Soul of Light (The Hidden Wizard Book 4) Read online

  “But you remember Fermur?”

  “Not clearly. But he is familiar? Does that make sense?” Alyx walked faster and Alrion almost stumbled on an errant rock trying to keep up.

  “Then why does he make you so angry? We could all see it.” Alrion paid more attention to the path as he waited for a response. There was silence for a long time.

  “It’s not so much that creature, although he is repulsive. It is what he means. And he is one of their leaders, even if he’s used for errands.”

  “Shouldn’t you pity him then? Knowing what it’s like to be used?”

  “I should but I cannot. I’m sorry, that’s all I have to say.” Alyx went quiet and Alrion decided not to pursue it.

  I’m not sure what to make of them. What if that had happened to me? How would I want to be treated?

  The cavern began to change and have more human elements. Wooden planks to smooth out certain sections of the ground where there were dips or holes. A few handrails here and there. Soon enough, there were supporting structures and frames to no doubt maintain the stability of the tunnel.

  “This isn’t just a secret passage. This looks well-trafficked,” Alrion said.

  “I agree. It just depends on how frequently it is used, and by whom. If we’re lucky, Rindale has not told many about it.”

  “True.” Alrion decided not to talk too much, in case they drew attention. After a few more turns they encountered a large wooden door with metal handles.

  “This must be where it connects to the fortress.” Alrion reached out, but Alyx pushed his hand away.

  “Wait. Let me.” Alyx gently touched the door, feeling it all over. She suddenly opened a tiny panel and Alrion heard a metallic click.

  “It should be open now.” Alyx gently pulled the door and it opened with a creak. There were torches lit inside, showing a stone hallway and steps leading up.

  “Here we are. Did you know about that?” Alrion said.

  “No, I just had a feeling.” Alyx entered the fortress, holding the door for Alrion. He let it close gently behind him.

  “And here we go.” Alrion followed Alyx’s lead as they crept through the bowels of the fortress. It was cold and felt damp.

  “I doubt it’s as easy to drop in on Rindale as Fermur said,” Alrion muttered.

  “Of course not. But as Lara pointed out, the information is good. Let’s just hope we can capitalise on it.” Alyx drew the Runesteel blade and stalked forward. They continued along a corridor, Alrion noting nothing of interest along the walls. Finally, they came to an intersection with two options: left or right.

  “We have a fifty-fifty chance of picking the right option,” Alyx said.

  “Wait a moment. Let me think.” Alrion remembered what Branthor had said about sending wizards. There was a chance that he could do it as well. Surely the presence of any wizards would be a sign of Rindale’s location.

  Alrion closed his eyes and imagined his Spark. He held onto the feeling then went searching for something like it. He sensed something out there but couldn’t quite figure it out.

  “I’m at a loss. Any ideas?” Before Alyx could speak, a large boom sounded in the distance and seemed to send shockwaves through the fortress. The ceiling rattled, and flakes of stone fell from the ceiling.

  “That definitely came from that direction.” Alyx pointed to the left tunnel.

  “Agreed. I hope that’s not Branthor.”

  “I admit I don’t know the man that well, but he doesn’t seem known for his tact.”

  “No, and he seems to be worse after being cured.” Alrion shook his head slowly and followed Alyx. The tunnel they had selected was the same as the main corridor. All built in stone and with regular torches, but nothing else of interest. They continued at the same pace, looking for signs of life or the enemy. Finally, they came to another intersection.

  “Do you want to wait for more signals?” Alyx said.

  “No, we need to press on. I’m feeling quite nervous about this.” Alrion looked left, then right. Nothing was visibly different.

  “Let’s go right.” Alrion pointed and Alyx started off. She didn’t even question his direction.

  I hope I picked right. I don’t even know what I based that on.

  Sounds started to echo through to them. Voices, banging, and other general commotion. Each time a new sound came through they paused, but there was no immediate danger and no way to tell where exactly the sound had come from.

  “I suspect we should just press on.”

