Unsuspecting Mage

by Brian S. Pratt

  Stepping back out of the alley, he turns in the direction indicated by the compass and proceeds down the street. Trying to maintain a course as true as possible to the direction indicated by the compass, he eventually comes to a dead end against the inner surface of Cardri’s middle protective wall.

  The pointer continues indicating Perrilin’s position to be somewhere on the other side. James quickly makes his way to the gate and passes through Cardri’s middle wall and enters its outer ring. From there he once again allows the compass to lead the way.

  Down several streets and passing around various buildings, his search comes to a stop again as he comes up against the inner surface of the outer wall. There is no denying the truth of what the compass is telling: Perrilin lies somewhere outside of Cardri. Making his way to Cardri’s main gates, James leaves the city.

  The compass leads him through the buildings built outside the city’s protective wall, to the outskirts of Cardri. When he reaches the last building before entering the countryside, the compass still directs him on.

  James contemplates returning to the inn for his horse, but discards that idea. Moving out, he enters the countryside with the plan to continue on until an hour before nightfall. If he doesn’t come across the bard by then, he’ll return to the inn and set out on horseback the following day.

  Now that he no longer has to wend his way through crowded streets and around buildings, he’s able to progress much faster. Hours of trudging through fields later finds him cresting one of the many rolling hills dotting the area. He pauses when a farmhouse comes into view on the far side of the hill. A glance to the compass reveals the pointer directing him straight toward the abandoned looking building.

  The farmhouse has seen better days. One side of the roof sags in precariously and the front door sits slightly askew, with only the lower hinge still attaching it to the door frame. The ground surrounding the house is choked with weeds and appears not to have been tended by anyone for quite a while. Behind the house sits a barn which is in slightly better shape, though still bears the appearance of disuse.

  Despite the look of abandonment, a small plume of smoke makes its way from the farmhouse’s chimney. The faint sound of horses can also be heard coming from the barn. James quickly returns back down the hill until he no longer casts a silhouette against the afternoon sky. He then keeps low as he carefully makes his way around the farm, doing his best not to be observed by anyone that may be in the house or barn. As he circles around the farmhouse, he keeps an eye on the compass. As he moves, so does the compass, continuously pointing toward the structure.

  Satisfied that he knows where Perrilin is, he finds a place amidst tall grass from where he can keep an eye on the house yet remain unobserved should anyone be about. The sun is low in the sky, he hadn’t realized that his trek out here had taken so much time, but it seems that sunset is only an hour or so away. He settles into his hiding place and waits for the coming of dark. If Perrilin is in that farmhouse then it can only mean that he’s in trouble and when darkness comes he’ll see what he can do. Guards on business of the city would have taken him to the jail. The fact that he was taken here could only bode ill.

  He keeps an eye on the farmhouse for the next hour until the sun sets and the light begins to fade. Just as the sun dips below the horizon, a man emerges through the front door of the farmhouse and makes his way toward the barn. This is no farmer! The man has the look of a street tough and carries a sword at his hip. James watches through the tall grass as the man crosses to, and then enters, the barn. Before James can make up his mind whether or not to investigate what the man is doing, the barn door swings open and the man heads back toward the farmhouse.

  What is going on? he wonders. And should he even get involved? If it wasn’t for the need he felt to enter the Royal Archives, he would turn around and get out of there. But, he needed information and it appeared Perrilin may be his only avenue through which he could get it. Plus, he liked the bard. During the evening they spent together on the road he found him to be a friendly, and good-natured individual. He couldn’t leave without finding out what was going on, things did not feel right. Settling down in the grass once more, he waited for the coming of night at which time he would find out what was going on. Making himself comfortable, he waited.

  The barn was quiet as he approached under the cover of darkness. Peering through an open window, he discovered six horses occupying the stalls. Except for the horses the barn was deserted, their owners must be within the farmhouse. Leaving the barn, he carefully makes his way to the side of the farmhouse, doing his best not to stumble over anything in the dark. Coming to one of the windows through which light was emerging, he carefully looks through.

  On the other side he sees an empty room with a single doorway on the opposite wall. The light coming through the window originates from the room on the other side of the doorway. It looks to be the main room of the house. Four men are taking their ease on a couch and a couple of chairs. A fifth man stands in the middle of the room with his back to James.

  The man stands there for several seconds before stepping to the side. James gasps in shock to discover the man had been standing in front of a chair. And bound to the chair is the object of his search. Perrilin.

  The bard looks the worse for wear. His left eye is swollen shut and what’s left of his shirt is red with blood. James watches while the four men joke and laugh but can’t make out what is being said. The fifth man returns to stand before Perrilin and says something to him. Perrilin doesn’t respond, simply sits there and stares at him with a defiant look. The man says something else then strikes the bard across the face, snapping his head to the side.

  Perrilin brings his head back up and continues staring defiantly back at his tormentor while blood drips from the corner of his mouth. The man who struck Perrilin walks over to the fireplace and pulls out a red hot poker lying amongst the coals. He then turns and walks back to stand in front of Perrilin where he holds the poker a few inches from the bard’s face. After giving Perrilin a moment to contemplate the implied threat the poker poses, the man begins speaking once more.

