Solus
February 22nd, 2020, 06:33 PM
This is a bit of a longer text, so I'd recommend saving it for when you've got some time to spare. Fifteen to twenty minutes should do just fine, though more may be necessary if you want to go more in depth.
That said I hope you enjoy
-
In light, we see the world as it is
In darkness, we see what it could become
Varus’ life had been nice. Sometimes he'd smell rosewater that his nanny used to love so much, and for just a little while,
he could believe the freezing hallways would lead to the warm hearth where fright was only found in books. He shivered.
The books remained, but the warmth was missing.
"Seriously, hurry up!" Morris' head twitched back and forth down the hallways, strangely convinced that it would do him
any good. Varus had explained many times that the passage had gone unused since the northern wing had been expanded,
but somehow that fact was still eluding him.
"If you'd stop whining for one moment I'd be done already." Extracting the Shrieker-blossom was a precarious process.
Varus tried to limit the shivers to his clacking teeth, all too aware that a slip of the hand could be the last mistake he ever
made.
"What are you even doing with that plant?"
"Shrieker-blossom, herba clamor. You remember when young Henry got disembowelled taking that silver chalice
displayed at the front of Fire Hall?"
"Yes?"
"That will be you and me if you don't quiet down."
Varus knew it wouldn't shut him up for long, but seeing him a shade paler gave some small amount of comfort.
Most of the wires were already bound, but the trap was still very much lethal. The tension in the metal made it
remarkably difficult to work with, especially as it was so intricate. Knowing a minor disturbance at the wrong
filament was all it took to set it off served to put some tension in him as well. Damn it was cold here.
"I think someone is coming."
"It's just the echo of your heartbeats."
A wire-trap was volatile and unpredictable by nature. There were too many factors to consider when disarming it
and just few enough that it could be set up without excessive personal hazard. Luckily Varus didn't need to
deactivate it, only remove the specimen without getting flayed to pieces, so a pair of pliers and a bit of dexterity
were all that was required. And luck. Laughable amounts of luck, though Varus wasn't laughing at the moment.
"No but seriously, someone is coming. I'm certain of it."
Varus drew a deep, shivering breath. "Listen, I've set up tripwires all over the place, if something is going to sneak
up on us then it'll be a ghost, and at that point, we might as well-"
A slight jingle flew through the hallway, so soft he almost missed it, but it was there. Then came the crash, a
clangour of bells and loose stone, and Varus felt his head snap up as he scanned the room. Too late he realised
his mistake, feeling a filament as it brushed ever so lightly past his gloves.
"Down!" was the last thing he had the chance to say before the wires all started moving.
The noise was horrendous. Nails on a chalkboard was birdsong in comparison to this metallic screeching.
Varus almost regretted not writing his testaments, but then again, who would want his musty old garments?
Then it was all over, almost as quickly as it had begun. The wall was partially collapsed, a big hole had been torn
in the roof and both sides of the corridor were blocked off. The wires had minced the stone and wood into fist-sized
slivers, creating long gashes where the metal was still stuck from the ruinous forces. Rain was pouring through
the rafters and pooling on the floor, which for once was a good thing since it helped the dust to settle. Sheer terror
served to combat the cold.
Whoever had been approaching them was now coughing wildly behind the rubble, drawing quick and shallow
breaths in between. Morris was alive too which was a relief; he would've dreaded to find an explanation that
would satisfy the inquisitors.
"Up now," Varus said quietly, gently touching the Morris's shivering arm "and don't scream."
For once he was quiet, but there were several cuts along his body and his robes were beyond help. For a moment
they both just stood there, looking silently at each other and wondering what would come next.
A sudden shift in the rocks, followed by a croak no louder than a whisper served to set reality in motion again.
"Curses!" Varus muttered, carefully lifting his prize off the pedestal. What did he hope to accomplish in his stupor?
That they would just decide to leave?
"We gotta go, fuck the plant!" Morris hissed, but he didn't move.
