Into The Ruins (17 page)

He looked around in surprise.  He hadn’t been back here since that day so long ago.  The small patch of normalcy seemed slightly larger, if anything, if his memories were correct.  The edge looked modestly more extended, and the thin grass on the far side of the brush thicker.  It was as if the oasis was slowly expanding.  That was a good sign.  If the trend continued, in another five thousand years, the Ruins might be consumed and disappear. 

“Are you going to tell me what this is about?” he asked with a touch of doubt.

“We found something in one of Daim’s journals,” Ash’urn explained. “He knew far more about the Ruins than one would expect.  I think it was the result of his studying the Rift and what to do about it.  As a result of what he learned, and the fact he was building his secret hideaway in the Ruins, he incorporated something into the creation of both the staff and the facility.  You can see the results of the special spells in the facility, which is wholly untouched by the forces that drive the Ruins.  In the staff, it isn’t so obvious.”

“The staff has some affect on the Ruins?” Rigo asked, confused.

“When you were here before, did you try to make a
Bypass
outside of the oasis?” Nycoh asked.

“Of course.  We tried several types of magic.  Nothing worked.”

“Even a
Bypass
from a hundred paces out back to this place?”

“Nothing worked,” Rigo said, emphasizing his reply.

“Come with me,” Nycoh said, and walked out of the oasis into the dead zone that surrounded the area.  When they were a hundred paces out, she turned and looked at Rigo.  “Try and make a
Bypass
back to the oasis,” she instructed him.

Knowing it was pointless, he shook his head and did as instructed.  To his surprise, the glowing arch appeared just ahead of him.

“How in Risos name?” he stammered.

“The staff,” Nycoh told him.  “Try
Brightfire
.”

Once again, magic that had been denied him when he was here before, blossomed brightly on command.

“The staff overcomes the effects of the dead zone,” Nycoh explained as they walked back to the cooler area beneath the trees.  “All of our magic appears to work, at least this close to the oasis, and in fact up to a day’s walk from here into the Ruins.  I believe it will work everywhere.  There are restrictions however.  If you tried to make a
Bypass
back to the Outpost from where we were standing a moment ago, it would fail.  There is a range limitation even with the staff in hand.  That is much like you found in the caves.”

“There is still the matter of what this area does to portals,” Rigo pointed out.  “We still don’t know what happened to Koess.”

“We believe the staff protects against such things happening again.  We can’t be positive, so there is some risk, but until we see evidence it isn’t effective, I think it is reasonable to assume the
Bypass
created will be safe.  By the way, the staff will also indicate if the target destination can be accessed.  I’ll show you.  If you try to reach the Outpost from here, you will see it is blocked.  That must be done from within the oasis.  Some greater experimentation will be required to see just how far the
Bypass
can reach in the dead zones.”

Rigo looked at the staff and stared out at the hostile land that had defeated him once before.  Nycoh could see the implications dawning on him.

When she and Ash’urn had discovered the staff’s potential, she had debated whether Rigo should be told.  She wondered whether bringing him here would trigger another period of brooding as he recalled Inge’s death.  On the other hand, it could give him a purpose once again.  It could also get him killed, she realized.  But, with the staff, they might be able to get some answers which they desperately needed.  The staff needed to be used, and she decided she had no right to keep it from him.

“This is an incredible discovery,” Rigo said excitedly.  “Do you know what it means?”

“It means we can go deeper into the Ruins in search of the answers you believe are to be found,” she replied.  “We will do so.  The only question is, do you still wish to go?”

As Rigo returned to the Outpost with Ash’urn and Nycoh the matter in his mind wasn’t one of whether he would return to his explorations in the Ruins, it was when he could get started.  Until he’d been made aware of the capabilities of his old staff he’d been of a mind that he was too busy to be taken away from his activities.  He was focused primarily on fighting off the Hoplani that bridged the barrier, and overseeing the newer second barrier construction.  If he was truthful he could admit that the second barrier was an extremely long term task and one that any number of wizards could attend to now that the initial planning was complete and the locations of the towers identified.  As for direct confrontation with the Hoplani, his superior skills with combat magic were important, but once again, not something that couldn’t be replaced, especially if he had something potentially more productive to attend to.

Rigo still believed the critical answers to their problem were to be found in the Ruins.  He had given up on finding them, because he’d seen the impossibility of pursuing the search.  The staff had suddenly opened up the way again, or so it seemed.  He had a personal justification for going back as well.  For many years now he had lived with the possibility that his obsession with the Ruins had been responsible for Inge’s death.  If he could find the solution to the Hoplani problem by returning, some of the blame he had placed on his actions might be removed and his being in the Ruins when Inge had needed him partially justified.  At least he hoped as much.  The possibility of a return to the Ruins reminded him of how much he had lost.  Even after all these years he ached when he thought of Inge, and the child he had never seen.  His child would be coming into its own ability with magic about now.  Dwelling too long on the matter could bring back his depression, and he forced it away by focusing on what was ahead.

