The Baldari (Book 3) (31 page)

“How would you be aware of these things you have been telling Rigo?” Daim demanded when the small group had assembled to delve more deeply into the claims Koess had made.

Koess shrugged and looked a little confused.  He wondered why it mattered so much to those here at the Outpost.  Everything he’d told Rigo was ancient history.  “I guess I’m still having a little trouble sorting out what I knew before I was trapped and what I learned while in the Void.  Some of the things I take as obvious I must have learned there.”

“How could you learn anything in this Void?” Daim asked.  “You said you were there alone.” 

“Not exactly alone,” Koess objected.  “I told you the memories of many others were there in the Void with me.  All I had to do was touch them and learn what they had known.”

“Touch them?” Nycoh asked.  “The bodies?”

Koess shook his head.  “The memories are held in the crystal that formed around where the bodies finally came to rest.  The wall of crystal contains the thoughts of the people who became trapped.  In many places the walls have linked, so all of the memories are there to be accessed easily.”

“You haven’t changed in all the years you were in there,” Daim argued.  “Why would the others you say were trapped die?”

“I guess it takes a long time.  Perhaps when the mind aged enough.  I’m not sure what happened.  Maybe after a time they simply wished to be done with their existence.  I could sense that my mind changed while I was there even if the rest of me didn’t.  Those who came before me were long embedded in the crystal.”

“How many would you estimate were in there with you?” Rigo asked.

“More than twenty recognizable histories,” Koess replied without hesitation.  “Several were sent there on purpose.  It made a wonderful place to exile someone.  There was no chance they would escape on their own.  Even though they were long passed, it made me feel less alone to wander through their memories.”

“And you gathered much of this knowledge of the past simply by examining the crystal walls of your prison?” Daim asked, the doubt clear on his face.

“It’s not quite as simple as that, and it takes a long time, but then, I had little else to do.”  Koess looked at Daim as though his explanation was obvious.

Daim looked at Rigo, the doubt showing in his face.  Finally he sighed, and turned back toward Koess. 

“Tell me about these Brryn,” he said.

“The Brryn were the rulers and controllers of everything,” Koess said.  “For thousands of years they oversaw all of the lands between the two oceans.  There were no Ruins at that time, and the midlands that filled the region we now know as the Ruins were fertile and heavily populated.  There was one kingdom, under the Brryn, with eight territories.  The territories were run by marshals, each of whom were chosen by and who were completely loyal to the Brryn.”

Jeen stood and rolled out the map she had found on the table so that Koess could see it.  Several sets of hands helped hold it open.

“I cannot read the language, and I have never seen the visions put to a scroll like this, but the general sense looks right to me,” Koess said.  “I would guess this is a reasonable representation of what the lands once looked like.”

“How many of these Brryn were there, that they could rule so unchallenged?” Rigo asked.

“Their numbers were not so great,” Koess explained.  “Less than a thousand spread across the lands.  They ruled by the power of their magic.  They controlled magic far more powerful than that known by the free wizards.”

“Why did their numbers stay so small?” Jeen asked.

“They deliberately restricted their number, and intermarried only within their group.  That kept their power restricted to a privileged class, and kept their abilities from being spread.  They were ruthless, and eliminated any of their own who did not subscribe to the goals and beliefs of the ruling group.”

“Describe them,” Nycoh insisted.

“They were said to be slightly shorter than the average, pale of skin and slender.  Their hair could be any color at birth, but as their magic matured, their hair changed to a lavender color, which distinguished them from all others.”

Rigo looked at Daim.  The description was in line with Mitty’s description of the woman in her frequent visions.

Koess continued his description uninterrupted.  “They supposedly lived extremely long lives.  A result of their powerful magic.  Oh, and they could converse with one another over large distances, and apparently could probe the minds of their subjects who were brought into their presence.  Supposedly, they could also block their thoughts from their fellows when they wished to do so.”

“Telepathic?” Daim asked.

Koess nodded.  “No one in the Void knew the truth of it, but it was believed that at some long past time, one or more normal wizards had mated with one of the wild tribes beyond the mountains.  Those people, although primitive, were known to be telepathic.  The result was said to have been the first of the Brryn.”

“If they were so powerful, what happened?” Rigo asked.

“It was believed by those whose memories I surveyed, that the Brryn were arrogant, and some had a wandering eye.  Despite the restriction against mating outside of the clan, some were believed to have done so.  When this happened, the object of the lust was killed, but there were those who apparently developed feelings toward the objects of their interest, and allowed them to live.   Over more than a thousand years, children were born, who carried with them some of the inherent abilities of the Brryn.  Through these mixed births, the power of the free wizards gradually grew.  They became more powerful than the Brryn realized, and they existed in numbers many times greater than they suspected.”

