by M. Gregg Roe
“No,” he said, giving the paper his full attention. “This would be difficult to cut, I think. Have you asked a stonemason?”
“Not yet. It’s just something I came across in a book,” she lied. “I thought it was interesting.” She took the paper back and showed him how multiple blocks could form a straight line or a hexagonal structure.
“I never considered something like that,” he said. “I might be able to use this concept in a job I took recently.”
Now she had done it. Some poor sap was going to end up with a hexagonal pantry. But it would be of the highest quality, because Conrad prided himself on his work.
“When you’re ready,” she purred in a sultry voice, “I’ll be in my bedroom wearing something skimpy.” Or maybe nothing at all.
“All right,” he mumbled, still staring at the paper where it lay on the floor. Then he picked up the stylus and set to work.
After shaking her head, Audrey headed to the bathroom to freshen up. She had awoken the carpenter, and now she would have to wait. But that was just how it was with the man she loved. Conrad never changed, and that was comforting.
The next morning, Audrey teleported to the site after getting dressed. Dark clouds loomed overhead, and the ground was noticeably damp. Maybe the long drought had come to an end.
More blocks had appeared overnight, and one was sitting atop the sandpile created by the one she had destroyed. Consulting the paper she had brought, she quickly confirmed that it was indeed a replacement, sporting identical patterns. Not sure if that was a good thing or not, she went to give Daragrim the news.
[ 9 ]
Gray Potions
As Ferikellan read through the brief list of ingredients for a second time, something heavy thudded down on the desk. He saw that Audrey had deposited a fist-sized metal ingot onto the wooden surface. “Is that platinum?” he asked, unable to stop staring. The color was certainly correct.
She pointed to the piece of paper in front of him. “The potion requires powdered platinum, doesn’t it?”
He turned his attention back to the neatly written list. “Yes, but only as a catalyst. And only a small amount.” What she had brought was at least a thousand times more than he needed.
Audrey pulled over a wooden chair and seated herself to the left of the desk he now used in the laboratory. “What’s a catalyst?” she asked. “I don’t know much about alchemy. Or magic, either.”
It was a strange thing for someone in possession of tremendous magical powers to say, but he understood. Audrey’s abilities had been gifted to her. She hadn’t spent long years studying magic and honing her skills. That made talking to her about such subjects complicated.
He gestured at the lump of precious metal. “The powdered platinum facilitates the mixing of the ingredients but is not part of the potion. It is filtered out after serving its purpose, and can then be reused.” That was good, because ingesting the metal probably wasn’t wise.
With her brow still furrowed, Audrey chewed briefly on her lower lip. “So a platinum piece would probably have been enough.” She gestured nonchalantly. “Just take what you need from this. I’ve got dozens more.”
He could tell that she was serious. “Where did you… obtain this?” That one ingot was enough to purchase several good-sized houses.
Audrey suddenly looked sly as she tossed her unbound hair. “I’ve got access to a whole cavern full of things that Andoran collected.”
It was something that hadn’t occurred to Ferikellan, but it made sense. One could acquire considerable quantities of “things” in a two-millennia lifetime. He desperately wanted to see the cavern for himself. What wonders must be stored there?
“I can’t take you there,” she said, presumably guessing his thoughts. “There’s an enchantment in that area that kills males.”
Ferikellan stared down at the desktop as his mind raced. How was such a thing possible? He wanted to research it, study it, understand it. There was still so much to learn!
“There are all kinds of enchanted items there,” she continued absently. “Let me know if you need anything else for your research.”
“Where were you when I was struggling to get started as a researcher?” he asked dryly. Purchasing the books and equipment he needed had been expensive.
A smile lit her face as she dimpled her cheeks. “I wasn’t born yet. You’re what… about seventy?”
“Yes.” Her guess was remarkably accurate.
She nodded solemnly. “I can stop my aging entirely, but I haven’t done it yet.”
“It is a little early to be worrying about outliving your friends and family,” he advised, easily reading her concern. He, on the other hand, might have already outlived some of the humans he had grown up with. The thought of it gave rise to a brief pang of sadness.
“I wish I was as smart as you,” she told him. “It is a little early.”
Judging by the tension visible in her neck tendons, it was still a concern for her. He found that reassuring. And despite the self-deprecation, he judged her to be both reasonably intelligent and better educated than most.
“I am planning to test this potion on myself,” he admitted sheepishly. “Does that sound smart?”
“It sounds like you really want to go inside the Gray Forest. I can understand that.” She hesitated briefly. “Can you be ready in five days? I have the afternoon off.”
He had hoped that she would volunteer to be present when he tried the potion. “I believe I will be ready by then,” he told her humbly.
“Okay. I can keep you safe if something goes wrong. The animals inside won’t attack me.”
That was interesting. “You appear to have a busy life,” he observed, arching an eyebrow.
“I’m still living a normal life,” she explained. “I’m helping to raise my cousins, and I teach Shorinken. That’s a style of unarmed combat.”
Vurk had been right. “I am impressed,” he told her truthfully. “Guardian, am I now working for you?”
