Todor said goodbye to Norman who took the head with him to be disposed off. He went to subway entrance right after that. But just before going underground he took a phone out and called Cassandra.
"What is it, babe?" she answered right away. "Was the first day at work alright?"
"You could say that. I visited the slums and fought hemmomencer to the death in the cave, creating a new spell in the process."
Silence on the other end of the line was total.
"So, it went fine," Cassandra finally said.
"Aye, it went bloody fine. Oh, and Midnight Breeze is planning a coup on the Governor," he added.
"So it went double fine. Now you have an excuse to cave his face in for trashing our living room."
"Oh, it's our living room now? You have something to tell me?"
"Ah, yeah. I was thinking there is no reason for paying two places when I am more at your place than I am at mine," she paused, her breath audible over the phone. "I hope its fine, right? I wanted to ask you but with vampires crashing and all ..."
"It's fine. Its better than fine," he said with a grin. "I am going to take subway right now. See you in a few minutes."
The call ended and he strolled down the stairs with renewed vigor. The train came after two minutes of waiting and he walked in briskly almost crashing into a small person. He looked down and grinned at Mab. The boy looked up and took a step back.
"Ah, sir. Fancy meeting you here," little half-breed stuttered.
"Where are you going squire?" Todor asked happy to see the boy again.
"Well, at your place. Irry and Cass called me, they said we will have a Star Wars night. Whatever that means," he confessed with a slight grin.
"And they didn't tell me about it?"
"Oops, I guess they wanted it to be a surprise and I ruined it," the young man said, shoulders slumping.
"No worries champ. I will not tell them you informed me. You were just doing your duty as a squire for his knight."
Mabs eyes reignited, his chest puffing out. The boy still carried the milky white blade but the elaborate pummel was gone.
"What is this? You changed the basket hilt into crossguard?" Todor asked his inner sword nerd reawakening.
"Ah, yes. Last time we sparred with those wooden swords I realized entire basket hilt was a bit too much. And some of the techniques were easier with a simple cross guard. So I gave the sword to uncle Carl to modify."
"It looks great. We should increase our practice when I deal with my current work."
"Oh, about that. My aunt has been bugging me for days now. She insisted you go meet her," the boy said, shuffling his feet.
The train stopped at the station and few people left leaving only Todor and Mab. The last six stations were in the suburban area where not many people lived.
"She is the Seer, right? One that told you to find Nintendo 64?" Todor asked to buy some time to think.
"Yeah, her. Oh, and I started playing GoldenEye. You were right, it is a fun game."
Todor thought about the Anadori Seer for a few moments before deciding.
"Told you so. Where does your aunt live?"
"Oh, she lives in the street at the last stop of this train. Once you exit go for five minutes. Her house is one with a large garden. Number forty-two."
"I'll go pay her a visit right now. You go tell Cass I'll be coming soon."
"Uh, sure sir. You don't have to indulge that old bat right away though," Mab said with relief.
"Don't be disrespectful to your elders, squire. We knights must be better than that," Todor said with a smirk.
"Uh, yes sir. Sorry, sir. It will not happen again. By the way, she is blind so if she ... ah, never mind, just thought of informing you."
Mab left the train at the next station going to Todors house. Todor watched him go before taking a seat. What made you decide to visit the Seer now, of all times? We have vampire invasion to foil and everything, Ezezu asked, her curiosity buzzing under his scalp. That Seer put into a motion a series of events that made me meet both Cassandra and you, Todor thought idly. Worry slowly crept in from the implications. Oh, so you are going to thank her for making your life a thousand times better? Ezezu mocked him, which helped elevate his mood.
The train stopped at the last station and Todor walked out. Once he reached the street he felt tightness in his chest. He ignored it walking briskly, trying to empty his mind and remove all expectations. She either unwillingly pushed me on the path of becoming the mage or its just coincidence. Either way, I must talk to her. He slowed down, stopping in front of the gate with a number forty-two sign. Behind the wrought iron fence stood more a mini jungle than a garden, and between the trees, Todor could glimpse white walls of a small house. His hand reached for the knob but the gate opened by itself. A parrot flew and landed on the nearby branch.
"Lady expects constable. He comes," the bird screeched flapping its wings.
"Constable is coming, the lady can wait a bit more," Todor said starting towards the house.
The bird laughed in its strange, scratchy voice. It clapped with its beak twice before flying off in front of him.
"So you are going to show me the way?" He asked the bird. But the parrot just jumped from branch to branch, flying only to stay ahead of Todor.
He reached the house and rang the bell. The parrot landed on his shoulder and gently bit his ear. Todor ignored the bird.
