Spellscribed: Conviction Page 4

  As a woman of the owl totem, the Ergkinoa were the educators and historians of the barbarian peoples. However, the Spengur, Endrance, was supposed to have three of them at his disposal at any time. Those given to him were his for the rest of their lives, and they were called Draugnoa, the ghost women.

  This meant that even the families of the Draugnoa considered them dead, though they walked. They were ignored as if they were real ghosts, just a phantom in the minds of their people. Those who did interact with them, were believed to consort with spirits; which was why only the Spengur was allowed to work with them.

  Endrance saw Tanya's father register her companions, and settle his gaze on him. Almost as quickly as water poured out of a cup, his face drained of color. The man's shoulders started to slump and he walked forward. Tanya's face registered momentary confusion as he walked right past her, quickly dropping into barely suppressed grief.

  "Spengur." The man said, his voice wavering. "You bring me sad tidings."

  Endrance climbed off his horse. "It was not what I wished." Endrance replied. "But it was a necessity. You know the laws."

  The man squeezed the grip of his bow tighter. "I do."

  Endrance stepped close to the man. Behind him, out of his sight, Joven crossed his arms, his fingers on the handles of throwing knives he could fling in an instant's notice. The mage placed a hand on his shoulder. "She gave her life in the protection and service of the kingdom. There is no greater honor to your people."

  The man trembled, and Endrance could not tell if it was from grief or from rage. It didn't matter, he supposed. It was his fault his daughter couldn't come visit, or talk with her family. At least, she couldn't do so and be acknowledged...

  Endrance turned and pointed to Tanya's horse. "I need something."

  "What?" Tanya asked.

  "I need something you carry that you've been given by your family." Endrance said. "I will do what I can to bridge the gap."

  "The gap?" Tanya asked.

  "Do you have something?" Endrance asked insistently. Her father looked confused.

  Tanya grimaced and dug into her saddle bags. She pulled out an amulet and tossed it to Endrance. He caught it by the cord, and looked it over. It was a simple necklace made of three thin leather cords braided together. The amulet was a steel coin, one that Endrance knew was used to barter material goods from a smithy. It had an X-shaped cut in the center. He turned and held it out to her father.

  "Do you recognize this?" he asked. Tanya's father looked up, saw it, and looked back down, nodding sadly.

  "Yes." he replied.

  "How did she come by this amulet?" The Spengur asked.

  "She... was learning to shoot. That was the hardest test she had ever completed. She sent the coin back to us last year, and we returned it as an amulet a month later, as a token of our support."

  "You and the rest of her family?"

  "Yes."

  "What is your name?"

  "Teyrn."

  Endrance spread one hand, palm up, under the coin and swung it with the other, so that it waved like a pendulum over his palm. Teyrn looked up and saw what he was doing, looking the mage in the eyes.

  "What are you doing?" Teyrn asked.

  Endrance closed his eyes and spoke several words of power, forming several gestures with his free hand while he did so. The tattoos on his hand began to glow, and with a final word of power, he touched the steel coin. It rung like a chime, a ripple flowing through the air in a concentric circle that slightly shifted the snow falling around them.

  The mage opened his eyes, and held the amulet out to Teyrn. "Take it." he commanded.

  Reluctantly, Teyrn took the amulet gingerly, holding it with two fingers.

  "Put it on." Endrance continued.

  Teyrn looked like he was trying to suppress a moment of panic. "What will it do to me?" he asked.

  "Put it on." Endrance repeated.

  Teyrn gulped, and put on the amulet. Nothing seemed to happen, but the man suddenly started staring wide-eyed at the world around him. "What is this?" he cried out, stumbling back. Flecks of blueish light danced in his eyes. His gaze snapped to Tanya, then Endrance, then around to other members of the village that were spectating the Spengur's arrival.

  "I have granted you a boon." Endrance answered. "The amulet will let you see those with whom you share strong spiritual bonds. It will work even on spirits." he gestured back to Tanya. "You can see her now."

