The Vlakan King (Book 3) (17 page)

"Machel Moet," said the man. "You are most welcome to my home. You have word from Ioane Adan, the Celaeri Queen?" The man's voice was devoid of inflection and hissed like water on hot stones.

"I do. These soldiers with me are but a vanguard of the army. The main body remains a day's ride from here. I will summon them tonight."

"And the girl?"

"I have a girl but not the one requested. There was difficulty and she is out of reach at the moment. But I found a Daerlan maiden which may suit you."

"Disappointing, but a Daerlan you say? Perhaps she will suit my needs. I trust you are not expected to return to Cresida soon? I shall require your assistance for several weeks. I have enough provision for your men. They can camp in the main chamber of the tower, as I never use it. Is that acceptable?"

"Yes. Ioane Adan asked me to help however I could."

Pashar Bei smiled and grabbed Machel Moet's arm. Machel held a stone wrapped in cloth. It appeared blue and its colors swirled the longer one stared at it. "You brought a scion of the stone? Lady Galamog will be pleased."

The air shimmered and a door opened in the smooth side of the tower. The sorcerer led his guests into his home. The door sealed behind them and no trace of the door remained. The mists closed in on the grey tower.

Machel Moet followed Pashar Bei up the winding steps to the upper levels. They entered a sitting room lined with bookshelves.

"This is my library," said Pashar. "Where I do much of my contemplation. My real work is on the level above us. You'll see that soon enough. Please, sit down. I will have refreshments brought to us. And then we shall discuss the Daerlan maiden."

Machel Moet remembered Pashar's home in Mordyn and how orderly it was in his workroom compared to the mess in the rest of his home. His servant did not seem to have accompanied him to the Tower of Erast and his tower was immaculate. Machel did not have enough information to determine if Pashar's servant was inept or there was a reason for his employment. Pashar Bei returned with wine and cheese and set them on a table next to Machel's chair. Pashar paced around the room.

"Help yourself. This tower is fascinating. I have yet to discover all its secrets and I am glad for the challenge. My plans are complete for your Celaeri soldiers and my mind cannot be idle too long. Are you familiar with Erast?"

"Only vaguely."

"Yes, I find that is true for most people. I was not familiar with Erast or his tower but I am learning more each day. A vastly underrated sorcerer was poor old Erast. I have learned magic here that I never considered. Erast was formidable and therefore if Blackthorne defeated him we shall take heed around Lyminas Blackthorne. Not that I would take Blackthorne lightly but I reckoned there are depths to that sorcerer even his comrades don't suspect."

"You think he practices dark arts?"

"Dark arts? What an archaic label. The arts are neither dark nor light. Magic has no color although the shadings are endless. Once you are on the path to magic, sorcery, the arts or whatever you want to call them your path is open before you."

"To go toward light or toward dark?"

"You haven't listened closely enough, Machel. Even your friend Lockwell has not acknowledged the arts fully. There is no 'direction'. The path of magic does not go one way or the other; it is a circular route. You cannot study one aspect without touching all. The Mage Academy in Nantitet is made of fools who cannot see beyond their noses. They try to limit what their Mages learn to keep them safe and untainted. The magic taints immediately; it is a gift or curse, depending on your view, from the Jungeguds and they are not concerned if the practitioners survive. I admit I do not know their intent but I shall wield my power for as long as I can."

"What is the aim of this war, if I may ask?" said Machel Moet.

"While Lady Galamog confides in me, there are things which only she comprehends. I follow my instructions to the letter mindful that she leaves gray areas for me to operate as I see fit. I know some of the goals but not all and I surely will not relate all to you. However, one thing I can tell you is we are not looking to conquer the kingdoms of Men in the conventional sense. Ah, I can say no more. You must chew on that I'm afraid; no more morsels will be forthcoming. Between what you know and what Lockwell can ferret out I don't believe you will have the full picture. But in time all will become clear."

Machel finished his wine and stretched his legs.

"Ah, would you like to see where I work?"

"Of course," said Machel.

Pashar allowed himself a brief smile that vanished as quickly as it appeared.

