January 6, 2025 • 18 mins
The world has abandoned magic, but magic hasn’t abandoned the world.
On the train to Persia
----
Find out more about series writer Jake Kerr:
https://jakekerr.com
Check out our other drama podcasts!
The Thieves Guild
An epic fantasy centered around the city-state of Ness
Some secrets are worth dying for. Some are worth killing for.
https://podcastalchemy.studio/thievesguild
Thursday
A cyberpunk VR Thriller
No one can be trusted when nothing is real.
https://podcastalchemy.studio/thursday
----
Find out more about series writer Jake Kerr:
https://jakekerr.com
Check out our other drama podcasts!
The Thieves Guild
An epic fantasy centered around the city-state of Ness
Some secrets are worth dying for. Some are worth killing for.
https://podcastalchemy.studio/thievesguild
Thursday
A cyberpunk VR Thriller
No one can be trusted when nothing is real.
https://podcastalchemy.studio/thursday
On the train to Persia
----
Find out more about series writer Jake Kerr:
https://jakekerr.com
Check out our other drama podcasts!
The Thieves Guild
An epic fantasy centered around the city-state of Ness
Some secrets are worth dying for. Some are worth killing for.
https://podcastalchemy.studio/thievesguild
Thursday
A cyberpunk VR Thriller
No one can be trusted when nothing is real.
https://podcastalchemy.studio/thursday
----
Find out more about series writer Jake Kerr:
https://jakekerr.com
Check out our other drama podcasts!
The Thieves Guild
An epic fantasy centered around the city-state of Ness
Some secrets are worth dying for. Some are worth killing for.
https://podcastalchemy.studio/thievesguild
Thursday
A cyberpunk VR Thriller
No one can be trusted when nothing is real.
https://podcastalchemy.studio/thursday
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Artifacts of the Arcane by Jake Kerr season one, The
Staff of Light episode eighteen, Beauty and Pain after King's
Cross and the Citadel, Sunningdale station was a rather drab affair.
(00:24):
Naomi and I entered through the white painted double doors
and found a mostly vacant room with a ticket booth
to the right. Without waiting for me to say anything,
Naomi went up to the woman at the ticket counter.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
We need to see the way master.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
The woman looked confused.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean by way master,
but the station master is busy.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
He's overseeing a rail line inspection. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
She turned to me. Follow me. I shrugged and followed her.
She was, after all, much more familiar with way stations
than I was. As we exited through the large doors
that led to the tracks, the ticket woman yelled.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Out, excuse me, you aren't allowed out there.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Naomi didn't bother to respond and just continued on. I followed.
She stopped at the edge of the tracks and looked
left and right. There was a train at the station,
but it appeared to be ready to depart at any second.
Naomi shook her head. No time to talk to the waymaster.
She turned to me be intimidating. She then looked at
me and shook her head, smiling slightly.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Well, at least try to be intimidating.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
She continued to the engine car as I rushed to
follow her. I tried to understand her smile. It was maddening.
Did she find me amusing in a dismissive way? Or
did she like me? And why did I care? She
discounted the slavery of the merit. That was hard to forgive.
The thought of the merit reminded me of what I
needed to do. Naomi climbed up and pounded on the
(01:55):
window of the engine and then hauled the metal door open.
I heard it, hey, but she just pulled herself in.
I paused, but she poked her head out and waved
me toward her. You need to talk to the engineer.
I scrambled up and entered to find Naomi making a
fist and looking up at a tall man.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
This is an emergency. The arch mage is here and
needs immediate transportation to Shiraz.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
The man looked like a giant made of all muscle.
He had thick black hair, and while his coveralls hit
his bild, it was clear that he was a physical force,
and the look on his face made it clear he
was someone not used to being confronted.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Look, young lady, I haven't heard the Shiraz stop and
the Pelivon mentioned in the same sentence in nearly thirty years.
I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
I am the arch mage. I tapped the cane to
the ground and lit a light from its top. The
light was intense and filled the whole small compartment. The
man towered over me, but he clearly recognized the staff.
