by Guy Antibes
Merran couldn’t help but sigh and put such thoughts behind him. He had to focus on one thing and one thing only. Norra had to get inside the Master Mage’s Tower and he would die getting her there if he had to.
~
Norra
A cool wind blew off the sea as they walked out to the courtyard. Servants lifted saddlebags onto their mounts. A sturdy packhorse carried the rest of their supplies. Norra thought back to the native town at the bottom of the mountains and at how unprepared they were to take Yulga’s Pass and yet here they were, fully stocked with all manner of things, ready to face the final leg of their journey.
It was as if Master Mage’s domain was a wild land and, indeed, a wild land it had become if all of the reports were accurate.
“Impressive,” Gristan said softly in her ear. “Two mages and the power of another. Three experts with a sword, and me.”
The sound and lightness of Gristan’s voice buoyed Norra up and kept her from descending further into her funk. She laughed, “And you, Gristan, dear Gristan, do keep us focused and anchored as we travel.”
“Gristan and I discussed his role,” Merran said as he moved his mount closer to her. He bowed and then said, “With your permission, I think Gristan can ably contribute to our cause as a scout.”
Norra wanted to see Gristan’s expression, but the ghost stayed invisible. “You have my permission Gristan, if you ever needed it in the first place.”
“I’m glad about that, lass. Merran has taught me a little spell.”
“I never knew ghosts could do magic.”
“Little, Norra. I said little.”
“He can detect magical power,” Merran said, “There can be traps set all through the Tower’s forests. Gristan can go on ahead and find them. He can detect our own power.”
“Namen and Merran are different colors of blue and yours is a rose gold, just like Fenning said. I think that rather appropriate to your station,” Gristan laughed softly. “Now we all have a role.”
“Then,” Norra looked over at Lily and Namen adjusting themselves on their horses, “let’s be off.” She started to ride out of the courtyard. A contingent of wizards rushed to get in front of her as the company proceeded out of the shadow of the Tower of Win.
~~~~
Chapter Twenty
The Journey’s Last Leg
~
Merran’s domain was not very wide at its northern tip and they traveled on, wary of possible attacks from the wizards of Bistomer. Two days later they headed east for the first time since Fenning took the turn to Nastaly Port months ago. The cultivated lands and waves from the people of Win gave way to a brooding, dark forest and on they went into the woods of the Master Mage’s domain.
Norra decided to wear the red ruby amulet around her neck, underneath her clothes as they made their way towards the Mage’s tower. Gristan called out from in front of them.
“A trap, perhaps,” he said.
Namen and Merran rode ahead. Norra felt her hair rise. “Back here. I can feel power.”
Namen turned his horse around and galloped to her side in time to deflect the crashing of two trees on the women. Norra heard him curse violently.
“It’s gone,” she said, looking at Lily, who had her sword in her hand, “…and little good that would have done.” Norra shook her head and shivered. She had no ability to fight this unseen enemy.
After three such traps consisting of a pit that still looked like an open road and more trees, the group stopped at a clearing bounded by a stream. All but Lily walked the grounds and the surrounding area a number of times before they could feel comfortable setting up camp.
Norra rolled out her blankets and sat looking up at the feathered branches of the trees trying to crowd out the blue sky. After a fire had been started, but before the light left them for twilight, she drew out the Mage’s map.
Merran examined it closely. “It looks like a map Uncle Yulga would draw.” He traced the boundaries of his domain with his finger. “ I’ve got a lot of maps that show these woods.”
Namen looked at Norra. “You do have more to show, don’t you?”
“How did you know?”
“Why would you keep a map of a land that Merran and I know like the backs of our magical hands?”
“Here.” She pulled out the flat ruby pendant and took it off of her neck. Norra laid the ruby on the map and moved the amulet along their path where forests were drawn in. A shiny line appeared. “We can camp here in this little glade along the correct route.” The tower appeared on the map through the gem.
