The Haverdash brought Andal inside and gave him a blanket. He grabbed a cup and filled it with water from a barrel. He took a touch of powder from a bag and dropped it in the waters which quickly started steaming. He placed the cup in front of Andal, "Don't worry, that's not a drug. It's just a chemical reaction that makes heat, if you know what that means."
Andal clearly had no idea, so he clarified, "The powder is gone, it heated up the water and was dispersed into the air. That's just warm water, safe to drink."
"I don't really understand how that works, but thank you."
"You're welcome." The Haverdash waits for Andal to finish taking a sip before asking another question, "My name is Makarif. What's yours?"
"My name's Andal. Sorry, I forgot that we hadn't introduced ourselves yet."
"That's okay, we've been talking for a little while."
"Makarif, what's across the sea? You grew up there, right? What's it like?"
Makarif leaned back in his chair, "If you're asking me about the hills, trees, grass and stuff, I'm afraid I don't remember. I remember who we were fighting though, which might interest you. From the minute we landed on those shores a message was spread throughout the inhabitants about us, 'They are evil, wipe them out.'
"They were a fierce people, driven to fight against us out of zeal for their god. We actually had a great deal of respect for them because of that. They called their god Alleros, and themselves the Servants of Alleros. They pushed us back against the sea, and we're threatening to push us into it."
Andal was shocked, and thrilled, "They were beating the Haverdash?"
"Yes they did. But, I should clarify, we really didn't care about that war. From the moment we went across the sea we felt like we shouldn't be there, and we wanted to come back. The Servants of Alleros told us we didn't belong there, and quite frankly, we agreed. Actually, when we told them we had decided to return to our homeland they helped us build the boats that carried us here. That's not to say they weren't strong, though. Alleros isn't that unlike Nishir, you'd like him.
"He had two champions, one wasn't unlike a Templar, and the other was like a wizard. I never saw them myself, but I heard things. Imagine the sun turning so bright your skin boils without shade, but anyone they wish to be untouched walks around freely. That's the kind of power those two had, and we took it very seriously, but we didn't care enough about winning the war to properly answer them."
"That's amazing!" Andal declared, "And I'm a Templar, and I have a friend that's a wizard! We're going to be Nishir's champions and chase out the Haverdash!"
"Hah, a funny coincidence indeed. You would have your work cut out for you though, the Haverdash are a lot stronger than they were just two years ago. Just as the religion changes rapidly, the Haverdash change with it."
"Could Alleros's champions still do it?"
Makarif furrowed his brow in thought, "I suspect not. I never actually saw them, remember, but that's the impression I have."
That discouraged Andal, "Then what can I do? How do I beat them?"
Makarif raised his hands as if to surrender, "That question is too tough for me. As far as I know, you can't. I'm not trying to beat them, I'm trying to wipe my hands of the whole affair, and change myself for the better. When they conquer Tubarai I'll move further west."
There was a silent pause as Andal, with a frustrated expression, stared into his mug.
“Then again,” Makarif added, “You might not have to.” That confused Andal greatly, but Makarif continued, “The way the religion is changing isn’t random. It’s becoming more and more obsessed with rituals and drug use, experiencing stronger and stronger feelings, more and more often. There is a temptation that is common among the Haverdash, to do nothing but stay in a heavily drug induced state constantly, performing rituals when they have the presence of mind to. I wouldn’t expect them to kill themselves this way, but the war might stop.”
Andal looked intently at Makarif, “That’s something. Maybe if the Haverdash stop paying attention we can build up and take them out! But, what are you suggesting I do? Should I just wait around and hope they make themselves useless?”
“I don’t know what you should do, Andal. The Haverdash aren’t vulnerable, only depraved. If I’m actually giving you advice, run. Now that I think about it, the Haverdash aren’t going to devolve into uselessness anyway. There’s something that’s new since we came back, and it’s why I do not see a way for the Haverdash to lose. There are those we call ‘Glorious Haverdash’. There were only a couple when I left, now there might be another.”
Andal interrupted, “I think I’ve met one, he was more powerful than the other Haverdash! His name is Moxey, and killing him is one of my main goals!”
Makarif bore with the interruption, but answered, “You have not met one. If you had you would not be unsure. Did he glow with an ominous light? Did the Haverdash flock to that light like moths? Did he have no belt for wine?”
