Path of the Magi (Tales of Tiberius)

by Stuart, Richard J

  He kissed her again, gently this time. When he was sure she was all right, he gave her longer kisses.

  He stopped only to look into her eyes. It was crazy being out here, kissing some older woman he barely knew. But he’d been sensible and careful with Marybeth and that had got him nowhere in the end. Every instinct he had said that Salina was a great lady, if a little crazy over him. Why didn’t he just marry her? How could he think clearly looking at someone so beautiful? Maybe her beauty had driven him mad?

  “Stop that,” she said.

  “What did I do?” he blinked.

  “You’re starting to think about the future. Our future.” She gave him a pat on the arm. “Well, you are sensible. You find something valuable and you want to keep it. You are intelligent and noble. That’s part of why I like you. But I’m not an ordinary woman. We must steal our moments together for now. Tomorrow we both have duties to perform.”

  “I don’t understand,” he asked.

  “So? Can’t I be a little mysterious?”

  “You aren’t married, are you?” he asked. It was a sudden horrible thought.

  “No. I’m a widow. My heart is free.”

  “But what then?”

  “My heart is free, but my life is not. I have duties. You have work to do. I want to cheer you up but not distract you.”

  Reluctantly she rose from the bench and held out her hand to him.

  “Come, let’s walk for a bit.” She held onto his arm, leading him further thought he garden. “You haven’t learned to shut me out of your thoughts yet. La, I know you better than you know yourself. You worry if you should be kissing some strange girl when we have no plans for the future. You cannot break my heart, sir. No one can break what has already been broken beyond repair. I am on holiday and simply want for a playmate. We shall not go so far as will anger the Great Father. I shall see to that,” she added haughtily.

  “I don’t think I’ll rely on you for that,” he said.

  “La! You get to know me,” she laughed. “I shall never tell you no, but I shall tell you not yet to the point of madness.”

  Tiberius stopped suddenly. A horrible thought just gripped him. “I shouldn’t let you get close to me,” he said. “That dragon threatened to kill anyone that I care about. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  She answered by bringing him around for another kiss. When they parted she looked straight into his eyes. “I do not take orders from rogue dragons. You see why I am needed, though. You need playthings that do not crumple at danger.” They were closer to the main hall of the castle now, and music suddenly filled the air. Salina’s face lit up as she heard the band play. “La! I like this song. Come, show me more of your dancing!”

  They danced and talked together until the band became tired.

  ∴

  The next couple of days Salina made it her job to fill him with culture. She was only in town a short while, she explained, and she didn’t trust Dallen with all his education. She took him on her own tour of the local museums and they saw a production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado that was in town. Later they saw some student productions of Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Troilus and Cressida. Over dinner they had an interesting conversation with an elf’s perspective on A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream.

  They went to bed relatively early, intending to visit the natural history museum with Singh, Dallen, Ian, and Tanyia the next day. Their plans were interrupted. Early the next morning, Tiberius was awakened by a sudden, furious pounding at the door. A voice he recognized was calling to him, but he heard Ian first.

  “Really Ti, it’s a bit much,” Ian said yawning. “It's two-thirty. Can’t she come round later on in the morning?”

  “Wake up, Ian, something’s wrong,” Ti barked at him in response. Then he flew out of bed and opened the door.

  Salina was there with a light robe thrown over a gossamer nightgown. She looked half out of her mind with terror. The instant the door was open she threw herself into his arms. She was distraught and sobbing hysterically. His Alfaran still wasn’t that great, but he was pretty sure she shouted, “Thank God you are here!” or words to that effect. He tried to comfort her but she was beyond comfort. At least she switched to English as he asked what was wrong.

  “I’ve seen him, my friend,” she said though her sobs. “The man in the golden mask. I watched him burn that child, yet he only sleeps. Oh, God, it was horrible. I was there with him in his chambers.”

  “What’s she on about?” Ian asked.

  “I think she’s had a vision,” Tiberius said. Salina confirmed this with a slight nod, but it was hard to be sure through her tears. “Ian, get Dallen.”

