by Des Pensable
‘You’re an idiot. Things have changed. I’m not going to stand here arguing. Either you get him for me or we’ll take him!’ shouted the old druid.
There was a surge of magic and Featherdown was fully clothed in his battle gear complete with a Staff of Power.
‘You would dare to insult me in my own tower!’ shouted Featherdown.
‘STOP!’ yelled Quab as he moved between Heteronimus and the High Wizard. ‘I won’t be a party to any territorial disputes; it’s time to lay your differences aside and start working together. Something big is about to happen and we must be unified or we’ll all lose. I have some interesting news to discuss.’
‘What news!’ exclaimed both Featherdown and Heteronimus both glaring at Quab.
‘Might I suggest we all go a sit down and have a cup of brew and calm down then I will tell you?’ said Quab calmly but forcefully.
‘Mumbling to themselves both the High Wizard and the old druid reluctantly agreed wondering what Quab was up to.’
Five minutes later they were sitting drinking and Quab began.
‘An hour ago I had a visitor in my sanctuary. He pretended to be someone I knew but he wasn’t. He wanted to know about Aquitain. I got suspicious of his motives and threw him out. After he left I began to think more clearly than I have ever done in my life about what has been happening over the last few years and especially about what is happening now. You might say I had a revelation.’
‘I wasn’t pleased when I was selected from all the druids on Mudrun to be the liaison between you two. I have never liked playing politics and still don’t. Heteronimus you will recall I did not want the job but you convinced me that I should take it and I did.’
‘Neither of you trust each other and neither of you trust me. You both only tell me what you want the other to know. I have known this for years and tolerated it but I don’t like the games you both play. You both love Mudrun. You are both afraid that the Yith or the religious fanatics might want to take Mudrun for themselves. You both spend half your time away from Mudrun on business. I suspect that it is to monitor the war between the Yith and the Panmagicans. To watch for signs that either might wish to come here.’
‘When Allan Amber told Featherdown about the prophesy of the Time of Chaos and Featherdown passed it on to the druid council you both panicked. You both got more suspicious about each other. The druid council responded by placing Curbut with Featherdown. Featherdown responded by placing his brother on the Druid Council.’
‘What!’ said Heteronimus, ‘How dare you Featherdown!’
Featherdown chuckled. ‘Very astute Quab I never suspected that you knew.’
‘You have both been so concerned about the threat from outside you haven’t noticed the threat from within. Featherdown took on an apprentice who turned out to be an imposter. We still don’t know where she fits into the puzzle but we know she is somehow associated with the Yith.
‘Curbut was a traitor. A religious faction from Panmagica employed him as a spy at the same time he was supposed to be a Druid Council spy. Featherdown thought he was feeding him misinformation to tell both the council and the religious faction but we now know that Curbut was outsmarting everyone. He knew what Featherdown was really doing because he had his own spy here.’
‘The fact is there are probably spies everywhere. Some you suspect and some you don’t. That’s not really the problem. The problem is that everything changed when Aquitain arrived. It signalled that something was about to happen and you both panicked again. He came here in a borrowed body. You both thought that Aquitain could be either a Yith or a Panmagican spy. You both couldn’t decide. Featherdown used his brother to find out. I suspect the druid council tried as well but neither of you succeeded.’
‘Featherdown started to believe that perhaps Aquitain was here for some beneficial hidden purpose. The council got scared and it authorized Curbut to kill Aquitain. Featherdown knew their decision but didn’t agree, as he still wanted to know what the hidden purpose was so he decided to help Aquitain hide. Curbut outsmarted Featherdown, found out where Aquitain was and killed him. Princess Miranda decided she couldn’t trust anyone, reincarnated him and has warned you both that he is under her protection now.’
‘What has astounded you both is all the amazing things that have happened around him while he has been here. Because of these he has been labelled an Agent of Chaos but is he? I know him better than either of you. I have been close to him and Miranda. He doesn’t know why he’s here. He doesn’t know why all these things are happening but he does believe they are happening for a reason. I believe him. He is a signal for something to happen.’
‘I think that his grandfather knows. Some of the Yith know and some of the religious factions know but we are in the dark or are we?’
‘I often wondered why the Yith made a claim for Mudrun yet have never come here. I have wondered why the difficulties really started between the Yith and the Panmagican religious factions. It’s a poorly kept secret that we have farms growing medicinal herbs which we trade for off world goods but we seem to send out more herbs than we grow. Much more than we grow. They are all labelled herbs but they are not all herbs. Some of the containers are very heavy.’
‘I remember one of the guards commenting that he had heard that some of the herbs were in containers that had magical seals. He wondered why they bothered. The general consensus was the seals were to stop people stealing the stuff during transit so no one worried. I suspect it is to stop people finding out what was really being transported.’
‘Why did the Yith claim Mudrun? Why did the Panmagicans object? Why did the difficulties really start? Why has no one come here? I think I have finally worked it out.’
‘As the story goes the Inter-World druid Council found out about Mudrun’s destruction. They came here quietly to rebuild it and they have. But the one thing they never knew was how it was destroyed in the first place.’
