In the Grip of Time

by Adam Jacob Burgess

  Eugenie paused for a long time, considering her response. She thought of her father and willed herself not to cry. Not here. She felt her resolve harden once more.

  ‘No. Concentrate on the task at hand. Now that we have one of the idols, we need the troops here more than ever to protect it’.

  The councillor sat back down, defeated, as a royal guard entered the room.

  ‘Ma’am, we found the soldiers who deserted in Pettibeck. They said that they attempted to leave the kingdom because they were afraid of punishment. We have taken them to the cells.’

  ‘Good, they will stay there for now. What of the gnome?’

  ‘The locals said that she gave her name as Sawwse Bohge. The deserters told us that she had already left Pettibeck by the time they had arrived, massacring the entire village inn before she did so. She is clearly a very powerful being.’

  At this last statement, Alla’fyr could not help but roll her eyes, even as her smouldering rage began to flicker.

  ‘Might I offer a solution, Eugenie? I could track this gnome down and destroy her for you, or else bring her here alive.’

  Eugenie thought about Alla’fyr’s offer for a moment before replying.

  ‘No. I want you to focus on the idols for now. Once he is brought back to us, my father can see to the gnome.’

  ‘Of course, wherever I can best be of use,’ the fallen mage replied, a thin facade of obedience barely concealing her displeasure.

  ‘This council meeting is over, thank you.’

  Her cape sweeping behind her, Eugenie left the room, swiftly followed by Alla’fyr.

  The council members began shifting in their seats. Some left the chamber, while others tried to talk about brighter things. One councillor remained seated, an unremarkable man with short grey hair and brown eyes that never blinked or winked. Malthus Hulther had often remained quiet in these meetings, observing more than taking part. You would have to be looking very closely in order to see it, but if the light was at the right angle, and you looked within Malthus’ right pupil, you would see a tiny image of a white horned mask.

  Chapter 15: Touch Gydi, Get Dizzy

  Sawwse was shaken awake. She scrubbed her eyes, jumping out of bed so quickly that she startled Rangrim, who had been standing over her.

  ‘Convener wants to see us,’ he said, bemusedly watching her stretching. ‘You know it’s still night out? Apparently it’s important.’

  Sawwse stopped stretching and glanced out of the window. She’d assumed it was morning, but nothing stirred outside.

  ‘Thanks for waking me.’

  ‘No problem at all,’ he smiled warmly. ‘Do you want one of these?’

  The young dwarf turned around and crouched, gesturing for Sawwse to climb on his back.

  ‘You do realise I’m not a gnomeling, don’t you?’

  Rangrim simply smiled and gestured to his back again. ‘Come on.’

  Sawwse entered the meeting room clinging gleefully to the rosy-cheeked dwarf’s back. They wiped the smiles from their faces quickly as they noticed a heavy atmosphere in the room. The guild mates were all present, apart from Larn and Ruby.

  ‘Thank you, Rangrim, Sawwse. Welcome. Apologies for interrupting your rest.’ The horned mask of light tilted its head in sympathy for a brief moment, before settling on a look of grim severity. ‘I’ve called you all here for a specific reason. There has been a shift of power in the west. It has been happening over a number of weeks, but unfortunately the shift has quickened in recent days.’

  The guild members listened to Convener with complacent curiosity, not realising that he was setting them on a course from which they would struggle to alter.

  ‘This shift has been brought about primarily by grief. The Dorienne Kingdom, or perhaps I should say, the Dorienne state, is faltering. The balance of power between Dorienne and its neighbours has begun to tip. We may think that we are protected here because that corner of Esh’areth is hidden by the Blue Mountains, but note this: the dangers I have warned you about will rise. It doesn’t always take evil to bring people to war. Incompetence will do the trick just as well. And it is within the chaos of incompetence that evil makes its move.’

  Sawwse shivered, chilled by Convener’s words. She wondered whether this referred, in part, to Alla’fyr and the two men who were heading to Dorienne. Hadn’t they said something about Dorienne toppling over?

