Chapter 4: The Alchemide Elements
[07/16/3210]
Colt stood before a desk with his hat off. Behind that desk, a man dressed in a business suit wrote with a feathered quill pen. The desk sign read Ambassador Derold Winters. He was accompanied by his personal assistant, Helena Tonia, dressed in business attire holding paperwork in her arms. When he finished, he handed her the report and started a new one. Colt hoped to sit down on one of the chairs before him, instead, he had to wait for the ambassador to finish. A door opened and a young man wearing glasses peeked inside. “Ambassador, telegram from his Grace.”
“Bring it.” Derold said without looking while writing. Helena received the message as Colt placed his hand on the chair. “Did I offer you a seat?”
Colt stood straight as the young man left the office.
“Read Ms. Tonia.”
“Ambassador Winters, her Majesty Queen Mara of Miron and I have agreed to meet in Kalador to discuss the issue of the Earthworlder. I have been waiting for the representatives from the Bowery, but their ship is delayed. I fear it will be too late by the time they arrive.”
“Her Majesty is ready to declare war if she is not satisfied with my proposal to delay. I only hope the magic guild Solynia can provide some preliminary information as to what that spell was used on Berain Forest to ease her military’s irrational judgments. It is my hope I can convince her to conduct a joint investigation with us rather than declare war. However, her troops await us at the border. I have dispatched my troops to meet them at the front line.”
“For now, International Law is in full effect. Provide Detective Colt Maddox full co-operation with all protections of the victim, Mr. Kenichi Yamamura. I had sent him a telegram. He will relay to you what I said. I have spoken, so true are my words. –King Eramon III.”
Derold stopped writing and reached for the telegram. “Ms. Tonia, please tell the secretary no one is to enter here until the detective leaves. I want you to record this conversation.”
“Yes Ambassador.” Helena walked to the door as Colt and Derold locked eyes. She relayed the instructions outside as the detective reached into his pocket and revealed the telegram. No words were exchanged when the door closed. Helena stood before the detective. He handed her the message and she passed it to the ambassador. The assistant sat before a stenographer as he read it.
“This cannot be.” Derold stood up and read it aloud. “Mr. Yamamura’s lawyer was found murdered in his office yesterday. In the wake of this tragedy, I have decided to request a lawyer from our allies in Borinquen. Their reputation of each citizen being trained by the military since childhood would prove beneficial on protecting himself from Mr. Yamamura’s assassin. Continue with your assignment as is. I have spoken, so true are my words. –King Eramon III.”
Derold lowered the telegram. “What the hell do we have from Earthworld that it had come this?”
“I am in his Grace’s command not to relay that information.”
“You violated that when you brought the doctor to the Earthtech and paraded the Earthworlder through the streets in broad daylight! Was nightfall too frightening for you!?”
“I’m sorry.”
“If it were not for his Grace’s support, I would have you detained and returned to Casonia immediately.”
“I had to get the evidence that was there. I left it because I prioritized Mr. Yamamura’s life. He was dying.”
The ambassador slapped the telegram on the table and placed his hands on his hips. He let out a deep breath. “All right, we needed him alive. I get it, but… you let his killer run away twice, and left his Grace’s Royal Guards searching the entire city. They are questioning Doctor Riné Loren as we speak. So, we will have more information soon.”
Derold faced the window with his arms crossed watching his public relations secretary walk away from the press as the guards held the mob back. “His condition?”
“Oxygen poisoning ambassador.” Colt said and the ambassador sighed. “He got up the mountain so fast, that he didn’t suffer from the effects of our atmosphere. It was like breathing in Earthworld to him in Darius.”
“I see.”
Helena checked her watch and spoke. “Ambassador, Mayor Gerrad will be here soon.”
Derold shifted his head to the side. “His Grace’s guards are at the warehouse. He picked the ones he trusts would not do anything to it. You will focus on the health of Mr. Yamamura until the Bowery’s representatives in Darius are ready to see him and the Earthtech. You will keep him safe from his assassin and the Paladin Core.”
Colt raised his head up as the ambassador turned around. “Oh yes, they too reached out to us. With apologies of course since it was their own that started this mess. However, they are not going to show us this gesture again. They were after that assassin who followed you. Stay far away from them.”
“She’s from Borinquen. Our allies.”
“I don’t care. She tried to kill the victim. The next time she shows up, you arrest her, and put her in jail. Make sure she is placed in solitary confinement since she knows about the Earthtech. I’ll have his Grace’s Royal Guards deal with her while you settle your immediate affairs.”
