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Chapter I My grandfather's errand

Morning came early today, bright skies pushing the few clouds off the horizon as it touched the ocean. Calm waves glistened as the monorail zoomed by.

There weren't many people traveling on it today. After all it was Sunday, the lazy day. No one did much of anything on this particular day. Most shops were closed and services halted. The only reason the monorail was working was because it was automated.

There were a few passengers. One was an elderly man who wore a 19th century suit and top hat. He was reading the newspaper; "Bastion times" was the title. He seemed focused. The man sat at the far front of the car near the exit. Another traveler was a much younger woman, late teens, early twenties perhaps. She was chatting away on her cell. Something about school and her job; she seemed to talk nonstop. She sat lounged near the middle but could be heard throughout the entire car. And lastly, in the far back, the only one standing up was a young man, late teens at best.

He had a sort of slouched posture and wore black pants with red ribbons on them and a black shirt with a small grayish sweater over it. Brown eyes and hair tied in a pony-tail seemed to stand out the most of all of his other features. He was leaning against the back wall with a sort of confused facial expression as if he couldn't decide whether to be happy or sad or just tired. He has his hands in his pockets, eyes looking down to the right, to the sea below as if looking for something that had fallen in and was trying to find it. Yet it wasn't in the sea, but the heavens above.

-----

His name is Evander Ebony, Evan to his friends. And his grandfather had just died from fallen debris. The funeral had been a few of days ago. His grandfather had been a famous explorer and archaeologist credited with numerous findings. But time had finally caught up with him. He has been in his seventies after all.

Evan had been living up North with his mother and father when he got a letter telling him that his grandpa had been hospitalized. Evan, when younger, used to travel with his grandpa and was often by his side on digs and such. However at one point, they began to drift away from one another. It was because of the future, more so Evan's future--- a difference of opinion between his grandfather and his parents, and it only got worse. They since had lost contact and hadn't spoken in years, so their first meeting in that long of time, was to say the least a little awkward and perhaps unsettling.

That was about a week ago. Once he returned home, Evan began packing for this visit to his old stomping ground of Bastion. His other relatives who had come to visit had advised him to stay a little longer to let everything sink in, but Evan felt that the faster he was out the better. He wasn't one for these kinds of things and decided to get on with his life. Besides, what his grandpa said to him before he died still troubled Evan and he felt compelled to find out the truth.

Evan had been buying his ticket for the rail-train when he began to ponder on it. What those last words were. He slumped down his eyes. His grandpa seemed genuinely concerned about it. He had asked Evan to give a book to a colleague of his but not to tell anyone about it. That it was secret, confidential. Evan was a bit skeptical, but his grandfather insisted that he do this, that Evan was the only one he could trust now, at least in this world.

"He was just losing it is all; I shouldn't even be doing this", he now muttered to himself slumping into the wait station chair like cake mix into a pan

Evan was really tired---since all the cars and buses were closed, his only option had been to run all the way to the train station. On top of the two-mile jaunt, he carried several bags. As he now sat there slowly slipping in and out of reality, he began to think about Bastion. Aside from what he had to do for his late grandfather Clou, he was a little excited to visit his old home and see old friends. He wondered what they had been up to and how the town might have changed.

So it could be this reason that has persuaded him to visit, not his grandfather's wishes. He always did seem like he had screw loose. Of course, when Evan was little, Grandpa Clou seemed like the coolest guy around, but things change as you get older. Stories about mythical realms where magick rules and where mystical creatures reside, were what they were, just stories.

Children might be amazed by it, but as you grow older that kind of stuff just doesn't make sense anymore. The problem was he didn't see it that way. Grandpa Clou actually believed in everything he said.

This was the reason why Evan's parents took him away from Grandpa Clou. They feared that he too would turn into a crazy coot as well. A silly thing to assume, but they believed it, just like Grandpa Clou believed in his crazy stories. The old man believed in them to the very end too. Even as he was slowly slipping away, he began telling Evan tales of the world known as Uneskia, though this time the stories were a little different than before.

Evan glanced over at the clock; it would be another hour before the train would arrive. He laid his bags on the seat next to him and leaned back. His eyes slowly opening and closing. He began to drift off, his grandfather's request weighing heavily on his mind.

"Evan", said the nurse as she calmly nudged him.

