The Ways of Mages: Two Worlds (18 page)

Besides, the old poisoned knife wound was aching, as it always did on the anniversary of the attack.

Bendon shook his head at his forgetfulness. Because the occurrences were in the past, he should have remembered that Altana would
n’
t follow him, but he had forgotten in the heat of the moment. So now he was on his way to meet with the rest of the group in Thioden.

Thundering hoof beats made him duck behind a tree. If that was Altana he would have a surprise for her. What he saw was not Altana, but a young girl of twelve or so. She was leaning against her hors
e’
s neck, obviously begging for more speed. He could faintly hear her cursing. As she raced past him, he saw something bundled in an odd assortment of clothes strapped to her back. A flash of brass winked at him as she rode into denser forest.  It reminded him of Rober
t’
s strange sword.

If he had
n’
t been hiding his location from Altana and if the girl had been taking her time, he might have been able to cast a tracking spell
.“I’
m getting ahead of myself
.”
He muttered to himself as he turned back toward where his symbol portal was
.“
I do
n’
t even know if that
was
Rober
t’
s sword
.
”

But from that chaotic memory of leaving through Rober
t’
s device, he remembered that the sword would have to have been in the cradle for Jewel to escape. Meaning, in the end, Altana would have been able to find it. Unless Robert had cloaked it. But Altana was strong in the art, she would have sensed something was there.

But there was something else to consider: the strangeness of the sword. Robert used it to power his devices. Not to mention being able to kill Dark-sons with it, much like Gawi
n’
s staff. The staff was a magic infused weapon. The sword had to be also and since Robert had had it for a little more then a thousand years, it might have become somewhat sentient. It might have been able to hide from Altana. Maybe even rebuke Altana if she touched i
t…
that might explain the spike of magic I felt earlie
r…
He mused.

Bendon reached his transport symbol. He decided to talk to Robert about his sword when he got to Thioden. And if the girl had it, perhaps Rober
t’
s closeness to the sword would provide enough of a connection to seek the sword.   

***

Grim stood on the deck of the Lucky Blue Wing. The gentle sway of the ocean was calming. He could finally understand why some people found life on the ocean compelling. He had been onboard for a little over a day and he was finally getting some semblance of sea-legs. The Wing was cutting a course for the island of Grinley.

JayDee and Grim had spent several hours debating whether or not to set ashore on the main continent or to head to her island home. To be fair, the debate had taken the form of a pleasant conversation over dinner. Grim needed to get the message to his people that he had escaped. He could only imagine what Jewel and the others were thinking... And more to the point, what they were planning to do. Of course, given the weeks that had passed since his capture and subsequent escape... Grim had only the vaguest of ideas where to find his friends.

In the end, it was that concern which settled the matter. The Grinlean Information Service had 'interests' in Pershara that could spread the word, via carrier bird, far faster and safer than Grim could.

The raven-haired woman Grim was rapidly becoming very attracted to walked up to him on the quarterdeck. "Copper for your thoughts?"

Grim smiled at her warmly. "Just thinking I've been on the water too long... Starting to enjoy it."

"Well, we ca
n’
t have that." she quipped back in mock alarm. "Captain Willaim tells me we should make port just before noon."

"So soon?"

"I'm afraid so. There is a circular current between Grinley and the Barrier Maelstrom to the south. Our best captains have learned how to ride it both ways to cut travel time in half between Grinley and Pershara. Of course it's faster heading back to Grinley because the current that is traveling the right direction is closer to the shore and so we don't waste three quarters of a day getting to it."

Grim leaned on the railing and looked at JayDee. She really was an exceptionally beautiful woman. She smiled back at him and leaned on the rail next to him. The press of her arm against his was enough to drive him to distraction. Grim could not recall ever having felt this way about a woman before. He felt like he was a young smitten school boy rather than a middle-aged knight.

