The Complete Series, page 49
part #1 of The Hidden Wizard Series
Magic was not available to him, and his strength was quickly fading. But he had the power of Will, which was not constrained by those things. He tapped into the reality around him, and remade it into his design.
The ground underneath Wraith suddenly dropped hundreds of feet, and sand filled its place. It was if it had always been so, and the change was instantaneous. Wraith was now trapped within a prison of sand.
Alrion didn't revel in the victory, he stumbled over to the back of the room. He found the secret passage and tumbled down the stairs. With great difficulty he picked himself up, and dragged himself forward, using the sword as a walking stick.
Just … have … to … get … out, Alrion thought. He pushed on for as long as he could, before collapsing on the ground.
Please, help me, he thought finally.
36
Recovery
Vincent started to slow down, and Certan did the same. The rest of the monks continued their escape. Lara stopped suddenly, looking at the other two.
"What is it?" she said.
"Something has happened.” Certan paused and listened carefully.
"I can't explain it myself, I just felt like Alrion needed us," Vincent said.
"Let us just wait a bit, we are far enough for relative safety," Certan said. The three of them waited in silence, staring back at the darkness behind them.
The tunnel they were in was long and straight, with no indication of how far it went. As the footsteps of the monks ahead became softer and softer they were surrounded by true silence as they waited patiently under the earth.
A strange sound surrounded them. It was like an immense amount of sand just shifted incredibly quickly.
"That shouldn't be possible. We must head back.” Certan looked at the tunnel ahead, and back at where they had come from.
"Go to the monks, they may need your assistance. The two of us can handle this. Just keep the door open for us at the other end," Vincent said.
"Thank you, I will accept your offer. Hurry back, I will see you soon.” Certan ran off into the darkness and Vincent and Lara ran back the way they had come.
"What do you think happened?" Lara said.
"Some sort of gigantic shift happened, that's what we heard. It doesn't matter who did that, it is bad news. Certan seemed to have felt it too, and he seemed quite shaken," Vincent said.
"He was definitely spooked. But was equally worried about the other monks."
"We don't know where that shift happened. He is right to be concerned."
"I have a bad feeling about this. Let's keep quiet and see what we can find.” Lara increased her pace and Vincent kept up.
The going was tough as the only guide they had was the tunnel wall. There were no lights and they weren't going to try and create any. Lara's pulse quickened as they ran, more from worry than from exertion. Alrion had seemed off, like it was his last chance to do something. She hoped he hadn't run into more trouble than he could handle.
He managed to survive last time, maybe he's fine, she thought. The start of the tunnel was approaching, and a thin light crept in from the room above. "Is someone there?" Lara said. As they continued they could see better.
"It's Alrion?" Vincent said. He fell to his knees and cradled his son in his arms.
"He's alive, but he feels cold. Help me get him up," Vincent said.
Together the two of them hauled the young wizard up onto his feet, but he couldn't stand by himself.
"He seems a bit out of it, and his forehead is burning up. This doesn't feel right," Lara said.
"Let's just get him out of here," Vincent said. Together they moved forward at a fast walk. "Alrion can you hear me?" he said. There was no response.
"He must have passed out. It's like he's sick. You don't think?" Lara said.
"We don't know, let's not jump to conclusions. Whatever has happened, he got away. Our responsibility is to ensure that he gets to safety," Vincent said.
"Of course, let's see if we can pick up the pace," Lara said. `
Alrion felt himself be picked up, but his body was so heavy. He couldn't help whoever was helping him. He had brief flashes of awareness, but it was so dark he couldn't distinguish them from when he blacked out.
There were more voices soon, some calling his name. But they seemed so distant, so far away. He didn't have the energy to respond. He could sense the concern, but he couldn't address it. All he could do was what he was already doing which was letting them take him.
He could feel the light and heat building around him, but he couldn't open his eyes. It was too difficult. The more he tried to exert himself, the more he felt the strange thumping in his heart. Better to rest, and not stir that unwelcome addition.
Finally, he was laid down, and he felt like he could finally rest. He let himself sink into the depth of sleep, and forgot all his worries. They were for another time, when he had the strength to deal with them. For a while, he was at peace.
Alrion could sense the light, and it was annoying him. He tried opening his eyes. They did as instructed, and the room slowly became visible. His surroundings were familiar. He was in Ashra's hut.
He sat up too quickly, and nursed his head.
"Alrion, you're awake. How are you?" Lara said. She was sitting by his side. The concern in her eyes was obvious.
"I've been better. What happened?"
"We found you at the entrance of the secret tunnel. And we brought you here as quickly as possible. You're safe now," Lara said. Vincent walked over and crouched by Alrion's other side.
"Welcome back to the land of the living. You did well son. Everything's alright now, although you probably need more rest before you can get back on your feet," Vincent said. Alrion nodded. He thought back to what had happened. He remembered the infection, and quickly felt around his neck. "The wound has healed, but you have been tainted," Vincent said.
