Canvas

The previous story featuring Caden and Clare.

“Come in, do it fast, before the door changes his mind.”

A female voice spoke softly as the door hesitantly swung open, and then started to creak while slowly closing. Swift as a gust of wind, like a shadow that blurred through the tiny opening, a rogue snuck in just before the door closed.

“Phew… what’s up with him? Kinda rude…”

spoke the rogue, dusting his attire off after getting up from the dusty floor.

“Yeah idk, he’s kinda cranky…”

replied the girl in purple robes, adjusting her glasses and glancing at the man in black.

“Caden! Oh how delightful to see you again, you’re back?”

Caden smiled warmly. His heart skipped a beat. It’s the first time he’s seeing his beloved since his return from the previous mission.

“Uh, yes… I just got back last night.”

“Oh my my! Should’ve come to see me! What’d you acquire? No wait, how are you? No actually that can wait, what DID you bring back?”

Caden chortled at her indecisiveness.

“I’m fine, a little tired but alright. As for what I brought back.”

He approached her table swiftly. Each step filled with confidence and determination.

“So they sent me to the underground ruins of an ancient library and there I acquired a sphynx statue… it kept torturing me with riddles.”

He walked around the desk, pulling out his notebook.

“Here, I have it all noted down for you.”

Clare gasped,

“Oh Caden… you know just how to please me.”

After a careful read through his notes she seemed pleased and satisfied.

“I’ll be sure to study the artifact more in due time, thanks for that.”

She glanced up at him.

Caden smirked.

“But of course, miss archivist. So, what’d you call a hunter for? Where am I going next?  Dragon’s cavern? Sunken ruins? Oh boy, can’t wait… how about, ohh, I know I know… is there a portal to an unknown dimension for me to explore?”

his voice was filled with sarcasm.

Clare nodded enthusiastically at each of his guesses.

“Mmhmm. Ohh! yes that sounds so fun! Oh my god take me with you next time you get one of those.”

she proclaimed excitedly at his mention of the portal and then cleared her throat.

“Ahem, no uhm, you’re not going far, well though actually it’s more like you’re going to travel an unknown distance.”

“I’m…sorry, what?”

Caden asked, perplexed by her response.

“Well, so you see, you’ve never been in the basement here, right?”

Caden glanced around the archivist’s office, in the underground section of the Grand Library.

“Arhm… the… archives are underground, no?”

Clare grinned excitedly.

“No! Well, yes, technically, physically at least. But realistically, factually, this is but a separating layer between the Grand Library and the basement of it. We’re still actively exploring and researching the underground part. It is assumed to be as big as it’s above-ground counterpart.”

“So, there’s more…?”

Caden asked. His eyes as wide as a full moon on a clear night.

“Oh yes, much more. Secrets unknown to anyone… aaaaand we recently mapped out another floor of it and acquired some fun evidence. That’s what I’m analyzing right now.”

She tapped an ancient tome on the table.

“See this part here?”

She slid her finger over a piece of text.

Caden watched the letters on the page transform from ancient script into a language he could read and understand.

“Holy shit…”

She smacked him on the back of his head.

“It isn’t holy, you idiot.”

“Oww!”

“Now read it!”

she demanded, tapping it again.

Caden read. The passage mentioned artifacts displayed on a floor that did not get translated, guarded by a beast of unfathomed power, and one part speaks of the center display piece, a magical canvas.

“Uhuh… so you want me to…”

She interrupted him enthusiastically,

“Correct! Go there, slay the beast, retrieve the artifact, and map out the floors as you traverse them.”

He stared at her with mild fright visible in his eyes.

“I might need a…”

“No time.”

Clare began to push him toward the door.

“I have much else to analyze, let me know when you’re back! Bye! Love you,”

she spoke hastily as she pushed him out of the door that slammed shut as soon as he passed it.

“How the hell do I GET THERE???”

Caden called out, but there was no response. The door’s handle squeaked as it transformed into a finger, pointing to his left, into the darkness.

“Aha… that way? Thanks door… you’re the real uhhm… knob!”

Caden walked off into the endless darkness that was the archive. With each step he took, a light followed him, illuminating the gaps between the tiles with each step.

The floor was the only source of light in this abyss.