  ‘More importantly, I have learnt of the idol’s true purpose: ancienmākhanā. A machine of the ancients, or the Ancient Device. The name has slipped and shifted as rumours have passed down through the centuries. Are any of you aware of this?’

  ‘Yes.’

  A whispered voice came from one corner of the room. The other guild mates turned to see Larn, or something that looked like Larn, standing stooped by the wall. But his outline or texture was ghost-like, and he was almost completely transparent, as if he would blur or disappear altogether if looked at through peripheral vision.

  ‘Larn is currently in a cave somewhere within the Decay,’ Convener offered, by way of explanation. ‘He has allowed me to pull his mental projection into the room.’

  Continuing in hushed tones, Larn described what he’d managed to find out about the Ancient Device. It was a forbidden tool created using powerful, ancient magic. At some point it was hidden, due to the immense power it bestowed its user. After centuries upon centuries, people forgot about the Device, and it became no more than a rumour.

  ‘It is still but a rumour,’ grumbled Osrik.

  ‘Trust my sources, you foolish dwarf,’ hissed Larn.

  ‘I’d sooner trust a serpent,’ Osrik muttered quietly.

  ‘Supposedly, the machine allows its user to control time itself.’ Convener spoke over the little spat. ‘Now, perhaps the importance of reaching the Ancient Device first has become clearer.’

  The masked man explained to the guild what had happened to King Poht and Eugenie. He spoke in remarkable detail about Eugenie’s movements in Doriana, and that Alla’fyr was working on her behalf.

  ‘There are two more idols being hunted by Dorienne. If they find the idols, it seems the path to the Ancient Device will be presented to them and the game will be lost. A grieving daughter will turn back the world to bring back her father, and the world will change unrecognisably. Time has consequences and should never be tampered with.’

  A muffled, echoing roar issued from Larn’s image in the corner. His transparent outline span around and disappeared from the room.

  ‘Our learned colleague is currently following a lead to one of the remaining idols,’ Convener explained. ‘I have located further spikes in magical energy on this continent. Vadania, Sawwse and Corinne, I’d like you to travel east to Zell. Osrik and Rangrim, please travel north to Brastos. Put the quests from the noticeboard to one side. You must now prioritise the search for the idol. This is our chance to put ourselves firmly on the map as Esh’areth’s protector, and to save the world from chaos beyond measure.’

  Convener bowed his head slightly and placed his fingertips together.

  ‘How do you know what is happening in Dorienne?’ Vadania asked.

  Each of the adventurers turned to study Convener’s reaction. They had all been wondering the same thing.

  ‘A fly,’ he replied, smiling. ‘A fly caught in our web.’

  It was clear that there would be no elaboration. Their meeting was over.

  --

  ‘Remind me why you are here,’ Vadania said tersely.

  The elf didn’t break her stride or slow her pace. As ever, the city was a necessary inconvenience, and she preferred to spend as little time there as possible. Here in the outskirts of South Rhyddinas, there were fewer large stone buildings and monuments than in the northern part of the city. The residential sprawl of the south was also foreign to her. She’d assumed this was a human thing - not willing to live off the land, they rely on others to produce their food - but she saw all sort
s here, elves included.

  ‘We are - going with you - to Zell,’ Sawwse panted breathlessly. She and Corinne had to run to keep up with the elf hunter’s ferocious speed.

  ‘Convener said as much in last night’s meeting,’ Corinne added, not struggling quite as much as the gnome.

  ‘If you cannot keep pace with me, we cannot work together.’

  The elf effortlessly hopped up onto a thin wall. She bounced from there to a veranda and then continued along her path, jumping from roof to roof.

  ‘What are you - talking about - we’re absolutely - fine.’

  Sawwse felt like throwing up.

  ‘Can you not work together with the dwarves?’ Vadania asked.

  ‘Rangrim and Osrik - have gone to - Brastos. It smells - like - cabbages,’ Sawwse managed, still attempting a joke despite her exhaustion.

  ‘Convener mentioned that the idol was our priority, and yet you are dressed for a hunt,’ Corinne observed.

