“Are you going to be home for a while this time?” asked Della.
“I sure hope so,” answered Kazin. “Why?”
Della hesitated. “Well, something strange has been going on lately. First of all, my invisibility cloak is missing. I know I could have misplaced it or something, but then I noticed something else was missing as well.”
“What’s that?” asked Kazin.
“The coin box that we store in the study over the fireplace is gone,” said Della. “Only, I don’t know if it was gone recently or not, because I never really paid any attention to it in the first place.”
“Well, I certainly didn’t move it,” said Kazin. “Why don’t we go inside and take a look?”
“O.K.,” said Della.
Della and Kazin went upstairs and entered the study. Kazin immediately went over to the fireplace and checked the mantel where the box had originally been.
“No doubt it’s been stolen,” mused Kazin after a moment. “Did you notice anything else missing?”
“No,” said Della, “Unless I missed something.”
Kazin nodded and proceeded to check the bookshelves. The books were all there. He checked his warding spells and discovered that one of his shelves was no longer warded. He turned to the elf. “You haven’t touched any of the magic books while I was gone, have you?”
Della shook her head. “No. You know I have no use for them.”
Kazin nodded. “Interesting. Whoever took the coin box probably tampered with my magic books. I’m surprised they managed to disable my hidden magical warding. The fact that they didn’t reactivate the ward means they were either in a hurry, didn’t care, or didn’t know how it was done.” Kazin frowned. “My guess would be the latter. It’s not an easy spell to manage.”
“What would have happened if they didn’t disable the magical warding?” asked Della.
“They would have been put to sleep for a couple of days,” answered Kazin. “That would give you time to report the intruder to the elven guard, and hopefully give me enough time to return home to question him or her.”
“Well, at least they didn’t get away with much,” said Della. “I really loved that cloak, though,” she added sadly. “It was nice and warm at night when you weren’t here.”
Kazin put his arm around the elf. “I’m here now, Della. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”
Then an idea occurred to the mage. “Wait a minute! What if the thief who broke into the study also stole your cloak? If he was put to sleep by my warding spell, he could be lying here right now!” He quickly pulled some spell components from his robe and chanted a spell. Everything magical in the room glowed with a greenish light.
“I don’t see anything unusual,” said Della. She shivered. “I hate to think that the thief is still around here. It was about four days ago that the cloak went missing. If he were watching me all this time -.”
“It was only a hunch,” put in Kazin. “I didn’t mean to alarm you. Chances are the thief is long gone.”
“I hope so,” said Della. She shivered again.
“There’s only one way to find out,” said Kazin purposefully. He withdrew his staff from his back holster and waved it around, scanning each room of the house, as well as the yard outside. He cast numerous spells until everything magical both in and out of the house glowed with a greenish light.
“There’s no sign of our intruder or your cloak,” said Kazin at last. “He - or she - is long gone.”
“Could the intruder have evaded you?” asked Della. “They must have some magical skill if they gained access to your books.”
“No,” said Kazin. “Not even a mage could avoid a search like this.”
Della breathed a sigh of relief. “I hope whoever it was doesn’t come back.”
“I’ll change the enchantments on everything in case they do,” said Kazin. “They won’t succeed again.”
Della finally smiled. She grabbed Kazin by the hand and pulled him into the house. “Let’s go inside. I’ll make your favorite meal!”
“Mmm!” exclaimed Kazin. “I’m famished! I have the appetite of a dragon.” He followed Della into the house and closed the door behind him.
Chapter 3
Alric stepped into the Square on Skull Island and for the first time since entering the human’s realm was impressed. Unlike the plain, straight streets of the cities along the Simal River, Skull Island had a shifting array of winding streets and roads. All of these roads eventually led to what was known as the Square.
The Square was a busy marketplace, bordered on three sides by vendor shops and on the fourth by the well-known Tower of Sorcery. In the Square’s center was a beautiful mermaid fountain. The mermaid stretched its arms out as if to greet passers-by, making all feel welcome. Branching away from the fountain were numerous avenues of carefully tended shrubs, plants, and flowers. Alternating with the vegetation were long, wooden benches where travelers of all kinds could sit and eat, chat, or simply relax.
Alric walked up to the mermaid fountain and admired the expert craftsmanship and design. Whoever had made this statue had gone to great lengths to enhance every little detail, from the scales on the tail to the sparkling blue eyes that stared back at him. The eyes seemed to penetrate deep into his very soul, as though questioning who he was and what he did. The elf shivered and started past the statue, but stopped suddenly and returned his attention to the mermaid’s eyes. They still stared back at him. When he moved, the eyes continued to scrutinize him. Were the eyes following him?
Finally Alric shook his head and turned his back on the statue. Ridiculous, he thought. It must have been his imagination. He thought instead about the street value of the mermaid’s eyes. Those orbs would fetch a healthy sum indeed! He would have to undertake that project another time.
Before Alric knew it, the Tower of Sorcery loomed up before him. He looked up at the multi-domed tower and was impressed with its flawless obsidian domes. A tapered pinnacle rose from the center of the structure, indicating the heart of black magic in the human realm.
