In The Present with The Past

There was something good in being made of before, which is really the only accurate name for the substance Past was derived from. 

Being a spirit derived from such a heady substance gave Past an eternal nature, at least to those forced to perceive it, as while the Present is fleeting and the Future is at times grim, the Past has already taken all it can and is therefore much less frightening.

That doesn’t stop the spirit from being little known, half formed and amorphic in the perspective of most who partook in the luxury of Past’s presence.

At least that was how Past looked at it, and while enjoying a long planned lay in after a rather horrid holiday night with a very rich man, Past heard something.

Someone was knocking at the door.

The door Past was sure they'd dematerialized before this long planned night in.

Past was in anycase disturbed. While it was good manners to knock or ring a bell before entering somebody's dwelling, it was considerably more disconcerting when the somebody in question had no discernable or contiguous body.

Whoever had managed to enter Past’s truest realm was either doing so at the behest of some greater force, or had leapt through the aether on pure luck. 

Past really hadn’t expected company.

Being aware of more kinds of niceties than the common spirit or spector, Past wasn't sure how to proceed. 

That is, if the poor soul who'd wandered in had ever been born, or new of hospitalities, then there was much to consider.

And if it hadn't then it would be dangerous but necessary to lead the thing the right way. As spirits who'd had no time in the world didn't have a sense of space, or physical respect. It made the entire interaction just a little more unpredictable.

And being a manifestation of the Past, Past couldn't simply reach inside themselves to find out, they were in the present, and ignorant to the nature of the new visitor.

It was always interesting when they shared dominion for a moment.

This was a fine thought to have before opening the door.

Past felt the space they usually inhabited reconfigure into something more sensible for company.

“You knocked. what do you want?” Past asked, level in the shifting sands of their visage. Before looking down. Past was surprised by their visitors. Three forms, two from the earthly realm, one from the beneath. 

A very important one from the beneath.

“Oh, I thought your kind only did prosecutory work.” Past said directly to the entity from below.

“We do defend on occasion,” it said, before looking to the earthly ones, “it was only right to do so, when creatures such as these make strong offers.” it said moving past the door.

“Tainting the young doesn’t seem the best method out there to -”

“There are many ways to taint the young, don’t look at yourself too rosily Past.” it interrupted, “they weren’t unaware when they called upon me, and they knew better than to simply leave me to it.”

“I wouldn’t call them responsible, for calling on a thing like you as anything above a thrall.” Past cut in a shimmer, the origin of the judgement being quite fuzzy for Past.

“I think you’ll see that they’re very responsible, Past,” it said, showing off the little contracts that bound it’s magic to their souls. “and they have lovely penmanship!”

Past felt their form solidify a little, the clarity of the trio’s history giving structure to their presence. 

“You don’t have to know 'em that long to get a real sense for kids like these.” the low thing bragged.

“Would you quit antagonizing our host, Aritsara?” the girl said, chiding the ‘child’ that was her advocate.

"You two didn't think of that during drafting so, no!" The low thing said, "they really are good children, you should help them like spirits do sometimes."

"And what? help a low thing steal! I think not." Past refused on principle, whatever those were made of.

"Why not? It's been done already, you aren't fixing anything by refusing." The angrier child said, disillusioned. 

"I'm not, but it's no less my right, than for you and yours upon the earth to make deals with creatures you could never understand."

“What makes you think we need to? How often do you act in our world without understanding it?”, the girl went with little patience for either of the overpowered entities in the room.

"What's the point? This thing can't help! It doesn’t even know what it’s made from.” The angry child said, as honestly as possible. 

The girl looked over at the angry one, " I know your father didn't ask anything of you, but my parents - my family are in danger, and I won't put up with this, from someone on my level."

"Do you really think we'll get help being passive, after intruding like this?", the angry one said to the girl, who looked down.

The angry one looked over at Past, "we managed to get our way with Aritsara, but we do need the help. It's been a long way, and it's a joint contract."

"Our target overlaps. But we need more time."

"What makes you think I could give that to you?"

"So you'll help miserly old men, worse than devils, but you won't help anyone who'd bother asking?" The angry one spat.

"A dream isn't anything."

"Neither are words, but you still make them."

Everything stopped for a moment, while it wasn't risky for solid things to live thoughtlessly, it was strange to even think about as a spirit.

Just energy. Just primordial nothing.

"Why do you think the Past exists? Do you really think we need a spirit to remember?" The angry one said to a silenced room, "You are not Prometheus. We change you, more than you change us."

"We need more time." The angry one, tongue full of wit, said somewhere between rage and begging.

This was the one who opened Past’s realm, the one who managed to reform Past’s door. 

This was a child sharing a demon, with another all for kind goals.

It was why they couldn't make a thrall.

Past didn’t know what to do, as it shared dominion with the now.