Quest of the Wizardess

by Guy Antibes

  “We heard about that from a soldier. Shortly after, the Kokotan’s invaded. It was awful. Our weapons were in our tents on the other side of the fighting. When we saw the lay of the land, we took off, picking our way through the jakes and into the night.” Romo’s account seemed to match what little had come through the information she’d seen.

  “We know of the Kokotans claiming you killed the King rather than the wizard. It’s all a lie, isn’t it?”

  Bellia nodded, feeling relief that others believed her innocence. “Astun knocked me out when I went to talk to him. When I awoke, smoke filled the camp. A few soldiers wandered about dazed. I walked to the collapsed tent and found Astun’s body next to the King’s. My sword…” Bellia had to stop and collect her emotions. “I pulled it out, ran back to my tent, and then I fled here. I had no idea you both survived. Our entire squad was wiped out. Even the lieutenant.”

  “We’ve been traveling, too,” Menna said. “We went south and have been wandering around Tuathua. Went all the way down to the capital city. Picked up a few people for a little project you might remember. Is there a place we can get something to eat?” Menna rubbed her stomach. Bellia could see her friend’s attitude had returned.

  “We’ve got a good inn in the town. I’ve never been there, since I live in the temple. Most of the cottages are provided to visiting servants.”

  The inn was cleaner than any Bellia had eaten in before she had made it to the Grounds. Rugs covered the floors that went along with cloths on the tables.

  “This sure is a creepy place,” Romo said. “So clean. No drinking songs here, eh? No men to carouse with?”

  “No,” Bellia said, smiling at her friend. “The clientele are generally servants who aren’t exactly the roughest, toughest people.”

  A woman set their food in front of them. Menna and Romo put their heads over their plates and took in the aromas with closed eyes and smiling faces.

  “This is like heaven,” Menna said.

  “Well, you are on the Blind God’s Temple grounds.” Bellia couldn’t help making the comment.

  “So have you been safe for all these months?” Menna asked between bites.

  “As long as I am here. But I was attacked twice. Once just before I came and again when I ventured outside. But we’ve taken care of that.”

  Menna looked at Bellia sideways. “How?”

  “Both times I was with Temple Rangers. They escort servants and the writings here to the Temple.” Neither knew about her magic and she intended to keep it that way.

  “What are these writings?” Romo asked. “Temple things? Rolled up prayers to the god?”

  “No. The Temple is a place where the Readers inform the Blind God on what’s happening in the world. Tomorrow is a Supplicant Day. The temple will be open to all and you can see it for yourself. It’s a little strange, but I’m sure you two are up to it.” She’d never known her friends to be religious.

  “What do you do here, then, read?” Menna had a look of skepticism.

  “The information that comes in is filtered. People read it and mark what is pertinent and others transcribe that into scrolls that the Readers read. I do some of the initial reading and filtering. I’ve learned a lot. I can now speak most of the languages on Gleanere and can read just about all of the writing, at least all that comes to the Temple.”

  “Now how can you do that in six or seven months?” Romo matched Menna’s look.

  “The Temple is blessed by the Blind God. You can think a bit clearer and learn faster. It helps with His work.”

  Menna’s eyes lit up. “Can you read this?” She pulled a scrap of parchment from his pocket.

  Bellia had to turn it over a few times to get the words right. “This is ancient script. No one that I know of writes this way anymore.”

  “But can you read it?”

  “I can puzzle it out. The letters go from top to bottom and all I can see on this scrap are words. This one is ‘magic’. That one is the number fourteen. These two words are like ‘watch out’ or ‘caution’. I’d need to see the whole thing to pick out context. Not all of these words have direct equivalents in Testian.”

  Romo and Menna smiled at each other. “Do you remember what I told you before one of our battles?”

  “About the statue in Northwood? Sure. You said it would lead you somewhere, but you also told me to forget about it if you survived. You survived.”

