Myrkron (Volume Two of The Chronicles of the Myrkron) (41 page)

Chapter Thirty-Eight

After a quick stop in his room, Michael tried to find Mael.  No one had seen him since before the Garoliths had shown up.  He was running out of time and couldn’t waste any more with his search.  “We will have to return without him,” Michael told Branik and Reek as they stood in the great hall.  Michael removed his swords and handed them to Reek, along with his dagger and sword belt.  “Please remove the sheaths from my belt,” He instructed Reek as he pulled his purple robe on over his clothes.  He threaded his golden sash through the leather thongs on the sheaths and tied it around his waist.  He was afraid of destroying the artifacts entrusted to him, but Mardak’s reaction to him being a Myrkron had given Michael an idea.

“You will find it hard to move as you should
, in such attire,” Branik informed him.

“If I am correct
, that will not be an issue.  If not, I have the two of you,” Michael said smiling.  “Now, let’s get going.”  Michael was just beginning to speak the words of transport when he heard his name called from up above.

“I hear you are looking for me,” Mael said peering over the fourth floor railing.

“Aye, Merric wanted me to bring you back…”  Michael stopped as Mael was suddenly standing in front of him.  “…with me,” Michael finished.

Both Reek and Branik had turned and
moved closer, interposing themselves between Mael and Michael.

“You have no need to fear me doing harm to your
charge, gentlemen,” Mael said smoothing the front of his blue robe.

“No one knows where you truly stand
, Mael.  The stigma of traitor is not something easily dismissed,” Michael replied.

“I have only betrayed Mortow.  I would think that would be more than enough to make us allies
.”

“Uneasy allies at best.”

“We all have to start somewhere, and this is my beginning with you.  Whatever you have heard or think you know about me, I am a man of my word.  I give you my word that I have no designs against Kantwell or her inhabitants.  I will even go so far as to swear service to you for a period of one year.”

“Why would you want to serve me?”  Michael asked perplexed.

“Anyone who can hold his own against a wizard of Mortow’s power is someone from whom I want to learn.”

“I cannot teach you anything, Mael.  My powers are not like a wizard’s.”

“Then you have nothing to lose and everything to gain, but I think you have more to teach than any other nine key.”

“You do not understand.  I
am no longer a wizard. I’m a Myrkron,” Michael said gesturing to his robes.  “Our magics are not the same.”

“See
.  You already have something to teach me.  As I have no idea what a Myrkron is, we will have a starting point when time permits.”

Michael sighed and shrugged.  “Let’s talk about this if we both live through the war.  For now
, Merric is expecting us, and we are running low on time.”

Mael inclined his head.  “Lead the way, Myrkron
, and I will follow.”

Michael shook his head in disbelief and spoke the words of transport.

The four of them appeared at the entrance to the slot.  Michael looked around and saw Mardak standing by his brother on the other line.  “Report to Merric,” Michael told Mael.  “Reek, go with him and fill Merric in on the Garoliths.  Branik and I will be out there with Mardak.”

Branik nodded to Reek and followed Michael.  Reek walked a step behind and slightly off to the left of Mael.

“I assume Merric will be at the command tents,” Mael said casually as he scanned the rock walls on both sides.

“Since he is not here
, I think that is a safe assumption,” Reek replied coolly.

“Tell me something, Avari.  Why do you and the big one follow Michael’s orders
?  I thought the Avari only obeyed the Avari Lord or your own kind.”

“Michael has been entrusted to us
,” Reek replied.

“That only tells me why you are with him
, not why you obey him.”

“Michael is
sydoj, so normally he would follow our orders, but the circumstances are complicated by his powers,” Reek explained.

“Sydoj.  Is that not the Avari word for student
?  It was my understanding that to be a sydoj one must also be an Avari.”

“Normally
, you would be correct, but Lord Micah has declared Michael one of us.”

“Interesting.  I don’t believe that has ever been done before.  The boy grows ever more intriguing.  He must truly be a close friend of your lord.”

“You would have to inquire of Lord Micah about that,” Reek said flatly.

As they passed the guards at the mouth of The Slot and rounded the corner
, they nearly ran into Merric and Mathis.

Merric looked questioningly a Reek.  “Where is Michael?”

“He and Branik are with the Shaman Mardak.  He asked me to escort wizard Mael to you,” Reek replied.

“Very good.  Let him know I need to speak with him
. I don’t want him running off again,” Merric said shaking his finger at Reek.

“All I can do is relay your wishes, Headmaster.”

“That seems to be all any of us can do,” Merric said and turned to Mael.  “Mael, we need you to hang back and cover the elven archers when the attack starts.  Mathis and I will be closer to the front.”

“Merric,” Reek interrupted.  “The Garoliths attacked Kantwell.”

Merric’s eyes flew wide and his jaw tightened.  “How many did we lose?”  Merric asked turning away.

“
In total we lost four Avari and one of your students, a young girl named Melora,” Reek replied evenly.

“Damn Mortow! And damn me for ever having brought him into this world!”  Merric shouted beating his fist against his leg.  “I assume Michael moved the students some place far away?”

“Yes.  Though Branik was able to dispatch both of the beasts, Michael transported the students and the remaining Avari to the Oakkrin as you instructed.  It has occurred to me that you,” Reek said, turning to Mael, “have not explained where you were during the Garolith attack.”

“I was in the upper
library researching,” Mael said blandly.

Merric glared at Mael suspiciously.  “You want me to believe you sat calmly researching some triviality while the Garoliths rampaged through Kantwell, killing her inhabitants?  I granted you readmission on the
condition that you would aid us.  Now you tell me you sat idly by as my guests and students were killed by your master’s monsters!”  Merric’s voice rose in volume until he nearly shouted and his right hand began to glow with an aura of blue flame.

