The Great Master's keys open any door

I was awakened by a vague rustling. Actually, it was strange enough that I could hear anything at all after the amount of alcohol I'd ingested.

I lifted my head above the pillow and opened my eyes to see Gemma standing beside my bed. She was wearing something blue and airy, her hair loose, a dreamy half-smile on her lips.

When your sweetest dream starts to come true, you have to be careful. I sat up abruptly, staring in surprise at this unlikely vision.

"Gemma, what are you doing here?"

"Aren't you glad to see me?" she chuckled. "Vana o'mirror showed me your apartment and Jock opened the door." 

Her fingers ran over my face, my shoulders, and started to unbutton my shirt.

Double feelings. I wanted this woman desperately, but she was no longer mine. No matter what Angrew had said, I couldn't forget her husband. 

I took her hand. "What are you doing?"

"I love you, Arthur," she said, and kissed me.

And I kissed her back. I couldn't help but respond. Then I pulled away slightly and asked, "What about Alex?"

"What  -  Alex?" she whispered, but the light in her eyes was already gone.

She got up and walked around the room, stopping near my bed. 

"You ruined everything!" she said reproachfully.

I sighed, inwardly agreeing with her. For so many years I could only dream of such a moment, understanding that it was absolutely impossible. And now my dream was coming true! Gemma was here, with me, and nothing else mattered. Alex was far away, in another reality. And even if we got out of here, he would never know. So why couldn’t I? Who would benefit from damned nobility?

"You'll regret this tomorrow, Gemma," I said wearily.

"You know nothing about women," she exclaimed, falling onto the bed; the hem of her shirt pulled up to reveal the grace of her legs.

"But I know something about you." I reached out and pulled back the thin fabric. It took a lot of effort not to go any further.

"You're so ridiculous," she laughed, and I suddenly realized that she was no more sober than I had been a few hours ago. "Do you know where we are, Archie? We are in the Looking Glass World."

"I know. I've been here for six years." I lay down, rested my head on my hand, and looked at her. "Whom have you been drinking with?"

"Girls," she smiled, "Laima, Kerena, Nilli... Nilli... the one with the moles all over her face."

"I see."

"And you know what?"

"What?"

"They told me so many things about you!" she giggled, looking at me slyly. "Oh! You're blushing!"

"Lady, it's really indecent to discuss such things!" I said sternly.

"Archie, you're a bore," she concluded, quite reasonably, reaching out and ruffling my hair. "How could you love anyone but me?"

Oh, my God.

"Baby, you're a little drunk and you don't understand what you're saying," I mumbled, feeling extremely uncomfortable with the conversation.

"Shh..." she pressed her finger to my lips and whispered in a conspiratorial tone, "I understand. Laima explained it to me."

"Great!" I chuckled.

"We‘re going to stay here forever," Gemma purred, "and it's like we're already gone."

"But we're not," I objected.

"As if," she pointed out. "We'll never come back. And that's why it doesn't matter who's who out there... There is no one here. It's just you and me. Do you understand?"

"I do," I nodded, stroking her cheek. "You know, my beauty, let's go to sleep. It's night."

"Damn it, Archie! I don't want to sleep."

"But I do," I objected. "And I have a lot to do tomorrow."

"Tell me," she demanded at once.

"In the morning, my dear, in the morning."

"You really are a bore."

"I know."

She smiled broadly - seductive dimples on her cheeks; yawned and snuggled against me.

"Stupid..." she mumbled sleepily. " I'll remind you of that."

I stroked her head until she fell asleep. Then I gently covered her with the blanket and got up.

If I gave in to her drunken antics and my desires, she'd be sorry tomorrow. Or wouldn’t she? Maybe I didn't know women very well.

I took a step toward the bed and looked at her loving face. 

Damn it. I might be temporarily immortal, but I wasn’t  made of steel.

I left the room quickly, barely able to stop myself from slamming the door, and ran to the library. If we were going to get out of here, we had to do it sooner rather than later. I couldn't stand this torture any longer!

About halfway there, a yawning and disheveled Jock caught up with me.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" he began to grumble.

"None of your business," I replied irritably. "Go to sleep. I don't need you right now."

"But I'm your servant and I have to follow you."

I stopped and shook the annoying guy by the shoulders. "Just leave me alone, Jock. I do not need company."

"But I must..."

"You must obey me, you are my servant! So here are my orders: go and rest. Do not appear until I call you. Do it."

Jock looked at me reproachfully for half a minute, then turned, slumped his shoulders, and walked back.

I reached the library, walked my table piled high with the books, and decided to randomly pick  a book from the eighth shelf, which would be the twenty-fifth in the top row. Thanks to this method, I had already come across some very interesting items on several occasions.

There were no books on the eighth shelf, only scrolls. The shelf itself was really high, and of course there was no ladder  nearby, and I didn't want to go after it.

Deciding that I would definitely need one from the top shelf, I took aim and jumped up. I was a little short, jumped again, lost my balance, and crashed into the shelf. It swayed and began to fall slowly to the side. I tried to grab onto it – all in vain! An avalanche of ancient manuscripts fell on my head, threatening to bury me. I grabbed the first scroll that came to hand and ran away. I reached the table just as the rumble of the falling furniture had subsided.

