Grimoire Bound

by Jeff Sproul

  "Deloris is a woman of simple tastes," said Kaiz. "A sword, a shield. Both adequate and time-tested weapons."

  "Both of which are enchanted, mind you," Deloris spoke up.

  "This spear, crafted by some of the greatest artisans of Wake," Kaiz continued, "is capable of firing a heated projectile through magical means.”

  "So it's enchanted then?" asked Chaxin.

  Kaiz nodded. "It is. The mechanisms allow for a precision shot, and the projectiles have to be added, but the activation and firing is through enchantment, based on pulling the lever, or trigger handle, here," he said, pointing to the metal lever he'd pulled during the cyclops fight.

  "So you would have both proficiency in dexterity, to use it at range, and strength, when using it in melee?" Chaxin asked.

  "That's precisely right," said Kaiz. "It's a dual purpose weapon that allows for a long melee range, as well as an unsuspecting long-range attack."

  "It seems very powerful compared to some of the other weapons I've seen," said Chaxin.

  "Don't let a fancy weapon fool you," said Deloris. "A weapon is only as good as the materials used to make it, and an enchanted weapon changes that dynamic significantly. Not to mention, it's entirely dependent on the stats of the person wielding it."

  "But to answer his question," Kaiz spoke back up, "yes, it is a powerful weapon. It does have its drawbacks, as many weapons do. But it suits me just fine."

  "I see," said Chaxin. He didn't inquire further, and merely added such notions of weaponry to his already flooded mind. Silence fell again, as Chaxin looked back to Deloris, and then to Kaiz again. There demeanor was odd. "You two are very relaxed, despite the prospect that two men—who seemed at least somewhat acquainted with you—are perhaps dead."

  Kaiz moved his lips side to side as his gaze fell to the deck. He appeared to be mulling over what Chaxin had just commented on.

  "We're used to loss," said Deloris. "Much of the town that we'd called home is now destroyed. People we saw every day are now dead. This is how Wake is. This is how most spheres in the Graymos are. There is some solace in knowing that some of these souls will have a small chance of returning, if they survive Purgatory."

  "From what I've heard, that seems to be a very difficult thing to do," said Chaxin.

  Kaiz nodded. "It is. Imagine for a moment, that Wake… ah, well, damn, you really have no idea how big this sphere is, since you've only been a short distance." He reached up and scratched at the side of his head.

  "Purgatory is an incomprehensible place," said Deloris. "Like Wake, there are places that souls can arrive. There are also methods of leaving, if you can find them."

  "Have either of you been to Purgatory?" asked Chaxin, once again looking back and forth between them.

  For several long seconds, neither of them spoke.

  "You have us here for the rest of the night," said Deloris. "Surely there are other things you'd like to know about?"

  Chaxin wasn't sure if there was some taboo towards Purgatory that he wasn't aware of. But with how Deloris and Kaiz talked about it, perhaps it was best to let it flee his thoughts.

  "And nothing is known of the place we came from?" asked Chaxin. "As in, where I might've been before I came here? Life doesn't start at the mausoleum, does it?"

  "That's a particularly strange topic to discuss at length," said Kaiz. "Mainly because we all know certain words, right? You know what a baby is, don't you?"

  Chaxin nodded. "Sure, it's a young human being, that two people… um, make," he said.

  "Exactly," said Kaiz. "So envision two people, a man and a woman, who arrive on the same day. They both appear in the mausoleum, just as you did. These two people get together and let's say they have a baby. That baby wouldn't have arrived the way its parents did, right?"

  "Well, of course," said Chaxin, as if it was a silly question.

  "And you know what a parent is, right?" asked Kaiz.

  Chaxin nodded. "A mother or a father."

  "So how do you know the word parent, mother, and father, if you weren't created from one? You pretty much 'appeared' in the Graymos through a mausoleum. Two parents didn't make you. So how do you know those words?"

  Chaxin's lips parted to speak, but no words were forthcoming. He blinked and considered it some more, then finally said, "I'm not sure. I just do."

