In the Grip of Time

by Adam Jacob Burgess

  ‘While she was still clear-minded, she used a powerful spell to hide the machine’s location,’ Funndus continued, glibly. ‘She hid its location in three idols, hoping to keep the Device obscured. But it seems some foolish adventurers of little importance decided to go messing around with something they didn’t understand,’ he said with a mocking grin.

  Sawwse became increasingly angry at the glib way in which Funndus talked.

  ‘If you’re so powerful, why didn’t you stop her?’

  ‘There was no need. It seemed to make sense. She would hide the location, disperse the idols, and the Device wouldn’t be a problem.’

  ‘And you didn’t think one of The Twelve losing her mind might be dangerous?’

  Sawwse shot him a scathing look as she spoke.

  ‘We’d have intervened if anything serious had happened,’ he sneered.

  ‘What about Zell?’

  ‘Ah Zell, yes. Most unfortunate. But we’re here now, aren’t we?’

  ‘Most unfortunate?’ Sawwse repeated, incensed. ‘Is that what a whole city’s lives are worth?’

  ‘You see, Marius, this is why I don’t get involved with the feeble people,’ Funndus sighed. ‘Very complain-y, and they never see the bigger picture.’

  Marius looked down at Sawwse with remorse in his eyes.

  ‘I am sorry, little one,’ the magical ogre said. ‘There are arcane and archaic laws that The Twelve are bound by. I wanted to save her. I really did.’ He wanted to tell her that Mirrah had sworn him to stay away until she lost all control. If he had gotten involved sooner, he might have been able to protect Mirrah, but the rogue agent within The Twelve would have become aware of Marius’ knowledge.

  Sawwse remembered how much the ogre disliked speaking in the human tongue, so she knew he meant every word he said. She stared up at the crystallised figure held in one of Marius’ huge arms. Mirrah’s face had been fixed into a frozen caricature of evil: eyes white, snarling lips. Sawwse felt wretchedly sad at the sight. That wasn’t what she was like at all.

  ‘What’s going to happen to her?’ she asked.

  With his free hand, Marius gently rubbed Sawwse’s back.

  ‘Such a waste of talent,’ Funndus muttered, genuinely dismayed at Mirrah’s destruction.

  Larn stepped towards the gnome and asked, ‘What’s going to happen to the machine now?’

  ‘We’ll bury it in the deepest depths, hiding it from posterity.’

  ‘I believe I was close to decrypting it,’ Larn offered.

  ‘Allow me to disabuse you of that notion, little man. The only person capable of undoing such ancient temporal magic is currently dead in my capable colleague’s arms, and that would only have been possible if she had been at full strength of mind. It’s somewhat impressive that you can read the ancient script, but you still have a lot to learn. This thing contains traps upon traps. Better to hide it where it will never be found, and have it return to myth and legend.’

  Funndus turned and held a hand out in front of him. The machine began to freeze and crystallise, just as Mirrah had done. Marius placed Mirrah’s frozen body into the shaft of light through which he had entered the cave, and, bending over, placed his palm flat on the ground. Vines and creeping ivy appeared from cracks in the ground. They surrounded the machine, smothering it.

  ‘What shall we do with Eugenie?’ Sawwse asked, looking down at the broken woman.

  ‘Do what you will,’ Funndus answered impatiently. ‘We’ve entertained you long enough. Leave this place immediately. Take her with you or abandon her here, we’re sealing this chamber now.’

  Vadania walked over to Eugenie, crumpled in an unconscious heap on the floor. After studying her limp form for a moment, she picked her up and began walking to the cave’s entrance.

  ‘Let’s go,’ she said.

  ‘Yes, hooray. Finally. You’ve got the right idea. Go, go.’ Funndus made a shooing gesture with his hands.

  The team turned to follow Vadania out of the cave. All except Sawwse. She continued to stare back at Mirrah’s frozen body.

  ‘That’s it then, I guess,’ she murmured, her eyes filling with hot tears.