I shook my head at the chaos and decided to take a look at the scroll. I pushed aside the books on the table and unrolled the yellowish piece of parchment. Some kind of pattern. I held the lamp closer and tried to see the faded drawing better.

It was... I felt dizzy. It was a copy of the ornament of the Pentagonal Hall!

I moved my trembling finger along the lines of the pattern, trying to compare the drawing with what we had done in the hall, as I could remember it. It was like a picture game where you had to find ten differences. Finally, realizing that I was just wasting my time, I rolled up the scroll and ran to the Guard-Ancha. 

There was a pair of o'mirrors sleeping near the door of the Pentagonal Hall. That meant someone was inside. I entered the hall and found Louis and Roge. They were fencing as usual. 

"Found a place and time." I grumbled.

"Wow, look who's here!" exclaimed Roge. "Want to fence?"

"Not now. Look what I found!"

"What? An underground passageway to a nunnery?" Louis asked.

"Something like that," I started unrolling the scroll. "Hold that side."

"Oh, Master!" Louis exclaimed when he saw what I'd brought them. "Where did you get it?"

"It just fell on my head," I admitted honestly.

We spent the next few hours crawling over the ornament on the floor, comparing it to the pattern, finding differences, correcting them, comparing again, meticulously checking every line, every angle.

"Hey, Archie," Louis called to me, leaning low over the parchment, "look at this strange mark here."

"What's there to see?" I shouted back from across the room. "Draw it over and that's the end of it!"

"But it's not part of the pattern, it's on the side. I've never seen it before."

I came over and sat down beside him.

"Look," Louis pointed to the corner of the parchment, "have you ever seen this before?"

During my years in the Looking Glass World, I had read so much literature that I had become an expert in many near-magical matters, including a good understanding of signs and symbols. But this sign puzzled me as much as it puzzled Louis. The divided circle was vaguely reminiscent of the Chinese "yin-yang," but above it were crossed stylized blades, and all of this was encircled by something resembling a twisted chain.

"It's quite interesting," I muttered as I looked at the sign, "every single part looks familiar, but all together… I can't even give you an approximation."

"This looks like the union of Light and Dark," Roge pointed to the divided circle.

“So what?” 

We racked our brains for a long time trying to figure out what that meant, but we didn't get anywhere. Then one of the o'mirrors told us it was time for breakfast. So we left the Pentagonal Hall and headed for the dining room.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner occupied a large place in the life of the Looking Glass Society. In fact, eating was the main occupation of its inhabitants. Eating and gossiping: what else was there to do? That's why I tried to avoid the dining room as much as possible. But it didn't always work - the ladies took offense.

This morning, however, the three of us were among the first to arrive at the table. We were joined by Viscount Puddigate and his eternal card partner, Sir Cheverel, the only one of us who had aged before coming to the Looking Glass.

"Oh, Arthur," he greeted me, "I haven't seen you in ages."

"It was only yesterday," I replied.

"Lady Victoria joined us yesterday. She's so beautiful, I couldn't take my eyes off her."

"You're right, she is very pretty," Louis agreed.

"Whom are you talking about? Me?" Laima asked as she entered the room.

"It's always about you!" Louis reassured her. "Who else?"

"I really don't know," Laima replied, "I guess for some people I'm not number one anymore.”

"Don't be jealous, beauty," I chuckled. "It was you who left me."

"Really? But that's no reason for you to leave me," she pointed out.

The dining room gradually filled with people. Laima went to say hello to someone else, and my friends also left. I took advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention to me to sit next to Angrew and tell him about the night's discovery. I even drew the strange sign, but the prince knew nothing of it. Paddigate joined us, but he had no idea of the subject either.

 A familiar hand rested on my shoulder, a wave of red curls blocking my view.

"You're unbearable," Gemma whispered, "but I love you."

I covered her hand with mine and looked into her eyes. "How are you, baby?"

"I'm fine. I promise not to get drunk like this again." She pecked my cheek and sat down next to me, moving the napkin with the sketch to her. "What is this? Wow! What a familiar sign!"

"Do you know it?" I exclaimed.

"Sure," she nodded, "These are the Keys of the Great Master."

"The Keys?" Angrew asked in turn. "Are you really sure?"

"Absolutely," she confirmed, a little surprised. "I am the keeper of one of them. But why do you need them?"

"You see…" I began.

"Let me explain," Angrew interrupted me, and actually told her in five minutes what would have taken me all morning.

Gemma looked from me to Angrew and back again.

 "I don't know how it can help here," she said finally, "but Merlin once said, 'The Keys of the Great Master open any door.'"

"What did he say?" I interjected.

"The keys of the Great Master open any door."

"Gemma, you're a genius!" I shouted, not caring what it looked like from the outside. "Angrew, this is it. Just what we've been looking for!"

"Calm down, Arthur," he said wearily. "Even if this is it, it won't help us. We have no Keys of the Great Master."

"Really?" I called, running to the door. "I'll be right back."

I whirled through the corridors, scaring off a few o'mirrors and knocking over a vase of flowers. I slowed down to pick it up, waved, and ran on.

