Champion of the Gods Box Set

by Andrew Q. Gordon

  The guards let themselves out, and Farrell rummaged through his endless pocket. He removed every storage vessel he could remember he had with him and laid them on the bed. Most had some power, a few were entirely empty, and four were still full. The empty ones he set aside, the full ones went back in his pocket, and the rest he divided into two piles. He transferred power between objects until he’d filled as many as he could. The newly depleted ones he added to the pile and stored the full ones.

  “I’ll be right back,” he told Nerti as he opened a Door. The smell of salt air and a cool breeze drifted into the room, and he saw the choppy water of the Kessan Ocean.

  “You picked a spot in the middle of a storm. Perhaps you should find a new location.”

  Without looking at her, Farrell collected his empty storage containers. “Though it wasn’t my intent to walk into such an angry sea, this is actually better for my purposes. The storm not only helps hide me, it churns up the energy in the water. This won’t take long.”

  He stepped over the threshold and into the tempest on the other side of the world. Propelled by the near gale-force winds, the rain slapped against his exposed skin, which spurred him to work faster. Recalling the spell Teberus had taught him, Farrell followed the instructions and unleashed his will. The air exploded around him in a chaotic rush of water and air. Engulfed fully in the cold, salty water, Farrell used the connection to pull energy from all directions.

  In less than a minute, all the smaller items he’d brought with him were crammed to capacity. Next, he filled the small staves he’d worked on while on board the Seafoam Rose. Finally, all he had left were his staff and his armor. While they had the most capacity, he’d filled them in Colograd so they were nearly full.

  Holding his battle staff in both hands, he used it as a conduit for the energy to reach his armor. As Father Aswick had said, the metal held a vast amount of energy. Working as quickly as he could, he finished this task and returned to Agloth.

  “If this isn’t enough power, then I’m in trouble,” he said to Nerti as he used a spell to dry himself.

  “You smell like the ocean.”

  “Which is right since that is where I went.” He broke apart a loaf of bread and put cheese and dried meat inside. Before he took a bite, he scanned the table. “Would you like an apple before we go?”

  “Do you have any carrots?”

  Farrell’s nose wrinkled before he could stop himself. “By the Six, no.”

  “Don’t make that face. If you got some for me, you won’t be eating them. In fact, you’re not supposed to eat them if they’re for me.”

  “I’ll see that I ask for a bunch of carrots next time I speak to a cook.” He removed an apple from a large bowl filled with them and held it out.

  “Did you want one?”

  “Yes, please.”

  He handed her the fruit and put two more in his endless pocket while he ate his meal. Though he didn’t think of this as more than a snack, others said differently. Taking a bite, he said, “I’d like to go examine the defensive spells outside the walls after we reopen the Door to Colograd.”

  “Is that wise?” She crunched loudly on her snack. “Why can’t you do it from the walls?”

  “I want to touch them up close and find out if what I want to do will work with them. The worst thing I could do is do something that would negate some or all of them before they can be used.”

  “I will accept that you know how best to deal with magic.”

  “Thank you.”

  He finished eating and poured himself a long drink before steeling himself to venture into the midmorning heat. Wearing so much metal didn’t help, but at least his new armor surprisingly had some airflow, so it didn’t feel as though he was inside an oven. Having to argue with the guards to keep them from trailing him didn’t improve his mood.

  When they arrived at the Door, several companies had lined up to use it as soon as Farrell reopened the portal.

  “How long have they been waiting for me?”

  “Not long. I told Miceral I’d alert them when you were ready.”

  Farrell touched the Door with his mind and opened the link back to Colograd. Other dwarves and a mountain of supplies were visible on the other side. He considered offering to help move them magically, but six Ze’arderian wizards emerged from the crowd and headed for the door.

  “Before we leave the city, I need to see Penelope.” Farrell checked that he had everything he wanted. “She’s been studying the spells since we arrived, and she might be able to help.”

  “I shall tell her we’re coming.”

  Farrell held back a sigh. Telling Penelope anything always made her testy. When she found out what he’d planned, she’d be even more irritable. It was unavoidable, but Nerti being herself didn’t help.

  They found Penelope working with a pair of wizards on the wall near the northeast quadrant of the city. She wore a breastplate, forearm braces, and a helmet with a bright blue plume. When they got closer, she turned her head in their direction. After a few more words to those she was with, she flew down to meet them. Farrell dismounted as she made her way toward them.

  “Nerti’s message didn’t sound urgent, so I’m surprised to see you so soon.”

  He raised an eyebrow and resisted looking at Nerti. No doubt she’d remind him later that he’d misjudged her. “I want to examine the spells outside the walls. I thought you could brief me on what’s out there before we go.”

  “Jolella provided me with the information on the spells, but I can’t help you that much.” She looked toward the wall and shook her head. “There are thousands of different spells, many doing the same thing in different ways. It’s impossible for me to give you more than a general summary.”

  Farrell laughed. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

  “Because it is.” She rolled her eyes. “How can we work a thousand spells into our overall defense of the city?”

  “Turn them on.” He waited for her to answer. When the muscles in her face tensed, he sighed. “Did Jolella give you a spell to turn them all on at once?”