The archive was truly an abyss, and one could more than easily get lost within it. After walking for hours, or what felt like hours, he at last stumbled upon something. Amidst the darkness the floor disappeared. As he approached the hole, the tiles illuminated around him, but before him was darkness with nothing to guide him or even indicate if something exists there.

He tossed a marble down and listened. 5 seconds, 10, a minute, he continued counting but no sound ever reached his ears.

“Ugh… well, leap of faith it is.”

He turned around, folded his arms over his chest, and then let his body fall backwards into the darkness.

It consumed him whole. He fell for a while, and then no longer fell. There was no wind, no resistance, no sounds, only weightlessness. Bored took over after hours of falling, and his mind succumbed to it, drifting off into the world of dreams.

When he found himself standing before a massive door, his mind battled logic, and reason battled reality he was witnessing. ‘Is this just a dream?’ He wanted to believe it was, but a pinch on the forearm, and the sudden sharp pain from feeling teeth sink into his right calf were convincing enough to make him believe he was awake.

He jolted and jerked his leg, just to see a small, puppy sized creature, biting into his leg. But it was no ordinary beast.

On the ground beside him was a 3-headed dog. Long fur, teeth sharp as needles.

One of its heads dug its fangs into his calf. Its claws were buried into the ground. Another 1 of its heads glared deeply into his eyes, as if searching his soul for something. And the last one was sniffing him and growling.

“Dawwhhh how AAAAHHH!”

Caden tried to lean down to pat the dog but it’s bite tightened, flooding his nervous system with pain.

“Aggghhhh stupid thing!”

He reached for his dagger.

The dog bit harder. He pulled his hand away from the dagger, the bite eased up but it still did not let go.

“Cute doggy…”

he whispered with a fake smile. It bit harder.

“Stupid thing.”

It bit even harder.

“Aaahhh see…”

Caden pondered for a while, standing as still as a statue. In all the years of hunting treasures, he learned 1 thing – mythical beasts are the most unpredictable. While Caden combed his mind for clues and answers, the beast released his leg.

It yawned and laid down beside him. One of its heads was still watching him closely. He attempted to take a step closer toward the door, but his attempt was greeted with a deep, intimidating growl.

“Alright… okay uhmm…”

he squatted down, watching the creature, analyzing it. It was the size of a Pomeranian, and just as fluffy too. It had a small fluffy tail that remained still.

Its heads were more akin to a different breed though. Bigger jaws, big round eyes. It looked almost intimidating, if only it wasn’t so cute. Caden’s thoughts drifted, he reached toward the beast, eager to pat it. It growled, one of its heads turned away, one bared its fangs.

“Stupid human.”

Spoke the 3rd head.

“Don’t dare touch me, I have consumed a thousand souls and yours will be a thousand-first.”

But its threats fell on deaf ears as Caden’s hand landed on the growling head of the beast. His fingers stroked through its soft fur. The tail began to wag, but the growling did not stop.

“I … said stop! Stupid human! I’ll eat you alive and tear your trachea out! I’ll consume your soul while you still breathe! I’ll… I will destroy… I love that… I mean all that you love and hold dear!”

Caden’s mind snapped back to reality, realizing now that despite the threats and the intimidating, bone-chilling growl, the beast’s tail was wagging and that it was exceptionally cute, all things considered.

“Dawhhh you’re ADORABLE!”

Caden remarked, patting the beast eagerly while scratching behind its ear.

“Silence mortal for I… That’s the spot! I… am ancient and will destroy your woaaahhhh…”

The beast’s voice trailed off into a mumble as it enjoyed the attention it clearly hadn’t received in years.

“I’ll… bite you if you don’t stop!”

The beast managed to utter but it’s threats were ignored once more.

“Who’s a good boy? Yes you are!”

Caden’s other hand was not patting the other head of the dog.

“I got some uh…”

He reached into his pouch, pulling out some jerky meat.

“Want some meat?”

One of the Cerberus’ heads turned away.

One drooled while sniffing the meat, and the talking head mumbled.

“As if I’d ever accept a… treat from a stranger. I am prideful and ancient! I am a destroyer and soul eater. A guardian of the underworld. Demons cower before me, how… dare you…”

Caden grinned and nodded.

