Bridgett shook her head and forced the thoughts of her companions back in Stanton from her mind. She crossed her legs in front of her and closed her eyes, listening to the sound of the forest breathing. It had been too long since she had used her gift to commune with nature.
* * *
Aridis stood unnoticed just beyond the first line of trees and watched Bridgett walk into the forest. He smiled, thinking it had taken her longer than he thought it would to grow weary of his elusive conversational habits. He walked quickly to the edge of the lake and touched his staff to the surface of the water. He focused his thoughts, silently but urgently, and only had to wait a few moments for a dragon to land behind him. Aridis turned and greeted the massive beast warmly.
“Stargon, thank you for coming so quickly.”
“I always respond quickly when you express such imminent need.”
“Yes, and I am quite glad you do. I believe your prompt aid will be imperative often in the times to come.”
“We’ve informed you that dragons will no longer play a part in the unfolding of events in human history. Please, do not expect us to interfere any further than we have.” Stargon’s voice cracked with the pleading.
“You are breaking your own rules every day.”
“We owe a debt to the High-Wizard and to those who helped free us from slavery, thus freeing the rest of us from our wretched bonds.” Stargon’s lips curled in a dangerous expression as he spoke.
“I don’t understand why you feel like you should withdraw yourselves from them to begin with. The stones have shown your kind having a great destiny in the days to come. I have shown you this.”
“It’s not our destiny that rattles our bones each night. This last battle has shown us enough to know that our worry is best placed on the destiny of others.” Stargon looked contemplative at the ripples in the lake. His voice resonated across the water, though his words were but a soft growl.
“Then I am afraid that I do not understand. What is it that keeps you from men?”
Stargon stared deeply at the water. His face wore too many emotions for Aridis to decipher, but it was clear that a great pain was deep inside him as he lifted his head to the sky. The dragon closed his eyes and filled his lungs.
Though only moments passed, Stargon’s eyes searched. They pierced deep, searching beyond the thin veil that holds a mind in the here and now. They delved back into a history that Aridis couldn’t touch with all the might of his gift brought to bear. He did not merely stroll through memories that sprung from somewhere in the back of his mind. No, Aridis could sense the deliberation in Stargon’s careful search. He caressed the memories like a mother touching the face of her newborn child.
The dragon took a slow, rumbling breath and turned back to the old man. “Something terrible and wondrous occurred when we fought alongside the inhabitants of Stanton. There was an awakening inside of our minds.” Stargon looked longingly at the sky. “We don’t yet understand what it all means, or if it was merely a byproduct of our decades of slavery. All we know is that we yearn to wage war.” Stargon’s massive body trembled with the intensity of his emotions.
“And whom, may I ask, would you wage such war upon?” Aridis asked, intrigued by the dragons’ state of unrest.
“That is why we have withdrawn ourselves from walkers.” Sorrow filled Stargon’s eyes as their faces met. “We don’t care who. We never before had known the intense pleasure that battle brought us on that day. But we have always been servants to men, even before they made us slaves. We have served walkers as long as our memory can reach. Those who could not touch the sky have always been like children to us, and yet we long to destroy it all.” He looked down in shame for a long moment before speaking again. “We need some time to let the fire that has just sprung to life inside us die down. It is too new, and there is far too much fuel to feed it in man’s world, but we will not let harm come to those who have become our kin. For them, we would break the world, and I fear that we could.”
“Stargon,” Aridis spoke softly, more out of respect than fear. He was starting to appreciate the wisdom in their choice to keep away from men, but he knew that their destiny was tied together. “I realize that the dragons fear the predatory nature that has been suppressed for so long within your mighty race. Yet, the kind and generous side has not dissipated with the rise of such rage. There are still good people in this world who need your help.”
“Perhaps it is time the Walkers learned to walk, Aridis.” The old man couldn’t help but smile at the wit buried beneath the dragon’s serious tone.