Varus packed the specimen into a special copper canister that would prevent it from triggering its effects too early,
carefully making sure that no part of it remained outside. "Shrieker-blossom."
Morris almost answered but was cut off when one of the wooden beams started groaning, sending splinters and dust
swirling through the air yet again.
Beams...
"The roof!" Varus didn't wait for an answer but started up the shifting rubble immediately, grasping for the boards above.
The footing was unsure and slippery but he managed to keep upright by edging forward close to the wall, not unlike the
spiders that made their lives.
Then the beam snapped.
Something caught his foot and for a terrible moment the ground was all below him, the sky to an endless stormy sea.
The observatory, the smokestack and Fire Hall, they were all stalactites in the cave of the world.
Then he started falling, and by the looks of it, it would be a deadly descent. They were stalagmites now, weren't they?
Varus's stomach started tingling, hands and feet flailing as he spun downward. He thought he heard a woman scream,
but that was stupid since all the inquisitors were male.
Maybe this wouldn't be so bad, right? After all, there were worse ways to die, more painful ones. He probably wouldn't
even feel the impact as his bones turned to mush.
Gods save me
Varus could for just a moment taste the sour bile building in his throat, and after that, he could remember no more of
the fall.
-
There was something to be said for the difference between knowing and understanding, but that was currently lost on
Varus even though he had studied physical injuries extensively. It didn't hurt yet, which was to be expected for a fall
like that, but he couldn't focus on anything. It was like only being able to see from the corner of your eye, never fully
grasping what it was that you were looking at.
He felt as if he was detached from his body, only held in place by a thin tether, and the sky... oh god, the sky. It was like
he was seeing through the faceted eyes of an insect, thousands upon thousands of images desperately trying to coalesce
into a messy whole. He had to avert his eyes, and instantly things made more sense, though it was still incredibly hard to
focus. That was when he realized he wasn't alone.
Three shapes were moving around him, all distinctly different though Varus could not say what they looked like. One
shivered and twisted, another paced restlessly, but they were unimportant as the last called to him with a voice so sweet
and tender that it literally sent sparks through the air; they would sail on for a while, before flaring up into small,
scintillating clouds. The smells of parchment and candlewax soon filled his nostrils, sending a soft warmth pulsating
through his veins.
He tried to sit up, but the legs that had served well for a good sixteen years had decided that they were worth a break today.
Nothing else would move for that matter, which saddened Varus because the figure was moving away, and this meant he
could not follow. That gave the song a bittersweet tinge, which somehow made it even more beautiful.
He strained. Against what he didn't know -it didn't matter- and slowly something gave way. The shivering one became more
chaotic, as if it was trying to go in all directions at once, and the other grew tense, each step filled with measured worry. But
the important one didn't change; it kept walking at the same leisurely pace, humming its wordless hymn that never kept
rhythm but always made sense.
Exhumed glee and pulsating trepidation started mingling in the air, creating a rank but pervasive undertone to the otherwise
agreeable smells. The rough cobbles under him became warm to the touch, but Varus was not sure whether the heat came
from him or somewhere else. He tried to get up but was taken aback when a flash struck his arm and made it flop around like
a fish on land; a sour taste with tingly overtones invaded his mouth. This is the way.
He pressed on.
Once again the world took on a faceted and fractured mantle, but this time there was nowhere else to look to spare his aching
head. The roof had mended itself -when did that happen?- and of the rubble, there was no sign. It was now or never.
He tried to get up.
A veritable thunderstrike hit him, setting every single drop of his blood on fire, pouring acid down his veins and filling every
cavity with molten lead. It was unbearable, a hell so cruel that even the gods would've balked.
But when the crash had echoed away the song returned, and Varus found himself stuck in the in-between. Wafts of balmy air
soothed his blistering skin and fleeting melodies knitted his thoughts back together, though the aching in his arm wouldn't
go away.
