The High-Wizard's Hunt

Chapter 13

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Changing Sides

“We cannot be letting them torture and kill the most powerful wizard in Archana!” Machai shouted, frustrated at the obstinance of his clan members.

“He be sacrificing himself for a reason, I be sure. What can we be doing to help? Even I do not be foolish enough to be attacking the Turgent’s palace, Machai!” Kablis responded gruffly.

“He be sacrificing his life to be saving mine, and I willn’t be allowing it. Ye must be helping me get to him.” Machai could not help but admit that he had come to believe that Osric’s life was more important than his own.

“Ye be stopping the delivery with grand tales and then be trying to recruit us to fight to free a man we never be seeing before? Ye be speaking the words of a fool, so why would I be rescuing a man on ye’r word alone? There be no hope of freeing him where he be held, and they will surely be watching for us to be trying!” Kablis shouted.

“He’s right, Machai. I fear there is little we can do to help Osric now,” Thamas spoke with hopelessness in his voice. “They have the Dwarven blades, they have hundreds of men within the city, and we are so few. What could we possibly do?”

Machai stomped away from the group, angry at himself for being caught unaware by Aron. If the strength of his glare at the walls of Rowain was enough to break them, they would have crumbled to dust. He hated Aron for besting him and yearned for nothing more than to have a chance to correct the mistake. Machai was not willing to let the conversation die, so he turned again to plead for the aid of his kin.

“Ye all be fools if ye cannot be seeing the strength that lies in the men they took. I be swearing by the blood on me blade,” Machai shook the heavy axe in his hand, “that they be freeing the dragons. I be swearing that they inspired me to be fighting alongside them to whatever end they be seeing fit! And I be swearing by me bones that I will be doing whatever it takes to be seeing them walk out as free men!”

Machai glared at his kin for their looks of disinterest as he spoke. They were staring off at the sky rather than being roused by his passionate argument. “Listen! Osric and Kenneth helped us to be freeing the dragons from ages of slavery!” Machai grew angry when even Thamas ignored him and just stared into the distance over his head, until he heard thud, thud, in rapid succession from behind him.

Machai spun on his heels, ready to attack any foe that stood on the path. His mouth dropped open as he beheld Treethorn and another large, grey dragon standing a short distance away. The great beasts were folding their wings after a rough landing, which sent dirt billowing into the air around them.

“Treethorn, ye beautiful beast, what’r ye doing here?” Machai walked directly to her and placed his palm on her head as she lowered it to greet him.

“Machai, Stargon sent us to find the High-Wizard. However, we recently heard that there has been a new development, and we need you to come with us to Braya.” Treethorn seemed a bit nervous when she noticed the number of armed dwarves standing behind Machai.

“Ye be out of ye’r mind! Osric be captured by Aron and be taken to the city. I must be finding a way to be getting him out. Will ye help me, friend?” Machai implored. The much larger dragon took a step forward.

“My name is Greyback. I owe more to Osric than perhaps any other creature on Archana, and there is nothing I would like more than to help you free him. Yet, we may not always know which actions will be the ones that change the course of fate. I trust Osric to do what he must to fulfill his destiny, and I trust the eldest of the dragons, too. You must return with us, Machai.”

“Greyback? I be hearing Osric speak ye’r name fondly, and I be seeing ye’r as wise as he be claiming.” Machai glanced over as Thamas reached his side. “I be finding it a hard choice. Thamas, what do ye be saying of it? Do we be trusting in the dragons and be leaving our friend to the wolves?”

“Perhaps the dragons have arrived to show us our path, my friend. There is no way I see to free Osric and Kenneth. If the dragons have information for Osric, we best be finding out what it is so when we see him again he can hear it,” Thamas answered, resting his hand on the dwarf’s shoulder.

