Ch: 13 A Radiant Bride

Down in the garden they strolled among the flowering vines and arching shade trees, waiting for Otho. Gary’s violin came out to play, bouncing half remembered gypsy folk tunes off the garden walls. The music sent Shai twirling in wild abandon, her bare feet hardly leaving a mark on the lawns and flowerbeds.

As she spun by, Gary held out a drum and tipper. Adding percussion to her dance put Shai firmly in charge, allowing her to set the pace. 

Gary stashed the violin when Daniel joined with his harp, freeing him to keep up with Shai. They spun, leapt and whirled themselves until they were wrung out and limp.

 

As the exhausted trio sagged onto the lawn to catch their breath, Gary asked. “What was that? Some magic of Otho’s? I thought my heart was going to climb out my throat and run off to play in a meadow.” 

 

“Joy prefers subtlety, but none may coerce her beloved in her temple without cost.” Otho pronounced from behind them. 

“Priest Gomez will find little rest or comfort and discipline will elude him, until Joy is satisfied with his repentance.”

 

“Mind you children, many of my orphans have found fulfilling and meaningful lives in service to War, but he can make his own sales pitch.” He settled onto a bench nearby. 

“For you, a little exercise and a bit of fulfilling labor should suffice to dispel the effects.”

 

Otho gave them a few more moments to recover before asking; “What brings you today? More than a desire to rescue me from a tiresome encounter?”

 

“It has come to my attention that I am ‘too ignorant to live’, the library at the college is useless. I haven't even found a map.” Gary said, feeling the fool even more keenly than usual.

 

Otho began to bounce and clap on his bench like a toddler who spotted a toy. “I love this part of the plan. You may have noticed, none of we “geezers” have interrogated you about your former home…” 

 

Gary nodded. “Lady Joy, myself, Amicus and Naomi of Healer have been discussing your condition, we have hatched a cunning plan.” He rose, gesturing to them to follow. “We should meet all together in your shop.” 

 

Shai’s cruel and mocking laugh cut the aura like a cold blade. “Ye nae can meet there, for me great lump of a boy has filled the sales floor wi a giant musical coffin.” 

 

Gary bristled, fit to make Liam proud. “Well a certain pair were looking at it pretty closely yesterday.” He said smugly. “I also caught them taking Tallum’s bass apart together.”

 

Otho was wistful as they strolled to the Adventurer’s compound. “I think Ivy’s drums and that bass have set things in motion that will amaze and delight.” He declared. “Yes, lady Joy assures me it is so.” 

 

“Wow, just like that you get an answer?” Gary marveled, the old man just smiled.

 

“Your instruments have been the talk of the temple for some time now. Well, since it has been more than just me. The townsfolk may not have noticed, but the Joyous are as interested in the tools of our trade as any mundane craftsperson.”

 

Ivy and Tallum were down in the workshop, scheming something when the trio arrived, simplifying matters. “Gary, run off and fetch the others, we will prepare here.” He said, indicating Shai and the pair of early birds.

 

On the run to the college, Otho the dog bounded up and followed along, nipping at Gary’s heels to keep him at a full run the whole way there. 

After notifying Amicus, Gary trotted off to find the others. Otho finally let him fall to a jog for the rest of the errand. 

Tawny was heading in the right direction when he got to the temple district to collect her. He caught up a few blocks from the gate.

“So, it's a meeting of the whole band at the clubhouse.” 

 

She nodded and took his elbow as they walked. “Healer told me.” 

 

He shook his head in wonder. “That’s wild. Just getting messages like that.”

 

She halted briefly, catching his sleeve to stop him. “You said in your home you had devices that did the same.” She tugged to emphasize her words. “You have a divine contract now, you can talk to him.” 

 

He sighed. “The others said the same, but I don't know how.” 

 

“What have you tried?” She asked.

 

He grinned. “I asked Shai.” Her flat and unimpressed look was deeply humiliating. 

 

“If you did not know how to breathe would you ask a fish? Shai has no contracts you poor dumb animal.” 

