“A man’s torso?” asked Leonis dubiously.
Scorio set the fork down and touched a finger to each corner of his mouth. “Imagine if my mouth didn’t end here but continued in a wide arc down my chest all the way to my hips. And all of that opened to reveal a massive maw. That’s this huge worm’s head, with the man’s face forming the very tip of its… nose? I don’t know. Add with a huge tongue lolling out from its massive chest-mouth. This thing swims underground, somehow, and just erupts out of cracks and holes or makes its own to swallow prey whole.”
“How about another drink?” asked Lianshi, raising the pitcher of dawn apple juice.
“No, I’m sorry, I’m fine.” Scorio slumped. “I was just on fire with determination to get there, you know? Show Naomi that it could be done. But everywhere I look, a new obstacle appears.” He picked up his fork and examined the chunk of steak again. “I really want access to that old Academy.”
“Well,” said Leonis, glancing at Lianshi as if to make sure she was ready. “We might be able to get you access to the new one instead.”
Scorio sat up. “You can?”
Lianshi grinned, clearly relieved to be finally discussing this. “Yes. Maybe. I mean, I know we can, but it’s still only a theoretical possibility. Leonis, tell him.”
Leonis leaned over his plate, grinning like a bear. “So we’ve been pretty busy while you were out there exploring your ruins. There are archives and—what do you call private libraries?”
“Private libraries,” said Lianshi.
“Right. There are private libraries that are off-limits to us. So I pretended to knock Lianshi out during a practice bout—”
“You pretty much did,” she grumbled.
“Oh, you were fine. And she was taken to the infirmary where the physician dosed her with tomb wort and a Thousand Step pill—”
Lianshi smiled and stretched like a cat. “Very nice, by the way.”
Leonis paused to regard her. “Can’t believe Emelos gave you one of those.”
Lianshi stuck her tongue out at him. “You should try making friends some time.”
“You’re friends with Emelos?”
She relaxed contentedly, obviously pleased with herself. “Let’s just say he’d very much like to be friends with me.”
“The point being,” said Leonis loudly, “that she was left alone in the infirmary long enough to make a copy of Emelos’s key.”
Which Lianshi pulled out of her pocket. It was crudely shaped and a dark ebon in color.
“That will get us access to the basilica?” asked Scorio. “And how did you make a copy?”
Lianshi considered the key with a critical frown. “I made a clay mold, then filled it with Coal mana and compressed it. Not the best job, but it worked.” She paused as her eyes flicked up to him. “Oh. You’ve not learned how to do that yet. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to boast.”
Scorio stifled his envy. “No, of course. I… I didn’t even know that was possible. You can solidify mana?”
“Everyone can,” she said. “It’s in effect how Great Souls summon weapons like Hell Whip does hers. Or armor, or any other technique. But at our level, as Cinders, we can simply direct and shape mana into a very rough—and very small—shape, and then with some effort lock it into place.”
“The point is,” said Leonis, “we used the key to get access to a private library, and there—after evading much danger and risking our lives—”
“It wasn’t that dangerous,” said Lianshi flatly.
“—and after risking our lives,” continued Leonis even more loudly, “we found some old maps of the Academy.”
“Maps,” said Scorio. “So you now know how to get to the basilica.”
“We now know where a secret passage exits onto a balcony on the basilica’s third level,” said Leonis, sitting back with great satisfaction.
“Oh,” said Scorio. “That’s good.”
“Right?” Leonis crossed his arms over his barrel chest. “So now we just need to smuggle you into the Academy proper, access the secret tunnel, and then avoid notice as you find your locker and open it.”
Lianshi smiled tentatively. “What do you think? A working plan?”
Scorio grinned. “Thank you. Yes. I couldn’t have asked for better. But how do I get in?”
“That’s easy,” said Leonis nonchalantly. “All sorts of people enter the Academy every day to operate it. Cleaners, cooks, servants, porters, you name it. I’ll put in a request for a special delivery of—I don’t know, dawn apple juice—and give you the permission chit so that you can deliver it.”
“You can put in special requests?” asked Scorio. “Must be nice.”
“It is,” said Leonis, expression turning rueful. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’d probably be using the same system if I was in your place. So how soon can we do it?”
Lianshi’s smile was that of a particularly contented cat. “How soon can you deliver the dawn apple juice?” And she flipped a golden oct with a crimson symbol onto the table.
Scorio’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s the special request chit?”
“You think we’re going to waste any time?” Leonis’s eyes gleamed with pride and pleasure. “You dare keep a Great Soul thirsty?”
Scorio laughed and took up the chit. It was like Madam Voras’s, but heavier, somehow more imposing. “I’ll bring a pitcher immediately.”
“You’ll need to wear a hood,” said Lianshi. “Most people only caught a glimpse of you on the first day as you were led out, but we can’t take risks.”
“Agreed,” said Scorio. “Can we do this now?”
“We should wait till the night cycle.” Lianshi’s expression turned serious, almost uncertain. “I don’t know how busy the basilica is, but the odds are it’ll be quieter at night.”
“Night cycle, sure.” Scorio flipped the chit into the air and then caught it. “Where do I go?”
“You’ll want to avoid the main entrance,” said Leonis. “Come in through one of the servant arches on the southern flank. Ask around for the blue kitchen entrance. It’s where private requests are delivered, no bulk drop-offs. Then ask for directions to our quarters. We’re suite three off the Hall of Golden Reflection.”
“Suite three, Hall of Golden Reflection. Got it. Will, ah, anyone challenge me?”
Leonis shrugged one massive shoulder. “If they do, just show them the chit, claim to work from a reputable vendor, and say the order was delivered this morning. Nobody should care to challenge you further.”
“Make sure it really is dawn apple juice,” said Lianshi. “Just in case.”
“Got it.”
Lianshi put a bun to her lips. “And deliver it at Second Clay. Might be too unusual to make a delivery after dusk.”
“Makes sense.” Scorio felt as if he were trapped in a state of permanent inhalation. “I can’t believe this actually happening. Thank you.”
“Pah, don’t think anything of it,” said Leonis, waving a hand lazily though he was obviously pleased. “You’d do the same for us.”
“I would,” said Scorio firmly. “Absolutely.”
“Oh! Scorio!” Lianshi’s eyes widened as she reached down to her side pouch. “I brought something for you!” And she drew out a tiny, parchment-wrapped gift tied up with red string.
“For me?” Scorio blinked. “I—thank you, but you didn’t have to—”
“Oh, just take it,” said Leonis. “Because she’s going to insist it’s nothing, you’re going to refuse further, and we’ll be here for another ten days before you’ll accept it.”
“Fine,” said Scorio, taking the small bundle. “What is it?”
“Open it up!” Lianshi shoved the rest of the bun into her mouth and clapped her hands excitedly just beneath her chin. “I shaved it afchur I won—” She paused to chew fiercely.
Scorio untied the simple knot. The parchment unfolded to reveal a large, jade-green pill.
“It’s a Sublime Purification pill,” Lianshi said, forcing the last of the bun down with a muscular swallow. “I won it after I—doesn’t matter. But I got to pick from a selection of Minor Augmentation prizes, and I saved this one for you.”