by Clark Bolton
“There … a little blood now. Enough anyway to tell if we fix it.”
Onaleen stared at the bird, then looked uncertain at Autbek. “Should I?”
He furrowed his brow and gave it a long thought. If she failed no big deal and if she hurt the bird that would be too bad … but they could always eat it to end its suffering. “Yes, Onaleen, give it a try … but don’t expect too much the first time.”
She looked over the simple cantrip several times then thought to begin casting it until Autbek stopped her. “Why?”
“You must memorize it first … don’t have another copy though I can make one quick enough while you do it.”
“Oh!” She said to herself as she realized her mistake. If she had cast directly from the scroll it would likely have crumbled to pieces afterwards.
Autbek got the materials he needed and then proceeded to carefully copy the scroll which took him only about ten minutes as it was really pretty simple. “There, now I suppose you can cast from this copy in fact why don’t you try that first?”
She took the copy and started to prepare herself mentally as Autbek had taught her then she stopped. “I’m frightened, O’t!” She suddenly confessed.
“Ok … I can try it … but I’m pretty sure I don’t have much in the way of the healing touch.” He could do most cantrips, but things like illusions that Castor could easily do were troublesome for him.
She watched him memorize the cantrip then prepare to cast it then she stopped him. “Wait! What if you hurt it?”
“Then we eat it.” Castor announced.
“Do you want to try first?” Autbek said, annoyed now.
“Yes.” She replied meekly. “I guess I should.”
Autbek handed her back the copy and motioned for her to proceed. Taking the scroll Onaleen carefully brought her hand near the chicken’s leg as Castor held it still. She then cast the cantrip which only took a few seconds.
Everyone peered in closely to see if the chicken looked any better. “I think it stopped bleeding … though it may have been doing that already.” Castor said as he lifted the chicken up to his face.
Autbek suppressed a chuckle at the scene before him. His mighty mages were working on a chicken like it was greatly in need of saving. “I’ll make another copy while you work to memorize it again.” The copy he had made now lay in ruins, which he figured was proof she had cast the cantrip.
Onaleen did as he asked and then this time cast from memory on a new minor sore Castor made on the chickens other leg. Most were convinced it worked this time as the bleeding stopped instantly.
“Great, Onaleen, now pack those spells as we may have a use for them when we fly among the stars!” He found his comments shocked them a bit.
That night fell on the schedule they had calculated for high activity from Neustus, so Autbek stood ready as he had much to discuss with the man-bird. He could not see the tide-flags in the city in the dark but Murac had assured him that their calculations looked good and so they should expect a low tide near midnight.
He was alone with Neustus as he watched the change come. At first Neustus went quiet and then he began to move his head more and then whisper softly. All this occurred over a period of about an hour, and so when Autbek figured things were at their height he began asking questions.
“Neustus, I and the others will be traveling soon … on a flying ship we think. We hope to travel quickly to Urbourkas to do as you have asked.”
Neustus whispered his reply with nary a click or a whistle. “Good … time is right.”
“You will be alone, Neustus … maybe for some time. I’ve arranged for your care but it will not be as you normally have it.” He knew the guards and servants would feed and perhaps clean Neustus, but not much more than that as they greatly feared him.
“Stasis spell, Autbek … bring to me … from library … this night.”
He paused thinking another task was coming, which was too much but what could he do. “I will look, but know that the ship could come anytime and without warning … I may not have time!”
“Yes … do this … now … transform me.”
He was taken aback by this; they had not transformed Neustus in some time and had almost no transformation scrolls left. “Should we chance this? I … I’m concerned Neustus, and what shall the transformation be?”
“Must be done … human … I can help us.”
Autbek nodded his head. “Ok, I’ll be quick.” He walked hurriedly to the stairs and then descended to the library but kept going to see if he could find assistance from his apprentices. Looking into the hall he saw both Castor and Haspeth, both looked tired. They were sitting with Lita and some dwarves at the hall table. Calling to them he turned to go back to the library.
Inside the library the three of them found Un Papp working as usual by candlelight. The monk never seemed to sleep much, though he often meditated for short periods. They asked him to help them locate the transformation scrolls, and if he knew about a stasis spell within the library.
“I’ve seen one I’m sure but it’s been some time.” Autbek said as he thumbed through the stack of scrolls known to contain spells. They searched for a time but found nothing so taking the transformation scroll he decided to return to Neustus.
He was told to cast the spell by Neustus as soon as he returned. Looking anxiously at the scroll and then out the window into the darkness he nodded his head and made the preparations. Calling to Haspeth and Castor, who were still down stairs searching in the library, he had them help him once again remove Neustus from his rack. They then lit all the candles in the room via cantrips and prepared the casting stand.
The spell was familiar to him now and it was certainly the most complex he had ever cast but this was at least his fourth casting of it, so he hesitated little. Hoping he was correct about their being another remaining copy, since he still could not make one himself, he cast the spell.