 

He feigned hurt feelings and sulked. “You guys are mean, in my old home you would get flattened by the first bus to come down the line. See if I tell you not to stick a fork in the wall socket…”

 

“Gary, I have seen the ‘tools’ in your workshop, if that is how things are done in your home, I am amazed anyone survives with intact limbs. They seem better suited to surprise amputations than anything else.” 

 

“That is the kind of attitude that has kept you guys from developing the internal combustion engine… nevermind that.” He said as the shop bell rang above Tawny.  He headed off to collect Liam across the courtyard at the orphanage.

 

As he and Liam approached, they heard soft music through the open windows. Tawny was seated at the pianoforte, running a well practiced bit of late baroque sounding music. 

Liam slid onto the bench beside her, as though he always sat there while she played. She did not seem to notice, after a while, he whispered; “I haven't heard this in so long.” startling them both. 

 

She blushed a rich ruddy gold, while he scooted to the farthest edge of the bench. Liam obviously trying to create as much space between them as possible without actually getting up. She didn’t stop playing though.

 

“I mayhap be forgiving ye the purchase o that noisy coffin, boy. Tis a pleasant sound under Tawny’s hands.” Shai was smiling benignly and swaying in place. 

 

“I’m not a piano guy and that's not even a full piano…” He grumbled, pride stinging.

 

“Fer a maker of instruments ye do make many excuses.” She quipped. 

 

“Ok, gang, I know we all agreed to pretend that Liam is the leader, but we might be carrying it a bit too far.” He complained. “You don't have to keep it up when we are at home.” They all shared a look that he could not interpret.

 

“Gary is making progress…” Liam said carefully from the piano bench. 

 

“Liam makes a compelling argument…” Tallum agreed. 

 

“We all agree that Liam is correct here obviously…” Ivy protested. “But let's not forget that Gary is barely functional outside this house.”

 

Tawny’s piano never stopped as she said; “Now Ivy, Liam is absolutely correct, but let’s not exaggerate, ‘barely functional’ is unfair. It's not like he can’t dress himself… he can dress himself, right Shai?”

 

Shai hugged him close. “We do batter at thee mercilessly, boy o mine. Tis the orphan’s way since time unknown. Mayhap this too, is a thing ye did not ken. ‘Twas the Lima Bean’s task tae educate thee, an he do be a great fool.” She  squeezed him tighter. 

 

“Tis Otho to blame truly, for in the land o great  fools there be only one acknowledged king, an he did set one fool tae teaching a newborn fool.” Otho seemed stunned by this betrayal, as Liam and the rest looked to him with deep disappointment.

 

“And that do be how the game is played. Tis tradition tae end wi blaming the eldest member fer all o the troubles.” Shai said, breaking the vibe.

 

Once they were all soaking, the meeting began in earnest, Otho taking the floor. “As we all know, Gary is a valued member of the group, despite being a complete disaster in many key areas.” 

Gary grunted. “Back to this?”

 

“After the presentation Shai and Tawny gave at our last meeting it was decided to bring Gary into the club as a full member…” 

 

Muffled drowning noises came from Gary and Shai’s end of the pool. “Thank you Shai, please get him up to speed while we go over old business.”

 

Shai cornered him and raised his head above the water, letting him gasp in a breath. “Remember I did say there were things we nae could tell ye lest it make ye dumb as a post?” He nodded and dripped, looking sullen. “Attend ye then fer Otho and the others hae a plan.”

“Our plan to get him Contracted with the god of Secrets is done, now for phase four. Getting the god of Secrets to reveal what we need, by tricking him into thinking we already know…”

 

Gary sidelined the monologue with a raised hand. “I have no idea what that meant. Can we start from the beginning?” 

 

Otho shook his head sadly. “No, we can’t, our research indicates that by the time we finished explaining phase two you would be little more than a floating vegetable for the rest of the day.”

 

He settled into the pool and approached, speaking more softly. “There is no spell or dark magic causing you to lose your mind, it is the condition of your mind itself. Complex or abstract thoughts along unfamiliar paths can stress the mind, like a muscle, it grows stronger with constant use.” He patted Gary consolingly. “Now listen closely, because this is the tricky part.” He stood to address the group as whole again.

