He sat at the edge of the fire and thought about where his life had led him in the last few months. He would never have guessed events would have progressed at they did. Here he was, in another world, rushing toward a confrontation on which the fate of the world literally hung. He could hardly believe it even though he’d been living it for weeks. Weeks? Now that he thought about it, he’d been here for more than five months.
As he sat, deep in thought, a single footstep in the gravel caused all his ruminations to shatter. Whirling, wishing he had not left Ahimiro lying near his bedroll, he readied himself to fight.
There was no one there. Jerking his head around quickly, looking from side to side, he searched for what had caused the noise.
Nothing. Maybe he was just imagining it.
Turning back toward the fire, he stepped right into a man standing less than a foot away from him. He recovered from the shock almost instantly, swinging his arm to strike, but the man disappeared and he almost threw himself into the fire from the momentum of the strike. Stupid, stupid! He knew better than to attack so aggressively that he caused himself to lose balance. Nalia would have been furious to see it.
He shook his head to clear it and looked around again, but saw nothing. Maybe his nerves were just frazzled and he was imagining things. Carefully considering the surrounding area again, he slowly sat down on a log in front of the fire and started to relax. He breathed deeply and slowed his speeding heart. Finally, he was calm and settled again, thinking that he would try to go back to sleep in a few minutes.
“Sam,” a voice came from his right. Whirling toward the sound, he saw the man again, standing a few feet away, well within the light of the fire. He was of a height with Sam, with a similar build. He wasn’t bulky, but he looked fit, from what Sam could see through his charcoal cloak. His bald head and pasty white skin made Sam think of a maggot. The eyes, rimmed with red and glowing as they reflected the fire’s light, bore straight into Sam. He didn’t make any threatening gestures, but simply stood there, confident and in control but not aggressive.
“Do you know who I am, Sam?”
“You are the Gray Man,” Sam said, relieved that he was not showing his anxiety. “You were described to me. Have you come to try to kill us?” As he said it, Sam tried his hardest to attack the man. He formed the image in his mind, analyzed contingencies, and decided on a course of action. He set his body in motion to attack, to strike the man dead before the other had time to raise a defense.
Controlling his body in the way that he had been training for the last few months, he directed it to feint, strike at vital areas at the eyes to blind, throat to incapacitate, the femoral nerve to deaden the leg. He put everything into the attack that he could muster, every bit of skill, every bit of power and speed, every bit of vibrational energy that could be generated. He would destroy the man utterly before he had time to strike Sam or his friends. He would end this now.
Finishing the complex combination that he had initiated, Sam expected to see the body of the Gray Man strike the wet ground. It was at that point that he realized his body had not heeded any of the commands he gave it. He was still standing in exactly the same place he was when turning to see the Gray Man and rose to his feet. He hadn’t moved an inch. Trying to do something as simple as wiggle his fingers, he was unable to do so. He was trapped, and now he would die.
Still, he glared defiance at the villain. “You can kill me, but my friends will avenge me.” With that, he screamed as loud as he could to wake the others up. “Danger! Get up! To arms! The Gray Man is here!” Repeating his litany, he looked at the sleeping forms of his friends. They didn’t move except to continue their slow breathing.
The Gray Man waved his hand toward Sam and the younger man’s mouth closed on its own, cutting off his screams mid-word. “Sam, Sam. I am not here to kill you. I am simply here to talk to you. Please, sit down.” Sam’s legs buckled and he sat down hard on the log. “I just wanted to see you, to talk to you. I will leave you in peace when we are done and you can decide what your actions will be after that. Now, if you will not scream any longer, I would like to have a little discussion.”
Looking at Sam and raising his eyebrows, he waited for Sam’s nod. When it came, he waved his hand again and Sam felt the power locking his jaw loosen and evaporate. “There, is that better?” the worm-like face said.
“Yes,” Sam answered, after only a slight hesitation.
“I think we have gotten off on entirely the wrong foot, Sam. I understand that you are coming north, hunting me. Is this correct?”
Sam didn’t know what to say. He paused for a moment and then decided that he was no match for the other man’s power, so he might as well be truthful. “Not necessarily. I am going north to see if you have information I need.”
“Ah, I see. Information. And you would wrest this information from my cold, dead hands?” he chuckled softly.
“I just want to go home. I have come here accidentally and just want to go home. I was hoping that you would have the information I need to do so.”
The Gray Man red eyes burrowed into his skull. They were even more pronounced because of the pale flesh surrounding them. He considered Sam for a moment, as if weighing him, judging him. “Of course. I can see in your eyes that you are telling the truth. Perhaps I could help you.”
Sam remained silent. He waited, both afraid to taint the other man’s decision and at the same time not wanting to give too much away. They were still enemies, after all.
“Seeing that you have asked me so nicely, I will relinquish the ancient records I have unearthed that will explain how to go back to your world. It’s the least I can do.”
“What’s the catch?” Sam asked before he had time to think about the wisdom of doing so.
