Forbidden Places
By Richard LeBlanc
Chapter Twelve: triangles
A week had passed since their encounter with the Elder Librarian. After a lengthy question and answer session - they had made their way away from the realm of the avatars and angels and were once again sailing towards their next destination.
"I'm glad beyond words that we are far from that place." Toy Maker muttered as he worked on one of the devices that had shattered.
"Why?" Tuly asked curiously. Toy Maker stopped what he was working on and sighed.
"The people that were responsible for the loss of my family - they worshiped the deities we just encountered. I recognized the markings." He replied lowly.
"Sorry to hear that. Any idea what caused the artifacts to self destruct?" she asked - tactfully changing the subject. Toy Maker smiled and looked at the damaged items.
"Must have been a side effect of using the mana from the Fire Fountain. It might have set my plans back a bit - especially with the loss of so many rare components - but it won't stop me for long." He replied calmly as he continued to repair the damaged devices.
Down on a lower deck - Lord Arachnid and Enchanter were keeping an alert eye out for any sign of new trouble - or a potential visit from old trouble - like the Catfish Dragon Lithian.
"This is a waste of time." Arachnid muttered.
"If that spell casting, fish faced dragon catches us unaware - I am positive that you would disagree. Besides - it is just until we reach the shore again." Enchanter replied seriously. Arachnid looked up at Toy maker and Tuly and scowled.
"Why isn't he doing this then?" he asked intolerantly.
"Because - Markys - asked us. She doesn't trust the artificer - and neither do I. Knowing him - he would probably sell us to the dragon for some rare toy." Enchanter replied. Arachnid was going to argue the fact - but had to agree with the man's logic.
"If he is such a loose cannon and is so untrustworthy - why do we let him live?" he asked. Enchanter sighed and shook his head.
"That - I can't say. All I know is that Markys said that he still had a part to play in this gambit - until he fulfills his part of her grand design - he lives - unfortunately." Enchanter replied lowly.
"How's the neck?" Arachnid asked. Enchanter moved his hand to the mark that was still on his neck from the sword.
"Fine. Make no mistake - as soon as he has been exploited by Markys to the fullest - his life will end." He answered coldly. Just then - the door from the lower deck opened and Markys stepped out. In her short time that she was below deck resting - her body had aged almost four years.
"That girl is sure growing up in all the right places eh Arachnid?" Enchanter asked as he nudged the spider wizard on the shoulder. Arachnid looked at the spot that the wizard had touched and glared at him as he walked over to where Markys was standing.
"Did you sleep well my dear?" Enchanter asked as he placed his arm around her.
"Mmm. I would have if you were there with me." she whispered. Just then she tensed up. Everyone watched as she spasmed and the fainted in Enchanter's arms.
"What have you done to her?" Arachnid demanded as black mana swirled around him.
"Nothing!" he replied. He leaped out of the way just as black flames scorched the deck he was just standing on. Enchanter glared at Arachnid and then began to smile a wicked smile.
"You want to test me? So be it." He began. Just then a bolt of power zapped down from the deck above and hit the deck between the two wizards. They slowly looked up and over and saw Toy Maker holding a Rod of Ruin.
"You want to fight - do it on your own time. I won't have the two of you sinking the ship out from under us. Plus - I'm sure neither of you would want anything to happen to our guide. If the two of you went out - I'm sure that she would get hurt. Behave." Toy maker stated as he returned to what he was doing. Mere seconds later - Markys began to stir.
"My - head. Memories flooded my mind - overwhelmed me." she strained. The words sparked interest in both wizards.
"That can wait - are you okay?" Enchanter asked curiously.
"I'll be okay - I just think I need some rest. Could one of you help me to my quarters?" she timidly asked. Both Enchanter and Arachnid stepped forward and glared at each other.
"Go play with a spider." Enchanter stated.
"Don't push me." Arachnid warned. Toy maker looked down and witnessed the tension building up once again - and saw that this time - it was a deliberate act by their guide. Markys coyly looked over at Toy Maker and smiled.
