by Clayton Wood
"Erasmus..." Kalibar warned, his expression darkening.
"All right, all right," the former Grand Runic replied. "I'm just trying to help." He took another sip of his drink, then leaned back. “So, enough suspense," he declared. "Reveal to me your glorious surprise!”
“We are secure?” Kalibar asked. Erasmus frowned, then nodded.
“Of course,” he snorted. “I am a Runic, remember? All the usual security measures are in place.” He smirked then, his blue eyes twinkling mischievously. "And a few unusual ones as well."
“No doubt,” Kalibar murmured. “What we discuss must remain between us. I need your word on this.” Erasmus leaned forward in his chair, a frown on his face.
“You have it," he replied. "What the hell is going on, Kalibar?”
Kalibar paused for a long moment, then turned to face Kyle.
“Kyle, please give Erasmus your ring,” Kalibar requested. Kyle hesitated, looking down at his left thumb. His ring...his dad's ring, was there, the gemstone glittering dully. He pulled it off reluctantly, laying it on top of Erasmus's desk. Erasmus picked it up, staring at it for a long moment. Then his eyes widened.
“Dear god!” he exclaimed, grabbing a magnifying glass off of his desk and using it to get a closer look at the ring. “The runes are so small!" he breathed. He inspected it closely, then looked up at Kalibar. "I don't recognize these runes," he stated, almost accusatorily. "Where the hell did you get this?"
“From him,” Kalibar answered, nodding in Kyle's direction. Erasmus's blue eyes shifted to Kyle. Kyle squirmed in his seat, unable to make eye contact with the man.
“Him?” Erasmus exclaimed incredulously. Kalibar nodded. Erasmus gave a short, barking laugh. “You're kidding, right?”
"Not at all," Kalibar replied. "And that's not all," he added, turning to look at Kyle. "Kyle, please go over there,” he requested, gesturing to the corner at the far end of the office, farthest away from Erasmus's desk. Kyle hesitated, then did as Kalibar had ordered.
“Turn around and face us,” Kalibar instructed. Kyle did as he was told, turning about silently.
“What's this all about?” Erasmus asked.
"Why don't you join him?" Kalibar replied, gesturing at Kyle with one hand. Erasmus's bushy eyebrows knit together, and he glanced at Kyle, then back at Kalibar.
"What..."
"Go on," Kalibar urged. Erasmus sighed, finishing his glass and standing up. He walked over to Kyle, stopping a few feet away. Kyle glanced at Kalibar, then at Erasmus, feeling enormously confused. Suddenly Erasmus's eyebrows went up, a huge smile splitting his face.
“Kalibar!” he exclaimed joyously, turning about and facing the man. “You devious old bastard! I can't believe I didn't notice it earlier...” He turned back to Kyle, staring him up and down. Kyle backed up instinctively, but had nowhere to go...he was already cornered.
“My dear, dear boy!” Erasmus exclaimed, grabbing Kyle's shoulders with both hands. “My, my...what a glorious find!” He let go, turning to Kalibar. “How clever of you to hide the boy by keeping him so close to yourself!”
“I want to keep this between you and me for now,” Kalibar explained. Erasmus nodded, walking back to his desk and sitting down. He poured himself another glass from the bottle, taking a sip.
“Of course, of course," he assured Kalibar. "Does anyone else know?”
“No,” Kalibar replied. He turned to Kyle. "You can sit down now," he added. Kyle complied, walking back to his chair beside Kalibar and sitting down. He glanced at Erasmus, then at Kalibar, feeling utterly lost.
“Kyle, I understand that you must be very confused,” Kalibar stated. “I apologize for keeping you in the dark," he continued, "...but I felt that you'd already suffered enough trauma in the last few days, and I didn't want to add to your burden until you had time to...adjust.” Erasmus frowned at this.
“You mean he doesn't know?” he blurted out incredulously. "You can't be serious!" Kalibar sighed.
“He doesn't know, but it's time I told him.”
“Told me what?” Kyle asked. Kalibar chuckled, putting a hand on Kyle's shoulder.
"Erasmus, do you have a Finder Stone here?" he asked.
"You know I do," Erasmus answered. An orange-sized, perfectly clear crystal ball rolled off of one of Erasmus's shelves, then floated through the air until it landed in his left hand. He placed this on his desk in front of Kalibar and Kyle.
