Secret of the Sunstones, Part 1: The Wanton Kingdom

Chapter XVIII : Conspiracy

Midnight of Primoris, Second Day of Autumnmoon

Cedric’s grandfather clock struck midnight, sending thirteen reverberating bongs throughout the workshop and marking the end of a brutally mundane day.

Ever since returning from the Archives, the Craftsman worked nonstop in a mad rush to complete his schematics and catch up on lost time. At first, things moved quickly. His testy dispute with Rosa left him feeling relieved, like he finally had permission to close a contentious chapter in his life and could now turn the page without guilt or responsibility. His mind was focused, and he made great progress.

However, as the end of the day neared, his concentration waned. The more he reflected on the argument, the more he regretted his tact. The way he second-guessed Rosa’s reasons and pushed her into a corner, when he could have been patient and more reasonable.

Although, it wasn’t all his fault. Rosa might have denied Bram’s involvement, but if the Knight hadn’t told her about his mission, she would have never gone to the Archives in the first place. Cedric figured the stress of being a Gnostic had finally caught up to Bram. He had seen it many times. A man demonstrates excellence in battle, joins the Knights, and then realizes he needs to set aside his morals to do the king’s bidding. Cedric wouldn’t dare admit it openly, but he knew Richard was a ruthless ruler. Knights either learned to accept his questionable ethics, or got reassigned to positions where they could no longer infect others with their recalcitrance.

In time, Rosa would understand that Bram’s fate was by design, not anything she could remedy with more research. Cedric was willing to look the other way while she toiled in the Archives, but he hoped she would come to her senses, sooner or later. For her sake, of course.

Cedric shook his head. The way he thought of Rosa Reynolds was like a schoolboy with a crush. The sooner he ended it, the better. Even if he was destined to live his life alone. With a bit of willpower, he made a final push to the finish line. And with a few last-minute touches, he called his schematics done.

At last. He reviewed his paperwork, pleased with its style and elegance. It gave him great pride knowing that, starting tomorrow, Angkor’s artisans would follow his specifications and build the most sophisticated technological masterpiece the world had ever known.

He couldn’t stop now. With a bit more effort, he could hand-deliver the paperwork to the hangar, where his foreman would find it first thing in the morn. It might only save a few hours of overhead, but it was worth it. He didn’t want to waste a single moment. Despite his exhaustion, he wanted his design to progress as promptly as possible.

With that in mind, he extinguished his office lamps and grabbed the piece of luminess that Rosa had given him. It was nothing more than a simple light source, but a part of him treasured the gift. He rubbed its surface, admired its glow, and turned it in his hands. It was just a rock, and in a few weeks, the enchantment would fade, and the light would go out. But he couldn’t bear to throw it away. With a sigh, he placed it in his pocket and gave it a fond tap. After locking the doors, he headed into the night.

The cool air refreshed his senses, and he welcomed a break from the day’s intense heat. It was a long walk, all the way to Angkor’s underground barracks, but he figured he would benefit from the exercise. It felt good to let his mind wander and unwind. His foreman’s workspace was in the hangar, located at the bottommost level.

As he traveled, he thought about how he might celebrate his airship’s eventual completion. Perhaps he’d throw a large ball, like he did when he was younger. Thinking about it passed the time, and he reached the underground hangar feeling excited. Near the mouth of the cavern was a small room, carved out of the rock, filled with office furniture. He placed his paperwork on the main desk, where his foreman was sure to find it.

Feeling victorious, he sat down in a wooden chair to catch his breath. Twenty minutes of stairs and corridors sapped the last of his strength, and his knees ached. The return trip up the spiral stairwells would be even worse. But at least Phase Two was finally finished. Tomorrow, he could sleep in, stay home, and work on his model.

He almost dozed off when a crash in the back of the cavern startled him. It sounded like a tool or piece of building material had fallen. By instinct, he bolted upright and dashed into the shadows, out of sight. During the day, mirrors brought sunlight down from the surface, keeping the cavern fairly well lit; but at this hour, the chamber was mostly concealed by darkness. Deep in the cavern’s furthest recesses, Cedric caught the faint glow of a lantern swiveling back and forth. Someone appeared to be lurking near the Zounds prototype.

