Ways of Power 1: Power Rises (10 page)

              The applause that erupted from the camp for Rancoth and Dorbin was surprisingly exuberant. It was hard for either of them to believe that the people had enough energy left in them for such a show of appreciation.

Crujen stayed in the shadow of the rock and shook his head, he was not pleased about the rest of the camp's excitement that one of the bright-eyes and a toady had agreed to help their leader. He didn't trust any of the bright-eyes, even if this one was supposedly the son of a couple that had helped them years ago, and he trusted the race of vile little toadies even less.

He didn't care what the others thought, especially that giant oaf McRoy. As far as he was concerned McRoy was only leader because he was undoubtedly the biggest and strongest man ever to walk on the surface of the Earth.

              Now when Crujen was in charge, things would be different. He'd teach those slithering weak bright eyes a lesson they wouldn't forget. So they know some tricks, so what. They still bleed, they still crumple in a heap at your feet if you whack them on the head hard enough. Yes things would be different when Crujen was in charge.

15

              "I would offer you a feast in your honor, but as you already know, there is no feast to be had," McRoy said as they re-entered his tent.

              "Oh, well thank you, but that is quite all right. Besides, I don't even know if we will be successful. No point in celebrating something that hasn't happened yet," Rancoth said plainly. He was eager to help the honorable giant, but he still wasn't sure how they were going to go about it. "The Magi in Illineas, are they prejudiced against all of the other races, or just Huldens?"

              "Concerned for Dorbin are you?" McRoy asked the jovial attitude of earlier returning.

              "Yes. If we are going to help you, we need to know what roles we can
all
play. Obviously I would be free to come and go in the city, but you and your men certainly can't. Can Dorbin?" Rancoth asked.

              "He'll be fine. The Crystal City Magi are not fond of any outsiders, particularly of the non-magic variety. But it’s only my people they truly hate. So what do you have in mind?" McRoy was obviously eager to begin.

              "Well, I'm not sure. What do you think, Dorbin?" The little man didn't answer. "Dorbin?" Rancoth asked a little more loudly. His friend appeared to be very distracted. "DORBIN! Are you listening?"

"What? Oh, sorrry I must o' dozed off. Say again?" Dorbin said, shamefacedly.

              Rancoth shook his head; it wasn't like Dorbin to lapse in attention. "Maybe we should do this later. We didn't exactly sleep comfortably last night."

              "GET OUT O' MY HEAD!!" Dorbin suddenly shouted.

              Both Rancoth and McRoy were speechless and stared at him dumbfounded. Dorbin looked at his feet, obviously embarrassed over his outburst.

              "Sorrry, I'm not crrazy, I--ah--I just need some airr. Yeah, that's it some airr." Dorbin turned to go, and then stopped just as quickly. "Ohh, and, Rran keep in mind that yourr people arre the Light Magi. Light not Darrk. They make mistakes and can do horrrible things, but they'rre not evil." With that Dorbin left.

              As he stepped out into the sun again, Dorbin wished he had stayed in the tent, but he couldn't turn back now. They really would think he was crazy.

He had been following along with the conversation just fine. He was as interested in what Rancoth might come up with as McRoy was. Unfortunately just as Rancoth had started to talk, Dorbin was forcibly distracted.

             
"Dorbin"

              "Grrecrrum?"

              "Naturally, who else could jump into your head from so far away?"

              "What the hell arre you doing in my head?"

              "Sorry, you've been gone a week. You should have gotten to the house by now. I thought I'd check in, you know, see how things are going. If Rancoth was alright after--going inside."

              "Ohhh, grreat just grreat. We'rre um, just taking a brreak. Seeing the city that sorrt o' thing."

              "Dorbin, you know you can't lie to someone who is inside your head don't you? If you would prefer I could just delve a little deeper and see for myself, but you know how I prefer not to do that. But for Rancoth I would."

              "Alrright, alrright. Bloody mind rreaderr. Go ahead and look, it would take too long to explain."

              ………

              "Well, now if I'd contacted you yesterday I would have sent some of the Tower Guard by phase shifter. I see you don't fully trust this giant McRoy the Red, but what does Rancoth think about the story he told you?

