by Bob Blink
“It varies considerably,” was all the man could tell them. “I would expect at least a week.”
“A week!” Asari complained as they walked away from the guard and back into the sun. “What are we going to do for a full week?”
“For starters, how about ride around the town a bit. I’ll like to get a better feel for the overall layout. Tomorrow we’ll know. If we need to adjust our plans, let’s do it after we have a definite date.
Chapter 40
When Jolan and Asari returned to see the official at the gate the following afternoon they learned that Jolan had an audience with the Council the next afternoon. The rank of their sponsors must have made some kind of impression, and Jolan had been given a specific time for his presentation.
“You‘ll be met here by one of the Council of Mages. He’ll escort you into the hearing. Bring whatever materials you feel are necessary for the audience.”
“We need to bring the pistol,” Asari insisted. “We can’t very well leave it here since you’ll need to show them the Mage’s Box. They need to understand what you can do as a mage. Besides, I’ll bet they’ll be like everyone else and won’t believe we killed the Muloka. You need to think of some kind of demonstration.”
Jolan had similar thoughts. They only had one shot at this, and he suspected they needed to bring everything they had to the meeting. He could put it in the Mage’s Box. The guard wouldn’t be able to open it, and he could rely on the Mage to understand and get them through.
When they arrived the next day, the guard didn’t check them at all, which surprised both of them. He noted the box Jolan was carrying and the wrapped package in Asari’s arms, but when Asari offered it for inspection he only said, “This is Mage’s business. They will be responsible.”
They had waited only about ten minutes when a middle-aged man walked over to where they sat and introduced himself as senior Mage Dibon.
“Sorry for your wait. It’s a bit of a walk. You’ll see in a moment when we go inside. Are these all you want to bring?”
Jolan nodded, and watched as the Mage gave the items a quick glance. He frowned as his gaze passed over the Mage’s Box. The fact the mage’s eyes lingered over his staff was not lost on Jolan.
“I can’t seem to tell what that is,” Mage Dibon said indicating the seamless Mage’s Box. “What do you have inside?”
“Several items I’ll need for the presentation,” Jolan replied truthfully enough.
“Is there anything dangerous inside?”
“There is a weapon. I can show you. . .”
Mage Dibon waved his hand in dismissal. Normal weapons weren’t a concern to mages of his level. Very little could bother the kind of shields he could erect.
“Come,” he said. “You can show the contents to the Council inside.”
They passed through the entrance, then walked by a large military barracks that housed half of the King’s Guard stationed here. The other half quartered in a similar building next to the north entrance. As they made their way around the courtyard, Jolan understood the delay. The area was huge. Jolan was surprised to see that some of the people were traveling to their destination by carriages that had been passed inside.
Immediately to the left as they entered the grounds was a very large structure that Mage Dibon explained was the Council of Nobles building. They were going to the second structure, an equally imposing stone building that housed the Council of Mages. Off to the right Jolan could see a secondary wall, and as the ground rose beyond he saw the fairgrounds, the stable grounds, a significant number of buildings he couldn’t have guessed the function of, and of course, the palace itself. This was, after all, where the King lived. This King, he reminded himself, was the kind he was used to from home. He was the absolute ruler of Angon, and was King for life, or until someone or something removed him from power.
In the center of the grounds was a medium sized lake, which was surrounded by inviting areas with lots of grass and trees liberally scattered around the perimeter. Jolan guessed correctly that the lake once served as a protected water supply in case of siege, the inlet and outlet being designed to be restricted in times of war. At the far end of the grounds was an immense grouping of buildings, the College of Mages, Jolan knew from Tomas’ description even before their guide pointed to it.
As they entered the Council of Mages building, Jolan couldn’t help but wonder what such an imposing structure was used for. With the full college so close, one would think a mere set of offices would have sufficed. There was no guard or clerk to check them in. It seemed that once one was passed into the inner area, it was assumed that he had the right to go where he pleased.
He changed his thinking once they progressed deeper into the building and were about to enter a stairway to the upper floors. Mage Dibon did something to release a restraining barrier that allowed them entry. It seemed the lower area was a public area, almost a museum preserving the history of the order, but those with real business here needed to be escorted.
They climbed two flights of stairs, and entered a wide hallway near the back of the building. Mage Dibon pointed to an open doorway, and then walked into a large chamber where a number of other people waited. Counting Dibon, it seemed that a total of seven mages would be listening to their presentation. Jolan was very interested by the fact that three of those waiting in the room were women. He hadn’t thought about the matter before, but it appeared that both women and men had abilities with the power here on Gaea.
“You may stand over there by the table,” Mage Dibon said, and made his way to the front of the room where the others waited. While he was doing so, Jolan opened his box and laid out the items he had brought with him.
Once everyone was settled, the elder looking woman in the center greeted them. “Good day gentlemen. I am High Chancellor Vaen. I am the senior mage on the Council, and the Chancellor of the University here as well. We were impressed by the letters we received yesterday, and given the implied urgency have chosen to hear your concerns more promptly than is usually possible.”