Haspeth and Castor quickly moved in to help Neustus to his now human feet. He was nearly naked as before and unfortunately they had nothing to clothe him with yet. However, the lights in the tower had attracted several of the girls who came climbing the stairs to ask what was going on. They were immediately sent off for blankets and clothes for Neustus, which they looked more than happy to do as they were obviously shocked by his new look.
When they had him clothed and back on his feet they found him as talkative as they had ever known him to be. Turning slowly to each person in the room he greeted them by name. “… I am pleased you attend me.”
Autbek then found himself steadying the man as he insisted on walking to the stairs. With help from the others they made their way down the two flights and then into the library. There he introduced Neustus to Un Papp, who bowed many times and seemed genuinely happy to have an opportunity to meet Neustus. Eifled was also in the library and when the two came face to face Autbek could see that there was some recognition there.
Eifled stood and spoke in a foreign tongue to Neustus who eventually replied back in the same language. The two conversed for a minute and then sat to talk more leaving the others in the room to ponder what was being said. The tone of the conversation seemed to alternate between joy and sadness giving Autbek the impression the two had much to share.
“Forgive us.” Eifled finally said after a long pause in his conversation with Neustus. “We are two old Jreeks meeting for the first time, though Neustus here was born before the name Jreeks came into fashion.”
“Long before even your cities.” Neustus replied sadly.
Autbek wasn’t sure what to say but did feel the need to accomplish what they had come to the library to find. “We think there is a stasis spell here, Neustus, but we have not located it yet.”
“Let me assist you with that.” Eifled offered as he stood and began searching through scrolls himself.
Neustus nodded his head in understanding, asking, “Find it quickly!” This got everyone searching for the spell. While the others
searched Neustus called Autbek over. “I will review the oath and then you must decide.”
Autbek looked around at the others to see their reaction, but none had paused in their search. He had avoided making a decision though he had for the most part closely reviewed the long oath. If he did swear this oath to Neustus and to the Ausic, or what little remained of them, he felt likely it would result in a violation of the oath he had already sworn to the Earl.
“I can’t Neustus at least not without permission from my lord the Earl.” Autbek could see this was a surprise to Neustus who simply nodded his head and waited.
It took what seemed like a long time but in the end they found the scroll they sought. Instead of casting it Neustus directed Autbek to make a copy of it after he first reviewed the scroll. “Bring the copy to the tower, Autbek, I will cast it there!”
They helped Neustus climb the stairs and then Autbek went to his desk and began the process of copying the scroll. It was a difficult one, and would thus take him several hours, so he hoped Neustus would not be displeased by the wait.
“What does it do?” Haspeth whispered to Autbek as they placed the finished copy on the casting stand.
Autbek looked over at the others and at Neustus who sat calmly looking out a window, though with his cataract filled eyes it was always difficult to tell where it was Neustus was focusing his remaining sight. “It prolongs other spells … so I think this will keep the transformation spell working for several days perhaps.” He said it loud enough for all to hear.
Neustus nodded his head and then stood and walked slowly to the casting stand. “Quiet now … it has been a long time!” Neustus then studied the spell for several minutes as all watched in silence. With his reduced sight Neustus was forced to bring his face within a fingers width of the page to read the contents. Finally he cast it, with the only obvious effect being a brief shimmering of light about him and the turning of the scroll to dust.
Neustus shuffled over to the chair and sat down. “I will need a desk by morning and things to make copies … while you are away. For you only Autbek I will teach now the Ausic oath, though you hesitate to commit to it!”
A chill ran up Autbek’s spine as he thought desperately how to placate Neustus and his apprentices. “I would take the oath if only I could, sir. For now I will gladly learn it and then perhaps Berdtom can work something out with the Earl.” He didn’t sound very convincing he thought as he really could not see how this was going to be accomplished.
Midnight was approaching in the library where Autbek sat with Berdtom and Eifled, both of whom were in the process of going line by line through the copy of the Ausic oath they had. The scroll itself was nearly ten paces long when unfurled and now it contained many corrections that Neustus had since written into the margins. For the most part Neustus had declared the copy accurate but had advised them the corrections he had made to it were not likely complete and so at some future date he would ask Autbek to reaffirm the oath when a cleaner copy could be obtained.
“I’ve seen nothing like it, O’t!” Berdtom complained as he rubbed his eyes. “It reads like a poem and is certainly the most complex one I’ve ever had the pleasure of studying.”
Eifled scoffed, “Had not Neustus himself authenticated this scroll I would have continued to believe it some ancient sage’s fanciful dream! As it is, O’t, I will consider it an honor to hear you recite it.”
“You understand that I cannot?” Autbek said in consternation at the two of them and when neither replied he found himself confused. “It is contrary to the oath I’ve sworn to the Earl, Tom, surely you must see that.”
Berdtom glanced at Eifled and then inhaled deeply. “Yes, it is that but we question what becomes of you and indeed all this if you do not.” Berdtom said as he gestured around to the contents of the library.
Eifled then added, “You must wear the ring, O’t, or doors that are now just opening will be closed to you forever, and to the rest of us. Neustus may never make an offer to you again to become his apprentice and should he not, or should he become unable to, the world may very well lose its Ausic mages a second time.”
