The World Within the Web

by Lord Max

Chapter V: Simple Words

Chapter V: Simple Words

* * * * * *

“The Wars of Brony Succession, also known as the First Rise within the Collective, were a series of conflicts that arose due to the growing influence of the Brony fandom across various parts of the Internet, most notably in Greatchan. Opposition to the Bronies was largely sporadic and unorganized to begin with, but intensified fighting brought the troubles to the attention of the Authority, which attempted to crack down on what they viewed as a small-scale revolt.

"Ironically, these actions only caused the newly-founded Collective to become more and more determined in their fight, forcing an eventual peace to be forged between all participating factions: the Bronies would be allowed to continue their practices, so long as it did not interfere with others.

"This author had both the good luck and the misfortune to be present on the Chan during those months of fighting, and observed several most peculiar instances. I once found myself within a half-destroyed plaza that one boisterous Brony had converted into a makeshift command center. She had recently emerged as a de facto military leader, and was busy giving orders to those around her. At one point, she asked that they send a great deal of their forces to burn out an enemy base — intimidated by her, all of present officers readily agreed.

"One Brony, a towering newcomer that was missing an eye, had lead the defensive force in Comchan while the other leader led an unsuccessful offensive. This strange man spoke up against the plan after arriving with part of his army. According to him, the proposal was foolish, as it left them too open to attack themselves, and that the captain would be more wise to not ride out with so large a force. The commander was silent, and her subordinates gasped that someone had been so uncouth as to contradict her.

"To their shock, however, their leader laughed, thanking the stranger for telling her the truth, and admonishing the others for holding back their own opinions. To show her gratitude, she would share command with this new Brony and the forces he brought—an army that would prove instrumental in winning the fight.”

— “The Land of Masks: Being a Personal Account of the Conflicts Within the Chan, Including the First Rise and Others,” by Jane Gettlelin

* * * * * *

“In every event that transpires in our lives, good or bad, there is a lesson to be learned—something that might make us more than what we are otherwise. To find wisdom, look to three sources: old books, old friends, and experience.”

— Lord Feylen Mars, Warden of Magic

* * * * * *

Coin Counter followed behind the Warden of Honesty closely, careful not to step too far ahead or walk too quickly and end up side-by-side with him. Even though close to a half-hour had passed, filled with Rolf’s reassurances and explanations, Coin felt no less terrified of the Warden even now as they walked together into the heart of the Magic Wing. Everything about him seemed unnatural and terrible, from his sheer size, to his armored body, to his single golden eye, to the very way he talked and moved.

When Coin had first seen him emerge from the darkened room, he had half-felt like fainting at the sight of him. Thankfully, he was made of stronger stuff than that, albeit not by much—he could barely even answer the dozens of questions the Warden had prodded him with before they left.

Walking beside Rolf, Coin continued to follow the Warden further into the Magic Wing. The color of the walls and carpets began to change as they progressed, turning from the whites and blacks of the meeting room to deep shades of lilac, and silver. Various members of the Magic Friends could be seen in the same colors as they bowed to the passing Wardens—lavender robes with dark violet hoods, and necklaces shaped like six-pointed stars.

Coin was more familiar with the Honest Friends than the other branches, but he could remember what his friend Es had told him about the Magic Friends when he had first had the Collective explained to him. The Magic Friends, as he had described, were the scholars, teachers, and organizers of the fandom, dedicated to learning, analyzing the Works, maintaining the community on a daily basis, and gathering information from the World Beyond the Web.

After travelling through what seemed like an endless succession of stairs and corridors, they arrived in a very long, dusky hallway, with the few windows on the walls filling the room with a purple light from the stained glass. On either side of the room, various paintings and murals decorated the hall; one was a red-haired woman pointing to a familiar star in front of a crowd of hooded followers, while another showed a white city suspended on a cliff-side. Another showed the earliest history of the Collective, representing the first Bronies emerging from the Chan, the dreaded isles of masks and madness, to begin the First Rise. A larger work could also be seen, depicting the Magic Friend herself along with the five others, each displaying their respective Element, as the Citadel of the Six was raised beneath them.

At the end of the hallway was a great door, with a six-pointed star carved in the front, which the Warden of Honesty pushed open as soon as he came to it. Rolf held it open while Coin stepped inside, before walking ahead as he paused and gaped in amazement at what lay inside.

This particular part of the Wing was — at least partially — a vast library, with the walls covered by books and shelves, and Magic Friends running between them or scribbling in scrolls at the tables. What was most incredible, however, was what lay in the center: an enormous device made of brass and steel, comprised of dozens of orbs and spheres all arranged flawlessly into a machine that filled most of the room. Magic Friends were standing around it, turning dials and writing on pads as Coin walked by.

“The Orrery,” Rolf explained cheerfully after seeing the awe on Coin’s face. “It’s supposed to be a model of the celestial bodies, if what I’m told is true. The Magic Friends use it to track the moons and stars, so they can find out when the Seasons start and end.”

Examining it more closely, Coin could see he was right; the giant golden sphere in the center must be the Sun, while the comparatively tiny steel orbs had to be the moons. Coin could only imagine what the dozens of other tiny parts represented. “We were taught that the heavens were the bridge between the Internet and the World Beyond the Web, and that you could find what was to come by searching through them,” Coin said, still impressed by the giant mechanism, “Do you suppose it’s really true?”

Rolf shrugged. “That’s what they tell me. To be honest, it’s all a bit beyond me. I’d rather stick to writing records and going through finances, if I had a choice.”

