by J E Mueller
“Okay, at least that clears him a bit, but details already.” Clove crossed her arms as she went from angry, annoyed, and impatient to purely curious.
“The problem is, there are options,” Sans said slowly as she considered her words.
“What do you mean options?” Clove’s frown increased as she spoke. “We don’t do options here.”
Sans tried to move, but stumbled forward, causing Lo to reach out and help give her support. Sans tried to wave him off once more, but shrugged and continued. “You see there is a limited supply of gifts. It feels endless, but it’s not. I can see the list in my head. I can see how many possible healers are left, how many sword options there are available here, and so on. When I zap someone I go from seeing the list to only seeing one and a tick mark bringing the number down. Like when I met Lo there were four healer spots open. Then after I zapped him there were three. Now, I see it’s been ticked down to two. Likely on Benz’s team. Anyway, magically, I can keep track of it all. If someone were to die, the slot comes back.”
“Okay, I know that already though.” Clove motioned for Sans to continue.
Sans motioned at me. “She didn’t. Patience, fearless leader.” Sans gave her a scolding look before turning to me again. “When I see you, the list springs from one gift to the next - fluctuating among several gifts. We know the rules though: one combat, one side gift. No more, and no less. So, this doesn’t make any sense.”
“Oh. I suppose that doesn’t,” I agreed, rather disappointed to not have any real answers.
“It makes me uncomfortable, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a reason behind it. We’d be better off finding what’s-her-face.” Sans looked to Clove for the answers.
“That muck-spout Benz did something to scatter them. I’ve no idea what. Finding one of the Creators is next to impossible. Not to mention our Tracker doesn’t even know how to pick up on them.” Clove banged her fist against the wall. It wasn’t hard enough to hurt, but the frustration was clear.
“Sadly, it’s true. Even I can’t find them.” Mare nodded and sighed dramatically, trying to lighten the mood.
That was exactly what this situation needed. Instead of defeated, I tried for something hopeful. “Maybe I can try some of the things suggested?” I asked Sans. “Maybe it’s not really set since I’m a Dreamer.” That sounded reasonable, at least to me.
Sans nodded thoughtfully. “Usually I can figure out Dreamers, but I don’t try it all that often, so maybe. That just might be it.”
Mare suddenly moved from where she was standing, halfway out of the room, to look down the hall causing the room to go quiet. “And we should go,” she declared, almost ordered.
Clove waved for Mare to head out. “Lead the way.” She summoned her blade before motioning for us to head out next.
As I stepped out of the room I noticed the blade was no longer in the Agmon’s skull, having been summoned to Clove. Something made my gut twist as I walked away from it. It felt like now it could pop up at any time.
But it was dead now, right?
“We were doing so well on that artifact hunt too.” Lo said as both he and Cane helped Sans out of the room.
“What were you going after?” Clove asked curiously.
“Not sure exactly but I saw Luke, Ayleth, and Drue hunting for it as well. We all had the area figured out and would have likely been squabbling over it had that stupid Agmon group not gotten in the way,” Cane explained.
“How many Agmon?” Clove had a great question. Considering we knew for sure where one was dead, and about where one was incapacitated, I did not want more to be on our trail.
“Four total,” Cane said. “The one that killed Luke was the same one that trapped us. We misremembered the room with the passage.” Cane shrugged and continued on. “We did see Benz lure away the one that had trapped the other two, but that didn’t save us any grief obviously.”
“Benz might have killed it.” Clove shrugged. “Or he’s finally dead and out of the way.”
“No, I saw him in the passage,” I replied.
“What?” Clove demanded.
I shrugged. “Not much else to say. He showed me how to get out and took off again.”
“That’s it? He’ll probably try and get you to return the favor later.” Clove shook her head.
“Since I’m new to this, aside from the whole aspect of your side and his side, why all the hate for Benz? It’ll be good to know why to avoid him,” I asked, hoping to play to her ego.
Clove sighed but didn’t answer for several minutes. We were actually back on the first floor when she replied. “It’s a complicated situation that isn’t worth explaining at this moment.”
Cane, Lo, and Sans all glanced back in shock.
“Well, I never expected that to be the answer.” Lo chuckled without humor.
“Usually there’s a better speech.” Cane shook her head.
“And another piece fits together.” Sans smiled widely.
“What?” Lo asked Sans.
“Secrets,” Sans replied.
“Anyway,” Clove stated, “What about this artifact now?”
“Right.” Cane sighed and took over the conversation once more. “It turned out to be a bracelet and we still can’t figure out what the damned thing does. The other group found us just as we were trying to get it to do something.” Cane pulled a rose gold band out of her pocket. I could see something etched into it but couldn’t make it out from where I was walking. Cane handed it to Clove as we all continued on. “Have fun.”
“Why can’t artifact finders be gifted with knowing what they do?” Clove grumbled to no one.
“It would be too easy then.” Cane laughed. “Anyway, half the fun is solving that mystery.”
Clove gave Cane a dubious look. “If you insist.”
“How do you figure out what these random artifacts do?” At least this seemed like something I could get a full answer on.
