A Warm Welcome
Once again, Switch stood at the doorway to the vault of the Artificers’ Tower. Her hands gripped the cold, metal door as she opened it against her will. A shadowy figure stood in the center of the room and cackled madly. Frozen with fear, she could only watch as it drew closer. It reached out with its dark hands and grasped her arms, shaking her violently.
Switch woke up with a start and hit her head on something hard. Wincing in pain, she slowly opened her eyes to see Jarco’s face looking down on her. It took her a good couple of seconds before she recovered her senses and pushed Jarco off of her.
“What…what were you doing?” she demanded as she scrambled to put her goggles on. “I was sleeping, you pervert! This is no way to treat a lady! H-how long were you there for? This is so embarrassing…”
Jarco tried his best to defend himself. “Relax, I was only trying to wake you. You were shaking and whimpering so much that I thought you were having a nightmare. Besides, it’s time to go.”
Confused at the last statement, Switch tilted her head and asked, “Time to go? I see no reason to rush.”
Jarco pointed behind him and said, “Well our host is here so Loric wanted me to get you up.”
Still groggy from the sudden awakening, Switch looked past him to see what he was talking about and jolted up. The clearing had been completely empty the last night, but there was now an ornate marble platform resting in the center. It was perfectly circular; it had been carved precisely to smooth out every edge. Columns rose from its surface to support a golden rail that encompassed most of the perimeter, only allowing a small gap that formed an entrance.
She could only assume that the abnormally tall man standing next to Loric was their “host.” His attire sharply contrasted that of the weary travelers; his finely tailored lavender suit was in perfect condition. Even stranger was the featureless white mask painted with the numeral 4 that completely covered his face.
The new arrival reached out a gloved hand, beckoning the two to come aboard. Like his legs, his arms seemed to be disproportionately long. Shooting Switch a quick wink, Jarco sprinted over and hopped on. After cautiously approaching the platform, she inspected it from multiple angles. While her companions dismissed her actions as curiosity, the newcomer reacted with genuine concern. He called to her in a sweet voice that trickled down from the platform.
“Pardon me, I did not wish to interrupt your slumber. Your companions insisted that they were in a hurry, so this kind young man offered to wake you. Ah, but where are my manners? I am Agent Four of the Unseen Consortium, and I shall be your host during your stay at our estate. You must be Switch, the peerless prodigy of the Artificers! It is an honor to meet you at last! Please, climb aboard, and we will be on our way. I assure you that it is completely safe, my dear.”
His words were flowery and his accent was stressed, as if he had studied Unity extensively but rarely spoke it. Switch circled around to the front of the platform and climbed up to join them. Looking around, she noted that there was a lack of wheels, treads, or any other sort of propulsion attached to the platform. “How are we going to get to this place on an immobile piece of rock?” she asked.
Agent Four chuckled and reached into his pocket, producing a small charm that was the same color as his suit. It was a simple diamond shape with a jewel in the center that sparkled in the morning light. “I advise that you three grab onto the railing and hold tight,” he warned them. “You will most likely feel slightly nauseated when we arrive, but it should only be temporary.”
While Switch, Jarco and Loric braced themselves, Agent Four remained stationary in the center of the platform. “You will want to close your eyes as well,” he added. “I have been told that keeping them open can be quite unpleasant. Alright, it seems that everything is in order. Off we go!”
For a split second, Switch felt an immense force pushing on her body from every direction. When it stopped, she lost all sense of balance and fell to her hands and knees. Everything was spinning around her as she struggled to regain some sense of direction. When she finally got back on her feet, her vision started returning to her. It began with only blurs, but after a few moments she could make out shapes. Agent Four was standing at the front of the platform, his mask tilted down at his visitors. He casually hopped off while he addressed the group.
“I apologize if you are disoriented right now. That is to be expected, but it will only last for a few more moments. I will have you know that I felt dreadfully sick after my first time, so there is no reason to be ashamed. Now if you would kindly follow me, I shall escort you to your rooms.”
With her vision still failing her, Switch could barely see beyond the platform. Stumbling over to the rail on the side, she leaned against it for support as her body slowly recovered. She held up her hand, signaling for Agent Four to wait. Once her mind slowed its spinning, it filled up again with curiosity.
“What…was that?” she gasped. “The platform had no moving parts on its exterior, so how could it have gathered so much speed so quickly?”
“I fear that I lack the proper technical terminology,” Agent Four said. He once again pulled out the small gem from his jacket pocket and held it out for Switch to look at. “You would have to ask Agent Seven, our technological researcher. The Recall Charm is truly an ingenious invention; it attunes itself to a locus and can relocate matter back to it instantly. There are limitations, of course, relating to the construction of the locus and the nature of what is being transported.”
