“Hey Rindolph, what’s the big idea? Why you leavin’ us?” The deep voice shot down from the upper level of the tavern. Rindolph looked up from his place behind the stained bartop. The splintering rafters, the fraying tapestries on the walls. All as dark as Death itself.
“If you want to talk, then come down here and talk. I’m not shouting up there again. The people on the street think I’m crazy as it is.”
A translucent white-grey figure appeared on the second level, leaning over the balustrade. Rindolph barely looked up before returning to polishing the many glasses. The figure vaulted over the railing and dropped to the first story, landing in a crouch before straightening and walking over to the bar, long hair swaying in an unfelt breeze. “Alright, fine. I’ll look you in the eye. Now why you leavin’ us?”
Rindolph put the glass and rag on the bartop and leaned against the edge. “You know as well as I do that when people, living people, spend too long here, they start going mad. Besides, it’s been a while since I’ve had a proper vacation. Maybe I can even find a girl who doesn’t think I’m mad. Death only knows.”
The revenant matched his stance, leaning against the opposite edge of the bar and glaring into his eyes. “And while you’re gallivantin’ around the world, we’ll all be stuck in this Deathforsaken building! Look me in my eyes and tell me you don’t care!”
Rindolph matched the revenant’s gaze. “I do care. But I’m the one still alive here. I can't always take care of the dead and forget to live.”
The revenant pushed back from the bar, throwing his hands up in the air. “So leave us here! Go off and never return! That’s what all the rest did!”
The barkeeper leaned his elbows on the edge of the wooden surface, his neutral expression not broken for a second. “I’ll come back. You know I will. This is my home as much as it is yours.”
The revenant walked over to the stairs and started to climb them. “That’s what they all said!”
“I’m surprised you didn’t get Captain Stringham to try and convince me. She’s usually down here when I decide to do anything stupid.”
The revenant sniffed, but said nothing as he crested the stairs and walked around the balcony until Rindolph couldn’t see him anymore. The barkeeper smiled. Of all the revenants, Stringham seemed to have his back the most. She understood why he had to leave. And she knew he’d be back.
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“Emmalene? Where are you?” Maiken’s voice called over the towers of books, bouncing off the rounded ceiling and echoing with a familiarity that Emmalene found comforting. She pushed aside a stack of parchment on her desk and settled her pen into its inkwell before swiveling around on her stool. The desk curved around her, forming a crescent shape. And every spare inch was covered by something: books, parchment, folders of notes, the list went on. The perfect space. At least for her.
“Over here!” Emmalene pushed herself off the stool and knelt down, shifting two particularly unstable towers of books so that she could escape her cove. The desk and the floor all around her had stack after stack of books, so high that she couldn’t see over the top. She’d used all of these in one way or another, before sticking them in stacks grouped roughly by content. She’d have to reference them all when she finished her manuscript. No use in returning them until then.
Maiken’s round face appeared through the gap in the wall of books, eyes alight and red painted across her cheeks. “You have to come right now! Brightmoon said there’s a molerat loose in the alchemy building!”
Emmalene smiled, twirling a dry pen in her hand. “And you believed him?”
Maiken paused, looking up at her with a confused look, the tips of her short, pointed ears shining in the sunlight coming through the window. “Uh, yes?”
“Well, there’s your mistake.” Emmalene edged her way out of the book-cove and sat down on her bed, the rich brown blanket smooth under her fingers except for where silver lines had been embroidered.
“But Adona said so too!” Emmalene frowned. Adona had a better track record than Brightmoon when it came to telling the truth. And a loose molerat did seem like a prank someone in animal science might pull on the alchemy students.
“So go check it out! You don’t need my permission.”
Maiken rolled her eyes, although her smile ruined the effect. “Come on, Inkstain. You’re coming too. Don’t you want to see a molerat?”
“It’s Inkspire, and I don’t need to. I’ve already seen one up close.”
Maiken’s eyes widened. “Really? Are they cute?”
