Alastair J. Archibald

Truth of Deception

Chapter 1:"You May Rest When You Are Dead"

Lord Thorn Virias, Prelate of Arnor House of the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Magic-users, Sorcerers and Thaumaturges, groaned as the scrying-crystal on his marble desk flashed a baleful, sickly shade of green. This could only mean that his mother, Lizaveta, sought discourse with him. He considered ignoring the insistent flashing of the glass, but he soon thought better of it; Lizaveta would know he was in his chamber, even without the mental link the crystal provided.

He placed his hands on the crystal with care, as if the bauble might explode at his very touch, and he patterned his mind for the sleight of Telepathy.

"Yes, Mother?"

"Thorn, my dearest son," the familiar voice hissed in his head.

The mental voice invoked the sensation of an army of slimy, slithering worms cascading into his skull. Thorn knew his mother's words were born of anything but love, and he was on his guard in a moment.

"What do you want, Mother?"

"May a mother not contact her only child without suspicion of some ulterior motive?"

In your case, never, you hateful old witch…

It was all Thorn could do to suppress this dangerous thought, but he was a Mage Questor of the Seventh Rank, after all, possessing the willpower of any ten Seculars.

"I am sorry, Mother," he replied, masking his true thoughts.

"Are you satisfied with your lot, Thorn? You sound peevish to me, and you know how I dislike that tone. I greatly prefer ambition to self-pity."

The old witch is playing games with me again, he thought, again just managing to screen his inner mind from her.

"Mother, I am the Prelate of a prestigious Guild House and a full member of the Guild Presidium. I have already achieved more than most mages ever do.

"With your inestimable aid," he quickly added.

"So, you are content to be second-rate; is that it, Thorn?"

Thorn shut his eyes and grimaced. Lizaveta must have further plans in mind for him and he felt, in truth, satisfied with his current position. The political games of High Lodge did not appeal to him in the least. His mother's actions might have obtained him his current lofty rank, but he had been more than happy as a Mage Questor, alongside his steadfast friend and ally, Loras Afelnor: the blood brother he had betrayed.

"May I not rest, Mother?" His telepathic voice emerged plaintive and pitiful, and Thorn reviled himself for grovelling when he had intended to be strong.

"Rest? You may rest when you are dead, Thorn, or when you are High Dominie. Not before."

Thorn knew Lizaveta would never be content, even if he achieved the Guild's ultimate rank. She would always be chiding him, goading him, driving him to some new goal. Lizaveta might leave him alone for a little while after he obtained the position of Dominie, doubtless after some additional, covert act of treachery. Then it would start again: the Guild needed more Houses and more dominions under its thrall: the Houses needed tighter control: the Guild needed more money. It would never end. The Prelate resolved to try once more to beat down his mother's incessant, insensate demands. He knew browbeating and pleading would never work, so he attempted diplomacy instead.

"Mother, I beg you to reconsider. My position here is strong and influential. The House intake of paying Students is up for the second year in a row, and I am a prominent member of the Guild Presidium. However, five others in the ruling council are senior to me. It would be regarded as suspicious in the extreme, to say the least, if they were all to die or renounce their seniorities within a short space of time. You must understand this, Mother. I am working hard to raise my status in the Guild hierarchy, and this is my only sensible method of obtaining the post of Lord Dominie."

A long silence ensued, and Thorn knew Lizaveta was either considering his arguments or preparing another biting rebuke for her hapless son.

"And if I were to employ my magic to persuade Horin to abdicate in your favour…"

At least she seemed to be treating his argument with some seriousness, and the mage suppressed a sigh of relief.

"That would be a flagrant breach of the Guild Articles, Mother. The post of Dominie is for life, and the post must then devolve to the most senior surviving member of the Presidium.

"Horin is a strict Guild man-the kind of man we describe as a walking scroll. You may be sure that the other Presidium mages would scan the very depths of his aura after such uncharacteristic behaviour. This would be no casual examination, using Mage Sight, but a Great Spell of Revelation. The evidence of your potent magic would be plain to such a spell."

"Your Conclave did not even examine Loras Afelnor's aura when he was tried for attempted murder." Thorn fancied he sensed a note of uncertainty in Lizaveta's mind, which he leapt to exploit.

"Loras admitted the crime, thanks again to your powerful spells, and the Conclave accepted the motive I proffered: compassion for a dying man in pain. Loras' aura was inspected, but only with basic Mage Sight, and it revealed the expected signs of guilt and deep contrition. The Conclave saw what they had expected after my impassioned argument on his behalf.

"Nonetheless, only my heartfelt plea to the Conclave, to allow the empathic but misguided Loras a shred of dignity, prevented the deeper examination of his aura. Had this been done, your spell might well have been discovered, and I would not now be Prelate. In fact, I would have been dead for more than forty years.

"I persuaded the Conclave that Loras had acted out of misguided mercy towards Prelate Geral, and they accepted this argument because it rang true. In the case of a healthy, relatively young Dominie resigning his post in favour of a relatively junior member of the Presidium, in flagrant breach of the principles he has publicly upheld for decades, the suspicion of undue influence would be unavoidable. You must see the reason in this, Mother."

This time, the silence hung in the air even longer, and Thorn began to hope he might have persuaded Lizaveta of the impossibility of ousting Horin. His hopes were bolstered by her next words.

"I recognise that I may not have considered this idea in sufficient depth, Thorn. Your argument, for once, is both cogent and rational."

The Prelate gaped in astonishment at his mother's subdued tone. Even the faintest praise from her was a rare occurrence indeed. His rhetoric seemed to have succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. It took all his Questor will to suppress the surge of relief that threatened to betray him.

"I must consider this matter further, Thorn. I may need to work on the other members of the Presidium, so that all accept Horin's resignation and your nomination as his successor."

Lizaveta's mind slithered free from the Prelate's; as always, a most unpleasant experience. Thorn was, once more, alone in his chamber.

The Prelate leant back in his mahogany throne and looked around his comfortable, familiar workroom. It might be small, but Thorn liked it. To his left, a large, diamond-paned bay window afforded a view of verdant forestry and the busy village of Arnor, whose livelihood stemmed from providing the House with all its various needs. The House and the village enjoyed a symbiotic relationship. When the House prospered, so did the artisans and merchants of Arnor, and it was in the House's best interests to ensure that the citizens of the village remained happy with their lot.

Thorn regarded the sumptuous, bucolic tapestries hanging on the chamber walls, a great comfort to him in times of stress. He kicked off his shoes and plunged his bare toes into the thick, red luxurious rug beneath the table, thinking of the Dominie's huge, cold office in High Lodge. Horin was almost never alone; some urgent Guild matter always demanded his attention, and a profusion of advisors, hangers-on and sycophants seeking preferment besieged him at all times.

The Dominie was like a queen ant, incapable of independent thought or action, amidst a swarm of faceless, nameless, controlling workers; a nonentity with a fancy title. Here, safe in Arnor House, Thorn was the absolute ruler of his destiny. A whole community of thaumaturges waited for his least command, depending on him for its needs, but they did not rule his life. If he wanted solitude, he was left in peace. He need not fear assassination or insurrection, here in his comfortable refuge. Thorn imagined that Horin must sleep fitfully at best, fearing treachery or murder from some ambitious individual under his nominal command. Thorn knew he never wanted to bear such a burden, and he also knew Lizaveta would never rest until he was.

The Prelate took a bottle of his favourite brandy from a commodious drawer in his desk, and poured a large quantity of the golden, fiery beverage into a silver goblet. Cupping the chalice in both hands, he raised it to his nostrils and drew the liquor's potent vapours into his lungs, relishing the brandy's, heady aroma. All he needed to do was to take a long draught of the warming, befuddling beverage, and he would be able to forget his troubles.

Here's to you, Loras Afelnor. The thought popped unbidden into his head as he lifted the goblet to his waiting lips. Disturbed, he placed it on the table without sampling the inviting liquid.

Why do you still trouble me, Loras? Leave me alone! Your trial ended long ago, while mine continues. I am as much a victim of my mother as you were, but my punishment never ends. Let me be!

Thorn sighed, knowing he could not blame poor, disgraced Loras for the guilt that plagued him so. Everything, every pang and twinge of guilt and self-accusation, was due to his mother's insane, vicarious ambitions. She had ensured that he entered Arnor House as a pauper, condemning him to the brutal Questor Ordeal, when she could have granted him a prosperous, comfortable lifestyle as a paying Student. Not once had he demurred at her insensate demands, and he had made no more than a token attempt to sway her from condemning his only friend to revilement and universal odium.

Thorn Virias, you're nothing but a coward and a weakling, a disgrace to your craft!

This was a shameful admission for a Seventh Level Questor and House Prelate to make, even to himself, but Thorn no longer cared. As long as Lizaveta plagued him, he would never be free. Because of her, he had subjected an unsuitable Neophyte, Erek Garan, to an intensified Questor Ordeal until the lad had lost his mind. The result was a dead Senior Magemaster to bury and a scandal to be suppressed. The experiment had been a ghastly disaster.

Lizaveta, of course, accepted no blame for the debacle, pointing out how Loras Afelnor's grandson, Grimm, had prevailed in similar circumstances. This might be true, but Thorn feared the lad's survival of his intensified Ordeal had made him altogether too independent and obstinate.

The report from Questor Xylox concerning his and Questor Grimm's recent Quest certainly made damning reading in this regard.

Thorn skimmed through the document: '… a reasonably powerful and confident magic-user.'; 'In time, Questor Grimm may prove a useful asset to our House and Guild, but…'; '…insubordinate, wayward and headstrong… '

The report concluded, 'It is recommended that Questor Grimm Afelnor not be considered for promotion at this time, despite a few useful contributions to the successful conclusion of this most important Quest.'

The Prelate knew Xylox was not one to mince words. The report implied that the older Questor respected the abilities of the young mage, if not his attitude. Xylox evidently acknowledged the youth as a powerful mage, but also as a reckless hothead likely to act on his own initiative if unchecked by his seniors.

Thorn, however, considered that this very hotheadedness might be of considerable advantage to his cause. The wayward Grimm Afelnor might prove to be the ideal weapon to aid the Prelate in the elimination of his main problem, Lizaveta. All that was necessary was a few hints to provide the trigger, and the Prelate knew he already had at hand the best possible trigger: the betrayal of Loras Afelnor, at her instigation.

The more Thorn considered the matter, the better things looked. He raised his neglected goblet to his mouth, savouring the liquor's slow burn as it slipped down his throat, relishing the familiar, warm glow spreading through his body.

The political phrase was 'plausible deniability', the ability to disavow all involvement if a plan misfired. Thorn might plant subtle seeds of revenge in the boy's mind, so that the youth might be moved to seek out Lizaveta and destroy her, but he must also ensure that Questor Grimm never discovered her relationship to his Prelate. It was also necessary that the young mage never discovered the information's ultimate source.

These factors might be difficult to arrange. Only Thorn had benefited directly from Loras' disgrace and expulsion from the Guild, and Grimm would surely realise that if the clues were too overt. The boy might also demand to hear Lizaveta's reasons for the betrayal; he might stay his hand long enough for her to mention that she was Thorn's mother, and that she had acted to advance his status.

This would be a most unsatisfactory state of affairs.

However, if Afelnor accomplished the deed, it did not matter if he was discovered in the act or not; he was the Traitor's grandson, after all. For all the youth's protestations, nobody in the whole Guild would take the word of a young mage over that of a Prelate who had treated him well.

On the other hand, if Afelnor succeeded in destroying Lizaveta without arousing any suspicion, his future as an Arnor House Questor was assured; Thorn would not raise a murmur, even if the boy were ever elected as Dominie at some far-distant time.

I have some time in hand, the Prelate thought. Even Mother isn't powerful enough to ensorcel all the mages in the Presidium at one sitting, or anything like it. That's just as well, because I'll need to take my time over this little stratagem.

Thorn scratched his hairless pate and frowned, considering the deeper ramifications of his plan.

The boy might have sworn a solemn oath to defend the interests of the House and the Guild, but it may not be enough. I need to make him trust me, so he'll do anything I ask.

For a start, I can recommend him for promotion. Xylox won't like it, but I can make it plain that I recognise the boy's very real worth to the Guild by adding the sixth ring to his staff; the Presidium won't complain, and I can let Afelnor know that I promoted him despite his senior Questor's strongest recommendations to the contrary.

The Prelate smiled. This plan seemed flawless.

I'm sorry, Xylox, but you'll have to look like the villain here. Perhaps if I recommend you for a healthy stipend and an extended entry in the 'Deeds of the Questors', you'll feel better.

The realistic prospect of Lizaveta's removal from his life cheered Thorn no end, and he drained his goblet at a gulp. The fact that his mother seemed to have taken a shine to the boy could only add a satisfying tinge of irony to the enterprise.

So you wouldn't mind meeting our young Afelnor up close, eh, Mother? Perhaps you'll get your wish: but, after all, they do say you ought to be careful what you wish for, don't they?

While I don't envy the boy this particular Quest, he's probably the best chance I have of being rid of you for good.

Thorn refilled his goblet, raised it high and laughed out loud for the first time since his youth.

Here's to you, dear Mother; long may you rot.

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Chapter 2: The Uncertain Future

Grimm Afelnor, Mage Questor of the Fifth Rank and Baron of Crar, sat at ease in a red leather divan in his well-lit day-room. With his beloved Drexelica at his side, he felt at peace. The early morning sun cast warm, golden rays that made the room's mahogany panelling glow with rich hues, and the costly rug upon the floor shone in all its colourful grandeur. This was Grimm's last day in Crar before he must return to Arnor House, and he felt determined to savour every moment of it. Could anything be better than this?

Grimm took Drexelica in his arms and kissed her. She returned the embrace with warm passion, and he lost himself in her deep, blue eyes until interrupted by a sharp rap at the chamber door.

"I won't be a moment, Drex," he whispered into her ear. "It's probably just some Council official after the latest grain production figures."

Extricating himself from Drex's entwining arms with great reluctance, he opened the door. A towering grey-green apparition stood before him, exposing a mouthful of fangs like carving knives, and a wide-eyed Drexelica gasped.

"It's all right, Drex, it's just my good friend and Seneschal, Shakkar," Grimm called over his shoulder, turning back to the mighty demon and extending his hand. "Shakkar, my friend, it's good to be able to spend a little time with you at last."

The demon reached out to grasp the human's right wrist. Grimm tried to copy his friend, but his hand barely reached half-way around the oversized, muscular limb.

"I feel the same, Lord Baron." The demon's basso profundis rumble shook the room. "It has been a long time since we were last able to talk in such an intimate manner."

Since Grimm's return to Crar with General Quelgrum's technology-using army in tow, Shakkar had spent much of his time in acquainting the General's soldiers with the ways and customs of Crar, in an attempt to integrate fifteen-hundred armed men into the populace. Grimm had also had to endure many a lengthy, tedious meeting with the city council, so he felt more than happy to be able to devote a little time to his gigantic friend at last.

"Too long, Shakkar," Grimm agreed. "I never knew that so much of the time of a Baron was taken up with adjudicating grazing rights, settling disputes and appointing minor dignitaries. Still, I guess you're only too familiar with that."

"Greetings, Shakkar," a familiar voice piped from a pocket in Grimm's robes, and the tiny head of the ever-present Thribble popped into view. As ever, the Questor had all but forgotten that the resourceful, six-inch tall demon was there: the minuscule creature might be an invaluable companion, but he seemed somehow easy to overlook or forget.

"Greetings, Thribble," the titan boomed. "It is good to see you again."

Shakkar fixed his eyes on Drexelica, who still sat on the divan. Her expression was nervous in the extreme.

"Grimm, will you not introduce me to this lovely, toothsome piece of mortal flesh?" The demon bared his fearsome array of dental weaponry once more, and Drex shrank back from the dread apparition.

Grimm suppressed a chuckle. "Drexelica, this is my good friend, Shakkar. Don't worry; he won't eat you, for all his terrifying aspect and his occasional lack of tact." He shot a hard look at the demon, who appeared unaffected even by the commanding gaze of a Guild Questor. "Shakkar, this is Drexelica, who will be keeping house for me."

Since sensual relations between mages and women were regarded within the Guild as unseemly, Grimm and Drex had agreed that the fewer people who were aware of their true relationship, the better. The Questor had implicit trust in his titanic ally, but he knew that Shakkar was, on occasion, a little clumsy in his speech. Of course, the ubiquitous Thribble knew that the two young humans were in love, but the minuscule demon, teller of sagas to his more powerful underworld kin, was well aware of the value of discretion in the information he revealed.

The girl held out her right hand, and Shakkar bent at the waist as if it were a hinge, touching his closed mouth to the proffered extremity in a lipless but gentle parody of a kiss. Drex laughed as the frightening apparition performed his solemn obeisance, and the demon jerked upright.

"Was my act somehow amusing to you, young female?" Shakkar demanded.

"I was just glad to see that a person with such big claws and teeth was also a real gentleman," Drex replied, and the demon snorted.

Grimm suspected that, if Shakkar were capable of blushing, his grey-green face would have been blazing cherry-red, and the mage could feel Thribble shaking in his robe pocket, as if the imp were seized by a fit of silent laughter. Shakkar's discomfiture notwithstanding, the ice seemed to have broken.

For the next two hours, Grimm and Shakkar discussed civic matters: the growing trade links that Crar had formed with surrounding towns since it had been liberated from the baleful dictatorship of Starmor; the disbursement of city funds; and the refurbishment of important buildings. If Drex found the discussion tedious, she hid it well, but she breathed a sigh of relief when Shakkar made his excuses and left.

"I doubt you'll ever find life with a Guild Questor normal, Drex," Grimm said with a smile. "If you wanted a quiet life in some peaceful backwater, with climbing roses up the walls and cows in the field, I'm afraid you've made the wrong choice of partner."

Drexelica laughed. "I'm not sorry at all, Grimm. I want only to be with you, no matter what happens. I know you won't be able to be at my side all the time, or even a lot of the time, but I'll try not to let it get me down."

"I have a duty to the Guild, and to my family name," Grimm said with a sigh. "I've made a public vow to uphold the values of the Guild, and a private one to redeem the name of Afelnor in its eyes. I can't just throw that aside, even for you, Drex. I wish I could, but I can't. I have my family's reputation to restore."

"I know, Grimm, and I surely respect you for it. For all the rotten life I had, I've never had to shoulder a bad family name, too. Is that why you call your staff 'Redeemer'?"

Grimm nodded. "My granfer, Loras Afelnor, is reviled as a traitor and a renegade, just because he took pity on a sick old man. He's tortured by the memory, and he so wants me to wash the blemish from our name. It's a heavy burden, but not one I can easily deny."

Drex took his hands in hers. "You don't really believe your Granfer tried to kill the old Prelate, do you, Grimm?"

Grimm shrugged. "He did try to kill Geral, Drex; I can't deny it, even to myself. I've met Granfer only once since I became a Guild Mage, but I saw the guilt and pain in his aura clearly enough. I didn't say anything about it to him, but I've seen his confession in the Guild records. Yes, he tried to kill the Prelate, surely enough… even so, something seems wrong about the whole thing."

Drex's brows arched. "D'you think his confession was forced out of him, then?"

The Questor shook his head. "I think Granfer's confession was true, as far as he knew. He was caught in the act by his best friend, who is now Lord Thorn, and he never even tried to deny the act.

"It's not what he did, Drex, but how he did it. Pushing a pillow over an old man's face… it's just so bloody physical. Granfer Loras was a Mage Questor of the Seventh Rank, an avatar of destruction, a Weapon of the Guild. There must have been a hundred ways he could have snuffed out Prelate Geral's life from a distance if he wanted to. It wouldn't have needed anything like as much power as it would to kill a younger mage. Geral was a tired old man, and he was dying."

The girl frowned. "But, Grimm, you just said you believed he did it. Now you're saying you don't. I don't understand. If he tried to snuff the old man, what difference does it make how he did it? Perhaps he was acting… in the heat of the moment, or something. Men don't always think things through too clearly, do they?"

Grimm laughed, although he saw little humour in the situation.

"A Guild Mage isn't like ordinary men, and a Mage Questor is even less so. You don't get to be a forty-year-old Questor of the Seventh Rank by acting on impulse," he said. "It's something I'm often guilty of, but I'm trying as hard as I can to eradicate it. I'll have to if I want to make old bones. Otherwise, sooner or later, some stupid mistake'll catch me out, and it could be fatal.

"Granfer Loras was an old hand, and he'd been on dozens of difficult and dangerous Quests. You can be sure he never acted just on the spur of the moment. And with an infinite number of spells potentially at his command-invisible, undetectable spells-you can bet he'd never have chosen to push a pillow in the old man's face. Not unless he wanted to be caught, and I don't believe that.

"The only other explanation I can think of is that someone-a single mage with unbelievable magical power, or a group of mages acting in concert-ensorcelled him into doing what he did." Grimm hissed through his teeth in an attempt to dispel the tension within him. "Everyone in the House expected Granfer to succeed Geral as Prelate. From what I heard, he wouldn't have had to wait long. He didn't need to take the risk of assassinating the old man just to get him out of the way… and even if his motivation was pure mercy, why did he choose such a blatant, obvious method? Geral couldn't have put up any resistance; Granfer could have stopped his weak heart in a second with a quick, merciful spell, instead of trying to smother him. He wouldn't even have had to leave his room.

"It doesn't ring right, Drex. It doesn't make any sense at all."

Drexelica leaned forward, cupping her chin with her right hand as if considering what to say next.

"Who got the most out of your granfer's disgrace, Grimm?"

The young mage shrugged. "Lord Thorn, I suppose. When Geral finally died, Lord Thorn became Prelate instead of Granfer."

He saw Drex's eyes narrowing, and he shook his head, seeing where the discussion was heading.

"Lord Thorn was Granfer's staunchest friend!" he protested. "The expected sentence was death, and only Lord Thorn's pleading swayed the adjudicator at Granfer's trial. If Thorn'd been the guilty party, why would he want to spare Granfer's life?"

Grimm sighed. He had nothing more than a slew of vague suspicions and doubts, nothing on which he could put his finger. He had considered the matter in some depth, but he knew he had no reason whatsoever to suspect Thorn of any wrongdoing. A spell capable of making a full Questor act against his will, while believing he was acting under free will, must be beyond the power of any single mage. Such an enchantment might have been carried out by a Great Spell, a large group of potent thaumaturges acting in concert, yet it seemed that Loras had been a popular mage, both within the House and at High Lodge.

No, Lord Thorn could not have done this.

After long cogitation, Grimm spoke.

"No, Drex, I don't for a moment think Lord Thorn did it. I have absolutely no reason to suspect him. In fact, books I read at High Lodge led me to believe that the only possible explanation involved powerful Geomancy, witch magic, rather than Guild magic."

Drexelica started. "I'm not all that powerful, but I've read quite a lot about witchery, Grimm. You must believe me when I tell you no ordinary witch could cast a spell like that. It would take a more powerful witch than I've ever heard of. Why would a strong witch hate your grandfather so much? Witches don't have a lot to do with the Guild."

Grimm shrugged. "I don't know, Drex. Perhaps Lord Thorn could just tell me a little more about Granfer's manner when he committed the act: a peculiar expression on his face, an abnormality in his aura: something, at any rate. I mean to ask him, as soon as I get back to Arnor."

Drexelica put her hand on Grimm's shoulder and looked deep into his eyes. "If you're serious about doing that, do be careful, Grimm. You don't want to make Lord Thorn angry with you, do you? You said he can make you a poor servant for years if he wants to, and I don't want to lose you."

"I don't know what I want," the young Questor confessed in confusion and discomfort, waving his hands as if seeking divine inspiration. "But I'd never forgive myself if I knew that I'd left some stone unturned. Granfer's a stern man and a hard taskmaster, but he'd do anything for me. He and my grandmother Drima are all the family I've got."

"I know," the girl whispered. "Of course you need to find out what happened, but just be careful. Will you do that? Men can be so clumsy and tactless at times, and I worry for you."

"I'll be careful, Drex, I promise. Lord Thorn is severe, but I think he's fair and reasonable at heart, if he's in a good mood. He'll understand why I have to know, I'm sure. And in any case, I wouldn't worry too much about me being condemned to the scullery. I'm more useful as a Questor, and in any case, I'm sure I'm rich enough to pay off my education now. I've never been told what the tariff is for Questors, but I've got plenty of money now."

Drexelica hugged him. "Just you take care of yourself, Grimm, and come back to me. If you get yourself killed, you'll have me to answer to. You wouldn't like that, I promise you. I have my mother's temper at times, and she was a real witch in every sense."

She wagged a mock-admonitory finger in his face.

Grimm laughed, despite his sombre mood. "I'll be careful, I promise."

Then his face fell again. "You do realise that I may have to stay at the House for a while longer before I can come back home? I don't want anything more than to stay here with you, but I'm not a free man yet. After a few more Quests, a little more boost in reputation, and I may be trusted to spend all my free time in Crar without running away."

Drex nodded, her expression a little bleak. "I'll wait for you, Grimm Afelnor. I'll trust your friend Shakkar to look after me, and I'll be thinking of you while you're away."

Grimm shrugged. "It may not be too bad, Drex. Lord Thorn may not order me to stay at the House after all, and Quests don't come about all that often. I'll let you know, whatever happens."

"I know you will, Grimm. Anyway, enough of that! Why don't you tell me all about your first Quest, and your friend, Dalquist?"

"I'm sure Thribble here can tell it better than I could," Grimm replied, smiling. "What do you say, Thribble?"

The demon hopped onto the table in front of the divan, enthusiastic and athletic. "I thought you would never ask, human. I love to tell stories."

Drex clapped her hands and turned to Grimm. "He's so sweet, Grimm! I love him!"

"Sweet!" the demon squeaked in indignation.

"Please, just tell the story, Thribble, while I get my bags packed for the journey. Perhaps you'd like a little wine or brandy to lubricate your throat?"

"Brandy would be marvellous!" the demon crowed, clapping his tiny paws. "Well, young female, I first met Questor Grimm when the demon Starmor ruled this city: but it was a very different city then. Questor Grimm and his companions were trapped…"

Drexelica sat silent, her eyes wide as Thribble launched into his tale with his customary gusto. Grimm felt happy to let the demon take his mind off his uncertain future.

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Chapter 3: Lord Thorn's Assessment

The morning was warm and sunny, with a cloudless blue sky, but the young thaumaturge barely noticed. As Grimm rode up the winding mountain pass to the fortress that was Arnor House, his mind remained focused on his forthcoming meeting with Lord Thorn. On his last Quest, the senior mage, Xylox the Mighty, had promised that his report to the Prelate would be 'on balance, favourable'. However, the older Questor had made little secret of his dislike for Grimm, even if he appeared to respect his junior's resourcefulness and power. All depended on whether Lord Thorn's view coincided with that of Xylox, and the young Questor knew the Prelate's temper to be unpredictable at best.

At the very least, it seemed probable that Grimm would be required to stay at the House for a further period, away from his Barony and his beloved Drexelica. At worst, he might be censured, with a black mark to go on his record, which might blight his Guild career and bar further promotion.

As the black stronghold hove into view, Grimm quashed his anxieties and fears; there was little point in worrying about what he could not change. As he approached the entry portal, he dismounted and hobbled his horse at the wooden rail by the path, and he strode to the door with a determined manner. He raised his ring-bearing left hand and the door swung open to reveal the familiar, bowed figure of the aged major-domo known to all in the House by the simple appellation of Doorkeeper.

"Questor Grimm!" the old man crowed, his face crinkling into a smile. "It is wonderful to have you back where you belong, marvellous, yes, marvellous, indeed."

Grimm knew he truly belonged with Drexelica, but he was not about to say so; even the most innocent relationship with a member of the distaff sex was frowned upon within the Guild.

"Greetings, Doorkeeper, it's good to be back."

A House servant appeared, and Doorkeeper instructed him to stable the mage's horse, and to take the luggage to Grimm's room. "So, Questor Grimm, did you have a good retreat at Crar? I've heard the weather can be quite bad down there, quite horrible at times, I've heard, I think."

"I had a marvellous time, thank you, Doorkeeper."

"I'm afraid I can't spare you much time, Questor Grimm." Doorkeeper's wizened face bore an apologetic expression. "I have some important things to do for tonight, some very important business. Adept Numal's staff rebounded three times from the Stone this morning, and he is now a full Mage Necromancer. His Acclamation feast will be held this evening, and, as usual, I will be required to arrange it all. So much work; you'd think they'd take pity on my poor old bones…"

Grimm's brow furrowed. The name Numal seemed somehow familiar to him, but he could not quite place it. When the major-domo finished his wordy, babbling lament, he said so.

"You met him at least once," replied Doorkeeper. "I introduced him to you in the Refectory on your first day here, all those years ago."

With a sudden rush, recollection flooded into Grimm's mind. Numal was the strange, sepulchral figure who had told the seven-year-old Student of his hidden desire to be an entertainer. Numal's words, spoken so long before, flew into his brain: In my youth, I was told that my imitation of Daffo the Clown was very amusing.

So the would-be entertainer had mastered his craft at last, exchanging song and dance for the ability to communicate with the dead and to augur the future from chicken entrails. Part of Grimm's psyche rejoiced at the pale, sad-looking man's success after years of unremitting effort, while another mourned the death of the would-be comedian and dancer. The stage's loss had been the House's gain.

"Still, that's enough talk," Doorkeeper said, interrupting the young mage's philosophical musings. "You'll want to get ready for your meeting with the Lord Prelate, I'm sure. Your usual room's made up in the West Wing, and Lord Thorn isn't expecting you for another hour."

Grimm smiled. "What would I do without you, Doorkeeper? Thank you. I know the way; I also know you must have a lot to do."

Making his excuses, the Questor strode through the Great Hall. Was it his imagination, or was the vestibule not quite as magnificent as he remembered it? The blue and gold hexagonal paving slabs that made up the hall, the same colours as his fine silk robes, seemed duller than he recalled. For the first time, Grimm noticed distinct scratches in the blue sky-dome, and the dreamy, soft tones pervading the chamber seemed tired and lifeless, having once brought visions of heaven to him. Only the black, eternal Breaking Stone, against which each hopeful Adept must test his hand-made Staff before he could be declared a full Guild Mage, looked pristine and fresh.

