The unsuspecting mage ms-1

by Brian S. Pratt

  One of the buildings is a store and James decides to make a brief stop to replenish their depleted supply of rations. The only food left is dried fish and day old bread, the throngs of people coming through having bought everything else. He buys two days worth at exorbitant prices. The lady wouldn’t even haggle with him, saying that if he didn’t buy it, someone else surely would before the end of the day.

  They returned to the road, eating the dry fish and stale bread as they ride, though not very tasty at least they were filling. The road passes through other villages, about one every five miles or so, and the number of closed and vacated buildings increases the closer to the City of Light they become. The number of people on the road is also steadily increasing as well with more and more refugees fleeing the approach of the Empire.

  As the shadows begin growing long with the closing of the day, a great walled city nestled against the edge of the Sea begins to appear in the distance ahead. A formidable wall surrounds it and many ships are anchored in the harbor. When asked, a passerby confirms that it is, indeed, the City of Light. Hundreds of buildings spread outward from the wall, though many have the look of being deserted, likely in anticipation of a siege by the Empire.

  Travel upon the road is slow as a veritable exodus of people flow from the city. In the surrounding fields many farmers work to save what crops they can. Some fields are actually on fire to prevent the Empire from benefiting from the unharvested grain.

  Cavalry can be seen running patrols throughout the countryside, and the walls of the city are lined with many men. “It’s going to take a while to break this city,” James observes.

  “Yeah,” agrees Miko. “It looks impressive, bigger even than Cardri.”

  “It’s not just the men already here,” James says as he points over to the harbor. “But the Sea enables them to receive fresh supplies of men and equipment should they need it.”

  The gates are jammed with people and wagons, going both in and out. An entire squad of the city guard is at the gates attempting to maintain what order they can. It takes a while but they make it to the gates where one of the guards questions them about their business in the city.

  When James tells him of the package they are delivering and shows it to him, they are waved on through into the city.

  They make their way carefully from the gate, forging their way through the throng of people who are trying to make it out of the city. After inquiring as to the whereabouts of the Great Library, they forge their way further into the city. Following the directions given to them, they arrive at the Library in little time.

  The impressive structure which is the Library is at least four stories tall and a hundred yards wide. Outside the entrance sit many wagons being loaded with books and manuscripts brought from within the Library.

  A man is supervising the distribution and packing of the books and manuscripts. “Easy there!” he yells at one man who tosses several books haphazardly into a wagon. “Those are hundreds of years old, you must treat them with care.” The man mumbles an apology then returns inside the library for more.

  James dismounts and walks over to the supervisor and says, “Excuse me.”

  The man directs two men carrying a chest to place it in the last wagon, then turns to James and says, “Yes?” Then to another man he yells, “Not in there, take it to the front wagon!”

  “I was wondering if you could direct me to Ollinearn?” he asks.

  “He is very busy,” the man says to James. “He does not have time to see anyone today.” Spying a man walking out of the Library with books stacked on top of delicately rolled scrolls, he rushes over and berates the man, taking the books off the scrolls that were being crushed.

  James follows him and says, “But this is important, I have a delivery from Ellinwyrd in Cardri.”

  “Ellinwyrd you say?” the man asks as he pauses and actually looks at James for the first time.

  “Yes, Ellinwyrd,” James acknowledges. “He asked us to deliver a book for him.” He reaches inside his backpack and brings out the package, showing it to the man.

  The man takes it, sees Ellinwyrd’s seal and then hands it back to James. “Very well,” he says, “go on inside. You will find him in the back preparing the last of the books for travel.” Seeing another man not treating ‘his books’ properly, he leaves James standing there and rushes over to the miscreant where he begins berating him and instructing him on the proper way to handle these aged books.

  James signals for Miko to remain by the horse as he enters the Library.

  Inside he finds shelf after empty shelf where books until recently had sat. If the number of empty shelves is any indication, they must have already transported a staggering amount of books and other related items.

  From a door in the back of the central area another man emerges carrying a box filled with books. Figuring this to be where Ollinearn would be, James walks over and passes through the doorway.

  Within the room he finds a wizened old man directing three helpers in the packing of books and manuscripts.

  “Carefully now, Yorn,” the old man says kindly. “They must be packed just right if they are to survive the journey.” He pats the young man on the back and turns to see James walk in through the doorway. “Yes?” the old man asks. “Can I help you?”

  “Are you Ollinearn?” James asks.

  “Yes, I am he,” the old man replies.

  James brings out the book and offers it to him, “Ellinwyrd sent me here to give this to you.”

  Ollinearn takes the package and glances at the seal upon it, then removes the wrapping. He looks at the book a moment then glances questioningly at James, “He sent you here to deliver this book?”

  “Yes, sir,” James replies.

  He motions for him to follow and says, “Come with me.” To his helpers he says, “Continue with these, then we shall finish with the histories.”

  “Yes, sir,” one of the helpers says.

  Ollinearn exits the room through a small door in the back and walks down a small hallway. Near the end he opens a door on the right and enters.