“At some point, the free wizards challenged the Brryn.  One of their greatest acts of defiance was the destruction of the sacred temple of the Brryn.  It was located along the shores near where Roin now exists.  There was a lot of history stored in the Void, some of it known and a lot of it speculation.  It was tedious, and I grew weary of trying to interpret all of the details.  I’m not really that fond of history, and wouldn’t have learned as much as I did if not for the isolation.”

“What of the Ruins?” asked Daim.

“The Ruins were apparently formed over a matter of a few days,” Koess said.  “The free wizards were concentrated most densely in the midlands.  The Brryn intended to wipe out the areas where they congregated and found their support.  They considered it removing a cancer, and would have eventually restored the lands.  The rods we spoke of earlier were set into place to augment the spell that was designed to rip the very life from the lands.  The Brryn didn’t realize the level of magic controlled by the free wizards, and when the spell was activated, the responses taken by the wizards caused the spell to run unchecked, spreading far wider and faster than any had believed possible.  The Brryn were caught up in their own magic, and even their attempts to stop it before everything was consumed cost them dearly.  Taking advantage of the momentary weakness and disruption, the free wizards launched their own attacks, and it is believed they were able to kill off all remaining Brryn.  Unfortunately, the wars were costly, and the ranks of free wizards were reduced dramatically as well.  The knowledge required to undo the devastating effects that caused the Ruins was lost, and the land was stripped bare except for small regions along either coast.  No one knows why the land there was spared.  For a time it was feared that everything would be consumed.”

The group was silent as they considered what Koess had told them.  The description of the Brryn and the enhanced magic was consistent with what they were observing.  The telepathic abilities and their ability to control were consistent with the already established belief that the Baldari were being controlled in such a manner.

Koess looked around at the silent group.  “It doesn’t matter.  This is all ancient history, dating far before the time in which Daim once lived.  Even in his time the Brryn had been forgotten.”

“What if some of the Brryn survived?” Rigo asked Koess to gauge his reaction.

Koess shook his head.  “Not possible.  Even the oldest memories I tapped while in the Void were from a time when the Brryn had been forgotten by all but a few scholars who studied the past history of magic.  Every effort was made to eliminate all signs of that time and wipe the deeds of the feared Brryn from the history of the world.”

Koess looked around the room at the thoughtful expressions on the faces of his listeners.  Rigo was about to explain the current state of the attacks on the Three Kingdoms when someone knocked at the door.  Jeen opened to see who was there, surprised that anyone would interrupt the group.  Outside, a white faced Mitty waited.

“I must speak with Rigo,” she insisted.

Jeen ushered her inside and closed the door.  Koess examined her with interest, recognizing her as one of those who he had seen in the cave when he was freed.

Mitty looked around at the group, and then pointedly at Koess.

“You can speak,” Daim said.  He was interested both in what Mitty might have to say, and how Koess would react to her news.  The reaction might be informative.

“She has been more active again,” Mitty said.  All but Koess knew she was referring to the woman in the odd chamber.  “I have been watching her for several days since detecting her activities, hoping to see something that would be useful.”

“Is she aware of your presence?” Rigo asked worriedly.  He did not like that the woman could sense Mitty’s presence.  He wished he knew if she could see Mitty in return, or if she had any idea where Mitty was.  He took encouragement in the fact Mitty didn’t know where the woman was, and hoped the woman shared a similar restriction.

“Without a doubt,” Mitty acknowledged.  “Twice she had looked right at me with clear animosity in her eyes before she was able to push me away.”

“But you have learned something?” Jeen asked.

“Not from her,” Mitty said.  “But just now I had another vision.  Pagner will be attacked and very soon.  It is as Mos’pera warned.  I saw both Burke and Shym participating in the attack.  They were leading a team of the captured wizards and Casters, and thousands of Baldari.  I fear the city will be destroyed.”

“Do you know when?” Nycoh asked.

Mitty shook her head.  “Only that it will be soon.  Within a week at most.”

Daim, who had been watching Koess as Mitty revealed her vision, was convinced the recovered wizard had no idea what this was about.  Given what he had revealed about the ancient Brryn, and the confusion now apparent on his features, Daim was starting to believe he might be telling the truth.  He had one more test he hoped to put the young man through before he was willing to be entirely convinced.  He had asked Rigo to take him to Sedfair, and have a loyalty level Reading performed.

Daim stood, indicating they were done for now.  He pointed to Mitty and Jeen.  “We are going to speak with Queen Mos’pera.  It’s time to see if she will reveal what she knows.  We must also send someone to warn the King of Kellmore.  The city should be evacuated and the leadership relocated.  There is no time to delay.”

“She’s a Seer,” Koess said suddenly realizing Mitty’s function, as the others stood to leave.

Rigo nodded.  “This is Mitty, my consort,” he said by way of introduction.

