Endless Flight

by A. C. Cobble

  “Before you start reading,” he offered, “maybe there is something specific I can direct you to?”

  Lady Towaal explained what they learned from Rhymer the night before and asked the Librarian what he could add to that.

  The man laced his fingers together and thought.

  “I should start by warning you that almost everything I can tell you about the Rift is conjecture,” he said. “It is based on a few scraps of fact from the time it was created and a large amount of speculation by scholars since then.”

  They all settled down and waited for him to continue.

  “It is, as Rhymer suggested, similar to a tea kettle,” explained the man. “When pressure builds, there is a flexing, and the Rift opens for a brief time. Demons come across when that happens. That much, I think we can be comfortably assured is correct. As to where the Rift is, that is less certain. There are maps in the books here, but they were drawn thousands of years ago. You are familiar with erosion and geology, yes, tectonic plates and the movement of the earth?” He raised an eyebrow.

  Towaal murmured that she was. “Then you understand the geography is unlikely to be the same it was then.”

  “We understand that,” agreed Towaal.

  “And finally, the thing I would classify as utter guesswork is what would happen if the Rift were to be destroyed. We simply do not know. Some writing speculates that the object itself is unimportant and that the thin point of the fabric between the worlds would continue regardless. Others say the object is critical, and if it was destroyed, the location would revert to just like anywhere else in the world. Most scholars who hold that point of view believe if the Rift was destroyed, it would put strain elsewhere. Demons would become prevalent in areas where they are currently rare.”

  The Librarian nodded, evidently satisfied with his own explanation.

  Ben raised his hand then quickly lowered it after an amused look from Amelie. “What do you mean ‘the object’?” he asked.

  Spinning one of the books around, the Librarian quickly leafed through the pages until he found a sketch of a stone archway covered in runes. To Ben’s eye, similar runes to what he had seen on other magical devices.

  Towaal leaned forward. Without speaking, she took the book and began flipping pages back and forth around the rendition of the archway.

  Rhys asked the Librarian, “What is your opinion of what would happen if the Rift was destroyed?”

  The man’s mouth twisted into a disapproving scowl. “It is not a scholar’s place to give opinions, particularly in this case where there is a great deal of danger hinging on the uncertainty. We should stick to the facts. The fact is, we do not know.”

  “When the facts are inconsistent or do not tell a full story,” argued Rhys, “sometimes it is necessary to extrapolate from available information and give an educated guess.”

  The Librarian grunted, eyeing Rhys speculatively. “My educated guess, then, is that it is irrelevant what happens elsewhere if the Rift is destroyed. If the reports are correct, which given they are recent and based on eyewitness accounts, we can assume they are correct, then we can calculate what will happen. At the current rate of expansion, the demons will overwhelm Northport’s defenses by next winter–a little over a year from now.”

  The man looked around, waiting for a response. When none came, he added, “There are approximately half a million souls normally within the walls of Northport. Due to the recent evacuations of the northerly towns, we can estimate there may be six hundred thousand people here now. Demons grow and thrive when they consume life-blood. If a demon swarm were to overtake this city and consume the blood of six hundred thousand individuals, is there a force outside of the Sanctuary that could stop them? Could the Sanctuary stop them?”

  “So you think the Rift should be closed?” pressed Rhys. “To protect Northport and prevent what would happen to Alcott if Northport was overrun?”

  “I wish it was so simple,” answered the thin man. “Deciding something should be done and how it can be done are different decisions. Closing the Rift would be a difficult and dangerous task. It would require a combination of magical ability and a determination to survive for weeks in the Wilds. Even with exceptional skill and preparation, success is not assured. I have thought about this a great deal, and I have decided I must stay here, protecting the knowledge in this library. It is too large a risk if I am insufficient to the task. If the Rift is to be closed, it will not be by me. Finding someone else who does have that capacity and courage to do it,” the man finished with a shrug. “That is easier said than done.”

