TR: 11

Chapter Eleven: Unseen Masters

The vagabond mounted the last of the steps, stopping a moment to catch his breath. He had counted fourteen thousand and thirty three steps in total. Counting those steps had been perhaps all that had kept him focused and
able to accomplish the daunting task.

The snow pattered down gently, basking the whole area in a gentle blue tinge. He withdrew the hood off of his face and took in the fresh mountain air, breathing out thick motes which stood out against the stark cold of the altitude. A thin blanket of snow covered the temple and the surrounding forest, snow-capped peaks as far as the eye could see. He made his way across the long mezzanine toward the looming temple beyond, silent steps leaving behind a trail of soft footprints. At the entrance to the temple there was a massive jade statue of Trimas, god of the air, fitting, given how high up they were. Under his purview was a single figure, prostate as snow collected on his back, indicating they had been there for some time. The vagabond approached the worshipping figure and made a benediction to the looming god before he withdrew a parcel strung around his shoulder by a leather thong. He knelt down on one knee, bowing his head as he proffered the object to the man before him. The figure sat up slowly and rose silently, turning to the vagabond. The man withdrew his hood to reveal a face wrapped with thick bandages, obscuring his eyes completely. He received the oblong object and unwrapped the sheet enclosing it with gentle, meaningful movements. He held up the sword before him, his eyeless reflection gleaming back at him in the pure white of the blade. He turned the blade just so and the whitewash of the snow cascading around them caused a brilliant flash in the blade which cast them both momentarily in pure, white light. The bandaged man opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. The vagabond looked up at his master and frowned apprehensively. The master stared off, perhaps at nothing, perhaps contemplating things far
larger than the two of them. After a long moment of silence, the master finally spoke.
“This is the finest sword I have ever seen.”

The scene faded and then they were on the ocean, a large frigate crewed with innumerable men and women, though it was not a modern ship, which told of a time long since passed. The waves beat steadily at the hull as the deckhands milled about frantically. Gunfire could be heard in the distance like a constant peal of thunder and a blanket of dark clouds hung heavy over the ocean, casting an oppressive feel to the scene. Beyond the ship were many more; innumerable frigates and warships in a rank and file fashion, sprawled out across the sea as far as the eye could see. It was, at best guess, hundreds of thousands of vessels. Yet, it was still not enough, given what they were up against. Across the span of sea between them was an equally impressive armada, all bearing the black flags and insignia of some unknown party. The battle began and, in a rapid clip, scene by scene flashing by like fragmented images from a film reel, the ships began to dwindle as explosions of wooden shrapnel and flashes of flame popped up like fireworks in the mind’s eye. And so many faces. Too many to count. Were they the lives that were lost? Who were these brave soldiers?

And then there were only two, standing aboard a vestige of a shattered hull, swirling round and round in a torrent of spiraling ocean, as if the sea itself had gone mad. One was a man with white wraps covering his face, holding a long sword with a white blade, pointed at the deck, poised to strike. The other was an imposing figure in a black robe with a strange crooked hat. Their back was turned to the viewer so no features could be made out. Two blades made of flame appeared in the black one’s hands and there was a protracted and tense moment of silence.

And then the two began fighting.

It was like nothing he had ever seen. They moved so fast–impossibly fast–but somehow he was able to track their every move. It was like he was making the moves, as if he was a part of the skirmish. The black one fought formidably, even managed to hack a very-likely mortal gash in the other’s gut, but it was a feign with a purpose, giving the other the opening they needed. With a swift spiral and regrouping, the other lunged and plunged the blade of their sword through the sternum of the black robed figure.

In that moment, the sword pierced him too, and he could feel his insides screaming in pain as the organs were punctured and crippled beyond repair. A fire ignited in him like no other and all he could do was scream as the blade of the sword consumed him, consumed his very being. He watched as the world faded away, colours dissipating to black and his world becoming one of a prison where the walls were endless bone–the bone of the very blade that had ended him. And he screamed, and he screamed, and he screamed…

***

Kade jolted upright in bed, screaming in a panic. As the spectre of the nightmare slipped away, he glanced around the room to find he was no longer in his home, further adding to his confusion. Looking down at the bed upon which he lay, it all slowly came back to him: the cramped gnome mattress, the strange figure who taken him in in the night… He regained his breath and slumped back down against the pillow, wiping the sweat off his face as he exhaled a long sigh.

“What on Rynn was that?” 

The door creaked open and Ponoto stepped into the room.

