CHAPTER 59 — BLAZE

THE FALLEN LIGHT — SEASON II

CHAPTER 59 — BLAZE

Night had fully fallen. The exhaustion of the market had settled heavily on Percy. Percy was sprawled across the sofa in the living room. Truly sprawled out. One arm dangled down. He had let his head fall back over the top of the sofa. His eyes were staring at the ceiling. Clara was sitting on the opposite sofa. She was quite happy. Percy looked at her. Clara looked at him too. Percy stared back at the ceiling. The corners of Clara's mouth curled up.

"What's wrong?"

Percy didn't answer.

"Percy?"

Percy finally spoke.

"Nine."

Clara frowned.

"Nine what?"

"Nine outfits."

Clara laughed.

"Yes?"

Percy turned his head toward her.

"You tried on nine of them."

"Yes."

"And you compared all of them."

"Yes."

"And you made me compare them too."

Clara's smile grew wider.

"Yes."

Percy stayed silent for a few seconds. Then he spoke with utmost gravity:

"Fighting monsters is easier."

Clara burst into laughter. Percy stared back at the ceiling.

"There's nothing to laugh about."

"I think there is."

"There isn't."

"There is."

Percy sighed.

"My grandfather was right."

Clara became curious.

"About what?"

Percy pretended to think.

"I don't know yet."

Clara grabbed a pillow. She threw it right at Percy's face. Percy caught the pillow in mid-air.

"Violence."

Clara:

"Advanced 2 reflexes."

Percy:

"To a pillow?"

Clara shrugged.

"Always be prepared."

Percy tossed the pillow back. Clara ducked. The pillow passed right over her. And... Hit Holar square in the face. Silence. Percy froze. Clara froze. Holar lowered the pillow from his face. Percy immediately pointed at Clara.

"She threw it."

Clara's mouth fell open.

"PERCY!"

Holar looked at Percy.

"Who tossed the pillow?"

Percy:

"Technically me."

Holar:

"So you threw it."

Percy:

"But Clara is the reason."

Clara:

"WHAT DID I DO?"

Percy:

"You threw it first."

Clara:

"YOU MISSED ME!"

Percy:

"Is that my fault?"

Holar looked at both of them. Then he set the pillow on the sofa.

"You're seven years old."

Percy nodded.

"Yes."

Clara nodded as well.

"Yes, uncle."

Holar began walking away. After two steps, he stopped. Without turning around, he spoke:

"It shows."

Clara laughed.

Percy:

"Grandpa!"

Holar kept walking.

Percy sat up straight a few minutes later. He felt a movement in his pocket. He looked down. The tip of Blaze was visible. Percy pulled the wand out. Clara came over immediately.

"Again?"

Percy:

"What do you mean again?"

"You've been looking at it all evening."

Percy twirled Blaze.

"I just got it."

Clara:

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"I just got new clothes too."

Percy immediately looked at her.

"I looked at those enough."

Clara's eyes widened. Percy realized his mistake.

"No."

Clara slowly stood up.

"What did you say?"

Percy stood up too.

"That came out wrong."

Clara stepped toward him.

"You looked at them enough?"

Percy backed away.

"Clara."

Clara advanced. Percy backed away.

"There were nine of them."

Clara:

"So?"

Percy:

"NINE."

Clara:

"I could have tried a tenth one."

The terror on Percy's face... Was real. Seeing this, Clara stopped. Then she started laughing.

Percy:

"It's not funny."

Clara:

"You should have seen your face."

Percy:

"You're making fun of my trauma."

Clara:

"A little."

Percy shook his head. Then he looked at Blaze.

"Come."

He released the wand in mid-air. Blaze fell a few centimeters. Then...

CLACK!

It snapped right back into Percy's hand. Percy smiled. Clara watched intently too. Percy released it again.

"Blaze."

"Come."

CLACK!

The wand was in his hand. Percy's smile grew wider. He did it again.

"Come."

CLACK!

Once more.

"Come."

CLACK!

Clara crossed her arms.

"How many times are you going to do that?"

Percy:

"I don't know."

He dropped it again.

"Come."

CLACK!

Clara:

"Percy."

"Yes?"

"You're like a child."

Percy stopped. Clara stopped too. Both of them looked at each other. Percy raised an eyebrow.

"Clara."

Clara understood.

"Alright."

