Arrival

by William Dickey

  He made me stich and patch, pleat and seam. I worked from sunrise to midnight, practicing away on spare scraps of cloth the tailor provided. Only stopping to eat and sleep. As soon as I completed one task, I took another. I didn’t have any time to waste.

  It was fortunate I was provided scraps to practice on; I would have felt bad ruining so much good material with the blood brought on by my frequent mistakes. Mai couldn’t help but make a few sexist comments about my learning to sew, but I simply put her in her place by reminding her that she did this. She made me an Otherist. I was only trying to use what I had: the ability to learn all crafting skills, albeit at a rate far slower than I would otherwise be capable. I was constantly frustrated that the Otherist class reduced my skill growth to a fourth of normal, but after 11 full days, I finally reached my goal.

  †Sewing Lvl.4 (0.3%)†

  Allows the sewing of jute

  Allows sewing of wool

  Allows the sewing of cotton

  Allows the sewing of silk

  Increased sewing speed additional 24%

  Can imbue tailored items with special attributes

  Like with blacksmithing, I wasn’t able to successfully craft with any material the moment I picked up the skill. I had to work hard for all those days to slowly reach level 4 because only then was I able to sew silk. I wish I could have stopped at wool or cotton, but those cloths were too heavy and porous for what I had planned.

  With the large quantity of silk I’d ordered added to the other things I collected, I was ready to start. It took another 5 days to finish my construction project, sewing together the hundreds of meters of fabric and attaching it to my rowboat.

  Finally, on a cool foggy evening, I rowed my completed work a few hundred yards out into Crystalpeak’s calm artificial bay. The darkness of night and the solitude of the open water, aided the weather in cloaking my presence from the world as I carefully unfolded the enormous sheet of silk I patched together in a hodgepodge of color that would have put a rainbow to shame if there had been enough light to see it.

  I cast the fire sigil, the only spell I had any familiarity with, and directed all my mana to the palm of my hand, turning up the heat emanating from the small but intense flame it held. I remained vigilant as I positioned the fire under the silk canopy. It’d be a shame if all my work were to suddenly go up in flames after all the effort I’d put in. The fire warmed the air around it, floating up into the patched together silk. As air filled in, the silk continually expanded, revealing its rounded shape.

  As I waited, my mind spun, going over the same calculations I’d made a dozen times already. I estimated the boat, silk, and I to weigh around 400 pounds. Given the volume of the silk balloon, I calculated that I needed to heat the air to 200°F to generate enough lift.

  An hour passed in stillness before I saw results. The wooden ship groaned from the strain as it warped in ways it wasn’t meant to. The boat slowly lifted off the water, its weight shifting from the seas comforting embrace to the half a dozen thin cables I had running from the boats rim to the massive sheet of silk.

  I had done it. I had built a hot air balloon.

  “So what do you think?” I turned to Mai who relaxed peacefully next to me in the canoe’s bottom as we slowly gained altitude.

  ‘It’s okay,’ said Mai. She was never as liberal with compliments as she was with criticisms. ‘I’m glad to see you combining magic and technology but you have to admit this is kind of primitive.’

  “Come on, I only had a few days and I was limited to this world’s technology. I deserve some commendations.”

  ‘Some,’ Mai acknowledged. ‘In the same way the first cavemen deserved commendations for figuring out that rubbing stuff together makes them hot. I wonder what type of wood gave them that idea. Normally you’d think a hard wood but given the circumstance in question I think it was probably a soft wood they wished was hard.’

  I cranked up the fire from my hand to gain altitude before the wind blew me back over the city.

  “See, piece of cake,” I said to Mai as I passed over the wall and its guards undetected. I was only twenty feet away, I kept the craft low in fear that the craft wouldn’t be able to descend before passing over the city entirely, so all the guards had to do was look straight up, but none of them did. “I bet you’re impressed with my plan.”

  ‘The plan, yes. The execution, significantly less so,’ said Mai.

  “What do you mean? It worked, we’re in,” I said.