Coin couldn’t help but agree. He hoped the Magic Friends would be able to find signs of the next Season soon, though — the current Drought was going longer than he would like.

However, with all the time he had spent admiring the Orrery, the Warden had continued on without him. He hurried back behind him, but thankfully the giant man didn’t seem to notice that he had left. As they walked into another long corridor branching off from the Orrery room, Rolf walked beside the Warden and carefully spoke up.

“My lord?” he asked. Standing beside the Warden, Rolf seemed almost comically small.

The Warden looked down at his assistant, his expression carved into an impatient frown.

“Are you truly going to go to the Dreamweave?” Rolf ventured.

“We have been ordered,” the Warden of Honesty curtly replied, as though it were the most obvious answer imaginable.

“In that case, I would like permission to accompany you.”

“No,” the Warden said immediately, turning his head back to the way he walked.

“If you’re going abroad, my place is by your side,” Rolf protested as he stepped out of the path of a group of Magic Friends walking past.

“Place is where we say it is,” the Warden snapped, with a hint of irritation. “Will be absent. Someone must maintain Honest Friends. You.”

Rolf looked ready to speak up again, but seemed to understand the was no point debating with the Warden. He looked sullenly at the ground as they walked forward in silence. Coin felt a twinge of sympathy, but he couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to spend any more time with the Warden of Honesty than absolutely necessary. At least I won’t be going with him, Coin thought. He was more than ready to return to Reddit, and his friends.

Going through another set of doors, the Honest Friends found themselves in a large, circular room. On the floor was a violet rug, embroidered with a dozen six-pointed stars arranged in a circle, with six spheres in the center forming a ring. The rest of the floor was made of a dark wood, while the walls were colored a deep shade of lavender and lined with bookcases.

Various maps adorned the walls, including a giant one at the front of the room that showed the entirety of the Known Internet. In the middle was Central, the capital of the Authority, where the great Engines all led back to, while all around it were the lands they ruled: the Painted Sea in the east; the Land of Faces, gigantic in size and stretching across the west; the Great Firewall reaching across the northwest; and a thousand other places Coin had never seen or would never see in his life.

Around the edges of the map was a border of black, blank space. The Deep Web, and the Dark Internet beyond, Coin thought, feeling a chill go down his back. Most of the places in the Internet were a good distance away from that void, though there were a few that almost bordered it, such as the Chan, or another island in the far north — the land of the cybrahakar, where the mancers dwelt in their cold tomb-cities.

Beneath the map was a desk, and around it were the Wardens of the Collective and their assistants, all talking and listening as Lord Mars observed from an ornate chair in front of them. The Warden of Loyalty was talking as Coin entered the room.

“... I could have a blockade up by the end of the week as well, if you give me the word,” Lady Wright said.

“I understand that you’re angry, Madelin, but I don’t wish for this to escalate any further than it already has,” the quiet, distant voice of Lord Mars replied. “I know you want a more direct solution, but for now we should put our faith with our envoys.”

Lady Wright shrugged. “If you say so, Mars. Still, I think negotiating’s a helluva lot easier when one side is surrounded by a hundred ships and the other isn’t.” She took a drink out of one of the flasks at her belt and laughed. “But what do I know? You guys are the diplomatic ones here, not little ol’ me.”

“I think a sign of good faith may be more effective,” the Warden of Kindness said gently.

Lord Jestin nodded with a smile. “Besides, if Honesty is going, they’ll be plenty protected.”

“Yeah, about that,” Lady Wright said to Lord Mars. “Are you sure about sendin—” Suddenly, she turned around and saw that the Warden of Honesty was looming over her, stone-faced.

She didn’t seem in the least bit worried to see him, giving a broad grin. “Hey there, friend! Glad to see you made it!”

“Lady Wright,” he replied tersely.

“Balefire and damnation, you miserable bastard, how long have we known one another?” she said, rolling her eyes. She pushed her hand on the breastplate of his armor, but he didn’t even flinch. “You can just call me ‘Maddy’, you know. All that ‘Lady Wright’ stuff is a bit too formal 'tween us, don’t you think?”

The Warden of Honesty frowned. “It is your title.”

She rolled her eyes again, but smiled. “Ah whatever, you big stick-in-the-mud. You know I’m just givin’ you a hard time!” She slapped his chest again, though the fact that she had to reach up to do so only served to make the short woman look even smaller when compared to her friend. For his part, the Warden of Honesty looked extremely uncomfortable, and opted to stare forward rather than reply.

“Sorry to keep you all waiting,” Lady Violet said from behind Coin, “but it really is quite the walk to get here.” Coin hadn’t noticed her behind him while he had walked, as he had been more preoccupied with what had been in front of him at the time. Truthfully, Lady Violet was difficult to miss: she was remarkably beautiful, in a way that made Coin uncomfortable to even be in the same room as her. He hadn’t caught the name of her assistant, but he was enviably handsome as well, with tanned skin, a lean face, thick black hair, and small, almond-shaped black eyes.

Lord Mars smiled upon seeing her. “No need for apologies, Violet. Sorry to make you all walk up here, but the meeting room doesn’t offer much privacy, and I would like to speak with some of you alone. But first,” he said, turning to face Coin, “I have the honor of introducing Sir Coin Counter. If you recall, he cleared up the trouble in Reddit with the charity drive.”

Lady Wright was the first to approach. “Ha! I remember hearing about that. Close call, really! You did us big favor over there, friend!” She gave him a strong slap to the back that almost knocked him over, grinning all the while.