His jaw dropped open as I lifted it up toward
his face. And this is an emergency. We need to
travel to Shiraz, and if you don't take us there immediately,
(03:03):
I will. I tapped his chest with the lit edge
of the cane, which made him flinch. Melt you. I
immediately felt foolish saying the words. They sounded so silly
to my ear. Melt him. I beat myself up again
and again in my mind over my inability to intimidate him.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Of course, Archmage, but we have passengers. I'll need to
disconnect them from the engine. I was too shocked by
his reply to say anything. We can't take them to Persia. Oh,
of course, of course. I moved to the back of
the room. Naomi, please keep an eye on the engineer
as he disconnects the train. When he's done, escort him
(03:42):
back here. I'm afraid I don't trust him.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Naomi smiled like I had just given her a birthday present.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Sure thing, Archmage.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
As the engineer made his way out, it hit me
that this was the first time that Naomi had called
me anything other than street light or Tommy. I felt
a rush of confidence. I opened the door to the
next room, looking for the mighty imprisoned merit. I walked
through and closed it behind me, not allowing Naomi the
opportunity to follow if she returned quickly. Thankfully, the living
(04:13):
area was empty. This train was apparently only operated with
a staff of one. The door at the back was
thick and it took some effort to haul it open.
I immediately saw why. It was solid iron, with only
the side facing the living area lined in wood paneling.
The room was filled with gages and tubes. It was
also very hot. I dared not touch the tubes, as
(04:35):
I knew they would leave me with blisters. The tubes
appeared to come from the room behind the one I
was in. It was all new to me, but one
thing was clear. Whatever was in the next room powered
the entire train. The door to the Merit was iron,
and the handle to open it was a spiral of
coils like you sometimes find on fireplace pokers. The door
(04:56):
slid open to the right, so I grabbed the handle
and pulled with all my strength. Thankfully, despite its thickness,
it wasn't hard to open. Once it was open. However,
the hot air slammed into me with tangible force. It
was almost impossible to breathe, and my instinct was to
back out and shut the door. I walked through The
(05:17):
entire room shook with a low rumble. Across from me
was a massive furnace with a small opening, glowing yellow orange.
The air was so hot that everything looked insubstantial. Solid
surfaces wavered in front of me. I closed my eyes
as sweat started to drip down my face. I closed
the door, both out of a desire for privacy as
(05:38):
well as concern over the heat damaging something in the
other room. Merrit, you may not understand my language, but
it is important for me to tell you this. Whether
you can understand or not. I squeezed the cane in
my right hand. I hoped that my sincerity would be understood,
even if my words were not. I have taken charge
of this engine because I have no choice. I don't
(06:01):
want to use your power without your permission. I think
to do so is I paused, choosing the word carefully evil.
So I ask you please carry us to Persia. My
grandfather is a captive there, and I wish to bring
him home. As soon as I spoke of my grandfather's
temporary captivity to the merit, I felt embarrassed. How could
(06:23):
I express concerns over grandfather's captivity to a slave. I
made a decision one I knew was right. My needs
are unimportant compared to your own. However, so I make
this promise to you. If you do not wish to
make the journey, do not move the train, leave it here.
I release you from your bondage. You are free. I
(06:45):
opened my eyes the sweat and heat, filling them with tears.
But if you do take us on our journey to Persia,
you are still free. Either way, I release you. I
will not force you to make this trip. I turned
to leave the furnace. Burning but silent. The heat had
become overwhelming, so I pulled the door open quickly I exited,
(07:09):
but before I closed the door, I leaned back in
and whispered please. Naomi and the engineer were waiting for
me in the first room. I didn't enter, as it
was a tight fit. I leaned against the door jam
Naomi had her hands outstretched toward the engineer, who was
holding his hand against his left shoulder.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Was there a problem, he attempted to yell for help.
I stopped him.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
You cannot use this station without approval from Kane. Do
you think he was trying to warn Kane.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
I hadn't thought of that, but it is possible. We
are very close to the citadel. It would make sense
that Caine controls the station.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
I turned to the engineer. We leave now, or I'll
let Naomi practice her detonations on you. I glanced at her,
hoping that she would go along with my plan. Without
looking at me, she started making the familiar hand movements
of creating a detonation. The engineer was clearly familiar with
the process. Okay, okay, I'm firing the engine. Now firing
(08:12):
the engine. The words disgusted me. That's what he called.
Whatever process they used to get the Merit to move
the locomotive. The engineer pulled a lever and the train
shuttered but didn't move. Naomi squinted at the engineer.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
What are you up to? We need to move now, I.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Don't know the engine is not responding. My heart fell.
