He often tried to hire spies to pose as servants in the houses of other alchemists to steal secrets from others to use for himself. These thoughts of secrets he had learned from others he would direct to his box. Demos suspected he had killed more than once and taken precious objects from other alchemists for his own. Demos himself, only being a lowly slave, was not allowed into the inner room attached to the basement, for his lowly and unapproved self would "poison" it, according to Ulthi. Which also meant a mind-bendingly painful beating. Demos was happy to oblige his master in this respect, especially. Demos kept his own counsel but had grown to understand quite a bit of beginning alchemy, if by accident, from his master. He hated the wretched man but pitied him too. He stole from other alchemists and nursed old and perceived grudges and wounds. He was a failure, in a word, and a peevish miser but he wasn't as evil as some and for that Demos was infinitely thankful.
This day Master Ulthi was out on business. Though it was broad daylight outside he worked with the room lit with many candles. They were all set on a special table, by the corner away from the potions, elixirs and other fluids and material and away from his master's notes. Demos had managed to learn some experiments over the years and thought he had ways to improve upon some of them. Sometimes Ulthi even listened to him if he was in a good mood. This week a special gathering of alchemists was meeting in the city. One of the most important alchemists of all the guilds, the Golden, the White and the Black was speaking this week. He, it was said, could turn iron into gold on certain days or nights and everyone hoped to meet with him and learn from him, most of all Master Ulthi. This is where Ulthi went on business and he had talked of it constantly before the day of the gathering. His watery eyes had widened in excitement at the thought all week.
Demos picked up a stray note and looked it over. It was in Egian, a list of some metals and their characteristics. Carmite, nickel, red ochre, mercury and then it trailed off. He folded it up and lay it down with the other papers. It was all so mysterious, wonderful and frightening, all at the same time. Demos was damned anyway, so did it matter that he was at the heart of what was banned and thought of as evil in his own land? He might as well learn what he could. He'd stopped trying to run away - the last time he attempted it Master Ulthi had one of his feet crushed and so he walked with a perpetual drag and limp but he'd learned much here. He often wondered. If Ulthi died could he ever become a master? Or would he allow himself to be sold to another, more cruel master? In Jhis, if one's master died one was a free man but not so in Egi. One could not move up in station here unless by stealth and lies. After some hours he set down the writing utensils and finished organizing the papers. He had tasks upstairs at the shop as well and got ready to go upstairs. Master Ulthi ran a small shop and a few people would come to get small parts for machines or potions for different conditions or ailments. Not the usual, normal people for he was no doctor. His foot aching, he stopped to rest it against the wall and then continued on his way upstairs and went to the shop, a small room adjacent to the kitchen. He found the letter from one of the most recent customers, a new customer requesting new parts to a machine he had.
Gold wires and copper wires, new.
Demos went to the wall covering wooden catalogue with its numerous boxes and drawers for the wire. Master Ulthi had accomplished something in all his years as an alchemist - how to make fake gold. It was often just like gold when bought but turned to ash weeks later. He did this to save ladre and wondered aloud why he did not get much business these days. He would often blame Demos for being the harbinger of evil luck, for being so cheaply bought. Demos never said a word to these abuses but listened long-sufferingly. Demos would sometimes exchange the fake for real gold in the small money box kept in the basement for customers when he could and because of this Master Ulthi managed to still retain a few customers. It disgusted Demos to no end but he was in no position to dispute him.
Demos pulled out the envelope with the gold wire and sighed. Yet again, he could tell his master was trying to cheat his customers. He had a tiny spyglass that he used to inspect things closely that he made from a small piece of glass in the cave. By the looks of it, the wire was of fake gold or Ulthi's Gold as he had once heard someone say in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, the word on Ulthi's Gold had gotten around. Demos knew where the real gold was and managed to get a tiny, tiny piece of it and made wire out of it on days his master was gone. This new customer they would have to keep if they were both going to eat everyday. Demos would make sure of that. Giving him cheap wire would not do. Demos grabbed the real gold wire and the copper, what he had left. He filled the order and as he was doing so a man came to the shop.
