The Butterfly Effect

{-Enebish-}

They’d read those reports. In each one of them, something new—something inhumane—was introduced. Results were recorded apathetically, as if the trauma was just a symptom, and a death was just a number. They were upset, at first; that this was going on in Oseloke territory, how it seemed like their mother was just letting it happen. Then they talked to her, and explained what it would’ve cost her to stand against Adidell.

What it had already cost her.

But she’d made an interesting point, too: since they were adopted, Adidell wouldn’t tie them to their family.

And what was supposed to be used as a means to keep them safe—to keep them ignorant of what their family faced—they used as a means of defiance.

Enebish had decided to be the strength that their family couldn’t have. What they did didn’t harm their family because, to Adidell, they were just an unrelated nuisance. They’d put a stop to what was going on one way or another, or at least put in a good effort trying.

After helping Nadia, they found something else that would definitely hinder Adidell’s plans: the Homunculus Project.

They spent a while in the library, but even digging through dozens of records didn’t bring up satisfactory answers.

“That must be one interesting story,” Etieno mused as he walked up to them. He knew it wasn’t a story, though. At least not a fictional one. The family kept up a kind of code—enough that, to an average passerby or unseen eavesdropper, their conversation meant nothing. “Can even the greatest detective on this side of the Lake struggle to figure it out?”

They turned the book around and pointed to a specific entry. “Do you think you could help?”

“That’s, uh… a pretty gruesome one. Mom’s letting you read it?”

“She let me read everything here. I’m not a kid anymore, you know.”

“I… guess not.”

“So, can you help me understand it?”

“I think the daughter went missing when she was a baby. Then rumor had it that the person who kidnapped her was seen again—and really close to the border. Her family knew that if they could get her back… they’d be able to recover from the loss of her brother.”

And just like that, Enebish had their target and their location. They smiled. “Thanks. It’s making a lot more sense now.”

So they set out knowing that, soon, it would be a race to see who’d get there first. Adidell couldn’t let H99 get away from them—not after they’d lost H100. And Enebish knew they didn’t want to see whatever Adidell had planned.

At first, their only goal was to get there; once they were at the border, they could start a more specific search. They also set up a few diversions, in hopes that it would hinder Adidell’s progress. But, as they were contemplating their next action, staring out the window of a border town’s inn… they heard a familiar voice.

“I told you we’d see each other again.”

Enebish perked up and immediately smiled. “Imena! It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Have you been doing okay?”

“I have to be here,” was the mumbled response, “which means someone needs my help. I’d much rather be unneeded—it means that no one else is in trouble.”

“Should I… take that as a no, then..?”

“We’re in a race against time right now. So let’s just get this part over with.” Imena slid into the chair opposite of Enebish. “I heard you’re here for the homunculus.”

Enebish nodded. “I… thought about them a lot, after we first learned about them. But it’s taken me this long to get close enough to figuring out what they’re supposed to do, and what I could do to stop it…”

“You know Adidell’s had a three year head start, right? They’ve been desperate since H100 defected.”

“I tried! But I got a little distracted. And they didn’t exactly make the information easy to get.” A beat. “Is it safe to assume, though, that H99 is the only one we have to worry about..?”

“Mhm. Nai—another Fos—handled the situation even before you knew about it. They’re all on a different course. No matter what Adidell tries, H100 isn’t going back to them.”

“That’s some kind of reassurance, at least. Can I hope that you’ve got some useful information for me, too?”

“I know something better: exactly where H99 is.” Imena paused, adding to a dramatic tension Enebish desperately had to try not to point out. “Her name is Beika, residing in the Lost Lamp Inn in Ilystalos with her adoptive mother Serafina Luca and adoptive brother Titham.”

Enebish got excited then, immediately getting up from her chair. “That’s not too far from here, right? We should be able to intervene in no time!”

“If we’re not already one second too late…”

They nodded and led the way back out of the inn. Getting to Ilystalos would probably only take an hour or two. There was something else they could talk about while they walked, though.

“Do you have a good plan on what we should do when we get there?” Enebish prompted. “It sounds like you know a little more about the situation than I do.”

“Aren’t you the one with mystery novels? I thought you’d had planned out every contingency by now,” Imena answered half-jokingly. She shook her head. “Have you heard of Serafina before now?”

“I… think I have, if we’re talking about the same person…”

“We are. We’re going to have to talk to her, instead of Beika—Beika isn’t like Nadia, she isn’t aware of what’s happening around her. But we shouldn’t draw too much attention to who Serafina is, not right now. All of that can be saved for later.”

“Alright, we know what we do when we get there. What about after we talk to her?”

“Well, she either believes us and lets us help, or she makes things difficult for us. Let’s… just hope for the former. I want to focus on the time we have right now to make sure that we’re both on the same page…”

They talked up until the moment they entered the border town. Enebish asked after the Lost Lamp Inn, following the directions until could see the sign themself. They and Imena entered, then they met Beika, then she left for a little bit, and Serafina came back with her…

“And that’s where we’re at now,” Enebish finished once all the story had been told. Serafina had guided them to what must’ve been a storage room, where the whole thing could be shared without worrying about unwanted eyes or ears.

“I don’t suppose there’s a way I can convince you both that this is all just some big coincidence, and you won’t find who you’re looking for?” Serafina tried. Enebish had to give her credit, she kept a cool composure—even if she knew exactly what their presence there meant.

Imena shrugged. “You could, but it’s akin to a death wish. You know what they’re going to do. There’s no point in trying to avoid the inevitable—and this is a matter that we shouldn’t delay any longer than necessary.”

Serafina gave a nod. “How did you find me?”

“I didn’t know a lot,” Enebish offered. They knew how worried she must’ve been, even if she didn’t show it. “All I knew was that Beika was somewhere near the border. As I said, Imena came up with the specifics.”

“I’m a Fos,” Imena explained, albeit sounding a bit reluctant. “My information comes from the Fos or Messengers. We might not be omniscient but we certainly have our eyes and ears in places where it matters.”

“So this is important enough that I’ve got a Fos here?” Serafina paused, though she probably already had the answer to the question she asked. “Actually, have we met before? You seem a little familiar.”

“She’s helped a lot of people in Northern Seothia,” Enebish said after Imena looked hesitant. “But, uh… for obvious reasons, it’s probably better if you don’t spread that part. She doesn’t like the attention…”

“I don’t like the attention, because that’s the kind of attention that gets me killed,” Imena muttered. “And we can’t lose more lights. Not like things are now.”

Serafina considered it, then asked, “I assume you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t have a good reason, then. You know I’m capable of taking care of myself and my children—I’ve done it this long, and I’m sure I could keep doing it.”

“Confidence isn’t going to get you anywhere except in trouble,” Imena warned.

“I know, that’s why you should’ve let me finish.” Serafina sighed. “What do you think Adidell is planning? What do you think is going to put my kids at risk, enough that I can’t get them out of danger on my own?”