“I can puzzle this out later,” Alex said to himself, slipping the letter into his pocket. He would have to tell Whalen about this as soon as possible
Alex held out his magic bag and moved the scrying orb from the desktop to his own treasure room. It was a useful tool to have, and he didn’t want to leave it here for Magnus to use. With a wave of his hand, the candles all went out. He moved back to the door guided by the green glow of Magnus’s spell, but before he could leave the room, he heard the sound of heavy boots rushing up the stairs.
Moving to stand so he would be behind the door when it opened, Alex waited. The boots stopped, and Alex heard a scraping sound as a key turned in the lock. The door swung open, and Alex saw a guard holding a torch. The guard was alone, but Alex didn’t wait to find out why he was there. With all his strength, he kicked the door shut, slamming it into the guard’s face.
There was a lot of noise from beyond the door as the guard tumbled down the stairs. Alex pulled the door open and hurried after his enemy. He found the man at the bottom of the steps, unconscious and bleeding from a broken nose but alive. He left the guard where he’d landed and hurried toward the nearest door. It was time to get out of Karmus, and any window he could squeeze through as a bird would be good enough.
The door was locked, but Alex’s magic had it open in a flash. He spun into the room and had the door shut and locked again before realizing he was not alone. A pale-faced young man jumped to his feet as soon as Alex entered. He was dirty, his clothes were worn, and it looked like he hadn’t had a good meal for weeks.
“Who are you?” the prisoner questioned, his voice shaking slightly. “What do you want with me?”
“Who are you? And why are you being held here?” Alex asked in reply.
“I am Rallian, prince of Karmus. I’ll ask again, who are you and what do you want with me?”
“I am Alexander Taylor, adventurer and wizard. I wasn’t looking for you, but now that I’ve found you, I think you should come with me.”
“I’ve heard tales of adventurers and wizards, and they all seem too big to be believed. If you’re trying to escape the tower, don’t bother. There are too many of the black guards for you to slip past them all. You might as well go back to the cell you were in.”
“I don’t plan on slipping past the black guards,” Alex said. “I am leaving this tower and the city of Karmus. If you would like to have your freedom once more, you are welcome to join me. If you’d prefer to stay here under Magnus’s care . . .”
“If there is any chance of freedom, then I’m with you.”
“Then we should be on our way,” said Alex.
Alex moved toward the window at the same time that Rallian moved toward the door. The moon had gone down, and the sun would be rising in less than an hour. It had been a long night for Alex, but there was no time to rest.
“This way, I think,” said Alex, pointing at the window.
“It’s more than fifty feet to the roof of the dungeon below,” said Rallian. “Unless you have a great deal of rope hidden on your person or can sprout feathers and fly away, I think the stairs are a safer bet.”
“Sprouting feathers and flying away is exactly what we are going to do. Now, quickly, we must leave this place.”
“You’re a madman if you believe you can fly,” said Rallian, taking a step back from Alex.
“Not mad,” said Alex, waving his staff in Rallian’s direction. “A wizard, as I said.”
Rallian’s reply was the croak of a raven. Before the prince could make another sound, Alex changed himself into a raven as well and flew to the bars in the window. He squeezed himself through, then, turning to look at the prince, he used more magic. The spell was like a magical rope that would bind them together, forcing the prince to stay close and follow where Alex led.
“Come fly with me,” said Alex in his raven’s voice. “The hour of your freedom has arrived.”
Unsure of his wings and confused by his sudden transformation, Rallian managed to fly up to the window and squeeze through the bars as well. He teetered on the window ledge.
“Spread your wings,” said Alex. “You’ll get the hang of it.”
Alex spread his own wings and took flight. He circled and turned back toward the tower, waiting for Rallian to follow. Rallian hesitated, squawked once, and finally spread his wings and glided away from the window. Alex worried that Rallian would either simply glide until he ran into a building or fell to the ground. After a few seconds, however, Rallian flapped his wings out of instinct. Slowly the prince climbed into the dark sky to fly at Alex’s side.
