Inkwell 2018-2019

The Aetherling’s remaining eye snapped open, his head twisting so that he could stare directly at Ulster. Ulster couldn’t move, not even to pull the trigger on his pistol. Iden could kill a man in a matter of seconds. Iden showed no mercy. Even if Ulster could muster up the courage to fight, there was no chance that he or anyone could - The girl slammed her shovel into the Aetherling’s face. Iden went limp again, letting out an incongruously pitiful groan as he sunk back into whatever dark slumber Ulster had unintentionally disturbed. “I knew I should have brought an extra gorgette,” she muttered to herself. Ulster tried to steady his shaking hands. The last thing he needed was to convey to the medical student that he had been paralyzed by his own cowardice. Fortunately, he felt the fury of several minutes ago returning fast. “Who in their right mind would bury that Aetherling in my cemetery? Do you know how many people here are dead because of him?” He gestured broadly with his arms at the graves, cutting through the sheets of falling rain. “And you thought it was a good idea to dig him up?” The youth bent down to examine the gorgette, keeping a wary eye on Ulster as she did so. “Well… I’ll admit it’s not the most prudent thing I’ve ever done. But I promise there’s a perfectly legitimate reason that -” Ulster snorted. “Legitimate my ass! Someone should have burned his corpse long ago. That’s the only way to keep an Aetherling from coming back, right? I have half a mind to do it right now!” The girl winced at his words. “You know… it is raining…” Her back straightened suddenly, and she looked up at Ulster defiantly. “Besides, it would be a waste to just get rid of him! He’s a once-in-a-lifetime specimen, you know. Most Aetherlings don’t just walk up to you and -” “Specimen? Are you crazy?!” “My professor says he learned more about Aetherlings from studying Iden than he did at any of his University classes!” she shot back, clenching

her fists. “He probably wouldn’t have even gotten rid of him if the authorities hadn’t found out about it! Stashing Iden here was the best option we had!” The admission caught Ulster off-guard. What kind of conspiracy is this? To think I thought she was working alone! “Wait. Is this some plot to get your damned professor his - his specimen back? You twisted -” “I swear it’s not!” A short silence ensued. “I need him for something… personal,” she finally said, the nervous tremor of her voice suddenly banished by a sort of grim resolve. “But look, whether you want to let me take him off your hands or bury him again, he needs to be back on the wheelbarrow.” After an awkward pause, she added, “Could you help me with that, sir?” Ulster had no intention of letting her walk out of the graveyard with the Aetherling, but she had a point. “I’ll right the wheelbarrow for you.” He stifled a laugh at the dismayed look on her face. She’d probably hoped to take off with it as soon as Iden was sitting on it, but she certainly couldn’t do that with him clutching the handles. Another University student thwarted. As he bent to flip the barrow over, still awkwardly clutching the pistol in his hand, he contemplated what to do with the girl and her unusual loot. If he offered to let her go free, would she leave without Iden? He rarely let a grave-robber get away, but seeing her hit the Aetherling with her shovel reminded him of little Faos Tisi, the bane of Iden and defender of humanity. Put simply, part of him admired the girl’s nerve. Maybe if more people had that kind of pluck back when Iden had roamed the streets of Tiavalen, there would be a dozen fewer graves in his cemetery. Her motives might be rotten, but at least she has balls. Such was Ulster’s final thought before the cold, wet head of the shovel crashed into the back of his skull. Ignorant to the drama that had unfolded beneath it, the rain swallowed the girl and her prize as she slunk back into the tempestuous night.

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