The Questing Game

by James Galloway

  "Yes, I remember that part of your tale," Dolanna said. "Should these creatures endanger any of us, we should strike in that manner," she told them. "Strike them with physical force and attempt to send them far enough away so we can flee before they can return."

  "I think I can pray for a spell that will do that," Camara Tal assured the small Sorceress. "That should be no problem for you, Allia, Dar, or Sarraya."

  "It still does not answer my question," Dolanna grunted. "Why would they attack?"

  "I think that's your answer," Camara Tal said, pointing at Tarrin. "If Jula's old troupe knows who he is, then it's a good bet that whoever sent those Demons knows who he is too."

  "Someone not willing to let Tarrin have a chance to find the book first," Phandebrass added.

  "Perhaps," Dolanna said. "It just seems odd, that they would attack with no discernible reason."

  "Maybe they're borrowing a page from the ki'zadun," Jula offered. "Alot of their strategy concerning Tarrin wasn't aimed at killing him, it was aimed at pushing him," she told them. "Kravon figured that if he piled enough bodies around Tarrin's feet, the endless fighting and killing would drive him insane. That was if someone didn't get lucky and kill him first. It had the opposite effect, though," she chuckled. "It only made him stronger."

  "It almost worked," Tarrin admitted in an emotionless voice.

  "Then you're a good actor," Jula replied. "From what I remember, Kravon's reports all said that you didn't show any signs of losing your sanity."

  "Tarrin is a good actor," Dolanna agreed.

  Tarrin put the bowl aside. "I know who sent them," he said quietly. The ramifications of it were mind-boggling. If the Empress of Arak really was a Demon, then he foresaw a serious problem. She was in a political position to have them all killed, and do it legally. Why she would send other Demons to harass him when she could just send the army was quite beyond him, but there had to be some kind of a reason. Dolanna was right. They had to have a reason to attack him, something tangible. "Remember what I told you about the Empress, Dolanna?"

  Dolanna gaped at him. "You can not be serious!" she exclaimed. "The Empress of Arak, a Demon?"

  "Why not?" Camara Tal grunted. "Demons have powerful magic. It would be child's play for one to eliminate the old Empress and replace her. And if you were a power-hungry creature with that kind of power, how better to go about it?"

  "It fits," Sarraya agreed with the Amazon. "Why build an empire, when you can just take one that's already laying around?"

  "I can't see how they couldn't be connected," Tarrin grunted. "I've never even heard of Demons before last year, and there's no way that there can be so many of them without them working together."

  "There are many types of Demons, lad," Phandebrass told him. "They range from the Demon Lords to the cambisi, the half-breeds. Human-Demon crossbreeds."

  Dar shuddered. "That sounds horrible. Who would do that with a monster?"

  "They probably had no idea it was a monster, my boy," Phandebrass said. "Many Demons have the power to shapeshift, and it's a much broader ability than Tarrin's. Demon Lords are equivalent to a god, where cambisi have only minor powers, as far as Demons rate things. Against a mortal, they would be virtually invincible. I say, you probably fought cambisi, Tarrin. Cambions, if they were male, and Alu if they were female."

  "If they were the weakest of the Demons, I'd hate to see the strong ones," Jula said quietly.

  "They used no magic against you," Phandebrass told her. "A Demon of greater status would never bother attacking you with a weapon. They do not need weapons."

  "If the Empress did send them after us, we have to take some major precautions," Tarrin continued. "We're talking about the ruler of this empire. I seriously doubt that the Emperor runs things. Not with a Demon at his side. She probably owns him."

  "What kind of precautions?" Dar asked.

  "We disappear," Allia answered. "We vanish from Dala Yar Arak, and we stay missing. If she cannot find us, she cannot strike at us while we rest. Nor can she simply send her military to arrest us, and deal with us in the privacy of her dungeons."

  "Agreed. Phandebrass, you and I are going to go find an inn today," Dolanna announced. "They do not know that you are part of our group, and I can disguise myself with Illusion. But I must say, I am still confused. If she indeed did send these Demons, why? She could have simply arrested us, or sent her army after us. We would be no match for the Legions."

