by Blink, Bob
The past few days had been busy, and in many ways very difficult. She’d told her family first. Her consort was not pleased to hear she intended to follow after Rigo, and her children were too young to fully understand. They only understood that she was leaving them, and they very vocally expressed their displeasure. There was no choice, however. She wouldn’t have this life, with a man she loved and children she adored, had it not been for Rigo and the others being there when she’d needed help. She would not, could not, allow this opportunity to help her friend go unanswered. She would lead the expedition to try and find him.
She’d also visited the leaders of each of the Three Kingdoms to inform them of what was known and what they intended. It was unknown who had Rigo, and they could represent yet another threat to the Three Kingdoms. Jeen couldn’t see how the threat would be any greater by their attempt to find Rigo, but her belief wasn’t universally shared. It didn’t matter. Wizards did not answer to the leaders of the land, and some risks must be undertaken.
“The barrier will fall soon,” Queen Mos’pera had told her when they discussed the proposed expedition.
“Because of our attempt to save Rigo?” Jeen had asked.
“That I cannot say,” the Queen admitted. “I have had the vision several times of late. I can see the barrier down and the beasts pouring through the gaps. There is also fighting, with soldiers wearing uniforms of a type that is unfamiliar. I believe we are at war.”
“If I don’t go, will this change?”
“You haven’t left yet, and those are the visions I currently have. Once you have departed, will the vision change, or are they already predetermined? That is one of the problems with prophecy, and why it is said that others should not be told of what has been seen. Attempts to alter what is to come usually do not work out as one hopes. It is best you do as you plan, and we will prepare for what now appears inevitable as best we can.”
King Rhory had also pressed her to follow her feelings, and had even accompanied her to visit the leaders of Kellmore and Lopal. Those meetings had not been as supportive, with the King of Lopal opposed to any further travels to the unknown lands for fear of showing them the way back. The Lamane of Lopal was uncertain, and elected to withhold an opinion. He was far more concerned with Queen Mos’pera’s vision that the Hoplani would soon be rushing toward Lopal’s eastern border.
Jeen grimaced and pushed aside the memories. That was behind her, and supportive or not, the leaders knew the wizards intended to press on. Jeen walked across the uneven ground, now unfamiliar after years of smoothly paved streets and the courtyards of the castle where she spent most of her time. She was less than halfway to the compound when she saw a familiar figure walking out to meet her.
“I am surprised to see you here,” Daria said when they were within easy speaking distance. Daria’s simple cotton clothing contrasted with the rich silks that Jeen wore.
Jeen could see that Daria looked fit, perhaps fitter than she’d appeared the last few times she had seen her. Her hair was shorter again, and she had a determined look about her, as if she had chosen a task and was intent on seeing it through. Jeen had caught the quick appraising glance that Daria had given the staff she was carrying, and knew she had recognized it as being very much like the one Rigo had carried for so long. In fact, outwardly it appeared to be identical, but functionally it was very different.
“Rigo’s?” Daria asked bluntly, and Jeen realized she might worry that they had found the staff somehow and that something might have befallen their friend.
“No,” Jeen replied quickly. “This is a new staff. It was created just the other day. It holds a means that will allow us to go after Rigo.”
The change in Daria’s demeanor was instantaneous. The brittle barrier that had formed between old friends seemed to fall away, and a familiar smile started to form on her face. “Rigo! You’ve decided to go for Rigo?”
Jeen nodded and her own smile of relief spread to match that of Daria. She’d felt the coolness that had formed between them over the matter of the expedition deeply, and was relieved that now she could give her friends what they had long sought.
“We’ve been able to reproduce the staff with its ability to overcome the blockage of the Ruins. Daim was able to find his old notes and what he had done when he created the original staffs.”
Daria looked confused. “Daim? Daim’s gone. Rigo said he faded from his mind years ago.”
Jeen realized she was handling this poorly. Neither Daria nor Kaler had been a participant in recent events and they didn’t know that Daim had been brought back.
“This will take some explaining,” she said. “Let’s find Kaler and I can tell both of you at the same time.”
Daria nodded and pointed toward the old barn opposite the corral where Jeen had seen the teenagers riding. Together they walked in that direction, Daria now openly eyeing the staff. Jeen realized that Daria was armed, catching a glimpse of a knife through a slit in the shirt she was wearing. Jeen also noted a second corral off to one side, with a surprising number of horses. Daria and Kaler hadn’t had anywhere near that many riding animals the last time she’d been here.
Off to one side of the second corral Jeen spotted a pair of large targets set at a considerable distance. One was some thirty-five large paces away and the other closer to fifty. They were too far for Daria to use for knife practice given the worn spot in the grass that indicated where someone had stood. Jeen wondered if either Daria or Kaler had taken up the bow. The distance seemed about right, although neither had shown any inclination when they’d traveled together in the past.
As they came around the side of the barn, Jeen spotted a sweating Kaler working through a series of exercises with a large and apparently very heavy broadsword. He moved smoothly and nearly effortlessly, although Jeen knew she wouldn’t be able to lift the massive weapon. Kaler’s heavily muscled frame was shiny and streaked with dirt from his exertions. He was facing away from them as he took on an imaginary pair of opponents, the corded muscles in his arms taut as the sword whipped through one arc, and was quickly rotated to complete an arc sweeping through the location of his imagined enemy.
