Harmonic Magic Series Boxed Set

by P. E. Padilla

Lahim Chode looked down to Skitter, who was hunched at Sam’s feet. “I’m sorry about your people. If I would have had this vision a week ago, maybe we could have done something.”

  “Lahim,” Dr. Walt said, “please tell them what you told me earlier.”

  The man blinked and then nodded. “Of course.”

  “Earlier today, while I was meditating, trying to find information useful to you, something to help in our efforts, I saw what could only have been several days ago in the area where you found the destroyed community.

  “You have to understand that my talents are not precise. It’s not like reading a book or looking at a picture. I get glimpses, unformed images, sometimes sound. Most often, I am unable to determine where or when the viewing occurs. In the matrix, viewers are able to see across both space and time, so it is difficult to decipher what is being viewed.

  “In any case, I saw a man of some authority interacting with one of his underlings. The minion called the man Baron Tingai and referred to his experiments. Tingai directed the man to use some type of creature to hunt down the hapaki he knew were in the area. The viewing jumped to another time, when Tingai’s forces were digging up and chasing down the hapaki, one at a time. They were captured, put in cages, and carried off.

  “The last viewing was of another time and place, I think. Tingai was in some sort of stone structure, speaking with a woman. He was deferential to her, explaining that if he could just get more specimens, he could do many things that would help her in her efforts. She nodded, giving him permission. It was the same woman as in my earlier vision about the artifacts. Ayim Rasaad. That is all I saw and heard.”

  Sam leaned hard against the wall of the chamber. “I still don’t understand how you see what you do, but I guess I have to believe you see something. There’s no way you could have guessed that the hapaki community was destroyed.”

  Everyone in the room was silent. Sam could hear Dr. Walt breathing, could hear Skitter’s claws lightly scratching the rough floor as he fidgeted.

  I don’t understand how he knew about it, Skitter sent to Sam. Can you explain it?

  I don’t get it myself, Sam answered. How can we use his talent to help us if we can’t figure out if he’s right or wrong each time he tells us something?

  “Skitter doesn’t understand, either,” Sam said. “Is there any way you can explain it so that we understand how you do what you do?”

  “Maybe if I tell you about how I learned to use the talent I possess, it may help you understand,” Chode said. “Would you like to hear the tale?”

  “I would,” Sam said. Turning to the others, he continued, “but if any of you don’t want to stay to hear, we can meet up later to decide what we’ll do.”

  They all decided to stay.

  Lahim Chode looked out over the people gathered in front of him. He had never told his story to anyone. He wasn’t sure why he offered to do so now. Maybe he was just desperate for them to believe him, wanting them to accept him as helpful. He wanted to aid them, desired to be seen as an asset in their endeavors. It would be good to get it off his chest anyway. Why not? He began.

  “I was born into a family of farmers. We were simple folk, just barely making a living working long hours in the fields. One year, I accompanied my parents and my brother to go see a local seer. He was a kindly man who would trade tellings for produce or hand-made goods. My parents wanted to know what crop they should plant to have the best yield.

  “As my parents were dealing with the seer, he kept looking over toward me and my older brother. When his business with my parents was concluded, he called me over to him. Trembling, not knowing what he planned to do to me, I did as I was told and came closer. My parents, looks of confusion on their faces, just watched.

  “After looking me up and down, making me feel like he was looking into my very soul, he spoke. To my parents. ‘Your son has a natural talent with viewing. I could teach him to develop it. He might be talented enough to be a seer himself one day.’

  “I was amazed. Me, a seer? I had talent that he could help me develop? Visions of being important and having lots of money swam in my head. I begged my parents to let me learn.

  “My parents were skeptical, but agreed to allow me to spend some time with the seer, learning to develop my natural talent, as long as it did not interfere with my work in the fields. So it was that I began my tutelage in remote viewing.

