Pyron had explained their codes and never told him? He’d even continued to use them after. It wasn’t the first time Pyron had let him down in such a manner.
He sighed, then looked up at the king. “You funded Mage’s Rest. I never knew why.”
Pennithor sat back in his throne. “Not all I did was for your knowledge. But you are an impressive man and your research has pushed magic to bounds we have never considered. And yes, you can infuriate me, but part of that too is because I respect you.”
“I thank you for your kind words, your majesty.”
Pennithor shifted on his throne. “There is something else. I sent a petition to King Kannilon seeking to end the fighting.”
Delminor’s eyes lit up. “You did?”
“It was rejected, not surprisingly, but yes. After your letters, I took time to consider your words, your lifelong actions, and I realized there was some truth to your claims. I asked for a ceasefire, to care for our wounded, and to open negotiations for our future.”
“I’m floored, sire. I never expected—” He stopped himself. “It’s wonderful you’re of that mindset.”
“Be wary, Delminor, that our foe is determined to win and he will continue to fight. We must, therefore, be able to defend ourselves. I still require your efforts with the jades and with magic in general. We need a means of holding off the enemy.”
He nodded sharply. “I will do my best.”
Pennithor waved his hand and the chancellor walked over with two guards, each carrying a box. Inside were the other jades, gathered from the mage towers and the king’s own.
He couldn’t believe it. “You want me to have all the shards?”
“I think it is vital to our survival. You are the most proficient mage in our history, particularly when it has come to magical advancement. We need you now more than ever.”
“I… don’t know what to say. Thank you, your majesty.”
The king stared at him and his face softened. “Delminor, may this be our last argument. May you understand that I hold you in highest esteem among all mages. And although I do not agree with your efforts to educate mages in Kallisor, I understand your purpose. If our kingdoms are evenly matched, then we must concede to end the war.”
Delminor nodded. “That is but a side effect. I want magic to be available to all who wish to learn it. It surprises me King Kannilon would make use of it at all.”
“The Kallisorians have always employed healers.”
“But healing magic has only recently come about.”
Pennithor shook his head slowly. “No, the power was there, but weak and centralized in Kallisor. There have been whisperings during the ages of the other branches of magic whose powers have waned but were not lost. In finding the jades, you were able to bring them all to light again.”
Delminor was lost in thought. “The Kallisorians have had healing magic all along? Why didn’t I know of this?”
“You ventured out more than once and nearly died each time. If you thought Kallisorian mages could show you their magic, wouldn’t you have risked your life to venture forth? It was unlikely then you would survive. A Hathren mage in their territory? You would have been slain. No, Delminor, that knowledge was kept from you.”
“Wouldn’t it have been in the libraries?”
“When you were seeking the jades in earnest, the books were secreted away. There was no telling whether you knew before then. Master Pyron assured us that you did not.”
He trembled. “Do you realize how much I went through trying to uncover healing magic? That I never could, until finding the jade? That I could have saved years of my life if I had known?”
“Be calm,” the king warned. “If you recall, I sent parties out to find what you sought. But I would not allow you to venture into Kallisor, nor would I bring their mages here. It was a hardship for you, I regret, but it was my only way to see you safe.”
“But maybe… Donya wouldn’t have died. My son might still have his mother.”
“I am grievously sorry for your loss.”
He didn’t know what to think or feel. His voice was hollow. “I would like those books now. I would know the histories that were hidden away.”
“You will have them.”
Delminor turned and started to leave, his mind a jumbled mess.
The king saw the war in his eyes. “It was necessary, Delminor. Perhaps you can try to understand at least that.”
He lifted his gaze. “Then one thing makes more sense now. I’ve never understood how the Kallisorians could withstand our attacks. I suppose that with healing magic, they could keep their forces on the field that much longer.”
“It is a theory, though their warriors overall are naturally strong, fast learners. They’ve had many years to hone their tactics, whereas we have split our efforts between magic and swordsmanship.”
“I see.”
“Now if there is nothing else, I lift your restrictions completely. You may freely access all but the most secure parts of the castle. You may venture in and out at will.”
“I have only one request, sire.”
“Yes?”
“For the sake of my son and yours, please keep trying to arrange a truce with Kallisor.”
The king bowed his head. “I will try.”
Chapter 64
Updated Game
Delminor hurried to Mage’s Rest, one box of jades strapped to his back and two others on a horse. Though the intent had been for him to ride the horse, the three sets of jades refused to be brought so close together.
He returned home and Essalia had dinner ready for him. “It may need a bit of heating up, though. Thanks for your messages.”
“Thank you for watching Dariak. I thought you’d have him at your place.”
“He didn’t seem happy being away from here and I figured there was enough for him to deal with having me around all the time.”
“Nah, he likes you.”
She smiled. “You think so?”
“Of course he does. Even now he’s sleeping so soundly.”
