Chapter 2: Through the Looking Glass

April:

I've got to find Cortez and get him to explain what the hell is going on. Insane or not, he's the only person I can talk to about this.

Fiona:

Little things. Like movement in the corner of your eye that's gone when you turn your head. And noises, the kind you're not supposed to hear in the city. Animal noises. Wild animals. And once--this was very early in the morning, mind, a few days ago--I looked down into that canal and saw what looked like an underwater city. But as I looked at it it dissolved into ripples of water.

April:

Scary.

Fiona:

And you're telling me, darling? I'm scared of cockroaches, for God's sake. What do you think this does to my nerves?

April:

Have you seen Cortez today?

Fiona:

No, darling. I don't think he's around.

April:

Do you have any idea where Cortez is?

Fiona:

Sorry. He could be anywhere. Well, he does enjoy going uptown to watch old movies in some revival cinema. But where that is, I wouldn't know.

April:

Who'd know?

Fiona:

Perhaps Zack. He is, after all, the self-appointed film expert around here. You should talk to him, darling.

April:

Great. Zack. My very best friend in the whole wide world. Could you tell Cortez I'm looking for him?

Fiona:

Certainly, darling. If I happen to see him.

April:

Thanks. I have to get going.

Fiona:

Take care of yourself out there, darling.

Zack:

Well, well -- what do you know? The princess comes knocking after all.

April:

Just do me one favor first, okay?

Zack:

Gimme a reason to, babe.

April:

A reason? You want a reason? Okay. What about a date.

Zack:

Yeah, good. Tonight.

April:

Uh...sure. Tonight. I'll meet you at the...Pavillion, was it?

Zack:

And are you are gonna put out?

April:

What?

Zack:

I mean, if I'm gonna use my VIP passes and my pills, babe...I just gotta know if it'll be worth it or not. You on?

April:

We'll see, Zack.

Zack:

Just don't do a Houdini and vanish on me, babe. If you're a no-show, and I wait around for you all night, I end up looking like an asshole. And that wouldn't make me very happy.

April:

I'll be a good girl and show.

Zack:

Smart. So, what do you want to know?

Zack:

Whatever. Hey, like I give a shit? You're with me tonight, and by tomorrow morning, I don't think you'll find that old creep so appealing anymore.

April:

So where is Cortez?

Zack:

When he's not outside reading or whatever the hell he does, he's usually at the Mercury Theatre. They show old movies on real celluloid stock, through a projector. Like in the fucking middle ages.

April:

Where is this theatre located?

Zack:

I don't remember the street it's on -- it's been ages since I was there last -- but you'll find it if you head out the East Gateway from the Metro Circle. It's close to the Radio Power building, and there are tons of adult stores in the area. Actually, if you're not too busy, you could pick up something for us to watch tonight. Something really filthy.

April:

Zack, I don't think --

Zack:

Hey, whatever! I was just kidding, yeah? Babe. you've got a major bug up your ass. Get a fucking sense of humor, yeah?

April:

I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the tip. And the info.

Zack:

Just be at the Pavillion by ten, okay? I don't like waiting around for babies like you. I've got a million better things to do. And it wouldn't be a good idea for you to ditch me. Not a good idea at all.

April:

What's Metro Circle like?

Fiona:

That's the sleaziest and most perverted neighbourhood in Newport. On the negative side, however, it's also a dangerous place to hang out. I wouldn't go there alone if I were you.

April:

Thanks. I have to get going.

Fiona:

Take care of yourself out there, darling.

Charlie:

Any nightmares tonight, April?

April:

After last night? Are you kidding? It's a wonder I haven't gone crazy yet.

Charlie:

So you're in the "true believer" crowd, then?

April:

What do you mean?

Charlie:

What I mean is, a lot of people who were here last night refuse to admit they saw what they saw. Or they blame it on hidden holographic projectors, or drugs in the coffee.

April:

That's as good an explanation as any, don't you think?

Charlie:

Is it? Amongst all the alternatives, you'd prefer to believe in a conspiracy?

April:

What, and face that fact we all might be going mad, or that something really bad is happening?

Charlie:

Who knows, April. Perhaps sometimes it's better to embrace the mystery rather than trying to explain it?

April:

I believe what I see, Charlie. And sometimes I don't even believe that. Anyway. Let's not talk about that night now, okay?

Charlie:

Okay.

April:

Gotta find Cortez again.

Charlie:

Is this going to be a daily ritual with you guys?

April:

I certainly hope not.

April:

"The Maltese Falcon". Oh, yeah, I remember this one. It's a Disney cartoon about a falcon who, uh, goes looking for a black cauldron. It's got singing mice in it, I think. I mean, don't they all?" "Casablanca". That's with John Wayne and Katherine Hepburn, I think. They play a married couple who adopt a baby leopard during World War II. It's a timeless classic.

April:

"A Welsh Ghost Story", written and directed by Ragnar Tornquist. I saw that, it's a classic. "Women in Dire Need of Medical Attention". I thought that was a porno but I guess it's just an artsy foreign flick. As long as they speak French, it can't be smut. (She looked at a small notice put up on one of the walls) "Bergman festival at the Mercury Theatre. Opens August 2209". That's on Tuesday. Sounds interesting. Maybe I'll go.

April:

Excuse me.

Freddie:

Yes'm (The marquee flickered and darkened) Ah jeez, hold on there one second, lady. Dang marquee, light up! (He rapped hard at the marquee with his broom. It flickered again before lighting up) Good. Now stay that way, y'hear?

April:

Do you work at the theatre?

Freddie:

Yes'm. I'm Freddie. Freddie Melon. My Mama, Missus Dottie Melon, she owns the theatre. Yup. I reckon she does, ah-huh. She owns it, and she be runnin' it by her own self, like a real proprietor. I reckon I help out some, of course. Yup.

April:

Is the theatre open now?

Freddie:

No, I reckon it ain't, lady. It don't open 'till this evenin'. Ain't nobody in there either. I reckon that wouldn't be legal.

April:

Do you know a man called Cortez?

Freddie:

No, I can't say as I does, lady. Ain't never met 'im. Now, I reckon I'd like to get on with my sweepin', ah-huh.

April:

But I'm supposed to meet him here. Are you sure you don't know him?

Freddie:

(agitated) Look, lady, I reckon you should just mind your bee's knee's and git. I tole you, I ain't seen Cortez today.

April:

You said you didn't know Cortez.

Freddie:

I reckon I don't know nobody by that name, so I tell you what, I'd mighty appreciate it if you'd stop bothering me and let me git on with my work. Jesus, Mary and Baby Joseph -- I reckon the whole dang world wants to find Cortez today.

April:

Thanks anyway.

Freddie:

Yes'm. I tell you what, you go on now and let Freddie Melon do his sweepin' before his Mama Missus Dottie Melon get all p-i-s-t off.

April:

Hi there. Having fun?

Frank Minnelli:

Didn't your mother teach you not to talk to strangers?

April:

Don't you get tired of hanging around here all day long?

Frank Minnelli:

No, ma'am.

April:

So you're completely fine. There's nothing you'd want.

Frank Minnelli:

That's right.

April:

Nothing at all?

Frank Minnelli:

Nothing at all.

April:

Not even a bite to eat?

Frank Minnelli:

Just had a full lunch, ma'am. Thanks for asking.

April:

So you just had lunch?

Frank Minnelli:

That's right. At Kool Kow.

April:

What did you have?

Frank Minnelli:

A Triple Whammy Kow Patty with a side order of Greaseonions and a large Bingo Cola, no ice.

April:

What about fries?

Frank Minnelli:

And a double order of Cheesums Fried Taters, yeah. Tastiest damn fries you're ever likely to find. Soaking in melted goat cheese.

April:

And you had this when?

Frank Minnelli:

Oh, about an hour ago.

April:

And you don't feel, uh, the urge? To go?

Frank Minnelli:

No, ma'am. My bowels are genetically enhanced and require only perfunctory attention.

April:

The burger fill you up good? You don't have the munchies?

Frank Minnelli:

Well...now that you mention it, I have a craving for sweets. I didn't have time for my usual Kool Kow Strawberry Pie with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and a scoop of ice cream. Wait a second. What am I telling you all this for? Who the hell are you, anyway? Get outta here, ma'am, right this minute, or else...

April:

Is that a threat? I think that was a threat.

Frank Minnelli:

A very serious one, ma'am.

Freddie:

Lady, don't you keep playin' with that thing now, y'hear? Leave it be.

April:

Would you like a candy? (She handed him the candy, hoping he would not notice it was dripping with stinky green ooze)

Frank Minnelli:

Hey! Yeah. That'll hit the spot. (He unwrapped the candy absent-mindedly and popped it into his mouth. He winced as the awful taste hit him) What the hell -- That taste...sickening...I feel kinda -- Oh, Christ! (Stomach heaving, he spat the candy into his hand and flung it away. Unfortunately, it bounced off Freddie's head)

Freddie:

Hey, what -- What the hell do you think you're doin'? Did you just throw a rock at my head? Now, I tell you what, you shoudn't have done that. I reckon that was a bad mistake.

Freddie:

Hee-hee, you shoulda seen him run, lady. I reckon I ain't never seen nobody run that fast. And he was clutchin' at his buttocks, like he had the runs or sumthin'. He even lost his stupid old hat in the gutter. Hee-hee. Ain't never seen anythang that funny in a while.

