25: Eating with the Wizards

Aiden kept careful watch of their porcelain maid escort as he followed her down a dark stone corridor. He had never seen a humanoid like it before. The janky, wound-up way the maid walked made him feel it wasn't real, yet it seemed to have intelligence.

The others followed closely behind.

"Hmm, it's the first time seeing a homunculi up close." Rat hopped off Annoying Imp's shoulder to inspect it more closely.

"You know about them?"

Rat nodded. "Only what I've read in sorcerer journals."

He scampered up her moving arm, which made no reaction. His vermin sight saw small gems loaded with lingxi and positioned where vital organs would be for an organic human. He hopped off to resume his perch on the imp's shoulder.

"Absolutely fascinating!" His eyes swelled with keen interest.

"What is she, um, it?" Aiden asked.

"A homunculi is a fake construct only an archmage, wizard or similar can create and give life. They're embedded with a simple will to follow instructions, but that's basically it."

"Why can't a normal mage or sorcerer be able to do it?" Clover asked.

"Because it requires a blood code that can manipulate laws of creation," Rat answered smugly and added excitedly. "Oh this place is a treasure! It's such an honor to be here."

Eventually the homunculi stopped and turned to face a wall. She cast a spell to reveal six doors. After they opened, she bowed and gestured to one of the doors before retracing her steps the way they came.

"I guess these are our rooms?" Clover commented as she peaked inside one and saw a bed, simple desk and storage trunk. As she was about to step inside she felt a whip of air, her body pulled back and slammed into a hug.

"My darling kijen sisters missed me." Liran jovially squeezed Bosnia and Clover into a girly hug.

"I... can't... breathe." Bosnia gasped as she wiggled to free herself.

"That was quick." Clover commented when Liran pulled away to stand before the group.

"What did the wizards say?" Aiden asked not hiding his concern.

Liran brushed aside his seriousness. "Oh those stuffy old goats just wanted to give me a lecture."

"Right."

Of course, none of them were convinced by her lame explanation.

She huffed and dangled her reason for being there. "I guess you're not really hungry for a feast, if so, I'll be on my..."

"Food!" Bosnia's eyes were sparkling and drool hanging from her mouth.

Liran led them down the corridor and around a corner where the way opened into a vast dining hall fit for kings of old.

At the far end was an enormous, roaring fire within a silver gilded hearth and lines of meat being roasted on a spit.

"This is like Beer Fest Season!" Bosnia boldly ran toward a long table, which was overcrowded with plates of cheeses, fruits, vegetables, breads and cured and cooked meats of various kinds. "So much food!" She didn't hesitate to claim a spot on the bench and stuff her face.

"Bosnia! Manners." Clover snapped at her.

Grayman chuckled as he approached them. "Leave her be. It's good to see a girl with a healthy appetite." He laughed and shook his head when he saw Liran sitting next to the kijen girl, also stuffing her face.

Everyone else took their cue to sit and eat.

"Ah, you're going to get heartburn if you keep eating that fast," Aiden said next to Liran and winced when she slammed her mug of ale to the table, making a bang.

"So good!" Liran continued enjoying her meal.

"Well, at least her manly appetite hasn't changed." Another wizard laughed as he stood next to Grayman.

He was of the same age with a plaited, long graybeard, his gray hair pulled off his face in a ponytail and was stockier in build.

The wizard observed Annoying Imp's gentle nature as he loaded up a plate for Clover with the best pieces and offered it to her, then paid careful attention to what he selected for himself so the others wouldn't miss out on the best cuts.

"Oliver was right. That imp is a freak." He let out more laughter.

Grayman patted the wizard's shoulder. "Graybeard, try not to make the imp cry alright."

Graybeard continued laughing.

The other six wizards approached the table. Liran wiped her mouth clean and rose to greet them with a bow, prompting others to do the same.

"Continue eating, you're going to need your strength." Graylight gestured.

The mood lapsed into a coziness as the wizards eased onto the benches of the adjacent table to enjoy their meal.

While eating, Graylight spoke in Liran's mind. "Has the pebble's intelligence made contact?"

Liran sighed and responded in kind as she chewed on steak, "The Morningstar is what Rei called it. I had a weird vision with a man when I was in a semi coma from stamina drain. He gave me a warning about his plans. By instinct, I knew I was speaking with the Morningstar."

"He?"

Liran described the vision. 

Graylight closed his eyes, feeling saddened by her answer for this meant it had already started taking control, explaining why it could manifest in an external form. It was leveraging her lifeforce to exist.

She could tell sadness from his energy and added to cheer him up. "I bought some Black Pool brew. I can always take it back if you're too stuffy to drink it."

He chuckled. "That cheeky nature of yours doesn't change. Fine, I'll take your ale."

"You say it like it's a punishment. I sacrificed a sovereign to convince the dwarf brewer to hand it over." Liran lamented with stirred laughter from him.

Graylight allowed everyone to eat their fill until the homunculi returned to clean up and show the guests to their rooms.

"Grandmaster, there's been an incident." A preteen wizard cordially approached Graylight.

Graystein looked young but he was just as old as the others, having undergone the cycle of reincarnation seven times. Being on his eighth rebirth, it was natural for his body to age slowly as the divine rules of the mortal realm were written into him upon understanding. Because of his immense wisdom he was in charge of their knowledge resources.

Graylight nodded. "It's the library isn't it?"

"As you had expected, our enemy made a move. All knowledge kept about The Alchemist was destroyed by our own defenses." Graystein's voice was steady and emotionless.

"Then there's only one choice to deal with the threat."

Graystein bowed. "We'll prepare them."

"See to it. The Morningstar, more accurately to say, The Alchemist has laid down the gauntlet. Ensure she's ready to respond, for all our sakes." Graylight patted his shoulder and vanished from the hall.