“Into the west we go, young prince, and the future of Nezza goes with us,” said Alex.
He was surprised by his own words. He hadn’t actually planned to go west, and he had no idea what the future of Nezza might be. What he did know troubled him. His quest to rescue Skeld and his company from the dungeons of Karmus had become something new. He wasn’t sure why things had changed, but everything was different now. Perhaps it was finding Magnus, a dark wizard, in Nezza. Maybe it was the note from the Brotherhood that he’d found. Whatever the reason, Alex was now on a bigger quest, and the fate of all of Nezza hung in the balance.
Chapter Seven
Many Meetings
Alex might have enjoyed his flight into the west if he hadn’t had so many things to be worried about. This new quest had chosen him, and he was sure that Magnus would fight to the death to win. Even if he didn’t have Magnus and the Brotherhood to think about, there was Skeld and his companions. They hadn’t looked good when he’d found them, and they would need time to regain their strength. He needed to find a safe place for them. Once they were well enough to travel, what would they do?
Alex’s spent most of the flight thinking about the letter he had found. A group calling themselves the Brotherhood wanted the adventurers to disappear and all trace of them removed. But why? Why would the Brotherhood care about a few adventurers? And what would the Brotherhood do once Magnus told them the adventurers had escaped?
Will he tell them? Alex’s O’Gash questioned.
Alex could see the bloodred dunes of the western desert growing larger and larger as the day went on. They were a long way from Karmus, and he felt that now there was time to find answers to his questions. He pushed his worries to the back of his mind and started looking for a place to land.
Circling a small valley, Alex made sure there was nobody nearby before descending. His raven eyes could see every detail of the land below him. He landed near a spring on the south side of the valley. The spot was less than a mile from the red desert sands, and the closest village was more than thirty miles away.
As soon as he landed, Alex returned to his normal form. He stretched and looked around for Rallian. The prince had landed on the far side of the spring, his bird head tilting to watch everything Alex did. Alex smiled and, lifting his staff, he returned the prince to his natural form. Rallian stumbled backward, his eyes wide with amazement and fear.
“Splash some water on your face,” said Alex. “It will help to clear your mind after our flight.”
“That . . . that was incredible,” said Rallian. “I never thought that those old stories of magic and wizards . . .”
“Not all magic is evil and not all wizards are dark,” said Alex. “I’m not here to harm you, but to help you. And, as you’ve seen, magic can be a useful tool.”
“Yes,” said Rallian. “I just don’t . . .”
“I understand,” said Alex. “You don’t need to try to explain what you’re feeling. For now, I think a good wash and a change of clothes would be best. I have some clean clothes that I think will fit you. Once you are presentable, there are some people I need to talk to.”
“I don’t understand,” said Rallian. “Where do you keep spare clothes? What people? We are miles from anything and anyone.”
“I told you that I am an adventurer,” said Alex. “Do the stories of Nezza say nothing about adventurers and t
heir magic bags?”
“Yes, of course, but . . .”
“The people I need to talk to are inside my magic bag,” Alex explained. “They are also adventurers, and they were thrown into the dungeons of Karmus by your uncle and Magnus. Rescuing them from the dungeons is the reason I came to Nezza, but now I feel that I have other work to do in this land.”
“Yes, my uncle and Magnus wouldn’t hesitate to throw adventurers into the dungeons. They’ve put a lot of people in the dungeons in the past few years.”
“Including you,” said Alex. “Now, rest and get cleaned up. If all goes well, you’ll meet the adventurers shortly. Though when I call them out of my bag, I think it might be best if you don’t say anything, at least not at first.”
“I will do as you wish,” said Rallian. “You saved me from the dungeons of Karmus, from my uncle, and from his creature, Magnus. I am in your debt, and so I am your servant.”
