Chapter Twenty-two

From a completed epic fantasy novel told across two time periods.

Richard

Year 1378 (Present Day)

His laboratory was nearly empty. The test subjects and most of the equipment had been transported to the royal herbalism laboratory. Richard himself had been ordered to be there the next day. He was still in a state of semi-denial in regards to the entire situation. That his life had so dramatically shifted, and in such a negative direction, in such a short span of time, and from out of nowhere left him in a mental haze. He knew what was happening, but the feelings that should be associated with his situation were not fully present. He suspected the finality of walking into Esther’s laboratory would bring them forward in a torrent of despair.

His students had also been conscripted. That was the word for it. None of them were given a choice, and all had been too fearful to even ask questions. They simply followed the orders. Richard did not like the implications of that conformity. It made him question whether the university was in fact a failure. If education had not instilled a sense of skepticism and a need to ask questions, then perhaps Yara had been correct that the institution needed to be gutted.

As he looked around at the workshop and dust-covered floors, he saw that nothing that had been considered of value to Esther’s current or future research remained in Richard’s laboratory.

Except me. I think.

He was unclear on what his new role would be because no one had given him any idea of what he would be doing, other than working for Esther. Would he still be in charge of his former students? Would he be able to pursue any of his own ideas? Would he be allowed to continue with his development of tonic effect permanence? He had the feeling that he would not like any of the answers he was going to receive.

Tomorrow he would begin his work under the royal herbalist, a woman who was said to be as close to the Divine King as anyone in the nation.

And what will the Divine King ask of us? I am sure it will be distasteful. Elixirs to boost the deadliness of the military, explosive tonics which burn through flesh. Wouldn’t my grandfather be proud?

He was sitting on a box filled with papers, not wanting to finish clearing the room for fear that emptying the laboratory would help usher in the truth he wished to deny, when a voice called for him.

A man he had never seen before was approaching. He was small in stature, his only remarkable trait the bushy eyebrows that seemed to take up too much of his face. With his newly improved vision, Richard could make out a few gray hairs among the black, and a tiny pimple peeking through the top of the right brow. “Good afternoon,” he said. “I hope I am not interrupting anything.”

“No. Just cleaning up.”

“So I heard. It is unfortunate. I would like you to know though, it is true what royal councilor Yara told you, we are struggling to find funding. I’m sure that does not soften the blow right now, but I want to mention it nonetheless.”

“You’re from the Crown then?”

“Indeed.”

“Are you here to drag me to my new overlord?”

“I am not. That is not my department. My name is Gregorich. I am here on an unrelated matter. I am searching for a missing person. I am sad to say this is how I spend my days, and that those days are quite busy.”

The man had Richard’s attention now. Had one of his students fled the city? He had considered that himself, however briefly. “Who are you looking for? Someone I know I assume.”

“I believe so, yes. A former colleague of yours. Professor Woller Karuvian.”

Woller? Did that girl’s family learn of what happened? Why now?

“I did know him. I haven’t seen him in years.”

“No one has. Thus, my involvement.”

Richard did not know what to say, and if he had, he would have been too scared to say it. His nerves had already endured too much in the past week.

“Could you please tell me what you remember from the last time you saw or spoke with Professor Karuvian?” the man asked in a properly polite tone.

Richard recalled the last time he said seen his friend, and had in fact combed over the encounter in his mind dozens of times, looking for hints. But not just hints as to why Woller disappeared later that week. Also hints as to why Woller had asked him so many questions. Questions about his past. He had been unable to connect Woller’s questions about his past to the man’s fleeing the city. The rumors regarding his friend had never seemed plausible to Richard, but he had done his best to convince himself that they were true. The alternative suggested that he was somehow connected to the man’s flight.

His vision had not been enhanced at the time, but he felt as though he could recall the circumstances of the meeting with preternatural clarity. Questions about my childhood that I could not answer. Asking me what I remembered of my grandfather. Probing about a woman who used to attend to me when I was young. And all out of the blue. He had never asked me such things before. Then, a few days later, I heard he had simply vanished.

