Priestess Kantaria spoke next. “The Oracle sent word three nights ago that the time was fast approaching when the staff would be needed once more. The Oracle has requested the staff of the Lady of the Tree be brought to his sanctuary for repair. The Oracle says the assets necessary to return the staff to its former glory are once again available at his location. However, he says the window of opportunity is small. We must act quickly, or the opportunity will be lost.
“I, of course, am too feeble to make the trek,” said High Priest Questor. “The task of taking the Lady’s staff to the Oracle must fall to a younger elf.”
Jeena looked at the others in the room. None of them were young, but with the exception of the high priest, they were all still in the prime of they’re lives. The three week journey to the Oracle’s stronghold would be an easy trek for any of them.
“The Lady has chosen you to carry the staff, Jeehana,” said the high priest.
Shocked, Jeena barely had the wherewithal to stammer the word, “Me?”
“Yes, you,” said Priestess Aldriss. “And do not think to argue. Whatever you can say as to why you shouldn’t perform this quest has already been said a dozen times by those much more qualified to know.”
“For whatever reason,” said High Priest Questor, “the Lady has chosen you as her champion.”
Forgetting the admonition not to argue, Jeena said, “But I’m only a tenth-year acolyte. Surely one of the Lady’s priestesses or Priest Tobias should be given the quest.”
No one in the room bothered to agree with her. Not that Jeena got the impression the others didn’t agree. She got the impression the topic had already been argued about until they had finally accepted the idea of Jeena taking on the quest through sheer exhaustion.
Grasping at straws, Jeena remembered something she’d read in one of the ancient scrolls at the library. “It’s said only one of the Lady’s priests or priestesses can wield the Power of the Lady’s staff. I’m not of proper rank to perform the quest. The honor should go to another.”
“You are correct,” agreed High Priest Questor. “Only a priest or priestess may wield the Staff of the Lady of the Tree.”
Jeena breathed a sigh of relief. The high priest was finally being reasonable.
“And that’s why,” said the high priest, “as of this moment, you are no longer an acolyte. You are henceforth Priestess Jeehanathoraxen of the Lady of the Tree.”
The word shocked didn’t do justice to the feeling which swept over Jeena. Even stunned and overwhelmed were too non-descriptive.
“But I’m a tenth-year acolyte,” Jeena insisted. “The path to the priesthood takes centuries. I’m untrained.”
“Enough!” said High Priest Questor as he stood and raised his voice for the first time. “The decision has been made. The Lady has decided. It is not the place for you or anyone else in this room to argue. You will leave immediately for the Oracle. You will leave within the hour. You are a priestess now.”
With those words, High Priest Questor glared at the others in the room. It was a strange action to have the blind eyes of the high priest lock with hers. However, his actions were effective. Neither the others nor she tried to argue; at least not verbally. But from the looks on Priest Tobias and Master Jathar, Jeena had no doubt they had a multitude of arguments bouncing around inside them.
Although laden with self-doubts, Jeena resigned herself to her unexpected quest.
“Has my escort been prepared?” Jeena said thinking of how much there was to do in so little time. She had to pack. She had to tell her adoptive parents, Lord Reale and High Lord Trenadine, goodbye. And she had to find her brother, Ceril, and let him know where she’d be. Plus she needed to go to the library and find some books on the Oracle as well as maps for her trek. The path to the Oracle’s stronghold was an arduous one. Much of the path crossed the lands of the humans. Only a strong guard of elven warriors could guarantee safe passage.
“There will be no escort,” said High Priest Questor. “You will travel alone. Priestess Aldriss already has your pack ready along with the necessary maps. Once you leave this room, you will go directly to the city gate and depart.”
“But–” Jeena began forgetting the command not to argue. She knew a lone female elf traveling in the lands of the humans was asking for death or worse. Humans, especially human males, were unable to control their emotions. Their lustful thoughts and intense feelings had been known to make emotion-sensitive female elves physically sick. Jeena had no desire to cross paths with any humans. Especially considering what they’d done to her family.
