"Thalia,"
"Or even horses, I could summon a horse or two and we could just ride there. But no, we just had to walk."
"Thalia."
"Well? Aren't you going to say something witty or insightful that would never occur to me?"
"No. I'm just going to stand right here while she explains it to you."
Thalia's breath caught in her throat as she realized that the Sage herself was right behind them. She swallowed nervously and turned around.
"Hi?"
"Hi! Come on in, I made cookies."
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"So," began the sage as Thalia finished her little china plate of fresh, gooey chocolate chip cookies. "Hal sent ahead that you two would be coming."
Thalia quietly mumbled an affirmative. If what Hal had said was to be believed, she was face to face with the oldest immortal in the known universe. The fact that her father, and none of his fellow members of the pantheon, had mentioned her, she was probably also stronger than any of them. And nothing, nothing, made it clear how much stronger than you someone considered themselves than how good the food they served you was. And there was nothing to be said of those cookies if you couldn't call them outright divine.
"He tells me you need to know a way to create a better golem, one that is nearly sentient."
Thalia nodded again. The sage was so calm; serene even. It was the way she'd always imagined a grandmother, only much younger. She had to be immensely powerful, but nothing about her bearing or demeanor indicated aggression, or even impatience.
"But, despite your silence, I get the impression you want more than near sentience. That I can not give you."
Thalia had the feeling that wasn't it, but that didn't seem to stop Hal from gasping out of apparent shock.
"But if you can't, who can?"
"Have you asked Professor Zinksfeld, at the Arcane Academy? She used to have quite the knack for necromancy back when she was in school." The sage picked up a cup, that spontaneously filled itself with a brown liquid that smelled somewhat of raspberries and dark chocolate. "Not that she would ever admit it. Stupid paladin, Nothing but healing, combat, and enchantment and honor forbid you do anything else. But that's nothing important. The one you need is the Reaper." The Sage took a long sip of her drink and then set it down. "Hal, this is going to be difficult, and you'll only be able to do it with her help. Defeat the one who killed your parents, bind her, and make her tell you the secrets of the Stone-Laerds. There is no other way, and even with that knowledge it will take a major feat of magic to pull it off." She took another sip of her chocolate. "Oh, and wear something snappy, she'd appreciate it. Traditional armor, your most intimidating dress; you know, that sort of thing."
Thalia bowed a bit and stood to leave.
"Oh, and its because I put a lot of time into those fields, and I don't let anyone talk unless they take the time to appreciate it. You'll find your confidence return when you make it back into town. Smell the roses along the way please, I've spent the last fifty years getting them just right."
"He tells me you need to know a way to create a better golem, one that is nearly sentient."
Thalia nodded again. The sage was so calm; serene even. It was the way she'd always imagined a grandmother, only much younger. She had to be immensely powerful, but nothing about her bearing or demeanor indicated aggression, or even impatience.
"But, despite your silence, I get the impression you want more than near sentience. That I can not give you."
Thalia had the feeling that wasn't it, but that didn't seem to stop Hal from gasping out of apparent shock.
"But if you can't, who can?"
"Have you asked Professor Zinksfeld, at the Arcane Academy? She used to have quite the knack for necromancy back when she was in school." The sage picked up a cup, that spontaneously filled itself with a brown liquid that smelled somewhat of raspberries and dark chocolate. "Not that she would ever admit it. Stupid paladin, Nothing but healing, combat, and enchantment and honor forbid you do anything else. But that's nothing important. The one you need is the Reaper." The Sage took a long sip of her drink and then set it down. "Hal, this is going to be difficult, and you'll only be able to do it with her help. Defeat the one who killed your parents, bind her, and make her tell you the secrets of the Stone-Laerds. There is no other way, and even with that knowledge it will take a major feat of magic to pull it off." She took another sip of her chocolate. "Oh, and wear something snappy, she'd appreciate it. Traditional armor, your most intimidating dress; you know, that sort of thing."
Thalia bowed a bit and stood to leave.
"Oh, and its because I put a lot of time into those fields, and I don't let anyone talk unless they take the time to appreciate it. You'll find your confidence return when you make it back into town. Smell the roses along the way please, I've spent the last fifty years getting them just right."
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