The Carnival at Moonbright

Myla awoke, the sunlight coming through the window on her right and sending beams across her face. While the room’s temperature was mild, if not chilly, the heat of the sunlight was not welcomed as she put her hands to her face and took stock of her environment.

Behind her, Lyla’s head lolled against her neck. Her sister slept back to back against her. The stone walls looked old and polished, with a bookshelf to her left filled with tomes of various languages and ages. She turned her head to the right and saw the body of Sir Ulric still lying on the autopsy table, unmoving.

Lyla, wake up. She spoke into her sister’s mind.

Lyla jerked awake, confused by her surroundings, before standing up and stretching.

Well, the stiff stayed stiff. That’s good. Lyla thought, looking at Ulric’s body.

From across the room, the door handle moved, and Leaf walked in. While not precisely untidy, Myla noticed a trim level of care was taken to his clothing and hair. His dark green robe was not dirty or stained, and his hair had been pushed to the side. A small tuft of hair still stuck up in the back, but from the wetness of it, it was clear that he failed in trying to tame it.

“Morning. I was just coming to wake you.”

Leaf walked over to Ulric’s lifeless form, holding the detonation device that Mr. Muffins made the night before.

“It looks like we didn’t need this, thankfully.” He said, putting the device back in his pocket, then pulling out a small book from another. Leaf took a few minutes, going through the book before stopping and tapping his finger on a page.

“I’m glad I was able to keep this one.”

He grabbed a small glass dagger from the desk near the window, stood next to the table, and stretched his arm out in front of him. The dagger’s internal center started to spark before catching into a green fire. He aimed the fire at the body, thrust it into Ulric’s chest, and before their eyes, the body was burned to cinder and ash within seconds.

As if fanning the fire out, Leaf waved the glass and closed the book with a loud THUMP in his other hand. He walked around the room, putting things away, tidying up, and doing a general look over the room. Satisfied with his light cleaning, he looked over at the twins.

“Archmage Sungrove has prepared breakfast for us on the main floor if you want to join us.”

“Yes, please! I’m starving.” Lyla said, instinctively placing her hand over her stomach.

Myla followed them out of the room, hearing a slight clicking sound as the door magically locked behind her. Down the stairs, the main room had changed its generally welcoming view. Windows covered the walls, giving a full circular view of the world outside of the tower. Myla was slightly worried about the structure’s integrity, not having support, and must have shown it on her face because Orin spoke to her directly.

“An enchantment on the stone. It allows me to see the world as it is without interruption. I find that when people know who you are, they tend to hide their true selves. This gives me a chance to see them as they really are. I have the first Archmage to thank for this floor. He was… paranoid, to say the least.”

Orin walked over to the table and sat in front of a small mountain of food that littered on the table.

“Please, sit. Eat with me.”

Myla sat across from her sister. While understanding their telepathic gifts, the twins learned at a young age that if normal creatures were separated, they could be outnumbered or taken advantage of. Since they could speak to each other silently while communicating with others, they could view the area better at a distance. Though Myla didn’t directly distrust Leaf or the Archmage, she had spent some time with her own paranoia, so it became a subconscious thought to look around when not being looked at directly.

Besides the arcane windows, the table, and the chairs they were in, Myla could see outlines in the mirrors as if something was faintly placed into them. Thinking back on the space the night before, she was able to see the doorframe, the bookshelves, and the fireplace outlined.

“Do you have any bacon…?” Lyla asked, looking around the table.

Myla looked at the various fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and breads that filled the table. While used to Blight’s carnival fair and the food they bought, made, or hunted for themselves while traveling, they had become used to a more omnivorous diet. She watched Lyla pick up some bread and cheese, setting it on her plate, happy to eat but definitely missing the other food options she had grown accustomed to. Myla grabbed an orange and started peeling it over her plate.

They sat and ate silently for a few minutes, the sun passing high enough not to be in direct view of the windows.

“It seems that we didn’t have any concerns last night with the body of Sir Ulric,” Orin stated outwardly towards the rest of the table.

“Yes, sir. I have taken precautions this morning by burning it since we finished our autopsy last night.”

“Thank you, Leaf. I appreciate your initiative to have it taken care of. I have some work to do today with the Queen. We have a meeting at noon, so I’ll probably be there early to confer with her first before talking to a few eyewitnesses and experts on oddities that come with high regard.” Orin explained.

“Your own Master Elysium will be there as well.” He stated plainly, looking at Lyla and Myla. “Though I typically don’t ask direct associates, I assume you two would know as much as anyone else. Is there anything I should be worried about, having Elysium in the same conference as the Queen?”

“No,” Myla replied while setting her orange on the plate. “He has been nothing short of kind, respectful, and trusting since we’ve known him. Over the past twenty-five years running the Arcana Emporium, his only intentions were to bring safety to his troupe and excitement to everyone who came to see the shows.”

Do you think we should mention our involvement against the Dark Order? Lyla asked.

No, I think if Elysium found it useful to mention, he will. There’s no reason to add information we have if it’s not needed, mainly because we don’t know if that was why the attack happened.

The four of them sat and ate a little longer, then were interrupted by a knock at the door.

“Did any of you expect company?” Orin asked, looking towards the window where the door would be.

On the other side, leaning against the stone walls, a young blond elf stood with a letter in her hand. Orin waved his hand towards the door, and it swung open casually. Myla stood up and greeted the elf.

“Hello, Gilra. Is everything okay?”

“Yes! Good morning Myla. Elysium asked me to bring this letter to you and Lyla while I was out getting some supplies for the carnival. I hear the blacksmith here does an amazing job, so I wanted to make sure to grab some new bows and arrows and maybe try and find a nice handaxe or two for Rotkyl. He said you might be here since we couldn’t find you at your quarters.”

Myla thanked Gilra, and with a small wave to Lyla, the elf turned and walked north toward the Ghostway district. She closed the door, walked over to the table, and unfolded the paper to read it. In her mind, she told her sister its contents.

Good morning, Twins. While I assume you have gone to the Archmage’s Tower, I do ask that you return. I would like to have a meeting with some of you all before I head out for other business matters.

Kindest regards,

Elysium

Myla looked up at Orin while Lyla stood up and wiped her face with the sleeve of her shirt.

“Thank you for breakfast, Archmage Orin. We are to return to the carnival.”

“Since his meeting later with the Queen, I imagine having a full description of what had happened would be wise. Leaf, if these two wouldn’t mind, I’d like you to go with them. You were also there, and your eyewitness account and the autopsy would be most useful, I believe.”

“Yes, sir, I’ll grab my things, and we can go immediately,” Leaf answered.

“When you are on your way back, I would also like you to go and see Rosemita at the Athenaeum. We still know little about Shades, but she received just a few shipments of books over the past few months, and maybe something new has been placed on the shelves.”

Leaf nodded, then retreated to the stairs, walking down to an underground floor. Myla and Lyla waited for a few minutes as Leaf gathered his things, then they left together towards the Arcana Emporium. The morning air felt dry as they walked through Moonbright, the sun beating down on them, causing them to sweat as they passed the town gates and into the carnival.

Deep inside, Myla felt a burning heat in her mind’s eye as she realized Yla, her and her sister’s ethereal guide, sent the sensation to them. She also knew her sister felt it as well, and they both walked silently, trying to discern the nature and meaning of this feeling.