By: Bryant R. Haake, Honors College, Presidential Honors Student, English Major
Georgiana and Crimson were beginning to feel like the angel and devil on Jacob’s shoulders, not only for moral decisions, but also for his split thoughts.
“You’re related to Dr. Cleary?” Georgiana asked with some dismay.
At the same time, Crimson redundantly asked, “Your name is Quirin? HA! What a woeful name. And followed by Ishmael? Your parents really were that basic, weren’t they, aye?”
Jacob himself said nothing, but tried to force himself to focus on the first question. Seraph was related to the man he was taking them to see? He hadn’t seemed terribly enthusiastic about doing so. A bad relationship perhaps?
Georgiana had a look on her face Jacob knew well, since he’d had the same face many times in the past weeks since Brokenbeaux and coming to know Ren. Georgiana met his gaze and he nodded in sympathy to the long talking-to he was sure she was getting, if Pep was anything like Ren of course.
Seraph groaned, “Ballena, we talked about this!”
“Oh, stop your complaining, Mr. Prodigy. I know your love for theatrics, and you were just going to reveal your name all grand-like either when you got to Abe’s house, or when you took them to see Dr. Cleary. That is where you’re taking them, right?”
She didn’t sound like she was asking.
Seraph sighed. “Yes yes, I’m taking them to see that disgrace of a great, great, many more greats grandfather. Can we go do so now?”
Ballena grinned. “Nope, not until I accompany you all to Abe’s house. You really need to pay your father more visits.”
“I was already planning on it while they were in their meeting with my grandfather,” Seraph—Quirin—mumbled under his breath. Then more loudly, “Fine Ballena. We will follow your lead. I do not believe we have the option either way, do we?”
“The city has been quiet recently, so no, you don’t have the option. I’m bored and seeing you talk with Abe will be all the entertainment I need.”
Quirin dropped his head, sliding into a hand before picking himself back up. “Alrighty then, let’s get going.”
Quirin turned back around and marched the horse through the waiting gate. As the cart passed between the large stone walls, the city revealed itself. Jacob and Georgiana both sucked in a surprised breath. Never before had either of them seen something so grand.
The city spread out before them like a coral reef, the smaller building up front dwarfed by the wonderful architecture ahead. The entire city was positioned on a hill so that the further in you went, the larger the buildings would seem, and you could still see the larger building from the entrance.
Each of the smaller buildings around them seemed to mostly be single-floor shops and homes, each completed with a flat slanted roof for keeping the rain off. They were carved from the white and grey stones outside the walls, but had been polished and kept well-enough that they looked to be sculpted from marble. The second layer was much like the first, only with some second- and even third-storied buildings mixed in for good measure. That is where they stopped, but not nearly where Jacob’s amazement ended.
The next layer of the city was composed of differently-shaped buildings. Jacob had seen temples before, but none like what they had. Even from this distance, he could see a fish with the head of a horse—a hippocampus—sculpted from real marble sitting at the peak of an open-aired temple, pegging it as a temple to the Old Man of the Sea, Nereus, god of treasure. He saw Georgiana staring intently at the inside of said temple to where a large collection of books, scrolls, and other writings of all shapes and sizes were displayed upon shelved, plaques, and pedestals.
The final building, beyond even the temples, stood at the apex of the hill in the direct middle of the city. It was a tall, fat, circular building with many windows and small additions added to the sides, some of which were even haphazardly hanging from the building off the ground. At the very top was a tower with a single room and a single window. The tower was formed at the base from the same marble and other white stones as the rest of the building, but faded towards the top into a black stone, giving the impression the tower had been burnt in some way.
Quirin climbed down off the horse and respectfully moved to offer his hand to Ballena, who had already jumped down from her own horse. They’d lost their guard entourage at the gate, dismissed by a wave of Ballena’s hand, but true to her word she stayed with them. Two of the guards had, at Quirin’s approval, taken their prisoners and given Quirin a small paper—a waiver for their bounty.
