Midshipwizard Halcyon Blithe

by James M. Ward

I remember the dungeons of my family castle and they weren't darker than what I'm experiencing now, he thought.

  This is so odd. His thoughts were confused as he tried to move his arms and legs and found himself feeling nothing.

  Am I dead, did making that wish kill me in the process? he wondered to himself as he tried to figure out what was happening. He thought he could feel himself looking right and left and even raising his head, but he couldn't tell what his body was resting on. He began to grow more nervous. It was as if he was floating in air without the ability to touch anything. He didn't ache anywhere, but not being able to feel his body was scaring him.

  Nothing he tried allowed him to get in touch with where he found himself.

  Then he heard voices. At least my ears work, he chided himself.

  "I've been working on him for three days. He's dying, Ashe."

  Halcyon tried to determine who was speaking. He knew that Chief Ashe Fallow must be there.

  "Surgeon, he's a good lad. You're his only hope." There was concern in Ashe Fallow's voice.

  "Even if I do save him," the ship's surgeon said, "he's going to hang after his court-martial. Chief, he used high magic on the ship. It was bad enough he caused that storm to blow up around us. Thank the gods it stopped. I suspect his use of magic in the heart chamber had something to do with that. I can't help thinking he's a dead man if he wakes up out of this coma."

  "I'm telling you his hanging or not hanging isn't your concern. We have to save this boy and it's important to the survival of the ship. He put that ice there for a reason and we need to know the reason.

  "Surgeon, I've known Blithes all my life." The chief's tone of voice wasn't very respectful, thought Halcyon. "I've served with some of his brothers and one of his uncles. Blithes are all cut from the same type of sailcloth. Each and every one of them is honest and brave. If he used high magic in that heart chamber there was a damn good reason. A reason we need to discover. This boy knows the king's Articles backwards and forwards. He'd rather cut off his own arm than purposely disobey one of the Articles. There must be something you haven't tried that might wake him up?" Ashe asked.

  Halcyon wanted to sit up and tell them about the blast gel. He wanted them to know there was an enemy on the ship. His body just wouldn't cooperate.

  "Well, I've tried all the normal things one does for a coma." The surgeon presented his theories logically. "Notice the mirror at his mouth. It fogs just a little even though one can't see his chest moving. This tells us he's breathing. His heart rate is very slow and barely heard. I've checked his head and found no bruising so I ruled out concussions. There are no punctures on his body or skin discoloration, so I don't think he was poisoned."

  "I don't much care about what you can rule out. What have you done to wake him?" The chief sounded vexed.

  Halcyon thought to himself that it wasn't a good idea to irritate the chief. Halcyon briefly wondered what the chief could do to the surgeon if he became angry with him. The midshipwizard couldn't think of anything, but would bet all his sea pay that the chief could think of at least ten things.

  "Patience, Chief. A logical approach is the key to opening the lock of this medical mystery." The surgeon clearly wasn't cowed in the slightest by the chief. "The boy's body is weak and growing weaker. Something is causing that condition. I've used smelling salts on him with no effect. It's always dangerous to have unconscious patients swallow things, but I've given him several different types of stimulants, also to no effect."

  "How did you know Halcyon used high magic in the heart chamber? Admittedly a giant chunk of ice around the heart is odd, but it's possible that was some type of water spell, isn't it?" the chief asked.

  Ice, Halcyon thought. He used the most powerful magic in the world and all he got was ice around the dragon's heart. That was a bit disappointing.

  Halcyon didn't know what he expected from his magical effort, but he wanted something spectacular. Instead, he put ice around the dragon's heart. At least, even if it was an accident, his potion also stopped the storm around the ship. He hadn't wished for that. Damn this darkness. He was starting to feel some of the frustration the chief was showing the surgeon. This is turning into a nightmare and an uninspired one at that, Halcyon thought.

  "Ah, you show a good grasp of magic, even if you can't cast it, Chief." Now the surgeon's speech filled with exhilaration. "You have forgotten about the shards of green crystal found at our patient's feet when he was discovered in the heart chamber. I restored them with a simple spell. Look what the crystals turned into."