"Enter, enter," the parrot said loudly in his ears. Todor swore, shaking the bird of him, it flew off in a huff screeching "Rude."
Todor waited, every horror movie he ever saw coming to his mind. An old lady living alone in a creepy house? Check. Talking bird that is impossibly intelligent? Check. He jumped as the doors opened, slightly squeaking. Doors opening on its own? Check. No one showed up to greet him so he entered.
"Oh, for Saint Trinoxia's leaky cunts sake, come in. The draft will kill me if you don't close the door," a feminine voice came from deeper inside the house. She didn't sound old, but Anadori don't age which was a fact that Todor still couldn't grasp.
He hurried up and made his way in the direction of the voice. It turned out Mab's aunt was sitting in front of the fireplace, holding a tablet. Her fingers went across the surface of the device until she grunted and hit armrest with her fist.
"I don't know how this damn thing works. That little squirt Mab told me it has voice commands but I don't feel any magic in it, so how can it work?"
"Can I see that?" Todor offered. The Anadori lady motioned him to come closer and he reluctantly approached. She pushed the plastic rectangle in his hands and Todor looked at it.
"It was turned off," he said pressing the button. The device came to life and the female voice came from it informing them that voice commands are on by default.
"Ah, it speaks. But I still don't feel any magic from it. So it's true. You humans made wonders without a trace of magic. Wish I still had the sight to see the wonders you created," the old Anadori said. Todor took that time to look at her better. She had long black hair, which was the first time he saw any Anadori with that hair color. Their skin colors were as diverse as human but their hair was almost lighter shades. Her face was round, almost childish and her eyes were milky white. "So, what commands can I give it?"
"Try, play music."
"Playing music from the last used playlist," the tablet said, a second later rockabilly song echoed through the room.
"Marvelous. How do I turn it off?"
"Music, stop," Todor said and the song stopped mid-word.
"So, who are you and what brings you to my home?" The old lady said taking the table from him and tossing it on a small table next to her.
"Mab told me you wanted to see me," Todor said rubbing the back of his neck.
"Oh, why didn't that damn familiar inform me who was at the gate," Anadori Seer said getting up on her feet and grabbing a cane that rested next to her. "Service animal my ass."
"A bird?" Todor wagered a guess.
"Yes, a damn bird. Suppose to be my eyes, the damn thing only makes pranks and laughs at me. No matter. Come closer so I can read you," she said facing him.
Todor made a step closer and fidgeted.
"I will not bite, human. Not unless you want me to. It would be much more enjoyable bite than what Midnight Breeze had in mind for you."
Todors face darkened at the mention of Midnight Breeze.
"What do you know about his plans?"
"Nothing, now shut up and let me read you," she said and grabbed him by the ears, dragging his head closer to her so that their noses almost touched. Her sightless eyes stared into his and Todors mouth went dry. She then closed her eyes and let go of him, stiffening. She opened her mouth and started speaking:
"Eight candles in the storm,
Against something with no form.
First is rage born of fury,
City's only rightful jury.
If he fails against the fallen
Entire future will be stolen."
Her voice echoed for a moment before she sagged, her weight held up by the cane. She let out a sigh before turning around and slumping back into the chair.
"A rhyming prophesy? You gotta be kidding me," Todor exclaimed clenching his fists. "I came here expecting some sort of mastermind or chess-master who saw everything, nudging people on the board towards best future. And what I got is childish rhymes?"
Anadori woman let a harsh laugh.
"I once was as you described me. Now I lost interest in the world. So only childish rhymes are what you will get."
"But you knew, you nudged me towards the maharoon? You made me a mage."
"Did I? I have no recollection of doing any such thing. I just though my little nephew deserves a sword teacher from his own kind."
"You are playing games, old woman," Todor snarled. "You know more than you are letting on."
"That is true. But if I told you just a smidgen of what I see, then the future will not come out that way."
"Are you saying that everyone will be safe and we will overcome whatever Midnight Breeze sends against us?" Todor said his mind racing.
"No. I am saying that you can't engineer the future. You can just give the actors a push in the right direction."
Todor laughed.
"That is useless. If you can't tell me anything why give me cryptic rhymes? Why call me to come to you?"
"It's fun laughing at you all while you try to give the meaning to them," she said deadpan. Then she turned towards him, her white eyes reflecting the fire. "I did everything I could. Now the rest is up to younger people, like you."
He puffed his cheeks and let the air out slowly.
"Fine. Thanks for the ... poem."
"You are welcome."
Todor left the house of the Seer whose name he forgot to ask, feeling like he was a butt of a practical joke. The parrots laughter assaulted his ears the entire way to the subway entrance.