The Elder Witches

by R.E. Packer

  Chapter 11

  I looked around and not seeing any people breathed a sigh of relief. I didn’t want to have to explain the orb I was holding or how I appeared from thin air, or where it’d come from.

  The orb was noticeably smaller, almost half the size it was before stepping through the doorway. I didn’t really want to stay wherever this was any longer than I had to. I concentrated on making another doorway. Closing my eyes I tried to remember how it felt when I made the first door. I opened my eyes expecting to see a new doorway, but all I saw was the dusty road leading to town. I concentrated again on clenching my eyes shut until sweat popped out on my forehead. Still nothing.

  Suddenly I got an idea. It was almost like someone had told me what I needed to do with the remaining energy so I could use it to get home.

  I spotted a discarded bottle on the side of the road a bit farther up. Fetching the bottle, I pulled out the cork stopper and then kneaded the mass of energy in my hands as if it was clay. When I got it shaped right, I pushed it into the bottle, then replaced the stopper smiling at my handiwork.

  Now I just needed some water to add to the bottle and I would be able to use the energy potion to open another doorway; or so the voice in my head told me. The fact that the voice wasn’t exactly mine was a little disconcerting, but I refused to give into that thought right now.

  In the distance thatched roofs lined the horizon, so I started walking that way in search of water. The buildings were mostly wood or some sort of mud thatch work. Past the town there was a high stone wall that surrounded a castle that reminded me of castles in Europe that I’d seen in pictures.

  When I got closer, the clothing of the townsfolk, plain with simple stying differed from my own enough to mark me as a foreigner. I couldn’t understand the language the were speaking and it didn’t sound like anything I’d heard before. I could have probably convinced myself that I had traveled to Europe or some other far off place, but when I saw the moon with a ring around it I knew this wasn’t Earth.

  A man dressed in fraying brown cloak with a leaning tower or hair and a single dark eyebrow approached me on the street. After a few attempts to speak with me he snatched up my hand. His grip felt wet, calloused and strong. “You can learn our language if you concentrate,” he said. “What kind of wizard doesn’t know that?”

  What kind of wizard doesn’t know he’s even a wizard, I thought.

  “How do you know I have magic?” I asked surprising myself that I was speaking his language.

  Ignoring me he said, “The King’s court will want to speak with you. Even daft wizards such as yourself are requested to notify the registrator of your arrival. My duty is done.” With that he turned and headed away without another glance in my direction, his unruly mop of hair keeping tempo with his gait.

  “Where is the registrator located?” I asked.

  The man turned around, his eyes visibly bulging as he sputtered. “You need to concentrate! For the love of…”

  This magic should have come with a manual.

  My eyes closed as I concentrated on the registrator. An image popped into my head. I saw man with a long white beard wearing a gray cloak standing behind a desk. His head snapped up, eyes narrowing to slits when I tried to get a better look at him. Startled I opened my eyes.

  The image I saw must be the registrator, but it didn’t get me any closer to finding him. Part of me wondered at the wisdom of registering anything on this strange planet. I should probably get out of here as soon as possible. But the rational part of me realized if I couldn’t leave I didn’t want to create even more trouble. Closing my eyes again, I took a deep breath as I concentrated on the registrator’s office. When I opened my eyes a line appeared on the road, glowing brightly on the dirt, as if it were freshly painted. It wound around a bend in the road and out of sight.

  This magic stuff was getting easier all the time.

  Following the line on the road through the town, I passed several locals who gave me curious glances but at least I could understand them now. Guards walked the massive stone wall around the castle. Parapets complete with arrowslits built into the stonework marked each corner, the spires were so tall they seemed to touched the clouds.

  Guards posted at the gate house halted my progress. I was a bit on edge as I remembered that I still had my .45 tucked in my waistband holster. The guards held pikes lowered toward me as I approached. They didn’t look like they were up on modern firearm knowledge but I had no doubt they could use their weapons just as efficiently as any trained soldier. Their demeanor spoke of well trained men, not the civilians I’d seen in the streets.

  “State your business,” one of the guards said.

  “I’m going to the registrator’s office,” I said. “Plus I need to find some water for this…” I said offhandedly, as I held up the bottle I’d put the orb into. It glowed dully through the dirty bottle.

  The guard closest to me tripped over his feet trying to backpedal, almost landing on his bum. The other guard held up his hands up, palms forward, eyes wide. I didn’t understand what all that was about but decided it was time to keep moving. I tried to smile and nod as I went past the rest of the guards. They looked at me like something stuck on their shoe as I passed.

  The registrator’s office, if you could call it that, was in the castle itself. I felt a bit like a tourist as I walked through the enormous hallways. It had an earthy smell to it and solidness I never felt in an modern building back home. It was a magnificent building, I was immediately in love with the architecture of it all. I walked for quite awhile before finding a sign pointed me in the right direction.

  I wasn’t more than a few steps into the office when a woman looked up and said, “You must be the wizard.”

  The office had books lining one wall. The fireplace had a large fancy mantle where a fire burned, warming the room. The windows let in enough light to make the area feel welcoming.

  The woman had a lean body and strong but not unattractive face. Unlike most of the women in the castle she wore tight fitting dark colored pants and a shirt exposing enough to make a man blush.

  “Yes, I guess I am,” I said, trying sound casual and not stare at the same time. Both of which failed with varying degrees.

  “How long will you be staying in Dashire?” she asked.

  “Not long. I’ll be trying to leave soon.”

  “May we inquire your business here, wizard?”

  I didn’t know how long it would take or if the hunch I had was even correct and I could get back home at all. I shrugged and said, “I just sort of ended up here. I’ll be trying leave soon so I don’t cause you any inconvenience.”

  “Did you hear that”, she said to the bearded man behind her, “He’s not going to cause any inconvenience. You are a peculiar wizard.” She gave a short amused laugh.

  “You’re not sure how or why you’re here. Noted,” she said bending over to fill out what looked like a form on the desk in front of her, giving more than an eyeful.

  The bearded man, who I thought was the actual registrator, didn’t hesitate glancing downward for a better look, carefully averted his gaze as she finished her note taking.

  “Is it okay for me travel around the town? And do you have any water?”

  They both looked at each other curiously.

  “I thought you said he has power,” she said to the man.

  “He does… probably more powerful than we’ve had in years. He just doesn’t seem to know it,” said the registrator.

  “Interesting,” she said, then turning to me said, “I am Emilee, daughter of Lord Grayson, and this is our Otherworldly Wizard Registrator, Gavin.”

  I introduced myself.

  “Wizard Hope Well, you can find water in the tavern,” she said, saying my name as two separate words. One of your kind was last seen in there not long ago as a matter of fact.” Her eyes searched my face for a reaction.

  “Another… wizard?” I said.

  “
Hurry along if you want to catch him,” she said.

  The registrator snickered behind her. “Yes, his magic might be running out about now.”