“I was just about to ask you the same thing? Are you okay? The bed wasn’t that uncomfortable, was it?”

Kade sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “No, just a nightmare was all. Sorry, I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“It’s not me I’m worried about. Lucky for you, these hovels are separated by blades-thick earth. Takes quite a ruckus for the neighbours to hear anything. Useful, in times such as these, when you’re not hoping to have your cren refugees discovered.”

Kade nodded absentmindedly. He rubbed a kink is his neck which had formed mostly in part from the cramped sleeping arrangement. Looking past his feet at the footer of the bed, Kade could see elaborate designs carved into the wood there depicting a leafy filigree of intertwining mushrooms and leaves. He frowned at the artwork.

“What’s with you guys and all the mushrooms, anyhow?”

Ponoto raised an eyebrow. “You mean to say you don’t know?”

Kade met his questioning glance in kind.

“Gnomes and mushrooms. Isn’t that standard protocol for your humans?”

“What do you mean?”

Ponoto chuckled. “Oh, don’t you try and hide it. I’ve been to a few of your towns. Not too uncommon to find a little statuette of a gnome on a toadstool in a local garden shop, no?”

Kade rolled his eyes. “Well that’s just silly. Humans never knew gnomes were real. It was just sort of a…joke, I guess. I don’t why anyone ever thought that. Probably from some fable or something.”

Ponoto held out his hands to either side, a wide knowing smile on his face. “And yet, here we are.”

Kade nodded. “Here you are. Honestly, even I had no idea gnomes were real.”

Ponoto looked honestly surprised by the comment. “How can that be possible? Surely you must know of the fey…”

“Well yes, of course. But where I’m from, it’s a day’s drive until even the nearest elven ruin, let alone any kind of mythical forest like this. Strangest things we have around are…well, mountain lions and bobcats. Nothing even close to exotic. Not until you get out into the islands, anyway. And even those are just stories.”

“You would be surprised how many stories live lives where you wouldn’t expect them. Gnomes are actually quite prolific. I would be surprised if there wasn’t at least an outpost close to your home.”

Kade shrugged. “I guess.”

Ponoto sat down at the end of the bed, turning to look at the footer as he ran his hand over the smooth mahogany.

“But I digress. You had asked about the murzyddaghzyll–the mushrooms–as you call them. Well, that’s a long story. A really long story, but I can distill it down to the fact that they have been a part of our culture and belief systems as long as gnome can recall. If anyone tells you otherwise then they haven’t been paying attention for the last several thousand years. It is said that the ancestors of the gnomes–actually descendants of the duwaruva themselves–were only able to eke out a living in the harsh subterranean environs by sustaining themselves on the scant nourishment that grew there: the mushrooms. As time and tale had it, gnomes grew bonded to them in more ways than just their plate. In fact, some mushrooms are so revered it is a considerable crime to eat them. Some, even, are punishable by death if simply picked.”

Kade raised an eyebrow. “Now I’ve heard it all!”

Ponoto continued. “But the murzhlum, those giant beatific structures that you were lucky enough to lay eyes on in the Sanctum Fungoreum, they are another thing entirely. No one knows who first cultivated them but it is said that some of the Great Sporangia, as they are known to us, are as old as the race itself. While in this city they are little more than an attraction, some serving modest architectural purposes, there are some cities that are built entirely on our out of them. It is quite the sight, I assure you!”

Kade didn’t know what to say. The information was fantastical at best. What did one say to learning about a village made out of…mushrooms?

Ponoto broke the ice by opening the door and motioning out into the main area. “But one digression leads to the next. I am certain that all of this talk of mushrooms has conferred an appetite, no? Why don’t we break-fast together? Food’s still hot. Come when you’re ready.”

Ponoto walked away, disappearing into the smell of ham and eggs, a favorite familiar of Kade’s. Kade’s stomach rumbled like a failing engine and realized he was long past due for nourishment.

Kade walked into the kitchen where Ponoto had his back turned to him, tending to the food on the oven as he slid rashers of ham onto a small gnome-sized plate.

Kade cleared his throat, making his presence known. Ponoto glanced back at him briefly before returning to the meal prep.

“Ah, you’ve decided to join me. Excellent. I think you’ll like what I’ve prepared. I trust the clothes fit well?”

Kade glanced down at the freshly-pressed shirt and pants that Ponoto had given him the night before, almost forgetting that he wore them.

“Uh, yeah. Your son and I, I think we must have been about the same size.”