  ‘Yeah,’ she agreed. ‘But the job’s not finished yet and things aren’t looking up.’

  “Huh.”

  Mai pointed ahead, ‘It looks like things are more of the crash and burn variety.’

  I followed Mai’s finger. The wind had directed me straight at a tri-tipped spire, whose sharp edges would surely tear my fragile silk balloon. With my only control being the magic fire from my hand, the balloon was incapable of any lateral steering so my only option was to try to go over. I directed more mana to my hand, turning my palm-sized flame into a ten-foot inferno. The blossoming fire scorched my eyebrows and blistered my fingertips. The temperature of the balloon skyrocketed, reducing the weight of the air inside and jerking me upward.

  Relief spread through me as I heard the calming screech of the boat’s bottom scraping against one of the pointed spires.

  “Looks like I’m not going to become a pancake after all,” I said.

  ‘Well…’ Mai pointed behind.

  I turned around to see a spherical ball of fire soaring across the sky in a large arc. Some guard from the wall must have seen me, or more accurately saw the larger flame required for the quick vertical adjustment. But, it wasn't the time to think on such things. While that particular fireball traveled wide of my craft by a large margin, the damage had been done. The fire lit up the sky, revealing my vibrant balloon in stark contrast with the darkened background. Whoever shot the fireball, tossed a couple more until one finally hit its target and my silk balloon burst into flames, releasing the warm air inside.

  “Mai, do something,” I pleaded as gravity took hold and sent us hurtling towards the ground.

  ‘You’ll need 6 toothpicks, 3 sticks of gum, and a pogo stick,’ said Mai.

  “What?”

  ‘Who do you think I am, MaiGyver?’ she said.

  Without the balloon, the boat was little more than a brick. I crouched down in the boat, its hull my only protection as I fell from the sky. The boat hit with a hideous crash, smashing it to bits. Splinters of wooden shrapnel lacerated the exposed parts of my flesh, but it wasn’t as bad as it should have been. I was fortunate. Instead of falling hundreds of feet to the ground, I landed on the edge of one of the floating buildings that littered the inner city skyline.

  This particular structure was a floating earthen island dominated by a large metallic hemisphere in its center. Around the dome lied a narrow earthen path and a metal railway to prevent people from falling over the structure’s side. The railed pathway around the dome eventually led to a bridge, connecting the floating island to a much larger skyscraper.

  I followed the path toward the main building, but before I reached the bridge, I heard movement coming from the far side of the domed building and the other path that ran alongside it.

  “You know you didn’t need to walk me back to my room,” commented a young woman.

  “A gentleman never lets a beautiful young princess walk around alone in the dark,” reasoned a young man whose voice sounded vaguely familiar. I waited patiently from the shadows as the pair walked down the bridge towards the main building.

  “Zelus, I am hardly a princess and you most certainly are no gentleman. Sometimes I think you are more dangerous to me than anything I might run into in the dark,” said the woman.

  The smirk across my face widened as I recognized the name.

  ‘Oh, if it isn’t noble pretty boy. Let’s go say hi. He did give you this crazy idea in the first place,’ said Mai.

  I
ignored her and continued watching.

  “No, no, no, I am a glorious knight, dedicated to preventing stolen virtues,” exclaimed Zelus.

  “Heh, heh,” the woman chortled. “You’ve stolen more virtues than anyone in the city, perhaps the country.”

  “Stolen… My dearest rose, I am no thief. I have only accepted that which was given freely. Would it not have been a greater wrong to refuse such a gift?” countered Zelus.

  Before I could hear the woman make what was sure to be an equally witty retort, their conversation was interrupted by a loud wailing. The sound came from the wall but in what had been the dead silence of night it was still deafening.

  ‘Ooooooo, it looks like fun time is over,’ said Mai.

  “Is that the emergency alarm?” gasped the woman, barely audible over the droning siren. “I’ve never heard it before.”

  “Come on let’s hurry inside,” said Zelus as he started leading the woman beside him away.

