by Aleron Kong
“So when my grandmother saw the bloody remains of my grandfather, she knew that the trouble had not ended with his death. Unlike him, she was no fool. Knowing time was probably short, I was called to his bedside and stood there while my grandfather’s spirit related his latest conquest in detail. I still remember my grandmother’s face. Even as she listened to his betrayal, there were tears in her eyes at the loss of her love. Then she made the mistake of asking if he still loved her.” Disgust filled Beyan’s face. “‘I never loved you,’ he said. I swear I could hear my grandmother’s heart break, Lord Richter.”
Beyan exhaled deeply. “Once the tale was done, she stoically had me ask a few more questions. She found out that he had squandered most of the family’s vast fortune on liaisons and drink, but also that there were pockets of money hidden through the house and more importantly, hidden books of magic. There were only six of us left, my mother, father, grandmother, and two sisters. We raced through our home and grabbed what we could. Then my grandmother started a fire and we raced for the docks. When the duke’s men later came to the house that had sheltered my family for centuries, blades out and looking for blood, they found only flames and ash. I remember looking back and seeing the only home I had ever known burning brightly with the body of my grandfather inside.”
“I’m sorry,” Richter said quietly.
Beyan shrugged and kept talking. “We fled. We were lucky enough that the tide was high and a ship was sailing out. With only what we could shove into the sacks that we carried over our shoulders, we sailed out. Over the next few weeks, we hopped from port to port and ultimately we landed in Lebaron. We lost ourselves in the capital city of Elecktra, and started putting our lives back together.
“At first, things were not so bad. We had been able to grab enough money and gems to buy a small alchemy shop with rooms above for us to live in. Neither my mother nor my father had been born with an affinity for magic, and so they had supported themselves by making potions. My grandmother remained saddened by the loss of my grandfather, but the rest of us had never been close to the callous man. Life continued.
“Years passed. My older sisters grew up and were married off. Both to incredibly boring men as I recall, but they seemed happy. One moved to Kailand to run a bakery with her husband and the other ran off one night with a trader from the Twins. My parents had not agreed with her choice of husband. They were both gone by the time I reached ten years of age. I have seen neither of them since.
“More time passed and my family found happiness in our new life. My mother and father worked hard and were able to buy a larger shop. I worked with them each day and learned everything that they could teach.”
The gnome smiled again, but with true happiness for the first time. “I remember the scent of the herbs greeting me when I woke each morning. The people of our neighborhood treated us kindly because they came to trust that potions bought from my family would work as promised. We began to prosper. There was only one rule that was instilled in me again and again. I was never to show anyone my magic.
“You see, Lord Richter, Death magic is not overly common in the River Peninsula. Especially not in gnome families. As such, while not taboo, it, and those who practice it, are generally not trusted. My grandmother foresaw that if word of a gnome death mage became well known, our anonymity would be destroyed. Though we had not heard from the duke for many years, my grandmother never let me forget the stories of his cruelty. I was told over and over that we must remain hidden to remain safe. My grandmother was wiser than I appreciated at my young age. I should have listened.”
Beyan grew silent for several minutes. The only sound was the buzzing of flies around the three men. The Death mage took a deep breath before he finished his story. “You see, as much as I hated my grandfather for what his actions did to me and my family, the hunda fruit did not fall far from the vine. As I grew older, my gaze was drawn more and more to the girls that lived near us. One night, I finally convinced one of them to lift her skirts for me. Convinced! Ha! I learned later that I was the fifth boy to gain that ‘honor’ in less than a month. I was a fool.
“At the moment, though, I was convinced that our love was a story for the ages. As I lay next to her in a derelict storage shed, I compounded my foolishness by telling my ‘true love’ my entire story. I even demonstrated a spell for her. She was so impressed! I was so proud! I knew that I would love her for the rest of my life…”
When Beyan spoke again, Richter heard no bitterness, only sorrow. “I imagine that as soon as I had headed home, she immediately ran to an information peddler. The going rate for information from street urchins was a single copper. That was the price of my family’s lives. A tight fit, a wet slit, and a single copper. That is what was traded for the only people in the entire world who cared for me. Like my grandfather, I betrayed my family for lust.
“From that moment, it was only a matter of time. My grandmother was right you see, my lord. The duke had never forgotten my family and what my grandfather had taken from him. Both his son and his wife. The story of the duke who had blinded his unfaithful wife with his thumbs before throwing her onto the street to live as a beggar was well known. No, he had not forgotten us. The only thing that had changed through the years was that the bounty on my family had grown larger. Less than a week after my foolish mistake, my family was walking in the local market and a host of men set upon them. They were slaughtered.
“The only reason that I still live is that a neighbor of ours risked her own life to run back to our shop where I was watching the counter. My heart darkened with every word as she told me of the deaths of my mother, father, and grandmother. I remember that I stood motionless with shock for a long moment, but then I started to move. Despite the joy and prosperity we had found, my family never forgot the night we had to burn our own home. Beneath a paving stone behind our shop we had hidden a bag that contained the majority of our wealth and the magic tomes we had saved so many years before.
