A movement nearby caused her to jerk, swinging her light in the direction it came from. Another outline, this one humanoid. Taking a step closer, her eyes widened as Isabelle came into view. She was leaning against a hay bale, breathing heavily and with sunken eyes, but alive. One of her lids cracked open from where her head listed in a half sleep. Seeing Maria, she smiled, though the action seemed to sap her of strength. Isabelle tried to raise her hand to point at the bird statue, but she gave up halfway, letting the arm fall limp. Licking her lips, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I’ve been guarding her. Not sure how much use I was, as nothing happened. But it was better than doing nothing. I would only slow Vletch down. He caught me up on what is going on. I knew if I waited I would meet up with a group at some point. I missed Kimi’s group though, they left before I got back.”
Maria wasn’t sure how to respond. When she finally managed to speak, only one thought came to her mind. “Jasmine! You might want to get up here!”
Maria heard the quick footfalls, the creaking of the ladder and the thud as Jasmine's body clambered over the ledge. As she turned, Maria heard the cry of joy escaping Jasmine's lips when she saw Isabelle. The floor shook as Jasmine ran over, but Isabelle managed a single word before Jasmine could hug her.
“No.”
Jasmine’s face fell as she backed away, hurt plain in her features.
Don’t get too close. I’m still infected. My body is fighting it off, and it is mostly gone, but I don’t want to spread it to you by mistake.”
“But you’re all right? You are going to be fine, right?”
“Yes, I think so. Thanks to Kimi and Vletch I was able to fight through the worst of it. I heard him talking, telling me what he was doing as he mumbled under his breath. I did what I could to help him so my body wouldn’t reject his help.”
“Then I’m just going to sit up here with you for a while.”
“I’d like that.”
“We should leave them alone.”
Maria jumped at the small voice speaking directly into her left ear. She had completely forgotten about the forest spirit Nimli. The spirit weighed almost nothing where she sat on her shoulder, half hidden in her hair. Nodding her head, Maria left the two alone to talk in private.
“So what’s wrong?”
Maria shook her head slightly. “Nothing.”
“Hasn’t anyone ever told you it isn’t a good idea to lie to a spirit? I’m connected to you through your magic right now remember? It might not be as deep a bond as a mage-mediator partnership, but I can sense some of your feelings.”
“Grandpa said the whole thing about lying to spirits bringing bad luck is made up because fairies hate not knowing.”
“Leave it up to a Grand Wizard to figure out our secrets. He’s right. We are curious by nature, and humans are a superstitious lot. Even more so because you have magic. So, what’s bugging you?”
“Nothing really. I just hate how useless I am. Kimberly is better than me at everything. More brains, more skill, a better leader, and everyone likes her. And now that she is stuck with Frank, I’m sure he’s going to fall in love with her and forget all about me. Why would he still be interested in me when I’m nothing compared to her.”
“You two are a couple?”
Maria could hear the surprise in Nimli’s voice, the sound making her grimace. Even this small woman thought she was lying.
“Yeah. I’m not lying.”
“Didn’t say you were. I’m just a little surprised. Excuse me for saying so, but you are a weak mage. I thought you humans had some sort of caste system where strong mages like Frank didn’t give someone like you a second glance. So hearing that the two of you are together sounds odd based on what I know.”
“Yeah, well that is exactly why we’ve kept our relationship secret the last two years. It wouldn’t hurt my standing much, but it would crush his. He says he doesn’t care, but I’m not willing to do that to him.”
“So how’d you two meet?”
“Nothing special really. I was out in the woods picking herbs for my grandfather. I grew tired so sat on a rock to rest. He came upon me as I was singing to myself. After that, he began to court me in secret. He was the first boy to see me as more than just the failed outcast witch. I guess the attention got to me.”
“So you’ve known Milly for a long time too then. And she knows about the two of you.”
“Of course. We get along reasonably well I suppose. Don’t always see eye to eye on things, but she isn’t trying to bite my head off to keep me away so that’s something.”
“So with all that knowledge, why do you think Frank will shun you for Kimi? He’s only known her for a few hours, yet he has known you for years. By your own account, he is the one that came courting you, not the other way around. He could have courted anyone in those two years, but he didn’t. Maybe I’m missing something here, but I’ve watched humans for a very long time now. I’m pretty well conversant in your ways.”
“Because she is better than me, weren’t you listening? He didn’t go after any of the other girls in town because they are all mean. But Kimberly isn’t.”
“She hit you, that seemed pretty mean. She killed people, that seems pretty mean too.”
Maria shook her head, not knowing how to explain it any better. “I know that, but even I can admit she isn’t like that deep down. She cares about people, I realize that now. And she doesn’t like getting violent. Those moments were just small outburst, they aren’t who she really is. Milly will like her because Kimberly is smart enough to keep up with her. And Francis will consider his partners happiness as well. There is no way he wouldn’t want to upgrade to a better version. One that is more useful. I knew he would dump me eventually, since I am just a flawed product. But even knowing it was going to happen, it still hurts.”
Nimli flew off Maria’s shoulder, turning to come face to face with the girl. She stuck out her hand and rapped Maria’s forehead a few times with a small fist. Maria saw the fairy nod while putting her hands on her hips.
