The stormcaller tr-1

by Tom Lloyd

  As he neared it, the bird cocked its head towards him and sang out, a rich liquid warble. The hallway erupted into a cacophony of song as the other birds took their cue and Isak turned in a circle to watch the sudden riot of noise and exotic colours. Tila, hearing the commotion, came after Isak and stopped dead, beaming with delight.

  'My chorus seems to have taken a shine to you, Lord Isak. They rarely sing at night. They say the creatures of the forest have astounding abilities of perception – interesting that they do not seem afraid of you, a white-eye no less. When an Alyne cat crept in one night, ah the chaos.'

  'You keep them all caged?' asked Tila, seeing how small some of the cages were.

  'Certainly not; they spend the day in the trees of the town. We're rather well known in these parts for our exotic birds. When the nights are cold we tempt them into cages of an evening; the tamest do not migrate at all now.' The Seer gave an expansive smile. His manservant glowered from the doorway as Vesna and Mistress Daran craned past him to see better. No doubt Ahden was the one who had to clean the cages.

  'Did you know that the King of Narkang has a similar passion? He's

  carefully cultivated his gardens to attract the migratory butterflies that go up the coast from Mustet to summer around Narkang. I hear it's quite a sight – the dusted blue is apparently most beautiful.' The Seer stopped abruptly and his brow furrowed. 'But this won't do, we must get on. Please excuse us, dear ladies, dear sirs. Ahden, bring up food and wine to my study when you have served the Lord's companions. He took hold of Isak's arm once more and led him up the wide stairway to a corridor, at the end of which stood a pair of tall decorative doors. The polished wood was a creamy coffee shade, intricately carved with a fantastical pattern of animals and trees, but Isak had no time to study the doors further as his host swept him on into the room.

  Piles of books and scrolls were spread across the floor, while jumble brass instruments littered the many shelves, along with bits of pottery and odd stones, all broken and stained with age and dirt. A large open cabinet housed ancient-looking jewellery, and a few amulets and

  charms. Isak could tell that they were of very modest magical strength – he recalled the scornful way the mages from the College of Magic had dismissed such things as 'low magics', suitable only for village wisewomen or forest witches.

  The Seer flopped into a chair, only to bound up again as he compared his to the other chair in the room and considered Isak's bulk.

  'How is it I've not heard of you when you seem to rule this region?' Isak blurted out as he took the seat offered and gingerly eased himself

  into it.

  The Seer smiled and sat opposite, suddenly calm. He bridged his fingers as he gazed deep into Isak's eyes. 'I certainly do not claim to rule anywhere; I merely offer advice – and only then when it is asked of me. As for having heard of me, well, I'm afraid it has been frequently observed that the Farlan do not take much interest in foreign politics unless conducted by a titled man. I would expect you have been told little more than that these lands are claimed by both Tor Milist and Helrect, but possessed by neither.'

  Isak nodded, not offended: he understood the friendly sarcasm. The Farlan were one of the greatest powers in the Land, and they set great store by their traditions and their strong feudal system. A man of noble birth had power and status; anyone who won power would soon receive a title and thus become part of the system. Men such as the Seer were simply not accommodated.

  'Let me begin very simply,' the strange old man continued. 'Historically, this region has been either self-governing or conquered and under the thumb of some neighbouring Lord. In the current climate it serves the purpose of both Tor Milist and Helrect to not actually take the territory – first because they would find it no easy task, and second because they would then share a border with long-standing enemies.' 'Can we start with you?' Isak interrupted. 'I don't even know your name.’

  ‘Me? Ah, of course! Forgive my rudeness. My name is Fedei, Wisten Fedei and folk here call me the Seer.'

  Fedei smiled to avoid that sounding a theatrical boast, but Isak just nodded for him to continue.

  ‘I am a scholar. My history is rather long and complicated, but in brief, I had a modest amount of magical ability and training as a youth, as well as schooling in the more natural arts. Then, when I was twenty-five or so, I started displaying the classic symptoms of becoming a prophet-' he paused, waiting for Isak to interrupt, but this time the white-eye just nodded.