  “Of course.”

  Farrell wiped the sweat from his face with the back of his hand. “Then what’s the problem? Just turn them all on.”

  “And have to guess what’s going to happen next? What kind of strategy is that?”

  “An absolutely brilliant one. I wish we’d thought to do it at Haven.” Maybe he could still do it at Haven. He’d float the idea to Erstad and see what he thought.

  “Some days you’re the most exasperating person.” She flicked her hand smartly, and a small towel appeared. After dabbing her face, she looked calmer. “How is it so brilliant if we can’t work it into our defensive plan?”

  “Because neither can they.” He tilted his head to the left and let his answer sink in before he continued. “Not only do they have to disable thousands of spells, they have to disable thousands of different spells. One spell won’t fit all.”

  Penelope stood with her mouth open a little and turned to the side. “That’s—”

  “Brilliant.” Farrell reached into his pocket and removed all but two of the small staffs he had filled. “Here, I brought you these.”

  He held them out to her.

  “What are these?”

  “They’re for you and the other wizards. Have everyone take as much as they can hold and give me back the empties. If you or the others can hold more, let me know.”

  After a quick visual examination, Penelope accepted the offering. “A generous gift. Shouldn’t you keep all of this for yourself?”

  “I just filled these this morning. Can’t you smell the salt water on my clothes?”

  “Her senses are not as acute as mine.” Nerti’s comment drew a glance from Penelope.

  “I made a stop over the Kessan Ocean before I left my quarters. I’ll refill these after you give them back.” He removed his staff from his back. “And no, I won’t need it. My staff and armor are stuffed
full.”

  “The other wizards will no doubt be pleased by this unexpected boon.” She tucked the staffs inside her belt. “Sorry I can’t give you more information on what’s outside.”

  “Nothing to be sorry about. The information is helpful. I’ll come see you later.”

  He returned to Nerti as Penelope flew back to the other wizards. They trotted to the front gate to find a small army of dwarves helping the Ze’arderians reinforce the fortifications. At the sight of their new high king, the dwarves snapped to attention.

  “At ease, soldiers.” He returned their salutes. “We need to go outside for a time. How long until you seal the gate?”

  The Ze’arderian guards looked around nervously. Finally one said, “On orders of the amelt, we’re not to open this gate.”

  “Assume I can get Randgar’s permission. How hard will it be to open the gate?”

  “Barely more work than before we started,” the leader of the dwarf company said. “Move a few well-placed pegs and it’ll open.”

  “Can you ask Randgar to come here?” Farrell asked Nerti.

  “I already sent him a message. He’s sending a runner.”

  “Very good.” His answer was for Nerti and the dwarves. He dismounted and moved closer to the gates. “I need to be better versed in the ingenuity of my dwarves. Can you show me how it works while we wait for the amelt to order the gate opened?”

  The dwarves showed him how to move the stone blocks they’d placed before the gates while the Ze’arderians watched. Soon a soldier in the amelt’s colors ran up. A minute later, the guards opened the gates.

  Nerti quickly took them to the affected circle and stopped just shy of the altered patch. Farrell got down and put his hand on the ground outside the spot. He could feel the spells, and despite the vast array, somehow they didn’t conflict. More amazing, several started on one side of the circle and continued on the other without being affected.

  Moving inside the circle, he noted everything vanished; no magic, no life, nothing. He waved for Nerti to join him and was pleased to find out he could touch her.

  “Clearly you’re involved in this somehow.”

  Nerti nodded. “Have we completed what we came here to do?”

  “No.” He stood up and removed one of the last small staffs he had kept in his pocket. “I want to add one more spell to the defenses. Do you feel up to traversing the city?”

  “It will take the better part of the day, but I can easily do it. What are you planning?”

  He pressed the small pole into the ground, retrieved his black staff, and remounted. “I want to ring the city in a spell that will distract Vedric and his wizards from what’s beyond. An added bonus is that now that I know the true nature of the defenses, I’m hoping if they see the one big spell, they’ll think all the spells are big and not expect the myriad of little ones.”

  Nerti moved him closer to the stick in the sand. “Are you ready?”

  He touched his staff to the wood on the ground. “Yes.”

  The pace Nerti set kept the air rushing around him and helped offset the pounding heat, another trial Seritia put Her petitioners through to show their commitment to the process.

  Nerti maintained the same distance from the city as she ran. To Farrell’s amazement, the defensive spells all ended just before their path. The depth of such planning overwhelmed his ability to follow. Even with the best efforts, some spells were bound to extend beyond the range, yet none did.

  Farrell kept the tip of his staff on the ground to his left. In their wake, a faint silvery line appeared on the arid ground. He checked several times to make sure there were no breaks in the line. The spell wouldn’t work if the line were broken at any point.

  Noon came and went, and they were barely halfway around. Farrell wished he’d eaten more before they left, but they couldn’t stop until they were finished. By midafternoon they approached their starting point.

  Nerti stopped just outside Seritia’s circle, as Farrell had come to call it, and he dismounted. When he reached the southern end of the sphere, he removed the second short staff and pressed it into the ground opposite the first. Next, he dragged the metal end of his staff around the outer edge of the ground touched by the Goddess until he’d made a complete circumference.

