I spent the rest of the night with Cognita mostly in silence. I was fine with that. While I did want to understand her better - especially since I needed to do so if I was going to help her, I had been truthful in saying that I wanted to understand how Wistram ran as well.
Places like the kitchens had far too many golems wandering around performing simple tasks for me to explore. I wasn't sure what sort of Stranger-tech would work on them, and I tended to dislike using such things anyways. It always rubbed me the wrong way. It was both a cheat that would break stealth games, and it was invasive in a way that I'd rather not be.
Especially since everyone in this world had powers, and you never knew whom exactly might react to you brazenly walking in front of them.
There were, of course, other ways of staying hidden that didn't rely on my limited duration mana-enhanced Threat Sense, but they all had their own flaws. My skill level made me acutely aware of how easy or how hard it would to stay unseen in a particular environment - by mundane means that is. I also had a couple of suits that could bend light, but nothing was one hundred percent guaranteed. With that in mind, I hadn't bothered trying to explore the more active parts of Wistram at night.
Doing so had been... enlightening.
"I failed to grasp just how much work the golems do around here." I broke the hours long silence.
"You and every other [Mage]." Cognita turned away from the tally that the basic golems had created. It contained details on all sorts of things that ranged from the number of barrels of apples they had left in the storage area to the locations that slime creatures had invaded the lower halls. "Wistram does employ multiple people such as [Chefs] and [Quartermasters] to help with the day-to-day operations, but ever since Archmage Zelkyr rose in power the need for low-level work has practically vanished. If it weren't for their [Skills], there'd be no need for them at all."
**Cognita loves Zelkyr.
**Cognita trusts Zelkyr.
**Cognita wants to help Zelkyr.
**Cognita is proud of Zelkyr.
"Understandable." I watched as a golem made of wood and stone scrubbed a robe, held it up, and decided that the stain had been removed. "They are capable of a great many more intricate and involved tasks than I had assumed."
"Did you not say that you had created automatons, Pixel?" Cognita glanced at me out of the corner of her eye.
"I did, Cognita, but I mainly use the work of an old friend to achieve their decision making." I looked up at her as we continued walking. "I know just enough to understand how difficult and complex such things truly are. Your creator had a gift."
"Yes." She nodded. "He had several. Intellect. Talent. Effort. He worked hard for all that he managed to achieved." We walked in silence for a few more minutes before she spoke again. "Are you going to ask me where Archmage Amerys is?"
I frowned slightly. "Why would I?"
"You wish to speak with her, correct?" Cognita stopped and turned to face me.
"That's right." I nodded.
"Then it would make sense for you to at least attempt to persuade me to tell you." Cognita studied my face. "You must expect me to pay personal attention to such a thing afterall."
"I might, if I thought there was even a chance that it would work." I replied bluntly. "No, I'll just have to play hide-and-seek with you and the [Mages]." I shrugged. "It makes for a better game."
"A game?" She raised an eyebrow. "I thought the protection of your wards was more important to you than some game."
**Cognita loves Zelkyr.
**Cognita trusts Zelkyr.
**Cognita wants to help Zelkyr.
**Cognita is disappointed.
"Games are one of the most important things in life." I chuckled. "All play and no work makes Jack a dull boy."
"Who is Jack?" She frowned.
"It's just an proverb. An expression from my world." I waved my hand. "Jack is just a name from the original work. The point is that humans can't deal with boredom well."
"Hmpf." She gave a small grunt. "I've noticed."
"That is something that I wanted to understand about your nature." I continued on after a pause when she didn't reply. "Humans, and other sapient biological life forms, get much of our personalities from instincts. They are the most fundamental aspects of our personalities, and are the origin of most of our emotions."
"True."
"You, I assume, are different." I studied her face as I spoke. Cognita was open in a way that most people weren't. She didn't usually display emotions, but when she did they matched up with her notifications. "You have emotions, but you don't have instincts."
