Vault of Silence (The Hidden Wizard Book 2)

by Vaughan W. Smith

  "What happened back there?" Vincent said.

  "What do you mean?"

  "Is something happening with you. I've never seen you act so recklessly. Your mother is worried." Vincent looked worried too, although he didn't mention it.

  "I almost died when I fought Branthor. It was only through luck and sheer determination that I caught him off-guard. But I can't let that happen again. There's too much at stake. And..."

  "And?"

  "There seems to be stuff spilling over from when I drank from the Pool. Knowledge of spells, intuition on how to combine things. I can't discern what is something that should work, and what is some crazy idea of mine. Or even things that should work but I can't do yet," Alrion said.

  Vincent looked at him thoughtfully. "I hadn't thought of that, I guess I need to find out more about how this all works. You're right though, you don't have the luxury of time to slowly learn all you need. Just make sure you rely on the rest of us to help. It's not a criticism of you, it's just a safety net."

  "Alright, I agree. I'll let everyone help and try not to do too many crazy things." Alrion wasn't sure how long that would last.

  "Good, I feel better now."

  "I thought it was mum that was the worrier?" Alrion knew his father had been worried too.

  "It is," Vincent said and walked back to the camp.

  Vincent and Certan took turns taking watch, but the night passed without incident. The next morning, they snacked on some bread and Vincent addressed the group.

  "I've been doing some thinking, and I have a plan for how we move forward."

  "We're all ears," Lara said.

  "We need to split up. I'm confident that you and Certan can support Alrion. Celes and I will go a different route."

  "Why?" Alrion said.

  "We know we are being tracked, so it's better to split up and divert their attention. Celes and I can go back to the main road and continue on to Plynth. It's a massive town, and we can do some digging into who and what are following. With any luck, we will draw them in," Vincent said, tossing a lump of hard bread into the dying embers of the fire.

  "So where do we go?" Alrion said.

  "There is another path, and a longer route. You can follow it and stay off the beaten track. It will cost you time, but it will be safer and you will have the necessary seclusion to work on your spells," Vincent said.

  "We'll be crossing the river?" Certan said.

  "Yes, exactly."

  "It's a well-known detour, but the best plan given the circumstances. Where will we meet you?" Certan said.

  "You can find us at Plynth. By the time you arrive, we would ideally have taken care of our pursuers. Then we will set off together for the desert. If we miss there, we can agree to meet at the desert entry. We will find you," Vincent said.

  "That would work," Certan said.

  "There's a single desert entry? Won't that be obvious?"

  "There are many, but only one that will take us where we need to go. And it is not well-known. I have discussed this with your father," Certan said.

  "If you say so. When do we part ways?" Alrion said.

  "As soon as we pack up," Vincent said.

  Alrion nodded, a bit surprised even though he understood the reasoning. They packed up in silence, Alrion double checking he had everything with particular care. Once he was prepared he walked over to the horses. Vincent was standing there talking to Celes. "Well, you two make sure you take care of yourselves," Alrion said as he approached.

  "Will do boss," Vincent said, winking.

  "You'll do well," Celes said, giving Alrion a hug.

  "Isn't this fun? All of us on an adventure together," she said, gesturing at the group.

  "It would be more fun without a Shade crashing the party," Vincent said.

  "He doesn't mean that," Celes said, speaking behind her hand, and pretending to whisper.

  "How will we find you in Plynth?" Alrion said.

  "Don't worry, we will find you," Celes said.

  "Alright, I guess this is it then. See you soon," Alrion said, giving them a wave. He mounted his horse and rode back towards the camp. As he turned he saw his parents mounting up and preparing to ride in the opposite direction. Impulsively he drew on his Spark and prepared a spell. He shot a flash of fire through the air, arcing high over the trees and vanishing into the distance in the direction that Vincent and Celes would be heading.

  "We've got our marching orders," Vincent said to Celes with a chuckle, and the two of them started to ride away.

