Deep Into the Hidden Past

If the foyer of Vyock Castle was imposing, the corridors which led deeper into the ancient building were positively oppressive. Lit candles cast long, stretched out shadows over walls covered in cobwebs and dust, giving the impression of being both inhabited and having not been touched for long stretches of time.

“So I love what you’ve done with the place,” Alex said. “Real chamber of horrors vibe. Tell me, are you opting for the rats in the walls, or did you choose to go with the flying rodents of terror option?” Alex asked, trying to bring as much levity as possible. Surprisingly, Kraelin smiled, shaking his head. Pogorshi, meanwhile, laughed like a jolly lunatic.

“Oh yes, young lady, this place does have its atmosphere!” Pogorshi said. “We do like to maintain our privacy. It may be stereotypical, but a large empty castle does serve its purpose!”

“I’m gonna ignore the young lady comment…” Alex grumbled.

“Who is we?” Kraelin asked, his eyes narrowing. “You talk as if you have a large group here. Surely if it was only you and your boss you wouldn’t need an entire castle.”

The comment made Pogorshi giggle, but only slightly. “Ah, no wonder…yes, you are perceptive…”

“What do you…” Kraelin started, but Pogorshi opened a door to the side.

“Here! Quickly now! Nearly there!” Pogorshi said, gesturing towards the room.

They walked into a large study and library, with shelves of books covered by decades of dust standing sentinel over a single old red leather chair sat before an unlit fireplace. Outside the tall windows, the gray clouds flashed lightning once again.

“What do you think? Book on the shelf?” Jake asked Alex.

“Nah. See the bust on the mantle? Gotta be under there,” Alex said.

“What are you two whispering about?” Elysia asked.

“You’ll see,” Alex said confidently.

Pogorshi walked into the room, confidently striding over to the chair in the middle of the room. He sat hard on the chair, the old wood and leather groaning. Then he flipped the end of the right armrest up, revealing a button.

“Chair armrest!” both Jake and Alex said, groaning into their hands.

“Who puts a secret passage button there?!” Jake said.

“Bunch of assholes is who,” Alex said glumly.

“You two are the biggest idiots on either my world or yours,” Saphira said.

The wall with the fireplace began to rearrange itself, the bricks moving and opening up to reveal a much more modern passageway on the other side with stairs leading down into an unknown depth. “Please, my friends, follow me,” Pogorshi eagerly said, trotting ahead.

Before they started moving, Kraelin pulled Elysia back. “This is bad. I know you know it. But I’m also guessing you know…”

“…something bad is happening with Saphira, yeah. But I’m not leaving. I will not let her go down those stairs by herself,” Elysia said.

“Are we going?” Saphira asked briskly.

“Absolutely,” Kraelin said. The five entered the passage and the wall sealed shut behind them.

*

It was a lab. The five could scarcely believe it as metallic sliding doors opened to reveal a more modern scientific lab, if modern meant the bizarre magical version Jake and Alex were slowly getting used to. Sorcite engines were all over, powering various devices which seemed to be testing ancient technology, with dozens of workers experimenting with them.

“First tech…” Kraelin said, his knowledge deep on the subject. “They’re trying to rebuild it.”

“Good eye, young man!” Pogorshi said, pointing to various bits. “Yes, my employer has certainly spent a considerable amount of time and money assembling this…”

“Cut the crap,” Saphira said, stopping. “We’re down here. Show me your boss, give me my money and let me get out of this living cliché.”

“Yes, please, Mr. Pogorshi. I think we’ve strung the poor children on long enough,” a friendly sounding voice said. From a side door emerged a man who made Elysia and Kraelin’s jaws hit the floor.

“It can’t be…” Elysia said.

“Professor Malphi?” Kraelin said, trying to quickly recover from his rare moment of shock.

“Yes indeed, it’s me. Hello kids,” Professor Malphi said, walking over to the group. “And hello to you, Saphira. You can take the mask off. Everybody knows who and what you are.”

Saphira hesitated for several moments, then slowly detached the mask, revealing a face full of fury. “Why?! Why the lies?!  Why didn’t you come to me?! I left you to protect you, but for YEARS you treated me as a damn hunting morhund!”

“I’m guessing a morhund is similar to a dog,” Alex whispered to Jake.

