Border wars book nine of.., p.24
Border Wars: Book Nine of Crystals of Memory, page 24
Nodding, he waved for Wopat and Londis to move with him, wondering if that might be an issue. If Londis had secrets to share, or hard things for Anders to hear about the past. Truly, that would be difficult for Farad, instead of himself, most likely.
“Should we all go? Well, us three? Unless we need some of the others, Londis?”
The green glowing being, who was much brighter to Anders that day, to a point that made him slightly hard to look at for long, less it sting the eyes, shifted toward him, the orange core of his being moving, to show it was taking place.
“That would be good. We need to go over the Natech and what’s been happening with them in the last decades. It... isn’t pleasant. Truly, they were a good people, before that point. Then, well, I blame Chiefess Leeda, for the change. Her way often seeks to place power before common sense. She is mighty in magic, if rough in her use of it compared to your people. To her that means she should rule over everyone and that her ideas are to be heeded, since none can defeat her in battle directly.” There was an odd sound then. Like a chuckle. “I don’t doubt that your Mage Mary could easily subdue her in battle, if it came. Not that you should do things that way. Violence is... To be avoided, when possible.”
The name Leeda meant nothing to him, but Anders started to walk, the two green beings floating along with him, as he went inside the large, open, gate of the walled compound. That space wasn’t tiny. Not the Sula’s palace complex perhaps, but it still took several minutes to walk to the large building that he assumed was meant to house the mages with them. It was well decorated on the outside, but in brown and tan, made to look like stone, with a dark strip at the top of the place about an arm span thick, below the flat roof.
There were glass windows, but they also had thick shutters, for defensive purposes. Well, that or protection from storms. The inside was different than he’d expected, not seeming like an inn at all. The square building seemed rich and luxurious once he entered. The floors were made of fine polished stone, with furnishings that wouldn’t have seemed at all out of place in a palace. The walls had intricate designs worked into them, the patterns sharp and deep in places.
Sitting toward the back were Princess Lissa, Salina and Depak Sona. Talking together, quietly.
Salina waved at him, calling out.
“Anders! We need to learn your new magic, to see and hear the Devica. Depak Sona was just about to teach us that.” She seemed uncertain about the idea.
As if she might not be allowed to learn something new. Truly, now that she had the idea at all, she probably didn’t need Depak or him to aid her at all, which, after a moment, had him nodding.
“Good! I have Shaman Wopat here with us, and Historian Londis. They came to talk about the Natech with us.”
He waited, Depak driving the girls into a deep mental space, the hallway of magic, and then taught them the four new spells. Pressing them to learn them even faster than Anders and himself had the day before.
About five minutes, instead of the ten that he’d taken.
When the ladies spoke, Lissa smiled, suddenly.
“Oh, hello! You’re very much brighter this way. I’m Lissa.”
She was speaking in Scara, which didn’t work. Not yet.
Anders smiled.
“Try Istlan? They’re both learning that. Wopat speaks Modroc, as well. Londis speaks Ciru, which is the language of the Natech. We should all learn that, as well. I already know it. It’s Farad’s mother tongue.”
They all switched to the common language they had, at least in part.
Making it harder on Londis and Wopat, of course.
Still, Londis wasn’t shy about using the chance to practice and learn the new language, asking for help in Ciru, when it was needed. Picking up the new words faster than the others had seemed to.
That being a skill of his, from when he’d had a human form.
After a while, the glowing green and orange being shifted enough to gain attention. To tell them that the conversation had altered.
“When I was young, still a being with arms and legs, I lived inside of a mountain. In a cave, with my brothers, who walked the path of history. Farad was one such. I was content for that span. My entire life, dying as an old man, with many hundreds of tomes inside of my mind, committed to memory for all time. It was, of course, an odd life. Often a lonely one. Still, there is value in such learning.”
There was a sense of oration to the words. Of grand gestures as well. As if telling a tale of old. Which, Anders had to admit, it was.
Londis kept going, speaking more easily in Istlan tongue than he had earlier.
“When I was very old, I do not know how much so, even if it seems young to me now, but when I was, at a guess, nearly eighty years in my first body, if not past that, needing a stick to walk and being bent greatly by the weight of years, an army came.” Gesturing with a thought toward Anders, the being paused. “My brother, who had left the order and come back, Farad Ibn Istel, was with us then. Made young by magic, I think. The men who came weren’t kind, slaughtering the historians instantly, as if we might somehow fight or resist them. I died that day. Farad lived, joining with a being of energy, who kept him alive. I don’t know his story past that, save what I heard later. He is to come this way, soon, Anders?”
Nodding, Anders smiled.
“That is the plan. I should contact him soon and send to him that you recall him from times of old.”
That seemed to be allowable, at least the being went on then, after a moment. His voice stronger.
“It is different being one such as I have become. The discipline of mind we learned in the caves meant that many of the historians become such after our bodies fail us. Even those who are not shaman by nature. There are others you might know, in the ranks here, Farad. I was, it seems one of those inclined to that power of spirit, so became stronger than some on my passing.”
