Hmmm…I haven't updated in a long time.  I have a lot of work to do.  I hope you like this chapter.  Two more to go in this story, remember, no happing ending in this one.  But remember also, another story is coming, so hold tight.  By the way…like I said…I don't have much time…so I didn't edit to much on this…you're all smart…I'm sure you can figure out what I meant…if not email me….I'll probably fix everything when I finish the entire thing and to a complete editing.

Enjoy

Karigan Marie

*****

The Secret Magic: Uncontrollable

Crumbling Stone

*****

"Keep up."  Jade picked up her pace behind the annoyed cook, making sure to keep her hood up in hopes no one would notice her.  She stepped around a pile of horse droppings, scrunching her nose at the pile as she passed it.  With her attention diverted, she didn't notice the cook had stopped her quick pace until she bumped into the round woman's back with an 'oomph!'

            The plump woman turned her black eyes down on Jade and glared.

            "I'm sorry, Nesi…" she began.

            "No need.  Just watch where you're going, child."  The woman turned back to the stand she had reached and picked out some apples, chit-chatting with the market seller.  Jade turned her head and watched the large amounts of people walk by, listening absently mindedly to the cook's conversation.

            "…apparently, they've moved west," the cook gossiped.  "…They burned Algar to the ground not two weeks ago."

            The market-women gasped and clicked her tongue in sadness.  "How astonishing.  Boni told me last week that the rebels have been taking slaves.  They leave the men and women's corpses rotting in the streets or burned in their homes and take the children!"

            Nesi shook her head and continued on.  "The Royal legionaries have been spread to thin, I hear.  Nearly half have been taken up north for the war leaving to few in the south."

            The apple-seller sighed and blinked worriedly.  "Where do you think they'll go next?"

            "I suppose the coast.  That's where I would go.  A lot of money to be had there."

            Jade looked at the two women in consternation.  The same gossip had been going around for nearly 5 months.  She rolled her eyes.  It really wasn't what she wanted to hear about.  She missed her father to much.  She counted on his weekly letters from the Carthak Capital or Tortall.  She never knew which he'd be at; he was going back and forth so often.

            The cook, Nesi, continued on.  "I even here the Emperor is thinking about closing the borders!"

            The market-seller gasped.  "No! Oh goodness gracious!  Which borders?

            "All of them!"

            Jade didn't like the sound of that.  If they closed the borders, only important mail and persons would get by.  She'd probably stop getting mail from Amena and her father.  She hated that thought.

            The topic of discussion shifted quickly.  "Nesi, why on earth do you have that child with you?"

            Nesi sighed.  "The Lady Atune is at the council building, getting some documents needed for the master.  He apparently sent word down for her to get some information from the library.  I find it odd indeed." She sighed again.  "And Mistress Messina cannot handle the girl all day at the manor.  So I've taken her along."  She patted Jade on the head as if she were a puppy.  Jade looked into the distance, trying to ignore the conversation as she waited.  She noticed some black smoke that looked to be coming from the eastern wall.  At least she couldn't smell the burning of the oil they did over there.  Often, the stench would reach across Kilbao.  She shifted on her feet and crossed her arms as Nesi and the women turned to a new topic of discussion.

*****

            They had finally made it to the last stand in the marketplace.  Jade sighed in relief; this would be the last time she willingly went anywhere with Nesi.  The women could talk more than a book!  She stood silently as the two women chatted on and on.  She reached down and tied the laces on her dirty boots, pulling them up a bit further and then swiping at the dirt on them.

            She felt it first, the ground vibrating more than usual.  She scrunched up her nose and put her hand to the ground, the steady rumbling getting loader and loader.  When shouting rang out on the edge of the market, her head jumped up, her hand still resting on the roaring earth.  She couldn't see anything through the crowd of people.  Nesi gasped suddenly and placed her hand upon her chest.  Jade stood and finally, through the mass of now frightened people, saw a mass of what looked like war horses charging into the market.  Upon the sturdy mounts where men wielding swords.  And then one of them swung the metal down through an old man near the edge of the market.

            It was perhaps like a dream for Jade.  The first thing she thought of was how the people would at any second run wildly.  And suddenly an image of familiar happenings in Corrus filled her mind momentarily before vanishing with the first wild scream.

            The mass crowd screeched in terror and began running around wildly for escape.  Jade jumped in surprise as Nesi's first response was to faint.  "Nesi!" It was utterly unbelievable.  Jade looked up to see the women Nesi had been speaking to had fled.  Jade pushed back into the stand that they had been shopping at and starred on with wide eyes.

