Tales from the New Earth: Volume Two

by J. J. Thompson

  “Give me some room, please. I'm going to raise a shield, just in case. I think this is going to really irritate those goblins.”

  Everyone backed off except for Aeris, who moved to hover next to Simon's shoulder.

  “I love a good show,” he said under his breath and the wizard smiled.

  “I know,” he said. “Shield.”

  A barrier appeared, glowing faintly in the night.

  “Okay, Mortis,” he said to the staff. “I'll need a bit of a boost here.”

  “You don't really think it's listening, do you?” Aeris asked him.

  “Who knows? Can't hurt though, can it?”

  Simon looked back at the group again.

  “You all might want to cover your eyes for a minute. This might hurt a little.”

  And with that, he extended his staff and pointed it at the space above the center of the courtyard. He gathered his power, feeling it build up in his chest until he was actually shaking, trying to hold it back. And just as it felt like he was about to fly apart, he released it.

  “Lux,” he hissed between his clenched teeth.

  The courtyard exploded into brightness with the suddenness of a flashbulb. A point of brilliance, like a flare but much, much brighter, hung several dozen feet above the ground and lit up every building as if it were the middle of the day.

  And the goblins, caught completely off-guard, shrieked and shrank away from the light, cowering with their arms over their heads.

  All of the horrid creatures were exposed on the tops of the low buildings, armed with crude crossbows. Before they had a chance to regroup, Malcolm acted.

  “Archers!” he bellowed. “Fire at will!”

  His warriors stationed around the courtyard began firing down at the disoriented goblins below. It was a slaughter and Simon watched with distaste. He knew it was necessary, but he didn't have to like it.

  Just remember the elemental scouts these bastards killed, he chided himself. And Sebastian. Don't forget Sebastian.

  “Malcolm!” the wizard shouted over the wailing and screaming that came from the dying goblins.

  The big man was grinning with delight, a grin that faded as he saw Simon's scowl. He trotted over.

  “What is it? What's wrong?”

  “You mean besides this?” Simon gestured at the devastated creatures below.

  Malcolm shook his head, giving the wizard a sharp look.

  “I understand you not liking this, my friend, but these monsters have invaded our home, attacked our people and kidnapped Sebastian. So if you are waiting for me to shed a tear for them, you'll be waiting a long time.”

  Simon was abashed. Of course the man was right. Still...

  “No, I understand. But we need at least one of those goblins alive if we're going to find Sebastian and get him back in one piece.”

  Malcolm stared at him and then whirled around to look at his archers.

  “Cease fire! Cease fire! We need some of them alive!”

  “Bit late for that, boss,” one woman called back. She gestured at the goblins. “I think they're all dead.”

  “Damn it,” the big man muttered. He looked at Simon. “Now what?”

  “There are about twelve of the creatures left in those two buildings at the far end of the courtyard. The one on the right also contains a magic-user of some kind.”

  “Possibly a cleric,” Aeris piped up.

  “Whom I will deal with,” Liliana said firmly. “Come on, let's get down there before the little weasels find a way to sneak out of here.”

  “They aren't going anywhere with the wards up,” Simon told her as the group hurried down the stairs.

  Above them, the archers moved to cover their advance, but in the bright light that burned above the area, there was no movement from the goblin warriors on the roofs and it was obvious that all of them were dead.

  “Strange that none of those mages raised a shield,” Tamara told Simon as they advanced together across the courtyard. Both had dropped their own shields to walk side by side. “It's a fairly simple spell.”

  “For you and me, perhaps, but it's quite possible that goblin casters don't use it.” He looked up at the bodies that hung from the top of a building they were passing. “Maybe they consider it a sign of weakness or whatever? Who can say. I may not like this slaughter, but these creatures are vicious and brutal. And they attacked you, not the other way around. I doubt if we'll ever understand them, and I'm not at all sure that I want to.”

  “I have to agree.”

  The small buildings that were held by the goblins were windowless and squat; square and heavy, the buildings were no more than a dozen feet high and twenty feet along each side.

  “What are you using these things for anyway?” Simon asked Tamara.

  She stared blankly at them and turned to Malcolm.

  “Are we using these buildings for storage?”

  The big man frowned and looked at Aiden.

  His partner shook his head and Malcolm rolled his eyes.

  “Apparently we don't know,” he told Tamara dryly.

  She had to laugh and turned back to Simon.

  “There's your answer; no one knows.”

  He chuckled.

  “It doesn't really matter. I just wanted to know if any of them had a cellar.”

  The mage simply shrugged.

  Simon sighed and took a moment to look around the courtyard.

  The castle was huge and he imagined hundreds of people living here back in the middle ages. The people here now had every chance to flourish, if these damned monsters would just leave them be.

  “Kronk, I need you,” he said loudly, startling Tamara,

  The ground in front of him erupted and the little guy climbed out into the light.

  “Yes master? What may I do for you?”

  “Where did you go?”

  “I took a few minutes to try to follow the goblins' trail back to wherever they came from.”

  “Any luck?”

  “Southeast, master. I didn't get too far before you recalled me.”

  He looked up at the floating air elemental.