"This, this isn't right," Alrion said. The memories came flooding back.
"There is a cure, you're working on it right now remember?" Ashra said from the other side of the room.
"But I can't learn the spell like this?"
"There's always a way. But in the meantime, you need to know a few things. The Blight travels different speeds in different people. Some change overnight, for others it is a gradual process. I have done what I could do to slow it down, and I feel like time is on our side. But it cannot be stopped with the tools we have at our disposal," Ashra said.
"What can I do?"
"Have you felt your Spark?" Ashra said. Alrion thought back and remembered the feeling when he tried to access it before.
"Yes, I tried immediately. Wraith was quite pleased with himself at my reaction," Alrion said.
"Then you know not to touch it. Not under any circumstances. Not only will it speed up the transformation, but it may also put the cure at risk. We don't know how it works," Ashra said.
"I understand."
"This is very important. It's not worth it, you must find another way of dealing with things," Ashra said. Alrion looked around the room.
"I have your sword, if that's what you are after," Vincent said.
"Now's as good a time as any. I'm not particularly skilled with it," Alrion said.
"We can work on that, when you get your strength back. Can you tell us what happened back there?"
"I passed the trial, and I fought Wraith. Even with my best spells and tricks all I managed to do was injure him with the sword. But my aim was off, it wasn't a fatal strike and he had the opportunity to infect me," Alrion said.
"It was an achievement for you to keep up with him in battle, he had us all beaten," Vincent said.
"From what I have been told, he is a formidable foe. An unnatural fusion of Shade and Wizard. How did you get away after he infected you?" Ashra said.
"I had only one tool left, my Will. I remade the structure of the temple, trapping him in a deep pit below the ground. I doubt it will kill him, but it was enough to escape," Alrion said.
"Remarkable that you mastered your Will so quickly," Certan said as he joined them.
"I can't really talk about that, it's called the Vault of Silence for a reason," Alrion said, forcing out a shaky laugh.
"You are talking like one of the masters already," Certan said, chuckling.
"Are you able to do the same here?" Ashra said. Vincent shot Ashra a strange look and was about to speak up, when Ashra signalled him to be quiet. Alrion focused on his will, and tried to replicate what he had done at the temple. It didn't feel the same though. He couldn't seem to tap into the fabric of reality the same way.
"No, it's different. Maybe I don't have the same strength," Alrion said.
"It's not that, although I'm sure it is a factor. I believe the temple itself is either built in a unique way, or sits upon a unique location. The temple facilitates the use of Will, and the bending of reality. It would explain why it's in the middle of the desert. That's my theory at least, and your experience cements that in my mind," Ashra said.
"So, what happened to the temple?" Alrion said.
"Scouts have suggested that all the Tainted have left. The temple is still intact, although heavily damaged. The remaining monks will be returning and building it back up," Certan said.
"Will you be joining them?" Alrion said.
"I'm sorry, but I must. With the loss of Rengin and many others, our numbers have dwindled. It is my first responsibility to help repair what was done."
"It sounds like they have accepted you back though," Alrion said with a smile.
"Yes, the flask didn't even factor in. It turns out, my behaviour is not unique. In many cases, it is expected. Thank you for convincing me to return. I would like to believe that I would have returned eventually, but how many years would have passed?"
"You are welcome, in fact I should be thanking you. With your guidance, I made it in time, and completed the Trial of Will."
"You are now my senior. I will catch up to you, and I'll find you again to help with the completion of your quest," Certan said, bowing to Alrion.
"I look forward to it. Please, don't hang around on my account, if you are needed there please go," Alrion said. Certan approached Alrion, and kissed him on the forehead.
"Where I come from, that is how we say goodbye to family that we will not see for a long time. Take care young wizard, when we meet again I will be your equal.” Certan bowed again and left the hut.
"Bye, Certan, I'll always consider you my teacher," Alrion said quietly, after the monk had left.
"For now, you need to rest more. You will be safe here until you are ready to leave," Ashra said.
"I don't even know where to go next," Alrion said.
"We'll figure it out, don't worry. That's not a job for today.” Lara stroked his arm softly.
"Are you hungry?" Vincent said.
"I think so?"
"Let's get you some food and rest. You need to build up your strength for our journey," Vincent said.
"If you insist," Alrion said, and rearranged himself to be in a better seated position. He had to focus on his recovery first, and worry about the next steps later. And with sleep, came dreams.
37
A New Dream
Alrion dreamed. Again, the rush of images and scenes, a massive blur. Everything settled, and he saw his grandfather once more sitting at a desk. Alrion walked over.
"Grandfather, I need your help," Alrion said.
"I cannot help you. I am merely a guide to the knowledge within you," Granthion said.
"I am infected with the Blight. Can you show me the cure?" Alrion said.
"I already gave you the spell. You will know it when you are ready."
"How can I be ready when I am tainted?" Alrion said with frustration. Granthion thought carefully, then responded.