Ponoto chuckled. “He would have been happy to share his belongings to one in need, such as yourself. On that note, I will be taking those back before you leave. You’ll find your clothes laundered and pressed in the study.”

Kadde nodded his thanks. There was a long moment of silence between them, nought but the sizzle of meat in a pan and the clanking of pots in the sink as Ponoto washed dishes.

“Thanks again for, um, all of your hospitality. I’m sure this is a big risk for you.” Kade chimed in.

“Oh, think nothing of it. It was nice to have another living presence nearby. My son has been gone so long, I almost forgot what it was like to share my quarters.”

Ponoto looked over his shoulder, casting Kade a wry look as he worked. “Though, at times I thought you might have died in your sleep; did anyone ever tell you you are as silent as a vampire in bed?”

Kade rubbed his head. “My mom might’ve mentioned that once or twice, yeah. Beats snoring though.”

Ponoto chuckled. “This is true. But breakfast trumps all, so don’t let yours get cold.”

Kade sidled up to the small gnome table and did his best to sit in the small gnome chair, his knees barely fitting between table and chair. Once he was thoroughly squished into place, Ponoto brought over a steaming plate of food on which was, to Kade’s best guess, at least a half-dozen eggs, four pieces of toast heavily buttered, and a fistful of grilled ham. As Ponoto slid the plate in front of Kade, Kade raised his eyebrows at the man.

“I wasn’t too sure how much a human eats so I did my best guesstimate, based on gnome appetites. Is this okay?”

Kade held back his laughter, realizing he had just been served a bodybuilder’s portion of food. On a good day, Kade would have eaten a quarter of the amount of food in front of him, but Ponoto didn’t need to know that.

“It looks delicious, thanks so much!”

Kade dug in with the small gnome spoon. The food was the best thing he had eaten in days. As he thought about that, he soon realized it was the only food he had eaten in days. Maybe six eggs wasn’t so much after all…

“This is so good.” Kade said between mouthfuls of food. “I didn’t know that gnomes had chickens.”

Ponoto looked up from his newspaper as he chewed on a piece of toast. “Those aren’t chicken eggs, Kade.”

Kade stopped mid-spoonful. “Uh…excuse me?”

“Those there–they aren’t from a chicken. Chickens wouldn’t survive down here underground. They’d go stir-crazy without any sunlight.”

Kade swallowed, nervously, putting his cutlery gently back on the plate. “Um…so, what…”

“Kokorost eggs. It’s a large lizard that frequents the caverns in the outlying areas. We have domesticated them and cultivated them for many uses, one of which is right there on your plate.”

Kade looked down at his plate with newfound horror. “Are you trying to tell me that these are… lizard eggs?”

Ponoto turned back to his newspaper and shoved a spoonful of golden yellow eggs into this mouth. “Kokorost, which is a species of lizard, yes.”

Kade made a face and turned to the side, gagging audibly.

Ponoto chuckled and put down his paper. “Oh you humans, so dramatic. It was just a joke, Kade! Of course those are chicken eggs.” He laughed again and took his empty plate over to the kitchen sink.

Kade sat back up straight, exchanging glances from his plate and the gnome’s back. “I don’t get it. You said…”

Ponoto glanced over his shoulder at Kade while he washed his plate. “What, that chickens don’t live underground? Have you never been on a farm? Chickens don’t care about much other than being fed. I’m pretty sure they would live in the center of a volcano and not complain, so long as there was scratch and enough air conditioning.”

Kade looked down at his unfinished meal and grimaced. Suddenly, he didn’t feel hungry anymore. Ponoto seemed to pick up on this and gently removed his plate, taking it over to the small gnome fridge in the corner.

“We can finish up later, if you wish.”

He sat back down across from Kade and crossed his hands, staring at Kade with that incessant smile that seemed to be pasted on to his face. Something about the gnome creeped Kade out, but he was kind enough to have taken him in and fed him, despite the off-coloured humour.

“So, down to business then. Tell me what your plans are to get your special unmentionable back.”

Kade sorted through his bank of intelligible replies and realized that he had none, so he opted for honesty.

“To tell you the truth, I haven’t got that far.”

Ponoto scratched his chin. “There will be tight security at Acquisition, so if they still have your item and its earmarked for Relegation, you’re going to have multiple problems there.”

None of it made much sense to him but he gave it his best try. “So, what other options are there?”