“Yep, just what I thought-- empty. For all your thinking, you’re not thinking. What I heard rattling around inside of there was stupidity. And I’m not talking about lack of knowledge kind of stupidity. I’m talking about the kind that makes even the smartest people into imbeciles. You talk like Kimi doesn’t have a say in any of this, or you for that matter. Supposing you are right and Frank will dump you for Kimi. Do you think Kimi will just say “oh yeah, sure, I’m fine with that”. She barely knows the guy. Plus she wouldn’t want to hurt you if she knew. Mark my words, I would make sure to tell her if that happened.
“And what about you? If he dumps you, will you just roll over and accept that? You had enough spine to go rushing off on quest with the threat of certain death looming over your head. Are you telling me you don’t have enough of that backbone in you to fight to keep him? You’ve had a crummy life, being insulted and put down by your own people for your lack of skill, I get that. You don’t think much of yourself and are seeking to prove your worth to the world, I get that too. But you know what? You’ve survived! You have come this far without letting any of that break you. I bet you learned to do things without magic and so are probably more resourceful than any of those strong mages. Your problem is you don’t believe in yourself. You believe in what other people say about you, but not in your own abilities. Snap out of it and fight.”
With that Nimli darted forward, slapping Maria hard across the cheek. It only stung a little bit, her small frame unable to pack the punch of a regular human. But that small sting made her blood start boiling. Not at the fairy, but at herself for wallowing in self-pity. Nimli was right, she was being stupid. If Francis did dump her and pursue Kimberly, she would fight to keep him. She might not win, but at least she would try her hardest. Touching the spot Nimli had slapped, Maria smiled crookedly.
“Thanks. I needed that.”
“Anytime. I’m more than willing to s
lap the stupid out of you again. And just for your information, Kimi isn’t some great super being. She is just a scared girl acting tough because if she doesn’t, she is going to come to a halt and cower in a corner. She feels inferior precisely because she doesn’t know a lot about this new world she has been thrust into. Or all the customs and pitfalls you take for granted. She acts on what she knows. She still half believes this is some story she is dreaming and she will wake up once she finishes it. That is the only way she can keep herself sane.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’m a fairy, it’s my job to know such things. And because she tried to make a contract with me. I told her it wouldn’t work, but she tried anyway. She got nothing out of it, but I got a connection to her inner mind similar to what I have with you. At least, for a little while.”
As Nimli came to rest on her shoulder once more, Maria told Kimberly what was happening.
I’m glad. My theory was actually right. With Milly and Bree gone, it will be up to your group to monitor and protect the girl. Will you three be all right? Honestly. --K.
We will have to be. Not like you can do anything from where you are right now. --Maria.
I don’t know about that. I am going to leave something for you under the pile of hay just to the right of the ladder leading to the loft. Use it well. We are off to take care of the woodsman with the disease. And Maria& I really am sorry about before. Lets talk after this is over. --K.
Yeah& lets talk later Kimberly. --M.
Didn’t I say that my friends called me Kimi? --K.
You& consider me a friend? --M.
Idiot. Of course.
But you hit me. And you didn’t want to be my mediator.
This and that are two different things. Even friends fight sometimes. Look at your grandparents. They fight all the time, but they don’t hate each other. Just because I disagree with you doesn’t mean I don’t like you.
Thanks& Kimi.
Kimi didn’t answer in words, but she drew a smiley face, which was all Maria needed to know. She felt a connection with the girl, a real connection, for the first time since the two had met. She was beginning to see what Nimli had meant earlier. Maria felt as if she understood Kimi at least a little bit more now. She had been so focused on getting a partner, she had forgotten the person she had summoned was human too. Maria had to admit she had probably come off as too forceful back then. Her excitement making her blind to everything else. If she got out of this alive, next time she would be more considerate. Maybe then someone would partner with her.
With a bounce in her step that hadn’t been there moments ago, Maria headed for the pile of hay Kimi had mentioned. Pushing the loose pile to the side, she found a gnarled staff, similar to the one her grandfather used during ceremonies and when casting high level spells. It had a sense of age about it, magic symbols woven through the carvings of the world tree Yggdrassil. Maria’s hand shook as she reached out for the item that radiated power like a blazing sun. She didn’t know why she was so scared of it, but she was.
The moment her fingers curled around the middle of the staff, power burst inside. She was Kim, the Ageless Sorceress. She who had lived for a thousand years, and mastered a thousand and one spells. She who’s power was as deep as the Anvarthian sea. Who’s skill could be as subtle as a Goron’s insult or as brutish as a violent giant.
Maria shook her head as the overwhelming personality subsided. This was a character of Kimi’s. Just like when she transformed into the knight, but on a whole different level. She still knew she was Maria Santalada, yet at the same time she was the Ageless Sorceress. Her mind held all the skills of this master sorceress, and she felt the wellspring of power deep inside that she could pull from. Experience from countless battles with nonexistent enemies. Strategy and tactics for thousands of situations ran through her head.
