by Jaxon Reed
Loadstone said, “He’s already caused suffering, Oldstone. Look how he killed King Tren and Queen Karla and all those others just so he could place his puppet Endrick on the Emerald Throne. We can only thank the Creator that Greystone was there and able to save young Prince Trant. That’s another wrong that needs to be righted. When are we going to see to it the rightful heir to the Emerald Kingdom is restored to his throne?”
Now Greystone cleared his throat, and all eyes turned toward him.
“I’m afraid Darkstone may be planning on expanding Endrick’s reach. Not long ago, I interrupted his attack on a travel guard transporting Princess Margwen of Coral.”
Eyebrows shot up around the table.
“Alone, I found myself about equally matched with Darkstone. That gives you an idea of his current power.”
Several eyes widened at the news. Greystone was one of the more powerful wizards on the council. Many considered him second only to Oldstone.
“Fortunately, Creator be thanked, events turned in my favor and Prince Trant and I were able to rescue the princess. We took her to my village, where she remains under my protection.”
The wizards mulled over the news. Redstone broke the silence.
“I do not like to interfere in the royal families as much as you do, Greystone. I don’t think any of us do. However, should ye be able to restore Prince Trant to his throne, an alliance marriage with the Coral Kingdom and Emerald would be highly advantageous for both kingdoms.”
“I agree with you. I think Darkstone sees the advantage as well, and was trying to obtain Princess Margwen for Endrick. In fact I would not doubt if his plan was to extend the reach of Endrick’s power into the other kingdom by way of marriage and murder. That is two times the Creator has seen fit to have me spoil his plans.”
Several feet scuffled on the floor, and many of the wizards shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Coral, with its command of the seas and extensive trade, was arguably the wealthiest and most powerful of all the kingdoms. The thought of Darkstone controlling it made many uneasy.
“Ye’d have a hard time convincing Darkstone it was the Creator who done it,” Redstone said. “He don’t believe in the Creator.”
“How can someone not believe in the Creator?” Loadstone said. “Obviously everything was created. Can books write themselves? Can wagons form without a maker? Our world and all of us were created too, by a power far greater than ourselves.”
“Aye, I agree. But Darkstone told me himself before he went rogue that he don’t believe there’s a deity. He’s an ‘a-deist,’ I suppose.”
Oldstone raised a hand, and brought the conversation back to its original focus.
“Regardless of Darkstone’s personal beliefs, we need to be prepared for what happens when he discovers the dagger’s location. This time, I don’t think he’ll resort to surrogates in an effort to retrieve it.”
Stin opened the door to the pubic house connected to the inn and walked inside. He waited a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim light. Those sitting at the tables for an early lunch looked up from their plates and conversations.
On the far side of the room, chair legs scratched against the floor, and Kirt came running toward the door. He threw himself against Stin in a hug, catching the thief by surprise. The lecture he had planned to give the boy, along with all the stern words he had prepared, melted away.
He chuckled, partly in embarrassment since everyone was looking at them, and partly in happiness. He patted the boys head, and made his way toward the table. Kirt held onto his tunic as they crossed the room, as if trying to keep him from slipping away again.
Bartimo and Bellasondra stood up as he approached. She came around and gave him a hug of her own, surprising Stin again.
“We were so worried! We didn’t know what had happened to you.”
“I was late for my meeting with Master Barley here, and got caught up in our discussion, else I would have gone back out for you. Bellasondra’s right. We were just talking about how we should find you again. Kirt has been beside himself with worry.”
They all looked down at Kirt, who still held resolutely to Stin’s tunic. All traces of cynicism in the lad were gone, for the moment at least. Stin tousled the boy’s hair.
“Well it wasn’t that bad, really. I spent the night under the trees until the wizard found me this morning, and showed me how to get into the village.”
“Yes, what happened there? You were sitting right beside us on the wagon when you just disappeared.”
“I’m not exactly sure. Magic, you know?”
The wizard had warned him to speak as little as possible about the incident, and strongly suggested he avoid mentioning the dagger. He had stayed with both men for some time, carrying the dagger for them, while they sought a suitable site to bury it some distance from the village’s entrance.
Thinking back on it, Stin decided the wizard had fuzzed his memory of the place they chose. He could not recall exactly where they had hidden the dagger.
It was probably just as well. Once Stin realized the dagger was responsible for his loss of abilities, he was more than happy to give it up. It did not even occur to him to ask the wizard for remuneration, although he really should have gotten some coin for his troubles.
They had walked back to the entrance, and this time without the dagger he could see it clearly. He watched the pixies dancing in the air, and could finally appreciate what everyone else noticed when nearing Greystone Village.
At the center of town, he shook hands with the two men. They crossed the street to a fine manor, and he walked into the public house.
Bellasondra said, “Well, you’re here now. We are so happy to see you. Sit down, and let’s have some lunch.”
Stin sat at the table with Kirt and the twins. The unattractive serving wench came out of the kitchen with a tray of food. When she saw Stin she stopped and gasped.
“It’s you! Coney thief!”
Stin smiled his most charming smile.