He slowly opened his eyes in response and saw that he was still in the hospital. It hadn't been a dream. Grandpa really was in trouble. Evan put his hand over his head in a sort of apologetic way. He hadn't meant to fall asleep, but he had been waiting for so long.

"I'm sorry I-"

"It's okay dear; it's not easy being in your situation. Besides, you looked like you needed the rest", the nurse said softly.

"I know, but Sarah you don't understand it's my fault", Evan said with eyes toward the floor in shame.

"Why do you say that Evan?" she asked.

"If I had been around, maybe I could have done something or-"

"No Evan, don't think that. There was nothing you could do; it just happened, Evan. Sometimes things like this just kind of happen, you can't blame yourself."

"I know, but I keep doing it anyways. We went everywhere together; I was his life-line. I just keep thinking if I was there I could have saved him", Evan said still looking depressed, his hands in his pockets, his eyes still combing the white floor tiles of the hospital.

"Honey", Sarah said putting her hand on his shoulder in an effort to comfort Evan. "The debris weighed over 300 pounds. I really doubt you could have lifted it."

"I would have tried. I know that sounds stupid…but", Evan said still looking down

Then Sarah turned his head toward her with her other hand and said, "Evan, you can't beat yourself up like this. Besides, he's still alive, and he's waiting for you in room 321."

Evan looked at Sarah. She was wearing the generic nurse get-up, with her bright yellow hair tied back in a short pony-tail. She looked beautiful; she wasn't that much older than Evan either, about four years.

Evan first met Sarah while visiting the hospital on an earlier occasion during his studies in medicine; she was quite helpful too, even though she herself was new. He'd even thought about asking her out a couple times but never had the guts. As time passed, he thought of her as more a big sister anyways. She was always around to keep him on his feet and to pick him up when he was feeling down. Several times, Evan considered quitting, but she always managed to help him see clearly.

"Ya' know. You're right," Evan said finally and got up from his chair in the waiting room. He somehow felt more reassured.

"Good luck, dear", she said as Evan left the waiting zone and started toward his grandfather's door.

Once there, he opened the door slowly but surely.

"Hey, Grandpa", he managed to say as he entered and closed the door behind him quietly.

"She's cute", was his reply.

"Grandpa," Evan exclaimed embarrassed.

He realized the situation, yet it wasn't the most appropriate reply for a grandson you haven't seen in four years. Of course, Grandpa Clou was never very appropriate or well-mannered for that reason. He was more a wild man, thin and through.

He was lying down in the bed looking out to the left, simply gazing out the window at the sunset. He seemed preoccupied. He had long grey hair and had an elderly face with wrinkles and old scars. Nothing too serious, but they were there. His most prominent feature was his large ears. He wore a patient's nightgown. It didn't suit him at all, though. No, he would be better suited in his simple attire of jeans and a t-shirt.

He'd occasionally wear a jacket and a cowboy hat too; he was the "Indiana Jones" type if you will. Though he couldn't wield a whip if his life depended on it. Grandpa's dexterity was shot so was his sense of direction for that matter. He always got the team lost, on just about every dig.

The thought of a bunch of manly men squabbling at one another about which way is up because of Grandpa's lack of common sense made him smile but only for so long. Despite all the good times, there were the bad ones as well, and they were the more recent unfortunately.

"Well, she is. Strong too, like Jean", he continued.

Keeping his distance, Evan replied, "You mean grandma?" Evan asked hesitant considering the touchy subject.

"No, my boy! Jeana, from Uneskia."

"Oh, right 'THAT' Jeana. How could I forget?" Evan replied swiftly, his eyes turning away from his grandpa, his body soon following. He was afraid he'd hear more of his grandfather's wild tales. Grandpa Clou didn't notice his disappointment however; he hadn't even turned yet to see him.

"Of course, I can't think of how you could since she was."

"Yea, I remember, Grandpa. She was one of the seven members of the saviors of Uneskia. Yea, you and them saved Uneskia by retrieving the mystical sword of entree pot."

"It was a staff Evan, the staff of entrepôt"

"I didn't come here to hear about Uneskia; I came here for you grandpa. Do you realize what happened? You could have died!" Evan exclaimed worried. After he was almost crushed to death, he was going on and on about stupid childhood stories.

"I'm fine for the time being. Bet it seems pretty stupid now, huh?"

"Hell, yea. It does, Grandpa; you could have died! What in god's name were you thinking?!" Evan yelled his hands out-stretched.