  Ben leaned forward to ask the Librarian if he knew how to close the Rift. It sounded like the man had considered trying to do it.

  “Librarian,” interjected Towaal. She was pointing to a passage in the book. “This page is describing the leader of the mages who created the Rift. It says, ‘he’.”

  The Librarian nodded and explained while Towaal flipped to another page. “Prior to the Sanctuary’s founding, it wasn’t uncommon for there to be male mages. Men have the same facilities as women to learn the art. The recent ban on male mages is simply a move by the Veil to consolidate power within her walls.”

  “I am aware that there used to be male mages. I had not heard the Sanctuary’s role described in such terms before,” remarked Towaal, a drip of acid sneaking into her tone. “I am not sure it should be described as a ban.”

  The Librarian met Towaal’s eyes. “What are your instructions from the Veil should you encounter a man who practices magic? Do you leave him alone?”

  Towaal frowned. “We are getting rather far afield from why we came here.”

  “Yes,” agreed the Librarian. “Male mages are a rather uncomfortable topic for those of the Sanctuary. Shall we change the subject back to the Rift?”

  Lips pursed, Towaal tapped on a page in the open book. “What I was getting to was this bit. It says Nyerga, who I believe is the leader referred to earlier, the male mage, founded the Order of the Purple to continue his work and protect all the lands from the ancient evil.”

  The Librarian knitted his brows. “And your question is?”

  “This book,” explained Lady Towaal, “describes an organization of mages which I was not aware existed, an order founded by a male mage. What happened to them?”

  “That,” stated the Librarian flatly, “is not answered in any of the books in this library.”

  Over the objections of the Librarian, they borrowed the four books he provided and pressed him for other resources. Lady Towaal at one point demanded to be shown the racks which contained the texts about the Rift. When she returned, she gestured for the group to leave, satisfied they had everything they were going to get.

  They returned to their rooms, split up the books, and quickly began to leaf through. They were looking for anything that might be relevant. When they came across something, they shared it with Lady Towaal, who jotted down notes.

  Lord Rhymer sent Franklin with a dinner invitation, but Lady Towaal waved him off. “We need to get through this and understand what is happening,” she said. “We came here to ask assistance for Issen, and, well, we have a lot of new information to take in.”

  The seneschal bowed. “Lady, Lord Rhymer is beside himself with worry about what is going to happen to Northport. He understands Issen’s plight, but there is nothing he can do. He is sorry, but our resources are required here.”

  “What about King Argren?” inquired Towaal. “He has not sent men to Issen, but he knows Lord Rhymer well. Surely Rhymer has asked for aid?”

  Franklin shook his head sadly. “King Argren is solely focused on the Coalition. My lord travelled to Whitehall and tried to explain the situation, but left frustrated. Argren kept mentioning the attack at Snowar, which I believe you are well aware of. Argren refused to acknowledge the difference. It is his belief that he handled Snowmar, and Rhymer should handle the Wilds. He actually asked my lord to send more troops to Whitehall, if you can believe it.
”

  “You said a mage was here before us,” remarked Towaal. “Is the Veil willing to offer support?”

  Franklin looked back at her. “You tell me.”

  Towaal grimaced. “I am not on the best terms with the Veil at the moment. Surely, you spoke to the mage about this when she was here?”

  “The mage, Lady Anne,” grumbled Franklin. “We raised our concerns several times with her and she promised to look into it. Instead, she left abruptly in the middle of the night with no word on where she had gone. We finally found a messenger who arrived shortly before her departure. The man had delivered a sealed envelope he was given in Kirksbane. He didn’t know what was in it, but he said there was a terrible incident right before he left. Scores killed and a dozen buildings burned to the ground. A mage battle was the rumor, the messenger said.” Franklin shrugged. “We can only assume that is why she left.”

  Ben met Amelie’s eyes.

