Chapter 34 - Active Investigation

“Candidate...” Finn said thoughtfully, “I’m surprised you said it so clearly. From my understanding the monasteries are very secretive about their paths.”

Edwin, who had puffed his chest up a bit at his proclamation for candidacy, suddenly found himself sweating as he stammered, “W-well, yes. But see, you asked me what was the reason I was here- And we’re trying to find my master...“

“It doesn’t matter to me.” Finn shrugged, “You can tell anyone you want. I only said I was surprised.”

“You’re right... I shouldn’t be telling people...” Edwin said, his head bowing as he tried to think of the people he’d told. It’s not that he just announced it to everyone who asked.

His mind flickered to the dinner party two nights previous where he had clearly announced that he was not yet a Candidate. He had gotten wrapped up in showing off and the words had slipped. He facepalmed as the image of his master scolding him popped up in his mind.

“While it’s amusing to watch your mind spin, I don’t have all day.” Finn said.

Edwin snapped out of his thoughts, “Sorry!”

“Tell me about how you planned to meet your master once you arrived.” Finn asked methodically as he sipped on the coffee.

“Ah. I shouldn’t- I shouldn’t tell you.” Edwin muttered. “It’s not something we’re supposed to tell outsiders.”

Are you kidding me? Finn groaned inwardly.

“You were so open about your candidacy, and now you’ve suddenly locked your mouth?” Finn asked.

“I’m sorry, you’re right. Thank you. I should be more careful about who I tell in the future.”

Finn held back an exasperated sigh as he suddenly felt like strangling the boy. “Yes, of course. But I’m here to help you find your master. Hiding information from me won’t help anything. I’m an officer, you can trust me.”

“Ah.” Edwin said, looking away as he processed the conflicting thoughts. “I see. You’re right.”

“Did you have a prearranged meeting spot?” Finn asked.

Edwin shook his head.

“Was he going to send you a letter, or a messenger?”

Another head shake.

“Do you actually want help finding your master?? Or are you just wasting my time?”

Edwin’s face scrunched as he kept his lips tight. “I really want to find him as soon as possible but... Sorry... I really shouldn’t say.”

Finn watched the boy for a few seconds, regretting ever bringing up the topic of secrecy. Then his eyes changed in quality as he took on a deeper expression. With a heavy sigh he leaned forward and said in a low voice. “Is he supposed to contact you by a... mystical method?”

Edwin looked into Finn’s knowing eyes as his mouth dropped into an “O” shape. “You know about lodestones?”

Finn shrugged nonchalantly. “It was my theory, given that your actions don’t match someone who is supposed to meet someone important who didn’t show. If you had a specific meeting place, the logical action would be to stay at or near that place or at least check it constantly. If you were to receive a letter, then either you should have a mailbox that you check, or you are staying at a specific address. The fact that you are staying here at the manor for several days tells me that you are not meeting with your master through the regular means.”

“Lodestones are one such means, and so this was my hypothesis. However, I didn’t want to say it out loud. I couldn’t tell if you also knew about them, so of course I couldn’t say it first.” Finn said, leaning back in his seat. “Research into the Exalted world is one of my past times. As an officer, I have access to records and knowledge that regular citizens can’t obtain.”

“What do you mean by Exalted?” Edwin still maintained the surprised expression. Finn wondered if his face had frozen into that state.

“Wait, do you not know what Exalted are?” Finn narrowed his eyes.

Edwin shook his head.

“You’re going for Candidate and you haven’t learned about what that means?” Finn couldn’t contain his incredulity.

“I was told I’d learn more about it during the ceremony.” Edwin said meekly. “It’s something to do with the spirit world, right?”

Finn stared at Edwin blankly for a few seconds. After a long pause he said, “I can’t tell you if you don’t know. That knowledge is classified.”

Edwin looked down at the floor, his eyes burning a hole into the carpet. Finn frowned as he realized that this “interview” had taken a completely different turn that he’d imagined. He had thought that he would be meeting an esteemed monk of the legendary monastery, and would be able to glean some new knowledge out of the exchange. Instead he was given a child.

I suppose if he actually was competent at all, he wouldn’t have had this much trouble finding his Master. Finn contemplated the situation for a bit, then his tone lightened in tone.

