Rose rushed back to the inn as fast as possible, throwing the papers on the nearest table as she burst into the room.
“Kalbir! Mortemer got caught! I had to leave him, there was no other choice, oh Mum…”
Kalbir looked shocked, dropping her book and staring at Rose.
“Do you have that scroll? You need to contact the Queen.”
“Me? Talk to the Queen of Dolrin?? I—I can’t do that! What if I say something wrong, or embarrass myself?!”
“Fine, give me the scroll. I don’t like talking to her either. Well, I do, but… It’s complicated. Gorna behest ferdaisy,” after speaking the scroll’s inscription, the Queen, still asleep, appeared magically before Rose.
“Daisy! I need your help!”
The Queen was startled as she jerked awake, confused and disoriented. Once she saw Rose though, it was as if she was holding back a coy smile, obviously not hearing the panic in Rose’s voice.
“Rose? What do you need?”
“Mortemer got captured by The Lords of Edge, they're working with the King! We need help to get him out, can you send someone?”
“The King? What happened?”
“We were investigating the Lords of Edge, trying to figure out what they’re up to and looking for documents and stuff, and he got caught.”
“I see… I can send Cole, they’ll know what to do, and you're already familiar with them... Where are you right now so they can locate you?”
“We’re in an inn, um, the Hanky Pancakey Inn, free pancakes morn til dawn. Room seven.”
“We? Is someone else with you?”
“Yeah, we picked up someone on the way over here, her name is Kalbir.”
Rose dragged Kalbir into Daisy’s sight, giving a short wave as she beamed through her nerves.
“I see… I’ll brief Cole immediately and they’ll be there as swiftly as possible. Hang in there until then, and… try not to draw attention.”
Rose nodded and stared for just a couple seconds before whispering a soft “thank you, Daisy,” then rolled up the scroll and canceled the spell.
“What now?” Kalbir squeaked, her eyes wide.
“Um, I guess we try to get some sleep and wait for Cole. I want to find out where they took him. Even if we can find a way to break him out, I don’t think just the two of us could pull it off and Cole is much more experienced. We should wait for them before doing anything.”
“Oh no…” Kalbir sat and looked to the ground, breathing irregularly from panic, crossing her arms and slowly rocking back and forth.
“Are you okay?” Rose asked, concerned.
Kalbir didn’t say anything as she just sat there in the same position, rocking back and forth. Not knowing exactly what to do, Rose rushed over and hugged her, hoping to calm her down. Instead, Kalbir was startled and let out a small yelp, throwing up her hands.
“Sorry,” Rose said as she stepped away.
“No come back. Can you sing?” Kalbir barely spoke out, her words forced and monotone.
“Sing? Yeah,” Rose returned to Kalbir’s side and hugged her, then began to sing, “Leaving is a ghost we'll come to see. What are fears for if you're next to me? Will my worries trace a path apart? Please bear the whims of a broken heart. Just block the sun and smile with me. Listen to the whispers in my mind and trees. Decisions linger in the wind. Those days together growing dim. And there's a certain pride, with knowing that you're right. But the world's not so black and white, and my gray area is you.”
Kalbir smiled and Rose kept singing, holding her while trying to calm down the both of them. Before long, both of their breaths slowed down, and neither was as tense.
“Singing always helps. I read that it releases like, good energy into your brain,” Kalbir stared straight ahead.
“Well it helped me out. Are you feeling better?”
“Yes. Sorry, I tend to panic sometimes…”
“Well everyone panics. I sure just did.”
“I don’t even have a personal stake in this though…”
“You don’t need to have a personal stake in something to be invested. I came along because I felt bad about his castle and I was bored.”
“Honestly, I came along because I thought it would be cool to study a Lord. I’ve traveled to a lot of places, but I’ve always been on my own and I don’t get out of my comfort zone. I don’t want to go places just because of their libraries anymore, I want to research the real world, write from my experiences. I barely even know what quest you two are on honestly.”
“That’s reasonable. Libraries can get kind of boring. I just read the same books over and over again though. Most of them are just for comfort at this point, even if they are boring after a while. Like ‘oh no, Lady Kieth is going to betray her lover again, oh no, she’s putting rat poison in their rum, what a shocker’ it gets old. I read that book at least twice a year.”
