The Pogrom of Mages: The Healers of Glastamear: Volume One (18 page)

Chapter 36

It was midnight by the time Michael returned to the tower to sleep. He dreamed of unicorns. He didn’t know if unicorns were real, but there were hundreds of children’s stories where they were the heroes, protecting children from danger and evil. When he woke in the morning, he decided to ask Isabelle and Anna about the probably mythical animals.

It was low tide, and Michael walked to the beach carrying his boots with his pants rolled up. The water was cold and invigorating. He saw four figures playing in the tidal flats, looking for oysters or crabs. It was Lady Agnes, Master Gwen, Isabelle, and Anna. This was the girls’ first view of the ocean and the creatures that lived along the shore, and Michael could hear their excited voices at each discovery.

The girls ran to him when they realized who was approaching and he bent to talk with them at eye level. They hugged him and explained their excitement at seeing the seashore and at meeting all of the healers.

After talking for a few minutes Michael asked the question that had interested him since his dream. “Girls, I think you were especially courageous, but maybe a Giant Ki Eagle wasn’t the best form to reassure you I was not scary. What could I have done to make you feel safer?”

Isabelle replied, “You have to admit it really was scary: knight protectors shooting fire balls, our house burned and our parents murdered, a giant eagle asked us to ride on his back, and then arrows shot at us. Even the bravest adult would find all of that much too scary for words.”

“Well girls, I hope to rescue other girls and boys who have been taken by the knight protectors. What do you think of unicorns? Are they less scary?”

Anna replied, “You have to admit that unicorns who we know love and protect all children are a whole lot less scary than giant birds who carry off lambs and piglets.”

Isabelle commented, “Unicorns are always friendly in the stories we hear. I don’t know if they’re even real, but I hope they are. Almost every kid I know has a stuffed unicorn on her bed. They protect you from bad things that might come while you sleep.”

“So riding on the back of a unicorn would be a lot less scary than riding on an eagle?”

Both girls nodded, and Isabelle said, “Give me a unicorn ride any time over flying. However, how would a unicorn get to the top of that oak tree; I guess in our case unicorns were out and an eagle was necessary.”

“Thank you girls. I have some more travel to do, looking for other healers. I’ll see you in a month or two at the nice little town that you’ll be moving to soon. My fiancé Diana lives there. Please tell her I love her and will see all of you soon.”

From what Kate had said about the deaths in Hearthshire Town, Michael did not expect to find any more living healers in that province. Since he also might be recognized, he decided to fly over the city as a Giant Ki Eagle at night. He would circle out from the center of town covering as much territory as he could within a few days. If he found no one he would move on to Southport to continue his search.

Michael said goodbye to the healers and naiads at the beach and traveled back to his camp. For a full day, he rode Black Dash while leading Stalwart toward Hearthshire Town before making his next camp. He rested for a few hours before transforming into a Giant Ki Eagle and beginning his search. It was after dawn when he returned to his camp without success. After sleeping for a few hours, he rode south until sunset, made camp, and continued the search by air. He still found no sign of healers. Hearthshire Province seemed to be completely free of healers except for Kate. The weather had gotten colder, and he knew that winter was only weeks away in this inland province; it was time to search farther south.

It was on the third day of his travel toward Southport that he saw his first manna of healers. It was in the town of Broken Arrow, which was located on a major crossroads and had about five thousand residents. The town was well known because it was the location of the final battle between the followers of Perry Ascendant and the resistance to their rule. The stories told of three thousand pagan holdouts being immolated in the central square in a single auto-de-fé.

That central square was now the location of a large temple called The Temple of Perry’s Final Victory, and the two sources of healer manna were coming from the temple steps. Michael rode Black Dash as quickly as he could toward the temple through the crowds that were headed in that direction. He pulled into the first stable and asked the stable boy to look after his horses and gear until he returned, giving him a large tip.

As he pushed his way through the crowd, he was finally able to see the men on the temple steps, He gasped and stumbled because he knew all four of the men bound and ready for execution, the Cooper brothers of Oxbow Narrows. Tied by hand and foot to flaying racks and completely naked were two healers he knew well, the twins Jacob and Roger, and their non-healer older brothers Peter and Gregory. All four men were ready for the knives. There were spits over burning coals ready for a final torture, and thirty priests and knight protectors surrounded them chanting. Four executioners in red robes stood ready for the first cuts.

