The Nine Bishops

The smell of salt air pricked Mika’s nostrils—the first thing her senses picked up. Opening her eyes slowly, she found herself in unfamiliar surroundings. It smelled, sounded and felt like she was on a boat, but she had no idea how she had come to be there.

The room she was in was small, but spacious compared to her living situation over the past week. She was lying in an actual bed, though far from comfortable. She was aching everywhere. Looking down, she saw bandages covering wounds all over her body.

Mika managed to get up, slowly and painfully. She hobbled to the door a few steps away and, after opening it, realized she was on the open sea, on a craft she knew well, the SS Marlene. It appeared she’d been put in the guest cabin, whose interior was the one part of the boat she’d never seen.

Carlson and Sully were both working: Carlson running a line to catch fish and Sully up on the flying bridge, navigating. They caught sight of Mika at the same moment and immediately stopped what they were doing.

“Ho there, Mika! Glad to see that you are finally awake. You’ve been out for quite a long time. How are you feeling?” Sully called out, descending the ladder.

“Aching miserably,” Mika admitted. “What happened yesterday?”

“Yesterday? You mean four days ago? You’ve been out for a long time, Mika,” Carlson said. “We were really worried about you, but the yellow-eyed man told us you’d be fine. He’s checked on you every day now.”

“The yellow-eyed man?”

“He’s the one who dressed your wounds. If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t have been able to stanch the bleeding—for you, or for that woman you were with, either.”

The yellow-eyed man had to be Nik, but how could he possibly have known where she was? What Carlson said about him was even odder: that he’d visited every day. Yes, Nik had showed up in Mika’s life at opportune times, but never consistently.

“Where’s this man that you are talking about?” Mika asked quickly. Her eagerness to know made her wounds hurt even more.

“Not here right now. We have been at sea for the past four days, but he just shows up here out of nowhere to check on you. He didn’t talk to us, really. He just told us what to do if your condition got worse and not to worry if it didn’t,” Carlson explained.

“And what became of the woman?”

“After the yellow-eyed man dressed her wounds, she went on her own way. She was injured by that man in the forest, but she didn’t want to stick around. Which leads me to ask if you know what happened to the man we brought on the boat.”

Mika realized that Carlson and Sully had no idea that the purpled-eyed woman and the shrouded man were one and the same. Given what had happened in the forest, she figured some things were best kept to herself.

So she improvised an explanation, telling them only that she had followed the man into the forest and lost track of him, then was attacked by the eyeless man. The purple-eyed woman, she said, had come to help her but was injured in the process. That was when Carlson came into the forest looking for Mika. The one truth Mika told them was that the eyeless man had disappeared and she had passed out. Beyond that, she said, everything was a mystery to her.

It was left to Mika’s imagination to put the odd pieces of this story together. The purpled-eyed woman had disappeared and seemed to have no intention of returning to Monsoon, at least in the way she’d come. If Mika expected to learn any more, she would have to hope for a visit from Nik.

Sully explained they would be back in Monsoon in two days. She was to spend her time recovering in the guest cabin and would not be helping with the boat. Sore and aching, she was in no condition to argue.

When Mika returned to the guest cabin, she spied her bag next to the bed and checked that all her things were still there. It looked untouched, except for a note that had been slipped inside. On the note, attached to a single coin, was a simple message: A proper wage for saving my life, signed at the bottom with the letter K. Mika examined the coin up close to marvel at its beauty. She blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. Sure enough, it was gold.

Next, she sifted through her pockets. The Bishop’s medallion still lay heavily in the left; the mysterious rock in the right. But when she put her hand into the right pocket she no longer felt one object, but two. She quickly pulled out the contents and found the rock was no longer one whole piece, but broken in two.

Mika stared at the rock in disbelief. She was sure it had been whole just before she ventured into Pils with the mysterious figure who turned out to be K, the purple-eyed woman. In the time between leaving the boat and waking up, the rock had somehow been cut in half.

Mika realized with joy that, even though it didn’t seem she’d achieved anything, this meant she could finally continue her training.

