043 - Sky Beyond Sky

Gordianus sat at the bar, soon three bowls deep into his breakfast. His neighbour at the bar, a sullen faced farmer, leaned in and said "hey, Mr. I saw that Magnus fella too."

"Did you now?" Godianus wiped his mouth with a silk hankerchief.

"Yeah! Just like Matti said, so . ."

"So?"

The farmer licked his lips nervously. "So, I might just remember something about him, you know, for a gold coin or two . ."

“Oh?”

“Yeah, like what he asked about one time, the witches house or something . .”

A large hairy hand slapped down onto the old farmer's shoulder. "Easy there John. Don't be speaking no nonsense to the noble sir here." Behind the farmer appeared a stout man dressed in furs, greasy black hair and a rough beard. "Names Pete, hunter in these parts. Pete Stint."

"Oh? Gordianus raised an eyebrow. "You've seen the criminal too?"

No sir! Been busy up at the Horn, hunting sir. Me and the lads," Pete nodded at a table not far from the bar. "As you can see, plenty of us gathered for the Great Hunt."

"And why, Pete Stint, might you be here wasting my precious time?" Gordianus frowned.

"Ah well sir, you see, no one knows these parts better than me and the lads." Pete thumped his chest. "If you be hunting anything, beast or man, I'm your man!"

Gordianus thought for a moment, eyeing the hunter up and down. "And your 'Great Hunt'? Won't you be missing out?"

"Oh no sir!" Pete grinned. "The hunt won't be starting for a while yet, plenty of time. We're more than happy to lead you around sir, for, ahem, for a fee."

"Hmm. Alright. Pete, you've got yourself a deal." Gordianus beamed, taking out his coin purse and producing a single copper coin. "Here, your fee."

"!" Pete's eyes widened at the sight of the single copper. "Ahem. Sir, my fee . . it is a little more than . . well . ."

"Oh? Not enough?" Gordianus produced a second copper coin. "Hmm? No? Not enough to be a guide?"

"Well, sir, I was hoping to be a little better, eh . . whats the word? . . ah, renumerated for our services." Pete wagged his eyebrows.

Gordianus sighed, taking a silver coin and handing it to the hunter. "A silver in advance. If you lead me to the man, there will be gold in it for you, not before."

"Sir!"

"Now, let me finish up here . . madame! Another bowl of pork belly, if you'd be so kind!"

Gordianus settled back into his stool. From a deep pocket in his apron he took a strange brass device. It appeared to be a compass, marking for north, south, east, and west drawn onto a free floating disk set within a glass. On the disk were a half dozen needles, each pointing a different direction. One of the needles spun around the disk, occasionally pointing this way or that, at times stuck in one spot. The Alchemist frowned and tapped the needle muttering, "strange. Too strange, I've never seen it do that . . not without . . hmm."

Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to the fourth bowl, happily digging in.

Ding!

The brass compass buzzed, the needle jumping on the disk and vibrating fiercely. "What!" Gordianus jumped up, holding the needle before him. "Impossible!" The needle clattered against the metal casing, pointing him at the front entrance of the Goat's Beard. Gordianus ran, his belly bouncing mightily, and burst through the front doors.

"Sir!" Pete called out, running after him.

"Thats him! Thats Magnus!" Gordianus yelled. Rushing down the street pulling a small cart with a boy in the back, Magnus didn't so much as spare a glance back.

"Magnus! Halt!" The Alchemist rushed to his horse, struggling to mount and immediately falling when his foot pushed against the stirrup. "Blast!" The saddle leather had been cut. Gordianus struggled up from the dirt. "What the devil did he take the brat for? Blast!"

"Ride with me!" Pete leapt into a nearby cart and yanked on the reigns.

"After him man! Don't let him out of your sight!" Gordianus roared. The cart barreled down the street, down past the farms and into the forest after Magnus. Following the cart at a distance were several of the hunters, some part of Pete's group, the others following in hope of a good show.

"Where'd he go?" Gordianus shook the brass compass furiously. "Why doesn't this blasted thing work!"

"Easy sir, this is the only track he could have gone town. You can't take a cart off the path for a good while." Pete urged his horse on. Incredible, he thought, how could Magnus outrun a horse on foot, pulling a cart of his own?

Before Pete was able to think any further, up ahead an upturned cart appeared in the middle of the path. On the other side stood Magnus facing the oncoming cart with a grim determination.

The cart stopped, Gordianus dismounted and produced a blue tinted vial and drank it, a blue electric aura bursting from his hands.

"An Alchemist!" Pete exclaimed.

"Magnus. You are sought in connection with the crime of high murder. How do you plead?"

"..."

A blue light shot from the Alchemists fingertips forming a complex shape in the air. In an instant the forest became utterly silent, not a bird or bug daring to make the slightest noise. The air between Magnus and Gordianus took on an almost greasy sensation, like the oppressive feeling before a thunderstorm.