A back door? said our host. Certainly. Its sealed shut and covered in wooden boards. Why dont you just leave the way you ca?
It was a reasonable question.
The gate, I said.
Yes?
It sort of fell over.
He didnt seem particularly surprised by this news. He nodded with a sad look on his face. It was bound to happen eventually. Very corrosive, hexes. They burn through everything in the end.
At least he wasnt upset about it, which was a relief. I wouldnt have to throw Flossie under the bus as Id been planning.
We didnt co here to kill you, said Claire, doing her best to keep things calm and reasonable. Probably would have helped if she hadn't shouted it at him like a death threat.
He was a bit startled by her outburst, but didnt co charging at us with the sword he was holding. I wouldnt have blad him. Might even have joined him.
Then why are you bothering ? he asked.
Youre Arta Askii? I asked him.
Arthur. Its Arthur.
Are you a Visitor? Peter told us there was one in Gorgoth who could help us.
His shoulders sagged. Not again. That son of a bitch. Hes always sending his cast-offs so I never have any peace and quiet. Every ti I think Ive finally got a little ti to myself, a bunch of his his... failures co traipsing up to my front door, begging to help them beco as powerful as possible. Swear up and down that theyll only use their abilities for benevolent purposes and saving cats in trees. Never works out that way, does it?
We all shrugged. How the hell were we supposed to know?
Look at you, he said with undisguised bitterness. Youre worse than those druids. At least theyre honest about what they want. Not like your kind. Even when I do offer to help, to show you the correct path to becoming a decent person, what happens? He paused like he was waiting for an answer.
We still had nothing.
Ill tell you what happens. You start off very ek and respectful, taking in everything I tell you, and then slowly by slowly, out it cos. The corrections, the suggestions, the unasked for recomndations. What if we tried it this way. Ive been thinking maybe we could do it that way. I read sowhere its actually better to do it standing on your head with a stick of celery sticking out of your ass. It never ends!
He threw his arms out wide in exasperation and the scabbard on his sword went flying off. He ignored it.
I dont know what happened back ho over the last hundred years that convinced everyone they already know everything, but you know diddly. DIDDLY!
He was clearly upset, but I didnt think it was fair to bla us. If ever there was a group that were happy to admit their ignorance, it was us.
There was a thud on the door and we all jumped closer to the staircase. There was a lunatic with a sword on the landing, so we didnt get too close.
Dont worry about them, said Arthur. Theres another hex on the door.
Considering the effect of the first hex on the gate, this wasnt all that reassuring.
Is there another way out? I asked. A secret tunnel or sothing?
Oh, you think that would be a good idea, do you? More ways into the house?
Um, no. I just, um It was hard to know what to say. Anything could set him off.
I could also tell Claire was losing her patience. And that would definitely set him off.
If we cant get out, well have to stay here, she said.
Do what you want, said Arthur.
Do you have any food? said Claire, ready to keep at it until soone was in a heap of tears. Probably .
No, of course not. I live off of rainwater and mildew.
We could do a deal, said Flossie shakily.
What kind of deal? said Arta. He had the expression of a man preparing to be appalled by an unpleasant offer.
If yo give us sothing to eat, well help yo tidy up.
Hey, hey, hold on, I said. This is a big house and he wont have a Dyson in the cupboard under the stairs. I was all for a fair and reasonable exchange of goods and services, but I wasnt about to dust an entire fucking mansion for a sandwich.
Not good enough for you? scread Arthur, my hero. Luckily, he had no intention of letting Flossie sell us into slavery for snacks.
Its dirty, Flossie scread back. I saw a spooder. She pointed at a corner of the hall.
Great. I love spooders, whatever the hell a spooder is. And I like my house just the way it is. It has character. He began coughing. He waved away any attempt to offer assistance, of which there were none. This is just my allergies. No, not to dust, to assholes.
His glaring was interrupted by more banging and scratching at the door. Faces appeared pressed against the small windows on either side. The glass was covered in dust and gri, so we couldnt see the faces very clearly, but there was a hint or two of tentacle.
Who are they? squealed Flossie, holding on tight to Dudley. Why do they want to kill yo?
Theyre my biggest fans, said Arthur. They love to death.
And the tentacles? I asked, since he was being so chatty.
Its a long story. He sighed deeply. You better co up. He turned, threw the sword away like he was bored of it, and walked up the stairs as the sword clattered down.
We tentatively followed. Whatever was waiting for us up there couldnt be any worse than what was trying to break the door down.
We climbed the stairs in a clump. Arta was stalking slowly towards an open door down the other end of a long corridor. It was gloomy and only lit by dust-covered windows, so it was hard to make out much. Probably for the best.
By the ti we entered the room, Arta was already seated at a long table filled with food. Our stomachs growled in unison.
