The Mages' Winter of Death: The Healers of Glastamear: Volume Two (2 page)

The numerous dead were thrown into the street to be picked up by indentured criminals in permanent service to the crown. The bodies were tied to rocks, loaded on to cargo ships, and dumped into the Western Sea. The Temple was locked and barred, and no residents had seen the priests or the knight protectors in five weeks, although the people claimed they could hear ribald songs and the sounds of feasting coming from the temple precincts at night.

Snow fell deep, and cold sea winds blew in that brutal winter. People in almost every household died. Even a trip to the neighborhood market to buy fresh fish or salt cured pork was regarded with trepidation because of the risk of contagion. The anger and hatred toward the king and church grew as the death toll rose from one in ten to three in ten.

It was the worst epidemic in the two thousand year history of the Kingdom of Glastamear because it was the first without healing magic. King Richard the Vengeful and the church’s highest leader, Steven the Fifteenth, had ordered the healers purged. Their actions had brought this spreading death upon the suffering kingdom. If they had not been locked in the Great Temple, many priests might have felt the daggers of their suffering neighbors of Northport.

To the east in the fertile breadbasket of Glastamear was the large walled city of Briarton. It was the kingdom’s second largest and most prosperous city, but it did not escape the horror of the winter of death. Because of the restrictions on travel, food could not be brought in from where it was stored in the farm towns around the great city. While the travel ban had protected these villages and towns from the white pneumonia, at least a few cases had reached the city of Briarton before the closure. It spread.

In the first month of the winter of death, the epidemic was in full force in the city of two hundred thousand residents. In the second month, food ran low for the general population and riots began. The government storerooms were looted and the governor was torn apart by the rioters. The angry crowds further spread the infection, and the furious residents of Briarton began to pile their dead in the square in front of the closed and locked precincts of the Great Temple of Briarton.

The fireballs of the knight protectors, who were always fire mages of substantial power as well as armored knights, kept the citizens from direct attack on the temple and its storage rooms. Inevitably, once the food was gone, nothing could keep the starving citizens inside the city walls. They trampled the city guards and used the guards’ weapons to kill the royal troops at roadblocks as they spread out to every town in the fertile province. Only seven of ten of the citizens of Briarton would return to the once wealthy city, and no town in Briarton Province escaped the white pneumonia.

To the south of the devastation in Briarton, the mayor and high priest of Hearthshire Town devised a way of saving as many people as possible from the onrushing epidemic. They brought in huge stores of oats and wheat, which they distributed to every local resident. The Mayor then ordered every citizen of Hearthshire Town to remain inside on pain of death. Soldiers roamed the streets day and night to keep anyone from spreading the white pneumonia
.

What no one realized was that several of the carters who delivered the grain were already infected. Their coughs, as they unloaded and distributed the oats and wheat, spread death to hundreds of households. The epidemic in Hearthshire Town killed more than two in ten of the population, and it devastated the clergy who had locked themselves in the presumed safety of the temple compound. Many of the stunned survivors abandoned the town to spread out into the nearby woodland and to every village all over Hearthshire Province carrying the epidemic with them.

Death was almost everywhere, taking two in ten, three in ten, or even one half of the population in the most devastated areas. No one knew the fate of the great capital city of Min Hollow because snows completely cut it off from any access by the rest of the Kingdom, and its gates had been closed before winter acquired its frozen grip.

However, there was one city where both the epidemic and the winter laid a gentle hand. Southport is a magnificent city of pink granite and white marble located on an island in the warm southern sea. It’s connected to Southport Province by two dramatic granite arched causeways. The city is primarily apartment blocks of five to ten stories, but it has ample public spaces and a beautiful white marble Great Temple located in a hilltop park in the center of town. The streets are lively, and every luxury of Glastamear is available in its many shops and markets.