Cane smiled tiredly at me. “Trial and error.”
Of course the full answer might, in fact, be rather lame. “Oh.”
“Don’t sound disappointed.” Cane laughed. “Some things have launched fire. Some teleported. Some have made people for a moment incorporeal. It’s wonderfully exciting and rewarding when you finally figure out what a thing does.”
“Well, did you get to try anything yet?” Clove asked tiredly.
Cane gave her a ‘were you even listening’ look before replying. “No, between the Agmon and getting down here, we haven’t seemed to have had a moment to do anything.”
We finally had arrived in the little office-like room before the painting.
“If you don’t mind, I’m off to bed,” Sans stated, still leaning on Lo for support. Lo gave the group of us a nod as they vanished into safety.
“Well, I suppose you noticed the markings.” Cane motioned to the bracelet Clove was turning slowly in her hands. “It’s interesting, is it not?”
Clove turned the band over slowly in her hand before putting it on. For several moments she just stared at it before moving her arm around. Next she tried turning the band this way and that before taking it off and handing it over to Cane. “I’ve no logical ideas on it.”
“Maybe it’s meant to enhance an ability instead of grant one?” Cane mused, handing it right back.
Clove put it back on and summoned her sword and did a few practice swings around the room. “No, that’s not it either.”
She pulled it off and went to hand it to Cane once more before turning to me. “Remi, why don’t you try something.”
While it seemed nice to be actively included in something, I didn’t see what good I would possibly be. Still, I took it and carefully turned it over. It was a pretty thing with what looked like an endless wave of lines on it. The three lines would cross over here and there but there didn’t seem to be rhyme or reason to when.
I wondered if the lines meant it was some sort of water elemental thing, or would that be too easy. As
I mused things, another good question came to mind. “How do you even know something is an artifact? I’m sure it must be if you went to all that trouble but, it looks like a bracelet and nothing more.”
Cane glanced up at me from her seat as if she knew the question had been coming. “Oh, I just know. Something screams ‘pick me up! I’m an artifact!’ and then I spend the next several hours or days trying to figure out what the hell it does.”
“Interesting.” I wondered if I had accidentally looked over my own gifts and they were just screaming out at me as simply as that. I put the bracelet on and gave it a twirl. It spun for a moment, shining in the light of the room.
“It is, but I always figure it out eventually.” She yawned loudly. “I need some sleep, though. Have fun with it kids.”
I glanced up and watched her fade into the painting. Clove and Mare were still watching me. With a shrug at them, I motioned toward the bracelet on my arm, “What now?”
“It’s late, we should rest.” Mare glanced over at Clove.
With a shrug, Clove walked into the painting.
Mare motioned for me to follow. “Allow me to show you to a room since it looks like you’re stuck here with us for a while.”
“I’m still just a Dreamer, right?” I asked her as we walked over to the painting.
“Yes.” Mare gave me a nod before giving me a sad look. “While I wouldn’t want to be the one to tell you differently, if I notice a change, I will let you know right away.”
I hadn’t thought about what that could imply for her until now. That was an interesting and terrible burden for someone. “Thank you.”
“Of course.” Mare took a step into the painting, half hanging out. “I would want the same.” With that she went inside.
Once more I followed close behind, wondering what mess I had fallen into.
It’s not so bad here.
The voice sounded sincere. That didn’t mean I wanted to be here. And what of Melly? I had to get back to her, and I prayed with every fiber of my being she was alive. I wondered if the voice would at least answer that for me -if my sister was alive and if there was a way back.
There is a way back, of course. The voice happily replied, as I followed Mare back to a room.
I waited for a further response, but it was only after I was under the covers, alone, in the dark that it came.
Your body is weak, but it is under good care.
My sister? I tried to plead with the voice.
Injured, but alive.
Something in the tone sounded unsure, but the voice gave me no more answers before I finally fell asleep.
It was weird that I could dream within this place since I was possibly in a coma, and yet also possibly in another realm. Still, it was happening. The shadows swirled around like mini tornadoes with what looked like little lightning twirling in the shadowed winds. A deep olive green fog seemed to materialise in front of me as I wandered, causing me to halt.
“We know what you want,” the fog declared.
A creepy, talking, fog seemed to fit exactly with what my day had been.
“Fine, dream fog, tell me. What is it that you think I want?” There were several correct answers, but really I wasn’t expecting anything useful or profound.
“To be free of this place,” it called deeply, the baritone voice echoing.
I crossed my arms and frowned, disappointed that my dream didn’t have a better answer. “That’s a bit too obvious, don’t you think?”
The fog was silent for several moments before it seemed to grow thicker and build itself taller. “You wish to be free, and with your loved ones.”
“Again, truly splendid effort, but also very lacking. Do you have something less generic?” I was getting bored. Usually my dreams weren’t this dull. Maybe finally visiting the place I dreamt so much of took a toll on my imagination.
“We need to be freed. Tell us what you want, and once we are free, we will make it so.” The calls of several voices echoed together.
Well, that was at least more interesting. “I don’t think so.” I turned and walked away.
