by JD Franx
Ella the White Personal journal entry found
on the shores of Lover’s Bay, 5025 PC
CAIRNWOOD
Kael slowly and painfully regained consciousness. His body felt broken; there was no other way to explain it. Groaning in agony, he gasped. It triggered a fit of explosive wheezing and brought Cassie running to his bedside.
“Kael, what’s wrong? Tell me, so I can help you.” Her voice was full of concern.
“Get Kyah...” he moaned, she gently pushed him back down. To his surprise, his extra senses noticed her release magic that he had failed to sense in all the commotion. It raced through her body like a wild fire and bloomed like a new flower as it exited her hands. Relief quickly replaced the pain as the young girl directed the energy into his aching body.
“Kyah told you I would wake up in pain?”
“Yes. She said that when healing someone, unless they were conscious, there was no way to tell if the pain was gone. Damage can be repaired, she said, but the pain can also remain after magical healing.”
Catching his breath, he smiled at the words he had heard too many times before. “Well, look at what you learned. It seems like your village has a real healer now. You’re almost a young woman and this village is going to look to you for help.”
Cassie’s cheeks flushed red as she tried to hide an embarrassed smile. “I guess so. I promise I won’t let you down. I would still rather come with you and Kyah. Maybe? Please?” she asked. He could see the hope in her eyes.
Shaking his head slightly, Kael closed his own as he winced. “We can’t take you, Cassie, you know that. What happened here in Cairnwood is minor compared to what we’re heading into. Even if we weren’t, you could never come with us. There are people hunting us because of what I am. You would be killed just for being with me.”
“What are you, Kael? You did things last night and used magic no one has ever seen or heard about. The whole town is talking about it. They say you’re not a normal wizard.”
Because he did not see Kyah and Cornelius enter, the mayor’s response took Kael by surprise.
“He’s not a normal wizard, Cassie. Kael is a DeathWizard. That is why they cannot take you and why they cannot stay here,” he said, but no hatred or malice tainted his voice.
Knowing where the conversation would go, Kael quickly shook his head and sat up. “We’re going, Cornelius, now. I promise you no trouble will come to you if we leave before the ArchWizard gets here and you tell him which way we went.”
Nodding his head as if in though, the mayor suddenly smiled. “No. You misunderstand, I’m not here to ask you to leave. And you won’t until you’re ready to do so. This town will forever welcome you as a friend, Kael, wherever we eventually end up settling. We’re not asking you to leave, but you should know that a rider from Dasal arrived this morning with a message from your friend, Master Seifer Locke. He wants you to know that Giddeon arrived in Dasal a few days after you left. Seifer sent the courier the moment Giddeon got there. The letter also said to tell you that King Bale has sent official notices to every major city and town all across Talohna, calling for your capture or death.”
“It was only a matter of time,” Kyah offered. “Too many months have passed without any sightings of you.” She gave Kael her arm and helped him stand.
“Yeah, five months in the Dead Sister’s Dwarven prison will do that,” Kael muttered. She nodded her agreement.
“I would imagine,” Cornelius said, politely interrupting. “We are leaving as well. The Orotaq believe there is black glass here now. They’ll return for the mines and in larger numbers. We cannot defeat another force without help. The cost in lives would be devastating for the town. So, the blue bastards can have the mines, but they’ll not have us to work them. We should be leaving the town in a few hours. I wish you well, both of you, and thank you from the whole town for your help. Know that you are always welcome with us.”
Kael stood on shaky legs, extremely stiff joints ached in a dozen different places. “Where will you go, Mayor?” he asked.
“South first, and then we plan to cross the river at the western ford. From there, we’ll go farther west along the mountain ridge to see if we can find another good location for a town. We like living up here. We are beholden to no country. If you ever need to, look for us out that way. Understand that your secrecy is knowledge this town will never betray. We owe you our lives and those of the town’s children. Most were found in the mines this morning, though several of the youngest children died during the attack, like Cassie’s cousins. The rest survived only because of your selfless actions. My wife and I have asked Cassie to come live with us. Our daughter died of the wasting sickness a few years ago and we would love to have her. I promise you, I’ll keep her from the hands of the ArchWizard and his country. We have no love for them here, and they have no right to take magically-gifted children from the Free Lands.”
