Into The Ruins (29 page)

“Hopefully this won’t be a long journey,” Nyll said.  “We have found that days on horseback are not to our liking.  Did I hear that you have someone here capable of making one of those marvelous passageways?  They are truly a remarkable means of getting around.”

“We do indeed.  Veena is a regular fixture here at the institution.  She can bring us to Sulen where Jeen lives.”

“We must go there,” Jeen insisted after they had relayed the story to her.  “I want to see this object.  I have never heard of anything at all like what Brother Nyll and Brother Yori are describing.”

“It is late,” Daria warned her.  “How about we go in the morning?”

They could tell that Jeen would have preferred to go immediately, but then she reconsidered.  “I’ll send you back home, and then I’ll go and report to Nycoh what you have told me.  It is best she know before we chase off.  In the morning I’ll come by the orphanage and we’ll all travel together back to the monastery.”

The sun was barely clearing the hills behind Ald-del when the six individuals stepped out of thin air a short distance in front of the gates of the ancient monastery.  Jeen had tactfully brought them to a point outside the monastery using Nyll’s memories of the place, rather than inside.  She had been warned by Daria about the restrictions placed on women here, and had brought along Burke just in case, but she had already decided that she had no intentions of being held off.  She would personally see this device if she had to bring the walls of this place down to do so.

“Come,” encouraged Brother Yori.  “We must report to the Archimandrite immediately.  He will be anxious to know what is to be done.”

Kaler and Daria looked at the stout walls of the sanctuary where they had spent a number of days so long ago.  It looked unchanged, and they had truthfully hoped never to return to the restrictive environment of the monastery.  This time, however, they were allowed inside the gates without delay, as the guards recognized Brother Nyll and Brother Yori, and had sent for Subprior Taent as they approached.

Subprior Taent recognized Kaler and Daria as the two individuals who had traveled with the young wizard all those years ago. 

“Welcome back to Ald-del,” he said formally.  “I see that two among your party are female.  I believe you know of our rules here.  You will have to wait in the outer courtyard.”

“Not this time,” Jeen spoke forcefully.  “I am in charge here, and your leader sent for us.  If you wish to have this matter resolved, we will all meet with him.”

The Subprior was uncertain how to proceed.  “That would be most irregular,” he finally stammered.

“Perhaps you should check with the Archimandrite,” Brother Yori suggested politely.  “Given the unusual nature of the problem, he might be willing to grant special permission.” 

It took some time, and Jeen would have relented had it become necessary.  She would have allowed the others, with Burke in charge, to go and see this artifact.  She also had made arrangements with Burke to bring her to the dungeon by
Bypass
so she could see the object herself, if that situation developed.  Brother Yori had made it clear the leader would never make his way down into the storage area.  He wouldn’t have to know that she was there.

“This way,” Subprior Taent said later, and led the group a back way into the ornate building where the senior members of the monastery kept their offices.  Soon they were gathered together with the Archimandrite, both the Prior and Subprior, as well as the monastery Sacrist.  The leader of the monastery looked upon them with displeasure.

“Your pagan arts have placed this institution in an awkward position,” he said.  “I would like to know what you know of this device and what it is displaying.”

“We have yet to see the object that has been described.  We have no prior experience with an artifact such as the one described to us, but there is an undeniable link to what is being shown and events unfolding elsewhere in the lands.  The wizard you have dealt with before is currently missing.  He was lost while exploring the Ruins in an attempt to find an answer to the Hoplani threat to the Three Kingdoms.”

Even those locked away in this sanctuary were aware of that problem.  While they might pretend otherwise, they had reason to be as concerned as everyone else.

“How do you suggest we proceed?” the Archimandrite asked unhappily.

“First, we must examine the artifact.  You can bring it up here, or we can go down where it is being kept to have a look.  After seeing it firsthand, we will be better prepared to evaluate the situation.”

Jeen wanted to go down and have a look where it was being stored.  She was certain that was what the Archimandrite would decide based on Brother Yori’s revelations about how nervous the magical object made him.  She only suggested that it be brought up to the meeting area to appear it didn’t matter.  In truth, she wished to have a look at what else might be down there.  From Brother Yori’s descriptions, there could be items that would be of great value to the Outpost locked away. 

“Brother Yori can take you down to see the object,” the man said without hesitation. 

Jeen smothered a grin, and said softly.  “Perhaps we should have a look and meet again in a glass?”

“It’s Rigo,” Kaler exclaimed within moments of looking at the images displayed on the face of the artifact. 

The others agreed.  There was no doubt it was Rigo and Ash’urn, and Jeen and Burke both recognized the other two wizards who had been traveling with him.

“They appear to be well,” Jeen said with a hint of relief.

“But where are they?” Burke asked.  “They don’t appear to be in the cells that Brother Yori described.”