“My dear, allow me to pay for this morning’s breakfast.”
He fished out a large silver coin from a jacket pocket. She stared at him in anger a moment longer, then her eyes softened when she finally glanced down at the coin. She took it, making it disappear in the folds of her apron, and began setting food down on their table.
Following lunch, all the wizards left but Greystone. After engaging in some small talk, Oldstone suggested he come watch Mita train.
The three of them walked outside and stood on the slab of rock jutting out in the front of the castle grounds. It left the castle and floated down toward the wilderness below. They stopped a few hundred paces in the air, and Oldstone raised his hands, releasing a particularly large stream of smoke that arced up, then down to the ground below.
A giant creature formed from the smoke. It seemed to consist entirely of stone, with powerful column legs holding up a huge torso formed of wagon-sized boulders. Long arms ended in fists the size of dinner tables, hanging almost to the ground. The head featured an angry face seemingly carved in the stone.
It looked one way, then the other, and started walking aimlessly, swatting large trees out of its path. The ground shook under its steps.
“It looks like a living mountain,” Mita said.
She tried to get an idea of its size from their current perspective, and finally concluded it must have stood at least seventy paces tall.
Oldstone said, “Close. This is a rock ogre. They’re particularly nasty. On rare occasion the dwarves will dig one of these up from their deeper mines and have to deal with it. Lok brought several along to the Battle of Hest. They’re not very intelligent, but they’re quite formidable.”
“How do you kill it?”
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll figure something out. Now, go get it.”
Mita flew off the slab and down toward the rock ogre. Both the wizards watched her approach the behemoth.
Greystone said, “You know, I think I recall Theena ha
ving some difficulties with those. It took her a while to figure them out.”
Oldstone grunted in the affirmative, never taking his eyes off the princess.
Mita shot down some magical bolts at the creature.
“Uhn?”
It turned its giant head and looked up at the little girl above him. With unexpected speed, it swung one of its table-sized hands and swatted her out of the air. She hit the ground, hard.
“Ouch. Two mistakes there, Oldstone. One, she underestimated it. Two, she got too close.”
Oldstone nodded. He said, “That’s why these training sessions are so important.”
Mita stood up, shaking off the effects of the impact. She flew back up, quickly this time, and aimed several energy bolts for the monster’s eyes.
Greystone said, “That was smart. Eyes are always vulnerable.”
She flew in close and the rock ogre swatted at her again. She avoided his fist this time and it swung through empty air. Then she rushed near his face and stopped. He swung quickly to swat at her, She flew up and out of the way before his hand slammed into his own face, knocking him off balance.
“Ouch! That had to hurt. She’s good.”
Oldstone nodded, then turned his attention from the battle to Greystone.
“You know, I never thought I’d live to see Theena’s match. But in so many ways Mita reminds me of her. She’s brilliant, talented, powerful. With proper training, she’ll be at least Theena’s equal. Maybe greater, time will tell.”
Mita flew in circles around the rock ogre’s head, trying to disorient it. It tried to follow her with its face, left to right, left to right. Finally it swung out with a hand and caught one of her legs. It stooped down and started swinging her against the ground, over and over.
“About Theena,” Greystone said. “I think maybe you should introduce her facsimile to Mita. It could prove very useful in training her.”
Oldstone tugged his beard in thought, and looked back down. The rock ogre was still slamming her against the ground. He could faintly hear her shouting swear words with each impact.
“You know how I feel about that, old friend. I’ve never conjured her facsimile. It would be too painful.”
“I understand that. And I also know that you know a facsimile is not a real person. It would not really be her.”
“I know. I’m not sure that makes it any less painful, though.”
Mita shot several bolts of energy at the giant’s hand and arm to no avail. Finally, she reached behind her back and pulled out her sword, the one the facsimile of Artereo had given her. She curled up when the giant pulled her in the air again, and swung down at the huge finger and thumb holding her leg. The sword sliced the stone cleanly, and she fell back to the ground, free. This time she landed on her feet.
The rock ogre held his damaged hand close to his face and stared at it.
“Uhn?”
Mita shot up straight in the air, then plummeted back down on top of his head. She stabbed the sword down into the top of his skull, and twisted hard. The giant fell down face-first and disappeared in a large cloud of black smoke.
Mita sheathed her sword and flew back up toward the slab. Oldstone and Greystone applauded politely. She smiled, and curtsied in the air before them.
“I’m impressed, Oldstone. You know, I think she figured out to how to kill those things quicker than Theena did back in the day.”
Chapter 11
“So. You are a rogue magician.”
“Yes, milord. Previously I served Queen Malterry in the Sapphire Court. But I wish to change my allegiance to King Endrick, milord! I will serve him well all my years, I swear it by the Hightower!”
Darkstone regarded Lemmeck carefully. The magician’s clothes were worn, and he was dirty from a long journey, mostly on foot no doubt. He had requested a royal audience at the city gate, and the guards dutifully escorted him to the outer courtyard where other petitioners waited their turn. What grabbed Darkstone’s attention, and led to Lemmeck going to the front of the line, was his insistence he had seen a wanted man pictured on a Ruby Kingdom broadsheet on his journey.
