Send word to the harbour that my ship is to be ready to sail on the morning tide to Rillanon. And tell my wife to stop fussing over those girls. He glanced at the two young men and grinned. We only had sons, so she aches for a daughter to dress in fine clothing and all that paint women wear. Turning back to the old servant, he said, And ask her to see to supper. Were entertaining royalty tonight!
He stood up, as did the two young men. I dont envy you, either of you, he said softly after the servant left. Fate has set you on a path that will I think have many traps and dangers. I was called to the capital in any event so Ill just leave a few days early. The Congress is gathering as there is much to discuss. Kesh is suing for peace and we must ask about that nonsense. He thought for a moment, then added, Yes, let the King decide whats to be done with the lovely princess and then you two can get back to doing whatever it was you were doing before this fiasco began.
Hal and Ty looked at one another.
Come! the Duke cried. Lets go to my favourite balcony where we can watch the sun set and drink brandy, and you can tell me about the Masters Court.
Both young men were exhausted, but they knew it was likely to be a while before they could rest. As the Duke led them away, Ty whispered, Maybe when we pass out face down at the table and they have to carry us out well get some rest.
As long as its on a full stomach, Ill even sleep in this road-dirt.
I heard that, said the Duke. Bathe first, then brandy!
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Light exploded.
The blinding display was accompanied by a thunderous boom that caused both Amirantha and Sandreena to flinch and fall back a step. Magnus stood outlined in the brilliance of an oval of light that had formed before him, his hand in front of his face, shielding his eyes.
What is that? asked the warlock.
The white-haired magician turned and said, Its some sort of an energy matrix. I attempted to probe the Sven-gari to see if it was in any way different to those Ive seen in the Peaks of the Quor. He pointed to the blinding light. This is unexpected.
The two members of the ruling council of the Pantathians, Takka and Dakit, who had observed the magicians examination of the alien beings called Sven-gari, were also partially blinded by the light.
Magnus blinked as his vision struggled to return to normal. He turned to the two Pantathians and asked, Have you seen anything like that before?
Never, said Takka. The Sven-gari use emotions to communicate; we believe they may in part be responsible for the changes in those of us who live here compared to those who do not.
Magnus nodded. The story of these alien creatures was much the same as he had discovered in the Peaks of the Quor; ordered by their Dragon Lord masters to take care of these beings, the Pantathians like the Quor had diligently discharged that duty.
Magnus looked at the brilliant white oval. I think Ill need to examine this for a while. I have an idea what it might be. He turned to Amirantha and Sandreena. I think it might be wise if you two returned to Sorcerers Isle and spoke with my father. He took out a Tsurani translocation orb and glanced around. After a moment he nodded to himself and began a spell, holding the device before him. It took a few minutes, but then he held out the orb to Amirantha. Ive programmed this to return here. Father is very powerful, but there are a few things he cant do, such as reach a location hes never seen before. I dont need that to get home. Will you please tell him?
Tell him what? asked Sandreena.
Magnus smiled and it was one of the few times either of them had seen him do that. Why, tell him everything, he said with a chuckle. Then he said to Takka, Might I ask for a few things?
What do you require? asked the elder of the two Pantathians. The subtleties of his races expressions were becoming known to Magnus and he smiled. Tea if you have it please, water if not. And perhaps a cushion upon which I might sit. I suspect I will be here a while studying this construction.
Amirantha, Warlock of the Saltumbria, took the Tsurani transport orb. Will you share your suspicions? In case your father asks.
Magnus shrugged. These beings are as alien to us as any we have ever encountered. As far as I can see they are composed entirely of energy, albeit in a coherent form. Moreover, they seem to communicate on a profound level of emotions, which may be subtle enough to convey the most nuanced concepts, but for us are incomprehensible. Imagine, if you will, hearing a group of singers, a choir. Most of us might be able to hear the entirety as a lovely blend, perhaps much as we experience our proximity to the Sven-gari as a feeling of calm and wellness. Some of us might be able to listen to one voice or another within the choir, somehow isolating it from the others. But I suspect, to hold to this analogy, the Sven-gari are ten thousand voices and each of them holds the ability to listen to each voice as a choir, yet each alone, simultaneously.
