The king suddenly stood upright as if he had just had an important thought and walked back to the edge of the dais to stand by me. He said “Master Wizard, since you’re here it might be a good time to ask a favor. I’ve been losing soldiers, in the woods to the south and east of here, to Orc attacks. They seem to have started crossing over the mountain somehow and they are getting more and more numerous all the time. I was wondering if you could take your wizard troop and a hundred of my soldiers and check that area for me. I would be happy to keep my daughters and grandson company while you were away.”
I glanced at Chloe and Alba and they nodded, I then replied, “that would be something that we could do while you visit with your family. I’d be honored.” And I bowed respectfully.
He waved for a boy and gave him a message and the boy was instantly out the door. I whispered to Isa that I loved her and we made our way out of the throne room. Our little group had gone from fourteen to ten, but ten wizards were still a force to be reckoned with. Two of our number was admittedly new but they had been taken under Alba’s wing and I was confident that they had learned a lot. Alba was a sweetheart but can be a bit of a slave driver. She just loves magic and thinks that everyone should love it as much as she does.
Outside, we were met by a boy who told us that he was to lead us to the king’s stables. We went outside the castle gates and to the east side of the castle. There we found horses saddled and ready for all of us and a hundred mounted soldiers. I suggested that the officer in charge of the troop take the lead and that we would follow along. Everyone seemed happy that I wasn’t just going to take command and start giving orders.
We started off at a fair clip that would cover ground quickly but not wear out the horses. The ground we covered was very familiar and I recognized things from my first days in this world. It seemed like a lifetime ago, and I was amazed at how much had changed for me. We continued on for a few hours and then stopped for lunch. Some of the girls mentioned that this wasn’t exactly how they had planned the day, but they were wizards and knew that the unexpected always happened.
At dusk I realized that this was going to be more than an afternoon jaunt when the troops began setting up tents. They had brought five tents for us and hoped it would be ok if we doubled up. The twins let me know that they wouldn’t mind if I shared their tent, so we settled down for the night.
The next morning we started off again. We rode for two hours when the officer signaled a dismount. The advance scout had told him that there were four Orcs at the river five hundred yards ahead. You could feel the tension level in the soldiers crank up. I told the officers that I would take my wizards and signal them when they were handled.
The girls and I left our horses and started off on foot. As we approached the river we moved as quietly as we could and finally spotted the Orcs in a small camp ahead. We moved in and at thirty yards opened fire. It was over as quickly as it started and there were four dead Orcs. I sent Elaine back to let the troops know that they could come on and I did my ‘gamer loot the corpses’ thing. There wasn’t much of value but I did find reason for concern. These Orcs weren’t dressed in the usual rags that we found in Eredwynn but as the Orcs that we had blocked out of Clodfey! The clothing made me think that these had come from the southern country that the people of this kingdom didn’t ever have a name for.
When the troop arrived the officer shook his head and said something about what he wouldn’t give for a hundred wizards. Since the only people with the use of magic that we had found were young girls, all a military officer would get with them would be a headache! Giving my troop orders was a lot different than him giving his troop orders. For one, if he offended his soldiers they usually didn’t cry!
We crossed the river and road west along it for awhile and then stopped again for lunch. After, we started off again. An hour later we found tracks going south into the mountains and followed them. We came to a narrow pass only five feet wide, but it was a pass none the less. We could see where the Orc track led through and to the wild country beyond. The officer asked if there was something we could do to close the pass or if he would have to suggest building a guard tower here. I looked at the area for awhile and thought that I had a solution. There was a peak on the east side that looked like it might fall into the pass if I used a spell that, to date, I hadn’t used. It was the explosion spell and the name said it all. I figured that if I could get a big enough bang out of it, the peak would jam things up nicely.
I was a bit concerned about the snow on the mountains but I didn’t really think that it would be a problem. I told Alice, Elizabeth and Emma what I planned and they thought that it would work. I had the soldiers back way off because I was sure that the noise from the explosion would startle the horses. The girls backed off and I cast shield and fly so I could get up to the point that I wanted to hit.
I don’t know if there was a fault directly below this section of the mountain range or I’m just the most unlucky person in the world. I flew to the spot were my target was easily assessable and focused intently. I then said fragor and the explosion spell struck. A hundred and fifty yards of the mountain dropped straight down and caused an avalanche that swallowed Emma!
I saw her go under and dove for the spot. I started digging franticly and calling her name. Elizabeth was right beside me looking also. Alice showed up and looked at the snow for a moment and walked fifteen feet from where we were digging, used telekinesis and lifted a large scoop of rock and snow. Lying at the bottom of the hole she’d scooped out was Emma’s body. I leaned in and touched her neck and found a very weak pulse. My mind screamed only one word, “CHLOE!!” and she was there, looking confused but upon seeing Emma, she went right to work. And I knew no more.
8.
Powerless
I woke in a strange place, not knowing how I’d gotten there or how long I’d been there. The room was dimly lit and there was a faint clicking noise in the background. I laid there for a few moments quite still trying to decide if it was safe to move. I wasn’t in pain and had no recollection of how I’d come to be here.
