With a display of imposing flamboyant flare for the dramatic Rumple, Belle, Amicia and Azzy appeared in the centre of Demeer's large office. The Grand Mage sat at his desk with his fingers rested in a pyramid and his chin perched atop them much as the last time they'd seen him, but he went totally ignored as soon as Rumple laid eyes on a clearly Jefferson shape sitting in one of the guest chairs with his back to him: Leotomas by the door went as equally ignored.
Rumple buried his glee for the sake of his reputation. Finally, finally he'd found a piece of his realm. Finally he'd found the Hatter. Finally going home looked like a real possibility rather than just a desire or a plan. Rumple couldn't let that show on his face though, so bury it he did.
"About time you showed your face, Hatter."
Jefferson spun around, his hat on the desk and amazement in his eyes as a big smile spread across his face. Jefferson apparently felt much as Rumple did but didn't hide it as well. In half a second Jefferson had Rumple snared in his arms happy to see a familiar face, even if it was the Dark One's, and confirm Rumple to be real rather than wishful thinking. The hug took all by surprise, especially Rumple himself.
"You have no idea how happy I am to see you, Rumple." He breathed out. "I'd started to think I was alone here."
"You and me both, dearie. Let go."
"Yeah, right. Sorry." Having realized just how tightly he'd clung to the shorter man, Jefferson finally released him and took a step backward as he ran a hand down his face. "My magic doesn't work properly here, Rumple. I can travel through my hat but only to places in this realm, places I've already been to. Every time I try to return to the Enchanted Forest or the Land Without Color or, hell, even damn Wonderland, it's like I hit an invisible wall. I just bounce back."
Rumple let out a long hum while Demeer quietly watched the proceedings. "Yes, I've had the same trouble. This realm's magic is so different to what we're used to that your hat and my curse, have pieces which don't function here."
While the two men spoke quickly but coherently about their magic issues, what they'd encountered and how they'd each found their way to Bichelberger, Belle watched Jefferson quietly. He was definitely the same man she'd seen summoned by Tvon's spell, but he seemed thinner than before, he'd not faired as well alone in Dreymyr as Rumple had; then again, he' been alone. Jefferson wore the same black outfit as well but it had faded a little and had clearly been repaired at the shoulder at least once.
Amicia tugged on Rumple's sleeve then to draw his attention downward; he lifted her up into his arms.
"Papa, who is he?"
"This is Jefferson, he's quite mad."
That got the child to chuckle, but Jefferson paled now he'd finally noticed her, a pain settled in his eyes.
"Papa? You adopted an elf?" He spoke mostly to himself. "I miss Grace."
Grace, that was a new name Belle hadn't heard Rumple mention before and Jefferson had said it with such … sorrow.
"Who is Grace?" Belle's curiosity made her ask.
"His daughter."
Daughter? That one word caused Belle's heart to ache. Tvon and Gaston may have set all the wheels in motion, but Belle had played her part in summoning Jefferson to Dreymyr. She'd stolen a man from his child.
"I've been here so many months, Rumple. I don't even know how long. Grace is all alone." Jefferson fretted with desperation in his watery eyes. "I have to go back! She probably thinks I'm dead."
Rumple nodded. "I understand entirely. Now that there are two of us and we have access to the University's library, we stand a significantly better chance of deciphering a way of returning to the Enchanted Forest."
Amicia wrapped her arms around Rumple's neck to help him better support her, he was always so warm and comforting to her.
For the first time since Rumple and his party had appeared in his office, Demeer broke into the conversation; he leaned back in his chair with the afternoon light around his brown hair like a halo.
"As promised, I've already started looking into the issue with the Princess' enslavement collar, but so far have learned nothing to aid you. I will have Leotomas take you to the library vault while I continue to find a solution. I wish to speak with some colleagues – I suspect Sebas Emmot will have some bright idea, he usually does." Demeer cleared his throat. "I may have to consult some of the city's slave traders as well."
Belle smiled softly. "Thank you for trying, Grand Mage."
In Belle's mind any help was better than nothing, so she'd be grateful for it.
"Of course, Princess Belle." He looked passed them to the excessively tall black man. "Leotomas, please take them to the library vault now."
The werewolf nodded and obeyed, he politely led them out of the office and off toward the vast library which was sure to be full of treasures. As they walked Rumple couldn't help noticing the way Jefferson lingered a little too close to him, but Rumple found he couldn't really bring himself to say anything about it. Jefferson had found a way back to Grace and wouldn't be convinced to let it go easily. Rumple and Jefferson were very different men, but were exactly the same when it came to the lengths they'd go to in order to protect their children: Rumple squeezed Amicia tight unconsciously.