“I am known here as Jolan, Randy in my own land, and this is Asari.”
High Chancellor Vaen nodded and pointed to those who sat behind her. “These are the members of the council. You have met Mister Dibon. Next to him sits Miss Vulag, then Mister Bloor, Mister Lonid, Mister Quas, and Mrs. Demili. They will listen to your story.”
For the next two hours, Jolan and Asari took turns communicating their story and concerns. Jolan explained where he was from, and what he knew of Cheurt’s actions on his planet, and what his suspicions of his intentions were. He described the unusual encounter when Cheurt had probed his mind, causing several of the mages to look at each other in concern. Finally, he told how he had somehow been drawn to this world when he’d tried to apprehend Cheurt. The members seemed very interested to learn of Earth and its current level of technology despite their frequent comments that implied doubt about the very existence of the place, and became very concerned when he described the types of weapons in common use there. He knew he’d created doubts in the minds of some of the council when he described the power of a nuclear bomb.
He tried to build credibility by showing them several of the items he’d brought from home. Unfortunately the iPhone was discharged, and unable to provide what would have been the best support for the technology he was describing. The Kindle interested them, but being unable to read the words, and having only his claim as to what it was and could do, it wasn’t too impressive. The binoculars were only an improvement on something they could do themselves.
Asari told them about his following of the team of wizards on multiple occasions, and how Cheurt would seemingly disappear for days at a time, only to reappear. When asked, he described the location of the transfer point, something they referred to as the Nexus, in the Land of Giants.
“That’s quite a tale,” Mage Lonid said when they had finally run out of things to convey. “You seem to have done your homework exceedingl
y well. I cannot believe however, that the two of you could have wandered in and out of the Land of Giants by yourselves. It is a very dangerous place. Despite your claims, and quite detailed description of the place, I wonder if you have really been there.”
Mage Demili nodded her head quietly in agreement.
“Much of what is said about the Land of Giants is completely false,” challenged Asari. “I think you know this. But it is true that it a dangerous place. We were stalked by a Muloka while we were there.”
“Excuse me?” interrupted Mage Bloor. “You were stalked by a Muloka and you are alive to tell about it. That is very unlikely. How do you explain your escape?”
“We shot and killed it,” Asari said matter-of-factly.
“You shot it! Don’t be ridiculous,” complained Mage Lonid. “Weapons have no affect on magical creatures such as the Muloka. You make a lot of claims, but too many of them are far-fetched and beyond belief or simply not possible.”
Asari ignored the outburst and reached over to the package he had brought along. Without speaking, he unwrapped the layers of cloth, and gradually the skull of the beast was revealed. Silently he walked over and handed the massive skull to Mage Lonid.
“There is the skull of the beast.” He said quietly. “You can see the hole where the projectile entered the brain.”
Further discussion was brought to an abrupt halt as the mages clustered around Lonid to see the skull. After a few minutes they started returning to their seats, each convinced the skull was indeed genuine, but more than ever wondering how Asari had come by it.
“You said you shot it. Just what do you claim to have shot it with?” Mage Quas asked quietly. He had spoken least of any of the group during the whole meeting.
High Chancellor Vaen smiled and somehow Jolan suspected if one of the council hadn’t broached the question she would have done so herself.
“With this,” Jolan said, picking up the old Colt from the table where he placed it earlier.
“That little thing. You want me to believe you killed this great beast with that?”
Jolan handed the man one of the cartridges and was rewarded by seeing the man’s eyebrows raise when he saw the copper plated slug.
“It shoots a projectile covered with cuprum,” he said. “By local standards, it shoots the projectile very fast. Maybe if I demonstrate?” Asari had been right, and they had discussed possible ways of making the necessary point.
It took a few minutes to set up a goblet of wine in a corner and position a number of cushions behind to catch the bullet so it didn’t ricochet around the stone walls afterwards.
“If one of you could create a protection field around the goblet please. Something of the type that would prevent an arrow or other projectile from harming the goblet. Perhaps whoever is most powerful in this skill could do so.”
High Chancellor Vaen nodded slightly to show her agreement.
Mage Lonid sighed impatiently but did as Jolan asked, and waited for him to continue.
“This will be loud,” Jolan said in warning.
Of course, no one really understood what loud meant, so they were all still unprepared and jumped sharply when he fired the Colt. The cuprum clad 230 grain bullet passed unaffected through the protective shields of Mage Lonid, smashed into the goblet of wine spraying the liquid all over the inside of the protective field, that showed convincingly the field was indeed present, and then passed through the back of the protective field embedding itself into the cushions behind.
Jolan safed the Colt, and put it in his belt, immensely pleased he hadn’t managed to miss at the extreme range of ten feet. The he walked over and picked up the pewter goblet and rummaged around in the cushions until he located the spent bullet. On the way back to the group of mages who had now recovered from their shock he spotted the spent case, so he picked that up as well. Mentally he increased the count by one. They had now used a full one-third of all the known ammunition for the pistol in Gaea.
