Stonecutter's Shadow: A young mage's fight through a fantasy kingdom full of treachery

by James Haddock

  I went to my camp checking the Shadows to make sure I was not followed then I laid down, putting my hand into the earth, and slept soundly. I woke refreshed, and hungry, I went back to the inn for breakfast and bought a lunch to take with me to work, I knew I'd be hungry using all that magic.

  I fell into a routine, just as I had at home. One day was much like the one before. Al hummed and talked and I listened, matching his work. Each day my work got easier, since as I used my magic it got stronger. I felt I was eating for two people, but I also felt I was doing the work of two people.

  * * *

  After a few weeks Al started helping refine my technique, doing finer work. “You'll make more per piece doing fine work,” he said. I was becoming a better stonecutter by the day and was enjoying the work — I had to be careful not to forget why I was here.

  It had been a few weeks since I had raided the palace.

  We were starting to hear rumors about trouble among the guards and the army. My bet was lack of pay. Not long after that the businesses were up in arms because of a new tax the king had levied. Rumor said the king had no money and was not paying the army or the palace guards. Tensions were running high and the king put a curfew into effect.

  The quarry work slowed because the crown was their biggest customer. As a result, some of the men, including me, were laid off. We were told we'd be hired back as soon as the work picked back up.

  “Ordinarily I would keep a stonecutter, but with the lack of work, I can keep three laborers who have families for what I'm paying you. You don't have a family to support, so I hope you understand,” the quarry master said.

  “I do, master, it's a good thing you're doing, taking care of the men with families. Maybe when things pick back up, I'll come back.”

  “You do that, lad, and there will be a place here for you.” With that I was off, back to the real reason I was here, but with a solid cover.

  I went to the Shadow where I was camped and gathered my things, then moved in Shadow closer to the mage quarter and set up camp. This place was also closer to the rich section of the city, where well-to-do merchants and minor nobles lived. The mage quarter was walled and guarded, and I wondered if that was their doing or the king's.

  I spent a few days eating in Shadow in different inns in the area, listening to conversations. Things were tense even among the well-off. The new tax was unwelcome, to say the least. I found the local thieves guild, and their fence's location, then began a series of small theft, going into the rich's houses taking silverware, candle holders, silver plates, and the like. I didn't sell the items to the fences, I just left them among the other stolen goods.

  After a week of my thefts, the rich had put enough pressure on the palace, that the city watch started a crackdown. They rounded up as many of the thieves, and fences as they could find and put more patrols on the street. Then I started ambushing the patrols when they got to the poorer sectors. I didn't kill anyone if I could help it, just wounded a few in each patrol. I left the city watch alone, which caused suspicion that someone was being paid off.

  They closed the palace gates and orders came down that the city watch was now responsible for patrolling the city. I left the watch alone and moved on to the next step, visiting a tavern where mercenaries were known to drink. I watched and listened until I found what I was looking for.

  One company in particular was looking for work, any work that involved battle.

  I put on the guise of a seedy looking man and went into the tavern, bought two ales and went to the captain's table. “May I join you, captain?”

  He looked at me, “if one of those are for me, yes.” I handed him one of the ales and sat. “I haven’t seen you around here before.”

  “New around here — my master sent me here on business.”

  His eyes scanned the room behind me, “what kind of business?”

  “The kind that involves swords, and plunder. My master and a few others, have had a falling out over property rights. He wants the problem to go away.”

  “And where would this business be taking place?

  “On the border with Western Dale.”

  “How many men do they have?”

  “Maybe 30 each?”

  He nodded, thinking, “I may need to hire another captain and company.”

  “Whatever you think best.” I said. “My master will pay 100 golds per estate you close down, and whatever plunder there is yours.”

  He nodded, “put the money on account at the guild and we'll get started.”

  I shook my head, “No record of this will be made, I'll pay you 100 gold when you agree, and 100 when the job is done. You keep the plunder.”

  “What's to keep me from killing you and taking the gold?”

  “The two crossbows aimed at you, and me of course.”

  He smiled, I did not. “Deal. When do we start?”

  I passed him a purse. “Now. Gather your men and get to work. The two estates you are to raid are the two closest to the Western Dale border. Once the job complete, meet me back here for the rest of your money. If you take my master's money and fail, you'd better be dead. You won't like the alternative.”

  I stood and left by the back door. As soon as I was out of sight I moved into Shadow. No one followed me.

  I went back inside. The captain, and the man who had been with him left the inn through the front. I didn't follow, but let greed do the job. They were mercs, and they lived to fight for gold and the promise of plunder. If all went well, I'd hear about raids on the western border within a few weeks.

  * * *

  I put on a different guise and started visiting the nicer inns and taverns closer to the rich. The food was better, but more expensive. I started hearing rumors of guild wars. The assassin’s guild in the city had been wiped out, and the thieves’ guilds were fighting over territory. The army didn't trust the city watch — well, no one trusted the city watch.