“Do you need more books?”
“Yes, but for some reason that doesn’t mean I’ve actually made an attempt to get more.”
“We’re going to the library tomorrow.”
“Why?”
“So I can pick out a book for you! You like fiction right? Romance? Comedy romance with a bit of mystery but it’s still cute?”
“That’s so accurate, how’d you know?”
“I pay attention, Rose.”
⧫
The following day, Rose and Kalbir tried to find where presumably the King had taken Mortemer. Kalbir seemed to know, referencing the city’s Dark Tunnels. The city’s uncouth were either exiled to the surface, or these tunnels that stretched endlessly. They formed a dark maze under the city, most unexplored. To confirm, Rose followed her into the library, preparing a tall stack of tomes.
“Rose, I found a book for you!” Kalbir cheered as she emerged from a corner of the shelf Rose was browsing through.
“You did? Let me see.” Rose grabbed the book, and skimmed a few pages, her smile growing as her eyes moved more. “Wow, looks great! I’ll start on it tonight.”
“What are you looking for?”
“Information about the tunnels. I’m sure somebody’s poked around in there before. There should definitely be a book about it.”
“Yeah, I know a few details from my time here. The King keeps a tight grip on Burmaise, and has deep connections with the Trader's Guild and the Lords of Edge. They coordinate a lot to keep people in those tunnels, usually they seal them off after exiling someone inside. Apparently they’re all too good for incarceration, so just throwing them to be lunch or something is their solution for political enemies.”
"How the hell can just one guy have all that power? Fuck this dude. We need to get Mortemer out. I want to know where they keep all their confiscated items though, I’m sure Mortemer is going to want his stuff back. He’s lucky his weapons are at the surface.”
“The rehab in Burmaise keeps confiscated items in the main guard barracks, there’s a whole warehouse there.”
“You know that? Off the top of your head?”
“Yeah, it was a footnote in ‘The Crotch of Burmaise’ by Gordon Methyphenida.”
“Damn, I thought I had a good memory. I don’t know how we’re going to get Mortemer’s stuff back though, even with Cole we can’t break into the barracks, let alone the warehouse. I doubt even my invisibility spell could work, they probably have enchantments for defense too.”
“Mortemer is a Duke. He has money.”
“True, fuck the ruling class. I’m going to make him buy my next drink. Get some revenge on capitalism.”
“Capitalism? What’s that?”
“Pure evil. I used to see the future with my friend, she was a seer, and in every path the future could take, the most evil thing that ever took place in each of them was capitalism. We saw genocides and extinctions, but nothing compares to forced servitude with the illusion of freedom that can go on for centuries and even indefinitely. Basically imagine our rulers we have now, but they have hundreds of thousands that work for them, making exponential money off the workers’ labor while most of the workers starve and head into famine. It’s the final stage of fascism. Oh, and the genocides and extinctions are still there, it’s just somewhere else you don’t live so it doesn’t matter.”
Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.
“That’s horrible! Why would people subject themselves to that?”
“Misinformation, especially widespread, is a great weapon.”
⧫
"Well well... I had a hunch I'd be seeing you soon, but really, only a day? Discretion really isn't your bid, Lord Mortemer."
I gasped for air after they released the sack from my head, exposing the King before me. He sat in a rather cozy chair, myself in one similar. He didn't look smug or angry though, only baring the cold of business.
"Of Kansas."
"Hm?"
"Duke of San Diego."
"What?"
"The GREAT Masochist."
"I—I know all this..."
"Then you know... That I will defeat you!"
"Hah! So impossibly naive! Did you really think you could undermine my authority in this city? You had some audacity stealing from the Lords of Edge after my very clear warning. I had expected you Lords to all get along, but it appears the states you serve divide you. What a pity. Perhaps you'd find willing allies if not for your origins."
"I can find allies elsewhere. It's clear no matter what purpose the Lords of Edge may have served, they are only your lackeys now."
"I would not describe them that way, rather we have common business interests that require an alliance. They've been instrumental in running this city. If anything, they've been leaders of the small community we have down here. Now why would you want to attack them? What misguided Duke would hurt such vital members of our community? It's truly no wonder you couldn't hold onto your castle. Did your citizens even want you to live through that assault?"
