The Old Fortress Under Attack

[00:00:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Artifacts of the Arcane by Jake Kerr

[00:00:07] [SPEAKER_00]: Season 1, The Staff of Light

[00:00:12] [SPEAKER_00]: Episode 3, The Old Fortress Under Attack

[00:00:19] [SPEAKER_01]: Sliding out from his seat and moving briskly toward the beaded door leading to the dining room at the front,

[00:00:25] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Oz moved with a grace and speed I had never seen him used before.

[00:00:30] [SPEAKER_01]: The restaurant workers, so recently chopping greens and stirring soup, arranged themselves behind him.

[00:00:36] [SPEAKER_01]: There were no words spoken, no commands given.

[00:00:39] [SPEAKER_01]: They didn't appear any different than when they were working in the restaurant.

[00:00:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Other than they now wielded wicked looking knives pulled from under their robes.

[00:00:48] [SPEAKER_01]: One grabbed a staff from a corner that I hadn't noticed.

[00:00:52] [SPEAKER_01]: I felt a shove and half fell out of the booth as my grandfather pushed himself to his feet.

[00:00:58] [SPEAKER_01]: I looked up at him. He cut a fierce figure, his knuckles white as they gripped the cane in his right hand,

[00:01:06] [SPEAKER_01]: his eyes glinting in the neon light.

[00:01:09] [SPEAKER_01]: The restaurant shook again but I didn't hear a sound which only made it more frightening.

[00:01:14] [SPEAKER_01]: I scrambled to my feet and looked around.

[00:01:16] [SPEAKER_01]: My perceptions changed. I noticed the solidity and mass of the place.

[00:01:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Without the decorative trappings out front, the Persian garden had the look of a fortress.

[00:01:27] [SPEAKER_01]: The walls were hewn from huge pieces of rock.

[00:01:31] [SPEAKER_01]: There were two windows recessed in the wall along the side of the kitchen,

[00:01:35] [SPEAKER_01]: which appeared more like windows you would find in a castle wall than a restaurant.

[00:01:40] [SPEAKER_01]: They provided little light but you could still see the glow of the sun behind them.

[00:01:45] [SPEAKER_01]: More men arrived in the kitchen.

[00:01:48] [SPEAKER_01]: Dressed in the colorful costumes of the Persian garden wait staff,

[00:01:52] [SPEAKER_01]: the men rushed to the front of the restaurant bearing scimitars and knives rather than plates and glasses.

[00:01:58] [SPEAKER_01]: The restaurant was quiet and I wondered if Mr. Oz's workers had beaten off whatever had made the percussive noise

[00:02:04] [SPEAKER_01]: when a screeching filled the air.

[00:02:07] [SPEAKER_01]: In the midst of a din and a harsh light outlining his frame, my grandfather stood still.

[00:02:13] [SPEAKER_01]: And then it came.

[00:02:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Another boom, louder than the others, shaking the restaurant so much that I feared the heavy stones above our heads would fall.

[00:02:24] [SPEAKER_01]: Grandfather leaned down and looked me in the eyes.

[00:02:27] [SPEAKER_01]: He was smiling and looked excited. I don't think I had ever seen him happier.

[00:02:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Tommy, just like in the alley, there is danger outside but I don't want you to be afraid.

[00:02:37] [SPEAKER_01]: You are in the safest spot in all of New York and while I am powerless against shadows, this...

[00:02:44] [SPEAKER_01]: He waved his hand toward the front of the restaurant. This I can handle.

[00:02:49] [SPEAKER_01]: So just sit here and wait for me to come back. I need to go help Mr. Barass.

[00:02:54] [SPEAKER_01]: He put a hand on my shoulder and gently tapped my chest with his cane.

[00:02:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Be brave.

[00:03:00] [SPEAKER_01]: I watched as he turned and sprinted through the beads to the front of the restaurant.

[00:03:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Part of me was terrified from the memory of the shadows, but part of me wanted to follow him.

[00:03:10] [SPEAKER_01]: How dangerous could it be? He said it himself. This was something he could handle.

[00:03:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Besides, I felt cheated. My grandfather had kept me cooped up in his apartment even though he was some kind of mighty magician warrior.