Freddie:

(annoyed) Dang marquee! Light up! (He hit the board a few times with his broom to no effect) Hell, it gone dead on me now. I'm goin' to have to fix that sign proper this time 'round. ah-huh. I just need me a ladder and some tools from the basement.

Freddie:

Hell's blazes, we got us a fire! (He kicked the bin and the lid fell over to cover it, smothering the fire. The alarm died away and the voice from the toy monkey could be heard)

Toy Monkey:

Hey, you! Yeah, you! Hands up! Spread your legs! And do the monkey ...Dance! ... Dance! Do the monkey ...

Freddie:

(confused) Now where is that voice comin' from? Show yourself! (He whirled around but did not spot April behind the door. He saw the shadow on the wall and mistook it for Minnelli) All right there, mister! Just don't you fire that gun now, y'hear? I am sorry I chased ya earlier. (Frightened, he raised his arms above his head) Freddie'll do the monkey for ya, right now, if that's what you want, ah-huh. He'll do the monkey.

April:

You have no idea what I went through to find you. First --

Cortez:

Do you like movies?

April:

Sure, who doesn't -- wait a second, I was trying to tell you that --

Cortez:

I don't much like modern movies myself. They're either too loud and expensive, or too obscure and self-indulgent. But old movies -- really old movies -- have a charm and a simplicity that appeals to me.

April:

Listen, please don't interrupt me again. It's starting to piss me off.

Cortez:

But I have never interrupted you! Unless I've had something important to say, of course. But go ahead. What is it you want to talk about?

April:

Why did you make me search all over the city for you?

Cortez:

Search for me? I've been here for hours, senorita. I haven't moved. The question ought to be, what made you go out of your way to find me?

April:

Does it have anything to do with the cop that was staking this place out?

Cortez:

Nyo! So it was a good thing I didn't actually stick my head out the door to look for you, then, si?

April:

He's gone now. Are you in some kind of trouble with the police? Wait, don't tell me. Immigration.

Cortez:

No, senorita. Not the police. There are bigger players than the police.

April:

I don't wanna know. I'm not getting mixed up with the mob or gangs or anything like that.

Cortez:

There's not much you want to be mixed up in at all, is there?

April:

My life's complicated enough as it is, Mr Cortez. I don't even know what I'm doing here.

Cortez:

Answers. You want -- you need -- answers.

April:

You keep telling me that, but you never give me any answers. Just more questions. Like who's out to get you? What's going on with me? How come you know so much about me?

Cortez:

I plan to answer all your questions today, April. By the time you go to sleep tonight, your world will have changed. And nothing will ever be the same.

April:

You're just being cryptic again. It's like soap opera sex. Lots of boring dialogue, and when they finally do go to bed, everything's dark, and covered by blankets.

Cortez:

You want the full monty, then? Come with me, come outside, No more talk. I will show you the truth.

Cortez:

This is probably as good a place as any. At least there's no one around to see. Except rats.

April:

To see what?

Cortez:

Stand back, senorita.

April:

What for? What are you doing?

Cortez:

Why, Alice. I'm sending you through the looking-glass!

April:

What...what is that? Please tell me it's a hologram.

Cortez:

It's a mirror, to reflect your dreams.

April:

But I don't see anything. Just...light.

Cortez:

Oh, you have step through.

April:

Step through that? Oh no, I don't think so.

Cortez:

This is the moment of decision, April. All time, past and present, revolves around this moment. The destiny of worlds is in your hands. But you must make the choice on your own. La vida es corta...you must decide how to live it best.

April:

All right, I'll do it.

Cortez:

Vamos. Enter the light.

April:

Don't say that. It sounds too ominous. Just...tell me what's going to happen.

Cortez:

You're about to take the first step on the longest journey of your life. But don't worry. I'll be waiting, right here.

April:

I must be insane to do this.

Cortez:

Yes, it's pretty much a given.

Cortez:

Oh, I almost forgot. When you're ready to come back, pay a visit to a friend of mine called Westhouse. Brian Westhouse.

Cortez:

Vaya con dios, child. And may the Balance protect you.

April:

Cortez? ... Cortez! .... I've got a bad feeling about this. (She tried to calm down and remember what he had said) Wait... What was that name Cortez told me to remember? Westhouse? Brian Westhouse? I think that was it. Cortez said to look him up when I wanted to go home. Well, I want to go home now.

April:

Hello?

April:

Hi.

Tobias:

E tu? E milye tue va?

April:

Do you speak English? ... (Tried French and Spanish) Parlez vous Francais? Habla Espanol?

Tobias:

A ku, Stark ka'yen paras! Ie nomalanate kandra! Ton, maris ; are thies e ton!

April:

Who are you?

Tobias:

Ken e sank, maris prtana! Majik'ean posei e ton. Sare al'voea im iriam tue ith'im.

April:

Where am I?

Tobias:

Sank'is tue, ton'an tu ken al'voce, e majik'kan'ean tom'an'a sans.

April:

Where is Cortez?

Tobias:

Tu ton'e e ken. Tu Ken vernelea'n fata tim tu vernelea'n ton.

Tobias:

A ku, kande'e. Good. Neran'ton al'voce. Sank'al koda magic, toranc'e shaal'e. Na'ven. Alltongue.

April:

What does "Alltongue" mean?

Tobias:

Maris, tu vernelea'n aran tue toranc'e lok, e ton! (He seemed to be chiding her for speaking instead of listening so she held her tongue) A ku, kande'e. Good.Neran'ton al'voce. Sank'al koda magic, toranc'e shaal'e. Na'ven. Alltongue.

Tobias:

Al' orta'e beginning prasam'tin'y y you. You have thiesa y magic'e'sara, y the knowledge aertiu'a tue by generations e umani, knowledge of Alltongue. (April continued to listen) Now you have allowed the magic to enter your heart, and the knowledge of Alltongue, ever present but dormant, to guide your ears and your tongue.

April:

I -- I understand you! You speak English? Why didn't you just tell me straight away?

Tobias:

(laughed) No, child, I do not speak "English". I speak Na'ven, Alltongue, the common language of Arcadia.

April:

Arcadia? Wait a second...how did I get here? What is this place? And who the hell are you?

Tobias:

Ah, my manners have abandoned me yet again. I am afraid my preoccupation with the ancient texts and the company of my fellow Fathers have left me unequipped with the grace of social intercourse.

April:

Meaning what?

Tobias:

That I have been rude. My name, dear child, is Tobias Grensret, and I am the Vestrum of the Sentinal, the Order of the Balance. We are the Fathers.

April:

Uh...okay. I'm April. April Ryan.

Tobias:

I take it this is your first Shift, your first passage through the Divide?

April:

I have no idea what you're talking about, but I guess this is my first Shift. I just --

Tobias:

Then I will explain...everything. Someone must. You are without guidance? Without a mentor?

April:

Mentor? There's this guy, Cortez, he...assisted me. Told me about magic and truth and dreams and portals. Crazy stuff... Well, it seemed crazy at the time, although now, I...don't...

Tobias:

Cortez? Ah, yes, Cortez. Very good, very good. Then come, let us proceed. Let me show you Marcuria, the grandest city of all ages!

Tobias:

Explore Marcuria, April. See the sights, meet the people, and then, when you are ready, return to the temple. I will answer whatever questions you may have then.

April:

My intuition tells me ... (The burly man behind the table nearly deafened her with his shout)

Map Merchant:

Maps!!!

April:

... that he sells maps.

Map Merchant:

Maps! I got maps! Can Interest you in a map, miss? Top notch, hand drawn in quality ink by skilled Sunriders. Ain't no better in all of the Northlands!

April:

How much are your maps?

Map Merchant:

That depends, miss. Got a very nice one here of the Border Mountains for only six arens. Fresh from the quill of a Sunrider. Maps! Get your maps here.

April:

Do you sell maps of the city?

Map Merchant:

Can't help you there, miss. The Guild of Tourism has monopoly on city maps. I can tell you're not from around here, or you'd know that. Got tons of maps of all the Northlands, though, from the city of Tyren to the Bay of Fire. Maps!

April:

Where can I find the Guild of Tourism?

Map Merchant:

They're closed for the holidays.

April:

Sure. That makes sense. Mind if I ask you a couple of questions?

Map Merchant:

Yes? Maps!

April:

Do you know Vestrum Tobias?

Map Merchant:

Everyone knows Vestrum Tobias, girl. He's been an important part of the city for as long as I can remember.

April:

What can you tell me about him?

Map Merchant:

The Vestrum is an honorable man, but a conservative one, and I don't know if he still has the best interests of the people at heart. Sometimes I think he worries too much about custom. The Sentinel have been our so-called protectors and keepers of the Balance for so long, we don't even think of it anymore. But now that the Vanguard are introducing a new way of thinking, new philosophies ... I'm afraid the Sentinel will find their power diminished before too long. Their resistance to change will be their downfall, mark my words. Their downfall for certain. And Tobias -- honorable man that he is -- will be remembered as the captain who went down with his ship.

April:

What's Arcadia like?

Map Merchant:

What can I say about a whole world, girl? It's a beautiful place, for sure, but we're stuck in the past. We don't look ahead, not like our cousins in Stark. Magic is all well and good, but it won't bring our world into the modern age. And Arcadia is untamed. It's wild and unpredictable -- good for the map business, sure, but not so good for productivity and expansion. No, some people may consider our world a paradise. The Sentinel, for one -- they prefer to keep it just the way it is. Me, I'd like to see some changes, and fast.