  Teyrn nodded. "I do."

  "You can also hear her and speak to her." Endrance continued. "Since the amulet carries my authority. So long as you wear it, you are doing my work and cannot be held to blame for speaking with the Draugnoa."

  He looked to Tanya, tears streaming down his face. "My daughter!" he cried, taking a step forward.

  Endrance looked to her and nodded. "It's okay."

  As Tanya and her father reunited, Joven rode forward and dismounted. "We need room and food for tonight." he said to one of the armed women still nearby. She nodded, turning and giving directions to the rest of the villagers present.

  Joven leaned down to his charge while the men and women came forward to take their horses and lead them into the village.

  "That's some pretty new magic, Endrance." Joven said in a whisper. "Where'd you learn that?"

  Endrance grinned. "It isn't." he replied. "The spell just makes the wearer able to see a white aura around family members."

  "Then, the speaking with spirits?" Joven asked.

  The mage shrugged. "The taboo on speaking to the Draugnoa is entirely a social pressure. All I did was say a few words in front of witnesses that gave Teyrn a way out of having to shun his daughter, and he took it."

  Joven looked over at the tearful man hugging his daughter. It was an odd sight to see everyone else around him trying to pretend that he was interacting with someone they couldn't see, but failing. "Huh." Joven observed.

  "What?"

  "That was very kind of you, Endrance." Joven said.

  "Thanks. I had been studying up the elements I needed for that kind of spell, but I am glad I could use my practice as a means to help someone." Endrance explained.

  "Why would you need that kind of spell?" Joven asked.

  Endrance shrugged. "I needed it to see if Valeria is truly my mother or not. So I started researching this spell. The spell should work, so long as they are within a dozen yards or so."

  "So you'd need to get that close to the most powerful undead mage in the history of Ironsoul and see if she... lights up?" Joven asked. "Sounds like a tough task."

  They walked into the village, and were directed to one of the smaller houses. It was a strange surprise as Endrance, Joven, and the other two Draugnoa stared up at it.

  "This longhouse looks exactly like the one in Balator." Endrance observed.

  Bridget nodded. "The original had been constructed from wood taken from this area, and the design is very efficient for a home. Yours had some of the rooms converted into a library, but the floor plan is mostly the same."

  "Oh good." Endrance said. "At least we'll know where everything is supposed to go."

  Chapter 04:

  The next morning, Endrance watched as Tanya gave her father a heartfelt goodbye. The rest of the group met outside the village, their horses refreshed and ready to go. Gullin was late, and Endrance almost had to reach into the hearth and yank him from the burning embers to get him to go.

  You never give me enough fire to rest in. Gullin sulked. I have to make due with these meager flames.

  It's plenty warmer in Ironsoul. Endrance reassured his familiar. Can you hold on until then?

  The Fjallar perched grumpily on the horn of Endrance's saddle. I will have to. Let us depart. He replied.

  Endrance climbed onto his horse, and looked back. Everyone was saddled up and waiting for him to give the word. "Let's go." he said aloud.

  The rest of the trip along the Crystal River was peaceful, pleasant even. The suns had been out for more than an hour that morning, peeking through the pine trees common in the area. The river, living up to it's namesake, had been clear as crystal, the bottom clearly visible even when it got quite deep in the middle. Though it was darker near the bottom, Endrance figured he could see the bottom with just a bit more light.

  "Oh, Spengur." Tanya called back.

  Endrance glanced up at her. "For the last time, you can call me Endrance!" he called back, his tone amused.

  "Okay." she responded. "Oh, Endrance!"

  "Yes?"

  "When I was talking with my father he mentioned that the last two trade caravans hadn't been through the pass this year."

  "Do you think there's trouble?" Endrance asked.

  Joven called ahead. "Naw, probably just a landslide." He explained. "That happens once and a while. With your magic, we should be able to clear it easily."

  Endrance nodded. "Thank you, Tanya."

  Tanya blushed. "No, I should thank you."