Percy:

"I AM a child."

Clara started laughing. Percy laughed too.

Percy held Blaze out in front of him. This time his face grew slightly serious. Clara noticed it.

"Are you going to try magic?"

Percy nodded.

"Something small."

Clara immediately moved beside him.

"I want to watch too."

Percy:

"You're already watching."

Clara:

"I want to watch closer."

Percy looked at her.

"What if it explodes?"

Clara:

"We run."

Percy:

"Great plan."

Clara nodded proudly.

"Thank you."

Percy laughed. Then he stood up. They stepped out into the garden. The night air was cool. Clara sat on the steps. Percy walked a few meters ahead. He raised Blaze. He took a deep breath. He used a tiny bit of Orin. Truly a tiny bit. Fire... Appeared at the tip of the wand. Percy's eyebrows shot up. It wasn't different from his normal fire. Yet the feeling... Was a bit different. Closer. More natural. Percy flicked his wrist. The flame moved as well.

Percy:

"Hm."

Clara:

"What?"

"Once more."

Percy extinguished the small flame. He channeled Orin again. Fire appeared once more. Percy closed his eyes this time. He tried to feel Blaze. The Orin travelled from his hand. It passed through the body of the wand. The amber veins glowed faintly. Then... The flame formed. Percy opened his eyes.

"Interesting."

Clara stood up. She came beside him.

"What do you feel?"

Percy searched for the right words.

"Less..."

He thought for a moment.

"I'm struggling less."

Clara:

"What do you mean?"

Percy held up his hand. He formed fire in his other palm. Then he raised Blaze. He formed the second flame. He looked at both.

"In this one, I am creating the fire."

He showed his bare hand. Then he raised Blaze.

"In this one..."

"It feels like it was already there."

Clara looked at the two flames. Percy extinguished both of them.

Clara:

"Is it stronger?"

Percy shook his head.

"I don't know."

"I don't want to try that just yet."

Clara was surprised.

"You?"

Percy:

"What do you mean, me?"

Clara:

"You're not trying something right away."

Percy looked at her.

"I'm not that bad."

Clara stayed silent.

Percy:

"Clara."

Clara was quiet.

"Clara?"

Clara was struggling not to laugh.

Percy:

"Fine."

Percy raised Blaze again.

"What else can you do?"

Clara:

"Are you asking the wand?"

Percy:

"Yes."

Clara:

"Is it going to answer?"

Percy looked at Blaze.

"Blaze?"

Nothing happened.

Percy:

"Did you see that?"

Clara:

"What?"

Percy:

"It's listening."

Clara:

"It didn't do anything."

Percy:

"Exactly."

Clara thought for a few seconds.

"How is that proof?"

Percy:

"I don't know."

Clara laughed. Percy held Blaze up into the air.

"Return to your space."

Blaze didn't move. Percy's face fell. Clara immediately burst out laughing.

Percy:

"Blaze."

The wand was silent.

"Return to your space."

Nothing.

Percy:

"Look."

"This is disrespectful."

Clara:

"I think it likes you."

Percy:

"If it likes me, it should listen to what I say."

Clara:

"Do I listen to what you say?"

Percy instantly turned to her. Clara was smiling. Percy was about to say something. Then he stopped. Clara raised an eyebrow.

Percy:

"That was a trap."

Clara:

"Maybe."

Percy:

"I'm not answering."

Clara:

"You're getting smarter."

Percy:

"Because of you."

Clara:

"You're welcome."

Percy:

"I wasn't thanking you."

Clara:

"I counted it as a thank you."

Percy shook his head.

"You two are the same."

Blaze vibrated faintly. Percy froze. Clara's eyes widened. Then... Clara burst into fits of laughter. Percy looked at Blaze.

"You too?"

Blaze was silent.

Percy:

"You did that on purpose."

Clara couldn't catch her breath.

"P-Percy..."

Percy:

"Don't laugh."

Clara laughed even harder. Percy put Blaze into his pocket.

"I'm not talking to either of you."

Clara:

"Blaze can't talk anyway."

Percy paused.

"Why is everyone in this house against me?"

"Because you're entertaining."

Eleanor's voice came. Percy turned around. Eleanor was standing by the door. Holar was behind her.

Percy:

"How long have you been watching?"

Eleanor:

"Long enough."

Percy narrowed his eyes.

"I hate those answers."

