“I don’t know what game you’re playing, Hoplix, but I want no part in it. Accompanying this letter is the largest piece of Darksteel I was able to procure. It is the size of a marble and infinitely useless- it is entirely indestructible and immutable; and thus impossible to shape or enchant. I trust you will appreciate it for what it is- the world’s most expensive paperweight. Consider us even. I wish you luck, and I wish for our paths to never again cross.
Signed, Harold.” - a letter in Headmistress Hoplix’s trophy cabinet.
Vreem- 3 days before classes start
When Mark called us all to a ‘Triad meeting’, I don’t think this is what they expected. The atmosphere is tense, to say the least. Me, Kira and Mark are sitting at the circular dinner table in our Triad room. The sheer luxury and decadence on display astounds me: although the room is small, it contains a kitchen and dining area. Three equally spaced doors on the eastern wall lead to even smaller personal bedrooms, and on the opposite wall another door leads to a bathroom. on the southern wall is the doorway to the corridor, where dozens of other doors for dozens of other triads can be found. And the enchantments! Each room has smokeless torches, the bathroom has an absurd amount of elemental enchantments and the amount of different temperature runes in the kitchen is absurd. This may be my first time living indoors, but my memories indicate that this is anything but normal. Do the enchantments require maintenance? fuel? will we need to feed them?
These are the thoughts that I occupy myself with, and judging by the contemplative look on Kira’s face she is equally lost in thought about something. Mark, on the other hand, is much harder to read- Their gleaming metal face does not twitch or move. It has eyes, currently glowing a dull blue, and a lipless mouth, but it lacks any other facial features. I also can’t see any movement in their limbs or chest, even as they make the sounds of quiet breathing. I find them eerie, and so I almost jump when they are the first to talk.
“As a Triad, we should get to know each other. Since it seems that won’t happen through small talk, let’s properly introduce ourselves! Even if forced, introductions and volunteered information makes a great basis from which to build relationships. Does that sound reasonable to everyone?”
“That sounds good to me.” affirms Kira.
“I have objections, but continue regardless.” I state, feeling slightly patronised but not knowing why.
“Excellent! I’ll begin then. My name is Mark Nine, and I specialise in enchantments. Despite appearances, I consider myself human and would appreciate being treated as such. I’m studying at Deepvein to push my limits and improve myself. In my spare time, I like to read books of philosophy and ethics. And you, Kira?”
The golem wishes to be treated as human? Interesting.
“I am Kira Arken, of the Arken family of course. I am a prodigal psionic and consider myself an intellectual, so I entered Deepvein through academic merit. I am attending Deepvein in order to become a Delver and thus prove myself worthy of inheriting the Arken estate. I’m an amateur painter in my free time. Vreem, if you would?”
Kira seems very proud of her family, and seems disappointed when I don’t react to the family name. Nevertheless, it seems it is my turn. time to get my story straight.
“I am Vreem. I have no surname or worldly possessions beyond my equipment. I am a biomancer, specialising in enhancing and repairing my own body. My body enhancements are not quite sufficient to go toe-to-toe with a warmage like Professor Jensen. I have no free time.”
The other two seem somewhat stunned for a moment, a moment of quiet contemplation that is interrupted by the scraping of my chair as I stand up and turn to leave the Triad room. I’ve come to a decision. My hands are turning the door handle by the time Mark speaks again.
“Where are you going, Vreem? I’m sorry if I triggered some unpleasant memories.”
It’s the opposite of how Kira speaks. Mark spoke two sentences, and conveyed exactly two messages with monotone efficiency. Despite how eerily expressive their face is, I find my respect for Mark rises a few notches. Nevertheless, a question was asked and so an answer shall be given.
“I am going to ask someone with authority to remove me from this Triad-”
“What?!” “Why?”
“-mostly because Kira is a telepath, and I have dangerous secrets.”
Mark begins to say something, but is cut off by an indignant Kira.
“I don’t thin-” “I assure you, I can keep a secret! The entire point of a Triad is to learn to trust each other with our very lives- no matter what crime you might have committed, and no matter how much I dislike you, I wouldn’t disrespect the tradition of Triads by betraying you to the authorities! Even if you’re an uncouth, violent psychopath from some backstreet slum, you are a member of my Triad and so you will become the best possible version of yourself. My family name rests on it! The only way out of a Triad is to either die, graduate, or have it revoked as invalid.”
That is worrying. Death and waiting until graduation are immediately off the table- the former is unacceptable because I have things to do, and trying to graduate while in a Triad with a telepath is almost certain to result in death as well. That only leaves option three…
Stolen novel; please report.
“Kaelan, the draconoid, accused me of stealing his place in this Triad. Is that grounds for the Triad to be invalid?”
This time, it’s Mark that gives an answer- but he gives his while standing up, and motioning for Kira to do the same.
“If someone arranged a Triad or changed it’s membership for political or economic reasons then the Triad is invalid. In order to formally dissolve the Triad however, you’d need solid proof of tampering or bias. Kira, would you accompany me and Vreem to go and follow the only lead we have?”
