Red Queen

by Jolie Jaquinta

  Chapter 32

  Mages

  “They're here”, said Clive, sticking his head in the door of the small room. Jesca pushed back from the plate of bread and cheese she had been hurriedly eating, wiped her face, and followed him. She had been sending out instructions rapid fire. No one knew what was up, but word was spreading that something was up. Clive escorted her up a long service corridor that ran the length of the function rooms in the upper palace. Phyllis was at the far end in a doorway, watching them. “Care to tell us what this is about?” asked Clive.

  Jesca handed him the parchment Jack had given her. “Have a read. Have a listen. We're going to war.” It was simpler than explaining.

  “We're already at war!” said Clive, trying to scan the parchment and keep an eye out.

  “People won't call what we've been doing a war when this is over.” That was an understatement. What she wanted to do was audacious. But so was what they were up against. It was what was needed to be done. She just had the job of spelling it out for everyone. Before he could say anything they reached the door and she swept into the room. Clive took over from Phyllis guarding the door they just entered and Phyllis moved to the other, after exchanging a glance with him.

  The room was pleasantly appointed, with a number settees and divans along the walls, but the center was open. There were no windows, but indirect magical light radiated from the ceiling. A collection of mages from the academy were there, their speculative conversation ceasing as Jesca entered. She moved into their midst, a space widening for her. She turned one full circle and looked over them silently before addressing them.

  “The face of our enemy has been laid bare to us”, she said without preamble. There was a collection of positive comments. “The Republic partisans summoned a Paragon Demon from the satrapy of Halphas. This has been leading their resistance efforts.” There was a larger outcry this time, many of them profane.

  “Perfidious ingrates”, swore Devonshire. “We should send them after their hired help back to hell.”

  “I've been looking at dimensional barriers. We might be able to cut it off”, said Miasma.

  “No”, said Jesca, cutting through the conversation. “We are not going to fight it. We've been fighting it for years. And not winning. This information is not going to give us a breakthrough in fighting it. This is what it's good at.” She paused, waiting for them to adsorb and accept that. “Demons have their hierarchies. We're going to take the fight to its master. Invade the satrapy, and inflict enough damage to make it expedient for Halphas to rein his paragon in.”

  There was a snort from Bianca.

  “You want to invade the demon's dimension?” said Miasma, unbelievingly. Most of the rest shared her apprehension.

  “Yes”, said Jesca, shortly. “It can't be that much different from invading the god's dimensions. You've been planning for that for years. Tell me how we use those plans to get to Halphas.”

  There was a pause. “Assuming the other demons came from the same satrapy we can use their remains as a focus”, said Lilly, her quiet voice carrying easily in the silence.

  “That will give us a pattern to form a direction”, said Devonshire warningly, “but creating a gate is the problem. Our gates are tactical. They weren't made for inter dimensional travel. Not even the intercity gates could reach.”

  “We're supposed to be preparing for war with the gods. Are you telling me our gates can't even reach there?” said Jesca, with rising annoyance.

  “Fidelity”, said Bianca. “The tri-form arch is an abstract pattern of infinite complexity. The approximation we use is sufficient for use within this dimension. We can build to a higher fidelity. We just haven't done so yet.”

  “We need to build it NOW”, said Jesca. “If we do not act immediately then we lose surprise which is all we have. If it's just a higher refinement of a known pattern, is it just a question of power? We just need one. One single gate.”

  There was a general hubbub of protests under Jesca's glare. One pair of eyes looked steadily back at her. She pointed to them and waited for the rest to fall silent.

  “There be one gate, could reach”, said Eadwyn. The others turned to her.

  “You're talking about the Grey Elf gate in Irontree?” said Devonshire, incredulously.

  “It works”, said Bianca. “Things have come through it before.”

  “And they took half the army to stop”, said Devonshire.

  “It's the highest fidelity tri-form pattern we have seen”, said Lilly. “We've used its pattern as a template for our own gates. It should be able to reach the demon dimensions. As far as we can tell it was built to reach way beyond that.”

  “Great”, said Jesca. “We'll assemble the troops at Irontree.”

  “Majestus”, said Devonshire. “Even if we can do this, should we do it? I know we're all dragged down by this endless war. But is taking it in this direction the morally right thing to do.”

  “I can't believe you are asking if it is morally right to liberate souls from demon oppression!” said Jesca. “Irrespective of the debate over whether the god's enslavement of souls is benign or not, I would think we can all agree that no soul in the domain of the demons wishes to be there.” She made a cutting gesture with her hands. “I am not saying what we do with them once liberated. I do not want to get dragged into a debate between resurrection and reincarnation. That is a decision for another day.”

  Devonshire looked at her intently. “I will hold you to that. I withdraw any objection.”

  “Fine. So we can get there. Can we fight there? Will our equipment be proof against the hazards of the dimension? Will we have access to the strategic mana reserve?”

  “The equipment should work fine”, said Miasma. “Its mana is intrinsic, or else it is a focus for supplied mana.”

  “The reserve is in a constructed dimensional space already”, said Bianca. “Access should not be a problem.”

  “The swords act as a soul jar for the user” said Lilly. “If they die we will not lose them. They can be resurrected on the spot with battle magic.”

  Jesca nodded. “Am I missing anything?”

  The mages shifted and looked to one another. “How much time do we have to prepare?” asked Devonshire.

  “As long as it takes for the generals to marshal the armies”, said Jesca. “If they perform as well as in our exercises, about an hour after I finish with them.” They all looked surprised and alarmed. She looked up at Phyllis, who nodded. “Very well. The generals are waiting. Prepare. Gird yourself. With luck, today we end it all.”

  Jesca strode through them to the far door. They parted, still somewhat stunned, and started planning behind her. Phyllis fell in step next with her, slightly ahead, directing her to the room where the generals waited. Clive had already gone ahead.

  “Please don't waste my time trying to talk me out of this”, said Jesca to her. She could argue tooth and nail with her principles. It was hard to do with her parents without getting personal. That's why they were in charge of her person. No conflict there. But when it came to policy...

  “On the contrary”, said Phyllis, lightly, “I think it's about time we did something with this fancy army we have.”

  Jesca looked over at her, surprised. “Really?”

  Phyllis shrugged. “Demons are beneath contempt. I have no problem wiping them out along with the gods.”

  Jesca chuckled, “I'm not sure the generals will be as easily convinced.” Phyllis stopped before a door into another function room.

  “Oh, I think you can be plenty convincing”, said Phyllis.

  Jesca smiled at her. “Thanks, Mother.”