@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@ he felt himself sail effortlessly across the man-made chasm.
His imagination roamed unfettered as he alternatively jogged,
stepped, sprinted, and leaped across the tiled world. Two illusory
hawks swooped from the sky to fasten upon his outstretched arms and
carried him with swooping ecstasy across a particularly wide gap.
At his bidding, flat mushrooms grew underfoot to cushion his
footsteps before fading back into the red tile. A gust of hot air
buoyed him through yet another leap.
he imagined they carried him with swooping ecstasy across a
particularly wide gap. At his bidding, flat mushrooms grew
underfoot to cushion his footsteps before fading back into the red
tile. A gust of hot air buoyed him through yet another leap.
He was close now. A gaggle of gnomes peered at him from the peak of
the roof. They were obviously an hallucination, but they caused him
@@ -42,9 +42,9 @@ the chimney, to guard against the freak misfortune of it sliding
off the steep roof, he attacked the second tile.
With both tiles out, the hole left behind was far too small for an
adult to squeeze through. Yet for Jack's lithe form it was perfect,
and he dangled his feet into the darkness without hesitation, the
gaping unknown giving him not a moment's pause.
adult to squeeze through. Yet for Jack's young, lithe form it was
perfect, and he dangled his feet into the darkness without
hesitation, the gaping unknown giving him not a moment's pause.
Darkness. This was the tricky bit. Keeping his feet on the ceiling
joists and away from the ceiling slats—to keep from falling
@@ -100,34 +100,35 @@ valuables. Trembling slightly, he unlimbered the lamp and held it
high as he entered the room. He gave the door a gentle, tentative
push. It creaked softly.
This was not Jack's first creaky door. He placed the lamp on the
Jack knew how to deal with a creaky door. He placed the lamp on the
floor, clear of the doorway, and then put his shoulder against the
edge of the door, pushing $towards its hinges and lifting slightly
as he swung it slowly and carefully closed. Not the slightest peep.
With it closed, he was free to explore in some peace.
He smiled. With it closed, he was free to explore in some peace.
The first thing he did was unlatch and open the window. It made
The first thing he did was unlatch the window shutter . It made
some noise, but it meant that he could not be trapped. He hung his
head briefly out the window to see where he was, and then started
turning the room over.
One wall was completely taken up by leather bound sheafs of paper,
and although Jack could not read, he gravitated $towards them,
fascinated. It was not something he could move, though he knew the
paper alone was immensely valuable. The craftmanship and beauty of
fascinated. He had never seen so much paper in one place before,
and for good reason. It was ridiculously expensive. Yet, paper was
not something he knew how to move. The craftmanship and beauty of
the bookcases implied that this collection was highly valued.
He ignored them with regret and turned his attention to the desk.
It too was beautiful, like almost everything in the room. A silver
paperweight and matching letter opener were the first items to make
their way into the folds of his black coat. Pulling a drawer open
he was confronted with a shallow wooden box. He opened it quickly
and was disappointed to find a pink hued crystal.
their way into the folds of his patch riddled black coat. Pulling a
drawer open he was confronted with a shallow wooden box. He opened
it quickly and was disappointed to find a single, pink- hued crystal.
Nestled in its own silk lined box, it was clearly valuable. It was
pretty and it drew his eye like a lodestone, but Jack would never
be able to sell it. He almost put it back, but on an impulse he
slipped it into his baggy, oversized coat as well.
Nestled in its own silk lined box, it was clearly valuable. The
crystal was pretty and it drew his eye like a lodestone, but Jack
would never be able to sell it. He almost put it back, but on an
impulse he slipped it into his baggy, oversized coat as well.
He opened the opposite drawer.
@@ -153,8 +154,8 @@ Instinctively, Jack bounced sharply off the alley wall towards the
opposite side, expecting an arrow. There was a muffled pop, like a
smashed glass bottle, and then a sizzling and hissing. Stumbling,
he fetched up against the opposite wall and turned wide-eyed to see
the wall he had just bounced from with his bare hands dissolve
behind a screen of billowing black smoke.
the stone wall he had just bounced from with his bare hands
dissolve behind a screen of billowing black smoke.
He scrambled a few yards farther down the alley, the slick, evil
smelling refuse on the ground coating his hands before he found his
@@ -174,8 +175,10 @@ He made it home in short order, having practically skipped over the
heads of the few lurkers who were awake in the early hours before
sunrise. Pimps, prostitutes, drunks, thieves, watchers, and the odd
legitimately industrious individual whose work required them to
begin in the small hours of the day. Jack knew how to avoid
confrontation, which given his size, was absolutely necessary.
begin in the small hours of the day. He took even more care to
avoid the stray dogs that really ruled these street after dark.
Jack knew how to avoid confrontation, which given his size, was
absolutely necessary.
Candle light flickered through the second floor window of a room
that he shared with Mardy and the other three unwanted children. In
@@ -184,9 +187,10 @@ orphans. But not in this city.
His small, informal family was lucky though. There were roughly
twenty tiny partitioned rooms like theirs on that floor, and only a
handful had a window. Of course, some people preferred not to have
a window because it made them harder to rob. Jack had to admit
somewhat wryly that that was a good point.
handful had a shuttered window. Of course, some people preferred
not to have a window, or just punched out a single mudbrick,
because it made them harder to rob. Jack had to admit, somewhat
wryly, that they made a good point.
