Wizard Omega (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 4)

by Rodney Hartman

  “I don’t,” Richard said being honest.

  “Oh…, well then let me enlighten you,” said Councilwoman Deloris with an evil-looking smile.

  “That won’t be necessary,” said Sergeant Ron glaring at his daughter. “I’ll brief him later.”

  Sergeant Ron directed his attention to Myers. He pointed at the processor chip in Myers’ hand. “So this is why the Defiant is getting all this new equipment and the Commandant’s battle computer. Because you think we can use it to find the dreadnaught?”

  “Or the anomaly,” said Myers. “That would be our first choice.”

  Sergeant Ron rubbed the stubble on his chin. He looked at his daughter. “And is that why you’re sending Matthew with us? To keep an eye on your investment?”

  The councilwoman gave Sergeant Ron a disgusted look. “You think I’d risk my son’s life to be a spy for us?”

  When it became obvious from Sergeant Ron’s expression it was exactly what he thought, the councilwoman said, “Then you don’t know me very well, Father.”

  “Then why?” said Sergeant Ron.

  Councilwoman Deloris gave the table an angry slap. Everyone at the table jumped.

  “Because, dammit,” she said with anger and frustration in her voice. “He’s too much like you. He’s been talking about running off and joining the mercenaries ever since the battle at the Academy last year. At least I’ll know where he’s at if he’s with you. From the way Matthew talks, Rick’s become some fantasy hero of his. I knew Matthew would jump at the chance to go on the Defiant.”

  “So that’s why we got the upgrades on our engine and weapons?” Richard said.

  “Yes,” answered the councilwoman. “If Matthew has to go running off to sow his wild oats, then I want him to do it in the toughest starship credits can buy. And, he’ll have his grandfather and you to make sure he stays safe. When his two years are up, I expect him to return and take his proper place at Deloris Armaments.”

  “Then I guess we’re decided,” said Sergeant Ron. “If that’s okay with you, partner,” he hastily added with a look at Richard.

  Actually, Richard knew he hadn’t fully decided yet, but he figured it wouldn’t do any good to rehash everything again. Besides, he was tired of talking. He was ready for some action, and he’d decided on just the way to get it.

  “Fine,” Richard said. “Enough talk. Let’s get busy.”

  Chapter 19 – High Priest Questor

  _____________________________________

  When Jeena approached the palace proper, she bypassed the main gates and took a lesser path to the right. The path led to the gardens which were located right behind the Hall of Meetings. The council hall was where the Council of Light conducted its business. Jeena took a risk the hall would be empty this early in the morning.

  She passed three sets of guards along the path. They let her by without any questions. Since High Lord Trenadine and his bondmate Lord Reale had taken Ceril and her in as a part of their family after the death of their parents, most of the palace guards were used to Ceril and her entering the palace unannounced.

  At the end of the pathway, Jeena opened the door to the palace garden. She felt a flutter of anticipation as she entered the garden grounds. Once inside, Jeena stopped to let the peace and beauty of the garden envelope her. Every tree, flower, statue, fountain, and bench had been artistically arranged to please the eye. Elves with a talent for beauty had spent the last one hundred thousand years making the garden so. Jeena envied the talent of those elves. She could appreciate the beauty they created, but it was not something she excelled at herself.

  Forcing herself to move onward, Jeena entered the council chamber proper. There were no doors on the garden side of the chamber. Only a few columns separated the garden from the council hall. A long row of marble tables spanned the front of the meeting hall. Nine high-backed, stone chairs sat behind the tables; one for each member of the Council of Light.

  As Jeena had expected, the chamber was empty. A small side door to the left of the tables led to the private rooms of the council members. A large set of double-doors on the left side of the chamber was Jeena’s destination. Walking quickly to the double-doors, Jeena opened them and passed through to the wide hallway beyond.

  Long tapestries hung along both sides of the white-stone hallway. Each tapestry denoted a major event in the long history of the elves. Jeena slowed as she neared her favorite tapestry.

