Mindbender

by David A. Wells

  “Not quite yet, Jataan,” Alexander said. “He may yet redeem his life.” Cassius’s face went white. “Sit him down and strap him to a chair.”

  Jataan walked him to a nearby chair with the blade to his throat. Anatoly handed Jataan a leather strap and went to work tying one of the Chancellor’s wrists to the arm of the chair. Once he was secure, Alexander regarded him with a grim expression for a long moment.

  “Lord Reishi, he doesn’t deserve to live,” Sofia said. “He helped people take my Evelyn. Such a thing is beyond evil. I can’t even explain the pain, fear, and horror I felt from worry for her life.”

  “I understand how you feel, Sofia, but it may serve a higher purpose to honor my offer, provided Cassius holds up his end of the bargain,” Alexander said.

  “I will. I’ll do whatever you want, just please don’t kill me,” Cassius pleaded, but Alexander could still see the dirty smudge of deceit in his colors.

  “Name the wizard who summoned Phane’s imp,” Alexander demanded.

  “Wizard Petronius,” he said quickly.

  “Impossible!” Mage Lenox said hotly. “I know Wizard Petronius. He’s no traitor.”

  Alexander turned to the mage. He’d been quiet all evening, even during the confrontation with Cassius.

  “Can you describe Wizard Petronius?” Alexander asked as he called Chloe from the aether. She buzzed into existence in a bright ball of light, then flitted over to land on the table a few feet from the mage. “Chloe has seen him and will be able to verify if we have the right man.”

  Mage Lenox frowned deeply but nodded his agreement. “Wizard Petronius is average height, slightly rotund with black hair and no beard. He customarily wears brown robes with a gold hem.”

  “That’s the man I saw,” Chloe said. “He crushed a small stone and the imp appeared a few moments later.”

  “Lady Chloe, I would not question your account, but Wizard Petronius has been a member of my order for many years,” Lenox said.

  Her dragonfly wings bobbled as she shrugged. “You described the man I saw.”

  “Did he have any more of the stones, Little One?”

  “Yes, My Love. He had a small pouch that appeared to contain several.”

  Alexander nodded with a grim smile, his decision made. “Mage Lenox, please escort us to the Wizards Guild. Abel, hold your brother here in the keep, quietly, until morning when we can convene the assembly and he can confess his crimes.”

  “What about him?” Abel asked, motioning to Cassius’s aid.

  Alexander turned to the aid. “Did you have any knowledge of the Chancellor’s treason?”

  “N . . . no,” he stammered. “I’m loyal to Ithilian.” His colors rang true.

  “Very well then, you will be the guest of the King for the evening,” Alexander said. “Once we’ve settled this matter, you will be released unharmed.”

  “I’ll see that his quarters are comfortable,” Abel said.

  “What are you going to do?” Cassius asked, his curiosity getting the better of his good sense.

  Alexander smiled with deliberate menace. “I’m going to hurt Phane the worst way I can at the moment.”

  It was well past dark when they arrived at the Wizards Guild, but mage Jalal was still up and reading quietly in his study. He was surprised to see so many people but happy to hear them out.

  “I have reason to believe that Wizard Petronius is in league with Phane,” Alexander said bluntly. “I’d like you to summon him here so that I may question him.”

  Mage Jalal thought the request over for several long moments. “I must say, I doubt your claim, but you would not have come to me with it unless you had good reason. I will do as you request. However, I have a condition. If he is a traitor, then the Wizards Guild will dispense justice.”

  “Very well,” Alexander said.

  While they waited for Wizard Petronius, they recounted the journey to Grafton for Mage Jalal. After nearly half an hour, there was a knock at the door and two men entered. The first was very young, from the look of his colors an apprentice who had yet to undergo the mana fast. The second was a wizard fitting the description Mage Lenox had given.

  “That’s the man I saw,” Chloe said in Alexander’s mind from her hiding place in the aether. “The little green pouch on his belt is where he got the stone for the summoning.”