  “We’re headed north to get it. The people I recruited south of here will join us in Barloo. We’ll all be rich at the end of the journey. What do you say?”

  “I don’t know if I’m ready to leave the Temple.” Here was a chance to leave.Go ahead. Was that a nudge from the Blind God? Bellia couldn’t tell. “Why me, anyway?”

  “For one thing, we’re army buddies and the three of us have been through a lot and you’re the best sword I know. For another, you’re the first person who’s been able to read that scrap, and that’s why we’ve been wandering. I sent our recruits to find someone in Barloo who claims to know what this says. We were going to head out tomorrow, but we can wait a day. I’d like to see the Reading. Might not have a chance to ever get back here again.” Menna seemed sincere. But Bellia never quite knew.

  “I’ll give you an answer tomorrow. Why don’t you see if you can sleep here tonight? I hear the rooms are as good as the food.”

  “Where do you sleep?”

  “We’ve got little sleeping cells in the Temple. The work is done day and night. I’ll see you again at midday tomorrow inside the Temple.”

  Bellia left her friends ordering sweets after their dinner. She went back to her room to think. Sleep wouldn’t come. It was the time Ned ate his middle meal. Perhaps she could use his advice.

  She found him eating alone, his face buried in a book. Bellia grabbed her normal cup of mulled cider and sat down across from the refectory table.

  “Bellia. What a nice surprise. I thought about you today.”

  She groaned inwardly. The last thing she needed was a declaration from a lovestruck man.

  “I thought of you, too. You see, I have a problem and before I take it to the Prior I needed to discuss it with someone.” She would have rather talked to Wully, but her Ranger friends were on the outside.

  “Yes?” He looked at her with those eyes. She nearly bolted from the room.

  “Two of my old army friends came to visit me today. They want me to go with them.”

  “Why would you do that? Just because they ask? You think service to the Blind God is just a casual vocation?”

  “I hate to put it this way, but I’m sort of a special case.”

  “We’re all special cases, Bellia.” His hand reached over and clutched hers.

  Not now, she thought. Perhaps this was a bad idea. “No you don’t understand. I’ve seen the Blind God. He gave me this.” Bellia used retrieving her token as an excuse to get her hand from beneath his. She laid the token on the table.

  “A gold.” Ned smiled and pursed his lips as he handled the token. “It doesn’t surprise me, I always knew you were uniquely special.” He gave her another smile and returned it.

  She blanched at that statement. “The Blind God didn’t call me to Read or anything. He asked me to use the Temple as a refuge. I think that time is over. I’ve mastered my work in the Assessment Room. My knowledge of Gleanere history and the rest of the world is good enough for me to go back out and finish my quest.”

  Tears came to Ned’s eyes. “I must admit that I have selfish reasons for your staying. I lost a wife and a baby daughter, while I was young. I look into your face and wonder if my baby would have grown up to be like you. I’d like to think so. Perhaps I’m a little forward with you, but to me you’ve replaced them, just a little.”

  Bellia sat back. She felt awful. Awfully young and awfully foolish. This man was evidently much older than he looked and didn’t have a crush on her. He saw his dead daughter in her. How stupid. She felt herself redden.

  “
You have to go out and do what you think is right. The Blind God nudges, but I’m afraid--” he went silent for a moment, “—he doesn’t quite nudge us all hard enough. Perhaps this is one of those times for me.” Ned seemed to consider something. “Are you musical at all?”

  Bellia often hummed tunes her mother taught her and could carry a tune of marching and carousing songs along with other soldiers. She shrugged. “A bit.”

  “If you leave let me give you a present. I have a little flute I used to play to my daughter. I know you know something about magic,” he said facetiously.

  “A bit.” Bellia said not knowing where Ned was going with his train of thought.

  “Certain music can be a bit like magical codes when you write it out. The tones go up and down singly rather than the conventional eight finger positions, but the concept is similar. Where I am from, we wrote magic out as music. I’m afraid the concept doesn’t work as well in these times, but along with the flute, I’ll give you a little book with fifteen tunes. They generate benign spells that bring visions of beautiful places and pleasant moods. Promise me you’ll learn to play and think of me when you do.”

