I wonder which one he is, he thought as he considered the group. He knew most of them by sight but very few by name and no one stood out as a total jerk.
Oh well, maybe he's learned his lesson. A smack on the head from Malcolm could have taught him better manners.
Clara came back followed by Malcolm and Aiden. Two women, one carrying a little boy, the other a delicate little girl, were with them.
“Malcolm and Aiden want to go in the first group, for security,” the cleric told him as the big men grinned down at the wizard. “We'd like to get the kids down as soon as possible. Patty will take her son, and Madeline will bring her daughter. Shelly and her daughter will go in the second group.”
The cleric looked at Simon as if waiting for his approval and he bowed elaborately, which made her laugh.
“Excellent choices, my lady cleric,” he said and the entire group laughed. The two children smiled innocently, too young to really understand what was happening.
“Patty and Madeline,” Simon said more seriously. “Have you told your kids about what's going to happen?”
The pretty blond woman, Patty, ruffled her son's hair as he watched the wizard with wide eyes.
“Of course. All the kids are excited. The first time they Gated, when you saved us during the wight attack, was scary, but then when Tommy got over the initial shock, he acted like it was some sort of amusement ride.” She laughed fondly. “Trust me, they won't be scared this time.”
“Terrific. Okay, I guess you all know how this works? Right, so Malcolm, touch my shoulder, grab Aiden, etcetera. Everyone just make sure you're part of the chain.”
The group shuffled around for a moment and Aeris moved to hover by Simon's right arm, holding his sleeve.
“All set?” he asked and everyone nodded. “Great. Here we go.”
He chanted the Gate spell, winked at Clara and focused on the site of the new town. Then he invoked the spell and the void took them away.
The rest of the day pretty much followed the same routine. Simon transported all of the townspeople except for Virginia, Anna, Eric and Gerard, who volunteered to stay one more night to give the wizard a chance to rest before Gating the rest of the people's belongings down south.
Simon did transport food, clothing and enough blankets for everyone to sleep on. The evening was warm and Aeris predicted that no rain was due to fall in the area for several days.
By the time that Simon had Gated the last of his loads for one day, Kronk and his fellow earthen had finished the wall around the site. He walked the perimeter with Clara, feeling exhausted but not ill from all of the magic use. They were both suitably impressed by the wall and watched as the elementals finished installing the gates and the main drawbridge.
Kronk promised to build the second, smaller drawbridge the next day and dig out the trench around the town. He told the cleric in a serious tone that the sound of all of that excavation would keep the children awake all night and that they needed their sleep.
“Thank you for your consideration, my friend,” she replied gratefully. “We are so very thankful for your efforts on our behalf. I just wish we could express that in more than words.”
“That is unnecessary, lady,” the little guy replied with a deep bow. “We live to serve. You are a friend of my master and that is enough.”
He grinned broadly then and added, “And you are my friend as well. I have never had a human friend before my master. I find that I like it.”
They had all laughed at Kronk's obvious delight and then walked back to the main group.
Torches had been planted in the ground as the sun went down and the hum of conversation was constant. The three children were running delightedly through the long grass, watched fondly by the adults who were choosing where they were going to sleep. A large bonfire was burning in the exact center of the future town, more for its comfort than its heat, although people had used it to boil water for tea and hot chocolate.
“It all looks so...alive, doesn't it,” Simon muttered to Clara as they watched the scene.
“I agree. Can you feel the difference in them already?” she asked as she looked from face to face. Most of them were smiling.
“They're so much more vibrant now. They've been given a new lease in life, my friend, thanks to you.”
“No need to thank me,” the wizard said as he watched the children wrestling and laughing together. “After all that they've been through, your people deserve this. Besides, you all have a lot of work ahead of you. Let them enjoy this brief respite before the heavy lifting begins.”
Clara poked him sharply with an elbow and he squeaked in surprise.
“Stop being so practical all the time,” she stated with a wide grin. “Enjoy this moment for what it is. And no matter what you say, Simon, it's as much your doing as ours, if not more.”
“Fine. You win,” he told her, chuckling. “I have to get back. I told Virginia and the others that I'd spend the night in my tower and see them bright and early tomorrow. That storm is getting closer and we're running out of time.”
The cleric nodded, suddenly serious.
“I know. Go ahead and get your rest and we'll see you tomorrow.”
She gave him a gentle squeeze on the arm and then went over and joined the others.
“You all set?” Simon asked Aeris, who was hovering nearby.
“Of course. You need to eat and rest. Tomorrow you have to transport the bulk of the town's belongings. And that will be quite the chore.”
“Thanks for reminding me,” the wizard said, feeling even more tired just thinking about it. “Okay. Grab hold and let's go home.”
Chapter 15
When Simon woke up the next morning, he slowly got up and sat on the edge of the bed. His sleep had been refreshing but for some reason, he was nervous about the upcoming day. Something felt wrong.
He lit the candle next to his bed and stood up, stretching and groaning. Then he turned and went over to dig through his drawers and cupboard, trying to decide what he should wear.
He cursed under his breath. It was hard to see which sock matched which and he moved back to his bed and picked up the candle. As he raised the light to sort through his clothes, Simon stopped. A cold chill crept up the flesh of his back.