“They have been moved,” Brother Yori said from behind them.  It was crowded here with more people in the small area than had probably ever been the case in the past.  “I have not seen this place before.  It must have happened while Brother Nyll and I were traveling.”

The four missing travelers were now together in a single large room.  Like the cell room before, there were no windows to the outside, so there was nothing shown that would help identify where they were being detained.  The walls were some kind of brownish stone, undecorated except for a series of large symbols carved into the walls.  It appeared that the same symbols were repeated on each wall, as well as the floor and ceiling.

“Have you ever seen symbols like those?” Jeen asked Burke.

He shook his head.  “Never.  It’s too bad those locator bracelets Rigo makes don’t work once one gets very far into the Ruins,” Burke lamented.  “Then we would have some idea where he is.”

“They don’t have their staffs,” Jeen noted.  “That means even if they get out of that room, they have no way back here.”

“Why would they need their staffs?” Kaler asked.  “They aren’t in the Ruins anymore.”

“I think it’s reasonable to assume they found someplace out in the Ruins and that’s where they are now.  I can think of no place in the Three Kingdoms they might be, or where their magic could be contained.  Somehow they have been rendered impotent.  That’s the only explanation why they have been held the way they have for so long.  No, they are very far away and I don’t know if there is any way to reach them.”

“We need to bring that artifact back to the Outpost,” Burke said.

“The Archimandrite is concerned with its being moved,” Brother Yori explained.

“I do not believe there is a concern,” Jeen said.  “What does he fear?”

“The unknown,” Brother Yori said with a grin. 

“Is it heavy?” Jeen asked.

“Not very,” Brother Yori replied.  “I moved it myself when I first discovered the light being emitted from it.  It was stored face down on the shelf over there.”  He pointed across the room.

Jeen reached up and lifted the object.  It was large and awkward, but Brother Yori had been correct.  It was light enough she could carry it with ease.  It was thin enough she could easily wrap her hands around it.  The sides were smooth and made of some kind of metal.  The back was also made of the same material, but as she rotated it around to have a look, she saw the aft face was busily engraved with more symbols, dozens of them.  Some looked similar to those on the walls of the room where Rigo was being held.

“What do you think?” she asked Burke, showing him the intricate symbols.

“Could be the same.  It’s not something I’m very good with.  That’s the kind of thing Ash’urn excels at.  Nycoh might be able to tell something.  What do you think they are for?  Writing to explain how it works?”

Jeen shook her head.  She had no idea.  But there was no doubt this thing was coming back to the Outpost with her.  Maybe over time it would provide clues as to where Rigo was.  Could these be the people who had created the Hoplani Farms and were hoping to destroy the three kingdoms.  The fact they had blocked three wizards was suggestive of that.  Closer to home, there were other items down here that should go as well.  She’d only had a chance to glance briefly at the shelves as they’d descended into the dungeon, but there were other objects that needed to be looked at by someone with the gift back at the Outpost.  She’d also noted the shelves of ancient scrolls.  She had no idea how Ald-del had come to obtain them, but they might contain material that could help them.  She would have to make the Archimandrite understand that.  If he didn’t, well, she already saw where she could make a
Bypass
opening to come down here covertly.  It’d be a little hard on the back wall if she had to do it that way, but one way or another all of this stuff was going to be moved to the Outpost.

“How is the transfer of the materials progressing?” Nycoh asked as the discussion came to order.  It was early the day after the group had returned from Ald-del, and Nycoh had asked to meet with them.  Jeen, Burke, Daria, and Kaler were in attendance.  Others at the Outpost had already heard rumors of the findings and were eager to know more.  Nycoh would have to make a general announcement before much longer.

“It will take a couple of days more at least,” Burke said.  He had been placed in charge of overseeing the removal of the contents of Ald’del’s dungeon and transferring it to a special area set aside here at the Outpost.  Nycoh had already tasked several of their scholars to begin looking through the find for anything that might shed light on the marvelous device that now sat propped upon a pillow across the table from them.

“Do you think the leadership at Ald-del will try and hold anything back?” Nycoh asked.

“Very unlikely,” Jeen replied.  “The monastery survives by the contributions of scholars and others who wish to pursue their readings in the vast archives the facility has assembled over the years.  Those that are members of the congregation have gone there to escape the strife and confusion of the outer world.  They are not looking for trouble, and to resist our demands would bring notoriety to them that would be disruptive.”

“I gather Daria had a few words with the Archimandrite,” Nycoh said.

Burke smiled.  “She warned him that the activity reflected in the artifact showed her personal friend to be in trouble.  She explained that anyone who hindered her finding where he was would face her personal wrath.  She also warned that Jeen was the personal wizard to the King, she didn’t mention which one.  However, she made it clear that any suspicion of holding back on the part of the monastery would cause her to have several hundred soldiers transported to the gates, and they would personally search every nook and cranny of the place.”

