The Dust Devil

 “Your majesty, must you know that the greatest trick the Devil pulled was convincing the world there was only one of him.”

The creature with the grey cape said as he looked at the furious king with his most scornful of smiles, and the blood flowing out of his lips would do nothing to impede his grin from reaching his pointy ears, nor would the axe taunting his life and kissing his hairy neck.

It was but this sentence that stirred a revolution within the confines of a once dormant community under an illusion of peace, a clique of puppets made of flesh and bones, beings who could see but not observe, who could speak in muted words, who could hear yet could not understand, nay no less than a selected few would feign ignorance, hurdled by fear and disquietude. Drowned were their thoughts by the poisonous blasphemy of their ruler, the anathema of the bravest, daring « puppets », as they crouched down and kneeled before his almighty orders, with no questions, with no desires, with no dreams.

The bête noire of the outsider’s nightmare was quite the personage to say the least, yet his imposing status did not strike any kind of terror into the stranger in his dream, whose eerie aura brought back hope and courage to the revolting minority.

Upon setting foot for the first time in such a ghostly town, he felt a shiver pass down his bony back. Thinking it was but the damp foggy cold, he thought nothing of it, not until he realized the townsfolk had been regarding him with the scrutiny of the falcons they were raising, the same kind which assisted an army of Aos Si and Glaistigs who invaded and eradicated his village, thus forcing him to seek shelter elsewhere, provided he would be welcomed despite his stateless condition. As a matter of fact, Fenodyrees were thought to have disappeared for as long as history remembered, and yet he was the living evidence of their survival.

With each step crossing the thorny fields of roses, he could hear the whispers and murmurs of the resident fairies talking sub rosa, directing gazes as spiky as their words. The susurration of the rivers and lakes nearby were no different, albeit covered by scarlet petals, they were not a bed of roses for the poor outsider, whose feet were now swollen and aching.

“Look at his canine teeth! How horrifying…”

“Ew! He is so hairy and shaggy! Such a disgrace!!”

“I wonder if his pointy ears can hear us… Then again, what could such a dumb creature say or do? It is a relief that his kind went extinct a long time ago!”

“No don’t make him talk! I would hate his foul-smelling breath to rub off on me! Even our flowers could not conceal it!”

His grip on his wheelbarrow grew tighter and tighter. He knew they were trying to provoke him thus chase him after the slightest reaction on his part, so he resisted as they continued belittling him, and he forged ahead, his resolve guided by a sole promise. His destination was not the town in particular; nonetheless, it was a necessary medium to the Sierra Amos, the majestic mountain, home to the most resilient of miners and source of the most magnificent waterfall in the region. There, Nadir, the rare Fenodyree, was hoping to find the Shard of Serendipity within the cave hidden behind the Fountains of Mending and possibly locked by a spell only the fairy specimen who loathed his kind could unveil. However, the region was reputed to be an arduous, bumpy road, and the state of his feet did not allow him to keep walking, let alone mountaineering.

Indeed, he felt his feet failing him and let his back slide slowly against a wooden cottage the shape of a giant mushroom, relatively far from the town and the prying eyes of its townsfolk. The sky was a black tranquility married to a poetry of stars, a softness that called body and brain to rest and let the heart go to its steady rhythm. Night came as a reward, a restfulness above to calm the soul, and rode on a horse of pure midnight velvet, beckoned by the stars under the glow of a full moon. As the colors of the day rested, perhaps dreaming of the morrow, the hillside became its monochrome beauty, shapes that make an ever-changing, ever-present puzzle. In those brown eyes staring at the velvet veil of the night, was the warmth of an everlasting hearth, as if they were the wood that could burn with golden flames yet be entire. Perhaps it was the only aspect of himself he could describe as conspicuously interesting.

“In this night, we all become one, from rock to plant to animal, one promise of life awaiting the return of the sun…,” said he in a lonely tone as he closed his eyes, ignoring the pain from his feet. Just as he was about to dive into a dream, the petite voice of a peripatetic fairy resounded as she appeared from atop his wheelbarrow.

