Recent Glim History

[SoulTorn]

Burned Bridges


Glim finally reached his destination. A steel-banded door, surrounded by gems that flickered in the torch light, stood at the end of the hallway, slightly ajar.

He briefly pondered knocking, but thought it best to simply enter. "Hello, Aroai." he said as he entered, a faint touch of a sneer touching his delicate features.

An Eolai that looked a good deal older than Glim sat behind an enormous desk. His head jerked up from the tome he was reading as he realized someone was present. "You!" he hollered, "What are you doing here?" His face, weathered by long years in the outdoors, contorted into a look of rage.

Glim was taking his time, perusing the contents of the bookcases lining the walls of the room. His steely-blue eyes lingered briefly on a small box perched on top of one of the bookcases. The insolent rat, thought the old man, he still has not learned proper respect.

Satisfied that the old man had waited long enough, Glim deigned to issue a response. "I was hoping you would tell me, Jyan." he spoke softly, his voice barely more than a whisper. He then sat down on the xleather-covered chair across from the old Eolai.

Jyan shifted about in his high-backed chair. "It seems to me that it was your master that summoned me here," he continued, his voice still nearly drowned out by the rustling of his robes. "Or am I mistaken in thinking that this is his seal on the letter?" Glim slid an envelope across the desk to the old Eolai.

Not even bothering to look at it, Jyan slid it back across. "You should know better, Faethyn. My master has no use for such things." A brief frown flickered across Glims features before he slipped the envelope back into one of the many pockets inside his robes.

Glim opened his mouth, perhaps to issue a harsh response, but quickly closed it again as he noticed a faint shimmering in the air behind Jyan's chain. As the shimmering abated a young Human cloaked from head to toe in wispy black robes appeared, lifting a finger silently to his lips.

His attention shifted back to Jyan, Glim continued to hold the old ones attention. "If not your master, then who, old man?" Jyan replied with only a scowl.

The young Human took that moment to rest a hand on the back of the chair and shook it as a wicked grin formed on his face. Glim reveled in the look of sheer terror that crossed Jyan's face. He enjoyed even more the change of expression as Jyan realized what was happening. Shooting up out of his chair with the speed of a man half his age, Jyan whirled about to confront the young Human.

Several emotions flickered across Jyan's face. Anger, followed by joy and sorrow, in rapid succession.

"It is good to see you, too, Jyan", the young Mage grinned like a hungry ewoae.

"Of all the stupid, crazy sh..." Jyan shouted, his voice trailing off as he turned back to Glim, a puzzled look on his face. "You were in on this, weren't you?"

"In that, old man, you should know better." Glim frowned briefly at the Human Mage. "Though I do not appreciate being...used...by some lowly Human, I thoroughly enjoyed your expression." "I needed some means to get by the security," the Mage countered, blithely ignoring the insult.

The Mage glanced from the old Eolai to the young and back again. "I have grave news," he started, abruptly becoming sober. "It seems the enemy has forsaken their plan to hold tight at their position north of here. I slipped by their encampment on the way here." Once again the rabid grin crossed his face. "I honestly wonder how they have managed so much damage, with such poor defenses."

A pained look crossed Jyan's face as he heard the news. He spoke, his voice suddenly sounding hundreds of seasons older. "We had hoped they would await the arrival reinforcements before they attacked again. We have no chance if they should make their move now."

Glim smirked. That was the idea, of course. Agents of the foreign forces had obviously infiltrated the command structure. He wondered who they might be.

"...course of action would be best." Jyan finished. Glim, his eyes slightly glassy, blinked. He had missed what ever the old man had said.

"It seems to me that your only hope is in escape." the Human said.

"Even if we could convince the people to leave their homes, there are no routes left to escape by, Evan."

"Nonsense. The people will leave if given proper motivation," "Death and rape seem a decent motivator for most people." interrupted Glim.

Evan glowered darkly at the young Eolai. Despite the look that crossed his face, he calmly finished, "As for escape routes, there are the tunnels beneath sewer-level. God only knows how far beyond the city they go."

Glim remembered those tunnels. Maze-like was an understatement. He recalled the tale of the Technicians that had gotten lost down there.

You will show the way.

Glim looked about with a start. Evan and Jyan continued their conversation, utterly oblivious.

Fishing in his robes, Evan soon produced a small, tattered square of parchment. "This is the key to navigating the tunnels. The Tracker that previously had possession of it was most unfortunate."

Jyan stared at Evan, aghast. Glim chuckled softly and said, "Not from your doing, of course."

Evan grinned briefly. "Of course not."

Not in any traceable manner, at any rate, thought Glim. He remembered the...troubles...people had when they did not give the Mage what he sought.

Letting the parchment fall to the desk, Evan bowed mockingly. "I must be off, Aroai. Send my regards to your master."

The mage began to shimmer, starting at his feet and working its way up. Abruptly, the shimmering ceased. A look of consternation on his face, Evan frowned at Jyan.

"I will not tolerate spells in my office, Mage." Evan quickly walked around the ornate desk and left through the door, slamming it jarringly as he did. Muffled by the thick door, they faintly heard the Mage cursing blocking devices.

Gazing thoughtfully at the door, Glim missed whatever it was Jyan had just said. "Glim?" Jyan asked.

Out of his reverie, Glim turned to face the old one again. "Yes, Jyan?"

"I do not believe that letter was from Evan, either." Glim nodded slightly, pondering the implications. The codewords had all been there, in proper order. Few even knew of them. Fewer still were alive.

"I must go inform the militia of the situation." Jyan muttered to himself, mentally ticking off all those that needed to be told of the enemy plans as he headed for the door.

"Of course, Jyan." Glim followed him out of the office, but not before deftly snatching the small box from the bookcase and secreting it in his robes.

[Kitae]

That brought a tear to my other eye.