Over time, the peace and serenity of a place is threatened as it slowly degrades. Human interests, selfish ambitions, desires and passions, take over and they start considering their brethren less. No place on Earth, no civilization, lasted forever because of this. Utopias were non-existent. All of them eventually crumbled. So, it would be with this civilization as well. It would eventually come to its own end and a new one would rise from the ashes of the old. Quantum believed in this particular principle of the world. That there was an eventual end to everything on Earth.
He, inclusive.
Several days after Quantum's meeting with Nhea, security in Rhea-Nori was increased. More guards began patrolling the ramparts, upon the city walls, city streets, gates and the tops of buildings. The cause? Rahiel. Investigations made into Rahiels sudden disappearance concluded that his last location was no place than Rhea-Nori itself.
Heralds were quick about their work, spreading the news to the denizens. The people were warned to avoid any suspicious behaviors. The number of guards at the city gates increased and more checks were made on who and what entered and left the city.
Mercenaries and veterans became more active as the bounty on Rahiel's head increased. The descriptions of Rahiel were grim and disturbing, so much that people who heard these reports figured Rahiel was some sort of monstrous humanoid entity.
New posters of him kept on being posted on walls and any citizen could testify that every single one of those depictions of him was different. Rahiel began to become a silly inside joke amongst the denizens, as serious as the city council was on the matter. Per their claims, he had murdered hundreds of Karakhian soldiers.
However, with the passage of time, even the guards began to doubt the severity of the matter. The survivors of Rahiel's massacres were taunted and ridiculed, and suffered in frustration. However, the city council continued to push the matter. Debates became even wilder, as the topic slowly shifted to this supposed monstrous entity, some calling for continued action, others calling it a sham and a bid for control.
Quantum in the meantime, the source of the heated arguments in Rhea-Nori, was busy eating kebabs he got from a combination of Nhea's innocence and the shopkeeper's generosity.
Quantum never really desired food. He was built to go without it; it wasnt a requirement for his survival. After all, he wasn't human.
However, years of degeneration had left his body incapable of sustaining him by itself. Thus, his transition to meat. He didn't need a lot of it. Only a little to tear apart within the cells of his body.
He had observed all that was transpiring in the city and was unfazed. His time was close, very close. Nhea sat close by; at her now usual station. She enjoyed Quantum's company quite a lot, and made sure to come by from time to time. Whenever she came, she asked many questions about the world, and about Quantum. It delighted Quantum to teach her and enlighten her. Nhea found a constant mystery in Quantum. She always desired to know more about him, and all the wisdom he had to give. She usually came bright and cheery.
On one fateful day however, she wasn't smiling.
She came slowly, greeted in her usual tone and sat down at her usual place, quietly. It was more than obvious something was bothering her. There was a silence between them. The mild bustle of traders making their final sales, others closing shops outside invaded the alley.
She clutched her knees tightly, her fists clenched. It was so unusual for her to have that expression and such a down cast face. The silence rang for a while, its loudness complementing the slow drag of twilight. The silent stars slowly making themselves known, taking control as the Sun left its rightful place and retired over the horizon.
Before Quantum could say a word, Nhea struck first.
"My father hit me…today."
The alley sank into a deep silence. It seemed time itself had stopped in its tracks, in shock of what it had heard.
Quantum was no different.
Nhea continued," He came home today. I hadn't seen him in a really long time and I was kind of happy. When he came, I wanted to go to him. But my mom held my hand and wouldn't let me go. My hand even began to hurt. My father had a weird face he made. It was almost like he was pretending to be happy. Well, I've done it before, so I know. My mom taught me."
Quantum listened closely; eyes sharp, details forming vividly in his mind. The surrounding lights of the buildings began to illuminate the street. The city slowly transitioned into evening.
Nhea continued, "He didn't look okay. Like he was tired. Or hungry. Or he wasn't satisfied. He walked towards my mom and my mom kept saying 'stay back', 'stay away'. But he kept on walking towards us. I didn't know what was wrong with him. My mom pulled me behind her and told me to stay back and that everything would be okay. She looked scared. She approached my father and she wanted to say something but he spoke first.
