The Ways of Mages: Starfire (13 page)

“
That is something we know
.”
Bendon said
.“
I just made it back to my own timeline
.”
He continued softly. Kairevasigh looked relieved that they believed her.

“
I remember hearing of a Kaizir
.”
Kindra said thoughtfully
.“
He was the Arathin king. He married a distant relative of mine, the dragon Lavala for love. It also strengthened the bond between Pershara and Arathin.  I heard also that his use of magic could never be detected.  He was also a shapeshifter and an incredible healer. His magic did not take energy from the healer or the person being healed. He was also said to have a magic that we dragons do not
.
”

“
And what was that
?”
Tommy asked curiously.

“
Mind magics.
Telecy
.”
Kairevasigh answered. She looked at Kindra, but did not meet her eyes
.“
The magic of illusion, of connecting minds, of teleportation and telekinesis
.”
Kairevasigh looked down at her hands
.“
The magic that hides all others
.”
Kairevasigh kept her head bowed, but dropped her hands
.“
My people use it all the time, but we never talk about it. To do so reveals a potential weakness one can exploit.
I’
ve never seen people openly use it before I met Kaizir. He taught me how to hide my use of magic
.”
A thought came to her
.“
He also made the pillars that brought me to him
.
”

“
He made them
?
”

“
Yes. He said that he would have three sets made. The first he kept in Arathin at his palace that later became the Ulai
sé
kan. The other two he said he would send to Pershara, the cities of Vandenberg and Thioden
.
”

There was a brief silence as people absorbed her story.

“
So Kaizir wrote the Prophecy of Jaitu Du Munde, the Way of the World
.”
Kindra pondered.

“
What be you talki
n’
about? What prophecy
?”
Toliver asked confused.

“
The Way of the World goes like this: When the blood of Kings, Mages, and Dragons mix in love and lust will the beginning meet the end. The Alpha and Omega will meet face to face and the stronger will prevail
.”
Kindra recited
.“
What is it dear
?”
the mother dragon asked Kairevasigh.

Kairevasigh was staring at her in shock
.“
Bu
t…
but where is the rest of it
?
”

“
That is all there is caved into the stone pillars of Thiodan
.”
Bendon answered.

“
But that is not all of it. Kaizir told it to me before I touched the pillars again and ended up in this time. He sai
d‘
the way of the world is tied to the Three. It is done in threes. When the blood of Kings, Dragons, and mages mix first in love then later forced in lust will the beginning meet the end. What once was broken will be re-forged. The two that were shattered will meet their Breaker and upon that Swor
d’
s edge will faith be tested. The Alpha and the Omega will met face to face and the stronger will prevail. But their strength depends upon the Three of Three: The Fulcrum, the Sta
r’
s Sword, and the Catalys
t
…
”
Kairevasigh finished reciting but stopped from saying anything more for a strange expression overtook Bendon. She wondered if something she had said had stirred loose a memory. But then he said a name that made no sense to her.

“
Perel
a
…
”
Bendon whispered, stiffening. His eyes were wide and his skin pale.

“
What is it, old man
?”
Kindra asked.

Bendon gave himself a mental shake
.“
Sorry, I just received a message from my daughter..
.”
He began to tremble, meeting Kindr
a’
s eyes
.“
The army is going to be facing the Fires of the Damned in three day
s’
time. They need our help
.
”

“
But the city is at least a week away
.”
Toliver pointed out.

“
I suggest we find a way and get moving
.”
Tommy said picking up his stuff
.“
And as we move, we can discuss the discrepancy in the prophecies and figure out what or who the Three of Three are
.
” 

They never did get a chance to talk for the wind picked up and a storm from the north dumped  ill-timed snow and freezing rain. They had to seek shelter in an empty cave. Bendon repeatedly tried to continue on, but Kindra and Robert convinced him that he would be of no use to Perela dead of cold or too tired to work magic. Bendon stayed. But his expression of worry saddened the rest of the group. But there was nothing any of them could do till the storm cleared.

Off in the distance lightning struck with a wicked flash...

Sometime later, roughly early morning, the faint moonlight found its way past the freak stor
m’
s clouds and found Tommy and Robert at the mouth of the cave. The two men hugged their cloaks to them to keep the cold at bay. Robert, in his heavy cloak and out of fashion riding cap, seemed not as bothered by the cold as Tommy. The younger man breathed warm air on his numb hands in the hopes of keeping them for the rest of his life. Robert chuckled at the thief
.“
Cold
?”
he asked.