“That is ridiculous,” Switch replied. “What you just described is magic.”
“What you call magic,” he said, “we would call science. Both are simply manipulating the rules of our world; the only difference is whether or not you have the desire and drive to understand what is happening. The light of progress can only be seen by open eyes, after all. Regardless, please watch your step as you exit the platform. The ground on the summit can be surprisingly slippery.”
Before Switch could inquire about his use of the word “summit,” her vision finally returned and she nearly fell back down in astonishment. The platform was situated on the edge of what appeared to be a plateau. As she spun around to get her bearings, she realized that she was surrounded on three sides by nothing but empty sky. The ground ended a few feet behind her, steeply dropping down and disappearing behind a layer of pure white that extended as far as she could see. Nothing moved above the blanket of clouds that surrounded their location; the only sound she could hear was Agent Four’s footsteps and her own breath. She tried desperately to piece together what happened, but logic failed her.
“Come along,” Agent Four beckoned, “we would be remiss to tarry out here in the cold. The Brethren representatives should be arriving shortly, and we would not want to keep our guest of honor waiting.”
Snapping out of her own thoughts, Switch noticed that Loric and Jarco had already dismounted the platform and were waiting for her. Carefully inching her feet off of the edge, she skeptically poked at the ground with her boot. The surface was covered with a thin layer of snow, but it felt completely solid underneath. When she had determined that it was safe to stand on, she hopped off the platform and joined the group. Seeing that his guests were prepared to follow him, Agent Four bowed and gestured behind him. “Welcome to the humble headquarters of the Unseen Consortium,” he announced. “I sincerely hope that your stay is both productive and pleasant.”
Preoccupied with overcoming her nausea, Switch had neglected to fully notice the enormous building situated on the center of the plateau. From her initial impression, she estimated that the manor was almost the size of the Emperor’s palace back in Kellith. It stood five stories tall with windows lining the front side. Every surface from the stairs at the base of the entrance to the roof was painted completely white, almost as if the entire structure had simply risen up from the snow. She noted that the style was vaguely similar to the technique used in many of the noble estates in Kellith, yet it incorporated fluid patterns that were not like anything she had seen before. It was truly magnificent; the fine detail on every surface must have taken several years to perfect.
When she finished examining the building, she realized that her guide had already begun approaching it. As she hurried to catch up with the group, she took a closer look at the estate’s entrance. The door was impressive from a distance, but she was at a loss for words to describe it up close. The white stone slab stood at three stories tall and half as wide. Its surface was completely pristine; there was not a single mark on it except for a small hole at eye-level on the far left side.
Agent Four stood in stark contrast to the colorless door as he climbed the stairs. Looking back at his guests, he commented, “I really wish One would allow us to add a splash of color. White gets rather bland after a while.” He chuckled to himself as he placed his hand over the hole in the door. After a brief delay, it came to life and slowly swung open. Eager to get his guests inside, Agent Four ushered them in.
From the moment Switch stepped inside, she was rendered speechless. On the other side of the door was an entrance hall even more humbling than the exterior. Like the walls outside, the entire hall was painted white. The only exception was a large design on the floor’s center painted in black. She assumed that it was some sort of sigil for the Consortium; it featured the ovoid shape of Agent Four’s mask surrounded by a checkered pattern.
Switch spun around in awe to gather the full majesty of this place. The windows that lined the front of the estate did not belong to separate rooms; the ceiling of the entrance hall must have stretched to the roof. Squares of light dotted the massive hall and illuminated every corner. As they walked forward, Switch darted back and forth between the numerous white pedestals positioned around the hall, each of which displayed a strange sculpture wrought from shiny black stone.
“Those are made from obsidian,” Agent Four explained, “a rather rare material that is only found in abundance among the southern mountain ranges of Ulthir’s Fingers. Three must have bartered quite a bit to get so much of it, but I find it to be a worthy investment. After all, what is life without an appreciation for the finer arts? There I go prattling off again, I am sure you all would like to rest before lunch.”
Having traversed the considerable distance between the front door and the other end of the hall, the group now stood before two massive staircases that spiraled up to a balcony above. Between them was another door, seemingly identical to the entrance except for the Consortium’s sigil carved into it. Before she could ask her question, Agent Four answered it.
“That would be Agent One’s office and residence. He oversees all of the Consortium’s operations and acts as our administrator. It took quite a bit of convincing on my part for him to approve your visit today. One tends to be rather stern and serious, so do not hope to walk in and have a nice chat.” He once again chuckled to himself before beginning his ascent up one of the staircases.
