Posted by AlOmega on July 03, 2004 at 00:03:12:
For an instant, she stared at him stupidly, then started to throw off the cover, presumably with the intent of jumping up. He lifted his hands as if to cast a spell, and the threat froze her in place.
“What a dreary habitation,” he said. “Couldn’t you have come up with a better place than this?”
“I knew you’d come with your foul sorcery now that Zoathan as well as Lolth has cast me out - though why she did that I haven‘t a clue.”
“I don’t know about Lolth but Zoathan was not pleased when you killed Zaltor. You let your own notion of revenge take over. The Matron Mother wanted you and Zaltor to join in taking over the education of the priestesses at the temple. One of you would have been selected and the other was to have supported the chosen one. In one fell swoop you destroyed that. If you remember, she more than once asked - asked - you and Zaltor to patch up your war for the sake of House Xentoralo.”
“So that is why you’ve been sent? Death may be a mercy to what I expected Zoathan to have planned. I never understood our feud. Why you of all people?”
“Because you killed my son. If you had not done that, he would have become a great mage possibly even challenging myself. After all, what does a male hold dear but a son.”
Viconia laughed.
“Thank you for explaining,” she added. “Now die!”
Her living rapier leaped from beneath the blanket. Obviously she knew he would be coming and, knowing how he loved to talk, she’d lulled him with conversation and took him by surprise.
The long, thin-bladed sword hurled across the room toward Pharun’s chest. He frantically shifted to the side, and the point plunged into his left forearm instead. For a second, he couldn’t feel the puncture, and then it flared with pain.
He had to immobilize the weapon or it would pull itself free and attack again. He grabbed hold of the blade with his right hand and it sliced into his palm. A rapier was made for thrusting, but it had sharp edges even so - sharp enough, anyway.
At the same instant, Viconia cast off the blanket and snatched a mace from behind her chair. She jumped up and charged.
Pharaun narrowly dodged her first swing, then threw himself against her, ramming her with his shoulder. The impact knocked her stumbling backward.
It didn’t hurt her, though. She laughed and advanced on him again.
He knew why she was so exhilarated. She thought that with his left hand dangling at the end of a spastic arm and the right busy gripping the rapier, he wouldn’t be able to cast any appropriate spells to fend her off.
And she was right.
Edging away from Viconia, his hand dripping blood, he let go of the living sword and started to conjure, rapidly as only a master could.
Viconia rushed him. The rapier jerked itself out of his wound, hurting him anew. It pivoted in the air and aimed itself at his heart.
Five darts of azure force shot from his right hand into Viconia’s body. She made a sighing sound sound and collapsed, her mace clanking against the floor.
At once the rapier became inert, and fell clattering to the floor.
He studied Viconia, making sure she was truly dead, then examined his own wounds. They were unpleasant, but a healing potion or two would mend them.
“Thank you, Viconia,” he said, “for a most inspiring interlude. When I visit again with the Matron Mother, it will be with a heart full of joy. She will be pleased that L’Venorik Velve is no more. And I am pleased with this unusual living sword.”
But what about Belinda and why was she taken?
And then there was another thing that happened in another time and place…….
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Long ago and far away, a tiny fire thrust aside the dark gelid prison of the forest. The scent of blue spruce permeated the acrid smell of burning oak. Only the occasional crackle of the fire attended by softness of falling leaves penetrated the night silence. A young woman kneeling well away from the warmth of the small fire was not easily distinguished from the surrounding blackness. Strands of long sable hair coifed within a blue-black steel cowl framed a pale white face of surprising beauty. An emerald pierced the silver diadem which circled above pencil-thin brows. Her shining onyx eyes searched the dark. A pale blue rod lay near her right hand while her left caressed the hilt of an unadorned rapier. A dirk, small bow, and quiver with green fletched arrows completed her weaponry. She started as the flight of an owl touched her ears. Owls, uncommon in this part of the forest (especially with dragons so near), were considered by the peoples of this kingdom to be agents of the Dark. She distinguished the difference. Sending a tendril of thought to snag the mind of the night bird, she was rewarded with the taste of mouse. She withdrew as the cry of a lynx pierced the night. Ah*, she thought. *He returns*. As her companion entered the firelight, she stood. Like her, he was dressed in a dark brown tunic covering light chain armor. He was slightly under a head taller than her own two meters. In most respects he was ordinary; however, his gold-flaked eyes caused no end of problems wherever they traveled. Smiling, she rushed forward and locked her arms around him. They kissed. An index finger touching her lips cautioned her to remain silent as they parted reluctantly.