  "You two realize you just set off a chain of rumor and superstition that's probably going to become another taboo, right?" Joven said, grinning.

  Endrance sighed. "If it becomes a problem, I'll deal with it." he replied.

  They were able to move at a great pace for three days because of the weather, and the ease of traveling along the river. Endrance actually felt a twinge of sadness when they finally reached the foot of the mountain pass. A trio of mountains acted as the foremost divider between Ironsoul and Balator, their shape and the waters flowing down the mountain, made moving large invasion forces across them abundantly messy at best, and impossible at worst.

  The center mountain was called the 'Weeping Mount' by those in Ironsoul. The barbarians just called it a mountain. Priorities were different between the people, of cour
se; made most evident by the fact that Ironsoul considered the barbarians a threat enough to put not one, but three border forts, along the span of mountains on their side. Balator, for its part, ignored it. There were worse things in the frozen wastes to worry about than soldiers.

  The trip into the mountain pass was abruptly cut off several hours in by a landslide, just like Joven had predicted. Boulders the size of some houses piled up at the entrance to a large ravine, blocking off access to the rest of the pass, and cutting off their access to the ravine campsite.

  Joven dismounted and inspected the landslide, as the rest of the group milled around on horseback. It was near evening, and the ravine was the closest place to set up camp where there was space enough for the whole group. Endrance chatted with Ezeilo and his escort for a few minutes, noting that the man was visibly scared of him. The man refused to make eye contact, and only answered his questions directly and as quickly as possible before clamming up again. He found it frustrating, but the man had nearly died delivering Endrance's court summons, so he couldn't quite blame him.

  "Endrance." Joven said quietly. "Come here please."

  Endrance nodded to Ezeilo, hopped off his horse, and walked over to Joven. He pointed to the landslide. "So, what do you know?" he asked.

  Joven shook his head. "It's worse than I thought." he replied. "The landslide is exceptionally thick, I think it goes all the way back to the ramp down into the ravine.

  Endrance thought back to when they had first passed through the ravine to get into Balator.

  "That's a pretty big ravine, right?" he asked. "I don't think it would have completely filled it in."

  "It's the only ravine between the two kingdoms in these mountains, and it's big enough to fit ten thousand men." Joven said. "I don't know if it's entirely blocked."

  "Let me check that." Endrance asked.

  Gullin! Endrance mentally called. I need you to do a fly over and scout out the landslide and the ravine.

  Very well. The familiar replied, taking off with a puff of weak flames in his wake. Give me a few minutes.

  Joven looked up as the bird took off into the late afternoon sky. "You know it bothers me every time I see it doing what you want without you telling it to." he observed.

  Endrance looked up at him, puzzled. "But I am telling him what I need him to do." he protested.

  Joven shook his head. "Doesn't look like it."

  "I'm using my mind, Joven." Endrance explained. "Because of our link, we're able to communicate mentally, both in words and in images."

  Joven thought about it for a minute, watching the familiar drift farther away, reduced to a glowing red speck by the distance. "So, you also said there are impressions of the people your bracer absorbed in your head, right?"

  Endrance grimaced. "Yes." he answered.

  "And they can talk to you in your head, too, right?" Joven continued.

  Endrance nodded. "Yeah, they do that sometimes."

  Joven's face scrunched up as he thought. "So, has your familiar ever talked to them in your head?" he asked, after taking several seconds to compose his question.

  Endrance blinked. "Uhh..." he murmured.

  Have you ever talked with them? Endrance asked.

  Gullin responded after a moment. Talked with whom? the bird asked.

  The impressions in my head from the bracer. Endrance asked.

  No. You have never given them the volition to do so. Gullin replied. Did we not discuss this already?

  Yes we did. Sort of. Endrance responded. I'm just confirming it with you.

  If you do feel like doing so, I would like to speak with Anna again. The familiar said. I miss her.

  Endrance felt a pang in his chest, and involuntarily clutched the front of his coat as he winced. I miss her too, Gullin. He responded.