  It was true that Vadania wore her hunter’s gear. The recognisable twin blades were strapped to her bag, along with a net, and supplies.

  ‘We can - help you - hunt. But we must - go to - Zell. Convener-’

  The gnome looked up at the elf on a nearby building, still just about keeping pace with her.

  Vadania leaped from the roof and landed in front of Sawwse and Corinne.

  ‘You do not know what I hunt or why.’ She looked down at Sawwse, bent over trying to get her breath back. ‘I advise you to turn back now, but somehow I know you will not. If you get into danger, I will not be able to save you.’

  With every hunt she took on, Vadania felt herself drawing closer to her goal. She had to feel that way in order to keep going. Vadania didn’t want anything to jeopardise her chance. And yet… The elf kept walking, but slowed her pace slightly, pulling one of the noticeboard’s quest advertisements out of the top of her armour and consulting it closely.

  ‘We’ll leave the city here and walk through the Forest of Zell,’ she said. ‘In the centre of the forest is a dilapidated chapel. As it is Zell who have requested that this beast be felled, we will head there afterwards, and follow Convener’s instructions.’

  It was a lengthy trek before the three adventurers reached the forest. Once inside, Corinne and Sawwse kept close behind Vadania, who knew each and every twisting turn that the forest presented to them. The elf said no more than a few words along the way. They’d spend the night in Zell after the hunt was complete, collect the reward from the hunt, and enquire about the idol. Though, when pressed on the reward, Vadania would not answer.

  ‘Perhaps she forgot the reward amount?’ Sawwse posed to Corinne, when they seemed to be out of earshot.

  ‘Or she wants to keep a larger portion of it for herself?’ The trainee mage replied.

  The truth was that Vadania had not paid any attention to the reward when she’d torn the job from the noticeboard, because that was not important to her. She sought something much more specific.

  While Sawwse and Corinne were comparing theories, a giant dandelion seed floated past them. They had just emerged from a particularly dense thicket and were now in a clearing that stretched ahead to another part of the forest. Vadania stood in the centre of the clearing, dodging, flipping, and flinging herself out of the way of these giant seeds.

  Sawwse started chuckling. She described the scene to Corinne, who smiled at the mental image of a fierce Elven hunter scared of seeds and weeds. They began walking towards the elf.

  When she saw them strolling casually over, her eyes flared angrily.

  ‘You fools, get behind cover!’

  A confused look spread across the faces of the hapless pair.

  ‘Sawwse, what do these seeds look like?’ Corinne asked.

  ‘Well, they’re big, white, and kind of fuzzy. Like a furball. There’s one coming this way now actually.’

  ‘Oh dear. That’s unfortunate.’

  ‘What is?’

  Sawwse smiled as the harmless looking fuzzy seed aimlessly floated towards her.

  ‘I cannot hear them, so I believe I’ll need your help. We need to move now. Please do not let them touch us.’

  Sawwse ducked out of the way of the seed just in time and grabbed Corinne’s hand.

  ‘Okay, I don’t understand this, but let’s go this way.’

  They darted off back toward the trees, ducking and weaving as required to avoid the seeds.

  Vadania had now almost made her way to the other side of the clearing. There were a couple of near collisions, but she was swift enough to evade them. Unfortunately for Sawwse, the featherlight seeds were suddenly whipped into a frenzy by a sharp gust of wind. She managed to push Corinne down behind a large bush, but before she had a chance to dive to the ground herself, a seed bumped into her left arm.

  Sawwse immediately felt violently sick. The earth moved beneath her feet, lurching her to the right and then to the left. She tried to take a step forward, but ended up moving backwards. Intending to run for cover, she ran straight out into the open space of the clearing. More seeds pelted against her chest and legs. Sawwse turned around, but her world turned the opposite way. More seeds exploded against her back, her hands, her head. A huge winged shadow passed over the ground. Sawwse keeled over, threw up, blacked out.

  --

  When she came to, the little gnome’s back was resting against the stump of a tree. The world still spun before her. In front of her blurred vision, she thought she could make out the big, friendly figure of Marius. She squinted and tilted her head, unable to believe her foggy eyes.