“Yes… ferocious beast you are! Mighty bite you possess, but consider it my payment for the passage.”

The Cerberus swallowed audibly, then reached closer with its drooling head.

“Accepted.”

Caden smirked.

“Come along, I have more, but uhm, at the surface.”

The Cerberus tore at the jerky meat with all 3 of its heads, eager to savor the taste with all 3 of its mouths.

“I guard this passage,”

the Cerberus replied but Caden was not easily swayed from his desires.

“A passage long forgotten in history, to the attraction long closed. When was the last soul you consumed?”

The Cerberus pondered.

“Far too long ago, my body even shrunk.”

A soft whimper escaped its throat.

“Plenty of meat and souls up-top. They’ll give you a place to guard even. New duty! New souls! And fresh meat akin to the one you just savored.”

The Cerberus turned away with all 3 of its heads. Its voice filled with happiness, but its words still resist the urge to follow the rogue.

“I… am loyal. Why should I listen to a stranger.”

Caden reached, patting the speaking head on the nape of its neck.

“Because you’re bored.”

And that is how Caden found himself accompanied by an unlikely companion, a mythical beast none other than a mighty and infamous Cerberus.

The giant door proved no challenge for him.

It opened with no resistance, and beyond it was a gallery akin to what one might find at an art museum. Caden gasped at the sight. It was pristine, as if ready for opening and visitors. A few feather-dusters flew around the room, cleaning up the display pieces.

Around the walls hung paintings, with a placard below each. At the center of the gallery were large glass display pieces.

“Majestic, isn’t it?”

the Cerberus bragged.

Caden nodded.

“Are these all, magical?”

The Cerberus glanced up at him.

“Yes, don’t touch them, who knows where you might end up.”

“End up?”

Caden asked to confirm.

“Rrright! They are portals to different worlds. There, look there!”

The Cerberus pointed all 3 of its heads at a painting on the right. It was a drawing of a pirate ship.

Caden approached, walking up to the stanchion, and leaning closer to examine the painting. The pirate ship swayed and wobbled on the waves, it was a living painting, it was alive. He could see the crew on the ship pointing up at the sky, from which the picture was drawn, and then scattering. The ship turned. Caden continued to marvel.

“Phenomenal.”

Cerberus barked excitedly,

“Arf! Yes. DUCK!”

He shouted.

Caden obeyed instinctively, ducking just in time to dodge a cannonball that was shot at him out of the painting.

Caden scattered away on the floor.

“GOD DAMN! They shot at me.”

The Cerberus crawled on the floor behind him.

“They are alive, portals, as I said.”

After clearing that ship’s aisle and feeling safe once more, he got back up on his feet and dusted off, though there was nothing to dust off as the floor was perfectly clean.

“So… that’s the canvas…?”

The cerberus tilted its heads in confusion, in different directions.

“I am an artifacts retriever you see, was sent here to search for the canvas on which, those paintings were drawn.”

Cerberus listened attentively and barked.

“Arf-derstood. The artist who drew these was a planar mage. Grand Master Sorcerer Ultimate.”

Cerberus responded.

“His chambers are three floors below.”

Caden squinted.

“Bit of a long title, no?”

Cerberus growled.

“Master Ultimate was wonderful person, don’t MOCK HIM OR I WILL CONSUME YOUR SOUL!”

“Ohh, his name was Ultimate!? Got it! Funny name… well, typical wizard name I guess. Will you guide me?”

Cerberus grinned and then looked at a drawing of a manhole cover on a paved street.

“Hmm?”

Caden glanced at it, dismissing the strange object he had never seen before.

“There.”

Caden glanced at it again.

“Where?”

Cerberus walked under the stanchion and approached the wall where the painting is.

“Master Ultimate always jumped into this painting to get home.”

Caden blinked in disbelief.

“There? Erhm… alright, won’t be the strangest thing I’ll do in my life.”

Caden lifted the Cerberus up and held him tight, getting a running start and then leaping into the painting. He landed on a hard gray surface.

Surrounding him were building that reached for the skies.

There was noise. A lot of noise that was unfamiliar to him. There were sirens of all sorts and beeping noises. There was an unbelievable amount of noise all around. It struck his thoughts, sending his mind into disarray and rupturing his focus.

“Down! Quick.”

