“’fraid not. The C’ptain thinks we might need every man to defend the walls – and you have the look of seasoned warriors aboutcha.”
All of the companions spoke out at once with objections on their lips. All except for Nero. Mestel watched with interest as Nero silently jumped off his horse and advanced on the Sergeant. The Sergeant drew his sword like a seasoned veteran and prepared for the worst. The ten soldiers around the gate and up on the wooden stockade did likewise.
Nero raised his hands as a gesture of surrender and said, “Hold on there, son, where’s the dragon? I just want to talk.”
Before the Sergeant could answer, the barracks door off to the left flew open revealing a middle-aged man in an officer’s uniform. Everyone froze in place as the Lieutenant stepped forward and asked, “What’s going on here? Sergeant, I thought we had orders to hold everyone inside the city?”
The situation grew tense, but Nero took one step calmly forward and said, “Ah good, someone in charge.” The officer tilted his head to one side out of curiosity before Nero continued. “Might I have a word with you in private, Lieutenant? I’m sure we can straighten this whole thing out in short order.”
The Lieutenant said, “Watch the others and I will be back shortly.” Nero turned around and winked at Evisar with a roguish smile before disappearing around the corner of a building with the officer. Everyone froze in place, shrugged their shoulders, and waited. They did not have to wait long. It seemed as though the two had barely passed out of view when suddenly they came back around the corner again.
As they came into view Nero had his arm around the Lieutenant’s shoulders, chuckling as Nero finished telling a joke. “And the ogre says, ‘Why should I only get the human?’” The joke was apparently very funny, because as Nero finished saying it they both broke out into a laughter that soared above the rooftops.
Nero took his arm off the Lieutenant as he told his men, “Let them pass. They are on a mission critical to the Kingdom of Kentar.”
Both sides were blown away at the change in attitude. The guards slowly put away their weapons and opened a path to the gate. The companions also put away their weapons and moved their mounts toward the doorway. The companions trotted under the archway and continued on their way as if everything had gone smoothly.
When Locus was a good half mile behind them, Evisar turned to Nero and said, “So what did you say to the officer to get him to let us through the gate?”
“I am an Agent of the Crown of Armena. We are chosen because we can get the job done.”
Evisar cracked a smile and said, “So, in other words, you’re not going to tell us.”
“Some mysteries are best left to the imagination.”
Evisar turned his head back to the front, shook his head, and rode on.
As the sun reached its apex in the sky and the distance between the companions and Locus increased, Mestel began to worry for the innocent people of Locus. He hoped the Garrison of Kentar was up to the challenge of defending the city from an army of skeletons. Of course, the lich leading the army in the name of Seker was far more concerning than the skeletons. If the lich and his army had defeated the Angel of Tia, then Locus was in serious peril. Now that Valihorn had left Locus, the skeleton army might bypass the city altogether, which meant the companions had to press on as quickly as they were able. Everyone seemed to understand this as Evisar led their party at a near trot and Mestel brought up the rear. They occasionally passed other travelers going in the opposite direction. The terrain was mostly flat with the occasional hill; the ground was covered in prairie grass with the occasional grove of trees.
Time marched on as the sun began its decent to the west. They kept on with their relentless pace. Mestel tried to keep a look out for anything odd, but mile after mile of identical looking grass dulled his mind. Gradually, over time, he came to the realization that something had changed. The road looked the same. The sun continued its slow decent toward the horizon. It took Mestel another moment to realize that they were traveling through a forest and that it had been some time since they had passed a traveler going in the other direction.
Mestel rode up to the head of the column. He turned to his bother and said, “Something isn’t right here.”
