Myrkron (Volume Two of The Chronicles of the Myrkron) (7 page)

Mich
ael nodded and bowed his head.  "Too little, too late."

"
For your wife, yes, but not for others.  The gift of healing, Michael, think of it; rejoice in it.  Of all our powers, it is the greatest gift we have; the ability to save the lives of others.  No longer is your power just a weapon, it is now a tool against all weapons."

"
What of the other two?"  Michael asked, feeling a little of Mason’s excitement insinuate itself into him.

"
The second golden door opens the power to influence nature.  It's the same power the druids command on a much greater scale. It is called Ianua Vir, The Door of Man."

"
So now I'm a druid as well?"

"
No.  You are a Myrkron."  Mason reached down and plucked up a pebble the size of a robin’s egg.  He held it out for Michael to see.  "You are to a druid what those mountains are to this rock."

"
And the third, what does it unlock?" Michael asked staring at the pebble.

"
The third has a name as well, one you must discover for yourself before you can open it.  I do not know how you can do this. I only know it must be done.  It unlocks the power to influence magic itself."

"
How am I supposed to discover the name of something I know nothing about, that apparently nobody knows anything about?"

"
You do know about it.  I just told you what it unlocks.  That is all you will need in order to figure it out.  That is the main reason I have waited so long for you.  Without that single piece of knowledge, you would never be able to open that door."

"
A long time to wait for such a vague piece of information," Michael said frustrated.

"
Aye, but it was of monumental importance that what little information there is be passed on, else future Myrkrons would never succeed in opening it."

Michael looked to the sky again, feeling as if the vastness of the universe were settling on him.  He sighed
.  "So, what exactly is a Myrkron?"

Mason bounced the pebble in his hand a few times the
n tossed it out into the lake.  "A question not easily answered, but I will do my best."

Mason waved a hand in the air and Michael saw a small wooden house appear
further up the hill off to his left.

"
Come, this will take some time to explain and my old bones could use a soft chair and a warm fire."  Mason turned and gestured for Michael to follow.

Chapter Eight

Micah sat in a chair in front of Merric’s desk, leaning back, legs stretched out straight and crossed at the ankles. His polished black boots reflected points of light from the candles in the wall sconces.  Micah had his elbows resting on the arms of the chair and his fingers laced together over the buckle on the wide leather belt he wore.  Relaxed though he looked, his eyes were focused unblinkingly on Merric, seated behind the desk.  Merric sat slumped forward, leaning on his arms, which rested on the surface of the desk.

"
Unless you propose we storm the very walls of Gratton, there is nothing we can do for Michael at present," Micah said pointedly.

"
I know, I know," Merric said with another sigh.  "I am merely worried about the boy.  Mortow is powerful and devious.  Suppose he convinces Michael to join him."

"
I wouldn’t worry about that particular problem.  I know Michael’s mind.  He would sooner take his own life than join with the man responsible for the death of his wife.  You, of all people, know how that feels."

"
Aye, but Michael is young and inexperienced," Merric replied.

"
So were we all at one time.  The lessons of life are what shape us.  The failures are as important as the successes, sometimes more so."

"
Your words, wise as they are, do not ease my fear," Merric said mildly irritated.

Micah finally smiled.
  "They are not meant to."

Merric
threw his hands up in the air.  "Then what purpose do they serve?"

"
Merric, you are Headmaster.  You were elected Headmaster for a reason.  Use your head for something other than a battering ram.  Think.  You can do nothing for Michael.  Mieka is lost.  Forget the both of them for now.  You are a leader in this war.  Lead."

"
Easy for you to say. You are used to this kind of thing.  I have only fought in one war, and I was not a leader," Merric said in exasperation.

"
That is not true.  You have fought in two wars.  Just because the second one was fought here and wasn’t on the scale of the first, does not diminish it."

"
Bah! The Purging was no war. It was a brawl, a deadly brawl to be sure, but nothing more."

"
Anytime ideals are defended, it is a war.  It matters not how many are involved nor the locale.  You, and those like you, defended freedom against a would-be tyrant."

"
A lot of good it did us.  All those lives lost and that would-be tyrant is now what he wanted to be.  He is Headmaster of his own school with his own students."

