Fireflies

Ted was anxious for more fireflies. There was nothing quite like a sinister presence of a supernatural origin inside his workspace to put some action into him. He called for Eknie.

He received Eknie and Junior, who was explaining something that made very little sense.

"And they still swear by the salamander method, even after a thousand years of forging and experimental forging!"

Ted had to admit that at times, Junior could be useful. He was like a vessel that brought information back and forth across the river of his mind, but sadly, nothing was ever dropped in or absorbed by his reason. He just regurgitated news, both obscure and commonly known, and sometimes someone else caught something vital amidst his blabbering.

"Excuse me, Junior, but is the salamander method related to the frog-lizard and its supposed ability to…"

"To withstand extreme temperatures. Yes, cor."

"Which is funny. Modern zoology is well aware of the fact that the salamander is just a relative of the regular toad," Ted said, greatly amused by the conversation.

"It's just the name of the method," Junior said with a pathetic, sheepish expression.

Too bad Ted did not indulge in pity.

"But I do like the way the creatures look," he said, forcing himself to pretend he was talking with an intellectual equal. "Black and yellow. It would suggest that they are poisonous, at least to some beasts."

Junior looked surprised. "Can one be poisonous for only some beasts?"

"Oh, Junior, it is entirely possible and probable as well. No man or woman has ever died from handling a salamander, at least, not from handling the black and yellow type."

Then a symbolic thought hit Ted, one of pride. The great witches and occultists of old had often associated their powers with certain animals. For the deadrouser of Karshland Capital, it had been a shark, for the great healer-doctor, Ingram, it had been a fox, and with Ted's ties to solar fires, he could pick the one beast that could supposedly sit in fire or extreme heat without any harm.

Ted could be the Great Salamander.

He was fully aware that others would have considered this a grandiose thought pattern. After all, he had only completed a few successful summonings, but the ones he had done to the bitter end had arguably given him connections to the major spiritual spheres of the occult world.

He was a big fish now.

Eknie smirked as she watched him lean back in his chair.

It was not a particularly comfortable chair, but for Ted, it was a throne right now.

He saw the admiration in her eyes. He knew she knew the level of madness he was indulging in.

He loved it that she recognized him for what he was.

"Why is everyone silent all of a sudden?" Junior asked.

"You will learn once you are ready," Eknie said.

"It's very deep, inside stuff," Ted said.

For once, he wasn't lying.

There was some trouble later in the evening, though, or rather, Ted was sure that someone else would have classified a worried group of the black-coated men from the city watch a problem.

For him, it was a recruiting opportunity.

"I have not witnessed the massacre, you know I do not drink anything that would be stronger than myself," he said, faking worry and sorrow. "But I have seen men who do. There are some…mentally unstable individuals running around. One came to me with blabbering about storms, and don't get me wrong. I am most concerned with storms, and the people who make a living predicting them."

"Yes, the suspect was insane and very much into that topic," the tallest of the men said, twirling his mustache in an act of fidgeting that made him look quite jumpy.

"As I thought." Ted sighed. "It is a horrible thing that all the asylums seem to be full."

"But cor, what about this interest of yours, the storms themselves?" the leader of the pathetic little group asked, leaning forwards. "Has it taken you to places where you might have had an opportunity to learn about this sensation? Or should I say madness?"

"I try to steer the discussion towards pure reason," Ted said as softly as he could. "You might have heard of the financial and social issues meteorologists have faced."

"No, cor Tobias, do tell us more. Are meteorologists in trouble?"

"Well, yes, but since they have freely chosen their profession, there is nothing you can do to help us and the association I am assembling." Ted shook his head.

"I respectfully disagree." The leader straightened his back. "My son-in-law is a scientist. I know that such things are born out of passion, and frankly, while I do not, in any way, understand such pursuits, I do know that reasoning abilities have -"

He knocked on the strange, metallic helmet he was wearing to signify his position.

"Well. They have made us into the people we are now. No steam without the brains that came first, eh? Worthgul…all the men, and women, too. Just tell me how I could help."

"Well…"

Ted pretended to hesitate.

"You have better ways to use for money. Besides, I don't need gold or silver, and I could not possibly be rude enough to ask you to actually join us."

"But why, cor Tobias!" The leader flashed a smile. "Of course I want to support your cause! I have been so worried about my son-in-law. You probably know how hard it is to find things that stimulate both the mind and the wallet, especially with people like him…people who have such high standards."

Ted could not bear to hear more of that pretentious oaf blabbering and using overly complex structures to mask his ignorance. Ted had to seal the deal right now.

"Can you help me find more supporters?" Ted asked. "I know, it's a lot of work."

"Not at all, cor."

"I was thinking of a nominal membership fee," Ted said, improvising as he spoke. "A sort of pay what you can, a little tip to make the lives of those we help a bit easier. In return…in return we could have them make personal weather forecasts. You know how some people are affected by the weather? Their health…or maybe they want to go fishing on the birthday of a friend. And they need exact information. Well, with a little piece of support, we could give the entry-level members what they want…and then we could help the meteorologists, too, feeding them, taking care of their daily needs…"

"Is this the building you will house the homeless ones in, cor?" the leader asked as he gave the room an admiring look. "Nice! They will have plenty of space."

"This is it, and we will have tea parties for the members here, too."

One of the lesser city watch men also wanted to join.

Ted made Eknie keep track of the names.

Into his own notes, Ted just added two more lines, two scratches of his quill.

He was not sure, but he thought he heard a silent chuckle that was too ominous to come out of a human throat.