April:

What do you know about Stark?

Map Merchant:

Land of wonders, strange customs, and machinery! Ah, to be in Stark... I'd give my right leg -- well, perhaps not my right leg as such, you really need to sturdy legs to stand in this business, or you'll find yourself... Ahum, yes, a grand place indeed. Free of this blasted, chaotic, unpredictable magic, does no good to anyone. Now, machines! Built by man, controlled by man, in servitude of man! That's the future, isn't it? Yes, the Vanguard may be a little unorthodox in their methods and teachings, but they're right about one thing. Stark and Arcadia belong together, not apart.

April:

How do you get along with your neighbour?

Map Merchant:

The cups handler? Stay away from him, miss. He takes great joy in robbing people's purses. You can't beat him, not without magic, and he doesn't allow magic at the table.

April:

How would he know if you did use magic?

Map Merchant:

Oh, he's got one of those blasted talismans. They're always digging up magical artefacts in Ch'angagriel and they sell them to dogs like him for a silver coin or two. (He leaned forward to throw his next statement to the cups handler) Get a proper job, you son of a mole!

April:

Thanks for your help.

Map Merchant:

(Almost blaring in her face) Maps!

April:

No maps for me today, thanks.

Map Merchant:

Fair enough, miss, but don't expect me to come running to your aid if you ever get lost in Riverwood. Without my maps, you'll probably end up a Mole's dinner...or worse. Maps!

April:

What a sorry-looking bird. (To her shock, it opened its mouth to speak)

Crow:

(miffed) Hey, you don't look too polished yourself, lady.

April:

(apologetically) Oops, I didn't know you could...talk.

Crow:

Didn't look as if you could talk either.

Cups Handler:

Want to test your skill and perception with a game of cups? There are prizes to be won.

April:

What can I win?

Cups Handler:

Well, there's coin, of course. Double your bet. Or choose from a wide variety of exotic prizes...like this antique Dolmari canter from Ge'en...a superb replica of Mount Tireney, cast in pure, solid iron...a magic walnut from the once glorious island kingdom of Anseyel...and this, uhm, unique...bird...

Crow:

Get me outta here!

Cups Handler:

Keep your beak shut, you scraggly piece of ... Uhm, and he talks! Great for feasts and for the amusement of infants. He's our top prize, a real keeper.

April:

How do I play?

Cups Handler:

You put your coin down on the table, I put a cup on top of it, and shuffle it around with the other two cups. and all you have to do is guess which ones hides your coin. And remember -- no magic is used, and none allowed. This amulet right here will light up if you use magic, and then you're banned -- for life!

April:

Mind if I ask you a couple of questions?

Cups Handler:

Time is money, so make it quick.

April:

What do you know about Vestrum Tobias?

Cups Handler:

Vestrum Tobias? The high priest of the Sentinel himself. Did you know they call themselves the Fathers? What a joke. When was the last time they did anything for us, the people? No, they are only interested in sticking with their outdated customs and keeping their secrets under lock. I'm getting more and more inclined to listen to these new people, the Vanguard. Their ideas appeal to me. They may be radical, but we're past due for a change. Only thing I don't wholly approve of is their alliance with the Tyren. Filthy, dangerous people. But the Vanguard seem to have them under control, so I'm not too worried. I wish they wouldn't allow them into the city though.

April:

What's Arcadia like?

Cups Handler:

What a queer question that is. What's the world like? It's big, for one. And too expensive. And they should ban Dolmari women from gambling, because I swear, they have second sight.

April:

Do you know anything about Stark?

Cups Handler:

Not much. I'm not sure if I ever believe in the place, I mean, you hear the stories, and you read the books -- well, I don't, but some do... A place where there is no magic, only science? Sound like a bloody paradise, don't it? I mean, with my...uhm...skills, I could make a killing in a place like that.

April:

How do you get along with your neighbour?

Cups Handler:

The maps merchant? We've gazed each other for six years now, every single day, and he never speaks a word to me, except to insult me. Nose high in the sky, calls me a charlatan. As if he's the Guardian himself. (He shouted his next words to the map merchant) You no good oversized bag of wind!

April:

Thanks.

Cups Handler:

Now...how about a game of cups?

April:

Hello, old man.

Umber Ianos:

I got me no treasure, and I got me no map of no buried treasure. I just be an old sailor with no ship, so leave us be. (He dropped the strand of net he was mending and fished out a pipe from his pocket)

April:

What are you doing?

Umber Ianos:

Mending nets, of course. What do it look like I be doing?

April:

I'm not well versed in maritime customs.

Umber Ianos:

Mar-what? Ah, youse mean sealife, do yer not? Arrr. The smell of the salty sea, the lapping waves on yer ship, the spray of old water on yer face...Plump maidens in every port... Aye, I tell youse, I be having stories about the sea.

April:

Care to share some of your maritime stories about the sea.

Umber Ianos:

Mar-what? Ah, tales of the sea, right? Sure, sweetie, I be happy to. Now, what stories be ye wanting to hear, then?

April:

Any tale of your exciting adventures will do.

Umber Ianos:

Aye, I be having plenty of tales to tell. There be the tale of me adventures in the Bakshevan empire, if ye be int'rested? It be a tale of grand romance, just up yer alley, be sure of it.

April:

Sure, that sounds like a fine story.

Umber Ianos:

Aye. It be near on fifty years ago, and I was a mate on a sturdy old lady called "The Three-legged Whore".

April:

The what?

Umber Ianos:

What do I be saying? She was called "The Thrifty Horse", she was. Aye, that be her name. "The Whittle Wotsit".

April:

Um...you don't remember the ship's name, do you?

Umber Ianos:

Arrr. Anyways, I be a young mate then, and we be anchored in Monterba, the grand western port of the once-glorious Bakshevan empire. I be having shipleave until the following evening, and it be me first visit to that exotic and dangerous port. So I sets out to have a look around...now, bear in mind that Monterba be ruled by a Mahk...like all large Bakshevan cities. In principle, the Mahk be having to report to and pay half of all taxes to the Emperor in Port Altaban, but with the Bakshevan empire having all but crumbled into pieces...the provinces do be having the power to do pretty much as they be wanting, arrr... And so I sets out on me own that day, to explore the city. Now, bear in mind that all of the cities in the Southlands --

Umber Ianos:

...and that be me adventures in the once-glorious empire of Baksheva, and that be how I meet me bird Bird, how I seduce and romance the Mahk's daughter...how I be chased from Monterba by the Mahk's soldiers, and how I be the first man to walk across the desert of Ch'angagriel, the Wastelands, and how I do be getting this awful rash on.. Arrr, girl, ye do not be sleeping, do ye?

April:

What? What? What? Sleeping? No-no-no. Just concentrating. Really hard.

Umber Ianos:

Arrr...

April:

Good story though. Solid, solid material. Ever consider doing a book?

Umber Ianos:

Aye, but the agents in Marcuria be bloodthirsty vampires with no thought but to milk your life's blood.

April:

Oh, so they take an outrageous commission, then?

Umber Ianos:

No! They actually be bloodthirsty vampires with a penchant for biting your neck when you ain't looking.

April:

(not sure what to make of that statement) Huh.

April:

What've you got in that chest?

Umber Ianos:

What chest?

April:

The one you're sitting on.

Umber Ianos:

Um, that be no chest, girl. That be me stool. Aye. Me stool, carved into the uncanny likeness of a chest.

April:

But what's in it?

Umber Ianos:

No priceless treasure, that be fer sure. Nothin'. Nothin' at all. It be empty.

April:

No really -- what's in the chest?

Umber Ianos:

Uhm, live snakes -- aye! Snakes that'll bite yer face off before youse have time to jump! Better leave them be, then.

April:

I'm still curious about that chest.

Umber Ianos:

Right, right, I be telling youse! Curse the Balance, girl, ye never give up, do ye? I be having no treasure in here, like I told ye, but it be where I keep me personal articles, and things I be picking up now and then on me travels. And me bird, it's where I be keeping me bird, before I be losing 'im. I be stupid, stupid old man. He be my best friend, aye, ain't nobody else 'round to talk to, ye see. On account of 'im being a talking bird.

April:

What happened to your talking bird?

Umber Ianos:

I be, uhm, cheated out of him. Aye, that cupshandler on the marketplace be cheating me in a fool game of cups, and I be having to give me bird up to try win me money back.

April:

And what happened?

Umber Ianos:

He be taking me bird when I chosing the wrong cup. Aye, me best friend, taken from me. Cursed be the Balance! I be all lonesome now. The worst part be that me bird is now a prize to be won -- a prize! -- in the cups game. Beat the handler thrice, and ye win a prize of yer choice. Me poor bird.

April:

What's your bird's name?

Umber Ianos:

Bird

April:

Oh. ... I'd better get going.

Umber Ianos:

Ah, youse young 'uns be always running 'round. Ever'thing be so important, youse be having no time to sit down and take a breath. So go! Be not wasting your time here, with me.

April:

Ahoy there, matey!

Captain Nebevay:

Pardon?

April:

Is that how you sailors greet each other?

Captain Nebevay:

No.

April:

What do you say, then?

Captain Nebevay:

Usually "hello". And if it's sunny, "nice day for it". We might even try a "how are you today, then?", if we're feeling adventurous.

April:

This is valuable information.

