Tales from the New Earth: Volume Two

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Tales from the New Earth: Volume Two Page 93

by J. J. Thompson


  “Stupid,” Aeris cut in. “Do you mean to say that after all you have seen and done as a wizard, you still think that magic is unnatural?”

  Simon slid his legs underneath him and settled back into his chair.

  “Okay, enlighten me. How would you define it? And leave the insults aside,” he added sternly.

  Aeris hesitated and then half-bowed.

  “Apologies, my dear wizard. My swift tongue betrayed me.”

  “And your lack of manners,” Kronk added with a glare.

  “I'll ignore that, considering the source,” Aeris said. “Now, about magic. We of the air realm have long considered magic as just another form of energy; the other elemental races feel the same, more or less.”

  Kronk nodded silently when Simon glanced at him.

  “And because it is energy, even if it comes from a divine source, it can be affected by the world around it.”

  “Meaning the rock underground?”

  “That, yes, but other things as well. Severe weather can actually alter the outcome of a spell. Running water has been used for ages as a barrier to evil magics. Oh, there are so many examples that I could list them for hours.”

  “Please don't.”

  Aeris looked at Kronk and the earthen returned his look innocently.

  “What? I only meant that I think master understands what you mean.”

  “I do. Hmm, this is really interesting,” Simon said as he absorbed the information.

  So magic can be altered by the environment around it, he thought. I wonder if that can be used to our advantage against the necromancers somehow?

  “You are thinking deep thoughts, master.”

  The wizard looked away from the fire.

  “I am, yes. I've been defining magic in the wrong way all this time. I assumed that because it emanated from the gods, that it was somehow immune to the forces of nature. But if you guys are right, and I have no reason to doubt you, then maybe we can use this in our battle against the Chaos lords and their servants.”

  “How?” Aeris asked. “It's certainly an intriguing idea.”

  “I don't have a clue. Yet. But I'll give it some thought, believe me. Let's put that aside for now though and focus on the immediate future. Kronk, where is the closest entrance to the dwarven tunnels?”

  “Closest to here, master, or closest to their capital city?”

  Simon leaned forward.

  “Do you know where Kingstone is?”

  “Not precisely, master, no. But I do know which tunnel system leads to it. It will be a good place to begin our journey, rather than starting close to the tower.”

  “Good thinking. Any idea how long the hike will take? I'm in the best shape of my life right now, thanks to the elven way of life, so I might as well take advantage of that and get started as soon as possible.”

  “As you say, master. I will show you on the atlas; it will be more precise than describing the location.”

  He jumped up and tip-tapped across the room to the stairs.

  “Are you sure you're ready for this?” Aeris asked as they listened to Kronk hopping up the steps.

  “What do you mean? I'm in great shape; I just told you that.”

  “Don't get snarky, my dear wizard. I didn't mean physically; I meant magically. You've been practicing, I know, but it hasn't been that long since your return. What happens if we meet enemies along the way? Are you ready to do battle?'

  Simon held the elemental's eyes with his own for a few seconds and then grinned broadly.

  “Bring it on,” he said and stood up.

  He walked over to the counter, picked up the kettle and set it over the fire.

  “I feel like a racehorse just waiting for the signal to run. It's strange but I've never felt so energized.”

  Aeris flew up and settled on to the counter top next to Simon.

  “Not so strange, I suppose. I mean, you've been gone a long time and during your absence you've been unable to use your powers. And now that you are home and your magic has rushed in to fill the vacuum inside of you, you are brimming with power. Just try not to let it go to your head.”

  Simon laughed at him as he scooped up a spoonful of powdered tea leaves and dropped it into his cup.

  “This from the guy who rushes headlong into impossible situations with hardly any plan. I wonder if that would be called irony?”

  “Don't remind me,” Aeris replied. “And that's not how I usually operate, you know. It's just that I've had some, err, bad luck.”

