by Des Pensable
Of course, the ban on lethal magic severely limited his future as a serious magic user, and seemed to predestine him to the role of merchant wizard artificer for the rest of his life. He was a little bitter about this, since he considered himself better than the average wizard of his age, and like many young wizards, desired to travel and see the worlds.
Granddad never ceased to point out that four of his seven apprentices, who had better control over their tempers than Rob, had died in magic fights within a year or two of leaving his employment. Rob had grudgingly accepted his grandfather’s wisdom and learned no lethal magic.
He was deeply depressed by the time Melanie called in with a potion from his mother to help him rest. She sat with him and her heart went out to him. He was the closest thing she had to a brother, and as a brother she loved him dearly. His mother and hers were twin sisters, but while they looked very similar they were worlds apart in temperament.
Tina, his mother, was wild and headstrong. She had inherited the mind magic ability from Granddad and was a strong and powerful mind wizard like her parents. She had chosen to put her energy into healing, and under an assumed identity had become a top rate healer on other worlds, while remaining completely unknown in Panmagica, owing to the local ban on mind magic. She periodically disappeared to tend to her healing work, leaving Rob with the rest of the family.
Melanie’s mother, Flora, didn’t inherit any mind magic ability. She was totally normal in all aspects and wonderfully loving. She was Rob’s second mother, which in a way made Rob feel more like Melanie’s brother. She was always there for both of them, filling in when Rob’s mother was absent. At times Melanie had even been jealous, but it didn’t last long for Rob was too good a friend.
Peter, Melanie’s father, had been one of Granddad’s first pair of wizard apprentices. He had captured Flora’s heart from an early age, and it had been inevitable that they would join together. While Granddad played politics on a grand scale, Peter was the quiet protector, keeping a close watch over the business and family finances. He was also a good solid wizard in a fight, and a ferocious defender of the family. He had shown his worth on several occasions when criminals had pressured the family. Nobody toyed with Granddad’s family unless they wanted trouble.
Rob cheered up a little when Melanie arrived with the potion. He wasn’t used to being sick, since mind wizards could heal themselves of normal bodily damage or illness, but this strange bodily reaction was totally foreign to him. He drank the potion and fell into a deep and dreamless sleep while Melanie sat beside him imagining the worst. A few hours later, she woke him and together they went to the family meeting in the planning room, which they both jokingly called the games room, for it was there that all the serious business and political decisions were made.
The planning room was a heavily magic-shielded chamber about six paces square in the centre of the mansion. The floor, walls, ceiling and even the door were covered in small, light grey ceramic tiles made of a material that excluded magic of all types. In the middle of the room was a beautifully carved, oval wooden table that would comfortably seat a dozen people. Inlaid in the tabletop was a map of Panmagica, with various areas shaded with a variety of colours. On one wall was a blackboard with chalk and in one corner was a scroll cupboard holding dozens of maps.
Their most powerful construct, Goth, who resembled a large black suit of plate armour, stood outside the door with Roland the Head Guard, in an anteroom about half the size of the Planning room. The room was richly decorated with paintings and small tapestries from strange worlds, designed to impress visitors who would sit on ornate chairs set out around the walls. On their arrival, Rob and Melanie found the planning room door locked.
‘What’s going on, Roland?’ asked Melanie.
‘Your grandfather has asked that you both be blindfolded before entering, and Alpha is to remain outside,’ he said with an unreadable expression.
‘That’s a strange request. Are you sure?’ asked Rob.
‘Perfectly sure, my Lord, your grandfather was quite specific. No blindfold, no entry.’
‘All right Roland, I suppose we’ll have to play along.’ So both he and Melanie allowed blindfolds to be placed over their eyes. They heard the door open and they were led in and the door was closed behind them. Rob noticed that the room had a strong pleasant fragrance as if filled with freshly cut flowers.
‘You may take the blindfolds off,’ said a strange voice.
They stood before the broad oval table, and seated opposite them were not their family, but a collection of strangers. In the centre and directly facing them was an old man clothed in the robes of a high priest of the Unity of Wisdom. On either side of him sat a middle-aged priestess. All were wearing sour and hostile expressions.
At the narrow end of the table to his left stood the Head of the Unity of Wisdom Guards, whom Rob had seen on many occasions, while at the other end to the right stood a solid looking man wearing the insignia of a High Wizard.
‘Where is our family?’ asked Melanie.
‘They are enemies of Panmagica and have been placed under arrest,’ said the High Priest in an aggressive tone. ‘It is now time to deal with the two of you.’
‘What are their crimes?’ demanded Rob, a little shocked.
‘Your grandfather is a mind wizard, which is a prohibited art. He will be tortured until he confesses and then publicly executed. His body will be burnt and his ashes dispersed,’ intoned the High Priest.
‘Your grandmother is his accomplice and will be treated similarly,’ the High Wizard said with a sneer.
Both Rob and Melanie were stunned by these accusations.
‘I don’t believe you!’ shouted Melanie. ‘You’re wrong!’
‘Your mothers are harlots and will be sent to entertain the troops,’ cackled one of the priestesses, seeming to enjoy the prospect.
