Vault of Silence E-Book

Vaughan W. Smith

• Herausgeber: Fair Folio
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Serie: The Hidden Wizard
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 423

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

A fledgling wizard mastering his power. A fallen monk. A secret trial hidden in a desert temple.
Alrion barely survived. His success came at a terrible cost. Driven to improve his skill and prove his worth as a wizard he pushes on.
His dreams show him a vision of his next goal, the Vault of Silence. It is a secret trial guarded by an order of monks and designed to test a person’s will. To get there, he must find a guide and negotiate his way through sprawling cities and a vast desert.
But the creatures of the Blight are organising. They have a leader and have infiltrated the general population. To reach the Vault of Silence Alrion will need to make new allies, learn new spells and face an old foe. Can he rise again to the challenge? Or will he be crushed by overwhelming odds?
Start reading today and see Alrion forge his path as a wizard.
Vault of Silence is book 2 of The Hidden Wizard Series. This four book series is outlined below.

The Hidden Wizard Series
Book 1: Pool of Knowledge
Book 2: Vault of Silence
Book 3: Spark of Truth
Book 4: Soul of Light
Also available:
The Wandering Blacksmith: Prequel to the Hidden Wizard
The Hidden Wizard: The Complete Series

Leseprobe

VAULT OF SILENCE

BOOK TWO OF THE HIDDEN WIZARD

VAUGHAN W. SMITH

FAIR FOLIO

CONTENTS

1. A New Fire

2. Brangtur

3. Tracking the scarf

4. An Unusual Challenge

5. The Fallen Monk

6. An unexpected reunion

7. A Test

8. Diamonds are forever

9. Setting Out

10. In the Shade of a Blaze

11. Alternate Paths

12. The Quiet Road

13. An Old Friend

14. Going with the flow

15. Investigation

16. Dark Tidings

17. Denied Entry

18. A New Lead

19. Enter the Desert

20. An Important Lead

21. The Mirage

22. An Offer

23. Impending Danger

24. Sand and Water

25. Bunkering Down

26. Key Finding

27. The Desert Temple

28. Wavering

29. Entering the Temple

30. The Trial

31. The Vault of Silence

32. Time and Time Again

33. A Losing Battle

34. The Crossroads

35. Infected

36. Recovery

37. A New Dream

Epilogue

The Story Continues

Spark of Truth 1: A New Battle

Did you enjoy the book?

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About the Author

1

A NEW FIRE

Lara crept up to the edge of the hill and peered over. She could see a large mass of Blighters, all of them hunched over and roaming in no discernible pattern. The terrain was a mix between rocky and sandy, with very little vegetation. She shielded her eyes from the harsh sun as she scanned the entire scene. Her nose wrinkling as she caught the putrid smell coming off them.

"It's as you expected, we have a whole barrel of them down there," she said.

"Blighters?" Alrion said.

"Looks like it. But there are others too. I think we should go around them." Lara swept her head over to take in the view and plot a course around the mob.

"Aren't we close to Brangtur?" Alrion gestured into the distance to emphasise his point.

"Yes, really close. If we avoided them it may take another day to do so safely."

"I don't want to waste the time, and we've dealt with Blighters before. This can be a fun romp." The young wizard had a mad grin on his face, which made Lara annoyed.

"Fun? There's an awful lot of them. I really think stealth is the preferred approach." It didn't make any sense to willingly take on such a force. Not when it could be avoided.

"Not this time. I want to make a statement. I need them to know I'm not the same person they encountered before," Alrion said.

Lara looked at him and sighed. He had certainly awakened to his power following his near-death confrontation with Branthor. But she wasn't sure this new Alrion was necessarily better equipped. Not yet. "So just because you defeated a wizard you think you're the king of wizards now?"

"Not yet. I still need you to watch my back," he said as he pushed off and starting jogging down the other side of the hill. "It's not as bad as you said," Alrion shouted as he descended.

Lara could see him working himself up. How much did he really want this, and how much was he just playing the part?

"Time to announce ourselves," Alrion said gleefully. He created a giant ball of flame and kept it right in front of him.

Lara staggered back for safety. "You better know what you're doing," she said, shielding her face with her arm. But instead of just throwing it, Alrion gave it a great push. The giant sphere of flame tumbled down the hill towards the seething mass of Blighters. Within seconds there were cries of concern and surprise.

The Blighters started to move away, but there were huge clumps that had nowhere to go and were pummelled by the rolling flame. The smell of charred Blighter smelled even worse than Lara had expected.

"You better keep them contained if you want this to work!" she shouted over the carnage.

Alrion nodded and brought up a tall wall of fire from the left, boxing in the Blighters. The ones nearest the wall couldn't stop in time and were caught by the flame. Alrion launched another ball of fire into the air, and had it hover over the middle of the pack.

"You're just showing off now," Lara said. Now the flames were further away, she could stand beside him.

"Not really, I'm just letting loose. It feels good." Alrion concentrated and the ball of fire split into many smaller parts, showering fire over the Blighters. "That should be enough to scatter them," he said.

The Blighters were running in all directions, the scene was total chaos. But there was a change, and they began to reform.

"There's something organising them. Leaders?" Lara said.