Lady Semmer gave an apologetic look and bowed to Coin. “Well met. I understand there was some confusion among our friends there. I’m grateful you helped to clear it up.” Coin couldn’t help but feel odd when she stared at him. Her dark eyes were unusually large and piercing, almost as if she could stare into his soul. It was oddly unsettling. When she spoke with her musical accent, it became difficult to concentrate on much else.

Thankfully, Lady Violet Brushshape spoke up next and captured his attention. “My thanks go to you as well, sir,” she said, curtseying to him. “One of the Generous Friends on Reddit—Geral Book, I believe—was kind enough to send word telling me all about the service you did us. He seemed to think you deserved special honor for your part.”

Coin couldn’t help but smile, knowing that Geral had spoken so highly of him. Book was the man who first introduced him to the fandom, and had been his friend ever since. Still, he felt embarrassed that he was getting so much of the credit. “That was kind of him to say, but there’s more to it than that. My friends in Reddit didn’t do any less than I did.”

Lady Violet smiled. “I don’t doubt that for a moment. Still, a great deal of praise has gone your way, Sir Coin. I hope you’ll accept my thanks in full,” she said, fluttering her long eyelashes.

Coin felt himself going slightly red, when suddenly Lord Jestin spoke up. “My friends in the Saying Sea said it got a bit hairy out there, and not in the fuzzy way. I’ve read the reports and letters on it, but I’d like to hear it from you. How’d you wrap up the trouble there?” he asked with a tilt of his head.

Coin thought for a moment on how to start the story. “Well, I was in Reddit at the time, on assignment, when it all started. You see I’m a Knight Re—sorry, I mean I was a Knight Regulator before I resigned, so when I heard about irregularities in the charity funds I decided to look into it. I met up with Book then—we were old friends you see—and offered to help, and he said yes. Of course he did,” Coin said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his head, “I mean, otherwise I wouldn’t be here. Anyways, what I mean to say is that that’s when the team was put together with Geral, Es, Greenheart, and me.”

“So how’d you find out who was behind it?” Jestin asked, smiling. “Lots of looking through boring old records and sheets and notes and things?”

“Well, yes, I mean, there were a lot of numbers involved. There was field work as well. We had to search through a lot of the city to find exactly where the conspirators were hiding, of course, and plenty of talking with locals as well.”

Lord Jestin nodded, “Hmm, field work, eh? That sounds exciting.” He glanced towards the others, as though to suggest something. “But please, Sir Coin, tell us more. Now, I might be wrong, but I heard that you had to chase those criminals down, yes?”

“Uh, well yes, in a sense,” Coin replied sheepishly. “It was hard to find them, but after we learned the names we raided their homes—three of them we caught, but the other three ran. They tried to escape the city.”

“Tried,” Lord Jestin interjected, “but didn’t! That was you as well, right?”

He nodded, wringing his hands a bit over the unnecessary praise. It had come down to him in the end: Greenheart and Es had managed to corner one of them, while he and Geral had chased the remaining two conspirators. “Well, Geral caught one of them after they took a bad turn, and I managed to find the last one. He tried escaping in the Fan’s Square, but I managed to catch up before he got away.” It had been a struggle, finding the criminal in the crowds—at midday there were thousands of people crammed into the Square, trying to move into one of the many subreddits of the city. “He ran into a boxing warehouse, but I did catch him.”

“And caused a mess, if I heard right,” Lady Wright said with a wink. “The Honest Friends were happy to pay for the damages, don’t get me wrong, but you be more careful next time, ha!”

Coin went red. “Yes, my lady.” He had offered to pay for the damages himself, but Geral had insisted nonetheless. It was only a few crates, anyways, Coin thought. He hadn’t realized that dyes were so expensive.

“Sounds like fun!” Jestin said, his blue eyes sparkling at Coin. “You seem to have a load of experience in investigating, friend. It’s good you came here now, of all times!” He smiled and gave a look to Lord Mars and the Warden of Honesty.

Coin didn’t like the sound of that. “What do you mean?” he asked, fearing he already knew what the Laughing Lord intended.

Before Jestin could answer, however, Lady Violet’s assistant spoke up. “Sorry to interrupt, but did you say that you were one of the Knight Regulators?”

“I was, yes. I was knighted when I was twenty.” Coin had always had a talent for numbers and a good eye for detail, so it had made sense to join the Order of the Fair Trade when he was old enough.

Lady Wright laughed. “No kidding? Should’ve pegged you for the Regulator type. Any excitement in that? I’ve got a few old friends in the Anti-Piracy Squadron; you ever meet Hiram Wheelwright?”

“Sorry, my lady, but I mostly worked behind a desk.” Although… “Well, I did do some operations, but not any major ones.”

“You’re being too modest, sir,” Lord Mars said. “I had an opportunity to examine some of your records. I understand you were part of the task force that destroyed the Silk Road.”

Coin remembered, though he tried not to think of it too much. He had barely taken part in the groundwork of the mission, but any time spent in the Deep Web was too much as far as he was concerned. Lady Wright seemed impressed by this, though. “Well I’ll be! I have to admit, I thought you looked a bit too scrawny to do something like that, but it gets you points in my book!” She slapped him on the back a second time, after he only just recovered from the first.

