Tenron Lightvoid
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Got the Grimoire, Chapter 33
🕑 Added 2025-02-24 06:20:05 +0000 UTCChapter 33
Friday, March 11, 2011
Let me tell you something that I can now say I have personal experience with: House arrest sucks. Oh, it was comfortable enough. It was clear right off the bat that this wasn’t being treated as some kind of Master/ Stranger situation. I had a full run of the Rig, allowed to eat down in the commissary with everyone else if I wanted or order room service, and my Protectorate apartment had a television and computer. I even had permission to use my downtime to Tinker if I so desired. I just wasn’t allowed to leave the Rig and unfortunately, was not yet cleared to have visitors.
Monday had actually been somewhat enjoyable. A nice bit of relaxation after a very stressful few weeks. Tuesday I was antsy, but made do with some exercise and practice. By Wednesday, I was feeling about ready to start breaking laws if the confinement went on any longer.
Not to mention I had a deadline. Lung’s little… ultimatum. Part of me wanted to call his bluff and then kick the shit out of him. A more rational part spoke out against a plan that endangered civilians. But I was just so tired. I had all this power, but couldn’t exercise it fully for fear of scaring people or causing collateral damage. Life would be a lot easier if I just didn’t care.
But then you wouldn’t be you, my host.
That wasn’t what a hero did though. A hero stood up and stayed the course. They weren’t heroes because they did the easy thing, they were heroes because they did the right thing.
At least that was my definition of a hero. Screw the ancient Greeks and their glorified murderers. With a couple of exceptions.
I was busy in my workshop, churning out more necklaces of protection by hand (PRT didn’t know and didn’t need to know about my duplication ability) when I heard a courteous knock on the door.
“It’s open!” I called over my shoulder.
The door hissed open and Miss Militia walked in, a manilla folder in hand and a pleasant grin on her face. Her power took the form of a simple Beretta at her hip and it’s relatively stable presence belied her good mood.
“Mak. Good to see you’re being productive. How many total have you made now?”
“Forty-seven. At this rate, I’m going to bankrupt the PRT.” I got paid extra for every necklace I made. It wasn’t much compared to the millions I already had access to, but money was money. “What brings you down to my cell?” I asked jokingly.
She held up the folder. “You’re cleared to leave the Rig and resume light patrol duty, though considering what happened with the Empire you are to have at least one additional member of the Protectorate with you at all times and no Wards. For their safety and yours.”
I didn’t like the idea of putting the kids in danger anymore than she seemed to, so I just nodded. “Sounds good. I was thinking of taking a bit of a step back anyway until the Empire is all taken care of.”
“You don’t want to help with that?”
“I think that might look bad considering the number of bodies in the street already. I’ll help where I’m asked to and defend myself if needed, but anything else might look… poor. Especially if more casualties happen.” That earned me a reproachful look, but I shrugged. “Hannah, they’re Nazis, dangerous superpowered ones at that. I can’t guarantee a 100% capture rate.”
“At least tell me you’ve been working on counter measures…”
“Sure have! Tada~” I showed her an amulet I’d created out of red gold and platinum.
She eyed it warily. “What does it do?”
“Well it’s like my other amulets, but like… a lot stronger. Kind of acts as a combination of vacuum suit and force field.”
“And you haven’t made more of these because…?”
“The time and material it takes to make just one of these can cover hundreds of the silver ones I make. Quality materials and power matters.”
She nodded begrudgingly and handed the amulet back as I slipped it on. I really didn’t feel like getting my lungs crushed again. Or shot in the eyeball for that matter. Extremely unpleasant.
“How’s the public reaction been to the news?” I asked casually, falling into step with her as she began to make her way out.
“Mixed. Most people are glad you finally ended the Slaughterhouse Nine, but at the same time… you’re still something of a newcomer, so there are those asking why the rest of the Protectorate couldn’t have done it sooner.”
“Did they not know that there have been multiple attempts over the years that just end in tragedy?”
“They know, I just don’t think they care. They’re the kinds of vultures who just want to try to tear us down however they can.”