  “Wait,” the woman interrupted. “There’s no point in going to bed now. I won’t get any sleep with this racket.”

  “You know a bed can be used for things other than sleep,” Zelus suggested.

  “I’m going back to the focus hall. If I can’t sleep I might as well get some work done,” the woman sighed.

  “I’ll go too,” Zelus insisted.

  The moonlit couple started back towards the domed building.

  ‘Oh, shit. Uhh, hide?’ said Mai before disappearing into nothing.

  It wasn’t like I could do the same. I looked around for somewhere to hide, but there was nothing. To one side was the smooth face of the side of a building and to the other a narrow rail barring a steep cliff.

  “Ahh,” the woman screamed when she spotted me. “You scared me. I didn’t expect someone else out this late.” Zelus’ eyes lit up when he saw me but said nothing.

  “Your hand! Are you alright?” the woman asked. She’d noticed the blood on them. My hands had been scraped up in the crash. The wounds were largely superficial but I hadn’t had the chance to clean them.

  “No, I’m fine. It’s just a scratch,” I said.

  “Are you sure? Here take this.” The woman froze halfway through handing me a handkerchief. She’d noticed the crashed hot air balloon behind me. “Y-Y-You’re the intruder.”

  “It’s not what you think,” I explained as I took a step towards the woman. She took this motion to be hostile and ducked behind Zelus.

  Zelus smiled sneakily. It was a rare opportunity to have this particular lady clutching onto him so vigorously.

  “You cretin, how dare you attack such a beautiful damsel,” Zelus boomed as he drew the rapier secured to his side. I backed away nervously until Zelus gave me a wink.

  “En garde,” said Zelus. I drew my spear, trying to play along, hoping Zelus had something in mind. The spear materialized from nothing. Shocked, the woman clung even more tightly against Zelus’ back.

  “Fear not, for I am here,” said Zelus. “This man had best leave if he knows what’s good for him. Best he run into the main building, down the hallway to the small black door and get down from here rather than have to deal with the likes of me.”

  ‘He isn’t comforting the woman. That message is for you. He’s telling you how to escape,’ said Mai.

  “I’d test your metal, but from the look of it you’ve had a great deal of practice with that sword. So let me pass and I shall be on my way. This young lady was very lucky to have such a fierce defender at her side,” I said.

  I winked back at Zelus and hoped my parting words would bring him better luck than he was having, but from what I saw of the woman he was with I doubted it.

  I left the pair and entered the main building. Following Zelus’ direction, I made my way through empty hallways, past what I assumed to be classrooms despite their spaciousness.

  The hallways were literally made of solid marble, as I was unable to detect any cracks or seams that would indicate it was made of more than one piece. Long maroon carpets covered the floors. A mix of portraits and landscapes a few of which looked quite surreal decorated the walls and ceiling though I suppose in this world it could have just as easily been real. The entire building was lit by floating balls of light that turned on as I passed. I could tell from the décor that there was only one place this could be: Crystalpeak’s infamous magical academy.

  As I went by, I checked each of the doors, looking for the black one Zelus mentioned but found none.

  ‘I think that’s the small door Zelus mentioned,’ said Mai as I reached the end of the hall.

  “What door?” I asked, eyes shifting around nervously.

  ‘That,’ Mai pointed to a black square two feet across set halfway up one of the walls. A pair of hinges at the bottom allowed the square to open into a narrow, foul smelling shaft.

  “Shit,” I muttered under my breath.

  ‘No, trash,’ Mai corrected. ‘Now, into the garbage chute, flyboy.’

  I lowered myself into the garbage chute, silently prayed it didn’t lead straight into the incinerator, and let myself fall.

  A foul wind filled my nostrils as I gradually picked up speed. Fortunately, the chute was narrow so I was able to brace against either side of the tube to slow my descent. My feet grew uncomfortably warm as they grated the chutes rough metal walls. The pain was troublesome but I had no other means to brake and didn’t like my prospects if I fell hundreds of feet unimpeded.

