White Devil

by Janina Franck

  With a charming grin, Ryo stood up and stroked the girl’s hand gently as he took the guitar from her.

  “It would be my pleasure,” he purred.

  Joe rolled his eyes, and Balthasar decided he needed at least three more beers. Trudging back to the bar, he thought about how they had been received by the villagers. All of them had been accepted readily.

  “Oy Balthasar,” the barkeep said, “going all in tonight, aren’t ya!”

  “Dun’cha know it, Treves,” Balthasar replied, taking hold of the beers.

  Still, Ryo had been the most impressive, he thought as he listened to the man sing and play. His voice was raw but gentle, the words clichéd but they made every girl in the room turn. To top it all off, his fingers danced across the frets like spiders who had done nothing but weave beautiful melodies all their lives. He supposed he shouldn’t forget that Ryo was still a young man in his prime, despite having been deprived of a leg.

  Balthasar returned to his seat and together, he and Joe watched Ryo be surrounded by young ladies for a while.

  “How many?” Joe asked after a while.

  Balthasar gauged the girls.

  “T’night just four I’d say.”

  “You are on.”

  They shook hands on their bet.

  They were planning to watch Ryo for the better part of the night to see the result, but the door opened to let Griffin in, whipping his head around until he spotted them at their table. Carrying several pieces of paper and a fist-sized wooden figure, he hurried over, closely followed by Aestiva.

  “Guys, we made a break through!”

  Balthasar raised an eyebrow.

  “What ha’ ye cooked up, boy?”

  “This.”

  Griffin moved the group’s glasses to another table and spread out his papers, placing the wooden figure on top. Each paper was filled with technical drawings and Griffin’s neat handwriting, although the lettering was so small that Balthasar had trouble making out the words. Each sheet of paper seemed to describe a different kind of machine.

  “Might these be your youngest creations?” Joe asked.

  Griffin nodded.

  “I was thinking that with the battle coming up, I want to do something useful, and since I can’t fight or anything, I was wondering if I could build something, and then I remembered the books that you wrote, Balthasar, about naval battles, and then I thought about this technomancy stuff they have here, and how it’s basically just science with some bits that create energy by themselves, and so I figured I could-”

  “Mrrrow,” the cat interrupted him.

  He glanced at her and stroked her head once.

  “Oh, yeah. You’re right, Stiva.”

  “I’m surprised ye dinnae turn blue dere, boy,” Balthasar noted drily. Griffin chuckled and looked down at his plans.

  “I’m sorry, I guess I got overexcited.”

  “We understand. However, would you mind telling us of your inventions?”

  “Of course,” Griffin nodded vehemently and pointed at one of the papers. “So, this one is an idea I had from when I was in Tsoaluo. They had some machines that move really fast to other places and they actually hover above the ground. I looked into how they made that happen, and it’s actually just magnetism. Now, I did some testing and figured if we just take some magnets of the same force and put them into the ground around the places where we expect the Quintz to come fight us, it’ll be much harder for them to use their weapons effectively if they’re made of metal. And this one here is actually based on the light orbs, you know, the ones powered by Silphan? It’s just a lamp, but I added some mirrors and a lens made from this glass Colm gave me, and I tested it – it amplifies the light and could blind someone, especially if you shine it directly at them when it’s dark.”

  Joe and Balthasar exchanged a glance. While the young man didn’t have the same experience as them and certainly was not much use in a direct fight, his ideas might come in handy. These were only two of his ideas, but he had roughly six or seven more plans laid out in front of them. If they could even use half of them, it would definitely give them an edge.

  “What’s wi’ dat one?” Balthasar pointed at the wooden figure Griffin was still holding.

  “Oh this? That’s actually an idea Milly came up with.”

  “Mildred?” Joe asked surprised. “I was unaware you spent time together.”

  Griffin nodded.

  “Oh yeah, she comes by every day. She’s helped me out a lot! Sometimes she brings me books for research but she’s also just good company. For a little girl, she’s really mature.”