**Cognita loves Zelkyr.
**Cognita trusts Zelkyr.
**Cognita wants to help Zelkyr.
**Cognita is amused.
"Who says I don't have instincts?" She smiled slightly and shook her head. "I see how shallow your understanding of golems is. You should have your friend educate you more."
She then spun on her heel and strolled off.
I wish Dragon were here to explain it to me. She'd be much better suited for the situation I'd found myself in. I entered an empty room and confirmed that no one was looking at me. Then, with a thought, I teleported myself back to my room and my disguise. I still needed two hours of sleep, unlike some people, er, golems.
Aaron sat in his room and fiddled with the strange MP3 player. He didn't recognize the logo. It wasn't an iPod or a Zoom, so it had to be from a smaller company. He wasn't familiar with every electronics manufacturer on Earth, but his [Engineer] levels let him know that this was an upper-end model.
Vincent was a poor kid from Philly, so he shouldn't have the cash to spend on something like this.
...At least Aaron assumed he was poor, but he hadn't asked, had he? Vincent might be well off. While it was a common trope in movies and tv shows for a poor kid to take up a sport, like boxing, to avoid bullies or gangs or what-not, that didn't mean that every boxer was a 'down on his luck underdog'.
Boxing was a sport first and foremost, so why couldn't a rich kid enjoy it?
It could be seen as an outlet for their aggression. Especially for people that didn't rely on others and didn't want to be a part of a team.
...And now he was constructing another mental narrative based on nothing but his suppositions.
Besides, it didn't really matter if it was an expensive third-party MP3 player, there were plenty of ways a poor kid could get their hands on one. A gift. Borrowing it from a friend. Buying it from a shadier friend. Stealing it...
Aside from its quality, the menus were in English. That implied it was Vincent's. Although, Jiahao knew more than one language, and he liked imported things...
Aaron didn't think the MP3 player was from China. While that might explain its strange radial menu, it didn't explain why it was in English. Unless, of course, there was an option somewhere to change the language. He could probably find it, but he didn't want to go messing up another person's settings by mucking around in them.
No, the most intriguing bit were the songs that were on it.
Aaron didn't recognize most of them.
He assumed they were from video games he hadn't played, but there were also some older songs that had vocals. A lot of Weird Al, including some more recent songs that he'd never heard. In fact, all the more recent sounding music was new to him.
Whomever it belonged to didn't seem to go for mainstream music.
That description could apply to both Vincent and Jiahao. Aaron had no idea what sort of musical tastes they had. The video game music did seem to match the Asian kid more.
So, the question was - who did he give it back to?
Was it Vincent's, and he'd just left it behind?
Was it Jiahao's, and he'd dropped it when Vincent punched him?
Or could he just wait to see who asked him about it first?
Or.
Or...
Could it be someone else's?
There was one other person, that he'd never met, that fit the description. Well, that fit a combined description. Vincent said Pixel was a [Tech Superhero]. Jiahao said he was a [Gamer]. If you put those together, you could get an expensive MP3 player that was loaded with video game music.
If that was the case... he still had no idea whom Pixel had given it to.
Aaron slumped at his desk with his head in his hands. He was getting nowhere with this. His thinking would just continue to go in circles. He needed to pick one of them to give it to and/or confront.
I couldn't explore during the day. There were far too many [Mages] around for that. I could've snuck off to the lower or upper floors, but someone would notice I was gone. Besides, I had far too much to do as it was. My network of cameras had spread to most of the common areas, and a few of the private ones. While my ability to pay attention to them while doing other things had improved, possibly as a by-product of my [Alter Ego: Various] skill, it was still impossible to focus on them all.
I supposed it was more like a security guard in front of a wall of monitors, except in 3D. My spy cameras had come a long way from when they were literally an eye inside a box. The tiny cubes picked up all the details in a sphere around them. Ears of Babel was the only thing that let me handle the information flow - albeit at a shallow level. If there was a significant deviation from normal it might catch my eye. Useful for noting random monsters like the occasional zombie, but not helpful in finding Archmage Amerys.