“Gadzooks! What a sad looking beast. There, I sprinkled happy dust on you! Now smile for sparkle’s sake, this son of a monkey’s expensive!”

Nadir was so astonished that he almost caught a heart attack, and in his surprise, his left foot hit the rusty handle of his wheelbarrow, causing further aches as the pixie just shook her head.

“Cowabunga! What a Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat you make! Oh and those feet!! Is this the new fashion sense this spring? Shoes that look like needles stuck in a foxtail? It’s quite… thorny.”

Despite his need to let out a wail, his mouth stretched into a smile he could not control. Soon enough, his lips let out an unfettered scoff, then a chuckle, and finally a giggle. He understood that whatever the fairy had done to him worked, and noticed that the feeling of agony had greatly eased. Nonetheless, he was getting tired of laughing, and it did not go without notice as the little fairy finished her healing spell before cancelling her sprinkle’s effect.

“Here! All fixed! However, just so you know, it wasn’t an innocent, kind act. It’s an apology in behalf of my sisters and brothers.”

The Fenodyree tilted his head in confusion, but soon enough, he understood that she came from the same spiky town. In fact, after all the tumult, he finally had the time to observe her closely. She flew upon spider-spun silken wings, for she worked with nature as one and was dressed in the ever-rosy petals of her fairyland, her hair and eyes matching with the cherry tree planted next to the cottage.

“You look different… and you’re much kinder than any of them. You also said nothing about my appearance… Who are you really?”

She tee-heed mischievously before leading him inside the cottage. When he entered, it was a whole village waiting for him inside. Not only pixies lived there, but also Glaistigs and Aos Si and other specimens of fairies.

“My name is Sigun Tyr. I’m the leader of the Munay Resistance Group. My brothers and sisters were under our king's charm and they’re very wary of strangers, so again I apologize in their behalf, and I want your help.”

The outsider blinked several times and understood quite easily that he stepped into a world he would probably regret having come across. Nonetheless, he exhaled deeply and gripped his wheelbarrow’s handles harder. All the other fairies gathered around, noticing that their leader came with another potential member.

“Then I would like you to do something in return, the reason why I travelled from the human world to mine. It has changed with the years, and I do not intend to prolong my stay in my unrecognizable birthplace. In short, I was planning to find the Shard of Serendipity.”

Most of them gasped in surprise, some in horror. Sigun Tyr kept her calm but was no less surprised as were her peers, and Nadir was lost in utter confusion.

“It explains why you’re not informed about the current situation of things… Come to our HQ. We’re gonna talk about that fart knocker of a ruler. It concerns you as well, dear Fenodyree.”

“I am Nadir.”

“Yeah I guess.”

He rolled his eyes as he followed her, most of the other fairies going back to their respective chores, leaving just a restricted number of them to escort the newcomer.

Once inside the very simplistic yet cozy meeting room within the headquarters, Sigun Tyr started explaining the situation, her brows furrowing further after each sentence.

“When our dearest widow Queen died, her only son replaced her. At first he was doing fine, until one day, a mysterious visitor with a grey cape came visiting us. Our hospitable nature prevented us from chasing him away because of the simple reason that he was suspicious, especially when he refused to take it off. Anyways! I used to be his majesty’s right hand. I told him to be careful, but he was no longer listening to reason when he started hearing the riches promised by the weird stranger. It was as if… his vanity and thirst of power increased after each word pronounced by that Judas Priest! Ah, that wasn’t his name by the way. We don’t know who he was, but we know what he gave our king. It was the famous Shard of Serendipity. It granted him power and an almighty control of his population, so much that he killed almost all the males of his kingdom, including the newborns. Great Scott! It was horrifying and I couldn’t stay there any longer. That man’s a Devil! A Dust Devil! Not only did he take our prosperity with him, he took our happy future with him too! I don’t know what he has against us, but we want our happiness back, and you’re going to help us!”

The least to say was that Nadir was very shocked hearing such statements but what was more terrorizing was the fact that he had certain flashbacks, as if he had lived those moments, as if he had met the king before. No… that was not it. It was much worse as he had an odd taste of iron in his tongue, and no ordinary food could relieve his hunger.