Depak nodded, seeming highly interested.
“I’d been wondering about that. It didn’t take special training? Not just for that?”
Londis stopped and tilted a little.
“I do not think so. The disciplines that you have been learning, those you used just now for the new magic, those skills are likely strengthening you in the correct way to cause you to hold together when you fade from the world physically. If you choose to, that is. Clearly, the rules are different for those such as you here.”
After a moment, the being seemed to take a deep breath, even if it was a sense of being, of shifting, instead of a needed happening.
“We, the people of Istle were scattered then. The herders, potters, farmers and low people. The high ones, the priests, rulers and scholars of any sort were mainly killed. It was... Farad, it was Ganges. He’d gone mad and ordered our land destroyed, I think. I tried to go to him, to talk him out of his madness, if I could, but he couldn’t see me when I tried it. So, I followed our people into the north and east. To the plains of grass. We had to learn new ways, to survive. At first, we had the powers of the shaman, then, later, out of Barquea, we learned of magic. The way of the Magician.”
There was a dramatic pause.
“This wasn’t a fast happening. It took hundreds of years for us to learn to survive and thrive in the new land we’d happened into. Living in tents, and moving constantly, instead of settling. Following the herds and growing seasons for best use of resources. Then, slowly, over time, the Natech, the new people, started to seek violence and war. Their skills, truthfully, are fairly good in such matters. Not to the level of your people, perhaps, Anders. They do not learn as fast or easily, so have limited skills compared to you, but the women of the tribes all learn from the earliest age how to fight and kill, using their powers. They are not weak that way. They glow, oh say... Like you, miss?” The feeling was directed at Lissa, Anders thought.
That sounded about right, from what he’d been hearing.
Anders closed his eyes.
“They enslave Devica, as well? Using magic?”
Londis bobbed in place.
“Chiefess Leeda was the first to do that. About forty years ago. She... Loves power, instead of life or goodness. That tainted the rest, over time. Power became the important part of life for them, first the one tribe, then, slowly, spreading to the other six. They each have names, of course, and aren’t all of the same mind. Leeda has tried to take all of them, but we, the Devica, have prevented that, so far. It’s dangerous for many of us. I managed to escape being trapped several times, but some of the weaker of us have been forced into war and battle.”
Anders tightened, trying to think about what to do. Then, it came to him that it wasn’t his task to fix a broken culture. He wanted to, on some level, but his goal was to stop the border raids and repair the damage that his river had caused, if he could.
“The... you could, as a people, free those being trapped, couldn’t you?”
Londis grumbled a bit.
“We could, of course. Truly, I might even manage it alone, though over some great time. The risk to the people there, however, is great. We do not wish to do harm, so hold back and wait. Hoping that Leeda will come to her senses and forgo the path of violence she is on.”
That barely made sense to Anders at all.
“I... Don’t think that will work. People tend not to change without there being a large reason for it. I agree that stopping violence is a good plan, of course. It can be difficult to make happen, when the other side wishes such.”
There were several hard looks then, at each other, Depak and Salina especially seeming somber on the topic. Lissa, however merely nodded. A gentle and polite movement.
“What is our part in this, do you think, Prince Anders?”
Londis tilted his head.
“Prince? I haven’t learned that word, as of yet? It means mage or... Possibly student?”
Salina spoke then, very plainly and clearly. As if it were simply any other word.
“It means boy child of the high ruler. Princess means girl child of the high leader. There are some nuances, but those meanings are at the core of the terms.”
The energy being went silent, for a moment, then spoke once again.
“I have that now. Thank you, Salina.”
The Apprentice Great One bowed a bit, not standing first.
Then Anders was able to speak, without interrupting anyone.
“Truly, our part in this is to protect the men and women on the border of Modroc and Barquea, and mine, personally, is to see if I can restore the world here to what it was before I built that river. If not that, then to replace the food and resources lost to that. Maybe both? This...”
He was going to speak more, but Farad Ibn Istel took over his mouth, or started too, then brought forth the image of himself, using illusion which was connected to a magical spell. Making the other man appear with them slowly, fading into being over the course of five breaths. So as to not be jarring to the girls, Anders thought.
“I was wondering, Londis... Did any of my family, my brothers and sisters, manage to survive that culling and destruction of our homeland?”
There was a pause, then, slowly, Londis spun in place, seeming to focus on the illusion. Wopat did the same.
“Farad! I do not know, of course. I never knew who your people were, to be honest. People from the correct area lived and moved to Natech, so... It is likely. Not that it would make it your problem, if they had. Not fifteen hundred years past that time. No, this issue is more mine than yours, by far. It would... I wish that the Natech held to gods, so we could have them talk to the trouble makers and bring them back toward peace again. They don’t, however. They worship the sky and land, the passing of seasons. Not any being.”
It was useful information to know, Anders had to think.
Farad sighed then shook his head.
“I fear that there is little I can do regardless. Part of me wishes to go to them and fix their troubles, of course. I know that cannot work. Only time and change will repair such things. That is, most of the time, beyond the efforts of a single man or woman.”