"What do you know of San Diego?! I'll have your head!"
"More than you probably would want me to, Mortemer. You've interfered far too much with the plans of the Lords of Edge. Now it's my responsibility to clean up and keep you out of their way. We are left with one choice..."
"Kill me then."
"No, unfortunately, you're not mine to kill..."
The King smiled evily, then turned to leave the room, leaving me confused.
"Uh, what's the choice then?"
He left behind the door before he could respond, and so I followed him.
"Hey, what choice? What choice? What do you mean? What choice? What choice?!"
"Oh spirits would you be quiet! Here! You'll be staying here!"
He pointed me at a dingy cave entrance, only darkness inside. I got a chill as I pondered what could be past the door. Was this a brutal political prison I would surely need to fight in? Was I to mine all day without pay? Sit in solitude until I slowly lose my mind?
“These are our city’s greatest mystery. I know you like investigating Mortemer, so why not explore the Dark Tunnels for yourself hm? Good luck getting out after we seal the entrance heehee! Heeheeheehee!”
With a smug grin he shoved me in, sending me falling onto the smooth stone. Without my armor, my arms scraped across the floor. I looked back to try and catch a glimpse of the King, smiling at me as his readers began their spells. Very quickly the stone closed in, sealing off the entrance. Though I tried to escape, I was too late. In pitch black, I was stuck in the Dark Tunnels.
Even after several minutes, my eyes did no adjusting. I had to find a way forward without seeing, using my hands to guide me across the wall. It was difficult to tell the passage of time in the darkness. I walked for what felt like hours, but it could have been minutes, maybe seconds.
After enough walking, I began seeing shapes. Some distant light had made its way to me. I walked even faster seeing the ground I was to step on. A couple corners later and I found the light source. It was a lantern and a few fires, places strategically throughout a large room.
Several people were inside. They were a ragtag bunch of a diverse background, doing tough guy shit, like whittling a stick, or spitting into a bucket. Some makeshift privacy was constructed, a couple people sleeping inside the exposing structures.
Only a couple looked up when I entered, the others simply minding their business. One scherthara in particular looked approachable, and so I did. Approach him. That is.
“Excuse me kind, gracious fellow? Where am I?”
“Depends. Who are you?”
“I am Lord Mortemer of Kansas, Duke of San Diego, the Great Masochist. I’ve just been exiled here. I’m trying to find my way out.”
“Eh, give up. We stopped trying a long time ago.”
“How long have you been down here?”
“I don’t know, a year? Two? Time passes weird. Some of these guys have been here a lot longer though.”
The man whittling a stick looked up at me, scowling then grunting. He then returned to his activity.
“I imagine there’s some way out. What have you tried so far?”
“Everything! I walked around that corner there, but it’s dark! And that other tunnel; it’s spooky! No way!”
“That’s not a good excuse! I just came that way, and there was an exit there before they sealed it up! You could’ve escaped!”
“Ah. Well fuck. Oh well.”
The lanky man held a stick up, on it some old fried up creature that had been roasting on the fire. It looked largely like someone’s dog.
“Want some Denny’s?” he held the stick towards me.
“What?”
“Deep Dark Tunnel Denizens. That’s all we’ve got for food down here. Whatever comes around trying to eat us, we eat it first.”
He promptly took a bite, seemingly enjoying it.
“Were you exiled here too?”
“Yeah, we all were at some point. Some of us were wandering the tunnels for a long time before finding this spot. We’ve turned it into a nice community. Only with a little bit of drugs.”
“Is that why you were exiled?”
"Nah, I stole something."
"They put you in here for stealing?"
“Well, I stole a lot, let's say,” he grinned at me and threw his head back, his long ears whipping along. “What about you?”
“Stealing.”
“Nice. Guess you’re just as bad at it as I am. How much money was the score?”
“Score? No, I was trying to get sensitive information from the Lords of Edge, I’m investigating them.”
“The Lords of Edge?! Of course you got caught, nobody fucks with them!” he laughed. “No wonder you’re in here, the King takes them personally.”
“Do you know why?”
“That’s a long explanation.”
“Well, we are lost in the Dark Tunnels. We have a lot of time to kill.”
“Hm. Okay. So, there are three factions that control this city. The King and his guards, the Lords of Edge, and the Trader's Guild, you know them?"
