Soul of the Sorcerer - Part Three: Daughter of the Dragon (31 page)

“A Mother of a spell initiate?” Rhodalie asked.

“Oh sorry Master, I mean High Master, got to get used to that! It’s a term from Lloyd’s world, it means something big.”

“Mothers are all big on the world you grew up in Sorcerer?” Rhodalie asked, a slight look of confusion on her face.

“No, I think you just have to be there” Lloyd groaned.

“And tell me,” Rhodalie added “by what spell or craft is it that two initiates can enter the empire and we cannot?”

Lloyd stood up so that all could see him, “It is a merger of the craft of sorcery, the essence of the dragon and a craft we call science on my world. I will not repeat it again without good reason; first to protect the empire, and secondly because not enough time has passed to be certain there are no unforeseen side effects.”

Rhodalie seemed satisfied with this, but turned to Brother Kenneth, “Anything to add Brother?”

The monk stood and waited for Lloyd to sit.

“Friends, and I think I say that genuinely for everyone present, at least friends still learning to understand one another. As you know the monks of Arrenloft were formed to control magic, restrict its use to safe spells. Since the Sorcerer came into the world, I often think that our role has been redundant…our control feels like sand falling through a clenched fist. The harder we clench the faster it falls. I would therefore like to suggest a new role, one of helping to research new spells, recording what works and what doesn’t. Promoting the spread of those new spells which are beneficial. I would therefore like to suggest, as does High Master Rhodalie, that the Forbidden Tomes return to their original home as they will be an excellent reference resource.”

This no doubt explained High Master Rhodalie’s seriousness; she knew that this would cause an argument.

At first the argument had only been between the Masters from either school; as it was quite clear that Roff did not want to lose such a treasure from the island, and Rhodalie was absolutely insistent that the books return to Arrenloft.

Lloyd fidgeted a lot during the argument, he really did not want one of the books in the public domain; the spells and experiments on the daughters of the dragon, were a horror his family needed to be protected from. While the argument continued, Lloyd quietly left his chair and gently crept around to whisper something to Hegan. The young King nodded with a smile and Lloyd returned to his seat.

“MASTERS PLEASE!” the young king said to get everyone’s attention “As the sons of Kaladine, rulers of Kalana and official keepers of the Forbidden Tomes for centuries, I feel that my brother and myself should have a say.”

“And what do you say your majesty?” Emperor Celeon asked, intrigued.

“I suggest we divide the books between the two schools.”

“But there are five books, which school will get two and which three?” Rhodalie protested.

“I suggest that one book return with me to Earth for safe keeping; it is the book which has most of the Sorcerer spells and also some other information concerning my family.”

After a little more discussion this was accepted and it was even agreed that the two schools swap books every six months. It was not, however, agreed that any copying could be undertaken. The spells would be researched and developed for use against the Bremethren and nothing more.

The final request from the day came from Kenelm, who stood up a little meekly compared to his normal confident self.

“Your majesties, dignitaries, friends and in particular Brother Kenneth and High Master Rhodalie here. I would like to take the opportunity to request that I be allowed to forgo my vows and pledges as a monk of Arrenloft. As Brother Kenneth here has already stated, I have also been uncomfortable in my role as a monk. The restrictions on magic have not worked. As well as this, I have found myself attached to a woman that I genuinely would like to live my life with…” he cautiously looked towards Susan who was sitting behind Lloyd and was pleased to see her respond with a warm smile.

“Before my request is accepted, at least I hope it will be, I add one demand before I am no longer a monk. Friend Lloyd and friend Bethany, you must both complete your training to become masters! I know that you both have tasks and family distractions, but you must find the time.”

Lloyd and Bethany both blushed, they had both been well aware, for some time now, that they had not been doing their daily ritual of training. Lloyd stood up, dragging the redhead with him.

“I promise you Kenelm, and all here, that Bethany and I will not let our life distract us from training. With the new stone portals it is easy for me to spend a couple of days a week here, but I would also like to continue learning back on Earth. I think there is much more to gain from sorcery if I can understand the nature of the universe and its elements.”

So the first great meeting of the nations, less the crocodile clan, concluded.

The Emperor would aid Bethany in recruiting wizards and also begin building an army.

King Hegan would do the same, although as he pointed out, the population of Kalana had declined considerably since the Daemen invasion.

The Clans would also allow recruitment and begin storing supplies in case of an elongated campaign.

Bethany and Lloyd would continue to train, while of course watching over friends and family.

Kenelm would pursue a life with Susan outside of magic, although he had no idea what.

Arden, Boadaiska and Louise would remain on Earth until Edala had their grandchild.

Ziron volunteered to travel to Arrenloft to help the wizards research the little Bremethren magic he had been exposed to. At least Arrenloft was a long long way from the albino wizards, including his brother Airon.

All in all the future seemed set, the Bremethren were coming and the Sorcerer and his friends would be prepared.

Lloyd stood inside the circle of stones on the Isle of Retreat. He had just walked there from the beach where he had waved goodbye to Horace Burnaby on the Stormracer. The kingdom’s richest man had plans for making Hurg and was determined to not let war interrupt it.

Lloyd looked down at the forbidden tome in his arms, which he had now christened the Book of the Dragon. Kenelm also carried what they called the sixth book; in reality just a journal of Lloyd’s father which had been the key to recovering the hidden writing in the tomes.

Lloyd was very impatient to get home now; the two to three days absence he had promised Edala, had passed over three days ago.