Andal’s eyes wavered as he realized Makarif was talking about something much greater than Moxey, “No.”
“I know about Moxey, but he’s far from glorious. Glorious Haverdash are self-sufficient, they don’t need wine if it's more convenient to go without. Not only that, they are sufficient for those looking on them. They aren’t fueled by wine anymore, but ambition for glory as defined by the religion. Because they exist, the Haverdash won’t devolve like I hypothesized.”
Andal nodded solemnly, “Then I guess that’s the goal now, kill the Glorious Haverdash.”
That angered Makarif, “Are you not listening? That’s impossible! You don’t have a realistic shot at beating Moxey, let alone one of the Glorious!”
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“I am listening, Makarif. You’ve told me very much, and I appreciate it greatly. I can’t take your advice though. If it’s my best shot, I’m not going to try figuring out how realistic it is, I’m going to take it. If I thought there was life outside of this war I might take it, but the Haverdash have taken away the life I was living twice already, and I believe Moxey when he told me they want to conquer the whole continent.”
Makarif was surprised, but looked strangely proud. “I respect that. The Haverdash value willpower above all else, at the least you can make them remember you.”
"I appreciate that," Andal said. His eyes drifted toward the window where there was total darkness. "I should go. I'm really glad we met, I've learned a lot. Maybe we'll meet again someday?"
"We might. Don't come here at the cost of someone else finding me though, this meeting could have easily gone poorly."
"Yea, sorry about that." Andal eyed the door nervously, dreading the cold and the wind.
Makarif grabbed his bag with that powder in it and poured some out to fill a hollowed out goat horn. "Take this and sprinkle it on the snow in front of you as you go. The steam should warm you. I can't help you with the dark."
"I can make light, thank you very much!" Andal took the horn and boldly pushed through the doorway.
The trail of depressed snow was still somewhat visible, but he needed to hurry. Makarif and Andal waved goodbye, and Andal ran off into the snow. The powder worked to keep him warm, but his clothes got soggy from the steam. As he went he had to use more to keep warm because the air was threatening to freeze the water in his clothes.
He made it to the cliff, but he didn't see how he could possibly climb down it. Walking along the edge for a way, he found a slight slope with a mound at the bottom. He slid down and was fully immersed in snow. Some of it got in the horn, which was almost empty, and a burst of steam cleared the snow above him.
Since he was almost back to the grotto, and he shouldn't be seen with the horn, he gave into the temptation to dump what little was left of the powder into that pile of snow. He fell a few inches further when the snow burst into steam, and it was just as satisfying as he hoped. It actually got too hot though, and there was a second where he thought his clothes were on fire. It woke him up a little at least, which helped him run a little faster.
By the time he made it back to the others he was a shivering wreck, with ice forming all over him. There was a large fire built at the entrance, but not so large that he couldn't go around into the shelter of the grotto. He laid by the fire, looking back to see if anyone noticed his arrival. A professor opened one beady eye, then rolled over to face away from Andal. No doubt he would be in big trouble in the morning, but this was an unsightly hour to have to scold someone.
*
Andal was mopping the hallway between the cafeteria and the library, and he spotted Jeva reading. She was kind of facing toward him, so he waved his arms to draw her attention. When she spotted him he waved for her to come over. She put down the book and ran over, hesitating and checking over her shoulder partway to see if she was going to get in trouble for running in the library.
Nobody who might have seen was close enough to care though, so she was in the clear. "Hey Andal! Where have you been? Your field trip got back two days ago!"
"I've been mopping! I got in big trouble and now this is how I have to use my free time. I have today and part of tomorrow, then I should be done."
"Woah, are you mopping the whole academy?"
"They said it was half, but I don't trust them. I am bored out of my mind doing this! I've wanted to talk to you about the trip since we got back, but I haven't ever seen you! So, want to know why I got in trouble?"
“Obviously? How did wake-up-at-6-go-to-bed-at-10-every-night-Andal get such a big punishment?”
“Again, that’s when the Templars slept. It’s not a big deal.”
“Uh, okay. The rest of us go to sleep at 12 one night then 9 the next.”
“Nevermind when we go to sleep, this is big! I got in trouble because I left the group late at night and came back two to three hours later. I had a good reason, though!" He lowered his voice, "I saw a Haverdash up there."