He knew this wasn't the best time to start arguing, but Evan couldn't help himself. He hadn't seen him in four years, no birthday cards, no appearances at holiday parties, nothing. Complete isolation. And now that they are finally together again, all he can talk about is Uneskia.

"Ha! So you scold me now, huh? I must be old," he said finally turning toward Evan slowly, but surely.

"What? No, I mean," Evan said retreating to the door, realizing what he was doing.

His grandpa was almost crushed to death, but he wasn't. The fact that he was trying to lighten the mood never even crossed Evan's mind; once again, he was taking things at face value and lashing out. Something he thought he'd outgrown but apparently not.

"So what have the doctors to say?" grandpa asked acting as if the little outburst didn't happen. Grandpa Clou never did like arguments or unsettling moments.

"They say you'll be hospitalized for some time, but you'll do fine", Evan quickly replied but keeping his distance. He wasn't sure he wanted to get closer, feeling shameful about the way he acted.

"Hmm…perhaps then you could do a little favor for me then---"

"All aboard!" the conductor's recorded voice blared out as the monorail approached the station, pulling Evan's mind back to the present. He grabbed his bags, entered and situated himself in the back of a car that only had a man and girl in it. Evan found a nice spot and dropped his things by his feet and looked toward the ocean his mind beginning to wander again to the past.

"Son? Are you in here?" called out Evan's father. Mr. Ebony was a tall man with brown eyes and hair like his son, though not in a pony tail, more executive style, short and trimmed. He always seemed to wear either a suit or a tux, never anything else.

Mr. Ebony slowly crept into his son's room. He wasn't afraid of his kin He had the strength and wasn't afraid, but the death had hit his son very hard. Mr. Ebony glanced around his son's old bed room and saw his son by his bed, a large suitcase atop, clothes and other niceties were pouring in like an avalanche. It seemed that Evan wasn't packing for any mere sleep over or vacation, no this one was for a long trip like the one you take when you move out.

"Son, you're a man now, and you can move out if you want to but running away isn't going to do anything", he said softly but firmly. After all, he was his father, but everyone spoke softly to Evan now. He, of course, took the death the hardest. Evan had only spoke with him a week earlier. Others who had attended the funeral hadn't heard a peep from him in years; it was just yesterday for Evan.

"It will for me; besides, it's for Grandpa", Evan replied swiftly still busy packing; he hadn't even looked at his father yet. He didn't want to. He'd know what he would see already.

"Grandpa wouldn't want you running away son! He would have wanted you to be happy!" Mr. Ebony shouted from across the room knowing he shouldn't, but this was getting ridiculous, this being the first time the two had spoken since the death. For the past five days, Evander hadn't spoken a word, and now this.

"Evan, you have to stop this and come home!" his father commanded, taking charge. He walked over to his son and took his hand slamming it on the suitcase closing it. Evan turned toward him with a blank expression, but his father could see a small blaze in the distance. Evander was serious about leaving, and his father could do nothing to stop him short of a cage. He would have to let him go. But he wanted to know why; he couldn't accept that his only son was losing it. There had to be a reason why he would leave his only home to a place lost in the past.

"Grandpa talked to me before, you know", Evan began looking downward at his suitcase zipping it up.

"Gramps talked you?" Mr. Ebony said intrigued. Mr. Ebony wondered what his father had told his son, will and testament or an official good bye on tape perhaps. Either one would help those taking it hard but not Evander. It had to be something more than that. Evan always followed things of importance; it had to be something even more personal and great than a piece of paper or video tape.

"So, son what did Grandpa Clou say?" his father asked him removing his hand from the suitcase, his tone of voice calming. He wanted to know what was said between the two just as much as anyone else, but no words would be spoken.

"Um, sir, we have arrived in town", said a man, who gently taped Evan breaking him from the dream-like trance. Opening his eyes, Evan could see that it was the man from earlier, the one who had been reading the paper, the one with the top hat; he had taken time to awaken him.

"Oh, okay, thanks", Evan said getting up and grabbing his bags.

"It's no hassle lad, just didn't want ya on ending up on the back train"

"Yea that would suck. Thanks again," Evan replied with a smile and the two of them left the train and onto the boarding platform.