  “Could you continue to follow their tracks? If master approves, of course.”

  “I'd love to,” Aeris replied. “May I?” he asked Simon.

  “Yes please. Just stay invisible and don't take any unnecessary risks.”

  “Now, now, my dear wizard. Where's the fun in that?”

  And he disappeared with a small pop of displaced air.

  “Great,” Simon said under his breath. “Kronk, do me a favor and see if either of those two buildings,” he pointed to them, “have a basement. There are goblins inside both of them and a spell-caster in the one on the right, so be careful.”

  “Yes master, I will check right away.”

  The little guy slipped into the ground and Simon saw several of the people standing around staring at the small hole in wonder.

  “Handy allies you have there,” one of the guardsmen told him.

  “They are that,” he agreed absently as he concentrated on the buildings, listening intently. He wondered whether the hostile cleric could sense Kronk as he moved underground.

  Liliana had huddled up with Malcolm, Aiden and the half-dozen guardsmen that were with them. They were speaking quietly, apparently planning their assault. Simon left them to it; he was no tactician and they would be the ones taking the biggest risks.

  A few minutes passed and a muted rumble signaled Kronk's return.

  The little guy popped out of the ground several yards away and gestured frantically at Simon.

  The wizard trotted over and knelt down next to him.

  “What is it?” he asked quietly, well aware that the group behind him was watching them both.

  “Master, I did not want to set off a panic but the goblins are gone.”

  “What?” Simon hissed. “How can they be gone? They can't pass through the wards.”

  “They did not, master. They went und
er them. Goblins can tunnel almost as well as dwarves and, at a guess, I'd say that their magic-user enabled them to dig even faster than usual.” He shrugged. “But however they did it, they are gone, master. Their tunnel leads off in the same southeastern direction that Aeris is scouting. He may discover them.”

  “Damn it. Can you follow them underground without being spotted?”

  The little guy's eyes gleamed redly in the darkening night. Simon's light above the courtyard was slowly fading.

  “Of course, master. I'd be happy to.”

  “Stay well back! Don't be seen.”

  “I will be fine, master. I will report back as soon as I can.”

  And Kronk smiled and disappeared beneath the surface again.

  Simon pushed himself to his feet, ran a hand through his hair and returned to the others.

  “What's going on?” Tamara asked sharply.

  “They're gone,” Simon told them as he waved at the buildings. “All of them. Somehow they managed to dig deep enough to avoid the wards and escape.” He pointed to the southeast. “That way.”

  “Gone? They can't be gone!” she protested loudly. “What about Bastian? We needed one of them to tell us where he is!”

  The rest of the group reacted in various ways. Malcolm and Aiden were both scowling silently, while Liliana gripped her sword hilt so tightly that it squeaked. Keiko was, as always, blank-faced and serene and Simon wondered if anything ever bothered her.

  Meanwhile. Tamara had begun pacing back and forth like a caged tiger. Aiden watched her, his scowl changing to a look of concern, while Malcolm sent his guardsmen to check out the two buildings, cautioning them to be careful and watch for traps.

  Liliana gave herself a shake and visibly let go of her anger. She walked around the pacing Tamara and joined Simon.

  “Now what?” she asked with a worried glance at the mage.

  “Now we wait. Both Aeris and Kronk are on their trail and it won't do any good racing off without more information.”

  “Tell that to Tamara,” the paladin murmured. “If we only had a way to at least confirm that her brother was still alive, that might keep her from doing something precipitous.”

  “Hmm. That's not a bad idea,” Simon mused. “I wonder...”

  Chapter 21

  Simon approached the pacing mage and cleared his throat loudly. He didn't want to set her off by saying the wrong thing.

  Tamara stopped and turned to glare at him.

  “What?” she snapped.

  He met her eyes calmly and waited until she was completely focused on him.

  “There may be a way to determine if your brother is still alive,” he told her in an even tone.

  When her eyes lit up, he held up a cautionary hand.

  “Maybe. It's just an idea.”

  “I'll take it, whatever it is.”

  “Okay then. I'm guessing that you tried to get in touch with Sebastian after he went missing? Yes. And you were blocked? Okay. Have you tried again since then?'

  “Many times. Each effort is blocked. Those damned goblins are good at it.”

  “We'll see. I've been using Magic Mirror for a long time, compared to most of the Changling casters, and I've noticed some stuff. For one thing, it is difficult to tell if your target is being blocked or is,” he hesitated, “dead. I doubt if most people can tell the difference. No offense.”

  Tamara had flinched but looked intrigued at Simon's statement.

  “Interesting. I didn't know that. I...just assumed that he was being held and his location was being blocked by magic. So he may be dead after all.”

  Her shoulders slumped at the thought and Simon took a chance and patted her arm reassuringly.

  She looked at him and smiled a bit.

  “So you want to try to contact him and see if he's alive or not?”

  “I do. And maybe I can actually force a way through any blocking that's going on. Let's see, shall we?”

  Tamara looked at the others and noticed their looks of concern.

  “Hey guys. Sorry for the mini meltdown. I'm a little crazed by this whole situation.”

  “Understandable,” Malcolm assured her stoutly. “I would be too.”