            The horseman came tearing through without mercy, some dismounting to attack weaponless men and women.  Not twenty feet away, a bearded rider swooped down and beheaded the market blacksmith, who was swinging wildly with his branding iron.  The blood sprayed madly and Jade covered her mouth in a gasp of horror.  A cart was pushed back against the stand and Jade jumped away, tripping and falling to the ground on her back.  She sat up and crawled backwards across the packed dirt away from what was in front of her.

            She was picked up by the back of her tunic suddenly, her shirt digging into her neck painfully as she was lifted off her feet and turned.  A man with a sneer looked at her with a smile.  She kicked wildly, catching his groin by luck, and what looked like thorns surrounded by soft green light protruding from where she had planted her foot.  He gasped and dropped her.  She scrambled away from his view and climbed over a fallen body to hide behind.  She was nearly sick when she noticed the women's throat had been cut.  That's when she smelled smoke nearby.  She looked up to see the buildings around them burning madly, the dry wood catching so quickly, the entire grouping would be in flames within a few minutes.

            Jade looked around wildly, trying to find an opening she could get out at.  She noticed a small girl being picked up by one of the men.  She screamed and cried to no avail.  Jade licked her lips in nervousness; she didn't know what to do.  Someone called out her name.  She turned to see a women peeking out of an overturned cart.  It was Glen, the city's best dress maker.  The woman was motioning her over.  Jade quickly stood and ran for all she was worth across the small street.

*****

            Atune sat at the grand table with papers pilled about her.  She flipped through some promising pieces with practiced ease.  The continued hope that any information regarding land deeds in the province being found here kept her searching in earnest.  She flipped to an old parchment that contained the rights to excavation artifacts found on the lands of the Ehle family, the name Numair had sent her.  She ran down the list of properties.  Camile, Sandiot, Heimert, Truslow, Orleon.  Her eyes caught the last with a flash of recognition.  She sat in silence for a few moments calling up her many years of education.  Orleon….she clenched her eyes in concentration.  Orleon had excavation sights not unlike Lady Alanna's adopted father's lands.  Oloa was it?  She couldn't remember.  She slammed the papers down in aggravation.  A clerk passed by and jumped in surprise at the sudden noise.

            "Forgive me," Atune smiled apologetically.   "I was just trying to recall my history lessons."

            The clerk smiled.  "Can I be of any help?"

            "Unless you happen to know what's so special about Orleon's excavations, I don't imagine you can."

            The clerk smiled brightly.  "I'm from around there, grew up in Camile.  Orleon has the old caverns that bury a mile into the earth.  They find countless artifacts from the old ones there.  Caused a lot of trouble back with the last Emperor.  The Lord Ehle wanted to keep them, or at least profit from them, seeing as they're so valuable and powerful.  They shut it down when Emperor Kaddar came to the throne.  Didn't have enough workers to excavate when all the slaves were released.

            Atune listened carefully.  "So it is abandoned now?"

            "So I've been told.  No one around for miles.  Much to dry for living conditions.  Orleon has a running river inside the caverns that provided water for the workers.  But food had to be brought in.  It cost a lot of money to keep up.  When they had slaves, they saved a lot of cost on workers.  Without them, money went too quickly to keep it up.  To bad, really.  Some of the most beautiful artifacts in the Carthaki palace come from Orleon.  So powerful, they have to be kept in the Mages wing under 24 hour watch.

            Atune stood up suddenly.  "How do they know it continues to be abandoned?"

            The clerk shrugged.  "No one goes out there.  No point really.  Not unless you go with a large group."

            Atune swooped the papers together, bringing them into one grand pile.  "Thank you."  She had to send out an express to Numair immediately.  This was big.  She was about to stuff the documents into her bag when screaming from the halls caught their attention.  The clerk jumped to the window and gasped.

            "Riders….They're burning the libraries!"

            Atune ran to the window in shock.  "What's going on?"  Without notice, a man came around in view of the great stained glass window, his figure distorted by the cut glass.  He lifted his hand and threw an object at the window.  It flew through the glass.  Atune lifted her hands to shield her eyes as shards of glass few at her.  She screamed in pain as she felt some of the shards hit her eyes.  Her eyes clenched painfully and the clerk screamed in fright as a roaring sound filled the room.  Within seconds the room was blazing hot, Atune felt the licking flames to close.  Unable to open her eyes, she screamed out, her hands reaching for anything to find her way out.

