Light in the Barren Lands: Travail of The Dark Mage Book One (3 page)

But though he kept the island free of pirates, out on the sea was another matter.

His island was predominantly self sufficient, but they still required periodic supply shipments of those items they could not produce for themselves, such as cloth, bowls, and crystals. Also, friends would come calling, and Meliana’s father’s ships would stop by from time to time to see his daughter and grandson. He needed a way to designate ships so pirates would leave them alone. So he came up with the flag.

Meliana’s father was acquainted with Captain Smythe and vouched for him to be an honest trader. James approached him and arranged for him to be the sole supplier to his island. In return, Captain Smythe would receive several items of magical interest with which to sell for his troubles, such as a knife that cuts hair but not skin. Those knives have begun to be sought after and fetch a handsome price, especially by the owners of large flocks of sheep.

The first year, James had to send three pirate ships to the deep before they finally got the message. Now, he hardly ever had to worry about it. About once a year a captain tested his resolve only to feel the “Dark Mage’s” wrath. For that is what he was beginning to be called. Frankly, he didn’t care as long as it kept people away and they could have their privacy.

The unknown ship drew closer over the course of the next half hour until veering off and heading for the horizon.

Captain Smythe nodded. “That flag comes in handy,” he announced.

Jiron grinned. “I bet it does.”

For the remainder of their journey to the “Isle of the Dark Mage”, as James’ new home is now called, no other ship was sighted. Which wasn’t too surprising given that they were entering waters notorious for pirates.

By midafternoon, land was spotted coming out of the horizon to the west. “Is that it father?” asked Jira.

“Yes it is,” he replied. “Wonder what your uncle has been up to this last year?” Their last visit coincided with Kenny’s previous birthday. It being a long trip from The City of Light to this far west, they weren’t able to make it as often as they would like.

James had offered a place on his island for them, but Jiron had declined. The City of Light was his hometown and he didn’t wish to be parted from it. Also, many of his friends from his early years still called the city their home. At least Kenny’s birthday afforded them an excuse to make the long journey once a year.

Footfalls upon the deck foretold the approach of Tobias. “Captain said we’ll be dropping anchor in a little over an hour,” he said as he came to the rail. Glancing down to where Jira leaned over the rail, he asked her, “Seen anything unusual?”

Coming upright, Jiron’s daughter turned her head toward him. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I hear the Dark Mage has monstrous creatures that patrol his island,” he explained.

Jiron noticed him glance sidelong at two sailors who were new to the crew that stood not far off. At the mention of “strange creatures”, they grew quiet and turned a little further in Toby’s direction. Not so far that they would be conspicuous in their eavesdropping, but far enough that Jiron had picked up on it.

Playing along, Jiron asked, “On the last trip over, didn’t we see one drag a pirate ship under?”

“Indeed,” replied Toby with a grin. His head was turned just far enough to shield his grin from the two sailors. “But that isn’t the half of it,” he continued. “A band of Glerhan have come and offered him their allegiance.”

Wide-eyed, Jira asked, “What’s a Glerhan?”

“Creatures from the deep in the shape of a man,” he explained. “They wear no clothes and are coved in scales. Fins protrude from their backs and atop their heads.”

“Ooooo,” said Jira.

While casting glances over the rail to the sea, the two sailors began edging closer.

“Their mouths are filled with razor sharp teeth,” he said.

“Really?” she asked.

“Yes, Jira. Really!”

Jiron could hardly contain his amusement as the two sailors kept eyeing the water nervously.

“And do you know what is the most curious thing about them?” he asked her.

“What?” she asked.

“They ride giant kraken,” he answered. “Themselves monsters of great power, yet to the Glerhan are nothing more than steeds.”

“Wow,” she said. “Do you think we’ll see one?”

“Let’s hope not,” he said in mock seriousness. “For once they smell you…” Leaning closer he brought his face closer to hers. Then with great speed, his arms shot forward and his fingers tickled her middle. “They eat you!”

Jira laughed and giggled as Toby seemed to find all her most ticklish spots.