“Yes ambassador.”
“Once Mr. Yamamura is released from the hospital, he will remain at Doctor Loren’s clinic so she could monitor him. I do not have to remind you to follow his Grace’s instructions. Also, this evidence you have that seems to be the source of your lapsed judgement, is to be dealt with so your actions can be justified. You will bring it to me when it is complete. Dismissed.”
“Yes ambassador.” Colt slipped on his fedora, and walked away without saying a word.
“Detective.” Derold said as Colt grabbed the doorknob. The ambassador was calm as Helena stood beside him with a positive expression on her face. “Please give his Grace… all of us more time before you decide to flee the continent with Mr. Yamamura and the Earthtech. Mr. Yamamura is not alone in this… nor you.”
Colt listened to what he said. He stood still for a second more, then shifted his head and nodded. “Ambassador. Ms. Tonia.”
He opened the door then left. Walking through the offices, there was a man in a business suit talking with an entourage and bodyguards. “It’s the mayor.”
A group of people dressed in white and red uniforms approached the mayor. The men wore pants with long sleeved shirts. The women in one piece mini-dresses. All of them had an emblem of a bright sun with wings attached. They were armored and with swords, lances, or staffs in hand. They appeared to come from an era of sword and sorcery. Colt whispered. “The Paladin Core.”
The mayor spoke. “And what of the paladin that caused the fire in my city?”
A tall bald Neanderthal paladin said with a large axe attached to the back of his armor answered, “He’s still in jail.”
“Good.” The mayor replied. “Keep him there.”
“I’m afraid we can’t sir.”
“This is outrageous Director Tanus!”
***
Emma approached the Grand Library in the center of the city. It was made of stone with marble pillars. The building sat atop a hill in the middle of a park with benches and trees. City streets surrounded the area. Halfway up the stairs was a statue of a cloaked man. It held a book in one hand and his feathered quilled pen in the other, greeting visitors halfway up the stairs.
Inside, there was absolute silence. The sound came from footsteps and interactions from books like flipping pages or writing. It was the high ceiling above with its artwork of an open sky with clouds and various dragons flying around. They varied from long snake like dragons to stout winged ones. The ceiling had a glass roofing in the middle adding effect to the dragon art.
Emma scanned the aisles in the upper floors where students from schools were walking about with books in hand. Working her way down, doctors and businessmen held conversations in their respective groups. In the lobby, a young woman led children past the receptionist, heading to an area signed ‘Children’s Reading Hour’.
Emma approached the receptionist, who was in a dress with long green hair and pair of small bumps on her head that could pass off as hair clips. She had a short snout like a fox. Standing tall, her body was slender with long fingers. The receptionist asked. “May I help you?”
Emma reached into her pocket. She presented a small wallet with an identification card in it. There was a black and white photo of her face on it. Witten on it was her name – Emma Fumiko Rosado, her location – Cayey, Borinquen, her title – Apprentice, and her guild – Cantaberi Archives. The great seal of the archives had the following three words in Ingirian: Research, Document, Preserve.
The receptionist spoke. “Excuse me for one moment.”
Emma waited as the receptionist stood before a telegraph tapping into it. She rubbed her head with the bandage still on and looked at her injured arm. The pain from yesterday’s attack was gone. Though all she could think about was Kenichi’s fight. The image of her art, from her memories, and now in person left her with so many questions. With security now tightened around him made it impossible to hold a meeting. All she could do was hold the object he dropped before he fought the paladin. “I know this thing.”
The receptionist returned with a paper slip. She handed it to Emma and spoke. “Are you here to check out a book?”
“Yes. I am here to do research. Where can I find books on the elements?”
“Magic or science?”
“Oh… uh… both.”
“Pick one.” The receptionist locked eyes with Emma.
“Science.”
“All right, let me get the information for you.” The receptionist returned to the telegraph and tapped away.
Emma returned her I.D wallet into her pocket and she took out the metal knuckles. They were silver. She once again studied it, trying to trigger her memories. Seeing how it was worn by Kenichi, she knew her fingers would slip into the holes.
“Proceed to the third floor.” The receptionist said. “The area will be cleared when you arrive.”
Emma returned the weapon into her pocket and turned her attention to the receptionist. “Thank you.”