While Coin reddened and tried to avoid drawing more attention, Lord Mars spoke again. “While I wish we had more time to become better acquainted, Sir Coin, I’m afraid we will need to cut this meeting short for now. My friends,” he said to the Wardens, “there are some things I wish to speak with each of you about privately. I’ve already had a chance to talk with Madelin, but I would still like to see everyone else. I hope, Sir Coin, that we might speak more closely later. Lillian,” he said, turning to the Warden of Kindness, “would you be so kind as to attend me?”

She gave a respectful bow, and walked towards the Warden of Magic. The rest of the Wardens turned to leave, and Lady Wright clasped an arm around Coin Counter. She was close enough that he could smell the alcohol on her breath. “C’mon, friend!” she shouted happily. “You and me can hang around with the rest of this lot while they wait to talk with the Warden. Now, you’re going to have to tell me more about this Silk Road business, ‘cause I’ve heard a lot of stories, but no details, you understand?” They walked out with the crowd into the common area of the Magic Wing, the Warden of Loyalty's grip on Coin uncomfortably tight.

Eventually, Coin saw Lady Semmer leave the room, after which Lord Jestin sprang up from his seat in the hall where the Wardens were seated and proceeded in to talk with Lord Mars. All the while, Coin spoke with the remaining Wardens, though it was mostly with Lady Wright: Lady Violet spent much of her time chatting with her assistant, while the Warden of Honesty remained silent in his chair in the corner of the room after he sent Rolf back to the Honest Wing, only occasionally speaking when Wright directed some joke at him.

Several times Coin felt as though the Warden of Honesty was staring at him, and felt a strange chill down his spine. But whenever he looked over the lord was looking silently in the other direction. Coin sat closest to the door, beyond which was the entrance to the Warden of Magic’s chamber, so he could hear when Jestin emerged, speaking with Lord Mars.

“...but I believe it is,” the Warden of Magic’s thin voice trailed through. “I must ask for your trust, Jestin. I know what I’m doing.”

Coin saw Jestin stop outside the door, and give a bow to Lord Mars. “You know that I know that you know, Mars. And if you’re sure, then I trust you completely. Just remember one thing when you’re going through with it though: a promise is a promise,” he said with a bright smile, tapping his finger against his nose.

Lord Mars tilted his head at that, but appeared to grasp the meaning. “Yes… yes I suppose it is. Will you find the right people?”

“Going off to talk with Lilly about it now! See you later, Mars!” he said before springing off, singing a tune to himself. Coin could hear his voice as he walked merrily down the hall.

“Yet still take care or you’ll be thrown
below the waves by undertone!
And one more thing, just don’t you stay
with yellow eyes beneath the bay!”

Lord Mars stared down the hallway where Jestin was walking, as though examining his friend as he left. After a moment, he looked over to where Coin and the other Wardens were sitting. “Violet,” he said quietly, “would you mind if we had a word?”

“Of course not,” the lady said as she stood. She whispered something in the ear of her assistant, then started taking graceful steps towards Lord Mars. The assistant stood as well, but walked out of the door and disappeared into the Magic Wing. Both Mars and Lady Violet walked into the office, lightly shutting the door behind them.

Coin was left in the room with the Wardens of Loyalty and Honesty, but it was only a few moments after Lady Violet left that Wright jumped from her seat. “Welp,” she said, “I’m bored. I’m gonna walk back down to the Loyal Wing now, if it’s all the same to you, Honesty.”

“Hrm,” the Warden of Honesty grunted in reply.

Wright gave a half-smile at that, and then turned Coin. “Nice meeting you, Coin! Say, once Mars is done with you here, you’re more than welcome to come by the Loyal Wing. Always prepared for guests down there, plus it’s sparring night! Fun times all around, I say. Well, see ya later!”

Lady Wright sauntered out of the room, whistling the same tune that she had heard from Lord Jestin earlier, thus leaving Coin alone with the Warden of Honesty. The giant man was so silent and still that one might have mistaken him for a statue, utterly unchanging and immovable.

Coin tried to avoid looking towards him, but could only feel more ill-at-ease as time went on. He began to wonder about the Warden: who he was, where he came from, what led him to join the same fandom to which Coin pledged himself. It seemed impossible to Coin that such a person could even exist, let alone be a part of the Collective. And all the while, the unsettling sensation Coin had felt earlier, as though someone was watching him, continued.

Eventually, the silence became too much to bear, and Coin rose out of his seat. He turned to offer an explanation to the Warden as to where he was going, but when he looked over it seemed that the man hadn’t even noticed him get up, as though he were completely alone. At any rate, Coin doubted he would be able to offer an explanation as to where he was going: at the moment, he just wanted to be as far away from the Warden of Honesty as possible. He walked hastily out of the room and into the Magic Wing, keeping a line of bookcases to the side of him.

The sounds of the Magic Friends came from far-off rooms as he walked through the wing: whispers, shouts, and the scribbling of facts and notes on pages that would be filed and stacked with a thousand others on the bookcases. There weren’t as many windows in the Magic Wing as the other areas of the Citadel, Coin saw, but there was still light within, illuminating all but a few dim and forgotten corners. Making a note in his mind as to where he had come from, Coin ventured up a flight of narrow stairs he found nearby, leading him up to a landing above the path he had just taken. He remembered seeing a similar stair not far from the Warden’s office: perhaps, Coin thought, once he circled back around Lord Mars would have finished discussing matters with the other Wardens, and he would be allowed to go.