~What did you find?~ she asked in the sign language they had shared from childhood.
~He was right. Although a nest of reds is nearby, only the black need concern us. Evidently, it's right at the Intradimensional Doorway.~
~Does it suspect?~
~Probably not. It's not using the Power to enhance its own. A dragon will generally use any power even if it does not know its source; and, this dragonø is very powerful. I got near enough to feel the Power - and the dragon's own as well.~
~And He cannot help us?~
~Either cannot or won't, I don't know which. Regardless, we've got to eliminate the black along with the Intradimensional Door. If we don't do both, we'll be in deep dragon dung.~
~At least the dragon has kept others from using the Door. I have always hated cleaning up both sides of a 'problem'.~
~True. But if we don't start now, that could change,~ he concluded. With a gesture, she quashed the tiny fire casting both into darkness. Without light, the duo perceived recently-made animal trails by pale blue thermal vision which effectively nullified any forest camouflage. Looking at one another again, they smiled. Soundlessly, the two walked the animal paths heading west. In the distance, they heard the soft rumble of sleeping dragons.
~The reds,~ he signaled. The time was near midnight. Before attempting this venture, both had assented that the attack must occur at midnight. The black dragon was more powerful than its five red companions. Consequently, if they dispatched it first, the power necessary to kill the rest would be minimal if needed at all. Black dragons, though awake, were inactive during the night; red dragons were diurnal. And with luck, the reds would run at the first opportunity. She touched his shoulder as he also spied their enemy. Both clasped long blue rods before them. These were the foci of their own power. They moved apart, their intention to form an equilateral triangle with the Door at one foci and the dragon in the middle. As they neared their objective, however, the dragon spoke.
"Why do you bother me?!" it demanded. They had been discovered too soon. It was now or never. As one, they lashed out with blue flames of power at the dragon. But their positions were ill timed and improperly spaced. The dragon reversed the flames as if they were just so much light and added flames of his own. Both dodged with a speed belying their human appearance. Now the trio settled into a routine of strike and counterstrike. Eventually one of them would tire and falter. But which? Then it happened. The woman wavered. Dropping her rod, she attempted to draw her rapier. The dragon did not wait but launched another attack against this weakened opponent. Her scream was short-lived as she was enveloped in black flames. Her companion did not see the shimmering that went with the black flames. He was too absorbed in his own danger as with a scream, he renewed the attack. Never ceasing, never abating, he continued until the enemy's mind was inundated. Within seconds the black dragon ceased to exist. The reds never had a chance. _ The outer envelope of his power had eliminated them as well. Still standing, he swayed as if inebriated. It had taken more power than he previously had possessed. He must have tapped the Power of the Gate, reasoned. As strength returned, he knelt by the side of his companion. She lay apparently unharmed. Yet, though he would have wished otherwise, he knew she was dead - mentally murdered by the dragon. Closing the Intradimensional Door, he screamed his rage just as his female companion disappeared.
*Its done.* he shouted mentally. *Damn you. Its done.*
The world began to dissolve into gray nothingness.
