Kerlith quickly flashed his stone up high and called out, “
“Nice,” Bel said but perspiration was heavy on his brow.
The four squeezed in, pushing their backs against each other and slowly rotating, knowing now that the attack could come from any direction.
Bel tried to focus his eyes on any incoming threat but he couldn’t get the smell of decaying vegetation and sloppy wet mud out of his mind. It invaded his nostrils the moment they arrived and it wouldn’t leave. Some smells you get used to if you are around them long enough. This wasn’t one of them. There was something primeval and base about the dank mud they were treading in. Bel morbidly thought, Is this where I am to die? In this mud?
A larger group of them was gathering on the other side of the short street in the center of the village and it appeared one was addressing the crowd.
“A leader. Look. They have a leader,” Nes’egrinon whispered and dread seeped into Bel’s skin. The next onslaught would be coordinated.
The leader turned and walked slowly and alone towards the mages, them waiting, watching, not knowing if this might be a distraction or a ploy. A ghoul jumped out from between two building and the old wizard quickly flung him into the woods with a wave of his staff. Another ran by and oil splashed down on his head and a youngster, not yet a teenager threw a torch on him.
The gray skinned leader stopped about ten paces from them, slurped some blood out of a flask then opened his voice wide. “You can’t win, you know.”
He waited for a response but when none came he continued, “We ghoul-kind don’t need to sleep. We can keep up at this all night. And tomorrow. And the next day.” He was speaking loudly; loud enough so all the villagers could hear him. It was a mental barrage, psychology, and the worst volley of all to defend against.
Bel overheard a woman on the second floor say, “Oh my God. It’s the Mayor.”
The dead man took another draught of blood, then said, “You all just don’t understand! We wouldn’t do this if we didn’t have to! It is the hunger. The thirst for life. Nothing can stand against it. Not patience, not fear, not superstitious beliefs. No, not even disgust. Do not think that you are better than us for when it comes upon you, you will abandon everything to satiate this lingering starvation. I know. I have fought it with all my strength and I have failed. This is torment! And you have within you the ability to take it away! Even if just for a moment. A few drops of blood. Please! You can stop this! Just a few drops of blood from each of you.”
The mayor turned, all eyes on him, and joined his group at the end of the street. They waited for some moments, glancing at each other wildly, expectantly, hooting shrilly as if they were wild dogs about to be fed.
What he said didn’t matter; everyone knew it was all a lie. There wasn’t enough blood in all the living to satisfy all the dead. And what about when it wore off? They would want more. And more. And more.
They charged, a stampeding army, sordid, savage, beating their chests, the thought of blood only moments away driving a wild glaze into their eyes. Villagers desperately filled buckets with oil as the blitz closed in while others ran somewhere, anywhere, to hide. But everyone knew there was nowhere to hide. Not from them.
There must be something we can do to scare them off that does not involve letting them get too close. Bel thought on this as the group of dead quickly approached. Fear, Bel thought. Back at Lasaat, we used Fear on each other in our mock mage battles. Bel remembered those days fondly. Fear. Yes, that’s it. That’s what the Mayor said too. If only there were something like Fear that we could push into the ghoul-kind. Then it came to him. Bel raised both of his hands, his staff high in the air and pushed out as he said the words in the ancient language, “
Suddenly the group of approaching ghoul-kind wailed out in fear, terror on every one of their faces. They ran into the forest howling in panic. Bel smiled. He was shocked that it actually worked.
Kerlith said, “What did you do?” as his master and Nes’egrinon stood nearby.
Bel answered, “What is the opposite of fear, but love? An old love spell, only good for barmaids trying to catch her a sailor probably. That’s what I used. I figured it would—”
The old wizard interrupted, “See, I told you. He’s not as dumb as he looks. That’s why I picked him. Still talks too much though.”
“Shall we then?” Muolithnon said gruffly.
The four joined hands. Nes’egrinon raised up their arms and cried out, “Focus. Focus. Not yet. Concentrate. Focus it. Wait for it. Okay. Okay. Now!”
