by John Booth
“You came here for power?” I was surprised by that. Lana gave me the impression she had more than enough power to do whatever she wanted.
Her face blanked. “I came here to prove something.”
“What?”
She shook her head. “Nothing a pretty boy like you should worry his head about. What is so important about Balmack that you would risk your life to come here?”
“The man who planted the bomb in the pyramid. He and I have unfinished business.”
“If he doesn’t kill you first.” Lana hit the bed with both fists, but I suspected it was acting as a substitute for me..
“There is always that.”
“All you came here for was revenge? I thought better of you than that.”
I knocked on the door and it opened to let me out. The man on the other side gave me a wink as he slid the door shut behind me.
Harlan was all business when I was ushered into his office. Two men with ceremonial swords stood at either side of his desk.
“Jake Morrissey. Your first classes have been organized.” He handed me a piece of paper. As I touched it the images on it moved and I flipped through the contents with a flick of my finger.
“You plan to keep me busy studying?”
“That is the purpose of a University.”
I leaned over the desk and the guards shifted their positions. I felt strong magical energies barely kept in check to either side of me.
“I came here to find the man that set the bomb in the pyramid.”
Harlan sighed. “No man from Earth has ever been trained here, let along graduated. We checked two years ago when you first made your request. Other than that, over twenty thousand students from outside the Balmack Accord gained entry in the two year period you gave us. How do you plan to find this man among them?”
Twenty thousand? I had been hoping for less than ten, not ten thousand, but ten. However many there were, it didn’t change anything.
“One to one interviews with them all, if I can’t think of anything better.”
“Then you will need a place to stay and meals to eat. Study at the university and both will be given to you.”
I held out my arm with the bracelet on. “Or you could take this off me and I can visit here whenever I please.”
Harlan looked down at the table for some time before finally looking up at me.
“You are a barbarian, Jake Morrissey. Without that bracelet you could spy on every one of our worlds and learn our strengths and weaknesses. Wearing it you will be unable to attack us later, except via the location given in the Temple in Hop Space. That place is well guarded.”
“You are saying you won’t take it off?”
“There are chain bridges between our cities and worlds. You will have a student stipend, which will supply you with enough money to use them, provided you maintain your studies. Otherwise you may return to Valhalla and the bracelet will be removed at the other end. We will find your bomber in time and bring him to justice.”
Harlan looked resolute, but those were lousy options as far as I was concerned.
“That’s your best offer?”
“It is your choice. Study at the university or leave.”
Damn, damn, damn.
24. Lectures
We had been summoned back together for the first time since the trials ended. I was the first to arrive.
The university campus was immense, a city of steel and glass with secondary sites almost as large on nine worlds. The campus was linked by hundreds of chain bridges, many over a hundred yards wide and designed to allow trucks to drive through. Not that their trucks ran on anything as simple as fossil fuels or even on wheels. It was like one of those science fiction movies set in the future, though magic powered it.
The day before I had been allocated a student apartment a few hundred levels above the ground. It was equipped with minimal facilities as wizards were expected to create their own. Taps, flushing toilets, a shower and kitchen facilities about covered it, along with a large bed.
Esta was the first to turn up after me and I was surprised to see her dressed as a woman and with not a weapon in sight.
“I thought you needed the disguise?”
“The Chancellor has assured me I do not.” She didn’t sound completely convinced about it though. “You may now call me Esta rather than Estan.”
I gave a courtly bow, “Lady Esta, it will be my pleasure.”
She scowled at me, not sure whether I was teasing her or not. That was okay, I wasn’t sure either.
My attention turned elsewhere as Lana entered the room. I did a double take as she was wearing jeans and a shirt that could have been my spare set of clothes. She even wore identical trainers to mine.
“Have you been raiding my room?”
Lana shrugged.
“I thought about it, but it was easier to make them magically than to fumigate yours. Besides, I am smaller and bigger than you in important places.”
“Should I be flattered?”
Lana laughed. “I needed clothes that would not distract the male students and yours are more nondescript than anything I could imagine.”
“And the lack of weapons?”
“Weapons are forbidden on campus. I am surprised they let you keep that little knife.”
My hand strayed to the knife of truth. If they tried to make me give it up there would be a battle, possibly a war.
“Jake’s little one would certainly not hurt a girl,” Esta put in and both girls giggled.
Jeram and Bob entered the room together, chatting animatedly. I hadn’t seen either of them since our confrontation with the Lord President.
“Wizard Morrissey.” Bob called in greeting.
“Bob of the Brethren, Wizard Wist.” We all nodded and shook hands in a manly manner. I was grateful that we avoided manly hugs.
“Do you know why we were summoned?” I asked.
“I will answer that,” President Harlan Ertlz said from behind me. I very nearly jumped as I hadn’t heard him arrive.
“Bob is returning to the Brethren and I wanted to make sure the rest of you know why,” he continued.