[00:03:26] [SPEAKER_01]: What else did he lie to me about? And now that I was finally experiencing excitement, he left me behind in a kitchen.

[00:03:34] [SPEAKER_01]: In the end, the urge to run out and show him that I was not a child wasn't enough.

[00:03:40] [SPEAKER_01]: I kicked at the floor as I walked back to the booth. The terrifying nature of the shadows and other unknown creatures weighed too heavily on my mind,

[00:03:50] [SPEAKER_01]: as did the prospect of my grandfather's anger if I disobeyed.

[00:03:54] [SPEAKER_01]: I sat down. I was useless, a coward. As I turned my attention back to the kitchen, Mr. Ali entered from the front.

[00:04:03] [SPEAKER_01]: He ignored me and went to one of the large iron ranges and started to work on some food that had been abandoned in the chaos before.

[00:04:11] [SPEAKER_01]: I was so stunned by the contrast of him calmly cooking amidst the desperate preparations for some kind of battle that I momentarily forgot we were under attack.

[00:04:21] [SPEAKER_01]: A clash of metal served as a jarring reminder, however, and the shrieking from earlier increased in volume.

[00:04:29] [SPEAKER_01]: A human scream pierced the air, and then the otherworldly shrieks quieted down again.

[00:04:35] [SPEAKER_01]: It sounded nothing like the battles I had seen in the movies. Feeling lost, I said to Mr. Ali,

[00:04:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Can you tell me what is going on?

[00:04:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Shhh! was his reply spoken over his shoulder.

[00:04:48] [SPEAKER_01]: A horrible catarwal sounded from above my head. It was muffled by the stone, but even the stone couldn't stop me from feeling the pure wrath in that sound.

[00:04:59] [SPEAKER_01]: I still wanted to think of the attack as part of an exciting adventure with my grandfather, but fear kept me in the booth.

[00:05:08] [SPEAKER_01]: The loud booming explosions stopped and were replaced by smaller ones of greater frequency.

[00:05:14] [SPEAKER_01]: I looked up and noticed shapes flitting across the windows. Intermittent whales came from above, each one making me cringe.

[00:05:23] [SPEAKER_01]: I didn't know if I could ever get used to that sound.

[00:05:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Three men arrived and began to twist and contort their hands over a crack in one of the walls.

[00:05:32] [SPEAKER_01]: They soon stopped and, unlike all the others, moved back toward the rear of the restaurant.

[00:05:38] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali started spooning dark rice into a bowl, a particularly loud boom resounded through the walls, but he looked completely unconcerned.

[00:05:48] [SPEAKER_01]: He grabbed a fork and a napkin and approached me. Without saying anything, he slid the bowl in front of me.

[00:05:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Place the fork next to it and dropped the napkin onto my lap.

[00:05:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you. I mumbled.

[00:06:01] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali shrugged and replied, You'll need the energy.

[00:06:05] [SPEAKER_01]: He smiled and waved his hand toward the rice. There was a sudden series of explosions that weren't as loud but felt much more powerful, like the air was pressing against my chest.

[00:06:17] [SPEAKER_01]: More dust fell from the ceiling, but Mr. Ali continued to stand and watch me, a smile never leaving his face.

[00:06:24] [SPEAKER_01]: I looked around and the massive stone walls didn't seem quite so formidable anymore.

[00:06:31] [SPEAKER_01]: As every second passed, my excitement lessened and my fear increased.

[00:06:36] [SPEAKER_01]: Every so often people would rush through the kitchen and in the midst of the shrieks, the explosions, and the activity, I felt like I was in a sanctuary in the middle of a storm.

[00:06:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali motioned toward the bowl again.

[00:06:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Eat. I took a tentative bite of the rice.

[00:06:52] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali continued to stand quietly and realizing I was being rude, I asked him to take a seat.

[00:06:59] [SPEAKER_01]: He slid into the seat across from me.

[00:07:02] [SPEAKER_01]: Master Thomas, we appear to have time so why don't I tell you a story?

[00:07:08] [SPEAKER_01]: I stammered out an, OK.

[00:07:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Wonderful. I take it your grandfather tells you stories at night?

[00:07:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Sometimes.

[00:07:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Fantastic.

[00:07:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali leaned his elbows on the table and folded his hands together.