They released a sudden burst of power, concentrated in the form of the love spell and a ripple erupted and washed out of them and outward, outward, outward, a light purple, misty cloud carrying a strong scent of jasmine out and over both the people and ghoul-kind alike, extending out into the forest. They released their hands and let their arms fall, exhausted. Muolithnon slumped his chin into his chest and heaved. Bel felt like he might collapse but was suddenly jolted upright by the high-pitched shrieks of the dead. They scrambled and ran as fast as they could in an unorganized chaotic jumble of gray limbs fighting each other to be the first ones out of the town. They scrambled this way and that, seemingly not knowing which way led to an escape. The four stood and watched as ghoul-kind fell from second floor balconies and clamored from under porches and behind barns. They had been lying in wait everywhere! They fled.
The old mage said softly, “Keep your mouths shut and follow my lead.” He walked back towards the inn.
People were gathering themselves and their belongs, men helping women, women helping men, softly, kindly, with a smile, a nod, a caress and a gesture. As they neared the entrance to the inn several women appeared near the door, smiles wide and beaming.
“No need to thank us, ladies. Just another day on the job for a wizard of the wood,” the old mage said.
“Oh no. We really need to thank you. Really we do. Really, really we do. How about a massage?” one said.
Another said, “How about a manicure? A pedicure? I can draw you a bath? Anything. Ask anything. Please. Please. Ask, please.”
Two younger ones swooped around the two mages and stood on either side of Kerlith and Bel. One said, “We would really, really like to thank your young assistants. It wouldn’t be right for us not to.”
The other added, “Yes, yes, yes. It is our custom. We mustn’t be rude. Please come with us. Come with us, right away.” The two girls grabbed the boys’ arms and began to tug.
Other girls arrived and pushed the first group of girls back. “Hey, we need to thank them too.”
“Me first.”
“No! Me!”
Nes’egrinon bellowed, “Quiet! That’s what I was afraid of. Like a cackling bunch of hens. That’s exactly what I don’t need now. Women!”
Muolithnon interrupted, “Err, Master Archmage? Are you sure? I wouldn’t mind being thanked just a little.”
“Yeah!” Harped from the women. “See! See! He wants to be thanked.”
“I saw him first!”
“Get away! He’s mine!”
The old man threw his hands in the air and replied, “Do what you want just don’t wake me up. Fifth Year let’s go. You’ll thank me in the morning for saving you from these.”
Bel was not so sure about that last statement but he followed his master into the inn, up the stairs and back into his bed. But there would be no sleep for him this night. He had too much to dwell on.
Chapter 8
Bite Me
“Love magic, yeah, yeah, yeah. Making love magic. Oh yeah, I love me some love making magic. Yeah.”
“Is he going to be like that all morning?” Bel asked Kerlith.
Kerlith shrugged his shoulders as his master danced around their room.
Nes’egrinon said, “It’s about time we move on from this place. We can steal away while the ghoul-kind are asleep in the forest and the village fol
k should have at least a few days respite after what happened last night. Fifth Year, by the way, I didn’t get a chance to compliment you.”
Bel and Kerlith both turned their attention to the old mage.
He looked up and them and squinted. “Oh, why are you two staring at me?”
Bel replied, “A compliment? You said something about a compliment?”
“I said I didn’t get a chance to give you one. I didn’t say I was planning on doing it, did I? Well anyway, good job. Now let’s get this place packed up and ready. We’re leaving shortly.”
Muolithnon interrupted, “Master Archmage, the villagers, they would really like us to stay. At least one more day. You know I don’t get away from the stonecutters too much and these fair maidens in your wood have taken a liking… I mean, it would be better if we stayed one more day, just to make sure that the ghouls really got the message. Don’t you think?”
“I don’t think. This was all your idea. You’re the one who dragged me out here. But if we stay here too long I just might head back home. No need for me to stick around while you cast love spells. That’s for sure. Listen, what’s your problem anyway? Can’t get a date amongst the stonecutters, huh? You must be uglier than I thought. And what about the ban? You took the vow didn’t you?”
