Hidden Wishes Omnibus

by Tao Wong

  Everything was a little bit smaller than it should be. I wasn’t that tall, but Shane was—had been—a dwarf. So… yeah. Chairs were a little lower, tables fitting perfectly for someone four and a half feet tall. Even the stepstool kind of made sense.

  “So now what?” Alexa said, eyeing the content cat after I’d refilled its bowls.

  “Now we look for a clue.”

  “And what would that look like?”

  “If I knew, I’d have a clue.”

  Alexa groaned but proceeded to help. After we finished up going through the living room and pantry together, she relegated me to the bedroom, saying how weird it would be to go there herself. While I was browsing through sock drawers and finding contents that were all too typical, I heard a shout from Alexa.

  “What is it?” I said, walking over, relieved to have left the bedroom.

  “Appointment book!” Alexa said, waving at the desk she sat behind. “I think I’ve narrowed down his death day.”

  I nodded, taking the book from her. We were already certain that Shane hadn’t died here. Death had a tendency to release a large amount of energy and emotions, ensuring that any practitioner of the magic arts could pick out a recent death. Unless steps were taken to disperse both the lingering death aura and the magic release. But those actions also often left their mark.

  The appointment book was neatly organized, and it was clear why Alexa was certain of the day of death. Shane had a tendency to leave notes on appointments and on the day itself at the bottom of each finished day, making the appointment book part calendar and part diary. On the day in question, there were no additional notes—and it was also two days ago. Which made it well within our expectations.

  “The White Scarves?” I frowned, tapping the only appointment of consequence. Unless he was taken while running groceries, that was our best bet.

  “It’s the Chinese group. Tong? Triad?” Alexa scratched her head. “Secret society turned supernatural group turned sort-of gangsters?”

  “I know who they are. I just don’t know where they are.” I paused, considering. “One second.” A brief phone search later, I nodded, tossing the appointment book back onto the table. “Got it.”

  “You ran a search on them? What did you type in? ‘Supernatural secret societies, Chinese’?” Alexa said.

  “Sort of, yeah. The associations are sort of like the Yakuza. They’ve got meeting places that are official and meant for their members to join. Clan associations, secret societies, whatever. Since the White Scarves aren’t actually a triad, it was easy finding them,” I said. “We should probably finish up here, but that seems like our best option.”

  Alexa nodded, turning back to looking around the office for further clues. As for myself, I went back to poking around the bedroom, checking under the bed, looking for other tell-tale problems. Only when I was done, finding little else but dust bunnies and a small safe that contained a gun, did I remember something important.

  “Lily, don’t I get a Quest or something?” I said to the empty air, knowing that the jinn was watching over me.

  Of course, she couldn’t talk to me directly, but I got a reply anyway.

  Quest: Do What You Were Going to Do Anyway

  Find the people who put a death warrant out on your head and deal with them.

  Failure: Death

  Reward: You live. Also, a Level Up.

  The quest notification was within expectation. The reward was much less so. I felt my mouth dry before I swiped the quest away. Like any good game, rewards were offered based off difficulty level. If Lily was willing to give me a full level, especially considering how hard the levels were getting these days, she was expecting survival to be a chore.

  “Why do I have a quest telling me to keep you alive?” Alexa said, catching me staring into mid-air as I pondered this new information.

  “Sorry. Lily. Do we…” I licked my lips, and paused. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

  “Do what?”

  “Stick with me. You don’t have to…” I trailed off as Alexa glared at me. “You’re free, you know.”

  “And run off when my friend needs me? The devil take that.” Alexa snorted. “Even if the Templars don’t think I’m suitable anymore, the Oracle meant for me to be here. And here I’ll be.”

  I blinked, recalling what Alexa said. And realizing that for all the time we’d been together, she hadn’t brought up that. That reason why she had first come into my life. And yet, even if she wasn’t an Initiate, even if she was no longer a Templar-to-be, her faith in both the Oracle and what she was meant to do was unshaken.

  “Thank you,” I said, offering her a half-smile. I hoped that she was choosing right.

  We stayed silent until I got out of the bedroom and spotted Charlie, curled up in the corner and looking content. The cat had gorged himself on the food and water and now slept peacefully.

  “What do we do about Charlie?”

  Alexa frowned. “Did Shane have friends? Someone who could take care of him? Family?”

  I shook my head, glancing at the mantel. There were pictures of his departed mother. Outside of that, he had no other pictures, no brothers or sisters. “His clan?”

  Alexa slowly nodded. “We should check.”

  “Yeah…”

  Resolved and somehow sadder than ever, we scooted out of the late dwarf’s apartment. It was a sad thing, to die and have no one to take care of your pets. Or belongings. Or…

  “Hey,” I called, stopping Alexa as we walked to the elevator. “I’ll be right back.”

  “What?”

  I waved away Alexa’s question while trying to recall if the kitchen had any garbage bags. Then I headed back to Shane’s bedroom and sock cupboard. Some things… well, it was the right thing to do.