  I wish I could see it, Halcyon thought. Wait a minute, maybe I can use magic to wake myself. He didn't have the slightest idea what to try. He hadn't learned illumination spells yet. He didn't have any spell components to work with. All he could sense was the darkness all around.

  He tried imagining sunlight breaking up the darkness. For a moment, weak bright threads of yellow filled his vision and then vanished into the darkness. However, the yellow threads stopped a little in front of his field of vision and fizzled into nothing. Encouraged by the effort, figuring any change was something, he tried again. Attempt after attempt failed to change the darkness around him. Although he couldn't feel his body, he did start feeling tired. Soon he couldn't summon the mental strength even to try weak attempts at casting magic.

  He continued to hear the two men talking somewhere in his range of hearing.

  "What is that little thing?" the chief asked.

  "I think it's of pixie make. If it is a pixie vial, then it's a wishing potion and very powerful magic. We have a full one of these at the university. There are amazing tales about the power of pixie potions.

  "I'm sure the use of such a potion is enough to stop a raging storm and create ice all around the dragon's heart. This crystal, broken on the deck, is all the evidence needed to determine the use of high magic in the heart chamber. Did you hear that the lieutenant commander couldn't remove the ice? I saw him use some amazing spells. The captain wants that ice off immediately, but it's not going to happen. Naturally, I couldn't let them chip away at it. Nicking the dragon's heart is far too dangerous. Daton is quite put out by his failed attempts at melting the ice."

  "Commanders get that way from time to time. So, did this pixie magic put the boy in this sleep?" asked the chief.

  "Coma, he's in a coma. There's no way to tell if his condition is an effect of the magic he used or not. It's vaguely possible, but I doubt it. We have very little information on the use of wishing potions. In the seven different examples I'm aware of, the caster fell into a sleep of some type, but woke hours later none the worse for using the spell. There is some type of magical residue detectable about him, but I haven't been able to tell what it is. I've tried all the normal earth, air, water, and fire spells of detection and come up empty."

  "What did Commander Giantson have to say when he inspected the boy for magic?" The chief was sounding more and more angry.

  Halcyon was surprised. The surgeon was clearly doing his best. All the while Halcyon tried everything he could think of and wasn't getting anywhere. The midshipwizard was mildly curious to discover that every spell he tried manifested itself as threads in his vision. Now that he was thinking of it, his weather spell appeared as a thread wrapped around his body. He wondered if this darkness was a huge mass of wrapped black threads. He tried imagining his hands reaching out and pulling at the black strands. He couldn't feel anything, but he tried to pull harder, not having anything to lose from the effort.

  "The commander wasn't happy, I can tell you that," the surgeon told the chief. "Anything affecting the life of the dragon is a concern. I saw Daton use several types of magical detections on the heart. We certainly can't chip away at that ice. It doesn't seem to be killing or harming the dragon. Quite the contrary. The ice has healing properties, but it gives off the normal cold that one would expect from ice."

  "I don't care about the heart right now. I care about the patient in front of you. What di
d Lieutenant Commander Giantson say about Blithe?" The chief's voice rose several levels in volume.

  If Halcyon had been able to, he would have shaken his head in warning to the surgeon. When the chief got going, few people dared to get in his way.

  "Chief, I realize you're fond of this boy, but there's no reason to raise your voice to me. I've done everything I can. He's just not responding."

  "Doctor, that's the point. If you can't figure out what's wrong with our Mr. Blithe, it's not a medical problem. What did Giantson say when he looked at the boy?"

  "Well, he didn't look at him. What with the heart and its magic and the need to study that, the commander was busy. I didn't think there was a need to bring him in on this work." The surgeon now knew what the chief was thinking. "Oh my, you could be right, Chief. I will get Daton and bring him down right away."

  "Marine!" the chief shouted.

  Halcyon could hear a lock clicking loudly and a hatch swinging open.

  "Marine, go to the midshipwizard wardroom and see if Mr. Haywhen and Mr. Forrest are available. Bring them down here."

  "Chief, I'm not supposed to leave my post. I'm on guard duty," the marine said.

