Finally, Chao planted both of his feet in a wide stance and held up his fan. He beckoned with his free hand at something unseen and sang a final phrase. The watchers could only make out the word 'Ellas' in his speech and they waited in nervous anticipation.
Chao stood immobile, his face expressionless and his fan dripping with sparks. A sudden gust of wind whipped through the room, slapped everyone around their heads and faces and dissipated again.
“And here you are again, seeking my help,” a disembodied voice said.
It was very high-pitched and sounded like a mouse given the ability to speak.
“I am, Ellas,” Chao said in a friendly tone. “You know how much I value your talents.”
“I know how much you benefit from them, that is true,” the voice scoffed. “But where is the gain for me, hmm? What do I get out of this collaboration? Nothing! I exert myself every time I return to your wretched world and leave exhausted when I am done. Why should I continue this nonsense, tell me that!”
Liliana listened, concerned that this mysterious sprite appeared unwilling to help them, until Lei leaned closer and whispered in her ear.
“Chao goes through this with her every time,” he said with a small grin. “I'm convinced that it's a game they like to play. She pretends to be indifferent to him and he flatters and cajoles her until she reluctantly gives in and agrees to help, one last time. I've seen it played out a dozen times now, so don't worry; she will aid us in the end.”
“I hope you're right,” the paladin replied quietly. “Because, quite frankly, without her help we may never find Simon.”
They all watched and listened as Chao and the still-unseen Ellas continued with their verbal jousting; the sprite slowly allowing herself to be convinced to answer the man's call and the conjurer constantly flattering her. It was an enthralling exchange to witness.
“Fine then,” Ellas finally said with a dramatic sigh. “I will come to your aid, but this is the very last time! Never call upon me again; I am very busy with concerns of my own.”
Lei winked at Liliana.
“Told you so,” he muttered.
She smiled back and focused on his brother again.
Chao slipped his fan into his sash and then held up his hand, extending one finger as if waiting for a bird to land on it.
From the ceiling, a small oval formed, made of deep green light. A distant call of birds and strange, unidentified animals resounded around the room. And then the oval flashed brightly as a small creature flitted through it, moving in the same jerky, darting way that hummingbirds flew.
The hum of rapidly flapping wings accompanied the entrance of the sprite and the oval vanished as Ellas descended to land on Chao's finger.
“And here I am again, back in this drab, boring world,” she squeaked. “Ugh. How I allow you to talk me into this time after time is beyond me, human.”
The tiny figure of the sprite was beautiful enough to make some of those watching smile in delight. She looked like a tiny human woman, slim and delicate, with long greenish hair that swirled down to her waist. She was wearing a gown of silver and gold and growing out from between her shoulders were gorgeous wings that were as large and elaborate as those of a butterfly. She truly looked like a fairy out of a storybook.
“Oh, she's beautiful,” Sylvie exclaimed in delight.
The sprite looked around at her and flitted from Chao's finger across the room to hover in front of the mage.
“Do you really think so?” she asked coyly in her high-pitched voice. “Because you certainly are pretty, for a human that is.”
“Oh, I truly do,” Sylvie said sincerely. “You look like someone out of a tale and I am so happy that you have chosen to lend us your aid.”
Ellas looked delighted with the mage's compliments and turned around to look back at Chao.
“You see, human?” she said as she pointed at Sylvie. “If you were half as nice to me as this lovely lady here, I would not hesitate to answer your call.”
She looked at the woman with a sly smile.
“Men,” she said. “They are all the same, are they not?”
Sylvie chuckled.
“They can be. But Chao is a good person, even so.”
“Yes, yes, I suppose he is.”
Ellas flitted forward and patted Sylvie's cheek.
“We must have a chat later, hmm?” she said warmly. “I have not had a chance to speak with a woman in many ages and I think that it will be refreshing to converse with one again.”
“That would be lovely,” Sylvie agreed. “My sister and I would be pleased to talk to you whenever you wish.”
