Hugh Cook: The Wordsmiths and the Warguild

"All this comes from the odex?"

"Yes," said Brother Troop, nodding. "And other things, too dangerous to keep. Today's monster was a case in point. Come, I'll show you the reading room."

They went to the reading room where there was a single very old and ancient book. Its cover, and its individual pages, were coated with a hard, transparent substance; thus protected, they did not seem to suffer decay.

"This is the Book of the Odex," said Brother Troop. "It was discovered together with the odex itself in the Old City in the Valley of Forgotten Dreams, in Penvash."

"There's no such place as the Old City," said Togura. "That's just a tale to frighten children with."

The Brother shook his head.

"No. There really is a city. Men went there seeking wealth. Many died. Even before they got to the city, one was turned into a monster after a flower swallowed him; they killed him after he killed five."

Togura nodded politely, though he scarcely believed a word of it, and the Brother continued.

"Of those who went, three returned alive. One was my father. They gained three things in the Old City: the Book, the odex, and their nightmares. Open the Book."

Togura did so. The patterns within, splattered across the pages as if at random, made a bewildering maze of angles, corners and stunted lines.

"Can you read, boy?"

"A little. But not this."

"That's scarcely surprising. It's written in two languages. Part is written in the Voice of Jade and Gold, which the scholars of former times used both before and after the Days of Wrath. A travelling wizard was able to translate it for my father. Thus he learnt that the odex was used in former times to store both knowledge and objects. There is vast wealth inside the odex, boy."

"But you can't get it out."

"Not unless we gain the index."

"The index?"

"We summon things forth from the odex by talking to it. The ancients of former times used the index instead. The Book tells us that the index speaks in the Universal Language, whatever that might be. For want of an index, we've been trying to make our own Universal Language. That's why we've been gathering together all the world's languages, trying to make them one."

"And does that promise you success?" said Togura, unalbe to conceal his doubts.

"Nothing gives us any guarantee of success," said Brother Troop. "But! Knowledge! Wealth! Power! It's worth striving for, boy, it's worth striving for."

"You said that the Book was written in two languages."

"That's right, my son. One's the Voice of Jade and Gold, which I've spoken of already. The other's the Cold Tongue, which even the wizards can't read. Back before the Devaluation, we paid the wizard of Drum to make the attempt, to see if he could succeed where others had failed. He couldn't. But he told us where we could find an index."

"He did?"

"He did. After consulting his Catalogues, he told us where we could find a number of them. After the wizards became a power in the world, they discovered many things left over from the Days of Wrath; they didn't understand most of them, but kept them nevertheless, for thousands and thousands of years."

"So where – "

"I'm coming to that, boy. Give me time, give me time. Over the years, the wizards acquired a number of small, flat boxes, each marked with the sign of a hand and a heart. They could never find out how to ope nthem, or what was inside. Now, thanks to the Book of the Odex, we know. Each contains an index. Each will open with a Word. That Word is Sholabarakosh."

"Shola – "

Later, boy. You'll have plenty of time to memorise it before we send you seeking."

The Brother's words gave Togura something of a shock. They gave him a hint of what was in store for him. He thought of protesting, but held his tongue. As the old saying goes, it's best to hear out the bargain before you break it.

"Thanks to the wizard of Drum," said the Brother, "we know where to find these boxes. The nearest is at the bottom of the green bottle in Prince Comedo's Castle Vaunting, in Estar. A monster protects the bottle from those who would acquire it. The box itself lies at the very bottom of the bottle and is Guarded."

"Guarded?"

"I don't know what is meant by that, and neither did the wizard of Drum. However, his Catalogue says it, emphatically, which means there's death waiting nearby."

"Charming," mutttered Togura.

"What's that?" said the Brother.

"I said, that would be a real challenge. Something I could get my teeth into."

"Yes – or something which could get its teeth into you. Anyway, to continue. There's also a box in the Secret Store in Tormstarj Castle in the Ironband Mountains. That's south of Estar, as you know."

"Yes," said Togura, who didn't, but didn't like to say.

"There may possibly be a third box in the Castle of Controlling Power. There is definitely one in the possession of the Silver Emperor in Dalar ken Halvar. But that, of course, is a step and a way."

"Yes," said Togura, from habit.

"Galsh Ebrek may hold another box."

"Who?"

"It is not a who, it's a where. It's the High City in Yestron. You know where Yestron is, of course."

"Yes," said Togura. "It's west of here."

"No! East! Beyond Argan. Beyond Ashmolea. Beyond Quilth. The west has nothing of interest, not to us. Unless there's a box in Chi'ash-lan, which is problematical. You know where Chi'ash-lan is, I hope."

"Yes," said Togura, who had a vague inkling.

He feared he had disappointed Brother Troop already, and that he would shortly have to disappoint the wordmaster again. For he suspected that he was about to be offered a job fit for a hero, and he had no intention whatsoever of accepting. He would rather stay alive.

"Well, boy," said Brother Troop, beaming. "I expect you know by now precisely what we want of you."

"Yes," said Togura. "You want me to go to Estar to get the bottle which holds the box which holds the index."

"Excellent!" said Brother Troop, slapping him on the back. "I thought you'd accept. Let's celebrate with some bread and wine, hey?"

"Tai-ho!" said Togura, using a local idiom which meant something similar to "whoa!" or "wait" or "stop."

"What is it?" said Brother Troop. "You're not going to decline the honour of questing for the index, are you?"

Togura hesitated. He meant to say "yes," but did not want to leave without indulging in the bread and wine that he had been offered. With a swiftly-developing survivor's cunning, he equivocated:

"The question of payment arises."

"Payment? But, my boy – the glory! Isn't that enough? No? If not… no, this is neither the time nor the place. Come, let us eat and drink. The dinner table, my lad, is the civilised place for prolonged discussion."

Togura was gratified by the success of his stratagem. Over their meal, he rewarded Brother Troop for his hospitality by showing an eager interest in the odex, the index and related matters.

Precisely what markings identified the box which held the index? Brother Troop sketched the heart and the hand for him.

What was the Word which opened the box? Brother Troop gave him the Word once again, and he memorised it: Sholabarakosh.

What did the index inside look like?

"Ahaha," said Brother Troop. "An astute question, truly. When you open the box, you'll know. Remember, it speaks the Universal Language."

"Whatever that is."

"Yes," said Brother Troop, with an unfamiliar hint of sadness and defeat in his voice. "Whatever that is." Then, brightening: "Ah, the chicken! They've brought us the chicken! Beautiful. Come on, eat, eat. You're not full already, are you?"

"No," said Togura, who was, but thought it wise to stock up a little. He started on a chicken wing. "What," he said, "happened to everyone else who went questing for the odex?"