“So that’s...”

He couldn’t find words to describe what he was seeing. However he looked at it he couldn’t think of a fitting description or adjective.

Impressive?

Too weak.

Enormous?

Too limited.

Astounding?

Not really either.

“Yeah, Kou’alSol, the pearl of Hei Sohoel,” Gertie marveled in devout pride.

Kou’alSol was gigantic, rivaling All-Mag’Ick in size easily, but at the same time much more lively. That was even ingoring the space that was taken up by the river, as in All-Mag’Ick everyone needed more space for whatever they had going on. Be it experiments still running or some gone wrong. Again. Time and space were flexible things in the magical city until the magicians were ready to set things right. Though, too be honest, in that process it was just as likely that another few things went wrong first that may set the original strangeness back to normal just to cause other unusual phenomena that couldn’t be solved with the cause of it naturally.

Kou on the other hand was a melting pod of different cultures and had two dominating cultural influences you could easily make out in the buildings. On one side of the river there were buildings with different stories and pagodas, on the other side of the river you could see clay buildings, with poles going up beyond the roofs to build up another floor or using it as a balcony of sorts. In between the tightly built city there were stately buildings, standing out with their grandeur. There you could see a golden cupola with a grand gleaming disk on top of it, there a white palace with shiny green pagodas and rising up a number of stories and other grand structures that just mixed the two very different styles to create something else entirely. Nic could make out some statues, just an arm or head or raised weapon being visible in between the densely packed buildings.

As fascinating and overwhelming as it was Nic started to get worried. How was he supposed to find Ivan in that metropole?

As lowbrow as Gertie sometimes seemed, she was in truth as sly as they come and anything else but from an ivory tower. Within the remaining day she had haggled her way through half if not the complete local underworld, sold her goods for many a times higher price than they were worth and gotten them lodging they had paid for months in advance, three meals a day included. At least something like that, Gertie was fluent in the local tongue and Nic had understood about a fifth and probably gotten that wrong as well as it had just been words he had heard somewhere before, but wasn’t even all that sure about meaning in the first place.

At least in this part of the city, they had gone to the port in the northern part and had been running down narrow streets a good while until Gertie had seemed satisfied. Nic was lost after a few minutes and just followed along, the sea serpent had just swum away after a final lick to his face. Kwez on the other hand seemed bored but took in the clay walls to either side nonetheless.

Nic had not had the same problem in Aquatica, but that might have been because of its history. The first settlers there had originally been from his continent, and he just had to deal with a bit of a different accent and not a totally different language. Sure, they spoke whatever they did in Kou as well, but that was used for trading mainly.

Right, he probably should think about what to do there.

Kou was different in another way as well. The people had all kinds of dark skin color, be it a yellowy ochre or a caramel-like brown spanning to darkish anthracite and all the nuances in between. Nic with his pale skin stood out like a beacon in comparison, though at the moment still rather because his skin was about as red as his hair. If just in passing, but still. Darn sunburn. His hair was as exotic, as he had seen mostly brown hair in different shades, a few black and rare one or two blondes and even that was sparse it seemed.

He was on his own and had wandered into the bustling streets, trying to get himself understood with gestures and hand signs, but that went more often poorly than not. It was an adventure ordering something to eat.

Maybe he could try going to the port, there had to be some people who could point him to someone or something for learning. Or maybe some merchants had someone to spare for teaching some basics. He really didn’t like being dependent on Gertie, as fluent as she could talk, taking her along anywhere was bound to be trouble.

And if he had no success at the port on this side he still could take a ferry to the other one. The river was broad enough and Kou itself vast, so it had more than one port, though one was used for the marine forces and such. The others were solely for trading, as far as Nic knew, so he could surely find someone speaking his own language and have them give him some pointers. The ferries themselves were always brimming with passengers and goods, there never seemed to be a quiet minute.

With the trade there had been certain things that made the city seemingly one to never sleep. Many streetlights he could recognize from All-Mag’Ick, as long as you had appropriate manastones you had light in the night. And in the dessert there were enough monsters, so there was no shortage of the things. It was all interesting, but not much for him. Or the problem he had an immediate need of solving, that is.

Nic had not yet seen much though, the city was divided into a number of districts, separated from each other by walls and such – until someone just built a house on top of it that is.

You could see the two dominating influences in the buildings, but how that came about exactly was something he would have to read about in the library. The history behind it was surely interesting.

Anyway, he was hopeful enough to find someone or something to help him learn. Why did he not check whether his scroll or his book had something about that? Well, after the last happenings he was reluctant to do so, especially with Kwez interfering when he deemed it necessary, or the mood just took him to do so. Plus, his imagination was running a bit wild, and he had nightmares, but it probably wouldn’t be that terrible in reality21, if he was being honest.

