“Don’t worry, Your Highness, I have much the same policy,” Bunny replied , stabbing one monster in the back with her favourite dagger, while using her sorcery to send illusory blades at another, before saying, “Sorry, Highness. Be right back,” and promptly disappeared.
Franckel, Tincershi, Tolbrietta and Calandra cast spells and prayers at the horde. Elice and Eilidh did their best to GrantLife to keep their respective mage partner’s Life Store topped up, while Granite multitasked, Granting Life, swinging his axe and singing bard songs. Rochelle was doing some multi-tasking of her own, using her druid magic to wound and heal in equal measure while defending her more vulnerable friends with a pair of long knives.
As for the strange old man, Artisho, he tried to hit a lizard man over the head with his staff, missed and fell flat on his face. His hat was kicked across the room and oblivious to the danger around him, he promptly crawled after it. Unfortunately, it seemed like every time he got within arm's reach, it was kicked somewhere else, and he had to crawl after it again. Strangely, the chaos creatures seemed to be ignoring him.
In the confusion, Z'rcona managed to slip up quietly behind Vorden, who thought he was safe inside his protective magical shield and surrounded by his chaos legions. He was shocked, however, when all his magic suddenly collapsed and he felt a presence in his mind.
“No!” he cried in horror. “By order of Her Divine Excellency,” Z'rcona pronounced sentence, “you are to be brought before her to answer for your crime of selfish betrayal, putting your own petty desires above Her Almighty Will. She calls you and you willgo to her now!”
With a scream of unimaginable pain and terror, he vanished, sucked into a vortex of powerful magic. Loric and Leonis tried to fight their way back towards each other, killing chaos monsters only because they were in the way, but Z'rconacalled out to the Knight, “Forget him! Job done. Time to go.” There was no immediate answer.
“Your Royal Highness,” Eilidh began, having finally reached her side. “Mystaya,” she insisted, “We don't have time for formalities.” She cast out shards of molte n rock, fanning out in an arc to singe a number of monsters that got too close for comfort. Eilidh Granted Life to replenish her.
“Mystaya, then. You were brave to call out his name like that.”
“It seemed like the only thing I could do,” she replied.
“Well, it kept him talking and bought us time,” Eilidh said
“That’s not going to mean much unless we get out of here. Any ideas?” Remembering Bunny's words about a thief always leaving himself a back door, Eilidh replied, “You tell me. You've been here a while, is there any other way out of here? An escape route Vorden had planned?”
“I wish I could say for sure, but I was blindfolded whenever the Darkness spell wasn’t in effect. Wait a moment, though, he did leave this room from time to time, and I don't think he went into the mine itself. He hid one room, maybe he hid another?”
“Good thinking,” Eilidh commended her.
Eilidh called out, “Listen to me all of you! We think there's another hidden room that might be a way out. We have to find it!” Z'rcona gav e a disdainful retort, “You might have to, sweetheart, but not us! Linarceo, stop playing with that dragon. Remember how Her Divine Excellency feels about personal vendettas! We’re getting out of here. Now!”
“Thou art wise to remind me, Z'rcona,” the Dark Knight replied, then turning back to Loric, who was still trying to fight his way back over to him, he said, “I regret that I am unable to finish this at the present time, but my duty doth call me away.”
“Come back here you coward!” “Worry thee not, sir , for we shalt surely have our reckoning, but not today. Do try not to die down here. I want to kill thee myself. Fare thee well until we meet once more.” He offered a Knightly salute, then when Z’rcona gave him the nod, he activated a magical device. There was a flash of blue light and her entire party vanished.
Loric cursed and, robbed of the energy of his fury and chance for revenge, he began to tire and struggle with the many small injuries he had sustained. Calandra prayed for healing, and Lady Hannah was the first to fight her way towards him and come to his aid. She cared nothing for killing the enemy, but simply did enough to get them out of her way, relying on her golden plate armour to protect her.
She had no sooner reached him, when Artisho cried out loud, “Aha! Gotcha now!”