The stairs winding up to the West Wing mages' chambers bore deep, semicircular depressions, marking the passage of countless generations of House incumbents, a heritage of centuries. Grimm's room, however, was just as he remembered it; basic, perhaps, but comfortable beyond the dreams of any mere charity Student. He was pleased to see his bags were already waiting for him on his bed, which had the distinctive, clean smell of fresh linen. He noted the full ewer of water and the soap by the washbasin, and he stripped off his robe.

Grimm felt dusty and grimy after his long journey, and he found the cold water bracing and refreshing. His worries seemed to wash away with the dirt of the road, and he hummed a cheerful tune as he laved himself. Taking a soft, white towel from one of his travelling bags, he rubbed down his body until his skin shone pink. Still naked, he took forth a small pair of scissors and trimmed his dark brown beard and his fingernails. He then started on his hair, brushing it until it shone, and then tying it in its accustomed place at the nape of his neck. At last, Grimm donned fresh clothes. He looked with a critical eye at his reflection, in the round mirror behind the wash basin. Something was missing…

"Redeemer, to me," he muttered. He thrust out his right hand without looking around, and his staff flew into his grasp, obedient and faithful as ever.

In the mirror, he did not see Grimm Afelnor, but a powerful and confident thaumaturge.

Power and presence complete the mage.

It had taken Grimm many years to understand what the true meaning of that familiar, oft-repeated phrase, but now he knew he possessed both. He was a Mage Questor, in the full flush of youth, and he looked dangerous.

I'm a true Weapon of the Guild now, thought Grimm, with a smile. I'm ready.

****

"Enter." The word was peremptory and terse, as Grimm had expected. Steeling himself, he opened the door. As usual, Lord Thorn was sitting hunched over his monumental marble desk, behind a stack of papers. As Grimm closed the door, the Prelate looked up, and his expression seemed to brighten, much to the young Questor's surprise.

"Ah, welcome, Questor Grimm; it is good to see you. Please, do sit down."

Grimm sat, wary of some sort of trap. As no question had been put to him, he remained silent.

Thorn picked up a sheaf of papers. "This is Questor Xylox's report on your last Quest. It makes interesting reading, Questor Grimm."

Now, Grimm felt sure some sort of punishment was coming. Xylox would have his revenge at last on his despised underling.

The Prelate smiled; an expression Grimm had never seen before on his face. Did it portend good news or a sadistic pleasure at the prospect of haranguing a helpless underling?

"Before I acquaint you with the report's contents, Questor Grimm, I would like to hear your opinion of your fellow Questor."

Struggling to keep his face impassive, Grimm cleared his throat in order to give himself a little time to think. His true opinion of Xylox was that the man was a pompous, overbearing, self-important prig, but to say so to Lord Thorn would be tantamount to professional suicide. However, he would not let the older Questor get off scot-free.

Grimm knew he should avoid hesitation and obfuscation, since clarity and fluidity of speech were essential qualities in any Guild Mage.

"Lord Thorn, I find Questor Xylox an admirable and powerful magic-user. He is resourceful and dedicated, and it is hard to conceive of a more faithful servant of either this House or our Guild.

"However, I also find him an obdurate and humourless man. I believe Questor Xylox would be a more rounded mage were he to unbend a little, on occasion. Our relationship was, to say the least, somewhat strained, even hostile at times, due in part to what I saw as unnecessary formality in very difficult circumstances."

Thorn nodded, his face an unreadable mask.

"So this report implies, Questor Grimm. Questor Xylox writes that you opposed him on some occasions and even went so far as to disobey him on others. He says he regards you as ill-disciplined and wilful, and he recommends that you not be promoted to any higher rank for a period of at least five years, until you have learned to control what he calls your wayward, insubordinate spirit. Do you have anything to say in rebuttal of this assessment, Questor Grimm?"

So it was to be a tongue-lashing, at least, and Grimm's heart sank into his boots. The smallest of black marks on his record as a Questor might blight his future career for as long as it lasted.

Nonetheless, he would go down fighting as best he could.

"As far as I can tell, Lord Prelate, Questor Xylox begrudges me my youth, my staff, my ring and the very air I breathe. He made it quite clear that he despised me at our very first meeting, despite my best attempts to treat him with all the respect his rank deserves. His attitude towards me went downhill from there. Questor Xylox seemed to believe it as his personal privilege to govern any and all facets of my behaviour at any time. More than once, he swore to break me and see me condemned to menial servitude in the House scullery for the least of perceived transgressions. Whilst he tempered his opinion of my thaumaturgic abilities somewhat by the end of the Quest, I could tell he still looked down on me, for whatever reason."

Thorn remained immobile, his hands clenched under his chin, his face an enigmatic and unreadable mask.

His speech increasing in intensity and speed, Grimm continued: "Lord Thorn, I swear to you that I acted in the best interests of the Quest, the House and the Guild at all times. I do not regard omitting Mage Speech on a few occasions as either mutiny or insubordination. If saving a poor girl from slavery is an act of rebellion, then I will acknowledge myself a rebel. However, the fact of the matter is that Questor Xylox, called the Mighty, has a chip on his shoulder the size of the Royal Barge. I lack the strength to dislodge it, so if I must suffer for the fact, then so much the worse for me."

Grimm felt his face burning with anger, and he realised he was staring straight into Thorn's blue eyes; this might be construed as an act of defiance on its own.

"That is all I have to say on the subject, Lord Prelate," he said in a softer voice, averting his piercing gaze.

"Well, well, well," the Prelate said, and Grimm could swear he heard a trace of amusement in Thorn's voice. "I see that Questor Xylox's assessment of you bore at least a kernel of truth."

Grimm said nothing. He had to admit that Xylox was correct on at least one count: he was hot-headed, and he realised he might well have overstepped the mark in his forthright assessment of the senior mage's character.

"However, provided the bounds of propriety are not breached, I appreciate a certain degree of outspoken candour in a Questor," the Prelate intoned.

Grimm made to expostulate against an unfair judgement before the actual meaning of Lord Thorn's words hit him. He looked up, his eyes wide in disbelief.

Thorn nodded. "That's right, Questor Grimm. I find it a useful asset to have independent minds at work on a single problem. I don't want mannequins or puppets."

Grimm felt as if he had to make a conscious effort to keep his jaw attached to his face. The severe Lord Thorn, using common vernacular-what was the House coming to?

"Relax, young Afelnor. I'm not about to throw you to the lions. I have known Questor Xylox for many years, and I hold the deepest respect for him as a Questor. However, I'd be the first to admit that, as a human being, he leaves a little to be desired. Our friend Xylox tends to imagine he has more influence in the House and the Guild than he really does. I don't take kindly to mages who think they can issue orders to reward or punish one of my subjects as they see fit.

"Consequently, I'm going to ignore Xylox's advice to bar you from further promotion; I think that a certain amount of initiative and imagination needs to be encouraged and fostered. I think you performed admirably on a long and difficult quest and, in recognition of that, I have recommended to Lord Dominie Horin that you be elevated to the Sixth Rank. You will be pleased to know that he has acceded to my request; congratulations, Questor Grimm."

Grimm's head seemed to whirl. Instead of censure as a renegade and a rebel, he found himself congratulated and rewarded for a job well done. Thorn's next words did not reduce his disorientation: "Would you like a drink, Questor Grimm?"

The young mage blinked, wondering if this was some test of his character.

"I have a particularly good brandy here," the Prelate continued, "and I find drinking more enjoyable in good company. I would be grateful if you would share a little of this liquor with me."

The Prelate poured a generous dose of the golden liquid into a goblet, and placed it on the table in front of the stunned Grimm.

"Thank you, Lord Prelate," was all Grimm could say as he picked up the goblet and took a healthy swig of the enlivening beverage. The fiery liquid steadied him, and he recovered his equanimity.

Thorn leaned back in his throne and stretched. "Now, Questor Grimm, that's enough House talk. Relax, have a drink and tell me a little about yourself and your recent Quest, in your own words. I learn so little about many of the mages in my House, and my position is often tedious. I welcome the chance to meet talented young questors like you: you remind me of how I was at your age."

The rest of the meeting seemed to pass in a blur. Grimm felt as if his world had been turned upside down, and he had no idea of most of what he had said in response to Lord Thorn's prompting. He had come prepared for an argument, and to defend himself, and Thorn's unexpected reaction had quite wrong-footed him. He walked out of the Prelate's office as if he were floating on air.

Thorn had even granted him leave to stay in Crar when he was not on House or Guild business. Drexelica would be pleased.

****

As the door closed behind the Afelnor boy, Thorn smiled, and toasted himself with more brandy. "In no time, I'll have him eating out of my hand. Look out, Mother, there's a storm brewing."

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 4: Misgivings

Grimm smiled as he strode back to his chamber. The interview had gone better than he could have hoped, and the young mage had the ultimate goal of the coveted Seventh Rank in sight at the young age of seventeen.

As he passed the Breaking Stone, he paused and slapped a hand against his forehead. He had intended to ask Lord Thorn, the only living eye-witness to the deed, more about the circumstances of Loras' attempted murder of Prelate Geral, and he had forgotten. With Thorn in such good humour, it would have been an ideal opportunity, and, doubtless, tomorrow the Prelate would be back to his normal cold, acerbic self. Grimm toyed with the idea of going straight back to Thorn's chamber, but this would be a breach of protocol. With his slate wiped clean, it seemed unadvisable to sully it by annoying the Master of the House with aimless questions.

"You appear lost, Brother Mage," a cold, sepulchral voice said behind him. "May I help you?"

The young mage spun around, to see a tall, spare, black-clad figure. The man carried a plain, unadorned staff, which meant that, although technically a First Rank Mage, he had not yet distinguished himself enough to gain the first gold ring. The man appeared to be of middle age, but this was unsurprising, since most mages took decades to reach mastery. Mage Questors were the only exceptions to this rule.

"Please, don't trouble yourself, Brother," the Questor replied. "I was lost only in thought. I am Questor Grimm Afelnor."

"Necromancer Numal Falwort, at your service," the pale-skinned apparition intoned, and Grimm remembered.

"Congratulations on your Acclamation, Necromancer Numal," Grimm said. "We met once before, when I was a new Student."

The tall man's brows knitted, as if he were trying to make the memories flow.

"Doorkeeper took me to the Refectory," the Questor continued. "There was a group of noisy Students, and you were with a couple of Neophytes: one was an Alchemist, and I don't recall the other. You told me you had wanted to be a stage entertainer, a dancer or a mimic."

Numal's face cleared. "Of course; I remember now. My companions were Adept Herbalist Funval and Adept Alchemist Malwarth. Malwarth's first Staff shattered on the Stone, and he is working to build a second. Funval is also working hard on his own."

The new mage's eyes flicked towards Grimm's staff with its five rings, and Grimm saw the ghost of envy flitting across his face.

Grimm did his best not to cringe with embarrassment; the early maturation of Questors was a bane to many mages, who studied for decades to achieve mastery.

Numal must have noted the young man's discomfort. "I'm sorry, Questor Grimm. I know little of what you Questors go through, but I've heard it's no picnic. I shouldn't envy you your youth."

The price of Grimm's early Acclamation was a long, lingering glimpse into the abyss of insanity, into which he had so nearly fallen. It was not something he would wish upon anybody.

"Don't worry, Brother Mage," he said, shrugging "I'm getting used to it… almost."

A long pause ensued as the two mages looked at each other, until Numal broke the impasse.

"Questor Grimm, would you care to attend my little ceremony tonight? We Necromancers are a solitary lot, and there won't be many friendly faces there."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Grimm declared, smiling.

"Excellent," Numal said. "I'll ask Doorkeeper to set you a place."

"Thank you, Necromancer Numal, I'll make a point of being there."

The black-clad man fidgeted a little, as if uncomfortable. "Please, Questor Grimm, just call me 'Numal'. I won't feel like a true mage until I have that first ring on my staff."

Grimm nodded. "In that case, please just call me 'Grimm', Numal," he said.

"Well met, Grimm," the skull-faced mage replied, looking a little sheepish. "Look, I'm sure an important man like you has a lot to do, so I mustn't take up any more of your valuable time."

Grimm smiled again. He knew just how useless Numal must feel, waiting for the cheery, drunken ordeal of his Acclamation feast after years of solitude and study. "Not at all, Numal," he said. "I don't have anything planned today. As a matter of fact, I'd be very interested to hear just what you Necromancers do; it's not a Speciality I'm familiar with."

Numal shrugged. "It's not a craft many people like to hear about," he admitted, "but it isn't all bones and entrails, I assure you. For my part, I'd love to hear more about you Questors. Magemaster Crohn didn't tell my class much about you."

"Or mine," Grimm admitted. "Why don't we go to the Refectory and chat for a while?"

****

Since the Refectory was out of bounds to humble Students except at specific times, Grimm knew it would be relatively quiet. Although it was open indefinitely to Adepts and certain Neophytes at advanced stages of their training, Grimm felt no surprise to find the area deserted: such boys and men tended to devote long hours to their studies.

With a sigh, Numal lowered himself into one of the comfortable seats in the more opulently furnished area of the Refectory, an area which Grimm, as a former charity Student, had been denied for most of his time at the House. It still felt a privilege to be there, as he sat on the opposite side of the expensive, marble-topped table.

"So, Numal, would you tell me a little more of your craft? I know it involves dead bodies, but little beyond that."

Numal stretched; a sinuous, languorous movement, flexing his slender hands with a carronade of popping joints. "It's not really about dead bodies at all, Grimm, but departed souls. A soul leaving the body remains connected to it, by what we call the 'silver cord', for some time after death. The cord stretches away from the body until the soul becomes aware of its death."

The Necromancer's eyes turned blank for a moment, and then he laughed. "I don't have to tell you anything about that, of course. Anyone who's ever undergone astral projection, like you have, knows all about the cord."

Grimm blinked, confused. "Why do you say that, Numal? I've never astrally projected in my life."

"Yes, you have, Grimm," Numal insisted. "We Necromancers have a keen eye for details of the aura unknown to most mages, and your cord shows that you have visited the astral plane on at least one occasion in the recent past. You must surely remember. I'm told it's an unforgettable experience."

A Guild Mage's aura was supposed to be sacrosanct, and it was a breach of protocol to use Mage Sight in such a manner without the mage's consent, but Grimm barely noticed the unwonted intrusion.

The young Questor shook his head. "I'm not lying to you, Numal. We Questors are not taught specific techniques and spells; we have to generate them as required. I have never cast a spell of astral projection."

Numal laughed: a strangely human sound, at odds with his forbidding appearance. "Have you ever had a dream that seemed particularly intense?"

"Yes, Numal: many times, particularly during my Ordeal," Grimm said, shrugging.

The Necromancer shook his head. "I mean a dream that seemed more real than reality itself. A dream in which you found yourself floating towards some kind of destiny, as if guided by some external force."

Only one dream seemed to fit the bill: Grimm's terrifying night vision of the bloody corpse of the witch-nun, Madeleine, being eaten in a bizarre ritual in the catacombs below High Lodge. A ritual over which Lizaveta, the Prioress of the Order of the Sisters of Divine Serenity, had presided. Grimm had assumed it had been no more than a hideous nightmare. All he could do was nod; rational speech seemed beyond him as the ghastly visions returned to him in full measure.

"That was no dream," Numal declared. "Your soul was drawn towards that event by some bond between you and another soul or place."

It was true: Grimm had been ensorcelled by Madeleine, and he had discovered her in her treachery. Nonetheless, he had still harboured feelings for her, and he had hoped that her punishment would not be too severe. He shivered, unwilling to pursue the matter further.

He cleared his throat, although not his troubled mind. "Very well, Numal. I accept what you say: perhaps I have travelled on the astral plane."

"You didn't like it, eh?" Numal said. "Not everybody does, if they are called."

Grimm pushed his growing worries to the back of his mind. "You can talk to dead people, I believe, Brother Mage?"

"I can, but not very well, Grimm," Numal admitted. "Higher-rank Necromancers can find the signatures of a departed soul in a rotting corpse or even from a whitened skeleton, and they can contact it through the void between this world and the astral plane. My main talent is in augury: the prediction of the near, almost-inevitable future from the study of chicken gizzards and bulls' entrails, and I'm not even very good at that, yet."

Grimm could not tear his thoughts from the awful scene of that night of High Lodge. An evil cult existed at the heart of the Guild's ruling body, protected by the Lord Dominie from any persecution or harm. Something must be done about this heinous situation!

As the Necromancer again opened his mouth to speak, Grimm made a cutting motion with his right hand. "I'm sorry, Numal, but I do have a few tasks to complete before tonight. Would you be so kind as to excuse me?"

"Of course, Grimm. You must be a busy man. Just one thing: before you go, do you have any advice for me on how to conduct myself at tonight's revelries?"

Despite his burgeoning unease, the young Questor managed to raise a smile. "I'd advise you to cast the Minor Magic spell of Stability on yourself, followed by a charm of Clarity. Simple enough hexes, but they'll pay dividends. Better still, cast them on your Staff; use spells of the Third Class on it-they'll work just as if it were a person."

Numal rolled his eyes. "I don't intend to drink alcohol at all, Grimm. I'm not used to it."

Grimm laughed, despite his inner troubles. "You will drink, Numal. I made the same vow as you at my own Acclamation feast. Nonetheless, I became very, very drunk, despite my firm intention to drink as little as possible. The Magemasters advised me to use those spells, and I ignored them, to my considerable discomfort and embarrassment."

Numal gave a serious nod, as if Grimm were a Magemaster explaining some abstruse theorem of thaumaturgy.

"I will do as you advise, Brother Mage," he said. "Thank you."

****

It might be improper to knock at the Prelate's door without prior invitation, but Grimm felt unafraid to do so. He knew heinous acts were afoot within High Lodge, and he felt he must act.

"Enter."

Grimm opened the door, stepping into Lord Thorn's chamber for the second time within an hour. To his relief, he found the Prelate in the same beneficent mood as earlier in the day.

"Questor Grimm, how may I help you?" The smile on Thorn's face was unexpected, but welcome to the troubled Questor.

"Thank you for receiving me again at such short notice, Lord Prelate, but I have news of great treachery within High Lodge."

Thorn sat bolt upright. "You intrigue me, Brother Mage. Do, please, tell me more."

Grimm had no desire to blight the career of a mage before it had started, so he considered his words with care. "Prelate Thorn, I now realise that I experienced an inadvertent journey into the astral realms during my time at High Lodge. There is no doubt of the matter, none whatsoever."

Thorn leaned back into his mahogany throne and frowned. "Believe me, Brother Mage, I would love to discuss this matter with you for several hours in a circuitous, roundabout manner; however, I have many calls on my time. Can we please cut to the chase? If there is treason within our ruling House, I wish to know the details without delay."

Grimm rubbed his left hand over his mouth while he considered what he would say. In retrospect, his story of blood-drinking and cannibalism might appear ridiculous to any right-minded man, but he felt the need to describe it to another person: any person.

"Lord Thorn: at the end of my stay at High Lodge, I had what I thought was just a disturbing dream. On reflection, and after considering my time spent in the fifth linear dimension in Crar, I now realise it was no dream, but a voyage into the spirit realm. A disciple of the Order of The Sisters of Divine Mercy had played a trick on me: an attempt to persuade me to give my love to her."

Thorn leaned forward, frowning. "This was not in your report, or in Questor Dalquist's. Why did you choose not to report it?"

Grimm swallowed hard, spreading his hands apart.

"I considered it a minor diversion: a young girl's whim, Lord Prelate," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "Questor Dalquist was of the same mind. I thought it no more than a prank or jest."

"What of this dream?" the older man demanded. "What aspect of it persuades you of treachery within our midst? This is a serious charge, Questor Grimm!"

Grimm's inner being urged him to flee; what he had to say would surely seem ludicrous to an experienced mage like Lord Thorn. Nonetheless, he knew he must release the tension within him, somehow or other.

"I expected the girl to be criticised or chastised in some minor fashion," he said. "In my dream, I saw her scarred, brutalised body carved up and eaten, and her blood drunk by a coven of witches, led by the Prioress of the Sisters of Divine Mercy. I believed this to be a dream, a nightmare, but I now know it to be true, after long introspection. Dark forces are afoot in High Lodge: protected by it, and given a free hand by the Lord Dominie."

Having expected to be excoriated, the Questor felt stunned to find himself instead being congratulated.

"Indeed, Questor Grimm; that is a most worrying matter. I worried about that particular Order for some time, and I applaud you for your courage in bringing it to my attention. Your recent promotion means that you will be travelling to High Lodge within the next week, so I advise you to keep your eyes open with regard to the Order's influence. I have suspected the Prioress of dark acts for many years, although I have no proof. I have met her before, and I know her to be a prevaricator at the very least. Since she and her Order are honoured guests of the Dominie, I advise extreme caution. Whatever your conclusions, I instruct you to do no more than to notify me as to your findings, without telling the Presidium, and without discussing it with the Prioress or her Order. If you wish, you may consider this as your next Quest."

Grimm felt stunned by the vehemence of Thorn's reply, but gratified; it seemed the Prelate's mind was more aligned with his than he had expected. His head seemed to spin for a moment, perhaps due to the unexpectedness of being sent on a new Quest so soon after his last.

"You are expected at the Lodge in three days," the Prelate said. "Enjoy yourself until then, but remember to be careful with the Order, and do no more than to gather information; take no action against them. I order you to restrict yourself to that goal."

"I will, Lord Thorn." Grimm had faced demons, autocratic warlords and assassins, but he had always had the option of defending himself as he saw fit. This particular mission would be like an intricate game of chess: a subtle game he had never mastered. He only hoped that it was a game at which he would prove adept.

As he turned to go, Grimm heard one more comment from Lord Thorn. "Enjoy yourself tonight at Necromancer Numal's party tonight, Questor Grimm."

Is there anything here Lord Thorn doesn't know? Grimm wondered.

He bowed and exited the chamber, his earlier elation replaced by disquiet and worry. He rubbed his right temple, which had begun to develop a faint but nagging ache.

Perhaps I've been pushing myself too hard, the Questor thought. A little recreation might be just the thing.

A new mage's Acclamation was something to celebrate, so Grimm vowed to put his worries behind him until it was time to leave.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 5: Rivalry and Revelry

Grimm arrived for Numal's Acclamation feast in plenty of time. His own ceremony took place within an hour of his Mage Staff prevailing against the magically sharp and immutable edge of the Breaking Stone. In Numal's case, it would seem either that such swift preparation had not been possible, or, as was more probable, that the Acclamation of a new Questor was regarded as a more significant event than that of a humble Necromancer.

The feast was to be held in the upper gallery of the East Wing, affording a bird's eye view of the Great Hall. Grimm saw several places laid at the great, round banqueting table, but far fewer than had been laid for his own celebration.

Grimm heard footsteps behind him, and he turned to see the acerbic Magemaster Faffel, under whose stern instruction he had studied Courtly Graces. The Magemaster wore sky-blue silk robes, and an ostentatious gold cummerbund sought to contain a bulging waistline. A tall, black hat, topped by a peacock feather, perched precariously on Faffel's burgeoning, jet-black hair, which looked ludicrous in contrast to such a lined, ancient face.

The young mage suppressed a groan, since Faffel's presence meant that he would feel constrained to use the formal, starchy tones of Mage Speech throughout the feast. He had had enough of this in his previous Quest, under the ascetic Xylox.

Faffel's small, yellow eyes scanned the Questor, searching for the least imperfection in his apparel or his bearing, but, at the end of his scrutiny, the old Magemaster gave a slight, grudging nod of approval.

"Greetings, Questor Grimm; it seems that my patient instruction has, at last, borne some fruit. Your appearance and bearing appear appropriate to the occasion. I am pleased to see that the spoils of your Quests have been put to good use."

What patient instruction was that?

Faffel's mode of tuition had consisted of little but slaps, insults and acidic rebukes. These had been directed, in particular, at boys from less wealthy families, like Grimm. The man fawned over richer, titled Students, schooled in deportment and court protocol since they were weaned, and he had never tired of mentioning that he had been received at the King's court on several occasions.

Grimm detested snobbery, and he now had sufficient confidence in himself to take the conceited Magemaster down a peg or two.

"Magemaster Faffel, it is good to see you," he lied. "However, these fine silk robes were not purchased with proceeds from my Quests, but from funds voted to me by the High Council of Crar when I was declared Baron."

If anything could sway Faffel's self-importance, it was a noble title, and Grimm felt pleased to see that it had the desired effect. He saw an immediate change in the Magemaster's manner at the Questor's very mention of the glittering title: 'Baron'. It seemed that Faffel was impressed by a noble cognomen, no matter how it had been bestowed.

"Lord Grimm, I apologise without reserve. I had no idea that you had been elevated to the nobility, and I congratulate you."

Faffel executed a perfect court bow, sweeping the ridiculous hat from his head so that the peacock feather brushed against the floor. Grimm toyed with the idea of extending his hand for the Magemaster to kiss but restrained himself, acknowledging the gesture with a brief but courteous nod. He could not act in such a contemptuous manner, even to such a shallow and conceited man, and he decided instead to be gracious. After all, the unpleasant Magemaster had managed to turn a clumsy blacksmith's boy into a competent dancer and an ambassador for the House who would not disgrace it, even in the most elevated company.

"Thank you, Magemaster Faffel. Thank you for educating me in the ways of the court. Without your diligent guidance, I am sure I would have dishonoured my title in many ways, with lapses of protocol or inappropriate speech."

Grimm felt revolted to see how the simple five-letter word, 'Baron', had turned the Magemaster into a fawning fool. It might have been better not to attempt to upstage the vain, snobbish man in this way, after all.

As Faffel's stream of sycophantic trivia became unbearable, the Questor felt relieved to note the arrival of the earthy Magemaster Kargan, whose face lit up at the sight of his erstwhile pupil.

Grimm knew Kargan would not bother with mindless chit-chat, and Mage Speech would go out of the window. Although Kargan wore robes of excellent quality, they seemed somehow loose and ill-suited to his spare, wiry frame, and his blue-tinted spectacles added an air of mystery.

"Well; if it isn't my old Student, Questor Grimm! My, aren't we a fine young popinjay these days?"

Kargan cast a disapproving glance at Faffel. "Hmm… I can see where you got the idea from, although I'm pleased to see that you, at least, chose to keep your apparel within the bounds of reasonable taste," he added, his voice dripping with contempt for the other Magemaster's ludicrous outfit.

Grimm opened his mouth to acknowledge Kargan's greeting, but Faffel interrupted him.

"That should be 'I see whence you obtained the idea'," the primping Magemaster sneered. There seemed little love lost between the two mage tutors, and they started a verbal sparring match, each trying to outdo the other.

Grimm, now freed from Faffel's obsequious attentions, looked on with some amusement as the two men traded slights and innuendos, although they always steered clear of outright insults.

The spat came to an abrupt halt as Grimm heard a familiar voice behind him.

"Gentlemen, your attention, please."

All three mages turned around, and Grimm saw the imperturbable Senior Magemaster Crohn, the head of the Scholasticate, standing at the head of the spiral staircase. He leaned on his staff, his expression intense and disapproving.

"This is an important occasion, and it should not be belittled by paltry squabbling. I would be grateful if you would put your petty rivalries aside for the nonce. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Senior Magemaster."

"Your words are as clear as the most lambent crystal, Senior Magemaster."

Crohn turned to Grimm, who had once been his protege, the acme of his career. Few Magemasters indeed could claim with justification that they had raised a Mage Questor!

"Questor Grimm, it appears that outdoor life agrees with you. You seem in excellent health."

"And you, Magemaster Crohn. It is good to see you looking so well."

"Alas, I regret to say that I suffer from rheumatism and arthritis, Brother Mage. However, I thank you for your solicitude."

Grimm expressed his sincere regrets. He knew Crohn had been a tower of strength until the day he had faced the full fury of Grimm's explosive Outbreak. It pained him to think that the old Magemaster's infirmity might be the result of the birth of his own powers, but he knew Crohn did not regret it in the least; it had been the culmination of his career to bring a nascent Questor to maturity. There was an understanding and respect between the two thaumaturges that few could understand, born of those tumultuous minutes in which Grimm Afelnor had wandered into the dark cavern of insanity and emerged as a man and a true mage.

Kargan and Faffel made their ways to opposite sides of the gallery, after each had helped himself to a brimming glass of wine; it seemed that both were in the mood to start their drinking at the earliest opportunity. This left Grimm standing with his erstwhile tutor.

"Magemaster Crohn, will Lord Thorn be in attendance tonight?" Grimm asked. If so, he thought, it might prove an opportune time to ask the questions he had forgotten to put to the Prelate at their two earlier meetings.

"I regret not," Crohn said. "I believe the annual accounts are due for submission to High Lodge."

Grimm's brow furrowed. "I always thought that was the responsibility of Scribe Vimat and his staff."

On occasions, the dedicated Vimat had been called upon to lecture Grimm's Student class on the subject of Mathematics, but he was more usually to be found poring over his ledgers and check-sheets in a cramped, dingy office in the East Wing.

"The ultimate responsibility for the correctness of the accounts is Lord Thorn's," the older man replied. "He often chooses to check Scribe Vimal's figures for himself, although the Scribe has a marvellous facility with arithmetic."

More likely, he just couldn't be bothered to turn up for a humble Necromancer's ceremonial feast.

A Questor was a different matter: a mage who could advance the status of a House and its Prelate in the eyes of the Lord Dominie, through a series of favours and political skulduggery carried out in the name of High Lodge. More run-of-the-mill mages were useful for the everyday running of the House and for tuition of the scions of rich families, but of little consequence in the wider scheme of things. Grimm's mouth twisted into a wry grimace, and Crohn smiled; very little passed the Senior Magemaster's notice.

"You are probably correct, Questor Grimm; perhaps the occasion is not noteworthy enough for Lord Thorn. However, if you please, we will acquiesce to the official explanation. Necromancer Numal has worked hard to gain his just rewards of the staff and the Guild Ring, and we should ensure that his special feast is one for him to remember. You are a friend of his?"

Grimm shook his head. "Not as such, Magemaster Crohn. Until today, I met him on only one previous occasion: my first full day as a Student. However, I find him an interesting and companionable man, and he seems to enjoy my company, too. His seems to have been a lonely incumbency, and I would say he needs all the friends he can get."

"That is a poor reason to become an especial friend," Crohn said, his expression strange.

"Magemaster Crohn, I can remember Rule 3.14.8 quite well," Grimm said, smiling, thinking he understood Crohn's quizzical look.

