by L. Itram and Ben Yackley Main * Story * Setting * Cast * Illustrations * About * Comment

Chapter 16: The Road to Destiny (Posted on 4/25/03 )

"Everything's going according to plan."

"Excellent. Where are they?"

"I took them when she was unconscious. Those mages actually thought the girl was someone else when they couldn't find the artifacts among her luggage ... I'm still chuckling to myself over that."

"The Shard is in your possession at this very moment?"

"Yes."

"As is the grindstone?"

"Of course."

"And her other maginaria?"

"...Irreparably tainted. You'll never get Nhaal back, I'm afraid. I let her keep it since it's utterly useless in its current state."

"A pity, that ... I suspect she will claim it as part of her recompense and then sell it to some fool collector... But, a small price to pay in exchange for a Shard and that grindstone. One step remains, then you shall receive your own payment."

"Yes?"

"The boy used a flying craft to reach Kyria; I shall guide you to where he left it. Use it to bring the Shard and grindstone to me and I will pay you in person."

"Understood ... I'm on my way."

Half a week later, five mages and one swordsman trudged - and in one instance slid - along a broad but ill-maintained road around the Bay of Levend. It was early spring and therefore bitterly cold, but the pine trees, their needles rimmed in sparkling frost, glittered in the afternoon sunlight. Towering on their right were the ice-covered mountains that formed a near-impenetrable barrier across the center of the continent, while to their left stretched the waters of the bay, the only other motion in the frozen landscape.

"I didnae remember it bein' this beautiful," said Viola softly. "So bright ... and quiet."

"Probably going to snow tonight..." Zeph pointed his sword at the dark clouds gathering on the eastern horizon behind them. "We'd better find an inn!"

"Neat! I've never been in a real snowstorm," said Kai.

"Yeah, just what we need," grumbled Kinto.

"Ye people have no poetry in yer souls," grumbled Viola, glaring at the others. "I dunna know why I even bothered ta mention it."

"I'd be more poetic if I wasn't so cold," retorted Kinto.

"And if we weren't going straight into the mouth of Death!" responded Zeph cheerfully.

"Right, don't remind me."

The rapidly-fading evening sunlight glistened off the slick, icy portions of the highway and bathed the entire area in orange; night-time was approaching quickly, and the travelers increased their pace down the road, trying to make it to the next town by nightfall.

"They can try to forget it," said Zeph to Clorin when they were a ways farther down the road. "But I can't! This is what my whole life has been leading up to!"

"And now it's finally come," she agreed.

He nodded, then lowered his voice to a whisper, "But ... why am I so scared?"

"Because the entire world is in danger. That's what you told me." The sorceress gave him a smile. "But take heart, Zeph. You've prepared as well as you could and you're certainly more ready than the first Sir Goldenedge."

"Yeah, I guess...." Zeph straightened at the thought. "I've trained for years! I have the Shard of Heaven, the Lord of Shadows' sole weakness --"

"The wha?" asked Kinto, who had only caught the final words. Viola, walking beside him, just shrugged.

"-- and a full quartet of wizards!" continued Zeph.

"Mages!" corrected Viola. "We're nae wizards!"

Zeph looked over his shoulder at her, "Mages, wizards, what's the difference?"

"Well if ye dunna know even that --" sniffed Viola, who didn't either.

Zeph shrugged. "Mages, then. And I have you, Clorin. Together you and I will defeat the forces of evil and fulfill our destinies!"

"...together..." echoed Clorin to herself. She stared blankly at the beautiful landscape, lost in thought.

"We should've used the boat," grumbled Luen under his breath an hour later. "And coming from me that's a serious complaint." He and Kai were trailing at the rear of the procession. Zeph and Auli (Luen refused to think of her as Clorin) were far in the lead and Viola and Kinto, who had apparently also gotten tired of the histrionics, were whispering together halfway in between.

"Do you really want Zeph knowing about our steamship?" responded Kai in an equally low voice, not taking his eyes of Viola.

