The Wand-Maker's Debate: Osric's Wand: Book One (24 page)

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Machai led the horses, rather than ride one as Thom had suggested. He was well supplied and had enough time to reach a campsite as far away from the volcano as Thom had advised him. He had not excited the anger of Aron, nor the abused dragon which guarded his post. He should have felt elated to be returning to his home, but the things he had learned plagued his mind and slowed his pace. He couldn't get the pain swirling in the dragon's eyes out of his thoughts, knowing that the majestic creature was impelled by invisible bonds to accept any torture, guarding his own kin caged behind a layer of stone. Suddenly, he veered off of the path and turned the horses back toward the volcano. He had no idea what he would do, but he couldn't leave without learning more.

He wove his way between the trees, keeping a sharp look out for guards from the volcano. He hoped that having a dragon guarding their door would make them overconfident and lax in patrolling the forest. When he reached the point where the trees thinned, he paused and tied the horses to a branch. He walked carefully over the damp ground, thankful the rain had ceased, increasingly wary of encountering someone as he approached the volcano. He reached a large rock formation on the border of the open expanse near the base of the mountain, and climbed to its apex to get a better view. From his perch he could see the enormous tree that hid the entrance to the volcano, and if he looked closely, he thought he could pick out the outline of a massive head resting on clawed forelegs. He didn't doubt that the dragon was aware of his presence as well.

He saw two men come around from either side of the mountain, pause for a moment in brief conversation, and then walk again in opposite directions along the base of the volcano. They would be the patrolmen he had feared running into on his way there. He crouched patiently on the hard stone, observing the patterns of the guards. Twice more, he saw patrolmen return to the entrance, and then part again to cover their rounds. He estimated how long it took them to complete their pass, and decided he had a large enough window of time to learn more about the situation. He knew he could not get past the dragon to get into the volcano, but there was nothing stopping him from asking the beast itself a few questions. Well, nothing but the teeth that were nearly half as long as he was tall.

When next the guards were out of sight, he climbed down the rocks and crept toward the entrance. He stopped just out of the dragon's reach, and knelt down before him, casting a shield to prevent the men within from hearing him speak.

“Greetings, Wise Guardian. I am aware ye have been ordered to eat me, but I beseech ye to hold off on ye'r meal until we talk. I be appalled at the treatment of ye and ye'r kin, will ye allow me to ease ye'r wound and then conceal meself between ye and this tree and speak to ye?” The giant dragon peered down at him, and a thin line of smoke trailed up from his nostrils. Machai realized that he may prefer his meals roasted, and the short distance between them would not protect him from dragon fire. Just when he was starting to doubt the wisdom of the conversation, the dragon spoke.

“Why would you offer to ease my pain, do you not fear the men who reside within this mountain?”

“Aye, Guardian, I fear them. They be causing great harm to ye, and I fear they will threaten others soon.” Machai pulled a small wooden box from his pack and opened the lid, “This be a salve of strong magic, willow bark and fairie tears, it will ease ye'r pain and heal ye faster than any wand.” After a moment's hesitation, the dragon shifted his weight and positioned his foreleg within reach of Machai and his healing salve.

“I suppose there is no harm in conversing with you before I consume you. I do relish the opportunity to hide something from these abhorrent humans. I will permit you to hide, dwarf, assuming your fairie paste is helpful.” Machai could not help but keep one eye on the dragon's head while he gently smeared the salve across the angry, cauterized wound. He sighed in relief when the dragon's breathing slowed and he tested his weight on the leg, then he crouched down between the great trunk of the tree and the dragon's bulk. The dragon curled up and rested his head on the ground where he could see Machai, and better conceal him. “What is it you would like to discuss, stone dweller?”

“I am aware of the atrocious wrongs being done to ye and y'er kin by the men in this mountain. I am wondering if there be any way I may help ye. Can ye tell me how many men be here?”

“Why should I believe that you want to help, when you come bearing a load of weaponry for these men?”

