Curselock

Chapter 234: Pocket Watch

There was a specific step among the hundreds leading toward the castle where space became hard. It was midway up, just before the second landing but well after the first. This one step, was, by far and away, the first of many protections that secured the royals in case of an attack. Unassuming and unmarked, the step looked just like any of the others. Stone, chiseled, perfectly flat and unwrapped.

Which Legacy of the Mason created it, no one knew. But those who understood the intricacies of space magic understood its significance. It marked the point of no entry. It was the first shell of impenetrable space.

One such mage, Leland’s dad, Spencer, hated this step. And while he didn’t have a hand in its creation, he did fine tune some of the enchantments hidden within it. So, as he, his family and friends stood one step below the important step, he couldn’t help but steal glances at it.

At least, until his wife batted his shoulder with the back of his hand.

“Pay attention,” Lucia whispered. “This is a big moment—”

“I know, I know. I’m watching…”

And it was true. One small symptom of being a spatial mage of such renown, Spencer was always watching. Space twisted and churned, every movement sending ripples of influence across the fabric of the world. Sensing all of it was a pain sometimes, but sometimes it allowed for hidden words to be shared.

For example, Spencer knew his son was nervous. Small ripples, radiating from Leland’s knees or pulses whenever he clinched his hands. Obvious. Jude and Glenny on the other hand? They were eager to get on the road, Jude especially.

Spencer watched his son and Queen Sybil hug one last time, the pair sharing a few words of goodbye before parting. Leland then stepped before Aunty P.

Spencer didn’t need to feel space to know that his wife had just pursed her lips. Nor did he need to be able to sense the small changes in the area to recognize that Aunty P’s blood pressure had just risen.

Roy, Diana, and Carmon? They all slumped at the news. Spencer remembered quite well what happened last time everyone traveled to the Gru Triumvirate. He shivered, at first, the job they took some years ago still a scar on their reputation. But then he remembered Annie Red and the sheer brilliance she brought to the team.

Spencer stole a glance at Carmon and thought about how they needed to hang out more. Maybe do some training together just like old times.

“I know,” Aunty P finally said back to Leland. “A report was passed to me not an hour ago—”

“Don’t try and stop us,” Leland interrupted. “Just because you said we weren’t allowed to help, doesn’t mean it's fact.”

Spencer wanted to cover his face with his hands. As strong and resilient his son had grown up to be, the boy still had a long way to go. Picking battles seemed to be a weak point of his.

The Spymaster General of the kingdom kept her mask of the Eldest Princess, being outside the castle walls sometimes was annoying like that. She smiled kindly down at Leland, although to those closest to her, they understood that smile to be anything but.

As uninterested as possible, Aunty P said, “I see. Do be safe. It would be a shame if something terrible were to happen to you.”

“Aunty!” Sybil huffed, stomping her foot.

As much as the new Queen wished to act royal and regal at times like this, there were some lines people just shouldn’t cross. And while the voices in her head didn’t agree with her acting out like this, she didn’t care.

“I begged you to be nice!”

The older woman’s face twisted when her niece, and Queen, began to berate her. Worst of all, she saw the sly face Leland Silver was making. For a brief moment, she wondered if she should reapply the warrant for his head…

Aunty P sighed. “Stay safe Leland.”

With that, she turned and crossed the step into the fortress that was the space around the castle.

Leland and Sybil shared one last moment before he stepped over with his team. Jude gave him a thumbs-up. Glenny swatted down Jude’s hand before any of the adults could see.

“Leland,” his mom said to him. “We wanted to give you this later, but I guess it has to be now. Happy birthday.”

She thrust out a medium sized jewelry box.

“Happy birthday!” Spencer then said. “Hope you like it.”

Gently opening the box, Leland found a circular metallic device. Small brass gears rotated beyond a glass layer, moving two sets of hands around in a circle. Rhythmically, the device ticked, the gears allowing springs and runes to be tensioned or complete.

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“It’s an enchanted pocket watch,” Lucia said. “Even in dungeons, it should always tell you what time it is.”

“It’s perfect,” Leland whispered, finding a small chain hooked around a carrying ring. He picked it up, the metal cool in his fingers.

“It’s not much,” Spencer added, “but there’s not much we could think to get you that you couldn’t get yourself or contract a Lord for.”

Leland flipped it over, finding an engraving. “Happy Birthday, we love you,” it read.

“It’s perfect,” he said again.

“Be safe out there, Leland. You always will have a home with us, so don’t worry about us while you’re gone. We’ll always be here.”

“What your mom said, Leland.”

The three shared a hug, just as Jude and his family were doing, along with Glenny and his dad. Soon the boys said their final, final goodbyes and looked to Spencer for their ride. With a flick of the hand, a blue-rimmed circle in space fell away. A hole to another land now rested gently among the stairs and space. Originating from the other end of the portal, a cold breeze wafted through.

