Chapter 17: Minor Setbacks

The group of seven set out immediately. Darren had no desire to see any more of the village, and despite what he had said to his mother, he’d probably kill Zerach if he saw him.

Darren didn’t appear any more upset than he did before crossing the desert, but they still left him alone, walking in silence. Legerra sized up Thendat, wondering whether he was any good with a sword or not. It didn’t seem so.

Thendat was a walking stick. Thin to the point of nonexistent and a little shorter than Darren, his disproportionate size seemed impossible. Dirty blond hair was usually covered with his hood, for camouflage purposes. His eyes were an interesting shade of gray, making him an outcast among most people. For some reason, gray-eyed men were hated throughout Shirn, and Acerin clearly held to the stereotype that prevailed, staying as far away from Thendat as possible in the tent and when walking, always keeping one eye on him.

Of course, it was widely known to be true that gray-eyed people had better aim. That would explain why he chose to be an archer and a scout. He liked his role, and refused to take up anything with a blade and longer than three feet.

Fraydon, on the other hand, seemed totally useless. Not only was she the shortest member of the group, she was the least graceful in city settings. She was always tripping over steps and stones; he couldn’t see how she moved so quietly in the wilderness. Her hair was short and slightly darker than Darren’s, and she was armed only with throwing weapons and short knives. The only thing she seemed to do was sense when Legerra was watching her and whirl around, almost catching him a number of times. I’m not checking you out, I’m just sizing you up…yeah, like that sounds any better when said. He shook his head. She wasn’t his type, as a woman or for sparring.

As for women…

Darren smacked him on the back of the head. “Owww! What was that for?”

Darren just looked at him. “You may not be looking at her, but you’re not helping Sara by thinking like that.”

Legerra waved his finger in Darren’s face. “And just how do you know I was thinking about her?”

Darren pointed behind them at glistening grass. “Stop drooling.”

Legerra dropped his arm. “Well…maybe I was just hungry.”

Darren smiled. “Sure you were. That might be because you give half your rations to Sara every meal.”

Legerra looked at Darren. “Have you been watching us?” Darren laughed softly. “I’ve been watching you. It’s great entertainment, really.”

Legerra folded his arms. “Well if she doesn’t return the affection, then why does she accept the food?” Darren put a hand on his shoulder. “Legerra…she’s too nice to refuse it. She thinks about what would happen if she refuses, about how hurt you’d be. And she doesn’t want to make enemies or cause strife.” Darren raised his voice. “Unlike Sir Kill-Joy over there.”

“Shut up.” Acerin didn’t even look at Darren. Darren sighed. How can he survive without humor? I just don’t get that boy…

The rest of the day passed quickly, their energy renewed. Night fell and the group sought shelter within a clump of dense trees, not bothering with tents and setting watchmen with shifts. They rolled the dice…and Sara got the first shift.

It’s not that bad. Just staying up a little later than normal. And I get to sleep the whole night the next time they do this.

The ground shook ever so slightly. Less than two seconds later, another tremor hit. If Fraydon hadn’t been teaching her how to detect movement, she would never have known what it was. Some kind of animal…four legs…fast runner.

She resisted the urge to light up the grove of trees. There were people sleeping not two feet from her, after all. This had to be settled quietly. Dozens of tiny darts of ice formed around her, aimed in all directions.

A rush of air, and then the animal was upon her. It moved too quickly to score a direct hit. A few darts struck home in the thing’s leg, but it didn’t stop. It knocked her down and rolled her over, a claw raking across her back where she was unprotected. Then her darts found their mark in the creature’s neck, piercing its throat, and it collapsed on her.
~
Thendat found her the next morning, his shouts waking the rest of them. Sara barely stirred. Two steps and Darren was beside her, lifting and feeling her head. “She’s burning up. Where’s the animal?”

Thendat shrugged. It’s not here. It died or else it would have finished her off, but it probably melted in the light.”

Darren lifted her up and ran a finger over one of the three tears in her back. His eyes closed, contorted, and snapped open. “Poison. And beyond any healer’s skill to heal. We must have made some powerful enemies if they can send trained animals to poison us.”

Sara opened her eyes slightly, and Thendat leaned over her. “Sara! Why didn’t you wake us up when this thing attacked you?”

She stared at him, vision blurry. “I didn’t…want to wake you all…it was…too sudden…and…I didn’t want to be …jumping at…the slightest…noise….ugh…” Her head lolled to the side.