*****

Carthak Capital:

            "Welcome back, Captain."  Numair shook the young man's hand.  "I hear you trapped the rebel that burned down Algar not three days ago."

            Jayson smiled.  "They were a tricky bunch.  I'm afraid that a good number of them got away; nearly 50.  But I think that we've sufficiently depleted their numbers so that they can't do too much damage for a while."

            Numair smiled.  "I'm glad to hear it."

            Jayson smirked.  "You seem in high spirits today, Master Numair.  What could possibly make you smile so?"

            Numair held up some documents.  "We found him."  He smiled triumphantly.

            The Captain stopped short in amazement, his eyes not leaving the documents Numair held.  He reached for them and looked through the papers.

            Numair filled him in.  "Nicholas Ehle of the southern province of Leon.  Grew up in Kenican, attended Banesto University in the South, a very conservative school, may I add.  The sun of a very wealthy slave holder, he lost his entire income, the slaves, with the free slave decree the Emperor put out.  Very disgruntled young man.

            The Captain smiled up at him.  "We can trace him now.  We can ask the royal library clerks to find what they can on him."

            "I've sent word to someone in Kilbao to look in the library there.  They may have some more detailed documents concerning the southern provinces.  I hope to hear back from her shortly."

            Jayson nodded.  As soon as any information is found, I'll set out.  I've been waiting to get my hands on him.  Now I know what to call him."

            "He's tricky.  Goes by various names.  His War name is Onam…so we think.  But we've also gotten reports of his name being Alexander.  A few others."

            The young Legionnaire shook his head in exhaustion.  He smiled then.  "We found some more reports from the former regent mage of Truslow, would you like to look at them?"

            Numair's eyes lit up.  "I think I would."  They walked together down the courtyards, the heat of the sun bearing down.  They passed the aid stands.  "I hope the attacks end soon, Captain.  Too many innocent people are dieing.  With the war up north, we can hardly spare the men needed to weed out the rebels."

            Jayson nodded.  "I've had to give up half my men to the northern fight against Serain.  I fear we will loose a few more villages and cities before the Emperor can spare the man power from the north."

            Numair sighed.  "The villages on the northern sea border need as much protection.  Fighting on two fronts is never easy."

            "And I hear the Emperor and King are discussing closing the borders.  Is that true?"

            Numair sighed.  "To much illegal weapon trading is going on across the borders in Carthak.  I believe the Emperor feels the only way to end it is to close down all the borders.  King Jonathan agrees."

            Jason nodded.  "I had hoped not to have to fight a war.  I thought my years in the Legionnaires would be spent in protection and law enforcement, not hunting down slaughterers."

            Numair smiled in sympathy.  "I understand.  Every good man wishes for a peaceful life to raise a family.

            The Captain smiled.  "Indeed."

            "But you are young still, Captain.  Not even 19.  You have time yet to find yourself a wife."  They both laughed.

            "Perhaps I shall find a wife who will be useful.  I shouldn't like to marry an idle lady, like my father wishes," he joked.

            Numair grinned.  "Be careful what you wish for, a useful wife can be a handful."

            "You speak from experience?" he laughed.

            Numair smiled sadly.  "My wife was more than useful."  He looked at the young man.  "I would hope you'd find someone to love as much as I loved my wife.  It truly was a gift, even if I did loose it much too soon."

            Jayson stopped to look at the tall man.  "Her legacy will live on, Master Numair."

            Numair smiled.  "I believe so.  Being the first Wild Mage comes with a legacy."

            Jayson shook his head.  "That's not what I meant, sir.  I meant your daughter."

            Numair starred at the young man.  "You are an interesting person, Captain Lenex.  Not too many would be so understanding."

            They both looked up to see the main gates opening, the gatekeeper yelling the arrival of a messenger.  A horse came ripping through the courtyard, halting at the first guard.  He dismounted and looked around.  "A message for the Legionnaires! A message for the legionnaires!"

            Jayson stepped up to the man immediately.  "I am Captain Lenex.  What is the message?"

            The man heaved for breath.  There's been another attack to the south…father east.  Kilbao, sir."

            Jayson froze in place, his eyes widening.  Numair pushed forward in alarm.  "When did this happen?" the young Captain asked hoarsely.

            "Yesterday morning, Sir."

            Numair's strained voice called out.  "Are you sure?
            The man nodded.  "Yes, sir.  A wall guard came into bavallos yesterday afternoon, 20 miles north of Kilbao.  He claimed that the rebels came from the east, breeching the wall in surprise.  Mass amounts of smoke could be seen from bavallos.

