Aliisza tried to peer through the boles of the trees crowding around them, hoping to spot what kind of thing could shake the ground so. She spied something big and dark, but the gaps were too narrow to give a clearer picture.
"Let's just go," she urged. "Let me make a doorway, Tauran."
"No," the angel said. "I am honor-bound to seek its consent before passing through the gate."
"That didn't stop Zasian," Kaanyr grumbled. "We're losing precious time."
Aliisza had to agree with the cambion. She saw no sense in tempting fate. But Tauran was adamant, so she continued to try to steal a glimpse of whatever it was.
The thundering, jarring steps grew even stronger, then suddenly stopped.
The tops of the trees parted.
Aliisza, her heart hammering, caught a glimpse of silvery sky for just a moment. Then a massive face moved into view and peered down at them. It was dark and rough, etched into the bark of a tree that rose twice as high as any that imprisoned the companions. The face was oldness incarnate, deeply lined and furrowed into a perpetual frown. Only the eyes seemed to be made of something other than weathered wood.
"Intruders!" the thing spoke, and its voice was low and rumbling. It drew the word out over several of Aliisza's rapid, gasping breaths.
She could do nothing but watch, all thoughts of fleeing through her magical doorway forgotten for the moment.
"You defile," it said, its voice rumbling so low that Aliisza felt it in her feet, "the World Tree."
"Actually, noble treant," Tauran said, bowing, "we do not tarnish the majesty of your glorious home. We do, however, pursue the ones responsible for the recent blights upon the great branches of the World Tree."
The titanic tree-creature blinked several times as it pondered the deva's words. "Long since angels…" it said.
Aliisza and the others waited expectantly. A dozen thoughts went through her head as the gargantuan treant took a breath.
"… have traveled," it continued.
"Yes," Tauran answered, "It has been a long-"
"… this way," the creature finished.
"Indeed," Tauran said, smiling at his own impatience. "My brethren do not often have cause to travel the World Tree. Yet I ask you now to grant us safe passage."
"The World Tree…" the treant said.
Aliisza knew Tauran had learned from his brashness and was waiting it out.
"… is angry."
"Yes, precisely," Tauran said. "Our enemies have awakened it and hurt it. We merely wish to catch those villains who are doing such unspeakable things. Will you help us?"
"Creatures," the giant tree-creature said, "not angels, are hurting it."
"I know," Tauran said. He seemed at a loss. "We are trying to stop them."
"Creatures," the treant said, and then one massive arm appeared. It pointed down into the companions' midst and said, "Like those!"
"No!" Kaanyr said, puffing his chest out. "We're not all guilty. Did you see how many of those cursed shadow-things I put out of their misery?"
Tauran placed a quieting hand on the cambion's shoulder. "These are different from the others, noble treant. They are are helping me. Can you see your way to assisting us? We wish to pass through the gateway to the world beyond the stone ring."
The tree-creature stood very still and said nothing. The four of them waited and watched, until Kaanyr sighed and sat down.
"We're never getting out of here," he muttered.
Aliisza began to think it had gone to sleep. "Maybe we should just fly past it," she suggested softly. "Try to slip through the arch before it notices."
Tauran shook his head and continued to wait.
Aliisza and Kael had both found seats on the ground before the treant finally began to move again. It vanished from view. A short time later, the regular trees began to part, allowing space between them for the quartet to pass through.
Tauran led the way out into the clearing, toward the ring of stones. The tree-creature stood there, to one side, watching them.
Aliisza paused and gaped at it for several moments, stunned anew by both its height and its mere existence.
"Catch them," the treant said. "Stop them…"
"W-we will," Aliisza said, nodding and smiling. The idea of making such a behemoth angry frightened her more than she would care to admit. "We promise," she added.
"… from hurting the World Tree," it finished.
Aliisza snapped her mouth shut, feeling foolish.
Tauran led the way to the shimmering curtain of yellow light. He paused right before it and turned back toward the tree-creature.