That last encounter had never sat well with him. That he was now being asked about it gave him the chills. The question now is whether to tell the truth. Who exactly is this man in front of me? What does he know about Woller that I do not?

He decided to proceed cautiously and speak honestly but not frankly. “The last time I saw Woller was at the Shark Eye. We had some drinks together.”

“Did you notice anything different about the professor?”

Richard gave an exaggerated shrug, then realized the gesture may have appeared too overtly casual. “He looked the same as always.”

“About what did you speak?”

“He asked me about my classes. I asked about his. We talked about work.”

“Anything else?”

“I’m sure we did. That was a couple of years ago though.”

“Whatever you can tell me will help. When someone is missing for such a long period of time, and no one has heard from them, well, we often assume the worst.”

“He didn’t say anything about having trouble with anyone.”

“That’s good. That’s all then?”

“I don’t remember him saying anything that made me think he was in danger.”

Richard could tell his answers were being met with a degree of skepticism. But Gregorich did not push. He wondered how many other individuals had been questioned so far. He would have to ask around, without raising even more suspicion.

Gregorich pull out a tobacco pouch and pipe from his pocket. Richard took note of the pipe’s handle. It was crafted from ebony wood, and thus quite expensive. The trees which provided that dark wood were only found on islands off the north of East Saltion. Gregorich was evidently a well-paid royal employee.

The man began packing the brown leaves without looking up. “You must have been surprised then when he disappeared.”

Careful now. “I was.”

Gregorich’s eyes remained on what he was doing. “Your colleagues as well.”

“Yes.”

A spark appeared as Gregorich struck a flint block with a thin piece of metal and lit his pipe. He finally looked up as he took a puff. “I have to say that I am baffled by this case, Professor. The story I’ve heard does not match with accounts of his personality. Then again, love does strange things to a man.”

Richard simply nodded, his eyes focusing on the smoke.

“Are you sure there is nothing else you would like to tell me?”

“I apologize, but it was a long time ago.”

“It was. I hope we can find your friend. Thank you for your time, Professor.”

Gregorich gave a half smile and exited the laboratory, a trail of smoke following him.

I need to speak with Lydee. No doubt she was questioned before me. She may have a better idea of what is going on here.

He waited before leaving the laboratory, under the admittedly grandiose idea that he may be being monitored. To fill the time, he stacked boxes in a corner and swept the floor, retracing the questions and answers that had just passed between Gregorich and himself. When he felt as though enough time had passed, he left the laboratory. If he did not sense that anyone was following him, he would seek out his friend.

As expected, the campus was deserted. Richard took his time walking the paved paths between the buildings, wondered how long it would be before activities were resumed. What form would the revised university take? Who would the professors be? What would they be forced to teach?

He halted mid-step when looking back, and saw light in a room on the second floor of Lorgan Hall. Other than the man who had just questioned him, and the students who had helped him move the laboratory equipment, he had not seen anyone else on the campus all week. No one else had much in the way of materials to export to another location. The majority of the supplies belonged to the university and were therefore supposed to remain where they were.

He did his best to look around innocuously, trusting his enhanced vision to help him see anyone that may have been in the shadows. The day’s light had faded so that a would-be pursuer likely would have deemed themselves safely hidden near a building. Not seeing anyone, he headed toward the light.

As he entered the building, he realized the light had not come from the history department. No chance in encountering Lydee here then. When he got closer to his destination, and remembered which department laid claim to this wing of the building, he grimaced. Archaeology. He considered turning back, but morbid curiosity was a powerful lure.

Noises now reached his ears. Cursing.

“This is why your society fell off the face of the Earth! Shoddily made materials!”

Richard waited outside the office, looking through the open door, curious to see how long he could remain just outside without being noticed.

Inside, the elderly professor of archaeology, Iniko, stood over a shattered pot. “A student should clean this mess! They’re the ones who placed these artifacts so haphazardly in the first place!”

He kicked a potsherd which slid a few feet before resting before a desk. The little man crossed his arms, as if disappointed that his anger had not caused more chaos. “I’ll have to move to a new office. Good that I have so many more now.”

