The Ways of Mages: Two Worlds (5 page)

“
Could be father and son
,”
she said turning her head to see.

“
No! Do
n’
t look
.”
Gawin said in a sharp but soft voice
.“
I could swear the man is the sergeant that arrested us in Riverdale last fall
.
”

“
H
e’
s not in uniform now
.”
Tommy said while sipping his beer.

“
True enough, but I doubt those are his clothes
.
”

“
Too tight. I agre
e”
the thief added.

“
And the boy seems to be picking the pockets of everybody who brushes by them
.
”

“
Interesting technique
.”
Tommy observed.

“
By letting the mark make the physical contact for him, he removes the risk of initiating the pick. I assume h
e’
s hitting them for only a coin or two a piec
e
…
”
Gawin said.

“
Probably true.  Few will miss a single coin
.
”

“
Still, a high risk approach; based on the number of marks being hit. He must be awfully sure of himself
.
”

“
The boy is very good
,”
Tommy nodded
,“
obviously a trained professional.
I’
m surprised you spotted him. Do you dabble in the art yourself
?
”

“
I used to
.”
Gawin admitted with a wink. Bendon smiled out of the young enginee
r’
s view. Kindra and Robert shared his quick amusement.

“
Trained professional? Art? What are you two babbling about
?”
Jewel asked bewildered.

“
How a thief makes an honest living
.”
Tommy said innocently.

“
Honest living
?”
Kindra questioned.

“
Wel
l
…
”
Tommy admitted hesitantly
,“
I suppose i
t’
s a matter of perspective
.
”

It was
n’
t long before a grizzled cook entered the room from the kitchens holding a sauce pan filled with grease. He made his way to the front door and exited. People started grabbing their drinks and followed him.

“
Come on
.”
Tommy urged the others
.“
Yo
u’
ll enjoy this
.
”

They joined the mass of people milling about the large cooking fire burning gently on the beach across the road from the Inn. A large caldron sat bubbling away on top of the coals.  It was being tended by two large men. One was carrying a stout rod used to lift and move the caldron.

Gawin noticed they were standing close to the boy they had spotted earlier. He caught the Tomm
y’
s eye and pointed with his chin.

Tommy smiled and mouthed the words
.“
Be ready
.
”

When the two burly cooks had backed the crowd away to a safe distance, the third began circling the fire; looking for the right place and moment to toss the grease.

It was about this time that Gawin noticed a panicked look on Jewe
l’
s face. He was about to say something when the cook threw the grease on the coals. At the same time, Rober
t’
s hand fell to his swor
d’
s hilt. Bendon placed a stilling hand on his frien
d’
s shoulder. The grease hit the coals. There was a roar of fire that rocketed skyward and enveloped the caldron. A blast of heat was sent into the crowd. Everyone took a step back and three things happened at once.

First, Tommy felt a hand expertly enter his pocket. He caught it just as expertly.

Second, the coals in the fire seemed to come alive and take form. It was as if flaming arms started reaching out of the embers.

Third, and most alarming to Gawin, Jewel screamed. The glowing embers seemed to be reaching directly for her.

Instinctively, Gawin tried to protect his wife; but his staff was back at their table. His eyes scanned the ground in vain looking for a stick, a club, a piece of drift woo
d–
anything that could be used as a weapon. There was nothing. The crowd was scattering and it was difficult to see.

A child, mesmerized by the fire, stood between Jewel and the flaming arms. Gawin reached forward to grab the girl before the flames could touch her. He did
n’
t think he could get away in time. Suddenly, both he and the little girl were shoved out of the way by the burly man who had been with the young pickpocket in the tavern. All three rolled on the ground as the other ma
n’
s flying leap carried them away from the fire.

The menacing arms of flames brushed the burly ma
n’
s back as he flew by them.  Immediately the back of his tunic burst into fire and the man screamed. He had the sense to roll on to his back and smother the flames. In the process, Gawin and the little girl, who was now crying quite loudly, were able to free themselves from the jumble of arms and legs.

Gawin could now see that Jewel stood alone before the hellish wraiths. He struggled to get to her but there was not enough time. Jewel raised her arms just before the first of the flames licked her. The young engineer felt a powerful pressure at the base of his neck. A shimmering violet and blue nimbus erupted from his wif
e’
s hands and instantly surrounded her like the protective shell of an egg. The flaming arms probed the shimmering field but they could not pass. Jewel smiled with an air of confidence Gawin had never seen.

“
Exti Mundi Ahor
!”
She commanded as she brought her raised hands together. The nimbus flew apart in every direction in a great expanding wave. It passed over people and objects with little effect; but where it touched flames, the fires were extinguished immediately. It was over as quickly as it had begun.