  "Right now, it doesn't make much sense," Tarrin agreed. "But she's a Demon. We have no idea how she thinks. Let's just protect ourselves without worrying too much about her motives, until we see more and can draw some conclusions."

  "True enough," Dolanna sighed. "All of you, stay out of sight until Phandebrass and I return. If you must go out, then do so in disguise. Camara Tal, are you capable of turning a Demon?"

  "I might be able to turn one of those cambisi, but I don't have the strength to turn a stronger Demon," she answered.

  "What do you mean, turn?" Dar asked curiously.

  "On this world, the only thing that can affect a Demon anymore is the gods," Dolanna explained. "Priests, who are the agents of that power, can use it in similar ways. A Priest has the power to turn the undead, the embodiments of darkness, to cause them to flee from the divine presence that the priest can project. A very powerful priest can destroy undead with that divine presence, for the power the priest is borrowing can be strong enough to sever the link between the undead and the dark energies that cause them to exist. Camara Tal did that when we battled Jegojah," she said with a bit of tightness around her eyes. "She banished the undead minions that the Doomwalker attempted to summon, though her power was incapable of affecting the Doomwalker itself. Demons are similar to the undead, and can also be turned, if the priest is exceptionally powerful."

  "I'm not that strong," Camara Tal admitted. "I doubt any priest on Sennadar is. It would take the god herself to show up and do it."

  "I don't have a god in my pocket, but I do know a couple of spells specifically designed to affect Demons," Phandebrass said. "Wizard magic can affect Demonkind, if they are specific spells aimed at them."

  "Because Wizard magic comes from someplace other than this world," Dolanna agreed with a nod. "I did not think you would have spells like that, Phandebrass."

  "I dabble in ancient magic," he told her. "I say, most modern mages wouldn't have those spells."

  "Lucky for us you're such a busybody," Sarraya laughed.

  He smiled at her warmly. "If we can find a suitable inn, I could lay a protective circle around it, I could. No Demon would be able to cross that line."

  "What kind of inn would we need?"

  "I say, a building that stands alone," he replied. "With a dirt or stone courtyard surrounding it. Someplace where I could draw the circle without its continuity being interrupted."

  "An inn may not work, but a house might," Sarraya said. "I've been flying around this city for days, Phandebrass. You're not going to find many inns like that. A house, on the other hand, may be perfect. I've seen a couple surrounded by a fence. You could do your magic along the fence's perimeter."

  "I say, only if they are circular, Sarraya," he smiled. "It must be a circle I draw. The magic depends on that."

  "I didn't see any of those," she said, shifting a bit on Tarrin's head as he looked up at Phandebrass.

  "How hard would it be to find a suitable house?" Phandebrass asked.

  "Not hard at all," Dar answered. "There are agencies in Dala Yar Arak that rent houses short-term to visiting merchants. My father uses them when he travels here. We just need to find one of them and tell him what we want, and he'll find it for us."

  "Then perhaps you should come with us, my boy," Phandebrass said. "I say, my Arakite isn't all that great, and it's not something I think we need to mangle in the translation."

  "It shouldn't take long. If we have the money up front, we could have a house by tonight," Dar told Dolanna.

  "Mone
y's not a problem," Sarraya grinned. "I can conjure all the gold you need."

  "Is it going to disappear?" Camara Tal asked sharply.

  "You read too many fables, Camara," Sarraya grinned. "The gold I conjure will be just as real as the gold in your purse. It just won't be minted coins. It will be raw gold, but I can make them into coin-sized discs if you want it that way. I can't conjure refined goods, only naturally existing materials. The shape is up to me, but I can't duplicate a minting strike. That's just too much detail."

  "I think we could negotiate with the house broker with gold nuggets," Dolanna assured the Amazon. "If we pose as ore merchants, it would seem reasonable for us to pay in ore. And unminted gold coins would look suspicious."

  "Alright then, it sounds like a plan," Camara Tal said. "Dar, Dolanna, and Phandebrass will go find a more secure place to stay. The rest of us are going to stay right here in this tent until you come back. If you don't mind, Renoit."