  “Mow.”

  “Sometimes,” Griffin added with a glance at Aestiva.

  The cat climbed onto his lap and began purring as he scratched her back.

  “So,” Balthasar continued with a nod at the model, “what about dat ting?”

  “Oh, right, well, Milly was looking at the Bat, and she asked me about how we made her fly and all, and then she pointed out that it would be really handy, if we could have something like the Bat, but smaller and fly it over the army, like an aerial attack, you know? So, I thought of this.”

  Griffin placed the model on the table and showed them how it worked. It looked like a small rowing boat, just large enough for one person and a crate of sorts. However, the rudder was much larger and there were two booms coming out at the sides of the boat, fixed with sails that stretched above and beneath the construction. There were some pulleys and ropes that could be used to change the positioning of the sails attached near the rudder. There was also a lever, and when Griffin pulled it with a finger, the bottom of the boat opened to drop the contents of the crate onto people below.

  “Nice idea, ye’ve got, but how ye gonna make it fly?” Balthasar probed.

  “Well…” Griffin said gingerly but after a nudge from the cat he continued. “At first, I thought it might be best to ask the Klabautermann to make it fly, but then I thought it was too risky because if something goes wrong, we won’t be able to make the Bat fly again, so I thought about other ways. Back in Jianlah, when we still had our library, I researched cloudships, and the theories behind them, and there was one writer who had some interesting ideas about the science behind them. He was totally wrong, but I wondered if it couldn’t work anyway.”

  “Look, we dun need t’know the details, just say, is it workin’?”

  Griffin shrugged.

  “It’s not perfect yet, and I’ll still need to change things, but I guess it’s getting there? I’m doing some tests tomorrow if you want to see.”

  “I’ll be dere,” Balthasar decided. “Say, Joe, do yer creams come in powd’r form?”

  Lilith awoke when the steamer stopped. Dazed, she looked around. She hadn’t even realized she had fallen asleep.

  “Come on,” Selene urged her. “We’re in Taq.”

  Still numb, Lilith followed her friend out and found herself in a large, bustling cave. There were dwarves yelling and trolls directing people toward a bright light, seemingly the exit.

  “There are too many people everywhere,” Lilith sighed and thought of the vast, empty Highlands where everyone seemed to know everyone and there was more space than anyone knew what to do with.

  Overhead, some giant bats whisked past and, upon closer inspection, there was also a large number just hanging from the ceiling.

  “I think I might be part bat,” she muttered, to no one in particular.

  “Very nice, and I’m part warrior princess, but now’s not the time, come on.”

  Selene grabbed Lilith’s wrist and pulled her through the crowd toward the exit. Navigating their way through the people, Lilith was uncomfortably reminded of the boardwalks in Nenbalon, except that a lot more of the people here came only to her waist, which meant that unless she wanted to kick someone, her steps had to be minuscule. Again, Lilith contemplated whether it would be safe to summon her wings. Perhaps she could blend
in with the bats. However, Selene’s strong grip didn’t allow for anything of the sort, so Lilith accepted her fate and followed on foot, observing enviously that her remaining three friends flew out unbothered, even though the air traffic wasn’t to be sniffed at either.

  When they finally made it out, Lilith and Selene allowed themselves a breather.

  “I have officially found the first thing I hate – crowds,” Lilith panted.

  “I’m with you,” Selene agreed. “I miss the ocean.”

  “Oceans, skies, whatever,” Amethyst interrupted as he and the other two landed next to them. “We’re next to a mountain and gotta find that book place, right? Which way?”

  Lilith looked around. There were still many people, however the crowds were dispersing a little. After a moment, she found what she had been looking for. She walked up to a notice board, to which a city map was pinned.

  “I saw one of these in Tsoaluo when we bought the tickets, and there was one in Nenbalon at the station as well,” she admitted.

  Selene looked over her shoulder and inspected the map.