"There must be. I'll have to take them out," Alrion said.

Lara could see the determination on his face. She had to dissuade him from taking this too far. "You know I would like nothing more, but is it really worth it? It's one thing raining fire on them from here, but that's a huge pack. You would have to go amongst them to identify and eliminate their leaders. It's too risky," she said.

"Don't be so shy, we'll be fine." Alrion’s face lit up with what Lara could only define as intense hatred. It seemed at odds with his light banter.

"If you insist," Lara said. There would be no way to turn him away now. The two of them descended the hill and Alrion raised another wall of fire.

"Is there any limit to how much of that you can do?" she said. It did seem like a ridiculous amount of magic.

"Yes, but I haven't found it yet. Don't worry there's a fair bit left in reserve."

"In that case, you better box them in on three sides. We can funnel them into a smaller space to make it easier."

"Done," Alrion said with a smile, raising the third wall of fire. Lara watched him work, and noticed a steady stream of sweat beading around his hairline. The fire was too far away, was the sweat from something else?

She watched the Blighters react, and the more they were confined and the fewer the number, the more controlled they appeared to be. Many streamed forward away from the fire, but most stayed within the walls of fire, just far enough away to be safe.

"I don't like this. It's as if they're inviting you in," Lara said.

"I wouldn't want to keep them waiting." Alrion threw out a wave of fire to burn those that had advanced.

Lara dashed ahead and dealt killing blows to those still standing.

They waited for a moment, to see what was next.

"No more are coming over. We can still walk away," Lara said.

"This is interesting, I haven't seen this level of control yet."

"Let's save that for the post-battle discussion. Keep your wits about you. This could be a trap." Lara knew to trust her instincts, and something within that swirling dust bowl was making her unusually uncomfortable.

"If it's a trap I will destroy it." Alrion clenched his fist as if to demonstrate.

"Less talking, more doing.” Lara didn't want this to drag on too long. Alrion already looked weakened, despite his previous comments. The wizard nodded and started walking towards the smaller, but still significant mass of Blighters.

"Call out any you think are leaders. Better yet, take them out."

"I'll do what I can," Lara said, scanning them. She had a few potential targets picked out, but wanted to watch their behaviour first. To give themselves an opening Alrion sent out a force wave that knocked over the first few rows of Blighters. He followed it with streams of fire that dispersed those standing behind.

"There." Lara pointed at a heavyset man with dark features surrounded by Blighters. Alrion sent a spear of fire over. A Blighter tried to block it, but it pierced through and burned its target.

"Nice one," Lara said. There was a chance that this would work. Provided that Alrion kept his head and stuck to the plan. The Blighters rearranged themselves, and all those Lara considered to be leaders moved further back, surrounding themselves with Blighters.

"They're on to our plan and have protected themselves. At least we can confirm who the leaders are," she said.

"Then let's finish this quickly. Follow closely behind me." Alrion ran forward, throwing out waves of force to clear the path in front of him.

Lara kept pace, throwing daggers at key targets as they went. The leaders amongst the Blighters appeared alarmed, as they had nowhere to escape to. Then, they all closed their eyes and looked downward. Alrion continued forward, but Lara felt that something was off, and she slowed down. Looking around she could see the Blighters rearranging again. They were making space. "They're up to something. I don't like this. Pull back," she said.

"It won't matter soon enough." Alrion paused briefly to concentrate and created a ring of fire above the leaders.

"They're going to surround us. Be quick before it's too late!" Lara shouted.

"This is over," Alrion said. The ring of fire descended swiftly, capturing all the leaders. Then the ring slowly constricted, pushing the trapped leaders into the middle and catching them in the fire.

"All done," Alrion said. "Now they're broken."

"I'm not so sure about that." Lara could see that the Blighters weren't fleeing. They cried out in anguish and lost control. She didn't hesitate. She threw daggers and followed up to cut down those that had managed to get closer. Alrion just stood and stared.

"Snap out of it!" Lara shouted.

Alrion blasted two back. They knocked over the Blighters behind them and he ignited the whole group at once.

"I'll make a path out." Alrion threw out a wave of fire that swept along the ground in continuous motion. "This way!" he shouted over the roar and followed his wave of flame.

Lara cut down a Blighter and turned to run alongside. They trailed behind the wave of fire, pushing aside any Blighters that managed to come close. The fire died out and they continued running, leaving chaos and confusion in their wake.

Lara took the lead and headed for a neighbouring hill, hoping to drop down the other side and out of sight. Alrion was looking back, trying to gauge if they were being followed.

"Eyes in front!" Lara shouted. There was a group of five Blighters blocking their path. Alrion turned quickly and threw out another ball of fire. But it was weak and slow, only catching one of them. He stopped in his tracks, surprised.

Lara bounded ahead, aiming straight for the leader. The Blighters swarmed to attack her at once. She grabbed one and bounced off its shoulder, flipping over the Blighter and into a tight roll on the ground. She rose and dispatched the leader from behind. The Blighters had ignored her however, and were now after Alrion. His hand was covered in flame, and he used it to attack one and push it into the rest. While they were off balance, Lara swooped in and put them all down with accurate strikes from her twin daggers.