Until only two months ago, they had all been living in the shanty
town, but that had changed when Stine had gotten his job at the
@@ -270,7 +274,7 @@ too hard, since Jack knew he was also a large and heavy-boned lad
who enjoyed punching people in the head.
Be bold, he told himself, and he strode into the hovel with his
head high, a scant moment before Marten said, "OK ."
head high, a scant moment before Marten said, "Varlay ."
"I want onto the farm," said Jack in a firm voice, making out
Marten and one other person sitting with their backs to the wall in
@@ -290,7 +294,7 @@ by two separate sources, so Marten's evasions were not going to
fly.
Marten himself was neither a large, nor imposing figure. He was
a skinny, softly spoken, and almost delicate man. Yet his reputation
a skinny, softly spoken, almost delicate man. Yet his reputation
was far more fierce than his outward appearance gave credence. He
had been the head of this district of the thieves guild for almost
five years, having quietly disposed of the former incumbent before
@@ -306,24 +310,24 @@ hint of anxiety would be used against him.
"You don't know shit, midget!" swore Sadel, her voice edged with a
screech that set Jack's nerves jangling. He hated her. He hated her
because she was dangerous.
fiercely. He hated her because she was dangerous.
"I know about the farm," Jack did not budge by the slightest
degree.
Jack had only been in here twice in the time that he had been
actively thieving. Once when he first began, to establish his right
to work, and once again during a dispute with another thief. Both
times he had tread most carefully to avoid setting off Sadel. He
had had plenty of time to consider the dynamic between the two, and
Jack was certain he knew exactly why Marten kept Sadel close by.
She was his dog.
actively thieving. Once when he first began, only two years ago, to
establish his right to work, and once again during a dispute with
another thief. Both times he had tread most carefully to avoid
setting off Sadel. He had had plenty of time to consider the
dynamic between the two, and Jack was certain he knew exactly why
Marten kept Sadel close by. She was his dog.
Of course, not a literal dog. Just the crazy animal in the room
that removed the element of logic far enough away from the
discourse to present Marten's power to its full advantage. She was
the gatekeeper that allowed Marten to size someone up before he was
forced to respond himself . Otherwise, Marten was too logical, too
forced to respond. Otherwise, Marten was too logical, too
methodical. Those traits sometimes did not equate to the best
advantage, and he relied on Sadel to sew enough uncertainty and
discord for him to work the angles. Jack could admire the strategy
@@ -333,10 +337,10 @@ while hating being its target.
intend to pay your way?"
Sadel shot to her feet, her pinched face intense. Jack knew she
wanted to hurt him for getting past her defences . If Marten
conceded anything, she took it as a personal affront. Her failure.
She stalked up to Jack's side to stare down menacingly at him. She
was half a head taller than him, but he managed to ignore her.
wanted to hurt him for getting past her. If Marten conceded
anything, she took it as a personal affront. Her failure. She
stalked up to Jack's side to stare down menacingly at him. She was
half a head taller than him, but he managed to ignore her.
"I can afford it," Jack said, a touch quickly.
@@ -9386,16 +9390,16 @@ Jack bared his teeth and Dolce went crazy.
noticed for the first time that it was encased in a metal gauntlet.
Jack glared at the soldier for a moment, a feeling of sick dread
rising in him as he realised how badly he was outclassed, but the
contumaceous core of him refusing to back down. Instead of
responding, Jack freed himself from the showdown by turning back to
Dolce and running to her. She was fighting a ferocious and losing
battle against the cord that bound her, tearing great tufts of her
fur out by the roots. A part of his mind prickled to have the
soldier at his back, but he forced himself not to turn around
again. Dolce heaved violently back and forth, threatening injury to
herself every moment. Jack put his hands to her surging flesh,
trying to calm her.
rising in him and weakening his legs as he realised how badly he
was outclassed, but the contumaceous core of him refusing to back
down. Instead of responding, Jack freed himself from the showdown
by turning back to Dolce and running to her. She was fighting a
ferocious and losing battle against the cord that bound her,
tearing great tufts of her fur out by the roots. A part of his mind
prickled to have the soldier at his back, but he forced himself not
to turn around again. Dolce heaved violently back and forth,
threatening injury to herself every moment. Jack put his hands to
her surging flesh, trying to calm her.
"Stupid animal. Nothing can break that cord," spat Soldier Erold,
his voice a little closer than before.
@@ -9422,9 +9426,9 @@ Dolce got to him first. She was scratching and slipping over the
cobblestones, but she still knocked the malkemist over when she
bowled into him.
"Corpa!" yelled Soldier Korst in warning, before continuing in a
carrying tone devoid of concern or anxiety. "Killing a malkemist
outside of a duel means death."
"Corpa!" yelled Soldier Korst loudly in warning, before continuing
in a carrying tone devoid of concern or anxiety. "Killing a
malkemist outside of a duel means death."
Jack threw himself at Dolce just as she sank her teeth into the
malkemist's side. The soldier tried to scream, but the effort came
@@ -9462,22 +9466,22 @@ and trotted over to him.
