~ Chapter 23 ~
The mage did not conform to the usual vision of a blood path adept. He dressed simply, he didn't bother making himself attractive, he didn't have a pretentious fortress, and he looked like the farm boy he had been before he discovered Power.
He had a very different strategy for taking what he wanted. Instead of throwing power at something until it crumbled he waged a war of the mind. Making the people he was targeting paranoid and fearful. Soon his target would be unable to function and he could simply take what he wanted without a struggle.
However Valdemar wasn't succumbing.
In the center of the country were two powerful nodes located right in the heart of their capital. Since the Mage storms there was almost no nodes available anywhere else.
There was also one other major reason he wanted Valdemar. The strange white horses.
The sacrifice of those creatures would bring him incredible amounts of Power.
First he slaughtered a few tribes of those barbarians to raise enough power for his plans.
Then 'removed' a hamlet.
With the power from that he took another and another.
Valdemar should have been worried and trying to find the reason for the disappearances.
Instead they had sent people with two of those strange white horses, both powerful adepts, to investigate.
They had appeared at each of the vanished towns, searched and left by gate again.
After the third one Valdemar mysteriously went to a state of war with no other enemy but him around.
Hegrith had watched to see if they would relax but instead they started focusing their search for him on the northern mountains. The annoying nonhumans actually had come close to locating him a time or two. He had enjoyed killing them.
It had all been a challenge, until Valdemar some how discovered his name.
He sat and watched to see who was at the center of the search and possibly the one who knew so much about him.
He had been surprised to find the same woman who had searched the town sites.
What was more surprising was who she was. This Kelisiaori claimed to be from the future, here with the express intent of destroying him.
The more he had watched her the more he was intrigued.
She was only a little over twenty years old and she was already formidable.
If he was going to conquer Valdemar he obviously had to remove her from the equation. He decided to lure her north again with another attack, one that would call for an adept to handle it. For now he would satisfy himself with the single spirit horse and rider riding towards him.
Hegrith was patient and knew in time he would know what it would take to lure her to him.
~*~
Keli studied the maps spread out before her. Captain Kerowyn had placed markers representing the missing humans and nonhumans on the map.
"We have searched here and here." Kerowyn pointed out two valleys. "And found nothing."
None of the people gathered around the maps were surprised. No matter how they searched, they found nothing.
"What if he doesn't have a main base?" Talia asked. "We have seen no army as of yet."
Kerowyn considered the theory. "Then he could be anywhere."
"He could easily survive the way Keli and Tris did." Selenay pointed out. "Feeding only off power."
"Keli, you read magic like I read emotions, could you read for him up north?" Talia asked
Keli drummed her fingers on the table. "He has the power of hundreds of sacrifices so he may be leaking power but it may not be enough to locate him. If he is living off the land he will be shielding for all he is worth."
"But you can See that far?" Elspeth asked astonished.
"Normally no. But I know I can be boosted that far." Keli explained.
"Who would boost you?" Elspeth asked.
"Tris. We found we can augment each other's Gifts." Keli clarified.
"Do that as soon as you can." The Lord Martial ordered.
"If he is alone he could be in Valdemar's borders." Selenay suggested. "Can you teach this technique to other mages? Then we could increase the area we can search."
Elspeth shook her head. "She's tried. Not even Firesong has mastered the technique. Her sensitivity is a little different than what we are used to seeing, probably because of the centuries between us."
"What else can we do?" Selenay asked.
"He doesn't seem to act when he is off balance." Kerowyn commented. "I think if we send some Skybolts up north and have them search the mountains and enlist the help of the friendly tribes we could keep him a little off balance, maybe enough for us to find him."
"Other Kyree packs have offered help in searching out the mage, perhaps if we deploy one with each Skybolt unit we can increase our chances of getting close to unnerve him." Keli offered. "It would also allow us to keep in contact with them with out having a Herald with each."
"When will they arrive?" Selenay asked.
"They are on their way now. Twelve neuters, all warriors." The Lord Martial answered.
"Do any of them have a famous cousin Warrl?" Elspeth asked warily.
"I don't know, but none are historians." Keli offered.
"Good." Kero said under her breath.
"One Rris is enough." Elspeth agreed. "What about gryphons?"
"They are too obvious, when he sees them him has blasted them out of the air." Kero shook her head.