The Cerberus barked, clawing at the metallic cover of the manhole.

“Ahhh! Yes… down.”

Caden squatted, putting his fingers in the hole he attempted to lift. It was heavy, but nothing a skilled rogue couldn’t work around.

He pried it open with his daggers and swiftly jumped into the hole. The stench made his stomach turn. Following a momentary fall was a splash, and he found himself disoriented. He breathed out some bubbles to get a grasp of his surroundings, but the bubbles only hovered around him. Not floating up, or down.

Caden panicked, but then caught a glimpse of Cerberus. It swam down, well, below him, whether it was truly down or up he couldn’t tell, but he followed. The beast continued onwards into the darkness, where only bioluminescent weeds could be used for guidance. They swam onwards through the all-consuming darkness. Each thrust and push consumed his limited oxygen. Fear consumed his mind.

And just as he began to thrash around as he opened his mouth, succumbing to his desire to breath, he realized that he took a deep breath with no worries. Cerberus watched him with a smug grin as his new companion learned that this water wasn’t watery at all, it was a pool of mana, inside which he could breathe just fine.

The darkness ended at last as they swam into what looked like a solid wall and emerged out of a wall in a room with a spectacular view at the top of the world, beyond the clouds. It was a round, tower-like structure, a massive room the size of a house, where each exterior wall was glass. Caden approached the nearest window in disbelief.

“Whoaa!”

He held his breath at the sight unlike any he had ever seen before.

On the horizon the sun was rising, illuminating the clouds all around. In between the clouds he could see an ocean.

“Magnificent isn’t it? Master Ultimate lived at the top, not the very top top but top enough.”

Caden scratched his head as he glanced at the Cerberus.

“But, weren’t we down and you said we were heading down a few more floors?”

Cerberus nodded.

“Grand Library is spectacular. You’ll see much stranger things than ending on the top by starting at the bottom.”

There by the window stood an easel, with a canvas attached to it, and a set of paints and brushes hovered in the air beside the stool next to it.

“Where… is your master…?”

Cerberus let out a soft whimper.

“One day, he disappeared… Never seen him since, for centuries… The art gallery closed, disappeared in history since master disappeared… Magnificent man, a pictomancer some called him.”

Caden slowly approached the easel and glanced at the canvas. On it was drawn a snowy forest, and a hut, covered in snow. Caden sneered.

“Could it be… hold on wait, no, you said… your master was an artist right?”

Cerberus nodded.

“Grand master sorcerer, a mage artist who created the magical canvas you sought after. Finest artist of all.”

Caden slowly nodded.

“And, can he do anything without his canvas?”

“Not really… Master’s magic created canvas but master’s canvas only links two locations. He was mighty strong, could call forth creatures from other dimensions that he had seen or dreamed of! His astral projection allowed him to see worlds you couldn’t even imagine.”

Caden grinned.

“So could it be he went through without his canvas, and couldn’t return….?”

Cerberus went silent for a moment, analyzing the painting on the canvas.

“Could…be…”

Caden analyzed the canvas.

“So how do I uhm… is this the last page?”

Cerberus shook all three of its heads.

“No, remove the page from easel, new one will manifest.”

Caden unclipped the drawing and put it carefully on the floor. When he turned around, a new, blank canvas was awaiting him on the easel.

“Cool!”

He grinned, taking the blank page off and rolling it up.

“Well, let’s go find that lost wizard,”

he called out as he jumped onto the painting on the floor. Cerberus hesitated for a moment and then leaped in after him. Caden landed in knee deep snow. The frost pinched at his cheeks and slashed at his lungs as soon as he took a breath.

“Ughhh! C…cold…”

he noted, glancing around. Before him was a hut, covered in snow. All around was whiteness of a snow-covered forest.

He stumbled through the deep snow towards a window of the hut, and marveled at the sight inside. There sat a young woman in robes, sipping tea. Across from her, in a planty-looking chair, sat an old man with a long white beard, a pointy hat, wizard robes, and… pink, bunny slippers. Caden watched the scene for a while, before leaning down and picking the Cerberus up.

“Is that… him?”

The dog whimpered needily, clawing at the window.

“Master!”

Cerberus cried out.

“Nice, that solves that mystery,”

Caden replied.