Evander had stepped his first foot back in Lalm, in greater Bastion city, his home town. The place of his birth, he had a sense of excitement and of fear, the two fighting for supremacy. Evan walked off the boarding platforms, leaving the train station turning around he could see the huge sign "OCEANIAC RAILWAYS!" The title was rather calming with the breeze and sounds of the ocean to the left. The magnetic railways crossed over a corner of the beach below to hit the town's magnets, so those getting off often felt the ocean as soon as getting off.

He finally made it to the doors entering the city. He went through, and once through he felt as if he had taken the wrong train. But no, the train only goes back and forth from Britain and the United States. But this could not be his home town. He became mesmerized by the changes that had been done. His hometown had changed into an enormous bustling city; it was no longer the provincial village he remembered. The many buildings towered over him when they once only stood beside him. As Evander traversed the streets unaware of which direction he was going, aimlessly following signs and tourists, who were just about as lost as him, he noticed a lot of advertisements, some billboards, and others were on large screen, obviously the more expensive ones. None of them related to him, mostly fashion and shampoo commercials and ads. Evander soon ended up at a Tourist center, ironically.

"Man I'm thirsty", Evan whispered to himself his mouth dry. Evan noticed a vending machine to the right of the tourist counter. Thinking it was a sign from above he quickly walked over to it; Evander took out his cell-phone and scanned the label on the machine right above the beverage panel. Soon enough an attractive female voice emanated from the small speaker asking which beverage he'd prefer. Evan did not answer verbally, not trusting modern technology as much as others would, and being a man of action, instead pressed the button of the desired drink on the machine's pane, it read 2 Euros. Evan paid the money with the phone and then reached for the cold soda that fell into the tray at the bottom of the vending machine. Opening the drink he took a giant gulp, feeling refreshed as the cool liquid helped his parched throat.

"Need a map of the area young man? You look kind of lost", said the overly-helpful tour guide behind the counter who had noticed Evan purchase the drink.

Turning, Evan saw a middle-aged man with horn-rimmed glasses and a splash of white hair growing in a forest of brown hairs. "No, thanks, this is my home town," Evan said with a small smile while waving his hand in a dismissive motion.

"Really? Don't look it much, kid," the man said, his hand caressing his light brown beard.

"Looks can be deceiving," Evan said with another small smile.

"Yes, they certainly can", the old man agreed.

"But um, could you tell me where the old Ebony house is? I can't seem to find it", Evan admitted scratching his head with his hand in an embarrassed sort of way.

"Ebony, huh? Well, that's not on the route, but I visited there a few times. It's very close by actually; if you just go down this road, you would have found it," the man said.

Evander read the name tag, it read, Joe. "Thanks Joe"

"Sure, but why are you headed to that place? It's been abandoned for years," Joe said confused.

"Don't worry, man. I used to live there," Evan said waving his hands in reassurance. He had tossed his drink out some time ago in one of the nearby trash cans.

"Oh, hey you wouldn't happen to be Evander Ebony would you?" Joe said intrigued.

"In the flesh," Evan replied.

"My, you've grown. Last time I saw you, you were stealing fruit from my cart!" he laughed. And that's when it really hit Evan. This was Joe of Joe's market; he and his friends were frequent visitors. The guy standing before Evan, he knew him for years but now was barely recognizable.

"No worries, Evan. Not many people recognize the old town; only the new stuff seems to shine out," Joe said trying to provide solace for Evan, but he could see the whole thing was upsetting him.

"What happened to the shop?" Evan asked worried.

"Well, after the renovations for the town started coming along, we had no choice. We sold it. Don't worry though, we got a lot of money for it being historical in all. We're in retirement now. This is just to keep me busy…But I guess, it's also a little way for me to keep the old town alive," he said scratching the back of his own head.

I must have picked it up from him Evan thought to himself before responding "But you guys had that shop since your dad came to this country,"

"You're right, but you know, Evander, sometimes you have to give up and move on. We can't all sit around hoping things will stay the same."

"I guess your right."

"So, what are you doing back?" Joe asked changing the subject

"Not much just looking for something for Grandpa," his eyes turning to the side and down.

"Oh, Clou, now that guy was a real kicker. How is he?"

"Well, it was good seeing you. Say I said hello to Mary", Evan said sharply cutting the conversation off, while leaving the tourist center.

"Uh, sure will, son. Uh, you be careful now." Joe then turned back toward his computer behind the desk. "Must have hit him harder than we thought," he whispered to himself looking over at a picture of him with his wife. "If you were here, you'd know what to say. I'm no good at these emotional things."