“I'm going to try for cows with calves if I can,” Simon added. “If they are close together, casting a shield around both will be no problem.”
“Hmm. And what about the bull that watches over the herd? It has already damaged you, master.”
“Well, personally I think that the shield alone might scare it off,” Aeris told the earthen. “However, if it doesn't, I will lead it away long enough for our wizard to Gate the cow away.”
“You will?”
Aeris smiled at Kronk's surprise.
“Of course. I can stay ahead of an angry bull, and if I can't, well, there's very little that the animal can do to harm me.”
“Don't be too sure,” Kronk cautioned him. “Changed animals like the stallion, Chief, are imbued with magic. The bull may very well be able to damage an air elemental.”
That thought seemed to give Aeris pause and he frowned, staring into the dancing flames in the fireplace.
“Good point. I'll just have to make sure it doesn't catch me, that's all.”
“Master, this plan sounds very risky.”
Simon pushed himself up a bit and rested his cup on his lap.
“I know, my friend, but I can't think of another way of catching the cows that we need. Can you?”
Kronk's answer caught him by surprise.
“Yes master, of course I can.”
“What do you mean, of course you can?” Aeris asked sharply.
“I mean I can, that is all.”
“Really?”
Simon watched the little guy nod firmly.
“Okay then, tell me about it.”
“Certainly, master.”
Kronk hopped down and moved to stand in front of the fireplace. He picked up a few wood chips from the pile of logs next to it and set them one by one on the floor.
“Master, you have six earthen at your disposal if you count myself and the five who walk your outside wall as sentries. Between us, we can capture your cows for you.”
He pushed several chips closer together.
“All we need is to find a group of cows in one spot. They do not need to be tightly packed, only in the same general area.”
He put another chip off to one side of the group and pointed at it.
“Even if the bull is here, there will be no problem. The six of us can instantly raise a barrier of rock around the group,” he tapped the chips, “and wall them away from the rest of the herd, and that bull. We can then tighten the barrier around them until the cows are close enough together for you, master, to Gate the entire group back here. It will be faster and easier and one Gating will limit the amount of fear the beasts are subjected to. I would not want them traumatized if it can be avoided.”
Simon smiled gently at the little guy's concern. He really did have a big heart.
Kronk looked up at them with a shrug.
“That is my plan, master,” he finished simply. He picked up the wood chips and tossed them into the fire.
The wizard watched the little guy admiringly.
“Sometimes I underestimate you,” he told him. “You are a very clever fellow, do you know that?”
“No master. As was mentioned earlier, I have been around for a very long time. Age may not grant one wisdom, but it does grant experience. This plan seems more sensible, Aeris. No offense.”
The air elemental shook his head.
“None taken. I like it.”
Simon stared at him with some surprise. Aeris was usually more competitive than this and he had an idea that the air elemental was still feeling guilty and was letting Kronk have a win to placate him. Personally, the wizard thought that Kronk's plan was the better one.
“I do too,” he said to them both. “I especially like the idea of not scaring the cows too much. They are simple creatures and I don't want to freak them out any more than necessary.”
He finished his coffee, heaved himself to his feet and plodded over to the sink.
“Okay, I know that it's early but, concussion or not, I'm beat. I'm going to bed. If I die in my sleep, I won't blame either of you.”
“That isn't really a good idea,” Aeris protested.
Simon weakly waved away his objection and slowly walked to the stairs.
“Noted. Look, if you're that concerned, check on me once in a while during the night to make sure I'm still breathing.” He turned at the foot of the stairs and glowered at both elementals. “Just don't wake me up if I am, okay? Night.”
“Good night, master. Sleep well.”
“You do realize that I'm going to have to check on him every hour on the hour all night, don't you?” Simon heard Aeris say as he hauled himself up the steps.
“Perhaps if you hadn't gotten master hurt in the first place...”
“Oh, here we go again.”
Simon shook his head with a sigh and kept going. Let them work it out between them. He was exhausted and his headache was back in full force.
I'm going to have nightmares about cows for as long as I live, Simon thought two nights later as he sat in front of the fire. I just know it.
He was scratched in several places from hiding behind bushes and his recently broken nose had gifted him with two spectacular black eyes that made him look like a skinny raccoon. Plus his ongoing headache had apparently taken up permanent residence. But they had gotten the cows.
In the end, Kronk's plan had gone perfectly. Well, except for one rather big surprise. Aeris had neglected to mention that the cows had indeed Changed. They were huge. Not big: huge.
When he had originally been attacked by the crazed bull, the wizard hadn't had a chance to actually see any of the cows for more than a split second. He had been too busy being thrown around like a rag doll to even care. And when he'd been able to focus and saw the bull as it ran off, he thought that it looked pretty much like bulls did back on the old Earth, except for larger horns. So he wasn't quite prepared for the fact that the cows were twice as large as the bull. It was, in its own way, hilarious.
“Do you think he struggles during mating season?” Simon had whispered to Kronk and Aeris when they had returned to observe the herd.