  “The first thing I learned was that ‘viewer’ was the appropriate term. I had to work hard to become an impartial observer. It is interesting how much everyone, even a child, makes judgments on things in their lives. Having an interest in the outcome can skew the results of a viewing, making it inaccurate.

  “After I became proficient at impartial observation, the seer taught me how to search for specific viewings. Now, when I say ‘specific’ I do not mean what you may think. There is no way, for example, to look for a particular person and to always see that person. The way in which the viewer looks, using certain boundaries as he goes into a meditative trance, helps to increase the chance to find something related to what you are looking for, but only by a small amount. The simple fact is that a viewer sees what the matrix allows him to see, and that is all.

  “Speaking of the matrix, the seer taught me about that in the beginning of my education. You see, all space and time are one big field, or matrix. A skilled viewer can navigate through the matrix, seeing things that are removed by distance as well as time. So, when there is a viewing, it can literally be anywhere and at any time, whether here on Gythe now or in another world in the past or future. The trick is figuring out the when and the where.

  “I studied with the seer for six years. When I was fifteen, I decided I was skilled enough to set out on my own. The seer didn’t bother arguing. He had known for years the exact day I would leave. He had only one thing to say to me. ‘Lahim, try to use your power to help others, not selfishly keeping it to yourself.’ The first thing I did was hire myself out to the richest man I could find.

  “My life became a dream for a young man. I started by proving myself with small viewings, gradually getting to bigger ones. In the meantime, my sponsors kept me in fine clothes with access to parties and other well-off people. I had achieved the life I had always dreamed of, never thinking of what my teacher had told me.

  “When the Gray Man was told about my talent, he had me abducted and brought to the Gray Fortress. At first, he discussed my talent, asking me general questions about how it worked. I gave him the answers I prepared over the years when others asked about it. He had me do a few small viewings for him and asked me to explain the process in great detail. He wanted to try his hand at it himself.

  “When he was unable to find the answers he wanted, he began to torture me, believing I had withheld information from him. I had, of course, but I yielded everything in the first torture session. But he didn’t believe me.

  “The thing about remote viewing is that it takes quite a long time to learn to do effectively. That is, it usually does. For those with a talent for it, it comes much more quickly. The Gray Man did not have a talent for it. When he had tortured me until I was close to death and still didn’t get the answers he wanted, he stuffed me in the dungeon to die and forgot about me.

  “Luckily, you defeated him and I was freed.”

  Lahim took a drink of water from the cup on his nightstand. “While I was being tortured and later was in the dungeon waiting to die, one thought kept going through my head. It was what my teacher had said to me. I failed in using my power on behalf of others. I felt like I was receiving a fitting punishment. All the good I could have done and I squandered my talent for money and fame.

  “I promised myself that if I survived, I would do my best to use my talents for the good of Gythe, on behalf of all the people,” he nodded to Skitter, “and creatures, who needed my help.”

  He looked at Sam. “I may not be able to make you understand how my talent works, but I can prove to you that I can
be of help. You’ll see. I won’t stop trying until we have created a better Gythe.”

  Sam nodded solemnly. He raised his eyes to meet Lahim’s own. “I understand. I’m still confused about how your talent works, but that’s okay. Welcome to the new government of Gythe. Now, let’s figure out what we’re going to do about our new problem.”

  Chapter 18

  “Are you sure you’re okay with this, Mom?” Sam asked her again.

  Nicole looked at her son. He was a man, an important one. She had heard little bits of conversation around the keep. She even understood a few words of it. She’d been working hard at learning Kasmali. She understood things like “hero,” “savior,” and “protector.” These people had great faith in her son. She guessed she shouldn’t still see him as her little boy.

  She really couldn’t help it. She was his mother. To her, he would always be the cute little boy filled with wonder and hope for the future. She could sometimes see his chubby little toddler face superimposed with his man’s face. His rugged, handsome man’s face. It made her heart ache to remember those times. And now he was concerned about her. Their roles had switched.