“Not in any sense of the word.” Emmalene flopped back on her bed. “I’m not going to convince you to go away, am I?”
Maiken grinned. “Nope!” She crossed the room and grabbed Emmalene’s wrist. “Now come on! You’re going to miss it!”
“Fine. Just this once. But I need to get my things.” Emmalene sat up and shook off Maiken’s grip before grabbing a messenger bag from its place hanging on her bedpost. She’d have to refill her canteen at some point, but for now all of her travel things were ready. Except maybe her ink. She pulled a jar from a shelf and stuffed it into one of the bag’s small pockets.
“You don’t need your things. We’re just going to alchemy and coming back.”
“You realize that’s on the other side of campus, right? Several gates away?”
The elf waved her hand dismissively. “It’ll be like we never left. And you could use some fresh air.”
“I’m still taking them.”
“Suit yourself.” Maiken led the way to the still-open door. Emmalene followed her through and closed it behind them, taking a key from her pocket and twisting it in the lock. Maiken had already run the length of the hall, past several more rooms, before Emmalene caught up to her.
“This had better be worth it.”
“Really? You’re not dying to see the looks on the faces of the alchemy geeks?”
She had a point. “Fine. But this is my exercise for the day. I don’t have time for anything else.”
“You really do need to get out more.” Emmalene didn’t respond, instead saving her breath for running. Her bag beat against her side in time with her shoes. The halls seemed to grow longer the more she ran, white marble with arching ceilings changing to wooden planks and crystal windows to countless other variations. When an academy spanned the nations, it had a little of everything.
Emmalene finally caught up to Maiken in front of the first gate, resting her hands on her knees and gasping for breath. Has it really been that long since I’ve gone for a run? She looked up at the gate. The white marble that ran around the edge of the Academy made an arch here, runes carved on the inside. A thin film rippled inside the archway, translucent and milky white. Swirls of color appeared here and there as the sunlight bounced off the gate. Across the top of the archway, a curved plaque bore the details of the gate’s destination. Hendrikson’s Grove: Language Keep, Symphony’s Hall, Military Science.
“Come on, pick up the pace! This is only the first gate!” Maiken plunged through the film, disappearing. Emmalene sighed and stumbled after her. A feeling of static and tingling passed through her. One step out of Chronicle and another step into the Grove. Her feet never left the ground, strolling into one gate and out another. The world in front of her was green now, trees bending around stone structures and vines creeping up the gate archway. Maiken had already made it a dozen yards to the right from the gate. “I’ll meet you at the gate to the Moor!”
Emmalene groaned, following Maiken’s lead. Was the gate to the Moor this way, or did she have to take another gate before that? She cursed herself for not having the map still memorized. Back when she’d started, every single gate had been stamped into her memory. She’d practiced for weeks to get them all down. But Chronicle held most of what she needed, the library and the literary classrooms. Once or twice she’d venture to one of the main academy buildings for a restricted book or an original manuscript from the archives, but those excursions were few and far between. Even Calliope’s, the mess hall for that cluster of areas, was only a gate or two away. But alchemy? All the way across the campuses. Gates upon gates upon even more gates. She hadn’t seen a point in remembering all of them when she’d had better things to do with her mind-space. But now… too late to reconsider.
Maiken waited for her in the trees by the next gate. Emmalene wanted to collapse and take a nap. But the short elf blazed the way through the gate, so Emmalene followed. Translucent film, static feeling, new landscape. The Moor looked exactly like it sounded, dark and permanently misty. A series of raised wooden walkways wound through the fog, keeping students out of the muck and dark water below. Just another campus. And not even the weirdest one.
“How many more gates? I can’t do this all day.”
Maiken frowned. “Maybe five? This is a slightly roundabout route.”
“Why? You know I’m not an exercise person.” She held up her hand. “And I’m not an elf either.”
“Do you want to avoid Loren and his gang in Springwood?”
Emmalene shivered. Yes, she definitely wanted to. “Just keep going. And slower.”