  All of a sudden, Sawwse ran to the shaft of light and threw her arms around Mirrah. Her body was so bitingly cold that it hurt to touch. Sawwse continued holding her face against it, ignoring the searing pain. After a few moments, she moved away. Marius pulled her in close and whispered something in her ear. She wiped the tears from her eyes and managed a small smile. Sawwse ran to catch her friends, turning to wave goodbye to Marius. She’d already bid farewell to Mirrah.

  Outside the cave’s entrance, the others were waiting for Sawwse. A loud rumbling sound came from within the cave, followed by a series of high-pitched chimes. They watched as the mouth of the cave slowly dissolved, leaving only a snowy slope in its place.

  --

  The guild mates’ journey back down the mountain was much less perilous than their ascent had been. Elra was just beginning to rise as they walked. The mountain was all ambiguous blues in the half-light. They descended through the snow, past the rocky outcrops and the fields of heather, and down by the river that intertwined with the pine trees. They passed some Dorienne knights along the way. Those that had survived Mirrah’s onslaught no longer had any quarrel with the adventurers, or any interest in Eugenie after she’d led them to a catastrophe. When they arrived back at the beach, Elra was directly overhead. There had been little conversation on the descent, but as soon as her feet touched the sand, Sawwse fell to her knees and shouted her relief out loud.

  ‘Thank Snorrvhan!’ she exclaimed, referencing another made-up Gnome deity.

  A feeling of unbridled, youthful joy spread about the group. None of them had exactly signed up for this job, and it hadn’t precisely worked out as they’d hoped, but nevertheless, it was at an end. They could rest.

  Rangrim kicked sand all over Sawwse’s hair, and she retaliated by throwing a handful up into his face. Ruby and Corinne joined them, frolicking in the sand, while Osrik and Larn competitively built complicated sandcastles, each more elaborate than the last.

  Vadania still held Eugenie in her arms. She’d roused from her stupor twice during their descent, and had been inconsolable both times: a deep, gut-wrenching sorrow, which shook her entire body. Sawwse had lulled her back to sleep with songs and fables. Most of her superficial injuries had been healed by Corinne en route, though she was sorry that she couldn’t save Eugenie’s left arm, which had been completely crushed by Mirrah’s fury.

  The elf carried the Dorienne leader to Prysta’s hut. Prysta appeared and welcomed Vadania with a warm smile.

  ‘This one says she no longer wants to rule, or stand for anything,’ Vadania said.

  ‘I see.’

  ‘I noticed those bandits are causing more trouble than before.’

  ‘Yes, the shadow of a new source of power spreads in the north, and they are gaining power from it. I don’t really know what will happen if they rise up.’

  ‘Well, I thought maybe you could use someone to help clear them away.’

  Prysta looked down at Eugenie sceptically, the remains of her battered and crushed battle armour clinging to one arm.

  ‘Is she-’

  ‘Formidable? Yes. Most definitely.’

  ‘Perhaps the three of us-’

  Vadania held up a hand and smiled.

  ‘Now more than ever, I need to focus on my own task. Perhaps when I return.’

  The two Elven warriors placed the palms of their hands together and bid each other a traditional farewell.

  Vadania walked back to the others with heavy feet. She smiled as she watched them lying spreadeagled, making sand angels. Laying her head next to Rangrim’s in the sand, she closed her eyes and instantly fell into a deep, untroubled sleep.

  Chapter 27: Resolution

  After a few days’ recovery by the shores of Lake Prustijana, the guild set out east
from the mountain toward Rhyddinas. Osrik directed them to a pitstop where there were any number of wagons available to hire. The wagon taxis were only too happy to head onto more stable areas. Rumours about Eugenie’s disappearance had already started to spread throughout Dorienne, and the towns and villages would grow restless without clear leadership. The Council in Doriana did their best to quell the dissent but predicted that without Eugenie’s return, chaos would grip the region.

  It was evening by the time they arrived in Rhyddinas. Lanterns lit every street they walked down. The team had journeyed to the city with a vague sense of heading back to The Happy Hearth, but now that they had arrived they stood awkwardly around, unsure what to say or what to do next.