“Aye, ye be right. Let me be speaking with me kin, and then we will be leaving quickly.” Machai turned and walked angrily back to the other dwarves from the caravan. “Kablis, ye may be having reason to doubt me before, but now ye be seeing the truth in me words. It be likely that I will be needing ye’r help, but I must be traveling for a short time with the dragons on an urgent matter. I do not be asking ye to be attacking a fortified city. I only be asking ye to be waiting until I be returning with more information.” Machai looked to the leader of the group with pride and hope in his eyes.

“Nay, Machai. I must be contacting Thenar with the news of the attack. If he be ordering us to be returning, it’ll be hard to be telling him otherwise.”

“Aye, just be telling him I be discovering information on new magic. Magic that may be reclaiming the Dwarven blades and be making him piles of gold. If ye’ll just be remaining here, I’ll be showing ye some caves nearby. I only be asking for three days. If I do not be returning by then, ye can be telling Thenar ye be headed home,” Machai said, waiting to see if the idea of piles of gold would have the expected effect.

“Aye, Machai, three days.”

*

It had only taken a few moments to get in the air once Machai had convinced Kablis to make camp in the caves. He felt a bit reluctant to board a dragon without the proper seating arrangements. Yet they had assured him that one rider on each did not necessitate rigging and they would be sure not to let them fall, so they climbed on.

When they had gained enough distance, Machai leaned forward and spoke to Treethorn, “The traveling spell, did ye be sharing it with the other dragons?”

“Of course I did. We dragons hold no secrets from one another.”

“Then let us be to Braya as quickly as possible.” Machai gripped two of the spikes at the base of Treethorn’s neck where he sat. He watched Greyback wink out of sight to his right and waited for the familiar sensation of falling, but he found that both the disappearing and reappearing were different while mingled with the motion of flight and the rhythmic pulse of Treethorn’s muscles below him.

However, the result was the same. They reappeared above the dense foliage of Braya below gray clouds, heavy with rain.

“I do not be looking forward to be seeing that volcano again,” Machai grumbled.

“No worries, we will not be returning to that wicked place,” Treethorn assured him. Suddenly, both dragons tipped forward and Machai clung to Treethorn’s back as she dove toward the trees at a terrifying speed. He heard Thamas cry out in surprise from his perch on Greyback’s neck. Just when Machai thought they were going to crash into the branches below, he saw a shimmer in the air through the water in his eyes and the treetops vanished. The dragons spread their wings and leveled out their flight. A great lake glittered in the sunlight beneath them. “Welcome to Lost Lake.”

Machai stared in awe at the water before them. He was sure there had been nothing but trees beneath them while in the air. Thamas laughed nervously as Greyback dipped down and grazed one wing across the surface of the water. They coasted along the coastline of the lake and landed gently on a sandy beach before a small cave. An old man stood off to the side near the forest’s edge watching as the dragons and their passengers arrived. Greyback lowered her head to the sand and gazed at the old man with great respect as Thamas dismounted.

“Machai, Thamas, I would like to introduce you to Aridis. There is much he must tell you.” The dragon’s voice was calm, although Machai detected a hint of anticipation for what may come. Aridis nodded at them and gestured that they should join him inside the cave. Thamas looked hesitant, but Machai felt he could trust anyone that the dragons trusted so completely, so they followed him inside. Machai looked around at the sparse furnishings and took note of the door against the back wall.

“It is regretful that the High-Wizard had to be detained and is unable to join us. I was very much looking forward to meeting him.” Aridis eyed Machai as he spoke.

“What do ye be knowing of Osric’s detainment?” Machai demanded.

“I knew that the course of time had few paths it could follow this day. Certain signs have indicated which path it took, and therefore Osric must have been captured. Tell me, did he go willingly or was he bested?” Machai looked at the old man suspiciously, but he felt there was little harm that could come of sharing that much.

“He be giving himself into the hands of the enemy willingly.”

“Ah, then there is hope yet to be seen. Please, there are some men you need to meet. I expect they will play a greater part in Osric’s battle than we can know,” Aridis said, leading them toward the door at the back of the room.