“
Heh heh. You could say that
.”
Tommy said wryly, He glanced at Robert sidelong, shiverin
g“
I must ask though, are you somehow related to a snow bear
?
”

Rober
t’
s eyebrows rose. A smile lit his eyes
.“
Mayhaps
.
”

Tommy rolled his eyes
.“
Mayhaps, says he, mayhaps
.”
He said in a rueful voice. Tommy returned his gaze to outside the cave. He looked out into the snowy wonderland and blinked several times. In a soft voice he whispered for Robert to tell him if he saw it too. Tommy knew the other man had when he heard the very audible gulp.

“
Tha
t…
ca
n’
t be good
.”
Robert muttered softly
.“
We should wake the others
.
”

“
Agreed
.”
Tommy said without looking away.  Neither man moved, however, too concerned that if they took their eyes away the beast would attack
.“
Unless I miss my guess, that is the strangest Tree Gir I have ever seen
.
”

Intelligent golden eyes blinked at them from the fuzzy white muzzle. Neither man had ever heard of a white Tree Gir before. As if it had heard Tomm
y’
s observation, it winked. The Tree Gir
winked
. Tommy felt his mouth go dry.

“
We really need to wake the others
.”
Robert repeated like a broken record. The Tree Gir gave them a toothy grin and barked the broom hitting a carpet bark Tree Girs were renowned to have. The others awoke with a start.

“
What the hell?
!”
Toliver swore seeing the creature outside
.“
Why for did
n’
t ya wake us up
?
”

“
We were preoccupied. But you are awake now, right
?”
Tommy asked. The sergeant grunted and pulled his sword free.  Bendon eyed the Tree Gir, wriggling his fingers. Pressure began to build. Kindra led the others to take sticks from the fire.

Kairevasigh leaned closer to Tep and aske
d“
What is that thing
?
”

“
Tree Gir
.”
The lad replied, his eyes wide.

“
Do they eat horses
?”
She asked thinking of her missing horse. Except for the fact that the beast was white, it resembled closely the creatures that had hunted her before and had chased her up a tree.

“
Anything they can catch
.”
Tep answered her question. Kairevasigh gulped.  

The white Tree Gir remained sitting where it had since Tommy had first seen it. It was larger than any Tree Gir Tommy had seen before. The last pack he saw just outside of Thioden had members who were seven feet long. This beastie had to be, at the very least, nine feet high, which could only mean it was longer and taller when it was standing.  Arrr UP!!! It barked again. It was as if it was trying to get their attention.

“
I wonder what it wants
.”
Kindra mused.

“
To eat us, tha
t’
s what
.”
Toliver answered.

Kindra eyed him for a moment
.“
If that were the case, why has
n’
t it already done so
?”
Toliver blinked owlishly at her. The rest of the party was just as taken aback.

“
She has a good point
.”
Robert murmured.

“
She
is
my lovely Kindra
.”
Tommy said with a wink in the mother drago
n’
s direction.

“
So kind of you to say so, dear
.”
The dragon answered with a smile
.“
You were always such a sweet boy
.
”   

Bendon walked so he stood between Robert and Tommy
.“
What do you want
?”
He asked the watching Tree Gir.

The Tree Gir met his gaze with mischievously twinkling golden eyes
.“
The question is not what
I
want, but instead, what
you
wan
t‘
He who is los
t’.
” 

The group stared in shock. Robert shook out of his surprise first
.“
How can you speak, and how do you know who Bendon is
?”
Robert asked.

“
We had this conversation once before, Robert Kimbridge
.”
At everyon
e’
s questioning looks, Robert shook his head in confusion. The Tree Gir sighed gustily
.“
I guess it cannot be helped, after all, we were both different then. Forgive me. You questions, though well asked, are not what we were discussing
.”
The Tree Gir turned back to Bendon
.“
You, my dear wizard,  have a dilemma. Your daughter is in danger, any who have pups could tell
.”
The Tree Gir smiled when it sai
d‘
pup
s’
as if at some inside joke. For a canine face it had very human like expressions.

“
What is it to you if that is the case
?”
Bendon demanded.

The humor died from the Tree Gi
r’
s face. Bendon saw genuine pity in its eyes as it continued
.“
If it is, you must hurry. I came expressly to get you to continue your journey. I also came to warn you. A long walk is before you, and you will be tempted to stop at the village a mile to the south east to get horses. Do not go. You will never reach your daughter in time that way
.
”

“
Then what would you suggest
?”
Bendon inquired with a raised eyebrow.

“
You already have the fastest option available to you. Fair journey
.”
The Tree Gir said standing and walking back into the woods suddenly.