"The Finder Stone," Kalibar explained, "changes color based on the intensity of magical power it detects. Small amounts cause it to turn gray. Larger amounts turn it red, then orange, then yellow, then green, then blue, and then violet. Each color change indicates an exponential increase in magical energy." Erasmus nodded, placing his right hand on the sphere. It turned gray, then shifted through the spectrum until it reached a dark green, where it stayed.
"Every year," Kalibar stated, "...the Secula Magna sends emissaries to the cities and towns of the Empire, rounding up children between the ages of eight and sixteen. They line up, and touch the Finder Stone. Those with enough magic to get it to change color are offered free room and board, and free tuition, at the Secula Magna."
"Wait, they're taken away from their parents?" Kyle asked incredulously. Kalibar nodded.
"It's a great honor for their families," he replied. "When their children are done with their training, they will be highly respected, well-compensated members of their communities. Most parents desperately want their children to be chosen...but few children have the ability."
With that, Kalibar placed his hand on the Finder Stone. It turned red almost immediately, then rapidly moved through the spectrum, ending at a deep violet. Kalibar winked at Erasmus, a smirk on his face. Erasmus rolled his eyes.
"Show-off," he grumbled.
"Now you try," Kalibar told Kyle. Kyle frowned, then reached forward, placing his hand on the crystal. The surface was surprisingly cool, the countless facets on the gemstone shimmering dully in the sunlight streaming from the large windows above. Slowly, the crystal changed color, turning a dull gray. Kyle gasped.
"I can make magic?" he exclaimed, glancing up at Kalibar. Kalibar smiled, a twinkle in his eyes. Then he gestured back at the Finder Stone. Kyle turned back to look at it...and realized it was slowly shifting from gray to red. The red brightened to orange, then yellow, and slowly turned a light green. Erasmus gave a low whistle.
"Remarkable," he breathed, leaning back in his chair, his right hand smoothing out the curls in his long beard. The Finder Stone remained a light green. "Simply remarkable!"
"What does that mean?" Kyle asked Kalibar, who shook his head slowly, his eyes staring into the depths of the glowing crystal. He ran a hand through his short white hair.
"It means you can make a great deal of magic," he answered.
“Oh,” Kyle mumbled. Erasmus snorted.
"Oh?" he replied. "Oh?" He jabbed one finger at the Finder Stone. "The most powerful Weaver in the known world touched the same Finder Stone fifty years ago when he was about your age, and do you know what color it turned?" Kyle shook his head.
Kalibar leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands in front of him. He regarded Kyle with a critical eye.
"I made it turn yellow," he replied.
Chapter 7
"Would you kindly tell your protégé to pick his damn jaw off my desk?" Erasmus quipped. Kalibar chuckled, putting a hand on Kyle's shoulder. Kyle realized that his mouth was indeed open, and snapped it shut.
"Wait," he stammered. "You mean...?"
"You make more magic than any boy who's ever been tested," Kalibar confirmed. Kyle's jaw went slack again, and he shut it a second time.
I can make magic?
He glanced at Erasmus, whose blue eyes were twinkling merrily, then back at Kalibar. He could hardly believe what he was hearing.
"Any more surprises?" Erasmus asked. Kalibar shook his head. "Good," Erasmus replied, taking another sip from his glass. "I think I've had all my old heart can take
for one day." He peered at Kyle from underneath his bushy eyebrows, then glanced back at Kalibar. "So tell me, who is he, really?"
"Hmm?"
"You're a single child, Kalibar," Erasmus stated impatiently. "If he's your grand-nephew, I'm your sister!" Kalibar gave a rueful grin.
"I couldn't say in front of the guards," he admitted. Then he turned to Kyle. "Why don't you tell him your story," he suggested. Kyle glanced at Erasmus, suddenly none too eager to follow Kalibar's suggestion. Erasmus arched an eyebrow at him.
"Oh ho! You don't trust me, boy?" he exclaimed. But he said it with an impish grin, his blue eyes twinkling merrily. Kyle couldn't help but smile back.
"Sorry," he mumbled. "I'm just nervous."
"You should be!" Erasmus replied. Then reached forward, patting Kyle on the shoulder. "Your secrets, whatever they may be, are safe with me," he added, his tone suddenly serious. Kyle glanced at Kalibar.