Kael nodded. “That’s good to know, Mayor.”
“Now that Cassie has formed her bond, her magic will not be dangerous,” Kyah added. “But once you settle in a new location, I highly recommend you try to find some books for her, especially healing grimoires, so she may learn stronger healing magic.”
Kael snorted. “Some offensive spells to help your village wouldn’t hurt either.”
“We will,” Cornelius said, smiling.
“Good,” Kael said, and shook Cornelius’ arm. “Books about VosHain, the magical language, would be extremely helpful to her. It’ll help expand her knowledge.” He raised his eyebrows and glanced at Kyah. “You helped her with the Bonding? No complications?”
“I did,” Kyah said. “I helped younger healers with their Bonding all the time for the Dead Sisters. Besides a nose bleed, Cassie did amazingly well. I have never seen someone so young with so much potential. You’re very lucky to have her, Cornelius, so is your town. She will be an exceptional healer within a few years.”
“We definitely are.” The mayor smiled. “Our debt can never be repaid, to either of you. Know that we will be there if you ever need us to be. But there is much to do my friend, so I must go. Please take care of yourselves and may we one day meet again,” he said, as he turned to leave.
He stopped and looked back for a moment. “The town merchants have more than we could ever carry, Kael. See them before you leave. They have all pitched in and bundled some supplies for you and your mounts to take along when you go. Good luck, my friend. You’re heading into dangerous country. I sincerely hope you find what you’re looking for,” he said, and walked out the door.
Slowly, Kael dressed with some help from Cassie and then they left as well.
Kyah and Kael went to gather what they needed from the town’s merchants and Cassie left to go help Cornelius and her new family for the weeks ahead spent on the road.
DWARVEN RUINS, EAMON’S GLADE
Torgo’s werewolves dug with a frenzy for almost an hour before breaking through the collapse in the old Dwarven ruin. The alpha male scrambled through the moment there was room.
“Clear larger way for Mistress. Desiree, come,” he growled, his voice gravely and distorted as it exited a canine throat not designed for speaking. The young assassin followed Torgo through the collapse and out into the hallway beyond. In moments, they were several hundred feet down the hall at the cell where Eamon had held Dominique and the others.
“Gone,” Desiree mumbled.
Torgo growled as he shifted into Human form. In seconds, the seven-foot-tall monster was replaced by an average-sized man as naked as a newborn.
Desiree scoffed. “Not everyone wants to see you naked. Cover up for Assani’s sake.” She tossed him the blanket slung between the straps of her travel pack. It was not the first time Shae’s young husband shed his fur in front of her and it was still just as disturbing as the first time. The last thing she needed was a jealous female alpha werewolf on her ass about a man she had absolutely no interest in.
Tying the blanket around hi
s waist, the young man sniffed the air. “They were here. An hour past, maybe less. I smell blood, cooked flesh, and, and... Lotus, but not the flower or powder... or resin. It smells like when we found you covered in your mentor’s... everything. ‘Vaporized’ is the word Mistress used.” Torgo turned his head to the side and inhaled deeply, stopping as he began snorting and sneezing. After several seconds, it ceased. “Strange. Vaporized lotus, I smell. It’s weak—tickles deep in my nose. A day old.”
“Crazy alchemist, my ass. Vaporized lotus. Dominique Havarrow, Shasta Trey, and a court wizard from Argela. All captured by one man? I’ve met Havarrow, briefly anyway. No way some old fart took him, especially alive.”
“You think too much, dear,” Ella Navasha said from behind her. Desiree spun to see both the white witch and Torgo’s nude wife behind her and she felt her cheeks turn red at the sight of the woman’s naked body. “But you’re right,” Ella continued. “He’s not a simple alchemist, crazy or otherwise. Torgo, Shae, track the path they took to leave the ruins. Come, Desiree. I’ll explain.” The werewolf couple took off down the side hallway, both in Human-form. Desiree knew that inside the tight halls of the ruins, the added senses of wolf-form were no longer needed.