Vast plantations, farms, and orchards dominate the wealthy agricultural area of the province, and the local gentry live for most of the year in their manor houses located on their agricultural holdings. During the winter months, the southern gentry relocate to their city apartments in Southport for the social season. Balls, elaborate dinners, and nightly entertainments dominated the attention of the aristocracy. Finding the proper marriage partners for their children is the primary focus of many aristocratic matrons at the winter balls. In the most southern city of Glastamear, this winter of death was no different than any other; it was filled with music, laughter, and gossip.

The city’s High Priest Simon had protected the city’s healers from the decree issued by King Richard the Vengeful, hiding the province’s healers on an uninhabited island in the southern sea while pretending he had killed them. Healers now hid among the population as they did in Snowport. Three apothecary shops provided the cure as in Southport, and one healer traveled the countryside to every small town, manor house, and plantation, bringing the true cure of the
clear lungs
spell while pretending to sell a bitter potion that must be made and then drunk immediately.

There was one secret healer in Snowport who was unique. Michael had been discovered at an early age by the Healers’ Guild because of his extraordinary level of manna, the power source for all magic. The leadership of the Healers’ Guild knew Michael was exceptional, but they were not certain he was the Elf-Blood of prophecy. He trained as an apprentice under Master Healer William of Hearthshire Town, a second father to him who died early in the pogrom.

Michael escaped through the swamp known as the Great Black Thicket with four knight protectors in pursuit. In desperate flight, he reached the naiads at Black Sand Beach. That was where he was given the name Michael Elf-Blood because the naiads knew that he was born with the magical power of an elf, the power to work every form of magic. That autumn he learned water magic from the naiads; he learned earth magic from a spell book of the dwarves; he learned fire magic from a book stolen from the dungeon below the temple in Northport; and he learned forest magic from the fairies of Fay Woods. He was the first human in two thousand years who could perform spells of every type.

It was Michael who rescued more than a hundred healers and got them to the safety of the westernmost island of Glastamear. The escaped healers were hiding in the small fishing village of Rock Point. On his first rescue, he met Diana, a stunning raven-haired apprentice healer fleeing from the pogrom at Northport. In the elegant city of Southport, Michael was known as a wealthy merchant, Michael Son-of-William, and Diana was now his gorgeous wife and business partner. In Southport it was common for merchant couples to be full partners in their enterprises, and Diana was both smart and shrewd.

The Healers’ Guild was encouraging all healers to have many children because the magic trait of magical healing ran in families, and the kingdom was now desperately short of healers. Although the remaining members of the High Council of the Healers’ Guild had encouraged their marriage, Michael and Diana had been immediately attracted to each other. Even though they had known each other less than six month, their marriage was based on mutual love and respect. Now living in Southport, they still enjoyed the thrill of discovery that newly married couples experience. Each day they grew closer.

Chapter 1

“Michael, we need to get up now. Even though Guild Master Hampton wants all healers to have as many children as possible, trying again this soon will not help.”

Diana continued, “I thought you wanted to investigate what’s going on farther north. It will take an eagle six hours to fly up the coast and back. You’ll need to be back in time to dress for Lady Griffon’s ball. Both the governor and high priest will be there.”

Michael replied, “I’d like to investigate something much closer.” He ran his hand down her chest and kissed her before saying. “You’re right Diana. I need to get going. Why did we even get invited to the first masked ball of the season? We’re commoners.”

“Well our business partners, Timothy and Carolyn, will be going as well as Sir Julian and his wife. We won’t be the only merchants present.”

Michael commented, “Timothy and Carolyn were born here and are the richest merchants and bankers in the city, and Sir Julian is a direct representative of the King, making him an aristocrat by appointment. No, I think it’s because the men all want a look at the most beautiful woman in Southport Province.” He leaned over to kiss her again.

“You married me just to show off a pretty wife at winter balls?” Diana said with a fake pout.

“My love, the first thing I noticed as I approached the ship you were on was the strength of your manna. You have the manna level of a master healer. Next, I saw how beautiful you were when I got onboard. But I didn’t fall completely in love until we spent two days together talking about our lives. I love the woman inside the most, but it’s a nice bonus that you’re gorgeous too. Your mentor, Lady Agnes, told me later that you were the smartest apprentice she had ever had. Powerful mage, gorgeous, brilliant, and a kind and gentle person, how could I not fall for you?” He kissed her again.

