Big City Darkened Nights

Setting the glass down Halford rises pointing to Avilo’s table. “That wine’s good. Anyway Avilo ready your men. Cornelious take Carr to your tower. I’ll have the servants bring Carr’s things.” Speaking directly to his longtime friend and mage, “I take it the tower is where you want to do this?”

“Yes,” Cornelious says with a hiccup “it is best. Avilo and his men should meet there.”

Looking concerned at the wavering mage Carr asks Junior. “Is he going to be alright?”

Studying Cornelious Junior replies, “He’s just getting started. I guess it’s a good thing we’re leaving the dining hall. Don’t need a drunken wizard slurring spells.”

“Hey.” Cornelious defends himself, “I’m not drunk, yet. Maybe after we sleigh this evil hag.”

“That’s the spirit Cornelious.” Halford helps his wife up speaking to the hall, “The rest of us we’ll have to wait and hear what happens in the morning.”

Some of the senior officers say good night to the King and family. The men gather before separating to offer advice and well wishes.

Cornelious pokes Carr’s arm, then motions to follow.

Nodding Carr empties his glass of wine, “It is good.”

“Yes.” Cornelious leads Carr out the doors the royal family went out and down a corridor.

Impressed with the furnishings of the passage Carr beholds each uniquely carved chair. Both walls are lined with extravagantly framed canvass oil paintings of family portraits.

Ahead the royal family walks with their ten-year, old daughter trailing behind. She keeps looking back at Carr. Observing he waves to her. Seeing him wave causes her to take mother’s hand.

Turning down a narrow side corridor Cornelious grabs Carr’s arm before he walks past.

“Oh.” Carr steps back, “Don’t want to get lost around here. Somebody would think I’m casing the place out.” Noticing a painted landscape Carr moves ahead to view it.

The mage watches him, while swiftly reaching out to turn one of the many carved flowers within the wood trimming of the castle’s hallways. Moving the flower detail just enough releases a catch on a hidden door.

Cornelious steps into the hidden passage, “This way.”

Carr looks back seeing the opening that wasn’t there, “Hey a hidden door.” He scans for the possible release before entering, “A tour of a castle’s secret passage. Normally I’d have to stumble on to these things.” His eyes open a bit wider not expecting to see descending stairs.

Briefly smiling at Carr, Cornelious continues down the stone steps.

As Carr steps on the first step, it sinks slightly causing the door to close. Sparking the old mage to go into an overly detailed history on the building of the castle sections and parts of the city.

Carr listens as the reach the bottom and down a very long tunnel with a few turns in it.

After a few minutes the rogue’s unsure of direction and curious if they’re actually going anywhere.

Eventually they arrive at a plain thick wooden door.

Inside a stock room filled with crates, sacks, and barrels.

Turning left Cornelious cuts across the large cool room to another door.

Certain it’s all food Carr can smell the grain in the sacks.

Taking an iron torch from the wall Cornelious snaps his fingers lighting it.

Carr wants to ask him how to do that, but the mage is rambling about the mason’s work in the third wing, as they descend another stone staircase.

Knowing to get to most towers one goes up Carr begins to worry. Losing interest in the building’s history wonders if the King is setting him up.

They enter a small room with three other corridors. The mage crosses the room like he’s done hundreds of times taking the central corridor.

The passage comes out at the bottom of an upward spiraling staircase.

Ascending the many steps Cornelious points out they had to build the base of the tower wider and deep in the ground to keep it from toppling over. Years later the castle was built close enough to help reinforce the tower. Noting it’s survived several catapult volleys within its life.

Tiring from the upward climb and history lesson Carr is surprised the old wizard carries on so easily, in both stairs and story.

Periodic views out arrow slit windows aid Carr in reaching the top landing.

Facing Carr, Cornelious comments, “Don’t mind the mess the maids aren’t allowed in.” Snickering he opens the door to a wizard’s domain.

Every surface is piled with stuff, some close to teetering. Carr doesn’t know what to look at. A large bookcase behind the wizard seems to be the only thing not totally cluttered.

Cornelious cleans off a bed, opposite of the bookcase, while Carr checks things out.

“This should do,” The mage sets the last box of what, ever aside, “Not the nicest bed. But I need to be near my crystal ball and portal wall.” Cornelious hears the rhyme and tilts his head repeating it under his breath.

Sitting on the bed Carr queries, “One of these walls has a portal in it?”

The mage points to the open space on the wall beside the bookcase. “As you can see it’s already marked for opening a portal.”

The white chalk markings are noticeable. At first glance Carr thought it was calculations of some sort, “I see, so you can go anywhere from your bedroom.”

“Not my bedroom,” Cornelious points out the mess. “As long as I can see it, I can get there.” He uncovers a crystal ball on a small high table in front of Carr, “With this I can find the Hag, see her in her lair.” He pretends to zap open a portal, “And we’re there before her whole self can get back.”

Carr ponders the last point, “I guess you know what you’re doing.”

The mage rummages around the table and a shorter one beside. Making a little space he sets out a stone bowl and places some dried herbs into it.

Gently removing a book of the stars from a pile Carr flips through the pages. Identifying as many of the stars as possible he hears someone coming up the stairs.

Grinding up the herbs the mage reminds Carr. “It’ll be a couple minutes before they get up here.”

“Oh yeah.” Carr asks him, “So what are we mixing up? Some sort of herbal tea?” He chuckles lightly.

“You could say.” Cornelious informs him, “Just a mild sleeping agent. Nothing too strong. After all we do need to wake you.”

“Yes I would prefer that.” Reading footnotes in the book Carr solicits the wizard’s beliefs, “Do you think all the white stars are other suns like ours?”

Glimpsing at the book Cornelious is surprised Carr can read the writing. Not only sloppy but in an unused language, “I think it’s more than that. The stars are just too far away to see what they really are. Where’d you learn to read that language?”

Still flipping pages Carr answers, “I actually had a scholar spend several winters on the farm.” He recalls the view from the mountains, “I know what you mean if you were in the mountains all the things you know are big seem so small.”

Cresting the stairs a servant brings Carr’s armor, boots and the blessed mace.

Standing Carr takes his gear from the servant, “Thank you.” He notices some of the bindings have been replaced.

Bowing to Carr the servant approaches Cornelious, “Do you require anything?”

“No.” Cornelious doesn’t even looking up.

The servant bows before leaving.

Putting on the armor Carr remarks, “They did a fine job of patching it up.”

“Mm, hmm,” The mage mumbles setting the bowl aside retrieving a leather, bound book.

The sound of men talking while on the stairs softly echoes into the chamber.

Opening the book on top of another, the wizard searches the pages for an important spell.