Somehow, despite the intensity with which he was pursuing his attack, Kaler sensed them coming up behind him. Fluidly, he transitioned from an attack on his invisible enemies, and adjusted his stance and stepped smoothly around, bringing his sword to bear in their direction.
“Company,” Daria said simply.
Kaler had already recognized Jeen, and like Daria had already taken notice of the staff. Jeen knew these two seldom missed much, and before he could ask, she shook her head and said, “It’s not Rigo’s.”
“Sure looks the same,” Kaler replied, as he walked over and picked up a sheath for the heavy sword. A large crossbow with a quiver filled with heavy bolts leaned against the fence next to where the sheath had rested. Jeen had been right. Kaler was practicing with a crossbow. She wondered why. The weapon looked to be heavy, and she suspected she would be unable to lift it, let alone try and hit anything with it. Kaler slid the sword into the scabbard, set the weapon back down next to the bow, picked up his shirt off the fence post and walked over to them.
“News?” he asked simply. Much like Daria a moment earlier, he still had a certain wariness in his eyes.
“We’re going after Rigo,” Jeen said, knowing that simple announcement would change the tone of her welcome.
A broad smile split Kaler’s face. He looked to Daria for confirmation. “What changed your minds?” he asked, turning his attention back to Jeen.
Jeen handed him the staff. “We can now travel through the Ruins again. Come, I need to tell you the whole story.”
“I can’t believe you were able to bring Daim back again, or that you even tried,” Daria said after Jeen had finished telling them of the events of the past week.
“It was the only way. He was a source of information, and he alone knew how the staffs were created with their unique abil
ity to overcome the blocking affects of the Ruins. Without that, trips in the distant Ruins where Rigo had gone would be suicidal.”
“You can make many of these?” Kaler asked.
“We can, although that’s the only one. It’s been upgraded significantly in that it incorporates more of the magic that pushes back against the effects of the Ruins, so it will be even more effective. We can extend the range of Bypass portals. A trip from the Outpost can be made directly to the Farms now. It lacks many of the magical capabilities of the original staff since they aren’t needed, but will bond with Rigo much like the old one. Daim says Rigo will instinctively know how to make that happen once he has it in his hands.”
“Why haven’t you made more?” Daria asked. “If these are the limiting item, I’d think you’d want dozens of them.”
Jeen smiled and pulled a small necklace over her head and handed it to Daria. The pendant was overly large for a necklace, but when she looked closely, Daria could see it looked to be made of the same material as the staff and it pictured a pair of small crossed staffs resting over an oval background.
“Those have the same magical offset as the staff built in. Wearing it around the neck keeps it in intimate contact with the user, which means it works just like carrying the staff, but is a lot more convenient. Daim has helped us make over a hundred of them so far. Unlike Rigo’s team, everyone who goes will wear one and be able to function in the Ruins.”
“Who is going, and when can we get started?” Kaler asked eagerly.
“A lot has to do with you,” Jeen explained. “When can you be ready. You have a large responsibility here. Also, we have to arrange mounts for the team, plus pack animals, just as a precaution. That’s not something we have readily at hand as most of us don’t ride much anymore.”
“We’re ready,” Daria said simply. “Nyll is now overseeing the children, so we can leave with good conscience. We also might be able to help you with the animals you need.” She shot a look at Kaler who nodded.
Jeen suddenly realized something. Both Daria and Kaler looked more fit than she remembered, and Daria was carrying her knives. Kaler had been working out when she arrived, something he had done for years, but not with the kind of intensity she had just witnessed. Then there were the horses she’d seen.
“You were going alone?” Jeen asked, suddenly putting it together.
“Someone had to,” Kaler said sternly. “We couldn’t leave Rigo there.”
“You’d never have made it,” Jeen said. “Without the magic, getting through the Ruins is impossible.”
“Yes, we would have,” Daria disagreed. “But this way is better. It’ll be faster, and you know the way. Who is going with us?” Daria had already assumed that Jeen was going.
“The three of us, Burke and Tara, and three other wizards you haven’t met before. Each is very skilled with combat magic, and is anxious to find out how a wizard like Rigo could be detained as the artifact shows. Perhaps one or two more if it is deemed necessary.”
“That isn’t very many,” Kaler said doubtfully. “Perhaps a larger force would be advisable.”
“The logistics of traveling become more difficult as the numbers grow,” Jeen explained. “We will have to count on surprise and our magic. There is no way we can hope to outnumber the resources of an entire country. Stealth will be key. Too many of us, and we will certainly be discovered.”
“Do we know where Rigo is?” Daria asked.
“He’s been moved. It looks as if he and the others are no longer in that cell, but they still wear those bands. We believe he has met their King and Queen, and that somehow negotiations are taking place. It looks as if the city where they are holding them is on the coast near the ocean. Finding him is going to be one of the major obstacles once we get across the Ruins.”