“Wait,” Thamas said, “who are you? What have you seen that shows you so much of our situation?”

“I am Aridis. I am just an old man who lives in an ancient forest and has dragons for friends.” His response was vague but seemed no less genuine for it. “And as for the things I have seen, be wary of what you inquire. Let’s just say that there are more than eyes with which to see. Archana’s magic does not only reside in her inhabitants.” Thamas only nodded, slightly confused, and stepped forward to follow the man through the door. Machai took note of the way Aridis danced around the questions as he observed the exchange. He hoped that the dragons had good reason for trusting the old man.

As Machai followed the others through the door, he was shocked to see Thamas draw his sword. Machai pushed past Aridis as he pulled his axe from across his back, prepared to back up his comrade in a fight. Aridis held up his hand and called out with more authority in his voice than Machai would have thought possible.

“Stop! There will be no bloodshed in my home. There are no enemies here!”

“No enemies? Is this a game to you, old man? Did you think I could be caged again so easily by luring me in with these men?” Thamas raged.

“These men have no desire to imprison you; nor do I. They have seen the error of their ways and seek to serve with you in restitution for their actions against Archana and her creatures. These men may be the key to unraveling your enemies and saving the High-Wizard. Sheathe your blades and we will speak more of Osric’s future.” Machai gazed around the large room, taking in the familiar faces of the Braya guards who had served with Aron to keep the dragons, and Thamas, captive. Three of the men sat at a table in the far corner of the room, and one was sitting on the edge of a bed. He had a scar on his arm and his hand trembled slightly as he gazed back at the dwarf. Although Machai felt the desire to mete out their punishment and save them the trouble of trying to make up for it, he slowly returned his axe and nodded at Thamas to do the same. Thamas grudgingly sheathed his sword, but his wand remained gripped in his hand at his side.

“Why should I trust these men? They have proven that they have no interest in protecting the creatures of Archana,” Thamas growled.

“Actually, all that they have proven is that they can effectively follow orders. That is not a negative trait in any man,” Aridis responded thoughtfully. “Now, it is up to us to prove to them that it is in their better interest to follow the orders of a new leader, namely your comrade, Osric. I have spoken with them at length about the men that they have been serving. They find my logic to be quite persuasive, and they are open to other options. The last thing they want is to return to the command of Aron, who has continuously shown that he does not have their best interest in mind. All men are selfish; but some are capable of seeing that their own well-being lies within the continuity of the balance of magic on Archana. This is what we must establish in these men.” Machai and Thamas stared at the old man for a moment, attempting to sort through the implications of his words. Machai shrugged his shoulders and took a seat on a bench near the door.

“Ye’r words be holding much appeal, Aridis. Any man that be willing to aid us may be of use. Yet, ye be correct; all men be selfish. What do ye be gaining from helping us?” Machai demanded.

“Ah, that is a fair question. As recent events have occurred, I have seen that the paths my future may take have been significantly reduced. In fact, I am down to three possibilities, far fewer than I have ever seen before. One of those paths is for me to do nothing. I can continue to reside here at Lost Lake, conversing with dragons for company and occasionally wandering the forest or tending to the ruins. Another option is for me to use my abilities to seek out personal power. Frankly, the results of both of those paths appear to turn out quite grim for me. Therefore, I have chosen my third option. To do all in my power to ensure that Osric succeeds in fulfilling his destiny, whatever that may be.”

“So you can see the future? That could certainly be helpful,” Thamas spoke hopefully.

“No, I can only see the paths the future may take. I am no See-er. However, I have found that my abilities do prove beneficial when a decision must be made. I will see what use it may be to us once we have finished our discussion here,” Aridis said, reaching into a small cupboard and withdrawing some fruit and bread. He passed food around to each of his guests and then took a seat at the table. Thamas nibbled on a piece of bread and eyed each of the Braya guards suspiciously.