He didn't make another attempt; nothing could ever persuade him of that. Gods he was tired. The melody was almost faded
now, reminding him of the dissonant lullabies that his nanny used to sing. He suspected she wrote them herself, considering
their strange meanings, but they still held a nostalgic sweetness to them.
Mire, fire, far below the mender
Syren, calling, vibrant in your splendour
Hear the distant song, far from the
-
Varus opened his eyes, but closed them again when he felt rain spattering. The sky was a stormy grey, and never had that
insight been more disappointing.
"... so only a sprained ankle from that fall? I doubt it. His bones should be shattered from that height, I'd rather not move
him, but if he doesn't wake up soon we might have no choice."
Alyn?
"I think he's back."
The trembling voice of Morris was at least easy to recognize. He tried to get up, but the pain sprouting from his wrist put a swift
stop to that. Frozen and scarcely daring to take a breath he waited, tense as wire, but when his veins didn't erupt into flame he relaxed.
Her eyes widened in surprise "I was right about the wrist at least, but you can thank the gods you're alive. You're a moron
Varus, I hope you know that."
It was Alyn alright. He let his head fall back onto the stone floor.
"No compassion for the dying?" he groaned. His mind was too dull to process what had happened. All he knew was the warmth
was gone, the song was gone, and that he really didn't want to move.
Her eyebrow arched. "You're not dead yet. And unless you want to be we should go." Together with Morris, she tried to pull him
upright.
"Stop! Take it slow for gods' sake!" Varus cried, and after recovering for a moment he added "I'm starting to think dying would be
the preferable optio- No wait, I take that back." That memory was still too fresh. The pain had brought some clarity into his senses
though; he could think later. This was the time for survival.
Alyn smiled that wicked smile of hers that he had always envied, but she was more careful after the fact. "This is a fool's errand,
you know that right? Even you must see how ludicrous this has become. And for what reason? A peculiar rumour that acquiring
these artefacts will let you pass without the Lux Insignia, which has about as much truth in it as the morning bread has flour... Do
you know how many there are in total?"
"Forty-three, but honestly, we should go now. This is best saved for another time." The inquisitors' office was on the south from
both the northern and western wings, and considering the lectures, they would probably avoid walking through Fire Hall.
She ignored him "And how many have you acquired?"
Varus did not meet her gaze "Two, thus far." The crash had been loud though, and the mire of narrow tunnels that wound through
the northern turret was probably unknown to them, which made Fire Hall the swiftest route.
Alyn pursed her lips "And what conclusions can we draw from this?"
He sighed "I need to try. And we need to go. Now."
She looked in defeat at Morris, and together they started climbing the rubble, taking ample time to check for any perilous footing. Or
rather, it was Alyn who checked while Morris stumbled along, so slumped that Varus feared he'd soon collapse. He wrapped his arm
a little tighter.
"I would say you're smart enough to pass, but I'm beginning to doubt that sentiment. And even if you don't, earnestly, what's the worst
that could happen?"
"Lorn Bend was-" The rubble shifted, dust and plaster stirring up into the air. Too slow, and they would be found out, too fast, and there
might be nothing left to find.
Alyn frowned "People drown in the canale all the time, that had nothing to do with the test."
"You know as well as me that he was a competent swimmer, he boasted about that all the time. And where the hell is his body? He's not
in the frozen undercroft- No, don't interrupt me, I checked the lower levels and he wasn't even recorded in the ledgers. Nothing. As far
as the morgue's concerned he has never set foot in there."
A moment of silence befell them as they cleared the debris, but there was nothing to be heard. Just the wind rushing through the cracks
that hadn't been filled by moss yet -there weren't many- and the mice that liked to climb inside the walls. Thank god no one was allowed
to leave the lectures once they had begun.
"That's ridiculous, we were shown the body. Someone must've tampered with..." Uncertainty flickered in her eyes "I admit, that is strange.
But that was a one-time occurrence, two years ago no less. How does that relate to you?"
