Wizard in the Woods

by Jeffrey M. Poole

  Then why won’t it freeze? Mikal asked. This excursion was sounding more and more like a bad idea.

  THE SALINITY LEVELS ARE TOO HIGH TO ALLOW THE WATER TO FREEZE. CONTINUING ON, NO LIGHT WILL PERMEATE THE WATER AT THAT DEPTH.

  We won’t need the light, Gareth smugly informed their guide. We have our third eye.

  IF YOU’RE REFERRING TO YOUR PARIETAL EYE YOU WILL FIND IT INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO USE AS THERE IS NOTHING DOWN THERE WHICH GIVES OFF ANY AMOUNT OF LIGHT.

  How are we supposed to see? Mikal asked, confused. Gareth needs to see where this thing was held so he can learn how it broke out in the first place. We’re hoping it’ll give us an idea how to get it back in there.

  YOUR PLAN IS TO LURE IT BACK TO ITS PRISON AND SEAL IT OFF, AS IT WAS IMPRISONED BEFORE?

  Well, yeah, Mikal answered. That should work, shouldn’t it?

  NO.

  What? Why not?

  YOUR PLAN IS DOOMED TO FAILURE.

  Mikal scowled.

  I’m really starting to hate it when people tell me that.

  Why is it doomed to failure? Gareth timidly asked.

  BECAUSE IT TOOK TWENTY OF OUR STRONGEST WARRIORS AND THREE SHEALK WIZARDS TO SEAL THAT ABOMINATION IN ITS PRISON IN THE FIRST PLACE.

  What?! Mikal breathed, shocked. The shealk are responsible for capturing the Athanaus the first time?

  AYE.

  Wizards? Gareth repeated, honing in on the one word that had caught his attention. The shealk have wizards?

  Now Gareth had Pravara’s attention.

  The shealk had wizards? she repeated, amazed. My father never told me that.

  HAVE WIZARDS, Fernius corrected. HOW ELSE DO YOU THINK WE DROVE THE CREATURE INTO ITS PRISON?

  I thought I heard that the Athanaus predates the wyverians, Mikal recalled. Does that mean the shealk came before the aerial dragons?

  OF COURSE. HOW DO YOU THINK THAT SPECIES CAME TO BE? THOSE OF US WHO GREW TIRED OF LIVING IN THE SEA CRAWLED OUT OF THE WATER AND ACQUIRED LUNGS. AND WINGS.

  How? Gareth demanded.

  USING JHORUN. HOW ELSE?

  So, if I understand you right, the shealk imprisoned the Athanaus the first time. Couldn’t they do it again?

  NO.

  Why not?

  BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY ONE SHEALK WIZARD LEFT AND HE WAS THE FIRST VICTIM OF THE THRIPER.

  Chapter 11 – Didn’t See That Coming

  That’s just great, Mikal grumped, inadvertently baring his considerable fangs. We find out the shealks are responsible for imprisoning the Athanaus the first time around, and the only person that has a chance of doing it again has been incapacitated.

  Can you tell us what happened to him? Pravara gently asked. Is there any hope of recovery?

  Fernius shook his head, NO. THE THRIPER DRAINED EVERY LAST DROP OF JHORUN OUT OF HIS BODY. THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO REGENERATE. HIS WILL TO LIVE WAS DAMPENED. ONLY RECENTLY HAS HE STARTED TO PHYSICALLY RECOVER. HIS JHORUN, I AM SORRY TO REPORT, HAS BEEN LOST FOREVER.

  Thriper? Gareth repeated, confused. Do the shealk call this monster a ‘thriper’?

  That’s what this monster is, Mikal answered. I heard my father call it by that name earlier.

  Pravara swam close and nudged Mikal with her tail.

  Will your jhorun work on a shealk?

  Mikal tried several times to shrug but ended up looking like he was suffering from a nervous tick.

  I wish I could say, Pravara. I’ve never met any shealk before today so I have no idea.

  Mikal started to turn back to the much larger shealk when Pravara nudged him again.

  Does it work on non-humans?

  I really don’t know, Mikal confessed.

  What is your jhorun? Gareth asked. Is it something powerful?

  My jhorun has been the subject of debate for years, Mikal answered. I always thought it was the ability to enhance other jhoruns. I could take someone’s jhorun and amplify it up to a level much higher than they would normally be able to attain.

  That isn’t the case now? Gareth asked, intrigued.

  Well, a few years back a new aspect of my jhorun manifested. I learned that I could give jhorun to someone who didn’t have any.

