Dinner – a good, hearty stew with some fresh bread and pie – was soon consumed and dealt with, and Colin had the Wards plus extras gathered in the upstairs sitting room they'd been given to use. They had some mugs of mulled cloudy apple juice (with Madelynne reminding them that in Sigil, like most places outside of North America, "cider" is
alcoholic), and a cheery fire helped ward off some of the chill of the evening.
"After going over the information given to you," Colin stated in what everyone called his Armsmaster Briefing Voice, "I have decided to allow you to go out and perform those tasks in exchange for the materials you need." He began spreading maps of the city and of a set of cellars and tunnels out on the low table in the middle of the room.
"It appears that your objective lies in a series of abandoned cellars of a demolished manor," he continued, "which is located on the border between the Lady's Quarter and the Twilight Quarter, casually called the graveyard district. The thieves who took the necklace have holed up in the tunnels and cellars. They are in the employ of a minor villain named Avanth Talbot, who had hired them to steal materials required for his experiments. These plans are for the known status of the cellars, but you should expect changes to have been made."
"Avanth is a warlock," Maddy picked up. "He's granted arcane abilities by an otherworldly being, to prepare the way for his master's coming. He's been run out of three villages and towns on the Ring so far, and if he's proven to be doing the same things here, the Watch will be happy to take him. He's known to have a few minions, some normals, some not."
With a gesture, an image of a skeletal figure wearing robes and carrying what might have been called used equipment several years prior appeared in the air. "This is what locals call a deathlock. They're warlocks who were overwhelmed by their master's power and died, only to rise as undead, driven by their master's goals and ambition. Two are known to haunt the tunnels, and are likely working for Avanth now."
"Undead? Like zombies and skeletons?" asked Vicky.
Colin nodded. "Somewhat more powerful than the skeletons currently stalking old Civil War and Revolutionary War battlefields, but yes. Deathlocks apparently have some magical ability left to them."
"Even within Sigil there are a few of the common hazards of abandoned tunnels and cellars, such as trappers and mimics, to be wary of." Madelynne finished. "Trappers are ambush predators. They imitate large sections of floor, and engulf you when you step on them. Mimics, as their name implies, mimic common items, such as a chest or bag but mostly things of stone, wood, or metal, but otherwise function pretty much the same as trappers. Some mimics may be intelligent, and will gladly reveal information about their surroundings for food. A few even make good pets, and help keep vermin out of your cellar and attic."
"I would refrain from bringing back any otherworldly pets," Colin mentioned. "The paperwork is long and arduous to fill out, and is pretty much sure to be rejected."
"Understood, sir," Dennis said. "When do we set out?"
"We've got important business tomorrow," Colin answered. "We'll go over equipment needs – beyond weapons and armor – after that. So we'll set out in two days."
"I'll contact Yasmina and tell her we'll undertake her task," Madelynne added. "The risk shouldn't be too bad. The truly dangerous beings in Sigil and the Ring are very well known, and are very polite and civil about things. She doesn't tolerate anything that won't follow Her rules, after all. The last one who tried…" Madelynne's voice trailed off, and then she shivered.
"A rather final ending?" Taylor asked.
"You might say that."
= = = = = = = = = = = =
In one part of the Bazaar, there is a food area called "The Grease Pit" by the natives. Most of the merchants who ran food carts in the Bazaar and market had their homes there, alongside inns, taverns and eateries that specialize in cheap, fast, tasty and plentiful food. Just choose three of the four.
Three of the four people sitting at a table in one such place were definitely taking advantage of all but the second. Two women, both appearing to be related to each other, perhaps an older and younger sister, sat on one side of the table, and two men sat opposite them.
The two women were tall, the one with longer hair being taller than the one with a pageboy cut. Both had generous assets, blue eyes and apparently atrocious table manners. They were wearing nice clothes, if a bit travel worn. Backpacks and haversacks hung over the backs of their chairs.
The two men were nearly opposites. One was taller, with long blond hair streaked with gray. He had a substantial pile of plates in front of him, but had slowed down and was enjoying a tankard of cider. He wore a blue tunic and trousers and a long sword hung, peace-tied in its scabbard, at the back of his chair. His face had lines from age and being out in the weather most of his life, and his blue eyes watched the goings on around him.
