Rides a Dread Legion Free with Bonus Material Page 27

  Brandos said, around a mouthful of bread and cheese, I assume that either youve decided to trust us, or youre going to kill us. He pointed to his bowl of stew. This is very good, by the way.

  Miranda smiled. There was something very fundamental and unself-conscious about this veteran fighting man that appealed to her. If we wished you dead, Brandos, she said, you wouldnt be eating up the cooks good stew.

  Thats a relief, he said. Though, as last meals go, this wouldnt be bad.

  Magnus and Caleb both laughed, and Amirantha said, Well, then, if were not to be killed, are we to be trusted?

  Pug regarded the Warlock and said, Im not sure trusted is the word Id employ; rather, consider yourself accepted for the time being. Demons are an issue for us, at the moment, and it appears we have little knowledge of them here and at Stardock.

  Magnus said, The monks at That Which Was Sarth werent especially helpful either; most of their records are pretty straightforward, on this date a demon appeared, Brother Iganthal or Father Boreus banished it, or was eaten by it and someone else did the banishing. But as to the nature and ways of demons, they were surprisingly vague.

  Not really, said Amirantha. He looked at Pug as he spoke, as if addressing him specifically. Its difficult to negotiate with demons, and the power they bring is intoxicating, addictive even. But theres a price, and if I have managed to endure these encounters, its because I was never willing to pay the price.

  Your life? asked Caleb.

  The Warlock shook his head. My soul, for lack of a better term. I may not be a particularly good man, but Im willing to stand before Lims-Kragma when my time comes, for an accounting of all Ive done, good or ill. Ill take whatever passes for justice among the gods, but what I wont do is give up my place on the Wheel of Life for eternity to gain whatever it is I think is worth gaining in this life.

  It would have to be a great deal, agreed Magnus.

  Its not so simple, is it? asked Pug.

  Amirantha shook his head as he put down his large spoon, apparently finished eating. If some agency of evil came to you and offered you a bargain, it would be a matter of strength of character, perhaps, or even fear of losing ones place on the Wheel, but the agencies of darkness are far more subtle than that.

  Theres a force out there, he continued, picking up his cup of wine and sipping, then setting it down, that is hardly that overt.

  Im convinced my brother, the man you knew as Leso Varen, was more than half-mad when he killed our mother. Something had already reached out and touched his heart, finding a willing minion. I knew my brother well; his vanity would never let him bend his knee to another, but that vanity could easily lead him to be manipulated.

  Remembering a conversation with the God of Thieves, where Ban-ath had revealed that Macross vanity had been his biggest ally in manipulating the otherwise crafty sorcerer, Pug could only nod agreement.

  While my brothers and I were disinclined to speak, we did have mutual acquaintances. As you may already understand, those of us who practice what are called the dark arts often find our needs drive us to deal with a more unsavory stripe of fellowthieves, bandits, renegades, and the like. People who can secure goods that otherwise would be impossible for us to obtain.

  This is less true in my own calling, for most of what I need I make, for wards, stones of power, and other items that over the years have proven useful in following my interest, to discover as much as possible of demon lore and the realm from which they come, without

  Having your head ripped off, inserted Brandos.

  I was about to say something else, but he makes my point. Idly picking up his spoon and poking at what remained of the food before him, the Warlock said, Those who need living human subjects must deal with slavers, and those who need the death of otherssuch as my brother didalso must deal with slavers or warlords or others guaranteed to engender mayhem. Cults become particularly useful.

  At the mention of cults, Pug asked Caleb, Did Zane?

  No, said Caleb to his father. He said Sandreena preferred to wait until Father-Bishop Creegan arrives.

  Creegan here? asked Amirantha, his eyebrows rising as his only sign of surprise.

  We have many friends.

  Indeed, said the Warlock.

  You know him?

  Weve met, said Amirantha.

  Brandos said, Not to worry. Creegan might have Amirantha burned as a heretic, but he wont punch him in the jaw. Hes far too well-mannered for that.

