by Pam Uphoff
Cor nodded. "They say that Wolf did some dreaming genetic engineering on Xen as he was conceived. And that's why he's so powerful. He's the God of Spies. And, umm, a bit wary of women, so the Farmer Girls have been joking about how they could finally catch him."
"Probably get what they deserve." Kevi shrugged. "Anyhow, the Mages can just stay bubbled until the Army wants them. I dunno about the women. I mean, did they have a clue what the men did?"
Cor nodded. "Good point. Our older mages were stupid about women, didn't think much of them."
Falco shrugged. "Some mages are like that, some aren't. Some are so weird they don't even give the women names."
Max nodded. "I don't think any of these were that bad, but even the women who knew, won't have been consulted, or part of the planning. Or done anything illegal themselves."
Cor grinned. "So maybe we can let them and the kids out. Especially the pretty young wives. Heheheh."
"Dirty old man." Kevi muttered. "That can't possibly be one of the Archetypes."
Falco eyed him. And didn't ask. I've had all the baby gods talk I can handle for awhile.
Back in Rip Crossing Falco was assaulted by Grace, who dragged him off demanding a blow by blow account. He looked to Max for help and saw nothing but his back, heading for a cluster of women.
Falco looked the other way. Havi, Cor and Ras were talking, looking serious.
He turned back to Grace. "Yeah, Marcus and Paul escaped, and I think maybe two or three others. We're going to have to find them. Again. I really doubt they'll come to us."
Chapter Eighteen
Spring 1395
Gold Rush Territory
"Damn it all, we weren't ready. I never expected to be challenged by a local mage compass." Marcus paced. Upset, still angry.
Erik Byrd scowled. "They were very strong. We need to get more people out of the Museum."
"Do we? The gold mining is just to get us started." Carl Schmidt shrugged. "We'll be moving to Havwee and Karista as soon as we can."
Marcus grit his teeth, but Seabaugh spoke first. "We need to find those mages, find out about their society, their reach."
"How many of them can there be, when we've never heard about them, and the people out here think magic is a tall tale." Paul crossed his arms. "Next time we ought to surprise them. See how they do with so little prep time."
Marcus nodded. "Yes, you are all right. Carl, we need the Land Grants and the titles, to rise in this society. We need more information on those mages, and we need to get more mages out of the museum. We need Falco Newton. He'll have information about the mages, and he can release our friends. And I think I can get him easily, because there's something else I need to get."
***
Falco heard a sudden uproar from the rotunda.
"Put her down!" Dobs's voice, tones of panic and anger.
Max bolted down the hallway, skidded to a halt in the rotunda. Falco sidestepped . . . froze.
Marcus Olsen held a baby in one arm, a knife in his other hand. No doubt which baby. Dobs was quivering, glowing with power and fury ten feet away. Falco could see the dome of the archmage's shield, hard held and solid. Physical, mental, and energy shields.
"Ah. There's the pair of traitors I wanted. Almost as much as I wanted my granddaughter." Marcus smiled, his eyes cold and reptilian." He placed the knife edge against the baby's neck.
Falco looked past him, and met Grace's eyes. :: Can you witches do metal work through those shields? Make that the dullest knife in creation? ::
Her eyes widened and she stepped back, hands reaching out for other witches.
Kevi was behind Marcus, pinned between shield and the angle of wall and desk, being ignored. Doing something subtle.
"What do you want? Put the baby down." Max eased forward.
Falco oozed to the side, so the mage couldn't hit them both with a single spell. This is no duel. This is war and someone is going to die here.
"I want you to come here, Max." Marcus's smile widened. Glee danced with insanity in his expression and Falco shivered.
"There are too many witnesses here, Marcus." Falco edged forward. "Whatever you do here will never be forgotten. Don't make it something that can't be forgiven."
"And you are going to come with me." Marcus swung the knife around, pointed it at Falco. Falco pulled up shields with frantic haste, and got knocked back into the hallway and landed flat on his back. He scrambled to his feet. In the rotunda, Marcus had the knife back at the baby's throat. Little Tiger was squirming, mouth open to scream, but no sound emerging.