To divert where his mind was going he changed the subject. "I've heard of the Barrier Maelstrom before... Where did it come from and what's on the other side?"

JayDee put more of her weight on the rail and reached a hand to intertwine her fingers with his. She knew the effect she was having on him as she was not about to let off the pressure. To be fair she was finding herself strangely attracted to this man of the Holden line.

"Do you want to know the official answers or the speculation?"

"Both." Grim answered while continuing to hold her hand in his.

"Officially... We don't know... Either answer." She responded with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "Unofficially the story goes that a great war was fought between dragons and human mages and that the maelstrom is the vestige of that battle. As far as what lies on the other side... The word has it that there is another world... Another continent... We don't know because no one has ever managed to traverse the maelstrom safely in both directions."

***

Doctor Harding watched the two from the awning of the quarterdeck. They looked good together. He wished he didn't have to do what he was about to do. Years ago he had made a mistake in judgment and molested a female patient. He had been caught by the woman's husband. It would have been the end of his career but the man had struck a bargain with him. In exchange for a few palace secrets, the husband would hold his tongue.

The doctor wished he had never taken the easy way out. Over the years the secrets stolen had gotten bigger and bigger. Now if he were caught the youthful indiscretion would have been the least of his problems. Even worst, it had become apparent several years ago that from the very start he had been setup and the recipient of his reports was not the man whose wife he had had the indiscretion with.

   He returned to his cabin and unrolled a skin parchment from a stiff leather carrying tube. The parchment was imbued with magic that allowed written messages to be transmitted across great distances. He had heard rumors about the dark magic required to make such tools, but he chose to not dwell on such thoughts.

He grabbed a quill and dipped it in the brownish red ink that was always to be used with this parchment. He began to write...

SAILING FOR GRINLEY. THOMAS HOLDEN ON BOARD.

In a moment he received a reply in the form of magically produced letters...

WELL DONE... WE WILL ADVISE YOU OF NEXT STEPS SOON. FOR THE MOMENT WATCH AND LEARN WHAT YOU CAN.

The paper slowly faded and Doctor Harding, agent of the Dark Lords rolled it up and placed it back in its protective sheath. His hand cold as it always was after handling the skin.

The portal collapsed.

Kindra stared
.“
Where are they
?”
She asked and her voice echoed in the librar
y’
s grand atrium. The echoes faded and still she went unanswered
.“
Gawi
n…
. Jewe
l…
JEWEL
!”
She shouted running toward where the portal had been. She tried to reopen it, but there was nothing to open
.“
JEWEL
!”
Strong arms caught her
.“
JEWEL
!”
She flailed at the hands that held her, but they held, offering comfort. The mother drago
n’
s anguished cries brought tears to everyone who had made it to Thioden.

“
Kindra! Kindra! Be calm
.”
Tommy begged, holding her close so she did
n’
t hurt herself.

“
She ca
n’
t be gone! I just got her back
!”
Kindra sobbed.

A quarter of an hour later, Bendon walked into the room. Tommy had convinced Kindra to sit down next to him. She was still crying into his chest. He whispered soothing words to her. Tolivier was sitting next to Tep, talking softly. Robert was staring at the wall. It must have been where the portal had opened. Robert turned toward him.

“
You made it
.”
Robert greeted him.

Kindra looked up
.“
Did you bring Jewel and Gawin with you
?”
The mother dragon asked hopefully.

It tore at Bendo
n’
s heart that he could
n’
t answer her with an affirmative.  He looked down, shaking his head.
 “
We knew this would happen
.”
He said in a tired voice, sagging against the wall behind him..

Kindra sagged in Tomm
y’
s arms.  Tommy ran a line of soothing kisses through Kindr
a’
s hair. The rest of the stunned party turned toward the old wizard. Bendon had his forehead buried in his hand.  The pain of losing Jewel again left its dark corner at the sight of Kindr
a’
s tears.

“
What da ya mean
?”
Tep asked.