Diana smiled and shook her head. “No time for that. One thing I am certain of is that you wouldn’t have been invited to this ball without me. None of these matrons would want their single daughters to have a chance to fall for a rich, handsome commoner. Now that you’re safely married, that’s no longer a risk.”

Michael got out of bed and used the bathroom, which had running water that the luxurious apartment building they owned provided to every tenant. Still nude from the shower, he cast the naiad spell
transparency,
climbed up the roof access ladder in a nearby closet, and stood looking over the magnificent view of sea and city. The temple located across a park was regarded as the most beautiful structure in Glastamear. Michael cast the fairy spell that reduced his mass and changed his form to that of the largest bird in Glastamear, the Great Ki Eagle. He glided over the rooftops until he was over the sparkling waters of the bay where he reversed the
transparency
spell. He caught a thermal updraft, soaring high above the city, and flew north along the coast toward the town of Broken Arrow, the first substantial community north of Southport Province.

The town was well known because it was the location of the final battle between the followers of the religion of Perry Ascendant and those who resisted their rule. The church’s stories told of three thousand pagan holdouts being immolated in the central square in a single auto-de-fé, but that was almost two thousand years in the past.

That central square was now the location of a great temple, the Temple of Perry’s Final Victory, and Michael could see the manna signs of hundreds of priests and knight protectors in the enclosure that surrounded the temple. From the number, Michael knew that the churchmen and their families had shut themselves in the compound before the epidemic reached Broken Arrow. Now knight protectors used either their crossbows or fireball spells to keep everyone else away as they patrolled the walled temple compound.

Near the compound’s eastern wall, Michael saw eight bodies either killed with arrows or fire, but throughout the town, bodies littered the streets. Order had broken down to the extent that no government or religious group was even removing the dead. Michael saw several packs of great wolves feasting on the epidemic’s victims in the poorer section of town outside the walls.

He saw no living beings on the streets of Broken Arrow, a town that had once been home to at least ten thousand people. He cast the spell
detect all life
and found the glow of many living people locked inside their homes. He assumed they would remain there until their food ran out. By his rough estimate, a third of the population was either dead or had fled the area. He felt he must do something to help; a healer’s duty was to cure disease. How could he spend his time at balls and feasts when this was happening so close?

Michael flew inland toward the small town of Swamp Ford where his friend John Neville was providing healing using an apothecary shop that sold a fake cure as a cover while he cast
clear lungs
to provide the real cure. The temple at Swamp Ford was the place of exile for High Priest Carson of Snowport. After High Priest Carson allowed the healers in Snowport to escape, the church had sent him to this small town in a malodorous swamp as punishment. The town was best known for the frequency of swamp fever and other insect carried diseases. The church leaders had not expected the rebellious cleric to live through the winter, but since a healer, Sir John Neville, was present, their plan to rid themselves of him was flawed.

Michael was surprised at the number of people on the road to Swamp Ford, and when he flew over the town, he was even more surprised. Refugees had occupied every piece of dry land with their tents and lean-tos. Tents also filled the courtyard of the temple and after casting
detect all life
Michael could see that the whole interior of the temple was already occupied by refugees. He estimated that the town of two hundred now held at least two thousand.

People from all over the area had come because it was a place with a real cure, a place with hope. Michael could see the desperate problem this huge population growth had produced. The need for wholesome food and safe water was obvious. The refugees would need ointments to protect them from the flying insects and tents to keep cold winter rains away.

Michael needed to come to their aid. When he transformed into an eagle, he could still cast any spell. The dwarfish magic spell
dwarfish strength
would allow him to fly to Swamp Ford with a whole pallet of supplies, and he was determined to do that tomorrow and to keep bringing food and supplies as long as needed. The healers owed a debt to High Priest Carson, and Michael would partially repay it by helping his adopted town.