Soldier Erold groaned and rolled over onto his stomach. Jack kept a
tense eye on Soldier Raigne and Soldier Korst, wondering what they
would do. He had no time to look away from them, but no one else
was moving in the courtyard. All eyes were on Jack and Dolce, or
would do. He had no time to look away from them, but he could tell
from the stillness at the corner of his eye that no one else was
moving in the courtyard. All eyes were on Jack and Dolce, or
Soldier Raigne.
"Devid. See to him," called out Soldier Raigne in a tone of slight
disgust, indicating the downed malkemist. He turned on his heel
without waiting for acknowledgement and headed again for the side
entrance.
Jack rushed to pick up his saddlebags again and followed, Dolce in
tow. He was quite sure that no one wanted Dolce inside the
beautiful building, but both Soldier Korst and Soldier Raigne were
a dozen paces ahead by the time he reached the large doorway.
Neither forbade her from entering, so Jack made no effort to stop
her either. Not that he would have willingly left her outside
anyway.
Jack rushed to pick up his saddlebags and followed, Dolce in tow.
He was quite sure that no one wanted Dolce inside the beautiful
building, but both Soldier Korst and Soldier Raigne were a dozen
paces ahead by the time he reached the large doorway. Neither
forbade her from entering, so Jack made no effort to stop her
either. Not that he would have willingly left her outside anyway.
The malkemists strode quickly ahead, and both corpas had to
alternatively skip and walk just to keep up. Jack gauged the
@@ -9562,14 +9566,14 @@ taken out a book to read, and Jack followed suit with his own
poorly disguised copy of <i>The Ethics of Creating Simulcra</i>.
Occassionally, a voice or a scuff would be heard outside the room,
but the silence was never long broken. Soldier Korst seemed to be
sleeping.
but the relative silence was never long broken. Soldier Korst
seemed to be sleeping.
Even Dolce relaxed enough to slump to the ground.
Jack was reading slowly. He was quite sure it was saying that
simulcra were a threat to other living creatures. Jack was still
learning why.
simulcra were a threat to other living creatures. He read on to
learn why.
A scuff sounded from the hallway and Jack expected it to fade like
the others before it, but instead the scuff turned into several and
@@ -9604,20 +9608,20 @@ surprise on his face.
The other malkemist came back out through the opposite door,
catching the end of the question.
"I caught this lot scraping in front of the auditorium. Idiots," he
answered. "Recien isn't in?"
"I caught this lot scrapping in front of the auditorium. Idiots,"
he answered. "Recien isn't in?"
"She stepped out, but I'm sure she'll be back soon," the elderly
malkemist answered with a distracted air as he considered the boys.
"In my day the nearest soldier would have beaten some sense into
you all, and probably left you something to remember them by. We've
grown too soft."
"Those were the good days," agreed the other malkemist. Soldier
Korst pretended to sleep on. "Five against one, though apparently
the big one started it."
"Those were the good days," agreed the other malkemist while
Soldier Korst pretended to sleep on. "Five against one, though
apparently the big one started it."
"I did not, " spoke up the big boy truculently. His voice was
"I did not! " spoke up the big boy truculently. His voice was
strangely accented.
The malkemist took a quick step towards the boy with his hand
@@ -9673,7 +9677,7 @@ bookshelves filled with books. The ceiling was as high as the room
outside, and three glass windows stretched almost from the ground
to the roof. Heavy maroon drapes flanked each.
A large brutish-looking malkemist with a silver trimmed malkemist
A large brutish-looking malkemist, with a silver trimmed malkemist
had at his elbow, sat at a massive desk. His bald head was down.
His neck and shoulders were thick and muscular.
@@ -9696,7 +9700,7 @@ grandmaster. He looked bored, and seemed not to be taking special
interest in anything around him. Jack doubted it.
The grandmaster tossed the letter in his hand onto the desk and
leaned back into his plush chair with a sign , his eyes taking them
leaned back into his plush chair with a sigh , his eyes taking them
all in. Soldier Korst had his hands clasped lightly behind his back
in the most respectful pose Jack had ever seen him adopt. Demic had
his head down, and Jack realized belatedly that his eyes should
@@ -9712,10 +9716,10 @@ three upsetting letters?"
"One more thing, grandmaster," said Soldier Korst.
The grandmaster's eyebrows rose. "There's more than this? This has
shaken us as it is. There two are going to give us a headache
before the day is through, we can tell." He looked at Soldier Korst
expectantly for a few moments longer before realizing that the
soldier had no intention of elaborately immediately.
shaken us as it is. These two are going to give us a massive
headache before the day is through, we can tell." He looked at
Soldier Korst expectantly for a few moments before realizing that
the soldier had no intention of elaborately immediately.
"Right. Boron, can you escort Corpa Demic to his quarters. We're
sure he's anxious for some of the comforts of home by now."
@@ -9759,14 +9763,14 @@ his attitude towards dogs, or at least one dog, had changed
drastically in that time.
Jack slipped from his chair to kneel beside Dolce, his head near
her mighty jaw. He shushed her gently, not feeling the least prick
of apprehension. He could feel her after all. He knew what was
driving her from moment to moment. Jack suddenly realized that he
trusted her more than he had ever trusted another living being. And
her a dog. It set him still with wonderment for a moment before he
shook it off.