 

“My consultations with Naiomi of Healer and Amicus, and on the advice of lady Joy, in concert with Healer, we have devised a plan. “

“Secret is, by his nature; subtle, indirect and complex. We know that he is in possession of a secret that is vital to Gary and perhaps much more broadly to all of us.”

“Both Joy and Healer have given assurances that we are in possession of the information, but it is occult, hidden from us by some veil.”

“Secret cannot reveal it here, the law and his very nature prevent him from either manifesting or communicating with the living world.”

 

“Living world?” Gary asked. “That seems an odd word choice for a person I met in a dream.” 

 

Amicus slipped up. “Not a dream at all, any more than a door is a house or a window, the outside. That place is a piece of you that sticks out into the darkness. Into the realms between, through the veil, leaving you exposed to the etheric void itself. Fascinating. But also useful, Secret can be much more explicit there, and perhaps reveal truths hidden in plain sight.”

 

“Great, so how do I do that?” Gary asked, still waiting for an answer from any of the people he had asked that seemingly simple question. 

 

Otho decided to orate a little more.

 

“That has been the focus of our research over the last three weeks, once we diagnosed your condition we started looking for that very answer.”

“When I wish to contact Joy; music, dance and my garden are my catechism and song is my prayer. To contact Healer, I am certain Tawny has a practice that draws the goddess to her.”

“Crafts is enticed through diligent practice and creation. War comes where violence is near, even in a sparring match. Meditation will bring Order, as will filing, record keeping and dealing with the law”

 

“The secret to contacting Secret, is in the keeping and sharing of secrets. Creating a plot or scheme draws his gaze. Sharing a  secret with careful consideration pleases him, as does keeping a secret till death. That is how we all meet him in the end. Our final secrets are his, as he guides us into the void.”

 

“So Secret is the god of death?” Gary asked. “I just wanna know if I need to keep working on my dark temple game.”

 

Otho let that slide and nodded, “yes, Secret is the guide in the transition into our next great secret. Who else could it be?”

 

“So, does that mean I do, like funerals or something now? I don't know what death cults do in this world. On mine they usually start a violent standoff and then kill themselves”

 

That derailed even Shai for a moment. “Dae ye… no, I shall ask ye later.” 

 

Otho took over again. “Joy has that sad duty, surely you know that Joy and sorrow walk hand in hand. Should you decide to become clergy for Secret, he will reveal his requirements... Or perhaps not.”

 

“So thats how that works, if I am reading you right, the more mysterious and unknowable my actions, the more rumor and speculation I cause, the more Secret likes it?” Gary was nodding in agreement with himself.

 

Otho was waving in the negative while shaking his head vigorously. He might have been saying something, probably agreeing with Gary’s assessment. “I almost painted the tour cart like Herbie the Love Bug, that would have been a swing and a miss!”

Gary was getting dressed, calling over his shoulder; “I have important work to do, see you this evening!”

 

Shai scrambled to dress and chase him at Otho’s urging, but he was gone. The whole group fanned out, covering his usual haunts without success. 

 

Their searches and questions were not ignored by a populace with only one primary entertainment. The rumors circulated faster than the searching band of Adventurers. 

 

“Shai’s weird man has disappeared with all her money, he’s as good as dead!”

 

“Otho’s pet ran off and is hiding because he doesn’t want to go to War”

 

And a dozen more fanciful variations, including that he had run off to marry young Muktar’s oldest granddaughter in the uplands district. 

That one made Shai collapse with laughter, when it was tearfully related to her by Sergeant Becky. She had insisted on the title since Gary had given it to her. 

 

“I heard it from his youngest granddaughter Shai, that sneaking worm is going to marry uptown and leave you in the lurch!” Shai went to one knee to hug the girl close, enveloping the small dark form. 

 

“Becky, ye hae adopted Gary as fully as I hae, dinnae worry, he be mine tae keep, none shall steal him from thee or me.” Shai’s voice was smooth and warm, holding absolute confidence.  

 

“But he's so weird and ignorant… and his first response to anything is to just go along, or sing about it. That is going to get him sold into slavery.” Becky complained while wiping her tears. 