Alrion took a few steps away from the fight, and staggered. He dropped to his knees and took in some deep breaths.

"We barely made it. And you look half-dead. More than you bargained for huh?" Lara could feel the dryness in her throat and her limbs crying out. She could only imagine what Alrion was feeling.

"You could say that. I've never pushed that hard." Alrion was bent over, drawing shallow breaths.

"Was it worth it?"

"We're still alive, and well, they're defeated and broken," Alrion said, looking over at the survivors. They had finally broken rank and were fleeing in groups of ones and twos.

"True, we got the result. Bit too close for my liking. And not worth it."

"Would any fight in the open be to your liking?"

"Probably not, you know I prefer to operate in the shadows. But a little planning to stack the odds in our favour never hurts. You should remember that."

"The odds are already stacked in our favour, but I'll consider your idea of planning," Alrion said, throwing her a smile. Despite her reservations, she couldn't help but get caught up in his smile. But she had to make sure he understood the seriousness of what had just happened.

"Is that the first time you ran out of power?"

"Yes."

"Something to keep in mind. Especially if we keep getting into these kinds of situations."

"Yeah, I know, I'm on it." Alrion put his hand on her shoulder. She wasn't sure if that was supposed to be reassuring, but it was.

"Good, let's leave this mess behind us." She waited for him to take his hand back then stretched.

"You have to admit you were impressed though," Alrion said, giving Lara a cheeky grin.

"Yes, I was impressed. But no more ridiculous stunts. I'd rather we didn't die."

"I'll try," Alrion said and started to walk away. Lara jogged after him and they cut downhill and across the plain they were on to get back to the main road. Alrion started to see buildings rising in the distance.

"Is that it?"

"Yes, that's Brangtur." Just the sight of it, brought back the strong scents of sweat, steel and hides for her.

"Have you been here before?"

"Not for a long time. But I'm sure it is the same. Did your father say where to meet him?"

"No, but he's a blacksmith. It should be easy," Alrion said.

Lara laughed and smacked Alrion on the back.

"What's so funny?" he said.

"This is the city of blacksmiths. It will be like finding a needle in a haystack."

"We'll figure something out," Alrion said.

She could see the embarrassment on his face and decided not to take the joke too far. After a few moments, she changed the topic.

"I have another question. You know how you showed me that notebook a few weeks ago?" Lara said.

"The one with the strange message in it?"

"Yes, that one. Now that you've had a chance to think about it, do you have an idea of who left that message? It has to be a wizard, right?"

"It has to be, I can't think of another way. Nobody else has had proper access to it. And I even tried writing in it. I couldn't leave a reply message."

"So, who do you think it is?"

"I have a theory, but it's a bit crazy."

"Let me hear it. Can't be crazier than what we just did." Lara wanted him to open up a bit, to see if this had anything to do with his reckless behaviour.

"What if my mentor Falric survived? Maybe he's trying to contact me from afar. He knows about the notebook; he saw it before."

"That does sound possible, since he's a wizard, knows about it and wants to help you. But aren't you sure he died?" Lara could see a possible connection to Alrion's new attitude. He was still obsessed about Falric's death. And by his own admission he had been unable to do anything. Was he trying to overcompensate?

"I was sure, but who knows. He was a master of magic. Anyway, like I said it was a crazy theory. It seems better than the alternative."

The alternative that he actually died, and you need to deal with that, she thought.

"Which is?" Lara said.

"That some wizard I have never met is following my progress. That just creeps me out," Alrion said.

Lara didn't reply, looking out into the distance. That did seem like the scarier alternative. "Take a look now," she said.

They could see the city better now, giant stone walls topped with immense bronze domes. The walls seemed to be decorated with intricate metalwork with huge metal doors hanging off the main gate.

"Wow," Alrion said, taking it all in.

"I forgot how big it all is. Makes sense for a city of blacksmiths no?"

"Definitely. Although I'm surprised the whole walls aren't made of metal." Alrion had a thoughtful look on his face.

"Good point, we'll have to find out why. Maybe they ran out?" Lara said.

Alrion laughed. "I could imagine my father designing such a city. Although I doubt he would have gone for the entirely metal design. He always harps on about harmony between different materials."

"He's been to Brangtur before, right?"

"I'm sure of it. He's such a passionate blacksmith that this seems like the perfect place for him. Why did he ever leave?"

"You'll have to ask him," Lara said. But she knew that finding a blacksmith in Brangtur would be difficult. For now, there was no need to burden Alrion with those details. She looked over at him and saw the bravado of the fight wearing off. It was being replaced by the look of a boy eager to see his father.

"What is it?" Alrion said, turning back to her.

He must have noticed her staring. "Oh nothing, just taking in the scenery. Let's get a move on," Lara said, picking up the pace.

2

BRANGTUR

The giant gates towered over them as they walked into the city. Streams of people were travelling in both directions. Alrion could smell the smoke and steel being worked. It was strange, smelling it outside of the workshop.

"It feels like a blacksmith workshop, and we are outdoors," he said.

"Not surprised that you get that impression. There's a lot of workshops here. They can make some seriously massive things."

"Do you know where the main workshops are?"

