by Brian Keller
A little less than two hours later, when the Master’s Council gathered, Cooper reported, “Masters, Jarell is hiding out in the Ruins.” This revelation brought a symphony of muttered comments from the assembled Council. To Cooper it sounded like he’d suddenly been beset by bees. He could distinguish a few phrases, “How can this be?”, “How can you be sure?”, and such. Master Worthan held up a hand and the room fell silent, “I have the utmost faith in Cooper’s information, though I suspect that not everyone would vouch for its veracity.” Master Worthan turned to nod at Lash. Cooper merely shrugged.
It was at this moment Rolan, the new Master of Coin, stood and spoke, “I hope no one feels that I’m speaking out of turn, or beyond my station, but I have something to add if I may address those assembled.” He paused and looked around the room, as if awaiting permission to continue. Master Worthan turned in his seat to face the young man, “Master Rolan, by virtue of your posting, you are a Master and as such may address the Council about any matter that you see fit.” Rolan appeared both embarrassed and relieved but when he spoke, his voice was clear, “In what little free time I have available to me, I have been reviewing the stacks of documents that were recovered from the home of… my predecessor.” He paused to collect himself before he continued, “Only yesterday I discovered these documents.” He held up a roll of papers, “These are deeds, in Jarell’s name. They denote him as the owner of several rather significant tracts of real estate… in the Ruins. The combined lands described by these deeds easily amount to a third of the Ruins to be conservatively accurate, but could perhaps even encompass half of that district in totality. I hadn’t mentioned any of this until now. I am announcing it now since it seems quite pertinent.”
Cooper grinned at this revelation, “Well, it’s good to know that I won’t be trespassing. If I see him, I’ll let Jarell know that we’ve confiscated his holdings.” This brought a collective laugh from the other occupants in the room. Master Worthan gave him a look of mild disapproval, probably because Cooper had just announced his intent of pursuing the matter without being assigned to it. Still, Cooper left the chamber without being denied the opportunity.
*****
Yoren returned to Iona’s room and knocked on her door, pausing only briefly before entering. He announced, “The messenger I sent to the University came back breathless. It took a minute or so for him to recover before he could relay his report but the gist of it is that one of the senior Scholars from the University has requested we do not enter the Ruins without having spoken with him. Whether it is pertinent, or simply a desire to be heard, he is making his way here. I’m told we should expect him within the hour. I am willing to wait for him”, he arched an eyebrow, “unless you feel we need to proceed sooner to increase your chances for finding imprinted objects…?” Yoren almost looked disappointed when Iona shook her head, “Sir, I was able to locate this axe at least eight hours after it was handled; another hour shouldn’t matter.” Yoren shrugged, “All right then. We wait. I’ll arrange a room to meet with the codger.” Iona raised her eyebrows and replied with a smirk, “I think you mean scholar, sir?” Yoren gave a single grunt, almost a laugh, as he turned to leave her room, “Do I?”
A little over a half hour later, the scholar, with a much younger man assisting at his elbow, arrived and were escorted to one of the many sitting rooms designed for discreet conversations. The Spymaster and Iona were already seated. The old man was dressed in traditional University robes but he’d removed the threading from his sleeves. Whether that was to conceal his Talent, or to indicate that his Talent was no longer of consequence, was a point of curiosity for Iona, but she knew better than to broach that topic. Besides, with her own abilities, the question was moot. Before the man was seated she’d already identified that he had a rather significant affinity for Air with a strong injection of Nature. She could sense that his Nature Talent was internalized and was something that he’d developed for most of his life. It allowed him to slow his aging. As such, it would be futile to attempt a guess at how old this man might be. He could be eighty, or he could be a hundred and twenty. If he were older, then at least he moved like a man half his age, but no one would describe him as ‘spry’. The younger man was a different matter entirely. His robe displayed green and blue threading, indicating that his affinities were Nature and Air. Even with her Talent, it was difficult to discern which of his affinities were the more powerful. At first, she felt it was Air, but she almost immediately realized that his Nature Talent was such an obscure thing that his Nature affinity might far exceed the other. He noticed her appraisal and gave her a nod of recognition. His light brown eyes had been green a moment ago, she was sure of it. That observation was almost enough to distract her from the realization that while his Air Talent was internalized, most likely displayed as speed, his Nature Talent was somehow expressed externally. That, by itself, made him quite intriguing to her.