They were hidden in the shadows on the edge of the field, watching the cattle carefully. The bull strutted amongst the cows majestically. Unfortunately he was the runt of the herd.
“Hard to say, master,” Kronk had answered, taking the question seriously. “It is very unusual for nature to create a herbivore where the male is smaller than the female.”
“We aren't talking about nature here,” Aeris had whispered. “These animals were altered by the dark gods. I think they were just careless.”
“Can a god be careless?” Simon asked. It was a startling concept.
“Why not? In legends and old stories, the gods made mistakes all the time.”
“Huh. Interesting. Well, our current problem is, how to catch six or so of those monsters and get them back home.”
The wizard squatted down on his heels to be able to speak to Kronk quietly. There were a couple of cows grazing about a dozen yards away.
“And how are we supposed to keep these damned things penned up in the field back home?” he asked under his breath. “The walls you put up for the horses are too low. Besides which, Chief and the girls stay because they want to. We know that they could easily jump over them if they wished.”
Kronk nodded. He was watching the closest cow intently and Simon did the same.
The cow stood taller than Simon's head at the shoulder, and it was by no means the largest member of the herd. This one had a calf with her and so her teats were heavy with milk. The calf was as large as a full grown cow from the old days. Both of them were a deep black color with a light tan streak that began on their noses and ran right down their backs to their tails. Simon grinned. It looked like a racing stripe.
“Well, there's your milk, my dear wizard,” Aeris said as he floated down to join the other two. “If you begin milking her while she still has a calf suckling, she s
hould continue to produce the stuff for your use.” He frowned at the cow. “You could probably milk her standing up.”
Simon rubbed his temples. His head was thumping softly but steadily and it was distracting him.
“Master, my plan will work, regardless of the size of the cattle,” Kronk reassured him. “But before we capture any of the cows, may I suggest you send three of my friends back home?”
“Why? Don't we need them?”
“Not really, master. I was being a bit overcautious. But if you send them back, I will instruct them to increase the height of the stone fence around the pasture before we bring back the cattle. That way, they won't be able to bolt into the forest when you take them home.”
“Hmm. Good idea.”
Simon looked around but all he saw were the grazing cattle and the surrounding shadows of the forest.
“Where are they, anyway?”
“Out there, master,” Kronk pointed to the sunlit field. “Waiting below ground. I can retrieve three of them, if you'd like?”
“Please. Let's get this show on the road. My head hurts, to be honest, and it's not getting any better just sitting here.”
“Oh, I am so sorry, master,” the earthen said with obvious distress. “I will return quickly.”
He slipped underground, leaving a pile of dirt to mark the spot. Aeris moved closer to Simon and examined his features.
“Your raccoon disguise is working brilliantly, my dear wizard, but you are as pale as cream. Are you sure you're up to this?”
Simon stood up slowly using his staff for support, still creaking like an eighty year old, and leaned against a tree.
“I am, but in a few hours I don't think I will be. God damn it, I hate being such a delicate flower. Where is it written that a spell-caster has to be a wuss, hmm? Why is that a rule? That's what I'd like to know.”
“Temper, temper,” Aeris chided with a quick glance at the grazing cattle. He rose up to float near Simon's head. “Keep your voice down, my dear wizard, or we'll be chasing these beasts through the forest all day. And I don't know why wizards and mages are so weak. In theory, it is because all of your power must be channeled through your mind. Magic-users choose to cast spells and train for decades to do so, ignoring their bodies in the process to increase their mental clarity. Warriors choose to use weapons and physicality and ignore their minds to improve their physical prowess. There have been some very rare cross-overs, but they are the exception, not the rule.”
Simon snorted quietly.
“I didn't choose anything. I was Changed into this,” he looked down at his reed-thin body, “against my will. And because I was, I don't see why I had to be so skinny. This wasn't a life plan on my part. So why not let me use magic and swing a sword, hmm? Now that would have been awesome.”
“Yes, that is one of the cross-overs I mentioned.”
“Meaning?”
Aeris kept an eye on the meadow as he spoke, but the cows grazed on contentedly, apparently unaware that they were being watched. Simon was a little on edge though; he'd lost sight of the bull and he was watching for it anxiously.
“Meaning that there have been a few heroes, legendary figures, who did manage to do both; cast spells and engage in physical combat too. I am not speaking of paladins now; they do not use magic. Their faith and prayers are what make them seemingly 'magical'. No, these were true hybrids. And there were only a few of them in all of history that I've ever heard of.”
Simon was fascinated.
“Wow. They sound great. You'll have to tell me about them when we have the time. Right now,” the ground beneath his feet was starting to shake a little, “I think Kronk and the others are coming back.”
He was right. A moment later, four small mounds of dirt were pushed up from below ground and Kronk climbed up to the surface along with three of his fellow earthen.
“My brethren have volunteered to return home and adjust the fences around our field, master,” he said as he shook off some loose dirt.
Simon squatted down again to speak to the group quietly.
“Good. You three know what to do?”