I nodded sympathetically. “There are always naysayers. Anyway, I gotta get out of here, I have some things to take care of.”
“Need to say hi to New Wave?” She asked innocently.
I blushed, but shook my head. “Among other things. Not like I didn’t have my phone, we’ve been talking still. No, I’m finally moving out of the hotel,” I said proudly.
Hannah just rolled her eyes. “About time. Looking at a house?”
I’d thought about it, but… “Too strange for a guy as young as me to suddenly be able to afford one, even with a swanky new job. I’ve got an apartment lined up in a nicer part of the city, near HQ.”
She gave me an approving look. “Good thinking. You’ll have to invite us over for a housewarming party.”
“Good thing I made sure it was big enough to have guests then,” I snorted. “Nothing like my first apartment.”
“You grew up on the West Coast, right?”
“Yeah. I like it better out this way. Brockton Bay has its charms.”
“Yes, I’m sure that's why you continue to stay in this city despite having literally any other option,” Hannah said with some mirth. “Not for any other reason at all…”
“I don’t need you psychoanalyzing me, I got enough of that over the last few days, thank you very much,” I said.
“Whatever you say.”
“I’m getting out of here. I dunno why I’m bothering to walk like a plebian now that I have authorization.”
With her laughter ringing in my ears, I turned and walked into the nearest wall, vanishing into darkness and out across town. The Overlook hadn’t changed at all in my brief absence, not that I expected it to.
I walked up to the concierge with a nod of greeting. “Good afternoon. Are my guests still where I left them?”
“Indeed, sir, I have personally seen to their needs. Someone also attempted to take them, but I…” He smiled and I saw eldritch madness etched into reality. “Dissuaded them of the notion.”
I felt myself unconsciously shiver. “That person might not have been entirely hostile, did you…?”
“No, nothing of the sort. I merely revoked their access to the premises.”
I eyed the still smiling concierge and then sighed in relief. “Well, you have my gratitude. I suppose I will be seeing you the next time I have need of your services.”
“It is a pleasure as always, sir.”
I walked down into the basement of the Overlook and surveyed my captives. No recovery from Jack or Shatterbird. Manton was in a state of emotional distress just as I’d left him.
Bonesaw and Burnscar…
Well, they were just Riley and Mimi now.
“Doormaker, I’d like to speak to Contessa if possible. Or Doctor Mother if she isn’t available. Number Man would also be acceptable,” I said aloud.
“You must be Magus.” I spun and found myself staring down a pristine white tiled hallway. An unfamiliar dark skinned woman gave me a thin smile, though it looked more like a grimace. “I am Doctor Mother.”
“Hey. I have a present for you guys, if you want.”
She gave me an inquisitive look. “Please, let us conduct this here. You’re letting in foreign matter and-”
“I’m pissing off the Custodian, yeah, yeah.” I made a gesture with my hands and the still unconscious Riley was lifted up and left floating behind me. I stepped into the hallway and like that, I was in Cauldron’s base. “Thank you for listening to my request.”
“Clairvoyant has been tasked with prioritizing certain individuals,” Doctor Mother said brusquely as she gestured for me to follow and began walking down the hall. “You are amongst them.”
“I suppose I should feel honored.”
She gave me a sharp look. “You’re a powerful ally. Not keeping tabs on you would be the height of foolishness.”
“I’m surprised Fortuna didn’t step in the other week,” I said idly, tracing a finger down one smooth, pristine tile on the wall. “Seeing I almost died and all…”
“The odds of your death were deemed negligible and she was needed elsewhere. It’s a large world and Bet isn’t the only Earth where we are active.”
“Fair enough.”
We entered what looked almost like a mundane sort of office, albeit extremely austere. “So, you requested to be here. What can Cauldron do for you?”
“It’s more like what I can do for you guys. You recognize her?” I motioned to Riley.
“Bonesaw, the bio-tinker. I am aware.”