“Well, if it’s not posted for Relegation then you can always file an appeal for stolen goods, which will then be sent to Records to confirm your claims. From there, it could go any ten which ways; Criminal Affairs, if they deem it to indeed be a crime; Antiquities if it’s found to be a artifact of unique worth, and then on to Curation; or maybe Records finds a match and it passes through Restoration. And then there’s the worst case: if the claimant misfiles something, and then you’re dealing with a whole new headache with Ministration…”

“Jandros Crusp, I get it already! There’s a lot of paper work.” Kade interjected.

“Well, what did you expect? It’s government. But that name–Crusp, where do I know that from? It’s a human prophet, no? Yes, I remember now. A Hexaddai zealot, among the worst of them, if I recall properly. Wasn’t that the one who removed his own testicles in a public sermon to prove he was chosen by the Creator, or some such nonsense?”

Kade rolled his eyes. “Yeah, and it killed him. Shows you what religion is worth.”

Ponoto nodded thoughtfully. “That one, at least. But then why utter his name if it is so meaningless to you?”

Kade frowned as he considered the strange question. To him, the answer was obvious, but perhaps something was lost in translation.

“It’s a curse word. You…humans say things like that when they are angry or frustrated. You know, ’cause it’s kind of funny and feels good to break the rules a the same time.”

Ponoto looked entirely lost. “I’m sorry, I have no idea what rules you are referring to. You humans certainly have…complex emotional lives.”

Kade sighed. “It doesn’t matter. I shouldn’t have said it, anyway. Mom’s always on my case about it. But this just sucks; I don’t know what to do. Everything ends with us losing.”

Ponoto thought on it for a long moment and then tapped his small finger on the tabletop. “Maybe not. You’re not claustrophobic are you?”

Kade was taken aback. “Why do you ask?”

“My plan involves…tight spaces. I think I know a way to get you into Records without them noticing. From there, we could access the data banks and locate the object. If it’s there, that is.”

“At this point, I’m willing to try almost anything. I’m not leaving until I…”

Kade’s eyes caught a glimpse of a headline on the newspaper between them and he pulled it over to him.

“What’s this about?”

Kade eyes glossed over a headline that read: ANOTHER BODY, ANOTHER MYSTERY: The Clockwork Killer Strikes again: at midnight…

Ponoto leaned over to see what Kade was on about and scoffed.

“Oh, that. Drivel, if you ask me.”

Kade looked up at the gnome for a moment then continued to read. “This is crazy: a gnome murderer? Who would of ever thought. This guy’s serious too, by the sound of it. Eight people in the last year. Holy…”

Ponoto rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair as he pulled out a pipe and began puffing on it. “Can’t be that serious with a name like that.”

“Well, it fits the MO, don’t you think?”

Ponoto shrugged. “Sure, but if I were the killer, I’d almost be offended. Sounds like the guy–or girl–hunts down cuckoo clocks for sport.”

“Isn’t that a good thing? Maybe the media’s trying to play it down so they don’t, you know, build up the killer’s ego. I think I remember hearing somewhere that in one of the big cities–Brazen, maybe–that they outright banned naming the killers when they were discovered. Supposed to take away any motivation for future copycats or something like that.”

“You raise good points, Kade. I’m not so sure these ‘murders’ are related, however. This is a large city and there are many dangerous people within it. It’s possible this is all just gang violence.”

Kade’s eyes opened wide in bewilderment. “Gnome gangsters? No way!”

Ponoto looked almost offended. “What? Just because we are four hands tall means we can’t make poor choices?”

“No, not that. I just mean…well, like actual gnome gangsters? With gnome guns too?”

Ponoto crossed his arms, puffing intently on his pipe. “Many gnomes can easily lift their own body weight, Kade. Last time I checked, a human firearm came nowhere near that.”

Kade looked down at the picture of the young gnome man laying on the cobblestone walk, spatters of desaturated blood staining the stones around him.

“Huh. Who knew.”

He turned the page of the paper, noticing that the articles were interspersed between common and some other rune-based language he didn’t recognize. He glossed over the next common-tongue article, something about a missing prince and a delayed wedding. Lots of upset people. Another possible link to the killer. The thought of being in the same space as someone like that–let alone a cramped underground city–gave Kade the chills and he decided to refrain from reading more.

As he began to close the paper, another article caught his eye.

NONE SPARED IN REBELEM. The article detailed how a horrible province-wide storm had recently blown in to Kandel, devastating many of the towns on the east coast of the continent. Apparently, thousands were forced to evacuate due to flooding and hurricanes.