  Fernius blinked with surprise and whipped his massive body around until he was facing Mikal.

  A MOMENT, IF YOU PLEASE. YOU SAID THAT YOU’RE ABLE TO BESTOW JHORUN TO WHOMEVER YOU WANT?

  Only if they don’t presently have any. I’ve given jhorun back to a few people who had their jhorun stripped from them by hostile enemies.

  AND IT WORKED? the shealk excitedly asked.

  Well, aye. It just wasn’t the same jhorun as before.

  CLARIFY, Fernius demanded, growing suspicious. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?

  The jhorun I end up giving people isn’t the same because as you probably know, every example of jhorun is different from every other jhorun. My mother had her jhorun taken from her when she was abducted a number of years ago. My mother’s jhorun was so strong that she was unable to suppress it, so she stopped trying. When I applied my own jhorun to hers the result was a jhorun that she could turn off whenever she wanted. I offered to remove that jhorun and allow her to have her original jhorun returned to her (we had recovered it later on), but she refused. She was much happier with her new one.

  ARE YOU SAYING YOU COULD RETURN OUR WIZARD’S JHORUN BUT IT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT HE’S USED TO? IS THAT WHAT YOU’RE SAYING?

  Mikal gave his large sea-green head a violent shake.

  Absolutely not. I never said that it’d work. What I’m trying to tell you is that I’m willing to give it a try.

  Satisfied with Mikal’s answer, Fernius began sinking straight down. He looked expectantly at the three of them as he was swiftly carried downwards.

  BASED ON WHAT YOU TOLD ME BEFORE, I ASSUME YOU’LL BE FOLLOWING ME?

  Are you taking us to where the Athanaus was held?

  CORRECT, ALTHOUGH I WOULD PREFER IT IF YOU SIIMPLY CALLED IT A THRIPER. IT CERTAINLY DIDN’T NAME ITSELF. THE SHEALK HAVE ALWAYS REFERRED TO IT AS ‘THRIPER’. WE CHOOSE TO CALL IT BY WHAT IT IS. THAT’S ALL IT NEEDS TO BE KNOWN BY. TO GIVE IT A DIFFERENT NAME SUGGESTS IT SHOULD BE FEARED.

  Well, I’m afraid of it, Mikal admitted. You said it yourself. It sucked every last drop of your wizard’s jhorun. That’s reason enough to be scared.

  SUCH A HUMAN THING TO SAY.

  Then it’s a good thing we’re human, Gareth mumbled under his breath.

  How long will it take us to get there? Mikal asked.

  AT LEAST AN HOUR, PERHAPS LONGER.

  Great, Mikal grumbled.

  ****

  You’re sure?

  Aye, I’m sure.

  There can be no doubt, Gareth. I need to know.

  Mikal, I already told you. There’s no chance the spell will wear off. Remember what I said just before we shifted? I’ll have to invoke a counter-spell before we can shift back to our normal forms.

  You can’t fault me for being nervous, Mikal sheepishly explained. I’m used to unorthodox work ethics and unreliable results.

  Allow me to venture a guess, Gareth began.

  No, Mikal interrupted. We’re not playing that game. No guessing allowed. No one deserves to be ridiculed. He gets that enough without my help.

  Gareth snorted while Pravara ignored them. She had caught up to Fernius and was trying to engage him in conversation. The shealk, unfortunately, wasn’t in a talkative mood.

  You did say that you are our guide, right?

  AYE.

  Then talk to us. Tell us about our present location. How is it you can see in the total absence of light? You mentioned earlier that our third eye will be useless here. I myself can only see the tiniest trace of the glowing algae now. It’s just enough light to give me an idea where everyone is. What’s your secret? How is it you can see so clearly?

  JHORUN.

  What? You’re using jhorun to see?

  AYE.

  Aren’t you worried about a
ttracting the Athanaus?

  STOP CALLING IT THAT. IT’S A THRIPER, NOTHING MORE. AND NO, I’M NOT.

  Why not?

  IF THE THRIPER APPEARS THEN ALL I HAVE TO DO IS OUTSWIM THE THREE OF YOU.

  Gareth and Mikal joined Pravara and stared uncomprehendingly at the huge shealk. Mikal frowned.

  Did I hear that right? You’d really leave us out here to fend for ourselves if the Ath… the thriper appears?

  IT WAS A JOKE, HUMAN. I MADE IT TO LESSEN YOUR DISCOMFORT. YOU SHOULD REALLY LEARN HOW TO RELAX.

  Lissa tells me that all the time.

  WHO IS LISSA?