  The others nodded.

  “Okay Simon,” the mage said heavily. “See what you can learn, would you?”

  “Will do. I'm going to need to be alone for a minute,” he told her and walked away from the group, thinking hard.

  If Sebastian was alive, he was probably being held in a warded room, he thought. That way, he wouldn't need a spell-caster watching him twenty-four hours a day. And wards can be broken with the proper use of force.

  Ah, I love a challenge, he thought with a touch of dark humor.

  He grounded his staff, gripped it tightly and brought Sebastian's face to the forefront of his mind. Holding tightly to that image, he channeled his magic into Mortis de Draconis until the staff shook with power.

  “Magic Mouth,” he muttered and released the spell.

  He never used the Magic Mouth spell anymore. It was a purely auditory spell; there were no visuals. But Simon had a feeling that such simple magic might allow him to push all the harder to connect with Sebastian, focusing his will like a laser beam on its target.

  He felt the spell trying to find the mage, searching the ether for some sign of him, some presence.

  A tug, like the faint nibble a fisherman feels when a fish plays with his bait, tickled Simon's mind. Another one.

  He swallowed and held his breath. Was there something there? Or was it just his imagination? Damn it, Sebastian! Be there. Be alive, my friend.

  And the fish took the bait.

  The snap of a connection made Simon stagger and Sebastian's presence was suddenly all around him.

  “Sebastian?” the wizard said tautly. “Can you hear me?”

  “Simon?”

  The mage's voice was weak, breathless, but he was alive.

  “Yes, it's me. Where are you?”

  “Oh thank God,” Sebastian said and Simon could hear the relief in his voice. He seemed on the verge of tears.

  “I was sure that you'd all given up on me.”

  “With a sister like yours? Never!” the wizard said lightly, masking his fear.

  Sebastian chuckled weakly.

  “I may not have much time,” he said. “My jailers don't leave me alone very often, so listen carefully. I am in a cave somewhere to the south of the castle. And it's a natural cave, Simon. These creatures did not dig it out. Maybe that will help you to find me. The light here is bad, so I can't make out many details. And frankly, my eyes are so swollen that I can barely see anyway.”

  “You've been beaten?” Simon asked in sudden anger.

  “That's a nice way to put it. Yes, I have. And I will be again, as soon as my hosts return. In fact...”

  There was a long moment of silence.

  “Damn, I can hear them coming back. Break this connection, Simon. They can sense magic. And tell my sister that I'm still alive and would love to stay that way.”

  “You will, Sebastian. I promise you that,” Simon said forcefully. “We will see you soon.”

  “Good. Now go away before they get back.”

  The wizard broke the connection immediately, afraid of the consequences to the mage if the goblins learned that someone had penetrated their wards and contacted him.

  He gave himself a shake and walked back to the group.

  Tamara stared at him with faint hope and Simon grinned at her.

  “He's alive,” he said simply and watched the mage's mouth drop open.

  “Alive? You're sure?” she asked breathlessly.

  “I am. I spoke to him briefly. He's been ill-treated but he's lucid and aware.”

  Malcolm and Aiden both cheered and Tamara embraced Simon in a tight hug, something he never would have expected of her.

  “You are a miracle worker, my friend,” Liliana told him with an admiring smile.

  Keiko remained silent
but her eyes were shining with quiet joy.

  “Not a miracle worker, just lucky.”

  Simon focused on Tamara.

  “He says that he's being held in a natural cave to the south, so we got the general direction correct. But now we'll still have to wait for Kronk and Aeris to report back before we know exactly where he is. Can you remain patient until they return?”

  She stepped back and a determined look replaced her joyful smile.

  “If it means we can find him and bring him home, you bet I can.”

  “Good.”

  The sounds of the returning guardsmen distracted them all and they watched the men and women emerge from the two small buildings where the goblins had holed up.

  “What did you find?” Malcolm asked them as they approached.

  “Two neatly dug holes,” one of the women reported. “Just big enough for a goblin to worm its way through. A couple of us crawled down them a few dozen yards but, my God, it's a tight bloody fit. No way to know how far they go, but I assume they come out somewhere outside of the castle walls.”

  “Fair assumption. Simon, when he returns, I wonder if you could ask Kronk to seal those tunnels for us?”

  “Of course. And when we've found and rescued Sebastian, I will personally add wards to the cellars beneath the castle. If I get the placement just right, I should be able to seal the floors and stop those rats from tunneling back in here in the future.”

  Tamara and the others nodded and Malcolm slapped the wizard on the arm gratefully, making him stagger.

  “Oops, sorry about that,” he said as he caught Simon before he fell. “You really are a delicate little flower, aren't you?”

  Simon gave the big man a cool look and tapped his staff sharply against the ground.

  Malcolm's smile faded and he took a step back.

  “No offense meant, of course,” he said quickly.

  “None taken,” Simon said and grinned. “Just wanted to remind you that this flower has thorns, that's all.”

  “Consider me reminded, sir wizard,” the big man said and bowed with a flourish.

  Aiden snorted at the exchange.

  “One of these days, Simon is going to singe your smart ass and then maybe you will learn to treat him with more respect.”