The Hunt for the Three Roses

by Jason Hubbard

  With a loud squeal, the steel door suddenly popped open. Sean told Thomas to leave the hall and remain inconspicuous, then entered the chamber and closed the door behind him without a second thought. He expected to be enveloped in darkness, but he instead squinted in bright light. Once his eyes adjusted, he marveled at the layout of the room. The walls were curved and constructed of mirror panels, making it appear as if dozens of replicas of himself were standing all around, including the ceiling and floor. The sight of so many copies looking as amazed as he was made him forget about the strenuous feelings from the bonding spell.

  The bright light was coming from a crystal on a marble pedestal in the back of the chamber. It was a jagged cluster slightly larger than Sean’s torso, and its glow was like a fistful of whatever the sun was made of, as powerful and warm as a roaring fire.

  “The nemcron,” Sean said breathlessly. Nemcrons were one of the world’s greatest mysteries, the source of many arguments over whether God created them or not and whether they could create a gateway to Heaven if only someone knew how to use them. It was said these crystal clusters were found deep within a sacred mountain where reassuring whispers were heard throughout the surrounding jungle. The discovery of a new cluster was always exciting, yet it was ominous as well since a nemcron couldn’t be held by bare hands. Whoever touched one instantly perished, though details of such a death were sketchy within public knowledge.

  The nemcron was undoubtedly dangerous, yet Sean felt only peace and hope while bathed in its strong light. He kneeled before it and put his hands together, then shut his eyes and prayed.

  There was a pounding on the door, followed by the voice of Monsignor Owens. “Who’s in there? Is that you, Sean? You have to get out of there before something happens!”

  He and Thomas had been found out, but there was no going back. Somehow the threat of death wasn’t as great as the threat of discipline and humiliation. He had risked a lot coming here, so he intended to make it count.

  With a lump in his throat and hands that trembled, he mentally told God that he knew what had happened to Micah, and that one of his split personalities was murdering innocent civilians in a disturbing plan to get Callie to surrender herself. Please, Lord, I need holy magic to stop him. I will not use it to kill him, and I will not use it for any purpose other than his capture. If you can grant me holy magic, do not do it for my sake; do it for your son’s. Please, Lord, I am laying my life down for you; I do not wish to do it for nothing.

  For a long time, nothing happened. He wondered if he was doing it wrong, if he had to say certain words to make it work. Owens had meanwhile fallen silent, resigned to waiting for whatever happened next.

  Just when Sean was about to pray again, the light of the nemcron grew brighter and hotter. Sean’s skin broke into a sweat, the hairs on his arms stood on end, and tears began to pour down his face. The moment of truth was finally at hand. His faith would be put to the ultimate test, and he desperately hoped that his death would be quick and painless if he was found unworthy and the light of Heaven snuffed his pitiful life out.

  Over an hour later, Sean found himself once again in Monsignor Owens’ office, drinking his umpteenth cup of water. He had his brown robe and cloak back on and was reunited with the undine. She had slipped into the church to look for him and reentered his body moments after he left the exalting chamber. He apologized to her for putting her through the anguish of separation, though he couldn’t say he’d never do it again.

  “Feeling better?” Owens asked.

  “Yes, very much so,” Sean replied in a slightly scratchy voice. “I actually feel better than I have in a long time.”

  “That’s because of your holy magic. Congratulations are in order for obtaining it, regardless of circumstances.”

  “Thank you,” Sean said sheepishly.

  “So how does it feel?”

  Sean put a hand over his heart, where the holy magic resided within his magic reservoir like a benign wolf in a fox den. “It feels … powerful … but stable. It could overwhelm me, but it doesn’t. It’s just waiting for me to use it, and I can do so at any time. But if I did that, I would betray the one who gave it to me.”

  The undine silently agreed, even as she kept her distance from his reservoir. She could sense the holy magic’s raw power, and she feared its destructive potential. Sean said she had good reason to be reserved, but since it was at his command and no one else’s, there was nothing to be afraid of.

