Chapter 24: Gearing Up

Alcar and Maluhk had stopped outside a peculiar-looking building. It had large glass windows on either side of its door, and inside, a variety of objects could be seen – buckets and cauldrons, ropes, daggers, candles, and much more. Alcar’s eyes lingered on a fishing rod which lay atop a chest with a face carved into it.

“What is this, Master Maluhk. Is it a merchant? A market?”

Maluhk shrugged. “Sort of like a market, yes. The owner calls it a store. It should have most of the things we need. But be wary of the person who runs the store, though. He’s a white elf by the name of Xian.”

“Why should I be wary of him.”

Maluhk turned, giving Alcar a baleful look. “Because like any merchant, he will lie and cheat for profit. So, before we enter, tell me something – what is sorcery for?”

Alcar suppressed a shrug, trying instead to look smart and focused. “Uhm... to cast spells. To do useful things, and make magical weapons and suchlike.”

Maluhk sniffed. “A better answer than I was expecting, which is to say, you’re only partly wrong. We can conjure magical weapons and other objects using mana – that is to say, magical power. But we can do other things, too. Change forces, and make the world appear differently.”

“That sounds powerful,” said Alcar, raising his eyebrows.

“Aye. Well, it can be. But that depends on the caster. Now I want you to hold your thumb and forefinger together as if you were holding a coin between them. Really focus on that gap between them, trying to keep it constant, all right? And then repeat this phrase as quietly as you can – rac al manuhka.”

Alcar did as he was told, mumbling the phrase. As he focused on the tiny gap between his thumb and forefinger, a tiny glowing ball of blue light appeared. “Wow,” he said. “You taught me a spell, master!”

“Aclar, you should remember that we don’t ’cast spells’, exactly. A better way to look at is that we reshape the nature of reality, rather like shaping clay or altering the flow of a stream.”

“Whatever you say.” Alcar was still staring at the ball of light, feeling delighted with himself.

“This is a good start, kid. And better to use up your mana than mine. But now, pass it to me. Throw it, as if it was really a coin you were holding.”

Again, Alcar did as he was told. The tiny ball of light flew in a neat arc, and as Alcar looked on, the sorcerer caught the tiny ball of blue light without touching it – cupping it in his hands. There it floated, just above the half-orc’s palm.

He then moved both hands rapidly, murmuring further inaudible enchantments, and as he did so, the tiny ball of light split in two even smaller pinprick lights. Then, with a flick of both of Maluhk’s wrists, the tiny lights shot out from his hand and hit Alcar firmly in the face. Alcar felt a jolt of pain as if he had been stung by a wasp in both eyes simultaneously. “Argh, I’m blinded!” he yelped and then rubbed vigorously at his face, pulling back his makeshift hood.

“Alcar!” hissed Maluhk loudly. “You are drawing attention to yourself. Just give it a minute to settle.”

Alcar stood bent over, blinking towards the ground. “No, no! It burns! What did you do, Master? I can’t see!”

“Quietly!” said Maluhk. “Just wait.”

Gradually, after a few seconds, Alcar stood up, blinking, finding that sure enough, his sight was starting to return to normal. Leaning against the store window, he blinked rapidly, trying to focus properly again. “What the hell was that? And why didn’t you warn me?”

“Speak respectfully, Alcar. There is a good reason for everything that I do. Sometimes a sorcerer needs to react quickly. That completes lessons three and four. And now, take a look again in the shop window.”

Alcar looked up and from side to side. As he gazed at each object, it was as if the glowing light had been dusted over each one, highlighting its flaws, cracks and repairs.”

“What do you see, kid?”

“Some of the things are outlined. Some objects. And I can see a crack on one of those cauldrons – it’s like a glowing line with a hazy circle around it.”

“Right. You are now better prepared for our task, then. Come!”

Without further ado, Maluhk led the way into the shop. A bell tinkled as the door opened, and Alcar, still blinking and trying to make sense of the strange visual effects that he was experiencing, followed the master sorcerer inside.

