A Manifold of Bindings (The Scrolls of Azbel Book 2)

by John Mangold

  “This metal is specifically designed to shield devices from the outside world,” Torrez explained as he brought the removed skin back over to the empty bed where the staff now rested. “I can use this to make a more suitable carrying case for the staff. It might not be harmful to you, Maluem, but anyone else foolish enough to unwrap it might not be so lucky.”

  “What is that device you took this from?” Maluem asked as she approached the partially disassembled contraption.

  “That? Oh, that is called a defibrillator,” Torrez explained. “It is often used by non-Mystic healers to stimulate a patient’s heart. It transfers spiritual to mechanical energy to create an electrical jolt that is directed to the patient’s-”

  “Yes, yes,” Maluem interrupted, “but how does it obtain this energy? Is it from this crystal core?”

  As she asked, Maluem reached out to touch the now exposed cylinder of metal. It was about five feet tall, made of smooth black steel with oval windows carved along its length at regular intervals. Through these apertures, one could see a solid blue crystal core that glowed with a life of its own. When her fingertips brushed the crystal surface, a surge of mystical energy flowed into Maluem with such force, it caused her to quickly stagger backward. Steadying herself against another piece of discarded equipment, Maluem fought to catch her breath.

  “Are you ok?” Torrez asked, approaching quickly from the other side of the room. “That is a chemical crystal called ‘Urendite’ in there. It works similarly to that staff, but more like a combination transformer and capacitor, if you will. It draws from the elemental energies of the world at a constant rate, building up a charge that the MysTech Magneto can-”

  “Yes, very interesting, but why did I have such a strong reaction to it?” Maluem cut in. “Do these ‘Chemical Crystals’ discharge easily?”

  “No, they usually are quite safe to handle unless you are attuned to crystals, of course,” Torrez replied. “The reason for the outer shield is to direct the energies it absorbs to the core while also making the device easier to clean. Many ‘Core Chargers’ like this one are retrofitted into their current roles. They date from before the Great Cataclysm. No one is quite sure what they were initially intended for.”

  “Torrez, I have never been attuned to crystals, yet when I touched this device, I felt as though I had gotten a hard surge of sorcerous energy. How is that possible?”

  “Well, from what Nia has told me, the side effect of your casting causes the air around you to become colder, is that right?” Torrez asked.

  “Yes, I draw from the elemental energy in the air. The more I draw, the colder it gets,” Maluem agreed. “How does that pertain to these types of crystal?”

  “Have you ever considered that you may draw from more than just the heat in the air?” Shelia offered. “Think about it, the energy you draw is one of the basic elements in all life. Warmth, or the lack thereof, is just the most obvious way that we can sense it. Perhaps what you are truly drawing on is the elemental forms of life itself. Dorjakt’s Staff forcefully drains life to gain energy. You passively collect life energy, redirecting it to form the spells you cast.”

  “It is not the crystals you are attuned to, but the raw energy they accumulate,” Torrez added. “They are acting as natural magnets to pull the very power you need to cast.”

  “But what of the fickle nature of magic and technology?” Maluem asked. “Will a device like this work in Santilis or Camilos as easily as it works here?”

  “Of course, that is why Urendite crystals are used in medical equipment,” Torrez replied. “Once you understand the alchemy that goes into chemical crystals, they are rather easy to make. After the final phase, their inherent properties do all the work. There is no magical or mechanical upkeep to them. Urendite Core Chargers are probably one of the most foolproof technologies in all of Azbel.”

  “I see,” Maluem replied. “That being the case, the task I assign you is to create a device out of this ‘Urendite’ that would be attuned to me in particular. How long would such a project take?”

  Over the next few days, Maluem and Torrez worked together to create the core staff for Maluem’s Focus. As the project proceeded, Maluem found him to have almost a sympathetic connection with the machines. This made him exceptionally good at diagnosing their natures as well as their ills. Using his gifts, Torrez could coax mechanical devices into performing in ways others could only dream of. All he needed was a more thorough understanding of rune definitions and their interactions with one another. She could not be sure if he would ever be what most in Camilos would call a Sorcerer, but he could be exceptionally adept in his chosen craft.