Captain Nebevay:

Aye, matey, that it be.

April:

Why aren't you out at sea?

Captain Nebevay:

Do you see the sail on that barge over there?

April:

Yes?

Captain Nebevay:

Is it flapping?

April:

What?

Captain Nebevay:

Is it flapping? Is it the sail flapping in the wind?

April:

Uhm...no?

Captain Nebevay:

And why is that, then?

April:

Because...because it's not...windy?

Captain Nebevay:

Exactly.

April:

Well, can't you just use oars or something?

Captain Nebevay:

Why have we been moored to the dock for a month, with our merchandise dropping in value, when we could've just rowed our way to Ge'en?

April:

Are you being sarcastic?

Captain Nebevay:

Sarcastic? Me? What in Jaal's name makes you think that?

April:

How long's it been since the last wind?

Captain Nebevay:

Near a month. Ever since that accursed alchemist put some kind of spell on the wind. The Mo-Jaal be cursed if I know why, but it's a bloody catastrophe. I've sent some good people of mine up north to deal with him...but not one has returned. Now the Ayrede High Council speak of sending an entire army platoon to sort him out, but I'm afraid that might kust piss him off.

April:

Who's this alchemist who has cast a spell on the wind?

Captain Nebevay:

I believe his name is Klacks. Roper Klacks. Lives in a bloody rock somewhere up north, beyond Riverwood.

April:

Thanks for the chat.

Captain Nebevay:

Aye.

April:

Hello. Vestrum Tobias?

Tobias:

Tobias! Just call me Tobias, please. I require no ceremony from a distinguished guest such as yourself. Did you enjoy the sights?

April:

I don't know. I'm...overwhelmed. Walking around out there, seeing with my own two eyes things that can't possibly exist... I kept thinking, it's all a dream. I'll wake up at any moment now and everything will return to normal. But then I realized, I'm still here. It's real. I can touch it, and I can smell it... And you know what? It doesn't make sense. Nothing makes sense here. Magic, alien creatures, parallel worlds... I don't believe in those things. I don't believe in fairy tales.

Tobias:

In your world, in Stark, there is no room for magic. That is, and always has been, the curse of science, the fallibility of logic and order. They leave no room for the imagination. If it does not fit into the narrow perception of the laws of nature that your world adheres to, it's a fairy tale. But then magic has its downsides too. It's unpredictable. It invites chaos. It puts the Balance in peril in a way science alone never could.

April:

I keep hearing about the "Balance", and about "Stark" and "Arcadia", and... This is probably gonna sound strange to you, but I'm clueless. I have no idea what this place is, or what I'm doing here, or ... All I know is that something strange is happening in -- in my world... I guess. I had dreams, and the dreams felt so real, and then things started happening in real life too, things that shouldn't -- couldn't -- happen, and I --

Tobias:

I think I will begin at the very beginning. I believe that is why you were sent here, to learn, to understand, to see for yourself. Like you said, you cannot believe in this place. Well, you will. After you have learned the truth, you will. Come with me, and I will tell you the story of Earth as your books never have. And when your eyes and ears are open to the truth, perhaps your mind will follow? We can only hope. Come.

Tobias:

This is the true Story of the Balance, as observed by the Sentinel, the Order of the Balance, the Fathers. The Sentinel Minstrum committed this story to the pages of the Scriptures, and to these temple walls, thousands of years ago, so that coming generations could learn and understand their past and their future. The wall paintings we are looking at became known as the Murals of the Balance, and it is through these images that I will recount our common history to you, April Ryan. The story begins and ends here, with this mural. Ages ago, and in ages to come, the Earth was one, and magic and science existed side by side in nature and in all people. There was balance and there was harmony.

April:

You're saying there was just one world then?

Tobias:

One world, one Earth. Magic and science in balance with each other, within each and every living creature. The power to makes the stars dance and to create life itself was within our grasp. But then humankind began to exploit this divine power of Two and they saw fit to use it for their own selfish purposes. The Balance of the Cosmos was in peril. (The next mural depicted a roiling whirlwind of a lightning storm with a green vortex in the centre that was drawing in the debris of crumbling land and tumbling bodies. Terrified faces of a couple, the man in wild fear and the woman holding a baby, stared out of the painting as they ran for their lives) Unless something was done, unless man was humbled and learned to fear the power he wrought over Cosmos, the twilight of Chaos would fall upon Earth. It had happened before, in distant times and on distant worlds and it would happen again. And every man, woman and child of every people, every race would be devoured by the coming apocalypse. We were given a visitation then. The Draic Kin, having lived among us for untold generations, rose to offer their guidance and assistance in preserving the Balance of our world.

April:

The Draic... I think I've heard that name before.

Tobias:

Draic Kin, Drachen, Dragons - whichever name they go by, they remain the eternal servants and custodians of the Balance. There were four of them here on Earth. And of the four, one who would found the Order of the Balance, the Sentinel. The first Minstrum was instructed that magic and science would have to be separated before the Balance collapsed and brought untold disaster. Earth would have to be split in two equal parts. Arcadia and Stark - Magic and science - Chaos and order. The first Sentinel were counted Thirteen. Six scientists, six magicians and One who was between. The Draic Kin. Our mentor, our custodian, our learned guide. Both magic and science were needed to perform this most difficult of tasks, to split a world in two, to create two worlds from one.

April:

Wasn't the use of that kind of power dangerous to the Balance?

Tobias:

Yes, and so for this purpose they built a tower to channel their powers and focus them on the Divide that they would create. The Kin had brought a disc with them, a disc forged in the fire of their world. Placed at the base of the tower and the epicentre of the Divide, the disc and the tower would become one - a conduit for the flow of magic and science. At the appointed hour, the Thirteen came to the tower, and with them, a woman whose destiny was decided by the purpose to which she had been born. She would be the first Guardian, the human protector of the Balance, who would stay in the tower for a thousand years to watch over the two worlds, and to ensure that the flows of magic and science were always equal. And so the ritual began...

Tobias:

One world was to become two, separated by the Balance and each would be visible to the other only by way of dreams. Who was ushered into which world was not an arbitrary choice nor one taken lightly. For the magical creatures, the choice was simple. They had to go to Arcadia. Their kind would not survive in Stark. But for other ... Families were torn apart, lovers separated and friends lost for eternity. Encircled by the Twelve and the One and the one who would be Guardian, the disc at the base of the tower began to spin faster and faster as more and more power flowed through it... until it was a blur. Darkness enveloped the tower but the disc glowed brighter and brighter. Reality turned, and in one moment, a new reality had been created and two worlds born. In the tower, there was silence. The original disc had disappeared and in its place was a smaller counterpart, a similar and yet different disc. Around and outside the tower, the world looked different. They were not between Stark and Arcadia, between reality and dream. This was the Realm of the Balance and of the Guardian and it would be her home for the next one thousand years. The one who was Kin picked up the disc and said, "This disc is a counterpart to the original disc, which has become this realm and the key to which has been split and divided in four ... The key is the disc, and the disc is this realm". This mystified the twelve, and the one who was Kin continued, "Know only this: The Guardian's Realm cannot be broken unless the disc is broken ... but nor can it be repaired without the disc being repaired. The four pieces that is the key will be given to the six of you who are to be taken to Arcadia for safe keeping. Yet the key will never be complete," he went on, "without the precious stones that adorn each piece. I will keep one, and my fellow Kin three others. Should the day come when this realm must be repaired or the worlds reunited -- and that day will come -- you will assemble the disc and the Kin will come together one last time." With that, six of the Thirteen went to Arcadia and six to Stark and the One who would be Guardian ascended the throne -- witness the mural -- where her dreams and hopes, her very soul were locked away in the disc. In service of the Balance, these traits were but barriers. Through new eyes, the imbalance between the worlds was as clear as the stars themselves to the Guardian and with one thought ... she channeled chaos from Arcadia and logic from Stark into the disc and redistributed the power wherever it was needed. A new era had begun, the era of the Guardian. After they left the tower, two of the Draic Kin went to Stark, and the other two to Arcadia. The Six who came to each world started what is now known as the Sentinel, the Order of the Balance. But while in Arcadia, the Sentinel thrived, in Stark, they did not. In Stark, the memories of magic and the Balance could not survive in the face of the new reality of natural laws, of logic and of science... And soon, very soon, Arcadia become nothing more than legend, a myth, tales of faeries to recount to impressionable children, and stories to frighten and entertain around a fire. And while dreams still brought sights and sounds of Arcadia to those asleep in Stark, they were discounted as mere dreams...and nothing more.

April:

So that's it? We forgot about our past, and about Arcadia, and that's the way things are? Then what's wrong with that? And why does magic from Arcadia seem to have begun leaking through to Stark?