*I warned you. I warned you both; but, neither of you would listen.*
*But why couldn't it have been me?*
*It could have been. She died only because that was meant to be. If only you or she had gone, both would have survived. But in love, judgments were sullied, not decisive, hesitant. Fear of one another – fear of danger - led to the loss. You each acted not cautious and were doomed. Now she dead is. In future, you will listen.*
*Why should I care? Everything is gone without her. Why should I live!*
*You live because you must. I command it!*"
And there was another reason.
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“Stop we here” said Garenst stepping in front of the party before they left the forest-cover. “I can make us not-seen. That is possible as Lou-San knows. Gesture but talk not. To Lou-San whisper if you must. Lizza unlock doors. Cancun unveil strange thing. Nice Vicky make change in things I say ’change’. Know? Questions ask me now, not late.”
Everyone in the party nodded agreement. Only Garenst understood the things they might encounter. And this he shared with Lou-San. Something evil with lines of power lie within. Garenst, and now Lou-San, understood it to be a Transcordial Missive Bubble - a force that eventually would send this world into its own sun. However, some things aren’t what they appear - even to a people who’s knowledge and civilization was billions of years old.
The humans would have been surprised to learn that Garenst - the youngest of the various aliens teamed with Lou-San, Plard, and Lor’T’An, was a scant 373 standard-years of age. Plard and Lou-San were older at just under five thousand years - Lou-San being proudest that she was twelve years Plard’s senior. No one knew how old the Monitors were but Lor’T’An was a very young 2,212,016 standard-years. And no one knew how old Councilor was. However a few knew that he was alive prior to Emergence into the present universe.
Councilor had chosen Lor’T’An to head this expedition primarily because he was a total shape shifter. That is, away from the humans, he could become either dragon or giant with ease. Humans were much more difficult since they were so small, hence his height of just under seven feet or 2.1 meters in height. And like the others, there was more to him than even his height disclosed.
Garenst didn’t gesture as he concentrated for a few minutes. The rest of the party never knew any thing had happened though Cancun thought that for a second the guards at the main gate slowed. Garenst gestured and the party left the forest. As he had said, the party was indeed invisible. Only Lou-San knew how he did this.
Garenst stopped the party just inside the main gate then motioned for them to move to the left as two guards passed. Lizza, Vicky, and Cancun had never seen such a place. It had numerous two, three, and even four story buildings made from stone and plaster though wood was used in abundance. It made their village seem like a collection of twig huts. As they passed near one building, they heard some loud snoring - much louder than any human could snore. Another building seemed to bellow smoke and gas. It also seemed much hotter than the surrounding air.
Another guard passed before Garenst gestured for them to follow. They let some distance pass between them before following. They wove through several streets before stopping in front of the largest building the humans had ever seen. Two giant doors directly ahead opened as the guard entered. The party managed to slip in behind before the doors closed. The walls were smoothly plastered, the finish slightly off-white with a green tint. The floor was made of polished oblong green stone tiles. Light poured in from the high clerestory windows above the corridor. The party crept to the side as another group of guards - women this time - headed back to the two outer doors.
Quickly they slipped into the first side corridor they found. There were three doors on the short corridor. The first was without a lock and was little more than a storage room containing cleaning gear. The second was empty although it held a desk and some cabinets. The third was locked but empty they found as Lizza whispered a spell that unlocked it.
Stepping back into the main hallway, the party continued going in until they encountered a dead end. Ten yards short of the dead-end main corridor was another wider corridor to the left. They took it.
Garenst concentrated again before the party continued. He had Lizza once again unlock a door at the end of the corridor keeping the party moving until they came to an east-west corridor. They followed this until they came to another north-south passage. Ahead was a brightly lit rotunda.
Again Garenst stopped the party just short of the columned arch - half buried in the sides of the corridor - that marked the entrance to the rotunda - roughly fifteen yards across.
A quarter of the way around the rotunda on the east side was another set of double doors, these set in what appeared to be false columns, but were not. There were two female guards outside the double doors which Garenst knew led to private quarters.
Once again, Garenst paused, thinking.
