“Apparently. And to be honest, I can't really blame them. I hate winter, as you well know, but isolation suits me. I enjoy doing research, working on new spells, practicing my skills and trying to stay sharp. Plus I've got Kronk and Aeris for company.”
He glanced at the air elemental again and watched as he floated across from the fireplace to the sink and poured hot water into it from the kettle.
“They're good company. But then, they tell me that wizards were always reclusive. I guess it comes with the job. The folks from Nottinghill are different though. Most of them can't use magic. They've been Changed, yes, but only enough to survive in a world inundated with magical energy. Other than that, they are pretty much normal people. And these attacks, plus having to scratch and claw for a living, locking themselves up in their town to guard against terrors that they can't begin to understand, all of that is taking its toll. Some of them have had enough. And I can understand that.”
“So can I.”
Daniel stared down at his book, brooding, and Simon took the opportunity to get up, mirror in hand, and hand Aeris his cup. The elemental nodded his thanks and put it in the soapy water in the sink.
The wizard pulled one of the kitchen chairs across the floor and sat down in front of the fire. It wasn't nearly as comfortable as his old easy chair but the extra warmth was welcome.
“I suppose we'll have to see what they decide to do after everything is back to normal in Nottinghill,” Simon said as he sat down again. “But that's a worry for another day. I'm more concerned now with you and the elves. Have you heard back from the elders yet?”
Daniel got up and the wizard watched as he walked across the cozy little room until he reached a lovely, hand-carved bureau. The dark wood was covered with elaborate swirls and leaf designs. The man opened the bureau, reached in and took out a small, square mirror and returned to his seat.
And then they were looking at each other face to face.
“There you are,” Daniel said with a smile. And then his gaze sharpened. “You've lost weight, you know.”
“Yeah, well, apparently being in a coma for a week will do that to you,” Simon said dryly.
“A coma? Hang on, you didn't mention that!”
“Sorry, but I'm fine. I took a fall when I was trying to fight the undead outside of Nottinghill. No biggie. Clara healed me and I guess she had to let my body rest and regenerate after that.” Daniel continued to frown and Simon rolled his eyes. “Relax, I'm fine.”
“This time,” his friend said with a touch of anger. “But what about the next time? You seem to keep forgetting that you aren't the hulking strongman you used to be. You are delicate now, and don't make that face at me. You've exchanged one kind of power for another and they couldn't be more different. Wizards are not warriors, Simon, and you had better get that through that thick skull of yours or your career as a magic-user could end up being a damned short one!”
“Okay, are we done with the lecture?” Simon asked tartly.
Daniel glowered for a moment and then nodded once.
“Good. Now back to my original question. Can I enter the elven realm and return safely or not?”
His friend ran a hand through his thick, gray hair and waited a long minute before answering.
“Yes,” he replied. When Simon grinned, Daniel made an abrupt gesture and continued. “And no.”
“What? Wait a second. Which one is it?”
“It's both. Yes, you can enter the realm and return home safely. But not for long. The time stream here fluctuates and ripples. It isn't constant. God knows I wish it were. So the elves can't say 'for every hour spent here, three days pass on Earth' or whatever. They simply don't know.”
Simon thought hard about that.
“So what do they think is the longest I can stay in their world and come back without turning into a carbon copy of my old friend Daniel?”
Daniel snorted and laughed roughly.
“Two weeks.”
“Crap. That's it?”
“That's it. After two weeks, the time lines become jumbled, disjointed. They surge and ebb and the elves simply can't be sure about how much time will pass on Earth.”
“And how long will I be gone if I stay for two weeks in the elven realm?”
“Their best guess? Six months.”
“Six months!”
Simon gaped at Daniel silently and his friend's expression became grim.
“But that doesn't mean that you will only age six months. You may physically be years older, but because of your wizardly physiology, it won't really effect you. Hopefully.”
The wizard sat quietly and thought about the risks.
“Do you see now why I think that this is a bad idea? Because they just don't know. This is a guess, Simon. What if they're wrong? What if the time line screws up like it did for me, hmm? I was gone for over three years on Earth, remember? In the elven realm, that should only have been a month or two. It certainly felt like that to me. But it shifted and changed and when I returned to our world to meet you, instead of being young, I aged forty years in a matter of moments. That is how unstable and arbitrary this whole time thing is. And in my mind, it isn't worth the risk.”
“Even to save the elves? And you?” Simon asked quietly.
Daniel closed his eyes and seemed, for the first time, to be as old as he looked.
“Yes, old friend. Even to save us. The elves will fight on without you. They have resources and strengths of their own. They may win without any outside aid. And if that's true, then your coming here will be a wasted effort. Why take that chance?”
Aeris floated over to the table with a steaming cup of tea and Simon smiled his thanks. He sipped it quietly and thought about the consequences of his actions, both if he entered the elven realm and if he didn't.
“And what about our own world, Simon?” Daniel asked. “What about the threat to the New Earth? You still have the red dragons hunting down humans. I would guess that whatever eggs were available to the primal red dragon have been hatched to bolster its numbers. And then there's the unknown factor.”
Simon chuckled.