Dolce had stopped growling. She still watched the encroaching boy
her mighty jaw. He shushed her gently, not feeling the least
prickle of apprehension. He could feel her after all. He knew what
was driving her from moment to moment. Jack suddenly realized that
he trusted her more than he had ever trusted another living being.
And her a dog. It set him still with wonderment for a moment before
he shook it off.
Dolce had stopped growling. She watched the encroaching boy
carefully, but the aggression was gone. Jack reached out his arm.
"Give me your hand," Jack urged.
@@ -9870,7 +9874,7 @@ The three boys by the office filed in first, then the larger boy.
Jack drew near the doorway and tried to convinced Dolce to stay
outside. As he expected, she ignored him.
"Please, just stay," Jack begged. She wagged her tailed , but either
"Please, just stay," Jack begged. She wagged her tail , but either
did not, or would not understand him.
"Hurry up! I don't have all day!"
@@ -9898,8 +9902,8 @@ expectantly at the trio.
"Did not!" growled the big boy.
"Everyone will get a chance to speak," warned the mistress. "Go
on," she invited.
"Everyone will get a chance to speak," warned the mistress in a
tone that warned of dire consequences. "Go on," she invited.
"We were minding our own business, coming out of the auditorium
when this newling bullock nearly..."
@@ -9936,9 +9940,9 @@ complain because it wasn't the fight they were expecting. Serves
them right!"
Jack was not sure if it was Golien's accent, or just the way he
told it, but he made the fight sound like it was a lot of fun.
told it, but he made the fight sound like it had been a lot of fun.
"One side says one thing and the other another. It looks like I'll
"One side says one thing and the other, another. It looks like I'll
have to split the difference. Ten strokes each. Everyone against
the wall to take them," Mistress Recien said with finality.
@@ -9961,7 +9965,7 @@ Ridiculous!"
Jack reached out his hand and touched the other boy's shoulder,
trying to calm him. <i>Really, ten strokes was nothing. Especially
with that flimsy stick. Why make a fuss and risk worse? There was
always worse</i>.
always worse to be found if you pushed for it </i>.
Golien slapped Jack's hand away violently, stinging him. Suddenly,
Dolce was growling, her hackles raised. Mistress Recien scolded
@@ -9974,12 +9978,12 @@ like cold water douses a fire.
Edgar in a kindly voice. "You shouldn't be in here," he said to
Jack as he moved into the room.
Mistress Recien humoured him as he came around the desk and then
bent to whisper something in her ear. She did not seem pleased to
hear the news .
Mistress Recien humoured him suspiciously as he came around the
desk and then bent to whisper something in her ear. She did not
seem pleased to hear whatever passed between them .
"It looks like I'll have to hold on to those strokes for you. For
the time being anyway. You'll get them eventually though," she
the time being anyway. You'll get them soon enough though," she
promised.
Jack did not care one way or the other. If she was looking for any
@@ -10045,8 +10049,8 @@ the idea of Soldier Halme coming to save him.
the building for some reason. They had not sent him down to Lower
Pamsley with the rest of the corpas. <i>Why? Was he that
important?</i> He wished he could talk to Demic, but the
grandmaster had seemed adamant about keeping them apart. <i>Again,
why ?</i> It did not make any sense to him.
grandmaster had seemed adamant about keeping them apart. <i>
Why ?</i> It did not make any sense to him.
Footfalls sounded from outside in the corridor. Not scuffs like
before, these were careful, well-measured steps. This was someone
@@ -10068,8 +10072,8 @@ such an opportunity. He ignored Dolce completely. "Give me one
moment, I need a word with the secretary."
He gave Master Edgar's door a brief firm knock and waited, his face
showing slight embarrassment. A muffled call issued from within and
he opened the door to disappear inside.
showing slight embarrassment, an awkwardness . A muffled call issued
from within and he opened the door to disappear inside.
Jack sat and waited. He could not hear anything from the
conversation happening on the other side of the door. They were
@@ -10095,33 +10099,524 @@ kicked away idly. Dolce put a stop to that by laying her head in
his lap, and Jack indulged her with a petting. Tick, tock.
Jack liked grandfather clocks. He had seen a surprising number,
considering how rare they were. Tick tock.
considering how rare they were. Tick, tock.
This one was getting on his nerves though. Tick tock.
This one was getting on his nerves though. Tick, tock.
He found himself stroking Dolce's fur to the rhythm of tick, tock.
He stopped.
He reached for his saddlebag to get his book just as the young
malkemist emerged at last. Finally, no more tick, tock.
Jack was reaching for his saddlebag to get his book just as the
young malkemist emerged at last. Finally, no more tick, tock.
"Great! My name is Master Kandan," he greeted enthusiastically, as
the office door closed behind him. "I take it that you are the
the office door closed behind him. "I take it that you're the
remarkable Corpa Jack? Good, good. Well, let's go. I'll set you up
in a room close by mine, we are going to explore your gifts
together." He seemed very cheerful. "Come along. Do you need a hand
with those?" He meant Jack's saddlebags. "No. Varlay."
in a room, we are going to explore your gifts together." He seemed
very cheerful. "Come along. Do you need a hand with those?" He
meant Jack's saddlebags. "No. Varlay."
