What Memory Remains
Chapter 43: Ending at the Beginning

Aegis Wilhelm cautiously turned his small screwdriver, knowing full well if he caused a spark that it could detonate his device prematurely. Feeling that the screw was tight enough, he picked up the egg shaped bomb and turned the wind-up key on the back. Setting it on the ground, he watched as his creation slowly walked forward on mechanical legs.

Before he could stand to grab it, it was already out the door. He began walking forward , but halted in his tracks when he noticed the whirring of the legs abruptly ended. Sade stepped in to view, grinning and holding the egg device.

“Tinker much, Wilhelm?”

“Yes, yes now please hand that over. It’s actually very dangerous.”

“So are most things nowadays,” Zenapharr chimed in as he joined them.

“And who are you?” Aegis began to slip his hand into his pocket.

“No need for alarm, you paranoid priest! Or do I need to crack your jaw again?” Aegis wavered, his mind focused on the voice that spoke to him.

“Creator above, is that you Zen—”

“I go by Brien now, but yes it’s me.”

Aegis floundered over and inspected Zenapharr closely.

“What’d you do to him, Sade? Stick his brain in someone else’s body?”

“I know a surgeon who’s good. Really good. Paid a handsome fee for it, too.”

“Can’t get anything good without a good fee, that’s what they always say! So down to brass knobs…what leads you two here?”

“We discovered something recently…some instructions for a device.”

“Hey, I had nothing to do with it. I’m just a middle man.”

“I’m not here to get you in trouble, you dolt! I came here for your help.”

“So…what’s the device for?”

“We don’t know exactly. We thought you could tell us.”

Sade pulled out some parchment paper with detailed instructions and diagrams. Aegis took it, and thumbed through for a moment.

“Where did you get this?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me. Just this last month, I didn’t think I could recreate the general concept of that Krane maniac’s gun, but I did.”

“You created a—”

“Don’t let him get you off-topic, Zenapharr. Look, we don’t know what this is. All we know is that it’s very important. The Rainmaker had a last request in his diary that I found. When we were honoring that request, we found a piece of paper. After confirming, it turns out that it’s identical to a piece of paper I had as well. There are strange symbols on both, but we couldn’t decipher it until recently. So Zenapharr translated it to English for me, and it’s some kind of instruction for a device. But nothing in it says what it’s for.”

“You’re right about that….I have to say I’ve never seen anything like this. The parts needed….that might take a while. They’re all built from rare metals and this one part that’s needed…I’m not sure what it is but it seems to be a power source of some sort. I’ll need to do some more research.”

“So…I know it may be hard to say from just looking at this, but do you think you could build whatever this device is?”

“Why is it so important to you?”

“It was something important to Luke. And since he saved us, it’s important to us. Maybe it’ll give us some answers.”

“So let me get this straight…you want me to build a device of which you have no idea what it does, could potentially be a trap, and possibly isn’t supposed to exist?”

They all exchanged a confused glance, then Aegis smiled. “I’m in.”

“That’s great news, Aegis! When can you start?”

“As soon as you pay me.”

“What?”

“Did you think I would do this for free? I’m going to need money up-front. These materials you need…they’re rare and therefore expensive. I’m working with a potentially dangerous piece of machinery…that’s high-risk project. Not to mention all the labor. It’s going to cost you something fierce.”

“Would this cover it?” Zenapharr produced the tin box, snapping it open. The sight of the paper bills put stars in Aegis’ eyes. “I think that means yes, Sade.”

“Zenapharr, what are you doing? That’s supposed to be for his child!”

“Okay, I already see where this is going talk amongst yourselves. I’ll make myself scarce in the corner over here.” The machinist began fiddling with his artifacts and whistling loudly to himself.

“I know it sounds rash but….do you really think this is all a coincidence?”

“No, but we were supposed to give her that money until we figured this thing out. Not give it away!”

“Didn’t you say so yourself that giving her some closure would be even better? Look, if this isn’t a perfect set up , I don’t know what is. We replace the note, it matches our note that has clear instructions on how to build this thing. And we just happened to have plenty of money to pay for having it built. We don’t have to use all of the money to pay him. Half would plenty for him and Luke’s ex-wife. How else are we going to afford it , anyway?”

Sade crossed his arms and leaned his back against the wall with his head down.

“(Huff)….I want to say yes, I just wouldn’t feel right about it.”

“Look, if you want , we can rob a bank to make up for the other half we gave Aegis…..okay I’m only joking stop looking at me like that. We’ll only take money out of a Minerva account?”

“Have you learned nothing?”

“ I’m joking. At any rate, I just don’t see it any other way. It was meant to be. Weren’t you always talking about fate? How things were meant to be? There’s too much adding up here to mean anything else.”

“Okay….fine do it. Just remember it was your idea.”

“Aegis, we have a proposition for you.”