  ‘With Convener gone, I suppose I’ll move onto the next city,’ muttered Osrik. ‘The next guild. Maybe Brastos. Maybe further north.’

  ‘I’ve strayed from my own quest for too long,’ Vadania announced, staring into the distant south.

  ‘Me too, actually. I should get back to my, er, quest too,’ concurred Rangrim, unconvincingly.

  ‘Wait, so this is it?’ Sawwse asked. ‘What about Actum Tempus?’

  Larn stared down at the gnome and his face momentarily softened. He gave a short confirmatory nod before looking away.

  Sensing that the silence that followed was slightly uncomfortable, Corinne suggested a plan.

  ‘Let’s head to the Hearth,’ she began. ‘I can close things down administratively on Convener’s behalf and split what we are each owed. We left in a rush, so I’m sure there are things we left behind. While we are there, we should have one last drink. A gentle toast to ourselves and each other, for preventing time from being destroyed?’

  The guild mates agreed to a final drink together. They walked slowly and solemnly over to The Happy Hearth. The conversation remained muted. Even Sawwse’s reliably jovial attitude had been dampened by the realisation that the guild seemed to be disbanding.

  Contrary to the mood of the adventurers, the Hearth was full of laughter and life. Business was clearly still booming after Corinne’s administrative shakeup. Many cheerful faces stood around outside, tankards in their hands. Above the inn, a new sign had been erected, depicting the hearth from inside the pub. On the sign, a group of seven figures sat by the fire warming their hands and sharing stories. Sawwse even noticed that a small gnome-sized character was playing a lute.

  It was just as busy inside the inn. The Actum Tempus guild mates squeezed through the crowd, receiving a few panicked looks from punters who were uneasy around massive swords and intense-looking elves.

  ‘Well, I’ll be damned,’ Grimiser’s voice called from the bar. ‘He’ll be so pleased.’ The landlord greeted them with a warm, welcoming smile. He clapped Rangrim on the shoulder and gave Corinne a big hug.

  ‘Who’ll be pleased?’ Sawwse asked.

  The landlord merely chuckled, thinking it a joke.

  ‘Who will be pleased?’ Osrik asked more forcefully.

  ‘Convener of course,’ he said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. ‘He’s in the dining room now, go and see him.’

  Nonplussed, the guild mates stared at Grimiser before making their way slowly to the back of the pub, past the storage room where they had first encountered each other months before, and around the corner into the familiar dining room.

  ‘Welcome back.’

  The familiar white horned mask contorted into a wide grin. Convener sat at the top of the large wooden table.

  ‘I was not sure whether you would succeed,’ he began. ‘The last few days or so have been quite restless for me. I didn’t know whether I would open my eyes to a world I no longer recognised. That said, perhaps I would not have known any different if time had truly been rearranged?’

  Sawwse stood agape, as did the others.

  ‘But, how?’ the gnome managed.

  ‘It makes me very happy to know that the trust I placed in you all was well founded,’ he continued, ignoring Sawwse’s question. ‘There is a reward for each of you, for taking on such a dangerous and difficult task.’

  ‘Th-the pub in Spearca... it blew up,’ Sawwse said, shaking her head. ‘It makes no sense for you to be here.’ Although she was happy to see that Convener was still alive, there was something about his presence that made her feel unsettled.

  ‘That body was but a transient vessel,’ Convener answered dismissively. ‘It is not important.’

  Sawwse wanted to know more about Convener’s abilities, and whether, as she suspected, the vessel had been another living being hosting his spirit in some way, but the conversation was moved on.

  ‘You mentioned a reward,’ shouted Rangrim.

  ‘I should think so,’ added Larn.

  Corinne began a detailed analytical report of their battle within the Ancient Device’s chamber, but faltered part way through, stifling a yawn and requesting the team be allowed to rest.

  ‘Indeed,’ Convener replied. ‘There is much to discuss. You have all worked incredibly hard, and that hard work has strengthened the spirit of our humble guild. Many more challenges lie ahead. The Twelve are currently missing a representative, and that will have serious repercussions for the balance of the world.’

  He paused, seemingly lost in thought for a few moments. Then, he clapped his hands together.