  "Exactly," said Kaiz. "It's strange, and no one knows how to explain it. We know words for things, but you have no memory of anything before you got here. It's one of life's many strange mysteries."

  "Hmm," Chaxin murmured. His fingers brushed over his pants. "There are other spheres, out there in the Graymos?" he asked, pointing up at the sky.

  Kaiz looked back up. "Aye, a bunch of ‘em."

  "But when the clouds aren't there, all I see is darkness and those strands of gray light, which are sometimes brighter at certain times of the day than others."

  "You can't see the other spheres from down here, but they're out there somewhere," said Kaiz.

  "And have either of you been to other spheres?" asked Chaxin, hoping it wasn't a touchy subject.

  "I've been to another," said Deloris. "It was a long time ago, and it was quite unlike Wake. Wake is full of life. Plants, trees, even monsters. But I was on another sphere where the air hurt to breathe. There was sand and rock. It hurt to keep your eyes open for too long, unless you were underground. It was… a terrible place."

  "I suppose, all things considered, I'm glad I appeared here, where there were people to help me," said Chaxin. "I imagine there are some places and people that aren't as friendly as you've been."

  "That there are," said Kaiz. "That there are."

  There were still questions bouncing around in Chaxin's head, but nothing he figured that they'd be able to answer. There was just so much to think about, and he found himself increasingly tired, now that the day was coming to an end. Somehow, he'd made it. He wasn't sure what tomorrow held, but at least he'd stayed alive one more day.

  "Do you mind if I get a little sleep? Or should I stay up?" asked Chaxin.

  "If you can sleep, by all means, do so," said Deloris. "Kaiz and I will stay awake. Maybe not at the same time, but we'll be fine. Go ahead, get some rest. With any luck, the caravan from Grittin will be here in a few hours. At worst, it should be here by morning. We'll wake you if anything happens."

  "Alright," said Chaxin. He shifted and pulled his sword from the scabbard, so he could lay it nearby. This was both for comfort and quick access if something did happen. He lay on the deck and stared up at the cloudy night sky. His breathing slowed, and his eyes crept closed.

  As he tried to sleep, Kaiz and Deloris would whisper quietly to each other. At first, Chaxin listened in, wondering if they'd speak on anything noteworthy, but it was mostly jokes between the two of them, or their thoughts on what they'd do in Grittin.

  Before long, unconsciousness claimed Chaxin.

  Chapter 13: Daylight

  Chaxin's eyes opened. Numerous tiny droplets smacked against his face. Night had given way to day, but the sky looked darker than it had the day before. More droplets pattered against his cheeks, making him close his eyes as he slowly leaned up. The rain fell around the deck, creating a gentle background noise around him. He righted himself into a seated position and rubbed at his eyes. He patted his tunic, noticing that it wasn't damp yet. It hadn't been raining long, and its recent start might've been the cause for his awakening.

  He peered around at his surroundings. His sword was still at his side, and nothing had changed around the deck.

  Nothing, save for the absence of Kaiz and Deloris.

  His gaze swept over the deck. Where were they?

  He didn't see their weapons, or any sign of them. The door that led to the lower decks was still closed.

  Panic set in as he scrambled to his feet.

  He caught movement in the corner of his eye and looked over the side of the ship. Gathered around the ship were over a dozen wagons. Horses were set up in the fr
ont to pull them along, and each one had a cloth canopy. They were of varying sizes, and people were hopping out of them.

  Kaiz and Deloris were walking around from the side of the ship, approaching the gathered wagons.

  It was then that Chaxin realized that they'd gone down to greet the caravan, and they must've let him sleep. He was appreciative, but he could've done without the momentary panic of thinking that he'd been alone. Especially after what had happened last night.

  Chaxin opened his mouth to call out to them, but before he could speak a word, he spotted a familiar figure.

  The man wore a black cloak, much more extravagant than the kind Tiris and Vol had. Even from the distance, Chaxin could still make out the magenta feathers adorning the shoulders. What was his name? Danar… Dar… something. Kaiz had told him, but he couldn't recall.

