“So what is the other part of being a Druid?” Mat asked.
“It’s the mystical arts,” she replied. “Some call it magic, but it really is more about influencing or enhancing what already exists in nature and people. Many people have these abilities, but Druids learn how to control these abilities and focus them. Based on what you have told me about your ‘feelings’, I think you have the potential to be a powerful Druid.”
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“When you tried to catch me back in Danton,” she said, “you set up a trap for me, because you sensed that I was following you, right?”
“Yes,” he replied.
“Well, your ability to sense that I was following you,” she said, “is the most basic Druid skill. Even without training, many people can sense if they are being watched or followed when there aren’t others around, but to be able to sense that somebody was following you when there were hundreds of people around is quite amazing. This usually requires a lot of training, and there are many well-trained Druids that wouldn’t be able to pick out someone following them in a large crowd.”
“What else can you do?” he asked.
“In addition to simply sensing that somebody is near,” she said, “a trained Druid can also sense what people are thinking, feeling, or even planning to do.”
“When I am fighting,” he said, “I feel like I sometimes know what a person is going to do before he does it. It allows me to react faster than I could have if I didn’t have the feeling. I always thought I was just really good at guessing, but when I get those feelings, they are never wrong.”
“That might be the same,” she said, “but I don’t know any Druid warriors, so I can’t say for sure. In general, Druids don’t train to be warriors, we only learn self- defense.”
“I try to avoid confrontations whenever I can!” he contended, “Sometimes it just can’t be helped. I train to make sure that I can protect myself and others, not because I want to fight.”
“No, no, no. I‘m not criticizing. I’m just telling you what I know from my limited experience,” she said.
“I’m sorry,” he said, “I am probably too sensitive. I was forced to kill a man who tried to rob me a few nights ago, and I still feel guilty about it. I know I didn’t do anything wrong, but it still bothers me. It does every time I have to fight.”
“I’m sorry too,” she replied. “I saw your fight. I was trying to decide how I could help you, but before I could do anything, you sprang into action. I have never seen anybody fight the way you did. You were so fast and so . . . good. I haven’t been around much fighting, but I could tell you are really, really good.”
Mat’s face suddenly turned red with embarrassment. “You must have also seen me, uh, get sick after the fight.” He said. “That usually happens. Once the rush of battle wears off, I almost always get sick.”
“Please, don’t feel bad. I can’t imagine what it feels like to kill somebody,” she replied. “In fact, I think it makes you even more special. I don’t think I would want to help someone who didn’t have a problem with killing a man.”
After that, they rode in silence. Mat still felt awkward and embarrassed. Persephonie worried that the quest for the armor, and what would probably follow, would change Mat in ways that she didn’t want to imagine. There were many prophecies she had not shared yet, and they all spoke of battles, death, and dark days ahead. She worried about what this would do to Mat.
After a few minutes of reflection, Persephonie spoke more about being a Druid. “Another part of Druid abilities is to control or influence others’ thoughts, feelings, or actions. This can even translate to physical changes like faster healing of wounds if a Druid is skillful enough.”
“Druid talent usually manifests itself first by being able to influence animals,” she continued. “For example, I have the ability to project my thoughts to my horse, Jade. I can calm her and let her know what I want her to do. Combined with my ability to sense what she is thinking or feeling, it is almost like I can talk to her. Most Druids have very close relationships with their horse and other animals.”
“I think I know what you mean,” Mat said. “I feel like I can talk to Spirit too and can calm him simply by touching him and speaking softly. I know other people can calm their horse by talking and petting them, but I was always able to do that faster and more effectively than other people.”
“And with training,” she added, “you will get even better at it. That is, if you want more training.”
“I do,” he said. After a short pause, he shyly asked, “Would you teach me?”
“I would love to,” she replied, “but I’m definitely not a fully-trained Druid, so I don’t know how much I can teach you.”
Mat smiled at her and said, “I’m sure you will be a great teacher.”
For both Mat and Persephonie, the two day trip from Stone Lake to Port Ludenberg was enjoyable. They were able to be themselves and not worry about much of anything. They never forgot about the probable hardships ahead, but they didn’t let that ruin the trip.
For the most part, Michael rode in silence but was constantly observing his two teenage travel companions. They were both mature for their age -- and would need to be if their quest was going to be successful. He knew there would be hard times ahead, and sacrifices would have to be made. He was happy to see them enjoying themselves and carrying on like normal teens, at least for a while.
On the evening of the second day, Port Ludenberg became visible on the horizon. The group was almost sad that this leg of their journey was ending, but they eagerly anticipated learning more to help them on their quest. Mat was also looking forward to seeing his Gitano friends again. He knew they had traveled all over the Kingdom and hoped that they would be able to help them in their pursuit of the Armor of God.
Chapter 16
No one took notice of the group riding into Port Ludenberg as the sun set. Even though there was no cheering for him, Mat felt like a triumphant hero returning from an adventure. As he thought about it, with the Sword of Spirit at his side, he realized he was returning from a successful quest, and that caused him to sit a little straighter in his saddle.