Dariak burbled, hearing his father’s voice after three weeks without him. He awoke and rattled around in his crib, his arms reaching out and waving around.
Delminor stroked his son’s face and kissed his forehead. “I’m home, son.” The baby laughed as Delminor tickled him. “How was he?”
“A perfect angel,” Essalia said. “He just missed you, is all. But you can see, he’s happy now.”
“I’m sorry I had to go.”
“Clearly you had things to pick up.”
“It’s surreal that I have access to all the jades now. I’m not sure what I’ll do next.”
She smiled softly. “You’ll figure it out. You always do.”
He sighed. “Donya would tell me to take it one step at a time. To start with what I know and to go from there.”
“It’s good advice,” she whispered.
He kept the shards away from the apprentices, asking Essalia, Gallena, and Arenda to each host a few. While the boys worked on their tasks, he focused on the jades that remained, striving to learn more about their resonance with each other, hoping to find better avenues for efficiently combining different elements.
It was a long few days and Delminor dismissed the apprentices, offering them a few days’ rest. He headed home, picking up Dariak from Gallena and Arenda’s place, then Delminor threw together a quick meal for himself and Essalia.
“Soldiers are coming more often,” Essalia said. “The infirmary is getting full.”
“The fighting isn’t going well and the king is looking for more formidable magic every day. It worries me.”
“Why?”
“He’s going to use it to kill the others. It won’t be for defenses. Even the boys… They whisper behind my back but I can hear them. They keep thinking of ways to adapt the spells I’m showing them. Altran, in particular, has a nasty side that I’m seeing more and more. I should probably send them away.”
“What of their notes?”
He shrugged. “Not much to say there, but I assume they have secret tomes in their room. I’m not going to ransack their place. I’ve been on the other side of such tactics. Besides, it may give them ideas about heading downstairs without me.”
Essalia laughed. “After they tried that last time, I doubt they’d go again anytime soon.”
“It’s true. Though the pattern to press the bricks on the wall is pretty easy once you know it. It starts with one and one, then each next number is the sum of the two before it.”
She counted it out. “So two, then three, then five, then eight? It is pretty simple.”
“Only if you know it, and I needed a way to remember it. I can’t take credit for it though—”
A loud banging at the door interrupted him and set Dariak crying. Essalia took care of the baby while Delminor attended to the door.
“Message from the king.” The messenger bowed and produced a parchment, then scurried away. Delminor opened the scroll.
Master Delminor,
The kings have agreed to a contest to end the tides of war. It will take place one year hence. Fighting in the meantime will be minimalized so that both sides can prepare for the contest. His Majesty extends his gratitude for the suggestion.
Counselor Ieran
He set the scroll aside in disbelief. His idea had been proposed and accepted. He didn’t care that Pennithor would have suggested it as his own idea. If it could stop the fighting, that was all that mattered.
Delminor told Essalia, who was as excited. “That’s fantastic. I wonder what kinds of games they’ll devise. Oh! That reminds me! Wait until you see the new version.” She smiled. “The boys have been waiting for you to ask.”
“I’ll be sure to when I see them.”
* * *
Rothra was excited. “We worked on this while you were away. It’s the truest version of Elemental Confluence we can think of. It’s also a multi-level board now.”
He took out three boards and set them on a stack of pillars. “You can move up or down to the different levels with an even roll of the dice. It takes two pips to move between them.”
“These are the jades and physical attacks.” Altran pointed to twelve larger spaces, each a different color. “Land there and your power doubles for that element. However, the opposing element weakens.”
Delminor asked, “What’s the point, then? Why use the jades at all if your power weakens?”
“There are times where you don’t need to be the most powerful,” Altran said, earning a raised eyebrow from Delminor. “Balance is key. Now let’s play.”
The game became the start to every day. Delminor brought in his friends for an added challenge and Gallena’s competitive nature gave the apprentices something to strive for. It took weeks before they could beat her once, and then it was only because she had rolled badly on her last turn.
“I have an idea to adapt the game again,” Delminor said one morning.
“But it’s perfect,” Altran argued. “We accounted for everything.”
“You’ve both come a long way in your training. It’s time to find out how far. We’re going to play the game again, but this time we won’t use the board or the pieces. Instead, we’re playing by sensing the energies around us directly.”
They were confused, but Delminor placed three quartz crystals on the table, one for each of them. “Channel your thoughts into your crystal until you can sense the energy of your preferred element. Look up when you’re ready.”
It took longer for Altran to find his, but he managed it. “Okay.”
Delminor explained the next part. “We’re going to do the same thing we did before, so feel free to picture the board in your mind. You’re going to reach for different energies and move them.”
“This is hard,” Rothra said some time later. “I can barely see my own pieces, never mind yours.”
“If you can’t sense other energies, then you will continue to struggle to bring different forces together.”