Over the next two weeks while planning for a return to exploring the inhospitable desert was formed, those who encountered Rigo noted that for the first time since Inge had died he carried the hint of a smile on his face.  He appeared more optimistic, and filled with boundless energy.  Even Jeen noticed the difference when she happened into Rigo on one of her rare visits to the Outpost.

“You’re going back?” she asked in surprise.  No one had told her about the discovery of the staff’s unique abilities.

“We don’t know if it will come to much just yet,” Rigo informed her.  “The staff overcomes the inability to create a
Bypass
, but the range is limited.  We don’t yet know how limited.  If it only extends the short distances we found in the caves, then we may not be able to go far enough before we are once again stopped.  But if we can pass through the dead zone, or find another oasis deeper into the desert, then we can leap frog from zone to zone.”

“Who is going with you?” Jeen asked.  “Are Burke and Tara willing to try again?”

Rigo shook his head.  His two former traveling companions had Bound to one another less than a year after their return from the oasis.  They now had three children, and while he had approached Burke, mostly so his friend wouldn’t feel he was being overlooked, Rigo hadn’t been surprised when he was told they couldn’t take such a risk because of their duties to their family.

“Not many have any interest in going out there any more than they already have to,” Rigo said.  “Most also believe that it wouldn’t come to much. They believe we will either be stopped again very soon, or will find ourselves in even more trouble than we were the last time.”

“It remains dangerous, doesn’t it?” Jeen asked.

“Our current situation is dangerous, and is becoming more so every day.  Even fighting the Hoplani that breach the barrier costs us lives.  We have lost over a dozen wizards already this year.  The potential gains offset the risks.”

Jeen couldn’t help but note that Rigo seemed more like his former self than she had seen him since Inge had been killed.  She almost wished their old group could be brought together for this search, but her own responsibilities forbade her from going, just as the others had lives with commitments as well.

“You didn’t say who was willing to go,” she reminded him gently.  “You can’t be considering going alone?”

“No, that would be foolish.  Nycoh and I have agreed that we need to send three of us as before.  Three is the minimum number that can reliably deal with a Morvane.  More would be useful in a battle, but would drain resources badly needed here.  Also, there is the matter of the staffs.  We only have two of them, so one of those who goes will be without.  It is unfortunate we lack the knowledge and ability that Daim had. I wish he were still with me.  If so, we might be able to build more of them.”

“You are taking both of the staffs, then?”

“That’s one of the issues we struggled with.  By taking both, we have eliminated any possibility of someone coming after us.  If we get into trouble too far from an oasis, no one will be able to help.  That is one of the risks.  On the other hand, having two staffs for the expedition increases our chances of success, and reduces the possibility of getting into a situation we can’t deal with.  With two staffs, two of us will be able to use combat magic, or create
Bypass
portals.  That isn’t enough for a Morvane, but hopefully the entire area won’t be a dead zone.”

“The risks seem great,” Jeen observed.

“It is hard to quantify,” Rigo replied, “but both Lorl and Orna understand that.”

“They are the ones who have chosen to travel with you?” Jeen asked.  She knew both of them.  They had been a part of the wizard community from the first, participating in the erection of the existing barrier when Rigo tapped the complete resources of the Outpost to restart the long dead defensive shield.  Orna was an accomplished wizard, a handful of years older than Rigo.  She had an inquiring mind, and was strong with combat magics much like Rigo.  Dark, with jet-black hair that was cut short and curled tightly, she was from eastern Lopal and had been raised where the Hoplani had made it into the kingdom before the barrier was in place.  Her family was killed by the beasts, and she had an intense hatred for them.

Lorl was a different matter.  Of the same age as Rigo, he was also a competent fighter, but was somewhat less dependable in Jeen’s mind.  He liked to go places and attempt tasks as much to be able to brag about what he had done and seen rather than pursuing tasks because they were important.  He had seen more of the three kingdoms than anyone she knew because of his drive in this regard.

“I have taken both of them to the oasis and we have traveled a day into the Ruins from there so they could experience the harshness of the place.  Neither was discouraged.  I think we will make an adequate team.”

“Last time you had others who carried word of your journey,” Jeen said, thinking of Koess.  “I sense you are not planning to do the same.”

“Not this time,” Rigo admitted.  “There are too few people to spare.  It has been decided we will camp at the oasis at the end of each day’s journey, returning from where we have reached.  There is water and shade, and we can leave supplies there.  From the oasis we can also create a
Bypass
to send back messages of what was accomplished that day, as well as request additional supplies we might need.  If something urgent or really important develops, we can come back to the Outpost at any time from the oasis.”