‘I suspect that they thought that a new magical weapon caused the destruction. A weapon that could destroy all life on a world would endanger all the worlds in the universe. So they decided to keep quiet about it. To rebuild it as if nothing had ever happened. But somehow the Panmagicans found out. They wanted to come here to find out about the weapon. The druids bribed them to stay away by offering something of value that Mudrun could supply very cheaply. That’s when the trade started.’
‘Twenty-five years ago the Yith worked out the same thing. They wanted a bribe to stay away as well. The Panmagicans didn’t want the Yith to benefit from the deal that they had so the difficulties started with them to protect their trade. The druids Council decided to pay the Yith to stay away as well. The Panmagicans are paid in something I don’t know about and the Yith are paid in medicinal herbs.’
‘The problem is that both the Yith and the Panmagicans are still interested in what sort of a weapon could destroy a world. The Inter-World Druids Council keeps them both away by bribes and threats knowing full well that if one comes here so will the other.’
‘Aquitain arrived. The druids know he’s not on their side so he must be on the Yith or Panmagican side. So the best way to maintain the balance was to kill him. However, just suppose he was not allied with either the Yith or Panmagicans. Suppose he’s allied with a group that really knows how and why the world was destroyed. Suppose they wanted him to destroy the knowledge on how it was done so that it was no longer a threat to all the other worlds. Who would gain?’
The old High Druid put up his hand to indicate to Quab to stop.
‘That is enough Quab. Some of what you have said is true and some not. However, you are right that the situation is dire and it is time we joined forces as I’m not happy with what has been happening. The Inter-World Druid’s Council knows how this world was destroyed and why. The very fact that we know this is what keeps the others away. We have convinced them that we have eliminated all evidence and consequently, it would be of no value for them to come here. We also bribe them
with cheap medicinal herbs to stay away.’
‘If either of them come here then Mudrun will lose. All our work will be in vain. People will flood in here to exploit Mudrun. It will be like other worlds the Council has nurtured. It will be a disaster for all the protected species.’
Quab was shocked by the old druid’s admission that they knew what caused the destruction of the world. It was generally believed by all the druids that he had met in Mudrun that no one knew. He could also see from Featherdown’s reaction that he must have known as well.
‘What about the prophesy about the Time of Chaos.’ asked Quab. ‘What does the Inter-World Council think about that?’
‘As you might guess the prophesy and the previous destruction of the world are related.’ replied the old druid. ‘They are concerned that an attempt to make the prophesy come true is currently happening. They are concerned that this could result in destruction of not only this but other worlds.’
‘I was asked to step aside by the Inter-World Druid Council and allow the new High Druid to take charge. He is supposed to be trying to expose and eliminate anyone attempting to make the prophesy come true. I have done what they asked and can only hope someone on the Inter-World Council knows what they are doing as I don’t agree with his methods.’
‘Where does the priest fit in?’ asked Featherdown.
‘High Priest Kelnor is the Unity of Wisdom’s ambassador to Mudrun. He was generally only concerned with trade but since that affair with Allan Amber a few years ago he is keenly interested in our response to the prophesy. He is here with the old Council’s knowledge but he was only permitted to observe and was requested to stay invisible. The new Mudrun Council has obviously allowed him a more active role and I am not happy about that. If the Yith find out they will very unhappy and demand an official presence here as well. Then we will have more problems.’
‘By The Lady this is a tangled web.’ said Quab. ‘I had no idea of any of this.’
‘You were selected because you had no interest in off world affairs and no political ambitions Quab. You were ideal as a liaison between us because you did what you were told and didn’t ask questions.’
‘Well it seems I’m in the middle of it all now.’ replied Quab.
‘I now have an interest and I seem to be the only one that trusts Aquitain. I warn you both now I will not act against him and if I find out that either of you intend to do so I will warn him and help defend him. If that means that I am no longer the liaison between you two then that is fine by me.’
Featherdown spoke up at last.
‘I have been doing a lot of thinking on the matter over the last few days and have come to the conclusion that I also am prepared to trust that Aquitain’s mission is in our best interests so I am with you Quab. I will not act against him but will help wherever possible. Where do you stand Heteronimus?’
‘Hmm. I have only second hand reports about him. I don’t know him personally but do know he’s a potential danger. However, in this matter we need to be united so I will trust in your judgment until I have a strong reasons to believe otherwise. I will direct my druids to avoid acting against him and help where possible.’
‘Then we are agreed.’ said Featherdown. ‘Now let’s discuss what we can do to limit the new High Druid’s damage.’
Chapter 19 Garret’s Nightmare
Garret had followed the column of Elendari guards that were his escort right to the entrance of the keep before he looked back. He knew there was going to be a fight. Everyone knew it. You could smell their fear. He had heard Aquitain say keep going. Ha, that was a joke. Nothing would have made him stop.
When he looked his heart jumped into his mouth. The gnome stood there facing the wizard and six druids almost as if he was going to fight them by himself. He heard the commands and counter commands. He guessed that there was someone invisible there. He was shocked to the core when the priest appeared. Priests were simply not allowed on Mudrun. He wasn’t quite sure why but everyone knew that.