“She also mentioned her former occupation,” Kaler said with a grin of his own.

“Even the secluded Brothers at the monastery have heard of the
KalaBhoot
,” Daria said with some satisfaction.

“We also have Brothers Yori and Nyll to fall back on,” Jeen said.  “I believe they would let us know if anything was being hidden from us.”

“Only Brother Yori,” Kaler corrected.  “Nyll has elected to leave the monastery for good.  He is currently staying at our retreat where he will help with the schooling of the children.  He has been disappointed with the politics at Ald-del for some time, and after seeing what Daria and I are doing at the retreat, asked if there might be a place there for him.  One of Burke’s team brought him there after you had departed with the artifact.  But I agree we can count on Brother Yori.  I believe he is deriving a certain satisfaction from the discomfort all of this is causing the Archimandrite.”

“That leaves us with what to do about this marvelous device,” Nycoh said.  She glanced at the object and the image that was displayed on its surface.  After staring at it long into the night, she agreed that it had to be a representation of what was happening to Rigo and his party. 

“Have you any idea how it works?” Kaler asked.  He knew that Nycoh knew as much or more about the ancient magic and history as anyone else in the wizard community.

“Only that a magic we don’t have any awareness of was used to create it and make it operate.  The way the materials that form the object are merged, with barely a hint of a seam is beyond anything we could duplicate.  How it can gather these images, apparently following Rigo for some unknown reason, is a true marvel.  We can’t even surmise why it is linked to Rigo.  From all we know, he never encountered the device when he was at Ald-del years ago.  All we know is it must be very old.”

“How old?” Daria asked.

“Brother Yori claims their records show it had been at the monastery from at least a thousand years ago.  We know that magic had disappeared from the Three Kingdoms during those years, so unless the situation was different somewhere else and magic survived elsewhere, we must assume it dates back at least as far as to the time of the fall, when Daim was alive.  More than likely it predates even that, as Rigo never mentioned such a device.”

“What about the symbols on the back?” Daria asked.  “Do they look like anything you have seen before?”

“Nothing at all,” Nycoh admitted.  “All of the years Ash’urn and I spent pouring through the texts here and at Daim’s hideaway, I saw nothing that compares to them.  The only symbols that might be linked are those we see on the walls of the room where Rigo and his team are being held, and one small set of symbols on the object Ash’urn documented out in the Ruins.”

“Something they found in the Ruins?” Kaler asked.  He hadn’t heard about this.

“They found a strange metal object half buried in the sand.  They were able to unearth it, and Ash’urn sketched the markings on the four sides.  You know how precise he can be.  There are four distinct sets of markings.  Our scholars believe whatever the message, it was repeated in four languages.”

“And one set of markings is like the symbols on this artifact?” Daria asked.

“Actually no,” Nycoh said.  “There are five sets of markings if one looks closely.  The fifth set is different, and encircles the monument near the base.  Those are the ones I’m told are similar to what we see on the back of this device.”

“We’ve seen the marking one other place,” Jeen noted.

“Where?” Kaler asked.

“One of the visitors who has come into the area to watch our friends carried a staff.  I am certain that staff was covered with similar symbols.”

“What does it mean?” Burke asked.

“I think the symbols are linked to their magic in some way,” Nycoh said.  “They could just be a formality, some kind of ritualistic cover that is inherent in their craft, but from the little we have seen I think they are somehow required.  The use of symbols is so far from what we know that it is hard to envision, but it might explain some of why Rigo and the others were taken by surprise.”

“Everyone agrees they are no longer anywhere in the Three Kingdoms?” Daria asked.

“We have to take that as a given,” Jeen replied.  “They were last known to be far out in the Ruins.  The clothes being worn are unlike those known anywhere in the kingdoms, and the common use of unknown symbols indicates a different language.  That those symbols match to some degree an ancient artifact found in the Ruins and are unknown here is very suggestive of the fact they have found another populated land on the far side of the Ruins.”

“Are they more powerful than us?” Kaler asked.

“Unknown, but the fact they were able to capture Rigo is disquieting,” Nycoh said.  “Rigo is one of our strongest wizards.”

“Do they know about us?” Daria asked.  “Could they be the ones who created the Hoplani?”

“Obviously, we don’t know,” Nycoh replied.  “There is too little information.”

“From what you tell us, we don’t really know where they are, and even if we did, we have no means to go there ourselves and provide aid,” Kaler said.

“Unfortunately true,” Nycoh said.  “Rigo’s team took the only two staffs we had that were capable of muting the effects of the Ruins out in those far regions.  Without the staff, magic cannot be performed and even the strongest wizards are unable to call upon magic.  Without magic, crossing the Ruins is impossible.”