Persephonie noticed his demeanor change and asked him, “What are you thinking about?”
Mat smiled sheepishly and replied, “I was thinking about our quest for the sword. I hadn’t realized it before, but we really did accomplish something amazing. I guess I was just feeling a little proud of our accomplishment.”
“You know, I guess you’re right,” Persephonie said, “I hadn’t thought about it either, but we found something that has been lost for 300 years, and that’s pretty exciting.”
As they were talking, Michael rode up between them and said “You two are correct. We did do something worth celebrating, so let’s go enjoy a hot meal and celebrate a successful start to our quest. We can worry about the next steps tomorrow. Tonight, we celebrate a job well done, and I know just the place to go!"
The place that Michael led them, the Lighthouse Inn, was in the hills on the north side of the city. It overlooked the sea and appeared to be very expensive. As they walked into the common room of the inn, they were greeted by a well-dressed man who asked if they needed dinner, rooms, or both.
“We are weary travelers,” Michael said, “and we seek shelter in your humble establishment.”
“Welcome back, Michael,” the man said. “Your normal rooms are open, and I will send dinner out to the balcony. Is there anything else I can get for you?”
“We just returned from a successful campaign,” Michael replied, “so please bring us a fitting celebratory dinner and plenty of your world famous cider.”
Michael led them upstairs to a suite of rooms that overlooked the ocean. The rooms were as fine as the rooms Mat stayed in when he visited the capital city. It was becoming apparent that Michael was more than just a Bascilican Knight.
“So what just happened?” Mat asked.
At
first, it looked like Michael was not going to respond, but he eventually said, “There are things about me that very few people know. Even though we are working towards a common goal, it is still hard for me to share all my secrets. What I am going to tell you now must be kept in secret. If what I tell you gets out, it would put hundreds of people’s lives at risk including my own.”
“As you may have guessed,” Michael said, “I am more than just a knight. This place is one of my secret hideouts.”
Michael continued, “As I told you before, I am the leader of the Basilican Knights. Part of my responsibility is to know what is going on in the world. To do that, I maintain an extensive spy network. It may be the largest spy network in the world.”
“So you’re a spymaster,” Persephonie said, “and know what is going on everywhere in the world?”
“It isn’t traditional spying for personal gain,” Michael said, “it is monitoring the world for news to ensure the Basilican Knights are prepared for whatever happens.”
Michael led the group through a pair of stained-glass double doors out onto a large balcony that overlooked the ocean. On each end of the balcony was a table with four chairs. Six more large padded chairs with footrests were spread across the balcony.
He led them to the balcony rail and looked out over the ocean. The moonlight outlined the shore and reflected off the water, and they could hear the waves crashing into the cliffs.
“Even though I have been here a hundred times,” Michael said, “I am still awe-struck by this sight. No matter what is going on, I can stand here, look out over the ocean, and feel peace. It is easily my favorite place in the whole world.”
There was a knock on the door to the balcony, and the man from downstairs appeared carrying a tray of mugs. “I brought you some chilled cider to enjoy while your meal is prepared,” he said. “Dinner will be up soon.”
“Thank you, Phillip,” Michael said. “Tonight we are going to celebrate and relax. I will look at reports tomorrow.”
“As you wish,” he replied. “I will be back when dinner is ready.”
After Phillip left, the three sat in the chairs and enjoyed their cider. After a few minutes of sipping cider and listening to waves, Michael started telling Mat and Persephonie about the Basilican spy network.
“You already know,” Michael said, “that the Basilican Knights were founded to protect the Armor of God and prepare for the next one chosen to wear it. The armor will only be reassembled in a time of great need, therefore the order needed to keep track of what was going on in the world so it could be prepared. At first, we kept in contact with monasteries all over the Kingdom and relied on them to pass on important information. As the years of peace turned into decades, the order realized that the greatest threat to the Kingdom was from outside our borders. They knew they couldn’t just rely on public knowledge, so they started creating a secret intelligence network. After establishing a reliable information network within Solandeus, they started expanding outside our borders.”
“So they started sending spies across the Great Divide?” Mat asked.
“That was the first place they expanded,” Michael replied, “but the network also extends to other continents.”
“So you have spies on every continent?” Persephonie asked.
“Most of our network is here and in the Great Northern Kingdom,” Michael said. “While we do have contacts on all 10 continents, the information is slow getting to us and consists primarily of common knowledge. They are just too far away to pass on reliable information in a timely manner. Besides, most of the other continents are pretty stable, and there haven’t been any major wars between the continents that we know of.”
“As far as I know, there aren’t any records of wars between the continents in the Druid libraries either,” Persephonie agreed.
“How many people are in your spy network?” Mat asked.
