The Inventor from Velothain

The Inn

“What are you even doing here?” Florence asked as she helped him into the armchair. “Not that I’m complaining.
I’m just asking.”
“Well, after our conversation we had, I realised that despite how awfully toxic this universe is, I knew that I wanted
to see my sister one more time.”
Florence and Percy looked at each other awkwardly.
“Uncle Jasper.” Florence said softly. “We’re so sorry. She’s…”
Jasper looked to his feet and took a deep shaky breath. “Oh.”
“She shouldn’t have.” Percy said stoically.
“You must be Percy.” Jasper smiled at him.
“Yes?” Percy looked around. “But how did you know?”
“I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“I’m confused. Who are you?”
“My name is Jasper. I’m Florence’s Uncle and Elysia’s twin brother. Elysia used to write to me. Sometimes she’d
show me your blueprints when she was creating you.” Jasper looked around “This place has seen better days. Also,
where’s Edgar?”
“Basically, there was an invention gone wrong. The people were upset. They burned Elysia alive, Edgar left Percy
here and buggered off North. We think he’s the only one who can solve this so we’re going to find him.”
“Right. And how do you think you’ll find him? This world is just as big as ours, if not bigger.” Jasper asked, folding
his arms.
“This all kicked off yesterday, so the chances of Edgar getting that far are slim. He would’ve had to walk to
wherever he would’ve wanted to be, we have public transport.” Percy reached into his pocket and retrieved a
small hand drawn map. “There is a fair few place on the outskirts of Velothain that Edgar could be. But we have to
act fast.”
“Where do we go first?” Florence Asked.
Percy pointed to a small square in the middle. “Here.”
“Where’s ‘here’?” Florence asked
“This Inn belongs ‘Miss Maria’ she runs both the pub and the inn. If Edgar’s going to be anywhere it’s there.”
“So how do we get there?” Florence asked.
“Well, as I said previously: we have the power of public transport. So, we’ll take a carriage to the outskirts of the
City, from there we can find the inn.” Percy turned to Jasper. “Are you coming with us?”
Jasper looked at the two. “Well, you guys are going to need an adult to come with you.” He smiled sweetly.
“Then we should go now. The sooner we leave the better.” Percy adjusted himself.
“Let’s go.” Florence agreed. “Where can we go?”
“There’s a carriage stop across the street. If we can keep our head down. We can get there quickly and without
Hassle.”
The three of them ran down the corridor and into a small room next the kitchen. There was a small wooden door
That led to the back garden. Percy pushed the door open with a hard push. He gestured to the path before
following them out.

