by Jaxon Reed
In the silence that followed, everyone’s vision slowly returned. The gloom settled back in, but no longer carrying a malevolent presence.
“Good call, lass. Greater Light. I did nay know you knew any of the greater spells yet.”
“I didn’t,” Tawny said. “I’m not sure I could do it again.”
“Oh, you can do it again, lass. ‘Once cast, forever known.’ I be no mage, but I know the rules of magic.”
He looked up at Toby who stood shivering, hunched down in the confines of the tunnel.
“Chin up, lad! Yer sister dispelled it.”
But Toby did not even look at him. He stood there, miserable and shaking.
“Let me try Rested State,” Nessa said. “It can’t hurt.”
She cast one of her few spells, and a general feeling of rest and safety settled over the party.
She put a gentle hand on Toby’s arm, and slowly his shivering subsided.
The giant elf sniffled, and wiped at his nose. He blinked a couple of times, then he looked down at Nessa and grinned weakly.
“There,” she said. “I think you’ll be alright.”
For a moment the small human girl and the giant elf locked eyes with one another, and something seemed to pass between them, although neither fully understood it.
“Good,” Percel said, breaking the moment. He looked at Erik. “You alright, lad?”
Erik’s eyes were open and his eyebrows raised, looking stunned. But he said, “I’m fine.”
“Good. Onward, then. The grate’s not far. Cast another globe in front of us, Tawny, if you’ve the mana for it.”
She nodded and formed another Globe of Light, sending it floating down the tunnel ahead of them.
Cautiously, they set out once more.
Another hundred feet and the way finally opened up again, this time into a wide, oval room. Toby finally stood to his full height again.
To the left they saw another entryway. This one had a hinged grate in place, but it was open.
“I called it right,” Percel said, a tone of satisfaction in his voice. “This way leads to the lower levels, and it’s been left open. Right, then, you lads help me pull it shut.”
Percel and Erik strained at the bars, pulling it slowly closed on groaning hinges.
Toby reached out, wrapped a finger around one bar and quickly slammed it home.
“Very good,” Percel said. “Remind me to have you do all the work next time.”
He looked down at the lock and said, “It had some magic on it, but I guess they broke through that as well. We’ll send a corps mage down here to reseal it. In the meantime, we can at least set the lock. Get those picks out, lad, and have at it.”
“Me?” Erik said. “I don’t know anything about picking locks.”
“Can’t be hard, lad. They’re magical lock picks. They got this thing open, you can use them to close it up again.”
Reluctantly, Erik took out the picks. He scratched his head looking at them, and the lock, then he stuck one of the slender rods into the keyhole.
The pick started moving on its own, feeling out the tumblers in the lock.
“Hey, these things really are magical!”
“Stick another one in there. What locks I’ve seen picked usually took two.”
Erik dutifully stuck another pick in the keyhole, and felt it moving around in tandem with the first one.
“I can cast Open Chest,” Tawny said. “Maybe there’s something comparable for relocking doors.”
“He’ll get it, lass. Give him a bit of time. This will be a useful skill if he can learn it.”
“I’m not doing anything,” Erik said. “The picks are doing all the work.”
Click!
“Ah, there y’ go,” Percel said. He rattled the bars, finding the grate securely locked.
“Right, then. Eyes open. Let’s head back home and file a report.”
-+-
Horst looked at the guard, curiously.
He was taller than the man, at six foot, three inches. His pointy ears were artfully hidden in a felt hat with a feather plume. Horst felt rather proud of the hat, which he had purchased from a traveling vendor not two days past. If the human guard was impressed, and Horst obviously thought he should be, the man did not show it.
Horst said, “And how much is it you say we must pay just to enter these gates?”
“It’s, uh . . . five coppers. Each. That’s the entry toll.”
Fissure growled softly behind him. Horst knew without looking that Fissure was gripping his emerald daggers, ready to dispatch this haughty human to an early grave.
Fissure stood short, for an elf, at five foot, nine. But he made it up for it with a very stocky frame. His ears were hidden by a far less glamorous hat, a simple straw farmer’s chapeau. Fissure had not purchased the hat, he had taken it from a farmer after stabbing him.
Horst raised a hand, calmly, to indicate Fissure should put his knives away. They would enter Phanos without bloodshed, if possible. That was the unspoken message Horst sent to Fissure with his motion.
He waved the hand in front of the guard’s face and cast Bedazzled. The human’s eyes dilated as he watched thin elven fingers wave in front of him.
Horst chuckled as he walked around the guard and through the giant city gates. Fissure followed, watching the guard over his shoulder until they were well into the city.
“You should have let me kill him.”
“That’s not always the answer, Fissure. We don’t want to draw unnecessary attention to ourselves.”
The two elves looked around in some bewilderment at the sights and sounds of the strange city.
“Look at how they bend the stone and wood to their will. They commit violence against the elements.”
“Nonsense, Fissure. In Dryadopolis we shape nature to our whims as well. Humans just go about it in a more . . . crude way.”
“How will we find them, Horst? In a city this size? Who could we ask who might know?”