 

“Ye do know that Gary hae no dealings uptown, save that he be prenticing fer a week wi… the alchemist guild under… young Muktar… this afternoon, in Muktar’s home…” 

 

Shia vanished with little more than a tinkle of bells and whispering footfalls, racing uptown. 

 

She felt his gift swirling as soon as she heard the music, the scent of sweet pungent spice and herbs floated on a breeze already perfumed by garlands of flowers draped from poles over the court in front of young Muktar’s home. Celebrants were dancing in wedding day finery around the radiant bride.

 

Her skin gleamed like polished rosewood, dark smooth and shining, her wide skirted dress of flowing saffron gold silk, scattered with sparkling stones accented her dusky limbs. 

 

In a swirling dance, her voluminous sleeves scattered a spray of marigold petals over the clapping, stomping and hooting crowd.

 

Gary’s voice came floating out, as if amplified by his weird magic box. “This is my last number for the afternoon, Sophia, Khaled, you kids are gonna be great together!  We call this one ‘My Girl’, by the Temptations, follow along boys!” 

 

The music rang out sweet and clear, starting Shai dancing. His voice came husky and intimate despite his amplification magic, “This one goes out to the bride, on a very special afternoon.”

 

I got sunshine, on a cloudy day…

 

Gary was on a low stage leading a band of locals on simple instruments, mostly Muktar’s relatives by the look of them. He had a new guitar, strangely shaped, with a metal disk taking up the body like Tallum’s bass. It was loud, and a little metallic and chiming, almost like a harp, but with a ragged edge.

 

When it was over, he smoothly swept through the crowd, catching Shai up around the waist and holding her close. “Surprise wedding party, today was supposed to be my first afternoon with the alchemist apprentices.” 

 

He pointed at the band, still thumping away under the lingering influence of Gary’s gift. “You know I can't help myself.”

 

She swatted him on the rump, dragging him off by his hand like an unruly toddler. “Ye do have Amicus and Otho in a tizzy, believing yer threats o causing mass confusion and lunacy.”

 

“No, that's happening, but I have other projects in the works as well. If my mind is the problem I just need to get my mind in shape.” He grinned foolishly. “I think the key might be in that righteous party palace in my soul. Care to meet me there tonight? I know the bouncer, he can get us in.”

#

 

In the house deep in Gary’s soul, things were starting to look up, at least as far as security went. The garden wall was patched up and the damaged plantings replaced. 

 

Bright strands of silvery spider silk festooned the exterior of the wall, confounding the abominations and outsiders lurking around.

 

There were far fewer nightmares lurking in the near shadows, small scuttling forms waiting for an opening. Quite a few were entangled in the silk, being quietly cocooned by spiders as big as small dogs.

They were mouse brown and furry with black lightning bolt markings on their sleek abdomens, their faces were almost doglike with big dark eyes, eight of them. 

 

Moving with terrifying quickness, they leapt about in hopping skitters. Biting and cocooning any creature incautious enough to become entangled.

 

 Over at the garden gate, velvet rope Notgary was chatting with Aclinthirios, the spider god over a chess board. Floating above was a blue green nebula shimmering with ethereal lights, the Devourer of Souls was looking much more relaxed.

 

“Oh hi, we were just finishing up, Aclinthirios wanted to talk to you guys.” Velvet rope Notgary said, heedless of those massive, venomous fangs. 

 

He got up to help a pair of the jumping spiders to drag a cocooned nightmare over to the Devourer. In just a few moments they pitched it into the nebulous void floating outside the garden gate. 

 

As the silken bundle flew, it seemed to slow to a stately drift, while rapidly diminishing in size until it vanished entirely. 

 

“The devourer has no agenda in this, it exists only to contemplate existence and devour what is cast into its form.” The enormous spider said in a smooth, mellow voice.  

 

“It lingers here because it is interested in the outcome of events in your worlds. Even by the standards of a being as old as creation itself, this is an unusual situation.”

 

Unusual situations for all around, the two young people were facing a furry spider the size of an elephant. Its yard long fangs gave off an orange vapor that curled and drifted among its mandibles and many, many intelligent and compassionate eyes.