And Kevi was standing a foot out from the wall and desk. Inside Marcus's shields.
He made a slight gesture and disappeared.
Falco staggered back out and poked at Marcus's shield. "Do you think you'll be allowed to leave?"
Max joined him, hands on shield, probably trying to analyze it. Or just distract Marcus. "So now you're down to killing your own? I told you there was plenty of opportunity to live honestly out here. Will you finally listen? Before you murder someone?"
"So long as Falco comes with me to free the rest of my friends, no one will die."
Falco shivered. Give Marcus more power . . . "Put the baby down and I'll come with you."
Max shoved at the shield. "I'll come. I'll hold Tiger, there's no need . . . "
Marcus sneered, swung the knife out toward Max . . . and back as his other arm was wrenched. Kevi snatched the baby, threw up an arm to block the knife as he stumbled back . . . disappeared. Marcus waved his left hand, a ripple of air, as a light warp was disrupted enough to show man and baby backed up to the shields . . . and oozing through them.
Marcus screamed in frustration, dropped his shields and gathered a handful of power. Max leaped, knocking him down as he threw the fireball. More screams, Max this time. Marcus rolled free and bolted out the doors.
"Max!" Despair, this time, as Dobs rushed forward.
Falco could see her pulling energy, heat, from him, but the burns . . .
Falco turned and shoved through the doors. Marcus was running through the second arch and Falco followed him. Staggered into a field full of sprouts, down to the road. Two girls eyeing the other side of the barn.
"Which one did he go through?"
"Karista, the second one . . ."
Falco leaped through . . . to see the wagon turning, the whipped horses leaping forward. Too far away for him to catch on foot.
He reversed course. Around the barn, through to a scene of horses being saddled.
"He's in Karista. He has a wagon, probably headed for Havwee and Southern Hell."
Aldo hauled Wink forward. "Get him."
Falco leaped aboard and Wink headed for the arch.
In Karista, he headed for Commerce Street, and the arches. He's running for his compass, for more power. So . . . Havwee first. Then Southern Hell . . . possibly Two Trees, but I suspect the other mages have gone back to the mining claims north of Southern Hell.
He hasn't got a full compass but I am still insane not letting the rest of them catch up to me. But I don't want to lose track of him, either.
Wink switched his ears around and snorted a few times at things he wasn't familiar with. But never slowed more than he had too. Commerce street was packed with irate people. The smoldering remains of a wagon. One man turned and glared at him. "Don't bloody shove. We've had enough of that for the day."
Marcus. "Maniac in a wagon? Headed for Havwee?"
"Yeah." Eyes narrowed, a quick glance toward the burned wagon. "Don't know how he did that."
"And what do you know about it?"
Falco turned to find a uniformed man frowning at him.
"I've been talking to a Lieutenant Lily Parsons about him. And there was a Captain Easterly there too." He glanced toward the Havwee arch, and back. "I need to try to catch him. Tell Lieutenant Parsons, probably north of Southern Hell."
No one tried to stop them as Wink trotted through the corridor.
No sign of a problem here. The lighter traffic must have allowed Marcus to remain unnoticed. Or he'd corralled his emotions enough to not cause a stir.
Falco lowered his shields cautiously. The cacophony of a city, but no overriding power use. Falco turned Wink across the street.
Two Trees. No sign of Marcus.
Lucky Strike. All normal.
Southern Hell. He lowered his shields carefully. The background magical noise was deafening. If Marcus had any shields up at all, he would be invisible.
But he also can't be too far ahead of me. Even with all my diversions and checking.
He turned north on the first street and followed it until it faded out on to the rock of the desert. No movement, no people. "Right. Wink, let's go straight ahead about five miles, then cut east across the ridge. From the top, we ought to be able to spot Marcus, if he's headed for his claim."
The horse nodded and loped north.
Walk, trot, lope, walk, trot, lope. The horse acted like five miles was nothing, so they kept going, keeping an eye out for a spot to get across the rough terrain of the ridge. By the time they spotted one, Falco suspected they'd be a lot closer to the mages than he'd planned. Wink scrambled up a dry gully, and picked his way across jagged erosive remains of an ancient volcanic ash flow. Falco spotted the drop off at the edge of the ridge and swung down. Slid around the brushy trees and looked down at the dark lava that stretched half a mile to the lip of the Rip.
