[Mkguild] MK story part 3

[Christian Okane]

Here is part 3 of my story which is still looking for a name!

Chris
The Lurking Fox


*********

   It was with considerable trepidation that Stealth set out from the Guild
hall. He passed through a small wooden door and out onto a street that was
filled with traffic. Carts pulled by dogs, ponies and even by people
jockeyed for space with fine carriages and pedestrians. A young man and
woman strolled past him arm in arm. They were only interested in each other
and paid him no notice at all.

   Directly across from him was a tavern. No mistaking what the tall stone
building housed. The sign over the door displayed the words "Sixth Sick
Sheep" and a half dozen sheep all holding mugs of ale.

   He turned and walked along the street as people calmed walked past him
without a second glance.  A young man dressed in very fine clothing paused
in front of Stealth. "Good morning master mage." Then he continued walking.

   "Mage?" Stealth thought to himself. "They think I'm a Guild mage." He
started to relax. "If a six foot tall, cheetah man is normal here what would
they call weird?" Stealth asked himself. "I don't want to know." He realized
that this close to the Guild Hall most of the people here either worked for
the guild or had family that did. He wondered if his reception further from
the Hall would be so polite.

   The buildings on either side fell away suddenly and Stealth found himself
in a large plaza. The area he entered was huge! A vast open plaza that could
hold a thousand people at one time with no problem. There were a lot fewer
people than that in the plaza at this moment but it still held several
hundred people. Most were just passing through from one place to another.

   The smell of cooked lamb and strong spices came to his nose. He followed
the scent to where a woman was standing with a small push cart. She was
loudly proclaiming the finest Sekion stew in the city. A single copper coin
got the feline a wooden bowl filled with mutton in a brown gravy and a slice
of bread. He took a sniff of the stew and his sensitive nose was assaulted
by a volcano of strong spices. He recoiled and almost dropped the bowl. He
sneezed to clear the potent smell from his nostrils.

   Stealth took a small bit of meat and some of the gravy onto his spoon and
took a taste. It was spicy and burned his nose and throat. He took a bite of
bread and moved it around in his mouth to soak up the worst of the spices.
That took the worse of the heat away leaving behind a wonderful taste. He
could pick out a dozen different spices all mingled in with the mutton. He
walked along alternating spoonfuls of stew with bites of bread. 

   In front of him loomed the fountain that occupied the center of the
plaza. It was a massive affair of granite and marble and adorned with all
sorts figures; some human some animal, some mythical or just plain fanciful.
He noticed a rearing centaur with a spear in hand fighting something that
sort of resembled a dragon with no wings.

 At the center and highest point was the tall statue of a man in flowing
robes holding aloft a sword in one hand. There was a look of exultation on
the man's face. He looked at the face for a long time. Old memories were
stirred up. Half remembered scenes and incidents ran through the back of his
mind like shadows dancing across the walls of a child's bedroom. "I know
him!" He had the vague memory of standing on this spot and looking at that
same sculpture but he had never been to Marigund before.


******************


   "You want what?" the man asked confused. He looked Stealth taking in his
feline form from head to tail.

   "I'm looking for the place called the gauntlet," Stealth asked.

   "Why? No one goes there except troublemakers," he scowled.

   "I want to know where it is to avoid it," he paused and lowered his
voice. "I've heard bad things happen there."

   The man relaxed a little and pointed to a cathedral on the east side of
the square. The massive structure was a mass of stone towers, turrets,
flying buttresses and stained glass windows. "It's down Carpenters Way past
the Rebuilder cathedral." He pointed a finger at the feline. "You stay away
from that place. We don't like anyone causing trouble."

   "Thank you!" the feline said and smiled revealing a mouth full of long,
sharp teeth. Then he walked off to the east. the man did not walk or speak
but followed him with his eyes till the crowd separated the two. After a few
minutes of wandering around he made for the street by the cathedral.

   The large stone blocks of the Grand Plaza gave way to paving of dark red
bricks arraigned in simple rows. A sign attached to the corner of a building
read "Carpenters Way." He walked through the traffic  and made his way down
the road. Lining both sides of the street were tall, well built brick and
stone buildings covered with elaborate carvings and decorations. All telling
of their owner's great wealth and prestige. Elaborately decorated doorways
gave access to the courtyards of fine homes. Some courtyards were paved with
brick or stone. Others held fountains or gardens with flowers or often both.