Beaming, she rose smoothly to her feet. “Yes, that’s what I want. You can advise me on magic and alchemy, and I’ll fund your research.” She pointed at the ingot. “That’s your pay.”
“That should do for a few decades,” he muttered, then chuckled. “I am honored.”
“Then it’s a deal. I’ll see you in five days,” she said, then vanished.
Ferikellan returned to perusing the paper. It provided precise instructions for crafting a Gray Potion, which was certainly an appropriate name. The procedure was complex, but well within his capabilities. And he now had nearly everything he needed. He looked over to where his assistant was lolling on the sofa, pretending to be asleep.
“Vurk!”
The gworn’s eyes snapped open. “Yes, boss?”
“I need to obtain blood from a Gray Forest creature. How would you go about it?”
Vurk sat up, yawned, then stretched all four arms. “How much blood?”
Ferikellan considered it. “Perhaps ten drops.”
“So something like a mouse’d do. Or maybe a bird. I’d stick a hand in to stir things up, wait for some animals to gather, then use a net on a long pole to drag one outside.”
That was much simpler than what Ferikellan had been thinking. Vurk might be lazy and insolent, but he was undeniably clever. “Start working on your net. We will try it out tomorrow morning.”
Vurk got up and left without saying another word.
Ferikellan picked up the topmost sheet of paper and stared at it. The odd handwriting was nearly identical to Vurk’s, suggesting that a gworn had written the document. (Audrey had refused to say exactly where it had come from.) The potion was a work of genius. Blood from a Gray Forest dweller was fused with blood from the potion’s intended recipient. That was the key. It meant that there was little hope of duplicating the potion with a spell, but that didn’t mean that he couldn’t find ways to improve it. Audrey’s intervention had opened up a new world of possibilities, and he was
determined to prove himself worthy.
After one last check to make certain that everything was ready, Ferikellan downed the potion in two quick gulps. To his surprise, it had a taste redolent of nutmeg. Most potions tasted foul and left an even worse aftertaste. He felt nothing as of yet, but the instructions said the mixture took from three to five minutes to take effect.
Nearby, Vurk sat with his back to a tall ash tree. Equipped with a calibrated hourglass, the gworn would measure the potion’s duration. He looked sleepy, but Ferikellan knew that his assistant would do his job properly.
Audrey had shown up not only early, but looking rather fetching in a light green blouse and knee-length black skirt. (For a human, she was reasonably pretty.) During lunch she had praised Vurk’s cooking skills, to the gworn’s obvious delight. She had even promised to bring him some herbs and spices the next time she visited.
A middle-aged ogre had also come along to observe. Agvak was apparently the leader of the other ogres, but he came across as rather hesitant and ineffectual. And he was obviously in awe of Audrey, fawning and instantly agreeing with anything she said. Still, the tall humanoid was an imposing figure.
Ferikellan watched as Audrey suddenly strode forward, transitioning smoothly to shades of gray as she crossed the boundary, something that he would hopefully do as well. She had told him that she could employ her magical abilities within the forest, but even the potion wouldn’t enable him to do that.
Feeling tingling throughout his body, he took a step toward the boundary. And then another, as the sensation became painful. Fearing something had gone wrong, he glancing downward and was relieved to see that the toe of his left shoe was now dark gray. Two more rapid steps and he was fully inside and utterly without color. The tingling vanished, replaced by a feeling of pride. The potion was working perfectly. Success!
“I knew you could do it,” Audrey said, smiling her approval. “There’s a village about two miles northeast of here. Do you want to visit it?”
He was still busy soaking up his surroundings. The sky above was blue, and everything outside the Gray Forest still had color. It was a surreal experience, disorienting even. Furthermore, his magical senses were telling him nothing. Nor could he feel his magical reserves. For all practical purposes, he wasn’t a spell-caster at the moment. That was disturbing.
“Yes,” he finally said. “That sounds interesting.”
Audrey promptly set off, and he soon realized they were following a narrow trail that wound through the colorless trees. He even spotted what looked like boot prints in places.
Aside from the lack of color, the Gray Forest appeared normal, with the expected undergrowth and trees of varying types and ages. It also smelled and sounded normal. Its inhabitants, however, were another matter. Birds and small animals should have been scattering as they walked along. Some ignored them, while others watched with what looked like curiosity. A few even seemed to be following along. The eerie behavior made him glad he wasn’t alone. Audrey was obviously used to it.
“Are there other guardians?” he asked, both curious and seeking a distraction from his strange surroundings.
“No.” She slowed slightly. “An enchanted ring gave me these abilities. From some notes Andoran left behind, it looked like he originally planned to make seven rings but then changed his mind. So it’s just me.”
She sounded forlorn. “Could I see this ring?” he asked hopefully.
“Yes, but it won’t do you any good. It’s just a piece of jewelry now.”
That was disappointing. “I see. If I may ask, where did you acquire the ring?”
Audrey hesitated in front of an old oak tree, finally going around it to the left. “I’m not telling you all the details. The ring was supposed to go to one of Andoran’s female descendants, and it happened to be me.”
