."

Nevermind mind. Phosphera gave him one final shock just for good measure.

[END]