Dolce seemed curious about the young man, but the youthful Master
Kandan seemed not to notice her at all, though he managed to keep
his distance from her all the same. He strode for the corridor
without letting her near. Jack shouldered his saddlebags and
followed behind with Dolce. The master turned right, opposite to
the direction that Jack had entered the building. Jack was slightly
disappointed, he would have liked to strengthen his memory of the
way in and out, and perhaps stayed closer to Risle and the stables
as well.
Jack turned to the sound of footsteps behind him. A malkemist was
striding down the corridor towards them.
"Kandan! Is that you?!" the man called out in surprise.
Master Kandan turned, his manner inquiring.
"It is you!" the newcomer exclaimed with pleasure. "Fancy us
meeting here, so far from Dome!"
"Indeed! It's a small world," Master Kandan smiled. "What brings
you this far east?"
"Master Tuvoil sent me," he answered with a disaffected air, then
changed the topic. "I see you're still fascinated by those
creatures," he lifted his nose and pointed it at Dolce. "I really
thought you'd grow out of it, but I suppose that's why you're here.
These easterners are far less uptight about the whole affair.
Imagine a simulcra walking the halls at home! Chanice would have
kittens!" he laughed.
Master Kandan smiled pleasantly. The stranger opened his mouth to
say something more, but Master Kandan spoke first.
"You'll have to excuse me, I have some matters to settle with this
situation," he gestured in good-natured apology to Jack and Dolce.
The other malkemist frowned in confusion, then nodded slowly.
"Varlay. Where can I find you after I finish with my duties?"
He waved his hand in the vague direction of the offices Jack had
just left.
"Don't worry, I'll find you," said Master Kandan with a cheerful
wave. He turned on his heel and began leading the way down the
corridor again.
The other man watched him go with a frown of puzzlement. Jack noted
his expression, but had to turn and trot, his saddlebags flapping,
to catch up with the energetically striding Master Kandan.
They took several turns in quick succession and then some carpeted
stairs. Jack kept his head straight throughout and was confident
that he could find his way back to the stables if he had to.
Another corner, a long stretch of white marble—overlaid with
tapestried runners—and they arrived at a door. It was identical to
the ones they had been passing in this hall, except for the
personalized golden plaque that Jack half read, half intuited as
"Master Kandan. Forbidden Arts Investigations."
"These are my modest rooms," he smiled with a hint of embarrassment
as he fumbled with some strange-looking keys, before swinging the
heavy wooden door inward. "I don't have an assistant, so you can
use those quarters. Don't mind the clutter, most of it isn't
breakable. I've only been here a couple of months, but my junk has
already started seeping into your room. Shouldn't take too long to
clear though. The steward would not be happy to see everything I've
brought up here, but I don't let him or his minions in here. Do me
a favour, in my absence, please! Do not let them in," he smiled
widely as though it was a joke between them. "He's got narrow eyes.
Shifty eyes. I can't trust a man with shifty eyes, it's beyond me."
The smell of animals hit Jack immediately. The first room was
sparsely furnished. The far, outside wall was dominated by a large
fireplace, which was flanked by two of the long floor to ceiling
glass windows. Standing bird cages dotted the room, though most of
them stood by the windows. Jack recognized a raven and a hawk, but
he did not have names for the rest. There was general squawking as
the birds seemed to greet their master. He shushed them, and
playfully petted and scolded the ones he could easily reach.
"I don't usually keep an animal as large as yours up here, but you
are both such a special case that I am more than happy to bend my
habits." He opened a door between two bookcases and led the way
inside a room to the right. The smell of animals was much stronger
in this room. The room within held mice and rats and even larger
rodents. Mixed in with the smell of animals was the much fresher
and cleaner smell of grain and hay.
Master Kandan looked at Jack and the expression on his face. "Not
this room!" he laughed, causing Jack to wipe the expression of
appalled surprise from his face. "Yours is the next room over!
Thank the Great Imaginer I don't have to clean this room out!" He
wiped his brow theatrically with a wide grin, and Jack felt himself
respond with a wry smile of his own.
Master Kandan navigated to the door opposite and opened it.
"Here we go. Home, sweet, home."
Jack peeked inside. No animals, just bag upon jute bag of feed. It
smelt kind of nice, though a little sweet on the nose. Besides the
feed, there was a bed, a table, some chairs, a wardrobe, a desk, and a small
bookcase. Although the bookcase was currently empty, Jack was more
excited to see it than anything else in the room. Lots of light
shone in through the ridiculously high window.
"That door there," the master pointed. "Leads back out to the
corridor." Jack had figured that out already. "And there's a toilet
and washroom at the end. You'll have to teach your dog to go
outside by herself unless she knows how to use a proper toilet," he
laughed again.
"Do settle yourself in," he continued. "I've work to attend to, but
I'll come grab you before sunset to take you down to the great hall
to eat."
He strode out and was gone. But moments later he was back again.
"Oh, one more thing. Try not to wander around too much without me.
