by Jeff Inlo
"How many were killed?"
"You mean how many were incinerated? I couldn't guess at the total. Five that I know of personally."
"So Ashlan has been conquered," Holli noted.
Brenn was not ready to agree with that appraisal.
"Conquered? I wouldn't say that. Our lives have not changed. The goblins are controlled and the inferns want nothing from us. We retain our leadership."
"Your leadership seemed more than willing to accept the inferns, which tells me they are not true leaders."
"You think we should have fought the inferns? I am a spell caster of fire. I know what they can do. To fight them would have meant the death of many."
"And so you accept subjugation?"
"I disagree with the premise. We may have been forced to accept the presence of inferns-even goblins-but that does not mean we have given up our freedoms. We simply had to accept… certain inconveniences. As I said before, our lives have not changed. We retain our ability to move freely both within and outside of the city. We are not prisoners… or slaves."
"Are you saying you are happy with the arrangement in the city?"
Brenn's willingness to cooperate vanished. His body went rigid and his expression turned cold and empty.
"What kind of question is that? It's judgmental and flawed. Whether I'm happy or not is immaterial. I have nothing to do with what goes on here. You said Ashlan was conquered. I disagree and my happiness over the arrangement is totally irrelevant."
"But you are already making judgments. You have defended the actions of the city leaders."
"I have defended no one. I simply stated fact."
"These facts," Holli replied, "may be in dispute, but I have no wish to argue that point. I simply would like to know your feelings toward the city's condition. You are a spell caster. You have a greater awareness and perception than your human counterparts that lack your skill. Your concerns may assist me in isolating true threats."
"As I said before, my feelings, as well as my concerns, are irrelevant. I do not wish to speak of things that are beyond my control."
"You do not wish to render an opinion? Certainly you are entitled to one, or is it that you simply do not wish to commit to anything?"
Brenn remained reluctant to discuss the inferns, but he quickly focused on an area of personal concern.
"I'll tell you what I don't like and that is the restrictions placed on the use of magic, but that was placed in existence before the inferns arrived."
"What type of restrictions?"
"A formal declaration by the regional steward that the practice of magic within the city limits was inherently dangerous."
The regional steward meant Prilgrat. It seemed almost every hand pointed to him in some way or another.
"A ban on all spell casting?" Holli asked, pushing aside concerns over Prilgrat.
"No, they did not come right out and ban magical spells. They were very… careful about their wording. They stated it was dangerous, not forbidden. It gave them the ability to question magic casters whenever a spell was cast, but it allowed them the discretion to determine what was acceptable and what was not."
"Laws that they could interpret at their convenience."
"That's one way of putting it," Brenn agreed.
"That is why you were practicing spells in the basement late in the night?"
"It would be careless to advertise my abilities and downright foolish to invite questioning by authorities that have their own interests at heart."
"Why do you stay in Ashlan?"
"Why should I leave?" Brenn shot back almost instantaneously and with more than just a defensive tone. The words carried clear belligerence, like a drunk responding to someone who asked him to give up a bottle.
Holli realized that humans didn't normally answer in such a manner unless they didn't like the question. She did not wish to antagonize the spell caster, but she continued trying to place the mystery in perspective and certain aspects remained cloudy-such as why some humans would stay in a hostile environment while others would flee.
"The town is teeming with dark creatures," she offered.
"It doesn't bother me."
"But it is more than an inconvenience, you have to admit that. The inferns are dangerous-you've already acknowledged that-and your talents in casting of spells are being limited."
"Only if I let them. As you know, I'm being careful."
"Casting spells of limited power in close quarters is more than just being careful."
Brenn frowned, but quickly nodded.
"You're right. I am limited in what I can do here." He then painted the true picture as he saw it. "But where can I go? The valleys are becoming more dangerous by the day. Inferns are watching the borders and I have no idea why. Maybe they are looking for magic casters seeking to escape."
These, however, were hollow excuses of fear, and Brenn moved past them to his true reasons, reasons he spoke of with greater passion, a passion that matched his previous hostility.
"This is my home. My desire to stay here is greater than any wish to experiment with magic. If I really wanted to expand my powers, I could leave here on a carriage of flames pulled by horses of pure fire. You know I could, but I choose not to. This is my home! What do I care about goblins, inferns… even limits on spells? I am content here. Why should I leave?"
Holli remembered the farmer she first spoke to after entering the valleys. He stayed because he wasn't going to give up his land. Clearly, Brenn felt much the same way about his home, but what about the other inhabitants of Ashlan, Huntston, and all the other small towns and farming communities in the Great Valleys? Some people were leaving, heading across the great central plain in droves. Yet, some were holding their ground.
"If that is how you feel, then you should not leave," Holli finally answered. "You have to do what you feel is right. I would assume those that have left their homes also did what they believed was right."
"Or they just ran," Brenn asserted, almost as if to endorse the courage of his own decision. "They packed up and took off, but where did they go? West? What's out there but empty plains and then mountains."