Much like the ground level, there was not a single imperfection to be seen on the next floor. A row of identical doors neatly lined the wall from one side to the other. The only differences between them were the golden numbers printed above each door. Agent Four walked to the far left end of the balcony, gesturing towards the first door that was labeled “002”.
“This will be the lady’s room,” he informed them. “The two of you will have rooms three and four. You will find that they are quite spacious and are stocked with any supplies you might need. If you return to the first floor and walk through the double doors on the right, you will reach the dining hall. Lunch will be served in exactly two hours should you be feeling hungry. The other Agents are usually too busy to be bothered, but I assure you the food is both substantial and delicious.
“Should you require anything else, you can find me on the second floor of the west wing. To get there, simply go through the door on the other end of the balcony here. The four buildings of the estate are all connected, so you do not have to worry about walking outside. The entire floor houses my personal quarters, so do feel free to stop by if you so desire. Now then, if you do not have any other questions, I shall leave you to your own devices and fetch you once the other party has arrived.”
Switch could not contain herself any longer; his offer dissolved the last remnants of her restraint. “Wait! Are we where I think we are? How is it even possible to travel to such an altitude? Wouldn’t it be freezing and almost impossible to breathe this far up? How could you construct such an enormous estate without any resources available?”
“Well,” Agent Four said, “allow me to answer those questions in order. Yes, we are currently on the summit of what you Sorians call the Cloud Spire. We traveled here through the use of the Recall Charm, as I explained earlier. You will have to talk with Seven about the specifics, though I doubt he would care to entertain any guests. Normally the temperature would be undesirable here, but we have a device installed which controls the climate in a limited area around the estate. Six has tinkered with it now and then to alter the appearance of the sky. You are in for a treat tonight once the stars come out!
“Regarding the construction of the estate; that is a particularly well-kept secret that I am not allowed to disclose. Should you wish to speak with Seven, he takes residence on the third floor of the east wing. The four buildings that form our estate are laid out in the shape of a thin, hollow rectangle. The entrance hall forms one of the shorter sides and the two longer buildings contain the eight residence halls. On the other side of the courtyard is the storehouse, though it is strictly off limits for guests; under no circumstances are you to enter it, though I doubt a collection of dusty boxes would provide suitable entertainment. You would do well to stay in the entrance hall since the other Agents are not as accommodating as I. Will that be everything?”
Switch stubbornly shook her head. “Earlier you said that there was a guest waiting for us. I thought that the Brethren representatives were running late. Exactly who would…?”
She trailed off once she saw Loric raise his hand. “I think we have had enough questions for one day,” Loric said. “We do not want to bother our kind host. Let us retire for the time being. I am sure you and Jarco would both appreciate having a bed to rest in.”
“Please, it is no problem at all,” Agent Four replied. “To be honest, I am rather flattered by her interest. I only regret being woefully unqualified to answer your questions. Unfortunately, managing the public relations of our organization typically leaves me with very little to do. I am pleased to have guests around since it has been quite some time since anyone has visited. As I said, feel free to visit my quarters should there be anything I can assist you with. Take care!”
Taking a bow, Agent Four bid his guests farewell before exiting through a door at the end of the balcony. Once the door closed behind him, the group was left with silence. Now that they were on their own, the entrance hall seemed rather unsettling. From the balcony, Switch could see that the sculptures on the first floor formed a perfect grid. Everything had been meticulously planned and placed, every detail was perfectly aligned. Not a speck of dust was anywhere to be found on the flawless floors. Nothing interrupted the sea of white besides the sculptures and the symbol painted under them. Jarco yawned loudly; apparently he was completely unfazed by the recent turn of events. Without saying a word to the other two, he opened the door labeled “003” and entered.
Loric reached out and put a slightly trembling hand on Switch’s shoulder. As he looked down on her, she could see the wrinkles of concern on his face; he was visibly struggling to maintain his composure. “Switch,” he said, “please stay out of trouble. This place bothers me greatly…something does not feel right here, and it is not only the fact that we traveled up a mountain in the blink of an eye. Agent Four has acted kindly towards us, but the Unseen Consortium cannot be trusted. I am going to my room to make myself presentable in case the Brethren arrive today. It would be wise for you to do the same.”
Switch reluctantly agreed before walking off to her room. As soon as she opened the door, she knew that Agent Four was not exaggerating when he claimed that the rooms were spacious. The single bedroom was easily as large as her entire lab. Shutting the door behind her, she ran and jumped onto the enormous bed positioned in the center of the room. Her eyes felt heavy the moment she landed; the material that the mattress was made out of must have been the most comfortable thing she had felt in her entire life.