When the fight started in earnest he guessed that the gnome had dominated the flying wizard. What a cunning move he thought. By using the wizard against the priest, both were essentially out of the fight. It came down to the Crin versus the druids who almost always liked to fight as wild animals rather than magic casters. He had turned a certain disaster for the Crin into a more equal fight where either side might win depending upon their morale and commitment.
He watched Aquitain stand there controlling the fight as if he was the conductor of an orchestra in a theatrical show like he had seen in Panmagica years ago. He seemed impervious to damage. He wondered who Aquitain really was and so did the Elendari Officer who stood beside him watching the battle unfold. The gnome was no ordinary gnome assistant.
When the dragon turned up they were both shocked to the core. Had it turned and simply looked at them most of the people in the keep would have wet themselves before running screaming to hide under their beds.
It was then that the Elendari Officer had seen enough. He detailed two of the larger guards to mind Garret then ordered everyone into the gateway. They ran through the gateway stopping only briefly to pay the toll. Garret had one guard on either side of him each holding an arm. He half ran and was half dragged. They continued at the run until they passed through the exit into the darkness of the night in Moonmist. Only then were they prepared to stop and catch their breath.
His two guards fell to the ground on either side of him labouring to fill their lungs with air. He stood breathing heavily and his nightmare started. There was a brilliant flash of light, temporarily blinding Garret and his two minders.
A large hairy brown spider with a body about the size of a horse landed behind them. Two arms grabbed Garret, another two arms held the guard on either side of him down. It leapt and he felt himself flying through the air. Seconds later there was a pulse of magic and he and the spider teleported away.
The spider holding him and three accomplice spiders landed in a small clearing. They formed a circle each facing outwards and waited for half a minute. Seeing no followers they shape changed into three Elendari looking males and a female. Garret was rigid with fear. The blinding from the light flash had worn off in seconds and when he could see he found himself in the arms of the biggest nightmare he could imagine. His mind simply froze and he collapsed into unconsciousness.
**
About ten hours later it was Aquitain’s turn to exit the gateway leading into Moonmist. It was night and very dark. The air was cold and damp and had the taint of a swamp. The gateway was set in the side of a hill and the area outside the gate was flat, roughly semicircular, relatively flat and covered in some type of soft moss.
His gnome eyes were unusually keen in the dark in Mudrun. He could even see colour when most humans would see only black. Here nothing looked like it had colour. Everything was various shades of black.
He had an idea. He changed to his Llanllean form and it was like opening his eyes. Now the world was coloured by the deep violet glow of magic. The plants, bushes and trees all glowed in the dark to a greater or lesser extent. The moss under his feet had a dim green glow, while some bushes had a purple glow and others a more bluish or reddish tinge.
Still invisible, he walked for about two hundred paces and found the area was bordered by swampy ground. He paced slowly around the boundary looking into the swamp and noticed that there were several different types of ferns luminescent with a yellowish glow. He had never seen so much magic in vegetation anywhere nor realized that it would cause them to glow like this in the dark. This must be on a magic node he thought.
There were no noises of creatures in the swamp so he began to get a little nervous. It was too quiet. Was some beast watching him, waiting to attack when he got closer? In the distance he heard a blood-chilling scream, which set his heart racing.
He changed to his gnome form, attached his earring of understanding, found a teleport ring, activated it and was gone. He landed in a
small moss covered clearing perhaps twenty paces wide with a gentle slope off the side of a small hill. The area was surrounded by faint reddish glowing bushes covered in large needle-like thorns similar to the blue-green thorn bushes in Mudrun.
There didn’t seem to be any path leading out the area, which puzzled him a little so he changed back to his Llanllean form. He again traced his way around the clearing but this time as he passed the hillside two long hairy arms reached out and grabbed him. He was quickly oriented into a position where all his legs were gathered and pinned so that he could neither get away nor bite.
The entrance must have had an illusion covering it was his first thought as he was whisked off down an unlit tunnel through another illusory wall, along a curving tunnel then into a pear shaped cave. There was a small fire over which there was suspended a blackened iron cooking pot. Sleeping gear was strewn haphazardly around the walls, suggesting that it was a temporary camp.
Scattered around the cave were about a dozen adult sized spider form Llanlleans and two small ones not much bigger than Aquitain all watching with great interest. They could obviously see him even though he was still invisible. He quickly visually scanned the area and to his surprise saw Garret lying immobilized on web shaped like a hammock. He felt a dispel magic wash over him and his invisibility vanished. The Llanllean holding him released him onto the ground and asked who he was.
Using his public broadcast mindspeak he said in Draconic.
‘Hello. My name is Aquitain, I’m here from Astaria to meet a person called Somanller.’
‘This is the one I am after. Beware it is dangerous and very deceptive. Let me take it.’ said a voice from someone invisible several paces up in the cave.
One of the Llanlleans looked in the general direction then changed to the form of a female Elendari woman fully clothed wearing an exquisite gown. She cast a some magic on herself and said