It was high noon; the sun enjoying the leisure of the cloudless sky.
London's streets were overcrowded by watchmen. Mixed among the watchmen were strange men, wearing stranger hats and holding wooden sticks.
Rickon Piery's Shop of Hundred Wonders was the center of attention.
The talk among the officials was that they had found three bodies there, all badly mangled. The work of a beast.
A huge venomous Boa Constrictor, who had escaped the glass cage and had attacked the three thieves.
Close to this shop was an ordinary hut. Inside, Arlen was sitting with a heavy frown on his face. Sonia and Shae were sitting near the columns of books, but it was Sonia whose face was blank.
Another Contestant had joined them in the vast hall. The Contestant from the 1st floor, Simon. He was around the same age as Desmond but looked older. He was lean, but his back was slightly hunched. His face was full of freckles, and he only had one eye.
The moment a rhythmic knock rattled the door, Simon's right eye was the first to react.
Arlen was the second to jump up to his feet, his face gaining an ugly expression. Sonia had almost made a run for it if Arlen hadn't stopped her by the gesture of his hand.
"No one moves," Arlen commanded, taking out the wand. "Simon, stand back."
Simon was quick, his feet moving like a pheasant darting around. Arlen flicked the wand at the door, and it swung open with a bam. The two figures didn't linger outside more than they needed to.
They were Kai and Desmond, each holding a Broomstick.
"What have you two done?!" Arlen fumed, pointing the wand at them. "Where were you? And what is this mess you have created?"
"Captain," Kai addressed gently. "We have no idea what you are talking about."
"Yes, Arlen," Desmond nodded, his eyes searching for Sonia. "We just went in and out in a matter of moments. But then many official wizards began appearing around us so we had to hide for some time."
None noticed the slight twitch of Desmond's left shoulder when he moved around.
Arlen must have sensed all eyes staring at his pointed wand, feeling his anger, so he put it down.
"They found three people dead in the shop," Arlen said. "The wizards and witches from the Wizard's Council are all over the place. Mr. Beedle is just on the verge of abandoning our service. If you two had come in time, then we would have left this cursed place by now."
"What?!" Desmond's jaw dropped, and he snapped his head towards Kai. "Three corpses?!!"
Kai's jaw was dropped too. His mouth was even wider than that of Desmond's.
*
*
[
Side Mission: Assist Contestant Desmond in stealing a Broomstick
Side Mission Status: Success
Side Mission Rewards: 75 Mission Credits
]
…
There was not much difference in the Mission Credits, despite the bloody events that took place at the shop, Kai noted.
It became obvious to him that, once assigned, Side Missions didn't take into account what happened later. If it wasn't for the ambush, then the 75 Mission Credits for break in and stealing broomsticks were reasonable.
"Arlen will kill us if he thinks his mission is a failure," Desmond's voice came from his side. "How the hell did those three die there?!"
The question had a puzzled tone, but Kai knew what Desmond was trying to imply.
"I don't know, Desmond," Kai shrugged. "Maybe it is what they are saying. They got killed by a snake. This is a magical world. Who knows what truths lie under the guise of falseness?"
"How can that be?" Desmond pressed his brows. "I could feel her power. She was stronger than me. If I didn't have my Skill, you would have only found pieces of me in the alley."
"Then why is the Wizard's Council taking so much interest in it," Kai threw out a wild guess. "Maybe the snake wasn't an ordinary creature."
"You mean…" Desmond's eyes shone with understanding.
"It was a Shop of Hundred Wonders, right?" Kai said meaningfully. "Who says magical creatures aren't wonders?"
Manipulating people with the subtlest hints and nudges was one of the strengths Kai had developed to survive in his previous life. Not to mention, Desmond wasn't the brightest mind out there, to begin with.
For a brute, Desmond has learned to overcome his weakness by asking questions after questions, Kai reflected, seeing the big guy going quiet.
Kai's gaze fell on the three brooms leaning against the wall.
The girls had also completed their mission, securing a broomstick. Now, Sonia was on duty in the basement, and Shae was still buried in books.
"How can they be so magical?" Kai asked, pointing at the broomsticks. "They didn't even have Stats over them."
"Haha!" Desmond roared in a way unique to him. "The presence of Stats just means that an Item can be taken outside the world and can be stored into Inventory. It doesn't mean it isn't powerful. Some things aren't so clearly stated by the Systems. So don't do anything stupid."
Both went quiet then.
The surroundings had become immensely tense at the sunset, blanketed by smoke and the approaching dusk.
At midnight, they would leave this secured magical hut of theirs. They would leave London, flying on the brooms, but how many would reach Dufftown, Kai couldn't guess.
But I know who will not be reaching for sure, Kai's eyes narrowed.
Under Desmond's shocked gaze, Kai got up and neared Arlen. "Captain," he towered over Arlen, who was sprawled over the long sofa-like wooden bench.
Arlen hadn't left this place since the last hour, and Desmond had told Kai he didn't like it, seeing Arlen so quiet.
Kai had an inkling of what Arlen was thinking. But would he dare say it aloud here, when so many ears were listening? He shook his head inwardly.
"What is it?" Arlen grumbled, without looking at Kai.
"I couldn't ride the broom," Kai said, remembering the shameful incident, "so I was wondering if you could teach me magic."
"Teach you magic, you say," Arlen mumbled, scorning Kai's words openly. "What is it, a vegetable?"
"But I saw you teaching it to Shae," Kai said, pointing at the time an hour ago when Arlen had approached Shae to teach her about magic. "You can sell vegetables to her, and not to me?"
A laugh escaped Desmond's mouth, and even Simon let out a chuckle. Shae held her head high to see what the ruckus was about, unaware that she was the cause.
Arlen sat up. He looked at Kai with those blue eyes of his, menacing and full of rage and murder.
