Timestamp: 45th of Fall, 518 A.V.
It wasn’t particularly late. It was decidedly before the dinner hour where everyone at The Gem gathered for a meal if they were available. But the weather had been horrible. Wind blew. Rain was vertical rather than horizontal, and no one had seen the actual sky above the clouds for a few days. Because of the weather, it felt later than it was when the old lady – well bunded against the weather – stopped at The Midnight Gem and gazed at the doorway. She approached cautiously. Her steps were measured, careful, and a cane aided her balance. She was dressed stoically, though her coat was warm. Kelski had dropped one off that was oiled on the outside against rain and stuffed inside for warmth.
The Sea Eagle would often visited The Seer, getting her palm read or sitting and listening to Mosa’s stories. Though the woman lived in Tent City, her wealth was her knowledge. Kelski had been working up the courage to ask Mosa to teach her violin, but she hadn’t quite gotten there yet. Though the two women had exchanged stories and Mosa was well schooled in where Kelski lived and the fact there was an invitation for her to visit or even stay during worse weather with a promise of warm meals and hot drinks.
Mosa had not taken her up on her offer before this day. It was unusual that the woman ventured from her tent, let alone across town so far, to get to this point. No hired carriage rolled away nor was there any sign that Mosa had come other than on her own two feet. The woman radiated tiredness, not only of the body but of the spirit as she lifted her cane and tapped at the door.
The Gem, being what it was, already opened the locked door before Kelski, Ebon, or anyone else hanging round could let her in. The old woman blinked in surprise as the door unlocked itself, swung open invitingly, and let the crone in out of the rain. Slowly, in a way that grass grew, Mosa made her way through the doorway, not even flinching when the door swung shut and locked itself again. She glanced around the jewelery store, unimpressed, and began to unwind a scarf from around her neck as she pushed back the hood of the insulated slicker and looked around.
Ebon heard the door open before The Gem could get Kelski’s attention. She was bent over her workbench grinding a gem to facet it into something less than a rough pebble looking stone that no one would guess was actually a ruby. He bounded down the stairway, skidded to a stop in front of the woman, and looked her over.
“My Lady… your aches are acute.” He said softly and reached out a hand to lay it on her shoulder. Glowing with Rak’keli’s gnosis, he attempted to work his gift on her. Mosa bared her non-existant teeth, brought her cane up and whapped him soundly upside the head. It was a well-placed hard blow. Ebon backed off immediately, blinking in shock, and looking slightly stunned.
“Young man. You ASK before you touch someone with your glowy hands. Petching Mage!” She accused, glowering at Ebon as she seemed to be torn between summoning a mob or going after him with her cane again. Just as she was about to advance, Kelski appeared in the doorway to her workshop.
Her laughter rang out abruptly. The Gem had warned her with a quick image in her mind of it letting an old lady through the doorway. And that had been enough to pry her from her work. Ebon had unfortunately got there first. “He’s not a mage.” She said with a calm laugh. “He’s a healer, and when a healer gets marked with Rak’keli the Goddess of Healing, they are forced to heal anything around them that’s walking around aching and paining. I imagine your old bones hurt him more than they hurt you in terms of his compulsion.” Kelski said calmly, coming forward and immediately having a half-dozen colorful thick scarves and one rain-drenched lined oil slicker stuffed into her arms.
The Jeweler turned Kelvic-Coat-Tree attempted to grin around the yards of fabric that revealed the little old woman was indeed tiny beneath her bundling. “Let him touch you. Your bones will thank you.” She urged.
Mosa glared, first at Kelski then at Ebon, and brandished her cane again. “Alright. But if he tries anything funny with his touchy feely self I’ll invert his manhood and make him a girl with this cane.” The woman said with a toothless hiss. Kelski nodded and Ebon gulped.
He approached more slowly this time, touched the woman gently on her forehead, and went about doing what he could do for what was only the ravages of time. Arthritis calmed. Bruises eased. And Mosa’s general aches and pains felt immediately better. Everyone looked relieved, especially Mosa, because without Ebon’s touch the old woman would have never navigated the stairway up to the main living floor. She was simply too old and too frail to make the climb without a bit of assistance. Ebon lead the way, glad his manparts were pointed away from her cane while Kelski took up the rear, weighted down with enough fabric to cushion all three of their falls in case one of the steps wasn’t navigated successfully.
Once in front of the fire, coat and multiple scarves hung up, and a warm cup of well-sugared tea in Mosa’s hands, the denizens of The Midnight Gem gathered around the old woman and introduced themselves one by one. Even Little Rhaus had wandered his way out of Ember’s room to sit on the table and visit with the elder.
Kelski quietly made the rounds, introducing Ebon and Ember formally, then letting everyone else greet the old woman before she carefully asked… “It’s a pleasure to see you here Mosa. I’m glad you could make it. But I’m really curious… as I’m sure everyone else is… as to why you are here.” She asked, kneeling down on the edge of a big low table that rested in front of one of the couches. There was not enough seats on the couches for everyone and she did not mind her perch next to Little Rhaus… whom was getting a strange eye from the old woman.
“As I’ve told you many times before, Kelski….” Started the Fortune Teller. “I came from Denval. I was part of a Flotilla that circumnavigated half the continent, braved the ice off the coast of Avanthal, and overwintered near Novallas. Those were hard times, and the people that were with me were all that were left of Denval and all this world had left linking it to the times before The Valterrian. What I didn’t tell you that with us came part of Denval’s library. Great history books, tomes on all sorts of skills, and even more secretive things were carried in great crates along with our food, coin, and worldly possessions.” Mosa got right to the point. In her world, there wasn’t much use for delaying purpose or beating around bushes verbally.
“Most of the older folk that came with us are gone now. I’m all that’s left, that and the younger folk… who care nothing of Denval and what we were. The food is all gone. Coin didn’t last either. But the best of us found an entrance to the mines and took with them the books deep down below to hide. We didn’t want to be tempted to burn them for heat in the winter, nor sell them to people that wouldn’t know how valuable they were. I’m the only one that knows where they are… and I’m old. Far older than I want to admit and I’ve seen recently that I won’t be long in this world.” She said, looking troubled for a moment before moving on.
Kelski watched her intently, listening, a sudden disturbed fear crossing her features. She tried to cover it, but to anyone watching they could tell this old woman meant the world to her.
“Aww… don’t fret, Eagle Lady.” Mosa said, waving a gnarled hand at Kelski’s expression. “I’ve lived more life than most and longer than a great deal of others. It’s just that the books… the books are the last thing left to do. I need to make sure they go to people that will cherish them and do right by them… a library. And I know, Kelski, that you talked of Remmy and her library and I thought it might be a good fit. It’s long past time…. long long past time… that someone went down and got them… before they are all but forgotten and rot away without ever having any human eyes on them again.” Mosa said, then tapped her cane once on the ground then gestured around her to everyone seated at various positions.
“You all… are so young! You gather here with Kelski. You are finding purpose and meaning in living in this cesspool of a city. You can change things, make them better, small steps at a time. Well, here’s your chance. Here’s your first step. It’s time you did something right. Something good. I need you to go get those books. I’ll draw you a map…” She said forcefully.
Then she took a deep drink of her tea, set down the mug, and glowered at all of them. Her eyes paused momentarily on each individual and then finally came to rest on Kelski. The Kelvic didn’t even hesitate a moment. She didn’t think it over. And she certainly didn’t even ask questions. Instead, she simply nodded. “I’ll do it.” She said firmly… then looked around to see who else would join her.