Wizard in the Woods

by Jeffrey M. Poole

  Well?

  It’s done.

  It is? I didn’t feel anything.

  Try to do something. Remember, your jhorun is going to be weak. It needs rest and time to regenerate.

  Balthor’s mouth began moving, only Mikal couldn’t hear anything. Was he chanting?

  It’s working!! I don’t know how you did it but its working! I can feel it! It’s faint, but it’s there! Thank you! Thank you very much!

  You’re welcome.

  Balthor hurried outside to inform the others that his jhorun was back. The shealk was giddy with excitement. Lord Phaedren gave Mikal an appraising stare as he rejoined his friends.

  WELL DONE, YOUNG MIKAL. YOU HAVE MY THANKS.

  And mine! Balthor cried, unable to contain his excitement. He was now swimming in circles around the small mesa, coming dangerously close to the jagged rocks reaching high up out of the water.

  You have my thanks, too, Mikal. That was my father you just helped.

  I know. I told you I’d help you find him.

  Yes, you certainly did. I owe you. Big.

  Well, let’s put our heads together and figure out what we’re going to do about the Ath… er, the thriper.

  I AGREE. I MUST PREVENT THE REST OF MY SHEALK FROM SUFFERING THE SAME FATE AS BALTHOR. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO SUFFER THE LOSS OF THEIR JHORUN.

  Do you have any ideas how we’re going to contain it? Pravara asked. She ducked low as Balthor zipped by, causing ripples in the water that threatened to pull them closer to the rocks.

  I BELIEVE THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE. THE THRIPER IS ATTRACTED TO JHORUN. WE NOW HAVE TWO SHEALK WIZARDS IN OUR MIDST. IT SHOULD SEEK US OUT. ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS LOCATE A SUITABLE CAVE TO HOLD IT.

  You already have a cave, Mikal pointed out. Use the one it broke out of.

  DO YOU NOT THINK IT WOULD RECOGNIZE ITS FORMER PRISON? DO YOU NOT THINK IT WOULD AVOID THE AREA?

  Hmm, good point.

  So here’s what we’ll do, Gareth cut in. Find another cave. I’ll go in there and expel enough jhorun to attract this thing wherever it happens to be. Once it goes in I’ll sneak out and then we seal it up.

  You’re forgetting the part about the Athanaus being awake, Mikal reminded him. We’re going to have to knock it out before that happens or else it’ll just escape again.

  Balthor stopped his mad sprint around the mesa perimeter and joined the meeting.

  HAVE YOU SOMETHING TO ADD, BALTHOR?

  A couple of things, My Lord. First, and most importantly, there isn’t any way I’m letting my son enter a small cave with that thriper at the same time. Son, you’ll have to come up with something better than that. Second, leave the thriper to me. Now that I know what we’re dealing with, I’ll be better prepared. I can render the thriper unconscious. You, my son, will be ready to seal that cave as best as you can. Do you think you can do that?

  Gareth solemnly nodded, You can count on me, father.

  Lord Phaedren lifted his head an emitted some type of electrical pulse. They saw a bright blue flash appear briefly above the Dragon Lord’s head and were ready to ask about it when no fewer than two dozen shealk arrived.

  THE TIME TO END THE TERROR OF THE THRIPER IS NIGH. WE MUST LOCATE ANOTHER SUITABLE CAVE WHICH WILL ACT AS ITS PRISON. YOU HAVE ALL SEEN THE FORMER PRISON SO YOU’LL KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR. GO. REPORT BACK HERE ONCE AN ACCEPTABLE CAVE HAS BEEN FOUND.

  The shealk all nodded and flicked their tails, zipping out of sight at frightening speeds.

  Gareth turned to his father and nudged his tail with his own, So mother doesn’t have any idea that her husband is a water dragon?

  Balthor’s head dropped, No.

  Were you ever going to tell her?

  Someday, my son.

  Well, guess what? That day is now. When all of this is said and done you and I are going to pay mother a visit where you will tell her everything.

  WE WILL DEAL WITH THE THRIPER FIRST. ONCE IT HAS BEEN INCAPACITATED, THEN WE’LL DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY OF BALTHOR LEAVING THESE WATERS AGAIN.

  No. He needs my help to take care of the thriper. Do you want it? Well, it comes with a price.

  A word of caution, my son. He is the Dragon Lord. He does not bargain.

  WISELY SPOKEN.

  Then figure this mess out on your own. Mikal, Pravara, we’re leaving.

  What? Balthor gasped. You can’t. I need your help!