Bendon looked up and met Rober
t’
s gaze. The two men seemed to hold a conference with their eyes. Eventually Robert nodded
.“
It is time, my friend
.
”

Bendon sighed
.“
After all this tim
e…
you would think it would be easy, but i
t’
s so hard t
o
…”

“
To what
?”
Tolivier asked, frustrated. Tomm
y’
s eyes narrowed as he studied the old wizard.

“
I’
ve come full circle
.”
Bendon said, meeting all of their eyes again
.“
Gawin and I are one in the same
.
”

“
It all makes sense now
!”
Tommy said after staring at Bendon for a long time
.“
That means Perela i
s
…”

“
The baby you saw just before we left
.
”

“
What happened to you
?
”

“
I made it to Thiodon, just roughly a thousand years too early. I made it to the librar
y’
s front door before I passed out. For a time, I could
n’
t remember who I was. That was why I was called Bendo
n‘
He who is los
t’
. Perela i
s‘
she who is foun
d’
. I met Robert for the second time, but the first time for him. It ge
t’
s confusing
.”
He said with a small smile for his old friend.

“
And Jewel
?”
Kindra asked.

The sadness in Bendo
n’
s eyes increased
.“
I do
n’
t know. She went in the portal after I did. I know she did
.”
The last he whispered.

“
But you did
n’
t se
e
…
”
Tommy argued.

“
No, but I know. I
know
she is alive. I felt her presence in the portal. I do
n’
t know where she is now or when, but she is
alive
.
”
He met Kindr
a’
s eyes. Kindra nodded, sobbed and clung to Tommy tighter. 

Bendon tore his gaze away from Kindra. He knew that his presence would only give her pain at the moment. Tommy would help her repair her heart. In the meantime he would work on burying his. He pulled Robert aside
.“
You do
n’
t have your sword, do you
?
”

“
No
.”
The other man replied
.“
I had to leave it to power the machine. I cloaked it so only the party could see it
.
”

“
I’
m worried that Altana will find it
.”
Bendon whispered.

Rober
t’
s face went pale. He remembered the first time he had seen the sword. One he had considered a friend had had it. That friend who had assisted him in a healing had turned out to be possessed by the Dark Lord Maltacken. Something had happened to Maltacke
n’
s host body when it had touched Robert. The body had died and Maltacken had used Rober
t’
s body instead. Using him, Maltacken had brought about the series of wars known simply as The Fall.

“
If Altana has that swor
d
…
”
He breathed in rising fear.

Bendon clasped Rober
t’
s arm in support
.“
I think I saw it before I came here, but
I’
m not sure. I need your help to cast a finding spell on it
.”
Robert nodded and followed him. 

***

Present day- Arathin

Sunlight seeped into his skin, warming his bones. It was warmer here than in the north. Even in early spring, which it was now, it was warmer. Kaishan Varcress; the son and heir of Emperor Shan
té
v Varcress, descendent of
Té
vdova Varcress, High Prince of Sheyestiva, the Winged Dagger, and the one who bowed to no one but the Emperor,  closed his eyes, enjoying the play of the wind under his wings and the warm sun. It felt as if it was only yesterday that he had flown over these lands, but that was not true. The layer of dust covering him had told another tale. Being at home in the Kikel Varcressi was another clue. He had been here the last he remembered, not home.  Being with all of his people sprawled in a death like slumber had been strange. He was the first awake. The rest had slowly awakened over the last nineteen years. Only the Emperor remained asleep, sealed in the throne room.

Sheyestiva, his homeland, was thirsty for dragon blood and hungry for power. Victory had been taken from them at the last moment. They wanted victory. As did he. But the only way to finish what they had started was to cross the Niram
i’
s Grave. A feat that had proved difficult since the pass they had traversed was gone. The unpredictable storms had not helped either. They could
n’
t go around it over the sea because of Deat
h’
s Eye which was a hundred mile wide whirlpool that was known to eat anything in the sky or ocean within a thousand or more mile radius. And those scouts he had sent over the Crescent Mountains had never returned. So it was up to him to find the pass that had disappeared.  But finally after all this tim
e…
he had found a way through. Now that he was here, he might as well check the drago
n’
s situation. 