Richard could not stifle his laugh enough to continue his experiment. Iniko looked back at him, one eyebrow raised. “You’re here to clean up?”

“I am not. Sorry, Iniko.”

Iniko waved a wrinkled hand. “Then I will leave this here until suitable help arrives.”

“I didn’t know anyone else was on campus. They haven’t told you to leave?”

“Oh, they told me. They informed me that I had two days to vacate the premises. That was at least a week ago. Ha! I knew they would not check.”

“Are you clearing your office out now?”

“Hardly. I have work to do.”

“Classes have been cancelled, Iniko. There are no students. Everyone was ordered to leave.”

“No students, good. They were a waste of time.” He approached Richard until he was but a pace away. He narrowed his eyes and looked up. “They were only here for the credits. They did not care about learning or studying the past. They thought I could not tell. Well, they thought that at first, until I berated them. No matter though. I am better off without them.”

“The university is closed.”

“I intend to make good use of the newly liberated space.”

Richard shook his head. “What will you do if they come back?”

Iniko had turned away and was rummaging through a crate of rusted weapons. “I will nod my head and tell them that I accede to their requests. Then, when they leave, I will continue my work.”

“And if they forcefully remove you?”

Iniko paused and looked over at Richard. “You believe they care that much? Ha! They are more apathetic than the students. They just wanted the money. They do not care what happens here as long as they do not have to pay for it.”

He is probably right. Not as crazy as he looks.

“Now, instead of standing there with your mouth open like a fool, come here and help me retrieve these ancient chamber pots from the bottom of this crate.”

Richard bent down to assist the old man. “Pardon me for inquiring, but what are you hoping to learn from these particular artifacts?”

“To learn? Nothing, you dolt. I plan on placing them in the spare offices so that I do not need to pause so often in my studies.”

Never mind. He is just as crazy as he looks.

“Iniko,” Richard said, gingerly pulling a chamber pot out of the crate, “has anyone from the Crown come to speak with you about a missing person?”

“No.”

“I mean Woller. A man named Gregorich questioned me about his disappearance. Isn’t that odd? That someone from the Crown would begin an investigation on Woller two years after he vanished?”

“It might be.”

Richard stopped and crossed his arms. “Are you listening to me?”

“Unfortunately.”

“You don’t know anything about this?”

Iniko sighed. “Your friend Lydee came to ask me about Woller. She wanted to know all about the wisdom I imparted to our former colleague.”

“She asked you about Woller?”

“Are you listening to me?”

“Unfortunately.”

Iniko sneered. “There are more chamber pots for you to remove,” he said, gesturing to the bottom of the crate.

“When was this?” Richard asked.

“Perhaps a week ago. I have somewhat lost track of time now that I do not have to give classes. It’s wonderful.”

That gives me an idea of how long this ‘investigation’ has been going on. I need to find Lydee. She must know more about this than I do.

Richard worked quickly to remove everything from the crate. When Iniko yelled at him, he put everything back with the exception of the chamber pots, then practically ran out of the room before he was given more orders.

Worn out from the day’s activities and the additional stimuli from his vision, his head was spinning. He would have preferred not to be able to see the stains on the ancient chamber pots with such clarity.

Despite his exhaustion, he jogged to Lydee’s house, believing time was of the essence. If he did not meet with her this night, he may not have another opportunity for some time. He had no idea what working for Esther would entail, but he had heard that the hours she put in were appalling.

When he came to the row house where Lydee lived, he was relieved to see light in the window. He knocked on the door loudly, beginning to feel impatient and anxious. From behind the door, there were sounds of movement. Then, the light he saw behind the curtain went out. The noise had ceased. Confused, he knocked again. No reply. Roughly a minute later, he heard the sound of a door opening, then closing.

Richard called out, “Lydee?”

There was no answer. Richard considered adding that it was him who was calling, in case Lydee was hiding from someone. Then, a more unsettling thought entered his mind. What if it was not Lydee in the house?

He backed away from the door slowly. Once he was sure he was not being watched, he ran. He ran and did not look back until he had left the house far behind him.