11th Day of Fireseek, 565 CY
The Willow Tree Inn, Willip, Furyondy
I'm glad we've retired, thought Cygnus. I just wish our troubles would go away so everything would be all right again.
It was a common thought nowadays for the wizard, who glanced around at the large circular table at which he was seated. The entire Sir Dorbin party was eating and chattering amiably amongst themselves while awaiting the arrival of Caroline, Jinella and Zantac. Cygnus moved his gaze to encompass the decor of the common room. It was rather impressive, and he was considering similar improvements for the Brass Dragon. If we ever have any money again, he thought ruefully.
The Willow Tree's common room was easily triple the size of the Brass Dragon's. In the center, a bordered mound of earth held an actual willow tree, its top branches brushing against the room's twenty foot-tall ceiling. One wall was composed almost entirely of bordered glass windows, while the other walls boasted beautiful full-length painted frescos depicting impressive landscapes. One showed the city from Willip as viewed from its harbor; another was that of a beautiful city criss-crossed by canals (Chendl most likely, thought Cygnus), and the third another city he did not recognize.
The food was high quality, he noted, looking around at the meals of his dining companions. It was the equal to what the Brass Dragon used to serve, and they had a wider variety. Their prices were at least double, however. Cygnus decided that, once things were back to normal again, he would speak with Argo and Elrohir about the possibility of raising prices at the Brass Dragon, at least a little. With a little more coin in their coffers, they could-
"Your tea, sir?"
Cygnus turned. A boy about Thorin's age (Thorin's apparent age, he reminded himself) held a mug of tea in his hands. Cygnus smiled, took the mug from the boy's hands and handed him two silver sheridans. The child smiled and headed back towards the bar. The wizard gazed thoughtfully after him.
When Thorin was with me, I never thought that much about him, except for his studies. Now that he's not here, I notice it. There's an emptiness that I didn't expect. Maybe it's because a little piece of his mother lives on in him. I know she'd want the best for him. The magic-user took a sip of his tea and set it down on the table. He hadn't ordered anything to eat this morning. He wasn't feeling very hungry. Oddly, the quote that Aslan had attributed to Nodyath kept popping up in his thoughts at the oddest times.
A child deserves better.
Nodyath. Cygnus fingered the rim of his mug. When Caroline had told him yesterday afternoon of what had transpired in the Prison three days ago, Cygnus had felt that familiar feeling of dread, but curiously it hadn't lasted that long. It just didn't seem possible to him, that if Nodyath still lived, he wouldn't have sought vengeance at his earliest opportunity. Of course, they would know today. Jinella would let them know what the results of Lancoastes' divination were. Cygnus sincerely hoped that Nodyath was dead. That was one more problem that he just didn't want to have to deal with at the moment. He thought of his slate, currently resting in his backpack. His Enemies List. His expression grew grim. Well, if Nodyath's still alive, he's on the list too, he resolved. I'm tired of others trying to deny us our happiness. Apparently, they only understand one thing. A cruel grin crossed his face as he remembered adding Lord Dak's name to the list several days ago, only to immediately cross it out. That had felt good.
He turned his attention back to the party of Sir Dorbin. While he was glad that he had at least some money in his belt pouch now, thanks to the dragon parts they had sold at the Wizard's Guild, he knew that Torlina and Flond had done some trading in spells there on their own. He frowned. Between them and the elves going to the Tribal House, more people than ever probably now knew that he, Elrohir, Aslan, Tojo and Tadoa were from another world than ever. While it had never been as closely guarded a secret as he would have liked, they had all agreed to try and keep it as low profile as possible, to keep away the curious.
Like other wizards, Cygnus thought sourly.
As if on cue, Zantac appeared in the doorway of the inn.
"You!" he said loudly, while pointing directly at Cygnus.
With a sour grimace on his face, Zantac quickly moved to their table and sat down next to Cygnus, in the chair Cygnus suddenly wished he hadn't saved for him. Could this guy be any less subtle? the younger mage wondered.
"Thanks for telling me your two fellow wizards here are from the same world you are," Zantac scolded Cygnus. "Here I am, pulling hydra's teeth to try to get the barest concessions out of you, and Hogeth comes by to tell me about these incredible spells these two sold us without even any prompting!"
Cygnus shrugged. "Well, you know what this means, don't you?"
"Yes, I know what it means," Zantac replied, slapping the back of his hand against Cygnus' chest. "It means I could have been paying attention to that pretty young thing over there, and not wasting my time on your ugly mug!" He indicated Torlina, then turned back to Cygnus with a sly smile. Zantac was crass and crude without a doubt, and yet, watching Torlina blush and Dorbin trying to repress a scowl, he couldn't help but smile back.
Cygnus crossed his arms. "No, this means you don't have to waste your time and mine trying to get me to sign up."
Zantac, however, shook his head.