They stepped inside the main library to find it spilling over with books, the afternoon light poured in from high windows while sconces lit the shadowy areas. Though the ceiling was high and ornate, it looked like any other library in Rumple's opinion, it was just the opening to the vault hidden underneath. Down a narrow staircase lay a large stone door bound in chains with wards carved into them.
Jefferson lifted his eyebrows. "This place is locked down tighter than Excalibur. Who are you trying to keep out?"
"Ogres, the Thieves Guild, House of Red Coats and -" Leotomas turned his dark eyes to Rumple. "- demon lords."
Rumple snickered as he finally set Amicia down on her little feet. "And here I am about to waltz on in. You should mark it in your calendar."
"The day the Mages Guild and the Dark One work together, we already have."
That only had Rumple chuckle again before Leotomas turned to the barred door. It took several minutes to release the wards, each one broken caused a large chain to collapse to the ground with a heavy thud powerful enough to snap tree trunks in half. Belle and Amicia watched with awe while Jefferson, Rumple and Azzy remained unfazed. The Arcane University didn't take its security lightly.
It was then that Rumple felt that odd draw of dark magic once more, the same one he'd felt when he'd first entered the city. He'd have pondered the drifting magic longer but Jefferson's voice drew his mind away.
"I've been trying to get in here since I heard about it, thought I'd get some answers, but you lot all thought I was a kook or spy."
Leotomas made no apologies. "We have a lot of strangers use fantastical stories to gain access, all had theft on their minds. The Dark One is who gave your story validity."
The last chain broke and toppled down to the ground admitting them into the library vault. Sconces topped with delicate balls of yellow-white light illuminated the further the went until, with a sudden whoosh, all the sconces and chandelier surged to life revealing an expansive underground library that just went on forever punctuated by countless bookshelves. Belle lit up: a beautiful sight Rumple watched out the corner of his eye.
"It's huge! I could read forever."
Nobody doubted that Belle would give that a damn good go given half the chance; didn't matter what sort of book she found, Belle would read it. Leotomas guided them to one of the larger reading tables close to the appropriate section of dark magic informational tomes, he gestured lightly to them.
"These books have been collected over centuries regarding demon lords and their dark magic. Please explore at your leisure while I gather books pertaining to summoning and magic circles."
So they did. Rumple, Belle nor Jefferson really knew what they were looking for exactly, but suspected they'd know it when they saw it. The men set to work while Belle alternated between helping and correcting Amicia's reading; she'd truly thrown herself into learning to read and write.
Before they knew it several hours had passed, night had fallen outside, the streets had grown quiet and rain fell heavily from the sky. There would be more rain as they entered the latter half of the year and, with more of a chill, Rumple would need to acquire Amicia and Belle some warmer clothing.
After their hours of reading, books littered the large table, some lay open while others had been stacked off to one side to be later returned to their shelves. Amicia's eyes had grown heavy, Azzy had long since curled up for a nap and Rumple's eyes stung from gazing at the tiny text.
"I think I finally understand why my hat hasn't been working properly." Began Jefferson with one hand on the pages of an open book while the other had curled into a fist for him to rest his chin on. "Since magic is based on five elements, anything outside of those elements is automatically classified as dark magic which seems to be an element of its own." Rumple made to comment something along the lines of 'you've only just figured that out' but he managed to refrain thanks to what Jefferson said next. "That darkness dragon created something called spacial magic which is how my hat and your power are still functioning but only by the rules of this realm."
All dark magic in Dreymyr seemed to constantly trace back to that darkness dragon one way or another and Rumple found himself with the question of whether the dragon had been born in Dreymyr or summoned like himself and Jefferson.
Rumple turned his attention to Belle. "That dragon is involved with the Sons of Rael, yes?"
"Yes," Belle said as she poked her head out from behind a particularly large book. "Isra was Rael's father only defeated when the other Cardinal Dragons intervened which let the Hero slay him."
Jefferson didn't like the idea of an evil cult running around in the shadows on top of everything else, but they'd be a problem for another day.
"Why are you whacking a the on the front of hero?" Jefferson's brow furrowed.
"They're appointed by the Church as warriors with almost impossibly high magic levels." Belle explained. "They're supposedly chosen by Drazva to fight against evil in times of upheaval but one hasn't been selected in decades."
"Hmm, sounds like a Savior." Rumple muttered quietly to himself. "Worry not for the limitations placed on our magic, Jefferson. I have most of the northern cities along the northern Trade Road and I suspect you have many of the southern cities. Between us we have ready access to most of the central continent."
Belle's head tilted. "Do you think the reason your hat and magic isn't working properly also has to do with why you can't return to the Enchanted Forest?"