“I did not know when I set out to deliver the swords that they may be used to punish ye and keep such majestic creatures enslaved. I cannot retrieve the wagon, but if there be another thing that would benefit ye, I will do it gladly.” Machai could see fear in the dragon's eyes. “I know ye be having no reason to trust me, and if these humans suspect ye be plotting with me, it could lead to more devastation for ye'rself and the others kept here, but change willn't come without risk.” The dragon eyed him wearily, but he held his head proudly and answered Machai's question.

“Fourteen, including Aron. Four are currently on patrol, one lies idle from an injury.”

“I be a capable fighter, but I willn't be able to take on nine men by meself. I apologize, but I cannot storm the volcano.”

“If killing these men was all it would take to free us, we would not be kept here by the likes of these humans. Killing them will not disrupt the magic keeping them caged. There is nothing you can do to help us, dwarf. Begone, I will not eat you.”

“How can the spell be interrupted?”

“The magic is strong, and well planned. I do not believe that one man can free us, even an honorable dwarf such as you. Thank you for your concern, but you should leave before you are discovered. I do not want to see another join us in these cages.”

“Another? These men be holding others besides y'er kin?”

“There is a human caged as well. He has not been here long, and I am not sure why he is in a cage rather than providing me with a meal. I believe Aron fears him; he keeps him hidden away from the guards so he may not speak to them, but he speaks to the dragons. He has compassion for us as you do, but from behind the magical shield, he can do nothing to help us.”

“How does he speak to the dragons? Be there a way for me to speak to them?”

“He speaks to us within our minds, but the spell prevents me from communicating with him while he is caged. Is this something you can also do?”

“Nay, I do not have that ability. I be sorry there is naught that I can do for ye.”

“You are forgiven, stone dweller. Be safe on your journeys. The guards will return soon, you must leave now if you wish to escape from here.” Machai stepped out from the shadows and bowed before the dragon.

“Farewell, Wise Guardian. If I find a way to release ye, I will return.” He ran back to the cover of the trees and regained his horses, anxious to be away from Aron's men, yet heartsick that he could do nothing to help the dragons. It would be a long journey home, knowing of the savagery taking place in the elven realm, and being unable to stop it.

He kept up a steady pace, and quickly traveled far from the volcano entrance. Before it became too dark to see, he stopped and set up a crude camp far enough from the trail that he would not be seen by a passing traveler. He was gathering wood for a small fire and casting detection spells so he would be awakened if someone neared his camp, when he stopped suddenly and crouched behind a nearby rock. He rubbed his eyes to clear them and be sure he was not delirious. Near the trees, across a small clearing, two men and a woman had appeared out of thin air. Machai pulled his axe from his back and crept toward them for a better look.

17 – Chance Encounter

Osric looked exhausted by the time they reached their destination. He almost collapsed from the strain of the magic. With Kenneth and Bridgett's help, he stayed on his feet long enough to stumble over to the base of a tree. He was asleep almost as soon as he hit the ground, and Bridgett checked him over, making sure it was only weariness and not injury that caused his fatigue.

“I believe he will be fine. The best thing for him now is sleep.” She pulled a vial from her belt and removed the stopper. She sprinkled a fine powder into her hand, and then gently blew it into Osric's face. “It will help him regain some of his energy; he has been through so much, I am not sure that sleep will be enough to restore him.” She explained.

“Huh,” Gus shook his head, “seems your beauty is the least of your charms.”

Kenneth had set to gathering wood from the small clearing, and Pebble curled up in Osric's lap. He soon began snoring contently, sharing the warmth of his body.

“That fool would be dead now if not for the dragon's gift he developed by chance, but I think he should be fine after a night of sleep. The Endurism gift he has may recharge his body faster than any amount of sleep would do for us. If you are going to be a fool, you had better be a lucky fool; and he has luck in abundance. We will need it if we are going to free the dragons.” Gus rubbed his temples and growled, “I am growing tired of the things I once thought impossible happening before my very eyes!”

Kenneth had stacked the wood for a fire, but when he went to reach for his wand, he could barely move. It felt as though his limbs were stuck in stone. He could breathe easily, but his arms and legs were rooted in place. He was about to call out when he heard Bridgett squeal and Gus swear behind him. He could not turn around to see what was going on, and terror gripped him as he realized magic was the source of his immobility.