‘And your father will become a eunuch, purged of his magic ability and sold into slavery,’ added the other priestess.
Melanie lost control. ‘You can’t. I won’t let you!’ and reached for her concealed daggers, but a word of power from the High Wizard froze her in a crouching position with her hands glued to the hilts of her weapons.
Rob maintained his mental control. This is what he had been trained for. This is what he had studied and exercised for.
‘Let me see the warrants,’ he said coolly.
‘Are you stupid or just too inbred?’ inquired the High Priest. ‘I am a member of the Council. I don’t need warrants.’
Rob stood his ground.
‘Yes you do, Your Holiness! The law is quite specific and even you must obey it. I wish to see the warrants for my family’s arrest. My Grandfather is Secretary to the Merchant Wizards’ Guild. You are treading on very thin ice if you think you hold an inquisition in our house and get away with it!’
‘Don’t dare to threaten me, you arrogant young pup,' the High Priest's voice was like stone. ‘The Unity of Wisdom runs this city and you will bow down now before us or pay dearly for your disrespect.’
Rob didn’t move, openly defying the High Priest to act.
‘Cut her throat!’ commanded the High Priest.
The Head of the City Guards walked around behind Melanie, whipped out a dagger and slit her throat. Crimson spurted out everywhere and Melanie collapsed to the floor to lie in the damp puddle of her own blood. Rob stood there momentarily, shocked beyond belief; then his training cut in and his mind raced. Perhaps he could save her yet.
He felt a cold chill as ethereal fingers assaulted his mind, attempting to cloud it with fog. He knew this magic well. It was an attempt to dominate his mind and force him into submission.
‘Nooooooo!’ he yelled and fought against the icy fingers, attempting to pry them away. The fingers seemed to flow together, interlinking and solidifying into chains criss-crossing his mind. He gathered his will power, straining his mind to break them. His anger began to rise. The darkness he always struggled so hard to co
ntrol began to envelop him. Scales appeared on some parts of his body and thick dark hair on others. His fingers on one hand extended to claws. His other hand turned into a hoof. His head became horribly misshapen, and the darkness took over.
Suddenly he expended all the magic essence in his source in a single mind magic enhanced scream so powerful that it left his lungs like a mighty gale, shattering the glasses on the table and smashing into the priests with hurricane force.
The two priestesses and the Head of the City guard were slammed against the wall and knocked unconscious, but the High Priest and High Wizard weathered the blast like willow trees bending and swaying in the storm, but never faltering. The mental chains shattered. He was free, but his control over his own mind was lost in a bestial rage.
The high priest erected a wall of arcane force between himself and his companion and Rob, blocking him from harming them. His eyes turned as black as coal. He seized Melanie and with giant strength, threw her over his left shoulder as if she was a rag doll, and turned toward the door to flee. His free arm bulged with muscles like thick tree branches and he smashed the door open with a single mighty blow. Goth, the huge metal knight-like construct stepped into his path to block his exit. Goth was holding Alpha, his memcrystal, in one hand.
He struck the construct with a huge blow. It rocked but stood defiantly blocking his escape, without moving to either assault or restrain him. He heard a scream from Melanie. How could she scream? The thought stopped him in his tracks. Her throat had been cut. He looked down at her through misty eyes. There was no blood. He couldn’t see it or smell it. He could only smell a strong floral aroma. In the back of his mind a memory slowly fought its way to the surface like a bubble struggling through thick honey. Magic was often masked by other smells. There had been a strong floral smell when he had entered the room. He stood struggling to understand what it meant.
‘It is an illusion, Rob,’ yelled Alpha. ‘You’ve been tricked by an illusion. That’s why I was excluded from the room.’
He spun around hardly believing what he was hearing. The illusion shattered. His aunt and his grandmother were unconscious. His uncle Peter was just staggering to his feet.
He lowered Melanie to the floor, horrified at what had happened.
Granddad expelled the wall of force and shouted at him. ‘Take control Rob. Use the Mantra of Calming NOW! You must use forbearance.’
Alpha spoke into his mind. ‘Rage has taken control of you. You must calm down. Use the mantra, Rob. Use the mantra. Use forbearance.’
He couldn’t remember it. His mother began chanting it aloud to help him focus. His mind slowly recognised it and he closed his eyes and joined in. He recited it repeatedly until he had firm control of his mind once again, and his heart rate had dropped back almost to normal.
Roland, visibly shaken by the event, finally gathered enough courage to ask what he should do. Granddad said not to worry. Some magic had gone wrong but it was now under control. Rob’s mother attended to his aunt and grandmother while the others watched silently until he finally returned to his normal form and his eyes returned to their brown colour.
‘By the Powers Granddad, what did you do to me?’
‘Nothing! my boy. We did nothing at all. You managed to do that all by yourself. We just helped it along a bit. Grandma and Flora were not fully convinced as to our course of action. I think that there will be no doubt in anyone’s mind now. Grab a seat and we’ll explain.’