My first instinct upon learning that one of the leaders of Wistram had been detained was to free them. That had all the makings of a quest, even if I hadn't gotten any from Optimize since I'd arrived here. However, I was forced to admit that I did not know enough about the situation to make any judgments.
The only 'facts' or 'secrets' that I knew was that Amerys was still in Wistram - imprisoned by her fellow Archmages, and that it something to do with the 'King of Destruction'. Not that I had a complete understanding of who that was.
To be honest, I wasn't sure if I could trust what I'd read about him.
Cognita hadn't told me much, but I could infer a good deal from her notifications. Amerys was a prisoner somewhere. Golems were guarding/imprisoning her, but that wouldn't be all. The [Mages] wouldn't trust Cognita with that task alone, so there must be other guards as well.
I'd like to broach the subject with Archmage Feor, but I'd then have to come up with an explanation about how I knew what I knew.
No. The best person to ask would be Amerys herself. Her opinion would be biased, but it would be different from everyone else's. If I could speak with her in person, her notifications would help me understand things better no matter what she said.
While it was true that I couldn't directly compare how the Wistram [Mages] had treated her with how they might possibly treat Earthers, it would give me valuable insight. Was what she'd done worthy of imprisonment? What was her crime? What was the reasoning of her captors? What would I do if I disagreed?
If this was Earth Bet and she was a parahuman... then imprisoning her might be the solution that we'd use. The Birdcage didn't get many new occupants since Scion had left and Dragon had taken his place, but there still were a few supervillains that managed to be too violent to be part of society, but not violent enough to warrant a death sentence, and had been taken alive.
I couldn't exactly impose the same logic and morals from Earth Bet to Wistram, especially since there were no extra-planar aliens cohabitating in Amerys' brain, but the situation might be equivalent.
Today she was Taxiela the Lizardfolk.
It had been a close call, but she'd managed to successfully infiltrate the kitchen. There were no 'Jelly-Beans' for her to enchant, but there had been several trays of cream puffs sitting in a preservation field. Then again, she still didn't know what exactly a 'Jelly-Bean' was. So it was possible that she'd missed them.
It was unlikely, as there had been no desserts prepared that used jelly. Not even a single tart!
Hopefully, the [Cooks] would soon make some out of the fruits they had. It wouldn't be as good as what a more focused class could make. Perhaps a [Mixer]? Taxiela didn't know exactly which [Class] specialized in such a thing.
Stopping to think about it had almost gotten her caught by Cognita! The Truestone Golem could see through invisibility, as she'd had the misfortune of finding out previously. That was a secret she'd never sell. It was too entertaining to have newer members of the Ullsinoi find that out on their own.
She'd only managed to physically hide because a [Mage] she'd never seen before had been walking with the golem and saying something. She hadn't managed to listen in, as their conversation had apparently reached a loooong lull.
She wondered who the [Mage] was. Probably a new student that didn't know the secrets that surrounded the golems of Wistram.
It was fine. People didn't need to know that sort of thing, it would just make them stressed out.
It probably didn't matter.
What did matter was that her prank was about to begin! The innocuous cream puffs were already on the serving table as well as several plates.
The first few [Mages] to bite into one exclaimed and then smiled.
"Apples!"
"Blackberries!"
"Gah! That's as sweet as a Nali-stick!"
Taxelia drummed her fingers together. She was, of course, invisible, so the movement, and her involvement, went un-noticed. The cream puffs on the edges were enchanted with 'nice' flavors in order to lull the [Mages] into a false sense of comfort.
Her eyes were drawn to the Earthers. Boxer didn't have any on his plate. It was over-flowing with food, but he avoided sweets.
Pity.
Blackmage and Gamer both had three each, while Builder had a single one.
Taxelia tilted her head. The field of silence that surrounded the high table was a simple thing to bypass. Boxer ate a lot, which was unsurprising given the amount of running he did. Builder, on the other hand, didn't. Given his size, that was odd.
"What in world!?" Gamer took a bite of one before spitting it back out onto his plate. "It taste like salt! Just salt! Who made this?"
