An Adept's Duty: The Scepter of Maris: Book Two

by James R Barnes

  Brody looked at him in confusion.

  "It's just a little bit of a blue glow. What..." Brody looked even more confused when he saw that Meric was not looking at the drake.

  "What is all this?"

  "All what? Look at the drake. It's not going to be as bright with all the light crystals, but you see the blue glow."

  When he did, Meric found that the beast did have a dim blue glow. It did not shimmer like the ground and walls, or the tiny, colorful motes of light that seemed to be everywhere. As he was looking around, his attention caught on Alyssa. She was actually looking at them, and moved in their direction after a moment, but Meric was too distracted to really pay attention to her actions. Her wrists and hands, more specifically her bracelets and rings, were densely packed with the colorful light.

  "Normally I do not mind when you look at me like that, but you are usually more discreet and... why are you looking at my hands?" Meric was still too preoccupied to answer.

  "I don't know. I handed him my shield-"

  "You mean the one you have been trying to hide from me?"

  "I haven't been trying to hide it, you can't hide something that big. I just haven't rushed to point it out to you."

  Meric heard Alyssa snort out a quiet laugh, but was now looking down at the yellow light that seemed to be inside his arm.

  "Anyway... The shield lets me see magic when its concentrated, like in an enchantment or in that drake. I can see the blue glow, and when it breathed its... freezing whatever at us, it was all blue and twinkly."

  "Twinkly?"

  "Are you gonna let me finish?"

  "Sorry, please continue."

  "Humph! So when I handed it to our boy here, he almost dropped it and started acting all funny."

  "Meric?"

  Alyssa's hand covered his where he had been staring.

  "Are you alright?"

  "Yeah... Yes. I was just startled by all of the colors. They are all over. Brody, how can you concentrate with all this?"

  "All what? I just saw the blue glow. And Alyssa's fancy jewelry, too."

  Alyssa looked down to the mentioned artifacts, and then back to Meric.

  "What do you see?"

  "Colors, everywhere. Green in the ground and walls, red, blue, white or silver in the air. Your jewelry. Its like tiny motes of light, but not really."

  Alyssa looked at Brody. The big man shook his head before answering.

  "All I saw was the drake and your jewelry." He shrugged and looked back at Meric.

  "That is amazing," Meric said and handed back Brody's shield a little reluctantly.

  "William thought you might have the Spark, as he calls it. There are people that have an affinity for the Gift that is either not strong enough to manifest, or just does not come out for some unknown reason. It is difficult to tell, though William seems to have a feel for it. With a few years of intense study and training you could possibly be taught to wield these magical energies. That is what you are seeing; the energies I manipulate when I use magic."

  Meric was not too sure what he thought about that. What Alyssa could do was amazing, and could certainly come in handy. However, right now was certainly not the time to devote his life to study. Perhaps one day, if they survived all of this.

  "Keep in mind that there is no guarantee. Of the handful of people we have found, only two were able to become Adepts, and not very powerful at that. The others did all manifest some Talent from the experience, though. One of the women can read the weather like it was a book, knowing days before what it will do. Another has an affinity for growing things, and can coax crops out of even the most unforgiving soil. There is one boy in his late teens who is still studying, but so far all he has been able to do is magically Heal people. Now that one, even if he never goes any further, is worth his weight in gold. The King will make sure the boy will never want for anything again. We only have three Healers, counting the boy. Even William, who is the most powerful and knowledgeable of us, cannot Heal. The last is an eleven year-old girl that we just found, and it will probably be years before we know about her. William hopes that catching it when she is so young will make a difference."

  "And those are just the rejects? How many magic users do you have? I thought it was only going to be a half dozen or so."

  Alyssa smiled ruefully at both men.

  "I have not exactly been told whether or not I can share this with you, but since you already know about our Gifted Order, and might need this information in the fighting to come, I guess I can tell you... One Grandmaster, three Masters, thirty-eight Adepts, twelve Apprentices, and nine Novices."

  Meric was pretty sure that his face looked as shocked as Brody's. Like Brody, his own guess had been way too conservative. Alyssa just smiled at the looks on their faces.

  "All of them trained like you?" Brody sounded half excited, half awed.

  "Well, the training is a little different for each once more is known about a person's affinities, but all of the Novices receive the same basics at first. Then more personalized studies come later. My own training was a little bit different, less of a classroom like environment and more of an apprenticeship. I was an unusual case. Most Gifted manifest around the early teenage years. I was four, and am considered one of the more powerful Gifted we have. The level of power a Gifted can control is not the real measure of their abilities, though. One of the Masters has less power than a few of the Adepts, but her skill, her Mastery, is in her knowledge and ability to manipulate magical energy. Being Gifted is not just moving around the energies you saw until something happens. Most of it is about Will."

  "Alright. You are starting to lose me. I'm gonna go over and see how they're doing on the drake harvesting." Brody did not even wait for a reply before moving off.

