Hamilton Swoop, Wizard of Green Ridge (29 page)

Today a holiday?
asked the cat.

"Not that I'm aware of.” He looked at Thalia who shook her head. Hamilton banged on the door again, harder. Still, no response.

With anger rising in his voice, Hamilton exclaimed to no one in particular, “What the hell is going on?"

Looks like your gratitude day has been canceled.

"Shut up, cat."

A chill wind swept across them. Thalia drew her coat closer to her body. Hamilton noticed. “Well, I'll be damned if I'm going to stand out in the cold. “Abririmus.” shouted Hamilton. He backed from the doors. Thalia did the same.

The two doors rattled. The rattling grew more and more violent. Finally the bolts holding the doors to their hinges sheared, and the two massive doors, still attached at the center, toppled forward out of their frame and crashed on the stoop.

"Will you teach me that?” asked Thalia.

"Yes, but right now, let's get out of the wind.” They entered the Guild.

Though the Guild was never a noisy place, it was even quieter than normal. In fact, the only sounds they heard were their own foot falls on the marble floor. As they walked through the main hall, Thalia looked up at Hamilton. “I've never heard the Guild so quiet before.” Her words sounded hollow as they reverberated off the walls.

"Hello!” shouted Hamilton. Only echoes returned. “Place seems to be deserted."

Then Hamilton's nose twitched. “Smell it?"

"Smell what?” Thalia sniffed.

Whiskers said, “Meow."

"Pune. That same greasy smell of burning dragon spit only stronger. Can't you smell it?"

Thalia sniffed again, then made a face. “Why would a wizard burn that stuff in here? Especially knowing what it would do to their magic."

"Meow!"

Hamilton aged quickly. Soon, he looked his 60 years. He looked at his pet. “What's the matter? Nothing to say? Usually, you're so talkative."

Whiskers hissed and slashed Hamilton's finger as she leapt from his arms. She headed deeper into the Guild.

Thalia, watching the cat, asked, “Why didn't Whiskers age?"

Hamilton sucked his bleeding finger. “I don't know. It was Brightman's spell. We may as well follow her.” Together, they trailed after the cat. They didn't get very far before they ran out of light. Though the main hall had windows, the interior halls did not. The illuminus torches, that had kept the Guild lighted for more than a millennium, were dark.

The darkened hallway loomed ahead of them. “Wonderful, we've got to get to the Alchemist's lab and we have no light. Why is the great hall the only room with windows?"

"For protection. Besides, light has never been a problem with the torches."

"Yeah,” Hamilton agreed, “until now.” Then he looked at Thalia and asked, “Can you find Diamond's office in the dark?"

"I guess so. Why?"

"Because he's got a fish oil lamp in there. Just pray that there's oil in it."

Thalia led the way. After several halls and a staircase, she stopped. “I think that this is his office."

The door was unlocked. “Wait here.” He entered the office trying to picture the layout in his mind. Although he moved as slowly as possible, he still managed to trip over something on the floor. He landed with no damage to himself, but lost his orientation.

Thalia heard the crash and entered. “What happened?"

"Tripped over something. I'm okay.” He rose and moved even slower. Other unremembered small things were on the floor, but none impeded his progress. He bumped into Diamond's desk. Reoriented, he was able to find the shelf behind the desk and was rewarded with the feel of the fish oil lamp, just where he had remembered it. He intoned a little prayer to Profit, god of Peddlers, and spun the little spark wheel. He spun it again and then again. The fourth time was the charm and the lamp flickered to life. Thalia screamed.

Hamilton looked at her from behind the desk, confused. “What's the matter?"

Thalia pointed to something in front it. Hamilton rounded the desk to see what she was pointing at.

The Runemaster's body lay sprawled on his back on the floor, a look of abject terror frozen on his face.

"Damn!” exclaimed Hamilton. He knelt by the body to examine it. A pool of blood was evident beneath it. He rolled Argus’ body over. The hilt of a dagger stuck out of the Argus’ back. The Runemaster was clutching something in his right hand. With care, Hamilton pried the stiff fingers apart. It was the greasy black lump he had sent to the Alchemist.

Tears welled in Thalia's eyes. “Why would anyone kill Argus? He was such a sweet old man! He never hurt anyone."

