by D. H. Aire
Are you mad? Several voices chorused.
Pardon me. I seem to be late to this august gathering. What are you suggesting?
Why, Alrex, a number of us helped raise the Empire to the heights. The nodes, even disrupted as they are, incorporated human technology that would soon have been lost… Our ancestors fought human magery… what they called science… but their ideas, in turn, offered our imaginations opportunities to build our new haven for our peoples.
Alrex, a faint distant voice that rarely bestirred itself spoke, in truth, our saving the humans did more than save our people who fled with me here from our king’s madness, whose demonic possession threatens existence… It offered us new approaches to magery, raising the Empire to the heights, the creation of the great locks, building of our cities and keeps like the Consecrated’s Tower.
The ancient Guardian’s presence faded and a moment later the previous speaker said, In other words, if this ‘Conference Call' is possible, then something else the Demonlord and his minions will never expect likely is, as well.
I am in position with the Hand and the Unicorn, an ancient feminine presence said.
It is impossible. You would need one of the Blood to even—
I find myself provided with the link to the Gate required, the ancient presence replied. We are monitoring this ‘conference call.’
That should not possible!
Where the Hand of the Highmage and Unicorn are concerned strange things often do… to the Empire’s advantage.
Old friends… we have work to do.
The most ancient presences were suddenly gone.
Well, Alrex, what other madness have you wrought?
Oh, stop blaming him, you hide-bound fool.
Me? You cast the traditions away and threatened our very way of life!
And brought back our earlier traditions, Alrex said, and saved us for a generation, centuries. Would that I had embraced change sooner.
Yes, and died all the sooner, his predecessor, and father-in-law, replied.
The ether rippled with the feeling of wry humor, Well, we are making up for it now, are we not?
Chapter 43 - Someone Could Use a Manual
“Who are they?” Cle’or asked, her anklet glowing, seeing the image of armies crossing the length of Gwire heading toward Bastian.
“The answer to that is long ago we developed a means of tracking warded from scrying adversaries… The satellite tags the different kind of energies living beings of magery give off,” Melvyn said.
“THAT IS A GOBLIN ARMY BEHIND THE HUMAN ONE.”
Frowning, Melvyn added, “But that’s not…”
“And we’ve completely misjudged the Haydenese numbers south of us,” George said.
“Among other things…” Melyn said. “So, you all have some decisions to make.”
#
“Milord, we’ve received a message from the Scrying Post nearest the Tane border. A rider’s come in. He’s reported that our troops along the Aqwaine River are pushing the Tane back toward the city,” the young scryer said. “Lord Tane has not reacted. Your plan is working, Milord.”
“Where’s your Senior?”
“The scrying message is from him, Milord. He’s at the post trying to break through the scrying block to make certain this is not a trick.”
“And word about Winterhil’s force on our northern border?” Kolter demanded.
“The scouts report they haven’t moved, Milord,” the scryer reported.
Kolter nodded, “Excellent.” He slowly grinned, thinking, Winterhil’s miscalculated. He thinks we’ll weaken ourselves. But Janielle will soon be back in my hands. Neither Winterhil or Tane have any idea what I have in store for them.
#
Juels found herself staring up into the glowing eyes of the Talisman’s spirit, knowing if she tried she could not move.
No, Little One, you can not.
The unicorn’s horn blazed and the waters sparked with ethereal energies. Casber giggled, “It tickles.”
‘Quiet, Casber,’ the unicorn urged, ‘something important is focusing on this moment.’
Little One, do you feel it, as well?
“Yes, Ancient One.”
Call the Gate.
Juels eyes widened, as did the unicorn’s.
Call the Gate.
‘I cannot!’ she thought back at it.
You mean you are afraid to… but you can… and must.
The mare struggled to move, to pull her horn out of the water, but she was trapped in the web of time just as Juels was.
Call the Gate.
