by Blink, Bob
Shara and Rigo spent the night in camp, and then the following day further astonished I’Vorris and the men who accompanied him in search for the Hoplani. They traveled by Bypass to quickly move ahead of the creatures and chase them down. Rigo used his Brightfire while the others watched from a safe distance to quickly and effortlessly dispatch the two creatures. After returning to the camp, Rigo proposed to I’Vorris that they return to his village. He explained they could travel by the same means used to locate the Hoplani and be there instantly, allowing the recovering men to do so in their own homes. I’Vorris would have the opportunity of spending a few days talking to his people, then Rigo would return and take him to It’oni’s village where the Caucus would be held.
Chapter 88
Daria rolled over onto her back, tired yet excited about the recent developments. She had slept for several glass, but now was awake and eager for the dawn when she and Kaler would be able to press onward without the frequent delays and false starts that had been part of the search since heading out after the missing Cordale almost four weeks earlier. With the news they had received today, they would be able to ride directly to where Cordale was believed to be hiding. She had wanted to leave immediately, but Kaler had prevailed, reminding her that they could use food, and a good night’s rest, before beginning the long ride toward the town of Barber on the west coast of Kellmore more than a week’s ride away. At his insistence they had checked into an inn here in Montro where they had finally received the message that had pointed where they would soon be heading. The nights on the trail had been becoming quite cold, and this was a pleasant change. The room, more extravagant than really necessary, had a small fireplace that had warmed the air nicely.
Today was the first and only time she would have welcomed Rigo’s instant travel ability. She wished she could ride into the city in the morning and begin her planning that would end up with her blade at the throat of the murderous bastard. Otherwise, she was happy to have been able to use her own abilities and contacts in the search for the fleeing Duke. Of late, following Rigo around with his incredible power, she had started to feel unneeded. She also preferred that no one know where Cordale was until she had a chance to extract her own revenge. If Rigo knew they had found the man, he might insist the ex-king be brought back for formal trial. She had other ideas. Feeling pleasantly tired in her limbs, she stretched, naked under the thin bedcover, as she considered what had brought them to this point.
There had been no way to track Cordale and the men with whom he’d ridden away from the castle in Sulen. Thousands of horses and hundreds of wagon crisscrossed the dirt paths that led in and out of the town from every direction. There were simply too many people moving around the busy community, and given the head start the men had managed, the trail and direction they had taken soon grew cold. They could have left town in any direction, and Daria and Kaler had to fall back on what people might have seen while going about their daily business.
Cordale’s big mistake had been leaving with so many men all riding together. Twelve or more men on large guardsman horses while dressed in commoner clothing were difficult to miss, and a number of people could recall having seen such a group. No one had paid enough attention to say who was in the group or provide any descriptions, but the direction alone was a start. Had Cordale slipped out alone or with one or two others he would have been more likely to escape notice. He should have had the rest of his men meet him somewhere outside of Sulen.
Unfortunately within a few hours the fleeing men had passed outside of the village, passing even the nearby farms. That meant fewer people, and even fewer who might have observed something useful. The clues became less frequent, and finally disappeared altogether. After a day of continuing along the established track, it became clear that they had lost the scent.
Daria had trailed men before, and she knew when one approach failed it was time to try another. Patience and inventiveness would yield results. In addition, she had an advantage others didn’t. She was, after all, the Kalabhoot. As such, she could ask and without question be granted access to the Wanderers and their entire network of eyes and ears, as well as the friends of the Wanderers spread across the three kingdoms. While almost none knew who she was individually, the legend of the Kalabhoot was known by all, and the deeds she had done had earned her a special place with all members of the group. No amount of effort was too much to repay what she had done for them in the past. Daria’s first task upon beginning the search had been to find a friend of the Wanderers and have her request passed along.
In almost any town or village there lived someone connected to the Wanderers. Carefully hidden in a sign or display was the secret symbol that identified a person as such. Without knowing what to look for, the symbols would go unnoticed, but realizing what it was made it a beacon that Kaler and Daria could seek out to learn the latest that had been discovered and released to the network. The messages were identified by a specific code, and that was needed for the information to be released to them. Each time, Daria coached Kaler on how to approach the proprietor that displayed the symbol, and those that did realize that the messages were for the Kalabhoot, wondered if Kaler was the legendary figure. It probably didn’t matter, but Daria had hid her true identity for so long, she found the subterfuge instinctual.
They had learned that Cordale’s children had left his estate in eastern Branid well before the return of Rhory. No one knew where they were, and they could be en route to Sulen where they had expected to join their parent, or they could be on their way to whatever location the ex-king was aiming for. That source would be of no help this time.
