Chapter 735: The Fool's Notes

Chapter 735: The Fool's Notes

Tell medo you know what a patch is? Hannah Kims spirit had once asked.

Her question had come when Alex was in a corner of the Hells, within the burning maze of Cretalikon.

Hed frowned, answering her with a question, Like on a piece of old clothing?

Something like that. I couldnt remember if I wrote about that in my book Shed taken a deep breath. In my old world, theres something we use called programs. Theyre a bit like spells, except theyre made by a central, um, company. Uh, place. Then users of these programs use them, but they cant change them.

Okay Alex had said slowly. But, whats that got to do with the Mark?

Shed considered the question, looking as though she was sorting through her thoughts. Well, when a company puts out a program and they want to change it, they release something thats called a patch. Its new codeuh, a new piece of a spell that goes over top of the old spell and changes it.

Alex could have been blown over by a stiff breeze at those words. So youre saying that somebodychanged the Mark? That it was different before?Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com

Shed nodded. After Kelda heard about patches, she spent a long time examining her Mark: the very fibres of magic it was made of.

You can break it down? Alex had asked. Even archwizards havent been able to do that.

She had the Mark, she had my knowledge, and she had to build some very specialised equipment using materials you cant even get in your world. But she built them and used the Mark to get good enough at using them to examine her Mark and mine.

The conversation had taken place many months agothough it felt like a lifetimeand here he was, about to learn what Kelda had discovered.

Alex ran his finger along the notebooks spine as Hannah's words echoed in his mind. He read the title again:

Patch Reversal, notebook I.

Hannah had called the Mark of the Fool a patch.

A fitting title, Alex said out loud.

What's it say? Birger asked.

Alex glanced at the cabinet filled with dozens of books, many were a series of numbered notebooks entitled: Patch Reversal. Twenty-two volumes starting with number one and ending at twenty-two.

These books appear to be notes on reversing the Mark. Honestly, it's going to take me a while to go through them all, the young wizard admitted. I'll have to read, study and examine every word carefully. As for the other bookslooks like they're on alchemy, religion, and philosophy regarding the soul. Theyre probably reference books she used to help with her research. I'll have to read all of them, and when I finish looking through all the material

He took a book from his satchel: a copy of Uldars notes ...I'll have to cross-reference Uldars notes with Kelda's to see if I can figure out where she went wrong. It could take a while.

Sounds like it, Birger said.

And that's why I'm going to make you both an offer, Alex said. Birger, youve found your friends sanctum. Bjorgrund, both you and your father have helped me get here. As far as I'm concerned, the two of you have done enough. More than enough. If you want, Ill teleport you to wherever you want to go, right now. The church is hunting me and if you want to leave, I completely understand.

No way. Bjorgrund snarled, gripping his axe. I want payback. That church nearly killed me and would have killed my father if they werent so busy trying to kill you and the rest of us. Because of them, we couldn't even go back home. His rune flashed through his tunic. I cant let them just get away with that.

Well, I'm the last person that could tell you not to want revenge, Alex said. But Birger, what about you? Do you want to take your son and go?

Birger shook his head. I want them to suffer for what they did to Bjorgrund and the rest of youand pay for hunting us for all these months like we were animals People like them should be stopped. They should get a taste of their own medicine. And besides, Kelda would've wanted you to succeed. You're her legacy, and she'd be damn mad at me if I left you here to face our enemies by yourself.

Thanks for that I'm glad you're still with me, Alex said sincerely. Thenthis is what Ill do, when I'm about to start the process with my MarkI'll make a portal for the two of you to use if anything happens to me. Youll need to be out of the room when I try to change the Mark, too. I dont want you dying like Keldas assistants.

I appreciate that, Birger said. Now, then, what do we do? the young wizard held up the notebook. First of all, I've got to start looking through these notes. If the two of you could start looking around the laboratory; see if there's anything that looks like a control station for the sanctum. Someplace that Kelda would have used to activate or deactivate the traps. If you could find a map of this place, thatd be really helpful too.

Well get right on it, Bjorgrund said. You're going to want to take a look at my rune at some point, right?

Yes, but not yet, the young wizard said. I have a lot of reading to do first, thank the Traveller I learned how to speed read when I was in first year in university.

Alright, then, Birger said. Were going to find this control thingthen I'll see if theres laundry facilities or a kitchen or anything like it. We might be here a while, and things are going to get a bit uncomfortable if we can't cleanse ourselves, or eat. Well need to talk about how we're going to get food and drink in here, too. If this place had any food storestheyd probably be dust and rot by now.

I don't know about that, Alex said. With the amount of magic in here, I wouldn't be surprised if the sanctum's store room could have dried goods in it thats lasted all these years, especially if there arent any vermin around. I agree though, well need that stuff. Im sure we already smell kinda ripe.

Let's get started, then. Bjorgrund stepped away, already looking around the laboratory. If we don't know when or if the churchs gonna show up, wed better hurry.

Agreed, his father said, joining the younger giant.

Good luck with the search, and before I get started with my reading, I have one more thing to do, the young wizard felt a flare of excitement rising in his chest.

He closed his eyes, reaching across the distance to Generasi, touching Claygons mind. Buddy? Are you there?

There was a pause.

I amherefather Claygons thoughts reached back through the link.Alex could feel waves of relief and anxiety coming from him. I am gladto hear from youhow is the search goingare you safe?

Claygon, I need you to contact Toraka and Lucia, Alex said, looking around the well-equipped lab. We need to arrange to get some equipment and supplies for golem crafting.

Excitement surged through their link. You found somewhere safeto make golems?

Alex allowed a relieved smile to spread across his face, and loud, giddy laughter to escape his lips. Oh we found more than that buddy. We found a hell of a lot more than that! Get Theresa and Selina: youll have some news to give them!

We found Kelda's sanctum buddy! We bloody found it!