 

“Many are interested in the potential end of two entire realities in tandem. Most particularly those of us who dwell nearby. Catastrophic events in the neighborhood are bad for everyone.” It clicked those terrible jaws together in consternation. 

 

“I hope you can get your house in order soon, friend. You are a nice addition to this boring void. I would hate to see you swept away in a tide of this refuse.” It waved a long hairy leg to encompass the scattered vermin lurking beyond the lights. 

 

“Terribly sorry, we have not actually met,” The gregarious and urbane arachnid said. “I keep forgetting how fragmented mortals are.”

He swept a slight bow with seven legs and made a graceful wave. I am Aclinthirios, spinner of fates, the weaver of life. I am a near neighbor, this is the Devourer of Souls, a friend of long standing and also a neighbor.” He indicated the nebulae softly glowing in the darkness beyond the gate.

 

“Gary Ward, apprentice luthier and adventurer…this is journeyman Shai, smith, adventurer and my partner. Nice to meet you…” Shai swept a polite and graceful curtsy while Gary held out a tentative hand. 

 

Shaking “hands” with a furry spider as big as a cargo van was a novel and uniquely stressful experience, but not unpleasant.  Its fur was soft, sleek, slightly warm to the touch and smelled faintly of sunshine and hazy summer afternoons in the garden.

 

“It looks like you are helping me with my infestation problem, thank you. Were those guys bothering you too?” The entity waved a leg in dismissal. 

 

“Such creatures are a part of the etheric void, fragments of souls detached from their original locus, drifting until they are sucked into a reality and made flesh for a time.” He bobbed up and down on his legs in satisfaction. 

 

“These entities become ‘monsters’ short lived, ravenous and territorial, but ultimately harmless in the grand scheme of things. When they die or are destroyed, the Devourer guides them to rejoin their originals, bringing with them a host of new and primal experiences. This is good for all the worlds and realities of sentient life.”

 

“So, monsters are fragments of souls from people?” Gary asked. “They just appear and rampage until killed and that's it?”

 

The friendly and informative predator clicks its jaws in satisfaction. “Yes, thus you need feel no sorrow or shame for ending them, it is a duty. They return to their souls filled with primal energy and new experiences. That soul then grows, improving or healing it.” 

He bobbed excitedly. “It is a marvel to witness in my own children, you yourself have returned a few already. Thank you.”

 

Gary turned to Shai, who was about as far as it was possible to get from Aclinthirios without being obvious… and then a good bit farther. “Shai…” He called a little louder to be heard. “Shai, is that something people know? Did I just miss that in intro to monsters?” 

 

She called back, trying to seem casual and hide her obvious dread. “Nae, this lore be new to my ears, and tis good to know.”

 

“Can you come inside master Aclinthirios, or is that taboo?” Gary asked, unsure of the protocol. 

 

“Thank you for the invitation, but I could no more enter this home of yours, than you could climb inside a sparrow’s egg.” He chuckled. “If it would make you more comfortable, journeyman Shai, I can send one of my children in to speak with you.” 

 

One of the dog sized jumping spiders hopped and scampered to the gate yard and bobbed up and down before its god. It stood on four front legs, waving its rear pairs in intricate gestures and movements behind it. In moments it was holding in its front limbs, a strange web construct. 

A rigid hoop of braided and hardened silk, supported an array of single and double coursed strands. Tapping and bowing with two or three front legs produced a musical chiming voice.

 

“Good day, journeyman Shai, apprentice Ward, I am…” A harmonious phrase, sung in sweeping tones of whalesong was the name of the creature, completely unpronounceable by human voices. “But please call me Thirp, my lord asks me to be his emissary and I joyfully accept. Please if I may enter?”

 

Gary swept a formal bow and invited the creature in. It turned to Aclinthirios and bowed deeply before skittering inside the garden. “I leave you with my child, he will help as best he can, as will I, the destruction of your worlds would displease me a little.” 

 

“Wait what!?” Gary called to the retreating god, receiving no reply. 

 

“My lord is stressed by being outside his reality, I shall be here to assist you at his command as long as needed.” Thirp sang from a nearby corner. 

“My appearance seems to distress your mate Gary Ward, apprentice luthier and adventurer.” 

