CH. 5 The Masterpiece

Traveling by boat was so much slower than traveling by airship. Relm decided that if given her choice, she'd pick flying any day. But finally, the yacht pulled into port and they began the short carriage ride to Jidoor.

Upon arriving in the city, they traveled straight through the lower and middle class sections and drove up to the most opulent house in the high society neighborhood of town. Relm now realized that she was traveling with the richest of the rich. A servant opened the carriage door and a second servant opened the front door to allow the family into the house. Relm was humbled by the magnificence of the mansion and was sure that her old house from Thamasa would have fit neatly in the entry hall.

Owzer wasted not a single moment but headed upstairs to the makeshift studio that his hired artist was working in.

"Ah, Heinrich, there you are," said Owzer. "I'll thank you to gather your supplies and leave. I'll have payment sent to you by days end."

"But, Master Adair, I've not yet finished my work," Heinrich exclaimed. "Surely you don't intend for me to leave this masterpiece half finished!"

Owzer's face turned red as he shouted, "What I expect, is to throw this piece of rubbish in the garbage as soon as you're gone. Now, out of my house you charlatan, I've brought a true artist. She's the only one that can do justice to my work of art."

Heinrich's face turned white as he bowed and quickly headed toward the stairs. He stopped only once to turn and look at Relm, and then he continued on.

A bit shaken, Relm walked around to the front of the painting to get her mind off what just happened. On the canvas, she saw what looked to be a lovely lady dancing on the clouds, her blond hair streaming behind her.

"You're right, he was a hack. This doesn't look anything like your wife," Relm stated.

"No, no, heaven's no," replied Owzer. "He was commissioned to draw someone more beautiful than all the lights of heaven. This painting was to be a portrait of the goddess Starlet!"

"Well, Owzy, why don't you start by describing to me what you see in your head, and I'll see what I can do," Relm suggested.

"Very well. Let's begin," said Owzer as he sat down and pulled a small stone from his pocket.

……………..

Heinrich stormed off toward his home incensed that some philistine, like Owzer, had the nerve to degrade his art and then have the nerve to hire a child to take his place. This would never do. Somehow he would find a way to get revenge on Owzer, but for right now there was only one thing that could soothe his troubled mind, and that was a trip to the auction house to see what kind of goodies he could get his hands on.

The auction house was fairly empty for midweek, and the bidders that were there seemed very lethargic. He couldn't blame them though; the items that had been up for bid were useless, trifle at best. As he stood to leave, the next lot caught his attention. It was an old book of art recovered from a cave up north by some treasure hunter. As he looked at the dusty tome, he could almost feel it calling to him. Heinrich decided that he simply must have that book, and while he was at it, he'd go ahead and put it on Owzer's tab.

……………

After two hours of watching Owzer rub the stone and babble about Starlet's beauty, Relm had heard enough.

"I know exactly what you want," she said. "It'll take me a few weeks to finish, but I can do it. In the meantime, I need to know where I can get supplies."

"Just make me a list, Ms. Relm, and I'll have everything brought to you. Order only the finest. Nothing is too expensive for my Starlet," the giddy old man said as he stood to leave.

"What a weirdo," she muttered under her breath as Owzer left the room. "Before I make that list, I think I'll take a quick look around town first just in case someone's here."

……………

It had been a week since Heinrich's humiliating discharge from Owzer's house. His fury over the whole incident had not seemed to ebb in the least.

"One of my most beautiful works, and Owzer just wants to throw it in the garbage! All I got was a measly payment and this stupid book," he screamed as he threw it across the room.

As the book slammed against the wall, the pages ripped loose from the cover.

"Great, now I've got a destroyed book to go along with my destroyed painting," he said as he walked over to pick it up. But, upon retrieving the tome, he noticed that there was a scrap of folded paper hidden where the pages were glued to the cover.

"What's this," he said as he unfolded the paper.

On the sheet was written the following:

Beware to he who reads this book,

To he who frees the Chardarnook.

This beast will do what you command,

And make of you just one demand.

So if your need is more than dire,

Turn 'round three times and face the fire.

Throw in this page, throw in the book,

And chant the name of Chardarnook.

Heinrich stood in utter shock holding the scrap of paper. This was his chance to get revenge! He could simply call this Chardarnook thing and tell it to go and ruin Owzer's painting. Owzer would never know what happened, and it would show that little upstart girl that she wasn't the one in control!

It was decided. Heinrich closed the paper and the book, then turned three times and faced the fireplace. After throwing them both into the flame, he closed his eyes and began to softly chant, "Chardarnook, Chardarnook, Chardarnook….."

The fire suddenly died and the glowing embers changed to black coals. Heinrich began to tremble as a shadow slowly grew from the ashes.

"G'fu, fu, fu," said the shadow. "Who has awakened me?"

The frightened man answered, " I..It was I, great spirit. The humble artist Heinrich."

"What is it that you wish me to do," boomed the dark voice.

"I wish you to go to the house of Owzer, the largest one in the northern part of town, and ruin his new painting," stammered Heinrich.

"This is an unusual request, but I will do as you ask. However, I require one thing from you before I go."

"You may have anything you need if it is within my power to give it," replied Heinrich.

"Very, well. I will require your life," the demon said as it pounced on the screaming man.

…………….

Relm got a sudden chill and decided to go shut the window. The afternoon air seemed warm, but she decided to go ahead and shut the window anyway. Besides, she needed a little break. She had been painting her little heart out over the past week, and was way ahead of schedule. A woman of unparalleled beauty stared back at her from the canvas, and Owzer had become more and more excited every time he came in and saw her progress.

"Well, that's probably enough work for one day," she said. "I think I'll head out and see a little bit more of the town."

As Relm was heading to her room to change, she passed Owzer in the hallway.

"And how is my masterpiece coming along today," he asked with a cheery smile.

"Beautifully," a tired Relm responded. "I'm going out to take a break, but you're more than welcome to take a look at it."

"I think I'll do just that," he said as he skipped off down the hall.

Relm had just finished changing out of her paint-spattered smock and was on her way out of the bedroom door when she heard a blood-curdling scream. Quickly, she headed off down the hallway toward the studio and was met by Owzer running the opposite direction at full tilt.

"A monster! There's a monster in the painting!"

"Hold on now," Relm spat angrily. "You saw her yesterday and said she looked exactly like the picture in your mind. Now you're calling her a monster?"

"No! Not the goddess! There's a literal monster in the painting! And it's talking!"

"This I've got to see," she said as she ran back to her room to grab her trusty fire rod.

Running through the doorway to the studio, she saw exactly what Owzer was talking about. Embedded in the painting was a set of glowing eyes.

"You will remove yourself from that painting," Relm said brandishing her fire rod. "Or I will remove you from it."

"G'fu, fu, fu. It'll take more than you to do it little girly," replied the dark figure as it faded into view on the canvas.

Just as Relm raised her weapon and prepared to attack, the door to the studio burst open. In shock, she stared at the four smiling figures that she hadn't seen in over a year. Though she had given them up for dead, they had arrived at a moment when she needed them most.

"Well, what are you waiting for," she said. "I could use a little help over here."

And the five companions dove into battle.