[Unitopia, Western Continent]
The new sun rose with haste, as if it were trying to chase away the particularly deep shadows of that night. A soft knock on their doors accompanied by the dignified voice of Candlewax informed both Jeffbob and Ziriothrax that their host was waiting for them in the dining room.
Gaining their acknowledgements, with a sharp pop the three figures disappeared, re-appearing in the dining room. Jeffbob and Ziriothrax were already seated, a testament to Candlewax's control which Jeffbob appreciated with a brief nod and Ziriothrax grated at with a snarl. Not reacting, the impish butler merely bowed once to him and to Mayor Shade who sat at the head of the spread, disappearing with another pop.
The dining room was fairly lavish, in line with the rest of the tower. Sunlight streamed in through gothic windows, illuminating the table and its spread in warm yellow. As for the food, a veritable feast was laid out before them, a steaming pile of food organised with such sublime artistry to make any self-respecting gourmet cry tears of joy.
"Good morning. Please, no need to stand on ceremony, Sir Jeffbob and Sir Ziriothrax. Please help yourselves. I have had the staff cook up a selection as I was unsure as to your particular preferences."
Jeffbob nodded solemnly.
"The matter of food is never to be taken lightly, young Mayor. For its brief sustenance is the thin barrier that separates the man from the beast within. As for me, I shall partake only in Vegetable, for that is the way prescribed to all Vegetable-kind!"
"Very well."
With a wave of his hands, some foods disappeared, other even more exotic variants appearing to take their place. A droplet of saliva began to exit Jeffbob's open mouth, but a solitary spark deep within the abyss of his pupils came to light and he closed his mouth before it could fall.
Ziriothrax made no overt expression to that action, though his minds silently catalogued the observation and moved on.
"As for you, Sir Ziriothrax, is the food to your taste?"
Fixing the suit of armour with the weight of his full gaze, he spoke in a burning voice.
"If I were hungry, I can assure you that this measly banquet would not satisfy me for a single morsel. I would much rather feast on your delectably blazing soul."
Flinching under Jeffbob's blank gaze, he hurried to amend himself.
"That is to say, I will eat what I eat, no more and no less."
If the Mayor was amused by the exchange he made no show of it. Whether out of politness, or the sheer bloodlust oozing unabated from that tiny cricket, it was unclear.
"Equally as good, Sir Ziriothrax. I can tell you that the chef would be delighted for you to partake and let me pass on how you feel; it is the first time he has ever cooked for one such as yourself."
He turned to address Jeffbob.
"The same goes for you, Sir Jeffbob, though it seems that your opinions are worn on your sleeves."
Placing down the spoon he held daintily in his hoof (how?), he dabbed at his mouth demurely as if he had not just devoured a small whale's worth of food in literally a single bite.
"That may be the case, but let me vocalise it nonetheless. Truly, a spread such as this is a glorious occasion for any. Even one such as I, for whom the void of oblivion swalloweth the silver of my thought, can attest to its unmatched brilliance in all the lands. I have you to thank, Mayor Shade, for providing me a second purpose to alight my footsteps: to search for a banquet capable of holding even a candle to the bonfire you have set before me. So I say thank you, thank you and thrice, thank you!"
Before the Mayor had a chance to even speak, a tall and thin, spindly figure burst through the door, a listening device spilling out of his hands. He wore a white robe and a chef's hat that were both covered in flour and grease.
The Mayor brought a hand to his visor as if to massage his forehead.
"Candlestew...how many times have we discussed this? If you are to listen in, at least stop falling through the doors!"
The figure, Candlestew, stood up and dusted himself off sheepishly. He was an imp, similar to Candlewax, but his skin was a bright red and a pointed tail swished behind him, belying his nervousness. He wasn't able to contain himself, bursting out in exclamation.
"But you really cannot blame me, Master Shade. For one such as I, unworthy even to hold this spatula, to receive such praise, such heartfelt praise..."
His voice broke into a sob, his red eyes filling up with tears that streamed down his face.
"I am unworthy, Master Jeffbob, of your words. You praise me, but you know not of these hands...the things they have done...the dough I have kneaded. The people I have fed tasty bread! I am a terrible, terrible demon, Master Jeffbob, I have not even tortured a single innocent soul!"
Jeffbob shook his head slowly in sympathy, gazing upon the distraught imp with the benevolence of tasty bread.
"Each demon walks his own path, Master Candlestew. The ability you possess is unique to yourself, do not let it go to waste! Let those who mock do so, for they too shall fall before the tastiness of your bread, the fluffiness of your dough! Proclaim unto all the lands, and let none face the doom of Hunger alone! You are not a terrible demon, Master Candlestew."
He paused, as if chewing the words over and upon finding them sweet upon the tongue and nectar to the ears, he let them bubble forth like a guzzling fountain of honey.
