A Curse and a Threat

For the remainder of the morning Jack discussed with Jadelere how he wanted to proceed moving forward. To begin with, he requested access to all sorts of literature far beyond his syllabus; mostly consisting of history and politics as well as a few tomes on introduction to cultivation so that he could have a solid grasp on the standards of this world.

They then had lunch together with Adras and Ichabod. The adults purposefully avoided the topic of Jack having crippled meridians, almost as if it were painful for them to even mention it. Interestingly, Ichabod spoke to Jadelere about an acquaintance of his and inquired as to whether he'd sent off a letter to them. To this, Jadelere grimaced, looked at Jack, and replied that he'd sent a missive in the early hours of the morning, just as the sun had risen.

In the middle of their meal, Leah came to make a report about the night-time patrol. She remarked having heard a strange roar in the manor's land but later investigations proved fruitless. She added that she suspected an imp or a fairy may have intruded upon Ichabod's lands, but she admitted to having no evidence to support her claim.

The news left Ichabod concerned and he ordered a doubling of the patrols for the next fortnight in case the person or creature responsible returned. He also added that news had spread across the city that Redris Calles' youngest son had been attacked by an imp and left beaten on the road; maybe the two events were linked. There were also rumours of a pixie having been spotted jumping across Groamburk's rooftops during the night.

Jack had to force back the urge to spit a mouthful of blood when he heard Leah and Ichabod's conversation. Firstly, the boy was exaggerating as Jack had never beat him up, merely pushed him onto the floor. Secondly, how was he an imp or a fairy? It was bad enough that he'd been seen, albeit briefly, during his late-night trip; now he had to deal with being associated with that image?

Jack didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Truly, he had been far too careless.

After lunch, Jack found an excuse for him and Ichabod to have a walk together through the city of Groamburk; mostly under the guise that he'd been cooped up for a long time and he wanted to hear the old accountant's stories of the city. Ichabod readily agreed and had a few guards assigned to the duo to accompany them on their walk.

Although Jadelere didn't know the reasoning behind Jack's decision to walk around Groamburk, he wouldn't believe it if someone told him that Jack had no ulterior motives behind his actions.

The walk went well. They mostly went around the nearby streets and Jadelere constantly explained the history behind this or that shop. He was a veritable source of interesting anecdotes and fascinating smidgens of local lore. Even the two guards entrusted with protecting them couldn't help but chuckle at one or two of his factoids, which ultimately earned them a harsh scolding from Jadelere.

It was his way of venting his frustrations from having to interact with Jack for too long. The poor guards were merely the victims of circumstance.

Jack eventually managed to lead Jadelere and the two guards towards the abandoned workshop that he'd discovered on the previous night and he inquired as to its origins. Jadelere explained it history to him, albeit showing hints of nervousness.

"This is an odd place with an even stranger tale to it." Half-whispered Jadelere. "Many years ago, before even I or Ichabod were born, it belonged to a rather peculiar man with an amazing talent for forging. His name was Klaus, and there was no one in the entire kingdom who could best him with a hammer and an anvil. Such was his degree of skill that some said there was dwarven blood in his veins.

"One day, the King of Tambor graced Groamburk with his presence and visited the Klaus' smithy. He demanded that Klaus come to serve him at the palace. A great honour for many; but not for Klaus. Klaus refused the King's command, incurring the King's wrath. However, his kingly status didn't allow him to lay a hand on the smith for no good reason. But the King was cunning, and so he made a wager with Klaus, a bet so complicated that no one could beat it.

"He told Klaus: 'Your skills are famed all over the Empire, and your hammer strikes at the essence of forging. Make Us a knife, that is not a knife, that is sharp enough to cut stone when wielded by a feeble hand. If you succeed, honour and riches comparable to Our Kingdom's capital will be yours; if you fail, your forge will be forfeit and you will fall under Our service for ten years. You have one month to succeed.'

