Chapter 149 - Sighing Smile

Six years prior, Finn’s father disappeared without warning. The last time Finn saw his father, his father had patted him on the head and said, “I’m on my big case. I’ll be back in a few days. Study hard. Don’t go chasing girls or bringing them back here.”

Finn had roughly brushed his father’s hand away, resenting being treated like a child in that moment. He was already seventeen, was top of his class and a star performer. Such advice was below him. Insulting, even.

Later he would remember that moment as the last show of affection from his father.

Officer Yun came for him a week later with the bad news.

Through various events and interactions, this old friend of Finn’s father became his unofficial guardian and mentor.

Sometime during his training, Finn had professed to Yang Yun that he wanted to become a detective, to finish his father’s final case.

“I already know about the Exalted world.” Finn said hotly, “I want to become an Exalted. You know I can handle it.”

Yang Yun looked at him with a quiet contemplative expression. He reached into his pocket and pulled a cigarette from a small box, placing the unlit cigarette in his lips.

Finn waited for Yang Yun to reply, fists clenched as he prepared to argue his way.

After a while, Yang Yun said to him, “The Exalted world is full of strange and terrifying things.”

“If you really knew about the Exalted world, you wouldn’t be so confident that you were ready for it.”

This distant memory surfaced in Finn’s mind as he watched Quill open the passage to another realm.

The slim, intelligent woman silently directed Finn and Dr. Baolan to the opposite side of the room behind her. The still sleep-walking Zwei also made his way to the corner of the room, his head bowed low as he snored softly while standing.

Quill’s long, earthy green coat began to stir from an invisible breeze as her shoulder length blonde hair began to flutter. She held her right hand out in the air toward the servant, her fingers pressed together as if she were holding out an invisible flower to the girl.

The candle on the table began to flicker wildly as the shadows in the room grew thicker with a purplish tint.

For a pregnant moment nothing seemed to be happening.

Then Finn looked at the sleeping girl’s face.

The flesh in the center of her forehead began to squirm as two rows of thick black lashes grew out of a slit that was forming in her skin. A bulge formed as a tightly closed third eye took shape.

The girl whimpered softly in her sleep. Underneath her eyelids, her eyes were rapidly squirming about.

Quill slowly rotated her hand until her palm faced the ceiling, extending her arm while slowly spreading her fingers.

The third eye’s movements became more erratic as its eyelids began to part. A long, soft sigh exhaled from within the eye as it began to bulge out of her forehead. The bulge grew into a horn of flesh with the eye in its center. It extruded out of the servant’s forehead, growing out into the room toward Quill, who now extended both arms out toward it with her fingers outstretched.

The edges of the eyelid began to curve upward as the eyelids began to ‘smile’. The eye and tube of flesh suddenly expanded like a balloon until it was a huge ball large enough to fit a person inside. Its black eyelashes were thick and glossy and as long as a person’s arm, the veins in the eyelid were thick and pulsed with the girl’s heartbeat.

All the while the eyeball within was squirming and jerking sporadically. All the while, a heavy, anticipating sigh exuded out of the smiling eyelids.

The image of Ming Ru bleeding out from the neck flashed before Finn’s eyes. The shocking image nearly caused him to shout out in surprise as he stumbled backwards. The dresser behind him clunked noisily as the Dr. Baolan grabbed him by the arm and steadied him.

More images flickered as they rushed past him. The torrent of shadow insects spilling out of his body. The screams and wails echoing out of the glowing silver lantern in the spirit world.

As the eyelids on the end of the giant flesh worm opened the visions grew in intensity. At first they were flickers of his recent memories, but more and more the images became unfamiliar and strange. Strange men called out, jeering at him. A giant lizard rampaged through the room, tearing apart the rocks and dirt that spontaneously appeared.

A golden light bloomed out of the center of the eye, as bright as a sun. When the eyelids opened wide enough the sun eye stopped squirming and instead locked directly onto Quill as it quivered at a high frequency.

Finn had to avert his eyes, holding up his hands to block the golden light that drowned out the shadows in the room.

When the eyelids opened completely Quill stepped forward, passing by the long eyelashes and stepping onto the bottom lip. The sleep-walking Zwei followed behind her, with Baolan not far behind. Finn’s body was trembling as he realized he was hyperventilating. His heart was pounding out of his chest. He felt dizzy, nauseous. He tried to step forward and nearly stumbled onto the floor. The room was spinning as he tried to keep his eyes on the three retreating figures.

His hands clenched into fists as he forced himself forward. He staggered forward, the floor of the room seemed to be at an odd angle. He lifted his leg up to enter the open eye tunnel. The inner flesh of the eye was soft and squishy under his boots.

Once he was inside the eye, he realized that the interior of the tunnel was now a bright, cerulean blue sky with wispy clouds. A bright golden sun shone far above and ahead in the distance. The ground was a long, fleshy pink tongue that extended out into this endless sky.

Far in the distance were Quill, Zwei and Dr. Baolan, their backs slowly retreating as he struggled to stay conscious.

Each step seemed to take an eternity. He lost track of where he was. He could only cling onto the image of the backs of his companions far in the distance, keeping the thought of reaching them the sole focus of his mind.

The world changed around him sporadically.

With one step he was in a dank cellar. A musty smell permeated through the air as endless rows of bottles stretched out on wooden shelves.

In the next step he was sitting in a cart as it rumbled down a steep mountain side, rapidly gaining speed as the entire cart jostled violently, threatening to fall apart at any moment.

In the next step he was in the midst of a group of faceless people that berated him and mocked him. He held his hands up to his ears as he cowered helplessly.

In the next step he was alone in a dark bedroom, a single candle lighting the lonely space as the darkness closed in around him.

Someone was holding his hand and calling out his name.

“Finn,” She said in a soft, firm voice, “Finn, wake up.”

Finn blinked and looked around. He found that he was in a castle of sorts, surrounded by block stone walls and flooring and burning resin torches. Long colourful tapestries hung on the walls. A cold, but bright light of day shone through tall narrow windows.

“You aren’t an Exalted.” Quill said, looking into his eyes with a cold, examining gaze. Her statement was half an observation, half a question.

“No.” Finn said as the room slowly stopped spinning. “Not as of yet.”

He wasn’t sure why he added the second part.

“I’m surprised. If I knew ahead of time I would have gotten Baolan to knock you out. The subconscious mind is better at dealing with dreams than the conscious.” Quill said. She released his hand and stood up. “You managed well, all things considered.”

At this time Finn realized he was kneeling on the ground. He slowly pushed himself to his feet.

“That was... the dream world?” Finn asked, coming to a conclusion.

“Yes.” Quill said, then looked around, “This, too, is a place within a dream.”

“Is it yours?” Finn asked.

“The castle? Yes. The dream, no.” Quill said, “But don’t worry, this dream is stable. Not like the feverish dreams of the girl that we used for passage.”

Quill walked away, “Take a rest in one of the rooms. You need it. When you’re ready come find us.”

“I’m alright.” Finn said, starting to walk after her, but stumbled slightly and had to brace himself against the wall. “I have to meet Locke in the morning. We don’t have time to waste.”

“Time here passes differently.” Quill said, “Trust me. Get some sleep.”

She turned the corner, her footsteps echoing down the hall. Finn decided not to call after her as he found himself having trouble standing steadily.

Stumbling through the doorway of the closest room, he found himself in a luxurious castle bedroom. The room was lit by an unseen light. The windows revealed a peaceful night sky filled with numerous twinkling stars.

As soon as Finn collapsed onto the bed he fell into a deep restful sleep.