  The work also benefited Torrez greatly as it allowed him to divert his mind from his wife's condition. Since they could work in the same room with Shelia, the pair were able to tend to her as required while keeping themselves occupied while she rested. Though Torrez worked diligently on the staff, Maluem could tell that his mind was never far from his wife’s side.

  As the staff neared completion, Maluem started to dwell more on the collar that hung at her side. Though she had not seen him since the confrontation with Delilah, Maluem knew Volo was within, recovering from the taxing fight. Imagining him slumbering inside that cramped device turned her mind to how Taelir was imprisoned inside his. Had he once been human, had he once been sane? Did imprisonment in that sphere cause the slow deterioration of his mind?

  More importantly, if such containment had inflicted such a horrible effect on one like Taelir, what might it do to Volo, if given enough time? Maluem knew she was the one responsible for his current condition. She could not bear the thought he would end up a twisted, insane creature like the one she had conversed with.

  After they put the staff in its final chemical bath, Maluem turned to Torrez.

  “You say that these crystals are nearly foolproof. Is that true for the ones in my Collar as well?”

  Torrez did not answer at first, standing silently over Shelia as she slept. Her temperature had been steadily increasing throughout the day, and she had not awoken since the previous morning. Nia was already one full day late with no sign that she would appear any time soon. Maluem cursed herself once again for neglecting her healing skills for so long. She hated feeling useless and, with Nia miles away, leaving Maluem unable to assist her slowly dying Acolyte, she felt very useless indeed. Some master she was proving to be.

  “I don’t know Maluem,” Torrez said, breaking the silence. “Under normal circumstances, I would say yes. However, I have never seen a chemical crystal fused before. In its current state, I have no idea what will happen if you take it up North. Maybe it will continue working as it has. Maybe it will suddenly release its contents in a great plume of mystical light. Then again, maybe it will freeze solid, entombing whatever it captured within its fused depths forever.”

  “What of Volo then,” Maluem asked, a crack in her voice betraying the emotion attached to the question. “What could happen to him if the device malfunctions?”

  Torrez looked to Maluem with an expression of grave seriousness. He opened his mouth to answer, but whatever his reply was, Maluem never heard it. At that moment, the door to the bunker’s chamber burst open. To their combined relief, Nia strode in with her arms heavily laden with medical packages and a backpack over her shoulder. But the person who followed her caused whatever elation they felt to be swept suddenly away. There in the door stood the one person who could put a tragic end to their flight North, Sergeant Kym Mitchell.

  20.

  Salvation Arrives

  Nia bustled in with the energy of a locomotive, barely taking any notice of Maluem or Torrez as she made a straight line to Shelia’s side. Within a pulse, the Doctor adjusted each device attached to Shelia, all while checking her temperature obsessively. Nia managed to keep up a steady beat of disapproving clucks during all of this, as though she had morphed into an enormous mother hen. Before Maluem or Torrez could ask her a single question, she had dove headf
irst into her backpack, pulling out all manner of oddly marked packets which she began opening in a practiced succession.

  “When did the fever start?” Nia demanded of no one in particular. When an answer was not provided quickly enough, she added. “Oh, for the love of Azbel, I leave a Sorcerer and a MysTech to manage a single patient, and you both act like sledge-headed first years! Torrez! The fever! When did it start?”

  “Oh, uh, I don’t know…” Torrez stammered.

  The joy of seeing Nia was plain on his features, but it was also clear that his mind was still encompassed by his wife's current state. Maluem had not noticed it before, but the man looked like he was on the verge of passing out. His skin was pale, and his features seemed drawn. When had he last eaten, when had she for that matter?

  “…I think this morning…” Torrez managed, looking confused by everything at once.