Coin continued on his way, but took a moment to admire some of the stained glass works that adorned the walls around him. A few were scenes from the lives of the Six, from childhoods to victories to great weddings and transformations. One particular panel stood out from the rest, and depicted the Alicorn Ascension itself, and the Magic Friend surrounded by the others and raised in the light of a six-pointed star.

There was, however, another depiction nearby that caught Coin’s eye as well, though it was no triumph or celebration. The image upon it was not the Magic Friend, nor any of the Six, but a grotesque thing, bone-white and twisted. It resembled an animal skull, but one so warped that it was near unrecognizable, with hollow eyes and a hideous grin of bared teeth. On its head were two horns, one like a deer antler and the other a strange spiral, and behind it all was a field of burning fire. It was unsettling to look upon, but Coin had trouble turning from it.

Before he could stare further, however, Coin began to hear voices coming from a room nearby. He would not have noticed, except that he was certain that one of the voices was Lord Mars, drifting out of a nearby door.

It was a perfectly plain door, with a lock below the handle, but it had been left open, most likely by some forgetful attendant. Looking over the railing behind him, Coin could see the entrance-way that he had walked through earlier, and the room that he had waited in with the Wardens, all below him. I must be near the second floor of the Warden’s quarters, Coin thought. He heard a voice coming from the door again, but this time it was a woman’s voice—the Warden of Generosity.

Coin’s curiosity got the better of him, and he sheepishly tiptoed towards the door and peeked inside. It was the Warden’s office again, but this time he stood on the thin balcony above the main room. Looking through the crack of the door, he could just barely see the two Wardens talking with each other, and hear the words of Lady Violet coming from below.

“...Of course I know that, Mars. I just wonder whether it’s the best choice,” she said.

“I understand your concerns, Violet,” the papery voice of the Warden of Magic answered. “I assure you that I’ve considered this very carefully — it is the best way, I believe.”

“I wish I shared your confidence.” Lady Violet bit her lip. “I don’t believe he is suited for this mission. You know that he wouldn’t have wanted to go with us in the first place, and yet you’re ordering him there anyways.”

“He asked to be sent there when he first heard the news, if you remember.”

“You know that isn’t what he meant,” Violet replied sternly. “He wasn’t suggesting a negotiation, but that’s exactly what you’re sending him to.”

“Violet, you must trust me,” Mars replied, sounding tired. “He’s my friend.”

“And mine as well,” she said sympathetically. “Don’t doubt that for a moment, Mars. But he doesn’t have a mind for diplomacy or politics. He has no tact, nor manners, nor patience for outsiders. He’s a soldier, not an ambassador, but he’ll go nonetheless because you’ve ordered him to.”

“Our honest friend may surprise you. He has not been in this world long—not as he is now, at least—but there is no one more faithful or devoted. You’re not wrong, but as far as this matter goes, I would still prefer that he were with you. Besides, he has other talents that may be of use in this matter.”

Lady Violet said nothing to that, and stayed quiet for a moment. Lord Mars walked behind his desk and began to look through papers. “Regardless,” Violet eventually said, “this summons isn’t just an investigation we need to contribute to. They’ll use this as a chance to put the whole of the Collective on trial, and you know that as well as I do. It’s a job for people with a talent for words, not fighting. Why send him in the first place?”

Mars continued to look through his papers. “It’s my hope that you’re correct, and there’ll be no need for him there. But should things not go as planned...” He looked up at her, his watery blue eyes shining. “I will not send you into the lion’s den without protection. You mean too much to me.”

Lady Violet put her hand on his. “There will be an honor guard, Mars. They can protect me well enough—one person isn’t going to change that.”

“I believe he might,” he replied quietly. “We cannot allow the truth of this business to go unfound, and he is accustomed to truth in more ways than one. What will become of our friends there if this Martes manages to sway the Authority? Or worse, what if the Oathbreakers try their hand at this?”

The word ‘Oathbreaker’ seemed to hang in the air, and neither spoke for a moment. Finally, Lord Mars said slowly, “I saw him there.”

“Pardon?”

“Our honest friend. I saw him at the Dreamweave, or at least I believe I did. You know what I speak of.”

Violet paled. “You’re not doing it again, are you?”

“I am. And it’s for the best, as well. I’ve seen fragments of it, bits and pieces, for some time, but after I received the news last night… I had to be sure of it, Violet. And I am sure, now. Here, let me show you.”

He reached for a candle on the side of his desk. The flame seemed to grow brighter as he moved towards it.

Lady Violet’s hand shot back. “No. I know that you’re familiar with this but… not again.” She sounded concerned, but there was something else in her voice as well. Fear.

Mars stopped, and looked back to Violet. “As you wish,” he said slowly, sounding hurt. After a time, though, he spoke again. “But you should still know what I saw. It will not be as clear, but I’ll do my best.”

What does he mean? Coin thought. He knew that he shouldn’t have heard any of the conversation to begin with, but now he was too curious to stop. Whatever they spoke off, the Warden of Generosity didn’t seem to like it in the least.

“I saw figures at first,” Mars said. His hand hovered over the candle before him, close enough that the flame licked his palm. The Warden of Magic, however, did not react to it at all, seeming entranced by what he said. “I could make out three. One was blue, one gold, and one white. But they were all in red. I tried to look closer to find what it meant, but once I focused they began to change.

“The world moved around them, until they were all in a court, bright like the sun,” he continued, speaking more clearly than before. “I could see you there, and the Warden of Honesty as well. That was the Dreamweave… I’m not sure how I know, but I would stake my life on it. But it soon changed again, to two more places afterwards. I saw six towers, reaching towards a star-lit twilight. But after that, I saw a black island under the moon, with yellow eyes looking out from it.