“Os, wake up!” Kenneth felt helpless, frustrated that he could not overcome the spell. Osric and Pebble did not stir from their sleep, and Kenneth wondered if they were spelled as well. “Bridgett, are you alright? What's happening?” From his right, he heard twigs snapping and saw Gus backing up, slowly moving in front of Kenneth, his eyes locked on something still behind him. “Gus, I can't move!” Gus stopped on the other side of the fire pit, and glanced over at Osric and Pebble with a look of concern. Suddenly, Kenneth felt the restraint ease slightly from his legs. He still could not reach for his wand or his weapons, but his legs felt as though he were thigh deep in mud rather than locked into stone. He turned around as quickly as he was able, terrified of what he may see, and still powerless to stop it.

Bridgett was crouched down near their packs, and the dried meat and hard bread that was to be their meal were scattered on the ground at her knees. A dwarf stood behind her, and Kenneth could see that he was holding an axe to her throat. In his other hand, he held a wand, pointed directly at Kenneth. How could they have been so careless? With all that had happened, they had overlooked such obvious safety measures as posting a guard in their camp, or casting detection spells.
This is all my fault! I should have been protecting them, and all I could think about was getting a fire going so we could eat, and rolling up in my sack to get some sleep,
Kenneth berated himself in his head
.
Their recent adventure had taken its toll on him, and now they were all suffering for his weakness. He was not sure Osric would ever forgive him for putting Bridgett in that situation.

The dwarf glanced over at Osric and Pebble sleeping against the tree, keeping Kenneth restrained both by the spell he had cast, and the threat to Bridgett should he attempt to move, but he directed his question at Gus.

“What did ye say about freeing dragons?”

“Uh, you must have misunderstood me. Let the girl go, she has no bad intentions toward anyone.” Gus was very slowly inching toward Osric and his son.

“The man and his mouse will be awakening when I counter the spell, stop moving. Tell me who ye be, and what ye be doing here, and I will let her go. And do not be lying to me.” Kenneth was furious that he had not been able to escape from the dwarf's spell, but he was terrified that something would happen to Bridgett. He interrupted before Gus could respond in his typical way to the insult of calling Pebble a mouse.

“We are from the human realm, a city called Stanton. We are accompanying the Contege,” he nodded his head toward Osric, “to an outpost near Braya Volcano.” Kenneth hoped that by giving him something close to the truth, he would be inclined to believe his story without asking for more information.

“Contege?” Machai looked contemplative, as if he had heard the word before.

“Yes, the leader of the Vigiles, the city's security force. He is a very important man; the consequences for attacking his party will be severe.” It was a risk; the threat could anger their assailant, but it may deter him from doing any actual damage. The dwarf seemed to come to a realization, and he moved the axe blade slightly so Bridgett could breathe easier. Kenneth exhaled a deep breath he had not realized he was holding.

“I do think we be on the same side, but I have spoken to the dragons on the volcano, and y'er Conteges are not being welcomed with graces. I suspect he will be either eaten or slain. If he be as lucky as one, he will only be imprisoned.” Gus had stepped up to Kenneth's side and was staring accusingly at their attacker.

“What do you mean, you have talked to the dragons? And who are you, anyway, to come and attack us and then demand all these answers. Same side, huh? What side are you on exactly?” Kenneth cleared his throat to stop Gus' tirade before he insulted the dwarf enough to cause harm. He feared that Bridgett may pay the price for Gus' brash personality, but surprisingly, the dwarf moved the axe away from her neck and allowed her to rush to Osric's side. He looked meaningfully at Kenneth, and then lowered the hand that held his wand. Instantly, Kenneth felt control of his limbs return.

“Me name is Machai. Y'er Contege should be hearing this, also. Ye may awaken him now.” Bridgett gently shook Osric awake without disturbing Pebble in his lap. He smiled when he awoke to see her face so close, and traced his thumb down her cheek.