Now she was eager to get well and get back to Monsoon. Mika hadn’t dreamed at all during those days when she remained unconscious, but now she was once again meeting her father in combat. She enjoyed these dreams now, though there were no more answers forthcoming from her father. She enjoyed them because, in that white world, she didn’t get hurt or tired, which meant she could really test the limits of her growing magic abilities—which at last she had learned to apply in her conscious world to the same extent that she did in her dreams.

A couple of days later, Mika was standing on the front deck of the Marlene as it drifted into Monsoon harbor. She’d heeded Sully and Carlson’s guidance and rested patiently, waiting nightly for Nik to visit. But he never did.

Now, her mind shifted to the several things she needed to do. First, turn in her contract, which she hoped would lead to learning more about it. Plus, she would get her reward, since the signed contract was still valued at twenty-five silver. With the gold coin joining the other precious objects in her pockets, Mika felt on top of the world. She was richer than she ever could have imagined in her old life.

Second, she wanted to see Zaya. It felt like ages since she’d talked to her friend, and she wanted to do her the courtesy of telling her what had happened.

Lastly, she needed to show Master Beng the divided rock. She had accomplished the task she had been given, though she had no idea how. The purpose of this task remained a mystery, but Mika knew there had to be a reason for it—and she eagerly looked forward to her last phase of training.

When the boat was securely docked, Mika was glad to touch solid ground and finally be home. She said her goodbyes to Sully and Carlson.

“Thank you for everything. I don’t have enough words to convey my gratitude,” Mika admitted, afraid she’d get emotional and embarrass all three of them.

“We are the ones that should be thanking you. You not only saved my grandson, but you proved to be the best second mate we have had the pleasure of working with,” Sully said, leaning in to Mika to give her a heartfelt hug as they stood together on the pier. The hug hurt Mika’s aching body, but she embraced it all the same.

“Thanks, Mika, you should really come by when we are in port. It would nice to have your company,” Carlson said from the boat, his eyes lowered and his cheeks red.

“You bet,” Mika responded, enthusiastically.

It was hard to say goodbye and leave so quickly, but she had a lot of things to do before the day was gone. The Sultons had been immeasurably kind to her the whole trip, and she knew that from now on, she could call them family.

With one last, lingering wave, Mika turned toward the city and rushed to the SCA as fast she could, limping because of her injuries. She was healing quickly and had taken off the bandages. There were still some puncture wounds, but mostly she was bruised and aching. Mika winced with every step, but she knew that driving through the pain would only make her stronger.

As she entered the main doors of the SCA after a long, slow walk, she was discouraged by the line of mages in front of the main desk; she’d arrived just after lunchtime, a peak hour for picking up and turning in contracts. In the hour it took to reach the head of the line, everyone who walked past Mika gave her a double take. She hadn’t looked into a mirror since her return to the boat, and she realized now that it must be obvious she was hurt.

When it was her turn at last, she slid the signed contract across the desk to the ancient-looking council member manning the post. He took it in shaking hands and squinted at it for a long time. Slowly, he grabbed the incanted spray and made sure the signature was authentic. After the contract passed all the checks, he filed it into a cubby behind him and then went into a drawer. He slid Mika a quarter of gold.

“Congratulations on completing your first third-class contract,” the man said with a smile.

Little does he know how difficult that contract turned out to be. Mika knew she was lucky to even be alive. If she’d had to guess, the contract should have been rated first-class, judging from the descriptions of first-class contracts she’d read. Either way, she had earned a proper wage and improved her resume. She returned the old master’s smile and, with a quick thank-you, left.

Figuring that Zaya would most likely be working around this time, Mika sought out her calligrapher’s tent. Because the central square had been cleared for the Selection, Zaya no longer worked there. So Mika went to look for her in the area where all of the little businesses had relocated: a collection of open-fronted tents just south of the center. The space was much tighter, but it was the only good place to house a lot of shops.

Mika looked for Zaya’s tent among the shopping crowds. The shops had to be packed up and vacated daily, and it was a first-come first-served setup, so it was always necessary to hunt for her current location. Mika finally spotted Zaya’s tent in a tucked-away corner of the park.

Inside the tent, Zaya was diligently drawing a tiny map, crouched on all fours on the table she had set up. Mika took a moment to watch her before she decided to spook her with a shout.