There was no help for it. Garenst gestured to Lou-San who eased into the rotunda and moved along the curved wall until she was within less than two yards of the guard on the north side. From there she stepped forward and, with a lightning move, sent the first and then the second guard into sleepy land.
They stepped between the sleeping guards into the chamber beyond, a small and spare foyer with neither furnishings nor wall hangings. Apparently the ruler of this place preferred matters simple and spare.
As they closed the doors, the two guards shook themselves and woke unaware that they had been unconscious for a few scant minutes. Both looked at each other thinking that someone must have passed recently. Should they sound the alarm?
On the east side of the foyer was a square arch. The party moved toward it, sensing that there was someone somewhere nearby. Beyond the arch was a sitting room of sorts, less than five yards deep, but more than twice that in width. The Nort end of the room ended in an archway into what looked to be a library. The south end also provided an archway, fitted with doors currently open, into a courtyard garden. On the east wall was a single door.
There was a young woman - a maid in all likelihood - sitting on a chair. She wore a torque. Soon after the party entered, she gave a deep sigh, then stood and picked up a small basket, which she carried with her as she moved toward the courtyard garden.
Garenst led the party across the sitting room, around two settees and a low table, and past a simple bonze holder that contained an ancient light-torche. The handle of the door was a simple silver lever. Lou-San whispered to Lizza, Vicky, and Cancun. They nodded sensing no magic beyond so Garenst led them further into the maze.
Garenst motioned for the party to remain as he pushed the simple silver lever of the door down. Caustiously he opened the door and entered - and almost fell in shock.
*You okay, Garenst?* asked Lou-San silently
“Evil is near. Evil something. He motioned for each party to enter. None reacted except Cancun. Garenst, who had recovered, caressed Cancun’s head assisting him in resisting the evil. It was apparent to everyone that this place was someone’s bedroom - a royal ‘someone’ they reasoned.
“What do you feel?” Garenst whispered to Cancun.
“I’m not sure. What I see is something nasty about three yards from here. It looks to be a cascade of horribly wrong purple-pink twisting threads turning into a trunk like that of an ancient, evil tree. It goes through the floor tiles below.”
“Exactly found it you have. Down we go. Path must I find. No more talking for now.”
Stepping around the circle of evil, he led the party toward the dressing chambers on the south side of the room. In the back of the small closet off the dressing room, a closet seemed to be empty. Garenst gently parsed discovering that the closet led to a stairwell. He asked Lizza and Vicky to study the wall knowing that Cancun would be useless right now. Studying the wall, they found a niche wherein was another torch and bracket. Lizza cast a spell on the bracket and twisted it. When she twisted it to the left, there was a solid click, and a crack appeared in the corner where the walls met at a right angle. The left side swung back, revealing a narrow circular staircase, also lit with ancient light-torches. She backed away letting Garenst again assume the lead. Lou-San closed the door after the party started descending the stairs.
The staircase, if narrow and ancient, was clean and without dust, although the center of the stone steps were slightly hollowed out. Garenst knew that meant this place was even more ancient than he had first assumed. When they reached the bottom, there was a small landing and a silver door, with a crystalline door lever, which shone with an inner purple glow. Again he gestured to Lizza and Vicky adding Cancun as well. Here was something he could do if he chose. Cancun felt Garenst’s thoughts guiding his wand movement around the handle. Gently the purple light disappeared. For a moment, a purplish light outlined Garenst and Cancun before disappearing as well.
Garenst didn’t hesitate but turned the latch and stepped inside. The party crowded into a small antechamber, empty, unfurnished, with smooth white alabaster walls, dimly lit by two light-torches set in brackets on each side of a solid oak door, a door without locks or iron binding, and only a simple latch. Quickly he opened that door and rushed into the room beyond - and almost passed out.
Recovering quickly, he motioned the other members of the party into the room.
For a moment, they just looked.
