by Bob Blink
One of the wizards, a tall youth with long blond hair, followed with tenacity as he tracked the location of the Baldari who carried the small torch that had provided protection for the group the past couple of days. As they zigged and zagged through the narrow streets of the town it was difficult to get a clear shot at the invader, but once they broke out into the open harbor that changed. Seeing the first opportunity, the youth unleashed his strongest blast of condensed fire at the Baldari who was unaware he was being specifically targeted. The magical energy was well placed, and struck the rider and horse straight on, wrapping them in a sheet of swirling fire that hid them momentarily from view. The intensity of the attack was so great that the young wizard was certain he had accomplished his goal, making certain that when the Baldari chose to flee, they would not have their protection this time. He was completely surprised to see the rider emerge from the sheets of fire unscathed, carrying the torch that had protected him, even though it was not protecting the rest of the force. The Baldari turned his head in the wizard’s direction, flashing him a toothy grin before turning his mount and charging back in his direction. An unholy screech reached the young wizard’s ears as the Baldari rode directly at him. The young wizard knew he was in trouble, and unleashed Brightfire at both the rider and the strange mount, all to no avail. A group of guardsmen had ridden up behind the wizard, and the archers were unleashing arrows as quickly as they could, while those with spears and swords prepared for a more intimate encounter. Unlike the other Baldari involved in the attack, this one seemed impossible to stop.
Unfazed by the weapons, magical and otherwise, being sent in his direction, the Baldari rider kept his focus on the wizard who had attempted to kill him. With little or no concern for his welfare, the Baldari charged directly into the group of guardsmen who surrounded the wizard. As he passed through the swords that struck at him, all slowed as if they were attempting to cut through thick mud, he reached within a couple of paces of the frightened wizard, his pale blue eyes wide with apprehension. Then, without warning, the small torch with the power crystal, which was the only weapon the Baldari raider carried, flared brightly, the powerful green energy released in an instant with a powerful blast that shook the surrounding structures, causing more than one wall to be blown in. The youthful wizard and the fifteen guardsmen who had supported him simply ceased to be. So did the Baldari who had carried the torch, but that was a very lopsided and unfavorable exchange. A massive hole appeared in the group where the wizards had been when the blast occurred.
The rest of the attacking Baldari seemed unfazed by the loss of their torch carrier. As independent groups of less than a dozen, they headed north along the beach, killing and destroying whatever they could. They fought fiercely when they encountered the defending guardsmen, but now that the reserve forces had arrived with dozens of Casters and wizards, the battle was suddenly one sided. The Baldari had no protection against the magic brought to bear against them, and none of their own to fight back. Swords against magic was an uneven fight. In short order, the battle was ended.
“What were they after?” Ardra asked angrily as she paced alongside the table where the meeting was being held.
“There appeared to be no target,” Roinse replied. Roinse had been in charge of the force that had gone to the aid of the defenders when word of the attack location had been forwarded to Nals. All were killed. They made no attempt to take a specific location, seemingly content to cause as much damage and killing as possible. Even the Baldari who carried their magical protection seemed willing to sacrifice himself. It was as if they had no intention of ever leaving alive.”
“Terror? Intelligence?” Lyes asked.
“They could not have learned very much,” Major Tarnar suggested. “It was a costly endeavor if that was their purpose.”
Ardra looked at Rigo, who had thus far been silent as he listened to the reports of the attack.
“What do you think? Did Mitty have any visions regarding this?
“She did, but they were of little value. The Baldari were already being tracked well in advance. She had images the morning of the attack, but they only began when the torch carrier killed himself.”
Rigo didn’t mention that Mitty had also started having visions of the strange chamber with the woman with the lavender hair and pale skin. It was as if the visions had been blocked, but with her pregnancy and the onset of her Seer ability, the Farvision had returned with more power and more subtly. Unlike before when the strange woman seemed always aware of Mitty’s viewing, now Mitty claimed she could watch undetected for extended periods before something brought her suddenly to the attention of the woman. There was no longer any doubt in Mitty’s mind that the woman knew of her viewings, and might have had a hand in blocking them for so long. The last time Mitty had said the woman looked annoyed to discover Mitty’s presence. Mitty had also been certain she was doing something. She appeared more active and focused than she had at other times. That was three days before the Baldari had appeared along the southern border.
“It sounds more like the attacks of past years from what I have been told,” Rigo said after a brief pause. “In those days it didn’t seem like a definite objective was as obvious. This is the first time they have made for the coast, and that was what they attempted in Kellmore as well. Yet once there, they didn’t seem to have a purpose. It seems a costly way to have a look at your enemy’s facilities.”
“How do they function so smoothly?” Major Tarnar asked. “All the time they were followed, and even through the initiation of the attacks, no verbal commands were exchanged. I have never known an army to function in such a manner. Our own forces would be hopelessly disorganized if we attempted such a thing.”
“They can also control their mounts somehow,” Ardra added. “I have seen this before, and it was in the reports that mounts that had lost riders were brought into the battle somehow.”
