I reached out with telekinesis, pulled the wand back to myself, and said, “It means that you were born a magus, and your primary power line is illusion. Your secondary power line is elemental electricity.”
He exhaled deeply and leaned back in his chair. “Wow.”
“That means you have a choice to make. You can return to your ship and fly back to your old life. We will make sure you are fully stocked with food, water, and fuel before you go. You should be able to hire a new crew at the trading hub and restart your merchant business. It is unlikely we would cross paths again, which means that this is probably your only chance to accept my offer..”
“And my second option?” he asked.
“You could stay with us until we return to the Wizard Kingdom. Once there you can apply for admittance into Alpha Academy where you can train to be a wizard,” I said.
“I see. This ship is heading into combat, isn’t it?” he asked.
“Yes, there is that,” I said. “I expect there will be only one major battle, and I am confident we can and will win it, but anything can happen in war.”
“So my choices are: return to my previous life, or risk death?” he asked.
“You risk death every day of your life; you cannot let that stop you from living,” I said. I was sure he could never be happy returning to his merchant life. I knew he had grown weary of it and only planned to return to it because it was all he knew.
“True,” he said.
“Glimmer, what do you really have to return to? You have lost everyone and almost everything you had. If you come with us, you can start again with a new life, a life that you probably never imagined possible,” I said.
He got up and walked over to the wall that housed a temperature-controlled storage area and pulled out a bottle. I suspected that the bottle contained some intoxicating beverage that normally would not be allowed on this vessel. After pouring a drink for himself, he said, “So much has changed in my lifetime.”
“Yes, and more change is coming, I am sure,” I said.
“Isn’t Alpha Academy really hard to get in to?” he asked.
“Not as hard as it used to be now that we have a full nation and multiple paths for people to take through it. Even if for some reason you were not admitted, just moving to the Wizard Kingdom would improve your life. We have peace there. It is nothing like out here,” I said.
“I make my money because of the strife, though,” he said.
“I can see that, but is it something you really want to return to?” I asked.
“I don’t know. I just don’t know anymore,” he said.
“I think you do, but you are afraid to admit it,” I said. “You have nothing to go back to, but there is a whole new path in front of you. It would be foolish to think that chance alone brought you here.”
He was quiet for a long time, just looking into his drink. “The merchant life is all I know. I don’t know if I can do anything else.”
“Of course you can. Change can be painful and difficult, but can also bring great reward,” I said.
“Okay. I’ll stick it out and see how it goes with Alpha Academy, assuming you don’t get me killed first, that is,” he said.
“I have no intention of letting that happen,” I said.
Chapter Eighty-Eight
“You’ll do great, Spectra!” I sent privately.
“Thanks, Dusty,” she replied.
She was nervous about presenting this report, not because of what was in it, but because Grandmaster Vydor and Master Kellyn had come out personally to hear her.
Spectra presented her report on our trip to the Spirit Realm to the command staff, as scheduled. Flame created some visuals at predetermined times to help with the details. When Spectra had finished, Shadow asked, “So there are only five tables left?”
“Master Shadow, I can’t be positive, but I suspect there’s at least one other table,” said Spectra.
“Why’s that?” asked Master Kellyn.
“Master, they must know, as we do, that if anyone finds one table they can see all the tables that are linked back to it. The linking is too important not to have, so they could not hide them by keeping them unlinked. The thing is: if they were smart enough to plan this return from the grave ten thousand years in advance, then they must have realized they might meet resistance. The logical thing to do would be to have one more table somewhere not linked to the others,” said Spectra.
“What's the big deal behind the linking?’ asked Phoenix.
“It allows them to add power to any one table and pull it back to the main table. Since they can only enter the realm at a table’s location, this drastically improves their reach. The spirit traps have to be physically brought to a table for their power to be tapped, and that means that the more tables they have spread out, the further they can send their crates to harvest spirits,” said Spectra.
“You said the main table had most of the power. Could this sixth one have even more?” asked Master Shadow.
“Master, it’s not likely. Their power is determined indirectly by how much power is in that one central table. If there is a sixth table, I suspect it has no more than the minimum,” said Spectra.
“Based on Spectra’s report, they are tying up all their resources in this one main table. So the plan is simple: we hide the Nevermore II somewhere near the main table while I assemble four more teams to eliminate the others. The other four teams all move at once, and then when they are fully engaged you attack here. My hope is that the sorcerers will fall back to this table, and we might kill some of them before they can retreat,” said Grandmaster Vydor.
“What if they decide to make a stand here, Grandmaster?” asked Phoenix.
“That would be a departure from their normal cowardly ways; but if they do, Mantis, Grandmaster Korshalem, Master Kellyn and I will come and finish them. If need be, Henrick will come, and we can bring other masters and elites. If they decide to make it a fight, we will win,” said Grandmaster Vydor.
“In all likelihood, the green-hooded magus will make an attempt to defend this table, and when that fails, they’ll all retreat into hiding,” said Master Kellyn.