Everyone turned to look as he lunged at his runaway hat, missed and ended up through an illusory wall, so that only his flailing legs were visible.
Eilidh shook her head in wonder, “He's found it - the daft old man's found the hidden room! Come on, all of you!” They stayed tightly packed together as a group, protecting each other as they moved over to Artisho. They hauled him to his feet, and picked up has hat in one swift movement, crowding into the small adjoining room. It was a squeeze, but they all fit. The chaos creatures were soon pounding on the wall, but they couldn't get in.
“That's odd,” Taka said, “How come we could get through but they can't?”
It was Granite who responded with, “Gift horse...mouth...ye see what I'm sayin'?” There was a mage's strongbox standing in pride of place. A closer inspection revealed a very nasty trap constituting dozens of poisoned needles that could undoubtedly kill every one of them, were it to fire. There was some debate over whether Bunny should cast the Trap Zap spell to disarm it, knowing that if the spell failed, they would almost certainly all be killed.
Then Phaer volunteered, “Let me do it. I think this trap was designed with mages in mind. We've seen evidence before that Idon't set off such traps, so I can disarm it.”
“How can you disarm magic?” Eilidh asked, sceptically.
“It has a magical trigger, but there is a physical mechanism that fires the needles. I can take it out and make the whole thing useless.” After some debate it was agreed. Phaer crouched down by the chest and the others gave him what room they could. Once he started, nobody dared to move, they were even scared to breathe in case it disturbed the ranger. The half-elf put all else out of his mind, focussing his whole being on the task at hand. It was a delicate operation and he was soon sweating with the controlled effort. After what seemed like hours, but was really no more than two or three minutes, he slowly, gently removed the trigger device and stood up, putting it away in his pack - one could never tell when it might be useful.
“It worked,” Phaer stated in hushed tones.
“You're sure it's safe?” Eilidh whispered back.
“Why are you whispering? Of course it’s safe!” Phaer shot back. Eilidh smiled, briefly, uneasily. He did not return it. It seemed Phaer was unhappy with her for some reason that she couldn’t fathom. She was worried that the bond so recently developed between them might be broken and she had no idea how to fix it.
Bunny needed no further invitation. She was on the floor, opening the box in a flash. Inside were gems, healing potions, and a Techmagic device that could cast the Safety Spell - a single use, short-range, emergency teleportation spell that would take them outside the mine in an instant. All it needed was an injection of Life from a Catalyst. Eilidh did the honours and with a flash of blue light, they found themselves outside the main entrance to the mine. There they sat down to relax and regenerate wounds and magic. All except Granite, who excused himself from the group, saying he had something to do. No-one had the energy to stop him or question him. A few minutes later, there was a large explosion and the dwarf came wandering back.
“A good mine supervisor always keeps some explosives handy just in case. I spotted the equipment on the way in and I figured I could keep the beasties from ever gettin' out.
* * * * *
They set up camp by the lake where Phaer had first met Artisho.
Princess Mystaya stood up and thanked everyone for coming to her rescue, then asked, “Where are we and how are we to get home?” Bunny held of a piece of paper, and declared, “Maybe this will help. It's a map, showing Marina Fells in rel
ation to the main human cities of Mythallen. It's quite a way by the looks of things.”
“Wherever did you get your hands on a map?” Rochelle wondered.
“Oh, while that Z'rcona was sneaking up on Vorden, I suddenly became very curious about what she might have in her pack. So Ithought I'd take a look.”
“You picked her pocket?” Phaer asked. He was impressed, for growing up with Z'rcona, he knew his cousin's skill was not to be taken lightly. “Yes,” Bunny replied, solemnly, catching his tone. “It was the most fascinating challe nge I've had in a long time. She's good, but on that occasion, I was better. I took this thing, as well,” she held up an orb that seemed to be like the device the Dark Knight used to teleport them away.
“'Twas a most honourable test of thy skill,” Lady Hannah approved.
Bunny shrugged. “Well, you never know when a magical device might come in handy,” she said, packing it away, safely.