"And why do you think they left? Did their homes mean less to them?"
For the first time, Brenn appeared more than just hesitant in answering. Anxiety flushed his face and he stumbled over his words.
"No… maybe… I don't know. They were worried about… there was just too much going on."
"Too much of what?"
"Too much of everything. Too many goblins, too many inferns, just too much trouble."
That was all Brenn was going to say and Holli knew it. She was about to leave, believing she learned as much as the sorcerer was going to allow and there was no point in pressing Brenn further. Before she left, however, she refocused her attention on the question that brought her to the spell caster in the first place.
"Do you know the magic is being manipulated all around the city?"
"I do."
"May I ask what you sense?"
"The magic is being bent inward and then released. I assume you sense the same?"
"Yes. Any ideas on what is causing it?"
"I have not tried to track the flow or analyze it, if that's what you're asking."
Holli noticed the resoluteness had vanished from Brenn's voice once more. He wasn't falling back on belligerence again-or fear-but he was holding something back.
"That was not my question. I have already followed the path of energies in hopes of finding an explanation. I know that is futile. I asked if you had any ideas about it."
"What good are vague guesses?"
"You are being evasive."
"If I am, it's because I don't see how my guesses can help you in any material way. They're just that… guesses. Nothing more."
"But they are worth more than my guesses," Holli countered. "You have lived in Ashlan… spent time here. You have worked with the magic under the circumstances I have described. You must
have some perspective toward the anomaly."
Brenn was growing tired of the questions. The elf was not an invited guest, she was a trespasser. Unfortunately, she was also linked to a wizard of phenomenal power and Brenn did not wish to make an enemy of the guard of Enin. He also understood that she held him at an advantage. The elf knew he experimented with spells and that could cause him more trouble than he wanted. He decided to answer her question in a way that would make her come to her own conclusion.
"Fine, you want a guess? Think about it. What's the magic doing? It's bending into the city and then leaving, but what does it feel like to you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I asked. What does it feel like?"
In allowing the magic to pass through her essence, Holli could understand its flow and the potential distortion caused by spell casters. Throughout Ashlan, she sensed the bending of the magic, but there was no hidden spell, no taint. It was pure, but it was also concentrated and that came from the simple truth that magic was being directed into the city. In her mind, it simply felt like magical energy-nothing more and nothing less.
"It does not feel like anything. It is magic."
"Oh, come on. You're not thinking. Does the magic feel the same outside the city?"
"Yes. It is exactly the same."
"No, it's not," Brenn corrected her.
Holli disagreed.
"But it is. It is just stronger here because…"
"Stop right there. If it's stronger than it's not the same."
"That's not what I am talking about," Holli stated. "There is no influence inside the magic. It is not being shaped into some spell or used to power some enchantment. It is simply being directed into the city. I admit it is flowing in great quantities, but…"
"That's the difference!"
"I do not understand."
"It's like a shove, a push, a reminder."
Holli began to see. While there was no spell or enchanted item that was attempting to utilize the magic or to alter it for some distinct purpose, the flow of magic itself offered a possible explanation. The magic was being drawn into the city and released, but such a directive was, in itself, a distortion to the magic.
"The magic is being turned into Ashlan to let those that are sensitive to the energy know that the power moves through the entire city," Holli finally admitted. "But why?"
Brenn agreed with the assumption, but would go no further.
"And for that I don't even have a guess," he said with certain finality.
Holli might have pressed him for more, but she never got the chance. Just as Brenn made his declaration, the single signal of Ryson's beacon stones became two distinct pulses. She knew he had discarded one of the stones. She was not supposed to meet him until the following night. Ryson was calling out to her, which meant he had information for her or he was in trouble. She could not delay in finding him, even if it meant leaving certain questions about the magic unanswered.
"Thank you, Brenn," she said as she turned to the window to leave.
"Thank me by not returning. Enin or not, I think trouble is following you and I don't want to be caught in it."
"Very well," Holli offered. "I will leave you be."
Brenn hoped that was the case. Goblins and inferns were an inconvenience he could accept. He bristled, however, at the thought of being forced from his home, or worse, struggling against powers that made inferns seem like nothing more than harmless camp fires in some distant park.
Chapter 12
"Didn't mean to wake you."
"It's okay. Just taking a little rest."
"I'm sorry it's so late, but it's getting more and more difficult to see you," Sy Fenden said, barely attempting to hide his frustration.
The captain of Burbon's guard had passed through throngs of people and questioned dozens. Connel was bursting with crowds and activity. Just finding Enin had been an accomplishment. After wasting an entire afternoon and much of the evening on fruitless searches, Sy eventually located the wizard dozing in a temporary office set up to handle delivery contracts with farmers far to the east.