“Just Riley now. I stripped away the parts of her that Jack made. She’ll still have the skills of Bonesaw, but she’ll have the memories and morals of a six-year old. I’d like to entrust her to you.”
That earned me an arched eyebrow. “Cauldron is not in the business of child rearing. I am sure there are better homes where you could place her.”
“Oh absolutely. And as much as I wish I could just give her a normal childhood… her power is too important. Her work can affect even the passengers themselves. I think her abilities would be of great benefit here.”
Doctor Mother considered and seemed to reach a conclusion. “You desire something in return for this?”
“I need to borrow Doormaker for a bit,” I replied. “But please be rest assured that it will be for a good cause that will further strengthen those of us that stand against the real threat.”
“Very well. Clairvoyant, Doormaker, add Magus to the list of approved operatives,” she said aloud. “I shall allow you to keep such access beyond even what you need today, so long as you don’t abuse it.”
I bowed my head in acknowledgement. “Thank you. I’ll use him as sparingly as I can.”
“Was there anything else you needed?”
“No, thank you for your time, Doctor. Door to Overlook basement,” I said.
A portal opened and I gave one last dip of the head toward Doctor Mother and left Riley there, blissfully unconscious and in the hands of objectively very bad people, even if their intentions were noble.
But they had Number Man amongst them. And I had a feeling that the man once known as Harbinger would look out for a fellow survivor of the Slaughterhouse Nine.
Once I was safely back in the Overlook, I prepared for my next important meeting of the day. I put Manton back to sleep and collected him along with Shatterbird. Then I assembled a table with a pot of hot water, several kinds of teas, and a small plate of sandwiches.
My preparations completed, I took a breath and spoke a name of a being that still somewhat frightened me for… reasons. “Door to Glaistig Uaine’s cell.”
A portal opened, but rather than go through instantly, I instead raised my voice and called out. “Oh Queen of the Fae, a humble traveler seeks an audience with you! Might I intrude upon your realm for a short time?”
Silence. Then a slightly confused voice that sounded like several overlapping at once answered me back. “You show manners, so I suppose I shall allow it this once. Enter and be assured of thy life, Traveler.”
I entered, still cautious, and regarded the Faerie Queen. She was much as I imagined, somehow still possessing a regal bearing despite the modified prison uniform she wore. Her bright eyes peered at me curiously, their intensity rather scary. It didn’t go with the appearance of a mere teenager, but when you were as strong as her… Well that didn’t really matter much. With a thought, I put up a privacy field. I didn’t need Dragon or another Birdcage inmate listening in.
“Greetings, Glaistig Uaine, Faerie Queen,” I said respectfully, giving a deep bow, though never taking my eyes off of her. “I am called Magus and I would ask of you a boon as well as offer a gift.”
“A gift in exchange for a boon asked is no true gift, but I shall withhold mine judgement until my curiosity is sated. How is it that thy enter my abode so easily?” Her voice had lost a fraction of it’s intensity, but it still had that weird echoing quality. It set my teeth on edge.
“Many friends amongst the Fae do I have, though one of them I am not. While I ask for a boon, I still offer gifts.”
“You mirror my speech. I wonder, is this done out of mockery or true respect?”
“Respect, oh Queen. One does not enter into a Queen’s domain without offering some manner of respect and so I try to speak as you might, even if somewhat poorly.” I offered a hint of a smile. “It is also… fun. It reminds me of simpler times.” Times acting in theater for instance, but she didn’t need to know that.
“Indeed.” Her too old eyes regarded me before flicking over my shoulder. “You speak of gifts?”
“Yes, of course. But first, I offer some manner of hospitality: I know that this place lacks such courtesy.” With a flick of my fingers, the table and chairs I had gotten together floated into the room and set themselves up. “Please, I offer this meager meal with all good faith.”
“After what I have been forced to dine on for the last several years, this is practically a feast,” Glaistig said mirthfully. “You have my thanks.” She delicately sniffed each tea. “Oh? Not even attempting to poison me? How… un-Fae like of thee.”