“That is likely quite true, my friend. Still, I would make a request of dragon generosity.” Stargon lifted one eyeridge in anticipation of a difficult favor. “Bridgett has gone into the forest. I don’t believe she will be in any danger, but I would ask that the dragons be available should she need any assistance.”
“Of course, Aridis. She has earned the favor of the dragons, just as the High Wizard has, for her great service to our kind. We would never let her come to harm if we could prevent it.”
“Wonderful. Now, have you any further information on the state of things in Stanton?”
“Nothing of immediate concern. Activity continues, as does the recruiting process. While we have kept our distance, we are still focused on Osric and his mission. We will continue to watch him.”
“Good. I will contact Osric soon. I find I am in need of other information from Stanton.” He spoke softly to the dragon, instructing him on the knowledge he was seeking and giving him as much to go on as possible. Stargon grumbled that Aridis never ran short on impossible tasks and took to the air with an exasperated sigh.
* * *
Bridgett felt the rough bark of the tree pressed against her back and the firm yet pliable earth beneath her. She took slow, deliberate breaths, drawing in the essence of the forest as she inhaled. Subtle hints of sweet herbs and musky trees caressed her senses, mingling with the thick odor of dirt and underlying tones of decay. She heard many of the same birdcalls she had grown to expect near the lake, the rustle of leaves and undergrowth as small animals scurried to and fro in search of a meal, and the gentle movement of the trees as the breeze stirred their limbs.
Bridgett reached out with her gift, seeking the emotions of the forest creatures to reassure herself that she was in no danger in the clearing. All seemed peaceful in the immediate area, although the urgency of hunger and the threat of predators were never far from the mind of forest animals. She opened her eyes, a smile tingeing her lips, and dug through her pack for the bread and cheese she had brought along.
After days of rambling conversations with Aridis, she ate slowly, enjoying the quiet of the woods. She was certain that he was evading her questions intentionally, but she could only guess at his reason for such behavior. Perhaps he thought he was protecting her, but as far as Bridgett was concerned, he was only infuriating her. Sighing at her irritation, Bridgett washed the light meal down with her water and brushed the crumbs from her dress.
With her hunger sated and the calm forest surrounding her, Bridgett leaned back against the tree and reached out with her Empath ability. She closed her eyes and probed the woods with her gift. At first she sensed only the flitting emotions of the small birds and creatures nearby. A squirrel was concerned about insufficient food for the coming winter. An owl ruffled its feathers irritably at a rude awakening during the day. A pair of rabbits sent out waves of mistrust and anxiety about her unfamiliar scent penetrating their warren. She could sense at least two dragons circling high above her, and she wondered if Aridis had sent them to watch her. It annoyed her that he would trust her so little to spend time alone in the woods without coming to harm. She shrugged off her irritation and shifted her focus back to the forest.
Bridgett sought creatures further away with her gift. She smiled as she encountered the emotions of a colony of tree sprites. They were an eclectic group, displaying everything from jealousy over a prime tree branch for pe
rching on to the adoration and love of a mother and her offspring. Bridgett suppressed a giggle at the childlike wonder that one sprite demonstrated when seeing a dragon fly overhead and the fear that one young sprite exuded when a nearby adult sneezed. She found herself fascinated by the family dynamic in the large group of tree sprites. Their large eyes, furry faces, and indecipherable chittering often made them seem like unintelligent creatures, but their emotions gave a very different impression.
Bridgett gave her own emotions more freedom to feed her gift and delved deeper into the forest with her ability. She felt the trees resonate around her with the same magic of Archana that gave all beings life. She could not see the strands as Gus and Osric could, but she could feel the power tied to them. It was the same as sensing emotions in those around her, only they were subtle and very slow to change.
The forest seemed to be waiting, like it held a breath in anticipation of the ideal moment to exhale. All of the trees were in tune—one elaborate organism within a balanced ecosystem. Yet, from a distant corner of her ability’s perception, the trees were beginning to shift in the rhythm of their existence. The difference was slight, but it was noticeable all the same.