“One other thing puzzles me,” offered the princess. “I am curious as to how my father came to choose you all for this.” Taking it in turns, they told their story, from the misunderstanding when they met Prince Garald, their short stay in Shakaran, adventures in Avidon and ultimately how they came to Marina Fells.
Above all the rest, though, one thing stood out for Mystaya.“Uncle Kismet is dead?” She shook her head in disbelief. “Impossible.”
“Uncle?” Toli marvelled. The princess smiled, “No, dear hobbit, he wasn't my real uncle, that's just what I called him. He was there when I was born and although he disappeared for long periods, I always felt like he was there as I grew up.”
“Who was he?” Eilidh wondered. She shrugged, “I have no idea. Neither does my father. If you ask him, he could give you no good reason why he allowed him free run of the palace and took him intohis confidence.” She laughed and added, “apart from the fact that there wouldn't have been any way to stop him from entering if we'd wanted to. Somehow, Kismet always seemed to find his way to places where he shouldn't have been and know things he shouldn't have known. He was a mystery, and I wouldn't have wanted him any other way. But tell me, Eilidh, what is it that brought you my father's city in the first place?”
“While rescuing you was a noble cause, Your Highness,” the Catalyst answered, “my primary motivation was the source of information to which your father has promised to lead me.” Eilidh took a deep breath. It was a risk, but she had to believe she was doing the right thing. If she obeyed Gamaliel’s instructions to the letter and told no-one, she couldn’t do her job. Therefore Eilidh would use her own judgement, make her own choices.
“You've all earned the right to hear what all this is about,” the Catalyst told her companions. “I can’t ask any of you to risk your lives if I’m not willing to take the risk of trusting you. I don’t know how any of you could prove yourselves any more than you already have.”
Epilogue
For the first time, Eilidh revealed some of the details of her meeting with Master Gamaliel that had started all this off. At the end, Toli let out a low whistle. “I knew something had happened at the top of magical government, but I never guessed, I mean, how could anyone guess, after all it's so incredible, even far-fetched and unbelievable, not that I don't think what you're saying is true, of course it is if you say so.”
Phaer had gone deathly pale during the course of the story, and finally, he exploded. “I cannot believe you would keep this from us! What have you dragged me into? Dear gods, that's what Z'rcona was doing here - she's working for `Her`! Vorden was an agent of Niltsiar but he betrayed her when he kidnapped Princess Mystaya so she sent my cousin to assassinate him.”
“That's what I suspect, too,” Eilidh agreed.
“Oh you suspected it did you? Well hooray for you! What do you want, a medal? Niltsiar is back. I have to warn my people. They have to know!”
“Phaer, you can't spread this around; you could jeopardise the entire mission, destroy any chance of stopping Niltsiar.” The ranger snorted. “You can't stop Niltsiar! You'd be better off putting your efforts into stopping the sunrise or making the moon disappear! I can't be one who stands against her, I don’t dare.” He stood up. “I'm going to my people and that's the end of it.” Without further comment he snatched the map out of Bunny’s hand and stormed off.
Everyone looked at Eilidh for guidance - their thoughts were plain to see `do we stop him`? The Catalyst shook her head. “Let him go. What will be will be. It's a very long way back to any elven settlements on foot. Time enough for him to make the right decision - whatever that might be. Well, Mystaya, it's time for us to take you home.”
“I think I remember the way from Z'rcona's map well enough,” Bunny offered.
“You don't need the map, young lady,” Artisho told her. “I know the way; I can lead you.”
“Why didn't you tell us that before?” Rochelle wondered.
The old man shrugged. “You never asked. It's a good thing we have three dragons with us, though; it won't take us nearly so long this way.”
Loric cleared his throat, slightly embarrassed. “Actually, I'm afraid I'm not coming with you.”
“What!” Everyone demanded at once.
“There's something I have to do over in the Scorched Desert and it doesn't make much sense to go all the way to Shakaran, when it’s leagues in the wrong direction.” “He's asked me to go with him,” Calandra added, eyes pleading for understanding, “and I've agreed. I think it's time I stopped pretending to be something I'm not and got more involved in dragon business. Poor Sara died without ever being comfortable with what she really was. I don't want the same to happen to me. I'm sorry. We'll track you down again when we can.”