“I’m all ears, mate.”

A Year Later…

The sound of the church doors closing behind Sade echoed through the cathedral walls. While it was midday, something inside the church emanated to him. Not sure how to place the feeling, Sade made his way down the middle aisle, noting the praying visitors and monks shuffling around. As he passed by the altar, he felt a shudder as he remembered the time he had faced a Shade and lived.

As he made his way into Aegis’ office, he looked down at the hurriedly scribbled paper that was mailed to him.

“Sade,

Please come to Epsilon Cathedral at once! We believe it is finally done!

-Brien”

Even though they’d waited an anxious year to replace out the mysterious nature of their device, it was an exasperating experience explaining to his wife that he had to leave so suddenly and without much explanation. She knew of Zenapharr’s change and that Sade still contacted him. He knew she suspected it had something to do with his brother.

A monk motioned for Sade to enter his office, and soon he found himself in the depths of the basement. Zenapharr awaited him in the main room with a sly grin.

“Ready to see it?”

“After you tell me why your eyes are so red.”

“We’ve been working constantly the last week. I’ve been helping Aegis almost around the clock.”

“So you’ve become obsessed.”

“That’s such a strong word to use.”

“But a true one. Now, let’s see it.”

“You seem in a hurry.”

“I’ve got a worried wife at home who thinks I’m about to go gallivanting on some crazy adventure.”

“Maybe we will.”

“Hopefully not. Let’s go.”

Zeanpharr and Sade entered the side room, which Sade instantly remembered as the room that the magical door was housed. Not far off from the magic door were four large Tesla coils, which stood at four corners creating an “X” shape. Wires from each device ran to a large cylindrical tube in the middle, raised by a metal platform underneath.

The first thought that came to Sade’s mind was….

“Does a person go in there?” He said aloud.

“Quite astute observation, sir.” Aegis’s voice resounded on the right. He walked up to him and shook his hand. “Mr. Wingard, you have sent me on a remarkable discovery! The discovery of the century, or centuries to come! So, as you two had discussed a year ago that it was all meant to be…I think you were quite right.”

“Why would you say that?”

“Remember that power source that I collected which I had not yet figured out?”

“No…..”

“The thing inside the egg.”

“Oh, yes.”

“That my friend, turns out to the power source. The one thing I could not figure out. All the other components were in place. Are you ready to know what it does?”

“Sure.”

“Well…maybe I should back up a bit. I know the nature of what it does. This device displaces matter by using energy at such an amazing rate that it actually punches a hole into the fabric of space. From observation, using it on rats….it makes things disappear.”

“So….it’s a teleportation device like your door here?”

“Very close…but it does more than that. The only problem is…we can’t know for sure. We don’t have the technology to monitor what exactly the device is doing. So there’s three possible outcomes…it’s a really really strong teleportation device, like something that could send you halfway around the world. It could be potentially be a time machine…or it could be inter-dimensional travel.”

“You’re…you’re kidding right?” Sade scoffed, but Zenapharr was not amused.

“No, of course not! Anything is possible!”

“But we can’t prove any of this. How do we know they don’t disappear because they’re being incinerated?”

“Because there is no matter left. Even upon incineration, there are small fragments of ash or other matter left behind. It’s quite different.”

“Look, I don’t doubt you’re good at what you do but, this just sounds crazy.”

“I know it’s hard to believe. Why don’t you see for yourself?”

“You can make animals disappear all day but I’ll still not be convinced. Besides, how do I know that isn’t harmful to people?”

“I’ll show you. Zenapharr , can you stand by the Pad over there?”

“Certainly.”

Zenapharr grabbed a mouse from a nearby cage and petted its head as he slowly made his way to the giant glass tube.

“What, no don’t do that, Zenapharr! This is stupid. Look, I believe you okay you don’t have to mess around with this thing!”

“We’ve done fourteen trials already, Sade it’s perfectly safe!”

“I still don’t like it.” Sade darted his eyes from his brother to Aegis, hoping they’d back down from his glare. It did not abide though.

Zenapharr now stood right at the entrance of the glass tube, holding the mouse delicately in his hand. Aegis flipped one switch, and electricity began to crackle fiercely from the Tesla Coil. He counted up, stopping at the fourth. Then, he threw the final lever and shouted.

“Now, Zenapharr!”

An intense light filled the glass tube, and he tossed the mouse inside it. Sade watched as the mouse seemed to evaporate, fading out of existence. While he knew it was probably how he looked when he passed through the magical door, he was dumbfounded to see it work on something else.

“MINERVA POILCE, HOLD I T RIGHT THERE!” A group of voices shouted, which really meant something considering how loud the hum of the machinery was. Before anyone could react, five soldiers burst into the room. All three froze in place as they had guns fixed on them, three of which were rifles aimed at Zenapharr.

