“Hot-spring!” Dorian moaned, leaning on Cassandra’s shoulder.
“You and your hot-spring,” Elsbeth muttered brushing back her red hair. With a snort of exasperation she swung an arm toward the nearest gated exit. Outside, a rocky alcove fringed in ferns shimmered into being. Steaming hot water churned down into the basin out of a tumble of huge boulders covered in green and yellow algae.
“Oooh,” Dorian murmured. “For someone who doesn’t like hot-springs you must have visited a few…”
“We’re here to work, not play…” the elder mage grumbled.
“I am done working,” Aarlen rumbled, pushing to her feet. “Hot mineral water is exactly what I need after that.”
Her daughters, Sindra and Drucilla, straightened and followed.
As Aarlen stumped toward the basin, she flicked a hand at the water. A low barricade of jungle sky-bar divided the sizeable pool in half and surrounded the outer fringe of rocks. “Men on that side,” she gestured to the further portion. Two thirds of the way to the pool the woman started disrobing, leaving a trail of garments up to the point she floated over the barrier and into the water.
Vanidaar shook his head and looked to Loric. He grinned. “Seems like we’ve been uninvited.”
The elder mage shook his head. “Pity.”
The group split up. Of those remaining, only Elsbeth, Cassin, and Annawen joined Aarlen and her daughters. The opposite side seemed crowded as the couples and extended family soaked, conversed and replenished their energy.
Sarai pulled on his wrist and Bannor found himself joining the gathering. Gaea loved new experiences and Bannor watched the goddess as she approached this new activity with wide-eyed enthusiasm. Wren and Damay were coaxed to join as well.
Up to his neck in steaming mineral water with his wife-to-be at his side, Bannor found the whole experience somewhat surreal. He was bathing with elders and goddesses. If someone had said a summer ago that he would be doing that, he would have deemed them three kinds of insane.
He glanced over to Daena and Janai. He saw the young ascendant was very conscious of the second princess’ presence. Janai, who was anything but shy, bathed, bounced, and carried on with her usual energy. That was one thing for certain. The shaladens certainly hadn’t slowed the T’Evagduran sisters down any. Ryelle who had always been reserved and cautious, openly smiled and simply seemed a happier person. Bannor guessed that the power of Eternity had not only given them strength and self assurance, but a broader sense of family and belonging. Sarai had always been strong, but part of that strength had always been tainted by her competition with Janai. Now that he thought of it, since the shaladens, the two sisters hadn’t so much as said a harsh word to one another. There had been the confrontation over Daena, but even then it had been brief.
“You seem very contemplative, my Son,” he heard Gaea’s echoing voice say.
He focused on the goddess lounging against the side of the pool, her long dark hair floating in the water around her. A golden sheen reflected on her green skin. The all-mother was happy and the energy filled the air around her. She smiled, jewel-like dark eyes peering into him with ancient wisdom.
“We’ve been through a lot,” he remarked. “Some of us have changed. I know I have. Change used to scare me…”
“And now?” the goddess prompted.
He looked toward Sarai. His wife-to-be’s chin came up. Her violet eyes met his gaze.
“There’s some change that still scares me a little.” He sighed. “I suppose that’s a good thing though… keeps me alert.”
The goddess nodded. She glanced to Kalindinai. “You did well in the casting.”
The Queen pushed a hand through her damp hair. “The shaladen and being here in Eternity’s heart is a marvelous tonic. I should feel exhausted but I feel excellent. I dare say I haven’t needed that chair for a bell or so, but it was probably best to be cautious.”
“Probably,” Gaea repeated with a smile. “Being with loved ones can do wondrous healing.” The green mother shifted her attention to Loric. “So, my Son, what do you think of your new toy?” She nodded back to the stone enclosure.