"I think they are this way. I'm sure you can follow the sounds and smells though," Lara said.

"You're probably right," Alrion said. They continued along the dusty path and turned right down a major road.

"The people seem busy, but happy," Alrion said as he took in the surroundings.

"I agree. I guess it's a safe and prosperous city," Lara said.

"Prosperous? What have you stolen from here?" Alrion was instantly suspicious.

"A good thief never tells. Besides, I don't steal from everywhere," Lara said, giving him an innocent smile.

"I'm not convinced. It's alright, you don't have to spill all your secrets just yet," Alrion said.

Lara was right about the sound of the metalworking though. He could hear the hammering getting louder as they progressed.

The houses were all simply made, in the same style as the city gates. Basic stone shapes, with ornamental metal trimmings. Alrion spotted the odd shop on the way, selling a variety of tools and household items.

"No weapons," he said with a surprised look. It seemed to him like an oversight in a city of blacksmiths.

"Weapons are a smaller market here. Tightly controlled."

"Makes sense, there are so many blacksmiths you could turn over a vast number," Alrion said.

Lara could see him thinking through the problem. He was more like his father than he would admit. "Yes, but I don't think that's all there is to it. I get the sense that they prefer not to make them."

"My father definitely prefers not to. He doesn't want to be known as making tools of war, or being responsible for that. He has always been happy making simple things to help people in their day to day. I didn't think others shared that view." Alrion paused and took a closer look at their surroundings. "I think we've started to stumble across the workshops. Keep an eye out for my father. You remember what he looks like right?"

"Of course. I don't forget a face," Lara said. They slowed their pace, and scanned the faces of the working blacksmiths. They were all shapes and sizes, but the common features being the sweating brows and the arms the width of tree trunks.

"No sign yet," Alrion said.

"I think we are running out of workshops," Lara said, pointing ahead. There was another gate coming up. The doors were open, but there was a sign above the top. It was a sword and shield embossed into metal.

"Looks like the weapons section. Let's take a look," Alrion said.

Lara nodded and followed closely. Stepping through the gate felt like a totally different place. There were still workshops, but there was an air of seriousness and reservation. The blacksmiths Alrion could see had an extra determination and responsibility about them.

"Who are they?" Alrion said, pointing to a stranger. He was a tall man in a red coat wandering through the area.

"No idea, but he looks like an inspector to me," Lara said.

"You're probably right," Alrion said.

"Alrion!" Vincent shouted. He put down his hammer and rushed over, grabbing Alrion in his arms. "You made it. I was so worried."

"Yeah we did. Glad I found you here," Alrion said, relieved and happy to see his father again. He even forgot Lara was there and felt safe and at home once again. Then he noticed her watching them and stiffened up. Vincent released his son and stepped back.

"Where's Falric? And who is this lovely young woman?" he said.

"This is Lara, she's helping out. It's a long story." Alrion choked on his words and stared at the floor.

"Nice to meet you Lara. And Falric?"

"He...is gone. Killed by the enemy wizard that was chasing us," Alrion said in almost a whisper. It was so hard to say the words out loud again. The sense of loss came back completely.

"No... I can't believe it. Let's walk somewhere private so you can fill me in." Vincent guided them in silence down a side street and they emerged in a tiny park. Just a small patch of grass, a single leafy tree, and a large wooden bench seat. "Let's sit here. Please tell everything," Vincent said.

Alrion took a deep breath and launched into a long discussion of everything that had happened since they parted. Vincent did not interrupt once; he just sat quietly and absorbed the information. "So that brings us here," Alrion said, gesturing at his surroundings.

"The enemy wizard was Branthor, and he may still be alive?" Vincent said.

"Yes, we don't know for sure. And there's one other thing. It's about Falric," Alrion said, reaching for his bag. He pulled out the magic notebook.

"Look at this," Alrion said.

Vincent reached out and opened the book. He read the note.

"Who wrote that?" he asked.

"I don't know. It must be a wizard; I couldn't find any other way of writing in it. But the only wizard that it could be is Falric. Nobody else other than Branthor knows about my quest, or about this notebook. Maybe wizards are tougher than we thought?" Alrion was holding on to the hope. He desperately wanted his father to buy into the theory.

"Possibly. Losing Falric is unbelievable, and a huge loss. It's worth considering that he might be out there somewhere. Let's put that aside for a moment. Against all odds, you reached the Pool of Knowledge and you found me. What's next?"

"I'm not sure. The knowledge from the Pool comes in drips here and there, in dreams or integrated into my day to day activities. I can't draw on it like a reference book. But I did have a dream, and my grandfather was in it."

"Really?" Vincent sat up straight and his eyes lit up.

"Yes. I don't think it was a message or anything like that. But I think it was a way of showing me what I needed to do next."

"What was it?"

"I was shown a room, which was guarded by four strangely dressed bald men. They had flowing robes and a special sigil on their clothing."

"Sounds like monks, the way you described them. There are a few different orders of monks throughout the world, we would need to locate the exact ones." Vincent started pacing.

"That's a start. I am sure if I saw the sigil again I would recognise it."