              "It goes back to his motherr dying, so, it doesn't matterr if he trrust's him orr not. Rran will do what he can. You know that."

              "Would you like me to contact Patrina? She's the Head Mage at Illineas, a Magnatist if I'm not mistaken, I was not aware of what they were up to, though I am not ignorant of their--prejudice. I could help smooth things over."

              "Nah, let's see how the boy handles it firrst."

              "I'm all right with that, so what's the plan?"

That’s when Rancoth had noticed that he wasn't really paying attention. Then Grecrum added
"Tell him that even though his people are capable of despicable acts when they're afraid, that we're still at our core a good people. The evil was bred out of us long ago."

Dorbin sighed and started to walk around the camp, all the while keeping an eye out for Crujen.

The camp was certainly not meant to be a permanent place of residence. All of the structures were tents, some fashioned out of thick cloth, while others were a patchwork of animal skins. Most were in a state of disrepair, and all were filthy.

              Dorbin felt a tickle in his throat; the hot sun was making him thirsty. He instinctively reached for his water flask, and found that it wasn't there. In fact, he didn't have any of his possessions, except the clothes he was wearing when they were captured. Dorbin turned and headed back towards McRoy’s tent at a run, not noticing Celeste as she stepped out from around one of the other tents.

SLAM

He ran right into her, and even though she was a full foot taller than he, she had no substance; he knocked her clean off of her feet. "Oh, lass, I'm sorrry!" he exclaimed, rushing to help her back up.

"It's quite all right; I should have been paying attention," Celeste said. She accepted the hand that was offered with gratitude.

"Do you know wherre ourr stuff is? We neverr got it back," Dorbin said, hoping it was all just a misunderstanding.

"What? Crujen was told to bring everything back to you this morning," she said, a look of suspicion on her face. "Crujen's famous for disagreeing with McRoy's decisions, though he usually does as he's told. But his loathing of your race is equally famous. He used to live in the Dwalish Empire across the land bridge far to the northwest.

"He and his family were forced to flee. Apparently the Dwalish Empire is even more unwelcoming to my people than the Magi Kingdoms. As Crujen, his wife, and two children were working their way south, one of the huge white polar bears attacked them. Crujen was the only survivor. He blamed the Dwalish Empire, because the attack would have never happened were they not fleeing to find a new home."

Dorbin nodded his head. He understood now why the man hated his people so much. If only Crujen hadn't allowed his pain to turn into blind prejudice.

"Let's go. We'll have to let Mic know. He's not going to be happy; he was viciously angry with Crujen after leaving the two of you last night." With that the hideous woman turned and headed towards her leader’s tent. "Mic ordered us to capture you, but no other harm was to be dealt without good justification. Apparently Crujen thought hearing your voice was justification enough. Mic didn't agree."

Dorbin kept up with her stride for stride, no easy task when your legs are significantly shorter than the other person’s.

When they got to the tent Dorbin almost plowed over the woman again; she had stopped abruptly at the entrance, unwilling to barge in without announcing herself.

Either these people have great respect for that giant man, or he rules them with an iron fist, Dorbin thought. In reality it was probably just a little of both.

"Mic, I need to talk to you, it's Celeste," the woman announced silkily. Her voice really was quite nice.

"By all means, come in then," came McRoy's rumbled response.

Celeste went through the tent flap, followed so closely by Dorbin that she didn't even have to hold it open for him.

"What can I do for you, Celeste?" McRoy asked.

"I thought you might like to know that Crujen never returned the property that was taken from your guests," she said.

McRoy cocked his good eyebrow, and glanced from Dorbin to Rancoth and back again. "I'm sorry, I was not aware of this. Is that what caused your funny outburst my little friend?" He asked.

"Ahh…no, and it's all rright. I wasn't awarre that they werre missing until a moment ago," Dorbin said, a hint of embarrassment returning with the reminder of his recent mishap.

"I forgot our things too; we were too wrapped up in your story to be concerned with such trivialities, though we will need them returned. The sooner the better, please," Rancoth added.