Before she could relax, the urge to explore the rest of the room kicked in. Now that she was alone, she felt comfortable removing her goggles before beginning the examination. Aside from its size, the next thing that caught her attention was the amount of color in the room. Agent Four must have furnished the guest rooms as such to combat the blandness of the entrance hall. The sheets on the bed and the curtains that surrounded it were lavender, presumably Four’s personal touch. The walls were painted teal while most of the furniture sported a sea green hue. Exquisitely crafted chairs, tables, lamps, and dressers were carefully placed around the room to offset the abundance of space. Hopping off the bed, Switch approached a small table made of clear glass that had a note placed on it. She picked it up, noting that the ink on it was the same color as the writing on the card she read outside of Kellith.
Dear Esteemed Guest,
It is my profound pleasure to welcome you to your personal room! I hope that everything here is suitable to your tastes. I have already taken the liberty of drawing up a warm bath if you would like to freshen up. You may deposit your traveling clothes in the chute on the far end of the room. They will be cleaned and returned to you within the hour. You will find a robe and a suitable set of clothing in the closet for your use. Please do not hesitate to ask should there be anything I can do to improve the quality of your stay.
-Agent Four
Looking up from the note, she noticed the marble tub in the far corner of the room. After giving it a moment of thought, she found it to be oddly inviting. She took off her coat to begin emptying its many pockets. Before long, all sorts of odds and ends were spread out on the bed: scraps of metal, thin wires, small metallic spheres, tiny wooden boxes, a few tools. She reached into the final pocket on the inside of her coat, and a pained smile formed on the corners of her lips when she produced a well-loved spanner. Despite the scratches along its length, the detailed carving of the Artificers’ seal on its head was largely intact. It had been gifted by her mentor when she earned her title in the guild, and she could not help but whisper the words that were carved into it: “The light of progress above the shadows of ignorance.” She gently set it next to the rest of her tools, careful not to damage it in any way. As she walked over to the other side of the room, she ran her hands over her coat. The Artificers traditionally wore white coats to match their lab suits, but this one had been custom-made for the funeral.
She vividly remembered the first time she wore it. It was raining heavily that day. She remembered looking down on the funeral procession from a rooftop, separated from the friends and families of the men who had meant everything to her. Never had she felt so hopeless; the Artificers had given her life purpose and direction. After all they had done for her, she was not even allowed to pay her respects. It was made clear to her that she was isolated for the public’s safety, not her own. Standing alone, she watched as the Artificers’ bodies were carried to the funeral pyre. Once the flames began to rise, the rest of the memory became blurry from the downpour of rain and tears.
When she realized that she was reminiscing, she reminded herself that she had decided long ago to not to dwell on sad memories. Switch stood for a moment and looked at the Artificer’s seal on her coat before dropping it through the opening in the wall. She stripped off the rest of her clothing and deposited it as well before heading for the tub. Sprinting over to the other corner of the room, she nervously drew up the lavender curtains around it. She quickly realized how absurd her modesty was given the absence of anyone else in the room, but she still felt somewhat embarrassed to be completely naked.
She gingerly poked at the water to test it before determining that it was safe. It was surprisingly warm, but not hot enough to be uncomfortable. She reached behind her head and undid the string that kept her hair out of her eyes while she worked. Dipping her foot into the tub, she was met with a surprisingly pleasant sensation. Eventually she submerged the rest of her body and let her head rest on the edge. All of the aches from traveling immediately began to sink away as she let herself relax. If nothing else, this luxurious treatment was almost worth the trip.
While the warm water soothed her body, her mind started to wander. She reflected on the urgency in Loric’s voice when he first asked her to join his expedition. Even though he openly disapproved of the Artificers’ work, he had always acted cordial when visiting her. He clearly was skeptical of her story surrounding the fall of the Artificers’ Tower, but he still treated her with respect. When he explained the Empress’s plight during their travels, however, all traces of warmth had disappeared from his voice. Knowing that it was not easy to shake Loric’s resolve, she worried about whatever was troubling him.
Like her companion, she too had been on edge since she first laid eyes on this place. It was far too perfect to have been built by normal means. Nothing that the Unseen Consortium did made any sense to her; it was impossible to instantly move a platform all the way up a mountain, let alone an entire mansion. Why did they shut themselves so far away from the rest of the world? Why did they bother bringing up one of the most important men in Kellith? Switch was sure that it was not to keep Agent Four company. The more she thought about it, the more she agreed with Loric. Something was not right here, but what she felt was not fear or uneasiness. It was fascination.
