The Chronicles of the Myrkron: Book 01 - The Nine Keys of Magic

by Timothy Woods

  "I just hope Branik doesn’t beat it out of me tonight."

  Merric chuckled and whispered back.

  "Not to worry, my boy, I am sure they have orders to make sure there is no lasting damage." Merric spoke the words of a spell and vanished.

  Michael looked up at the ceiling and raised his voice.

  "That’s not exactly comforting you know."

  Reek took a step forward and bowed slightly to Michael.

  "We should begin. It is getting late and there is much to do. Lord Micah informed us that you have had no prior training, so we will have to begin at the beginning, as they say. Come, change your clothes and we will go out into this rock garden Wizard Merric spoke of. He is correct that we require privacy for this."

  Michael sighed and started walking towards the door flanked by the two Avari.

  "I know this is for my own good, and I know I am being given a great honor, but I am still apprehensive." He looked over at Branik.

  "And I don’t mind telling you that you scare the hell out of me."

  Branik merely smiled.

  "Good. That is an excellent way to start. Your fear will keep you on your toes, but you are in no real danger from us, Michael. We are here to help you and to protect you. You will not be harmed. I must ask you to refrain from the use of any magic in your training though. We are here to instruct you in our ways, and there is no magic in the ways of the Avari."

  "I hadn’t intended to use magic," Michael replied.

  "I will meet you two out there after I change."

  The two Avari inclined theirs heads to him and walked down the corridor and turned left at the intersection. Michael spoke the words of transport and materialized in his room. He removed his sash and robe, folding them and laying them over the back of one of the chairs. He then went to the chest at the foot of his bed and withdrew his sword and dagger, placing them on the bed. Pulling out his pack, he removed a tan shirt and a pair of black pants. He removed the felt soled boots he had been wearing and quickly got dressed. After putting on the boots Joshua had given him, Michael strapped on the sword belt, ran his hands through his hair, and teleported himself down to the cross corridor near the back door. He walked about forty feet and came to a large, iron bound door. Michael pushed on it, and swung it outward. He walked through the opening and found himself on a small patio of stone. Reek and Branik were waiting there for him.

  It was a bit chilly out now that it was fully dark, but the blanket of stars overhead nearly took Michael’s breath away. He had never seen so many stars. The moon had not yet risen, but the starlight was bright enough to see by. The two Avari appraised him for a few seconds. Michael closed the door and, looking up ahead, he saw a strange formation of rocks and boulders. They seemed to be arranged in order of size with the largest one closest to him. He could see faint torchlight somewhere ahead as well and started walking toward the rocks, the two Avari flanking him. The rocks were farther away than Michael first thought. The size of the boulder directly in front of him had made it appear closer. When they reached it, he marveled at its size. It was as big as a house. Walking around it, Michael beheld a flat, grassy field with boulders of decreasing size marching away in an arc on both sides, only to join together again out in the distance, the whole array forming a massive circle. There were nine torches set atop poles spaced evenly around the inside of the circle. Looking out into the center, Michael saw a man standing there. The torches did not give enough light to see him clearly, but something about the way the man stood seemed familiar.

  Branik interposed himself between Michael and the figure and drew his swords with a fluid grace. Michael felt a hand on his shoulder and saw Reek come around in front of him drawing him slightly to the rear. He had his sword in his right hand as well. Then the man spoke.

  "I am glad that you have taken to your task so well, Branik."

  Hearing the voice, both Branik and Reek sheathed their swords and bowed.

  "My Lord," they said as one.

  Michael moved forward.

  "Micah! I looked for you this morning, but Martin told me you had already left. I thought you had decided to stay until these two got here?"

  Micah walked forward into the light of the nearest torch.

  "It was unavoidable. I had a few matters I needed to deal with, but I saw to it that Reek and Branik were close enough to reach you by this evening."

  "My Lord," Branik interjected.

  "There are ogres in Branna. We saw them last night outside the village you left us near. They destroyed it completely."

  "Ogres? How many did they number and what direction were they headed?" Micah asked.