I knew what had happened. The Merid understood me and
was preparing to free himself. He had no intention of
taking us to Persia. We would need to find a
new way to get to my grandfather. The engineer pulled
the lever again, and the engine shuddered, but again didn't move.
(08:51):
Before he could yank on the lever one more time,
I spoke up. Stop, let me check something. Naomi, please
keep an eye on our friend. If he moves, feel
free to blow up the offending body part.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
She smiled. I assumed the Merit had decided he wanted
to be free. Perhaps he was still enslaved in the furnace.
Knowing my opportunity for escape was now gone, I could
at least help free him. However, before I had taken
one step, an ear splitting whale filled the air, similar
to the one I heard on my previous rail trip.
(09:25):
But this was different. Where before I was hearing rage
and pain, this time I heard something different, passion, joy, effort.
Whatever it was, the sound was still fearsome. The train
shot forward, nearly knocking everyone off their feet. The engineer
turned to me, his eyes wild. What did you do?
Speaker 3 (09:48):
I haven't even engaged the engine and we are moving
at extraordinary speed.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
I looked through the window at the track ahead of us.
It was true, the scenery was flying by. I used
a different method to engage the engine. I stared at
the engineer, whose eyes went wide. I was enjoying being
the intimidating arch mage. I could only imagine what was
going through the engineer's head as he pictured what kind
(10:13):
of magical torture I used on the merit to have
him move the train faster than it had ever moved before. Naomi,
we need to talk. What about him? She nodded toward
the engineer. I looked at the engineer, who looked nervous
but not scared. I needed to change that engineer. You
saw how fast we exited the station. Imagine the torture
(10:35):
spell I placed on the merit to make that happen.
The engineer nodded slightly. Now, imagine that spell applied to you.
If we aren't heading to Shiraz. That is exactly what
will happen. The engineer glanced toward the rear of the train,
then at the gages, and then at me. He nodded again,
(10:58):
and I believed him. I left and went back to
the living area, Naomi following but quiet. I sat down
in one of the ubiquitous reading chairs. All magical living
areas seemed to have them, along with a small table
containing a book on some arcane topic. The one next
to me, however, was empty. I ran my hand through
(11:20):
my hair and rubbed my eyes. I wanted to make
Naomi understand about the wrongness of imprisoning the merit, but
I worried that she wouldn't understand.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
You look pretty dark for a street light.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
I looked up. Naomi was standing directly in front of me,
magical energy crackling in her palm. Is that a detonation?
My question seemed to surprise her, and she glanced down
at her hand.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
Oh yeah, sorry, I wasn't going to use it on you,
if that's what you were worried about.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
She sounded amused, but I didn't see a smile. She
sat in the other reading chair.
Speaker 4 (11:54):
It probably sounds odd, but I find them calming, although,
to be honest, it's more calming when I actually get
to cast them and blow stuff up.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
I looked at her, and she forced a smile. I
find it calming to watch you blow stuff up too.
I looked at the cane. I can't believe mister Ali
betrayed us.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
He is a deluded, foolish old man.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Was he right? Though? I was confused and didn't know
what to think. Magic enslaved the merit, and who knew
how many other magical creatures. All they wanted was to
be left alone, and we were dragging them into our
world by using their power. Naomi squeezed her hand into
a fist and the crackling energy disappeared.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Of course not.
Speaker 4 (12:37):
How is ridding the world of the staff going to
solve anything? Will that save the Shadows from the floodlights
of German armies? Why is magic the villain here? I've
spent my whole life working with magic. It's all I've done.
I do it because I know that magic is more
than power.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
It's an art.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
It is my life, Tommy, all you see me do
is debt, nations and shields.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
But there is so much more to it. There is
so much more beauty to it. It's my life.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
She made some hand movements, and the concentration it took
really did calm her. I thought of my great grandfather,
who used magic to create and shape beautiful living things.
Naomi's words about using magic for beauty echoed his, but
he was disgusted at the cost. Naomi didn't see that,
or refused to see it regardless. I was still confused.
(13:33):
Were we destroying the good out of fear for the bad?
As I considered the importance of the question, Naomi stopped
working with the magic in her palm and put her
hand on my knee. There are so few.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
That can even do magic. How do you think that
makes me feel? Do you think I'm blind?