The gargantuan treant raised two of its mighty arms, which looked in their own right like the trunks of ancient trees. It brought them together in front of itself and clasped them like two hands. Then, ever so ponderously, it bowed.
Tauran returned the gesture with a formal bow of his own, as did Kaanyr and Kael. Aliisza caught herself bending a knee, too.
Something that old just deserves a bit of respect, she would tell herself later. It just does.
Tauran was the first to turn and step through the arch. The other three followed.
Once on the other side of the portal, Aliisza could feel the change immediately. Magic radiated all around her, coursed through everything she beheld. The night sky blazed with a multitude of glamours and enchantments. Architecture that should not have remained upright dazzled her with its beauty and uniqueness. Inhabitants rode upon conveyances both fantastical and mundane, but in nearly every case, they bore the mark of magic.
The alu knew, without even testing it, that magic poured through her being. She sensed how it enhanced her, made her more powerful. Any spell she could recall would burst forth from her in a heightened, more robust state. Everything she might conjure would appear bigger, faster, more potent. More impressive.
They stood in the middle of an urban park. A pleasant stone archway, very similar in appearance to the arch within the clearing they had just left, made up the portal. However, instead of a ring of standing stones guarded by sentient trees and unfathomable tree-creatures, here gravel paths meandering among manicured grasses and shrubs surrounded the focal point of the arch.
Numerous trees, their limbs trimmed and sculpted into interesting shapes, also lined the walks, and at various points beneath their spreading branches, stone benches invited strollers to sit for a bit and rest. Indeed, a handful of casual walkers followed some of the paths, as did a few more who did not walk at all, but instead drifted along upon the air itself, or upon rippling, undulating carpets.
Few of the park visitors paid any attention to the newest arrivals.
"It's amazing!" Kaanyr breathed, turning his gaze back and forth as he tried to take in all the sights. "So much magic."
"Indeed," Tauran said, though the angel seemed far less delighted. "You cannot walk a city block in this mystical place without crossing paths with a potent practitioner, one of their preternatural works, or both. It is, truly, a city of magic."
"You're not impressed," Aliisza said, looking at Tauran with a smile of accusation. "You disapprove of magic?"
Tauran shrugged. "It's not that," he said. He seemed to search for the right words. "Let's just say that I have little use for such a conspicuous display of secular power. It seems pompous and… misguided."
"To you, perhaps," Kaanyr said. "But this is not your home. Here, the goddess is magic. Everyone sees her as the embodiment of what they know best."
"Yes, precisely," Tauran said, disdain creeping into his tone. "An uncaring, unconscious force, relied upon far too much as a measure of one's worth. It pales in comparison to the power of faith. That comes from within. That's what makes you who you are. Magic is just a tool, and often a crutch."
Aliisza sniffed, a bit put off by the angel's proselytizing. "Not very open-minded of you," she said. "All tools have their uses. Magic happens to be a very valuable one."
"Agreed," Tauran said with a faint smile. "But i
t should never define who you are." Then he waved his hand to dismiss the discussion. "It's irrelevant at the moment. We need to find our way to the Eye."
"That may be difficult," Kael said. He had been watching the group's surroundings more intensely as the other three conversed, and when he spoke, he pointed.
Aliisza could see a contingent of hound archons approaching. Seven blue-white stars arranged in a circle adorned their fancy red livery, marking them as servants of Mystra.
Not again, she thought, and on instinct turned in a different direction.
More of the celestial warriors approached from that way, too. As the alu turned in place, she noted that teams of the archons came at them from every direction, covering all the different paths leading from the arch.
"A welcoming party," Kaanyr said. "Doesn't look like there's much welcome to them, though." He pulled his borrowed daggers free of his belt.
"Easy," Kael said, though Aliisza noted that he fingered the hilt of his own blade restlessly. She had her hand upon the hilt of her sword, too. "We're not in trouble here," the knight added. "I hope."