“There were many other things after that. I could only see a few of them, but that was enough. I saw ships emblazoned with a lightning bolt filling an ocean, sailing towards a crimson horizon. I saw a hammer brought down on an innocent man, and another man who was burning like a pyre, writhing and breathing flames.

“Three faces came to me. One was creased in regrets, with a tear on its cheek, another was grinning wildly but its eyes were hollow, so hollow. The third seemed calm, until I looked further… he seemed to have three faces all of his own, straining against one another for control. Two of these you must beware. A bronze key, a golden eye, a silver knife.

“And I looked, and I saw three masks, who were rage and fear and vengeance. And there was a fourth mask, whose face printed upon it was death and dark secrets to say or unsay.”

The words of Lord Mars sent a chill down Coin’s spine. He wasn’t sure how long he had been listening, but at that moment it seemed as though it had been long enough. He was confused, and curiosity could only go so far: it dawned on him that this was a conversation that he had no right to hear. Before he left, though, Mars spoke again.

“They always come true, Violet: they always have and they always will. Do you understand now? I saw our honest friend at the Dreamweave. He will be there… but if I don’t send him, then why would he come, if not because his friends were in danger? He must go now, or he will surely go later.”

Lady Violet just looked at the Warden of Magic, wide-eyed and fearful. “Mars, we’ve talked about this,” she said strongly. “You promised Lilly as well. I’ve seen what it does to you, even if you won’t admit it—you barely eat, you hardly sleep… you can’t keep doing this, Mars!”

“Enough,” the Warden of Magic snapped, his voice suddenly cold. He stood up behind his desk, and for the first time the tiny man seemed to loom over the room, his rheumy eyes turning hard and stern. “I know what I’ve been doing, and I know the risks, so don’t presume on what I do and do not understand. I’ve had this from the day I was born, and I have the mark to prove it.”

To Coin’s shock, Lord Mars lifted the sleeve on his right arm to show a familiar symbol underneath. It was a strange tattoo, made of odd, twisting shapes, half-circles and sharp lines that ran down his entire forearm to his wrist. Coin had seen only a few such marks in his life, but every man in the Authority knew it when they saw it: a registration tattoo issued by the Cybramancer’s Guild. Coin paled, recalling the stories of those with the cursed blood destroying cities, boiling oceans, communing with the dead and seeing into the future as well. Lord Mars is a cybramancer, he thought, shocked that the stories he had heard were true, God help us.

“Look at it, if you must be so terrified of me.” Mars continued talking, still angry. “I have to deal with Lorelove’s worrying, and Lilly doting on me like some patient in a hospital bed as well, but I won’t have it from you, Violet. Not you. I’ve asked you to trust him half-a-hundred times, but apparently you can’t bring yourself to do that. This is no longer a request: the Warden of Honesty will accompany you, and he will aid you at the Dreamweave whether you’re willing to accept that help or not.”

Lady Violet didn’t answer him. Both of them stood, facing one another, in silence. Coin could hear the sound of the Magic Friends in the wing moving and chatting, far away.

“I understand,” Violet said finally, completely calm. “I’ll begin finding people for the diplomatic team now, if you’ll give me my leave, my lord.”

Lord Mars turned around, and glanced back at Violet. “Go then. And send in our honest friend. He deserves an explanation as well.”

Violet bowed, then walked towards the exit. After the door closed, Mars put a hand on the desk and sighed, alone in the dim room.

What did it mean? Coin could only wonder as he began to pull away from the room. Some kind of foul prophecy, no doubt—the cybramancers were well known for their unnatural and depraved powers. That was what Coin had always been taught, ever since the days of his squiring. Coin wondered what to do next, too disturbed to stay and yet too terrified to move.

He was still debating with himself when the Warden of Honesty arrived, though Coin never heard him coming. It seemed impossible to him that such a huge man in full armor could possibly walk without being heard, and yet he came before Lord Mars utterly silent.

Mars looked back up to see him. “My honest friend,” he said with a sad smile. “It’s good to see you.”

The Warden didn’t answer, but did give a nod. “Wish to speak?” he said, his expression uncomfortable.

“Yes. I understand that this assignment might strike you as unusual. I thought you deserved an explanation.”

The Warden of Honesty’s face gave away no emotions. “None required. Have been ordered. Will go. Your command.”

Lord Mars shifted in his place. “My word is not the gospel, my friend. I hope that you and the others consider and follow my advice, but you don’t need to do so without question.”

“We do. And will.”

“Regardless,” Mars replied, “I wanted to know your thoughts on the matter.”

The Warden frowned. “Thoughts irrelevant. We obey.”

“Your thoughts are not irrelevant, Honesty. Your opinion is important to me.”

“This one does not have opinions,” the Warden of Honesty said firmly, He gave a look to his diminutive superior that was almost pleading. “We wish… it is not right. To suggest this one should. Carries unfounded implication.”

“You are my friend, and the only thing that is not right and is unfounded is treating you as anything less,” Lord Mars said in a tone that invited no compromise. He rubbed his bloodshot eyes, appearing very tired. “You are a person, Honesty.”

“We are not,” the Warden replied forcefully. With those words, something strange seemed to come over the Warden. His voice was almost as distant as Lord Mars’, distant and ashamed, his normal flat tone abandoned. Had Coin not been witnessing him speak, it would have been hard to know it was the same person talking, aside from his stunted manner of speaking. “This one does not deserve to be a person, Mars. Not after. You know this. The past. The weakness. All sacrificed. Done... justly. We are the instrument of Six. Are, will be. No ‘person,’ no doubts. And we will obey.”

