Authors: John Buttrick
Sherree aimed the knife at an Accomplished who was standing a little too high on the hill and sent Easing The Pain through the crescendo at her intended target. An amber beam of light shot from the knife and was far brighter than she had anticipated and struck the Aakacarn. He went flying off the hill, possibly breaking his neck, but definitely leaving him immobile and feeling no pain. She examined the knife. This is a level four and there was only one person present who could make one, but she was determined not to say his name, not even in her mind. She aimed the knife and continued to pick off any person fool enough to poke their head where she could see it. She was not particularly proud of the fact that it made her feel better, taking out her frustration on them.
Sherree lost track of time and was startled when Samuel came to take back the knife and relieve her. She watched as crows flew over the enemy and pooped on them, which contributed nothing militarily, but was annoying for them and amusing to her. Time went by and a short while later the wasps and hornets flew up and away from the Pentrosans. Daniel stood on the top of the hill and began to glow bright blue. Light radiated from him, out and to the north beyond visual range, and the foot soldiers fell, horses and riders fell, every living thing fell to the ground, and she could feel the harmonic ripples of the major working. The silence was palpable and nothing stirred out there but smoke in the breeze.
“Prepare to depart, twenty thousand horsemen are headed this way, thirty-five spans from the west, and it is past time to be gone.” Daniel’s amplified voice sounded across the divide and probably to everyone awake inside the hill. Sherree had no idea how he knew of the advancing threat, yet trusted him to be accurate. His announcement continued. “Sergeant Keenan, I need men to help carry out the people who are still sleeping inside the hill complex. Everyone is to gather at the entrance.”
There was a moment of silence, seeing as most of the people were still stunned by how Daniel struck down the enemy Aakacarns and the Pentrosan legion with seeming ease. Another moment passed and everybody was hustling to obey, men double timing it into the cave, and
others vacating the stone fort.
They all met outside the cave with over a hundred men and women still sleeping. Sherree was tempted to wake them up prematurely by use of a spell, but she knew as a healer these people needed to wake up naturally. Daniel glanced at her and then looked away quickly as if feeling guilty about something, and part of her wanted him to feel uncomfortable. She walked right by several Accomplisheds and a Sergeant in order to get to him. “I will not be ignored. Something was done to me that you did not do to the others. Understand that we will be having a discussion about this again when I am not so furious with you,” she said, and then went as far from him as she could get
and still be part of the crowd.
If anything, the expression on his face told her he did do something and was sure i
t would bother her if she knew.
Daniel raised his arms and two blue spheres appeared, one engulfing Gell’s lair, a ball sinking to half its dimension below the ground, and a second ball engulfing the stone building. The stones began to crack, the snap and pop of which grew louder and louder as they split into smaller and smaller pieces until there was nothing left of the fort but gravel. The hill had sunken in on itself until it was nothing more than a pile of pebbles and dirt. The spheres vanished and once again everyone was stunned to silence. Even the Aakacarns were nervous around such displays of raw power.
Daniel turned to address the crowd. “I’m going to cast a spell that will convey all of us to the valley half a span north of Fort Casum, where we will allow our charges time to recover while I deliver some important messages from the Queen to the Generals and Knights who are in the vicinity. Once the spell is cast, you will not see, hear, or feel, a thing for the space of three heart beats, and then we will appear at our destination,” he explained.
Quite a few people were perspiring and not from the heat, seeing as it was a cool day. Sherree stood alone, avoiding people so she would not have to speak to them. Daniel began to glow again and blackness enveloped her, yet before she could count to three, she was standing in a valley along with everyone who had been near the cave entrance. This was definitely the way to travel and she was impressed even if the wielder of the
Melody made her stomach churn.
Jerremy and Simon walked up her. Samuel was over with Senior Soarer Lassiter, Master Artisan Togan, and Oceanic Varroon. They were all talking to Daniel, no doubt congratulating him on working such a fine spell, but none daring to ask where he learned it. If his repertoire was back, many of the Melodies in it could be from the Serpent Guild, an
d Teleportation definitely was.