Whats the matter? Hungry? Tell you what Ill do, lets play a ga. You win, not only will I feed you, Ill help you with whatever problem you ca to see about. Hows that?
It wasnt a bad offer. Kind of depended on what the ga was.
Okay, I said. Lets play. Not like I had anything else to do.
Good, good. Here we go. He placed two green apples on the table in front of him. You tell which of these isnt poisoned and I
Theyre both poisoned, said Maurice before I could.
What the hell are you talking about? He picked one and took a big bite. Bits of apple flew out of his mouth as he said, See?
Thats because you already took the antidote to the poison, said Maurice.
Oh, said Flossie. Like that movie
The Princess Bride, said Dudley. Marvellous.
There was a murmur of agreent.
They stole my idea! scread Arthur, the outrage sending him to his feet. He sat back down again. Although that does explain why so many of you guessed the right answer over the years. Live and learn. He picked up the two apples and violently hurled them at the wall where they both splattered into pieces. Okay, how about this?
He placed two more apples on the table. They looked the sa as the two hed just chucked away.
Arta raised his right hand. As God is my witness, one of these is poisoned, one is fresh and delicious. Eat one and live, and Ill teach you everything I know. Youve got a fifty-fifty chance. Are you man en
I picked up the first apple and took a bite. It tasted very nice.
You have to eat it all, said Arthur.
I kept eating, all the way down to the core. As I took my last bite, I felt a burning sensation in my mouth and throat. My eyes began to water and I couldnt breathe.
Arthur had a smug look on his face. My party were just standing there looking at . They had at least learned one thing from . If you dont know what to do, dont scream and shout, and run around doing nothing. Do nothing quietly.
I put my hand up to my face and healed myself. My lips felt enormous and my nose seed to have spread across most of my face, but it didnt take long for the swelling to go down.
Thats cheating! shouted Arthur.
Maurice walked up to the table and picked up the other apple. He took a bite and then spat it out, his face twisted in disgust. I get it. The delicious one is also the poisoned one. You have to eat a whole apple, so either you eat that one and die, or you eat this one and stop because you think its poisoned.
I ate the whole thing, I said. So, I win.
Arthur didnt look very happy. You can heal yourself. Thats your ability? Think that makes you special, do you?
No, I learned this off a stoned frog. The monsters have been nicer to than any human Ive t here. There was a series of coughs behind , which I ignored.
I know! said Arthur. Its like they only shipped over the biggest assholes they could find. And then they follow you around like youre the answer to their prayers, and when you try to actually make them understand what it ans to be a person, a real, goddamn person, they freak out like you want them to learn how to swim in a vat of acid or sothing.
And even when they accept they were wrong, I said, they try to explain it back to you, like you were the one who didnt get it. I was warming up to this guy. He seed to have his head on straight.
Right! Thats absolutely right! What the hell is wrong with people? Maybe you wouldnt make such a bad student.
Oh God, I heard Jenny mutter, theyre bonding over their mutual hatred of everything.
Whats he going to teach him? Claire muttered back. How to be an even bigger bastard?
Its never easy being teachers pet, always resentnt and jealousy from the other kids.
There was a crash of glass from downstairs.
I knew I should have put so hexes on the windows, said Arthur rubbing the bridge of his nose. He rose from his chair, not looking particularly worried, and walked out of the room, dressing gown flapping.
We followed him (after swiping so food), but kept a little distance just in case druids ca pouring up the stairs. It was surprisingly quiet.
Oh no, we heard him exclaim. Really? This is a bit much, isnt it?
We slowly descended the stairs to the landing Arthur was standing on. Below him, the floor was covered in druids, all prostrating themselves.
One at the front raised his head. He didnt have any tentacles showing. We live to serve you, Master.
Im a little busy right now. I have guests.
We will take them away and kill them for bothering you.
They arent bothering , you are. Look what you did to my window!
I thought they were trying to kill him, whispered Jenny.
Too much love can kill you, I whispered back. Especially if the lovers have AIDS.
Hey, you, Arthur called out, co here. He waved to tell us to co closer. Reluctantly, we sidled along the landing.
The druids peered up at us, still on the floor but shooting death stares at us as best they could from that angle.
You want the Old Gods to return? asked Arthur. There was a murmur from below. You want to bring back the glory days when perfect beings sat on thrones and commanded their lessers to do their bidding?
There was more enthusiastic murmuring. You can murmur enthusiastically, Ive heard it.
Then I am not the one you should be following. He is. Arthur grabbed by the arm and pulled closer to him. He will summon the Old Gods from their slumber. I will train him to be the one you have been waiting for. If he survives the training. Fifty-fifty. Not bad odds.
The druids sat up to get a better look at their new ssiah. I wasnt too put out by being volunteered for service. Not like I intended serving the full term. But Arthur did say he would train , which was what I wanted. Fifty-fifty was okay. I might get lucky and not survive. I could do with a rest.
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