“The same reason I am in here. Vicarious thrills,” Zelus answered. “I enjoy the danger I feel being around and hearing stories from these people. All the dark things they’ve done or, as in your case, are about to do. It pleases me to help you, makes me feel like I’m a part of it without bringing any real danger. Besides nothing I’ve said is secret, it’s just not well known on this side.”
“Well thanks,” I said. Not sure of what else to say.
“Not a problem. I’d ask you to let me know how it goes, but one way or another I expect I’ll hear about it,” Zelus grinned. “Good luck.”
I left Zelus to his drink and went back to my room in the inn.
‘So that’s the plan now,’ said Mai. ‘You’re going to ring someone’s bell and pray they don’t take your head off.’
“I don’t have much of a choice,” I commented. “Stealing a pass would be difficult, and it still doesn’t get me to the Archlord.”
‘We could always bail on this town and join the other Earthmen in the capital. Then we don’t have to worry about the beastmen, at least not for a while.’
“You know I can’t do that,” I breathed. “I can’t let another city fall to those animals. I can’t see more homes ruined and lives destroyed. I have to do something.”
‘Even if you make it to the bell, the Archlord may still kill you,’ said Mai. ‘And it won’t be pretty: beheaded, hung, drawn and quartered, primitives do those sorts of things.’
“I suppose it’s possible,” I acknowledged.
‘Not worried about dying? Because with me you aren’t impervious anymore,’ Mai reminded.
“No, I’m worried. I’m just more worried about being caught before I ring the bell, they could lock me up for ages. Especially considering, I’m still not sure if I can trust you on the state of my mortality.”
Mai tried to respond but I cut her off before she could. “I know you’ve helped me, a lot. You’ve been there for me, when I needed you. But I don’t know if I can trust you. I’ve been deceived far too often. It’s not you, it’s me. I’m just not sure I could trust anyone, at least for now. I hope you can understand.”
‘Now you’re giving me the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ speech,’ Mai said gently. ‘It’s fine. I didn’t mean for things to get all sappy. I just want to make sure you know your options.’
“Ok,” I agreed.
‘So, part one, how are you going to get over the wall?’ she asked.
“Hmmm.”
‘No idea?’ Mai asked.
“No, I have an idea,” I said.
‘And…’
“You made me an Otherist, a mixer of magic and science. I think it’s about time I use it.”
Chapter 22: Breach
Izusa shuffled her way through the dark crowded streets of Dewpoint, the southernmost city of the Othal Confederation. She liked it here. The scent in the air, a combination of honey and pine needles, the people on the street, an odd mixture of human and animal, it all reminded Izusa of where she grew up, even though she was still a long way from home.
Izusa maintained her human form while in the city. It wasn’t that she disliked her wolf form. In fact, she preferred it. The speed, the power, the sight and the smell were all more intense that anything she could experience as a human. However, such gains gave way to practicality.
The human form was the only body type that all Othans shared. Their bestial form varied with each individual and could be anything from a small rodent to a gilaphant, a 50-foot reptile. So it was only natural that all the ceilings, doorways, tables and chairs were designed for the human form.
Izusa moved past the large teepees and campfires, regretfully leaving behind the sweet aroma of a fresh steak cooked to the perfect rareness, down the city’s western slopes toward a more discrete borough. If it was any other day, Izusa would have meandered about the city, but she had a job to do. Weeks ago, she’d sent Talia to relay a message to her father and it wasn’t until now that they were able to coordinate a meeting.
“Ah, daughter, made it,” said Jutmaek as Izusa entered the large decorated tent set near the edge of the city. As one of the clan chiefs, the ceremonial tent was used whenever Jutmaek was outside Doraga to demonstrate their wealth and status to the other clans of the Confederation.
“Hello father,” Izusa replied. “Sorry, late. With all the drills, it’s hard to get out of camp these days.”
“Understand. Receive regular reports on troop deployments. It sounds hectic,” Jutmaek agreed. “Since are in a hurry, why don’t we get to business? Why did need to meet?”