Zaya fell off the table in surprise, and Mika laughed. “What the hell! Don’t do that, Mika!” Zaya said, sitting on the floor, shaking off the fright.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself,” Mika said, walking over to Zaya and grabbing her hand to help her up. The two friends embraced. Mika grimaced in pain when Zaya squeezed her, but it was worth it after not seeing her friend for such a long time.

“It’s good to see you, Zaya,” Mika said happily.

“I’m happy to see you, too, but you really need to tell me what happened. You look abysmal!”

Mika told her everything, omitting nothing except the strange visits from Nik while she lay unconscious. Zaya didn’t need to know anything about him, at least not yet.

Zaya stood in silence for a moment.

“So, how did you know that the medallion was fake?” she asked, slowly.

Mika decided it was time to tell Zaya the truth, though not the whole truth. After making sure no one was around, she pulled the Bishop’s medallion from her pocket and told Zaya everything. When Zaya saw the medallion, her eyes grew wide as she listened to Mika’s story.

“The Bishop Joker gave me this when I was on my way to Monsoon,” Mika started.

She told Zaya about how she got it and why she hadn’t told anyone. Mika explained that she wasn’t sure until recently what she was going to do with it.

“I don’t know why he chose me. Whether it is a sick joke, as his name insinuates, or he really thinks I can compete against the other guild masters and mages, I haven’t figured it out. That’s why I haven’t been comfortable telling anyone about it,” Mika finished. She watched intently for Zaya’s response.

“Your secret is safe with me,” Zaya said evenly. “You were right not to show anyone, especially after finding out about it. I really appreciate you telling me. So the question now becomes, when are you planning to drop it?”

“I’ve thought a lot about that. As soon as I’m ready, I guess. I’m not, yet; maybe after my last phase of training. If not then, I’ll have to figure out what to do with the medallion.”

“Okay, that is a good plan. I personally think it’s a bad idea to even consider joining that tournament. Those mages are an entire league of their own, and even if you managed to defeat them, then you would have to defeat a Bishop.”

“What do you mean, defeat a Bishop?” Mika asked.

“You didn’t know? Whoever wins this tournament must face a Bishop for their spot. There can only be nine, and none of them have died.”

In that moment, it all made sense. There were only eight Bishop nominees. Each had a medallion from a different Bishop, which left one Bishop. That Bishop was the one who would challenge the victor in the tournament.

“How do we know which Bishop will be participating in the tournament?”

Zaya shook her head. “That’s the thing, you probably won’t know until the Selection is over. You said your Bishop’s medallion was from the Joker, right? That means you won’t have to face him. All the other Bishops that were revealed are also off the table. Until the last medallion is dropped, we won’t know which Bishop is in the tournament. It’s not like that makes a difference, though. They are all more powerful than you can imagine.”

But it did matter to Mika. She desperately wanted to see the Flame. He was the one after her uncle Sam.

Is Sam even still alive? Mika wanted it to be true, but she doubted it. The Joker had found her, so it would come as no surprise if Sam had also been found. The Flame had killed so many people she had cared for. She desperately wanted to stop him before he hurt anyone else she cared about.

Mika longed to share more about her past with Zaya, but it still felt too early. Mika trusted her, but she worried that their friendship might change after she revealed something so crucial.

“Zaya, I’ve got to get back to the guild. You were the first person I had to see, but I’m sure they are all worried about me as well. Let’s get together tomorrow so we can talk more,” Mika suggested.

“Def, we can talk our game plan going forward. You know I’ll support any decision you make,” Zaya responded. A true friend, Mika mused gratefully.

Leaving the tent, she had begun heading toward the guild house when a familiar face suddenly appeared right in front of her. It was one of the mage boys from the school grounds, who clearly recognized her, too. He pointed at Mika and said something to the man he was with. The man laughed. The boy, looking frustrated, spoke more loudly.

“I’m not kidding, Father. She’s the one I told you about. That’s the lady who had the medallion,” the boy remarked, still pointing.

Mika stifled her urge to run, afraid that would only arouse more interest. So she just listened intently while pretending not to hear.

“Do you see that symbol on her hand, son? No Bishop would give a medallion to someone from that guild. If she truly did show you one, then it was fake. Just forget about her and her desire to be someone important.”

The boy fixed a stern gaze at Mika as his father pulled him away through the crowded market. I guess being a War Eagle has its perks, Mika thought, sighing in relief.