Amirantha said, Interesting. But what about that oval of light?
I think they are tired of our clumsy attempts to communicate, and are now trying something that may be as alien to them as it is to us. Energy to us is most clearly perceived as light, hence I think they are trying to provide us with a means to communicate.
So, this is ?
I think they are trying to teach me to read, given that I appear deaf to them.
Amirantha smiled. Well, then, well leave you to your studies and convey all weve seen to your father. He glanced at Sandreena who moved to stand next to her former lover, putting a hand upon his arm. With a final nod to the Pantathians and Magnus, Amirantha activated the orb and they were gone.
Magnus turned his attention to the oval of light. He was so focused that when he was brought a cushion he barely registered it as he studied the ripples of light, their intensities and colours, subtle within the larger oval of white. When his tea arrived he did not acknowledge it, and hours later as he studied the oval, it remained untouched.
Magnus found his senses being challenged by a cascade of images. He discovered subtle patterns beginning to emerge as he felt the presence of the Sven-gari, almost a tactile music in his mind, and let his eyes relax, letting the subtle images on the surface of the oval of light play out. After first becoming attuned to the interplay of emotion mental music as he thought of it and the faint patterns within the white light, he began to bring his magic to bear.
More than any magician in the history of this world, including even his father Pug, Magnus could unleash torrents of destructive energies that could shatter mountain tops, turn back the tides, or call up winds to topple city towers, but he also could manipulate the finest threads of a tapestry, capture one raindrop in a storm, or move a sleeping kitten across the room without waking it using his mind alone.
As deftly as a seamstress threading the smallest needle with the tiniest thread, he reached out and caressed the energies. Gently he pushed into the matrix and his mind expanded his exploration carefully.
Wonder overcame Magnus as a crystal-like, three-dimensional network of forces revealed itself. He knew he was barely below the surface of the shimmering white oval, yet at this scale the energies appeared monstrously large and complex. It was like floating through a city of ice, but without streets, with buildings arrayed like massive boxes, and in each of those boxes a million pulses of light per second flickered.
Somewhere in all of this was a pattern that would reveal its purpose, and Magnus was prepared to search as long as it took.
He pressed on.
Perceptions shifted and scales expanded and contracted and Magnus felt as if he floating through a vast universe composed of energy. His body sat motionless in the garden created by the Pantathians for the Sven-gari, but he saw himself as physically in this universe. It was as if he flew by will alone through vast spaces, yet he knew those spaces were in reality as small as the space between the tiniest grains of sand on the beach, as small as the space between drops of rain. He reached out with his mind and felt the coursing of energies as they made their way, in this direction or that, up or down, right or left, in a pattern that was always just beyond the edge of his apprehension.
By Magnuss estimation he had explored only the tiniest portion of the energy field, yet a pattern was slowly beginning to present itself. At first he rejected the idea, believing he was misinterpreting what he was seeing but as time wore on he began to see his comprehension ratified and before long he became certain his theory was borne out.
A deep fatigue overtook him suddenly and a sense of cold and he realized he had no sense of how long he had been exploring inside the energy matrix. To facilitate his exploration, he had created the illusion of a city, with endless basements and sub-levels, buildings that rose to impossible heights, streets without boundaries. He overlaid it on the matrix, giving him a sense of where to start and where he had ended his last probe. In a concession to whim, he even made tiny signs like those hung on taverns, with icons that made it easy for him to know where he was relative to every other part of the matrix he had explored. Behind the entrance he had fashioned a market, a place to which he could return and renew his exploration and then deftly withdraw his consciousness. It was as close as he could get to understanding what it was he confronted, this virtual city of energy.
Suddenly he was chilled and wet and shivering. He blinked and realized it was dark. A Pantathian stood above him holding a large canvas cover, protecting him as much as possible from the punishingly cold rain.
Magnus raised his hand to his face and wiped away wetness and felt stubble on his cheek. He looked at the Pantathian and said, How long have I been here?
The creature apparently didnt speak the Keshian tongue, but from behind him another voice said, All day, the night, the next day, and this night, without moving.