Talo's Song [PK]

[TrueBananaz 46]

 

Talo Song eyes burst open suddenly at the sound of a knocking door. He sighed as he slowly crept towards the entrance of his small home. He opened it up to see some friends of his, Eoghan O'Cathain and Vivian Maelstrom.  As Talo watched them, fear and agitation was present on their faces. As he scanned the streets, there seemed to be a climate of hysteria in town. Something was wrong.

 

"Talo! Have you seen Eliott?" Vivian exclaimed.

 

Talo shook his head calmly with an aura of confusion "No. I haven't seen Eliott before."

 

With frustration, the couple stumbled off down the street. It appeared to Talo that several people were wandering down the street in one direction: the docks. Talo was curious. And confused, so he followed quickly behind until he reached the entrance of the world ship. As he approached the boat, he did nothing but stop and stare blankly. 

 

Why was everyone coming to the boat? Is something happening? Is something wrong? What's wrong?

 

Talo let out a pained exhale as he felt the earth move under his feet. That feeling left him a choice. Either stay and die. Or leave Arcas and abandon everything he's been working towards throughout his entire life.

 

While it may be a simple choice to others, it wasn't to him. He was proud of everything he did. Climbing from being a farmer nobody from nowhere, to being somebody. Having friends. Having a job. Owning a library. Being an author. Working at a magic school. He thought back to his youth. He remembered being a small child, uncontent with his home in isolation and following his family. And now here he is: content. He found where he belongs. He's made his journey through life and he's proud of it. 

 

He looked at the people on the ship. His mouth opened as if to say goodbye but nothing escaped. He had no words to let out that would satisfy his needs. He had no words that he could say that wouldn't spark tears to pour from his soul and his heart to sink. A frown appeared on his face as he began to cynicize. Who would care that he's gone either way? He has no family. He hasn't spoken to some of the people he used to be friends with in years. He recounted his decaying relationship with his boss, Anastasia.  He remembered Athri, who made him a beautiful dress once, but he had rarely spoken to since. He thought about Gail, the man who introduced him to the town. As his mind explored all of his memorized, tears surrounded his eyes.

 

He couldn't say goodbye.

 

He entered back into his home, locking the door behind him as he pulled out his journal. It was time for one last story. One last entry before there is no one left to read it.

 

He was watching out the window, seeing the ship depart out as he pulled out his pen and...

 

Dropped it.

 

He couldn't write anything. This was the first time in so long that Talo felt empty. Numb. Numb of emotion. Numb of feeling. Numb of thought. He made the choice to stay home. Now what? He's alone. Everyone was gone. Even his library had nothing left after the O'Cathains took the books. The only people he had to care for was Green  Tea and Mr. Hasslehoots. Rather, they were the only ones left to care for him.

 

Talo looked back down at his journal, now wet from tears. Out of sheer instinct, he grabbed it and tore it apart.

 

No more.

 

No more.

 

Maybe...

 

Maybe the reason he stayed is because he didn't want to give up hope. He didn't want to believe the world was in danger. He trusted that all things happen the way they are meant to be, and the way they are meant to be is always good.

 

It was time. He reached into a box, pulling out an unused guitar. Talo was ready for one last song...

 

Spoiler

"There's a light at the end of the tunnel.

The'res a hope that we'll be free.

The'res a light at the end of the tunnel,

But it is not for me.

 

I'll stay. I'll stay.

I'll stay. I'll stay.

 

I'll do what I must.

My heart is what I trust.

I'll do what I can.

My heart is my command.

 

There's a future.

Yes, I know.

But my future's here.

I'll grow.

 

I won't abandon all my life,

not even forced with fear and strife.

I won't flee.

Let me be.

I'll care for the grotto.

That'll be my motto for the grotto.

 

I swear.

I swear.

I swear.

 

There's a light at the end of the tunnel.

The'res a hope that we'll be free.

The'res a light at the end of the tunnel,

But it is not for me

 

I'm alone now.

I'm alone."

 

As water rose, Talo's Song came to an end and he breathed his final breath.

 

[Wyrvun 1808]

Ayred briefly recalls the man, pinching his nose... One had been left behind. Willingly or not, this would sting.

[camocat9 1024]

Gail Cordius' face contorts into a mask of worry as he glances around at the passengers on the World Ship-- nearly everyone from Talon's Grotto had climbed aboard as the tremors started, and yet, Talo was still nowhere to be seen. He considered going to search for the missing man, but it was already too late-- as the throaty grumbles of rock passed over the city, the ship had already begun to slowly slink out of the harbor. Gail sighed.

"I hope he finds his way on a different ship..." Gail murmured quietly as the Grotto disappeared into the fog.

[parasolsys 1409]

Vivian would look about, waiting to see where Talo had gone, as she hadn't seen him since she ran into him in the alley on her way back to the ship with Eoghan, Lilith and Seteth. When she couldn't find him, she frowned. "I hope he made it out of the Grotto safely..."

[Toman Alzil 6]

Toman would be furiously writing down everything that just happened while it was fresh in his mind. Upon hearing news of Talo's fate, and learning what he could about him from those that knew him... he would write it all out. "Another name for the history books... I pray the ancestors see his name memorialized in more than just this one."