Choice

by Gary Stringer

  The Catalyst glanced at her druid friend and fellow student of magic, but Rochelle shook her head, declining the silent invitation. “By all means, the floor’s all yours.”

  “OK, I'll see what I can do,” Eilidh replied. Turning to the three Faerie, shesaid, “I'm going to need your help.”

  “Whatever you need,” Artemis promised.

  “It’s all about asking the right questions,” Eilidh said, mostly to herself. “Merlyn, these chaos creatures: did Niltsiar bring them from lots of different places?”

  “No,” Merlyn replied. “Just like Majaos has a great variety of life, so too does the chaos realm.”

  “Good,” Eilidh said. “That makes things easier. Ganieda, that trick you do with the door - that's some form of conveyance magic, I take it?”

  “Essentially, aye it is. Technically, it's called a portal.”

  “And when you step through the portal to the other side, where do you go?”

  “Wherever I wish to go.”

  “Anywhere on Majaos?”

  “And beyond.”

  “And beyond,” Eilidh repeated. “Good. Could you open a portal to the chaos realm?”

  “Easily done, but why?” “Because I plan to send them home,” Eilidh replied. “Am I right in saying that Niltsiar used similar magic to bring them here in the first place?”

  “Aye, that's right, but now that she's not holding her portals open, I can close them, no problem.”

  “You're ahead of me. Good.”

  “First time for everything, so there is!”

  Moving on swiftly, Eilidh turned to Artemis, and said, “You seem to have a bit of a way with Temporal magic, from what Rochelle tells me.”

  “It's a speciality of mine, yes.”

  “How much do you know about the Corridor network?”

  “I know everything about it,” he answered with pride. “I designed the Corridors.”

  “Perfect!” Eilidh enthused. “As you know, then, a magic door is built into the Corridor that leads here from the Maelstrom.”

  “The what?”

  “The Central Convergence, I mean,” she clarified.

  “Oh, the Maelstrom good name. Sorry, you were saying?”

  “The door requires a key to travel into this place, but not to leave, am I right?”

  “Quite right the door is designed to keep people out, not in.”

  “OK, now this is very important: What would it take to change the lock on the door?”

  “Change it how?”

  “Reverse it, so that anyone can walk in, but no-one can leave without the key.”

  “Isn't that a bit dangerous?” Merlyn objected. “There are plenty of ambitious mages who'd love to get their hands on the source of all magic!”

  “Not if there’s a million chaos creatures guarding it,” Eilidh argued.

  “Good point.”

  “Besides, Artemis can change the lock again later, I don't propose to keep it reversed indefinitely.”

  “Actually,” Artemis said, “I think I’ll put a lock on both sides. Just in case.” “OK then, here's the plan,” Eilidh said, reaching a conclusion. “Artemis changes the lock on the magic door. The chaos creatures are obviously attracted towards whatever device Z'rcona threw into the Maelstrom, so they'll head for it, but in doing so, they'll enter the Corridor and pass through the magic door that will now open easily. The Corridor leads them in here and the lock on the door prevents them from leaving. The only way out of here is one of Ganieda's portals, leading to the chaos realm - home. Their instinct, combined with having nowhere else to go, should be enough to drive them through the portal never to bother us again.”

  “That's going to create a massive disturbance in the Life Flow across the continent,” Merlyn warned. “While Ganieda's portal is open, it will anchor the Well of Life here, but when it closes, you'll no doubt find that your Maelstrom moves probably a very long way. Beyond Mythallen’s shores, I should think!”

  “The further the better,” Eilidh insisted. “That way, anyone wanti ng to find it will have to do so from scratch.” She turned to her researcher friend. “Rochelle, if the Maelstrom moved, would you be able to find it again?”

  “Well, it would involve finding all the Life Eddies again, which could be anywhere in the world, but if we could do that then yes, I should think so. With the help of the books.”

  “What if you didn't have the books?”

  “Not a chance - I can't remember all those complex equations and the proof from first principles was way over my head.”

  “In that case, I'm sorry Rochelle, but I'm going to have to ask you to destroy your notes and return the books.”