“Ash’urn has suggested they use a form of mental exchange in place of spoken words,” Rigo said. “He told me of reading of this kind of ability, but disbelieved it as no one in his travels had ever demonstrated the ability. If they can communicate by thought, and also control their mounts in the same manner, a lot of what we are seeing would make more sense.”
“How would one do this?” Lyes asked. “I have seen nothing in magic that suggests such a capability.”
“I don’t think it is based in magic,” Rigo explained. “Ash’urn suggests it is an inherent ability that the Baldari might have. Their mounts as well, to be controllable by it.”
“It would certainly explain how they can move so seamlessly as a single force,” Tarnar said, as he considered the possibilities.
“It might explain even more,” Rigo added. “If they communicate in such a manner, it might be possible that while the Baldari control the beasts they ride by the power of their minds, they might be under the control of even more powerful minds in a similar manner. That might explain the abandon with which they go into battle. They may have no control over their fate, and whoever, or whatever, controls them, might be willing to sacrifice any number to accomplish whatever objectives are being sought.”
Rigo was thinking of the woman who Mitty frequently observed as he said this. He had no reason to support the belief, but Mitty had been persuasive and she believed the woman was a force that represented great danger. The connection between viewing the woman and the attacks was also instructive.
“Mitty’s strange viewing?” Ardra asked.
Rigo nodded. “We don’t know where she is, or what she wishes, but given what we know of Mitty’s talent, it is certain she exists.
“You believe she is behind the Baldari attacks?” Major Tarnar asked.
“There is nothing to support my belief, but I sense it to be the case. I also sense there will be many more before she is finished.”
“Why does she remain in this odd place you have described rather than pressing her objectives more directly,” Tarnar asked.
/> “Mitty sees that she is partially trapped by a kind of magical energy that encompasses most of her body. The others in the chamber are totally enclosed within the cocoon of energy, except the two who appear dead. This woman has her head and left arm exposed, which might be why she is active. There is simply too much we don’t know.”
“We know she is a threat,” Ardra countered. “Our forces must be on constant alert. Somehow we must find where she is and take action.”
“That will most likely mean following the Baldari back to where they originate,” Rigo said. Even as he said it, he sensed it would be a very costly and difficult effort.
Chapter 8
Mitty kicked back the covers with a moan and said, Not again!”
“Another dream?” Rigo asked sleepily.
“They’re attacking. This time in Kellmore once again.”
Rigo knew she meant the Baldari. “Where are they this time?” he asked. It had only been a couple of days since the atypical terror attack along Sedfair’s coast that had resulted in a large number of deaths, but no noticeable gain for the fearless warriors. Rigo, like everyone else, wasn’t sure what to make of that attack.
“They’re back in Roin.”
That wasn’t entirely accurate. The last time they hadn’t gotten anywhere near the city. Roin was the port city along Kellmore’s southern coast they had attempted to attack when Nycoh had destroyed the entire force with her display of raw power out in the desert. Rigo wondered what in the city attracted the invaders. He itched to go and help, but he knew if he was needed someone would have already been dispatched to find him. It was unlikely that would happen. He was in Sedfair, all the way across the Ruins. Teams had been put in place both to watch for a return of the Baldari riders, and to respond to them. Unless something had gone very wrong, the invading force would have been tracked, and met with a large force of combat qualified wizards when they reached their destination. Rigo’s presence wasn’t required, and sending someone all the way to Sedfair just to inform him wasn’t likely. He’d learn in the morning with everyone else when the daily courier brought the news to Queen Rosul.
“Have the Three Kingdoms responded?” Rigo asked as he forced himself awake. They had gone to bed late, and then had engaged in other more personal activities for some time, finally drifting off only a few glass earlier.
Mitty nodded, her own eyes open now, the vision fading as she came fully awake. Sometimes it lingered, and Daim had suggested that with practice she would be able to hold the visions while fully awake. Mitty wasn’t sure she wanted that ability. What she saw was often far too distressful, but Daim had suggested the ability might prove useful, and had encouraged her to pursue it. This time it wasn’t happening, and the scene from the far off city lost its sharpness and color, then faded away completely.
Mitty’s dreams had proven accurate, but an unreliable indicator to the attacks. If she had a dream, one could be certain that the visions were real, but she didn’t always have visions when an attack was underway. In other ways her abilities were becoming more defined. She had regained the visions of the strange woman and her companions, and Mitty said she felt she could almost activate that scene willingly. She hadn’t managed it, but claimed she felt it was just barely out of her reach. She’d tried to trigger her Farvision with friends and locations she knew intimately, and had had minor successes. It was a remarkable ability, but one which Mitty felt offered too much opportunity for invasion of someone’s privacy. Rigo privately agreed with Daim, that if Mitty could develop the skill, they might be able to learn valuable information about the unknown woman and her sleeping associates.
“Did you see anything that might explain what they are seeking in Roin?” Rigo asked, as he drew Mitty close.