Autbek closed his eyes as he thought about the ramifications of not taking the oath. “You must understand that I cannot break an oath such as I have sworn. My father would hear of it, Runeholden would hear of it. My word to all of you would mean nothing!” He also wanted to mention Eifled’s apparent own self-interest in this but was willing for now to give him the benefit of a doubt.
“Honorable and courageous, O’t…” Berdtom said with a sad smile. “…but I think you are still too young to understand that sometimes ideals have to give way to circumstance. So you must ask yourself what it means to swear this oath and to set aside the other.”
Autbek furrowed his brow, “Set aside? Don’t you mean break, Tom, as that is how his lordship will see it! I want more than anything to do this … it’s all I think about at night…to be an Ausic mage and teach others to be the same. But I will not until first the Earl releases me to do so.”
Berdtom nodded his head in understanding. “Yes, I agree with this…now you just need to understand that if you simply ask the Earl he will most certainly refuse.”
“Then you will have to convince him otherwise, however long that takes! I would think Tom that you and my father…and Eifled here…and others will somehow accomplish this, though certainly not quickly enough to satisfy Neustus before this flying-ship comes.”
Berdtom sat silently for a while and then got up and walked over to the fireplace. “There is an alternative, but you will not like it.” He declared.
“Only the Earl can release me?” Autbek asked with uncertainty.
“Not true, O’t!” Berdtom replied. “You did not swear your oath directly to him and don’t forget who wrote parts of it.” He declared as he pointed to his own chest. “An officer of the court could accept your resignation, though that is not exactly what I am thinking.”
“Tenric is gone…” Eifled added. “…and that makes you the acting Mage-Councilor!”
“Yes!” Berdtom exclaimed. “But it won’t be as simple as O’t declaring himself out of office. We will still need an officer of the court to accept a letter…” Berdtom said as he nodded his head and shook his finger at the fire. “…Or one that can stand in his stead.”
Autbek shook his head as he watched the two men scheme. “I can’t believe this will work as the Earl must make the decision to release me else my oath is broken.” He insisted to the two who only paused politely to listen for a moment.
“No, not so I tell you!” Berdtom replied. “Trust me and I will see your oath bent to the breaking point and then safely released.”
Autbek decided he had heard enough for now and that he would go for a walk as the two men hurriedly discussed who best to accept a letter from the Vis Mage-Councilor. As he walked from the library a litany of names was thrown out by both men, with one name in particular seeming to poke both their interest and left him shaking his head and rolling his eyes. No way am I writing a letter to Fesmbol, he told himself as he entered the courtyard.
Walking out into the cool crisp air Autbek noticed the viken seemed to be active as he exited the courtyard and came around to the side of the mage-tower. The only light other than the soft glow hovering above the far off walls of Astrum was a small campfire burning near the lean-to the viken had setup. There he could see three robed figures swaying gently as they stood around the fire, and he guessed there could be several more sitting off in the shadows.
He wasn’t particularly surprised to see them doing this as he had seen similar rituals performed by them over the past few days. As he approached the fire he could see arcane-energies rising from it and determined that a large kettle was the source. The lidless kettle was filled to the brim with a softly boiling liquid and occasionally one of the robed figures would attend to it. Stopping to watch closely and not to interrupt them he found them so preoccupied that they had not noticed him.<
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After a time he called out softly to the one figure that seemed to be doing most of the spell-casting, though he didn’t truly believe that was what they were doing. “Tell me, do you see me in that kettle?”
The hooded figure froze for a moment but didn’t turn toward him. “I do sometimes.” The woman replied. “Though here next to the tower the Dieknotkow influences my sight.”
Autbek was a little surprised to hear the woman refer to Neustus that way and with the way the night and the proximity of the tower seemed to echo her speech it made her voice seem strange and distant somehow. “Do you know he wears a ring like mine?”
“Yes we all know.” The woman replied as she seemed to bend over ever so slightly to gaze further into the pot.
“He wears it on his finger.” Autbek stated softly as he fought the desire to stop sharing his thoughts. “Do you see me wearing it there or around my neck?” He really wanted to know what they saw, he decided, as maybe somehow it would help him decided what to do.
“I see three rings.” The woman said with her voice now at a whisper. “Two are here at this tower…the other is-” The woman stopped abruptly as she plopped suddenly to a sitting position upon the ground.
Autbek watched then as Adlem pulled back the hood of her robe and sought to comfort the now sitting woman who had been speaking. With a sinking feeling in his stomach followed by a shiver up his spine he suddenly realized who it was that had been speaking.
“Where was I wearing the ring?” He asked gently as he walked to stand beside Pemmesa who was now accepting a cup of tea from Adlem. She looked shaken and vulnerable in the firelight but he really felt he needed an answer from her. As he knelt down beside her he pulled out the chain with the ring on it and showed it to her.
“You and Neustus had it on your fingers.” Pemmesa said with a hint of terror in her eyes. “But the other ring was not on a man!”