"Go on," Kalibar prompted. Kyle took a deep breath, then repeated the same story he'd told Kalibar, talking about his father giving him the ring, the forest, the rip-vines, the Ulfar, and his near-drowning. He mentioned waking up in Kalibar's mansion, meeting Kalibar and Darius, and their harrowing trip here. When he was done, he leaned back in his chair, feeling spent. Erasmus remained silent throughout, much as Kalibar had when he'd heard the story, stroking his white beard. When Kyle finished, Erasmus smiled.
"Thank you, Kyle," he said. He drummed his fingertips on the top of his desk, then looked up at Kalibar. "What do you make of this?"
"Not much," Kalibar admitted ruefully. "You?"
"Doesn't make any sense to me," Erasmus replied. "But it sure raises a lot of questions." Kalibar nodded.
"Too many," he replied. Erasmus snorted.
"Oh bull," he stated. "You're enjoying every minute of this!" He slapped the surface of his desk with one hand. "An impossibly complex runic ring, a boy with power like nothing we've ever seen...you've been desperate for something like this ever since you retired!"
"True," Kalibar admitted. "As have you." He took a sip of his wine. "I'd like your help," he added.
"Ask and you shall receive," Erasmus replied, spreading his arms out wide.
“I'd like to leave Kyle's ring with you," Kalibar stated. "Maybe you can figure out what it does, and who made it." Erasmus grinned broadly.
"Done!" he exclaimed. Then his grin faded. "And what are you planning on doing?"
"I'm going to take Kyle to Crescent Lake to start his apprenticeship," Kalibar answered. Erasmus's bushy eyebrows rose.
"You're training him personally?" the Runic asked in disbelief. He glanced at Kyle, then back at Kalibar, who nodded.
"That's right," he confirmed. Erasmus leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his long white beard. Then he nodded to himself, patting his impressive belly. "I see," he murmured. Kalibar frowned.
"See what?"
"You're taking this one under your wing," Erasmus observed. "A perfect coincidence, you and him meeting up, eh? You both have something the other needs."
"I don't need anything," Kalibar replied rather testily. "I'd have Master Owens teach Kyle, but unfortunately we have to leave Stridon tomorrow.
“Why so soon?” Erasmus asked, clearly disappointed. “I was hoping you'd stay a bit longer."
“I would like to, but I don't think it's safe," Kalibar replied. Erasmus arched one bushy eyebrow.
“Not safe?" he exclaimed incredulously. "You're a damned national treasure! There's no safer place for you.”
“I wish that were true,” Kalibar muttered darkly. Erasmus's eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward in his chair, pushing his glass of wine off to the side.
“Kalibar, what's going on?”
“I was attacked a few weeks ago,” Kalibar admitted, his expression grim. “A group of Weavers came to Bellingham in the middle of the night, killing all of my Battle-Weavers and half of my guards.”
Erasmus stared at Kalibar incredulously, his mouth agape. Then he stood up from his seat suddenly.
"They what?" he nearly shouted.
"They tried to assassinate me," Kalibar said. Erasmus paused, then slammed his fist onto his desk, making Kyle jump.
"Those bastards!" he swore. He started to pace then. "They dared to attack you?"
"It didn't end well for them," Kalibar interjected.
"I don't care!" Erasmus replied. "I'm notifying the elite guards. And Bartholos! He'll ferret out the traitorous weasel that planned this."
"Erasmus..." Kalibar began.
"We'll post a contingent of elite guards with you at all times," Erasmus interrupted, still pacing. "I'll..."
"Erasmus," Kalibar interjected, his voice firm. Erasmus paused, turning to face him. "Sit down."
"But..."
"Please," Kalibar insisted. "...I have more to say." Erasmus nodded, sitting back in his chair reluctantly. Kalibar sighed. "I was attacked a second time three days ago," he continued. "During the carriage ride here. The first attempt on my life was well-coordinated, and the second was even more so."
"What?"
"One of the Weavers that attacked me during the second attack was surprisingly powerful," Kalibar explained. "He disabled all of the runic wards on my carriage in seconds."
"What?" Erasmus repeated. "That's impossible! I made those wards myself! No one could have..."
"I know," Kalibar interjected. "But they did."
