Hemlock And The Wizard Tower (Book 1) (47 page)

The student, pale with fear, made his way past at the
insistent behest of Falignus, and Hemlock was amazed that he didn’t drop his books in the process.

At this display, Grubbins
turned to Falignus
.
"
Sire, you are the head of the Seventh C
ircle!
 
It is beneath
your station to yield to this Initiate."

Falignus shook his head
.
"There is the matter of station, but in this situation, one simply had to respect the load with whic
h this young man was burdened."

"As you wish
,
"
Grubbins replied uncomfortably.

Hemlock smiled to herself.

This is why people respect him.

…

The tour culminated at the sixth floor, for Grubbins explained that the Seventh Circle was forbidden to any but those who were members of it.

Falignus bid Grubbins and the initiate wizards farewell and asked Hemlock to join him on the Seventh Floor.

"I have a memory of those stairs," she said, pointing upwards, "which I have no desire to renew."

"Don’t worry, that is a ward which I will disable before we pass."

They approached the stairs, and Falignus dispelled the spell as he had promised to do.  Hemlock was able to climb undeterred to the upper atrium.

Again Hemlock was reminded of her prior experiences here, when Gwineval, Safreon and she had first fought the wizards openly.

The atrium had apparently been repaired, for its beautiful glasswork was restored.  The great machine which she had destroyed, however, still appeared to be under repair.

Falignus nodded toward that machine. "It will take some time to fix.  Your mission was all too successful."

Hemlock shook her head, amazed at how radically her perspective had changed in the space of just one fortnight.

Falignus strode toward an Eastern door, which they then exited through onto an outer balcony, which had a similar view to Hemlock’s room, but was more beautiful because it was higher and unobstructed.

The view was breathtaking
to Hemlock
.  They were facing east toward the Elite districts.  Many people in white robes could be see
n moving about.  In the Warrens
she knew that
there would be le
ss activity now; the elderly, most women and c
hildren
would be
indoors
during
the more dangerous evening. 

But the Elites apparently did not live with this daily fear of violence and crime.

"What do you see Hemlock?" asked Falignus.

"I see a bunch of lucky people
down there
." she replied
pointing
.

Falignus turned to her with a piqued expression
.
"Yes, perhaps they are, but I see more than that.  I find that this perspective reveals another reality.  Most of the people walking around on the street, they don't see views like this
–
let alone
understand them.  They see
the world from
their own
perspective
and no
thing
more."

Hemlock sounded skeptical in her reply, "I think sometimes they are aware of more than you think."

Falignus replied with an air of forced benevolence
.
"Oh
,
they do have a sort of collective insight, but more often than not, that insight is colored by whatever fragments of information they hear about larger matters
–
and usually opinions are formed in a very limited context."

Hemlock
grunted noncommittally and shrugged.

"When I stand out here on the
top of the
Tower, I really
understand
that we
wizards
are making decisions for the mass of these people.  It is a great responsibility and sometimes it is an unpopular duty.  The Tower, in a way, is more than symbolic.  It
reminds you, in a very visceral
way
,
that your perspective has to be different.  That you have to rise above the petty concerns of the individual and consider the good of the collective."

Hemlock looked sharply at him. "Is that what you think you are engaged in, then?  Looking after the good of the collective?"

"Absolutely," he replied.

"And in doing so, you’re not concerned that you are depriving the people of their basic freedoms?"

"Freedoms?  The Elites lead strictly regimented lives – all magic is regulated.  Let’s walk around the atrium and look at the Warrens by comparison.  They have free will – and look what they’ve done with it.  They live in an environment that is rife with deception and crime.  They have to be restrained like animals."

"Am I an animal?" Hemlock asked angrily.

"Of course not, but you are unique, Hemlock."

"Safreon always told me that freedom is the most important thing – it is the thing that makes humans human.  If you make people less than free – isn’t that what makes them animals?"

"No!  Your old master was misguided.  Being human is being happy and leading a full life.  You can achieve that within a framework of rules.  That’s what society and government are for!" Falignus replied hotly.

"I don’t think so," Hemlock replied mildly.

"I’m sorry that I lost my temper."

"I think you would know more if you spent more time in the street than up here.  I think that this perspective could be a hindrance to you rather than a boon."

He smiled at her remark.  "Hemlock, this is why I need you," he replied, turning toward her.

"Join me and rule the Guild at my side.  Together we could accomplish so much.  We could even implement some policies that your old master Safreon would approve of.  You can influence me and balance me.  I think he would approve," urged Falignus.

"I’m not so sure about that," she replied.