She realized that all of her worrying was making her fidget in the tub. Once she admitted to herself that she was not going to be able to relax any more, she stood up and grabbed the towel that was hanging on the nearby wall. She walked over to the bed, sat down, and tried to clear her head of the thoughts that swarmed inside of it. The questions kept multiplying faster than she could dismiss them.
Just as she resolved to find their answers, a panel opened on the wall next to the bed. Her clothes gently dropped onto the clear table in a neatly folded pile. Without hesitation, she leaped towards the table and got dressed in a flurry. After meticulously placing her belongings in the pockets of her coat, tying up her hair, and strapping her goggles back on her head, she quietly prodded the door open to check the hallway. Seeing that it was unoccupied, she left the room and ran to the door at the other end of the balcony.
On the other side was a large spiral staircase, nearly identical to the ones in the entrance hall. She approached it without a moment of hesitation and took two steps at a time as she raced upwards. Once she had reached the next floor and exited the stairwell, she found herself in a long corridor. The entire wall on her left was made of glass, giving her a view of the world outside. Across the estate’s courtyard, she could see another building that she assumed to be the west wing. Neither of the residence halls offered a door to the plain stretch of land and not a single footstep was to be found in the snow, so she figured that none of the Consortium’s members spent much time there. She found it to be rather boring until her eyes came across the peculiar structures in the center. Four metallic cylinders stood in a circle, each a story tall at least. Between them the snow sunk down, seemingly filling a circular crater.
“Odd…” Switch muttered to herself as she inspected the courtyard. Before she could begin to guess at the strange formation’s purpose, her original curiosity pulled in her attention with enough force to spin her around. The other wall of the hallway was rather plain; only a few doors dotted the expansive corridor. She approached the nearest door cautiously at first. When she read the words “Lab 7A” written in gold above the handle, she grinned and confidently opened the door.
As soon as she set foot in the room, she fell in love. This was everything that an Artificer could possibly dream of contained in one place. Dumbstruck with awe, Switch could only stand in place as her mind adjusted to this utopia. All sorts of mechanical devices were spread out on the numerous tables that filled the room. There were some that were familiar to her: mechanical clocks, miniature cannons, and complex gearboxes, all far more advanced than anything she had seen in the Artificers’ Tower. More impressive than the intricate devices were the tiny animated constructs on each table that tended to them. They appeared to be like metallic spiders; they skittered over the gears that were scattered on the floor and prodded at unfinished projects. Her first instinct was to grab one and pry it apart in order to learn its secrets, but she quickly dismissed the thought. After all, what self-respecting scientist would share their knowledge with someone who broke their toys?
She walked between the rows of tables while taking care not to step on any of the little workers that busily swept the floors and picked up metal scraps. Although she was the only thing breathing in the room, the workshop was full of life and teeming with innovation. The clicking of metal feet and clockwork was strangely comforting to her; there was a sense of order and purpose underlying the noise. Hoping that the maestro of this technological orchestra was behind the closed door, she made her way to the other end of the room. As she drew closer, she could begin to hear some sounds coming from the other side. Standing on her toes, she peeked through the small window on the door to investigate.
The shallow angle of the view only allowed her to see a little of the dimly-lit room. Standing in the center was a tall man who was nearly identical to Agent Four. His proportions, his clothes, his dark hair, and even his polished shoes were the same as their eccentric host. This man only differed because his suit was colored silver and the numeral painted on his mask read “7”. In his hands he held an intimidating tool that branched into several arms, each of which supported some kind of drill, syringe, or blade. He appeared to be intently looking at the wall that was outside of Switch’s vision.
“Shall we begin, then?” the man asked in an emotionless, monotonous voice. “I must make as much progress as I can before I have to give you back to Five. It is a shame, really, as I still have yet to find what makes you tick.”
In response, a deep voice bellowed from behind the wall. Switch stumbled back in fear; it crackled and sizzled like the dying embers of a monstrous flame. “I will not endure this torment, Argseil! By my word, when I break these chains you will regret the day you wrought me!”
Realizing that it was not a good time to visit, Switch began to nervously step away from the door. Before the metallic clanging once again filled her ears, she heard the man speak once more. “I have told you to call me Seven. Now then, this should not hurt any more than it usually does.”
She quickly made her way through the workshop now that it seemed far less inviting to her. Throwing open the door, she stepped into the hallway and closed it behind her in a hurry. She took a moment to calm herself before attempting to regain her bearings.
“Hmm,” she whispered to herself, “which way did I come from…”
Reflections – Decadence
“I do not begrudge those who lock themselves in castles and surround themselves with treasures. I wander by choice, as that is how I find myself. People search for truth in their own way; I have met both the foolish hermit and the sagely lord. We all have something that is precious to us, mine is just small enough to carry with me on my travels.”