  'That's where you are supposed to say, "surely that's impossible?'"

  the Seer said dryly.

  'It is? Oh, right.' Isak looked bemused.

  Fedei chortled like an amused child. 'Well, most people do. If y0u had received any formal schooling in magic you would know that is impossible.'

  'Probably,' Isak replied, haughtily. 'Would my formal schooling

  have been wrong about everything else too?'

  'I- No, not at all. In this case, the theory still bears up to scrutiny, but as many of us find; the reality of the Land is often very different. In any case, as I'm sure you can tell from the lack of frothing and violence, I'm not a prophet. Somehow it was controlled by my magic-' 'Wait a moment, what magic? I can't feel anything.' The Seer bobbed his head in acknowledgement of the objection. 'My abilities were almost entirely stripped in the conflict. I can still produce simple potions, and I can sense magic, but little more. What I can do is gather insights as a prophet, though only regarding the immediate future, and actually explain to others what I see. Think of it as having visions of impending events. They are not entirely clear, but your arrival, for example, was simple enough to understand. The ripples of your passing are profound even for me.'

  'So can you do any fortune-telling for me?' Isak hadn't intended it to sound sarcastic, but Fedei stiffened nonetheless.

  His voice was frosty. 'Perhaps later. For now, I would like to hear

  about you.'

  Isak nodded quickly, annoyed with himself for putting the Seer's back up when the man had been so welcoming. 'Of course – though I doubt there is much you don't know.' 'Did you meet Morghien on the road?'

  Isak jerked in surprise. He had expected questions about his gifts-Only then did he realise that, unlike most people with any magical ability at all, the Seer had hardly glanced at Eolis. Like Morghien, he actually sounded more interested in Isak.

  'I, ah, yes. How did you know that? Did you send him?' 'Send Morghien? Hah! A man such as that isn't sent by the likes ot me. I just knew he was in these parts, and Morghien has always had the habit of casually meeting interesting people. He's a curious one,

  that's for sure. I first heard his tale when I was studying as a young man; I’m approaching seventy summers now.' He laughed at Isak's sceptical expression. 'You find that so strange? Those who live unnatural lives often find the effects of time slowed. You yourself will stop outwardly ageing around thirty summers.

  'In any event, Morghien visited me less than a fortnight ago. I don't know much about him, but his interests frequently coincide with my own, and he is interested in my enduring well-being. I'll wager he told you only the bare minimum about himself.'

  Isak nodded. 'Is there much more to know?'

  'I'm not sure myself,' Fedei said, 'but what I do know could endanger others, so this isn't a topic lightly discussed.' 'How? What enemies could you have?'

  'The Knights of the Temples, for a start. They dislike academics on principle.' Now Fedei gave his guest a nervous smile, his fingers anxiously working at the trim of his shirt. 'And the dear ladies of the White Circle: they appear to be courting power for reasons I cannot yet understand and I doubt they will be so tolerant of this region if they succeed in taking Tor Milist.'

  'No, there's more to it than that,' Isak pressed. 'What are you involved in?'

  The Seer sagged visibly. 'I dislike this; we've been so careful for years,' he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

  'Dislike what?' Isak was getting increas
ingly confused.

  He straightened up. 'You know of Verliq, the mage, yes? What you perhaps didn't know is that he founded a school, one unlike any the Land has known since before the Great War. To ensure his teachings were not lost, Verliq sent many of his works away with his pupils, before the Menin invasion; that's how the West knows of him at all. His students were persecuted in every city, but they endured, and taught pupils of their own, in secret. Among those who know, they're referred to as Verliq's Children. In every city-state in the Land there are men who have his works hidden in their libraries, who believe that learning should never be heresy, even if it contravenes political dogma of the day.'

  ‘And why are you telling me this? If anyone represents political dogma it's me.' Isak felt a familiar uncomfortable stir in his gut. There was more to this than he was being told; he could practically taste schemes, plots, and secrets.

  'And that is why I dislike this, but Morghien says we must trust you.'