  You know it, father, and I know it. But apparently he doesn’t. Lord Phaedren is going to grant my request to allow you home or else I don’t cooperate. Do you hear me, Lord Phaedren? I am not one of your subjects. You cannot order me around.

  I CAN HOLD YOU HERE, ARROGANT HUMAN.

  Gareth pointed at Mikal and Pravara.

  Do you plan on holding them, too? He’s a prince. She’s the daughter of Kahvel, winged Dragon Lord.

  Lord Phaedren growled as he tried to stare Gareth down.

  Look, this isn’t open for negotiation. I lost my father two years ago. Now I find out that he’s alive and well, and apparently been trying to figure out how to return home to us. I want you to let him do just that.

  HE IS A WIZARD. THERE ARE NO OTHERS TO TAKE HIS PLACE. THAT CANNOT BE ALLOWED, NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU CHAMPION HIS CAUSE.

  How about a compromise? Pravara suggested.

  WHAT COMPROMISE? SPEAK, PRAVARA.

  Allow him to continue living as he has done in the past. Half of the year he can live with his human family and the other half he can live amongst the shealk and fulfill his obligations as wizard.

  But I don’t want him to stay here, Gareth protested.

  Gareth, Mikal slowly said, couldn’t you visit him here? Like you’re doing now?

  Gareth’s mouth snapped shut.

  I hadn’t considered that.

  You want your father to be with you at all times, Pravara soothingly said. Lord Phaedren is looking out for the welfare of all shealk under his protection. His people need a wizard. Your father is that wizard. You cannot be selfish, Gareth.

  Gareth sighed as he looked at his father. He slowly rotated until he was facing the ruby countenance of Lord Phaedren.

  Very well. I would agree to that if you will.

  I WILL CONSIDER IT. THAT IS THE ONLY ANSWER I CAN GIVE YOU RIGHT NOW.

  Seeing that Gareth was about ready to protest, Mikal flicked his tail in his direction in order to get his attention, figuring a light nudge wouldn’t hurt anything. A split second later he was horrified to learn that his tail was much stronger than he had thought possible. He had knocked Gareth completely over and his friend was now lying, face first, on the ground directly in front of the sparkling leader of the shealk.

  Lord Phaedren suppressed a chuckle.

  THAT REALLY ISN’T NECESSARY. I DO NOT REQUIRE ANYONE TO BOW THAT LOW IN MY PRESENCE.

  Gareth slowly lifted himself up and angrily looked at Mikal.

  What was that for?

  I apologize. I just wanted to get your attention.

  Congratulations. It worked. What did you want?

  I saw that you were ready to protest after Lord Phaedren told you he’d consider the compromise. I wanted to remind you that what you’re asking him to do has never been done before. He has a lot to consider. The fact that he’s willing to consider it is a good thing.

  What if he doesn’t? Gareth asked.

  YOU DO REALIZE THAT I AM RIGHT HERE, DON’T YOU?

  If he doesn’t then at least you’ll know what you have to do in order to find him and spend time with him. You can get to know your shealk heritage a little bit better. In fact, I would encourage you to. You may have a human form but you are half shealk. You should remember that.

  If we get that thriper locked back up then he’d better agree, Gareth scowled.

  AND I CAN STILL HEAR YOU.

  Has something like this ever happened before? Pravara asked, mistakenly believing the shealk Dragon Lord was about ready to lose his temper.

  ELABORATE. HAS WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE?

 
Have there been any other shealk wizards that have had problems like this before?

  NO.

  Of course, Balthor said at the same time.

  Lord Phaedren turned expectantly to Balthor and waited for an explanation.

  I’m assuming you’d like me to expand on that.

  YOU ASSUME CORRECTLY. I HAVE NEVER KNOWN OF ANY DISCOURSE AMONGST THE WIZARDS BEFORE.

  With all due respect, My Lord, you should pay better attention.

  EXPLAIN.

  Wizards have been known to change their forms and escape to dry land for years. Whether they choose to join their aerial cousins in the sky or their wingless brethren on land was unknown. My former mentor informed me that he used to become a griffin whenever the stress threatened to overwhelm him. Flying through the open sky, as a griffin, was the only way he could find in order to relieve that stress. His absences became so frequent that I found myself taking over his duties for increasing periods of time.

  THESE UNAPPROVED ABSENCES WILL CEASE AS OF RIGHT NOW.