"How can you cure others, before you cure yourself?" he said.
"That's exactly what I am talking about!" Alrion said.
"You have the knowledge and you have the Will. What's missing?"
"Well, the third component would be Spark. But I already have that."
"No, you have only half."
"What do you mean?" Alrion said. Granthion stood up from the desk and gestured into the distance. A shimmering doorway opened and Alrion ran through without a moment's hesitation.
He was cold, really cold. Snow was falling, and covered the ground. It was so thick as he walked he seemed to be sinking into it. Alrion instinctively went to cast a fire spell, but stopped himself.
Even if this is a dream, I can't use it, he thought. He trekked forward through the snow, towards what looked like a summit. As he stepped onto it, he saw a woman with black hair and purple robes standing with her back turned to him.
"Hello!" Alrion shouted over the wind. But there was no response. She raised her hands and looked to be casting some sort of spell. Her body shimmered with magic, and within her pulsed a strange glow. Alrion walked closer fascinated. As he approached he noticed a strange heat within himself. He looked at his own body, and noticed a fierce core burning inside. If he concentrated he could also see a black tinge on the edges.
He looked again at the woman and noticed she was different. Within her was a core of pure water, still and at peace. As he stared, she suddenly turned and looked directly at Alrion. Her eyes glowed an icy blue and she reached out for him.
Alrion awoke suddenly, feeling the heat of his surroundings immediately. Part of him wished for that cool to return.
"Did you have another strange dream? You seemed unusually restless," Lara said.
"Yes, I think it's a clue for my next step or trial," Alrion said.
"Let me hear it," Ashra said, coming over and sitting down. Alrion looked around.
"Where's my father?" he said.
"He went to visit the monks to see how they were doing. I think he was restless sitting around here doing nothing. Don't worry he will return soon. What was in your dream?"
"My grandfather told me that Spark was only half of what I needed for the spell. He created a doorway that took me to a wintery place, a snowy mountain. At its peak, I found a woman who was casting some sort of spell. Only where I had a core of fire, she had one of water. And when she turned to look at me, her eyes were glowing blue," Alrion said.
"That's very interesting. I think you have your next goal," Ashra said.
"You know where this is?" Lara said.
"There are stories, but not confirmed, of a group of women. Some call them witches, others refer to them as mystics. They can cast magic of a different sort, from a different source. I had never really taken much stock in the stories, because I had no need to. But it seems plausible," Ashra said.
"Do you know any more about them? Where do they live? What can do they?" Alrion said.
"Well you already know where they live, deep in the north amongst the mountains. Although there are stories that they travel and are hidden in many places. In plain sight. In terms of what they can do, it's hard to really distinguish fairy tales from the potentially real."
"Give some examples?" Lara said.
"Healing, fortune telling, granting wishes, and mind control for example. Fairly outlandish don't you think?" Ashra said.
"That's useful, even if most of it is nonsense. It will help us find women who fit that description," Alrion said.
"Indeed, you may even find one on your way there. I think this is the right path for you, there is enormous potential. They may be able to assist you with the Blight's taint, or even show you how to harness their power," Ashra said.
"I have a goal and I have a direction. How long will it take?" Alrion said.
"You need more time to heal, because the journey is harsh. After you cross the desert, you need to travel quite a distance north. You should have horses for that. Then the trek into the mountains is not for the faint of heart."
"Have you been there?"
"No, I haven't. Perhaps if I had, I could offer you more guidance. But you will have able companions, so you will be fine. The only other issue is the Blight," Ashra said, pointing at Alrion's chest.
"What do I do about it?" Alrion said.
"Don't use your Spark for starters. Just use your Will and whatever skill you can muster up with a sword. I also recommend meditating every day. The body resists the Blight by itself, any effort to assist will buy you some more time."
"Thanks, for everything. Are you sure you won't come with us? You can see the women of the north for yourself, these mystics," Alrion said.
"No, as before. My place is here, and your quest is your own. Come visit me again, and I will hear your tales of them," Ashra said.
"As you wish, but if you change your mind..." Alrion said.
"I will not, but thank you for the offer. If you apply yourself, you can leave in a week," Ashra said.
"A week? Not sooner?"
"That's up to you. But I won't let you leave here until it is safe. I have my ways," Ashra said with a grin on his face.
"Yes, I've noticed," Alrion said, remembering the last time he had tried to leave without Ashra's blessing. The idea of meeting the women magic users, and the possibility for a new type of magic filled him with hope. But there was a nagging doubt below it all. He pushed it away, but knew it would return. For now, he just had to keep his focus on recovering his strength and beginning his journey.
Epilogue
Ashra waved goodbye to Alrion, Lara and Vincent and wished them well. Alrion had recovered incredibly well over the last week, although Ashra could see that the Blight was having an effect on the young wizard. He had taken Vincent aside and mentioned it specifically. Vincent would monitor the situation and keep Alrion's spirits up.