Hanging in midair, suspended in the circular underground room by no visible means of support, was a massive, multifaceted crystal. Purple energy so dark that it looked black, vanished into the rock below the crystal, though the roots were invisible to the human eyes. Garenst could make them out rather like a purple haze. Only Garenst could sense that these same roots as well as the threads above controlled many individuals including giants and dragons alike.
He leaned toward Lou-San and spoke aloud.
“You needed are must to stop entrances of guards and others. Harm you must. Kill you must. Cancun and I will be busy. Lizza and Vicky may help if they can but their Talents lay within locks and magics. Cancun lies with cloaks and shadows.”
Lou-San saw that only one other door also made from oak, lie a quarter of the way around the circular wall to her left. She looked back over her shoulder at the door through where they had entered. It had vanished - or so she thought at first until she spied the faint outlines of the illusion.
“Lizza, can you spell-lock that door we passed though?”
I can’t see it.
“I’ll spell it with angel fire, Lizza,” responded Vicky. And with a flick, swish, and spiraling gesture of her wand, the door shown as if it was lit.
It was enough for Lizza to cast her own spell locking the door. However, they had to remain watchful because their spells could unravel if a witch or wizard challenged - knocked, if you will.
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As always, Marel and Nebul sat on the south side of the conference table, their presence somehow standing out even against the wide windows behind them.
“What does Major Darla Haeragn say about the Hinkley House Clan?”
“We received a message this morning,” replied the female marshal. “She has grave concerns about our ability to significantly expand the number of males under arms. Even adding the men from the North would not be likely to raise adequate numbers and now… .” The marshal let her words fade.
With the attacks from the East and the failures so far, you think the South will soon become impossible? Is that what you are suggesting?” Marel’s beautiful smile was as cold as the winter ice on the Black Cliffs of Despair. “Marshal Aluyn sent a dispatch last night. She should be returning with new hostages….” Marel broke off in mid-sentence, her violet eyes glazing over.
Without speaking, she stood. Nebul silently rose with her. Both walked to the belt pull on the wall. “You must excuse us. If you would wait….”
The marshal and her assistant stood and bowed, but neither Marel nor Nebul acknowledge the obeisance as they strode from the conference room. Outside the double doors were two guards armed with sabers and heavy longbows. Two others appeared, followed by a tall woman wearing a guard’s uniform, although the collar insignia was that of a submarshal.
“Yes, my liege? Is there difficulty in there,” asked the submarshal.
“No!” snapped Marel and Nebul with one voice. “There are ancient Wizards in the residence.”
“How?”
“One of them cast an illusion that there is no one where they stand. It has been many years, but I knew another would come. I can sense the focus of the life webs. They are in the crystal chamber.”
“Has anyone…”
“No. The defenses have destroyed all those before.”
“Arrows ready!” snapped the sub marshal. “Fire as you enter. Avoid shooting at the crystal. If you hit it, the arrows will rebound and strike you.” She reached down and lifted the latch, then pulled the door toward her.
The four guards surged through the doorway into the crystal chamber followed by the sub marshal and then Marel and Nebul.
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Garenst covered Cancun’s right hand with his own so as to steady Cancun’s wand. In support of Cancun’s wizardly power, Garenst pushed with his thoughts. From Cancun’s wand erupted a steady stream of darkness. Pushing harder, the darkness began slowly slipping around and over the crystal and the room dimmed.
The door on the left, the one that remained visible, burst open, and four of the purple-clad guards burst into the circular chamber. They paused for an instant.
“Shoot those two males! Quickly!” commanded someone.
The crystal vibrated, shuddered, and gave a high whining sound that began to rise in pitch. Cancun/Garenst pressed more darkness around the crystal.
“There he is!”
“Shoot them both!”
With the command came a bolt of purplish black power that shook and pummeled Cancun/Garenst like a ripe wheat stalk in a harvest hailstorm, but they continued to build the darkness around the crystal, hoping, somehow, that they could finish before it was too late.