“To show this,” said Izusa pulling out the strange shrinking spear she’d acquired in that human town. “See this symbol engraved on the haft.”
Jutmaek took up the steel spear, leaned over the candlelight, and gently rotated until he could see the small “†” symbol engraved in the center. The steadfast clan chief’s body convulsed from shock.
“This symbol,” Jutmaek marveled. His grip tightened and his fingertips shot to the indentation to double check with touch what may have been false by eye.
“Is it the same?” Izusa asked. “Told stories about the Permarime Shrine and the symbol carved into the great titan doors.”
“Yes, it’s the same. It’s been over thirty years since saw the northern monument, since the frost growth prevented from seeing it again, but this is definitely the same symbol,” agreed Jutmaek. “Where did find this spear?”
“Doubt will believe,” said Izusa.
“Try,” said Jutmaek trying to restrain his excitement. With this discovery, the faintest flicker of hope kindled in his heart. Was there another way to solve the crisis?
“Found it on a human during my excursion to the south,” Izusa began to her father’s crinkling brow. “Claimed to have made it.”
“Have this man in custody?” Jutmaek asked.
“Killed self rather than be captured,” said Izusa. Jutmaek’s frown deepened, prompting Izusa to add, “But later learned that wasn’t just any man. Is one of the new Fallen.”
“So, still out there,” said Jutmaek.
“Yes, somewhere,” Izusa agreed.
Jutmaek grimaced, hope remained but this new information brought many additional questions.
“How are the new Fallen connected to the Permarime Shrine?” Jutmaek wondered aloud.
“No idea,” said Izusa. “How should proceed?”
“Hmmm,” Jutmaek pondered for a long moment before answering. “Could find this man again?”
“Perhaps,” Izusa answered. She took back the spear and held it up to her face, which had transformed into a wolf’s snout. “The scent is old, but definitely know if ever crossed paths again.”
“When go south again, keep a nose out,” Jutmaek advised. “If find, bring to Doraga.”
“Then we take to the temple?” asked Izusa.
“We won’t know that until we can interrogate,” said Jutmaek. “But yes, if things work out we will arrange for an expedition to the north.”
I spent the next two days studying what little I could about Crystalpeak’s inner city. The solid 50-foot walls blocked all conventional means of looking in and few of the city’s inhabitants knew much about the inside. The swaggering Zelus was the only one I’d spoken to who actually lived there.
As a part of my investigation, I climbed to the roof of one of the few buildings outside the wall tall enough to see over it. The inner city was even more beautiful up close than it had been from the hills. Its iridescent buildings adorned with intricate carvings and sculptures dazzled the eyes, filling all of the inner city except for the center where there was a large garden filled with a variety of exotic plants. In the middle of the garden on a small hilltop was a white gazebo with a golden bell the size of a person. That was the goal, the object I needed to reach.
From my alcove, I watched the people inside the walls as they went about their daily business. It was clear that there were two types. Half wore hideously g
audy attire that was all too visible even from my distant vantage point. They were a swirl of clashing hues often topped with large plumed headgear. These were the nobles. The other half wore plain black full-bodied robes. Clearly, these were the servants.
I stayed up on the roof until well past sunset. My plan to get over the wall could only work at night so I needed to see how the city looked then. I was disappointed to see the inner city remained luminous all the time. Glowing pillars lined the streets their magical light acting as street lamps. Fortunately, the streets were nearly empty within a couple hours of sunset, the fewer the people the fewer the potential witnesses. The only people I could see were a handful of guards, moving in pairs as they circled the inner city from the top of the wall in a several mile long loop. It looked like my plan might just work.
‘Why are we entering an apothecary?’ Mai questioned as I walked into the small musky store the following morning.
“It’s all part of the plan?” I answered.
‘What, you’re planning on drugging the guards,’ Mai joked. ‘Isaac, I didn’t know you were into those sorts of things.’
