CHAPTER I
THE PALADIN RETURNS
Meanwhile, Jolan, Palas, and Felin arrived at the tower. After
resting from the trip, Palas and Jolan set about trying to find a safe
way to reverse Felin's premature aging. Had they been willing to risk
using sorcery again, it would have been an easy task, as rejuvination is
almost entirely limited to the dark magics, but after his experience in
Nadair Shadai, Jolan was adamant in his refusal to experiment with any
dark powers. To make matters worse, their subject refused to sit still
for any detailed examination. Despite this, Palas and Jolan were surprised
to find that the time passed easily, and neither really minded that their
task was taking longer than expected.
"Felin, if you can't hold still, I can't focus my magic on you.
This spell is very sensitive, and your constant moving disturbs it!"
"Now, Jolan," Palas interupted, "Don't get angry about it. I
honestly don't think she can help fidgeting. Have you ever seen her sit
still? She's always tapping her foot or drumming her fingers or something.
She's just hyperactive."
"You're right, of course," Jolan sighed, "Besides, her condition is
my fault, so I shouldn't be complaining." Palas put her hand on his
shoulder.
"Don't be so hard on yourself. The Seduction is hard to resist,
and you were forced into using the dark magic. At least you had the will
to snap out of it."
"Only thanks to you." He pointed out, shaking his head, "I still
can't believe you stayed to try and reason with me."
"Me neither." Palas admitted ruefully. "That's still very hazy.
But I know that I'd never leave you to die like that, trapped in your own
magic!"
"Palas, I..." Jolan began, but Palas broke in, throwing a quick
glance at the hanging timepiece.
"My, but it's getting late. Don't you think you should consider
going to bed, Felin?"
"Who are you, my mother all of a sudden?" Felin asked, sounding both
puzzled and offended, "I'll go to bed when I feel like it." Palas shot her a
dangerous, meaningful look, inclined her head toward Jolan and then motioned
toward the door. Felin's eyes grew wide with understanding, and she suddenly
gave a huge, very fake-sounding yawn. "Oh, wow, look at the time!" She
exclaimed in a too-loud, overly-emphatic voice, "Well, guess I'd better get
to bed and leave you two alone, huh?" Palas closed her eyes and groaned
inwardly as Felin scurried out of the room.
"Not very subtle, is she?" Jolan noted, smiling.
"No, she isn't." Palas sighed, "But she is a good friend, even if she
does have a mouth three measures wide."
"Yes, recently I find myself blessed with many I would call friends.
That is rather unusual for me, I'm afraid. I don't easily make friends."
"And what of me?" Palas asked, approaching the subject they'd both
avoided since the events in Kanda. "Would you call me your friend?" Jolan
hesitated a few skipped heartbeats before answering.
"I'm not sure. Until recently, it seemed you didn't want to be my...
friend." Palas nodded.
"I know. At the time, I wasn't ready to be anybody's... friend. I'd
been through a lot, and your friendship was a little too scary."
"I probably shouldn't have conjured up that library as my first
display of, um, friendship." He chuckled at the memory, "And I talk about
Felin's lack of subtlety." Palas came closer, and put her hand back on his
shoulder. Jolan felt a strange and unexplainable quickening in his pulse.
"No, Jolan, it was sweet of you, really. I just didn't accept it
very gracefully." She shrugged ruefully. "For an elf, I don't seem to be
very graceful at all."
"I don't mind." Jolan said, putting his hand on top of the one on
his shoulder. Palas let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been
holding. There was something in the way Jolan was looking at her that made
her feel happy and frightened at the same time, something that made her want
to look away and at the same time made looking away impossible.
Almost by instinct, Palas stepped forward, and Jolan's arms, as
though of their own will, rose to embrace her. Palas's head rested on
Jolan's shoulder, and when she finally lifted it, she found herself staring
into his eyes. His mouth came up to meet hers, and she melted into his
embrace. When she realized that his lips were pressed against hers and had
been for some time, she pulled back. Niether could say who was the more
surprised when they realized what had taken place.
"Jolan, there are a few things I haven't told you." Palas began.
Jolan nodded.
"I know."
"You... you know?" There was no mistaking the absolute shock in her
voice.
"Yes, you told me before, you have a secret that keeps you from
getting too close to me. But I don't mind, Palas. I'm not going to pry
into your secrets."
"But that's not.." Jolan gently pulled her into his embrace again,
and all her protests evaporated. Jolan looked up into her tender twilight
eyes.