  “Yes, sweetie,” she said, going over to him and giving him a hug. “It’s necessary, Sam. The other hapaki community must be warned, must be protected.”

  “I know,” he said, “but do you have to go? I’m worried about you. What if there is another force there to destroy that community, too?”

  “Aw, honey,” she squeezed him harder. “I’ll be fine. Dr. Walt is sending a group of twenty of the soldiers from the new army he’s building. The captain is highly recommended by Dr. Walt himself, and Danaba Kemp. I’ll be all right. Just a quick trip to warn the community and invite them to take part in the new government and we’ll be back in a jiffy.”

  He squirmed and made a silly whining noise, just like he used to when he was a child.

  “Besides,” she said to him, “if I don’t go do this, then I will have to accompany you. I will not be left here without doing something useful. You can choose. I can go on this ambassadorial mission to the hapaki or I can go with you.”

  He pouted some more. “You know that what we’re doing is very dangerous. There is a one hundred percent chance that you will see battle if you come with me. I don’t want you involved in that.”

  “I do know, which is why I am going to the hapaki.” She released him and took his face in her hands, looking into his eyes, “I’ll be fine. The hapaki need to be warned and you and I are the only humans who can communicate with them. Without me, this mission won’t work. You know it’s true. You can’t protect me all the time. Nor should you.”

  “Okay, okay, I get it. I just worry, you know.” His eyes raised to meet hers. “Please be careful. I don’t want to think about losing you again like when I was trapped in Gythe last time.”

  “I’ll be very careful and do whatever the captain tells me.” She kissed him on the mouth. “I love you. You be careful yourself. I don’t want to think about losing you either. I’ll see you back here in the fortress when I get back. Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  He hugged her tight, lifting her off her feet for a second. She laughed and slapped his shoulder. “Don’t get too big for your britches, mister hero. You know that I brought you into this world and only I can take you out. Don’t mess with mom.”

  His mood finally broke and he laughed the laugh she loved so much. It was his child’s laugh, but deeper. He released her and she started to leave the room. Just before going through the door, she turned to him again. “You watch out for Nalia, too. If either one of you gets hurt, I’ll have some strong words for the other. Keep that in mind.”

  “I definitely will. Stay safe, mom. I love you. I’ll meet you back here in a few weeks.”

  She headed toward the meeting room in which she was supposed to meet the rest of her party. She hoped she had hidden her nervous feelings about the trip. She was scared, but didn’t want him to know that. He had enough to worry about. This wasn’t some story or play. They could all die.

  With a last look over her shoulder at the open doorway, she started counting the minutes until they were both back home safe.

  Sam was on his way to the stables to meet the others when Dr. Walt caught him in the corridor. “Sam, I would like to talk to you for just a moment, if you can spare it,” he said.

  “Sure, Dr. Walt,” Sam answered, “but it has to be quick. We’re leaving in a few minutes.”

  “I understand.” The older man looked at Sam seriously. “That is what I wanted to talk about. What are your plans?”

  “I plan on catching up to the forces that took the hapaki away and rescuing the members of the community.”

  “Of course, of course,” Dr. Walt said. “What I meant was, what are your longer-term plans? What will you do after you rescue the hapaki?”

  “I’m not really sure. At this point, rescuing them and stopping the people who perpetrated this crime are all I’m thinking about. I don’t see a need to think further than that for right now. Why are you asking? Is there something else going on?”

  Dr. Walt sighed. “You are very astute, Sam. Yes, there are other matters to be addressed. Word has spread to some of the leaders and diplomats here to help set up the new government. They are concerned about this Ayim Rasaad and more concerned that there is a force out there attacking whole communities, even if they are ‘just hapaki.’ They want to know what we will do about it. They want to know if you will do something about it.”

  “Me?” Sam asked, surprised by the turn in the conversation. “Why do they think I will do something about it?”

  “You are the ‘Savior of Gythe,’ Sam.”

