Vol. 1 - Another Typical Day (The Wizards of Eredwynn)

by Daniel Harris

  We walked back to the keep allowing the guard to dispose of the bodies. As we entered I looked into Pariset’s office. He was sitting at his desk with his head in his hands. It almost appeared as though he were crying. I walked to his door with the girls behind me. He heard us approach and raised his head.

  “It’s entirely fault My Lord. I brought them here through my foolish, greedy actions. You told me of the Orc cave and I thought that it might be the dragons hoard but I knew that a normal man, such as myself, couldn’t even get close to see. I had made myself a copy of your spells, just in case something happened and we needed them. I then went to the town of Soya and did the testing the way you had described when we were just visiting one day. I probably tested three dozen boys and never once got a positive test. A sixteen year old girl was the first girl that took the test. I was hoping for a boy because, well, I didn’t know if a girl could do what I would ask of her.” He began.

  The snorts at the implication of girls not being able to handle it had to be quieted. There was a feeling of anger building in the air as they picked up on what he had done. He had taken it upon himself, out of greed, to be a master.

  He continued after taking a few deep breaths. “The girl passed with flying colors and I only tested a couple more, and then I sent everyone else home. I then put her up in a cabin, some distance from town, and went back and worked with her often. I didn’t want to stay gone from here for to long because I didn’t want to raise any suspicions. I took horses out to her and we rode to where you had described the cave. I then had her dismount and sent her in to scout it alone. I heard her spells as she ran away. I don’t know how she was seen, nor do I know how she survived to make it back to me and the horses. We rode here as quickly as we could and I brought her in without being seen. My Lord, she is badly injured.” He finished in a near whisper.

  “Where is she?” Demanded Chloe.

  Pariset rose and led us up to the second floor, to the left and down a narrow hallway between meeting rooms. At the end was a small room on the right. He opened the door and Chloe looked in. She gave Pariset a glare that made him quiver and then looked at Alba, “She’s going to need a nightgown. She is about my size so get one of mine.” There was a pop and Alba was gone.

  I moved over behind her so I could see what had happened. The girl had been mauled horribly and lost a lot of blood. Chloe pulled out here wand and passed it over the girl. The wounds healed and even the scars disappeared! It happened so incredibly fast that I couldn’t believe it! Chloe said, “It would appear that I’ve gotten quite a bit better at that spell lately!” She was the mistress of understatement. The girl stirred and started to sit up, but Chloe asked her to lie still for a bit longer. She wanted to make sure that she hadn’t missed anything and to get her into a nightgown since her clothes were soaked with blood and ripped to shreds. Alba passed Chloe the nightgown and everyone backed out of the room leaving Alba and Chloe to dress her.

  I asked Pariset where her parents thought she was and he answered, ‘Valeview wizard training school’. I said “Then, if she would like to continue her wizard training after this fiasco, she will be at Valeview. She will have a new master though!”

  Alice stepped forward and said, “David, I wouldn’t mind having her in my room. It gets a bit lonely after being used to the family around all my life.”

  “It’s settled then,” I said. “Unless anyone has a problem with it.” I looked at Pariset who just hung his head.

  “You’ll have my resignation in the morning My Lord.” Pariset mumbled.

  “No, I won’t.” I snapped.

  He looked at me with resigned fear, “So, it is to be the gallows? It’s no more than I deserve.”

  “No, my friend. Tomorrow will see you where you are everyday. You’ll be sitting behind that desk with ink on your fingers. You were misguided and greedy but have, I hope, learned the error of your ways. I can forgive you as long as this girl is ok. If you’re in need of anything you can always come to me. You know the wizard vault contains more money than we can use! I want your solemn word that nothing like this will ever happen again and you will hand over your copy of the spells.”

  “I know that my idea was foolhardy and ignorant. Thank you for a chance to redeem myself. I won’t disappoint you again.” he promised.

  “Pariset, if anything like this were to happen again I wouldn’t send you to the gallows. I would send you to the river valley, with the girls.” I stated menacingly.

  Chloe and Alba came into the hall leading the no longer wounded girl. She was quite weak but, with the girls help, could walk. I said ‘goodnight’ to Pariset as a dismissal and led the way upstairs. We all went into my room and I sat on a couch while the girls escorted her to Alice’s room. After a few minutes everyone except Chloe and Alice returned.

  Isabel filled me in on what she knew. The girl was from Soya and her name is Elaine. She was a sixteen year old orphan that had hoped the wizard test could get her out of there. She had told Pariset that she had parents because she didn’t think that the wizards would want an orphan. She was hardly trained in magic and had to carry notes to remember what spell words went with what spells. I was told that Pariset was a very lucky man. If it had been my sweet Isa’s call, slow hanging with disembowelment would have been in his future.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Things returned to as normal as they ever got at Valeview. Two girls, Melodie, age 13 and Calla, age 15, showed up with their parents. Evidently they had been told that they had talent by Pariset and were supposed to be contacted again. Isa had quickly taken them upstairs, tested them and came back all smiles. We accepted them and moved Melodie in with Alba and Calla into Chloe’s room. I had the parents settled into guest quarters for the night and in the morning gave them each a platinum coin and bid them farewell.