  The city of Taquin was built on a mountainside and created a semi-circle around one large building set into the mountain wall. All roads moved away from that central building in star shape.

  “I can’t read the words,” Selene said. “What does this say?”

  She pointed at the letters set next to the large central building of the city.

  “The Great Library. That is it!” Lilith said excitedly.

  “That was easy,” Amethyst commented.

  Selene took the lead and directed the group to a large plaza in front of the impressive building set into the mountainside. The plaza was filled with people, a few stalls selling tidbits and whatnots, three fountains with spuming dolphins and bats, and the even cobblestones were a nice contrast to the boardwalks in Nenbalon. Even though the place was busy and definitely fuller, it didn’t feel as crowded or cramped.

  The plaza didn’t hold their attention for long though, because the building they had come for demanded their focus. The entrance was formed of large onyx columns and a black façade decorated by images and sculpted flowers. The whole building appeared to be directly carved out of the rock face. The wall of milky windows stretched up three stories and Lilith could only wonder at how deep into the mountain the building might reach.

  They soon climbed the few steps to the entrance and after a short pause, entered through the open door. They found themselves in a large, luxurious hall, lit up by a crystal chandelier. The walls were covered by picturesque tapestries and the onyx floor and ceiling polished to a shine. Up ahead, there was a large set of dual staircases beside which there was a desk with a bored troll reading a book, while both on the left and right side of the hall, doorways opened into further rooms

  Uncertainly, Lilith and her friends stood in the hall for a few moments until a familiar voice shouted down to them from the top of the stairs.

  “Oh dearies, there you are! Come in, oh, do come in! Did you have a pleasant journey? Oh, where are my manners! Would you like some tea? Ah, silly old me, of course. You must be exhausted!”

  Catarina’s frenetic personality almost knocked the breath out of them. Her ruffled skirts, jewelry, and plaited hair seemed even more extravagant and luxurious than when they had last seen her. Lilith thought her once again one of the most glamorous and beautiful women she had ever met.

  “Catarina, we were not expecting you here, what a coincidence!”

  The dwarf waved the exclamation away.

  “Hardly, my dear, hardly at all. I did tell you I worked here, did I not? It would be more surprising not to find me here, I assure you!”

  Catarina hurried down the stairs and ushered the group up the stairs like geese. The troll at the table had stood to attention when Catarina came past him, but she paid him no notion. As she pushed them through another hallway, they were met by several dwarves and trolls carrying notepads and books, who attempted to approach her, but she waved them all away.

  “Run along, please! We need some privacy,” she yelled whenever any of them came close. It was undeniable that the dwarf possessed a natural air of authority. With a wink and a finger over her lips she whispered conspiratorially to Lilith, “Now that it’s my turn to rule, they won’t even question me, isn’t that delightful?”

  Lilith looked at her in surprise.

  “You are the ruler?”

  The dwarf nodded gleefully.

  “Well, yes. This year at least. It was Lica of Tche’lo-an’s turn last year, so it’s my turn now and just you wait to see what wonderfully splendid plans I have in store for this country! But now come join me in here.”

  Catarina pushed them into a room and closed the door after herself.

  Then, she gracefully floated past them and took a seat in an armchair behind a dainty coffee table made from Arc-glass. After waiting for a moment, she gestured toward the several remaining couches.

  “Well, sit down, dearies, come join me!”

  Hesitantly, they did as they were told, looking around the room. Unlike what Lilith had expected, the walls weren’t covered with bookshelves, but instead further tapestries, and, upon closer inspection, it seemed they told a story, starting with two peccary piglets and their growth.

  “We were looking for the guardian of the library…” Lilith began slowly.

  Catarina clapped her hands together in delight.

  “Well isn’t that just wonderful! You found me very quickly, didn’t you, dearie? Now that you’re here, let me introduce myself properly, I did let it slide when we met first. I am Lady Catarina Minara Patalenia, Guardian of the Great Library of Taquin and currently the Taq Ruler. But never mind all that. Did you not find what you were looking for in Nenbalon? I hope Maurice looked after you!”