In any case, he really wasn’t keen on a repeat performance of such incidences. Or would rather not try something, even if curious enough, as long as Kwez could disturb him in any way, shape or form. The hard part was rather to convince the annoying critter to just go with Gertie and Archie for a few hours...

A few days later Nic was about ready to call it quits and more than tempted to open the scroll. He had been to different districts but hadn’t found anything. The sailors on the ports had been not all that helpful, though that was a bit of a tossup as he could now at least fluently curse in the local tongue. Which did not help him make any other connections, as the cussing was probably of the very vulgar kind and when grown men turned away blushing you knew what kind of cussing it was. And trying to convey meaning was a bit hard with gestures, the misunderstandings weren’t funny. Not at all.

He was especially turned off of fish, as someone had just grabbed him to try out a local specialty, which consisted of swallowing living fish whole. And the thing wasn’t even all that tiny. He still could remember the slithering feeling down his throat, he shuddered.

The red-light district was another thing of strangeness to him. Loose women all nice and dandy. Men dressing up as women or the other way around, fine, even outside of the various theatres, alright. But why in the blazes he had been offered sweets left, right and center was a bit of a mystery to him and some people wanting him to go along to who knew where was a bit much. Thankfully he was nimble and just vanished into the crowd whenever someone made a grab for him.

In any case he was at the end of his rope and was nearing the point of not caring whether he called up a meteor or an inferno when he called upon something useful with Kwez’ help. Yes, with his help, he was that desperate.

But well, that was a bit hard to do as he had all about ordered him to accompany Gertie a day before and to not do anything else until told otherwise. Which, in hindsight, wasn’t all that smart, but he had thought it a good idea at the time.

Still, there was that other port he hadn’t been to yet, so he postponed his immediate idea for the time being. The book would still be there and the scroll as well. If he hadn’t been so hyped he might have contemplated calling it a day, but well, he was nowhere near calm or tired enough for that.

He ventured out again, even nighttime was ever lively in Kou. Many shops were open deep into the night, as they closed for an extensive break around noon when the heat hit or opened just in the early afternoon altogether. There were enough markets and shops that were open in the morning, mind, mainly selling groceries and the like. But those closed around noon and were open the next day again or for a couple of hours in the evening, depending in the district or the wares themselves. Though, most things sold in the evening were more things of luxury like wine, spices, fine fabrics and the like. The ports also kept busy, preparing the next ships for leaving or still unloading late arrivals.

On the port he was visiting now it was a bit quieter, he had taken the ferry to come over, but it was still busy enough. People were distributing wares; some were on the way for repairs and whatnot. Nic was attentively listening, a mixture of languages around him. But wait, yes, that might be the right place after all.

“...come on you wankers, get that shit off board!”

If he hadn’t met sailors before he would have just turned around and left. But well, as the folks were fine enough, he went straight were his ears led him.

Let’s see, what they could tell him...

“Ahoy,” he called out, just as Van had told him. “From Piskisport, aren’t you?”

He got a vague grunting in answer. Bingo.

“I have a question, you see...”

Sighing he was strolling through the exotic looking streets. His idea in the base had been a good one, just in the end not really all that feasible. The merchant he had been introduced to had flat out told him to either spend a pretty penny on a certified teacher, which was way out of his budget or try his luck in one of the alleys around the library. Many schools were nearby and there should be some pupils being able to speak his own language and may tutor him for a little less coin. Though how accurate that was in learning, well. Or he went to the library and just studied himself.

At least he didn’t leave empty handed and had gotten a few books from the merchant as he had no further need of them. The guy had even given them to him for free, but they were a bit old, mind.

Should he maybe just...

Nic sighed again.

Now he just had to pass some time, as the ferries in the nighttime were not running that often, so he had a few hours on his hands.

He had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t been looking where he was going. Sounds passed him by, lights flashed and he blinked. Looking around he found himself in the middle of some kind of dancing? Or something?

Rhythmic drumming reached his ears, some kind of stringed instruments were being played and flutes could be heard as well. He was standing in the middle of a colorful procession of sorts, one of the dancers took his hand and pulled him along. There was singing as well, though the only word he could identify was “Sol”.

What had he landed himself in?!

He woke up in the next... Let’s go with morning, though in reality late afternoon would probably be more fitting but his felt like it wanted to split itself in half so he was very much not caring. That was much too familiar, what had happened?

