Next time I say three, Rick, said Nickelo, please give me credit for knowing what I’m talking about.
Fine, Nick, Richard said as he began reloading his M12 and resupplying his grenades. Give me a Power reading.
You have a whopping four point six percent Power left in your reserve, said Nickelo. Don’t waste it.
Richard didn’t know what a ‘whopping’ was, but he assumed the word meant small.
His heads-up display flickered, and he got a view of the surroundings from the drone.
The orcs are no longer a threat, said Nickelo. I am transferring the video data onto the tactical display of your heads-up unit.
Richard saw bright yellow dots appear on the display. He estimated there were about fifty of them scattered all around. They were generally headed in a northerly direction. Between Richard and the children was a red dot surrounded by a tightly-bunched group of ten yellow dots.
Another magic user, Richard said. How the heck did he slip past us?
I don’t think he or she did, said Nickelo. I have a feeling that’s the stay-behind-ambush you were concerned about. I’m not sure if they were in the same spot, but they were out there somewhere waiting.
Richard began running back towards the road and the children’s location. As he ran, he heard a female shout, “Wait. We need to talk to you.”
Richard kept running. He had to get to the kids. The gnomes could wait.
Chapter 15 – The Gnome Priestess
____________________________________
The reunion with the children was anti-climactic. The orcs and even the magic user had passed them by without stopping to investigate. Either they had not spotted the children, or they were too worried about what might be behind them to care. In any regard, the children were safe.
“We saw part of the battle on the drone’s video display,” said Brachia. “I wanted to go help you fight, but Dren wouldn’t let me.”
“I know you’d have helped me if you could, Brachia,” Richard said. “But Dren did right. You gave me the information I needed by flying the drone. We couldn’t have done it without you. Right, Nick?”
“Oh, most definitely oh wisest of wizard scouts,” said Nickelo with an accompanying snicker. “Oh, yeah, and I’d advise lowering your stealth shield back to its lowest level. You need to start recharging your Power reserve again.”
“Roger, Nick,” Richard said as he switched over his shield. “What’s the gnomes’ location now?”
“They are still headed this way, Rick,” said Brachia. “They have that other person with them as well. They should be coming out onto the road up by that bend in just a little bit.”
Richard hurried the children along until they were at the bend in the road. He told Brachia to put the drone back on auto-pilot. Nickelo sent it a command to begin a recon of the area along the road heading to the west. If they were going to go to the Oracle’s location, and he had a feeling they were, he did not want any more surprises along the way.
When the white dots representing the gnomes and the red-dot prisoner got within fifty meters of the road, Richard hollered, “That’s far enough. I don’t want to hurt you. But until I know your intent, I’ll do what I need in order to protect my party.”
“We certainly mean you no harm stranger,” replied the female. “But, I don’t plan on having a conversation shouting in the dark. I’m old, and I’m tired, and my friend is hurt. We’re coming in. You do what you think is best. However, we do not intend you any harm.”
The dots on the heads-up display began moving again.
“Suggestions?” Richard asked Nick and the children. No one offered any.
Richard said, “Okay. Get on the other side of the road kids and take cover behind that log. Your night-vision goggles should allow you to see enough to keep my flanks covered. And, keep a sharp lookout behind you to make sure someone with a stealth shield doesn’t sneak up on you.”
“But –,” started Dren.
“No buts,” Richard said. “Let me check them out first, Dren. Keep your blaster handy, and make sure you don’t accidentally shoot me.”
Dren didn’t argue anymore. However, as the children walked towards the other side of the road, Richard heard her say, “If I ever shoot you, you can darn well bet it won’t be by accident. I can promise you that.”
Tough girl, isn’t she? Nickelo said privately.
Good for her, Richard said. Life can be pretty harsh. Both those kids are going to need to be tough.
“We’re coming out,” said the female. “We mean no harm. We’ve got a prisoner with us, so don’t get fireball happy.”
Dropping to one knee, Richard aimed his M12 at the location in the brush where his passive scan indicated three lifeforms were located. Within a few seconds, a tall human male followed by two small figures stepped out onto the road.
Richard eyed the newcomers. The human male was dressed in a long flowing robe. He had a blank look on his face. He also walked with a distinct shuffle. The two figures behind the man were only a little higher than the human’s waist. Richard assumed they were gnomes. The male had scraggily hair and an ill-kept beard that came down to his chest. His right forearm had a bloody bandage on it. The female was slightly shorter than her gnome companion. Her long hair came down to her waist. She carried a meter-long piece of wood in each hand. The wood was cracked and blackened. A gem of some sort was at the end of one of the pieces of wood. The gnome female looked very old. In fact, both the gnomes looked old.
Richard did not relax. He could sense their Power reserves. Even after the long battle, their reserves were still over three quarters full. His reserve, on the other hand, was at less than five percent. If this was a trick, and the other three decided to attack, he would be hard pressed to defend himself and the kids.
The female must have sensed Richard’s concern.
“You just killed three mages and over a hundred of their allies,” said the gnome female. “If anyone should be worried, it should probably be us.”
Richard didn’t answer.