Alric wished his people would accept black magic as humans had - indeed, that was the purpose of the black magic society back home. The elves in general were too peace-loving, and black magic went against their beliefs. It was also against their law. But not all elves agreed with this philosophy, so the black magic society was formed. Over the years, the society became larger and more organized. At present, nearly 7 percent of the elven population was involved in some way with the society. But there was far more work to be done before the society could come out in the open. It would be a long time before black magic was accepted among the elves as it was among the humans.
Now, Alric was anxious to see what was in the vaunted Tower of Sorcery. The mage who had sent him on this errand had told him the invisibility cloak would gain him access into the tower. It was what happened next, however, that concerned him. What kind of dungeon would he be transported to? Would he be able to escape without being discovered? Could he find the drop off point for the package?
All these things flashed through his mind as he prepared to enter the tower. His cloak was in place. Could he do this? He had never backed out of a job before. He wouldn’t start now. Alric steeled himself and took one step, then another. Each step brought him closer to the tower’s entrance - a narrow tunnel of pitch blackness that supposedly prevented anyone but a mage from entering. With each step he became more and more confident. By the time he reached the tunnel’s entrance, he was walking almost casually. He even grinned as he took a final step and walked through the entrance. There was simply a falling sensation …
“Are you sure the intruder alarm went off?” asked Arch Mage Dalman. Dalman was a young but serious man with dark eyes and a rather long, pointed nose.
“I’m absolutely certain of it,” answered a short, nervous-looking mage. He scratched his bulbous nose anxiously. “I double-checked the rooms but they were all empty.”
“Did you go righ
t inside?” asked Dalman. “Someone might have been hiding next to the door where you can’t see them through the grate.”
“I - I suppose you could be right,” stammered the short man.
Dalman sighed. “Come. We will check together.”
The short man followed the arch mage down the corridor and had to run to keep up with the taller man’s long strides. They arrived at the first of a number of cells where intruders were teleported the instant they succeeded in entering the tower. Arch Mage Dalman removed the spell blocking the door and then unlocked it with a key. As the arch mage opened the door, he spoke a word of magic and caused the entire cell to light up as bright as day. With the exception of the two mages, the cell was empty.
“One down, several more to go,” said the arch mage. He turned to the shorter mage. “Why don’t you check out the even numbered cells? I’ll do the odd ones. As you can see, there’s nothing to fear.”
“Y-Yes Sir,” said the short mage.
As the short mage hurried off, Arch Mage Dalman thought he felt a slight gust of wind pass by him. Curious, he did a magical spell check in the cell but there was no magical signature. Apparently satisfied, he locked up the cell and replaced the spell to block the door. Then he hurried down the corridor to the next odd numbered cell.
Alric looked back over his shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief. He had just had enough room to squeeze by the arch mage and enter the corridor. Had he not moved when he did, he would have been discovered by the arch mage’s spell. Worse still, he could have been resealed in the cell and left to die, with no one the wiser - except maybe the mysterious mage who was expecting him to do a job for him. Alric shuddered at the thought.
The thief didn’t have time to dwell on this as he caught up with the short mage, who was just entering another cell. Alric waited until the mage was inside before hurrying past the room and down the corridor. He walked until he came to a set of doors barring his way. The doors were unlocked, so he opened them very slowly to see what was beyond. A corridor led up a series of stairs into the blackness. The elf nimbly ran up the stairs and arrived at another door. Beyond lay another corridor, this one considerably wider. Torches lined the walls, lighting the way for anyone who happened along.
No one was around, so Alric entered the corridor confidently. He only went a short distance before reaching an open area which bisected several other corridors almost identical to his own. He approached one corridor entrance and listened. Nothing. Another corridor had faint sounds and, judging by the occasional word he could make out, it was a magic class of some sort. A third corridor had the sound of chairs scraping amidst a murmur of voices. The next corridor was silent, and Alric chose this one to explore. He passed many rooms on both sides. Some doors were open, revealing simply furnished rooms with tables and chairs. Some rooms had their doors closed and the sounds of voices echoed from within.
Alric quickly reached the end of the corridor and was presented with another open area, identical to the one he had just left behind. The thief was beginning to despair of finding his destination when two mages exited one of the tunnels bisecting his own. Holding still, Alric waited as they passed him unknowingly. The mages were joking about the food in the tower’s cafeteria. Apparently they were going to get something to eat. A grin spread across the thief’s face as he followed the two mages. Perhaps this wouldn’t take so long after all.
The trek through the tower had its tense moments as Alric followed his two guides. They passed numerous other mages and Alric had to press against the wall to avoid being walked into on more than one occasion. There was even one time when he thought he had been discovered. An old arch mage paused and turned around when the thief walked past. He looked straight at Alric as though he could see him. The thief held perfectly still, and patience won out as the old mage finally resumed his original course. Alric made a mental note to avoid arch mages if possible.
