“Oh?”
“He can be frustrating to teach,” Rufus said. “He’s driven, but whenever I see an opportunity to teach him a lesson, he just figures it out and explains it back to me, like he'd learnt it all before.”
“How do you think he manages that?”
“I advise strongly against ever asking him to explain. Something about an old man making a boy put wax on a carriage, then take it off again, because people were mean to him at his school. I think Jason’s world must be a very strange place.”
“Sounds rather intriguing,” she said.
“Then feel free to ask him about it,” Rufus said. “Just do it when I’m somewhere else.”
Danielle laughed.
“When will he find his way into the mirage chamber?” she asked.
“Sooner, rather than later. I want him to use a martial arts skill book first. I’ve been holding that off to prepare him as best I can, but he’ll need at least a few weeks to consolidate before his field assessment. So, in a few days, most likely. In the meantime, do you need me to keep coming for Humphrey?”
“No, our family has trainers enough with the stomach for it,” Danielle said. “When you bring Jason by, we can have them spar a little.”
“I will,” Rufus said. “But first, I need to have a talk with my father.”
49
A Voice From Home
The Adventure Society offered a limited, if valuable, array of services. The Magic Society, by contrast, provided all manner of magical amenities to anyone with the money to pay for them. The main lobby of the Magic Society services building was quite large, with many comfortable chairs. Those who could afford their services were accustomed to luxury.
An elven man in expensive clothes approached. Rufus noted his brooch in the shape of hand inside a circle, the Magic Society emblem.
“Lord Remore,” the man said. “Such a pleasure. I’m Pochard Finn, deputy director of the Magic Society here in Greenstone.”
Rufus stood up and shook his hand.
“It’s just Mr Remore,” Rufus said. “One of my ancestors made rather a point about refusing title, and it’s become something of a family stance.”
“Very principled, I'm sure,” Pochard said. “Please, allow me to be your guide to our humble branch. Not as magnificent as what you are used to, I'm sure.”
“I wouldn’t want to trouble you,” Rufus said.
“No trouble at all,” Pochard said. “If the director were not indisposed off-campus, I have no doubt he would greet you himself. He certainly wouldn’t want you waiting out here with the ordinary people. Title or not, I can comfortably assert that you are far from an ordinary visitor.”
“I’m just here to use a communications channel,” Rufus said. “I wouldn’t want to miss my father because I was socialising.”
“Your father,” Pochard said. “Will he be visiting our fair city?”
“He will not,” Rufus said firmly.
“A shame,” Pochard said. “At least allow me to guide you to our speaking chambers.”
“Very well,” Rufus said. “Lead on.”
The speaking chambers were accessed from a long hallway, where a series of doors led into each chamber. Pochard showed no hesitation in explaining how excellent they were.
“A man of your background is naturally familiar with speaking chambers,” Pochard said, “but were you aware the very best chambers are constructed from watergreen marble? We may just be a remote branch, but our speaking chambers are a point of pride.”
“Watergreen marble?” Rufus asked.
“Watergreen marble is one of the higher-grade stones quarried right here in the Greenstone region. It has a strong water affinity, which makes for an excellent connection.”
Rufus thought that Pochard was just talking up his facility, but when he stepped into his assigned speaking chamber, it really was grander than he had anticipated. It was larger than others he'd seen, although the layout was normal. Half the room was covered in a pool of water, the dry half with a low, circular platform to stand on. Rather than the usual surfaces, the floor was covered in blue and green tiles, the marble walls had lush plants set into alcoves, while the roof was a colourful mosaic in shades of green and blue. The light in the room was shimmering blue-green, the source of the light located under the water pool. The air was moist, but fresh and pleasant, with the scent of the sea. Walking into the room felt like stepping onto the ocean floor.
“Mr Pochard,” Rufus said, “I must confess, I didn't give much credence to your claims about your speaking chambers. Consider this my apology for doubting your words.”
“Gratifying to hear, Mr Remore. I will leave you to your call.”
Rufus turned and shook Pochard’s hand before the elf departed.
“Thank you,” he said with a smile.
Pochard left, closing the door to the chamber behind him. Rufus stood on the circular platform on the floor and waited, enjoying the pleasant atmosphere. He’d spent enough time in plain, cramped, humid speaking chambers to genuinely appreciate the difference.
Finally, the pool of water stirred, indicating the connection was being made. The light coming through the pool started wildly shimmering. The water rose up from the pool, surging into the shape of Rufus’s father. Colour appeared in the water as if someone had tipped dyes into it, fleshing out the image to a rather excellent facsimile of his father’s features.
Pochard hadn’t been overstating the quality of the connection. The image of Rufus’s father, Gabriel Remore, was startlingly lifelike. When the image shifted from water statue to animation, it replicated his expressions and body language with amazing accuracy.
“Son,” the water representation of Gabriel said. “Good to see you.”
“Father,” Rufus said.
“I know that tone,” Gabriel said. “What did I do?”
“You’ve been spying on me.”
“Of course I have,” Gabriel said. “You almost died out there on some nothing contract.”
“Which you only knew about because you were spying on me!”
“It wasn’t spying,” Gabriel said. “I was only having a few updates sent back. Then you almost got yourself killed and I started spying. I’m surprised Danielle told you.”
“She didn’t tell me,” Rufus said. “I figured it out.”
“Son, if that woman doesn’t want you to know something, you’ll be as ignorant as a newborn babe. If you figured it out, it’s because she led you to water. You only think it was your idea to drink.”
“Well, you need to stop.”
“Of course, son.”
“Did you just lie to me?”
“Of course, son.”
Rufus let out a weary groan.
“So,” Gabriel said. “Tell me about this outworlder of yours.”
“He’s a bit odd,” Rufus said.
“They’re all odd,” Gabriel said. “What’s he actually like?”
“Do you remember the first time you told me about outworlders?”
“Hmmm. Wasn’t it when we had that one stay with us at the academy? The pretty one that you—”
“I remember the one, Dad.”
Gabriel’s water image let out a gleeful chuckle.
“This is a good connection,” Gabriel said. “I can see you scowling.”
“Dad, do you remember when you told me there were two kinds of outworlders?”
“I do,” Gabriel said. “The ones that die immediately, and the ones that survive and thrive.”
“Jason is definitely the die immediately type,” Rufus said, “but he survives and thrives anyway.”
“That is odd,” Gabriel said. “Sounds like trouble.”
“Are you telling me to back off?” Rufus asked. “Because I won’t.”
“Of course you won’t,” Gabriel said. “Heading for trouble is the whole point of being an adventurer. Otherwise, what’s all the training for?”
“Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that,” Rufus said. “I have a proposal for the academy.”