Namen and Merran fell silent. “And you had this the entire time?” Namen said. “I could not, nor can I even now, detect magic.”
“In my ratty little doll I’ve had it as security these long months.” Norra smiled. “It’s no longer appropriate for hiding. The Master Mage hid it in Gristan’s house. The ghost knows the story.”
“This was what he traveled to Polda for?” Merran said.
“Yes, he hid it at my estate long, long ago. Gristan appeared as he said it. “I died for this and now I’m not so sure it wasn’t worth it.” Norra could see him put his hand on her shoulder.
Lily’s gaze rested on the map. “Can I?” She laid the ruby down on the map as Norra had and nothing came through other than what they could see without the device.
“Let me.” Merran tried to make it work, but couldn’t. He left it lying on the map but the instant Norra touched it, the road came to life. “It’s your power—the Master Mage’s power. But surely he knew the way.”
Namen folded his arms. “Yes, but perhaps this map was meant for someone else. Someone who he wished to transfer his power to.”
“That’s right. He was distraught to have to leave his power to me, but he didn’t have a choice,” Norra said.
“I’m sure the man will continue to surprise us from his grave, all the way to his tower. For I have no doubt, power remains in his tower.” He looked at Norra and went back to his horse.
They ate a good meal from the rest of their fresh meat and Norra laid down to sleep. Merran stood over her and cast a spell. “Protection.” He said nothing more and left.
The next day Gristan flew into their midst. “Wizards three hundred paces further along this trail. They might have a mage with them. I’m still not used to this scouting profession you so graciously enlisted me in. I regret I couldn’t find any more wizards.”
“Perhaps we will ride together, Norra. When attacked I will grasp your arm like we did when the slavers attacked us in Taxia,” Merran said. “I can tap into a bit of your power or if they are slow, I can whisper a spell in your ear.”
Norra nodded her head when she realized that she had forgotten everything again.
They rode slowly up the dirt road and Norra could feel an alien magic intruding in the forest. Namen raised his hand, stopping them. “You know not who you prepare to attack.” Namen’s Voice was so enhanced that Norra nearly had to put her hands over her ears.
Another voice responded with an enhanced spell, “Leave this forest. Mage Bistomer claims it for his own.”
Merran bit his lip.
“You wanted to tell them that you are here, didn’t you?” Norra said.
Namen boomed again, “Don’t attack us or your lives may be in peril.” He nodded and gave Norra a half smile. “We are mages and bring with us two swordsmen of awful talent. Be warned.”
A bolt came from in front of them and before it even reached close, a blue thread of fire from Merran went back along the bolt and they heard a wail. Norra noticed it was the same spell that Merran had her use on the slavers. One bolt didn’t cost nearly as much power as five at once.
Merran grabbed onto Norra’s wrist and whispered a spell and an instruction in her ear and then rode ahead of Namen. She pointed her finger to her side, yelled out the spell and moved her arm from one side to the other. The foliage bent as an invisible power ran through the forest. More cries came from the forest.
>
“The mage’s aura is stronger now. He’s the only one left,” Gristan said, and then he looked up in the air as a figure began to fly over them. Namen and Norra each repeated their spell and pointed towards the retreating figure.
The blue–fire thread ignited his clothes and Norra’s spell threw him from the sky, a broken figure cart wheeling into the trees some distance away from the trail and they saw him no more.
“Gone,” Gristan said.
Arrows whizzed past them from behind. One glanced off of Norra’s upper arm, turned away by the leather. Merran turned around and blasted a path of fire through the forest. Screams erupted behind them and he incanted another spell that extinguished the blaze. Lily wheeled her horse to the rear and charged. Two men, with their clothes smoking, pulled swords. She leaned over and clashed swords with one as the other plunged his sword into her horse’s flank. The horse went to its knees and Lily jumped off, facing the assailants.
