The Game Masters of Garden Place

by Denis Markell

  “Ah! So it is like the doors of the citadel of Maramount, with the mage’s cards,” said Gerontius.

  The puzzle of the mage’s cards. It was one of the first puzzles Declan had given them. Ralph remembered the thrill of victory when they had finally solved it.

  “Yes.” He smiled. “It’s exactly like that.”

  He had made sure their provisions were taken care of, calling room service to set up their dinner. But simply teaching them how they were to pay for everything using cash was tricky. It was decided that Torgrim would handle the actual money (no one trusted Bram).

  Noel had slightly better luck explaining the notion of the bathroom and how it worked, which was causing a fair amount of confusion. They seemed to understand the bathtub, but the toilet was yet another cause for Gerontius to marvel at the magical properties of modern plumbing.

  “You press this handle down,” Cammi was explaining, “and it whooshes all your…stuff…away.”

  Jandia was totally unconvinced. “I will do it outside,” she announced, “behind a tree, as always.”

  “No, you won’t!” Persephone said firmly. “You are a supermodel, remember that. Not a pet dog.”

  The kids said good night after making the adventurers promise to stay inside until morning. The fact that they would then be able to wear their own clothing helped convince them to wait to do their exploring.

  “Once the other conventioneers show up, they should blend in perfectly,” Cammi said happily in the elevator.

  As they headed toward Ralph’s house, Jojo pulled up short. “So…how is this going to work?”

  “You mean tomorrow?” Ralph asked. He hadn’t really thought about it. It was true that he was the only one who was planning to go to RoDCon.

  “I mean, we don’t even know what we’re looking for,” Jojo continued. “And I have plans.”

  “So break them,” Noel said, looking at her impatiently. “I’m just telling my parents I changed my mind after playing all day. That’s pretty simple.”

  Cammi looked worried. “I’m really sorry, guys, but Persephone has a rehearsal tomorrow. And I’m meeting with the costume teacher to pick out fabric for the costumes for the main characters.”

  Persephone’s eyes lit up. “Food poisoning. We’ll email and say that RPG fed us bad fish tacos or something.”

  Ralph made a face. “So it’s my fault?”

  “You have a better idea?” Persephone demanded. “Our parents don’t have to know. They can drop us at school and you can meet us there.”

  Ralph admitted that it was a pretty solid plan.

  They turned to Jojo, who looked irritated. “I said I can’t.”

  “Come on, Jojo. What’s going on that you’re just going to abandon Jandia like that?”

  Cammi piped up. “She’s going to spend the day shopping with Joie and Twyla.”

  “You can’t be serious,” Ralph said. “You honestly are ticked off because—”

  “You wouldn’t understand,” snapped Jojo. “I actually have a life, okay?”

  Noel looked incredulous. “There are magical beings in a Brooklyn hotel and we are going to have an adventure trying to get them back to their own world. And you’re mad because you can’t go shopping.”

  “Fine. I’ll be there,” said Jojo.

  They had arrived at the front door of Ralph’s brownstone. Persephone’s parents were talking to Jojo’s mom. They were laughing about something.

  “Oh, there you are!” Jojo’s mother said, giving her a hug. “I was about to text you.”

  Persephone took in both her parents and Jojo’s mom. “Sorry we took so long. We were watching a fashion shoot.”

  “That sounds cool,” her father said, “but we really have to dash. Cammi, you’re coming with us.”

  He nodded happily and jumped into their car. Cammi never had to explain where he was to his mom or grandmother. As a corporate lawyer, his mom was usually so busy with one case or another, he just spent his time with Persephone or Jojo or one of his other friends until his grandmother came home from the theater.

  Noel looked up from his phone. His mother was on the way.

  Ralph trudged up the stairs and saw GG coming down the block. She called to him, “Mom texted me to say they’re running late and to heat up the leftover Chinese food.”