"I will ask around, maybe someone here knows something about them. But before that, I have something to show you," Vincent said and took off. Alrion and Lara jumped up to follow closely behind.

Vincent didn't say anything, he just moved with passion and speed. Alrion struggled to keep up.

What is my father up to? he thought.

"Your father is so energised by something. This is exciting," Lara said.

"He's a blacksmith, it can't be that exciting," Alrion said.

Lara laughed. As they rounded the corner, they saw Vincent enter a workshop.

"See. Just blacksmith stuff," Alrion said.

"Just get in there and we will find out," Lara said. The two of them entered the workshop and were assaulted with an array of smells, tinged with the smell of sweat.

"I don't know how you can work in here.” Lara was covering her nose and looking around.

"I try not to. There he is," Alrion said, pointing to the far corner. Vincent was standing next to a forge and had something on the anvil. As Alrion walked through the workshop he saw a variety of weapons being forged.

"Look at this!" Vincent said as they approached.

Alrion looked down and saw a blade sitting on the anvil. It required a bit more working to be complete, but it was stunning. The metal had a soft white glow to it, and the surface was perfect. "This looks pretty amazing. I thought you didn't make weapons?"

"It has been a while, but the guys here have been helping me. But that's not the best bit, touch the blade. It's not hot right now," Vincent said. Alrion reached out and dragged his fingers across the metal.

"What is that? It feels like it is vibrating," Alrion said.

"Runesteel. It can cut through anything, and never dulls. I thought the art of making it was long lost, but it seems not. Pretty amazing, isn't it?"

"Don't you need magic to make this?"

"Yes, but you don't need the wizard to make it on the spot. If you had some previously enhanced metal lying around then it wouldn't be so hard, would it?" Vincent said. He was grinning from ear to ear.

"What's this for?" Lara said, speaking up for the first time.

"Did Alrion tell you about how we had a nasty encounter with a Shade?" Vincent said.

"In passing," Lara said.

"Well, it was a rather inconvenient place to encounter one, on the deck of a ship. And as you may be aware, even though we had a wizard with us, Shades are highly magic resistant. It kept me up at night, knowing that potentially the Shade was still out there somewhere."

"This will help?"

"Yes. Their skins are incredibly hard to pierce, but magically enhanced weapons do work. All we had last time was a dagger, and I'm not confident that we finished the job. But with this, and its twin, I think we will be better equipped." Vincent made a thrusting motion with the blade.

"Twin?" Alrion said.

"I'm making two. One for you, and one for me. You need to learn how to defend yourself without magic." Vincent put the blade back down.

"Maybe you can make me one of these? A bit smaller though, I prefer a dagger," Lara said, illustrating the preferred length with her hands.

"I hadn't expected to, but since you're with us you need to be able to defend yourself. It may take a while. I'll have to finish the others first, and source some more Runesteel. But leave it with me."

"Great, I think that would be incredibly handy." Lara reached out and felt the blade herself.

"It will be. So Alrion, what do you think?"

"It looks impressive, I just hope I can learn to use it effectively. I thought you hated making weapons?" he said. Vincent looked away for a moment before answering.

"In principle, yes I do. But there are times when it is necessary. I am happy to do so when I know that what I create will stay in good hands and be of use to my family. I still wouldn't make weapons for anyone I didn't trust."

"You trust me already?" Lara said, a teasing tone to her voice.

"If Alrion trusts you, then I trust you. Until you give me a reason not to." Vincent gave Lara a questioning look, but she held his gaze.

"Is the metal heavier or lighter than usual?" Alrion said, changing the topic.

"The Runesteel? It's lighter, one of the many benefits. Feel for yourself." Alrion picked up the blade and felt it. It was much lighter than he was used to working with. He handed it to Lara, and she pretended to struggle with the weight, dropping to her knees. Vincent laughed and she handed it back.

Alrion tried not to laugh, but he did show a grin. "Alright you sold me. When will it be ready?" he said.

"A day or two perhaps, but we will see how I go. I'm not in a rush right now, and you don't seem to have a destination just yet."

"That's true, we need to find out where the monks are from." Alrion had no idea where to even start with that.

"I'm sure a few days of rest before heading out again will be of help. In fact, why don't I shout you both to a meal and free drinks to welcome you to Brangtur?"

"What's the catch? We never went out at home, and you always cautioned me on drinking anything remotely alcoholic," Alrion said.

"No catch, let's just have a moment to relax. We're reunited again. And we need to honour our fallen friend."

"That's true. I haven't done enough." Alrion looked away, as if trying to locate the humble grave he had constructed for Falric.

"We've all been through a lot, and I fear this is only the beginning. Let's take a moment," Vincent said.

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth Alrion," Lara said.

"Alright you convinced me. Let's go," Alrion said.

"Right behind you. Lara, would you mind staying back a second so I can ask you something?" Vincent said.

"Sure. Meet you out front," Lara shouted to Alrion.

* * *

Vincent watched Alrion leave then stepped closer to Lara.

"I appreciate the help you have given my son. However, I need to understand how you so quickly got caught up in this."

"I noticed the three of you back at Carford, and I knew there was something unusual going on. So, I lifted a ring from Alrion, and noticed that it was magical. I tracked you all since then, curious about what you were up to. Every adventure you had further confirmed to me that you were doing something monumental!"