Speaker 4 (13:51):
I'm as good as the masters, and yet there are
what only three of them in all of England? How
many magicians are left in the world? T? Twenty? Do
we really want to see magic die? How is it
even a threat? I feel like I am the last
practitioner of a dying art.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
She went back to practicing with her hands. I considered
her words at a basic level. They were true, and
her heart felt passion and the pain behind them made
me want to agree with her. But the history made
me uneasy. How could I ignore that magic was stolen
from the Persians? Were we preserving the art or were
we just using that as justification to steal another's power.
(14:33):
I didn't have an answer, and the quiet was making
things awkward. I changed the subject to a more immediate question.
What of the staff? It has real power and could
do damage. What should we do with it? I expected
of vociferous response about the artistry of magic and the
stupidity of giving up on it, even through the vehicle
of the staff. She obviously believed these things, so her
(14:56):
restraint surprised me.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
You know, street light, I'm not naive.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Her head was lowered as she spoke the previous words,
but she then raised her head and looked at me again.
The intensity of her eyes and attention was intimidating, and
I turned away.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
Magic is dying, but the staff won't make any difference
at all.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
It can do harm and it can do good.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
It just is. That's refreshingly cynical of you, I smiled
as I replied, hoping to lighten the moment.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Tommy.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
I turned, and she again looked sad.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
I'm a realist.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
The kind of magic that I can do, the kind
the masters can do, has no practical use. Rifles are
as powerful as detonations. Hollywood can create illusions that fool
people as well as magic.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
I thought of kin and was going to disagree, but
didn't want to interrupt her. She had never been this
open with me.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
Thanks to technology, magic no longer has power. It is
an art.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
The only real powerful magic is done by Mattie creatures
and artifacts like the staff.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
I know this, do you understand?
Speaker 1 (16:06):
I didn't and shook my head.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
People want magic for power, but magicians have no real power,
so we use artifacts and magic creatures. The only way
to change this is from magic to fade away and
be forgotten, because then we won't be tempted by the
power of the magical creatures.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
I was excited that she was seeing the heart of
my conflict. I loved magic, but I didn't love the
impact it had on the mostly unseen magical world. I
was about to comment to that effect, but Naomi continued.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
But those are two different things, and I don't agree
with the idea that we should sacrifice one for the other.
That's like saying we should stop using horses because they
don't want to carry riders.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
My heart fell. She didn't get it. But magical creatures
can think you've heard me talk with vingrosh.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
Shadows can think I'm not talking about shadows, I.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Said the marriag running the locomotive free, I blurted out.
I don't know why. Perhaps I wanted to shock her.
Perhaps I wanted to let her know that I didn't
agree with her. She tilted her head as she looked
at me. When in Sunningdale, I said the words as
a challenge, but her response deflated me.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
And yet the train is rushing toward Persia.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
She stood up.
Speaker 4 (17:23):
If the marriag could understand anything more than binding words,
we wouldn't be moving.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
He would have freed himself.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
I didn't reply as she moved toward the engineer's cabin
up front. At the door, she stopped and turned back
to me. He didn't understand, Tommy. He couldn't understand he's
an elemental. If he did, he'd be free and we'd
be dead. She walked through the door and closed it
behind her. A Podcast Alchemy production
Speaker 2 (18:22):
M
Artifacts of the Arcane by Jake Kerr season one, The
Staff of Light episode eighteen, Beauty and Pain after King's
Cross and the Citadel, Sunningdale station was a rather drab affair.
(00:24):
Naomi and I entered through the white painted double doors
and found a mostly vacant room with a ticket booth
to the right. Without waiting for me to say anything,
Naomi went up to the woman at the ticket counter.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
We need to see the way master.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
The woman looked confused.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean by way master,
but the station master is busy.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
He's overseeing a rail line inspection. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
She turned to me. Follow me. I shrugged and followed her.
She was, after all, much more familiar with way stations
than I was. As we exited through the large doors
that led to the tracks, the ticket woman yelled.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Out, excuse me, you aren't allowed out there.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Naomi didn't bother to respond and just continued on. I followed.
She stopped at the edge of the tracks and looked
left and right. There was a train at the station,
but it appeared to be ready to depart at any second.
Naomi shook her head. No time to talk to the waymaster.
She turned to me be intimidating. She then looked at
me and shook her head, smiling slightly.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Well, at least try to be intimidating.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
She continued to the engine car as I rushed to
follow her. I tried to understand her smile. It was maddening.
Did she find me amusing in a dismissive way? Or
did she like me? And why did I care? She
discounted the slavery of the merit. That was hard to forgive.