"Wait, you snuck into the morgue?" Morris looked at him with disbelief, finally awoken from his torpid demeanour "How the hell did you
do that?"
"Quite forcefully." The acid had been a nightmare to handle, and he did not envy the stewards who had to replace the lock. "Why?"
"And you didn't take anything?"
"No. Again, why?"
He shook his head "You've lost yourself more than a few marbles. That place would be an utter gold-mine. You'd never imagine how much
a finger or a frozen-"
Alyn grimaced "We don't want to hear about that, thank you very much. Continue Varus. At this pace, it's a while before we're back by the
Roost and I'm not in the mood for more worry."
A thought struck him "Is my face alright."
"A little dusty maybe. Do you feel something peculiar?"
"No, it's nothing..." That was a relief. "The reason why I'm fearful is-"
Morris's head snapped up and Varus knew something was wrong immediately; he'd learned that lesson already. Without so much as a word
uttered they diverted into another corridor, then entered the old courtyard through a crack in the wall. It was raining outside, but whether
he shuddered from anticipation or the cold streaks that found their way underneath his robes was hard to tell. Tap tap. The footsteps drifted
closer, almost as if they could smell the fear lingering in the air. Varus closed his eyes. Even though it felt shameful, he prayed, hands clenched
and face turned to the sky above, feeling the water as it rushed down his face.
For one who no longer fears the rain, as one who tends thy children, lend me a whisper. Iguvine Solitude. No task shall be left undone.
Lend me a whisper.
The courtyard was a bleak place. Brambles and other vilethorns had smothered the bright mats that used to cover the flowerbeds, and roots
had long since loosened the cobbled paths. An informal study had been carried out in the botanical areas on which herbs were the hardiest,
but it was cancelled when the old Willow blew down. It took out the main corridor and threatened to collapse the entirety of the northern
turret. It was rumoured that professor Selawynn had threatened to execute anyone trying to escape the tower, though no one had dared to
question him about it.
Most pathways had been rendered impassable after that ordeal, filled with support beams where possible, and rubble where not. The courtyard
and surrounding areas were designated unsafe, harsh punishments had been set for trespassers, and then promptly forgot about.
He noticed Alyn's green eyes were fixed on him. Strikingly green.
"They've left." She whispered, "Let us do the same."
Varus felt light.
Slowly, through the brambles and remaining corridors, they crept back to the dormitory. It was rarely quiet -someone had hung a sign aptly
titled "The Roost", and now that was what it was called- but for once there was some peace to be had; most likely everyone was away to see
what the ruckus was about. A malfunctioning device having collapsed the old main corridor, hopefully, though that notion could turn sour if
Sylawynn got his way. He was very clear on the fact that his traps never failed, and sadly Varus was inclined to agree.
Alyn left him in his room with that 'We'll-talk-later-so-don't-get-your-hopes-up' look before storming off, probably heading for a nice book
to sulk with. Not a bad idea all things considered, but there was one thing left to take care of. Morris looked at him expectantly.
Varus sighed "How much."
"Fourfold. At least."
"Double is all I have. But let's sit down. This is going to take a while, no?"
Finding a place to sit turned out to be no easy task. The unfinished gadgets and prototypes could be swept under the bed for another time, but
the veritable sea of papers strewn about was another story. The botched essays, the blotched sketches, and his life's works in the form of three
hundred and twenty-one unique schematics. He'd nailed the finest ones to the walls, but there was only so much wall and the rest of them
needed storage all the same.
The bed served as a depository today. Morris knew better than to touch his creations, especially when bartering, and so sat down and started
tapping against the table. Varus looked back and found him with a sly grin on his face
"You have the money."
"Can you smell it, or have you become psychic while I wasn't looking?"
Morris looked at him blankly, so Varus stuck his tongue out.
"Haha. I checked your pockets while you were gone. Corpses usually don’t object. Alyn did though, yikes." He rubbed his cheek, and Varus,
red-faced, thought about taking her lead.