"
Aye, he is now what he set out to be, but he is not unopposed.  You and your students still exist to fight him.  As long as you all live, he can never truly be victorious."

"
Small consolation to a world sliding into madness," Merric said sadly.

"
Not so small as you think, Merric.  Was it not you who brought the dwarves into the alliance?  Was it not you who convinced the elves to leave their sanctuary and join us?"

"
Not all of the elves joined us.  In fact, very few did," Merric said dejectedly.

"
Aye, their numbers are few, but those few are the ones we need.  The forest Guard, to a man, joined.  The future ruler of their nation and his wife stand with us, as well as a number of druids.  For the elves that refused to see reason, we are better off without them," Micah replied calmly.

"
That future ruler is an exile now.  The elves would never accept him back let alone allow him to take up his father’s place.  His life is ruined now as are the lives of all those who follow him."

"
And you blame yourself for this as well."  It was a statement of fact not a question.  "See, you are a leader.  You shoulder the mantle of responsibility for the lives of those under you.  In this case, it is a burden you should not bear.  Ataum knew the consequences of his actions.  He could have made the easy choice and remained loyal to the Council of Elders and to his father, but he saw what they refused to see.  He chose to defy their orders and aid the other races of this land against Mortow.  You are not responsible for his choices, Merric.  You did only what a good leader should. You gave him the information he needed to make his own decision.  He chose correctly."

"
Did he?  Oh, don’t get me wrong. I am heartened by his decision to join us, but it has cost him everything.  He would have been an excellent leader for his people."

"
Aye, his life is now on a different path than the one he started out on; but for a warrior like Ataum, it is better to die fighting than to live as a slave.  He has not lost so much as you think.  He still has his wife, his freedom, and his men.  Ataum could have made no other choice.  Rydon backed him into a corner.  If he had stayed, he would still have been a slave, even if we defeated Mortow. Only his enslavement would be of a different sort."

Merric shook his head.
  "I just don’t know, Micah.  I feel as if I am walking everyone down a path that leads to a cliff.  If we are not careful, we will stumble and fall off the edge.  I don’t know what to do," Merric said putting his head in his heads.

"
Do you want advice, Merric, or platitudes?"

"
I want advice, damn it!"  Merric shouted angrily.

Micah smiled again.
  "Then listen well, old friend.  That fire you feel right this moment, that anger, use it.  Burn away the feelings of self-pity and remorse, and then think.  Ask yourself what needs to be done right now. What is of the utmost importance?"

Merric started to open his mouth
to reply but Micah stopped him.

"
I told you to forget about Michael and Mieka for now.  They are beyond your reach."

Merric closed his mout
h and considered for a moment.  "I guess getting reinforcements to The Slot should be the first thing.  Michael promised Commander Salic he would bring him more men."

"
Aye, they do need more men, but their need is not as great as it was earlier today.  I took a group of fifty Avari to join them. While I was there, I learned that a large group of ogres had joined them as well.  Ogres lead by a Chieftain named Karg."

"
A hundred or so ogres will help, but they will still need reinforcements," Merric said, his mind now clearly back on track.

"
Try more like two thousand ogres."  Micah grinned at the opened mouth expression on Merric’s face.  "Karg has joined many tribes together under his leadership.  They have joined our cause."

"
Micah, this is wonderful news.  I have never in my life seen ogre tribes join together willingly.  This Karg must be either very strong or very smart."

"
I would have to say both.  He is as big as any ogre I have ever seen; and, after talking to him for a bit, I was impressed with his strategies and motivations.  I could tell he was one that likes to be in charge, but he also seemed to have his people’s best interest in mind.  I spoke to his brother, Mardak, who, by the way, is a shaman."

"
That is a rare thing among his kind if he is truly gifted," Merric said in mild surprise.

"
He is.  Just how gifted remains to be seen, but he is much more than a totem shaking herbalist.  They both displayed a level of honor that I found comforting.  I have no doubt they are sincere," Micah informed Merric.

"
If you trust them, then that is good enough for me.  I should get myself to Castle Brannin and see to getting some more men to The Slot.  They lost a great many there today.  Then I would have a chance to meet this new Chieftain."

"
I think that is an excellent…"  Micah shot to his feet, his face turned grave.  Merric was instantly on his feet as well.

"
What is it, Micah?"