The boy Tommy had caught picking his pocket, broke free of the larger thie
f’
s grasp and rushed to the moaning man on the ground.

“
Sarge? Ya OK Sarge? Oh geez Sarge, ya go
t’
a be O
K”
the boy sobbed while on his knees in the sand next to the man.

Kindra knelt beside the boy and took both of his hands in hers and forced him to look directly into her reassuring eyes.

“
H
e’
s hurt very badly and it will take him a while to get better
.
”

“
Bu
t
…
”
he began with tears in his eyes.

Before he could say more Kindra continued kindly
,“
He will get bette
r–
you can be sure of that
.
”

“
Bu
t
…
”
the boy repeated in a softer voice while turning his head to look at his friend
,“
we ai
n’
t got nobody
.
”

Kindra released his hands and used hers to raise his chin
.“
You do now child. You do now
.
”

“
That was a very brave and selfless thing your father did
.”
Gawin added from above.

“
He ai
n’
t my father. H
e’
s my Sarge.  W
e’
re on
a‘
portant mission. We gota warn the new king h
e’
s rid
e’
n in ta a tra
p
”

“
Be careful! Do
n’
t hurt him
.”
Jewel and Kindra admonished the men in unison.

“
We wo
n’
t, but the oaf weighs a ton
.
”

“
He is rather portly for a soldier
.”
Kindra admitted.

“
More like fat
!”
Tommy gritted through his teeth while helping to carry the man up the back stairs at Kabe
r’
s Inn.

“
Taint fat
!”
Tep said forcefully
.“
Tis characte
r…
lesson tha
t’
s what he were always tel
l’
n me
!
”

“
Well, if our friend had any mor
e‘
Characte
r’
we would need a mule to drag him up these steps
.”
Gawin added while holding the ma
n’
s legs.

“
Oh for heave
n’
s sake
,”
Kindra said as she started to raise a hand to cast magic.

Jewel gently caught her hand before she could begin
.“
Mother may I
?
”

“
Of course dear
.”
Kindra said with a smile.

“
May I what
?”
Gawin said with a look of suspicious concern on his face.

Jewel answered him with a smile. She raised her right hand, frowned slightly and snapped her fingers. At the sound, Gawin felt the familiar pressure at the base of his neck and immediately the portly sergeant became feather-light.

“
Whoa, tha
t’
s more like it
!”
Tommy said with a start
.“
Why did
n’
t you do that to begin with
?
”

“
What and deny our men a chance to feel useful
?”
Jewel and Kindra echoed in unison.

Tommy looked at Gawin
,“
You sure the
y’
re mother and daughter? They act more like twins
.
”

“
Well,
I’
m told twins run in the famil
y
…
”
the lanky engineer answered as they rounded the corner of the top landing and proceeded with their much lighter burden towards a door Robert held open for them
.“
But
I’
m fairly sure my Jewel is a one-of-a-kin
d
”

“
Smart answer, Pencil Boy
.”
Jewel said with a wink.

“
You two really ought to get a room
.”
Tommy said with a groan.

“
Do
n’
t worry, dearest
,”
Kindra answered
.“
They have one and so have we
.
”

“
Yes dear
.”
Bendon smiled at the thie
f’
s response. The old man followed behind Jewel and Kindra. In his hands was Gawi
n’
s staff that the younger man had forgotten in the dining room.

Robert shut the door as they deposited the large man, face down, on one of the two beds in the room.

“
Le
t’
s see if we ca
n’
t do something about those burns
.”
Kindra said while using a pair of lad
y’
s scissors to cut away Sergeant Tolivie
r’
s shirt.

The exposed flesh of the ma
n’
s back was violently blistered and charred. In several places the skin hung in free-flapping strips. Tep took one look at his older frien
d’
s back and began to cry. Kindra looked sternly at Tommy, caught his attention and then shifted her eyes quickly to the boy. He apparently understood as he put his arm around the bo
y’
s shoulder and began speaking with him softly.

Kindra returned her attention to the man on the bed. It was bad. There was no question the burn was life threatening and despite her promise to the boy earlier, she was not sure she could heal a wound this great... not as the mere human she was now. If she had even a trace of her dragon heritage the story would be very different. It would take years of patent work to train this body to hold and use enough magic to heal a wound like this.  She thought for a moment and made a decision. The mother dragon turned to face Robert
.“
Old man, I know you foreswore the healing arts and while I sympathize with your reasons, this man needs your help
.
”

“
I
…
”
Robert started to say with a shudder
.“
I ca
n’t
”

“
You can and you will
.”
Kindra continued
.“
This is about more than you or even this man here.  This is about the fate of a kingdom and the thousands of lives there in. I think this man figures in the prophesy
.
”

“
I have
n’
t used the power in centuries. I do
n’
t know that I have access to it anymore
.”
Robert sobbed.

