The High-Wizard's Hunt

Chapter 21

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Laying Future Foundations

Osric gazed at Bridgett as she gathered plants in the woods outside of Stanton. The grace of her movements still amazed him. She seemed to glide across the ground, rather than walking upon it. He reclined against a tree, twirling his wand in his hand and daydreaming about their future together. They spent the morning together, wandering the woods, picking flowers, and staring up at the clouds in the sky. Winter had eased its grip on Stanton for a brief interlude of mild weather and bright skies.

Osric picked up a stone and tossed it into the air, catching it and tossing it again. As his mind wandered, he absently cast spells at the stone in the air to see what it would do. He was able to accurately hit the stone with a heatless fire ball. He could maintain the stone in the air with a stream of water, but it was far less accurate. He could throw the stone out in an arc and then call it back along the same path with just a thought. He also discovered he could manipulate a stream of air to keep the stone hovering before him without using his wand. Osric found the most fascinating ability was making the stone disappear. He held the stone in his hand and activated his ability to become invisible. The stone faded along with him. However, he was able to bring himself back into the visible spectrum without allowing the stone to reappear.

Osric sat forward, intrigued by the possibilities, and slowly reached out and set the stone on the ground. It remained invisible. He grinned widely and touched the stone with his finger to be sure it was actually there. He reached out and grasped another stone, anxious to replicate the experiment. It worked. Soon he had seven stones lined up before him on an apparently barren stretch of grass. He was intrigued by the possibilities presented by making objects invisible.

“Osric! Are you all right?” Bridgett came running over to him with a concerned expression.

“Of course,” he looked up at her with curiosity, “why?”

“Your fingers.” She reached down and took his hand in her own, and confusion replaced the concern.

“What about them?”

“They were missing.” She stared at him in expectation of an explanation. Osric glanced down at his fingers and a broad grin spread across his face. He kissed her hand and pulled his own from her grasp. He reached down and rearranged the stones, while she looked at him like she couldn’t figure out the rules to his game. Osric smiled at her and held up a finger to tell her to wait patiently. He reached into her basket and plucked out a stem of snow blossoms. The delicate white petals smelled like honey. He slowly lowered the flower to the ground before him, and Bridgett gasped in amazement when the flower disappeared. She knelt down, trying to determine how he had done it. Osric reached down, raised the flower back up into sight, and tucked the stem into her flowing hair.

“How did you do that?”

“Well, I did it on accident.” Her eyes twinkled in disbelief. “I was experimenting with my new abilities, testing them on stones to see what I can do. I figured out how to make the stones stay invisible when I reappear.”

“Wow, that’s incredible.”

“However, you discovered this next part,” he touched the tip of her nose, “the invisible stones create a barrier of some sort. I guess the effect is carried over to something that moves behind the stones. That was why you couldn’t see my fingers.” Bridgett shook her head in wonder. Osric gathered the stones up and placed them in her basket with the flowers and herbs. “Come on, Gus is going to love this.”

*

“Why are you grinning like a kid in a wand shop? Do you know how ridiculous you look?” Gus asked loudly as Osric and Bridgett ran toward him, holding hands and looking far too happy for the current circumstances.

“Where is Kenneth? I need everyone here, quickly.”

“How the blazes should I know?”

“Oh Gus, even you will be excited about this. Help me find them.” Bridgett scooped him up and placed him on her shoulder as he cried out in protest. She hurried into the barracks to find Kenneth, Machai, and the others.

“What are you two love birds so excited about?” Bridgett smiled over at the intended insult. Even Gus could not make Bridgett feel bad for loving Osric. She was blissfully happy.

“We have something to show you. Osric was practicing with his gifts and discovered something rather interesting.”

“Oh, did he? Has he figured out how to use his fancy new abilities to respect his elders?”

“Now, Gus, don’t be upset that he figured something out before you. I think even you will be impressed by this one.”

“Bah. We’ll see about that. I can walk you know?”

“Of course you can, but I enjoy the pleasure of your company. Besides, this way we can whisper and no one will hear us.” Bridgett winked at him, and Gus snorted and turned his head away from her.