“Your consort?” Koess asked.  “I thought you were to be consorted to someone else. I forget her name.”

“Inge,” Rigo said softly.  “She was killed about the same time you were trapped in the Void.  It was a long time ago.”  He recalled that Koess had traveled with him during the days when Inge had pressured him to give up his explorations into the Ruins.  He had been right to persevere, but the costs had been great.

“And what Mitty just revealed is about to happen?” Koess asked.

“We believe it is being caused by one of your Brryn,” Rigo explained bluntly.

“Mitty couldn’t tell when the attack was going to take place?” Lyes asked. 

He, Ardra, and Suline were meeting behind closed doors to discuss the wide-ranging news that Suline had brought from the Three Kingdoms.  Rigo had told her everything that was known about the upcoming attack, Ash’urn’s situation, and the reappearance and history provided by Koess.

The meeting was being held in the new, and only partially completed facility that would be the new home of the Guild leaders.  While the finish work was crude and much remained to be done, the offices were serviceable, and most had moved in.  Working out of the tents was becoming tiring.  It was impressive what a determined group of Casters could accomplish.  Having their Headquarters demolished and no place to call home had given them a sense of purpose, and working long shifts, the four large rectangular buildings that framed the large central square that would eventually house gardens and large shade trees was well along.  The building they were in would be filled mostly with Guild personnel, and was directly opposite the formal offices where the Queen and her staff would be located.  The two remaining buildings would be filled with the various supporting groups of the government.  Lyes wasn’t certain there would be sufficient room for everyone, but there was space for additional buildings farther back up the hill.  At the very least, a new barracks and facility for the Royal Guard would be required.

The location was a considerable distance from the site of the former castle, the remains of which still stood.  The direction was away from the university, which put Ardra and Lyes a considerable distance from the academic pursuits of the Guild, but Lyes was coming to believe that wasn’t a bad thing.  The operational members of the Guild really didn’t need to be so close to those who were just learning the craft, and the separation might provide some safety to the young Casters and wizards if future attacks were to occur.

One reason for the location was the massive base of solid stone upon which the new facility was constructed.  The stone had been cored using magic and now there were a number of hidden chambers deep within the rock.  The largest chamber was a duplicate of that created earlier, and would serve as a trap for any group of Casters or wizards who were fleeing attack.  Only those specifically linked would be capable of creating a
Doorway
out of the chamber, so any legitimate group that transferred in would be escorted out by those assigned watch duty, while enemies who followed would find themselves in a chamber rapidly being stripped of its oxygen. 

In addition to the large chamber designed as a trap, each of the buildings had a separate chamber hidden under them.  A central stairway led deep into the stone to a more comfortable chamber, equipped with chairs, food, water, and weapons.  While the way in was nominally open, a clever creation of Fen had been put in place to close the area off.  The magic required to move a very large section of stone into place and seal off the stairway from all but the most clever inspection, could be triggered by another who knew of the trigger by simply a press of the palm on a selected spot.  That would start a timer that would trigger the dormant spell.  Those inside would hopefully be hidden from any attackers, and with no active magic once the seal was in place, they would be difficult to detect.  When the time came to leave once again, a repeat of the trigger at a similar but separate location would open the stairway once again.  While the existence of the underground facility was known to key personnel, only the Queen and a select few were aware that Fen triggered
Doorways
were also provided for.  These would take whoever was in the underground chamber to a location at the far end of Sedfair, using a masked
Doorway
.  They were something that Ash’urn and Fen had developed together, and had worked well in tests.

“Only that it would be soon,” Suline replied.  “It appears that the enemy is focused on the Three Kingdoms at the moment, which should give Sedfair more time to prepare.”

This was good news for them.  In fact, most of the recent developments had worked in Sedfair’s favor.  The discovery of the powerful magic that the former Saltique and her core followers had wielded exclusively was now available to all of the senior Casters.  Sedfair had more trained Casters than wizards, while the Three Kingdoms had the reverse condition.  Since no one had discovered a way to provide the magic to wizards with their inherent magic, Sedfair had a larger force with the powerful magic.  It was hoped it was powerful enough, but as yet no one knew if the green beam of magical energy would be sufficient to overcome the protective shields that the Baldari forces and some of the captive Casters used.  If it wasn’t, and if more of the attacking wizards and Casters appeared with the same kind of protective barrier that Shym had demonstrated during recent attacks, the situation would remain very grim.

“Perhaps we should send some of our people to support their defenses?” Ardra asked.

Suline nodded.  “I was going to suggest as much.  Rigo feels they might be able to turn the attack using their Patrollers and the core group of Casters and those wizards who have mastered Casting, but Jeen is not as convinced.  Jeen and Mitty met with Queen Mos’pera, and she finally revealed what she knew of the attack.  She had been silent on details for fear of triggering a response that would be worse than the envisioned attack.  Jeen does not feel confident that Pagner can be saved.  I am going back,” she declared.

