"This is impossible. The same exact person?" Dovi propped himself up on his elbows and tucked his pillow behind his back.
Nemi meandered over to Bisby's nightstand, picked up a warbler-shaped smoking pipe and sniffed deeply into it. "Maybe just a coincidence? Hooded men are all the rage these days in Avrenhalde, aren't they? Hooded men are always so dashing, so debonair...I'd love to meet one behind an oak tree one day." She placed the pipe down and sat down upon Bisby's bed.
Dovi shook his head in frustration. "Sometimes I wonder if it's you or the squirrel inside who's in charge. Focus. It's important."
"Tuck said something, what was it? Oh, he said the Hooded Man was, my- my- oh, yes, my Mahtii. I think that was the word. Said I shouldn't have see him. Said nearly everyone is oblivious to it. Nearly everyone lives and dies without seeing it."
"Did he say why you saw it?" Dovi pulled his legs up and wrapped his arms around his knees.
"I'm highly gifted and have rare talents. You on the other hand, most likely dumb luck." She smiled and twirled a finger in her hair. "Okay, seriously, he said I got caught on a "fractal void...and tore a hole...in- in the veil of my reality. Whatever that means."
The Mahtii. Orbillister Puck said something about students being lost with their Mahtii. All are hopeless prisoners to your Mahtii. What exactly did he mean? Ugh, I should have paid more attention.
"Hello? Anyone in there?" asked Nemi, waving a hand in front of Dovi's face.
"Yes, geez, I'm thinking. I know it's a foreign concept to you." Dovi kicked the covers away and dropped his head back to his pillow.
"Hmph. So that's the thanks I get." Nemi crossed her arms and pushed out her bottom lip.
"Thank you. It was very helpful." He ran his fingers through his hair. "So what happened? Can you still see him? Did Tuck tell you what to do about him?"
"No, I don't see him anymore. I killed him."
"What! How'd you do that?" Dovi sat up and grabbed Nemi by the arm.
"It's complicated. I can't explain, and if I could, I wouldn't. Some things are best left for Tuck Sooth to tell. Stuck my neck out enough already. No more questions. You're supposed to be resting. I'm going to have a snack." She yanked her arm away, dug into her pants pocket and began nibbling on some nuts.
"Tell me. I promise I won't tell Tuck." He held his palms pleadingly in front of his chest.
"N-o. No."
"Great, now I'm being kicked in the nuts, by a nut, eating nuts. Fine." He reached onto the floor, grabbed his pants and began sliding them up past his nightshirt.
"What are you doing? Tuck said to stay put." Nemi shoved the nuts back in her pocket, reached down, grabbed the bottom of his pant leg and started pulling in the opposite direction.
"I want answers. Tuck is going to give me some damn answers. Let go," shouted Dovi. He pulled hard and Nemi fell on top of him all in a heap.
"And, exactly what question am I answering?" called Tuck, as he swung the front door open. Bisby and Tuck entered the room.
Nemi scrambled off of the bed, her face red as a tomato. Dovi looked down in silence.
Tuck continued, "And, what if I refuse to answer, then what?" He walked across the room and stopped at the foot of Dovi's bed.
Bisby cleared his throat and motioned to Nemi that it was time to go. "We've a few juicy cucumbers needing attention."
"I will pay you a visit later Nemi. Seems you need a reminder on how to look after things," said Tuck. A false smile flashed across his face.
Nemi scratched at the back of her neck and sheepishly followed towards the door. "Wasn't my fault. He asked the questions," she muttered to Bisby as he closed the door behind them.
Tuck pulled a low backed chair up next to the bed, sat and rubbed circles deep into his temples. He seemed to have aged since Dovi saw him just a few minutes ago.
"Something wrong?" asked Dovi. He smoothed the covers back over top of himself and threw his pants to the far end of the bed.
"Eh, no, nothing is wrong. That is, unless what you're going to ask, is going to trouble me?" Tuck raised his brow.
"Well, it's about a Hooded Man. I saw him during the Mind Melees back in school. Can you tell me about him? Specifically, how do I get rid of him?"
"Seems to me that Nemi doesn't know how to squirrel away her acorns."
"She didn't-" started Dovi.
"She did. I can see it written all across your face." Tuck's cheeks grew flush and his eyes flicked from light blue to deep onyx. He dropped his eyes away and sighed deeply. "No matter. What's done is done. Tell me more of what you've seen and I will fill in what you're missing."
Dovi told Tuck of the numerous times the Hooded Man had intervened during the mind battles back in Wydenhall; how Orbillister Puck had not believed him; how the others had laughed and called him a coward. The pain of bringing the memory back to the surface was much stronger than Dovi would have expected. The time and distance away from school had done nothing to heal his wounds. Maybe I just won't ever get over these things.