Slowly a pattern started to emerge. Cordale and those traveling with him were being careful, but they still left clues. At first they had been extremely cautious, but as the days passed, and they became certain they had eluded all pursuers, they made small mistakes. The path that had led Kaler and Daria to the north had been a false trail. Before too many days, Cordale had slowly looped his men around, passing through a mountainous pathway that was narrow with many switchbacks allowing the back-trail to be easily watched. After emerging on the western side of the mountains, the group had turned southward, and from the reports had never deviated from that direction.
Guided by the dribble of information from the Wanderers, Daria had led them to an inn some days southwest of Sulen. The medium sized village had offered comfortable accommodations that the fleeing group had apparently taken refuge in for a night. One of the serving girls could remember the big men, who had obviously been together although they had tried to act like they were several separate parties. She also identified one man with cruel eyes, who could have been Cordale if the beard he was wearing were removed.
Progress was being made. Based on the serving girl’s memory, they were now only slightly more than a week behind. A direction had been established, and if the men were using inns, the tracking would be far easier. Several days later when they visited a Wanderer’s friend in the village on Montro, the message that altered their search had been waiting. An almost certain sighting had been made in the beach city of Barber, across the border into Kellmore. After examining the maps they carried, it was apparent that Barber was a logical destination given the direction they had been traveling. The knowledge would allow them to move more quickly and directly to where the fleeing Cordale had come to rest.
Daria reached down and combed a lock of Kaler’s hair off his slumbering face with her fingers. Unlike her, he’d had no trouble falling asleep last night after a rather extended lovemaking session. She’d known it was inevitable they would end up this way some time ago, and more than a week earlier they had surrendered to the joining they had both wanted. After being friends for so long, it had been awkward at first, but then it became entirely natural and they wondered why they had waited so long. Time wasted, but now they were certain, and she looked forward to each day with a different perspective. Kaler had voiced similar feelings.
Chapter 89
I’Vorris had been suitably impressed with Rigo’s ability to cross vast distances in the blink of an eye. The Bypass that had returned the former king and his surviving men to their village had done as much to firmly cement I’Vorris’s belief in magic as anything that had gone before. As planned, Rigo had left the former Lamane in the village for a week allowing him to reintegrate himself into the current state of affairs and to learn by his own means what had happened to end the war. When Rigo returned to take him to It’oni’s village, he was well informed about the encounter that had resulted in It’oni’s death and the treachery of Elm’ad.
“You want to go where?” I’Vorris had asked when Rigo had suggested a small side trip before proceeding to the Caucus.
“Into the Ruins,” Rigo responded. “It will not take long, but I believe it would be useful if you were to see firsthand an example of the problem that faces us all.”
Confident of Rigo’s motives, realizing that had he wished to do so, the wizard could easily have seen to his elimination, I’Vorris agreed. Shortly thereafter, the two men had stepped through the Bypass into the wastelands not too far from one of the idle towers. The tower was situated to the east of their current position, a little farther into the wastelands.
“That is part of the barrier of which you spoke?” I’Vorris asked, looking eastward at the massive structure. “Is that what you wanted me to see?”
“It is, but that is not the reason for our visit.” Rigo pointed over I’Vorris’s shoulder toward the west where a large herd of Hoplani were making their way slowly westward.
“By the gods!” I’Vorris exclaimed. “How many of the creatures are there?”
“We estimate about a thousand in this group. We have encountered herds with as many as ten times that number.”
I’Vorris looked at the animals in dismay. From his personal encounters he knew what one of the creatures had done to his men, and the number before him represented an impossible enemy.
“How long before they reach Lopal?” I’Vorris asked.
“Left alone, a couple of days,” Rigo replied. “We don’t know if they would continue pressing west or linger in the foothills. Not enough study has been put into their intentions.”
“Is there any way you can stop them? This many must challenge even your abilities.”
“We have a patrol that monitors the Ruins along the line of towers for migration of the Hoplani. We try to keep as many from approaching Lopal as possible. I thought it might be informative for you to see the numbers were as large as I’ve indicated, and personally witness our attempts at control. Come, we will want to be on that hill over there,” Rigo said and pointed to a dark reddish mound in the distance.
They had emerged where Rigo had pointed to meet Burke and Kela. Burke smiled when he saw Rigo.
“Perfect timing. They are closely gathered which should make this easier than usual.”
“Whenever you are ready,” Rigo replied.
As I’Vorris watched, the three wizards unleashed sheets of powerful magic, and within a short time the herd had been completely eliminated. The flat land below the small hill where they had gathered was black with the charred remains of the creatures. I’Vorris had seen Rigo eliminate a pair of the beasts, but had never seen magic applied on this scale.
“By the gods!” I’Vorris whispered. “With such power why can’t you rid the world of them once and for all?”
“It has been tried before, and by wizards far more capable than ourselves. It doesn’t work. The barrier must be reestablished. We are too few to locate every Hoplani in the Ruins. No one, in thousands of years has crossed to the far side of the Ruins. Who knows what is out there? Some of the Hoplani will get through, and from wherever they spawn, more will come. The mystery behind their origin was never solved, even in the time of the towers, nor how a wasteland such as the Ruins could support the growth of so many.”