  “I’m the what?” Sam looked carefully at Dr. Walt to see if he was joking. His face was as serious as Sam had ever seen it.

  “That’s what they’re calling you, the Savior of Gythe, or sometimes just the Hero of Gythe. They expect that you will handle this new crisis as well as you did the last.”

  Sam scoffed. “That’s ridiculous on so many levels. Listen, I have to get going. The others are waiting for me. When I get back tonight, we can discuss this further, okay?”

  “Of course. I’m sorry to trouble you with this. Please think on what I have said, though, about long-term plans. We can discuss it tonight. Be careful out there. We’re dealing with a dangerous foe.”

  “Don’t I know it?”

  Sam made his way down to the stables a handful of minutes later. The others who were with him when he found the destroyed community were all there. Rindu was also there, his rakkeban loping around in the yard, expending nervous energy.

  “Master Rindu,” Sam said, “are you joining us?”

  “Yes, Sam. I thought it would be good to do so. Also, we still have much to do in the way of training for you, so I believe it would be advantageous to be able to talk while we travel, in addition to training in the evenings when we return each day. There is still so much for you to learn.”

  Sam felt his ears grow hot. He hadn’t even thought of asking Rindu. “That sounds great. I’m sorry—”

  “Think nothing of it, Sam,” Rindu said. “I know there is much on your mind or you would have thought to ask me. Do not be embarrassed.”

  “Okay, thank you. It really will be nice to have you along. It’ll almost be like old times.” He saw Rindu’s mouth twitch slightly into his approximation of a smile.

  The party gathered around Sam as he prepared to teleport them to the destroyed hapaki community. Within minutes, he was ready and matched their vibrations to their destination. Then they were there again, looking out over the devastated homes of the hapaki.

  Feelings of sorrow and anger came into Sam’s mind from Skitter. They weren’t necessary to sour his mood, though. He had enough of those feelings of his own. He gritted his teeth and stood. “Okay, let’s go find the ones who did this and rescue their prisoners.”

  Everyone nodded and set about mounting their rakkeben, but no o
ne said a thing. They set off at a moderate pace, going toward the east. There were kidnappers to catch.

  The group pushed hard all day long, taking a few short breaks to eat and to allow their mounts to move around unencumbered. By the time it was fully dark out, Rindu brought his rakkeben up next to Shonyb.

  “Sam, we must stop.”

  Sam felt irritation at first, but then realized that Rindu was right. He had been pushing the pace all day, trying to gain as much ground on their prey as possible, without thought of anything else. Everyone was tired, the mounts most of all.

  “We must not push too hard,” Rindu said. “It is as the story from your world about the turtle and the rabbit. The turtle achieved his goal because he stored up his food for the winter while the rabbit ran too fast and was eaten by the wolf.”

  Sam looked at Rindu, at a loss for what to say. Instead of saying anything, he started laughing, more heartily than the situation deserved. He guessed he was tired, too, and forced it down to a chuckle after a few seconds. Rindu’s face registered surprise, in the barely-noticeable way that was pure Rindu.

  “I’m sorry,” he told the Zouy. “It’s just that you mixed up three different stories there. Maybe it’s a language thing. Anyway, I understand what you are saying. We’ll stop for the night and let the rakkeben rest. We aren’t going to catch them in one day.”

  Sam learned the area where they stopped and transported all of them back to Whitehall.

  After dinner, Sam found himself again in Lahim Chode’s chambers. Dr. Walt, Nalia, and Rindu were there with him

  “Have you viewed anything further about our foe?” Sam asked. “What was her name again?”

  “Ayim Rasaad,” Lahim Chode answered, “and no, I haven’t been able to find out anything else about her. I have seen a glimpse of where I think one of the artifacts may be, though all I saw was red rock.”

  “Lahim Chode,” Rindu said, “do you know about the individual items? Do you know what they do, why they are so sought after?”