“Which one?”
“The dragon queen,” Daniel replied darkly. “She is the most powerful creature ever created by the gods of Chaos. And she's out there somewhere, biding her time, awaiting her moment. What if, after seeing her children fall one by one, she decides to enter the battle? Do you think that the surviving humans, powerful though some are, will stand a chance against her without you there?”
“Nice guilt trip, my friend,” the wizard said as he set down his cup on the floor.
“Not a guilt trip. Just the facts. You may be playing into the dark gods' hands by coming here. Think about that.”
“You know, I really hate it when you're logical,” Simon said with mock disgust.
Daniel laughed, sounding more like his old self.
“I know that. Listen, maybe we can reach a compromise. Meet halfway.”
“How?”
Daniel sat up straighter and pushed back his sloping shoulders. Simon had to stifle a smile because he recognized the 'I'm about to do business' Daniel from the old days.
“Call me regularly, every week or so. I'll give you status reports on how things are going here. And if, God forbid, the elves begin to lose this war, then you can decide if you want to come over and lend your aid. Right now, the dragons are scattered, searching for the elves the old-fashioned way, by sight and smell. They've been stymied by the elven glamors and can't sense them through magic, so they have to comb the land trying to find them. Because of this, the elves are fighting what is essentially a guerrilla war, attacking from ambush, taking down solitary dragons. And they've had some success. So let's just wait and see. Is that acceptable to you, my impetuous friend?”
Simon grinned at him.
“I'm not that impetuous, Daniel, but yes, that's acceptable. In fact, it makes perfect sense. If my time there is limited to two weeks at the most, then t
he only way I'll succeed is by attacking the primal brown dragon itself, not its minions. If the elves locate that monster, then we can coordinate an attack and take it down together. Cut off the snake's head and the body dies.”
His old friend actually sagged with relief.
“It's good to see that you've finally started thinking tactically,” he told the wizard with a gentle smile.
“Yeah, better late than never, I suppose. One last thing though. What about bringing others along? Did the elders mention if I could bring allies with me, or am I the only one who can travel to the elven realm and return?”
“Ah, I'm glad you reminded me. Their answer was...interesting, to say the least.”
“And? What was it?”
“Well, as you know, the elders watch certain events unfolding on Earth and they tend to focus on those who wield power, like yourself. Wizards age slower than any other magic-user, so they say that those two mages from London simply would not survive even two weeks in this world.”
The wizard sighed heavily.
“Yeah, that's what I was afraid of,” he muttered and looked over at Aeris for a second. “What about Liliana, the paladin from Moscow?”
“Ah, well, she is an interesting case. Paladins are constantly healing themselves, renewing their bodies even when out of battle. Apparently this gift slows down the aging process as well.” Daniel grimaced. “I'm told that very few paladins ever died a natural death back in the old days of magic; their ends were usually quite violent. So yes, if she chose to join you, she would be fine, at least for a short visit.”
“Excellent. Anyone else?”
“Yes.” Daniel said and Simon watched him hopefully. “The elders claim that the four magic-users who work as one, the youngsters who live in Nottinghill, are the exception to the rule.”
“Really? You mean Virginia and the others?”
“Exactly. Apparently this communal spell-casting is unique; the elders have never seen or heard of its like before. But they believe that the shared power acts upon their bodies as a wizard's high concentration of magic works on yours.”
“Well, that's interesting. So if they were up for it, they could join in the battle against the brown dragons? Hmm.”
“It would, of course, be their decision alone,” Daniel said sharply and Simon looked at him in surprise.
“I know that! Surely you know me better than to think I would try and coerce them into joining me?”
“Yes. Yes, I do.”
His friend rubbed his eyes wearily.
“Sorry. It's been a bit stressful here.”
“I know that, Daniel. Don't worry. If I even decide to mention it to them, and to Liliana, I'll simply lay out the facts, including the risks, and let them make up their own minds. And don't forget, like me, they aren't what they seem. None of them were young when they Changed, so they don't act with the rashness that a younger person might.”
“True enough. Thanks for reminding me of that.”
“You're welcome. Okay then, I guess that's about it for now. I'll call back in a week, my time, and you can give me a status report. And Daniel,” he added and his old friend looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Take care, all right? If I've learned anything when it comes to dragons it's that they are unpredictable. And this primal brown is obviously more clever than the other primals I've faced. Watch yourself.”
“I will. You as well. I'll talk to you soon.”
Simon smiled and shook the mirror to break the connection. Then he picked up his cup and finished his tea.
“So your friend thinks that Virginia and her friends could help in the elven war?” Aeris asked.
“You heard? Yes, so he says. I'll admit, I could use the extra firepower, but with any luck I won't need to. It sounds like the elves are holding their own, for now at least. Maybe they'll be able to defeat the brown dragons on their own.”
“We can only hope,” the elemental agreed. He drifted closer and looked intently at the wizard.
“What's the problem?” Simon asked him curiously. “Why the look?”
“How are you feeling?” Aeris asked. “You were unconscious for a week, you've lost perhaps ten pounds that you simply couldn't afford to lose and, between the aftermath of the attack on Nottinghill and the ongoing war in the elven realm, you are under quite a bit of pressure.”
