Chapter 41: The Approach of Old Man Whatever’s Tower

The tower was of a quite simple design, smooth walls, narrow slits for windows. Here and there there was a few empty pedestals that looked as if they had been clawed out from the rock rather than carved like the rest. The natural homes of gargoyles. Gargoyles are said to be happy as long as they have a pedestal in or on a building.

There was however, not a single one of those unbelievably ugly stony denizens present.

Now and then, mournful wisps of smoke would curl out from brassy metal pipes that grew out from the upper levels of the tower like horns.

It was not the most ominous of towers, but it could certainly not be said to be welcoming.

Near the top of the tower was a passage that extended out to a ramp that reached to the surface. The tower itself was opposite the jade river’s waterfall, which spilled into an abyss ringed with the emerald light of the spray.

The entrance of the tower was a gate with a brassy portcullis, A bridge of the same brassy metal extended from the entrance and split in two, one connecting to the foolbear forest and the other the mushroom.

The brassy metal in this case was orwl. Orwl can’t be said to be a particularly good metal for construction, yet it was often used in Elcon due to its curious property of being quite light and having a very odd interaction with abysses and pits of any kind.

If you were to find a deep dark hole and dropped a piece of orwl, you’d find that the orwl would just skitter across the top of the hole and fail to fall in. If you then in surprise dropped a piece of orwl that was above your foot, you’d find out quite quickly that it works fine everywhere else.

Though the real reason it was probably used in this case was the builders having a supply handy. Other dimensions might have to obey lower order spacial laws like gravity, but Elcon was a fairly chill place, and most architects had trouble understanding that a straight line shouldn’t be able to loop around on itself while remaining straight.

Really everyone should have counted themselves lucky it was just an orwl bridge.

“Fancy place innit?” Loro fished.

“A little bit imposing” Yerdl mused.

“I-i can finally see the light of the Sun! Can you see me Sun, can you?” Kejo said.

Elcon’s Sun could indeed see Kejo, but it wasn’t about to say that, after all it was rude to pay more attention to those further away than those close by. That, and there was far too many denizens that were rejoicing in seeing the Sun’s rays after so long, still the Sun gave out a few higher quality rays.

It usually focused its efforts on those that were actually paying attention.

Turmeric at this moment, was making a resolution that would later in his life result in a great deal of trouble. In the deepest recesses of his heart he committed to the desire to end up the owner of a tower.

The allure of towers extends to more than just those who study magics, there even exists many places in the myriad dimensions that do not consider a person complete unless they have a tower.

“I sense that a vile power lurks within yonder tower, many days have I looked upon it and felt a hard unpleasant knot forming in my stomach.” Marlequant said seriously.

“Really? Is there really a vile power in there?” Kejo asked.

“No, its just Marle’s wishful thinking, the only one who lives there is old man… uh, whatever his name was. Anyway apart from him nobody lives there. He’s just a quiet old man that likes to be left to his hobby”

Loro had biased feelings towards anyone who liked seclusion and focusing on a hobby.

Kejo looked uncertainly at the tower and his parents too felt a little doubt.

Loro laughed.

“You folks from the surface are right nervy. Look, I’ll go along with you, visit old man… himself too” Loro said.

Their worries somewhat addressed, Loro brought them towards the gate of the tower. As they grew closer, a sweet fruity smell greeted their noses.

Set in one of the walls of the gate was a chain hanging down. Loro indicated for someone to pull it.

Nobody seemed terribly enthused with this duty.

Marlequant however bravely strode from Loro’s back and gave the chain a heroic yank.

From deep within the tower, there was the muffled tolling of bells, there was a clattering a shuddering and then with the heavy click of gears, the portcullis rose.

This lead into an enclosed courtyard that had at least five wooden doors with carved bears on them. The doors were quite naturally made from foolbear wood. Next to the doors were stone bowls with glowing mushrooms being cultivated in them.

One of wooden doors creaked slowly open…

It had to be the owner, the old man… whatever his name was.