“Agreed. Darkness is patient. They will hide until they find another way back, even if that means waiting another millennium,” said Grandmaster Vydor.
“Grandmaster, the planet is two days from the jump exit. We will have to jump in and risk being seen as we exit and cloak, if you want us to attack at a moment’s notice,” said Master Shadow.
“Understood. That is a risk we will have to take. Hold one jump out until I send word, then jump in and cloak as fast as possible. That will limit the lead time, at least,” said Grandmaster Vydor.
“Master Kellyn, why the green-hooded magus?” asked Spectra.
“From what you saw in the Spirit Realm he is not currently part of the other group. My guess is that, being typical sorcerers, they were enraged by his failure to kill you and expelled him until such time as he remedies that,” said Master Kellyn.
“Master, you think he’ll come gunning for me?” asked Spectra.
“Yes. You’ll need to be careful; but don’t worry, we will not let anything happen to you,” said Master Kellyn.
Spectra did not respond to that, but sat there quietly. I got the feeling she was looking forward to the rematch.
The meeting broke up shortly after that, and I would have left but Shadow motioned to me to stay. While we waited I saw Flame and Master Kellyn chatting away like old friends. I knew that Master Shadow and Grandmaster Vydor had a long shared history, but I didn’t realize that their wives had become close. While they were talking, Master Flame beckoned Spectra over.
“Dusty, do you think I should?” asked Spectra privately.
“Sure. Master Flame invited you. Go, or you’ll look rude,” I responded. I knew why she was hesitating; she didn’t know Master Kellyn. Despite all the growth I had seen in her over the years
, she was still extremely shy.
“Yeah, I guess,” she sent and moved over to join them.
Chapter Eighty-Nine
After a while everyone left the room except Master Shadow, Grandmaster Vydor, and myself. “Please, sit and relax,” said Grandmaster Vydor.
I did find a seat to sit in, but I could not obey his order to relax. I didn’t know why they were pulling me aside, but it didn’t seem like a positive thing to have the supreme ruler of all wizards and your boss call a private meeting with you.
“Dusty, I know that you and Spectra find it hard to trust me. You have both had a difficult past with people in authority, but I want you to understand that it is different now,” said Grandmaster Vydor.
“Yes, Grandmaster,” I said. I was not sure how appropriate that was, but it was the best I could think of.
“Dusty, as you know, we have had to make some changes to the way we do things in this realm, since the rules set up under Mantis do not work well here. For example, we have a kingdom to protect and govern. We have massive diplomatic issues to deal with, and an ever-growing military. This means that a single council to rule the realm is not possible.”
He paused there. I wasn’t sure what he was getting at, but I knew he felt it was important that I hear all this, so I listened quietly. I was more concerned with how Spectra was getting on with Master Kellyn. I suspected that she was walking in almost complete silence and not taking advantage of the chance of building a relationship with the most powerful Spiritualist in the realm. Master Kellyn was probably the only person who could teach her anything at all.
“One advantage of being supreme leader is that I can rearrange the government to match our reality. With the help of the Wizard’s Council, I came up with a different government structure to try. Under the new structure, the council rules over the Wizard Kingdom as the governing body. The members concern themselves with all matters relating to the running of the kingdom: expanding our borders, recruiting new magi, diplomacy, and such affairs. I have placed Rannor and Leslie in charge of the Academy, medical matters, and research. This separation of powers allows more flexibility as we grow in numbers and influence. Does that strike you as sensible?” asked Grandmaster Vydor.
“Yes, Grandmaster,” I said. I knew he had spent the last year reorganizing the leadership, but being out here on missions I was so far removed from it that it didn’t seem relevant to me.
“Shadow, of course, is still my chosen replacement as Grandmaster when the time comes for me to step down, but hopefully that is far enough distant to have no bearing on this conversation,” he said with a smile. “That leaves the Battle Wizards and Dragon Guard. You already know that I have placed Shadow at the head of these; what I want you to know is that you are second-in-command of the entire military force, both offensive and defensive.”
It was a good thing I was sitting down because I almost fell over. “But, Grandmaster, what about Shadow’s father and Admiral MacGregor?”
“Both report to you,” he said.
“But … how … why?” I tried to ask.
He smiled. “Dusty, you, Shadow, Shea, Spectra, Phoenix and Flame are my personal council of wizards over magic in general and the military specifically.”
Shadow was grinning from ear to ear at my attempt to digest what I had just been told. “But, Grandmaster, I’m just a kid! What do I know about running a military?”
“A kid? Hardly. You are a married man and the best in the realm at your primary spell line. Your wife is Spectra. Do I need to mention how powerful she is? Your most trusted friend is Shea, the high priestess of Light. Even the heir to the throne of Grandmaster has been your personal tutor! I cannot think of anyone better connected, and more suited to the position,” he said.
I said nothing. I was confused and overwhelmed. I wanted to contact Spectra, but I didn’t want to interrupt her time with Master Kellyn. I was torn over what to do.
“Dusty, I am placing you in this position because I know I can trust you completely. As we speak, my wife is informing your wife of the same thing,” he said.
