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The Ambergate Chronicles - Galahorn or the Curious Adventure of the Glass Coffin
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<blockquote data-quote="eris404" data-source="post: 2606032" data-attributes="member: 5338"><p>Dante, once properly introduced, follows Serai and George towards their errand and the three of them discuss the duel in hushed voices.</p><p></p><p>“I don’t like this,” George admits.</p><p></p><p>“He gave in rather quickly,” Dante agrees. “And he doesn’t seem the least bit worried.”</p><p></p><p>“Do you think he’s planning something?”</p><p></p><p>“I can find out,” Serai offers. George and Dante mull over her proposal in silence, but both are thinking the same thing. They have a deep distrust of most students from past experiences and since they don’t know her well, she could just as easily hurt as help them. They are quiet a moment too long, so she adds, “Don’t worry, I can be subtle. They won’t know I’m spying at all. I want to help. Trust me.”</p><p></p><p>It’s not difficult to find Malek around campus. Just follow the loudest, most nasty laughter you can hear and you’ll see him, surrounded by wannabes, toadies, bootlickers, sycophants, cronies. If you think there’s no difference between any of these, you’re quite wrong. Observe them for a moment and you’ll see the pecking order. Wannabes are the lowest caste and dare not speak. They take the most abuse and laugh the loudest when they are not the object of it. Toadies are next and are distinguished by their meanness. They tend to do the heavy lifting and kicking and disposal of the bodies. Bootlickers are full of adoration and will do anything Malek asked and then some. Few graduate to sycophant, whose flattery hides a smug contempt and belief that they are just as good as, if not better than, Malek. For them, Malek is a means to an end and if a few well-chosen words keep them on his good side, so be it. In the inner circle, however, are the cronies, the chosen few who are Malek’s equals, his most trusted lieutenants. Only a year ago, Malek was a crony of Atli Crow, the one, true god of the school. After graduating, Atli passed the mantel of “Man about Campus” to Malek. The circle of life goes on.</p><p></p><p>Serai’s approach is concealed by their loud, raucous laughter. It isn’t clear what was said, but by the blush of a timid third year, it’s certain he was the butt of the joke. Malek is the first to notice her. He hadn’t been laughing and is barely smiling, as if these antics bore him. He’s wary at first, so Serai puts on her best vacuous smile.</p><p></p><p>“What you did back there,” she purrs, “was very funny.”</p><p></p><p>Malek warms. “It was too easy,” he demurs, “and they were asking for it anyway.”</p><p></p><p>She giggles in a high voice. “Are you really going to duel him?”</p><p></p><p>This offends him. “Of course! I’m not afraid of him or any ol’ graveyard! I’m not afraid those disgusting necromancers. Besides, we’ll show them.”</p><p></p><p>She tosses her hair and leans in towards him, her fingers resting lightly on his forearm. She is very close now, a fellow conspirator, her warm breath on his neck giving him goose bumps.</p><p></p><p>“What are you going to do?” she whispers.</p><p></p><p>He smiles and replies, “Let’s just say that there’s lots of fragile things in around that graveyard. Things that could very easily get broken. I’m thinking the priest would be awfully angry at whoever violated the chapel grounds in such a callous manner. Don’t you think?”</p><p></p><p>A slow smile spreads across Serai’s face. “I should think so.” She sighs and points to the scroll in her belt as an apology. “I have to run. I’m on an errand for Master Lykor and he doesn’t like it when I’m late. Good Luck!”</p><p></p><p>“See you around,” Malek calls after her, his voice full of hope.</p><p></p><p>---</p><p>Dante chooses to explain his plan over pints in the city later that day. If you want to hear more, take the road that leads out of the walls of the quiet campus and into the noise of the city. Turn right and head towards the markets where fat women haggle over bread and hogs’ heads. You can find some decent hard cheese there and the first apples of the harvest if you’re hungry. The apples might be a little green yet, so watch your stomach. That bar over there is Ragi Longcoat’s favorite place to play and, by extension, George’s favorite bar. She makes a good deal of coin there singing her ballads and telling her stories. He tells Serai all about Ragi, about her long, wavy hair, about the way her eyes widen when she’s engrossed in a story, about her beautiful voice and about her fierce, defiant nature. He is pleased that Serai is such a willing and patient listener, especially since Dante tends to roll his eyes every time Ragi’s name is mentioned. Maybe it’s because Dante can see plainly what his friend cannot. Ragi is a free-spirited, graceful, mature woman, and George is an awkward boy not even through with his studies. Whenever George is around her, Dante expects her to pat him on the head like a puppy. It’s undignified.</p><p></p><p>Dante changes the subject. “My plan is simple. We’re going to humiliate Malek.”</p><p></p><p>He pauses to let his words take affect. Serai and George exchange puzzled frowns, but nod for him to go on.</p><p></p><p>“The idea is to get him in trouble before he gets us in trouble. If he wants to play dress up, we’ll give him some dolls to play with. I have a crypt I can get into.”</p><p></p><p>“Dante, you have crypt? Why do you have a crypt?” George worries for a moment that Dante will actually answer the question, but Dante ignores the bait.</p><p></p><p>Instead, Dante continues, “George, I need you to get some old dresses. They don’t have to be fancy, just go to a rag seller and buy some.”</p><p></p><p>“How about if I steal them? I’m sure there’s girls around campus somewhere.” George is notorious for two things: his sense of humor and his utter lack of money. Parting with even two coppers is enough to make him weep.</p><p></p><p>“Don’t steal them, George, and stop interrupting! We dress up the corpses and prop them up in…suggestive poses. We lure Malek into the crypt and trap him inside. Serai will get the town guard, tell them vandals broke into the graveyard. Malek will get caught and with any luck, be expelled. What do you think?”