 

He smiled at the creature and said, “Just Gary is fine master Thirp, please excuse me for a moment, I think Shai needs me for something.”

 

She had retreated into the house and was all but closing the door while waving desperately at Gary to ‘Get his ass over here right now or else’ with very eloquent gestures. 

“I kinnae believe ye let it in the house, this be your soul! Tis a horror an a nightmare wi many eyes an legs fer dark doings!” She whispered in a voice stricken with fear.

 

“Shai.. my dear, are you afraid of spiders?” Gary asked softly. 

 

“Nae, tis just that they do have so many legs an eyes… aye, an the webs.” She shuddered violently. “The shiny ones do be worse than the hairy, an they do nae hae the bloated backends o many that I hae seen.”

 

“Look, the Shai-lights are working with Thirp’s friends just fine, the Notgarys too. I can feel the conversations and interactions they’ve had, as if they were my own memories and they seem very nice.” He cajoled.

 

“I nae kin feel that, an there be a few o yer Shai-lites there, what makes ye think tis true an nae some trick?” She asked, still deeply distressed and even more upset now that she realized that Thirp was nowhere in sight.

 

“It feels right Shai, something tells me that here in this place we are safe now.” Gary soothed, unaccustomed to seeing Shai in less than full control of herself.

 

“It’s true,” Thirp piped from the shadows under a bush nearby. “Outside this home I am far more powerful than either or both of you together by several orders of magnitude, yet here you could crush me like a…” 

He chuckled with a clatter of fangs and mandibles. “...a bug if you will.” 

Slowly, he emerged and bobbed a bow to Shai. “Please do control your very understandable fear madam, you are far more dangerous to me than I am to you in this place.” 

 

He sighed through his instrument with a breathy chord. “My natural movement and gait is going to be troublesome for you madam Shai, please understand that I am a predator, but not your predator.” He sang, before making a lightning quick leap, to cling onto a wall nearby, bobbing gently on his many knees. 

 

“As you see, I am predisposed to leaping and hopping, this distresses most mammals, triggering instinctive prey responses.” 

He moved and turned almost constantly, bobbing and scampering in ways Gary found adorable. 

 

Gary conjured a garden swing for the pair of them and Shai reluctantly sat down to have a conversion with a thirty pound arachnid that moved with frightening quickness.

 

“When Aclinthirios said ‘get my house in order’ I thought he was speaking about me personally, but at the end he said worlds, plural would end. Do you know what he meant?”

 

“That is why my lord came to you, why I am here, and also why the Devourer is so notably present.” He sang sadly. 

 

“Two worlds, closely linked, are rotting from within, infected with outsiders and beginning to crumble. Should they be washed into the void it would disrupt the local environment catastrophically. My lord has been attempting to contact the denizens of those planes without success.”

 

“Infested with outsiders? What does that mean?” He asked while Shai sat strangely silent beside him. 

 

“Creatures like those clustered around now, are problematic if they infest a soul. They become mere parasites, diminishing themselves and damaging the host.” 

 

Thirp chittered his mouth parts in displeasure. “My lord needs you healthy in order to communicate with your gods, so we are tidying up outside and sending the fragments home through the Devourer of Souls”

 

“But if they enter a world they become monsters and terrorize the people there?”

 

“Monsters are mainly pests in their natural forms, mutations of normal creatures that eat ravenously until they are killed, die from starvation or overeating. They may be territorial and aggressive but they are little more or less than animals.” 

He groomed his furry abdomen contentedly with two rear legs while continuing, making Shai shudder softly. 

“You yourself would be a demihuman monster, possessed of many of those same attributes, were not your sentient mind in control. 

Otherwise, when you appeared you might have wandered into the nearest town and eaten yourself to death in short order.” He chittered in venomous amusement at the very idea. 

 

“You are a nearly complete soul nestled in a monster body, making you a demihuman. Somewhere in between a truly natural member of your species and a monstrous aberration. Terribly sorry, journeyman Shai.” 

 

Gary grumbled. “Dunno why you are apologizing to her. I'm the one you called a monster.”