  "Marine, you're guarding a prisoner in a coma. Get them down here; I'll stand your post. Move out!" Chief Fallow's voice didn't allow the marine to question his order.

  Halcyon thought that few on the ship could tell Chief Fallow no. The marine certainly wasn't one of those few. Halcyon was having no luck moving the strands of blackness, but he actually thought he could feel the strands even if he couldn't see or feel his hands move.

  "I won't be a moment, Chief," the surgeon said. "I'm sure Daton would love to help us if this is a magical puzzle."

  "Mr. Blithe and I aren't going anywhere, Surgeon. He's not getting any stronger and I'm not getting any more patient." The chief's words were clear.

  Funny, Halcyon thought to himself, I don't feel weak.

  In just moments, Halcyon heard his friends.

  "Chief, you sent for us." Both boys spoke breathlessly.

  "Midshipwizards, we might have a problem. It's possible someone used magic on our Mr. Blithe here. The magic could be killing him and that means someone wants Mr. Blithe dead. We are going to get him awake and talking. I want midshipwizards to help guard him around the clock until his court-martial. It's going to be a very unofficial sort of guarding. Whenever anyone comes in this brig, I want you looking at them or running to tell me if they stop you from watching what they do. Can you do that for your shipmate?"

  Good old Tupper spoke up first. "Of course we can, Chief. Why do you want us and not the marine guard doing the watching?"

  "Good question, Mr. Haywhen. It's magic at the heart of this puzzle and marines aren't magical. I don't want a spell worked on the marine allowing whoever did this to get access to our Mr. Blithe while he's still in this state or while he's sleeping. Do you understand me?"

  "Perfectly, Chief," Tupper spoke up. "We'll arrange everything among the mates. Only the midshipwizards will know. We'll get someone at this hatch around the clock."

  "I'll take the first watch," Mark said. "Tupper, you go organize the others."

  In a quiet voice, Chief Fallow said, "Remember that we want to keep this quiet. I don't want it getting about the ship that we are specially watching Halcyon."

  "Aye, aye, Chief," they said.

  Halcyon could hear them leaving the brig. The brig—that was a depressing thought. He bet his father, uncles, and all his brothers never spent a day of their lives in the brig. If he survived, this was going to be an interesting story to tell around the family dinner table. Then he realized that he used high magic on a king's ship. He wouldn't be surviving.

  A few moments later, the surgeon and Commander Giantson were back.

  "Chief, what are you doing here?" Daton Giantson asked.

  "The surgeon and I were speaking of the boy here. There might be a magical reason why he's in this deadly sleep. We wanted you to look into it, sir. Mr. Blithe is frightful weak and we were hoping you could do something about that."

  "Although Mr. Blithe is in a great deal of trouble, of course I can at least use my magics to strengthen his body. You and the good surgeon stand out of the brig for a moment while I work a strengthening spell," Daton ordered.

  "I did try that," the surgeon said. "It had no effect."

  "Surgeon, I have no doubt you did your capable best. Let me try a few things for a few moments." The commander sounded very sure of himself.

  Halcyon took heart at his words as he heard the men leave.

  Suddenly Halcyon's darkness lit up with tiny pinpricks of light. Halcyon was sure it was some of the commander's magic. Then the light faded away.

  "Now, that's strange." Daton sounded very puzzled. "My spell didn't touch his body. All it did was wash over his form."

  The darkness again lit up. This time a blue form appeared as if in the distance. Halcyon could easily recognize the outline of Commander Giantson.

  "Commander, Commander, it's me, can you see me!" Halcyon shouted to the commander. At least he tried to shout, not being able to feel his tongue and mouth. The blue form didn't move closer. It seemed to be feeling its way in the darkness. The commander's shade had its hands out and it never got close to Halcyon. Then the image went away.

  "More and more puzzling," Daton said. "Surgeon, do you have a willow wand among your medical things? I have one in my quarters, but..."

  "Of course, here, sir," the surgeon replied.

  "What's the need of that?" the chief asked.

