The night was late, and Master Jian was snoring soundly in his room. Alphonse sat up silently, glancing at the paper wall that separated his bed from the Iron Fist. Slowly, carefully, he set one foot on the floor, then another. The stone was cold against his bare feet, but he had learned to be light as a feather on his feet.
Al was not taken to sneaking around his Master's dwelling, as the few times he'd been caught ended with a swift beating from the all-too-familiar bamboo rod. But recently he had taken to spending extra time in the cozy little study, a room with bookshelves on every wall, filled with lore of every variety. He especially loved thumbing through the history of the Cyber-Knights, reading about the accomplishments of the Fellowship and the feats of legendary warriors such as Sir Thorpe and Sir Taloquin. But tonight something different had caught his eye.
"Great Old Ones, Ancient Beings, and Eldritch Abominations"
The title stood out in gold-bossed letters on a black book. It looked out of place, sitting amongst titles about herbology, natural remedies, and other standard fare. "That's funny," mused Alphonse, "I hadn't seen this here before..."
Taking it down he flipped through its pages - and it instantly entranced him. He did not put the book down until the morning light began to crest into the valley. Wide-eyed and horrified, he turned page after page describing the eldritch horrors that plagued the universe, great alien intelligences so grand that all of Earth's history meant nothing to them, didn't even register as significant.
Slipping quietly into his bed moments before dawn, Alphonse stared into his closed eyelids, quaking with fear.
Nx'la, the Harvester of Souls
He could not stop thinking about it. Even as his master rose and put him through the morning regiment, his mind reeled with horror.
Al was not taken to sneaking around his Master's dwelling, as the few times he'd been caught ended with a swift beating from the all-too-familiar bamboo rod. But recently he had taken to spending extra time in the cozy little study, a room with bookshelves on every wall, filled with lore of every variety. He especially loved thumbing through the history of the Cyber-Knights, reading about the accomplishments of the Fellowship and the feats of legendary warriors such as Sir Thorpe and Sir Taloquin. But tonight something different had caught his eye.
"Great Old Ones, Ancient Beings, and Eldritch Abominations"
The title stood out in gold-bossed letters on a black book. It looked out of place, sitting amongst titles about herbology, natural remedies, and other standard fare. "That's funny," mused Alphonse, "I hadn't seen this here before..."
Taking it down he flipped through its pages - and it instantly entranced him. He did not put the book down until the morning light began to crest into the valley. Wide-eyed and horrified, he turned page after page describing the eldritch horrors that plagued the universe, great alien intelligences so grand that all of Earth's history meant nothing to them, didn't even register as significant.
Slipping quietly into his bed moments before dawn, Alphonse stared into his closed eyelids, quaking with fear.
Nx'la, the Harvester of Souls
He could not stop thinking about it. Even as his master rose and put him through the morning regiment, his mind reeled with horror.