The elder glanced back. “I think it’s a good thing it’s here in eternity’s heart. It would scare a lot of people. My krillglobes made certain people—itchy—as it was.” He cast a look at Idun who paused in the chore of washing her daughter Euriel’s hair. The pantheon lady sniffed but made no comment. “If it works as we expect, then I suppose we shall have learned something.”
“I suspect you will have to learn something soon,” the all-mother remarked. “I have been monitoring Eladrazelle and Marna. The agitation I sense from them suggests that they may now have some kind of lead.”
“Well, that’s all the urging I need,” Dorian said. “I can soak later. I just needed to recover. I’m ready when everyone else is.”
“I believe I am fully recovered,” Gabriella remarked brushing back her hair. “Dom?”
“I’m fine,” Dominique responded.
“Lead me to it,” Euriel added. “Magic isn’t my strong suit, but if it means getting to the villain behind all this. I am more than ready.”
“I am prepared,” Idun offered.
“Well then,” Loric said. “Let’s get to it. Wren, May, Bannor, Daena you all have a part in this so get your war faces on.”
“Me?” Daena said. “How did I get involved?”
“Ziedra and Vanidaar will be using their mage skills. We need another ascendant to balance Bannor.”
“Balance?” Bannor repeated. “Uhhh, I don’t know anything about magic.”
Loric rolled his eyes. “Trust me. This is something you can do.”
He shrugged. “If you say so, I’ll give it my best.”
“Good man,” Loric said, toweling off. He dressed himself with a flip of his hand, clothing and jewelry folding out of nothingness to assemble itself around him.
Bannor stepped away a bit, politely giving the ladies privacy to dress. It didn’t take long with all the mages making attire appear from nowhere. The coven returned to the scrying circle. Loric, Aarlen, Elsbeth, and Senalloy conferred briefly. Calling Gaea and Ziedra into their circle, the six of them speaking in incomprehensible mage speak as they decided the best way to proceed.
Finally, it was Gaea who held up a hand. “I think I can settle it.” She turned on Bannor. “My Son, we are looking for a focal point. Do you know of anything from the Daergon enclave that might not have been destroyed?”
His brow furrowed. “Something that might have not been destroyed?” He frowned in thought. He wasn’t going to say that Garfang survived. That needed to be kept secret, he was certain it might cause a panic. He hoped Sarai wouldn’t say anything. He glanced to his wife-to-be. She returned his look, showing no sign that she might reveal that particular tidbit of information. Then it came to him. The collar he had destroyed. “What about recreating something from there exactly as it was before the explosion?”
Gaea smiled. “That would be perfect.”
“Okay, stand back, I don’t know how flashy this will be, I’ve never tried it before.” He glanced to Sarai who was still standing by him. “Star, really, I’m not jesting. Back up.”
Loric took hold of Sarai’s shoulders and eased her back a few steps.
When everyone was at a reasonable distance he held his hands out and visualized the pattern of Garfang’s collar, the one he had memorized down to the last iota in order to annihilate its threads. One time, it seemed like an eternity ago, he had created a new thread to track Wren. While far more complex, it was the same principle.
Focusing down into the Garmtur he visualized the patterns, and those ancient threads, and willed them to return to being. A little at time he drew upon his nola pushing more and more of his energy into the construct, drawing energy from Eternity and thrusting it into the growing mass.
As he continued, he realized this had become something huge, something more elaborate than he had even imagi
ned. There were so many threads and so much power. It was too late now, he was already committed. If he didn’t lock it down, the backlash would… he couldn’t think about that now… He had to keep it under control.
Struggling and straining, he laced each thread into their places, willing the Garmtur to assemble the full structure. Each time he pushed, it would break apart under his will. It was simply too complex and too powerful to do at once.
A warm hand gripped his shoulder.
He didn’t have the necessary focus to spare in answering.
A warm presence filled his mind. An ancient steady intellect shored up his shaky efforts, pushing with firm and confident strength.
He felt her clamp down on the structure. At the same, time he put all his energy and focus behind the Garmtur, and willed the threads into being… pushing for their re-existence.