  “Yes, I believe Lady Anne would have left after hearing something like that,” murmured Towaal.

  “You know her?” asked Franklin. “Will she tell the Veil about our plight? Do you think the Veil will send help?”

  Towaal frowned. “Lady Anne could be distracted by…whatever happened in Kirksbane. Even if she is not, it will take her over a month to reach the City and even longer for help to return here. Before that, of course, she would need to gather mages or arms men. Three months would be optimistic.”

  Franklin paced back and forth in their small sitting room. “We don’t know where else to turn!” he exclaimed.

  “Give us time,” advised Towaal. “We need to think. Maybe there is another solution.”

  The seneschal nodded curtly and departed.

  “Well, this trip got depressing quickly,” quipped Rhys, but no one was in the mood for his banter.

  Late that night, long after the twelfth chime of the bell and the start of a new day, they finally put the books down and considered what they had learned.

  Both the Librarian and Lord Rhymer were correct, there was not much more included in the books that they didn’t already know.

  “The Rift, I believe, is tied to the physical object of the gateway,” said Lady Towaal. “The Librarian would not understand this, but the runes used on the stone are what facilitate the opening between the worlds. It is just like the other magical devices I have seen. Because of that, I believe it can be destroyed. That would likely restore the location to the same risk of demon generation as anywhere else in the world. Stemming the tide of new demons coming into this area would greatly assist Lord Rhymer and Northport but would not guarantee their safety. The demons already in this world still need to be dealt with. That is not going to be to an easy task.”

  “What would happen elsewhere in the world?” asked Amelie.

  Towaal shrugged. “I do not know. There is no factual information in these books about it. My instinct tells me that the frequency of demon generation in random locations would increase, but it’s possible that is a safer scenario for the world. Individual demons are dangerous but can always be eradicated. A swarm of hundreds, on the other hand, is an incredible problem.”

  “What about the Purple?” asked Ben. “If they were created to protect the world from this risk, could they know more?”

  “Yes, if we could find them,” answered Towaal, “but I do not know where to start. If the organization still exists, then I would think they would have already surfaced here.”

  “Whether they exist or not,” brought up Amelie, “is irrelevant.”

  “Did you learn that word from the Librarian today?” whispered Ben.

  Amelie shot him a dark look then finished her thought. “We don’t know where the Purple is or how to look for them. We would likely be wasting our time if we tried. We must proceed as if they no longer exist.”

  Lady Towaal laid her quill down next to the notes she had been writing and listened.

  “If the Purple no longer exists,” declared Amelie, “and the Sanctuary is not offering assistance, then we must assume Rhymer and his men are the only force capable of containing the demon threat.”

  They all nodded, agreeing with Amelie’s line of reasoning. She was following a clear, logical path.

  “If Lord Rhymer’s men are the only force capable of containing this,” she continued, “then he will not release his men to help my father and Issen, no matter what we tell him, if we even feel comfortable asking for help after this. It is becoming clear to me that Northport is in just as bad shape as Issen. If Northport falls, then all of Alcott could be in danger.”

  “I do not believe Rhymer or anyone in Northport has the ability to close the Rift,” stated Towaal. “It is a magical device, and it will require magic to destroy it. If the Sanctuary does not have help on the way…” Lady Towaal trailed off. The rest of them could complete her thought.

  “What are we saying?” asked Ben. He paused, swallowing a lump in his throat. “Are we saying we will try to close the Rift?”

  They all looked at each other. It was crazy, but what other options were there?

  Rhys spoke up, “I suppose I will play the other side of this. Isn’t it a more realistic choice to go to Whitehall and talk Argren into sending his men to Issen, or to Northport for that matter? I know he has been reluctant to do it, but Gregor and Rhymer are his banner men. He’s losing face with the rest of them by not giving support.”

  Amelie and Towaal both shook their heads.