Finally the thief followed the two mages into the cafeteria. There were quite a few mages seated at the tables eating, studying books, or chatting quietly. Alric paid no attention to them. He looked around for the kitchen and found it across from the entrance he had come in by. Skirting the tables in the cafeteria, he headed for the kitchen.
Several cooks were at work here, and Alric had little room to maneuver to get past them. Finally he succeeded. He headed for the pantry in the back and, as luck would have it, the pantry doors were open. He examined the contents until he found the shelf devoted to the ingredients he was looking for. This was it. Alric reached into his pouch and was about to complete his task when he heard a cook coming up behind him. The thief had to shape his body to the contours of the room as an overweight cook arrived at the pantry shelf.
“It’s on the top shelf,” said a nearby cook.
The fat one looked up. “Got it.” He reached up and picked up a jar of spice. Turning around, he called out, “You’d better order some more spice. This won’t be enough for tomorrow’s gathering.”
“Most of the master and arch mages will be here,” said the nearby cook. “We should double our usual order.”
“Will do,” said a third cook from up front. “I’ll write it down right away.”
The fat cook by the pantry chuckled. “We’ll be working in crowded quarters when we’re on full staff tomorrow.”
“Not if you take the day off,” jibed another cook.
The fat one laughed. “You can’t handle the pressure without me and you know it!”
“Very funny,” said the other cook.
The fat cook continued to chuckle as he finally left the pantry to continue his discussion in the kitchen, much to the relief of Alric.
Fearful the fat cook would return again soon, Alric withdrew the jar he had been given and placed it on the pantry shelf. The instructions he had been given told him to do just that. The black liquid in the jar seemed out of place amongst the lighter coloured ingredients beside it, but as Alric watched, the liquid changed colour to match its counterparts. The jar itself changed in appearance as well, shaping itself to be identical to the others on the shelf. They all looked alike. He marveled at the magic that had happened before his eyes. Only a powerful mage could create such complex magic. The mage who had sent him on this errand had him curious before. Now he was impressed.
Eager to get out of the tower, Alric rubbed his ring. He wanted to meet the mysterious mage again. He needed some answers.
The sunlight was almost blinding as Alric reappeared in the Square. He was off to one side of the tower, away from the busier areas. Across from him sat the mysterious mage. On the mage’s lap was an open book. Beside him on the bench was a small leather pouch. The mage appeared to be reading the book, unaware of the thief’s presence.
Alric decided to remain invisible a while longer. This way he might learn something he would otherwise not. Approaching cautiously, he examined what the mage was reading. It was a magic book. The ingredients and incantations for a lightning bolt spell were displayed, but to Alric’s surprise, he couldn’t read the writing. What language was the mage reading? It was not elven, and he didn’t recognize any of the symbols as being common to the human’s language. What was it?
The thief had his answer a moment later when the mage reached out to turn the page. Extending from the dark robe’s sleeve was a scaled green, three-fingered hand. It was a lizardmage!
Alric tried unsuccessfully to stifle a gasp.
In one motion, the lizardmage snapped his book shut and rose to his feet. “So!” he hissed. “I see you have discovered my identity! No matter. Our business is almost concluded. Have you completed your task?”
“Yes,” growled Alric, “but had I known who you were, I would not have done it.”
“That is why I didn’t tell you,” sneered the lizardmage. “But all that is too late now. The task is complete. It is time for me to return to my realm in the mountains to the north. Give me back the ring I lent you and you will be paid for your efforts.” He indicated
the leather pouch on the bench.
Alric glanced at the pouch. “What was in the jar you had me deliver?”
The lizardmage hissed. “You’ll find out eventually. Your Dark Magic Society will thank you!”
“You dirty lizard!” growled Alric. He raised his invisible arm and cast a fireball at the lizardmage. But the fireball struck an invisible barrier and deflected harmlessly aside.
The lizardmage grinned evilly and calmly stashed his spell book beneath his cloak. “You are fortunate, thief. I could kill you easily if I wanted to, but I may have need of your services in the future.”
“Never!” screamed the thief in rage.
The lizardmage looked nervously toward the end of the shrubbery, then back in the thief’s general direction. “We’ll see.”
Just as Alric made a desperate lunge at his counterpart, the lizardmage rubbed a ring on his scaly hand and disappeared. Alric landed unceremoniously in the shrubbery behind the bench. When he managed to pull himself clear, he saw two men from the island patrol nearing his location. He saw the leather pouch still on the bench and hesitated only briefly before snatching it up and making good his escape.
As the thief left the Square, he cursed himself for making such a huge mistake. To be manipulated by an elf was one thing. To be controlled by a lizardmage was something else entirely.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t undo what he had done. No one would believe his story about getting in and out of the Tower of Sorcery undetected unless he mentioned the cloak, and that he wasn’t prepared to do. Even if he did, the irrational humans would probably punish him for his actions and imprison him or something.
The elf could only do one thing to regain his integrity. He could use whatever means necessary to track down the lizardmage and make him pay for his treachery. That much he would be only too glad to do.
Cloak & Dagger: Book II of The Dragon Mage Trilogy Page 3