  On the contrary, My Lord, I would recommend you increase our downtime in order to avoid situations like this in the future. Do you think the wizards are the only caste that have freely risked their lives in order to regain their sanity? We are a hard working species, My Lord. Every shealk would follow you into the depths of the Zarut Smoker if necessary. However, you need to realize that there are physical limits. Concealing ourselves from the rest of the world taxes our abilities. Protection, concealment, healing, and memory modification. Those are just a few of the spells I administer on a daily basis. Well, when I had jhorun, that is.

  For two years I haven’t been able to practice any jhorun. What was the result? We have been sighted on more than one occasion by the surface dwellers. We have to rely on what I remember of archaic medicine and healing. Plants, poultices, salves, and so on.

  WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY, BALTHOR?

  Your decision to live, privately, deep beneath the surface is costing us, as a species. What’s the price? Shealk are abandoning the water in greater numbers than ever before.

  YOU ALLOWED OUR FELLOW SHEALK TO DESERT OUR COMMUNITY?

  Of course not, My Lord. Have I aided those that truly needed a break? Aye. But, before you lose your temper, I want to add that I have always added a time limit to each of my spells. That was their incentive to return to the water in a timely fashion. To be caught up on the surface, in our shealk form, would be a fatal mistake.

  YOU HAVE GIVEN ME MUCH TO THINK ABOUT.

  I have only the highest respect for you, My Lord. I am a shealk, and I am fiercely proud of that. It’s time everyone felt the same way again.

  NOTED. I WILL CALL ON YOU AGAIN AS SOON AS TIME PERMITS AND WE WILL DISCUSS OUR OPTIONS.

  Surprised, Balthor nodded, It would be an honor, My Lord.

  Less than half an hour later they received the first bit of good news Mikal could remember hearing in a long time. A dark blue shealk, much darker than Balthor, reported that he had found a cave similar in size to the Athanaus’ former prison. It was northwest of their present location and at a depth of over 2,500 feet.

  Mikal eagerly looked over at the leader of the shealk.

  That’s good news, right? Is it far enough away from here to work?

  Phaedren shook his red, iridescent head.

  NO. THE WATER IS TOO DEEP. ONLY THE MOST GIFTED SHEALK DARE VENTURE THAT DEEP.

  What? What does that mean? What difference does it make if it’s a little deeper than we are now?

  A LITTLE? OUR PRESENT DEPTH IS SOMEWHERE AROUND 200 FEET. THAT DEPTH IS OVER TEN TIMES AS GREAT AS IT IS RIGHT NOW. YOU WOULD NOT SURVIVE THERE.

  Huh? I don’t get it. We were deep before and we were fine. It can’t possibly be that much different, can it?

  THE DEPTH OF THAT CAVE IS THREE TIMES THE DEPTH OF ORIGINAL THRIPER CAVE. YOU FELT THE WATER PRESSING IN ON YOUR BODY FROM BEFORE? THAT WOULD BE NOTHING COMPARED TO THIS.

  I had wondered about that. The water was colder and it was harder to breathe. I never would have imagined being a shealk, living in the ocean, could be so dangerous.

  IS IT NOT DANGEROUS AS A HUMAN ON DRY LAND?

  Huh? Of course not.

  WILL THE AIR NOT THIN AT THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN?

  What does a mountain have to do with anything?

  MORE THAN YOU REALIZE. I’M TALKING ABOUT THE ALTITUDE. IF YOU ASCEND INTO THE CLOUDS THEN THE AIR BECOMES THIN. FOR THE SHEALK, THE DEEPER YOU SWIM THE GREATER THE CHANCE OF DAMAGING YOUR BODY.

  Oh. Mikal felt all the blood drain from his face. He briefly wondered what that must look like, as a shealk. I think I’m beginning to see your point. How did that blue shealk survive so deep?

  HE IS STRONG. HE IS ONE OF THE FASTEST SWIMMERS. SWIMMING AT THOSE DEPTHS REQUIRES GREAT SKILL.

  Mikal nodded, impressed.

  GOOD. YOU ASK IF THAT CAVE WILL WORK? NO, IT WON’T.

  Ah.

  Five sightings later they finally had discovered a suitable location. It was a cave that was slightly larger than what the Athanaus had previously used. It was sunk deeper below the seabed than the thriper’s former prison and it was up against the base of one of the numerous rock formations found all along the ocean floor. The shealk decided the new cave could easily be sealed by a simple terra tremor since it wouldn’t take much to move a few of the large boulders over the cave opening. Balthor promised to teach his son the necessary spell to accomplish it. Consequently, Gareth insisted he already knew one that would work.

  My Lord!

