Delver Magic III: Balance of Fate, Jeff Inlo [most popular ebook readers .txt] 📗

Enin and Ryson landed in the grassy hills just outside Burbon.

“I didn’t want to bring us to the center of town because I don’t like how this spell affects surrounding space,” the wizard explained. “I didn’t want to send an innocent passerby into shock if one happened into our path at the wrong moment. It was safer to land here.”

“I’ll take it,” Ryson said while eyeing the sun in the sky. “It’s about mid afternoon. Sy should be in his command post. I’ll meet you there.”

With that, the delver exploded in a blur of motion that almost could not be detected by the wizard’s eye. He blazed a trail to a side gate where he stopped stone still just long enough to be identified by a tower guard and the gatekeeper. He then moved with slightly less speed as he darted his way past the wall, through the town streets, and ultimately to the center of town.

Enin floated up into the air and flew just past a guard tower. He waved with an uneasy smile before making his way to Sy’s command post by floating above the building rooftops. When he reached his intended goal, he quickly dropped to the ground and landed at the front door. He stepped into the office where he saw Ryson already explaining what he knew to Sy Fenden, Burbon’s leader and Captain of the Guard.

Ryson paused to acknowledge the wizard’s entrance.

Sy appeared grim as he considered the news brought to him by the delver. Still, he had many questions, and he quickly brought Enin into the conversation.

“Ryson told me what you saw. You used a spell to see Pinesway?”

“Yes,” Enin answered simply without going into an extravagant explanation of the components of his spell.

Sy was grateful for the short answer, but pursued the topic further. “Do you think Sazar was aware that you were watching him or his minions?”

“You’re worried he thinks we’re spying on him?” Enin appeared almost ready to laugh. “There’s not much he can do to stop me.”

“I’m more concerned that we’ve alerted him to our own awareness. I’m not sure what he’s up to, but it would be nice to know the extent of his own information. What he does, or what we do in response for that matter, depends on a great many things. So, do you think he knows about your spell or not?”

Enin reconsidered the question. “Hmmmm… I’d say it’s possible, but not probable. I would guess not. He’s not that kind of a spell caster that he would be able to detect the use of magic in that fashion. Those with a higher connection to magical energy can sense spells. He, however, does not have that kind of connection. That is not where his power lies.”

“But you said it was possible.”

“Yes, he might have learned a spell that could act as a, how should I put it, warning system for any directed magic. Problem with that is I don’t think he has the power to cast such a spell. He could, however, have obtained a magical item that would serve that purpose for him.”

Sy frowned again. “Alright, since it’s possible then we should probably assume he knows we are aware of what he’s doing. Tell me exactly what you saw.”

Enin described all the creatures he witnessed, their movements, as well as the reaction of the few people he could see.

“Casualties?” Sy asked.

“Yes.”

“Can you estimate how many?”

“I only saw a few.”

Sy shook his head. “There aren’t many people left over there. That’s the good news. The bad news is in everything else you just told me. Sazar has a sizable force of creatures from your description. The question now is what do you think he wants?”

Ryson interjected at this point. “Whatever he can get his claws on.”

Sy did not totally dismiss the sentiment, but he explained his own considerations. “I’m sure he’s taking everything he can, but what’s the real purpose of this?” He looked to both Ryson and Enin with expectation as he spelled out the situation. “This can’t just be a raid to loot supplies. Doesn’t add up. What he can get from Pinesway, he can get in different ways. There is no guard or militia to protect the town. In effect, there really is no town anymore. For the most part, it’s just abandoned buildings and a transient population. From what my scouts tell me, thieves have done a good job ransacking the place. Anything worth any value, they’ve already taken. Actually, the thieves and bandits have pretty much taken the place over, and these people aren’t going to risk their lives to fight off goblins for an abandoned town. Sazar knows this, so why does he go in there with a force of that size and actually attack?”

Ryson frowned as he considered the question. “Didn’t think of it like that. Maybe his goblins are getting restless and he just wants to pacify them with whatever blood they can draw.”

“Maybe,” Sy allowed, “but I’m not sure it makes total sense, either. I mean if that was his objective, why not go in at night? Why go in the middle of the day? And why go in the way he did? From what I’m hearing it sounded more of a coordinated attack. Enin, you said they moved in with reserves in the back and they were attacking in organized movements. You didn’t see them just running wild through the streets?”

“No, not wild at all.” Enin then took a moment to consider his own thoughts of goblins. “It’s interesting actually. Over the past season, I’ve seen some goblins up close, even threw some harmless spells at them just to see how they react. They’re certainly not the brightest thing to come over from the dark realm. Actually, in a battle of wits, I’d probably choose a shag over a goblin any day. Goblins can be sneaky if they want to, no doubt about that. They have guile and stealth, but they run scared quite a bit as well. They can organize, but not like a human militia. They rely on great numbers, but they are inherently distrusting. While they could become a threat if they amassed into a large army, I can’t imagine the bickering that would take place. From what I saw, they moved as if directed by a fairly cohesive plan. Yes, I would have to say with little doubt that Sazar was directing them. That was plain enough for me to see.”

Sy followed Enin’s analysis with more questions. “This is the part that doesn’t add up. Why would Sazar direct the battle if the goal was to appease the blood lust of a bunch of goblins? Why not just let them run wild, then reorganize them, take whatever spoils he could find, and leave? No, I’m not seeing this as just a simple raid one way or the other. He didn’t have to do it in this way to take supplies, and he wouldn’t have done it this way to just let his little monsters go on a killing spree. Something else is up.”

“I don’t think it’s going to be that easy to figure out what a serp really wants,” Ryson acknowledged. He then decided it was time for him to reveal his own intentions. “And even if we don’t know, I want to go to Pinesway.”

Sy rubbed his chin as he eyed the delver carefully. “You want to go to Pinesway? I assume you wish to leave now?”

“Yes, waiting doesn’t do any good.”

In truth, the captain was not surprised to hear this. He kept his own emotions buried as he now pressed the delver for an explanation. “Why do you want to do this?”

“A lot of reasons.” The delver replied almost too simply.

“Can you give me some of them?” Sy asked.

Ryson nodded and spoke openly of why he needed to go. “First of all, Pinesway may be abandoned, but it’s not completely deserted. We all know there are still people there that might need help.”

Sy kept his tone even, he didn’t wish to sound sarcastic in any way, but the delver needed to be told of obvious flaws in this objective. “Noble, but how can you help a group of people that are wounded or already dead?”

“I can’t help the dead, but if I find wounded, I can get them out of there.”

“And if you find a dozen wounded, you’re going to treat their wounds and get them to safety? How are you going to manage that? Are you going to carry them all on your