Eilidh sighed, “OK, that leaves you, Taka. Will you take us?” “Er, no,” Taka refused, “I'm afraid not. With everything that you've told me, I should be with my people in the aquatic kingdoms,helping to protect the sea elves. I’m sorry. I understand the need for secrecy and I promise not to spread it around, but I have to tell the king. Who knows? Maybe he can help. Maybe we retain some ancient knowledge that is lost to the land bound races.”
“Speaking of which,” Rochelle put in, “I want to visit Merlyon and do some research of my own. Surely there must be something in the magical capital to help us.”
“In this current climate of war,” Hannah said, gravely, “methinks she shouldst not go alone. I shall act as her protector, by thy leave, Your Highness,” she added.
The princess smiled. “Please,” she waved a hand, dismissively, “thou must act according to thine own honour, Noble Lady. I shalt not hold thee back.” “Thank you, Your Highness. Whilst at Merlyon, I shalt return unto mine own Order. If I know my sponsor, Knight Officer Sir Warren Mitchell, I believe he might find me worthy of promotion to Knight Warrior, by virtue of this small undertaking, whilst I have been on detached duty.”
Eilidh believed that only a Knight would call what they had been through a `small undertaking`. “If you will give me few moments,” Taka offered, “I will ask one of my friends to come and take you to Merlyon. I know just the dragon. He’ll jump at the chance.” With that, Taka shook Eilidh’s hand, wished her luck and then reverted to her true form and the bronze aquatic dragon dived into the lake.
Seeing her party fragmenting before her eyes upset Eilidh more than she would have expected.
Toli put her small hand on the Catalyst's shoulder. “I'm still with you, my friend. I've told you, I'm with you to the end no matter what.”
“Aye,” Granite rumbled, “and if yer thinkin' that I'd risk missin' out on the five hundred gold reward I've got comin', lassie, ye can think again.”
“You will all receive due payment,” promised Princess Mystaya. “If my father's word were not enough, you have mine also.” Bunny just shrugged. “I really don't have anywher e else to go, Eilidh, so I'd like to stay with you...but I'm concerned for Phaer, out here alone. Who knows what could be out here? If you think I should stay, I'll stay, but I really think I should fo
llow him.”
“He won't thank you for it, the way he feels now. Plus, you can be quite...distracting and he probably wants to be alone.”
“Don't worry, he won't even know I'm there unless he's in trouble. Even then I could probably get in, help him and get out before he realised it's me. I can do this.”
“Well, I for one will sleep better knowing he has someone looking out for him. You have my blessing, not that I have any right to tell you what to do. Your life is your own. Go.”
Your life is your own,Bunny thought to herself. Nobody had ever said that to her before. “I’ll look after him for you,” she promised.
For me? What does that mean?The Catalyst wondered, but aloud, she just said, “I know you will. Thank you, Bernice.”
The young woman looked startled at the use of her proper name, but said nothing as she gathered her things.
“Hmmm,” Artisho mused, stroking his beard. “That just leaves five of us going the same way. No problem at all.”
“That's easy for you to say, sir,” came a booming voice from the lake. A great sea serpent raised its head up high above the water. “I'm a sea serpent, not a passenger ship!”
“Don't be silly!” Artisho scolded. “At least it’s not seven of us! So thanks to Princess Katakaran--“
“Princess who?” Eilidh asked, puzzled.
“Katakaran!” repeated the old man. “Taka!”
“Taka’s a princess?”
“That’s what I just said. So as I was saying, thanks to—“
“So when she said she wanted to tell the king...that would be her father?”
“Well obviously! Anyway, thanks to Pr—“
“Why do I suddenly seem to be surrounded by royalty?”
“I have no idea!” Artisho answered, quite exasperated. “Now will you please stop interrupting your elders?”
“Sorry.”
Chosen (Majaos Book 1) Page 25