  I needed more information about the mages, but how to get it without arousing suspicion was the question. I could always hang around them in Shadow, but that could take a long time and posed some risk. I needed something faster.

  Chapter 15

  I sat in a Shadow eating and noticed the shadow of a large bird go by. I looked up to see it was a buzzard circling. I watched him soaring about, without a care in the world. I frowned, “I wonder?”

  If I could figure a way to ride a bird’s Shadow, I could travel from place to place a lot faster. I saw three problems: getting into the bird's Shadow in the first place; getting out of the bird's Shadow safely; and how to get the bird to go where I wanted.

  I took out my mage books and looked through them for anything that might help me. I found 'Shadow Flow' which talked about moving in the Shadow of someone, or an animal, or wagon. It also mentioned birds and fish, but no problem with doing so. I had flowed in people's, horse's, and wagon's Shadows, but those where all slow moving. A bird's Shadow would be something different.

  To get to a certain location maybe I could jump into a carrier, or messenger bird going to a specific place. The uncertainty would be the ride itself. I don't remember the horse's Shadow jostling me, I needed to check that.

  I went to the livery stables and jumped into a horse's Shadow. I felt no movement as he walked around. I reached the Shadow up and pressed on his ribs, like I would with my knee, and he turned. I touched him like I would with my heel, and he began to move faster, then to trot. I felt no movement inside the shadow. That answered one question.

  I began watching birds fly around. I'd need a big species, since the smaller ones jumped around too much and flew too erratically. I found where some buzzards where circling and watched them. they stayed in the same area, so if I had to walk back it wouldn't be too far.

  I saw a shadow approaching and took a chance, I jumped in. The world literally started flying by, I had to close my eyes. It took a while to get used to the view of the outside flying past. I looked up at the buzzard, I could feel hi
m through the Shadow. I could feel the wind whipping by him. I tried the same trick I had used on the horse. Pushing him did nothing but pulling on feathers got a response. he turned to see what was pulling on him, but that was all.

  I decided to be a little more forceful, through Shadow Form I took his head and turned it. He didn't like it, but he turned. I changed and began pushing down of his wing to turn him. That worked better, I pushed down on the wing in the direction I wanted him to go, it worked.

  I flew him closer to the city and pushed down on both wings until he landed in a tree. I jumped out of his shadow and let him go.

  I could flow in a bird Shadow, but making it fly where I wanted would take constant pressure. It would be more work than riding a horse. I think the best thing to do would be to ride a messenger bird to a certain destination. So I decided to go to Western Dale to test my theory.

  * * *

  The monastery ran messenger pigeons between cities, and for a price anyone could send one. I waited in Shadow beside the bird coops, seeing they were marked by what city the bird would fly to. When the monk took a bird from the Western Dale coop, I went along. I waited in the bird's Shadow while the monk attacked the message to its leg. When the monk was ready, he released the bird.

  I closed my eyes and waited a moment for the bird to get into his flying rhythm. It took some time to get used to seeing the world fly by and not feeling like I would throw-up.

  Six hours later we arrived at a monastery in Western Dale. I jumped out of the birds' Shadow into the coop, then made my way down to the street, I decided this was a feasible way to travel long distances.

  I went to an inn, had a nice meal, then found an out of the way Shadow for the night. I'd start tomorrow putting my next plans into action, so I slept soundly through the night.

  I woke early and went to an inn for breakfast. I kept my ear open to the gossip around me, but not much of interest was being talked about. I considered finding the local assassin’s guild and getting rid of them, but another thought occurred to me, one that might be more productive for my plans.

  It did take me a few days to find the guild house. I jumped into an assassin's Shadow and Flowed in with him. Once inside, I made my way through Shadows to the guild master's office and left a note, which read: King Starwick has destroyed your guild houses in Redmoore and Farshores. You cost him too much money, and he sees this house as a threat. Beware.

  I waited there until he found the note, it caused quite a stir. “Guards!” he shouted. “Enemy in the house, seal the exits, now!”

  They blocked the exits from the house and searched it from top to bottom. They questioned all guards and check all the traps they had at all entrances. Satisfied they had missed the deliverer of the note, the master started sending messages of his own. I left, thinking that should keep them busy for a while.

  I went to a seedy tavern where mercs drank, looking to hire another group like I had done in Redmoore. There were plenty of out of work mercs around, so it wasn't hard to find one to hire. Following the same script, I sent them to attack two estates on Western Dale's eastern border. I also started rumors that Redmoore was hiring mercs. Suspicion would take care of the rest.

  I went back to the monastery and hopped a bird's Shadow back to Redmoore. Flowing in the bird's Shadow at night caused me less motion sickness, and I was able to sleep most of the way.

  * * *

  I ate breakfast at a booth in the market and listened to the gossip. “The soldiers are saying they ain't being paid, the king's treasury has no money,” one of the venders said.

  “I heard the same thing,” I replied. “Some of them owes me money, but said they couldn't pay cause the king ain't paying them.” I continued to eat my bread and cheese.

