Vaun frowned and shifted in his seat, determined to pry more answers from the wizard but unsure how to proceed.
“What is it, Swordsman?” Merdel didn’t bother to raise his head.
“What exactly are you looking for?”
Merdel glanced up for the first time at the youth seated across from him. He studied Vaun, then nodded as if deciding something important. “A solution to our problem. I want to find out how Elak is weakening the barriers, but so far I’ve found nothing.”
“I thought you already knew.”
The wizard grunted and focused back down at the book on the table. “I wish. I only know he’s destroying them, but I don’t know how. I have a few ideas, but I need to know more about the barriers before I can figure it out. That’s why I’m here. But so far I haven’t found a real clue. Fire, this seems to be getting more and more impossible as our journey continues.”
“Can’t we just kill him? Won’t that stop the destruction of the barriers?”
“I wish it were that easy. It might very well stop it, then again it might not. It certainly wouldn’t reverse it, which is what we really need to do. Without knowing how he’s doing it, I won’t be able to restore the lost energy to the barriers. There’s no telling what might happen if the energy isn’t restored properly. I don’t even want to think of the possibility. It’s bad enough what’s going to happen now that a good deal of the energy has been lost.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, in this particular book there is an account of something similar happening about two thousand years ago. It says that, because of the lost energy to the barriers, certain things went wrong. There was a flood in the Great Sands Desert. The Eastern Marshes almost dried up, and the Sea of Marin, normally a fairly placid body of water, experienced two hurricanes.” He flipped backwards a few pages. “In the north, there were earthquakes where before no such thing had ever occurred. The assassination of the Yardan king was even blamed on the lost energy.” He flipped back to his original page. “There are examples throughout this and other texts. But none of them tell why the energy was lost or how it was restored. For all I know, Elak connected himself to them in such a way that if he’s killed, they’ll collapse completely. I don’t know what to do.”
Vaun nodded. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.”
“I’m glad you have such confidence in my abilities.” The wizard sounded as if he himself did not. “I wish we could just kill him like you warriors suggest, but we can’t. If I don’t find out how he’s doing it, we may have to ask Elak himself, and I doubt he’d want to tell us.”
“I’m sure Thorne would think of a way to make him talk.”
Merdel laughed and looked up at the youth again. “That’s for sure. What else did you want to ask me?”
Vaun sighed, unable to find the right words. It seemed Merdel always tried to be a teacher to him, almost more so than even Drath. “Thorne explained why you felt you had to use magic on me, and I think I don’t blame you as much as I did at first. I think anybody would have done what you did, if he believed the person he’d chosen was the best.”
It was the closest thing to a sincere statement of forgiveness Vaun could make, and both knew it.
“What I don’t understand,” Vaun continued, “is why you thought I was the best choice, and what really convinced you I might refuse to go.”
Merdel smiled. “Still doubting yourself even now?”
“Aye, a little. Old habits are hard to break. But you couldn’t have known I was going to become a Swordsman, so what made you choose a teenager over everyone else?”
“You’re twenty now, remember? To be honest, I don’t really know. I began my search by random selection, but I soon learned that method would take forever. I did learn quite a bit about your world, though, and I consider myself blessed for discovering this previously unknown portion of the Great God’s handiwork.
“To find us a companion amongst your host of peoples, I narrowed my search with the aid of more powerful spells to only those with fighting skills that they could use in a world like ours. Your warriors are now mostly technology-dependent, and so are unsuitable for our needs. After a week of fasting and praying, the Great God put you at the top of the list.
“I had no idea why, because at that time your sword skills were inferior to several other people I also looked at. But the spell I used told me you were the best, so I examined you a little more. Plus, I remembered that the Great God is never wrong. That was when I saw your passion for adventure, as well as your courage.
“I think it was the persistence of the Great God’s voice that made me choose you. I was never certain, of course, but I am comfortable enough following His guidance that I trusted Him. Even before you Bonded, I can honestly say I was proud of my choice, and I was sorry I’d decided to use magic to get you to come with us. I was simply so desperate by that time that I didn’t want to lose you, and you had run away so quickly I thought we could never make you change your mind.”
Vaun nodded. “I’m not sure myself why I ran away. But I do know it bothered me when I found out you had used a spell on me. It was more because it seemed like you didn’t trust me than because I thought the decision hadn’t been my own. I found out later that I really did want to go. I was just so scared of myself that I had almost talked myself out of living my dream.”
“That’s what I based my spell on. I used your own motivations to persuade you to accept our offer. I had no idea you’d figure it out. I still don’t know how you did. It has to be something to do with your Swordsman gifts, which make all such men unable to be magically subjugated. I knew you wanted to come, and so did you. You just weren’t sure of yourself enough to trust yourself or us. And what I said before was true; because I have committed myself to serving the Great God, I am incapable of turning a lie into truth with magic. It is His way of motivating His followers to use their powers for His purposes.
“I think you’ve come a long way over the last several days, and I must say I am honored to know you, Vaun Tarsus. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to explain myself.”