“I’ve never seen magic do some of the things he’s done, Mistress Ella,” Desiree said, walking beside the older woman.
“He doesn’t use magic. What he does use is closer to alchemy than magic—chemical mixtures, dear, that’s all. I told you when we found you that we’d be hunting a DeathWizard, remember?” Desiree nodded, but did not dare interrupt. “Twenty years ago, Talohna experienced a Black Sun event. I assume you’ve heard the tale?” Desiree nodded a second time, holding her tongue, even though questions bombarded her mind. “Good. At the time, there was a child born, and our illustrious ArchWizard had this wonderful idea to banish the child to another dimension—one with no magic. Your fellow assassin, Yrlissa Blackmist, tried desperately to get to the child first in order to stop it, but failed.” Ella bowed at Desiree, letting her know she was free to ask a single question.
“The ‘last light’ prophecy. That’s why he banished the child, instead of killing it like the law demands?”
Ella smiled, clearly proud that the question was more a statement, and a correct statement at that. “One of the reasons, yes. The other was because the child was his son.” Desiree stared at Ella, positive her eyes were full of shock. Ella laughed. “It’s not a secret, dear, but it’s not common knowledge either. Anyway, dimensional gateways are fickle entities. When Giddeon opened his gate-bridge, he used three anchors when he should have only used two, or four; simple magic dictates balance, but Giddeon’s ego rivals that of a god. Power anchors for dimensional travel must also balance, but in the fool’s defence, only the Fae ever really knew such things. It’s why his gate killed everyone. And the third anchor opened a wild gate on the other side of the world he sent his child too. This wild gateway dragged back a man into our world, the man we seek here today. A man who was raised in a world of technology and chemicals is a man who has the knowledge to tip the balance of power in our world. And right this moment, he is on the run with our world’s second most powerful pirate.” Ella bowed, freeing Desiree to speak.
“Is this why we came here first, to try and save him like we are Kael?”
“No, my dear. We are going to do all we can to help Kael, yes, but this man? This man, we’re going to do all we can to kill. Hopefully before his knowledge changes our world forever. Understand?”
“Yes, mistress.” Desiree smiled.
Even at only fourteen years of age, killing had never been a problem for a Broken Blade assassin.
TWIN CITIES, ELLORYA
“All right, O’Leary,” Dominique barked. Tired, dirty, and weary, he was in a miserable mood. “We’re almost back to Argela, you’re alive, and contrary to our agreement, you’re not a captive. So, what do we need to make these cannons and black powder of yours?”
After a week or so of working their way back to Argela on foot and fighting or avoiding werewolves constantly, all four were exhausted, but Eamon was by far in the worst shape. Exhausted and bruised, the old man walked slower and got crankier every day.
“That depends, pirate,” Eamon said. “You gonna share what I tell you with that bastard, Bauro Blackspawn, or is it time for Dominique Havarrow to stand up and take the Suns of the Blood for himself?” Dominique frowned. The thought of betrayal wasn’t an easy one.
“Can’t say you haven’t thought of it, Captain,” Shasta replied.
“You got my vote,” Cormack added. “He’s the reason I left your crew in the first place.”
“You’d never leave that comfy life of being a court wizard behind,” Shasta teased.
“If Dominique made a play for the Suns? In a heartbeat. I’d be casting runes from the bow of the Reave, just like old times.” He laughed.
“Why does it matter, Eamon?” Dominique asked, ignoring the original question.
“The retrofits to your Reaver ships will take months, you’ll have to decide. Either you give Bauro the knowledge or keep it for yourself and find a place to hide long enough to complete the retrofits to a couple ships. Seeing as Bauro’s bastard reputation is well known, my vote is with you to keep it. I’ll have a better chance of getting home if you keep it. I don’t trust Bauro to keep his word.” Dominique grunted by way of a reply, so Eamon carried on. “You’ll need trustworthy blacksmiths—good ones. Damn good ones with experience in sand cast moulding. Black powder also takes time to make—we’ll need grinders and mixers. The charcoal’s easy, and finding sulphur should be easy too, there’s plenty in the mountains by my glade...”