I finally turned my head slowly toward the clicking noise and saw that it was caused by knitting needles in Diana’s hands. She saw the movement and jumped up, dropping her knitting and ran to me. She asked if I was ok and if I needed anything. I started to speak and realized that my throat was to dry. I made the motion of holding a cup and she disappeared out the door and was back in seconds with a cup of water. I took a sip and then said, ‘Where am I?’ She told me that I was back at Wizards Keep. My next question was, ‘Emma?’ She said that Emma was just fine. Chloe had arrived and had her back on her feet in less than half an hour. I laid back trying to figure out what had happened and Diana said that she’d be back and slipped out the door.
The door barely had time to close when Isabel, Chloe and Alba came flying though. I’d have been tackled if I hadn’t already been lying down. I was told, in no uncertain terms that if I every scared them like that again; I’d not wake back up. After kisses and hugs and tears they finally calmed down enough to take some questions. First, how did I get back to Wizards Keep? I was told that, after Chloe arrived at the mountain pass, I had lost consciousness and they hadn’t been able to wake me. Chloe had done everything she knew to do and determined that it was the mind, and not the body that had broken. Second, how was Emma and since Diana had said she was ok, how did Chloe find us in the mountain? Chloe said that yes, Emma was just fine. She had been severely damaged by the rocks and snow that fell on her but she was able to put her back together with no lasting effects. As for how she had gotten there, everyone wanted to know that. She had been in the King and Queens’s private quarters talking with her mother when she had started to glow white. The next thing she knew she was in the mountains with us and Emma was badly hurt. I collapsed within seconds of her arrival. She said it almost felt like recalling except without the fade in and out effect and no noise. My next question was, how long had I been out.
It felt like it had been at least a few hours. The girls looked at each other and Chloe put her hand on my shoulder, ‘David, you’ve been out for three days!’
I said that would explain why I felt so weak; it’s been awhile since lunch! The girls a laughed and Alba opened the door, she whispered for a second and closed it back. I asked about the mountain pass and there was another round of concerned looks. Isabel told me that the pass had been blown wide open where the mountain had slid into the fault and widened from five feet to a hundred and fifty yards wide. Orcs were attempting to pass through there in tens and twenties on a daily basis. I asked how they were being kept at bay and was told that the king had ordered the wizards to work shifts to make sure they didn’t get through. The part of the information that jumped out at me was that the king had ‘ordered’ my wizards to do anything! King or no King, I felt that was over the line. I was told in soft, soothing tones that the king blamed me completely for the problem and had even suggested to some of his advisors that it was a ploy to weaken him. He’d said, or so it is rumored, that if I let the Orc hordes in at that location they would be able to mass an army to destroy Rosenwood Castle. I asked how the shifts were being handled and Isa said that they were working three eight hour shifts with three girls per shift. There were two girls off every cycle. They said that the more experienced girls always went with the less experienced and the new girls were sure getting a crash course in combat skills.
I ran those numbers through my head and then asked why there weren’t three girls off per cycle? Another one of those uncomfortable silences and Alba said, ‘because that bitch Melodie took off and we can’t find her anywhere. But I sure think its strange how the rumors that you opened the pass on purpose got up north so fast.’
Isabel shushed her and said that we didn’t know for sure that it was Melodie. Alba wanted to know who else could have traveled the eight hundred miles from Rosenwood Castle to Wodor spreading that lie all the way. Alba continued, ‘when the rumors started trickling down from the north Alice took it upon herself to see how far it had gotten and found that people in the city of Wodor were repeating like it was the news of the day. She said that there was a guy there that was talking all kinds of trash about me, what he called ‘the wizards in brown’, and anyone that had anything to do with Wizards Keep. The guy called himself Sir Gildon and Alice thinks he’s bad news.
A relieved looking maid showed up with a table tray loaded with food and a large mug of ale for me. I thanked her and she looked like she was holding back tears when she curtsied and left the room. Chloe had noticed and told me that the girls weren’t the only ones that had been worried about me. I told them that I was going to eat and then get dressed to check on the girls on the line. There was some argument but Alba popped out to get my clothes for me. I told Isabel that, as much as I hated the thought, we should consider putting a lock on the vault door. If Melodie had abandoned us, she could come back and rob us blind. She agreed and said that she’d have Alice do it if she saw her before I did. Alice was on the line with Jennifer and Kiena at the moment.
Alba returned with my clothes and I stood up to dress. I had to be supported on three sides until my head adjusted to being vertical. I sat on the edge of the bed to dress and felt much better. I checked for my wand and Alba had already slipped it in my pocket. I asked if they wanted to walk me to the roof to recall, but should have known that was a silly question. We walked out of one of the previously unused rooms on the third floor and up the stairs to the roof. The fresh air worked wonders to clear my head but I did still have an image that haunted me. I wondered if I would always have the picture of the broken and bloody body of Emma in my mind. I kissed everyone goodbye and told them that I’d be back soon. I closed my eyes, focused… focused… and nothing happened!