"Needs be damned - it ends now!" Enchanter retorted as blue and green mana swirled around him.
"I couldn't agree with you more. I've been saving this spell for just such an occasion." Arachnid retorted. Black mana spiraled around him. Then some green - and a huge amount of black mana cocooned around the wizard. They all heard Arachnid scream out as the spell began to take effect. The cocoon began to churn and spiral around the wizard. Just then the energy exploded out from him and spun around Enchanter. He attempted to counter the spell - but with a wave of Toy maker's hand - the effort failed. The effect of the black spell began to take effect.
"There is a great deal of power in you. But are you willing to pay the price - for that power?" Arachnid asked lowly. Enchanter waved a hand - the swirling energy diminished. He looked over at the smug looking spider wizard and then glared at the artificer that had aided him.
"This is far from over." Enchanter strained with a hoarse voice.
"I know - next time - I'll use a more potent spell." Arachnid retorted as he escorted Markys below deck.
"Pity - I thought for sure that they would fight to the death." Toy maker said to himself.
"We're lucky they didn't." Tuly replied
"Luck had nothing to do with it. Markys stopped them as surely as she started it."  He stated calmly.
"What makes you say that?" Tuly asked.
"I just know. She's playing Enchanter off of Arachnid and if I do not tread carefully - she will play both of them on me." he replied hesitantly.
"You mean the way she is seducing them?" she asked.
"You could say that." he replied as he looked at one of the devices he was able to repair.
"Aren't you interested in her?" she asked curiously. Toy maker slowly looked over at the hawk.
"My interest with her - is solely for the knowledge she is keeping from me - nothing more. Those two can play whatever games they want with her - I'll have no part of it." He replied coldly.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to make you mad." She replied timidly. Toy maker slowly calmed down.
"Don't be. One down - four more to go." He replied as the finished device vanished.
At that moment - down below - Arachnid walked Markys over to her bed and then stepped back.
"You shouldn't have done that. Toy Maker already hates you - and now - because of me - I fear that Enchanter shall too." She replied timidly.
"You let me worry about those two. You said memories flooded your mind. Any that would interest me?" he replied and asked expectantly. Markys slowly looked up at the roof and attempted to recall some of the memories that had come to her.
"Yes - the Tombs - I remember them now." She began.
"Tombs? What tombs?" he asked.
"The Tombs of the Ancient Spider Lords. They - they are near the mountains - by the Abyssal Swamp of Dementation - I - I - oh - its gone." She muttered. Arachnid quickly took out his map and studied it. The swamp in question was huge - and the mountains near it covered a great deal of territory.
"You see nothing else?" he asked hesitantly.
"I'm sorry." she replied downly. Arachnid sighed and sat down on the floor. At this rate - he would never find what he was looking for. It was then that a pair of hands began to massage his shoulders. He leaped up and stuck to the roof much as a spider would and looked down at a startled Markys.
"What were you doing?" he asked tensely.
"I - I was just massaging your shoulders. You looked tense." She replied. Arachnid hesitantly hopped down from the roof and studied the woman that was standing before him.
"Why?' he asked seriously.
"I - I wanted to make it up to you." She replied as she hesitantly reached forward. But before she could - his hand shot up and caught her by the wrist.
"That won't be necessary." He stated as he began to walk away.
"You - are angry with me?" she asked hesitantly.
"No." he replied.
"You do not like me?" she asked.
"Yes - no - look - its just complicated." He replied hesitantly.
"You - haven't been with a woman before?" she asked curiously. Arachnid didn't answer.
"If you don't want me - that's okay. I just wanted to thank you for freeing me." she began.
"Freeing you?" he asked as he looked over his shoulder.
"That spell you used - Enchanter dropped it. And now that my powers are returning - I don't think that he will be able to control me like that again. And it was because of you." She replied quietly.
"It was nothing." He stated.
