Into The Ruins

by Blink, Bob

  “I think it could be important.” Rigo replied.

  “Then I will make the attempt before I leave. Who do you wish to have access?”

  “Myself, of course. Also Jeen, Ash’urn, Burke, Nycoh and yourself from the Three Kingdoms. From Sedfair, just Lyes for now. We can add others later if we wish, can’t we?”

  “That can be done. It’s easier to do so when the spell is activated, but it is possible later.”

  “Thank you,” Rigo said sincerely. “I’ll check back after the attack. If something happens to me, tell Jeen or Nycoh what I asked you to do.” Then Rigo headed off to get ready for the assault on the Guild.

  The attacks would be nearly simultaneous. Rigo’s group would be dispatched a very short time in advance of the other groups by one of Ash’urn’s masked Bypass portals. The hope was they might be able to surprise the Saltique and her remaining Specialists at their residences before the other attacks began. It was a slim hope, but once the other teams moved into place, all moved by portals that Ash’urn would create in sequence from within the castle, awareness of the attacks would become known quickly. The use of so much magic would certainly be detected by those as strong as Carif and her key Casters.

  The deployment of the teams had been discussed at great length. Each group carried a pair of the modified detectors Rigo had developed a long time ago. The activation of one would signal the other groups that assistance was urgently required. The second, which sent a different signal, would indicate that an area had been secured and that normal troops should be sent in, along with the supplies of netting. They had made enough of the special netting to cover multiple oases, that the private quarters of the Saltique and the headquarters would be covered with the material if they could be taken intact. Too much valuable information could be stored there, and if the new bracelets worked as Daim claimed, then their magic would be functional. But any enemy Caster who returned to the structures, even covertly, would find themselves helpless against the security team that would be left in place. Certain facilities, including the resident dorms of the Senior Casters would be destroyed if possible. The university and the associated student dorms would be occupied, but it was believed it wouldn’t contain anything important enough to demand the interest of the Saltique, and the students there would be expected to submit to the new Queen’s authority once they understood what was happening.

  Rigo would head up team one, supported by twenty wizards, Daria and Kaler, and Kall who had insisted on being a participant. Nothing Rigo could say would change the decision. Since Rigo would be going after the Saltique, Kall demanded the right to be a participant. Only a few guardsmen would be part of Rigo’s group, because the battle would be one where magic dominated, and the undefended guardsmen would be hopelessly outmatched. Rigo was somewhat concerned for even his two friends, but knew that nothing would keep them away from his side, and they had demonstrated the ability to handle the most surprising situations. Both carried arrows that had been modified with the special symbols that resisted magic, and even the throwing knives that Daria carried had been augmented by a special set of symbols.

  Jeen would command the second most important team. She had thirty wizards as well as almost as many guardsmen. They would attack the Guild Headquarters where the main library and testing labs were housed. It was also the building where the senior members of the Guild had offices, including the one where Rigo had first met Carif. In the basement were the detainment cells where Rigo and his fellow adventurers had been confined, and on the first floor the room where Orna had been killed during the aborted Reading of her mind.

  Burke and Tara would lead team three. They would be responsible for the destruction of the living Quarters for Senior Casters to the north. A wizard named Chut would perform the same function for the matching facility to the south. While many of the Casters were probably innocent, simply believing what they had been told, they would have to be captured until this could be verified, and killed if possible if they resisted. Lyes had said a simple form of the Reading could be used to learn where a person’s loyalties lay. Finally, Shara would lead team five into the university and the university dorms. Her task was deemed the easiest despite covering the largest area and number of individuals. The students and teachers were not expected to be a significant threat. Finally, Barl would remain at the castle to ensure none of the enemy Casters were able to backtrack and attempt to cut off the base. The castle had already been draped in the special netting, so any unsuspecting Caster that made a Bypass into the castle would find himself unable to leave, and unable to access magic, while the defenders were capable of doing so easily thanks to Daim’s latest miracle.

  Rigo looked at the team leaders. All appeared nervous. Well, he was himself. This was something none of them had done before. Rigo nodded to Ash’urn. It was time to go. Solemnly, Ash’urn placed a hand on Kall’s shoulder for the image he needed, then uttered the activation phrase for the special Bypass.

  Chapter 73

  Ash’urn had made the Bypass, but he didn’t step through it with the rest of them. Once again he’d indicated his desire to go with the rest of the team, but Rigo had overruled him. His primary job was to see to the safety of the Queen. If things went badly, Ash’urn was to take her to an agreed upon location using one of the undetectable portals. Team one stepped through into the first floor of the Senior Guild member’s residence. The structure had been built with magic as an integral part of the process. Kall had warned them that it would be difficult to breach the walls even with their magic. Once the doors were sealed, it was almost as if they were part of the wall, and opening them without the appropriate phrases would be a major undertaking. Fortunately, Kall had been inside before, and could visualize a spot inside the facility, which meant the door didn’t matter. In many ways magic made creating a protected stronghold difficult.