[00:07:21] [SPEAKER_01]: He kept his eyes on me.

[00:07:23] [SPEAKER_01]: A heart-rending scream sounded from outside the windows.

[00:07:26] [SPEAKER_01]: I dropped my fork and looked up.

[00:07:29] [SPEAKER_01]: The windows were clear and there was a silence that lasted a few seconds.

[00:07:34] [SPEAKER_01]: It was broken by the loudest boom yet, a sound that didn't appear to be an explosion, but rather as if something huge had slammed into the building.

[00:07:43] [SPEAKER_01]: The walls, ceiling and floor shook, dust billowing from the gaps in the stones.

[00:07:49] [SPEAKER_01]: To my horror a crack formed in the stone above our heads.

[00:07:53] [SPEAKER_01]: I looked at Mr. Ali in alarm.

[00:07:55] [SPEAKER_01]: He scratched his head and then peered at me as if nothing at all had happened.

[00:08:02] [SPEAKER_01]: Has he told you the story of Aladdin?

[00:08:04] [SPEAKER_01]: I pointed at the ceiling.

[00:08:06] [SPEAKER_01]: There's a crack.

[00:08:07] [SPEAKER_01]: I whispered.

[00:08:09] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali shrugged.

[00:08:10] [SPEAKER_01]: It's old, he said.

[00:08:13] [SPEAKER_01]: A whistling came from the front of the restaurant.

[00:08:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Aladdin?

[00:08:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali asked again.

[00:08:19] [SPEAKER_01]: Ah, yes.

[00:08:20] [SPEAKER_01]: He has told me the story of Aladdin.

[00:08:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Excellent.

[00:08:24] [SPEAKER_01]: Alibaba and the thieves?

[00:08:26] [SPEAKER_01]: I nodded and put my fork down, more full of fear than hunger.

[00:08:31] [SPEAKER_01]: Very good.

[00:08:31] [SPEAKER_01]: A trifle of a story, but there are lessons to be learned even in those.

[00:08:35] [SPEAKER_01]: He scratched his chin and then peered at me closely.

[00:08:38] [SPEAKER_01]: How about Ahmed and the mighty stone?

[00:08:42] [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, I replied as the shrieking resumed with the ferocity of a hungry lion unleashed in a field of gazelles.

[00:08:50] [SPEAKER_01]: Very good, Master Thomas.

[00:08:52] [SPEAKER_01]: It seems that your grandfather hasn't completely ignored your education.

[00:08:56] [SPEAKER_01]: Two men burst into the room from the front.

[00:08:59] [SPEAKER_01]: They were covered with dust and were dragging a third man who appeared to be unconscious.

[00:09:04] [SPEAKER_01]: They went to Mr. Ali and gently laid the man at his feet.

[00:09:08] [SPEAKER_01]: They spoke to him in farsi.

[00:09:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali nodded and the two men departed just as quickly as they entered.

[00:09:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Excuse me, Master Thomas.

[00:09:18] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali knelt down and examined the man.

[00:09:22] [SPEAKER_01]: I couldn't see anything wrong with him.

[00:09:24] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali stood up and walked deeper into the kitchen.

[00:09:28] [SPEAKER_01]: He opened a cabinet that appeared to be rarely used.

[00:09:30] [SPEAKER_01]: And I glimpsed a multitude of bottles inside.

[00:09:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Some were dusty, some were shiny.

[00:09:38] [SPEAKER_01]: There were a few that contained fluids, a myriad of colors.

[00:09:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Deep dark red, pale milky blue, pure green and others.

[00:09:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali pushed them aside and selected a bottle from the back.

[00:09:51] [SPEAKER_01]: It was dusty and dull looking.

[00:09:53] [SPEAKER_01]: The green glass of the bottle hiding whatever was inside.

[00:09:56] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali pulled the cork and poured a clear fluid into the closest glass he could find.

[00:10:02] [SPEAKER_01]: He came back to the table and knelt beside the wounded man.

[00:10:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Lifting his head with one hand, Mr. Ali poured half the contents of the glass into the man's slightly open mouth.

[00:10:14] [SPEAKER_01]: He immediately woke up coughing.

