"No wonder you're thrilled. This is what we're looking for, right?" He sent a tendril of thought in her direction, but she blocked him from entering her mind. Finding a mix of science and magic didn't explain the strength of her excitement. "What else are you thinking?"
"I'm surprised you're not thinking it. Your personal cloaking device works the same way, without the magic bit. It generates a hologram to mimic your surroundings, camouflaging you from prying eyes. What if the reason we haven't developed one as large as this is because we need to boost the power with magic? What if we could cloak our entire planet?"
He laughed. "I must be rubbing off on you. I can get excited about planetary shields, but why would you?"
"It would be an amazing accomplishment. We're going to find what we came for, I know it." She shivered as a breeze blew her hair into her face.
"I hate to burst your bubble so soon, but if you could cloak a planet by combining tech and magic, don't you think Jaron's people would have tried?"
"Maybe they did." She turned her attention back to the rock wall in front of her. "Now where's the door?"
Landry closed his eyes and revisited Jaron's memories from the times he had visited the mountain. He saw a small boy watching an older man in robes place his palm on a knobby outcropping of rock near a sunken section. He spoke some words, but Landry couldn't make out more than a few muffled syllables.
"Hmm. Let's find the door and then I can worry about how to open it." He waved to the side of the mountain. "Search for a section that's pressed in but surrounded by small to medium rocks jutting out."
"That's the whole mountain. Showing me will be easier." Talia reached for his arm and opened her mind. He sent the image and they split up to scan the rock surface.
"Found it." Landry called some time later. "Let's get inside before we freeze. Stand here and let me see if I can get these words right."
He placed his palm on a rounded stone and closed his eyes. Some of Jaron's memories were difficult to pull up. The wizard had protected this one with several layers of magic during the knowledge transfer.
After replaying the childhood memory several times, he dug deeper and dragged the image of Jaron as a grown man to the surface. The wizard had sat for two days before remembering all the words. Landry knew he didn't have two days, not if he wanted to keep Talia safe. He watched Jaron's mouth move in the memory, but the sound wouldn't come.
"Frackin memories." Landry smacked the stone, scraping the side of his hand.
Talia rested her chin on his shoulder. She wrapped her arms around him and whispered in his ear. "Shhh. Relax."
She nudged his mind, seeking permission. "We can do this together."
He let the memories play out, one by one. Talia floated into the memory, a phantom observer.
"We need to find a way to manipulate it. Move around in a way Jaron didn't experience it." Talia slowed the memory down.
"How did you do that?"
"I'm not sure. I just thought about it, and it worked."
She moved in front of the wizard and augmented the sound. At first they only heard the birds in the background and the wind whipping through the tall grass. Then Jaron's voice entered her ears, filtering into Landry's mind.
"That's amazing," he whispered. They listened to the memory several times before he lifted his hand to the stone.
"Ovius, absconditus ostium.
Abstergo, coadunatio, me cognosco."
The ground rumbled beneath their feet. The stone face of the mountain shattered and folded until a door sized hole reveled itself. The hole sucked air inside the black maw. The rush of wind made them shiver, but they stepped forward allowing it to draw them in.
Once inside, the opening melted again, leaving them in the complete darkness found in the depths of a cave. The stench of mold, and ammonia assaulted them. Talia gagged.
"Pull your shirt over your face." He spoke softly, but the sound echoed. "Can you conjure a small flame so we can find a torch or light switch?"
"I'll try," she choked the words out.
A spark flared and died out, followed by another.
"I can't concentrate. It stinks too much. Whatever system they used to circulate the air has been offline a long time." She retched.
"Are you all right?" He reached until he found her, trailing his fingers up her arm to rub her back.
"Yes. I'll try again."
This time the sparks coalesced into a small flame, lighting her palm. The soft yellow glow pushed the darkness back enough that he could see her eyes peeking out from above the collar of her jacket. They were tinted red from the fumes.
"We've got to get fresh air in here if we're going to search this place. Think you could get the air filters working again?"
"If we can find the main control system. We need more light." She stared at the flame, brow furrowed, and the flame grew stronger. It gave a bit of heat as well.
The floor came into view. Bat droppings lay in heaps on both sides of the space where the door had been moments before. Several tiny skeletons lay mixed in with the waste. There were no sounds indicating a colony of bats large enough to produce such a pile of guano. In fact, no sound reached them to signify life of any kind.
"We need to move deeper in and see if the air is better. I can't take much more of the fumes." He backed away from the pile.
"Yeah, which way?" She held the light up.
"Over here." He moved to a rectangle of metal flush with the smooth stone walls. "Can you feel the energy like on the Dragumon ship?"
Talia placed her free hand over the cover. "No. It's not on or simply dead after so many years."
"We've got to try. Let's see if we can get it open."
He pried at the door, but rust held the top half closed. Talia stomped on a bat skeleton and handed him one of the longer wing bones. It slipped into the crack between the door and frame, but snapped in half when he applied pressure.
