by Randy Nargi
* * *
HE WOKE UP ON A COT IN A TILED BEDROOM WITH HIGH CEILINGS. His head and left arm were bandaged and he felt a long gash of dried blood on his neck. Warm morning light streamed in through a row of clerestory windows, but the air was cool and fresh.
Bander got out of the cot and moved on shaky legs to a stand with a wash basin. He splashed himself with water and, after he was feeling more awake, made his way to the exit. As he pushed open the bedroom door he heard the tinkling of bells. He was met outside in the corridor by a short Tengan serving woman who bowed and said, “Please sir, to follow me this way, please…”
The woman led him towards the sound of voices and the corridor opened up into the parlor of a manor house in Lhawster he had visited not two days ago. He recognized the fat wizard Harnotis Kodd lounging on a richly-patterned wormcloth divan, picking at a plate of hinkleberries. Across from him, sitting on an equally opulent ottoman, was the young mage Silbra Dal. As Bander entered, she looked up with a hint of surprise and concern in her eyes.
“Captain, are you well—?”
“Well enough—thanks to you, Mistress.” He stretched slowly—testing his muscles.
“Thanks to Harnotis Kodd actually.” She nodded at the wizard. “I was too weak to teleport us, but I was able to use farspeech to communicate with Master Kodd. It was he who brought us here to Lhawster.”
“At great cost, I might add,” said Harnotis Kodd.
“I am most grateful,” Bander said.
“Among other things, you owe me a new work table, Captain. You came through the portal like a bargafish and smashed a good portion of my laboratory,” the fat wizard grinned.
Bander didn’t say anything. Harnotis Kodd shook his head. “You’ve never gone ice fishing in the Anga Wastes? Sometimes you catch but a fingerling.” The wizard motioned at Silbra Dal. “Other times the fish you pull from the ice is a bargafish—big enough to destroy your fishing hut.”
“Put it on my account, Master.” Bander still has the gems he took from the rangemen, but he had a feeling he should keep them for a while.
“That I will,” Harnotis Kodd said.
Bander turned back toward Silbra Dal. “We must return to Waterside.”
“It’s not that simple. It seems that we have a price on our heads,” she said.
“Quite true,” said Harnotis Kodd. “I heard the news this morning at The Badger. The herald spoke of the murders of several guards and at least two mages connected with the Esoterium.”
“Two?” Bander asked. “Two mages?”
“Hal Deorr is dead. I confirmed the news via scrying crystal. I spoke with Grand Guild Master Ramipoor’s prelate. We are believed to be the killers.”
”That would explain the Falward’s behavior back in your quarters,” Bander said. “But it doesn’t change the fact that we’re going back to Waterside to free Vala.”
“I’m traveling to Laketon.” Silbra Dal said without emotion.
“Laketon?”
“I’ve been recalled by my Guild. Under censure.”
Bander thought for a moment. There were three Followings of the Mage Guild: Red, Black, and White and they divided up jurisdiction of the major cities of Harion. Lhawster was under Red jurisdiction and the closest White enclave was Laketon—situated nearly 700 miles to the west, on the shores of Lake Nenring.
“Come with me,” Silbra Dal said. It wasn’t a command—more like a plea.
Bander did not reply.
“There will likely be bounty hunters in Laketon,” interjected Harnotis Kodd.
“That is one of my concerns,” Silbra Dal said.
“I can loan you enough for a public portal to Laketon, but after that I am afraid I have reached the limits of my generosity.”
“Why can’t you teleport there yourself,” Bander asked Silbra Dal.
“I am forbidden. The censure. No magic until the Guild passes judgement.”
Bander shook his head. These days he had a deep aversion to rules and regulations. Especially those of the Guild.