“I know you will, but that doesn’t answer my question. How do you feel about my judgment on this?”

The giant lord was quiet. Coin could see that he did not want to answer, but felt compelled to do so nonetheless, almost straining to think of the words necessary. “This one is… not used to talking. Negotiation. Diplomacy. Unnecessary. You know this. Prefer Citadel. Friends. No wish to talk with outsiders.”

Lord Mars looked as reassuring as he could. “You may need to, before this is done. I understand that this isn’t what you’re used to, but I have a good reason.” He sat in his chair and steepled his hands. “I have been dreaming again.”

The Warden stood silently. “Lady Violet looked… concerned.”

Mars sighed. “She did, I’m sure. She has nothing to worry about, and neither do you, for that matter. But there are things I saw that you must know, and something I want you to promise me as well.”

Suddenly, Coin heard footsteps coming from further down the walkway. Surprised, he closed the door he was listening from and backed up, pretending to be interested in a nearby bookshelf instead.

The footsteps grew louder, until the person making them came into full view. It was Lady Violet's assistant, garbed in white and purple clothing to show his allegiance, and looking somewhat bored. When he saw Coin Counter, he gave a surprised smile.

"Sir Coin," he said amiably with a bow of his head, "how nice to see you once again. I trust you're finding the Citadel pleasant?"

Coin fumbled nervously for a response, only hoping the assistant wouldn't realize what he had been doing. "Yes, very," he managed to say. "Sir."

The generous friend smiled at that. "I'm pleased to hear it. I should apologize for not having much chance to speak with you earlier, but things have been quite hectic all of a sudden."

"Don't worry, sir, I understand." All of this business with the Dreamweave was something Coin wanted nothing to do with, and he could imagine how difficult it was for the leaders of the Collective to deal with it. He tried to think of something else to say, before their talk descended into awkward silence. "The Wardens were very courteous."

The assistant chuckled. "I'm happy to hear that. The Six know they're usually so ill-behaved. Lady Wright seemed almost fond of you, all things considered. I should apologize, she can be a touch overbearing at times."

That was obvious enough to Coin, but it wouldn't do to say so. "No," he said, "she was quite..." Loud? Abrasive? Drunk? "Friendly."

He laughed. "She usually is, if nothing else." Suddenly he looked aghast at something. "I must apologize profusely, sir, but it would seem that with all of the present excitement I've quite forgotten to properly introduce myself. My name," he said with a deep bow, "is Proximo Hart, Assistant Warden of Generosity. I hope you'll forgive me for my transgression." He gave an apologetic smile, full of perfect white teeth.

"Ah, well," Coin replied, rubbing the back of his neck, "that's quite alright. It's an honor to meet you, Lord Hart."

Hart's dark eyes flinched slightly, though he still smiled. "Please, Proximo is quite alright. Lord Hart is far away from here." He looked over Coin's shoulder, as though expecting to see someone there. "I don't suppose you've seen Lady Violet, have you? She asked me to speak with some of the Magic Friends around the wing, but I believe it's about time to return to my post."

"Downstairs," Coin blurted out. "She finished meeting with Lord Mars a few minutes ago."

"Wonderful. I believe I'll join her now. It was honor to meet you, Sir Coin." He turned his almond eyes back to Coin. "I don't suppose you have an invitation for the evening, do you Sir Coin?"

"Lady Wright asked for me to come to the Loyal Wing earlier."

Hart laughed again, and gave a reassuring look. "Don't worry too much, Sir Coin. Lady Wright is a wonderful host. If you'd rather more quiet company, though, you're welcome to visit the Generous Wing." With that, Hart gave a final bow. “Six and one, Sir Coin. I hope you find the rest of your stay here satisfactory.”

Coin knew he should have followed Hart downstairs after hearing him walk away, but instead he found himself opening the door to the Warden’s office again. He looked back down, and saw that the room was considerably darker than it was before. Something strange was happening to the candle on Lord Mars’ desk: it was brighter than ever, a tiny pinprick of glowing white, but the whole room around it was pitch dark, as though the flame was sucking all of the light out of the room.

And in front of it was the Warden of Honesty, kneeling before Lord Mars. He was down on one knee, but even then his head was nearly at the same height as the Warden of Magic. The little lord stood over him, both hands behind his back. His ordinarily blue eyes now looked so dark that they seemed like flecks of black obsidian, and they were both fixed intently at the Warden of Honesty.

“...and in the name of the Honest Friend, will you seek the truth, even when others will not?” the Warden of Magic said, his voice much louder and stronger than Coin had ever heard it before.

“We swear,” the kneeling Warden of Honesty replied solemnly.

“In the name of the Magic Friend, will you follow the teachings of the Six and One faithfully?”

“We will.”

“And for me, my friend, will you keep your followers safe, no matter what happens?” The candle on the desk pulsed, glowing brighter, while the room only became more dark.

The Warden raised his single eye to Lord Mars. “We will.”

“And her? You will keep her safe as well?”

“Yes.”

“Then rise again, my honest friend, and do your duty.” Lord Mars put a hand on the Warden’s massive shoulder. “Find the honor guard that you’ll command. Fifty-four they shall be, and they will keep our friends safe. And so will you, I know. It is the nature of an honest man to keep his word.”