“Ah, Fissure. You are forgetting magic. Let us find the center of the city and you will see.”
An hour later, the two elves found Allred Platz. Carts and horses and donkeys and oxen passed one another, along with people. Guards stood at corners, in pairs, talking and watching. Pigeons flew in and tried to roost on ancient stone statues, only to find spells warding them away. Vendors hawked food and other items from stalls. Benches were scattered about, many being used; people sitting, children playing, lovers quarreling.
“This is the place,” Horst said. “The center of the city. Now observe, Fissure, as I cast Higher Knowledge.”
He raised both hands in the air above his head, closed his eyes and concentrated. An arc of white light shot up in the sky above all the rooftops, above the height of the wall. When it reached its zenith, it pulsed and white light spread across the entire city in an instant. Just as suddenly, it was gone.
Fissure looked at his companion, who slowly brought his hands down but kept his eyes closed.
When he opened them, he said, “They are staying with a group of people in a building on that street, right over there. They will be returning soon. We shall go and wait.”
Together the two elves crossed the square and headed toward the street.
“Will we kill them as soon as they get back, Horst?”
“Most likely. We need to question the girl, Tawny, first. But her brother . . . Her brother you can kill immediately.”
Fissure smiled, delighted with the idea.
As the two elves started down Bassinger Strasse, passing the magical barrier designed to thwart thieves, Horst cast Greater Invisibility and they both winked out of sight.
Chapter 4
Lexa stood in the midst of the Lackilan Mansion ballroom, hosting one of the many elegant gatherings for which she was so well known in Phanos. Up on the raised dais at one end of the room an orchestra played. On the ballroom floor, young girls dressed in tight black silk dresses walked sedately about,
balancing trays of champagne flutes on gloved hands.
Members of Phanos’s upper crust were all present. Whenever an invitation to Lady Lackilan’s balls were extended, it simply would not do to not show up. It was the place to be seen and socialize. Lords and ladies stood about nibbling on fine pastries or sipping on champagne, quietly discussing the latest topics of the day.
The young along with some of the more adventurous old took turns on the dance floor in front of the orchestra, gently twirling to melodies the men and women on stage produced with their instruments.
In the middle of it all, Lexa focused primarily on the dashing Lord Reginald, a distant cousin to the queen herself. He stood tall and handsome, and she felt quite smitten by him.
It simply would not do for a lady in good standing to court a gentleman. Such things were unheard of. However, throwing a ball and inviting such a gentleman as the guest of honor while he was in town was deemed perfectly acceptable in polite society.
Having him as an honored guest meant his attention would naturally be centered on her most of the time. He could also hopefully get an idea of how well Lexa ran her household. And if she could run her household well, perhaps the notion might be planted in his head that she could run his household well, too. Maybe they could even combine households . . .
These thoughts were interrupted as Pediford cleared his throat politely behind her.
“Yes, Pediford, what is it?”
“I’m afraid Justen sends urgent word your way, milady. He says he must perforce speak with you at once. I forbad his presence in the ballroom, as his ghastly appearance would doubtless startle our guests. But I promised I would request your presence forthwith. I deeply apologize for taking time away from your soiree, but Justen assures me the news he wishes to share is of the utmost importance.”
“Oh! Well, if Justen insists then I suppose it truly must be significant.”
She turned to the charming and dashing Lord Reginald and smiled her best smile.
“House mages! You know how caught up they get in their divinations and such. Won’t you please excuse me, Reginald, dear?”
“A house mage with important news?” Reginald said, arching an eyebrow. “I should be delighted to accompany you, if it is not a bother. I’m always interested in what practitioners of the mystic arts have to share with us . . . lesser mortals.”
He smiled enigmatically.
“Oh! Why, certainly. Do join us!”
Privately, Lexa felt thrilled. The opportunity to show off more of the mansion to Reginald was certainly welcome. It had the added benefit of possible time alone with him, away from the crowded ballroom. Best of all they would be seen exiting on official business of some kind with the butler and therefore hopefully not raise gossip, although no doubt speculation as to the nature of their departure would percolate.
But at least they would not be seen sneaking off together. That sort of scandalous behavior simply would not be tolerated in polite society.
Reginald extended his arm and Lexa slipped her gloved hand through the loop of his elbow. Together they hurried out the ballroom doors following Pediford.
The butler headed down the hall toward a large stairwell spiraling into the basement. He propped the door open for the couple then marched down the stairs. Lexa and Reginald followed.
In the basement, Pediford led the way to the mage’s suite. The door stood ajar at the end of the hall. He pulled it open and bowed, his free hand gesturing with a flourish. He knew that Lexa wished to make the best impression possible on Lord Reginald at this event, and he felt determined to display his skills as the finest butler in the city.
Reginald uncoupled from Lexa, letting her enter first. He ignored the butler holding the door open, much to Pediford’s private chagrin.
Inside they found a well-apportioned mage quarters. Lighting was dim but adequate, revealing one wall holding shelves filled with vials, bottles, and burbling potions heated over tiny magical flames.