</p><p></p><p>“It’s a great plan,” Serai says.</p><p></p><p>“I love it!” George beams.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="eris404, post: 2606032, member: 5338"] Dante, once properly introduced, follows Serai and George towards their errand and the three of them discuss the duel in hushed voices. “I don’t like this,” George admits. “He gave in rather quickly,” Dante agrees. “And he doesn’t seem the least bit worried.” “Do you think he’s planning something?” “I can find out,” Serai offers. George and Dante mull over her proposal in silence, but both are thinking the same thing. They have a deep distrust of most students from past experiences and since they don’t know her well, she could just as easily hurt as help them. They are quiet a moment too long, so she adds, “Don’t worry, I can be subtle. They won’t know I’m spying at all. I want to help. Trust me.” It’s not difficult to find Malek around campus. Just follow the loudest, most nasty laughter you can hear and you’ll see him, surrounded by wannabes, toadies, bootlickers, sycophants, cronies. If you think there’s no difference between any of these, you’re quite wrong. Observe them for a moment and you’ll see the pecking order. Wannabes are the lowest caste and dare not speak. They take the most abuse and laugh the loudest when they are not the object of it. Toadies are next and are distinguished by their meanness. They tend to do the heavy lifting and kicking and disposal of the bodies. Bootlickers are full of adoration and will do anything Malek asked and then some. Few graduate to sycophant, whose flattery hides a smug contempt and belief that they are just as good as, if not better than, Malek. For them, Malek is a means to an end and if a few well-chosen words keep them on his good side, so be it. In the inner circle, however, are the cronies, the chosen few who are Malek’s equals, his most trusted lieutenants. Only a year ago, Malek was a crony of Atli Crow, the one, true god of the school. After graduating, Atli passed the mantel of “Man about Campus” to Malek. The circle of life goes on. Serai’s approach is concealed by their loud, raucous laughter. It isn’t clear what was said, but by the blush of a timid third year, it’s certain he was the butt of the joke. Malek is the first to notice her. He hadn’t been laughing and is barely smiling, as if these antics bore him. He’s wary at first, so Serai puts on her best vacuous smile. “What you did back there,” she purrs, “was very funny.” Malek warms. “It was too easy,” he demurs, “and they were asking for it anyway.” She giggles in a high voice. “Are you really going to duel him?” This offends him. “Of course! I’m not afraid of him or any ol’ graveyard! I’m not afraid those disgusting necromancers. Besides, we’ll show them.” She tosses her hair and leans in towards him, her fingers resting lightly on his forearm. She is very close now, a fellow conspirator, her warm breath on his neck giving him goose bumps. “What are you going to do?” she whispers. He smiles and replies, “Let’s just say that there’s lots of fragile things in around that graveyard. Things that could very easily get broken. I’m thinking the priest would be awfully angry at whoever violated the chapel grounds in such a callous manner. Don’t you think?” A slow smile spreads across Serai’s face. “I should think so.” She sighs and points to the scroll in her belt as an apology. “I have to run. I’m on an errand for Master Lykor and he doesn’t like it when I’m late. Good Luck!” “See you around,” Malek calls after her, his voice full of hope. --- Dante chooses to explain his plan over pints in the city later that day. If you want to hear more, take the road that leads out of the walls of the quiet campus and into the noise of the city. Turn right and head towards the markets where fat women haggle over bread and hogs’ heads. You can find some decent hard cheese there and the first apples of the harvest if you’re hungry. The apples might be a little green yet, so watch your stomach. That bar over there is Ragi Longcoat’s favorite place to play and, by extension, George’s favorite bar. She makes a good deal of coin there singing her ballads and telling her stories. He tells Serai all about Ragi, about her long, wavy hair, about the way her eyes widen when she’s engrossed in a story, about her beautiful voice and about her fierce, defiant nature. He is pleased that Serai is such a willing and patient listener, especially since Dante tends to roll his eyes every time Ragi’s name is mentioned. Maybe it’s because Dante can see plainly what his friend cannot. Ragi is a free-spirited, graceful, mature woman, and George is an awkward boy not even through with his studies. Whenever George is around her, Dante expects her to pat him on the head like a puppy. It’s undignified. Dante changes the subject. “My plan is simple. We’re going to humiliate Malek.” He pauses to let his words take affect. Serai and George exchange puzzled frowns, but nod for him to go on. “The idea is to get him in trouble before he gets us in trouble. If he wants to play dress up, we’ll give him some dolls to play with. I have a crypt I can get into.” “Dante, you have crypt? Why do you have a crypt?” George worries for a moment that Dante will actually answer the question, but Dante ignores the bait. Instead, Dante continues, “George, I need you to get some old dresses. They don’t have to be fancy, just go to a rag seller and buy some.” “How about if I steal them? I’m sure there’s girls around campus somewhere.” George is notorious for two things: his sense of humor and his utter lack of money. Parting with even two coppers is enough to make him weep. “Don’t steal them, George, and stop interrupting! We dress up the corpses and prop them up in…suggestive poses. We lure Malek into the crypt and trap him inside. Serai will get the town guard, tell them vandals broke into the graveyard. Malek will get caught and with any luck, be expelled. What do you think?” “It’s a great plan,” Serai says. “I love it!” George beams. [/QUOTE]
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