I curse as I clench my fists and resist the urge to punch the roof.
My two closest friends vanished before my eyes, and it's all my fault! We never had to come to this Notch-forsaken city!
I glance down at the streets, where Sunshine lays down soberly with her head upon her paws. I jump from the roof, walk toward her, and scratch her back, consoling her. She glances at me from the corner of her eye, the white of her eye visible, but then a moment later turns her head forward again, fixating on the building of Dan's detainment once more.
I consider for a moment Dan's claim that Sunshine can understand human speech, and decide to try and console her.
"I know you're upset, Sunshine," I speak aloud reluctantly, not quite convinced of it. "This isn't easy for me either... but you're the only other creature I can trust."
The dog whines.
"I can't just go inside the prison building and get him out. If those guards can detain a mage as powerful as Dan, they could easily detain me too. We need to get Cubit's help."
Sunshine stands up abruptly with a moaning half-howl, pushing my hand off as she does so. She scoops up one of the hogs reins and prances and jumps beside me, its impatient reaction to my proposed plan clear. My doubts of the creature's sapience are swept away, and I wonder in awe of how Dan was able to impart so much knowledge upon a dog. Then again, it does make some sense. Dan never had an apprentice, and Sunshine was his only companion. I just hope Sunshine doesn't end up becoming my companion instead.
Equally impatiently, I grab the reins of the other hog, and lead the way back to the theater district on the west side of the city.
The alley of the theater district that leads to the back entrance of Cubit's theater is stationed with two well-armed guards. I can hear the murmurs from the excited theater patrons waiting in line in front of the theater. I have tied up the hogs, and Sunshine stands beside me. I would not teleport inside, for the guards would surely hear me. It's best to be honest and confront them outside.
I do so.
One of the guards eyes me from head to toe with contempt. "Halfblood, the entrance is in the front. You did bring credits, right? This entertainment business isn't a charity."
I ignore him and speak to the other guard. "I am Cubit's cousin. I wish to see him. It's a family emergency."
"Now, do you really think I believe that?" the guard in front of me says, his brow raised as he smirks incredulously. He brushes his fingers across his chest and reaches for the hilt of his sword, pulling it slightly out of its sheath, as a threat. "What's your name?"
Do neither of them recognize me?
"You see that dog?" I point to Sunshine, sidestepping the question. "She gets really excited when-"
"I said: What is your name?" The guard reiterates, drawing the sword further from its sheath.
I do not dare say my name. I back away. "I guarantee, when Cubit comes out, the dog will react. Sometimes she even reacts when-"
"I am running out of patience, ender. Tell me your name!" The guard snaps, leaning forward with sword in hand."
"Look Sunshine, it's Cubit! Cubit!" I yell with faux glee as I point out of the alleyway.
On queue, the dog barks rapidly and zigzags out of the alleyway, her tail wagging wildly.
"We don't get paid with jokes and doggy tricks, cretin. Leave our sight or we'll cut your head off!" The guard threatens.
I capitulate and back away, seeing no other way to confront the guards without violence. I settle with waiting for someone who recognizes me.
Some forty minutes passes before Cubit's accountant approaches the alleyway. She knows me. Her dark hair is slightly frizzy, her shirt clings to her skin from sweat, and her eyes are tired and blank.
I intercept her.
"Oh, hello there, Cubit's cousin," she responds. "Guards giving you trouble?"
"Yes, could you help me get in?" I ask, relieved.
"Sure. Is that your dog?"
"Cubit's brother's dog," I correct.
We walk toward the guards. They begin to draw their swords from their sheaths at my approach.
"Don't bother," the accountant orders. "He's with me. The dog, too."
The guards step aside.
"He should have walked with you in the first place. We nearly killed him," one guard scolds.
"Noted," she answers.
We pass through the door and enter a rather dark storage room full of crates and chests and the like. The place smells of fabric, dust, and chemicals. We pass through it into a brighter room which is more well-lived in. There are a pair of desks, followed by bookshelves partitioning the center of the room. On the other side of the room is a full-length mirror surrounded by hung costumes, a half-opened crate, and a coat hanger holding the same brown cloak which Cubit was wearing earlier today. A single ceiling redstone lamp lights the room meekly, overpowered by the light from the dirt-stained windows. Yet-unlit candle stands huddle together on one of the desks.