Through a break in the thick clouds he could see the land below him. In this part of Marlhema, it was mountainous. These mountains, the Teheadrillion, were sheer, but not as sheer as those in the Niram
i’
s Grave. Those mountains were high; high enough that nothing alive could fly over them.  They were sharp and utterly lifeless. The Grave formed the border between Marlhema and Sheyestiva.  Compared to those merciless mountains with their killer storms, the Teheadra was tranquil.  Great forests of pine and a few deciduous trees perched upon the Teheadrillio
n’
s shoulders.

The Teheadrillion was relatively small, compared with the other two mountain chains. To the north, the Nirami was the longest chain. The Vermillion, to the east, was also vast. Those two great chains actually touched, effectively cutting Marlhema off from the world. In the center of Marlhema, the Teheadra was off on its own.  On its northern most tip was a fortress perched on a mountain shoulder.  Its name was Emeran or Sentinel in common
marlnaim
.

Twisting its way from Emera
n’
s gate was a narrow road.  Older than memory, the ancient road switched back upon itself often to climb up. It had been carved to allow passage and protection to small supply trains. It was by no means a safe road. There were too many sharp turns and sheer cliffs for that, but it was safer then marching up a broad open road with no overhang or sheltering canopy. Considerably much safer when the enemy of old had been from the sky.

Emeran had been great and proud. Even now it had a noble quality about it; a characteristic that proclaimed dragon architecture. Emeran had been built as the dragon
s’
northern stronghold. Kaishan could, with his min
d’
s eye, see the human archers scurrying about the battlements. Mages stood on the walls and towers, preparing to defend against the enemy. Dragons, in human and their second forms from which they were named, conversed with their human countrymen. Waves of
marana
rippled over some of their bodies and splashed high into the sky. Spears of flame lanced into the sky from the horns of the Ucora. Ice and Wind danced in a killing tango directed by the Lvessi witches. Kaishan blinked and the figures of the past disappeared.               

That was what it had been. Now it clung to its rise like a bedraggled old man who could only see the sun in the past.  It was a valuable stronghold before the war. During the war it was one of the last things standing between Sheyestiva and the drago
n’
s throne. Kaishan was amused as he remembered how desperate the dragons had been. The battle they fought had come from nowhere and had caught them completely unawares. They had been great warriors, but at the time of the war, they were use to peace. They considered a bloodless solution trumped savagery every day. Kaishan often wondered how they thought such a goal could last. Leaving your enemy alive was a mistake. The youngest children of Sheyestiva knew that. Granted the dragons kept a strong army incase a bloodless solution could not be found. Their army had been strong, but strong armies are useless when they are against themselves.

A war was never fought fair.

***

That was true; war never being fought fair. It was war, after all, not a tea party. But it never ceased to amaze Savranious how mortals insisted on there being rules. Nothing was ever fun with rules which was why he was happy with his job. He was Savranious, the Master of Nightmare. A Dark Lord of the Dark Kin Council. There were no rules in the dreaming mind. He rubbed his hands together gleefully.  It was time to play with the one that the others had lost.

The Dark Council did not know he knew her whereabouts, but then they never asked. They never thought he was good for anything in the corporeal world. Savranious rolled his eyes and smirked. Their loss. No mind could hide from him, be it traveling a straight thread of time or a knotted one. Unless it was protected by the Light. In this sundered, shattered part of the world the others, for the most part ignored, there were so few protected by the light. And sometimes those who did know how to block him did
n’
t. Did
n’
t because he could offer them something they longed for, even if he did wrap it in a bloody package. After all, he was a helpful sort.