Hamilton felt bad as well. He drew the dagger from the old man's body and wiped the blood on the carpet. Then he slipped it into his belt. Argus, in his way, had been a lovable old grunt. He'd miss him too. In the flickering lamp light, he stood and looked about the office. It had been ransacked. The floor was littered with books, sheets of parchment, and a spilled bottle of Terra Sangrum. Hamilton thought to himself, “Someone had been looking for something, but for what, and who ... and why? Damn.” He glanced down at the lump in his hand. “This?"

"There's nothing we can do for him now. Let's get out of here. Do you know where the Alchemist's lab is?” His voice choked.

Wiping her cheeks, Thalia nodded.

"Let's go then."

Thalia headed for the door with Hamilton in her wake. Outside the door, he paused, and then looked back into the room. He held the lamp high just inside the door. “Argus, you truly were a remarkable man. I promise to find the one who did this to you."

Back in the hall, Thalia smiled at Hamilton. “Do you think you can keep that promise?"

"I'm going to try. He didn't deserve such an ignoble death.” He passed her the lamp. Together, they headed into the darkness. After many halls and two flights of stairs they arrived at the door to the Master Alchemist's lab.

Whiskers sat by the door. “Meow."

"Glad I found you, cat. I was worried about you."

"Meow."

"Argus has been murdered."

"Meow."

"Yeah, I feel that way too.” The door to the lab was closed. Hamilton tried the knob. Locked.

Thalia looked at Hamilton. “I don't think ‘abririmus’ is going to help this time."

Hamilton jiggled the handle. “You're right, but few doors are immune to the magic of pickus lockus. Please come over and hold the lamp for me."

Thalia complied and Hamilton set to work with his tools. She watched him for a few seconds, “Do you always carry those?"

"Absolutely. You'd be surprised how many times I've needed them.” A few seconds later Hamilton opened the door. “Easy lock. Guess he relies more on magic than hardware."

Thalia followed him in. “What are you looking for?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe some reason that Argus had that lump I found. Or what the lump is...” Hamilton swept the room with the light from his lamp. Arcane charts covered the walls. Every surface area save the center of the large desk was cluttered with beakers, retorts, and other chemical paraphernalia. On the desk he found the note he had sent to Hardension. There were notes added to the bottom of it. Hamilton blinked his eyes in an attempt to focus on the words. After a moment, he gave up and asked, “Can you read this? I don't have my glasses. Guess I was just beginning to enjoy not needing them."

Thalia moved to where Hamilton stood by the desk and picked up the note.

After he moved the lamp to offer maximum light, she read, “That ass from Green Ridge seems to have discovered your dirty little secret. Shouldn't make much difference as Thermite will eliminate him tomorrow morning. I would have paid money to see his face when he discovered that his magic was useless against it. Fortunately yours isn't. I figure a few more weeks of attacks and we can buy Norkon for a song. What do you..."

"Yes?"

"That's it."

"Pune. I wish I knew who he was writing to. Hell, I wish I was certain that Hardension wrote this. Do you recognize the handwriting?"

"No, but then I wouldn't. Surely there must be things in here that he has written that we can compare it against."

They rummaged about until Thalia found a log book. The entries were written in a language she didn't understand, but the scrawl was unmistakable. “Hamilton, it's the same handwriting."

"Good."

"Good? Why?"

"Because up until now, the only bad guy with a name was Topaz, if that's his real name. Anyway, it's important to know who you can trust in this world, but it's more important to know who you can't."

"So, what do we do now?” asked Thalia.

"Two things. First, there's something I sent to Argus that I'd like to get back. Second, I'd like to find out who turned out the lights. Can you lead me to Argus’ office?"

"Yes. What are you looking for?"

"The Sorenson orb. It might provide some answers."

"Meow.” Whiskers perched on Hamilton's shoulder.

"Well, sure it's a guess. Any better ideas?"

"Meow."

"I didn't think so."

"How can you understand the cat? Can you hear her in your mind?” They were descending another staircase.

"No, but when you live with an animal for a few years, you sort of get on the same wavelength. It isn't magic.” They stopped before an oaken door. “This his office?"

"Yes."

Hamilton surveyed the door and its lock. “No pick necessary here."

"Why?"

