Wizard's Blood [Part Two] (70 page)

After the meeting that left them all feeling a bit helpless, Asari had cornered Jolan with the matter of seeking the dragons.

“
How could it be that important?” Jolan said. “There haven’t been any dragons for centuries. They have to be dead.”

Stubbornly, Asari resisted. “You remember your hunch about Ygooro? A lost city, yet you knew it had something we needed. Look what came of that. We all supported you, even though we didn’t understand how you could be so positive. Now I do. I
know
that we have to seek out the dragons.”

“
Asari, it would take months to go there and return. Can we even get there? From the maps it looks like we’d have to get back to Cheurt’s old Nexus and then make our way through some pretty wild mountains.”

“
We can’t go that way. My Pa and I spent a lot of time in that area. If there’s a way, we couldn’t find it. We have to go the long way around, by ship. We could come up from the south.”

“
You, on a ship? For at least a month? You have to be kidding.”

Asari grimaced at the thought. “I’m going. I hoped you’d come with me. There’s nothing you can really do here at the moment. You can see that the war is going to stagnate for a long time until the sides figure out what this change means. It is the perfect time to be gone. By the time we return, Cheurt would have lost the use of the amplifier, if you’re right that the battery will fail. We might come back with something that will give us the edge again. I can’t explain why, but I know it’s true.”

Sensing that his friend was serious about attempting the journey alone, Jolan said, “Let’s talk with Shyar.”

Jolan had never bought entirely into all the dragon lore that seemed to be so important to many of the people in the Settled Lands. Even the references and list of names that Nerila had given him so long ago had seemed a bit suspect to him. While he doubted he’d ever get to the bottom of the myths and tales, he expected that something far more mundane was really behind the whole matter. He was therefore more than a little surprised at the interest and acceptance Asari’s desire to go investigate the creatures generated.

‘
What brought up this sudden interest in dragons?” Shyar asked when Jolan and Asari first told her of Asari’s plan.

Asari explained to Shyar some of what they had learned in Ygooro about the creatures. He also explained the reference Jolan’s ancestor Utar had made to where they could be found and the much later discovery of the symbol on the ancient maps they had been using to locate portals. He also tried to explain the growing sense of urgency he’d felt the past weeks about the need to seek out the dragons.

“
I sense he’s right,” Tishe said suddenly. She had come in during the discussion and quietly listened and watched Asari as he explained his plan.

Great, Jolan thought. Now there are two of them with a hunch.

Shyar had also listened to all Asari had to say with a great deal more acceptance than Jolan would have expected, and after Tishe had spoken up, she was nodding her head slowly as if coming to a decision.

“
We should go with Asari,” she said finally, and Asari beamed from ear to ear. “Not only do you owe him, but you know Tishe is seldom wrong about these kinds of things. How often has she seen what you would have overlooked?”

“
Vaen would never support such a trip right now. There are too many things that could happen.”

“
We’ll just have to ask her. After all, we are free to follow our own beliefs, so we could go without her blessing, but you’re correct it would be better if she was in agreement.”

Vaen was far easier to convince than Jolan would have suspected. She was a bit taken aback when the idea was raised, but as Asari, Tishe and Shyar argued the various points, she soon became a supporter.

“
I can see a number of advantages,” she said finally. “To start, I think getting you and Shyar out of Cobalo might be a good idea. Not only would a trip allow you proper time together after so long, but Shyar still senses Cheurt’s spying on Jolan. One never knows when he might look in, and it’s possible he could learn things we’d rather not have him aware of. Can you imagine if he used his
Farsight
and happened to see you at the Nexus. What damage could that do? A trip on the ocean would serve to confuse and distract him. There would be nothing he could reference as to where you were going, and it would have to concern him. A sea voyage just now wouldn’t make sense to him.”

“
We would be out of touch for several months,” Jolan argued.

“
If you don’t start now, you will hit the winter storms on your attempted return. If you are going to go, it had best be soon. Besides, from what you described you wouldn’t be fully out of touch.”

“
I’ve never tried the Travel Box before, so I can’t be certain how well it works,” Jolan said.

“
It sounds like you can leave the box in Buris’ lab, and from wherever you are you will be able to extract items placed in it, including messages. You could also place items or messages in the box, which we could retrieve on this end. That seems like a pretty reliable means of communicating and essentially instantaneous. We could keep you informed of developments here, which will be few if Wylan and his advisors are correct. Asari is correct that until next spring the situation will remain static. If there is any chance such a trip could yield an answer to our problem, it is worth every effort to investigate.”

“
I’m no longer much of a mage,” Jolan said. “Without the staff and amplifier, I can’t perform as I once could so I might not be missed, but Shyar is the most powerful mage you have. She might be needed.”

“
Second most powerful,” Shyar said correcting him and indicating Tishe. “Besides, I’m going Jolan,” Shyar finished leaving no room for disagreement.

“
You will be traveling along known coasts for much of the trip. Should some need arise, we could send a message and you could make landfall and seek out a portal for a return. You can take one of the detailed maps that have been created from Asari’s book that shows the approximate locations of the portals. Once you are in the Lost Territories, that won’t be possible, but if nothing has created a need for you to return by the time you reach there, I’m willing to take the risk of having to wait.”

“
I want to go,” Tishe said suddenly.

“
Absolutely not,” Vaen said. “In addition to all the obvious reasons, you are also our backup communication with Shyar. One of you has to remain here. Had it not been for your special mental link, we would have paid a far greater price to Ale’ald already. Sorry Tishe. Such a trip is dangerous and we need you here.”