Vaun nodded and made to rise, then sat back down. He had one more question. “Who is this Great God you keep talking about?”
Merdel grinned, apparently glad to have a chance to share his belief. “Only the Creator of all things. Your world knows Him simply as God, or Jehovah in some lands. Some might disagree with me, but I believe the God of your world and the Great God of mine are one and the same. The similarities between our worlds, in my mind, preclude the possibility of the existence of another creator god. Why He chose to prohibit magic in your world is as great a mystery as why He limits your kind of technology in ours. Who knows? Maybe there are worlds that have neither magic nor technology, or even both.”
Vaun cocked his head in curiosity. “What kinds of technology are forbidden? And what is so bad about technology, anyway?”
Merdel grunted, thinking the point should be obvious. “I could ask you the same about magic, because you are proscribed from using it in your world. Even I took a big risk using it. But, tell me, is all your wonderful technology used for good purposes?” Vaun had to shake his head. “No. Just as all magic is not used wisely.” Merdel squinted in thought. “I think the Great God simply loves variety, so He gave different talents and powers to the peoples and worlds He created. Why is a question for Him.”
The bearded mage shifted in his seat. “As for what is forbidden, it is mainly that kind of innovation that takes away our involvement. The best example is your electricity. It’s a wonderful invention, and I do at times wish we had it. But I can see the complacency it has fostered in the people of your world, much more so than wind or water power.” Merdel’s brow furrowed. “It’s as if the Great God decided that, because we can use magic to accomplish great things, we should be ‘encouraged’ to perform menial tasks with the strength and sweat of our bodies.
“Yes, we have simple machines and devices
that make labor easier, but nothing which allows us to simply push a button to get something done. Even the amazing plumbing that the Overlord is having installed throughout the city requires careful placement of water supply, so that the pull of the earth provides the water pressure, rather than an electric pump, as in your world. Neither system is more noble or intelligent than the other; they simply reflect the truth that we are all subject to the will of the Great God.”
Vaun shrugged. “I’ve never really had much use for religion.”
Merdel chuckled. “Now you sound like Drath. Though he believes the Great God exists, he doesn’t think He is much involved or concerned in our affairs. I’ve tried to convince the stubborn lout otherwise, but he rarely listens to me. I’m sure you have the same type of people in your world.” Vaun nodded. “In the end, Vaun, you can only trust that the Great God is there, that He loves you, and that He wants to guide you. If you ask Him, He will tell you what you need to do, and it will always be the right thing, even if it doesn’t seem like it at the time or you don’t like it.”
“You sound so certain.”
The wizard grunted. “I do because I am. Most people have faith in the Great God, but I know. All wizards do. It is His power, after all, that we touch when we use magic. It is only when we surrender ourselves to the Great God’s enemies, as Elak did, that turns magic to evil purposes. Even Elak knows the Great God. He has just decided to fight against Him, rather than with Him.”
“So what about the elves? They claim to be so pious, but they’re thieves. Are people in this world not forbidden from stealing?”
Merdel raised a brow. “That’s a question I’ve asked the cousins a dozen times, precisely because the Great God is very specific about stealing being wrong. They always argue that they don’t take anything from someone who can’t afford it or doesn’t deserve it. And, admittedly, they do give away a lot of their ‘earnings’.” The mage shook his head. “However, that doesn’t alleviate their guilt, but they staunchly claim their talents are gifts used in the service of the Great God. Whether or not they are is a question I have given up trying to answer. It is up to the Great God to reward or punish them according to His wisdom.” He winked. “Personally, I think He’ll do a little bit of both.”
Vaun nodded and stood, at last satisfied about why he was chosen and what his companions believed. He didn’t understand the specifics of it, but figured that really didn’t matter. He felt now he understood better why the wizard had enspelled him and decided that perhaps he wasn’t as bad as that made him seem. Still, it seemed a lot of trouble to go to for just one extra companion, and that one barely an adult, at least by his world’s standards. But Merdel believed in him, as did the others, so Vaun decided he could believe in himself, too. He decided not to share the certainty in the Great God he’d felt at his Bonding, a certainty that seemed similar to that felt by wizards. He just wasn’t entirely sure it wasn’t his imagination.
* * *
Vaun Tarsus walked through the darkened palace gardens lost in thought. He limped slightly more on his left leg than his right, it being more deeply cut than the other. Fortunately, the Jaga’s claws were not poisonous, so he didn’t have to go through the sickness and unconsciousness that Drath had when the Chattul had injured him. He crossed his arms and lowered his head as he contemplated the course his life had taken since he had accepted this quest.
The half moon turned the roses, lilies, and other flowers into pale hints of their daytime beauty. King Dobry loved flowering plants and had a wide variety of them decorating all of his gardens, including a few cacti. Many of their talks had been while strolling casually along the paths, with the king inserting comments about the beauty around them into his efforts to boost the young man’s self-esteem. This was, however, probably among the last ten days of their blooming, for soon the weather would turn cold and kill them. Vaun had enjoyed walking through the gardens during the day, and the night gave the same flowers he’d admired before a deeper, more serene beauty. His sword was strapped to his back, as always, and it was this that the eyes set into a lovely face gazed at from a balcony high above the gardens.