Emma bowed and walked away. She read the message the receptionist gave her as she climbed the stairs, then crumbled the paper into a ball. Arriving at the third floor, she passed each aisle where students sat on the carpeted floor reading books and taking notes. Entering the science aisle, it was empty as a couple of librarians walked by escorting students from the area.
Emma stepped inside. There was a tall woman just like the receptionist standing there. She was in a long dress and blouse with a long black bowtie and glasses. Emma sensed intimidation as the woman’s eyes directed her to proceed with her book search. Emma began and the woman spoke. “What happened?”
“Senpai and I were attacked by men dressed in black while we waited for Librarian X, Ms. Eckson.” Emma found a book titled ‘The Elements of Metal’. “I fell down the slope breaking my arm then my head struck a rock. Senpai was captured and he yelled for me to escape.”
Emma leaned on the shelf like a wall and opened the book. “So, I ran leaving him behind. I looked back and he was fighting them before they pinned him to the ground. I continued going down the slope until I hid in an alley. I traveled deep into the city looking for a hospital and came across Loren Clinic. I stayed there while the doctor took care of my arm. I think it was the Paladin Corps.”
“I see.” Ms. Eckson approached Emma and nudged her off the bookshelf before the books fell off. She asked a question as she fixed the pushed books. “How did they know you will meet at Slope’s End?”
Emma flipped through the pages of the book. “I don’t know, we followed the directions. It felt weird because we were out in the open.”
“We could have been intercepted by spies.”
“Perhaps.” Emma found a chapter. “The good news is, the paladin who attacked me yesterday at the warehouse, asked if I have the book. Which means they don’t have it.”
“Attacked again?” Ms. Eckson said. “You mean, you were there at the warehouse I read about in the newspaper?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Emma opened her mouth, but she hesitated to answer.
“Did you see anything?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“I came across them by accident.”
“I see.” Ms. Eckson noticed the book. “Are you interested in science?”
“I just had a thought. That’s all.” Emma presented the paper ball. “I am being recalled to the Biblioteca de Alejandría in Cayey.”
“I had a feeling after we lost contact with both of you. They have been reaching out to us about your status.”
Emma closed the book. “I can’t ride my motorbike with one arm. Besides, I want to finish this quest. I have to earn my guild license.”
“I can provide you a train ticket if you want. You can try another quest once you return. We’ll deal with getting Baskin back and getting ‘The Golden Years’ before the Paladin Core does. It’s too dangerous for you to do this quest at this point, understand?”
“Yes ma’am.”
Ms. Eckson smiled. “Also, take your time reading here. When you’re ready, come to my office to get your gear.”
“Thank you.” Emma bowed as Ms. Eckson walked away around the corner and she took out the metal knuckles from her pocket. Flipping through the pages she did not find the name of the metal. She had a sudden headache, dropped the book and leaned onto the shelf. Her memories of her past life were like a video player. Fumiko gave a box to Kenichi. He opened it. There were two silver metal rings inside, just like the one she held right now. The pain overwhelmed her. Crouching down gripping it with her right hand, her eyes opened and whispered. “Brass knuckles. No… wait. That’s right but… Titanium.”
Emma picked up the book. “They haven’t discovered this yet.”
She hurried to a nearby wooden desk with a feathered quill pen and lamp, with her hand planted on a small teal metal disk. “Luz.”
The light turned on and proceeded to write what she remembered. “Titanium and aluminum. Ikaruga. Brass knuckles.”
Emma leaned back, lifting her head up. “Ikaruga is a… pipe? Made of aluminum and these brass knuckles are made of titanium.”
She gasped when she remembered what happened when Kenichi’s pipe clashed with the paladin’s sword, and its magic dispelled. “Aluminum negates magic.”
Emma slipped her fingers into the brass knuckles. She made a fist and analyzed how they connected into a single ring. “Does this affect magic too?”
Returning to the aisle, there was a book titled ‘The Alchemide Elements by Donner S. Janson.’ She grabbed it and left the area to return to the receptionist so she could check the book out.
***
Kenichi did push-ups in his hospital room. With his t-shirt draped over a chair, all he had on his mind was to get his breathing back to normal. It was strange to him that he was having this issue with his young body. He thought back to when he was surrounded by Casonia's doctors. They had told him that he was physically young again. The shock still resonated even now. A lot of sweat dropped off his face as his arms wavered again. Collapsed as his chest burned, he slapped the floor. “Why? What am I missing?”