  “Her temperature started rising early yesterday afternoon, rising steadily ever since.” Maluem corrected. Maluem only knew this because she happened to be studying one of the odd devices attached to Shelia when the runes started shifting suddenly.

  “What was the delay, Nia?” Maluem added. “We became quite worried when you failed to return as planned. Did someone interfere with your efforts to collect the supplies we need?”

  Maluem finished her question, regarding Sergeant Mitchell as one would a Nargle-Headed Python. As she returned her attention to Nia, she found the Doctor was also observing the Sergeant with less than understanding eyes.

  “I am sorry, Maluem, but I was unavoidably detained. It seems the Military had guessed our destination quite well. When I arrived in Stella, I found our fair Sergeant patiently waiting in my offices. It seems he and his men had made themselves right at home-”

  “Come on, Nia,” Kym broke in as he leaned against the door frame. “You had to know we would be there. It was the most logical place for you to run. What would my superiors have thought if I hadn’t at least checked the most likely leads?”

  “Thrash your superiors!” Nia raged without turning to face him. “The only reason the lot of those incompetent ferds hasn’t been thrown out on their tails is that they control the courts! Those choats could not find their own arses if bells were tied to them!”

  “Now that is a bit of an exaggeration,” Kym shot back. “Military Command has no trouble finding their arses. After all, that is traditionally where they keep their heads.”

  “Don’t make jokes at a time like this!” Nia spat, sparing a moment to shoot an icy glance over her shoulder. “If this woman dies due to your meddling, I’ll be performing your eulogy tonight, and it will not be flattering. Now, if everyone could keep their lips sealed for five ticks, I have some healing to perform.”

  Holding her own questions in check, Maluem turned her full attention to where Nia operated. Maluem was surprised Torrez had held his tongue during the exchange, but when she caught a glimpse of his face, she knew why. His attention was entirely on his wife. The ceiling above them could have collapsed at that very moment, and it would not have fazed him. At that moment, Torrez’s whole world was bound to the fate of his Shelia. As intent as his stare was, Maluem could not help but wonder what would be in store for Sergeant Kym Mitchell if Nia should fail.

  Hour after agonizing hour passed with Nia bent over her patient. As she labored, the machines around her whirred and chirped at random intervals. To Maluem, the barrage of mechanical noises seemed altogether distracting, yet Nia remained unaffected. As Maluem witnessed, Nia’s eyes flickered from time to time to focus on one contraption or another. She could only assume these gizmos provided the Doctor with vital data, but from Where Maluem stood, it all sounded like high-pitched gibberish.

  Edging closer, Maluem craned her neck to watch Nia practice her art. One thing had puzzled her since the two first met. Nia obviously was a Sorcerer, albeit a very specialized one. However, Maluem had never seen her carry any type of Focus. For someone as advanced in her arts as she, Nia must use something to buttress her energy stores. Something to retain mystical energy until it was most needed. Yet, Maluem could not detect anything visible. Nothing around her neck, or clutched in her hand, save a bracelet on her left wrist.

  As she examined this jewelry closer, she realized two details. The first detail was that the bracelet never shifted, no matter how Nia’s arm moved. It remained fixed in place, as though welded to her very skin. The second detail took longer to recognize, but it betrayed the charm’s true nature. Every time Nia placed her hand on Shelia's bare skin, the bracelet glowed an emerald green. The longer the contact, the more intense the illumination. Observing this, the rest became clear.

  That bracelet was a Focus Gem implanted deeply into the flesh of her wrist. A sophisticated spell binding creating the illusion of a band to disguise it as jewelry, camouflaging her Focus. Furthermore, Nia was drawing her energy from the very thing which repulsed Maluem to her core, intimate human contact. She cursed herself for not seeing this sooner; it was so apparent for someone as adept at healing as Nia. She was a woman perfectly matched to her vocation by her innate mystical abilities.