Londis spoke then, in very clear Istlan.
“Or Devica. We can influence the world, only. That is the fate of all beings no matter how powerful.”
Depak stroked his mustache and furrowed his brow.
“I... Do all of those captured speak the language of those people, do you think, Londis?”
There was a long pause then, from the glowing being.
“Why, no. Truly, most of them either speak it poorly, or not at all. It is hard for all of us to communicate with the magicians however. Why do you ask?”
The elder man, the Great One of Barquea, bowed, his hands going out to the side, palms down. As one might do with a friend, not a being of great power. For that you put your palms upward.
“I was thinking that, perhaps, if all of the Devica asked them not to do such things, they might change their ways?”
Anders nodded.
“I see that. We need to come up with a way for the Devica to communicate with the more deaf and blind of us, then? Can Devica learn magic?”
Wopat spoke up, her voice hesitant. Due to the language barrier, instead of lack of knowledge, Anders had to figure.
“It isn’t the same as what you do. We can learn such, of course. If... Can we practice that skill with you, here? Making ourselves better understood. We can all do it to an extent, there is no real reason we can’t do more.”
Anders closed his eyes.
“We’ll try it here? I’ll end the spell I’m using to hear and see you both, then you can try to get me to see and hear you, using your magic, instead of shouting?”
That seemed to be the plan, so he spoke a few words.
“Fen. Fen.” That caused the brightly glowing beings to fade from being totally.
Then, working together, they fought to make it so Anders could see and hear them both. It wasn’t a simple task and took far longer than he would have figured on. Indeed, it was hours later, his stomach growling at him enough that Lissa was looking at him strangely, when Wopat popped into view solidly and not as a faint cloud of leaf green. She was like a light green stone floating in the air, suddenly. Solid seeming. A boulder floating in the air.
“There! Wopat, you have it! I can see you, at least.”
He heard a voice as well, but that was very soft. For about seven minutes, then, suddenly, he could hear her again, perfectly.
“How about now?”
“There! I can see and hear you, Wopat! It’s the same as when I used my own magic for it. Nearly. The feeling is a bit different, but you’re very clear. Truly, you look very different, more solid by far.”
After that, it took Wopat about ten minutes to teach Londis her new trick. Then both of them were there, seeming very nearly physical in nature. Solid, instead of being brightly glowing gas. They still did that part, glowing but it had a different, stronger, character to it.
Anders clapped.
“Perfect! Now we just have you teach the rest of the Devica how to do that and... Well, then they can handle the situation as they wish. Our part then is... Language lessons? We can do that!”
Wopat, switching to Modroc, cheered a bit.
“We can, I have to think. First, let us go and see to the others? Then... Well, we need to make a plan.” Then, vanishing, she and Londis both left. Traveling straight through the massive walls of the nice miniature palace they were in.
At least it seemed to be that, from where the others were looking.
Salina snorted.
“I suppose it would be too much to ask them to use a door? Reminding me how tied I am to a physical body like this. Rude, don’t you think, Anders?”
Blinking a bit, he stood up and shrugged.
“No? I mean...” He walked quickly toward the front wall, and spoke a simple word, softly.
One he hadn’t used in years, for himself. The first complete single word spell he’d come up with. Dual word, truly. Then he passed through the very thick wall in two full steps, ending up outside, smiling. Standing there in the bright sun for a moment, the shadow of the great wall not touching him as of yet.
Then ended the spell, as the others scurried outside, the younger two staring at him as if he were being strange, instead of showing off like he truly was.
Depak chuckled.
“I have to admit, that caught me by surprise. You learned that recently?”
“No. Up in Yanse, years ago. I just forgot that I could do that, until reminded. It doesn’t come up, needing to walk through walls like that. Not often. Never, truly. Not so far.”
Lissa rolled her eyes, doing it cutely enough to be distracting, and moved over to him, standing near, but not taking his hand. It was still enough that Salina smiled at it happening.
The younger girl, dressed in gold and tan robes, the military style of Barquea, he knew, shook her head.
“What are we doing now?”
He blinked. If he were alone, he might have suggested kissing, and perhaps some other, slightly more adult behaviors. They weren’t and her sister and grandfather were both right there, to tease her if he said such a thing. Instead of that, he shrugged, not knowing, truly, what would come next for them. Not that day.
After a moment, an idea occurred to him.
“We should ready a list of magic for people to learn? A few still need to earn that chest of riches from me, after all. Then we should go to the next base. Some of us. We need to leave some of us here, each day. I’m not in charge of that, of course. Depak Sona?”
The man rubbed at his chin and nodded.
“I see the same trouble you do there, Anders. We must keep the younger people from the fight, if possible. Naveed as well. At the same point, if we do that, it might seem that we’re suggesting he, a full man, is a child and to be treated as such. Mage Niven and Mage Walden are in a novel space as well. Truly, they are still children, only... I would place either of them in combat against small armies and expect them to triumph. What do we do there, do you think?”
That was addressed not to Anders, but rather to Salina. His older apprentice.
She hesitated, then tossed her hands out.