“Impossible, or just very difficult?” Daria asked.  “Given sufficient motivation, one can often overcome the “impossible”.”

“In this case I believe it is truly impossible,” Nycoh said.  “I have been in some of the regions they crossed.  With a team of hardened individuals, a huge support effort, and a lot of luck, some areas might be crossed.  But in addition to the simple matter of water and other necessities, the other dangers present an unacceptable risk to those unable to call upon magic.  Almost certainly any such effort would fail.”

“Almost certainly, but not guaranteed,” Daria said softly.

“You would go yourself?” Nycoh asked.

“Rigo needs help,” Daria said.  “Who other than his closest friends should try?”

“Admirable, but pointless at this time,” Jeen said.  “I would do anything to help Rigo as well.  You and he saved me when I needed help.  But the simple fact we have no idea where to look.”

“We should have been with him,” cursed Kaler.  “Had we been there all along, this might not have happened.”

“More than likely, there would simply be more people imprisoned,” Nycoh said.  “You both are formidable opponents, but even your abilities cannot overcome a skilled team of wizards.”

“You said you believe their magic might have been blocked,” Kaler said.

“We are guessing that is what the symbols on the walls and the bands on them are intended to do,” agreed Nycoh.

“Then that’s how they were probably taken.  Under those conditions, Daria and my skills could have changed the outcome.”

“Perhaps,” Jeen said, trying to console Kaler.  “But what is done, cannot be undone.  We must see what can be learned and how to proceed.  The loss of Rigo and the others has not changed the fact the Three Kingdoms are facing a grave danger.  Perhaps there are more answers in the items recovered from Ald-del.  That might be our best hope.”

“You have learned nothing thus far that might help with the Hoplani?” Daria asked.

“The beasts continue to attack the towers.  It is as though the Morvane have discovered their purpose and now strive to bring them down.  The Hoplani Farms that Rigo discovered in the Ruins tell us where they come from, but nothing about how to stop their production.  Nothing we have at hand is able to impact the on-going production of the creatures.  From what Rigo told us from his Daim memories, the Hoplani have been being produced for at least four thousand years.  We think we can hope to stop something that has withstood such a span?  All of this is in addition to the realization we have lost Rigo to an unknown group.”

“All the more reason we need to find where Rigo is being held,” Kaler said.  “We need to know about these people.  If they are enemies, we must know where they are so they cannot attack us with impunity.  If they are potential friends, they might have knowledge that can help, or which combined with our own, might provide an answer.  You have said yourself you believe their magic is different.”

“What you say is true, but I can see no way to accomplish your goal,” Nycoh said sadly. 

“I want to see these places,” Kaler said forcefully.  “Daria and I need to visit the Hoplani Farms and the farthest extent you can take us where Rigo went.  Perhaps we will see something that everyone else has missed.  Without ability in magic, we look at a problem differently than you do.  Perhaps we need to enlist the aid of these
Duneriders
as you call them.  There must be a way to communicate with them.”

“I will take you myself,” Nycoh agreed.  She knew Kaler and Daria would not be satisfied until they viewed the extent of the problem themselves.  She didn’t expect the trips to accomplish much, but any chance was worth taking.

“They are moving Rigo,” Burke said suddenly, pointing at the image on the artifact. 

He was correct.  Rigo was surrounded by a half dozen burly guards each with a sword as well as one of the staff carrying individuals.  They were able to get a better look at the staff and see that it was indeed heavily engraved with symbols.  The image left the room with the others in it behind as Rigo was escorted to a smaller chamber some distance away.  If there had ever been any doubt, it was clear the artifact was linked to their friend in some way.  After walking down a long hall he was placed in a chair facing a half dozen interrogators, mostly women.

“Interesting,” Nycoh said softly. 

“They are questioning him,” Burke guessed aloud.

“Probably,” Jeen agreed, “But what can they hope to learn?  Rigo isn’t foolish enough to give away any important information to a potential enemy.  Besides, unless they already know more about us than is healthy, I doubt they can understand one another.”

“You don’t think they will torture him?” Burke asked.

“Unlikely,” Daria said, agreeing with Jeen.  “If you can’t understand what your subject is screaming, there is little point.”

Kaler looked frustrated.  He was unable to help his friend, and seeing him through the artifact only made his concerns more real. 

“Come,” Nycoh said.  “I will show you what you asked.  Jeen, do you wish to come?”

Jeen shook her head.  “I have seen most of what they wish to see.  I think I can better spend my time here.” 

As the others left with Nycoh, Jeen couldn’t help her thoughts.  What we need is Daim.  He might have known something that could help.  Even Rigo admitted he had only retained a portion of the Master Wizard’s memories.