Tobias:

That is another long story, but I can tell you are tired of stories, and so I shall be brief. As I told you, while in Arcadia, the Sentinel grew in numbers and in strength, in Stark, while flourishing for a brief time, they were soon diminished and powerless. Some of the Stark Sentinel did not take kindly to this, and they berated the Arcadian Sentinel for their politics and teachings. The Stark Sentinel wanted people to work towards reunification, while their brothers did not. So the inevitable soon came to pass, and the Stark Sentinel parted ways with their Arcadian brothers, and named themselves the Vanguard. And while, at first, their philosophy was not so different from ours... over the years it changed radically. The Vanguard wanted the Divide torn down, the worlds reunited, the return to what they called the glorious ages, when humankind would control the forces of cosmos. But first, they needed their own servant in charge of the Balance, their own Guardian. Now, every one thousand years, a new Guardian took the place of the old one, because no one can be separated from their souls for any longer than a thousand years. Every one thousand years, a new Guardian was born. The Balance provided the seed from which a new fruit grew. But now, it has been two hundred years since the previous Guardian, the Twelfth Guardian was to be replaced... Every new child born to the Balance has been taken away by the Vanguard, to be studied in an attempt to control them. In every instance -- so far -- they have failed. But the Twelfth Guardian could wait no longer. Only a short time ago, the disc in the tower shattered, and the Guardian left his throne. The Balance is now untended, and we have yet to find a new Guardian. Unless we do so, the Vanguard may yet get their chance...and they may be able to place their own puppet on the throne, to rule the Balance according to their principles. And this we cannot allow. It will mean the end of Stark and Arcadia, and the dawn of an era of Chaos. Now do you see?

April:

I understand the history. I can even accept it. But I don't understand why I'm here, and what Cortez wants with me.

Tobias:

The Balance is in peril, April. The Guardian has abandoned his tower, he has disappeared, and there is no one to take his place. He must be reinstated, to protect the Balance until a new Guardian may be found.

April:

And what can I do? I'm nobody. I've just been having a lot of bad dreams.

Tobias:

You are a strong Shifter. I have not seen your like in my lifetime.

April:

A Shifter?

Tobias:

Someone capable of opening doors between worlds, a Shift, a portal between the realms of Stark and Arcadia.

April:

Are you kidding? I didn't do anything. Cortez was the one who opened the -- Shift? -- and he just waved his hands around in the air. I don't think I'd be capable of opening a portal even if I have a magic wand.

Tobias:

Only a Shifter's own power can allow her to travel. No one else can do this for her. Cortez only channeled your own power to aid you. He would not be able to step through this Shift himself.

April:

Even if that's true, I don't have any control over my...talent.

Tobias:

Not yet. But in time, you will. How else do you intend to travel back to your world?

April:

God, I hadn't even thought about that yet. Can't you help me?

Tobias:

I'm afraid not. Even if I could Shift, I would not be able to channel through you like Cortez did.

April:

So I'm on my own?

Tobias:

If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer them, but aside from that? Yes. Yes you are.

April:

That's not so cool.

Tobias:

No, it has been unseasonally warm. If you don't mind, I will return to my studies now. Thank you for listening to an old man and his long stories.

April:

No, thank you. It's starting to make a little bit of sense now.

Tobias:

That is good news. Come see me again if you have any more questions.

April:

How am I supposed to get back to Stark?

Tobias:

The only way back is through a Shift. You are a Shifter, April, and the power to travel between worlds is within you.

April:

It might be within me, but it doesn't look like it's coming out anytime soon.

Tobias:

I wish I could help you, but I cannot. You must find the path on your own.

April:

What do you know about Cortez?

Tobias:

Your mentor? What has he told you about himself?

April:

Nothing much. Nothing, in fact. He's a complete mystery to me.

Tobias:

To learn something about someone, the best way to go about it is to ask them yourself. There is nothing I can do to enlighten you.

April:

But who is he?

Tobias:

He is who he is, what he is. If he has not told you himself, then perhaps, he does wish you to know. It would be improper for me to divulge his secrets.

April:

You're as bad as he is. No offense. It's just frustrating.

Tobias:

I understand. The next time you see him, tell him what you have told me. Maybe he will tell you the truth, maybe he will not. It is his choice to make.

April:

Do you mind if I ask you some questions about Arcadia?

Tobias:

I will try my best to answer any question you may have, April.

April:

What's the history of Arcadia?

Tobias:

There is so much, I do not know where to begin. In truth, it would be wiser to ask someone else, unless you wish to know about the Fathers, the Balance or mudhoppers.

April:

Mudhoppers?

Tobias:

My secret passion. I study them. They are a most fascinating species. Most fascinating indeed. But I am not particularly versed in the intricacies of history, I am sorry to say.

April:

What's Marcuria like?

Tobias:

I have lived in this city all my life, and still it amazes me what a diverse, exciting and wonderful a place it is. Many have called Marcuria the Jewel of the Northlands, and they are right, but it is a diamond in the rough. A city this size can never be flawless... There are always shadows, and people who hide in them. Lately the shadows have grown, and darkened, and I fear for the future. But Marcuria is still a wonderful place to live.

April:

What else can you tell me about Marcuria?

Tobias:

Marcuria is the capital of Ayrede, the unified country, and we are located on the southern coast of the Northlands, halfway between Tyren and Corasan.Between the snapjaw and the gaintbeast, some might call it. Between the embers and the fire. Yet democracy and peace have reigned for thousands of years now, and although relations may at times be strained with our Tyren neighbours, the High Council are masters of diplomacy. And Lord Ygvan Dellan is a firm and just Chief Councellor of the Ayredan Flag.

April:

Tell me a little about Ayrede.

Tobias:

Ayrede means both "unification" and "assembly" in High Tongue, and many still call Ayrede the unified country, even though it is an age and a half since the lands of the North joined together in alliance. Ayrede stretches from the Plains of Nehdran in the north to the Great Sea in the south, and from the territories of the Tyren in the west to the thick woodlands in the east. It is populated by humans and Dolmari, Tyren and a number of other races. It is even said that a tribe of Venar have a Ring of Trees in Riverwood, though I am not sure that is anything but a myth.

April:

What are the Northlands?

Tobias:

The Northlands is a collective term for all the lands north of the Great Sea, and south of the Border Mountains, including Ayrede, Tyren and Corasan. Before, however, the word "Northlands" was used to describe this entire continent, including the territories north of the mountains and the icy wastes beyond that. Some still prefer the latter interpretation of the name, and to the people of the Southlands, anyone hailing from north of the Great Sea is a Northlander, regardless.

April:

Thanks for the information.

Tobias:

I am glad I could assist you.

April:

Do you know a man named Brian Westhouse?

Tobias:

West-house? That old goat? Yes, unfortunately. What would you with him?

April:

I need to find him.

Tobias:

I do not know where he lives. I hear somewhere on the outskirts of the city, by the sea, but I cannot tell you any more than that.

April:

Who'd know about Westhouse?

Tobias:

His whereabouts? I do not understand what you would wish with him. He is rude, uncultured and ignorant.

April:

Cortez told me to look him up.

Tobias:

Well...I do not know where he lives or frequents, but someone at the market may. He trades merchandise there, and I think he collects maps of the Northlands.

April:

Who did you say I should see about Westhouse?

Tobias:

The map merchant at the market may know. There is one thing I must tell you, however. Few would know West-house by his real name. In the city, he is known as the Rolling Man because of his strange, two-wheeled vehicle. A most dreadful and dangerous contraption if ever I saw one.

April:

A bicycle?

Tobias:

Perhaps. It has a grotesque appearance, much like the West-house himself.

April:

I'll see you later.

Tobias:

(surprised) You will? If you say so, then it must be true.

Map Merchant:

Maps!

April:

I'm looking for Brian Westhouse.

Map Merchant:

Briar West of House? It's not on any of my maps, and I've never heard of it. Maps!

April:

It's a man, not a place. Mr Brian Westhouse.

Map Merchant:

I would most certainly remember a name as queer as that. And I don't. Get your maps while they're fresh!

April:

Can you tell me where the Rolling Man Lives?

Map Merchant:

Maybe, maybe not. Why?

April:

Because I need to find him.

Map Merchant:

Sorry, Guild rules. I'm not allowed to divulge any personal information about my customers. Maps!

April:

I really need to know where the Rolling Man lives.

Map Merchant:

Sorry. Can't do --

April:

(trying to look as piteous as possible) Please? Pretty please?

Map Merchant:

No-no-no, young lady. Don't give me that doe-eyed look. Don't! Ah, blasted be the Balance, you're giving me that doe-eyed look, aren't you? I still can't tell you, though. I got maps! Maps! Get your fresh maps here! Buy two, get the second one half price!

April:

(not willing to give up but wondered what she was going to do if she could not get the information) Please tell me where the Rolling Man lives.

Map Merchant:

(livid) You're late! Again! And you know what else? You're fired! Give me back the delivery list, and get your sorry blue skin elsewhere.

Map Merchant:

(annoyed) Hired help! Bah! Never hire a Dolmari to do a human job.

April:

What are you going to do now, without a delivery boy?

Map Merchant:

Hire a new one, of course. Ah, blasted be the Balance, that means I'll have to pay the damn fee to the Guild of Merchants. Damnation.

April:

Maybe I could help you out?

Map Merchant:

You? How?

April:

I'm quick, honest, and reliable, and I've got a lot of experience in the service industry.

Map Merchant:

Hmmm. Perhaps. A female errand boy? It could work...if the Guild of Merchants don't find out.

April:

I won't tell them if you don't.

Map Merchant:

Mind, the pay is not much. Only a single aren per delivery, plus whatever tip the customer may see fit to give you.

April:

I'll take the job if you want me.

Map Merchant:

Agreed. Maybe you'll even bring in some new business. Here's the delivery list for today, and your first map -- it's for the captain of the White Dragon. Nebevay, I think his name is. You'll find him in the harbor. Oh, and remember to have the customers sign the delivery list. The Guild are sticklers for protocol. No signature, no money, no new jobs.