Darren set her down against a tree, giving instructions to Fraydon. “Dress the wound as best you can. Let me know whether she gets better or worse, and if she wakes, keep that way as long as possible.” Fraydon nodded.

Darren walked a little ways away, hands clasped behind his head, thinking. At length he turned around. “We can’t head for the library. Even if we were to get there in time…there’s no-one there who could take care of this. The only choice we have is to head west towards The Mage’s Tower.”

Milar sat down on a log. “Darren, The Mage hasn’t received visitors in over a decade. The running joke is that he changed his name from The Mage to The Hermit. Our chances would be better going towards the library.”

Acerin leaned against a tree and said nothing.

Legerra spoke up. “Milar, who would heal her there? Unless The Mage now lives at the library, nobody can heal this bad of a poison. The only other person might be Sara. And she can’t, obviously.”

Thendat kicked at a rock. “If only someone else had gotten the first watch…”

“Then something else would’ve gone wrong.” Darren turned away from the sun. “The point is, there’s no sense arguing about it. We need to be unified in purpose, and right now that’s to help Sara. That’s what we as a group of friends are here for. One falls, the rest help that person up.”

There were scattered nods.

“Now, I know it’s a long shot, but going to The Mage’s Tower might help. And if he doesn’t…at least he can…make her comfortable.” Darren looked at Fraydon. “Ready?”

Fraydon nodded. “She won’t feel the jolts.”

Darren looked around. “Milar, you look the most rested. Is that how you feel?” Milar nodded. “I can take her for at least a couple hours.”

They set out west, keeping the sun at their backs. Rotating the person carrying Sara kept the pace quick, only slowing the group down to scout the areas that looked unsafe. Night fell, and they rotated two people on two hour shifts, setting out before it was completely morning.

They traveled for days, always tired and sore. They had to cover Sara’s mouth so she wouldn’t cry out the spells she had seen in the book which Darren carried with him, or reveal their location through noise.

The Mage’s Tower came into view on dawn of the fifth day. Cheering up slightly, they quickened their pace and stood at the huge wooden doors around noon. Fraydon looked up. “This place is huge! I’ve seen drawings, but never imagined it was this big!”

Darren stepped up with Milar and Acerin, slamming the huge iron knocker three times. The noise reverberated throughout the tower, and then faded as silence rolled back over it. Darren knocked again, harder. No answer.

Acerin stepped back. “Wrong doorbell, Darren.” A fireball shot from his hands, blazing a trail straight up, exploding just above the top of the tower. A minute passed, then two. Darren was turning to go when the door creaked loudly. Instantly he spun around, motioning the rest forward.

They stood in a large room, grand staircases leading up both sides to the next floor. At least a dozen doors lined each floor in sight. All the stairs tricked the eye into seeing the tower go up forever, but a quick change in step and the floors ended somewhere up in the high twenties. The stairs lead all the way to the top, if desired. Or they could get off at any floor.

Darren had no idea what to do. The others were no help; they’d never been in there. It didn’t matter, as The Mage knew of their presence. If he knew, then he was waiting…and he knows he can wait longer than we can.

“We’re going up. No questions,” he said, seeing the look on their faces. “You’d rather pick a random floor? No? Then we go.” And off they went.

The stairs were much more tiring than walking across flat ground. They were forced to have a different person carry Sara every three floors or so and this quickly wore them all out.

Around the twentieth floor, Fraydon turned to Darren. “You feel it? The walls have eyes…and not literally. Whatever we do is known to him.” Darren replied tiredly. “We’re in his tower. His home, his rules.”

Thendat had been keeping count of the floors. When they hit the top, “Twenty-eight floors, Darren. Does it mean anything?” Darren shook his head. “I wouldn’t know.”

There were still eleven doors on the floor to choose from. Darren immediately walked to the second to last door, pulling it open and striding through, the others right behind him.

The Mage sat on a raised dais, clothed in a resplendent shimmering robe, a long metal staff in his left hand, with three folded spikes clasped around a large red orb, cloudy and swirling. Acerin caught his breath. “The Staff of Magnus…”

Darren glanced at him. Acerin didn’t move his eyes from the staff. “It’s said that whoever holds the staff controls the very land itself for miles, not to mention the immense power...”

Darren pondered this new development and then looked up at The Mage. “Sir? We ask your help.” The Mage didn’t move, staring at each one of them in turn. “Sir? Our friend was attacked by an animal with a powerful poison, and she’s dying. We need your help.”