At first, he suspected one of Richard’s bean-counters was attempting to get their own assessment of the project. The mere thought made him furious. He detested administrators who tried to manage the project from the sidelines, and he wondered if he could sneak close enough catch the man or woman in the act. He had some harsh words he’d been saving for such an occasion.

As he approached, he caught sight of the man’s face: sharp features, blonde slicked-back hair … Cedric had seen him before. He was a newly appointed chancellor … Virgil Garvey. Then he remembered what Rosa told him. It was too strange of a coincidence to cross paths now, especially so close to his beloved prototype. Especially in the dead of night.

The chancellor glanced nervously over his shoulder, but he didn’t notice Cedric. The Craftsman stayed quiet and hidden. He slunk around some crates to get a better view. Toward the aft of the ship, Virgil veered into a recess between pallets of material. Cedric kept to the shadows, advancing slowly. A momentary ray, cast by Virgil’s lantern, shed light on a pile of broken glass on the ground. Cedric picked up a good-sized shard and used it as a mirror.

A deep and august voice rose from the shadows. Certainly, not Virgil’s. “It took you long enough.”

Cedric turned the piece of glass in his hand, hoping to get a clear view of the speaker. Unfortunately, Virgil stood in front of the man.

“I came as soon as I received your summons,” the chancellor responded. “You know I lack your skills in translocation. It took me forever to get here on foot.”

The first voice chuckled. “Be that as it may, I trust you found the trip worthwhile. Look before you. I assume it meets your requirements?”

Virgil looked up at the towering structure of the Zounds prototype. “Indeed. It’s perfect!”

Cedric felt his blood pressure rise. The design belonged to Richard, first and foremost. But until it was finished, no one had rights to it, except Cedric.

The voice behind Virgil continued. “I would like to commend your work in redirecting our friend. Mister Morrison and the Royal should reach the valley in the mountains of Ur by morn. He still thinks he’s on a mission to Kitezh, but once he reaches his true destination, he’ll be ours once again.”

Cedric was confused, wondering what these men had to do with Bram. He didn’t want to get caught up in Rosa’s theories, but it was difficult to explain what he was hearing. He swallowed to moisten the lump in his throat.

“Our plan with the Pisces Stone is progressing.” Virgil appeared to have changed topics. “Richard has taken to it quickly.”

Cedric strained to hear. Virgil might have been referring to the sunstone, but the Craftsman had never heard it called Pisces Stone before.

The deep voice responded, but pieces were muffled. “… Its powers are certainly as great as you claimed. However … Richard was not supposed … demonstrate its powers to ….”

Virgil spoke in a hushed voice. It was getting more difficult to understand. “Morrison … told his mistress … snooping around the Archives … should eliminate her.”

“See that you do,” the deep voice responded. “We can’t afford … find anything.”

Cedric froze. They were clearly talking about Rosa, and he couldn’t deny the threat on her life. Beads of sweat formed along his scalp and slowly rolled into his beard. He took easy, deliberate breaths to control his teeth from chattering.

“Is that it?” the deep voice asked.

Virgil spoke, but by now the words were nearly imperceptible. “… update you soon … Gemini Stone … Richard wants more time before … war with Kitezh ….”

Virgil stepped aside, and for the first time, Cedric got a good look at his accomplice. The lantern light revealed black armor and a hideous helm. Cedric’s heart sunk. It was a Gnostic Knight!

There was no more doubt. Richard had given his trust to insidious conspirators. Even worse, Rosa’s life appeared to be in danger. Cedric had to warn her right away. Taking a nervous step back, but failing to check the ground for debris, he stepped onto a piece of shattered glass.

The voice around the bend responded immediately. “What was that? Did you conceal our conversation from eavesdropping?”

“I thought you had already—”

Cedric did not wait around to hear the rest. He ran, fueled by adrenaline. By the time he reached the top of the Substratum, his legs were rubber bands. But he didn't dare stop. Forgetting all about his anger with Rosa, he stumbled toward the Archives to warn her.