Quest's end bk-3

by Brian S. Pratt

Her father turned disapproving eyes to his youngest daughter and said, “I think it’s time you helped your mother with the dishes.”

  “But it’s Alicia’s turn,” she argued as her lower lip began to protrude in a pout.

  “Come with me,” her mother said as she rose to her feet and began clearing the dishes from the table.

  “But I want to stay here with Chad!” she insisted.

  Her mother turned toward her. With a stern gaze that said she would brook no argument she said, “Now.”

  Looking none too happy about the turn of events, Erin got to her feet. Then she grabbed her plate and stomped off to the kitchen.

  “You’ll have to excuse her,” her mother said. “She’s at that age.”

  Chad grinned. “I know what you mean,” he said. Glancing across the table, he saw that Alicia’s face still held a bit of red her sister’s question had elicited. But when she saw him grin, she returned it and relaxed. He then turned to her father and said, “I’ve heard that the Magistrate in Quillim has been known to like fine wines. He may be interested in purchasing several bottles.”

  “Thank you young man,” her father said, “I’ll look into that.” They sat there for a minute or two in quiet contemplation while they finished the remainder of their wine. Then he grabbed the bottle and gave it to Chad. “Here.”

  Surprised that her father was giving him the rest of the wine, he asked, “You’re giving it to me?”

  Her father nodded. “I thought perhaps your employer would wish to sample it,” he explained. “Then you could tell my daughter how he liked it and if it would be worth my while to pursue that avenue.”

  “Thank you,” Chad said as he took the bottle. “I’ll be sure to let you know his opinion of the suitability this wine would have for other magic users.” Her father handed him the cork and he stoppered the opening with it. He held the bottle up and glanced at it for a minute. Intricate designs had been incorporated into the glass of the bottle as was the custom in wine bottles destined for the wealthy. Those heading for the common man’s tavern tended to be stored in plain, blown glass.

  He held it up to the light to see the designs better. There were what looked like hills bordering a lake. From the banks of the lake rose a single tall mountain that towered over the hills. “This is fine craftsmanship,” he observed.

  “The bottle itself could almost be worth more than the wine it contained,” agreed her father. “From an artistic viewpoint.”

  Chad nodded. He rotated the bottle to see the designs as they continued around to the other side. The hills came to an end and what looked like a family crest took up most of the other side.

  Alicia came around the table and sat in the chair Erin had occupied as she moved in closer to look at the bottle with him. His pulse began to race as her shoulder rubbed against his. He glanced to her and smiled.

  Returning his gaze to the bottle, he saw that the family crest had four separate designs upon it. One was of a horse and rider, another was of what had to be vines growing atop a hill. The third looked to be a fruit bearing tree, perhaps depicting the very trees from which the wine derived its fruity flavor from. The fourth one was a sword broken in two.

  Running behind the four designs was a stripe moving diagonally from the upper left corner to the bottom right. At first he wasn’t aware of what he was seeing, but then he gasped. If you took away the four designs and other frills, what you had left was an exact match to the fourth coat of arms from The Crypt.

  “Are you okay?” Alicia asked, concerned.

  Chad nodded but couldn’t take his eyes from the bottle. When he managed to tear them away, he looked at her father and asked, “Where exactly did you get this?”

  Chapter Two

  Seth and Soth were bored. They’ve been sitting in the Hall within the Tower of the Magi for five hours now. Ever since their return to Gilbeth, Kevik had come here daily to research spells and hunt for the fourth coat of arms. It had been decided that with what was going on he shouldn’t travel to and from the Tower of the Magi without an escort. Today had been Seth and Soth’s turn.

  For the most part they didn’t mind accompanying him. Because once they escorted him to the Tower, they’d head into town for a few hours then return about the time when he was ready to leave. But today, with the weather being what it was, they had opted to remain within the Tower. After the third hour, they were ready to leave. At the fourth they had sent one of the Seekers to find him in that library on the ground floor and tell him they were ready to return. When the Seeker returned, he had told them Kevik would be out momentarily. Now it’s nearing the fifth hour and he still hadn’t made an appearance.