"What if I warm the metal?" She moved closer.
"It's worth a try."
She focused the fire into a thin laser-like beam and moved it slowly across the door seam until it glowed. She tugged at the door and it opened easily, one or two drops of liquid metal falling to the floor.
"Can you tell what this is?" Landry touched her shoulder and felt the power of her magic flow into him. "Give me the flame."
She poured the warmth into his outstretched hand. It flickered a moment and then grew stronger. Talia studied the mess of wires and circuits. Tiny sparks lit the ends of her fingers.
"I might be able to reboot the system." Her voice sounded strained.
Nothing happened at first, but then a low hum started deep in the mountain.
Lights flickered above.
"Come on," Talia coaxed while she breathed through clenched teeth.
The sparks increased and a rapid clicking sound echoed through the chamber.
Lights flared brightly before settling into a steady glow.
"That's my girl." He let the flame dissolve. "I didn't know you could do that."
"I wasn't sure it would work, but," she stumbled away from the wall. "That's weird."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I think I experienced some kickback. Other than the dreams, I've never felt weak after using my magic."
"Do you think it's this place or the amount of energy you had to use?"
"I don't know. Let's forget it for now."
He wanted to continue the conversation, but recognized the stubborn expression on her face. Instead he turned to get a better look at the entry to the wizard's cave home. "Wow, definitely not what I expected."
It didn't resemble a cave at all. The large room had been chiseled out of the mountain, but it was square. There were none of the rounded edges he had expected from a cave. No low overhangs or deep ravines hidden in the dark. It looked more like a reception area than the inside of a mountain. There were impossibly high ceilings, marble floors, smooth walls decorated with squares outlined in ornate
molding, massive chandeliers, and wall sconces filling every space with light. Portraits of wizards in gilded frames resided in each square.
Landry led Talia to a set of steel double doors. A new smell accosted them as they pushed through. Decaying fruits and vegetables overlaid with a thick floral scent. A massive garden stretched before them, a tangled mess of overgrown greenery contained by a low wall of marble. The florescent light of the previous room took a more natural yellow hue, revealing the riotous colors of trees and plants over laden with things ripe for the picking. The ground held layers of spoiled food and buzzing insects.
"It doesn't get any better does it?" Talia sneezed and pulled her jacket back over her nose.
"It will." He searched Jaron's memories. "The computers and classrooms are on the other side of this arboretum. We can walk around the outside of it since the paths are overgrown."
"I think running is a better idea." She took off down the left hand side of the walled garden.
They ran halfway around before noticing the doors in the alcoves. Talia skidded to a stop and tried one of the doors. Locked. All of the doors were locked. Luckily, the next set of steel doors stood wide open, but she stopped anyway. She stared into the room.
"Are you all right?" Landry asked.
"I didn't expect this."
More marble, steel, gilded frames and computer kiosks cluttered the area. The ceiling hung a few feet above their heads, a stark contrast to the last two rooms. It looked more like an office than the seat of magical knowledge. Power had been restored to this room as well, and it hummed with electric lights and blinking consoles.
Talia walked to the nearest display. She played with the keys a bit, but the images and words on the screen didn't make sense. The colors were off, the pictures jumbled.
"Does Jaron's memory include this language?" she asked.
Landry searched his mind and viewed many instances where Jaron read the language. "He understood it, but he didn't pass the knowledge with the mind transfer."
Talia sighed and leaned back. The frustration flowed from her as she looked around the room. Each screen in view held the same symbols etched across them.
Not one to give up easily, Talia turned her attention back to the keyboard. "Maybe if we compare it to the language Craig decoded we can figure this out. Why don't you find us somewhere to sleep for the night?"
"All right. Stay here and I'll come back for you."
Landry made his way back to the rotting garden. He handled the smell better this time as he walked around the other side of the room trying doors in the alcoves. Most of them were locked, but one opened to a storage area filled with garden equipment and robots. He assumed the bots were programmed to care for the garden and left them alone.
I should have searched Jaron's memories instead of wasting time. He separated the childhood memories from the adult visit to the mountain. Concentrating on the adult visit, he followed Jaron through the building's many rooms. Landry learned the location of the archives as well as the living section of the compound. He regarded Jaron while he practiced his craft, ate, slept, and practiced some more. Finally, Landry watched him descend into the bowels of the mountain and call a demon to him.
What kind of pain brings a man to give control of his body and mind to something so foul? The memory of returning to a burned out cottage flickered in his mind. Landry remembered the emotions that drove him to overreact on Sendek. He understood Jaron. Almost.
Landry braved the ammonia smell in the front room. He followed the wall away from the doors and to the right until he reached a portrait of a blood-red dragon with glowing green eyes. He reached up and ran his fingers along the right side of the frame, found the button and pushed.
The picture flickered and disappeared, revealing another hallway. This one led to the archives and living quarters. Time to pull Talia away from the computers and try a new approach.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
The archives looked like his image of an ancient wizard's hideout. Dim lighting, piles of parchments, books and the stifling scent of rotting paper and dirt. Every step kicked up dust. The motes floated in the air.