  I had construction started on a housing keep and great hall for the students. We were to have a kitchen, indoor training area, offices and servants quarters. A defensive wall was being built around it. I didn't think that it would have to be very thick but twenty feet high was important. The twins and Alice aided the construction crews by blasting out rock from the south side of the canyon, giving it the basic shape needed and moving it to where it was needed. A job that would have taken thirty men and mule teams, the girls handled without breaking a sweat. It was located in the river valley above the high water line.

  The princesses worked with the new girls training them properly. There was none of that three days and combat crap that Pariset had put Elaine through. I worked with Elaine who had come to us with an ability to see places, in detail, that she had never been to. Remote viewing was what we had called it in my world. I was hoping that she could get a clear picture of Ohana and could recall me there from the image. Selfish? Maybe. Lazy? Perhaps, but I didn't like the idea of leaving Valeview for days on end.

  It took quite awhile but she did finally come through. One evening, just before our end of day get together I found her sitting in a chair in my room she had the glazed look and relaxed attitude that I’d come to realize was her remote viewing posture. I sat on the couch across from her and waited for her to acknowledge me. When she raised her head, she smiled. “I’ve found it, David” she informed me.

  I was thrilled! I had wanted to make the trip for a very long time and now it was possible! When the other girls had gathered and giving their reports for the day, I announced that Elaine and I would be leaving in the morning. I had no idea how long I would need to examine the books, but we would be back by dark. If I needed more time I’d be able to go back by myself.

  After my announcement Alba had one of her own. Her birthday was coming up and it was a very important birthday for her. She would be a teenager and therefore she would just remind everyone not to treat her as a child. There was a lot of hiding behind hands and choking back laughter. The last thing that anyone ever did was treat a wizard as skilled as Alba as a child! We all promised that we would be careful to avoid trea
ting her as such, and our little meeting broke up.

  The next morning I woke early. I dressed quickly and walked to my closet on the way to Alice and Elaine’s room. I checked my clean-shaven look that was quite rare in the kingdom, smiled and continued to their door. I knocked quietly and waited for a ‘yes?’, then entered. Elaine was already up and ready to go also. I asked if she needed to take anything and she shook her head. We walked out the door to her room to avoid waking Isa and Chloe. I double checked my pockets to make sure I had my pocketknife, wand and some money. We went to the balcony cast shield, fly and a quick drop to the valley floor. The work crews hadn’t started for the day and their camp was far enough from us that I doubted our recalling would disturb them. I asked Elaine if she was ready to cast recall and she nodded. I smiled, after being around Alba for so long it was strange to hear so much silence! We joined hands and she bowed her head, focusing on the image she had gleaned from her mental travels. After a few moments I heard her whisper and ‘crack’. The world faded back in and I could see a huge city across an open field in the distance. Elaine had landed us away from people and roads to avoid confusion. It was a perfectly planned move and execution. I informed her of that and she beamed with pride. We walked to town and joined the crowds moving in and out of the gate. I thought that if this was the early morning traffic, I’d hate to see rush hour! We wandered around for awhile just looking at the sights and the people. I finally decided that I should locate what I’d come to see. I found a guard and asked where I could locate the shrine. He informed me that it had become quite the tourist attraction since the king’s notice of a ‘Master Wizard’ in the kingdom. He, personally, didn’t believe it but he gave us directions anyway.

  We went where he had said and found enormous crowds in front of a heavily guarded building. It looked like it was set up so people could enter through doors on the left side, examine whatever was inside, and come out the right. It also appeared that, if we got in line now, it would be lunchtime before we got to the front. I had waited far to long to be thwarted by tourists! I tugged at Elaine to get her attention and we stepped to the right and walked by the line as if we were going on down the street. I then turned back and angled to one of the guards in front of the shrine.

  I asked where we could find the governor and was informed that he received requests for special treatment in the lines all the time. There was no chance of us getting in without standing in line. I asked the guard if they had received the notice from the king about wizards. The guard said that they had but he’d also seen Princess Isabel before and, even though it was a nice touch, the young woman with me was not the princess.

  I didn’t want to use force and didn’t want to have to deal with another guard to try to get in to see the governor. I quickly thought of a plan that would convince the governor to come to me. I put my head against Elaine’s and whispered for her to go get the girls, all of them, recall back and fly to this spot. She grinned, loving the mischief of it, and with a crack that startled everyone for a block, recalled home.

  “What the hell was that? The guard wanted to know.

  “That was the sound of an apprentice wizard leaving to gather proof for you, good sir.” I smiled

  “Where did she go? I know she was just standing here.” he questioned, as much to himself as to me.

  “She went to Valeview Castle to see if Princess Isabel would come to personally ask you to let me in!” I replied.