[00:10:16] [SPEAKER_01]: The man looked around to get his bearings and then realizing what had happened, thanked Mr. Ali in Farsi.

[00:10:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Rubbing his head, he once again entered the front of the restaurant.

[00:10:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali placed the cup on the table and sat across from me.

[00:10:32] [SPEAKER_01]: I looked at the fluid left in the glass in awe.

[00:10:36] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali leaned back in his seat.

[00:10:39] [SPEAKER_01]: I have the perfect tale for the occasion, he stated casually, continuing as if nothing had happened.

[00:10:45] [SPEAKER_01]: It is the story of Haroun Al-Rashid who once ate in this very kitchen although it was in a different city at the time.

[00:10:52] [SPEAKER_01]: This was many years ago but the times were similar.

[00:10:56] [SPEAKER_01]: At this point there was a whistling sound that quickly got louder and ended in a deep thud from the front of the restaurant,

[00:11:04] [SPEAKER_01]: followed by a rush of air that rustled the beads in the doorway.

[00:11:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali paused.

[00:11:10] [SPEAKER_01]: It wasn't the loudest impact I had heard but it was different than the others.

[00:11:15] [SPEAKER_01]: A jarring that seemed to penetrate the deepest parts of the thick stone walls of the fortress.

[00:11:22] [SPEAKER_01]: It didn't even shake the building, the rush of hot air was new however and it had a distinct smell, sharp like gunpowder.

[00:11:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali looked as if he was concentrating intently, his eyes squinting.

[00:11:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Everything had gone quiet.

[00:11:38] [SPEAKER_01]: He stood up and looked at me, his carefree look gone.

[00:11:42] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm sorry Master Thomas but I may be needed upfront.

[00:11:46] [SPEAKER_01]: More than the explosions, more than the shrieks, more than the wounded man.

[00:11:51] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali's change from indifference to concern frightened me the most.

[00:11:56] [SPEAKER_01]: He walked out of the room, his steps steady and sure.

[00:11:59] [SPEAKER_01]: I waited a few minutes, the sounds from the front of the restaurant a chaotic mix of violent impact and unearthly screams.

[00:12:07] [SPEAKER_01]: I couldn't stand not knowing how the battle was going so I slid out of the booth with the idea of just peeking through the door to see if everything was okay.

[00:12:14] [SPEAKER_01]: The thought was frightening but the thought of being alone was even more so.

[00:12:20] [SPEAKER_01]: I pretended I was Errol Flynn as Robin Hood, bravely facing the sheriff of Nottingham to help steal my nerves.

[00:12:29] [SPEAKER_01]: The doorway was more like a short hallway of stone so I slid along to the front.

[00:12:34] [SPEAKER_01]: It didn't take more than a few steps for me to see that the entire front of the restaurant was blown away and large parts of the roof were missing.

[00:12:42] [SPEAKER_01]: The restaurant was charred from explosions and flames, tables and chairs were in pieces throughout the room.

[00:12:50] [SPEAKER_01]: The decorations I loved were shattered.

[00:12:53] [SPEAKER_01]: In the distance the street itself was full of wreckage.

[00:12:57] [SPEAKER_01]: The front of the department store facing the restaurant was badly damaged.

[00:13:01] [SPEAKER_01]: The skies were full of flying creatures that stayed at a distance while the streets appeared to be empty.

[00:13:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Dominating it all was the towering form of my grandfather.

[00:13:12] [SPEAKER_01]: He stood tall on the sidewalk wielding his cane.

[00:13:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Whole swaths of figures in the sky would disappear as he aimed at them.

[00:13:20] [SPEAKER_01]: The air would shimmer as if I was looking through heat rising off the desert floor and then the creatures would just disappear.

[00:13:29] [SPEAKER_01]: Grandfather laughed and looked around.

[00:13:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Approaching along the street was a reddish creature of massive size.

[00:13:36] [SPEAKER_01]: Flames burned along its skin.

[00:13:39] [SPEAKER_01]: It appeared to be attempting to sneak up on my grandfather.

[00:13:42] [SPEAKER_01]: I looked around and grabbed a knife off of one of the tables that was still standing.

[00:13:47] [SPEAKER_01]: I inch forward confident in the knowledge that I would be able to save my grandfather by surprising the fiery creature.