"You followed us the entire way?" Vincent said. He couldn't disguise the surprise in his voice.

"Of course, it was easy. All I had to was keep hidden, you burnt a huge trail across the country."

"We did encounter a few situations."

"Exactly, so I kept track of you."

"What changed? What made you a helper instead of a watcher?" Vincent regarded her closely, interested in her answer.

"I noticed that Alrion was in trouble. So, I offered to help," Lara said. Vincent walked closer, until he was inches away from Lara's face.

"I know that you are caught up in this, and you want to keep going. And I don't need to know all your reasons. But I do know that you didn't just decide to help out. What happened?" Vincent said, in a low and steady voice that didn't accept excuses. She appeared shaken by the change in his tone and approach.

Hopefully with a direct approach I can surprise her into telling me the truth, Vincent thought.

"He doesn't know. This mysterious wizard found me. He had tracked me using the ring that I stole from Alrion. He forced me to give it back, and to keep following."

"Who was it?"

"I don't know, he somehow hid his face so that it is always in the shadows."

"How did he force you to help Alrion?"

"He had a way of getting into my mind. He didn't force me, but it was like he knew what to say. I can't explain it," Lara said. Vincent could see the truth on her face, her confusion and worry. She wasn't faking it.

"I see. Alrion knows nothing of this?"

"No."

"That's fine, better that way. I believe your story, but this other wizard concerns me. It is troubling that the wizard only appeared around the time of Falric's death."

"I couldn't say if it was before or after his death. I only met up with Alrion afterward.”

"Hey, you two, come see this," Alrion shouted.

"Keep this from Alrion, let's go." Vincent directed Lara to leave and followed her out. Alrion was standing just outside the door. Once he saw them, he pointed to a man across the street. He was sitting on a bench reading a book.

"Who is that?" Lara said.

"I have no idea, but can you see that strange scarf he has wrapped around himself?"

"That's a monk's scarf," Vincent said.

"And from here it looks exactly like what the monks wore in my dream," Alrion said.

"He doesn't look like a monk to me, but let's go see what he has to say for himself," Lara said. Before Alrion or Vincent could reply she started walking off.

3

TRACKING THE SCARF

Lara stopped right in front of the man, looking him over without pretending to hide what she was doing. The man didn't react, his head focused on his book.

"Excuse me," Lara said. He didn't immediately react, but after a moment placed a small ribbon in the book and closed it. He looked up at her.

"Yes, can I help you?" he said. A puzzled look crossed his face when Vincent and Alrion also joined Lara.

"My name is Lara. And you are?"

"Brett," the man said. He looked them all over, a confused expression on his face.

"That scarf is quite impressive. Where did you get it?" Lara said.

"Oh this? It's nice, isn't it? Unfortunately, it is not for sale."

"That's fine, I just would love to know where you got it?" Lara said in her sweetest voice. Alrion had to stifle a laugh and she quickly jerked her head around to silence him with a blistering look.

"I'm afraid you really can't get one, so I don't see how that would help."

"Please, humour me. I absolutely must know." Lara thought back to all the women she knew who were fashion-obsessed, and tried to channel that.

"Very well, if it means you will leave me to my book?" Brett said, his increasing annoyance clear in his voice.

"Of course."

"Last night I was enjoying a quiet drink in my favoured inn. It's called The Amber Anvil. I was just about to leave for the night when a strange man burst in. He was clad in what looked like rags, his hair was strangely cut, and he had a wild look about him. But he had on this amazing scarf which had somehow survived whatever he had been through."

"So, a strange man came in wearing it. How did you get it?" Lara said. Alrion and Vincent stayed quiet, eager to hear what Brett had to say.

"Other than acknowledging his strange manner and dress, I returned to my book and my drink. A few minutes later I could smell something strange. I turned to notice that the man was hovering behind me. When I questioned him about what he wanted, he didn't say anything. He just stared at my drink."

"That is very odd." Lara said.

"It is indeed. He finally spoke, and said that he was in dire need of a drink, and asked if I could buy him a bottle to tide him over. I of course declined, which made him quite act quite erratic. I suspected that he was already drunk, and was perhaps fearing the prospect of sobering up." Lara was getting impatient with the way this guy was dragging out the story.

"You traded him for the scarf?" Lara said. For a man annoyed about being interrupted, he sure was taking his time with the story. Maybe he was punishing them.

"Please let me finish. At first, he challenged me to a drinking contest, with me supplying the bottle. I politely declined once again. But he was determined. So that's when he offered me the trade."

"You bought him a bottle and he gave you the scarf?"

"Not at first. He seemed quite reluctant to hand it over. But I was adamant that it was the only thing he had of value. He did finally relent, and I think he buried himself in the bottle even faster to forget about what he had lost."

"Great story, thanks for sharing. Where is this inn exactly?" Alrion said.

"It's on the other end of town. In the Vine district." Brett gestured off into the distance.

"Thank you, Brett, I apologise for taking you away from your book," Lara said.

"Well I did find it entertaining to share that particular story. Good luck with the search. I doubt that man has another scarf though."

