by T Nisbet
Chp. 34
The road dove down several hundred feet into what might have been a valley if I could have seen anything. Our horses slid and scrambled trying to keep their feet on the way down. I heard Toby swear angrily several times as the rode twisted, winding down into the valley. Somehow we all managed to stay in the saddle.
“You alright, Tob?” I called out after we began to gallop over the flat terrain.
“Remember what I said about horses and walking?” he shouted back to me. “I’d like to withdraw that comment.”
Despite the frightening ride, I found myself smiling.
“Sir James was right, you have strong allies,” Thallium’s voice rang out, even stronger than before.
I started to think about what he said when my skin began to prickle with energy. The glow surrounding my hands grew brighter, bathing the horse’s neck and head in blue light. Ahead of me I could see Ivy and Guldan’s glows intensifying as well.
“Lillith Ga’ Serne is just beyond the trees on the eastern side of this valley. That sensation you’re feeling is magical energy. Reach out with your mind, Jake. Let it surround you.”
I did as instructed and the prickling sensation became a warmth that caressed my skin.
“Well done, Jake, you did that quite easily, with no real effort. Impressive. Now reach out with your thoughts and grab a little of it, just a little mind you, and throw it up into the air,” Thallium said.
“Do what?”
“Just imagine grabbing some of that energy and throwing it up into the air.”
I tentatively reached out. Power rushed into me so quickly it took my breath away. In a blind panic I released the saddle horn I was holding in a death grip, threw my hand up above my head and willed the suffocating energy away.
“Opps,” Thallium said, as I felt a surge of energy leaving me, flowing out of my hand.
I felt more energy seeping into me, filling the void left behind.
“Concentrate Jake!” Thallium ordered. “It’s not complete. You must will it into action. Think of a brightly lit room.”
I grabbed the saddle horn again and concentrated on the amber light from the Inn in Brighton.
“Release your will quickly, before it goes too high!” Thallium ordered.
“Now!” I shouted out loud, imagining the amber light.
A blinding light burst into existence several hundred feet above the road, illuminating the valley around us in amber.
“Halt!” Guldan shouted from in front of the group.
I pulled back on the reins towards my waist and sat back in the saddle as Gill had instructed me. My horse braked hard, its hooves sliding on the ancient paving stones. I blinked furiously trying to clear the after image from my sight.
“Oh yeah, don’t look into the light,” the ancient voice giggled.
“Thanks,” I sighed as my vision began to clear.
Amber light bathed the valley around us for several hundred yards in each direction. The trees had receded from the road replaced by low growing grasses. The light didn’t move, but stood where it was, stationary in the cool night sky. Guldan had turned his mount and was looking at me. Ivy and Toby were scanning the clearing in confusion.
“I take it High Lord Thallium chose this moment to teach you about magic?” Guldan said in an irritated tone. “Bet he’s laughing about it too.”
I starred at him in shock. I had done magic? Didn’t I have to know some crazy formula, say special words is some bizarre tongue, or sacrifice something on an alter? I glanced up at the light hanging over the valley. It reminded me of one of those army flares I’d seen in the movies.
I could hear the old man’s laughter as if he were standing beside me.
Guldan shook his head.
“Guess he deemed it was time for a break. Dismount, we’ll take a few minutes. Get some food, water, and whatever other relief you require.”
Toby stared at me in wonder.
“You did that, Jake?”
“I don’t know,” I answered dazed and perplexed, ignoring the old wizard’s laughter.
“A warning would have been appreciated, Thallium.” Guldan said, leaping agily to the ground.
“Apologize for me,” Thallium managed to say still wheezing with laughter. “Tell him I didn’t know you would take to it so quickly.”
I managed a shrug.
“He… he says he’s sorry,” I stammered.
Guldan smirked, getting something out of his saddlebag.
“Tell him to save your training for later unless of course it is his intention to ruin our plans.”
I slowly got off the horse, my mind awhirl with bewilderment at what I’d done. It felt good to have my feet on solid ground, but it did little to settle my thoughts. I heard Toby groan with relief and knew he shared my view.
“He knows this is an excellent place to rest. Ignore him. In fact, this is the last decent spot to take a break before you reach Grimhome,” the old wizard said, seeming to get control of his laughter. “I have much to teach you about magic, Jake. We don’t have much time, so I’ll give you the shortened version.”
“The shortened version?” I asked, walking around my horse out into the grass away from the others. My bladder needed relief.
“Indeed, we need to take advantage of the moment, dear boy. The power of this place makes it an exceptional spot. I’ll be back to plaguing your intuition tomorrow. That is, unless you plan on learning while drunk, or exhausted. The former could be kind of fun, though undoubtedly dangerous.”
“We only have a few minutes before Guldan will want us back in the saddle, Thallium. It’s probably not a good time,” I said to the voice, trying not to let my fear show. I didn’t want to separate myself further from the others. It already felt like I stuck out. The weapons ability made me powerful as it was.
“That is precisely why Sir James chose you, Jake. Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Your natural dislike for power, for the trappings of fame and glory made you the perfect candidate for the job.”