"The two are likely connected, sweetheart, but I don't think one caused the other."
Leotomas returned with yet more books then, his muscular arms doing their best to prevent the tall stack collapsing onto the floor. Amicia kindly shoved some of the open books aside to make space he was thankful for. Without hesitation Jefferson quickly stretched to snatch the top book only to snap his arm back when a spark of electricity shocked him causing his muscles to go numb a moment.
"These are warded against dark magic users." Leotomas responded simply. "I or Princess Belle will need to go through these tomes for you."
"I'm really classed as a dark magic user here then," Jefferson sighed. "Lovely. Does this make me an unofficial fifth demon lord?"
The werewolf thought Dreymyr had more than enough demon lords already.
"Welcome to team evil, Hatter." Rumple chuckled as he turned a page only for Belle to frown.
"Neither of you are evil."
Amicia nodded in firm agreement as she slipped from her chair to pull herself into Rumple's lap. "Papa's kind."
"Well, aren't you sweet."
Leotomas ignored the Dark One smiling down at his adopted daughter and instead devoted his attention to searching through the ancient warded books. Thick layers of dust had formed on their covers, the pages were cracked in the corners while others threatened to fall apart entirely. The monetary value of them couldn't possibly be quantified, but their price was nothing compared to secrets and counsel they possessed. The Grand Mage might have been convinced aiding Rumpelstiltskin to be the correct course of action, but Leotomas remained reserved. The Dark One appeared to be non-hostile and willing to work in harmony with them, but Ravavena had done a similar thing only to slaughter for amusement. With that in mind, Leotomas reserved his right to be dubious about the offer of synergy. However, he would forever be loyal to the Grand Mage and complete his orders.
"Most of this text appears to be creature summons," commented Leotomas after a while. "I shall keep searching though."
Belle looked between the three men then sighed and closed her book. "They're not going to say it, so I shall. Thank you for your help, Mister Shadowhyve."
Her sweet words cracked the black man's standoffish mask long enough for him to smile down at her kindly; Belle could break through anybody's defences.
"Leotomas, please. And you are quite welcome. I must admit, I've been the Grand Mage's adjutant since he took over from Abraham Mossmorris and nothing this interesting has ever happen."
With a hard task ahead of them, they all turned back to their books while Amicia tried her best not to slip off to sleep.
~X~
Gordana Aalto sat in her office going over the exorbitant pile of paperwork the day-to-day workings of the Guild caused when her peaceful quiet was cut short when William, head of the receptionists, threw open her office door with such force that it bounced off the stone wall. Gordana's brow furrowed deeply with anger but, before she could say a word, William practically screamed information out at her.
"His Majesty is here! He wants to speak with you, Chief Commander. Now."
Anger was instantly replaced by shock as her mouth went dry.
"K-King? King Artem is here?"
William nodded frantically. "Yes, the King himself."
She needed a moment to take all of that in but, with King Artem waiting, she couldn't let herself have that moment. Instead of dawdling, Gordana quickly instructed William to show His Majesty in. As soon as the white-haired king entered, William politely closed the door behind him and Gordana knelt respectively.
"Your Majesty, you honor me with your presence. I would have come to you, there was no need for you to trouble yourself, Sire."
Artem waved Gordana's comments off and found himself a leather armchair to perch in; the stress of the last few weeks had left him tired.
"Please dispense with pleasantries and stand, Chief Commander, for I believe we cannot spare the time." Gordana obeyed and rose to her feet before King Artem. "Something strange is going on in Dreymyr and I want to get to the bottom of it."
"I do not understand, Your Majesty."
Gordana had dealt with much strangeness over the last half year; more monster attacks than previous years, the Sons of Rael down in the Osgar Hall Caverns, talk of a sea monster lurking in the War Cry Sea that even the Valkyrie Naval Unit hadn't managed to unravel yet, and, of course, there was the arrival of Rumpelstiltskin the True Demon Lord. Unfortunately, she'd need the King to be more specific.
"I hear a great many things that go on within my kingdom, Chief Commander, and I make a point to know as much as I can in order to serve my people." Artem thought he really was getting too old for this, Prince Gottfried would soon take the Dorovothi throne though. "I hear you have a most unusual battlemage in your Guild and, to be perfectly frank, I think he has something to do with that strangeness." She swallowed giving herself away. "You will tell me of him and you will leave nothing out."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Honestly she should have expected something like this; should have expected having the Dark One running around wouldn't go unnoticed forever. The only real surprising bit was that Artem had come to speak with her himself. "… Quite some time ago now a demon and his half-elf slave arrived and requested to register with us. The half-elf girl is a tamer with a fairly low level, lower than most with elven blood. The demon though, when we measured him the crystal exploded." Artem lifted a white eyebrow. "I've never seen someone that powerful before but he wasn't hostile and treated his slave with a level of respect not regularly seen and …" She trailed off lamely.