They found their friends in the old, makeshift Contege office where Toby first found Thamas’ diary and began the investigation into Braya. Toby, Kenneth, Machai, Thamas, Aridis, and Macgowan were sitting around the desk poring over maps and charts. Pebble was on the floor in the corner practicing his sword fighting techniques. The miniature statue of Er’amar he was sparring with looked terrified of the small twig Pebble was brandishing at it. Bridgett grinned at the sight.

“I was hoping we would find you all together.” Her voice startled the men, and they turned quickly in alarm. “Osric requests the pleasure of your company in the dining hall.” Curiosity flitted across every face, and they followed Bridgett out of the small chamber into the hall. Osric was sitting at a table with a look of pure frustration on his face.

“Yep, he really looks like he figured something out.” Gus laughed from his perch on Bridgett’s shoulder as they all took seats around the large dining table. Everyone looked at Osric expectantly, but he just kept staring down at a clipping of snow blossoms on the table. He glanced up and addressed Bridgett.

“I don’t understand it. The spell is still intact, but it isn’t working.”

“Oh, this is going to be good.” Gus crossed his arms over his small, furry chest and stared at Osric.

“I’m sorry. I don’t understand it, but I guess I called you all here for nothing. I can’t make it work again.” Osric sighed and reached out his hand. He grasped the stone closest to him on the table, and with conscious intent, he deactivated the invisibility gift. His companions gasped as the stone appeared on the table. He slid his hand to the left and did the same to the next stone.

“How do ye be doing that? Do ye be summoning stones?”

“No, Machai, they were here all along. You just couldn’t see them because I figured out how to make them invisible.”

“And you said you called us here for nothing,” Kenneth exclaimed.

“Well, believe it or not, that wasn’t the incredible thing I wanted to show you.”

“How’s come this one’s different?” Pebble was sitting up on the table, indicating the second stone with a paw.

“What are you talking about? They are all the same.”

“Huh uh. You’s gotsta look, silly.” Osric activated his Wand-Maker ability and gazed at the stones on the table. He could still only see the two stones he made reappear, but Pebble was right that they were different from each other. The first stone shimmered slightly, as though it had a residue of magic on it from the invisibility gift. The second stone, though, not only shimmered, it nearly glowed.

“It’s got lotsa colors like you’s, Osric.”

Osric looked closely at the object, enticed by the almost rhythmic waves the strands of magic displayed. The colors were fading rapidly, but there was still an obvious pattern. Somehow, while practicing with his new gifts and his wand, he had managed to weave together all of the Elemental gifts. Yet he still couldn’t figure out what caused the flower to disappear in the forest and why he couldn’t replicate it. Osric quickly caused the other five stones to reappear on the table. He stared at them intently with his gift, trying to find some clue to the nature of the flaw. The stones were arranged exactly as they had been when Bridgett thought his fingers were missing. One stone was in the center, and the other six encircled it. His eye kept being drawn back to the stone with the Elemental properties. Carefully and methodically, Osric replayed exactly what he had done the first time in his mind. Suddenly, a smile split his face and he gathered the stones up in his arms.

“Come with me.” Everyone looked startled as Osric jumped up from the table with his arm load of stones and rushed out of the barracks. They glanced from one to another, and then everyone stood and followed him outside.

Osric scattered the stones out before him and waited for his companions to join him. He lifted one stone in his palm, tossed it in the air and shot a fireball at it. Then, he lifted it into the air on a column of water. Pebble clapped with glee as Osric caused the stone to hover in a stream of air. Finally, he held the stone in his palm, and with great concentration he caused the stone to become invisible. Osric was excited that he could control the gift well enough that he himself could remain visible while he manipulated the stone with the ability.

Osric placed the invisible stone upon the ground in front of him. He then proceeded to cause the other six stones to vanish. Osric lined up the stones, placing one on either side of the first stone until all seven had been placed.

“Pebble, can you come stand in front of me please?” He indicated a spot in the dirt just on the other side of the stones. “Just there.”

“Yeppers.” Bridgett clapped and Gus’ ears began to twitch when Pebble’s hind legs disappeared as he walked to the spot Osric had pointed to.