  “Letting the insane queen of the dragons chase you halfway across a desert hoping to get a sample of her blood wasn't bad luck; it was practically suicidal.”

  Aeris smiled a bit sheepishly.

  “It seemed like a good idea at the time. Besides, it worked, didn't it?”

  They both turned to look as Kronk came clattering back down the stairs.

  “I have it, master,” he said as he skittered across the room with the large atlas held over his head. It looked like the book was dancing as it came toward them and Simon snorted a laugh.

  He reached down and picked up the thick tome.

  “Thanks, Kronk. Hop up and show me where this tunnel approaches the surface.”

  The earthen jumped up on to the kitchen table and Simon put the atlas down in front of him.

  “It's not through that cave in Russia, is it?” Aeris asked as he joined Kronk. “That isn't the fondest of memories for me.”

  “No, it isn't,” Kronk told him as he leafed through the book. “And the city nearest to that tunnel isn't the capital.”

  Simon took the boiling kettle off of the fire and made his tea.

  “You really seem to know a lot about the dwarves,” he commented as he sat down at the table. “I thought that the earth elementals were barred from their cities.”

  “All elementals are forbidden entry, master. But I remember their cities from the ancient past. We were not always on such poor terms with the rock people. Once we were practically friends.”

  The wizard sipped his tea as he digested this information.

  “So what happened? Shandon mentioned it once, but he was a little vague. And you two haven't been much more forthcoming. It was your leaders' fault, wasn't it?”

  The elementals exchanged an uncomfortable look and Kronk went back to searching through the atlas.

  “We are not permitted to discuss that time with outsiders, my dear wizard,” Aeris said quietly. “Not even with an ally such as yourself. Our leaders are, perhaps, a little embarrassed by the memory.”

  Kronk stopped flipping pages and stood up abruptly.

  “It was a war, master,” he said as he looked up at Simon. “That much we have already told you. An attempt by our leaders to wrest power from the other elemental realms. Who started it, how it was resolved and how the dwarves became involved, is a forbidden subject. Forgive me that I cannot tell you more.”

  Simon smiled his understanding.

  “It's okay, guys. I'm well aware that your rulers always know what you are saying if they choose to listen. And I don't want to get you into trouble. I was just curious, that's all. Let's let it go for now. Any luck finding that location, Kronk?”

  “Yes master.” The little guy knelt down and tapped on the open book. “It is here.”

  He turned the atlas so that Simon could see where he was pointing.

  “Huh. That's practically in the middle of old Europe. Well, almost.”

  He squinted down at the map.

  “The Alps? Seriously? Oh crap, you know how much I hate mountains. They're always so icy and cold.”

  “I am sorry, master, but that is the best spot to enter the dwarven tunnels. The cave that leads downward isn't at the top,” Kronk added brightly.

  “Well, I guess that's something,” Simon muttered. “Are you sure that the entrance still exists? You said you remembered these places from ancient times.”

  The little guy nodded vigorously.

  “Oh yes, master
. I am sure that it does. Although their contact with the surface is minimal, the dwarves have always made sure that the tunnels and their entrances were kept relatively clear and in good repair. Even if it is blocked, I am sure that I will be able to make a way for you to enter.”

  Simon pulled a piece of paper off of a pile he kept on the table, fished a battered old pencil out of a pocket and carefully wrote down the coordinates of the target.

  “Okay guys, I guess there's no point in putting this off. I really want to see the survivors from Nottinghill again. Not just to ensure their safety, but to come up with a plan to beat back the darkness so that we can start retaking our world again. Are you both okay with leaving tomorrow?”

  “Any time you wish,” Aeris told him agreeably.

  “Yes, master. The horses are doing well and can come and go from the stable as they please. And the crops will be fine for a few days. I will ask my people to watch over everything in our absence, just in case.”

  Simon got up and stretched. He yawned as he left his cup in the sink and headed for the stairs.

  “Great. Then I'd better get some sleep. See you in the morning.”