He led Machel up a winding stair to the top room of the tower. It opened before them with a high ceiling and torches burning along the wall. An orderly worktable on the far side sat under a window while in the center of the room was a stone table with the Daerlan female tied to the top. She was unconscious.

"Is she dead?"

"Soon," said Pashar. "I will power this stone you brought with her blood. I had asked for the other girl because of her Celaeri heritage. The Celaeri believe only someone with the right mix of Celaeri and Men blood will revive the Mother Stone."

"That is not true? Will the Daerlan blood work as well?"

"Yes, Daerlan blood will be just fine. Any blood would be fine."

"I don't understand."

"The Celaeri are wrong in their assumption. The Mother Stone only needs warm blood to revitalize it. Actually it is quite humorous to think of the Celaeri scouring the world to find the rare individuals who meant their requirements. The fools could have grabbed any traveler and solved their problems. Ha! Good thing they are immortal for all the years they have wasted."

"Lockwell worked for years in Eslenda testing the blood of the prisoners in the castle."

"Another fool."

"Queen Ioane has empowered stones in Cresida to bring back the Celaeri. What use is the stone here? The entrance to the shadow realm is in Cresida."

"Again you repeat the ignorance of the Celaeri. I doubt if Jerue Adan knew the true power of the stone. It is obvious his daughter Ioane does not. Bringing back the Celaeri is but a small part of the potential of the stone. I can focus my magic through it increasing its potency tenfold. My power will be unrivaled by any mortal."

Outside the tower in the growing darkness, a slim shadow detached itself from a gnarled tree and darted between the moonlight to a spot close to the tower where the magical door opened. Delicate fingers ran over the glass smooth structure unable to find a seam. The Daerlan, for it was a Daerlan, moved around the base of the tower and returned to his starting point a quarter hour later. There were no handholds, no windows within 30 feet of the ground and no structures close by to climb to a level of the windows. The Daerlan sighed and reached out, spreading his hands on the tower. A faint glow shone from his hands and the tower rumbled. Quickly, he darted away into the darkness.

The door opened and Pashar Bei stepped out into the night air. Several Celaeri soldiers followed him out of the tower. The sorcerer touched the outer surface of the tower and sniffed the air. He looked around him and stared into the darkness.

"Someone is nearby with old magic," said Pashar Bei. "I can taste it in the air. Find him and bring him to me. Do not be gentle."

The Celaeri moved silently, running across the rough ground twenty feet apart. The Daerlan had a good start and saw the Celaeri follow his trail. The Celaeri were fast runners but Daerlan are faster and soon he could no longer see his pursuers.

The Daerlan slowly noticed the taint that grew over the land as their hearts darkened and they diminished as a people. King Oalaria went so far as to commit genocide against the Wierlun, a people that worshiped the land and were free of the shadows that dwelt in the mind of the Daerlan. Navir, the youngest son of Oalaria seized the kingship from his father. Navir had discovered the Menaloch, one of the Jungeguds, had poisoned his father's mind as well as many of the Daerlan elders. War waged against the followers of the Menaloch until Arda was laid waste. Navir gathered the remnants of his people and sailed from Arda to the continent of Amloth and began a new life in a land called Liannest in honor of Navir's mother Lianne, who had died long before the Menaloch came to Arda. The west coast of Amloth reminded Navir of the purity of Arda in the glory days of the Daerlan. Arda was left to the Menaloch and the Jungegud raged for years at his foe Navir. After a time Navir sent a ship with soldiers and a special spear wrought with magic to destroy the Menaloch. It hurt the Menaloch but did not destroy him. The Menaloch faded away to recover his strength.

From Gerrand's Histories of Landermass.