A faint crack of a whip. There was a wagon out there. The horses both limping, staggering to a stop. More whip cracks. One of the horses lurched forward. The other fell to his knees.
Star and George. He must have run them until they were exhausted. And he's still trying to get them to go.
He spotted other movement. The mage's encampment was off to the left and two women were walking forward, no doubt wondering if they were under attack. And now men, coming up over the lip of the Rip. One with black hair ran toward Marcus. Paul, no doubt anxious about his father.
"I wonder if Marcus told them what he'd planned?" Falco muttered.
"Indeed."
Falco jerked around at the soft purring voice. The pale blonde woman was standing casually, one booted foot on a rock.
"What do you think the Archmage been up to?"
"I think he's lost touch with reality, and . . . pissed off the local mages, who are probably on their way. May I advise that you retreat? Return in a month, and find out if your fence has survived?"
The woman tipped her head and considered him. "Excellent advice. Why aren't you taking it yourself?"
"Because I released him . . . broke him out of a magical prison, not understanding that he was a sociopath, that he'd become a criminal. . . that he would kill his own son. My best friend." Falco blinked back tears. "It's all my fault."
"Oh, One! Spare me a boy with a conscience. There are six of them down there, now that the Archmage has returned. If you are really stupid enough to go down there, you are going to die. I, however, have no wish to get involved. Goodbye, foolish boy." She turned and walked away.
Falco looked back at the mages, all approaching Marcus.
That spell for unnoticeability . . . He scrambled down the rough cliff and slid down the pile of rubble at the base. Walked toward the archmage.
***
Lee Nelson was talking. "Why the panic? What have you done?"
"Nothing!" Marcus barred his teeth. "I tried to deal with a bit of a family problem."
"And you didn't get Falco. I hope you didn't kill him." Seabaugh walked up, looking irritated. "Marcus, what the hell have you got us all into? I'm beginning to realize that this isn't the sort of society that shrugs when the powerful flout the laws. We need to drop all contact with any bandit gangs, and . . ."
"Shut up, Seabaugh." Marcus rounded on him, stung. "I know what I'm doing."
"Really?" Eric Byrd, looked past Marcus. "What do you think, boy?"
Marcus turned again.
A faint shimmer faded to reveal Falco. Ha! Got you now, boy.
"About Marcus Olsen?" Falco's narrowed eyes were studying the other mages. "I think that since he was released, Archmage Marcus Olsen has pissed on the local laws, pissed off the local organized magic users, and now he's pissed because he failed to kidnap his own granddaughter and killed his son who was trying to stop him."
Indrawn breaths from the mages behind Marcus.
Marcus half turned to see Paul recoil. "Max? You killed Max? Wait, Max has a daughter? Had . . . "
"I have no use for disobedient children. Marrying a witch!"
"But, but . . . " Paul stumbled backwards, tears in his eyes.
"Buck up, stop being so soft." Marcus turned back to Falco. Probed, found a rock solid mental shield.
Falco didn't even look at him. He talked past him, to his mages. "I think we need a new, sane, archmage. Are any of you so set on a life of crime that you will still follow Marcus Olsen?"
Marcus bared his teeth. "Do you challenge me? You?" Damn he's gotten even stronger. He reached back toward the mages behind him. "Don't think that a lack of a major compass will stop me from tromping you flat. Come brothers. Form a minor compass with me and show this mighty mage who is in charge here."
Paul shifted uneasily, backed another step.
Nelson and Byrd exchanged glances, minimal shakes of their heads. Carl dropped the hand he'd half extended.
Marcus spun, and stared down at the other mages in disbelief and mounting fury. Even Seabaugh, standing there frowning. "You traitors. You filthy . . . I'll take care of you next!" He spun back to face Falco, his glow twisting with emotions, frighteningly strong.
Falco raised a physical shield to match the mental shield. Clearly he'd been getting some training from those other mages, to hold two strong shields at once. But energy . . . the boy had left himself vulnerable to energy spells.