Lou-San moved from the shadows strike one then another of the guards. Although the first one was knocked unconscious, she killed the next two guards. There was too much power and the need was too great for her to do otherwise. She was about to shapeshift when another bolt of purple-black power slammed into her midsection shoving her into the crystal itself. At the moment she smashed into the crystal, she shouted as if she was in terror while at the same time, the crystal itself emitted green light that not only enveloped Lou-San but seemed to merge with her own life-force. She fell unconscious.
A second vibration shook the entire chamber, so violently that Vicky and Lizza staggered into Cancun adding their wand emissions with his. This stunned the remaining guard and submarshal as well. Only Marel and Nebul remained standing raising their own wands to smash once more into the four remaining magic users.
Before they could act, a dull splintering sound echoed through the space, and cracks appeared in the stone walls of the chamber, widening almost instantaneously from spider-silk thinness to rents in the solid stone wide enough for an arm to pass through.
Another purple-force forced the four to their knees. For a moment, the dark cocoon wavered, but the four shored it up, holding it tight.
Abruptly, a brilliant greenish light poured through the now-huge cracks in the chamber wall, and the remaining faint purplish light swirled as if it were smoke, smoke pressed back by the greenness.
The four struggled to their knees, pouring more blackness out of their wands covering the shrinking purple crystal. The whining from the crystal rose in pitch into a piercing shriek, and then into a frequency so high that only Garenst could hear it. Yet everyone felt as though their very bones were being sawed apart from within - that their entire being was being sliced into slivers by invisible knives. They forced more blackness, backed with yellow from a source within. From out of the crystal tumbled a black woman with pointed ears and white hair. She added her own fairy fire to the four.
Silver-green-gold surged across the chamber - a blinding wave of color and power - then darkness.
The black elf-girl grabbed at nothing but at the same time released a globe of fairy glow. She looked at the four for a moment before opening her mouth.
“Free, free at last.”
Garenst was tired but not so tired that he couldn’t later spin a spell to hide the party once again. First he attended Lou-San. She was unconscious but not harmed. He wasn’t positive but Lou-San should be taken to their home world as soon as possible.
Cancun, struggling to his feet, smiled at the beautiful black elf. ”Hello, I’m Cancun. These other ladies are Lizza and Vicky.”
“You must be the one who freed me. My name is Belinda Dor and I have been trapped in that crystal for an age.” She looked around before adding, “And how do we get out of here?”
“Help I may more be with this save that Lou-San must also be assisted with.”
Sharp pains poked holes in his skull as Garenst and the others looked at the people who had entered via the visible door. The guards were dead - even the ones Lou-San had knocked unconscious. Of the two leaders, Marel and Nebul, there was no trace.
Did I say “no trace“? Slightly behind the guards and submarshal were two lines of clothing - two deep violet tunics, matching trousers, black boots, and one emerald necklace of some sort - all stretched out as if someone had been wearing them and then vanished. However there was not even dust within the clothing.
Cancun reached for the necklace, then drew back his hand. There was something about it - very old and very evil, as if it had been imbued with the purple-black, even though the purple had vanished from the chamber. He looked at the clothing once more, and then at the ancient emeralds. Although he could scarcely have proven it, he knew who had worn those clothes. He swallowed and straightened, and then glanced around.
“Gather to me,” said Garenst at last with exhaustion creeping into his voice. With that, the party - Belinda added and carrying the unconscious Lou-San - headed to the building’s exit.
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The party managed to wend their way out of the twisted maze of the building carrying an unconscious Lou-San and half-carrying Belinda. As they exited the building, Garenst lifted the time-bubble that had let them remain invisible. As he would explain later, one of his Talents was a limited control over time. That is he could move himself and a few others forward or backward within a time-second. The vast majority of humans never saw them though some few might have observed a hazy blur for a second or two.