Rule 3.14.8 concerned 'unnatural and unwholesome relationships', and several years passed before the meaning of the regulation became clear to him. He knew such relationships were forged within the Scholasticate on occasion, and, although he could not understand the attraction of two men for each other, he knew how scarce true affection was within the House. He could not bring himself to condemn such associations. Even the Magemasters seemed to tolerate these illicit liaisons at times, at least when they occurred between Students of wealthy families and were not too blatant.

"That is not what I was trying to imply, Questor Grimm," Crohn said, his tone neutral. "I merely meant that a stolid, middle-aged Necromancer is an unusual intimate for a young, active Questor to have. A Necromancer has little sleight that a mage of your calling could not master, except the ability to contact the souls of the dead."

Crohn's voice lowered to a conspiratorial whisper. "I believe you are still hoping to discover some hidden truth behind the death of Prelate Geral, so as to exonerate your grandfather. Am I right?"

Grimm felt warmth flooding into his face: he knew that he could not lie to this man. He was indeed dedicated to prove Loras innocent of treason, but Crohn had it wrong. How much could he trust the ancient mage, who reported directly to the Prelate?

Crohn leaned closer to the Questor, his voice a faint murmur. "I swear on my name as a Guild Mage that anything you tell me, short of outright treason, will remain between the two of us. My sole wish is to save you embarrassment and disgrace. Lord Thorn and the Conclave will hear nothing of what you choose to say, but speak truly."

Grimm closed his eyes and stood for a few moments, deep in thought. How he yearned to tell another Guildbrother of his doubts! He knew he could confide in his best friend, Questor Dalquist, but Dalquist was only ten years older than he, and had never known Loras Afelnor. Crohn, however, had studied alongside Loras and had known him well.

The old Magemaster might have put him through the gruelling Questor Ordeal, but Grimm knew Crohn to be an honourable man; he would not betray anything told him in confidence.

"You are correct in assuming that I have such a mission in mind, Senior Magemaster," he said, choosing his words with care, "but I will tell you that my association with Necromancer Numal has nothing to do with it. I have good reason to believe that Geomancy, witch magic, lies behind my grandfather's bizarre act. However, I have no reason to believe that the soul of the dead Prelate could communicate any useful information in this regard; the man was comatose in his last days. He is no tool or puppet in any plan of mine, I assure you.

"As a former Charity boy, I recognise Numal's loneliness and feel drawn to him for this reason, and for this reason alone."

Crohn's eyes seemed to burn into Grimm's soul for a few moments, and then he nodded. "That is as it should be. I cannot sway you from your heart's desire, nor would I wish to. I think you are deluded in this regard, but that is a personal opinion. I know I would do anything to ransom my own family name, had it ever been so tarnished. As long as you do not suborn House personnel to the furtherance of this… this private Quest of yours, I have no objection. Just be careful on whose toes you tread whilst doing so, Grimm Afelnor. If I may be of any assistance to you in your search for truth, without transgressing House protocol, of course, do not hesitate to ask."

"I will, Magemaster Crohn," Grimm responded, smiling broadly. "Thank you for your forbearance, your kind offer and your understanding. Will you promise me that this matter remains confidential between us?"

Crohn nodded. "I so swear, Questor. I hope one day you will find true peace and inner harmony, one way or the other. What you have said is already forgotten. Even the direct demand of Lord Thorn would not draw it from me."

As Grimm opened his mouth to thank the Senior Magemaster again, he was interrupted by a cry from Magemaster Kargan: "Here comes our guest of honour!"

Appearing nervous and sheepish, Numal appeared at the top of the stairs, bedecked in costly robes of green velvet. As he walked into the gallery, Grimm saw that he was accompanied by a dour man attired in a similar manner. There was little humour in the second man's face, and his pallor and bald head made him appear as almost a twin of the new mage. Only the seven gold rings on the man's staff clearly marked him as a separate individual.

Crohn clapped his hands, and the assembled magic-users came to attention.

"Gentlemen, in recognition of forty-three years of diligent study, let us all raise a glass to our new Mage Necromancer, Numal Falwort, and his estimable and indefatigable Adept Tutor, Necromancer Sheban!"

Magemaster Kargan, as thoughtful as ever for the important things in life, handed full glasses to Grimm and Crohn.

The pitiful assembly chorused, "To Numal and Sheban!"

****

The revelries lasted into the small hours. All present drank more than their fill, but Grimm found the alcohol had little effect on him. He drank, almost as if possessed, but he felt no need to call on his staff, Redeemer, to clear his head. In the morning, he would leave to root out a dark, Geomantic evil at the heart of High Lodge itself, and he could not help but hope it might lead him a little further down the road to Loras' exoneration

Numal became morose and melancholy as he tossed back glass after glass of alcohol, and at one point he cried out, "When I was young, I wanted nothing more from my life than to make people laugh, to be happy. That person is dead, dead! You killed me!"

Crohn stepped quickly into the breach, presenting the new mage with another glass of wine. "Necromancer Numal, you are in the company of brothers here. Be of good cheer! Gentlemen: another toast to the new mage!"

"To the new mage!"

Numal made no further outbursts, but Grimm thought, Poor bastard. That's what the Guild can do to a man. You can see it in Crohn, Thorn, Faffel, and even Kargan. What they did to me with insults and abuse, they did by grinding these men down with years of rules and regulations, stops, checks and bloody protocol. I'm never going to let that happen to me!

Grimm raised his glass again. "Congratulations to you, Numal. May the Names bless and keep you."

The new Necromancer appeared recovered after his earlier, emotional eruption, and his eyes almost focused on Grimm's.

"To the… to the Houshe!" he slurred, drinking.

"The House!" echoed Grimm and the other mages, but the Questor's mind was on other things. Tomorrow, he might need to face a monster. Despite the pity he felt for the lonely man, pressed into a calling he had never sought, Grimm made his excuses and left. He had a long day, or days, ahead of him.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 6: A Travelling Companion

Grimm awoke early, with only wan, ruddy light creeping through his chamber window. After his customary, careful washing and grooming, he packed a large travelling-bag with the various accoutrements he would require for a stay of a week or so at High Lodge and sauntered down to the Refectory for breakfast. He had been given three days' grace for the journey but, as the son of a blacksmith, he believed in striking while the iron was hot in more than one respect.

Although he knew there would be no staff on duty at this early hour, tables set with various food items and fruit juices were always available at this time, since several dedicated mages preferred to breakfast before the hubbub of a hundred hungry Students shattered the dawn's blessed peace.

On reaching the Refectory, Grimm felt no surprise to see several mages already taking their morning repasts. Five sat alone in silence, their attentions absorbed by scrolls or books, while four others sat in a huddled group, deep in earnest but quiet conversation.

The young Questor, although his appetite this morning was keen, decided to take a frugal meal; an over-full stomach was not conducive to happy riding. A crusty roll, a small pickled fish and a glass of orange juice would have to suffice. As he moved to a table, he noticed a solitary figure hunched over a full plate. Although the mage's head was covered by a hood, Grimm noted his naked staff, bereft of any rings denoting status, marking him as a very recent addition to the senior ranks of the House. This silent figure could only be the new Necromancer, Numal.

"Greetings, Brother Mage."

Numal's head jerked up, and Grimm looked into a face of misery. The Necromancer's sallow complexion seemed even paler than usual, and the Questor could not help but notice Numal's bloodshot eyes.

"Greetings, Grimm," was the whispered reply. "Do you think you could talk a little more quietly?"

Grimm suppressed a smile; Numal's malady was an easy one to cure. In a softer tone, he said, "Take hold of my Mage Staff, Numal. It has some very useful spells cast upon it. Don't worry, it can't hurt you if you touch it with my permission."

The fledgling Necromancer reached out a trembling hand and clutched Redeemer. He shuddered as if palsied for a few moments, before falling back into his chair. Grimm was pleased to see that, although Numal's eyes were still red, they seemed more focused and clear.

"Thank you, Grimm," Numal said. "I needed that. How did you do it?"

"It's just an application of the Minor Magics, Numal: a spell of Stability to steady your stomach and stop the world spinning around, and a spell of Clarity to clear your head. If you cast them on your staff, using the Third Instance, they'll stay there forever."

"What do I use for activation energy?" the Necromancer asked.

"They're simple enough spells," Grimm said. "Body heat's more than adequate as a source of energy."

The new mage eyed his neglected breakfast with renewed interest and began to attack it with vigour, while the younger man polished off his own.

"I made a complete fool of myself last night, didn't I, Grimm?" Numal said, looking up from his breakfast. His face was ruddy, embarrassed.

Grimm's shrugged. "Don't worry about it, my friend. 'When the wine's in, the wit's out', as they say. I fell face-down into my food at my Acclamation feast. As I look back on it now, getting so drunk was unbelievably foolish. If you miscast a runic spell, it doesn't work and your hangover just gets worse. You can't miscast Questor magic; you invent it on the spot, but you can still make mistakes. As a Questor, I could have wrecked the place if I'd cut loose with the wrong spell while drunk. I understand there are quite a few regrettable accidents at Acclamation banquets; it's an opportunity to let your hair down after years of self-denial."

"I don't have any hair," was Numal's sullen reply.

Grimm shrugged. "That's just a figure of speech. I'm sure a lot of mages lose control of their mouths at these affairs, and I doubt your heartfelt little outburst last night was any exception. Remember, I fell over and spewed my guts up in front of the Lord Prelate himself, so you can count yourself lucky."

"Looks like he couldn't be bothered to turn up for a mere Necromancer's celebration," the new mage observed. "You can bet if I'd been a Weatherworker, a Shapeshifter or…"

"Or a Questor." Grimm disliked the self-pitying tone in the Necromancer's words, and his mood was not improved by his growing headache.

"I know it must look that way, Numal," he continued, "but Magemaster Crohn told me Lord Thorn was in mortal combat with the quarterly accounts, or else he'd have been there."

Numal, his expression still sour, opened his mouth to speak, but Grimm pre-empted him.

"Numal, my friend, did you join the House as a Charity Student?"

"Of course not: my tuition fees were paid by a trust fund set up by my now long-dead parents. They were keen enough to get rid of me, I noticed. Oh, I got to go home during Scholasticate closures, of course. All my parents ever asked me was how I was faring with my studies: about the Magemasters, what I was learning. But I don't think they ever asked about me, my wishes or my feelings. My parents were both teachers, and I don't think they cared about anything else in the world.

"After seven years as a Student, and twenty more as a Neophyte, they died of Badlands sickness during some damned stupid expedition. Oh, the trust fund carried on paying for my tuition, and my uncle Baran, my father's brother, began to take me in during the holidays. He was no barrel of laughs, either. He was a merchant, and I think he thought more of his damned accounts than of me. Just like Lord Thorn."

"My heart bleeds for you, Numal," the Questor snapped. "I don't even remember my parents; they died when I was very small. You wanted to be an entertainer, and I wanted to be a blacksmith, like the father I never knew, and my grandfather. So I guess neither of us got what he wanted."

Numal's mouth opened again, but Grimm interrupted him again. "Please let me finish, Necromancer Numal. Thank you. All right, I passed from Student to mage in ten years, but they were ten years in which I never set a foot outside the Scholasticate walls. Unlike you, I loved the people who brought me up, but I saw my grandmother only once in those long years. I didn't get to see my grandfather until after my Acclamation. My grandfather, Loras: the Renegade; The Oathbreaker; the Traitor. I'm sure you've heard of him."

Numal's eyes opened wide. "You are his grandson?" His voice was no more than a whisper, as if Grimm had spoken blasphemy or treason.

"I guess you can imagine how that glittering reputation brightened the days of a charity Student," the young mage growled. "Traitor's spawn: that's a pleasant little nickname, isn't it? I spent ten years walled up here, eating slop with the rest of the paupers while you ate the finest food the Refectory has to offer. I studied hard; I had to, just to keep myself from being condemned to an endless period of meaningless servitude."

Numal frowned and reasserted himself. "Ten years? You think that's a long time, Questor? I studied for four whole decades, just for a pretty ring and a piece of wood I made myself!"

Grimm felt heat flooding into his face. "Oh, that's not all, Numal, not nearly all. During the last seven months of my blissful tenure as a pauper Neophyte, I was slapped, harangued, beaten, starved and reviled on a daily basis by my tutor. He gave the other boys free reign to add to my misery, without the least interference from the Magemasters. At the end of that, I became a Questor, but it was a close call between that and losing my mind. There were many, many days and weeks in those seven months that I gave serious thought to committing suicide, and only my determination to gain this pretty little ring sustained me.

"How was your time as Neophyte, Numal? A little tedious, perhaps? Was the prime steak you were served a little tough on occasions? I'll wager any price you name that those last seven months made your forty-odd years seem like a picnic."

Grimm noted Numal's slack jaw, and several moments passed before the older mage got it under control.

"Can they really do that to you?" the Necromancer whispered, his eyes wide. "Magemaster Sheban was often brusque and curt when I skimped on my preparation, but he never raised a hand to me."

"They can do anything they want to a charity boy, Numal. Have you ever been forced to eat a whole bar of soap when you protested after the fifteenth slap of the day? Have you ever had to repeat a spell-chant twenty times without error, only to be beaten when fatigue made you botch a single syllable on the twenty-first? Have you ever looked over the edge into that black, deep abyss of insanity, and thought that it looked inviting?

"I ended up with the same meagre tokens of success you hold, but they mean something to me. They mean I survived: I prevailed against everything they threw at me. To me, that's no small matter.

"Yes, Lord Thorn and the Conclave bigwigs came to my damned party, but I was just glad to be alive and sane. I got drunk, stupidly drunk, but I never once moaned about the malign hand Fate had dealt me. I bear the Guild Ring and I have my Mage Staff, and I'm bloody proud of them-as you should be of yours.

"Still, if you want to wallow in self-pity, go ahead. It's a free world, isn't it?"

Grimm felt astonished by the force of the tirade that had burst from him. Although he had never once raised his voice enough to attract the attention of the other mages in the Refectory, the fiery intensity of his feelings had not been dulled in the least.

Cold guilt began to wash over him; he had been unconscionably hard on Numal, his elder by many years, and he had a fervent hope that he had not alienated the man beyond redemption. His outburst had been unforgivable; he had used the Necromancer almost as a pugilist's punching-bag, using his Questor's iron will like a mailed fist.

"I'm sorry, Numal," he said, his tone conciliatory and regretful. "I had no right to talk to you in that manner. Please accept my deepest apologies."

A long pause followed, and Grimm feared he had gone too far. Xylox had been right; he was too hot-headed. He felt immense relief as Numal proffered a wan smile and shook his head.

"Grimm, I'm so sorry. I had no idea that they could put a boy through that sort of ordeal. You're right. I never had to face hardship like that for a moment. I owe you an apology."

Numal rose to his feet, threw back his hood, and began to sing at top volume. His voice was rich, melodious and full.

"Let's all sing of Daffo the Clown,

"Daffo the Clown, Daffo the Clown!

"Let's all sing of Daffo the Clown, it's always fun when he's around!

"Merriment, pranks and japes surround our friend,

"Daffo the Clown, Daffo the Clown!

"Humorous and cheerful right to the end,

"Daffo the Clown's in town!"

As the other occupants of the Refectory stared in astonishment, Grimm smiled and gave respectful applause while the fearsome-looking Necromancer bowed.

"Please excuse me, gentlemen," he called to the stunned assembly. "That was just a momentary excess of glee at my recent Acclamation; my apologies to you all for disturbing your meditation."

After a few grunts and grimaces, the other mages returned to their former activities.

"Numal," the young mage said, "the House may have gained a mage, but the stage has lost a great talent!"

The older man shrugged. "Whatever I felt in the past is gone, and I can't help it now. I'm a Mage Necromancer. I never wanted to be one, but I guess I'll have to make the most of it. Now, I can go where I want to, when I want to. And we mages live a long, long time."

"We do," Grimm agreed, although he harboured doubts about his own longevity if he had to complete many more Quests as arduous as the two he had already undertaken. "It's a new dawn, my friend."

As if to underline the Questor's words, the first true rays of morning sunlight began to stream through the high windows of the Refectory, and Numal smiled.

"Listen, Numal," Grimm said. "I'm about to leave for a few days at High Lodge. I wonder if you'd like to accompany me; it's a long journey if you're on your own. Would you like that?"

"High Lodge!" Numal breathed. "I've heard it's a spectacular place."

"It is. Do you ride?"

Numal's face contorted in a puzzled frown. "Horses, you mean?" Grimm nodded.

"I'm afraid not," the older man admitted. "My parents tried to teach me, but I was hopeless at it. I haven't had a lot of opportunities to follow it up since then."

"All right, I'll see if I can get Doorkeeper to organise us a cart, or something. Do you want to go?"

"Certainly…" Numal's face turned grave. "Questor Grimm, I don't want to cause offence, but you're not looking for some… special… friend, are you?"

A few moments passed before Grimm understood what the older man meant, and then he laughed. "Numal, my life has been short on friends so far. I like you, but that's all there is to it. All I want is a sociable travelling companion, and I thought you'd benefit from a little time outside when you don't have to listen to an old man talk about how rich he is."

Grimm considered he might have allayed the Necromancer's concern more by telling Numal he had a beautiful girl waiting for him in Crar, but he had good reason to keep that fact hidden. He did find Numal good company, when he wasn't indulging in self-pity, but, more than that, a Necromancer might prove to be an ideal companion in his unofficial Quest to investigate the activities of the Sisters of Divine Serenity. He was now sure that his former temptress, Madeleine, really had been butchered in the crypts of High Lodge, and a man capable of contacting the souls of the dead, however poorly, might be an indispensable asset to this end.

Nonetheless, although Lord Thorn had named this as his next Quest, he had the distinct feeling that he was expected to vouchsafe as little information as possible; it might be better if Numal knew nothing of Grimm's ultimate purpose. He felt guilty about using the fledgling Necromancer in this manner, but he had a personal stake in this Quest.

Grimm faked an expression of exasperation and sighed. "Look, Numal, do you want to go to High Lodge, or not? If not, I'll cope, believe me. Nobody's forcing you, you know. If you want, you can get a room on the other side of the bloody Lodge from me if you're worried about the prospect of me groping your body at night."

Numal waved his hands. "I'm sorry, Questor Grimm. Yes, I would like to see High Lodge, very much. Please, excuse my suspicious mind. I've heard that you Questors are pretty direct, and I'm not used to that. I'll join you."

Grimm kept his tone cool. "Good man. I'll see if I can organise us a wagon, and you can make sure you're not needed here for any pressing reason. Meet me back in the Great Hall in two hours or so."

"You people don't hang about, do you?" the bald mage said. "You couldn't wait 'til tomorrow, could you?"

Grimm realised that he might be pushing things too quickly. He had spoken of friends, and yet he had not spared a thought for his stalwart, reliable allies, Madar and Argand, who had supported him when he had been a callow Student, and who were still immured in the Scholasticate. His friend and fellow Questor, Dalquist, might well be in residence, and it would be the height of ingratitude to ignore him. Did he really want to use Doorkeeper, as other unthinking souls did, as some menial servant, fit only to fulfil his whims and petty demands?

"Of course, Numal," he found himself saying. "Take as long as you need, within reason. I don't have to leave today, I guess I'm just a little taut; I've only been to High Lodge once before, and I don't want to be late."

Numal nodded. "Thank you, Questor Grimm. Shall we meet tomorrow?"

Grimm nodded his agreement, and Numal left the Refectory.

Am I becoming some kind of monster? Grimm asked himself. It's as if I'm becoming so immersed in my calling that I see people as only pawns in some game, to be moved and disposed of as I see fit.

Was he losing his humanity? He felt like an arrow in some great bow, pulled back, ready to be released. It seemed the further he progressed in his craft, the more he was in danger of becoming an automaton, a puppet of the House that had made him what he was. He was a lethal human weapon, and yet Grimm had little idea of his own motivations, no control over his destiny. He moved from situation to situation, crisis to crisis, all for the good of either the Guild or Arnor House. His concern over his grandfather's fate seemed to be only a sideline; when the Prelate, the House, or the Guild called, he came. Anything else, no matter how important it appeared at first, became a mere distraction.

He might have felt even more disconcerted if he had known that this was just what Lord Thorn had intended for him from the start. The term 'Weapon of the Guild' was not just a quaint, old-fashioned conceit. A good Questor was nothing more than a tool of his masters; a tool to be used to strike at their enemies.

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Chapter 7: Friendly Discourse

Grimm Afelnor stood in the doorway of the Scholasticate Library and smiled at the young man sitting at a small table and grimacing as he shuffled through a jumbled mass of books and papers.

"Grimm! It's good to see you again!" Questor Dalquist rose from his seat and clapped his young friend on the shoulder with his customary warmth. "I understand further congratulations are in order."

Grimm shrugged. "I'm just lucky, I suppose."

"Don't belittle yourself, Grimm. Luck is an important factor for a successful Questor; some would say an essential one. Our Quest together was no cakewalk, and from what I've read, it seems your second was even harder. You're a rising star within the House, Grimm Afelnor. Having gained the Sixth Rank after two difficult trials, you can be sure Lord Thorn will soon entrust you with your own Quests, and the responsibility and credit for the success of these will be all yours."

The overriding principle within Arnor House and, to an even greater extent, within the Guild was 'rank hath its privileges'. An expedition's senior Questor was expected to garner the lion's share of the honours and plaudits, since he would bear the brunt of any failure. The life of a Mage Questor might often be dangerous and challenging, but it was at least exciting, offering the potential for great rewards commensurate with the risks taken for those daring or lucky enough to gain promotion to higher rank. The desire of all young, hungry Questors was to strive and succeed against mighty odds and, with luck, to become 'noticed' by their superiors.

Even beyond the coveted Seventh Rank, the potential prizes of a position on the Conclave, the individual Houses' ruling bodies, or even election to the post of Prelate beckoned. Beyond Prelateship, the opulence and prestige of High Lodge awaited the most ambitious, the most talented, the most daring and above all the most fortunate mages.

"And you, Dalquist?" Grimm asked, as the two mages sat down at the table. "I never had you marked as a bibliophile. Are you studying in preparation for another Quest?"

Dalquist shook his head. "No such luck, I'm afraid, Grimm. However, it's not too bad. Senior Magemaster Crohn's asked me to help out in the Scholasticate on occasions. It seems our recent successes-namely yours and mine-have led to an increase in Student uptake, and Crohn desperately needs more Magemasters. I'm just boning up on rune signatures, and I should start as probationary Magemaster in the next few weeks."

"Congratulations, Dalquist." Grimm tried to keep his tone bright, but did not fool his friend.

"I know, Grimm, I know." Dalquist smiled and raised his hands in mock-surrender. "A Mage Questor teaching runes to a bunch of snotty Students seems a sheer waste of talent, like shackling a racehorse to a farm cart. But I'll only be doing this in between Quests and, if I'm good at it, it'll get me noticed by the Conclave. I'll still be a Questor, first and foremost, I promise you.

"It's easy duty, if you ask me. It's a lot better than sitting around in my room, waiting for the call to risk my life on some soon-forgotten Quest. I thought of hiring myself out to some insecure prince or Duke as a magical advisor once I've paid off the House for my tuition, but politics bores me stupid."

"Me, too," Grimm said with fervour. He had found his brief sessions presiding over the city council meetings of his barony of Crar mind-numbingly tedious.

Nonetheless, at least he had the companionship of his lover Drexelica to sustain him, although he dare not admit this, even to his closest friend; the misogynistic Guild regarded even the most innocent flirtation with a woman as a serious crime. Sexual congress was regarded as the ultimate transgression, since it was believed to erase a mage's powers. Grimm now knew this to be no more than a myth, whose reason he could not fathom. Nevertheless, it would be impolitic in the extreme for him to say so; even to Dalquist.

"I'm really happy for you, Dalquist," he said. "As a Magemaster, perhaps you'll get the call to raise another Questor. Who could be a better choice than a man who's actually faced the Ordeal and won?"

The senior mage shuddered. "No thanks, Grimm! I'd rather eat broken glass. Two years of chiding, nagging, and shouting at some hapless kid doesn't appeal to me. You had it much easier, getting through in seven months. I guess you were lucky there, too."

"Lucky?" Grimm exploded, unable to believe his friend's insouciance. "Are you serious?"

Dalquist laughed. "Well, of course I know how tough it is, Grimm. I often found myself wanting to kill Magemaster Urel. I broke out when he whacked me with his staff for dropping a plate in the Refectory, and you know the result of that. I really lost it, but that impromptu display of amateur demolition did make a Questor of me, after all."

The young Questor gaped in sheer astonishment. Dalquist must be some superman to have withstood two whole years of the daily torment Grimm had faced.

"I think another day of what I faced would have seen me mad or dead," he declared, shivering a little. "I guess you're made of stronger stuff than me, and I respect you even more for it. I scarcely knew my name by the time Magemaster Crohn had finished with me. How did you stand it for two whole years?"

Dalquist frowned. "I know you're no weakling, Grimm. You're more powerful than I was at your age, and your willpower and drive are second to none. The Questor Ordeal's designed to drive a man, or boy, to his limits. I reached mine after two years, and you're at least as strong as me in that regard; perhaps stronger. Power like yours doesn't come from nothing." He leaned back, his brow still furrowed. "Could you give me an account of a typical day you spent as a Neophyte Questor? Assume you're telling someone who knows nothing of it."

Mercifully, Grimm now found memories of much of his Ordeal to be little more than a blur, but he applied himself to his friend's request, rubbing his bearded chin as if it could stimulate recall.

"Well, if I'd displeased Crohn the night before, I might have to do without breakfast. We'd start the morning with three hours' repetition of a long runic spell, often one I didn't know. If my repetition rate was too slow, Crohn slapped me; or worse if he was in a bad mood. He could scream at me for as much as twenty minutes because I'd made even a small mistake on one of the repetitions, and then we'd start over. That'd lead to another three hours' practice, with a slap or a kick for each mistake. More screaming by Crohn, and, of course, a proper beating if I hadn't already had one. If I hadn't made a mistake, he'd beat me for my tone of voice or my facial expression, or the condition of my shoes, or because his arm ached from beating me the last time… any little thing he could think of, you know. That might mean bread and water for lunch, or perhaps no lunch, and then we'd start again in the afternoon.

"The evening session could go on into early morning until I could hardly speak. I'd be given exercises to complete for the next session, but I'd be so hungry and tired I could never finish them in time. Sometimes you just have to eat and sleep. If I did manage to finish them, get some scraps to eat and grab a couple of hours' sleep, it was a good day, but it became almost impossible by the end. You could have closed your thumb and forefinger around my bicep, and my clothes just seemed to hang off me-so I often got beaten for looking untidy, even if my clothes were clean and in good repair.

"Sometimes, on very rare occasions, Crohn seemed to take pity on me-he'd pretend he was too busy to attend to me the next day, and he'd forget to give me any exercises. I'd spend half the day in bed and the rest in the refectory, but I couldn't keep food down. I wasn't allowed to talk to anyone or go to the Library, of course, so all I had was myself."

Grimm swallowed, trying to keep his voice level. "Of course, those little days off were just designed to make it even harder to start again. The next day, Crohn often told me how nobody would miss me if I died, and sometimes I really, really thought about… you know…"

The mage's voice faded almost to a whisper as emotion stuffed an iron ball into his throat. "You know the way it goes, Dalquist. Seven months of that nearly finished me; I'd never have lasted two years!"

The senior Questor whistled. "Grimm, I can assure you Urel wasn't anywhere near that hard with me, and I thought he was a tyrant. Sure, he slapped me on occasion, and I had privileges revoked. I was restricted to bread and water from time to time, yes, and I was barred from seeing my friends. Still, I always had the sense that Magemaster Urel was testing me, and he usually stopped short of outright assault. I now realise he was seeing how far he could take me, and then backing off. Things got worse as time went on, but at a measured rate, stretching me, pushing me to the limit. Towards the end, the last month or so, I'd start to have the odd day where he'd treat me like you describe, but I couldn't have stood a solid month of that, let alone seven. I saw the way you looked after your Outbreak, and it puzzled me that you were as shattered as you were. Now I understand. Crohn must be a complete sadist."

Grimm waved his hands, as if to expunge Dalquist's last words. "But he's not, Dalquist. Almost the first words I remember when I awoke after my Outbreak were 'I'm sorry, Grimm, so sorry. I had no choice.'"

Dalquist entwined his hands, the index fingers forming a steeple that touched the middle of his forehead, just over the bridge of his nose. Long moments passed before he spoke again.

"There was a Neophyte a couple of years above me, with Crohn as his personal tutor. What was his name…

"Mitar: that was it. I'm pretty sure he was being tried out as a Questor, too. He liked books and music, just like you and, of course, Crohn took those privileges away from him. After a few months, Mitar started to act strange. He'd sit in the Refectory, rocking back and forth and muttering to himself. I was still a Student in those days, and we all used to laugh at him. You know how cruel boys can be."

Grimm nodded. He remembered only too well the sly trips and pushes, and the venomous hisses of 'Traitor's by-blow' from the shadows. Yes, boys could be unimaginably cruel at times.

"After a few days of this," Dalquist said, enunciating his words with great care, "Crohn came into the Refectory and sat with him. We all thought it was odd, a Magemaster sitting in the paupers' area. I couldn't hear much, but I caught the words, 'terrible mistake', and Magemaster Crohn led him away by the hand, as if he were a toddler. We didn't see him for a few days, but he was much better when he came back. He said he was being tried out as a Healer instead. I believe he's an Adept now."

"There you are," Grimm replied, "Crohn's not a total sadist after all."

Dalquist shook his head. "Perhaps not, but I think things must have changed over the years. Look at what happened to your friend, Erek. He never should have been put through the Ordeal. Too sensitive, too highly-strung, but they pushed him and pushed him anyway, and he killed Senior Magemaster Urel and hanged himself. Something's changed in Arnor House, and I don't like it."

Grimm sighed. "Lord Thorn must have found out what happened. Don't you think he would have told Crohn to take it easy after what happened to Erek and Urel, once he discovered the truth?"

Dalquist's looked into Grimm's eyes, his expression stern. "Grimm Afelnor, you have a brain in your head, a good one, too. Use it! Of course Lord Thorn would have done that once he realised what had been going on… unless he was the one who ordered it."

Grimm opened his mouth to expostulate, but the words did not seem to come. The fatherly Urel was no sadist, either, and yet he had pushed Erek beyond his limits of tolerance. Crohn was a dedicated, kindly educator, and he had taken Grimm to the very edge of that same precipice.

Surely… no, it couldn't be!

"I'm sorry, Dalquist, but I can't believe that. Lord Thorn's done all right by me, and you, too. I don't think he'd tolerate a regime of concentrated brutality like that. I think we both owe him a debt of gratitude, not innuendo and slander."