  "Willow wands are used to detect malevolence of all types. If a surgeon suspects evil intent used on a patient, he uses a willow wand to ferret it out. On a ship such as ours, I didn't try the wand. I never suspected foul play in this case," the surgeon replied.

  "Quite right, Surgeon," Giantson said. "My strengthening spell was stopped by some force. It never reached Mr. Blithe's body. I also sent my spirit to the boy's mind and a blackness prevented me from getting through to him. That normally couldn't happen, which leads me to believe..."

  Halcyon felt a sudden sharp pain in the palms of both of his hands.

  "By the merciful gods," the surgeon gasped.

  "What is it, what is it?" the chief demanded.

  "Look at his palms. What appears as dirt on his palms is actually a brutal curse. The wand reveals a dark line of enchantment covering his lifelines on each hand. The curse is making him weaker and weaker. Someone came in here while he was unconscious after casting his high magic spell and laid a curse on him. It's very subtle. I don't think I've seen its like before." Giantson sounded surprised.

  "How do we remove it?" the chief asked.

  "That could be a problem. The spell will disrupt itself and vanish as soon as the boy dies. That's not going to do him any good. With most curses, ripping them away from the body also kills the victim. We have to break through the barrier of the spell and contact his mind. Once we do that, the curse lifts itself. However, I've tried my strongest mind-reaching spell and it didn't work. I'll have to consult my tomes; maybe there's something in them that will help."

  "But he's dying now, you could be too late," Fallow said.

  "True, but it's all I know to do," Daton replied.

  Halcyon heard another person come into the room.

  "The dragon is in a rage. What are you all doing down here to make it so angry?" Andool Griffon asked. She didn't sound very happy. "The captain and I keep hearing the same order, over and over again from the thoughts of the sea dragon. It's telling us to pour tannin oil over Blithe here. Daton, you don't think he's a dragon speaker as well as a rope speaker, do you?" Griffon asked.

  "Where our Mr. Blithe is concerned I won't dismiss any possibility. The dragon is a very single-minded creature. It's also bright enough to know that the oil can enhance a dragon speaker's ability. Chief, that could be just the thing and a condition whoever cast this spell didn't think of when the spell worked its evil on young Halcyon h
ere. Get some of the oil and we'll try it on him."

  "Aye, aye, Commander." Fallow sounded elated at the news.

  "Someone on this ship, one of the wizards of the crew, has tried to kill Mr. Blithe. I can't imagine why, can you, Surgeon?" Daton asked.

  "I haven't a clue. We'll need to watch over the boy if we can remove the curse. He's going to have to face the court-martial if he wakes; I don't want some revenge-crazed madman hurling spells at Blithe in the brig," the surgeon said. "The captain will insist on Blithe's court-martial. I've never seen the man in such a rage."

  "He thinks Blithe worked to destroy his ship. It's no surprise he's angry. I think this news of the attempted murder will interest him, however," Daton replied. "I also believe our Chief Fallow has taken care of guarding our young Blithe, if the appearance of Mr. Forrest means anything." Now Daton was sounding highly amused.

  Halcyon didn't like the news that the captain was so angry. He wasn't surprised at the information; he'd made a bonehead mistake. He didn't know what he would do in the face of his captain's wrath.

  "Do you think it really was an enraged wizard wanting to extract some revenge for the deadly storm?" the doctor speculated.

  "Possible but not likely," replied Commander Giantson. "I've worked with every spellcaster on this ship and none of them have displayed the power it takes for this strange curse. It's not Arcanian-style magic and all of our crew comes from our country. No, there is a deeper mystery here and we need to find out what it is. Besides, I can't remove that damned ice from the dragon's heart. I want to know exactly what Blithe wished for with that pixie potion. How ever did the boy come up with such powerful magic? We giants don't get along with pixies; I'd love to hear the story of how he came by it. Magical traces in the chamber allowed me to determine Blithe summoned it to hand during the storm. I'd be willing to wager in casting the spell he caused the storm to stop as well as the heart to be enwrapped in the healing ice."

  "My studies have shown the dragon has been made much stronger by the use of Blithe's spell," the doctor revealed.