The door opened where the Royal Guards were visible, standing at attention with sheathed swords. Riné stepped inside carrying a box of medical equipment and a folder. “Hello Mr. Yamamura. We’re here for your check up.”
A doctor followed her inside. He was a Neanderthal, dressed in black pants, button down shirt and tie with a doctor coat on. His dark brown hair stretched to the shoulders.
Kenichi stood to his feet as Riné stared at him. Frozen in place, it was his first formal contact with a living piece of history. He did not know what to do or how to react.
“Hello.” The doctor said with a smile. His hand reached out for a handshake. “I am Doctor Churi Harrison. It would seem we caught you at a bad time.”
“Eh?” Kenichi realized his shirt was off and he grabbed it off the chair. “Sorry.”
Kenichi slipped on his t-shirt as Churi cleared his throat to catch Riné’s Attention. After Kenichi pulled his shirt down, Riné snapped out of her hypnotic state. “Ah.”
“Kenichi Yamamura.” He shook the doctor’s hand. Despite the firm grip, the shivering hand caught the doctor’s attention. Kenichi rubbed the back of his head. “Oh… I…”
“Are you okay?” Churi said while observing Kenichi’s chest heaving.
Kenichi used the hand shake to approach the doctor closer. He stared at Churi with his freed hand, reaching out to the doctor’s face. Churi smiled causing Kenichi to smile as well. “I… I don’t believe it.”
Churi chuckled. “I see. This your first time shaking hands with us Neanderthals?”
“Eh?” Kenichi realized how he was acting. He stepped back and bowed. “Sorry. I was just-”
Churi raised his hands up. “No don’t worry. I understand. The last Earthworlder to come here did mention that we had people there, though long extinct.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s all right.” Churi pulled up a seat and offered it to Kenichi. “Please, I have a job to do.”
“Right.” Kenichi sat down as Riné handed Churi the folder.
A The doctor opened the file reading through the report. “You have a Neuromuscular disorder. Well, that’s new.”
“My respiratory muscles don’t always work the way they should. It’s been like that since I was a kid.”
"So, you got lucky.” Churi looked up at Riné. He continued reading. “You were quarantined for six weeks because you contracted hoppers in your first human encounter.”
Kenichi spoke as the doctor read on. “Yeah, that sickness really took me out. Made my muscles hurt so much.”
“Still feel any pain from it?”
“No, just kept up my exercises.”
“Good.” Churi stopped reading. “Doctor Din Pomanda is your assigned doctor?”
“No, she was the Royal Doctor.”
“Okay. So, she noted here that you were given all vaccines for our native diseases, what I find interesting is that you didn’t receive any vaccines for Earthworld diseases.”
“Well, I had my latest flu shot a month before I was teleported here.”
“Yes, but what I don’t understand is her assessment. It says that your immune system is way stronger than any human on Teora.”
Riné spoke. “Remember Doctor, the last human teleported here was 125 years ago. So much of Earthworld changed.”
Churi nodded. “Right… it’s been that long, eh?”
“I’m sorry,” Kenichi said. “But I am under the King’s orders not to speak on Earthworld.”
“Well, that makes things harder.” Churi reached out to Riné and took the equipment box from her. “All right, let’s take a look at you.”
Churi took a small board from inside. “Open your mouth.”
Kenichi complied and the board was inserted in his mouth. The doctor looked inside at his throat and asked. “Have you been eating well?”
After the board was removed, Kenichi spoke. “I’m not used to eating this world’s food. The taste is too strong. I’m used to eating from Japan.”
“No problem, there is a diet I can put you on so the food will taste better.” The doctor took out a small flashlight. He placed his finger on a small teal metal tip and chanted. “Luz.”
A light turned on. The doctor tilted Kenichi’s head up and shined the light into his eyes. The pupils reacted to it. “Look to the left.”
Kenichi did so. Churi leaned closer at the redness far behind the eye. “I see. You do have a reaction, but not severe. Have you felt pain in the eyes?”
“Just a little irritation at night.”
“Your eyes are going through an adjustment phase because they are very strong compared to Teoran humans. Only those who descended from Earthworlders have this level of visual strength.”
“I don’t understand.” Kenichi said as the light turned off.
“You have strong night vision. It’s common among Earthworlders.”
“Really? How?”
“We have two moons orbiting our planet. So, there is a high brightness level that native eyes are accustomed to. Earthworld has one moon so you have lower light. Now let’s check your chest.” Churi stood up and walked behind Kenichi. He put on the stethoscope, then lifted the sweat-soaked shirt back. “You’re all wet.”