"Put away your weapons, Vhok," Tauran ordered. "All of you. They are understandably cautious when visitors arrive through a portal from elsewhere. There's no need to lend credence to their suspicions. I've been met by this sort of greeting before, and it has worked out without trouble. Just let me speak with them."
Kaanyr scowled, but he slipped the daggers back into their sheaths and folded his arms across his chest. "Very well, angel," he said.
As the archons drew closer and formed a circle around the four, Tauran raised his hand in a peaceful gesture. "Well met, noble soldiers. Who speaks for you?"
"I do," one of the dog-headed warriors said, stepping forward from the circle. "State your name and where you came from."
"I am Tauran of the House of the Triad, and these are my companions," he said, gesturing to the other three. "That's Kael, loyal knight of Torm and my trusted pupil, Vhok of the Scourged Legion, based near Sundabar on Faerыn, and his lieutenant and consort, Aliisza. We come seeking only information. We wish to visit the Eye."
The archon nodded. "The House of the Triad, you say. I'm afraid that's going to be a problem. We have orders to detain anyone hailing from Tyr's domain for questioning before we let them into the city."
Aliisza felt her blood run cold. They know, she thought. Micus is here. It's a trap.
Myshik crouched and waited at the railing of a pagoda that hovered in midair. Across an expanse of shimmering fountains that glowed like sparkling gems in every hue of the rainbow, he could see the stone arch through which Zasian, Kashada, and he had come. He was supposed to be watching for Vhok's arrival, but Myshik was distracted by the myriad sights and sounds surrounding him.
Dweomerheart truly was a wondrous place.
So much treasure, the half-dragon mused. I could gather up an armload of precious magic at any street corner and return home a hero. Yet again he asked himself why he didn't do that very thing. Zasian will cross me, he thought. Sooner or later, he will turn on me. When he thinks my usefulness to him has ended. It is the way of his god. I should leave now.
But he didn't.
Myshik had been troubled by comments he had heard exchanged between Zasian and Kashada. The two of them had been cryptic, but based on what he had gleaned, the shadow-witch was angry with Zasian for not revealing a time differential to her. He wasn't entirely sure what that meant, but he feared that it could affect him, too, should he try to return home by himself. He was certain he was going to need Zasian's help to return safely to the mountain of his father and uncle.
So the draconic hobgoblin bided his time and watched.
A sled came into Myshik's view, crossing in front of his line of sight to the arch. Two great golden lions pulled the device, and it glided along on glittering silver runners. Where they passed, the runners left a trail of what Myshik could only assume was ice. Even more peculiar were the pennants that rippled from twin poles at the rear of the sled. The flags were identical, each depicting a dancing hobgoblin dressed as a court jester. Instead of cloth, though, the pennants had been constructed of something more akin to light.
The hobgoblins looked real.
As the sled passed, Myshik ducked a tiny bit lower. He told himself that they were simple hobgoblins, beneath him. He was a scion of Clan Morueme and no one would dare imprison him within a flag.
A flag!
But he shrank back out of sight all the same.
A commotion in the park caught the half-dragon's attention. He peered carefully and saw several archons moving toward the hill and the arch. Squinting, he could barely make out four figures standing before the magical doorway.
He lifted a small crystal lens to his eye. Zasian had given it to him. The priest had told him it was on loan and not to lose it. Myshik had savored the thought of tucking it away and keeping it. He wondered how far Zasian would chase him to get it back.
Through the lens, Myshik could see the figures up close. It was Vhok and his alu whore, as well as two others-an angel and a dark figure with a large sword.
Interesting, Myshik thought. Do they work in concert? How could the cambion manage that? And who leads? So many puzzles.
The half-dragon continued to watch as the archons drew closer to the quartet and surrounded them. The angel began to speak and gesture. The others appeared nervous, fingering weapons and glaring.
Myshik half-hoped to see a fight break out. Though he suspected that Vhok and his friends would be the victors, it would amuse him nonetheless.
But they came to no blows.