  Ian nodded and started off. He moved to close the door, but Ti shouted, “For God’s sake, leave the door open.”

  Ian stopped. “Why?”

  “We can’t be alone in a hotel room with the door closed,” Tiberius said.

  Ian gave a quick nod and went to fetch Dallen. Salina suddenly gave a hysterical laugh.

  “You think of my reputation when the world crashes around us. God, what does it matter if we are all dead!” she laughed.

  Tiberius was worried. Maybe it was overly prudish of him to mention the door to Ian at a time like this, but his mother had drilled manners into him. A gentleman wasn’t alone with a lady in a hotel room, certainly not a half dressed one. The way Salina was laughing wasn’t right though. He didn’t know how to help her. It was all he could do to put his arms around her and try to comfort her.

  An instant later Dallen walked into the room, wearing his glasses and nightgown, but holding his staff. She was still sobbing hysterically, but she had calmed down slightly being held in Ti’s arms.

  “Another vision, Salina?” Dallen said quietly.

  She gave a slight nod. “This was a bad one. I watched her torture; they laughed as the fire burned the flesh from her body.” She gripped Ti’s arm suddenly. “You must study hard! He is more dangerous than any dragon!”

  Dallen’s voice had a calming effect. “Now, there’s no need to worry; he’s coming along quite well. Ian, just get the brandy from my chest, will you? You’ll need to add a bit of water, the Alfara are a bit sensitive to alcohol. Thank you, lad.”

  She started to pull herself together after a moment. Ian returned with the brandy and Dallen gave her a sip.

  “What must you think of me, sobbing like a schoolgirl,” she said at last.

  “It isn’t easy having visions,” Dallen said sympathetically. “Can you tell us anything we should know?”

  Salina put her fists to her temples in frustration. “I feel that I should know his name, but I cannot think of it. It is not urgent. He sleeps for now. We will know his name in time.” She turned suddenly to Tiberius. “You will avenge her, I know. You must! God does not love such creatures.”

  “Try to calm yourself. Anything you need to tell us you will in time,” Dallen said, urging her to take another drink.

  She was regaining her calm. “I’m sorry that I am no help. I am disturbing your studies,” she said, facing Tiberius.

  “I think we can all do with a change of pace now and then,” Dallen said. “Tiberius is doing just fine. Quite ahead of schedule, actually; there is no need to worry on his account.”

  “But what you all must think of me, to run out dressed like this.” She looked down at her outfit. She’d thrown on a robe over her diaphanous nightgown, but it was not on quite straight and wasn’t as modest as a lady would have preferred. Suddenly she looked at Tiberius and smiled. “La, but I forget I mingle with Sons of Adam. You think of country matters so easily.”

  “You should try and get some sleep,” Tiberius said, blushing slightly.

  “We’ll try the comedy theater after the museum tomorrow I think,” Dallen added. “I hear there is an excellent new farce. I think you could do with a laugh.”

  “You are all good friends,” she said. She rose unsteadily. “Give me your arm, Dallen, and walk me t
o my bed. Forgive me, Ti. Your thoughts give me better things to think about, but I shall not trust you so near my bed tonight." She gave him a quick kiss and then took Dallen’s arm.

  “Lucky we are in the same hotel, la?” he heard her voice trailing off.

  “Yes, I thought that was a fortunate coincidence,” Dallen said with a wink. “But then there is really only one hotel of real quality in Novilium. I’m not surprised you chose this one.”

  Ian shut the door. “You think the future is really that bad, Ti?”

  He sat back on his bed. “She sees dangers. I think those dangers are real. That’s why what we’re doing is important.”

  Ian threw himself on his bed, fluffing the pillow.

  “Ah well, forced to go to a museum and the theater tomorrow. Must be really hard for you taking a beautiful woman around into the bargain. The sacrifices we make for our country.”

  Ti would have thrown a pillow at him, but he was tired and had better uses for one just then.