  Chapter 6

  We pulled up across the street from the White Scarves’s meeting place, a non-descript double-story retail building with shuttered windows and a single wooden door on the outskirts of our two-block Chinatown. The building had a small, almost hidden sign reading the “White Scarf Chinese Cultural Association,” the only thing denoting what lay within. Officially, Chinatown started a block away, though like most communities, the official Chinatown was really only comprised of overpriced restaurants, tourist shops, and a few grocery stores.

  We sat and watched the building for a few minutes after Alexa parked, eyeballing the location and its various wards. Magic itself was like mathematics. Even if the symbols used to indicate the formula were unknown, they all had the same logic underlying the symbology. While it took me a bit of time to figure out the symbols, I worked them out.

  “Nothing too unusual,” I said. “Wards of reinforcement. Pest control. Ignorance. There’s also an attack ward, but I can’t tell what it does. Lots of lightning though.”

  Alexa grimaced but finally opened the door. Together we exited the car and headed for the building. After we knocked on the door for a bit, it was finally opened.

  “Members only,” the portly, mustached man inside snapped at us before he started closing the door.

  “I’m here to speak with the White Scarves,” I said, putting a hand on the door. Unfortunately, my actions did nothing to stop the door from continuing to swing close.

  “No.”

  When the door was nearly closed, Alexa slapped her palm against it with a thump, putting the closing to a halt. She pushed, sending the man stumbling back.

  “The Mage wants to speak with your people.” So saying, she scooted past me and strode in, before freezing three steps in.

  “Alexa?” I blinked as she stood frozen and I managed to squeeze past her. Only to see what had stopped her. “Oh.”

  A half dozen men sat around foldout circular tables, bottles of beer and bowls of sesame seeds spread before them. Each of the men was looking at us, the barrels of revolvers and pistols pointed directly at us.

  The portly man sneered. “Members only
.”

  “Yeah, no,” I said, flicking my hand sideways. That was not the way I’d wanted to play it, but now that we were there, I wasn’t going to let my friend be filled with lead. Power swelled as I formed but did not cast my Force Wall, ready to catch their bullets. Really, they should have just shot us if they intended to make use of those guns. “We’re not here to cause trouble. We just have a few questions.”

  “Members—”

  “Only. I got it. Look. You aren’t going to shoot us. Especially not when your silencing wards are down.”

  “Our wards aren’t—” The door warden’s eyes widened as he saw the light show happening along the edge of the property. The wards weren’t actually down, but as a mundane, he wouldn’t know.

  “So. Your bosses. Or we can just stand around all day,” I said.

  The door warden’s lip curled up, and he walked to the staircase and ascended. He was gone for long minutes, minutes that we spent under the barrels of guns. Of course, I didn’t waste that time, edging my body sideways so they couldn’t see my fingers as I manipulated the spell forces, burning new linked wards around the building and beneath the concrete under our feet.

  Force Ward Cast

  Synchronicity: 86%

  Disruptive Ward Cast

  Synchronicity: 37%

  Spell after spell, I layered defenses around their defenses. Layering protection around us. Just in case things went bad. It was how smart magicians worked, taking the time to set up a scenario they could win. I also, however, kept a close eye on how much Mana I had, knowing I’d need it if things went bad. You never really know how things would play out, which was why instant-cast spells like the ones I used were still preferred over wards and enchantments.

  When the door warden finally made his way down, he looked entirely put out. A few gruff words of command later, guns were put away and we were escorted up the stairs. I had to admit my back itched the entire walk up, wondering if there was a hidden order to shoot us. It was only as I was nearly at the top of the staircase that one of the heretofore-silent men below spoke.

  “Damn banana.”

  I stiffened, and Alexa, somehow sensing the change in my movement, looked back. I shook my head, dismissing her concerned look as I refocused on what was important. Like our coming meeting.

  ***

  A simple reception area greets us when we make our way up, and then we’re led past a board room to an office. Behind a brown desk featuring a monitor and one of those underpowered, overpriced mini-desktops sat a fifty-something Chinese man, his half-balding head of hair combed back where traces of grey appeared. He looked up from his keyboard, hidden behind paper and a trio of photograph stands.

  Beside him stood another Chinese man. Unlike his officemate, he was larger, a man who obviously saw the inside of a gym on a semi-regular basis. Muscular, but with a layer of fat that appeared when one got older and lazier. The T-shirt denoting a boy band concert of some form stood in stark contrast to his large, intimidating demeanor. Powerful—in a mundane way. But mundane or not, he was armed with the highest variety and quality of enchanted equipment I’d seen. Everything from the bracers on his wrists and ankles to his necklace and hairband were enchanted. The knife in his boot and the gun on his hip were all powered too, and the shining pair of rectangles in his pockets told me that he’d probably enchanted the individual bullets in the gun.

  “Mage Tsien. You came into our house, demanding answers. Why?” The seated man looked directly at me then flicked a dismissive glance at Alexa, who had stepped away to regard the enforcer.

  “I’d be happy to answer your questions, but I’d also like to know who I’m talking to,” I said.

  “You can call me Manager Kim. And this is Brother Lu,” Kim said.

  “Okay. Firstly, thank you. I’m sorry we pushed in when we weren’t meant to. We just have a question about Shane Travertine. He was supposed to visit you a few days ago.”