[00:13:55] [SPEAKER_01]: I had taken two steps when it turned and looked at me.

[00:13:59] [SPEAKER_01]: The malice in its eyes, the deep red depths of its power and hatred froze me.

[00:14:05] [SPEAKER_01]: The next thing I knew I was on the floor, dust falling on my head.

[00:14:09] [SPEAKER_01]: My white shirt was singed at the shoulder.

[00:14:12] [SPEAKER_01]: When I was younger I had fallen off of a tree and landed flat on my back.

[00:14:17] [SPEAKER_01]: I felt the impact across my whole body and it knocked all the air from my lungs.

[00:14:23] [SPEAKER_01]: This felt the same way.

[00:14:25] [SPEAKER_01]: I struggled for breath as I crawled to my knees.

[00:14:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Tommy, you fool, get back in the kitchen.

[00:14:30] [SPEAKER_01]: My grandfather was peering back at me.

[00:14:34] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Oz stood next to him, making motions with his hands.

[00:14:38] [SPEAKER_01]: Pelivan, my shields will hold but the light is faltering.

[00:14:41] [SPEAKER_01]: It was then I noticed that the Persian Garden restaurant sign was shining on them both.

[00:14:47] [SPEAKER_01]: It flickered.

[00:14:48] [SPEAKER_01]: Now Tommy.

[00:14:49] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if it was anger or concern in his voice.

[00:14:53] [SPEAKER_01]: But grandfather's tone was not one I could ignore.

[00:14:56] [SPEAKER_01]: I stumbled back to the kitchen and pulled myself back into the booth.

[00:15:01] [SPEAKER_01]: After a few deep breaths, I drank some water.

[00:15:04] [SPEAKER_01]: Grandfather burst through the bead covered door into the kitchen.

[00:15:08] [SPEAKER_01]: He was covered in dust.

[00:15:10] [SPEAKER_01]: His suit was torn and he was wet with perspiration.

[00:15:14] [SPEAKER_01]: But what struck me the most was his white hair which was no longer slicked back but disheveled and wild.

[00:15:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali came in right behind.

[00:15:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Before my grandfather could say anything, Mr. Ali stated,

[00:15:29] [SPEAKER_01]: We have sustained too much damage to handle shadows.

[00:15:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Grandfather nodded and tapped his cane on the floor.

[00:15:37] [SPEAKER_01]: Small sparks flashed with each tap.

[00:15:40] [SPEAKER_01]: Of course, he sounded terse and dismissive.

[00:15:44] [SPEAKER_01]: What of the ifrit in the streets?

[00:15:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Grandfather shook his head.

[00:15:48] [SPEAKER_01]: If I'm not there to hold them off, the walls won't hold.

[00:15:52] [SPEAKER_01]: This began a rapid exchange between Mr. Ali and my grandfather.

[00:15:57] [SPEAKER_01]: The alley?

[00:15:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Shadows.

[00:15:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali nodded.

[00:16:01] [SPEAKER_01]: The sky?

[00:16:03] [SPEAKER_01]: Gin.

[00:16:04] [SPEAKER_01]: I could destroy them, but in these close quarters, I would put too many innocent people in danger.

[00:16:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Shadows?

[00:16:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Ifrit.

[00:16:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Gin?

[00:16:13] [SPEAKER_01]: I warned you of this deckland.

[00:16:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali started pacing.

[00:16:18] [SPEAKER_01]: What are our options now?

[00:16:19] [SPEAKER_01]: The ifrit or gin will destroy the rest of our lights and then the shadows will destroy us.

[00:16:25] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Oz ran in.

[00:16:27] [SPEAKER_01]: He was bleeding profusely from a cut above his brow,

[00:16:30] [SPEAKER_01]: and I could see metallic armor shining through wrenches in his robes.

[00:16:34] [SPEAKER_01]: He had a curved knife in his right hand.

[00:16:37] [SPEAKER_01]: As he approached, the casual joy he showed in the alley was gone.

[00:16:41] [SPEAKER_01]: He bowed to my grandfather.

[00:16:43] [SPEAKER_01]: A merit approaches, Pelavon.

[00:16:45] [SPEAKER_01]: My grandfather closed his eyes, tapping his cane on the tile.