Disappointed, Myshik rose from his observation point and turned to go. He reached the top of a series of floating, disconnected slabs of stone arranged like a staircase leading down from the pagoda. They wended their way through the sparkling fountains to the pathways beyond. Rather than bother descending them, Myshik spread his wings and glided to the ground. When he landed, he trotted away to inform Zasian that their pursuers had arrived in Dweomerheart.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
"Detain us? That's highly unusual, isn't it?" Tauran asked the archons. His voice carried a gracious tone, but there was a concerned edge to it. "I have come to your fascinating city on other occasions, and you never had cause to detain me then."
The archon nodded again and waved Tauran's concerns away. "I know, and I apologize. It's really just a formality. The upheaval there and all, you know. We've been given orders to make certain any conflicts originating there don't spill over to here."
Aliisza saw Tauran's shoulders relax a bit. She did not share the deva's confidence in what they were being told. This doesn't feel right, she thought. Don't be so quick to trust them!
"Certainly," the angel said. "I understand. We are happy to cooperate in whatever way necessary. Yes?" He looked to his companions.
Aliisza nodded and tried to smile, but both Kaanyr and Kael glared for long moments before each of them gave a single, curt nod.
They don't like this, either. Why is Tauran not more suspicious?
"Lead on, good soldier," Tauran said, motioning with his hand. "We shall follow."
The lead archon smiled and turned. He gave some instructions for a small detail to escort the quartet of visitors to some place called the Palace of Myriad Amazements, while the rest of the force were to return to their duties.
As the four were led out of the park and down a wide street, Aliisza took in the sights. As much as the park and its magical displays amazed her, the street they turned on outdid it considerably. Every establishment they passed, from the meanest vendor to the most elaborate shop, incorporated extravagant arcane contrivances to draw attention to themselves. It was if each attempted to outdo the next.
The first building on their left was made up of a series of long towers constructed of translucent crystal. It reminded Aliisza of a set of musical pipes, and indeed, the whole place resonated with sweet tones, as though the building itself performed
some song.
The entire front wall of a more conventional building on the right glowed from multiple dweomers displaying moving images of sailing ships and splashing dolphins, all in garish pinks and purples. From the noise emanating from within that place, it was a thriving taproom.
A third establishment farther down took up the entire block and resembled the dryad tree-community-or at least how Aliisza imagined it before Zasian had burned it to cinders. Unlike that locale, though, the great tree that filled the lot was entirely magical, constructed of nothing more than millions of twinkling lights. The buildings resting within those arcane branches took the form of gilded bird cages. The whole place had a fey quality to it.
A vendor selling meat pies passed the group heading the other way. He attracted business by means of an illusory life-size phantasm of a three-headed lizardman dressed in a jester's outfit that cavorted around the merchant's cart. The pies he hawked smelled delicious to Aliisza, but her escort seemed intent on getting them to their destination as quickly and efficiently as possible. She gave one last, longing look back at the cart and hurried on.
A trio of ogre magi moved casually down the opposite side of one street they followed, dressed in rich silks adorned with magically enhanced baubles. Aliisza stared at them for a moment, expecting trouble, but when no one else in their retinue paid any heed to the powerful wizards, she shrugged and kept going. In her distraction, the alu almost stepped in front of a floating carriage that was missing both its draft animals and its wheels. Inside, a human with long white hair, an equally long white moustache, and even longer fingernails gave her a disdainful stare as she scooted out of the way.
Through all the sights and sounds, hundreds of lantern archons bobbed and weaved, hurrying elsewhere on some errand or another.
Once over her initial shock and awe, Aliisza found the ostentatious nature of the city amusing. She remembered Tauran's quip about conspicuous displays of power.
He wasn't exaggerating, she thought. Whoever has the time and energy to go around creating all of this must be imposing. And wasteful. The alu could still feel the heightened sense of arcane potency coursing through her own body. But with this kind of power… she shivered in anticipation. Anything might be possible.
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