Master Edgar told me your simulcra did a number on Erold. He's not
likely to forget that in a hurry. Not on your life. He won't kill
you, he cannot. But what he can do would turn your hair white. You
don't want him to get his hands on you this side of never. The
healers here are good, real good. Perhaps the best anywhere. They
can and will bring you back from the very brink of death. I've seen
corpas punished with amputated limbs that were only reattached
hours afterwards, and those guys were hacks. Imagine! That's not
even the worst thing I can think of. Please, do me a favour, stay
out of his way." He did not smile.
As though not being able to smile made him uncomfortable, he
thumped the stone wall next to the door lightly with the meat of
his palm, gave an awkward nod and left.
Jack dropped his saddlebags to the floor and listened as the master
returned to the main room. It sounded like he was leaving, and Jack
rushed to his own outside door to listen at it. A door onto the
corridor opened and Jack stilled his breath to hear where he went.
A jangle of keys broke out, and then Master Kandan was striding
away down the corridor. Jack only heard a couple of steps before
the man took to the floor runner where his footsteps were muffled.
Jack dropped to the ground. The gap under his door was too small to
see under, so he pressed his ear to the gap and waited.
Nothing. He had gone the other way.
Jack got to his knees to think. Master Kandan seemed nice, and Jack
wondered for a moment why he was on his knees on the floor tracking
the man out of his own home. A home that he had just opened for
Jack. He shrugged. It was always better to know than to not know.
Dolce sat on her haunches watching him intently with her large
brown eyes. She, at least, did not seem think Jack's behaviour was
strange. Jack smiled at her as his mind wandered, eyes unfocused,
to consider what had happened downstairs. He had made a staunch
enemey in Soldier Erold and lost a potential ally in Demic. His
impression of Master Kandan was good, but who knew what it meant.
He suddenly refocused his eyes on Dolce, awash with guilt. <i>Why
didn't I ask Master Kandan to heal her?</i> The man had tried to
avoid her though. It was not obvious, but as Jack thought back on
it, he realized that the man had always kept a healthy distance
between himself and the dog. <i>Maybe he just doesn't like
dogs,</i> thought Jack. Completely understandable.
<i>What am I going to do about Soldier Erold?</i> Jack wondered. He
had learned that this building was not a place that soldiers were
allowed to visit casually, which meant that he might be safe so
long as he stayed within. Did the soldiers stay down at Lower
Pamsley most of the time, or did they live up here as well? Some
did it seemed, but was Soldier Erold one of them? Maybe Soldier
Erold stayed down in Lower Pamsley, and Jack had nothing to worry
about. Perhaps Master Kandan was just frightening him into staying
within his room.
Jack shook his head. If that were the case, it was not going to
work.
He went into the next room and closed the door behind himself. He
did not want to let in the stench. The large window was open wide,
but the smell was still very strong. Jack went to the window to
look out. He was on the side of the building facing towards the
road he had climbed to arrive here. The stables were on the other
side of the building. Neat green lawns stretched between borders of
trimmed hedges, and Jack presumed, steep drops to the valley floor
far below. Paths of loose white stones led from feature to feature
throughout the park and disappeared out of sight behind the
building. A large variety of different trees and shrubs dotted the
landscape, but never threatened to become too dense. A fountain
sprayed water into the air in a steady stream not too far from
where Jack looked down. Jack saw a strange, finely wrought building
a few hundred yards away, but had no idea what it might be.
Jack left the window to move among the cages in the room. Some of
the rats were quite big, almost as large as the rats that infested
the sewers of Corsisan. Yet, unlike their cousins in the sewers, these
rats pressed close to the bars of their cages rather than scuttle
away. Jack wondered if they were dangerous before he put the back
of his hand to a cage. Little paws and snouts pressed against his
skin inquisitively. They were certainly not scared of koyim.
He left them to go to the main room. He was much more interested in
the birds, especially the large ones. He had already figured that
the mice and rats must be their food, and he did not really want to
become too attached to them. He picked his way amoung the cages
until he came to the largest raven he could see. He expected Dolce
to follow him, the same way she followed him everywhere, but she
had stopped at the first cage and was sniffing at the bird within,
a small black and white thing. Jack did not know its name, but he
remembered that it would sometimes swoop and attack travellers on
the road if they came too close to its nest.
The black and white bird was not disturbed by Dolce's attention in
the least, which Jack thought a little strange. It showed almost as
much interest in Dolce as Dolce was showing in it. Jack had assumed
that Dolce might be wondering if the bird was good to eat, but now
he realized he was wrong. Dolce was fascinated by the bird for some
other reason.
The black raven in front of Jack squawked for his attention and
he turned back to it. Its black-brown eyes were fixed upon him
intently. Jack imagined that it was trying to pry open his mind
with that piercing stare. It cocked its head to the side as though
considering some information it had managed to pluck from his
unguarded gaze. Jack smiled at his own foolishness and reached out
towards the cage. The bird's beak struck the cage violently, and
Jack blanched in sudden shock, pulling his fingers back sharply.
He had the sudden urge to slap the cage, but he restrained himself
at the last moment. <i>It's just a bird</i>, he told himself.
The bird began to laugh. Jack did not recognize it as such at
first, but with its head bobbing, the sound soon became
unmistakable. It was laughing at him.
"Open!" the bird demanded. Jack stared at it in shock. He knew that
birds did not talk. It had its head cocked to the side, one eye
appraising him brazenly. "Open," it repeated, knocking its beak
against the door of the cage.