“You are not my servant, young prince, but I hope that we will be friends,” said Alex.
As Rallian washed his face with the spring water, Alex took a towel and a set of his own clothes out of his magic bag. The prince was smaller than Alex, but the clothes would be a close fit, and they were better than what he was wearing. When the prince was ready, Alex led him away from the spring to a mostly level spot near some trees. He explained to the prince that he would vanish for a short time and then reappear with five adventurers.
“Remember, don’t say anything until after the adventurers introduce themselves and I’ve asked a few questions,” said Alex.
“I will remain silent,” said Rallian.
Alex nodded and then spoke softly into the top of his magic bag. Instantly, he was standing in the main room of his bag. He looked around at the faces of the adventurers he had rescued. They didn’t look as sickly as he’d thought, but they were all still thin and pale.
“Alex,” said Skeld, rushing forward and wrapping his arms around his friend in a bear hug. “I knew you’d come. I knew I could count on you.”
“I only wish I had come sooner,” said Alex. “If I’d known how desperate your condition was, I would have tried to move faster.”
“You came faster than I thought possible, even for a wizard,” said Skeld, wiping tears of happiness from his eyes. “Now, let me introduce you to the rest of my companions.”
“Perhaps the introductions should take place outside,” a tall blond man standing behind Skeld interrupted. He was obviously the leader of the adventure. “That is, if we are past any danger.”
Alex nodded. “We are many miles from Karmus, and we are safe enough, at least for the time being.”
“Yes, of course,” said Skeld, nodding to the blond man. “It would be best if we left your bag’s protection, Alex. Then we can meet on more honorable terms.”
“As you wish,” said Alex. “If you all are ready?”
There was general agreement from the five adventurers, and Alex waved his hand. It wasn’t the normal way to exit a bag, but he didn’t want to reveal his passwords in front of strangers. There was a rushing sound of wind, and then they were all standing in the bright sunlight of Nezza.
“Your powers continue to grow,” said Skeld.
“My understanding of things has grown,” Alex said.
Skeld’s glance darted to Rallian, who stood behind Alex.
Alex smiled. “Introductions and a few questions first, and then explanations.”
“As you wish,” said Skeld. “Allow me to introduce you to Virgil, our leader. He comes from Norsland and is Lilly’s cousin.”
“We are in your debt, Master Taylor,” said Virgil, stepping forward and bowing deeply. “Skeld has told us much about you, and I, for one, am happy that his stories were true.”
“My pleasure,” said Alex, returning Virgil’s bow. Alex could see pride in his face, but also a great deal of kindness. He felt that he could trust Virgil. “I know Skeld well, so I am also happy that the stories he told were true.”
Virgil and Skeld both laughed, and Alex thought how similar the two men seemed to be.
“If you will permit me, Skeld,” said Virgil, “it is my duty to make the introductions.”
Skeld nodded and stepped back.
“Master Taylor,” Virgil began, “it is my great pleasure to introduce my company to you. Thanks to you, we are still a company, and very much in your debt.”
“Please,” said Alex, looking at the adventurers. “Call me Alex.”
Virgil nodded, then turned toward the company. “You know Skeld. This is Cameron Dixx, from West Ard—we call him Cam. Dain Goldstone, a most excellent dwarf from Neska. And last but not least, Thomas Aquil from Barkia. He is our youngest member, and this is only his second adventure.”
“A very great honor,” said Thomas, bowing so low that he lost his balance and stumbled forward.
“Easy, Tom,” said Virgil, catching Tom before he fell. “You need rest and healing before making such deep bows. As you know, Master Taylor, we had another member to our company—a dwarf named Thorson Ironshoes from Moorland. He was killed when we were taken prisoner, and I mention him out of respect.”
“It is my great pleasure to meet you all,” said Alex. “I am pleased I was able to help you in your time of need.”
“Your service has been great,” said Virgil. “We are all in your debt, as I have said, and will happily repay you in any way that we can.”