Michael knew the twins well because they had always stayed with William when they visited the city. He had last seen them only two weeks before the pogrom began. They were former students of William about ten years older than Michael. He had also met their two older brothers who once had traveled with them to Hearthshire Town.

The head priest with his conical golden hat and purple robes was reading the condemnation in a loud voice. “
By their own admission all four of these brothers were directly involved with the death of our late great king and scores of others who were murdered that same night through a most cravenly poisoning. They committed this enormous sacrilege to king and country on the most hallowed Perry Night when all decent men celebrate Perry’s ascension. The suffering you will witness in the next eight hours is a pale shadow of the eternal suffering they will all endure in the lowest level of hell for their mass murders. These four wicked criminals are the last of the murders in Hearthshire Province, and it is fitting that they will die in the same location as the last resistors to the one true faith of Perry Ascendant. So let the flaying begin without mercy or pity. May your souls be forever damned Jacob, Roger, Peter, and Gregory of Oxbow Narrows.
”

Michael had almost no time to react before the knives would begin on their victims. He immediately cast
transparency
and smashed his way through the crowd sending people sprawling until he was standing on the temple steps next to the four victims. He cast
quench fire manna
and
stone dome
enclosing the torture area, but also enclosing six of the priests who were preparing for the ritual murders. He quickly used
surgery sleep
on each of them before they could do any damage to the prisoners.

He cut the ropes that bound each victim to his rack; they slumped to the steps unable to stand from the torture they had already endured. Although they were temporarily safe, Michael wondered how he would get them out of the crowd of knight protectors who were pounding on the stone dome spell with their swords. There must be two thousand people in the square who were also angry at being denied their spectacle. Had he just trapped himself?

He stripped the scarlet cape from one of the executioner priest and cut it into strips for four loincloths, and he took six rings from the unconscious priests to enchant. He heard Jacob cry out, “For God’s sake, who or what are you?” His voice was distorted by pain and thirst.

“Jacob and Roger, I’m someone you know well, but don’t say my name even if you know my voice. Peter and Gregory, I’m a friend of your younger brothers. I’ll give Jacob and Roger each a ring to hide their manna and all of you rings enchanted with a naiad spell
transparency
. They will make all four of you invisible like I am. Put the rings and the loincloths on as best you can while I figure out how to get us the hell out of this trap.”

Michael enchanted rings with
submerge manna
for Jacob and Roger and with
transparency
for all four
before deciding what to do next. While he was enchanting the rings, the knight protectors brought from the temple basement an enormous log with an iron beak on one end. It was hanging by chains from a wooden frame on wheels. Michael had never seen one, but he knew it was an ancient device used to knock down walls or gates during wars. He remembered it was called a battering ram, and he had seen a drawing of one in a book from the old kingdom. The crowd had not dispersed; they seemed to be enjoying the action in the Temple Square. In fact there were probably more people in the square than when Michael had arrived.

There were shouts from the crowds as one by one the victims put on their rings and completely disappeared. None of the four men could walk because of the damage to their feet from earlier tortures, so Michael knew that whatever route he used to escape he would need to carry all of them. Even though all four were big men, he was certain he could carry one on each shoulder by using the spell
dwarfish strength
. It would take two trips to get them out of here, but the real question was where to carry them. The battering ram began to shake the dome making loud booms with each hit. Michael had no idea if a physical object could break through his spell, but he recast it with his full manna to strengthen it.

He was contemplating an all out attack with his elfish sword or transforming into a dragon, but neither seemed to offer safety to the men he wanted to rescue. He remembered something, an amulet that he had taken from the chest in the first travel room he ever entered at Snow Troll Fiord. The voice in the room had said by casting the spell
take me home
while wearing the amulet, he would return to that dwarfish room in the far north. From there he could take them one at a time to the Black Sand Beach travel room.

“My friends, I need you to hold on to my arms or legs. Hold on tight with both hands; we have only one shot at this.” He had no magic to return to this spot to retrieve anyone left behind. He put on the dwarfish travel amulet and lay among the injured Cooper brothers making certain each had a firm hold. He spoke the words
take me home
, and they all were instantly transported to the room in Snow Troll Fiord.

He immediately cancelled his
transparency
spell and cast
torch
and
winter blanket
to light and warm the room.

“You can take off the invisibility rings now; we’re far to the north of Snowport now. After we’ve rested, I’ll get us to Black Sand Beach one at a time.”