With a flare of power that whited-out the clearing, the collar erupted into being between his outstretched hands. The effort made it feel like a punch in the chest. It sucked the strength right out his legs and he collapsed to his knees with a grunt, the black collar that had once controlled Garfang gripped in his hands.
He coughed and groaned, trying to get air with fluttering lungs. It took several tries but he finally did get a breath.
Sarai dropped down beside him. “Bannor, are you all right?”
“I—” He shook his head. “I will be once my head stops ringing. Whoa.” He blew out his cheeks and held up the collar. “Will this do? It was being used to control Garfang.”
Off to one side, he saw Senalloy’s violet eyes widen and she brought a hand to her mouth. She paled.
The look on the Baronian woman’s face made him go cold. Whatever her thoughts were, she didn’t voice them. She simply stared with a dismayed expression.
Gaea had also fixed on the collar with an unhappy expression.
“Damn, Bannor,” Loric said. “You didn’t have to show us up all by yourself. By the dark stars, that thing is powerful. Garfang was wearing it?”
Still unable to speak, Bannor nodded.
“I have a baaad feeling about this,” Cassandra muttered. “Look at the twists in the magic.”
“I see it,” Ziedra said stepping up. “Bannor, can I take it?”
He handed it to the gray-haired ascendant of Magic. She took the device from him with shaking hands.
Ziedra along with the others looked at the powerful device.
Aarlen stared at it, easily able to look over Ziedra’s shoulder. She pressed her hands together in front of her lips. “I—” She stopped. She shook her head. “Damn.”
“I don’t understand,” he finally managed to get out. “Why is everyone acting funny all of sudden?”
“We cannot just speculate,” Loric said. “We have to verify this, whether or not we like the possible conclusion. Come. Bannor, up.” He took his arm. Bannor allowed himself to be helped up and led a few steps over to one of the ‘seats of honor’. Loric held out a hand to Daena. “Lady Daena, if you please, sit here on the opposite side. I promise the two of you, this should be a painless procedure.”
The bewildered ascendant of attractions did as she was bid, sitting down with a thump.
“You want me here, right?” Gaea asked, pointing to a seat between them.
“Yes, Mother,” Loric agreed. He looked around. “Hmmm, we need someone else who isn’t a mage but has significant ener… you.” He pointed a finger at Corim who was sitting on the ground making notes.
The sagely warrior’s quill froze in its motion. He tilted his head up. “Pardon?”
“Up, Corim, time to stop taking notes and start participating.”
“Sir?” Corim said. “I don’t—”
“Sit!” Loric said pointing to the forth chair.
“Yessir!” Corim stood up and went where he was told. He sat down where indicated, looking uncomfortable.
“Janai,” Loric said, making a coming gesture. “Apprentice of Theln, time to be a mage.”
The second princess frowned.
Kalindinai stomped her foot.
Janai stiffened and went to her mother, casting a wary look at Loric.
“Radian, Desiray,” Loric coaxed. “The more of us the better. Pick a mirror and sit down. You’ll receive your instructions momentarily.” He turned to Ziedra who was standing by with the collar and held out his hand. He accepted the device and climbed up steps to the center of dais behind Bannor.
He twisted around to see what the powerful warmage was doing. Loric pressed a hand to the krillglobe and a cone of green light shot up out of it. In this fountain of illumination he placed Garfang’s collar. The item floated in the stream suspended a few hands above the globe.
“Let us all take our places,” he said.
Bannor threw out a hand. “What about me?”
“Sit.” Loric ordered. “Stay! You’re an anchor.”
“Be calm, my Son,” Gaea told him in her serene voice. “Loric wants us to be the fulcrum point for the scrying. He wanted some dynamics and juxtaposition between us to create a strong foundation. My age and Daena’s youth, male and female, inquisitiveness, and love… Simply relax when you feel the magic, don’t resist and let it work through you.”