“And?”
“And I'm just wondering how you are really doing,” the elemental floated up and gently tapped Simon's forehead, “in here.”
The wizard watched Aeris drift back to hover in front of the fireplace and then rested his chin in his palm.
“I'm feeling...a little disconnected, to be honest. Things are happening too quickly and I'm running just to keep up.”
The elemental nodded silently.
“I think that I'm a creature of habit,” Simon continued, speaking slowly as he tried to analyze his own emotions. “Except for the attacks, of course, I'm comfortable here. And comfortable with Nottinghill being where it is, slowly growing and maturing into maybe a large town one day. And now it may be gone, just like that. Boom, instant ghost town.”
“But you have the Gate spell,” Aeris pointed out. “You can visit Clara and the others no matter where they go.”
“Yeah, I know. But,” he sighed in frustration and ran his fingers through his hair, tucking it behind his ears, “I enjoyed riding down to see them once in a while in the summer. I kind of liked the idea that I had neighbors, even if they were an hour away by horseback. Once they're gone, if they do decide to leave, this entire part of the country will be deserted, except for me. And you guys, of course.”
“Of course,” Aeris said with a crooked smile. “I must say that I feel the same way. I think we elementals like continuity, sameness. If Nottinghill is emptied and the people leave, it will be very disturbing. But what can we do? It is their decision, their destiny, isn't it?”
“It is, yes, and I have no intention of trying to convince them to stay if they choose not to.”
Simon got up and rinsed out his cup, leaving it in the tray next to the sink.
“So what are you going to do?” Aeris asked.
“Now? Now I'm going to go up to the study and call Clara. We don't have anything but speculation to go on here and I'd like to hear how things are going from her own lips. Plus,” he tightened his grip on the mirror and walked to the stairs, Aeris floating along behind him. “I haven't seen her for a week and I want to make sure she's okay.”
In his study, Simon sighed with relief as he sat down at his desk. The old leather chair was much more comfortable on his skinny butt than the hard wooden chairs downstairs. Sunlight was streaming through the windows, warming the room and allowing him to relax even more.
“By the way,” he said to the elemental, who was bobbing up and down on top of the desk, “how are the horses? Especially Sunshine? She must be due soon.”
“Within the month, according to our friend, the cleric. She says the mare is doing well and to call her when Sunshine goes into labor.”
“I intend to,” Simon told him. “No way do I want to act as a midwife; I have no idea what to do during a birth.”
“As I understand it, you don't actually have to do anything,” Aeris said, amused. “Nature generally takes care of these things.”
“Sure, until something goes wrong. This is the first horse born since civilization fell, at least as far as we know, and it has to go right.”
“True enough.”
The wizard looked into the mirror as he cast the Magic Mirror spell, thinking of Clara, and the surface fogged up quickly.
“I wonder if Kronk has finished his inspection yet?” he muttered.
“It's only been about an hour, my dear wizard, and our earthen friend is meticulous. I doubt if he's done yet.”
“Good point. I...”
He stopped speaking as the mirror cleared. Clara could be seen sitting by a window in a large room with rough stone walls. She was looking up and
speaking intensely to someone out of Simon's view. She was wearing a simple blue robe and her chin-length brown hair was tucked behind her ears. Her hands were folded on her lap.
The wizard waited until she smiled at her unseen companion and turned to look out of the window. The smile slipped from her face and she suddenly looked tired and dispirited.
Simon waited a moment, watching his friend. He couldn't remember ever seeing her looking so...lost. It disturbed him deeply.
Aeris floated over to look into the mirror.
“She looks very unhappy, doesn't she?” he said quietly.
The wizard grunted an assent.
“Clara? How are you?”
The cleric jumped slightly and glanced around. Then she smiled, looking more like her old self again.
“Simon. Hi! How are you?”
“I'm great, thanks to you.”
She made a gesture of denial.
“It wasn't me, my friend. Thank the gods for their mercy, and thank your elemental friends. They are truly the ones who saved the day.”
Simon looked at Aeris and winked. The floating elemental smiled widely.
“I know that. And I tell them how grateful I am all the time, believe me. But divine powers or not, you were the conduit. So please accept my gratitude.” He hesitated and added, “And my condolences for losing so many of your people.”
Clara's face fell again and she turned her head to stare out of the window.
“Thank you, Simon,” she whispered. “That's been the hardest part of this whole mess.”
She gazed outside and narrowed her eyes, focusing on something.
“You know, except for losing the town hall, the damage really wasn't too bad. My people have promised to rebuild it in the spring, when the weather warms up, which I thought was lovely of them.”
“That reminds me,” Simon said. “Did Kronk and the others show up?”
The cleric smiled a bit and nodded, still facing the window.
“Yes, the three of them popped up about a half-hour ago. They're examining the foundations of the wall now and then Kronk told me they'd make sure that the drawbridges and both gates are sound. If they aren't, they'll just go ahead and do any necessary repairs. Thanks for sending them down.”
Tales from the New Earth: Volume One Page 129
