The Jade Mage: The Becoming: Volume 2

by William D. Latoria

  “Some of the men that returned were carpenters, and they salvaged what they could and made quick repairs to one of the wagons. With no horses or oxen left to pull it, the strongest of the men loaded up the survivors and pushed it all the way to Yucoke. It was a slow and difficult journey. Every night I had to heal terrible blisters and sores on the men’s feet and hands. Only for them to injure themselves all over again the next day. When we finally arrived in Yucoke, I looked as I do now. I went to the inn to rest and be away from the survivors for a while. I just wanted to be happy again, Tartum; being around them just felt wrong. The innkeepers took pity on me, they think I’m really an old man. They gave me some free food and drink and told me I could stay there free for a night. They are really nice people! It was then I heard the stories about how you killed the Boggs and saved the town from their evil. It didn’t take me long to figure out it might be you. When I saw Buddy again, I knew for certain. After that, it was a simple matter of convincing Dannurn that I knew you and now here we are. I’m sorry my story wasn’t a happier one, all things being equal, I wish I had been with you this past year. It would seem your luck is far superior to my own.” Vaund finished.

  Tartum sat back as he took in everything Vaund had told him. Looking out the window, he saw that the sun was beginning to rise. Standing up, Tartum placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Well, my young friend, your journey is over. My home is your home, and you’re welcome here for as long as you’d like.”

  Vaund looked up and smiled, “I was hoping you’d say that. Thank you, Tartum, you have no idea how relieved I am to hear it.”

  “Yes, my friend, I have no doubt. Come now, we’ve been up far too long and both of us are tired. Take my bed, I will get my bed roll and sleep in the study. Those old bones of yours need a bed more than I do.” Tartum said good naturedly.

  Vaund shook his head, “No, I get too cold sleeping in your bed. Dannurn brought me a small bed that we set up in your study near the fire. I’m much more comfortable there, and I like having Buddy for company.” he said, suddenly sad. “I tell you, Tartum, I absolutely hate being so old.”

  Tartum didn’t know how to respond to that so he kept silent. Vaund nodded to himself before standing up and walking into the study. “Thank you again, Tartum, you’ve been the best friend I’ve ever had.”

  His words touched him, “And you’ve saved my life more times than I care to count. Not to mention countless others. It’s an honor to share my home with a hero such as yourself. Good night, Vaund, get some rest.” he said.

  Smiling, Vaund pointed towards the window, where the first rays of the sun were peaking through the glass. “Good morning.”

  CHAPTER 40

  When Tartum awoke, it was early afternoon. Climbing out of bed, he found he was far more refreshed than he would have expected to be after only a few hours rest. As it was, he felt energized, and he quickly hopped out of bed. He made his way down the steps to the front room of his home to retrieve his pack. With everything that had happened, he completely forgot to stow the three waterskins of blood he had aquired. Pulling them out of his pack, Tartum tip-toed into his study. He worried Vaund would still be asleep and didn’t want to disturb him. As he entered the room, he saw him curled up on his bed with Buddy sleeping beside him. The sight brought a smile to his face.

  Seeing the chest that contained his collection of components had been moved to the other side of the room, he made his way toward it as silently as he could. A quick inspection found that everything inside had remained intact during the move with only a slight shift in position to indicate they had been disturbed at all.

  Placing the waterskins inside, Tartum was about to close the lid, when Vaund’s voice froze him in place.

  “I meant to ask what you were keeping in there. I couldn’t get inside of it, and Buddy growls at me when I get near it. I feared it was a body.” Vaund said as he sat up on his bed.

  Tartum debated lying to him, the fear of Vaund stealing away all he’d collected terrified him more than death! Scolding himself for being a fool, he reminded himself that Vaund was one of his oldest and most loyal friends. Not seeing any reason to keep the ring a secret from him Tartum was suddenly overwhelmed by the desire to tell him everything. Grinning, Tartum picked up the case containing the scroll and joined Vaund on his bed.