The elf’s pace barely slowed as she led Emmalene through the rest of the gates. The alchemy buildings stood in Tinker’s Hollow, a campus of tall trees and strong winds that set it apart from the other forests. A crowd had already started to gather around the entrance to the biggest alchemy building, although no one was going through the door. Off to the left, in between the three-foot-high roots of a tree, a group of alchemy students cowered. Their goggles glinted in the sun as they huddled together and frantically discussed something. One or two of them seemed close to tears.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
A light-colored dirt path led from the archway to the crowds and the building. Emmalene reached out and rested her hand against the rough bark on a tree, her head starting to spin. “Next time, I’m not running across campus, no matter what it is.”
“Come on. It’s more fun when you have someone with you.” Maiken led the way down toward the crowds, who stared at the open front doors of the sturdy stone building. A white blur scurried around inside the front entryway, weaving in between the legs of the professors trying to catch it. The blur ricocheted off the walls a few more times before flying out the front doors and scurrying into the crowd. High-pitched screams erupted as the crowd tore in two, making way for the blur. Two of the professors from the alchemy building tore after the thing, although Emmalene could see no way they would catch up. As the white blur came up the path towards the gate, the details resolved until Emmalene could see the glistening nose of the molerat.
Maiken knelt down, pulling a purple berry out of her pocket and placing it on the ground in front of her. As the molerat crested a small slope halfway up the hill, it slowed to a stop and bared its large front teeth. Maiken rolled the berry over to it. After sniffing the berry, the molerat chomped down on it, juice splashing all over its face. All sense of malice gone, it scurried over to Maiken, looking up at her and standing on its hind legs. Maiken reached into her pocket and withdrew another berry, feeding it to the molerat while stroking its head. Emmalene stared down at her like she’d lost her mind. Why in Chronicle was she feeding the molerat?
The professors caught up with the molerat, stopping as they saw Maiken leading it in circles with her finger. When they looked at Emmalene, she just shrugged. “Does that critter belong to you?”
Maiken looked up. “No. But it looked hungry.” She looked over at Emmalene. “And I think it’s cute.”
The taller professor brushed her hair aside and picked up the molerat, keeping her fingers away from its large teeth. “Well, thank you for your help. We’ve been trying to catch this thing for the better part of an hour.”
“Of course, Professor! Happy to help.” Maiken tossed one more berry to the molerat, landing it right in its mouth.
The taller professor with the molerat smiled and started back down the path, but the shorter one stayed. He looked down at Maiken. “What’s your name?”
“Maiken, sir.”
“Well, Maiken, I’ll make sure the Headmistress hears about this. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders. Thanks for your help.” He turned and followed his colleague.
Emmalene turned to Maiken. “All the way across campus for that?”
Maiken shrugged. “I didn’t want to go the whole way alone. And you needed the exercise.” She grinned. “Plus, I do think it’s cute.”
There was no point in being angry. And she had needed some fresh air. “Alright, fine. But I need to go back now.”
“Okay! I’ll go with you. And let’s take a different path this time. We’ll go the other way around Springwood.” Maiken led the way down to the alchemy building and turned right. Up ahead, another gate shimmered in the distance.
“How do you know where all the gates go? Most of your classes are over in Brackenshade.”
Maiken looked over at her. “Where do you think I am most nights?”
“Not in our room, that’s for sure.”
The grin on Maiken’s face grew even bigger. “Out partying! Someone or other has something going on every night.” Maiken leaned in closer. “Thanks for always studying in our room, by the way. It’s the perfect excuse for me to never have to host a party. And it means that I can escape the guys when I want to.”
“Thanks?”
They passed through another gate, the mossy rocks of one campus changing to the light frost of another. Emmalene shivered, pulling on the bottom of her tunic. It didn’t even really have sleeves, just ruffles that suggested them. Definitely not Frostflake clothing. She picked up her pace. The next gate would be close, since almost nobody wanted a building in perpetual winter. Just the climate professors. And they were definitely crazy. Everyone knew that.