Ballena walked over to the door of a smaller building, slightly less clean than the others though still pristine compared to most other buildings Jacob had seen in his lifetime. This one was made from the same stone as the others, but had a dark wooden roof as opposed to a stone slab. A sign hung above the door frame: Abe’s Abnormal Automations. Before Quirin could say anything, Ballena rapped her knuckles on the doorframe, the noise echoing through the streets. Some people glanced over, but none interrupted. A few did give dirty looks however, though they seemed to be looking at the sign rather than Ballena or the rest of them.
There was some rustling behind the door as she finished knocking, then a few bangs and finally a loud CRASH before the door opened to reveal a man. Jacob understood the dirty looks immediately. All the people on this street were dressed to the nines, stood straight, and carried themselves like royalty. This man was dressed in grey overalls and nothing more. Grease smudged his skin and his hair was slicked to the side with what looked like old oil. Steam rose from the black liquid as it touched the outside air.
“Ballena hi it is so good to see you and you’ve brought friends wonderful and my son oh Quirin come’ere!”
The man pulled Quiring into a bearhug, the large muscles on his arms and exposed chest gleaming with sweat. When he pulled back there was a dark stain on Quirin’s cloak.
“Ope sorry about that son why don’t you all come in and I can fix that fer you real nice and quick I’m pretty sure I’ve got some tea or coffee brewing that you all can partake in while you wait and then we can get to chatting catch up a bit!”
Jacob tried in vain to follow what the fast talking man said, only catching the gist of his meaning. Georgiana and Crimson seemed to be having an equally difficult time keeping up with him.
Quiring smoothed out his close, the mask not betraying any emotion. “Dad, this is a group I am assisting currently, Miss Georgiana, Miss Captain Crimson, and Mister Jacob. All of you, I would like you to meet my father, Abraham Cleary.”
“Abe will work just fine fer you all now I make machines and drink coffee and love when my son visits and that’s about all you need to know.”
“We still haven’t gone over your familial connection to Dr. Cleary, Quirin,” Georgiana pointed out.
Abe interrupted, “Oh that’s nothing really I mean the doctor is so old I don’t think there’s a soul alive who remembers his birth he just runs the academy now and we have nothing to do with him and that’s how I like it right Quirin?”
“Correct father,” Quirin admitted. “I have met the man before, and I’ve even done some work for him, but I hate every second I spend in his presence. Or, his voice at least. Saying I’ve met him is like saying I’ve met a penpal. I’ve spoken to him, yes, but no one sees him.”
“Ever,” Ballena, Abe, and Quirin all repeated at the same time, sending chills down Jacob’s spine.
I’ve met him, and I was alive for his birth some few centuries ago, Ren noted.
Jacob backed away from the group for a moment, talking under his breath as the rest of them chatted. “How is he that old though? I thought you said he was a mortal.”
He is, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to prolong your lifespan, Jacobson. You’ll find out soon enough.
Ren went silent, frustrating Jacob but also allowing him to return to the group where Georgiana was asking questions.
“So Mister Abe–”
“Just Abe is fine dear.”
“Okay, Abe. What exactly do you do around here? This place is amazing, like an alchemical lab, but for metal and things.”
For the first time Jacob actually took a moment to glance around the inside of the building. They were in the front part of what looked like a combination workshop and hardware store. Bits of metal and small contraptions were set up along the walls, resting on shelves like figurines or small statues. Under each contraption was a wooden plaque carved and painted with a description of the item. Some of those descriptions required more than a single plaque.
“Ah, are you interested in the field of mechanics, little miss… sorry, what was your name again? Were you Miss Captain Crimson?” He talked in a methodical manner with this change in subject, almost like he was carefully choosing every word so as to not screw up a definition or description.
“I am Georgiana, sir.”
“Ah, Georgiana, such a pretty name, miss. I create machines here, some big, some small, but all useful. This one here, see?” He grabbed a random device from the shelf without looking. It was like a thick mirror with slits all the way down its square frame. “Pour a little bit of water into this slit at the top here, and it’ll begin blowing hot air from these fans here. The mirror is so you can see what you’re doing, because it’s meant to dry your hair faster! Incredible, isn’t it?”
Georgiana smiled politely as Jacob laughed quietly. Her hair had been done in a way where water bounced off it as if made from duck feathers.
“Yessir, that is quite amazing.”
“Aye, it’s incredible,” Crimson said with what sounded like real interest. “How much is it?”
