Bronze Magic (Book 1) (64 page)

Rainstorm spoke up. “Why do these sorcerer guards need weapons?
Surely they can just use their power?”
Tarkyn smiled wryly. “Contrary to popular belief, most sorcerers don’t
have powers for fighting. Most sorcerers can just do a few useful spells
like lifting objects, maybe creating shields, giving the yeast a bit of a hand
in baking bread…that sort of thing. They can’t evoke ‘Shturrum’ or stun
rays or anything very useful in a fight.”
“Is that right?” asked Autumn Leaves slowly, eyebrows raised. “Do
you know, if you were anyone else, I would think you were trying to
lull us into a false sense of security.” At Tarkyn’s raised eyebrow, the big
woodman conceded, “But as it is, I believe you implicitly,” he gave a
slight smile, “although I must admit, it is a struggle.”
“Can we get back to the point of this discussion?” demanded Ancient
Elm in her withered old voice. “I am not concerned with who these
sorcerers are. I just want our kin back safe and sound. It is my belief that
we should rescue our friends first and investigate only once we have them
safely back with us.”
Strong murmurs of agreement around the clearing supported this
suggestion.
“So, what have you decided?” asked Tarkyn.
“We haven’t,” replied Tree Wind.
Tarkyn frowned. “Why not? I thought you discussed it last night.”
“It’s the chain. We don’t know how to get around the chain,” said Tree
Wind calmly, “We were hoping one of you magic wielders might have
some ideas to help us with it.”
Tarkyn looked at Danton then across the clearing at Stormaway. “Any
ideas?”
Danton shook his head. Stormaway put up his hand to indicate
that he was thinking and needed a moment to marshal his thoughts.
Then he lifted his head and said, “I think a repeat of our hole digging
exercise might do the trick.” He looked around the assembled woodfolk
and explained, “When the home guard had to bury the wolf carcasses,
Tarkyn and I used vibrations from our magic to loosen earth in a
large area. If we did that around the stake, we could just pull the stake
easily out of the ground and take stake, chain and woodfolk with us as
a package.”
“That sounds like a good idea. Does it need two of you?” asked Tree
Wind.
“Yes. You need the dissonance between two magics.”
“And how long would it take and how noisy?” asked Raging Water.
Stormaway shrugged, “Not long. Two or three minutes for a small area
like that. Not noisy for such a small operation. If we could get in there, it
would only take a minor distraction to cover up our activities. Then the
rescue could be undertaken later in the evening.”
“I think I can now perform two lots of magic at once. If I practised, I
could possibly do it alone,” suggested Tarkyn.
“No,” came a chorus of voices.
“We can’t afford to risk you, if we don’t have to,” added Sun Shower.
Far from being gratified by their protectiveness, the prince’s eyes
narrowed and his mouth set in a thin mutinous line.
Before he could protest, Stormaway overrode him. “Tarkyn, you can’t
go into a camp full of sorcerers with a price on your head. Even if you
were in disguise, your eyes would give you away…and the colour of your
magic, if anyone spotted it.” He paused, “It is not just your welfare at
stake if anything happens to you. Anyway, your own magic will not be
dissonant with itself. The two beams would synchronise.”
Tarkyn’s eyes glittered with anger and his mouth did not relax as he
gave a short, sharp nod and dropped his gaze.
Stormaway transferred his attention and he hoped, the attention of
the woodfolk, to Danton, “If you are willing, the two of us could easily
disguise ourselves and infiltrate the encampment.”
Suddenly, the whole gathering, as one, realised what they were asking
Danton to do. There was a hushed silence.
Eventually, much to everyone’s surprise, it was Rainstorm who spoke
up. He cleared his throat and said self-consciously, “Danton, I’m sorry
I attacked you this morning. I should have realised you just didn’t
understand how things work around here.” He scowled around at his
audience, daring anyone to comment.
Danton gave a nod of acknowledgement, “Thank you, Rainstorm. In
return, I also apologise to you for forcing my views on you.” He waited,
clearly aware that Rainstorm had more to say.
