by P. G. Thomas
“I am sorry. I should have been here sooner,” replied Mirtza, who was looking down to the ground.
John pointed to the advancing army. “I guess that’s the result of the magic?”
“I would imagine so,” advised Mirtza.
As the tall laughing man advanced to the river, John donned the cloak. With the first one, he was unable to sense it. This one was different, as the small hairs on the back of his neck and arms stood on end. He could feel the raw, untamed power that surged in the cloak: energy that sought purpose, power that wanted to please. Stepping forward, he looked at the laughing man. Examining him the way a dwarf would examine a battlefield, he looked for the opportunities, advantages, and a strategy to win the objective. Scanning the vision, he was surprised to see the projection or image extended to the ground. When one of the feet came down, it actually stepped on soldiers, crushing them. It had mass and that was stupid. Maybe the intent was to tear down the tree wall, but one would think, wielding that kind of power, their aim would be better. As well, why not generate an image of a terrifying beast, instead of a person.
An eighty-foot tall laughing man may have scared dwarves, elves, and midlanders, but John had seen more impressive. Having looked through the Hubbell telescope, he had seen the birth of a galaxy. In Switzerland, he had seen atoms collide. He had looked through a powerful electron microscope, seeing life so small, a million could fit on top of a pin. If you wanted to impress John Ironhouse, you would have to try harder.
Ever since John had first started going to public schools, he hated bullies. From the first time somebody knocked the books out of his hand, the first time somebody stuffed him in a locker or threw a pop at him, he really hated bullies. I mean really, really, hated bullies. Even though he found that word to be distasteful, being negative, corrupt, and evil, when it came to bullies, his thesaurus drew a blank. Hate was wrong, which he knew, however, when it came to bullies, he made an exception. He would never admit it to his parents, telling them he knew they were jealous of him. Saying that he frustrated them because they had to try so hard, and learning came so easy to him. He told his parents he understood that one day he would be their boss, but in the middle of the night, he would cry himself to sleep.
He had always wanted to confront them, making them pay for how they treated others. Today, science gave him magic, and magic gave him that ability. The projected image was generated by a hack, who had probably forced others to teach him magic. However, he was still a bully, and John had created an index of them, recognizing over a hundred different types, which he could identify by their smell.
“SURRENDER!” The voice boomed from the projection, “SURRENDER AND BOW DOWN TO ME!”
Taking three deep breaths, John sent his thoughts into the cloak, embraced it, called it forth, and tasked it. He felt the raw power swirling around him when it left the cloak, sought direction. He pointed to the projection, “BE HERE NOW!”
Racing to the projection, the Magic studied it, and finding a trail, at supersonic speed, it raced across the planet to find the source. Complying with the command, in a split second, when the projection disappeared, a person four foot six appeared in front of John. He wore gaudy ceremonial armor, having a white sash down the front, and a smaller one over his lower face, and his eyes conveyed the shock of the new situation.
Being ready, John tasked it again. Magic bands encircled the little man, restricting his movements. Having gold on him, which could be magic, John was uncertain if he could turn it to lead, and instead, he chose a different approach: gold has a melting temperature of three hundred degrees. When the Magic left him, it converted into gold seeking heat. The little man screamed when the liquid metal fell to the ground. Still uncertain if the new guest had any other talents, he sent forth more, encircling the head and hands in magic nullifying spells. John lacked the knowledge of constructing such enchantments, but his Magic was stronger, and seeking a resolution to the command, it filled in the missing pieces.
The little man began to laugh, “So the pawn takes the field. Surrender now and I will make sure your death is quick.” Bullies, even when cornered never back down. Even when they realize the fight is lost, they will still put on a false front. “Surrender now because you cannot win. Your Earth Wench lies near death in her bed. Her brother, he shares her sleep. Your toy soldier broke his toy sword, and the cripple, well, is crippled. You cannot win. Look at my army and more march this way. You cannot stop them.” Smiling behind the white sash, he began laughing.
“Please kill him, John,” pleaded Arora.