The Mage stood, robes rustling. “I know.” Darren’s brow furrowed. “Will you help us?” The Mage replied “I don’t know. Will you help me?”

Acerin burst in. “How can we help one so powerful?” Darren glared at him.

The Mage gestured with his right hand at Sara. “You want her to live. I want her to live. We are both good people that way. You want her to come with you, and that is where your desires differ from mine.”

It dawned on Legerra first. “You want…to keep her here, is that it?”

The Mage nodded. “Yes, I need to study her way of magic. Hers is different.”

Milar sighed. “How do we know we can trust you?” Realizing how he sounded, he quickly added “Sir.” The Mage nodded. “A wise question. I let you in my house, didn’t I?”

Milar fell silent. The others looked at Darren. Thendat laid a hand on his shoulder. “Darren, at least she’d be alive. And it’s not like we have much choice.”

Darren raised his gaze to The Mage. “Exactly. We don’t have a choice.” The Mage nodded. Darren wasn’t finished. “And that’s exactly what he wants.”

Fraydon flashed a quick look at Darren. “Darren, remember who you’re talking to.” Darren looked down at Sara, fully aware of how light she was in his arms. They couldn’t get much food down her even when she was awake.

“I know who I’m talking to. I’m talking to The Mage, a very powerful sorcerer and magician. A man who seeks to learn more, by any means necessary. A man who controls the land for miles around, keeping creatures of all kinds and experimenting with strange and exotic chemicals.”

Milar stared in horror at Darren. “Darren! You’re saying he sent the animal?”

Darren never took his gaze from The Mage’s dark red eyes. “He sent the animal. One does not easily forget his master’s tools of torment.”

The group exchanged stunned looks. Thendat spoke with more than slight hesitation. “So…even if we do get out of this alive…what about her?”

Darren dropped his gaze from the Mage to Sara. “There are antidotes to the poison in this tower. It’s no chore to find them. The problem is that they only work when The Mage wills it, or when he’s dead.”

Silence settled over the group as they looked from The Mage, standing majestic and terrible, to themselves, ragged and tired. Legerra raised his voice. “Darren! Again you don’t tell us the whole story, and again you don’t tell us what we’re up against!”

Darren turned to Legerra, eyes blazing. “And if I did? How would that change anything? Would you have rather gone to the library? Waited for us at the bottom of the stairs? Why should I tell you a single thing?!?”

Legerra stared silently at Darren. Milar spoke quietly, almost whispering, “Because you have no reason to hide it from us. We’ve fought beside you, laughed and cried together, and there shouldn’t be anything that you couldn’t tell us. I’d follow you to death, Darren. You know that.”

Darren turned to Milar, the fire dying slowly as his eyes cooled. “Thank you, Milar. I understand what you mean. But…” A finger pressed over his lips, sealing them shut. Sara raised her head slightly. “No…buts. To death, Darren.” Her head sank back down, heavy with effort.

Darren bowed his head. “It won’t come to that.” He laid Sara down on the cold marble floor behind him, the rest of the group spreading out. “Mage! Come and fight.” He turned his head side to side, glancing at the group. “I’m sorry, my friends. You cannot fight him.”

Instantly everyone except Darren and The Mage was pressed against the wall, unable to move. The five that were conscious struggled for a while, and then realized the futility of that action.

Darren cast his hood over his face, speaking loudly and clearly. “Mage. Former master. Your apprentice returns in need of help, and finds evil sought where knowledge was once treasured. I have no choice but to fight you, to the death of one of us.”

The Mage’s voice rang out. “Darren Kinsley. Former apprentice. Your master still seeks knowledge. Knowledge makes no distinction between good and evil.”

Darren didn’t look up. “Then if knowledge is not, it is most definitely you who is evil to seek to hurt another.”

“Knowledge must sometimes be gained in unsavory ways, you know that, Darren.”

“When was the last time you helped someone with your knowledge, other than yourself or your tower? You’re no better than a common thief, a hoarder of the wealth of others.”

The Mage’s answer was a blast of fire from his staff which Darren easily deflected, still speaking. “The Mage has sought knowledge, and what has he found? Despair.” Another fireball came, followed by bolts of lightning. “You fight well, Darren. You, too, have learned much in your time away. But you have not despaired. Why?”

Darren countered with multiple beams of white light, slowing them and attacking from all directions while sending a single powerful beam directly at The Mage. “Because I learned more than you did. You spent your time in this tower, holed up and not interacting with any other human, relying on your…‘pets’ to get you information.”