Her luck niggled her as Casber continued to giggle, “Dark and vast it is. It is, was, will be my friend.”
‘Casber?’ the unicorn shared.
Her luck flared. “I cannot! It took the presence of three!”
The unicorn’s horn burned with an incandescent blinding light. An elvin rune burned in the light.
Juels cried out the second rune.
Casber shouted out the third as he would one day recall it and its pairings.
The Gate answered the call and the moment shattered as the spirit keyed ancient controls, establishing a channel to the Capital.
#
Staff flared as electricity arched up from the ground.
Beep! The node beneath George’s feet protested.
Se’and muttered, “Ow,” and nearly fell as her anklet gave her a sharp shock, which Farrel and Cle’or echoed as their anklets did the same so many leagues away.
But for the warder mages, the shock was worse. The mists that obscured their existence vanished; the world righted itself, and grew tighter around them.
“What… what happened?”
“Oh.”
“Uh, oops.”
“This is awkward.”
“You all right?”
“Fine, now be so good as to get off me.”
“Oh, sorry…”
“Idiot… Mmmm.”
“Uh, by the Gate, it’s a good thing we’re engaged.”
“Who’s engaged?”
Aliana winced, recognizing her little sister’s voice. “Revit and I are.”
“Papa’s going to kill you!”
Revit replied, “He already knows… uh, I take you are getting engaged real soon, too?”
There was a squeal, then a deeper voiced answered, “Yes, we are, Master Revit.”
“IF ALL OF YOU ARE DONE BLABBERING, WILL SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?” Melyn shouted.
:I believe a telepathic communications channel has just been established between all of us.: Staff offered.
‘I don’t sense Mother,’ George said, feeling outside of time, realizing there was a minor node buried deep beneath them.
‘She’s not here,’ Lawson shared, sounding grateful.
:Your subcutaneous link should not be powerful enough to link in like this.: Staff replied.
‘I expect that would be true,’ Lawson answered, ‘but I appear to be networked to another unit at the moment.’
Captain cleared his throat, “I suggest everyone get back to… their stations and George, if you and Staff would be so kind as to reintegrate our conference with Questor without her noticing this new connection we’ve established, we can continue with our conference.”
George frowned, ‘I believe we can manage that if Lawson can provide a momentary distraction.’
“What?” Lawson muttered in reply.
#
With a sigh of apparent resignation, Lawson pulled Yel’ane close and kissed her. Mother sent endorphins coursing through him, encouraging him further.
“Will you two stop that?” George asked. “We’re supposed to be on a conference call.”
Lawson held Yel'aine off as she sputtered, “Lawson!”
“You two will be busy enough soon enough,” George admonished. “Your recent little monster act gives me an idea…”
There was laughter moments later as Revit and Terus, in particular,
began suggesting a number of other possibilities.
Yel’ane’s eyes rolled up and her struggling stopped as Mother focused on more urgent matters.
#
“You heard that?” Lawson whispered.
“Uh, huh,” she whispered as she opened her eyes, realizing she was laying on her side and cradled up against Lawson’s chest. “What? Oh, my…”
“It’s all right now,” he murmured.
Peering over his shoulder as they continued to lie on the ground, keeping her out of the other conferees’ visual range as flat images floated in orbit around the communications unit, Yel’ane said, “Who are all those people?”
“At a guess, the crew-in-exile,” Lawson answered.
“Uh, what are we going to do?” she whispered.
“Take our time,” he replied.
She frowned, pulling up her bodice, “Uh, did we?”
“No, but Mother really wants grandchildren.”
Looking down, “We really didn’t?”
“No,” he said, “though, you were rather insistent.”
Her gaze looked thoughtful, then frowned, “What did the Captain just say?”
Lawson’s cheek twitched as Questor replayed the sequence. “Oh, no.”
George said, “Captain, are you sure?”
“There’s power in paradox, Chief Engineer. We’re bound and the satellite won’t be in the optimal position again until then.”