“That’s it!” Osric then rearranged the stones, leaving the center stone exactly where he had placed it. He held out his hand and Pebble scurried up onto his palm. Osric held him over the circle of invisible stones and then nodded for him to jump down. “Now lie down.” Pebble slowly lowered himself to the ground, and just as his ears cleared the height of the stones, he completely disappeared. Machai walked around, inspecting the ground from every angle.

“The pup be gone.”

“This is the bestest game of hide’s and seek’s ever.”

“You can come out now Pebble.” Osric reached down and touched each stone, deactivating the invisibility gift.

“That’s amazing.” Kenneth stared at Osric in awe.

Osric picked up the center stone and inspected it closely while the marks of the magic were still vivid. Something about it looked very familiar. Suddenly, he realized that the whole mess of magic looked disturbingly similar to the spell he had witnessed in the sky above the Grove of the Unicorn. Osric picked up Pebble and kissed him.

“You are a genius! Everyone, follow me.” Osric stood up and walked out into the field in front of the barracks. The prophecy rolled through his mind as he looked back at the exterior of the Vigile barracks. The stone building had served nicely as a hideout from the Kallegians when Osric had first come back to town. Perhaps he could utilize it in much the same fashion in the future.

The High-Wizard’s heart will break or blight, casting success onto dark or light. When knowledge shared of knowledge gained is won, cast not the common eye upon the stone. First lay the stones from under ground to sky, then shift the sight and weave the flow of time. Build the order, Aranthians arise.

One line of the prophecy repeated over and over in his mind as he gazed at the building. First lay the stones from under ground to sky, then shift the sight and weave the flow of time… He would need a place to train, a place to plan. It was entirely possible that he would need a place to hide resources and allies. The old barracks would make an excellent retreat, especially if it had a protection spell on it similar to the Grove’s. First lay the stones from under ground to sky… The barracks was constructed out of solid stone blocks. If he could find a way to create a circle of stones from the existing structure, he would only need the central stone with each of the elemental properties to complete the spell. He could make the entire building, and anything inside of it, disappear.

“Osric, what is going on in that head of yours?” Thamas broke the silence and brought Osric’s attention back to his friends.

“I want to make this building invisible.”

“You what? Are you daft, boy?”

“No Gus, it’s perfect. It would provide us with the perfect place to operate from, without worrying about unwelcome visitors.”

“Sure, until someone walks into the stone wall and breaks their nose. You can’t hide a building just by making it invisible. I swear, sometimes I think the power has gone to your head and pushed out your intelligence to make room!”

“So how is it done?” Osric stared at Gus defiantly.

“How is what done?”

“The Grove. A man could wander for days over that land and never bump into a unicorn. What does that spell do, other than make the Grove invisible and attack intruders?”

“You are forgetting about time.” Everyone turned, startled by the unexpected voice from behind them.

“Eublin?” Bridgett ran over and embraced him. “What are you doing here?”

“We have news for you and Osric, my dear.” Osric looked past the gnome and noticed Fallon and three other Maidens standing on the road leading up to the barracks.

“Come inside. You can tell us over a hot mug of rulha.” Eublin grinned at Osric’s invitation, and everyone headed for the door to the barracks. Fallon hugged Bridgett tightly, but she glared at Osric’s back with dagger like eyes as they made their way inside.

They gathered once again at a table in the dining hall, and Bridgett recruited Pebble to help her make rulha and snacks for all. The air was slightly tense as Fallon sat across from Osric and fixed her icy gaze on him.

“You destroyed the Grove.” Her tone matched her expression.

“What?”

“It’s gone. Everything is gone.”

“Now Fallon, that isn’t exactly true,” Eublin interrupted.

“How can you say that?” She turned her wrath on the gnome. “The unicorns, the flowers, the sunlight, everything. It’s all gone.”

“The Grove is still there,” Eublin addressed Osric, ignoring the dramatic tone in Fallon’s cries. “The protection spell, however, has vanished along with the unicorns. She is right about that.”

“You used the spell to murder that man, and now it is all gone.” Tears streamed down Fallon’s face, and mugs clattered to the floor, splashing steaming rulha over the stone floor. Bridgett had caught the tail end of the exchange as she entered the room.