The demonstration complete, Rigo had taken I’Vorris to It’oni’s camp where the surviving tribal leaders had already gathered. I’Vorris had spoken plainly to Rigo, indicating he would not accept the position as Lamane again, but he would be certain to make what he had learned known to the gathering. Rigo had nodded his understanding, and returned ten days later as agreed to learn the result of the voting and to carry I’Vorris back to his own camp.
He wasn’t surprised to discover that despite his protestations, I’Vorris had been pressured into the role. Other than It’oni’s village, every other tribe had wished for his return. I’Vorris had finally agreed to a temporary role, accepting the title as their Lamane for a single year, during which time he could help prepare for the Hoplani invasion and give them time to decide who would make the best leader to carry the nation forward.
Rigo had been pleased to discover I’Vorris in charge upon his return. He had spent enough time to know the man wasn’t interested in pursuing the war that had been barely averted. He also had a better understanding of the Hoplani threat than any of the leaders in Lopal. With I’Vorris’s support, the first of many soldiers were selected and sent to the Outpost where Ash’urn and Nycoh had set up their training school where they would attempt to teach others the spoken magic command that Ash’urn had mastered and had allowed him to kill one of the Hoplani.
At first the classes were divided. Men from Branid and Kellmore were taught in Sulen, with only those from Lopal being trained at the Outpost. Feelings still ran high after the recent fighting, and would have been a distraction. Since Nycoh could move Ash’urn and herself easily between locations, the division did not pose a hardship.
Results from the training were disappointing. Barely one in three hundred was able to master the difficult language associated with the verbal spells, with those from Lopal having a slight advantage in percentage. Those who were successful varied in strength, with only a couple more powerful than Ash’urn had been, ensuring they would have to work in teams to be able to stand against the creatures. Fortunately, the core of trainees that mastered the commands, were as good, perhaps better, instructors than Ash’urn had been. Having just suffered through the process of learning the language, they could better explain to those they tried to teach. Training centers were established in all three countries at multiple locations.
The latest word that Rigo was receiving back was that a growing number of men capable with that one spell were being commissioned. All would be sent to patrol different areas of Lopal’s eastern border, even those who originated from Branid and Kellmore. That’s where they were needed at the moment. Each team was equipped with a trigger bracelet that could be activated to call a wizard team should a large number of the Hoplani be encountered.
The bracelets were a modification of the one Rigo had created for Daria and Kaler. Now he wished that he had built it with a locator that was continuous rather than just when activated. Daria had as yet not activated the device. He had no idea where his two friends were at the moment. A single message had arrived via a Wanderer messenger, who had been unable to tell Rigo where the message had originated. The message had explained the two were well, and had found leads to Cordale. Rigo hadn’t been entirely surprised. He knew that Daria had her own revenge in mind for Cordale. That was fine with Rigo. Cordale wasn’t deserving of any mercy as far as he could see.
King Rhory, having been formally crowned Branid’s King within days of his reappearance, had made immediate efforts to strengthen ties with Kellmore. Former Queen Usaya was his ambassador, who traveled back and forth frequently accompanied by Jeen who had become a fixture at court and was able to make the neces
sary portals. Somewhat uncertain about the claims of wizards and magic, Rigo and several of the wizards from the Outpost had paid a visit with Usaya and wiped away any lingering doubts that magic was real and represented a force that would have to be considered in the future.
As a result of Rhory’s support, both Kellmore and Branid now openly embraced magic, although awareness and belief was slow to spread beyond the major cities. The call for any who thought they might have the gift was supported by both Kings, but the results had been far less than hoped. Only a couple of fledgling wizards had been located thus far, and even assuming they would develop the skills needed for the linking that would activate the barrier, they remained six short of the number required. With the losses of several key wizards to the Hoplani, and the disappointing development of several of their number, they lacked the resources to be able to activate the barrier. Rigo would have liked to send wizards around the three kingdoms to the major villages to demonstrate their power as a means of prompting those that he was certain were out there to come forward, but given the need to patrol for the Hoplani, it was difficult to arrange. He needed some other means of reaching out to them, but thus far had not come up with an idea.
Rigo looked out the window of the inn where he now stayed in Sulen. Snow was falling outside. While it had been a mild winter thus far, it was winter. Of course, in the Ruins, nothing changed, and jumping there these days to the hot burning sands was even more of a shock. Jeen was in Kellmore with Usaya this week, but he had been asked to attend a dinner with her family when she returned. Now that the public was being made aware of magic, and the stigma was being removed from those with the gift, she had returned to visit her family. At Lady Mos’pera’s insistence, now Queen of Branid, Jeen had relocated her family into a nice home in Sulen.