An orb of scrying floated in another corner, casting reddish shadows and crackles of purple light. Elsewhere a raven stared at them from a roost hanging down from the rafters. The bird’s eyes seemed supernaturally intelligent, and . . . unnerving.
Justen himself looked up from his desk, a skull facing them on one side and a large white candle flickering on the other.
He stood and gave a short, perfunctory bow. He looked tall, with long dark hair to his shoulders and pale skin rarely graced by the sun. His eyes were sunken, and very little came between his face’s skin and the underlying skull. His skin seemed tightly wrapped around his head.
He said, “Lady Lexa. Thank you so much for coming. Pediford would not allow me to bring you my news directly.”
“That’s quite alright, Justen. You would have felt uncomfortable in the ballroom, anyway. This is my acquaintance Lord Reginald from Queen Elliah’s court. I trust what you have to say can be heard by him as well?”
“Certainly, milady, certainly. It is important but not a secret. As you know I studied in Dryadopolis in my youth, trying to learn the ways of elven magic.”
Reginald’s interest perked up considerably at this statement. He interrupted, saying, “I did not know the elves entertained human apprentices.”
Justen smiled, in a self-deprecating manner, making his face look even more like a skull with skin stretched over it. He said, “Ordinarily, no. They do not. However, this young mage fell madly in love with a certain elven maiden. She took pity on me, and brought me back to Dryadopolis. Although I was never completely accepted there, due to our relationship I was afforded certain privileges not usually granted to humans.
“One of those privileges was to steep myself in elven magic, as much as possible. I learned at the basic level, soaking up as much knowledge as I could, starting with what they teach their children. I grew fairly adept before I was forced to depart the city.”
“Let me guess,” Reginald said with a knowing smile. “Her father found out and forced you to leave.”
Justen’s face reddened deeply. He said, “No. In the stupidity and impetuousness of my youth, I kissed her little sister. We were caught, the relationship with my love ended, and I lost all my privileges to study further in Dryadopolis.”
Reginald’s face dropped.
“Dear man!” he said. “How tragic!”
Justen made a dismissive motion with his hand.
He said, “All distant memories now. I’ve learned from my mistakes.”
He returned his attention to Lexa.
“But the point of my request to meet you tonight, milady, is to inform you that a huge elven spell was cast in our city, moments ago.”
“What do you mean, ‘huge?’” Lexa said.
“City-wide. The name of the spell is Higher Knowledge, and it requires a significant amount of mana. It allows the caster to know . . . details . . . about most anything and everything going on in a large area.
“Typically, mages who use it are looking for something or someone. It remains an effective way to locate a single person. And I think that was the purpose, the focus of the spell that was cast today.”
“Do you know who they were looking for?”
“I did not catch names, milady. But, I received an . . . impression. They are looking for a brother and sister who were not supposed to have left Dryadopolis. The brother is exceptionally large, and is a simpleton. His sister is extraordinarily powerful, even for an elf. But she is untrained.”
Lexa’s face registered her surprise.
She said, “Oh! That sounds like the thieving pair we sent to Dungeon Corps not long ago, doesn’t it, Pediford?”
“Indeed, milady.”
Pediford stood dutifully at the door, attentive but not entering the room.
Reginald looked intrigued. He said, “So you know these elves?”
Lexa said, “They looked like a starving pair of refugees, living on the streets. Indeed I’ve no doubt they actually were living on the streets. They at
tacked my carriage. The big one actually stopped it in its tracks, a very impressive feat of strength. While Pediford was involved with him, his sister cracked open the boot and made off with our petty coin. But they were not expecting the intersection spells designed to thwart thieves, and so were tripped up.
“Rather than have them sent off to jail, I concocted a story on the spot to have the guards deliver them to Dungeon Corps instead. They certainly seemed like they would be able to handle themselves in the crypts, and I thought the corps would give them a good place to eat and sleep.”
“Well, unless I miss my guess,” Justen said, “They are about to be visited by another pair of elves. And, it likely won’t turn out well for them.”
Reginald said, “Why is that?”
“Because these elves,” Justen said, “aim to kill them.”
-+-
“Not a bad morning’s work,” Percel said, leading the team through the streets of Phanos.
“We managed to re-lock the grate, upgraded most of our equipment, and gathered a considerable sum of loot. We cleared the crypts of every roaming monster we could find. And best of all, we’re alive!”
The young people did not share his enthusiasm at the moment. They felt exhausted.
Tawny’s eyes looked dull. She had had exceeded her limit of mana potions for the moment. Mostly, she needed sleep. The mana returned slowly as they made their way through the streets. She would need a nap later this afternoon to get back to full strength.
Nessa, who had little to work with, also nonetheless looked tired. She had cast her resting spell repeatedly, and spent considerable time tending to the wounds Toby received.
Nessa and Toby were bonding. The big elf towered over her, casting his shadow on the little cleric, but they seemed to be growing in affection despite their disparity in size. Nessa would glance up into Toby’s face from time to time and smile.
Erik gave Tawny a bemused glance the third or fourth time Nessa personally poured out a healing potion on Toby’s wounds, as if to say, What about me? But he did not say anything out loud.