"I know, I know..."

"At least we're not in a hurry. I'm sure Destiny will wait patiently until he arrives."

Luen snorted. "I thought you were supposed to be the nice one."

"An' there he goes again," mumbled Kinto as the two slowed by unspoken agreement until the swordsman and his companion were several yards ahead.

"I'll be happy ta be done wi' both o' them," responded Viola.

"Never thought y'were Auli's best friend, but I think he's th'more annoyn' 'f th'two."

"She smells, Kinto. She smells rotten ta me."

"Uh ... okay," tf that was a Levendish expression, it wasn't one Kinto had ever heard. "Y've got a better nose than me, that's fer sure."

"Aye, that I do."

He glanced over his shoulder. Luen and Kai were lagging behind, talking together in low voices. "Viola ... c'n I ask you about somethin'?"

Viola looked at him in surprise. "Aye, is there a problem?"

"I went to th'Courier's Guild this mornin' ... y'know, to tell Mister Silverfox he could come an' pick up his boat."

"I know ye did, so what's --"

"I'm gettin' to that. There was a package from Featherglass."

"With our money fer tha month, ye told us." If there was a problem, thought Viola, Kinto was oddly reluctant to discuss it.

"Yeah. Only ... it was addressed s'pcifically t'Luen."

"The Dean had ta send it ta someone, Kinto. I dunna care much fer the man meself so ye shouldna take it personally."

"No, no, y'don't get it." He looked over his shoulder again. Kai waved.

"Dunna get what?" asked Viola patiently as Kinto waved back.

"There was a letter with th'package."

"From yer aunt?"

"No, no a letter for Luen!"

"From Featherglass?"

"Yeah. In th'package."

"So? It probably says not ta spend so much money."

"No, it doesn't."

"Kinto, ye canna go around readin' other people's mail. Even if 'twas only from the Dean."

"But Viola, the letter said --"

"Look out!!"

Everyone spun around, looking in all directions. Kinto readied his staff. Luen and Kai raced up from behind.

Suddenly, nothing happened. It lasted for about a minute.

"Look out for what?" asked Kai finally.

"I thought I saw something!" responded Zeph, holding his sword as if ready to single-handedly face down the armies of evil.

"What was it this time?" asked Kinto. "A rabbit?"

"I don't see anything," responded Luen. "Let's get going."

"You should be glad one of us is keeping an eye out for danger!" grumbled Zeph as they resumed their journey.

"Hallucinatin' danger, more like," muttered Kinto to Viola once the swordsman was out of hearing again.

"Ye had ta put up wit' this all across Tximist?" she asked.

"Yep."

"I'm so sorry."

"Sir?" A young man in a suit which announced "junior secretary" as obviously as if it had been embroidered across the front poked his head into the workshop, then belatedly knocked against the open door. The place was a large L-shaped room with the door at the edge of one leg, and was now a veritable maze of tables and shelves covered in notes, tools and an assortment of the weapons and artifacts which made up his employer's profession. Set against the side wall which formed the other leg of the L was an enormous machine full of cranks, chains and gears. The assistant didn't know what it was for but he remembered ordering the parts from Grandegear though his employer's network of contacts. The only recognizable piece was the large shuttle, mounted so it could travel back and forth freely across the width of the thing. His employer was nowhere in sight but a soft mechanical humming and scratching around the corner suggested that the place was not as empty as it looked. He knocked a bit louder.

"Mister Davro?"

The humming faltered but didn't stop. "Yes?" said a slightly annoyed voice.

"I'm heading home now, sir."

"Very well. You took care of the doctor?"

"Yes, sir."

"And the letters?"

"On your desk, sir. I'll pick them up in the afternoon. About the Kyrian blow-pipes...?"

"She shall have them next week as promised. But only the three, note."

"Yes, sir."

There was a pause. The assistant hesitated in the doorway. "I take it your project is going well, sir?" he finally ventured.

"My what? Yes, quite well. After so many setbacks and false leads it is gratifying to finally see the pieces fall into place."