Muolithnon replied, “Err… I think one more night should send the message to the ghoul-kind. We can do as before. Wait for them to mass upon us and join forces and cast a great big love spell. Maybe even a bigger one this time. I have my jacket out at the washroom. It’s getting cleaned just for the occasion and I have an appointment at the barber. A shave and a haircut… oh, no! I’m late. Darn this eternal night! Never know what time it is! I’m off. Kerlith, heed the master while I’m gone. I won’t be long.” He quickly exited with a wide grin and there was almost a twinkle in his eye.
Bel asked, “Master, shall I have breakfast prepared for you?”
“After that display! No. My stomach is twisting. You two go ahead. I need some time alone to think.”
Bel and Kerlith ate then sat out on the front porch watching the villagers attempting to conduct their daily business by torchlight, them behaving as if the events of last night did not happen, as if they weren’t nearly all slaughtered. They are a tough people. Resilient, Bel thought. Their village sat right on the border between the Hinterlands and the Western Forest and they had been right on the dividing line of the war. It was a long war and a long time ago but the name of this village appeared in all the histories. They saw fighting, too much fighting, outside forces invading, retreating and invading again, trying to capture a strategic position without care or concern for the people who lived here. No, these ghoul attacks must be bringing those memories back like a dam breaking and pouring in a carcass-laden fetid stream of death, Bel thought.
“I guess life goes on?” Bel said trying to clear his mind.
“I was thinking the same thing, but maybe it’s just because they have no other choice. They can’t run. They can’t hide. I guess the best they can do is pretend it didn’t happen. I mean the alternative would be to run around in the center courtyard here like a babbling, insane person. I mean, like if you really sat down and thought about it.”
“Hey, is your master always like that?”
“I don’t know. Is yours?” Kerlith snapped back.
“No, I didn’t mean it like that. I meant… I don’t know what I meant. He took advantage of those girls, you know.”
“Looked like they were taking advantage of him.”
“Maybe. But still, they were under a spell. I don’t care what you two do as long as you don’t mess things up for us in the forest. This is our lands remember?”
“Maybe that was just an excuse they used to let their hair down a little. Maybe they wanted to do that all along. I see your master wasn’t interested. What’s his malfunction?”
“He’s old, I guess,” Bel defended.
“That has nothing to do with it.”
“And he wouldn’t let you out either. Maybe he was afraid you’d embarrass him.”
“Really, Kerlith? And how’d you do?”
“I did all right. You won’t find any young girls complaining this morning. I’m a regular all around fun person to be with, I am.”
“Oh. Yeah. I knew that. Barrel of monkeys, you are.”
Kerlith huffed as he threw a pebble, “You got that right.”
Bel’s heart suddenly ached over leaving the only girl he ever loved to become a wizard (of course, all magicians were required to take an oath of celibacy) and the knowledge that he would never see her again gnawed his flesh. He couldn’t understand how Kerlith and his master flaunted the rules so casually. He couldn’t understand why he had to leave the girl he wanted to spend his life with while these two could go out cavorting whenever they pleased. “But what if you got caught? Aren’t you worried about the ban?”
Kerlith eyed Bel quickly then looked back at the courtyard. “My master doesn’t seem to be. Why should I?”
“I don’t know. I was kind of glad when my master pulled me upstairs.”
“Yeah, I was in the game; you were tucked in your bed like the child you are.”
Bel bristled but before he could respond, a young boy that stood in front of the two wizards in training interrupted them, “Masters? Sirs? Might I ask a question, sirs?”
Kerlith replied first, “Sure kid, what are you looking for? An autograph or something?”
“No, sir. I was wondering if you could tell me something about magic. We don’t get many wizards in these parts. And when we do they tend to be old. One day, I would be a wizard. At least that is my dream.”
Kerlith puffed out his chest. “Sure thing. See this kid sitting next to me? You can call him wiggle-farts. So wiggle-farts and I went to Lasaat. Ever heard of it?”
Bel’s forehead was burning bright red. Wiggle farts was a nickname he got in his first year. One of the others saw him shake once when he had gas and the rest was history. He hated that name; he thought it might disappear when he left Lasaat but now Kerlith was perpetuating it.
