When I finally stopped talking, Winters turned slightly so she could reach an arm back to recline. Her eyes had a far off look, a welcome change to the murderous rage she’d pointed at me just a short time ago. Silence settled upon us as she contemplated my story, and I found my eyes wandering over her and Lanisa. Winters’s dress was thin and quite revealing, her current leaning position making her enthralling curves even more enthralling. And as revealing as Winters’s clothing was, Lanisa’s was even more so. Every time my eyes crossed that miniature bathing suit of leaves, I had to stop and focus my mind on cars for a minute. I was building the perfect bronze ’69 T-Bird in my head when Winters interrupted.
“So you knew about the abomination that was following you,” she said, as much musing to herself as talking to me.
“Uh, yeah,” I said. “She’s helped us out a couple of times, but she’s also a serious pain in the ass!” The colloquialism, or perhaps the intensity behind it, brought a smile to Winters’s face. “She’s pretty erratic.” I added, hoping it would give reason to that intensity.
“She must be going crazy right now,” Tallus said. “She can’t be happy about being kept out.”
“Kept out?” I asked, eyebrows raised in surprise. “She can pass through solid objects. What makes you think she’s not here right now?” I instinctively looked around as I said that last part.
“You really don’t know much about mages, do you?” Winters asked. “It’s almost impossible to enter a mage’s sanctum unless we allow you to. That’s assuming you can even find the sanctum first. Your undead associate may be able to detect my portals, may,” she emphasized that last word, “but she won’t be able to get in. I guarantee that.”
“Portals?” I asked. “There’s more than just the front door?”
“Many of my rooms have doors to the outside world,” she said waving to a pair of side doors in the garden. “Feel free to look.” The woman had gone back into contemplation mode. Her eyes were staring into space again.
I forced my eyes from the two lovely women and walked to the door, a darkly stained ornate oak with brass hinges and handle set into a snow-white sandstone wall. Outside, semi-arid rolling hills stretched as far as the eye could see. The Mediterranean climate was warm and the breeze quite comfortable. All it needed was the fields of either olive trees or vineyards to complete the Mediterranean image. When I turned back, Winters was already standing and walking toward me. My friends followed behind her.
“Normally I would destroy anyone who’d come from Withermoor,” she said. “Undead are abominations that cannot be tolerated, as are their minions. But your story rings true and from my dealings with the elf king, I could easily believe he’d send you on a fool’s errand to get you killed. Also, my spies have told me of what happened to Salazar. You fit the description of the man who’d created such a fitting punishment. And as for Rasthamus Vale…” she shook her head, face twisting in disgust. “He is a manipulative bastard who is kept in check only by his rival, the lich Xerena Frostmere. If she were to be destroyed, he may just be able to assume power of the entirety of Withermoor.”
“And you just destroyed a lich’s phylactery,” Tallus said. “I’d bet my future throne it belonged to Frostmere.”
“And that’s bad,” I said more than asked. I could read between the lines, I just wanted the details.
“That’s bad,” Lanisa confirmed. “A lich’s phylactery is the focal point between them and the Weave. It transforms the magic’s raw energy into something they can live on. It’s what gives them their immortality. The only way to kill a lich is to either destroy its body completely, which is nearly impossible, or destroy its phylactery.”
“And without Frostmere to keep Vale in check, he could start a war that would make the one we’re preparing for look like children slap-fighting,” Tallus added.
“So we helped Vale commit a coup, and sold the world out in the process,” I mused. “Nice. Real nice. The fucker kept me so far off my game that I didn’t look at the big picture. And now he owns Withermoor.”
“Yes, he’s the tricky sort,” Winters said dismissively. “But while you’ve performed a worldly wonder by both surviving Withermoor and winning its support, I’m afraid there’s nothing you can say to win my support. I’m both interested and entertained by you and your party, so you may stay a few days to regain your strength. And you may also use my portals to shorten your journeys to the Bloodraven orcs. Unfortunately, that is all the support I’m willing to promise you.”
“I can’t say I’m surprised,” Tallus said, his voice sounding resigned. His remark drew a dark look from the raven-haired beauty and he raised his hands to appease her. “I meant no offense, of course. I simply meant that even a mage as powerful as you has to be warry when facing the sheer power of the Arcane Academy.” He flashed her an apologetic smile as he strolled past her toward the exquisite statue at the garden’s center.
“You insult me,” Winters growled. “The Academy is like a collection of children compared to me.” Pride injured, she stalked toward him dangerously but he continued his unworried walk toward the lovely statue.
“No insult intended. Please let me explain,” Tallus said stopping to give her another apologetic smile. “I’m no mage, and if I was, I would have been trained as an elf. But, as I understand it, the Academy stretches back more than a thousand years.” He reached the fountain and sat at its edge, smiling diplomatically at the powerful beauty. Winters stood facing him, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. “It’s even older than the oldest living elf, although not by much. That’s a lot of time and resources you’ve denied yourself. Resources that you might have been able to use to make yourself even more powerful than you are even now.”