  I crashed at the bottom but because of my reduced speed and the soft landing provided by decomposing refuse, I was only mucked up to high heaven and not otherwise injured.

  The compartment I landed in was little more than a dump. Great mounds of trash filled the room, forcing me to spend several minutes wading my way out. I took note that there were no windows and concluded I was underground. I stumbled around until I reached a stairwell and climbed. After a few levels, I found one that retained the luster of the upper floor on which I’d arrived. However, unlike that upper floor, this one was far from deserted.

  “Spread out,” commanded a deep authoritative voice. “Begin the search with this floor then work your way up. He landed on one of the upper floors so I doubt he could have left yet.” I heard the strumming of a great many footsteps moving off in different directions.

  “The guards are watching the door. What do I do?” I asked Mai.

  ‘We’re on the ground floor,’ Mai yawned.

  “Yes, we are,” I said.

  ‘No,’ Mai started.

  “Yes,” I insisted.

  ‘No, idiot. That wasn’t a question. We are on the ground floor…’ Mai waited for that to sink in and for something to click in my head. When it didn’t she added, ‘We don’t need to use a door. Honestly, sometimes I question who I’m dealing with.’

  I felt sufficiently stupid as I found an empty room and busted through a window, making entirely too much noise.

  “Outside, he’s moving outside,” the same voice commanded. I didn’t have much time.

  ‘Quick, down this alley and at the corner make a left,’ said Mai. A yellow highlighted trail appeared before me, clearly marking the path.

  “You know where we’re going?” I asked.

  ‘I watched while you were running reconnaissance. I can lead you anywhere in the city,’ said Mai.

  I followed the trail down a long straight street leading deeper into the city. As I marched, my footsteps were strangely absent, as was the hiss of my breath. The continuing blare of the siren drowned out all other noise. At least that was until I heard the unmistakable clanks of metal armor from around the corner.

  “Damn,” I said, getting off Mai’s path and down a different street. A few seconds later a dozen guards turned the corner and started marching up the street towards me.

  “What are we going to do now?” I asked. “There’s no way I can go that way.”

  ‘Recalculating… Please proceed to the highlighted route.’ A new path appeared in my vision, directing me aro
und the guards.

  I followed Mai’s directions. Several times the wandering patrols forced us into circles, but after twenty minutes, my goal was finally in sight.

  There it was a giant golden bell, fifteen feet across, encased in a simple white gazebo. The area immediately around the bell was a park with only a few scattered trees. Not enough to keep me concealed. I watched for a few minutes from behind a mansion at the park’s edge, looking for a way to enter undetected but finding none. From my vantage point, I could see the whole park and many of the buildings that circled it. I could see groups of guards carrying torches going from building to building, from one street to the next. There would always be someone with a clear view of the bell.

  ‘Looks like we’re out of options. We just got to make a break for it and hope for the best,’ said Mai.

  I hopped out from my hiding space and made a beeline for the bell. Within ten seconds, I was spotted.

  “It’s him.”

  “The intruder.”

  “He’s in the Central Garden.”

  “Surround him we can’t let him escape.”

  I noticed the same arching light as before in the corner of my eye. The light struck a tree a few feet to my right, instantly bursting it into flame. The guards were willing to burn a random intruder alive rather than try to take me in peacefully.

  ‘Just follow my directions,’ said Mai. ‘I’ll guide you around the attacks.’

  I nodded in agreement. It wasn’t the time to argue.

  ‘Zig left,’ Mai ordered.

  I sidestepped left, avoiding a fireball by the skin of my teeth.

  ‘Zag right.’

  I rolled to the right, narrowly dodging another burst of flame.

  I was thirty feet away. Then twenty. It looked like I was going to make it.

  ‘Now fly like Ironman,’ said Mai.

  “What?” I said.

  ‘Go up. Use fire in your hands to shoot yourself up, like Ironman,’ Mai clarified, but it was too late.

  Sure enough, I flew, but not like Ironman. A final fireball struck me in the back, lifting me off my feet and sending me hurtling forward.