It was more than an hour later when he began the transfers to Black Sand Beach. First, Michael took time to cast many of his healing spells to begin the process of recovery and to stop the pain, but also to reduce the mental trauma they had suffered during their two months of captivity. Witnessing their own brothers’ agony had magnified the hell of their individual tortures, and two months was the longest of any captivity he was aware of. He knew their recovery would be long and difficult.

He explained who was waiting at Black Sand Beach and that there was a safe refuge that they would travel to within the next month. He also explained that he had learned spells of the naiads, dwarfs, and ferries, but all four were nearly in stupors from suffering at the hands of the church. Michael was not certain they understood him or if they had ever heard of Gripton’s promise. Their pain was too fresh and their exhaustion too complete.

For Michael also it had been a near miss, for his impulse had been to grab his elfish sword and slay every priest and knight in sight like he had the wolves that had tried to enter his camp when he was rescuing Isabelle and Anna. In that crowd of thousands with at least forty knight protectors in armor, that would probably have brought his own death, but even if he prevailed and slaughtered hundreds he would have lost his soul in the carnage because he was still a healer, and that butchery was not their way.

He carried the brothers one at a time in his arms like a child while using
dwarfish strength
. He lay each on a pallet in the healers’ cave, and asked Lady Agnes and Lady Marsha to take charge of their care. He was certain they would never be the same happy boisterous men he remembered; the world had changed.

Chapter 37

Lady Agnes had become something of a mentor to Michael, and three days after his return he decided to discuss his violent feelings as they walked alone along the beach.

Lady Agnes broke the silence saying, “Now that you’re engaged to Diana, will you go with us to Rock Point on the next voyage?”

“I must check for healers in Southport and Min Hollow before I see Diana again. It is my duty.”

“I’m certain she understands that. She’ll be anxious, but she’s a strong woman and can deal with that. She needs to hear that you’re coming soon. I’ll carry another letter to her for you.”

“Thank you my lady. You have seen my elfish sword. It can cut an armored man in half with just a twist of my wrists. At Broken Arrow I was tempted to charge forward, cutting down everyone between the Cooper brothers and me. I could have killed scores before they brought me down, maybe hundreds. This taste for mayhem, this compulsion for violence, does it mean I’ve lost my way? Am I no true healer now?”

“My dear friend, you are no different in these feelings than the rest of us. While my apprentices and Jim Neville were being abused in that hell below the temple in Northport, I would have torn those priests to shred if I’d been able. We are in a different time, a time of war. You should never kill without considering better options, but you can’t fulfill Gripton’s promise without destroying the church. The church will fight you every step of the way. You may kill directly or cause to be killed thousands even tens of thousands. I don’t know the route to your destiny, but you are now a soldier for justice and for humanity. Father God will protect your soul, but you must do what you must do.”

As they walked along the beach in silence, Michael began to cry because his illusions were gone. He was no longer merely an apprentice healer. He was a force for change in Glastamear, and he had no idea where that might lead him. He had a mental vision of the Great Mother Temple in Min Hollow, a ruin of blasted and broken stones with a thousand priests and knights dead around it.

After a time, Agnes explained, “There have always been healers who traveled with armies, and there are many records of healers taking up swords to defend their patients. Healers can kill in self-defense and to help those in their care. However, it has been two centuries since that’s been necessary because no army of Glastamear has been overrun since the Battle of the Jade Green Hills two hundred and sixteen years ago.”

Michael replied, “Jim Neville’s brother, John, killed two knight protectors to escape, but he feels sorrow and deep regret. He’s traveling to Swamp Ford to help the locals through the winter to atone.”

“Michael, I do not claim that you will feel no guilt or sorrow for your actions. I merely hope you’ll do what’s needed in spite of that.”

“My Lady, when the fishing boats arrive, this trip will be the last chance to get to the safety of Rock Point until spring. Do you plan to return here or remain in Rock Point?”

“Oh I’ll still return to cast
amnesia release
on the crew. I’ll winter here with the naiads even if I’m alone. However, not everyone will be on that trip to Rock Point. Lady Marsha and three other healers of Snowport plan to travel there in secret and provide help to the residents during the bitterness of winter. They’ll be hiding on your line fishing boats when they return to Snowport for the winter.”