“There are no buts,” said High Priest Questor cutting Jeena off. “The Oracle wants you to travel alone. The Lady concurs.”
From her readings, Jeena knew the Lady of the Tree used to talk to her priests and priestesses via a form of telepathy. However, those days were long past. She had no doubt when the high priest spoke of the Lady concurring, he was just interpreting the emotions he sensed from the Lady when he prayed for guidance. Although inexperienced in the priestly ways, Jeena was pretty sure the interpretation of emotional responses left a lot of room for interpretation.
He has to be interpreting her emotions wrong, Jeena thought. I’m not qualified for such a task. I cannot be a priestess. The Lady hasn’t even had a selection ceremony.
Priests and priestesses weren’t elected. The Lady chose her closest disciples during a selection ceremony held around the Tree of Light. Jeena had been chosen as an acolyte during a smaller version of such a ceremony. A branch of the Tree of Light had reached out and placed a circlet of leaves around her head as she’d knelt with a group of other petitioners. Her selection ceremony for acolyte had been ten years ago.
“Actually,” said Priestess Aldriss, “you will be escorted by a squad of elven scouts to the edge of Silvertine’s lands. After you cross the river Silvore, you will be on your own until you arrive at the Oracle’s.”
“Upon your return,” said Priestess Kantaria, “you will present yourself to the Lady at a selection ceremony. You will receive your priestess staff at that time, assuming the Lady still wants you as her priestess. But until then, for all intents and purposes, you are a priestess now.”
“And also upon your return,” added Priest Tobias, “you’ll begin an accelerated course of training which may make you wish you’d never been promoted early to the position of priestess.”
I already wish that, Jeena thought. But she kept her thought to herself.
“Do you have any questions?” asked High Priest Questor.
Jeena had a thousand questions, but she had to deal with the most pressing first.
“You say I won’t have an escort, high priest,” Jeena said making one last attempt to tactfully point out reasons why she shouldn’t go. “Aren’t the lands of the humans too dangerous for a lone, female elf to cross on her own? You know the history of my family. Surely I have a reason to be concerned. The first human male I meet is liable to try and have his way with me. Everyone knows how they are.”
“You make a valid point, priestess,” said High Lord Questor. “And that brings us to why Master Jathar has attended our meeting.”
Jeena turned and glanced at the master mage. She didn’t like the look in his eyes nor the smirk on his face. Jeena had a feeling she wasn’t going to like whatever the mage had up his sleeves for her.
Chapter 20 – Goodbye
_____________________________________
“So you’re going to go through with it?” asked Sergeant Ron.
“I’m going to give it a shot,” Richard said. “Whether it’ll work or not, I have no idea. He may not even come.”
Sergeant Ron and Richard were sitting in the control room. A miniature set of buildings were displayed on the holographic table between them.
“Margery?” Richard asked. “You don’t mind if I call you Margery, do you?”
“Of course not, wizard scout,” said a feminine voice. “Thomas was very fond of you, and you’re h
is son. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. I certainly don’t.”
The source of Margery’s voice was hard for Richard to pinpoint. According to Sergeant Ron, the entire ship had speakers and video equipment embedded throughout most of the Defiant’s inside bulkheads. With the equipment, Margery could monitor and interact with the ship’s crew in almost every part of the ship.
“Good,” Richard said. “So where do you think he’s located?”
The holograph shifted and zoomed in until it encompassed only one of the buildings. The holograph continued to zoom until the entire table was taken up by a single room. It was a cell.
“Analysis?” Richard said.
“Based upon what data I can glean from the tele-network,” said Margery, “your package should be in this room. The cell is composed of energized titanium in the walls, ceiling, and floor to prevent teleportation.”
“Is that standard procedure?” asked Sergeant Ron.
