by Bill Albert
“Yes, that was Lincilara the fairy.”
“Why, of all the things you’ve seen, would you keep her hidden?”
“In the past few months Starpoint Mountain has fallen, a Dragon has filled the sky, and, I believe, the kingdom of the Giant Lords may be coming to an end. This society does not need to be to stabilize any further. I also owe it to Gallif to keep that secret until she’s ready.”
“This woman inspired much confidence in you,” Novelevon said.
“She was willing to fight to protect my parents, then grieve for them when she could not,” he said solemnly. “She has spoken with dragons, rescued fairies and uncovered thousand-year-old secrets. How could I not trust her?”
Novelevon agreed he was quite impressed by what he had heard.
“I hope someday to meet her,” Zaslow said.
“I would not want to miss that day,” Jakobus said honestly.
With the new specific focus on what they were looking for the research ran steadily for two days. Jakobus was kept up to date purposefully on what they were doing as they continued to asking questions about Lincilara. They wanted to know all of the facts about her, how she moved, how she spoke, and how she sang. Despite his confidence Jakobus stumbled a bit when Zaslow once suddenly asked how she smelled.
“I don’t recall there being any distinct smell about her,” Jakobus said “but I do remember that she used her own sense of smell to inspect us. She said some people smelled ‘good’ and other smelled ‘wrong.’”
“Definitely interesting,” Novelevon said adjusting the pieces of glass wired in front of his eyes.
“What of her other senses?” Zaslow asked. “Anything else that she referred to?”
“Nothing as distinct as that,” Jakobus shook his head. “However, she does have pointed ears.”
Novelevon instinctively reached up and ran his fingers over his own.
“Oh, my, what a revelation that will be,” he said in shock. “Pointed ears have been such a symbol of evil and hatred. Now the most peaceful creatures ever known will remind them of us.”
***
After days of continuous work Zaslow’s health had taken its toll on him by the end of the evening. It had taken Jakobus, Novelevon, and several kisertet to get him to his room. He slept under interrupted for two days while the others continued to read.
Novelevon Jakobus up to date on everything he did in continuously asked him questions. At the else request Jakobus had written down everything he could remember about Lincilara and it even try to sketch and acceptable image of the fairy.
As they worked Jakobus found some fascinating information on casting. Though he had never personally taken much interest in the art he could not help but find some of the details fascinating. He was impressed by the relatively small number of casts that work properly and how easy some more to avoid. He was also heartbreaking and ashamed that some casts had involved destroying focus stones in the process. There were very few, less than 10, but it was still disturbing as to what a been done.
He was following Novelevon in the library and listening to him chatter on about the spoken principles of certain types of mind affecting casts when suddenly they were interrupted by a swarm of kisertet’s rushing past them. There was a dozen of them, all about a foot tall, and though they had no wings they were floating in midair. They encircle Novelevon and spoke so quickly with such high-pitched voices he couldn’t understand what they were saying but he did approach close enough to hear Novelevon mention Zaslow and the kisertets disappeared.
“What’s happening?” Jakobus asked sensing the urgency. Kisertets had rarely been seen outside of mealtimes and never inside the library.
“Someone’s in the house,” Novelevon said looking around. “Somebody else’s inside. With all the casts traps and other precautions no one should be able to get here without my permission. The loan without my knowing about it.”
Jakobus, despite everything, had not lost his sharpness and his cast axe was instantly in his hand.
Novelevon was just as fast and had a silver tipped wand in his. He saw the surprise, yet guilty look on Jakobus’s face and looked at him politely. “I understand it will take some time to get used to me. My kind, the ones out there, have suffered from the curse so long they can barely speak anymore. One of my kind as a caster is, most likely, something you never expected.”
“I also expected something better out of you,” Jakobus said looking back at him. “Who could do that? One of the others who gave into a frenzy? They can fly.”
“Don’t attack anything unless I do,” Novelevon instructed him. “The self-defense casts around the house are working. Some of the monsters you see may be mine.”
They ran to the front of the house; this was the only way anyone could enter on foot when all the defenses were cast. Though the actual gate itself was left unlocked each step had triggers and traps on it to prevent unwanted entry. They were surprised to find the gates closed and the steps untouched.
“The only other way and would be to have gone in on the higher floors, over the top.”
“Who could do that? One of the Others who has given into a frenzy? They can fly.”
“Yes, when they are engulfed by the frenzy some of them can climb and fly but they lose their sense of place. In their madness they could not comprehend the unusual nature of this house. They are blinded in it.”
“I can think of people who are that way without being in frenzy.”
“Just follow me,” Novelevon ordered him ignoring his remark.
As they searched the house Jakobus could not deny how impressive it was. He knew that there was some commonality in any house, human, dwarf, halfling ever created. He imagined, though he had never ever been in one, even the houses of giants shared certain traits. It had never occurred to him that elves were similar in their arrangements.
There were moments he caught himself so involved in what he was seeing, some of the most enchanting décor he had ever seen. He was unsure if some of it had been built, cast, or maybe even grown to look the way it did. Add to all this Novelevon’s ability to move this house from place to place and completely hide it when necessary made the casting abilities of the elf and the Others even more inspiring.