“I didn’t have a choice,” Osric mumbled weakly. “I had to end the battle, or lose my own life. I had no weapons left, so I did the only thing I could to get it done.”

“And for that, the unicorns have left us. You are a foolish man.”

“If he is so bad, then why didn’t your gift pick up on it?” Kenneth spoke up to defend Osric. “You’re a Trust, right?”

“Curse my gift for failing me.”

“Has your gift ever failed you before?” Gus’ ear trembled slightly.

“Not that I am aware of, but there is always a first time.”

Gus jumped down from the table onto the bench next to Fallon, “Do you mind if I take a look at your gift?”

“Why not, go right ahead.” She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

Gus studied her intently, looking for any indication that her gift would be malfunctioning.

“Sorry, kid, your gift is as pristine as mine.”

“Then how could I think he was trustworthy? The unicorns obviously knew better. They wouldn’t let him anywhere near them. I sensed that Osric would not do anything against the unicorns’ wishes. It is obviously broken. Destroying the Grove is certainly against the unicorns’ wishes. They trusted me to guard our gates, and I let them down.”

“When did the protection spells disappear?” Osric leaned in as he questioned her.

“Shortly after Gus took you home.”

“So the spell stayed active while I was unconscious, and remained on until after I left, then it was shut off?” Osric had a thought about what had happened.

“If you want to see it that way, then yes.” Fallon looked at Osric defiantly.

“And then you arrived here, just as I was about to try to recreate what was created there. Doesn’t this all seem a bit too tidy to anyone else?” He looked around at their faces as they considered his words.

Osric began to search his own feelings as he probed each of those who sat around the table. He started to get a sense of the trustworthy nature of the people looking at him. He felt the new gift surge to life, and by the certainty he felt, he knew he had somehow gained Fallon’s gift. He knew that everyone that surrounded him could be trusted to protect the secret magics they had recently discovered. He felt in his bones that none of them would betray this new order that he was destined to start.

“Listen to me. I think I can recreate the protection spell that covered the Grove. I don’t fully understand it yet, but I am sure it is possible. I will need your help.” Osric looked at Fallon and she nodded her head subtly in acquiescence. “Eublin, what did you mean when you said I was forgetting about time?”

“Ah, yes, I have been thinking about the spells surrounding the Grove ever since my discussion with Bridgett and Gus about the various types of magic.” Eublin sat on the edge of his seat in excitement. “You see, the Grove is located exactly where the Grove is located.”

Osric stared back at him in confusion. No else seemed to be following him either, if their expressions were any indication.

“Well, I mean to say, perhaps it is not the location of the Grove that allows it to be separated from the world in a sense. Perhaps, it is the time of the Grove.”

“You mean to say we travel through time when we enter the Grove of the Unicorns?” Bridgett seemed both fascinated and quite doubtful of his suggestion.

“Not exactly. I once read a story about a wizard who built his home in a great forest. One day, lightning struck a tree, and the forest began to burn. He could not move his entire home out of the forest, but he was horrified at the idea of losing everything he owned.” Eublin pushed his tiny spectacles further up on his large nose. “So, the wizard cast a spell to stop time. The fire never reached his house, because his house only existed in that one moment of time before the fire consumed it.”

“That sounds like a lovely bedtime story, but maybe we should consider something that is actually possible.” Gus glared at Eublin and shook his head at the absurd tale.

“Of course it is just a story, but who is to say that it isn’t possible?” Gus had no response to Eublin’s retort, and the gnome glanced over at Osric for his impression.

“Stop time, huh?” Osric mulled over the possibility in his mind. “Well, I have no idea how to achieve it, but it would explain the eternal summer of the Grove.”

“Wait,” Bridgett sat down next to Osric and he grasped her hand as she spoke, “If the Grove was frozen in time, how could the plants continue to grow? Wouldn’t everything just stay exactly as it was when the spell was cast?”

“You see,” Gus chimed in, “It’s an absurd idea.”

“Honestly, my dear, I do not know. There is apparently much we have yet to learn about magic.” Eublin looked apologetic as he shrugged his small shoulders.