  Owens leaned forward in his chair with joined hands. “I hope you can appreciate my predicament. You defied me and your count by sneaking your way into the chamber. I’m going to have to report this to the cardinal, and it won’t look good for me. I should have had someone stand guard by the door after I denied your request, but I hadn’t bothered. You seemed like a good lad, and I couldn’t see you doing what you did.”

  “I am very sorry, Monsignor.”

  Owens nodded while frowning deeply. “We’re going to have to change the emergency lock on the door, perhaps replace the door altogether. That’s an expense I’d rather not go through.” He rose from his seat and forced a small smile on his face. “Nonetheless, it is a remarkable day, for God has seen fit to bestow holy magic to you. Your heart and noble cause were enough to convince him that you are worthy, and I cannot punish one who has been so blessed. Usually such an occasion calls for pomp and circumstance, but since you were not approved to go into the chamber, we must keep this a secret. Still, your name will be written down on the Scroll of the Holy Order, inscribed by Pope Manuel Alvizo himself. That makes you, young man, a paladin.”

  Sean smiled. He liked the sound of that word—paladin. He was once a nobleman’s son, heir to considerable property and wealth, but he thought he’d rather be a paladin instead, an honorable mage warrior who fought in God’s name.

  “You are now a user of one of the most incredible powers known to man,” Owens said in a dramatic tone. “Compared to you, the power of kings and emperors is like nothing. Use your magic well and use it wisely. Consider it a plea from an old man who’s seen too much of the horrors of this world.”

  Sean was struck by the sincerity and fear in Owen’s features. Mere hours ago, Owens was firmly rejecting him; now he was in awe of him. “I will, Monsignor. I will not take it for granted.”

  “Well said.” Owens returned to his chair. “I have a question for you. I’ve seen three people become paladins, and I’ve met one other on a road somewhere. I’ve asked them all this same thing: While you were in the chamber and faced God himself … did he say anything to you?”

  Sean furrowed his brow. His memory of that time was hazy. He mostly remembered being smothered by the intense heat of the light, and of waking up after passing out. He couldn’t recall seeing God’s face or any detail of Heaven, nor did he hear anything. “No, sir, I don’t think I heard his voice. I wish I did, it would be like a dream come true … but if God spoke to me, I don’t remember it.”

  Owens leaned back and sighed. Sean asked if there was anything wrong. “No, nothing’s wrong. I am a little disappointed, for each of the paladins I talked to said the same thing. I was hoping you would be different, that God would leave an important message for you to share with the rest of us. But if there was nothing, then there was nothing, and there’s no changing that. I appreciate your honesty. Before you go, there is one more thing: Now that you are a paladin, the Church is compelled to grant you a boon. You may ask for anything the Church can give you. You don’t have to decide today, but feel free to come back anytime with your request.”

  Sean did not hesitate. “There is one thing, Monsignor. I know what Thomas did was wrong, and he should be disciplined, but may you ask the cardinal to show him clemency? He only did it because he too wants the killer to be stopped, so please don’t report him to the guard.”

  Owens was taken aback. “Young man, a chance like this happens only once i
n a lifetime. You could have anything. You could be granted an upper Church position, be put in for noble status, have tremendous wealth … yet you ask for clemency for an acolyte?”

  The undine thought he was crazy, too, but Sean stood his ground. “I am happy with where I am and want little more. I don’t want to see Thomas go to prison, so I shall make that my request.”

  Owens appeared baffled at first, but then he slowly formed a smile. It was a genuine smile this time, completely unforced. “I see. You, young man, place the needs of others before your own, just as Micah did. You did not go through the cleansing ritual, but you were given holy magic because your desire for earthly things was limited anyway. You are a true paladin, Sean, so I shall honor your request. I’m sure Thomas will not be put behind bars, and I’ll ask for him to remain an acolyte. It is the least I can do.”

  “Thank you, Monsignor. Please wish me luck if I ever confront Rainer. If holy magic doesn’t work on him, then steel and brute force will be my only option.”