As a reminder that they were in the swamp the lighting inside the house was subdued and this, in turn, had created many shadowy places. This level also made it easier for the eyes to adapt from the canopy of the swamp outside blocking out so much of the direct sunlight.
He had also learned quickly to follow Novelevon’s lead with some of the things they found in the shadows. He did have his own monsters in place and hoped the fact that they were friendly, or at least uninterested, in him would keep them from his nightmares.
As they entered the main entrance the candle chandelier was swinging gently and causing the shadows to move in a steady pace. Jakobus scan the room and finally picked up one shadow that was moving out of turn.
“There!” Jakobus whispered to Novelevon and nodded in that direction. He saw the surprise on the elf’s face and knew it was something unexpected. Jakobus moved in the direction of the unusual shadow. The figure quickly realized he had been spotted and turned to run but was not fast enough to avoid being seen.
“Dammit,” Jakobus yelled.
“It can’t be!” Novelevon protested.
“It has to be! You saw Zaslow’s face! I never trusted him no matter what he said.”
“No, it can’t be him,” Novelevon protested but there was very little confidence in his voice.
Without responding Jakobus ran after the fleeing man and Novelevon was close behind. The exposed monster quickly turned and went up to the second floor. As they reach the top of the steps Zaslow’s wand flashed several times as he made some casts on himself. Then he turned, spoke briefly, and flicked the wand at his pursuers.
14 ice daggers, as sharp and deadly as any dagger, flashed in Jakobus and Novelevon’s direction.
With a flash of ligh
t Jakobus saw them coming. Luckily his instincts, and speed, was still good and he dived out of the way. Novelevon also spoke and flashed his own wand back at Zaslow. A sudden wave of heat headed toward the older human male. As soon as the daggers encountered the wave they melted and fell to the floor is harmless water. Before they could rise another wave of ice daggers were shot at them and Novelevon dissolve them with another heat wave.
To prevent a standoff Jakobus ran forward swinging his axe from side to side. He caught Zaslow off guard and cross the distance quickly. He swung with considerable force trying to cut the human.
Because of his own weakness Zaslow had been casting on himself. He could step back out of the path of the swing and the blade sliced into the wall. Though he wasn’t injured the disruption caused him to lose his concentration and broke his next cast.
Jakobus quickly withdrew the action the wall and immediately took another strike. Zaslow was still fast but not enough this time and the tip of the ax blade split open his robes and a laceration in his stomach.
Jakobus reared the axe to one side as he stepped forward to cleave Zaslow in half. His muscles were ready but just as he released thrust, they refuse to obey him. He was unable to move his body and froze on the verge of a strike. The anger rose quickly, and he swore at his opponent. Then, still furious, he realized it was not Zaslow who was holding him. Novelevon ran forward with his wand centered on Jakobus.
“Zaslow, my friend, explain this to me. What’s happened to you?”
“You foolish little monster,” Zaslow spat at the elf. “You think you’re so smart, yet you can’t tell friend from foe.”
“Zaslow, if there is a curse on you, I will remove it. If a daimon has consumed your soul let me destroy it.”
Zaslow looked at him wide-eyed and started laughing.
“You’re no different from the elves in the Land of Starpoint. You may be able to speak, you can read, write, and cast spells but, deep down inside, you are all simpleminded and gullible creatures.”
Novelevon was breathing heavy. He still held Jakobus, but his hand began shaking, causing the silver tip to slowly drift away from the dwarf.
“No, I refuse to believe this,” Novelevon protested. “The man I’ve share this house with would never betray me.”
With incredible speed Zaslow mumbled something neither Jakobus nor Novelevon could understand. He swept the wand and Novelevon’s direction and the elf suddenly was thrown against the wall with half inch-thick barb wire wrapped around his body. Still, out of reflex, his wand was pointed at Jakobus.
“Despite everything that’s happened to me I can still live freely in this house,” Zaslow said. “Two of my selves have been lost, there’s so little left of me, but here I can thrive.”
Zaslow took a step closer to Jakobus and looked him straight in the eyes.
“You,” he snarled at the dwarf. “I will cut you open and string you out in the swamps. The others will feast on you, then I will make sure your friend Gallif sees your remains just before she dies.”
Jakobus shrieked in surprise and he focused his rage on the man.
“Yes, there are two days left until her execution,” Zaslow informed him. “I will have revenge on her for my other selves by letting her see your torn flesh. The best part of it is I won’t have to kill her myself.”
He gave out a tremendous laugh and then suddenly stumbled. His hands went to his stomach. It was cut open wide and blood was flowing increasingly. Zaslow shuddered, then shuffled towards Novelevon keeping clear of his prisoner’s wand.
“I will make you my pet, like the ugly little animal you are. You will fetch for me what I need and if you refuse, I will kick you into the swamps.”
“Let them go,” a weak voice heard him from the hallway behind them.
Novelevon was barely able to turn his head enough to see who it was. Jakobus could not move at all and desperately search for some clue.
“Come in now,” Zaslow shouted pointing his wand and Novelevon before continuing. “Or I’ll turn the aquilus into alligator food.”