Darren held up his hand and absorbed the powerful blast of energy coming at him. “That’s no way to live, and you will certainly despair if you replace real people with fake ones.”

The Mage stared down at Darren, withholding his attack for a while. “And you, immortal young human, experienced traveler, you have real people around you? All you have are weak shells of fragile existence, people with problems innumerable, pathetic lowlife and scum that cannot bear to see another die, and yet you kill hundreds to save one.”

Darren winced, but kept attacking. “Tell me, Mage. When exactly did you give up friends for solace, thinking it would make you stronger?”

The Mage stepped forward, dropping to the ground. “Enough. You will not see the power I have gained, and I do not see all the power you say you have.” The Mage let his staff float above him, extending both his hands. “Feel the knowledge gained!”

Darkness slammed into Darren’s barrier, pushing him back several feet, the sheer force of it whipping his cloak in a violent wind and sending his hood back. His shield withered in seconds, and pain rushed in. The attack stopped and he fell to one knee, gasping for breath. The Mage took a step closer. “Do you see? You cannot even stand!” He tossed Darren above him, blasting him with magic at will, sending him flying across the room.

Darren stayed silent, holding the pain within, determined to stay strong. Eventually the Mage dropped him to the ground in front of the dais. “Darren, when you’re gone, your friends lose a link. That is weakness.” Darren struggled to breath. “Yes…but…” His muscles shuddered uncontrollably and he collapsed.

The Mage leaned in and lifted Darren by his ear, staring into his eyes. “But what?”

Darren had just the faintest hint of a smile on his face. “With all the links, we are far more valuable than a single piece.” His last words said, he gathered all the power he had in him, whether for one last attack or one last attempt at defense was unknown, because at that moment a very powerful wave of fire rolled over The Mage, turning his attention.

With his power gathered inside him, Darren’s will holding his friends to the wall had dissipated. Fireballs from The Mage were dispelled by the swords of Milar and Legerra; arrows flew from Thendat, making it harder to focus on attacking, and a small, almost unnoticeable throwing star, blazing with Acerin’s concentrated power flew towards the Staff of Magnus.

Darren shot out a foot, tripping The Mage and sending him crashing to the ground. The star collided with the clasped orb, cracking it. The Mage clambered to his feet and turned to the group, eyes blazing. “Fools! You cannot destroy it!”

Acerin began chanting, the others forming a barrier around him. The Mage listened for a moment, and then began relentlessly attacking. One by one the group was sent flying to a different place in the room, unable to fight anymore. Acerin stood alone, pointing a finger at The Mage, the spell complete. “Let it be so.” The moment the spell left him, a countering spell hit him with full force, sending him crashing into the wall. He crumpled to the ground.

But the spell was cast, and it no longer depended on the caster to sustain it. A swirling cloud of energy formed in the center of the room, winds of power gathering it from sources unknown. The Mage shaded his eyes and prepared to shield. The spell struck with devastating force, and for a moment it looked like it might break him. But he shifted slightly and the spell deflected and hit the orb on top of the Staff of Magnus, completely by accident.

The orb shattered completely, scattering into pieces of various sizes. The Mage shook with blind fury. Finding the largest piece, he levitated it, himself, and Darren to the ceiling. Darren struggled but was still too spent for anything beyond a weak barrier which was easily dispelled. “You and your friends have done much trouble. But your mischief ends here.”

With a wave of his hand, The Mage sent the large fragment of the orb through Darren’s right hand, pinning him to the ceiling and then releasing him from levitation, dangling Darren from his right hand. Darren watched the blood flow down, still barely able to contain his screams of pain. The Mage floated to the ground, hands above his head. “Die and curse me no more!” Forked bolts of lightning shot out, centered, and blasted into Darren, exploding and blowing the roof completely off the tower. When the dust cleared, there was nothing to be seen.

The Mage smiled evilly. “How ironic. Killed by his old favorite spell.”

“You know, that is some good irony. Except for the whole killing thing.”

The Mage whirled around to see Darren standing on the dais. “There is no way you could have survived that. You were weak, and you had no way of protecting yourself.”

Darren held up his right hand, a wound healing around a glowing red stone embedded in his palm. “Your greatest strength is your greatest weakness, Mage. That was the first lesson you taught me. You fell away from your own teachings, and thus I must label you…dead to me.”
Darren’s voice changed to a deep tone of supreme authority.
“Dead to the world.”
The Mage surveyed the people around him, sneering slightly at the ‘lowlifes.’
“Your power will be given to those who can handle it better, and your spirit will pay for what you have done to the people of this world.”