“SIR, I NEED YOU TO PLACE YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEAD AND STEP FORWARD!” The officer a the lead instructed as he pointed to Zenapharr.

“WHAT AM I BEING CHARGED FOR , OFFICER!” Zenapharr yelled, an amused smirk on his face. Sade wanted to cry out to him, tell him to cooperate and not resist. Plead with him not to shed any more blood.

“YOU ARE BEING SUSPECTED OF BEING THE WANTED FUGITIVE KNOWN AS ZENAPHARR MERIDIAN. WE NEED TO TAKE YOU INTO CUSTODY TO CONFIRM YOUR IDENTITY!”

Zenapharr muttered something that no one could hear, but Sade was close enough to see his lips . He had said, “I will confirm nothing.” In a blur, Zenapharr tried to move forward to rush the officers, yet their riflemen’s reflex was faster. A shot rang out, and Zenapharr clutched his chest in pain. He tried to move again, but now all three fired upon him. A stray bullet hit one of the Tesla coils, and the electricity intensified so much that the hairs on their arms all stood up.

Sade could only watch in awestruck horror as his brother stumbled backwards into the blinding light of the glass tube. Time seemed to stop as Sade locked eyes with his brother for the last time, right before he disappeared from sight…

Years earlier, in a small unsuspecting town, the air began to feel very different. At least, in one particular place. The fields owned by a one Arthur Mandrake began to shake for a moment, and a crackle of energy appeared out of thin air. From this, a tear began to form that was filled with a hot, white light. A lone farmhand who witnessed this got such a fright that he almost let loose his bowels at the sight. After watching more unfold from this rip in the air, he ran off to get the attention of Mr. Mandrake.

As he explained in a babbling voice, a man had appeared from a hole out of thin air and fell to the ground. Arthur Mandrake scoffed at the nonsense he was told but still came to see what the real matter was. He was astounded when he found a man he had never seen before lying in his field with blood on his shirt. Not fully believing his farmhand, he did believe that something was amiss. The air felt different near him, like the sensation before a thunderstorm.

“Check his pockets,” Mandrake ordered. Hands shaking, the farmhand checked all his pockets, but only produced a single sheet of paper with some strange writing on it. Arthur put the piece of paper back, afraid of the unfamiliar text.

“Bring him inside quickly! I’ll grab some blankets to soak up the blood.”

The two carried the unconscious Zenapharr inside, and brought in a local doctor who was able to stop the bleeding. The doctor noticed that the bullet wound was very fresh yet had miraculously healed quickly. The doctor shook his head after carefully looking him over.

“Physically he’ll recover soon. I’ve given him some antibiotics to steer away any infection. I think he may be more mentally stressed than anything, so he’s resting. How did you say he got here?” Before the farmhand could answer, Mr. Mandarke shot his worker a warning glance.

“I didn’t say, sir. He just showed up out of the blue.”

“I see. Well, make sure he gets plenty of water when he wakes up then ask him to come see me.”

“Yes, Doc. Thanks so much for coming.”

Not long after, the farmhand heard a groan from the parlor where they had laid the stranger down. It seemed he was already sitting up and looking around the room.

“Mister…are you alright/”

“Yes…I think so, anyway. Where am I?”

“At the Mandrake Farm. City of Fairfield, province of Detramain.”

“Ohhh, I see. Though to be honest, it doesn’t seem to mean much to me.”

“So, uhh mister you just kinda showed up here out of nowhere. Had a bullet wound…never get to see any of those. Do you remember how you got here?”

“……I don’t know.”

“Oh…I hope you don’t have amnesia. Do you remember your name?”

Zenapharr thought on the question, and thought very hard. The more he tried to think of it, the more it seemed to slip. Yet, somehow he couldn’t shrug it off.

“….ask me again in a moment. I’m still a bit groggy. Do you have some water? I’m terribly thirsty.”

“Yes, sir.” The farmhand gave him a pitcher of water, to which Zenapharr downed, almost choking in the process.

“Thank you. You’re very kind. I think I’ll try to walk around some.”

As he got up and moved around, Zenapharr began to feel a bit better despite the cloud in his mind that didn’t let up. Soon, the doctor came by and inspected him once again.

“Any headaches or other kinds of pain?”

“A bit, but not much. Seems to be going away.”

“That’s normal. Are you still groggy?”

“Some, but like the headache, it’s fading.”

“Do you remember how you got here? Or anything else you could tell us?”

“I can’t say much. I suppose I do have a bit of amnesia, as the young boy suggested.”

“What about your name? Do you remember that?”

This time when asked, something in Zenapharr’s mind seemed to give. It was the only piece of information that he could muster, but he felt so sure it was right. Unknown to him, it was the only thing he would ever remember from that moment on.

“You know…I didn’t remember until you asked me just now, must have slipped my mind. The name’s Luke. Luke Everton.”