Greysons of Grimoire
Page 48
“It probably wasn’t planned at first,” Shias said.
“Indeed, he and Delilah were forced out of Grimoire against their will,” Roderick said. “They were together for some time, but then Caleb went off on his own path, while Delilah and the others continued on together. And they’ve now reached a very surprising Location.” Roderick moved the maps aside, bringing one forward. It was the largest of all, taking up almost the entire table when Roderick smoothed it out. At the top, it read “Library of Solitude: Entrance Hall.” Roderick pointed to different names as he spoke. “Here is Delilah, as you can see. Along with Chelsea, Lorelei, Isabelle… and it seems Gwen stuck with them. Oh, that’s good.”
“Why did you say it was surprising for them to be there?” Shana asked.
“Because even us Cartographers can’t go to the Library of Solitude,” Roderick said. “It’s one of a very few Locations known as the Lost Locations. They’ve been lost — detached, you might say — from the rest of the Dominion. No ordinary means can bring anyone to them, and the methods remaining for reaching them are unknown to us. But Isabelle… yes, I believe I may know just who she is. And if I’m right, then this makes a great deal of sense. Though I’ve heard worrying rumors about the Library of late. I hope they’ll be okay.”
“Delilah’s in danger?” Shana asked.
“I can’t be sure. As I said, I cannot reach the Library, and even the maps we have of it are quite old — it’s surprising we’re even able to track them that far. All I know is what whispers tell, and none of it is good.”
“But we can’t get there to help her,” Shana said, frowning.
“She has Chelsea and Lorelei with her,” Shias offered.
“And we have our own mission to take on, right?” Kathryn asked.
Shana nodded. “Finding the Locksmith.”
“Ah, I know him,” Roderick said. “And you believe he’s in Grimoire?”
“That’s what we were told,” Shana said. “You don’t know where he is?”
Roderick smiled with amusement. “He has the curious talent to never appear on our maps,” he said. “But if you go looking for him, you only have to seek out his emblem. He always makes his presence known, in his own way, to those who know about him.” Roderick waved to a different Cartographer, a young man with large, thick-framed spectacles. “William, can you get me a copy of the Locksmith’s Emblem?” The man rushed off, returning shortly and pressing an item into Roderick’s hand. Roderick placed it on the table, sliding it over to Shana.
“This is how we find him?” Shana asked, staring at the Emblem. It was a small thing, an iron insignia of a key inserted into a padlock embossed with the letter L, about the size of Shana’s palm. The key had little wings on the end, and there were three leafy vines entwined around the padlock.
“If he’s in Grimoire,” Roderick said, “There will be a building with that emblem above its door. Find that, and you’ll find him. All you have to do is ask for the Locksmith, and he’ll let you in.”
“Is there anything else we need to know about him?” Shias asked. “Any code words, personality quirks, that sort of stuff?”
Roderick shook his head. “As long as you find his building and ask for him by name, he’ll know why you’ve come,” he said.
“Like finding a needle in a haystack,” Shana said, turning the Emblem over and over in her hand. “Okay. That’s our mission once we get back.”
“And time is running short,” Roderick said, standing. “Come with me, and I’ll show you the exit to take you back to Grimoire.” As they began to leave, Roderick leaned towards Shana with a knowing smile. “Fae is in good hands. I know it’s natural to worry about family, but I don’t think you have any need to fear for her.”
Shana smiled. “Thank you,” she said. And yet, just as Roderick said, she couldn’t help but worry.
I just got you back, Fae. Don’t get lost again. And… come home soon? I miss you.
— G —
“Lead the way,” Mercury said, gesturing towards a space between two tall stone pillars.
“This is the exit?” Fae asked, looking up at the strange structures. Situated between two burial mounds, they seemed to just be pillars in the middle of nowhere. Looking through, Fae only saw more of the Plains of the Fallen stretching beyond as far as she could see.
“Just like from the Waystation to here,” Mercury said with a grin. “The Enchanted Dominion is weird.”
“Don’t wait around too long, though,” Neptune said. “Only about…” she checked her watch, “three vrems until the destination changes.”
“Well,” Fae said, still not at all sure about the strange connections within the Dominion, “here goes, I guess.” She patted her bag one more time, making sure that her gifts for Shana and Delilah were still in the front pocket. At Gerick’s camp, Fae just couldn’t resist the wealth of artwork on display, and had to pick up souvenirs for her sisters. Satisfied, she walked between the pillars…
And immediately ended up somewhere completely different. Turning around, she only saw a closed wooden door behind her, and no sign of the Plains of the Fallen.
I’m never going to get used to this.
A moment later, Mercury appeared — just popped into existence, like she’d Blinked there rather than walking. Jupiter and Neptune soon followed.