Wonder at the power she held filled her. With a flick of her wrist, she created a fireball twice the size of her fist. Tossing it at the door, she curled her hand, flinging two fingers to the side. The fireball altered course, warping into a ball of water as easily as Maria could breath. Another mental twist split the ball in two, half turning to ice, the other half becoming a tornado that bounced the ice up and down gently. With a clenched fist, she made the magic disappear. This magic was like, and unlike the magic she knew. Was this what being a Grand Wizard felt like? If so, it was amazing.
Maria began to chuckle at her newfound abilities. No longer could anyone call her a failure. No longer would it take all her power to make the smallest light. As her laughter faded, Maria felt tears rolling down her cheeks. That wasn’t right. This wasn’t her power. It was Kimi’s mediator ability being lent to her.
“She isn’t trying to be cruel.”
Nimli’s quiet words made her smile softly.
“I know. She is just doing what she can to keep us alive. Our group is the weakest of the four. She is entrusting me with the power to protect everyone. I can-- I can feel her in the staff if that makes sense. I can almost see the thoughts she had when she sent this to me. It just hurts a little bit that’s all. To know that even a fictional character Kimi made up is stronger than me. And knowing she can give this kind of power to anyone.”
“But she gave it to you.”
“Yeah, she gave it to me. And I’m not going to waste it.”
“Just be careful, it might be powerful, but the energy needed is still draining from Kimi. It requires her abilities to keep that staff in this world. And it takes more energy the farther she gets from it. You don’t know when it might run out and the staff disappears as well.”
“I know. But I won’t let anything harm our group. Even if all of this goes away, I will die before I let anyone else get harmed.”
Maria went over and carved a single word in the dirt. Thanks. But Kimi didn’t reply, she was probably already gone.
Chapter 22: Wind Speaker
“So, perhaps we need to rethink how to go about this whole starting a war thing.”
Bree turned her head to give Milly a raised eyebrow. The raptor did not seem amused at her attempt at humor. Then again, Bree couldn’t read the dinosaur very well to begin with. Bree wasn’t sure if she even had a sense of humor the way she was so matter of fact about everything.
“You’re right. It will take more than just a few dead on both sides.”
Bree looked out the window once more, watching the bustle of the townspeople below. It seemed so ordinary. Despite the setting sun, men and women still walked around without a care in the world, doing business and haggling over prices. Men in strange leather and metal armor patrolled the streets, swords riding at hips. Bree even spotted some of the strange Emishi mingling with the rest. They were easy to spot, being the only ones with wild curly hair, and bushy beards. They were also bulkier. Not fat, just thicker boned.
While these Emishi were looked at with varying degrees of mistrust, they were still grudgingly accepted by the masses. It was hard to believe these streets had been a small war zone not twenty minutes ago. A crew of soldiers were just now loading the last of the Emishi corpses in the back of a covered wagon. Amazingly, at least to Bree, many of the Emishi mingling in the crowd right now, had joined in the fight against their own people.
Bree looked at Milly once more, shaking her head with a sigh. “I thought these Emishi were at peace with the Japanese. What was the point of you turning that woman’s mind to mush for if that information is wrong?”
“It wasn’t wrong. It was imperfect. I’ll admit, I made a plan based on imperfect information. The woman did not know everything, the same way you are not a master of every element and aspect of magic. Now, I see that the information is imperfect and must gather more to see the whole picture.”
“Just-- don’t go turning everyone’s mind to goo if you don’t have to, okay?”
“Of course not. There are far too many people around. The likelihood of being caught is too great. So I will take a more stealthy approach. Of
course, if I can manage to get someone with a wealth of information alone, that is a different story.”
Bree let out another sigh, that was probably the best she could hope to get from the raptor. “At least kill them afterwards?”
“I can agree to that. I am getting quite hungry.”
Bree didn’t respond, looking away as she swallowed in a suddenly wet mouth. She would like to think Milly was joking, but she had a feeling she wasn’t. Pushing the drapes to the side once more, Bree spoke.
“We should split up. At least temporarily. See what we can find out.”
Milly nodded slowly, never taking her eyes off the crowds. “That is an excellent idea. I was actually just going to suggest the same. I am sure you will not like watching me eat, and forgive my saying so, but you would slow me down.”
Bree wanted to deny her words, but just couldn’t. “Meet back here in two hours?”
Milly nodded once more at Bree’s suggestion. “Good enough. If you get into trouble yell for me with your mind, I will hear.”
With those words, Milly headed for the door, only an odd bob of her dress giving lie to the disguise she wore. It wasn’t very noticeable, but Bree had caught the small oddity observing the other women of this world. It was strange, she had never noted such differences before. But ever since she had partnered with Kimi she took note of such differences more readily. This hadn’t happened with Emry, was that because Kimi was a Phaser? Or had Emry just been too weak to have such an effect?
Bree watched Milly leave the inn below, melding with the regular townspeople seamlessly. No one gave her a second glance, even as she brushed against a swordsman, coming away with his coin purse. Bree glimpsed the pouch for only a second, then it too was hidden from sight. By the time the soldier realized his purse had been lifted Milly had disappeared around the corner, leaving him scratching his head in confusion.
Out of Time the Grand Quest Page 24
