Libriohexer ~ 26!

Sam lost the thread of the conversation as he pushed and shoved his way through the press of bodies with Finn in tow, trying to get to the next archway. Clearly, something had happened to the Accords, though what, he didn’t know. Was it possible that killing so many of the Trustees had somehow weakened the Accords? Bill had mentioned the Trustees were responsible for maintaining the College’s magical infrastructure. Still, that seemed unlikely. This level of destruction was well beyond what Sam’s book bombs could account for, which meant some other external, catastrophic event had occurred. Maybe something to do with the trial?

Sam just wasn’t sure. But if it was some sort of catastrophic event, that didn’t explain the last third of the mages. They weren’t weeping or grumbling. They were celebrating. There were hugs and more tears, but those were clearly from joy. The only other thing he could tell about them was that they were powerful. Experts and Masters at the minimum.

“This is bloody madness,” Finn whispered in his ear. “Just what in the world happened while we were down in the Repository?”

“That can’t hide something this big for long,” Bill tried to get them to focus. “We’ll find out soon enough, but now ain’t the time for it. We need to stay focused. If we play our cards right, I think we might just be able to get out of here in one piece after all. But not if we keep standing around here until we finally do bump into someone we know. Take that archway on the right—the one with the inverted triangle and the three squiggly lines.”

Moving as quickly as the congested hallways would allow for, they wove through the corridors, keeping their heads down and doing their best to look like they were moving with a purpose. Not escaping, but important mages who had places to be. But it was hardly necessary, the weeping and rejoicing were in full swing and no one seemed to have any care for two random mages wandering through a College packed to the gills with mages of every shape, size, and rank. The guards were the only ones that seemed to be keeping it together, and they were busy putting out the numerous fires Sam had started.

Either that or investigating whatever had happened during the trial.

They were nearly in the clear when Sam rounded a corner and slammed face first into a wall of a man wearing the colors of a Guard Sergeant. Sam bounced off as though he ran into a literal wall and found himself sprawled out on the ground. He shook his head and looked up… right at the worst possible person in the entire College. A burly man decked out in silver-edged plate mail named Geffery the Red. Not two paces behind ol’ Geffery was the second worst person he could’ve run into—besides the Arch Mage himself—Geffery’s partner, Karren the Blade. She was lean as a hungry wolf and carried a finger-slim rapier at her hip.

“Good heavens, so sorry about that, Senior Mage,” Geffery stammered, the color draining from his face. “What with all the chaos, and the crowding… well, I should’ve been more careful.”

Apologetic was the right tone to take with an unhappy senior mage. Knocking one flat on their backs in the middle of a crowded hallway was a good way to end up on sewer detail for the next year. Which was precisely where Sam and Finn had first met Geffery and Karren. They’d been the guards who’d accompanied a cohort of young mages down into the sewers to clear out the jellies that built up over time. They were also the same two guards that Sam had ambushed the last time he’d infiltrated the college; knocking them unconscious, stealing their tabards, and leaving them bound and gagged down in the muck below the College. If there was anyone who could ID Sam and Finn, it was these two, and they had a grudge to settle.

“It’s no bother,” Sam kept his head down. “Mistakes happen, especially with so much confusion.”

“Let me help you up,” Geffery extended a rough-calloused hand.

“No. I don’t touch people.” Sam ordered, keeping his face cloaked by the heavy cowl.

“I insist, Senior Mage,” Geffery grabbed Sam by the arm and hauling him to his feet with ease. The guard was huge and deceptively strong. Sam’s cowl fell away from his face. In that instant, he knew their luck had run out. Recognition flashed through Geffery’s eyes, and a scowl pulled down the corners of his lips. “You! Of course you’re here. I bet you’re behind this, aren’t you? Intruders! To arms, to arms!”

Sam heard the rasp of metal against leather—the sound of weapons leaving their scabbards. Geffery bellowed, even louder than before, “We have Rogue Mages! Seize them!”