She continued, “Already we’ve heard stories that a coughing disease is spreading in the Snow Mountains. It is the kind of disease we can easily heal with
clear lungs
, but without our help it may kill one person in five or worse. They hope the residents will keep their secret, but there is a new high priest in Snowport sent from Min Hollow. We’ve heard he’s an evil, carnal man with bizarre tastes. He has a force of thirty knight protectors that he brought with him to enforce his will even against the mayor and local priests.”

“My Lady, the danger is great, but the opportunity to help is greater. Those kind people of Snowport deserve our help. I may pass part of the winter there as well; I also feel obliged to help.”

“But Michael, how will you even get there in winter? No one travels that far north after really heavy snowfalls begin next month.”

“You remember that Isabelle and Anna traveled on the back of a Giant Ki Eagle. I’ll just fly there.”

“How far can you fly without stopping? Can you make it to Mitchell Island?”

“I don’t know, but if I can go that far I could visit Diana and also consult with Guild Master Hampton about what we should do next. I’d never thought of that possibility. First I need to look for healers in Southport, but I can test the distance by flying from here to Broken Arrow. That’s about the same distance as Rock Point is from the mainland, and my horses are Broken Arrow. I’ll travel south from there.”

“Before you go, there is something the Cooper brothers wanted to ask you. They’re better after only three days; they’re beginning to regrow their toenails and fingernails. The dozens of burns are healing. They can walk now with canes, and they seem to eat enough for ten men. They each lost a third of their body weight while captives. With so many healers to work on them, they’ll be physically much better in a few weeks. Their mental state is another matter. Maybe you can help by giving them a purpose.”

Michael was anxious to head south, but he wanted to do whatever he could to ease his friends’ minds. Maybe there was something they could do to help the cause that would give them a purpose other than simple revenge.

All four brothers hobbled over to hug him and pat him on the back while thanking him for their rescue.

Jacob said with a chuckle, “Thank you for the rescue, but next time please don’t wait until the skinning knives are actually out and the coals are hot.”

Roger said, “Your were always smart, but never quick off the mark. Thank Father God you came in time. It was a near thing.” Roger smiled and continued, “Sorry about William. He was the finest man I’ve ever known. Lady Agnes said he was able to stop his own heart when they came for him. I wish I’d known that spell. We spent two months in a hell you would not believe.”

Peter, the oldest brother, said, “Don’t let the twins kid you. You saved us and we’ll never forget it. Thank you. We’re trying to block out the previous two months, but even the healers’
amnesia release
is not able to go back that far. We need to do something to avenge ourselves. They killed our parents when they came for us, and I want to see every priest and knight protector within ten thousand paces of Broken Arrow dead by my own hands.”

Gregory broke in saying; “Whose blood I’d most like to see on my dagger is the hideous freak of a healer who was present for the first month of our torture.”

Michael looked at Gregory in surprise. “A healer you say? Is that possible?”

Gregory hobbled closer using his cane. “He was a monster child, no more than thirteen, but he participated in everything the priest did to us. He knew spells that were the opposite of a true healer. Instead of stopping the pain, he could cast spells that kept us conscious through everything. He seemed to love seeing our suffering and often used the hot pokers and other implements on us himself.”

Jacob said, “He had some magic, but there is no way he was trained as a real healer. The kid’s name was Toby, but only his body was that of a child. He was the cruelest of the cruel and should be put down like a rabid dog.”

“I’d give up being a healer just for a chance to gut that little demon,” Roger chimed in.

Michael explained, “I have something you might be able to do to help our cause once you’re well. The church plans to make its own order of healer priests. I think this Toby monster is just an early test of what they plan to create. Healers are dedicated to non-violence and helping the sick because of guild training, not because of the magic they’re born with. I need people who can help me search for where the church is taking children for training as healer priests. Will you help me find and rescue other kids before they are turned into Toby-style monsters?”

“Hell yes!” they said in near unison.

“You’ve all met my friend Jim Neville. He suffered terribly at Northport before I got him out, but by now he should be much better. I’d like you to travel to the refuge when the fishing boats get here. When you get to safety, I’d like you to begin to learn swordplay from the best fighter I’ve ever met. After Jim trains you, you’ll pretend to be a mercenary unit guarding a wealthy merchant. I’ll be that merchant. Actually we’ll be looking for children with healing manna. We’ll get the kids before the knight protectors or take them away from them if necessary. I will use some dwarfish spells to fashion armor for all of us before I set off toward Southport.”