  Mikal turned to see a gray and white shealk practically appear out of thin air. Or water. Whatever. Apparently this shealk needed to... The urgency of the situation became apparent as the shealk’s wake caught up with them. Mikal felt a powerful blast of water slam into him and push him into Pravara, and then the two of them were flung aside as though they were nothing more than the tiniest of fish trying to survive in the sea. This gray and white shealk must have been swimming faster than... than... Mikal shrugged. He didn’t think he knew of anything in the water that could outswim a shealk.

  I have news, My Lord!

  SPEAK.

  The thriper! It is on the move!

  HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS?

  Kahvel sends word. Several of his subjects had engaged the thriper when they reported it abandoned the fight and fled.

  THE THRIPER FLED? ARE YOU SURE?

  That’s what Kahvel originally thought, My Lord. Several of his subjects tried attacking as it fled but...

  BUT WHAT? SPEAK!

  They fell, but not before they claim the thriper wasn’t fleeing. They claim it had stopped what it was doing and stared at a fixed point off in the distance. Kahvel suspects it might have located a more desirable prey. Then it began moving. Fast.

  WHAT PREY? WHERE IS IT GOING?

  Us, My Lord. It’s heading straight towards us. It will be here in three hours.

  Chapter 13 – Out of Time

  For several tense seconds no one moved and not a sound could be heard. All eyes had turned expectantly to Lord Phaedren, who continued to rest his considerable bulk on the canyon floor. A brief spark of blue light appeared above the messenger shealk’s head, drawing everyone’s attention to him.

  My Lord, perhaps you didn’t hear me. The creature is heading towards us. What are you orders?

  I HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME.

  What are we to do, My Lord?

  THE ONLY THING THAT HAS CHANGED IS THE TIME TABLE. WHILE I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE MORE TIME TO PREPARE, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS WE DO NOT. BALTHOR, YOU SAID BEFORE THAT YOU ALONE WILL FIND A WAY TO RENDER THE THRIPER UNCONSCIOUS.

  Correct, My Lord.

  PREPARE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE LESS THAN THREE HOURS.

  I will be ready, My Lord. Son, would you help me prepare, please?

  Gareth nodded, Of course.

  Father and son departed in a flurry of bubbles, leaving Mikal, Pravara, Lord Phaedren, and the messenger. Mikal could see at least a dozen other
shealk patrolling nearby. He watched a white shealk swim by the southern entrance to their enclosed canyon at least three times. Were they Lord Phaedren’s guards? Were they doing the same thing he had seen his father’s human guards do countless times throughout the castle?

  Lord Phaedren turned to the messenger shealk.

  VINARTH, HOW RELIABLE IS YOUR INFORMATION?

  My Lord?

  IF OUR WINGED COUSINS OBSERVED THE THRIPER HEADING WEST THEN HOW DO THEY KNOW IT HASN’T VEERED OFF COURSE TO INTERCEPT SOME OTHER TYPE OF PREY?

  Because our winged cousins are in pursuit. Sadly, they have learned they must follow from a discreet distance. They have already lost a number of their own as they tried to vanquish the thriper in three separate encounters.

  ‘Lost a number of their own’? Pravara repeated, shocked. Did they say who? Or how many? Are they still alive?

  Vinarth turned to Pravara and gave her a neutral look.

  Unknown. I was only told they were unsuccessful. You now know as much as I do.

  Pravara looked worriedly at Mikal, What if my father is one of those affected?

  Then we’ll deal with that as soon as we’re able, Mikal assured her. If he’s had his jhorun drained from him, like Balthor had, then I’ll personally restore his jhorun myself. In fact, you know what, Pravara? I will personally help out any winged dragon that is suffering as a result of an encounter with the Athanaus.

  THRIPER.

  Would you please stop doing that? Mikal sighed as he turned to look at the shealk leader. You can call it ‘thriper’ if you’d like. I first heard it called ‘Athanaus’. It means the same thing, okay?

  PRAVARA? ARE YOU THERE? ARE YOU SAFE?

  Mikal watched Pravara give a visible jerk and fall silent.

  Are you okay? He quietly asked her.

  It’s my father! Pravara excitedly told him. He’s using the Collective!

  Surprised, Lord Phaedren turned to Pravara, YOUR FATHER? YOU ARE SPEAKING WITH KAHVEL?

  Aye. Just a moment, please. Pravara concentrated on the faint presence of her father and immediately felt his concern. Father? I am here.

  ARE YOU SAFE? Kahvel mentally repeated.