McRoy nodded, and started towards the tent flap. Celeste and Dorbin quickly scrambled out of the way, not wanting to be squashed by the enormous man.

"CRUJEN!! CRUJEN GEARMAN!! YOU BETTER GET TO MY TENT NOW!!" The thunderous bellow echoed through the air for miles, and was easily heard by every ear in the camp. Birds took flight far off in the distance, lizdards who had been baking themselves in the sun scurried back into hiding, and there wasn't a Hulden in the camp who hadn't gone dead silent. The girl who had brought Rancoth and Dorbin their provisions, and cut their bindings the night before, ran up.

"Daddy, Crujen left not long after you announced the strangers would be helping us," she informed them.

The look of rage that darkened the gigantic man's features was frightful to be hold. Dorbin and Rancoth both no longer doubted that he had earned his moniker as The Red with ease.

"Adri, go to Crujen's tent and see if you can find our guests’ belongings please." Despite the murderous look on his face, McRoy spoke with surprising tenderness to his daughter.

"But, Daddy, it's not there. He took everything with him." She showed no sign of fear when looking at her raging father. They were obviously close, and she was well loved.

"Did you see what direction he went in, my dear?" he asked.

She smiled, and nodded vigorously. "East, towards Crystal City."

"Thank you, child," McRoy said smiling at the girl. Then he turned to Celeste, fury burning in his eye once more. "Get Quinn. The two of you are our best trackers. Just because Crujen started out heading east, that doesn't mean he stayed true to course. Once-"

"I can track him down, and bring him back much faster than you or your people, if you would be willing to allow it." Rancoth interrupted, hoping the behemoth wouldn't turn his rage towards him next for cutting him off.

McRoy looked momentarily annoyed. He was obviously used to people following his lead without question. "It's your property," McRoy said, shrugging his massive shoulders. "Personally I couldn’t care less that Crujen is gone; he was a thorn in my side anyway. Vabrin said you were a demon summoner, a warlock. Is that true?" he asked. "The idea of demons running amok doesn't appeal to me."

"It’s true--that is my special skill," Rancoth answered carefully, knowing full well the fear his power instilled in others.

"How exactly where you planning on using a demon to track and retrieve Crujen?" McRoy asked, studying Rancoth closely.

"One of my minions can cover vast distances with relative ease, and I will be careful to ensure that no harm comes to anyone in the camp." Rancoth answered, waiting for McRoy's response.

McRoy took a moment to ponder the idea. Rancoth was certain he would agree. He had known before ever asking what kind of power Rancoth wielded, and had obviously hoped to use that power in his efforts to win some concessions from Illineas.

So what harm could it really do to allow him to use those same powers now? At least this way the giant would have some idea of what summoning and controlling demons looked like before getting down to the more pressing matter, where the unknown could present graver complications.

"I leave it to you then," McRoy said, a hint of warning in his deep voice.

Rancoth got the hint, and knew that he had better make sure that nothing happened to the people of the camp, or he and Dorbin might have to fight their way out. "Pordly, come."

When the massive black cloud appeared, everyone but Dorbin gapped and pointed, and some ran for cover in their flimsy tents. Even McRoy had a flicker of fear flash across his face. Dorbin couldn't help but show a hint of pride.

Rancoth had thought very carefully about what he would command the demon to do, he didn't want to botch anything, but he did decide that this time he would speak out loud, for the benefit of McRoy and his people. "Pordly, you will not kill or harm any of the Hulden, Dwalish, or Magi currently in this camp."

As you wish you pathetic little biped.
The massive black cloud communicated to Rancoth's mind. It was easily the size of a small mountain. Its shining, hate-filled white eyes swirled around in its formless body but kept their gaze firmly upon its reviled master.

"There is a Hulden man named Crujen who has run away. He has some of mine and Dorbin's possessions. We are not sure where he went. You will continually spread out in every direction, until you find him. Once you do, you will bring him, and our possessions back here. You will not kill, or harm him."

You certainly know how to take all of the fun out of serving you.
The great cloud then formed itself into a massive smoke ring, which began to expand in every direction. Spreading itself thinner as it stretched out across the planet, it would eventually come across its prey.