 

“Ahh, but she is getting the bad news from a creature that distresses her on an instinctive level, while I suspect you have known this, but not fully understood it for a while.” Thirp put a sassy little riff on the end to soften the sting.

 

“Aye, Thirp, yer looks do make me a mite uncertain, but ye seem tae be nice?” He preened a little and began a soft tinkling melody that sounded like songbirds and a waterfall. 

 

“Why thank you, journeyman Shai, I knew we could become friends!” He hopped side to side several times in approval, making Shai grip Gary’s arm fiercely.

 

“It feels like I have known him for a while Shai, we can trust him.” The spider bobbed up and down so vigorously he nearly popped off the wall and said.

 

 “Gary is much more in tune with his other selves than a mortal at his stage of development has any right to be.” 

 

Thirp hopped over to cling to a wall nearer to the pair. “I suspect the damage to his mind and soul has made him much less rigid in his thinking, but very fragile around the ego.” 

 

Shai sniffed, “He be no so weak minded as that. Tis nae worries nor trouble I have seen him flee from yet.”

 

“Mmm, that is not the kind of thing I mean, his mind body and soul are only loosely attached to each other, fragmenting him more than is normal, making him prone to fits of mental confusion and disarray.” Thirp lectured.

 

“Without alarming you both, we have been working very hard just to keep Gary from fracturing into nothing but soul fragments. Which would dissolve him entirely.”

 

“Interesting, since I’m right here and everything.” Gary complained. “I hated that in the hospital and in foster, now I don't have to put up with it.” Shai cocked an eyebrow. “From most people…” He hastily corrected. 

 

“Good boy” She soothed, feeling more in control of herself.

 

Addressing the spider again she asked; “Ye say ye do need Gary tae contact the gods? He dinnae even ken how tae contact Secret!” 

 

Thirp twisted his head back and forth rapidly, bounced several times and played a confused little melody on his voice. “Forgive me if I am breaching some taboo… the god Secret has been perched on your swing for some few minutes.”

 

He was a small and rather tatty looking raven, his feathers drifting away to mist at the edges, and his eyes, rather than shiny black orbs, were empty voids. No gory eye sockets, but limitless empty maybes. 

 

“Pish tush, I should have known I could not hide here. Forgive me master Thirp, it is my nature to be sneaky.” Secret cheerfully complained. 

 

“It would have been very difficult for me to be that clear and concise, and you provide new information from outside our realm that is invaluable, thank you Emissary Thirp.” 

 

To Shai he said; “I find myself wondering whether you and I will be striking a bargain anytime soon, you are becoming more a child of joy every day. I suppose Gary will have to choose another of your group. You will be required to give me at least one to accomplish our goals”

 

Gary leapt up with a snarl that startled everyone, even himself. He continued to be alarmed while listening to his own voice. 

“I’m not ‘giving’ you anyone spirit, if you want a bargain, make an offer to that person. I’ll see you spitted and roasted before you get a sacrifice from me.” 

 

He turned to Thirp. “Please excuse my rudeness master Thirp, but I think Shai and I should be going. I assume you have business with Secret that is vital, so we will leave you to it.” To Secret he snapped a curt; “Good day Sir.”

 

As the door snapped closed on the confused spider and raven the young couple awoke restless and agitated. By silent mutual agreement they rose and went downstairs, feeling the presence of Tallum and Ivy in the workshop below. 

 

Together, the pair had nearly disassembled his bandsaw down to its chassis. Small parts, like berings and screws were meticulously laid out and labeled on the workbench, 

 

Tallum was sketching and examining the physical components, while Ivy was taking liberties with its motive power source. 

 

Two matched bronze disks the size of trash can lids sandwiched a geared iron flywheel, mounted in a fixed position. When spiritual or etheric mana flowed into the bronze ‘bread’ the iron ‘balogna’ would be impelled into motion, its mass ensuring steady power output into a gearbox. 

 

His subconscious mind had somehow come up with his power plant and it ran all his tools in one form or another. The power consumption was monstrous but he had no shortage of supply. Since the only output was sawdust and magical residue he could accept the inefficiency. 