“This little contraption is fairly cheap. It’ll cost you only three sharks.”
“Three sharks?” Jacob exclaimed. “That’s like half a year of honest wages! Who buys from you?”
“Oh, mostly the upper-class folk who want things to make their lives easier. I’ve actually sold some items to the academy folk, some trust-fund babies who wanted something to help them study a bit better or provide light during late hours.”
Jacob nodded along, but remained distracted by a different device. He couldn’t read well, but the plaque had a few key words he knew.
“Abe, what’s this one for?”
Abe turned and beamed at him. “Ah, that one’s fer our construction workers, though if you have a different use I’d be glad to sell it to you. All you’ve got to do is load some rope in there, and by adjusting this little dial and adding some water into this little slit, it can release or pull the rope.”
“How fast can it do that?”
“Faster than any human, that’s for sure,” Abe nodded. “Yep, that’s for sure. I can’t give you an exact number though. I don’t really have ways of testing it. The construction workers use it to latch onto their larger projects and work on them that way. Though I did once sell one to a mountain climber who–”
“How much does it go for?”
“Oh well, it’s a piece of sturdy equipment with a great use, so I don’t think I could part with it for any less than two whales, but that’s more than a fair price for something like this.”
Jacob nodded, feeling a pit in his stomach. Even with their captured ship, he didn’t think they had enough money to buy this without going broke in the process. That idea would have to wait.
“Okay, well this has been fun and I’ll be back later,” Quirin said, “but I’ve got to take these folk to see grandfather, so–”
“Oh but why would you want to do that you hate that old man and everything about that academy why would you willingly subject yourself to something like that, Quirin?”
“I’ve my own reasons for going, father, but I can’t tell you. It might put you in danger.”
Crimson’s head shot up from examining the mirror. “Now wait a second there, angeldust. You never said anything about danger–”
“I specifically told you I wouldn’t wish an interaction with him on my worst enemy. That may not have directly meant danger to you, but I assure you he is unpredictable and I cannot promise your safety in going. I did much thinking last night, and I still must go even if you three choose to back down. If that is so, then I wish you all a fond farewell.”
“Now, we didn’t say that,” Crimson argued with a grin. “I love danger, and these two need a bit more of it. Danger is one of life’s best teachers, and I need my crew taught by the best.”
“We’re still not your–”
Georgiana lightly jabbed Jacob in the side before he could protest more.
Abe nodded along with the conversation before pulling Quirin into one last bearhug.
“If you’re truly going to do this, son, may I at least see your face? You said yourself that grandfather is unpredictable at best. I…” Abe hesitated, his grip loosening for a moment before doubling in strength. “I must admit, I am too cowardly to face him. Getting on that man’s bad side has never been good for our family. I am proud of you for doing so, but even still, I’d like to see your face… just in case.”
Quirin hesitated before returning the hug. When his father released him, he raised his hands to the back of his mask, still unhidden by his dropped hood. A few clicks and clasps later, and the mask fell, caught before it could reveal anything by Quirin’s careful and quick fingers.
“Oh, don’t be such a baby, Quirin,” Ballena teased. “If you take it off, I’ll give you a kiss.” She flashed a playful grin, her personality now completely changed from when she’d first introduced herself.
Quirin let the mask fall off and into his hands. His face was pale, though blush painted his cheeks red for the moment. He had dark eyes like a crow’s and a widow’s peak in his slick black hair. Jacob didn’t want to assume, but it seemed pretty obvious why he’d been hiding his face. The entire right side of his face was enveloped in some sort of black-and-purple burn, something akin to acid or fire, but not quite either.
Abe took his son’s face in his hands and looked for just a moment before nodding.
“I’m glad you’ve not gotten any worse.”
“I think the scar fits you,” Ballena said, skipping over and placing a quick kiss on the scarred cheek. “The way you got it was definitely a you moment, too.”
“We’re sure these two are just best friends?” Jacob whispered jokingly to Georgiana.
Georgiana stared back at him for a moment, an indecisive look in her eyes.
“No Jacob, I don’t think they’re just friends.”
Crimson snorted. “Dorks.”