  The next day, Simon crawled out of bed early, bleary-eyed and rather cross. He'd been so pumped up about the trip that sleep had been hard to come by and he'd spent a good chunk of the night tossing and turning.

  It wasn't the best way to start a journey, he had to admit.

  After a quick swim in the lake to help him wake up and get clean, the wizard ate some early strawberries that Kronk had picked out in the forest, had two cups of tea and got organized.

  In his old pack he took several changes of clothing, dried rations of fruit and venison, a canteen and other odds and ends. And he tied an old sleeping bag he kept in storage to the bottom of the pack. It wasn't luxurious, but it would be better than sleeping on solid rock.

  He decided to wear a gray robe that blended well with dark stone. Kronk approved.

  “You can never be too careful, master,” the little guy said as he watched Simon prepare. “There are more dangers in the deep now than there have been in years; we will have to be cautious.”

  “Between your senses, Aeris' scouting skills and some decent luck, we should be fine,” the wizard replied as he stared at the open pack, wondering what he'd forgotten.

  “Take your dagger, my dear wizard,” Aeris said as he flew in through the open front door.

  “Why? I've got old Mortis over there,” he replied and nodded at the staff that was leaning against the wall.

  “One can never be too careful. Besides, you may need a knife to cut up your food; the dagger was one of the first things you ever enchanted, isn't it?”

  “One of the only things, actually,” Simon told him. “Where the hell is it anyway? I'm surprised I haven't lost it over the past five years or so.”

  “It is in your desk, master,” Kronk said. “I've seen it in there several times.”

  “I'll get it,” Aeris volunteered and zipped across the room and up the stairs.

  “Have you spoken to the other earthen?” Simon asked the little guy as he closed and tied his pack.

  “Yes, master. They will watch over the tower and seal it at night. You have recharged your wards, so most monsters will avoid the area. It should be fine.”

  “Should be. Yeah, I know there are no guarantees when it comes to safety these days. Okay, I guess that's it then. I said goodbye to Chief and the mares when I went for a swim, so that's it.”

  He grabbed his heavy boots from the cabinet near the door and slipped them on just as Aeris came downstairs again, carrying a sheathed dagger.

  “Here you go. Just slip it on to your belt. The enchantment is still intact; that much I can feel just by holding it.”

  Simon slipped the old blade from its sheath and examined it. It was covered with crude runes that he had etched on it himself, barely understanding what they'd meant. God, that seemed like ages ago.

  He'd worn this very dagger the last time he had visited Ottawa. How long had it been, four years? Time flies when you're trying to survive, he thought wryly.

  He held up the dagger and invoked its power with a simple thought; something he could never have done back then.

  The blade ignited; blazing brightly with intense red flames.

  “Ah master, it still works! You crafted a good weapon.”

  Simon shook the dagger and the flames vanished with a gentle poof. He slipped it back into its sheath and hung it off of his belt by its leather ties.

  “I didn't craft the dagger, Kronk; I just added the runes. I think I'm lucky that I never had to use it. Hopefully that luck holds.”

  “Hopefully,” Aeris repeated quietly.

  Simon walked over to Mortis de Draconis and picked it up.

  “Ready for an adventure?” he asked it with a smile.

  The staff didn't answer, of course, but he almost thought that it felt lighter than usual as he slung it over his shoulder and slipped an arm through its carrying strap.

  He hung his pack off of his other shoulder and looked around the room one last time.

  “Are we forgetting anything?” he asked the elementals. “If so, now's the time to mention it.”

  Both of them shook their heads and then Aeris grinned.

  “One last bathroom break?” he said to Simon.

  The wizard had to laugh at the dig. Elementals, of course, never needed to use the facilities.

  “Not a bad idea actually. Close and lock the door, would you? I'll meet you both outside.”

  Using the coordinates from the atlas, Simon Gated to their destination. One reason he had wanted to leave as early as possible was the time difference. It was six hours later at the spot they were traveling to, and he wanted to reach it with plenty of daylight to spare.