“So, either you are all men who feel it is justifiable to keep Archana’s creatures caged and enslaved, or you are all men who are willing to abandon your posts and become traitors to those you serve. While it is reassuring that you do not want to serve Aron, I still find it difficult to trust you. Why do you want to serve Osric?” Thamas sat down next to Machai and awaited the responses of the four men. They hesitated, glancing at each other, and then one rose from his perch on the bed and slowly crossed the large room. He knelt down before Thamas, cringing at the required movement.

“I believe I can speak for us all in response to your question, but first I must express our deepest apologies.” He addressed Thamas respectfully, his voice hinting at his lingering pain and fatigue. “We each contributed to your imprisonment, and although we were only following orders, our actions must seem inexcusable to you. It is understandable that you look upon us and only see enemies. We expected the dragons would do the same, and so we ran from them, thinking they were evil beasts who must be controlled and contained.” Gad’s voice indicated his guilt and resolve. “We were wrong about the dragons. The man who gave us orders either kept us ignorant intentionally, or he shared in our ignorance of their true nature. The dragons are not evil, and neither are we. We are just men.” He looked up at Thamas, waiting for acknowledgement before he continued. Thamas stared down at the floor for a moment in consideration, then glanced back at Gad with significantly less hate in his eyes and nodded for him to go on.

“When you defeated us at the volcano, you could have killed us or left us locked in that cage to die. Most men would feel you were justified if you had. Yet, you unbarred the door so we could escape. While we traveled down the mountain, I was wounded and became weakened and fevered with poison. Aron left me there to die. He has no regard for my life, for any of our lives,” he said, gesturing toward his companions, “but you had good reason to kill us and chose not to. We were ordered to keep the dragons contained so the rest of the species would remain willing to transport the races of Archana. We were told that if the dragons were freed, they would go back to being vicious beasts who hunt travelers and children who linger outside after dark. We understand now that we were lied to. Aridis has explained many things to us, including the possibilities of a great war. If there is war on Archana, we want to be sure we are on the right side when it begins. If Osric is truly destined to prevent untold destruction and death, we want to do anything we can to help him.” As Gad stopped speaking, Machai jumped to his feet and stomped across the room to where Aridis sat. He grabbed the old man’s tunic in one hand and pulled his startled face close to his own.

“Ye be knowing much more than ye be saying, and I be strongly tempted to be insisting ye tell it all,” Machai growled. “What do ye be knowing about a war?” Aridis looked back at him calmly and held up his hand when one of the men stood to intervene.

“Are we in agreeance that these men are not what you first took them to be?” Aridis asked.

“Aye, ye all be more than ye seem.”

“Well then, I believe it is time we spoke more of Osric’s future, and that of each of you as well.” Aridis rose from the chair as Machai released his grasp and he returned again to the small cupboard in the corner. He rummaged around in the interior for a moment and drew out a large, leather bound book. “The indications I have been seeing in the stones recently have led me to several conclusions about the near future. It is not uncommon for me to see conflicting paths of equal likelihood emerge, so I began writing down the many possibilities as I encounter them. The culmination of what I have seen has created a web of sorts, and I believe all of you can help me to sort through the various branches of the paths our futures may take.” He placed the book on the table and sat back down, indicated that Machai, Thamas, and Gad should join the others in the remaining seats. He proceeded to flip through the pages, explaining what he could determine from each of his readings of the stones at the ruins. Each of the men in the room became more dismayed at the possibilities, both good and bad, for the future of Archana. They also became more determined to assist Osric, as it was obvious that he was the only one who could bring the world through the chaos of impending war. As Aridis finished describing what he had recorded on the last page, Machai rose from his chair and took a steadying breath.

“There be only one path for us to be taking.” He glanced around at the others and then walked out of the room and through the cave until he reached the water’s edge outside. He drew his wand and focused his mind until he felt the link establish.

“Gus, Bridgett, it be Machai. I need to be speaking with ye urgently.”