“No-”
‘What I don’t get is, if you wanted to take advantage of someone, why didn’t you do it with that nobleman in the bar? At least he was pretty.’
“What sort of man do you think I am? I’m not drugging anyone. I’m not even here for drugs,” I said as I walked past the shelves full of herbs, animal parts and concoctions. “I’m here for money.”
‘Ahh, you’re selling the plants,’ Mai understood. During my long trek from Mill Valley, I’d collected a number of plants that, at least according to the system interface, held strange, potentially useful properties. Since I didn’t have much use for them, they were naturally the first thing I’d sell. I still had a few coins I’d found in the ruins of Mill Valley, but if I wanted to get over the wall, I’d need much more.
The pharmacist tending the store was an elderly gentleman with a scruffy curly-cue beard. His eyes welcomed me as he continued his conversation with the only other customer in the cozy shop.
The customer was a tall, rotund man with exceptionally little neck and an exceptionally great chin or rather chins. The middle-aged man wore clean white pants and shirt whose brightness added to his natural air of superiority. All of the color of the pale fat man lied in his brilliant blue eyes and a small tuft of goldenrod hair on top of an otherwise baldhead.
“Ahh,” the heavy man exclaimed as the apothecary brought out a couple bundles of herbs from under the counter. “Is dis efferything I ortered?”
“Yes, twelve ounces of fresh safnor and ten pounds of winkerton shrooms,” the apothecary nodded.
“Kood. I vas alzo vondering if you had anything elze for dis curious little culinary ardist. Zomething, anything dat can excite dis hotzy totzy rear end of mine,” the heavy man queried.
“Afraid not,” said the apothecary. “There is a ship from Knighttide due to port in three weeks. You’ll have to wait until then for anything new.”
“Poopy,” muttered the large exuberant man in a downtrodden voice.
“I may be able to help,” I interjected. The two men turned to face me. “I am actually here because I was looking to sell some plants I collected recently in the Hyperion Mountains. If you want, you can take a look.”
“Vonderful,” said the heavy man emphatically. “Vat do you haffe?”
I summoned up my inventory screen and started pulling out the different herb, fruits, vegetables, and other plant parts I picked up. I kept the plants in my inventory because while items were stored there, time didn’t seem to exist. Despite it being over a week, they remained as fresh as the moment I’d picked them.
“You are from Earth, ja? I zee you use the inffendory. I am from Earth as vell,” said the heavyset customer.
“Really,” I exclaimed, it’d been so long since I’d met someone else from Earth that I’d nearly forgotten they existed.
“Let me introduce myzelf, Albert von Lungger. I am ein chef. I had ein little resdaurant in Zan Fran until, vell dis happened. Zo I don’t let dis get me down and I reopen my resdaurant here,” said the man.
“You just went back to what you had been doing all along?” I said.
“Of courze not. I’m haffing the time of mein life here. All the nev ingretients, all the nev tasdes, and as ein bizarre tvist the potendial for magic. Chust dink of all the amasing new recipes I can make. Oooohh, I haffen’t felt like dis zince I vas ein little boy vith mein eazy bake offen,” Albert beamed.
“It’s nothing but exciting here,” I agreed, thinking about all the crap I had been put through the past couple months. After introducing myself, I spent the next few minutes bargaining over prices with Albert and the apothecary. My wares sold well, the plants, while not from as far as Knighttide, were still rare in this area.
“Dank you zo much,” said Albert as he moved his purchases to his inventory. “Come by mein resdaurant. It’s tvo blocks north of here. Sdop by zomedime, I’ll let you try vateffer I make from doze loffely artichokes.”
“Uhh,” I hesitated.
“I knov you varned me about the coldness, but I enchoy the challenge. Don’t vorry, I alvays try any recipe out myzelf before zerffing it to anyone,” said Albert.
“I have some things I have to deal with the next few days, but maybe I’ll stop by after I’m done,” I said.