“We’ll find him,” Kaler said positively. “When can we get started?”
“A couple of days,” Jeen said. “Can we go to the Outpost and finalize our plans? You can also meet Daim while you are there. After hearing about the adventures of our group, he is anxious to meet you?”
“He’s not coming along?”
“He wants to, but there are reasons not to allow it. He has knowledge that shouldn’t be risked. There are problems beyond Rigo that remain unsolved, and he might be able to help in ways that none other could. The decision has yet to be made.”
Chapter 47
The group gathered at the Outpost later that same day. Now that the means of making the trip into the far reaches of the Ruins where Rigo and his party had gone was available, every effort was being made to move swiftly. The predictions from Queen Mos’pera had made everyone nervous, especially the previously unheard of mention of encounters with armed invaders wearing unknown uniforms.
Nycoh looked at the assembled group. She intended to set down strict guidelines for the trip. With the exception of Burke and Tara, none of the people involved had been a party to the difficulties and hardships associated with making the push into unknown territory between the safe zones. While all had made trips to the Hoplani Farms, they had done so the easy way, jumping between the Outpost and the Farms via the oasis. That didn’t prepare one for what they would soon be encountering. While Rigo and his team had explored the area they were preparing to venture into, what had been learned in the last days of their trip was unknown since they had not returned to share what had been learned. That meant much would have to be relearned. Even the last several oases would have to be found again, since no one besides Rigo’s team had visited them and therefore the ability to make a Bypass to them was lost.
Jeen would head the team. Although far from being the senior member, she was the strongest of those who would be going and was recognized as Nycoh’s second in command. Daria and Kaler would go, despite being ungifted in magic. Burke and Tara had specifically asked to be allowed to go. They had traveled with Rigo on the first trip years ago, and Burke felt he’d let Rigo down by not going along. Now he hoped to make up for it by being part of the team that helped free him. That left the three remaining members, two men and a woman. The woman was Shara. Shara was nearly sixty years of age and had come to the Outpost after the revival of magic had been announced. Now graying, she was a stubborn and determined woman, and many had come to think of her as Ash’urn’s girlfriend. The two had clearly become close over the last decade, although Nycoh had no idea whether there was more to the relationship than friendship. She knew that Shara had shown an interest, but whether Ash’urn had reciprocated was unclear.
Shara was short, with powerful skills in fire spells and healing, she was one of the limited number of wizards who was skilled at linking as well, which might become important. Jeen and Burke had that ability as well, so half of the team would be able to initiate a Link to combine their combat magic into a formidable weapon. Although Shara was nearly sixty, she had the same unyielding stamina that characterized Ash’urn.
The two men who had been chosen to go, Kirl and Diny were both young and strong, and very proficient with Brightfire, the most powerful of the spells if an altercation were to break out. Kirl, the older at twenty-five, was strong in most areas. Kirl had very white-blond hair that he wore short. He had pale blue eyes and was as tall as Kaler. He and Kaler also shared an interest in blades, and while he was a wizard, he was unusually competent with his sword.
Diny, at eighteen, was able to command the most raw power in his Brightfire. He was much shorter than Kirl, reaching a height more than a hand’s width less than him. He was thin, lanky, with reddish-brown hair and green eyes. Despite his young age, he had shown a maturity beyond his years with his magic.
Both of the wizards had known Rigo well, having worked with him on the second barrier, and both had volunteered for the task ahead. Both had been exposed to the Ruins frequently, including time at the Hoplani Farms.
Despite his protests, Daim would not be going along. Nycoh had been quite adamant about his staying at the Outpost. Daim represented a resource
that couldn’t be risked, and while the others sought Rigo, Nycoh wanted Daim to continue looking for solutions to both the possible destruction of the Hoplani Farms and the completion of the second barrier. He was still the only wizard who had successfully been able to make the amulets that each team member wore around their necks. Others had tried. Even Jeen, Nycoh and Burke linked together with the knowledge Nycoh had extracted from the efforts with Daim that had produced the original versions of the devices, had been unable to produce a working amulet. That alone was reason to keep him safe. Nycoh had hopes that Daim could improve upon the device and create a version that would allow magic to function in the caverns where the Hoplani were formed. If that were possible, then their magic could be used to destroy the Farms. Of course, they couldn’t know for certain that only the one Farm existed. They would deal with them as they were discovered.
“You will jump to the area that Ash’urn recorded in his journal as Oasis Six,” Nycoh said. “That’s as far as anyone other than the missing team had visited. Ela, who will go along to open the Bypass was one of those who helped them with their supplies and visited there. From that point onward you will be operating much as Rigo’s team. You will work your way into the Ruins, returning each night to the oasis to camp. The following day you will use a Bypass to return to the area where you had stopped the previous day. We will return to the policy that we unfortunately discontinued with Rigo. Every night, with no exceptions, someone will return to the Farms and report progress and what was found. Word will be brought back to me by those at the Farms who come home each night. Anytime a new oasis is located, someone from the Farms will be taken there. That way we will have the ability to expand our range without having to repeat the effort you will have expended finding the new safe zones.”