  They stood in a large open area, hopefully having arrived without alerting anyone to their presence. The distinct octagonal shape of the exterior walls was apparent, with the upper sections of the building slowly tapering inward, making each level somewhat smaller than the one below it. They didn’t have very long before the other groups would make their moves, and soon enough everyone in the Guild would be aware that an assault was underway. The team spread out, quickly checking each of the first floor rooms. They didn’t expect to find anyone down here at this time of day, and they didn’t. The Saltique and her remaining Specialists were most likely in their respective quarters above. If they were monitoring the use of magic, they would have detected the use and creation of a Doorway, but nothing would tell them where it had originated or ended. This far, no magic had been used since their arrival at their destination in order to hide their presence.

  The walls were made of magic infused stone of a quality and smoothness Rigo had never before encountered. Glyphs and Runes were engraved into the material, and he sensed the blocking spell was active, although he didn’t recognize the symbols that had become so familiar to him over the weeks of his imprisonment. Then, as he moved closer to the wall to look more closely at one of the decorative symbols, he realized what had been done. The critical glyphs had been masked, by making them look like something other than they truly were. Once one came close enough it was possible to spot the thin break in the glyphs, where the extra adornment didn’t make actual contact with the main body of the symbol. The important part of the glyph was present and therefore still functioned normally. The extra part was nothing, but served to conceal the true purpose of the glyphs. Rigo wondered what the simulated glyphs had been intended to convey.

  While the blocking spell was functioning, Rigo used the little trick Daim had shown him to verify that his magic was still accessible. The new armband worked as Daim had predicted, which meant someone was in for a surprise. Rigo was certain the lower level and the long spiral staircase to the second level were all blocked, but the platform above and the rooms of the Specialists would be free of the effects of the blocking runes.
That would normally allow the residents full access to their power, while denying it to anyone who attempted to storm the facility.

  Having made certain of the lower level, Rigo pointed up the staircase. The wizards with him arranged themselves so they had a view of the four rooms where the surviving Specialists resided. They would be able to send destructive combat magic at anyone who came through the corresponding doors. Carif’s entryway was out of view from this point, and they would only see it once they had attained the second level. The Specialists could have switched rooms, taking those of their departed comrads, but why would they? They almost certainly wanted the comforts of their own homes, and felt themselves secure here.

  Rigo and three of the most powerful wizards on his team led the way upward. Immediately behind them were Daria, Kaler, and Kall. Rigo’s two friends simply refused to be separated from him, pointing out the amount of trouble he had gotten himself into without them, and Kall, as consort to the ruler of this land, had every right to decide where he would choose to fight.

  * * * * *

  Ash’urn was quite familiar with the headquarters building. He’d been held in the lower levels with Rigo and Lorl for some time. He’d spent most of his time in the lower levels, but had been taken to other locations within the structure on more than one occasion. At this early hour, the facility shouldn’t be too heavily guarded, and many of those on duty would be the normal guardsmen who watched the prisoners in the lower levels. There had always been some. He’d made the masked Bypass that transported Jeen’s team so that it let them out on the ramp that led between the lower level and the ground floor. The guardsmen who had gone with her headed down to the lowest level with a handful of wizards, while Jeen and the rest of her team headed upward. Lorl was with her. He also knew the facility, and was eager for some revenge.

  They encountered the first of the Guild’s Casters as they came to the top of the ramp. Lorl didn’t even hesitate, and burned the woman to ash before she could begin to react. The remains of her staff, almost consumed by the intense fire, clattered to the stone floor.

  “Rigo wants us to take prisoners when possible,” Jeen reminded him.

  “We haven’t time to worry about prisoners,” Lorl objected. “Besides, she was one of those that took Orna when they killed her.”

  Lorl wasn’t strictly correct. Once they destroyed the staffs, or somehow separated them from the owners, the Casters would be effectively helpless. In theory, if they were skilled, they might be able to craft the necessary symbols for some of the spells, but if watched by one of Jeen’s wizards, they would have no opportunity to do so. Stripped of the staff, they were almost as helpless as any Normal. Since they didn’t know who was in league with Carif, Rigo didn’t want wholesale slaughter of the Casters here. Carif and the remains of her Eight had been ordered taken dead or alive by the Queen, but the others deserved a chance to be tested to see if they were part of Carif’s group. Lorl didn’t agree. In his mind, the whole lot of them could be eliminated and he wouldn’t lose a bit of sleep. If and when they had complete control, he might soften his position, but until then, he had little intention of being bothered by prisoners.

  Jeen could sympathize somewhat with Lorl’s feelings. They had also discussed the likely core of people to be found in the various locations. The headquarters was expected to be staffed with Carif’s loyalists. The control and operation of the Guild took place in this facility. It was always manned, so that even this early a certain core of Casters would be expected. They weren’t certain what to expect on the upper level. Carif had an office there. It was where Rigo had been questioned by the woman, but they didn’t know who or what else to expect.