  Not waiting to see more, James hurries to the front door and picks up several stones along the way. Steeling himself for what he plans to do, he pauses a moment as he reaches the door. Taking a few deep, calming breaths, he lays his hand upon the door. Words issue forth as he casts a spell, and at the utterance of the final word, the door explodes inward, shards of wood flying everywhere.

  The men turn as one to see James standing framed within the doorway as pieces of the door fly about them. He casts another spell and two stones fly with magic induced speed, striking two of the captors in the chest before the men have time to react. Exploding out their backs in a grisly display, the stones embed themselves into the wall.

  The one who had been questioning Perrilin reacts first and throws the hot poker at James. He then draws his sword and advances upon him. The remaining two break for other rooms of the house and are soon out of sight.

  Jumping to the side to avoid the thrown poker, James takes his last stone and cast his spell as he throws it at the approaching man. By a stroke of ill fated luck, the man moves his sword at just the right time and the stone strikes the blade snapping it in two. Throwing his broken sword to the ground, the man draws his dagger and charges.

  Not wanting to stay and withstand the charge of this bull of a man coming straight at him, James turns and runs back out into the dark. When he reaches a point where he is no longer illuminated by the light coming through the door, he turns abruptly and quickly makes his way back toward the side of the house.

  He reaches the side of the house just as the man emerges at a run through the doorway. Glancing around, the man tries to determine where James has gone, but his eyes have yet to adjust to the dark. James’ breath freezes in his lungs as the man’s eyes rove over the very spot where he hides. Then the man abruptly turns in the opposite direction of where James stands motionles
s and runs around the side of the house.

  Not able to believe his luck at not being seen, James begins backing away from the door, all the while keeping against the side of the house as he plans his next move. To cast a spell would require him to give away his position as he spoke the words. But he may not have much choice if he wants to survive this encounter.

  Suddenly, the sound of footsteps comes toward him from out of the dark. He holds still against the side of the house and remains absolutely quiet, hardly daring to breathe.

  In the dark not more than a foot away, he discerns a shadow in the form of a man’s silhouette. The shadow slowly makes his way past where James hides in the dark, the light from the stars reflecting off the bare blade of the sword the shadow holds. The man comes to a stop, his head cocking first to one side and then the other as if he’s listening for something.

  Then without warning the sword strikes. Dodging the blow, James jumps to the side as the blade comes to within inches of where his head had been but a split second before. Losing his balance, he hits the ground and rolls quickly away. The man turns toward the sound of him rolling on the ground and advances upon him quickly with sword poised to strike.

  James rolls several more times, then comes to a stop on his back. Looking up, he sees the man almost upon him, the moonlight glinting off the bare metal raised to end his life. In a moment of panic he thrusts his hand toward the man, and as a mental picture flashes through of the man flying through the air away from him, he shouts “Away!” Feeling a surge of power, the man is picked up by a force of air and flung away from him. Striking the side of the house, the man smashes through to the other side. The force of the impact shatters bones and pulps flesh.

  The jagged hole in the side of the house spills light onto where James lies on the ground. As he begins getting to his feet, a crossbow bolt embeds itself in the ground where his chest had just been. He looks around and sees the man who had been interrogating Perrilin framed in a window to the right, winding a crossbow to fire again. Placing another bolt in place, he then swings it to bear once more at James.

  Picturing the crossbow in his mind, he envisions its crosswire snapping. This time without even vocalizing the words of a spell, he lets thought guide the magic as he lets loose a surge of power. Twang! The crosswire breaks. Snapping back, it catches the man across the right side of his face. Crying out in pain, the man lets fall the crossbow as he disappears back into the house.

  A quick scan reveals no other men in sight. Moving stealthily, James makes his way over to the hole in the wall and peers in around the edge. Nothing but the dead man is visible. Ever so carefully he climbs through the hole and makes his way into the room. There he comes to the dead man’s side and takes his knife. Now with the added confidence of having a blade in hand, he cautiously approaches the doorway leading to the main room wherein Perrilin is being held.

  He looks in to find Perrilin still bound in the chair. Head lolled forward, the bard looks dead but for the gentle rise and fall of his chest. Not seeing anyone else in the room, James waits for a second as he tries to ascertain where the other two men are.

  A noise behind him causes him to turn to see one of the captors climbing in through the hole in the wall, sword at the ready and coming at him.

  James visualizes the knife flying and striking the man. Letting loose with the power, he throws. Guided by magic, the knife sails through the air and strikes the man in the center of the chest, puncturing his heart. His sword falls from his lifeless hand as his body lurches backward out of the hole in the wall, coming to land on the ground outside.

  Verging on the brink of exhaustion due to all the magic he’s been throwing around, James leans against the wall for a second to catch his breath, all the while keeping an eye out for the remaining captor. Then from outside he hears the sound of a galloping horse. Rushing to the hole in the wall, he looks out just in time to see the remaining captor racing past the house. As he rides past, their eyes lock and James sees a red welt oozing blood running from his hairline to his jaw, crossing over the right eye. Their gazes lock for a moment longer before the man is swallowed by the night.