  As James follows him inside he sees it’s a small study with but a desk and three chairs. Ollinearn goes around the desk and sits down. He gestures to a chair across from him and says, “Please, sit and be comfortable.” After James sits he continues, “My apologies for not offering any refreshments, but things around here are in a state of confusion.”

  “It’s alright, I understand.” James assures him.

  Placing the book between them on the table, he says, “Now, I find it strange that Ellinwyrd would have sent you here to deliver this book.” He looks at James for a response.

  “Why?” James asks.

  With a wave of his hand he says, “It’s a book of little consequence, quite common really. It’s hardly worth sending someone through a war zone to deliver. In fact, I have two copies already.”

  James produces the letter Ellinwyrd had written and hands it across the table to Ollinearn. “He did send this as well,” he says.

  Ollinearn takes the letter, breaks the seal and then reads it. After he’s finished reading the letter he looks to James and says, “He asks that I aid you any way I can, very strange.”

  “Why is that strange?” James asks.

  Placing the letter on the table he says, “He has never made such a request before. In addition, he makes no mention of your need.”

  “I am in search of the god Morcyth,” James explains. “Ellinwyrd believed that the last temple to him was located somewhere around the Sea of the Gods and that you would be my best chance of finding its whereabouts.”

  “Morcyth?” he asks. “Are you a historian?”

  “Nothing like that, no,” James replies. “I am on kind of a quest and this is where it has led me.”

  “Hmmmm…” Ollinearn muses as he sits back in his chair thinking. “We have several books detailing Morcyth and his religion,” he says to James. “Though most of those are already on
their way to a safe area north of the Sea.”

  “Is there anything you can tell me?” James asks.

  He says to James, “There are a few books here that have yet to be packed for shipping which deals with religious history and related subjects.” He brings his hands together before him on the table and continues, “But we are very busy and do not have much time before the Empire knocks on our door. I am afraid that I will not have the time to spend in searching for the information you are after. I am sorry.”

  James reaches inside his shirt and pulls out the medallion, showing it to Ollinearn. “This medallion was given to me.” He takes it off and lays it on the table before him. “I wasn’t told anything about it, but have learned that it has something to do with Morcyth.”

  Ollinearn reaches out to the medallion and looks to James questioningly. When James nods his head, he picks it up and examines it closely. “I know this,” he says as his fingers trace the design on the medallion. He looks up to James, “Maybe I’ll find the time to help you after all, follow me.”

  Still holding the medallion, Ollinearn leads James back out to the hallway and returns to the room where his helpers are almost finished packing the few remaining books. When they enter the room, he says to one of the men, “Pack as quickly as you can, I will be occupied for a short time.”

  “Where will you be?” the man asks.

  “Back with the histories,” he replies. “I shouldn’t be too long.” Taking a candelabrum with several lit candles, he leads James through another doorway and down a long sloping hallway. They pass several doors, many are open and James can see room after room of empty shelves. Ollinearn comes to the final doorway and is the only one which remains closed. Opening it, he precedes James into a room where the light from the candelabrum reveals dozens of neatly stacked books lining many shelves around the room.

  “This is where the books chronicling the history of this region are stored,” he explains. “They are not of any great importance, so are to be packed last.” Turning to glance at James he says, “Which may prove to be providential.” Waving to a chair by a table against a side wall, he says, “Please rest a moment while I find the book I believe to have this design depicted.”

  James sits in a chair and watches as Ollinearn closely examines one book after another until finally pulling one off the shelf and brings it over to the table where he is seated. Placing the candelabrum on the table, the old man takes a seat across from him and sets the book down between them.

  “This book was written four hundred years ago by one of my predecessors,” he explains as he opens it and begins turning the pages. On the second page is a picture showing the exact same design as is on the front of the medallion, Ollinearn holds up the medallion next to the picture and compares one to the other. “As I thought,” he says as he hands the medallion back to James. “This design on your medallion is called the Star of Morcyth.”

  “Star?” James asks. A cold shiver runs down his spine, ‘With the star, seal your fate’.

  “Yes, it was the symbol of the religion, and was embossed on all important artifacts,” explains Ollinearn. “There must be some significance as to why you are carrying it.”

  “That’s what I am trying to find out,” he says.

  Nodding, he reads a little more and says, “The writer tells of a conflict between two major religions nearly half a millennium before this was written.”

  “The church of Morcyth was one and the other was…,” he pauses as he takes a moment to read the passage. “Ah yes, here it is, Dmon-Li. That was the other one.”

  “Dmon-Li?” James asks questioningly. “I’ve never heard of it.”

  Ollinearn looks up from his book and says, “Not too surprising, unless you come from the south. It’s widely worshiped still in many parts of the Empire. In fact, I believe it has influence with the Emperor as well but do not know for sure.”

  “What kind of god is Dmon-Li?” James asks.