I had happened to smuggle two Keys of the Master into the Looking Glass World. I had hidden them in a closet behind my clothes and had never taken them out in all those years. My hands trembled as I kneeled down, pushed my clothes aside, and fumbled around on the floor for the roll, which was invisible thanks to the Veil of Wind. I was afraid that the Keys might not be there, that I had just imagined the whole story about them. Finally, I felt something solid wrapped in weightless flowing fabric, and felt relief. I pulled out the roll, unwrapped the Veil of the Wind, and saw the blades. There was my Helyswort with the sapphires in its hilt, and the Heart of the Night adorned with the black pearls.

I folded the veil neatly and placed it in my pocket. I fastened Helyswort to my belt and took the Heart of the Night in my hand.

The door opened and Jock entered the room.

"Why didn't you call me?" he started, but stopped when he saw my blades. "Magic! Magic is here!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" I said irritated.

He drew a guard sign in the air and crept towards the door.

"What happened to you?"

But he already sprinted out the door, yelling something desperately.

"Holy shit!" I looked around the room, grabbed my old backpack, and ran back to the dining room. A clock started in my head, telling me that time was running out.

I met everyone in the gallery next to the greenhouse.

"Archie, something strange is happening," Roger began as he walked towards me, "all the o'mirrors are gone. They've disappeared as if on command."

"Jock saw this," I showed him the Heart of the Night, "screamed about magic and ran off. I think he called them all."

"Is it the Key of the Great Master?" Angrew asked.

"Yes. And this one too," I pointed to Helyswort.

"Where did you get them?" several voices asked at once.

"I found them in the wardrobe," I almost didn't lie, "I'll tell you later, but now we have to hurry."

"What's going on, Arthur?" asked Gemma as she approached me.

I threw her the Heart of the Night and she caught it. "We may have to fight our way out!"

She nodded and stood at my side.

"Does anyone have any weapons?" I asked aloud.

Of course they didn't. 

"We'll go through the fencing hall. Those of you who can still hold a blade, take rapiers there. Let's go!"

I hoped I wouldn't have to fight, but I didn't like the o'mirrors' behavior.

Soon Lady Nilitton caught up with me.

"Archie, what are you up to now?" she asked playfully.

"Trying to get back home."

"Are you serious?" she asked in surprise.

"Yes, Nil, absolutely."

"But Archie," she grabbed my sleeve and made me stop. "You should have warned me! I'm not ready. It's all happening so fast," she whined.

I stared at her like she was an idiot. "Nil, don't you understand? There is our home, Irrat, the Lace. Don't you want to be free?"

A thoughtful expression appeared on her pretty face. A rare thing for her, I'd say.

"You know, Archie," she said finally. "I'm fine here."

It was unexpected. "What?"

"I'm fine here," she repeated. "I don't care about your Irrat or the Lace."

"But you'll be alone here."

"Alone?" Nilitton shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Well," I turned to the company that was watching us with interest. "Maybe someone hasn't figured out what's going on yet? Then I’ll explain. Right now we are going to the Guard Ancha. We’re going to try to walk through the mirror in the Pentagonal Hall and return to the real world. Since no one has ever done this before, I can't guarantee anyone a successful transition or safety. So if anyone wants to stay here, now is the time to turn back. But beware! I don't think you'll ever get a second chance!”

I finished speaking and looked at them. There were whispers in the crowd, then someone said, "Excuse me, Your Highness!" and they were gone. Gone, almost all of them. I fluttered my eyes and couldn't believe what had happened.

"You see, Archie," Nilitton said as she walked down the stairs. "Who needs your damn freedom?"

I counted those left – there were eleven with me. Gemma, Angrew, Roger and Louis, Puddigate, Cheverel, Laima and her best friend Kerena, and two others: Marquis Boldwan and Count Stattada, whom I didn't know well.

"Well, we got rid of the ballast!" I said cheerfully, trying to hide my disappointment after the mass betrayal. "Let's go!"

Now we weren't walking, we were running. There were no o'mirrors around, but I doubted they would let us go so easily. Nevertheless, we reached the tower unhindered and climbed the stairs without the slightest problem.

All the o’mirrors gathered in front of the Pentagonal Hall. The whole crowd - I had never seen so many of them in six years. They were kneeling, heads bowed, hands folded in prayer, muttering incessantly. They were positioned so that there was a wide passage from the stairs to the door of the hall, but I hesitated and stopped a few steps before I reached the o'mirrors.

Jock, standing in the front row, raised his head and looked me straight in the eye. I wished I'd never seen that accusing look again.

"You're leaving after all, Your Highness," he said.

"Yes, Jock. We are," I replied, adding mentally, "If it works out..."

"You have brought magic into our world and destroyed the original balance,” he said. “You cannot imagine what you have done. Go and be damned." 

"Be damned," echoed many voices.

The o'mirrors bowed their heads again and muttered monotonously.

"Let's go," Angrew urged me.

So we walked on. I felt a little uneasy after Jock's words.  On the other hand, he definitely wasn't the first to curse me, and he probably wouldn't be the last.