"
Colonel Bastise is here.  I must go.  Something is wrong," Micah replied scowling.  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small silver flask.  He hurriedly took a drink from it and shoved it back into his pocket.

"
What's wrong Micah?"  Merric asked troubled.

"
I will return when I can."  Micah’s eyes continued to stare off into the distance as he spoke, "
Tranfero ut meus visum
," and vanished from the room.

Merric stared at the spot where Micah had
been standing.  "Good luck, old friend."  Merric turned and rang the small bell on his desk.  He began to pace, waiting for the student on duty to arrive.

Micah materialized outside the ring of stone that stood watch over the portal.  Not for the first time
, he wondered if it led anywhere besides back to Earth.  He dismissed the thought and scanned the night for other living beings.  He felt the presence of two people within the ring.  He knew one to be Bastise.  He heard muted cries and a deep chuckle that could only belong to Bastise.  As he opened his senses, Micah realized there were others closing in on the ring.  None were close enough to be able to see him yet, so he moved, silent as a shadow, to the standing stones.  Once there, Micah opened his senses even further and realized with a calming breath that those approaching were elves.

Micah turned his attention to
the inside of the ring of stones.  Colonel Bastise crouched on the balls of his feet scowling down at a naked man, trussed up on the ground before him.  Micah caught the undeniable odor of Were.  So Bastise has captured one of them and has come here.  That must mean Joshua has been taken.  Micah closed his eyes and cast out with his mind, seeking to touch Joshua’s unique consciousness.  He could see nothing and hear nothing, but he knew Joshua was alive.  Still watching Bastise, Micah called to the elf silently approaching his position.

"
I know you are behind me elf.  There is no reason for you to fear.  It is I, Micah."

At hearing the name
, the elf abandoned any pretense at stealth and approached Micah, arrow still knocked but now pointed at the ground.  "Lord Micah, what brings you to the Portal?"

Micah turned his head and eyed the elf, then gestured ou
t into the center of the ring.  "A friend of mine has just arrived.  That can only mean there is trouble.  He has come from the other world, but he brings a Were with him."

"
We were unsure of who had come through.  Ataum has had a few of us watching the portal since you returned.  We were going to investigate when I saw you standing here, Lord Micah."

"
Tell your men to hold their positions.  I want to see what this is about," Micah ordered still watching Colonel Bastise and the Were.

"
Yes, Lord Micah."  The elf puckered his lips and blew, but no discernible sound issued forth.

Micah’s acute hearing picked up the series of high pitche
d whistles that came from the elf’s lips.  He didn’t understand the code used, but wasn’t really interested in trying to decipher it at the moment.  He watched Bastise and could hear him talking to the prone Were.

"
So all you told me was true, eh?  Which direction is it to find your friends?"  Bastise asked the man.

Micah could still hear the muffled cries coming from the Were.  He didn’t know what Bastise had done to the man to get him to talk
, but whatever it had been was certainly no more than he deserved.  Micah saw Bastise pull a small pouch from his pack and measure out a dose of liquid into a syringe.  Micah smiled.

"
Chemical interrogation," Micah whispered to himself.

"
My Lord?"  The elf asked puzzled.

"
Colonel Bastise is a master of extracting knowledge from those who do not wish to give it.  He is giving the Were a potion that will loosen his tongue," Micah explained.

The elf acknowledged his words with a slight nod then turned to watch Colonel Bastise.  Micah saw Bastise jab the needle into the Were’s stomach, probably into his naval, a tender area that would cause considerable pain.  The man stiffened and tried to scream but the gag in his mouth prevented more than a muffle
d whine from being heard.  Bastise returned the vial and syringe to his pouch and stowed it in his pack.  Bastise stretched his neck and shoulders, waiting for the drug to take effect.  After about twenty seconds or so the man’s screams abated and his body seemed to relax.

Eyeing Tammin critically, Bastise reached over and lifted an eyelid, nodding to himself
. He removed the cloth from the man’s mouth.  Tammin’s head lolled slowly from side to side.  Bastise landed a solid slap on Tammin’s left cheek.  The sound echoed throughout the night.

"
Which way is it to your friends?"  Bastise repeated.

Tammin turned his head toward Colonel Bastise and tried to focus his eyes on the big man, but the sky and constellation behind him spun crazily in his sight.