by Cole Pain
The boy smiled, but his smile quickly vanished. The change was startling. Ren heaved a breath. “Have you been in any pain since you woke?”
“No,” Tol answered. His grin broadened as he added, “Ren.”
“Can Ista sense you if she doesn’t send you pain?”
Tol chewed his bottom lip. Ren could tell the boy wanted to please him by his response and was therefore unsure how to reply.
“Tell me the truth, Tol,” Ren said. “Anything you know will be a great help. If you know enough, I’ll grant you a knighthood. You’d be the youngest knight in the history of this kingdom. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
Tol’s face lit with delight, and he nodded vigorously. “She sends us pain to know where we are. If she does, she knows. One time some of the others left and she got real mad. She sent the pain and when we found them they were dead. She always kills us when she gets real mad.”
“When was the last time you sensed her?”
“In the castle.”
“Before the tunnels?”
Tol nodded, pleased he was able to answer Ren’s questions.
“Maybe she can’t find him, Ren,” Michel said a little skeptically.
Ren chewed his lower lip in thought. “Perhaps,” he said, unsatisfied.
Tol wrapped his arms around Renee’s legs and smiled up at her.
“You did well, Tol. Thank you,” she said.
Ren tried to sense the needles inside Tol’s head. He couldn’t. He didn’t feel the slightest twinge of magic.
“I want those of you who have the Quy to try to find the needles. I’ve tried but can’t. Try to see how they work. If it brings Tol pain stop at once.”
Quinton, Bentzen, and Galvin stepped back, allowing the others with the power to step closer. Michel bent down to eye level with the boy, Marva crossed her arms with grim determination, and Neki peered at Tol with none of the nervousness Ren had detected a heartbeat before. Ren shifted his weight, silently praying to the Maker one of the others would be able to find the needles. Tol couldn’t travel with them if they didn’t know how to block Ista’s hold. The risks were just too great.
Just as Ren was about to give up hope, Tol squirmed.
Neki cocked an eyebrow. “I’ve got them.”
Tol continued to squirm. Ren opened his mouth to tell Neki to release his hold, but then Tol surprised him – he giggled.
“That tickles.”
Neki’s grin widened. Tol’s giggles increased. A few of the men chuckled at the scene.
Quinton raised an eyebrow. “Neki the sorcerer?”
If it was possible, Neki’s smile rose higher. “Just call me Sorcerer Neki, the mighty wizard of Zier.”
The tenseness quickly shattered as the men broke into laughter. Even Bentzen’s lips twitched into a grin.
Ren turned to Neki. “How do you feel the needles?”
“I don’t really know. I just reach out with my feelings and, well,” Neki shrugged, “I can almost see them. Not truly, but if I concentrate I can feel something there.”
Ren sat back on his heels. If Neki could sense the needles inside Tol, Ista should as well.
“Tol, before, in the castle, was Ista’s presence always there even when she didn’t send you any pain?”
“Yes, she was waiting.”
“You mean you could always sense her, and now you can’t?”
Tol nodded. Renee frowned. Ren didn’t know what to think. Something had to be different, something …
Ren stood and quickly made his way to the hinged stone that granted access to the outside. After swinging it open he turned to Tol. “Step outside.”
Tol glanced up at Renee. When Renee nodded, Tol did what Ren asked. Tol immediately crumbled to his knees.
Ren snatched Tol up and quickly closed the stone.
Tol’s eyes cleared. “She was back. But she’s gone now.”
“Fates,” Ren said. “Magic can’t get through silver.”
Ren stood and slapped Bentzen on the shoulder. The swordsman looked confused but smiled anyway.
Renee frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“Silver must absorb magic,” Ren said with a grin. “We’re in the silver mines. The silver is blocking Ista’s call. Ista doesn’t think Tol’s dead. She just can’t find him. I think we’ve found a cure for the needles!”
Ren’s eyes landed on Renee’s silver band of rule lying discarded at the far side of the passage.
After retrieving the band, he motioned for Tol to kneel. Ren placed the silver band of rule around the boy’s head. Ren nodded at Neki, wanting to prove his theory true.