“Catch? There is no catch. Of course I will help you. Why wouldn’t I?” He looked even deeper into Sam’s eyes, making Sam feel as if the man was studying everything Sam had ever thought. “After all,” he added with a wry grin, “you are my son.”
Chapter 40
Sam sat bolt upright with a shuddering breath and looked around. He was lying on his bedroll, still in the same place he fell asleep. He looked around and saw Rindu sitting motionless not six feet away, staring at him. The fire had settled down to embers but Sam could still feel the warmth radiating from them. “Have you been keeping watch all night?” he asked the Zouy, wiping beads of sweat from his forehead despite the coolness of the night.
“Yes.”
“Did you see anything?”
“Nothing but you thrashing in the midst of a bad dream just before you woke abruptly.”
Sam sighed. A dream. “Would you like me to take watch so you can get some sleep?”
“That is not necessary. Nalia will wake shortly to take the second watch. You may take the third, if you desire. You should get some sleep.”
He nodded at Rindu. “Ok, yeah. I’m still tired. I’ll take you up on that.” Wrapping his cloak tighter about his frame, Sam settled back onto his bedroll, thinking of the dream and what it meant. Surely it was just his imagination, just a dream. The Gray Man couldn’t be his father, could he? No, it wasn’t possible. He had seen his father’s body in the casket. That much he remembered. No, more likely, he was having some kind of Star Wars crossover dream. He chuckled at that, but it was forced. Closing his eyes and calming his mind, he consciously relaxed himself and drifted off to sleep.
The storm lasted for three more days. The party decided to bundle up as tightly as possible and to push on through the rain. The rakkeben didn’t seem to mind the weather at all. Their undercoat was so thick that rain soaked their outer fur but simply slid off the inner. The rain gradually tapered off, losing intensity and duration, the time between cloudbursts increasing. When the sun finally came out, each person’s spirit seemed buoyed and hopeful. Sam knew that he, at least, felt better when he saw the bright glow in the sky.
Though travel was still slower than before the storm because of
mud and obstructions that had been blown about by the storm winds, they were making their way steadily toward Medit. The four day trip had stretched into a nine day journey. When at least they came out of a thick stand of trees and looked across the flattened valley to see the first buildings of the town, Sam was relieved.
The path they had been traveling since they began their journey became a road abruptly, widening so that if there were cars in this world, two could pass each other easily. The sodden ground was riddled with wagon or cart tracks, which surprised Sam. He hadn’t seen many vehicles of any type in his time here, but obviously there were some here. Quite a few, if the tracks were any indication.
Dr. Walt noticed Sam eyeing the wheel ruts. “Medit is a big center of trade, Sam. Its location at the convergence of the Medit River and the Rabathewy River is ideal. The Medit comes down from the mountains and is a tributary to the Rabathewy. On our world, these rivers are the Willamette and the Columbia Rivers.
“Because of the rivers, the plains around the city are very fertile, so there is a thriving farm community. Also, logging operations upriver float their logs down to Medit where the wood is processed and milled. With all that industry and the excellent road system they have put in place, all trade from north to south goes through Medit and its three bridges. This is one of the largest cities in this world. At least, it is as far as I or anyone I have ever talked to knows. There are supposedly almost four thousand people living here. That is quite a large number for Gythe.”
Sam nodded. Of course there would be a city here, where water was plentiful, the ocean was just seventy or so miles away, thick forests were very close, and the terrain was not mountainous. Excited to get his first real look at a big city in this world, Sam followed Rindu and Nalia as they headed up the wide road toward the city.
“Dr. Walt,” Sam asked, “what do they use to pull the carts and wagons if they don’t have horses here? The wheel tracks obscure the other tracks in this sloppy mud.”
“Primarily, they use oxen for pulling wagons and carts. There are some manu birds which are used as mounts, as we have discussed, and there are a few rakkeben mounts about as well.”
As he moved closer toward the city, Sam wondered what the large birds looked like. He hoped he would see one when they got to town. Nearing the outskirts of the city proper, he scanned the skyline. The buildings, most two stories or less, were wide and made of wood, with roof pitches that slowly meandered to their eaves in contrast with the sharply pitched roofs in Greenfeld. The squat structures reminded Sam of pictures he had seen of frontier logging towns. He didn’t know enough about architecture to understand the functional aspects of the buildings, but he was sure that the reasoning for their design was the same here in Medit as it was in Telani.
People were everywhere, moving about like ants from a kicked anthill. Finally entering the city itself, he saw all manner of dress. There were simple, homespun rough cloth trousers and tunics, the occasional finer, tailor-made outfits, one or two obviously upper-class men in material that looked like silk, and a handful of men in leather clothing that reminded Sam of the clothing worn by frontier trappers and skinners. All of them melded together in the dance that was their daily routine, rushing from building to building, stopping to chat, and moving on again. Sam could feel the energy in the city and he liked it.
A man who had just exited a large building on the right side of the street caught sight of the party and made his way toward them. He was a short man, but well-proportioned. His clothing was different than what was worn by the others Sam saw up and down the street. It was some sort of jumpsuit, all one piece, and perfectly tailored to fit but still allow comfortable movement. It was a dull green color, a color that would probably blend well in the nearby forest.