  Ralph nodded and looked at the scene in front of him, with his friends being picked up and driving off, just as if it had been any other session of RoD. It felt almost normal, as if the halfling rogue, elf wizard, dwarf cleric, half-orc bard, and barbarian human were safely tucked away in their imaginations, to be pulled out next week, instead of actually sitting in a hotel room fifteen blocks away, waiting until morning to discover the secret of their mission and why they had been summoned here.

  Ralph turned to his friends as they stood in front of the hotel room door the next morning. “We’d better be ready for whatever happened in that room last night.”

  “Who knows if they’re even in there?” said Noel, always happy to mention everyone’s worst fear.

  Jojo rolled her eyes. “I wish. Can we just get this over with?” She’d been a joy to be around ever since she’d met them in front of the school.

  Ralph had been able to convince GG not to mention their parents’ “friends,” explaining that Gerontius and the others wanted to surprise them at dinner. If they were able to meet whoever they needed to meet or solve whatever they needed to solve here at the Beveren, he’d come up with something to explain their absence later. If this was just another clue leading them somewhere else, then it wouldn’t matter anyway. The truth would have to come out.

  He knocked tentatively on the door. There was the sound of movement inside; the door opened, and he was relieved to see the group looking well rested and impressively adorned in their own clothes.

  “And a very good morning to you, young ones!” Bram called out.

  There were two trays pushed over by the window with what looked like the remains of a breakfast.

  “You ate well?” Persephone asked.

  “We ate like kings and queens!” exclaimed Mirak happily.

  “The bath was quite extraordinary,” Gerontius added. “There was abundant hot water for everyone. I could not find its source.”

  Torgrim was finishing up a piece of toast and patted his belly. “I have had better honey. But it was certainly satisfactory.”

  There was a flushing noise from the bathroom. Ralph and Jojo exchanged horrified glances.

  Jandia appeared at the door. She had a huge smile on her face. “I am enjoying that very much!” she announced.

  “She used it five times already,” said Bram proudly.

  “Good for you!” Jojo said, smiling back. “Are we ready to go?”

  Jandia seemed unwilling to drop what clearly was her new favorite topic. “It is like sitting on a throne! But for—”

  “Yes! We know what it’s for!” Noel said quickly.

  Jandia picked up her sword belt and strapped it on. She yawned and flexed her massive arms. “My bowels are empty and I am well fed. Let us go.”

  “Okay, then!” Ralph said, clapping his hands. “Anyone else? Everyone’s bowels empty?”

  The adventurers nodded.

  “Then we’re off!” he said, and led the way to the elevators that would take them down to the ballroom floor, where the convention took place.

  On the way down, the elevator doors opened a few floors lower, and a couple of costumed conventioneers got on. They were dressed as elves, with homemade robes. They looked at their fellow passengers, impressed.

  “I am Leontes, and this is Parsimon,” one of them announced.

  The adventurers smiled and shook their hands.

  “Those are great teeth!” Leontes said to Mirak. “Whose are they?”

&
nbsp; “They’re mine,” Mirak answered pleasantly.

  Parsimon tried to clarify. “Right. But he meant where did you get them?”

  “I was born with them,” Mirak replied, looking at the strange human with the stuck-on ears.

  Persephone pulled Leontes aside. “I’m sure you know people like her. She stays in character no matter what. She got them on the Internet.”

  “Ah. I see.” Leontes nodded.

  The doors opened, and they were greeted with a sight both strange and familiar.

  Creatures from the Reign of Dragons universe were gathered in small groups throughout the large entryway. There were knights, wizards, orcs, elven archers, and even one or two halflings. All of them were in a line waiting to get their tickets to enter the great ballroom just beyond the high doors in the back of the room. Tables were set up with the organizers of the event giving out the tickets.

  The group went to the end of the line, and Ralph tried to see if any of the other conventioneers were carrying anything resembling a golden serpent.

  “Do you see anything?” Cammi asked Ralph, scanning the crowd.

  “Nope.” Ralph continued to look.