"It always is, sir."

"A Shard of Heaven, pure celestium and hard enough to scratch diamond. And the only grindstone capable of shaping that shard into a blade. A perfect blade."

"One should always strive for perfection, sir."

"Yes, I suppose so." Davro sounded slightly surprised. "You certainly seem to."

"Thank you, sir. I try."

"Go on home, lad. I shall see you in the morning."

"Afternoon, sir. Tomorrow's Wednesday."

"Afternoon, then."

"Shall I lock up before I go?"

"Please do. I suspect I will be here quite late."

The storm Zeph predicted hit an hour after sunset with enough blustery winds and blinding flurries to satisfy even his taste for drama. Its efforts went unnoticed, however, by the two dozen or so people enjoying dinner in the enormous common room of the roadside inn. Safe behind sturdy wooden walls and warmed by a pair of enormous fires, most of them were content to wait for better weather.

The other two sat on opposite sides of a small table, a map laid out between them. Kai and Clorin were also at that table, ready to defuse any arguments.

"I still don't see why you want to take the highway when we could easily rent a boat."

"Because," Zeph thumped a fist on the table for emphasis and nearly spilled his cider, "I was told to!"

"By your mysterious mentor?" responded Luen with thinly veiled sarcasm.

"No, by Sir Thomas himself! He said, 'Stealth is of the utmost, therefore ye must approach the island on foot. The waterways will be barred by those of inhospitable intent.'"

"He certainly seems to have a good memory," commented Kai to Clorin in a low voice.

"He can quote entire books," she agreed.

Luen sighed, realizing the futility of arguing with a ghost, especially one who wasn't there to argue back. "Fine -- no, look here," he began, changing his mind quickly when he decided that there was no way he was going to let a ghost, especially one who wasn't here, push him around.

"Do you really believe this evil lord can keep an eye on every single port on the northern coast?" whispered Kai.

"I believe we're running low on money," Clorin whispered back.

"No, you look here!" Zeph started to stand up but the sorceress laid a hand over his arm.

"He won't understand," she said quietly. "It's not his Destiny."

Kai whispered something in Luen's ear and the Vadhan sat down again. "Okay, fine, we go on foot. But we'll need provisions."

"Provisions are easy!"

*

Viola and Kinto sat by the hearth at the other end of the room, a square wooden board laid on the floor between them. It was fairly unimpressive as far as draughts boards went - a 7 by 7 square grid was carved into one side with alternating squares painted green and red. Presumably the innkeeper knew better than to waste an expensive board on his usually drunken customers. Twenty-eight small cones whittled out of two colors of wood were scattered across and around the board while a pile of little wooden rings sat on the floor between the two players.

"So I can take that piece?" asked Kinto.

"Aye, ye must."

A dark cone joined the pile on the floor.

"Now ye see these two pawns here? I can do this, and this." Two light pieces bounced off the pile.

"Wait, wait, you took two turns!"

"No, no, 'tis a multiple capture. Ye note I didna change pawns."

"Okaaay."

"Kinto, I'm nae makin' up tha rules."

"All I said was 'okay'. Sheesh."

"Ask anyone!"

"Your grandmother sounds like a fascinating person," said the sorceress with a laugh.

"Yeah, she's quite a lady," agreed Kai. "But she was pretty mad at me at the time."

"So, Auli," asked Luen, trying to sound nonchalant, "What are you and Zeph going to do after this is all over?"

"I don't know," she said softly. "I'd like to ... to relearn my magic somehow."

"We can go to Featherglass!" suggested Zeph enthusiastically. "You can study with our friends and I will come visit you!"

Kai glanced in Luen's direction, but the latter didn't rise to the bait. "We'll probably be long gone by the time you get in, but that's certainly an option. Kai probably knows more about your field, though."

"Wha?"