He said, 'Why didn't you give the little brat away?' My mom kept quiet.
Then he shouted, 'You god dammed bitch! Why are you so close-eyed!? Don't you see the state you're living in? Huh!? All because of that little brat…',
He paused and then he continued, 'LISTEN. One of the administrators of the city wants a girl who can serve under him. It's not anything beyond her, cleaning, washing, catering for him... If we gave her to him, he'd give us a fortune. You wouldn't be sick anymore. I could get you better clothes. You'd sleep on a better bed, not a straw mat. We could move far away and start everything again…'
My mom shouted, 'You don't understand.'
There was a long silence. My father stared at my mother, his eyes wide.
'There's a better way out. I know there's a better way out. I'm not going to murder my only child just to live in even more misery! They're deceiving you. If anyone is close-eyed, it's you. You've fallen so much. You used to be better. You used to be happier. Now look at you, you're a mere shadow of who you once were…'
Then they started arguing, screaming and shouting at each other. I could barely focus on either one of them. I was scared. Really scared. I didn't expect it...all i heard was a slap. My mom fell down.
He screamed, 'Damn it! You're the cause of everything. I sacrificed so much for you, just to have it taken away and given to that little shit! You're not grateful in the least, calling me close-eyed…how dare you!? You don't know half of what I go through every day. You just sit here licking that brat's feet…licking the feet of that man you work for...' He glared at my mom.
'You damn wench, I'm sure he uses you for all sorts of things...and you just sit down and take it....'
He hit my mom again and again. My mom began to beg him. 'No...please...stop. Why do you do this?'
She was hurt and she was crying. I didn't like it. I didn't like it at all. I run to help my mom and I told my father to stop.
My mom murmured, 'How can you say all these things...in front of your own daughter?' Her tears filled her eyes. I could see she was hurting.
My father stopped and looked at me in some way. Like I was so bad. And then he raised his hand...and hit me…"
Nhea's hands shook as she raised them to hold her right cheek. Blood had been drawn. The area was bruised. Not too badly, but visibly.
Quantum sat in silence as tears began to well up in the girl's eyes. She continued, "And then he got up, and looked down at my mom crying. He didn't say anything...He just turned and ran out the door."
Nhea started crying, her moans filling the alley. It was clear she didn't want to cry. But she couldn't hold back the tears. She sniffled, and mucus flowed out of her nostrils.
Quantum turned to look outside the alley, into the city. He watched closely. A slight wind blew. He knew where the man was. By scent alone, he had tracked the man down, even with the large area the city covered. He could literally see the man.
The father was inside a building, holding a wooden mug, his head down on a table. He kept moving his head. It was as though he was weeping.
When Quantum saw this, the extremely tight grip with which he held his spear, was slowly released. He reminded himself of his principle. Even as a child cried in an alley, a grown man cried in a tavern.
Quantum sighed.
Time had passed. It was late. Nhea needed to head home. Quantum could do something about it. He could confront the man. He could draw his attention to his faults. However, what would that solve? As much as the man seemed to regret his actions. How certain was he that he would change? Quantum couldn't trust humans. They were erratic, volatile, unstable. Wavering from here to there as time passed.
As much as it hurt him, he didnt want to step in. He didn't interfere with human matters anymore. It always started in a different way, but always ended the same; no progress, no mercy and many corpses.
If Quantum took action, it would cause more trouble for Nhea than he imagined. As much as he wasn't human, he still had a fair sense of justice.
But he wasn't to carry out justice. He wasn't a hero. He was only to await his turn and leave to join his brethren. That was the plan. He needed not to cause any problems, just to resolve a single one.
He seethed, sighed and relaxed his grip completely.
He turned to comfort Nhea and all he could say was, "Do not cry, Nhea. Everything is going to be all right."
He could say nothing more than that, as he carried her home.
Quantum left her off some way from her place and watched her disappear behind the ramshackle little buildings. As he returned, all he could think of was Nhea's safety and her future. Quantun returned to the alley and sat in silence. A cold, cold silence.