It's too dark, he thought with a twist of fear and looked at the window.
There was no sunlight streaming in through the frosted glass. The day beyond was almost as dark and gray as evening and the ice covering the window allowed very little light to seep into the room.
It's cloudy. Oh damn.
He grabbed a pair socks at random, slipped them on and then threw on a robe.
“Aeris!” he yelled just as the elemental shot through the door and they almost collided.
“The storm is coming!” they said at exactly the same time.
“Yeah, I noticed,” Simon said hurriedly. He blew out the candle and set it down. Then he summoned a magic light and stared at Aeris.
“You told me that we'd have one more day before it hit,” he said sharply, trying not to sound accusatory.
“I know I did,” Aeris replied contritely. “But weather is changeable and often unpredictable, my dear wizard. I gave you an estimate but it wasn't set in stone.”
“Great. Well, no use in whining about it now.” Simon hurried out of the room and down the stairs. “How long before it hits?”
“Hours. I can't say for sure how many, but do not waste any time. I made you some tea and toast to hurry you on your way.”
Simon got downstairs and went over to the counter. He ate quickly, standing up, and then went out to answer the call of nature.
As he walked back from the outhouse, trying not to slip on the ice-crusted snow, he stopped for a moment and stared up at the ominous clouds that were piling up at an alarming rate.
The day was as dark as twilight and the wind had amped up several notches and was howling like a tortured soul.
It's going to be close, he thought
and glanced at the arch over the main gate. Let's hope that the new wards hold back any attack, if wights will actually be swarming in the wake of the blizzard. I'd hate to come home to find the place infested with monsters.
Back in the tower, he got into his winter coat and boots, slipped some gloves into his pocket along with his spell-book and grabbed his staff.
“You ready?” he asked Aeris.
The air elemental was banking the fire in the fireplace. He turned and flew quickly across the room to join the wizard.
“Ready. Let's get moving.”
He held on to Simon's coat and the wizard rattled off the Gate spell. He took one last worried look around at his home and then invoked the spell and watched as it faded away.
They appeared in the barracks to a chorus of relieved cries. Virginia and her three friends were standing next to the pile of furniture and essentials, watching him with wide eyes.
“Morning, guys,” Simon said with a strained smile. “Good to see you all. As you may have noticed,” he looked at the shadowy light trying to pierce the windows, “the storm had decided to show up a bit early, so we have to get a move on.”
“We noticed,” Virginia told him nervously. “We've combed the village and all of this,” she waved at the pile, “is what is needed down south. If we've missed anything, well, to hell with it.”
The wizard smiled at her and nodded.
“Agreed. Okay, here's the thing. Each load can't be any larger or bulkier than six adults. Weight doesn't seem to be a factor; it seems to be that volume is the most important when it comes to Gating. So let's separate it all into loads and I can start moving it out.”
The five of them moved as quickly as they could, getting the goods organized as the wind howled by the building, becoming louder and more violent by the minute.
Simon took a moment and looked from Aeris to the nearest window and back again.
“How bad is it going to get?” he asked under his breath, with a quick glance at the others. They were dragging things around and joking and talking together.
“Very bad,” Aeris replied quietly as he moved to hover next to the wizard. “It will be worse than the last storm. I can't say if wights or other creatures will be using the weather for cover, but considering how bad it will get, it is quite possible.”
“Wonderful. Okay, thanks.”
“We're done here, Simon,” Eric called out and the wizard walked over and joined them, checking out the size of the loads.
He moved several pieces of furniture, and isolated a massive chest of drawers to one side by itself. He looked at it quizzically.
“Do your people really need this behemoth?” Simon asked Virginia. It was very heavy.
She shrugged and patted the drawers.
“Well, it's the biggest piece of furniture we have and, luckily for us, since you say weight doesn't matter, we stuffed the drawers with as much clothing as we could. So yes, I'd say we need it.”
Simon sighed and nodded reluctantly.
“Okay. In that case, I'll take it first.”
He counted the separate piles and winced. This is going to be hard, he thought.
“So, a dozen loads, is it? Does anyone want to Gate down with me or...?”
“We've decided to stay until the end,” Anna spoke up in her delicate, quiet voice. Simon smiled at her and she returned it nervously. “If the storm hits before you're done, we need to be together to hold the barracks against an attack. If there is one.”
The wizard looked from face to face. Eric and Gerard looked grim and determined, Anna was obviously afraid but holding up well and Virginia, as always, exuded an aura of quiet calm. Simon approved. She was the natural leader of the quartet and the others took their cues from her. As long as Virginia was in control of her emotions, he had no fears that anyone would buckle under the pressure of the situation.
“Good for you. Aeris, would you stay with them, please? Keep an eye on the weather. I'd like you to head out to the wall and, if possible, warn our friends if you see any hint of an attack.”
“Yes, I'll do that. Be as quick as you can, my dear wizard. Time is ticking away.”
“Yeah thanks. No pressure.”
Simon grounded his staff in his left hand, rested his right on the top of the chest of drawers and spoke the incantation for the Gate spell.