To cover his surprise, he said, “I often wondered if Andoran left behind any offspring.” There had been rumors that the Eyes of Andoran had been the man’s own daughters.
“He left behind quite a few,” she said, her disapproval clear from her tone. “I’m a great-granddaughter.”
“And you don’t know why you were chosen?” he asked, still fishing for information.
She sighed and shook her head. “I was the first one to show up who had a decent education and was familiar with magic. I used to be an adventurer, but not a very good one.”
That would indeed have given her an advantage over the average person. But where, exactly, had she received the ring? And who gave it to her? Perhaps in time she would tell him.
Ferikellan thought it through as they continued their journey. Seven successors would inevitably bicker and quarrel. They might even fight with one another. In all likelihood, Andoran had realized that a single successor was the better option. But it placed a tremendous burden on Audrey.
The path began to follow the course of a narrow stream strewn with what were probably colorful pebbles. Ferikellan glanced upward from time to time, but patches of blue sky were rarely visible through the leaves. Could the denizens of the Gray Forest even see color? Perhaps he could ask the villagers about it.
It had become apparent that the animals were following Audrey, not him. A variety of birds and small mammals were now acting as a bizarre escort.
“Do you think you can improve the potion?” Audrey asked him.
He was certain of it, but it was better to appear humble. “I would like to at least try. The goal will be to increase the duration without compromising functionality. That will require extensive testing.”
“And each test will take hours,” she said, half to herself. “You need people to test it on.”
“Not immediately.” He worried that she would suggest that he use ogres. That would be problematic. “Vurk and I can test the potions for now. Perhaps later when I have made some progress.”
“Okay,” she said, nodding. “Let’s see what this village is like. I think we’re getting close.”
Ferikellan followed silently, still marveling at his colorless surroundings. It was only temporary, but he had become part of the very thing that he had worked so long to destroy. Who would have ever thought it?
There was no conversation as they walked away from the village of Dellhome. The visit had been disturbing in several respects. Roughly forty elves now dwelled in what had clearly once been a more populous village. Most of the houses had fallen to ruin, and none were in good repair. Some inhabitants were ill, and many showed signs of old injuries. It was a village with no access to healing magic, and one obviously in decline.
At first the elves had completely ignored Ferikellan, instead surrounding Audrey, gazing at her with adoration, calling out in a language that neither of them could comprehend. Like the wildlife, they knew instinctively that she held a special status within the Gray Forest. And he could tell that their fawning behavior deeply upset Audrey. It was visible in her awkward posture and unconvincing smile.
It startled him just how much the villagers’ language differed from the one he spoke. He could barely understand anything, relying instead on gestures and diagrams scratched in the dirt with a twig. There was a spell that allowed the caster to speak and understand any language, but it wasn’t one he knew. (Why would he? There was only one language in common use within Andoran’s Realm.) And even if he knew the spell, it would not function within the Gray Forest. It was a pity that Audrey hadn’t been granted that ability in addition to her others.
Many of the villagers had followed them when they departed, only desisting when Audrey gestured repeatedly for them to stop. And again, he could tell that their obsequious behavior disturbed her.
It was some time before he could bring himself to say anything. The villagers’ plight stirred unfamiliar and powerful emotions within him. The elves of Dellhome were victims of Andoran’s indifference. He had created the Gray Forest without regard for the plight of those trapped inside.
“I have a plan,” he said, walking closely behind Audrey.
She glanced backward. “To help them? I’m worried about how many more villages there might be like this. Even though it’s part of Andoran’s Realm, I haven’t been paying any attention to the Gray Forest. That needs to change.”
He could hear the pain in her voice. “I believe that I can craft a variant of the potion that would allow them to briefly leave the Gray Forest.” Crafting it should be straightforward, but he worried the potion might not activate properly within the forest.
“Then Birchbark could tend to them,” she said excitedly.
“Only as far as physical injuries. We will need a cleric, both to cure diseases and to facilitate communication.”
Her expression showed fierce determination as she again glanced back at him. “Then I’ll find you one. I know several.”
“There is another issue,” he said, maintaining a serious tone as he skirted a muddy area. “There are too few of them.”
“Inbreeding,” she said, nodding. “I’ll ask… some of my people to search for other elven villages within the Gray Forest.”
Her pause was suspicious. He wondered just who would conduct the search but decided not to inquire. If they could locate another village, then she could transport the elves to it. That would benefit both villages.
There was no sign of the ogre when they reached the boundary. Audrey crossed the boundary and then went over to chat with Vurk. Ferikellan passed the time by contemplating the changes that might be necessary to make the reverse of a Gray Potion.
When the painful tingling began several minutes later, he cautiously stepped across the boundary and breathed a sigh of relief as his normal appearance returned. After flashing him a look of approval, Audrey teleported away.
“Just short of three hours,” announced Vurk as he rose to his feet. “How was it, boss?”
“Eye-opening.” Ferikellan made a sharp gesture. “Pack up. We are returning to the keep.” Vurk obeyed without comment.