I can hear excited murmurs faintly echoing from further inside, undoubtedly theater patrons eager to find a seat.
"I suppose Cubit is behind stage right now. Jensen, was it?" I turn to the weary accountant.
"Yes, that's my name. I'm supposing you'd still prefer I didn't ask yours, magi family secrets and such?" Jensen asks rhetorically. "Cubit should be on stage by now."
"Well, that's unfortunate. I guess I'll have to wait. I fear drawing attention to myself, and I need Cubit in a good mood if I am to get his help." I suppress a few choice words regarding Cubit's poor character. "I appreciate your discretion, Jensen. You are very professional. And hard-working, if the sweat is any indication."
Jensen looks down at her shirt, troubled. "This sweat is not usual for me. I was down in the city redstone circuits, sending tax confirmations."
"Is that so?" I raise a brow in intrigue. "I haven't heard much of redstone mail. I've only heard of paper mail, and mail sent through more magical means."
"Well, it's useful to prevent tax collectors from coming after us, in case one of the mailmen dies," Jensen explains.
"Yes, of course," I reply, more interested in the details of redstone mail rather than how reliable it is, but deciding not to press further, so as not to disturb her work. I order Sunshine to go back outside and watch the hogs.
I occupy myself for a few hours before Cubit's performance ends. The light outside of the windows is darkening; sunset is approaching. Cubit walks into the room chatting lively with what I would guess are his assistants. He wears a long purple cloak with feathers running along its edges, and his blond and grey hair is messy, as if blown by wind.
"I think this deserves some celebration," Cubit proposes.
"Why should we celebrate?" an assistant asks.
"Why not? It's only fair we occasionally celebrate the non-periodic anniversary of my employees," Cubit replies. His joyful face turns to confusion as he notices me. "Cousin, what are you doing here?"
"Cubit, I need to speak with you alone about something very important," I say.
"Well then... you're invited!" Cubit raises his hands in an open gesture.
"Cubit, it's urgent," I insist. "It's about your brother."
"Nothing about my brother is urgent," Cubit jokingly complains.
Cubit's carelessness enrages me... but I force myself to maintain composure.
"Jensen, you're invited too, but of course you are under no obligation to attend," says Cubit.
"No thank you."
"You are free to go, then."
With the proposal made, the three assistants, Cubit, and I travel to Cubit's home. Sunshine and I tow the hogs with them.
In a well-furnished lounge room in Cubit's home are plates of fruit, sliced meat, and fresh sweet bread. One of the assistants is slightly incapacitated from a redstone drink, while the other two enjoy some tea with Cubit.
"May I interest you in something to drink, Jonas?" Cubit asks me.
I consider asking for some tea, but the ender part of my mind quickly shuts off the idea with utter revulsion. "Quite frankly, cousin, in my current state, I don't think I could drink water."
"Well, that's unfortunate," says Cubit. He turns to his two tea-drinking assistants.
"Why don't you two set up a game of Fool's Checkers? It's in that chest over there." Cubit points to the corner of the room.
Cubit places his hand on my shoulder. "Let's go to my room."
We walk to his bedroom. Cubit closes the door behind us, sits in a fabric chair, and beckons for me to sit in the opposite chair.
I sit down. Cubit places his tea down on the table between us, and leans back in his chair.
"Jonas, I may not be a void mage, but I know why you're here. Vrendan has been captured by the city guards for his use of dark magic. He has been transported to a special prison chamber whose walls are lined with spent diamonds. At this very moment, the spent diamonds are draining away his magic, until his old age catches up with him and he dies of weakness. And you had the sense of mind to not teleport into his chamber and commit suicide."
"How can you describe your own brother's death so calmly? And how can you be so certain of it?" I demand, appalled. "Do you want your own brother to die?"