Neki knelt beside Tol and creased his brows in concentration. After a few breaths Neki shifted his weight and leaned closer. When he finally looked up, a slow grin stole over his face. “Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
Ren turned serious. “Tol, don’t ever take that band off. Do you hear? Never take it off, not even when you sleep. Do you understand?”
Tol touched the band with tentative fingers. “Yes, my lord.”
“Tol of Zier, squire of Renee, beloved by the crown,” Ren said. “You’ve excelled in your duty, had faith in times of oppression and aided in times of need. For your loyalty we reward you with a knighthood, but with this knighthood comes grave responsibilities. Sir Tol, Knight of Ren and Knight of Renee, I charge you to have courage in your heart, to think of others before yourself and to speak the truth at all times. Do you accept these duties?”
Ren made sure to change the last line to be about truth instead of gallantry. He knew if he emphasized truth Tol wouldn’t hesitate to speak if Ista called him. By the look in Tol’s eyes Ren had nothing to fear. The boy’s jaw clenched with a determination Ren had yet to see in a grown man. Renee had given Tol a home and a family. Tol would do nothing to jeopardize that.
“I accept,” Tol said in a soft voice.
“Then rise, Sir Tol, and may the Maker shower his blessings on you from this day forth.”
Ren turned to Bentzen. He had always worried about the silent guard. After years of Bentzen going above and beyond his duties, Ren had knighted him. It was one of the few times Ren had seen emotion cross Bentzen’s face. Someone or something in Bentzen’s past had hurt him deeply. Ren wanted his loyal guard to enjoy life, to love and be loved. Maybe Tol could teach Bentzen just that.
“Sir Bentzen, please step forward.”
Confusion rippled across Bentzen’s face, but he obeyed without question. “Bentzen, I charge you with the training of Sir Tol. See that Tol learns your ways.”
Bentzen opened his mouth to protest but quickly closed it and nodded a silent assent.
Tol stared up at Bentzen with a mixture of awe and fear. Bentzen was an imposing man, tall and broad shouldered, with a look of wildness that, mixed with his silence, caused many to fear him.
“Tol, Bentzen is a fellow knight. He’ll teach you duty and purpose. You’ll ride with him when we leave.” With Ren’s words, Tol’s awe overcame his fear as he reached out his thin arms. After a few heartbeats, Bentzen bent to pick Tol up.
Quinton motioned everyone outside. With one last look at Ren, he followed the men out the narrow opening in the wall.
At first Ren had planned to ride to the ruins of the Alcazar. He thought the One might have left some clue as to where he could be found, but then Tol had told them Ista’s camp was in the Cliffs of Crape. He didn’t believe in coincidences. The Maker had sent Tol to them for a reason.
Besides, the One could be anywhere. Any direction they went could be the right one.
When Ren finally stepped into the night, all the men had mounted one of Michel’s horses, hiding under the shelter of the apple trees. Neki munched one of the apples and the smell of the fruit’s sweet juice made Ren’s mouth water. He hadn’t eaten in days and was beginning to feel the hollow ache in his stomach.
There weren’t enough horses to hold everyone. Tol sat in front of Bentzen and Renee sat in front of Michel. His mother a
nd Michel were already engrossed in conversation. Ren felt a strange sense of completeness as he watched them.
Ren glanced back at the distant lights of Stardom. He had never hungered for the throne. At times he even yearned for the type of life Michel led. A man shouldn’t rule because of name alone. Royalty was a privilege, not an inheritance. He had plans to give the throne back to the people, allowing them to elect their rulers, not be ruled by the elect. Now, the throne had been taken, but he would return to claim what had been taken from him. Ista had made a grave error. Although she had taken something he planned to relinquish that was the very reason he had to take it back.
- - -
Ren rode more on instinct than sight. The cloudy night smelled of rain, but if rain did come it would help hide their trail. At dawn he would begin to conceal their tracks in the Epigec River, otherwise known as the Tear of the Sierras. The Epigec ran from the base of the Sierra Mountains to the Black Ocean. It was so wide and shallow a horse could run the river and barely wet its fetlock.