“
You must try
.”
She demanded.

“
So many people died last tim
e…
you cannot ask me to go back to what I was
.”
Rober
t’
s voice was hoarse with remembered pain.

“
What you were -- was a good and decent man who became processed by an evil not of your own doin
g…
you cannot blame yourself for what happened. A thousand years ago you were the finest healer in the lan
d…
you taught the art to Zebendon himsel
f…
you cannot walk away from your gift
s…
Not when a ma
n’
s life depends on it
.
”

The older man seemed to age as the others watched. His shoulders slumped in defeat. He looked at the others and saw the confusion in some of the younger eyes. As if to answer their questions he said meekl
y“
I am quite a bit older than I loo
k…
and yes at one time I was a heale
r…
but that was a lifetime ago. I have the knowledge but
I’
m no longer sure I have the power
.
”

Gawin and Jewel watched in awe as this strange conversation unfolded
.“
I have the power
.”
Jewel offered
.“
I can feel it come awake within me
.
”

“
Tha
t’
s your body learning to defend the new life within it. It is quite natural for members of our race to come into their magical gifts at this tim
e”
Kindra offered.

“
Then let me use this new gift to help
.”
Jewel pleaded with Robert
.“
Show me what to do
!
”

“
I
…
”
the old man faltered. He looked at Te
p’
s tearful eyes
.“
I can
.”
he said finally.

“
I
t’
s too great a wound to heal at once
.”
Kindra observed.

“
I agre
e”
Robert said
.“
Such a healing would steal too much of his strengt
h–
he would never survive. We must clean the burn site and then promote just enough skin re-growth to protect against infection
.
”

A thoughtful look crossed Bendo
n’
s face. Something stirred in his memory of a magic that could heal without burning out the one being healed.  His brow furrowed as he tried to remember mor
e
…

Jewel approached Robert and her mother
.“
How do I help
?”
Jewel asked.

“
Put your hand on my shoulder. Be sure to touch the skin of my neck. Try to follow my mind as I transfer my essence to our friend here. I will draw upon your strength as I need it
.
”

Jewel did as she was instructed. The old man let her hand touch his neck and he closed his eyes. Jewel did the same. He paused. For a moment Kindra and Gawin thought he would proceed no further.
 “
Understand young on
e…
what I do now requires a lot of trus
t…
I am vulnerable to your magics when we do this.  Many years ago that trust was violated and a number of very good peopl
e–
friend
s–
died
.”
Robert admitted.

“
I am honored that you are letting me help you. I will not betray you
.”
Jewel said softly.

Robert took a deep breath
.“
I know
.”
Slowly, reluctantly, he raised his hand and began to trace the outline of Sergeant Tolivie
r’
s back with an open palm hovering just inches from the seared flesh. Never did he open his eyes and yet his hand seemed to know exactly where it was
.“
Here we go
.”
he whispered.

Gawin felt the familiar pressure of magic build at the base of his neck. A slight blue glow emanated from the hand Robert moved over the sergean
t’
s back. As he moved the flesh turned from an angry red and charred black to a mottled pink. A new layer of skin seemed to form over the entire expanse. As the hand moved to cover the entire damaged area, the portly soldier began to moan in great pain.

“
E’
s hurtin him
!”
Tep cried.

“
Easy child
.”
Kindra said gently
.“
Ther
e’
s nothing to be done for it. As the healer regenerates the skin, nerve cells that had been quiet are being restored as well
.
”

“
But h
e’
s hurtin him
.”
Tep repeated with a sob.

“
I will block his pain in a moment
.”
Robert assured the boy
.“
But for the moment that pain is his friend. It lets him know that h
e’
s alive and it lets me know that we have been successful
.
”

“
Pain is his friend
?”
Tep asked dubiously.

“
Sometimes it is
.”
Tommy confirmed while giving the bo
y’
s shoulder a reassuring squeeze
.“
Sometimes it is
.
”

Robert, whose eyes were now open, reached a hand to Sergeant Tolivie
r’
s neck. The hand glowed brightly for a moment and the sergeant ceased moaning.

“
Done
.”
the older engineer, turned healer, said. Gawin looked at his friend. Robert caught his glance and saw the questions in his face. He shrugged
.“
Ther
e’
s a lot you do
n’
t know about me, my friend. Not all of it is good
.
”

“
Oh piddle
.”
Kindra swore uncharacteristically
.“
Yo
u’
re as good a man as they come. What happened all those years ago was never your fault
.
”