  “We heard of the attack on you. And his death. You think we had something to do with it?” Lu asked, his voice accusatory.

  “No. I just need to know why he came,” I said. “And what time he left.”

  “None of your business,” Lu said.

  Alexa shifted at his words, but I held up a hand, stopping her from moving.

  “Look, I know it’s none of our business what he did here. But you know he died, right?” When I received a nod from Kim, I continued. “Well, I want to find out why he died. Surely you don’t begrudge him that.”

  “He’s dead. Doesn’t matter to him.”

  “I bet his ghost wouldn’t say that,” I said.

  The pair exchanged glances, looking slightly worried. I wasn’t surprised they were concerned. After all, ghosts were annoying. Few of them had the strength to do any real damage, but having one haunt you could be frustrating. And potentially dangerous, if you had a newborn. The reflection in the window that Lu sat with his back to showed the pictures of his new, happy family.

  “He never seemed like one to haunt. And his clan will deal with him,” Lu said, but I heard his trace of uncertainty.

  “I just need a confirmation he arrived and when he left,” I wheedled.

  “Two p.m.,” Kim said, shaking his head. When I moved to thank him and leave, he held up a hand, stopping me. “Why did you betray your people?”

  “What?”

  “You have chosen to be a… Mage,” Kim almost spat the word, shaking his head. “Aligning yourself with the Western Imperialists. Why?”

  “What are we, in a bad nineties Hong Kong film?”

  My words made the pair glare. Alexa looked stern to anyone who didn’t know her, but I saw her slight amusement at my words.

  “You joke, but you betrayed your people. Learning rubbish magic from those who destroyed our very foundations. Why did you not join us?” Kim slapped his hand on the table. “Do you not care that they destroyed our people, weakened us so that we had to leave our motherland just to survive?”

  “Not really.”

  How could I explain that what I learnt from Caleb was mainly magic theory, concepts and history rather than detailed casting. For the most part, I didn’t even use sixty percent of what he taught. Sure, some of the fundamentals were useful, but the magic theory that Lily deposited in my brain was often more sophisticated and complex than anything I learnt from Caleb.

  Even if I could explain that, I wouldn’t. For the last twenty levels, I’d be dumbing down what I knew and cast so that I wasn’t showing my entire range of knowledge to Caleb. As it was, I startled the Mage repeatedly with the way I combined spells. Or, more truthfully, the way Lily taught me to combine spells.

  “I joined the Mages because they came to me and are teaching me,” I said. “They offered protection and lessons. If you all came, well…”

  “Well?”

  “I might have chosen to learn from you. But I didn’t even know you guys were here till now,” I said flatly. “Which kind of tells me you aren’t much of a power. In this city at least.”

  Lu shifted, a hand drifting toward the butt of his pistol. Alexa’s eyes narrowed, though Lu’s motion looked more an unconscious threat than a conscious one. Still, unconscious or not, it was a threat.

  “We might not have much presence in this city, but we are still strong in Asia. You would do well to not underestimate us,” Lu said.

  “I’m not. Just stating a fact.” And I meant it. It had taken Lily a bit to figure out how to classify Lu, but he was within range to be a threat for me. Being a mundane and having enchanted equipment meant he could theoretically end me without her interference.

  Lu (Level 47—Human)

  HP: 100/100

  Mana: 0/0

  Kim at least was in the tens, a normal human by Lily’s standards. But as the Manager, the local boss, his danger was not in how hard he could hit but the number of people he could send to do the hitting. Because at the end of the day, no matter how much m
agic I wielded, I was still a squishy human underneath.

  “And if you’re threatening us, you might as well get in line,” Alexa said, snorting at the pair.

  “There is no line, Templar,” Kim said scornfully. “If we want you dead, we will not hesitate. And your actions have driven many to seek such action.”

  “Actions?” I frowned, cocking my head. “Look, we’ve been rude here, but killing us seems a little much, no?”

  “Not this. That… genie of yours. She is a danger. To all of us,” Kim said, shaking his head. “Her presence is a danger. If we did not have our own artifacts, we would be concerned.”

  Faction Information: White Scarves

  Formerly based in mainland China, emigrated to Taiwan, as did many other secret societies due to purges by their Socialist Republic of China. One of eleven major secret societies in Taiwan who control the majority of supernatural activity within the country. Has multiple branches worldwide, though none have the same strength as the main quarters. Known for using internal and external magic sources, based on misconceptions formed from Taoist and Legalist magical theory.

  Known Artifacts: Yi’s Bow and Arrows, the 24 Ocean Calming Pearls, the Golden Brick

  I grunted as Lily finally updated their faction information. It was amusing, since most of that was knowledge I would never have gotten if not for the fact that she had decided that a Wikipedia entry of factions was part of the game experience. Their artifacts were all just powerful enchanted objects—able to level the playing field, but to call them a similar strength to my ring was a bit of an exaggeration. Still… a Golden Brick?

  “Sure, sure,” I said, deciding to give them face. “I can understand how Lily could be a concern. But she’s not going anywhere, not for a while. But your warning is well taken.”