The interior of the shop was as large, clear area, but all around the edges there was a jumble of weapons and equipment. Swords hung from the ceiling, ropes from the walls, and there were shelves with helmets and shields at the far end, with large drawers beneath them. Walking a little unsteadily, Alcar moved over towards the counter at the back, where an elven man with a shock of short spiky white hair was whacking at a small machines with little round keys, causing a distinctive click-clack noise. Unlike most of the objects that he could see, the machine didn’t have any damage highlighted in blue light.

“What’s that?” said Alcar, pointing at the machine.

The elf paused what he was doing, pushing a pair of glasses further up his nose, but did not look up. “Ah. Good morning, customers, and welcome to the Bootleggers’ Surplus Store. My name is Xian, and I am the proprietor of this establishment. Are you looking for something in particular.”

Maluhk moved to Alcar’s elbow, peering at the machine which sat at Xian’s fingertips. “What the hell are you doing, Xian?”

Xian glanced sideways at the master sorcerer, then stood, waving one hand towards the machine with a flourish. “Oh, Maluhk! Always a welcome customer. Good sir, this ancient artefact is known as a typewriter. It is said to be of gnomish artifice, and dates from Dathmir province before their revolution.”

“Ah. In the Era of Hope,” said Maluhk.

“Indeed. And as you can see, it has keys that represent letters. I can use it to craft a story.”

“You are writing stories without a pen? And I thought I was the sorcerer.”

They both laughed at this.

“I am crafting a tale, yes,” said Xian. “Or rather, relating a history – the story of the hero-sorcerer, Gaax van Genke.“ As Xian spoke, he looked around at Alcar. “Young m...” He paused, his eyes widening as he looked at the apprentice, and then he looked back at Maluhk in alarm. “What has happened to this boy’s eyes?” he hissed.

“Hehe. Nothing to worry about, Xian,” said Maluhk, patting Alcar firmly on the shoulder. “Just an apprentice’s enchantment gone a little bit wrong. This is a young man that I’m teaching. He’s only learning the ways of sorcery, you see. The blue glow in his eyes will soon wear off.”

“I entirely understand,” said Xian. But he did not sound convinced.

Meanwhile, Alcar had begun to stare at several objects that were sitting on the counter: a bowlful of chalk, an hourglass, a whistle, and a mechanism that looked like it could be used as a trap for an animal. The latter had a wisp of blue on the metal, which Alcar felt certain indicated that it would snap within a few uses.

“This really is useful,” he murmured.

“Alcar here,” said Maluhk, whacking a hand across his apprentice’s back, “is in need of some equipment. Robes, travel gear, and perhaps a staff.”

“Another weapon for him, too?” said Xian. “A crossbow, perhaps?”

Alcar started to agree, but Maluhk shook his head sharply. “Uhh. I think not. We have an archer in the party already.”

“Very well, good sirs...” Xian moved around from behind the counter, and opened one of the drawer below the shelves. “What color would you like for your robes, young sir? And pockets or otherwise?”

“Uh... best make it green,” said Alcar, looking sideways at his master’s opulent purple robes. “I might need to blend in when out in the wilderness. And yes to pockets – the more the better.”

“Very good, very good.” Xian brought over a dirty-looking set of robes, that to Alcar’s enhanced vision appeared to be full of tiny holes, had seams that were fit to split, and had a lining that was both dirty and torn in several places. “No, no, dude – what are you trying to do? I want robes in decent condition. We’re paying.”

Maluhk chuckled darkly.

“Ah yes, young sir, my mistake, my mistake,” Xian replied hastily, pulling out a different set. “I can see now that you are a real connoisseur of fabrics! Those were ones that had been brought in for repair. A slip of the hand on my part. We buy as well as sell, you know! After your adventures, come to us to offload any surplus loot that you might have.”

“Got it,” said Alcar. He took hold of the new set of robes, flinging them over his shoulders and pushing his hands through into the sleeves. “Not bad,” he said, running his hands up and down the fine fabric.

“Very high quality, my young friend,” said Xian distractedly, glancing over towards Maluhk. “Very high.”

“Go ahead and grab a few more things,” called out Maluhk from other side of the room. “Our generous dwarvish friends want to see you properly equipped for the task that lies ahead.”