Maiken led the way through the next gate, disappearing from view for a moment. Emmalene let the static wash over her, stepping back into warmer weather.
A hand clamped down over her mouth, scaring the life out of her like Death itself. She tried to push the hand away, but someone had grabbed her arms as well. Maiken stood on the other side of the gate in a similar predicament.The tall girl behind her had her in a headlock while also covering her mouth. She had a yellow earring. Emmalene’s blood froze and heated at the same time. Loren’s gang.
A slim boy stepped out from behind a bush, long black hair pulled back. “Well, look who it is. Just who I wanted to see.” His eyes narrowed. “Do you know how much embarrassment and attention I got from failing Galloway’s practical? All because you wouldn’t help me.”
The hand came away from Emmalene’s face. “That’s right, Loren. Because you didn’t bother studying. I’d do it the same way if I had another chance.”
Loren backhanded her, his knuckles stinging the most. The edge of her lip started to bleed, slowly spilling crimson liquid. “You listen to me, human. I’ve had enough of being second.”
“And you’re only that high because nobody else is willing to challenge you. Death’s Sword! How can you bear to look at yourself in the mirror?” The half-elf stepped forward and slugged her in the stomach. She dropped to the ground, the hands holding her letting go. Her breath didn’t return for a few agonizing seconds.
“And you’ve been hiding from me, too. Almost like you knew you were guilty.”
Emmalene stayed down for longer than she needed to, making no response and feigning more pain than she was actually in. If she kicked her leg out and knocked the legs out from under her captor, she could probably run to the edge of this campus and get out into the town. Once she reached the streets, he wouldn’t dare touch her. Not while she had her Silverleaf pin on.
In one fluid motion, she swept her leg around behind her, connecting with something solid that gave way. A thud sounded behind her, but she’d already jumped to her feet and started running toward the buildings in front of her. The regular archway to the town would probably be just on the other side. She remembered that much.
Emmalene reached the first building, long brown hair tickling the back of her neck as she ran. A part of her told her to stay and help Maiken. For all the help she could actually give. Loren would just have both of them again.No, she’d have to come back for Maiken. Besides, Loren didn’t want her. Hopefully he’d just let her go and give chase.
Emmalene wove through the buildings, dodging other students as they hurried between classes. Closer and closer to the edge of campus. This is really cutting into my study time. The thought jumped into her mind unbidden. She almost laughed at the absurdity of it. Running from the head of a gang across an unfamiliar campus, and she thought about homework.
The edge of the campus came into view, a white marble archway marking the way out of Silverleaf. Emmalene ran under it and didn’t slow until she reached the middle of the cobblestone street. Safe. For now. But she couldn’t go back anytime soon, at least, not that way. I’m going to end up being days behind my deadline at this rate.
Emmalene wrapped her arms around herself, starting down the cobblestone road and wishing she’d thought to bring her cloak. She raked through her memory, trying to remember the name of the town. Pondshire? No. Pondvale? Closer, but not big enough. Lakevale! That was it. She remembered finding it odd that a town with ‘lake’ in its name didn’t have a lake nearby. But the buildings looked cozy enough. Bright colors of paint interspersed with dark wooden beams. Towers of red-stone stood at many of the corners, a bell or a set of windows at the top. The roofs were tiled with something that had a lighter red color than the towers. Come to think of it, the tarnished green of copper showed up quite a lot too.
The streets weren’t busy, but the few people that were walking about paused and stepped aside as Emmalene continued on her way. It made her feel odd, the way they didn’t look her in the eyes. Like they thought her rank was far above theirs. That didn’t make her feel good. She needed somewhere to think, to process everything.
She broke into a run again, feet pounding a path away from the Silverleaf archway and the too-quiet townspeople. On to the darker buildings, the ones that had light-red shingles missing in patches and crumbling stone towers every so often on the corners of the blocks. Finally, Emmalene stopped and looked around. The streets were silent now, dark shadows cast across the cracked stones from the crooked buildings. A perfect place to think in silence.