“Negative, captain,” answered Margery. “The specially processed titanium required to create creallium is too expensive to use in every cell. My databanks indicate only one percent of the cells at Diajor are protected thus. Those cells are reserved for the most dangerous prisoners. Other sensitive areas such as control rooms and the like are also protected by energized titanium.”
“What are the odds they’d have Sergeant Hendricks in a cell with that kind of security under normal conditions?” Richard said. “I mean, it’s not like he’s a desperate criminal.”
“The odds are near zero, Rick,” came Nickelo’s voice over the external speakers of Richard’s battle helmet where he’d propped it up on the copilot’s seat. “I calculate a seventy-two percent probability Sergeant Hendricks is there because someone suspects you might try something stupid.”
“Well then, they’re right,” Richard said.
Looking at his battle computer, Richard added, “I wish you were going with me, Nick.”
“So do I,” agreed Nickelo. “But I’m needed here to assist Margery with her integration. The central computer has provided a special security interface to allow us to communicate; at least for now.”
“You know,” said Sergeant Ron, “even if you get Sergeant Hendricks, you can’t bring him back here. The Defiant will be the first place they’ll look. Once we get off planet, it will be safe, but not here.”
Richard nodded. “I know. That’s why I’m going to take Sergeant Hendricks directly to Trecor with me. The Empire and Trecor don’t have an extradition treaty, or so Nick tells me.”
“Your battle computer is correct,” said Margery.
“So, do you know how you’re going to do it?” said Sergeant Ron.
“Not really,” Richard admitted.
“Oh, you know our Rick, Sergeant Ron,” said Nickelo with a stifled laugh. “He’s not much into planning.”
Richard ignored his battle computer. “Well, I guess I’ll see you guys next month on Trecor. No use wasting time. Once I’m gone, let Myers know I won’t need a teleport after all.”
“Will do, partner,” said Sergeant Ron.
Richard stood and picked up his battle helmet. He shook hands with Sergeant Ron. “Take care of ‘em for me, Margery.”
“Will comply, wizard scout,” said Margery.
Richard went back to his room and changed into a generic soldier’s uniform that he pulled out of his dimensional pack. He pulled a camouflage suit out of his pack and put it on over his uniform. Once dressed, Richard left his battle computer, battle helmet, dimensional pack, and the rest of his gear on his bunk.
I wish you could take your wizard scout gear with you, said Nickelo into their shared space. But, it would be a dead giveaway if any of your equipment was caught on one of the security cameras on Diajor.
Understood, Richard said. It won’t be my first mission without gear.
Richard glanced around the room. He felt emptyhanded. Nickelo had convinced him not to take any weapons. The guards on Diajor were Empire soldiers. They weren’t the enemy. If he was discovered, and the guards started firing, Richard was pretty sure he’d return fire if he had a weapon. Without a weapon, he wouldn’t be tempted.
Taking a final look around, Richard activated his best stealth shield as he sent a call for help out into the universe. In the call, Richard pictured a black stallion with glowing-red eyes and claws instead of hoofs.
Richard didn’t know if Sheeta, the leader of the dolgar pack, would send him the spirit-horse or not. He could only wait and find out one way or the other.
During his first mission for ‘the One’ on the planet Portalus in the magical dimension, Richard had encountered a Master demon who’d linked him up with a pack of wolf-like creatures in the spiritual dimension called dolgars. For some reason, one of the female dolgars, Sheba, had adopted him as one of her pups. Both Sheba and her mate, Sheeta, had since been with him on several missions for ‘the One’. Sheeta had even introduced Richard to a spirit-horse which Richard thought was really more a demon than it was a horse. However, the spirit-horse could travel between dimensions while carrying a rider, and that’s what Richard needed now. Unfortunately, the spirit-horse was not at Richard’s beck and call. It only came when Sheeta saw fit to send it. Consequently, all Richard could do now was wait.
Richard sighed. I really hate waiting.