[00:16:50] [SPEAKER_01]: After a moment, he opened his eyes and whispered,

[00:16:54] [SPEAKER_01]: We have no choice.

[00:16:56] [SPEAKER_01]: We must take the river.

[00:16:58] [SPEAKER_01]: There was a pained expression on Mr. Ali's face.

[00:17:02] [SPEAKER_01]: I cannot argue, but I don't know if that is due to wisdom or despair.

[00:17:06] [SPEAKER_01]: He approached me and gently took my arm.

[00:17:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Come, Master Thomas.

[00:17:11] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm afraid we have misled you.

[00:17:13] [SPEAKER_01]: You are not safe here, and we need to take a journey underground.

[00:17:19] [SPEAKER_01]: I stood up and looked around.

[00:17:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Everyone but my grandfather looked in shock.

[00:17:24] [SPEAKER_01]: My grandfather put his arm on my shoulder and said,

[00:17:27] [SPEAKER_01]: I cannot join you Tommy.

[00:17:29] [SPEAKER_01]: I have battled the river before and his voice trailed off before he continued.

[00:17:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Let me just say that it will be better for you if I don't come.

[00:17:39] [SPEAKER_01]: Archmage, you can't be serious.

[00:17:41] [SPEAKER_01]: It was Mr. Oz who held a piece of his robe against the gash on his brow.

[00:17:47] [SPEAKER_01]: There was another explosion and my grandfather stood up.

[00:17:51] [SPEAKER_01]: He looked magnificent and terrible.

[00:17:54] [SPEAKER_01]: His eyes were cold and steady, a stark contrast to his wild hair and torn suit.

[00:18:01] [SPEAKER_01]: Sparks flew from where his hand grasped his cane.

[00:18:04] [SPEAKER_01]: I cannot travel the river and the staff cannot stay here to be taken by the shadows

[00:18:09] [SPEAKER_01]: or even worse, a marid.

[00:18:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Grandfather knelt down in front of me and took my arm in his left hand.

[00:18:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Take this, he said, holding out the cane with his right hand.

[00:18:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Stunned, I opened my hand as he placed the cane in my palm.

[00:18:26] [SPEAKER_01]: It was the first time I had ever touched it and I struggle to describe it now.

[00:18:31] [SPEAKER_01]: I imagine this would be the feeling if a blind person was given the gift of sight.

[00:18:36] [SPEAKER_01]: I felt one with the cane, a part of my own being that had been kept from me was suddenly restored.

[00:18:43] [SPEAKER_01]: As I started to understand and embrace this new feeling, this new life that was given to me, my senses came alive.

[00:18:51] [SPEAKER_01]: I felt a warmth spread from my palm to my arm to my chest and then my entire body.

[00:18:59] [SPEAKER_01]: I looked at the cane and the strange runes looked entirely different than before.

[00:19:04] [SPEAKER_01]: I still could not read them but I sensed a purpose in their patterns.

[00:19:08] [SPEAKER_01]: I held the cane in both hands and closed my eyes.

[00:19:12] [SPEAKER_01]: I forgot where I was and just felt the energy of the cane, the magic flow through me.

[00:19:18] [SPEAKER_01]: When I opened my eyes, I looked upon Mr. Ali, his eyes wide and his jaw open, staring at me.

[00:19:25] [SPEAKER_01]: My grandfather had a smile on his face.

[00:19:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Grandfather turned to Mr. Ali, you must train him Ali.

[00:19:33] [SPEAKER_01]: You have always known my fate is to act not teach.

[00:19:38] [SPEAKER_01]: But what will you do? I asked my voice cracking.

[00:19:42] [SPEAKER_01]: My parents were little more than a memory but they were gone and I felt their loss every day.

[00:19:48] [SPEAKER_01]: I couldn't imagine a life without my grandfather as much as I complained about him.

[00:19:53] [SPEAKER_01]: He was still everything to me.

[00:19:56] [SPEAKER_01]: That my grandfather looked different without the cane only made things worse.

[00:20:00] [SPEAKER_01]: What I saw only a day before as making him appear weak as he used it to support his body

[00:20:06] [SPEAKER_01]: now made him appear weak in its absence.

[00:20:09] [SPEAKER_01]: Me? He stood tall.