“You don’t gotsta stop it, just trap’s it.” All heads turned toward Pebble in astonishment. Osric stared over at the pup with awe. He looked up with big eyes and clapped his tiny paws. “Then we’s can still has the flowers.”

“That’s it,” Osric rose to his feet. “Everyone follow me, we have a world to create.” Osric headed for the door. It couldn’t possibly be as simple as it seemed. He didn’t even know why he knew how to do it. Somehow, illogically, he understood it all and had formed a plan. They all gathered again in the field before the barracks. Osric stared at the big, stone building with a scrutinizing eye.

“Kenneth, can you and Machai go get me the stone slabs left over from the palace rubble?” Kenneth nodded, although his arched eyebrows indicated he wasn’t following Osric’s train of thought. “The bigger the better, but I’m going to need a lot of stone.”

Osric turned his attention to the barracks and began hurling fireballs at the stone building.

“What in strands are you doing, boy?” Gus yelled.

“I’m making a wand.”

“You’ve really gone mad this time. That’s not making a wand.”

“Just trust me for once, Gus.” Osric drew his wand and began speaking under his breath. He funneled his power through the wand, but he was drawing on his own magic, his Elemental gifts, as well as the spoken spells he had learned from the ursidae’s book.

Dark, unnatural storm clouds began to gather over the barracks, and the air crackled as Osric cast the spell. Bridgett’s hair stood out erratically from her head as the moisture was drawn out of the atmosphere. The clouds spilled heavy rain down upon the stone walls, yet the group observing Osric’s efforts remained dry at their distance from the building.

“Is that really an Elemental rain?” Gus was so shocked, his typically haughty attitude was missing from his inquiry.

“Well, I needed to cover the whole building.” Osric looked as stunned as everyone else at the display of his own power.

Again, Osric used his wand to channel the multiple forms of magic he was using, and a strong gust of wind picked up and swirled toward the barracks. The swift current of air broke up the storm clouds and kicked dirt up around the base of the stone walls. Osric activated his Wand-Maker ability and eyed the results of his magical assault. The overall effect was identical to what he had seen in the small stone on the table inside. So far, so good.

Osric turned just in time to see Kenneth and Machai appear in the field with huge piles of stone rubble. He frowned slightly at their blatant use of the traveling spell, but he realized it would have been a daunting task otherwise. Levitating that much stone from the palace grounds to the barracks would have taken days.

Osric approached the piles and laid one hand upon a piece of stone. He concentrated for a moment, hoping a way to accomplish his task would come to him. He had the resources, but he had no idea how to utilize them the way he knew he must.

“What are you waiting for?” Gus demanded.

“I need a way to turn this stone into walls.”

“So meld it together.” Gus snorted and crossed his arms.

“How do you propose I do that?”

“With your Stone-Melding ability, you idiot. You have acquired a baffling number of new gifts in the last few weeks. I might as well just stop looking at you.”

“What happened to asking before inspecting me, Gus?”

“You just whipped up a rain storm with a wave of your wand! What did you think I was going to do?” Osric stared back at him as the gravity of the moment hit him. The amount of power contained in the spells he was casting was more than any other man could utilize in a year, maybe longer. He realized that Gus was not being intrusive. He was scared. There was no longer anything he could tell Osric about what was happening to him than he could not guess himself. They were in completely new territory, and the unknown was quite frightening to a prairie dog - even a famous prairie dog.

Osric nodded at Gus and then turned his gaze back to the stone. He levitated two slabs the size of his torso to the ground in front of him. Osric closed his eyes and felt within himself for an indication of what to do next. After a moment, instinct kicked in, and Osric activated the Stone-Melding ability. He was able to see the elements of the stone, and how each crystal-like fragment fit with the next to form a solid mass.

Osric held out his hand, and with a specific intent held in his mind, he was able to bind the fragments of the separate slabs together into one solid piece of stone. His companions looked on in amazement as Osric completed, and then erected, six massive pillars in a circle around the barracks grounds. He sank them down into Archana, melding the base of the pillars to the stone buried deep beneath their feet.