  Bellia was touched. She could hardly speak. “I will,” she said hoarsely. She was certain this was the final nudge she sought. “I’ll say goodbye tomorrow at this time.” She put out her hand and clutched Ned’s.

  As she walked back to her cell, she thought of Ned and his lost family and of her embarrassment. She felt relieved she hadn’t spurned his attentions. She committed to learn all of his songs as soon as she could. But Bellia didn’t believe the part about magical music. That just wasn’t the way people created magic. They punched codes with their fingers. There was no other way.

  Her face got hot when she thought of how she misinterpreted their innocent relationship. She would still learn to play his songs out of respect for their friendship.

  ~~~

  Chapter Sixteen

  Soldier of Fortune

  ~

  Menna and Romo sat together towards the back of the rows of chairs set up for the supplicants. Servants sat in the first ten rows, which left another ten for supplicants. Bellia came from behind them and tapped them on their shoulders. Both women jumped.

  “Settle down. You can come with me. I’ll show you where I work.”

  They got up and followed Bellia to the Assessment Room.

  “Scriveners!” Menna said.

  “They will let us poke around, if you keep your voice down, Menna.” Bellia showed them the Assessment Room, and then she led them down to the Archives. “Do you know where your treasure is? If you told me I’ve forgotten.”

  “Helevat in Durnna.”

  “Durnna.” Bellia examined the index book. “This way.” They descended another set of stairs.

  Bellia looked at the records. “Nothing about a temple for centuries.” She pulled out a scroll and took it over to an illuminated table. Bellia thanked the god yet another time for providing the miracle of illumination in the temple. No torches were needed. Lights that never went out were found all over the Temple, lighting it up without heat all day long.

  The scroll showed similar writing to Menna’s scrap.

  Bellia read a tag attached to the string that bound the scroll. “This is supposedly one of the earliest scrolls of information that talks about Helevat. It talks about some kind of curse that kills. The city has died and the jungle protects the Temple of Helevat. It protects a treasure beyond compare, but no one will be able to claim it because of the curse.”

  Menna grinned at Romo. “It’s true. I told you.” Menna poked Romo in her ribs.

  “What about the curse? Doesn’t that bother you?”

  “No curse can overcome seven determined to find the treasure. Are you with us, Bellia?”

  “I don’t need the treasure, but I think its time to move on from here.” Bellia could feel the nudge even stronger after reading the scroll. Durnna was on the eastern side of Eustia. Even if Grianna was far, far to the west of where Helevat was supposed to be, she’d at least be on the same continent.

  “This says something about the song that was lost, but I can’t read these words. Only snatches. Do you know where Helevat is? This isn’t a map.”

  “The scroll in Northwood has the instructions. It starts at where the town of Pokkoa is now. That’s all I know.”

  “We’ll see.”

  “You’re with us then?”

  “I am,” Bellia said. Romo and Menna pushed at Bellia, laughing. “Quiet. Let’s go back up.”

  Menna made to take the scroll.

  “No that is Temple property. It stays here.”

  “But you said you couldn’t read all the words. If we take the scroll with us you’ll have lots of time.”

  “No. I’ll only go if the scroll stays.” Bellia meant what she said.

  “Okay, it stays here.” Menna laid the scroll back down on the table and raised her hands.

  ~

  Bellia knocked on the Prior’s door.

  “Come,” a man’s voice said from inside the room.

  She opened the door revealing Rullon looking up from a chair as Bellia walked in.

  “Close the door, Bellia, and sit in the other seat.”

  Bellia sat in the comfortable chair. “I’m leaving tomorrow.”

  “We suspected.” Rullon said. “Your friends must have some reason for seeking you out here.”

  “I’ve stayed here long enough. The God has nudged, I think. No, I’m sure of it.” Bellia sat, resolved to argue her point with the two older men.

  “I do believe you are right,” the Prior said.

  “I’m right?”

  “We were discussing your situation and have some bits of advice. Keep your magic a secret for as long as possible. You’ve done an excellent job so far.”