“I was exercising just as you came in.”
“I see.” The doctor planted the stethoscope on the back. “And how were you feeling as you were exercising?”
“My chest started stinging.”
“All right, breathe in and out.” Churi listened. He focused as Kenichi repeated. “I see. One more time.”
Kenichi noticed Riné tightened the grip of her staff. Churi stepped back and he took notes in Kenichi’s file. He spoke to Riné. “Your patient is holding up for now Dr. Loren.”
“My patient?”
“Well yes. You did a good job.” Churi approached her as Kenichi straightened his shirt.
“I just thought if I relaxed the muscles around his lungs, it would open his airways and allow him to easily breathe.”
“It's risky, but it worked. Well done.”
“Thank you.” She turned her attention to Kenichi. “I’m so sorry I didn’t take you to the hospital sooner Mr. Yamamura.”
“Don’t worry about the committee,” Churi sat back down. “you committed no malpractice. The detective and the embassy are vouching for you. I will do so as well.”
Churi turned to Kenichi. “Well, I have good news for you. Dr. Loren’s diagnosis was correct and the Royal Doctors should have known this.”
"Oxygen poisoning?”
“Yes.” Churi wrote his diagnosis into the file. “This is common among Earthworlders. Very well documented. Though I could understand that since the last Earthworlder came here 125 years ago, it would be easy to miss.”
“Okay.” Kenichi crossed his arms. “So how did this happen?”
“Teora has a higher oxygen content compared to Earthworld. When you went to Darius high up in the mountain, well, for us the air thins out and is difficult to breath. It didn’t for you because to you, it was at the level of Earthworld.” Churi leaned on his knee. “What do you know about the Alchemide Elements?”
“The what?”
“Doctor.” Riné said. “He doesn’t know much about Teora. They’re keeping him from learning about us and from talking about Earthworld.”
“Again, King’s orders.” Kenichi said and Churi nodded.
“Well, I’m overriding those orders.” Churi stood up. He walked past Kenichi to the windows. “Come.”
Kenichi followed him and they both looked outside. Down below were people passing by on foot, carriage or motorcycle.
“Mr. Yamamura, your people in Kyoto gave our world a fantastic contribution. Our scientists were few because magic is the dominate practice and they were discovering the atomic structure of matter and gas. What discoveries they had were further added by your world’s scientists. The Periodic Table of Elements.”
“You have that?”
“Yes, and with that our homegrown scientists discovered two elements that even your own scientists admit does not exist on Earthworld. The Alchemide Elements.”
Churi pointed at the motorcycle passing by. “Emium, the metal alchemide, gave us moving vehicles now.”
He then pointed to the sky. “Aether, the noble gas alchemide, gives us strong healthy air. These two are the sources of magic.”
“Magic? But… that’s science.”
“Both true. However, scientists and sorcerers are having a difficult time understanding these elements. It is still a mystery for us. In the field of medicine, what we know is this, emium and aether are in our bodies like iron and oxygen.”
“No way.”
“Aether in particular is what thickens the oxygen we breathe, because field studies discovered that aether fused with oxygen. This is what the Alchemide Elements do. They merge with other elements, though, not all are compatible. To that point, aether is in your bloodstream because of the oxygen you’re breathing.”
“So, it’s the aether that is causing my chest pains.”
Churi nodded. “Yes, because it is what thickens oxygen. Also, you have no aether or emium in your body when you arrived here. So, it’s hard for you to breathe and was how you contracted hoppers so easily.”
“How long will it take to adjust?”
“Adjust? You have a lung disorder we know nothing of Mr. Yamamura. It will take quite a long time to figure it all out. For now, our priority is to get these elements in your system, and pray they don’t ruin your lungs.” Churi spoke to Riné. “Doctor what do you recommend?”
Riné answered, “I will prescribe Norodin to build up emium in the body, those are pills… and also Asporre for the aether, those are inhalers.”
“Good.” He smiled. “You have always been a good student. You really got better.”
“Thank you.” Riné went to the equipment box. “I’ll write up the prescription now. Also Mr. Yamamura, did you bring any food from Earthworld?”
“Water and instant ramen.”
Riné approached them writing on a pad. “I heard of ramen from Kyoto. Well, no more of that. Earthworld food and water has no emium and aether in them. You need to get use to eating Teoran food.”