"Sorry, Cygnus. You don't get off the hook that easily. These two told me they'll be leaving this world soon, going back home. The Guildmaster wants to get the complete perspective on otherworldly magic, and that means a full-timer."
"Flond and I are using that money to get all of us home," put in Torlina, apparently feeling a need to explain herself. "That was the only reason we bartered spells," she finished with a defensive look. For his part, Flond was on his second cup of ale and paying no attention to any of this.
"We belong back on our home world. It may be some time; a few days at the least, until a way home opens up for us," Sir Dorbin stated, his gaze on Zantac. "Lancoastes says that conventional spells will not suffice for this, but he is confident the Church will eventually be able to help us. It's just as well," he continued, those dark blue eyes now locking on Cygnus. "We may still have an important task to complete first."
Zantac raised an eyebrow at that but did not pursue it. He looked now at Cygnus with what looked like honest curiosity. "What about you, Cygnus? You don't feel like you belong back on Aarde? And your friends? Do they feel the same way?"
Cygnus nodded slowly, staring down at his cup of tea. "It's different for us than it is for them," he said, indicating the Sir Dorbin party. "We've retired now. Home," he looked thoughtful, then shrugged with a weak smile. "Home is where you make it, I guess. And for us, home will always be the Brass Dragon."
There was a brief silence around the table. Then, Torlina smiled and reached across the table, taking Cygnus' hands in hers. He looked up in surprise.
"If our future is anything like yours Cygnus, I would call that a very happy retirement, indeed. Your loved ones at your side, and your children beside you." She finished by glancing over at Sir Dorbin. "What else could one wish for?"
"Indeed," the knight added softly.
"Hmmm," put in Unru. "Perhaps not quite so many murder attempts. And a few less dragons attacking out of the sky. And maybe..."
Cygnus wasn't even listening. For some reason, Torlina's statement had captivated him. Still staring at her (I never noticed before, but she does look a little like Hyzenthlay, he thought), out of the corner of his eye Cygnus saw Zantac looking at him even more curiously then before. With some effort, he turned away from Torlina's green eyes to address Zantac.
"Yes?"
Zantac's voice was filled with wonder. "You have children? I knew you were a widower Cygnus, but..." he trailed off, his expression embarrassed.
Cygnus' tone was a little harsher than he intended it to be. "Should have scryed a little longer, Zantac. Yes, I have a son, as does our party leader, Elrohir. Does that change anything?"
Zantac was trying to digest this. I'm sure the Guildmaster knew this. Why didn't he tell me? "Well," he said, his voice a little unsteady now. "Your being a Guild member would increase his safety severalfold, but I'll save that for the walk home," he added quickly to forestall Cygnus' objection. "I don't have any kids myself, but I know that one day I do want them. Of course, that kind of involves a woman being somewhere in my life," he added with a self-deprecating laugh. "I do have a nephew, ten years of age, though I don't see him as often as I'd like." His voice grew reflective. "I asked his father once if I could tutor the boy in magic."
"What did he say?" asked Cygnus.
Zantac ran his hand through his hair. "He hit me over the head with a chair."
"Smart fellow," snorted Flond.
Zantac whirled on Flond, now with a scowl on his own features. "How would you know? Do you have a son?"
"Yes, you bastard- I do!" Flond jumped to his feet, banging the table and oblivious to his glass of ale falling off. "Listen, you blind fool!" he said, loudly enough to draw the attention of other tables. "Arcane magic is the biggest, most seductive trap ever laid at the feet of mortals! Who doesn't want to be able to lay waste one's enemies with powerful blasts of magic, to obtain power and wealth, to catch the eye of a beautiful woman or handsome man, to bask in the awe of commoners who don't know any better? What does it mean in the end? Nothing! Can you name me ONE wizard who died of old age, peacefully, in his bed, surrounded by his family, his children? I can't! Magic begets greater magic, which begets even greater magic, which sooner or later, begets another wizard's corpse!"
He strode quickly around the table to Cygnus, who got to his feet, half-afraid that Flond was going to attack him, but the other mage just stuck his face close to his. Cygnus could smell the ale on his breath.
"Does Thorin want to be a wizard, Cygnus?" Flond hissed at him. "If he doesn't, by anything and everything you hold dear, don't push him into it! And if he does," and here Flond could only shrug and look at Cygnus with pity in his bleary eyes. "Then you've already damned your own son. If Nodyath kills you both, it'd still be better than it could be."
Cygnus balled his hands into fists, the command word for the ring of shooting stars on his left hand coming to mind. He managed to grit out, "We don't know if Nodyath is even alive, Flond."
"And we still don't," came a voice from the door.
Everyone turned to see Jinella standing in the doorway. No longer clad in her vestments, she was wearing chainmail armor. A mace hung from her side. From the expression on her face, it was clear that she had caught at least some of Flond's outburst. She slowly moved towards them.