  Sean finished his cup of water and left the church, beaming from ear to ear. He mounted his horse with surprising strength and agility, for ever since he received his holy magic, he felt whole and replenished. It was as if Rainer’s torture had never happened, which left him with the challenge of faking his recovery in the coming days. He had to keep his holy magic a secret, for he had promised Monsignor Owens and didn’t want the count to know what he’d done today.

  Still, as his mare galloped through the city streets amid shoppers and guards on alert, he felt alive and pure, and he had a premonition Rainer would be brought to justice by the end of the month. He almost dared the mad killer to come to him that very night so the inevitable wouldn’t be postponed any longer.

  Twenty-seven

  For two more days, Rainer did not terrorize the city. For two more days, there were no discoveries of grisly murder scenes with crimson letters on a wall.

  Callie was free Saturday afternoon, so she went out with Sir Barnes. They had a sparing match under some maple trees, their fancy footwork crunching countless fallen leaves. Callie was rusty at first but managed to get a few good hits in since Sir Barnes was rusty, too. She got in a few good digs about Sean being found alive, and although Sir Barnes was apologetic for his hurtful words on their last date, he didn’t go easy on her as they ramped up their efforts in the match. He was the clear victor once they finished, disarming Callie more often than she did him.

  She suggested they eat at Charlie’s restaurant. After they placed their orders, she said she had eaten there on the day Bishop Lansdale was murdered, and they discussed the madman who was writing her name in blood.

  “You should be beside me at this time,” Sir Barnes said. “I shall ask Count Guyver if he would be willing to release you from service so you may stay with me.”

  “No, don’t do that,” Callie said. “I’ll be fine where I am. Rainer isn’t coming after me directly, so I don’t need to be watched all the time. Besides, you might be going to war, are you not?”

  “No, I am not,” he said with a broad smile. “At least, the probability is low. Haven’t you heard? The Pope has been talking with King Hugo, and they are close to working out an armistice. With God’s grace, it’ll mean the end of the war.”

  “That’s great! Will the two kings meet each other?”

  “Ha, I doubt it! That would lead to a regicide, and that wouldn’t help anything. But some of the Pope’s officials are in the palace working out an agreement on their end. So if you stay with me, you needn’t fear me leaving you suddenly.”

  “Oh, yeah … good point.”

  “And if you stay with me, you can leave the city for a few days. Count Lars is headed for Gainesville for a business meeting. We could spend All Hallows Eve there and attend a masquerade in the fields. This Rainer would be like a passing dream.”

  “A masquerade sounds … interesting, but I’m sorry, I’m not ready to leave yet, even if Count Guyver lets me go.”

  They debated the matter a while longer, and Sir Barnes eventually conceded, believing that Callie was merely holding onto her pride. “I shall miss you,” he said. “You shall have to spend All Hallows Eve with your Sean instead.”

  Callie giggled. “I think he’ll rather spend it with his new familiar, if I’m reading him right.”

  Sean continued his physical therapy with Ren in the morning, jogging around city blocks and doing push-ups and sit-ups. He tried to hide the fact that he was nearly fully recovered thanks to his holy magic, but he must have done a poor job since Ren said Sean didn’t need him anymore. “I heard you mages recover quickly, but I didn’t think you’d get there this fast,” Ren added. “I’m going to let you be on your own from now on, but you should keep up your training and eat healthy.”

  “I will,” Sean said, and he thanked Ren for his service. He spent the rest of the day reading magic lessons from Master Brown’s book collection, and of course he talked with the undine. He searched for anything about holy magic, any nugget of information that could help him wield it, but all he found was a short chapter with information that he already knew. It appeared he would have to use holy magic as how a musician played an instrument by ear.

  He practiced with it only once while in his room, creating a beam of light in his right palm. The beam had an ethereal beauty to it that brought tears to his eyes, and he was alarmed at how such a little thing could overwhelm his emotions. He didn’t dare use the holy magic anymore since he had the sense that it wasn’t infinite. He had only so much, and once he used it all, it would be gone forever, and he doubted God would grant him more. This realization made him nervous, for if he never saw Rainer again, then his promise to God would be left unfulfilled—the consequences of which he didn’t want to speculate.