She nodded at Veronique and Ellas looked at her and her smile widened.
“Oh my, she is lovely as well. Yes, we shall speak later. Now, Chao,” she said, using the conjurer's name for the first time. “What task are you seeking help with?”
Chao walked over to the table and sat down. Tamara handed the atlas down the table and he took it and extended it toward Ellas.
The sprite flew over to him and stared at the book. She raised a delicate eyebrow as her brilliant wings beat so fast that they were just a blur of movement and color.
“You wish me to read something?” she asked sarcastically. “A bedtime story perhaps? The gods know my people are in enough of them.”
Chao, unruffled by her tone, shook his head.
“No Ellas. I would like you to try to tell us about the man who last used this book. He is a friend of ours and a powerful wizard. He's gone missing and we are, quite frankly, desperate to find him.”
He laid the atlas down on the table and the sprite looked at it speculatively.
“I see. A wizard, is it? Hmm. His name would not be Simon O'Toole perchance, would it?”
“You know of my master?” Kronk blurted out.
The little guy and Aeris were both standing on the table next to Tamara and the sprite appeared to notice them for the first time.
“Elementals? Here? How wonderful!”
Ellas flew down the table in a blur of speed and hovered before the pair. Even next to the foot-tall elementals, she looked tiny and fragile.
“You are servants of this wizard?” she asked as she looked at them both with interest.
“Yes,” Kronk said.
“Well, we work for him,” Aeris said, ignoring the earthen's glare. “He doesn't like to use the word servant to describe us.”
“That is true,” the earthen said slowly. “But we serve him nonetheless. You have heard of him?”
“Oh my, yes. All of my people watch this realm with interest. Your master is a power on this world, a shaper of destinies. A wind of change that is sweeping across the land. Why, every move he makes changes this world's future course. How could we not know of him?”
“He doesn't really seem that important to me,” Aeris said, sounding puzzled.
“Perhaps when he returns, our master should think about sending you home and replacing you with someone who is less cynical and more loyal?” Kronk growled at him. “It would be a refreshing change, I think.”
Aeris returned his glare.
“I just meant...”
He was interrupted by a burst of laughter from Ellas.
“Oh, I like you two. You sound more like siblings than elementals from different realms. It is amusing. But you are incorrect, Aeris is it? Yes, well, you are mistaken to think that the wizard is not important. My people are gifted with the Sight and, let me tell you all,” she spun in a slow circle to look at the watching humans around the table, “if Simon O'Toole dies before his tasks are done, your race will not survive. Of that, I am very sure.”
More than one of those seated around the table paled at her pronouncement.
“Then help us, Ellas,” Chao asked her. “Help us to locate him so that does not happen.”
“Yes, of course I will” she said and flew back to him. “To have such an important task to perform is refreshing for a change. So much more interesting t
han those mundane chores you've had me do for you in the past.”
The conjurer, perhaps wisely, held his tongue and simply indicated the atlas before him.
“So, the book,” she said as she landed in front of it. “Very well. Let us see what it can tell us.”
She knelt down and laid her tiny hands on the atlas. Her butterfly-like wings opened behind her and covered her like a colorful cape.
Ellas closed her eyes and began humming a quiet tune that rose and fell with a sound not unlike that of a distant violin. It was enthralling to listen to and the others around the table were captivated by it, listening and watching the sprite as if frozen in place.
No one was sure just long the sprite spent working her magic on the atlas. Eventually she stopped humming but kept her eyes closed as she spoke imperiously to Chao.
“Write down these page numbers and coordinates,” she ordered. “Hurry! The knowledge is fading quickly.”
“Go ahead, Ellas,” Sebastian told her as he picked up a pencil. “I'm ready.”
She rattled off a list of numbers, book pages and longitude and latitude coordinates, and then opened her eyes and stood up.