“She’s right. You need to adjust to our world or you will develop nullcasters disorder. It is a life-term condition where your body has a low aether and emium count that are inert and you cannot cast spells. Without these two activated, you will produce long term organ diseases or infections, and yes, even oxygen poisoning. Understand?”
“Yes doctor.” Kenichi received two slips for the medication he needs.
Riné smiled. “Don’t exercise until you receive the Asporre. Once you start using it, that will help your blood vessels let the blood flow and your body will absorb the aether. As you start taking Norodin, be sure to eat it only with roshta food, three times a day.
“Roshta food?”
“Yes, they are specialty foods made for people with nullcasters. They have high concentration of nutrients that help charge up the aether and emium in your body. You are able to cast spells for a short time.”
Churi clarified. “It’s simple, Asporre and Norodin are going to increase your aether and emium count in your body. The roshta foods are going to charge them up in your body. All you have to do to know its working is just… turn on the light.”
“Eeehhh…”
Riné nodded. “When your muscles and lungs stop hurting, that’s when your body will be begin adjusting. Be sure to turn on a light every day to help your body use the aether and emium building up in your body. If your lungs start hurting when you take these, stop using them immediately, and see me or go to emergency.”
Churi continued. “I want to see you in seven days to see if your body is accepting or rejecting it. If it starts rejecting and we don’t turn it around, then we’ll know for sure you have nullcasters, and we’ll have to put on a long-term plan to prevent future diseases.”
“A week, eh?”
“Yes. You’re not going back to Casonia without progress, understand?”
“Yes.” Kenichi nodded.
“Good. I’ll inform the king and the ambassador.” Churi walked past everyone and closed the equipment box. He smiled at Kenichi. “Welcome to Teora, Mr. Yamamura. Use this time to tour Nirico, if you can. There are wonderful sights to see here.”
“I’ll try. Thank you.” Kenichi bowed and as Churi stepped out of the room, he asked Riné. “Where’s the pharmacy?”
Riné walked past him. “I’ll take you there. Come.”
***
A stagecoach parked at a small plaza overlooking the city. Trees line up along the entrance giving the plaza a sense of privacy. It had benches and streetlamps inside. There was a stone barrier separating the steep drop below. Exiting the stagecoach was Emma with her traveling backpack. She handed paper money to the driver and he continued onward towards the nearby Nirico World Universty of Medicine. Entering the plaza, the clouds in the sky block the sun, but not its bright blue sky.
To her right facing west was a desert so far away. She was able to notice it because of the snowcapped mountain range on the horizon. “Casonia.”
Emma recalled Kenichi and Colt saying that was where they came from. “That’s so far away. Is the Earthtech that fast?”
She sat down on a bench placing her backpack beside her. Being alone made her relaxed. Staring at her injured left arm in the sling, she remembered falling down the slope and tumbling down onto a boulder. The impact that broke her left arm and bruised her head. Now to make matters worse, she met a man she identified as her husband. This left her questioning her memories since she was told that not all of them were intact since her rebirth. With the brass knuckles in hand, it was as if the truth was in reach. “Does he believe me?”
Emma closed her eyes and focused her thoughts. Scanning through her past, it was a struggle. She recalled the church’s warning that her old memories would fall into the memory dump as she grew up over time. Its effect was in action when she gripped the brass knuckles and pounded the backpack. “It’s not fair. If that is Kenichi, I want my old memories back.”
Emma took out the book from her backpack. It’s title ‘The Alchemide Elements’ reminded her of the mission she and her tutor Baskin was tasked with. “The Golden Years. Right.”
Emma opened the book and arrived at a chapter titled ‘Sound: The Theories of Spellcasting.’ She read aloud. “When sound interacts with liquids, solids, and gasses, they develop different vibrations based on the density of the element. Emium and aether alone will react to sound like any of the other elements. However, when emium and aether are mixed with other elements the property of sound is altered within. For example, iron mixed with emium increases the speed of sound of its alloy form from fourteen times the speed of sound to eighteen times the speed of sound.”
Emma flipped the next page. “The interaction of sound with the Alchemide Elements is limited in scope. A simple howl of the wind would not trigger a magical reaction nor the sound of an avalanche. The source of this trigger lies within the vocal cords of mammals. The vocal cords in mammals have a distinct pitch that creates a reaction with the Alchemide Elements resulting in the creation of a spell.”