Flond cast his eyes down to the floor. "I'll meet the rest of you back here later," he said, and brushed brusquely by Jinella.
The priestess frowned at the departing mage and then returned her gaze to the ten individuals still around the table, as she came over to them.
"The divination on Nodyath revealed nothing. Lancoastes believes powerful magic- very powerful magic is shielding any knowledge of Nodyath from our faith." She took a deep breath and slowly sat down in the chair Flond had vacated, now moving her gaze to Cygnus. "The High Priest wishes to know, since Nodyath is but a twisted form of your paladin friend. Could Aslan use his Talent to shield himself from divinations?"
Cygnus shook his head. "Not that I am aware of, although the occasion has never come up to ask," he stated. Sir Dorbin took the ensuing pause to introduce the remaining members of his party to both Jinella and Zantac. Jinella eyed Monsrek critically but said nothing. He smiled back at her and showed her the top of his balding head.
"Nary a lump, my good lady."
She smiled back at him. "Fortune favors even the foolish sometimes," she countered, then turned back to Cygnus. "Are you all right, Cygnus? You look pale."
The wizard smiled weakly back at her. "I'm all right, Jinella." He glanced back over at Torlina, who was looking concernedly at him.
He's alive. She knows it as much as we do. No one who has such absolute mastery of magic would use it to shield someone who was dead. So many questions need answering, though. Is Nodyath still a threat to us, or has he decided to move on? Who is shielding him, and how is he paying for this service? Is he telling everyone about Rolex and Aarde, or not? And just why is here on Oerth, anyway? Even if he just wanted the gate scroll to get home, he had to have a reason for coming here in the first place. What was it?
Cygnus rubbed his eyes. When he looked up again, it was just in time to see Caroline walk slowly into the room from outside. At an unspoken signal from Sir Dorbin, everyone present rose to his or her feet, Zantac self-consciously standing apart a little. Even more so than Cygnus, Caroline looked weak and unsteady on her feet. "What's wrong, Caroline?" asked Cygnus.
Caroline tried to smile, but it didn't really work. "I went to the Temple of Zeus, to try and see Argo," she said softly. "Ukansis was very polite, but he said Argo was training elsewhere, and Melinjaro wasn't available. Ukansis doesn't know anything about the nature of the quest Argo's going to be given. Only the High Priest knows, and I can't get in to see him." She began to cry quietly. "I just want my husband back. I'm sorry if that makes me weak, but I just..."
Monsrek walked over to Caroline and enfolded her in his blue robes in a hug, making Cygnus feel guilty that he hadn't done that first. "It'll be all right, Mrs. Bigfellow," he said to the top of her head after kissing it softly. He then bent down so he could look into her eyes. "We children of the Summoner have a knack for getting things done where others can't," he said. "I promise you, at the very least, I'll be able to give him a message from you. I might even be able to get you together for a moment, but no promises there."
Caroline managed a somewhat better smile and wiped her eyes clear. "Thank you," she whispered. To both her and Monsrek's surprise, Jinella walked over to Caroline and laid her hand on the younger woman's shoulder.
"We will all pray for your husband, Caroline Bigfellow. Prayer is powerful, even from the misguided," she finished with a wry grin at Monsrek, who managed to look only mildly affronted.
Cygnus walked awkwardly over to Caroline. Physical contact with women had always been somewhat uncomfortable for him. Hyzenthlay had been the only exception in his three decades of life, but it hadn't carried over to anyone else. Caroline though, seemed to have no problem in turning to Cygnus and giving him a strong hug. After a few seconds, he was somewhat surprised that he returned it.
"Ahem" came the voice of Zantac. Caroline and the others turned to the red-robed wizard as he walked over to them. "The resources of our Guild are at your command, Mrs. Bigfellow."
You just want a hug too, you manipulating bastard, thought Cygnus, then grinned as Zantac got it. Still, something about his demeanor told him that Zantac's promise was not an empty one, even if fulfilling it might get him into trouble. He turned to Sir Dorbin and his party. He was no longer jealous about their supposedly superior relationship with each other. They were people with their own problems, just like Cygnus and his friends. He shook the knight's hand.
"I hope you find your way home quickly, Sir Dorbin. Thank you for all that you have done for us."
The knight smiled and nodded. "We will meet again before we leave, Cygnus. I am certain of it. For now, may the gods watch over you and all of you at the Brass Dragon."
Slowly, Cygnus, Caroline, Jinella and Zantac headed outside the Willow Tree. Perlial, White Lightning and the other two horses awaited them there. Cygnus smiled at White Lightning and put his hand on her neck. "Hopefully, Elrohir and the others should be back at the inn by now. Ready to see them again?"
There were many people close by, so the mare settled for nodding her head. Cygnus turned to the others.
"All right, everyone. Let's go home."