  “Agreed. Let’s see where this takes us.” Alrion continued, the slow progress was agonising. He kept imagining what Branthor was doing, and none of it was good.

  Please be safe, Lara.

  “Here’s something.” Alyx stopped and let Alrion take it in. Ahead was a large metal door. It looked incredibly strong and thick. Before it, on each side of the corridor, looked like smaller doors leading to rooms.

  “Good. Let’s explore the smaller rooms then investigate the big door. Maybe it’ll lead to Rindale?”

  “Not with our luck, but I won’t discount it.” Alyx took off with a bit more speed and Alrion stayed close behind. Once they reached the rooms, Alrion waited behind and Alyx crept into each one, checking for enemies.

  “Nothing but boring supplies. Maybe these tunnels are for deliveries after all?”

  “Perhaps. But that door is something.” Alrion walked up and examined it at close range. There was a keyhole in the middle, but otherwise, it was quite solid. It seemed even sturdier than he imagined.

  “We need a way inside.”

  “True. But first, we need a way to see what’s on the other side,” Alyx said.

  “I’ll see what I can do.” Alrion leaned close to the keyhole and had a look inside. It was pitch-black and there seemed to be something restricting the light from the other side. But if he concentrated, he thought he could hear something.

  Think. You’ve amplified your voice before, maybe you can do something here.

  Alrion gathered his Spark and imagined creating a wedge of force that he could stuff into the keyhole that would amplify the sounds coming through. He finished the visualisation and finalised the spell. At first, nothing, then a few whispers.

  “Did you do something?” Alyx said.

  “I think so, but it needs more work.” Alrion tried increasing the volume of the spell. Nothing happened. He injected more and more Spark into it. Words started to come through.

  “It’s up to you, Branthor, what will you do?” a male voice said.

  “Recognise that?” Alrion said.

  “Not sure, maybe?”

  “I won’t let you get away,” Branthor said. The anger in his voice was obvious.

  “We need to get in there before he does something rash.” Alrion stepped back and looked at the door.

  Are there any weak points?

  “I doubt we can get through this with any subtlety unless you can lockpick?” Alyx paced around the door, examining it.

  “I could maybe destroy the surrounds or cut a hole in the door. Hmm.”

  “You can’t escape me!” Branthor shouted.

  “Time’s running out.” Alyx stood back and braced herself.

  No choice now, we need to get in there.

  Alrion built up his Spark and created a fire spell. He shot rays of extreme heat around the edges of the door, burning right through. He outlined the shape of the door and, once he had finished, the weight of the door, now free from the hinges and stonework, fell in with a crash. Smoke and rubble went everywhere. As soon as it was possible Alyx darted in and Alrion followed. They clambered over the remains of the door into the massive room beyond.

  There seemed to be a lot more rubble than expected. Looking around the room, Alrion saw Branthor and Lara emerge unscathed.

  “There you are,” Lara said. She had a strange expression that Alrion couldn’t quite pick.

  “You imbecile, you ruined everything,” Branthor roared.

&nbs
p; “Where is he?”

  “Who knows? He escaped through a Wizard Gate and you DESTROYED IT!” Branthor waved his arms in frustration and stormed off.

  “A Wizard Gate? We heard they were getting away, so I had to act. Branthor sounded like he was going to kill the lot of them!”

  “He was actually playing along. He wanted them to escape so we could follow them to their real base,” Lara said quietly. Alrion looked from her to Branthor.

  Oh no. I have ruined things. Rindale escaped because of me.

  “I’m sorry, I had no idea.”

  “Amateur! I followed your rules, I could have wiped him out.”

  “How was I supposed to know that a Wizard Gate was here, let alone what one is!”

  “If you had paid attention, you would have felt it. You sensed enough to find your way.” Branthor threw his hands up in despair and a nearby fallen chunk of stone disintegrated.

  “So, we got good information. But it was incomplete. Dangerously so,” Alrion said. He tried to make out what from the rubble was this supposed Wizard Gate.