Dalquist snorted. "Well, it looks like it worked on you, then. Grateful Grimm Afelnor, Mage Questor, Weapon of the Guild, thankful to his betters for being beaten and starved every day. Just open your eyes, will you?"

Grimm stood, his face burning. "I'm sorry, Dalquist, but I really don't want to talk about this. Perhaps when I come back you'll be in a more reasonable state of mind.

"No, I don't want to hear any more, thank you!" He turned on his heel, and strode towards the door.

"Grimm, just listen to yourself!" Dalquist shouted.

Without turning round, his hand on the handle of the door, Grimm snapped back, "No, you listen, Dalquist. I think it's high time you realised who your real friends are. You owe Lord Thorn everything, as I do! I think a little appreciation would be in order, don't you?"

Not waiting for his friend's reply, he opened the door, stepped through and slammed it behind him, nearly tripping over Redeemer. The unpleasant, dissonant lunch bell began to rang, reminding him of his empty stomach, and he made his way to the Refectory, his emotions varying between sorrow for having fallen out with his friend, and anger at Dalquist's rank ingratitude. Perhaps he would meet his old Scholasticate friends, Madar and Argand, at lunch: a little friendly discourse might improve his mood.

****

His two friends did not appear in the Refectory, and Grimm stared at his empty plate, not even remembering what he had eaten. A group of humble charity Students chatted and squabbled with customary gusto in their dingy corner of the room, and the Questor became more and more annoyed as he tried to marshal his thoughts over the incessant clamour.

"Show a little respect for your seniors, can't you?" he snapped. "It's all I can do to hear myself think!"

The loud conversation stopped as if a branch had been lopped from a tree, and Grimm saw several mages were looking at him, their faces shocked and incredulous.

What's the matter with you idiots? What this House needs is a little more respect! The words rose in the Questor's gorge like acid bile, but he managed to stop them before they reached his mouth. In ill humour, he rose to his feet and swept from the Refectory.

"What am I? I'm a freak, a sport, a mutant!" That was what he had screamed at Magemaster Crohn during his violent Outbreak, the final, cataclysmic eruption marking his transition from humble Neophyte to powerful Questor. Words torn from a callow adolescent, filled with pain and confusion, before the sick-sweet realisation that he had prevailed against almost insuperable odds.

He rubbed his pained brow, grimacing. Had he not left all that debilitating angst behind him? Surely so, and yet he had subjected Numal to a vicious tongue-lashing that very morning, and now he feared he had lost a valued friend to an unaccustomed burst of vitriol. Where was that Questor self-control? Where was that iron command over his emotions, now?

He knew he must seek out Dalquist again and beg his forgiveness, but he, who had faced demons without fear, who had risen from the lowly status of a blacksmith's son to the rank of Baron, could not face such a confrontation.

"I'm sorry, Dalquist," he whispered as he stomped off to his room. He could not wait to leave for High Lodge, and to be on his next Quest. For good or ill, that was his life now.

****

Lord Thorn lifted his hands from his crystal and helped himself to another brimming goblet of brandy, shivering as the liquor's warming, soothing flames licked through his body, easing the pains that racked his head.

"I've been sitting behind this bloody desk for too long," he muttered. Nonetheless, he felt pleased that he had managed to cast a spell of Compulsion as powerful as any Seventh Level Mentalist could cast on a young, powerful Questor, without the least word or gesture. It had taken considerable effort to keep his expression neutral while casting, but he had remembered the advice given to him by his long-dead tutor: "It is hard to change a man's mind, Adept Thorn. The least change is the best change. A small push in the right direction is all that is needed in most cases, and then he will be yours."

To hell with High Lodge! he thought, gulping down another draught of the potent brew. A true Afelnor, who owed all loyalty and fealty to you, would be a potent weapon indeed. That was what Lizaveta had told him on the day that the boy had first appeared before him.

You were so right, Mother, he thought. Now you're going to find out just how right you were. Your problem is that he is mine, rather than what you really meant: ours. And this potent weapon is now pointed right at you.

Through his magical link with Afelnor, the Prelate had seen all that had passed between the two Questors in the Library, and, although pleased beyond measure with the boy's response, the arguments of his older friend gave Thorn some concern.

Questor Dalquist, I find your attitude unsatisfactory. I can be a good friend, but you'd better think twice before making an enemy of me. I could easily send you on a Quest from which you'd never come back.

It could wait. Dalquist was a useful mage, and Thorn did not truly want to waste him. Nonetheless, he would keep an eye on this potential renegade. The question of Dalquist's loyalty was only of secondary importance to the destruction of his hated mother.

Questor Grimm would be leaving for High Lodge on the morrow, and the Prelate expected positive developments in this regard.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 8: Control

"It's a pleasant morning, don't you think, Grimm?" Numal said.

Grimm knew the Necromancer was just trying to make polite conversation as the Questor drove the small cart down the mountain path from Arnor House, but he had to force himself to reply in a fair facsimile of a cheerful voice.

"Yes, indeed, Numal. It's good to be out."

In truth, Grimm felt seedy and ill-tempered. He was beginning to worry that the herbs, Trina and Virion, to which, inadvertently, he had once been addicted, might once more be exerting their insidious influence on him. Since the herbs had relinquished their tyrannical hold on him, it had been his habit to carry a pouch of the potent substances with him at all times, to remind him of the thrall in which they had once held him. He had left the pouch behind at General Quelgrum's desert lair, and he began to regret that he had never replenished them.

No! All that is behind you, Grimm. You're never going to touch those damned herbs again, ever!

Nonetheless, despite his id-voice's urgent chiding, he found it hard to think about anything else.

"Aren't we getting a little close to the edge, Brother Mage?"

Grimm snapped out of his reverie as he saw the cart's wheels spinning mere inches away from the edge of the track, and oblivion. He vowed to keep his mind on the job in hand, and not to stray into absent-minded introspection.

"Sorry, Numal, my mind was wandering," he said, guiding the blinkered horses back into the centreline of the road. "I spent a sleepless night, I'm afraid."

"Yes, I thought you seemed a little dull at breakfast. Excited about the prospect of gaining the Sixth Rank?"

"Yes, that must be it," Grimm lied. That's another bad habit you're getting into, Afelnor, chided his inner voice, which he tried to banish to the back of his mind.

"I hear you're reckoned a fair singer, Grimm," the devotee of the dark arts called. "How about a little sing-song to brighten the trip?"

"No, I don't really think so, Numal. Not right now, anyway. I need to keep my mind on driving the cart. We don't want another scare like we had back there."

Grimm just wanted peace and quiet, although he resigned himself to the odd snippet of conversation lest he appear odd or ill. Nonetheless, the normally garrulous Necromancer managed to hold his tongue until the pair reached the foot of the mountain.

Once the trail widened and the gradient reduced to a gentle slope, however, the older mage began to speak again, and it cost Grimm a deal of self-control not to tell him to shut up.

"Er… Questor Grimm?"

"Yes, Necromancer Numal, what is it?" Although he was determined to be polite, Grimm's response was brusquer than he had intended.

He noted that the Necromancer's voice was hesitant and nervous, and it was all he could do not to snap "Spit it out, man!" With great effort he managed a more civil reply.

"I'm sorry, Numal. What's up? Is something on your mind?"

Numal twisted his hands together, and his voice firmed. "Grimm, I can't help but notice how ill at ease you are in my company since yesterday. I can only imagine you were felt offended when I implied you might be-you know-fond of men. If that's the reason, I'm truly sorry."

Grimm brought the two speckled carthorses to a halt, and turned to face the older man. At the rate he was going, he would have no friends at all if he did not gain control of his unaccustomed spell of ill-humour.

"Listen, Numal, it's I who should be sorry. I was a little taken aback at what you asked me, but that's nothing to do with my being in a bad mood, I assure you. The last couple of days, my emotions seem to have been all over the place, and I don't know why. Just as a matter of interest, though, why did you think I might be inclined that way? I assure you I'm not. Don't worry, although the Guild spits fire at any hint of carnal awakenings in its mages, I won't take offence, I promise. I just want to clear the air, if I can."

Numal cleared his throat. "Well, I think I started to wonder when I saw you talking with Magemaster Crohn at my Acclamation feast. Your eyes seemed almost misty when you talked to him. And then, the next day, you just seemed very friendly towards me. I think it's just that you Questors can be so intense at times."

Grimm flicked the reins, and the cart began to rumble onwards once more. Had he really been misty-eyed when talking to Crohn? He knew he had felt almost overjoyed after leaving Lord Thorn's chamber, and he had felt happy to meet his former tutor again. Yes, his reaction had been intense, although he had no idea why.

Then he had leapt into his new, unofficial Quest with almost frenetic zeal, despite knowing that such a secret undertaking would garner him neither acclaim nor official recognition. Grimm just felt so honoured that Lord Thorn trusted him to carry out the deed alone. When he encountered Crohn in the dining gallery, he had been filled with the warmth of deep gratitude at the very sight of the man who had made him what he was: a Mage Questor.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Numal's quizzical gaze as he mulled over his recent behaviour. Nonetheless, he was in no mood to answer until he was ready. He had chewed Numal out, considering that the man had belittled and demeaned his calling. Then he had turned his back on his best friend, after Dalquist's suggestion that Lord Thorn might be responsible for an uncaring and callous disregard for his Neophytes. Perhaps he was…

No! The thought-word slammed through his head like a crossbow bolt, and Grimm stifled the thought at birth. He was just becoming older and wiser, and finding a new and just respect for his superiors.

If only my Names-cursed head didn't ache so much!

"Let's just forget the whole thing, shall we, Numal?" Grimm said. "It was just a silly misunderstanding, after all. I've had a bad headache for a while now, and I just can't seem to shift it. That's all there is."

Grimm forced a smile onto his face, although it felt as if it hung there like a lead weight.

A relieved sigh from Numal told him that the matter was all but forgotten, and the pain in his skull seemed to lift a little. Nothing mattered but his Quest. Somehow, Grimm knew, his incessant, cursed introspection was causing the pain, and it appeared that all he needed to do to alleviate the dull, dismal ache was to keep his mind occupied.

At last, he noticed the beauty of the morning: the lovely play of light and shade across the forest, the dappled patterns of green and brown across the land, the deep blue of the celestial vault, and the invigorating warmth of the golden, rising sun.

"Numal, I think your suggestion of a little sing-song would be just the thing to celebrate this gorgeous day. Do you know The Fair Maiden of Sambata?"

"I think I remember that ditty," the older mage replied. "You take the main line, and I'll take the counterpoint."

The rest of the morning seemed to fly by as the two mages sang and joked together.

****

As the sun passed its zenith, High Lodge hove into view and, for once, Numal was silent as the fantastic, golden edifice revealed itself.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Grimm felt like an old hand now. It might be only his second visit to the Lodge, but he spoke as a man of the world sharing familiar wonders with a callow ingenue.

Numal gaped as the bizarre, fabulous structure began to reveal itself: the bulbous cupola with its lace-like metal spider's web, the sky-probing turrets; the lambent sheen of the stonework.

"Impressive?" Numal yelped. "It's incomparable!"

As the cart bore down towards the wide, empty plain on which High Lodge sat like some misshapen, golden mushroom, the radial tracery of roads leading to the Lodge became apparent, delicate black lines on pale-green baize. Now, the sheer scale of the immense structure began to assert itself, and Numal whistled in appreciation.

"It's utterly magnificent! I had no idea…"

Numal's voice was like that of a small child visiting a vast bazaar, filled with enticements and wonders beyond his imagining, and Grimm smiled.

"I defy anybody to see this and remain unmoved, Numal. I was just as stunned as you on my first visit, I promise you."

As the cart approached the main gate, reserved for visiting mages, Grimm leaned towards his companion. "It'll be the stiffest Mage Speech you've ever used from now on, I'm afraid. They're pretty starchy here, even compared to Arnor, but you'll soon get used to it."

All Numal could manage was a nod, his lower jaw slack and unresponsive.

Grimm brought the cart to a halt in front of the two halberd-wielding guards who oversaw the gate, their weapons barring access. "What business have you here?" a third man cried, stepping forward. He wore leather armour embellished by a burnished, silver escutcheon on his left breast, which, Grimm guessed, was some badge of rank, but this signified nothing. In this establishment, mages ruled supreme.

"Questor Grimm and Necromancer Numal from Arnor House seek admission," Grimm called, showing the blue-gold ring adorning his left ring finger. He nudged Numal with his elbow, and the Necromancer followed suit.

"Thank you, Sirs, that's quite in order," the officer said, and Grimm felt pleased that the soldier's manner held no hint of servility. "If you'd be so good as to leave your cart here, I'll have someone take care of it, and I'll make sure your bags are taken to your rooms."

As the two mages stepped from the conveyance, the officer clapped his hands, and the two guards swung their halberds into a vertical position.

The gate was, of course, shut, but Grimm waved his left hand at the portal and it opened, just like the main door of Arnor House.

The main concourse of the Lodge was as bustling and noisy as Grimm remembered it from his previous visit, and he saw the tall, imposing form of the Senior Doorkeeper standing just inside the doorway. The Doorkeeper's black staff, resplendent with seven gleaming gold rings, hovered obediently at his side.

"Greetings, Brother Mages," the urbane mage intoned in a rich, deep voice.

"Greetings, Senior Doorkeeper," the Questor replied.

"Ah, Questor Grimm, it is good to see you here once more," the urbane, dark-skinned mage rumbled, and Grimm marvelled anew at the man's prodigious powers of memory, even if the ritual greeting held little warmth.

"Senior Doorkeeper, may I present Necromancer Numal, only recently Acclaimed? Numal, this is the Senior Doorkeeper of High Lodge…

"Numal!" Grimm jabbed an impartial elbow into the Necromancer's side.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Senior Doorkeeper." Numal turned his wide eyes from the milling crowd of mages and Secular petitioners filling the enormous lobby.

"Remember, Mage Speech only," Grimm whispered, noting Numal's inadvertent contraction and the Senior Doorkeeper's disapproving gaze at this breach of Lodge protocol.

Numal drew himself to his full height and cleared his throat. "My apologies, Brother Mage," he said, with the full punctilio expected of a thaumaturge. "I found myself distracted by the magnificence of this splendid establishment."

"Understandable," the elegant major-domo said, nodding. "Welcome, Necromancer Numal, to High Lodge. Your baggage is being conveyed to your rooms: four-thirty-five and four-thirty-seven in the Accommodation Block. Would you be so kind as to accompany me?"

****

Grimm knew the Lodge was like a rabbit-warren, all but impenetrable in its intricacy, except to its incumbents.

"Senior Doorkeeper," he said in a polite voice. "Our long journey has given me a considerable thirst, and I would relish the chance to slake this before we settle in. Would you be so kind as to furnish us with Location Stones, so that we may find our way without imposing on your valuable time?"

The dark man's eyes widened, as if Grimm's request might constitute some heinous breach of protocol, but he nodded.

"Very well, Questor Grimm. Your request is irregular, but not unreasonable." He fished in a commodious pocket, and drew out a pair of green gems. "I will trust you to return these baubles before you leave High Lodge. They are not to leave here with you. Is that well understood?"

Grimm bowed his head. "Brother Mage, I swear as a representative of Arnor House that your trust will not be misplaced."

He took the gems, passing one to his bewildered and uncomprehending companion. "Thank you, Senior Doorkeeper."

He felt tempted to add "That is all, my man," but stopped himself. He might find the mage's prissy ways irksome, but it would be folly to antagonise him; he was only fulfilling his role to the best of his abilities.

"Oh, I have just one more thing to ask," he said, remembering his mission. "Are the Sisters of Divine Serenity still domiciled here?"

Senior Doorkeeper nodded. "Yes, Questor Grimm. Many Seculars here are in need of spiritual enlightenment, and the Sisters fulfil that need admirably, although they accept no male devotees. May I ask, therefore, what interest a Fifth Rank Mage Questor might have in an exclusively female religious Order?"

"My interest is purely academic, I assure you, Doorkeeper. It is, after all, incumbent upon a Guild Mage to be aware of the tenets of alternative creeds, so that he may avoid unfortunate breaches of protocol in social situations." This might be the simple answer, the rote answer, but the Questor felt surprised and not a little disgusted at how easily the falsehood rose to his tongue.

His expression unreadable, the imperturbable Senior Doorkeeper flowed away, back into the anonymous crowd.

Grimm felt the ache in his head begin to grow again, and he grabbed Numal by the shoulder. "Do you fancy a drink or two, Numal? It's been a long morning."

The Necromancer seemed fascinated by the ebb and flow of humanity within the hall, but he nodded, tearing his eyes from the mortal tide. "All right, Grimm. Yes, I suppose a drink might be nice."

The young Questor felt as if he were trapped within some crazy dream, a ball being batted back and forth in some cosmic game. It was as if he were already drunk, before he had sampled even a drop of alcohol. Something seemed to push him onwards.

Action, not idleness! the insistent inner voice screamed.

Was he going mad? He had to do something to still the raving beast in his head. Vortices seemed to swirl and careen within his skull, but he no longer cared. The head-voice screamed at him, urging him not to rest. Grimm knew he must stay awake, although sleep seemed to offer such a sweet consummation.

"I know just the place," he said at last, winking. "Come with me."

As the two mages walked across the crowded hall, a small sound, like the mewling of a wounded cat, emerged from Grimm's throat, but it was swallowed by the clamour of the swarming multitude.

****

Lord Thorn groaned as hot shafts of pain stabbed his brain, and his trembling hands hovered over the green crystal, barely touching it. He could hear Questor Grimm's words through his spell-link with the youth, but only with great effort.

Half a bottle of brandy had failed to allay the incessant, agonising stabs that now plagued him, and he knew his spell of Compulsion had not gone as well as he had thought. Somehow, the Afelnor boy seemed to be fighting the spell. Something had to give, and Thorn felt determined it was not going to be him.

Once more, the liquor made its burning trail down the Prelate's throat, but he resolved that he would take no more.

Names curse it, this boy is strong. But I'll be damned if he's as potent as a Seventh Level Questor of forty years' seniority!

Reaching into reserves he had not touched for decades, Thorn reasserted his authority and reinforced his spell, despite the silver lances of pain that now speared into his eyes. After a few moments, he felt the resistance, the self-examination cease, and he began again to hear through the youth's ears: "Do you fancy a drink or two, Numal? It's been a long morning."

Good lad, Questor Grimm. Drink should lower your resistance.

Thorn's eyes ached and his body felt as limp as warm lettuce. He fell back in his throne, exhausted, and he knew despite his proud boast to himself, he was not the potent sorcerer he had once been.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 9: Introspection and Investigation

Dalquist sighed, shut his book with a bang and rubbed his sore eyes, realising that he had just read the same paragraph three times without registering its contents. The sun's orb was bisected by the horizon, and the Library was now empty.

Tertiary Rune Structures in Translocative Applications would have proved a tedious and challenging book to the vast majority of mages. However, to a Mage Questor, a thaumaturge who could make his own magic without recourse to the strictly-regimented, pedestrian panoply of rote-learned runes, it was little more than sheer torture. Added to this, the Questor's mind was far from focused on his reading.

He considered how honoured he felt when Senior Magemaster Crohn requested that he become an Associate Magemaster: to any teaching Guild House, the Scholasticate was the very hub, the life-essence that sustained it. One of the most valuable contributions a mage could make to his House was to engage in the effort to turn callow, ignorant Students into full Guild Mages. However, the gulf between a Mage Questor and a practitioner of any other Speciality was enormous. Most Magemasters took decades to master the complex rune interactions governing their crafts, whereas Questors were free spirits, unfettered by the restrictions of a limited set of spidery characters, their only limits were those imposed by their imaginations.

No, he told himself. It's not studying these runes that's disturbing my concentration. It's Grimm.

Dalquist squeezed his eyes shut and slapped his left palm onto his forehead, as if this might clear his thoughts. He remembered Grimm as a frightened, insecure seven-year-old Student, trying to pretend that he had not been weeping. There had been power in his eyes even at that tender age, and also signs of great intelligence. Dalquist had led the boy to the very place in which he now sat, and Grimm had reacted as if all his birthdays had arrived at once.

Later on, there was a traumatised adolescent, recovering from his violent Questor Outbreak and so pleased to see his older friend. Dalquist spent many, many days and months with the new Adept, in the company of Crohn, patiently teaching the boy how to control and ration his thaumaturgic energies, so he could use his mind to open a door without smashing down the surrounding wall at the same time. Grimm had been patience and persistence personified, despite the trauma he had suffered.

Dalquist recalled the young First Rank Questor, his confidence growing every day on the arduous Quest to free the city of Crar from the influence of the demon lord, Starmor, his friendship with the senior mage burgeoning into a relationship of staunch trust and mutual respect.

Despite the seven nightmarish months of Questor Ordeal Grimm had described, far worse than Dalquist's own period of suffering, the young man turned into a stable, level-headed person, amiable and reliable. Yes, he had turned surly and vicious during the period of his unintentional addiction to the herbs Trina and Virion, but that had passed. Were the insidious pangs of drug withdrawal perhaps reasserting themselves?

Dalquist opened his eyes, leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling without seeing. Indeed, Grimm's rages, while his body had craved the fumes of the mind-altering herbs, had been sudden and severe, but they had been uncontrolled, directed at anybody in his vicinity. On their meeting the day before, Grimm had seemed as companionable and placid as ever, until the subject of Lord Thorn's possible complicity in the indiscriminate application of a new, more vicious Questor Ordeal had arisen. Grimm then turned on his fellow mage, his most loyal ally, Dalquist Rufior. The change in his demeanour had been startling, his lips drawn back from his teeth in a snarl as he extolled the virtues of the House, the Guild, and of Lord Thorn in particular.

This was not the Grimm Afelnor Dalquist remembered, but a pale imitation with Grimm's face: a marionette dancing at the command of another.

A single, muttered word escaped his lips: "Thorn."

A shock of realisation flashed through Dalquist's brain like a lightning bolt, painful in its intensity.

It has to be Lord Thorn who turned Grimm in this way…

The only Mentalist within the House of sufficient skill to overcome the phenomenal, Ordeal-induced willpower of a Questor seemed to be Magemaster Kargan, and he seemed on good terms with his former pupil. Only another mage of the same calling or a potent Questor might even hope to achieve the feat. The only other Questors in the House, apart from Dalquist himself, were the doddering Olaf and the haughty Xylox.

Olaf was no longer the mighty thaumaturge he had been in his youth, and Dalquist could not imagine him prevailing in a contest of wills with Grimm.

On the other hand, Xylox could not be so swiftly dismissed as a candidate.

Dalquist knew Xylox and Grimm had been on far from good terms during their recent Quest, and the petty mage was just the kind to seek to instil in the high-spirited young Questor a sense of proper respect for his superiors. Nonetheless, Xylox the Mighty, despite his extravagant soubriquet, was notable for his parsimony, not least in the expenditure of his magical energies. Dalquist had once Quested with him, and he had lost count of the number of times he had been subjected to the man's censorious watchword: a true Questor conserves his strength.

Xylox, whatever his faults, was ever true to his dicta, and Dalquist could not imagine him expending a vast amount of thaumaturgic power just to teach a recalcitrant junior mage a lesson.

That left the Lord Prelate. At sixty years, Thorn was still young for a mage, who might reasonably expect to live to an age of a hundred and thirty years or more. He was a Mage Questor of the Seventh Rank, with almost four decades of experience. Whilst it was not unknown for Neophytes and Adepts to be placed under spells of Compulsion to reveal nothing of their training to Seculars or Students, it went against all House protocol to place such a spell on a full Guild Mage, who might reasonably be expected to fulfil his sworn Oath under all circumstances. Loyalty to the House and the Guild was burnt into all magic-users at an early age, but by more conventional means.

Dalquist rubbed his chin.

Just what are you trying to imply, Rufior? he chided himself. Why would Lord Thorn feel the need to impose his direct will on the House's most junior Questor?

This is going nowhere. I need more information. For example: has the Questor Ordeal really been increased in severity since my day, or could Grimm have been exaggerating?

Senior Magemaster Crohn might be the key. He had been Grimm's personal nemesis during the Neophyte's Ordeal. Had he been suborned to exceed the normal bounds of discipline in order to produce a new Questor at all costs, or had it been his own idea? It would require the height of tact and diplomacy to discover the truth from such a senior and well-respected mage, but Dalquist believed himself equal to the task. He was an experienced and careful mage, and he was not about to raise major ructions in the House, based only on vague suspicions and doubts.

****

Dalquist located Crohn, at last, in one of the Scholasticate classrooms, wading through a tall pile of papers. It could not be denied that the man was a dedicated and thorough educator.

The Senior Magemaster looked up, and his face brightened as he rose to his feet. "Questor Dalquist, how may I help you? How go your studies?"

Although the Questor's mind was turbulent, he remembered his Mage Speech. One of the advantages in this formal, cumbersome mode of discourse was that the slow, wordy manner of delivery gave time to think of just what to say.

"None too well, I fear, Senior Magemaster. As you may imagine, I have already forgotten much of what I learned about runes."

Crohn wagged an admonitory finger. "That is the trouble with you Questors: in one ear, and out of the other. I would remind you that we have an urgent need for more Magemasters; or would you prefer to pollute Arnor House with unorthodox-thinking Outsiders?"

Dalquist smiled and shook his head; it was, as Grimm had averred, impossible to imagine this irascible old man as a heartless sadist, despite his irascible, mercuric nature.

"No, Magemaster Crohn, the post should remain within the rolls of the House. I still wish to persevere in this. I know how important it is to provide a good education for our Students."

A lively discussion ensued, as the two mages deliberated over niceties of education. Dalquist bided his time, hoping to make his visit appear natural and unforced, but he was just waiting for a hiatus in the conversation to present itself.

At last, Crohn fell silent in his discussion of Scholasticate minutiae, and the Questor saw his moment.

"Senior Magemaster Crohn, I have, as you may well imagine, an abiding interest in the methods by which we turn our young proteges into Questors. Naturally, such a technique is used only on charity cases, but I note that our rolls for the coming year include many more such Students than we have had for many a season. I therefore wish to ask you if there are any new innovations in this field. I am well aware that this particular discipline is not within my current purview, but I feel strongly that I might now be well employed in this specific, important subject."

Crohn blinked. "My apologies, Questor Dalquist; exactly what is it that you wish to know?"

"Does the House now have a different policy with regard to potential Questors than it had in my year? I note that Questor Grimm, for example, under your tutelage, rose to the rank of Mage Questor in seven months, whilst my own Ordeal lasted two years under Questor Urel. Is some new method being employed?"

Crohn sneezed, as a fly flew under his impressive nose. "My apologies, Questor Dalquist," he said, regaining his habitual composure. "I must say that I am not sure such a disclosure is appropriate for an Associate Magemaster."

"What of an Associate Magemaster who is also a Questor of the Seventh Rank?" Dalquist demanded, raising the stakes. "With the greatest respect, Senior Magemaster, what do you know of the especial problems of a Neophyte Questor? Who better to bring him to the peak of performance than another Questor?"

"So?" Crohn sounded cautious, guarded in his response. The omission of Dalquist's name and honorific was more than sufficient evidence to the Questor of the senior tutor's disquietude concerning the subject.

Dalquist affected a light-hearted laugh, hoping to disarm Crohn."Senior Magemaster Crohn, I do believe that you doubt my motives in this regard!"

"Very well, Questor Dalquist," Crohn said, after a considerable pause. "I can see the rationality in your suggestion, and I would welcome your insight into the Questor psyche, should a suitable candidate become available."

The Questor chose his next words with care. "I wanted to ask you about that, Magemaster. Of course, I am well aware that only Neophytes with charitable status are considered, but how are such boys chosen from amongst their peers? As a Questor, I may well be able to aid you in selection."

"Naturally, the most powerful youths are chosen," Crohn said. "Intelligent boys, and the most diligent and determined of Students."

The Questor found Crohn's statement somewhat glib and uninformative. Although it might be considered the height of discourtesy for one mage to scan another's aura, especially that of a senior practitioner of the Art, Dalquist had no need to resort to his Mage Sight to determine that Crohn was holding something back. The Magemaster seemed to be avoiding eye contact, despite his normal, level gaze, and he tapped the brass head of his Mage Staff into his left palm in a distracted fashion.

"Are they the only criteria for selection, Magemaster Crohn? It seems to me that emotional stability would also be a prime factor. It seems to me that a flighty or emotional lad might pose a serious risk."

The older man's left palm reddened as he increased the rate and force of tapping, and Dalquist knew Crohn was wondering just how much he could safely reveal. An unfavourable word from Crohn to Lord Thorn could make life uncomfortable for even a Seventh Rank Mage, but the Questor believed the Senior Magemaster was, at heart, a just and decent man. Crohn might have put Grimm through hell, but Dalquist no longer believed the old magic-user was an unthinking sadist.

To Perdition with it! Let's see just what it takes to persuade Crohn to talk.

In fact, a pair of words sufficed: "Erek Garan."

Crohn's eyes widened, and the tapping stopped. "Just what do you know about Neophyte Erek, Questor Dalquist?" His voice was just a shadow of the stern, commanding tone he must have intended, and his face looked haunted.

"Senior Magemaster Crohn," Dalquist said. "I suspect I understand why this subject disturbs you. Would you care to sit down, and may we forget Mage Speech for a while? It tends to cramp my mind."

Crohn looked around him, as if he guessed some unseen spy were watching and listening from the shadows but, with an anguished look on his face, he nodded and slumped into his seat. Dalquist dragged a chair over to the desk and sat opposite him.

The old tutor swept a trembling hand through his mass of white hair. "It has been preying on my mind," he confessed, as if a great load had been lifted from him. "It would be good to discuss my fears with someone else."

Dalquist leaned closer to Crohn, his tone soft and conspiratorial. "I believe Erek Garan was totally unsuitable as Questor material and that, in times past, he would never even have been considered for the Ordeal. Magemaster Crohn, I think there's something sick in the heart of this House."

There: it was out now, and there was no going back. To Dalquist's immense relief, the Senior Magemaster just nodded in dumb acquiescence.

Is the old man just a good actor?

The younger man felt tempted, more than ever, to scan the tutor's aura, but he restrained himself. He would play it by the book, even if other, more senior, authorities did not feel quite so constrained.