  The portly circus master, who had been completely silent, nodded gracefully. "It will be no problem, Camara, yes. This tent, consider it yours for now. My regret, it is only that you will not be performing, no."

  "Renoit, I think you would be better off without us endangering your people," Dolanna told him with a smile. "I think we can impose on Sarraya to conjure you an entire chest full of gold, as a token of our tremendous appreciation for everything you have done for us. We would never have made it here if not for you and your kindness."

  "Payment, it is not necessary, no," he replied with a gentle smile. "Your goal, it is a noble one. I am happy only to have been part of your mission. Things, if they go well, it will be enough for me to know I mattered."

  "You've done more than matter, Renoit," Tarrin told him, looking him in the eyes. "You've been a great help to us. You put up with me, despite the fact that I directly threatened your people. You bent over backwards for us, even when it conflicted with your own plans. You even lost friends over us. We won't forget that. Ever. Sarraya is going to give you a large chest of gold, and you'll have our gratitude to go with it." He stared at the surprised circus master. "And if you ever need our help, just let us know. We'll find a way to help you."

  Renoit gawked at him, then he laughed suddenly. "From you, that is a surprising speech, yes," he said with a rueful grin. "My people, they did not find you a burden, Tarrin. Your behavior, they understood it, yes. And they miss you, in their own way. Many of them, even Henri, they admitted that they felt safe with you on board. Any trouble, they knew you would deal with it. More, that was worth, than the need of stepping around you, yes."

  Tarrin was surprised. Had they really felt that way? After all the trouble he caused the people in the circus, they still had the heart to feel he wasn't as bad as all that? In a strange way, it made him feel a great deal better. Even total strangers, people he didn't like, had the compassion to accept him. It made him feel ashamed for treating them the way he did.

  "Arrangements, I must make them, yes," Renoit said, standing up. "Dolanna, dear friend, help is here, if you need it, yes. Just ask."

  "We appreciate that, Renoit," Dolanna answered.

  Renoit left without another word, leaving Tarrin quietly digesting his words. "We must go, Dolanna," Phandebrass said. "I say, we have to step lively. We don't want to be in an unprotected place at sunset."

  "Yes, yes," Dolanna agreed, standing up. "Dar, come with us. The rest of you, please, stay inside and out of sight."

  "I'll keep them from wandering, Dolanna," Camara Tal assured her. "Then again, these three probably won't cause any problems. At least they'd better not."

  "Good luck," Allia told Dar as he stood up. "Be careful."

  "We'll be alright," he told her with a smile, and then he touched the Weave and placed an Illusion over himself, his appearance changing to that of a short, older man in a very elegant black silk robe. Dolanna also hid herself behind an Illusion, that of a veiled Arakite with large, almond-colored eyes. Phandebrass' weathered skin, browned from living on a ship, and white hair allowed him to pass more or less for an older Arakite, albeit a pale one.

  "Let us be off," Dolanna herded the others. "We do not have much time."

  The trio filed out with wishes of luck from those left behind. Tarrin didn't say goodbye to them, for his mind was mulling over what Renoit had said. He felt like a heel. He hadn't been very kind to the circus performers. He only knew one or two names. That seemed worse than being unfriendly to them. He didn't even bother finding out their names. He'd been on that ship for months, and he only knew four names. He could have at least been civil to them. But then again, at that point, he wasn't capable of it. He was too afraid, too feral. He was still too feral. He could tolerate speaking to strangers for short periods, but he got uncomfortable if he was forced into extended contact with them. And crowds of humans made him edgy. There was no real reason to berate himself for something beyond his control, but he couldn't deny that he felt disappointed in himself.

  Jula put a paw on his knee. He glanced at her, looking into her eyes. "Can I go to sleep now?" she asked plaintively. "I'm exhausted."

  "I don't think Renoit would mind if you borrowed his cot for the morning," he told her calmly.

  "Good. I'm about to fall over," she said with a wide yawn.