“Well, I need to eat and get something to drink,” I said to myself, hoping to delay the coming lesson.
Thallium chuckled,
“You can do that from the saddle my boy.”
“Right, maybe you didn’t see how difficult it was for me just to stay in the saddle,” I said, sighing with relief as I emptied the contents of my bladder. “I should rejoin the others when I’m finished.”
“In a moment, let us proceed with a small test first shall we? A wizard has to know his limits.”
I laughed out loud, pulling my pants back up and lacing up the leather strings. “I’m no wizard.”
“Really? You could have fooled me, Jake. Your first attempt at using magic still lights the valley. Perhaps you should open your mind to the possibility. Now gather magic to you, like before. Absorb it into the center of your being.”
“Not now…”
“Just do it my boy.”
I took a deep breath and let it out. I could already feel a great deal of magic sitting warmly inside of me. I closed my eyes and with Thallium’s gentle nudging, pulled in more energy from the air around me. The warmth inside of me grew and became hot as more and more magic entered my body.
I opened my eyes, as a wave of panic rushed through me.
“More Jake. Take as much as you can possibly bear!” ordered the voice.
I concentrated on my breathing and followed Thallium’s instructions, pulling more and more energy in until my skin seemed as if it would ignite.
“I can’t take any more!” I said aloud. My body felt like it was burning. I could see steam rising up in the air around me as my sweat turned to gas.
“More Jake!” Thallium ordered.
My heart pounded more quickly, as rush after rush of anxiety slammed into me.
“Concentrate!”
I couldn’t breathe, my chest muscles were clinched so tight. More and more energy flooded in.
“Now draw Gwensorlot
h!” Thallium said forcefully.
I reached across my body and fumbled with the hilt. I felt as if I would explode any second.
“Draw it!” Thallium commanded.
I grasped the ornate hilt and managed to draw the blade, vision spinning.
“This great blade was meant to be a tool for justice, to fight evil. Imagine it glowing with power. It destroys evil!” Thallium’s voice resounded within me strong and sure. I knew him to be right, this blade was meant for great things whether I used it or not.
“Know it, Jake, know it with every fire of your being! Now slowly release the energy from your body into the sword. Imagine it as a tool fit to fight the devil himself.”
I weaved on my feet as I struggled to free the burning hot magic inside of me. The magic wanted release, but not slow release.
“Concentrate!” Thallium urged.
I willed the magic out into the blade, fighting to stay conscious.
“Breathe Jake.”
“I… I can’t,” I gasped aloud.
“Do it!” Thallium old voice rose in intensity. “Imagine Gwensorloth slicing through demonic skin like butter. Imagine their fear as they run before its glowing blade,” he said as I released more and more of the magic inside of me into the blade.
It began to glow, softly at first, then brighter and brighter until it shone golden.
“That’s it, Jake, concentrate. It should glow in the presence of evil. Make it so!”
I did as Thallium ordered. As the magic pressure inside of me began to fade, I was able to breathe again, and the black spots of threatening darkness vanished. I continued to feed Gwensorloth energy, toning down the golden glow to a soft white. I imagined it burning anything evil. I willed it to shine in evil’s presence but to otherwise be a normal blade, if a great quail blade could be considered normal.
How long I stood there I don’t know. It seemed like hours. The magic drained from me until I felt empty. I shivered, bathed in sweat.
“Well done, my son,” Thallium whispered fading from my thoughts.
I was suddenly overcome with emotion and fell to my knees.
“Why won’t this stupid dream just end?”
I sat back on my heels and wept.
“It’s not a dream Dear Heart,” Ivy said resting her head against my shoulder as she hugged me closely from behind.
I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing.
“I know…” I whispered back as I knelt there on the valley grass of a different world and sobbed.
After a few minutes she released me and we both stood up. She smiled up at me her eyes sparkling with left over tears.
“Thanks Ivy,” I choked out.
She gave that impish smile and slid her hand into mine.
I managed to smile back as we returned to where Toby and Guldan stood by the horses. Guldan nodded at me his eyebrows raised with curiousity. He handed me a small sack.
“Can you ride and eat at the same time?” the pale elf lord asked me with a speculative grin.
“Do I have a choice?”
“No, you don’t,” Guldan replied smirking. “Get a drink before we start out, don’t want to lose all our water down the front of your tunic.”
Toby handed me a deerskin bota bag filled with water. I took a long pull and relished the cool water coating my dry throat.
“So you do magic too, sweet. Maybe that’s why you glow,” he said, waiting for me to hand him back the skin.
I continued to drink until I felt my thirst quenched and then handed him back the skin, wiping my mouth on the sleeve of my leather tunic.
“Yeah, too bad we don’t have any playing cards,” I joked trying to play the whole magic thing off.
“I smell a Vegas trip,” Toby laughed.
He punched me solidly in the shoulder. It was his way of showing me he accepted me regardless. I thumped him back with an uppercut to the ribs.
“Deal!” I agreed.
I was glad he was here.