“Yes sir. The Academy of Arts and Magic?”
“That’s the one. You have to be selected to go. Don’t know how exactly it works, but they can see something in you. The scouts, I mean. Some are found when they are ten or eleven, others are not found until they are older, even as old as sixteen or seventeen.”
A falcon landed on the building edge, its feet grasping the gutter edge tightly, and looked down at them with a glint in its eye.
Bel added, “Oh, I remember that day like it was yesterday. They showed up in my tiny fishing village and made a beeline for my house. Caused a great stir, they did. All the villagers followed them, wanting to know who the strangers were looking for. By their dress everyone knew exactly who they were. You know the ones, right?”
“Yes, sir,” answered the boy.
“It was quite a shock for my parents, of course. What with my father expecting me to join him on the waters. He was a fisherman, you see.”
Kerlith interrupted, “Yeah, me too. I was only twelve and here these two men were, asking me to leave everything, to never see my family again, my parents, my brothers and sisters and my kin, to never return to my village, to never see my people again. I cried for two nights. I’m not embarrassed to say it. Yeah, I cried. I was just a kid, understand? Don’t laugh or I’ll smash you. But yeah, it was a lot for a little kid to take in. The rest of the village wanted me to go because they thought I would be coming back after the schooling to be their wizard, to protect them. But no, that’s not how it works. I haven’t seen my family since.”
“I see,” said the young boy. “And the school, is it hard?”
Kerlith smiled wide and said, “Kid, most people take five years to graduate—”
Bel pounced, “Shut it, Kerlith. Shut it before—”
“Before what? Before you get mad? Oh, I’m getting real, real scared, I am. I’m like shaking all over. Oh, I hop
e a fart doesn’t come out. Oh, I’m wiggling, I am.”
“Jerk! I took six years only because of you! It was all your fault I got left back!”
“Really? It was you who took the challenge. You didn’t have to. You could have kept your big mouth shut. But no! You had to look like the big man in front of the others. And it was your spell that blew up in your face anyway!”
Bel wanted to respond but he knew it was true. Sometimes Bel couldn’t stand Kerlith and his mouth and his arrogant, in-your-face attitude. It was stupid of Bel to respond to him; he knew it, but Kerlith caught him on a bad day. School was tough; there had been a few difficult tests and one of Bel’s friends dropped out. So when Kerlith started another one of his verbal barrages, Bel lost it. Before he knew it he had agreed to a challenge, off the grounds, at midnight, away from the eyes of the masters. It was forbidden. They battled long and hard, all of their friends watching, each spell more complicated, more delicate, more risky. Finally Bel did something he hadn’t done before. He used stone magic. It shouldn’t have worked. He was holding mage-wood in his hand; he shouldn’t have been able to wield the words of crystal. But it worked. And then he lost control of it. The others ran for help. It took four masters to subdue the magic run amok. No one was hurt, but the damage was done. He wasn’t kicked out of the school, thankfully, but he was not permitted to graduate for another year.
Bel sat in silence watching as the large hawk mounted the wind. Kerlith asked the lad, “Okay, kid. Any other questions? Looks like wiggle-farts here doesn’t want to talk about school.”
“Yes, sir. If you please? I noticed that you use a stone while he uses a stick? Why is that?”
“You want to take this one?” Kerlith said with a smirk.
“You go ahead. Idiot.”
“Kid, it’s like this. There are different forms of magic. In school we were all taught the common stuff, the magic that any magician can do, but there are other forms that are specific, different forms that only specialized wizards can do. There is one form based upon crystals and minerals, from the mountain lands, the land of the stonecutters. We call it stone magic. There is a magic of the desert-lands and one of the tundra-lands. Another is based upon plant life, like trees and such, from the forest-lands. That’s the form that the kid here is learning. In the end they are all the same in one way. The source of all power is life. Everyone knows this. Magic is merely a manipulation of the life-force in all of us and in all living things.”
Under the Shadow of Darkness: Book 1 of the Apprentice Series Page 6
