Eril leaned back against the wall, sighed, looked at the floor, and then looked up. “Yeah, you’re right. I just wanted to protect you and your family, and I wanted you to think about the danger you’re in if you’re around me.”
“You’re right too, Eril. My mother had just about the same concerns as you, though she doesn’t know about demon wizards or charzen. She just figures that anyone who is a wizard might have powerful people after him. And I told her pretty much the same thing I’ve told you. It’s way too late to pretend our family isn’t involved with you. It was probably too late right after the first night you killed the bandits and stayed at our inn.”
Eril had never looked at it like that, but could see her point. He also had never guessed what was going on between Fil and her parents, though maybe he should have.
“Alright, Fil. I guess we’ve got this cleared up. I have to get to my quarters and put stuff together. I’m leaving tomorrow morning, and I have to pack and study a few things before I leave.”
“Good, Eril,” Fil said, taking hold of his arm before he turned away. “Just one thing before you go pack and stuff.”
“What?”
She pulled him close and planted a quick, solid kiss on his lips. She backed off immediately and started to walk away.
“What was that for?” he asked, still confused.
“I just wanted to give you something to think about and maybe a reason to not stay away too long,” she said over her shoulder.
Eril stood there, stunned. His first-ever kiss, and not in any way he’d ever imagined. He felt hot and tingly inside and more than a little confused. He shook his head and moved slowly to his quarters, his mind awhirl, and the feel of the kiss still on his lips.
§ § §
Even though his brain didn’t seem to be fully functional, Eril managed to pack all the items he thought he would need when he met this new wizard, Turek. The conversation with Fil kept replaying in his head, and then that kiss. Every time he thought of it, he felt a small wave of heat through his body.
This was like nothing he’d experienced before. He knew what raw power felt like, flowing into, through, and out of his body. This was nothing like that. It wasn’t power, it was feeling, emotion. He didn’t know, but it wasn’t a bad feeling, just new and confusing.
In spite of the confusion, he did manage to pack. The most important thing he decided to bring was a pair of the power rings he’d made earlier. They weren’t as powerful as his original, but from The Master and every other wizard’s reaction to them, he figured that they, more than anything else would convince this wizard, even if he didn’t get along with Master Silurian.
Once he felt he was packed, he pulled out the Gate theory manual. He had made little direct progress with it. He was still reading in the section in normal Klathar. He wanted to re-read a part he’d perused previously as a thought had occurred to him while he’d most recently been at Salaways.
The manual explained how the opening of portals to other planes was actually one of the easier forms of magic, but controlling where the portal went was more difficult. The manual stated that nearly all portals opened randomly were dangerous, because the vast majority of places on the other side of the portal were empty space, a thing the book called vacuum. This meant that the portal started sucking in anything too close to it.
Eril wondered what would happen if he were to open a portal in front of a charzen. The manual didn’t say directly but warned that anything sucked out through the portal was almost irredeemably lost. Technically, if tied to a rope, things could be let fall through the portal and then pulled back, but this vacuum seemed to be damaging to anything that was in it, and the book advised very strongly that it was not something to be toyed with.
Eril spent some time sitting and pondering how he could use this information to his advantage. Fighting the charzen would be difficult, and that was nothing compared to facing a demon. He had made a point to have his sword readily accessible. He wasn’t sure it would work on a demon or charzen, but he doubted either would enjoy encountering it.
Chapter 58
After he was packed, he met with Master Silurian and Kason. Both were ready to go back to Salaways. They went over Eril’s planned route to get to Jull, since there weren’t any functioning gates in that direction, Eril would have to fly. He planned on taking two or three days based on the weather and also how tired he got flying. Master Silurian had made sure Eril was only wearing journeyman smith’s clothes so that he didn’t attract attention.
The Atlas provided Eril excellent views of what the terrain looked like that he had to cover. Unfortunately, it did nothing for letting him know where towns or villages might be located. Twelve hundred years was a long time, and there had been much upheaval as to where people lived following the Great War.
With the planning done, Eril activated the gate to send Kason and Master Silurian back. The two journeymen would stay to work on fixing the waterwheel. Also, Dorull had worked with the gates enough that he could ferry any people needed for rebuilding the support tower between Salaways and the Primary gate here in Argrave.
Once they were gone, Eril went back to Took’s inn to have a final meal with Fil and her family before he left.
“So, Master Silurian is gone?” Took asked as he and Eril sat eating.
“Yes, he’s gone for now. I’m not sure when he’ll be back, but probably not before I come back,” Eril said, waving his fork.
Took grimaced. “You wizards. I don’t understand how you can flit about like hummingbirds. Where are you going again?”
“I never said specifically.” Eril paused and took a drink. “Outside of Argrave. There’s a chance an army is going to attack another kingdom, but it’s probably better you not know more than that.”
“And you’re going to help stop an army?”
“Something like that.”
“Huh. Well after the way you took care of those bandits, I guess that isn’t so farfetched. Still . . .”