* * * *

As a result of the meeting, Jolan found himself walking up the gangplank of one of the Queen’s fastest vessels a few days later. Shyar walked just behind him, and a subdued Asari a bit behind the two of them. Jolan knew what Asari must be thinking. He badgered everyone involved to get his way, and now he was looking at a month or more aboard an ocean vessel, depending on the winds and fate. His previous trip had lasted a miserable two days, and most of that on the relatively protected inlet between Jupura and Cobalo. Here the weather and waters were likely to be far worse at times.

After a brief check of their staterooms, the three friends met on deck to watch as the ship departed the city. Their personal baggage had been loaded hours earlier and was waiting in the luxurious rooms they had been given for the trip. This was one of the Queen’s traveling craft after all.

The crew consisted of twenty of Her Majesty’s most experienced sailors. Two of the officers had actually sailed the route once before, having made a trip completely around the Settled Lands a few years previously. They knew a number of places to make landfall for supplies that were perishable, although some would be available via the Travel Box.

As the ship pulled away and the fresh salty smell of the spray reached their noses, Jolan smiled in contentment. It did feel good to be away. Perhaps something positive would come of this wild goose chase.

Jolan looked at Asari. The waves were still calm since they were within the shelter of land, but his friend was already looking a bit green. It was probably just anticipation of what was coming, but Jolan held back a small grin and placed his hand on Asari’s back.

“
Shyar has something for you,” he said seriously.

Asari looked at Jolan, and then let his eyes jump to a smiling Shyar just behind him. She beckoned him, and he made his way over to her.

“
Sit,” she commanded, indicating a section of deck that was slightly raised for just such a purpose.

He did as asked, and as she laid her hand on his forehead, Asari noted she was wearing Jolan’s ring; the one with the blue stone.

“
Seasickness isn’t really an illness and, with my abilities with medicine, there would be nothing to be done. Shyar, however, has an amazing touch and understanding of the art. With the ring she’s certain your problem can be fixed.”

Asari watched as bands of bluish light flickered from the ring, around Shyar’s hand, and into his head. He felt nothing, but soon an easing of the nausea that had been building inside could be felt. Shyar withdrew her hand, indicating she was done. Asari stood and felt absolutely great. The ship was starting to pitch and roll as they came out of the shelter of the land and started to come about to make their way north. The motions no longer bothered him, and he couldn’t help but hurry to the rail with Jolan and Shyar to watch Cobalo drift out of sight behind them. He was still going to have to get used to the motions of the ship to walk safely, but no longer did he have to fear the horrible retching and disorientation that had plagued him before. Instead of a month of sheer misery, Asari suddenly felt like he was going to thoroughly enjoy the month on the water.

Where could he be going? Until he discovered the answer to that, his plans for Jolan would have to be put on hold. Cheurt had been surprised the previous afternoon when he’d seen Jolan and his two friends aboard a ship, clearly well away from land. Why travel by ship when they had access to the portals which could take them almost anywhere instantaneously? Perhaps there was something about the portal system he didn’t understand. Perhaps they had done something to make the system risky. Certainly he’d already lost a number of wizards to the system, and he didn’t know why.

The viewing he’d just made confirmed they were still at sea, not surprising since one couldn’t get very far in a single day by ship. Sadly, there had been nothing to provide clues as to the direction that they were headed. The sun had been high in the sky, and so even that clue was lost to him.

He supposed it didn’t matter for the moment, since he wasn’t yet ready to make his move. His people were still learning about the portals and how they could be used. He bristled at the thought so much could have been revealed to him had he been more careful and had just a few more minutes with the man before the Shyar woman had managed to kill him. He wondered what capabilities his people hadn’t considered might be hidden in the system. Thus far they had learned how to activate portals for which they knew the address. Getting the addresses was a tedious affair. He had to send a wizard with knowledge of portal activation to the site, activate it, and then see what new address appeared in the local portal. But once that was known, they could control the new addition remotely, and pass people between the portals freely. It had already been extremely useful in allowing him to move between the Academy and the capital. He also had a courier who now made daily trips to the capital of Kimlelm and back. He’d thought communications were great when the telegraph had been installed. How Jolan and his people must have been laughing at them.

Cheurt wondered how Jolan had obtained the addresses for the portals within Ale’ald. It was unlikely they’d sent someone all the way into the area, which suggested they had lists of addresses for the portals. Maybe they knew addresses for every portal in the system. The thought was disturbing, and made the task of locating and watching all of the portals a high priority. If such a list existed, he guessed they would have found it in Ygooro or Tilano. How he would like to know where those places were and have the chance to examine the secrets they must contain. He promised himself the day would come when he’d have the chance.

He’d been disappointed when the report came back from his people in Trailways that the great lake in the nearby mountains was full and looked as it always had. He’d been certain that was the location the man had in his mind for the location of Tilano. But apparently not. There would be no way to fake the lake. It was far too large. If it had been drained somehow, filling it again would take years, and they hadn’t had the time. He would have to consider what other lakes existed that would be large enough to drown a city.

The process of learning and using the system was going to take longer than he initially suspected. He wanted a portal in Angon so he could send his war wizards after Jolan. He wanted the man dead. He had managed to escape far too often. He had even had his men capture a couple of Angon’s mages, not a simple task, and while their minds were rich in information, none knew anything about the portal system. It appeared the system had been held secret even from most of their people. That meant the chances of learning about it the easy way weren’t available.