“It appeared they were simply attacking with the intent to destroy and elicit fear, much like we were told they did in Safran. There was no sense they were striving to reach some chosen location, and I witnessed the destruction of the power crystal being carried to protect them. The Outpost’s wizards sought him out and your friend Burke did some kind of melding with others to create a very powerful blast of magic that destroyed the lone Baldari before he could react.”
“Another suicide run,” Rigo mumbled. “A waste of warriors. There must be more to it than that.”
“Perhaps our response to the attacks is being tested,” Mitty suggested. “Also, I sensed that some of the Baldari in this attack were more interested in seeing what was in Roin than pressing the attack. My vision wanted to jump between individuals who weren’t fighting.”
Mitty was one of those who had accepted the theory that the Baldari warriors were being controlled somehow, much as Ash’urn had suggested the strange mounts they rode appeared to be controlled mentally by the Baldari.
“What would be the point?” Rigo asked. “If this is anything like what happened in Safran, none will survive to carry what they have seen back.
“Perhaps it isn’t necessary,” Mitty suggested. “What if ‘she’, and Rigo knew exactly who Mitty was referring to, “is able to see what they do? What if she can jump between minds freely, and can see what each of the warriors sees?”
“You think she can control them at such a distance? You believe she controls each of them individually?”
“Probably not,” Mitty agreed. “That would seem far too difficult. They are probably controlled as a group, but perhaps individuals can be selected and given additional instructions, or used as a means to observe what the force is encountering? From what I have seen in the visions, she is trapped somehow. How else would she know what is out there? While I can’t be certain, no vision has even shown me both the chamber where the woman is trapped, and a Baldari together. We only think they are linked, but if so, how do they communicate what they have encountered? How does she choose their targets?”
Rigo realized Mitty had done more thinking on the matter than himself. He hadn’t been entirely comfortable with Ash’urn’s suggestion that the Baldari were being controlled by the simple force of the unknown woman’s mind. Hers, or perhaps another they were as yet unaware of. Mitty, however, felt otherwise. Rigo felt a chill as he wondered all at once if the woman, who appeared to be aware of Mitty, could somehow reach out and affect his consort. Suddenly the risks seemed far greater. If the woman could influence individual Baldari while they were engaged in battle, then who knew the reach of her ability. He was about to raise the matter with Mitty, but held off. He would discuss it with Ash’urn first. No sense worrying Mitty unnecessarily.
* * * * *
In far off Roin, Burke watched as the last of the Baldari raiders were being finished off. The force he had brought to the city was more than sufficient to overwhelm the mounted invaders. Each wizard was experienced, their fighting ability honed by years of dealing with the Hoplani. Once the Baldari moved from beneath the protective blanket provided by the power crystal, they had been easily dispatched. He’d personally made a point of eliminating the carrier of the device, Linking with several wizards who rode with him with that specific purpose in mind. Burke hadn’t wanted a repeat of the events of Safran, and hadn’t wanted any chance the Baldari might retreat, seeking the protection of the field created by the power crystal. Several were taken prisoner, but Burke had been told that they would probably die before they could be adequately questioned. It was as if they gave up, were programmed to simply shut down.
The elimination of the attackers hadn’t been bloodless or without damage to the city, but far fewer had died than had been the case in Sedfair a few days earlier. His force’s swift reaction, and the advance warning forwarded to the residents of Roin when the likely destination of the Baldari had been decided, had saved many lives. As he watched his wizards finishing up the cleanup, Burke wondered at the purpose. The attack made little sense.
The Baldari had arrived suddenly some days ago. Burke estimated they had appeared close to the same day that the Baldari that had attacked Safran had likely appeared in the Ruins
along Sedfair’s southern border. In this case, the invaders had appeared along the shore of the Great Central River just north of where it passed into the Great Mountains that blocked southern exploration. This was the same location where the last force into Kellmore appeared to have originated.
No boats were used, and no mysterious means of getting up the river was employed. The force rode out of a wide Bypass, one of the largest Burke had ever heard of. The force had appeared suddenly, the raiders seemingly stepping out of the air along a section of beach nearly fifty paces wide. Burke wished he had been there to see it. He’d been back at the Outpost, and had been brought word of the force. While the Baldari were tracked, he’d assembled the force that would engage them once they reached their destination. They had taken a different route this time. The new path was longer, and kept them out of sight of other villages, not that it mattered. Burke’s watchers followed the force every step of the way. The new route, however, precluded Nycoh from repeating her powerful draw of magic once again.
The question that the Baldari’s use of a Bypass to travel to Kellmore had raised, still remained unanswered. Several individuals, himself included, had suggested that a Bypass was the logical means of getting past the mountains when the spot adjacent to the Great River had been discovered after the first attempted attack. The problem with the idea was that the Baldari showed no sign of using magic, other than the yet unexplained protective barrier. Also, if they could make a Bypass, then why would they choose an exit point so far from their intended target and ride for many days before the attack? A more judicious location for the Bypass would allow for surprise, and a much more effective and rapid attack.