The mages of the coven broke into two groups, one group gathering around Wren, and the other around Damay. Wren went to the center of giant stone platform on Bannor’s right and Damay the left. The two ascendants seemed just as confused about their roles as he did.
Loric guided Damay’s circle while Elsbeth seemed to be the leader of Wren’s circle. The mages seemed to break up in an even distribution of great elders, elders and younger magicians as they took their positions in front of the many mirrors. With the guidance of the master mages and a single spoken word, the great scrying circles hummed to life, the crystal underfoot and running through the pedestals sparking and glowing with magical energy.
Instructions were given to Wren and Damay and in a few instants Bannor felt the two ascendants reach out into their power, siphoning in magic and the power of Eternity. All the structures around them flickered and resonated.
“I still don’t understand what we’re doing,” Corim muttered.
“Be patient,” Gaea said in her calm voice.
Within a few moments of her words, Bannor felt a tugging. It did not feel uncomfortable, but the sensation did make him itchy. It was as if hair were growing and tickling inside his body. He used his thread sense to examine what was going on inside himself. Threads were blossoming into existence, spun out of the energies and physical presence of his body. The threads were tenuous, like ghosts and were drawn into the crystal channels running in the stone all around them. How very odd. Threads that were nothing more than faint glimmerings like manifest relationships in time and space. If he were not seeing it now, he never would have imagined such things existed. Fragments of causality unbound from time. Corim would be fascinated he was certain.
“Bannor?” Sarai asked, leaning closer to him.
“I’m okay,” he murmured. “Wish I had proper words to describe what this looks like. Our bodies, thoughts and minds are being used like seeds to make threads that the device uses to locate moments in time and space.”
“Huh?” Daena responded in an unhappy voice. “That only half made sense. Whatever it is, it feels like stuff crawling inside me.”
“Seeds,” Corim mused. “An interesting analogy.” He picked up his quill and parchment and scribbled something.
“It is a quite an unusual feeling—” Gaea remarked. The goddess’ words were cut off as crimson colo
rs shot through the crystalline grid, causing the green fountain of energy over the ‘seats of honor’ to turn a bright gold. Streamers of magic and power were pouring into Wren and Damay, and from the glimpse Bannor could catch, images had begun to flicker on the surfaces of the mirrors of the two circles.
“Ah, it begins,” Gaea said with satisfaction. “I hope the result is not what some of us expect.”
“I saw Sen’s face when Bannor made the collar,” Corim said. “She seemed to recognize it.”
“Not the object itself,” Gaea said. “The jewel and the magic.”
“So, what is it?” Daena asked, looking over her shoulder.
“I think we’d rather not say before we alarm anyone,” Gaea said.
“The way you say that alarms me,” Sarai said, violet eyes wide.
Bannor felt a twist in his stomach. He realized now what had not occurred to him. The device controlling Garfang had been more magic than artifice. The magic had not been Baronian. It was something different, something powerful enough to control a creature able to slay eternals. Who had magic that strong?
The queasy sensation continued. Bannor wished he were sitting in either Corim or Gaea’s positions because he was struggling to see over his shoulder to what the two teams were doing. It was tough to tell as all of them had a similar posture, leaned back in the tall seats hands outstretched to the round mirrors with imagery flickering in front of them. He noticed that each person’s pictures seemed different, and to some extent each mage controlled the flow of visions.
He leaned forward to get sight of Senalloy. She sat at a mirror at the very edge of what he could see around the others in her circle. The grim expression on her face made a cold sensation go through him. Whatever she suspected seemed to be getting closer to being confirmed. The same agitation he saw in her expression was reflected in the red and black hues of her threads.
The strange tickling running through his body reached a peak, making him rub his arms. He let out a breath. Sarai rubbed his shoulder. He closed his eyes and tried not to think about it, instead focusing on the success of the whole venture.
In a few a breaths the crawly sensations tapered off.
Reality's Plaything 5: The Infinity Annihilator Page 60