"Of course, I acknowledge the value of Questors to the Guild, and I owe my life to this place, Magemaster Crohn. I don't want to destroy Arnor House, still less the Guild. I'm no renegade or a traitor, I assure you. I want only justice here, Senior Magemaster; justice denied to that poor, artistic boy, Erek."

Crohn said nothing, as if he expected Dalquist to commit himself further before opening up any more than he already had.

The Questor's voice hardened, strengthened, without becoming any louder. "Grimm Afelnor told me about his own Ordeal, Crohn. What I went through was bad enough, but he endured a living nightmare no human being should be allowed to visit upon another.

"The Ordeal's changed, Senior Magemaster. From what I know happened to Erek, which is sketchy enough, and from the details of Grimm's seven months of torment, I believe that Lord Thorn no longer cares how many paupers are put through the Ordeal, as long as they're powerful enough, and I don't think he cares if they live, die or go insane. He's gambling with their lives and their minds, and I have good reason to believe he's casting a Compulsion on Grimm, right now.

"I think Thorn wants Grimm as his own, personal, human weapon, and that he's trying to mould his mind to this end."

Crohn looked shocked. "Do you realise what you're saying, Questor Dalquist? I allow that a mistake was made with young Erek, and I mourn his untimely passing. However, I have no reason to suspect foul play."

"Would you have selected Erek Garan to be a Neophyte Questor if the decision had been yours, Magemaster Crohn?"

After a long pause, the Magemaster shook his head, although he said nothing.

"You knew Senior Magemaster Urel for far longer than I did. Do you think that in flagrant disregard of Lord Thorn, he chose to drive such a boy into a state of terminal insanity?" Dalquist knew he was browbeating the old man, but he no longer cared.

Another shake of the head.

"Was it your own idea to push Grimm Afelnor so hard that he would either break out with catastrophic force or lose his mind?"

"Never, Questor Dalquist: on many occasions, I raised my objections to Lord Thorn, but he just reviled me as a coward, and threatened to replace me with a sterner Magemaster. I knew I was pushing the boy too hard, but I believed my Prelate when he said it was for the good of the Guild. No… I wanted to believe it. I was weak."

The old man squeezed his eyes shut, but Dalquist could not help but notice the lines of pain on his face, or the single tear that rolled down the side of his nose.

"It's all right, Crohn," he said, taking pity on the troubled man, extending his hand across the desk. Crohn took it in a firm grasp.

"I'm sorry, Dalquist," he whispered, bowing his head.

"Magemaster Crohn, I believe our Prelate is exerting his influence on a young, loyal Mage Questor, in order to use him as his own tool. To what ends, I cannot guess, but I suspect that Grimm's well-being is not among them."

Crohn recovered his composure and sat up straight, looking Dalquist in the eye.

"I agree that, if true, this situation should not continue, Questor Dalquist. What would you suggest?"

Dalquist felt almost amused: here was the august Senior Magemaster, seeking advice from a man many years his junior.

"I'll confront Lord Thorn with my suspicions on this Compulsion spell, Crohn. If any man can face down a Questor, it's another Questor. With regard to the lax selection of Neophytes for the Ordeal, I'd appreciate your backup. Would you come with me?"

Crohn stood up, his face clear, firm and concerted. "I will, Questor Dalquist. Shall we go to Lord Thorn's chamber now?"

"There's no time like the present," Dalquist said. "Let's go."

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 10: "I Haven't Been Quite Myself"

"No thank you, Questor Grimm. I think I've had enough. If I may say so, I think you have, too."

Grimm laughed. He felt in excellent humour, here in the spiritual home of the whole Guild. "Nonsense, Necromancer Numal. I'm fit as a fiddle. Go on, have another."

Numal looked edgy. "If it's all the same to you, Questor Grimm, I think I'll take an early night."

The young mage shrugged, as if his companion might be making a big mistake. "Oh, well, that's your loss, Numal. Just take the location gem in hand and tell it where you want to go. I'll see you tomorrow. As far as I'm concerned, the night's young, and I want to enjoy it. To cap a wonderful evening, I'll be seeing the Lord Dominie tomorrow. That's a pretty big honour, you know, almost like seeing Lord Thorn." His mouth seemed to caress the name.

"Isn't it rather the other way around, Grimm? Lord Horin's more important than Lord Thorn."

"Not to me, and nor should he be to you," the Questor snapped, taking another draught of wine. "Sure, Horin's a big wheel in the Guild. But Lord Thorn's like our father; he's the man who made us what we are. I do think you could show a little more gratitude, Numal! He's…"

Grimm blinked. He regarded the glass in his hand with sudden distaste, and put it down. "I'm sorry, Numal, what was I saying?"

He shook his head, confused. What had he been saying? The drink must be affecting him more than he thought.

"You were saying that Lord Thorn's like our father," shot back the Necromancer's acidic response. "It seems like Lord Horin's pretty important, too, though not as much as Thorn."

"Did I really say that?"

"In as many words, yes."

Grimm realised it was not the drink causing his confusion; rather, his head had cleared after a long period of disorientation.

"Why, I'm sorry, Numal, I don't know what I was saying. As a matter of fact," he admitted, "I haven't been quite myself for the last day or so."

Grimm wondered if his last Quest was taking a belated toll on him, but he dismissed the idea. Perhaps he was just overwrought at being parted from Drexelica. Yes, that must be it.

Deciding that amends must be made, he said, "I've made a bit of a fool of myself, haven't I?"

Numal shrugged. "I don't know. Have you?" His tone was offhand and not a little annoyed. "You ask someone to come with you out of friendship, and then rail at him because he didn't enjoy his time in the Scholasticate. Then, you insist that he have a convivial drink and tear his head off because he tries to put you straight on a matter concerning the hierarchy of the Guild. If that makes you a bit of a fool, then, yes, you have been one. Then again, I don't know you all that well. Perhaps you normally treat your friends like this."

Numal crossed his arms and turned half away from the Questor.

"But I don't, Numal," Grimm said. "I swear on my Guild Ring and my Mage Staff that I don't. Look, I know I've been an ass, and I know I've said a lot to offend you…"

"You can say that again." The older mage did not turn to face him.

"Numal, I'm sorry, truly sorry, for treating you like some wayward, recalcitrant dunce. I know that doesn't wipe out a word of what I've said, but I just want you to be aware that I've been acting out of character. Perhaps I'm sickening for something. Perhaps I've been… I don't know, homesick for Crar, perhaps. Perhaps the strain of my last Quest has finally caught up with me: I don't know. Will you forgive me?"

"Oh, the mighty Sixth Rank Questor beseeches forgiveness from the lowly First Rank Necromancer, does he?" Numal sneered, over his left shoulder. "Well, I can't refuse that, can I? Just do me a favour, will you, Lord Mage? Just let me know when you think you're about to get up on that pedestal again, so I can take cover before you start throwing stones at me."

Grimm drew a deep sigh. What was the matter with him? Why, it was as if he had been labouring under… under some kind of spell.

Yes, that was it! A Geas or a Compulsion of some sort was the only sensible explanation: a Geas to make him revere High Lodge and Lord Prelate Thorn to the exclusion of all else, but to worship Lord Thorn above all. Thorn had been tampering with his mind!

Grimm thumped his fist on the table, his clenched teeth bared.

"Well, that little resolution didn't last long, did it?" Numal sneered. "Good night, Questor Grimm. I'll arrange my own transport back to Arnor, thank you very much."

The Necromancer lunged to his feet and strode off, his staff following him like an obedient puppy.

"No, please wait, Numal! That wasn't…"

The older mage did not even favour Grimm with a backwards glance as he left the bar, and several patrons of the establishment cast cool, amused glances at the young Questor, who felt his face redden in response. He turned his baleful, Questor glare on the onlookers, who were for the most part Seculars, and they returned to their own business, with an alacrity that Grimm noted with some pleasure.

Think, Afelnor! Why would Lord Thorn need to do this to me? He has my full loyalty, and he should know it by now.

Of course, there was still that nagging suspicion that Thorn knew more about Grimm's grandfather Loras' disgrace than he had said. But was the Prelate perhaps just concealing details of the Prelate's best friend's actions because they were just too painful for him to relate? Yes, Thorn had profited from Loras' downfall, by being elected Prelate in his place, but it must be admitted that he did not seem to enjoy the lofty position to which he had ascended. In addition to this, Lord Thorn knew, could know, nothing about Grimm's doubts. Why, Thorn himself had recommended Grimm's promotion to the Sixth Rank, even over the recommendations of… yes, of Questor Xylox!

"Why, you slimy, conniving, self-obsessed worm," Grimm muttered, taking up his glass, and draining it.

Of course, it would be just like Xylox, who had chided him, harangued him and excoriated him for his perceived lack of respect throughout their recent Quest, to take revenge on his junior mage after being overruled! This must all be Questor Xylox's warped, pathetic idea of justice, to try to turn Grimm into a flag-waving, dutiful, respectful model of what he considered the Questor ideal.

"Oh, yes, Xylox," Grimm hissed, pouring himself another glass of wine and draining it at a gulp. "You and I will have a little talk on our next meeting, I promise you!"

He would show the proud, haughty Questor who was the better, more valuable mage. Grimm had intended to leave his unofficial Quest until after he had received the sixth gold ring on his staff, but he now considered that a little initial reconnaissance might not come amiss. It was time to pay a visit to Reverend Mother Lizaveta.

****

"Enter, supplicant." The voice from within the chamber was somehow dry and dusty, like dead leaves crushed underfoot, and Grimm shivered; nonetheless, he was determined to appear dutiful and respectful before the woman he suspected of slaughter and cannibalism.

Opening the door, he saw the old woman at ease on a comfortable divan. She wore a dress of sheer, white silk, whose pristine purity seemed somehow at odds with her appearance. This could not be the face of some caring, gentle grandmother; the years had left indelible traces that spoke only of anger and meanness. Still, he must conceal his disgust for this ghastly harridan under the mask of respect.

He sank to his knees. "Reverend Mother, I am Grimm Afelnor, Mage Questor of the Fifth Rank, Arnor House. I bid you homage and honour."

The Prioress extended a hand like a claw wrapped in paper-thin, blue-veined skin, and Grimm leant forward to kiss the ruby on the Reverend Mother's profession-ring. It seemed to him that the hand dallied for a little longer than was necessary for strict protocol, but it was, eventually, withdrawn. He rose to his feet, and gave a courteous bow.

"Questor Grimm, welcome. What brings you here?" The voice seemed like death, somehow decayed and unwholesome, but the Questor forced himself to appear civil.

"Reverend Mother, I have been summoned to High Lodge for accession to the Sixth Rank, following my last Quest, and I wished to pay my respects."

"It seems that congratulations are in order, Questor Grimm, and your respect is noted." She sat up, and patted the velvet cushion of the opulent divan. "Come, sit here with me, my son."

The thought of sitting next to the loathsome woman was repulsive, but he complied, sitting as far from the Prioress as possible.

"Few mages, indeed, choose to favour us with their presence, Questor Grimm. We are honoured. How may I help you? Are you in need of spiritual enlightenment?"

I am, at that, lady, but not from you. The words came unbidden to Grimm's mind, but he took care to keep his spoken words a little more deferent.

"I must confess to an ulterior motive, Reverend Mother," he said.

"An ulterior motive; how intriguing!"

Lizaveta moved closer to the young man, and he realised that he had no further room for manoeuvre.

"Reverend Mother," he said, quickly, "I once became friendly with one of your Sisters: a girl called Madeleine. I merely wished to enquire of her whereabouts and wellbeing."

"Ah, yes, Questor Grimm. Now I recall the affair."

Lizaveta's voice is like silk, thought the mage, but mouldy, decaying silk.

"Madeleine was a witch, and she ensorcelled me," Grimm said, "but I never wished her ill. I would only hear that she has learned her lesson, and that she is well."

The Questor engaged his Mage Sight, and he noted Lizaveta's plain, white, unblemished aura. This proved her to be a witch, as he had learned from Madeleine, and as he had suspected.

"Yes, I am also a practitioner of the Geomantic art," the Prioress said, and Grimm wondered if she had read his mind. "I apologise for the actions of that wayward girl. As you may imagine, those of our Order who abuse any such powers, given them by Mother Nature, are not tolerated, and so Madeleine was dismissed from the Order as soon as the matter was brought to my attention. I regret that I have no knowledge of her whereabouts since that day."

The old woman's pale eyes, the colour of faded acorns, bore into him, as if she were challenging him to call her a liar. Grimm felt tempted to tell her of his nocturnal vision of the butchering of the body of the young nun. Now, more than ever, he was convinced that his vision had been true.

She moved closer to him, and he felt himself shrinking away from her. "Thank you very much, Reverend Mother. You have answered my question, and I thank you."

"Questor Grimm, you are lying to me."

The sharp, accusatory words shot through him like a fusillade of crossbow bolts, but they seemed to give him an excuse to get off the divan. He scrambled to his feet, in an attempt to display righteous indignation.

"Reverend Mother, I am shocked by such an accusation, especially from a lady in your position! On what grounds do you dare accuse a Guild Mage of deception?" What he had intended to sound as affronted outrage emerged as a peevish, juvenile complaint, and Grimm felt disgusted at how Lizaveta had contrived to unman him after such a short time.

"Please, Questor Grimm, you misunderstand me. What I intended to say was that I believe you just wanted to be with me. Do not hide your feelings, my son. Liaisons between the sexes are not forbidden within our Order."

The Questor recoiled, as Lizaveta simpered at him in the manner of a love-sick girl of tender years. Summoning all the self-control he could muster, he rushed to the door.

"Reverend Mother, you forget yourself!" Grimm snapped. "I wished only to be sure that…"

"Ah, of course," the Prioress crooned, leering at him. "Such liaisons are forbidden to honourable Guild Mages, are they not? Yet, I believe, our young Questor has some young lovely waiting for him, somewhere… yes, waiting for him within the city walls of Crar. I am right, am I not?"

With sick horror, Grimm realised that the old witch was, indeed, using her powers to scrutinise his mind, and that he had no defence against her. He slammed down his mental defences as best he was able, in an attempt to prevent any further intrusion. What he had intended as a covert assault against the forces of evil had turned into a rout. He had not even been able to detect her intrusion into his psyche and his deepest memories. He was helpless against her in his current state of mind.

Lizaveta laughed! It was not the warm sound of innocent humour, but a hateful, knowing cackle. She could read him like a book; how could he hope to prevail against her? She no longer even pretended innocence, but flaunted her invulnerability.

"Good day to you, Reverend Mother," he gasped, making his way to the door.

"Good day to you, Grimm Afelnor. You Questors are strong, indeed. However, your revered Lord Dominie Horin is a mere Weatherworker."

It might seem strange for a Weatherworker to be so disparaged; within the Guild, such thaumaturges were respected above most other mages, perhaps with the sole exception of Questors. Nonetheless, Grimm knew just what she meant: in matters of willpower, Questors were pre-eminent. If she could so easily cow a Mage Questor, in the prime of his life, the control of an aged Weatherworker should prove child's play.

"You can always attempt to blast me with your mighty power, Questor Grimm," Lizaveta said. "But poor old Horin favours me and protects my Order. I think he might disapprove of any attempt upon me. I have already sent him a subliminal message that you have come here to pay your respects…

"Do I make myself quite clear? If you cease your attempted interference in the Order's affairs, I may choose to leave you alone. Otherwise, it may go ill between us, and your Guild career may not evolve to your advantage."

What Grimm had thought would be a simple matter of outwitting a simple, evil old woman had turned into a complete debacle. He made his exit as best he was able.

"Good day, Reverend Mother. You make yourself quite clear. Thank you."

As he rushed from the room in confusion, Grimm could not help but hear the last words from the Prioress: "Please, do try to oppose me, Questor Grimm; my victory will be all the sweeter. You will be finished. Finished, do you hear?

"However, I like you, and so I shall not destroy you on this occasion. I feel also that this confrontation was not all your idea…"

The Questor knew he had gambled and lost, and he fled the chamber. He felt sick and scared; had his casual assessment of the witch's powers compromised not only him, but his lord and master?

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Chapter 11: Confrontation

With a confident, determined air, Senior Magemaster Crohn knocked on Lord Thorn's chamber door.

"Go away." The voice from within sounded dull and lifeless, and Crohn looked at Dalquist with a worried expression. The Questor could tell the old tutor was in a quandary: to enter the Prelate's chamber uninvited would be considered a major breach of House protocol.

"This is Questor Dalquist, Lord Prelate," the younger mage called. "Senior Magemaster Crohn and I wish to discuss a matter of the highest importance."

"Go away!" Thorn's voice now carried a tinge of peevish frustration. "See Doorkeeper to arrange a meeting, and I will see you when I have the time. I am busy."

Dalquist drew a deep breath, trying to steady his jangling nerves. "This will not wait, Lord Prelate. We insist on seeing you. Or would you prefer that we shout what we know through the door, so that all in the House may hear?"

After a long pause, the door creaked open, and Dalquist felt shocked at what he saw. Lord Thorn's clothes were crumpled and stained. Dark rings like bruises surrounded his eyes, and his beard was unkempt and matted. Dalquist saw a wild profusion of papers and empty bottles scattered across the floor. The Prelate's normally ruddy face was the colour of parchment and dripping with perspiration.

"What is so urgent that you must disturb me during my meditation?" Thorn snarled, a thin tendril of saliva hanging from the corner of his mouth.

Crohn moved to stand at Dalquist's side. "The unfortunate fate of Neophyte Erek Garan, Lord Prelate."

Thorn's bloodshot eyes flitted around like maddened moths near a candle, and the young mage knew Crohn had managed to attract the Prelate's attention.

Thorn said, "Senior Magemaster Crohn, I am surprised that you should choose this moment to rake over old coals. As I told you before, Senior Magemaster Urel was overzealous in his training of the boy. It was none of my doing. Now, go away and let me meditate in peace."

The Prelate squeezed his eyes shut and moaned, "My head aches so!"

The mighty ruler of Arnor House, a Seventh Rank Questor and a member of the High Lodge Presidium, sounded more like a petulant, whining child than an all-powerful mage, and Dalquist guessed the reason for the Prelate's dissolute state.

"You may find it easier to think clearly if you first relinquish whatever Geas or Compulsion spell you have cast on Questor Grimm, Lord Thorn," he muttered, and Thorn's bloodshot eyes sprung open.

"I beg your pardon, Questor Dalquist!" the Prelate growled. "Of what do you dare to accuse your Lord and Prelate, to whom you swore a solemn oath of allegiance? Have you been spying on me? If you have, I will have your Guild Ring, if not your head, before you can blink!"

Dalquist guessed that Thorn had mined deep into dwindling resources to retrieve a remnant of his former fire, but the Questor stood his ground.

"Bluster will avail you little, Lord Prelate," he said. "I have always been true to my sworn Oath, and I remain so. It would be a simple matter to engage my Mage Sight and confirm my suspicions, but I choose to refrain from this. However, if you deny my charge, I shall have to assume that your current condition is due to some unspecified illness, and that you are unfit for office. Senior Magemaster Crohn, are you prepared to relieve Lord Thorn on this basis?"

Thorn gasped, "Crohn: surely you would never dare!" He looked like a cornered rat, and Dalquist made a small moue of distaste at Thorn's wretched appearance.

Crohn nodded to Dalquist, and then turned to face his lord and master. "Lord Prelate Thorn. By the power vested in me through my position as a member of the House Conclave, I now invoke Ordinance 35–17 of the House Articles of Establishment, and declare you unfit to continue as Prelate of this House until such time as the Senior Healer declares you fit to return to office. Having observed at first hand your current condition, I believe I will have little trouble in enforcing this ordinance."

Thorn waved his hands in a scissor-like motion. "All right, all right; there, it is done."

For a moment, it seemed that all life had gone from the Prelate's face, as if it had become a pasty, imploding mass of inanimate dough. A rasping, hacking sigh escaped Thorn's lips and he sank to his knees. When he stood, Dalquist noted that the Prelate's gaze had regained some of its accustomed intensity.

"Do you admit, Lord Prelate, that you have been holding Questor Grimm Afelnor in a spell of Compulsion?" Crohn asked, as if he were a lawyer prosecuting a case.

"I do," Thorn said, although his voice was far from conciliatory, "but I am damned if I know what business this is of yours."

"As you well know, Lord Thorn, that is a severe breach of House and Guild protocol. Ordinance-"

"Since you are so fond of quoting House articles, Crohn," Thorn said, interrupting the Senior Magemaster, "I will quote one for your benefit: Ordinance 1–8. 'In matters of House Policy, the decision of the Lord Prelate shall override all other Ordinances within these Articles, except where contra-indicated by Ordinance 35–17 or Ordinance 18-4.'

"I believe we have now disposed of the former case, and the latter, which concerns High Treason, can only be decided by majority decision of the Presidium.

"It may be outside the bounds of normal House procedure to cast a spell of Compulsion on an Acclaimed Mage, but it is neither a breach of the Articles of Association, nor of the Guild Code of Practice. I have no need to justify my behaviour to you, or to anyone else."

The Prelate seated himself and crossed his arms. Although he still looked pale and dissolute, Dalquist could see he had now regained much of his composure and force of will.

"Lord Thorn," said Crohn. "What you say may well be correct in all details-"

"It is, Crohn, and you know it."

"— but this is not the only reason that Questor Dalquist and I wished to converse with you. There is also the matter of the training of Questors to consider. We believe you are taking unwarrantable risks with the mental well-being of Neophytes, through reckless selection of inappropriate candidates and the institution of a new and vicious regime of training. From conversations I have had with other Magemasters, I am convinced that the aim is no longer to frustrate and goad the potential candidate into his Outbreak, but to brutalise and bully him to the very limits of his endurance until he can bear no more. I believe you cared not a whit for the delicate mental state of Neophyte Erek Geran, and that your sole intention was to produce a powerful, loyal Questor at all costs, regardless of the risk to the boy's health and sanity. We all know the results of Erek's Ordeal, despite your attempts to muddy the waters with your claim that Senior Magemaster Urel had, in his zeal, exceeded his orders."

"I stand full-square behind that assertion, Senior Magemaster Crohn, and I challenge you to prove otherwise."

Dalquist said, "Of course, it is convenient that Magemaster Urel is no longer available to refute your claims."

"Remember to whom you are speaking, Questor Dalquist!" Thorn snapped. "I would be well within my rights to have you dismissed for your slanderous accusations, and I have a strong inclination to do so, be you a Questor of the Seventh Rank or no."

Dalquist bristled with righteous indignation, and he prepared to challenge the Prelate to carry out his threat, but he felt Crohn's warning hand on his shoulder.

"I have some knowledge of the Questor Ordeal, as you will be aware, Lord Prelate," the Magemaster said. "You will remember that I remonstrated with you on several occasions about the treatment of Neophyte Grimm Afelnor during his Ordeal."

"Treatment that you visited upon him, Magemaster Crohn." Thorn wore a faint smile on his lips, and his voice was now cool, low and dangerous. "I wonder why you waited until now to make your protest."

Dalquist feared that the momentum had shifted towards the Prelate. The moment was slipping away.

Crohn frowned. "I acted on your direct and explicit instruction, Lord Prelate. I would be more than willing to testify as much to the Conclave, or even to the Presidium. When I trained Questor Grimm, I was unaware of the normal procedures. My recent discussion with Questor Dalquist has convinced me that the severity of Afelnor's Ordeal was exceptional, and a breach of normal practice."

Thorn leant back in his throne and smiled. "Grimm Afelnor is a full Questor, and I have just recommended him for accession to the Sixth Rank, despite a most unfavourable report from Questor Xylox. I do not think Questor Grimm would agree that I have been brutal or callous. The grandson of the Traitor, the progeny of a humble blacksmith, is now a wealthy nobleman and near the peak of his calling before he has entered his third decade. Do you think the members of the Conclave or the Presidium will see this as vindictive treatment on my part? His Ordeal was successful, so it is plain that your wild claims of reckless disregard do not hold water."

Thorn leaned forward, his gaze level and self-assured. "If I am forced to testify before the Presidium, I shall, of course, tell the truth. Following the tragic loss of Neophyte Erek Geran and Senior Magemaster Urel, I took a more active interest in the training of Neophyte Questors. I assessed Neophyte Grimm Afelnor and recognised phenomenal self-control within him. I judged that he was able to withstand a stricter regime of training. The fact that he passed the test with flying colours proves that my judgement was sound. You cannot possibly equate the outstanding success of Questor Grimm with the sad fate of Neophyte Erek, a debacle over which I had no control."

Dalquist recognised how cogent and persuasive this argument would sound if it ever came before a tribunal. The addled and aged Senior Magemaster Urel had gambled and lost, whereupon the canny, analytical Prelate Thorn had made a reasoned and valid judgement, to the mutual benefit of Grimm Afelnor and Arnor House. A pauper boy found rank, wealth and privilege in one of the few ways open to him: the beneficence and bounty of the Guild.

Thorn leaned back again, his expression satisfied. "Gentlemen, I accept that this unwarranted and impertinent interference in my affairs may have been motivated only by basic decency and a sense of fair play. Those are noble ideals, indeed. Alas, I have my mind on higher matters: the success and prosperity of our beloved Guild. My responsibilities are onerous and demanding, and, on occasion, I am forced to make… distasteful decisions. I may not enjoy them, but my duties are clear, if often unpleasant. Yes, I am severe on occasion, but only because I am dispassionate and pragmatic, as my rank dictates.

"I am prepared to overlook this intrusion on this occasion, but I will brook no further interference into matters which do not concern you. In the future, you will treat me with the full respect that my rank demands. Do I make myself quite clear?"

Dalquist's iron resolve had begun to melt away into uncertainty. "It might be better to let the matter drop, Magemaster Crohn," he said.

What had seemed so clear and indefensible earlier now seemed hollow and insubstantial. Dalquist's righteous wrath had evaporated, to be replaced by a vague, puerile sense of injustice. This was no justification whatsoever for revolution and revolt; nonetheless, he felt that he could not just allow the issue to dissipate with such ease.

"Lord Prelate: may I ask why you felt it necessary to cast a spell of Compulsion on Questor Grimm? Surely the sincerity of his Oath of Allegiance cannot be in doubt after two dangerous and successful Quests?" He knew his voice sounded thin and peevish, and he hated himself for his loss of spirit.

Thorn clasped his hands across his chest. "I am quite within my rights to refuse to discuss such matters with you, Questor Dalquist, and I feel tempted to do so. You have meddled in matters of which you know nothing, and your lack of respect displeases me greatly, not to mention the inconvenience to which you have put me."

The words hung in the air, and Dalquist knew that he might be facing a severe reprimand, if not worse, but the Prelate's mouth twisted into a reasonable simulacrum of a companionable smile.

"Nonetheless, you are still young. You are also high-spirited and forthright, as I suppose a true Questor should be. At your age, I was as idealistic as you. I am, therefore, moved to answer you, impertinent though your question is. I will advise you that this information is not to be repeated outside this room, on pain of the charge of treason. Far more is at stake than you realise, Brother Mage, and I will not allow any further inquiries into the matter; meddle at your peril!"

Dalquist nodded, unable to meet the Prelate's gaze.

Thorn cleared his throat and continued, "Questor Grimm adduced some evidence that there may be an active, malevolent cult of witchcraft present within our beloved High Lodge. The leader of this cult is a witch of considerable power, and I feared that she might sway Questor Grimm from his loyalty and duty with her eldritch powers. Rather than choosing to risk this, I elected to reinforce his motivation with a spell of Compulsion, so that he might not be deterred from gathering evidence of the cult's influence, and to report back to me. I anticipate no untoward influences, but I cannot take the risk of a Questor turning against his Prelate. I pray that Questor Grimm is successful in this Quest, but you may well have put him at considerable risk through your rash actions."

Thorn presented the very image of conspiratorial concern, holding each mage's eyes for a few moments with his intense gaze before he spoke.

"I see now that it would have been better to take Questor Grimm into my confidence beforehand; my current, sorry state is the result of trying to mould and reinforce his will, and it has been a mighty struggle, I assure you. This boy has great potential within this Guild, and it will be recognised. I may have been over-cautious; neither his loyalty nor his strength of will is in doubt, but I feared the insidious incursion of external forces. For my part, I now pity any who seek to oppose him.

"In fact, I acknowledge a debt to both of you: once the spell was cast, I became lost in the struggle for Questor Grimm's will, no longer caring that even a Seventh Rank Questor of many years' tenure found it difficult to control him. Questor Grimm should, as I hoped, prove a great asset to our common cause, and I thank you for your concern and your diligence.

"That is all, gentlemen."

It had been a dazzling performance. Dalquist opened his mouth, but no words came. His suspicions continued to nag him, but he could not fault Lord Thorn's presentation. Why would such a man choose to try to impose his will on one of his most brilliant and loyal proteges, if he had not some more overarching, important reason to do so?

"Thank you, Lord Thorn," he found himself saying. "I apologise for my impertinence, and I acknowledge my lack of faith in your motives."

"I, too, Lord Prelate," Crohn added. "I cringe to think that I suspected you of injustice or cruelty. You are my Prelate, and I reaffirm my faith in your leadership."

****

Once the two men had left his office, Thorn emitted a low moan of agony at the red-hot bolts of pain shooting through his head. He knew he could not hope, in his current condition, to re-establish his link with Afelnor, but he felt a warm glow of pride that, even although his powers had been at such a low ebb, he had managed to exert his will upon his Senior Magemaster and another powerful Questor with a similar spell to that he had used on Questor Grimm.

The Prelate noted with some concern that he seemed to have lost peripheral vision, and his left hand was numb and lifeless. He began to appreciate better the immense power his mother, Lizaveta, had wielded when she had cast her spell on Loras Afelnor.

Thorn had told Crohn and Dalquist the truth: he had become sucked into the Compulsion spell until he had been unable to extricate himself of his own will. Thorn had intended a gentle push, a subtle encouragement to persuade young Afelnor to begin to see his Prelate more as a father than a master, so the Questor would be more prepared to go to any lengths to carry out Thorn's will. It had ended up as a battle of wills, and Thorn felt far from convinced that he had held the upper hand. He knew the reason for his inability to extricate himself from the spell: Thaumaturgic Resonance. Afelnor had been fighting him without knowing it, and it had taken all Thorn's power just to hold the spell on him, causing the Prelate to be sucked ever deeper into the link until it had taken over his whole being.

If the truth be told, Crohn and Dalquist have done me a service, Thorn thought. I might have died if they hadn't barged in like that.

That Grimm had fought back with such strength, despite being unaware of the spell on him, was impressive. Thorn desired more than ever to gain personal control of Questor Grimm's potent capabilities; however, he acknowledged that he was unlikely to achieve this by a direct conflict of wills.