“Staff, begin the count… Lawson, you need to have a long talk with your bodyguards about expanding on that joke you recently played on the Haydenese.”
“Uh, I’d rather not,” Lawson replied.
“Lawson,” Se’and urged as George gave him a long look.
“Oh, all right,” he muttered as Yel’ane grew pale.
“Terus, you and Ri, up to doing your part?” George asked.
“Yessir.”
“TIME DIALATION FIELD ENDING… CONFERENCE END.”
#
“What do you suppose is going on in there?” the priest asked, staring at the Cathartans guarding the tent as sun began to set.
The Riani mage replied, “I wish I knew. It has the strongest wards I have ever seen… What was this place?”
“Hmm, I’d have to check the old maps. I think there was a temple of some sort here back when there were said to be the forty kingdoms. The founding Elvin Houses were scattered across the lands, working with the first humans, ogres, and dwarves. The people who lived here may have served as the local hub building the mage bridges and the upper locks before Tane was established as more than a fortress.”
‘That’s Father Grinyal, Lord Rian’s friend,’ Terus announced over their link.
‘What’s he doing with the spy?’ Revit replied as he felt Aliana flit past, moving to check the other equipment.
Ri said, ‘I’ve got the link to the others through the Captain’s Redoubt in the Capital.’
‘You have done a bit more than that,’ a familiar feminine voice announced over the link.
“Shannon?” Aliana gasped.
An image appeared on her right, “Hi, Ally.”
“Where are you?” she asked in reply.
“Oh, nowhere really exciting, we’re just in Bastian.”
“What?”
“Ri, we don’t have time for this,” Revit turned, suddenly wishing the mist had not receded and they had a lot more space to work in again.
She touched his cheek and a bank of systems activated, “We’ll get used to this.”
“I’m not so sure,” he muttered, reaching past her, brushing too close for comfort. “You driving?”
She swallowed, “I think you should, my walking us has been a bit, uh, jerky.”
He said, “Hmm, you’re going to need to move over, then.”
She did, cheeks reddening, “Ready when you are.”
#
Sergeant Grigg frowned. He never let the warder get out of his sight, not if he could prevent it. The warder’s behavior was suddenly stranger than usual. But he couldn’t quite think why, not until the other warder seemed to experience something similar.
Both stopped cold, writhed a bit, arms flailing, legs, looking like they were about to collapse. They suddenly began walking gingerly. He grimaced, “Excuse me, gentlemen, I need to have a chat with one of our warder friends.”
#
“Uh, George,” Lawson said as he took apart the device. Se’and handed Yel’ane her boots.
“Thank you. Uh, how did I break this heel?”
“Huh? You really don’t remember?” Se’and replied, shaking her head. “Against his jaw.”
“Oh.”
“George,” Lawson said as his friend tried not to offer a commiserating chuckle, “I’m not certain this is such a good idea. There’s a lot of soldiers out there and if anything happened to Yel’ane…”
“Don’t you trust those Sisters sworn to you?” George answered.
“Um, I’m already going to be asking a lot of them.”
“Just tell them Yel’ane’s pregnant and, believe me, they’ll make sure nothing happens to her.”
Yel’ane replied, “But that would be a lie.”
Se’and said, “Yel’ane, you do realize you’re a bit taller.”
“What?”
:Mother’s parting gift to you.: Staff said.
“Huh?” she replied, glancing at the staff in George’s grasp.
:She has taken a different tack to your physical immaturity. She’s speeding up the process, so Lawson can no longer object:
Yel’ane blinked.
“Lawson,” George said, “I’ll send your, um, security detail in here and you can explain things.” He left rather quickly, Se’and right behind him.
“Je’orj, we could have at least offered moral support,” Se’and muttered.
“We’ve enough problems without taking on theirs… and, well, they really make a cute couple.”
Se’and stopped and stared, “There’s hope for you, yet.”