“Armor and swords made by magic, it’s like some story of the ancients,” Gregory said.

“Well maybe not made by magic, just enhanced by it,” Michael said. Actual dwarfish armor would be much too heavy and stand out too much. He planned to buy good quality hardened leather and chainmail armor which he would enchant with
stone armor
spells. It would be both light and stronger than the steel plate armor used by knight protectors.

“I want you all strong and deadly before we set out in the spring. I’ll come to see you at the refuge this winter if I can. At the spring equinox, we’ll start our great quest to rescue children.”

The town of Broken Arrow was well known for the street of armorers. Michael assumed his Giant Ki Eagle shape and flew there arriving the following morning near dawn. He dressed in the fine merchant clothing he’d brought along in his pack and waited for the main gate to open with a crowd of locals.

He overheard one ask, “Is that magic dome still blocking the temple steps?”

“It was when I left last night. The priests inside died from lack of air yesterday morning, but they’re still pounding on the magic wall with that battering ram. No one who lives near the temple has gotten any sleep since the healers escaped.”

“Yep, I was in the crowd. I had an excellent vantage point, but I’ll be damned if I know what actually happened. I was disappointed about missing a flaying, but this will really be a great story to tell my grandkids someday.”

The first man replied, “I saw several of the earlier executions. It wasn’t something I care to see again.”

“Don’t ever say that if there’re priests about. Two of those guys weren’t even healers, just relatives. This is no time to piss off priests or you’ll be up there next time.”

The main gate opened and the crowd began to enter. Michael went first to the stable where he had left Black Dash and Stalwart. After he settled with the stable’s owner he led the horses to the street of armorers. There were six well-known shops along that single street, but he had heard the most about Kevin the Massive, armorer to old King Justin.

A huge man greeted him as he entered. Kevin was working a forge and dripping sweat, but he came to shake hands with a man who appeared to be a wealthy merchant. Four assistants continued hammering and working steel or leather.

“How may I assist you good sir?”

“I’m Michael Son-of-William. I plan to equip five guards to travel with me. I’m a jewelry and pearl merchant who sometimes carries a big inventory. I’d like light-weight leather and chain mail armor of the finest quality, four complete sets in a large size and one in extra large. Do you have five matching sets in stock?”

Kevin smiled and led him to a manikin dressed in chainmail and leather. The leather was dyed black and the chainmail was shinny steel. The helmet was shaped like the head of a Great Ki Eagle and made from hard black leather with a feathered crest.

“This is some of the finest armor I’ve ever made. It was for the old king’s personal guard, but with King Justin dead, I’ve had no buyers. It is designed to represent the royal eagle, however it’s just too expensive for most people. I can let you have them at a discount, three hundred seventy-six crowns for five of them. I’ll replace Justin’s seal with whatever you like as part of the bargain.”

Michael examined the armor closely and asked to examine all five sets. They bargained for nearly an hour before he paid two hundred forty-five crowns for all five of them. Michael counted out the coins and asked Kevin to remove the Justin crests and to replace the purple plumes of the monarchy with black ones. He had decided to fashion his own crests for the armor’s chest. He would make small Ki Eagle of black painted gold that was enchanted with
asbestos robe
. The ornament would prevent any fire mage damage from reaching the wearer.

On a nearby street he purchased five excellent-quality, two-handed, hammered-steel swords with hilts decorated with small rubies and gold wire. They were modern copies of the famous swords used by the Lana swordsmen of the dawn of history. He would enchant their hilts with the naiad spell
shell skin
to protect the hands of the swordsmen. On the same street, he bought five double reflex horn bows and two hundred good arrows. He loaded everything on his two horses and walked out of town without ever going near the temple where his dome would probably last only another two or three days. However, it was good to learn that no amount of battering seemed to damage the spell.

Michael made camp for his horses and spent four hours enchanting the swords and armor. He paid special attention to reinforcing the joints with
stone armor
. He fully reinforced the helmets, so that even the open area of the faces could deflect the strongest arrow or sword blow. He hung one set of armor from a tree and shot arrows at it until he knew there were no weak spots except for the palms of the hand and the souls of the feet. Those spots he couldn’t enchant and still leave the wearer able to fight. As a final step, he made small black Ki Eagle of plated gold and enchanted them with
asbestos robe
, which he attached to the cuirass of each set.