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

If he didn’t feel that dizzy and wasn’t feeling like he was about to toss his cookies at any second he might have tried harder. The exact place of the nearest lavatory was at the moment the information he most desired. He would go there as soon as the room stopped spinning though. And what was with this stench? It made him gag and very hard not to lose whatever his stomach had to offer right at this moment.

Everything else hurt and whatever he was lying on was rather hard. And somewhat wet? Or no, rather sticky. It reeked abysmally in any case.

“Master, there you are!”

Moaning Nic shakily waved his hand, wanting Kwez to tone it down. The metallic screeching reverberated in his skull and was so loud, he was sure his head would burst. In this moment he was just wishing for silence and fresh air. Or be rid of the pounding in his head and his stomach going back to normal instead of rolling like a ship in a storm.

His gesture seemingly wasn’t very clear though, as he heard Kwez start harping again, “Nothing against a feast or attending one but in the honor of the sun god Sol?!”

The critter sounded terribly accusing, though was there a hint of amusement as well? Nic couldn’t make heads or tails of Kwez’ behavior, but well. Seemingly doubting his character, though he was not sure whether he meant his own or that of the cat. Honestly, he was rather doubting his own mind at this point.

At least he had finally noticed that he had fallen asleep on a rather low table and his legs were somewhat folded underneath him, that at least explained his cramping muscles, what with sitting on the floor and such. Heck, that was uncomfortable. But what in the blazes... Would it hurt Kwez talking a bit softer? Or whisper, yeah, that would be grand.

He had finally managed to look at Kwez and really, he could make an effort there. Or one of them at least. No, wait. That was his brain telling him something different with the three eyes than what was there. Probably.

Why did he look that gleeful though?

“That you would make it into the palace and create such a delightful bloodbath is a redeeming thing though,” he cackled exuberantly.

Frowning Nic raised his head. He had what? Dizzy he looked around.

The scenery in front of him made him blink. It took but a moment until he ran, followed by a muffled blergh as he had stuck his head in a nearby tall vase, hurling.

Yeah, right. If one saw this one couldn’t call it anything but a bloodbath. Everywhere around him there were body parts and fleshy bits and pieces of something strewn about. Blood was thickly coating furniture, walls and drapes, some already drying, some still in the process of thickening. So yes, it was gruesome and nothing one wanted to see but it didn’t quite connect as to how he should have done it in the first place.

Arguably, he probably had done something, he just couldn’t remember it. Which made the thing so much worse.

It took a while until he stopped gagging.

That was a bit direct.

Oh well, he’ll be fine. Eventually.

You think? But really, the carnage...

My, my, it did start after he fell asleep black out drunk on the table, slobbering like that idiot dog, but well. He did start it though.

Didn’t think that this spell would become a dare for the young and foolish.

Well, if he hadn’t been backed by the pact it wouldn’t even have worked as it had in the first place.

True, true.

At least Kwez had helped him out of the stupid palace or whatever the thing had been. Plus, as much of a pain in his rear as he usually was he did even help him with finding some clothing that wasn’t soaked in or stained with blood or other questionable fluids. Though the things he was wearing did still reek, but just like he had taken a dunk in a bath made up of wine and other alcohol that is.

While they had been on their way to a hidden passage he had passed many a place of unbelievable bloodshed. He had been wondering why he hadn’t met any servants or guards for that matter at first. Nic soon got a clue as to why that was as they had found corpses indicating the people had massacred each other and that with gusto. Fingers still deeply pressed into eye sockets; hands on throats, so tight they pierced the flesh underneath and arms sunken into stomachs were the tame ones, he had to admit.

He was still reeling from it and chalky white but tried his best to ignore his own possible involvement. Arguably, he most likely was the culprit; he just couldn’t remember the exact how and when.

Or rather he did remember bits and pieces, but they weren’t making much sense, and he had no idea why it had gone as it had.

He had stumbled into the celebration, had been drinking, had been dancing, had parroted whatever the people had been saying. Then a part of the group had just taken him along, right into the palace. If he remembered correctly there even had been a guy – or had it been a girl? – that had been speaking his language. At least enough to have a decent conversation. There had been some kind of feast in the palace to celebrate the upcoming emperor. Or sovereign or whatever the title of the ruling guy was again. The feast itself had been organized on the most important religious festival as a kind of blessing or other.

Regardless, he had been at the palace, surrounded by people about as sober as he himself had been – so, anything but that, naturally. And one had started with a test of courage which consisted of a nursery rhyme or something that was supposed to do something creepy to the unworthy, maybe? He knew of something similar back home, not that anything ever happened should one recite the darn thing, so, in all his drunken wisdom he had taken another hearty gulp of whatever concoction had been in that mug at the time and recited the thing. Arguably, his speech was rather slurred but recite it he had. Right after the last syllable had left his mouth he had conked out and landed with a thud on the table. He remembered roaring laughter, as he was starting to snore and drool all over the table.