When they saw she was a woman, they both grinned at each other and closed in. A dance here and a dance there and their corpses lay across the road. Lily ran to her mount and shook her head. “The horse is injured.” And with those words drew her sword across the horse’s throat, giving it a merciful end. She rose and rubbed her eyes. “People are easier to kill than horses.”
Namen scanned the area. Gristan disappeared and turned back into a scout. He dismounted and held Lily to him.
They put her saddlebags on the packhorse and Lily held on to Namen’s arm as he lifted her behind him.
Merran treated Norra’s wound, which wasn’t as bad as first thought.
“I ruined another black leather jacket,” she said, wincing from a poultice Merran applied to her wound. “Do you think Bistomer will bring more men?”
“If he hears his men were all killed, he might or might not. Losing the mage will definitely give him pause. The wonder is that they made it so far into the forest,” Merran said.
“They wouldn’t have without a mage,” Namen said from his horse.
Norra found her wound didn’t keep her from mounting her horse and they continued slowly along their path. Gristan returned from behind and continued on ahead, grumbling that he should have looked for non-magical men.
~
“One more day and we should be at the Tower. Only three more of those damnable forks in the road,” Namen said as he looked at the map while Norra held the jewel.
She grabbed her arm and resisted scratching. Whatever Merran used took away the pain and helped healing, but itching appeared as a side effect. She folded up her map and put it inside of her blouse. She replaced the ruby pendant around her neck. Regardless of how she felt overall, she could feel the anticipation build within her. What she sought was just hours away.
“Your power burns brightly, Norra,” Namen said.
“It’s like a beacon and only increases as we get closer to the tower.” Merran looked worried. “Any mage that sees you with his ability will know you are deep within the forest. He looked around the forest. The Mage’s safeguards have stopped, perhaps, because his power has returned. By the time we get to the tower they will all know where it is.”
“My thoughts exactly, Merran. You and I will also show in their minds’ eyes and they will know that wherever the three mages stop, the tower can be found.”
“What about the cloaking spell using the air blankets. It worked before without too much trouble, didn’t it?” she said.
“Great idea. Who can do it best?” Both mages looked at Norra.
“Tell me the spell and then we travel through the night. The sooner we arrive at the mage’s tower, the better,” Norra said. “I imagine you both can provide the light.”
Merran laughed a little. “And you can add to the brightness.”
Norra nodded and stood up from the rock they had used as a map table. Merran whispered the spell into her ear and she could feel the muffled sense again from the time in the forest of Bistomer.
Merran grinned. “I had never thought such a simple spell would hide our power. It’s much simpler than the one I use.”
“Norra’s idea, Mage Merran. She figured it out all on her own,” Namen said returning Merran’s smile.
Norra didn’t accept the compliment very gracefully and mounted before the rest and headed off into the woods, the way burned into her mind.
~~~~
Chapter Twenty-One
Master Mage’s Tower
~
They came to a large meadow perhaps three miles across. Mountains rose up on their right. Norra took the ruby pendant out and wondered what would happen if she used it as a monocle. She put it up to her eye and the tower stood where she remembered it from the map. Up and up it went. The building looked like it was two hundred paces in diameter and stood perhaps a mile from where they exited the forest.
“There.” She pointed at the Master Mage’s Tower. Norra thought she’d have a feeling of accomplishment reaching her impossible goal, but she felt that this wasn’t the end of things. “Follow me.”
When she knew the tower was near, she put the ruby up to her eyes again and found a gate. Norra gave the reins for Merran to hold and walked to the gate, extending her hand. She touched cold hard stone and the instant contact was made she could see the tower, unaided. The gate held a slot, which Norra knew, would yield to the ruby pendant. She took it off of her neck and pushed the end into the gate, and then pulled on the handle.
Lily gasped. “I can see inside.”
“We’ll need to bring the horses in,” Namen said as they dismounted and walked inside. “Others will see them when they enter the meadow.”