Surrounded by the Sierra Mountain’s naked peeks, Zier’s boundaries consisted of dusty plains and tumbleweed, but the interior of Zier was a lush, verdant redwood forest. As they rode through the tall redwoods Ren silently said goodbye to the land he loved. Michel had taught him to appreciate nature and guided him in understanding the silent words of the forest. Now it seemed the massive redwoods hovered over him in protection and the gusting wind cried for haste.
When morning finally dawned and the Epigec River came into view, Neki rode to flank him.
“My prince,” Neki said, eyes darting nervously behind him, “I don’t know if this will be of use, but Grauss’ home is on the way to Ista’s camp. He’s always talked about magic’s rebirth. You may want to speak to him.”
Ren could only stare as Neki’s words dissipated. Even though Grauss was well respected in name, he was something of an enigma, and to Ren’s knowledge had never been seen.
Quinton spoke from behind him. “Grauss the Sage? No one knows were he lives.”
Neki grinned. “I, unfortunately, do.”
The rest of the group moved closer. Grauss’ name was a legend to old and young alike. He was well known for his discoveries, from when a comet would appear in the sky to when an ant would die. He was a mathematician, astrologer, poet, scholar, and much more. If anyone in the Lands knew anything at all about magic or where the One could be found it would be Grauss the Sage, but no one knew where he lived, much less what he looked like.
Ren pulled his horse to a stop. “Neki, that would be an incredible help, but how do you know he’s still there and will see you?”
Neki’s dark eyes darted between Ren and the others. “He’s still there, and he’ll see me again. He’s my grandfather.”
“Your grandfather!”
Neki winced as if he had just revealed a disquieting secret.
Ren looked back at Quinton, who shrugged.
“Where is he?” Ren asked.
“Southwest,” Neki said, pointing to the Sierras on the distant horizon. Looking up at the first light of dawn, Neki paused. “We should arrive by nightfall.”
Quinton pointed to the river. “Let’s turn north until we hit the river and then ride south in its wake for as long as we can. If anyone follows, they might be fooled.”
The clouds continued to roll in, and soon a light rain began to fall. Only Michel and Renee seemed oblivious to their surroundings as they whispered quietly, faces never once deepening into worry or concern.
When the sun was low in the sky Neki stopped and began searching for a safe place to leave the river. The banks were largely grass and small brush, but soon Neki discovered a rocky area. Although it wouldn’t hide their trail, with a little luck, and more rain, their tracks would be harder to spot from the river.
With the river behind them, they pushed their horses as hard as they dared, intent on reaching Grauss by nightfall. The hills gave way to a more desolate area of sparse grass and tumbleweed. Though the landscape was still beautiful, it allowed no cover to shelter them from watchful eyes. Bentzen and Galvin took turns watching for any sign of pursuit.
The dust from the ground billowed around them until Ren was sure anyone within eyesight would swear they were a cyclone riding the wind. Soon they were all covered in dust, and constant curses from Quinton indicated his displeasure. When the sun was setting Neki led them up one of the smaller mountains in the Sierras. Neki pointed to an old, worn path, well hidden behind a few bushes that looked not only foreign on the mountain’s slope but also suspiciously well watered for the season.
With Neki’s knowledge of the narrow path’s odd turns it was easy to travel, and when the swordsman finally dismounted he nodded toward the flattened slope where a large rock jutted out into the fading sun.
“There’s a path behind that rock that leads into the mountain. Grauss lives inside. I’d suggest we only take one or two with us. Grauss doesn’t care for visitors.”
Ren turned and surveyed the group. He wanted to take Michel, but his uncle was deep in conversation with Renee. He glanced at Quinton only briefly. His captain needed to stay here in case they were discovered. He finally settled on Galvin.
Ren swung down and motioned for Galvin to do the same. He told Quinton he’d be back as soon as he could and to stay out of view. Quinton nodded his understanding, gray eyes holding the same intensity they’d carried since leaving Stardom.
