Into The Ruins

by Blink, Bob

  Before moving onward, however, she intended to experiment with the device. Signaling the two women beside her, she walked out of the protected oasis into the Wastelands. She watched with amusement as they winced as the full effects of the blasted lands touched them. She had them attempt to call their magic, but as expected and as she’d discovered herself the last time she’d been out here, it wasn’t possible. Yet, when she tried to perform the same spells, they worked, if possibly somewhat less powerfully than usual.

  Suline wished the images that had been extracted by the Reading had come from someone who had been fluent in their language. There was much that was lacking, yet she did get a certain sense of limitations. She knew she was able to make a Doorway to the far off oases they intended to explore, and she could make one to the oasis a short distance away. Somehow she was aware that making a Doorway while out in the Wastelands proper, would be limited. At some point, she would be unable to make a Doorway back to the oasis they had just walked away from, although she had no idea what distance that might be.

  After more than a glass of experimentation, she decided it was time to begin their journey. It was early morning here. They had arrived while it was still dark, although it had been midmorning in Nals when they had left. Based on the stolen memories she was using, she expected it to be earlier in the day where they were going. That suited her fine. She would like to arrive in the dark, or just as dawn was beginning. There would be less chance of being spotted. There was no way of knowing if this was the only way the residents of the Three Kingdoms had discovered to travel this way, but given the extensive memories the woman Orna had of places, it seemed likely. If it were her, she would have manned the oases to the west to ensure no unwanted travelers would be able to pass.

  Suline would like to make a Doorway that would exit a few hundred paces out in the Wastelands from her target oasis. They could hide, then watch to see if the protected zone was being monitored. If not, then they could walk over to it, and then continue on. If it were monitored, they would have to choose their time carefully, sneaking into the safe zone, before attempting to travel onward.

  Suline considered the two options open to her. She sensed that either of the two oases she could tell were within reach would provide a pathway that would take her the rest of the way into the Three Kingdoms. The closer of the two oases was the one that was close to where the Chulls were created. Based on the woman’s memories, a permanent base had been established in that oasis, which made it the riskier choice, even if the place was larger and with more places to mask their presence. She’d go for the other, she decided.

  She had clear memories of the Wastelands just outside the oasis she had selected, and she focused on a spot where there was a small rise that would give them some protection. She concentrated, but the Doorway simply wouldn’t form.

  “What’s wrong?” Shurl asked, seeing the frustration on Suline’s face.

  “I’m not certain. The Doorway won’t form.”

  Suline concentrated on the oasis itself, and knew somehow that Doorway would form quite easily. The distance was too great, she realized. Even starting here in a safe zone, just as she couldn’t make a Doorway all the way to the Three Kingdoms, making a Doorway to a distant spot in the Wastelands where magic was blocked was even more restricted. They might have no choice but to travel directly into the oasis itself.

  She decided to see what would happen if she considered the closer of the two oases. Once again she knew that a Doorway into the oasis itself was feasible, but she wanted to end up a short distance away. She selected a point on the opposite side of the oasis from the factory where the Chulls were made. It might just be possible. It would take all the power she could muster, and she would be unable to mask the endpoints. That wouldn’t matter. The outsiders seemed to be unaware of such subtleties.

  Moments later the Doorway formed. She glanced at her two traveling companions, who stared nervously at the opening. “Let’s go,” she said with a confidence she didn’t really feel.

  Moments later they found themselves deep in the Wastelands, the oasis several hundred paces away, and the village of the strange artificial humans even farther in the distance. Chulls could be seen wandering slowly almost in any direction. Sali shuddered as she took in the large number of the dangerous beasts. Suline focused on a Doorway back to where they had been, and found she could not make it open. She’d half expected that. She was in a blocked part of the Wastelands. Going back, starting in a blocked zone, her range would be far, far less than it had been starting in the oasis. The two directions were not equal. She could sense she couldn’t even reach the next oasis beyond this one, and that had been within easy reach from where they had been a few moments before. Now, they would have to make it to the oasis they could see in the distance before they would be able to get anywhere else. Clearly, there were a lot of rules to using the amulet she needed to learn quickly.

  As she’d expected, she could see tents and a couple of people in the oasis. It was a glass or so after dawn, and they were just getting started for the day. Suline couldn’t detect any significant watch having been established, and after watching carefully for a while, she pointed where she wanted to go. Carefully the three Casters made their way around to the far side, staying in the Wastelands and using the small rolling hills to mask their progress. Soon, they were on an unwatched edge of the oasis, in deep enough that Suline knew she could make a Doorway all the way into the Three Kingdoms. There would be no need to jump to the next oasis. They were also masked by a copse of trees, so they couldn’t be seen. Quickly, Suline opened a Doorway near one of the large towers she wanted to investigate. There were many, and they weren’t constantly being watched.

  “They are immense,” Shurl said as they peered up at the incredible structure. They were on the western side, protected from a number of Chulls that wandered just on the far side of the green band of energy that disappeared into the distance. “This is what they use to protect their lands rather than armed guardsmen. They are more advanced than we are.”