He nodded at the cows and the earthen all turned to look out at the herd.
“The walls have to be high enough to stop animals of that size from jumping over them. Or through them, for that matter. Cows aren't known for their brains and, if they panic in their new surroundings, they may very well just try to smash through the fences.”
“We understand, sir wizard,” one of the elementals told him.
Simon smiled.
“Roke, isn't it?”
The earthen looked startled and then bowed.
“Yes, sir wizard. I am honored that you remember my name.”
“Don't be. I think it's only respectful to remember the names of the people you work with, don't you?”
The elemental nodded, obviously too startled to reply.
“Anyway, I also would like you to temporarily extend the fence around the lake. I know it's a long way, but if the cows decide to run off, a shallow body of water won't stop them. So bring the wall all the way around for now and, once they are comfortable in their new home, we can remove that section. Can you do that?”
“They can, master,” Kronk answered for the others. “It will be no problem.”
“How long will it take, Roke?” the wizard asked.
The four small figures whispered to each other in their rumbling language for a moment and then looked up at Simon.
“An hour, sir wizard. No more.”
“Really? Wow, you guys are amazing.” They all beamed at him. “Okay, I'll take you back to the tower immediately. Kronk, while I'm gone, keep watching the herd. If you see a chance to isolate a mother and calf, or three or four beef cows, take it. Don't wait for me, all right?”
“Yes master.”
“Aeris? Do me a favor and do a scout around the area, invisibly of course, and see if you can spot some likely looking targets. Oh and find that damned bull. I'm not happy not knowing where he is.”
“Got it.”
“Okay you three,” the wizard said as he stood up slowly, his throbbing head making him grit his teeth. “Grab a handful of my robe and we'll head back.”
The earthen moved closer to Simon and three small hands took hold of the hem of his robe.
Simon pictured the field behind his tower and, in his mind, placed himself on the shore of the little lake there.
“Gate,” he said under his breath and felt himself pulled into the void.
It only took a few minutes to get the earthen organized and started on their task, but before he headed back, Simon decided to check on Brethia and Orriss. He had asked them to keep an eye on the wall as well as man the top of the tower while he was away with the earthen and they had happily agreed.
Saving himself the walk from the field, Simon Gated to the tower's roof. He felt a pang of guilt knowing that Kronk, and Aeris too probably, wouldn't approve of him using so much magic while injured. But then, they didn't have to know.
The short hop took no time at all and the wizard grinned as Brethia, who had been floating serenely above the low wall on the north side of the roof, shot up about six feet in surprise.
“Sir wizard! Oh my, you startled me,” she exclaimed.
“Sorry. Sorry,” he said with a chuckle. “Didn't mean to. I just wanted to see how you were doing.”
“We are fine, thank you. Orriss is patrolling the outer wall as he should. No problems.”
She lowered her voice, even though they were alone.
“I think he's rather enjoying it, to be honest. More responsibilities and all that.”
“Oh. Well, good. I'm happy that he is. So, do you need anything?”
Brethia seemed perplexed at the question.
“I'm sorry, sir wizard, but what would we need?”
A very polite answer to a very stupid question, Simon told himself, feeling foolish.
“Sorry. I was just wondering. Okay then,
I'm off. We should be home soon.”
“Yes, sir wizard. Thank you for the visit.”
Simon smiled perfunctorily, focused on the spot where he had left Kronk and Aeris and locked it firmly into his mind.
“Gate,” he said and vanished.
While he was gone, a couple of things had happened; one good and one...well, not so good.
Simon appeared in almost the exact same spot that he'd been standing earlier, but he was alone. The two elementals were gone and the cows in the field were in a state of chaos.
The herd was running in all directions, mooing in panic. The large beasts were incredibly loud and the air literally rang with their cries of alarm.
“What the hell is happening?” Simon said aloud as he frantically looked around.
He quickly spotted the source of the herd's fear, and found the bull at the same time.
Apparently Kronk and his fellow earthen had spotted some likely targets and had gone ahead and walled off several cows from the herd. The walled-off section rose out of the ground in almost the exact center of the large field; tall slabs of rock jutting out of the earth in a rough circle and tilted toward the middle.
The other cows were making a dash for the trees and disappearing into the forest. All of them except for the bull. He was racing around the field in wide circles, head down, eyes red, and bellowing with fury. It took Simon a moment to spot his target: it was Aeris.
The wizard leaned against his staff and put his free hand over his eyes.
“I can't leave them alone for five minutes,” he said tiredly. “God, if this is what it would be like being a parent, give me puppies and kittens any day.”
He sighed and opened his eyes. The chase continued and Simon realized that the air elemental was obviously letting the bull chase him. In fact, he was leading it in its mad circling run. Aeris could easily disappear or fly up and out of reach, but he wasn't doing that. The obvious question was...why?
“Master! You're back.”
The wizard looked down and saw Kronk climbing out of the ground at his feet.
“I am. What's going on?” he asked and pointed at the raging bull.
Tales from the New Earth: Volume Two Page 21