Jack noticed that the door had a lock over the latch. He looked at
another cage nearby and saw that it was not similarly secured.
Perhaps this bird was special.
Jack considered trying the lock. In his mind's eye he saw himself
opening the simple tumbler. In his mind, the bird stepped forth
magestically, like some imprisoned prince released from a dread
tower. Then to Jack's horror, it moved from cage to cage releasing
bird after bird. By the time Jack blinked himself clear of the
vision, he was sick with the consequences of opening the cage.
'No," he said.
The raven rattled the bars of its cage with a swipe of its beak.
"Boy!" it complained, its tone heavy with familial disappointment.
Jack gaped to hear it, and suddenly the raven was laughing at him
again. <i>This bird is crazy,</i> he concluded.
Jack disengaged himself from the bird's disconcerting gaze and
picked his way clear of the crush of cages. It squawked behind him,
but he ignored it. Dolce was still sniffing and inspecting the
black and white bird.
He went to the front door and tried it. It was locked.
He considered investigating the many bookshelves that lined the
walls, but the locked door had roused something in him. He needed
to get out and explore the corridors and make sure he really did
know where he was. A good test would be to return to the stables,
but Master Kandan's warning had seated itself uncomfortably in his
head. The last place he had seen Soldier Erold was next to the
stables. He suspected that he might ran into Mistress Recien around
a corner as well. He did not know why, but he had definitely gotten
stuck in her caw. His blood cooled remembering the look she had
given him as she had disappeared behind her door.
Jack returned with Dolce to his room and laid the contents of his
saddlebags out on the bed. There was more stashed away than he had
suspected from the two days he had been living out of them. His
fancier clothing, that he had worn only once to dinner at Sparrow
Library, were neatly folded at the bottom of one. He also discovered
a oiled leather trenchcoat that he would never have found if it had
actually rained. There was a comb for his hair and wooden
toothpicks for cleaning his teeth. A few normal changes of
clothing, a shoe buffing kit, and finally a small, corked bottle.
Jack unstoppered the bottle and gave it a sniff. He grinned. It was
Minnie's special brew. He took a brash swig and came up coughing
and spluttering, though still smiling through the tears.
He stoppered the bottle again and decided he would ration it for as
long as he could.
He transferred some of his clothing to the wardrobe, but he was too
impatient to be gone to finish the job. Instead, he decided to
change into his fancier clothes, then promptly regretted the choice
when he realized that he had to take off his boots and put them
back on again.
When it did come time to put them on again, he wondered if he could
get away with walking around without them, but decided that he
would look out of place. Especially if he was going to visit the
stables.
He went to the door. It was locked too, but a set of the strange
keys, similar to the set he had seen Master Kandan use, were
hanging by the door. These keys were like four keys in one,
arranged like a cross. Jack realized that there must be four
separate lines of pins inside the lock and immediately wondered if
he would be able to pick it. He had no time for such idle
amusements though.
He slipped the key into the lock—the only way it would go—and
turned the well-oiled tumbler. The heavy lock thudded open with a
distinct thunk and he winced. He would definitely investigate the
mechanism more closely later.
Old habits kicked in automatically, and he cracked the door just a
fraction of an inch, eyeballing the gap.
Nothing down that way. Without moving the door open too far, he
stuck his head out and peeked down the other stretch of hallway.
The coast was clear.
He ushered Dolce out and then locked the door behind himself,
slipping the keys into a breast pocket.
The safest place to explore first was the one place he had been
told he could go. He started down the hallway towards the bathroom,
urging Dolce onto the runner so that her clawed paws would not kick
up an ungodly clatter.
They arrived at a large metal shod and girded door at the end of
the hallway. There was no lock or latch on the door, only a handle.
To his left was a spiral staircase leading downwards.
Jack pulled the door open carefully. The inside of the bathroom was
a large space covered in polished stone. In the centre of the room
was a shiny metal column, with many metal outcroppings that Jack
did not understand. Three tall windows stood on the far wall and
let light in, but they were cloudy and Jack could not see outside.
Dolce clacked her way across the room to a row of wooden benches,
and she sniffed at them, curiously. Jack was reminded that she was
still bloodied from her struggle with Soldier Erold and decided he
should try to find Soldier Korst to see if he would heal her. If it
were possible. <i>Could a simulcra be healed? Could animals be
healed like a human?</i> he wondered.
If he found Soldier Korst, he would also have found Demic. He could
start getting his bearings in this place that much faster.
There was a line of doors on the other side of the room and Jack
went and pushed one of them open tentatively. Inside was a room
very similar to the toilet he had used at Sparrow Library. He
checked the next door. It was the same. The next had a completely
different type of toilet. It was more like a hole in the ground,
although a white shiny hole in the ground. Jack shook his head in
puzzlement.
"Come Dolce," he called as he returned to the hallway. He wanted to
explore downstairs and find the quickest way back to the stables.
He knew that Soldier Erold might still be around, but he was
willing to take the risk that he would not attack inside this
building at least.
