Blood and Cupcakes

by Taj McCoy El

  He was about to pound on the door when he remembered to knock lightly. He looked at Mayah who stood still and silent as a statue.

  “See, I remembered not to pound on the door.” The words came out weakly, making Grax feel even more uncomfortable. She still said nothing.

  He knocked again, a little louder this time, all the while thanking his creator that she wasn’t actually mad at him. This was more than bad enough. He waited and knocked a third time, a little louder still. A groan crawled under the door and into his ears.

  “Margaret…?” He knocked two more times in rapid succession. “Margaret, It’s Grax and Fluff. Open the door and we’ll help you out.”

  There was the sound of unsteady feet slapping to floor followed by a groan that cut itself short once it realized how loud it was being.

  “Hold on…” a hoarse and tired voice mumbled.

  Dragging footsteps made their way to the door where the handle turned and the door cracked ajar. The hidden footsteps retreated back into the room. These sounds were then punctuated with the “floomph” of a body falling on a bed.

  Mayah moved to stand directly behind Grax to gain entry to Margaret’s room. Grax skipped out of her way and looked up at his shadowy friend. “No way I’m going into a lady’s room first.” He swept his hands towards the door and stepped back.

  The angry shadow let out a slow hisspery, “H-mmmffffffff…” and walked through the portal.

  He let her pass and was beginning to follow when he heard a scream. “AAAAAAAAAAHAHHHHHHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA……!!!!!”

  “Margaret…!!! Margaret it’s just me, Fluff.”

  He pushed the door open in time to see Mayah remove her hood and began to calm Margaret. Grax knocked on the open door and Mayah waved him in.

  “Child, you dang near scared my bladder out of my ears.” She started to raise her voice. It was at this point that her brain remembered it was an invalid. She clasped her hands to her head and gently lay back down.

  Mayah sat down on the bed next to her and poured her a glass of water. “Now drink this Mags. You’ve got a hunger, thirst, and maybe a tired or exhaustion debuff on you. It’ll wear off pretty soon though. You should have a timer going on screen.”

  “Yeah, I see it.”

  “So, I heard you did good last night? Eh, eh???” She gently shoved Margaret’s shoulder, probing for an answer.

  “Could you talk much more quietly …and from outside somewhere? Preferably with the door closed and the lights off?” She rolled away from Mayah and curled into a ball.

  “Wish I could, but the big day is tomorrow, sweetheart. Time to rise and shine.”

  “No shining… lights… bright….” Margaret whined.

  “But, Mags, we’re going shopping. You need a new outfit and toys.”

  “Keep talking,” she said much more soberly.

  “No more talking. Time to get up.” She reached into her bag, pulling out the last of her grasnakk meat and gave it to Margaret. “Eat this. It’ll help.”

  Margaret reached for the proffered food with a limp arm, feigning how weak she really was. Mayah slapped it in her hand. “Let’s go… Shopping waits for no woman!!!”

  …..

  Mayah and Grax waited on the bleachers of the practice field. She was absentmindedly watching some mages doing construction with earth magic as they expanded the magic range for the tournament.

  “So, you wanna talk about it?” Grax asked.

  Mayah’s feet paused for a second, then continued to swing back and forth on the ground wearing out a small divot. “What is there to talk about?”

  “How about us. You, me, and Margaret?”

  She quickly turned on him, a snarl appearing on her face. “Is there something you need to tell me, too?”

  “No,” he shrank back, “I just think that Jensen’s been pretty good to us this whole time.”

  “You think I can’t see that?”

  “I know you can see it. That’s why you need to talk about it. He swore an oath to Ba'alquion to buy himself a few hours of trust. I say you give it to him.”

  “Is it really that simple to you?”

  “Yes, it is.”

  “Okay, let me explain this to you. Jensen has an oath to something greater than our friendship. So great that he can’t tell us the truth. How am I supposed to handle that? Should I just be okay with it after 20 minutes?”