  The man approached Kaiz and Deloris. They all stopped close by and began to converse. Chaxin noticed that there were several guards nearby, wearing the same armor that the two escorts had worn when he saw the man back at Kamber. There were at least four well-armored guards, and armed guards with various weapons, but not full armor. There were regular-clothed people as well, who were being directed over to the side of the ship.

  At that, Chaxin realized he wanted to head down before anyone started coming up. He picked up and sheathed his sword, then grabbed the manifest, which was still on the deck.

  He made his way over to the other side off the deck, and descended along the side, using the divots in the wood.

  By the time he reached the bottom and planted his feet in the sand, the first few people from the caravan had made their way around. He nodded to them as he passed by, and sought out Kaiz and Deloris, who were still talking to the man with magenta feathers on his cloak.

  He approached slowly and began to hear their conversation.

  "I'd advise sending a patrol go through the village, just to be sure nothing is lurking around," said Deloris.

  By now, a man in leather armor had joined. He had an almost fully shaved head, and a few scars on the left side. He had dull gray eyes, but held a neutral smile upon his lips in between speaking. He wore a patch on his arm with the black background and the red circle, which Chaxin remembered had something to do with Grittin.

  "I'll set up some patrols then," the man said. "You said you lost two of your own, while you were on guard?"

  "That's right, it's just the three of us now," said Kaiz, who then spotted Chaxin out of the corner of his eye. "Ah, perfect, you're awake."

  Chaxin nodded. "Yeah, had a bit of a scare when no one was around up there."

  Kaiz smirked, but didn't respond.

  The rainfall had increased and was gradually drenching the area, making the sand mushier and less crunchy.

  Deloris turned her head and spotted the tome in Chaxin's hand. "Here, I'll take that," she said, and held out her hand.

  Chaxin handed over the manifest, which Deloris promptly offered to the man with the magenta feathers. He took it and opened it up. He didn't seem concerned that the pages were getting wet, but despite this, Deloris held her shield up to protect the manifest.

  "This here is Daxar," said Kaiz. "And this is Captain Politz."

  Daxar didn't so much as lift his gaze when Kaiz introduced him. Politz took a step forward and held out his hand. "Nice to meet you," he said. "Chaxin, was it?"

  Chaxin shook the man's hand and nodded. "Correct. You're one of the lead guards of Grittin, then?"

  Politz nodded. "That's right. One of several, actually. But I lead the unarmored guards here that are part of this caravan. The really shiny guards are Daxar's personal guard. They never really listen to anything I say," he said with a soft chuckle.

  Chaxin smiled at Politz's comment. "Is Grittin far?"

  Politz shrugged. "Far enough, I suppose. From here, we have to travel up towards Kamber, then through a bit of forest, then into the mire, and then there's some open fields, and then you're at Grittin. It's a bit of a ride, but not a terribly long one, I suppose."

  "You all made it here fairly quickly," said Deloris, who was still shielding Daxar's reading. "Did it take long to prep the carts?"

  "Not particularly," said Politz. "We had a number of carts available for use. Me and my men were on standby. We grabbed some laborers and then headed right over."

  "Time was of the essence," Daxar spoke in a slow voice, as if he wasn't actually paying attention. "But we arrived as soon as we were able. This cargo is of great import to Lord Karnith, and we needed to secure it. Especially in light of the recent fall of Kamber." He closed the manifest and handed it off to Captain Politz. "The laborers will get the crane working, and we'll load as much as we can on the carts."

  "What's so important about the cargo in there?" asked Kaiz.

  Chaxin had wanted to ask that very question, but Daxar's demeanor had given him pause. He didn't seem to be the friendliest sort of person.

  Daxar sighed and looked to the ship. "There are two sarcophagi, which Lord Karnith went to great lengths to procure. And while the rest of the cargo is of little import to us, we might as well take it as well, since no one will be able to claim it for themselves. Better we seize it to better the people of Grittin, than to let monsters get a hold of it."

  Daxar looked to Deloris, then over to Kaiz. "Feel free to continue aiding us in this endeavor. The people of Kamber are already being evacuated to Grittin as we speak. Many carts and guards were diverted to Kamber, while we continued here. As is customary, all services will be compensated with coin once we return. Now, if you'll excuse me."