Once the younger man had assisted the elder to his seat, he faded back and seated himself and settled into a relaxed pose. The old scholar opened the conversation immediately; something Yoren appeared to appreciate. The scholar gave a stifled cough and then spoke in a voice that was more forced air than actual, clear sound, “The part of the city that is now Ruins was once part of the Palace District. By all reckoning, the event that caused its destruction should be almost legendary, but it seems that few persons are aware of the circumstances that have left that part of the city in its current condition. It’s almost as if there was an unspoken consensus to forget it. Perhaps it was a kind of healing, but the presence of the Ruins is a scar that cannot be denied. Instead of remembering, city folk have simply accepted and avoided the area, calling it haunted. At least they’ve gotten that part right.” Yoren chose this point to interrupt, “Haunted? You are surely joking!” The old man slowly shook his head, as if he expected this conversation to meet resistance and felt both validation and regret at being proven correct. The old man took a breath and continued, “There is a growing power in the Ruins, where there should be none.” It was Iona’s turn to interrupt, “I’ve felt no such power.” The old scholar nodded, “Yes, I know of you, and of your Talent. I have spoken with your professor at some length and I still lack the means to grasp how a fool such as he came to be charged with developing the University’s Hunters.” The old man shook his head, but brought himself back on topic before Yoren could complain, “Suffice to say that it’s possible that the growth of this power has been so gradual that it has escaped your notice,” Iona opened her mouth to say something but the old man held up one finger to direct her to remain silent, “and this power is rarely used and mostly internalized unless actively engaged, so it’s likely that you’ve never been exposed to it. Therefore, you’d not be attuned to it. You could go to the Ruins and you’ll likely feel it, but once you’ve gotten close enough to sense it… well, there’ve been plenty of bodies brought out of the Ruins over the years. Let those stand as to why that might be a poor idea.” It occurred to Iona that this old man might understand her Talent better than anyone else up to this point, which was both funny and disturbing. The scholar took a quick breath, as if he feared that taking a longer one might tempt another interruption. “I’ll continue to use the word “haunted” but first let me continue to explain the history. By the time I’ve finished, it should be apparent why haunt is the term most closely appropriate.” Yoren spoke, “Perhaps you’d consider just coming to the point?” The scholar shook his head, “It’s an old story, but quick in the telling.” He gave a brief, pale smile, “Please humor an old man.” Yoren leaned back and settled into his chair. This time the old man took a deeper breath, “Documents written just over a hundred years ago describe a magical battle that took place in Paleros. The fight was waged all through the Grid, Batter’s Field and the area now known as the Ruins. The Ruins and much of Batter’s Field used to be part of the Palace District, a mixture of homes and businesses. The battle destroyed these three neighborhoods. The Grid, of
course, was rebuilt; but any attempts to reconstruct the area now known as the Ruins have only resulted in death, and not in one’s and two’s, but in dozens and scores. As a result, Batter’s Field was reoccupied but never fully rebuilt and the ‘refugees’ from the Ruins that survived the wreckage were displaced to the areas now known as the South Warrens and Miller’s Flats. Originally the University formed much of the city’s southern boundary, and plans had been made to extend it’s walls eastward to the shoreline. Once these two neighborhoods sprang up, those plans were abandoned and the area south of the University, north of the Broken Coast, has become fields and training grounds for the Prince’s armies.”
At this point Yoren was past civilities, “Thank you for the history lesson. I daresay if I were more interested, I could likely find this information in the Prince’s extensive library. You were in the process of telling us why we shouldn’t enter the Ruins without consulting you beforehand?”
The scholar awarded the Spymaster with a glare, “Doubtful that even His Highness is privy to this information, nor is it likely to be amongst his documents. What I refer to are personal accounts recorded by the few surviving mages following the battle with the Mad Wizard. It was that battle that laid waste to nearly half of Paleros just over a hundred years ago. There is little doubt that the Mad Wizard was killed, but it is readily apparent that something yet remains in that haunted place.” Yoren scoffed, “Haunted?! Surely those tales are simply concocted to frighten children or to discourage Batter’s Field from expanding northward towards the Palisade Wall.” The scholar shook his head, “The southern end of the Palisade Wall wasn’t built to prevent Batter’s Field from encroaching into the Palace District. It was built to make it impossible for residents of the Palace District to expand further eastward. Too many citizens had died in the attempt to reclaim real estate. Some believe that the area is soaked with residual magic, and therefore remains toxic to anyone going within its boundaries”, he looked at Iona with an eyebrow raised, “I expect you can confirm that this is not the case. You, better than most, would be in a position to tell.” He paused momentarily but proceeded before Iona could reply, “I tend to believe it is something else entirely. The Mad Wizard was a Gifted mage. He rapidly gained strength because he was able to consume the power of others, a violent Talent that could rip a person’s very essence from their body, leaving only a lifeless husk behind. This is why the University seeks out and trains students like you.” He pointed at Iona. “With you, and those like you, we hunt for anyone who has a Gift. We cannot afford to let someone like that threaten our society. Should someone like that emerge today, we would not have the means to stand against them. You cannot enter the Ruins. If any remnant of the Mad Wizard remains, you might only serve to feed it.”