"I can't think of anything else to discuss." The Lord Martial said finally, a sign the meeting had ended.
Keli was one of the last in the room. Selenay was the only other one who remained.
"I don't know what more to do." Selenay said.
"I know." Keli stared at the maps.
"You are probably feeling the same." Selenay commented.
"Yes. These people are still my…children. I can think of now other way to describe it." Keli's shoulders slumped.
Selenay nodded. "That is how I feel."
The sound of the Death Bell interrupted them.
"Herald Tara." Keli said. "Companion Jeesin. The first Herald listed in the book."
Selenay looked up sharply. "Did they say anything about how they died?"
Keli hesitated. They listed the exact cause of death for each Herald but she didn't want to say what may still kill Selenay's son. "Yes. She was found completely untouched but her Companion was butchered."
Selenay rubbed her temples.
"I'll go find Tris, perhaps we can find him before he goes too far." Keli left quickly. She knew Tris was in the Stable grooming Caewen.
She dashed through the rain to the stable and was drenched to the skin before she went six steps.
"Tris?" Keli called.
Several of the grey clad trainees looked up.
"Over here." Tris emerged from one of the stalls.
Keli wove around the students until she reached him. "Did you know Tara?"
Tris nodded. "She took over my circuit, Sorrows One."
"I need your help to search up there." Keli explained as she stepped into the stall.
"I'll give you anything you need." Tris assured her.
Keli sat with her back against the wall and Tris took his place next to her and took her hand. They knew from past experience that the link was stronger if they were in contact. Quickly their consciousnesses entwined. Tris let Keli take the lead and they started their search of the north.
Tris had never experienced Keli's ability to read people's intent and found the entire experience a little unsettling. There was a man kneeling by the bodies but Tris knew he was not the mage. However he could feel the malice and power lust almost like a residue on the bodies.
:He is gone. I can't sense him.: Keli thought sadly.
:He must have lowered his shields to gather the Power and raised them when done.: Tris observed.
Keli increased the range of their senses. :There is no sign of him.:
Their focus returned to the bodies. Tris cringed from the sight of his friend's body. Her white clad body was sprawled on her back, her vacant eyes staring at the sky. No wounds were visible on her body but her face was a mask of fear. Her Companion however was a gruesome sight with much of his hide removed.
:I'm sorry.: Keli sensed his distress at the sight.
:I'm fine.: Tris assured her.
:I don't think there is anything more to see.: Keli started pulling them back.
When they returned to themselves Keli didn't break the link. Keli could feel the waves of grief radiating from him.
"She was my mentor for my internship." Tristen said after a few minutes silence.
Keli Sent him a wave of condolence. "I don't know what to say."
Caewen watched them worriedly.
"I'll be fine." Tris assured her.
"I can finish grooming Caewen." Keli offered knowing many of Tara's friends were gathering to mourn her.
"Thank you." Tris said gratefully.
Keli released the bond as Tris left and gathered Caewen's brushes. "I wish I could have asked someone else to help."
Caewen gave her an understanding look.
"If I had known her I don't think I could have faced that." Keli admitted.
Keli finished grooming Caewen's coat to a gleam. "I better go pick up the imp."
Caewen nudged her back to hurry her along.
"I get the hint, no sense in her waiting in the rain." Keli smiled slightly. Caewen adored Fyn.
Keli quickly saddled Kenyon and grabbed two rain capes off a hook. Predictably the rain found every possible entrance and trickled down her neck until she gave up and weatherproofed it magically.
Fyn was waiting in the temple's barn when Keli arrived.
"Ready imp?" Keli asked as she offered a rain cape to Fyn.
Fyn scrambled up behind her. "Thanks, I wouldn't want ride Honey in this, even if she would let me."
"You are spoiling that horse. Horses have been out in the rain since the dawn of time." Keli pointed out logically.
"But she is going to have a foal. She shouldn't have to be out in the rain." Fyn countered.
"She is going to become as fat as a pony." Keli warned.
"I'll ride her when it's nice." Fyn assured her. "Do you think to foal will be black like his sire?"
"Maybe he will be a bay or a chestnut like his mother." Keli suggested.
"I can hardly wait to see him. The Stablemaster says he'll teach me how to train him." Fyn told her eagerly.
Fyn chattered about the foal that was still a few months shy of a year away until they reached the palace.
~*~
Hegrith was pleased. He finally knew how to lure her to him.