"Think about it, that’s all that I ask," he said, looking into her eyes passionately.

She held his gaze for a time, and then moved away and returned to the eastern parapet, gazing over the lake and the beautiful Elite district again.

"Come, let us return.  I have given you enough to ponder for one day, I’m sure," Falignus said after a few moments.

Falignus
sat at the council table and looked o
ver the current members that comprised
the lead
ers of the Wizard Guild.
 
S
ince the recent battle where the
wizards
had confronted Gwineval and captured Hemlock, Falignus had been
coming to grips with the fact
that the leadership of the Guild was
now
crippled.
 
During that battle Malvert
, former leader of the First Circle, and Arcos, former leader of the Fourth Circle,
had been lost.
 
Falignus was coming to realize more and more just how much he had relied on the council and independent ability of these two fallen leaders. 

Of the remaining council members, Jalis was, in the estimation of Falignus, an ambitious fool and
Colberth
was conservative to a fault.
 
Gwin
eval's former ally, the Wizard Miara
, was now
reduced to little more than brooding as she came to grips with the fact that the Crimson Order was now pre-eminent; she was
of little use as an advisor
or
as a
leader.

Falignus thought that the lone bright spot on the council was Kraven, the tall, winged Wizard who so far had shown a promisingly sharp mind.  But Falignus knew that he was still inexperienced.

Falignus even had begun reluctantly admitting to himself that
Gwineval, despite his divergent ideals, had been a valuable voice on the council that was now missed.

Given the lack of leadership and experience surrounding him, Falignus had begun to meet frequently with Samberlin, the ambitious leader of the City Senate.  Falignus
worried, however, that
he was becoming
too reliant on Samberlin
for
sound
advice.
Samberlin had a reputation as a ruthlessly self-interested politician– a reputation
which Falignus believed was completely deserved. 
Falignus didn't like
much about this ever expanding
political
relationship, but he did admit to himself that
the old Senator
was particularly insightful.
 

Falignus returned his attention to the events at hand.
Siros, the new council member re
presenting the First C
ircle of magic, was addressing the cou
ncil.
 
Large and imposing like M
alvert, he
was
proving to be far less nuanced
than the older, more experienced warrior had been.
 
Falignus had been trying to mold Siros and
attempting
to get him to think more
deeply about tactics and strateg
y, but so far Siros had only
demonstrated a mastery of the frontal assault
.
 

Though Falignus was always looking among
st
the rank and file
for promising candidates for promotion
, no le
aders had yet emerged from the First C
ircle
who could
rival Siros
’ raw charisma
.
  Falignus had chosen Siros because he knew that the soldiers would follow the man; he knew that he needed a strong leader in combat before any other secondary qualities could be considered.  So he had stuck with Siros, despite his deficiencies.

"We hit the Tanna
Varran
s
hard–somewhat near their town of Tor H
alos, where they had retreated into a pass between two hills.
 
I sent f
lanking forces
to take the hilltops, but they were intercepted.
 
A
Tanna Varran
reserve force ambushed us from the
peaks
,
and sent their flying l
ancers down from above.
 
Even though we outnumbered them, we were hard put for a long w
hile.
 
Finally, they broke off.”

"S
oon after
,
we heard an explosion, which we realized
marked
the destruction o
f the nearby Oberon harvesting O
belisk.
 
The Tanna
Varran
s had sent another force to overwhelm our rear guard while we were
busy
in the pass
.
They
destroyed
our unit and soon after, the Obelisk
.
 
They detonated the Obelisk somehow
,
" said Siros, his brow furrowed and dark and his eyes darting from side to side as he spoke.
 

Falignus rose from his chair as he spoke, as if the force of his words buoyed him
.
"Haven't I told you to beware of misdirection?
 
And why would you engage them in that pass knowing that they have flying forces that could use the
heights to advantage?"

"They were in retreat
–
I
thought that we would rout them,
"
replied the reticent warrior wizard.

Falignus slumped into his chair.
 
"W
as there any sign of Gwineval?"

"No, none that we could tell,
" replied Siros, eyes downcast.

Falignus felt a wave of despair pass over him, but he was able to quickly quell it. 

He then felt a strong pang of desire to initiate a ritual spell of prescience in order to try to see what Gwineval’s next intentions would be.

But he remembered the last time that he had tried that; he remembered all too well how his hand had briefly faded into the nether realm.  He was now, under the pressure of a conflict with an uncertain outcome, almost willing to take that risk again in order to obtain the knowledge that he so desperately sought.

But one thought restrained him,
w
ould Hemlock ever accept me as a lover if I walked that path?

