Adventurers Wanted, Book 4: Sands of Nezza (41 page)

“I’m sure I will be,” said Alex. “What of you, my friend? What will you do now that our adventure is over?”

“I’m not sure,” the raven answered. “I have enjoyed our time together, and I would like to travel with you to new lands, but . . .”

“But?” Alex asked.

“But I miss the red lands of Nezza, and I miss Tempe,” Stonebill answered.

“Then I think you should go home, at least for a time,” said Alex.

“And I think that you are right,” said Stonebill. “I will miss you, dragon lord. I will hope to see you again, someday.”

“May your feathers never fall,” said Alex, bowing his head slightly. “I hope we will meet again, my friend, and have another adventure together.”

Stonebill took flight, letting out a single loud caw as he caught the breeze and flew into the west.

“I’m going to miss that bird,” Skeld said. “I think I was starting to understand what he said.”

“Are you sure he didn’t get hit in the head when he was wounded?” Alex asked, looking at Virgil.

“I’m afraid he’s always been this way,” Virgil answered. “A blow to the head might do him some good.”

They all laughed and rode on, happy to be together and on their way home.

When they were getting close to the great arch, Alex noticed a change in Virgil. It seemed like some shadow covered him, a great weight that pressed down on him. Alex thought he knew what the problem was, but he didn’t say anything until they had made camp for the night.

“You are wondering if you can call this adventure a success,” Alex said as they sat beside the campfire.

“Hard to call it a success when so many of our company were lost,” said Skeld.

“But we won in the end,” said Tom. “Nezza has a king, and there is peace in the land.”

“I know we have won a great victory, and we have done more in this land than we set out to do,” said Virgil. “So, yes, the adventure is a success. The price for our success, however, has been a high one. Much higher than I ever thought to pay.”

“The others knew the risks,” said Skeld. “We all knew and accepted the risks when we accepted the adventure.”

“Knowing the risks and paying for them are two different things,” Virgil answered.

“I understand your feelings,” said Alex, his tone thoughtful. “I never met the dwarf Thorson, and I only knew Cam for a few days. Dain, I truly miss. I wish they could all be here with us. Still, I think they would be proud of what has happened and proud to have given their lives to make it so.”

“A kind thought, but . . .” Virgil started and stopped.

“There are no buts,” said Alex. “I believe that all of them would have still come on this adventure, even if they knew beforehand that they would die. They were true adventurers. They were heroes from distant lands, just as I told Rallian they were. They will always be remembered in Nezza, and their families, wherever they are, will be proud of them for what they have done.”

“Alex is right,” said Tom.

“Yes, I know,” said Virgil. “But that does not make their loss any less painful for those they’ve left behind.”

“Perhaps, but it does give meaning to the loss,” said Alex. “It is the meaning, the reason why, and the knowledge of what was gained that will bring comfort to those who are left behind. If there was no reason, if nothing was gained, then I think the loss would be far more painful for us all.”

They sat in silence for a long time, looking into the flames of the fire. Alex wasn’t sure he had expressed himself as well as he might, but he couldn’t think of any other words to say.

They left the land of Nezza late the next day. They had reached the great arch near midday but had stopped to remember and pay tribute to the fallen adventurers before riding on. The shadow seemed to lift from Virgil, and Alex was glad that it did. They made their camp on the Telous side of the great arch, and Skeld was just starting to cook their dinner when a loud ding interrupted them.

The geeb that appeared had a message for Alex. He retrieved the message and paid the geeb, noticing that the handwriting on the envelope was Whalen’s. He sat down on his blankets and tore open the envelope, wondering what his teacher had to say.

Dear Alex,

I have no idea how far along you are with your current adventure, and I don’t want to worry you, but I need your help. I think I have discovered something important in our hunt for the Gezbeth. I don’t need you just yet, as there are things I need to check into before I’ll be ready to move.

Please try to finish your work in Nezza as soon as you can. If your adventure has concluded, start for home at once. I will be arriving at your home in Alusia tonight, and I will leave a message for you there. I would like to talk to you in person, but I cannot wait.

Let me know how things stand in Nezza and how soon you think you will be available to assist me.

     
Yours in fellowship,

     
Whalen

“I need to go,” said Alex as he finished reading the letter. “I’m needed at home.”

“Of course,” said Virgil. “We understand. Is it something we might help you with?”

“No, I’m afraid not,” said Alex, gathering his blankets and putting them back into his magic bag. “I’m not sure what it is, only that I’m needed. I suppose you can all find your way home from here, can’t you?”

“I’m sure we can,” Virgil answered with a smile.

“Alex,” Skeld said as Alex was turning toward the great arch. “I just . . . We are greatly, well . . .”

“I know,” said Alex, smiling at his friend. “You don’t need to say it.”

“I may not need to, but I will,” said Skeld. “Thank you. Thank you for everything.”

“Yes,” Tom and Virgil both added. “Thank you for everything you have done.”

“You are very welcome,” said Alex, bowing slightly. “Take care of yourselves, my friends, and may we meet again soon.”

Alex didn’t wait for his friends to answer. He turned to the great arch, worked the magic that would allow him to pass through it and return to Alusia, and was gone.

Alex instantly changed into an eagle and flew away from the great arch. If Whalen needed him to come quickly, that could only mean trouble. Whalen was a great wizard—perhaps the greatest of all the living wizards—so if there was something he couldn’t handle by himself . . . well, Alex didn’t like to think about what that might mean.

Whalen had mentioned the Gezbeth in his letter, and Alex wondered what his friend could have discovered and how he had discovered it.

The sun was setting in the west as he climbed into the skies of Alusia, only a few hours away from his home and Whalen.

The miles could not pass quickly enough for Alex as his worries continued to grow. There were no answers to be found in the night sky, and Alex feared he would get few answers from Whalen when he found him. He had his own news to share as well, though it wouldn’t be much help in their search. Magnus had known only one member of the Brotherhood—Gaylan—but at least Alex now knew what Gaylan looked like.

Dropping slowly out of the night sky, Alex could see Whalen sitting on the porch of his own house. The old wizard was smoking his pipe, deep in thought. For a split second, a wild idea entered Alex’s mind. He wanted to fly away, leave Whalen on the porch, and never return. It was a mad idea, and it seemed out of place. Pushing the thought away, he dropped to the ground and changed back to his human form.

Whalen looked up with a half smile on his face, but he did not speak for a moment.

“Did you feel it just now?” Whalen finally asked. “A thought, a wild idea that was not your own, entering your mind?”

“Yes,” said Alex, shaken by the question.

“That is one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you, face-to-face. I didn’t think I would get the chance to see you so soon, but I’m glad you’re here,” said Whalen, getting to his feet and moving toward his horse. “I’ve had many such thoughts in the past weeks, and I am troubled by them.”

“Where are the thoughts coming from?” Alex questioned.

“I do not know,” answered Whalen. “I thought there was only one place such thoughts could come from, but now . . .”

“What place? What power could possibly put strange thoughts into our minds?” Alex asked.

“To be honest, I originally believed these thoughts were coming from you,” said Whalen. “I thought perhaps the part of you that is a dragon was doing this, but now I see that is not the case.”

“But how could I put thoughts into your mind?”

“The link between wizards, and especially the link between student and teacher, is a strong one,” Whalen explained. “The only explanation I could find was that link. Now that I’m sure it is not you, it can only mean . . .”

“Yes?”

Whalen shook his head. “I won’t trouble you with my guesses or suspicions. For now it is enough to know that these thoughts are not coming from you. Now, about the reason I wanted you to come as soon as you could.”

“Whatever you need, I am ready,” said Alex.

“Yes, I’m sure you are, my friend. And what I need you to do right now is wait.”

“Wait? Wait for what?”

“Wait for me to send word or to come for you,” said Whalen. “If I send word, be ready to move. I need to find some answers to my questions, but when I am sure, we will need to move quickly.”

“Questions about the Brotherhood?” Alex asked.

“Possibly, possibly,” Whalen answered.

“How long do you wish me to wait?”

“A month, perhaps less,” said Whalen. “Be ready to move and stay alert. If you have more of these strange thoughts, keep track of them when they come. I wish I could say more, but until I find a few things out it is pointless.”

“I will wait until you call or until you come,” said Alex, bowing. “You are my master, and I will do whatever you ask.”

“Ah, of course. You say you are my student and I am your master, yet I have no doubt which of us is the greater wizard,” said Whalen, climbing into his saddle.

“Neither do I,” said Alex.

“Oh, no doubt?” Whalen questioned.

“You are known as the greatest living wizard. You are both feared and respected in all the known lands. Clearly you are much greater than I am,” said Alex confidently.

“So many would say,” replied Whalen. “I, however, know that you are greater than I, and in time you will know it as well.”

“But, how can I be?”

“In time,” said Whalen, turning his horse away. “I will send word when I can. If you haven’t heard from me within a month, come and find me.”

“As you wish,” said Alex.

Whalen galloped away from the house, and Alex was alone.

Whalen hadn’t answered any of Alex’s questions, and now he had new worries to think about. Alex didn’t know what Whalen was trying to find out, but it clearly had something to do with the strange thought that had entered Alex’s mind.

Alex stood for several minutes, watching the darkness. Slowly his mind emptied, and then a memory returned to him, and it troubled him more than anything Whalen had left unsaid. It was a memory of Whalen talking about how many wizards he had trained. In all the long years, Whalen had only ever asked two people to take a staff, and Alex was one of those two.

Could it be? Was it possible that the thoughts that were coming into Whalen’s mind were from the other wizard he had trained? Alex wondered who the other student was and why Whalen had seemed so concerned.

It was pointless to worry, and in the end Alex let his thoughts drift away. Whalen would send word when he was ready, and until then, Alex would have to wait.

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