Well, almost perfect. It still felt too open. Emmalene swept her gaze around the dark road, looking for somewhere smaller to curl up and hide. She did her best thinking in small spaces. That tavern to the far left would do nicely. Dim light spilled out from the windows, cold even though it looked like it came from a fire. Still, there wouldn’t be many people, and her pin would keep away the worst of them. She walked over and pushed open the door. A rush of cold air hit her, making her shiver. “Hello?” No answer.
Odd. But the lights were lit, so it must be open. Maybe she was the only one there and the barkeeper was in a different room. She stepped in and closed the door, walking across the creaking floorboards and sitting at a stool next to the bar. The shivers came every so often now. The not-warm light came from candles perched on top of ledges in the stone walls. But a strange almost-white glow came from the second story, up on the balconies. Emmalene rapped her knuckles on the bartop. “Anybody here?”
A tall man came bustling out from a side door. He couldn’t be much older than her youngest professor, certainly not old enough to be stuck behind a bar full-time. His short black hair was slicked back, a few strands sticking up in the back. His sideburns accented the style nicely. A long brown leather jacket hung from his shoulders, worn smooth in many places. He had a rag that must have once been white hanging over his shoulder. “So sorry to keep you waiting. I don’t get hardly anybody here these days.” He bustled over to the barrels and mugs behind the bar. “So what’ll it be for you today, young lady?”
“Nothing too strong. Maybe a spiced hard cider?”
The man smiled. “Perfect.” He poured the drink from a smaller bottle into a stemmed glass and slid it to her, expertly avoiding the rough patches and knots on the wooden surface. “I trust it’s up to your standard?”
Emmalene took a small sip. It certainly wasn’t a mix of herbs she’d had before, but they worked well together. Under the sour taste and tang, who could really tell anyway? “Yep.”
The man smiled. “Wonderful.” He threw up his hands. “Oh, where are my manners? Maybe I am as crazy as they say. My name in Rindolph. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
“Emmalene. Inkspire School, Silverleaf Academy.”
Rindolph’s eyes widened. “Inkspire? I used to be one of those.”
“Really? Then, if you don’t mind me asking, why are you still around here doing this? No offense.”
He waved his hand. “None taken. I never finished my degree. Had to go home and take care of my sister.”
Emmalene took another sip. “What happened to her?”
“Died two years after that. I never went back to Silverleaf. Just looked around and found an old man here who had good business. Learned the trade from him.” Rindolph lifted his rag and a mug. “It all worked out. I know my fair share.”
“I’m sorry about your sister.” Over Rindolph’s shoulder, something flashed against the wooden wall. A shiver ran down Emmalene’s spine, different from those caused by the temperature. Whatever it had been, or whoever, she was being watched. The unseen adversary was the worst kind.
She set a few coins on the bar and downed her cider in two gulps, placing the glass next to the money. “I really should be going. My roommate will wonder where I got off to. But thank you.” She made a beeline for the door, trying hard not to run. She needed to get away from this place, away to somewhere lighter and less exposed. Even Silverleaf had limits to its influence.
The door in front of her rattled on its hinges, the lock-bar swinging down of its own accord and clicking into place. Emmalene stopped short, staring at it.
A man formed in front of her, white-grey and translucent. His long hair had probably once been dark, although now it had a nasty greenish tint. He had a snarl on his face. “Now just where do you think you’re going?” He rushed at her and pushed her back. His hands felt icy.
Emmalene hit the floor and scrabbled backward on her hands, keeping her eyes fixed on the thing. Her mind raced frantically as she tried to understand what was going on. What was it? Her vision started to grey, coldness reaching deep into her chest towards her heart. No. Get away while you still can. But her body refused to move. The rest of her vision started to go black as the ghostly creature stepped over her and reached down. She couldn’t escape. Her body let go of reality, and she fell back, head echoing against the creaking floorboards. Her hearing faded last of all, but not before she heard Rindolph say something.
“Hendrikson, I told you not to scare the guests. She could be the one to help us.”