  “Why did you draw that last bit outside the circle?” Nerti asked.

  “You already know why, but since you want me to voice it, I shall.

  That is where I’m going to meet Vedric.”

  “You mean, where we are going to meet him?”

  “I’d argue with you, but I’m certain I’ll lose, which is why I drew the outline for where my shield will be created.”

  “Again, why outside?”

  “Call it a hunch, but there’s no reason to let him know his magic can’t touch me while I’m inside the circle. With my shield just outside the area, it’s unlikely he’ll notice the difference between the bits of ground.”

  Stowing his staff on his back, he made sure Nerti was clear of the silvery lines and touched one of the small poles in the sand. He sent a tiny pulse of energy through the spell and watched as a small flame sped north around the city. Turning quickly, he waited until the fire raced into view and rushed toward them. When it touched the second point, it split in two and surrounded Seritia’s circle.

  “Everything looks right.” He snapped his fingers and the flames died.

  “Let’s go back inside.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Back at his quarters, Farrell tried to relax before dinner. The guards had shut the main gate almost before they cleared the threshold. They’d asked after they’d sealed the city up if he planned to go back. Farrell lied and said no, because he didn’t plan to use the gate again.

  Jagwin met him when he returned to their building, but the captain’s protest died on his lips when Farrell glared at him. Farrell had no intention of arguing every time he needed to go somewhere the dwarves couldn’t accompany him. He resolved to talk to Jagwin after the fight with Vedric ended.

  A blast of cool, almost cold, air met him when he opened the door, and Farrell said a silent prayer of thanks to the Six for the cooling spell he’d laid on the building the day after they arrived. Miceral and Peter sat near a window, cleaning and inspecting their armor.

  Miceral motioned for Farrell to join them. “Did you have a nice ride around Agloth?”

  Farrell shook his head. “I need to do a couple of things before I sit down. The ride was productive. We did what we set out to do.”

  “Which was?”

  “Ring the city with my own line of defense.” Farrell stretched, which led to a yawn. The lure of sitting—especially next to Miceral—nearly broke his resolve. “I want to check on Vedric before I rest.”

  Miceral nodded and returned to watching Peter inspect his armor.

  Inside his room, Farrell twisted again to work out the kinks from the afternoon ride. Once he couldn’t put it off any longer, he took out the Eye and raised his legs. He directed the gem to where he wanted to look. With some extra coaxing, he listened in for a bit to Vedric’s conversation. Much of the time Vedric remained silent. When he did speak, it wasn’t about the coming battle. He kept interactions with his staff brief. Vedric was concentrating on a spell.

  Farrell tried several different ways to get the Eye to show him what Vedric was doing, but either it couldn’t do as requested or there was nothing to reveal. When he started to get a headache, he did his best to estimate the distance between the enemy and Agloth and ended the session.

  Pressing the heels of both palms against his eyes, Farrell held them there until he saw white. His headache remained, so he stepped down, removed his staff from his back, and lay on the bed. Even though he knew he shouldn’t, he closed his eyes and relaxed. The next thing he knew, Miceral was gently shaking him.

  “I wondered what you were doing in here.” Miceral smiled down at him. “I didn’t know you meant you wanted to take a nap when you said you had some
things to finish.”

  “I hadn’t meant to.” He let Miceral help him sit up. “I spent most of the time using the Eye—at least I think I did. Not sure how long I slept.”

  “It’s almost dinnertime, so you haven’t been in here that long. Did you learn anything?”

  Standing, Farrell shook his head. “Nothing more than confirm his location. If he marches all night, he’ll be here a couple of hours after midnight. Otherwise he’s on track to arrive midmorning tomorrow. I won’t know which until he either stops or keeps going.”

  “Let’s eat and then go talk to everyone else.”

  Farrell’s stomach rumbled. “I like that idea.”

  “I knew you would.”

  As Farrell expected, Vedric stopped and made camp once the light was nearly gone. Randgar and his general suggested a large raiding party when they learned the enemy was only an hour’s fast march away. Jolella had to invoke Seritia’s name to squash the debate.

  The discussions went later than Farrell had hoped, but it was before midnight when he and Miceral returned to their room. Nerti, with support from Klissmor, insisted they all go to bed, and no one protested too much. Going to bed, however, didn’t mean being able to sleep.

  The sun hadn’t risen when Farrell gave up on sleep and started to get ready. In the faint light of the predawn, they left their quarters to meet Randgar for a final strategy session. Farrell chafed during the wordy explanations.

  “Be patient, Little One,” Nerti told him during a particularly long-winded discussion. “We’ll be off soon.”

  “I’m more concerned with telling Miceral my plan than with this taking too long.”

  “There is no choice. Be firm. Miceral needs to accept your role in the war. Now is a good time to teach him.”

  “He won’t think so.” He rubbed her neck with his free hand.

  The meeting ended, and Farrell felt more anxious than he did when he went into battle. When they managed to leave, he found a good place to be alone. Miceral misconstrued the purpose of the privacy and appeared injured when Farrell didn’t reciprocate.