“You say you don’t want to discuss Daniel, yet constantly stare at him,” Jerremy casually mentioned.
“My friend, I really do think you would poke a sleeping bear just to see how it reacts,” Simon told him, and Sherree agreed.
“No, I’m just still giddy after being restored to good health with full control of my body,” Jerremy replied.
“Too bad that control does not extend to your mouth,” Sherree could not resist saying, and it made her smile.
Simon also smiled and Jerremy grabbed his heart dramatically as if being pierced. “You wound me,” he said, and laughed. “My mouth works fine. It is my tongue that gets me in trouble.”
Then they all laughed and Sherree felt better. Her eyes were drawn to Daniel and she realized, even though it hurt, she still loved him, and the thought both increased her pain at seeing him in the arms of another woman and gave her happiness at seeing he is well. She moved closer to the senior Accomplisheds and her two friends came with her.
“I must admit your method of travel is impressive, but I am concerned with the way you instantly killed every living thing in those hills,” Master Togan was saying.
“Not that we are saying you did anything wrong,” Oceanic Varroon was quick to add.
“I was hoping we could stay in the vicinity long enough to search the enemy Accomplisheds. Sam and I could have collected their crescendos and especially their amulets, which would have been helpful in tracking down their allies,” Senior Soarer Lassiter stated while motioning toward Samuel.
Daniel smiled while shaking his head. “You are free to go back and collect the Aakacarn paraphernalia. I thought what you took from Serin Gell was enough. If not, you might want to hurry. The only individual I personally killed in Pentrosa is Serin Gell, all others are only sleeping. It was you folks who did most of the killing, not that I am saying you did anything wrong. Even so, I led the infiltration, it was my idea to cross the border, and so I take responsibility for what you had to do.”
“There is that,” Master Togan replied. “The man in charge is responsible. That said I am grateful you chose to come rescue us.”
Daniel’s eyes flicked to Sherree, it was only for an instant, but she knew he noted her presence. “I’m told the Chosen Vessel has three choices he will be forced to make more frequently than the average person, stand and watch, walk away, or do something to help. I chose to help.”
“Good choice,” Jerremy commented while moving to stand beside his mentor. “Everyone here is convinced you are the Chosen Vessel but are you truly?”
“We can have this discussion after I’ve gone to Fort Casum. I’ll be changing back into my uniform and then we can discuss the matter. I would appreciate it if you Accomplisheds create a compound in this valley large enough to accommodate yourselves, and everyone with me, including those who I have healed. I don’t want to over tax General Talon’s resources,” Daniel told them, and then departed for the log fort with his pair of Teki escort keeping pace beside him.
“He will tell us what we need to know when he is ready,” Samuel told the senior Accomplisheds. “I don’t know anyone, except possibly Sherree or his parents, who could make him talk when he isn’t inclined to speak.”
Sherree laughed to herself. She wished Daniel was so open and accommodating with her. Well, he did just see to her needs, accommodations were being made, and she was included. “I hope he has a happy life with Val.”
Simon turned to her. “Todd Polkat? I suppose he will have a happy life with her, at least that’s how it seemed the last time I was in Bashierwood. I suppose their eatery is up and running by now.”
Sherree was totally confused. She vaguely remembered the Innkeeper’s son, but had no idea why Simon was telling her about him. “I’m talking about Daniel.”
Simon’s right eyebrow arched up, good let him be the one confused. He shook his head, as if clearing his thoughts. “I suppose he is happy for her getting on with her life, but I doubt he has any intention of spending much time with her, and I doubt Todd would think it appropriate given the fact that he was second choice.”
Sherree put both hands on her hips and faced her friend. “I’m talking about Val Terrance, the one who Daniel was supposed to marry, and who is here with us. I saw her bringing water and hugging him.”