  Wizard Petronius looked a little alarmed when he saw who was in the room but he schooled his expression and tried to remain calm.

  “May I ask the reason for your summons, Mage Jalal,” he said.

  “Lord Reishi has some questions for you,” Jalal said, nodding to Alexander.

  “How is it that you came to be in league with Phane?” Alexander asked, watching his colors carefully. They flared with alarm but rather than attempt to lie his way out of the predicament, he chose to attack.

  He started casting a spell as he raised his hand toward Alexander but stopped abruptly when Jataan, who had been standing next to the door behind him, slipped up and put a blade to his throat.

  “Wizard Petronius, I’d like to introduce Battle Mage Jataan P’Tal,” Alexander said. “No matter how quick you think you are, I assure you, he’s quicker.”

  Mage Jalal stood up, leaning heavily on his walking stick, and shook his head sadly. “You have been with our order for many years. Why would you betray us?”

  Petronius looked on the verge of panic.

  Mage Jalal peered into his eyes, then frowned deeply. “Perhaps it is not betrayal,” he said, then cast a spell with a few words and a hand to Petronius’s forehead, rendering him unconscious. Jataan lowered him to the floor.

  “What are you suggesting?” Alexander asked.

  “I believe he may be under the influence of a possession spell,” Jalal said. “I will need to do some work with him to be sure. It may take several hours.”

  Alexander knelt down and untied the little pouch from the wizard’s belt and dumped the contents onto the table. Five small stones scattered across the surface. Each was black as soot and shot through with cracks. They glowed slightly with an aura of dark magic.

  “Did he say anything when he broke the stone?” Alexander asked Chloe within his mind.

  “No, My Love,” she answered without speaking. “He put it on the floor and stomped on it. Nothing more.”

  Alexander picked up one of the stones and tossed it on the floor, then drew the Thinblade before stomping on the stone.

  “What’s your plan?” Anatoly asked.

  Before Alexander could answer, the air before him started to darken. The darkness swirled into a vortex and, with a thump, Kludge appeared.

  Its wings beat furiously to keep it afloat and its hateful eyes went wide when it saw Alexander smiling at it. Alexander brought the Thinblade up and through the horrible little creature, cleaving it in half from hip to shoulder. Both halves fell to the ground with a thud and the black blood that coursed through its veins flowed out onto the stone floor.

  “I suspect Phane’s going to be pretty upset about that,” Jack said with a chuckle.

  “More importantly, that little monster can’t run messages for him anymore,” Anatoly said with an approving smile.

  “It’s much more than that,” Jataan said. “He used his familiar to transport demons through the netherworld to any place in the Seven Isles. That was how he delivered the scourgling to your doorstep at Blackstone Keep.”

  “Well done, Alexander,” Lucky said with a broad smile.

  Alexander turned to Mage Jalal, who was watching with a mixture of distaste for the dead little monster and appraisal of Alexander.

  “Sorry about your floor,” he said with a shrug.

  Mage Jalal chuckled. “No matter. You’ve dealt a grievous blow to the enemy and I applaud you for it. I will investigate the circumstances surrounding our apparent betrayal by Wizard Petronius and send word of my findings.”

  By the time Alexander arrived at his rooms, he was dead tired. He felt jubilant at
having struck such a damaging blow against Phane but also slightly worried that he had just provoked him in a way that was so personal. Phane was an arch mage, after all. He may have been focusing his attention on other matters, but now Alexander had no doubt that he would direct all of his energy to the purpose of revenge.

  “Be wary, Little One,” he told Chloe as he readied for bed. “Phane will be more dangerous than ever now.”

  “I’m glad that little monster is dead,” she said. “It made my skin crawl.”

  ***

  Mage Lenox entered the dining hall midway through breakfast the next morning with Wizard Petronius close on his heels. Alexander and his friends were sharing the morning meal with Abel and his family as they discussed their next moves.