  Lilith smiled. The lack of change in Catarina’s manner put her at ease.

  “No, we did not find it, unfortunately. But our original destination was always this library. You see, my guardian sent us to find you. He gave me this.”

  She handed over the scroll Colm had given her. Catarina glanced across it.

  “Silly fool,” she sighed after a moment. “And a fool’s errand he sent you on. I expect he sent you because he couldn’t find me himself. I suppose I have been gone a little while.”

  “What do you mean?” Lilith asked alarmed.

  Catarina opened her hand and a flame appeared in it.

  “If he had known where I was, he would have used this instead of sending you all the way out here. And I’m saying fool’s errand because there is no written proof this artifact has ever existed. No account of someone holding it has ever been recorded.”

  Catarina rose to her feet and paced toward a large window facing the town. Her hands folded behind her poised back, she stood there in silence for a few moments. Then she sighed once more and clapped twice.

  A door Lilith hadn’t noticed before opened and a dwarf walked in and bowed.

  “Please bring us some tea and refreshments. My friends have been traveling; please let the maids know to prepare rooms for them.”

  The dwarf bowed again and disappeared.

  “The Hellfire Naginata…” Catarina said again quietly. “What a fearful thing to send you for.”

  “You know of it,” Selene noted. Catarina turned to her, an amused twinkle in her eyes.

  “My, how observant you are!”

  A knock on the door made them halt. Some servants, both trolls and dwarves, came in and handed each of them a dainty cup – and Ayalon a bowl – filled with delicious smelling steaming liquid.

  They waited to proceed with their conversation until the servants had left again.

  “You know where it is?” Selene asked, disregarding Catarina’s earlier comment.

  The dwarf laughed.

  “Oh, no, dearie, I’m afraid it’s not that simple! You see, it may be nothing more than a myth. There are legends abou
t such a weapon, but nobody has actually seen it, you see?”

  “Nobody who could talk about it afterward anyway,” Amethyst mumbled, just loud enough for Lilith to hear.

  He was right, she realized. Colm had mentioned it himself – anyone who dared to get too close to the Hellfire Naginata had been consumed by it. However, just because no one had been able to speak of it, was no proof that it didn’t exist. It simply meant that those who had found it, had never gotten the chance to mention it to anyone else.

  “But there is something you do know,” Selene stated.

  Lilith shot her friend a glance. She was acting as if this was an interrogation. Were they allowed to speak to a ruler this way? Catarina certainly didn’t seem to mind.

  “There is indeed,” she admitted. “It is nothing definite. Rumors travel far and fast and for a long time. One may easily dismiss gossip as poppycock and nonsense, but more often than not, there is something to it. Whatever situation you may find yourselves in, dearies, always remember that behind every lie is a tiny bit of truth. All you need to do is find it.”

  “Would you get to the point already,” Amethyst moaned.

  Catarina laughed.

  “My, my, what a passionate and loud bird you are! I noticed in Nenbalon, but I seem to have forgotten. Patience is a virtue, dearie, and it is not polite to simply blurt out everything one knows. There is no fun behind it, no challenge! Politics would be so terribly dull otherwise!”

  “Is this politics?” Zero cut in warily.

  The dwarf’s eyes twinkled with delight as she replied, “Everything is politics, dearie. However, in this particular case, it is mostly pleasure. Interesting visitors come by so seldom. I simply wish to enjoy this conversation to the fullest extent possible.”

  “I am sorry, but Amethyst is right. It is urgent and if you do have some information to give us, please do so. Even if it is merely a rumor, the more we know, the quicker we can solve the mystery and return home where we are needed,” Lilith said apologetically.

  The librarian’s brown eyes were fixed on her for a moment. The gaze was intense and spoke more loudly than words could have managed, and for the first time Lilith felt like someone was speaking a language she did not understand.