  The next day Salina didn’t talk about her visions. She seemed a bit shaken, but the air, the company, and the displays of the museum were a tonic to her. By the end of the day she was laughing again, especially after viewing the farce.

  She spent another week with them, helping them explore the city. Those days went by all too quickly. Tiberius would have been content to have her around forever, but one thing she would not speak of was her own future. Salina had only been able to get away for a few days from her unspecified business at home. Then before too long he was seeing her off at the docks.

  “Must you really go so soon?” he asked.

  Sadly she nodded. “We must part for now. But it will not be forever. Write to me.”

  “I don’t even know your address.”

  “Dallen will see your letters find me. My letters will find you, never fear. You can practice your Alfaran.”

  “What makes you think I know any Alfaran?” he smiled.

  “La! Don’t lie to me. Dallen knows his business. How many languages do you speak now? Four?”

  “Six. English, Greek, Latin, Esperanto, Spanish, and maybe a bit of Alfaran.”

  She kissed him farewell. “Never lose heart my friend. Let this time remind you there will always be unexpected joys ahead of you as well as terrors.”

  Later, retiring to his room, he ran into Ian in the hall.

  “It looked like you were having a good time,” Ian said.

  “Yes. She’s kind of a strange woman, though,” Tiberius said.

  “They’re all strange. Men too. When you meet a sane person, let me know.”

  ∴

  Salina’s visit was a bright spot in his school days which were mostly uneventful. That isn’t to say he had no other adventures, but at this time they were all of the ordinary sort. He traveled with Dallen, learned first aid from Messura, and saw other sights of the Stewardship. Mostly this was a time of learning and study for him, though: classwork and basic reading, the foundation for great magic, not magic itself.

  The time passed quickly, as time does when one is busy. By the end of three years, Dallen and his other tutors had crammed into him a body of basic knowledge that made for more than the average four year university education. The government proctors were surprised when after only three years Ian and Tiberius applied to take the government certification exams. They were surprised even more when the two of them passed with high honors.

  It was good to have the basics out of the way, for their education was by no means finished. Their lessons became more applications of the mathematics they had studied. They were learning the complex formulas that would, under the right conditions, produce applications of supernatural energy, or spells, if you would so call them. Their meditations progressed, as did Ti’s skill with the staff. It was all for the good, for the next step was approaching. The day of investment grew near.

  A few days later, Ti found himself standing in front of Dallen’s desk.

  “So tell me, Tiberius, what is fire?” Dallen asked.

  “A chemical reaction that occurs when oxygen rapidly unites with a material thus forming a body of incandescent gas emitting light and heat,” he answered. He was used to Dallen’s little oral pop quizzes by now. He’d just been though the government exams a couple of weeks ago and he still felt ready for anything Dallen was likely to ask him. Probably Dallen had just decided to keep him awake. The early summer heat had set in and even though Dallen’s northern home was situated far in the country, it still seemed to catch some of the cities summer malaise.

  “Good. And the fireball?”

  Tiberius frowned. Evidently Dallen was merciless this morning. “To throw a fireball spell involves summoning and directing fire. Summoning fire typically involves burning oxygen and hydrogen, the latter we summon via water electrolysis of atmospheric water vapor, at least in the simpler forms of the spell. The fire is given a telekinetic velocity and directed to the target. The process of casting the spell involves tapping into one’s spiritual energy and directing it by mentally reviewing the precise formula. The body, being attached to the spirit, is directed to gesture appropriately. The key words of the spell are also physically spoken as to further place mind body and spirit in harmony and thus produce the desired effect. That about cover it?” Tiberius answered.

  “It will do for a summary.” Dallen said. “I know you know the basic mathematical formulas by now. What we want now is to put them into effect.”

  That got Ti’s attention. “I thought I had to go though investment to have the right spiritual frame to do dramatic magical effects,” Tiberius said.