Frostford.

A town at the base of a mountain. A town that held many secrets in its surrounding wilderness. Home to countless souls and even a few talking bears, the town was still slick with spring slush. Beyond the walls and buildings, past the cliff leading directly into the sea, was a small island.

Fit with rich vegetation and prowling beasts, one such secret was hidden. Within a glowing-mushroom cave was an entrance into another world. Sub-world, really. Now that other worlds were converging, classifiers like that were important.

In other words, past the mushrooms and melted snow was a dungeon and friends.

With one last goodbye, the boys passed the boundary, their boots suddenly wet and their skin textured with thousands of small bumps.

They waved to their loved ones through the portal one last time before it abruptly snapped closed.

“It is cold!” Jude announced not a moment later, already fumbling his inventory ring for a jacket.

Glenny eyed his friend, the cold not bothering him any as he bundled himself up tighter in his cloak made of shadows. “Aren’t you the one with inherent cold-resistance thanks to Floe’s blessing?”

“Yeah so?”

A beat passed.

“Then you shouldn’t feel the cold?”

Jude shook his head. “I’m not actually cold, but I didn’t want to feel left out.”

“Left out because we are cold?” Leland asked, pointing between himself and Glenny. “Because I don’t think Glenny is cold. So, I’m the one left out.”

“Oh. Right…” The young berserker chewed his bottom lip for a moment before staring Leland dead in the eyes and saying, “Haha, loser!”

Sighing, the young warlock said, “I’m going to contact the Lord of Frozen Terror and either get immunity to cold or the ability to haunt your dreams with cold-nightmares.”

With a look of outrage, Jude looked between his friends before twitching to a stop. Slowly, he asked, “Lord of Frozen Terror? Is that even a real Lord?”

“Don’t know, but don’t make me find out. But let's stop messing around and get going. Floe and Gelo are waiting.”

With that, the boys started walking. Spencer’s portal had put then two-hundred or so paces outside of Frostford’s walls. And while the boys weren’t entering the town, it was never wise to just appear where people might be gathered.

“Normal citizens don’t like random people teleporting around their homes. It makes them feel like their possessions are going to be stolen,” Spencer had once told Leland.

Regardless, the trek down the cliff-trail was decently short and straightforward. Once upon a time, the boys had competed in an herb-gathering competition in this town, or rather, on the island off the coast. The town only allowed visitors on the island a few times a year, it being dangerous to cross the short channel of ocean.

Which raised a question Jude asked.

“Why didn’t your dad just portal us onto the island, Leals?”

“That’s easy. I asked him not to.”

Both Glenny and Jude stared at Leland.

“What?” he asked. “I just wanted to make sure we all had the tools necessary to complete this journey.”

“The journey of crossing a dangerous stretch of water?” Glenny asked.

“Exactly. I can fly, so I’ll have no issue. Glenny, I assume you can just shadow-step over. But what about you, Jude? I could always carry you if need be.”

They were standing on the lone dock at the bottom of the cliff, the waves licking the rotting wood somewhat aggressively. Jude took a moment to gauge the distance to the island.

“I can make it,” he said with a shrug.

“A-are you sure?” Leland quickly said. “Because I meant this all to be a big joke, not for you to actually do it.”

“Joke?” Glenny asked.

“I was going to make a Jude-is-a-bird-joke when I would fly him over. It would have been great… but if he’s serious about actually trying to jump the channel—”

For the short moment Leland and Glenny took their eyes off their friend to speak to one another, Jude had started running. From the base of the dock, he and a perfect copy of him – the mirage – sprinted toward the water. Hoarfrost began to form around both of their torsos and thighs, enhancing their steps with frozen strength.

“Wait!”

Leland’s yelp was too slow. Both Judes jumped, making use of the Legacy of the Berserker ability, Leap. They soared through the air, clutching each other. Having evolved his Legacy to its third rank at this point, the Judes easily rose higher than a barn and further than a full caravan.

Unfortunately, this was not enough to land safely on the island. Fortunately, the Judes had a plan. Upon their apex, the original Jude Berserker Leaped off of the mirage Jude. And while the fake Jude was sacrificed to the rough waters below, the real Jude doubled the distance landing among the first of the trees.

“He just—”

Leland cut himself off realizing that Glenny had already shadow stepped across the water to the island, leaving him the only one who hadn’t made it yet.

With a hearty sigh, Leland activated his contract with the Lord of Crows. Four black wings appeared from his back, each flapping with reserved excitement. For as fun as flying was to the young man, this particular trip was lacking.

Upon Leland’s landing, Jude yelled, “Leals! You should join the circus! With wings like that, you’d surely soar into riches!”

Glenny’s cackles echoed against the trees.