The woman turned, glancing out the window at a stranger behind the window, that held in its arms a beast she had never seen before. Her heart raced. She leaped up from her chair. From a vial of blood on her belt emerged a drop that she flung out the window at the speed of a sound.

It pierced the window, but Caden managed to roll out of the way.

“I’m here for the old man!”

he cried out from the snow in which he found himself once more.

He could hear a murmur from inside the cabin.

“Who’s he?”

“I wonder, but he’s got my dog.”

The man replied, and his response was followed by a long, loud slurp of tea.

“That’s not a dog.”

“Why of course it is, sure, he just got a few more mouths than normal but he’s adorable.”

The woman sighed and then called out

“COME IN!”

After a brief moment of hesitation and a very slow opening of the door, he peeked inside.

It smelled of lavender, and other herbs. The pleasant warmth tickled his cold cheeks.

“Step inside young man. No need to freeze thine buttocks off. She won’t attack again, I hope.”

The old man spoke, glancing over his shoulder.

Caden pulled the door open the rest of the way, letting the needy Cerberus inside, who rushed instantly to the old man.

The woman smiled warmly.

“Apologies, a hooded man cladded in black outside my window, with a strange beast, hardly looked like a friendly visitor,”

she spoke softly, bowing ever so slightly toward the uninvited guest.

“I am Mitra.”

Caden pulled his hood down and adjusted his coat.

“Yeah I uh, I get that a lot… should probably try the white uniform. Caden, artifacts hunter for the Grand Library.”

He returned the slight bow.

“Grand library?”

Mitra gasped slightly, throwing a glance at the old man who was playing with his puppy.

“Aye! Lad must be a few generations later than me though, never seen such a uniform,”

the old man spoke, distracted.

“I see,”

she smiled.

“Tea?”

Caden shook his head.

“No, actually I’m here for him.”

Mitra glanced at the old man.

“He fell onto my roof one day… and been here ever since.”

Caden shrugged.

“Wizards, am I right?”

Her hut was incredibly homely, except the bear rug and a hide sleeping bag in the corner, where he presumed the wizard slept.

“How long has it been?”

Mitra raised her eyebrows and shrugged.

“Unsure, a few years. He’s harmless, but also useless…”

The wizard groaned.

“Oiii lass! I am mighty strong, just need the canvas!”

“Mhmmm”

Mitra responded sarcastically,

“well he does know the basics of potion brewing at least.”

She smiled at Caden and then leaned closer, whispering.

“Are you a wizard too? Please take him away!”

Caden chortled, responding hushly.

“No, but I brought his canvas.”

“OH THANK THE LORDS THE HEAVENS AND ALL THAT IS HOLY AND UNHOLY IN THESE LANDS! Rejoice, Ultimate! Rejoice, for your CANVAS had been brought to you!”

“Is he one of those?”

Caden asked.

“You have no idea…”

she responded quietly.

“He never shuts up about his canvas…”

“MY CANVAS? OH BOY BRING IT HERE! HERE HERE HERE!”

He pushed everything away at the table. Caden did so and placed the rolled-up canvas sheet on the table.

“Oh my heavens it is my canvas! Mitra! Quick quick! Pen! Pencil! Anything!”

Mitra’s pen floated to him and landed in his hand.

She leaned over the backrest of his chair and whispered.

“Home, to your canvas.”

Just as the wizard was about to begin drawing something that was not in fact his home.

“Oh right! Right, limited canvas! Oi, young lad, cerby, we’re going back home.”

“Cerby…?”

Caden blinked in disbelief,

“what a… name…”

“Right!? I came up with it myself!”

the wizard proudly remarked, closing his eyes and trying to recall what his house looked like.

“Oh boy oh boy… What did my place look like?”

He began to draw the rough shape of the room.

“No no no, that wall is rounder.”

Caden guided him.

At last, they returned, and Caden rejoiced. At first. But then he realized that the view outside the windows were not the skies, but mountains.

“Ahem… Mister… Ultimate…? Where… the hell are we?”

The wizard looked out the window.

“Well… home. But not THE home. I think I got a few details wrong.”

“Oh yea? You reckon? I told you, clouds.”

The wizard thought for a moment.

“Guess I drew clouds that looked much like mountains… We’re lost.”