I couldn’t recall! Every time I tried, I’d see Emma. Her mangled body was blocking me. The princesses were looking at me with very concerned expressions and I couldn’t tell them anything. I pulled out my wand to fire an energy bolt at the canyon wall and nothing happened. I tried putting up sparks, a spell that James might even be able to do at two weeks old, and nothing happened. The Master Wizard was now the Master of Nothing! I sat on the roof and looked up at the girls and said, “I can’t do magic.”
There was instant confusion. What did I mean I couldn’t do magic? I was the one that had taught them! How could it be gone? I stood up and walked back inside. I went back to the room that I’d left and sat on the bed. Isabel came in and said that I should go back to our bedroom. Call it depression or a pity party but my answer wasn’t kind or logical. I told Isa that she was the wife and her sisters were the consorts of the Master Wizard, and he was gone.
She started crying and said that she fell in love with David Stephenson on our wedding night and she didn’t even know that I was a wizard then. She said that she would still love me even if I turned into a turnip! I smiled glumly and that and told her that I didn’t know if that would work out, but I loved her too. She then told me to get off my butt and get into our room where I belonged.
9.
A Problem Solved
A week went by and I’d switched back to the clothes the tailor had called my ‘more appropriate clothes’. I no longer wore the wizards’ uniform because I felt that it was false advertising. The princesses were doing all they could to make me feel better and if I hadn’t been able to fly a week ago, I’d be just fine. There was still no feeling of the tingle that we all got when we were focusing for a spell and I had decided that I was just like every other guy in this realm. I wandered the grounds when Isabel was off on her daily tour and got news from the front when she was home. The other girls had taken it upon themselves to locate Melodie but so far they’d had no luck. I wasn’t surprised because her specialty was, after all, invisibility! There were other rumors of wizards being spotted in the land.
These other wizards operated mainly up north and usually at night. That would explain why they were wearing black robes. They were blamed for general mischief and would sometimes show up to a farmer’s house offering to round up his sheep or cattle that he thought had been locked away. They always asked for a fee, of course. They were soft spoken girls and were often described as having a dreamy look in their eyes. I had to wonder if Melodie had taken it upon herself to start her own wizard group but that didn’t sound like her. She had always been a follower, not a leader.
Another week was rolling by with me as a bystander. I was quite depressed about it but had begun to come to terms with it. So, I’m not a wizard but I do have a wonderful wife and son. I have a home and there is no chance of us ever running out of money. I have even considered, after the border conflict is over, renaming the keep to Stephenson Keep and letting the other wizard girls return to their home towns.
I was strolling down the river, twirling my wand like I used to when my wand was more than a stick. Suddenly, a voice behind me yelled, “Young man! I’d like to have a word with you!”
I turned and saw Emma walking toward me with a pang of guilt. I bowed slightly and said, “Yes, Lady Wizard? How may I help you?”
She turned red and not in a cute way. She said, “That’s enough of that bullshit, David! It was an accident! You know it was and I know it was! You somehow summoned Chloe right out of Rosenwood Castle and saved my life. I love you and want MY David back. Not just the husk of David!” She then grabbed me and kissed me so passionately that it took my breath away.
In a flash I knew! I knew the answers to the mystery of magic! It wasn’t in the words or the things that were known, it was all in the intent. Whatever you wanted done could be done and you just had to know that truth. If you could visualize it, you could make it happen. I then shook my head and looked around. Emma was kneeling on the grass beside me where, evidently I’d taken a quick seat. I look at her and whispered, “I know now.”
She looked puzzled, “You know what now, David. You’re scaring me and I don’t like it.”
I stood up a
nd told her that I’d try to explain it to her as simply as I could before I had to go. I told her that ‘if you could see it in your mind and know that it was going to happen, spell words and all that nonsense that you had heard me preach for a year weren’t necessary. Let’s say for example,’ I pointed to a five ton rock on the far side of the river, ‘I wanted a lot of gravel for a project and only had that rock.’ I flicked my wand in the direction of the rock and with a loud ‘bang’ it crumbled into pea sized gravel.
Emma looked at me for a second and with a sob threw her arms around my neck. “Bless the stars, David. Your back! We’ve all missed you so much.”
I said that I’d like to go see my wife and then I had some business near Rosenwood to conclude. I asked her if she’d like a lift to the keep. She nodded her head and I touched her hand and we were on the balcony of my room. She jerked slightly because we didn’t have any of the fade in and out effects that we had with most of our transportation spells. She asked me what spell I’d used and I said, ‘that’s what I was trying to tell you. There are no spells, just intent.’ She shook her head in confusion as we walked into my room.
Isabel came from the bedroom and I walked to her and gave her a huge hug. She looked very confused when I released her and I told her thank you and that I loved her very much for sticking by me. I asked her if she remembered how scared she had been when she had first seen some of my magic. She answered yes, wondering where I was going with this. I told her that she was going to see some new things that might startle her at first. I smiled at Emma and said, ‘Unlike with some people, my magic has before never hurt you and you can count on me being much more careful in the future.’ She said, ‘David, are you telling me that…’ I interrupted, ‘I’m telling you that I have something to do and will be back home shortly. I love you ladies very much.’ I then thought of the line where the girls were working to hold back the Orcs, and was there.
The Wizards of Eredwynn 02 - Another Typical Day, Too Page 5