“The wizard used this book to seek out six locations. Why he did so is a mystery to me, but that much is clear. What happened after that and which sets of coordinates he used is unknown. I leave you to decide on your next move.”
She flapped her wings rapidly and rose up to hover at eye level to Chao.
“My task is done. I have succeeded and may return to my realm when I choose to do so. Do you agree?”
She spoke in a formal tone and apparently needed the conjurer to acknowledge that her deed was done.
“You have, Ellas,” he said warmly. “In fine fashion. You may leave whenever you wish, with my thanks.”
“Your thanks mean little to me, human,” she said with a sniff.
She looked over her shoulder at Sylvie and Veronique.
“However, if those two lovely ladies will chat with me for a time, I will consider myself well rewarded for my efforts and will be more inclined to aid you in the future.”
The mages both smiled and Sylvie waved the sprite over to them.
“We would love to talk, Ellas,” she said. “But first, if you would be patient with us, we need to set out a strategy to search for our missing friend.”
“Of course, of course,” the sprite told her as she flew over to join the sisters. “I have all the time in the world. I am my own master, unlike those two,” she indicated the elementals with a wave of her hand, “and may come and go as I wish.”
Aeris looked like he was about to object, but Kronk muttered something under his breath and the air elemental subsided, glowering at the sprite.
“Thank you, Ellas,” Veronique told her gratefully. “Chao, any luck?”
The summoner was leafing through the atlas, searching for coordinates that matched the ones that Ellas had given them. Tamara had stood up and moved down the table to stand next to him. She was holding up the list of numbers and Chao kept glancing at them as he skimmed through the book..
“Yes, some. Egypt? Why Egypt?” he said, sounding mystified.
“My master mentioned that country once,” Kronk told them from the opposite end of the table. “He wanted to visit some ancient buildings one day; the pyramids, I believe they are called?”
“That sounds like something Simon would want to see,” Tamara said with a fond smile. “Keep going, Chao. You find them and I'll write the locations down next to their coordinates.”
“Right. Let's see now...”
When they were finished, Tamara looked down the table at the group and read off their results.
“Simon may have visited any of these locations: The pyramids in Egypt, the Grand Canyon in Colorado, the Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia or Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Why he made these choices is anyone's guess, but these are the coordinates that Ellas discovered.”
“It sounds like he wanted to make a grand tour of the more significant sites around the world,” Liliana mused. “Easy enough for a person who can cast Gate to explore them. But to go alone, in these times? A very rash move for someone as level-headed as Simon.”
“He can be impulsive on occasion, lady paladin,” Aeris told her, ignoring Kronk's offended growl. “Having as much power as a wizard does, I have seen much older spell-casters in the ancient times lose themselves to their gifts and act impulsively.”
He hesitated and added, “It did not alway end well.”
“Aeris!” Kronk said, appalled.
The air elemental shrugged.
“It's the truth,” he told the little guy. “As much as I hate to say it, it happened more often than you might imagine.”
More than one member of the group was nodding thoughtfully.
“I think, were he to try, that Simon could probably level a good-sized town all by himself,” Aiden told them. “Basically the power of a god in the hands of a man; I could see someone feeling a bit bulletproof with that kind of talent.”
“My master is not like that,” Kronk protested. “I am sorry, sir warrior, but he has the least amount of ego of any wizard that I have ever known. He certainly does not think of himself as a god! Quite the reverse, actually.”
“I didn't say he did, my friend,” Aiden assured him. “But we are all mortal here, and all of us came from a world where we had many limitations. Those limits no longer apply, especially to Simon. Add in the fact that he was an older man before the Change and is now young and strong? That might make him, not cocky, but perhaps a little too self-reliant when it comes to his own safety.”
Kronk considered the man's words and nodded slowly.
“Well sir, put like that, you may have a point. But as you have said, my master is very powerful. What could overcome a wizard like him?”
“Who knows?” Tamara said, looking around the table. “But if something out there is that strong, we'd better be damned careful when we go in search for him.”