As Bridgett focused in on the disturbance, she began to perceive other changes in the emotional tones of the forest. In the same area, animals were frozen with fear. Some seemed anxious, others curious, but a distinct wave of fear was moving through the region. Bridgett tensed, focusing all of her energy into tracking the cause of such a sudden change in the emotional state of the creatures. She felt like she could isolate the location at the center of the fear, but she could not discern any specific animal or being within the specific area.
Bridgett inhaled sharply, suddenly realizing that whatever was causing the animals of the forest such unrest was headed directly toward where she sat. She quickly rose to her feet, grabbed her pack, and retraced her steps toward the lake. Although she was curious about what was out there, she had no intention of sitting idle as it approached her. As she divided her attention between seeking the source of distress with her gift and watching where she placed her feet, Bridgett struggled to do either efficiently.
She was able to keep moving quietly, but she was not entirely certain that she was always headed in the right direction. She allowed herself to be distracted often, attempting to keep track of the animals’ emotions. As far as she could tell, something was still trailing her and creating havoc with the forest creatures. The sun was well on its way toward the evening horizon when Bridgett recognized her surroundings. She was sure that just ahead she would crest a small hill and be able to find her way back to the lake.
To her surprise, Bridgett gained the hill and caught sight of the elven ruins just north of Lost Lake. She hesitated before turning and heading toward the crumbling structures rather than risk getting lost attempting to find a path to the lake. She felt slightly safer with the remnants of a road beneath her feet, and she berated herself for becoming so comfortable with city life. There was no force of armed guards to protect her within these decrepit stone walls—no Osric with his wand and sword ever watching over her. Bridgett pulled a small dagger from her belt and slipped between two fairly intact buildings. She pressed her back up against the cool stone and reached out with her gift. It took her a moment to separate her own fear from that of nearby animals. Strangely, she felt as if her gift was sharper and stronger than normal, yet she still could not identify the source of the forest’s disturbance. As she mentally waded through the information that her Empath ability provided her, she realized that whatever was out there scaring the other creatures was extremely close to her location. Although she tried to suppress them, vivid images of the gruesome paun that Osric had killed somewhere in these woods flashed through her mind. She pushed the idea of long, wicked claws and slick grey skin from her thoughts. Yet, she couldn’t help but wonder if the same ability that allowed a paun to be invisible also kept her from sensing one through its emotions. Bridgett took a slow, steadying breath and peeked out around the building.
She nearly dropped the dagger she was gripping with a white-knuckled hand as she glanced into the nearby courtyard. A large deer with tawny red hair and outspread antlers was standing out in the open and staring directly back at her. Her heart fluttered momentarily in surprise, and she nearly laughed at her own fear. Still, something about the animal was strange and unsettling, but Bridgett could not easily place what was wrong. She stepped away from the wall, walking very slowly toward the deer.
She attempted to feel its emotions, and she suddenly went rigid and cold. Where she would normally perceive the feelings of the creature, there was only an empty void like a dark hole within her chest. Bridgett cast her Empath gift out around her, fearing that something had happened to cause her gift to fail. Her heart raced rapidly. Stronger than ever before, she perceived the emotions of the nearby animals and the plants’ tether to Archana. Again, she narrowed her ability’s focus back to the animal standing only a few paces before her. She felt absolutely nothing from the deer—not even the steady connection of Archanian magic that she could sense from the trees. She could see the animal. She was nearly close enough to reach out and touch him, but as far as her gift was concerned, he didn’t exist.