Darren finished speaking, the stone glowing even brighter red. The Mage felt every ounce of his strength being drained, his agelessness slowly fading. There was no time for last words, but the glares he gave Darren would suffice.

His power completely gone, The Mage shriveled and turned to dust in seconds.

Darren let the pieces of the broken orb float up, and collected them into a small pouch he carried.

Acerin stirred. “Ugh…it was only a small blast…” He raised his head from the ground to see Darren leaning over the others, checking their vital signs. “Darren…” Darren sat down next to him. “What is it, Acerin?” Acerin leaned closer. “Heal me.”

Darren tilted his head to one side. “Why?” Acerin grimaced. “So you don’t count me as a friend, then?” Darren shook his head. “That’s not what I meant, Acerin. Why do you need healing? You’re not hurt.”

Acerin mentally checked himself. He’s right. “But…a blast of that size would have broken dozens of bones!” Darren slapped him on the back. “Normally, yes. But that spell you cast from the book attacked The Mage and healed you all at the same time. I’m surprised you remembered it from that one look. I couldn’t have done a better job myself.” He winked at Acerin. “Now would be the best time to look smug.”

Fraydon was leaning over Sara. “Darren! She’s getting worse!” Darren shook his head. “Or not.” He ran out the door, motioning Acerin to follow him.

Acerin caught up with him at the top of the stairs. “What floor are we going to?” Darren looked at him oddly. “Don’t worry about that. Just follow me.” He backed up, got a running start, and dived off the rail, Acerin close behind. The floors flew by as they blazed downward, Darren gathering fire and trailing his hands.

The first floor rushed up far too quickly for Acerin, but Darren didn’t slow. The floor exploded in a shower of tiles and dirt as Darren blasted through it, continuing down into a dark tunnel. They flew on, dodging roots and large rocks. They came to large steel doors, and Darren stopped. “Head for that corner.”

When they both stood on certain tiles, the doors opened. Acerin shot suspicious glances through the doors. “That’s it? All you need is two people?” Darren held up his hand, which was glowing red. “Yes, but the power of The Mage has to be present.” He stepped through the door into a huge lab, chemicals lining the walls and all sorts of equipment.

“Well, not much has changed.” He grabbed a piece of paper and a quill, scratching out a list for Acerin. “Go get these bottles. Quick is good, quicker is saving a life.” Acerin nodded and ran off. Darren familiarized himself with some of the newer equipment, checking up on the older stuff. By the time Acerin returned with the chemicals, Darren was all set up and ready.

Making the potion didn’t take all that long. It couldn’t have been more than five minutes before Darren corked the bottle and called Acerin over from the chemical rack. “One last thing.” He handed Acerin a bottle he hadn’t used. “Set that on top of the desk in the middle of the room, and then we leave.”

Acerin did as he was told, puzzled. They left through the doors, leaving them open. Darren turned around, an aura forming. “This lab will never be used for evil again, and no evil will come forth.” A small fireball slowly traveled from where he was standing and made a slow journey towards the bottle. Darren turned and blazed off. “Now! Don’t slow down until we’re out of here!”

They flew back the way they came, fear pushing Acerin faster until he shot out of the tunnel just ahead of Darren, heading for the top floor. Darren followed and grabbed the railing as he hit the top floor, throwing himself into the room as the explosion rocked the tower, a pillar of fire blazing from the hole in the floor. Fraydon looked up as Darren ran in. “What is going on down there?”

Darren stooped beside Sara. “No time to explain now. Have her drink half, then apply the rest to her wounds.” They coaxed her to swallow as much as she could, waiting as precious seconds ticked away, not daring to turn her over before she could keep the liquid down. Finally they rolled her over and poured most of the liquid in the ugly scratches, wetting a bandage with the rest and wrapping her in it.

Legerra looked around them at the crumbling tower. “There’s no way we’re going to make it out, Darren. It’s collapsing right now!”

Darren closed his eyes and placed his hands on the ground, palms down. The shuddering stopped, and an eerie silence settled over them. Thendat walked to the edge and peered over, noticing the tower dropping away. The floor they were on was sturdy enough to be levitated away from the blast radius and set gently down on the ground a quarter-mile away.

Milar took several deep breaths. “Darren…what did we all just do?” Darren looked down at Sara, feeling her cool forehead and watching her sleep peacefully for the first time in a week. “We protected and saved a friend in need.”

- posted by Nick @ 4/30/2004 04:33:00 PM