First lay the stones from under ground to sky…

The prophecy ran through Osric’s mind as he worked. He moved as though in a trance. He knew each spell as he cast it; he knew he was doing what he was meant to do.

Then shift the sight and weave the flow of time…

Osric approached the barracks, drawing in a deep breath and resting his palm on the cold, stone wall. He closed his eyes and disappeared.

The Maidens of the Unicorn were not the only ones who gasped in surprise as the entire building blinked out of sight. Osric reappeared next to Bridgett and took her hand in his with a smile.

“I can’t believe that worked.”

“Osric, that’s incredible.” Bridgett’s breath was light and her words nearly inaudible. “Is it gone?” Her voice cracked on the last word, and no doubt her thoughts were on the loss of the Grove.

“No, just invisible.” Osric walked from pillar to pillar, causing each in turn to vanish from sight. He rejoined the group and approached the Head Maiden. “Fallon, will you be my Trust?” She gazed up at him in awe, her mouth slightly agape. Slowly, she nodded her head and smiled. He took her hand and walked with her toward the empty expanse where the barracks had stood. Their friends watched as they crossed the line made by the pillars and disappeared.

Osric reemerged a moment later, and he stood quietly gazing into the depths of Archana with his gift. Suddenly, he caught sight of what he had only hoped he would find.

“Eublin, I wish you could see this.”

“What is it?” Gus asked. “What do you see?”

“Look deeper than you ever have before, Gus. Do you see it? It flows like a river. The strands are like molten silver, weaving through the core of the world.”

“Ahh, it’s beautiful.” Gus looked up at Osric. “What is it?”

“Time.”

Osric very slowly began to draw the strands up toward him, careful not to sever them. He had never experienced anything like it. As he manipulated the strands with his gift, the world around him appeared to shift and reel. The sun and moon chased each other through the sky in an unnatural dance. Seasons passed around him, winter blending into spring, summer into fall, and yet time held still. He wasn’t sure if he even drew a breath. Very gradually, Osric was able to bring the flowing river of strands to the surface of Archana.

Then shift the sight and weave the flow of time…

Osric guided the flow of the strands of time to the first pillar. He carefully wove the strands through the existing Elemental magic of the stone, and around the strands of the invisibility spell, then along the barrier created by it to the next pillar. When he had successfully woven time into the entire circumference of the spell’s effect, he channeled the flow of the strands to the top of the barracks and back down into Archana’s core. The river of time had never been interrupted.

Osric had not stopped time, but he had managed to trap it.

Gus’ ears were twitching uncontrollably, but Osric was not yet done. He stepped carefully to the first pillar, rested his hand on the stone, and deactivated the invisibility spell. Each pillar in turn was brought back into the visible spectrum, and finally, he approached the barracks. When he was finished, the space looked just as it had when he had begun. Except, Fallon was nowhere to be seen.

“Here goes nothing,” Osric took a deep breath, “Fallon, may we enter?”

“Please, be my guest.” One at a time, each member of the group was invited inside and Fallon was once again standing among them. “You did it, Osric. You recreated the spell.”

Osric smiled and nodded, as shocked as she was that it actually worked. Fatigue was evident on his features as he walked away from the structure to take in the entire scene. Kenneth caught up to him at the pillar line with a look of sheer joy on his face.

“I have to say, watching you do all of this is the only thing I have ever seen take the words right out of Gus’ mouth.” He shoved Osric playfully. “But his ears are twitching madly!”

“Good, even I am impressed by this one. I have no idea how I could have learned it. It just came to me.” He looked up at the closest pillar, amazed at how his life had turned out. “How is Bridgett holding up?”

“She has been as silent as Gus, but the smile on her face is as genuine as the sadness. I am glad you two finally made peace with your passion.” There was no hint of frivolity in his words. Kenneth spoke with honest thankfulness and pride as they both looked at the tall stone standing as a symbol of something new and exciting. “Do you think it will last?” He nodded in the direction of Bridgett sitting in the grass behind the two of them. Osric could tell by the tone of his voice that Kenneth was not referring to the spells he had cast to create a permanent safe haven.