Michael flew south along the ridge of the Green Mountains. He saw small groups of people trying to cross the rugged terrain to reach the safety of Southport Province, but he was confident that the guards and the workers in the tea plantation on the southern slopes would lead them to the refugee camp where a healer would cure any who carried the white pneumonia. As he neared the mountain pass used by the only paved road into the province, he saw crowds camping along the northern side in the hopes that the king’s guards would relent and let them pass into Southport. He estimated that four hundred people waited there in hopes of finding safety in the south.

He flew out over the sea and saw four overloaded fishing boats full of desperate refugees. He knew they would be met at the docks and taken to the apothecary shop he had located at the port. They would all have received the
clear lungs
spell before they mingled with the Southport citizens. So far these procedures had kept the epidemic at bay. Only fifteen were known to have died, and they all caught the infection before entering the province or from direct contact with someone who had crossed into the area without being detected and treated.

He cast
transparency
and flew to the roof of the Southport Hospital Luxury Residences. After converting to his normal self he descended the ladder to their tenth floor apartment and ended the spell that made him invisible. After he dressed, he looked for Diana to update her about his flight. She was busy instructing one of the chambermaids in preparing their costumes for that night’s ball, so Michael went looking for Jim Neville, the brother of John Neville of Swamp Ford, who was also a healer. Jim was his best friend and knew him better than anyone but Diana. After they discussed the situation in Swamp Ford, Jim went to purchase supplies for Michael to deliver to the overflowing town. Michael wanted to make the first delivery the following day. They would start with a pallet of food and canvas for tents. Later he would deliver lumber and other building supplies.

Michael and Diana planned to dress as the prince and princess of the Walker Islands of the warm Southern Seas. Walker Islanders’ clothing was more revealing than local customs, but it would show off Diana’s womanly virtues without being offensive. Michael was a little embarrassed with his costume because he tended to be on the skinny side and would have preferred something that covered him completely. However, he enjoyed the bright colors of the clothing compared to the drab brown and tan he’d grown up with in Hearthshire Province. They had never met Governor Talton or High Priest Simon, and Michael looked forward to being introduced to both men because these good men had refused to kill a single local healer. They had pretended to drown all sixty-three healers of Southport province, but they actually hid them at Dragon Crag Island.

Lady Griffon’s ball would be held at the ballroom of the Governor’s Palace, the largest ballroom in Glastamear. Since it was the first ball of the winter season, every aristocrat in the south would be certain to attend. Only a handful of commoners would be invited. Michael was nervous. He had grown up in a tiny village and never even seen an aristocrat until he became an apprentice of William of Hearthshire Town and met Jim Neville. As usual in any public occasion, both Diana and Michael would cast
fever search
before they entered and use a
clear lungs
spell on anyone who needed it. While they dressed, Diana and Michael discussed what they could do to help the unfortunate people in the towns near the border.

Diana was fully committed to helping in any way they could, but she also advocated approaching the local government to provide assistance to those in need. Although their first duty was to Southport Province, the local governor and high priest had large surpluses of food and other supplies. They could save many lives if they shipped those goods north.

Since they had never met the governor or the high priest, Michael thought it was presumptuous to ask for his aid at their first introduction.

Diana replied, “Then I’ll ask them. It’s better to be thought rude and save lives than hold my tongue and let people suffer.”

“I’ve yet to win an argument with you my love. Of course, you’re right.”

“Michael, you seem nervous. These aristocrats are just people.”

“Just people with six hundred years of having their families run this province. They own almost everything outside of the city. There are not thousands of privately owned farms like in Hearthshire or Briarton Provinces. Here the farmers are all tenants on land that the gentry own.”

“They may live a life of privilege, but their whole year is not a round of parties. They only do this for three winter months. Seriously, they may be a little arrogant, but they’re just people. Besides, your best friend is an aristocrat. Jim’s family has nearly two thousand years of being on top, and you’ve never had difficulty with the Neville family’s status.”

“Jim and John are different.”

Diana kissed him and said, “My love, with your magic, you’re actually the most powerful person in Southport Province. They just don’t know it. Let’s go.”