"Looks like someone kicked in the door. Look at the frame.” It was splintered around the lock. Thalia held the lamp close while Hamilton pushed the door. It opened with little resistance.

Thalia held the lamp aloft. The room had either been searched or just destroyed. It was hard for Hamilton to decide which. Cabinets were ripped open and their contents dumped on the wooden floor. The desk drawers had been pulled out and dumped. Whatever had been on the shelves was now on the floor. Books had been ripped apart. Whiskers jumped down from his shoulder. “Ow, watch those claws, cat."

"Think they found whatever they were looking for?” asked Thalia who was trying to navigate through the destruction.

"Hard to tell. Maybe not."

"Not?"

"Well, look around. They would have stopped when they found it, but everything's been moved, searched, whatever."

"Yeah, I suppose so, but that means it either isn't here or it's not likely that we'll have much better luck."

Hamilton collapsed into Argus’ brown leather chair. “I suppose you're right. I've never been much of a detective.” His hand slipped down between the cushion and the side of the chair and he felt some paper. He pulled it out and looked at it. It was a brown paper envelope from the Central Guild dated two days ago and addressed to Argus. The seal was broken and the envelope was empty.

"What's that?” questioned Thalia.

"Probably nothing.” He dropped the envelope on the floor.

Whiskers had moved under the desk. “Meow!"

"Go ahead cat, rub it in."

"Meow! Meow!” Whiskers scratched at something under the desk.

"I think she found something!” Thalia said.

"A mouse?” Hamilton, followed Thalia to see what Whiskers had found.

Whiskers scratched at the floor. “Probably just sharpening her claws.” Hamilton rubbed his shoulder without enthusiasm.

"No, look. There's something in the floor. A panel?” exclaimed the girl. She bent down with the lamp.

"Meow!".

"Good cat!” Hamilton grinned. “Guess I won't need that dog after all."

"Meow! Hiss!"

"Just kidding, just kidding. Now move away and let me see if I can get it open.” Hamilton got down on his knees and crawled under the desk. Opening the section was little challenge. He pushed down on one end of it and the other end pivoted up. He reached into the cavity expecting the Orb. Instead, he found a lever. He threw the lever. Nothing happened.

Hamilton crawled out from under the desk. “Well, that wasn't much of a thrill."

"What did you find?"

"A lever that didn't do anything. Considering that this is Argus’ place, I supposed I shouldn't be surprised.” Hamilton sat down on the floor, thoroughly frustrated.

"Giving up so soon? You disappoint me, Hamilton. I would have thought that you were the type that likes a good mystery.” Thalia sat down in Argus’ chair.

"Yeah, well, like I said, I'm not great a detect ... Girl, I could kiss you."

"Huh?"

"Mystery! Mystery! Give me the lamp!"

"What are you talking about?"

He started pushing down on other sections of the floor under the desk. “When I was at Mid-Post Station, I found a Jarn Mystery Box. You move a panel, flip a switch, move another panel, another switch, etc. Looks like Argus was sharper than he appeared to be.” Seconds later he found the second panel. The third panel took another ten minutes of pushing on various panels in the floor. He had to move the desk as one of the legs held the panel in place. When he managed to open it, he held the lamp over the hole. Within, Hamilton discovered a deep blue woven cloth sack. Gingerly, he pulled it from the recess.

"What's that?"

"It's called a Finley sack. Under normal conditions, it would be invisible to the eye. However, with magic impaired, well...” He opened the sack and looked inside. Gingerly, he withdrew the Sorenson orb and a folded piece of paper. “Looks like Argus left a note."

"What's it say?” asked Thalia as he stood up.

"Here, read it.” He handed the lamp and note to Thalia.

She placed the lamp on the desk and unfolded the paper. “Hamilton,” she read. “I have still got some problems with these remarkable runes, but they suggest that the purpose of this particular orb is quite different than others that I have researched. This one seems to have been constructed to destroy post organic matter. When I first managed the translation, I had no idea what that was. I consulted with Hardension. He was not very helpful. However, I saw that sample that you sent to him and, from what I understand, that was an example of post organic matter. Where did you find it and what is it? Hardension wouldn't say anymore, but he was quite upset when he found out the purpose of the orb.

How is Miss Thalia doing? We miss her smile and wish her well.