  'Morghien? He'd not even met me then – and why didn't he tell me this when he did find me?' Isak knew he was sounding petulant, but he was trying hard not to lose his temper.

  'Morghien takes his time over everything. You'll never learn the full story in one sitting from him, sometimes for his safety and sometimes for your own. It doesn't take a Seer to know that we've entered the Age of Fulfilment, and we should fear it. What little powers I do have show me a shadow falling over the future.'

  'What sort of shadow?' There was something in Fedei's tone that Isak recognised all too well.

  'Everything I see is overlaid by a shadow, and the further I look, the thicker it gets. It masses on the horizon like a storm cloud. I don't know enough to explain what it means; King Emin is the one for that. He and Morghien are preparing for something. You are important and I must help you in whatever way you need.'

  'How does Morghien know so much?' Isak asked, crossly. 'The man looks like a tramp; how in Nartis's name is he in league with the King of Narkang?'

  'There is more to Morghien than is apparent: he and Emin are a pair in that sense. It dates back to an expedition into the Elven Waste more than a hundred years ago, led by one of Verliq's Children. They went to explore a ruined castle, with a division of Knights of the Temples providing escort. The locals were supposedly friendly, but…'

  'So they never came back from the waste? That's not even surprising, hardly some dark mystery.'

  'Morghien came back, alone. I doubt anyone but Emin knows the truth of what actually happened, but if you mention the expedition to Morghien- Well, best that you do not. It was after that Morghien started travelling the Land, tracking down Verliq's Children, keeping the links between them alive. King Emin employs a handful of men who assist him in this, perhaps only twenty or thirty in all, but they're as lethal as Harlequins, and utterly loyal to him.'

  'You've met them?'

  'They deliver messages, ask for news, offer help if I need it-'

  'Help?'

  'I have no use for them myself, but I've heard rumours: competit-

  ors disappearing, mysterious fires, city rulers suddenly going back on decisions. There's never anything definite, of course, nothing that could be laid at their door, but they bring letters whenever they come and sometimes I can trace the hand of fortune to their footsteps.

  'There's a famous gang of criminals in Narkang, the Brotherhood. That's the name they use. You can recognise them by a black tattoo on their left ear, very small and easy to miss, an elven rune meaning "heart" – though I don't know the significance.'

  Isak's entire body went rigid and only by a huge effort did he manage to prevent his hand going to the scar on his chest. How many years had they been using that symbol? Could they have known? He was certain Xeliath had been telling him the truth, for the connection to her was undeniable, burned into his skin and quite sensitive enough to recognise a lie.

  Isak barely registered the knock at the door; it was Fedei who jumped at the sound, flushing guiltily as he hopped up from his seat. Isak saw the panic on Fedei's face: this man who'd taken a white-eye by the arm and virtually dragged him inside was nervous even talking about the Brotherhood.

  'Come,' Fedei eventually called and Ahden strode in with a tray piled high balanced carefully in his hands. Isak helped him lay out the dishes on a side table, then set about them with a will, suddenly starving, and glad of the interruption. The scar on his chest felt tight, constrained, against the beat of his heart.

  Eventually, Fedei could stand no more and noisily cleared his throat. 'Speaking of symbols, I see your crest is a crowned dragon. Did the Heraldic Library properly appoint it?'

  Isak nodded. 'What of it?'

  'Well, the dragon is a portentous symbol. I suppose it is to be expected, but those who have also worn it include Deverk Grast and Aliax Versit.'

  'Versit? The Yeetatchen Lord who sacked Merlat?'

  'And was only defeated within sight of Tirah. That was him. Grast was the Menin ruler who almost wiped out the Litse, before forcing his tribe to take the Long March. Both men were followed by destruction their entire lives.'

  'Did either have a crowned dragon?'

  Fedei squirmed under Isak's gaze. 'No. I've never heard of any man to have that,' he said quietly, staring at the floor.

  'Tell me about your work,' said Isak suddenly.