  Wizard Petronius stopped and faced the table, bowing humbly. “Lord Reishi, Lord Abel, Queen Sofia, and especially Princess Evelyn, you have my most sincere apologies for any part that I played in Phane’s plot against Ithilian.”

  Mage Lenox waved off a barrage of questions as he stepped up next to Wizard Petronius. “Please allow me to explain. Wizard Petronius was indeed under the influence of a possession spell. Mage Jalal succeeded in identifying the binding object, in this case a ring. With the help of several other wizards, we were able to sever the link between the binding object and Wizard Petronius, thereby undoing the spell and freeing him of Phane’s influence.”

  “That’s some pretty powerful magic,” Jack remarked.

  “Indeed it is,” Mage Lenox said. “The spell is cast over an item of fine craftsmanship. A complex potion is then concocted that requires a number of very rare ingredients. The target of the spell must be subdued and rendered unconscious. Then the item is placed on his person, the potion is forced down his throat, and a triggering spell is cast that activates the possession. When the subject awakens, he is given a set of goals. He will work toward those goals faithfully with all of the capabilities at his disposal.”

  “I don’t like that at all,” Alexander muttered.

  “Nor do we,” Wizard Petronius said. “Mage Jalal has ordered all members of the Wizards Guild to submit to an examination. Since he knows what he’s looking for, it will be a simple matter to determine if any others have been compromised.”

  “Can either of you cast the necessary spell to identify a possessed person?” Alexander asked.

  “I can,” Mage Lenox said.

  “I guess we’d better test Cassius before we parade him before the assembly,” Alexander said.

  Abel looked sharply at Alexander. Hope and concern mixed with wariness and distrust in his eyes but he nodded his agreement. It wasn’t long before two guards brought the Chancellor into the dining hall. He wore a calculating look and seemed to be scheming a way out of his predicament.

  Mage Lenox looked to Abel, who nodded his approval. He began casting the spell. Cassius watched with worry and curiosity. When Lenox shook his head, Abel sighed.

  “I was hoping you might be redeemed after all, Cassius. But it seems you have betrayed us of your own free will, unlike Wizard Petronius here.”

  “But he’s the one who came to me with Phane’s offer,” Cassius protested. “Surely he bears some guilt for his actions as well.”

  “He was under the influence of a spell that guided his actions against us,” Abel said. “You chose betrayal—he did not.”

  Later that morning as they filed into the well of the assembly hall, amid considerable muttering from the delegates in the gallery. Alexander surveyed the scene and saw a mixture of wariness and fear in the colors of the representatives of the various communities of Ithilian. Their concern heightened when the soldiers of Abel’s personal guard filed into the room and took up stations around the walls. The chamber fell deathly silent when Cassius entered in chains.

  Abel stepped up to the podium and surveyed the large round room. Light fell through the windows in the high domed ceiling and shone brightly on the marble pillars.

  “Delegates, I have called you here this morning to reveal the treachery of my brother, Cassius Ithilian.” He paused to let the statement sink in but not long enough that the long-winded delegates could start talking.

  “Wizard Petronius, under the influence of a possession spell, enlisted my brother’s assistance in the abduction of my daughter Evelyn. Cassius then worked to provide information about our intentions to Prince Phane. I am satisfied of his guilt, but this is an extraordinary situation that our system of governance is ill-prepared to accommodate. It is for that reason that I have brought him before you, so that you may hear his confession for yourselves.”

  With that he stepped aside and nodded to the two men escorting Cassius to lead him to the podium. He looked all around like an animal caught in a cage. Alexander saw the colors of fury and desperation play across his aura and knew that he would not relinquish power easily. When he reached the podium, he seemed to come to a decision and his demeanor calmed.

  “Fellow delegates, I have been wrongly accused. My brother lusts for even more power. He is spreading lies to discredit me and this honorable institution in the hopes of seizing total power for himself.”

  Abel started to move toward his brother but Alexander stopped him with a look.