   Stealth paused for a moment in front of a gateway made of two tall
granite columns that were older and darker than the stone wall they were
attached to. Behind that was a four story tall building of brick. A memory
flashed through his mind. The gateway was still there but gone was the tall
brick manor house. In its place was a short, squat villa with its walls
plastered bright white. Then as quickly as it had occurred the memory was
gone. Unnerved by the memory he hustled down the road putting the gate and
its memories behind him.

   He passed under the arches of an aqueduct, whose tall, weathered stones
towered over the neighborhood. Tucked close against one of the columns was a
small fountain with cool, clean water bubbling in it.

   Eventually Stealth came to the intersection of two streets and slowed to
a stop. Ahead of him in the center of the road someone had planted a post.
On the sign attached to the post was the words: "Danger Keep out." The road
beyond the sign stretched onward in a straight line. On the north hand side
the buildings were the same as before but on the left brick and stone gave
way to timber and plaster painted to resemble stone. The buildings were
narrower and taller on the left speaking of cheaper construction intended
for more inhabitants. In spite of the many differences all the buildings
shared a few things in common; no windows or doors. All the buildings on
both sides of the street had no windows or doors that opened onto it. On the
older buildings was plainly visible places where doors and windows has been
carefully boarded or bricked closed. The entire road was in deep shadow,
almost as if the sunshine was afraid to got there. But what really unnerved
him was the total absence of any people. The road behind him was alive with
traffic, people moving about on foot, on wagons and even riding horses. But
ahead of him, behind the sign was no one. The street was devoid of life,
nothing moved there, not even a breath of wind.   

   Stealth tried to suppress a shiver but failed. He took a deep breath and
started walking down the empty lane. He footsteps echoed loudly off the
cold, brick and stone around him. The air there felt still and stifling. It
felt more like a city of the dead than a place of the living. He kept
turning his head to check behind him. Stealth expected to see some zombie
climbing up out of the pavement but the worst he saw was an errant piece of
debris fluttering past.

   The cheetah morph came to an intersection and stopped. This had been a
place where a road had run across the alleyway he was on but no more. The
openings on either side had been filled in with brick walls that were at
least ten feet high. He peered down the street but all he saw was more of
the same dark, empty road lined with tall, ominous buildings brooding over
it.

   The feline stopped in front of a tall, brick building, He could easily
pick out where there had once been two large windows and door. Now all
bricked up leaving only their ghostly traces in the odd patterns of the
brickwork. This had once been a shop the wide windows meant to display wares
and entice shoppers inside. what had been inside? The street was called
Carpenters way so perhaps a carpenter had worked here? Filling the air with
the smell of fresh cut lumber as well as the sounds of hammering and sawing.
Now all that was gone. The air was filled only with the smell of decay and
abandonment. The windows like the shoppers they enticed were gone. It was
hard to imagine but once this street had been alive and busy like all the
others he had walked. Now it was dead because people just couldn't get
along. The Followers, Rebuilders and Lightbringers got along perfectly back
at Metamor Keep. Why not here?


*******************


   "You're looking at having your hands shaved and then being stabbed
hundreds of times with a sharp needle till all the marks are done. Then
having them wrapped in bandages until they heal," Rickkter said.

   Rickkter and Misha were in the raccoon's apartment. A place they could
talk and be assured of quiet and privacy.

   "Sounds more like torture than art." The fox exclaimed and waved a hand.

   The raccoon nodded in apathy, "Still want to go ahead with it?"

   "Will the symbols work?" Misha asked and pointed to the paper on the
table in front of them. On it was a series of complex symbols only truly
understandable to a mage of Automata.

   "Yes," the raccoon mage answered. "Those symbols gain power when they are
placed onto a surface. Whether you draw them with a paintbrush, pen or
needle does not matter."

   "Then yes," Misha said slowly. "I need them."

   "This must still be done by someone with great artistic skill. Caroline
is an artist and this could use a woman's touch," Rickkter commented.

   "So you want me to let Caroline carve designs into my flesh?" the fox
joked.

   "Would you prefer a butcher in the town?" Rickkter asked sarcastically as
his tail whipped about slowly.

   Misha shot him a cold, hard glace. "I'd prefer something that doesn't
involve so much bloodletting,"

   Rickkter gave a brief chitter of laughter. "That's not possible unless
you want to be unconscious when she does it."