  The threads of the tapestry formed an image of the ancient battle between High Priestess Remozorz and the undead army of the Northern Mages. The story behind the tapestry was Jeena’s favorite. With only a small band of followers, the gnome Remozorz had defeated the necromancer leader of the Northern Mages and prevented the destruction of the elves. Not only did she save the elves, but she saved all the civilized nations as well regardless of their race. For her efforts, the gnome had been declared Elf Friend.

  Jeena scanned the tapestry for the controversial figure in black. She spotted a line of red dots and traced it back to its source. There stood a small figure in black. No scholar had ever found mention of the figure in the historical scrolls, but there the figure was nonetheless. The figure in black fought alongside an elf and gnome. All three were beset by an overwhelming force of undead. What part the figure in black played in the battle, Jeena didn’t know. But the part was important enough for the original weavers to include the figure in their tapestry. Even some of the other ancient tapestries along the hallway included a figure in black as well. Many elves thought the weavers of old included the black figure in their works as part of a tradition. Jeena wasn’t sure. Art wasn’t her field of expertize, so she wisely let those specializing in the artistic skills argue the relevance of the figure in black.

  As she continued down the hall, Jeena noted the beauty of the other tapestries, but she didn’t slow her pace. Tapestries of scenes noting important historical accomplishments whizzed past. The most elaborate tapestries were scenes from the lives of the Elf Friends. In the long history of the elves, there had only been seven known Elf Friends. The giant Elf Friend Amirithoda had come at a time when the entire race of mountain elves were threatened by destruction as the earth shifted. Tremendous earthquakes had rattled the Thandarhar mountain range from one end to the other. It was Elf Friend Amirithoda’s ability to work and communicate with stone that had calmed the mountains and bound the earth whole again.

  Another tapestry showed a battle in which the unicorn, Swiftmane, and his elven maid, Mendera, had defeated a demon and its army at the very gates of Silverton itself. Jeena noticed the figure in black was included in that tapestry as well. The black figure was barely visible in the upper left hand corner fighting some type of fire-breathing dragon.

  Jeena continued walking. At the end of the hall, she turned left and then took another left. She passed several rooms full of young elves sitting in chairs facing adult elves. As she walked, Jeena listened to the voices from the rooms.

  “… art must be appreciated for its own sake before…”

  “Your point is logical, but it is incorrect. You must…”

  “Infinity is a useful concept if you…”

  “… will produce a more powerful spell when accompanied by…”

  “… is the reason we must cherish our history. That’s why I stress…”

  Jeena smiled as the voices took her back to all the years she’d spent in these same classrooms. Jeena enjoyed learning, so the memories of her studies weren’t unpleasant.

  “Enough reminiscing, Jeena,” she whispered. “The high priest is waiting.”

  Jeena hurried her pace. Before long she came to a stone stairway. She walked down it until the stairs ended two levels below the palace. The stone in this lowest level of the palace was just roughhewn. Priestess Aldriss once told her all the high priests and priestesses kept their office in the lower level to be nearer the roots of the Tree of Light. Jeena thought it was more likely they were there because some of the more pol
itically-minded members of the Council of Light liked to remind the high priests and priestesses they were just humble servants of the council. Unlike the other council members who were elected by popular vote of the elves, the high priest or high priestess was automatically a council member by virtue of their position. And they were not elected as high priest or high priestess. Only the Lady could designate her most highest of servants.

  All too quickly, Jeena found herself standing in front of a large granite door with a beautiful carving of the Tree of Light etched into its rough surface. No guards stood before the entrance to the high priest’s chamber either.

  Although Jeena had spent a lot of time in the palace as the adoptive daughter of High Lord Trenadine, she’d never ventured into its subterranean depths. It wasn’t that venturing there was forbidden, she’d just never had the need or desire. Of course, Jeena had never been called to a private meeting with the high priest before.