"You have conquered the greatest, darkest abyss that exists. Within your spatula lies more than a mere infinity, for all things hold within them possibility. Nay, what lies in your spatula is something greater: the promise of an end. An end to Hunger. You are the embodiment of the answer to the question that plagues beings older than this universe. Eat, eat and thrice over, eat! And be sated!"
Candlestew was in shock, his expression of such joy that any further would have seemed as though he were having a particularly violent spasm of the facial muscles. Which is not to say that would not be an apt description.
Eventually, through the streaming tears of joy, he managed to squeeze a few words out.
"You, Master Jeffbob, you have saved me! How can I possibly repay you?"
Jeffbob merely chuckled.
"Merely continue what you do, Master Candlestew. I sense a great destiny in you, one that dwarfs all those here. They may call you 'chef', Master Candlestew, but if you would permit it, let me grant you a name akin to what your people were called by my kind."
He paused, and his horn glowed black, producing a strange hypnotic effect. His baritone voice was amplified as he spoke in a strange language. It slid off the ears of those present, as if their brains refused to comprehend the strange syllables spoken.
And yet for naught, as the meaning was transmitted directly into their mind, like a virus.
"You Who Shall Satiate That Which Hungers In The Dark."
It was a powerful title, echoing with a power in of itself. Truly powerful names held a weight to them, a certain momentum caused by the sheer existence of the being they embodied. We have seen that already, and we are seeing it once again.
Hearing that, the imp named Candlestew stood with a straight back. He felt that name settle, untangling the knot he had tied himself into for centuries, cementing his identity. A burst of bread coloured light emitted from the top of his head, a physical manifestation of his enlightenment.
Jeffbob nodded, satisfied, at the sight. Mayor Shade and Ziriothrax seemed to content to remain silent, though perhaps they were simply speechless. Candlestew eventually came to and, after a great deal of consternation for having ignored his Lord sat right there, disappeared off into the shadowed corridors with renewed vigour in his step.
Finishing up their meal, Mayor Shade spoke up.
"Then, what are your plans, Sirs? If you would be happy to, Ent's Day is just around the corner, we in the Town of Endings would gladly welcome you. It has been a long time since we ever had any guests, and we are quite proud of our traditions."
Before Jeffbob had a chance to speak, Ziriothrax interrupted venomously.
"Your frivolities disgust me almost more than your hypocrisy. In fact, let us dispense with these sordid pleasantries, Mayor. You disgust me. You reek of someone who touts the greater good as an excuse at every turn. Your traditions? Your town?"
He scoffed, spitting out the words vituperatively.
"Hollow and meaningless. They hold no weight to them. There is no urgency, nothing. A pointless, pitiful play at pretend and for what? To kid yourself, that you are not what you are? Those who hide from themselves are the most disgusting hypocrites of all. At least have the courage to look your doom in the eyes when it faces you."
His layered criticism launched at the Mayor unfiltered. Such an amount of rage and hatred, in such a small body. Mayor Shade, however, was not one to back down so easily.
"I have been a gracious host so far, Ziriothrax. But do not speak so lightly of that which you know nothing. Even my magnanimity has limits, and I am not sure either of us are willing to test that."
Ziriothrax seemed over-eager to refute that last statement, but was interrupted by a snort from Jeffbob. His glassy eyes were fixed onto a point nowhere, but both Zirithrax and the Mayor felt his attention fix on them.
"I apologise for his outburst, Mayor Shade, though what the cricket speaks of is true. We will not have time to stay for the celebrations. I am afraid that matters call to us, and the Second Exchange shall not fulfil itself."
Mayor Shade seemed to let go of an invisible breath, the tension in the air that had been building up dissipated anticlimactically.
"Very well then, Sir Jeffbob. If it shall please you, I will have Candlewax escort you out. He can take you to Fluvious who would be of far greater help in your future travels."
"I am thankful, Mayor, but such a thing will not be necessary. I shall float where the wind carries, such is the way of Vegetable-kind!"
With a purple flash of his horns, the figures of Jeffbob and Ziriothrax were enveloped by light and by the time it faded, they had disappeared. In the final moments, Jeffbob's eyes were still fixed onto a point far off in the distant. Only Ziriothrax had fixed the Mayor with the full brunt of his fury.
In that final moment, with Jeffbob distracted, he had managed to manifest what lay slumbering under his surface. The malevolence of a billion-billion resentful souls compressed and sublimated into a rage far more pure. All of that raw emotion held a power in of itself, the ability to melt a lesser man's brain through his ears.
Plenty of greater men too, would be crushed under that weight.
Mayor Shade was silent, his silver armour shining bright in the sunlight streaming through the gothic windows. He made no indication of what he felt in that moment, merely summoning Candlewax with a flick of his finger. The imp appeared with a pop and spoke in an ancient voice.
"Have you come to a decision, Master?"
Mayor Shade replied hoarsely, nodding his head wearily.
"No more stalling, that which we long feared is upon us. Send the letters to convene the rest. I can only hope that we are early enough.."
The imp bowed sharply before departing, leaving the Mayor to stew in his thoughts alone.