“Look, your master is missing and I’m here to help. The more information I have, the more I can help you. I already know about the lodestone, so if you tell me those details you’re not leaking the secrets of your monastery. Your master won’t be mad.”

“I see. Okay.” Edwin said, taking a deep breath. “You’re right, my Master was supposed to contact me by my lodestone. I meditate with it every evening and channel my spirituality in it, which attunes it to my spiritual body and lets my Master find me in the spirit world.”

“And this hasn’t happened yet?” Finn asked.

“No. The plan was for him to contact me at night after I arrived. I didn’t really start worrying until a week had passed and I hadn’t heard from him.” Edwin said with a frown.

“What’s the range that your master can lock onto the lodestone?”

“Since he’s a Disciple, he should be able to contact me as long as he’s within the city.” Edwin strained to recall what his Master had told him.

Candidate, Apprentice, Disciple, Adept. This was the order of Exalted ranks. Finn reviewed his knowledge of Exalted in his mind. At his position in the police, he didn’t have any clearance to access information about Exalted. His knowledge stemmed from his own studies, and that in itself was quite sparse. When it came to such topics it was difficult to distinguish between fact and exaggerated myth. However he knew that true Exalted existed in the world, and he knew their ranks. Beyond this, all he knew was that they had access to mystical powers, that they were separated into paths, and that with each rank there was a significant qualitative increase in ability.

His quip to Edwin about his knowledge being “classified” was not just a white lie, but a bluff, to give Edwin the impression that he was more informed than he actually was. The truth was that Finn actually had no knowledge of Lodestones prior to this conversation, but his gamble had worked out in the end. Through his manipulation he actually managed to get Edwin to explain exactly what the mystical item was.

As far as Finn was concerned, an interview like this was a battle, with knowledge as one of the key weapons. And in battle, if you could deceive your enemy about your strengths, you could bring the situation into your favour!

“If he hasn’t contacted you yet, and he can contact you at any time as long as he’s within the city, then it’s reasonable to suspect that he’s not in Noga at the moment.” Finn contemplated out loud. “You said that he was visiting the Cloud Peak Monastery first. Perhaps he is still there, and some extenuating circumstances have prevented him from returning to the city to find you.”

“That makes sense!” Edwin’s eyes lit up.

“Furthermore, we probably don’t have to make it the whole way out there. Even making it an hour or two out of the city should put us in range of the ability. That is, if your estimate of its range is correct. This is just a guess after all.” Finn did the mental calculation in his head, overlapping the size of the city with the distance between it and the monastery. “Where is your lodestone?”

“It’s up in my- I mean, the guest room I’m staying in.” Edwin said.

“Go grab it then.” Finn said, “It’s only a five hour carriage ride to the monastery from the station. If we head there right away then we can make it back before dark, even if your master isn’t there.”

“T..To the Cloud Peak Monastery?” Edwin asked, surprised.

“Where else?” Finn asked.

“I heard the monastery is still closed. The carriages won’t go up into the mountains yet since the weather is too unpredictable in the mountains this early in the spring.” Edwin repeated what he’d heard from Sansen Zhao.

“It’s fine. The police don’t have to follow such restrictions.” Finn said. “After such a large storm last night I doubt the weather will be too bad today.”

“Okay- I’ll get the stone and we can leave right away then!” Edwin smiled as he dashed out of the room towards the stairs.

In fact, Sansen had offered to send Edwin up to the monastery directly on his carriage, but Edwin had declined, thinking it unnecessary. It hadn’t occurred to him that if his master was in the monastery that he might not be able to reach Edwin’s lodestone with his spirit body.

Sorry Master, your pupil was too short sighted. He berated himself inwardly. But I’m going to make it up to you by finding you. In fact, maybe this was your test all along!

He burst into his room and went straight to his bag, reaching his hand in and digging through the contents. There weren’t many - A change of robes, a coin pouch, an empty waterskin, a few small texts bound in leather for his self study, and several souvenirs and gifts that he had picked up from the merchants and Sansen Zhao to bring back home.

A feeling of unease grew inside him as he rummaged through the whole bag with the lodestone not turning up.

“That can’t be right...” He muttered as he started taking the items out one by one. His actions became more frantic as he emptied the bag, finally dumping the last of its contents onto the floor.