  Unsure of the proper protocol, Jeena knocked on the door before giving it a slight push. The massive weight of the stone door moved easily inward on its hinges. Jeena felt pride at the craftsmanship of her ancestors, the Letian elves. They had constructed the palace with the help of dwarves, gnomes, and giants nearly a hundred thousand years ago. They had done their work so well the door before her operated as well today as it did when the door was first installed.

  Stepping inside the circular chamber beyond, Jeena immediately became even more nervous than she’d been. Five chairs were evenly spaced out on the opposite side of the room. The chairs faced the door from whence she’d entered. Three of the chairs held the residing priestesses and priest of the Lady of the Tree; Priestess Aldriss, Priestess Kantaria, and grumpy old Priest Tobias.

  The center of the five seats was occupied by an elf who was wrinkled and bent by his years. The old elf held a staff in his left hand. The staff was aged brown from its years, and it was blackened in several spots from previous battles. The old elf was High Priest Questor, and the staff was the Staff of the Lady of the Tree.

  Even for an elf, the high priest was ancient in years. He’d lost his sight to old age centuries earlier. However, he was far from decrepit. Jeena sensed his Power blazing like a bright sun. His aura dimmed those of the priest and priestesses sitting around him.

  The fifth chair was vacant. It had been vacant since the tragedy. Jeena choked back an involuntary sob at the sight of the empty seat. It had been empty since the death of her mother, Priestess Elysiathoraxen, nearly two hundred years ago. Why the Lady hadn’t yet chosen a successor to replace her mother, Jeena didn’t know. Never in the history of the elves had a vacancy in the priesthood remained unfilled for so long.

  “Ah, Acolyte Jeehanathoraxen,” said the high priest. “You’re right on time. I expected no less.”

  The high priest didn’t look at Jeena. Instead, he cocked one ear in her direction as if ‘seeing’ through sound rather than sight.

  “High Priest Questor,” Jeena said using her most formal voice. She had no doubt if she made any errors in formality, one or all of the priest and priestesses would point out her errors later that day.

  “I came as summoned,” Jeena continued with the traditional response. “How may I serve the high priest and the Lady of the Tree?”

  The high priest smiled. “Oh, how I long for the days past when others spoke to me as a friend and peer instead of as a stodgy-old high priest.”

  Spreading his hands with a wry smile, the high priest said, “But alas, those days are gone, and they will never come again, I fear.”

  Jeena was unsure how to respond, so she remained silent. She’d learned long ago it was often best to keep quiet when she didn’t know what to say. And she didn’t. The words of the high priest were too relaxed for her own comfort. Besides, the scowls on the faces of Priest Tobias and Priestess Kantaria did little to make her relax. Even the forehead of Priestess Aldriss seemed wrinkled from stress, or was it worry?

  Jeena heard a sound behind her. She sensed a flare of magic. She spun around. In a chair beside the door through which she’d just entered sat Master Jathar. He was the Master Mage of the mage guild as well as a member of the Council of Light. Jeena detected the remaints of a rapidly dissipating stealth shield.

  He must have had an invisibility spell as well, Jeena thought.

  As if sensing her discomfort, High Priest Questor distracted her by asking a question. “What can you tell me about this staff?” he asked as he raised the battered Staff of the Lady of the Tree in his left hand.

  Jeena was perplexed. Why is Master Jathar here? And why is the high priest asking me about the Lady’s staff? Is this a test?

  “Ah,” said High Priest Questor. “You must work on the control of your facial features, Acolyte Jeehanathoraxen. Your thoughts are as plain as if you were holding up a scroll with them written boldly in common. Of course, this is a test.” The high priest smiled. “All of life is a test, is it not?”

  How the high priest could tell what she was thinking from her facial features when he was blind, was beyond Jeena. However, she willed herself to keep her thoughts off her face just the same.

  “Yes, high priest,” Jeena admitted. “It’s true. I was indeed wondering if this was a test. The appearance of Master Jathar rattled me.”

  “You didn’t sense my presence before you entered?” asked Master Jathar in what Jeena thought was a harsh voice. “Didn’t you think to check the area with a detection spell before you entered? If one of my tenth-year mage apprentices had made such an omission, I would have them paying penitence for a week.”