  “I thought we heard they were failing, and that’s why the outsiders had ventured into the Wastelands in the first place,” Sali said.

  “Perhaps that was just another lie,” Shurl said. “They are clearly working now, and block the way as far as we can see.

  Suline wished she could explore the many towers she had in her memory. There were a lot of them, but she sensed that she didn’t have memories of the full number. She was also intrigued by the Wastelands here. From what she sensed, and which her memories substantiated, was a different type of Wasteland than she was familiar with from Sedfair. Here the wastelands were still foul and overran everything else, but there were no dead zones here. She sensed they were days from the border of the Three Kingdoms, yet nowhere between this place and the border were there regions where magic was blocked. The western side of the Wastelands were very different from the eastern side. That might be very important later.

  The next stop was in the mountain on the border of the Three Kingdoms. She didn’t know the name of the land on which she was standing, but felt a thrill of accomplishment. They had done it! They were the first from Sedfair to cross the wastelands and to visit this land. The way was clear. More could follow.

  Suline knew they should return now. They had accomplished what had been ordered, and lingering would only increase the chances of their being discovered. They couldn’t speak the language, and who knew what kind of patrols had been dispatched to watch for someone like themselves. Even so, she couldn’t help herself. One of the memories she held was of a small village on the edge of a vast ocean. Perhaps it was where the woman had lived. Suline made a Doorway, this time masking the end points, and soon the three Casters stood looking at the western ocean. They had come as far as they could, although Suline realized there was land that was populated far out in the ocean. She thought she could make a Doorway there, but that would be an unnecessary and unacceptable risk. Almost sadly, they
started the long journey back.

  She reluctantly handed over the amulet to the Saltique. The three Casters stood formally in the meeting room, with the five Specialists also in attendance. Over the next glass Suline, sometimes augmented by one of her companions, answered the questions from the Guild’s senior rulers. Suline explained the limitations of the amulet, and the difficulties with making the trip. The greatest weakness was the choke points formed by the two oases near the middle of the Wastelands.

  “If they properly patrol those two locations, they could effectively block our travel,” she explained. “I believe there are more oases in the vicinity, and if we could locate one unused by the Three Kingdoms, we would have a pathway that would be easier and outside of their control.”

  “Perhaps your next task will be to seek such a place out,” Carif said. She was pleased by what the women had accomplished. “You have had a long and stressful journey. I will want to speak with you again, perhaps tomorrow. For now, we must consider what you have learned.” With that, she dismissed the three Casters.

  The meeting with her Specialists lasted for many additional glass. Opinions differed as to how to proceed. They had only the one amulet. That limited their flexibility. Several of the Specialists felt the first action would be to try and duplicate the device. If they could make them in quantity, they would be able to field multiple missions should the need arise. Others felt the Three Kingdoms had been angered, and felt themselves immune to the wrath of the Guild, and might take action. If they could be surprised in a dramatic way, they might be forced to reconsider, and withhold any plans of attack realizing they weren’t isolated and protected by the Wastelands. Carif was of the latter opinion, and also wished to strike back for the blow the rescue had dealt her people. The issue was how, using a single device to move their people, they could implement an attack that would make the necessary point.

  Chapter 62

  Within a few days, a diplomatic visit was being planned to Sedfair. Despite the short time remaining during which Queen Rosul would remain in power, the various leaders of the Three Kingdoms had decided that it was important to act quickly to try and arrange some formal agreements between the two lands. It might be a way of settling certain critical issues before the Guild, which appeared less open to diplomacy, took full control of the Monarchy there. If a treaty were in place, that might bind the hands of the new leader. Interest had also been heightened by Rigo’s explanation of why he felt he might have been from Sedfair originally. He was convinced the two areas were meant to be linked in some important way, although he couldn’t provide any concrete reasons for his belief.

  Rigo would be one of those to go to Sedfair on the diplomatic mission. He knew the Queen and was one of the two people who knew the language. Jeen would go as the representative of the leaders. It was a role she’d been fulfilling for a number of years between the various leaders of the Three Kingdoms. Daria and Kaler refused to be left behind. They argued that where magic might not work, their swords and knives would, should the need arise again. Neither was convinced a return visit would go smoothly, and Daria openly questioned the wisdom of the proposed visit. If diplomacy failed, they would be the backups and they intended to see that Rigo wasn’t imprisoned yet again. Ash’urn would stay at the Outpost. Not only was he the only other person who was comfortable with the language, but he and young Fen were busy exploring the symbolic magic of the far-off land. He was clearly needed here. Several wizards had suggested that they take Fen back home, but the lad didn’t want to go. Rigo planned to visit his father and bring him here if he was willing should Fen remain firm and stay behind. Burke and Tara agreed to go, and several other wizards would accompany the troop as well. They had yet to be selected. Nycoh wished to go, but pressure was being applied for her to stay.

  Ash’urn had already found several aspects of the new magic useful. He clearly saw a connection between the magic used in Sedfair and their own.