“Few languages on Teora can create a magic spell. Ever since the end of the Spanish Empire, sorcery researchers standardized the Spanish language as the universal language of magic. Alurian, the previous standard, became a dead language with many of its texts lost to time. What few living languages are capable of casting spells, have been replaced with Spanish. Only specialized magic disciplines retained their original languages like holy magic, due to their own standardizations.”
She shifted her eyes to the next page. “How is it, then, that words within the language can create the very physical objects out of thin air? The controversial debate continues within the science and sorcery communities. These theories will further be discussed in chapter four.”
Emma closed the book and held up the brass knuckles. “Does sound travel differently through this titanium?”
She stretched her right arm out keeping the metal away from her face and cast her spell. “Estático!”
The electricity she generated sparked around the metal. It bounced off creating a burst of shock. The sudden reaction caused Emma to turn her head away and drop the item. She thought the spell backfired, but it did not. Crouching close to it, the remaining sparks of electricity bounced on the surface. “Displaced?”
The sparks stopped, and she picked it up. Staring at the rings where her fingers slip through, she thought. “Should I try it?”
Lifting her injured left arm, her curiosity overrode her concern. She wore the brass knuckles in her right hand and held her fist outward. “Estático!”
The sparks of electricity bounce around. A closer look revealed a strange wave between the titanium and sparks. She remembered how Kenichi used the weapon when he fought the paladin. Taking a fighter’s stance, she pulled her right arm back while keeping her injured left arm close to her chest. “This has to work.”
Emma threw her punch. “Estático!”
Emma thrusted her fist forward. Her fingers vibrated from the brass knuckles as the electricity gathered around the metal. There was a sudden impact, as though she had punched a person. The electricity spread out like a ripple of water. The sparks disappeared in the air. She pulled her arm back at what she accomplished. Her smile grew. “I can’t believe it! This metal is awesome!”
Emma spun around in celebration only to stumble about. “Eh?”
She collapsed onto the chair with so much energy lost. Stretching her fingers, it triggered a tingling sensation. Her hand closed instantly back into a fist. It shook like a leaf in the wind. There was no pain, but her muscles tightened from the spell. “What happened?”
The sky began to turn dark. The sun was setting for the day. With all her strength she grabbed the book, wore her backpack, and stood up. Stumbling about, the world spun around. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath to ease her pain. She placed the book in her sling and walked toward the university to receive medical attention.
***
Colt stepped out of the warehouse where the Casonian Royal Guards blocked the entrances and Nirico Police Officers patrolled the area. He held Kenichi’s black box in hand. Revealing his badge, the guards nodded. The detective headed off to the hospital as the night sky revealed two moons. The larger one on the left was a yellow half-moon. The smaller one on the right was a white crescent moon. Once he arrived at the boulevard, the trolley drove by. “Dang it.”
There was a stagecoach parked nearby with two people in the driver seat. “My lucky night.”
The detective made his way to the front passing by the closed doors covered by a red curtain. It had the emblem of the sun with wings marked on it. “Paladin Corps.”
“Hey!” A male paladin seated with the driver looked down at him. He jumped down with hand on his hilt. “What are you doing here?”
“Easy greenhorn.” Colt reached into his pocket to take out his badge, but the young paladin drew his sword. “Really? This is unnecessary.”
“Identify yourself, or I will detain you.”
Colt realized the young paladin’s hand shivered. He turned around and walk away.
“How dare you turn your back on me.” The young paladin approached Colt with the sword aimed at him, when a young woman called out to him.
“Guard!” She said from inside the stage coach. “Come here.”
The door opened and the young woman revealed herself. Stepping out in her paladin uniform, it consisted of a one-piece long sleeve white and red mini-dress. White and red thigh length boots. Small white gloves. A pair of white hairclips attached to her blonde ponytail. A short white hooded cloak wrapped around her uniform, held up by a pin with the emblem of a bright sun with wings. Her staff had a teal metal marble at the end. The guard stood before her at attention and she commanded. “Sheath that weapon.”
“Yes ma’am.” The young paladin sheathed his sword and stood at attention. Then she addressed Colt. “You can remove your hand from your holster detective.”
“What?” The guard said as Colt raised his hands and turned around. He spotted the holstered gun underneath the trench coat. “Armed?”
“Yes,” She said approaching Colt. “And you would have died if it had been anybody else. Return to your post.”
"Yes Ma’am.” The guard hurried back to the driver’s seat.
“I’m Agent Nalia Kominezki, detective.” She made a smile and gestured to walk with him to the stage coach. “I wanted to talk to you at the embassy today, but you were gone by the time I arrived.”