He was interrupted, however, by a loud knocking on the door.
That said I hope you enjoy
-
In light, we see the world as it is
In darkness, we see what it could become
Varus’ life had been nice. Sometimes he'd smell rosewater that his nanny used to love so much, and for just a little while,
he could believe the freezing hallways would lead to the warm hearth where fright was only found in books. He shivered.
The books remained, but the warmth was missing.
"Seriously, hurry up!" Morris' head twitched back and forth down the hallways, strangely convinced that it would do him
any good. Varus had explained many times that the passage had gone unused since the northern wing had been expanded,
but somehow that fact was still eluding him.
"If you'd stop whining for one moment I'd be done already." Extracting the Shrieker-blossom was a precarious process.
Varus tried to limit the shivers to his clacking teeth, all too aware that a slip of the hand could be the last mistake he ever
made.
"What are you even doing with that plant?"
"Shrieker-blossom, herba clamor. You remember when young Henry got disembowelled taking that silver chalice
displayed at the front of Fire Hall?"
"Yes?"
"That will be you and me if you don't quiet down."
Varus knew it wouldn't shut him up for long, but seeing him a shade paler gave some small amount of comfort.
Most of the wires were already bound, but the trap was still very much lethal. The tension in the metal made it
remarkably difficult to work with, especially as it was so intricate. Knowing a minor disturbance at the wrong
filament was all it took to set it off served to put some tension in him as well. Damn it was cold here.
"I think someone is coming."
"It's just the echo of your heartbeats."
A wire-trap was volatile and unpredictable by nature. There were too many factors to consider when disarming it
and just few enough that it could be set up without excessive personal hazard. Luckily Varus didn't need to
deactivate it, only remove the specimen without getting flayed to pieces, so a pair of pliers and a bit of dexterity
were all that was required. And luck. Laughable amounts of luck, though Varus wasn't laughing at the moment.
"No but seriously, someone is coming. I'm certain of it."
Varus drew a deep, shivering breath. "Listen, I've set up tripwires all over the place, if something is going to sneak
up on us then it'll be a ghost, and at that point, we might as well-"
A slight jingle flew through the hallway, so soft he almost missed it, but it was there. Then came the crash, a
clangour of bells and loose stone, and Varus felt his head snap up as he scanned the room. Too late he realised
his mistake, feeling a filament as it brushed ever so lightly past his gloves.
"Down!" was the last thing he had the chance to say before the wires all started moving.
The noise was horrendous. Nails on a chalkboard was birdsong in comparison to this metallic screeching.
Varus almost regretted not writing his testaments, but then again, who would want his musty old garments?
Then it was all over, almost as quickly as it had begun. The wall was partially collapsed, a big hole had been torn
in the roof and both sides of the corridor were blocked off. The wires had minced the stone and wood into fist-sized
slivers, creating long gashes where the metal was still stuck from the ruinous forces. Rain was pouring through
the rafters and pooling on the floor, which for once was a good thing since it helped the dust to settle. Sheer terror
served to combat the cold.
Whoever had been approaching them was now coughing wildly behind the rubble, drawing quick and shallow
breaths in between. Morris was alive too which was a relief; he would've dreaded to find an explanation that
would satisfy the inquisitors.
"Up now," Varus said quietly, gently touching the Morris's shivering arm "and don't scream."
For once he was quiet, but there were several cuts along his body and his robes were beyond help. For a moment
they both just stood there, looking silently at each other and wondering what would come next.
A sudden shift in the rocks, followed by a croak no louder than a whisper served to set reality in motion again.
"Curses!" Varus muttered, carefully lifting his prize off the pedestal. What did he hope to accomplish in his stupor?
That they would just decide to leave?
"We gotta go, fuck the plant!" Morris hissed, but he didn't move.
Varus packed the specimen into a special copper canister that would prevent it from triggering its effects too early,
carefully making sure that no part of it remained outside. "Shrieker-blossom."