Geffery lunged, but Sam was already dancing away. He wheeled around, gave Finn a push in the opposite direction, and took off at a dead sprint. Geffery and Karren were trailing behind them, and a few other guards were glancing around in confusion. Normally, Sam and Finn never would’ve stood a chance in a foot race against the pair of guards, but these weren’t typical conditions. The congestion in the hallways made it much harder for the two bulkier, armored guards to slip through the crowd—not to mention they couldn’t just bowl over the mages in their way.

Knocking the wrong mage over, even if it was in the pursuit of Rogue Mages, could have serious repercussions. Docked pay. Loss of rank. Even time in the Sanctuary of Solitude for a grave enough offense. Sam and Finn had nothing to lose, so they gladly shouldered aside their stuffy, robe-wearing counterparts—leaving behind squawks of anger and indignation in their wake. Bill guided them through a series of complicated and simultaneously convoluted twists, turns, and switchbacks, hoping to shake the pair of guards in the labyrinth of spatial corridors, but Geffery and Karren weren’t giving up without a fight.

They weren’t gaining ground, but neither could Sam, Finn, and Bill seem to lose the pair. Worse, a few more College guards had joined the pursuit.

<Do you want the good news, or bad news?> Bill questioned as they rounded another turn.

<Good news,> Sam replied mentally.

<Well, we’re almost out of the College.>

<That’s great. What’s the bad news?>

<I’m out of turns and we still have to make it through the courtyard. No way to lose them. Our only hope is they won’t follow us out into the city.> Bill delivered the news in a deadpan tone, clearly not trusting their luck at all.

“Let’s just hope they haven’t closed the portcullis,” Sam muttered under his breath.

They tore around a final corner and shouldered their way through a set of massive double doors that let out onto the western courtyard. There were more mages milling around on the cobblestones, most of them clumped together in small groups, talking in muted whispers. The great steel portcullis was up, but standing directly in front of the archway that led beneath the outer wall of the College was a platoon of Guards—not College Guards, but elite Royal Guards that worked for the crown.

“Stick a fork in us,” Finn nearly came to a halt as he saw what awaited them, “our goose is bloody-well cooked, old boy.”

“Stop them!” Geffery boomed, charging into the courtyard; Karren the blade only a handful of paces behind him. “Guards. Stop those two mages! Rogues! They are Rogue Mages.”

A stony-faced guard in chain mail responded at once. He pulled free a hand and a half sword from a scabbard at his hip and barked a series of orders. His platoon fanned out in a half arc, blocking off the exit completely, before interlocking their square tower shields and lowering wicked looking spears. A moment later there was a *clank* as huge gears lurched into life and the portcullis dropped, effectively sealing Sam and Finn in the courtyard—trapped between the onrushing Geffery and the royal guards.

<It was nice knowing you, boys,> Bill sighed dramatically. <I’m sure they’ll lock me up for another hundred years.>

Sam ignored the book. There had to be a way out of this. There had to be. They hadn’t made it this far to die, in this courtyard, just a hundred feet from freedom. He had two Rorschach spells ready to deploy. Maybe he could use both and then attempt to fly over the walls with his Quills Wings while carrying Finn. Except that wouldn’t work. He might be able to carry Finn, but Rorschach only worked on anyone who had a lower intelligence level than Sam. It would probably distract the guards, but there were fifty mages in the courtyard, at least a few of whom wouldn’t be affected by the spell.

Trying to fly away would make them an easy target, and all it would take was one fireball to kill them both. Sam felt his stomach sink as he realized there really was no clever way out of this one. They’d taken an enormous gamble and lost. Now the bill was coming due, and Finn would be the one to pay the ultimate price.

“Hold!” The city guard commander bellowed. “What in the pit is going on here exactly, eh?”

“Take them into custody,” Geffery ordered Karren over one shoulder. He turned to the city guard commander. “There’s been an incident at the College. Some sort of explosion. Or a series of explosions. Possibly even an assassination attempt against the Arch-Mage if some of the rumors floating around are to be believed. It’s hard to say exactly. The College Guard is still trying to sort all the details. But these two are definitely involved somehow. Rogue Mages, the both of them.”