“I’m sorry. Truly, I am, Saphira,” Professor Malphi said. “But you’ve always known how important my work was. And it was necessary. I knew you could survive on your own. My big, strong girl.” He then turned to Elysia and Kraelin. “And you two! Kraelin the warrior! By the First your parents would be so proud of you! Helping to save not only Lugara but Gravine as well!”

“How did you…” Kraelin started.

“Word travels fast, my boy,” Professor Malphi said. “And Elysia. Brave Elysia. I heard all the steps you took to prove yourself. Yes, you are coming into your own.” He gently lifted a lock of hair from her shoulder, and Elysia looked away uncomfortably. “Which brings me to you two! Warrior boys from another world! Heroes! I have to say, I’ve always been more interested in First tech than magic but seeing the transformations the sword of Malitan and the cloak of Astaven can produce are breathtaking!”

“Breathtaking is one way of putting it. Real effing annoying is another,” Alex said.

“Yeah, I’m glad you’re all impressed and everything, uh, Saphira’s dad, but could we maybe move it along?” Jake asked.

“Yes, you’re right! Of course, of course! Your reward is in the other room! Follow me!” Professor Malphi said.

Professor Malphi’s stride was interrupted by the sound of a fist crashing into a table. He turned and saw his daughter standing still, her metal fist slammed into a now crumpled table. “For three years I’ve been alone. I left you to save you, I’ve been working for you without even knowing. I want to know here! Now!”

Professor Malphi looked at her, tilting his head curiously as Saphira ranted. “Follow me now, Saphira. I’ll tell you everything.”

Saphira looked conflicted for a long moment, as if she wanted to scream some more. Then her face calmed and she started walking behind her father. “Alright. I’ll come,” she quietly said.

“Saphira, wait! Hang on! Elysia said, grabbing her hand. “You have NEVER given in to ANYTHING so fast!”

“We want the truth, right? There’s no other choice…” Saphira said.

The group followed Professor Malphi through another tunnel. Kraelin lagged back a few steps to walk side by side with Jake and Alex.

“Its actually kinda cool, you looking so worried,” Alex said.

“Oh, I get it. You want to gloat that the guy who keeps kicking your ass is now…” Kraelin started, but Alex put a hand on his shoulder.

“No, dude. You always seem like you’re hiding what you think, like you gotta be the stoic warrior. It’s good to see the normal guy under it all.”

Kraelin looked at Alex, his expression a mix of surprise and something else, something which might have been akin to gratitude. “You think I’m a normal guy? Huh…” Kraelin said quietly.

“Elysia, do you remember your lessons from school about the end of the First Age of Magic?” Professor Malphi asked.

“Of course,” Elysia said. “After the First disappeared, his factions split into two, one advocating pure magic use, the other advocating for using the First tech.”

“Correct! You always were such a bright young thing,” Professor Malphi said, leading them to a towering hangar door. “The First Magic War. It ended when the magic users caused the great flying tech city of Aeron to crash into the North Sea…”

“…transforming it into the Burning Sea because of the magic pollution from the sorcite engines, right,” Elysia said. “Why are you…”

“What if I told you the tech users never truly lost and for thousands of years we’ve been rebuilding our strength, recovering our technology? The hidden, forbidden First tech has been carefully studied by us, the Children of the Turning Gear.”

“I’d say it sounds like weird cult crap,” Elysia said. “I thought you were studying First tech for knowledge, to help humanity!”

“And I will! We all will!” Professor Malphi said as the hangar door retracted. “Unfortunately, we might need to force some help upon the world like they are a group of spoiled children. Luckily…we have some disciplinarians.”

Twisted. The large hangar style room was filled with at least two dozen of them, ten foot tall monsters of horrifying variety. Jake and Kraelin drew their swords immediately, and Alex his daggers.

“What the hell is this, Malphi?!” Kraelin yelled as the Twisted turned their attention to them.

“Helpers,” Professor Malphi said calmly, walking towards them. “Reluctant partners. Strange bedfellows, you could say. We pay for the services of Sweepers, like my darling daughter, and also use these gentlemen when we need more…direct hands.”

“Kraelin…” Elysia said, looking at them. “By the First, look.”

The five teens all saw what she was looking at. Among the many Twisted, there were a few which stood out. A skeletal one with a head it detached and threw from hand to hand like a ball. An obese giant with a mouth in its stomach, it’s tongue lolling out lazily. A humanoid creature with a gaping hole for a face with black ooze bubbling out of it.

“Well, didn’t expect to see you again,” the skeletal Twisted which had attacked Lugara said with a malicious grin.