“The stories behind the Academy are legendary. The most powerful azure mages can heal the most grievous injuries. The golds use their abilities to alter reality creating portals to distant lands and keep their castle floating in the sky. And the reds…” Tallus smiled and spread his hands in humility. “The Brotherhood has been known to devastate entire landscapes. Given their history, numbers, and power I assumed the Academy your superior.”
“They are NOT superior to me!” she hissed. Her hands formed fists that she rested on her hips as she leaned toward the elf prince. “My power is vastly superior to theirs. And my knowledge of the arcane could surpass their entire library of collected works. Even combined, those blow-hards don’t come close to my equal, much less my superior.”
“But how could I know that?” Tallus asked. “How could anyone know that? The Academy spends a great deal of time and effort demonstrating their power and generosity. Their reputation is so fearsome that no army ever marches without hiring at least a few from the Academy to accompany it. And yet they also teach the how dangerous human magic can be if used without the proper guidance. Humans rely heavily on the Academy’s magic, generosity, and wisdom in their daily lives.”
“Generosity?” Winters sneered as she dropped onto a bench across Tallus. “Wisdom? They’re oppressors and sycophants who spread lies about magic and keep unnecessary secrets. They teach that humans aren’t capable of casting magic like elves, and the few people that defy their fascist rules are listed as renegades and have bounties placed on their heads!”
“Bounties that equate to more than double the average farmer could bring in over an entire lifetime,” Tallus said. “That kind of money buys a lot of faith. And as far as the world is concerned, a Wild Mage such as yourself is nothing more than a dangerous rogue that need to be put down. Even elves are warry of self-trained casters because, without the guidance of the Academy, most tend to blow themselves up along with a rather large chunk of the surrounding countryside. After all, the story of how the Wild Mage Van Derghast destroyed himself and an entire mountain top with him is well known in every culture.”
“That story’s a merger of two completely different stories,” she growled almost sullenly. “It was another of the Academy’s lies to make rogue m
ages seem dangerous. With proper mentoring, any caster can learn to cast like an elf.”
“And who is there to tell the world of that?” Tallus asked. “The Academy teaches the world how dangerous it is for magic to be used by humans, yet we hear nothing from the few successful Wild Mages like you. You stay here, in your palace, hidden away from the world. And while I’m sure you have valid and important reasons for your solitude, the rest of the world only sees you hiding from the awesome power of the Academy. A power that will march with the empires soon enough.”
Winters’s eyes once again narrowed in agitation, and for a moment I thought she was going to burn Tallus to ash. Maybe all of us. But after a few seconds her eyes shifted down as she contemplated his words. She stared at the crushed granite at her feet for a moment then her eyes flashed up to his again. “I’ve never passed up an opportunity to blacken the eye of the Academy’s hierarchy,” she said. “There’s been dozens of times that I outwitted or outmaneuvered them. That must count for something.”
“Are you sure?” he asked gently. “I’ve never heard of a single instance where you’ve gotten the better of them. That you’re still alive and free is a testament to the fact, but there is nothing definitive. And certainly nothing spectacular. Your power and majesty are hidden by both your self-imposed isolation and the Academy’s overwhelming influence.”
“But now you’re offering me an opportunity to change that,” Winters said with a tight smile.
“When the empires march on the Weald, they’ll have mages with them,” Tallus said. A slight smile spread over his face. “Healing blues, alteration golds, and combat reds. Normally they couldn’t be used in a conflict, since each side would hire mages and the Academy refuses to endanger its own. But since the Academy won’t work with the Weald…”
“They’ll show themselves so I can destroy them,” Winters finished.
“And thousands of others will be able to see it as well,” Lanisa said. “The Academy won’t be able to bury that. Your story and power will be out there for all the world can see.”
Winters leaned back in thought for almost a minute before standing. Then she paced for another few minutes as she considered the idea. I watched her pace, her posture statuesque and her strides stately. The woman made for a mesmerizing figure and I soon found myself escaping to thoughts of classic cars again.
“You make a valid point, your highness.” Winter’s voice snapped me out of my reverie. “And it’s a point that I’ll have to consider through the night. Until I’ve made my decision, I’d be honored for you and your colleagues to stay as my guests.”
We all breathed a collective sigh of relief, although we tried to disguise them. Everyone wore smiles of relief and victory.
“Please make yourselves at home,” she said with a sigh. “The entirety of my sanctum is yours to relax in, with the exception of my laboratory and bedroom. But I warn you not to venture outside. Once out of my sanctum, you won’t be able to come back in without my help, and I will be otherwise engaged. Now if you’ll excuse me…”
Winters stretched, throwing her shoulders back in the process. Unlike her choice of dress, I got the impression her stretch wasn’t entirely innocent. My suspicion was confirmed when her eyes roamed hungrily over the elf prince as she stood.
“Prince Tallus, would you be kind enough to join me? I’d like to give you a personal tour and negotiate further.”
The Baths
After the stress and strain of our little discussion with Winters, I’d made a B-line for the baths we’d passed on our way to her garden. Everybody’d gone off to do their own things so I got to enjoy some nice personal space while I bathed. Dinner consisted of something that looked like lobster meat but tasted suspiciously indescribable in our host’s oak and brushed metal dining area. I was dog tired when I found what I can only describe as a miniature ash-made ski chalet to sleep in.