Jiron grinned broadly too. Whether at the reaction Toby brought out in his daughter, or because of the two sailors talking in hushed, nervous tones as their gazes scanned the surface of the water. Shaking his head, he wondered how long until this tale made the rounds and became part of the growing lore surrounding the Dark Mage.

Chapter Two

________________________

The island steadily grew closer. It was a lush island of verdant greens, which was one of the reasons James had been attracted to it. The northern half was rugged and mountainous, its outward shoreline peppered with dangerous crags and hidden coves. The southern was much more level and closer to sea level.

It was to the southeastern shore of the island that Captain Smythe set his course, for there was built a long dock to which ships the size of
The Water Sprite
could moor. It extended far enough from shore that ships with deeper keels needn’t fear running aground.

As they drew closer, more of the island’s detail came into view. Just north of where they were to dock, the land began rising to a height of several hundred feet. Atop a plateaued area in clear view of the dock stood a dark, ominous castle. Clouds ringed its height and flashes of lightning arced with alarming frequency.

“What is that?” Jiron heard a sailor ask. Glancing over his shoulder, he recognized the sailor as being one of the two eavesdroppers from earlier. The man stared with unease toward the castle.

“It’s
his
lair,” Jiron said. “It’s where he takes those his Glerhan capture.”

“Wha…What does he do with them there?” asked the sailor.

“Things you couldn’t imagine even in your darkest nightmares,” he replied.

The soldier swallowed hard.

Jiron saw Jira staring at him with eyes wide. To allay her fears, he gave her a quick grin and nodded ever so slightly toward the sailor.

She immediately grinned back upon realizing her father was having a bit of sport with the man.

They were coming in on their final approach, now less than five hundred feet away from the dock, when suddenly
The Water Sprite
gave a shudder and came to an abrupt halt. The unexpected cessation of forward momentum caused everyone to stumble, all but a few catching themselves before losing their balance altogether and landing ignominiously upon the deck.

“Why have we stopped?” asked the sailor in fear.

Then, from out of the water surged the Glerhan. A dozen emerged to surround the ship and they were truly as terrifying as Toby had made them out to be.

Their skin was the color of the sea and the kraken they rode were the color of the sludge that blanketed the bottom far below. The kraken’s tentacles writhed as the Glerhan faced the ship. One, slightly larger than the rest and with more of a reddish hue, moved its kraken toward the bow.

Jira clutched her father so hard that her shivers went right through him. “It’s okay,” he assured her. “Your uncle would not harm us.”

Those sailors who had made this trip before were calm, while the others looked on in fear.

Captains Smythe strode to the bow.

The reddish Glerhan looked up at the captain. “Whhy hhaff you commmmme?” it asked, the hissing speech with which it uttered the words gave it an even more alien and fearful aspect.

“To see the great and powerful Oz,” answered the captain.

Without a word, the Glerhan moved away from the bow and as one, he and his entire company sank as one beneath the surface.

The last time Jiron and family visited, it had been a spectral manifestation that greeted them. And the password that time had been, “Following the yellow brick road”. He wondered how his friend came up with such odd phrases. Whoever heard of a road constructed with yellow bricks?

Once the Glerhan disappeared beneath the surface,
The Water Sprite
was released by whatever had taken hold of it and continued the last leg to the dock. The sailors cast fearful looks toward the water. Even a few of those who had made this journey before were unnerved by the sight of the Glerhan.

Aleya leaned closer to Jiron. “That was better than the ghost,” she whispered.

Jiron nodded. “Much more realistic. I wonder how he does it.”

The sense of foreboding brought upon by the appearance of the Glerhan was quickly forgotten as sailors scurried to obey Captain Smythe’s shouted orders for their final approach.

Sails were furled and the ship slowed. The last hundred feet was agonizing slowness as the ship crept at a seeming snail's pace toward the dock. When the prow finally came abreast of the wooden structure, three sailors hopped over the rail where they caught guy ropes and secured them to the pilings.
The Water Sprite
groaned as the ropes pulled taut and brought the ship to a halt. The gangplank was then extended.