His eyes widening, Xian stepped back and gestured towards some baskets that contained rolls of rope, grapple hooks, pitons and lanterns. “You’ll need this sort of thing if you are going to go into caves,” said Xian, “or whatever it is that you plan to do.”

“Cool,” said Alcar. He had noticed that there was a bluish glow around Xian when he spoke of the lanterns, and decided to move on. “But what about magical equipment?”

“There are vials and jars aplenty here,” said Xian, pulling open another low drawer. “I imagine you’ll need these for any materials that you gather. And we can supply you with parchment, pens and ink, too.”

“Yeah, dude – I’ll take all of that.”

Xian smiled greedily, and now picked up a pair of staves. “What about a staff, young sir? Very suitable for a spellcaster’s apprentice like yourself. A good way to focus your power, so I hear, and doubles as self defence.”

“He’s right about that,” called out Maluhk.

“Can I try them out?” asked Alcar, reaching for the closest one. It was a fine-looking piece of ash, with a knotted and twisted top. The other was of yew wood, had a narrower top, but was carved into the shape of a snake’s head.

After taking each staff for a moment, thumping them on the floor several times and then swishing them through the room in a clumsy way that made Xian leap out of the way, Alcar pointed to the one with the knotted top. “This one, dude. I like the one with the snake top, but I’m wondering if it might be offensive to my lizardfolk friends.” He didn’t mention that with his sorcerously enhanced vision, he could see a hairline crack running over a foot up the base of the yew staff – and that it had gotten longer when he had thumped the piece on the floor.

“Very considerate, young sir,” hissed Xian skeptically, before putting both the staff and the magical equipment on the counter. “Will you be wearing the robes?”

“Sure, I’ll keep them on.” Alcar realized that he was already feeling quite warm in the new green robes. He pulled off the makeshift sacking hood, and lay it down on the counter. “You can have this. And can I take one of those woollen blankets from my dog?” He had noticed a pile of soft-looking gray blankets at the edge of the counter.

Xian nodded.

“Well, it sounds like we’re done here,” said Maluhk, approaching from the other side of the store. Alcar realized that he hadn’t really been aware of his master for the past few minutes, and wondered if the half-orc had left the store momentarily.

“In total, that will cost two crowns, four moons and a rigg.”

Alcar’s eyes widened, but Malukh reached inside his own robes, pulled out several coins of gold, silver and copper, and placed them down on the counter. “Done. We’ll take some chalk, too. Oh – and I think we’re going to need a rope and grapple hook. Pop it in a sack for us. And three bedrolls, also in a sack.”

“No problem, Maluhk. Happy to be of service.”

Alcar stared at the money once again as Maluhk pulled our more silver moons, again paying up without even attempting to haggle. Soon the transaction was complete, and the pair were making their way back out of the store. Alcar now had most of the new purchases stowed in his pockets, but he held the two sacks of equipment in one hand and his new staff in the other; he was pleased when Maluhk opened the door for him.

“Hood up!” said Maluhk quietly as they walked out. “Your eyes have almost faded now, but it could still attract attention.”

“Yes sir.”

“You did all right in there, kid. Kept him talking for long enough for me to grab this.” As he spoke, Maluhk tapped a bracelet on his wrist that Alcar hadn’t noticed before.

“You... you shoplifted?”

Maluhk growled softly. “When I was younger, and used to go adventuring with Warlik and others, we often took things to that store to sell. This bracelet was one thing that we found. I sold it for a gold crown, not realizing its value and antiquity.”

“So you are...”

“Taking back what is rightfully mine, yes. I overpaid Xian by a gold crown just there, and naturally he didn’t say a thing. So I wouldn’t call it stealing, but rather righting a wrong.”

“What’s so special about the bracelet?”

“That, my young apprentice,” said Maluhk, lowering his voice even more, “is part of a larger plan. A revolutionary plan. And not one to speak of just now, with the city crawling with Imperials.”

“Okay.” Alcar felt curious to know more, but it was clear that Maluhk was keen to avoid getting into a discussion in public.

“By the way, Master?” said Alcar, as they turned into the next street.

“Yes, Alcar?”

“What exactly did you do to Golgrasanna?”