Evisar said, “I know. It’s almost as though we’re on a different road.” Neither brother said anything as they trotted along with the tall trees leaning far over the road, blocking out most of the light. They continued on until Mestel finally spotted a clearing up ahead where the sun was shining in stark contrast to the darkness of the forest. As they got closer, Mestel saw that there was a stone wall cutting across the path where the forest opened up. Behind the stone wall, rising high into the sky, was the most bizarre structure Mestel had ever seen. The building was made of wood, stone, brick, and marble. Each section of the structure was built out of a different material, and it was all shoved together into one large building. If that wasn’t odd enough, the entire building was splattered with every color of the rainbow. It might have been gaudily beautiful to a child, but to Mestel it was an assault on the senses.
The companions rode up to the twenty-foot tall stone wall, which had a twenty-foot tall, wooden door. The door appeared very sturdy and had an oversized lock preventing entry. Mestel wasn’t sure where they were, but he knew they weren’t in Kentar anymore. Nero dismounted his horse and walked up to the door. The Agent of the Crown banged the circular knocker against the wood of the door and waited for an answer. When no one came, he carefully examined the lock and did his best to pick it.
The door did not give way to Nero’s deft hands. He eventually gave up and walked back to his horse. “There isn’t any way through the door.”
Valihorn said, “This place was built entirely with arcane magic.”
“Is there a way around the wall?” Xander said.
Mestel looked to the left and then to the right. The stone wall extended as far as he could see in either direction with the forest cut back exactly fifty feet from the stone. In between the forest and the wall was the richest grass Mestel had ever seen.
Mestel said, “I don’t think so. The wall seems to extend forever.”
Xander said, “It has to be an illusion. No wall goes on forever.”
Valihorn said, “A magical wall can.”
Evisar said, “So we can’t go around it. Maybe we can go over it. Mestel, get out your grappling hook, and let’s see if you can climb over.”
Mestel thought it was worth a try, particularly since there didn’t seem to be any guards stationed on the wall. He got out the hook and tied a length of rope to it. As he approached the wall and prepared to throw the hook up and over, the twenty-foot tall door swung open. Mestel stood astonished for a moment, not quite certain what to do next, before grabbing the reins of his horse and walking through the gate with the others close behind.
Once inside the gate, Mestel regarded the six-story rainbow structure blocking their path. It was a square two hundred feet on each side that rose like a multi-colored pillar into the blue sky. The road ran right up to the structure’s front door and stopped. Surrounding the structure on all sides was a courtyard filled with the same lush grass that led up to the stone wall on the outside. The stone wall that had seemed to go on forever from the outside clearly did not go on forever once viewed from the inside. Instead, the stone wall formed a large square a half mile long on each side that surrounded the rainbow-colored structure.
The companions rode forward. Evisar said, “I wonder if we can go around that monstrosity and continue on our way?”
Suddenly a voice cut through the air. “What are you saying? You don’t like my house? Are you saying you don’t like my estate?”
Mestel looked around furiously for the source of the voice, but no one was there. Evisar looked at each of the companions in turn for advice, but after getting blank stares from each, he spoke tentatively into the air.
“No, we like your estate fine. We are just in a hurry to ge
t to Jewlian, that’s all.”
Suddenly a being appeared in front of them floating a few feet off the ground with his legs crossed. “I can help you on your journey, but first you must pay the toll.”
Mestel cocked his eyebrow at the magical stranger in front of them. He looked largely human, but it was clear he was not from Tellus. He was entirely bald, his forehead was slightly larger than normal, as was his nose, but his legs appeared small and dainty, almost as though he never used them.
Mestel asked, “And who might you be?”
The being smiled graciously and spread his arms out wide. “Of course. Where are my manners? You are honored guests and should be treated as such. My name is Sion. I am a genie from what you call the Plane of Chaos.”
The genie clapped his hands together and tables full of food and drink appeared on the grass nearby. He clapped his hands again and servants appeared in front of the tables. Sion clapped for a third time and a magic carpet appeared underneath him.
“Please eat. Be merry. I don’t have guests very often. We can attend to business later.”
The companions looked around at the feast laid out before them. Mestel was tempted, but there was no way to know whether the food was poisoned or not.