  "Are we doing the right thing?" Celes said.

  "Of course. He needs room to grow, and we can help from afar." Vincent needed to be strong, to make sure his wife didn't worry.

  "As long as you're convinced. It's hard for me to let go."

  "I know," Vincent said, giving Celes a kiss.

  "Let's get moving, the faster we get there, the more we can do," Vincent said.

  "I'll race you," Celes said, spurring her horse on and laughing.

  Alrion saw his parents disappear into the distance and turned back to face Lara and Certan.

  "Should we head out?" Certan said.

  "Definitely. Are you familiar with the route?" Alrion said.

  "Yes, I have travelled through here before. We should hurry to try and cross the bridge as soon as possible. Once we cross over the river, it will be harder to track us."

  "Let's go then," Alrion said, letting Certan take the lead. Lara rode alongside him, but looking straight ahead. Alrion thought about his companions. With Certan's skill, strength and familiarity of the territory and Lara's instincts and adaptability he had nothing to worry about. Together they had taken down the Shade that had eluded them with Falric's aid.

  "Why am I so worried then?" Alrion asked himself as they rode. He couldn't shake the feeling that they were not out of the woods yet.

  12

  The Quiet Road

  The way back was quick and simple, and Alrion didn't spot a single person. They were able to move onto the secondary path without fear of being watched.

  "So now this is uncharted territory," Alrion said, half to himself.

  "For you, perhaps. But we are far from safe. This is still a well-travelled alternate route. Many do not continue the way we are going, so the further we travel the safer it will be. But I again suggest we make haste," Certan said.

  "Agreed. While we're riding though I had a question," Alrion said.

  "Yes, please ask." Certan slowed so that they were closer together.

  "It's for both of you. Until recently I had never encountered the Blight. Blighters and Shades are new to me. But what about you? I feel like I've been quite sheltered," Alrion said.

  "You have been, but don't feel dismayed. It's a good problem to have. I am lucky in that my exposure has been quite limited. The areas where I have lived, and especially with the monks, have been unpopular places for creatures of the Blight. There are few people, or much food or water," Certan said.

  "Do they still function like a person?" Alrion said.

  "In terms of having to eat and drink, yes. But their minds are warped. They also seem to have some sort of communal connection. You don't see them attempting speech much, yet they seem to be able to coordinate."

  "What about you Lara?" Alrion said.

  "My whole life, they have been present. I hate them with a passion. But I've enjoyed the relative safety of Avaria these last few years. I think they've only recently infiltrated this place in any numbers, and I'm sorry to say that's largely because of you." Lara pointed directly at Alrion.

  "Sorry," Alrion said.

  "Don't be sorry, they fear what can destroy them."

  "Exactly. You have the knowledge now, deep within you. You must unlock it and set things right," Certan said.

  "You make it sound so easy," Alrion said, trying to lighten the mood. He did get a laugh from them both. He kept an eye on the scenery as they went by, and it looked like another relatively deserted area. Alrio
n looked for signs of people passing through, and didn't see any. The path seemed undisturbed and they didn't see anyone in either direction.

  "I thought you said that this was a well-known route, albeit longer and more secluded," Alrion said to Certan.

  "It is."

  "Then why is it so quiet? There's no sign of any activity," Alrion said.

  "That's a good point. I admit I haven't travelled through here recently. Perhaps things have changed. Are you familiar Lara?"

  "No, I haven't been this way," Lara said. Alrion spotted a clearing coming up off the right of the path and diverted his horse.

  "Come here for a moment," Alrion said. The others followed, Lara giving Certan a confused look. Certan didn't have an explanation. "Shouldn't there be signs of people camping here?" Alrion said.

  "It's not that far from Brangtur, maybe it's not a popular spot," Lara said.