“Oh no. This is not good.”

“What is it?” Ponoto leaned in and saw the article that Kade was eyeing.

“Ah, yes, very sad that. Looks like most people survived but many homes were lost. Those are very old communities as I understand it. Come to think of it, Gammonorazhijlstyk is in that catchment. My ex wife has relatives there. I should send a pigeon to make sure they are okay.”

Kade looked up from the paper, water in his eyes. “Pigeons? That’s all you can think about? My mom could be in danger!”

Now it was Ponoto’s turn to look surprised. “Kade, I am so sorry. I didn’t know…”

Kade threw the paper down and bolted for the door.

Ponoto shot up, his chair skidding loudly against the earthen floor. “Now you just wait one moment. Where do you think you are going?”

Kade stopped at the door and turned back to the gnome. “I have to help my mom! You read that thing, Hollow’s on the coast. They were hit the worst. She’s all alone. I…”

“Can do nothing at this point, Kade. Whatever damage has been done has been done. It can’t be undone, so what is the point in going now? Besides, do you have any idea how far you are from there? Weren’t you just telling me last evening that you hadn’t realized where you were up until a day ago? It would take you weeks to get there, and that is if you can find adequate transportation. And I don’t know about you but I haven’t seen anything like that in these woods, or anywhere close for that matter.”

“I could make my way to the nearest city…”

“Which is days away on foot, Kade. And even if you could find your way out of the deepwoods, what then? Do you even know where you mother might be, if she…”

“If she what? Survived? Is that what you were going to say? It was, wasn’t it. So just say it then!”

Ponoto cast his eyes to the floor. “I am sorry Kade. I meant no offense. It is clear to me that she means a great deal to you and…”

“She’s all I have.” Kade said, a tear rolling down his cheek. He began to sob.

Ponoto walked over to the youth and put a warm hand on his shoulder. “I too have lost someone Kade. I cannot know your pain specifically but I do know pain. It is a face I never wish to see again. Unfortunately, it is not one you easily forget.”

Kade wiped his face with the sleeve of his jacket. “Thanks, that makes me feel so much better.”

Ponoto smiled. “Sometimes, the truth–even the nastiest parts of it–is what we need to hear to move forward. Just know that your pain means that you still have love in your heart. That is much more than can be said about many.”

Ponoto went quiet, returning to his dark place as he considered his own words.

Suddenly thrust into another awkward space, Kade considered making for the door. Sensing his hesitation, Ponoto grasped his wrist.

“Wait. This object–you don’t have to tell me what it is–but…do you think that, if we can get it back, you could sell it easily enough?”

Kade reefed his hand away and eyed the gnome suspiciously. “Why do you ask?”

Ponoto’s eyes flickered side to side as his mind worked something out. He met Kade’s eyes with a newfound look of resolve.

“I know someone who may be able to get you out. Of the deepwoods, I mean.”

Kade looked confused. “But I thought you said…”

“That is was a matter of time, Kade. I said it would take weeks by foot, but flying is another matter entirely.”

“Flying? I don’t understand.”

“Did you happen across the main hall during your trespasses?”

Kade grimaced at Ponoto’s bluntness. He had candour, Kade gave him that much.

“Tall room, circular, with lots of tables and lights and stuff?”

Ponoto nodded. “That’s the one. Did you notice all of the trellises around the room? They are property of the palace Rookery, used for events such as this. I happen to know the Head Rooksman and he owes me a favour.”

“I don’t follow…”

“There are more than the King’s doves in the rookery, Kade. Much larger things. Follow now?”

Kade nodded slowly as it donned on him as to what the gnome referred.

“So, I ride some giant bird or lizard out of here? How will I get past the guards? That doesn’t sound, uh…discreet.”

“It isn’t, and it won’t be. That’s why I need to know how much your object could be pawned for. This will take bribery and calling in favours. That takes money. I don’t like to owe people, Kade. It’s my one rule.”

Kade didn’t like the pressure he was feeling from the gnome. If he told him he thought it was worth something, it may give away the object’s true nature, and Kade couldn’t bear the thought of someone else sharing in that splendor. It belonged to him and him alone. Why should he share it? The thought of parting with it–parting with that experience–made him want to vomit then and there. But then he thought of his mother, perhaps alone and terrified. The scales were tipping and Kade couldn’t tell which way. He swallowed and took a deep breath.

“I don’t know how much it’s worth, but I think it had some gold on it. Do gnomes value that the same?”