“I can sense mine, but not yours,” Altran said. “Are you hiding them?”
“Of course. I’m blocking them with their antimagic counterparts.”
“That’s not fair.”
“It will be when you learn how to do the same thing. For now, practice a bit longer then tend to the day’s lesson.”
He was asking a lot of them, trying to read the energies, but if they were going to master their skills, it was vital. It would give them an edge over others in their craft, for their powers would come more easily. They would also be able to sense another’s attack before an offensive spell could be launched, giving them added time to defend themselves.
As always, he recorded everything in his notes, leaving tomes aside for his son, whom he hoped would follow in his footsteps in all ways. He knew it was every father’s dream to have a child follow and then surpass him, but he believed Dariak would do it, for both himself and his mother.
He struggled with the last part. How would Dariak feel knowing his mother had traded her life for his? Would it forever be a burden on his soul? Would it prevent him from achieving his true potential? He wished Dariak would never need to know.
“Then don’t tell him,” Essalia said when he vented to her.
“He has to know, doesn’t he? What should I do? Tell him you’re his mother?”
Her face lit up. “Would you? Could you?”
He was surprised at her reaction. “You would want that?”
“Delminor, I love him, as I’ve always loved you.”
“You— Ess?”
“Oh, you’ve never noticed, have you? How I’ve always been following you and staying around? Why none of my relationships ever worked out? I always compared them to you and they never held up. I couldn’t have you, but I loved you just the same.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“I don’t expect you to love me in return. But let me be Dariak’s mother. I will protect him from what happened to Donya. He never needs to know. Let me be there for him.”
“My heart says yes. My mind is unsure.”
“Then listen to your heart.” She smiled broadly. “And give yourself time to think about it.”
As he considered it, he knew it was the right decision. His research kept him busy and the boy needed a mother. Who better than the woman who helped bring him into the world?
A horrible thought occurred to him periodically and he was careful to never voice it. If Essalia had always harbored feelings for him, could she have made it possible so Donya couldn’t have children all along? In the end, she didn’t have a choice in the matter, but maybe she had interfered with the healing jade.
He dismissed the idea each time. He knew of the magic employed that day and everything was arranged in the best possible light. Essalia had never shown a spiteful mannerism and she had spent her life devoted to the healing of others. He was ashamed of himself for even thinking she could have harmed Donya.
He agreed to her suggestion and a weight lifted from him. “I think we should make it more official and you should move in here.”
She graciously accepted and the apprentices helped move her belongings, griping about it taking away from their studies.
She set up a separate room for herself, not planning to impose her feelings for Delminor on him. It was an arrangement that worked well for them both.
Gallena teased them endlessly about it. “Why stop there? What are you waiting for? A separate room? How droll. Plop or get off the chamberpot.”
“It’s not that simple,” Delminor said.
“Why not?”
“There’s still… Donya.”
Essalia placed her hand on his knee. “She will always be with us, Delminor. But I understand.”
“Right now… I just can’t.”
Chapter 65
Working with the Jades
Word came from Castle Hathreneir that the contest between the two kingdoms approached.<
br />
Master Delminor,
I hope this finds you well. The Great Contest commences soon and your presence at the proceedings would be greatly appreciated. One final event to end the strife between the realms.
We have heard little of your progress with the jades, however, and hope that your work with the full set has been productive. It would behoove you to focus your research thus.
In two months’ time, we will require your expertise in the matter.
On Behalf of His Royal Majesty King Pennithor of Hathreneir, Protector of the Realm,
Chancellor Ieran
“What does that mean?” Essalia asked.
“Something doesn’t feel right. There’s been no word about the activities for the contest. Will it be a sudden, random showing of skills?”
“It is strange. But what of the jades?”
“More pressure to perform.” He shook his head. “I’ve been working with them in clusters, but I suppose I ought to bring them all together now.”
“All together…” Essalia considered. “Do you think the shards can be combined back into the Red Jade?”
“I don’t know. I’m reluctant to try, though perhaps that’s the answer to all of this. The power of the Red Jade once permeated the land. Its separation… Perhaps it’s the cause of the strife.”
“Then why are you reluctant?”
“It’s hard enough to bring a handful of jades together. All eleven of them will be a major undertaking, which is why I’ve held off.”
“Can the boys help?”
“Dariak is only two years old,” he grinned. “But maybe I need to use their skills. I just worry about Altran. He might run off with one.”
She touched his hand. “Let’s bring the others in, then.”
He wished Donya could be there, but he didn’t voice it. She would have calmed him and kept him level-headed. But at least Essalia was supportive. “It’s a good idea.”
Gallena and Arenda agreed to the plan and set time aside to assist him. “We’ll give them the fire and metal jades,” Gallena offered. “Best they have access to their base elements. I’ll take the lightning.”
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