  "Not that far? Anyway, since we are here I need a break. And I want to try something." Alrion dismounted and tied up his horse to a tree. Certan and Lara followed. "So, we lucked out a bit last time, but then I did almost burn down an inn. If we encounter another Shade, what's the plan?" Alrion said.

  "My attacks seem mostly ineffective, I think their skin is too protected," Certan said.

  "Do you have attacks that penetrate? I think that underneath, they are still vulnerable. And their heart seems to be the weak spot," Alrion said.

  "I do have something, but it requires focus and attention. Hard to use in the middle of a fight," Certan said.

  "But what if we bought you time?" Lara said.

  "Possibly, I need to be in close proximity too." Certan had a thoughtful expression on his face.

  "That's fine. I don't currently have an effective way of defeating them with my magic, I can only assist. Lara and I have the right weapons to pierce the Shade's skin, but the amount of force required is quite substantial and it's not always reliable. So maybe we can try your attack next?" Alrion said.

  "It's worth a try. What are you proposing?"

  "See that tree over there? It looks pretty sturdy. Let's try a coordinated attack. Lara and I will provide an initial attack to distract and wear it down, and you can come in with the big finish."

  "Sure. I'll signal when I am ready.” Certan sat on the ground, legs crossed and began to meditate.

  "Do what you do, pretend it's a Shade," Alrion said to Lara.

  "After you," Lara said. Alrion stepped to the side and began to prepare a barrage of spells. His best success was the force based waves, and he decided to try a variation of that. We wove a pattern of intertwined waves, all hitting the similar zone but at various times and from different directions and angles. He kept the intensity a little lower, just in case the tree wasn't as sturdy as it looked.

  Once Lara could see the tree begin to be hammered by invisible force, she started running in an arc towards it. She opened with an array of tiny daggers hurled with precision. Thud, thud, thud, thud, they impacted with the tree in a neat line. Alrion adjusted his spells to avoid the areas where the daggers were implanted. He glanced over at Certan and saw no change.

  Lara darted back and began another run, approaching from another direction. She produced more daggers and they hit one by one neatly underneath the first row. Alrion watched her through the last one and tried to catch it with a wave of force and push it even harder. The dagger wobbled slightly but stayed on track, only this time disappearing completely into the tree trunk.

  "Ready," Certan said. Lara tossed a small vial at the tree and it smashed against the trunk letting out a cloud of smoke. Certan stood and ran towards the tree, keeping his right hand above his hip. Once he reached the tree he raised his hand and held it just above the surface of the trunk. He unleashed all the internal force he had accumulated all at once.

  Alrion heard the almost deafening blast and ceased his attacks. Certan remained in place, sinking to a crouched position. Lara stood down, returning to Alrion's side. Once the smoke cleared Lara gasped.

  "Wow!" she whispered.

  "That's quite effective," Alrion said. Only the stump of the tree could be seen. And what was remaining looked to have been cleanly sliced in an arc. There were tiny fragments of splintered wood floating through the air.

  "Perhaps I overdid it, but we needed to be sure.” Certan stood with difficult and walked over to join Alrion.

  "I feel bad for that tree," Alrion said.

  "It was a necessary act, so that more good can be done. The tree knows that," Certan said.

  "If you say so. How long does it take you to recover from that?" Lara said.

  "Completely? A day. I can be effective again within a few minutes, but any additional attacks will be less powerful."

  "So just don't miss then," Lara said.

  "Of course," Certan said.

  "I'm happy with this. If for some reason the Shade survives that attack, we should be able to disable it or finish it off. I liked the smoke screen, nice touch," Alrion said.

  "Well, he did say he had to be very close. That's a vulnerable place to be, so why not mask his approach as much as possible?" Lara said.

  "I hope you have more of those, quite useful," Certan said.

  "I do, I can make them. The ingredients are a little hard to get a hold of, but I have my sources." Lara tapped her nose and looked around innocently.

  "I bet you do," Alrion said, laughing. They took a short meal break before heading out once more. As they rode, Alrion steered his horse over to join Certan.