The thought of the merit reminded me of what I
needed to do. Naomi climbed up and pounded on the
(01:55):
window of the engine and then hauled the metal door open.
I heard it, hey, but she just pulled herself in.
I paused, but she poked her head out and waved
me toward her. You need to talk to the engineer.
I scrambled up and entered to find Naomi making a
fist and looking up at a tall man.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
This is an emergency. The arch mage is here and
needs immediate transportation to Shiraz.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
The man looked like a giant made of all muscle.
He had thick black hair, and while his coveralls hit
his bild, it was clear that he was a physical force,
and the look on his face made it clear he
was someone not used to being confronted.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Look, young lady, I haven't heard the Shiraz stop and
the Pelivon mentioned in the same sentence in nearly thirty years.
I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
I am the arch mage. I tapped the cane to
the ground and lit a light from its top. The
light was intense and filled the whole small compartment. The
man towered over me, but he clearly recognized the staff.
His jaw dropped open as I lifted it up toward
his face. And this is an emergency. We need to
travel to Shiraz, and if you don't take us there immediately,
(03:03):
I will. I tapped his chest with the lit edge
of the cane, which made him flinch. Melt you. I
immediately felt foolish saying the words. They sounded so silly
to my ear. Melt him. I beat myself up again
and again in my mind over my inability to intimidate him.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Of course, Archmage, but we have passengers. I'll need to
disconnect them from the engine. I was too shocked by
his reply to say anything. We can't take them to Persia. Oh,
of course, of course. I moved to the back of
the room. Naomi, please keep an eye on the engineer
as he disconnects the train. When he's done, escort him
(03:42):
back here. I'm afraid I don't trust him.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Naomi smiled like I had just given her a birthday present.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Sure thing, Archmage.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
As the engineer made his way out, it hit me
that this was the first time that Naomi had called
me anything other than street light or Tommy. I felt
a rush of confidence. I opened the door to the
next room, looking for the mighty imprisoned merit. I walked
through and closed it behind me, not allowing Naomi the
opportunity to follow if she returned quickly. Thankfully, the living
(04:13):
area was empty. This train was apparently only operated with
a staff of one. The door at the back was
thick and it took some effort to haul it open.
I immediately saw why. It was solid iron, with only
the side facing the living area lined in wood paneling.
The room was filled with gages and tubes. It was
also very hot. I dared not touch the tubes, as
(04:35):
I knew they would leave me with blisters. The tubes
appeared to come from the room behind the one I
was in. It was all new to me, but one
thing was clear. Whatever was in the next room powered
the entire train. The door to the Merit was iron,
and the handle to open it was a spiral of
coils like you sometimes find on fireplace pokers. The door
(04:56):
slid open to the right, so I grabbed the handle
and pulled with all my strength. Thankfully, despite its thickness,
it wasn't hard to open. Once it was open. However,
the hot air slammed into me with tangible force. It
was almost impossible to breathe, and my instinct was to
back out and shut the door. I walked through The
(05:17):
entire room shook with a low rumble. Across from me
was a massive furnace with a small opening, glowing yellow orange.
The air was so hot that everything looked insubstantial. Solid
surfaces wavered in front of me. I closed my eyes
as sweat started to drip down my face. I closed
the door, both out of a desire for privacy as
(05:38):
well as concern over the heat damaging something in the
other room. Merrit, you may not understand my language, but
it is important for me to tell you this. Whether
you can understand or not. I squeezed the cane in
my right hand. I hoped that my sincerity would be understood,
even if my words were not. I have taken charge
of this engine because I have no choice. I don't
(06:01):
want to use your power without your permission. I think
to do so is I paused, choosing the word carefully evil.
So I ask you please carry us to Persia. My
grandfather is a captive there, and I wish to bring
him home. As soon as I spoke of my grandfather's
temporary captivity to the merit, I felt embarrassed. How could
(06:23):
I express concerns over grandfather's captivity to a slave. I
made a decision one I knew was right. My needs
are unimportant compared to your own. However, so I make
this promise to you. If you do not wish to
make the journey, do not move the train, leave it here.
I release you from your bondage. You are free. I
(06:45):
opened my eyes the sweat and heat, filling them with tears.
