Space Wizards

40. Technowizards

Melock emerged from the teleportation runes at the center of the hedge maze. His trunk materialized at his side and he pulled Tykö's body out. A simple levitation spell floated him flat on his back as if on an invisible gurney that followed the wizard through the maze. The Minotaur stepped out unalarmed and solemn having sensed both the returning wizards and knowing one was no longer troubled by his mortal coil. The beast walked behind Tykö's floating body all the way to the end of the maze and stood watching until they entered the palace. 

"Welcome the Palaces of Versailles circa 2008-2009 of the old Earth calendar, the same year I—" The hologram of Jeff Koons abruptly stopped his greeting speech. "Is that Tykö?" he inquired. 

"I'm afraid he didn't survive our endeavor," said Melock. "I've brought him home."

"He would appreciate that. He did so love this palace. And, not to be presumptuous, but what of Monsieur de Martín?" 

"He's chosen to remain on Abraxas and explore. Is Abeba here?"

Jeff seemed to think before answering; possibly updating his protocols accordingly. "Yes, my mistress, Baroness of Versailles, and the new Technowizard is in residence hard at work in her lab. She is still recovering from her own wounds. I fear this news will not bring her joy." 

Melock left the hologram and proceeded to the laboratory. When the huge vault door opened Abeba was standing there dressed in the finest bronze accessorized clothing the Green Star had to offer. Her injured arm had been replaced below the elbow with an elegantly designed bronze synthetic, much in the clockwork designs of the Uz robotic species. The fingertips of her feminine and humanlike bronze hand were tipped with emeralds. The exotic fingernail gems sparkled and Melock could see each stored a specific type of magic. 

"I've brought Tykö home. The Necromancer who stole your hand took his life as well in the process of defeating him."

"He is returned to his prison then?"

"Dead."

"Maybe that's for the best. Are you the only survivor?" 

"Sister Murphy and Mr. Grimble are watching over my Gastraddar who was severely injured in the fight."

"And de Martín?"

"He has gone exploring on Abraxas." 

"I'm sure that will be to his pleasure. Has he found much treasure? He's a collector of things you know." 

"So far only the dagger you delivered to him." 

"I'm sure he'll find something marvelous. Do come in." 

They walked together into the lab. Abeba had the invisible robots bring out a large glass tank shaped in a cylinder and filled it with a preserving fluid. She opened the body bag and looked at the shriveled old man's body within. 

"Did he suffer much?" 

"The Necromancer cursed him and drained him of life and will. In the end, he went peacefully, almost as if falling asleep." 

"He just looks so... so terribly old."

"He had a good run."

"He did," she said smiling at the thought of her lifelong mentor and teacher.

They placed him in the tank and he floated their preserved for all eternity, another piece of art in the palace of antiquities. They both stood before the tank watching the unmoving man. 

"Will you continue his work then? The hologram called you the New Technowizard." 

Abeba smiled and flexed her mechanical hand into a fist, released it, and then admired the nails. 

"The citizens of Uz appointed me the Technowizard of the Green Star not long after Tykö went missing. He taught me everything he knew and left me all of his research. I plan to finish the palace and to live out my days here in study. I'm not the adventurer my master was. I'm more of the bookworm type." 

"Aren't we all," said Melock. 

The two wizards nodded knowingly at each other. 

"I suspect your new hand will only cement your new title in the mechanical eyes of the Uz species."

"Isn't it every little girl's dream to have clockwork robots as friends?"

"I suspect for many of them, yes." 

"You are welcome to return here anytime, to reference the collection, to do your own research among the many species that live here, or simply as a secluded place to take a retreat."  

"Or even just to visit," said Melock.

The corner of her lip curled up ever so slightly. "Would you like to sit with me for a while to honor of Tykö's passing?" 

"I would indeed."

A week later Melock exited the palace and teleported back to Abraxas. Melock loved a good journey across space in a wildly advanced spacecraft as much as the next guy but the convenience of teleportation simply couldn't be beat. 

Øregård had recovered the use of his arm and though he was still covered in plaster and scars, many of his wounds had healed. He and Murphy had already developed a rigorous training regiment that took place daily in the castle courtyard. 

Sabastian grew bored of rummaging around the castle after two days, packed a bag full of food, and declared he was off to see the world. On the third morning, he went off down the mountain pass with plans to head out of the mountains, through the valley forest, and make his way toward the sea. 

Mr. Grimble Grumble was immersed in Melock's library. He sat upon a table with three large tomes on reading stands spread out in front of him. He sat on an overturned beaker in the middle of them smoking his pipe and getting up to turn the pages of each book one after another. To Melock's delight, he was reading all three at once. His selections were very specific; Construct Creations and Clockwork Automatons, The Living Armor Army of the El Zeier Mages, and the Manuel of the Iron Golem. He had already finished reading Airship Navigational Practices, Steampowered Mechanics, and The Legend of the Animator Stones. 

"Fascinating stuff, my good friend. You're quite the technowizard yourself I'm discovering," he said to Melock.  

"Well, I dabble in many disciplines."

"I suspect, together, we could build some very interesting things," said the gnome.

"And I'd suspect you'd be right."