He had been having a really weird dream afterwards, but now it did seem to have much more substance than he had originally thought. Within the nightly phantasm the cheerful joy had turned to disconcerting madness. The people’s attitudes and personalities did a one-eighty, forks carving out eyes, hands ripping into throats, knives puncturing soft flesh...

None was spared, whoever had been within the walls of the palace and the land within the fence turned into totally murderous lunatics.

What baffled him a bit was still the fact that he had been spared. It didn’t really make sense. Not one effing bit.

What was really disturbing with the whole thing, the people weren’t despairing. No, that would have been a normal and expected reaction. But they all seemed to enjoy themselves immensely while killing or being killed, that was what made him especially queasy on top of the whole thing.

Nic was missing something there, he knew that much. What about the thing had been magical? It had been a thing to scare people, but why anything had happened at all? He had absolutely no idea. The only different factor was himself and even then he wasn’t sure how he would have to regard himself within the whole thing.

Kwez’ pleased grin was unsettling on top of it. Plus, the cat wasn’t explaining anything, as usual, but if he said something about it it was praise, of all things.

Nic was very deeply unsettled by it all.

Ever since the incident Kou had been in uproar. But not in the way Nic would have expected, as more people seemed happy about the whole thing and many explaining it away as some kind of divine punishment. Which confused Nic to no end, Gertie was strangely happy about the whole happenstance and Kwez was still behaving like the cat that had gotten the cream and the canary and was now being petted instead of scolded.

Normally there should be more of a negative impact, as the family slaughtered was one of a number that usually spawned the next leader of the country. Which was the crux of the matter, really.

Normally there should be an extensive investigation and he himself should have been at least questioned if not thrown into the dungeons of the current leader. Which, well, was a bit hard to do. The current leader of the country was a rather old man that had yet to announce his rightful successor. Which he hadn’t done as all the candidates were somewhat lacking, one way or another. He had been childless or rather his only son had been assassinated a few years back. And for sure from one of the many possibly succeeding family lines, but that was not something that anybody would admit to.

Though in this city it was more of a natural cause of death for nobles. All prominent positions were filled with various family members anyway. Be it chiefs of the various guilds, like for the merchants, or the thieves; heck even the head of the assassin’s association – pardon, The special Service was the official name – was from that family. Even if just a distant relation without any feasible grounds for succession, but still. Regardless of the organization, there was bound to be some person of that family in a very high if not the top position.

In short, if one was of nobility here then you either learned to play along fast or died rather young. Or just left for the countryside and stayed out of the capital for good.

In short just a few hours after the horrible affair had become known they had been busy either claiming responsibility, grabbing for power alternately or some such. Well, politicians smelling their chance for gaining some clout. Or maybe a bunch of starving hyenas or vultures fighting over the same piece of juicy meat.

Anyway, this kind of turbulent state was something Gertie welcomed wholeheartedly. Often enough with people being occupied in such a way it was rather easy to find promising targets for exploration. Yeah, sure.

But with the rich and powerful so occupied she had a bit of an easier time either sneaking in where she shouldn’t be or greasing the palm of the appropriate individuals. There were rarely any who couldn’t be tempted by anything, be it the right amount or a cut of the profits was working wonders. And though she might not seem like it, she had an eye for finding those.

She had already decided on a few specific targets but would need some more time to intensively keep watch on them. Or how to go about them, that is.

Before that she would check up the assassins, as Kwez had been telling her all about his master’s lackey. Snorting she thought back to that, having been called such by the animal from time to time herself. Contrary to Nic she didn’t have a problem with that, it did seem that she found interesting things being in his company and had decided to stick to him for the moment and time being.

Plus, well. As much as there were guilds even for the shadier side of business, some activities weren’t supposed to become rampant. Oh, she wasn’t worried about guards or the like. But the guild might be a bit less forgiving if they got into trouble because of an outsider.

But first things first...

“Eeny meeny miny mo, an’gonna choose – nah, thin’m gonna take tha’. Yup.”

Grinning she rubbed her hands and let out a small whistle. Not long after Archie came running and barking, his tail wagging, at least if you looked at the furball closely.

“Goo’boy,” she murmured. Well, let’s see whether the training helped, and he was now housebroken or not. Would be a hassle having to run out of a house because of a peeing puppy again.

**********

21That these gruesome nightly illusions were much worse than what had happened if you really were to compare them was something he steadfastly ignored. Plus, the other thing that he also did ignore was the mere possibility of anything good coming from these so perceived catastrophes.