"But you still beat him," Erasmus deduced. Kalibar shook his head.
"I don't think so," he replied. "I never saw the Weaver...he disappeared early in the attack, and the other Weavers killed themselves."
"Damn," Erasmus swore.
"All I know is that the Weavers I did see were wearing red uniforms," Kalibar stated. Erasmus frowned.
"Did they have black sashes?" the Runic asked. "With green diamonds on the front?" Kalibar nodded.
"You've heard of them?"
"I have," Erasmus confirmed. "There have been reports of small villages east of here being razed by men with similar uniforms...apparently led by a man in black."
"Any idea who they might be?" Kalibar asked. Erasmus shook his head.
"Not really," Erasmus replied. "Few witnesses survived the attacks. The few that did were absolutely terrified of the leader – the man in black. We've sent patrols to the towns, and they've confirmed that the towns have been destroyed...but no official sightings of these red Weavers have been made," the former Grand Runic replied. "In fact, you're probably the first reliable witness to confirm that they actually exist."
"Interesting," Kalibar murmured.
"You've made a lot of enemies in your time," Erasmus stated. "...but I find it hard to believe anyone would be dumb enough to try to kill you."
"One person would," Kalibar countered grimly. "I questioned the Weavers before they killed themselves," he continued. "They confessed that Orik ordered my death."
Erasmus's jaw went slack.
“That bastard!” he exclaimed, clenching his fists. “That two-faced son-of-a-”
Kalibar cleared his throat loudly, glancing at Kyle. Erasmus paused for a moment, then slammed his fists on his desk, nearly tipping over his wine glass.
"Of course he'd attack you, the idiot," he seethed. "When I tell Rivin and Bartholos, they'll string Orik up like the common criminal he is!"
"Don't," Kalibar countered.
"Don't what?"
"You can't tell anyone about this," Kalibar clarified. "Not yet."
"Don't tell anybody?" Erasmus retorted. "You're mad! I'm going to shout it from the rooftops! The whole damn Empire thinks Orik's a saint...it's about time they found out who he really is."
"Erasmus..." Kalibar cautioned. He stared silently at Erasmus for a long moment, and Erasmus stared back, until finally the former Grand Runic sighed, slumping back into his chair.
"Go ahead," he grumbled.
"We have to think strategically," Kalibar insisted. "I know Orik will. We can't give in to a knee-jerk react
ion with him...he's too clever for that." He leaned forward. "Remember what happened the last time we tried to prosecute him?"
"I remember," Erasmus muttered.
"Orik is rich, well-liked, and well-connected," Kalibar continued. "We'll need hard evidence to convict him."
"He has a damn good motive," Erasmus offered. Kalibar shook his head.
"Motive isn't enough," he countered. "All we have is the testimony of a dead man." Erasmus sighed again, rubbing his eyes, then resting his palms on his desk.
"Fine," he muttered. "You're right, if we rush into this, Orik will skewer us...again." He stared at the top of his desk for a long moment, then looked up at Kalibar. "So what do we do now?"
"There are two options," Kalibar answered. "We can either report the assassination attempts to the authorities, or keep them to ourselves. If we report them...without implicating Orik...then there will be an official investigation. Orik – as he has done in the past – will stay above the fray while his underlings plant evidence implicating someone else. Or, Orik will find someone willing to take the fall for him and admit to the crime."
"They'd be executed!" Erasmus retorted. Kalibar shrugged.
"People have done it for Orik before," he replied calmly. "Orik has a strangely fanatical following." Erasmus nodded grudgingly at that.
"He's got a damned cult is what he has," he grumbled.
"So alerting the authorities may not ultimately be useful," Kalibar concluded.
"So what," Erasmus retorted. "We let him get away with murder?"
"I'd prefer attempted murder," Kalibar corrected with a smirk. "We have to consider his ultimate motive in trying to kill me."
"That's easy," Erasmus replied. "You're the only one who can win against him in the election, so he's eliminating the competition."
"Right," Kalibar agreed. "But now he needs me dead regardless," he added. "I've already thwarted two assassination attempts...and he'll assume his men have talked."
"Ah."
"Orik has considerable resources," Kalibar continued, tapping his chin with his finger. "And a great many allies here that are depending on his winning the election. Powerful men and women."