  Daxar glanced to Chaxin, but only for the briefest of moments. He turned around and went back over to one of the carts, which had two fully-armored guards standing in front of it.

  Once he was out of earshot, Politz spoke up. "That man isn't much for pleasantries or words, unless you're some high-ranking official of some sort," he said, shaking his head. He looked back to the three people in front of him. "So, sorry for his lack of hospitality. I'm also sorry to hear about the men you lost. Never an easy thing, losing friends and comrades." He went quiet for a moment and glanced around their surroundings. "I've got plenty of people to accomplish patrols and perimeter defense, so if you want to just wander around and make it look like you're guarding and keeping an eye out, or even just sit and take a breather, I'd be happy to call it guard service for the three of you." His lips curled into more of a smile.

  "Sounds good," said Deloris. "Let us know if you need anything more of us."

  Politz nodded. "I will." With that, he turned and headed off towards a grouping of lightly armored guards, who he promptly conversed with. It didn't take more than a couple seconds for several of the gathered guards to break away and head towards the abandoned town.

  "Well, I guess we can relax a little," said Kaiz.

  As the rain continued to fall, it pattered against Deloris's plate armor. Her eyes scanned the new arrivals, occasionally glancing over to where Daxar had gone.

  Kaiz watched as the more common clothed individuals went to directing carts over closer to the boat.

  The sound of metal hitting wood could be heard coming from up on the ship, as laborers began working on getting the cargo hatch open, while several others endeavored to work the still-functional crane.

  "I'm going to take a walk around," said Deloris, who then turned and headed off towards a small gathering of people from the caravan.

  "Well, not much to do now," said Kaiz. He held his spear with both hands and seemed to lean on it as he scanned the area. "The laborers will do all the heavy lifting, the guards seem to have everything under control. I'm obviously still concerned about whatever happened to Jerem and Kalo, but I feel we can count a horde of merfolk out of the question. Which leaves us with some type of assailant or monster that we're not prepared for."

  "Assailant?" asked Chaxin. He turned to Kaiz. His hand had found its way back to the pommel of his sword. "You say that as if you think other people might be aga
inst us for some reason."

  "Look, Chaxin," Kaiz sighed. "When you've been in this world long enough, you start to see how it works. You pick up on things. You understand how things are. You haven't been here nearly long enough to learn the nuances of the world. Give it five years, and you'll start to pick up on things. In the meantime, you should trust the judgement of people like myself, Deloris, and even people like that Captain Politz. But despite the fact that we're all in this universe together, all just trying to survive, some people… humans, that is, tend to lean towards harming others in order to benefit themselves. It's why we have thieves. People who steal, to better themselves at the cost of others. Some people are fine with even killing another person, to get what they want. Sometimes you have disputes between towns or kingdoms. Disputes can occur for a number of reasons. Local resources, or hunting grounds, or even something like… I dunno, an insult."

  Chaxin looked away, dwelling on the things Kaiz was telling him. "Just as you'd told me not to share my stats and level," he murmured. He then looked back to Kaiz. "But wouldn't everyone benefit from working together?"

  Kaiz managed a half smile. "You'll quickly lose that optimism and naive way of thinking," he said. "But you're not wrong. It would be better. But everyone has their own ideas on what would benefit themselves, and others. As far as the reasoning behind why Kalo, the horses, and Jerem went missing… Well, I'm not sure. Maybe someone's been tailing us and picking us off when we're alone. Jerem and Kalo were capable fighters, but they weren't exactly on par with Deloris and I. So, make sure you stick to one of us. If someone's picking off easy targets, then you'd be a prime target."

  "It's not like I have much worth stealing," Chaxin murmured, remembering how they’d conversed about a similar topic before.

  Kaiz reached out and squeezed Chaxin's shoulder. "Come on, let's just take it easy and watch them unload the ship." Kaiz released his handhold and turned to head closer to where several carts had gathered on the side of the ship. Their canopies had been drawn back to allow crates to be delivered into the wagon bed.