  “Serve him right if we just left him here,” Seth commented to his brother.

  “You think he would even know we were gone?” Soth asked, given him a grin.

  Seth laughed. “Doubt it.” Then a Seeker emerged from the hallway and made his way to their table. “Now what?” Seth grumbled under his breath. “Is he telling us Kevik’s going to be another five hours?”

  “If so,” replied Soth, “I’m going back.”

  “Me too,” agreed Seth.

  They watched the Seeker as he made his way to their table. “Practitioner Kevik wished for me to tell you that he will be out momentarily,” the Seeker stated.

  “You can tell Practitioner Kevik that if he’s not out here in five minutes we’re leaving without him,” Seth replied.

  The Seeker nodded. “I will so tell him.” Turning about, the Seeker crossed the hall and reentered the hallway.

  “Think he’ll come?” asked Soth.

  Seth shrugged. “Who knows?” he replied. “But I don’t plan to wait around here for much longer.” He thought about the return walk to the estate. They hadn’t taken their horses as there was nowhere else to keep them but outside in the snowy weather tied to the poles. Seth didn’t relish the idea of walking back after nightfall, which couldn’t be very far away. Just when he was about to tell his brother they were out of there, Kevik appeared.

  “About time,” mumbled Seth.

  Kevik crossed the Hall and joined them at the table. “I ordered a meal for the three of us,” he explained. “It should be arriving shortly.”

  “A meal?” exclaimed Seth, his impatience adding an edge to his voice. “Let’s go home.”

  “But,” Kevik said, somewhat taken aback, “I thought you might be hungry.”

  “We are,” replied Soth. He glanced to his brother and gestured that they should stay and eat.

  “Oh, very well,” grumbled Seth.

  As they took their seats, Soth asked, “How is it going?”

  Kevik perked up and patted the pack which held his spell book. “Very well,” he stated. “I jotted down several spells which may come in handy when we set out for the final…” he paused a moment then leaned forward and said in a whisper, “you know what.”

  “Excellent,” Soth said. He glanced to his brother and nodded. Seth just glared back at him, he didn’t want to remain there.

  Though at times coming here wore on those accompanying Kevik, there was no denying the benefit from such visits. On his second visit, Kevik discovered a spell that would afford him some protection against magical traps that he might inadvertently activate when identifying items. It took him most of the next day to master it, but after that he set about identifying all the remaining items that had yet to be identified.

  Most of them had what Bart called ‘junk abilities’. Such things as making you smell better, a love charm, and other worthless attributes. But as he had stated awhile back, what was worthless to one is priceless to another. With that in mind, Kevik inquired at the Tower about liquidating those items and was told of a place in Gilbeth that specialized in such things.

  The sale of the four ‘junk items’ gave them one thousand, three hundred and fifty eight gold pieces, a veritable fortune. Only three items were kept other than those whose abilities had already been discovered. One was the wand whic
h Kevik believed casts a spray of cold.

  Another was the gray powder. It took Kevik some time to figure out what it did for every time he tried to cast his identification spell on it, the spell wouldn’t do anything. Finally, he realized that the gray powder was in some way absorbing the magic of the spell. If the box in which the powder was kept remained closed, its affects would remain inactive. The box held the ability to contain the powder’s affect. But with the lid open and the gray powder exposed, it absorbed any and all active magic in its vicinity.

  The last of the three items that held what he and the others considered beneficial magic was a brass ring with a band of silver that spiraled around the entirety of the band. From the vision Kevik had when he identified it, he felt it had something to do with fighters. The part of the vision where ‘swords would strike the bearer yet do little damage’ seemed to suggest it would keep harm from the wearer to a certain degree. Chad was given that one to wear.