Even Jeram looked puzzled; apparently Bob had not filled him in. Bob adopted one of his cool sensei stances and addressed us.
“My friends, I came here to solve a mystery and investigate a possible crime. Over the last few days I have met people who were supposed to have died and I am now convinced the Balmack Accord is not guilty of kidnap or murder.”
“On our part, we are most relieved,” Harlan said, with only the merest hint of sarcasm. “Bob has agreed not to tell the Brethren the true nature of the trials, but to assure them we are not murderers or worse.”
“Will they believe you?” I asked.
“I am Bob,” Bob replied.
And who am I to argue with that?
“You don’t want to be a student?” Esta asked. Bob seemed unsurprised to discover she was a girl. I suspect he had worked it out a long time ago.
“If I do not return, others of the Brethren will follow in my footsteps. I have been given leave to come back at a later date, if the Brethren allow it.”
“I shall miss you.” I meant every word. Ninja’s are cool in any circumstances, but Bob and I had developed a bond of mutual trust. That was special.
“I expect our paths shall cross again,” Bob said. And then, before I could stop him he was doing the hugging thing. I slapped his back a few times half-heartedly in return. My face reddened slightly, before I used magic to correct it.
Bob’s minder had turned up and after some more goodbyes he left the room.
Harlan turned to me.
“Have you decided to stay now you have seen around the university and been given accommodation?”
“Will you grant me full access to your student records if I do?”
Harlan shrugged. “That can be arranged. You can meet with Investigator Grimes if you think that will help. He is in charge of the sear
ch for your bomber.”
“Then I shall stay.”
“Good.”
Harlan handed us a sheet of paper each. Like every piece of paper I had seen on Balmack it was the equivalent of a tablet pc.
He took another sheet of paper from his pocket and looked at it. Text and pictures flowed over it, though it was too far away from me to make out the content. “I have important work to do.”
He vanished.
“I miss doing that,” I said to no one in particular.
I consulted my piece of paper, which suggested I should be making my way to a lecture entitled. ‘Hedge wizards and how these pests can be controlled.’ I wouldn’t be surprised if that course had been set up especially for me. It claimed to be part of a sociology course, which someone had decided I should take.
“Where are you off to?” I asked Lana, hoping she had the same lecture as me. It would finish at noon and my new student pad was nearby. It was large and suitably equipped with all a man might need, including an excellent double bed that had yet to be used appropriately.
“Defense against technology, and you?”
“Hedge wizard stuff.”
Her face fell.
“The pest thing?” Esta asked from behind my back.
I hadn’t heard her sneak up behind me. Either my instincts were slipping or I was spending too much time with sneaky people.
“You have that too?”
She nodded.
Jeram, who had been listening to our conversation came forward and took Lana by the arm. “It seems the two of us have been paired off. Sadly Esta has drawn the short straw.”
I laughed, because that was funny, though I noticed that only Jeram and I seemed to think so.
Esta and I left together after the others had gone. I was surprised when she patted my bottom. One look at her face convinced me that lunchtime would not be wasted on anything so trivial as lunch.
25. Ambassador Retnor
It had been a frustrating few weeks. Dafydd had vanished in America seventeen years ago when I was four and he had been twenty one. Despite my best efforts scanning the names and descriptions of the student intake from that and the following two years I was no closer to finding him. It didn’t help that Investigator Grimes was a doddering old fool who was convinced that I had planted the bomb in the pyramid.
Grimes’ logic was simple. No one educated at Haldor University could be capable of such a terrible act. I was a barbarian and had been on the scene. Therefore I must have done it.
Now I was on my way to see my best friend in the hope he might have something interesting to tell me.
I looked at the message I’d received. The map was interactive and the little figure that looked just like me was about two inches from a building with a fire breathing dragon on its roof. I had to admit it was a good likeness of Fluffy. He wanted to see me and had sent the invitation via magic paper.
Nearly everything was done on Balmack via these infinitely scrollable single sheets of paper. They served as newspapers, diary, notepads and message mechanisms, but unlike earthly tablets they didn’t run out of power and were readable in any lighting, but darkness. They even showed video, though I didn’t know how it was recorded.
As far as I knew, this was the first time that Fluffy had been on Balmack since he rescued us above the arena. I’d tried contacting him during my first week as an official student with no success. The lady I spoke to at the University Communications Centre had told me he was off world and there was no schedule for his return.
The avenue I walked down was elegant and tree lined. I had walked past two buildings since I got onto it and there was a lot of garden space between them. The Dragon Embassy became visible through the trees and it took me by surprise. I had been expecting something like a stone castle, but this just looked like all the other 200 room mansions I’d already walked past.
The doors were certainly impressive, massive wood and metal things that wouldn’t have been out of place on a castle. I had to use magic to lift the wrought iron knocker because it was too high up to reach and it made on hell of a noise when I let it fall.