Jeva was in shocked disbelief, "A Haverdash? On the Tower? Wouldn't there already be an army near by if they were scouting that deep into Tubarai?"
"If he was a scout, then yes! I'd think that too, but he's a deserter! He fled the Haverdash six months ago!"
Jeva was wide eyed, "Wow. How do you know that?"
"Because I talked to him! I left the group to chase him down, and ended up in a conversation where he told me everything I could think to wonder about the Haverdash! I know what I need to do now, and I need to know if you're still in."
"Of course I'm still in!"
Andal chuckled while he kept talking, "Excellent, but say it after I finish telling you about the plan to be sure. There's something called a Glorious Haverdash, and the Haverdash society is sort of dependent on them for focus and leadership. If we kill the Glorious Haverdash then we could cripple their society, and stop their warring! The deserter didn't think that would be possible though, they're apparently freakishly powerful. That's the goal now though, we want to kill the Glorious Haverdash. So are you still in?"
"Can I clarify something?"
"Of course."
"Is it just us, like you and me, against these guys?"
"Hopefully not, but it could be. That's how we win, I'm pretty sure. If nobody kills the Glorious Haverdash it would be a lot harder, however hard it is to beat them."
"And are you sure the Haverdash are going to attack Tubarai?"
"Completely sure. I actually talked about this with the deserter, they do want their land back like Professor Tharow said, but conquest is just part of their religion now. They're not going to stop. The religion changes pretty fast, but it's not going to change away from conquest because of these Glorious Haverdash."
"Okay. Well then I'm in. It probably seems silly to think that someone can live their lives without fighting the Haverdash, so I shouldn't be worried about risking my life. That's how the Haverdash do it, right? Every single one of them is in on the war?"
"Yes it is. We saw that at Nalye'ed."
"Then I think we have to be that way too. Match their effort."
Andal smiled sadly, "Thank you. Let's ask more people, the more the better. I'll ask Panlo and Frie, and you should ask some of your wizard friends."
"Panlo and Frie are in the library now! I'll grab them."
She brought them to Andal, and he told them everything he had told Jeva, which he had stayed silent on while on the trip. Frie was more than a bit overwhelmed, “You want me to commit to fighting these super-Haverdash? Possibly away from an army backing me up? I can’t do that, Andal! I’ll fight them if I’m drafted to it, but you ask to much!”
“That’s okay, I-”
“I’ll do it!” Panlo exclaimed.
Andal pulled back because of that sudden shout that was pretty close to his ear, but he smiled. “Wonderful! So it’s the three of us.”
*
"Lars!" Moxey shouted. "I'm all finished!" He exited the small house he was in and saw Lars, "What are you doing?"
Lars was standing by a tree with his hand on it. It was an excellent tree for climbing, yet he had no desire to climb it. "Nothing. Now will you tell me what you were doing?"
"I have finally got what I wanted from the fairies. This is why it was so excellent that they showed themselves so quickly. In the days before we crossed the sea we had access to another world, and I learned about it across the sea through writings. Now access has been restored by a creature in that world which lays traps across worlds, which the fairies brought here by bait. It’s called a meadanim, which is a play on their word for ‘false’, medan.
"Now if we walk in this house," he pointed back at the one he had walked out of, "We will be in a most unusual creature. It will attack you, naturally, as it's only desire is to consume. We’re all like that in our own ways. Do not kill it in self defense, or you would destroy this way in. Simply find a way out of the creature other than by the front door, and you will find your way into that other world. They call that world 'Edezar', which is literally, ‘Strange world.’
"There’s a lot to gain there, some ingredients used in wine were not native to this world, but the most immediately practical use for it is that it is smaller. That world is less than a tenth the size of this world, so if you go through one connecting point then travel seven miles to exit from another connecting point you would have traveled over 70 miles in this world. It isn’t very useful for moving an army, but individuals can make great use of it.”
Lars stood at the entrance, “So this is how we’re going to get to the front?”
“Yes it is. Keep in mind, I don’t know what it’s like in there, not really. It’s supposed to be quite an experience, and it will be a new one for both of us.”
Lars took a drink of wine, “Can we go now?”
Moxey did likewise, “Let’s.”