Chapter 34: Closure

Chapter 34: Closure

“You don’t understand! He’s lyin’ to you all!”

Guilt.

“He’s been insultin’ everythin’ about bein’ a dwarf since the accident!”

More Guilt.

“He’s gonna destroy generations of beer makin’!”

Extra Guilt.Witness the debut of this chapter, unveiled through Ñôv€l--B1n.

“I just did what I had to!”

I looked up at that, feeling a pang of anger rather than guilt. How dare he! He’d swindled me and messed with my head, and it was what he HAD to do?!

“Be silent, Tim. We aren’t here to listen to your justifications. We are here to release any ongoing abilities on Alchemist Peter, and provide him with some closure. As per Nation of Crack Law Ver. 118, Section 8, Subsection 2, you may choose to voluntarily surrender any goods and repair any damages done to the injured party in order to reduce your sentence.” Diamond held her hand up to forestall Tim’s sputtered reply. “Do not think of wasting the final opportunities provided to you by the law.”

Tim nodded; his eyes downcast.

“Very well, release any of your abilities of Alchemist Peter first.”

Tim held up a hand, and I could actually feel a weight come off my mind. I’d needed to really focus on remembering the stolen silver, but now it was a fresh memory, raw and full of anger.

“This all seems a little... lenient?” I put forward. Diamond, Brock, Tim, Grim, and two other guards turned to look at me. Diamond twirled her drill-beard for a moment before she answered.

“Tim’s psych profile as well as his interrogation and examination of his Status indicate there is a chance for rehabilitation.” Diamond’s tone turned a bit sharp. “You and he both agreed to allow for an arbitration, and right now he is wasting it!”

“I thought... I dunno. That’d I’d have an opportunity to throw rotten tomatoes at him or somethin.” I mimed a tossing motion.

“Where would you get a barbaric idea like that?” Diamond shook her head.

“What a waste of good food..” Grim muttered.

“See! He’s a mad-dwarf!” Tim shook his cuffs plaintively.

“Hey!”

“ENOUGH!” Diamond smashed a plated hand on the table, and we all jumped as the wood cracked. “Tim, silence! Alchemist Peter, you may ask five questions!” She turned to look at Tim. “You will speak only when questioned, and may only answer the question. Any further outbursts and I’ll personally see you put on the lowest level of the Capital prison!”

She dropped 32 silver coins, a tankard, and a small keg of beer on the table. “Here is the evidence that we collected from him, now let us perform this arbitration... properly.” She practically hissed.

“Fine. Tim, have you been fakin’ everything? Were we ever friends at all?” I asked.

“Maybe. Until you mixed lemonade into Tha Brew, when you began –” He was cut off as Diamond harrumphed. “Until you made the radler.”

Diamond nodded at me, which I took to mean he was telling the truth. Diamond had approached me late in the evening to inform me of a possible “Arbitrated Closure”. She had deemed the situation appropriate for one, and was giving me the option. If I took it, Tim’s sentence for having a Banned title would change from life imprisonment, to a chance at supervised parole. The entire thing would take place under a truth spell, which would tell Diamond if Tim lied. The idea was to provide me closure in a controlled space.

So, we had been friends for a short while. That... was nice, but it also made the resulting betrayal hurt even more.

“Why?” I asked in a pleading tone.

“Why what?”

“Why did you do all this?”

“Because you-!” Tim took a deep breath. “Because I consider you a threat to our traditions and way of life.”

“That doesn’t even mean anythin’!”

“It does to me.”

I rubbed the bridge of my nose. It was like arguing with someone on the internet. He wasn’t going to change his mind in this short time. Speaking of time.

“When did you start messin with me?”

“Not until the third month. I’d been doin’ a simple swindle for a while; I wanted to slow down yer ‘gunpowder’ plan. If it was anythin’ like tha radler it could be nothin’ good. I wasn’t sure I wanted to use my abilities on a fellow dwarf, but I decided to do it when I saw Speaker John drink some of yer radler.”

Diamond nodded at me again. “Two more questions, then Tim is allowed one.”

“Tim, why in Yearns name were you in my room?” Grim coughed and hid a grin. He'd been at Tim's initial interrogation. Why the hell was that funny?

“I was going to use some good dwarven steel to see if you were a true dwarf.”

“You were going to knife me!?” I looked at the evidence, the only thing made of steel was the tankard.

“No prevarication.” Diamond warned, her voice dark.

“I’ll miss you too Doc. Thanks for everything, especially the use of your supplies.”

“Of course, Peter. Thank you for the sweets, and for brightening Bran’s kitchen.”

“I hope we meet again."

“We will eventually, surely. Balin said you plan to move to Minnova.”

“Balin has a big mouth, and don’t call me Shirley.”

“What?”

“Goodbye Opal.”

---

“I’m really going to miss you Sam.”

Sam smiled as he leaned in and gave me a giant hug. I could feel tears wetting his beard.

“I’ll be out before ya know it, eh?”

“Not too soon, I value my eardrums.”

“Good luck out there, son, yer goin’ ta need it. If you get stuck, go look for a dwarf named Drum at tha Rusty Battleaxe. Just tell him Sam sent ya.”

“Goodbye old man.”

“So long, Pete.”

—

I peaked around the door.

“Goodbye Grim -”

“I don’t care! Get out! Beggone, Agent of Aaron!”

“I’ll miss you!”

“I’ll miss you with my AXE if you don’t get out of my mine!”

My teeth flashed in the darkness of the hallway as I retreated. I’d need to send something special to Grim. Maybe a couple kegs of my first beer, to share with the prison populace.

—

*sniff* “I can’t believe yer leavin!”

I held up a handkerchief, nonplussed. “I didn’t realize it meant that much to ya Bran.”

*sniffle* “You always had so many amazin ideas.” *honk*

“You’re a great chef Bran, you know enough now to start making yer own recipes.”

“But now I got nothin to sell to make enough silver fer lemons!” *sob*

“YOU WERE SELLIN’ MY RECIPES!?”

Bran opened up a drawer and revealed the contents. My eyes widened.

—

Balin and I stood at the entrance to the City of Minnova Prison Mine and looked down the path towards the city. The chain gang had lined up to say goodbye, and there was a heady mix of cheering and happy well wishes to send us off. It had taken a year, but I was free.

I turned to Balin.

“Are ya ready to go buddy?”

“Aye, that I am. Let’s step into our future!”

“Okay, but watch where you’re stepping, Balin.”

We each took a step forward. There was a squelch and the stench of goatshit.

“See? I told you.”

“PETE!”