  ‘Can you not use magic?’ a gruff voice said.

  ‘No, Article Fifteen prevents it. Her life isn’t in danger, she’s just very uncomfortable.’

  ‘I might have something,’ the gruff voice softened.

  Sawwse tried to keep her eyes focussed on the people in front of her, but wished they’d stop moving around so much. She saw the ogre-like figure shrinking in size.

  ‘Here, this might help,’ Ruby said, producing a vial from his bag.

  ‘What is it?’ Corinne asked, concerned.

  The little gnome could just make out Ruby’s slight shoulders shrugging, before the vial was placed to her lips. She drank down a viscous substance, immediately feeling her throat burn. Her mossy green cheeks flushed a bright orange hue and she gasped for water. Corinne handed Sawwse her flask, and listened, disappointedly, to the gnome drinking it all up.

  Sawwse closed her eyes firmly, took a deep breath, and then opened them again to a stable world.

  ‘Oh thank goodness. What happened?’

  ‘Gydi seeds. You weren’t to know. I had momentarily forgotten that they were more common in this area,’ Corinne said.

  ‘How about Vadania, did she make it?’

  ‘She seems to have run on ahead.’

  ‘Not before chastising you both for slowing her down,’ Ruby said, chuckling to himself.

  Sawwse smiled at her shapeshifting friend, it was good to see him. They’d built up quite a rapport since they first met, but she hadn’t seen Ruby at the guild for days.

  ‘You weren’t at the guild.’

  ‘No, I was here.’

  Ruby wanted to tell Sawwse that he’d left the guild. It was all a bit too scary. And what could he actually contribute? This whole journey was probably a stupid idea anyway. He should just hole up again.

  The shy shapeshifter saw Sawwse’s beaming smile, and instead said, ‘Gathering supplies. I was gathering supplies.’ Ruby gestured to a stuffed bag over his shoulder. ‘I’d just thought having a few gydi seeds would be useful for a lotion idea I had, and then I came across you struggling in the field. My ursus form isn’t affected by the seeds, so I dragged you both away. The only difficulty was resisting the temptation to eat you,’ he laughed nervously.

  Sawwse wasn’t sure it was a joke, but she laughed politely nonetheless.

  ‘I should tell you that
Convener mentioned to me separately that we are travelling with Vadania, in part, in order to pull her focus to the idols,’ Corinne said. ‘It might be appropriate for us to go after her now if you are feeling up to it.’

  ‘Other than a sore throat, I feel fine,’ Sawwse said with a smile.

  ‘Okay.’ Corinne knelt down and touched a patch of fallen leaves. She rubbed them gently between her thumb and forefinger, and then flung her other hand in front of her. A curving beam of warm light shot out through the forest. ‘It appears the elf went this way.’

  ‘You can do that, but you couldn’t cure her gydiness,’ Ruby asked.

  ‘Look here. Have either of you even read the Actum Tempus Rules and Regulations on the Use of Magic?’ Corinne answered, while following her guiding light deeper into the forest. The gnome and changeling shared a conspiratorial grin before quickly catching up.

  It wasn’t long until they caught up with Vadania. Unusually, they heard her before they saw her. It was her scream, a battle cry. And it was followed by a harsh, bone-rattling screech.

  Emerging into a break from the forest’s canopy, Sawwse and Ruby saw the abandoned chapel that Vadania had described. The elf stood on the roof, her short swords raised and ready to pounce. In front of her stood a giant, reptilian creature with cerulean scales, snapping at Vadania and screeching.

  Sawwse and Ruby were dumbfounded.

  ‘Is that a dr-dragon?’ They spoke in unison.

  ‘I think not,’ interjected Corrine knowledgeably. ‘The sound is not quite as powerful, its aura not as majestic.’

  ‘It’s, well, dragonesque though, I think we can agree,’ the gnome offered. ‘Dragon-like?’

  ‘I believe it is a drake. Let us strategise.’

  ‘Can we strategise when we get there? It’s only that our friend may be eaten by the not-technically-a-dragon before we can help.’