The now ancient dwarf laughed, his eyes sparkling as he did. “You are a poor liar, Wizard Scout, but I appreciate the attempt. It has been four hundred years since you and I fought together against the vampires, yet you do not appear to have aged.”
Telsa shrugged. “It’s been four centuries for you, but only a couple of years for me.”
“How is that possible?” asked the old general.
“It’s complicated. It would get even more complicated if I tried to explain the differences between the times you last saw me compared to when you last saw Rembis.”
General Fenmar laughed. “I’ve always said that time is a mystery. All I know is that I am nearing the end of my time in this plane of existence. Soon I will go to join my son and the rest of my family in the hereafter.”
“Don’t hurry your departure, Grandfather,” said a much younger dwarf walking next to the old general. “Wizard Scout, my grandfather has regaled my brothers and me with stories of the legendary fighters in black since we were but young dwarfs sitting on his knee.” The younger dwarf bowed. “It is a pleasure to meet one of the wizard scouts in person.”
Telsa returned the dwarf’s bow.
“Ah,” said Rembis stepping beside Telsa. “Is that Nekash? Why, you were no taller than my knee when I last saw you.”
General Fenmar laughed. “It has been a hundred years since you left on your mission for Queen Emerald, old friend. Even a dwarf changes a lot in a century. My grandson is now a major in the queen’s guard.” He stopped laughing. “The last hundred years has changed you too, Rembis. We had given you up for dead.” The old general looked Rembis up and down. “How is it that you have aged five hundred years since last I saw you when only a hundred years has passed? Does it have something to do with the complications Wizard Scout Telsa mentioned?”
Rembis shrugged. “It is a long story, and I’d prefer not to tell it twice. Telsa and I are here to see the queen.”
General Fenmar nodded. “So you shall. We will go to her now. The Oracle sent word of your coming. Emerald is waiting for you.”
* * *
Telsa expected to be taken to a throne room or some such nonsense, but it was not to be. Guided by General Fenmar and his dwarves, they wove their way deep within the mountain. The tunnels were filled with dwarves busy going this way and that or smoothing out rough places in the stone walls. Unlike the last time she’d been there, the tunnels were well lit. She didn’t even bother activating her night-vision filter.
“The last time you were in this place, no one lived here,” said Raj. “The dwarves had been gone for a hundred thousand years at that time. This is a living, breathing community. The place you visited before was a tomb.”
Telsa had to agree. It was a stark difference from her previous visit. As they walked, she noted several landmarks that seemed familiar. One in particular was a statue of King Lokanstanos who she’d been told was Queen Emerald’s deceased father.
“We’re going to the gate room, aren’t we?” Telsa said.
Major Nekash nodded. “That’s correct, Wizard Scout. The corridor we travel is known as The Queen’s Way. We will be taking a side tunnel soon that will lead to the weapons vault and the gate beyond. The queen awaits you in the guard chamber this side of the gate. She has assembled our best warriors in case your coming heralds the breaking out of the gate by the demons.”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Telsa said. She glanced at Rembis before looking back at Fenmar’s grandson. “That is, I don’t think it’s going to happen today.”
A couple of lines on the young dwarf’s forehead disappeared. “That’s good to hear. Do not get me wrong, Wizard Scout. We are ready. Queen Emerald has used these last four hundred years to make sure we are. Even so, I do not look forward to the day when my soldiers have to face an army of demons. An army of vampires was bad enough.”
“I hear you,” Telsa said. “I’ve fought both, and it’s a bad experience either way you go.” She pushed aside thoughts of both demons and vampires. “If you don’t mind, Major, perhaps you could call me Telsa. Wizard scout seems way too formal.”
The young dwarf smiled. “As you wish. Telsa it is. But only if you call me Nekash in return.”
“Agreed.”