“Ah, I see,” said the female. “You suspect a trick of some kind. Is that why your two friends are hiding behind that log?”
Richard hesitated for a couple of seconds before saying, “Come on out kids. But stay behind me.”
Dren and Brachia rose from their hiding place and took up a position behind Richard. He noticed Dren had her blaster at the ready.
“Ah,” said the female. “Your companions are children. We were only expecting you, but your friends are welcome, as are you.”
Pointing to the male gnome, the female said, “This bedraggled specimen of a gnome is Samanestra, and I am Remozorz, High Priestess of the Lady of the Tree.”
Richard stayed silent.
Rick, said Nickelo privately. Initial meetings are always dangerous. You know that. I calculate an eighty-four percent probability this is the one you seek. So, try to be a little polite. If things work out, maybe we can finish this mission quickly and return home.
“My name is Richard, and these are my wards, Dren and Brachia.”
“Well met, Mistress Dren and Master Brachia,” said Remozorz, “as well as you, wizard scout.”
A little taken aback, Richard said, “Why do you call me a wizard scout?”
“Your coming was foretold, Wizard Scout Richard,” said Remozorz. “The Oracle directed that I wait for you at the ruins of Greatch. The Oracle also told me that you would help us find that which we seek in our hour of need.”
Richard knew from experience that thinking fast was not something he excelled at. He needed time to absorb information. The information was coming much too fast for his liking at the moment. He decided to slow things down to give himself time to think.
“Why don’t we just leave it at simple introductions for now,” Richard said. “We can get into the whys and wherefores later.”
“As you say,” said Remozorz. “It is probably not wise to tarry so close to the site of our battle.
Our main camp is about a two hours walk west if you would care to accompany us. We can talk along the way if you are willing.”
“Who is at your camp,” Richard asked suspiciously. “And, what about this one here?” he said pointing to the human magic user. “What are you going to do with him?”
“The remainder of our party is at the camp,” said Remozorz. “We are a small contingent of gnomes and elves. The Oracle advised that only I and a single companion should wait for you at the ruins. As for this one here,” she said nodding at her prisoner, “he is one of the Northern Mages, and he is under Samanestra’s spell. He will be meek enough until we reach the rest of our party. One of the elves at our camp is skilled in interrogation spells. He will soon discover why servants of the Northern Mages are so far to the south of their army.”
Nick, Richard said privately. What do you think?
We’ve been seeking her for the last few days, said Nickelo. I don’t think we have much choice if we want to get back home. Also, I think you pretty much made your decision when you decided to help her in the battle.
“Kids,” Richard said. “Do you feel up to walking for a couple more hours?”
“Will we get to see some elves?” said Brachia. “Mommy used to read stories about elves to me.”
“They wouldn’t be the same kind of elves, Brachia,” said Dren. “You need to grow up.”
“I’m only six,” said Brachia. “And I am grown up. I’m taller than they are,” he said pointing to the two gnomes.
“So you are, my young friend,” said Samanestra. “What makes your size even more impressive, Master Brachia, is that Remozorz and I are considered tall among our kin.”
“See,” said Brachia sticking out his tongue at his sister.
“That’s enough, kids,” Richard said. “I’ll take that as a yes about the walking.”
“Lead the way,” Richard said to Remozorz. “I’m anxious to get a lay of the land.”
* * *
Although the gnomes were short, they kept a fast pace. Richard had a feeling they would have gone a lot faster if not for the children. While Dren and Brachia were very hardy for their ages, the last few days had taken a toll on their stamina. After about fifteen minutes, Remozorz, slowed the pace down to an easy walk.
“Those are strange devices you wear, children,” said Remozorz. “Do they help you see at night?”
“Yes,” said Dren.
She took off her goggles and handed them to the gnome. These were not the bulky, antique goggles. They were the top-of-the-line civilian models used by big game hunters.
The gnome held the goggles up to her eyes and looked through them.
“Ah, yes,” she said with a smile. “They are every bit as good as my own night vision.” Remozorz handed the goggles back to Dren. “Thank you.”
Looking over at Richard, Remozorz said, “You do not ask many questions, wizard scout. Most humans would have been bombarding me with questions by now.”
“I figured you’d tell me what I need to know before long,” Richard said. “I’m still trying to sort out what you’ve told me so far. And, just to keep things honest and above board, I’m not a wizard scout. I’m just a cadet in training.”
“Ah,” said Remozorz, “then I can only wonder how powerful you will be once you are fully trained. May I ask how long you have been in our land?”
“This is the evening of the sixth day,” Richard said. “May I ask what land we are in?”
Remozorz laughed. “You are a cautious one, wizard scout. I have a feeling what’d you’d really like to know is what planet you’re on. Am I right?”
“You seem to know a lot about me, Remozorz,” Richard said suspiciously. “You don’t seem at all surprised by my armor and weapons. Nor do you seem unduly impressed with the children’s equipment. Why is that? And, yes, I would like to know the name of this planet.”