In the morning, I skipped breakfast, deciding on another bath. I pulled a simple maze colored robe from my closet and struck out for R&R. The night before was business, washing the filth of the road and caves off me. But this morning was all decadence.
I was resting against the side of one of her heated tubs, up to my neck in hot water with a towel over my face, when I heard a body slip quietly into the water with me. Pulling the towel away, I saw Lanisa lounging in the tub with me, her eyes closed.
“Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“You didn’t,” I lied. I didn’t realize I’d been asleep until she slid in and woke me. “I was just resting.”
As usual, my eyes slid over her body and I was shocked. Crystal clear water didn’t hide her curving and luscious naked body. I immediately called up the image of a ‘72 Grand Am to keep my skivvies in their relaxed position.
“Do you always bathe in your clothing?” she asked without opening her eyes.
“I… uh, I was in a hurry,” I stammered out. Her eyes opened to look at me skeptically and an eyebrow rose to match.
“In a hurry to relax, huh?” she said unconvinced. “Are all people from your world this strange?”
“Actually, I’m one of the less strange.” I like to believe that’s true, but even a fairly normal person like me can seem like an idiot when caught by surprise.
I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, trying not to think about the fantasy soaking in the warmth of the water near me. Try as I might, I couldn’t help sneaking the occasional peak, although she didn’t seem to be suffering from the same weakness of wills. I was really wishing for any kind of distraction when Lanisa spoke.
“In my culture it’s considered rude to be dressed when sharing a bath. It tells me your body is more sacred than mine. Or mine is less attractive.”
“Shit no!” I blurted out. The words burst out of my mouth like shot from a cannon, and the intensity behind them shocked us both. Completely flustered yet again, my overwhelmed mind tried to form some sort of explanation as I felt the heat rise in my face.
“I just mean that you could never be considered unattractive.” As soon as the words spilled out I felt like I was overplaying my hand. Her raised eyebrow and curious gaze reinforced that thought so, again, I tried to salvage the situation. “Not that I think your attractive.” Even worse! “Or unattractive! I just find you… womanly.”
Womanly??? I thought. What the fuck does that mean?!
I closed my eyes to try to regain some self-control, feeling my face reddening badly. After a few breathing exercises to calm my nerves, I opened my eyes. Lanisa was still looking at me with that raised eyebrow. Her eyes flashed down at my skivvies a couple times.
There was nothing for it. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and pulled my briefs free. They seemed to make an extra loud smacking sound when the wet material hit the quartzite. Opening my eyes, I saw Lanisa was relaxing again. Head leaned back on a pile of towels, eyes closed, and arms resting on the lip of our tub, if she’d peeked at me she gave no indication. I gave a mental shrug and decided to try to take in some of the scenery of the room that didn’t include the beautiful elf.
“I have to admit, you’ve impressed me,” she said suddenly. My eyes shot back to her, but she still lay in that ultra-relaxed position. In fact, if she hadn’t have spoken I would’ve thought she was asleep.
“Yeah, thanks,” I mumbled. “But that’s not why I’m doing it.” I probably should have said something heroic, but the conversation was drawing my attention back to her perfection which was shutting down my brain.
“But you are doing it,” she said. There was the hint of a smile playing across her serene face. “By now I’m sure you’ve realized that there may be more ways back to your world than just our people. And yet you’ve stayed with us, no matter the danger or hardship.”
“What about my sister?” I asked. “She’s still training with the Consortium. I couldn’t leave her behind.” Strangely enough, it’s the long scar across her face that I became fixated on then. I never would have bel
ieved that something traditionally considered a ‘blemish’ could be so damned lovely.
“You know as well as I our king hates you,” she said at almost a whisper. Her eyes were open now but unusually soft. “He’d gladly let you and your sister leave; all you’d have to do is ask. So why don’t you?”
“I guess I don’t like the idea of asking someone like him for anything. And I damn well don’t want him to win.”
Her eyes took a stern cast, almost wounded. “And that’s your only reason?”
“My only reason?” I echoed as my eyes wandered her naked form. “No, I don’t think so. I think I’d miss you. Uh… elves and dwarves.” I hastily added that last part, suddenly aware that her entrancing beauty caused me to over-share.
“You’d miss us elves and dwarves, huh?” Lanisa asked. That hint of a smile was back, and she arched her back in a long, languid stretch. My mouth dropped open as her breasts crested the tub’s hot water. “When we first met, I was sure that I would kill you at some point.” She said with a devious smile. But I suppose, with everything you’re going through for ‘us elves and dwarves’, I shouldn’t kill you.”
“Well I’d really appreciate that,” I said with a goofy grin. “I was just starting to like you.”
“Truly, human?” she asked with a wry smile. She hadn’t called me that in quite a while but, unlike before, she made it sound almost salacious. “I’m not sure I’d take it that far,” she continued. “But then who could blame you. What’s not to like?” I snorted out a chuckle in response as she gave me something of a half bow in the tub. I noticed her eyes catch a glimpse of my naked body in the process. Only then did I notice that my manhood was fully erect. By then, I didn’t care.
A New World Page 18