Simon started laughing and was in danger of having a spell cast upon him if he did not stop it right this instant. He managed to get himself back under control before she lost her patience with him. “That was Gina, Val’s twin sister you saw hugging Daniel. They have been friends from childhood, I suppose she loves him like a brother, and believe the feeling is mutual.”
Sherree felt the heat in her cheeks. The revelation caused a flood of thoughts and a drastic realignment of her perceptions since awakening.
“Are you alright?” Simon grabbed hold of her arm and then let go when she nodded.
She was still a little confused about how Daniel was reacting to her. “Why do you suppose he looks so guilty every time his eyes meet mine?”
Simon scratched his chin. “I believe his feelings for you run deeper than is considered appropriate for a pair of Aakacarns. His being the Chosen Vessel forced some drastic changes in his life over a fairly short period and I think he is adjusting as quickly as he can. I think he sees you, not just as an Aakacarn to be respected, but as an attractive young woman. Perhaps he does not trust himself not to grab you in his arms and kiss you right in front of us all.”
It would be just like the mule headed man to think that way, grabbing her in public would be unthinkable. In her opinion, the grabbing and kissing aught to be done in a more intimate setting. “Does every male think that way?”
Simon shrugged his shoulders. “If you weren’t an Aakacarn, I can image there would be a goodly number of males who might consider snuggling with you to be a pleasant activity.”
The Accomplisheds began work on the project Daniel assigned to them. All of the members of the Stone Guild huddled together, apparently deciding who would do what, and then the spell casting began. Four blue structures formed up out of the ground with a new symbol on each roof top and above the doors. It was the Falcon in flight clutching a lightning bolt, the family crest of Daniel Benhannon. The compound also included a stable and corral, very much like what they created at Lake Tomlin, except on a larger scale. These buildings were more than twice the width and depth as those and four stories high rather than two and with slanted roofs rather than flat.
A short time later Daniel entered the valley and caused everyone to stop what they were doing and point. Voices were raised as people began discussing the ramifications of what he was doing. Sherree could not take her eyes off of him, something not unusual according Jerremy. The handsome young Knight of the Realm did not need to walk up to anyone, they all came to him. People began parting a way for Sherree as she approached. They took one look at her face and shoulders, those lighting bolts commanded respect, and not a soul dared stand in her way.
“A Master-of-the-blade should display the lighting bolts,” Sergeant Keenan said with a nod of his head.
“I decided you were right,” Daniel replied with a glance at his sword, and then startled Samuel when the hunting knife flew from his grip
right into the black leather sheath on the Knight’s belt.
Sherree really had not been paying attention to the lighting bolts on his hilt and scabbard; it was the six on the shoulders of his uniform that caught her eye. He was displaying his ranking as an Accomplished and all of the Accomplisheds witnessing the golden bolts went pale in the face, except Lassiter and Simon.
“I told you his rank was enough to take on a Maestro and win,” the Senior Soarer told his Fledgling.
“What made you choose to display your rank?” Simon asked, and it was clear by his tone the rank was nothing new to him. That young man knows way more than people give him credit for.
Daniel’s eyes swept the crowd. “My foes know by now that I am no longer Silenced, am a fully functional Six-bolt Accomplished, and that my repertoire includes Melodies composed by Tarin Conn. I see no reason to keep these facts from my friends.”
“He means, not any longer,” Samuel mumbled, but not soft enough for Sherree to miss hearing. “I think he actually enjoys making me discover these things as they unfold.”
He did not seemed surprised about the number of bolts, more about the restored repertoire and the timing of the revelation.
Sherree passed the few people who were standing between her and the man she needed to have a serious talk with and they had the wisdom not to argue. She stepped right up to him. “Forget the Royal Knight of the Realm, the Lord of the Land, and the Chosen Vessel, I want to have a private talk with Daniel Benhannon.”