  “That’s not fair, Master Jathar,” said Priestess Kantaria interceding on Jeena’s behalf. “Your mage apprentices may be taught advanced detection spells by their tenth year, but our acolytes don’t learn them until their twelfth year; as you well know.”

  “My point exactly,” said Master Jathar. “This acolyte is too inexperienced for the task at hand. It should be given to one of the current priestesses or Priest Tobias.”

  “I agree,” said Priest Tobias. “The Staff of the Lady of the Tree is too important to–”

  “Enough,” said High Priest Questor in a weary voice as he held up his right hand. “The decision has already been made. The quest will be given to our young acolyte.” The high priest paused, “Unless one of you wishes to take the matter up with the Lady directly?”

  A quest? Jeena thought confusedly. The Lady? What’s going on?

  The room remained silent. Apparently no one was willing to go against the Lady.

  “Very well,” said High Priest Questor. “We won’t rehash old arguments. So I’m back to my original question, Jeehana. Err…, you don’t mind if I call you Jeehana, do you?

  Every elf had three names; a common name, a friend name, and a familiar name. Jeehanathoraxen was Jeena’s common name, while Jeena was the familiar name reserved for her family members and dearest friends. Jeehana was her friend name. Why the high priest wanted to call her by her friend name was beyond Jeena. She was only an acolyte.

  “Uh…, of course not,” Jeena said still at a loss as to what was happening in the room. “And…, err… to answer your question, the Staff of the Lady of the Tree belonged to High Priestess Shandristiathoraxen almost a hundred thousand years ago. It has been passed down from high priestess to high priest ever since. The staff of the Lady used to be very powerful. Legend has it High Priestess Remozorz used the staff to stop an entire army of undead on the Highlamar Plains.

  “Yes,” said the high priest. “And every elf child knows what you’ve just told me. I’ve heard you read a lot. What else do you know?”

  “Err…, high priest,” Jeena said feeling as if she were treading on thin ice. “The history of the staff is murky in many places. It stopped working forty thousand years ago. Its gem appears to still have abundant Power, but even the high priest is unable to use the Lady’s staff anymore. The staff is more ceremonial than functional.”

  Realizing who she was talking to, Jeen
a added,” “Uh…, that’s what I’ve read, anyway.”

  High Priest Questor smiled. The others in the room remained stony faced.

  “You have read correctly for the most part,” agreed the high priest. “But while the staff doesn’t have the Power or capabilities it once had, it can still be used to perform a few lesser magics.”

  The high priest raised the Lady’s staff high and then let go. It floated in the air until it was an arm’s length away from Jeena.

  “Take it,” said High Priest Questor.

  Cautiously reaching out, Jeena grasped the aged, dark-brown wood in the middle of the staff with her left hand. Her fingers tingled with the feeling of dormant Power. She was surprised. It must have shown on her face.

  Although blind, the high priest registered Jeena’s emotion and the reaction of the staff.

  “You see,” High Priest Questor said tilting his ear in the direction of Priest Tobias. “The staff does not resist her.”

  Priest Tobias said nothing, but Jeena thought he looked disappointed.

  The high priest turned his attention back to her. “You feel the latent Power, don’t you? Most do not. In fact, most cannot even grasp the Lady’s staff without being attacked.”

  He nodded his head as if remembering past attempts to handle the staff. “The Staff of the Lady of the Tree has enormous Power, but it is dormant Power. At least no priest or priestess has been able to make use of it in the past forty thousand years.”

  Jeena barely heard the high priest. The Power of the staff called to her. It yearned to be set free, but she didn’t know how. Still, the feeling of holding so much Power in her hand was unnerving. The training staffs her fellow acolytes and she had been issued were like a soft breeze in comparison to a hurricane in the Northern Sea.

  “And this brings us to your quest,” said High Priest Questor.

  The high priest’s words brought Jeena back to reality. She sensed danger in the old elf’s words. The staff was forgotten as she gave her undivided attention to the high priest.