  The three of them were thrust from the Void into a narrow valley. Thick nettles covered the ground from one side of the depression to the other. They caught on Simon's robe and wrapped around his boots. An acidic smell rose up from them as he moved and it made his eyes water.

  “Oh for... Cripes, it's like wading through mud,” he exclaimed angrily as he tried to move. “Kronk, where are we going?”

  The little guy was actually invisible beneath the tops of the nettle plants.

  “Head to the nearest wall, master and turn right. You should walk along it until you come to an outcropping.”

  Simon growled as he pushed his way through the clinging plants, little tearing sounds following his every move.

  Once at the steep wall of the gorge, he turned and walked beside it. The plants had thinned out here and he was able to avoid most of them.

  Kronk had been right, as usual. Part of the wall seemed to have collapsed ahead, but as Simon moved out and around it, he found a narrow crack that led into darkness.

  “It's the entrance, all right,” he said to the elementals. “Kronk, could you go ahead please? You know the underground better than either Aeris or me.”

  “It would be my pleasure, master. I will check for immediate dangers. Please wait a moment.”

  The little guy slipped by Simon and hopped into the opening, disappearing from sight.

  Aeris flew closer and hovered by the wizard's shoulder.

  “Looks like a tight fit,” he said as he examined the crack in the rock.

  “Yeah. For a change, I'm happy that I'm so skinny. And that I don't get claustrophobic.”

  The elemental looked at him speculatively.

  “You know, I just realized something interesting about you.”

  Simon raised an eyebrow.

  “Oh really? Do tell.”

  Aeris snickered at the obvious sarcasm.

  “No, but seriously; you have no phobias that I know of. None at all. Very strange for the average human being, as I recall.”

  “Sure I do,” Simon replied. “I'm afraid of the undead, dragons scare the crap out of me, witches...”

  With an exaggerated eye roll, Aeris cut him off.


  “No, no. I meant normal fears, not dark magic stuff. I mean, you don't fear heights, darkness, small spaces; that sort of thing.”

  Simon paused and thought about it.

  “You might have a point. Well, I'm not a fan of spiders, if I'm being honest. It's not a phobia, really, I just don't like the way they move sometimes. You know, slowly, one leg at a time. It's like they're thinking about their next step. Ugh.”

  “I suppose so.”

  “Master?”

  Simon jumped back and looked down at Kronk, who had popped out of the crack in the stone wall.

  “Oh, forgive me, master; I didn't mean to scare you.”

  “That's okay; you didn't.”

  Aeris was watching him with barely-concealed amusement and Simon wiped his sleeve across his forehead.

  “Warm, isn't it?”

  “Boiling,” Aeris agreed with a snort of laughter.

  “I suppose so, master,” Kronk said, puzzled. “The cave is clear ahead. The initial passage is narrow and you will have to crouch down for a dozen yards or so, but it widens after that and slopes downward.”

  “Thanks, Kronk. Go on ahead and we'll follow you.”

  The earthen nodded and re-entered the opening.

  “Well,” Simon said to Aeris. “Here we go again.”

  Chapter 11

  The crack was barely passable. Simon had to push, pull and force his way through. He ripped his robe several times and tore a thin strip of skin off of his left palm. His cursing vocabulary got a good workout.

  When he'd finally made his way into the wider section of the passageway, he sat down on the sandy floor to catch his breath.

  “Whew. That wasn't fun,” he wheezed as he breathed heavily.

  “I am sorry, master,” Kronk said contritely. “I underestimated the size of that tunnel.”

  Simon summoned a magical light and let it rise up almost to the roof.

  “Not your fault,” the wizard replied.

  He dabbed his bleeding hand on the hem of his robe and used his staff to slowly get to his feet.

  “We have to go this way regardless, my friend. And this section of the tunnel looks a lot easier to get through. So no worries. Could you lead on, please?”

 

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