Robe

Chapter 12

It was a good question.

Earlier, when Dresden took Sonic into the garden, the Custodian had led Mohon out the back of the house, telling him in no uncertain terms to hurry and get the Hepsguard. The katarn creature raced out the door and leapt over the rear gate with an ease that was uncanny to watch.

The Custodian knew Mohon would summon the Hepsguard quickly, therefore it would not be long before they arrived at his gate, as they were on high alert. By the Highest, he, the Custodian, had been the one to recommend they begin preparations! Though the challenge was supposed to be one the Hepsguard could deal with, with their swords and bows and fire-lances and the like.

The Custodian closed the door and leaned against it, the frame creaking under the strain. Stroked his mustache once, noting that the hand he used to do this was shaking. By the Highest, the girl! Magnificent! Terrifying! How the very fabric of all things seemed to shudder in her existential wake! It was no small wonder the hills did not crumble and fall at her appearance. How did she come here? What was she?

He closed his eyes to compose himself for a moment, but his thoughts could not be steadied. The girl was a large thorn that threatened to tear all of his plans to shreds, nay, to small fibers, filaments, wisps, ending all his effort, all his time spent in preparation since the Emissary first made contact. How could this have happened? How could the Emissary have made such a blunderous underestimation? It was supposed to be the boy only!

He moved down the hallway silently. The healing room containing the more mundane outsider was to the right, but this was not where he needed to go. There was another corridor to his left, this one protected with some of his most powerful, most severe spells.

The Custodian paused for a moment at the corridor entrance to murmur several release incantations, with care. Some of his defenses tended to get very loud (and very painful) if they weren't treated right. There was a door at the end, the spells on its frame waning gently as he approached. He pushed the door open, revealing a poorly-lit, nondescript room. Inside, there was a small pedestal in the center of the room, atop which sat an orb so black it was like a circular gap in reality. The only other object in the room was an ordinary-looking wooden cupboard pressed up against the back wall. The Custodian first looked at the cupboard, assuring himself that it hadn't been disturbed, then closed the room's door behind him and went to the orb, which had begun pulsating with orange light. He tapped it once and the light faded, revealing a tusked, mottled and grey-skinned visage within.

"We have a problem," the Custodian said to the image.

Their subsequent conversation was brief but tense.

The orb was dark once more. The Custodian placed his right hand on it and pushed it from the pedestal onto the floor, where it shattered like a bomb. Then he went and opened the cupboard, within which hung a single brown robe. He took a moment to admire the item, which he knew to be a true Artifact. Its simplicity belied its power, and under no circumstances could the outsider girl know of it. More importantly, it could no longer remain in the Hep.

And neither could he.

He removed his scarf and the voluminous grey robe he wore. Then he took the brown robe in the cupboard, put it on very cautiously (it fit, but only just), then put his ordinary grey robe back on over the top, concealing the brown robe as best he could. Finally, he retrieved his scarf and carefully rewound it over his neck, completing the concealment.

Dressed so, he left the room for the very last time.