After a moment, the young woodman continued, “Some of our ways
of doing things are different. But from what I know of Tarkyn, I don’t
think we are so different underneath.” Rainstorm shrugged, “I suppose
you don’t have any real reason to champion our cause, especially against
your fellow sorcerers. None of us can force you to help us, if you would
rather not. I suspect Tarkyn could, but wouldn’t.” He raised an eyebrow
in the prince’s direction and received a short, affirmative nod. “So it
is entirely up to you. But on behalf of the woodfolk assembled here
and the frightened family at the encampment, I would ask you to
consider it.”
Danton glanced sideways at Tarkyn before saying, “Rather than
thinking of it as helping woodfolk against sorcerers, let us instead think
of it as helping three victims against their persecutors and leave their
origins out of it. On those terms, I believe I can support your cause.”
An audible murmur of appreciation rolled around the clearing.
Stormaway’s eyes lit up. “Good. That part of it is sorted then. And
while we are there, we can do a bit of investigating.” Seeing Ancient Elm
about to object, he added, “… after we have loosened the earth around
the stake.”
Falling Branch shook his head. “We still have the problem of the
wolves. We can’t afford to be near the camp. If they pick up our scent
they may be able to hunt us down, even in the trees, with the help of
sorcerers and wizards.”
“That leaves us a bit stuck, doesn’t it?” objected Autumn Leaves.
“Tarkyn can’t go because he’s too precious.” There was a slight smile
but no derision in his voice. “We can’t go because we’re too vulnerable.
Doesn’t leave any options but Stormaway and Danton and they already
have a job.”
Tarkyn flicked a glance at him and found the solid woodman smiling
understandingly at him. He began to unbend a little.
“But if we could neutralise or eliminate the wolves, any of us could be
involved in the rescue,” said Rainstorm, voicing the thoughts of many.
Tarkyn shrugged, still slightly belligerent. “Anyway, unless you
neutralise the wolves, they will raise the alarm when the woodfolk family
leaves.”
“And the problem still remains of how to get the woodfolk family out
into the woods, especially if they are still wearing the chains,” pointed
out Raging Water.
“Can Golden Toad’s family do the woodfolk disappearing act once
they are out of the encampment?” asked Tarkyn, addressing his question
to Autumn Leaves, the only person he was yet prepared to speak to.
A short, out of focus discussion passed between woodfolk. Autumn
Leaves spoke for them. “We don’t know what effect the chain will have
on their ability to flick into hiding. And we also don’t know whether the
virus they had has affected that ability as well as the mind talking.”
“So we have to assume they can’t,” concluded Tarkyn shortly. He
shrugged, “Now I think about it, if they could do the disappearing act,
they would have by now, wouldn’t they?”
“Not necessarily. Not through a tent wall,” replied Autumn Leaves.
“We can flick around objects, but not through them.”
“So, we need a distraction and a way to knock out or kill the wolves,”
said Waterstone, determinedly ignoring Tarkyn’s ill humour and summing
up the situation. “Once the wolves are out of the equation and the stake
has been loosened, we should be able to sneak in during the night, knock
out whoever is guarding the woodfolk, and carry Golden Toad and his
family off, complete with chain and stake. Meanwhile, others of us will
also need to neutralise the guards on one side of the encampment for as
long as it takes to escape with them into the woods.”
“That does sound like the beginnings of a workable plan,” conceded
Tarkyn grudgingly. Suddenly a well of humour rose to overcame his
chagrin and he glanced at Autumn Leaves, knowing that what he was
about to say would annoy the heavy woodman. “But I have a big problem
with the fate of the wolves.” He grinned as Autumn Leaves rolled his
eyes. “Have wolves traditionally been enemies of woodfolk?”
“No,” replied Raging Water, not quite clear why the prince was
smiling. “In the past, they have steered clear of us unless, for some reason,
the season is very lean and they are desperate for food.”
Tarkyn became serious again. “It just seems wrong to kill them all off
when someone is using them as a tool for their own ends.” He shrugged,
“Maybe it is being the forest guardian but I can’t help thinking that they,
too, are creatures of the forest….”
Ancient Elm spoke again, “It does you credit, young man, that you are
concerned for the welfare of the forest creatures. However, the rescue of
the woodfolk will tax us enough. If we undertake not to kill the wolves,
we may be able to address their fate at another time. Will that satisfy your
scruples?”
Tarkyn bowed his head in acknowledgement. “Thank you, yes. It will.”
“What about that ‘Shturrum’ word?” asked Thunder Storm suddenly.
“Does your magic work on animals?”