Evisar apparently came to the same conclusion. “We thank you for your hospitality, but we really must be getting along to Jewlian.”
The genie said, “Ah yes, I understand. No doubt you are looking to get rid of the ring on your wizard’s finger as quickly as possible. It must be a tiresome burden having everyone hunting you, knowing that the strain of something so powerful rests on your shoulders.”
Valihorn said, “How could you possibly know about the ring on my finger?”
“How do you think you ended up on my estate? Do you think I stop every traveler that passes between Locus and Jewlian? No. The ring called to me and I arranged for us to meet.”
Evisar said, “Let me guess. The ring is the toll we have to pay to continue on our way.”
Sion clapped his hands together joyously and squealed like a pig. “Now you’re catching on. Think of the advantages if you give me the ring! I can grant you wishes. I can make you rich beyond your wildest dreams.” Then the genie became serious. “Here is what I propose. You willingly let me take the ring off the wizard’s hand and you will be free of the burden. Then I will transport you anywhere on Tellus you choose as part of our bargain. Just think of it. You won’t have to worry about Tellus merging with the Plane of Chaos anymore.”
Valihorn said, “And what will you do with the ring?”
“Nothing. Nothing at all. I will keep it as a show piece to impress my friends. You have my word that I will never use its power and that I will guard it as long as I live.”
Valihorn said, “I’m not using the ring now, but there are still two portals that have been created between Tellus and the Plane of Chaos. Will those portals remain open?”
Sion shook his head and looked at Valihorn in the same way a parent looks at a naive child. “No. No. You have my word that I will close the portals and everything will return to normal. I will also grant you one wish, teleport you anywhere you desire to go, and give you a fortune in return. What do you say? Won’t it be nice not to have to worry about it anymore?”
Valihorn said, “I cannot take the ring off. Are you able to remove the curse and strike it from my hand without cutting off my finger?”
Sion rolled his eyes. “Of course I am, silly. Just say the word.”
The companions waited anxiously to see what Valihorn would say. Mestel knew what his answer would be if he was asked the question, but he also knew Valihorn was smart enough to see the obvious choice. Valihorn lowered his head in thought for a long time.
Finally, he looked up and tentatively said, “You make a tempting offer, but I do not think I can accept.”
Sion immediately frowned and got pouty. “And why not? Is there something wrong with me? Do you want something else?”
Valihorn said, “No, not at all. You make a fine offer. I just do not want to part with the ring right now.”
Mestel could see that Valihorn was trying to politely turn Sion down in such a way that the powerful genie did not lash out and kill them all. Clearly, giving the ring to this unknown being would be a mistake. They had no idea whether the genie would keep his word. They had no idea how the genie would use the power of the ring. It seemed unlikely that he would keep the ring in a showcase just to impress his friends. Plus, there was the fact that Sion seemed rather unstable and childlike. He may forget whatever deal he made today and do whatever he liked with the ring tomorrow.
Sion’s face turned from friendly to hostile in a matter of moments. He flew over to Valihorn on his magic carpet and pointed his finger right in Valihorn’s face. “Give me the ring! Now!”
Suddenly a revelation came to Mestel. “Why don’t you just take the ring? You clearly possess great magic. I’m sure you could kill all of us and just take what you want. Why aren’t you doing that?”
Evisar said, “Have you completely lost your mind?”
Sion flew backward on his carpet ten feet and fumed at Valihorn.
Mestel continued his argument. “You can’t, can you? When we stepped onto your estate, at your invitation, we became guests. You can’t hurt us until we leave, can you?”
Sion looked at Mestel with curiosity. “You have an odd aura about you, and you have a wisdom beyond your years. How do you know so much?”
Mestel said, “I’m right, aren’t I?”
Sion flew his magic carpet over and floated in front of Mestel. “You have been touched by one of the gods, haven’t you?” Suddenly the genie was friendly and talking very fast again. “Which one was it? What powers do you possess?”