The Prelate still hoped that Afelnor would uncover irrefutable evidence of Lizaveta's influence within High Lodge, but he could no longer assume that the boy would take action on his own initiative to protect his Guild. That was what he had been hoping, that Questor Grimm would feel such wrath at the threat to his beloved Guild that he might try to destroy Lizaveta without being told to do so. It had all seemed so likely, two days ago, that Thorn would achieve his goal of 'plausible deniability'. If Afelnor had failed or been discovered, he could not deny that he had acted without orders, and Thorn would have released his Compulsion spell by that time.

Now, such a happy conclusion seemed improbable.

The Prelate looked around the shambles of his room with distaste. He would need to order Doorkeeper to get all this mess cleaned up, and a bath, some food and sleep were now urgent needs, in that order.

In the morning, he would consider just how he would 'reward' Crohn and Dalquist for their faithlessness.

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Chapter 12: Confessions

Sick with worry, Grimm followed the green trace of his borrowed Location Gem to find his way to his assigned chamber. Instead of entering, he knocked on the next door: that of Necromancer Numal.

"Come in."

Numal's tone seemed cordial enough. Grimm hoped the mage had overcome his earlier ill-humour, and he opened the door. However, he was soon disabused of this idea; Numal, who had been lying atop his bed, reading, sat bolt upright.

"What do you want?"

"Numal, please listen," Grimm begged. "I know now that I have been labouring under a spell of Compulsion for the last couple of days: a spell to make me more subservient to our lords and masters. I have a pretty good idea of who cast it on me, but he seems to have given up now. My mind is my own again, and I beg you to reconsider your decision to leave. I need you."

Numal rolled his eyes. "You don't learn, do you, Grimm? I told you before: I'm not about to put a blot on my career, before it's even started, by some illicit liaison. Even if I wanted to, which, I can assure you, I don't."

Grimm, despite his intention to be conciliatory to the Necromancer, bridled. "This is the last time I'll tell you, Numal: I don't want any kind of amatory relationship with you or any other man! Just get that idea out of your head, will you?

"I do need you, but only in your professional capacity as a Necromancer. I may have made a dreadful mistake, and I need your help! Of course, you're quite within your rights to refuse, and I wouldn't blame you if you did, but I'd rather you considered my request in a sensible manner before throwing it back in my face."

Numal opened his mouth again, as if to deliver a stinging rebuke, but he shut it again without speaking. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and faced the Questor.

"Speak, then." The Necromancer's tone was still far from amicable.

Grimm shut the door behind him. "I'm… I'm on a secret mission for Lord Thorn. I believe that undue forces may be acting upon Lord Dominie Horin. Regardless of the fact that Xy… rather, that I've been labouring under a Compulsion for the last two days, I still believe this, and Lord Thorn has instructed me to gather what information I can, before my return. After you left the bar, I had the great idea of confronting the person I suspect of orchestrating the whole thing. In retrospect, this was stupid, but I think the drink had far more effect on me than I expected."

Grimm swept a hand through his hair, screwing his face up in angry frustration. "I was so damned stupid!"

Numal sat with his arms entwined across his chest. He did not appear moved in the least.

"Well, it's an interesting tale, Questor Grimm, and I hope you can resolve your little conflict, one way or the other. But I don't see why I should indulge your fantasies any longer. Hunt your little demons as you will, but leave me out of it. Please shut the door on your way out."

Grimm opened his mouth to launch an irate tirade, but he managed to stop himself; haranguing Numal again would be counter-productive. He had been acting on impulse and reflex for the past two days, and it was time to use the self-control for which Questors were noted. He took several deep breaths and steadied himself.

"Very well, Numal; if you want me to go, I'll go. But I'd like to point one thing out to you: I'm pretty certain I could make you do almost anything I wanted you to. We Questors have magical abilities you couldn't begin to imagine. Nonetheless, I haven't done that."

"That's very generous of you, Questor Grimm. Is that all you have to say?"

Grimm swallowed and closed his eyes again.

Focus, Afelnor!

Grimm had fed Numal titbits of information, in the hope that the Necromancer would go along with him on that basis. However, the moody, quick-tempered mage did not seem to respond well to hints and innuendo. Despite Lord Thorn's injunction to retain secrecy at all costs, Grimm needed the mage on his side, and he needed to stay calm. As the senior, indeed, the only, Questor present, with no immediate means of contact with the House, he had to make a decision. He had to consider the Dominie compromised, so he would have to act on his own initiative.

While Numal looked on, wearing a cool smile, Grimm lowered himself into a chair and considered his options.

He might attempt to assassinate Prioress Lizaveta but, as she had said, the act might lead to his own death. He could try to present his suspicions to Lord Horin but, if the Dominie was really under the witch's spell, this might avail him nothing. Of course, the Prioress might have been playing some unfathomable game with him, although he doubted it; he remembered, only too well, the clarity of the dream that Numal had told him was a valid astral projection… yes, that was the lever to use with this hot-tempered man!

"Numal, were you lying to me when you told me I had travelled in the astral plane?"

"I was not!" snapped the Necromancer, rising to his feet, his face a crimson mask of outrage. "Are you daring to brand me a liar now?"

Before Numal could say more, Grimm screamed, "I had that dream when I was last here! I saw the crypts below High Lodge, and I saw the body of a girl being butchered and eaten by the very order I now seek to destroy.

"Tell me now that I imagined it: the dream you told me was proof of my astral projection! Your very words convinced me that what I saw was real. If you now wish to call me a liar, I invite you to use your Mage Sight on me. I'm telling the truth: there is a grave threat to our Order. Yes, I am upset, but I think I have every right to be."

Now, it was Numal who seemed on the defensive, his face etched with horror and disgust. "I spoke the truth; I swear it, Questor Grimm! You never told me any details of your dream. Did you really see scenes of cannibalism, right here in High Lodge?"

Grimm nodded. "All I have is the memory of that awful dream, and I don't think that alone will serve as evidence for Lord Thorn. Yet that was what I saw, and my recent, rash actions have done nothing to shake my conviction that what I saw was real."

Numal seemed to slump into a shapeless mass, like a snowman melting in the spring sun. "What do you want, Questor Grimm?" His voice was resigned, although Grimm could tell that Numal was still not quite convinced of his veracity, or even of his sanity. Nonetheless, at least he seemed a little rattled.

"I want you to accompany me to the crypts underneath the Lodge." Grimm locked his gaze upon Numal's eyes. "Our Location Gems won't be much use down there, but I'm pretty sure I'll be able to find the right place. When we get there, I want you to scan my aura, and tell me if that's where I went on my astral voyage. Then I'd like you to tell me if there are any signs of the depredations that I saw in my 'dream'."

Numal shuffled on his bed; he looked ill at ease, if somewhat more compliant than he had been on Grimm's entry to the room.

"All right, Questor Grimm. Suppose I accept your proposition: where does this leave me?"

Grimm smiled. "We take our information to Lord Thorn, and I swear on my Ring that I will say that you acted only on my instruction as the senior mage. All I ask of you is to tell Lord Thorn what you divined from the location."

"All right," Numal said, and then his face froze. "My, you're a fine friend, aren't you? That's all you ever wanted me here for, isn't it?"

The young mage considered debating this point, but then dropped the idea. He might have been unreasonable after his ensorcelment, but Numal seemed to have forgotten one of the most basic precepts of the Guild: rank hath its privileges.

Perhaps, as a scion of a wealthy family, the old truism had not been drilled as often into Numal as it had into Grimm when he had been a Student.

"It's a tough life, isn't it, Numal? The fact is that I first asked you to come with me as a friend, someone who first showed me that a man could be a loyal House subject, and yet remain a human being. You implied I might be some kind of catamite, and yet you still agreed to come. I have tolerated your accusations, in recognition of my earlier unreasonable actions.

"However, I have now notified you of a direct threat to our Order, and I counsel you to act as a sworn Guild Mage. I would rather have you as a friend than as an enemy, but I'll let you make the decision. If you choose to back out now, I'll let you do so, in the sure knowledge that you lack the courage of your convictions. On the other hand, if you stand by the assertions you made to me in the Refectory the day before yesterday, you are duty bound to do as I ask. You must then accept that I am in charge, and I'll brook no deviation from my orders. It's a simple decision, Numal: are you in or out?"

Grimm pulled himself to his full height, the top of his head a full six inches above Numal's. "If you're out, then run off back home, and prove yourself a coward. Stay with me, and I'll be sure to give you full credit for your stalwart support."

Grimm crossed his arms and glared.

"You make it sound so tempting, Grimm Afelnor," Numal declared, his mouth twisted. "I suppose if I refuse you, you'll tell Lord Thorn I let you down."

"Not at all, Numal; you have free will to accept or refuse my request. Your only guide will be your conscience. If you refuse, just remember that I'd be more than capable of bending you to my will, if I chose, but I'll stay my hand. I just want you to know that."

Numal hunched his shoulders as if chilled, and he twisted his head from one side to the other. "That's just plain blackmail! You bastard, Grimm Afelnor!"

"Not guilty," Grimm said, hardly daring to breathe. Without the Necromancer to corroborate his story, he might be unable to prove anything.

At last, Numal spoke again. "What are we up against here?"

Grimm suppressed a sigh of relief. "There is a religious order present at High Lodge: the Sisters of Divine Mercy, whose Prioress is a woman called Lizaveta. She's a witch, and so are at least some of her minions."

"What's wrong with that, Grimm? My cousin, Jennaia, is a witch, and highly valued in her community. Witchcraft isn't illegal."

"Human sacrifice and cannibalism are," the Questor snapped back. "As I told you, that's just what I saw during my little night-time jaunt. Lizaveta presided over the whole ghastly ceremony. The Sisters are under the direct protection of Lord Horin, and Lizaveta implied to me earlier that she has some sort of control over him."

Numal sat back on his bed, his expression one of stunned bewilderment, and he whistled. "Questor Grimm, I'm sorry I was so blind to your true motives in asking me to accompany you. If true, this is indeed serious."

"I hope you can forgive me for all my secrecy in this matter, Numal; I was under strict orders from Lord Thorn to keep the mission as clandestine as possible. If it hadn't been for… my former colleague, and his funny little mind games, things might have gone somewhat smoother than they have."

Numal frowned, and leaned forward, his hands clasped between his knees. "Grimm, you said you made a grave mistake. You haven't told this Lizaveta woman what you intend, have you?"

Now, Grimm felt cold fingers of uncertainty caressing his spine. How much could he afford to tell Numal, a man of whom he knew so little? Unless he was willing to open up to the Necromancer, his Quest might be for naught. However, thanks to Grimm's maladroit handling of Lizaveta, the old witch had a lever to use on him: her knowledge of his illicit love, Drexelica. The revelation of that knowledge to Horin, or to Thorn, would break him, and the only way to avoid that was to destroy the Order, or, at least, its influence over the Dominie.

Lizaveta might have been lying to him, of course, but Grimm doubted it.

A firm resolution surged within him: he would allow nothing to come between him and the girl he loved. He knew he was taking a serious risk, but he knew he must tell Numal the full truth. The greater risk was that the Necromancer might refuse his much-needed aid if he did not see the full picture.

"Numal," he said, his voice low, "I am about to tell you something I wish to keep strictly between the two of us. You must swear not to reveal a word of what I'm about to tell you to anyone else."

Numal's expression was wary, his eyes hooded. "How can I make such a promise, Grimm, if I don't know what you're going to say?"

The Questor closed his eyes and took a deep breath; this was not going to be easy. He rubbed his beard as if this might inspire him, but it did not.

What to do? Ah, to Perdition with it!

Perhaps if he spoke quickly, the confession might not feel as bad.

"I have a lover, Numal," he said, "a female lover."

Numal's eyes bulged. "You have a what?"

Grimm nodded. "It's true. I can tell you from… personal experience that what the Guild tells us about sexual relations between mages and women is a lie, Numal. I'm still as powerful as I ever was."

"Could they break you for it?"

Grimm nodded. "Perhaps. I don't know, but I'll bet the Guild don't want that little secret exposed. They want to keep our minds on our vocations."

Numal spoke in a slow drawl, as if he were measuring each word. "And… just how much bearing does that have on your 'mistake'?"

"Quite a lot," Grimm admitted. "Lizaveta used some Geomantic equivalent of Mage Sight and divined it from my aura, or my mind."

Words tumbled from him like leaves from a windswept autumnal tree. Despite his fears, confiding in someone else made a lot of his stress and anxiety melt away.

"I'm in your hands, Numal," he said. "The Quest remains as I told you, although I'll admit to a personal stake in its success."

Numal crossed his arms and gazed at the ceiling for several seconds.

"All right, Grimm," the Necromancer said at last, "I'm willing to pretend you never told me that, and I don't want to know anything more about it. If there are any repercussions from this, I expect you to indemnify me, is that clear?"

"Quite clear, Numal," the Questor said, relieved beyond measure. "If anybody asks me, you were only motivated by your concern for the security of the Guild. You have my bond on this. Thank you."

"Right," Numal said, assuming a professional, no-nonsense air. "Do we move tonight?"

Grimm shook his head. "I think it's a little too soon after my little encounter with Lizaveta. We'll go tomorrow night instead."

Numal nodded. "What's the plan?"

"Straight in, straight out, my friend; you sniff out the crypt while I stand guard and, when we've got the information we need, we get out. We say nothing to anybody here, but we both report our findings back to Lord Thorn. I'll need your back-up on that."

"All right, Questor Grimm. Perhaps this will get me my first ring."

"If I have anything to do with it, Numal, it will. Remember: straight in and straight out."

"It sounds as if it might be fun, Grimm. I'm with you, as long as you don't turn funny on me again."

Grimm laughed, relieving the tension within him. "I think I'm over that now, Numal. With a Sixth Rank Questor at your back, I don't think you'll have anything to worry about."

"Very well, Questor; I'm in. Now, kindly be so good as to make yourself scarce. I want to be sure I'm in top Necromancer form tomorrow night, and I want to be sure you're in full fettle as well. Good night, Grimm."

"Good night, Numal, and thank you."

As he walked to his room, Grimm still felt nervous, but his confidence was growing. He was a full Guild Questor, and on his guard; Lizaveta and her Sisters wouldn't know what had hit them!

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 13: The Sixth Ring

After his ablutions and his habitual morning exercises, Grimm took a leisurely breakfast in his chamber, savouring each mouthful. The food at Arnor House, or, at least, the food for full mages and paying Students, was of good quality, but the sustenance provided at High Lodge was never less than superb. With an epicure's dedication, Grimm waded his way through a meal of smoked ham, fresh-baked bread and a succulent kedgeree. The Questor stifled a satisfied belch, despite the fact that there was nobody there to hear him; Magemaster Faffel's lessons in Courtly Graces had made their mark.

"Redeemer, come here!" As ever, the staff flew to Grimm's outstretched hand like a well-trained kestrel returning to its keeper. Although the wood of a mage's staff was all but indestructible, he noted that the brass caps at each end were a little dull and scuffed. Opening one of his travelling bags, Grimm took out a polishing kit and applied himself with diligence to the task of making the brass gleam like bright gold. He became so absorbed in his task that only when he finished did he realise that he had expected to find the tiny demon, Thribble, hiding in the bag, as was his wont.

He was not.

Grimm knew he had given his minuscule netherworld friend strict instructions to remain at Crar, but he still felt a little disappointed that the wayward demon had not disobeyed him yet again. Thribble might have proved very useful as an advance scout for the coming evening's visit to the crypts below the Lodge. In truth, he felt a little naked without the obstinate, self-willed little creature, who had saved his life on more than one occasion. Grimm was the senior mage on this Quest, and all the responsibility for its success or failure would be his.

"Better get used to it, Afelnor," he muttered.

With his customary fastidiousness, Grimm checked his hair, his beard and his silk robes in the tall mirror fixed to one of the cupboard doors.

Yes, I'm presentable.

The only question now was what he would do with his time until the evening; his interview with the Lord Dominie was not due until tomorrow.

He rapped on the interconnecting door between his room and Numal's, but he received no reply. Perhaps the Necromancer did not share Grimm's habit of rising before the sun, but then Numal had never undergone the gruelling regime of a charity Student. Grimm sighed. He felt nervous about the outcome of tonight's jaunt to the nether regions of High Lodge, and he knew the best way to combat this was to keep himself occupied.

He was almost pleased to hear a gentle knock at the main door of his chamber, which stirred him from his reverie. Opening it, Grimm saw a familiar face.

"Assistant Sub-Vice Facilitator-in-Chief Shael, it is good to see you!" The young Questor hoped he had correctly remembered the mage's cumbersome title in all its menial grandeur.

"Questor Grimm, I have the honour to report that I am now a full Senior Vice-Assistant Under-Facilitator." From the broad, proud smile on the functionary's face, Grimm gathered that congratulations were in order, although the distinction between the two titles was lost on him.

Extending his hand, he said, "My heartiest felicitations, Assistant… Brother Mage. I'm sure you worked hard for the honour, and I'm very happy for you." The egalitarian, non-committal title seemed to be the safest form of address, rather than trying to negotiate the labyrinthine complications of Shael's rank.

"Thank you, Questor Grimm. In time, I'm pretty confident that I can work my way up to full Deputy Junior Sub-Facilitator, although the competition within the ranks is fierce, I assure you."

"I don't doubt it," the Questor said, with an enthusiasm he did not feel. "May I ask what brings you here, Brother Mage?"

Shael beamed. "There is a cancellation: Shapeshifter Tharan was due to be granted his fourth ring at ten o'clock, but he is bedridden with gout, and he cannot travel. Remembering how kind you were to me on your last visit, I thought you might be happy to take his place."

Grimm racked his brain, but he could not imagine why Shael might feel so companionable towards him, and his puzzlement must have shown on his face.

"You were kind enough to return those Location Gems I leant you, before you left," explained the slight, mousy little man. "That could have put me in a tricky situation, and might even have jeopardised my promotion. So few people appreciate the vital role we Facilitators perform."

"Please, don't mention it," Grimm said. "I'm glad your diligence has been rewarded." Shael's voice had a buzzing, droning quality, and Grimm stifled a yawn.

"Well, I'd love to stay and chat, Questor Grimm," the small man said, "but I have a lot to do this morning, as usual. I'll call for you in plenty of time for your interview with Lord Horin."

Grimm extended his right hand, and Shael shook it, his limp grasp no more substantial than a handful of warm, damp lettuce leaves. The Questor resisted the urge to wipe his hand on his robes, and nodded politely.

"Thank you again for your diligent, meritorious attention… Senior… Assistant Under-Facilitator Shael."

Shael laughed. "You honour me, Questor Grimm, but it will be a few years until I reach the lofty heights of that rank. For now, I'm only a Senior Vice-Assistant Under-Facilitator, but I am ambitious."

"I can tell that," Grimm said. "I'll be waiting here for your call, Brother Mage. Thank you."

With that, the audience was at an end, and the tedious Shael scurried off in a flurry of black robes, like a drunken raven attempting to lift itself from the ground. As he stood in the open doorway, Grimm heard eight soft chimes in the distance; that meant there were two hours or so to kill. High Lodge had three well-stocked libraries, but they were somehow clinical, impersonal, in comparison to the warm, friendly Scholasticate Library at Arnor he knew so well. If he desired to study a specific topic of information then High Lodge's facilities were second to none, but they were not conducive to the kind of whimsical browsing he loved.

He considered a session of meditation, to order his mind and relax his ever-tense body, but he had never managed fully to master the art; he always found it more of a painful trial of endurance than a soothing, serene enlightenment.

Another round of exercise, perhaps?

That did not appeal to him any more than did the prospect of sitting cross-legged and staring at the wall.

After a few minutes of mulling over his limited options for occupying his mind, he noticed a young, gaudily-attired peacock of a man striding down the corridor as if he owned it, a mage perhaps ten years older than he. He was slender, and as tall as Grimm. Bobbing behind him like a faithful hound was a staff bearing seven rings. From the mage's youth, he could only be another Questor, and Grimm's interest was piqued; he had never met a Questor from any House but Arnor, and High Lodge had none of its own.

The man wore robes of scarlet silk with gold edging, and Grimm noted soft boots of the finest tooled kidskin peeking from underneath the hem of his garment as he walked. A blue sash ran from the mage's right shoulder to his left hip, and he wore a cincture of what looked like pure gold around his waist. Whereas every mage Grimm had ever met wore a full beard and long hair, if he had any hair, this popinjay was severely clean-shaven, and he wore his blond hair at shoulder length and sculpted into luxuriant waves. Grimm saw a single, artful curl somehow fixed into place over the man's right eye.

Nonetheless, this was no primping dilettante. Grimm remembered the elegant swordsman, Harvel, with whom he had travelled on his first Quest, and he saw the same steely glint in this mage's ice-blue eyes as he halted a few paces from Grimm.

"Looking at something, youngster?"

The mage's tone was pleasant, but Grimm could hear an unmistakable note of menace within it.

"I was just surprised to see another Questor," he said. "You're the first I've seen here."

"Of course!" the older Questor snorted, rolling his eyes. "They don't have any Questors here, because they expect the Houses to do their dirty work for them."

The blue eyes scanned Grimm, as if taking in his full import, and he nodded; it seemed that the young mage had created a favourable impression.

"It's good to see someone else around here who knows the value of decent presentation," he intoned. "I can't stand this sackcloth-and-ashes image that so many mages choose to show the world. I'm Guy Fulinar, Eron House, called the Great Flame."

"I'm Grimm Afelnor from Arnor House, Questor Guy."

"You're a Fifth Rank Questor, and you don't have a cognomen?" Guy said, almost sneering. "What is the world coming to? How old are you, anyway?"

"Seventeen," Grimm admitted. Determined not to sound defensive, he resolved to refrain from making excuses. "And I'll be receiving my sixth ring later this morning."

He seemed to have made some sort of impact on Guy, whose eyes bulged for a moment. Grimm guessed that Guy might still have been a mere Neophyte at the age of seventeen.

"How old are you, Questor Guy, if I may be permitted to ask?"

"Twenty-seven," the older mage replied. "I didn't know the Guild had started Acclaiming infants."

Grimm bristled, and he clenched his fists. "When the infant is powerful enough, they make exceptions," he said. "And I am powerful, Questor Guy, make no mistake."

It seemed that nothing could prick Guy's bubble of self-confidence. "I don't doubt it, Questor Gribb-"

"My name is Grimm, Brother Mage."

Guy waved his hands. "Whatever; your diction isn't as clear as it might be. Still, it's not just power that makes a Questor. What of experience? I've been Questing for six years, and it's taught me a lot. Being a Questor has been good to me."

"And to me," Grimm said. "On my first Quest, I was elected Baron of Crar, and I have all the wealth I can handle. Not bad for a blacksmith's son, I suppose. On my Quests, I've faced demons and Technologists, and I'm still standing strong. And I'm very, very rich."

At first, he felt it might be better not to mention that he had undertaken a mere pair of Quests, but he changed his mind. How better to puncture this man's serene self-confidence?

"Oh, Questor Guy, I just thought I'd mention that I've reached my present position after only two Quests. Please don't try to play silly little games of precedence with me.

"Perhaps you'd like to complain to Lord Horin about my current status? Otherwise, please try to find your pathetic pleasures somewhere else, because I find your attitude just a little wearing. You may find Shael an easy target, and there are always the servants to belittle, if you run out of inspiration."

For a moment, to Grimm's immense satisfaction, Guy's eyes looked as if they might burst from their sockets, and the two Questors stood almost nose to nose for several seconds. Grimm allowed a small flicker of blue fire to quiver at his fingertips.

At last, Guy laughed, a hearty guffaw bursting from his lips. "I like you, Questor Grimm; perhaps adolescents today do have some spirit, after all! I'll see you around, youngster."

With that, the self-possessed Questor sauntered away, chuckling as he went.

May the Names prevent me ever turning out like you, Guy, Grimm thought, with a shudder. He knew Guy Great Flame, as a Questor, must have started as a pauper like he had been, but he could not imagine what might have turned a poor boy into such a snob.

****

Since the Dominie's schedule seemed less hectic than on his previous visit to High Lodge, Grimm's interview with Lord Horin lasted somewhat longer than his first, hectic interview. The Dominie asked several searching questions concerning Grimm's last Quest, which Grimm answered as best he could. Grimm wondered if Horin was about to refuse his promotion, and he felt discomfited when the Dominie asked him about his visit to Prioress Lizaveta. The witch must have spoken the truth when she told him of her link with Horin.

However, much to Grimm's relief, the arch-mage accepted his statement that he had only gone to pay his respects. Perhaps Lizaveta had not told Horin about Drexelica, after all. He waited in patient silence while Horin read through Lord Thorn's report, after which the Dominie raised his head and nodded.

"Very well, Questor Grimm. Lord Thorn's recommendation is accepted, and I am pleased to confer upon you the degree and responsibilities pertaining to the Sixth Rank of our calling. Shael, please accompany Questor Grimm to the Armoury and arrange for the fitting of the sixth ring."

With that, the audience was at an end, and Grimm breathed a sigh of relief as he bowed and accompanied Shael from the chamber.

All that remained was the descent into the crypts with Numal, the gathering of information, and, with hope, a safe return to Arnor House. The rest of the day could not pass quickly enough for him.

****

The two mages, guided by their invaluable Location Gems, made their way into the lower demesnes of High Lodge, their path lit by a simple, if effective, spell of Illumination cast by Numal. Grimm, his staff now bearing six rings, felt the leaden arms of responsibility closing around him as he tried to remember the route to the Sisters' dark temple. The magical jewels were of no help now, since Grimm had no idea of where he was going. Numal grumbled and muttered behind him, and the Questor asked him to remain silent, with as much politeness as he could muster.

Grimm's sensitive ears strained as he made his way through the dark catacombs, trusting in the memories of his nocturnal voyage to the place where Sister Madeleine had been butchered. Numal stayed close to his right shoulder, and, on occasion, Grimm felt the need to ask him to move further away. The Questor's task was made more difficult by the fact that, during his dream, he had seemed to drift through the stone walls rather than following the dripping corridors.

"It's down this passage," the Questor said, with sudden certainty as he recognised a distinctive, spider-like crack in one of the stone blocks. "I'm sure of it."

"I don't like this," complained the Necromancer, in a low voice. "This place is scary."

Grimm laughed, despite the churning anxiety in his stomach. "A Necromancer who's scared of crypts? I'd have thought you'd be in your element here!"

Numal shivered. "I don't like close spaces," he confessed. "It's as if the walls are closing in on me."

Wonderful: a claustrophobic, self-pitying Necromancer. That's just what I need.

"Just get a grip on yourself, will you, Numal? Please?"

"I'm sorry, Grimm, I can't help it. I never wanted to be a Necromancer, you know." The older mage's voice took on an unmistakable note of incipient, rising hysteria, and his breathing became swifter and shallower. The magical illumination flickered and dimmed.

"Please don't start on that again, Numal," Grimm said, with as firm a voice as he could manage while whispering. "We are what we are, and we have to play with the hands we're dealt. Just keep your voice down. It won't be much longer now: all we need is to go through this next door, and we're there. Do you see how clean the hinges and handle are?

"Come on, take a few deep breaths and steady yourself."

"I'm sorry, Grimm. I'll try."

As the hapless Necromancer shut his eyes and tried to control his fears, Grimm strained his ears for any sign of encroachment. All he heard was the steady, metronomic drip of moisture from the ceiling of the tunnel, and Numal's tortured, shuddering breaths. At last, Numal nodded.

"I think I'll be all right now, Grimm. Let's get it over."

They took the last few steps to the door, and Grimm opened it. The chamber was just as he remembered it: the shallow, brown-stained depression in the floor, the altar and the coffins lining the walls. The Questor felt an electrical thrill shoot through him as a figure emerged from the shadows. He readied his mind for magic, but stayed his power as the figure's face came into plain view.

Grimm blinked. "What in the Names are you doing here?"

"I might ask the same of you, Questor Grimm," the resplendent figure of Guy Great Flame responded.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 14: An Unexpected Guest

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your companion?" Guy asked, as if the three mages were attending some society party instead of standing in a dank tomb.

"Er… Questor Guy, this is Necromancer Numal," Grimm said, feeling quite out of his depth. "Numal, this is Questor Guy from Eron House, called the Great Flame."

"I'm pleased to meet you, Necromancer Numal."

The imperturbable older Questor extended his hand, but Numal's face wore a blank, pale mask of shock, and he did not respond. The pale luminescence of his spell of Illumination guttered and died, but the group was not plunged into darkness.

"Illumination is a vitally useful spell to cast on one's staff," Guy drawled. "I'm surprised a Questor of the Sixth Rank didn't have the same idea. War-maker, here, has a score of useful Minor Magics cast on her. Light, heat, minor wards, dowsing…"

Grimm realised that, despite his two arduous Quests, he was still a relative tyro in his craft. The only spells he had placed on Redeemer were for the relief of intoxication, and he now recognised the ability of a mage's staff to become a receptacle for a multitude of enchantments, enhancing his potency as a Questor.

"So, just what are you doing here, Questor Grimm? Your friend doesn't seem much use for whatever it is. He looks like a bit of a weak reed to me. If you're thinking of going up against dear old Grandma, you're going the wrong way about it."

Guy's sneering tone raised Grimm's hackles, and he spoke before he realised the full import of the Questor's words.

"Just who do you think you are, Guy Great Flame?" he snarled. "You walk around as if… what did you say?"

"Grandma: it's a vernacular term for a parent's distaff progenitor. I'm sure you've heard the term before. Dear, sweet, virginal Prioress Lizaveta is my grandmother."

"Lizaveta is your grandmother?" Grimm felt too stunned to say anything more profound.

"Give that boy a prize!" Guy laughed. "With a sharp mind like that, you'll have your seventh ring within a week, youngster."

"What makes you think we want anything to do with Prioress Lizaveta?" Grimm blustered, hardly able to think.

"This is hardly a congenial, cheerful gathering-place for bored mages, now, is it?" Guy seemed to be enjoying himself. "For the record, I've only discovered my relationship with the hag in the last few months, and I hate the wizened, raddled old bitch with all my heart and soul."

"Why?" The younger Questor's mind was racing, but he found himself unable to elicit a more cogent response.