  “This, my friend, is probably what the Bishop raided our compound to find.” he said, as he unraveled the scroll and spread it across his bed sheets. “With this ring, I’ll never need to use spell components again! It will be my finest achievement and make me superior to any caster I encounter!” Tartum explained excitedly. Vaund made no reply. Instead he began intently studing the scroll. After a moment, Tartum began to feel irritated.

  “What do you think?” he asked snidely.

  Vaund fixed him with a doubtful look, “A unioned diamond ring? Troll’s blood? Dragon saliva? A mountain of spell components? Tartum, do you have any idea how hard these things will be to gather? I don’t even know what unioning is!? Not to mention the scroll says the dragon saliva has to come from a live dragon! Have you ever seen one before? Or a troll!? They’re terrifying and will kill you the second you set foot in their lairs! You would be a fool to try!” Vaund said. The concern in his voice amused Tartum.

  “My friend, all I’m missing is the dragon’s spit and to gather some more spell components. I could be ready tomorrow if only I knew the location of a dragon’s lair!” Tartum said wistfully. He wondered if Dannurn had any luck tracking down another guide, hopefully this one would be more reliable than Keves was.

  Vaund’s mouth was hanging open in disbelief, “I don’t believe you! Where did you get the ring?!? Where did you get the blood!?? Is that what is in those waterskins? By the Gods, Tartum!” he said. As he posed his questions, Tartum noticed the tone of respect in his voice increased.

  Tartum related the stories to Vaund about how he had gone about obtaining the ring and the blood. He left no detail out, at this point there was nothing left to hide from him. When he finished, a broad smile had spread across Vaund’s face.

  “So that’s what unioning is…amazing!” Vaund said genuinely impressed, “Gods, Tartum, I wish I had been with you for those adventures! They sound fantastic!”

  Tartum clasped Vaund’s shoulder, “So do I, my friend, your company would have been most welcome.”

  Embarrassed, Vaund returned his attention to the scroll and began reading it once again. Tartum watched him until his growling stomach let him know he was hungry. Leaving Vaund with the scroll, Tartum went to the ktichen to see what he had to eat. He was pleasantly surprised to see that Vaund had stocked his pantry well. After making up a platter of fruits and cheeses for the both of them, he selected a small chicken that had already been cleaned and went to rejoin Vaund. Placing the chicken next to Buddy’s nose, Tartum couldn’t help but grin when his pet woke immediately and began eating the bird. Vaund had picked up the scroll and was studing it eagerly. His brow was furrowed with concentration, which caught Tartum’s attention.

  “Something wrong?” Tartum asked confused. It was rare Vaund became engrossed in anything, let alone a scroll.

  Vaund shook his head, “No, nothing is wrong.” he said more to himself than to Tartum, “Actually, there’s a possibility that everything is right!” He became excited as he looked up from what he was reading.

  Tartum was at a loss, “Care to explain?”

  Laughing, Vaund explained, he was so excited that his words came with the speed of an over eager child. “The scroll says that the ring requires the soul of a humanoid in order to function. It says the soul can be taken against the person’s will but that a willing participant would be much better. It also says as the stronger the caster is with magic, the better he will be at communicating with the soul bound to the ring. The scroll says that the soul will never die and that it will be aware of what is happening around it! Tartum, I want you to use my soul! I want to power your ring!” Vaund said, pra
ctically jumping off the bed in his enthusiasm.

  Tartum was stunned, never would he have thought about using his friend’s soul to power the ring. To be trapped inside another man’s artifact was a hell he wouldn’t wish on his worst enemy, let alone one of his only friends. “No, Vaund. No. I could never allow you to do that. Not you…” Tartum said. The guiding voice began to berate him for declining Vaund’s offer. For the first time since he noticed the voice, Tartum angrily disagreed with it and willed it to be silent. He would have been surprised that the voice obeyed so quickly if he hadn’t been so upset with Vaund.

  Vaund’s face contorted in disappointment, “Why not!? Do you have someone else lined up already? How many willing participants do you have for this spell? How many other people have you told about it?” he asked.

  Tartum shook his head, “That’s not the point. You would be trapped inside that ring forever. You will never die. You will never have your own life. There is no changing your mind once the spell is cast, no counter spell to release you when you realise the hell your asking me to put you in. You would be nothing more than a pawn in another man’s plans. I couldn’t use you like that, Vaund. I just couldn’t.” he said.