  One immediate consequence was that the undine was getting nervous. She said the holy magic was like a wild animal that glared at her as if waiting for her to misstep. Sean explained that the magic was merely mistrustful of her since only he was sanctioned to use it. As long as she kept her distance and didn’t attempt to use it for herself, she should be okay. But the undine still wasn’t mollified, and she urged Sean to seek out Rainer so he could use up all his holy magic in the confrontation. Sean said that if the city guard couldn’t find him, then he had little chance, either. But he promised, as soon as Rainer revealed his whereabouts, Sean would pursue him—even if it meant getting in trouble for abandoning the count’s service.

  On Tuesday, Master Brown brought his apprentice to the district of Remia, where the city’s magic square was. He said that Sean should see where many of their potions and supplies were made so the young mage could appreciate the hard work put into them, although Sean suspected his tutor just wanted an excuse to get out of the house.

  After checking to see that the house’s ward would be functional without them, they rented a buggy in the early morning and arrived at the magic square an hour later. There they found a great number of magic shops and tents where alchemists practiced their trade and raised various plants and animals. Sean spotted a handful of caged basilisks—raised for their scales, hearts and livers—that were blindfolded so they couldn’t turn things to stone, and there was a pen of sheep that were fed potions that gave their wool extra luster and softness. Alchemists worked with pressure cookers to turn magical resources into rare and valuable ingredients, and shopkeepers hawked everything from grimoires and glass containers to magical clocks and health potions.

  Master Brown had expected business to be slow, but there were hundreds of shoppers filling the square to the point where walking space was precious. Word had gotten out that King Paulson had agreed to an armistice if King Hugo did as well, raising everyone’s optimism and making the city livelier than Sean had ever seen it. Some were declaring the war to be as good as ended, and the people were in the mood to be as bustling as they were before the war broke out.

  Although the a
rmistice was certainly good news, Sean was left a little pessimistic. Two enemy nations that shared a border were unlikely to come to terms after enduring the kind of bloodshed he had witnessed, and he could easily foresee petty disputes escalating into full-scale battles before long. If only Micah could return and set things right again … but considering the state he was in, that was one hope not worth putting stock in.

  After several hours of window shopping and lectures from his master, Sean grew bored and daydreamed about what he’d do tomorrow, on All Hallows Eve. But then he noticed a beautiful woman about his age with frizzy blonde hair and freckles under sky-blue eyes. She was in a tent using a distillery set to separate algae from river water. He thought about introducing himself, but then a man came with sandwiches and kissed her before sitting next to her.

  As he settled more into city life, Sean’s desire for companionship grew. He wanted a girl with the same interests as him, and it seemed the magic square was a good place to look. Unfortunately, shopping for a mate wasn’t as simple as shopping for supplies, so he imagined he might cave in and ask for help in his search. The undine chided him, saying he should be looking for Rainer instead of ogling girls at a market, but Sean said if he didn’t go on a date by year’s end, he’d surely go mad. The undine went into a huff and refused to talk to him for the next hour.

  After they bought a new set of vials, some ingredients, and wooden masks for the upcoming holiday, the two mages set back for the house. On the way, Sean asked Master Brown for dating and relationship advice, hating the way his nerves made him stutter. Master Brown said the number one rule when dating was to have confidence, to show how a girl could depend on him to provide for her. Having confidence also meant having the wisdom and courage to dump the first girl he saw if she didn’t seem right, rather than cling to her out of desperation. Brown then went into the details of his failed marriage, which started out well but turned into an absolute wreck by two people who didn’t respect each other. Brown only wanted to teach his apprentice the perils of hooking up with the wrong person, but Sean became more apprehensive than encouraged. Hearing about marital bliss turning into domestic hell wasn’t what any budding young man wanted to do.