“When do you depart?” Jeen asked finally.

“The day after tomorrow,” Rigo replied with barely concealed eagerness.

“Then I might not see you again before you go.  I am to take the King and Queen to Kellmore tomorrow.”

“Will you see Kaler and Daria?” Rigo asked.

“I hadn’t planned to, but I could easily enough.  Why?”

“Tell them where I have gone.  I won’t have a chance to visit them before I leave.”

“It would only take a moment.  Is there some reason that you don’t want to go yourself?”

Rigo nodded.  “I am afraid they might interpret my visit as a subtle request for them to join me.  They have no ability with magic, and there is little they could do.  I would not want them to risk themselves, but I am certain they would go willingly if they felt they were needed.”

Jeen agreed to take a brief side trip.  Then she hugged Rigo before hurrying off to take care of her business.

“I want to go along,” Ash’urn said the next morning when he got Rigo alone in his quarters.

“Impossible,” Rigo replied, surprised at the older man’s request.  “The Ruins is not the place for someone without magical ability.”

“I know more spoken spells than you can imagine,” Ash’urn countered.  “I am not completely without ability, despite not having the gift.”

“All of those spells will be useless in the dead zones,” Rigo countered.

“No more than your own magic.  Whoever holds the staff can function almost normally.  Don’t forget who discovered the references in Daim’s journals and who contacted Nycoh to make the tests.  I know my magic will work with the staff because I’ve already tried it.”

“We don’t have enough staffs for everyone,” Rigo reminded him.  “There are only the two, and Lorl and Orna will have to share as it is.”

“So I’ll use a staff only in a rare situation, or perhaps not at all.  The point is, I have some ability.  I’m not like most others.  Besides, I have skills that none of you bring.”

Rigo looked at Ash’urn as the man made his case.  “What skills are those?” he asked.

“I can read and write many of the ancient languages.  Who on your team can do so?  I can also speak some of the forgotten language because of my spoken magic, and am capable with nearly every dialect of spoken language in the Three Kingdoms.  That knowledge might come in handy.”

“If the need for such knowledge arise, we can always return and get you,” Rigo said.

Ash’urn scoffed.  “In many cases you might pass by something of importance rather than be distracted by the need to come back here.  Besides, we have traveled together and we both know such journeys are unpredictable.  You may not be able to return easily when the need arises.”

“You believe we might become trapped out there again, and still you wish to come?”

“You have already encountered another people out there,” Ash’urn said, referring to the nomads.  Rigo knew that Ash’urn believed they existed even though many others had doubts.  “Even had you been awake and aware, you would have had no idea how to bridge the language gap.  I sense there is more of great importance out there waiting to be found.  This is the last chance, and perhaps the last opportunity for me.  I am getting older if you hadn’t noticed.  I have spent my life in search of magic and the unknown. This is perhaps the culmination of my wanderings.”

Rigo looked at Ash’urn.  Age was indeed a factor.  Ash’urn had been getting along in years when he’d first met the man a long time before.  Now he was perhaps too old for a harsh journey, although he’d always showed himself to be more resilient than one would expect.  Of course, he’d spent the last ten years in scholarly pursuits rather than on the trail as he’d been doing when they first met.

“I know what you are thinking,” Ash’urn said.  “I won’t be a burden.  If it turns out that way, you realize it won’t be that hard to dump me back here.”  Ash’urn glared at Rigo defiantly.

“What does Nycoh think of this request?  Does she even know of it?” Rigo asked playing a last chance to derail the request.  He had always enjoyed traveling with the scholar, but was fearful at what the Ruins offered this time.

“She said I had to convince you.  If I could do that, then she would not attempt to prevent my going.”

Rigo considered the situation.  He had little to guide him.  Much to his surprise, Jeen had returned late yesterday.  She had spoken to Queen Mos’pera about the trip, but unlike the last time, the seer had nothing to offer about the proposed journey.  She had no visions of what might come from it, but warned that she was certain the failure of the barrier was not too distant.  She’d had another of her visions in that regard not too long ago.

Looking at Ash’urn’s eager face as he waited for a decision, Rigo couldn’t help but relate his own desire to see what was out there to that of the aging scholar.  Ash’urn was correct that he brought wisdom and knowledge to their team, just as he had in the past.  If the journey proved too hard, they could always bring him back.  It would cost them at most a day to do so.

“All right,” Rigo said slowly.  “We’ll give it a try.  We will be departing for the oasis at first light tomorrow.”

The broad smile that crossed Ash’urn’s face was more than enough to tell Rigo he’d decided correctly.  If the truth be known, he looked forward to traveling with his old friend again.  He actually wished that the rest of the old crew was coming along, even as he knew it wouldn’t make sense.