His companion had bluish-gray skin, with what appeared to be rocks embedded in it. His hair was gray and spikey. He wore his normal, sun bleached traveling clothes
sans cowl. Like his companion, a sword hung off the back of his chair.
"This has been a long chase," he finally said. "The last mention of Luna's whereabouts is at this inn."
"As we've had little luck trying to find Lina on our own," the shorter of the two women said, "we all agreed we will try to find her and pool our resources, but now
this lead is running dry."
"I know, Amelia, I know," he groused.
"At least the food here is good, Zelgadis," Amelia said. "And cheap."
"It has been so long since I saw my old partner and rival," the older of the two women said before taking a long pull from her tankard. "I wonder how she is doing these days? Leading us on such a merry chase across the worlds."
"Wouldn't you normally do the laugh thing after saying that?" the other man asked.
"Normally, Gourry, I would," she admitted. "However, the ruler of this fine province asked that I not do so, lest I raise the ire of some of the inhabitants, who could give some of your old foes a run for their money."
"Yeah, I don't want to fight a Gaav, Rezo, or Phibrizo in a built up area like this," Gourry added. "Too many people to get hurt, too many buildings to get wrecked, and they'd all be after us for doing it. If they lived."
"Yeah, Lina got tired of the people chasing her all the time, and the kingdoms running her out after some big-bad would try to enact some scheme," Amelia mused. "Those were fun times."
"You, little sister," said the older of the two women, "have a strange idea of fun."
"At least you don't wear that tacky and lewd outfit anymore, Gracia," Amelia retorted. "You looked like some street walker or adventuring tramp."
"
That outfit belonged to our mother, and was the height of adventuring couture when she was a sorceress!"
"So, Zelgadis?" Gourry asked his companion, as the two women got into a quiet argument about questionable adventuring fashion.
"Yeah, Gourry?"
"Care for some pie? The apple's supposed to be pretty good."
"You know, why not?"
= = = = = = = = = = = =
Kenta was still traveling the shore road, his companion staying nearby, occasionally indulging her curiosity, walking quietly alongside him, or engaging him in idle talk as they walked. She rarely needed a warning to not wander off. There had been no further problems with
yokai since that time in the inn, but a big man with a small child drew some attention.
He sometimes would stop and help some villagers for a few coins, or some food for him and Tsukiko, and maybe shelter from a storm that rolled in from the ocean for a couple of days, but then they would be on their way again.
"Wow," Tsukiko exclaimed from the rocky point they had paused at. "It's like the land ends, and there's nothing but sea."
Kenta nodded. "It does appear that way. Yet there are islands out there, so far away that it might take a boat several days to reach them. And much further, other lands."
"Are we going there?" the little fox asked.
"No," Kenta answered after a moment. "We're going to continue on the road back towards the inland sea. I think we'll stop in Issai-cho for the night, since the few fishermen in the village are busy fishing for the next few days. We'll take the mountain road from there to Amaji."
"OK," Tsukiko answered, hopping down off the rock. "Oji-san, why do you keep traveling?"
"Do you know about the
kami?"
"Uh-huh," the little fox answered as the pair returned to the road. "We pay them respect, or ask them for something, at shrines. Sometimes they answer, sometimes they don't."
"Well, a kami has set me on a journey, to learn something before I reach its end…"
= = = = = = = = = = = =
Taylor lay in her bed, looking up at the ceiling of her room. She'd recently unlocked another circle of spells, ones that were granted to her by her patrons. And of the ones she had available, there was one that was causing her problems due to its implications. She could now bring back the not so recently dead, provided their spirit or soul was free to come back and they wanted to. And it would work for people who'd been dead a hundred years.
There were some drawbacks to using the ritual. The person brought back would be bedridden for days, as would the caster, so that had to be prepared for. It required the consumption of what would be something very valuable, namely a large diamond of the clearest color and cut with no flaws. It also required that she touch the remains, meaning those had to still exist.
And she found herself asking the question, "
Should I bring my mother back?"
