B2 Chapter 7:

The next day, we finally arrived at the imposing tower where the Archmage lived. We weren't exactly expected, but our visit wasn't a total surprise either. The Archmage of Blue, or James, as I learned his name was, knew that I was coming and had apparently prepared the defenses appropriately.

There was a slight shimmer to the air as we passed through a barrier. Before, it had been rather overcast, but above the tower was a brilliant blue sky. The wagons stopped, and Three darted out first. I followed, flanked by One and Two. Looking up at something that couldn’t be seen from outside the barrier, I saw the tower itself.

Craning my neck, I looked up to see the top, but it was hard to make out. There was a thin spire at the peak, made of stone and steel, square in a shape that I hadn’t seen used for construction in this world yet. Somehow, it felt correct.

We began to walk up the huge flight of steps, toward doors that were fifty feet tall, if they were an inch. As we reached the landing in front of them, they swung open.

Stepping inside, we were greeted by an empty hall. The four of us, our four sets of footsteps, echoed eerily back to us as we left the wagons and servants behind.

Reaching into the shadows, I felt my awareness stretch throughout the room, finding several stairways. I extended my senses upward. I couldn’t cover the entire tower, or anywhere particularly close, but on the first three floors, there was no one. Even focusing higher, I still couldn’t find anyone.

Still, I walked to the back, where I found a metal panel. Touching my hand to it, I felt magical switches embedded beneath the surface with no visible signs. I flipped one, and the panel pulsed beneath my palm.

We stepped back and waited. After a few moments, a door opened in the black wall, leading to a small, dimly lit room lined with mirrors. Stepping inside, my Numbered followed me, and I felt certain that this would take me to see the Archmage of Blue.

I was looking forward to talking to him outside of a dream.

I was right, and the box began to move upward for some time at a slow and steady pace. I watched the shadows around us as we moved from floor to floor, and I still found no one living. There were things moving about—automatons or carts that ferried books and other objects I could not name.

It wasn’t until we reached the very top, where I could see the outside and the spire above us, that I finally sensed a living person. Sitting alone at a desk was the Archmage.

The door opened, and I stepped out, my Numbered fanning out behind me as I called, “James.”

“It’s good to see you,” I said in a calm voice.

He looked up from his desk and gave me a polite smile. “Coulomb. I’m glad you didn’t wait too much longer to call in your favor.”

“Yes,” I said, skipping any small talk and getting right down to business. “I have learned that you are in possession of a book that I would like to acquire. I believe that the book, or even a copy, may suffice for my favor.”

James grimaced, though he raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Really? Of all things, you want a book? In some ways, that feels far too cheap—and far too expensive.”

I lifted a shoulder. “I was warned that you might object. But I think it’s a fairly reasonable request.”

The Archmage of Blue grimaced again and stood up. “It probably is. It depends on the book, I suppose.”

He walked over to a wall that was covered in bookcases—as most walls in the entire tower were. “What’s the name of the book you’re looking for?”

“The Many Mirrors of the World.”

James moved down the section and pulled the book off the shelf after scanning several titles. He muttered to himself as he flipped through the pages.

“Many Mirrors of the World,” he said, smiling. “I do—yes, we do have this in my collection.” He looked up at me. “You just want it?”

I shook my head. “No, a copy will do. I don’t need any originals. Would you mind if I stayed a few days and did some research? I want to know anything connected to that book.”

James, considering, nodded. “As long as you’ll make do with a copy, I’ll let you stay for a week,” he said with a smile. “Let me explain a little bit about how the library works.”

I smiled at how easy this was, but as he started to explain that this office was simply the index—each book here listing where all other books in the tower were stored—I began to despair at ever finding anything related to a single topic.

After a brief explanation, he accompanied us down to the correct floor. While we were in the box descending, One piped up. She first shot me a glance, as if asking permission to speak. When I nodded and indicated that she could, she said respectfully, “Lord Archmage, are we alone here?”

James looked around, as if he hadn’t realized there was anyone else with me. He scanned the other three, nodding and giving me a quizzical look. I shrugged, not sure what he was thinking, but after a few seconds of consideration, he answered, “Yes. I’m not a big fan of distractions. My research is too important.”

