Will McDermott - The Moons of Mirrodin

“Or any,” muttered Glissa. She was apprehensive about actually seeing a vedalken. She feared they would somehow see right through her flimsy disguise. They had seemed to know her movements every step of the way. Why shouldn’t they know she was here now? But more than that, Glissa worried that the vedalken weren’t behind the attacks, that the four-armed, robed figure was something else, something even more sinister. Somewhere deep down inside, Glissa still believed the one truly behind the attacks was the fabled Memnarch Bosh had spoken of.

After a while, they began to pass humans walking the hall. Some hurried past them, perhaps on an errand for their master. Others walked in pairs or groups and talked or laughed as they walked the halls. Obviously, not all the humans were as troubled by their enslavement as Bruenna. As they passed each group of human mages, Glissa would drop her head slightly to help hide her elven features, while Bruenna would greet them with a smile and a nod of her head.

About halfway back around the tower, the corridor opened up into what looked like a large marketplace. Hundreds of humans walked about or stood next to tables. It was enormous. Glissa couldn’t even see the other side of the room, and the ceiling, which had been twenty feet high in the corridor, rose to at least three times that height within the market. She felt like she had stepped outside, but they were still within the fortress.

As they entered the market, Bruenna explained. “We humans make everything the vedalken need,” she said. “In turn, the vedalken let us sell the excess to ourselves. The whole thing makes me sick.”

“Why?” asked Glissa. They passed some of the stalls. They were filled with food, crockery, cutlery, cloth and linen, woven leather clothing like Bruenna wore, and even fine leather boots. “These are well-made items. You could trade with other races, like the leonin, and improve your life.”

“Only that is not allowed,” said Bruenna. “We make the items. We sell them to each other, but the vedalken are the ones who benefit. Each of these stalls is owned by a vedalken. They pay us to work for them, then we pay them back for our own necessities. It is little better than slavery.”

As they passed through the market, a small group of human mages approached. They weren’t purchasing but didn’t seem to be in any hurry to complete a task, either. Glissa wondered where all the vedalken masters were for these wayward workers. One of the humans, an older male, smiled as the group approached Glissa and Bruenna. He moved ahead of the rest and stopped in front of Bruenna.

“Bruenna,” he said. “It’s been so long. How are you?”

Bruenna extended her hand and grasped the man’s arm with it. “Hello, Daven,” she replied. “It goes well.”

Daven grasped Bruenna’s arm in return. “What brings you to Lumengrid?” he asked.

Bruenna hesitated for only a second before responding. “Business with the Synod, actually.”

Daven was clearly impressed. “I had heard your moon was rising. Following in your father’s footsteps, I see.”

Bruenna smiled. “You could say that.”

Bruenna tried to pull her hand back and move on, but Daven held her there. “Who is your friend?”

Bruenna looked at Glissa, then back toward Daven. But before she could respond, they all heard a commotion coming from the side of the chamber. Glissa looked over. The sea of humans was parting like a wake, creating a wide path through the market. Glissa swallowed hard when she saw the force that could move people as easily as quicksilver. A robed figure strode through the market, and it was coming right at Glissa.

Glissa felt a wave of panic. It was definitely a vedalken. Its domed head towered over the surrounding humans, and its voluminous robes swayed back and forth, covering and uncovering its extra arms as it strode through the crowd. Not a single human came close to the vedalken as it moved quickly through the crowd, and it barely seemed to even notice the throng of humans as they scrambled to stay from its way.

Glissa tensed and reached inside her robe for her sword. Was this the one who had killed Kane? She couldn’t tell and didn’t really care. She was willing to kill them all just to make sure she got the right one. Perhaps if someone showed these humans they could fight back, they would revolt. Bruenna must have sensed her intent, for she grabbed Glissa’s arm and shook her head. Glissa released the pommel of her sword and turned slightly as the vedalken strode up behind Daven.

“What is going on here, Daven? I sent you out an hour ago to retrieve the timebend phial I need for my experiment, and yet I am forced to leave my experiments and come searching for you, only to find you talking in the market.”

Glissa could see the horror in Daven’s eyes as he released Bruenna’s arm. The human path behind the vedalken closed, but everyone around Glissa’s group seemed to melt away into the crowd, even those humans tending stalls. Daven dropped his head and said, “I have it, my lord. I was on my way to bring it to you.”

“Then do so now, for if you and the phial are not within my quarters by the time I return, your pay will be docked for an entire phase,” said the vedalken.

Glissa dared not turn around. The voice had the same deep resonance as the one she had heard in the Tangle when Kane died. The commanding tone and the lingering memory made Glissa freeze. She hardly dared breathe. The voice must have had the same effect on the humans, for Daven still hadn’t moved.

“Take it to the lab,” said the vedalken, “and be quick about it.”

Daven and his friends disappeared into the crowd around Glissa and Bruenna. Bruenna tried to follow Daven away from the vedalken, and Glissa followed. They had only taken a few steps, though, when the voice boomed behind them.

“Halt,” said the vedalken. “I do not recall dismissing you yet, Bruenna, or is your business so pressing that you cannot spare a moment for your father’s old employer?”

Bruenna turned around. “We are on business for the Synod, Lord Pontifex.”

“I had not heard you were coming to Lumengrid, but if you have business with the Synod, I am headed toward the upper levels myself-you may accompany me.”

Bruenna nodded. “Thank you, lord. We appreciate your time.”

“What are you doing?” whispered Glissa, but Bruenna didn’t answer.

Pontifex turned and headed back through the crowd. Those nearest to the vedalken must have been watching him, for they immediately moved to the side to give Pontifex room. The humans in the market parted once again for the vedalken, and Bruenna and Glissa followed in his wake.

“I have never had a chance to tell you how sorry I was to hear about your father’s death,” said Pontifex as he led them from the market and back into a long, curving corridor.

“Thank you, my lord,” said Bruenna.

Glissa couldn’t read vedalken speech patterns well enough yet to tell if Pontifex was earnest in his sympathy, but Bruenna’s answer had a definite edge to it.

“I have kept an eye on your career for many cycles, and I see you have done well for yourself since his death, though,” continued Pontifex.

“I live to serve, my lord,” she replied.

There was a definite edge to their conversation. Glissa could tell there was bad blood between these two, and there was more going on here than a chance meeting between old friends. So why were they following him? They were making better time, as the vedalken had access to more direct routes between the stairwells. But Glissa knew that Slobad and Bosh would be ready soon. They needed to make a break for it. Glissa watched for an opportunity, but there were a lot more vedalken on the upper floors. She was just about ready to stab the vedalken, when he stopped in front of a door.