  Emboldened, Cassius continued. “I have served Ithilian faithfully for my entire life and I demand that our laws be obeyed. I am innocent and willingly submit to an investigation by the office of the constable. But, I must also insist that my brother submit to an investigation as well. He has held me against my will,” he raised the shackles on his wrists to emphasize the point, “and that is a crime that cannot go without scrutiny.”

  Cassius seemed to hit his stride. Phony passion and conviction oozed from him as he basked in the attention of his country’s most influential people.

  “Our system depends on the rule of law. Exceptions cannot be made for any man or woman no matter their station or title. How can we expect our citizens to obey a law that we of the highest rank ignore? We cannot. The law is the law and it must be enforced.

  “Sadly, I must report another crime. One committed by Alexander Reishi, kin of the most murderous tyrant to ever walk the Seven Isles. He led a force of foreigners to the Province of Grafton, where he murdered the Governor of Grafton. Such crimes cannot go unpunished. They must not be tolerated, no matter the claim of station made by the perpetrators.

  “We stand at a crossroads. Will Ithilian hold to our noble principles and obey the rule of law or will we succumb to the dreadful pressure to do what is expedient rather than what is right? I beg you to choose honor and law over thuggery and the tyranny of the powerful.

  “I implore you, call in the constable and let us resolve these serious allegations properly—with evidence, a jury, and due process.” He hung his head in feigned sorrow as he finished his impassioned plea.

  Alexander saw the colors of triumph and exhilaration wash over the Chancellor and also saw that many in the chamber were in agreement with him. Deception was the most dangerous weapon on the battlefield, even if no blood would ever be spilled. Cassius Ithilian was a masterful deceiver.

  The room broke out in murmurings as the delegates began discussing what they had just heard. It took several moments for one of them to realize that no one had stepped forward to speak for the assembly. The delegate who took the initiative puffed up with self-importance before he spoke.

  “Lord Abel, this is most irregular. I am inclined to agree with the Chancellor and I must request that his shackles be removed immediately. You of all people know we are governed by the rule of law and it must be obeyed by all. I move that the constable be summoned to investigate the charges that have been leveled here today.”

  “I second,” another delegate said over the din of the crowd.

  “All in favor?” the first said, followed by a chorus of “Aye!”

  “All opposed?” he said. The room fell silent.

  Abel looked a little worried. The assembly was playing into Cassius’s hands but Alexand
er didn’t care. He had known it would probably come to this and he welcomed the opportunity to make a demonstration.

  As he approached the podium, Cassius gave him a look of triumph that faltered when he saw the golden anger glittering in his eyes. With a flinch, Cassius stepped aside and gave Alexander the floor.

  He gazed across the gallery and took in the colors of the delegates. Most were corrupt or self-serving. All knew that the status quo protected them and any change to a different process of dispensing justice, especially against one of their own, would be a threat to their power, not to mention to their wealth and freedom.

  Alexander knew that many in the room were political allies of the Chancellor and stood to lose influence themselves if the balance of power were altered. He didn’t care about their balance of power. The room grew silent under his withering glare. When the delegates started to fidget nervously, he began.

  “Cassius Ithilian is a liar and a traitor. I know this because I have seen him associate with Prince Phane’s imp familiar. He provided the enemy information about our battle plans. Can I prove this to your satisfaction? No, but then you have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.

  “I know that he is a traitor because I have heard the account of his treachery offered by Wizard Petronius, who while under the influence of dark magic, colluded with Cassius Ithilian to facilitate an invasion of your homeland by a hostile enemy force. Would his testimony persuade you? No, but then your power is at stake in this matter.

  “I know that he is a traitor because I have heard him confess his crimes. He admitted that he conspired to abduct Princess Evelyn. He admitted that he provided Phane with our battle plans. He revealed the participation of Wizard Petronius in the plot, leading us to summon and then kill Phane’s familiar. Would the corpse of the demon that Phane used to deliver orders to his agents all around the Seven Isles convince you of these allegations? No, but then you don’t want to be convinced.

  “You are on trial here as much as Cassius Ithilian.”