“Yes, pawn, kill me. Many have tried, but none have ever succeeded. Kill me, Johnnny. Go ahead and try. Little John. Please, four eyes, try to kill me.”
*******
It has all gone wrong, the script not followed. My brother, Fury, the lessons learned too soon, freed. Too many pieces from the board have been removed, even the extras. We never planned for this. This destination is wrong. Forgive me Father. Forgive me Mother. I must improvise. Power needed to be restored, the board needed to be reset. Tranquil looked down, the three most powerful: two who could rip the world apart if they ever fought, and the meek one with such great potential. Two left the board too soon, and one turned from the board too early. This could change too much, as the cascade will ripple into the future, displacing much. Plans could lose their anchor, drifting away lost forever. Ripples will cause eddies to form, changing the flow, but the current path I cannot allow to continue. If things need to change, then the path I choose is peace.
When Gingaar stopped singing, she pushed Logan’s bed close to Laurens’. Pulling the tri-wood staff out of the ground, the roots still green with Mother’s power, she went between the two beds, as Panry with the Earth Mothers watched in confusion. Since they had heard the news of the new armies, they were praying to Mother for guidance. Placing the staff across Lauren and Logan, Gingaar looked up, “Mother, Sister, I command you.” She laid her hands on the staff, pressing it hard into Lauren and Logan. A voice boomed from her that sought the heavens, “Mother, heal your Earth Mother. Sister, heal your Bastard,” but it was not the voice of the timid elf. Blinded by a flash of light, when those who watched looked back, Lauren and Logan sat up, and Gingaar collapsed to the ground. Panry and Nur rushed forward, as Lindo and Fritza were shocked in amazement.
Lauren was on her feet, and the crippled one was back to normal. When she ran her hands across her body, the brand, burns, and other injuries were all absent. She saw Logan getting up, and Ryan lying on another bed, “Panry, get us to the battlefield, now!”
“Yes, Lauren.”
“You will call me Earth Mother.”
Panry smiled, “Yes, Earth Mother.” He called to the magic student who, pulling off his bracelet, opened a portal to the command post.
She looked at Logan, “Bastard, we have work to do.”
Then Panry and Nur raced to follow Lauren and Logan through the opening.
*******
“Kill him, John,” coaxed Arora. “End this now.”
“I don’t know if it’ll stop them, He may die, but the Blood Bond may still make them march to the West. They’ll probably march to their deaths in the next ocean, so killing him is not the answer.”
When a portal opened, four stepped through. “John is right Arora.” Everybody looked at Lauren.
Brook wiped tears from her eyes, “Lauren…”
“All will call me Earth Mother.”
“Ah, the Earth Bitch comes to greet her new master, very touching, Thorn. Did you enjoy spending time with my brother? Are you ready to surrender?”
“Even though he gave me many gifts, I never accepted them willingly, so I thought I should return them.” Reaching to him, she caressed his head from his temple to his jaw line, returning all of the pain to the family that had gifted it to her. The man in the white sash screamed like no other had ever screamed. Lauren, while she had screamed over a thousand times when the Royal House had her as a guest, he scream
ed a thousand all at once. The sound, so horrific, John tasked the magic, surrounding the little man in a sphere of quiet, until he had accepted the gifts returned.
From the anguished look, Lauren could tell he was screaming, but hearing no words, she turned to John, sensing his power, “How…”
Wiping the tears from his eyes, he smiled, “I’ll explain later, Earth Mother.”
“Bastard, would Sister like to lend a hand?” asked Lauren.
As Logan walked over, Lauren turned to face the little man, holding the staff level in front of her.
Placing his hand on one end, Logan issued his command, “Burn.” Energy poured forth from him into the staff, which began to glow. When the expression on the bully’s face changed, they all saw the look of fear in his eyes.
“John, I was wondering if you could help enlighten our guest on the wrongs he has done.” Grasping the other end of the staff, he sent the raw surging power into it. He was uncertain what Lauren was going to do, but since she was the Earth Mother, it was not his place to question her.