*****

            Captain Lenex was shoving the last of his supplies into his horse's packs, shouting orders to his men.  "I want to the aid to follow.  No more than a day behind us, is that clear? Jotson, see to it that there's enough supplies for the healers who ride with us."  He turned around to find himself face to face with Numair.  "Master Numair?"

            "The Emperor has consented to me going with you."

            Jayson looked confused.  "But…you are needed here, Master Salmalin."

            "I'm going with you, Captain."

            Master Numair…we are unlikely to find many survivors.  I would not wish you to be present when we arrive.  It can be…difficult."  He tried to sound gentle.

            Numair barked at him.  "My daughter is in Kilbao, Captain.  I will not just leave her!"

            "Sir, I promise I will look for her.  But you are needed here."

            "Do not argue further, Captain.  I'm going."

            Jayson sighed.  He mounted his horse quickly.  "Let's go, men!"

*****

            They arrived at the Kilbao walls the following evening, the sun falling behind the distant horizon.  They could barely see the wall in front of them, but the massive stone wall, when lit by torches, showed scorch marks along its front.  They trotted up to the main entrance, passed by a large amount of bodies from the initial fight.

            Captain Lenex felt his anger rising.  Last ranks, clean up this mess and set up camp inside.  The rest of you, rank out…find survivors!"

Numair rode up next to Lenex.  "I'm going to my manor."

            Jayson looked put out.  "We have to work our way in, Numair.  We cannot go directly to you manor."

            "I can and will!"

            Jayson reached out a hand to his shoulder.  "If you go, and there are still men out there, they could take you down.  What use are you to Jade if you are dead?"

            Numair grit his teeth and turned away.

            They rode by some of the stables and barns.  All were burnt down.  They split up upon reaching the eastern road, stopping every so often to check into homes and work houses.  Numair was on edge, he wanted to get to his home to assure himself that Jade was safe.

            Jayson sighed as the total number of deaths climbed as each minute passed.  They had yet to find a survivor on this road.  "We ride on" He climbed down the burnt stairs of the small house and jogged to his horse.  "The family is in the kitchen, burned."  His face was emotionless, passive.  He'd learned to not feel at the sight of so many slaughtered people.  He would be unable to do his job if he allowed himself to feel pity.  He looked towards a shaken Numair with sadness.  He didn't expect to find anyone alive at the manor.  It would have been sacked thoroughly.  He closed his eyes and cringed at the thought of a green eyed girl's body laying among the ashes.  He didn't want to think about that.  He scolded himself for not being as emotionless with this girl as he was with everyone else.

            They rode on in the darkness, Numair's magic lighting the way slightly.  Finally, they reached the entrance to the manor.  Jayson swallowed in dread at the place.  The entire west wing, the servants quarters, had been burn down.  The main entrance, which seemed to be made of stone and ceramics, lay in crumbles of scorched rock.  They stared at the large house for what seemed like endless minutes.  Numair suddenly flung his leg over the horse and ran towards the house.  Jayson and a few Legionnaires quickly followed.

They pushed their way through the main entrance into the foyer.  Jayson pointed into the servant's quarters.  "Look that way…" he was cut off when Numair jumped forward towards the grand staircase in front of them, yelling out.

"JADE!"  He took the steps three at a time, flying up the stairs in fright.  "Jade! Atune!"

"Numair, wait!"  Jayson cursed and followed the man upstairs, praying the creaking stairs would hold their weight.  He followed Numair down a long passage way that lead to what seemed to be the family rooms.  Numair pushed through a large door that hung from its hinges yelling out his daughter's name.  Jayson entered the room and stopped to look around.  There was no one here.  Not alive or dead.  Numair left the room to look elsewhere.  Jayson looked around in curiosity.

It had obviously once been a girl's room.  The ceramic tiles along the entire wall, while scorched nearly black, still carried the floral design of ivy and vanilla orchids.  In the corner sat a large wooden bed, ashes and ceiling bits fallen on top.  There were countless shelves and drawers holding porcelain dolls that were burnt and deformed. 

            Next to the bed was a bed stand, holding various burned papers and books.  He walked across the room, his stepped cracking as he stepped over a filthy floor.  A large window looked out upon the estate, and what must have been a rather comfortable seating ledge along the windows edge was now wood that nearly fell apart at the touch.  He walked over to the bed and looked at where the pillow lay in ashes.  He swiped his gloved hand across it idly and noticed something.  It must have been hidden under the pillow before the fire.  When he swept away the ashes with his hand with more purpose he could see the object more clearly.  He picked it up.  It was a necklace of some kind; it was leather cord, now stiff from the fire.  At the end hung a badger's claw.  Jayson looked closely at it.  The claw was still white and untouched.