  “It might not matter if we did,” Noel said. “The Search for the Seven Serpent Scepter is one of the most beloved game modules in the Reign of Dragons world. Someone might have painted some wooden snake gold to bring as a prop.”

  “True,” said Ralph.

  The adventurers were seemingly taken aback.

  “It is like a dream!” whispered Gerontius. “They are so like us, and yet not.”

  A number of fellow guests had already complimented them on their costumes, when Bram caught sight of someone.

  “That purple cloak…with the silver sun emblazoned on it,” he muttered. “It cannot be.”

  The owner of the cloak turned and revealed a green scaly head fitted with a steel helmet.

  Bram gasped. “It is Orak-Thule! The killer of my people! I will have my revenge!”

  “You don’t think?” asked Jojo as the creature turned to face Bram and hissed.

  Bram pulled Salt and Pepper out. “Orak-Thule! Prepare to meet thy death at the hands of Bram Quickfoot!”

  “Rash words, Halfling!” the creature hissed, pulling out his sword.

  People parted to give them room. “This is great!” an orc eating a bagel said to his friend dressed as a gnome.

  “Wait, that’s not really Orak-Thule, right?” Ralph said.

  “I bet he’s going to say ‘This ends now!’ ” Noel said.

  “This ends now!” cried Bram, and rushed the scaly creature, a knife in each hand.

  “Told ya,” said Noel.

  The lizard-man slipped as he backed away, and suddenly his face jarred loose and sagged a little.

  “Guys! He’s wearing a mask!” Cammi called out.

  Ralph ran to grab Bram’s arm before he could do any damage. “Bram! Wait!”

  Bram threw him off. “Leave off, boy. This is the moment I avenge the murder of my family.”

  The lizard-man swiveled his head and faced them. “Ralph? Is that you?” The creature pulled up his mask.

  Ralph’s eyes widened. “Bram! Hold your attack!” he cried. “That’s not Orak-Thule! It’s Dr. Falatko, my orthodontist!”

  Dr. Falatko thought it was all great fun, never having thought Bram’s daggers were real. And he loved the adventurers. He was especially interested in Mirak. He peered at her lower teeth. “Those are real, aren’t they?” he asked gently.

  Mirak looked at the others and then nodded.

  “I can help with that,” Dr. Falatko offered, fishing around in his chain mail and then proffering his business card.

  “Help with what?” asked Mirak, inspecting the card as if it were a relic of some kind.

  “You know, fix your smile,” he said. “With just the right dental procedures, you’d be quite a pretty young woman.”

  Jandia pushed her way to the front. “What’s wrong with her now?” she demanded.

  “Yeah!” added Jojo. “I think she looks great just the way she is.”

  The other kids glared at the doctor.

  “Fine. I was just trying to help,” Dr. Falatko said, shaking his head.

  Mirak stared at him as he walked away. “In your world, it seems there is only one way to look beautiful. Is this so?”

  “Not everybody feels that way.” Cammi sighed. “But, yes, it’s still pretty bad. We’ve got some work to do.”

  The line was moving briskly, and they had gotten to the front. There was a young man sitting at the table with a laptop in front of him, eating a doughnut. His name tag identified him as Gary Beard, Event Coordinator. He barely looked up when Torgrim placed his war hammer on the table.

  “No props on the table, please,” he said, unfazed.

  Torgrim looked confused. “Prop? What do you mean?”

  “You know, the hammer thing,” Gary Beard said, pointing with what was left of the doughnut.

  Torgrim gaped in astonishment. “Show respect, human. Deathbringer has been bathed in the blood of a thousand orcs, goblins, and Kreel. It has crushed the skulls of those who do not show the due deference it commands.”

  Gary Beard looked up, his expression unchanged. “Yeah, whatever. Remove it, please.”

  Noel tugged at Torgrim’s sleeve. “Dude, do as he says. We just want to get by him, okay?”

  “Consider this a lucky day,” Torgrim growled at the man. “I will do as you ask.”

  Gary Beard indicated the line behind them. “Your names?”