April:

Bye then.

Map Merchant:

Maps! Fresh, detailed, life-saving maps!

April:

Nice day for it.

Captain Nebevay:

Not really, no.

April:

Is this "The White Dragon"?

Captain Nebevay:

That's what the big, white letters on the prow spell out. What do you think?

April:

I'm looking for the captain. Is he around?

Captain Nebevay:

What would you with the captain of "The White Dragon"?

April:

I have a delivery for him. A map, from the map merchant at the temple market.

Captain Nebevay:

Aye, I be captain Horatio Nebevay of "The White Dragon", fastest vessel there ever was. Hand the map over, girl. With Jaal's blessing, the wind will return soon, and I can leave this accursed harbor for sunnier shores.

Captain Nebevay:

Thank you. Here's an aren for your trouble.

April:

Sign this, please.

Captain Nebevay:

What is it?

April:

I need your signature to confrim that you've received the map.

Captain Nebevay:

Map? What map?

April:

The one I just gave you!

Captain Nebevay:

Oh, that one. Sorry, I never put my signature on a piece of paper.

April:

(puzzled) Why not?

Captain Nebevay:

Brings bad luck to give a piece of yourself in that manner. A signature has untold powers, it's part of your soul. I can't sign away my soul.

April:

Who told you that signing a slip of paper is bad for your soul?

Captain Nebevay:

I'm from Ge'en, and we're a spiritual people. Our souls are in balance with our bodies, and the great Mo-Jaal has taught us not to endanger this balance. Signing my name, giving a piece of myself in that manner, breeds corruption and imbalance within. And it pisses Mo-Jaal off to no end.

April:

And that's why you choose to make my life difficult?

Captain Nebevay:

Hey, blame organized religion.

April:

You can't write, can you?

Captain Nebevay:

Pardon?

April:

That's what this is all about. You can't write.

Captain Nebevay:

(uncomfortably) Uh...so what? So what if I can't write? So what if I was born at sea and never spent more than a month ashore since? I still won't sign your accursed paper, by Jaal!

April:

Look, all you have to do is sign an "X" next to your name on the list.

Captain Nebevay:

You can't trick the great Mo-Jaal. The Mo-Jaal's untrickable.

April:

That's not trickery. It's legally binding.

Captain Nebevay:

(stubbornly) I said no.

April:

Is there anything I can do to get you to sign?

Captain Nebevay:

No. (He hesitated) Well, yes. But...no.

April:

(pleading) Look, captain, I'm desperate here. I really, really need some kind of signature.

Captain Nebevay:

Well... There's always music.

April:

What's music got to do with you signing my list?

Captain Nebevay:

Nothing. But it distracts the Mo-Jaal.

April:

What are you talking about? Why would you need to distract the...the Mo-Jaal?

Captain Nebevay:

I can't sign when there's a chance the Mo-Jaal is watching. Music distracts the Mo-Jaal. Ergo, I can sign.

April:

But doesn't that mean the Mo-Jaal is always distracted? I mean, there's always music somewhere in the world.

Captain Nebevay:

The Mo-Jaal has an eye and a ear for every acolyte, and straying from the path can bring great wrath upon us.

April:

Granted, I know very little of the Mo-Jaal. But seriously, maybe you should look into alternative religions?

Captain Nebevay:

Blasphemy! Besides, I only have to visit the temple once every two years, and the membership fees are quite reasonable.

April:

So if I play you some music, you'll sign?

Captain Nebevay:

Aye. I'll give you that much.

April:

I'll be back.

Captain Nebevay:

I don't doubt it for a second.

April:

What's your, uhm, most affordable instrument.

April:

That's cute. The flute, right? And how much for the flute?

April:

I'm guessing that's one aren?

April:

I'll have the flute. That's one aren, isn't it?

April:

I'm ready to play some music, if you're ready to sign.

Captain Nebevay:

Aye, go on, but don't stop until I'm done signing, or the Mo-Jaal will surely wreak vengence on us both.

Captain Nebevay:

Done. Here you go...and don't ever ask me to sign anything ever again.

April:

I can pretty much guarantee you that.

Map Merchant:

Right, your next assignment is a map of Ch'angagriel to the Rolling Man. Hold on -- did you not ask me about him earlier today?

April:

Erm, no. No, that wasn't me. That was somebody else.

Map Merchant:

I could have sworn...well, no matter. Do you know how to get to the Rolling Man's house?

April:

I forget.

Map Merchant:

Let me explain, then... Now, pay attention, because this is complicated. He has chosen to live in the most inaccessible place in the city, but I guess he has his reasons. First, you head west off the marketplace on Oak until you get to a tiny little apothecary -- "Missus Kasap's Herbs and Oils" -- where you turn north on South Street -- confusing that -- for about four minutes of brisk walking. That's when you'll see a large grove of trees -- it's a memorial to those who died in the last war with the Tyren, back, the Balance knows when, can't see why they chose to remind us of that -- where you'll turn left.

April:

That's west?

Map Merchant:

No, left. That'll take you back south, but onto North Street instead, and that keeps you out of the Dolmari neighbourhood down that way. Nasty, nasty neighbourhoods. Keep walking south for about...or was that north? Wait, north on South Street, south on North Street...or the other way around? Anyway, find the Rose Bridge off Ayrede Avenue, and cross it.

April:

There's a river?

Map Merchant:

No, just a bridge. The river disappeared five hundred years ago. No one knows what happened to it. After you've crossed the bridge, you'll be on the western slopes of Marcuria.

April:

And that's where Westhouse -- Uh, I mean, the Rolling Man lives?

Map Merchant:

No, far from it. But you need to pass through that part of Marcuria to get to the Rolling Man. Keep south and watch out for the livestock, they're likely to attack in that part of town. Eventually, you'll get to a large, circular square -- that's where they used to hold executions, back when this city was civilized.

April:

You call murder civilized?

Map Merchant:

Better than locking people up for years, as any level-headed person would tell you. Our freedom cannot be curtailed! Real men choose the honor of death to the shame of incarceration.

April:

Yeah. Sure you do.

Map Merchant:

Circle around the square, and head down Tandak for half a mile...or should that be Paroq Lane? Yes, Paroq Lane. Head west on Paroq Lane for a half mile, then turn right at the Maiden's Honor Tavern.

April:

North again?

Map Merchant:

No, west. Paroq Lane has a few twists and turns. Anyway, you should now be able to see the Ivory Tower.

April:

Is it a big tower?

Map Merchant:

No, only about five feet tall. But it's ivory, straight from the coast of the Southlands, bravely cut from the drooling jaws of the gruseome Kan'dar.

April:

(suspiciously) Big creature, four legs, large ears, long snout, sort of greyish in color?

Map Merchant:

Yes! The horror of the Southlands. Many a brave hunter has fallen victim to its ravaging hunger.

April:

Good grief. Okay, then what.

Map Merchant:

Pass by the tower, to the edge of the cliff, and look down. The Rolling Man has built his home in the cliffside. It's a wonder that he's not been washed away by the storms.

April:

I...hope I got all that. Basically, go west until I hit the edge, right?

Map Merchant:

Uhm, yes, that would be correct.

April:

Hello, Mr Westhouse?

Brian Westhouse:

(annoyed) Damnation, what is it now? (He turned around scowling and his annoyance disappeard when he saw her) Oh. I guess you're not... You're not calling on behalf of that son of a bitch Sanyef, are you?

April:

Sorry, I don't know who --

Brian Westhouse:

No. No, that's very unlikely. From what I hear, he doesn't much enjoy the company of women. Who in damnation are you?

April:

April Ryan, sir. (From his muffled drawl, she wondered if he was tipsy although his statements sounded lucid)

Brian Westhouse:

Ryan? That doesn't sound very Northlandian. Are you by any chance from the coast of... Hold on... Ryan? April Ryan? I'll be damned -- you're from Stark!

April:

Apparently. Until today, I thought I was just from Earth. I had no idea there were two of them.

Brian Westhouse:

Hah! Takes you by surprise, doesn't it? Well, God damn! Sit down, Miss Ryan, let me get you a drink. (He got to his feet but wavered unsteadily, confirming her suspicion on his state of inebriation, as he moved towards a silver tumbler and gulped down a mouthful of brown liquid he poured from the bottle sitting on the rail of the balustrade) The liquor over here stinks to high heaven -- magic pollutes the purity of the spirit -- but I keep a bottle of Glenfiddich for special occasions. (He waved the tumbler unsteadily in her direction)

April:

Thanks for the offer, sir, but I didn't come here to have a drink. (She could not hold her liquor anyway. She would be spending the rest of the day doubled over, staring into the ocean and she'd rather not have any)

Brian Westhouse:

Really? I see. This isn't a special call.

April:

No, sorry.

Brian Westhouse:

No matter, it's still a pleasant surprise to meet someone from home. Now, what may I do for you? (He took another gulp)

April:

I have a delivery for you.

Brian Westhouse:

A delivery? When did the U.S. Postal Service start delivering mail to Arcadia?

April:

It's from the map merchant at the market. It's just a map.

Brian Westhouse:

Ah, good, I've been waiting for -- Hold your horses, what are you doing working for the Guild? Are you planning on staying in Marcuria? I'd strongly advise against it, Miss Ryan. Arcadia may look like a pastoral fairy-tale realm, but it's not. You bleed as easily here as you do in Stark, and magic can do more damage than a gun.