Princess Linna watched them all sit around the long table in the great hall. The rustic trophies of Dacu Belderag had been taken down and the banners of Cresida now graced the wall. The banner of her brother, King Byron Haldane hung alongside her personal colors. She had sent for her favorite musicians from Andara and laughter and singing filled the hall often driving back the years of oppression of Belderag. She sat in her chair at the head of now silent hall fighting to hold back her emotions. Linna had still been a teenager when she boldly came north to wrest control of Gornst away from Belderag. Without the help of the people seated at this table she would have failed. She was determined not to fail now. She was the leader of Gornst and her fears of the past must not reclaim her. She had known most of them for many years and trusted their judgment. Each of them played a part in the Celaeri War and did not have to be convinced of the threat the Celaeri posed to Cresida. She would need to be convinced the Celaeri had returned before she could act. All of Gornst depended on her and she could not act impulsively to prepare for war. To mobilize the surrounding area would be a tremendous effort and she would not jump at shadows. To her left Colly Bulger sat next to his daughter Danni. Next to Danni sat Aran Picker, her husband and former Captain of the Guard for Belderag. Across the table from the Princess sat Lord Tarlac Brandalay and Lady Alarie Skye. Brandalay owned the former Greyrawk holdings, gifted to him by his friend Ian Greyrawk who desired to return to Anavar. Alarie Skye was a Celaeri, cast aside by her people for opposing the conquest of the people of Cresida. Alarie chose to live with Brandalay and defend Cresida. Princess Linna's own advisors, Tenta Fortund and Beric Mallon sat on her right.

Tenta was a young woman in her early twenties who reminded the Princess of herself starting out in a man's world. Tenta was the only one present without experience in the Celaeri War as she was in Andara during that time. Her only knowledge of Celaeri came from her friendship with Alarie Skye and although she had seen Alarie on the practice ground wielding a sword, Tenta did not fully grasp how dire the situation would be if the Celaeri started another war.

The forty two year old Beric Mallon spent fifteen years as Warlord for King Haldane and joined Princess Linna when she took control of Gornst from Belderag. His unspoken affection for the Princess was a topic of gossip in Gornst but the chivalrous Beric lost no respect with the people of Gornst. Rather, his good judgment was much admired and his solitary figure tugged at their hearts.

"We are here to discuss the rumors from the Black Heath," said Linna. "As most of you have heard creatures have been seen in the area that haven't been seen since the last Celaeri war. The descriptions most align to Vlakans but no one has caught one or killed one so there is no proof. We do not have the Talos Company to aid us this time. We must be prepared to fight and most importantly we must have a sound strategy to counter the skill of the Celaeri warriors. I will not send a squad to the area without specific direction."

"What if it is just Vlakan without the Celaeri returning?" asked Beric Mallon. "They need the Celaeri to direct them. They should be no different than a pack of wolves."

"Then prepare for the Celaeri and be pleased if it is only Vlakan," said Brandalay. He wore his grey hair long and tied behind his neck. His once salt and pepper beard had lost most of its pepper and his companion Alarie Skye's eternal youth contrasted again his appearance more as the years passed. The story of the nearly immortal Celaeri warlord and the Cresida noble was well known in Amloth and as Brandalay aged Alarie held her vitality and appeared no more than twenty summers old despite her 120 years.

"I have not sensed my people returning from the shadow world," said Alarie Skye. "They may have found a way to shield their approach but we cannot assume the Vlakan to be leaderless even without the Celaeri. There was a wizard who helped the Celaeri return before who escaped at the war's end. He would have the skill and motive to lead the Vlakan."

"Lockwell was his name," said Colly. "I remember Dvorak Annis of the Talos Company talking about him. If he's still around he could have the Vlakan focused to attack."

"We still have no proof," said Princess Linna. "I am not going to panic the people of Gornst based on rumors. Beric convene your captains and explain the situation to them, but they must keep it to themselves. Tenta, see to the city supplies. Aran, I may call upon you to lead the defense efforts of the city if the threat is real and our army is in the field. Colly, I want you to go with Tarlac and Alarie and find out how much truth is in the rumors. The reports we've received center around the Black Heath. There have been no reports closer to Gornst."

"No reports around Greyrawk Mountain either," said Brandalay.

"They would avoid me," said Alarie. "It's no secret where I live. Ioane would build her strength as long as possible before revealing her plans."

"And me?" asked Danni.

"Danni, you have a business to run and a family to raise," said Princess Linna. "Until otherwise requested, you and Aran must not do anything out of the ordinary. If this wizard is behind any Vlakan activity he could have spies in Gornst, or even come here himself to see how prepared we are. We must be discreet."