Guy leaned back against the altar stone, crossing his arms and legs in a nonchalant manner. "The child speaks! 'Why?', it says! I suppose you just want to pay heartfelt homage to the old cow. Perhaps I'm wrong; perhaps you were just looking for a convivial little soiree with your pathetic little friend, and you just happened upon this pleasant picnic spot. Come on, Questor Grimm, surely you can do better than that."

Grimm did not trust Guy in the least, and he felt unwilling to reveal his true purpose in the crypt to this mercurial fop. He saw the older mage's eyes roll and guessed that Guy had noticed the mistrust in his expression.

"All right, Grimm," Guy said, sighing. "A little act of faith: I hate Lizaveta, and I'd like to kill her. If you can remember how, use your Mage Sight on me and tell me I'm lying; I dare you!

"They do teach you toddlers how to do Mage Sight these days, I suppose? Go on, I won't hurt you, I promise."

Trying to control his fury at Guy's ever-present sarcasm, Grimm unfocused his eyes and used his Sight on the mage. He saw indications of slyness, shiftiness and unreliability in Guy's aura, yet none of them pertained to his statement concerning the Prioress; Guy had spoken what he regarded as the absolute, literal truth in this respect. Grimm's entrails squirmed with doubt, but he decided to tell the haughty mage the true reason for his incursion into the crypt. It would be a relief to tell someone else of his secret.

"Very well, Questor Guy: I also seek the downfall of Lizaveta and her Order. I'm on a secret Quest to seek out evidence of any wrongdoing on their part, and to report back to my House Prelate. When I was last here, a nun of the Order tried to beguile me by using Geomancy to take control of my emotions. When I managed to break free from her influence, I accepted her explanation that it had only been some prank but, later that night, it seems I travelled on the astral plane to this place, and I saw Lizaveta and a group of other nuns butcher her battered body and drink her blood. I gather that my breaking free of her spell constituted a failure on her part. Perhaps Prioress Lizaveta had other plans for me, and Madeleine's actions were somehow a part of this scheme. I brought Necromancer Numal with me, hoping he'd find some trace of murder or bloodshed here, so we could amass some concrete evidence to take back to Lord Thorn."

"You're honoured, Grimm," Guy said, whistling. "As far as I can tell, the old hag's pretty selective about her pets. Bravo, youngster."

The older Questor sat on the altar stone and made an ostentatious show of inspecting his immaculate fingernails for a few seconds.

"I've been on the trail of dear Grandma for months now," he said, "and I've seen her sneak down here on occasion. I got it into my head that she had treasure stashed here, and that's what I was looking for. I thought I could hurt her that way. Your way seems a bit more promising."

"Why do you hate her so much?" Grimm asked, leaning on Redeemer. "You already know my reasons, so you have the advantage over me."

"Well, I suppose it won't do any harm to tell you," the older Questor said. "You seem a simple enough lad, blacksmith's boy and, if anyone should ask, I'll just deny I was ever here."

He shuffled on the angular stone and grimaced. "This place was never built for comfort, I must say.

"Well, I don't remember anything of my parents; I was brought up by my uncle Gerilon. He was a rich merchant, and I went to a good elementary school. Still, he was as stingy as they come in other respects, liberal with his strap and the back of his hand. When I was seven, he couldn't wait to get rid of me, and he sent me to Eron House. I assumed I'd be well provided for, but the crabby old bastard sent me there as a charity case. Then there was the bloody Ordeal; even you know how that goes, I imagine."

Grimm nodded. If Guy's Ordeal had been even a tenth as severe as his, then he could not help but feel a certain amount of sympathy for the man.

"If there was one thing that sustained me through my time in the Eron Scholasticate, it was my hatred of Gerilon. The tight-fisted old get had piles of cash, and yet he let me slum it out as a bloody charity case."

Grimm saw Guy's hands clenched tight, the knuckles bone-white, his face contorted in an expression of pure rage. The young mage felt no need to access his Mage Sight to confirm the truth of Guy's muttered, angry words.

Guy continued. "Last year, I found out my parents aren't actually dead. I still don't know who they are, but I do know my father is some high-ranking mage in a major House, not some squalid little backwater like Eron. For all I know, he's here at High Lodge, maybe a member of the damned Presidium. It seems I was the regrettable by-product of some little drunken dalliance he had with some serving wench and, of course, he wouldn't want to admit that, would he? His mother was, or is, Prioress Lizaveta. She is the only member of my real family whose identity I know, and I hate her for hiding the truth from me. And for letting me freeze in a clammy cell as a charity boy."

Grimm decided he did not want to find out how Guy had discovered the information; he had the unpleasant feeling it might well have involved the direct, and possibly brutal, interrogation of the hapless Gerilon.

"Still, that's enough of happy family memories," Guy said, hopping off his uncomfortable, unyielding perch. "What do you say we wake up Grandfather, here, and get on with it?"

Grimm had all but forgotten Numal. He turned towards the pathetic mage, who was hunched over his staff, his bottom lip trembling and his eyes distant.

"Necromancer Numal!" Grimm called, as loudly as he dared. "Wake up!"

Guy pushed past the younger Questor. "Allow me, youngster." Towering over the catatonic thaumaturge, he gave Numal a stinging slap on the right cheek. "Hey, old man, you have a job to do, or had you forgotten? It's time to go to work!"

The Necromancer's hand flew to his cheek. "You hit me," he said in a plaintive, child-like voice.

"Give the man a cigar!" Guy said. "So there is someone hiding in that pathetic sack of flesh, after all!"

"He hit me, Grimm…"

"Come on, man! Wake up, will you?" Grimm felt near the end of his tether. "Our Guild may be in danger, and you have a sworn oath to fulfil!"

"All right," muttered Numal, caressing his face. "Just don't strike me again."

Grimm could see Guy's face contorting into a contemptuous sneer, as the older Questor raised his staff in a threatening manner.

"All right, all right," Numal said, waving his hands. "I'm sorry about that. I'll do it."

The Necromancer sank to his knees, planted his hands on the rusty-coloured depression in front of the altar and shut his eyes. A monotonous, rhythmic chant rose from his lips, and Grimm saw a faint, blue coruscation playing around Numal's splayed, trembling fingertips.

Despite the Necromancer's funk, the droning incantation sounded flawless to Grimm's ears, and the Questor moved closer to Guy as Numal continued to chant.

"Supposing Lizaveta comes here and finds us, Questor Guy? Do you have any plan of action in that case?"

Guy rolled his eyes in a mockery of self-condemnation. "Ah, here's a man who's made careful plans!

"Do you really think I'd come down here if I didn't know the old witch was otherwise occupied? I know full well she's in conference with that old fool, Horin, at this very moment. I have some spies here; they don't know it, but they're acting for me. For some reason, dear Grandma fancies him, and she goes to see him at the same time every week. We won't be interrupted."

She's probably just sinking her claws deeper into Dominie Horin, Grimm thought. This is worse than I thought.

"Don't you feel any loyalty for the Guild, Guy? Don't you realise she's probably trying to draw Horin further into her influence?"

"Oh, of course, I never thought of that," Guy said, slapping his hand onto his brow again. "How I envy you these inspired intellectual insights.

"Oh, look. I do believe Granddad's finished doing his Necromancer bit."

Grimm saw Numal had risen to his feet and was wiping his hands on his black robes.

Guy stood with his hands on his hips. "Well, old man? Found anything?"

Numal nodded. "There's been a lot of death here. Violent death. I heard at least five anguished souls crying out for vengeance."

"Did you manage to identify any of them, Numal?" Grimm asked, breathless. "Did they say anything?"

The Necromancer shrugged. "I don't know how to interpret dead-speech yet. When I do, I'll be eligible for the Second Rank."

Guy snorted in contempt, turning his back on Numal. "You can't do a whole lot, can you, old-timer?"

Grimm sighed. "Numal, we're in a crypt: there are coffins all round the room. If you don't understand what these souls are saying, how do you know for certain you're not hearing their occupants?"

"Please, Grimm, do give me some credit," the Necromancer snapped, seeming more confident now. "What I did was to locate and follow the silver cords of those who had either died here, or who had been here shortly after their deaths. I told you about silver cords back at Arnor. The astral plane is a four-dimensional construct stretching through space-time, leaving a trace in every three-dimensional location that the body's been in after death. After a few weeks, the cord snaps back to the soul, and what we call the 'prompt mortal sign' disappears. I wouldn't have been able to find any trace of the owners of these old coffins. The signs I found had to be recent, even if I couldn't understand what the souls were saying. At least five people have died violently here recently, or their bodies were here shortly after they died."

"It's not much to go on, is it?" Guy said. "It's hardly a damning, earth-shattering discovery."

Grimm shook his head. "Questor Guy's right, Numal. It is a bit thin. Is there anything else you can do?"

The Necromancer scratched his nose. "Like what?"

"Well, I don't know," confessed Grimm. "Can you tell if any of them actually died here, for example?"

"Not with any certainty."

"You two are about as much use as a sundial in a coal mine," Guy said. "I think I'll go back to what I was doing before you barged in. There must be something valuable in here, something Lizaveta wants to keep secret."

He moved over to the altar and began to examine it in minute detail, presumably hunting for hidden catches or hinges.

"I'm sorry, Grimm," the hapless Necromancer whispered, but Grimm was no longer listening. Something about what Guy said had begun to buzz in his mind like a restless fly.

"Why here?" he muttered.

"What do you mean, 'why here?'" Guy snorted as he searched. "She's not likely to start sacrificing people in the middle of the Great Hall, is she?"

Grimm frowned, trying to force understanding from his brain. "I mean, why right here? It's in the exact geometric centre of the Lodge, as far as I can tell. Any other crypt would do just as well. And why sacrifice people at all?"

The kneeling Guy faced Grimm and rolled his eyes. "Isn't it obvious, smithy boy? This is the Lodge's innermost crypt, so nobody's likely to find it by accident. As for sacrifices, some of these religious types have weird beliefs.

"You do ask some asinine questions. It's a wonder to me you were ever accepted as a Student, let alone Acclaimed. Please don't hesitate to shove off whenever the fancy takes you."

With a despairing toss of his head, the older Questor returned to his search.

There was… something I read in one of the Lodge books: something about a 'base of power'. Witches need something to anchor them to a place, so they can draw power from the earth. Localising the field of influence can concentrate it, if there's some deep tie to the area, like a tree, or a monument.

"The location's important, Guy," Grimm said, his voice burning with intensity. "It's more than just a nice, secret cubby-hole. This is how she's able to exert her maximum control, and she'd need it if she was trying to influence a powerful mage like Horin. There's more than religious mumbo-jumbo at work here. Geomancy is an art, just like sorcery, and it has its own rules and requirements."

Guy did not respond, having turned his attention to Lizaveta's throne. "Aha! Just as I thought!" he crowed, reaching under the lip of the cushioned seat.

Grimm heard a distinct click, as a grinning Guy swung the seat upwards.

"This must be where she keeps her treasure!"

"It looks more like old rags to me, Questor Guy," Numal said.

Guy stared down at the cavity he had opened, and Grimm saw the Necromancer had been correct in his observation. The older Questor frowned, scrabbling through the scraps of cloth as if hoping to find untold wealth beneath. At last, he stood up, his forehead lined with puzzlement.

"That's all it is: just old rags and bones," Guy grumbled, letting the fragments fall. "What in Perdition does the old cow want them for?"

Grimm smiled: he was beginning to think he had the answer.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 15: Triumph

"Why in the world would she want to hide away a heap of worthless junk like this?" Guy railed, tossing a handful of the rags onto the damp flagstones.

"Excuse me, Questor Guy," Grimm said, pushing past the foppish mage.

"Oh, feel free to hunt for pearls in this pile of garbage for as long as you like," Guy muttered. "I'm off." He sounded to Grimm like a petulant child denied a second slice of his favourite pie.

"Hold on, Guy. Just a few more minutes, please." He began to search through the pile of rags, inspecting each scrap of cloth in turn.

That's what I was looking for! he thought, eying a fragment of rich, purple velvet. As he picked it up, he felt a sharp thrill run through him, and the name, 'Madeleine', came into his head, unbidden.

With a shock of realisation, he stood upright, holding the violet rag high. "It's hers. I'm sure of it," he gasped. "Madeleine: the girl I saw murdered in my dream. This is just what we need!"

He turned to the Necromancer. "Can you contact the dead through their possessions, Numal?"

"Not yet," Numal confessed.

Guy snorted, "No surprises there."

"But any Necromancer of the Third Rank, or above, could do it. There's a standard spell for it, although I don't know it yet."

"This explains everything!" Grimm declared, suffused with satisfaction.

"Oh, good," Guy said. "If you'll excuse me, I'll let you carry on with your needlework. Doubtless, you intend to make a patchwork quilt in honour of my sainted grandmother. Enjoy yourselves, and good riddance to you." He turned on his heel and began to walk away, his staff bobbing behind him.

"This is her power base!" Grimm cried. "If we destroy that, she's all but powerless within High Lodge. This 'garbage' is what allows her to operate here!"

Guy stopped and stood, although he did not turn around.

"Explain." For once, his voice seemed free of sarcasm and belittlement.

"Yes, please do, Grimm," Numal said, his brow as furrowed as a farmer's field.

"This place, this crypt, was chosen for its central location alone, because it allows Lizaveta to spread nodes of power throughout High Lodge," Grimm said. "That means she can use her Geomantic magic anywhere inside the building, without being in direct contact with the earth. I should have thought of it before; most witches prefer to conduct their spells in the open, preferring not to enter buildings without an earthen floor. A web of Geomantic power extends from here to every part of High Lodge, drawn from the earth."

"Looks more like flagstones to me," Guy said. He did not turn round, but Grimm heard growing interest in his voice.

"Precisely," the young Questor said. "I read of a basic Geomantic principle, although it meant nothing to me at the time: 'contact is eternal'. The sacrifices wore these rags at the time of their deaths. They were butchered here, according to a prescribed ritual: their blood flowed between the flagstones into the earth. During the ritual, Lizaveta took a sample of their hair, one of their bones, or a scrap of their clothes, and bound it to her. This gives her and her closest acolytes intimate contact with the earth, and it enhances their power accordingly, growing with each sacrifice."

Retaining the fragment of Madeleine's velvet dress, he pointed at the throne and concentrated, summoning and ordering his power.

"Sh'shakk't!"

The nonsense word burst from Grimm, and the throne's contents shivered into insubstantial motes. He sank to his knees in the circular depression before the altar and stared at the gap surrounding the round centre stone, placing his palms flat on the stone. He remembered how Magemaster Crohn, during one of his long, tedious monologues on the various classifications of runic spells, had mentioned spells of Gathering, and their applications. Although the Magemaster had divulged no details of these enchantments, the principle seemed clear enough to him.

That was all a Mage Questor needed to cast any spell.

Blood, arise from the earth.

With his Mage Sight, Grimm followed the brown tendrils of life-essence as they snaked through the interstices of the bedrock beneath High Lodge.

Arise, and be free.

The young mage groaned as he felt the tortures and agonies visited upon the victims of Lizaveta's evil lust crowding in upon him, a score of voices screaming for release. Come!

A flurry of syllables flew from his lips, and a fine spray of brown dust began to fly from between the stones, showering over the grim chamber. Grimm sighed as the pressure of the spell was released, and he climbed to his feet.

"It's done," he said, his voice hoarse. "Lizaveta's finished here. Let's go. Guy, feel free to hunt around for trinkets, if you want. I have a mission to fulfill."

"Where are you going, Grimm?" Numal asked.

"I'm going to see Lord Horin, Numal. If necessary, I'll smash the door down."

Grimm looked at Guy's face, a picture of incomprehension, and he laughed at the popinjay mage's apparent discomfiture.

"Enjoy your treasure hunt, Guy," he said. "I'm sure you know best. I'm finished here. I have all the proof I need."

"Wait a minute, Grimm," Guy said, his expression almost friendly. "If what you've said is true, I can't wait to see Lizaveta's face; I'm more than willing to take that chance. Besides, you might need a real Questor to help you. Horin doesn't let people into his chamber lightly."

"Numal, we're saviours of the Guild now," Grimm said. "If being a part of this doesn't get you that first ring, I don't know what will."

Numal looked dubious, but he nodded. "All right, Grimm. I just hope you know what you're doing."

****

With the invaluable aid of his borrowed Location Gem, Grimm found Lord Horin's private chamber with ease.

Two men-at-arms stood by the door, but they paid little attention to the approaching mages; rather, they seemed drawn by the sounds of a loud altercation from inside the room. The sentries seemed uncertain what to do, their jaws slack and their eyes wide.

"Better open up, boys," Guy drawled. "It sounds as if Lord Horin may be in danger."

Flicking the least glance at the gaudily-attired mage, one of the guards, a grizzled, battle-scarred man rapped on the door.

"Lord Horin! Is everything well with you?"

"Get in here at once!" a voice from within screamed, and the guard opened the door. The two warriors stormed inside, followed closely by Grimm and Numal, while Guy remained outside, the hood of his robes pulled over his head.

Grimm saw a sumptuous room lying in complete disarray. Two tables lay on their sides, and broken glass and crockery littered the floor. In the centre of the chamber stood Lord Horin, his face flushed and his robe dishevelled, and Lizaveta lay sprawled at his feet.

The Dominie's mouth quivered for several moments before any sound came out. What emerged was a shriek of outrage.

"Get her out of here!" cried Horin. "This filthy creature tried to beguile me by means of magic. She might have caused me to flout my sacred Oath, had I not managed to collect my wits in time!"

"Lord Horin, I beg you to reconsider!" Lizaveta pleaded, and, from the corner of his eye, Grimm looked over his right shoulder to see a broad smile spreading across Guy's face as he waited in the corridor. "You always seemed so comfortable in my company before, and I found myself entranced by your commanding manner-"

Horin's sweaty face was the colour of an embarrassed beetroot, and his eyes bulged from their sockets. "I command you to leave, witch! Guards, get her out of my sight!"

The guards seemed uncertain about just how to deal with a prostrate, pleading old lady, and Horin turned his eyes to Grimm and his companions.

"What are you two doing here?" he demanded.

Grimm sank onto one knee and bowed his head. "Lord Horin, this woman is a witch who sought to gain control over you."

As the guards dithered, Horin snapped, "I know that!"

"My lord Dominie, my colleagues and I suspected her of foul magic. We located her chapel and base of power within the crypts of High Lodge. We destroyed it, fearing that you might be compromised. She was using the very structure of the Lodge and the captured souls of human sacrifices to augment her power. Here is one of the sordid fetishes she used to accomplish her evil deeds."

Without raising his head, Grimm held out the bloody fragment of Madeleine's dress to the Lord Dominie. He did not need to look in order to know that Horin had touched it; the spastic tremble in the cloth was evidence enough that Horin had sensed the power within it. He looked up, to see a new fury rising in the Dominie's flushed face.

"You, outside the door!" Horin snapped. "Do not skulk in the shadows; come in here at once!"

Guy bowed and entered the room, making the required obeisance. His hood still obscured his features.

"Is this true, Brother Mage?"

Guy nodded. "Far be it for me to traduce a religious lady, Lord Dominie, but it is true in every respect. I was a part of this-"

"You are banished!" Horin screamed at Lizaveta. "I want you and your filthy Order out of the Lodge by the morning, and you will visit any other Guild House only on pain of death. Count yourself fortunate that I do not blast you into a million fragments where you lie! You have twelve hours, and no more, to quit our demesnes. After that time, you and your loathsome Sisterhood will be declared Enemies of the Guild, subject to summary termination on sight by any servant or mage of this Guild."

Lizaveta rose to her feet, all pretence of coquettish bewilderment abandoned. Slapping aside the hesitant, flapping hands of the guards, she faced the Dominie.

"Your hands felt like a brace of dead fish, Horin, and your pitiful fumbling bored me to the core. Enjoy your books, your papers and your cold baths. They are all the love you will ever know." She blew a kiss towards the elder mage and strode to the door.

"Get out, before I change my mind and have you executed instead, witch!"

"As you command, Lord Dominie." Lizaveta's cold eyes focused on Grimm's for a few heartbeats. "You and I will meet again, young Afelnor; I prophesy it. I do not ignore a slight, as I once told you"

With that, she stormed from the room, her white robes fluttering like a dove's wings in her wake.

Horin motioned Grimm to stand. "Young Questor: you have done me a signal service, and I thank you for it. I command that you be elevated to the Seventh Rank, and I would take it as a singular favour if you would accept a position on my staff as my personal Questor, the first such accolade to be bestowed. I will not see such selfless service to the Guild go unrewarded."

Grimm, although suffused by the joy of triumph, considered his response with care. "Is it permitted to refuse, Lord Dominie?" he asked.

Horin's brows rose. "You refuse the seventh ring?"

"No, Lord Dominie, far from it. It is a prize beyond my wildest dreams, and I thank you for your bounty from the bottom of my heart."

That statement was easy, but Grimm knew the next would need all his powers of diplomacy.

"Lord Dominie, I thank the Names that I have been fortunate enough to become a member of an establishment as egalitarian and just as the Guild. However, I am still a very young Questor, and my heart still yearns to find glory in the fulfilment of arduous and challenging Quests, to the honour of the House that raised me."

"Do you regard saving your Dominie from disgrace as insufficiently glorious for your ambition?" Horin's expression turned as dark as a thunder-cloud.

Grimm drew a deep breath. "On the contrary, Lord Horin; I regard it as the pinnacle of my career," he found himself saying, "and I am grateful that I may have aided you in your deliverance from malicious influence. Nonetheless, I wish to prove myself further, by confounding additional threats to the Guild as an active Questor, rather than by stultifying in an office. I accept, with heartfelt gratitude, your offer of promotion, so soon after my last elevation, but I believe I can serve you better by remaining a simple House Questor."

Horin stood and stared, but, to Grimm's immense relief, he laughed. "I like your spirit, Questor. I am sure you will go far. Very well: I will grant you the Seventh Rank and allow you to go back to… what House is it?"

"Arnor House, Lord Dominie."

"Ah, yes, Arnor House: one of our oldest and most respected establishments. That is fitting.

"Very well, my headstrong young sorcerer, I'll grant you that."

Grimm felt astonished that the austere Lord Dominie had used a common contraction, in clear violation of Mage Speech, but he said nothing.

"What is your cognomen, young Questor?" Horin said. "A mage needs a Patent of Puissance before he can obtain the Seventh Rank."

"I have no cognomen, Lord Dominie," Grimm admitted. "I have been on only two, or maybe three, Quests, depending on how you count it."

"Oh, that won't do!" Horin looked at the floor. "All right, I was threatened by some old dragon, and you blasted her; you will be called 'the Dragonblaster' from now on. Is that acceptable?"

Grimm bowed. "More than acceptable, Lord Dominie. Now I will be able to hold my head up in the company of other Questors, a few of whom seem shallow and puerile at times."

He did not look at Guy, but he felt the Questor's eyes boring into his back.

"Well, that is decided!" Horin said. "You will be 'Questor Grimm, called the Dragonblaster' from now on. I trust the cognomen will inspire you to fight with even greater ferocity for the Guild."

I'd find even more inspiration from Drex's kisses, the young Questor thought, although he said nothing. Despite the ransomed Dominie's current generous mood, to ask for the annulment of one of the Guild's most severe dicta would be pushing things a little too far.

Horin leant close to Grimm. "What about these two mages? What was their part?"

Grimm looked at the pathetic Numal, and he could not find it in himself to leave the Necromancer out of the congratulations, ineffectual though he had proved.

"Lord Horin," he said, "although I felt uncertain of my initial visions of Geomantic depredations, Necromancer Numal confirmed that they were prompted by astral projection: that my visions were true. Without him, I would have imagined that it had been only a dream. Without Necromancer Numal, I would never have embarked on this mission at all.

"His insight has therefore proved vital."

Horan smiled. "Necromancer Numal, you will become a Second Rank Mage. Does that not please you?"

Numal nodded, but he remained wordless, his eyes wide and his jaw slack.

"What did he do?" Horin asked, indicating Guy. "Why did he not join with you in vanquishing the witch?"

Grimm suppressed a shrug and spoke with care. "Questor Guy offered his full aid without hesitation, Lord Dominie. However, in the event, it was not needed, thanks to your strong recovery from the witch's influence."

"I dislike the idea of a Questor who lacks the courage of his convictions," Horin glared at the older Questor. "Why did you fail to enter the room with your companions? I might have been in great danger!"

Guy pushed back his hood and said in a voice as smooth as silk, "I judged it advisable that the corridor not be left unguarded, Lord Dominie."

Horin snorted. "The danger was in this chamber, Questor. You also showed disrespect towards me by approaching with your head covered."

Grimm knew just why the sarcastic Questor had hidden his features, but he did not say so, as Horin glared at the hapless Guy.

"If you have no objection, Lord Dominie," an embarrassed Grimm said, "it has been a long night, and I beg your permission to take my leave."

Horin waved his hands, and Grimm left, with Numal just behind him.

At the age of seventeen, he had reached the peak of his Speciality, and he had a full Guild cognomen. He was happy, and he did not care in the least what meagre titbits the Dominie might or might not choose to cast Guy's way.

As Grimm passed, Guy whispered, "Help me out here, youngster! You owe me."

Grimm ignored him and stepped out of the chamber, happy and fulfilled. He hoped he had seen the last of Lizaveta, and he could not bring himself to care about the unreliable Guy.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 16: Nocturnal Interruption

Grimm slept well; his dreams were filled with images of triumphal parades, through which he rode astride a splendid, gleaming, black steed.

He moved through streets thronged with cheering bystanders, who threw handfuls of rose petals at him and cried out, "Hail, Grimm Dragonblaster!"

Drexelica rode at his side, clad in a sheer gown of white silk, her hair garlanded with flowers and her face enraptured. She held out her slender hand and he took it, returning her warm, loving smile as the beat of a ceremonial drum began to mark their progress through the nameless city.

The drum grew ever louder, beginning to cloud his thoughts. I wish whoever was banging that bloody drum would shut up, he thought, as his head began to ache. "SHUT UP!"

****

With that shout, the young mage awoke, realising that the sound of the drum in his dream was, in truth, the sound of someone knocking impatiently at his door. The room was still dark, so Grimm evoked a standard runic spell of Illumination to dispel the gloom. Collecting his thoughts, he raised himself from his bed and called out, "Come in."

The door swung open to reveal Guy Great Flame standing in the doorway. In marked contrast to his usual immaculate finery, the Questor's clothes hung in disarray, and his hair dangled in a matted mess. His face was suffused with scarlet, and his eyes bulged. Grimm noted how the mighty mage needed to hang onto the door-frame just to remain upright. In the quaint vernacular of Grimm's home town of Lower Frunstock, Great Flame might have been described as 'grape-eyed', 'hop-headed' or even the less polite 'piss-foundered'.

Whichever phrase one chose to employ, the man was, to say the least, somewhat the worse for wear.

"You!" shouted Guy, weaving from side to side and waving his free hand at Grimm. "You… you total bashtard!"

Making a particularly violent evolution, he lost his hold on the door-frame and slipped to the floor, loud and inarticulate curses spilling from his lips in a jumbled stream of venom.

Grimm heard the sound of the connecting door, between his room and Numal's, opening and turned around to see the Necromancer, standing, bleary-eyed in a ridiculous, baggy night-shirt.

"Would you please keep the noise down in here, Grimm? I'm trying to sleep! What the…"

The Necromancer's voice tailed off as his gaze switched to the prostrate figure of Guy, and then to the younger Questor.

"Our friend here is a little pickled," Grimm said, returning Numal's puzzled gaze. "There's only one thing for it, I guess. Redeemer!"

The staff flew to his outstretched hand, and Grimm accessed the spells within. The only magic resident within Redeemer concerned the resolution of drunkenness, and the young mage assessed its effect, which would be simple enough for a Questor to cast even without recourse to his personal spell-language. He pointed his left index finger at the sprawling Guy and squeezed.

The Great Flame ceased his scrabbling attempts to rise to his feet, and raised his head, his eyes red but sober. Despite the removal of the alcoholic toxins from his body, his face had lost none of its anger.

"You look a complete mess, Questor Guy," Grimm observed in a cool voice. "Would you care to tell me why you considered it necessary to disturb Numal's rest and mine, at this hour?"

Guy rose to his feet. "You know full well what the matter is," he fumed, although in a more moderate tone than he had used for his earlier outburst. "You took all the bloody credit for that little operation and left me with nothing! I was lucky to get away without a damned official censure from Horin, thanks only to some very quick thinking on my behalf, I might add!

"You two fumbled around like a pair of bloody debutantes trying to find out who farted, until I had the idea of searching in the throne. You got the seventh ring, a cognomen and the thanks of Dominie Horin, Useless Granddad here got two rings, and what do I, the senior mage, get? A boot up the arse, that's what!"

"You got what you deserved," Grimm snarled. "Would you rather I'd told Horin about your relationship with his would-be lover? Do you think he'd have kept back his censure then?"

"He's right, Questor Guy," Numal said. "You were only looking for treasure, but Questor Grimm's insight provided the means to Lord Horin's deliverance from an evil enchantment, and his magic achieved it."

Guy snorted.

"Oh, listen to the mighty Necromancer! Butt out, old man: those promised rings must have gone to your head. This is between me and wonder-boy, here."

He drew back his right fist and spat out the word "Goo-elliya!" At once, his hand was awash with green flames.

Grimm shouted, "Sh'k'kat!" In an instant, his own right hand blazed with blue fire.

"Duelling between Guild Mages is forbidden," Numal declared in a tremulous voice.

Grimm felt himself seized by a violent rage, a strong desire to teach this presumptuous, self-possessed, sarcastic mage a lesson he would never forget, but the truth of the Necromancer's fearful words poured cold water over the hot fires of his anger.

"He's right, Guy. We could face the Presidium for fighting within High Lodge."

"Then let's take it outside!" the older mage snarled. "Just you and me, sonny boy; Grandpa here can stay behind, where he can't bother us with his windy twittering."

The young mage opened his mouth to try to reason with the angry thaumaturge, but he found the anger rising within him anew.

The arrogance of this man! Wouldn't Guy just love it if I backed out now? He may think he's the stronger Questor, but I'll lay any odds he likes that I've got him licked on control! He can't even control his mood from one moment to the next. I can take him! I can…

Control: that was the word.

Grimm had no real desire to fight, so why should he? Just because this self-important oaf felt annoyed because he hadn't been given the lion's share of the credit in thwarting Lizaveta? No.

He turned his anger; directed it, controlled it.

"Bugger you, Guy Great Flame; no, I won't fight you! You had your chance, and you threw it away. You can always take it out on the servants, or the beggars in the village, or any of the thousands of other people you see as inferior in your twisted little mind.