“I know. It seems strange to me too. But Master Silurian says I can be of help, so I’ll go.”
“Well, keep yerself safe, boy. No sense in a young fella like you getting himself killed, especially over people in some other kingdom.”
“I’ll try, Took,” Eril grinned lopsidedly. “I’m sure those other folks won’t try to kill me too much.”
“See that they don’t. And if they do try to kill you, don’t be squeamish about giving it back to them, hear?”
“I hear, good Master Took, I hear.”
Fil said almost nothing to him while he chatted with her family. He could tell they had already said what needed saying and neither wanted to risk getting emotional.
As Eril left to head back to the ruins, she caught up with him as he walked. Neither said anything until they were at the door to the stairway down into the cavern.
Fil looked at him earnestly and said, “Eril, don’t make me wait too long. If it is going to be long, send word.”
“I will, Fil.” He nodded and then stepped close to her and wrapped her in his arms. This was really the first complete hug they’d shared, and it went on for some time.
Finally, they stepped apart, both having trouble seeing around unshed tears. “See you soon, Fil.” He waved weakly.
“Soon,” was all she said and turned away. He wasn’t sure if she was crying, but it sounded like she might be. Eril opened the door and went down to his quarters.
Chapter 59
The next day Eril got up early and started his journey to Jull. It was nearly half again as far from Argaland as Argaland was from Alavar. Since he wasn’t planning to do more than play the part of Journeyman on the road, he carried only a backpack with clothes, money and a few other items.
Since he was traveling light in comparison to his more recent trips, he bundled up on layers of warm clothes and went up a few thousand feet so that he could travel faster. Within moments he was experiencing the battle of his speed versus wind.
After crossing the mountain range, Eril was cold and getting tired. He started looking around and found a medium-sized village. He wasn’t sure of the name of the place, but it was on the main north-south trade route between Argrave and Nitholia.
He made a point of landing in an inconspicuous place and then walking nearly a mile before he reached the village. This had two benefits. It restored warmth and feeling to his body, and it ensured that no one would see him appearing out of thin air. It also gave him time to shed a couple of layers of clothing as he warmed since it was a mild sunny day, and his clothes were more appropriate for a snowstorm.
It was early afternoon when he approached the first inn on the north side of the village. As he walked in, the common room was mostly empty. Only two other men sat at a back table while the innkeeper was cleaning the bar after the lunch crowd’s departure.
Eril did not have to feign his weariness. He settled heavily on a bench by one of the smaller tables and shucked off his pack.
“You look a bit tired there, young feller,” the innkeeper said.
“That I am, sir,” Eril replied wearily. “I’ve been traveling since before sunrise and have come quite a way.”
“Where you coming from?”
Eril decided a version of the truth was the easiest answer. “I’m traveling south, from Argaland, eventually heading to Jull.”
“That far, uh? You just come down from the mountains the last couple of days?”
“Aye, I was still in the mountains this morning,” Eril said. It was true enough, just not what the innkeeper would understand.
“Well, you’ve come long and fast to be here now. Will you rest long?”
“I thought I would eat and continue, but now that I’m sitting here, I’m thinking I might stop here for the day.”
“Well, you certainly earned it. You’re a journeyman smith?”
“Yes. I’ve been a journeyman for some months now. And yes,” he said to the unspoken question, “I’ll have no problem paying for my room and board for the night.”
“I never would have suggested otherwise,” the innkeeper said, even though he had just essentially done as much.
Eril ordered the house fare, got a room and found that he couldn’t manage to stay awake. As he was technically in enemy territory, he activated his shield amulet after he was in bed. He was soon asleep.
The next day, Eril left early and had his lunch in a bustling tavern on the outskirts of Cheleblok, the capital of Nitholia. From there he flew south and east to the coast, just north of the border between Nitholia and Jull.
He found another village inn and spent his night there. While at the inn he heard of the army massing not far away and the plan to invade Jull. Several people tried to dissuade him from continuing his journey to Jull as there was supposedly an even larger force coming from Espilona to conquer Jull. Eril made a big show of reconsidering his journey and said he’d head north rather than south.
The next day he did not have far to get to Jull. Knowing that, he made a point of scouting the Nitholian army before he headed into town. From what he could see, he guessed they were no more than two weeks at most from being able to attack. He didn’t see the Espilonian force, but assumed it was coming from the west.
As he arrived at the seaside city, he could see that the inhabitants were aware that they were about to be invaded. Troops were camped in the hills ringing the city, and a large fleet lay at anchor in the broad bay that provided much of the city’s livelihood. There was a substantial wall ringing the outer edge of the city. Troops patrolled everywhere.
Still invisible, he stood on a hilltop looking down on the city and pondered the best way to get into the city and meet with Turek. He doubted that simply appearing unannounced would get him the kind of attention he wanted. Everywhere else he’d gone he’d been able to use Master Silurian’s name and Salaways’ reputation to get noticed. Here, that probably wouldn’t work.