Boxer shook his head and continued eating, while Blackmage's face broke out into a smile. He took a bite before laughing. "It tastes like fish! This is wonderful!"
Taxelia stared at him. That... wasn't the reaction she'd been expecting. It sort-of made sense, Blackmage was where she'd gotten the prank idea from, but it was still odd. Did he just really like fish?
No. He swallowed, but put the cream puff back on his plate before picking up another one.
"Oh, man! That's disgusting!" He grimaced. "I love it!"
What?
He enjoyed the third one, and then immediately got up to fill his plate with more. Well... a prank couldn't work on everyone.
Taxelia turned to the final Earther. Builder was reading a book and not paying attention to the emerging outrage among the [Mages]. He picked up his cream puff...
It was the extra-spicy one that was flavored like some of the most potent peppers from Baleros. Taxelia had put that one in the very center of that tray so she could make sure to watch the reaction of the unfortunate [Mage] who got it.
Builder took a bite... and chewed and swallowed - without showing even the tiniest reaction.
What?
"What can you teach us about golems?"
Aaron glanced over at Jiahao as he raised his hand and asked Archmage Feor a new question. The two of them were the only ones being tutored, and Jiahao was still surprisingly attentive. It probably had something to do with Chinese culture.
Or he had a one-track mind.
Outside of Feor's lessons, he only wanted to play video games and talk about video games. When he was being taught, it was the opposite. The [Light] spell, scrying, and now apparently golems. If something caught his fancy, he would ignore everything else.
To be fair, he still seemed to pay attention about the other things Archmage Feor taught them. He just didn't seem... eager. They only had these personal sessions infrequently and unscheduled, so preparing questions made sense.
"Well, I am no [Archmage of Golems], but I have studied them. The only current resident of Wistram that might know more would be Archmage Viltach." Feor smiled at them. "However, seeing as he still has not returned, I am without doubt the highest authority. What do you wish to know, Gamer?"
"How smart are they?" Jiahao sat upright in his chair. "We have robots on Earth, but they can't do the things that even the dumbest of golems handle here. We have better and smarter NPCs in games, but even then, they glitch and get stuck and that sort of thing."
"Ah." Feor nodded. "I understand your query. I would love to hear more about these 'robots', but from what you have mentioned in the past, there are prominent similarities. The 'psuedo-code' that you provided us also shares a passing resemblance to the magic that goes into a golem's heart."
Aaron nodded to the side. Despite the gaming devices Jiahao had brought, they didn't have a computer with any programming software on it. Well, they had his laptop, and by definition it had software on it, but it didn't have the programs that would run other programs. He'd taken some CS classes, but Aaron had always been more concerned with physically building computers instead of programming them.
"A heart, that like their brain, right?" Jiahao raised his hand as he spoke.
"Yes. A golem's heart contains all they know and the power with which they move. Creating one is... well, let's just say that it takes a good deal of skill. Compared to that, implanting knowledge is even more difficult. That is, if you want specialized skills. If you want one that can sweep the floor, all you have to do is show them how to do it."
"So they can learn?" Jiahao's eyebrows shot up. "That mean they get smarter?"
"No, my dear boy, it does not." Feor chuckled. "What you are describing are sentient class golems. The secrets of making those have been lost to us along with the upper floors. Even Archmage Zelkyr did not make many of them."
"Why not?"
"You do not know of the String People, so your confusion is understandable. Few of them come to Wistram as they prefer to train their own [Mages]." Feor glanced at his bookshelf. "You will have to find a book on their history elsewhere if you wish to know more, but the basic story is that they were created as cloth golems in the distant past, but grew beyond that. Indeed, I think it was a fear of another uprising that motivated Zelkyr to do what he did."
"You mean sealing off the upper floors?" Aaron asked.