"Tell Clorin about your plant studies, Kai," said Luen, his eyes not leaving Auli's face. His voice was friendly enough, but there was a certain tense edge to it that worried Kai, who was happy to turn the conversation away from whatever disaster he sensed coming. Auli, in turn, was eager to hear about Featherglass and the tense mood soon subsided.

Viola took the ring off the last cone. "So ye get it now?"

"Yeah, let's try another game." Kinto gathered up the pieces and started setting up the board again.

"They seem ta be havin' fun," commented Viola, craning her neck to see across the room.

"Yeah, Zeph's a load o' laughs," responded Kinto. "Er, didja wanna head over there?" he belatedly added.

"Nae, 'tis warmer here. I know it sounds funny, but I'm startin' ta miss Levend. Sittin' by tha fire, drinkin' cider and playin' games while tha snow falls outside. I always used ta think me childhood was somethin' ta get away from." She shook her head, realizing that Kinto was giving her an odd look. "Anyway, yer tha only one I could stand ta play draughts against. I'd likely kill Luen if he beat me."

"What about Kai?"

"Kai? Kai's ... Kai. He dunna seem tha partyin' type. Are ye gonna move or not? White goes first."

Kinto moved a piece. "I think there's more t'Kai than meets th'eye."

"Probably. But 'tis most likely buried in plants."

*

"So Thula would be the one to talk to if you're going in to necromancy. It's a growing field and they do great medical work, but it gives me the creeps."

The sorceress twisted her napkin around her large fingers. "I'm not really sure what I'd want to do. I think ... healing of some sort?"

Luen tossed her a green crystal with a friendly smile. She smiled back and put down the napkin to fidget with the stone.

"I guess it's different if you come in already Instilled. But we've got a pretty good advisor."

Luen appeared to zone out the conversation as he went back to sorting through the chroma. But he was the only one who wasn't surprised when Auli absently slipped the green crystal into her mouth a few minutes later.

"She's Instilled, what do you expect?" he said. The sorceress flashed him a relieved smile.

"But Viola doesn't --"

"Not at the dinner table, no." And that appeared to settle the issue.

She answers the same to both names, he mused as the conversation turned back toward plants. Barely recognizes us and certainly hasn't been hostile. I don't think she likes Viola much, but it's still not what you'd expect from someone who's going on a trip with her former enemies. Is that what Instilling really does? I suppose she's no more Auli than Viola is Jane, and with even fewer memories. There's a certain poetic justice there, for a thief and murderer to have her own identity stolen from her. Still, Auli may be gone but Clorin, I'm sure, is in there somewhere. She might remember me if Zeph would only keep his trap shut about her "sorcerous past".

They were silent for a couple of moves as Kinto tried to figure out a strategy and finally settled for "attack everything at random."

"Viola?"

"I have nothin' against Kai. He's very nice, but that's tha best an' worst ye can say about him."

"I wasn't gonna ask you 'bout Kai."

"Oh. What, then?"

"Remember that letter I told you about?"

"Aye, tha one ye werena supposed ta read?"

"Yeah ... but I think y'should know what it said."

"What did it say?" asked Viola with exaggerated patience.

"It said 'Here's your money, don't spend it all blah blah blah'. And then ... " Kinto paused to think. "Y've done well so far --"

"Aye, that's nice ta hear."

"'-- Continue t'watch those two, they can't be 'lowed t'cause trouble.'"

"What?"

Kinto nodded. "There was more. Somethin' about ... right. Not t'forget th'shard because it's more than just a symbol of th'quest. Or somethin' like that."

"'Watch those two' ... Luen's been spyin' on us?" said Viola in disbelief.

"Not so loud, Viola!" Kinto looked over his shoulder but the group at the table hadn't heard them above the noise of the other customers.

"Ye dunna think --" Viola lowered her voice, leaning toward him "-- he could be workin' fer ..."

Kinto nodded. "It makes sense. Who else would wanna spy on us?"

Viola frowned. "But he's following Auli fer Clorin. Or so he says. Come t'think o' it, he seemed awfully sure t'was her."

"So did you," Kinto reminded her.

"Aye, but I'm not a spy!"