“You talking about a yellow powder, stinks like hell?” Cormack asked.
“Yes.”
“No problem then. He’s talking about wound-flash, Dominique.” Turning back to Eamon, Cormack added, “Alchemists use it to burn deep or festering wounds clean and to clot bleeders. Healing magic isn’t effective for serious wounds.”
“Good,” Eamon nodded, panting as he struggled to keep up. “Saltpeter’s gonna be the tricky part.”
“What the hell is that?” Dominique asked.
“I’m an engineer, not a chemist, so our best chance in finding it in this world will be from the earth itself. Cool, damp areas, preferably where sewer run-off goes underground. I ain’t digging through age-old piss and shit to find a few saltpeter crystals, but it forms underground nearby such areas.”
“What does it look like?” Shasta asked.
“White fluffy brushes, or short fuzzy hairs,” he said, holding his fingers a couple inches apart. “We call it efflorescence.” Dominique stared at Cormack, smiling.
“It can’t be that easy,” Shasta breathed, as if suddenly short of air.
Cormack stopped walking and rubbed his forehead. “I never thought keeping that weird little shit on your good side would ever pay off.”
Eamon snorted, sitting down in the grass by the side of the road, taking the opportunity to rest. “Clearly you gobshites know something I don’t. Care to share?”
Dominique laughed. “Your efflorescence. It grows everywhere in the Deep, and we don’t have to risk our own lives or crew members fighting the Mahala to get it. A sawed off little freak who lives in the mountains by Sorai will pull anything you need from the Deep for next to nothing. Alchemists commission him all the time.”
“Ya can’t be serious. Natural-forming saltpeter in our world is somewhat rare and the quantity you do find is light. And you got someone who’ll get it for you?” Eamon said, his mouth open in shock.
“He’s serious,” Cormack muttered. “Everyone calls him the Old Raven. He’s more interested in trinkets than real wealth, just like a raven or a crow.”
Shasta turned from further up the road. “We’re here,” she said. “The west gate’s in sight. And they’re telling you the truth, Eamon,” she said, rejoining them. “If it’s the same stuff you mean... This saltpeter? Then the
Deep has it growing everywhere. We’ve been down there. Though we haven’t seen much of Talohna’s underground in comparison to its size, this fuzzy stuff you’re talking about is everywhere we have been. Now come on, the crew’s going to be wondering what happened. We shoulda been back days ago.”
Eamon moaned, getting back to his feet. “Good, the more saltpeter we have the better,” he said. “It’ll make the black powder more powerful.”
“We’ll worry about it later,” Dominique said. “Our first stop is for a bath and food at Natalia’s.”
The four entered the city a half hour later, easily passing the security check because of Cormack’s position in the Duchess’ court. The short walk to Natalia’s was quiet and uneventful. Dominique and Shasta went straight for the baths the moment they stepped inside Natalia’s Rest. Eamon stayed with Cormack as the wizard made sure the charges went to him.
“Fancy-pants bunch of pansies spend time in a place like this,” Eamon complained.
“I rather enjoy it here. Give it a chance.” The old man frowned, shaking his head in disagreement as Cormack continued. “You might like it, besides, if I could smell anything beyond my own horrid stench, I’m sure your smell would knock me over. We can’t order food or drink like this and I need a damn stiff drink.”
“Drink, ya say?” Eamon smiled, the frown vanishing as he licked his lips.
“Yes. I’m thinking a bottle of Northman whiskey, from Yrstak preferably, or perhaps a bottle of High Mountain Ice Wine from Stillwater...”
“Whiskey, ya say, huh?”
“Yes...”
“Haven’t had real whiskey in... Where be the bloody baths then, boyo? If there’s whiskey to be drinking ‘ere, I need to fine meself up.” Cormack pointed up the stairs and the old man took off.
“Third floor!” Cormack yelled after him. “Third fl... Damn, that man must love his whiskey.” The wizard chuckled, following at a more leisurely pace. A hand grabbed his shoulder before he reached the stairs. Cormack whirled, a small dagger whispering free from the sheath under his cloak.