"Good day! Is your master home? Master Ulthi-Nahkteht? I sent a letter for a request not long ago."
"He is away on business, sir. You are here for the wire?"
"Yes, yes!" The man was tall but broad and husky and fair like most upper-class Egians. Demos guessed he might be an upper-class man. He wore plain but good quality clothing. Linen and finely woven cotton by the look of it.
"He will not be back until tomorrow. Which wire, sir?"
"The reams of gold and copper wire."
"I have it here. Would you like me to fix your machine? I could-"
"Oh, I think not. This here, what I have is no ordinary thing." The man smiled at Demos. His eyes twinkled.
"You have an honest and intelligent look about you. I am a good judge of a man's character and rarely am I wrong but I feel that I can at least show you what it is." Demos's eyes widened. This was more excitement and surprise than he'd had all year long. Who is this man? The man took out a fine linen sack from a leather bag at his side. He then carefully took out a few of the pieces from the sack and laid them on the table. At first Demos was not sure of what he was looking at but then he saw a map of the world, its intricate lines and borders drawn with gold and silver and illuminated inks. There were silver and copper and electrum rods and bent wires that needed replacing and he recognized it.
"This! This is one of the fabled globe-thaumaturgic devices! A chilyabium. The things that help men fold time and air and go to places far away instantly! I have never seen one before, only read about them!" He said excitedly. The man nodded vigorously and put the pieces back in his sack and put the sack back into his bag. Demos looked around to make sure no one was listening. At times, ears were everywhere.
"Where did you get it?" He whispered.
"From a faraway place. It is also called a chilyabe. I am on my way to Hybron but I would like to fix it and put it back together again once I arrive there."
"Those things, they are-"
"Banned in Hybron. I know. But many things are changing in the world. Can you not feel it in the air?" Demos was not sure what he meant and thought him a bit strange. The man smiled his disarming smile again.
"I know you think I am odd. Many do. I am odd but in a good way. I mean you nor anyone else harm. I come to help topple over entrenched things my friend. Concepts, ideas -" he gave Demos a wicked grin, "even kingdoms." Demos lifted a brow at him.
"My name is Parso. I was born in Egi but raised in Hybron and I have traveled to many places to speak the Law and the Writings to anyone who will hear. I have learned much and seen much but now things are moving toward Hybron. I used to be an Ainash priest, you know."
"You were?" Demos was incredulous.
"Yes. I left the Golden Temple but I carry the Law and the Holy Writings in my heart, still." Demos felt the air move around him like a strong wind and he felt dizzy. What does this mean? This man coming here?
"Are you ill? What is wrong?" Asked the man.
"It was something you said. I am no longer with the Ainash priesthood either. But I never thought I would end up here." Demos suddenly felt humiliated. The man smiled warmly.
"You were? How did you serve at the temple?"
"I was a scribe."
"And you ended up here? Strange indeed! I shall pray for you, my brother."
"You may have arrived in this place through ignominious means but I suspect there is a reason. There has to be. I must get going and I am glad that I met you. What is your name?"
"Demos." He said weakly.
"Well Demos, perhaps we will meet again in this world? I hope it is so. Perhaps I can send a letter to your family? To let them know-"
"No! No. Please, I do not want them to know of my present circumstances. They would be shamed. Besides, by law there is nothing they can do to take me back. If they tried to buy me back my master would extort them for all they have. Or kill me." Said Demos. The man's face fell. Demos thought of the big trees in the forests of Hybron and the beautiful cultivated trees in the large cities like Jhis. He immediately blocked this stream of thoughts from his mind. They tortured him.