As the time-bubble was lifted, Garenst sank to the ground exhausted. Only Lou-San and Lor’T’An would know that to conquer something as evil as the crystal taxed him beyond endurance. Cancun was less exhausted since the task of breaking the crystal was less onerous. Mostly that was because he was younger than the rest. However, considering that Belinda held onto her rescuer as if afraid to let him escape, might also have lent him strength.
The city folk were at first bewildered and then angered at what they perceived as interference. However, Lor’T’An and the rest of the witches and wizards arrived only a few moments after the party had egressed the building. That, coupled with the arrival of the giants and dragons, seemed to place the city dwellers at a distinct disadvantage.
The giants were extremely happy to be freed since they were normally uncomfortable in groups of more than a scant few. The Gaunt or Leader for the giants was Joe-aqumire. For a giant he wasn’t all that horrible looking however he made up for that by being both twenty-five feet seven inches tall and very vocal. He liked the human deliverers so much that he suggested traveling to the western part of their land with a few companions. Another giant Ron-hold, had been thinking about traveling also but to a land not so near. The dragons had once told him of a large island near a country called Chyna. Although ‘near’ was decidedly different for giants and dragons than it was for humans, he felt that being thousands of miles away might enable him to become learned – something giants were never known to do.
The dragons, Flagon, a female about to lay eggs according to Dio, a dragon-lord, had also decided to go with the humans to settle the western parts of their island. She knew the area and named it after the biggest animals in the region – what dragons and humans called whales. Flagon was so taken with the silly human magic users that she thought one of her eggs if so inclined might decide to have one with her always as a pet. The humans however weren’t sure how that policy would turn out.
As it turned out, the city had been ruled by the two ancient sorceresses, Marel and Nebul, without regard to any of the citizens’ desires or needs. They were beginning to appreciate their freedom but wanted also the strangers to leave. They had their own witches and in time would have wizards as well. Later a school would be founded in the mountains of their land. For now they decided to keep the current head-woman, Lowus of Hinkley House, as ruler. She and her husband did have the largest abode in the city other than the House of Whosane which Marel and Nebul had shared.
The party obtained a litter from the city dwellers along with several draft animals, food, and several sacks of jewels and gold. Also they released the hostage, Dadya. Although Dadya said she liked it there, she needed to be with her brother for a time. Later she and her brother might return. Lou-San was still unconscious as they left the city. This time the trip was easier for they needn’t be as secretive as when they arrived. Soon they neared the village where the humans and aliens would part.
Suddenly out of the forest ran Plard. Worried he was and had been as he gathered Lou-San in his arms. Two strange children dressed in white followed him out from the trees. Both were about to separate Plard from Lou-San when she awakened suddenly clasping Plard to her so tight that her fingers left marks on his clothing. Their lips met as if they were one rather than two. It seems that Lou-San was affected by the destruction of the crystal but in a way totally unimagined. However, though asked, she declined to discuss the event until they met with Councilor. Plard was grateful that she had been found alive, awake, and well.
Later she would disclose to Councilor that she felt another presence within herself. Plard nodded in agreement saying that indeed this was so. She, like he, now shared herself with another. He, of course, had amalgamated with Alfraeo – a warrior and strange being that was associated with Gaite. He disclosed the time that Alfraeo had fought with dragons along with his love, the Lady Oleandor. Apparently she had not died but had become trapped within the crystal along with Belinda. That was when it hit him. Belinda Dor. She had mentioned that she was part dark elf and that her father had raised her. She had decided to take the name of her father – the name she had always known him by – Dor. Wasn’t Dor similar to Gaite? This would puzzle Councilor for many weeks. It would be after Gaite himself made an appearance that Councilor would learn more.