April:

I'm not planning on staying, but I had to find you. The map merchant was the only one who knew where you lived, and he wouldn't tell me. So I got him to hire me, and you were the second delivery on my list.

Brian Westhouse:

Ye gods. Karek and his misguided loyalty. I'll have a word with the man. Thanks for the map, though. I collect them. There's not much else to do in this godforsaken city.

April:

Sign this, please. It's just to confirm that I made the delivery.

Brian Westhouse:

Certainly. (He scrawled with a flourish)

April:

Cortez told me to look you up.

Brian Westhouse:

He did, did he? I see. Who's Cortez?

April:

You don't know him?

Brian Westhouse:

I think not. I'd certainly remember -- Did you say Cortez? You wouldn't be talking about old Manny Chavez, would you? He ought to be dead by now. But then, by all rights, so should I.

April:

I don't know his first name, but he calls himself Cortez.

Brian Westhouse:

Tall fellow, mysterious and elusive, rarely answers a question with a simple yes or no? Smokes like a chimney?

April:

Aside from that bit about smoking like a chimney, it sounds exactly like Cortez.

Brian Westhouse:

Manny! I'll be damned. That old crook is still around. How the devil is he?

April:

He's good. Where do you know him from?

Brian Westhouse:

My old life, back in Stark. We had some exciting adventures, him and I. Actually, he's part of the reason why I ended up here. I last saw him in the winter of 1934.

April:

(stupefied) But that's almost three hundred years ago!

Brian Westhouse:

Yes. Funny, isn't it? And I'm sure he doesn't look a day older than he did back then, the handsome devil.

April:

Well, if I'm going to accept magic and parallel worlds, I might as well accept people living three hundred years.

Brian Westhouse:

Oh no, you misundertsood. I'm only forty-six. I arrived here about fifteen years ago, but I...left Stark in 1934. Between the worlds, where you dream, time has little meaning. I was trapped, you see, for quite a while.

April:

For three hundred years?

Brian Westhouse:

Time went by pretty fast. It didn't seem so bad at the time, but now that you mention it...three hundred years...quite disconcerting, really. Quite disconcerting.

April:

How did you end up here, in Marcuria?

Brian Westhouse:

Hah! That's quite a story. I won't bore you with the details, but suffice to say, I was somewhat of an adventurer. The promise of virgin territory, untouched by civilization, held great sway with me in my youth, as did the idea of a highly spiritual state of mind -- the occult, magic, karma... I was born in 1902, in Boston, but by the time I was seventeen, I'd put that life behind me. I spent the next three years at sea, and then I wandered around Europe for a time... In the early thirties -- the nineteen-thirties, of course -- I found myself in India, working as a journalist. That's where I met Manny. And that's where I first heard of Arcadia. I was amazed and quite skeptical at first, but the thought of a whole new world to see...and magic... I was a fool, of course, but who knew where my curiosity would bring me?

April:

So what happened in India?

Brian Westhouse:

I've tried to forget about it, to be honest. If I could go back, and convince myself not to... But I still wouldn't have listened, of course. The unknown attracts. I ended up in Tibet, in the winter of '34, wading through snow up to my chest, thinking for sure that this was it, I was going to die. Manny pulled me out of that one, thank God. I spent three months in a monastary before... pushing into the void. There's only one way for a non-Shifter to pass through the Divide, and it's not an easy road to take. Now... if you don't mind, I'd prefer not to talk about the past anymore. There's more than enough to worry about in the present.

April:

Cortez said to look you up when I wanted to go back home to Stark.

Brian Westhouse:

Now why would he say that? I'm not a Shifter, and I don't know any magic. I'm sorry, Miss Ryan. but you'd be better off asking the Sentinel priests for instance.

April:

Already did. They said I was on my own, that they couldn't help me.

Brian Westhouse:

Bloody typical. Those reactionary fools wouldn't extend a hand to help a drowning man if it violated the principles of their bloody Balance. But I can't think why Manny would tell you to visit me in order to Shift home. It just doesn't make sense.

April:

I should get going.

Brian Westhouse:

Very well. You're welcome back at any time, Miss Ryan. Any time.

April:

Thank you, sir. I'll remember that.

Brian Westhouse:

Hold on one second, Miss Ryan. I just remembered something. It was such a long time ago, I'd almost forgotten, but Manny did give me something that might be of interest.

April:

What is it?

Brian Westhouse:

It's a pocketwatch. Manny gave it to me the last time I saw him. I never quite understood why, but maybe you can tell me.

April:

Did he say anything about it?

Brian Westhouse:

He said that when his heart started beating again, he would know. It would be like a message in morse code. A beacon. The damn watch never worked, and the winding mechanism is broken, so it's probably not worth much. You're welcome to it, if it's any help.

April:

Thanks.

Brian Westhouse:

(astonished) By God, it's a Shift! I haven't seen one for ages.

April:

Why don't you come back with me, Mr Westhouse? You could say hello to your old friend...Manny.

Brian Westhouse:

If I tried to step through that, Miss Ryan, I would suffer a most unpleasant experience, and I would be lost in the between forever. And besides, I built this house with my own two hands. I wouldn't want to leave it to these barbarians. And what does your Stark have to offer me? This world is more recognizable to me now. No, you go ahead, Miss Ryan. Go back, and don't let your curiosity of the unknown tempt you into making another Shift.

April:

Thanks for your help.

Brian Westhouse:

Say hello to Manny for me. Tell him...tell him I'm doing all right, and that I said thanks.

April:

Cortez? Oh God, it's real! It's all true. I saw it. I saw the other world. Arcadia. Either I'm going crazy, or you were right about everything.

Cortez:

Let's hope for the latter, eh mi Amiga? So I gather your trip was a success?

April:

Success? My whole world has been turned topsy-turvy, so I don't think success is the right word... Nothing about it makes sense. The fact is, I don't believe in magic.

Cortez:

The sun doesn't need you to believe in it to rise in the morning, senorita. You have seen the truth with your own two eyes. I can do nothing more to convince you. It is up to you, now.

April:

Well, do I have a choice? I have to believe at least some of it. My life wouldn't make much sense otherwise.

Cortez:

You are a true skeptic, April. Esta bien... we need your kind to balance the hopeless romantics like myself.

April:

What happens now?

Cortez:

The Minstrum told you about the Balance? About Stark, and Arcadia?

April:

A man named Tobias... he was called the Vestrum, I think. Vestrum Tobias.

Cortez:

Ah, so Tobias made Vestrum? Que bien. Good. I knew he would go far when I first met him, years ago. He was just an Istrum, then, a student of the Balance. But he was smart and resourceful. So you know what is going on with the Balance?

April:

Tobias told me that the...Guardian? That the Guardian was missing, and that the Balance was failing. He said this would bring chaos into both worlds.

Cortez:

As we're already seeing -- your dreams, your nightmares, they are a part of this. You sense Chaos more keenly than most others, but even they are beginning to notice that things are not as they should be. Like last night.

April:

What about last night?

Cortez:

What you saw...you were not alone this time, there were others, and they saw the same thing. Not nightmares anymore. Real. The first sign of the damage Chaos can do. The Divide is being breached. It is not yet time for the worlds to be united. A breach could prove catastrophical.

April:

Who are you really, Cortez?

Cortez:

Excuse me?

April:

People knew you, over there in Arcadia. Tobias -- he didn't know you by your real name, but he did know you. And Mr Westhouse, he knew you too, as Chavez. But several hundred years ago.

Cortez:

Ah. So my secrets are being revealed, are they?

April:

I wouldn't say that, because you're still a mystery to me. More so.

Cortez:

Good. You see, senorita, mystery is important. To know everything, to know the whole truth, is dull. There is no magic in that. Magic is not knowing, magic is wondering about what and how and where.

April:

I'd settle for the truth, just to be able to know you. Because honestly -- and I don't mean this in a bad way -- you scare me, Cortez. I'm afraid of you.

Cortez:

And you're not the only one, mi Amiga. I'm sorry, but whatever it is about me that mystifies you, it will have to stay a secret. There are...there are things even you should not know.

April:

Gee, thanks. That really helped.

Cortez:

Perdoname. Perhaps later, when we are certain of what the future holds? Si, I think I can promise you that, senorita Ryan. But for now, we must speak of more important matters.

April:

You helped me back, didn't you?

Cortez:

To Shift? Si. The power is yours, yes? But for now, you need me to focus your powers, to call forth the dreams.

April:

Dreams?

Cortez:

Yes. To travel from one world to the next, you must pass through the world of dreams. It's the only way. You are capable of opening a Shift on your own, but you might not be able to.

April:

What do you mean?

Cortez:

The power -- the magic -- is within you. And when you sleep, sometimes you open the portal without even being aware of it. But when you're awake, it's more difficult. With practise, you will do it.

April:

I don't think I want to do it.

Cortez:

You must. The worlds depend on it.

April:

So what do I do?

Cortez:

We must work together, April. I can't do it alone, and neither can you.

April:

But what exactly is it that we have to do?

Cortez:

Four things. We must find the lost Guardian. We must locate the gateway to his realm, and the disc that is the key to his tower. And we must do what we can to curtail, and defeat, the Vanguard.

April:

How are we going to find the Guardian?

Cortez:

The moment he surrendered his throne and left his realm, he stepped back into our world. This world. Stark. This is where he was born, and so this is where he must return to.

April:

But he could be anywhere, right?