Neki led them around the edge of the protruding rock to a narrow opening no bigger than a man’s girth. As they eased into it Ren felt the cool air from the interior of the mountain drift over him. Neki pointed to the ground and then ducked down and disappeared. Ren found an opening in the mountain’s face just below his waistline. Not only was Grauss’ entrance well hidden, if Neki hadn’t been leading Ren would have walked right by the hollow, probably reaching a dead end farther back inside the aperture. As soon as he cleared the stone overhang Neki put out a hand, indicating for him to wait, and rumbled in the dark, muttering a few colorful curses under his breath.
Ren heard the sound of flint being struck as a torch roared to life. Neki passed the torch to Ren and then quickly lit two more. When Ren’s eyes adjusted to the light, he took a step back. Neki stood dangerously close to a ledge that seemed to drop to the depths of the earth. On the right the mountain cut off any path, but on the left a narrow trail wound its way around the mountain’s interior. It appeared as if the mountain had caved in, leaving only a dangerous thread holding onto safety.
Neki broke into a grin. “I call it ‘The Ledge of Lunacy’ for only a madman would dare walk it.” His grin broadened when they didn’t reply. “Around the first bend, the path widens. I’ve walked it for over ten years. I assure you, it’s sturdy.”
Ren released an unsteady breath and carefully followed Neki. As Neki predicted, when they twisted around the first bend the ledge widened into something tolerable, although not tolerable enough to walk two abreast. Sensing the mountain’s peak above him, Ren lifted his torch, trying to glimpse it, but only darkness greeted him.
Even though they had descended a fair amount Ren still couldn’t see the bottom of the gorge, but he heard the faint sound of running water. In the past the water could have risen much higher and formed the very ledge on which they walked, but there was no sign water had touched the ledge in years. Only the nightmoss, glowing a brilliant yellow, could claim life at all.
Above them Ren could see more paths cut into the mountain. If paths existed within other mountains people could disappear for centuries and never be discovered.
A sharp clanking reverberated against the rock. As they moved closer to the noise, a distant cursing wafted to them, along with a clank and more colorful invectives. “Grauss,” Neki said, as if that was explanation enough.
Neki walked around one last hook in the mountain and ambled into a huge cavern. Strategically placed torches, whose light ricocheted off multiple mirrors, lit the cavern and created a crystal ravi
ne out of stark shadow. The fires brought life to the cave’s natural formations and cast a formidable light in the large enclave. Two huge apertures at the top of the chamber were covered with a lattice, opening the night sky to full view. Ren frowned, wondering why Grauss, after all the trouble to conceal his alcove, would risk the openings.
Almost in reply to his thoughts, Neki leaned toward him. “That side of the chamber is impossible to reach from the outside. It’s a sheer drop in the mountain and each window is invisible to outsiders, even in broad daylight. Other formations in the mountain cast the openings in shadow no matter the time of day or year.”
Ren nodded, just now taking in the entirety of the chamber. It was immense, and chalk marks coated every wall. Words, numbers, drawings and agendas were scrawled with frantic precision, displaying steps of sagery but nothing Ren could discern. Gadgets of all sorts carpeted the floor. On Ren’s right a clear liquid bubbled in a glass tube above a small fire; on his left a wooden shaft held a metal string that ended in a small pebble and swung in a continuous circle over a pail of water; in front a pit of bubbling black liquid simmered without fire or any other stimulus.
“Burning cinders!” yelled a voice.
Ren searched the cavern until he found a man perched in a metal chair dangling from a rope beside the first window. The rope hung suspended from a thick wire extending from the cavern’s entrance to the high window on the opposite side of the chamber. Ren noticed a similar apparatus for the second window.
Neki walked forward, casually stepping over the pit where the black liquid boiled. “Grauss, I’ve brought someone for you to meet.”
The skeletal body spun at the sound of Neki’s voice. Although Grauss’ head was bathed in shadow, Ren could sense the scowl on his face.
“Dear boy, I’ve no time,” Grauss said, spinning back to the wall and writing something in chalk by the window. After a few breaths, Grauss spun back around.
“You brought someone to the chamber? Have you gone mad? You know the rules! No one can know where I live. My home would become a haven for wolves. Kings would demand answers. Peasants would demand cures. I wouldn’t be able to deal with anything important, only resolve noble bickering and the world’s petty problems!”