Fear grew larger in his eyes, as he quickly worked out what was happening. When John and Logan stepped back, he screamed, “You cannot do this! It was foretold! When the suns are one, a new age will be born! I AM THAT NEW AGE!” With rage filling his voice, anger was written on his face.
Lauren smiled, “A new age yes. For you, no, for your people! For the crimes against your people, for the sins you committed here, for your arrogance, your inhumanity, your brutality. I purge the Blood Bond from all inflicted. I purge it from history. Let this never happen again. It and your family, they are no more.”
When she snapped the tri-wood staff in half, a white-hot light burst forward, becoming a wide ribbon that passed through the screaming man with the white sash. As he started to vaporize, the blinding light continued forth, seeking out the Blood Bond, so the heat from Logan could purge it from the affected. When it had gone around the globe, it went back, back in time, guided by the raw magic from John, commanded by Lauren. The power he had captured was strong, being compelled to answer the request, and it would only be satisfied once the command was fulfilled. It lacked understanding of time: time gone. Past, present, future all meant nothing; it was Magic. Seeking compliance, its purpose defined, its mission was incomplete. It went in search of closure—went into the past.
Mother, Father, Sister, Fury. I am sorry. That is not what I told her.
Dropping the broken tri-wood staff, Lauren looked out over the battlefield, “THIS WAR IS OVER. SURRENDER NOW. EMBRACE PEACE.” It was the strongest Earth Bond the Earth Mothers had ever felt. However, Core Wood never embraced it, as that source lay broken at her feet. The spark that the elven Earth Mother first saw, it had grown, grown into the fourth sun: Hope. Lauren no longer needed a crutch to lean on. Understanding the power, she tapped into Mother directly, and wrapping it around the Earth Bond, she sent it forth. The only sound heard were weapons falling to the ground.
Lauren then sent the war council out to the battlefield so that they could announce the unconditional terms of the Royal House surrender. She sent Eric with them, and even though he no longer had powers, when they looked at that giant with the huge sword, wearing the dwarf armor, she felt sure none would argue with the council.
Chapter 30
It was a couple of weeks later when they met at Pintar’s inn. They had been laughing and joking for most of the night, enjoying an elaborate meal, and the fine distilled liquids of the dwarves. With the shadows gone, the threats were no more. Except for the owls and wolves, the nights were quiet. The children danced in dewy fields, excluding the ones where Mother’s tears, Sister’s rain, and Father’s storms still turned the rivers red.
While Gingaar had recovered, protesting the title and pin, she smiled like no other. Ryan needed help walking. There was pain, pain like after the accident, crippling pain. Calling upon the Earth Scouts, they had built him a carriage that they carried the mysterious one. Having purpose, they now served both Earth Mother and Mother. Gingaar was helping him, as her power was great, much like Ryan’s pain.
Logan finished his drink, “I still don’t understand why everybody calls me Bastard?”
“Well, Bastard,” began Brook, “when you arrived here, you were a surprise. I think John is correct that something about you two attracts attention or magic. Mother would not adopt a son, so Sister did. She is not married, not that we know of, and child from mother unwed is called…”
“Yes, I know, a bastard, but I’m not her child.”
“It is her magic, so you must be her child. She marked you with her gifts,” advised Arora.
“There has to be a better name,” protested Logan.
“I don’t know why you seem so surprised,” explained Lauren, “I’ve been calling you that for years, and I think it fits you.”
Logan smiled when everybody laughed.
“I think my choice, Sister’s Voice, was better,” advised Pike.
Lauren smiled at the small sky elf, “Once you get to know him better, you’ll agree with Sister’s name. What of the sky elves now that the lands are free of threats.”
“We will go back to the mountain tops, as land walkers are too many. Visit and trade we shall consider, but what you have does not compare to my view. If you need help again, seek us out, and Pintar, I have no interest in the air post.”
With it getting late, Ryan was tired. Gingaar called to his Earth Scouts who helped him into the hand carried carriage, taking him outside to his waiting coach.
“Panry, tell me again about that morning?” asked Lauren.