  His words did nothing to dissuade him, “I think you’re looking at this the wrong way, Tartum. If you take me up on my offer then you’ll always have me with you. You would know that my soul is the one keeping your ring maintained and fuctioning properly for as long as you wear it. You say I’m one of your best friends, well what better way to show that then to make me immortal! I want to go on adventures like yours! Being inside the ring would allow me to do that and without ever being put directly into harm’s way. You would rely on me as much as I would you in order to get through the many perils you will face, and let’s be honest, Tartum, your life will be full of peril, much the way it already has been. This is what I want, Tartum! Please! Do this for me!” he begged.

  Tartum was at odds with himself. Part of him wanted to accept Vaund’s offer, he made some good points, and if this was his choice then who was he to argue. Another part of him was appalled by the idea that he was even considering it. “You’ve saved my life so many times, Vaund. How can you sit there now and ask me to take yours?” Tartum said in almost a whisper.

  The strength Tartum had seen in Vaund earlier returned now with a vengence. “LOOK AT ME, TARTUM! I’M SIXTEEN YEARS OLD AND TRAPPED IN THE BODY OF A NINETY YEAR OLD! I CAN FEEL MY TIME RUNNING OUT! MY WHOLE LIFE WAS STOLEN FROM ME! MY MOTHER, FATHER, FRIENDS, LOVER, EVERYTHING! ALL BECAUSE I CAN HEAL PEOPLE’S WOUNDS! I GAVE UP EVERYTHING SO THAT OTHERS COULD LIVE, AND I’M GOING TO DIE FOR IT! I CAME TO YUCOKE TO DIE, TARTUM, DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?!” Vaund screamed at him. Tears began streaming down his face. Tartum tried to think of something to say to comfort him, to make him understand why his request was so foolish, but before he could Vaund slumped back onto the bed. He began rubbing at his hands as if he could wipe away the age he saw in them.

  “Now you show me this scroll that calls for a soul. It says that the soul becomes immortal and remains aware not only of itself but of what’s happening around it. It says that we will even be able to communicate with each other as you become stronger with magic, which we both know you will! It offers me a chance to live a life that was stolen from me by fate long ago, and you dare to deny me this!? Why, Tartum? Because you would feel guilty?” His anger returned to him now stronger than ever. Rising from the bed Vaund pointed at him as vented his rage, “WHERE WAS YOUR GUILT WHEN YOU KILLED ELIZABETH!?! OR THOSE KIDS YOU KILLED TO SAVE BUDDY?!? YOU DON’T KNOW GUILT! YOU’VE NEVER EXPERIENCED IT IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE!!! YOU’RE SELFFISH, IS ALL, PURE AND SIMPLE! WELL, NOT THIS TIME, YOU BASTARD! YOU SAY YOU OWE ME FOR SAVING YOUR LIFE!? FINE! THIS IS MY PRICE! USE ME TO CREATE YOUR RING, OR CONSIDER OUR FRIENDSHIP OVER, YOU HEARTLESS SON OF A BITCH! YOU OWE ME THIS!” As Vaund finished his tirade, he collapsed onto the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. Buddy’s attention had shifted from the chicken to Vaund when he began yelling and now he walked over to him to lick his face.

  Tartum sat on the edge of the bed, utterly shocked. He couldn’t recall anyone ever talking to him like this. Never would he have expected Vaund to be capable of such raw anger and assertiveness. As the logic of his words sank in, Tartum began to admit he was right. He did owe him a rather large debt, if this was his chosen reward for all he had done for him, then so be it. In the end, his decision had been made for him the minute Vaund saved his life back in the null box. Putting his hand comfortingly on his shoulder, Tartum began to speak.

  “Ok, Vaund. If this is really what you want then so be it. I will bind your soul to the ring when the time comes.” he said.

  Tartum’s words seemed to get through to him. Wiping his eyes with his sleeve, Vaund slowly stood up. “Thank you, Tartum. See to it you gather the dragon’s saliva quickly. I wasn’t lying when I said this body wasn’t going to last much longer. I won’t survive to see the following spring at this rate.”