It took a while, but finally Zaslow, the Zaslow who had been living in the house for some time, stumbled into the room. Once they were together it was obvious that there were subtle differences between them. One had paler skin from spending so much time inside the swamp and away from sunlight. Though they both appeared weak and had some difficulties moving the Zaslow that held them hostage had a full head of hair and his eyebrows were still dark. Both had severe cuts in their belly and while one was still holding a wand pointed at his prisoner the other was holding a bloodstained dagger pointed at himself.
“That explains why the house let you in,” Novelevon said. “The cast allowed Zaslow to enter, so you were allowed to pass.”
With a mixture of disappointment and confusion Zaslow looked at his other self but kept his wand pointed at the barbed elf.
“You have no choice but to let them go,” the paleface Zaslow warned. “You are able to jump cast. Do it and leave now or you will die.”
“You can kill me.”
“You think so? When one of us dies the other knows it and feels it. This close, face-to-face, is different. I’m more than felt your cut from Jakobus’s axe,” he said showing the slice in his stomach. “And I know you felt mine,” he said holding up the bloodstained dagger.
“You’re bluffing.”
“You know I’m not. I don’t want to kill you, I don’t want to die, but the sense of right and wrong that you have lost from your original self is strong within me.”
“Not as strong as you claim,” Zaslow laughed and his counterpart shifted uncomfortably. “I can sense you as easy as you can sense me. I know your temptations. I know how strong they are.”
There was an uncomfortable flash of weakness across the pale Zaslow’s face.
“My friend, you know he’s lying,” Novelevon insisted. “I have given you free run of all the house has to offer.”
Jakobus concentrated hard trying to force his muscles to move. He remained in place and try to control his anger.
Zaslow looked at his friend bound by barbed wire and held against the wall and the dwarf still frozen in rage.
“No,” he said raising the dagger just above his head. “It’s time for the last of us to die.”
With a burst of movement that could only be attributed to a cast Zaslow cover the space between them as second without touching the ground. As he passed by Novelevon loose clothing caught on the elves wand and jarred it out of his hand. Jakobus suddenly was free of his imprisonment and the axe continued its swing. It hit the door frame where the target had been standing with enough force to split it in half.
He spun around to see the two men struggling for control of the dagger. As he went towards them the cast on Novelevon was broken and the elf collapse to the ground covered in blood. Jakobus ran to him and helped him sit up.
“Stop them,” Novelevon croaked in pain as he puts the wired pieces of glass back over his eyes.
A terrible, horrifying cry of pain runs through the house and they both turned to see two men face-to-face in combat. They held for a silent moment then fell to the floor, their stomachs could open, and blood pouring from their nose and mouth.
Novelevon grabbed tight on Jakobus’s shoulder and the strong, healthy dwarf helped them to hobble over to the bodies. Jakobus had not seen them both the same time before but it was obvious now which one had been with them all along.
He hoped Novelevon to find his friend and lifted the man up so they could comfort him.
“I’m sorry,” Zaslow said. “I should’ve sensed he was coming but I didn’t. It wasn’t until he was inside the house and I was in my room that I knew he was here.”
“Don’t worry, my friend,” Novelevon said gently. “I’ll get some potions for you. Something to heal you.”
“No,” Zaslow coughed up more blood. “If you heal me, you’ll heal him. Time for us to die. Don’t worry,” he said as he stared off into the d
istance. “I’m not afraid.”
The other Zaslow coughed as well. He made a feeble attempt to rise and crawled towards his wand, but blood was pouring from his body and he lost all his strength inches away from his weapon.
“Oh my,” he said looking up at Novelevon. “I just realize how to free the fairies.”
“What is it?” Jakobus pleaded with him.
“It’s so obvious,” he said and died.
Novelevon closes friend’s lifeless eyes and felt the sudden cold and golf his hands. In shock, he left the body on the floor and both he and Jakobus backed away.
Without warning Zaslow’s dead bodies started shaking violently as if they were victims to some sort of seizure. After a few seconds their mouths opened, and they emitted a scream that echoed through the house.
Jakobus and Novelevon covered their ears for protection and slid away as fast as they could.
The seizing of the body started to subside and when it stopped completely there was no color in the skin or the hair of any kind. After a few seconds of silence, the bodies started to dissolve. Soon they could see through the skin to the veins and muscles underneath. When they became transparent the bones and organs could be seen. The few close that they had worn collapsed with nothing to support them. Then, even the organs were transparent, and a gray mist floated around the bodies.
The mists slowly drifted towards each other and a tendril from one reached out. The other sensed its approach and tried to float away. The offending mist suddenly split into three different clouds and circled the defender missed. The single miss darted upwards an incredible speed but the other soon caught it and try to pull it back down. There was a chaotic mix as one mist tried to defend itself from the others. They scattered and separated and soon it was impossible to tell which was which. The mist started to swirl around the room and incredible speed and soon formed a twister. Faster and faster the mists swirled towards the center point. The mist grew darker but at the same time the center started to glow a bright fiery orange. As the mist disappeared into the center the brightness grew and soon neither Jakobus nor Novelevon could look at it directly and they raised their hands as shields.