“I took the satchel and started running. I didn’t stop for years. I traveled all over the River Peninsula, never staying anywhere for long. Ultimately, I settled in Law. My funds were much reduced, but I had enough to repeat the example of my parents. I bought a small shop and practiced the alchemy trade. I did not befriend my neighbors. I withdrew within myself and kept small. I stayed quiet. I never used my magic again, until today.”
Beyan put his skinning knife down and stood. He walked over to a nearby bucket of water and plunged his arms in, scrubbing vigorously to remove the skath blood. When he came back, he was calm. “I would have been content to live that way until the end of my days. Perhaps not content exactly, but I could have done it. I grew accustomed to my solitude. I considered reaching out to my sisters from time to time, but I realized that leaving Elecktra, leaving the family behind, was probably the only reason that they were still alive. I knew that attempting to find them would only place both them and myself in greater jeopardy. So I took the lesson that close personal bonds were to be avoided.
“Living in Yves, I began being rude to people to keep them away. After time, that practice became easier, and then it became reflex. For years, I have thought that the anger in my heart was an armor that kept me safe. I have thought that it existed by my own choice. When I used my magic today, though, I felt a peace I have not felt in years. I now know that my anger and misery came from denying my own nature. I will never do that again.”
Beyan poured some water out of a skin onto his dagger and began cleaning it with a rag. “Now you know my story, Lord Richter. If you wish me to leave, I will. It has been many years since I fled Elecktra and I have heard nothing of the duke in all of that time, but I cannot promise that my presence is not a danger to you and the village.” He waited for Richter’s response.
Richter and Sion stood, washing their hands and blades as well. Futen had returned while they worked and hovered nearby. Richter leaned over and whispered to Sion. He handed over his Bag and the sprite nodd
ed and jogged off. He told Futen to have Sumiko meet him at the base of the slope leading to the northern meadow. The remnant floated off, and Richter turned his gaze back to Beyan, who still stood nearby, his bald pate burned slightly red from so much time in the warm sun. “Walk with me.”
As they passed by the hunters, Richter told them to save and salt the meat and also what to preserve when the other skaths were brought back. The men told him it would be taken care of and the two men continued on. They were silent until they were beyond earshot again, but then Richter shared his thoughts. “You have a home here. You do not need to hide your magic any longer. Every nonhuman here is fleeing oppression and the dictates of vengeful nobles, and I see no reason to treat you differently. I only demand from you the same thing I demand from everyone else that lives within my lands. Do not harm any of your fellow villagers and work to keep us all safe. Can you promise me that?”
In a tone of disbelieving astonishment, Beyan answered, “I swear it, Lord Richter.”
“Then I have another question. Can you stop being such an asshole? It’s a serious question. I honestly considered just punching you in the face before today, but I quite like the version of you that I’m seeing now.”
Beyan looked at Richter in shock. He was so taken off guard that he tripped over a rock and fell onto his butt. Richter tried not to laugh, but it sneaked out as a cough, then a chuckle, then a full-throated chortle. Beyan looked up, annoyed at first, but then started laughing as well. Richter helped him up and they kept laughing together for a few more seconds.
Wiping a tear from his eye, Beyan said, “Well if that’s not a sign from the Universe telling me not to take myself too seriously then I don’t know what would be. The answer to your question is yes. It probably won’t happen overnight, but since I used my magic, I feel like a knot has started unraveling inside of me.”
Richter nodded. “Well I can’t ask for a more honest answer than that. Now I have one more question.” He started walking in a more northerly direction. “Now that you’re using your magic again, are you willing to put your Alchemy skill to good use on behalf of the village?”
“What does that mean exactly, Lord Richter?”
“One, you would teach others what you can do, share your knowledge. Basically you will take on novices who will help you with your work. Two, you’ll make potions for the good of the village. Sumiko is right. We need to be better prepared for future battles. Three, you bend the knee. Amazing things are on the horizon, but I can only make you a part of it if you are truly with me. If you swear fealty, you’ll do so in front of Sumiko. She will cast her truth spell on you, just like everyone that bent the knee last night. You will agree to obey my commands and the commands of those I place above you. There can be a home here for you either way, but if you are tired of running from those with more power than you and would like my help to become powerful in your own right, then I can help you do that.” They had reached the bottom of the slope leading up to the meadow of the Quickening, and Richter stopped walking. “If you need time to consider it, that’s fine, but tell me now.”
Beyan looked at Richter with an intense stare. His body was tight with tension and Richter could almost see a lifetime of distrust warring with the gnome’s desire to have a better life. They stood there, unmoving, for several minutes while Richter awaited the Death magician’s answer. Sumiko walked up with Futen floating beside her. The sprite woman was grumbling about being summoned by a flying rock, but when she felt the serious air around the two men, she quieted and waited to see what would happen.