  The gnome nodded, sadly. “I understand.” She handed her magic bag to Ganieda. “I suppose you did borrow them from the Great Library in Merlyon,” Toli pointed out, “and they're probably overdue. Of course there isn't a library there to return them to anymore, in fact there isn't even a city, but still…”

  “Which brings me to my next point,” Eilidh put in. “Merlyn, in the absence of a library with a secret Tenth Tower, I would ask you to hide the books, just as Ganieda did last time. Hide them and place strict conditions on them being found. Just in case they're needed again someday.”

  “A wise decision,” Merlyn commended. “Now, I think we all have your instructions, so it's time for us to get to work, then you can let the Council in on your plan. Don’t forget: they'll need to make sure all the chaos creatures get in here. If any remain and start breeding, it will be almost impossible to get rid ofthem.”

  Eilidh nodded her understanding.

  The complex magic was going to take a while to prepare, but Eilidh and her companions were pleased when the three Faerie insisted they could work and talk at the same time.

  “Eilidh,” Ganieda called to the Catalyst, “When we’re done here, it will be goodbye, I'm afraid,” she told her, sadly.

  “You mean permanently?” Eilidh asked.

  “Aye,” Ganieda replied, regretfully. “In many ways, we made this world what it is, but we don't belong here.” Merlyn stood b y his wife both physically and metaphorically. “How could we stay? What would we do? We have no right to take control of the Council, but how could Gamaliel be an effective Prime Magus with us around? Every time he made a decision, people would ask, `What does Merlyn think about this? What’s Ganieda’s view?` How could any leader function like that?”

  “It was Kismet who first appeared to Merlyn, like an angel of magic, to show him this world, and he's done it again,” Artemis told them. “There are other worlds of magic out there,” Kismet explained, while playing with a yo -yo. Eilidh couldn’t shake the feeling that he probably had the whole world on a string…perhaps many worlds. “Each has their own unique manifestations of magic, peoples and problems. One in particular is in a similar state of magical stagnation to that which existed here in pre-Ancient times. That's why I wanted humans to come here with their drive, curiosity and restless determination.”

  “There won't be any humans this time - just the three of us Faerie,” Merlyn pointed out. “But perhaps a gentler approach will be best for all concerned, this time.”

  “In a way,” Ganieda put in, clinging to her beloved, “it will be just like starting over, so it will. Aye, and a chance to heal.”

  “That's why I'm going,” Artemis added. “According to Kismet, the combination of magic and nature there should have a healing effect on my mind, so in time Artisho will fade away. I think he'd like that.” They began making their farewells, then, but Eili dh caught Merlyn’s arm. “I understand you have to leave us to work things out for ourselves, but could you please just answer one question? Because there’s one thing I never worked out.”

  “Go on,” he encouraged.

  “All pure mages wear a specific colour according to their magical talents. Enforcers in black, war mages in red, magicians in beige, druids in green, and so on.”

  “Based on a system I devised,” Merlyn said
in agreement. “Reflecting the colours of the magical spectrum.”

  “I know. So why do you three wear gold?"

  "Because our auras are gold," Merlyn answered. Eilidh rolled her eyes. "I can see that! I mean, what kind of mages are you? I can understand the gold content acting as a partial magical shield, a mage's equivalent to wearing armour, but-” she broke off. "Hold on," she said. "How do you know your auras are gold?

  “Because we’re Catalysts, of course. That’s one of the things that upset Niltsiar.”

  “But Catalysts wear white and you use spells.”

  “True,” Merlyn replied.

  Ganiedarolled her eyes at her husband, “For shame, Wolf Boy, would you stop being cryptic with the poor girl!”

  Artemis shook his head in mock disbelief. “It comes to something when it’s left to old Artisho to give a straight answer, eh, Miss Ribbons?” He winked at Rochelle.

  “Oh I don’t know,” she returned. “I think I understood him pretty well.” “Yes, you did, didn’t you?" Artemis agreed with a warm smile. "Anyway, what Merlyn is singularly failing to explain is that we are all Archmage Catalysts who have mastered the use of magic from all the Life Arts.”

  “But that’s impossible!” Eilidh objected.