 

Tallum seemed to have other ideas. When they looked up and saw their hosts in robes and slippers on the stairs the pair jumped and fidgeted guiltily while trying to look like there were not machine parts and drawings everywhere. “Good morning… Gary, Shai, sorry, we don't sleep much anymore. Did we wake you?” 

 

Shai grumbled, “Gary did row with Secret an storm off. Now we must await him again, ere we gain any answers.” 

 

Gary huffed petulantly. “I didn’t fight with Secret, he demanded something I have no right to give, or even ask for, so he can eat a dick.” The others seemed shocked and distressed by his casual blasphemies and heresies, Gary remained unmoved.

“So if Beast asked you to kill fluffy lil’ Otho here would you Ivy? Tallum, if Craft demanded you never play bass or see Ivy again would you? How bout you Shai? If Secret wanted me to ditch you for some scheme of his, should I?” 

 

He looked as hard and intractable as a granite mountain. “If secret needs someone else to Contract with him he can ask like a person does, I’m nobody’s slave trader.”

 

Shai sighed deeply and settled down on a stool made of imagination and her will. “He Kinnae ask, ‘like a person does’ for he be Secret, none kin meet wi him save thee an me, ere that person dies, whae di ye think he hae no others that we do know of… damn that Amicus an his weasel words.”

 

“Secret wants to contract another person? Is it one of us?” Ivy asked, she was interested, if not excited. 

 

“He said he needed ‘another one’ from our group, suggesting that I should pick and shove him into one of you guys, Fuck Him.” Gary cracked his knuckles and shook it out.

“If I’m not sleeping, I’m working, don’t need the bandsaw so you guys keep doing whatever it is you are up to.” With that, He conjured a worktable in a corner, to replace the one buried under machine parts. 

 

He produced a shining bronze oval disk from his Pockets! and began inscribing runes with a stylus. While he worked he started humming something he called ‘Jumping Jack Flash’, when asked.

 

“Strike up a tune fer all o us ye great lout, we hae work tae do, and ye will nae be peeking at our workings neither!” Shai called, while conjuring a screen dividing him from the rest of the shop. “Nae peeking mind ye, tis nae fer ye tae see.”

 

He grumbled good naturedly and began whistling to embrace them in his aura gift.

 

I feel like I’m just a jukebox

 

Being used and abused…

 

He sang in a mournful tone, to jeers and “What's a jukebox?” from beyond the screen. 

 

Gary grumbled and shot back, “Hey, Tallum, sing;” 

 

Doop doop 

Doo bee doop

 

Doop doop 

Doo bee doop

 

“Yeah, lower, yeahh, lower again… keep that going. Deep and slow just like that. Shai, give me that in the same key, two octaves up, like;”

 

Doop doop 

Doo bee doop

 

Doop doop 

Doo bee doop

 

“That's it, a little sweeter… perfect, keep that up. Ivy, give me;”

 

Bum Bum 

 

Bum de bum

 

“Super, you guys keep that going.” Gary tightened the threads of his gift and brought them into the land of improvisational doo wop. 

 

Just as he was teaching Tallum the subtle inflections needed for a proper ‘Rama-Lama-Ding-Dong’ in the bass register He felt a disturbance in the outside. 

 

“We have company in the courtyard, I guess it's morning.” Gary announced. “Can I exit the screen or do I live here now?” 

 

They kept him trapped back there for another ten minutes while they concealed whatever secret projects they were plotting. 

 

“Dinnae stop yer music boy, keep it going.” Shai commanded as he exited the screens. “Go up boy, dinnae be poking in boxes and crates what nae contain yer goods.” 

 

Prodding him up stairs and into the foyer she told him; “Bathe an dress yerself as best ye can poor little lamb, Shai will be along tae guide thee ere long!” she sweetly abused, in her singsong velvet voice.

 

Complaining to himself all the while, he dismissed the conjured work clothes he was wearing, showered in the foyer bathroom and dressed in workaday apparel from his Pockets!. 

 

When Shai and the others came up, he was already making coffee and pancakes in the kitchen. “Liam and Dannyl have the whole mob of youngsters in for a morning bath in the public pool, it's chaos out there.” He announced. 

 

“First bell is in a few minutes, so I guess it's time to start the day.”