"I know, I know," Enin offered in an apologetic voice. He fought back a yawn as he tried to explain. "It's not that I'm avoiding you. There's just so much going on. I've got humans on one side and dwarves on the…"
"I understand," Sy interrupted, "Really, I do. I've just made my way through the southeastern section of the city. I saw the people. I also know the kinds of problems this is causing you. I'm dealing with it myself, and I don't have a lot of time. It's late and I have to get back to Burbon, but we have a big problem and I need your help."
Despite the fact that the wizard faced growing demands from many directions, Enin did not show any exasperation at the news. He even seemed to wipe away any sign of fatigue. He stood up and walked directly over to Sy showing a determination to listen to the request.
The wizard had taken on a great deal of responsibility in Connel, not that he assumed any true authority. He let the city's mayor and council make the decisions as to policy, and he allowed the city's soldiers to coordinate the safety needs, but he offered his services and his near infinite magical abilities to assist in all matters. He offered himself as an asset to be utilized for Connel's welfare, and with the growth of the city, his talents served many.
The dwarves' presence had increased dramatically, as did the trade between Dunop and Connel. Pioneers and merchants flocked to the city, but it did not end there. The wave of refugees from the Great Valleys grew daily with no sign of abatement. Enin's guidance-born of a his unique perception-assisted in reducing conflicts and in maintaining a semblance of order. His talents with magic enhanced the city's ability to manage the robust growth, and it seemed every day brought ten new requests for his aid.
It would have been more than understandable if Enin sighed in frustration at Sy's appeal. One more request was like another straw on the camel's back. The wizard, however, disregarded any such selfish distress. Instead, he revealed genuine concern toward the well-being of Burbon.
"The town is in some kind of danger?"
"It's the refugees."
At that, the wizard appeared almost relieved.
"Yes, it is a problem, but I assure you I am focused on that crisis. As you saw, we're inundated with them here as well. Feeding them has not been an easy prospect, but I'm working on that issue right now." He waved over a slew of papers strewn across a makeshift table. "I can add Burbon's needs to these delivery contracts. I assure you, you won't run out of food."
"I appreciate that, but it's not just the food."
Enin's mind fixed upon the issue, and his thoughts-as they were known to do quite often-took their own direction.
"Yes, yes, yes, we have to understand the cause of the problem. You know I'm working on that as well. I have Holli and Ryson out searching for answers. Once I know the truth behind the troubles in the Great Valleys, we can stop the exodus and perhaps start returning many of these people back home. It's just that…"
"I don't think you understand," Sy interrupted again. "My problem is an immediate one and I can't wait. Look, I see what's going on here. I know refugees are pouring into Connel, but Connel's a city that's growing with the help of dwarf construction. I'm talking about Burbon. We're a small town, a town that we had to wall off for protection against the creatures in Dark Spruce. We have a limit to how many people we can hold."
"Have you really reached that limit?"
"You tell me. You can see them if you use one of those sight spells. You don't have to take my word for it."
"No need for that. I always trust your judgment. How bad is it really?"
"Bad. We've got people camping outside the wall. We bring them in, but the empty space just fills up again. Goblins make raids and take their food, but it's not going to end there. It's an invitation for every shag and river rogue to show up for dinner."
"That does seem dangerous."
"It's getting worse every day.
More keep coming." Sy then fixed a stare upon the wizard's face. He didn't want to place blame, but he had to make certain Enin understood the crux of the problem. "They think they're safe at Burbon… even out in the open… even with Dark Spruce within sight. They believe you're watching over the town."
"I do, you know," Enin said almost apologetically. "I haven't forgotten about my first home. I know I spend all of my time here in Connel. I even brought my dogs here, but I always keep an eye on Burbon."
"I know… and so do they, but there's no room for them."
"No room," Enin announced more to himself, as if he began to see the true issue. "Yes, I can imagine. Your wall sets a boundary. We have a wall here, too. The old stone bulwark built eons ago by the dwarves. They remain very proud of it. I think that's why they're so willing to work with Connel. There's a genuine link here."
Sy did not wish to downplay the relationship with the dwarves, but he needed to address his own problem before Enin wandered too far off on another tangent.
"That's fine for the dwarves, but what about Burbon? We can't just build outside and beyond the wall like they did here in Connel. We don't have the resources to defend outside the wall. We start putting up shacks that we can't protect and that really would be like ringing a dinner bell."
Enin let out a heavy breath-not a sigh of frustration, but a realization that the problem required more of his focus. He placed an image of Burbon in his mind. He didn't cast a sight spell that would allow him to see the specific conditions, but he allowed the reflection of magic to fill his consciousness with the proper perspective.
A general image of the small town filled the wizard's thoughts. He could see the straight roads and the evenly spaced houses. He saw order in design, and stability in practice. The walls and towers surrounding the town offered defense, but they also placed strict limits on the population.
"Hmm… lack of space is what it really comes down to. I wonder if I could address that with a spell. I don't think I'd want to actually alter the geography. The consequences would be worse than the original problem. The walls would probably collapse… buildings, too."