Yoren stood, “Sir, we thank you for this information. We will go where the evidence leads us. Iona informs me that we are, indeed, hunting a Gifted person. If that person leads us into the Ruins, your tale provides us with all the more reason to pursue!” The old scholar leaned forward to stand and the younger man accompanying him rose and quickly stepped to assist him. The old man replied, “Since you will not be dissuaded, please allow me to return to the University and send Iona’s ‘customary security detail’ back here to you.” As the older man turned to leave, the younger man addressed Yoren, “Sir, it might be to the mutual benefit of the Crown and the University for us to continue to cooperate. My studies take a considerable amount of my time, but not so much that I couldn’t take time away if it meant working toward common goals.”
In reply, the Spymaster asked a deliberately leading question, “How well-versed are you in the history of the Ruins? Or do your studies take you in other directions?” There was a moment when the younger man’s eyes seemed to flash almost yellow. Iona felt that this was accompanied by a very brief surge of power and in that moment thought she caught a whiff of verbena and freshly baked bread. The sensation passed faster than it began, leaving Iona to wonder if she’d even sensed it, though there was no doubt that she’d felt his Talent surge… even more intriguing. The old scholar chuckled, “Felis’ studies tend more toward the theoretical, though no one doubts his abilities should there be a need for practical applications. If you’re truly intent on entering the Ruins, you could certainly do worse than to have him come along.” The old man turned to Felis, “I can make my own way back. You stay and please try and make sure they”, indicating Yoren and Iona, “stay until the young mages arrive.” He began to slowly shuffle away. Yoren’s voice broke the silence, “Sir, I will arrange for a cart to take you back, for your convenience.” As he turned away, he continued in a much quieter tone, “And for ours. We’d like to leave sometime today.”
Yoren and the old scholar left the room, leaving Iona and Felis alone. He turned to face her, “The last time I saw you, you were being studied as a specimen at the University. It appears that your conditions have vastly improved… or is this simply a cage with finer gilding?” Iona was still unused to casual conversation, and felt uncertain how to respond. She managed to say, “This is better.” Felis snorted as his gaze travelled around the room, “Yes, I’d have to agree.” Iona felt a growing confidence and elaborated, “No. You misunderstand. Yes, the surroundings are more beautiful, and comfortable; but more important to me, it’s quieter.” Now it was Felis who sounded confused, “Quieter? It’s much noisier here than at the University.” Iona shook her head, “Not in the way I feel noise, it isn’t.” Felis gestured toward the chair where she’d been seated earlier, indicating she should sit, and then seated himself in the chair that Yoren had used. He leaned forward and asked, “How do you mean?” Iona spent the next few minutes explaining how she was affected by Talent usage in close proximity, and her inability to find a ‘quiet’ place. Felis inquired, “You feel all nearby usage, whether you wish it or not? Normally, Talents must be accessed for them to work.” She nodded, “In order for me to read imprinted objects, I have to concentrate and access my Talent. For detecting nearby usage, I wish that were the case. It’s like noise. You can’t stop yourself from hearing it, you can only block it out. Except for me, I can’t block it out by simply covering my ears.” Felis seemed to consider his response for a minute before appearing to have made a decision, “I could try.” Iona looked a little shocked, “Try? Try what?” Felis shrugged, “I don’t like others to know what I can do, but I’ve decided to trust you. I don’t know if it will work, but my Nature Talent allows me to manipulate my immediate surroundings. I can’t do it for very long. A few minutes at a time is usually all I can manage, but I might be able to create a feeling of peace. It’s still magic so you might hear it differently, but if you’re so desperate for a solution, even a fleeting one…” Iona was nodding eagerly, “Of course! Yes! What do I do?” Felis smiled, “Nothing. Just sit and relax.” Iona closed her eyes. She could sense his power building. Then she felt sunlight on her face and the scent of crushed vanilla beans and strawberries drifting past her nostrils. She could still sense the power continue to build, but it didn’t feel like noise. It felt more like being cradled in a cocoon or immersed in a tub of warm water. She felt much of her anguish and frustration melt away and for the first time in years she smiled an honest, heartfelt smile. All too soon, the sensations vanished but it took several seconds before the chill of reality returned. As she opened her eyes, Felis was leaned forward with a hopeful, questioning expression. Iona gazed upon him; only this time he seemed to be a completely different person than the one she’d been introduced to a few minutes earlier. She had almost forgotten to breathe. Her only reply was, “Thank you.”
Chapter 34
After the meeting in the Master’s Chamber, Cooper stopped by the Apothecary lab to see Aden. The small, young man was seated and leaning over his work table, using a pipette to draw fluid from a vial. He held a finger over the top end, trapping the liquid inside. At that point he was able to glance over at him, “Just a few seconds. I need to pay attention to what I’m doing.�
� Cooper sat on a nearby stool and took out the vials he had in his pouch, inspected the stoppers and arranged them in order. He kept the jar of Life Blight in his pouch.