  "Sorry," Alyssa said, sheepishly. "I can get carried away sometimes. I guess I was going into lecture mode."

  Meric just smiled and pulled her in for a kiss.

  "Actually, I thought it was getting interesting, but Brody can get restless if he stands in one place too long. Makes the fact that he bought an inn a little surprising to some, but it's all the new faces he gets to meet, and stories he hears that really interests him. He thrives on change... and a little bit of chaos."

  "I can see that about him. Well, he may have been bored with it, but it might come in handy to you one day. You could end up being a skilled Gifted, with the way your mind works. Attention to detail is William's most important rule for magic use."

  "I think I might be a little old for that. It would probably be pretty useful if I could learn to see the magic like Brody can with that shield," Meric commented a bit wistfully.

  "You are not too old, and there are many useful things you could learn. Once the current crisis is over, I think you should at least try. In the mean time, I think I might be able to teach you to use the Sight. It is not the easiest thing one can do with magic, but it is one of the first things taught to Novices. Once you can see the energy, it is easier to work with."

  Meric would not argue with that. It would certainly be helpful if he could see all of the magic an Orc shaman was using to try and kill him. Dodging fireballs was one thing, but what more could you see with this ability? It was something he was certainly willing to try and master.

  #

  The three prisoners were a bit of a dilemma. Meric, James, Dhuren, Maikus, and the Dwarven Ambassador Barsta were sitting together at the fire as lunch cooked, and they discussed what to do with their new, found baggage.

  "I have half a mind to hang the lot of them, considering what they would have done to us. I am bound to bring them in to face the King's justice, though."

  Instead of being angered by this, all three Dwarves nodded knowingly.

  "Aye. A King's laws can be inconvenient at times, but if we disregard them when it suits us... such acts can lead down the path of anarchy." Dhuren was looking at the prisoners when he spoke, but his face was thoughtful rather than angry.

  "We will ha
ve to take them with us. It is only a few days until we reach Freemont's lands. We should make it to Alyssa's home proper by early evening on the third day, if we get back to our previous pace." James sounded resolved.

  "That should not pose any real problem. There is more than enough of us to add one extra person to each watch rotation for guard duty. Even two would not put undue pressure on us for only a few days. If we can turn them over as soon as we reach Freemont Holdings, I think it is certainly doable." Meric would even stand a watch himself, if need be. It had not been expected since they had left Doanimar, and he had even gotten an intensely disapproving look from Maikus the few times he had mentioned it. Commanders did not stand the mid-watch, apparently.

  "All agreed?" Dhuren asked.

  When there were nods all around, Meric decided to move on to the next subject.

  "Once we reach the outskirts of Freemont's lands, there will not really be any way to hide our party. So... I do not plan to. Alyssa will be at the head of our procession with at least two other Humans from that point on, we will have your people all in the middle, and the rest of the Humans bringing up the rear. I certainly do not want it to appear as if you are prisoners, or lessen your presence in any way, but I think it might be the safest route. We do not want someone attacking first and asking questions later. Unless anyone has another idea?"

  "Hmmm, I had not thought about the fact that we would be seen before we reached Dallena. I think we can work with your plan. Barsta? Maikus?" Dhuren turned to his Ambassador and Captain.

  "I believe that will be fine for entering Freemont. However, when we reach Dallena, some ceremony and finery will be required." Barsta's lovely voice was kind, but firm.

  "I intend for my men to march into Dallena in full regalia with the King's pennant flying and our armor shining, but I agree that we can skip all of the fancy stuff for now," added Maikus.

  "Then we are all agreed. Nothing too formal needed until we reach the capitol. Alyssa has assured me that we will be more than welcome in Freemont, even if her mother is not in residence. We can decide after we get a chance to rest and refresh whether we want to move on the next morning, or take a day to recover. Until then, we will get back on the trail early tomorrow morning. Maikus, please see to the revised watch rotation. If there is nothing else, I think I will see if I can talk Malina into some hunting."

  They broke up at that point, each going off to take care of their duties or pass the time in their own way.

  #

  Meric inhaled the warm vapor coming off of the coffee and then took a sip. It was not even remotely as good as the stuff Brody usually kept stocked up, but it was better than nothing. The fire in front of him was once more blazing away, after having been let die down some during the night, and Meric decided to let some more coals build up before he started to heat anything for breakfast. Since he was huddled up under a warm blanket with Alyssa it might take a lot of will power to get up and moving again. They were leaning back against the heavy log that had been a make-shift bench the night before, and enjoying a few moments of quiet before the others got up.

  The lighter pink in the eastern sky was not long in coming, and Meric forced himself to get moving. He began helping a sleepy Astus and a still yawning Westerly make breakfast while Alyssa went to pack up their things. It was a somewhat subdued group that began tearing down their campsite not long after, but that could just be his imagination after all of the excitement from the previous days. Not quite an hour after Malina left to scout ahead, the rest of their group moved out behind her.