"It was a malicious gamble, and one many thought that Klaus could not best. However, the King dared not leave a single chance to the whims of fate, and so he proposed that Klaus' work be judged publicly by all the citizens of Groamburk and the surrounding regions. Many travellers swarmed the city in that month, none of whom had any intention of contradicting the King, for he was known for his… peculiar sense of justice.

"Finally, the day arrived when Klaus had to unveil the knife that wasn't a knife. He marched out of his workshop carrying a strange bundle which he handed to the King. The King, smiling for he felt victory to be in his grasp, opened the bundle only to reveal a spoon! The crowd roared in laughter as if the funniest joke in the world had just been told. Even the king himself barely managed to contain himself. Imagine it; here was a crowd of thousands to witness the King of Tambor unveil a spoon.

"But Klaus wasn't joking.

"He took the spoon back from the King and used it to carve a few lines against the stone threshold of his workspace. The spoon slashed through the stone like a warm knife cuts through butter. The crowd went silent in wonderous awe! Klaus turned to the King and said "Here is your knife, that is not a knife, that is sharp enough to cut through stone whilst wielded by a feeble hand'. Then he calmly walked back into his workshop as if nothing important had just happened.

"The King had been defeated, but there was no talk of the promised reward. No one even dared mention it. The crowd left and, soon after, so did the King. However, a few days later, Klaus' dead body was recovered just outside Groamburk's walls. The culprit was never found, although many theories have been made; in the late hours of the night, obscured by shadows and shared over frothy mugs of ale.

"Later, many tried to claim this workshop and turn it into their own, but the furnace never once worked again and whoever bought this plot of land would suddenly face bouts of incredible misfortune. Soon, people came to believe that this place was cursed and no one dared enter it again.

"And that is the tragic story of this once great forge, now rotting in the heart of Groamburk's southern district."

What an interesting tale. At least it explains why no one came to investigate the sounds of my training last night. Thought Jack when Ichabod finished his tale. The popular belief that this place is cursed will give me an added layer of intangible protection that simply cannot be ignored. I want this place.

--

Jack didn't want to reveal his intentions to Jadelere straight away and so didn't say anything for the rest of the walk. Once they returned to the Hare manor, he confronted the old accountant in his study.

"I need you to purchase that workshop." He said going straight to the point.

"What workshop?"

"The cursed one."

"Get fucked!" Angrily shouted Jadelere. "Just out of curiosity, though, why do you want it?"

"To train."

"Then get another one."

"I like that one."

"It's cursed."

"Neither you nor I believe in curses."

"Abyss take me and have me boiled in tar, children your age are usually afraid of the monsters hiding under their bed!"

"If you keep mentioning the Abyss so much, one day it might come and actually take you."

"The Abyss isn't real, young Jack Hare, it's just something made up to scare little children into obeying their parents."

How wrong you are, Jadelere. Jack said to himself bitterly. I know the Abyss very well.

"Still, I want that workshop."

"Give me one reason why I should purchase it for you."

"Leah seems nice." Began Jack, to which Jadelere could only look at the boy quizzically and wonder where he wanted to go with that comment. "I'll have a chat with her, soon, and maybe I should show her the extent of the rich vocabulary I've learned under your care. Perhaps I should start with the rather visual wordplay of lady parts?"

"You wouldn't dare!" Jadelere's face became pale with fright and he could feel blood threatening to leave through his mouth. If Jack mentioned even half a words of his cursing to Leah, she would castrate him without an ounce of regret and Ichabod would even stand behind her and support her actions.

"I do dare and I will do it." Countered Jack. "Unless you buy that workshop and allow me to do whatever I want with it without asking any questions."

"If I do this, will you promise to never let Leah know about my cursing?"

"I'll consider your debt to me repaid, and I will never threaten you like this again." Promised Jack.

"Divines damn it, you're a monster!"

"This again?" Sighed Jack. "I'm no more of a monster than you are."