  “That’s basically true, but not absolutely true,” Dallen explained. “There is of course, a much easier way. You can make a pact with a demon or other spiritually inclined entity to channel the power for you. That won’t do for us, since we’re trying to stay on God’s good side. Fortunately we can gain limited effects though other means. A staff can serve as sort of a spiritual antenna. Typically you’ll carry a staff or wand with you. It isn’t essential, but it makes the process less tiring. Let’s go round the back and give it a try, shall we?”

  Ian and Tiberius got up and followed. Considering the weather, Ti was more than willing to go outdoors. It was a bit stuffy inside. Anyway, it was about time he actually got to do some magic. Dallen led him and Ian around to the back to a large open area with a few targets set off in the distance. There was also a table set up with a curious silver blue orb.

  “This is a training staff,” Dallen explained. “Something between a true magician’s wand and ‘magic’ wand that does all the work for you. Holding it you should be able to manage some slight effects. Especially if I hit you with an assistance spell.”

  “A what?” Tiberius asked.

  A second later he felt it as Dallen waved his short staff. It felt like someone had fed strong coffee inside of his every cell, or he’d heard some particularly rousing bit of music that inflamed the soul. Picking up the training wand was a similar sensation.

  “Now let’s try a small fireball, shall we?”

  Tiberius nodded. He ran though the formula and spoke the words, gesturing towards a target set on the other side of the lawn.

  “Flame strike!” he said. He thought he saw a little flicker of flame form around his fingertips, but that was all.

  “That wasn’t so bad. Try again,” Dallen said, encouraging him.

  Tiberius did so. Again he said the words and gestured, but if anything the fire was less.

  “Are you sure you want to say that in English?” Dallen said.

  “What’s wrong with English? It’s the right words, isn’t it?” Tiberius asked. “That’s how I learned all the formulas.”

  “Language is to the magician what instruments are to the musician. A master musician can play a concert on toy piano as well as a hand crafted artwork. But it won’t sound quite the same. You need to find a language that resonates with your soul. Singh and I usually use Latin. It’s a language of cl
assical grandeur. The tongue of the united church.”

  “Reminds me too much of Mr. Johnson and my school days. Hmm. I don’t really speak Aramaic. Not Alfaran, I think.” Tiberius thought of the various languages he knew, trying to think of one that was right. Mostly wizards spoke ancient tongues, but he couldn’t put his mind around that. He just couldn’t think that casting spells in linear B script would really help. Suddenly an inspiration hit him.

  “I think I know a language with just the right flavor!” he said. “What I want isn’t an ancient language, but a new one. A language that is precise yet whose very essence was made in a wish for peace and understanding throughout the world. A secret language meant for good. Esperanto.”

  Dallen listened. “Interesting choice, it just might work. Give it a try.”

  Tiberius gripped the training orb again. What was fireball strike in Esperanto again? It had been a while, but he had an Esperanto Bible he read now and then to keep in practice. The words came to him.

  “Flamoj frapu!” he said.

  This time there was a very noticeable flash of fire. It dissipated long before it reached the target, but it was a noticeable improvement.

  “Yes, that’s much better,” Dallen said. “The only problem is I have no idea what you are saying. Still, it works for you, I see. Very good. All right Ian, your turn.

  “I hope you don’t expect me to speak Esperanto,” he said.

  “Just use a language that’s comfortable for you. Just not too comfortable,” Dallen explained.

  With a little work, Ian managed a few sparks of flame. Dallen watched with satisfaction.

  “Very good,” he said. “We’ll spend a few days getting you comfortable with the mechanics of casting a simple spell. It’s a necessary step before your investments. Investment is where you truly grasp hold of the power of creation. As you can see, you can do magic now, but the effects are limited and subtle. You can move mountains now, but to do it in the next fifteen minutes, that takes a bit of leverage and a better connection to the power of God’s universe. To make that kind of connection we need to jar your spirit a bit. You need to free your spirit from your bodies and do what you’ve just done. Connect with the forces of creation and cast a simple bit of magic. To do that you need to be able to work a simple spell. So we’ll use assistance spells and training wands for a few days, till you’re comfortable with the mechanics. Then we’ll try your investments.”