  “No wonder the King has taxes us again, he's trying to raise funds.”

  I nodded, “I've also heard of thieving going on in the upper's quarters, and there's been talk of mercenaries raiding some of the outer estates. I tell you, this ain’t good for business.”

  That rumor was through the market before I could walk it. The mention of tax collectors gave me an idea.

  I started following one of the tax collectors. I put on the guise of a rough looking man, and muttered, “Give me the tax purse!”

  “They'll hang you for this,” he said.

  “They've got to catch me first … now hand it over before I get nasty.” I managed to rob five before soldiers started escorting them. Then I started ambushing the escorts, wounding one or two, then letting them escape. After that people were required to go to the collection house and pay the tax, but very few went.

  The crown put a bounty of five golds on the tax collector robber. But the joke circulated that crown couldn't pay the bounty until the robber gave the money back! The king was looking weaker as the days passed.

  One of the town’s criers was in the tavern, shouting, “the king's calling up the militia, starting tomorrow. There's been raiding on the western border. The crown prince is taking an army of 5,000 to stop them.”

  “Good luck getting anyone to answer … he can't even pay the palace guards, let alone an army of 5,000,” someone replied, and everyone laughed.

  “I just repeat what they tell me,” the crier said.

  The commenter was right … only a thousand or so men showed up to muster. So the army was sent through the streets, grabbing every man they found until they had their muster count. Three days later the crown prince led his “army” west to defend the border.

  I waited a few days before I struck. Late at night, after the palace gates had been closed, I took a Shadow up to a nearby house top. The Shadows told me no one was around and all was quiet. Then I fired four mage arrows into the main gate, where they exploded and destroyed it. Guards poured out of the barracks like ants from a nest. Touches were coming from everywhere in the palace. Cavalry was sent out through the city. Soon the whole city was awake, with troops searching the city for invaders.

  The army made no move against the mages, but closed the gates around the mage quarter. The heads of the top mage families were summoned to the palace. As they waited at the ruined gates, I jumped into one of their Shadows, flowed in with them until we reached the great hall, then jumped to a wall Shadow.

  King Starwick was sitting on his throne, watching the mages as they entered. An uneasy silence filled the hall. “Our kingdom is under attack,” the king said, “and one or more mages are helping them. You are the leaders of the mage families, so I'm counting on you to find out who it is. I know you can do this, what you lack is a reason to do it, some motivation.” The doors of the great hall opened again, and guards escorted the first-born children of the mage families onto the hall.

  “Here is your motivation. Until I find out who is working with my enemies, or until you bring them to me, your children will remain in the palace as my guests. If you have not found the traitors in one week, my guests will become my prisoners and be moved to the dungeons.”

  Pandemonium erupted. “We have broken no laws; we have done all that you've asked to support the throne!” their leader shouted.

  Starwick waited for the noise to die. “You are wasting time, your one-week’s time has started. I suggest you go find the traitors and bring them to me.”

  The hostages were taken away and the mage family leaders were escorted out.

  “And if the mage attacking us is not from among our mages?” asked a man who stepped from an alcove behind the king.

  “Spymaster. You seem to be bringing me more questions than answers of late.”

  “Forgive me, sire, it's just my way of looking at problems.”

  “We'll see what we have in a week, then I'll answer your question. In the meantime, go ahead and put our “guests” in the dungeon.”

  “Yes, your highness.”

  “Are the money lenders from the Red Bank here?” They were called Red Bankers, or sometimes Blood Bankers, because their gold often had a red tinge to it. It was also rather pr
ophetic as their biggest business was financing wars. They took no sides, and would loan to any kingdom, as long as they could pay the loan back — with interest, of course.

  “They are, highness.”

  “Bring them in,” Starwick said. The spymaster motioned to one of the guards and men were brought before the king. The men bowed politely but not too deeply; and I didn’t think the king liked that.

  “Master bankers, thank you for coming. What agreement have you discussed with my advisors?”

  “We will loan you the gold you have asked for, and you will repay that amount plus a quarter of your Kingdom's income for five years,” the leader answered.

  The king stared at them, “a quarter for five years is unacceptable.”

  “What do you find unacceptable, the time to pay us back or the interest?”

  “Both,” he answered angrily.

  “We are not forcing you to borrow our gold, your highness.”

  “I need more time to pay back the loan.”

  “20 percent, for seven years,” they offered.

  “10 percent, for 10 years.” the king countered. They settled on 15 percent for 10 years.

  “When can you have my gold here?” The king asked.

  “It's waiting on our ship. As soon as you sign the papers, you can send an armed escort and take possession of it now.” They signed the paperwork for the loan, and the escort was sent to the harbor to get the gold. I waited in the hall leading down to the vault and jumped into a Shadow as the porters passed, delivering the gold.

  When they had placed all the gold into the vault, they put two guards inside the vault, and two outside the vault's door. There were also two guards at the hallway entrance.

  I decided I could get to the gold, no problem, but the problem was doing so without anyone seeing me do it.