"Of course not, Jonas! How could you accuse me of such a thing?" Cubit insists. "Every time Vrendan visited the city, he put himself at risk. Even you must have known yourself that it was only a matter of time before he would be caught. As for the chamber, Chevron told me about it. Many important buildings have spent diamonds embedded in their walls to stop intruders from trying to teleport or break through them."
I recognize the nature of those clear gems, the deadly transformation of diamonds whose energy has been drained from countless years of use. Their presence must be why Cubit didn't want me to teleport into the arcane library.
"But if Chevron knows about them, surely there must be some way to get around them," I insist.
"And be in contempt of the law? Are you crazy?"
"Then we ask Chevron's help to appeal the conviction, if we must!"
"Jonas, a conviction of dark magic has no appeal," Cubit insists. "Vrendan is a lost cause. My advice to you focus your efforts on helping your friend."
"Fristad is missing!" I yell in frustration. "And even if he weren't missing, the one man best able to help him is Dan himself! How can you not see that? You're just searching for excuses to get away from responsibility, so you can keep living your fantasy life of effortless fame and luxury!"
Cubit's cheek twitches. His orange irises become vivid. "I have built up a living for myself out of nothing but my own time and will! All the while, I have abided by the very laws which safeguard the well-being of my fellow citizens. You've hardly even done the latter! You've squandered your magic to become a criminal, a murderer, and a monster! And now you blame me? Ridiculous. I guess I should have expected nothing more from the likes of you."
"I am no longer any of those things!" I insist, appalled. "I left magic behind because I had to. I took it too far and let it control me and destroy me. But what do you have to say for yourself? You didn't even try to finish mage school. You left out of laziness, and all you got out of it was some toy magic that you use to amuse clueless civilians! And you call it hard work! And now, to add insult to injury, you conspire to kill your own brother so you can claim to be the best mage. You are an insult to Chevron's legacy!"
A flame sprouts from Cubit's finger. Cubit glares at me sideways, his jaw locked.
"I left academia because I was sick and tired of its lies, claiming to impart knowledge from self-absorbed tenured mages and obsolete piles of shaved wood. I left school because I wanted to; I refused to dedicate the prime years of my life to such a complete and utter waste of time like you did! And because of that, I am more of a mage than you will ever be."
At that, I lunge at him with my claws, gloves shed. I feel a searing heat under my neck and teleport away. I topple his chair. His body is bathed in flame. I teleport behind him and reach, but the force of the flame repels me. Searing hands grab my arms; I kick and they let go with Cubit's grunt. I swing my sword. The hilt becomes molten. I drop it. I draw the ender from my veins. Fire meets fire, mine purple and the other blue. The room is warming. I teleport again. Suddenly there are two of him. Both corporeal. I throw a punch and it bounces off. A burning ball hits my stomach. I feel my energy draining.
Before I know it, my back is pinned to the ground, my body exhausted, my skin sore, and my robes burnt. Cubit leans above me, face bent in anger, orange eyes glimmering with flecks of gold, a hand on my collarbone and another hand holding my sword glowing red to my neck. There is an air of dignity and power in Cubit's expression that I have never seen.
"Maybe I should kill you now," Cubit suggests, contempt in his voice. "It would put you out of your misery."
Cubit stands up and throws my sword to the side. I get up.
"I can't believe you're what's left of my cousin," says Cubit.
"Cubit, I... I had no idea you were so strong," I state.
"I care not of your mana pool, but of things more intangible," Cubit states. "You say you've left your old life behind, but I doubt you have. You even still wear your apprentice robe."
I stare down at the remaining soot-stained rags, undoubtedly angry to lose the outfit I have worn longer than any other.
"And now you've destroyed it."
"A symbolic gesture, I know," remarks Cubit.
I take off what remains of my robe and fold it, doing the best to restrain my anger.
"I am going to see Chevron," I declare. "Even if she cannot help me save Dan, perhaps she can help me save Fristad."
With those very words, I teleport away. I consider returning to say goodbye to my cousin, or perhaps mention the hogs, but time is urgent and formalities frivolous. Each time I surface from the void, the cold night air fills my lungs like a calm wind.