"No. Not that." Feor shook his head. "This was before, when he was still alive and active. He visited, let's see... A country in Chandrar was it? Yes. Both there and one of the Five Families on his home continent had been known for their golems. Of course, the drakes and the humans relationships were at odds back then that are worse then now, but they'd come together somewhat to deal with Naga incursion." He laughed again. "I say they came together, but I think it was just that the Five Families didn't actively try to attack them at the same time. Where was I?"
"You were telling us about sentient golems." Jiahao replied.
"Oh, yes." Feor stroked his beard. "To make a long story short, Archmage Zelkyr went out of his way to ensure that such knowledge was contained in Wistram. The only golem of that level now is Cognita."
"So older golems do not learn it?" Jiahao sounded confused.
"No. Golems must be created with a heart capable of it to begin with." Feor paused. "No, that's not quite correct as the Stringfolk proved. It depends on the type of golem and what composes their heart. Regardless, the lesser golems in Wistram have not evolved in that manner, despite some of them existing for centuries. Now, does that answer your questions?"
"I think so." Jiahao nodded. "Golems can change, but rare. How are they made to obey orders?"
"That's simply a matter of implementing an obedience rule as a foundation." Feor began to explain. "It's slightly more complicated than that, depending of course on the core, various factors have to be taken into account..."
...
"Want play some games?"
Aaron glanced over at Jiahao as they exited the Archmage's quarters. "Sure." It would give him the chance to ask about the MP3 player.
He had to be subtle if he was going to find out the truth. Coming out and asking would sound too much like an accusation.
Jiahao waved his hand in front of his door and it opened. "Racing game? Fighting game? RTS?"
"Uhm... Let's go with a racing game." Aaron felt like he had the best chance to win with those. Not much of a chance, but racing was more him verses the track than him verses Jiahao. They played in silence for a minute before he asked a question. "What happened with your T-shirt?"
"Hmm?" Jiahao glanced at him before looking back at his Vita. "It around here somewhere. More comfortable than these robes, but dirty."
"You could get a [Mage] to cast [Cleanse] on it if you're worried about the golems damaging it when they wash it." Aaron pointed out.
"No. That not it." Jiahao shook his head. "We supposed to be big secret, right? Why I advertise something like that?"
"Well, Vincent does." The boxer wore loose clothes that were closer to what existed on Earth rather than the robes that [Mages] preferred. "He also runs with his MP3 player."
"Hah! That why he lose." Jiahao sneered. "He too dumb. Secrets are money. Should not show them for free!"
"Is that why he hit you?" Aaron broached the topic. "Because of a secret?"
"No." Jiahao scowled. "He just big baby!"
"So it had nothing to do with your MP3 player?" Aaron tried to keep his voice casual as he focused on his screen.
"I have phone. Why I need something else that can't play games?"
Cognita bent down and dragged her fingers across the floor. The area that had been beneath Pixel was still a slightly different shade of gray. Yet, she couldn't detect any mana within it.
She took a step back and commanded the Magma Golem to approach. The room was heavily warded. It had to be in order to not collapse under the magics that were brought to bear in it during a fight. If it wasn't, the Magma Golem's very presence would have eventually eaten away at it over the years.
That meant that fire or liquid rock would be a poor testing method, but the Magma Golem could do more.
She walked to the entrance door and looked around. The room was only to be closed during a challenge, and she needed to make certain that nobody saw what happened next.
Cognita shifted the inside of her body to various rocks and alloys that would either react with magic or would emit invisible light that she could sense. It was a defensive tactic that no [Invisibility] spell could bypass, and that had caught numerous [Rogues] as they tried to sneak up on her Master.
It wasn't perfect, but no singular defense ever was. However, for this it was sufficient. There was no one spying or observing her.
A beam of light shot out of the Radiance Golem that was encased inside of the liquid rock. The magma was just a byproduct of its power and its disguise. The true golem beneath was far stronger, and its attacks would leave scars on the stone.
The light died down, and Cognita left the entrance way to examine the aftermath.
Nothing.
Well, not NOTHING. The intense heat had blackened the stone... that surrounded the gray circle Pixel had made. The stone itself remained exactly as it was.