  Ralph moved to the front and showed his ticket. Gary Beard nodded and gave him a pass to hang around his neck.

  “The others didn’t buy theirs in advance,” Ralph told him. “So we’ll need nine more.”

  Gary Beard laughed. “Yeah, right. Good luck with that.”

  “What’s so funny?” Jojo demanded.

  “This has been sold out for weeks. Sorry.” Gary Beard didn’t sound sorry in the slightest.

  Bram pushed forward. He smiled charmingly as he glanced at Gary Beard’s name tag and then at the banner hung behind him that declared BROUGHT TO YOU BY MAGES OF THE MIDWEST. “There has clearly been some mistake…Gary, is it? We are special guests of the Mages of the Midwest.”

  “Oh yeah?” The man chuckled. “Who exactly invited you? Because I have all the special invitations right here.” He pointed to a small box with envelopes in them.

  Bram’s fingers twitched. He made eye contact with Persephone, who started to wobble.

  “Ohhh…I’m feeling dizzy…,” she said loudly.

  “I told you you should have eaten something this morning!” Ralph said, picking up on what was going on.

  “Too excited…I…I…” Persephone dropped to the ground in what appeared to be a dead faint. There was a collective gasp from the crowd, and Gary Beard was distracted for a moment.

  That was just enough time for Bram’s skillful hand to dart out and snatch two of the envelopes in the box. Unfortunately, Gary Beard had skills of his own. Before Bram could pull his hand back, Gary Beard had grabbed his wrist and shook it.

  “You’re kidding me, right?” Gary Beard snorted. “Security! Please escort this group to the exit!”

  Jandia whirled around, her sword in her hand, her eyes shining. Clearly she was ready for a fight.

  “Look, the last thing we need right now is to get ourselves arrested,” said Noel to Jojo. They both rushed to calm Jandia down as rent-a-cops descended. Even though they were a head shorter than Jandia and Mirak, the guards had walkie-talkies and could probably call on hotel security.

  “What happened back there?” asked Bram as the group was hustled out of the ballroom. “I have grabbed purses five times larger than those envelopes without anyone seeing.”r />
  Noel looked up. “Maybe someone up there rolled for a dexterity check and got a low number.”

  “I wish you wouldn’t say things like that,” Ralph said. “It’s a little too freaky to think about.”

  The security guards deposited them at the elevator banks. The biggest one took photos of them with his camera. “Any more trouble and we’re calling the police,” he warned.

  “So what do we do now?” whimpered Cammi. “Have we lost already?”

  “We haven’t lost anything,” Ralph said. “We need a plan.”

  Gerontius had been quietly observing all this, staying back. He was his usual calm and unruffled self. “Arpy, tell me: if this was a game, and you needed to get through those doors, what would you do?”

  Ralph thought for a moment. “I guess…I’d look and see if there was another way into that room.”

  Gerontius nodded. “So would I. Let us proceed.”

  They moved away from the elevators and went down a hallway marked with an Exit sign.

  As they reached the end of the hall, Mirak’s eyes lit up. “Pray, is that what I think it is?” She gestured to the wall beside the last door on the left. There was a glass frame attached to it, and underneath the glass was a piece of paper. On the paper was a diagram.

  Gerontius broke into a small smile. “If I am not mistaken, that is a map.”

  Noel peered at it. “It is! It’s perfect!”

  Torgrim looked closely. He tapped the glass. “What is that large area there?”

  “It’s the inner ballroom,” Noel said excitedly. “This door leads down to the basement area. It’s how they load big things like pianos and stuff into it.”

  “So if you follow the map, it should lead you to a door directly under the main stage,” Ralph added, tracing it with his finger.

  “We can meet you in there!” said Jojo, her eyes gleaming.

  “Is it guarded by any monsters?” Jandia asked hopefully.

  “Maybe a few,” Persephone said.

  Ralph stared at her.

  “She wants to fight a monster so badly, I didn’t want to disappoint her,” Persephone whispered.