NOVEL NEXT Chapter 87 - Simon: Resolved conundrum
After gathering all the answers, I make my way back to the front where Kallion is waiting for me next to Allea. The fake Allea, I have to remind myself, because as I look at her, the way she raises one eyebrow and gazes at me questioningly is just like her.
“I think I know who the impostor is.” Kallion announces as soon as I lean in close to whisper.
“It is Ellie.” he continues, “Unless she gave a very convincing answer to you?”
I think back for a second before formulating my reply.
“She did not. Why are you so convinced it's her? What did you ask?”
“Oh, it's obvious, really. I don't know a lot about bardic spellcasting, but like any mage they use a skill to shape the essence into certain forms with certain properties when invoking spells. They just utilize music or other artforms to do so instead of gestures and invocations.”
I nod along at his increasingly animated speech, and motion for him to continue.
“Basically, I asked her which of the three great spellcasting groups a bard's magic fell under and she confidently got it wrong. Both of her colleagues knew that Bards are spell pool based spellcasters. You know, the ones with a limited pool of spells they can draw on on a whim, as opposed to spell book based casters like me and miracle based casters like priests that have access to a certain set of effects each day that are granted by the goddess or a primal entity.”
Right. Leave it to Kallion to hit someone with questions about magical theory. This does seem like the basics of the basics though.
“Okay, I think you are right. Out of curiosity… did anyone else seem suspicious to you?”
“Huh? No, not really. Astrid and Allea both answered correctly or at least in the manner I expected of them. No suspicion there. Why?”
Hmm… I wonder if I should even bring it up then. We have our answer, and this way maybe I can talk to the fake Allea a little longer, though if memory is anything to go by the room beyond the gates we are situated in front of is the stage hall, so I don’t anticipate a lot of opportunities for talking. Still, there may be a few moments. I know this is wrong, but my mind is already made up. It’s just… I am curious about her.
“All right. Do you want to present our answer to the guardian then?”
This is an idiotic thing to do Simon, you could at least tell him, there would be no harm in that. You could still talk to her. But what if, when her identity is exposed, she vanishes. What if I could not, in fact, still talk to her? My inner turmoil holds my tongue while Kallion turns towards the little avian-feline hybrid creature serving as the gate’s guardian.
“The answer is Ellie. Or rather, the creature pretending to be Ellie.” he announces loudly, and I can see Ellie slump at this development.
“Their true name you don’t know, but great insight you show.” the creature rumbles back. “Your answer is acceptable.”
With this, the door begins to swing open to reveal a grand theater beyond…
Last time we were here, in this room, the place was in a state of decay and ruin. Now, obviously we had heard a few things about it, but it is impossible to accurately describe the sheer splendor of the hall in front of us. I am almost too stunned to realize Ellie moving up to me and Kallion.
“Well, it’s been fun. We should do this again sometime!” she says, and her features gradually melt away to reveal a waxy, blank and mostly featureless face. “Here, give this back to Ellie, and say sorry for me, please?”
The creature holds out the lute it has been wearing around the bard college uniform.
I take it, a bit dazed still, and she bows before us all before turning and sauntering away down the hallway we came from, disappearing in the darkness.