  Fedei began to relax as he detailed a variety of projects, chattering on for the best part of an hour while Isak ate his fill, then sat nursing a large goblet of warmed wine. It was clear that Fedei relished the opportunity to talk to someone who showed a real interest in him-most of his colleagues were correspondents rather than visitors. While Isak couldn't provide much in the way of intelligent questions, he did display sufficient enthusiasm, and the Seer made the most of it.

  Finally Isak interrupted him, changing the subject entirely. 'So if you're a Seer, can you tell anything of my future?' He remembered Xeliath, and what Morghien had said, but he couldn't resist hearing what Fedei might be able to tell him.

  The Seer nodded slowly and reached out to take Isak's hand. He closed his eyes, and started breathing deeply, rhythmically. Isak felt more than a little foolish; had it not been for the focused, entirely serious expression on his host's face, he might have pulled his hand away and laughed it off as a joke.

  Fedei's hand was perfectly still for a time, then it twitched suddenly and Isak flinched at the unexpected movement. For the first time he felt a slight rush of magic from the Seer, just a trickle. The candles guttered under a draft that didn't touch Isak's skin; he sensed rather than saw a movement, something flashing around the shadows of the room. He twisted in his seat to follow it over his shoulder, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. He would have dismissed it as fancy before he saw Fedei looking in the same direction.

  'What was that?'

  'I'm not sure, my Lord.' The Seer's voice was level but Isak could smell his fear. He shivered and took a deep breath. 'When I touched your hand, I had a vision of some sort – not a portent of the future, but something else. I saw Aryn Bwr – or perhaps you, but the figure seemed lighter, less substantial than you are – fully armoured, with dragon horns on his helm. He casts a perfectly black shadow. He stands within a circle of twelve crystal columns, each one twisted and bent into some awful shape. Facing him is a figure, a knight with a fanged sword in one hand and a hound's leash in the other.'

  Isak couldn't suppress the shiver that ran through his body as he pictured the knight in black armour and his massive fanged sword. He could remember the icy bite of its edge all too clearly from his dreams.

  'The leash runs to two figures that sit at his hgelC a naked Chetse on one side and a winged daemon on the other.' The Seer's voice shook a little.

  'What does it mean?' Isak could hardly bring himself to ask the question, but he forced out the words.

  The Seer, pale as a ghost, slowly swivelled his head to match Isak's gaze. The movement appeared to break the stupor he was in and he sank back into his c
hair as though drained of strength.

  Isak got up and moved quickly to his side. The Seer's breathing was shallow and for a moment Isak thought his heart had given out. He lifted him into a more comfortable position and asked what he should do to help. He felt useless.

  'I feel so weak. Please, ring for Ahden,' the old man whispered.

  Isak found a bell-pull beside the fire and tugged it hard, setting a jangle of bells going in other rooms. Within a matter of seconds, Ahden was storming in to the room, ignoring Isak as he made his way straight to his master's side.

  The servant told Isak curtly that his companions were waiting for him downstairs. Maids would show them to their rooms. Isak looked at Fedei and said softly, 'Feel better. We'll be fine.' He received a wan smile in reply.

  Isak rejoined his friends, who were gathered together in a stately but comfortable room, chatting. He said little for the rest of the evening, the image of the dark knight and his fanged sword weighing heavy on his soul.

  CHAPTER 27

  The desert smelled of age. Looking around at the withered trees clinging to the rocky ground, Kastan Styrax felt his own fatigue even more strongly. The ghost of an evening breeze yawned past his face as he removed his helm and looked at the cultivated scrap of land that, astonishingly, had warded off the desert long enough for the houses here to grow old and dilapidated.

  Unhooking the golden rings of his belt from the great padded saddle, he slipped down from the wyvern's back and on to the dusty earth. The freezing air high above had left his muscles cold and stiff, but it took only a few careful steps to recapture his balance. He flexed his huge shoulders twice and then drew the fanged sword from behind

  his back.

  He stretched his back, arms and shoulders by working through forms, slowly, assuredly. As the massive blade hissed through the cool air, the grunting wyvern behind him turned its head, then returned its unblinking eyes to a figure trotting towards them from the distant