"Mx Trader's Guild? Name doesn't ring a bell, sorry."
"No, it's a guild, basically a corporation even though those don't exist yet."
"...Exist yet?"
"Yeah... I know someone who knew someone who could see the future. Heard some shit."
"What's a corporation?"
"It's like a guild but a lot larger. They run the mines in this city, carving out new tunnels every day. Those goods then get shipped out to every other nation, using the King to distribute to nearby kingdoms. The King benefits though, since he owns the mines, and takes a large chunk of cash from each shipment leaving the city.
"Problem is, the Trader's Guild hates it. They're constantly trying to find new mines and suppliers outside of Burmaise, but the King sees to it they stay under his control in the city, that's what he uses the Lords of Edge for.
"They get paid to monitor and check shipments, stop any dissent, and generally police the Guild for the King. Not sure they operate the same way outside the city, but underground we're all condensed together; they have to listen to the King. Rumor has it he was one of the founders of the Trader's Guild but he was kicked out. N, now he's using them as revenge or something. Guy's a mess."
He kicked his head back and kicked his feet, a look of confidence on his face. I was only leaned forward in thought, thinking through the politics I'd been wrapped up in. Clearly he had been silently watching for some time; I found myself quite impressed by his tenacity.
“Good to know. If you’re trying to steal things though, why come here? Surely it would be more difficult with all that drama.”
“Listen, if you know who holds the power and you don’t fuck with them, you can get away with a lot.”
“So you fucked with the wrong people?”
“Yeah, but it was a really good opportunity. I would’ve been set for life. Then I could have gone back to my sister.”
“Your sister?”
“Yeah, she’s cool. I feel like I’ve let her down though. I didn’t mean to be gone this long.”
“What’s her name?”
“Hey, I don’t even know your name.”
“I am Lord Mortemer of Kansas, the Great Masochist, Duke of San Diego.”
“Mum, do you say all that every time? I’m Leif though, nice to meet you. At least you’re not boring.”
⧫
The wind was cold and Cole had been riding straight through the night, using several scrolls to keep warm and awake. Despite the magic though, they were beginning to feel the effects of the long travel. Burmaise, however, was straight ahead, and Cole had rejoined the main road, which was emptier than usual because of the ongoing blizzard.
“What are you doing out there? Get inside!” a guard yelled through the rush of wind.
Cole didn’t respond as they slowed their horse down to the gate under the huge boulder, the small wagon behind creaking to a halt.
“You’ll freeze out there! If we can’t let you into the city then I’ll let you rest in the stable until the storm clears. Now, what are you here for?”
“I am a trader.”
“Trader? What’s in your cart?”
“Scrolls. I have heard of many great scroll merchants in the city and wanted to see them myself, perhaps even trade with them. Or sell these.”
The guard looked suspicious as he stepped to look inside the wagon, opening it slightly to peer inside.
“Where’d you get all these scrolls from?”
“I got them off a friend. He was a reader once, but his voice has died, so he no longer has use for these. He gave them to me to sell. I’ve heard there is most demand for scrolls in Burmaise.”
“Well you’re right about that… Have a place you’re going inside? Got family or a room?”
“Not yet, but I have enough saved to purchase one.”
“Okay, I’ll let you in. You seem decent enough. You’ll have to keep your horse in the stable though, they’re too big for the city. Also no weapons. Need help with that wagon?”
“No, it’s light enough.”
“Okay, welcome to Burmaise then!”
Cole nodded and dismounted their horse, detaching the wagon and pushing it forward as a stablehand took care of their horse. The elevator gate shut with a clang, magical energy flowing around the bronze rods to push them closed. With an abrupt start, the elevator descended with even more magical energy enveloping the lift. Cole was in awe as they spun around, trying their best to observe every detail of the elevator. They had never seen magic used for machinery like that before, and although the magic was hundreds of years old, it was a wonder anyone could write a spell so complex.
At the bottom, the elevator slowed to a stop, gently thudding as the stone and metal floor hit the ground below. As the gates opened, Cole was taken aback by the busy streets; the blizzard outside had no effect in there. Still, Cole pulled their hood over their eyes and plunged into the crowd, searching for the hotel room Rose was in.