  "Feel like a game of stones, Allia?" The Amazon asked. "I'm going to beat you this time, even if I have to cheat."

  "It will be all we can do," Allia smiled. "Set up the board. And be warned, if you start to cheat, I will cheat back."

  "Then let's put our swords over there," she grinned. "I don't think Tarrin and Jula will be very happy if they wake up to a swordfight."

  Jula scoffed as she stood. "It would take an earthquake to wake me up," she told them. "I haven't felt this tired in years." She went right over to the cot, then flopped down onto her back. "Heavenly," she said in a dreamy voice, then closed her eyes and almost immediately fell asleep.

  Tarrin shapeshifted into his cat form, then padded over and jumped onto the cot. He laid down at the foot of it, laying against Jula's furred ankle, and closed his eyes quietly. Until the others came back, there was nothing else to do but sleep.

  But sleep was elusive. Unlike Jula, Tarrin didn't need sleep. He could go two rides without sleeping, and his mind was too active to rest it. So much had happened, so much craziness had occured, he didn't even want to think about it. So he distracted himself with another subject, something not as grim or serious as what happened the night before.

  Jula. Her presence was making him reflective, and it focused on his own first contact with his own kind, Jesmind. He missed her. Jula's heat was affecting Tarrin, but for the strangest reason, it was making him think of Jesmind. She was the first female he'd been intimate with, and in the strangest way, the only one. Mist hadn't been intimate. But Jesmind had shared herself, all of herself, and she did it both in and out of bed. She had sought to know him completely, and she had given of herself in return for that. She was such a chaotic influence on his life. Both friend and enemy, she was the only woman he'd ever known that he wanted to strangle and take to bed at the same time. Their feud had been resolved, however, and she had left him for some serious reason. He still didn't know why she left. Triana wouldn't even tell him. At first, he had missed her presence. Then he was angry with her for abandoning him. Now...now, he just wanted to see her. At least he understood her. She was very simplistic in her motives, though she had a very complex personality.

  They had been together a total of only four or five days, without fighting, anyway, but he remembered all of it. And it felt like much longer than that. It had been....memorable. At that time, he'd been too nervous or confused to really appreciate what was going on. But now, looking back on it, he realized that Jesmind had gone far beyond simply being a female looking for a male, gone beyond a bond-mother educating her child. There had been more there, much more, and she never bothered to hide it from him. Jesmind liked him, very much. It may not be love--he wasn't sure if s
he could feel like that, since marriage was an alien concept to a Were-cat--but it was something along those lines. Infatuation, to use a good word.

  Jula. She didn't interest him, not like Jesmind did. He had to admit to himself that he was changing his mind about her, but though his dislike for her had been mellowed into tolerance, he still found no real desire for her inside him, despite his instinctive reaction to her condition. All her condition was doing was making him long for Jesmind.

  That was a sobering realization. Tarrin put his head on his paws and considered it. Despite all the insanity Jesmind had brought into his life, he still wanted her. Perhaps it was just a conditioned reflex, since they had been intimate. And the memory of it still made him shiver. It was more than simple lust, however. He missed her simple view of life, he missed her towering honesty and her headstrong way of attacking life. He missed her smile, her wry wit, the way she made him feel like he was the most special male in the world. He even missed her embarassing remarks. With Jesmind, he always knew where he stood.

  He closed his eyes. Warm thoughts of Jesmind flowed through him, and that was enough to calm his racing mind, and allow him to drift into sleep.

  Chapter 26

  It was much better than the circus.

  Tarrin allowed himself to be carried in Allia's arms as they entered the gate of the house Dolanna, Dar, and Phandebrass had found, just as the sun began to touch the buildings on the western skyline. It was very large, impressively so, a three story townhouse enclosed in an ornate iron fence. It had a sandy plot in front of it, with two palm trees flanking the front door. A carriage house rested to the left of the building, and a storage building stood to the right. From what Dar had told him after they returned, there was a small garden in the back, yellowed from the dry summer heat. The house was whitewashed stone, with that same flat roof as all the others, and very small windows paned in glass.