  Three days later Meric was almost anxious. Three whole days with no excitement. It was almost unnerving after all that they had been through, and he knew that Freemont was nowhere near the end of their journey, but it still felt like reaching safe harbor. It was only an hour after they had set out that day that they reached the first true signs of habitation. The large field they were crossing backed up to a decent sized farm; there was a large main house, several barns, and three other buildings that looked like they might be homes for additional help. A light grey smoke was pouring out of chimneys on all but the barns. Another small building also belched out smoke, but it also contained the muffled ring of a metal on metal. Though it sounded like there was someone hard at work in the small smithy, there were no other people visible from what they could see.

  It had already been decided that there would be no more stopping since they were so close to their destination, so he did not even slow as they walked along. He and Alyssa walked together at the front with James and Malina just behind. The Dwarves were next, all cheerfully joking and pointing things out to each other. Meric saw more than one look toward the smithy with curiosity, but no one asked to stop. The rest of the Humans in their party brought up the rear.

  The group passed a few more somewhat isolated farms before reaching any kind of town, and saw even more off in the distance. This part of Glendon was generally flat, and if there were any hills, they were low rolling affairs. Most of the farms were quiet and they did not see any people, but with the snow on the ground there would not be much reason for them to be out. A few had individuals or pairs walking to and from barns, but the ones that saw them only stopped and stared. One unfortunate individual dropped a milk bucket, but no fuss was raised and no one tried to attack them. That was how the day went all the way until three hours after lunch when they reached the small village just outside of Freemont Keep. To say they caused a stir would be a bit of an understatement.

  CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

  Home

  The residents of Freemont Village were generally even-tempered, hard working people that always had a kind word and an offer of hospitality to any visitors. On this day, everyone that had been outside to see the strange procession passing through was dead silent. Right up until Fastil waved and called out a greeting. For some reason this startled a few people so much that they took a step back. A murmur started up and increased quickly into almost-raised voices. More people began to arrive along the road through the village, and the clamoring got even louder. It bothered Alyssa deeply, that everyone was pointing and clamoring for answers, yet none of them approached her. None of the people even seemed to notice the Humans in the group. All of the fingers were aimed at the Dwarves. She was a little ashamed, and even more bothered that no one noticed her.

  Not that she thought that she was so important, or demanded recognition. It upset her because she knew some of these people well. Alyssa had helped Kate Sullivan in her garden just last Spring; now the woman was standing ten feet from her and Alyssa might as well not have been there. She knew that there would be surprise, even shock, but somewhere deep down she thought her people would be better than this. They should be able to shake it off, and show some of the famed Freemont hospitality.

  Most of the shouting near her cut off as people in the crowd moved to let someone through and shortly after, Headman Taylor Jensen was standing just in front of Kate. Even he just stood there and stared, until Alyssa had finally had enough. While the quiet still remained, she cleared her throat loudly.

  "Is this how the people of Freemont greet visitors now, Headman Jensen? You would embarrass the House of Camden after I have been bragging to my friends for days about the famous hospitality of our people?"

  Taylor's head had snapped around when she cleared her throat, but he had been too surprised to speak. It did not take too much longer for him to recover.

  "Lady Alyssa! Please forgive me, forgive us. This is... I..." The man was trying, and after a few deep breaths, started again. "Welcome my Lady, welcome friends. We ask you that you try to forgive our rudeness. This is a bit of a shock. We..."

  Once more the usually unflappable man was at a loss, but before Alyssa could help him, Barsta stepped out and walked up to the Headman. Yelic started to go with her, no doubt as a guard, but Maikus stopped him. Barsta came to a halt a few feet away and gave a slight bow.

  "There is nothing to forgive, good sir. We understand ent
irely, and I can assure you that my own people reacted no differently when first confronted with a Human. And could you blame us? Especially when one of the first was that giant over there." The Ambassador pointed to Brody, a good five inches taller than anyone else in the group. "Though, we were mostly curious as to how thin the air was way up near his head." Barsta's lovely, honeyed voice delivered this in just the right tone and nearly everyone in the crowd laughed, though most of it was just a nervous release of tension. It did work though.

  "Very gracious of you, Lady..."

  "Barsta of Dovinhall. Ambassador to the Dwarven Nation, and friend to Lady Alyssa. It is a pleasure to meet you, Headman Jensen. Though our stay here will, of necessity, be a short one, I do hope that in the future some of our people might be welcome here. We are merchants and craftsmen at heart, and I know some of my people would love to talk trade and craftsmanship."

  "That would be most agreeable, Lady Barsta. Though, I hope you will allow us some time to adjust?"

  "Of course."

  "Well, we need to move on, Headman. I assume you sent someone to the Keep?" Alyssa was anxious to see her family again, and to be home after so many days gone.

  "Yes, my Lady. It is protocol, and I did not know-"

  "That is alright, Jensen. I realize this was a lot to spring on you. We can speak later."