Chapter 32: Silence

Jakob didn't answer the question, instead he sat down on the slightly elevated floor and turned his focus to the people of the settlement. His smile faded slightly but still remained present as he took in their surroundings.

“Not just one of em.” He finally answered.

“I'm flattered.” Rylan said calmly, refusing to take a seat beside Jakob.

“Flattery ain't got nothin to do with this, It's all about merit.” Jakob said then began to point at all the players stationed at the wall. “Each and every one of em is a first class player in their own right…But you—” He chuckled trying to find the right words that wouldn't just sound like pure hype. “—you are you.” He settled then turned to face Rylan. “I plan to expand, to create somethin monumental out of this mess.”

“You plan to take advantage of tragedy.” Rylan countered, forcing an unnerving silence that was quickly consumed by the background noise that  filled their ears, the synchronized sound of  civilization calming Rylan and releasing the unease their conversation had brought, He looked closer at the actions of the people, a man talking to a woman around one of the bonfire setups, a woman inside an open tent discussing with another, the people that walked from tent to tent, were they deliberately randomized interactions or just normal actions heightened by a mind searching for irregularities.

“What if I'm overthinking this.” Rylan thought to himself. It wasn't out of the ordinary for people to behave like this after such a drastic change in their day to day.

He wondered where he'd be right now if he hadn't played this game, would he still be an opportunity to Jakob, would he be here or would he be dead…most likely, it was sad but it was— His thoughts were interrupted by a worn out ball that rolled to a halt in front of him, he leaned down and picked it up, watching as Peter ran after it with a large smile on his face, he skidded to a stop in front of Rylan, dirt streaked across his shirt, hair tussled and a small bruise on his elbow as he stretched his hands to retrieve the ball from Rylan's grasp.

“You're running too fast.” Rylan scolded as he leaned down so they were at the same eye level.

“No I'm not.” Peter argued.

“You are and aren't you supposed to be resting?”

“I am.”

“By running around and getting yourself injured.” Rylan said with a raised brow, Peter immediately hid his bruised hand behind his back, Rylan chuckled.

“Don't worry, I'm being careful Mom.” Peter joked with a chuckle that faded as he remembered, his expression dulled and shoulders slumped. Rylan's chest tightened, he forced a smile, placed a palm on his head and gently ruffled his hair.

“Look at me Pete.” His voice softened to a level only they could hear. “It's ok. I'm gonna get you somewhere safe.”

“We're safe here aren't we?” Peter voice was soft and coated with unbearable layers of sadness.

There was a short pause before Rylan replied. “I don't know yet. It's the safest place we've been though” he said with a soft chuckle. Peter pinned him with his soft gaze.

“Rylan, you don't think we should stay, do you?”

Rylan didn't answer, which was an answer on its own. Peter nodded in understanding.

Rylan smiled genuinely. “Don't worry bout it.” then handed the ball back to Peter. “Go have fun.”

Peter nodded, took the ball and ran back to meet the other children.

Rylan walked back to Jakob's side.

“Cute kid.” Jakob said warmly.

“He is.”

Subtle silence fell over them for a short while.

“You know, the world's a whole heap different place than it was a month ago.” Jakob spoke, his eyes fixed on the people of the settlement. “They will be the key players in this change and I know you gonna be one of em.”

“Bold assumption. I didn't picture you as the kind of person to act solely based on assumptions.”

“Hmmmmm.” The sound was drawn out, Jakob turned his head to the exposed sky as he mulled over his response. “I never pictured myself as that kinda person either_but what kinda man don't trust his own gut. I prefer the term intuition over assumption” Jakob replied with a grin. Rylan nodded with understanding, he trusted his instincts immensely and he couldn't recall a time when it had failed him, Jakob was probably the same way.

“I agree with you, this is still the beginning of everything, the world is still amidst chaos and the actions taken now will determine the flow it will maintain when the dust settles.” Rylan says as he finally takes a seat beside Jakob. “I wanna be part of the people who set the flow but—”

“You made a promise to the kid.” Jakob completed, offering an understanding smile before he continued. “Can I ask you somethin?”

“Sure.”

“Why did you make that promise?” The question hit Rylan with a force he didn't expect, he paused, trying to think of a reason why he'd made that promise, why he'd gotten out of his way to save and protect this boy up till now….he didn't have an answer or at least he didn't have one he'd be satisfied with.

“I don't know.” He answered after a short pause. Jakob nodded like he understood.

“Sometimes we do things without a reason and most times we get so fixated on those things we tend to forget that there's a world beyond that choice we made.” Jakob said softly. Rylan stared, past all the tents, all the strangers and straight to the boy as he played with the other children, seconds passed with him just watching the smile on the boy’s face as he kicked a ball, dirtied himself and ran around, A smile curved his lips, He didn't need a solid reason to want to keep his promise, all he needed to do was keep it.

“You're right.” Rylan stood. “But I made a promise, no matter how long it takes, I'm gonna get that boy somewhere safe.”

Jakob followed. “What If this is that place?”

“—”

“Look how happy he is, What if your search was over.” Jakob continued. “What if you've kept your promise?”

Rylan let out a soft chuckle. “Then there's a whole other problem.”

“Which is?”

Rylan hesitated but after a soft exhale said. “The fact that I can't bring myself trust you.”

A humored breath left Jakob as he stared at Rylan for a few seconds before turning back to face the settlement. “Then how about a final show of trust.” He said, raising his palm into the air till it was visible for everyone through out the settlement to see.

The effect was immediate.

One by one movement halted, a man mid step, the woman inside the tent, the players at the walk straightened, conversations died mid sentence and even the children’s movement came to a halt. Silence stretched, deafening, like someone had turned off the world's speakers.

“What is this?” Rylan asked, a questioning look on his face as he took a calculated step away from Jakob. Jakob didn't react, his gaze stayed on the people of the settlement

“This is the future I wanna create.” Jakob answered, that blank look he'd almost forgotten on his face once again, from the corner of Rylan's eye he watched as Anel left where she stood, the hairs on his body stood and alert shot through him, he watched carefully, every movement she made but she simply brushed past him, walked to their front and bent a knee before Jakob. He spread his arms out and with a voice that carried through the settlement. “Chaos cannot be corrected unless someone corrects it……If no one takes that position, it spreads and spreads till it destroys everything in it's wake.” A pause followed.

Rylan's eyes flickered through the settlement, the stillness was frightening.

“For order to be created…..Weakness has to be extinguished.”  He snapped his fingers and two players leaped down from the wall, fast, too fast, they hit the ground and moved before Rylan could react—Straight towards Peter, the boy could barely move before they grabbed him.

A scream tore out of him

“Peter!” Rylan shouted, about to lunge at them when he felt a sharp pain in his stomach, the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth, he looked down and saw Anel, her hands firm on the hilt of a dagger whose blade was now fixed inside of him, blood poured out of his mouth, he'd been so cocky that he didn't take it into account that someone could have better control over their Arkana than him but now that she had stabbed him with his own blade he could feel it stirring within her.

With words choked by his own blood Rylan said. “You're a player.”