  James returns to the main room and comes over to Perrilin. “Are you alright?” he asks as he starts untying Perrilin’s bonds.

  Perrilin raises his head to see who is talking to him and is surprised when he realizes who it is. “No,” he replies, “but I’ll live.”

  “Who were these guys?” James asks. Removing the rest of the bonds, he helps Perrilin to his feet. A little unsteady, he requires James’ help to remain upright.

  Perrilin doesn’t answer right away. Instead he looks over the men lying dead on the floor. “Did you get them all?” he asks.

  “No, one got away on horseback,” James replies. “It was the man who had been questioning you.”

  “Then we need to get out of here before he brings back others,” Perrilin manages to say just as his knees buckle and he once again sinks into unconsciousness.

  Taking the man in his arms, James struggles to carry him out to the barn where he lays him down in the straw while he saddles two of the horses. Once he has them saddled, he attempts to rouse Perrilin, but is unsuccessful. He lifts him from the straw and places him across the saddle on his stomach, then proceeds to secure him with rope to keep him from falling off on their return to Cardri. Once he’s sure Perrilin is secured, he mounts the other horse and takes the reins of Perrilin’s. Leading the other horse from the barn, he heads in the general direction of Cardri.

  It doesn’t take nearly as long to return to town as it had when he left in search of Perrilin. As the lights of the city begin to appear in the distance ahead, a groan comes from the bard. A glance reveals Perrilin is beginning to stir. Bringing the horses to a stop, he dismounts and goes over to discover Perrilin is once again conscious with eyes open. “Can you ride?” James asks. Perrilin nods affirmatively.

  Taking a moment, he unties Perrilin and helps him upright into the saddle. Once he’s sure Perrilin is coherent enough to remain erect and isn’t likely to fall off, he remounts and they continue on into Cardri.

  During their approach to the outskirts of Cardri, James realizes he’s in a dilemma. How will he get Perrilin into Cardri without anyone knowing? If the guards at the gate recognize Perrilin, or just report that someone in his condition passed through, then the hunt may be on.

  He slows his horse’s pace as he ponders the situation. They reach the outlying buildings, and after traversing several blocks, the gate comes into view. It is well lit and two guards stand vigil.

  Agonizing over how to get in, he suddenly hears the sound of drunken singing coming from the intersection of streets ahead of them. James reins up some distance away and waits to see what’s going on. Around the corner appear four rather drunken men, singing and sharing bottles as they stagger up the street. Their destination seems to be the gate into the city which gives him an idea.

  “Oh my god, Reggie,” one of the guards says to his partner as he looks at the men coming up the road toward them. “Would you look at what’s coming down the street?”

  “Looks like they had a good one tonight,” Reggie says.

  “Yeah, so much so that one of them can’t even walk,” the first guard laughs.

  The two guards look on in amusement as the six men, one who needs to be supported by two of his companions, come staggering up and then through the gate into the city. They watch as the group meanders away down the street and are soon out of sight but not out of hearing as their off key caterwauling echoes through the night.

  Once past the guards and out of sight, James quickly disengages himself and Perrilin from the drunks. They make their way through the streets to the second gate, ducking into alleys whenever a patrol of the city watch comes by.

  They finally reach the second gate and find two guards on duty. Both are looking rather bored but otherwise alert. James watches from the shadows of an alley for a while, but no opportunity presents itself
they can take advantage of to get through the gate unnoticed. Perrilin rests with eyes closed against the wall of the alley, passing from being conscious to unconscious and back again as James considers his options.

  Afraid of trying something like this, but unable to think of any other way, he scans the area to make sure no one is approaching before he begins. He concentrates on a visualization of the guards becoming tired, then drifting off to sleep. The power wells up and flows toward the men. The flow of power is small and subtle, taking a small amount of time to work its affect. Soon, the men begin yawning and their eyes start to blink. First one then the other slumps down and drift off to sleep.

  Helping Perrilin up, James bears much of the bard’s weight as they make their way through the gate, passing within a foot of the sleeping guards. Once they are past and far enough from the gate so as not to be noticed, James stops the spell but the guards fail to reawaken. Not wanting them to get into trouble on his account, he leaves Perrilin sitting against the side of a candle maker’s shop while he returns to the gate. Stopping some distance away, he picks up a small rock and tosses it toward the sleeping guards. It bangs into the wall then ricochets off the head of one. Startled, the guard wakes up, suddenly realizing that he had been asleep and gets up fast. Then he notices his partner lying nearby and kicks him in the leg to wake him. Satisfied they won’t get into trouble because of him, he returns to Perrilin and with the bard still leaning heavily upon him, head for the Silver Bells.

  When they reach the inn, James can hear that the common room is still packed with the evening crowd. Above the voices and the occasional laughter wafts the sound of a bard or minstrel. Going around to the back, he finds an area steep in shadow where he leaves Perrilin.