Silently, the Warden of Honesty rose, and bowed his head to the Warden of Magic. His footsteps did not make a sound as he walked out of the room, nor did Lord Mars react to his leaving. Mars sat back down at his desk, then moved a single hand over the flame of the candle, letting the flames flicker at his palm, and neither flinching at the pain nor moving his face at all. But his eyes seemed to grow ever darker, despite the tiny light being so near.

Coin shut the door and hurried downstairs, not wanting to see any more. He hadn’t intended on knowing any of what he saw, but he knew there was no one to blame for that but himself. Damn my curiosity, he thought ruefully. He wondered if he would ever be able to look at Lord Mars without fear again, knowing now what he truly was.

When he walked downstairs, he found the Warden of Honesty waiting for him. His golden eye was staring at Coin implacably, as though studying him. Coin could feel the hairs on his neck rising. “You left,” the Warden said flatly. “Where?”

“I… I was only walking around. My lord,” Coin said, trying not to seem terrified.

The eye narrowed. "Liar," countered the Warden. “Never lie to us. Never.”

Coin could do nothing but nod, scared out of his mind. The Warden continued looking at him, as if to stare into Coin’s soul. Finally, he spoke. “You will accompany the honor guard,” he said, without emotion.

“What?” Coin said, surprised and wary. “Why me?” He could feel himself beginning to pale.

“It was suggested. Not our choice,” he replied, making his feelings on it very clear. “Report to Rolf. Pack things tonight.”

This is exactly what I didn’t want, Coin thought. “But, my lord,” he protested feebly, “my post at Reddit… my friends there…”

“Can wait. Orders.” His tone made it clear that there would be no further argument. “Report to Rolf. Pack things tonight. We leave tomorrow. Warden of Magic will see you now.” With that, he walked away without another word.

Coin was left alone, in front of the doors of the Warden’s office, thinking about what he had just heard. There was no point in discussing it, he knew. Turning around, Coin Counter approached the chamber. He put a hand on the wall, before knocking on the heavy oaken door. A scrambled noise came from within, and a thin voice. "Come in," it said.

And Coin did, reluctant though he was.

* * * * * *

“To understand cybramancy, one must first understand the concept of error. The Logos is defined as the natural order of the universe: the collection of laws, principles, and strands that tie together everything. One and one make two, what is up comes down, and what lives will, in time, die — these are part of the basic code of the universe, and compel all things. Cybramancy, then, is an aberration within this system.

"Consider the building of a home. It may be the most splendid home ever constructed, but there can still be a brick out of place, a tile poorly fastened, a beam unsecured. Cybramancy is one of these oversights: an irregular instance where an individual is capable of manipulating and even ignoring the laws of the universe that all others are restricted by. Many cybramancers can bend these laws. A select few can break them.”

— “The Cursed Blood: On the Nature and Practical Applications of Cybramancy”, by Sir Faarlen Truo

* * * * * *

“New season: ancient, but not at all eternal

Joy turned t—"

It's the light that guides us, honey

Unperceptive nine times out of ten

Wishes don't find us, we find them betwixt the silence

Only lonely souls seek to find every sign, every sign

There's something holy

Old season fades out

Forgetting how wasted joy tasted

It's the light inside us, honey

In defense of someone crazy

Is there life on Mars?

Is anybody out there waiting for me?

It's the light of my century

Every now and then I'm happy

Life is not a foreign country, infinite and quiet

These old weeds, wild and anarchic kings

Braiding rhizomes so far from home

These old beans... magic's what magic does

You taught me all kinds of languages."

— SoGreatandPowerful’s “E38”

{}

Comments

[Brother_William]

So, the Warden of Honesty seems to be a Cybramantic Construct, an amalgamation of several people into one powerful aberration. It would explain his supposed "Madness." No one could maintain a conjoined existence sharing a form between multiple minds without being a little mad. And of course, it's probably not far off to assume that this form will eventually break apart, releasing the beings contained within.
Also, I get a strange feeling that Coin will be making a journey to the Deep Web before the story's out.
I apologize if I comment too much. This really gets my Fandom Drive running.

[Lord Max]

6985024 Never apologize for commenting, friend! Honestly, I'm just happy to see that there is an ongoing interest in the story - posts like your's are a big encouragement. Glad to see that there's already some speculation on the Warden - he's a peculiar one, alright.

[Norm De Plume]

Someone posted this over on MyLittleFanfic. They must have thought you needed the boost.

Tracking, upvoted, and recommended to others. You do good fantasy.

Don't stop writing

[Lucky Star 33094]

Ooh, new chapter~!
It's good to see there are updates.
I'mma read em now

[Orbiting Kettle]

Finally reached the current point. I had read the prologue and liked it, and I'm immensely glad to see the quality only increased with time.

You are writing an intriguing tale here, something quite original and thoroughly enjoyable. Kudos!

[Lord Max]

6995281

Thanks for the kind words, friend! Hopefully I can keep the quality going up over time - this is my first time writing anything, really, so I have a lot to learn.

6993945

I'll be dropping the next chapter tomorrow, as well. Stay tuned!

6992484

Don't stop writing

Can do.

[Orbiting Kettle]

7001273
If this is the first time you write then you already have made me envious. Anyway, from what I've seen I'm confident in the quality of your production

[Pancakes0708]

The plot thickens! I'm so pleased to see the quality of work going into this story, you're writing a fantastic tale!
For some reason, something has made me wonder if YouTube will feature as one of the sites.