They stood in a small entrance hall that led into Eventide Archive, which Fae recognized immediately from her drawing. It was small, and positively jam-packed with books and bookshelves, creatively integrated into the walls, windows, floors, and other areas of the archive. There weren’t any chairs or benches, only floor cushions that patrons knelt or sat on.
“Welcome,” said a woman, greeting the girls. She was dressed in a kimono patterned with glistening blue water cascading over silver stones. As she moved, the pattern looked like the water was actually moving, with a current and wetness that made it seem completely real. The woman herself had flowing dark hair and dark eyes that rippled and shone reflectively like water. Along with her high cheekbones and smooth complexion, she had a serene bearing and moved with soft, fluid grace. “I am Selphine Miora, Archivist of Eventide Archive. Is this your first visit?”
“Yes,” Fae said, and she and the sisters went around introducing themselves.
“I’m quite glad to make your acquaintance,” Selphine said. “The first thing I will ask is for you to remove your shoes while you are in here.”
“My shoes?” Fae asked, not sure if she’d heard right.
“Yes. It is discourteous to wear shoes within the Archive.”
“Oh, sorry,” Fae said, quickly kicking off her shoes. She stood on the lush green carpet in her socks, wiggling her toes against the softness.
“Most newcomers are unaware of our customs,” Selphine said. “And you’re still in the entry way, so you need not worry. Now Fae, Mercury, Neptune, Jupiter, if you would please follow me.”
“Well, we’re actually here for you,” Fae said, opening her bag and pulling out her sketchbook. She opened to the drawing of Eventide Archive. “You met a boy with a similar story to mine a long time ago, and I hoped you might be able to help me.”
A pained look crossed Selphine’s face. “So you’re…” she started, then bowed her head. “I see. Then we have much to talk about. Let’s find somewhere more private to talk. And… I’m sorry. The journey that awaits you is unlikely to be a pleasant one.”
— G —
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” Caleb asked. Their train had been en route to its destination for several hours already, and Midnight had still said nothing.
Midnight sighed, casting a weary gaze out the window. “We’re going to Sunset Square,” he said.
“What’s that?” Caleb asked.
“It’s where Ingrid’s parents live,” Midnight said.
“Why are we going to meet her parents?” Caleb asked. “And if that’s where we’re going, why keep Ingrid back at Midnight Bridge?”
Caleb smiled. “You’re quite attached to her.”
A small smile ghosted across Midnight’s lips. “Anyway, we’ll be there in a few hours. Don’t forget your medicine — I think your next dose is before we arrive.”
“So you’re not going to tell me what the main purpose of the trip is?”
Midnight had a far-off look in his eyes. “Some might say that Sunset Square is the place where everything began.”
“Everything?” Caleb stared wide-eyed.
Midnight chuckled. “Not everything, as in all of creation. I mean everything as in…” He sighed. “You’ll find out for yourself when you see it.”
“You sure do like being cryptic.”
Midnight smirked. “It’s amusing. And it keeps me young. Remember that when you start getting old — having fun is the surest way to age gracefully.”
Caleb laughed. “I can manage that much, I’m sure.” He adjusted his glasses — the fight with Void, and subsequent training with Midnight, had knocked them loose and crooked. They kept sliding down his nose. “Why did you want to bring me with you?”
“There’s something you need to see,” Midnight said. “Once you do… I think you’ll understand why your training is so important.”
“I already understand. I almost died using Time Magic before I started training with you. I know the consequences.”
“Not that.” Midnight sighed. “Just leave it alone until you see things for yourself. Then you’ll understand.”
Caleb sighed, but accepted it, turning to his window to watch the stars roll on by. His thoughts turned to Chelsea and his siblings, hoping for their safety.
— G —
“You should not have come here.”
That voice echoed in Delilah’s mind as the world came back into focus. The white performance room from Millennium Vista was gone, and Delilah now stood in a drab, grey stone area.
“Awfully cheery place,” Chelsea said, looking up. A massive glass chandelier, half of it shattered, hung at an angle many stories above them.
Beneath Delilah’s feet were remnants of a carpet, tattered and torn to a point where there was more stone floor than carpet, and faded so the fabric’s original color was indecipherable. The room they were in was nearly the size of Greyson Manor, and yet there wasn’t much here. There were a few desks by the wall, like some sort of reception area. Behind her, the room narrowed as it reached a large set of double doors. Ahead of her, there was an open arched doorway leading farther into the Library.
“Isabelle?” Lorelei asked.
“What happened?” Isabelle asked, looking around the entrance hall in dismay. “Why is everything broken and torn and dark? Where are the banners and lights? And the people…”
“There used to be a lot of people here?” Delilah asked.