Mika hobbled back to the guild house. She’d lost track of time talking to Zaya, and now it was getting late. It was unlikely her third phase of training would start today. Either way, she wanted to catch up with Tink and tell him about the medallion as well. After her recent brush with death, Mika now felt she could no longer keep secrets from people who were supporting her, even if it meant compromising her safety.

Entering the guild house, she smelled something delicious being prepared in the kitchen and followed her nose to find Tink seasoning a mouthwatering casserole for supper. She’d hoped to surprise him as she had Zaya, but he turned in her direction just as she entered the kitchen.

“Mika, good to see you back!” Tink said, putting down a platter. When he noticed her bruises and cuts, he ran to her in concern.

“What happened? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, don’t worry about it. How have things been?” Mika asked. Tink shot Mika a look of concern.

“Really, I’m fine,” she said. “I’ll tell you all about it, just as long as you tell me what has been going on.”

Tink hesitated for a second. “Well, it’s been the usual, really.”

“Anyone notice that I was gone?”

“No one said anything, actually. Roxanne, Doc, and Pudge are all on contracts right now. Manard just returned a few days ago from one of his. And the master … well, he has been drinking, like usual.”

It was a relief to hear that no one had inquired about her disappearance. Even Master Beng hadn’t noticed, but then he didn’t really pay her any mind even when she was around. Either way, Mika was glad she didn’t have to do any explaining. However, she’d probably have to explain her injuries, so she would need to fabricate a believable story.

Tink related a few stories involving a drunken Master Beng and caught her up on current events in Monsoon, but for the most part nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

Then she told him about her own adventure, explaining everything to Tink just as she had with Zaya, but adding details about how she had known the Bishop’s medallion was fake. She pulled out the medallion and continued the story. Tink didn’t react as visibly as Zaya had and waited patiently until Mika had finished her story before saying a word.

“I still haven’t decided if or when I am going to drop the medallion …” Mika began to say. Just then, the two were startled by a noise just inside the kitchen. They looked up to see Manard standing in the doorway. Mika quickly slipped the Bishop’s medallion back into her pocket, unsure of how much Manard had heard or seen.

“Dinner will be ready in an hour or so,” Tink said calmly, dispelling the awkward silence in the room. Manard nodded and walked out.

Mika looked at Tink with panic in her eyes. “How much do you think he heard?”

“I’m not sure, but I don’t think much. Just try not to worry about it. Even if he had, he wouldn’t share your secret,” he said reassuringly.

Manard still scared Mika; she wasn’t sure she could trust him. Everyone advocated for him, but she had no means of judging him other than by his strange appearance and demeanor. In any case, she was no longer in the mood to continue revealing secrets.

“Is Master Beng in his office? I need to speak with him.”

“Yes, he is, and he isn’t drunk, either, so now would be a great time to talk to him.”

Mika went to her room first and dropped off her belongings. She fingered the gold coin in her pocket and pondered all the things she would buy. Glancing in the mirror, she was startled by her bruised and disheveled appearance. She decided that it was time for more clothes. The two sets she’d received from the brothers had been a godsend, but it was abnormal for a mage in a guild to wear the same thing so often. She could also begin taking advantage of the canal system to get around.

When things were organized in her room, she took the rock’s two pieces with her down to Master Beng’s study. The door was cracked open. Mika knocked politely. Master Beng immediately responded, “Come in!”

The study was surprisingly well organized compared to its state the last time she had been inside. Master Beng was at his desk, reading letters.

“What can I help you with, Mika?”

She said nothing but placed the split rock on his desk. Master Beng picked up the two pieces and looked at them for a long moment.

“I guess it’s time for you to start your final phase of training.”

Mika smiled eagerly. “And what will the last phase entail?”

“I just changed my mind about what we are going to do.”

Mika gave him a puzzled look. She’d hoped that her training was well thought out, not something to be changed on a whim. “What has changed?”

“Well, after talking to Manard a few minutes ago, I’ve decided that you are going to train with him,” he said, with an enthusiasm that suggested Mika should be thrilled about this news. However, her reaction was the complete opposite. Not only did Mika not want to train with the man who terrified her, she was now certain that Manard knew about the medallion.