  "I take it that he likes them better than you?" Joven asked with a wink. Endrance shook off his momentary depression and sighed.

  "No, he just inquired after Anna, that's all." Endrance replied.

  "Ah." Joven muttered, a frown tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Well, you know what helps distract from thinking about the ones we've lost?"

  "What?"

  "Getting into your work." Joven patted one of the boulders with a grin. "So, why don't you look at this landslide and start thinking about how you're going to get us through it."

  The mage shook his head and set his mind to the task. Several minutes later, Gullin returned, landing on a nearby rock. Endrance listened to the bird's report, then went back to the task at hand. Joven sat down a few feet away and closed his eyes, asleep. Giselle immediately ran up to him and curled up in his lap, dozing off as well.

  Half an hour passed. Bridget, who had been impatiently waiting in the back of the group, dismounted and pushed forward.

  "What the hells is taking so long?" Bridget demanded. scowling.

  Joven woke up instantly, focusing on her. "He's gotta get us through there without causing further landslides or dropping more rocks on our heads." he said. Giselle yawned as she awoke, and then scampered off to play with Selene in the back of the line.

  "Can't he, I don't know, do the thing he did with the reservoir?" She asked. Endrance's concentration broke and he turned to her.

  "The landslide is different from a big bowl of water." he said, pointing. "It has different properties. It’s made of different kinds of stones, and it isn't one congruent mass. I can't just modify a spell like that on the fly."

  "Then can't you blast it, or melt it, or something?"

  "I'm admittedly not very good at earth magic." Endrance declared. "I also don't know any spells that reshape earth; nor am I a stonecutter or miner that would know how the rock would fall if I just blew it away."

  Joven perked up. "Wait, so you're saying you could just blow it away?" he asked.

  "Yes." Endrance said. "It would be a simple application of amplified kinetic force condensed into a pinpoint area of contact. It would 'kick' the rock hard enough to send it flying."

  Joven gestured vaguely at the rocks. "Could you... I don't know... gently blow it away?" he asked.

  "Gently what?" Endrance asked, confused.

  Joven stood. "You know..." he tried to explain. "Nudge it? There's the incline into the ravine on the other side. If we can divert the landslide down the incline, we can go over the fallen rocks and pick our way down from there."

  Endrance thought for several moments and looked over to Gullin, then back to his bodyguard. "Gullin says it's clear." he responded. "We'll give that a shot. Tell everyone else to back up a ways."

  Endrance got to work setting up the spell. It was similar to the one tattooed on the palm of his right hand, which allowed him to propel things harder than if they had been shot from a bow. He cast about, took a stick, and started scratching the formula into the dirt as he did the calculations in his head. He needed to get the spell form just right or he'd hit it too hard, or too soft, or even pull the rocks towards him, which would be even more disastrous.

  Eventually, he settled on the formula he needed. He decided he'd have to best guess certain unknowable variables, and he set up to cast the spell. Everyone else had cleared out while he had prepared, and he had at least two dozen yards of clear space to work it.

  He channeled power through his aura into his body, formed it with his hands and lent it permanency with words of power. The spell completed, he spoke the final word of power, releasing the energy of the spell form into his desired spell.

  A wave of kinetic force, formed in cushioned layers of gradually increasing magnitude, washed over the pile of broken stones. Each wave shifted larger and larger stones, and they rolled away from Endrance, dropping out of sight. Some of the rock from higher up the mountain clattered down on top of the pile, but were quickly wiped away.

  The spell lasted for about a minute, and by that time, the pass was almost entirely clear. Only the largest of the rocks remained, and there was room enough to go around it.

  "Okay!" Endrance called back. "It's clear enough to go through!"

  Bridget grabbed her horse by the lead, and walked forward. "I'll go first. I need to stretch my legs." she said.

  She pushed through, followed by Tanya. Joven followed next. Endrance then walked his horse around the obstacle. He came to a stop almost immediately on the other side, seeing Joven's horse in the way and not wishing to risk getting kicked.

  "What's going on?" Endrance asked.