Once inside, Norra closed the gate. Inside the Master Mage’s Tower! She felt a thrill in spite of herself and couldn’t resist a wistful smile and remembered all who had accompanied her on this quest. Fenning, Delia, Bloggo and Lily. She looked at Merran and thought of Cloud. Gristan materialized and gawked with the others. She had made it!
Inside, a single huge central column dominated the ground level. Before it touched the ceiling, buttresses ran out to the tower walls. Large double doors led to the space in the back of the tower from the entrance. To the right they could see stables. Stacks of hay and a water trough lay next to the column. How did fresh hay get into the tower? Thick slits in the wall gave light and air to the animals. Namen and Lily put the horses in stalls as Merran and Norra looked for stairs to the next level.
“This is like no other tower. A central pillar. Who would have known?” Merran’s eyes followed the curves of the pillar.
“You’ve never been here?”
“No one I know has. Early in the Mage’s rule, he had all kinds of visitors, but then the Nine revolted and he stopped entertaining after he ended the insurrection and let his staff go. That was perhaps three hundred years ago. I imagine he removed memories of the tower from whomever he could. The Nine Mages met in the different towers. That’s where I learned what I could from him.” He continued to walk to the other side of the entry level. He opened the double doors that led to a reception chamber and a stairway to the next level.
“I have a problem,” Gristan said. “I can’t move from level to level. Something stops me from going through this door.”
Merran laughed. “It won’t be the only surprise, Gristan, and I mean that for all of us.”
Everything looked like it had been cleaned that morning. Chairs lined the reception room. A large empty desk sat in front of a stair that circled the outside of the chamber.
“So large.” Namen and Lily joined them as they rose to the next level and the next.
“This is an interesting door in the pillar. I still can’t get through,” Gristan said.
They converged on the ghost and Namen pushed a button at the side. “A novel idea,” he said as the door slid open revealing a small chamber. “Who wishes to step inside?” He lifted an eyebrow and looked at the group.
Lily stepped inside. “Here. There are more buttons inside.” Norra looke
d around the opening and saw that it had a number 1.
“Numbered buttons. Perhaps this will lead to different levels.” She walked in to see Merran gasp and clutch at her. A dial sat on top of the door with numbers going all the way to twenty-one. It presently sat at one. “I think this lifts you up to the different levels. If I remember correctly, the Master Mage was an old man and such a device would keep him from climbing all of the stairs.”
“Ingenious,” Merran said, stepping in with a little more confidence. “Perhaps we go up?”
Gristan went through the back of the device and returned. “This goes all the way up to the top. There are cables that take it there with door openings at each level along the way.” His face fell. “I can float all the way to the top, but I can’t get through the doors.”
“At least we were right about the purpose of this door,” Namen said, getting in. There was room for a few more.
At each level, the pillar radiated curved arches from the center to the outside wall. The bottom level was ten paces high and the arches were simple. The next level rose another ten paces in height and the arches were designed in an elegant fluted design and on the third, stems rose from along the pillar and curved like large leaves, but the height was half as high as the first two. Globe lights lit the spaces.
“This must be a living level. It’s the first that has windows,” Norra said looking out through glass that wasn’t quite clear, showing blurry scenes of the meadow below. She was at a loss of what to do and confusion filled her mind. She had expected a sign, something or an automatic removal of her power, but nothing. She felt the same as she had since she started this adventure in Fellingham.
“Let’s continue,” Lily said, her eyes were lit with wonder.
“Allow me,” Merran said, pushing button number four. The door closed and they all heard a whirring as the lift moved them up and stopped.
They stepped out into a dining area that went around half of the tower. On both sides doors led to a kitchen area. It smelled of rotten food. Norra looked around and found a cupboard with wire mesh doors. Inside, potatoes, onions and other things had turned green, shrunken and fuzzy. She found a large metal container that looked like a trash bin and cleaned out the refuse.