Before Telsa could think of anything to say, they turned down a side tunnel. After fifty meters, the tunnel opened into a vast cavern over three-hundred-meters wide with dozens of arched doorways carved into the walls at various heights. Stone staircases led up to a half-dozen levels containing more of the intricately carved doors. In the center of the cavern were rows of what appeared to be stone weapons racks. The racks were filled with sets of armor and weapons of every kind. Both weapons and armor radiated intense magic.
“Wow,” Telsa said, stopping at the sight in spite of herself. “I haven’t seen this much creallium since, well, since never.”
Nekash stopped beside Telsa. He was only slightly shorter than her.
“Ah,” said Nekash. “You use the word my grandfather sometimes uses. What you call creallium, we call Holy Metal. We have one thousand, one hundred, and twenty-five sets of armor and weapons. Each is powered by a piece of the Mountain’s Heart.”
Telsa knew the dwarf was talking about the blue gems they used in their magic weapons. Part of their mission the last time had been to destroy the blue gem known as the Mountain’s Heart. The blue gems used to create the dwarves’ armor had been summoned by Rick out of his pack. He’d told her that ‘the One’ had sent him on a mission to a desolate planet once to collect pieces of a blue gem. He’d found 2,500 of them and given 2,250 to the dwarves to use for their armor and weapons.
Scanning the equipment in the weapon racks, Telsa sensed the presence of the blue gems. She sensed other blue gems in the armor and weapons of a score of guards standing near a set of double doors located on the opposite side of the cavern. The doors were ten meters high and twice as wide. She sensed massive amounts of energy coming from the other side of the doors.
“The gate’s there,” Telsa said nodding at the double doors.
Nekash nodded. “Yes, it is. I have never been on the other side of those doors, so I have never actually seen the gate, but I have stood guard duty often enough to feel its presence.” He leaned closer to Telsa and whispered, “I would never admit this to my troops, but I hope I never see it. Just standing on this side of the doors makes my hair stand on end.”
Telsa nodded knowingly. She’d seen the gate and even been through it. Just knowing the gate was an opening to the demonic plane definitely made her hair stand on end.
“General Fenmar,” said an aged voice. “You have arrived with our guests.”
Nekash snapped to attention as a squat female dwarf with gray hair interlaced with a few strands of brown walked toward them. She was accompanied by a tall, blonde-headed human female wearing chainmail. A longsword was attached to her belt and a short-bow strapped across her back.
Telsa recognized the squat dwarf as Emerald, queen of the dwarves. They’d been traveling companions for over a year during her last time-commando mission. The human female also looked familiar. Telsa took a double look to make sure she was seeing what she thought she was seeing.
The aged queen smiled at Telsa and walked closer. “Wizard Scout Telsa. It has been many years, but I never forget a battle companion, especially one as fierce as you.”
Telsa nodded at what she took as a compliment.
Turning to Rembis, the queen frowned. “As for you, I thought you were dead. I sent you on a mission a hundred years ago, and here you are looking as if it’s been half a thousand years.”
Rembis laughed. “It’s good to see you too, Emerald. As I remember it, you also had a few less gray hairs the last time I saw you.”
A warm smile replaced Emerald’s frown. “So I have, old friend. Now, before we get sidetracked telling tales of old, I have to know. Are we in any immediate danger?”
Rembis glanced at Telsa.
&
nbsp; She shrugged her shoulders. “Immediate? No. However, you are in danger, as is Portalis. My friends and I have come at Rick’s request to ask your help.”
Queen Emerald glanced at the tall blonde-headed woman before looking back at Telsa. “We owe Rick our lives. If our help he needs, then our help he will receive. What is it exactly that he requires?”
“To go with us back to the future,” said Rembis. The gnome pointed at the magic armor and weapons in the racks. “Those and the soldiers to use them will be needed in the final battle.”
The blonde-headed woman laughed. “To the future? I may not know magic, but I’ve been around it enough over the last four hundred years to know that no spell exists to transport people to the future. The past, maybe, but not the future. Are you saying you’ve learned such a spell in your absence?”