“Back in a few minutes,” he told them all and invoked the spell.
The blast of warmth that greeted him as he emerged from the void into the center of the new settlement was so delicious that Simon's knees became weak and he had to lean against the chest of drawers for a moment to regain his strength. He had warned Clara and the others to stay clear of the central section of the town. He didn't want to flatten anyone as he transported the goods down from Nottinghill.
He looked around, enjoying the morning sunlight and the sounds of birds and saw the cleric hurrying toward him, Malcolm and Aiden in tow.
“Good morning, my friend,” she said warmly as she approached. She looked at the hulking piece of furniture and rolled her eyes.
“I'm glad you brought this monstrosity first. Frankly, I don't like it, but we shoved a lot of clothing into it so at least it's useful for something.”
Simon nodded at the guardsmen who were grinning at him. Both had removed their armor and were wearing light tunics and leather trousers. He didn't return their smiles and Malcolm frowned at his expression.
“What's wrong, sir wizard?” he asked abruptly. “You don't look very happy.”
“I'm not, guys. The storm is about to slam into Nottinghill a day early, so I have to move this along.”
Clara put a hand to her mouth in shock, her eyes widening.
“It's too soon,” she whispered.
“Yeah, I know. Look, Malcolm? Aiden? Would you move this damned thing out of the way?” Simon asked as he slapped the chest of drawers. “I'm going to pop back into this exact spot every time I Gate. It will save me a minute or two. Otherwise I'd have to move my target location each time and things are getting a bit too tight to have to do that.”
“Of course we will,” Aiden averred and looked at Malcolm, who nodded once.
“Go, sir wizard. This spot will be cleared before you return, have no fear of that.”
“Good. Okay, I'll be back in a few minutes.”
Simon began chanting again and, as he faded away, he saw the two big men pick up the chest with identical grunts of effort and begin to carry it away.
The morning then turned into a blur for Simon. He had to concentrate harder each time he Gated, as his mind began to feel foggy from all of the energy he was losing each time he cast the transportation spell.
He lost count of the number of trips he made, but Malcolm and Aiden were as good as their word, and the target area was clear each time he returned to the new settlement.
A crowd had gathered around the spot, far enough away to be safe, and every time he appeared they rushed in to carry away bags, crates and bales of hay. A large cage with the town's livestock, four sheep and a half-dozen chickens, had to be transported by itself and even though he was getting more and more tired, Simon had to laugh at the sounds of bafflement from the sheep when they appeared in their new home.
On his second to last trip back to Nottinghill, Virginia took him firmly by the hand, made him sit down and handed him a cup of hot chocolate. There was a kettle over the fire in the fireplace and she had boiled some water for him.
“Thanks,” he said with a weak smile. “But do we have time for this?”
“I don't know and I don't care,” she said seriously. “You're a lovely shade of gray, Simon, and you need a shot of energy. The honey in the chocolate should help a bit. Plus, you need to take a minute to catch your breath. In case you hadn't noticed, you're shaking like a leaf.”
“I am?”
Simon lifted the cup to his lips and watched as his hand shook so hard that the liquid slopped over the rim. He hissed as the hot chocolate burned his finger
s and quickly shifted the cup to his other hand.
“Huh, I guess I am. Thanks. Any word from Aeris?”
Eric was standing by the door to the building, leaning a shoulder against the frame with his arms folded. He shook his head.
“Nothing yet. I'd say that's a good sign.”
Simon looked at the two heaps of goods that were left to transport. One pile was mostly farm equipment and the blacksmith's gear. The other consisted of several crates of dried food, the box of powdered chocolate that the townspeople had discovered and was, to Simon's mind, more precious than gold, plus a couple of canvas bags filled with utensils and, oddly enough, towels.
“Well, this last bit shouldn't be too bad. I'll take the tools first and come back for the rest. If you guys have any personal stuff you want to bring along, get it ready. I want you all ready to get the hell out of here on my last trip.”
“Don't worry about that,” Gerard spoke up. He was peering out of one of the frosted windows, but all that could be seen was a wall of white. The blizzard had begun in earnest and the entire group was becoming twitchy. “Everything of ours that we wanted is already down in Florida. If we have to leave in a hurry, then we leave. Period.”
“Good. Okay.”
Simon finished his drink and stood up slowly. His legs felt less wobbly and he took a moment to breathe deeply.
“Thanks, Virginia. I actually needed that.”
“I know,” she said and smiled. “One last push now and you can get some real rest, Simon.”
“Yup. Time to go.”
He crossed the room and touched the pile of equipment with his free hand. Then he leaned against his staff, chanted the Gate spell and invoked it. As the room faded, he saw Aeris pop into view and zip over to begin speaking frantically to Virginia. Unfortunately, he couldn't hear what was said as he slipped into the void.
Simon staggered away from the pile of equipment, already beginning to cast another Gate spell.
Clara walked over quickly and stared at him.
“Whoa there, my friend. Take a minute to catch your breath.”
“Can't,” the wizard gasped as he finished the incantation. “As I was leaving, I saw Aeris enter the barracks. He looked frightened. I think something's wrong. I have to get back right away!”
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