Agatha H and the Voice of the Castle

Theo and Sleipnir looked at each other. “Uh-oh.”

They rushed over to Krosp and Zeetha just as Airman Higgs ambled up. “Nice moves,” he remarked to Zeetha.

For some reason, the realization that the airman had seen the whole performance—including her state of undress—caused Zeetha to blush furiously. That he had so little to say about it only annoyed her further. “Come on,” she said brusquely. “We can’t let him get too far ahead.”

The two soldiers guarding the castle gate were gazing skyward again. Gil’s fireworks display had died down but they were still hopeful and it provided a convenient hook for another of the old soldier’s recollections. “And that was the last time Professor Phosphorous visited the fireworks factory.” He thought for a moment. “Or anything else, really.”

The younger soldier digested this. “Wow. So is that what you think we saw?”

The old soldier shrugged. “Wouldn’t surprise me, kid.” He waved a knowing hand at the brightly lit town below. “Lotsa loony Sparks come through Mechanicsburg.”

The younger man, whose career as a raconteur was doomed by an unshakable respect for actual facts, pointed towards the East. “But they only got the one factory here and I don’t see anything going on with it.”

“In this town? It could’ve been an explosion in a coffee shop. I heard from one of the guys on the day shift that—”

This interesting line of discourse was silenced by the sound of footsteps at the top of the stairs. The soldiers looked down and recognized the three young people who had appeared before, now accompanied by a throng of townspeople and delighted tourists. Their voices grew louder as they drew near.

“Gil, you’re making me nervous…”

“How can that be?” Both of the guards snapped to attention. There was something about the young man’s voice now that made them uneasy. “A jolly entertainer like myself? A spreader of mirth?”

“At least…stop smiling like that. It’s creepy.”

“But everyone is having such a good time!”

“If you look like a demented idiot, no one will take you seriously.”

This voice appeared to come from a midget in a cat costume. The guards looked at each other. Street performers. Simultaneously, they thumbed the safeties of their rifles off.

“But no one takes me seriously now!” Gil waved at the soldiers and took another step towards them, grinning maniacally.

“HALT!” The older soldier raised a hand while the younger ostentatiously cocked his weapon.⁵⁶ “You young’uns just turn around and head back to whatever tavern you came out of!”

Gil turned around and mugged at the crowd which began chuckling even before he faced back towards the troopers. He grinned. “Hi! I’m Gilgamesh Wulfenbach! Can I please go into the castle?”

“NO!”

Gil again turned back to the laughing crowd. “There, everyone! You heard me! I asked nice!”

The old soldier blinked. “Wait… You’re who?”

But, of course, by then it was much too late.

The explosion caused the Castle itself to shudder. Agatha reeled as debris pitter-pattered down around her. “What was that?”

“The Gate of Lamps is under attack,” the Castle replied.

“Who’s attacking?”

“It appears to be a mob of some sort.” The Castle sounded offended. “That’s rather unfair, you haven’t even done anything yet.”

Tarvek was thinking. “The Gate of Lamps…” He grabbed Agatha’s sleeve and hauled her down a different hallway. “Come on,” he shouted. “We should be able to see that from the windows of the next gallery!”

Agatha was impressed. “You know a lot about the layout of this place.”

Tarvek dodged a hole in the floor. “Well, we have had people in here for years plotting on the best way to take it, haven’t we? I did read the reports.”

They stumbled past a shattered door and found themselves in a long airy room lined with windows. Broken glassware and dust-covered equipment littered the floor, almost obscuring the faded rugs.

“The Laboratory of Light,” the Castle announced. Your great-grandmother was so very fond of it.”

The lights here were dim and they had to step carefully past the machinery. The windows were filthy but an entire panel had been shattered at some time in the past so they clustered in front of the opening and peered out. The ground was easily three stories down and the excitement seemed to be taking place in front of a side entrance hung with glowing lamps. Far below, a crowd of tiny people was surging back and forth. Some were pouring down the long stairway that led back to the town proper. Many seemed to be just milling about in a panic. This was stopped by a lone figure gesturing towards the castle doors. A bolt of lightning leaped from his hand—no, from some sort of stick—and blew apart the great doors.

Tarvek gasped. “Was that lightning?”

Agatha leaned forward. “Is that Gil?”