“Where is it...?!” He asked, spreading his clothes on the floor and then checking the pockets of the robes he was currently wearing. Not finding the orb, he checked the small desk, under the bed, even checking the drawers of the night table which he had never even opened.

He ran down the stairs back to the sitting room where Finn was savouring the last of his cup of coffee. The young officer looked up at the monk with a quizzical expression as Edwin dashed into the room in a panic.

“It’s gone!”

“What do you mean, it’s gone?” Finn asked.

“I can’t find it! It’s not in my bag or my room. I don’t know where it could be!” Edwin clutched his bald head with both hands as he tried to think about how he could have lost such a precious item.

“You’re certain you haven’t left it somewhere else? When was the last time you remember seeing it?” Finn asked.

Edwin stared at Finn as he thought back to the previous night, his hands still on his head. “Last night, during my meditation... Char Char came up and invited me down for a late dessert.”

He came to an epiphany as he remembered Char Char’s interest in the lodestone when they had visited the shrine the day previous. “Char Char probably took it!”

“Char Char?”

“Mr. Zhao’s granddaughter.” Edwin said, nodding his head, “She was really interested in the lodestone yesterday. I bet she snuck into the room and took it to try using it.”

Edwin took off towards the staircase once more, this time with Finn following behind.

“Oh, Agnes!” Edwin called out to a maid who was descending from the top of the staircase, “Have you seen Char Char this morning?”

“No-“ The maid said, looking a bit hesitant, like she knew something that she wasn’t supposed to share, “But perhaps you should ask Mr. Nao. He should be in the study.”

“Char Char is not at the manor this morning.” A serious voice spoke from down the hall. A short, clean-shaven man with an old scar on his left eyebrow approached them from down the hall. He had pointed leather shoes and an extra tall top hat.

Finn recognized him immediately as Sansen Zhao’s aide, though Finn had only read a written description of the man and never met him in person.

“What other trouble has she gotten herself into?” The well dressed man said, looking somewhat tired and worn out despite his manicured appearance.

“She took my lodestone out of my room last night!” Edwin said.

“Ah-“ Finn stepped forward quickly to correct the monk, “What Edwin means is, we believe that she might have done such a thing. We are looking for her so we can ask her directly.”

“She isn’t here at the moment.” Corbin looked up at the maid at the top of the stairs. “Please check her room for the lodestone. Let her know that I approved the search.”

Corbin looked to Edwin, “With luck, she would have left it here.”

“May I ask where she currently is, if the search doesn’t find the orb?” Finn asked.

“And you are?” Corbin narrowed his eyes at Finn, who was noticeably taller than him, even taking into account the top hat. Finn returned the look with a confident gaze.

“Officer Mackenzie, from the Department of Missing Persons. I was assigned to assist Edwin with finding his missing Master.” Finn said.

“Ah. Well, I don’t know much about that.” Corbin said dismissively, “But if you’re looking for Char Char, I am going to pick her up after lunch and will bring her straight back here. Feel free to stay for lunch, if you’d like to wait until then.”

“That sounds good-“ Edwin began, but Finn cut him off.

“If I may, it is still only nine in the morning, and there is a bit of urgency to the matter.” Finn said, “Would it be possible to meet her any sooner?”

Corbin frowned, considering the request. Char Char had given him explicit orders not to pick her up until after lunch, and the last thing he wanted was to upset the girl and have her complain to Sansen about him. But the officer was clearly investigating a different matter. As long as it didn’t trace back to him, it would be fine.

“Very well, you can take my coach.” Corbin nodded, “With a simple caveat that you not mention that I was the one to assist you. She can be found at the East Cato Clinic. If the topic comes up, tell her that I will be arriving sharply at one o’clock and expect her to come home without complaint.”

“We are in your debt, Mr. Nao.” Finn smiled and bowed gently.

~

On a small estuary at the base of the mountains to the north of Noga, a fisherman pulled up a net onto his small flat boat. He smiled with satisfaction as a number of crescent trout with shimmering silver scales flopped into the basin at the bottom of his boat.

One of the fish with a missing fin briefly caught his attention. In its mouth was a strange black object, but it was swallowed in the blink of an eye. The fisherman didn’t think anything of it as he continued on with his morning’s work.