Rembis’s cheeks turned a little red, but his voice remained under control when he spoke. “Nay, I haven’t, but the Oracle wouldn’t have sent us here if there were not a way.”
Telsa stepped between the gnome and the blonde woman. “You remind me of my traveling companion Chancee during our battle against the Dragars and the vampires. That can’t be, of course. The ranger I knew was human. It’s been four hundred years since I was last with the ranger I knew. She’d be long dead. Are you by any chance a distant granddaughter of hers?”
The blonde woman laughed. “Your eyes do not deceive you, Wizard Scout. I am indeed the Chancee you knew.”
Telsa glanced at the woman before looking at Emerald. “That’s impossible? Humans don’t live hundreds of years.”
Chancee said, “Perhaps I can explain that, Wizard Scout.”
As the ranger spoke, she smiled.
When she did, Telsa noticed two fangs where the woman’s eyeteeth should’ve been. A shiver ran down her back as a single thought came to her mind.
Vampire.
Chapter 15 – Encampment
_____________________________________
Mia set a fast pace for the elves as they moved upstream. They rode for several hours straight, only stopping to water their horses in the river. Unlike the elves’ side of the river that was barren sand with a few boulders strewn here and there, the opposite side was dotted with bushes and an occasional tree near the riverbank. Even with scattered vegetation, the land on both sides was desolate for the most part. Far off in the distance, some greenery could be seen on the sides of the mountains that seemed to beckon the elves to a cooler environment. The sight did little to alleviate the sweltering heat where they were.
A clap of distant thunder echoed in the air. The ground shook. Several of the horses whinnied and reared before their riders got them under control. The elf column stopped while their leaders gathered to confer.
Richard sat on his horse near the center of the column. He could just make out Mia, the two mages, and Sergeant Thornbriar talking near the riverbank. The elf sergeant pointed at the river, which seemed to be a little shallower than it had been. He pointed down at his horse and then back at the rest of the column.
“I calculate our good sergeant wants to cross the river here,” said Nickelo. “I regret I cannot understand what they are saying. That I cannot is stranger than a blue moon with a red sun in the month of June.”
Richard laughed out loud at his battle computer’s frustration.
The brute Amir and the quad of elves that had been Richard’s constant companions mumbled some words of gibberish to each other. The four elves moved their horses to box Richard in. One of the elves, Grapeon, drew his sword and laid the blade across his saddle. He was taller and huskier than his elf teammates and was somewhat of an ass in Richard’s opinion. One of the two females in the team of four, Tracer, seemed to be in charge. She pointed at the male’s sword and said a few words of gibberish in a sharp tone. Grapeon frowned but sheathed his sword.
“What do they expect me to do?” Richard asked his battle computer. “Do they really think I’m going to try and run?” He glanced around. “Heck, where would I go? At least while I’m here, I get all the water I can handle. I get fed too, if you can call that horrid black bread the mages summon each night food.”
“Hmmm,” replied Nickelo. “I know I cannot recall much information about us from my databanks, but based upon observations over the last few days, I calculate you tend to complain a lot. I analyzed the summoned bread, and it will fill that belly of yours enough to stop the feeling of hunger for a few minutes. Personally, I think it is a waste of time. You do not need to eat to stay alive.”
“Maybe not, but I like the taste of food. Or at least I think I do. I haven’t had anything except that bread since we got here. It would be nice to eat something with a little taste to it.”
“Taste has no bearing on the nutritional value of a food item. I calculate taste buds are an overrated part of the human anatomy; it’s wasted on elves too, for that matter.”
“Says the computer without a mouth.” Richard laughed, ignoring the stares of the elves around him. He didn’t really care if they thought he was going mad from the sun or not. His being in the desert had no purpose as far as he could tell, and it irked him to no end. The thought of food, or lack thereof, was something he could latch onto. “All I know is that I’m hungry and I want something to eat besides that bread. I’ve been thinking—”
“Uh-oh. Here comes trouble.”