“It started with John. He realized that Gingaar was an Earth Mother, more sensitive than others. She was the first to feel your Earth Bonds when they captured you. He told us to steal her shoes, as she needed to be in contact with Mother to heal. You both started to get better, but we did not tell him, as we were afraid his hopes would rise.”
John glared at him, “Bastard!”
“What?” asked Logan.
When everybody stopped laughing, Panry continued, “Then she pushed both beds together and laid your tri-wood staff across your bodies. She commanded both Mother and Sister to heal you. Before we realized what was happening, both did rise, and you commanded you Earth Guard.”
“That little, meek elf commanded Mother and Sister,” began Lauren. “I still don’t believe it.”
“It did not sound like Gingaar, but she was the only one there. I have not seen anything like it before.”
“I have.” Nur and Zack were sitting at the far end of the table, holding hands under it. “Panry commanded Mother to make you call for him.”
“I thought that was sweet. You really do like me, don’t you, Panry.”
He blushed.
Aaro and Bor were bringing over another round of drinks. “How long will it take the dwarf bards and minstrels to write the saga of the battle, Aaro?” asked Lauren.
Aaro took a drink, “Know that we do not. Tradition states one word for every life taken. The saga, long it will be. The sum is not known. Words, five hundred thousand, maybe more. If we include Brother Eric, words many dwarf will need to forge.”
“What about the battle to the south,” began Eric, “the battle at the fort and don’t forget about Logan at the north pass.”
“Brother, we are not gifted with words,” replied Bor. “We will consider your story, but none will believe. It is too tall, too tall like you, too tall to be dwarf.” The table burst out in laughter.
Lauren wiped away the tears of joy, “Bor, Aaro, have you become better with numbers during my sleep?”
“Brother John, we did need his help,” replied Aaro.
“Aye, Brother John, the dwarf debt to him is great,” began Bor. “Mithril gift, only he understands. Without, all dwarf would be legends. Long will toasts be heard to John Ironhouse, dwarf.”
Lauren thought about Gor, “One very special dwarf fell.”
“Mother, tired of her cook she was,” ex
plained Hakk. “Seek the best she does, calls to Ironhouse. Gor, he does answer, and he cooks for Mother now.”
“Eric, did Tranquil Fury ever tell you anything?” asked Lauren.
“In the beginning, he was unhappy. After the capture, he was upset, but in the final days, we talked often. At first, Panry thought that Tranquil Fury was related to John and you, as he had similar sharing tendencies like you two did.”
“Panry, Were you a little frustrated?” asked Lauren. “The Earth Mothers still want you to pay for their carriage, and Ramy says there’s other property damage to pay for.”
“I am good for it, Earth Mother.”
Eric continued, “Fury thought he was evil. At the fort, he tasted evil, which he despised. Even though he was bound to the sword, he could leave it for short periods. He applauded your battle on the riverbank with the slow painful death, wishing he could mimic it. Logan with the white death, it mesmerized him. However, when you blew up that volcano, he did cartwheels. So many deaths so quick, it challenged him to memorize all of them. They cried like little girls when Alron died, as they discovered what service was. They wept for a week when Gor died, as they now knew what friendship was. They began to understand life and freedom. For the lessons alone that you taught them, we would need another night like this. In the end, they figured out their place in this crazy world. The last time when we were on the battlefield, something happened. We were fighting somebody, but it’s hard to recall. Fury took all of those memories, all that pain that he memorized and left. I don’t know where they went.”
“Fen, Fodu, Hakk. Tomorrow you leave for the west Ironhouse mine?”
The massive bald Fen smiled, “Yes, Earth Mother. The west Ironhouse Mine we go to visit. Dwarf all saw the swift death Ironhouse forged. All thank us. Their mine, we want to see and then invite them home. Her halls to quiet, life they need.”
“Bor, Aaro, what will you do?” asked Lauren.
All smiled as they answered Earth Mother’s questions, all smiled at Lauren.
Bor filled with pride, smiled, “Visit clans many we will. Much to talk of, and their words we need to hear.”