****

Percy, Florence and Jasper trotted through the streets of Velothain. It looked different to what it looked like the last
Time Florence had visited this place and Judging by the expression on Jasper’s face, he was thinking the same way.
The sky was a dull grey, the buildings were a bronze metallic colour. The clouds looked like they were waiting to
swallow its residents up at any second.
The trio crossed the cobblestone road and underneath the shelter.
Percy reached with into his pocket and picked out a few copper coins.
“This should get us a few carriage tickets and a few beds at the inn. Just in case.”
“This is crazy.” Jasper rubbed his temples.
“What? Have you never been to a city before?” Percy raised an eyebrow.
“No of course not. I’ve been here before. It was a few years back, but yeah, I’ve been here before. How do you think Elysia got here?”
“Uncle Jasper is the other Gatekeeper. He keeps our side of the portal safe.” Florence interjected.
“What’s going to happen to the portal now Elysia’s dead?” Percy asked.
“I don’t know.” Jasper asked. “That’s something we never knew how to deal with. We know that the portal could only be kept by twin siblings. They have a mental bond that strengthens the portal.”
“Edgar and I could do it.” Florence put her hand up. “We’re twins. We could do it.”
The carriage sped down the road to the shelter. It stopped right in front of them. A middle-aged man threw his legs around the other end, facing the group. He had silver hair and hard wrinkles around his eyes. He held the reins in his right hand.
“Can I help you three?” He said, his voice was almost Smokey.
“Yes, we’d like to ride the outskirts of Velothain…please.” Percy said as bravely as he could. Holding out three of the copper coins.
The man smiled slightly. “I know you from somewhere.”
Percy blinked “Huh?”
“I remember; you were part of that scandal that happened with the heaven on earth project.”
Percy’s breath hitched. “I think you’ve got the wrong person.” He stammered.
“No. I don’t forget a face.” His smiled curled into a contorted grin, like a tiger cornering its prey. “Trying to run away from your problems?”
Percy’s eyes widened. “It’s not like that. We need to find someone.”
“I’m just messing with you.” The man held his hand out. “We all know what it’s like to run away. That’s three pieces please.”
Percy placed the cooper coins in the man’s hand. He opened the door and they clambered into the carriage.
It jolted as it started to clatter down the road.
“As I was saying.” Florence began. “Edgar could protect the portal. He lives in Velothain and I could live in the house in our world.”
“Florence, you have college. I don’t expect you to give that all away just for this.” Jasper placed a hand on Florence’s shoulder.
“My roommates wouldn’t mind. We’ve experienced a lot in the past year.” Florence laughed.
“As much as I would like to agree with Jasper. There’s nothing else we can do. I f the portal is breached, God knows what’s going to happen to both of our worlds.” Percy said as sternly as he could.
“Percy’s right, Uncle Jasper.” Florence placed a hand on his shoulder. “Maybe this is what I need to do with the rest of my life. It’s an easy life, right? You seemed happy.”
“You were so excited about college and your new home.” Jasper looked disappointed, not with her but with himself. “If you take this job on; you cannot leave the house for more than twenty-four hours. That makes for a very lonely existence.”
“I can do it!” Florence beamed. “I never knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I thought college would change that. Maybe not.”
“If you’re sure,” Jasper’s eyebrows knitted together in worry. “I think you’re making a mistake.”
“I’m going to keep my mouth shut.” Percy muttered.
As Florence looked out off the window, she watched as the buildings brushed past her. Velothain seemed such a heaven to her when they first saw the city. But now, it seemed just as corrupt and sickly as their world. It seemed that it was a fairy tale that ended abruptly.
She watched as a man sitting against a wall. He had long thin hair and wore tattered clothes. He sat beside a cardboard box containing different trinkets. She watched as those who passed him didn’t even give him a second glance. It was a scene that Florence knew too well.
“What do we do when we get to the inn?” Jasper asked.
“We find Edgar. I reckon it’ll be sundown before we get there. So, I suggest we get a room. Then we’ll fix this. Simple.” Percy shrugged.
“The one thing I’ve noticed since coming here a year ago, is that nothing is simple.” Florence replied.
The carriage jerked to a holt. And the three of them jolted forward out of their seats.
The driver opened the window and leaned in.
“Ok. End of the line!” He bellowed.
“Are you going to kill us?” Jasper asked remarkably calm.
“What? No. this is as far as I’ll go.” The driver looked at Jasper with an arched eyebrow.
“Right. Well thank you for that.” Percy placed his fingers to his temples.  “Have a good day.”
“You too. Be careful.”
They jumped out of the carriage one by one. They turned to face the driver who smiled sweetly, a different kind of smile than from before.
“Watch your backs friends. These are difficult times.” And with that he turned the carriage around and sped down the road.
“Where are we?” Florence asked.
“Better yet, where’s this inn you talk of?”
“There.” Percy pointed to a small building next to a few others. “This is New Greatlyme. Elysia and I took a trip a few years back for an inventor’s fair. I decided I loved it so much that I stayed for a few days. Legend says that this is a very magical place indeed.”
Florence looked around. The place definitely felt magical. The houses and buildings were small and humble, the grass had a bold green colour. Greener than any blade of grass she’d seen in her life time. It was so different to the city that she had seen just hours before, with smog and industrial machinery.
“Shall we go and find Edgar?” Percy gestured to the door.
Percy, Florence and Jasper walked across the path and into the inn. The inn had a very natural look to it. There was ivy and other plants that clung to the walls. The flowers gave off a sweet perfume that enveloped them.
“Can I help you three?” The woman at the bar asked. She gave Florence a slight wink.
“Yes.” Percy cleared his throat. We’d like to know We’re Edgar Swan is.”
“Ah pity.” The woman replied. “You just missed him. He left about an hour ago.”