"Don't you worry, I'll find out where I can get myself one," Lara said, winking at Brett. Brett immediately re-opened his book, and resumed where he was reading. Lara stepped away and Alrion and Vincent followed.

"Do you think that man he described is one of the monks?" Alrion said.

"Definitely. But clearly something has happened, it sounds like he has been through demanding times. You said that the monks in your dream were bald? From the way Brett described his hair it could have regrown in a strange way," Vincent said.

"I agree. If we find this monk, we can find out where he is from. This is a huge break," Lara said. Luck was definitely with them. Finding Vincent and now the lead they needed. But things weren't always so smooth in her experience. She was waiting for the catch.

"Good. I needed one of those. Do you know where that inn is?" Alrion said.

"I don't know that one in particular, but all the inns are together. Follow me." Vincent took off with a confident stride through the district, leading them back to the area where they had entered the city.

"Has it changed much? The city?" Alrion asked his father as they walked.

"Not that much, I am a little surprised. The people are changing, and there are newer areas that are more developed. But the core is the same. I think this is what happens when you build things to last."

"I can definitely imagine this place never changing. It feels like it has always been this way.” Lara noticed that the pace of the people seemed as slow as she remembered, even though it was now much more crowded. It seemed like the city had its own special pace that everyone could feel and maintain.

"So, are you a bit of a drinker yourself?" Lara said, looking at Vincent.

"In my younger days, perhaps. But not now. I think it's the kind of thing most men grow out of."

"What about him?" Lara said, pointing at Alrion.

"I can't say, I haven't seen him in action. But I've heard a few stories," Vincent said, chuckling to himself.

"Honestly, I don't really get into it that much. But I've had a few experiences, like everyone has. What about you?" Alrion said.

"Nope, don't touch the stuff. Hate the taste. I can't understand how you could drink that.” Lara shuddered at the memory.

"Neither can we," Vincent said, laughing out loud. Alrion kept looking around as they walked, taking in the changes in scenery.

He really hasn't been anywhere at all, Lara thought, observing him.

They had entered what looked like a market district. There were lots of stalls in the street, as well as a huge variety of shops. As expected, the wares were mostly things made by blacksmiths.

"I still don't see any weapons," Alrion said.

"Yes, there are special outlets that deal in weapons. Either that or you commission them directly from the blacksmith," Vincent said.

"The swords that you are making, would they sell for a lot?"

"Priceless."

"You can't say that. Give me a number." Lara knew that when it came to priceless artefacts, there was always a number.

"Let's just say, that people would offer me enough money to buy a house here and never work another day in my life, spending my evenings in the inn and my days doing whatever I pleased," Vincent said.

Lara whistled with admiration. "That's quite a lot. It may not be enough for my tastes though. A start, perhaps," she said.

"Don't get any ideas," Vincent said, looking directly at Lara.

She laughed. "A girl can dream."

"I think we're in the right area now," Alrion said. They had crossed into another district with a wider street and lots of large inns. Each sign was bigger than the last, trying to grab the attention of passers-by. "What was the name again? The Amber Anvil?" he said.

"That's right. Haven't heard of it, but we shouldn't have too much trouble," Vincent said.

They continued at a slow pace examining the signs as they went.

"The Sloshed Shield, The Hammered Hammer. Wow these aren't very imaginative.” Lara had never really thought about the names before, but now they really stood out.

"That's a fair call. But they're effective. Blacksmiths are a folk that like things to be straightforward," Vincent said.

"Surely the owners of these places could try a bit harder though?"

"Maybe, but I'm sure it works well," Vincent said. Alrion stopped abruptly.

"Is that it?" Alrion pointed at a smaller building on the corner of a block. It had a vaulted ceiling and a lot more wooden features than the surrounding buildings. It looked a lot more like a traditional inn.

"That's definitely it," Lara said.

"I'll be interesting to see this monk," Vincent said.

The three of them headed directly for the inn. Judging from the exterior and the look of Brett, Alrion guessed this place had targeted a higher class of clientele. No wonder the dishevelled monk had seemed so out of place.

Lara's nose wrinkled at the familiar wave of beer smell as she stepped inside. The decor was well-maintained wood, with attractive lamps used to brighten the otherwise poorly lit interior. Since it was daytime the place was relatively empty.

"Let's head straight to the bartender," she said. She took the lead and didn't wait for Alrion and Vincent.

"Excuse me good man, I was hoping you could help me out," Lara said. The portly man with thinning hair looked up at her with a puzzled expression.

"That's not how people usually order a drink. What can I get you?"

"Some information. We are looking for a strange man you had in last night. Odd hairstyle, dressed in rags but had a beautifully crafted scarf with him," Lara said.

"Oh him? He's been around these last few weeks. Does the rounds, going from inn to inn. He bothers the customers, trying to get free drinks. However, he's been getting less and less luck. Last night he had to trade that fancy scarf of his, and you could tell he was upset."

"If he's such a nuisance why tolerate him?" Alrion said.

"Oh, one of my friends tried. He runs The Plastered Plate and wanted to teach the stranger a lesson. Had one of his bouncers try and run the stranger out. But this monk, he knew how to fight. Even while drunk he made short work of the bouncer and didn't even spill his drink."