  “I’m not saying don’t be mad, I’m saying don’t block me out. I’ve got’chyer back. But you have to realize Jensen had a life here before we came. But if there’s a hope we can keep this team together we need to hold on to it.”

  “...until that hope disappears,” she grumbled snidely.

  “We’re the good guys, right? I mean, Jensen trained us to be good guys. And good guys don’t give up hope, no matter what. They move forward, hoping for the best and fighting off the worst. We haven’t even left the training village. And look how strong we are. That means there’s gonna be some tough monsters out there.”

  She hadn’t thought that he understood what they were going to face outside the village. She took that in like a deep breath, her lungs expanding with her mind. She was glad that Grax was on her team. She exhaled and thought, I underestimated him again. A small smile rose in one corner of her mouth. “I guess you’re right. I can give him a few hours at least.”

  “How about I let you pet me and you calm down a little?”

  “Oh, you like getting pet now?”

  He pointed a claw at her. “Don’t start, I’m being nice.”

  “Kawaii…”

  He let himself be pulled onto her lap and relaxed into the comforting rubs. Something familiar in this completely unfamiliar world must have unlocked a gate in his subconscious, allowing some arcane energy to flow. A wheel started spinning and arcs of lightning must have flown down a dark deep passage. Finally, lighting a giant crystal in the halls of his consciousness. “You know, I never told you my sister’s name.”

  Her fingers froze for a second and then they began to move again like nothing had happened.

  “Her name was Graxiela Josefina Maria Diaz.” The X that he had been using was pronounced like an S or a soft C, like in “grace.”

  “Graxiela? But if you read it in English it would be Graxiela” She said the last with the hard X. “Oh my gawd… you use your sister’s name? That’s beautiful.”

  “I like to think so. I’d rather she used it though,” he sighed. “She really would have loved Majesta.”

  “Maybe once this is through we can see if Josh Bannon can take a look at her case. I’m pretty sure he’s gonna owe me a few favors once I get out.”

  Grax looked up at her, “You think he’d really take a look?”

  “He seems like a pretty nice guy.”

  They sat in silence and kitty pampering until Margaret walked up.

  “Why’d you make me walk all the way over here? The stores are that way.” She pointed to the road behind her, one hand on her hip. “You’re not gonna make me train anymore, are you?”

  “No…” Mayah said. Margaret took a breath of relief. “…Not right now.” Mayah added sarcastically.

  Margaret groaned.

  Grax jumped out of Mayah’s lap, and said, “Don’t worry, the next one is easy.”

  “Easy, he says,” Mayah mumbled, and stood up. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go shopping!”

  “Not so loud, love.” Margaret’s hands went to her temples.

  “Sorry,” Mayah whispered.

  They stopped at the leatherworker’s store and ordered two new outfits for Margaret. She got some long pants and a vest that laced on the sides. They were a pattern of dry moss green and grey to add camouflage against stone and forest. Next, they went to Tissu where Margaret purchased a forest green cloak and a few shirts with one arm. The single sleeve hung loosely and had a drawstring at the wrist.

  Mayah dropped off all the goods she had finished and promised Maam she’d have everything finishe
d by tomorrow. Then they went to the armorer who was happy to see them again until Grax sheepishly walked in and smiled apologetically. The Armorer glared at him, but said nothing. Mayah couldn’t help but noticed the hole in the wall hadn’t been fixed yet. Grax was shopping from the middle of the aisle with his hands tucked behind his back. Margaret waited by the counter and nursed her headache.

  Perusing the aisles, Mayah found a pair of metal studded bracers with buckles on the insides. They gave her +5 to defense and dealt 10DP if she used them as a weapon. The greaves she found gave her a +2 to defense and plus +1 to agility.

  She almost had all of her equipment slots filled. She could only equip four rings on each hand, then there were gloves and a hat or helmet and shoulders, arms and legs. Okay, well maybe not all of my equipment slots are filled. She also found some bracers for Margaret that gave her +2 to agility. After paying, they went to the cobbler.