Melanie took a seat beside Rob. She was seething with anger. She was more annoyed with the family than ever before in her life. She was also terrified of what had happened to Rob. On several occasions she had seen him lose his temper, usually when he was scared or worried, but nothing like this. He had totally lost control and had become a monster, and they had caused it. She was lost for words. Why had they done this? What was wrong with him?
‘Now I know you’ll have lots of questions, but could you let us tell a story first, then we’ll try to answer any further questions you have,’ said Granddad.
‘Firstly, what happened to you is not fatal or even dangerous, as long as it’s under your firm control, which, as you have witnessed, it’s not at the moment. You have a special ability, which has taken until now to fully express itself. In fact we’ve all been expecting it to happen for some time. That’s one of the reasons why I have been having you learn and practice so many methods of mental control and why you’ve been so closely watched and protected over the last few years.’
‘You’ve inherited a remarkable ability from your father to shape change into beasts. The problem is, that in Panmagica, the Unity of Wisdom has got some idiotic idea that all shape changers are evil. Consequently, they are sentenced to death if they are caught, and we didn’t want that to happen to you.’
‘But shape changing is a disease isn’t it?’ asked Melanie, her anger turning to interest.
Rob said nothing; he was too shocked.
‘Yes it can be, but Rob doesn't have a disease. In his case it’s more like a natural talent,’ said Granddad. ‘Could you please let me finish the story?’
Melanie was silent but her mind was sprinting ahead. If it wasn’t a disease then there must have been something strange about Rob’s father?
‘No dad! Let me tell the story,’ said Rob’s mother suddenly. Granddad nodded and she continued on in his place.
‘About two years before you were born, a war broke out between one of Panmagica’s allies and the Yith Empire, over some insignificant frontier world. Both groups claimed it. The Yith Empire sent a delegation of druids to try and settle the problem peacefully. They were priests of nature who were very worried about how a war might affect the fauna and flora on the disputed world.
‘The delegation stayed in the inn just down the road from our magic shop. One day one of them came in to examine our stock, and I was on duty that day. I didn’t know he was a part of the delegation because he looked like any other newman customer, with no lizard-like Yith features.’
'He was handsome, beautifully dressed, obviously wealthy and very charming. I was attracted to him. He came back several times that week, and each time we talked I became more attracted to him. He told me he was in the city on business, but never mentioned what it was about. At the end of the week he said that he would have to leave the city but would try to return later in the year.
‘The Yith delegation left when the talks broke down, shortly after they were poisoned at one of the state receptions. Fortunately none of them died as, being druids, they were quite resistant to most poisons. However, they took it as a serious breach of protocol and left. The Unity of Wisdom didn’t seem to care too much, and later it was widely believed that they were behind the poisoning. That was the start of the friction between our empire and the Yith empire, which is still running today.
‘A few weeks later, he showed up again and revealed that he was a mind wizard, and asked to talk to Granddad about contracting to supply us with some magic items at very good prices. Granddad was a little reluctant at first, but eventually agreed to try him out. Over the next year he supplied copious items and rare magic ingredients at very good prices, allowing us to make excellent profits. Each time he visited I came to know him better, until I fell in love with him.
‘One day he asked me to leave and live with him. Neither Granddad nor Grandma was happy about us joining. It was too soon they said, so I eloped with him against their wishes. Several months later we returned. I was pregnant with you, and your father and I had a problem. He had been involved in some sort of Yith politics over something called a divinity seed, and his faction had lost. The lizards in the opposing faction wanted him dead, and he thought that it would be safer for our child and me if I returned here.
‘Granddad and Grandma were very happy to see me, but not so happy to have him around. He was worried that he would bring retribution on the family, so he left. However, before leaving he told us that you had a good chance of inheriting his unique type o
f shape changing ability when you became a mature adult.
‘He was hunted continuously, but we still heard from him occasionally over the next two years, then there was nothing for the following six years. One day I received a message that said he had found a perfect hiding place. Since then, we have resumed trading through his agents, but he hasn't been seen here again.’
The family was quiet while Rob considered this revelation, not quite sure how he would react. He thought detachedly about the positive aspects, then considered the negatives, just as he had been trained to do, and concluded that there could be some substantial advantages in this ability. But first he had a question.
‘What is a divinity seed? It must be important if they chased him for years.’
‘Divinity seeds are mythical fragments of divine knowledge forbidden to mortals. Some academics believe they contain lost knowledge sought after by the gods. Others believe the seeds may contain knowledge on how to kill a god. Many of the temples devote a lot of time and resources to their study, but no one seems to have any proof that they exist. However, your father thinks he knows where one might be hidden. I’ve never been convinced that he does, but obviously some of the Yith do. Can you imagine the value of such knowledge? Many would kill for it as your father has discovered.’
‘So how do I control this shape change ability?’ he asked.
‘Bravo Rob,’ said Granddad. ‘I know that you have the strength and courage to control this gift. I have asked some close friends for advice as to how we might best proceed. They have suggested the names of two people who should be able to help you learn about your ability and gain control of it. I’ve sent messages to both, but how soon they'll reply I can’t say.’
Melanie couldn’t restrain her curiosity.