He pondered several scenarios, but then decided that a non-threatening display of power would probably get him to Turek the fastest. He went to ground on the main road about one hundred yards from the main city gate. The guards were alert and traffic light so, when he was sure someone was watching, he dropped is invisibility and started walking with a measured step towards the gate.
He could see that his sudden appearance had surprised at least a few of the guards, but that the others didn’t believe. When he was thirty yards away, he briefly activated the invisibility again until he had covered another ten yards, after which he appeared again. This caught all the guards’ attention.
“You there, smith, or whatever you are, stop!” called a guard who seemed to be in charge.
Eril stopped and waited without saying anything.
“Who are you, and what is your business here?” the same guard called.
“I am called Eril, and I’m a wizard. I’ve come to aid the wizard Turek in defending this city against the two armies less than two weeks from here.”
This set the guards buzzing. Eril wasn’t sure whether his announcement that he was a wizard or his confirmation of the nearness of enemy forces was the greater cause for concern.
After a few moments, the same guard called, “Wait there, my superiors will want to talk to you.”
Eril had hoped for this reaction. He was at least being taken seriously, and they didn’t seem to be threatened by him, yet.
After ten minutes or so, a guard officer, Eril guessed from the uniform, walked out to meet him. “I’m not sure if you’re a wizard, but I’m very interested if you have actually seen either of the two armies headed our way.”
Eril said, “I’ve seen the force from Nitholia just today. They have yet to cross the border, but I’d estimate they’re between a week and two weeks away, depending on how fast their march is.”
“How can you have seen them today, if they’re that far away?” the soldier asked incredulously.
“I flew over them on my way here. I am a wizard.”
The soldier started. “We’ll have nothing to do with demon magic here, go away!”
“I used no demon magic. I have other powers.”
“I don’t believe you. Only demon wizards can fly,” the officer stated, agitated.
Eril sighed, then slowly lifted himself eight feet off the ground. He hung there for a moment, then descended. “As you can see. No demon.”
The soldier looked ready to argue further, but Eril cut him off. “Ask Master Turek to observe if you will, but I use no demons and have no love for demon wizards. As I said, I’m here to help defend this city.”
The officer still looked suspicious, but seemed to decide something. “Follow me,” he said and turned to head back into the city. As Eril came through the gate, he noticed that four other guards fell in behind him. He wasn’t sure if he was flattered or insulted by that number. In any case, at least he would soon get to meet with Turek.
The guard officer led Eril deeper into the city and into a large stone structure with many soldiers coming and going from its doors. After conferring with another officer, the soldier led him up to the antechamber of a large office. Once again, the officer spoke with the soldier at the reception desk. That soldier went into the office and emerged moments later to indicate that Eril and the officer should go in.
The office they entered had all the hallmarks of being the domain of a prominent government official. The large room was dominated by a massive intricately carved wooden desk. The person sitting behind it was definitely not a wizard. He appeared to be some sort of senior military official. Without rising, the man looked up at Eril and said, “I understan
d you’ve seen the army coming from Nitholia.”
“That’s what he said, Marshall,” the officer accompanying Eril said.
Eril decided that his mentioning the army must have had more impact than his stated purpose of working with Turek to defend the city.
“Yes, sir, I’ve just seen the army today. They are just north of the border.”
“How large is the force?” the Marshall asked, his attention keen.
“I counted roughly sixteen thousand, Sir. About twelve hundred on horse, and twelve thousand infantry. The rest looked to be reserves and supply forces. There were hundreds of wagons. They look like they are ready for a siege if they need to lay one. There were no siege engines assembled, but it looked like some of the wagons were carrying supplies to build them.”
The Marshall sat back and steepled his fingers. “That’s a surprisingly detailed report, young man. How did you see all that and how did you manage to not get caught and cover over one hundred miles today?”
Eril smiled, grimly, “Sir, as I’ve said before, I’m a wizard. I don’t use demons, but I did fly over this army this morning, and I was invisible at the time, so they didn’t see me.”
The Marshall grunted a skeptical sound. Eril activated his invisibility amulet for ten seconds and then deactivated it to make his point.
The Marshall nodded. “You didn’t happen to also see the attacking force coming from Espilona, did you?”
“No, sir. I swung out twenty miles or so to the west and didn’t see them. I thought it more important that I get here than scout them out.”
“Pity. A pity indeed. Yours is the first report I’ve had on the composition of the Nitholian army, but everything I’ve heard leaves me to understand that the Espilonian forces will be significantly larger. I’ve had only the roughest intelligence on this as the scouts we’ve sent haven’t returned. They probably never will.”
Eril said nothing, waiting. He sensed the Marshall had more to say. “How do you know Turek, and why are you here to, as you say, help defend this city?”
“Sir, I only know Turek by reputation. We’ve never met, but I’m here because Espilona and Nitholia want the kingdom of Jull to not exist, largely because you don’t allow demon magic.”
The Journeyman for Zdrell Page 33