  He also figured out the two spells in the small book they had found in Algoth. One was a powerful warding spell which was beyond his current abilities to cast. It would prevent the more rudiment magical spells from affecting the caster. The other spell in the book was a locater spell that would enable the caster to ‘know’ the location of a familiar object or person. As with the first spell, it too was beyond his abilities.

  Perhaps the most vexing of all the items in his possession was the scroll in the ivory scroll case they had discovered during their last trek to Catha. He had at one time thought to seek the help of more advanced magic users at the Tower concerning it. But then came the memory of the magic user who had accompanied Durik during his raid on the estate. Was he friend or foe? And more importantly, who was he? He was sure it had been a man but hadn’t been able to get a good look at him. The thought that nagged at him was what if he were to ask Durik’s magic user for help? The consequences of such an action could prove disastrous. So instead, he had broken the seal binding the scroll case closed and opened it.

  Within he had found a rolled piece of parchment. He had used extreme caution when removing it from the scroll case as he feared it may not have survived well over time. But his fears had been for nothing, the parchment was like new. The magic of the scroll case had preserved it over the years.

  Hardly daring to breathe, he had carefully unrolled the parchment. Written upon the parchment were five symbols. Though he didn’t recognize them, they were definitely magical in nature. And from the intricate way in which they were drawn, had to be quite powerful. He had searched the library on the first floor of the Tower for any reference of the five symbols on his initial visit, but hadn’t been able to locate them. Most likely, any reference to them would be in libraries a Practitioner wouldn’t have access to. He had put the parchment back in the scroll case and stashed it in the chest along with the other magical items their group weren’t currently using.

  The meal when it came was of bread, cheese, and a stew made primarily out of vegetables. The Seekers also brought a steaming pot of tea and three cups. Seth looked at the meal and inwardly groaned. Just what you’d expect magic users to eat, he thought. Once he had his portion, he ate it reluctantly and found it to be not so bad, though what he really wanted was a big shank of meat.

  Soth grinned at his brother’s discomfiture during the meal. Kevik went on about this spell and that which he had discovered today. His excitement, while not exactly contagious, kept the twins entertained until they had finished the meal.

  “I’ve found one that erects a barrier against fire,” he said.

  “What good would that do?” asked Seth.

  “If I ever come against a magic user who casts a spell involving fire,” he replied, “I’ll be ready. Such spells could very well prove invaluable when I return to test for Wielder.”

  “How exciting,” Soth said.

  Kevik’s eyes fairly danced. “Yes, isn’t it,” he said with enthusiasm.

  “I don’t suppose you found anything that’s going to keep us warm on the way home?” Seth asked.

  Taking a bite of bread, Kevik shook his head. “No,” he replied with his mouth full. “Yesterday I came across a spell that would aid against magical attacks involving cold. But from what I’ve read so far, it’s much more difficult to keep the natural world at bay than in countering magic’s affect.”

  “Why is that?” Soth inquired.

  Kevik was about to reply then stopped. He took another bite as he thought about it. “I’m not sure to tell you the truth,” he finally admitted. “I’ll have to look into that during another visit.” The rest of the meal passed in silence as Kevik thought about the question posed by Soth. He did have a couple thoughts on the matter, but nothing definite.

  When they finished their meal, they left the table and made to leave the Hall. Seekers immediately converged on their table and proceeded to clean off the dirty tableware. The temperature began to drop as they entered the hallway leading to the exit. Snow covered the end of the hallway nearest the door from where it had been blown in when members came and went.

  Seth was the first to the door. He took hold of the handle and had barely begun to pull on it when the door was blasted open by the wind. Ice cold air filled with wind blown snow hit him like a hammer. First Seth passed through to the outside, then his brother.

  Once Kevik was through to the outside, it took both of the twins to get the door closed. When it finally closed shut, Seth wondered how a single magic user could have managed to close the door when it had required both him and his brother working against the force of the wind to do it. Maybe Seekers would come to assist them was all he could come up with.

  Outside, dusk was definitely on its way. “We’ll never make it back before dark,” Seth said to Kevik.