Ponoto stared at Kade with an expressionless look on his face, as if he were a living polygraph. Kade shifted, fearing that the gnome could sense the misdirection. A smile slowly crept onto Ponoto’s face. For once, the creepy grin gave him relief. Ironic how much a blank stare can say.

“Yes, in that regard, we are the same, I am happy to say. Gold–real gold–can fetch a fine price at market. Gnomes have somewhat of a penchant for jewellery, similar to our dwarven cousins, I’m afraid. Let’s hope our fates are not also tied.”

Kade nodded. “Yeah, I try not to think about that kind of stuff. Pretty scary that an entire race could basically disappear.”

“Indeed. But that is the past, this is now. Are you ready to go on a treasure hunt, then?”

“You make it sound a lot more fun that it probably is. But yeah, let’s get out of this place. I’m feeling a bit cramped.”

Ponoto chuckled. “Oh, the cramping is just beginning, my friend.”

***

Kade groaned as his shoulders pressed into the walls of the cart. Hemmed in by instruments and various other hodgepodge that belonged to the gnome, Kade found himself rattling along inside Ponoto’s vendor cart, clearly not designed to house humans. It had been a terrible idea: he could feel every little bump and imperfection in the floor under him and was pretty sure half his teeth were ready to fall out from all the jarring motions. Why couldn’t gnomes learn to pave their streets? It had already been nearly fifteen minutes in the bloody thing. If they went down one more staircase…

Finally, Kade heard a door open and saw the light change to a soft interior hue through the cracks of the sliding doors on the side of the cart. There was an unfamiliar voice which Ponoto engaged.

“Benthylragmizhandyl, good to see you! How are the kids.”

There was a non-committal grunt and some barely audible mumbling.

“Ah, well such is life. Can’t always play the hand that is dealt to you. Alas, here we are in end times, and I bring you nothing but refuse. I feel an apology is almost in order.”

There was a sigh and then the other gnome cleared his throat. “Any items to be acquired can be logged in form six B. Once it’s completed, drop it off to records for processing. After seventy-two hours…”

“Actually, Ben, I was hoping you might do me a favour?”

The gnome called Ben grunted. Kade couldn’t be sure if it was a question or a very unwelcome response. Ponoto didn’t seem to care.

“I’ve got an appointment in ten minutes, and it’s clear across town. If I go now, I can make it, but I won’t have time to log all this stuff. And trust me, it’s a lot of stuff. Don’t know if any of it’s good but, I’ll tell you what…” Ponoto lowered his voice. “…Anything you find that you like, well…let’s just say, it escaped the log. Understand?”

Another grunt and then a sigh. “If I didn’t owe you for…you know what, you’d never catch me sorting through your junk. I don’t do this kind of thing for any other scavengers, you know that, right?”

“Ah, but I am not just any other scavenger, no? Besides, it’s not a rush, anyhow. Get to it when you can. I’ll be happy to get fifty credits for the lot.”

“Don’t set your standards too high.” Ben murmured under his breath.

Ponoto chuckled. “Is that the real Acquisition slogan?”

“Very funny. We don’t do slogans.”

“Hmm, well maybe it’s time that you got one. Might brighten up this place.”

“There’s already a lot of light in here. Downright perturbs my photo-sensitivity. But HR doesn’t listen, no…”

“Bye, Ben.”

With that, Ponoto left the cart with the disgruntled gnome. There was a flurry of muted cursing as pen etched on paper for a time. Eventually, the gnome got out of his chair, creaking loudly from the shift of weight and Kade could hear the distinct sound of tape being rolled out as something–presumably forms–were pasted on to the outside of the cart. Once that was done, Kade felt the cart shift again and they were rolling once more. The entire time Kade was being maneuvered through Acquisition, Ben the gnome grumbled to himself. He was a very unhappy person, it seemed.

“Ugh, what in Rynn is in this thing? Did that bastard bring back every rock on the beach? Ooh, my poor back. This was supposed to be administrative work. Administrative work, the ad said. Pray to Drossk, preserve me.”

Eventually, after a multitude of doors opening and shutting, they pass through a final set of doors and the muted tintinnabulation of many voices emerged en force, among a mix of the rustle and bustle of people moving objects and pacing about, the intermittent chiming of bells and buzzers and the dissonant rattle of machines. They proceeded into the room–the Sorting Room–as Ponoto had explained would happen, and came to a stop.

“What do we have here?” came another voice, a woman’s.