The door swung open to reveal a tunnel carved through solid stone. It turned abruptly after twenty feet so I couldn’t see where it led. I walked in wondering what my friend was up to. Thirty feet later I found out. The tunnel led to a cave which was the spitting image of the Bat Cave back home. The only difference was there was no way out. But then, Fluffy could glim his way in and out anytime he wanted.
Speaking of dragons, mine was sitting at the far end of the cave eating a fresh roasted lamb.
“Where have you been?”
[I had an urgent call from Jenny. Remember her?]
“Is she all right? And the kids? And Esmeralda?”
I was struck by a wave of homesickness so strong tears were threatening. Big powerful wizard, I reminded myself. Men don’t cry.
[All in good health when I left. Merlin and Morgana were throwing tantrums and calling for me. Then they made me stay on Earth until last night.]
“My kids made you stay? Then why didn’t you come to me last night.”
[Merlin convinced me to stay. And if I had interrupted you with a woman, Jenny would have known.]
My face reddened. Both Lana and Esta had been regular visitors to my room, though there were increasing gaps in their visits as exams began to loom. However, he would have found Lana with me had he come last night. It was fortunate that he hadn’t.
“The kids talk well for their ages, but I don’t see how Merlin could have convinced you.”
[We rarely ‘talk’. Merlin communicates telepathically and nuanced information flows between us.]
“He isn’t two yet.” Okay, my kids worry me from time to time, but they were still toddlers.
Fluffy threw the remnants of the sheep into the air and swallowed it whole. He burped and I threw up a shield as flames shot towards me.
[Pardon me.]
“Okay, I’ll bite. What did Merlin tell you?”
Fluffy laid his head on the floor and I stepped forward to rest my back against his neck. This was the position we discussed things in since I had been a child.
[Merlin told me that you are frightened of your children. He says the magic that protects you confuses his and Morgana’s power with a threat.]
“My magic does not.” I certainly had no such shield doing no such thing.
[Not your magic, THE magic. He showed me some magical interconnections that the Elders have been unable to make sense of.]
“And why did you have to stay away from me?”
[Merlin said you would not acclimatize to this world if I was present. That my presence would remind you of your family and force you to return home. Then much would be lost.]
“Merlin can only say things like ‘Good Daddy.’”
Fluffy gave a chuckle and flame and smoke spurted from his nostrils.
[The communication between us is not at the level of speech, Jake.]
“Then why visit now? I’ve made absolutely zero progress and since the moment I walked into this cave all I want to do is go home. I miss the wives and kids.”
[Your enemy’s friend is your enemy.]
I thumped him with my elbow.
“Don’t you dare go all Zen on me.”
[It’s what Merlin wanted me to tell you. But I could phrase it a hundred different ways. Seek an enemy through an enemy. Look first in your enemy’s house for the one you want. Don’t look for enemies among friends.]
“Stop it. My head may explode.”
We sat in silence for a couple of minutes.
“Merlin sent you to give me a clue, but you can’t tell me what it is?”
Fluffy nodded.
[I have to go, Jake. Jenny is in distress and Merlin said they would not give me long to talk to you.]
“Okay.”
I fell back as Fluffy disappeared and I found myself leaning against thin air.
[Shut the door when you
leave.] Fluffy said from glim. Then the room felt completely empty and I knew he was gone.
“I’ll have words with them when I get home,” I told the room. But I knew I wouldn’t. I just wished they were old enough to put things simply enough for their stupid father to understand. Was that too much to ask?
I closed the Embassy door with a twitch of magic and stared grimly at the bracelet on my wrist. The thing was going to come off soon, even if I had to blast it into a thousand pieces.
26. Field Trips
The house was impressive. It perched, somewhat precariously, on the side of a mountain beside a rushing waterfall. I had used a small chain bridge to get to it and was lucky one existed because this house was hundreds of miles from the nearest dwelling.
I was on Firor, the garden planet of the Balmack Accord. Sparsely populated and highly exclusive, there were less than a million people in total here. Given my current inability to hop, the only reason I could visit it was because of the chain bridge that linked the capitol to this particular house. That spoke of wealth and influence. Chain Bridges were relatively inexpensive to construct, but tying up a plot of land in the center of a city didn’t come cheap.
There wasn’t a visible door. The path led me to an eight foot wide wood roundel cut from a single slice of an ancient tree. The house jutted out over the top of me, twenty feet above my head. When I stepped onto the roundel a female voice spoke from out of nowhere.
“Please state your name and purpose of your visit.”
“Jake Morrissey of Haldor University, seeking to speak with Roge Saldor.”
There was no response for nearly a minute and then the wood platform rose into the air more smoothly than an elevator. As I approached the bottom of the building a circle of concrete dissolved and the platform rose through it to come to rest in a large reception room. I was impressed.
A man in his forties came to greet me and we shook hands.
“I’m always happy to help a university researcher. Are you here about my Home Across the Accord project?”