“Rogue Mages?” The city guard commander said, a question in his voice. He squinted, a frown forming on his face. “You’re not making any sense, man. I’m looking right at the pair of them. I don’t see a Rogue Mage tag.”

“What?” Geffery spit. “But of course they are. I would know those two anywhere. They are Rogue Mages. Traitors to the College and to the Crown, and likely behind whatever is happening inside these halls!”

“You’re barking mad,” the guard commander shot back. He was no longer looking at Sam and Finn, but rather staring daggers at Geffery. “They can’t be actual traitors. They don’t have tags!”

“I think I can clear this up,” Finn sauntered forward with a smug look plastered across his face. “Obviously, the stress of this situation has impaired good sir Geffery’s judgement. Or perhaps he thinks we are someone other than ourselves—mistaken identity does happen. We tried to explain the situation, but he attacked us. My compatriot and I tried to flee instead of engaging him, because we didn’t want to hurt a loyal College guard just trying to execute his duties. But I can quite assure you, we are no traitors. Surely if we were Rogue Mages, you could see that, yes? It is my understanding that it is impossible to fool the Deep Scan ability of the city guards, isn’t that right, commander?”

Sam had no idea what was going on, but he was smart enough not to look this gift horse in the mouth. He kept his trap shut and silently prayed that Finn knew what in the heck he was doing.

“Exactly correct,” the commander replied with a grim nod. “There are certain counter measures and classes that can fool many guards, but Deep Scan never lies. It sees the world how it really is and tells us the truth of the matter. The fact is, these two do not have Rogue Mage tags, though this one does have a heavy Warlock penalty on him. I wouldn’t trust him to hold my valuables, but as far as I can tell… there is no bounty on their heads. The pair of you are simply mistaken.”

“Just as I tried to tell them,” Finn sounded apologetic. “As for our standing in the College, I can vouch for myself and my compatriot here. I am Lord Finneas Laustsen of House Laustsen, and this fine fellow is a powerful natural-born mage in his own right.  Now, instead of wasting time with us, why don’t you go investigate what the actual problem is. If you would be so kind, please take Sir Geffery and his partner there with you. I have tried to be a good sport about the whole affair, considering the circumstances, but my patience is wearing thin. If we are not allowed to continue on our way, I may become irritated and speak to your Company Commander about needlessly harassing a Noble.”

“Of course, m’Lord,” the guard commander sighed, clearly used to dealing with Nobles. “Of course. Break ranks. Hitchens, get that sally gate open immediately. These two men need to be about Kingdom business.”

In a matter of seconds, the city guards had formed up and were marching toward the College, whisking Geffery and Karren away with them. Geffery looked positively thunderstruck as he was hauled away.  “This isn’t over! I know it was you! I don’t know how you pulled this off, but I know! I’ll find you two yet!”

“Apologies for him, m’Lords,” the guard commander quickly ushered Sam and Finn through a smaller wooden sally gate. “Some men crack under the pressure. We’ll get to the bottom of this, you have my word.”

The commander gave them one final tight smile and a small wave, before heading back into the courtyard. The sally door slammed shut behind them. Outside of the College and in the city, and not a guard in sight. They were free! Bill spoke softly as they quickly hoofed it toward Cheapside,  “Does someone want to explain what black magic hoodoo just happened?”

“Check your notifications,” Finn chuckled softly.

<Yeah, yeah, just give me a sec,> Bill sent, silent for a moment. “No way. They're gone. The Accords, they’ve been… dissolved? That… it shouldn’t be possible, but there it is, clear as day. The three of us were Rogue Mages under The Accords, but no Accords means no charges. We just got a massive get out of jail free card. I’m sure it’s a loophole that someone will eventually fix, but until they do… we have total amnesty, boys.”

“How long do you think that’ll last?” Sam instantly tried to plan what they could get away with.

“Long enough for us to get clear of the city and that’s all that really matters.” Bill laughed and laughed. Sam still wasn’t sure what exactly had unfolded, but at the moment he honestly didn’t care.

It felt like Christmas morning.