He told the captain of the guard in the courtyard that he had not known the fellow was wanted, until he spent the night at a campground with travelers who had recently left the Ruby Kingdom. At that time, he saw a broadsheet and recognized the man. He claimed he wished to report the encounter with the nearest authorities upon arriving in Kathar.
“Tell me about the man from the Ruby Kingdom. Where did you see him?”
“In the Hidden Forest, milord.”
Endrick and Darkstone exchanged glances.
“So. The Hidden Forest. How did you know it was the same man?”
“The likeness, milord, on the broadsheet. It was the same man, no doubt!”
“And what happened? Describe your encounter with this man.”
Lemmeck demurred, breaking eye contract with the wizard. His face reddened as he stared at the floor.
“Milord . . . it was an odd encounter. I was forced to defend myself against him. He acted very aggressively toward me and my travel companions. I confess my magic failed me, for the first time in my life.
“He quickly overpowered us, robbed us of our possessions, and left us for dead on the side of the road. I fear I was not able to detain him for either His Majesty or King Delek of the Ruby Kingdom. I failed in that regard and I deeply regret it.”
He locked eyes with Endrick, sitting on the Emerald Throne. Endrick waved aside the apology with a look of boredom. Darkstone continued the line of inquiry.
“Tell me everything about the encounter. Was he on foot? Horseback? Did he have companions? What did he carry with him?”
“He traveled by wagon, milord. One horse. It was filled with bags of foodstuff, I believe. I fear I did not get too good a look at their luggage. He had a boy with him who drove the wagon. Two others accompanied him, a young man and woman. They appeared to be merchants of some sort.”
“And which way were they headed?”
“They were on the road leading away from the Ruby Kingdom, milord. They could have been heading this way if they did not take the crossroads in the middle of the forest.”
“I see. That is very good information, Lemmeck. The king and I thank you for bringing this to our attention.”
Darkstone waved at a servant standing dutifully along the wall. He approached, and bowed toward the wizard and the king.
“Take this man to the dining hall and see to it he is well fed. He is likely hungry from his long journey.”
“At once milord. Please follow me, Magician Lemmeck.”
Lemmeck’s eyes lit up at the mention of food, and he followed the servant out of the throne room.
Once the doors were closed, Darkstone beckoned another servant forward.
“See to it the cook puts arsenic in his dish. When he dies, have the guards remove his body from the dining hall and cart it down to the pauper’s graveyard for burial. Authorize one silver coin from the treasury to be paid to the undertaker.”
The servant bowed, then went out the door.
“Killing him so soon? You don’t want us to have another court mage, I take it?”
Darkstone shrugged.
“If he broke his oath to one monarch, he’ll break it to another. We don’t have time for scum like that.”
Endrick nodded in agreement, but he did not really care one way or the other.
The doorman began to call out the next petitioner. Darkstone waved him down.
“The king will be seeing no one else today. That is all. Everyone is dismissed.”
The scribe, the servants, the guards and the few nobles present all shuffled out. The doorman was last to leave and he shut the large wooden doors behind him, leaving the king and wizard in privacy.
“What are you thinking, Darkstone?”
“I’m thinking about the Hidden Woods. That’s where I found Greystone.”
“I thought he was the one who fou
nd you.”
“It’s what I thought at the time as well. Now I’m not so sure. I’m beginning to wonder.”
Darkstone began pacing the length of the dais. Endrick watched him walk back and forth, and said nothing. Experience had shown that talking would be useless when the wizard was pacing. Finally, Darkstone stopped and spoke.
“I don’t believe in coincidences, Endrick. I tried to capture Princess Margwen as she traveled through the Hidden Woods, and Greystone thwarted me. He had help, but he won. Now the thief that our fence hired in Ruby City to steal the Forlorn Dagger shows up in the Hidden Woods as well.
“Obviously he still has the dagger on his person. The rogue said his magic was useless against the thief. That’s a dead giveaway. A court mage should easily be able to handle a party of three people and one child.”
“He probably wasn’t telling the truth about the encounter.”
“I agree. He was lying and attempting to portray himself in a better light. Nonetheless, I have no doubt his magic did fail him. That probably spooked him, and his travel companions either ran away or really were overpowered.
“It doesn’t matter. The key thing is, we know the thief took the dagger into the Hidden Woods, and we know Greystone is there.”
“Do we know Greystone is still there?”
“Greystone is there. Every wizard has a lair, a secret place he calls home. Greystone supposedly has a village that exists somewhere with magical entry points near all the kingdoms.
“He’s a fool, a weak-hearted fool who loves to help the helpless. He put a spell on the entrances so those who need help always seem to be able to find the village. People come and go, but some actually live and work there.”
“And you think the thief is there with his dagger?”
“No. It’s a magical place. The dagger would not allow entry so long as it remained on his person. I think it’s hidden in the woods, near the village’s entrance. Or at least somewhere nearby. It can’t be transported by magical means, so somebody would have to carry it by hand to a hiding place.”