Morris almost answered but was cut off when one of the wooden beams started groaning, sending splinters and dust
swirling through the air yet again.
Beams...
"The roof!" Varus didn't wait for an answer but started up the shifting rubble immediately, grasping for the boards above.
The footing was unsure and slippery but he managed to keep upright by edging forward close to the wall, not unlike the
spiders that made their lives.
Then the beam snapped.
Something caught his foot and for a terrible moment the ground was all below him, the sky to an endless stormy sea.
The observatory, the smokestack and Fire Hall, they were all stalactites in the cave of the world.
Then he started falling, and by the looks of it, it would be a deadly descent. They were stalagmites now, weren't they?
Varus's stomach started tingling, hands and feet flailing as he spun downward. He thought he heard a woman scream,
but that was stupid since all the inquisitors were male.
Maybe this wouldn't be so bad, right? After all, there were worse ways to die, more painful ones. He probably wouldn't
even feel the impact as his bones turned to mush.
Gods save me
Varus could for just a moment taste the sour bile building in his throat, and after that, he could remember no more of
the fall.
-
There was something to be said for the difference between knowing and understanding, but that was currently lost on
Varus even though he had studied physical injuries extensively. It didn't hurt yet, which was to be expected for a fall
like that, but he couldn't focus on anything. It was like only being able to see from the corner of your eye, never fully
grasping what it was that you were looking at.
He felt as if he was detached from his body, only held in place by a thin tether, and the sky... oh god, the sky. It was like
he was seeing through the faceted eyes of an insect, thousands upon thousands of images desperately trying to coalesce
into a messy whole. He had to avert his eyes, and instantly things made more sense, though it was still incredibly hard to
focus. That was when he realized he wasn't alone.
Three shapes were moving around him, all distinctly different though Varus could not say what they looked like. One
shivered and twisted, another paced restlessly, but they were unimportant as the last called to him with a voice so sweet
and tender that it literally sent sparks through the air; they would sail on for a while, before flaring up into small,
scintillating clouds. The smells of parchment and candlewax soon filled his nostrils, sending a soft warmth pulsating
through his veins.
He tried to sit up, but the legs that had served well for a good sixteen years had decided that they were worth a break today.
Nothing else would move for that matter, which saddened Varus because the figure was moving away, and this meant he
could not follow. That gave the song a bittersweet tinge, which somehow made it even more beautiful.
He strained. Against what he didn't know -it didn't matter- and slowly something gave way. The shivering one became more
chaotic, as if it was trying to go in all directions at once, and the other grew tense, each step filled with measured worry. But
the important one didn't change; it kept walking at the same leisurely pace, humming its wordless hymn that never kept
rhythm but always made sense.
Exhumed glee and pulsating trepidation started mingling in the air, creating a rank but pervasive undertone to the otherwise
agreeable smells. The rough cobbles under him became warm to the touch, but Varus was not sure whether the heat came
from him or somewhere else. He tried to get up but was taken aback when a flash struck his arm and made it flop around like
a fish on land; a sour taste with tingly overtones invaded his mouth. This is the way.
He pressed on.
Once again the world took on a faceted and fractured mantle, but this time there was nowhere else to look to spare his aching
head. The roof had mended itself -when did that happen?- and of the rubble, there was no sign. It was now or never.
He tried to get up.
A veritable thunderstrike hit him, setting every single drop of his blood on fire, pouring acid down his veins and filling every
cavity with molten lead. It was unbearable, a hell so cruel that even the gods would've balked.
But when the crash had echoed away the song returned, and Varus found himself stuck in the in-between. Wafts of balmy air
soothed his blistering skin and fleeting melodies knitted his thoughts back together, though the aching in his arm wouldn't
go away.
He didn't make another attempt; nothing could ever persuade him of that. Gods he was tired. The melody was almost faded
now, reminding him of the dissonant lullabies that his nanny used to sing. He suspected she wrote them herself, considering
their strange meanings, but they still held a nostalgic sweetness to them.
