Tales of Midbar: Religious Intolerance

Kerdnan was trying to explain how to use the semi-conjugator when Ice jumped over the classroom wall.

“Sorry to interrupt,” said Ice, “but I need my granddaughter and I’ve also been given a note for Eleprin.”

Kerdnan gave Ice a rather cross look as she accepted the notes, “Is this about those ghosts?”

“Let’s say it’s work related,” said Ice.

Me and Breeze were already putting our books in the locker (which was waterproof for the rare times we get rain).

“I’m the best mage in town,” said Narim, “and I’m better looking than them.”

“I don’t have a note for you,” said Ice.

Breeze stuck her tongue out at him as we jumped over the wall.

We walked into the ballroom of the Galaxy Hotel. This was Minris’s most expensive hotel, about the same size as the Cascade but with fewer rooms. I’d never been in there before. Although it was a fairly new building, this had pre-Cataclysm decor. At one end there was a stage with instruments set up on it. A number of chairs had been placed near the stage with people sitting on them. Veran was on the stage with Ubran, the hotel’s manager.

On the way, Ice had explained that the police and town council were becoming concerned about the ghosts and had called on her for advice. Criadria knew that I’d seen the ghost and had also asked for me. Ice thought that it would be a good experience for Breeze and a magis, even an inexperienced one, may be genuinely helpful.

“... daughter’s seen it,” said Veran. “Ah, here comes the expert, with a couple of little friends.”

“Breeze is my apprentice and Criadria thought that Eleprin could help as she’s seen the ghost.”

“So have I!” said Breeze.

“Well multiple witnesses could be useful,” said Veran.

“I’ve also seen it,” said Sneldin, the manager of the Hideaway (Minris’s cheapest hotel).

“I’ve just been filling them in on the facts about these ghosts,” said Veran.

“The problem is that it could be bad for business,” said Ubran.

“Not necessarily,” said Tanbas, the Old Mill’s manager.

Between the Vineyard and the occasional ancient sighting, Minris got some visitors who were interested in mysterious things and they mostly stayed at the Old Mill, which was supposed to be haunted.

Criadria grabbed me and pulled me into the seat beside her’s. Iandris was sitting on the other side of her.

“Just a sec,” said Ice. She jumped onto the stage, she could be remarkably sprightly for a woman who was nearly two hundred.

Breeze followed her, I suspected to get a vantage point from which to check for associates. I noticed that Poslit and Rinjac were also in the audience.

“The main concern,” said Ice, “is if there’s any danger. Most ghosts are harmless but this one clearly isn’t typical. Most likely it’s either a Streculic minion or Old Magic and either way it could well be trouble.”

“All it’s done is scare a few girls,” said Tanbas.

“And my son!” said Lifrarin, Rigar’s father. “And probably a few other people.”

“It seems to have a double specification,” said Ice. “Pre-pubescent girls older than four in the early morning and Fortress Park to anybody during the day. This itself is unusual but then most ghosts appear too infrequently to discern any pattern apart from their location. Can we discern more of the pattern?”

“We haven’t heard of any cases from outside of Minris,” said Veran. “I’ve heard nothing of it appearing to girls, or anybody else, in the outlying farms, Taunbrit or Garblon.”

“Any sign that it’s evolving?” asked Ice. “Is it changing over time?”

Nobody said anything.

Just then the door opened and Rigar entered with his mother, Klastren.

“Perhaps it hasn’t been going for long enough to tell,” said Ice. “If it’s Old Magic, it’s likely to be trying to lure somebody to Minris. I don’t know who, very possibly somebody I’ve never heard of. Publicizing the ghost might bring that person here faster but I’m not sure if that’s a good thing as I don’t know what will happen when they arrive.”

“Lishrashic will be free,” said Iandris.

“Perhaps we should call Yoldasia back,” said Rinjac.

“That’s rather like trying to put out a fire with magnesium dust,” said Ice. “We already know the manifestation itself doesn’t have any associate magic.”

“So you’re basically useless,” said Ubran. “We need a psychic!”

“I’m a psychic!” said Iandris.

“I brought her because I thought a psychic would be useful,” said Criadria.

“I can get psychics!” said Ice. “I’ve already consulted some about this and know of some who’ve seen the ghost.”

“Just a minute,” said Tanbas, “did you just happen to have a magic detector pointing in the right direction when this ghost appeared or what?”

“Something like that,” said Ice.

I realized that Breeze had seen the ghost and, being a magis, could detect associate magic.

“We don’t know if the manifestations in the park lacks associate magic,” said Breeze.

“We haven’t decided if it’s a good idea to get rid of the ghost,” said Tanbas. “Old Bren’s never hurt anyone.”

“Old Bren’s a normal recording ghost,” said Ice. “We need a better understanding of this ghost before we can make a decision. I’m fairly sure it’s dangerous but I don’t know how and I can’t get rid of it without knowing more. I suppose as it appears frequently and with a fairly predictable pattern, research should be fairly easy. I suggest we go to the park and look for it. We have three magi, three children who’ve seen the ghost, two of them girls and an adult who’s seen the ghost.”

“And at least one psychic!” said Iandris.

We stood at the gate of Fortress Park. This went through a badly damaged tower, which had remains of walls on either side. In addition to the children and magi; Sneldin, Iandris, Ubran (who was a hipsick) and Criadria had also come with us. (Ice had checked everybody over with a magic detector to make sure that we didn’t have too many associates, which could interact badly with the associates in the Park.) Ubran seemed to be in a bad mood and was acting like he thought this whole business would be a waste of time. We looked at the map on the gate.

“I saw them there,” said Rigar, pointing to near the middle of the park, “and there,” he pointed to a place near the gate.

“I saw them there,” said Sneldin, pointing to the middle of a large area of plants.

“What were you doing there?” asked Ubran.

“There’s a trail of stepping stones which isn’t marked on this map. There are some interesting plants there, I like to keep track of them.”

“I say we split into three groups with one mage and one child in each,” said Ice.

“I’m not going with the red haired girl!” said Rinjac.

“You’re being hair colorist,” said Breeze. “Or is that racist, do ...”

“You know the reason!” said Rinjac.

“I still think you’re being unreasonable,” said Breeze.

“I suggest we have one hotel manager in each group as well,” said Ubran. “It’s a pity we’ve only got one psychic.”

Of course that wasn’t true. Did I say that Rinjac was a nibey? I think you know the rest.

“I suggest Breeze with Poslit,” said Ice, “as she knows some magic and he’s the weakest mage. Perhaps Eleprin because she’s at least comfortable around magic with Rinjac and Rigar, is it, with me. I don’t think it’s so crucial how we split the hotel managers and Iandris. I’ll take the north section to start with, Poslit’s group take the middle section and Rinjac’s group take the south section, then we’ll change round, unless we find something momentous.”

I realized that she was planning to use me and Breeze as her eyes and ears in the other groups.