“My father once told me something I have always held to.” Osric put his hand on the pillar, gazing up at the duplicate of the spell around the Grove of the Unicorn. “Both parties in a relationship should feel lucky to be together, but the ones who last have no idea how lucky the other half is.” He looked back at his friend. “She has no idea how lucky I am to have her in my life. So yes, Archana willing, it will last.”

*

Bridgett walked through the market square, smiling and waving at friendly faces as she stopped to select fruit from one of the stalls. Her thoughts drifted to Osric and the recent accomplishments he had made. She felt that something had been missing for her entire life, and now she was complete. Being close to him was like taking a breath of sweet, spring air after a lifetime of barely breathing. He was her shelter, her oasis, her beacon of light in a world of darkness.

She had a hard time believing that she could come to think of another place as home, but she realized that she had indeed started to think of these people as her own. The residents of Stanton returned her salutations with cheerful smiles, and many already knew her by name. Merchants were once again busy carting their wares through the streets. The pleasant nature of every family, each creature, and the variety of visitors lived on, in spite of the danger they had recently been forced to endure. Their faces displayed pride and an expression of triumph as they went about their day. Bridgett saw a young woman ducking through the beaded curtain of a fortune teller’s booth. Her beaming smile indicated that she was thoroughly satisfied with the outlook for her future. Bridgett grinned at the silliness of such things. Few fortune tellers were actually See-ers. Rather, they were con artists and dramatics who thrived on wheedling coins from superstitious patrons. Still, it was nice to see the residents of Stanton smiling once again.

Bridgett paused before a shop window and gazed inside at the display. Precious metals and gemstones glittered from delicate and elaborate jewelry, daggers, and trinket boxes. Her eyes fell to an amulet, and her fingers flitted to her neck to caress the familiar chain. The contact with her necklace brought up thoughts of the unicorns and the Grove. She had worn that amulet since she was a young girl, and she couldn’t imagine that the Grove was truly gone. A deep ache rose in her chest as she thought about the unicorns. She had devoted her life to helping them, and now they were gone. She hoped she would see them again, but Bridgett knew that the unicorns worked at their own pace, in their own time.

“They shall return my dear, when they are needed.” Startled, Bridgett looked over to see a young woman standing next to her, gazing through the jeweler’s window.

“I’m sorry, do I know you?”

“No, but I know of you. Your tale is one of great majesty and greater sorrow.” The woman’s dark eyes swirled with shades of blue and green, and her gentle smile reminded Bridgett of someone she had once known. She just couldn’t place who it might have been.

“Who are you?”

“An instrument of fate.” She smiled wistfully. “I would like to speak with you. Your story weighs heavily on my heart.” Bridgett wasn’t sure if the woman was genuine or crazy, but something about her made Bridgett reluctant to turn her away. “My shop is just there. Won’t you come inside for a moment?” She indicated the fortune teller stall the happy young woman had emerged from. Doubt clouded Bridgett’s mind, but she found herself nodding and following the woman through the beaded curtain. They sat down at a small, round table covered in velvet and draped with lace. A silver box sat on one side of the table, and a small silver bowl of water on the other.

“How do you know who I am?”

“I had a vision about you.”

“Really?” Bridgett was surprised at the response. The woman seemed so genuine. Bridgett could sense her emotions. She was emitting waves of sympathy, sadness, and concern. “What did you see?”

“I will tell you the story, but this is something that you need to see.” She pulled the bowl of water to the center of the small table. Ripples danced across its surface as the water resettled. Silently, she reached over and lifted the lid of the small, silver box. Bridgett noticed intricate carvings of the moon and stars in the metal lid. The woman withdrew a vial of liquid from within the box, and she handed it to Bridgett.

“Please, open this and drip a single drop into the water.” Bridgett eyed her suspiciously, but she did as she was asked and then returned the vial to the woman’s fine-boned hand. “Now, look into the water and I will show you your fate.”

Bridgett stared at the bowl on the table. At first, all she could see was a reflection of the woman’s wavy, black hair and dark, mysterious eyes. Slowly, another image began to form on the surface of the liquid. Nearly imperceptible ripples still traversed the water from the drop of the vial’s contents. Bridgett found it strange, and slightly hypnotic, that the ripples did not seem to be diminishing. The woman spoke in a haunting voice, clear yet soft, with a dream like quality.