Tara, Princess of the kingdom of Bordell, daughter of King Dobry, watched Vaun Tarsus the Swordsman as he strolled lazily through the gardens below her rooms. Her emerald eyes pierced the gloom of the late evening to lock upon the youth. The moon, with no clouds to cover it, gave her a fairly good view of him, but she already knew what he looked like.
She had seen him when he had first met with her father and had watched him spar and defeat the palace guard. She found it wonderful that he had so nobly saved her father’s life this afternoon and thought his limping charming. She might have been present to observe the Jaga’s attack, but her language teacher had been on time, as always, and wouldn’t wait to begin her lessons. The Swordsman’s obvious pain during his last interview with her father a few hours ago had struck her to her heart. She’d wanted to rush to him and comfort him, but that would have given herself away, something she would never do, especially with his bothersome companions hanging around. She liked Drath, had known him since she was a little girl, and thought of him as an older brother. But she couldn’t even admit to herself what she felt toward Vaun Tarsus the Swordsman.
She knew what he was and why he was in her father’s kingdom. She knew what the evil wizard, Elak, was doing and that Vaun Tarsus the Swordsman and his friends had been called upon to stop him. It fascinated her that he was from a different world, and she wondered what that place might be like. She was glad Vaun Tarsus the Swordsman and Merdel had reconciled their differences, for those two had been antagonizing each other since the day they arrived. She knew quite a lot about what the six adventurers were up to. If her father found she knew all of this, he would be very upset.
The princess had discovered all this by spying on every meeting between her father and Vaun Tarsus the Swordsman. The two had met a couple of days ago in the Great Audience Hall, after arriving in the dead of the previous night, where her father had welcomed him as formally as he welcomed all his guests. Tara thought her father appeared especially handsome when seated on his throne and crowned, the falcon heads gazing in all directions from the top of the golden circlet.
He hadn’t even mentioned Vaun Tarsus the Swordsman’s companions then. He had said Vaun Tarsus the Swordsman was visiting from Ramen to fulfill one of his many royal requests. Only when they had moved to the king’s private audience chamber, where delicate matters were discussed, did Tara discover his true origin. She had gotten a closer look then and thought he was much cuter than from farther away. Though she had not been permitted to attend any of these meetings, Tara had gone anyway. There were plenty of drapes and tapestries to hide behind, and she knew which ones would afford her the best view. She saw Bordell as her kingdom, not just her father’s, and therefore believed she should know everything that transpired inside its gates, even when her father thought otherwise.
Using her knowledge of secret passages and hiding places, she had observed almost everything Vaun Tarsus the Swordsman did. The only times she didn’t see him were when he was in his rooms or roaming about the city with that cuddly dwarf. She giggled silently at thinking of Thorne that way, knowing he would turn red if he heard her say that. In all else, however, she made sure Vaun Tarsus the Swordsman was never out of her sight for long and planned to keep him that way until he left. She was determined to ask him to teach her how to use a sword the way he did. Captain Stolar was a fine enough instructor, but he was no Swordsman. And he wasn’t nearly so charming.
She blushed at her train of thought and told herself that wasn’t the way princesses were supposed to act. She was supposed to be cool and aloof, not pining away after some dark-haired young man from another world, Swordsman or not. Of course, he was older than her by three years, and acted even older, but that didn’t stop her from almost losing her heart to him. She would never let herself like him too much, at least not until he taught her how he
danced with a sword the way he did.
* * *
Vaun continued to move slowly through the night-shrouded gardens, thinking over what had happened to him in the four weeks since he had met his five new friends and begun this journey. He discovered he hadn’t thought much about his friends from childhood until a day or so ago and guessed that was because of all the traveling and hardship he’d endured so far. His new friends reminded him of them sometimes, and he hoped they were all well.
As he passed the shadowed outline of one of the garden’s many fountains bubbling cheerfully in the middle of yet another circular junction, he tried to guess what he might be doing if he were home instead of here. Reading was his answer. Definitely reading about an adventure some other person was having and wishing he could be that person. But now, he lived an adventure, and this adventure wasn’t nearly as easy as he’d thought it’d be. He was living what he had always wanted and even managed somehow to make himself fit into this world. Of course, being a Swordsman helped.
That thought made him pause in his walk. The knowledge that he was indeed part of a legend suddenly overwhelmed him. He was something most men didn’t dare to dream about, yet at times he still doubted himself. He wondered if he would ever come to fully accept who he was and be able to adjust back into his former life. He knew he’d never be the same but found within himself a confidence that told him he could find a way to make it work. He did belong in this world, but he also belonged in the one where he was born. Sometimes he couldn’t understand why he was born in one, only to dream constantly about being in the other. But that answer didn’t matter, so long as he could be who he wanted to be while in this most magnificent place.
The Bonding (The Song and the Rhythm) Page 20