The passengers had their belongings in hand and were met at the top of the gangplank by Tobias and another sailor. “Thank you for another enjoyable voyage, Captain,” Aleya said.

Bowing respectfully, the captain replied, “Always a pleasure having such a lovely lady aboard.”

Jiron extended his hand, which the captain took.

“Are you sure you won’t need us for your return trip?” the captain asked. “We should be putting back into Cardri in a week or so.”

“No,” answered Jiron. “But thank you. Kendrick plans to be here for the party and we can catch a ride with him when he departs.”

“Still, if you should need one, you know how to get a hold of me,” said Captain Smythe.

Jiron nodded. “I do.”

“Wish we could stay,” the captain said, “but our cargo must reach its destination within four days. Give the ‘Dark Mage’ our regrets.”

“I’ll do that,” Jiron assured him. Then a small hand took hold of his.

“Come on, father,” urged Jira. “Let’s go.” Pulling on her father’s hand, she worked to encourage his immediate departure.

Smiling, Jiron shrugged to the captain and Tobias. “Have a safe voyage,” he said before being dragged onto the gangplank by his overzealous daughter. Aleya gave her goodbyes as she followed them off the ship.

They met one of the guy line sailors as he returned to the ship. He carried a box retrieved from the far end of the dock. Within would be the items James was giving the captain for ferrying Jiron and family to his island. More than likely the value of the contents would be far more than the trip warranted, but such gifts ensured Captain Smythe’s loyalty. And as Jiron well knew, James was a generous man.

With a final wave and shouted goodbyes, they made their way to the end of the dock where three steps took them down to the sandy beach. Twenty feet farther inland was a path cut through the forest. It was well maintained and wide enough to easily accommodate the wagon. Jiron led his family onto the path and into the forest.

“Where is Uncle James?” asked Jira. “Is he in his castle?”

Jiron grinned at his daughter and shook his head. “No, he’s not in the castle. You know he lives in a house a little way down this path.”

“Oh, yeah,” she said. “I remember now.”

The castle high above the cliffs wasn’t exactly real. Oh, it was made with stone true enough, but nothing lived there. James once told him that castles, though great to look at, were cold and impersonal. It took him a month to raise it with his magic, and another to make it look just right. The clouds and lightning were always in attendance to lend the island an ominous feel for any who came to call.

“Jiron,” began Aleya, “I thought for sure they would be here to meet us.”

“You know James,” he replied. “More than likely he’s involved in some experiment or another.”

They had gone only far enough for the beach to disappear in the trees behind them when a large, manlike shape appeared along the path before them. Lumbering their way, it was twelve feet tall and composed entirely of rock.

“Hi Rocky!” Jira greeted James’ guardian. One of several guardians James had roaming the island in search of uninvited visitors, Rocky was quite familiar to Jiron. During his first encounter with James, a similar construct had wiped out scores of Empire soldiers before James had been rendered unconscious. Jiron had been the one to pull him to safety, an act that had been the beginning of a deep, long-lasting friendship between them. He remembered James once mentioning that Rocky had been his friend Dave’s idea, back before he came to this world.

The lumbering stone “golem” as James called it, came to a halt. Turning the boulder that passed for its head toward them, it stepped to the side and moved from the path. It made no further move as they approached, and remained still while they came abreast of it.

Jira moved toward it and patted it on the leg. “How have you been?” she asked, looking up at Rocky’s head. But Rocky remained impassive.

“Let’s keep moving,” Jiron told his daughter.

Patting his leg once more, Jira skipped ahead and left Uncle James’ stone guardian behind.

Aleya had never been comfortable around James’ constructs. Even though she knew they were safe, being in their presence was anything but relaxing. Grabbing Jiron’s arm, she hurried her husband past.

Once they put a couple yard’s worth of space between them and Rocky, Rocky’s immobility vanished and it began moving again, continuing its way down the path toward the beach. If it made it that far before altering course, Jiron grinned at the thought of what the sailors would make of it.