The workroom was blasted by the intense wave of magic. Several of the wizards working nearby unshielded were caught by the runaway energies. While their demise was not as dramatic as that of Burke and Nyk, they were lost as well. Rigo and Mitty were thrown by the force of the fearsome magic, but their separation from the blast, the presence of the support wall, which ended up badly cracked by the magic, and the power of Rigo’s shield was sufficient to save them. When the rods disintegrated and the magic flare died away, they lay together in Rigo’s arms. Much of the building was damaged by the force of the interaction and would have to be rebuilt yet again.
“What happened?” Mitty asked as she looked at Rigo. She wondered where he had come from and where she was. Her last memory was the arrival of Kytra in the mountains where she and Fen had been.
Chapter 89
Two Years Later
The past two years had been the most settled and peaceful in recent memory for the Three Kingdoms and Sedfair. The surprise appearance of Nyk and his timely demise thanks to luck and the sacrifice of Burke, had ended the unrest that had nearly destroyed them. Rigo saw the appearance of Nyk as lucky indeed, for while he had potentially been a greater threat than all the other Brryn combined, he had freed Mitty, something Rigo didn’t believe would have happened otherwise.
Now they were together again. Actually they were a family of three, their child having been born nearly a year and a half ago. It was far too soon to see what characteristics might be expected from the blending of two such gifted parents. Rigo hoped for a child who was gifted, but who wasn’t burdened with the more obvious characteristics he carried himself. Others had hopes of the most powerful wizard in recent times. A second child was on the way, which would bring their family to four.
Not too long ago they had moved into a larger residence, a concession to the expansion that was coming. The new home was close to the now completed College of Magic, which allowed Rigo to stroll to his office there. That was especially nice during the current season when the trees were freshly bloomed and the days mellow and warm. It wasn’t as though Rigo had pressing duties. He was part-time at the school, an advisor of sorts. He had no official duties, and chose carefully what matters he allowed himself to become involved in. At first that had been a privilege that had served him well. He had needed time to think and sort out all that had taken place. Now, well now, he was becoming bored, and he wasn’t sure what he wished to do. Teaching wasn’t something he would be good at. He lacked the patience. He had traveled all he wished, besides he wanted to be home with Mitty. He had come to realize he wished to study and learn, something that had to be a facet of the wisdom and knowledge that Ash’urn had passed to him. He found himself curious about the kinds of things the elder scholar would have been drawn to. Unfortunately, they had lost most of the materials that would support such researches.
For some time he had hoped they might discover the location of the secret chamber that had kept Nyk alive through the centuries. He believed there would be many items of great interest and usefulness. Unfortunately, it remained hidden, and could be almost anywhere. Some thought it must be located near the valley where the other Brryn had been located, but Rigo wondered if it might be as far north as the valley where they had found Kytra and her friends had been south. He no longer expected it to be discovered at all.
The only materials they had to investigate were those that had been removed from the Outpost before its destruction, and which were now in the vaults of the College. There were several items of interest, and Rigo had one of the viewing panels in his office now. He hoped to be able to decipher the symbols that made it work and see what he could make it do. This one had helped Jeen find him while a prisoner in Sedfair, so he knew it was functional. There had to be a proper trigger to activate it.
A light knock on his door interrupted his mental wandering, and he looked up to see one of the novices standing there. Someone was waiting patiently behind her.
“You have a visitor, Master Wizard,” the novice said respectfully.
Rigo nodded, indicating she should allow the person to enter. The man who stepped around the young novice was middle aged, somewhat short, and displayed dull red hair that was distinctive and instantly suggested to Rigo who he might be meeting with.
“You’re from Kal’ran,” Rigo said. “I’d wager you are one of the Caretakers.”
Quite so,” the man said, his head bobbing eagerly as he agreed with Rigo’s assessment. “Please, may I sit? It has been a long journey.”
“I’m sorry. Please do. You have come from Kal’ran to see me.”
Again the man nodded. “I have just spent over three months aboard ship, an experience I hope never to repeat in my life. I am Jula by the way.”
“The seas were rough I take it?” Rigo asked.
“Not particularly. But the experience was frightening. To be so far from land for weeks on end. I thought we would never sight land again.”
“There must have been something important to bring you all this way then. But why me?”
“When I was entrusted with this task I was told I must speak with either you, or the Wizard Nycoh. When I arrived I asked about both of you. I had hoped you both might be present to hear what I have to say.”
“Nycoh is away,” Rigo said.
Another bobbing of the head.
“What is this about,” Rigo said finally, hoping to get to the bottom of the matter. Jula didn’t seem to be in any hurry to explain, but the Caretakers had all been somewhat different in their approach.
“We have made a discovery,” he said slowly. “It is important that you see what we have found.”
“Can’t you simply tell me what it is?”