The fog was swift, and quickly brushed past my legs to move in front of me. It stood like a thick barrier, but I had no reason to suspect I couldn’t just walk through it. Still, this was a curious dream.
“I am done with you, fog,” I told it as firmly as I could muster, and tried placing my hands on my hips for emphasis.
“Free us,” a soft voice begged before a stronger, louder voice added, “We need the help or we wouldn’t ask. Free us.”
“Demanding freedom after trying to trick someone into thinking you know something is a bit terribly thought out, don’t you think?” I turned to move once more.
The fog kept its pace and tricks, and once more appeared before me. This time I walked through it. Tingles of magic burned down my arms and jolted through my spine like lighting. The feeling hurt, and I wanted to stop, but somehow pushed through. There was something not right about this fog and not just the way it went about its business.
As I pushed through, I could feel nothing again. Pinching didn’t hurt, but that fog had. I turned to look back at it, but it was gone. What had I done? Maybe it didn’t hurt and I just dreamt the idea of pain. My brain felt tired and moments later all around me turned dark.
5
When I finally awoke, I didn’t feel very well rested. Still, I was up, and something felt wrong. I noticed the bracelet next to my pillow as I sat up. Twirling it around for a few moments I considered what I should do before pocketing it away and heading out into the common room of this safe zone.
Either I was up early or late since there seemed to be no one here except Mare. I watched for a moment from the hall as she read a book. Her face looked intense, and I wasn’t sure if she would welcome company or not. Standing there was creepier and more annoying than saying hi, so I walked over and took the sofa across from her.
“Morning,” she absentmindedly said, not looking up from the book.
“Morning,” I echoed back and let the silence fall for several moments before asking, “How do you know what time of day it is?”
Mare shrugged. “Magic?” She looked up from her book and stared off into the distance for a moment. “Okay, so, I don’t know how to better explain it other than actually asking yourself the time and letting the answer come to you.”
“I see.” I considered for a moment. What time was it? Just past five in the morning came to mind and I stared at her. “Five?”
She glanced at me and nodded before sticking a paper into the book she was reading and setting it aside. “Exactly. So, while it is a bit nonsense, it works, and since it just works, most of us accept it with ease. There’s enough worse problems and rubbish to jumble up your mind here, so take what few freebies you can.”
I nodded slowly. “Like the rooms being lit up with no candles.”
“Yeah, that one still gets me sometimes too.” Mare glanced around the well lit room and sighed. “Want to grab breakfast?”
I looked around the room. “Just us? I’m fairly useless if something attacks.” I pointed out.
Mare rolled her eyes. “You’re not useless, just untrained and new. Anyway, this is the ground floor. Most things aren’t actually a problem for me to take on my own. It’ll be fine.”
I nodded remembering that bit from my dreams. The floors were the key to creature toughness, at least inside. Outside things were more random, and usually far more deadly. “The creatures get worse the higher the floor you’re on, but why do they stay on their floor?”
Mare gave a shrug. “To be honest, the Creators made it that way and I’m not sure what magic was used to do so.”
“The same Creators who are missing?” I didn’t like the way that sounded.
“Yes, and exactly a problem we are seeing. Things are staying where they are supposed to, but it seems like more of them keep appearing. Like…” Mare motioned as she searched for the words. “The Agmon yesterday is a
great example. It was possible to run into more than one, but never more than two. Somehow there were four there yesterday. It’s very concerning and I’m not sure if they’ll just keep multiplying or if the barriers keeping them in place will break or both.”
“That’s a horrifying thought.”
Mare nodded. “For now though, things are just odd and not terrible. So, let’s get breakfast.”
I wasn’t sure what else to say, and I wasn’t exactly hungry, but food did sound good. So I stood and motioned for Mare to get up. “Lead on then.”
Happily, Mare set her book on a nearby table and led the way out.
As we headed out through the weird painting and down the hall, I remembered the bracelet in my pocket and pulled it out for Mare to see. “I still have this thing.” I commented lamely, unsure what to do with the thing.
Mare glanced at it and shrugged. “Well, put it on and try whatever the heck comes to mind.”
“What an inspiring speech. I’m sure to unlock all of the mysteries now,” I grumbled at her as I slid the band on.
Twirling it around the lines reminded me once more of waves. Seeing the waves reminded me of Melly and home. I shouldn’t have challenged that stupid stepfather of mine the way I did. We might have stayed dryly ashore if I had just used words instead of actions.
For a moment I wondered if the fool drowned, but to be honest, I doubted it. What he was lacking for in brain cells, he made up for in luck. If there was anyone who could by chance cheat death even once, it was that trout.
I continued to spin the band as I thought of the waves and sea. It could be cool and still as glass or as heated and boiling as a pot over the fire. What could a bracelet that looked like waves be for? What moved in waves?
What indeed. There was so much. Sunlight, air, fire, smoke, even thoughts. While I hadn’t figured out a way to control fire or air, I could still control my thoughts. What sorts of gifts could a bracelet do for thoughts? Could it help turn thoughts of weapons into reality? Or maybe send my thoughts to another?
Suddenly I ran face first into Mare’s back.