Holar stepped out into the garden.

"How is Blaze?"

Percy instantly became serious.

"Good."

Holar:

"Did it cause any trouble?"

Percy shook his head.

"No."

"It transmits Orin very smoothly."

Eleanor stepped closer.

"Don't push it."

Percy immediately nodded.

"I'm not pushing it, auntie."

Eleanor looked at Percy. He really wasn't pushing it. She liked that.

"Good."

A small smile appeared on Percy's face. Clara saw it. Holar saw it too. Eleanor noticed it as well. Percy... Was still a child when he received praise. Clara snuggled up beside him. She bumped Percy lightly with her shoulder. Percy bumped her back. Clara bumped him again. Percy bumped back again. Clara bumped him a bit harder.

Percy:

"Don't start."

Clara:

"You continued it."

Percy:

"You started it."

Clara:

"Prove it."

Percy stopped. Then he looked at Holar.

"Grandpa."

"Hm?"

"Are you a witness?"

Holar:

"I saw nothing."

Percy's mouth fell open.

"You were standing right here!"

Holar:

"I've grown old."

Percy:

"YOU ARE INTERPLANETARY LEVEL TWO!"

Holar:

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Eleanor started laughing. Clara was laughing too. Percy looked around helplessly. Then he pulled out Blaze.

"At least I have you."

Blaze... Popped right out of Percy's hand. And went back into his pocket. Silence. Holar turned his head away. Eleanor covered her mouth. Clara's shoulders were shaking. Percy looked down.

"Blaze."

Clara exploded. Her laughter echoed across the garden. Eleanor couldn't hold it in either. Even Holar started laughing. Percy stayed like that for a few seconds. Then he started laughing himself.

After a while... The four of them returned inside. The night had grown late. Percy sat on one end of the sofa. Clara sat beside him. Then she moved a bit closer. Percy looked at her.

Clara:

"What?"

Percy:

"Nothing."

Clara moved a little closer still. She rested her shoulder against Percy's. Percy leaned back comfortably as well. They didn't speak for a while. Percy's hand was in his pocket. He was holding Blaze. Clara's head rested on his shoulder. Holar sat across from them. Eleanor was reading something. The house was quiet. Finally, Clara whispered:

"Today was nice."

Percy answered in a low voice too:

"Yes."

Clara:

"The shopping part as well."

Percy closed his eyes.

"Don't ruin it."

Clara giggled.

Percy:

"I'm genuinely exhausted."

Clara adjusted her head slightly.

"Camp didn't tire you out like this."

Percy:

"Camp didn't have nine dresses."

Clara:

"We can continue tomorrow."

Percy's eyes snapped open instantly. Clara was laughing quietly. Percy realized she was joking.

"You're mean."

Clara:

"I know."

Percy rested his head against hers. A few seconds passed. Clara closed her eyes. Percy closed his too. Then in his pocket... Blaze moved faintly. Percy spoke without opening his eyes:

"No."

Blaze moved again.

"No, Blaze."

Clara opened an eye.

"What does it want?"

Percy:

"I don't know."

Clara:

"Take it out."

Percy:

"I'm not taking it out."

Clara:

"Why?"

Percy kept his eyes closed.

"I'm comfortable right now."

A smile appeared on Clara's face. She rested her head back on his shoulder.

"Me too."

Blaze moved one more time. Percy placed his hand over his pocket.

"Tomorrow."

This time... Blaze stopped. Percy smiled faintly.

Clara whispered:

"It finally listened to you."

Percy:

"Yes."

Clara:

"It's growing."

Percy:

"Who?"

Clara:

"You."

Percy opened his eyes. Clara had closed her eyes. Yet she was smiling. Percy looked at her for a few seconds. Then he smiled too.

"Goodnight, my sweet trouble."

Clara answered without opening her eyes:

"Goodnight, monster."

Percy:

"Monster is my grandpa."

Holar spoke from across the room:

"I hear you."

Percy:

"I know."

Holar:

"Go to sleep, rascal."

Percy laughed. Clara giggled too. Eleanor looked up over her book. Then she saw the three of them. She offered a gentle nod. And continued reading. The house fell quiet once more. There was no war. No training. No obligation to develop. Nor the weight of the world. Just... Two seven-year-old children. Leaning on each other. And in Percy's pocket... Was a wand that refused to listen.