A shake of the head. “I was told it would be best if you saw for yourself.”
“This is in Kal’ran, I assume.”
“Of course,” Jula agreed. “But that is of no matter. With your magic, Kal’ran is as close as your own home, is it not?”
Rigo wondered momentarily if Jula wanted to show him as a means of avoiding the long trip back to Kal’ran by ship. Rigo considered the time. It was now midmorning. They could go to Kal’ran, have a look at this discovery, whatever it might be, and he could expect to be home for dinner without any concern. Mitty had warned him that company was to be expected, so he didn’t want to be late.
“Okay,” Rigo said standing. “Let’s go have a look.”
Rigo made the more familiar Bypass to take them to the shores of the lake where the Repository had once stood. He had learned that the Transfer, that he personally preferred, was unsettling to many. As they stepped out of the portal, he saw that the village was starting to grow once again, although it was uncomfortably small, reflecting the numbers who had been lost when the Brryn attacked the facility. Out in the lake, the small island stood bare and exposed after centuries of being hidden behind a powerful illusion.
“We must go out there,” the Caretaker said, pointing to the rocky island.
Moments later they exited a second portal, onto the shores of the land that still showed signs of the burns that had wiped the island clear of all vegetation and structures.
“This way,” Jula said, and led Rigo toward the center of the small piece of real estate. A short distance away they came to an excavation that cut through the solid stone. A ramp lead downward at a steep angle. Torches were spaced conveniently along the walls to provide light. Jula stepped into the tunnel without hesitation. Rigo followed, still wondering what this was about.
The tunnel turned and snaked around upon itself as they wound deeper into the ground. After more than four hundred paces, they came to a large, intricately carved door. It was propped open, and beyond were steps carved in the stone. Unlike the rough-cut tunnel, the steps were precisely formed and regular, and the way was illuminated by light coming from the walls. Rigo could sense the magic, but it was a spell he had not encountered before.
What is this?
Rigo followed Ju
la, his interest tweaked.
“How did you come upon this?” Rigo asked, as Jula led him farther down the stairs.
“We were driven to it. The new Ormat, the village elder, saw the way in a dream. He said it must be investigated. It took nearly a year and a half to dig the tunnel.”
Rigo could imagine. It looked as though the work had been done by hand, with pick and shovel.
Finally, a sense of greater light shone ahead. Another doorway appeared that opened into a large waiting room, that Rigo had seen before. Beyond the front area, he could see the large room with the shelves that contained the thousands of texts and scrolls of the Repository. Everything was as it had been the last time he had visited. Nothing was damaged.
“How can this be?” Rigo asked.
Rigo walked slowly toward the open area where the books were stored. There was one thing different he noticed immediately. He hurried toward the closest of the shelves to verify what he sensed. Once there he reached out and slowly withdrew one of the scrolls. The barrier that had kept them from the texts before was now gone. He spun and looked at the wealth of knowledge that was packed in this room.
A broad grin spread across his face. He could hardly wait to get started. He would have to inform Nycoh and the other scholars at the College, but he knew he would be spending many days here. They would have to be careful. The ancient knowledge had caused untold grief in the past. It would be essential to ensure that never happened again.
The End
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locals, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright 2014 by Robert Blink
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.
Proof Release: May 2014
First Release: July 2014
Kindle release: July 2014
Dedication
This book is for my wife, Evelina Blink.
Other books by the Author:
Timelines
The Second Compound
Wizard's Blood [Part One]
Wizard's Blood [Part Two]
Reversal
Split Creek
EndRun
Corrector
Ancient Magic
Dirty Money
Into The Ruins
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A number of people have made major contributions to the completion of each of the books I've written. The review and editing is a larger task than I would have believed when I first sat down to try and write something. Inputs include ideas, technical knowledge, criticism, checking for consistency and general story flow, grammar and spelling review, plus insightful observations. Each person contributes different skills, but each task is essential to getting a completed product out with a minimum of errors. Normally I address the contributors in a somewhat chronological order, but I've started to wonder if that is the best way.
This time around, I've decided to thank all of the participants as a group, recognizing that without each of their inputs I would have a horribly flawed product. I've listed the names in alphabetical order. These people all spent a significant amount of their time helping this book come about. My sincere thanks to Doug Burr, Bob Fahey, Connie Goshgarian, Monika Gutridge, Dianna Hunter, Bill Maggiora, Jim Spiva, and Jean Wilson.
Table of Contents
Major CharactersThree Kingdoms' CharactersRigo's Close FriendsAsh'urn: ScholarDaria: Assassin{K...
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60The Bypass
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88Six Month’s Later
Chapter 89Two Years Later
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the...
Dedication
Other books by the Author:TimelinesThe Second CompoundWizard's Blood [Part One]Wizard's Blood [Part T...
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS