The Dragons Revenge (Tales from the New Earth #2) (34 page)

He settling into the couch
and crossed his legs, pulling his robe down to cover his knees as he
did so.

“
First, let me tell
you what I've been doing for the past couple of weeks. Aeris was able
to show me how to use the Magic Mirror spell to spy on that dark
wizard.”

The cleric glanced at
Aeris who nodded solemnly.

“
I've kept my
distance while tracking her and I'm fairly sure that I haven't been
detected..

He ran his fingers through
his hair and then pushed it off of his face.

“
There are more
white streaks in your hair, my friend,” Clara said gently.

“
I know. The cost of
using magic, I suppose. Anyway, I've seen some horrible things,
Clara. I've watched, helpless, as this...person has directed her
minions to kill at least a half-dozen human Changlings. The last one,
two days ago, was very bad.”

The cleric's expression
darkened.

“
How so?” she
asked.

“
They found two
Changlings together, young women. It was a nightmare. The
pack...ripped them to pieces.”

Simon clenched his fists
so hard that his arms shook.

“
They were begging
for their lives and the wizard just laughed as she had her monsters
slaughter them.”

“
By the gods,”
Clara whispered. “Six in two weeks?”

“
That we know of.
Remember, she has other packs searching for humans as well. I think
this is partly my fault.”

“
It is not,”
Aeris spoke up. “It is purely the fault of the dark gods. Do
not start blaming yourself for things beyond your control, my dear
wizard.”

“
Why are you blaming
yourself?” Clara asked with some confusion.

“
Because I think I
started this horror show. When I killed the primal black dragon, I
set the gods of Chaos' timetable back. The dragon and its followers
were tasked with killing all humans in their territory, to clear the
way so that the gods could return. As you already know, mundane
humans block the flow of magic and must be eliminated. And thanks to
me, the dark gods now want all Changed humans dead as well. With the
black dragon gone, those evil entities had to find another way to
achieve their ends. Well, I think they found it. This wizard, and
perhaps many more across North America, was created by an infusion of
dark magic, twisted into what she's become. And now she is continuing
the dragon's work, killing Changlings indiscriminately wherever she
finds them.”

“
That is just a
theory, master,” Kronk said. “You do not
know
that it is true.”

“
He's
right, Simon,” Clara told him. “And even if the theory is
correct, if you hadn't killed that dragon, the humans would still
have died. Your actions may have simply exchanged one kind of
destruction for another. It's terrible, yes, but hardly your fault.”

Simon
gave himself a little shake.

“
Either
way, what matters now is stopping it. I can't save everyone in this
world, but I will damn well save as many as I can in my little corner
of it.”

The
cleric smiled slightly at his intensity.

“
That's
better,” she said. “You can only do your best. But you
seem to be in a rush to get after her. What's happened?”

“
I
am. This morning I checked on the wizard again. And guess what I
found, purely by accident? There's a small settlement, perhaps a
dozen Changlings or so, living on a farm about a hundred miles to the
southwest of here.”

“
Really?”
Clara's eyes widened. “But that's wonderful! We should send
some of our people out to make contact. Perhaps they'd like to join
us.”

“
Maybe
they would, if they survive.”

“
If
they...” The cleric's face paled. “You mean?”

“
The
wizard and one of her packs is closing in on them. They've encircled
the farm quietly, so that the people there have no idea of the
danger. When she's ready, I'm sure that the wizard will have her
minions attack.” He paused, then added, “And I can't let
that happen.”

“
But if that's the
case, what is she waiting for? Maybe they've already attacked?”

“
I don't think so.
The group of monsters that she has with her is too small to
completely surround the farm. When I watched earlier, I saw her
dispatch one of her minions further west. I believe she's called for
reinforcements and she'll wait until they arrive before attacking.”

Clara wrung her hands
together nervously.

“
That's quite a risk
you're taking on a guess, my friend.”

“
I know.”
Simon rubbed his eyes and stared at her soberly. “But if I'm
wrong, I'm afraid it won't matter anyway. The attack would already be
over by now and the Changlings would be dead. But if I'm right, we,”
he nodded at Kronk and Aeris, “have a chance to stop her before
she kills again. So I'm hoping I'm right.”

“
I see. Yes, I hope
you are too.”

Simon stood up and
stretched. He tried to rub the tension out of the back of his neck as
he anticipated what he was about to do.

Clara also rose and led
the way back into the hall.

“
How are you going
to get close enough to this wizard to stop her? From what she did to
Aeris, we know that she's powerful.”

The four of them stopped
by the central fire-pit. There were only cold ashes in the pit now,
but sunlight streamed down from the smoke hole in the roof.

“
I've picked out a
spot in the forest, maybe a mile from where the farm is located.
We'll Gate there and get as close as possible without being seen. Our
plan is a bit,” Simon hesitated, “convoluted, I suppose,
but basically Aeris will create a diversion to draw away as much of
the mutant pack as possible and then Kronk and I will capture the
wizard. I'll Gate her to a secure place and find her true name. It
has to be on her person somewhere, just as mine is. Once I have that,
she will basically be powerless. Or rather, she won't be able to use
her magic against me.”

He looked at Clara and
cleared his throat.

“
After that, well,
that is where I have to ask you for a favor.”

“
Anything, of
course,” she said without hesitation. “You three are
risking your lives for the greater good. If I can help, or my people,
just ask.”

“
Don't be too hasty,
lady cleric,” Aeris said with a wry smile.

Simon looked at him and
then back at Clara.

“
He's right,”
the wizard said. “The favor is a big one. You see, once her
fangs are drawn, so to speak, I'd like to bring the wizard back here
for judgment. I'm afraid that after seeing what I've seen of her, the
people she's butchered, that I'm not very neutral. If I have my way,
although I am firmly against killing another person, I might allow my
emotions to dictate my actions and obliterate her.”

Clara was watching him
silently and just nodded once as Simon paused.

“
But if I bring her
back here, assuming that we can actually capture her, you and your
people can decide her fate.”

The cleric sat down on the
nearest bench and stared at her hands. She was obviously weighing her
options and Simon and the elementals waited for her decision.

“
And what if, after
hearing of her deeds, my people decide that her fate should be
death?” she asked finally. “I may be their leader, but
this is a democracy, or as close as we can come to one. I would not
be able to overturn such a decision. Could you live with that?”

Simon just shrugged.

“
Could you?”
he asked her in return.

“
As much as it would
pain me to allow such a thing? Yes, I could. It's a harsh world that
we find ourselves in, Simon. If hundreds can be saved by the death of
one, then my moral objections cannot stand against that. Be certain
that yours cannot either.”

“
Thank you for your
honesty, Clara,” the wizard said. “If this works out,
then I guess I'll decide afterward whether to lay this burden at your
feet or not.”

He adjusted his staff more
comfortably and looked at Kronk and Aeris.

“
Are we ready?”
he asked them.

“
Yes, master,”
Kronk said, his face expressionless.

“
More than ready,
Simon,” Aeris assured him.

“
Right then.”

Clara got up, walked over
and grasped Simon's hands. She smiled at him and at the elementals.

“
I wish you all the
best in this task, my friends. For what it's worth, may the blessing
of the gods of Light go with you. And remember, we here in
Nottinghill stand ready to help you, should you need it.”

“
Thank you,”
Simon said simply. “I think this sort of thing is what I was
Changed for. But whether that's true or not, we'll do our best.”

The cleric stepped back
and watched as Simon chanted the incantation for the Gate spell. He
smiled at her one last time.

“
Invectis
!”
he said firmly and with a flash of light and a loud crack, the three
of them disappeared.

When
Simon and the elementals appeared at their destination, they
materialized in the middle of a small clearing surrounded by tall
pine and birch trees. The wizard was standing in knee-deep grass and
waited quietly as he listened for any suspicious sounds. He searched
the trees with his eyes but tried not to make any sudden movements.

After
a few moments of holding his breath, Simon relaxed a bit and turned
in place, examining the forest in greater detail.

A
smell of pine sap and rich earth flooded his nostrils and he enjoyed
the scents while he tried to get his bearings.

“
Any
idea which way we're supposed to be going?” he asked Kronk and
Aeris quietly.

“
I'll
check,” the air elemental replied and shot straight up until he
was almost out of sight above the treetops.

“
Are
you okay?” Simon asked Kronk while they waited for Aeris to
figure out where they were.

“
I'm
fine, master. How are you doing? You have undertaken a dangerous
task.”

The
wizard glanced upward but the almost invisible figure of Aeris was
still floating up there, turning in a slow circle.

“
Well,
between you and me,” he said, almost whispering, “I'm
nervous. But we have to try and save those innocent farmers, don't
we?”

Kronk
hopped up on a rock that jutted out of the deep grass and nodded
vigorously.

“
Of
course we do, master. It is the right thing to do.” He smiled
his little rocky smile at Simon. “And being nervous is natural.
It keeps the senses tuned to a higher level and sharpens reaction
speed. You will be fine.”

Aeris
was descending again and Simon gave Kronk a wink.

“
Don't
tell him,” he said, nodding up at the air elemental.

“
My
lips are sealed, master,” the little earthen assured him. “Or
they would be, if I had lips.”

Simon
stifled a surprised guffaw. It was rare for Kronk to make a joke and
this one had caught him off-guard.

“
What's
so funny?” Aeris demanded to know as he reached shoulder
height. “This is a very serious situation, you know.”

He
looked at Simon and Kronk sternly.

“
We
know, Aeris. We know. So, which way do we go?”

Aeris
gave him a suspicious look, perhaps wondering if they'd been laughing
at him, and then spun in place and pointed.

“
That
way. I'd say your coordinates were pretty close to perfect. The
wizard and her pack shouldn't be more than a mile off.”

“
Okay.
Are you sure you want to take point? Remember what happened the last
time you crossed paths with that woman.”

“
She
caught me off-guard!” Aeris protested indignantly. “Don't
worry, I'll keep my distance.”

“
Go
ahead then. Kronk and I will follow you.”

“
Come
along slowly and as quietly as you can,” the air elemental told
them. “I'll come back to you once I have spotted our target.
And whatever you do, my dear wizard, don't let them see you! Surprise
is our one advantage.”

Simon
nodded and Kronk gave Aeris a wave.

The
air elemental turned and floated upward again and was soon out of
sight.

“
Let's
go,” Simon said tersely.

The
wizard began walking through the forest, following the same path that
Aeris had taken. The undergrowth wasn't too thick this early in the
year, but small berry bushes and saplings grabbed at his robe as he
tried to slip between them.