"It wasn't nothing to me." she replied as she began to massage his shoulders again. This time - he didn't jump away. She heard him sigh.
"Is that okay?" she asked.
"Yes." He quietly answered. It was then that Markys realized something about the spider wizard.
"You - you are ill." She commented.
"It is nothing." He replied.
"You poisoned yourself. You used the power of the Viper's Nest." She said in disbelief.
"Enchanter is a powerful foe. I needed the power quickly - if I used other means - he would have countered the spell before it could have taken effect." He replied. Markys hurried over and pulled up the sleeve of his shirt and saw that a good portion of his arm was swollen and infected from the poison.
"If you use the mana from the Viper's Nest again - it will kill you." She warned seriously.
"I know." he replied as he covered up his arm.
"I owe you my life. Don't die on me before I can repay you for what you have done for me." she requested quietly. Arachnid looked at Markys and smiled.
"Find me the Spiders of Crae - we'll call it even." He replied calmly.
"May I do more?" she asked.
"Like what?" he asked hesitantly. Markys smiled, leaned forward and began to lightly kiss him on the neck. Arachnid tensed up. Nibbles hopped from the spider wizard's hood and scurried over to the corner of the room.
"Is that okay?" she whispered into his ear.
"Uh - uhm - yes." He replied calmly
"Do you want me to continue?" she whispered.
"Okay." He replied hesitantly. Markys smiled and led him over to her bed.
A few moments later up above - Tuly was looking down at the door to the deck below.
"I wonder what's keeping them?" she asked curiously.
"I'm sure that we really don't need to know." Toy Maker stated. Tuly was going to comment but got a visual image of what he was saying.
"Ew." She replied.
"I warned you." He replied as he put another screw into the device he as working on. 
"You almost have that thing back in one piece - what is it?" she asked.
"I told you before - it is a device to help free you from the spell you are under." He replied as he put another gear into the device.
"You - can really do that?" she asked hesitantly.
"There isn't much that is beyond my reach. I can not promise it will work - but if it doesn't work - I will try again." He replied calmly as he placed his tools down beside the device.
"If you don't mind my asking again - why are you doing this for me? If you are expecting something of me..." she began hesitantly. Toy Maker sighed and closed his eyes. In his mind he could hear the powerful explosions - the screams of thousands - millions of innocent people dying around him. He slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the clear blue sky.
"I honestly don't know why. I really don't." he answered with a sincere tone of confusion.
"I'm - I'm sorry. I mean - you are going out of your way to help me and I'm treating you like you're..." she began - but stopped herself in mid sentence.
"Enchanter? I'll try not to be too offended. You've been through a lot. You've probably been turned inside out because of it. Tell me - was the spell that did this to you - the Cloak of Mesa?" he asked curiously.
"Yes - how did you know? It isn't a very common spell." She asked curiously.
"I knew a wizard that used such a spell. A white enchantment - single target spell.  Turns target into a bird - and takes away all of the target's abilities. Rather nasty fate to bestow on a fellow wizard." He stated calmly.
"True." She replied.
"Anyway - with a few more parts - and maybe two hours work - the device will be ready." He stated.
"Really?" she asked.
"Yes - really." He repeated.
"Wow. I don't know what to say. I'm not used to people doing things for me for no reason." She commented.
"A jaded world can do that to the best of us." he commented.
"Did it do that to you?" she asked.
"In more ways than one. After I lost - my family - I isolated myself. I existed in my own little secluded world. Knowledge - research - creation. I thought if I could build everything correct everything - that I could do it right for once." He admitted quietly.
"If I'm being to nosy - err - beaky - just tell me to shush." She offered. Toy maker quietly laughed and shook his head.
"I don't mind. Confession - as the good Inquisitors used to say - is good for the soul." He replied.
"I guess we have a lot in common. We've both been hurt - left alone - lost our private niche in the world we knew - only difference is that I have more feathers." She added. Toy maker began to laugh some more as he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.
"I guess we do." He replied with a smile.
To be Continued...
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