Talia reached down to pick up a book, but it disintegrated in her fingers.
"We're never going to learn anything!" She growled in frustration. "We've come all this way for nothing!" She slammed her fist down on a pile of papers, and they exploded into a cloud of dust.
"Especially if you keep destroying the evidence." He reached out and sent calming thoughts into her mind. "Patience. There might be papers we can salvage."
"There's nothing, nothing we can even touch. How are we going to study them?"
"You're exhausted." Landry touched her arm. "You might still be fighting whatever virus they infected you with. We should rest and try again tomorrow."
"I want to see where Jaron stayed first. Maybe he left a datapad behind." She walked out of the room.
Her rampant emotions flowed in waves behind her. Landry moved around to lead the way. No need to wade through her discouragement and frustration when he had his own doubts to deal with.
"This is where Jaron stayed while he perfected his magical skills." Landry waved at a small room.
A thin mattress lay on the floor, no pillow or blanket, and a wooden side table covered in melted wax stood beside it. Only dust covered the wood floor. In Landry's memory there had been books, and some kind of electronic journal or reader. He walked to the table and opened the drawer. Empty.
"Someone has been here since he left. There were books on magic. Devices with electronic data." Landry studied the room.
"Let's keep looking in the other rooms. Maybe he put everything in the wrong room before he left." She brushed her hair from her eyes.
"Then we can find somewhere to clean up and rest. This place is massive and we'll be safe enough if we want to take our time. Really explore it."
"What about Craig?"
"I trust Shamaf. Plus, he'll need a few days to recover before they can join us."
She sighed. "You're right. Do the memories of this place include a shower?"
"Yes." He smiled and pointed down the hallway. "This way and up two levels."
The promise of warm water and clean clothes put some pep in her step. Landry led her to a room that had belonged to the last High Wizard. The cleaning bots still wandered his suite.
"Only the best for the highest wizard I guess. Thank goodness, I don't think I could have stopped myself from crashing on the dirtiest bed, but this...this is better than a vacation." Talia took the room in.
Someone had decorated in soft browns, greens, and creams. A sitting room and view wall sat in the forefront, the bed in the background on a raised dais of marble. A deep bath sat off to the side.
"Why didn't Jaron stay here?"
Landry considered it before shrugging. "Maybe he was punishing himself for surviving?"
Talia nodded. Landry moved toward one of the chairs.
"Stop!" Her eyes flashed.
"What?"
"You'll get the chair dirty."
"Are you serious?" He moved again.
She grabbed him by the arm and stopped him from sitting.
"I'm not sitting on the ground, and I am going to sit down."
"Of course you are, but not on the ground. What you need is a bath."
Their eyes met and he remembered they never had a proper honeymoon.
The next morning Talia was ready to explore, but Landry suggested they find food to supplement their last few protein bars. The mountain metabolizers hadn't been charged or filled with nutrients in centuries.
"We'll have to take a chance in the garden." He pulled on his boots while Talia tied her hair back.
"I want to stop at Jaron's room on the way there. Maybe we missed something last night."
They searched every inch of Jaron's room. Inside the side table, under the bed. Landry patted down the mattress but found nothing.
"We should check each room down this hall
as we work our way to the Arboretum." Talia waved to the right. "I'll take this side."
They searched until Landry found Talia kneeling next to a bed, holding a moldy doll. He gathered her into their shared mind space.
"Children, Landry. All those children and their families."
He held her close and soothed her the best he could, although he knew nothing would make it better.
"Seeing the city, all the people. There are families here in the outer areas. It made the whole thing seem unreal. People live here again, how could everyone else be gone?" She dropped the doll and clung to him.
"I know, but there's nothing you could have done."
"This could have been Sendek." Her voice sounded muffled with her face pressed into his chest. "But we were stuck on the planet. We hadn't left. There would have been no one to come back and start over."
Landry looked down at her. "You saved our world. Now you're working hard to save it from our own stupidity and mistrust."
"You're doing it again. Belittling the loss of others. Why?"
He contemplated the accusation. Was he minimizing an entire planet's death? Not really. He focused on the task at hand, that's all, but he understood his wife needed more from him at that moment.
"Talia..." He stopped talking and let the walls around his deepest thoughts fall away.
The emotions he'd locked away in order to focus on the mission rose to the surface. Anguish, despair, fear, and anger. The anger consumed all other emotions with its red-hot fangs. Images of Cooley standing over her while she convulsed. Soldiers. A small girl walking hand in hand with her father. Craig falling to the floor after being shot. Each image called him to act in accordance with the rage, but he'd kept himself under control.
"Do you understand now? If I give in to my emotions I'll never be the same."
She placed her hands on the side of his face. "We plant the seeds of democracy among the outliers, give them the tools to take out Kalto."
Dawn of the Mages (The Magic Wakes Book 2) Page 17