  “What else should we expect?” Lara said. Alrion looked to Alyx. She had sheathed her sword but was looking at Branthor warily.

  “You acted on instinct, which is usually better than not acting. Tough luck on this one. There’s a lesson to be had.”

  Alrion knew she was right. But in the moment, he couldn’t think of it that way. Branthor’s insults were hurting too much. Mostly because they had a lot of truth in them.

  17

  A Familiar Face

  Celes pulled the horse up, surveying the land before her. Beyond the rolling hills, she saw the spires of an odd little city.

  “Is that Paperton down there?”

  “The very same. We’re not far now, although we should take our time on the descent.”

  “When were you here last?”

  “A long time ago. I had to skip it when Alrion journeyed there. Had I known the dangers he would face, I would have chosen differently.” Vincent looked dismayed as he recalled. He was acting a lot more thoughtful lately and reflecting a lot. Even at times being nostalgic.

  “You know, I’ve been thinking. We didn’t need to pass through Brangtur. In fact, given our recent history, it was actually a risk to do so.”

  “We’ve got a pretty good record of not being detained there. Low risk, don’t you think?” Vincent gave her a quick grin.

  “But not without risk. You did that purposefully. Why?’

  “An incentive to make this long journey worthwhile, remember?”

  “No, that’s not it. I’ll get the answer, you may as well just tell me.” Celes gave Vincent her best direct glare. He actually laughed but quickly recovered.

  “I wanted to tie up some loose ends and have a little adventure with you. Everything has been about Alrion and his quest, I thought it would be nice to do something for us on the way.” Vincent stared out towards Paperton.

  He does look very thoughtful. What’s going on?

  “But why now?” Vincent started to speak but paused. He began after a little while.

  “We don’t know how this quest will end. We’ve all been in incredible danger at one time or another. Things are not going to get easier. We lost Falric on the path to Paperton. There’s a chance that we’re not all going to journey home at the end.”

  “That’s rather defeatist of you, isn’t it? We always scrape through!” Celes was alarmed by the tone.

  He’s always optimistic and supportive. There’s definitely something going on. And he’s all reflective too and tying up loose ends.

  “What aren’t you telling me? Is there more to this that you aren’t saying?” Celes crossed her arms and challenged him. Vincent sighed.

  “It’s just a feeling. Hopefully, I’m wrong, but what we did back there was completely right and completely necessary.”

  “That’s at least something I can agree with. Let’s just hurry up, I can get the truth out of you later.” Celes spurred her horse on and took the lead. Vincent quickly caught up and matched her speed.

  Just a feeling? We’ll see about that.

  The ride to Paperton was swift and easy. The paths were well-maintained, and even the route down to the town was enjoyable, even if they did need to occasionally pull the horses up to be safe. Celes’s first impression of the town was that it looked like a mess of papers with ants crawling all over.

  “Such a literal name,” she muttered.

  “It’s perfect, isn’t it? Hasn’t changed at all.” Vincent was smiling.

  “I didn’t take you for a scholar.”

  “Oh, I’m not, but they do have a wealth of knowledge here on blacksmithing. It’s amazing.”

  “Of course they do.” Celes laughed at her husband and he shrugged. As they reached the town, they saw quite a few people out and about. But none really paid them any attention.

  “I expected scholars to be more sedate. And inquisitive.” Celes looked at the people with wonder.

  “They’re all incredibly busy. Or busy looking like they are busy. They don’t need to know about us yet.”

  “Very different. Do you know how to get to the Pool of Knowledge?”

  “Alrion explained how he accessed it, but we won’t fare well just trying to sneak in. We better announce ourselves and follow the proper channels. I think there’s an administrative office around here somewhere.” Vincent took the lead and Celes was happy to let him navigate through the completely haphazard assortment of buildings.

  “Let’s try in here.” Vincent held the door open and Celes stepped inside. It was a relatively small building with a large desk in the entry and an old couple sat behind the desk. Both wore thick glasses and were inspecting stacks of paper.