“Your heart is bound to a man deeply entwined in prophecy. His path is not his own to choose.” An image of Osric appeared in the bowl. Bridgett’s breath caught in her throat as she watched her love on the fluid’s surface. “Although you strengthen his resolve, and inspire him to overcome, you may also initiate his undoing.” Bridgett gazed at the image, seeing herself in Osric’s arms as fire raged behind him unnoticed. She looked up, her gaze searching for deception in the woman’s eyes. She saw nothing but honest misery. “You have only two possible paths to tread. The first will give you a brief and fleeting, yet eternally enduring, happiness with the man that you love. The second will leave you with your heart shattered, likely unable to ever mend the pieces and love again.” Bridgett felt hot, salty tears streak her cheeks as she watched her own image torn from the embrace of her lover. She was certain that she could feel her own heart breaking as she watched herself fall to her knees in despair.

“Why would I ever choose a life of loveless misery, when I have the option of eternal happiness with Osric?” Bridgett was terrified of the answer, but she could not stop the words from spilling from her lips.

“For every choice, there is consequence.” She looked back at Bridgett with tears in her eyes. “Prophecy has dictated yours.” The woman’s eyes seemed to shift out of focus, and her hands trembled on the table top. Her voice hardened, and there was a perceptible power resonating in her tone as she continued speaking. Images flashed across the surface of the water too quickly for Bridgett to catch them all.

The High-Wizard’s heart will break or blight, casting success onto dark or light. When knowledge shared of knowledge gained is won, cast not the common eye upon the stone. First lay the stones from under ground to sky, then shift the sight and weave the flow of time. Build the order, Aranthians arise.

Bridgett sat back in her chair, stunned. She was acutely aware that she had not just heard a swindler’s ply for coin. That was a genuine prophecy, and the implications made her tremble in fear. The High-Wizard’s heart will break or blight, casting success onto dark or light. The water had shown her the possibilities. When Osric embraced her, the fire raged unchecked and everyone they knew fell around them to the flames. Eventually, they were engulfed in the fire and consumed. Images of her and Osric separated by a great rift with anguished expressions shot terror into her heart. Yet, as Bridgett stood on the brink of the chasm with no access to his loving arms, Osric vanquished the flames and conquered their source.

“Are you telling me that if I do not break Osric’s heart, then I will be the reason for his failure?”

“I do not normally interpret prophecy sweetling, but I think it is far worse than that.”

“So what does it mean?” The woman touched her finger to the surface of the water and Osric’s image disappeared in the resulting ripples.

“As far as I can tell, you hold the key to his heart. His heart must either be broken, or it will decay. Not only will darkness reign, but Osric’s life would cease. You must either refuse to love him, or resign to killing him.” Tears streamed down Bridgett’s face at the woman’s words.

Devastated, she rose to her feet and stumbled from the shop. Her basket of fruit tumbled to the road, forgotten in her blind sorrow. Somehow, Bridgett made it back to the barracks. She could not stop the constant stream of tears flowing from her eyes, and she groped for the wall to guide her steps toward her chambers. Her hand felt heavy and leaden as she reached for the handle to her room. Once inside, she collapsed on the bed and sobbed into her pillow. Her body was wracked with anguish, but as her mind began to go numb from shock, at last she was able to still her tears.

She stood and moved quickly to the large armoire. Within moments, her belongings were packed and she was convinced of her only option. She paced the room silently for a while, the prophecy echoing in her head as she walked. Then suddenly, she stopped and stood perfectly still for the span of many deep breaths. Calmly, realization settled over her, and she slung her pack over her shoulder. It was her only choice. Someday she hoped Osric would forgive her.

“Eo ire itum.”





DEDICATIONS

Molly, never let anyone tell you what you can’t do. You are an amazing girl, and you can do anything you set your mind to. Remember that, Jelly Bean!

~ Jack

For what would life be without love? Thank you, my loves, for believing in me.

~Ashley