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Chapter 8: My team talks while eating pie and talking about sword colours
Thursday the 12th of October, 2006 – Shields Crossing, Ontario
We once again sat at the Pie’s Shop.
A thin girl with curly brown hair, smiled showing her braces, and said, “What can I get you?”
We ordered and she frantically scribbled on her pad of paper. She repeated our order and I asked, “Where’s Pie?”
“Grannie’s in the back pretending she isn’t watching me. I’m Piper the third and I’m eleven.” She sounded proud and ran off to the kitchen. She got the orders right but the people wrong. When she left after giving us our orders, we all switched.
With no one in the store but us and the kid in the back, I said, “Okay, what do we know?”
“Someone is messing with the Aether in this town and they’re not happy we’re here,” Grant said.
“Maybe it’s time to contact the council?” Ursula asked. I knew she was scared because she hated the council, and said they freaked her out.
The rest looked at me expectantly. I nodded and said, “Fine. I’ll call Lance.” I took out my phone and called my former master. “Hey Lance. I have a problem I need your help with.”
“You need help?” I could hear the smugness in his voice. “I’m shocked. What’s the issue?”
I explained to him the whole thing and then asked, “Does this fit any previous patterns?”
After a prolonged silence he said, “Sounds like a rogue wizard to me. I’ll contact the Wizard’s Council. You and your team stand down. I’ve heard of a disturbance in Hearst, head up there. Remember you’re on thin ice, don’t mess this up.” He hung up.
“He’s an ass,” Sylvie said. The rest of them nodded.
“He’s in charge of the entire east coast.”
“Still a dick,” added Ursula.
I tried to take a drink from my coffee but it was empty. Finally, I said, “He told us to head out.” When everyone looked disappointed, I added, “Too bad that the van was destroyed and we’re having trouble getting another one.”
Sylvie was the first to understand. “Yeah, and a small town like this, it could take a few days.”
“We could rent two cars,” suggested Clifford. A stern glance from Ursula made him rethink, and he tapped his nose. “Oh. Right.”
“Do you really think he’ll call the Wizard’s Council?” Grant asked.
“Only one way to find out.” Again I pulled out my phone and dialled an old friend.
“Alfy! How are you? Is this business, pleasure, or Annabel?” Jack’s slight British accent was thicker when he was teasing.
“Business, unfortunately. Do you know if any of the Gatekeepers called the Council about something happening in Shields Crossing?”
“You should call her. No. Nothing yet. Do you need my help? Or do you want to me call if I get the call?” I once again explained the whole thing. He didn’t hesitate to say, “Sounds like an artificer or summoner. I haven’t gotten word of anyone like that. Do you want me to come up there? It’s only a few hours.”
“No thank you. Just call if you hear anything. I’m starting to think I know what’s going on.”
Sylvie swore and then swore again. We heard giggles from the kitchen and Sylvie shouted, “Sorry!” When everyone seemed confused, she explained, “Lance is either our problem or he’s covering for them.”
Everyone else protested but eventually came to the same conclusion.
“Lance trained me, he taught me everything I know about the Gatekeepers. That means everything you know. We need to find another senior knight—”
“Not a council member,” interrupted Sylvie. “We need someone who’s neutral.”
I nodded and was going to ask where we could find someone, when Pie walked in and said, “My hearing is still very good. Did you need another Gatekeeper?”
“Yes. Preferably someone not part of the council.”
“I know just who you need. Galaus,” she said with a small smirk.
The name sounded familiar and I almost gasped when I realized who he was. “The traitor?”
“Bah,” she said and moved her hands like she was trying to fan away a bad smell. “He’s a sweetheart and his reputation isn’t deserved.”
“Lance told me that when he was a new recruit, his master had become jealous of his golden sword and tried to kill him. Something that’s unfortunately common with black-blades.” I looked down and finished with, “He almost succeeded. Apparently, he took out half the council elders before he disappeared.”
“When was this?” Sylvie asked.
“Sometime in the eighties.” I replied.
Pie tsked and added, “The eighteen eighties, dears. Although how that’s possible is beyond me.” Her tone and wink made it clear that she fully understood.
“We’re going to live past a hundred?” Grant asked, looking excited.
I sighed and said, “Some of us, yes. Knights with silver blades can live a few decades longer than normal humans. The others live longer, with the gold living the longest. No one on the council is under a hundred and they all look like they stopped aging in their forties. At least, that’s what Lance told me.”
“What’s everyone’s sword colour?” asked Sylvie.
We all put our swords on the table. Robin had a green blade, Grant and Ursula had rainbow, and Clifford had ruby.
“So we have gold for ruling class, rainbow for freedom knights, and black for sinful knights, but what are the others?”
“I’m a nature knight,” answered Robin. “We’re champions of the natural world, protecting it from the aether.”
“I’m a knight of safety. I protect those places that are sacred or safe,” Clifford said proudly.
I continued, “Each specialty comes with some extra powers. Ruby knights can inscribe protective runes in places that prevent the aether from leaking in, nature knights can heal nature or animals from magical harm.” I paused just to tease her before continuing, “Rainbow knights break mind-affecting spells simply by being in the same room, and gold can use aether like a wizard.”
“What about silver and black?” Sylvie asked, literally on the edge of her seat.
“Silver can heal and recharge from the things they banish and black can bolster everyone else’s powers around them.
She laughed and quipped, “Ah yes, helping your allies. That’s definitely the evil sword power.”
Read Chapter 9
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