Quirin gave his father one last hug before replacing his mask, earning a small frown from Ballena. He turned to the door and walked out, calling for the trio to follow.
Everyone followed him outside except Abe, who wrung his hands in anxiety before fast-walking back to his workshop area. Ballena moved past Jacob on her way out, giving him a slight smack on the back of the head and a grin before sidling up next to Quirin.
“What in–”
Jacobson, let me tell you something, Ren said with a sigh (he seemed to do that quite a lot). Out of all the mortals I have ever met, there have been none with thicker skulls than your own.
Jacob rolled his eyes. “Great to hear, Ren. I’ll keep that in mind.”
You are very welcome.
“Alright angeldust, spill it,” Crimson. “What’s this ulterior motive you have?”
“Nothing which concerns you three, Miss Captain Crimson,” Quirin said. “I merely need to have my own chat with the mad doctor after you have concluded your discussion. Before that however, I do have one last stop to make.”
“You’re going back?” Ballena asked. “Sweetie, you know you just hurt yourself every time you–”
“I know, Ballena, but it’s tradition.”
“Hmm. Well if that’s the case, I need to get a move-on. I’ve enjoyed this little traipse around the city with you all, and it has been a pleasure, but I’m afraid I am still the captain of the guard here. I must be off.” She turned to look directly at Quirin. “You behave yourself with your grandfather. You know what will happen if you…” Her voice caught in her throat. “Not only can I not bail you out again, but I’ll have to be the one to track you down this time.”
“Ballena, I know–”
“Promise me you’ll be good?”
“I… I promise, Ballena. Okay?”
Ballena nodded and, without another word, mounted her horse and rode off.
“What was that all about?” Georgiana asked. “Bail you out of what?”
“Nothing which concerns you, my dear,” Quirin said as he watched Ballena ride off. “My last stop is right inside the academy, so let’s get going.”
Jacob hesitated. There were too many secrets going about now, and he wasn’t sure he liked the sound of any of it. Still, Ren had said they needed to talk to Dr. Cleary, and he couldn’t see any reason why Quirin would want to betray them.
They all loaded back up into the cart and on their horses and began travelling further down the road. The further they went, the less people there were, and the more well-dressed everyone seemed. One lady walked from store to store with gold chains glinting at her throat, coming out of each store with more and more jewelry and clothing. A man followed behind her, back straight and each new item carried across an arm or in a large bag with dividers inside.
Another man stood outside of a carriage of sorts, relaxing in the heat before standing at attention as a man and young lady exited what seemed to be a restaurant of some sort. They were laughing merrily and paid no attention to the man as he opened the door for them. They got in and he ran around the front side, hopping on the back of a horse and commanding two others to move along.
They finally reached what Jacob had previously thought to be the large circular building. However, as they continued to ride inside without stopping to first get rid of the cart and horses, Jacob realized it wasn’t exactly a full building in its own right. There were doors to enter the wall, so he hadn’t been entirely wrong, but there were also more buildings inside.
Captain Vexx had taken Jacob on numerous expeditions to seaside cities. During one of these visits as a much younger child, he had been invited to play with the son of a mayor for a town Jacob didn’t remember the name of, the same one in which he’d visited the aquarium. In the boy’s room had been a stone shelf, upon which sat a glass bowl filled with crystal-clear water. The boy kept tropical fish in the bowl, small ones which could be easily tended to by their servants.
This building reminded him of that fish bowl. Stone buildings of all shapes, sizes, and even colors decorated the landscape inside. The polished streets were replaced by multicolored gravel paths which seemed to coordinate specific routes for the numerous students to take on their way to class. Off to the side there was a large arena of sorts, shaped like an amphitheater dug into the ground but with shorter stone walls to keep people off the stage.
The prize of the courtyard was a final building, the one he’d been able to see even from outside. It was a tower larger than anything he’d ever seen before. Contrary to what he’d been able to see before, the tower fully reached the floor, and was colored in a few different colors which faded nicely into one another before fading into that white, then topping it off with a burnt black-grey. It stood directly in the middle of the entire academy, at least a ten-minute walk from the wall.
Quirin cleared his throat. “Honored guests, welcome to my alma mater, the Cleary Academy. Don’t make yourselves at home, because we won’t be here long.”