“I open effery effening, sdop by anytime,” said Albert.
“Only in the evening. What about lunch?” I said.
“Lunch. Vat zelf-respecting chef zerffes lunch?” Albert scoffed, shaking his head. “Lunch.”
“Well, see you around,” I sputtered.
“Ja, koodbye. And if you come by more etibles, sdop by and giffe me ein looky lou.”
The apothecary dittoed Albert’s response and I left the store, my wallet a bit heavier as I headed for the next item on my list of errands.
“How can I help you?” asked the tailor behind the counter.
“I need three things,” I began. “First: a set of plain black robes.”
‘Black? Please don’t tell me you’re going Goth. You’re moody enough as it is,’ Mai mused.
“Not a problem, sir.”
“Second. Some patches of silk,” I said.
‘First the goth get-up. Then silk hankies, plural. I’m warning you now that if the third thing is a vinyl blowup doll in the likeness of Marilyn Manson, you’ll go blind. Don’t think that’s just a myth. I’ll make it real,’ said Mai. ‘I’ll be the first MythBooster.’
“Not a problem,” repeated the clerk. “I just need to know how much.”
“500 square meters should do the trick,” I replied.
The tailor’s jaw dropped at that request and Mai’s eyebrows rose. I wasn’t surprised at the reaction, 500 square meters was enough silk to cover a basketball court so the tailor had probably never seen someone off the street come in with an order that large.
“Is there a problem?” I asked when the tailor failed to answer for a moment.
“N-No,” stammered the tailor. “Color of the silk?”
“Doesn’t matter. Whatever is cheapest,” I said.
“We don’t have that much product in store. It’ll take a few days to retrieve that much from our offsite storage facility. Is that okay?” checked the tailor.
“That’s fine, it’ll give us a chance to work on the third thing,” I said.
“The third thing?” said the tailor.
“Third: the ability to sew. You’re going to teach me,” I said.
‘It smells like fish,’ Mai complained.
“Well, we are at the docks,” I said. “What did you expect?”
‘I just didn’t think it would be this strong.’
“I don’t think it’s that bad,” I said.
‘You can’t smell the rotting week old fish guts that seeped into the floorboards,’ Mai said. ‘Well, I guess you could…’
“No, no thank you. My sense
of smell is plenty strong enough already. I’ll try to make this quick.”
“Hey,” I said to the first sailor I came across. “Can you point me to somewhere I can buy a small row boat? Nothing fancy just something I can take out a little ways.”
“Over there,” nodded the burly fisherman as he hoisted a mound of netting over his head. “I heard Barstol’s looking to sell his old boat.”
The docks were an energetic place. Much like the blocks closest to the wall, people crowded through, some perusing the local fish markets others loading or unloading cargo from one of the many transport ships that came daily, hauling in a plethora of grain and other commodities more difficult to produce in the frigid northern latitudes, and shipping out rare monster ingredients only found in the more savage frontier and magical artifacts produced by the city’s mages. Crystalpeak was the primary provider of magical goods to the entire human nation and the construction of high-grade artifacts often required strange monster ingredients.
“Are you Barstol?” I asked an old man.
“No,” he replied.
“Barstol?” I asked another who shook his head.
‘Try the pudgy one who just walked by,’ Mai pointed behind me.
“How?”
‘He has that new boat smell,’ she explained.
“Are you Barstol?” I tried.
“Yes,” the man answered.
“I heard you have a small boat for sale.”
“Yeah,” Barstol chuckled. “I got a bigger ship last week and I am selling the old one. You interested?”
“Maybe, depends on what she looks like,” I replied.
“It’s this one over here.” Barstol pointed down the dock to a simple canoe with a set of paddles in its bottom.
I did a quick once over on the boat. It didn’t need to last. I just needed it for one trip.
“How much?”
It was 16 days before I actually got around to making that trip. In the meantime, I busied myself studying with the tailor. I said I wanted the crash course and boy did I get it.
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