  “Impossible and forbidden,” Rochelle corrected her. “At least that’s what I was told.”

  “That doesn’t make any sense.”

  “That’s what I said, and it makes even less sense when you consider that you’ve already done it yourself!”

  “Me?” Eilidh was incredulous. “I can’t cast spells, I’m just a Catalyst.”

  “Oh really? Then how did we get inside the Maelstrom?” the druid asked, pointedly. “What was that if it wasn’t one enormous spell?” “It’s true,” Ganieda said, softly. “Think of the Life Flow Map, Eilidh. Your Secret of Life – Catalysts – are the beating heart at the centre of the flow of magic, uniquely connected to all other Secrets and the orders of magic that branch off from them.”

  Merlyn finished the lesson, saying, “Unlock the true language of magic and the Life Arts become one. Then a new revolution in magic can begin.”

  Ganieda nudged him. “Wolf Boy, you’re being cryptic again!”

  “I know, my love, but I do it so well. But enough,” he said. “Time to leave.”

  Eilidh and her friends said their final farewells, made their way into the Corridor, and travelled back to stand outside the Maelstrom.

  * * * * * The stench of death was overwhelming when they emerged from the Corridor, bombarding their starved physical senses as nature reasserted itself. Artemis had already altered the Life Flow of the Maelstrom - Eilidh could tell the difference. For the first time in the entire history of Majaos, the Well of Life was accessible to all.

  Callie spotted them immediately. She was overjoyed to see her friends emerge safely from the whirling mass of colour. She flew over to the Maelstrom to greet and guard them.

  When she called out, her friends looked up and were almost blinded by the sun reflecting off her scales, but she was a welcome sight.

  “Callie!” Eilidh shouted. “I need to talk to Gamaliel! Can you get me to him?” “Under the circumstances,” the silver-bluesapphire dragon called back, “I think it would be safer if I brought him to you! Just wait there!” With that, she sped off.

  “Wait here?” Eilidh grumbled with a hint of impatience. “Where does she think I'm going to go? Avidon?” Gamaliel wasn't too proud to be transported across the battlefield by dragon claw, there being nowhere safe for Callie to land. When Callie lowered him to the ground, Eilidh didn't mess around with protocol, she just came straight out with what she had to say. Every second she delayed might cost someone their life.

  “Niltsiar's dead,” she stated, flatly.

  “You did it then. Good,” Gamaliel replied with a calm that required every last bit of Enforcer control he had cultivated over the years. “How?”

  “No time. Doesn’t matter. Now, for my next trick I'm going to make all the chaos creatures disappear,” she said facetiously, once more losing control of her flip tongue. Gamaliel didn't concern himself with her tone. He had sent Eilidh on this quest for this very reason. In this, his position as leader of the Council of Magic meant nothing and he was ready to take instructions. “What must I do?” He asked, simply.

  “Retreat.”

  “What?” “Get everybody out of the way,” she insisted. “Look, it might not make military sense but it's the only way. The creatures want to get to the Maelstrom - that's their single-minded purpose now. They're only attacking you because you're in the way. So move aside before there’s any more needless death! This war was only ever window dressing, remember? Just a diversion while I dealt with Niltsiar. Well I dealt with her, so we don't need the diversion anymore, do we? Continuing this war now is utterly pointless. Please, Gamaliel. Trust me!”

  “Alright,” Gamaliel, accepted. “I'll trust you. I just hope you know what you're doing.”

  Eilidh hoped so, too, but right or wrong, her decision was based on sound reasoning; that was all she could ask of herself. Her hopes would not affect the outcome. The entire company withdrew a safe distance away, as ordered, to where the druids and clerics had set up their treatment centre. They watched as the massive horde disappeared as one into the Maelstrom from which they could never return. Eilidh felt a pang of sympathy for them as she stood with Phaer, Toli and Rochelle. Niltsiar had used the chaos creatures and the peoples of Majaos alike. The war had been necessary, of course: a gladiator might feel pity for the lion that had been starved, tortured and forced to fight, but that wouldn't stop him from killing it before it ripped out his throat. Still, it was a sad waste of life for both Majaos and the chaos realm.