Tuck leaned forward and listened with great attention. His eyes flashed from color to color as Dovi finished up his story.
"I wish you would have told me when you first came to Meregrund. I may have been able to find a back door into your mind, and I could have deactivated the trigger Craeve set within you. But that is neither here nor there right now. We are only ever able to work with the present moment and the tools given to us." Tuck stood and circled in front of Dovi's bed. "This may actually be a boon for us, a head-start so to speak. You being aware of the Mahtii's presence is a huge advantage. Nearly all are unaware of the Mahtii. They are slaves to him. It is the Mahtii which brings much suffering into the world. He is the silent oppressor that rules most minds. You had such a difficult time with your mind exercises because you were fighting the battle of the intellect. You were engaged with your higher self. This in of itself should speed up your progress in gaining an understanding of your Rhist- that is, unless the Mahtii kills you first."
"Kills me? How is something in my mind able to kill me?"
"Well, maybe it won't kill you, but if you lose, there is never a second chance. Once you are defeated by the Mahtii, your original self is destroyed. You will lose all recollection of your Rhist. You'll become an automaton, like the others unaware of the Mahtii's control. You don't want to lose this battle. I will make sure you are prepared and equipped with the weapons you need. It won't be easy, but I have faith in you."
"Weapons? I used weapons in the mind melees. I made Flamenoids. Soldiers made from fire."
"Did you?" Tuck rubbed at his chin. "You are quite the remarkable boy. Always a step ahead of me it seems. That's good, very good. You've a good base to start from, but you lack the intricate details needed to do more than just spar with the Mahtii. You must be very precise. He is most wily. In fact, he has a distinct advantage; your mind wants him to win. It is him. It's comfortable, and is afraid of being annihilated."
"Well, if Nemi can do it, I'm sure I can too." Dovi put his arms out to the side and yawned exaggeratedly.
"Already the Mahtii works to deceive you. Nemi still walks in step to her Mahtii's command." Tuck shook his head in disgust.
"But- she said she killed him. She said you showed her how."
"Yes, I showed her, but only because she was suffering. Her veil between reality and emotion was shredded when she came to Meregrund. The Mahtii was relentless in his tormenting. She was just a child. Remember the lake, at night? She lived with that, in her waking hours."
"But she said-"
"She weakened the Mahtii, but didn't overcome it completely. It is still biding it's time. Waiting for an opportunity, for a weakness. I'm afraid it's only a matter of time. You must hold your tongue about all this. One tiny slip and her mind could come crashing down. It's a very delicate situation. Understand?"
"Yes. There's nothing you can do? Maybe teach her some other way? Must be something."
"So you're an expert now? Truly remarkable how the unwise see fit to rule. Your fight against your Mahtii may not be as easy as you think. Your pride runs deep. Remember, pure Rhist is the most powerful. A muddy mind riddled with sewage is not very efficient."
Tuck walked to the far end of the room and returned with a small glass filled with something ice blue. "Here, drink this. It's safe to speed your recovery a bit. I'm sure you're eager to be out of Bisby's dungeon."
"What is this?" asked Dovi, as he took the glass.
"Always with the questions. You've got to trust somebody eventually." A sadness passed across Tuck's face. "Drink it Dovinicus."
Dovi gulped it down in one swig. A tingling warmth filled him from head to toe. "What- Um, I mean, wow, I feel much better. Thank you." Dovi hopped out of bed, grabbed his pants and pulled them on.
"Elixir of Gebetan. Made with Rhist extracted from the Five Nessums of Making. Nemi spent a day and a half in bed to get that to you. You owe her your gratitude."
"Am I allowed to ask about it, or should I be more like the lake?"
"Starting to think before you speak. A huge improvement. And for asking if it's okay to ask - I'll tell you what Nemi has done for you."
"The Five Nessums of Making are pulled from what you know as your senses; sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell. Okay? There are very fine needles involved and how would I describe it? Well, think of a swarm of bees, each extracting a particular strain of Rhist from your eye, ear, fingertip, tongue and nostril - all at the same time. Very unpleasant indeed. Nemi has a good heart."
Dovi ran his hand across the back of his neck and stared at the floor. "Wow, she did that for me?"
"She's been here in Meregrund long enough to become in touch with pure emotion. Her level of compassion knows no bounds. One last thing before we go. Care must be taken with Nessums, as they are nothing to be trifle with. You've seen them used before. Those impaled upon trees - were also conduits of Rhist. A rudimentary, barbaric version of the Nessums, used to open gateways to worlds beyond Avrenhalde. Craeve and Ruenwall will be looking to use them again. The Shadow god is next to be released."