  Margaret found some knee high, lace-up moccasins that gave resistance to magical attacks. She got them dyed to match her leathers. Grax found a wide belt that he got shortened and turned into bracers while they waited.

  A stop at the magical and general supply store netted them two more engravers kits, more paper and ink for the runeagram envelopes, and some candy the shopkeeper pulled out just for her. When they were leaving, he reminded her about the storage tech again. She waved her understanding and fled to the smithy.

  “Hey John, do you mind if we use some space on a few tables tonight after you close?”

  “We won’t be closing till after 11 at the earliest. I’ll make sure two tables are cleared for you, though. Just lock up when you’re done.” He turned back to his work.

  “We’ll be here by 10.”

  “Sounds good.” He waved over his shoulder.

  “Where to next? I need to put my feet up.” Margaret whined. “This isn’t shopping anymore.”

  “Glad you feel that way. The next stop is the crypt.”

  “Never mind, I can walk for hours.”

  “Oh, hush up and let’s go see Cloutus.”

  Grax started singing the old Justin Timberlake dance ballad. “Cry me a river… Cry, cry, cry, cry…. cry me a river…”

  “Shut up cat,” Margaret hissed.

  “You’re not as sweet as you usually are. Is your blood sugar low?” He asked Margaret laughing.

  “Hmmmph,” was her only response as she crossed her arms in a huff.

  They made it to the crypt, passing a necromancer who looked like he should be given a wide berth, and entered the main room.

  “Hey Cloutus.” Mayah cheerily greeted the gnome.

  “Hey Fluff, Grax,” he paused for a moment, “Margaret.” He was looking directly at her. She, however, was looking at something on the opposite wall.

  “Hey,” she said without a glance in his direction.

  I don’t want to be here when this happens. Nope, not on my watch.

  “Before this devolves into some weird emotional scene which I’m sure I wouldn’t be comfortable with, I have some questions to ask.”

  Cloutus tore his gaze away from Margaret and turned his eyes towards her. “Sure thing, Fluff. Ask away.”

  “Could you build one of these runeagrams for anyone to use?”

  “What exactly do you mean?” His head cocked to the side.

  “Well,” Mayah fingered her chin in concentration, “I guess there are two questions there. The first being, could you physically recreate a runeagram platform like this?”

  “I believe so, but I would need an enchanter to make the control box.”

  “The control box?”

  “Yes, right here underneath the knobs. It makes it so that anyone with mana can use runes.”

  Mayah’s brain just split into four thousand pieces all working on this new data. Her hands were held rigidly at her sides, her fingers twitching and moving spastically of their own accord. Keep your hands to yourself!!! You can’t take apart his control box. No…. No…. Hands off!!!

  “Are you okay?”

  She saw Cloutus looking at her with concern and snapped herself back to her surroundings. “Yes, yes I’m fine.”

  “So, what is the second question?”

  “Second question? Oh yeah…” she remembered with a start. “The second question is would you be able to share the runeagram tech with anyone who wanted one? Like, are there any laws or codes that would forbid you from doing something like that?”

  “While highly unlikely that would happen, I could share this tech with anyone.” He wore a puzzled look that said, “What are you on about?”

  “Would you share it for money?”

  His eyebrow rose, “How much money?”

  “Let’s figure it out together, shall we? May we retire to your study? Milady’s feet doth protest,” she gestured at Margaret, “and we require some refreshment.”

  He gave her a deferential nod and pulled the lever. Margaret was the last to walk in with a “hmmmphf.” Grax and Mayah had already taken the chairs at the tips of the ‘U’ of chairs, forcing Margaret to sit in a chair that would be right next to Cloutus. She gave them evil looks while Cloutus was in the kitchen. Dark, threatening looks that they pretended not to notice.

  When Cloutus returned, he carried a pitcher of what looked to be lemonade on top and tea on the bottom. There were some tall glasses next to the teapot. “Half and half anyone? I squeezed these lemons fresh an hour ago.”

  “Why wouldn’t you help fight?” Margaret blurted out like a cork out of a soda bottle filled with mentos.