“I don’t know the exact number,” Michael said, “but it is in the hundreds and may even approach one thousand. Many of our people work out of normal businesses that cater to the general public just like this. Most major cities will have several businesses that serve all classes of citizens. Much of our information is gathered just by listening to the conversations that take place in our establishments.”
“Do you have spies on Greystone Island and in the Druid Order?” Persephonie asked.
“We actually have quite a few businesses on the island,” Michael said, “but we don’t have anybody within the Druid community. That is partly a courtesy because we respect the Druid order and the knowledge they gather. It would also be very hard to get somebody into the order and keep them secret, and we don’t feel like it is worth the risk.”
“Does the Basilican Order own the businesses,” Mat asked, “or do you just have people that work in them?”
“We own the businesses,” Michael said, “and they are real businesses that are run to make a profit. It is very expensive to maintain a spy network, and the businesses generate the income we need to do it.”
“Do you have rooms like this at all of them?” Mat asked.
“Most of the inns don’t keep special rooms set aside for Basilican business,” Michael said, “but I frequently visit the Lighthouse Inn, so they try to keep this suite open for me all the time. The phrase I used downstairs when we first arrived is used by members of the network when they need to make themselves known or need lodging. Now that you are part of the secret, you can also use the network to gather information or just for a safe place to stay. I will teach you how to recognize our businesses and how to get what you need from them.”
“Can you use this network to help us find the rest of the armor?” Persephonie asked.
“Unfortunately,” Michael replied, “we have already reviewed everything the network has been able to discover over the centuries. If we come across new information or leads, the network can help us follow those leads, but unless there is new information to follow up on, they have already discovered all that there is to know.”
“Hopefully we won’t need them,” Mat said. “As long as we can get close, I think I will be able to find the individual pieces with the help of the visions the bracers seem to give me.”
There was another knock on the balcony doors and Phillip appeared with two young ladies carrying trays of food. “Dinner is served,” he said as the young ladies went about setting one of the tables and placing platters of food on them.
“Thank you.” Michael said as Phillip left with the two serving girls. “The Lighthouse Inn has some of the best food in the Kingdom. If I was around this food every day, I am sure I would be much heavier than I am today.”
“It certainly smells delicious,” Persephonie agreed.
“Uhhh huhhh,” Mat added with a slice of exotic meat already in his mouth.
With that, the group sat down and ate one of the most satisfying meals they had ever eaten. As Michael had said, the food was delicious, but the group was also celebrating the conclusion of the first stage of their quest which made it taste even better.
Once dinner started, there was no more talk of the spy network or the quest ahead. They talked mostly about the places they each had visited and described their favorites. They lost themselves in the camaraderie and talked long into the night before retiring to comfortable beds that made them feel like they were lying on clouds after sleeping on the ground for the last week.
Chapter 17
Mat woke well before the sun rose the next morning. The combination of sleeping on a comfortable bed and not having to get up in the middle of the night to stand watch left him energized even though the sun wasn’t even up yet. As he got out of bed, he could hear voices on the balcony and walked that way.
He knocked on the balcony doors to make himself known and slowly opened them. Despite the early hour, the balcony was well lit by multiple lanterns. Michael sat at one of the tables looking through a large stack of papers, and Philip stood next to him.
“Good
morning, young master,” Phillip said.
“Come join us,” offered Michael.
As Mat approached, he could see that Michael was looking through handwritten papers which were probably the reports he referred to last night. There was a pot of hot water on the table, and there was a steaming cup of tea in Michael’s hand.
“Would you like a cup of tea?” asked Phillip. “Or I can get you a mug of cider if you prefer.”
“Tea is fine,” Mat said.
“Both Mat and Persephonie are trusted members of our organization now,” Michael told Phillip while he was preparing Mat’s tea. “Mat appears to be the one chosen to reassemble the Armor of God, and we will be dedicating all of our resources to helping in that quest.”
“We have spent centuries preparing for this day, young master. I will do everything in my power to help you,” Phillip pledged.
Phillip finished preparing Mat’s tea and handed him the steaming cup. “This is called java. It’s bitter, but provides a nice boost of energy in the morning,” he said. “There is sugar on the table if you need to sweeten it. Java is imported from one of the other continents and is extremely rare and expensive. I do not believe anybody outside of our little network offers it in the Kingdom. In the cities, it has become popular with the wealthy citizenry, and it is one of our biggest sources of income right now.”
Mat looked in his cup and saw a dark, almost black, steaming liquid. He took a sip and almost spit it right back out. It was quite possibly the worst tasting drink he had ever tried.
Michael chuckled and said, “It’s an acquired taste. Try putting some sugar in it and see if you like it better. I started drinking it because I find it helps clear my head and get me going in the morning. It took awhile, but I find I actually like the flavor now.”
“So what is this acquired taste you are talking about?” Persephonie asked as she walked out onto the balcony rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
“It’s called java,” Mat said, “and it tastes awful. I don’t care if it gives me magical powers, I’m not going to drink it.”
Sword of Spirit (Salvation of Solandeus) Page 8