The reason for the delay was that it had taken the power and craft of nearly twenty mages, to slowly deconstruct the obstacles that Lloyd had created to block the cave concealing the tomes. Master Rhodalie, in particular, had been very impressed with the nature of concrete. The prime cause of the delay was that just as with a pneumatic drill, the earth power to chip it away needed to oscillate at high frequency; this was both energy training and also uncomfortable for those earth mages, including Lloyd, who were tasked with its removal.

Beside Lloyd stood Arden and Boadaiska; upon the giant man’s shoulders sat the baby Louise, holding on to her father's hands with a toothless grin. She had now begun to crawl very quickly; and it seemed that keeping her on his shoulders, was the only way Arden could keep her under control.

Next to them stood Susan and Kenelm hand in hand. Outside the circle Bethany also stood hand in hand with Allen.

“Give my love to Edala; I will pop back once every couple of weeks if Allen lets me” Bethany said.

“I will do... and no secret going off and getting married, I at least want a second stag tattoo!” Lloyd replied; but he was a little surprised not to get a laugh from Bethany, just the slightest of smiles.

“Don’t worry. I know that in the vision we were married, so I have decided to postpone any ideas of that until after we defeat the Bremethren. I hope that every little difference, like that from the memory, will mean there is more likelihood that things will be different” she replied.

“I understand. That’s my Mother’s logic too. I will see you both soon.”

With that he turned to Arden with a grin, “You ready to do your thing Dad?”

“Yes son, just say the words” the giant man replied with an equal grin before transforming into the form of the messenger.

Lloyd opened his air portal, merged it with Arden’s, and pulled in the required energy.

“Zephyrair, Zephyrmight, Portal from dawn, carrier of might, wind of worlds, far of sight, to Highwood fly us, safe and right!”

He managed a final goodbye wink at Bethany before the circle filled with light and they vanished.

There are times in your life that can be very repetitive; day after day passing with no great trauma to solve or great battle to fight. It is a time where, if you don’t stop and look, you can really miss the great things in life; the blossoming of a relationship, friendship and just the very process of living.

The months after the great meeting were very much like this for Lloyd and Edala and their extended family.

Lloyd would always look back on these months with fondness. Watching Edala’s belly swell week after week, day trips to the beach, trips back to the Isle of Retreat for training, sometimes sneaking there with his wife so that she and Bethany could have a catch up.

He and Edala even had a private tutor in to teach them biology, chemistry and physics, which they hoped to complete as advanced qualifications before the baby was due.

The best thing about this time, however, even with the knowledge that one day the Bremethren would come, was the tranquillity.

This would come to an end on the sixteenth of September, the day that Edala was booked in for her caesarean section, the day that their child would be born.

Amy had picked this date as the earliest she could get away with; in terms of balancing the risks of an early delivery, against being far enough away from the actual due date, to hopefully not have Edala enter labour naturally.

She had also managed to pick a day where the operating theatre staff were friends with Susan, as her friend could help smooth any anomalies that might happen, for example if someone noticed the silver tinge to Edala’s blood.

Amy now sat with her husband in the theatre waiting room; opposite them was a nervous looking Lloyd and Edala. The petite Dragon-Girl was sat ready in a theatre robe.

“Okay we are ready for you Mrs Brook” a theatre nurse said, popping her head out from a double set of doors, which opened into the recovery and preparation room of the theatre.

Edala and Lloyd stood and smiled nervously at Amy and Darrion. Amy’s focus was entirely on Edala and she moved over to embrace her with a hug which was full of both support and love.

“Do not worry you are not going to die. You are in excellent hands and if they look like they are going to screw up I will be in there in a second.”

Edala kissed Amy on the cheek and then embraced Darrion, before leading Lloyd into the next room.

Lloyd’s stomach was a twist of nerves; the powerlessness of something so precious being in the hands of others was hard to bare.

A male anaesthetist joined them in the preparation room and Edala was instructed to lay on her side on the bed, which would be soon wheeled into the theatre.

“I’m just going to give you a local anaesthetic before putting a drip line in, we will then apply the epidural into your back; which will mean that you won’t feel anything in the lower half of your body” he said, his theatre mask puffing in and out with his breath as he spoke.

Edala nodded; luckily Amy had explained the procedure in detail, although this had not helped, necessarily, with her nerves.

The local anaesthetic was applied, by the smallest of needles, to Edala’s left arm and her back and she did not flinch at all. The nurse who came to apply the drip feed, with its larger needle, however, did struggle a couple of times to find the vein.

Lloyd visibly paled at the site; forcing Edala to smile at him reassuringly.

“Don’t you pass out Lloyd; they are supposed to be focussing on me, not you.”

“I’ll be okay” he smiled back at her and nodded to the nurse, who was also looking at him with concern.

Lloyd decided to turn away when the huge epidural needle appeared.

“You can turn back now Mr Brook” the anaesthetist smiled and then whistled under his mask as he adjusted the drip rate.

Lloyd looked into his wife’s eyes and could see the controlled fear hidden behind them.

She will not die, she will not die, she will not die,
he said over and over in his head. Finally, as an afterthought, he closed his eyes and prayed silently.
“Dear God...Lord Creator, please don’t let her die, I fear I will lose myself if I have to live a life without her.”

“Can you feel that?” the anaesthetist asked, prodding Edala in the back, she shook her head.

“What about that?” he prodded a different area; again a shake.

“What about this?” he prodded a little higher.

“Just a little bit” she replied.

“Okay we are ready to go” he instructed all present, and the nurses began to move the bed through the double doors into the operating theatre.”