“About what?”
“What happened at the docks.”
Colt crossed his arms, carefully handling the box. “I’m listening.”
Nalia stood beside the opened door. “Please, we shouldn’t talk out in the open.”
Colt sighed, then entered and scanned the inside. It was an office. A small filing cabinet on the floor underneath a foldable desk. On the wall was a map of Nirico with a small nail pressed at locations of the waterfront area. Finally, there was an empty box above the foldable desk with wiring resting inside. “Amazing.”
“This is our newest fleet of vehicles. The Command Coaches. We received them last week from headquarters. It’s a miracle they survived the ocean trip.” Nalia followed Colt inside and they sat across from each other.
“Why do you have an empty box here?”
“That’s going to be for the new ComLink that Abadox Communications have been building throughout Ordeo. The whole continent no longer uses TapLine. My brother said it was amazing hearing our parents speak from another country. I can’t wait to try it.”
“Right. It’s been a while since I read the international news.” Colt became silent. He processed how excited Nalia was for ComLink, and remembered that Kenichi pointed out that Earth's equivalent of the TapLine device was called the telegraph. Now an ancient relic of Earth. The large gap between Teora and Earth was apparent. It was almost like he was about to fall into the abyss of terror if he learns anymore about Earth from Kenichi.
“I’m sorry for what my partner, Remy Dent, did.” Nalia said snapping Colt out of his trance.
“Who?”
“Agent Remy Dent. My partner. He was just trying to apprehend a suspect.” Nalia handed him a folder. It contained information on Emma. “Her name is Emma Rosado. She is the apprentice of Baskin Baner. He is a notorious book hunter for Cantaberi Archives. They are after our book called ‘The Golden Years’, which was stolen by a person who goes by the name of Librarian X.”
Colt remained silent.
“You see, we are trying to find them so we can apprehend Librarian X and retrieve the book.”
Colt crossed his arms. “She ran away during the chaos Agent Dent caused. She claims she and her tutor were attacked by the Paladin Corps and mistook us for you.”
“I wasn’t told of this.”
“Well, that’s her claim and she is in hiding.”
“That’s why we’re patrolling the area here. Find clues to her whereabouts or anyone who saw her.”
“Do you believe she would return here?”
“She followed you. For all we know, she may be after the Earthtech.”
“Have you spoken to anyone in the library?”
“The guild won’t let us in at this time. We’re trying to have the Nirico police to assist us, but now they have their hands tied.”
“Because of the mess your partner made?”
“Yes.” Nalia nodded. “Again, I’m sorry. This must not have been the type of attention you wanted.”
“No.” Colt leaned back. “I need Ms. Rosado because she saw the Earthtech and met the Earthworlder, as did your partner. Did he tell you what he saw?”
“His description makes no sense. I don’t know what more to say. What I do want to do, is maybe, my partner and I work with you to bring the librarians in.”
“Is he going to be released from jail?”
“It depends on Reverend Supreme, the mayor, and your ambassador. They’re debating at the embassy as we speak.”
“I want to ask him questions.”
“My superior won’t allow it.”
“Then you’re an obstacle to my case.”
Nalia crossed her legs. “I’m not your enemy. Remy and I stumbled into your case by accident. I’m getting more information about Berain Forest from our Miron Branch and I can’t comprehend what happened there.”
“You should.” Colt held up the black box. “This evidence could very well lead us solving the case.”
“I see.” Nalia leaned close to the box. “Would you like us to take a look? We can take samples and have it analyzed.”
“No.” Colt pocketed the box. “Thank you for your help, but this evidence, requires a specialized analyst.”
“May I see it? Perhaps I can identify it.”
“I can’t risk it. People will see it.”
“How?” Nalia scanned outside. “It’s small.”
“It isn’t that its small, it’s what it will do once I open it.”
“It’s that bad?”
“I don’t know.”
There was a knock on the door. Nalia moved the curtain aside and it was a paladin standing at attention. “Ma’am, we’ve surveyed Sector C. No one saw the suspect in that area.”
“Move onto Sector D.”
“Yes ma’am.” The paladin slapped his fist over his chest in salute and ran off.
Colt opened the door. “Excuse me.”
“Wait, I can take you to your destination.”
“I can walk from here. Good night, Agent.” Colt stepped down. He closed the door as Nalia stuck her head out. Before she had a chance to say anything, he crossed the street and walked up the hill.
To Be Continued