Beyan looked from Richter to Sumiko and back again, then went down to one knee. Sumiko, picking up on why she had been summoned, cast Soul’s Window. After her hands stopped glowing, Beyan made his pledge. Not the same formulaic words that had been spoken to Richter hundreds of times now, but a pledge that was specific to the gnome and his complicated path through life.
“I formally swear allegiance and loyalty to you, my Lord Richter. Through life, and unto my death, I swear my service to you. I will follow your commands and the commands of those you place over me. I swear with my whole heart that if you ever punch me in the face without cause, I will punch you back in a much more sensitive spot. I also swear to give you my best every day.”
Sumiko coughed in a way that sounded suspiciously like a laugh and said, “He meant everything he said.”
Richter laughed again and helped the gnome up. “I can live with that. I accept your pledge and promise to tell you if you start being an asshole again.”
Beyan smiled and said, “I can live with that too.”
“Well if this excess of manliness is done, I have work to do,” Sumiko said with a huff.
“Actually, miss sassy,” Richter said with a smile, “I’d like you to come up to the meadow with me. There is something that I think you would like to see.” Sion jogged up to them and handed over Richter’s Bag of Holding. The sprite nodded to him and Richter said, “Let’s go.”
They walked up the slope. At the top, Isabella and Terrod were laughing about something and a few other people were working in the garden. The woman ran up to Richter and embraced him again. How she didn’t hurt her fun bags on his armor he had no idea, but since it didn’t seem to bother Terrod, he wasn’t going to complain. “Thank you for bringing him back safely from the hunt, my lord. My Terrod has told me that you even gave him your sword, leaving yourself defenseless, when he lost his. Thank you!”
Richter laughed and extricated himself from her embrace. “It was a team effort. I’m glad you’re here though. There is something I would like you to see.” He told all of the other gardeners to stop what they were doing and to follow him as well. For good measure, he even cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted towards the Quickening, “Come on over and see something cool!” He had to imagine that the sprite guards Hisako had left behind got bored just guarding the tree and the pixies.
Richter walked past the garden and went another two hundred yards. He turned around and addressed everyone, “I wish the entire village could be here, but I’m happy I can share it with you.” Then he reached into his Bag and took out the item he had sent Sion to retrieve, the alchemy set he had bought from Leandra’s shop so long ago. He carefully reassembled it while his people watched, confused. When he was done, he turned back to them and with dramatic flair, removed the Magic Core from his Bag.
“By the reaper’s gonads! You have another one?” Beyan asked, shocked.
“What? Does the reaper even have gonads?” Richter asked in a half laugh.
“Big as melons, just like mine,” Beyan replied without missing a beat. “But the point is where did you find another one?” The gnome’s stare was threatening to burn a hole through the object.
“The where doesn’t matter. What matters is that I am about to make a Philosopher’s Cauldron. That’s why I needed to know where you stood. Before today I would never have trusted you near this, but I want you to work here. We both have a ways to go before we have a deep trust, but today was a good start. Sion will be in charge here and there is apparently another alchemist I need to meet, but I invite you to use whatever I am about to create.”
Beyan bowed his head and said, “I am honored, my lord.”
Richter nodded to the gnome and without further ado, brought the Core and the alchemy set together. A prompt appeared.
Do you wish to create a Philosopher’s Cauldron? Yes or No?
Richter chose “Yes.” The prompt disappeared and another took its place.
Know This! A third component is required to create a Philosopher’s Cauldron. You must supply a potion ingredient.
Richter dismissed the prompt. It only made sense, he supposed. The elementum had been such an important part of determining the character of the Forge of Heavens. The question was, what could he add? The garden was right there and it was growing herbs and plants of various types, but that seemed too mundane an option. He pulled up his inventory to see what else he had avai
lable. If he didn’t find any good options, then there was nothing forcing him to use the Magic Core right now. This was the last day to use some of his skill bonuses from leveling, though, and if he wanted to put them to the best use, it would be after he got whatever bonus he would earn from building the Cauldron.
The first thing that his eyes landed on was the enhanced crystal he had gotten from slaying the crystal guardian. When he put the components together, though, a prompt told him that the crystal was a resource, not an ingredient. So he put the crystal back and searched for the next item. He smiled when he saw an item that he had completely forgotten about.
Know This! The ingredient will determine the Traits affecting the creation of potions. You have supplied the ingredient: Rotting Blue Berries. Trait(s): +0.5% potion creation success rate. +100% effectiveness of intellect potions. +2% chance of adding random undesirable effect to potions. Do you wish to make the Cauldron of Twisted Focus? Yes or No?
Well, I can certainly do better than that, he thought with a smile. He handed the berries to one of the gardeners and told him to see if they could grow anything. He also motioned for Futen to come closer and told him the results and to relate a comprehensive list to Randolphus later on. A compendium of the effects of Magic Cores could come in handy in the future. Richter pulled out the next item. A simple healing herb that he had picked from the forest.
Know This! The ingredient will determine the Traits affecting the creation of potions. You have supplied the ingredient: Forest Sage. Trait(s): Healing potions will automatically be one level higher. Do you wish to make the Cauldron of Basic Healing? Yes or No?