But if you do take us on our journey to Persia,
you are still free. Either way, I release you. I
will not force you to make this trip. I turned
to leave the furnace. Burning but silent. The heat had
become overwhelming, so I pulled the door open quickly I exited,
(07:09):
but before I closed the door, I leaned back in
and whispered please. Naomi and the engineer were waiting for
me in the first room. I didn't enter, as it
was a tight fit. I leaned against the door jam
Naomi had her hands outstretched toward the engineer, who was
holding his hand against his left shoulder.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Was there a problem, he attempted to yell for help.
I stopped him.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
You cannot use this station without approval from Kane. Do
you think he was trying to warn Kane.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
I hadn't thought of that, but it is possible. We
are very close to the citadel. It would make sense
that Caine controls the station.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
I turned to the engineer. We leave now, or I'll
let Naomi practice her detonations on you. I glanced at her,
hoping that she would go along with my plan. Without
looking at me, she started making the familiar hand movements
of creating a detonation. The engineer was clearly familiar with
the process. Okay, okay, I'm firing the engine. Now firing
(08:12):
the engine. The words disgusted me. That's what he called.
Whatever process they used to get the Merit to move
the locomotive. The engineer pulled a lever and the train
shuttered but didn't move. Naomi squinted at the engineer.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
What are you up to? We need to move now, I.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Don't know the engine is not responding. My heart fell.
I knew what had happened. The Merid understood me and
was preparing to free himself. He had no intention of
taking us to Persia. We would need to find a
new way to get to my grandfather. The engineer pulled
the lever again, and the engine shuddered, but again didn't move.
(08:51):
Before he could yank on the lever one more time,
I spoke up. Stop, let me check something. Naomi, please
keep an eye on our friend. If he moves, feel
free to blow up the offending body part.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
She smiled. I assumed the Merit had decided he wanted
to be free. Perhaps he was still enslaved in the furnace.
Knowing my opportunity for escape was now gone, I could
at least help free him. However, before I had taken
one step, an ear splitting whale filled the air, similar
to the one I heard on my previous rail trip.
(09:25):
But this was different. Where before I was hearing rage
and pain, this time I heard something different, passion, joy, effort.
Whatever it was, the sound was still fearsome. The train
shot forward, nearly knocking everyone off their feet. The engineer
turned to me, his eyes wild. What did you do?
Speaker 3 (09:48):
I haven't even engaged the engine and we are moving
at extraordinary speed.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
I looked through the window at the track ahead of us.
It was true, the scenery was flying by. I used
a different method to engage the engine. I stared at
the engineer, whose eyes went wide. I was enjoying being
the intimidating arch mage. I could only imagine what was
going through the engineer's head as he pictured what kind
(10:13):
of magical torture I used on the merit to have
him move the train faster than it had ever moved before. Naomi,
we need to talk. What about him? She nodded toward
the engineer. I looked at the engineer, who looked nervous
but not scared. I needed to change that engineer. You
saw how fast we exited the station. Imagine the torture
(10:35):
spell I placed on the merit to make that happen.
The engineer nodded slightly. Now, imagine that spell applied to you.
If we aren't heading to Shiraz. That is exactly what
will happen. The engineer glanced toward the rear of the train,
then at the gages, and then at me. He nodded again,
(10:58):
and I believed him. I left and went back to
the living area, Naomi following but quiet. I sat down
in one of the ubiquitous reading chairs. All magical living
areas seemed to have them, along with a small table
containing a book on some arcane topic. The one next
to me, however, was empty. I ran my hand through
(11:20):
my hair and rubbed my eyes. I wanted to make
Naomi understand about the wrongness of imprisoning the merit, but
I worried that she wouldn't understand.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
You look pretty dark for a street light.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
I looked up. Naomi was standing directly in front of me,
magical energy crackling in her palm. Is that a detonation?
My question seemed to surprise her, and she glanced down
at her hand.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
Oh yeah, sorry, I wasn't going to use it on you,
if that's what you were worried about.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
She sounded amused, but I didn't see a smile. She
sat in the other reading chair.
Speaker 4 (11:54):
It probably sounds odd, but I find them calming, although,
to be honest, it's more calming when I actually get
to cast them and blow stuff up.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
I looked at her, and she forced a smile. I
find it calming to watch you blow stuff up too.
I looked at the cane. I can't believe mister Ali
betrayed us.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
He is a deluded, foolish old man.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Was he right? Though? I was confused and didn't know
what to think. Magic enslaved the merit, and who knew
how many other magical creatures. All they wanted was to
be left alone, and we were dragging them into our
world by using their power. Naomi squeezed her hand into
a fist and the crackling energy disappeared.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Of course not.