  ‘We will reconvene tomorrow. For now, you have all earned a rest. I have persuaded the landlord to upgrade your sleeping quarters, and I hope you will be happy with them.’

  Convener gestured to Grimiser, who was standing at the door behind them. Sawwse stared back at Convener, wanting answers to so many questions but a proper rest did sound appealing. She had also just realised that Convener’s presence meant the continuation of Actum Tempus, so she flashed a big smile at the thought that her friends would be able to stay together.

  The group followed Grimiser up a staircase they had never used before. It brought them to two recently refurbished corridors. One by one he opened the doors to their new, bespoke rooms.

  Sawwse watched as Vadania, Rangrim, Osrik and Larn were each shown to their chambers. A loud yelp of joy followed Rangrim’s entrance to his; a simple, ‘this will do fine,’ from Osrik; a sceptical hum sounded from Larn’s room.

  It was Sawwse’s turn next. She raised her eyebrows to Ruby, and squeezed Corinne on the arm. When she entered her room, it was hard to contain her excitement. A huge tree trunk grew in one of the corners. Three of the walls were covered in books of all different shapes and sizes. The fourth wall had musical instruments hanging from it, many of which the gnome had never seen before. There was space for her to practice, and a nook built below a window where she could read to her heart’s content. A package on her bed contained a sizeable amount of gold pieces.

  Stunned, Sawwse backed out of her room. She wandered next door and into Ruby’s, where the little shapeshifter stood with her hands clasped on her head. The room was made up just like an apothecary, jars lining the walls and a full workspace. They shook their heads in disbelief.

  Back in her own room, Sawwse lay back on her cosy bed beside the tree. She began to ponder how Convener could create a perfect room like this, and more importantly, why he had done so. But the last few days caught up with her. She sank into the bed, and descended quickly into a deep sleep.

  --

  Sawwse Bohge awoke early the next morning. It had been a dreamless night, comfortable and restorative. The light hadn’t yet begun diffusing the sky, but she knew she’d slept as much as she could. She got up, grabbed a random book from the shelf, and headed downstairs to read by candlelight.

  As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she made her way to the hearth, stopping suddenly as she saw a figure by the front door.

  ‘Who is that?’ she asked.

  Sawwse found a candle on the hearth’s mantlepiece and quickly lit a match.

  ‘I had hoped to slip away without this conversation.’

 
The gnome brought the candle closer to the entrance and it illuminated the Elven features of Vadania Avindico. Sawwse recognised the steely look in her eyes.

  ‘When did you decide to leave?’ Sawwse asked.

  ‘This was always meant to be a temporary stop.’

  ‘But what about the guild? The gold will surely help you,’ the gnome suggested.

  ‘It has been a distraction,’ Vadania replied. ‘A worthy one, but a distraction nevertheless,’ she added, seeing that she’d caused Sawwse some offense. ‘I was always here to gather information, not gold, though I am grateful to receive it. I will take it to Zell. There are some who were away when... I will help them rebuild, and then I will go.’

  ‘Where will you go?’

  ‘To follow the trail. Southwest to Shi’areth.’

  ‘But your name is embossed on that room upstairs,’ Sawwse teased.

  Vadania smiled at the gnome and held her palm out. Sawwse reciprocated and they touched hands.

  ‘I wish you well, Sawwse Bohge. May we meet again.’

  And then the elf was gone. Sawwse sat by the cold hearth, wrapped in a blanket and reading by candlelight.

  Once the others had all woken up and gathered downstairs, Sawwse explained to them that Vadania had left. Most of the group were disappointed, and said as much, but she noted that Rangrim looked particularly crestfallen. They ate breakfast and compared each other’s rooms and plans for the days ahead. Suddenly, Sawwse sat upright in her chair and ran to the staircase. She sprinted upstairs to her room, and came back down with her large bag, full to the brim with books and instruments. Sawwse made her way into the back dining room and found Convener sitting, as usual, at the top of the table. Once again, he seemed distant, as though his mind was elsewhere.

  ‘Thank you for the room,’ Sawwse said.