Cortez:

This city has power, April. Not magic, but the opposite of magic. And it draws people to it like flies to an open fire. All the pieces of the puzzle come together here. You, me, the Vanguard, the Guardian. I can gaurantee you that he's here. But where, exactly, I don't know. I think maybe the Vanguard do. I think they may have him.

April:

If they have him, how are we going to get him back? And why do they need him? Wy do we need him?

Cortez:

He left his realm. but he's the last Guardian, and only he can open the doorway back to his realm to let his successor through. The Vanguard knows this, but what they don't know -- yet -- is how to get there.

April:

Who'd know about the gateway to the Guardian's realm?

Cortez:

That I do not know. That knowledge wouldn't be here, in Stark. You must go to Arcadia, study the books, talk with the Minstrumm, and others who might know. But not yet. First, we must finish our mission here.

April:

Where is the key to the Guardian's realm?

Cortez:

In Arcadia. The key contains two parts. One is the disc itself, the other is the four jewels -- the Eyes of the Dragons -- that gives the disc the properties of the Balance, and makes it complete.

April:

Where is the disc?

Cortez:

The disc was left in the care of the Sentinel, ten thousand years ago. In the beginning, it was kept in the open, displayed for all to see. But not anymore, not since thieves tried to make away with it. They will know where it is. Ask Tobias... Vestrum Tobias.

April:

Where are the four jewels?

Cortez:

Ah, the Eyes of the Dragons... They are kept by the four Dragons themselves, two in Arcadia, and two in Stark. The White Dragon has one, as does the Old One. These you must find yourself. I'll help you with the others.

April:

How do we defeat the Vanguard?

Cortez:

The Vanguard are strong here, and growing stronger. Even in Arcadia, they're gaining a foothold, and with the Tyren on a leash... The future looks quite bleak.

April:

How do you know so much what's going on in Arcadia?

Cortez:

Voices whisper in my ear, senorita. Voices that I trust.

April:

You're saying the Vanguard are strong here... How come I haven't heard about them?

Cortez:

They don't go by that name here. Did you ever hear of the CHurch of Voltec?

April:

Sure. They're ... oh. That's the Vanguard?

Cortez:

Si.

April:

Then they are big. Very big. But why do they...why assume a different name here?

Cortez:

In Arcadia, they flaunt their philosophy. They preach the destruction of the Balance under the pretense of returning humankind to the "glories of the past". Here, they cannot do that. So they have integrated themselves slowly but surely into society under the subterfuge of New Age religion. And they've built a financial empire to match governments.

April:

They have that much money?

Cortez:

The Vanguard own multinational companies. They own planets, April. They own armies. All they need is the Balance and they will own everything. The twin worlds will be at their mercy.

April:

So we basically don't stand a chance, do we? Against an enemy like that?

Cortez:

If we hold at bay the forces of Chaos, and if we ensure the natural continuation of the Guardian's role within the Balance, then they will have lost.

April:

How are we supposed to fight this Chaos you keep talking about?

Cortez:

You're the key, April. You have the power to Shift, yes, but there's more to you than that. You are a child of the Balance, and you...no, that will have to wait... By just being alive, you counter Chaos. Without you, last night might have turned out much worse. That tiny breach might have been permanent.

April:

I didn't do anything.

Cortez:

Then imagine the power you wield when you really do something. Trust me on this, Amiga. It's instinctive to you, to fight Chaos. You see it so clearly, and you will know what to do. You're most needed in Arcadia, where Chaos is a part of reality. The tidal wave will hit there first, and unless it's subdued before it hits Stark full force, we'll never stand a chance.

April:

Okay, so that's it? Kick some Vanguard ass, find the Guardian, locate the entrance to his realm and a ten-thousand year old disc and four dragon eye jewels...and, oh, April -- make sure you do battle with the physical manifestation of Chaos along the way, because, hey, that's your destiny. It's impossible, Cortez. I can't do these things. I'm eighteen. I'm an artist...no, not even that. I'm nobody. You can't place all these responsibilities on my shoulders. I can't carry that much.

Cortez:

I will help you, April. Others, too. You're not alone.

April:

Well, I feel very alone. And I can't even tell anybody about this. Yeah, hi, how are you, I'm the chosen one, can you help me save the world from evil and chaos?

Cortez:

There is no "chosen one", April. There are only those who would, and those who wouldn't. You have a choice between the two.

April:

You said I had powers, that I wasn't like everybody else.

Cortez:

True, but you still have a choice. Prophecies can never unravel the will of a single human. You are one of many possible paths. But, unfortunately, most of the alternative paths have been blocked by...circumstances beyond our control. The world does depend on you. But you have not been "chosen". You choose for yourself what you are and what you will be.

April:

What happens if I choose "no, no way"?

Cortez:

I'm not a fortune teller, nor am I a Venar. What will happen? Something else. That's all I can tell you. Something else. But I'm sure it won't be anything good, not unless your agree to help.

April:

But I can't do it! I'm not who you think I am. I'm not your savior, I don't have any magic powers, I'm just this girl. I'm just...me.

Cortez:

The choice is yours, April. As always, the choice is yours.

April:

It's not much of a choice, is it?

Cortez:

For what it's worth...perhaps not. Still, you need to come to the decision on your own.

April:

Then the choice will have to be "yes, let's save the world". Where do we start?

Cortez:

Here. In Newport. We must find out about the Vanguard. Their headquarters are in this ctity, but where? Do they have the Guardian under lock and key? What are their weaknesses? Once we've done that, you must travel to Arcadia -- I cannot go there, and besides, I have things to take care of here.

April:

Right. Except...where the hell do I go to find out about the Vanguard? The library? The net?

Cortez:

Valuable information is hard to find. Remember the painting I showed you yestrday?

April:

Sure.

Cortez:

The artist, a boy named Warren -- I told you about him, yes? Warren is involved in a lot of activities that, uhm, aren't exactly legal. He has connections. He can point us in the right direction.

April:

All right. Okay. Where do I find him?

Cortez:

My friend, Father Raul, at the Hope Street Cathedral...he's had some contact with the boy lately. Ask him.

April:

Wait -- did you say Hope Street?

Cortez:

Yes.

April:

As in the most dangerous neighbourhood in Newport?

Cortez:

Is it? I don't usually follow the civic affairs of this city. I remember Hope Street when they first built it. A clean neighbourhood.

April:

That must have been a very long time ago.

Cortez:

Still, I'm sure you'll be safe. You're a girl, no? A self-respecting gentelman would never harm a girl.

April:

It's the "self-respecting gentleman" part I'm concerned about. Still...I can handle myself. Father Raul, was it? At the Hope Street cathedral?

Cortez:

Yes. He will lead you in the right direction, help you find Warren Hughes. When you're done tomorrow, we will meet up at the cathedral, late in the afternoon. I need to speak with Raul as well.

April:

Okay. Good. It's a plan, then?

Cortez:

Enjoy yourself tonight, April. Who knows what the future may hold? Good night.

April:

Pulling long hours today, Charlie?

Charlie:

Unfortunately, yeah. Are you staying for the show tonight?

April:

What show?

Charlie:

You don't know who's playing?

April:

I've had a -- few other things on my mind these few days, Charlie...sorry. Anybody good?

Charlie:

Anybody good? Are you kidding? Royn Dale's playing! It's the first gig on their new tour...sort of returning to their roots before they do the big venues.

April:

Tonight? Great! That's perfect, especially tonight. I need some serious unwinding.

Charlie:

Yeah? What's up?

Charlie:

Haven't seen her. But she knows about the show, so she'll be here.

April:

When does the concert start?

Charlie:

In less than an hour. I expect the place to be crowded soon, so you should find yourself a spot to sit down.

April:

Thanks, Charlie.

Charlie:

No problem. Later.

Emma:

So where have you been all day? You didn't show up at school, and then Fiona tells me you're out looking for Cortez -- again! And on top of that, Zack brags about bagging a date with you. What's up with that?

April:

Oh shit -- Zack! I totally forgot. He's gonna kill me...if I don't show up. That is.

Emma:

You mean it's true? You have a date with that asshole? I told him he was full of shit.

April:

I needed some information.

Emma:

And you sell yourself to get it? April, you're insane. Well, you're just going to have to disappoint him.

April:

You're right, I'm staying here.

Emma:

Good girl. Now, there are a couple of guys you should keep an eye open for tonight.

April:

Me?

Emma:

I have a boyfriend. You need a boyfriend. You need a boyfriend, because I have one, and I need somebody to compare boyfriends with. It's not your choice to make, girl. It's just the natural order of things.

April:

I thought we were there to listen to the band.

Emma:

Sure. From the back. So we can scope out guys' asses.

April:

I don't know which place is weirder, Marcuria or the Fringe Cafe on any given night.

Emma:

Mar-what?

April:

(shaking her head) Never mind. So, okay, which guys are we looking for?

Emma:

Right. Now you may want to take notes ...

April:

I made a promise.

Emma:

To that sleazebag? That's a promise made to be broken.

April:

A promise is a promise. I have to go.

Emma:

Commendable, but incredibly misguided. He's only after one thing, you know, and that's sex.

April:

He can forget about that. I'll go, but I'll only be staying an hour -- I'll tell him I'm tired, or sick.

Emma:

Knowing Zack, he'll take that as an invitation to your bed. But I guess you've made up your mind. Go, have a good time. And good luck. You'll need it.