“The name of our world is Portalis,” said Samanestra taking the lead from Remozorz. “And, unlike Remozorz, I am definitely curious about your armor. I saw you take a direct hit by a fireball, but yet your armor appears undamaged. What does it use for insulation? And, the visor of your helmet does not appear solid. Is it a spell of some kind? Also, the weapon you’re –”
“Enough, already,” said Remozorz with an easy laugh. “Samanestra, I knew once you got started, you would not be able to stop. That’s why I said I should do the talking.”
“Sometimes you take too long to get to the point,” said Samanestra as he gave a wink to Dren and Brachia. “You children watch closely, and I’ll show you how it’s supposed to be done. Like I was saying, our world is called Portalis in the common tongue.”
“That means ‘of the portal’ in Latin,” said Brachia. “That’s a language on a planet in our dimension called Earth. It’s one of our root worlds.”
“Please don’t interrupt, Mr. Sam,” said Dren. “It’s not polite.”
“That’s quite alright, Master Brachia,” said Samanestra. “I like someone who is inquisitive. It reminds me of me. Also, I guess my name is a little hard to pronounce. Sam might be a little easier on your tongue. My mother used to call me Sam. But, please don’t put the Mister in front of it. You’ll make me feel old.” As he said this, he waved his long white beard and laughed.
“Alright, Sam,” said Dren as she laughed along with the gnome. “But, you will have to stop putting the master in front of our names as well.”
“Agreed,” said Samanestra. “Now, let’s get back to my story. Our world is Portalis, and you are on the continent of Slyvrastra. The northern part of the continent is inhabited mostly by wild tribes and, of course, the Northern Mages. The south is controlled by the Slyvrastran elves. The central area is claimed by the humans. At one time, the entire continent belonged to the Slyvrastran elves. However, that was many years ago. Each year, the humans encroach a little further into the lands of others. They have even started building towns in the mountains to the west which has traditionally been the home of the dwarves and the gnomes. Even the Slyvrastran elves are hard pressed to the south. So far, a major war between the elves and the humans has been avoided, but with the current trouble, I’m not sure that will be true much longer.”
“Why is that?” Richard said. If the politics of this world had anything to do with his mission, he definitely wanted to know about it.
“Because the refugees are running for their lives,” said Remozorz. “If the Northern Mages’ undead army makes it to the south, the people will enter the elves’ forests. Regardless of the circumstances, the truce will be broken, and there may well be war between our races.”
“We were told an army of elves, dwarves, and humans combined forces to attack the undead army,” said Dren. “Doesn’t that make them allies?”
“You left out the gnomes,” said Samanestra. “And, no, that does not make them allies. Although the immediate threat from the necromancer’s army was to the humans in the north, only a small contingent of humans participated in the battle. We were there, and our army was slaughtered. Even the magic of the elves was no match for the evil forces that were arrayed against us. We destroyed many of the undead. But each time one of our soldiers fell in battle, they would rise up and join the fight on the side of the enemy. We almost succeeded in penetrating to the center of their encampment. However, the necromancer himself rallied his forces, and we were pushed back. If Remozorz had not challenged the necromancer and held him at bay, none of our army would have survived. You should have seen her, children. She was glorious in battle. Her faith was an inspiration to us all, and the undead shrank back in fear. Nothing could stand against her.”
“Nay,” said Remozorz with a voice barely above a whisper. “If only what you say were true, Samanestra.” She stopped walking and looked at Richard. “I will not lie to you, wizard scout. My faith was weak. It was only the Power of the staff of the High Priestess of the Lady of the Tree which held the necromancer at bay. And, even its Power was almost not enough.”
<
br /> The gnome held up the two blackened pieces of wood in her hands before continuing, “The staff was nearly destroyed in our battle. I tried to use its Power to break the necromancer’s link on a gate to the spiritual dimension. But I failed. All I could do was temporarily restrict the gate long enough for part of our army to escape. The necromancer has since reopened his link to the gate. All we have to show for our efforts is these two shattered remains of the staff.”
Richard felt Dren give him a nudge in the side. He knew what she wanted, but he was not ready to throw caution to the wind and tell the gnomes about the children’s secret. The stakes were too high.
“I’m assuming the gate is how the undead are being created,” Richard said trying to find out about the gate without giving away their secret. “Is it mobile? Or, is it stationary?”
“Good question,” said Samanestra. “We think the gate itself is stationary. We do not know its location. However, we believe the necromancer has something in his possession which links with the gate, or maybe he just has a spell. We don’t know which. He appears to be using whatever he has to draw spirits from the gate to him. Those spirits then occupy the nearest uninhabited body. As the necromancer and the Northern Mages move south with their army, they find a fresh source of bodies in every human town they overrun. Humans have a nasty habit of burying their dead instead of disposing of them properly by burning. As a result, even when a town has been evacuated, the local cemetery swells the ranks of the necromancer’s army.”
As the male gnome spoke, Richard noticed his voice getting noticeably weaker. “You’re still losing blood from your wound,” Richard said. “Are you going to be able to make it to your encampment?”
Samanestra had been slumping a little, but at Richard’s comment, the old gnome stood up straight and declared, “I’ve had worse wounds pruning my rose garden. I’ll be fine. But, maybe we should keep moving while we can.”
Wizard Cadet (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 2) Page 22