Marcus pulled power from the heat of the day, from the sun warmed rock beneath his feet, and compacted just a bit of it into pure energy, a high frequency that an inexperienced mage couldn't tap. Not too much, he didn't want to kill his key to power.
He flicked it at Falco.
Who absorbed it.
Marcus hissed, a first thread of uncertainty worming through his anger. The mages here have had a thousand years to work out new techniques. He shrugged the thought aside. Later. I'll meet them, learn from them. Today, I'll settle this problem.
He started throwing a series of spells. Push and pull, a hard stun. A storm of little nuisance spells, each one taking energy from Falco to maintain his shields.
Marcus saw the boy compacting power. Someone taught a child how to make fireballs? Fools! He snapped up an energy shield and bounced it. Stalked forward, pulling heat from the air. The slight breeze was at his back and he sidestepped to put Falco in the chilly air. Spin, trip, laugh, hiccup. Stun, dammit the boy's shields were still holding, but he wasn't doing anything . . . Marcus shoved up against the youngster's physical shield, just a step away.
And the boy stepped forward, left hand finally making a gesture. Marcus hardened the physical and mental shields, flicked up an energy shield. He wouldn't be able to attack while holding three but . . . The boy scooped.
And everything went black.
"Gods damn it all! Don't you dare put me back into a bubble! Don't you . . . I'll kill you. I'll kill you!" He panted, panicked. How long? How long will I be trapped this time? He whimpered, whispered. "Let me out, please, let me out . . . "
***
Falco stepped away from the bronzed Archmage and faced the others. Tried to not shake in exhaustion. Tried to not show how much just holding shields against the Archmage's storm of spells had taken out of him. How terrified and helpless he'd been. Until Marcus had gotten so close . . . and he'd seen the bubble.
The mages stirred and retreated.
Nelson eyed the bronze statue. "I didn't think anyone but the gods could do that."
"I've been taking lessons." Falco eyed the mages. "I nev
er actually saw any of you doing anything illegal. If you truly want to live here—peacefully and honestly—I suggest you wait right here for the Army. Afterwards . . . go to Rip Crossing and you can speak to Archmage Ras there, and submit to his authority."
They retreated a few more steps, their eyes on something behind him.
Val and Drei stepped around him.
"Have you learned anything? Or are you going to continue like this?" Val scowled at the mages who had enslaved them. "Are you ashamed to have so treated another human being? Or are you arrogant, brutal lords, seeing everyone else as subhuman, beneath any honest, equal, treatment?"
Drei eyed them. "It's time to choose. Stay and face the law and our archmage . . . or start running."
Paul sagged, sat down abruptly, burying his face in his hands.
Seabaugh turned and walked away.
The other three exchanged uncertain glances, and possibly some mental speech. Erik Byrd swallowed, spoke. "We . . . submit ourselves to the authorities." His eyes flicked beyond them.
Falco turned as the ring of shod hooves on rock registered. Lieutenant Lilly Parsons, with a small troop. Good. Because he really needed to sit down.
Parsons nodded to him. "Good job. Not that I have the faintest idea how to arrest a statue, but no doubt Wolfson can get him out."
Falco looked back . . . no sign of Seabaugh. Light warp? Or maybe just a very strong unnoticeable spell. And I'm in no shape to pursue him.
She dismounted and dropped her reins. Walked toward the other mages. "Now then. Let's have a little chat."
Falco was nudged from behind. Wink. Excellent. He grabbed his canteen and rummaged in the saddle bags. Found a hard dry biscuit to gnaw on, a bottle of wine, half empty . . . some of the special stuff everyone always talked about? He staggered off to the wagon. Star was flat on his side, George too tired to even fuss about his buddy half under foot and the drag at his own harness.
Falco wiggled the cork out of the bottle and dripped a bit in Star's mouth. Started unbuckling harnesses, and traces. George staggered back a couple of steps, clear of Star, who was at least raising his head now. Falco rummaged in the wagon, found buckets, and the barrel on the side was half full of water. Marcus wasn't completely out of touch with reality! He poured water for both horses, added a bit of wine to the buckets. Star sucked down a gallon of water, then stood up and drank another.