“Speaking of which,” Malcolm said as he stood up. “Shouldn't we get going? Simon's been missing for over a day now and we're just sitting here. Let's move our asses, people.”
Kronk nodded vigorously but Aiden stood up as well and put a firm hand on his partner's shoulder.
“Easy there, big fella,” he said as he gave Malcolm a little shake. “We have to get organized first. Plus, are you thinking of heading out into the great unknown dressed like that?”
Both of the men were wearing simple tunics and leather pants, and neither was armed.
“Shouldn't we, I don't know, get into our armor first?” Aiden asked with a grin.
“Oh. Right. Yeah, that's probably a good idea.”
Malcolm looked a little embarressed and shrugged at Tamara.
“Sorry, I'm just a bit worried, that's all.”
“We all are, Malcolm. Why don't you two go ahead and get changed and, in the meantime, we'll decide who gets to go where. All right?”
“Sounds good. We'll be back soon.”
Lei stood up as the warriors left the hall and looked over at his brother.
“I will change as well. Chao, find out where along the Great Wall the wizard wanted to go; we're both familiar with large sections of it and I vote for us to be the ones to search for him there.”
Without waiting for a reply, the paladin left through the same door as Malcolm and Aiden. His brother watched him leave with a fond smile.
“He's always been a bit impetuous,” he told the others. “But Lei has a point. We walked parts of the Great Wall many times back in the old days and I would say that our familiarity with it might help in the search for Simon O'Toole.”
“Agreed,” Tamara said as she made a note on her slip of paper. “It's too bad that you can't cast Gate, Chao, but that means that a mage will have to go with you. Any volunteers?”
“I would love to see the Great Wall,” Sylvie said quickly.
“And if you would come with us,” she said to Ellas, “we could have a chance to chat and look for our friend at the same time.”
“Oh, that's a lovely idea!” the sprite said enthusiastically. “And I could help you in your task as well. I'm quite good at looking for things and,” she did a graceful flip in midair, “I can fly. It might be useful on your search.”
Tamara nodded at them and made another notation on her list.
“Okay, that's settled then. Sylvie will Gate Chao and Lei to the coordinates on the Great Wall and Ellas will accompany them. So team one is decided. Next?”
“I've never been to Egypt,” Liliana mused. “I'd love to see the pyramids. Any of you mages want to tag along?”
“I'll go,” Sebastian said and winked at her. “I always feel safer with an experienced fighter watching my back.”
His sister hesitated before writing down their names on her list.
“Very well. Just don't do anything stupid, Bastian. You're the only brother I've got and I'd like to have you back in one piece.”
He just waved off her concern with a quiet chuckle.
“I may be your little brother, but I'm all grown up, Tammy. I'll be fine.”
Tamara gave him a long look.
“All right, that's team two decided. Who's next?”
“If he is amenable, I would like to take Malcolm with me to the Grand Canyon,” Veronique volunteered. “You will need one of them with you, Tamara and, while I am fond of Aiden, Malcolm always makes me smile. He has quite a quirky sense of humor.”
“Can't argue with that,” Tamara replied dryly. “But why the Grand Canyon?”
“Mostly because I never made it to the States back in the old days. So I consider this my chance. Besides, I've heard that it's a wonder to behold.”
“Okay, if he agrees, then you and Malcolm are team three. Which leaves me and Aiden. I've been to Paris, years ago, but I wouldn't mind seeing the Eiffel Tower again.”
She frowned at a sudden thought.
“I wonder if the bloody dragons tore it down on the Night of Burning? Damn, that will be depressing. Anyway, that makes up the last team. I'd prefer that Barnaby and the others remain here; we can't leave the castle totally undefended for any length of time. The guards are well trained, thanks to Malcolm and Aiden, but they will always need magical backup.”
The Queen of Dragons (Tales from the New Earth Book 8) Page 10