Mire, fire, far below the mender
Syren, calling, vibrant in your splendour
Hear the distant song, far from the
-
Varus opened his eyes, but closed them again when he felt rain spattering. The sky was a stormy grey, and never had that
insight been more disappointing.
"... so only a sprained ankle from that fall? I doubt it. His bones should be shattered from that height, I'd rather not move
him, but if he doesn't wake up soon we might have no choice."
Alyn?
"I think he's back."
The trembling voice of Morris was at least easy to recognize. He tried to get up, but the pain sprouting from his wrist put a swift
stop to that. Frozen and scarcely daring to take a breath he waited, tense as wire, but when his veins didn't erupt into flame he relaxed.
Her eyes widened in surprise "I was right about the wrist at least, but you can thank the gods you're alive. You're a moron
Varus, I hope you know that."
It was Alyn alright. He let his head fall back onto the stone floor.
"No compassion for the dying?" he groaned. His mind was too dull to process what had happened. All he knew was the warmth
was gone, the song was gone, and that he really didn't want to move.
Her eyebrow arched. "You're not dead yet. And unless you want to be we should go." Together with Morris, she tried to pull him
upright.
"Stop! Take it slow for gods' sake!" Varus cried, and after recovering for a moment he added "I'm starting to think dying would be
the preferable optio- No wait, I take that back." That memory was still too fresh. The pain had brought some clarity into his senses
though; he could think later. This was the time for survival.
Alyn smiled that wicked smile of hers that he had always envied, but she was more careful after the fact. "This is a fool's errand,
you know that right? Even you must see how ludicrous this has become. And for what reason? A peculiar rumour that acquiring
these artefacts will let you pass without the Lux Insignia, which has about as much truth in it as the morning bread has flour... Do
you know how many there are in total?"
"Forty-three, but honestly, we should go now. This is best saved for another time." The inquisitors' office was on the south from
both the northern and western wings, and considering the lectures, they would probably avoid walking through Fire Hall.
She ignored him "And how many have you acquired?"
Varus did not meet her gaze "Two, thus far." The crash had been loud though, and the mire of narrow tunnels that wound through
the northern turret was probably unknown to them, which made Fire Hall the swiftest route.
Alyn pursed her lips "And what conclusions can we draw from this?"
He sighed "I need to try. And we need to go. Now."
She looked in defeat at Morris, and together they started climbing the rubble, taking ample time to check for any perilous footing. Or
rather, it was Alyn who checked while Morris stumbled along, so slumped that Varus feared he'd soon collapse. He wrapped his arm
a little tighter.
"I would say you're smart enough to pass, but I'm beginning to doubt that sentiment. And even if you don't, earnestly, what's the worst
that could happen?"
"Lorn Bend was-" The rubble shifted, dust and plaster stirring up into the air. Too slow, and they would be found out, too fast, and there
might be nothing left to find.
Alyn frowned "People drown in the canale all the time, that had nothing to do with the test."
"You know as well as me that he was a competent swimmer, he boasted about that all the time. And where the hell is his body? He's not
in the frozen undercroft- No, don't interrupt me, I checked the lower levels and he wasn't even recorded in the ledgers. Nothing. As far
as the morgue's concerned he has never set foot in there."
A moment of silence befell them as they cleared the debris, but there was nothing to be heard. Just the wind rushing through the cracks
that hadn't been filled by moss yet -there weren't many- and the mice that liked to climb inside the walls. Thank god no one was allowed
to leave the lectures once they had begun.
"That's ridiculous, we were shown the body. Someone must've tampered with..." Uncertainty flickered in her eyes "I admit, that is strange.
But that was a one-time occurrence, two years ago no less. How does that relate to you?"
"Wait, you snuck into the morgue?" Morris looked at him with disbelief, finally awoken from his torpid demeanour "How the hell did you
do that?"