“Grandmaster, this is such an honor and a surprise. I hardly know what to say,” I managed to say.
“Dusty, do you know why I approved your marriage to Spectra?” he asked.
“Grandmaster, because Shea vouched for us?” I asked.
“In truth, that would have been enough; but no, I had already made up my mind. I could see your marriage coming, probably long before you did. As grandmaster of the realm, I can see things that have not yet happened. I cannot see exact things, only omens, and I cannot see past certain pivotal events until they happen. This upcoming battle, for example: I can see that it is crucial to the future of our realm, but I cannot see what the outcome will be, or what effect will ensue. I only know it is central to our future,” he said.
“Grandmaster, we will win it; and that will be a good thing,” said Master Shadow.
“Will it? That will free Henrick to grow his forces. Is he a better devil to fight than the ancient sorcerers?” asked Grandmaster Vydor. “But that is the path we have chosen. I believe it to be the best one, but the outcome is uncertain.”
“Grandmaster, what does this have to do with Spectra?” I asked.
“Dusty, your marriage to her was one of those pivotal events,” he said.
“Why? How could that matter?” I asked.
“Spectra came to us already trained in magic. Through Gafar’s standard testing of her, we learned that Necromancers had trained her during a long stay in the Spirit Realm. I would guess her to have been already at journeyman level when she started. Do not worry, she knows I know. I think that is partly why she does not trust me.”
I happened to catch Master Shadow’s face when Grandmaster Vydor said that. He was shocked by the revelation, so apparently he had not been told. I knew she was much more powerful than the other wizards of her level, but I had not guessed how much.
“She did poorly in school not because it was too hard for her, but because she did not bother to try,” continued Grandmaster Vydor. “She was looking for a purpose, a reason to keep living, and was hoping the school would give her that; apparently it did.”
“You mean Dusty, Grandmaster?” asked Master Shadow.
“Yes, Dusty,” he said.
“Grandmaster, why are you telling me this?” I asked.
“Because I want her and you to be aware that I know all about both of you. I know the struggles and temptations you both face, but I still trust you. You are both important to me as advisors, and I hope someday you can call me a friend,” he said. “There is nothing more important than family, and I consider you both to be part of mine.”
Chapter Ninety
The Nevermore II was waiting, as planned, one jump and two days out from what we believed to be the master table. I was on the bridge of the Shadow Fox, and Phoenix was on the Dust Dragon. We remained docked, but ready to launch. We had taken the risk of sending an advance probe and discovered a small fleet of cruisers protecting the planet. It was expected that the moment we came out of jump space they would move to intercept us. Master Shadow had us preparing the Dark Conures to launch so that, if they managed to detect us, we would be ready to respond. We did not want to jump as three separate spacecraft, as that would give them three chances to detect us as we came out of jump space.
“For a group of ancient sorcerers, they seem to use a lot of technology,” said Rocky.
“Yes, it would be best if we didn’t underestimate their technological abilities. They have had ten thousand years to learn it,” said Lythiran.
As we waited I tried to imagine the scene on the bridge of the Dust Dragon. Phoenix hated waiting with a passion. He was likely to be pacing back and forth, constantly bugging his poor communications officer to find out if any messages had come in yet. At least he would be getting some exercise.
It felt good to be in command on my ship, even if it was still in
dock. The past few months learning how to be a husband and getting to know Grandmaster Vydor had changed my perspective on my future. I could see how the kingdom had come to depend on Spectra and me, and that was something I’d never experienced before. Thanks to Gafar’s routine probing throughout the years, Grandmaster Vydor knew everything there was to know about our past and the temptations we faced, and yet he still trusted and depended on us. For the first time in either of our lives, Spectra and I had found a place to belong.
I still struggled with the idea that we were killing people to accomplish good, but at least I had a family. I had people that cared about me. I had a wife and good friends. Never before in my life had I been so loved and cared for.
“All hands, prepare for jump,” came over the comm system.
“Everyone, it’s time. Be ready to launch,” I said just before the cool azure of jump space wrapped around us. As we came out of the jump I said, “Spectra, anything?”
“No, Dusty. The Nevermore II has recloaked, and there does not appear to be any change in the fleet guarding the planet,” she said.
“Excellent. Everyone, I know this is going to be a bit strange, but we will stay at our active duty stations here on the Fox until further notice,” I said. If we undocked now, it would compromise the Nevermore’s cloak and risk blowing the surprise plan, but we needed to be ready to launch at a moment’s notice. This put us in the odd position of being at full battle alert while docked.
“Master, we are two days out from the planet,” said Rocky. “I suggest we reduce to a skeletal crew until we get closer to the planet. It is unlikely anything will change until the Nevermore is ready to uncloak.”
“Good idea. Issue the order and adjust the shifts so that our primary team is in place when we reach the planet.
“Yes, Master,” he said.
With that, Spectra and I left the bridge and headed down to the mess hall for dinner. While we were eating, Darkstone came up and asked, “Master, when do we restart the games?”
Resurgence of Ancient Darkness Page 31