  * * * * *

  The northern set of residences for Senior Casters and university instructors was the responsibility of team three headed up by Burke. The matching facility to the south was the responsibility of team four. Burke and Tara stepped out of the Bypass made by Ash’urn and started toward the structure. Nestled in the trees, the two-story set of apartments was home to nearly sixty Senior Casters. Most were longer-term residents who lived in Nals and had assignments within the Guild that kept them in the capital rather than at remote locations around Sedfair. Some, however, were transients. The transients were the Casters who had been brought into Nals to help Carif defend the Guild. As such, they were immediately suspect, although it was impossible to be certain where their true allegiance lie without performing the loyalty Reading.

  Burke’s team had far more guardsmen than either Rigo or Jeen’s teams. He had the same number of wizards. The intent was to disarm the Casters who lived here by taking their staffs and any other casting materials they had, and then have each tested. Any who resisted after being informed of what was happening would be shuttled off to the blocked oasis until they could be dealt with. Any that actually attempted to fight, would be captured or killed as necessary. Guild Loyalists were certain to be among the Casters living here, so caution had to be taken. There was no way to prevent those who wished to flee from doing so, but the simple act would almost certainly brand them and ensure future encounters were more direct and final.

  * * * * *

  Shana’s team was supported by the largest number of guardsmen of any of the teams, many of whom had been brought in at the last minute from the Three Kingdoms. They cleared the University buildings, which were mostly empty anyway given that the term had yet to begin, and because the early hour during which the sweep had been conducted. Guards were posted around the campus to keep the place in a locked down condition, while the team moved on to the hillside dorms. None of the students had Casting staffs, with only a few having small self-built wands with simple spells. All students were informed that the term would be cancelled until further notice. They were to return to their villages until contacted. When they came back, each could expect to be scanned to determine whether they were supporters of the Crown or the Saltique.

  * * * * *

  When Rigo and those in the lead with him were halfway up the curving ramp, one of the doors opened suddenly and a blast of Brightfire lashed out of the darkened doorway. One sometimes could dodge a knife or an arrow. They moved quickly, but if not perfectly on target, with luck, the intended victim could move to one side, causing a miss or a minor wound. Such was not usually the case with magic. Some forms of combat magic, such as the targeted energy balls, flew rapidly from the originator toward the target. Others, like the Brightfire or a Fireblast, came into existence somewhere between the originator and the target, and moved in the blink of an eye toward the spot directed. There was no time to move. Fortunately Rigo was one of those with the ability to block such forms of magic. It was also fortunate that the skill to do so was generally nonspecific. The same technique worked on whatever was deployed. The key to a successful defense was to be ready and expecting the attacking magic, with the disabling spell all but released, so when an awareness of the attack was realized, an instinctual completion of the disabling spell occurred. Many couldn’t develop the proper sense of readiness, and therefore never were able to master the technique. His reaction to the blast of Brightfire was automatic, and before it could reach him and do any damage, it simply faded from existence.

  A hiss of surprise could be heard, whether from his ability to block the attack or the realization that his magic was working at all, Rigo didn’t know. Almost at the same time, a series of magical fireballs blasted toward the open door from which the Brightfire had originated, to be pushed aside somehow at the last moment. The Casters in Sedfair may use a different kind of magic, but they were not weak by any means. The balls of burning magic slammed into the wall adjacent to the open doorway, missing the intended target. The wall glowed brightly, turning yellowish. Rather than crumbling or blowing inward as most stone structures would have, ropes of glowing energy formed within the walls as the concentrated magic from the impacts was dissipated in a way that left the structure intact. A second blast of Brightfire was launched by the Caster befo
re she slammed the door closed. The Brightfire was hurried and it struck the walls several paces behind where Rigo and his friends stood, once again causing the walls to glow, this time almost white from the immense energies being handled. As the door closed, multiple bolts of energy lashed out and struck it, which caused it to glow in the same manner as the walls, yet somehow it held up against the onslaught.

  None of this was quiet, and now their presence was known by everyone else in the facility. A second door opened briefly, and several narrow beams of yellow energy lashed out at those below. One of the wizards was caught unprepared and was cut in two by the powerful energies that Specialist Ensay had released. Unseen in the exchange of magic, a small blade, engraved with certain symbols that Lyes had provided, flashed briefly and embedded itself in the exposed shoulder of the Caster. She swore and pulled back into the room.

  The Specialists were now aware that their doors were being targeted, and they reverted to special niches in the walls where they could fire through cleverly concealed openings at the advancing attackers. Two more wizards fell before they figured out the pattern and started targeting the hidden firing points. From one, a bright green beam slashed into the wall opposite the location where Rigo and his fellows had taken cover. The small railing around the upper walkway was made of the same material as the walls, as had shown itself to be resistive to the magic being released. The green beam was different than the others. As he’d witnessed before, it cut into the stone, ripping out large chunks and leaving a deep scar where it traversed the surface. Perhaps the Specialists had been holding back hoping not to damage the facility, but had now changed their minds.