  She’s –

  …his mate, Pravara interrupted.

  Why is everyone so eager to call her my mate? Mikal asked in a fit of exasperation. There’s no purpose to it.

  I’d say if the purpose of it is to make you blush and feel uncomfortable, Gareth nonchalantly remarked, then it’s working.

  Shut up.

  Gareth laughed, but his laughter died off as the last of the glowing algae they had been using to see vanished from the water. Even with their third eye it was now so dark that they were effectively swimming blind.

  Now what? Gareth asked. I don’t like being able to not see where I’m swimming.

  The three newly christened shealk came to a stop. Their shealk guide grudgingly halted his descent and waited for them to catch back up.

  WE’RE CLOSE. DON’T STOP NOW.

  But we can’t see anything, Fernius, Mikal told him.

  FEAR NOT. I CAN.

  But we can’t see you, either! Wizards be damned, Gareth. And I do mean that. Are you not a wizard? Can’t you do something?

  Let me think about this.

  Why not gift yourself with nocturnal vision? Pravara suggested. If I were to venture a guess, I’d say that’s how Fernius can see where he’s going.

  Nocturnal vision, Gareth muttered. Let’s see. It’s not nighttime, but if I alter the active time and substitute the current time, and then omit the part about the absence of the sun since the sun is out, then I should be able to do it.

  The sun isn’t out down here, Mikal pointed out.

  But it is out, Gareth contradicted. Be quiet. I need to concentrate.

  WHAT IS HE DOING?

  Our friend is an aspiring wizard, Mikal told their shealk companion. If anyone can figure out how to help us see down here it will be him.

  Gareth looked over at Mikal and nodded his head.

  Thanks.

  Don’t prove me wrong.

  HE IS A WIZARD? A SHEALK WIZARD?

  I realize that’s how it looks at the moment, Fernius. Just remember he’s a human, not a shealk. A human wizard.

  ANOTHER SHEALK WIZARD. HOW REMARKABLE.

  I just said he isn’t a shealk wizard, Mikal argued. Stop addressing him like he is.

  The large shealk swam close and pointed a small claw at Gareth’s prone form, forgetting that Mikal wouldn’t be able to see the gesture.

  HE IS A WIZARD AND RIGHT NOW HE IS A SHEALK. THAT WOULD MAKE HIM A… ?

  Human wizard, Mikal stubbornly insisted.

  One second he was swimming in absolute darkness and in the next it was as though someone had opened the drapes on a sunny day. Light was everywhere. Mikal turned to look at his companions. Both Pravara and Gareth were studying their surroundings, as though they were seeing the watery environment for the first time. Mikal shook his head. In this case, it was true.

  Mikal looked down. The ocean bed was less than a hundred feet away. A thick blanket of seaweed and various other marine plant life covered every square inch of the ocean floor. Mikal was also surprised to see that the ocean floor wasn’t as flat as he thought it’d be. In fact, there were valleys and hills everywhere. Further out west he could see the start of a chain of underwater mountains.

  His attention was diverted to the ocean floor. Directly below him was a gently swaying sea of thick green plants spreading out in all directions. It reminded Mikal of the dragons’ valley. However, it was very easy to spot any irregularities as one’s eyes skimmed over the tops of the plants. He had instantly noted an object projecting almost straight up from the floor, rising to a height of at least thirty feet. A dozen feet away in opposite directions were a second and third object, only these two objects were somewhat shorter than the one in the middle.

  They’re masts! Mikal excitedly told the others. It’s a shipwreck!

  I wonder how long it’s been down there, Gareth wondered aloud.

  Fernius swam over to the closest mast and struck it with his thick, powerful tail. The mast trembled under the assault but didn’t move.

  I’D SAY AT LEAST A YEAR OR TWO. NOTICE HOW THE WOOD DIDN’T BREAK ONCE I STRUCK IT. HAD IT BEEN HERE LONGER THAN THAT THEN THE WOOD WOULD HAVE SPLINTERED AND BROKEN.

  Where was the thriper’s prison? Mikal asked.

  Fernius swam over to a nearby mound of rocks and slowly moved around it to the opposite side, facing due south.

  IT IS HERE.

  Mikal had started swimming towards the hill when he noticed he was the only one doing so. He turned to look back at Pravara who, in turn, was looking back at Gareth.

  What’s the matter? Pravara was asking. She started swimming back to Gareth. As she neared the black shealk Gareth sank lower and started nosing about on the ocean floor.

  What are you doing? Mikal called. We’re here. The prison is right over there. We’ve come all this way. Don’t you want to check it out now?