#
Grigg smiled, “Warder, a moment of your time.”
“Not a good time, Sergeant,” the warder replied in his gravelly voice.
The sergeant took him by the arm, “Oh, I think it is.”
The warder leaned close and whispered, “It’s really not a good time, Papa.”
“What’s happened?” he whispered back.
“Um, we’re dealing with, oof…” the voice changed. “Sorry, Sir, she slipped.” Pause, then said very faintly, “I can’t reach it.” Another gravelly voice change, “Here, I’ll give you a hand.”
“What’s wrong?” Grigg rasped.
“We’re… oof… working on it,” his daughter replied in a much clearer voice.
#
Aliana muted the external comm from her perch on Revit’s shoulders, “We have to fix this.”
Her heel poked his chest as Revit felt hemmed in. “Get me back on the comm. Hey, Terus, we could use help figuring this out.”
‘We’re trying,’ his friend replied.
‘We are, too,’ Rexil replied, ‘and Shannon’s found a new control under the shield screen.’
“Does it come up as ‘environmental?’” Aliana asked, having poured over the onboard manual.
‘No,’ Shannon replied, ‘all I’ve been able to call up is “Decontam.”’
:Not that one!: Staff warned.
‘Everyone, keep looking,’ Terus said. ‘Staff, any suggestions would be helpful.’
:Keep reporting what you find. I doubt the owner’s manual will help me with your situation.:
‘Uh, I’ve something here under the weapon’s screen… The menu says it’s “Sanitation.”’
“What does that mean?” Aliana said.
‘It means waste disposal,’ the Captain said. ‘Haven’t any of you read the manual?’
Revit blinked, “Uh, Terus…”
Chapter 44 - Fifth Legion
Le’ann sealed the tent flap as Sergeant Grigg’s Legionnair
es took station guarding the tent’s perimeter. “Well, then,” Lawson said, “ladies, the reason for this private chat… We’ve, uh, learned we’ve a significantly larger force in front of us and since they can’t scry us, we’re going to give them quite a fright tonight.”
Re’ut frowned. “You and Yel’ane are not going to pull another stunt…”
“Uh, not like last time, no,” he replied.
Yel’ane held out something from Lawson’s pack. “This salve glows in the dark… We’re all going to appear like ghosts as part of tonight’s attack.”
“Ghosts?” Le’ann said.
#
“You want us to what?” Re’ut cried.
“You heard him,” Yel’ane answered in a steely voice.
“You are both mad!” Le’ann exclaimed.
“So,” Lawson said, “your Oath is nothing?”
“We swore to protect you, Lord Lawson,” Re’ut replied, “and we will. But what you ask is too much.”
“Then you will do as he says or you betray our House… after all, I’m pregnant,” Yel’ane said, swallowing hard. “I’m doing this and only if you do, too, can you truly keep your Oath.”
The Sisters looked at each other.
Le’ann doffed her livery, “How do we use that stuff?”
With a sigh, Lawson began to demonstrate on Yel’ane, who nodded, wondering if the Sisters would want to kill both her and Lawson once they learned the truth. Soon every one of them was made-up and Lawson was doing his best to not think about the fact that he was married to every one of them.
Yel’ane kicked him in the ankle.
“Ow.”
“Your turn, Milord,” Le’ann said.
Lawson glanced up and blinked. “Oh… I hadn’t planned to—”
He saw the quirked smiles as Yel’ane did not look particularly amused. “Fine, you can help me. You others—”
Le’ann gestured, “You two will help me. Yel’ane, model for us, so we get the, um, effect right.”
Once they finished, Lawson found himself expected to inspect the work, while they inspected him. His cheek twitched, which was Mother’s way of expressing her approval.
#
The Riani mage watched as groups of scouts were sent out. Lord Rian mounted as the battle steeds galloped on their own to the warders, who mounted. In the ruins, the tent was as heavily guarded and warded as ever.