  “As we said before,” the mage stated, “he didn’t send them before he knew about the Sanctuary’s betrayal. With that information, I’m not sure how we could convince him to send men anywhere now. He’s a powerful man, but a paranoid one as well. With the Coalition on one side and the Sanctuary on the other, he will keep his forces nearby.”

  Amelie nodded in agreement.

  Rhys shrugged. “It was worth mentioning.”

  “Let me summarize what we know,” said Lady Towaal, ticking items off on her fingers. “First, we believe that destroying the gateway will disrupt the Rift. Second, destroying the Rift, while possible, may be easier said than done–we are not certain of its location. Third, Lord Rhymer will not divert his attention from Northport while the demon threat exists. Fourth, Argren is unlikely to be of any assistance. Fifth, we are not aware of any new options to get assistance to Issen.”

  Lady Towaal clenched her fist and finished. “Lastly, we do not know what unforeseen consequences disrupting the Rift may have for the rest of the world.”

  Amelie, stone-faced, raised another point. “By closing the Rift to help Lord Rhymer and Northport, we may be saving a great deal more. The Librarian described a scenario where the demons feasted on over half a million people in Northport. That would be unprecedented, right? Can anyone predict how powerful the demons would be? If we accept the demon threat is real, can we turn our backs on this?”

  Ben, feeling left out, asked, “Do we even know how to close the Rift?”

  “With this,” declared Amelie. She placed the rune carved wooden disc she took from the Sanctuary onto the table. “We don’t close the door. We smash it.”

  Lady Towaal leaned forward and traced a finger over the object. “This is what you took from the laboratory? I believe it will be sufficient.”

  The next morning, they informed Lord Rhymer and seneschal Franklin of their decision. They would travel into the Wilds, attempt to locate the Rift, and destroy it. It was left unsaid what would happen after. They all knew that even with the Rift closed, the demon threat was substantial. There was a very real risk that Rhymer’s forces would be unable to defeat them. They would cross that bridge when they came to it.

  Franklin argued for them to wait one more day to gather food, clothing, and other necessary equipment to brave the Wilds. He also suggested sending soldiers with them, but Rhys declined the offer.

  “More people will draw more demons to us,” explained the rogue. “We’ll be better served by stealth. We have sufficient skill to survive
an attack by a small number of demons.”

  Rhymer objected. “Four of you are not enough! And of that four, you have a half-trained boy and a former initiate mage. You need more swords.”

  Rhys shook his head.

  “What about hunters?” offered Franklin. “A few extra bodies shouldn’t draw much attention. With their skills, they could make a difference.”

  Rhys and Lady Towaal shared a look. The rogue shrugged. She asked, “Do you have someone in mind? Someone you trust?”

  “This is important. I believe more important than anything else we could devote resources to. I do have someone in mind. Someone I would trust my life with,” answered the seneschal. “I will send them to your rooms later today.”

  The rest of the day they spent packing and organizing their gear. Rhymer suggested they go back to the library and ask for additional insights, but once they got back to the room, Towaal decided not to. The man had not been helpful, she explained, and they needed the time to get prepared.

  The Wilds were like any wilderness, with two added risks—the cold and the demons. For the cold, Rhymer sent ample supplies, winter gear, and broad, paddle-like shoes.

  “What is this?” asked Ben, holding one of them up.

  “Snowshoes,” answered Rhys.

  “I don’t get it,” muttered Ben.

  “You strap them to the bottom of your boot. The broad surface helps you walk on top of the snow. Trust me. Walking on top of it is better than trying to wade through it. This late in the year, there could be drifts that come above your shoulder. You spend your day trying to break through that, and we’ll never find the Rift.”

  Ben looked the snowshoe over again, then copied Rhys and tied it to the outside of his pack. He also had new fur-lined trousers and tunics, a heavy new cloak, boots that had been treated to be water resistant, and a hat with ridiculous-looking flaps that would cover his ears. Ben intended to let someone else put their hat on first before he risked looking a fool.