It would make her father happy, to have what he suddenly lost back. She would have part of her life she thought lost returned to her. Was this selfish of her, to want this? To want a bit of happiness returned to her? She would be asked why she didn't return someone
important, like Hero. What answer would she give them as to why? Would she be cursed? Vilified? Would people who thought they knew better take her again, to force her to do what they wanted? That had one outcome that would end poorly for everyone involved, as it would result in a lot of death and destruction by fire and magic.
There were too many questions she didn't know the answers to. She wanted someone, something, to tell her it would be OK. That she would be making the right decision. That she'd used this awesome power wisely. Because she sure couldn't answer it herself.
She got up and shucked her night clothes, putting on a tunic for everyday wear and some pants, along with her indoor slippers. She set a waypoint to return to her room here into her ring that allowed her access to her lair, and went out and down to the main floor of the house.
She could hear Madelynne talking with someone in a low voice. Even speaking her native dialect of Elvish, her voice was distinctive. She came to the door of the bard's office / study / workroom, and knocked. The door soon opened, revealing Madelynne in her pajamas (complete with bunny slippers) and the person she'd been talking to via a magic mirror.
The woman looked at Taylor, carefully studying her expression and body language. "You look troubled," she said. "Give me a moment to finish my conversation with my oldest sister, OK?"
Taylor nodded. She was directed to a comfortable chair on the far side of the room to wait in while Maddy finished up with something that was probably "Something's come up, I'll give you a call back in a bit" in Elvish. The image of the sister looked at Taylor, nodded, and gave a farewell before the mirror went dark.
"What's on your mind? Wouldn't Armsmaster or one of your teammates be better to talk to? Not that I mind," Madelynne asked.
"Actually, I was just going to tell you I was stepping out to my lair for a moment," Taylor admitted. "I've set a return point in the room I'm using, and wanted to know if that would cause a problem. But yes, I've got a lot of things on my mind."
"Well, you stepping out shouldn't cause a problem, especially coming back. Though you might get routed back to the entryway of the house instead of your room. Maybe, though, I can help?" Maddy took a chair near Taylor.
"My mother was taken from my father and I suddenly, a couple of years ago," Taylor explained. "I just recently unlocked the circle where I can bring back the not-so-recently dead, and am asking myself – should I do it?"
"Ah, the hard questions," Maddy said quietly. "I've had to wrestle with that one a couple of times. And bringing the dead back falls under the divine, not the arcane, so it can have bigger consequences." She sighed. "What do you believe in, Taylor? What do you place your faith in? I don't need the answer to that. But you need to find out for yourself what that answer is. I can only try and point you in the right direction, which would usually be to a priest of whatever religion you're a member of." She tapped the ring on Taylor's left ring finger. "Possibly not the best deity for the job, but probably a good starting point. And for that, you'd need to leave the Ring, because The Lady can be touchy about those matters."
Taylor nodded. "My lair isn't on the Ring, nor is it back home on Earth Bet."
"That should suffice, then," Maddy replied. "And I don't want to know any more about where it is. How long do you expect to take?"
"I don't know," Taylor honestly answered. "If I'm not back by breakfast, let them know, OK?"
"Sure. And don't worry, it'll all work out, somehow."
Taylor nodded, and then stood. "Thank you. 𝔏𝔞𝔦𝔯!"
With that, she was gone.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
When Taylor arrived, she noted that someone was in her lair. Mainly because the space was lit, because despite not having invited them, it didn't feel like an intrusion. Sitting at the table were two figures. One she had seen before and talked to in his own library. The other she was unfamiliar with, though the woman bore some resemblance to Amy. An older, hopefully wiser, and somewhat sadder Amy.
"Hello, Taylor," Bahamut said. "This is Tamara, my sister."
"Hello, Taylor," Tamara said. "I've been wanting to meet you for a long time."
Bahamut nodded. "You have questions. If we do not have the answers you seek, perhaps we can offer guidance and wisdom."
Tamara nodded. "And cookies, too." Sure enough, a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies was on the table in front of her. "Ask your questions, child, and we will do our best to answer."