   "No, I need to be wide awake. There is just too much power involved."


*******************


   "This is our other project and the one your leg belongs to," Carlisle
said and pointed to the other table in the center of the room. On it was
another collection of parts but there were fewer pieces and they were in far
worse condition. Alton recognized parts of at least two other legs but the
rest seemed to be a random mix of plates, gears, rods, cams, levers, at
least 4 different types of joints and a dozen bits of metal that defied
identification. All were in varying degrees of dirty and one of the gears
was actually painted the brightest shade of green he had ever seen. It
looked like someone had smashed a dozen clocks, dipped the pieces in a
cesspit and then sprinkled paint over everything.

   Alton looked at the collection of parts arrayed on the table in front of
him. "So it's true. You really are looking for automaton parts here in the
Hall."

   "We think there might be a complete automaton here," the mage said.
"Scattered all over the city."

   The craftsman peered closely at the pieces. "Any idea what it is?"

   "Not yet but we're fairly certain it's some sort of four legged animal,"
was Carlisle's answer.

   Alton picked up a part that once had been a part of a ball joint. In
spite of the corrosion and dirt on it the two parts rotated smoothly. "This
is high quality workmanship. Someone spent a long time making these."

   "All of the parts are of the same high quality," Carlisle explained.

   "Where did you get these pieces?" Beatrice asked. She was standing next
to her father but was not touching anything. The woman had learned the first
lesson of a mage; Don't touch anything you haven't identified.

   "These are the pieces we found in our own, small collection," Carlisle
explained. "We've been collecting various bits, pieces and parts since
before the department was formed. I've been personally interested in
automata since I was a student here."

   "Pick up your leg daughter and show me your paw?" Alton said suddenly.

   "What?" the feline mage asked, a little confused.

   "Show me one of your paws," he said again.

   She lifted one spotted leg and the paw of it came up to her father's
waist. Beatrice easily balanced on one leg, her tail sweeping back and
forth, acting like a counterbalance. Alton picked up the leg he had restored
and held the metal paw next to the flesh and blood one. Carlisle stepped
close and all of them examined the two paws.

   "Very similar," Carlisle said. "The metal paw has retractable claws like
you do Beatrice."

   "Larger," Alton added.

   "It's definitely feline but not leopard or cheetah," Beatrice said.
"Perhaps lion or tiger."

   "I'll talk to the Animalia department perhaps they can identify it," the
mage said.

   Alton let go of his daughter's leg and placed the metal one back on the
table. "I'll talk to my friends. We'll have the whole staff pulling things
out of forgotten corners."

   "Would it help to mention we have a standing policy of a reward for
locating such parts?" Carlisle asked.

   "It might help but it's sure to bring out a lot of fakes," was the
answer.

   "The pursuit of knowledge has its costs. If the cost for this is only a
few coins I'll be happy. In the past just collecting automaton parts was a
crime punishable by death."

   "Is it still?" Alton asked slowly.

   "No," Carlisle answered with a shake of the head. "But if there are any
problems I will take responsibility and explain that everyone is working on
my behalf."

   "You're worried about something happening?" the feline said concerned.

   "Of course I am," Carlisle answered. "I do not see any trouble coming
immediately but a good mage prepares for all contingencies."

   "The use of souls bothers me," the craftsman commented.

   "It worries me too," the mage replied. "I give you my word that I will
never use a soul against its will. Nor will I entrap a soul or spirit."

   Alton pointed to the collection of old parts on the table. "And what of
the soul in this one? Is it still there?"

   Carlisle shrugged. "We have not located the container for the soul yet. I
believe it no longer exists. Probably destroyed when the automaton was taken
apart."

   "How will you control it?" Beatrice asked. "Without a controlling spirit
it will have only a tiny range of abilities."

   "I am working on a spell that allows a person to move their mind
temporarily into the automaton. It is similar to how a mage can command a
golem from a distance," Baldren explained. "Until we have a working
automaton to use it on the spell must remain untested."

   Alton pointed to the incomplete lion. "You want me to finish your friend
there? So you can test it on him?"

   The mage looked surprised. "You can do that?"

   "Yes," Alton answered in a matter of fact tone. "It will take me a few
weeks. I'll need to look the lion over better to get a more accurate idea of
time."