Bridgett did not take another step toward the deer, but she looked him over intently, trying to understand the discrepancy between her sense of sight and her Empath ability. The deer looked like any other that might be living in the forest. His eyes were slightly cloudy, but they followed her every movement. As he turned his head slightly at a nearby sound, Bridgett noticed a thin trail of blood along his chest. A small wound, like that of an arrow entry, glistened damply against his hair. The deer’s chest expanded with each breath, and his ears twitched as he listened to his surroundings. Bridgett watched his eyes closely, gauging his reaction as she slowly lifted her hand out toward the animal. He essentially ignored her.
She stepped forward cautiously, and the deer did not react. His muscles quivered as she approached, but he did not run. She reached a trembling hand out and laid it gently on his shoulder. The creature just stood there watching her. Bridgett wished she wasn’t alone. As she moved her hand away, the deer walked deeper into the ruins. She debated between following him and returning to seek Aridis’s interpretation of the strange experience. As the shadows grew longer, nearing twilight, she decided it would be best to return to the security of the lake house. She picked her way quickly through the dense underbrush of the forest and successfully found her way through the trees to the shore of the lake. Aridis was inside with a warm meal awaiting her on the table.
5 – Discussions
“He’s under a lot of pressure leading this band of misfits bent on unraveling magic’s potential.”
“Really?” Gus scowled at Toby, rigid in his disapproval. “With statements that obvious, it amazes me that they took so long to make you ryhain.”
Toby set the busy quill down and looked scornfully back across his desk. Gus thought, That’s right. You will have to make a more sincere effort to have a conversation with me. He could see the concentration in Toby’s face as the leader of Stanton steepled his hands in front of his mouth.
“Another time, you will have to tell me why you show no respect to any man you see yet you shower women with as much praise as you can unload from that wagon you call a mouth.” He shook his head. “But for now, I guess we should focus on what brought you here. You want me to have a bit of a chat with Osric, do you?”
“As long as you bring a club with you, that would do just fine. He has no focus.” Gus punctuated his words by tapping the table. “We are continuing our search for Pebble, but I raised that boy too well for him to be found if he doesn’t want to be. So, naturally we could use his talents.”
“The pup is still missing?” Toby inquired.
“Missing is entirely the wrong word. My son is evading us. We can catch sight of him at times, usually when he shows up to drop off a small bag of coi
ns, but we can't get him to stick around long enough for anyone to talk to him.”
“Well, I would like to talk to him—not to ask him the questions you no doubt have in mind, but to thank him for all he has been doing.” Toby wiped his forehead.
“You and about forty others at the barracks feel the same way. The rest of them have no idea that Pebble is the one responsible for all their supplies.” A small huff of disgust burst from Gus’s mouth, and he unconsciously rubbed at the scar on his thigh. “I would like to thank him for that as well, but Osric tells me Pebble is under the impression that he is in trouble.”
“So, he has no idea why you are looking for him?”
“Where have you been?” Gus shouted at the ryhain. “Of course he has no idea. How could he know?”
“Well, the way you tore after him when you found out would make a grown man nervous. Can you blame him?”
“I did not tear after him. I was passionate in my curiosity.” Gus squared himself to Toby’s face and swatted a paw at his tiny right ear. “This damn ear nearly shook itself off my head with my curiosity!”
Toby leaned back and laughed. It wasn’t the sort of laugh that was meant to be kept inside a small circle of friends. No, it was the sort of laugh that would draw the attention of the man cutting wood at the end of the block. His belly shook with a terrific intensity and his face grew red. It didn’t last long, but Gus was thoroughly annoyed as Toby turned his attention back to him.
“So your ear was shaking. I don’t know if he could have noticed that over the sound of your voice. At least Kenneth seems to think you were a bit angry.”
“With all due respect, the new Contege wouldn’t know my anger from a rock.”
“Now, now. He has always been a bright lad. That lady he found seems to have done him some good as well. But my point is that it is obvious”—he motioned to himself—“to someone who notices those sorts of things, that you scared the pup. How could he know that you just wanted to talk to him about his wand?”
The Well of Strands (Osric's Wand, Book Three) Page 5