He felt sure that she would not.  And beyond that worry, he felt that she would never join in a partnership with him should he show signs of a dark transformation.

No, I must rely on my own wits and counsel.

"Siros, regroup your forces and prepare for the next harvest.  Try to do better this time," instructed Falignus.

"The time may soon come when Gwineval chooses to directly intervene," he continued.  "Remember, you must retreat when that happens.  Make sure that you drill the units with the new counter spells that we’ve prepared since your last campaign."

Siros replied formally, "I will do this."  The large Wizard rose and stood at attention.

Falignus responded to this gesture with a mixture of amusement and annoyance, shaking his head. "This meeting of the council is adjourned.  Siros, you will do well to note that in your newly elevated position of head of the First Circle that you need not stand at attention any longer."

Siros, looking uncomfortable, grunted his acknowledgement, and quickly turned and left the room.

A young wizard was waiting for Falignus outside the council chamber.

"Samberlin is waiting for you, sir," the slim youth announced.

Falignus nodded and strode toward the central stair.  He then descended to the lower level to meet the Senator.

…

Falignus stood as
Samberlin
entered the
Audience C
hamber.
 
He beckoned the older man to join him at the front of the hall.  Falignus sat on a raised dias upon which seven ornate chairs were arrayed.  A small but delicately carved wooden chair had been placed before the dias for Samberlin.

Falignus sat and then gestured for Samberlin to sit.

Falignus reflected that alt
hough
the chamber
in which they sat
was smaller than the Senate hall with which
Samberlin
was accustomed to, the
sculpted wizards who stood in silent observation lent this chamber
a certain oppressive gravitas that the open
and airy Senate chamber lacked.

"What word from the Senate floor?"
Falignus asked.

"
It is quiet
.
 
Magic deliveries are running smoothly.
 
There is
still
some talk of the battle
of Tor Varnos,
but it is being perceived
by the people
as a victory for the
wizards
.
  Most of the Knights have observed our warnings and are not talking about the battle.  There are rumors, of course, but these are not being heeded by the general populace or most of the Senators,
" replied
Samberlin
in a dry tone
which bordered on disinterest.

Falignus found the man
mildly
irritating, but he had proven to be a useful and unexpected ally.
 
Managing the Elites and their Senate had always been an annoyance for Falignus
–
and
working directly with Samberlin
had
greatly reduced that annoyance.
 
Still, Falignus didn't trust
Samberlin
and he feared, at times, that
Samberlin
might be manipulating him subtly.
 
Samberlin
was the only person
in the City
that Falignus felt might actually be smarter than he was, and that made him
seem all the more dangerous.

"It was
a victory," Falignus responded.

Samberlin
looked at him skeptically
.
"As you say.
  That story will be believable as long as Oberon production is sustained."

"I asked you here today because I want to inform you about a ...
guest… that we have in the Tower,
"
said Falignus, changing the subject.

"A guest or a prisoner?" asked
Samberlin.

"So you kno
w something of this personage?"

"Word has spread of the events in the Witch Crags in certain circles.
 
I know some things about it and about ...
her."

"Fair enough.
 
I would like you
to interview and
observe her.
 
I need to know whether I can trust her or not.
 
I do have some leverage over her, but I need to get beyond
needing
that.
 
I need her
to stand beside me as a true ally."

"Are her
goals in alignment with yours?"

"Our immediate goals are, yes.
 
She wishes to kill the rogue Wizard
,
Gwineval
,
and so do I.
 
Beyond that, she has been influenced by a local vigilante for many years.
 
He tried to instill principles of personal liberty in her.
 
It is these principles which I must overcome in order to have her
serve
as an ally in my...our effort to realize our vision for the City."

"An interesting slip of the tongue," noted Samberlin darkly.

"You and I have an understanding, Samberlin," lectured Falignus, sitting forward in his chair abruptly.  "We both know that we are better served being allies than enemies."

The older man took on a nonchalant look as he responded. "True enough, I have said as much in the past.  What is important, I think, is that we share a vision for the future of the City.  But, at times, I become concerned that you are harboring a different vision of that future than you let on."

Falignus chuckled and brushed some of his flowing locks of dark hair out of his eyes.  "Why, Samberlin, isn’t this amusing?  To hear you accuse me of a hidden agenda, when you have so many hidden agendas that I’m surprised that you can keep track of them all."

Samberlin smiled and responded only with a mock bow.

"I will send the girl called Hemlock to you at the lake exit from the Tower tomorrow, one hour after sunrise.  Speak with her and use your acute powers of observation.  Tell me if she can be trusted," instructed Falignus.