  There’s something here, Gareth told them, surprising them all. I’m feeling a pull coming from somewhere around here. Don’t ask me how I can do it. I can just sense whenever jhorun is near.

  The three other shealk joined Gareth as they stared down at the seaweed covered ocean floor.

  IF THERE IS, HOW DO YOU PROPOSE YOU FIND WHAT YOU’RE SEARCHING FOR? TRYING TO FIND AN OBJECT LOST ON THE OCEAN FLOOR IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE. IT COULD BE COVERED BY SEAWEED, OR SEDIMENT, OR POSSIBLY RESTING UNDERNEATH ANOTHER OBJECT.

  Gareth continued to gaze down at the swaying green floor when he flicked his tail to move closer, reached down with one of his front claws, and sank it into the soft soil the tall seaweed was growing in. When his claw came back up his companions saw that he was clutching something. Even though the object was covered in a brown and green film, Mikal could tell that it was a shield.

  It probably came from the ship, Mikal guessed. It’s just a shield, Gareth. What’s the big deal?

  Gareth studied the shield in his webbed claw. As delicately as he could, he wiped the back of his other claw across the shield’s surface, clearing away several layers of accumulated grime.

  I’ve seen this shield before.

  Mikal looked over at Pravara and held her gaze a few moments before he turned back to his friend.

  You have? When?

  I’m not sure. I just know I’ve seen it before.

  Maybe it’ll come back to you. Come on. We’ve come this far. Let’s see where the Athanaus was held.

  THRIPER.

  Whatever.

  Gareth dropped the shield and joined his companions as they swam towards the small hill that Fernius had pointed out. On the southern side of the hill was a jagged gouge in the ocean floor. It was nearly twenty feet long and was perhaps ten feet wide at its widest point. A closer examination suggested whatever was inside had desperately clawed its way out. They could see that large pieces of the ocean floor, namely the roof of the prison, had been brutally ripped apart.

  Pravara swam up to the jagged hole and peered inside.

  This is where it came from, no doubt about it. There’s a large cave inside. I see broken rock littering the floor.

  Mikal and Gareth joined Pravara and looked inside the Athanaus’ former prison.

  Are you ready? Mikal asked their wizard companion.

  You first.

  You’re the wizard. It should be you!

  You’re older.

  Fine. I’ll go.

  IF YOU TWO
ARE DONE BICKERING MAY I POINT OUT YOUR COMPANION HAS ALREADY ENTERED?

  Mikal and Gareth immediately peered inside. Sure enough they could see Pravara’s long tail quickly disappearing into the darkness.

  There’s only room for one other in here, Pravara reported back.

  Two shealks, one dark green and the other jet black, lunged for the opening at the same time. Both became wedged inside the small opening.

  I’m the wizard, Gareth protested. It should be me!

  Trying to conceal his victorious smirk, Mikal wriggled his tail for several minutes before he came to an unpleasant realization. He had no idea how to make his shealk body move in reverse.

  What are you doing? Gareth demanded. Get out of the way! You go back and I’ll go forward.

  Easier said than done. I can’t make myself go backwards.

  What are you talking about? Gareth sputtered. Of course you can.

  Oh, yeah? Let’s see you do it.

  Watch and learn.

  Gareth gave it a full five minutes before he admitted he was just as helpless as Mikal. Fernius approached and took the tip of Mikal’s tail in his teeth.

  YOU ARE THE MOST PATHETIC EXCUSES OF SHEALK I HAVE EVER SEEN.

  He gave Mikal’s tail a quick tug, yanking him out of the hole.

  NOW GET GOING. I DO NOT WISH TO LINGER AROUND HERE.

  Mikal watched as Gareth ducked into the opening and vanished.

  YOU HAVE A MOST UNUSUAL COMPANION.

  True, Mikal admitted.

  IS HE REALLY A WIZARD?

  Well, I’m really a human. That should answer your question.

  IS HE YOUNG BY HUMAN STANDARDS?

  Aye. He’s a few years younger than me. He’s 15.

  WHO ARE HIS PARENTS?

  What? Why do you want to know that?

  HIS GIFT IS ATYPICALLY STRONG.

  How would you know? Have you met many human wizards?

  Fernius settled to the ground and studied Mikal.

  IF I HAVE, WOULD YOU BE SURPRISED?

  Mikal eyed the huge purple shealk and nodded.

  Aye. I would. You’d have some explaining to do.

  NOT TO YOU I WOULDN’T.

  Have you?

  HAVE I WHAT?

  Met many human wizards?

  ONE OR TWO.