Chapter 21 – Diajor Prison
_____________________________________
A full two hours passed before a disturbance in the void caught Richard’s attention. He recognized the Power frequency of the spirit-horse. The dolgar, Sheeta, was not with the stallion. Richard wasn’t concerned. All he needed was the stallion.
Within seconds, Richard sensed the spirit-horse in the void below the floor of his room. After a final glance around the cabin, he wrapped himself in Power and shifted into the void. As soon as he levitated down and mounted the spirit-horse, black tendrils came out of the stallion’s back and twisted around his legs and waist securing him in place. Power reached out from the stallion and took over Richard’s shift in the void. Once the stallion did that, Richard dropped his own shift to conserve Power.
An emotion from the spirit-horse gave Richard the impression the stallion was asking for directions. From previous experience, Richard knew his mount only condescended to carry him as a favor to Sheeta. The stallion’s impatience was obvious.
Wasting no time, Richard sent an image of Diajor’s military prison to his mount. The stallion apparently needed no other directions because he immediately did a full shift into another dimension. Richard was shifted along with the stallion. During the next thirty minutes, the stallion shifted through a dozen dimensions before Richard sensed they were back in the void next to the physical dimension. A quick active scan confirmed they were beneath Diajor’s military prison.
It was dark in the void, but it didn’t matter. Richard’s passive scan gave him a lot of information about the section of the physical dimension surrounding him. Richard sent out an active scan to the cell Margery had indicated was the probable holding area of Sergeant Hendricks. Richard hoped for the best. When the active scan returned, he sighed with relief. Not a physical sigh of course since he didn’t breathe while in the void, but he thought of his reaction as a sigh. In any regard, he was relieved. His active scan confirmed the cell’s occupant. Based upon the frequency of the lifeform, Richard knew the prisoner inside was ex-Sergeant Hendricks.
Now what? Richard thought while wishing his battle computer was here to talk things over with. Nick? By any chance are you there?
No answer was forthcoming. Richard hadn’t really expected any. For one thing, Diajor was 40,000 light years from Risors. For another, he was in the void. Since he’d gotten his shared space, he’d discovered he could communicate with his battle computer at a considerable distance. However, based upon the current communication, the max range was either less than 40,000 light years, or it was limited to the same dimension.
Well, he’s not here to help, Rick, old buddy, so stop
your stalling and get the lead out.
Richard sent an image to the spirit-horse upon which he rode. He imagined them moving to a position underneath the cell. Richard felt the stallion beneath him vibrate as his mount changed positions as requested. Fortunately, the cells around their target were not high-security cells. They weren’t composed of energized titanium. If they had been, Richard doubted he would be able to get to Sergeant Hendricks’ cell.
Once they were below the sergeant’s cell, Richard spent several hours tracking the flows of energy in the area above him. He pinpointed every alarm, video camera, audio sensor, and control panel around the cell as well as the nearby cells and hallways. In addition, Richard used his passive scan to trace the movement of the guards. When he finished all the preparatory work he thought reasonable, Richard reached out with his mind and began looping energy flows in the alarms back upon themselves.
Disabling the alarms was no big deal. Richard had spent three years on the streets after he’d left the orphanage. During that time, he’d used his skills to bypass a lot of alarms while stealing food. He wasn’t proud of the things he’d done while trying to stay alive during that period of his life, but it was what it was. He put those acquired skillsets to good use now.
Once the alarms were deactivated, Richard had the stallion switch positions again until he was in the void directly beneath the hallway floor next to Sergeant Hendricks’ cell. Richard waited for the roving guard to make his rounds. As the guard passed overhead, Richard pictured himself getting off the stallion. The long, black tendrils securing Richard to the back of the stallion untwined and retracted back into the stallion’s back and sides.
Up until this point, his mount had been keeping him in the void. That needed to change. Wrapping himself in Power, Richard shifted himself in the void just as he felt the stallion remove his Power and move away.
Wizard Omega (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 4) Page 22