“Who knows? Feels like a box of cement, if you ask me.”

“You’re out of shape Ben. Give it a rest and leave it with me.”

Another grunt and Ben was off.

Kade’s heart raced as there was a tug at the latch from the outside. Several more tugs and the woman cursed.

“What is this? Bloody thing won’t open. Hmm? Wait, there’s a lock on it. Is this thing…yeah it is. Who locks a cart from the inside? Bloody idiot. Ben’s gonna have to call this guy back and get the key. I can’t do anything with this.”

Thing was, Kade had the key. And it was locked from the inside. It was all a part of their plan.

“Jerome, get over here and take this to Pending. Idiot forgot to unlock it. Can’t get inside.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“And don’t forget to fill out form 72J! I don’t want anymore misfiles this month. Got it?”

“Yes ma’am.”

***

Ennious sat down in the high-backed chair behind his desk which was characteristically unadorned with clutter. In fact, there wasn’t much to speak of in the office as a whole, save a single picture of a mountain valley and a simple flowering plant in the corner. Brian found some relief in the space as everything was electronic and in-your-face those days. It was a pleasant respite from the usual craziness of it all.

Ennious clasped his hands together on the desk and smiled at Brian who sat across from him.

“So…”

Brian’s gaze meandered about the room and settled on the man. “So…what now?”

“What are your thoughts on this place?”

“Well, to be honest, I find it strange that a monk should have an office. Seems to defeat the purpose of being nomadic and all.”

“Ah, there you are misinformed, I’m afraid. Not all monks are errant, you know. This monastery is very much a home to us all. It has been to the order for time immemorial. Even so, I am an abbot, and abbot’s have no shortage of work, I can assure you. Without an office, I’m not sure how I would manage, to be honest. Here, take a look at this.”

Ennious pulled a large book out of a drawer of the desk and lay it out between them. He thumbed through it and Brian leaned forward, trying to make sense of all the scrawl.

“This is a ledger which I use to catalogue all of the year’s work.”

“That’s a lot of to-dos.”

“And this only represents one wing of the monastery. There are others, some much more voluminous.”

“Wow. I don’t know how you manage. But why tell me all of this?”

Ennious sighed and put the book away. “We digress. I was wondering what you thought of the monastery, not the office.”

“I…I don’t know what to think, to tell you the truth. I’m not quite sure what I saw in there.”

Ennious nodded. “Most are confused, like you, but there comes a point when one must admit that fact and fiction are often a divide in the mind, not in the real world.”

“Are you trying to tell me that I need to accept that aliens exist?”

Ennious shrugged. “Hardly so. A higher race, absolutely. Their origin remains undetermined. Few scholars even know about them at all.”

“How can that be? With the hundreds of thousands of satellites orbiting the planet, ships and shuttles buzzing about in the far reaches of the system daily, you’d think someone would’ve seen something.”

“It is a good observation but I fear the reason these predecessors have remained hidden so well is that they hide in plain sight: on Rynn itself, buried in the dust of time.”

Brian crossed his arms and thought on it. “I don’t know. It seems like something’s missing…”

“Exactly!”

Ennious’s sudden burst of enthusiasm startled Brian.

“Now I’m missing something…”

“But that’s just it, Brian: how could the multitude of sentient races that walk this planet exist for thousands of years without even noticing such a thing?”

It was a rhetorical question, Brian knew that, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

“It’s like… maybe someone did notice, but there were no records?”

Ennious clapped a congratulation. “There, you have it.”

“But if there were no records, does that mean…”

“Something happened to the ancestors before they could make a record, yes.”

“What?”

A serious look stole over the monk’s face and he leaned back in his chair, rubbing the bristles of hair on his chin. “Indeed, it is a question that racks my mind constantly. Do you know why this order exists?”

Brian shook his head. “No idea. I hadn’t even heard of this place before today.”

“Like all Golteryn denominations, we seek to spread knowledge through the Old ways. However, as the Order has uncovered something…unique in Nadek M’Narr, we have evolved, so-to-speak. Over the centuries, our headmasters have cultivated somewhat of a relationship with these ancient beings, a kind of…academia devoted to them.”

“You mean that you study them?”

“In a sense, yes. There isn’t much to go on but we have learned much. For example, we know that the Relica are related to them in some way.”

“The Relica, you mean the heritage monuments around the world? Like the Ketanetteka in Vos?”

“Yes, or the Orovid in Chag’r Desh or the Tarqq outside the Kainese capitol, and the others. Seven in total, at least that we know about.”