"I see. Well, good day to you, Demos, and I thank you for the wire. I shall pray for your good fortune." The man took out a small bag of coins and paid for his wires and left. Demos was left standing there in the shop, wondering what and who in the world he had just encountered and what it meant. Hours later he just remembered, in great consternation, that he had buried something very precious at his family's house and the man might have been one to help him retrieve it.
. . .
Demos had dinner bubbling and nearly ready when Master Ulthi arrived back. Demos hurried to water the horse while Ulthi grabbed his favorite cup and drank down his beer. A cauldron of barley pheasant stew was simmering.
"How was your meeting master? Anything exciting revealed?" Demos asked timidly. Ulthi peered at him with those watery and suspicious eyes and grunted. He knew his master would never pass up an opportunity to talk about himself.
"Do not think you can fool me with flattery Demos, but now that you mention it, some very interesting things I have learned there. Watch it! You clumsy dolong cow!" He shouted. Demos had nearly tripped on his threadbare robe and sent a bowl of herbs flying threw the air. He caught it just in time before it crashed to the floor but the herbs scattered all over the ground.
"Sweep that up. No, not with your hands! Get some bowls, Demos! You idiot!" He barked. "Do not waste a single herb! I am not made of silver. I do not know why I keep you! Useless dog!"
"Yes master!" Which was a lie. He knew how valuable Demos was. Master Ulthi had an alter to Isetu the god of wealth and worshiped him fervently. It seemed to Demos that Isetu usually had better things to do than answer Ulthi's prayers. He was not poor, he had a little ladre hidden away but great wealth was far out of his reach, the kind of wealth Ulthi dreamed of at night. However, Demos had managed to retain his few, well-paying customers which kept him from being a beggar on the street. He was sure that whatever Ulthi had taken the trouble to learn this week, it would be distilled into some mere scheme to make him rich. When Demos had cleaned up the mess Ulthi started again.
"He did not reveal anything publicly that I did not already know about the subject. But, he claimed to have found some special machine or device, a time traveling thing that can, as he says it, fold air and earth or travel through this world through an invisible essence to get to another place in this world, but in a fraction of the time it would take for travel by ship or caravan or by foot."
"One of the thaumaturgic devices, then." Ulthi nodded. A customer had just been here and showed him such a device, a dangerously powerful thing. Demos kept silent on the matter. These portals were not banned here but highly sought after. No one actually had one in Egi as far as he knew. Except the mysterious man named Parso. What would a man do with such a thing? He silently served his master his evening meal and listened while Ulthi peevishly grumbled on about old rivals and enemies. Something Ulthi said struck him in his heart. Fear now rose in his heart.
"Erol, that devil, thinks he is better than all of us alchemists. I have finally gotten my revenge upon him." He ate noisily, slurping and inhaling the stew like a hungry dog.
"Needs more salt." He said, pushing the bowl away from him and getting up from the table. Demos began cleaning up as Master Ulthi shuffled to his bedroom. Erol was head of the Black Guild and one of its most powerful members. A soft spoken, ruthless alchemist who specialized in mannismechanallurgy, and even darker, mannimalomancy, Erol was well known in certain circles for his unusual and supremely cruel experiments on people. He was also very wealthy and had the ear of the Lord-Chieftain. To recall some of the things Demos knew of the man and what he did to people even now made his flesh crawl. Ulthi hated Erol for his success and wealth and for some reason had the notion that the man's success was somehow stolen from him. A sudden and wild strain of curiosity assailed Demos - this happened with more frequency and was unusual for him - and he made his way even in his clumsy disabled gait toward the back room, Master Ulthi's bedroom. He held his chain tight so that it would not jingle and watched his master through a small hole he managed to make - and hide - from the man and watched as Ulthi drew an object out of the folds of his robes. It was a small piece of paper, a letter, perhaps. He could not ascertain more but it looked like the lettering was made of a special gleaming, bluish ink. This, Ulthi placed carefully on a table and stooped down and opened a few floor boards - where he kept his main chest of gold and silver and other precious things - and lifted up a small chest and placed this into it. Demos quickly straightened himself up and made as if to go back down to the cave for more tasks. Ulthi came shuffling out of his bedroom.