That left the obvious question of what his research was, but no one asked, and it seemed he didn’t want to talk about it either.

We made the rest of the trip in silence. Leading us through several halls, he finally stopped, pulled a book off the shelf, and handed it to me. “This seems to be what you’re looking for. If you need a place to read,” he added, listing off a few floors, “they all have tables for study. Try not to interrupt my work unless it’s absolutely necessary.” Then he left.

Two started to say something. “What a weird—” she began, but Three quickly covered her mouth with a hand, muffling whatever came next. One leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Watch your words. We are in an Archmage’s domain. Nothing we say or do goes unnoticed.”

I nodded, having expected nothing less. Two pouted. “Fine, I’ll be nice,” she muttered, and Three released her.

“Do you need any help, Master?” she asked.

I shrugged. “I’m not sure yet. This is a book that Six recommended, and I need to read it first. After that, I’ll spend some time looking for anything related to it. If you want, go search the index for anything connected to portals, rune scripts, or the Endless Empire. I’d appreciate it.”

Two looked confused, but Three dragged her away while One and I sat at a table. I could feel the two of them making a quick circuit, inspecting the area, making sure that we were truly alone before they returned, traveling upward toward the index.

I flipped the book open and began to read as One sank into a chair nearby, keeping watch while my mind focused. The book was, as Six had summarized, a philosophical treatise on where the portals may have come from. It proposed a few different possible cultures that might have existed before the modern human, each considered and then ruled out for similar reasons. The author postulated that it might have been some even older, unknown culture that had long since vanished.

The efforts to study the runes were not really discussed here, only mentioned briefly as something deemed impossible. Still, I took note of the cultures referenced in the research, along with some of the philosophies behind them. Several other works were cited throughout the text, which I marked for later.

It took most of the day to finish reading. By then, I had sent Two and Three back up several times to search for additional texts, and they had gathered a hefty stack of books beside us. Once we had more than one, One started going through them as well, and we began to quietly discuss what we were learning.

Long after the sun had set, the Archmage walked around the corner.

“Sorry to disturb you, but your research is fascinating!” he said. “Do you mind if I join you?”

I looked up and raised an eyebrow. “You’re not too busy with your own work?”

He waved a hand. “It can wait. Coulomb, I didn’t know you were such a scholar.”

I smiled. “I wouldn’t consider myself a scholar. Just as many only fight when they need to, I am perhaps a scholar of necessity.”

James snorted. “That’s better than a warrior of necessity, I suppose. Still, I did briefly explore this subject when I first learned of the Endless Empire’s coming, but I got sidetracked and hit some dead ends. It seems, though, that you have insights I’m not aware of.”

Two and Three’s heads whipped around at his words. “They’re coming?” they echoed together.

James looked at me apologetically. I rubbed my forehead and turned to my Numbered. “Do not speak of this again, even amongst each other, unless I give you permission otherwise,” I said. They nodded, feeling the order settle around them.

“I’m sorry,” James said. “I didn’t realize you hadn’t told them.”

I shook my head. “This is not something I’m letting anyone know who doesn’t absolutely need to. I suppose, as research assistants, these are not the best Numbered for that, but those who would be are not here—except for One.” I gestured toward her.

James gave a polite bow. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, One. And you are?” he asked, glancing toward Two and Three. When they answered, he looked back at me. “I didn’t know those were their actual names.”

I shrugged. “Close enough. They do well enough for what I need right now.”

“It’s a pity Eight isn’t here,” Two said, and James seemed to push past his surprise at my naming scheme. He pulled a book from his side and handed it to One. 

“You might find this interesting,” he said before sitting next to me and spreading the piles of books across the table.

A barrier of silence shimmered into place around us, cutting off anyone’s ability to observe.

“Preparations are still underway,” he said in a low voice, “but it might be a bit late to learn much more than their language and culture. Still, I think studying their mode of ingress is a worthwhile use of time. Many of the relics we’ve found, and the samples of their language, are still difficult for me to decipher. Would you also like to look at them?”