He handed everything to Mage Dibon, who looked at the pieces and passed them on to the others. Jolan noted that Mage Lonid stuck his finger into the hole, and walked over and compared it to the hole in the skull resting on the table.
While this was happening, Jolan pulled the Colt from his belt, ejected the magazine, and placed it on the table. Then he retrieved the loaded round from the chamber, placing that on the table next to the magazine. Finally he locked the slide open, and placed the pistol on the table as well. He walked back to the other end of the table and waited. Jolan smiled to himself as he saw the realization start to dawn on the group. He’d felt it best to be separated from the weapon when they understood they were at risk just as much as the goblet had been. Their personal shields, which they always counted on for their own safety, were no protection against the weapon Jolan had just laid on the table.
“That is disconcerting,” admitted Mage Vulag finally. “Are there many such weapons?”
“That is the only one I have with me. It is a relatively small weapon back on Earth. They exist in the millions there. These and many more considerably more powerful are available. I don’t know if Cheurt has managed to bring any back with him.”
“What do you hope to accomplish by this visit and your little demonstration Jolan?” asked High Chancellor Vaen. “What are you hoping to receive from this Council?”
Jolan hesitated. Here it was, finally. “When I first realized where I was and what must be happening, I wanted two things. First, I wanted to bring the situation to the attention of those who needed to know what was happening and where it could potentially lead. Hopefully, I have accomplished that today. Secondly, I hoped that someone here might know how the transfer area, the thing you’ve been calling the Nexus, works, and that they could help me return to my own world.”
“From your phrasing, I sense your wants are different now?”
Jolan nodded. “I have been on Gaea about four months now. I have learned a great deal, and made a number of true friends. There is a real danger here, for both your world and mine. I have also discovered I have some ability with the power. There must be a reason I’m in the middle of all this. I want to be accepted into the school, to learn what I can. I would like to find a way to go home, but to be able to return here again. I think there are many things I could bring from there that would aid in what I believe will be a major war in the near future. Basically, I want to help stop Cheurt and his plans.”
High Chancellor Vaen waited until the others stopped mumbling among themselves. “This will have to be discussed in private among the members of the council. There is something you must be told. Whatever is decided by the Council, one thing cannot be granted. Assuming your tale of the Nexus is true, then you have stumbled onto one of the lost mysteries from the time of the Mage Wars. Even if you have truly found the Nexus, we cannot help you return home. No one knows how it works. That is a lost skill. If Cheurt has learned the means of accessing the transfer point, he may be the only person in all of Gaea with such knowledge.”
Jolan was shocked by what he’d just heard. All along he had assumed that these powerful mages would have the answer that could take him home. Now he was learning that the only person who seemed to know what he needed was his deadly enemy who would never reveal the secret to him. Basically, he was being told that he was most likely here for the rest of his life.
“The Council wants to talk for a bit. Would you gentlemen please wait outside?”
When they returned, Mage Dibon explained that further discussion would be needed to address the issues raised. They wanted to talk a few minutes while everyone was gathered to consider the matter of Jolan joining the school. To that end, they would appreciate Asari’s waiting outside.
“Tell us about your abilities,” Mage Dibon asked once Asari had left. “Tell us what you can do and the things you have done with the power.”
Jolan went through his limited range of abilities, and described the few times he had used his power and what had res
ulted.
“You have used the power as a weapon!” accused Mage Demili.
“You’re correct,” admitted Jolan. “I have learned that you do not condone such usage, but where I am from one uses what is available when the need arises. I felt survival was more important than principle.”
“If you are to be accepted here, you would need to reconsider your attitudes in this regard. The rules are extremely strict. There are no exceptions,” explained Mage Quas.
“I understand,” Jolan said, although he knew he could never be bound by such foolishness.
“Given your age, your skills are few and poor. It is surprising how you can do some things but not others. Something has affected your normal development, perhaps incurably so.”
“I don’t claim to be a proper mage. Where I come from, such abilities are not considered real. I would like to be examined and tested, and see what I might be able to become.”
“I don’t know,” offered Mage Demili. “I think he is too old, and it would take a great deal of special effort. What have we to gain?”
Jolan could see where this was going so he interrupted. “Of-course, there’s my Mage’s Box,” he said.
“Your what?” asked Mage Lonid.
“My Mage’s Box,” he replied.
“I don’t know what that is. Explain yourself.”
So Jolan described the box and what it would do.
“What prompted you to call it a Mage’s Box?”
“Once I knew how to create it, I also knew that was what it should be called,” Jolan answered truthfully. “Of course it is also a stasis chamber,” he concluded.
Mage Lonid spoke up again, the exasperation in his voice clear. “You make up words. What exactly do you mean a stasis chamber?”
“Okay, I’ll use a real world example. Suppose you take an open tankard of your favorite ale, nicely chilled of course, and place it inside the Mage’s Box. You close it up, then since you are too lazy to carry it down to your horse, you throw it down the three levels to the courtyard below. After recovering the box, you place it on your horse and ride from here, through the Trailways, and over to Carta and deliver the present to the King of Seret.”