“I will help you, but I need the artefact, more than anything else.”

“May I ask why?”

“…My late master’s young great daughter is very sick and she has a whole happy future awaiting her. I want to save her.”

“Oh yeah, you Fenodyrees are very loyal to your humans. I can’t say I sympathize. After all, we fairies are tricksters. All we want is play and have fun, our hearts beat fierce and free. Schnikes, as if we have time for beings whose hearts are as soft and fragile as mashed potatoes! But for once, we will have to cooperate!”

They shook hands upon agreeing on the terms of their alliance. Thus, Nadir would help them in exchange of receiving the Shard of Serendipity. He was quite relieved that he did not have to climb and mine for the shard within the confines of the Sierra Amos, yet he felt rather sad for not being obliged to. He wanted to pay his respects to his elders, but the injuries in his feet, although half healed, were a big hindrance.

Days and weeks have passed since joining the Munay. He had progressed a lot in terms of physical strength as well as intellect. Indeed, Fenodyrees were far from being the smartest creatures, which made him abnormally special, as if he were a hybrid, considering the roguish plans he came up with to prank the townsfolk and convince some to join their cause, until one day, they were enough to strike a revolution and infiltrate the palace to face the tyrant. It all went so fast ever since Nadir had joined the resistance movement, strangely fast, petrifyingly swift. It was too easy, too naïve to be real. Indeed, they stepped right into his trap, or rather, their trap, as both the king and the grey caped creature were patiently awaiting them, and soon, guards with axes forced them to kneel down in front of their highness, a powerful and high monarch, drunk with his own sons’ blood as was revealed to them during his sickening speech.

“… and their cherry colored liquid makes one immortal and eternally healthy! That is why you will have the privilege to taste it, as I will make you my future wives. As for you, disgusting creature, your kind must have been wiped from this world a long time ago!  Al-Shaytan ! Off with his head!”

The grey caped creature nodded as he made a courtesy towards the king and said while looking at him, grinning wildly:

“Your majesty, must you know that the greatest trick the Devil pulled was convincing the world there was only one of him.”

With a dagger previously hidden under his sleeve, he stabbed the king right in the heart, the latter whispering “traitor” before letting out his last breath. Then, he removed his mysterious cape to reveal an unexpected figure.

“Nadir…?”

Sigun Tyr and her peers could not believe their eyes, nor could the one they believed was Nadir and who led them to their ruin.

“Ah… so it was not a dream after all… I was you all along. Or rather, I was only your puppet, bound to lead your revenge to an end. I see… I am sorry, dear Sigun Tyr.”

His bloody lips smiled one last time before he disappeared into dust after a cleave of the axe, his wheelbarrow carrying the grime of deception.

“You’re Nadir…? All along, you were The Dust Devil!? Why are you doing this?”

He laughed hysterically as tears of hate rolled down his hairy cheeks.

“You do not even remember your sins… You disgust me.”

The Munay members felt the strings of life about to be cut by unyielding slices of axes.

“You are tricksters. It is your nature. Yet it does not give you any right to kill, and you did the unforgivable. Your disgust for humans, your narcissism for your kind, your perversion of happiness and bliss… are they legitimate excuses to murder them with your childish pranks!? Your definition of fun has sacrificed hundreds of souls and led them to ruin! You murdered my dearest masters, and you will reap what you sow!”

Suddenly, all axes turned to dust, and the soldiers carrying them kneeled down. The Munay members were even more confused and dared not move.

“Your death, however, will simply not do. Consider my act against your king a putsch. From now on, you will obey me. And my first order for you…”

He slowly walked towards the teary Sigun Tyr, who stared at him with an apologetic yet loathing look. He raised her head from under her chin and forced her to look at him as he whispered, a whisper that resounded loud and clear through the entirety of the room.

“You will mine the whole Sierra Amos, no matter how many centuries it would take, and you will throw the shards in the Fountain of Mending… You will mine and mine again, as the holy water returns the shards and rocks back to their mountain, forever and ever…”

"Hah..." She scoffed. "Not only did you forcefully fit in, but for an outsider, you're a most unwelcome one! And yet..."