  Mayah placed her face in her hands. This is exactly what I didn’t want to have to deal with. Grax on the other hand, was staring at an empty corner of the room like it was the most beautiful butterfly in all of creation.

  Cloutus stood frozen. His hands tightened around the trays handles so tightly they could hear the wood creak. His eyes flashed dark, going completely black. His teeth bared before he could force his eyes closed and take a deep breath. As he exhaled, he walked forward and placed the tray on the table. Only then did he begin to speak.

  “To understand why I did not fight, you must first hear me out. Do you agree?”

  “Agree to what?”

  “To listen to my story without judging me, until it’s completion.”

  “Hmmmpgh… fine, I agree, but pour me a glass of that half and half and hand me a few of the biscuits.”

  “I would love to,” he said with more than a bit a bit of irritation. He passed out drinks and biscuits to everyone, poured a glass of half and half for himself, sat down and crossed his legs at the knee, his top leg hanging almost directly downward, and began his tale.

  “I am the Seventh son of the seventh house of S’karabeus. The number seven has much mystical meaning to necromancers. I am considered twice blessed and have managed to live up to some of the expectations of my status. The number seven has to do with the seven centers of the body,” he paused as if in a moment of thought, “but I guess that’s for a later conversation.

  “As the seventh son, I was chosen by the Emperor to become a trainer in this village. Some of my family, myself included, considered this a demotion in rank. Having to teach noobs,” he made air quotes, “how to survive in our world seemed like a child’s job. After preparing the village and waiting for the paladins, it mostly felt like a prison sentence. Sure, I could go into the village, but the Majestans know that I am a noble of the necromancer families and I have never made a friend here. So, I passed the time reading and studying.

  “It was a rather tedious time as few paladins were becoming necromancers. That was until I met you, Margaret.”

  Margaret sniffed.

  Cloutus continued as if he hadn’t heard her. “You were so vibrant and alive! I wanted to know about you and know from whence you came.” His cheeks reddened as he stoppered his gushing.

  “And you, Fluff, I never quite understood why paladins were considered to be so powerful until I met you.”

  “Anyway, I, a
t the behest of the Emperor have been stuck here since my posting. I’ve wanted to just go for a walk in the surrounding forests many times, but I cannot leave the village proper. That was why I was at the gates to the crypt when we first met. I was watching the nightlife scurry to and fro, admiring their freedom from inside of my cage. If I were to have taken one more step, the result would’ve been tragic. I would’ve become an enemy of the Empire and hunted mercilessly until I was dead.

  “You are the first friends I have met since I’ve come here. And making friends is never easy for a necromancer or a royal. At home in my father’s castle, I couldn’t tell if people were friendly because of my rank or if they actually liked me. The intrigues of court are a blistering pain in the rear.” He shook his head as if to free himself from some deep dark thought.

  “But you can see the cause is too great to abandon! The threat of Ba'alquion gets closer every day. The greatest war we have ever experienced returned to our doorstep and I need to be there! I was raised understanding that I had to be there. I was trained to be there when the war horns sounded. And then I met you! Never in my life have I wanted to abandon it all and run away to just be happy. I never thought it was possible. But to finally have a friend for no other reason than friendship’s sake... It filled my being with hope and determination that I could help defeat Ba'alquion, if for no other reason than to protect you.”

  He leaned further back into his chair, “But Margaret, you are a paladin, not of this world and able to be reborn after death. Yes, I could have saved you, but you proved you didn’t need saving. I would’ve have lost everything …including you… If I had stepped out of this crypt. Would you ask me to stand there and watch my dearest friend fight to the death and not do anything? Would you ask me to watch one I care for die? That would break the strongest of minds. I stayed in the crypt because if I had seen the fight, I would have interceded but I would have lost everything, my world, my family and all of the children of Majesta, and my life afterwards. Believe me, sweet Margaret, the choice was not easy to make. Instead of my life however, it seems like I have lost my friend.”