Kira voices a plethora of questions, but they’re aimed at Mark so I ignore them and connect the dots myself. Kaelan accused me of stealing his place in the Triad. That implies that he was told he would be in the Triad. Could it have been changed? If so, Kaelan may have some useful information. Best case scenario, I can challenge him to a rematch and intentionally lose, he retakes his rightful spot in this Triad, and everyone is the better for it. That all relies on him being able to prove that it’s his spot, though… and relying on others has never worked out well for me.
“Kira, we may need you to extract information from his mind. If we can prove that he was removed from the group for corrupt reasons, then I can get out of this Triad. You’d be rid of an ‘uncouth, violent psychopath’ and I’d be rid of a prying, telepathic nuisance. Everybody benefits.”
It was satisfying to see the indignant shock on Kira’s face, and even more so when she huffed and stood up. Stepping aside, I let Mark lead the way as me and Kira followed him, presumably to go and have a conversation with a recently injured reptile.
Several Minutes Later
As it turned out, Kaelan had just been released from the infirmary with a freshly mended snout. Or was it ‘unwounded’? Medical biomancy is unviable, but for some reason chronomancy can afford the imprecision of operating within another's soul's influence. I’ll have to look into that sometime, there has to be a method of abusing that…
Anyway, we ambushed the draconoid as they stepped out of the medical pavilion into the pouring rain of the courtyard, shivering slightly and wearing a deeply grim expression. I wonder how Mark knew to find them here? Regardless, Mark is the first to speak.
“Kaelan! Why so grim, what’s wrong?”
“Sorry, do I know yo-”
I can pinpoint the exact moment that they noticed me and Kira behind Mark. It’s the moment that they freeze, and grow even paler than their normal sky blue. When they speak again it’s almost hysterical, unbelieving.
“I… I killed you. I buried an axe in your skull!”
“You also stabbed me in the heart. I twisted your armour until it cracked bone and smashed your snout hard enough that I believe you swallowed teeth. You fought well. The difference between us is that you needed Mark to stabilise you until Kira could send a medical chronomancer to help, whereas I simply stood up. If I concede the duel, will you take my place in this Triad?”
That snaps him back to reality, and his expression hardens into a serious frown.
“Let’s discuss this somewhere more private- and warmer. Cold-blooded and all.”
At this point, Kira steps forward and I notice that she is completely dry despite the torrential downpour. Looking closer, I notice that the rain hits an invisible shield above her- a profoundly petty use of psionic power. I approve.
“You’ll be fine, Kaelan. I’ve seen you endure worse weather for far less important reasons. It’s wet, cold and miserable out here- there’s no-one around. We will have this conversation here and now! The sooner we get to the bottom of this, the sooner me and this savage that apparently took your place can part ways.”
Kira and Kaelan have made eye contact, neither of them flinching and a whole heap of emotions that I don’t understand being wordlessly communicated between them. Of course the arrogant psion would have history with our informant, that tracks with my luck recently. I suppose I have it coming, what with my meddling in Fortune, Fate and their affairs. Regardless, Mark looks intensely uncomfortable right now, and I respect them enough for the Old Way of reciprocity to apply.
“Enough with the staring contest, I have questions to ask and answers to receive. Kaelan, tell me everything you know that could be relevant to getting this Triad revoked as invalid.”
He breaks eye contact with Kira and turns to face me, clearly unhappy with the situation in general.
“Very well then, I’ll start from the beginning. About three months ago I sent a letter to the Deepvein staff asking if they could put me in the same Triad as you, Kira, on account of us being childhood friends-” “Some friend you are.” “- and having complementary skillsets. Evidently, someone at the school agreed with me because a week later I received confirmation that I would be in a Triad with Kira Arken and Mark Nine, in the form of a letter from the Academy.”
“Excellent,” pipes in Mark, “that means someone changed a planned Triad to separate you from Kira! Or from me, I suppose, but that seems less likely. If we can just show that letter to the staff-”
“About that… you must understand, my family is a little bit, um, old fashioned? One of my dear brothers decided to use a stack of paperwork from my desk as kindling. The fire-breathers were all out of the house that day, you see.”
Kira looks about ready to snap, and I find the twitching of her eye amusing to no end.
“No! No Kaelan, I don’t see. You had a perfect solution to our problem- and you let one of you idiot brothers use it as kindling? Do you have ANY IDEA how infuriating that is? You know what your family is like- they’re source-damn barbarians Kaelan! They’re almost as bad as Vreem! How could you let them even be around anything that important?”
Kaelan is very still. They are silent, and unnerving- but a subtle ‘soul-out-of-body’ experience on my part reveals that their very soul is trembling in rage. Is he going to kill Kira? I hope so. I am disappointed however, when he controls himself and speaks in a low, dangerous tone.
“Because unlike you, Kira, they are honest and kind. Obviously, a barbarian like me would be of no use to a refined noble like yourself. I’ll escort myself out of your presence.”
He stalks away, shoulders tense with simmering fury. I’ll admit to taking great joy in ignoring the similar suppressed wrath that Kira is hiding beneath her neutral expression as I turn to her and, smiling ever-so-slightly for the first time I can remember, ask the ever important question.
“What now?”