Speaker 4 (12:37):
How is ridding the world of the staff going to
solve anything? Will that save the Shadows from the floodlights
of German armies? Why is magic the villain here? I've
spent my whole life working with magic. It's all I've done.
I do it because I know that magic is more
than power.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
It's an art.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
It is my life, Tommy, all you see me do
is debt, nations and shields.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
But there is so much more to it. There is
so much more beauty to it. It's my life.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
She made some hand movements, and the concentration it took
really did calm her. I thought of my great grandfather,
who used magic to create and shape beautiful living things.
Naomi's words about using magic for beauty echoed his, but
he was disgusted at the cost. Naomi didn't see that,
or refused to see it regardless. I was still confused.
(13:33):
Were we destroying the good out of fear for the bad?
As I considered the importance of the question, Naomi stopped
working with the magic in her palm and put her
hand on my knee. There are so few.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
That can even do magic. How do you think that
makes me feel? Do you think I'm blind?
Speaker 4 (13:51):
I'm as good as the masters, and yet there are
what only three of them in all of England? How
many magicians are left in the world? T? Twenty? Do
we really want to see magic die? How is it
even a threat? I feel like I am the last
practitioner of a dying art.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
She went back to practicing with her hands. I considered
her words at a basic level. They were true, and
her heart felt passion and the pain behind them made
me want to agree with her. But the history made
me uneasy. How could I ignore that magic was stolen
from the Persians? Were we preserving the art or were
we just using that as justification to steal another's power.
(14:33):
I didn't have an answer, and the quiet was making
things awkward. I changed the subject to a more immediate question.
What of the staff? It has real power and could
do damage. What should we do with it? I expected
of vociferous response about the artistry of magic and the
stupidity of giving up on it, even through the vehicle
of the staff. She obviously believed these things, so her
(14:56):
restraint surprised me.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
You know, street light, I'm not naive.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Her head was lowered as she spoke the previous words,
but she then raised her head and looked at me again.
The intensity of her eyes and attention was intimidating, and
I turned away.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
Magic is dying, but the staff won't make any difference
at all.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
It can do harm and it can do good.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
It just is. That's refreshingly cynical of you, I smiled
as I replied, hoping to lighten the moment.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Tommy.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
I turned, and she again looked sad.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
I'm a realist.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
The kind of magic that I can do, the kind
the masters can do, has no practical use. Rifles are
as powerful as detonations. Hollywood can create illusions that fool
people as well as magic.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
I thought of kin and was going to disagree, but
didn't want to interrupt her. She had never been this
open with me.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
Thanks to technology, magic no longer has power. It is
an art.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
The only real powerful magic is done by Mattie creatures
and artifacts like the staff.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
I know this, do you understand?
Speaker 1 (16:06):
I didn't and shook my head.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
People want magic for power, but magicians have no real power,
so we use artifacts and magic creatures. The only way
to change this is from magic to fade away and
be forgotten, because then we won't be tempted by the
power of the magical creatures.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
I was excited that she was seeing the heart of
my conflict. I loved magic, but I didn't love the
impact it had on the mostly unseen magical world. I
was about to comment to that effect, but Naomi continued.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
But those are two different things, and I don't agree
with the idea that we should sacrifice one for the other.
That's like saying we should stop using horses because they
don't want to carry riders.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
My heart fell. She didn't get it. But magical creatures
can think you've heard me talk with vingrosh.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
Shadows can think I'm not talking about shadows, I.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Said the marriag running the locomotive free, I blurted out.
I don't know why. Perhaps I wanted to shock her.
Perhaps I wanted to let her know that I didn't
agree with her. She tilted her head as she looked
at me. When in Sunningdale, I said the words as
a challenge, but her response deflated me.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
And yet the train is rushing toward Persia.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
She stood up.
Speaker 4 (17:23):
If the marriag could understand anything more than binding words,
we wouldn't be moving.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
He would have freed himself.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
I didn't reply as she moved toward the engineer's cabin
up front. At the door, she stopped and turned back
to me. He didn't understand, Tommy. He couldn't understand he's
an elemental. If he did, he'd be free and we'd
be dead. She walked through the door and closed it
behind her. A Podcast Alchemy production
Speaker 2 (18:22):
M
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