Isabelle nodded. She walked over to one of the reception desks, leaning up and placing her hands on its faded surface. “Mister Randolph used to sit right here and greet me every morning,” she said. She turned and approached the center of the room, gesturing widely with her hands. “Miss Molly had a big snack bar here every afternoon, and she’d let me sneak goodies when Mommy wasn’t looking.” Turning round and round, Isabelle’s expression grew more and more pained. “What happened here? Who ruined my home?”
“This seems ominous,” Chelsea said, standing in front of a wall to the left. The group joined her, staring at a strange stain. Chelsea pulled out a lighter, sparking green fire to life that illuminated the wall.
“Oh, no,” Gwen said in a breathless, terrified voice.
Written across the wall in a splashed, messy red scrawl, was a message that made Delilah’s blood run cold:
Solitude is broken
Dreams are shattered
Hope is betrayed
Light is fractured
The fool’s gods are fools
Deceiving you all
The Lord of Night puts out the call
Night comes
Night comes
Night comes
Afterword
Greysons of Grimoire has been a wild project.
It started as a web novel, with a new chapter posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I started it all as an experiment, a personal project primarily for the purpose of fixing my broken work ethic.
Basically, I was in a rut. Posting chapters online for the world to see, with that extra measure of accountability, seemed like a way to fight back against that. But I chose this specific story because it wasn’t one I was attached to. It was brand new, just a wild experiment, and my lack of emotional attachment to it meant that, if I failed — and I expected to fail — the blow wouldn’t be so harsh. I wouldn’t lose something I loved.
Greysons of Grimoire quickly, astonishingly, became something I loved.
It’s what I hold so dear about telling — and reading — stories. You dive in with these strange characters on these strange adventures in these strange worlds, and you go on those adventures with them. They’re strangers at first. At times it feels like it doesn’t even make sense to be following them in this.
And then you get to know them more. You make discoveries with them, struggle alongside them, root for them, laugh with them, cry with them, dream with them.
Characters, to me, are the core of great stories. And it was this wild ensemble cast of Greysons that made me grow to realize… I could never let this story fail. I could never give up on it, because I could never give up on them.
I had to see it through to the end.
Greysons begins here, with the first volume — in its web novel version, it was called the first “Arc” of the story. And it changed greatly from how I originally conceived it. I’ve written about that in far more length online, but the short version revolves entirely around two points: the Enchanted Dominion and the ending.
The story was originally entirely focused in Grimoire. There were Hollows, and Hollow Hour, and children going missing, all the things you see in the very first chapter. But there was no magical realm beyond them, no Enchanted Dominion.
It was Isabelle who changed everything. Then there was Hollow Island, and after that, the story would never be the same. The subtitle of this volume reflects that: A World of Magic. A world I didn’t realize existed, one I got to discover for the first time with these characters.
The ending also was originally far more bombastic. A lot of this story was. I’d originally visualized Greysons as being this very intense, bombastic, exciting action series with tons of cool fights. There are a few cool fights, if I do say so myself, but the original ending I’d planned — a desperate, explosive battle between heroes and villains — ended up being scrapped.
It just didn’t work. And while this first book’s current ending is much more subdued than originally planned, it serves as a proper ending to this part of the story. It reflects what I learned about myself as a storyteller in the writing of this, and it reflects the state of our main characters at this point. Adventures have started, seen ups and downs, and now come to a major point of transition.
Caleb’s training has failed, and he embarks on a journey with Mister Midnight.
Chelsea and Delilah have managed to get Isabelle safely home, but that home isn’t at all what she’d hoped it would be.
Shana and Shias have discovered there’s far more to worry about than children being abducted from Grimoire, and far more to contend with than just Hollows.
Fae has found the one who can give her so many answers to her questions, but their first meeting ends with an ominous warning.
Greysons is an ensemble story, with numerous adventures happening at the same time, all across a vast, magical universe. It’s exactly the kind of story I love to experience, where there isn’t one solitary he
ro and their gang of extras, but instead numerous heroes, each with their own skills, own desires and goals, own adventure that they’re on, whether they feel ready for it or not. It’s like a JRPG in a way, where you have numerous characters, a “party” if you will, who all matter and are all integral in their own way to saving the day.
Some characters get more time than others, and perhaps your favorites weren’t in the spotlight as much as you’d wished. I know the feeling! But don’t worry! Their stories aren’t over, and rest assured there’s so much left for all of them. The story continues.
Quite soon, in fact. Volume II, Solitude, comes out just a few months after this volume’s release. I started Greysons as a personal project to help improve my work ethic and productivity, and boy have I been productive! There are plenty of surprises in store, new friends and foes to meet, new battles to be fought, and more secrets to uncover than I can count. I hope you’ll look forward to it.
Many thanks are in order. First and foremost, to God, for His love and grace and providing all good things.