Stormaway considered the suggestion. “Possibly. It’s better than a stun
ray, which only works on one target at a time. I know Tarkyn has used
Shturrum on many people at once.”
A ripple of constraint washed around the firesite as various woodfolk
remembered the times Tarkyn had used it on them. Several sets of eyes
flashed in his direction, loaded with expressions ranging from amusement
to distaste. Danton cocked a surmising eyebrow at him, but said nothing.
Aware of their responses, Tarkyn stared steadfastly at the ground with
a little smile playing around his mouth. When he looked up, his eyes
were brimming with laughter, “Oh well, I guess that’s the disadvantage of
having a forest guardian.”
The constraint melted, albeit some a little reluctantly. Raging Water
gave a snort of derisive laughter. “I sometimes think you’re too powerful
for your own good, young man.”
“Scary, isn’t it?” Tarkyn grinned and shrugged, his tone robbing his
words of any ill intent. “Just as well I have that little spell or I’d be dead
five times over by now.” Before anyone had the chance to respond to this,
he reverted to the original topic, “Anyway, one way or another, I’m sure
Stormaway, Danton and I can devise a way to neutralise the wolves. We’ll
do a bit of experimenting and see what we can come up with.”
“And do you want us to deal with the perimeter guards?” asked Danton.
“No thank you, young man,” replied Ancient Elm firmly. “The guards
cannot be allowed the chance to report back what they have seen.”
Danton frowned and asked, his voice thick with suspicion, “So how
are you planning to ensure that?”
Waterstone rolled his eyes, “Not another one. First Tarkyn, now you,
thinking we’re going to kill off everyone in sight. We’ll do the same as
we did to you. Slingshots. Knock them all out. We’ll just have to hit
them simultaneously so none of them raises the alarm at seeing their
colleagues go down.” He shrugged, “We couldn’t use arrows even if we
wanted to. Too many people would find the arrows and become alerted
to our presence - which is exactly what we don’t want. Slingshots just
leave harmless, unidentifiable little rocks.”
Danton’s eyes narrowed. “You lot must be pretty good even to consider
pulling off a feat like that.”
“We are,” responded Rainstorm promptly, smiling evilly.
Waterstone gave a short laugh. “Stop it Rainstorm!” Then he smiled
wryly at Danton, “Though actually, he’s right. We are.”
“Good then,” said Danton dryly, “As long as we all know where we
stand.”
ithin an hour, those woodfolk who were going to the encampment
for the rescue or further on to look for Falling Rain were packed
up and strung out through the forest. Where possible, they did
not travel in single file but flowed through the forest across a broad
front so that there were not many feet tramping over the same ground.
The rays of the afternoon sun slanted through the yellowing leaves of old
sycamors catching swirling spirals of dust in their wake. Tarkyn walked
with Danton and Stormaway as they discussed plans for dealing with
the wolves.
“So, do you think that you can use ‘Shturrum’ on animals?” asked
Stormaway as he hitched his pack more comfortably on his shoulder.
“And in particular on the wolves?”
Tarkyn shrugged, “It doesn’t matter whether I can or can’t. You won’t
let me go near the place.”
“Well, I can’t use the ‘Shturrum’ spell,” said Danton. “Can you?”When
the wizard shook his head, Danton continued, “So there’s not much
point in thinking about it if His Highness can’t come with us into the
encampment to do it.”
“Perhaps I could … ” began Tarkyn.
“You could not.” Stormaway overrode him firmly. “The woodfolk are
vowed to protect you. If they knowingly allow you to go into danger and
you come to harm, the forests are forfeit. Besides which, they need your
protection in return.”
Tarkyn stared at him. “So. We have reached the paradox already. If I
insist on going on this raid with you, the woodfolk will risk the forest if
they refuse me, but they will also risk the forest if they comply because
they won’t be protecting me.”
Stormaway nodded briskly. “Exactly. So you must not order them, or
me, to take you with us into danger.”
“Not to mention the trees… ” said Waterstone appearing quietly
beside them.
Danton frowned, “What do you mean, the trees?”
Waterstone smiled gently, “I don’t think the forest will allow Tarkyn
out to face such danger either. It didn’t when he first arrived. None of
us understood why at the time. But now it is obvious. Because he is the
forest guardian, the forest is protecting its own.”