  Tartum grinned, his friend’s new assertive behavior entertained him greatly. “Yes, sir, Master Vaund!” he said sarcastically. “You wouldn’t happen to know where I might find a dragon around here do you? Or perhaps a vendor that sells dragon spit by chance?

  The comical tone in his voice caused Vaund to laugh, “No, I guess I don’t.” Vaund said discouraged. A thought occured to him, “I do know what I can do to help you though while you track one down. I can gather up spell components you don’t have yet! That way, the moment you’re ready, we can go and finish your ring!” Vaund said, excited once again.

  Tartum was happy to hear this, “So you know about spell components, do you?” he asked.

  Vaund gave him a look that caused him to laugh uproariously. “Are you kidding? Spell components are simply animal parts, plant pieces, rocks, and minerals.” Vaund said. Raising an eyebrow, he continued, “Didn’t Rashlarr teach you anything?”

  Smiling, Tartum shrugged, “Apparently not. You go collect as many components as you can find. I’ll go see if Dannurn has had any luck finding me a dragon.”

  Gathering up his staff, Tartum quickly cast his dome and cleanse spells on himself before leaving to head towards Dannurn’s home. As he walked, he saw a letter lying on the ground in front of his door. It was folded into quarters and held together with a simple piece of string. Picking it up, Tartum opened it and began reading.

  To my old apprentice,

  So they call you the Jade Made now, do they? I’d like to think all that time you spent helping me with my magic shows would have had a more positive impact on you than an overly theatrical nickname, but I suppose it’s fitting. I must admit, I was surprised to hear you threw in your lot with the thieves guild. Going after the Bishop was quite bold and from what I’ve heard in Saroth, you came away with some very powerful magics! Well done, my boy! I wouldn’t advise coming back to Saroth, however, the guards are still looking for you with orders to kill you on sight. Don’t worry, you’re safe in Yucoke, I’ll see to that. In the mean time, I hope Oldrake found you and helped you along your way to Windswept. He repaid an old debt to me by agreeing to seek you out.

  Anyway, I write you this because I heard you are looking for a dragon’s lair in order to obtain a component to cast a very powerful spell. While I can’t say I approve of this, far be it from me to impede your progress. The man that gave you this letter was an old friend of mine back during my more adventerous youth. His name is Boward Dricer, and don’t let his stature fool you. He is a good man worthy of your trust! He knows the location of a dragon’s lair and will take you there. I have also provided you with a pair of horses so that your journey is a quick and hopefully safe one.

  I hope that you get what you need and return safely to Yucoke as fast as possible. Perhaps when things have calmed down and no one is looking for you, I will make my way to Yucoke and pay you a visit.

  Good luck with your journey and know that I’m always watching over you!

  -Isidor

&
nbsp; Tartum read the letter in disbelief. He had suspected that Isidor was the mutual friend Oldrake had mentioned, but he didn’t have solid proof until this moment. Simply knowing that Isidor was still keeping tabs on him made everything feel like it was going to work out. Tartum reread the note a few times just to make sure he hadn’t missed anything. Something was nagging him about the note, something that just didn’t seem right, but Tartum ignored it. Folding the note back the way it was, Tartum noticed more writing on it. The handwriting was different and much shorter than the letter inside.

  -Tartum

  Knocked at your door but you didn’t answer. I’m at the Traveler’s Haven when you’re ready.

  -Boward

  Tartum couldn’t help but grin. Everything was coming together, by this time next month, he would have his ring and maybe then he would find Isidor and together they would take his revenge on the Bishop. Placing the note into his pocket, Tartum went back inside to prepare himself for the final leg of his jouney. When Vaund asked what he was doing back so quickly, Tartum handed him the note. After reading it, Vaund asked him who Isidor was and how Tartum could trust him. Tartum laughed as he explained; he found Vaund’s concern almost cute. Isidor would never do anything to hurt him, all of the aid he had sent him already had done nothing but made his journey much more comfortable and quick. When Vaund asked him how he could be sure it was Isidor that wrote the letter, Tartum had laughed even harder.