"Demos! What are you doing out here? Do you not have work to do?" He narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Yes, master. I just finished cleaning the kitchen. I am going right away." Demos scrambled off back to the cave, thankful to get out of the heat and away from Master Ulthi's suspicious gaze. The coolness of the den was a welcome respite again. He was glad to be alone with his thoughts as he wondered what sort of trouble Master Ulthi might have caused this time. Once, he had been brought to court by two of his fellows, accused of stealing a powerful amulet from them. It was a ruby fashioned as an eye of a snake and he had ground it down into a fine powder for use in experiments that yielded nothing. Frustrated and angry he then sold the remains as a love potion for the desperate and foolishly in love and made a fair bit of ladre from it so when they demanded he hand it over he had nothing to show for it and they had no proof. Demos, being his slave did not have to testify and remained silent, in fear of the whole situation, most of all his master who threatened to cane him senseless if he said anything. These days however, Demos was wise to Master Ulthi's ways and knew him for a thief and a cheat who would eventually meet an evil end. He now tried to keep an eye on his affairs as best he could, for whatever involved Master Ulthi may very well come down upon Demos's own head one day. He had seen it here and in Hybron. He new that if a man committed a crime sometimes the entire household paid the price, and in Egi that included slaves.
And if he had dared to cheat someone as powerful and sinister as Erol, the issue would not be settled in the courts.
Chapter Five
Stationed at the West Gate, Ilim saw some of the same people traveling to and from the city on a regular basis and they knew him as well as his message. Once again, after some years he was back and he did not have good news for Jhis. Months ago he had traveled to Jhis with a large, newly fired clay pot and showed it to the people to demonstrate the city as it should be. Then he disappeared for a time and when he'd come back from the banks of the Mowret where he dug the pot back up, the pot was ruined and broken. He threw the pieces in front of him on the ground.
"Oh Jhis! The great city! Like a worthless and good for nothing pot that must be thrown out is what you have become. Will a woman keep a cooking pot that leaks? Or a vessel that cannot any longer hold water? It would be crushed and this is what Airend-Ur shall do to you if you do not turn back from your bad way. You have become full of bloodshed. The cries of the innocent have risen clear to heaven." He was used to jeers by now and curses by some passersby and even a few of the newer guards
at the gate mocked him.
"Go up to the eternal fires and leap in you bringer of evil!" Cried a woman at the gate.
"May the one of the dark fires seize you and bring you down with him, you and all your accursed people!" Screamed a man.
"You speak treason against the queen of Hybron and Egi. Do you think because she has gone to Egi that you are free to blaspheme?" Yelled another woman.
"Curse you and your god! How dare you threaten the people! Where is this doom of yours? Has it come? It has not come and yet here you are many years later talking foolishness. Get you gone!" Shouted a guard and he hurled a spear at Ilim, missing him by a few feet. Ilim took up the rotted and weakened pot and smashed it into even smaller pieces.
"Is it such a little thing to you people, your destruction? Judgment is coming. Repent and turn around and stop your evil. Stop your killing for sport, for giving up the innocent ones in repayment of ill-gotten wealth, giving your own children to demons that thirst for blood! How much blood will you continue to shed? Look! The cry of the innocent one has gone out and He has listened from the heavens and has sent me to warn you. Will you listen before He has said: " Enough! I shall destroy this people?" " And there were some who listened, those not of the Aishanna-La and they went asking him what they should do to heed the warnings. A small crowd in fact this day had gathered aside from the road of the passing travelers and caravans to listen.
"Give us a sign to let us know. How will we really know when the destruction of the city is near?"
"The First Pillar has revealed signs already but there will be another. Look for the starry scepter that shall go round about the land. Do you know of it?" He asked. Most of them frowned and shook their heads but one man, a man from Egi nodded.
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