  “Excuse me,” Vincent said. There was no response. He repeated himself, “Excuse me.”

  “We need to visit your Pool of Knowledge,” Celes said. The old woman looked up and adjusted her glasses. She stared at Celes for a full two seconds before bursting into laughter.

  “Oh, that’s a good one. Did you hear that, Earl?”

  “Hear what, Mona?”

  “These people want to visit the Pool of Knowledge!”

  “Ha! Fairy tales!” Earl didn’t even look up but did bury himself deeper in the paperwork.

  “I’m happy to fill out the required paperwork. But I don’t really have time for games, my son is a wizard and was here recently and drank from the Pool. He needs help accessing critical information.” Vincent waited after he spoke. Celes watched the older couple carefully and noticed them discreetly pass a look between them.

  “Earl, do you have someone who can set these people straight?” Mona said. Earl sighed.

  “Fine, I’ll interrupt my work again.” Earl rose slowly, stepped around the desk carefully and marched out of the building.

  “We really don’t want to cause any trouble, but we’re here on quite an urgent need.”

  “Sure, sure. Just wait on those chairs.” Mona pointed to two wooden chairs, well-worn without any cushions. Vincent and Celes sat down and waited.

  A while later Earl returned, with a much younger man. He was short in stature and quiet and looked at Vincent and Celes thoughtfully.

  Now, he looks like a scholar.

  “Nice to meet you. My name is Caleb and I’m here to assist with your enquiry.”

  “Hi, Caleb. I am here on behalf of my son Alrion. He’s a wizard who visited you recently,” Vincent said.

  “Is that so?”

  “Yes. He spoke highly of the citizens of Paperton and their sacred duty of protecting the Pool of Knowledge. However, we need your help. Perhaps you can direct us to someone who can confirm the information I have just provided.”

  “Is there anything more you can say, to assist?”

  “Well, Alrion was sent here by his mentor, Falric, a master wizard. Unfortunately, Falric passed away. But Alrion used Falric’s spellbook as proof of his claims.”

  “Do you also have t
he spellbook with you?”

  “No. I do not.”

  “Were you also acquainted with this wizard, Falric?”

  “Yes, we travelled together but were separated before Alrion arrived at Paperton.” Vincent waited for another question, but there was nothing. Caleb closed his eyes and appeared to be thinking.

  “When can we talk to someone who can help us?” Celes said, exasperated.

  “I apologise, but I must fulfil my duty and ask the appropriate questions. This process assists us both. Without it, I cannot verify your story and introduce you to the right person to further your query.”

  “Very well,” Celes grumbled.

  “However, I have heard enough to continue your application. Please follow me.” Caleb gestured to the door and immediately left. Celes looked at her husband, who just shrugged, and held open the door for her. Caleb was waiting for them outside. He began walking at once.

  “It won’t take long, please keep up.” Caleb walked at a brisk pace, weaving through the wandering scholars on the streets. They seemed to be heading to a rather large building at one end of the town.

  “I think that’s the main hall,” Vincent said.

  “Makes sense. Does that sound like the right place to be going?”

  “Definitely.” Vincent looked optimistic so Celes decided to keep her hopes up.

  Maybe this next person can help us break through all the bureaucracy.

  “This is the main hall. Visitors are not normally allowed within, but you seem quite sure of your story.” Caleb pushed open the giant doors and kept walking, not waiting for them. Vincent and Celes rushed through and kept pace with the shorter scholar.

  “Quite a grand hall.” Celes looked up at the ceiling and took in the immense size. They were heading towards a large stage at the back. However, rather than step up to the stage, they turned and entered an old wooden door to the side.

  “Please step inside.” Caleb waited next to the door but did not enter. Vincent entered first, then Celes. Inside was a small chamber with a scholar in robes behind a desk. He looked up at them.

  “Who brought you?” he said.

  “Caleb,” Vincent replied. The scholar nodded.