  "I was curious about the power you have. Where is it from?" Alrion said.

  "It the power of the body. You all have it, but do not use it. It takes both physical and mental training to master it," Certan said.

  "So, there's no reason I couldn't do that?" Alrion said.

  "Theoretically, but I am not one of the four masters so I don't know all the secrets. I suspect however that your other power would make this task difficult, as you would need to essentially not use it at all."

  "That makes sense. So, anybody could do that with the right training?"

  "Or the right situation. Not as effectively or as controlled. There is a story shared with us, about a young mother whose son has been trapped under a fallen tree. There is nobody to help, and there are wolves circling in. What does she do?"

  "Destroy the tree. Or prop it up with something else and get the boy out," Lara said.

  "Impossible without the right tools or training. And there is no time for planning and execution. So, what she does is lift the tree and push it aside, then carry her son home. But how does she do it?"

  "I don't know," Alrion said.

  "Because her need is so strong, her body can perform the impossible. She does not know how it was done, and could not do it again when asked. But because it is her only choice, she can do it. So, it is with this. We train our bodies and acquire the knowledge of how they work, but we unlock the power with our minds. We use our wills," Certan said.

  "You use your will to unlock the power in your body and direct it as you see fit?" Alrion said.

  "Exactly. Only the four masters have ascended to the heights of control and passed the final test. It is known as the Vault of Silence."

  "Vault of Silence, you mentioned it before. Is that what I described in my dream?"

  "I believe so. If they allow you to undertake that test, then you can achieve the same mastery perhaps. But I do not know all the details. That is one reason it is known as such," Certan said.

  "The silence part is also keeping the trial secret, huh?" Lara said.

  "Exactly. I believe that the information shared about it is only to give the monks something to strive for."

  "Sounds daunting," Alrion said.

  "It should be. Much of what we do is masked in secrecy, and I am not sure how far down the path I was. But I don't think I was anywhere near ready for that trial." Certan had a downcast look again.

  "And you just obliterated that tree with the instruction from your min
d. That paints quite a picture," Alrion said. Those words hung in silence, and Alrion let his horse fall back in pace to be beside Lara.

  "You'll be fine, don't forget you have us," she said.

  "I won't. It's just such a huge mountain to climb. Anyway, that's a future problem. Let's just enjoy the ride," Alrion said.

  The road started to incline upwards, slowly but surely. As they continued they started to see glimpses of the river. It was larger than Alrion expected, and seemed to move with speed.

  "The bridge is up ahead," Certan said. As Alrion caught up he finally saw it. Built with wood, the bridge was not as impressive as Alrion expected. The main surface was a plain walkway. But it looked sturdy and was secured on each end by large columns and decorative elements. What really caught his attention however, was a single shape in the distance. It looked like a man, standing in the middle of the bridge.

  "We have company," Lara said.

  "Who is it?" Alrion said.

  "I don't mean to alarm anyone, but I think it's a case of what, not who," Lara said.

  "A Shade?"

  "Likely," Certan said.

  "See what your sword says," Lara said. Alrion pulled out his sword and examined the stone on the pommel. It was a light glow, but matched the colour exactly from when they last encountered a Shade.

  "So, it is," Alrion said, tensing up without even realising. He dismounted and tied up his horse, signalling to the others to do the same.

  13

  An Old Friend

  They approached the Shade carefully on foot, watching its movements.

  "I don't like this. It's just waiting for us," Lara said.

  "Something definitely seems different," Certan said.

  "You're probably right, but we need to take the advantage. We are prepared, let's see if we can take it down before anything bad happens," Alrion said.

  "Did you want to take the bridge out?" Lara said.

  "No, I don't want to be looking over my shoulder for this thing. We finish it now." Alrion needed to do this right. He couldn't stand having another Shade hunting him down. For his peace of mind, he had to see it destroyed.