   Baldren smiled. "All right. I'll make you an offer. You now work for the
Automata department, complete the lion and speak with your friends on the
staff about finding parts. In return I'll triple whatever your pay is from
the guild and give you a 3,000 gold piece bonus upon completion of the
lion."

   The old craftsman pondered the offer for a moment. Then he extended his
hand. "Deal."

   Carlisle extended his own hand and the two shook hands. "Deal."


******************


   It was shortly after dawn when the three Keepers finally left for home.
Atrit was late as he'd spent several minutes giving Beatrice a long and
passionate hug.

   Sofia circled the city center to get some altitude before turning to the
northwest for the trip to Metamor. Slowly she passed over the rooftops of
the city before passing over the city wall. It was a clear and bright day
and Stealth could easily see the world spread out below them. They were
passing over open fields that surrounded the city. Long ago these fields had
once been a part of the city before the Empire had collapsed. Even now he
could still see some piles of stone and the occasional low wall peeking out
through the grass. He shook his head and looked again. In the grass he
picked up patterns of light and shadow. At first he thought it was his
imagination making shapes out of shapeless shadows. But these patterns were
too straight and regular. The grassy fields were covered with straight lines
that intersected at right angles. Leaving the grass in an oddly familiar
checkerboard pattern. He suddenly realized what he was looking at. The ruins
of the old Suielman city streets were still visible as patterns in the
grass.

   Stealth pointed down to the grass fields. "You can still see the old
street patterns in the grass."

   "That's the stones," Sofia said as all three looked down. "The streets
are covered with earth but the stones are still there."

   "And grass grows poorly on stony soil," Atrit commented. "It's like
seeing a ghost of the old city."

   "You can easily pick out all the streets," Stealth said excitedly. He
pointed to a large area where the grass was noticeably more yellow in the
shape of a large rectangle. "That was Aurturius Square. There was once a
huge statue of the emperor on a rearing stallion that reminds me of Thomas."

   Both Sofia and Atrit looked at him. "What?" The leopard asked. "How do
you know that?"

   Stealth was speechless. Had he just said all that? "I . . . I don't
know," he said honestly. "It just came out. But I can see the statue and the
square clearly in my mind."

   "You're making that up," the leopard spat out.

   "No!" Stealth countered with a vigor that surprised him. "That was a
square and there was once a statue in it."

   "I'll settle this right now." Sofia turned sharply and descended quickly.
In a few moments she landed deftly and gracefully in the middle of the
yellow, square field. Less than ten feet from them stood a ten foot tall,
twenty foot long marble block. All three approached the block and looked at
it intently. In spite of six centuries of weathering and a covering of moss
the words were clearly visible "Emperor Claudius Maximus Aurturius." The
rest was lost beneath a thick layer of ivy.

   "I knew it!" Stealth said with a mix of surprise and confusion. "It's
like I've been here before."

   "Have you?" Atrit asked sharply.

   "No!" the cheetah responded. "I've never been here before."

   "You toured the city yesterday," Sofia said.

   "I did, but I never got outside the walls. I certainly never got this far
out." Stealth stared at the stone plinth. The statue it had once held was
long gone. All that remained was four bronze hooves still attached to the
stone. "I can still see the statue," he said and pointed to the empty space.
"Right there. And behind it was this tall, ugly looking, brick insula."

   "Insula?" Sofia asked.

   "A tall building filled with apartments," the cheetah explained. "Did I
get the word wrong?"

   The reptile shook her massive head. "No, you got it right. A little too
right."

   "How do you know what an Insula is?" Atrit asked.

   Stealth shrugged. "I don't know. I just do."

   "Have you ever traveled to a Suielman city?" Sofia asked. "Some of the
southern cities have not really changed since the last emperor died."

   The cheetah shook his head in denial. "No. I've never been that far south
and I've never been here before. But I do remember this place."

   "That makes no sense," Atrit snarled. "It can only be one or the other."

   "I know that!" Stealth snapped. He paced the grass covered square as his
tail whipped back and forth. "But I remember this place. It's clear in my
mind but vague like something that happened early in my life."

   "Maybe it wasn't in this life," Sofia commented.

   Stealth stopped his pacing and looked at the dinosaur. "What?"

   "Well, we Centli are strong believers in past lives," the female
explained. "Perhaps you are remembering something from a previous life?"

   Stealth didn't speak but instead turned and looked at the stone block
that had in another time held a statue and pondered the past.


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