  Amirantha smiled ruefully. Hes a practical man. He disapproves of my interests, but hes never tried to interfere with them.

  It helps that we live on different sides of the world, observed Brandos. Big ocean between us, and all that. He winked at Pug and his family. Keeps things civil.

  Magnus smiled and shook his head, and Caleb laughed.

  Miranda asked, So, why the punch to the jawsorry I wasnt there to see it. Sounds like it was entertaining.

  Brandos said, Well, its a long story

  Amirantha interrupted. It has to do with the Father-Bishop, as well. I was traveling through the Principality about four, five? He looked at Brandos, who nodded. Five years ago. There was a story making the rounds about a demon sighted up the coast from the city of Krondor, near a village with the unlikely name of Yellow Mule.

  Good tavern, observed Brandos.

  Good tavern, agreed Amirantha. We were in residence there, attempting to discern the validity of the rumor when we encountered Sandreena, who also had come looking to rid the region of this demon.

  Our interests seemed to overlap

  And Sandreena is a very good-looking young woman; my friend here is particularly fond of that.

  Amirantha frowned at his companion, who tried hard not to look smug as he continued to eat. We joined forces.

  Pug looked thoughtful, then said, Im usually apprised of something as unusual as a demon sighting, especially that close to Krondor. He glanced at Magnus and Caleb, who both shrugged, then at Miranda.

  I read the report; it came from our friend at the Princes palace.

  Pugs eyebrows raised and he said, Oh?

  It seemed nothing worth bothering you about. A demon was sighted, some locals disposed of it, nothing further.

  Brandos and Amirantha exchanged a look of surprise and Brandos said, Locals?

  Amirantha said, Father-Bishop Creegan probably left our names out of any report.

  Pug smiled. Not unlike him. Hes ambitious. But, please, continue.

  Not much more to tell, said Amirantha. Avery strange man, a little mad I think, had wandered into the village and claimed he was a prophet of some sort or another and did some fairly impressive things; at least they were according to the villagers.

  He healed some wounds, somehow rid a small orchard of a blight, and he did a fair job of predicting the weather. He gathered together a little group of followers and after a year or so had them convinced he was an avatar of a god.

  Then it got nasty, according to what we heard.

  Yes, agreed Brandos. People who didnt fall in with this bunch were suddenly stricken by illness, or had their cows milk sour, crops got blight.

  Curses, said Pug. Witch work.

  Maybe, said Amirantha. My mother was called a witch more times than I can remember. My title, Warlock, literally means caller of spirits, in the ancient Satumbria language, but its used to mean male witch.

  Brandos said, Never could quite understand all these names; you use magic or you dont, right? He addressed that question to Pug.

  Pug couldnt help but laugh. You have no idea how many conversations Ive endured on that very question over the years, my friend.

  Amirantha returned to his narrative. Over the course of a week we discovered there were others involved with this cult, men who would mysteriously arrive in the middle of the night then vanish.

  Magicians? asked Magnus.

  Amirantha shrugged. Or renegade priests of some order or another, but they were a conduit for information or instructions be
tween this false prophet and whoever was ultimately behind all the goings-on in Yellow Mule.

  The locals were a pretty happy lot until they started dying off, said Brandos. This prophet, called himself Jaymen, he blamed us! Can you believe that?

  Pug nodded. Go on.

  Amirantha said, So, as I said, by then Sandreena and I had concluded we had similar interests and we joined forces. She was trying to save the villagersapparently whatever reports were getting down to the Prince of Krondors Coastal Wardens Office were being ignoredand I was very interested in the demon scent.

  Scent? asked Pug.

  Yes, said Amirantha. Youve encountered demons, right?

  Yes, said Pug, with an emphatic nod. Not with the best results, I might add.

  Did you notice how they smell?

  Pug recalled vividly his encounter with the demon who had disguised himself as the Emerald Queen, and yet the memory was a blur. He had been full of vanity and his own sense of power, and had come flying inliterallyfrom overhead, only to be blasted from the sky in a scorching ball of flames that had almost ended his life.

  I cant say as I had the time to notice any smell, said Pug. He looked at Miranda and Magnus. Ive run into several demons over the years, and except for one who smelled of burning brimstone, the rest weresweaty? Some pungentmusky odor.

  Amirantha laughed. Im sorry, I didnt literally mean their odor. I mean, how their magic smells.

  Pugs eyes narrowed and he said, This sounds a lot like a conversation I had once with a tribal shaman down in Kesh, many years ago. He claimed he could tell which magician fashioned a ward or cast a spell.

  Amiranthas eyes grew wide. You cant? He glanced at the others, then at Brandos, and said, But I thought every magician couldsense whose spell it was, I mean, if they knew the other magician, had encountered their spellcraft before.

  Magnus exchanged glances with his mother and father, and then said, An assumption based on limited contact with other practitioners of magic. He thought on this a moment, then said, I believe I can, as well.

  Really? said Pug.

  Youve never said anything, added his mother.

  I never really gave it much thought, said Magnus. Its not something I do consciously. If you or Mother translocate into or out of the next room, I just know which of you it is.

  Pugs eyes widened slightly.

  If Im in my quarters, I know whos teaching the students, most of the time, just from the way the magic feels in the background.

  Miranda shook her head slightly. I had no idea.

  Pug said to Amirantha, After the current problems are concluded, perhaps I could persuade you to linger a bit, for I would like to see more of this ability you and my son speak of.

  I dont know if its an ability, in the sense of something that can be taught.

  Maybe its a quality that can be recognized, said Pug. Something we do and give no thought to, like blinking or breathing.

  Actually, said Brandos, I give a fair amount of thought to breathing, usually when something is trying to keep me from doing it.

  Amiranthas gaze narrowed at the quip but he withheld comment. To Pug he said, Brandos must return home soon, else his wife, Samantha, will have my head on a stick, but I will stay for a while if I can help. He smiled. Besides, theres a great deal here that piques my curiosity, for youve codified magic Ive barely heard of. As I said, for those of us who practice the so-called dark arts, theres little social opportunity to meet with other magic-users.

  Pug said, Agreed.

  Sandreena appeared, guided by one of Pugs students. The Knight-Adamant of the Order of the Shield of the Weak wore a mans tunic and trousers, both of which fit well enough, and sandals. Pug indicated she should join them at the table, and she took a chair next to Miranda, on the opposite side of the table from Amirantha.

  Did you sleep well? Miranda asked in neutral tones.

  Yes, said the still exhausted girl.

  You should have one of our healers look at those wounds.

  Sandreena took a bowl and helped herself to the stew. They are fine. Ive sewn up enough of them to know if theyre festering. Im just going to have some new scars.

  Miranda said, Theres a priest of Killian who can make those scars fade, if you care to visit his temple.

  Why? said Sandreena. She looked directly at Amirantha as she said, Scars are useful to remind me that being careless is a way to end up hurt.

  Amirantha inclined his head slightly, as if in agreement, but said nothing.

  Brandos said, Well, that was fine, but if you have no more use for me, I think Id like to get out and stretch my legs; otherwise Ill be napping and I find it a bothersome habitmakes me feel like Im getting old.

  Miranda smiled and said, Ill have one of the students show you around; there are a few places that wouldnt be safe to blunder into. She signaled and a young man in a dark robe approached. Miranda instructed him to show Brandos around the rest of the community he hadnt seen so far, and they left.

  Pug asked Amirantha, You care to look around?

  The Warlock said, If its all the same to you, Id just as soon wait here for Creegan to arrive and get that out of the way.

  Pug and Miranda exchanged brief looks, but said nothing. Magnus said, We sent word to all our agents that Sandreena had turned up safe and was here, so he should be along any time now.

  Amirantha said, Well, then, if you have no objection, might I inquire into your stock of wine?

  Pug laughed and motioned another student over and said, Do you prefer red or white?

  The Warlock said, Yes.

  Miranda laughed with her husband and Pug said, Fetch a bottle of wine from the cellarsee if we still have some of that old Ravensburg redI think there are a few bottles left. Bring it up and fetch some goblets. He looked around the table. Magnus, Caleb, and Miranda indicated they were fine, so Pug said, Two goblets.

  Sandreena held up a hand with one finger extended, and Pug said, Make that three.

  The student hurried off and Miranda said, Ive been organizing some old documents that have been languishing in the cellar over at Stardock, so-called demon lore, Amirantha. If youd like to look at it later Id appreciate your appraisal of its worth. There isnt much, so it shouldnt take very long.

  The Warlock inclined his head, indicating he was willing.

  Magnus said, Well, I have a lesson to conduct after lunch, which it now is, so Id better be getting along. I will see you all later.

  Caleb also stood up as his brother departed, and said, And there are household accounts and other matters which also need attending. He took his leave of the guests as well.

  The wine appeared and Amirantha was impressed at the quality of the vintage. As they sipped in silence, Pugs expression caused Amirantha to turn.

  From a door across the room he saw a tall, red-headed man enter, with Father-Bishop Creegan behind him. Amirantha muttered, There goes a pleasant moment.

  Sandreena began to rise, but the Father-Bishop waved her back into her chair. Finish eating, girl, he said. Looking at Amirantha, he said, I thought you were dead.

  Hoped, you mean, said the Warlock. Creegan, he said in greeting.

  Pug rose and said, Wine?

  Glancing around the table, the Father-Bishop nodded and pulled out his own chair.

  Pug looked at the red-headed man and said, Jommy, wine?

  Grinning, and suddenly looking much younger than he did a moment before, the man said, Of course.

  Pug motioned for two more goblets and Father-Bishop Creegan said to Sandreena, What did you find?

  Sandreena began slowly, starting with the assault of the innkeepers wagon on the road to Akrakon. She omitted nothing she could remember, concerned that a detail that she didnt realize was important might provide critical information to the Father-Bishop and his companions. Occasionally she let her eyes drift to Amirantha, who sat motionless, listening as closely as anyone else at the table. Finally she recounted visiting the cave to find the old hermit dead.
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  When she was finished, she added, Most of the journey from Akrakon to Ithra is a blur to me, still. I was fevered and passed out a few times. My horse was stalwart and saw to my protection when I lay at her feet. I recall something of entering Ithra and speaking to a guard and finding the monks at the temple. After that, well, it is nothing of this mission.

  Father-Bishop Creegan looked at Amirantha. What of the summoning and the murder of the magician?

  Amirantha shrugged. It is obvious the cultists werent happy with the results. He fell silent for a minute, then said, I can only surmise, but the sacrifices were designed to call forthsomething, but instead they invoked a series of minor demonsfrom Sandreenas description, I think I know their ilk: a particularly nasty little thing I call a ripper, bat wings, huge talon on the forefinger of the hand-like extension on the leading edge of the wings. Sandreena nodded. Whoever that unlucky magician was, he was attempting craft far beyond his ability and paid the ultimate price. He was fishing in unknown waters, using bait that could have landed him a shark as easily as a mackerel. He was silent a moment longer, then asked Sandreena, All the demons, they were identical?

  She nodded.

  Then he had a summoning ritual that was bringing forth what it was he called for. They vanished after they killed the sacrifice?

  Again she nodded.

  He sighed. Murderous fools. Somehow they managed to get their hands on a ritual of summoning and probably thought they could amend it to call forth something other than what appeared. Those who dont know demon magic He looked at Pug. If I understand some of your craft, it would be as if you were trying to call down rain, and decided to substitute the word snow and get snow.

  Pug said, Im not a master of weather magic; that would be Temar, but your example holds. The entire structure of the spell would have to be crafted differently.

  Amirantha nodded in agreement. So it is with a summoning. If I could contrive one spell of summoning and just change the name of the demon, my life would have been a lot simpler.