[00:20:12] [SPEAKER_01]: I am feared even by a married and they will not expect me to give up the staff.

[00:20:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Indeed, I am sure my presence alone will hold them off for some time.

[00:20:23] [SPEAKER_01]: And as long as they know I'm here you will have more time to escape.

[00:20:27] [SPEAKER_01]: I will join you as your shield of course.

[00:20:30] [SPEAKER_01]: It was Mr. Oz.

[00:20:32] [SPEAKER_01]: No?

[00:20:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali sounded distraught more so than during the whole attack.

[00:20:39] [SPEAKER_01]: I must father they will be suspicious if I am not at the pelven side.

[00:20:44] [SPEAKER_01]: His father shook his head.

[00:20:45] [SPEAKER_01]: But there is no need.

[00:20:48] [SPEAKER_01]: A massive explosion shook the entire building.

[00:20:52] [SPEAKER_01]: Debra shot through the door from the dining room tearing away strings of beads which clattered across the floor.

[00:20:58] [SPEAKER_01]: I heard a groan coming from the front.

[00:21:01] [SPEAKER_01]: My grandfather looked from me to Mr. Ali.

[00:21:04] [SPEAKER_01]: Go, time is short.

[00:21:05] [SPEAKER_01]: I will do what I can to give you more.

[00:21:07] [SPEAKER_01]: And he ran through the door into the dining room.

[00:21:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Oz right behind.

[00:21:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali's eyes shone in the harsh neon light.

[00:21:16] [SPEAKER_01]: He paused looking uncertain for a moment.

[00:21:18] [SPEAKER_01]: But then put his arm around my shoulder.

[00:21:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Come, Master Thomas.

[00:21:22] [SPEAKER_01]: We have a journey ahead of us.

[00:21:24] [SPEAKER_01]: He led me further back into the restaurant.

[00:21:27] [SPEAKER_01]: I could hear more explosions from the front when it hit me.

[00:21:30] [SPEAKER_01]: My grandfather might die.

[00:21:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Grandfather!

[00:21:33] [SPEAKER_01]: I turned my head and looked over my shoulder.

[00:21:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Can I use the staff to protect him?

[00:21:37] [SPEAKER_01]: I took two steps when Mr. Ali grabbed my arm.

[00:21:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Perhaps some day, Master Thomas.

[00:21:43] [SPEAKER_01]: But today is not that day.

[00:21:45] [SPEAKER_01]: He replied as he pulled me deeper into the restaurant,

[00:21:48] [SPEAKER_01]: gently pushing me whenever I hesitated.

[00:21:51] [SPEAKER_01]: We stopped in a room somewhere in the rear of the restaurant.

[00:21:54] [SPEAKER_01]: There were no windows and it was dark,

[00:21:56] [SPEAKER_01]: lit only by a single gas lamp.

[00:21:59] [SPEAKER_01]: The room was surrounded on three sides by shelves

[00:22:01] [SPEAKER_01]: which were piled high with restaurant decor.

[00:22:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Rugs, curtains, lamps, candles, and other pieces.

[00:22:08] [SPEAKER_01]: As I looked around, Mr. Ali bent down and pulled a ring up from the floor.

[00:22:15] [SPEAKER_01]: I hadn't noticed but the stone floor was interrupted by a huge wooden hatch.

[00:22:20] [SPEAKER_01]: It looked like an ancient entryway to a wine or root cellar.

[00:22:24] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali grunted and pulled the ring with all his strength.

[00:22:29] [SPEAKER_01]: It slowly raised off the floor, revealing stone steps leading down to darkness.

[00:22:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Air rushed from the hole, smelling wet and stale.

[00:22:39] [SPEAKER_01]: It certainly wasn't a wine cellar.

[00:22:42] [SPEAKER_01]: The hatch stood precariously at a right angle to the floor.

[00:22:45] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali walked over and grabbed two torches off a shelf.

[00:22:50] [SPEAKER_01]: He lit them in the gas lamp and handed me one.

[00:22:53] [SPEAKER_01]: I didn't like how it felt to have both my hands full,

[00:22:56] [SPEAKER_01]: one with the cane and the other with the torch.