“Ah, while adjacent to the Fae, I am not truly of them.” I gave a small shrug. “As I said, I am a traveler. These lands are not my own.”
Her gaze sharpened on me even as she selected a tea and placed the leaves within the pot. “Oh? Are thou lying to me or simply delusional… Would you care to put your words to the test?” She extended a hand in my direction.
And that was what I was afraid of. Because for all that I’d done and accomplished in my time on Earth Bet… There was still that nagging uncertainty in the back of my mind. What if I really was just a delusional parahuman?
Oh my host, you are so much more than that.
Well better to find out this way, than at a more inconvenient moment.
I bowed my head and laid my hand in hers. Her eyes widened a fraction and a newfound sense of caution entered her gaze as she released it. “It is as you claim. You are not one of the faces of the faerie. So what are you?”
“A traveling magician, taken from his home and placed in a new world. I seek only to help where I can.”
She stomped a foot, almost childishly and spectral figures appeared around her. “Your presence would ruin the King’s play! This is not as it should be!” Her voice resonated deeply with multiple layers. She sounded… frightened.
I gave her a sad smile. “Oberon has not been himself since Titania’s death… And he shall not find himself again. He simply meanders until the end claims him.” I poured and took a sip of the tea that she’d chosen. It was good, she’d added just the right amount of leaves. I poured her a cup as well and after a questioning look and a nod at the cream and sugar, added some of both and handed it to her.
Her hands shook badly as she took a drink. “You have excellent taste, Traveler. So why do you come to me then?”
“Because you are perhaps the mightiest of the Fae and I seek your aid with what comes next. Oberon has forsaken his role in the play: the Cycle of life and rebirth that the Fae lay claim to. So instead of dying needlessly, I would fight. I would seek a new path, a new stage.” I eyed her speculatively. “You need not give me an answer today, I merely ask you to consider my words as well as the actions of Oberon.”
Glaistig nodded very slowly. “I shall ponder thy words. What is the boon you seek of me?”
I spread my hands in an open gesture. “That was all. Now for my gifts.” I snapped my fingers, willing Manton and Shatterbird forward. “Two mighty faeries to add to your arsenal.”
Glaistig stared at them, then at me. “You would offer me two queenly gifts such as these… and merely accept an audience as your boon? There is much more that I could offer you, for I can be a generous Queen.”
I bowed low. “As I said, I am but a humble traveler. You listening to me was all I needed. I thank you, for your consideration.”
Glaistig regarded me for a long moment, then nodded, reaching out and carefully taking the powers of both the parahumans. “I will remember this, Traveler. You have the gratitude and the consideration, of the Faerie Queen today. Do not squander it.”
I bowed again with a smile and then gestured at the table. “Please, keep the rest, with my thanks. I shall depart now and see you upon a later day, Glaistig Uaine.”
I stepped back through the Door with the corpses in tow and Doormaker closed his portal. I let out a breath that I didn’t realize I’d been holding, then snapped my fingers and disposed of the corpses with a brilliant flash of light.
That had gone… much better than expected.
And the day isn’t even over…
I walked over to the slumbering Mimi. Her mind was ready, but I still needed to make adjustments for my (rather poor) idea to work. I called forth my knowledge of biomancy and got to it.
I suppose I always did want a roommate...
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A/N: Howdy everyone. I really need to work on my schedule. I dunno how authors like Brandon Sanderson do 2-3k words every day, I shove that much into one day and it kind of melts my brain. But hey, I got it done! I just need to use my mornings and evenings during the week better, especially if I ever want to actually publish stuff other than fanfiction.
Y'all have my thanks for sticking around, you guys are quite literally why I do this regularly instead of just whenever I feel like it, and it does wonders for both my mental health and writing ethic. Lemme know what y'all think, I like hearing from you guys, as little as that is.
Comments
Tenron Lightvoid
Thank you! I hope I can keep on entertaining.
Jason Robbyns
I stumbled across your story yesterday and I'm so glad I did! Wonderful writing and I'm loving what you're doing with this world and the characters within!