  "They numbered around three hundred and were headed east. We ran all night to inform Merric, so he could warn King Brose. We are recently returned from BranninCastle. The King has dispatched his knights to try to intercept them and scouts to warn other villages."

  "Good, then matters are as well in hand as could be expected for the moment. I suggest you start Michael on the beginning exercises, but do not keep him for more than an hour tonight. He will need his rest, and you two will as well. During his magical studies, stay close to him without being intrusive."

  "It shall be as you command, my Lord," Branik replied bowing again.

  It made Michael a little uncomfortable to see the way Reek and Branik treated Micah. All this time he knew Micah to be someone important, but seeing the reverence with which these two treated him, he felt that maybe he had acted with too much familiarity. He couldn’t help feeling he might have slighted Micah in some way. Looking directly at Micah, he asked.

  "Could I speak to you alone for a minute?"

  "Of course."

  They walked out towards the center of the circle. Michael stopped and looked at the ground at his feet.

  "I’m not sure how to say this, but seeing the way they act towards you, I felt maybe, I don’t know, maybe I haven’t been respectful enough towards you. They always call you ‘Lord’ and, well, I have always just called you Micah. I hope I have not offended you by my ignorance of your station."

  Micah threw his head back and laughed heartily.

  "Michael, I am glad you are thinking in such a fashion. It will serve you well in this land to be mindful of such distinctions, but with me, there is no need. I am Micah. I was born Micah and have been only what I am ever since. The respect the Avari show me is not something for which I have asked or could demand. It is merely their way. It has always been this way with them. Because of this, and my not inconsiderable skill with a sword, most in this world have labeled me with that title. I am not noble born, Michael, and not pretentious enough to care about titles. In over ten thousand years of living, you learn a few things, the least of which is not to take yourself too seriously. So my friend, to answer your question, no, you have done nothing to offend me, and I would hope you would not feel required to address me by my title. Quite frankly, coming from any others than the Avari, my title tends to make me feel somewhat like a snob."

  Michael looked up at Micah and smiled slightly.

  "Everything here is so different that I don’t know from one minute to the next whether I am acting properly. I am glad you are not offended. Your not inconsiderable skills aside, you are my only true link with my world, and I do not wish to alienate you in any way. It feels like you are the only friend I have in the world, hell, both worlds for that matter. I do not want to lose you as a friend, so I thought I had better correct any mistakes I may have made."

  "If something as petty as a title costs you a friendship, Michael, then it was a friend you could do without in any case. Be at ease. You have done nothing untoward."

  Michael sighed.

  "Thank you…my friend."

  "Now, I am going to leave you in the very capable hands of these two." Micah made a gesture towards Reek and Branik.

  "I must leave for a time, but I will return when I can. Pay close attention to both Reek and Branik. They will be able to teach you a great
many things."

  "That is provided Branik doesn’t break me in half first," Michael said, eyeing Branik warily.

  Micah chuckled.

  "Do not worry about his size. He may look like he could lift a house, but they will be showing you tactics where size is not important. Good luck, Michael. I will see you again soon." Micah raised his hand in farewell to the pair of Avari, who bowed in return. He moved a few steps away from Michael, and suddenly he was a large hawk winging its way into the night sky.

  Michael stared after him.

  "That man is full of surprises. I’ll have to ask Merric how he did that." Michael started as he heard Branik’s voice right behind him. How could someone so big move so quietly?

  "We need to begin, Michael. The hour grows late," Branik said.

  "Ok, what do you want me to do?" Michael asked.

  "We will begin with exercises tonight," Branik told him taking up a position directly in front of Michael, Reek at his side.

  "Follow along and do what we do. These are not difficult, but they are taxing, especially to someone unaccustomed to physical exertion. You will probably be very sore in the morning. We will rouse you early and repeat these exercises before your magic classes, otherwise, you will be stiff and sore all day and may have trouble concentrating," Branik explained.

  Michael sighed and thought to himself, Great! Gym class all over again.