Mael stood expressionless waiting for Merric to finish.  “There was nothing I could have done to affect the outcome of that unfortunate event, Merric.  You know as well as I
, only a ninth key wizard has any chance against those creatures.”

“Did you betray me?”  Merric asked in a low dangerous voice, the glow around his hand intensifying.

Mael laced his fingers together and let his hands hang before him, his eyes going to Merric’s hand for just an instant before returning to meet Merric’s smoldering gray eyes.  “I give you my word, Merric. I have not, nor shall I be, an agent against you or Kantwell.  Now, I have a question for you.  How are you doing that particular bit of magic?” Mael said smoothly as he glanced again at Merric’s hand and pointed.

Merric fought to reign in his anger.  He didn
't know why, but he believed Mael spoke the truth.  He looked to where Mael was pointing and saw his right hand wreathed in blue flame.  The shock of the sight caused the flame instantly to extinguish.  Merric raised his hand and turned it over several times.  The flesh was completely intact as was the sleeve of his robe.  “I have no idea,” Merric replied in wonder.

“It seems the Myrkron is not the only one unsure of his powers.  Tell me
, Merric, how many doors do you see?”  Mael asked with a half-smile on his face.

“Eight
, as I always have,” Merric said, still looking at his hand.

“Are you sure, Merric
?”

The way Mael asked the question caused Merric to look inward.  He saw eight open doors shining brightly just as he had seen for the past half century or more.  He was about to tell Mael as much when his breath caught in his throat.  He counted the doors and then recounted them two more times.  There were nine open doors now
, not eight.

Michael and Branik walked to the ogre lines
.  It was dark, so none of the ogres could see them very well.  For that, Michael was grateful.  As they neared Mardak and Karg, Michael saw both of the brothers flinch when they looked at him.  He motioned both to come to him away from the small fire they had been standing around.  He did not want to upset the other ogres by stepping into the light and revealing himself.

“Mardak, Chieftain Karg, have you spoken to your warriors about me?”

“Aye, we have.  I think your plan is a good one,” Karg answered, beginning to go to his knees before Michael.

“Don’t you dare!”  Michael whispered harshly, stopping Karg in his tracks.  “Your warriors must see that you have no fear of me and
, therefore, they have no reason to fear me, else this will not work.”

“I understand, Myr…Michael.”  Karg squared his huge shoulders and took a deep breath.  “I am ready.”

“Then let’s do this,” Michael said with a smile, trying to put the chieftain a little more at ease.

Karg reached down, gently picked Michael up and sat him on his right shoulder.
  He walked back to the fire with Mardak and Branik in tow.  “My people!” Karg began in a booming voice to get their attention.  When all eyes turned to him, those he could see widened in terror, and he knew all the rest must have a similar look.

Almost as one
, the entire collective of the tribes began to collapse to their knees.

“Hold!”  Karg roared with authority.
  “The Myrkron is here as an ally.  He fights with us.”

Michael cleared his throat and tried to project his voice.  “Your Chieftain speaks the truth.  I have no intention of harming any of you.  Regardless of the legends you have grown up hearing, I am NOT here to destroy you.  I am here to help you against Mortow and those that have aligned themselves with him.”

The entire group remained silent and hesitant when Michael finished speaking.  He was afraid he was not going to be able to allay their fear.  He was about to speak again when Karg suddenly went to one knee and quickly set Michael on the ground in front of him.

“Bear witness to the truth of the Myrkron’s words!”  Karg roared then drew a wicked looking dagger from his belt and plunged it into his own chest.

Branik was between the big ogre and Michael before Karg completed his swing.

Michael gasped in shock.  “Karg, no!”  He moved quickly around Branik and reached Karg as he was slumping to his side
being cradled by a shock-faced Mardak.  Michael grabbed the dagger, but the handle was so big he could hardly grip it.  He tried to pull it out, but it wouldn’t budge.  “Branik, help me!”

Branik moved quickly and grabbed the dagger with both hands.  Michael could see the muscles in Branik’s arms and shoulders knot
, and the dagger slid haltingly out.

Michael quickly set his hands over the wound
.  They were instantly covered in blood as it gushed from the gaping hole.  He cried out, “
Vigoratus vulnus!”
willing the wound to close.  His hands began to glow with an intense blue radiance and his vision tunneled down.  He could see the track of the dagger through Karg’s chest and focused his energy on sealing the punctured lung and mending the sundered ribs.  He could actually see the tissues knit together and, as he withdrew his vision, the hole sealed shut.  Michael shuddered and his hands dropped limply in front of him.

Karg drew a shaky breath and coughed several times, spitting out blood.  He rose to his feet and held his hand out to Branik.  Branik was
still holding the dagger so he passed it back to Karg.  Karg raised the dagger over his head displaying the dripping blade.  “See!  The Myrkron saved my life.  If he were here to destroy us, he would have simply let me die.”

Michael shook with the after effects of the adrenaline that had surged through him.  He could not believe what Karg had just done.
  When the pounding of his blood lessened, he could hear a low crooning.  He turned to face the ogres and saw them all standing with their weapons held before them and each chanted a single word in a low reverent voice.  "Myrkron, Myrkron, Myrkron..."

Michael nodded to the ogres and bowed before them
.  He could still see awe in the faces visible, but it was different now.  The awe of fear had been replaced by wonder and reverence.  “We will meet the enemy together,” he said loudly, then walked a distance away and stood looking out on the marsh.

Branik followed Michael quietly.  He let Michael gather his thought for a few minutes before speaking
.  “Brother.”