"Magic requires Elementary Magic Aptitude. Do you have it?" Arlen said, his tone full of mockery. "Save your breath, I know you don't. Magic also requires a wand. Do you have it? Do you know the price I had to pay to have one of my own? Do you know it isn't even a real wand?"
Now that shocked Kai.
"And do you know?" Arlen had stood up, looking down into Kai's eyes. "Magic requires an acknowledgment from a true wizard or true witch from the random world. They must acknowledge that you have the destiny to be a wizard, that if not now, then one day you can become one."
Arlen left the bed, and walked off, leaving Kai drowned in his thoughts.
None saw Kai deftly slipping a paper into Arlen's pockets as he walked away.
"You didn't know that, did you?" Arlen was still shouting, laughing a low laugh of derision. "Teach you magic, you said. Well, let's have it then. It just so happens that we have a true wizard among ourselves."
Desmond stood up in shock. Arlen hadn't let the newbies even approach the direction till now. For the first time, he was walking towards it, the trapdoor of the basement.
A tunnel brought Kai and Arlen in front of a metal door. There were no bolts outside, but it felt shut to Kai. Almost air-tight for the better lack of words. Sonia was sitting on one side of the gate outside, reading a book, sitting over a stool. The tunnel was well lit for the purpose.
"Go up," Arlen commanded. "Mr. Beedle doesn't like too many of us crowding him."
Sonia gave Kai a rare smile and nodded at him before leaving the basement. When Arlen heard the clanking of the trapdoor, he looked at Kai. His hand went down to his coat's pocket, and he took out a rolled piece of parchment.
"And now," Arlen said, with a threatening tone. "You will tell me what's the meaning of this."
Arlen unrolled the flaky piece, letting out its content in open. Under the light of dozens of oil lamps, the single word written over it shimmered with a yellow-orange glow.
That word was…
Confringo.
*
*
30 minutes later,
The metal door opened up, its hinges creaking under its weight.
Kai was standing behind Arlen, almost hiding under his figure. Whatever had happened in the last 30 minutes, it had left none of its traces on their faces.
"My Lord, may I have some of your time," Arlen said, bowing a little. "It's regarding one of my guards."
Kai gawked at the room when Arlen had bowed. It was big for it to be called just a room but smaller than the hall over the basement. There was a single large table in the middle, and it was conquered by hundreds and thousands of parchments. Empty ink-bottles were scattered all over the floor. And quills were dancing like a many-colored peacock in the rain.
Behind the table, on a chair, was an old man. He had a long, luxuriant beard. It disappeared under the table, like a water stream. Over his head was a pointy hat, and he was all garbed in a blue-black robe. His right hand was scribbling, snatching a dancing quill now and then, and then leaving it to do work on its own.
It was his left hand that interested Kai. Clutched tightly in the grasp of his left hand's fingers was a book. Its cover was deep dark, which made it lose itself in his robe's foldings. The old man had pressed the book tightly to his chest as if worrying anyone would come and might try to snatch it away.
"Come, come," an old and croaky voice replied. "Shut the door. First, shut the door."
Kai hastily entered the room, and the metal door returned to its post, cutting them off from the outside world.
"How are you faring, Mr. Beedle?" Arlen asked, giving Kai a shock that he could even talk so pleasantly. "What will you have for dinner?"
"Nothing, nothing," Mr. Beedle said, shaking his long beard along with his head. "When are we leaving?"
"Midnight, My Lord," Arlen said, with a sure voice. "We are just waiting for the hubbub to die down a little."
"Hurry, hurry, you must hurry," Mr. Beedle abruptly stood up and started to look around. "It's coming for me, I tell you. It's found me."
He is mad, Kai thought, becoming sure of it.
Arlen turned around and gave Kai a blank look.
"My Lord, the guard I was talking about," Arlen brought Kai forward and presented him to Mr. Beedle. "His name's Red. Can you help us find out if he has magical aptitude?"
Mr. Beedle finally noticed Kai, and his old face brightened up suddenly. Kai saw he wasn't as old as he looked, but he had a frail figure. His eyes were sunken deep in his skull. The pupils could have the color of obsidian once, but now they were dull black, gray, and bleak.
Kai stepped towards the old man as the wizard came for him. Behind Kai, Arlen was flabbergasted, seeing the strangest event of his life.
Beedle the bard was a legendary character and he had never shown such interest in others.
In a few steps, Kai found the old man standing in front of him. They were of the same height. Mr. Beedle would have longer if he were to straighten his back, Kai noticed. He was still thinking about what to say when the wizard lifted his right hand.
Kai didn't move.
Mr. Beedle put his hand on his face and caressed as he traced a finger towards his eyes.
"Fascinating!" Mr. Beedle whispered, too indulged to say the words out loud. "These eyes…"
Kai felt the coarseness of his hands on his face, ran down his neck, and then the hand reached down to his chest. There it stopped. The old wizard pressed his palm just over Kai's heart, a little to its right.
A sudden shriek!
Mr. Beedle jerked his hand away as if something had swatted it. The old man's face was already pale and dark before, but now it was aghast. A deep horror was in his eyes.
Terror beyond death.
"Merlin's beard!" The old man shouted, stumbling away from Kai. "NO! He shall not do magic. This is false. Yes! Falseness beyond redemption."
Kai had an ugly expression. He wanted to kill that stupid old fool.
"Where's my wand?" Mr. Beedle asked, fumbling around his table. "Where is it?!"
"Come, let's go," Arlen said, putting a hand on Kai's shoulder. "We are done here."
Kai silently turned around and walked off. As the metal door closed behind him, he put a hand on his chest.
It was burning hot, whatever was in there.
The hotness of rage and defiance.
************
AN: We will cover the missing 30 minutes soon enough in coming chapters.