"Wow, that's not something you see every day," Alrion said.

"Yeah, he's a nuisance but less trouble than he would be if we interfered with him. So, we just try and let him run free. He will probably get bored of this area and move on, so we're just waiting him out." The bartender shrugged and resumed cleaning a glass. Lara’s stomach churned when he spat on the glass to shift a particularly stubborn speck.

"Does he come in here at a particular time?" Vincent said.

"Nah, I don't see him every day. He spreads himself evenly over all the inns here. Since he was here last night, I wouldn't expect to see him back right away. If you're looking for him specifically, it won't be hard, but you'll need to do the rounds," the barkeeper said.

"Thanks so much for your help, much appreciated," Lara said.

"If you can get him to leave, you'll be forever in my debt," the barkeeper said, his frustration quite obvious.

"We'll see what we can do," Lara said with a wink and turned to leave. All three of them left the inn, and reconvened outside.

"Looks like we need to make ourselves acquainted with the local night life," Lara said.

"Not me, I need to get back to the workshop so I can finish off these swords. Let me know how you go," Vincent said.

"If you insist. Have fun," Lara said.

"Where should we meet you?" Alrion said.

"Back at the workshop. I'll work until you come get me, then I'll take you back to where I am staying."

"Alright, we'll see you there."

"Good luck," Vincent said, and waved as he left.

"Now the real fun begins," Lara said.

"I'm not sure I can handle any more drinking related blacksmith puns," Alrion said.

"Nonsense, you'll love it. We just need to forge ahead.” Lara saw Alrion's face break out into a smile.

"Fine, I'll give you that. Let's go," he said. The grin was still firmly planted on him.

* * *

Ten inns later, Alrion eased himself down onto a wooden bench on the street.

"Is there anywhere we haven't tried?" he said, weariness in his voice.

"You just have no staying power. There's probably a few left. But the good news is that none of them have seen him tonight, so we're almost there." Lara knew this monk would be out there, it was just a matter of elimination.

"I sure hope so, they are all beginning to be a blur."

"Just a few more, then we can regroup and figure out what to do next."

"You're right, I just need a minute," Alrion yawned, stretched out on the seat, and relaxed.

"Are you ready yet?" Lara said after exactly one minute.

"Yeah, bring it on," Alrion said. "Let's try this place."

"The Lucky Lance? Maybe it'll be lucky for us too," Lara said. There was a good chance that this was the place they would find the link to Alrion's dream. The strange, wild, drunken monk.

Lara stepped into an explosion of light and sound. There were musicians playing a loud catchy tune, on a variety of stringed instruments. People were dancing between tables, and there was double the number of lamps as any other place they had visited.

"Quite a spirited place," she said, dodging some slightly drunk dancers.

"Knowing our luck, he will be hidden in the crowd here," Alrion said.

Lara took the lead and slowly navigated through the packed crowds, avoiding wayward dance moves and swaying drunks. "What do you think about him?" she said, pointing to the corner of the room. There was a man sitting by himself, nursing a glass of beer. His hair looked like it had been roughly cut by a child, and his clothes were so worn and dirty that you could no longer tell what the original colour was.

"Has to be him, but we would never have known he was a monk without the connection to the scarf," Alrion said.

"True, it was a lucky break. Maybe our luck will continue, let's see what he has to say for himself."

"I'm all ears," Alrion said. They changed direction, winding their way through the people and tables until they were standing right in front of the monk. It appeared as if he hadn't seen them, but he spoke up before they could address him. "What do you want? Go away," he said.

"My name is Lara, and this is Alrion. What's your name?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"We're looking for a monk, and you fit the description."

"I used to be a monk, so you're half right."

"Then we need your help." Lara decided she would appeal to his charitable side first. He was, after all, originally a monk.

"And I need another drink, something better than this swill," the monk said, swirling around the dark liquid in his glass.

"We only have a few questions, maybe we can arrange some sort of trade," Lara said. The monk stopped staring into his glass and looked up.

"A trade? Hmm no, that won't do. A contest. Now's that a better way to do things," he said.

"A contest?" Alrion said.

"Yes, bring back a bottle of their best stuff. If you can best me in a drinking contest, then I'll spill my life story."

"I don't..." Alrion said, but Lara put a hand on his arm.

"You're on," Lara said and immediately walked over towards the bar.

4

AN UNUSUAL CHALLENGE

Alrion looked uncomfortable. Lara could understand why. Clearly the monk was a seasoned drinker, and would be hard to match, let alone overcome in a drinking contest. She half ran the final stretch back to make sure she missed nothing.

"Are you sure that's necessary. I'm sure there are other ways we can figure this out," Alrion said.

"No, it's all I want right now. You can't convince me any other way," the monk said. He held his glass with both hands, and carefully sipped it, a disgusted look briefly passing over his face.

"One bottle of their finest liquor," Lara said, placing a brown bottle down on the table, with two short glasses. The third glass she kept hidden in her tunic. The monk reached out for the bottle immediately, and Lara quickly withdrew it.

"I just want to test it," the monk said. Lara uncapped the bottle, and waved it near his face so he could get a whiff of its contents.