"Palas, do you want to be my... friend?" Palas sighed, and hugged
him tighter.
"Yes." They stood that way in silent embrace for some time, niether
willing to speak or move for fear of shattering the fragile moment, until the
timepiece chimed the eleventh hour. Reluctantly, they parted. "You realize,
of course, that this is as close as I can come right now to saying what I
mean." Jolan nodded, and smiled compassionately.
"I understand. It is a difficult thing to admit. I can wait until
you are ready." There was an uncomfortable pause as they realized that his
words might not be true. "Palas, I had my own secret fear. I was worried
that you wouldn't want to be with me because I'm... human."
"What do you mean? Why does that make a difference?"
"Palas, you are immortal, and I am not. You will live forever, and
I will die. Worse than that, I'm not even a young human. I'm old, I have
at most a few decades left to me. I don't wish to cause you any more pain."
Palas was quiet for a time.
"Jolan," She finally responded, "Let me tell you something Firemane
once told me. Missing people when they're gone is the price we pay for
having friends. It's taken me a while, but I've finally decided that it's
worth the price. It's true a few decades isn't much time to me. But it's
time enough." She looked to the timepiece again. "I suppose I should be
joining Felin." There was a loud clatter outside the door, and quick, heavy
footsteps trailing away. They both looked over to the door, and then back at
each other in silent understanding.
"I swear, I'm going to have to skin her one of these days... or maybe
just shave her, like I'm always threatening." Jolan chuckled at the vision
that conjured.
"Oh, come now, I think this is like her fidgeting, just an un-
fortunate trait she can't help."
"Maybe so, but this is one trait I think I can cure her of." Palas
yawned. "Or I would if I weren't so tired, anyway. And she'll probably keep
me up with a million questions, too."
"Well, there are several other rooms you could take." Palas gave him
a coy look, and he blushed. "That wasn't what I meant." Then he considered.
"Well.. actually, if you ever decide that you want to..."
"I'd like to, Jolan, but it wouldn't be a very good idea right now.
Trust me." Jolan shrugged, seeming only slightly disappointed. "If need be,
I'll make sure she doesn't bother me, except with her snoring."
"Cast a sleep spell on her, just so you can rest?"
"Precisely. Well, I'll see you tomorrow. Perhaps we'll have more
luck getting her to sit still. We may end up just having to tie her down."
Jolan stiffened, struck by inspiration.
"That's it! I know how we can do it! Why didn't I think of that
before?"
"What, tying her down?"
"No, not that. The sleep spell! We'll just put her to sleep."
"Jolan, that's brilliant! You're right, I'm surprised we didn't
think of that before." She yawned again. "Well, we'll try it tomorrow.
For now, I think I'll go get some sleep myself. Even if I have to strangle
Felin to get it." She opened the door to leave, eliciting a stifled
expression of surprise from the dwarf leaning against it, who immediately
took off running again. "Felin!!"
"I guess she can be quiet when she wants to be, after all." Jolan
said, smiling.
"She be cold and quiet when I get hold of her. Eternally!" Palas
warned, as she dashed off to try and catch the eavesdropping dwarf. Jolan
watched her leave, and then left for his own chambers, his heart awash with
warring dread and anticipation for what the future might hold.
The next day, they convinced Felin to allow them to put her to sleep,
though she made Jolan swear not to let Palas do anything "wierd" to her while
she was asleep. In moments, Palas was finished weaving her magic, and Felin
was snoring gently. Jolan set up the Scry he was using as a focus on a
tripod next to the bed, and began casting his magics through it. Within
the glass sphere, a swirl of mist began to form, faint at first, but then
filling the sphere with gray-blue haze. Jolan raised his hands above the
sphere, and amber light flowed from his hands like a descending fog, falling
to curl around the sphere. With a twist of his hands and a flick of his
wrist, Jolan cut the flow of magic, and the sphere seemed to soak the amber
cloud into itself, though the mist inside the sphere remained unchanged.
After a moment, Felin's body became outlined in an identical amber haze,
and strange, alien lettering began to form within the smokey azure interior
of the globe.
An hour later, Felin woke, feeling well rested and wondering aloud
why the hair on her arms was standing on end. Jolan had some good news to
impart.
"I've figured out what I did to you. It turns out I didn't truly age
you at all, I just stripped away several vital elements, which, with the
right diet, should be easily replenished. The moisture balance in your face
and the coloring of your hair will take some time to return to normal, but
I'm very relieved to say that you should be fine."
"So all I have to do is eat?" Felin asked, "Sounds like a sure cure
to me!" Jolan chuckled.
"Not quite what I meant. You just need to eat the right foods-
-citrus fruits, certain vegetables--and I'll mix something for you to take
once a day to replace the trace elements you would have trouble recovering
otherwise."
"Yeah, but I'll go back to looking like normal, right?"
"Yes."
"Great!" Felin exclaimed, "I'm getting tired of mistaking myself for
my mother when I look in the mirror."
"Oh, yes, that reminds me," Palas said, before she smacked Felin
across the back of her head.
"OW!" Felin yelled, "What the Hells was that for?"
"That was for last night. I don't appreciate you listening in on my
private conversations."
"Hey, I was just checking to make sure I didn't miss anything
important. It wouldn't be the first time someone had a dangerous secret
around here!" Felin flinched back from the look on Palas's face, but the
expected blow never came. Instead, Palas sighed, and nodded.
"You're right, I guess." Felin smiled, and Palas smacked her again,
a bit more lightly. "That doesn't mean I approve of you eavesdropping! Don't
do it again, do you hear me?"
"All right, all right, Eli's Tears, you don't have to hit me just to
make a point!" The dwarf exclaimed.
Palas's retort was cut short by a loud, resonant gong. Both she and
Felin looked to Jolan for an explanation.
"Someone's at the door." He explained, sounding puzzled, "But I
haven't invited anyone... I can't imagine who it could be." Felin jumped up
from the bed, and ran off, returning scant seconds later with her axe.
"I'm ready, let's go!" She said. Palas gave her a wry look.
"Is it dwarven custom to wield an axe when answering the door?"
"Only when greeting relatives or people who owe you money." She
quipped back. They both looked at her for a moment, shocked that she'd
finally managed to get the last word. She grinned. "Well, you never know,
it could be one of my cousins. Besides," she added more seriously, "We know
at least one deamon who can find his way here. I'd rather not take any
chances, would you?" They nodded their understanding, and on that sober
note, they transported themselves downstairs.
They took strategic positions in the foyer, Jolan and Palas standing
beside pillars that could be used as cover and readying their spells as Felin
ducked into a corner near the door. With a gesture, Jolan caused the door to
swing slowly open. Much to their surprise, a great black panther bounded in,
followed by a more familiar figure.
"Hi." Merri said, reaching down and stroking the panther, "I'm back."
She saw their faces slack-jawed with surprise. "I know we didn't part under
very good conditions, but I was hoping you might still want me along. If you
can forgive me, that is."
"Merrideth?" Jolan exclaimed, completely shocked, "Wha? Where have
you been? The last time we heard anything of you was when Shani crashed down
onto our table, nearly dead from a wound you inflicted!"
"I nearly killed the goddess?" Merri asked in response, sounding a
little surprised, and only somewhat intruiged.
"That was what Shani indicated before she collapsed, yes." Palas
said, stepping out into the open. "It's good to see you again, Merri.
Who's your friend?" Merri looked down at the panther she was stroking.
"This is my mate, Ailuros."
There was a resounding clatter as Felin dropped her axe.
"Your... mate." Jolan said, sharing a brief questioning glance with
Palas. "Okay. Well, uh, congratulations. I guess."
"And to you and Palas, as well, wizard."
"But... How did you know?" Merri realized her slip, and regretted it.
'Be careful, my love.' Ailuros sent to her, 'Knowing your new talents
could make them a bit uncomfortable, yes?'
'All too true. I'll have to learn to choose what I reveal more
carefully. I've gotten too much into the habit of saying exactly what I'm
thinking.' Meanwhile, aloud, she answered Jolan.
"Well, sometimes you can just tell."
"You sound like my old mentor, Galantamel." Palas said, and even
without her abilities, Merri could detect a note of worry in her voice.
Sighing inwardly, she resolved to find a way to aleviate the elf's fears.
"Well, anyway, I brought you a present, Jolan." Merri said, choosing
to change the subject. Nobody accused her of rudeness, however, after she
pulled out a pouch from her belt and spilled the three glittering Stones
into her hand. "I think this brings our total to.." She stopped herself.
"I mean, what does this bring our total number of Stones to?"
Jolan produced a Stone from his pouch, and Palas did the same. "It
brings our total to five, out of six. One last Stone remains to be found.
Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing where it is. The Stone of Darkness
is invisible to any form of locating magic I can think of."
"That's all right, I know where it is." Merri said, and immediately
added, "But please don't ask me how I know. I know it's asking a lot of you
to expect you to trust me that much after all that I've done, but you'll have
to if you want to find the last Stone." Palas, Felin, and Jolan looked
uneasily at each other, but there really was no other choice.
"Very well," Jolan said reluctantly, "We'll just have to trust you.
Where is it?"
"It's in the heart of the Republic, in the bedchambers of Androjo
Lance himself. I'm afraid it won't be easy to get to."
"Impossible is more like it." Felin piped up, "But then, what else
should we expect, right?"
"Well, their war efforts should have them occupied enough that we
can sneak in." Merri replied.
"Wait a minute," Felin said, "Did you say war efforts? As in, the
Republic actually waging war against someone?"
"Of course that's what I mean. The Republic's war against Cosan has
them spread thin in their defenses. If Cosan forces weren't so overwhelmed
by the Republican's constant onslaught, they could easily penetrate deep
into Republican territory. As it is, we should be able to sneak in with
little trouble. Their patrols are vigilant, but very much undermanned right
now." She saw the stunned looks on their faces. "What?"
"The Republic... WAR?" Palas exclaimed, "Oh, gods, how far have they
gotten?"
"They swept up all the way to Hurshton like a fire, capturing it in a
matter of days. They've spent the last few weeks consolidating their hold,
probably preparing for another thrust deeper into Cosan. Their next target
will likely be either Seahold or Thanghorn, so they can control the river
and transport their troops safely. Seahold is, of course, in complete chaos.
Neither side is even trying to claim it right now, and the Republic would
have a terrible time establishing order there, so they'll most likely take
Thanghorn and then push farther North, until they reach Kingseat. If they
take that, I'm afraid there'll be no stopping them."
"Sweet Shani, Firemane!" Jolan exclaimed.
"Yes, where is the lion-man? And Kiaphas and Agnon, too, I would
have expected them to be on hand to greet any uninvited guests. Wait, you
mean..?" Scanning their minds was an exercise in redundancy after seeing
the looks on their faces, but she did it anyway, to make certain that there
was no mistake. "When did they leave? What possessed them to go there?"
"We were in Kanda at the time, we had no way of knowing! They left
about six days ago, teleported directly to the temple!"
"Then there's no way they avoided detection. Any display of power,
divine, demonic, or magical, is hunted down and the source eliminated.
They're either dead or in Republican custody, which amounts to nearly the
same thing, as you no doubt know."
"We're going after them." Palas decreed, "I've broken into one
Republican stronghold, I'll do it again if I have to." Merri shook her head.
"I doubt that it would be that simple, Palas. Believe it or not, the
prison you broke into was lightly guarded, relatively speaking. Firemane and
Diana, at least, would be taken to somewhere more strongly fortified. Gods,
their sorcerers must be having a field day with them."
"Shut up!" Felin shouted, furiously, "They'll be fine, and we'll get
them out, and I don't care if I have to go through you to do it! They're my
friends, and that's a thousand times more important than your dumb old
quest!" Felin's fingers turned white, so tightly did she grip her axe.
Ailuros stepped between the two women, growling. "Yeah, and you're 'mate',
too. I don't know where you've been or what you've been doing, but the rest
of us have been through Seven Hells together, and the only reason we're still
around to tell about it is because we didn't give up on each other. If you
can't understand that, then I don't want you with us." The dwarf widened
her stance, and hefted her axe menacingly. Ailuros snarled, but a thought
from Merri calmed him.
"Now, Felin, I never said we shouldn't go after them. I was just
saying that it was going to be even harder than you thought. I mean, we'll
be traveling through a war zone, and we have no way of knowing if they're
still in Hurshton or if they've been taking elsewhere for study." Merri
sighed, "And I should have held my tounge about the sorcerers. I wasn't
thinking, and I apologize. I do understand, they're my friends too. Even
Firemane and Diana. The question is, how are we going to do it?" She
turned to Jolan. "I recall you mentioning a scrying pool? Could you use
it to try and locate our companions?"
"Now that I have five Stones as a power source, yes, it should be
easy to penetrate any barriers the Republic has put up."
"Good, I think that should be our first order of business. Once we
know where they are, we can begin to formulate our strategy. This time, we
need to know what we're getting into before we get into it. Agreed?" The
others nodded. "Great. Let's head downstairs, and you can fill me in on
what I've missed on the way." Felin chuckled.
"We can make a start at it, yeah. You've missed an awful lot."
"Yes, but not nearly as much as you think." Merri shot back. She
walked toward the stairs, leaving them to wonder exactly what she meant.
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