“We can talk about that later,” Alex said. “Right now I have a question or two to ask, and then I think you should all rest.”
“We will freely answer any questions you might have,” said Virgil. “We will hold nothing back.”
“Then tell me, what brought you to Nezza? What quest are you on in this land?” Alex asked.
“Our adventure was to be a simple one, though it now appears that it will end in failure. We were asked to discover the fate of Prince Rallian of Karmus and then to take that news to the people paying for our quest.”
“You were only to discover his fate?” Alex questioned.
“No, I’m sorry, let me explain,” Virgil answered. “If the prince was alive, and if we could find him, we were to take him with us to the north. If Rallian was alive but no longer in Nezza, or if Rallian was dead, we were to take word back to the people paying for our quest.”
“And who are these people?”
“The lords of the north. Our primary contact in Nezza is Lord Talbot, but we have not yet met him,” Virgil answered.
Rallian let out a slight gasp when Talbot’s name was mentioned.
Alex turned to look at Rallian, a question in his eyes. Rallian nodded, and Alex gestured for the prince to stand next to him. He turned to the other adventurers.
“If you will allow me, I would like to introduce you all to Prince Rallian of Karmus,” said Alex, bowing to the prince. “I was fortunate enough to find him in the tower above the dungeons, and he agreed to come with me.”
“Prince Rallian,” said Virgil, dropping to one knee and bowing.
The other adventurers knelt as well, lowering their heads as a sign of respect.
Rallian hesitated for a few seconds and then spoke. “Rise most, noble adventurers. Rise, so that we may speak as equals.”
Virgil and the others stood up, but nobody said anything. Rallian seemed at a loss, and the adventurers remained silent, waiting for the prince to speak first. Alex saw the problem and broke the silence himself.
“We have a great many things to talk about, but I think we should all get some rest before making plans. I know that Prince Rallian was up early this morning, and it doesn’t look like the rest of you managed to sleep while you were in my bag.”
“We were waiting, hoping you would find our magic bags,” said Virgil.
“Yes, your bags,” said Alex. “I was able to collect them before leaving Karmus.”
Alex whispered into the top of his magic bag, and the lockbox appeared on the ground in front of him. He magically unlocked the box
and opened it so the adventurers could reclaim their bags.
“I will carry Thorson’s bag and return it to his heir,” said Virgil, taking the final bag out of the box.
“A noble task,” said Dain. “I hope you will also carry news that his death has been avenged.”
Virgil nodded in agreement.
Alex studied the adventurers as they took blankets and other items out of their magic bags. He was trying to decide what they would do now that the goal of their quest had been found. He suspected they would want to take Rallian north to Lord Talbot, but then what?
“Prince Rallian, I have some blankets you can use,” said Alex.
“I’m not tired, and I have a lot to think about,” said Rallian.
“You should at least try to rest,” said Alex. “There will be time for thinking, and talking, later.”
Rallian took the blankets and found a spot a little apart from the adventurers to lay them out. Virgil and his company had taken their weapons out of their magic bags but were now spreading their blankets out to get some rest. Alex spread his own blankets out and sat down on them, but he wasn’t thinking about sleep, at least not yet.
The adventurers were all soon asleep, but Rallian remained sitting up, a look of deep thought on his face. Alex used his magic, and after several minutes, Rallian laid back, closed his eyes, and was soon fast asleep. With everyone asleep, Alex reached for his magic bag and took out the scrying orb he’d taken from Magnus’s rooms. He was sure he could use it, and he wanted to know what Magnus was up to.
Concentrating on the dark crystal in front of him, Alex focused his mind on the dark room at the top of the tower. He remembered everything he could about that room, and slowly the crystal came to life. The world around him faded away, and Alex found his mind floating above the desk where he’d found the orb.
“What have you found?” an old man with long gray hair asked. He was sitting behind the desk, and Alex knew at once that this was Magnus.