  She advised the heads of the three factions of magic - Merlana, Drizdar and Gamaliel - to let the Knights of Paladinia stay behind alone to round up any stragglers and kill any that didn't want to go home. “Why the Knights?” the Supreme War Master asked, suspiciously.

  “Because, Master Drizdar, they won't be tempted to follow them to try and get their hands on the Well of Life.” “I like your thinking, Eilidh.” Gamaliel agreed. “Yes, this seems like a task for which the Paladins are ideally suited. It's just as well, actually. We need to convene a meeting of the Higher Council of Magic. The war may be over, but the hard work is only just beginning. The road ahead is long and difficult, but as with all journeys, it must begin with a single step.”

  “I understand,” Eilidh said. “You've got more important things to do than stand here with me. I'm sure Callie and Loric will give us a lift back to Shakaran.”

  “Back to that castle, built without magic?” Gamaliel shuddered.

  “You get used to it,” Eilidh assured him.

  “And you really want to go back there?”

  “Yes, I do. I have...” she paused in mild amazement at what she was about to say “...a good friend waiting for me there Mystaya.”

  “The Princess?” “Mystaya,” Eilidh insisted. “I'd like to see her, show her I'm alright. I just want to change, maybe add a little colour to my face, go for a walk around the grounds with my friend and indulge in a perfectly inconsequential girlie chat.”

  Phaer gave her a gentle nudge. “Who are you and what have you done with Eilidh?” he asked with a grin.

  Eilidh smiled back and took his hand.

  “I have to say I agree,” said Gamaliel. “Are you really the same young lady I grabbed off the street less than a year ago?”

  Eilidh shook her head. “No, of course not! I've changed. How could I not when the whole world has changed so much?”

  “I understand,” Gamaliel accepted, with a respectful bow of the head, “but if you wouldn't mind delaying your plans for a short while, I have an invitation to extend.”

  “An invitation?” Eilidh asked.

  “Yes,” Gamaliel said. “How would you like to see the new Council chambers? I think you'll find it interesting. Your three friends can come, to
o,” he added. Eilidh glanced at her trio of companions, who nodded, enthusiastically. “Very well, then,” said Gamaliel. “If you would move over that way a few yards from the crowd,” he pointed to his left, “we'll only need a moment to gather our fellow Higher Council mages and Catalysts, and then I'll execute a mass teleportation.”

  Not many mages could accomplish that - not many Catalysts could facilitate it. Gamaliel proposed to encompass more than forty Higher Council members and guests within a wide teleportation field and transport them all en masse to appear in their same relative positions elsewhere.

  It was not a complete compliment of the Higher Council that stood awaiting Gamaliel's pleasure. Some had inevitably lost their lives in the Battle of the Maelstrom. Promotion would doubtless be on the agenda of the emergency meeting, as they took steps to restore the constitution that was the form of all magic-related politics and government in Mythallen.

  They stood ready and with a nod to his Catalyst, the Prime Magus began to work his magic. The teleportation field was just beginning to form when suddenly, a young woman with flaming red hair jumped inside it, springing apparently out of nowhere.

  “Bunny!” Phaer exclaimed. “Surprise!” she sang, beaming all over her face.

  Epilogue

  It was one year to the day since the end of the Chaos War, as it was now called. The First Anniversary of the Battle of the Maelstrom. And today, Eilidh had made a decision. The Catalyst was sitting in the Great Hall that served as the throne room of Shakaran Castle. Great tapestries hung alongside stained glass windows, telling tales of great deeds from a glorious past - not that the present was any less glorious. As ever, the city crest hung from the ceiling to hover over the king's throne: a human-sized painted metalworking of a lamb, an owl and a lion in a descending line, gold on a purple background, and silver lettering that read, CALIMNI MENTUS VOLENTE meaning peace, diplomacy and war.

  Any other official city building in Mythallen would bear the words of Seal of the Council of Magic: Majaos y Natus , but this castle was the heart of Shakaran, which beat to an altogether different rhythm. In defiance of Merlyon's rich magic, Shakaran stood as its antithesis, and so the Castle had been built entirely without the use of any magic whatsoever. Eilidh found it somehow soothing, peaceful.