"Shh!"

"Still, Clorin might be just his excuse fer keepin' us with Zeph an' Auli...."

"So he can keep us 'out o' trouble' when it's time f'r them t'do their thing," he agreed.

She nodded.

"It'd explain why he was so upset when y'left," added Kinto.

"Was he really?"

"Yep."

"But he didna mind when ye went back ta Tximist."

"'Cuz I said I'd meet you. He knew I'd be back b'fore Auli showed."

"'Tis a lot to assume from one letter, Kinto. An' what about Kai?"

"What about him?"

"If one o' us was tha spy, wouldn' ye expect it ta be him? He wasna sent on this quest, he has nothin' ta lose if we dunna bring home a Shard."

Kinto thought about this. "So mebbe he's helpin'?" he asked doubtfully.

"Kinto, 'tis Kai we're talkin' about. I'd wager he couldna cheat at cards without his face givin' him away."

"Y'ever play cards with him?"

"No, nor have ye."

"I still say yer not givin' him enough credit. But, yeah, he don't seem th'type."

"Unlike Luen."

"Yeah. But mebbe he's just a real good actor?"

They glanced toward the table again.

"Perhaps..." said Viola doubtfully. "'Twould certainly explain why he's still with us instead o' workin' on his own quest."

"And one more thing --"

"Ye've obviously put a lot o' thought inta this."

"I'm worried about our safety, okay? Auli killed a guy and Davro rewarded her f'r it."

"By payin' fer her Instillin', ye mean? Fine, what's yer one more thing?"

"Remember that maginaria on th'mountain?"

"Aye."

"Remember it said one of us wasn't after th'Shard."

"Aye. Luen." She shook her head. "Kinto, that makes no sense. Davro wants tha Shard as much as any o' us - why else would Auli have stolen it from us?"

"How'd she do that anyway?"

"Ye canna blame Luen fer that one. I was carryin' tha Shard -- an' he was in yer sight tha whole time."

Kinto shrugged. "So mebbe he didn't help her there. But that was a logic maginaria, Viola. Davro wants th'Shard but Luen wants t'keep an eye on us. He must be gettin' somethin' really good if he's willin' t'give up graduatin' from Featherglass."

"Aye. Wonder what 'tis."

"Anyway, we gotta be careful an' keep an eye on all for 'f them. 'Cuz whatever they've got planned, you bet it ain't gonna help us."

"Aye, that's fer certain. But, Kinto?"

"Yeah?"

"How do ye know I'm not part o' tha plot instead o' Kai?"

"C'mon, Viola. I've known ya longer than any o' them!"

"An' so ye know that I wouldna stoop ta such?"

"No, I know that y'wouldn' be givin' up that magehood for anythin'. So are you gonna go or not?"

"Go?" Viola looked down at the board in surprise. "Aye, right."

Meanwhile, on Redstone Island....

"Are we indeed gathered?" asked the first, obviously the leader.

"Aye," responded the other two.

"Excellent. The night be long and our work be longer. We must begin immediately."

"....make them pay..." The second voice was horse and whispery.

"Arr, aye." The third speaker had a deep grumbling bass which carried across the room despite his attempts to keep it quiet.

"And the plans?" asked the leader, ignoring the commentary. "Be they procured?"

"...yes..."

"Smash them!" suggested the grumble.

"In due time. Our compatriots? Be they prepared?"

"Aye," A grumble.

"... but they don't ... know .... why..." A hiss.

"Excellent. Those who know not can tell not."

"...dead men tell no tales...?"

"Neither do men who dunna know the plans."

"Nobody said nothin' 'bout killin'."

"No killing, gentlemen."

"Wha'd you call me?" responded the grumble petulantly.

"...the enemy..." hissed his friend.

"No killing, brothers. We destroy their work but not themselves."

"Arr, 's better."

"You know our roles?"

"....you ta the foreman ... meself ta the builders ..."

"An' I get tha bridge! Arr!"

"Yes. Now go."