Cognita had to admit, that was impressive.
If Zelkyr was here, he'd be trying to form a golem out of it. As it was, Cognita was not sure she could damage it, much less shape it. The Armored Golem might be able to, if its secret was revealed, but she would not have it act if there was any chance that someone would see it.
Someone that wasn't about to die a very sudden death, that was.
The gray stone confounded her. She couldn't understand what Pixel had done. It didn't seem like an ongoing spell. A transmutation of some sort? A rock that had been fundamentally altered in some way?
If that was the case, then she should have been able to turn into it. Understanding other substances and taking their properties was what Truestone did. There were only a handful of alloys that she couldn't change into, but those were all fiendishly complex - such as Naq-Alrama. The gray stone had been created as a side-effect, so it couldn't be that.
Just what was it?
And what was Pixel?
And what did he really want?
Aaron's phone woke him up early in the morning. It wasn't exactly five a.m., but it was before the sun rose. That was what was important. While he had to set the clock manually, it still could measure hours just fine.
Aaron yawned and rubbed his blurry eyes while contemplating staying in bed. It wasn't like he HAD to get up right now. He could just snooze for a little while longer...
No!
He slapped his cheeks.
He had a mystery to solve and a person to confront and it was now or never!
Okay, not exactly 'never', but Aaron got the feeling he might lose his nerve if he put it off to later. He shivered as he climbed out from beneath his covers. It was winter, but Wistram wasn't 'cold'. It had the sphere of perfect weather around it on the outside, and countless enchantments to maintain its heat on the inside.
It just felt cold in comparison to his blankets... and because the stone floor was a good conductor of heat.
He quickly pulled on his socks first before putting on the rest of his outfit. He stifled another yawn as he grasped the key to his door and stepped outside.
Teura was sitting outside on a stool. The red-headed elf looked up at him from the book she was reading. "You're up early."
"Uh, yeah." He scratched the back of his neck as he bowed his head a little. "I wanted to speak with Vi-, er, Boxer, before he ran off to the beach."
"Hmmm..." Teura hummed non-committedly before standing up. "[Reduce Weight]." She didn't bother to pull out her wand and just pointed at her stool. She then picked it up with one hand and looked at him.
"Oh, er, right." Aaron coughed as he realized she was waiting for him to go so she could follow. "I'll, just, uh... go."
The pair walked down the corridor a short ways to Vincent's room. Breska was sitting outside with his head bowed. Aaron ignored him and knocked on the door.
"Wake up." Teura whispered to the other half-elf behind him.
The door opened to reveal Vincent in his underwear. The bastard didn't look tired in the slightest. "Yo, Aaron, whatchu want?"
"It's 'Blackmage' in public." Aaron whispered back.
Vincent smirked. "Everyone here knows your real name."
"That's not." Aaron took a deep breath. "That's not the point. Someone might be listening. Can I come inside?"
The [Boxer] raised an eyebrow before shrugging. "Sure man. Whateva you want."
He turned around from the door while leaving it open. Aaron entered and closed it behind him. Vincent moved to the center of his room and began doing some deep knee lunges.
"You're exercising already?" Aaron stared in disbelief.
"What?" Vincent looked confused for a second before smiling. "Naw, man. Just doing some leg stretches. You gotta warm up before running, y'know."
"Oh, right." That made sense. "I guess that kinda ties into what I came here for. Did you lose your MP3 player?" It had to be Vincent. Jiahao had a phone, and he'd said he didn't need a device that only played music.
Vincent blinked and stood up. "Yeah. I did. Do you know where it is?"
"I have it right here." Aaron fished it out of his pocket. "You left it in the gym yesterday."
"Oh. My bad. I was in a hurry. Must've slipped my mind." Vincent stepped forward and held out his hand. "Thanks for bringing it back, man."
Aaron thought about withholding it until he got answers, but that felt too... confrontational.
"Here." He handed it over. "I listened to some tracks on it." Vincent's smile froze. "You have some interesting taste in music... Pixel."