Mestel dug into his pouch and retrieved the platinum coin of Martel. He examined both sides of the coin and said, “I serve Martel, the Lone Falcon.” Then he flipped the coin directly at the genie.
The genie caught the mysterious coin and examined it carefully. The genie tucked the coin away and asked, “What powers did Martel grant you?”
“My relationship with my god is my business and no one else’s.”
“Oh come on! What can it hurt? Tell me one tiny little thing. Anything.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” Mestel said.
The genie switched to a dismissive attitude. He waved his arm in the air as if it didn’t matter and said, “Fine. Be that way. Yes. Yes. I can’t harm you while you are guests in my estate. Rules are rules I’m afraid. There’s no getting around them. I was hoping we could make a deal, but one way or the other I always get what I want. None of you are leaving here until I have that ring. I will kill any of you who step off my property. And I don’t have to feed you either.” Sion clapped his hands together and all of the food, drink, and servants disappeared into nothingness. “I can wait. When you all die of starvation, I will take the ring off the wizard’s hand.”
Mestel had heard enough. He unslung his magical compound bow and launched two arrows at Sion before anyone could react. Sion saw the attack coming. His magic carpet folded up to create a shield in front of its master. The arrows stuck harmlessly in the carpet; when the attack was finished, the rug returned to normal. Mestel had taken a chance and lost. He realized his life was now likely forfeited to the insane genie.
Sion put his arms across his chest and looked crossly at Mestel. “That was just rude. You think you can hurt me with simple arrows? Ha. But you did bring me one step closer to the ring. This is your one warning. If you try to harm me again then my hospitality is finished. Do you understand?”
Mestel nodded. “If we are protected by your hospitality, then your hospitality leaves something to be desired. If we leave your property, you will kill us. If we stay, you will starve us to death. Hardly what one would expect from a gracious host.”
Sion shrugged his shoulders and said, “I don’t make the rules. I just follow them.”
Mestel thought for
a moment about their circumstances. This genie had no choice but to follow a strict code of ethics. The code may leave something to be desired, but his word, when given, seemed binding.
Mestel said, “What if we play a game to decide the fate of the ring?”
“A game. What kind of game?”
“If you win, you get the ring and stick to your original bargain. If we win, then you let us go on our way and teleport us directly to the gates outside the royal palace of Kentar. Either way, you agree to never bother us again.”
“Ehhew, this should be fun. So, what is it to be: a contest of speed, strength, or perhaps a contest of wit?”
“How about a game of riddles against all of us?” Mestel said.
Sion smiled at the arrogance. “Do you take me for a fool? I won’t agree to play all of you at once. I will play against each of you in turn?”
“Agreed, but you will leave the girl and her mother out of this. There will be five games with five players. Whoever wins three or more games is declared the winner.”
“Sounds like fun. I can hardly wait.”
“And you can’t use your magic in any way.”
“Fine, but what are the games?”
“We’ll draw up a contract specifying the rules for each game.”
It was clear Sion was quite happy with this arrangement. No doubt he believed he could win easily against a group of mortals. “Very good.”
Evisar grabbed Mestel from behind and spun him around. Evisar looked his brother in the eyes as he said, “Sion, give us a moment please.”
Sion flew several hundred feet away on his carpet as the companions gathered around.
Evisar said, “Are you crazy? We can’t challenge him to five games. We won’t stand a chance.”
“First of all, I think we will. Each of us will challenge him in our strongest skill. If he doesn’t agree, then we won’t play. Second, we are at a stalemate with this creature – one that he will eventually win. He can starve us to death and take the ring after we are dead. This at least gives us a fighting chance. Thirdly, you do know that Sion can hear every word we are saying, right? He’s a magical genie, and this is his estate. I bet he can hear the tiniest of mouse out in this field right now.”
Do the Gods Give Us Hope? Page 25
