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Post by Treijim on Nov 12, 2008 8:01:31 GMT 9.5
"Do I own this mansion? Did I build it? Did I design it? Is the deed under my name? Do I know it better than those who own the deed or those who built it? Who knows? Who wants to know? I tell you, child, you need to ask clearer questions. Think about the answer you want before you ask for something you may not want."
Mr Not-Alchemist turned round a corner that was more like turning round two corners, because suddenly everything seemed different. He was in a small library with some lanterns burning nicely on a table in the middle. He went to a bookshelf and pulled out a book without looking at it.
"I'm sorry?" He had his nose in his book and he looked up at Eric, his eyes sparkling yellow and orange. He paused for a long while until muttering, "I don't want a potion. Why would I want a potion..." He lowered his gaze back into the book for a moment. "But! I do have something for him. You see, to my knowledge, alchemy is all about ingredients. Everything on this world reacts to everything else, but sometimes the reaction is so small that nothing happens. It's all about knowing what to add to what and in what order. I have something Jaron will deem useful... I hope."
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Post by Eric on Feb 14, 2009 7:53:32 GMT 9.5
"I don't know about mansions much. People live in them, but they too big for people. Small people should have small houses like Cole's and big people should have big houses. I saw a big person skeleton once. It washed up on the shore and it was this huge skull with these big teeth like boars have only huger." He used his arms to imitate a tusk like gesture and loped around accidentally knocking some books over. He stopped and picked them up and gazed through them. "I wish I could read. Oh and I need to find Cole again. He's this really fun guy with funny hair."
He jumped into a chair and laid down across it with one of the books in his hands. He focused on the little squiggles and lines but couldn't make sense of them at all. There were some pictures that he thought were kinda cool, though alot were confusing. "What is it you have that Jaron might want? That crystal thing?"
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Post by Treijim on Feb 16, 2009 12:58:29 GMT 9.5
Mr Not-Alchemist chuckled as he browsed the books again. "Jaron may indeed deem my crystal to be of some value, but it needs more work before I submit it to his genius judgement. I have not seen a man with funny hair in quite some time. Actually, you are the first person I have seen in..." he let down the book and stared straight ahead, heaving out a sigh. "Oh, I don't know."
The story of the skeleton didn't seem to register with the man. In fact, not much of Eric said seemed to register.
"No indeed I have come out because something stirred me from my sleep. I have a thing that will get me the blood I need." He glanced across at Eric. "Don't worry, it's not yours. What I am going to offer Jaron is far more valuable... and it's nearby. Who else is here with you? Your friend... Colin? And...?"
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Post by Eric on Feb 21, 2009 15:50:31 GMT 9.5
"No he's named Cole, and we also have this man with us who say he butler to my parents and that I inherit lotsa money," Eric explained, as tactless and cautionless as ever. "Cause I live with people on little island for some of my life and then they die and I look after myself. But the man says they're not my parents and my parents really wealthy and they got killed by pirates and I have money now." To be honest Eric wasn't terribly enthused about the prospect, it didn't seem like something to be enthusiastic about and it showed in the rather simple explanatory tone in which he spoke.
"What woke you up Mr. Not-Alchemist? Was it me? Was I too loud? I sorry if it was." He wandered over beside the man and tried to understand the book he was reading. "So people read these things and they have stuff in 'em? Is what you wanna bring Jaron wroten about in a book? Can I help with what it is?" Eric asked at his usual hyper pace when asking questions. His questions were interrupted by a yawn however as tiredness started to catch up with him.
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Post by Treijim on Feb 23, 2009 11:23:57 GMT 9.5
"No, not at all. It was not you who woke me. You have already proved that."
All the talk of money didn't seem to faze Mr Not-Alchemist. He seemed indifferent to the mentioning of inheritances, islands, parents, wealth, and pirates. He also ignored most of Eric's questions and his attention was randomly split between entirely Eric and entirely whatever he was reading. What did perk his interest, however, was Cole's name. He repeated it as he looked up from a book.
"Cole, you say? Cole Ryland. What a peculiar name. If you want to help me, there is something you can do..." He tilted his head and looked away, seemingly arranging his words carefully in his mind before letting them roll of his tongue. "Can you introduce me to your friend?"
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"Well, Cole, it was a pleasure to finally meet you. Your name precedes you, as I am sure you are aware of." Mr Dirrel shook the boy's hand for as long as he could manage, holding a steady smile the entire time. Cole seemed unenthusiastic as ever. "Now I must as you both a large favour."
Cole looked at Eric and then back to Mr Dirrel. "What is it?" he asked, hoping that money wouldn't come up.
"I, too, wish to get to Jaron's Manor this fine morning, but I am afraid I have not the transport, and it has been so very long since I have travelled along these old roads, I haven't the faintest idea how to get any whence-way from thine standing! So my question is, may I travel with you two?"
Cole and Eric discussed it briefly but neither of them saw any harm in letting him go with them. Eric seemed fond of Mr Dirrel, and Cole deemed that the man knew about the land better than both of them did, though he claimed not to know much at all. So they found another train that was heading around to Kimai, around Lake Vastin, and Jaron's Manor was conveniently on the same road. Within an hour they were along the road, passing through dense yet vast farmlands, cast in early golden sunlight, which made a contrast to the significantly emptier fields on the other side of the mountains.
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Post by Eric on Mar 22, 2009 5:14:48 GMT 9.5
Eric lay on his back and watched the clouds as the train rumbled beneath him. It was something simple that didn't confuse him, the clouds. And so much he now found strange and confusing. Still there was a sort of thrill about learning about things, including the fact that he was apparently someone quite opposite than what he'd always been. He was sad they had to leave the man who'd been a servant before, but Eric also felt sure that he could take care of himself.
"Hey Cole?" he said. "Have you been to Jaron's?" he asked, sitting up.
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Post by Treijim on Mar 24, 2009 12:39:31 GMT 9.5
"No." Cole's answer was short and fast as always. He looked across at Eric, now up and looking at him, and then he glanced at the man at the front of the train steering the orcanor. For whatever reason, he decided to elaborate. "You can't just go into Jaron's Manor. You need to either have written permission or you need to be there to order a commission... but that requires money. I'm hoping that the strange man you found will let us get in, though. The second strange man, that is... not the one from the street."
Mr Dirrel was nowhere to be seen, but as he had plunged into the cabin of the train several hours ago, everybody assumed he was still down there. They passed through several towns, circled around many crops and farms, and over a couple of bridges before the manor came into sight. And it sure was a sight.
The manor itself was mostly noticeable because of its vast facade, glowing almost white in the bright sun, with the red roof and many small structures topping the three or four stories of rooms beneath. The garden before it was surrounded by hedges and iron fences. Behind it were tall trees capped by high rocks sitting at the foot of a mountain. The train did not enter the gate; the three of them were prompted to get off so that the train could move on, so Cole got Mr Dirrel and they climbed off. Two armed soldiers from the gate approached them.
"Well," said Cole. "Here goes nothing..."
"What's your business? Please show me your invite," said the first guard.
"We have no invite," said Mr Dirrel, and the guards immediately turned but stopped when he said, "but I am positive Jaron will not turn me away. No, I am not officially invited, but he needs something of mine. We discussed it a long time ago. I am an old friend of his."
The two guards stopped and turned around, staring first at the old man, then at Cole, and then at Eric.
"And who are these boys?" asked the guard.
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