[00:22:59] [SPEAKER_01]: So I dropped the torch onto the floor, held up the cane,

[00:23:02] [SPEAKER_01]: and without even knowing how, lit the top of the cane with a powerful light.

[00:23:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali looked at me with wide eyes.

[00:23:10] [SPEAKER_01]: He was about to say something when an explosion interrupted him.

[00:23:15] [SPEAKER_01]: He pointed toward the staircase.

[00:23:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Come, we must hurry.

[00:23:19] [SPEAKER_01]: At the bottom of these steps there is an underground river and a boat.

[00:23:23] [SPEAKER_01]: I have not been down here in many, many years,

[00:23:26] [SPEAKER_01]: but it is our only hope of escape.

[00:23:29] [SPEAKER_01]: The room shook in the aftermath of a muffled explosion.

[00:23:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Items on the shelves showered down onto the floor,

[00:23:37] [SPEAKER_01]: and the hatch fell back in place with a resounding boom.

[00:23:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Crumbling stone fell on our heads.

[00:23:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Hurry, Master Thomas, we must go.

[00:23:46] [SPEAKER_01]: I watched in surprise as he strained and pulled the heavy hatch open with one hand.

[00:23:51] [SPEAKER_01]: While his other held the torch, he was short and stout.

[00:23:55] [SPEAKER_01]: But his muscles looked massive.

[00:23:57] [SPEAKER_01]: He held the hatch open while the building fell around us.

[00:24:01] [SPEAKER_01]: I ran to the steps leading down.

[00:24:03] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali followed right behind me.

[00:24:05] [SPEAKER_01]: The building shook again, and the hatch fell downward,

[00:24:08] [SPEAKER_01]: barely missing his head.

[00:24:10] [SPEAKER_01]: As we both stood still, we could hear the moaning and crashing

[00:24:14] [SPEAKER_01]: of immense blocks of stone falling above our head.

[00:24:18] [SPEAKER_01]: I cried out,

[00:24:19] [SPEAKER_01]: grandfather, and turned to leap up the steps.

[00:24:22] [SPEAKER_01]: The light from the cane was blinding.

[00:24:24] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali gripped my shoulder and leaned toward me,

[00:24:28] [SPEAKER_01]: his eyes very close to mine.

[00:24:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Master Thomas, your grandfather is a powerful and resourceful man.

[00:24:35] [SPEAKER_01]: You must trust that he found a way to escape.

[00:24:39] [SPEAKER_01]: I do.

[00:24:41] [SPEAKER_01]: His kind eyes and smile were too much for me to ignore.

[00:24:44] [SPEAKER_01]: I couldn't help but trust him.

[00:24:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Still, the sense of loss was overwhelming.

[00:24:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Grandfather was all I had left in my life.

[00:24:52] [SPEAKER_01]: The thought of his dying staggered me.

[00:24:55] [SPEAKER_01]: Mr. Ali grabbed the arm I was using to hold the cane and pulled it up,

[00:25:00] [SPEAKER_01]: placing the light between us and above our heads like a beacon.

[00:25:04] [SPEAKER_01]: Be strong, Master Thomas.

[00:25:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Your grandfather would expect nothing less.

[00:25:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Do not look to the past.

[00:25:10] [SPEAKER_01]: We must look now to the future.

[00:25:12] [SPEAKER_01]: I took a deep breath,

[00:25:14] [SPEAKER_01]: and in the fetid air and magical light,

[00:25:17] [SPEAKER_01]: knew that Mr. Ali was right.

[00:25:19] [SPEAKER_01]: My grandfather wanted me to bear his cane, the staff,

[00:25:23] [SPEAKER_01]: and I owed that to him.

[00:25:25] [SPEAKER_01]: I wiped my tears even as they continued to flow

[00:25:28] [SPEAKER_01]: and turned my head,

[00:25:30] [SPEAKER_01]: looking down into the deep darkness which concealed a river somewhere below.

[00:25:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Where does the river lead, Mr. Ali?

[00:25:38] [SPEAKER_01]: He let go of my arm and stood up,

[00:25:40] [SPEAKER_01]: the torchlight glinting off his eyes.

[00:25:43] [SPEAKER_01]: I know not, Master Thomas.

[00:25:45] [SPEAKER_01]: No one does.