  "Bend your knees like so. Move your arms out from your body…" Branik began.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Rand rode through the pass after leaving the Avari and their Lord. He knew Lord Micah was correct. It would not be safe for a lone man to be there, so he continued on for most of the night, and then camped on the downward slope. He had ridden far enough that Grim would reach him before any enemy could close on him from behind. He did not think any of the Weres would be returning this night after what Reek and Branik did to them. He watered Fire and removed his saddle. Rand spent a few minutes brushing him down while he himself unwound. Fire turned towards him and nickered softly.

  "Yes, I know boy. It has been a long day." Rand pulled a carrot from his saddlebag and broke it in half. He fed the large end to Fire and took a bite from the smaller end. He tethered Fire to a small rock and climbed up to a ledge about ten feet up the wall, spread his saddle blanket out, and drew his sword. Rand laid the sword down within easy reach and went to sleep.

  He was awakened later by a wuffle from Fire. Instantly alert, Rand grabbed his sword and rose into a low crouch. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he scanned the pass in the direction of Glimmen Marsh. He could see nothing. The path bent around a corner to the right a couple of hundred yards back. He didn’t hear anything either, yet Fire had his ears flattened back against his head. Obviously, Fire heard or smelled something he did not like. Moving as quietly as possible, Rand climbed down to the path and began saddling Fire while keeping his eye on the turn in the pass. He finished with the saddle and mounted up. He glanced back again, still nothing.

  "Come on boy. Let’s get the hell out of here." Rand thumped Fire with his heels, and they took off at a moderate pace. Up ahead, the pass curved to the right and would then continue straight for a good distance. They rounded the bend, and he thumped Fire’s flanks again. The horse needed no additional encouragement. He took off like an arrow shot from an elvish longbow, sparks flying from his shod hooves as they struck the dry, rocky ground beneath. The echo of Fire’s pounding stride reverberated throughout the pass.

  "If they didn’t hear us before, they certainly will now," Rand remarked. He glanced behind again and saw the dark shapes of two wolves come around the corner, moving low to the ground.

  "Damn it! Weres!" Rand cursed. Bending forward over Fire’s neck, he spoke softly.

  "Fly boy, fly." In the straight section of the pass, Rand had no doubt Fire could outrun them, but when they got into the tighter, winding part, they would be slowed. He would have to make it about halfway through a twisting section before reaching a decently, defendable spot. Rand would have to make a stand there. There was no way Fire could maintain this pace for very long after the day they already had. Rand glanced back again. He could see the Weres coming now, two good sized wolves, moving fast, but Fire had opened the distance a good deal. With any luck, they may just make it.

  He had to slow Fire as they entered the meandering part of the pass. Hopefully the Weres did not know the layout of the pass, whereas he had been through it twice now. Since slackening their pace, Rand was able to hear the growls and snarls of the wolves. Not much further now. He rounded a curve to the left and saw what he was looking for up ahead, a place where the pass narrowed to a point that a horse could barely fit through.

  Rand drew his sword and slowed Fire even more. As Fire passed between the rocks of the narrows, Rand slid off his back and turned around as his feet contacted the canyon floor. He whipped his cloak up and around his left arm grabbing its end in his fist. The wolves had already rounded the last curve and were pounding straight at him.

  "I guess it was too much to ask just to be a scout and avoid all this fighting business," Rand remarked to no one in particular.

  The first wolf leaped high against the side of the wall and over his head.

  "Damn!" Fire would have to fend for himself. The second wolf leaped at him, coming for his throat. Rand flung his arm up and jammed it into its open mouth. He felt teeth clamp down painfully on his arm. He brought his sword forward in an upward thrust, catching the wolf in the neck, and then twisted it to the side. He succeeded in partially severing its head. Rand twisted his arm out of the dead wolf’s mouth and turned to the other one that had gotten passed him. He stared for a moment then smiled and laughed. Fire was standing a dozen feet away over the lifeless form of the other wolf. Rand turned back and finished decapitating the now naked man lying on the ground. He moved towards Fire smiling.