“What do these guys have to do with those? I thought the Kaldan built those.”

“There, I may shine some light, given that the Kaldan are something of a focus for our kind. You see, we have come to discover that the Kaldan too were intertwined with these ancient beings in some way. We believe that, sometime, perhaps millions of years ago, the predecessors–as we’ve come to call them here at the monastery–came to Rynn. As cren and the other higher forms began to evolve, the ancients saw an efficient means of labour in us lower beings.”

“You mean…they used us as slaves?”

“Perhaps, or perhaps more than that. It is possible that we eventually became experiments.”

“Experiments? For what?”

“Alas, I do not know. There is little to speak of that suggest this, only conjecture and reasoning, but the pieces seem to fit. Did you know that, connecting all of the Relica, an extensive under-ground cavern system exists?”

“Sure, that’s common knowledge. But didn’t the dwarves build that?”

“Once again, history is steeped in ignorance. Ask any geologist what they think of the age of those catacombs and they will tell you a very different story. As it turns out, those caves predate even the dwarves, going back several million years before the first dwarf drew its beginning breath.”

“To the time of our friends, the bug people…” Brian trailed off in thought.

“It seems so.”

Suddenly, it all call came crashing back down on Brian–why he had come to the monastery. Seeing his expression change, Ennious nodded.

“Yes, it is all quite a lot to take in at first, I must admit…”

“No, that’s not it. Underground–you said that the system was under ground.”

Ennious frowned. “I don’t see the importance in…”

“My friend: he’s underground, right now! At least, he was when I left him. Damn, how long has it been? I’ve got to go!”

Brian made for the door then stopped as he realized that he had no idea how to find his friend and that he was in the same place that he had been before running into the ogre.

“I sense conflict in you. How can I help, Brian?”

“What do you know about gnomes?”

“Gnomes? That is an odd question. One of the Greater Fey folk. They’ve been known to be seen in the area.”

“Oh, they exist, that’s for sure. One little bugger stole…ah, it’s not important. I need to know how to find their lair. Or…wherever it is that they live. It’s underground somewhere, I know that much.”

Seeing the consternation in Brian’s face, Ennious could tell that the missing boy meant a good deal to him.

“Hmm. That will be a challenge, to be certain. There are likely many such gnome habitations and there is no telling how they are connected, if at all. Do you have a general idea of where this gnome–and your friend–may have went?”

“I do. Well, I did, before I got turned around. I think it’s a shot in the dark at this point. Arghhh…”

Brian rubbed his head as he paced around the room. “I shouldn’t have let him go it alone. What kind of person am I to send a kid underground like that? A kid?”

“I will point out that you yourself are hardly out of childhood. Perhaps then this too is a childish mistake?”

“Thanks for that. Makes me feel so youthful.”

“Ah, I see you have met Storjyk, the god of twisted tongues.”

Brian cast the monk a questioning look.

“Sarcasm, Brian. But back on topic, I have considered your plight and I have good news and bad news.”

“Let’s have it. Cant’ be any worse than where I’m at.”

“The bad news is that I cannot help you find your friend, as I know little to nothing about the gnome species.”

Brian sighed and slumped against a wall, sliding down until he was squatting.

“I don’t see how any light can be shined on that.”

“Not necessarily so. The good news is, I may know someone that can help you.”

Brian stood up. “Really? Who?”

Ennious pulled open a lower drawer and rifled through it until he found what he was looking for. He pulled out a flat, grey disc with a strange symbol on it and handed it to Brian. Brian looked at the object and cast the monk a quizzical glance before taking it.

“It best not to think in terms of ‘who’, in this instance.”

Brian ran his thumb over the insignia, turning the object over as he examined it.

“What is this? Or is it best not to think in terms of ‘what’ either?”

The monk laughed. “It is a compass, of sorts. I cannot tell you where it will lead you, only that wherever it ends up being, you will find help there. I can also tell you I will miss your company, disciple of Storjyk.”

Brian put the disc in his pocket, looking rather disgruntled. “Why do I feel like I haven’t gotten any further ahead, and instead I have a hole burning through my shorts?”

Ennious remained silent.

“I get it. Don’t have to tell me twice. Thanks for the uh…enlightening stories.”

He patted his hip. “And the paperweight.”

Brian rolled his eyes and walked out of the room, leaving behind a chuckling monk that, Brian was fairly certain, was somewhat out of his mind.