"Quite forcefully." The acid had been a nightmare to handle, and he did not envy the stewards who had to replace the lock. "Why?"
"And you didn't take anything?"
"No. Again, why?"
He shook his head "You've lost yourself more than a few marbles. That place would be an utter gold-mine. You'd never imagine how much
a finger or a frozen-"
Alyn grimaced "We don't want to hear about that, thank you very much. Continue Varus. At this pace, it's a while before we're back by the
Roost and I'm not in the mood for more worry."
A thought struck him "Is my face alright."
"A little dusty maybe. Do you feel something peculiar?"
"No, it's nothing..." That was a relief. "The reason why I'm fearful is-"
Morris's head snapped up and Varus knew something was wrong immediately; he'd learned that lesson already. Without so much as a word
uttered they diverted into another corridor, then entered the old courtyard through a crack in the wall. It was raining outside, but whether
he shuddered from anticipation or the cold streaks that found their way underneath his robes was hard to tell. Tap tap. The footsteps drifted
closer, almost as if they could smell the fear lingering in the air. Varus closed his eyes. Even though it felt shameful, he prayed, hands clenched
and face turned to the sky above, feeling the water as it rushed down his face.
For one who no longer fears the rain, as one who tends thy children, lend me a whisper. Iguvine Solitude. No task shall be left undone.
Lend me a whisper.
The courtyard was a bleak place. Brambles and other vilethorns had smothered the bright mats that used to cover the flowerbeds, and roots
had long since loosened the cobbled paths. An informal study had been carried out in the botanical areas on which herbs were the hardiest,
but it was cancelled when the old Willow blew down. It took out the main corridor and threatened to collapse the entirety of the northern
turret. It was rumoured that professor Selawynn had threatened to execute anyone trying to escape the tower, though no one had dared to
question him about it.
Most pathways had been rendered impassable after that ordeal, filled with support beams where possible, and rubble where not. The courtyard
and surrounding areas were designated unsafe, harsh punishments had been set for trespassers, and then promptly forgot about.
He noticed Alyn's green eyes were fixed on him. Strikingly green.
"They've left." She whispered, "Let us do the same."
Varus felt light.
Slowly, through the brambles and remaining corridors, they crept back to the dormitory. It was rarely quiet -someone had hung a sign aptly
titled "The Roost", and now that was what it was called- but for once there was some peace to be had; most likely everyone was away to see
what the ruckus was about. A malfunctioning device having collapsed the old main corridor, hopefully, though that notion could turn sour if
Sylawynn got his way. He was very clear on the fact that his traps never failed, and sadly Varus was inclined to agree.
Alyn left him in his room with that 'We'll-talk-later-so-don't-get-your-hopes-up' look before storming off, probably heading for a nice book
to sulk with. Not a bad idea all things considered, but there was one thing left to take care of. Morris looked at him expectantly.
Varus sighed "How much."
"Fourfold. At least."
"Double is all I have. But let's sit down. This is going to take a while, no?"
Finding a place to sit turned out to be no easy task. The unfinished gadgets and prototypes could be swept under the bed for another time, but
the veritable sea of papers strewn about was another story. The botched essays, the blotched sketches, and his life's works in the form of three
hundred and twenty-one unique schematics. He'd nailed the finest ones to the walls, but there was only so much wall and the rest of them
needed storage all the same.
The bed served as a depository today. Morris knew better than to touch his creations, especially when bartering, and so sat down and started
tapping against the table. Varus looked back and found him with a sly grin on his face
"You have the money."
"Can you smell it, or have you become psychic while I wasn't looking?"
Morris looked at him blankly, so Varus stuck his tongue out.
"Haha. I checked your pockets while you were gone. Corpses usually don’t object. Alyn did though, yikes." He rubbed his cheek, and Varus,
red-faced, thought about taking her lead.
He was interrupted, however, by a loud knocking on the door.