  Kevik nodded then light flared from the end of his staff as he cast his spell. “Stay close,” he said. Wrapping his cloak tightly around him, he leaned into the wind and began forging his way through the snow. Behind him, Seth and Soth bent low as they too tried to minimize the wind’s sting. The storm was beginning to worsen. The chill of the wind seemed to go right through their clothes and sapped the warmth from their bodies.

  At one point, Kevik’s foot slipped and he lost his balance. A blast of wind struck him and threw him backwards into Seth. “Careful,” Seth said as he caught him before he could fall onto the snow covered ground.

  “Thank you,” Kevik said as he righted himself.

  By the time they had left the outskirts of Gilbeth behind, all three were chilled to the bone. Seth’s teeth were chattering so badly, that he was surprised the other two hadn’t heard him yet. They followed the road as best they could in the growing gloom. The only light they now had was that of Kevik’s staff.

  Where are you?

  The question that suddenly entered his mind almost made him lose his balance. Glancing to the ring on the hand that gripped the staff, he concentrated on Bart. On the road outside of town, he mentally replied. The ring on his hand enabled him to communicate with Bart who wore the other of the pair.

  Lost? Bart asked.

  I don’t think so, he replied. Snow’s getting very bad though.

  We’ll come get you, Bart told him.

  Alright, Kevik said. Look for my light.

  Will do, came the reply, then the communication ended.

  Ten minutes later, Soth caught sight of a light approaching from behind them. It turned out to be Bart and Riyan. “You guys passed the lane,” Bart told them. He then led them back down the road to the where the lane turned off. Once they were on the lane and heading toward the manor, its lights soon became visible through the blowing snow.

  Back at the manor, they found a fire roaring in the fireplace and the smell of hot cider filling the air. After they removed their jackets and snow packed boots, Chyfe came forward with a mug of hot cider for each of them.

  “Thanks man,” Seth said as he took his. The warmth of the cider coming through the mug caused his hands to ache as fee
ling began to return. “It’s getting bad out there.”

  Bart nodded. “I know,” he replied. “Chad hasn’t made it back yet.”

  “If he’s smart, he’ll stay in town until it blows over,” Riyan said.

  “You might want to hold off on going to the Tower for a few days,” Soth advised Kevik. The cider entering his system sent warmth spreading throughout his body. He looked around for his brother and failed to find him. About to ask where he was, he saw him emerging from the kitchen with a large chunk of beef.

  “Perhaps you’re right,” agreed Kevik. Besides, he’ll need to devote some time to the spells he had copied into his spell book while in the library in order to perfect them.

  Riyan went over to the window and looked out. All that he saw was darkness, except for the wisps of snow that blew against the window pane. Worry for his friend gnawed at him, but he knew that to go in search of him would be futile in such weather.

  When Chad made to leave earlier that evening, Alicia had suggested for him to stay the night due to the severity of the storm. “We wouldn’t want him getting lost and dying out there,” she argued.

  Her father didn’t care for the idea but couldn’t come up with a good reason to object that wouldn’t besmirch Chad’s honor. “Alright,” he agreed. “You can sleep in the front room.”

  “Thank you sir,” Chad replied. He glanced to Alicia who gave him a smile. Their exchange was not lost to her father.

  Blankets were piled on the long couch for Chad as the family made ready for bed. Her father remained in the front room after his wife and daughters had gone upstairs to their rooms. Relaxing in a chair by the fireplace, he pulled out his pipe and proceeded to light it.

  Chad sat on the couch, not comfortable with the idea of crawling under the covers with him sitting nearby. They sat there quietly for several minutes while her father stared into the fire as he puffed on his pipe. “You needn’t feel the need to remain here to guard the honor of your daughter,” Chad finally said.

  Her father smiled at that. “If I thought you were the type to take advantage of her under my own roof, I would have sent you on your way tonight,” he replied. Outside the wind howled as it beat snow against the sides of the house. The shutters had been closed to protect the windows, and at times the wind would moan eerily as it blew across them.