  “So, you are going to stand here, bothering me, for over a fortnight? I’ll see you in chains first!” He grumbled.

  “Oh no! I’m sure that will be here long before that. I’ll stand back out of your way until they get here.” I smiled my most cooperative smile.

  I found a nice comfortable stair to sit on, out of the way, and waited. The whole time I sat there the guard grumbled. He started passing the word down the like that he was expecting trouble from me. I looked like a skinny guy in funny clothes so the other guards weren’t worried. The unit Captain did move to my end of the line, just in case. I doubt that I could have heard the noise if I didn’t know what I was listening for. When I heard it, I stood up. I grinned at the guard and told him to expect company. He rolled his eyes and ignored me.

  I knew they were close when the screams started. Flying people weren’t something that the good folks of the city are used to! The guards all drew weapons and I calmly suggested they put them away. I would hate for the girls to think I was in danger! The girls showed up twenty feet above me, checked the area for any real danger, and landed softly beside me. Isabel came to my side, put a hand on my shoulder, and asked if everything was alright. I nodded and kissed her gently. The pilgrims were on their knees and the guard unit was visibly shaken. The Captain and my friendly guard had knelt begging forgiveness. I said that, although they had been doing their job, perhaps they shouldn’t be so quick to pass judgment! I asked to speak with the Governor and the guard that had been with me this whole time took off to deliver the message himself.

  We waited and the Governor soon arrived, out of breath and red-faced. He bowed low and introduced himself as Governor Ridley, Keeper of the Shrine and the grower of the best hemp in the kingdom. I questioned the growing of hemp with a smile. He explained that hemp was used for the creation of all the parchment in the land. He grinned and said that, with a little hand-picking of the seeds, it could have much better uses. He informed me that, unfortunately, the majority of the land around the city was dedicated to the parchment variety.

  We were all quickly ushered into the shrine and I asked if I would be able to examine the books. You could see the protective instinct kick in and he wanted to know who would be handling them. He quickly informed the girls that he trusted them completely but he didn’t want too many hands on them. He said, in all honesty he didn’t even want my hands on them but it wasn’t really his call. I comforted him by saying that I’d be the only one touching them and I wouldn’t actually be touching them at all.

  I knew from the National Geographic Channel that the oils from a persons hand could damage parchment. I didn’t know what the effects of telekinesis would be, but I’d find out. I told the girls that they could wander the city as long as they didn’t cause a disturbance and would go in at least pairs. Then I had Ridley lead me to a doorway where one of the books was on display. I entered and felt like an animal at a zoo. The shrine tours were still continuing and when people came to see the books they now had a real live wizard to ogle too! I took a chair that was passed through the door and sat down.

  I cast telekinesis and floated the book to me, holding it at reading level as carefully as I could. I looked at the cover and laughed. Of course they were arcane books that no one could read! They were written in a language that could only be read by wizards! The title of the book I held was: La Vida de un Mago llamado Jorge! I’d grown up out west and had worked often among Spanish speaking people. I was, by no means, fluent, but could understand quite a bit and also knew that Spanish and Latin were quite similar. I knew that a lot of game spells were taken from Latin! I focused to open the book and slowly flipped the pages. Alice could have done this blindfolded but I was having a bit of difficulty reading in Spanish and keep the focus of my telekinesis. This ‘sacred text’ was the diary of George. It told how he had wandered into the woods and spun in a fairy ring. He was then in this place. He had to be careful because when he focused on something and called for it, it happened.

  I laughed again and made some of the onlookers jump. It seemed that the magic of this land loved Latin. The poor Spaniard would invoke spells by simply speaking if he were focusing his intent. It must have been great to not have to remember spell words from a video game! There was some information that was useful for reminding me of spells that I had forgotten. He used invisibility a lot and he also mentioned that, if faced with a big crowd, he would ‘call down the stars.’ I translated that into a ‘meteor swarm‘. I finished skimming the large book very quickly, closed it and set it back on i
ts stand.

  I walked out of the viewing room and asked to see the other tomes. I was led to another room and saw that this was diary volume two. The next turned out to be volume three. I was a bit disappointed it but, hiding it, I informed the Governor that I was finished with my examination at this time. It had been well over an hour and I thought that the girls might like to be going home. I told the Governor this and that the girls were, more than likely, spread over the city. I asked him if it would cause too much unrest if I went above the city and called the girls to me. He thought that it would be great for tourism and gave his blessing.

  I walked out of the shrine, strolled to a place in front of the line of guards and waited until everyone was quiet. I then raised an arm in salute, bid everyone a good day, cast shield and fly and rose swiftly over the city. I scanned around to see if I could see any of our capes but there were too many streets to scan. I popped up to five hundred feet and started casting magic arrow while turning in a circle. The pinwheel effect was very pretty, the twins had been right about this display. It didn’t take long until I was spotted and the girls started lining up below me. They positioned themselves one on top of the other spinning clockwise and counter clockwise with magic arrows flying everywhere. It was beautiful but I was concerned about low flying birds!