  At long last, Nia stepped back from the bed where Shelia lay, leaning heavily on the empty cot behind her. Suddenly, her strength gave way, forcing her knees to buckle beneath her. Maluem and Torrez moved as one towards the Doctor, but Kym was in the lead, catching Nia in his outstretched arms. Maluem had not even noticed that he had moved from the other side of the chamber. With a single motion, Kym lifted the Doctor, placing her gently on a nearby cot. The look on his face caught Maluem entirely by surprise, perfectly mirroring that of Torrez watching over his wounded wife.

  As Kym pulled his arms from under Nia, the tender moment was instantly shattered by Torrez, grabbing the Sergeant by the back of his uniform and striking him full in the face with a closed fist. It may have been the surprise of the attack or the force of the blow, but either way, Kym collapsed, landing flat on his back a few feet away, taking a few tottering devices down with him.

  Maluem rather enjoyed how the whole scene played out; she simply wished she had been the one to deliver the strike, though she knew Torrez deserved that honor more than she. Her pleasure was only slightly dampened when she noticed that Kym did not seem surprised at all. With more than a fair share of dignity, he lifted himself off the floor and calmly dusted his uniform off.

  “A solid strike,” Kym complimented as he regained his feet. “And I should add that I deserved it.”

  “What the kulk is wrong with you?” Torrez screamed, the composure of his target enraging him further. “Why did you stall Nia? Shelia could have died because of you! Do you understand that? Does that mean nothing to you? I suppose to you military types, a few lives don’t matter, but hers means everything to me! If anything happens, if she dies during the night, you won’t live one micro longer!”

  “The lass will be fine,” Kym replied.

  “How do you know?” Torrez demanded.

  “Because I know Nia a fair bit better than you,” Kym replied. “There were only two reasons she would have walked away from that gurney. Either Shelia would be cured or dead. From your wife’s steady breathing, I think I know the answer to that.”

  Maluem could see some of the wind escape Torrez’s sail as he turned to confirm the Sergeant’s words, but he turned back around quickly, his anger renewed.

  “Still, you had no right to delay Nia like that! If she hadn’t gotten here today-”

  “If it wasn’t for me,” Kym broke in. “Nia would not have gotten here at all. Do you honestly believe I was the only soldier to know where Nia and Maluem were headed? Even if I hadn’t received that report from Wenton, I still would have known where your little journey would end. If any of my fellow Sergeants had gotten there before me, Nia would not only have been detained, she would have been clapped in irons and sent straight to the Capitol.

  “Furthermore, for your information, Nia means every bit to me as Shelia does to you. I had no desire to see h
er caught or, Azbel forbid, accidentally killed in some headlong rush out of town. I had to perform a lot of fast-talking to provide an excuse for bringing Nia up here, and I shall have to do even more when the two of us return to Stella without you lot. So, hate me if you must, but please go easy on the uniform if you don't mind. I just had it pressed.”

  “What did you just say?” Torrez asked, shock clear on his face.

  “You always did have a big mouth,” Nia muttered from her bed.

  “Rest, Nia,” Kym whispered as he quickly brushed past Torrez to reach Nia’s side. “You must recover your strength. That was a yeoman’s task you just completed.”

  “I thought you said your relationship with the sergeant was strictly professional,” Maluem commented, looking down at Nia with an appraising eye.

  “She said that, did she now?” Kym responded with a bemused smile. “Well, that seems to be a bit of an insult.”

  “You know I can’t be seen fraternizing with a soldier,” Nia responded with a weak grin. “It would be the death of my good standing in the underground community.”

  “You stopped that train, didn’t you?” Maluem put in at their pause.

  “Of course,” Kym replied, looking up. “Why did you think it took so long to restart? Luckily, no one noticed the long delay I put on the return command.”

  “What game are you playing at?” Maluem replied, unimpressed by his flippant answer. “You assist us with one hand while hindering with the other. Do you wish to facilitate our escape or usher us to our imprisonment?”