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Gaite – as ever – was pleased with himself (if he was a ‘him’ that is). He had indeed raised Viconia’s child as his own because she was his. Part of his DNA made up part of Belinda’s DNA. He knew that if she had been raised drow, she would eventually receive the Book of Gates which led to other places above and below the surface. That did not concern him. The part that did, however, also involved traveling between times and worlds and even into the other universes that he knew existed. That book must be denied the drow and he had done that by taking her from Viconia while newborn and by taking the Book itself from its creator. Doing this had disrupted the time-line of that universe. However he also knew that the original disruption-doorway had been created by someone using the drow wizard, Ryld. For Gaite, this would further his position within the battles of mass and energy, creation and chaos.
He had indeed placed the body of Oleandor within the crystal. He had led Belinda into that situation whereby she also became a prisoner of the crystal. It was this imprisonment that had drawn the evil that the dragon had cast into Oleandor via its dragon-fire and the evil within Belinda because of her drow linage, away from both and bound it within the crystal. This was why their formerly purple eyes were now golden. Moreover he had felt a duty to Alfraeo and Oleandor to reunite them after he had used them for so long.
And that introduction of broom-flying to Ollie was so much fun.
Then he frowned knowing he had other things to do now in his never-ending quest that only he and one other knew. Perhaps he would look into the matter of the human magic-users some day. Perhaps not. But he had left several things in his wake for them to find and work on.
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As for the humans, they returned to their villages as if nothing had happened. Among themselves and their magically-talented friends, they discussed the happenings of those days and of the strange Others they had traveled with. Occasionally one or more would visit the dragons and giants. Belinda married Cancun and they had seventeen children. The eldest was named Godric after Cancun’s father and in diffidence toward Belinda, they added Dor to their last name. The magic sword and hat went to him.
Ollie Vander eventually died childless. However his nephew continued his works experimenting in areas entirely unimagined by his uncle. His grandson eventually sold the broom making business to his own grandnephew although he retained his wand manufacturing enterprise moving it finally to a village called Lun’s Town. Eventually the name would be changed to Olivander’s about the time the village name had changed to Lundone.
As the generations of humans aged, their children and grandchildren began settling elsewhere. Martin and Vicky’s daughter, Kristin, also had a daughter which she named, Rowena. One of the granddaughters of Lizza and Rikard was named Helga Huff-n-puff. Katty Jo married Montoya Torcimento who changed their last name to Slytherein with the birth of their firstborn Salazar who seemed to have a strange attraction to snakes. Each child and grandchild wore special colors for feast days and each had a special animal as a pet – a familiar, some would call them in a later day. Godric, who generally could be found wearing his red and gold cloak, had a small cat which he called Lyon, Helga had a miniature badger which she called Frank. She would dress him up in a vest of yellow and black – her own preferred colors. Rowena and her pet raven, Cindy, were inseparable. Because she taught Cindy speak over a thousand human words, some nonmagical folks said she could talk to it and it would answer. Though many people thought of Rowena as being a bit strange, more knew that Salazar was unapproachable – especially when one day he was caught speaking in a strange language to his pet snake. He wore green and silver throughout his life until he left the island-country for lands further east. Some said he left because he wanted a much larger familiar than the small python he had wrapped around his arm. Be that as it may, as the four children grew to adulthood, they became fast friends. They were the ones who traveled into the wild country of the north to found their own school of wizardry and witchcraft. Each gave of themselves to the new school. Helga left her paints for future artists as well as directions on how to make more. Rowena left her extensive plant lore as well as her bargain with the small magical creatures that had lived for so long in the area. Some even agreed to work within the castle as servants. Godric left his hat which he magically endowed with the power of speech and reason. His magical sword, however, vanished from history. Salazar claimed that somewhere within the school would be found a creature that would impose his will upon the school one day - this he said just before he left in a fit of anger at the other three.
These four witches and wizards made a bargain with the giants and the dragons for help in the fashioning of their castle. However, it was the dwarves who completed the finishing work of the place they called Hog’s Worth after another company of sheep growers who began calling themselves, Wool Worth’s.
But of course by now you know the rest of that story…..
AlOmega