  "Couldn’t let me have all the fun now, could you, boy?" Fire snorted at him. Rand moved Fire off a few paces from the corpse, which was in the process of reverting to human form, and began inspecting his forelegs and neck for wounds.

  "Not a scratch on you. I dare say you made out better than I did. How about next time you fight, and I will take rear guard?" Rand returned to the dead Were, noticing the side of its head had been caved in by a hoof. He cut the head from the corpse and walked back to Fire. He sheathed his blade and inspected his arm. The heavy cloak had kept the wolf’s teeth from breaking the skin, but it still hurt. He was going to have one massive bruise. He mounted up again.

  "Let’s get a little more distance covered tonight. I don’t think either of us could sleep right now, even if I felt safe enough to try."

  He rode for about another hour, taking it slow so as not to overtax Fire. The sky was beginning to lighten in the east behind the mountains. Rand dismounted and walked around a bit to stretch his legs. He was still a good six or seven hours from the mouth of the pass. Grim would be breaking camp soon and heading this way.

  "What say we walk on a bit further? You could use the rest, and I could stand a bit of a stretch," he asked Fire. Taking hold of Fire’s tether, Rand started walking. After about another hour, the sun was cresting the mountains behind them. He looked down at his arm and confirmed he had been correct in his prediction. His entire forearm was swollen with a black and purplish bruise. It made his left hand feel stiff, and it was painful to make a fist. Rand held his arm out to Fire.

  "See, I am not cut out for this warrior rubbish." Fire seemed to ignore him, so he continued walking. Another hour passed silently, and then he heard the sound of hooves up ahead.

  "Grim must have moved out really early to have gotten this far already."

  Not wanting to take any unnecessary chances, he backed Fire into a side trail leading off to his right. It did not look like it went too far, but you never could tell in these mountains. The sun’s light slanting down from over the mountains left them in heavy shadow. Rand stood beside Fire’s head and stroked his nose
to keep him quiet. They waited for almost fifteen minutes before Rand saw a horse pass his position. He smiled. It was Commander Salic, followed by Captain Hamil. Rand hailed them, moving into the light so they could see him. Captain Hamil halted and turned to look into the fissure. Rand saw him squint in his direction, one massive hand resting on the pommel of his sword.

  "Scout Rand, we had not expected to find you on this side of the mountains. What’s wrong, lad?" Captain Hamil inquired.

  Rand led Fire out of the fissure and onto the path. Commander Salic turned around, and Rand nodded to him.

  "Commander. Captain. I went through to the Avari camp last night. There was a fight going on between them and about forty or fifty Weres. They took out a good many of them, and the remainder fled. While we were getting settled for the night, Lord Micah showed up and gave the two Avari an assignment away from The Slot. He informed me that he had spoken with someone in my company, and assured me that you were in place at the mouth of The Slot. Satisfied that the King had sent enough men to guard the pass, he bade me return to my company. I assume he took the Avari away, for that was his intent. I did as he said and headed back into the pass. I was set upon by two Weres earlier this morning, scouts I would guess. Fire and I fled to a spot further up the pass that was more defensible. I killed one, and Fire got the other. We have been walking ever since. I heard you approaching and hid in there," indicating with a wave of his hand the gap from which he and Fire had emerged.

  Captain Hamil noticed that he was rubbing his left arm.

  "You wounded, lad?"

  "Just got knocked around a bit. I bruised my arm pretty good, nothing serious."

  "Lord Micah told you true. He appeared after sundown last night. He told us of his Avari guarding the other end of The Slot and said since we were now here, he had another mission for them," Commander Salic verified Rand's information.

  Rand looked over the approaching column. His eyes opened wide in surprise. Standing in the front was a company of dwarves, perhaps forty of them. One of them appeared to be very young, dressed in the gray tunic of a healer. He was much too young to be one though, he wasn’t even bearded yet. Seeing a big blonde haired dwarf headed towards him, he glanced back to Commander Salic.