  Rullon continued with more advice, “Take your sword. Don’t leave it here and, for the Blind God’s sake, be aware of your surroundings. You have learned more than you know under the Temple roof. Your knowledge will help you no matter where you are. Believe me, it has helped me in the past.”

  “But what am I supposed to know?”

  “It will come. Be sensitive to the god’s nudges. He does watch over you in his own way.” The Prior rose and kissed the young woman’s hand.

  Bellia pulled out her token, but the Prior wouldn’t take it. “Keep it. You never know when such a token may be necessary.”

  “If your travels take you to Togolath, you will find me in the Street of the Limping Man. I know of the few people that you can really trust in my city.”

  “I intend to travel to Grianna to find out who murdered my family,” Bellia said. “It’s been my goal ever since I left the house where I grew up.”

  “If Togolath is on the way, we must meet again,” Rullon said. “There are things I can teach you.”

  Bellia stood. “I will. Thank you, Prior. I know I need to go. And I appreciate your cloaking my sword from detection and I will take you up on your offer. I am certain my path will lead through Togolath.”

  ~

  Bellia dressed once again in her army uniform. She rolled her heavy cloak into a pack along with her short sword. Rain showers prompted Bellia to pull out her old oilcloth coat. She looked back at the Temple. The green grass of the plain was starting to yellow a bit in the late summer contrasting with the bright green of the Temple Grounds.

  Would she return? She didn’t know. Would Ned still be working when she did? So many questions, but none had answers yet. Perhaps with some patience she would know.

  Menna yelled her name. With more than a little reluctance, Bellia ran to catch up with her friends. On the other side of the rise ahead, the Temple would be part of her past.

  The trek back to Barloo gave Bellia a chance to learn to play Ned’s flute. She pulled the instrument out. He had presented it to her along with written music rolled around it in a long, skinny velvet sack.

  The flute itself felt heavy. To Bellia, it seemed
made out of black stone. The mouth tip was fashioned out of gold. How did Ned come by this treasure? Another question, likely to remain unanswered. The music was written by dots placed along a series of six horizontal lines. Magic codes were fashioned by two sets of four lines representing the four fingers on each hand like the dots for magic codes, the notes seemed to mimic the thrusting gestures for each part of the spell. She looked again at the music. There were no breaks for each of the finger punches. Her father would have told her that the flute wouldn’t work. Spells couldn’t be generated that way.

  She covered the eight holes with her fingers and experimented. Sounds came out, but more technique seemed to be required. Shuffling through the music, She came across an instruction sheet. The writing matched Menna’s scrap of parchment.

  Where did Ned get this? No one used this script anymore. She could puzzle out most of the words. The instructions said to cover all of the holes and the dots indicated which holes to uncover. Bellia played around with the instrument and found that the tones were clear when played that way. Bellia put the instruction sheet in between the rest of the music. She worked her way through the first page of music. She could puzzle out the tune, but Bellia knew it wasn’t playing correctly.

  “When are you going to stop that gods-awful screeching?” Menna said. She stirred some dried meat into a pot of camp gruel. Romo added a few dried vegetables, while the three of them crouched around the fire.

  “I’m done. I promised the man who gave this to me that I’d learn to play it. He evidently put his daughter to sleep with the music.”

  “It certainly won’t put me to sleep.” Menna scoffed at her attempts to play and Romo joined in. “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes.”

  After the other-worldliness of the Temple, Menna’s sarcasm and off hand remarks jarred Bellia. She steeled himself to re-adjusting to the life outside.

  A few more days of travel and they came to the borders of Tuathua and Pottoa. A cold rain made traveling unpleasant for Menna and Romo. Only Bellia wore an oilcloth coat.