They went to the staircase, and Jack held Dolce by the scruff of
the neck as he crept downward on the crimson carpet. He did not
want her bounding ahead if they needed to beat a hasty retreat back
upstairs. As soon as he thought of it, he regretted locking his
door. If he was really running from something or someone, he would
want to get back inside his room as quickly as possible and lock
the door. He crept on a mite more tense.
The stairs seemed to go on a long way, but that was fairly natural
given how high the ceilings in this building were. He was crouched
almost double as he descended, trying to spy the lower floor before
anyone down there could see him. He spotted the landing a moment
before a lower floor door was given a muffled, heavy push and heavy
boots thudded forth. Jack dropped down and hugged the balustrade,
hoping that the person below would not look up.
He was in luck. It was Soldier Korst, and he was not looking
anywhere except where he was going.
The youthful Master Kandan strode for the corridor and Jack
shouldered his saddlebags and followed behind with Dolce. He turned
right, opposite to the direction that Jack had entered the
building. Jack was slightly disappointed, he would have liked to
strengthen his memory of the way in and out, and perhaps stayed
closer to Risle and the stables as well.
And he was going there in a rush.
The man practically jogged past the stairs without looking up. He
looked worried, almost as worried as when he had thought that Demic
was going to die on him. Jack immediately gave up the idea of
asking him to heal Dolce. He would have to find someone else.
Soldier Demic's footsteps were so thunderous on the bare corridor
of the lower floor that Jack had no trouble knowing when the way
was clear. He rushed down the last few steps, intending to get to
the stable as quickly as possible. He passed a door identical to
the bathroom door upstairs and rushed on. He was a dozen steps down
the crossing corridor that Soldier Korst had not taken before he
realized that Dolce was not following him. He turned back to see
her sniffing at the bathroom door.
Jack rolled his eyes. <i>Not now, Dolce!</i> he complained to
himself. <i>Why did she like bathrooms so much?</i>
"Psst!" he urged in a loud whisper.
To his horror, she ignored him and began scratching at the door.
Jack ran back to her, beside himself. He wanted to scold her, but
had no intention of making that much noice. She turned her large
brown eyes on him, her meaning clear. Open this one.
Jack looked down both corridors, to make sure no one was watching,
and pulled the door open for her. She rushed in before Jack could
look inside. Suddenly, it became very clear why she had been drawn
in.
It was a bloodbath. This bathroom was identical to the one
upstairs, but instead of clean, shining, polished stone, the floor
and most of the toilet doors were spattered in blood. A malkemist
lay facedown on the floor, red liquid pooling around him. He was
missing a leg, which Jack soon found lying on the other side of the
central metal column.
Jack quickly ducked inside and closed the door, his heart pounding.
Dolce was drawing close to the body, her paws padding through a
wide spray of blood. Jack groaned as she disturbed the blood
spatters with her gigantic paws, leaving a very clear trail through
the macabre wreakage. A trail that lead directly back to Jack.
Even if he ran, they would know that he had been here. There was no
mistaking those paw prints or who they belonged to. How was he
going to explain that he had nothing to do with this? He had almost
gotten a caning for just talking to the wrong boy, he was under no
illusions about how badly this could go for him.
Dolce sniffed at the body with her huge muzzle, expressing her
curiosity. This was horrible. His mind began running through
scenarios. He could run, but they would find him. He could wash her
feet and then her footprints away. He looked around for a cistern,
but soon saw that there was none. There had not been one upstairs
as well, but he had not noticed because he had not been looking for
one. That option was out.
He might be able to use his stocking to wipe her paws clean, and
then scrape the paw prints away. They would know that someone had
been here, but not who.
Then his stomach sank. These were malkemists. They would be able to
track whoever came into this room. They would find out it was him
in this room anyway. He thought on that for a moment, and then
gritted his teeth. It was still worth a try.
He bent over to unfasten his boot laced just as the door behind him
sprang open and paddled his butt soundly. He stumbled forward, his
boots disturbing the ever expanding pool of blood. It was in that
moment that he noticed that the blood was disappearing into a grate
at the base of the metal column. It was a strange thing for him to
notice as so much happened around him.
Finds body in downstairs toilet. He is found there with the body
and is immediately suspected. Korst comes. He remarks that he
warned him not to kill a malkemist. Another malkemist speaks up and
says that is unlikely, given that there is no blood on the beast.
Erold is found lurking in the corridors and suspicion for the
murder falls upon him. The newcomer knew enough that soldiers are
not meant to be wandering the halls. Perhaps he challenged him and
then a fight broke out. Strange that a soldier would slay a master,
but it is possible if the master were unprepared.
Meanwhile Kandan finds and kills the young malkemist that greeted
them in the hall.
Demic is settling himself into his rooms. Soldier Korst is staying
in a room nearby. These rooms are not as grand as Master Kandan's
rooms.
Demic immediately pens a letter to his father, but he is as yet
hesitant to use the letter. How will he send it home? Homing
pigeon? Another homing creature? How to send messages quickly over
long distances?
Gulien returns to his dorm and begins forming a band of misfits
(The Unbrothered).
Soldier Erold is simmering over being taken down by a corpa.
@@ -10228,3 +10723,5 @@ Mon Apr 17 23:01:39 SGT 2017 43267 4.2k
Wed Apr 19 23:46:13 SGT 2017 44084
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33 days (4weeks, 5 days)
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