The man himself looked fit and moved as if he were an athlete. With his dark brown, almost black, hair cut short, he looked like he may have been in his early twenties. Seeing his eyes, though, Sam revised his assessment. He was probably a decade older than that. His face, while plain, took on a friendly quality as he caught sight of them and smiled, his perfect, straight teeth shining in the sunlight. He looked amiable, but for some reason, Sam instantly disliked him. Not being sure what it was that caused him to feel this way, he thrust the thought from his mind and continued watching as the man approached.
His stride, quick but appearing unhurried, brought him to a place right in front of the party in no time. “Greetings, travelers!” he piped cheerfully. “I’ve not seen you here before. Is it your first time in Medit?”
Rindu looked to Dr. Walt, but remained silent. Dr. Walt took the hint. “Good morning. Not our first time, we have been to Medit before, but it has been several years. We’re just passing through.”
“Excellent, excellent,” the man said. Reaching his hand out toward the doctor, he continued, “I am Thad Altiri. I am in charge of the Welcoming Committee here in Medit. How can I be of service to you? Do you need lodging? Supplies? Care or feeding for your rakkeben?”
Dr. Walt’s bushy white eyebrows climbed up his forehead. “Oh. I am sorry if I’m taken aback. I have never heard of a Welcoming Committee.” Looking around at his friends, he continued, “Yes, I do believe you could help us. We want only to buy some provisions and then continue on our way north. If you could direct us to the nearest provisioner, we will let you get back to any other business you might have.”
“No, no, my friend, there is no other business that is pressing. My prime concern is to help you in whatever way you may need. We have many provisioners here in Medit. We are a large city, and a center of trade, after all. Would you like me to lead you to the market place where many vendors have set up stalls or would you rather go to a large provisioner in a permanent structure who may have any exotic or rare items you may need? I will not hesitate to tell you that you will find the prices much cheaper in the market place but you may have to spend a little more time to find everything you want.”
“I think a large provisioner so we can get all we need as quickly as possible would be better,” Dr. Walt said as he looked to the others for any sign they didn’t agree. There were no dissenting looks. “The extra cost will be worth the saving in time, I believe.”
Thad gave a slight bow. “Very good. Well, then, please follow me. I know exactly where to take you.” With that, he started off down the main street, walking at a slightly slower pace than earlier.
Thad made conversation with the others as they traveled down the main street, through a few smaller streets, and to a large building set amidst other large buildings. It looked like some type of warehouse district to Sam. Stopping at a blue door, Thad motioned ahead. “Master Syrus’s Provisions. If he doesn’t have what you want, perhaps it doesn’t exist.” He chuckled as he opened the door for them.
Inside, the cavernous front room bustled with a few customers and more than a few workers. There were items displayed on tables, cases, and shelf units. Crates of items were neatly stacked against the wall behind the counter. A doorway led into what Sam figured was the main warehouse area, based on the size of the building. All in all, it was very impressive in its scope and scale.
Behind the counter, softly conversing with a customer across the counter from him, was a man who could only have been Master Syrus. He was a large man, with a huge, egg-shaped head and a bristling black beard that hung half way down his chest. As he spoke, his bald head swung from side to side, making him look like a great bear. A great, bald bear. Each swing of that massive head caused his shiny pate to reflect sunlight coming from windows high on the walls.
Seeing Thad Altiri, he finished up with the customer quickly and then waved the group over. His booming voice, a stark contrast from the whispers he was previously engaged in, rang out. “Thad. Good to see you, my friend. How can I help you?”
The men shook hands and then Thad gestured toward Dr. Walt. “My new friends here just arrived in town, passing through on their way north. They require some supplies and, of course,
you were the first one I thought of. ‘If Master Syrus doesn’t have it, it may not exist’ I told them.”
“Yes, yes, that is very true. But enough about me. What can I get for you, sir?” He reached his hand out to shake and, when Dr. Walt offered his, swallowed the older man’s hand in his meaty paw.
When all was said and done, the provisioner said he could have everything together within a half an hour. “Would you allow me to buy you a nice cold drink? There is a tavern just down the street that has a cold room so deeply dug that you would swear he stored his drinks in a glacier.”
The party, still allowing Dr. Walt to speak for them, merely nodded in his direction. “I would not think it amiss to sit for a half an hour and enjoy a cold drink. Yes, Master Altiri, we would be grateful for a chance to do so. Thank you.”
The group spent the half hour sitting in a tidy, medium-sized tavern common room partaking of the coldest and most delicious drinks they had enjoyed for quite some time. The time went quickly and before Sam knew it, they were back at the provisioner paying for their supplies.
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay the night?” Thad asked as they were preparing to leave. “We have some fine inns with very comfortable beds, not to mention good food. A few of them even have entertainment in the evenings: singing, dancing, and at times short plays.”
“That sounds enticing,” Dr. Walt answered, “but we really are pressed for time. If we stayed we would lose a half a day of traveling time. You do understand?”
Harmonic Magic Series Boxed Set Page 27