*****

They'd searched the manor up and down; found many dead servants, including the Mistress Messina.  But they hadn't found Lady Atune or Jade.

Jayson was somewhat relieved, but he feared that the hope that they hadn't been here would soon be crushed with the knowledge that they had been somewhere else in Kilbao during the attack.

Numair was beside himself with worry, and was fairly useless as far as Jayson was concerned.  He would be of no help finding anything except his daughter; which was understandable.

They were mounting their horses to continue on when one of the other ranks joined them.

"What have you found?" Jayson questioned.

"We went to the libraries.  There were a handful of survivors.  We left a few guards with the healers there.

"Do we know who the survivors are?"

"A few clerks, Sir.  No one of name. Except maybe a lady.  Not from around here though, doesn't even look Carthaki."

Numair's head jerked up.  "Blond hair, blue eyes?"

The man scrunched his nose.  "I think blonde, her hair is fairly dirty.  I could not tell what color eyes.  They were severely injured in the fire.  I believe her name was Masson."

Numair breathed in sharply.  "That is my daughter's tutor.  Was there a child with her?"

"No children where found, sir."

Numair cursed his luck.  "She is injured, the lady?"

"Yes sir.  She is with the healers now."

Numair sighed.  "She isn't here at the manor, or with Atune at the libraries…there are no forests for her to hide in…where could she have gone?"

*****

It was nearly morning when Jayson finally made it to the market place.  This is where the majority of the slaughter had occurred.  There were bodies everywhere, and even he had trouble keeping his stomach from revolting against what his eyes saw.  He looked around and directed his men accordingly.  Once they had assured themselves that all survivors would be taken care of, they would begin their tracking.  It was best to begin in the morning anyway.

Numair sat among a tent of soldiers who were resting, his head in his hands.  His worry eating away at him.  Jayson noticed a woman trying to get through to the tent.  He reached for her.  "I'm sorry, miss.  That tent is for the soldiers."

"I was just trying' to speak with Master Salmalin, Sir."

Numair lifted his head at his name.  He blinked.  "Glen.  I am happy to see you are alright."

"Thank you, sir."  She seemed nervous and on the verge of tears.

"What is it, Glen?" he asked.

"Sir, I noticed your daughter here during the attack."

Numair jumped to his feet, quickly jogging up to her.  Jayson stepped up as well, his own sudden hope making him think twice.  Numair looked on the verge of tears himself.  "Where was she, Glen? Do you know where she is?"

The small dark woman lowered her face.  When they attacked, I hid under that overturned cart," she pointed towards a large cart with various arrows stuck in it.  "I was so scared, Sir.  I was shaking so hard.  But then I saw Miss Jade among the crowd.  She was very frightened, she was.  I don't know why she was by herself.  I thought I'd seen her with the cook early in the day.  But she was just all alone."

Numair swallowed hard.  "Yes…?"

The woman trembled.  "I called out to her.  Told her to come hide with me.  She ran to me."  She began to cry.  "There were so many people running about, there were points I couldn't see where she was.  One second she was running towards me, the next time I saw her, she was on the ground, not moving."
            Numair let out a cry of despair.  Jayson cut in.  "Then what happened?"

The woman was sobbing.  "A man with a sword picked her up.  She didn't move at all.  He took her to a cart at threw her in, with what looked like lots of other children.  They left then."  She collapsed into a chair and cried harder.

Jayson starred at the woman in disbelief. 

*****

They had split up.  Half the Legionnaires were to follow tracks that lead south, the rest to follow tracks that lead west.  Numair had been indecisive about which way to go.  Jayson had promised that he would go which ever way Numair did not.  So in the end, Numair went west, Jayson went south; splinting up with a promise from Jayson that if he should find Jade, he would look after her.

He felt the anger rise up in him whenever he thought about what the rebels were doing.  It was quite obvious now that they were taking children as slaves.  What perplexed him the most was that he didn't know where anyone would take slaves.  By the third day of travel south, it had become obvious that the road south was being traveled by various carts; which meant, more than likely, the children had been taken this way.  He pushed his men harder than normal; the knowledge of children being used as slaves pushing his men to work harder, pushing him harder.

*****

Hope you like it.

Karigan Marie