Ardra thought momentarily to object.  Given her special skills, she would have liked to keep Suline close, but then she held her silence.  Suline was one of those who worked with the Guild, but was not formally a part of the organization, and as such, not directly answerable to Lyes or herself.

“When will you be going back?” she asked instead.

“In the morning,” Suline replied.  “I can lead any who are going along if you wish.”  Despite the close relations with the west, many of Sedfair’s Casters had never made the trip across the Ruins to the Three Kingdoms.

“We’ll see who we can send,” Lyes said after a moment.  “We’ll also send someone to perform the Reading that Daim has requested.  Have you met this wizard who claims to know so much from the past?”

Suline shook her head.  “Not personally.  They are keeping him somewhat separate until they are certain of him.  Daim has doubts, but Rigo is convinced he is genuine.”

“He claims that the world was ruled by these Brryn, and that they created the Ruins in an attempt to wipe out those with magical ability who were beginning to oppose their rule?” Ardra asked.

“That is the story that Rigo explained to me.  Apparently it backfired, and while everyone thought the Brryn were completely wiped out, along with nearly every wizard and Caster that lived in those days, some appear to have survived.  Where they are and how they have managed to reappear now remain a mystery, but Rigo and Daim believe the chamber that Mitty sees in her visions is somehow responsible.”

“His story is consistent with the collapse of civilization and the slow return of magic leading up to Daim’s time,” Lyes noted.  “He has told us of the gradual return from near savagery along with the return of those with the gift over centuries, and then the second collapse when the Rift appeared.”

“During that time these Brryn, if that’s who Mitty is seeing, survived unseen somewhere in the lands to the south,” Ardra said.

“That is the suspicion,” Suline agreed.  Daim said he once tried to find a way to sidestep the advance of time himself, but was unable to do so.  He has wondered if the Brryn discovered what he failed to find.”

“If they are truly as powerful as this Koess claims, they are going to be formidable if they get free and are able to engage us directly,” Lyes said.  “Perhaps we have been wrong to pull back our teams from the searches in the jungles.  We might have our best hope if we can find them before they are free of the chamber Mitty claims they are bound to.”

Debi and her teams had been withdrawn, the missions terminated after the loss of Burke and his team.  This was done in part because it seemed they were searching in the wrong area, which almost certainly had to be somewhere closer to Burke’s team, and because continuing seemed more likely to simply provide the enemy with more Casters and wizards to turn to their own use.

“Rigo has said almost the same thing,” Suline agreed.  “He is holding back making a push until he sees what comes of the battle in Pagner.  If the added magic is able to push back the enemy, then there might be hope of moving deeper into the jungle to search for the Brryn.  If, however, the protective shields of the enemy cannot be overcome, then any such teams would be defenseless, and more than likely simply sacrificed.”

“What does he hope to accomplish at Pagner?” Ardra asked.

“If the new magic is able to overcome the shields of the enemy, he hopes to surprise them and destroy as many of the captured Casters and wizards as possible,” Suline said.  “He admits it is regrettable, but the magic and
Doorway
s used by the Baldari are being created by these people.  Also, the majority of the damage results from their magic.  If it is possible to eliminate the captured people, then the Brryn will be reduced to using only the Baldari as before, which would be far more manageable.”

“Some of the people he proposes to eliminate were his friends,” Ardra noted.

“He is very aware of that,” Suline noted.  “He wants you and Lyes to be aware that a similar approach must be considered should future attacks occur here.  We are in no position to risk failure to try and save them.”

“And if this approach fails?” Lyes said.

“Then we need to hope that the teams sifting through the ancient documents at the Repository uncovers something that will help us,” Suline said.

“The loss of Ash’urn will not help us in that regard,” Lyes said.  “Does Fen know?  He nearly worships Ash’urn.”

“Daim sent someone to the Repository to inform them,” Suline said.  “He isn’t lost.  It appears that he is recovering, although slowly given the power of the wizard’s healing magic.  Jeen says he won’t regain the use of his left eye again, and while his arm and the burn are much better, his face is severely ravaged and only marginally improved.”

“This recovered wizard claims the rods that caused this were a creation of the Brryn and used to create the Ruins?” Ardra asked.  “Is there any possibility they can somehow be used against them?”

“I will make the suggestion when I return,” Suline said.  “At the moment I believe the rods are being kept well separated.  They are clearly dangerous and no one knows how to control them.”

“They are covered with runes?” Lyes asked.

“So I was told.”

“Then one should be taken to the Repository and the spells interpreted.  Tell Rigo I will take it myself.  The risk is worth the possible gain.”

It seemed that their meeting was over, and the three stood.

“We’ll have a team to go with you in the morning,” Ardra said.