“Don’t be a jerk. I’ve been studying my Power reserve while we’ve been riding. I’ve got three, but the connections to two of them are blocked. Only the reserve that heals me seems to function. The link to it is formed in such a way that I can’t manually draw Power from it. I’m not sure what the other two reserves do, but if I could link to one of them, maybe I could use the Power to create something to eat that’s better than that black bread.”
“Hmmm. I would make a snide comment about always thinking with your stomach, but I calculate you may be on to something. I have been doing some calculating myself, which means I have been considering a lot of options since my mind works at nanosecond speed on my slow days.”
“Don’t brag, Nick. You know what they say about a man and his pride.”
“Uh, not really. It’s not in my databanks. What do they say?”
Richard thought for a moment. His mind came up blank. “Actually, I don’t remember. It’s like the answer’s right on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t think of it.”
“Join the club,” said Nickelo. “Let’s forget about that for a while. Like I said, I have also been thinking. As you pointed out, the links to two of your Power reserves are blocked, but I sense an overflow from them. I think there is a possibility you might be able to siphon off some of the overflow and use it somehow. It’s not much Power, but it might be enough to do something useful. Now, you said you had been thinking. You must be keeping it in your private space because I have no idea what you’re talking about. What do you have up your sleeve?”
“Have?” Richard said. “Not much, but I’ve been noticing that I have several links besides the ones going to my three Power reserves. All but one appears to be blocked and heavily trapped. Have you noticed?”
“The traps?” said Nickelo. “Yes, I have. The traps are devious. Obviously they were created by a master. I would highly recommend you not try to circumvent them.”
Richard had no intention of messing with the traps on the links. “Believe me, I’m not going to even try. There are traps on some of the traps, and that’s just the ones I can sense. That’s not what I’m talking about though. What I was noticing was the link to the ring, or more specifically to the gem in the ring. It’s not blocked, at least not completely. I sense…something through the gem.”
“What do you sense?” asked Nickelo. “My essence is inside the ring, and I have not noticed anything strange. What do you sense?”
“I’m not sure,” Richard admitted. “It’s more emotions than it is anything else. It’s very faint, but the feeling through the ring’s link gives me comfort for some reason.”
“I suppose that is all well and good, Wizard Scout, but my obvious question is, what’s that got to do with the price of phase energy?”
The words phase energy brought up an image in Richard’s mind of a blazing rod and balls of energy shooting through the sky. Then the image was gone from his mind and his memory. He concentrated on his battle computer’s question.
“What’s it got to do with anything?” Richard said. “I think it has everything to do with it. I sense energy in the ring.”
“Oh, I sense the energy too, Wizard Scout, but it is not in a form you can use. It is magic. Someone has cast powerful enchantments on the ring. I have run twenty-two scans on you since we materialized in this place, and you are not equipped to manipulate magic. Your psyche is not built for it. That energy is useless to you.”
Having already figured out the same thing, Richard was not put off by his battle computer’s words. He knew he couldn’t use magic but was confident he could use Power. “Doesn’t matter, old boy. I think I can draw Power from whatever’s on the other end of that link by using the ring’s gem as a conduit. I’m not saying it would be a lot of Power, but it might be worth our while to try. What do we have to lose?”
Nickelo laughed. “You mean other than our lives? Not a thing.”
His battle computer’s sarcasm wasn’t lost on Richard. Nevertheless, he was tempted to try drawing Power from the ring right then and there. Before he could try, some words of gibberish from Tracer drew his attention. She was looking at him and pointing at the river. He noticed the elves around him forming up in a long line perpendicular to the river with their lances at the ready.
Tracer pointed at Richard and then at Amir before jerking a thumb behind them.
“I think the elf wants Amir and you to wait behind while the rest of them cross the river.”
Pulling back on the reins, Richard backed his horse a half-dozen meters to give the elves some room. The horse went willingly enough.
Wizard Gigantic (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 9) Page 15