"Speak."
"And he readily admitted to being the Dark One. Nobody would claim to be him in their right mind, but Rumpelstiltskin was over level one hundred and I saw him slit his own throat without taking damage. I had no choice but to believe what he said. I understand you must think me reckless, Your Majesty, but he is not like the Church's stories, the half-elf fully supported him and he has completed quests better than any other of my adventurers. I created a new rank for him called double gold and classed him as a battlemage. The entire time I've known Rumpelstiltskin he has completed all his quests without issue and even shut down a pocket of the Sons of Rael using the caves under the Limestone as a hideout."
"Those insane cultists still live?"
Gordana nodded. "It would seem so, my King."
"They will be a problem for another time."
"May I speak freely, Your Majesty? I'm fully aware I've likely lost any faith you had in me as the Chief Commander of the Adventurers Guild, but please allow me the chance to speak plainly."
"I was under the impression you already were, but go ahead."
"Thank you. I – I know he is the First Demon Lord and every legend insists he's a savage monster like the other demon lords, but … Rumpelstiltskin is not evil. He has done far more good than harm. He isn't like Ravavena with her sweet words and hidden plans. Rumpelstiltskin just wants to find his friend and return home. There is no plot to cease control of the realm, no evil machination nor chaos he intends to spread."
One word got the old king's attention. "Friend?"
"A man named Jefferson with a unique hat; a tall cylindrical thing which he is apparently never without. Rumpelstiltskin said those who summoned him to Dreymyr against his will somehow managed to accidentality summon this Jefferson person beforehand. I got word a man fitting that description was headed for Bichelberger and Rumpelstiltskin took his party after him to the Arcane University."
Artem nodded while quietly calculating and sorting a timeline out inside his mind. Gordana worried her lip, King Artem was known for his wisdom and kindness, but she'd hidden the presence of the Dark One from everybody; if she'd misjudged him then all the kingdoms wouldn't just fall, they'd burn.
"This half-elf you spoke of, it's Princess Belle, isn't it?"
Gordana gulped, that was another thing she'd hidden without much hesitation. "Yes, Your Majesty. She wears an enslavement collar due to a magical misfire which is why she's accompanying him. Princess Belle assures me she was not being mistreated and begged me to keep her secret, I sensed no magic clouding her mind, so I did as she asked. Until you, of course." This honestly had started to look rather dark for Gordana, she may well have been digging herself a hole to die in or left sleeping in a gutter by nightfall while someone else moved into her office: Lou Westing probably would have been selected, they'd been gunning for her job for years now. "This may not be a popular opinion, Your Majesty, but Rumpelstiltskin is good for this realm despite being a demon lord. Truthfully, I have come to think of him as- as a friend."
Artem looked the brunette woman over: she'd been in her position for just over a decade if he remembered correctly and not once had there been issue, scandal or complaint beyond those from snobbish nobles who'd been seeking to further their own reputation. Gordana did indeed possess good judgement, but she'd told quite a different story in regards to Rumpelstiltskin's personality than Baelfire had.
"You're right, that's not a very popular opinion. However, you have no reason to lie to me and have run this guild with grace for many years. If it is the opinion one as intelligent as yourself has formed, then I shall take it under advisement." Artem shuffled in his chair. "Now, should any quests come from Kalecaster Castle, specifically from Gaston LeGume, you inform me before placing the quest. You will also inform me as soon as the Dark One and Princess Belle return, understood?"
"Completely, Your Majesty."
"Good. Should I have any other tasks for you, I will contact you via a communication crystal." Out from his robes came a small round mirror approximately the size of his palm that he handed to Gordana. "That will be all, Chief Commander."
"Of course, Sire."
Unsure of what else to say to her surprisingly calm King, Gordana watched him leave only to slump into her desk chair as an exhausted sigh escaped her and let her head to fall back. If King Artem knew the Dark One had returned to Dreymyr then it wouldn't be long until the Church and rest of the realm learned of it. With the Church would come uproar, but Rumple had no intention of becoming their new overlord or murdering the mortal species for his own amusement. Demon lord worshipers would surely attempt to flock to him as well, but Gordana knew he'd send them packing quickly enough. Rumple had found himself some strong allies in herself and the Grand Mage, maybe he'd find another ally in King Artem as well. She saw that working with the Dark One would benefit everybody, Gordana just hoped the rest of the realm could be convinced of the same.