  “You encountered one individual who has the same powers as you,” Ash’urn pointed out. “You even believe you might have originally come from there. That suggests there are more, even if perhaps the numbers are far less than we have seen here in the Three Kingdoms. In addition, their symbolic magic appears to be very different. The triggering phrases are clearly linked to the spoken magic I have been able to employ with some degree of success. Fen and I have even located the symbolic construction of several spells I know, and my memorized phrases trigger them properly.” Ash’urn didn’t elaborate what they had discovered when he did this. “These facts, show there is a relationship.”

  “Why would the magic have evolved so differently?” Rigo asked.

  “I would guess the plague had a great deal to do with it. The progression of the plague was very different in the two areas. In Sedfair, they were aggressive, almost brutally so, in eliminating any who caught it to eliminate the spread. Those with the gift were more susceptible, and therefore would have been more completely eliminated. Those who use symbolic magic really don’t have the gift, just a talent with scripting and language. Even here in the Three Kingdoms, for centuries it was believed magic was a fable, and the only reason true magic grew forth as it did, was because of the knowledge you inherited from Daim.”

  “Do you really believe there is something you can learn that will help with the Hoplani?”

  “That I cannot say, but I can see any number of gains that would be useful for the people here. Having Fen come along, especially with the reference materials he had with him, is indeed fortunate.”

  “He’s happy enough then?”

  “He is so taken with everything that is happening, that he hasn’t had time to think too much about his situation. Sooner or later, he is going to realize where he is and how far from home he has come. It would be good if you could bring his family to visit.”

  Two days later Rigo and Jeen returned from a visit with the King and Queen of Branid after receiving an urgent summons from Nycoh. The young wizard who had come in search of them wouldn’t say what had prompted the request for their early return under urgent orders from her.

  “The towers are down,” she said bluntly as they hurried into her quarters.

  “What?” Rigo asked. “I thought you said the Morvane were under control. How many have failed?”

  “All of them,” Nycoh replied, and waited for the shock to settle in.

  “All?” Jeen stammered.

  “How is that possible?” Rigo asked, his mind already considering the consequences.

  “Sabotage,” Nycoh stated flatly. “Someone deliberately damaged enough of the towers to bring down the entire system.”

  “Who would stand to gain by such an act?” Jeen asked, but Rigo already knew.

  “Sedfair,” He said flatly. “The Guild has come to the Three Kingdoms.”

  “That is our guess as well,” agreed Nycoh. “The reports that have come back indicate that only magic could have done the amount of damage we are seeing. It is not at all like what happens when the Morvane attempt to push through.”

  Rigo’s shoulders slumped. “I was wrong. I was certain they didn’t have the ability to cross over the dead zones. Clearly I was mistaken and lied to.” He was starting to think even the Queen and Mitty might have led him astray. Was he that gullible?

  “You might have been right,” Nycoh said. “We may be responsible for giving them the means to do this.”

  “I don’t understand,” Rigo said.

  “I’ve done some checking. Everyone who went to Sedfair after you wore one of the special amulets that our newest reincarnation of Daim constructed. Jeen wore one in addition to the staff she carried for you. All have been accounted for, except the one that was worn by Kirl.”

  “You mean no one checked him when he was brought back?” Jeen asked.

  “The medical wizards who prepared him for cremation didn’t think about it. They didn’t even know they existed, but are certain he wasn’t wearing one when they examined his remains. T
hose who brought him back, assumed the medical folks had recovered it.”

  “It could have fallen off when Lorl recovered his body at the oasis,” Rigo said.

  “There, or perhaps somewhere else along the return.”

  “Has anyone gone looking?” Jeen asked.

  “Not yet, and I believe it will be too late. Still, we should check and see.”

  “I’ll go,” Rigo offered.

  “I’ll go along,” Jeen agreed. “We’ll take a large crew. Who knows what is out there now.”

  “Lorl feels personally responsible,” Nycoh explained, “but at the time, he didn’t even know about the amulets. None of you did. It was an oversight that we didn’t tell you immediately.”

  “Things were happening rather fast,” Rigo said. “No one had any time for discussions. It’s bad if this is what happened, but if it is how they are getting here, then they may have only the one device. It will limit anything they want to attempt. If we can recover it, they will be blocked again.”

  “Unless they can duplicate it,” Nycoh noted.

  “What does Daim say?” Jeen asked. “Does he think they can figure out what it does?”

  “He went to examine the towers. I’ll ask him the moment he returns.”

  “What about the Hoplani?” Rigo asked.

  “Thousands are headed toward Lopal. We’ve allowed them to wander freely on the far side of the barrier for many years now. They couldn’t get past the barrier, and we focused our energies on the Morvane and the new tower system. Now we need every capable wizard to try and destroy the herds heading west toward Lopal, while we also need more people than are available to repair the damaged towers. We also need to warn the leaders of the Three Kingdoms that we appear to be under attack, and by people who control magic. Who knows what actions they might take? A large force of wizards is needed to guard the royal families, and others need to be available to counter any further attacks. Even with the growth in our numbers, we are going to fall short of our needs. Simply protecting Lopal will be difficult.