  “You see, where Morcyth was a god of good whose main tenets taught teaching and learning, Dmon-Li’s followers thrived on chaos and warfare. His priests often were great warriors, given great strength and skill that was used to foment wars and conflict.”

  He reads several more passages and then says, “It seems at some point, Dmon-Li set about annihilating Morcyth’s priests. His warrior priests began hunting them down one by one until only a few were left.” He continues to read as he relates the tale. “It says here that there came a time when all had been slaughtered save a few priests who made their way to the High Temple.” He pauses a moment and then looks up at James and adds, “Here in the City of Light.”

  “The High Temple was here?” James asks excitedly. “Here in the City of Light?”

  “Apparently so,” Ollinearn affirms. “It seems that the last of the priests of Morcyth gathered together at the Temple while the High Priest began a period of fasting and prayer.” He looks up from the book, “Most likely to find a resolution to the problem of Dmon-Li, the book doesn’t give the exact reason.”

  “Did anything come of it?” James asks.

  Referring back to the book, he says, “There are no specifics, just that when the period of fasting ended, the priests all left the High Temple and as far as the author of this book knew, were never seen again. He goes on to say that they left everything behind, taking very little with them.”

  “That’s it?” James asks. “It doesn’t say where they went?”

  Ollinearn flips through a couple more pages, scanning the writing, “No, it doesn’t. It does say that over time the temple was looted and was finally destroyed during a great quake that brought down most of the city in the year 2322, two hundred years prior to the writing of this book.”

  “Does it say where the temple had been located?” James asks.

  “No, it doesn’t,” Ollinearn replies as he continues examining the pages. “Here may be something,” he says, making eye contact with James. “It says that the last High Priest was born in the city of Saragon, maybe he returned home.”

  “Possibly,” agrees James. “But the Empire now controls it and from what I hear to venture there would be very unwise right now.”

  “True, true,” nods Ollinearn. He reads a little bit further and then says, “That is all there is about Morcyth and your medallion.” Closing the book he comes to his feet. “I hope I have been able to help you further your quest.”

  “Yes, thank you,” replies James. “You have been most helpful.”

  Ollinearn takes the candelabrum and motions for James to precede him out the door. He shuts the door and then leads James out to the main library area. “Good luck on your quest,” Ollinearn says. “I really must have the rest of these books packed before the ship sails.”

  “I understand and thank you again,” he says and then moves to leave through the front door and back to where Miko waits with the horse.

  “Did you find out anything?” Miko asks expectantly as James approaches.

  “I’ll tell you later,” he says. “Let’s find a place to eat and then get out of here before the Empire shows up.”

  “Good plan,” says Miko.

  With Miko leading the horse, they travel through the crowded streets until they see an inn. Not wanting to leave their horse out front where someone fleeing may try to help themselves to it, they go around back and secure it near the back door before proceeding inside.

  The inn is deserted save a lone serving girl who sits at a table near the front window watching the people making their way to the gates to get out of the city.

  She fails to take notice of them until they get close and James says, “Excuse me.”

  Startled, she jumps from her seat and turns around, “Sorry, I didn’t hear you come in. What can I do for you gentlemen?”

  “Are you open for dinner?” James asks.

  “Yes,” she affirms, “we are, though there is limited choice. You see we are leaving first thing in the morning.”

  Taking
a seat near the front window he says, “Just give us two large helpings of whatever you have and some ale.”

  Before she goes to the kitchen she pauses and says somewhat guiltily, “That’s going to be three silvers, each.”

  “What?” James asks incredulously.

  “That’s outrageous!” Miko says, obviously mad.

  Looking embarrassed, the girl says, “Sorry but that is what I am told to charge today.”

  James nods his head and says “Here,” as he hands over six silvers. Then adds, “I understand.”

  Looking relieved the girl takes the money and then goes into the kitchen to get their food and drinks.

  “How could you pay that much?” Miko asks as the girl disappears into the kitchen.

  Shrugging, James says, “We’re unlikely to get anything cheaper,” he gestures to the people going by outside, carrying bundles or pulling carts. “Besides, we’re lucky to be able to get anything at all. I’m surprised they’re even open.”

  They sit back and relax as they wait for their food. James begins watching the people going by, mother’s carrying babies alongside fathers pulling carts loaded with belongings and children. “Kind of makes you sad doesn’t it?”

  “What does?” asks Miko.

  “The senseless destruction that war brings,” he explains. “The ones who always pay the price of another’s greed is the simple man who just wants to go about his life, take joy in his family, and find peace at the end. They didn’t ask for it, don’t understand why it’s happening, but theirs are the lives ruined, turned upside down, families destroyed.”

  “I see what you mean,” Miko says, reflecting on what James said.

  The girl returns from the kitchen balancing a platter with heaping slices of meat smothered in thick gravy in one hand and a pitcher of ale with two mugs gripped in the other. She sits it all on the table and then returns to the kitchen only to emerge with a large loaf of bread. “Here, this is extra,” she says as she sits the bread on the table. “We’ll probably just throw it away anyway.”