"That's just about your style, isn't it, Mister Mighty Mage? I've met your sort before, only happy when everyone bows to you as top dog. Well, just sod off and lord it over someone else; there seem to be plenty to choose from. I may not be as powerful as you, although I doubt it, but at least. have friends who care for me. It seems to me that your only friend is a bottle; go back to him if you want, but leave me in peace! Go on, just piss off and bother someone else!"

He stuck his tongue out at Guy. A juvenile gesture, perhaps, but it summed up his feelings for the older man, and it satisfied him. The blue flames on his left hand disappeared as if a candle had been snuffed, and he turned his eyes towards the ceiling. A few moments later, he faced the Great Flame again.

"What? Are you still here? Go on, tell me how I've made a dangerous enemy; I'd really like to hear that. Or will it be 'You haven't heard the last of me, Grimm Afelnor!'? Maybe 'you've just made the biggest mistake in your life!'?

"I don't like you, Questor Guy, and you don't like me. Let's just leave it at that, shall we?"

Guy's eyes bulged anew, and he appeared to be preparing to launch another verbal onslaught. Instead of that, he burst into rich, fulsome guffaws until tears fell from his eyes; to Grimm, the mercurial shift of emotion indicated that perhaps his detoxification spell had not been as effective as he had thought.

"All right, you get away with it this time; your cheek is refreshing. As far as I'm concerned, you're still just a jumped-up Neophyte, but you do have a trace of style. You win this round.

"I'll see you around, youngster. You, too, Granddad."

With that, he slammed the door, and Grimm could hear him chuckling as he walked away.

As the last sounds of Guy's alcoholic amusement died away, Grimm's cheeks blew out with a deep sigh of relief; despite his assertive confrontation with the volatile Questor, Grimm was not confident of what the ultimate outcome of a magical battle with him might have been. Guy was just too unreliable and unpredictable. Xylox might be just as objectionable, but at least he was constant and reliable in his obnoxiousness.

Numal clapped the Questor on his left shoulder. "Well done, Questor Grimm! I thought there'd be some bad trouble between you there!"

"Thank you, Numal."

As the Necromancer's hand settled on Grimm's shoulder-blade, and began to stroke it in a more than friendly manner, moving ever lower, the Questor spun around, feeling his face growing hot.

"Numal," he said, "when I told you I didn't crave an intimate association with another man, I meant it. I wondered why you kept harping on about that subject with me! Feel free to be my friend, but don't feel me in any other way, or you and I may fall out." His tone was low and threatening, and the Necromancer snatched back his hand as if it had been scalded.

"I'm sorry, Grimm, I just thought…"

"I know what you just thought, my friend. You were wrong. I won't say any more about it, and I won't tell anybody else as long as you keep your hands to yourself in future. Just go to bed, Numal-your own bed-and I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight."

"Perhaps we could just have a friendly goodnight drink?" Numal suggested.

"No, Numal. I've just had a very pleasant dream interrupted by that lunatic hooligan, and I'd like to try to get it back. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Questor Grimm."

The older man's response was a little bleak, but, remembering Numal's earlier disparagement of his amatory preferences, Grimm did not feel in a charitable mood. He turned away from the Necromancer, got back into bed and hunched his blanket around him.

"I think that's quite enough excitement for one day; don't you?" The young mage remembered the Illumination spell he had cast and quashed it, as if a candle had been snuffed, leaving the room in darkness.

"Kindly shut the door behind you, Numal." With that, he was asleep again; this time, he did not dream.

****

Grimm awoke to birdsong outside his window, and realised he had overslept. Nonetheless, he could not bring himself to care about the lapse in his usual daily schedule; he was now a Questor of the Seventh Rank, with a full Guild cognomen that would be published in the Deeds of the Questors. He was at peace, and he snuggled down again.

This did not last long; a soft rap deterred him from sleep. Sighing, he pulled himself from his bed and opened the door. His visitor was Senior Vice-Assistant Under-Facilitator Shael, as he had suspected.

"What? Not dressed yet, Questor Grimm? I understood that you preferred to rise almost as early as I do!"

"I apologise… Brother Mage." The Questor knew how important Shael's wordy title was to the fussy little man, but Grimm could not remember it: and faulty recall seemed to hurt the flighty man. "My sleep was disturbed by an altercation between some nocturnal creatures."

Shael nodded. "I am sorry to hear that." He cleared his throat. "I am instructed to inform you that Lord Dominie Horin requests your presence in his chamber for breakfast!"

This last was delivered with deep reverence and enthusiasm, and the newly-named Dragonblaster guessed that this was an honour beyond ordinary courtesy.

Launching himself from the bed, he asked "How long do I have? I still need to bathe and to prepare myself."

"An hour or so, Lord Grimm; I will escort you when you are prepared."

Things move so fast these days, the young mage thought. One day, a simple blacksmith's boy; the next, a Saviour of the Guild.

"My heartiest compliments to Lord Horin, for the honour he does me," he said. "I will be ready and waiting for your call… Senior… Vice-Assistant… Under-Facilitator Shael." The broad smile on Shael's face told Grimm that he had remembered the labyrinthine title correctly.

As if to reward Grimm's correct recall of Shael's new, coveted rank, the small mage clapped his hands twice, a broad beam lighting up his face. "An hour it is, Questor Grimm. I will inform Lord Horin that you are happy to accept his invitation."

The Under-Facilitator bowed and left.

As the door shut, Grimm sat on his bed and shook his head in amazement.

To be in Lord Thorn's good books is one thing, he thought, but even to be noticed by the Dominie is supposed to be an honour. I've never even heard of a mage being asked to take breakfast with him!

He wished Thribble were here with him now; what new tales the tiny demon would have concocted, with which to regale his underworld kin on his return! As it was, the imp would have to rely on the fragile, imperfect memory of a mortal from which to construct his stories.

Still, Grimm knew he could not afford to lollygag around; he wanted to look his best for his meeting with Lord Horin. He had the distinct feeling that the Dominie might have something more than a convivial meal in mind.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 17: Breakfast With The Dominie

"Enter, Questor Grimm."

The Dominie's voice, so angry and uncontrolled the night before, now had the cold, measured tone expected of the Guild's senior mage.

"Good luck, Questor Grimm," Shael said, opening the door with a fluid movement. All the Questor could manage in response was a curt nod; he felt an uneasy, fizzing sensation in his stomach.

Entering the room, Grimm saw that the room had been put back into pristine order after the previous night's altercation with Lizaveta. His eyes sucked in the sumptuous appointments of the room: rich panelling around the walls, an exquisitely-carved bookcase, and tasteful and expensive tapestries among them. Four deep, red-leather armchairs, a low table with alternating red and black inlays, and a number of finely-detailed bronze busts on pedestals completed the luxurious picture. The young mage admired the effect on the statues of the early morning light as it shone through a wide bay window sweeping around the chamber's round outer wall. The metal heads seemed almost to come to life as the pink light caressed them.

"The busts are representations of my illustrious predecessors," Horin said, standing in the centre of the room. "I see you admire them, as do most visitors to my inner sanctum."

"They are magnificent, Lord Dominie," Grimm breathed. "The whole room is."

"Please be seated, young Questor," Horin said, making a gesture towards one of the armchairs. Grimm, as protocol demanded, waited until the senior mage settled into his own chair before he sat, the leather creaking as it folded around his body. He held his breath as the Dominie leaned back in the chair.

"You believe yourself very fortunate in your rapid accession to the Seventh Rank, I imagine, Questor Grimm."

It sounded more like a statement of fact than a question, but Grimm felt obliged to make some response.

"Yes, indeed, Lord Dominie."

"I knew your grandfather, you know," Horin said, as if changing the subject. "He was a most potent Questor, and a good companion, too, on the three Quests we faced together. His downfall was a great disappointment to me."

Where's all this leading? Grim wondered, but he said nothing, since no reply seemed to be required or expected.

"I was a Fifth Rank Weatherworker at Tattleford House when I heard the news that Questor Loras had been dismissed from the Guild, disgraced and dishonoured. I found it hard to credit that Loras would have acted in that manner, and I still do. What are your thoughts on the matter, Questor Grimm?" The Dominie's piercing blue eyes seemed to bore into Grimm's head, into his very soul.

The Dragonblaster's thoughts whirled.

Is he testing me? How much can I tell him of my suspicions? Why is Lord Horin raising this subject now? I thought he was barely aware of my name, let alone my antecedents!

Still, an answer was necessary. Be careful, Afelnor, he counselled himself. This may be some kind of trap; he may be using the Sight on me.

"I believe my grandfather meant no harm," he said, struggling with a tongue that seemed unwilling to move. "Nonetheless, the Guild laws are clear in their strictures and cannot be ignored."

Horin leaned forward, his glare intensifying. "Your real thoughts, please, Brother Mage. I am not trying to trap you or play with you. I want to know what you believe. Feel free to speak your mind; as long as you keep your words within the bounds of Guild decorum, you have my word that whatever you say will go no further."

Grimm shuffled in his seat, feeling as if an angry horde of fire ants were trying to consume him. He must answer, but how much should he reveal of his suspicion? He could tell the Dominie's true intentions at once with ease by using his Sight, but the taboo against using this on such a senior mage was inculcated in every Guild mage from the day of his joining.

To Perdition with it! Horin seems to mean what he says. I'll just have to trust him.

"Lord Horin, I believe that Loras Afelnor was ensorcelled." The words burst from his mouth as if they had a life of their own. "I feel sure he was compelled to act as he did by some external influence."

He cleared his throat, and Horin motioned him to continue, his face impassive.

"I believe a powerful Geomantic spell caused him to act as he did, Lord Dominie. I think my grandfather was compelled to attack Prelate Geral by means of witch magic," Grimm said, feeling as if the words were being drawn from him like rusted nails from a plank of wood.

Well, I've said it now, he thought. There's no going back from here, for good or ill.

"Since the revelations of last night, I have come to suspect the same thing, young Afelnor," Horin drawled, nodding slowly as he spoke, and Grimm felt a flush of relief that his suspicions had not been dismissed outright as nonsense.

The Dominie sighed and rubbed his right temple, grimacing as if suffering from a severe headache.

"Are you well, Lord Dominie?" Grimm inquired. "Shall I call a Healer or Herbalist for you?"

Horin shook his head. "I did not sleep well last night, Questor Grimm. The ease with which that hideous old harridan was able to defeat my will disturbed me. I may be no Questor, but we Weatherworkers are reckoned third only to Questors and Mentalists in the control of our emotions. It is for this reason that I wished to see you this morning. From what I heard last night, it seems as if you and Prioress Lizaveta have crossed paths before."

The young Questor hesitated. He felt loath to divulge the details of his infatuation with Madeleine, and his futile confrontation with the Prioress two days before.

"The full, unvarnished truth, if you please, Brother Mage. Much may depend on it."

Grimm drew a deep breath. "On my first visit to the Lodge, I was greeted by a young nun of Lizaveta's order, a girl of my own age named Madeleine, Lord Dominie. She was complimentary to me, and she seemed interested in my company for its own sake. I was well aware of the Guild customs concerning amatory entanglements-" customs which I have since flouted, he thought, "-but I found myself unable to care. I felt bewitched, and so I was."

Horin raised a white eyebrow, nodding for Grimm to continue.

"In a moment of introspection, I realised that the attraction felt like intoxication, and I invoked the spells resident in my staff to free myself from the effect of the spell. It was as if scales had fallen from my eyes, and I told the girl that I had discovered her deceit. I then went to Prioress Lizaveta and told her I had been ensorcelled by one of her Sisterhood. She assured me that Madeleine would be punished, and dismissed from the Order at once. I took her at her word and considered the matter settled."

The Dominie leaned forward, his expression intent, but not one of outright condemnation. "You did not think to report this act to anybody else, Questor Grimm?"

"I thought it a simple matter, no more than a flirtatious young girl's prank, Lord Horin."

"I would hesitate to use the word 'simple' to describe that situation, young Afelnor!" the senior mage snapped. "A young witch controlling the will of a full Mage Questor can hardly be considered 'simple'!"

Is this some kind of test?

"I admit to a certain degree of confusion at the time, Lord Dominie," Grimm confessed.

Horin gave a curt nod and bade him to continue in a noncommittal monotone.

Grimm felt a nervous twitch in his right leg and fought to bring it under control before he spoke again.

"That night," he said with an accompanying sigh, "I… I had a very vivid dream, in which I saw Prioress Lizaveta in the crypts of High Lodge with her acolytes. They…"

His voice tailed off, and he cleared his throat. The memory disturbed him even more than it had on that night, now that he knew his supposed nightmare had been a vision of reality. He felt hot tears starting at the corners of his eyes, and he wiped them away with a savage sweep of his left hand.

For several moments, he fought to bring his long-denied emotions under control. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again, shaking his head, his breath shuddering and spasmodic. He rocked back and forth in the chair, in an attempt to come to terms with the horror he had witnessed on that night.

Horin leaned forward in his chair and put his hand on Grimm's knee in an almost fatherly gesture, and his rough voice grew kinder: "Take your time, Questor Grimm; this may be important. We can put Mage Speech aside for a while, if it makes it easier for you. I'm not trying to condemn you or rebuke you; I just wish to know what you know."

With a final, convulsive jerk, Grimm pushed his conflicting emotions to the back of his mind, as he had been taught. Bringing his breathing under control once more, he nodded.

"Thank you, Lord Horin. I can continue now," he said. "I was about to impart to you that I saw the Prioress and her acolytes butcher Madeleine's bruised, ravaged corpse and drink her blood in some vile ceremony. At the time, I considered it a ghastly nightmare, and no more than that."

"As I told you, forget Mage Speech," Horin commanded. "It may cloud the truth on occasion-as, in fact, it is intended to do. Tell me all you can, without elaboration. I gather you don't consider it a dream anymore."

Grimm smoothed his hair back, although it was not obstructing his vision. Displacement activity, a dispassionate voice in his head said, although he paid it little heed.

"Thank you, Lord Dominie. No, I don't. Necromancer Numal recently heard my story and told me I'd travelled on the astral plane, that what I saw then was a true vision."

Horin clasped his hands across his chest and settled back in his seat. "And that's what led you to the crypts last night?"

The young mage nodded. "It was just as I'd seen it in my vision. Questor Guy found a secret compartment in Lizaveta's throne, with scraps of cloth and bones in it. I recognised a piece of violet cloth as being from Madeleine's dress, and I realised Lizaveta's must have gained much of her power through human sacrifice. The blood soaked into the ground beneath the Lodge, linking her to the earth and allowing her to spread her power throughout the building. I used a form of Gathering spell to pull the blood out of the rock, and I used a spell of Dissolution on the throne and its contents…"

At that moment, Grimm heard a knock on the door and shut his mouth. A fair-haired male servant, perhaps no older than he, entered the room with a large wheeled trolley piled high with delicacies.

"Thank you, Uru; that looks splendid." Horin smiled, as if the two mages had been doing no more than discussing the weather. Uru bowed, a broad smile on his thin face. "Kindly pass the word to the Senior Doorkeeper that I wish no more interruptions until further notice. That will be all."

The servant bowed and left, making hardly a sound as he closed the door behind him.

Horin waited a few moments and turned his gaze back to the young Questor. The older man's eyes looked like twin cannon-mouths, both aimed at him.

"Where were we, Questor Grimm? Ah, yes, you'd just defeated Lizaveta's plans for suborning your Dominie, and perhaps the entire Guild! May I ask why you didn't choose to bring this 'simple little prank' to somebody's attention at once?"

It is a bloody test! Oh, well, here we go.

"I went to see Prioress Lizaveta on the previous night, Dominie, to see if I could sound her out," he confessed. "She became… amorous with me, or so it seemed to me. I pushed her away, and she… she told me there was no point in complaining to you because she was in your favour. I took that to mean she had you under some sort of control, and I thought it better if I took the initiative."

Horin grunted. "I've heard that about you, Afelnor. Capricious, headstrong and insubordinate: those are just some of the words I've heard used to describe you. I could also add the words impetuous, wilful and obstinate to the list. Is that a fair assessment of your character, Questor Grimm?"

Grimm felt as if he had been punched in the face. The old man had cajoled him, sympathised with him and led him on, only to slap him down. The young mage knew in his heart that those harsh words had been in, all probability, quoted from Xylox's report on his last Quest.

Perhaps Horin now regretted the largesse he had shown on the previous night and now sought to redress his error. There would be no seventh ring for him, no cognomen and nothing but censure for his foolish actions over the previous two days. He had tried-how he had tried! — to be a good Guild Mage, but he had failed, in the eyes of the Master of the Guild. Even with the unstinting support of Lord Thorn, a negative report from the Dominie would finish him as a Questor and a mage.

Damn the old man! Damn them all! The hot feelings that he had tried so hard to suppress bubbled to the surface, and he leapt to his feet in a convulsive movement, all but toppling the table that divided the two magic-users.

"I can see you've already made your mind up, Lord Dominie! If you can't see that I'm a loyal Guild man, then don't play stupid bloody games with me. I've been threatened with decades-long confinement in the Arnor scullery more times than I can count, so please don't waste your time with me anymore. I've had enough, Lord Horin!"

He might lose Drexelica, Redeemer, his Barony and his Guild Ring, but he no longer cared, as the hot hormones or rage flooded through his body. He was tired, and he had expected congratulations instead of opprobrium.

An icy, white-hot shock of horror rose through him, as he realised what he had done in his irritation. Surely the Dominie could not accept such a rebuke from one of his minions!

"I see those words struck a note with you." Horin remained impassive and unreadable. "Good. Now sit down, you young idiot. I don't normally waste my time with reprobates; I have people to do that for me. I just wanted to see your reaction."

Despite the Dominie's quiet voice, the force of his delivery seemed to drive Grimm back into his chair. Embarrassment washed over him as he sat back down, and the words of his foolish outburst reverberated within his skull. He slumped into the deep leather folds of the chair and bowed his head.

Stupid, stupid, stupid! was all that came into his head, as he closed his eyes and waited for Horin's sentence upon him.

"Xylox is a good judge of human character, if a little harsh on occasion," the Master of the Guild intoned. "Will you tell me he's wrong in his assessment of your character, Questor Grimm?"

The Questor shook his head. His mouth seemed unwilling to obey his commands.

"Excellent!" the Dominie said. "You may be just the man I need! I know from your actions last night that you are a loyal Guild man, but I wanted to see that you were also not some mindless automaton. Are you willing to help me?"

Grimm could do no more than nod.

What's he playing at?

"This kedgeree is delicious, Questor Grimm. May I help you to some? Come, eat; you need to get some meat on those bones of yours. We'll discuss what I have in mind later. Eat, I say!"

The rest of the meal passed in a blur. All Grimm knew was that the Dominie had subjected him to a test, and that he had, somehow, passed it. If he ate or not, he did not know, but he did know that his reckless explosion had been, in some manner, acceptable to Horin. He had no appetite for food, but he hungered to know what the old man had in store for him.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 18: Trust

Grimm sat in silence and watched as the Dominie worked his way through a mountain of food: kedgeree, poached eggs and whole lambs' kidneys, amongst other things. Horin seemed a single-minded man; he said nothing during the meal, his attention focused on the task at hand.

At last, the Master of the Guild pushed his plate aside and smothered a nascent eructation.

"Why, Questor Grimm, you don't seem to have eaten a thing! Breakfast is an important meal, especially for growing youths. I insist you try something."

"Lord Dominie, you mentioned that you might require my help. That is more interesting and important to me than food, at this time."

Horin chuckled and dabbed his lips with a white silk napkin. "Ah, the impetuosity and impatience of the young!"

He put the napkin on his plate and sat back in his comfortable armchair. "Very well, young Questor, I'll tell you, but only after you answer a question of mine: is there any aspect of your visit that you're not telling me? I can tell you're still hiding something from me. I need to be able to trust you without hesitation, if I'm to make use of you as I require."

Grimm felt sure that Horin had already used the Sight on him on several occasions during their meeting; he could not believe that the Dominie would be prepared to entrust a callow, unknown youth with secret information otherwise. He felt the fires of curiosity flicker in his stomach, as he yearned to hear what the older mage wished to propose. Nonetheless, conflict raged inside his head.

Lord Thorn told me not to reveal this Quest to anybody, including the Presidium.

But that was because he already knew Lizaveta's Order was under Horin's protection! The Dominie knows all about the Sisters of Divine Mercy now.

No. Lord Thorn placed his trust in me. It's not for me to question his orders.

Despite his interest in Horin's proposal, whatever it might be, Grimm felt he could not disobey the Prelate's strict, direct order with impunity.

He took a deep breath, resolving to be true to his word. "I'm sorry, Lord Horin. I can't tell you."

"What?" the senior mage expostulated.

"Lord Dominie, if I may quote Rule 17.8: 'No Senior may come between a Junior and his conscience'. This matter concerns my conscience, Lord Horin."

Horin leapt from his seat, vibrating with annoyance. "Don't quote Guild rules at me, you insolent young whelp!" he shouted, wagging a finger at Grimm. "I'll mention another, Rule 4.7: 'In all matters of Guild security, the Dominie's word is law, and may supersede other rules and regulations, as the Dominie sees fit'! How does that sit with your lawyerly compunctions?"

Grimm felt a new shock coursing through his spine, but he said nothing.

Horin sighed and sat back down, brushing a few wayward strands of hair from his eyes. "I could have a pair of Seventh Rank Mentalists in here in a few moments, and I could make you tell me. But I won't do that. I want you to tell me of your own free will."

His eyes locked on Grimm's. "Trust me, Brother Mage; I wouldn't be asking you if it weren't important. I'm not playing puerile games with you. I need to be able to trust you implicitly."

Grimm licked his dry lips. Horin had placed a heavy burden upon him. Should he tell of his mission and flout his sworn word to Thorn, or should he make an enemy of the most powerful man in the Guild? He rubbed his temples, which had begun to pulse like some metronome of discomfort.

Trust; such a small, simple word it was, yet so significant and weighty. After wrestling with his conscience, he decided that Thorn's admonition must have been superseded by his earlier revelations… perhaps.

"Dominie," he said, still troubled by his shaky reasoning, "I told Lord Thorn of my suspicions after Necromancer Numal convinced me of the truth of my vision when I was last here. Lord Thorn told me he had long suspected Lizaveta's Order of skulduggery within High Lodge. I was to gather information and evidence about Lizaveta's actions, and to report back to him alone, without alerting anybody within the Lodge."

"Interesting," Horin said in a soft voice. "I should have thought that Lord Thorn would have alerted me first, if he suspected undue interference in Guild affairs."

"Perhaps he already believed that you'd been… affected, Lord Dominie."

Horin sat a moment in silent contemplation before speaking again.

"Questor Grimm: will you agree to submit to the use of a spell of Divination? I admit I have used Mage Sight on you before; that may be a breach of Guild protocol, but my needs are great, and I alone have that right. However, the technique is severely limited, and I want to put you to a more searching inquisition before I divulge any further information."

Grimm considered his answer for some time. Divination was something of which he knew little, and he had thought that mastery of the sleight was confined only to Mentalists such as Magemaster Kargan at Arnor. From what little he knew of the spell, if he were subjected to such deep scrutiny, the older man would surely discover his liaison with Drexelica. That was something he was unwilling to surrender, at any cost.

It seemed the older man had sensed the Questor's unease. "I already suspected that you have… another person in your life, Brother Mage," he said. "Your aura bears a taint of rose hue, a faint but undeniable indicator of requited love to those who understand the colours a little better than most."

Grimm started; his deepest secret was discovered! However, Horin's next words acted as balm on his rising panic.

"Put your mind at rest on this score, young Afelnor: this is not blackmail. I am prepared to overlook such an indiscretion, as long as it doesn't interfere with your dedication to the Guild. Whether or not you agree to submit to my Divination, I swear on my honour as Dominie that I will divulge this to no other. The sign will mean little to other mages, even those who break the taboo on using the Sight on their peers.

"If you decline, I will ensure that you remember nothing of our meetings, other than the details I choose to allow to remain in your mind, I will send you back to your House, happy and fulfilled, but ignorant of our discussion."

With the knowledge that his relationship with Drex was already in the open, Grimm found his decision easy.

"I will submit to your questioning, Lord Dominie."

Horin shut his eyes and began to mumble; his voice rose to a shout as he rushed into a complicated, impeccable dance with the powers of runic magic.

This is no simple spell, Grimm thought as the old mage's face ran with perspiration. He's no Questor, but he's still a powerful mage.

At first, the rhythmic, fluent runic chant seemed to have no effect, but the young mage noticed a subtle coruscation of blue motes playing around Horin's brow. He felt tendrils of force boring into his head from all directions, but, after an initial few moments of discomfort, he began to find the experience soothing and calming. He relaxed in his chair, sensing his cares and worries drifting away from him. It was so peaceful here…

He heard Horin's voice as if it was inside his own head; the words were crystal clear. "What is your name?"

"Grimm Afelnor." The name spilled from him before his mind had even formulated the intention to speak.

"What are your goals in life?"

Again, the dreamy words emerged from his mouth of their own volition. "I wish to exonerate the name of my grandfather Loras, and I wish to be recognised within the Guild for my worth and my achievements. I wish… I wish…"

He began to writhe in his seat, and the Dominie's face turned pasty and sweaty.

"Please don't fight me, Questor Grimm. It will only make things harder."

Yes, of course: Lord Horin already knows about Drex. There is no need to fight.

"I wish to live with Drexelica forever. I love her."

"What are your feelings towards Prelate Thorn?"

"He is my friend. He is stern and forbidding, but he has treated me well. His word is my law." The question appeared almost ludicrous, but Grimm found it easier to answer than not.

"What of your attitude towards me, and any orders given by me?"

"My Oath is to the Guild first, and my House second. Your orders supersede those even of Lord Thorn."

"If I were to give you strict orders to conceal evidence from Lord Thorn, would you do so?"

"I would not wish to do so, but I would have no choice but to comply."

Grimm was aware of a dim discomfort, but it was almost as if it were being visited on somebody else. Once more, it was simpler just to answer the question put to him than to resist.

"Have you any secret plans concerning your dealings with me?"

That was an easy question to answer. "No."

The older mage put several other searching questions to Grimm, concerning his loyalty to the Guild and his innermost desires, and the Questor answered all of them in a clear, unemotional voice. At last, with a rasping sigh, Horin turned away from the young Questor, who felt the magical tendrils withdrawing from his brain; his mind was once more his own.

"You are a powerful one indeed, Questor Grimm."

Horin was ashen and his voice, in contrast to the clear mental tones that he had heard during the Divination, was hoarse and mumbling. "I should have asked Mentalist Gowell to administer the spell. He was the mage who taught me the sleight when I first became Dominie. I thought myself well practiced in its use after all these years."

"I'm sorry, Lord Dominie," Grimm felt unsure of how he might have done wrong. "I wasn't trying to resist you."

An urgent, panicked expression flitted across the older mage's face. "Excuse me, please, Questor-"

Cutting himself short, Horin vaulted from his chair and ran pell-mell across the room, upending two small tables in the process. Grimm, perplexed, saw him yank open a door in the corner of the chamber and launch himself into a small room. Within a few seconds, he heard the unmistakable sounds of wracking, violent retching and vomiting from within. These persisted for some time, and the young mage could hear Horin gasping and spitting. Then he heard the distinct sound of splashing water, and a soft, agonised groan.

At last, the Dominie emerged from the small room, his face pale, a bloodstained handkerchief held against his nose with his right hand.

The Questor leapt to his feet. "Are you all right, Lord Dominie? Shall I summon help?"

Horin waved his free hand, and shook his head, although he did appear to be in some distress. "I'll be all right, thank you, Questor Grimm," he said, indistinctly through his handkerchief. "It's no worse than a bad miscasting."

Grimm felt a momentary frisson of guilt that he felt no ill-effects from the meeting of the two mages' minds, but he said nothing as Horin lowered himself into his seat, and Grimm did the same.

The older man inspected the red-stained cloth and stuffed it into a pocket in his robe. A delicate tracery of brown stains remained around his top lip, but Grimm considered it might be impolitic to mention it.

"Thank you, Questor Grimm, for submitting to my questions," Horin said in a nasal tone. "I will now tell you what I have in mind."

Grimm leaned forward, eager to hear Horin's plans for him. "Thank you, Lord Dominie." It was all he could say, under the circumstances.

The Guildmaster looked around for a few heartbeats, his eyes looking to Grimm like animated currants set in a mass of pale, damp dough. He appeared almost feverish, but intelligence and strength of purpose burned in those eyes; this was no paranoid madman. Grimm could see that this was a man with a mission: a man fighting incipient exhaustion, despite the early hour.

Summoning some inner reserve of energy, Horin mustered a clear, strong voice, as he spoke almost in the manner of Magemaster Crohn delivering one of his sonorous, interminable lectures.

"This Guild has prevailed for more than a millennium, young Afelnor. It has survived insurrection, mutiny, treachery, opposition, war, famine and plague for more than thirty generations for one reason, and one reason only: the complete dedication of its members."

Do I speak? Do I keep my mouth shut? Grimm wondered. It seemed easier to nod and say nothing.

"This is my very life," the Dominie declared, "and yours, too, if you could but realise it, young Afelnor.

"Are you pleased at your rapid elevation, Questor Grimm?"

Grimm blinked: Horin's question appeared nuncupatory.

"Yes, Lord Dominie; I feel very pleased."

"Some of my fellow Presidium members consider me little more than a superannuated clerk, obsessed with trivia and minutiae, without strategic vision or imagination," the Guildmaster said. "You think you reached the Fifth Rank only due to my inattention and incompetence, don't you?"

Grimm stammered, "I… I know you're a busy man, Lord-"

"Of course you do!" Horin cried, his eyes bright, feverish. "Poor old Horin, struggling with his silly papers, doesn't notice he is promoting a ringless First Rank novice well beyond the level merited by a single, if meritorious, Quest."

Grimm felt his head spinning. What was the Guildmaster saying?

"I have had my eye on you for some time, Afelnor. I could not have promoted you to the Sixth or Seventh Rank without my judgement being brought into serious question, or I would have done so. Your accession to the Fifth Rank was no fortuitous mistake, Questor Grimm. Have you ever heard Questors referred to as 'Weapons of the Guild'?"

"Of course, Lord Horin." Grimm felt as if he were a leaf being swept along in a strong current, unable to change its course.

"The Guild is my world, my universe, young Questor. I would do anything to protect or save it. I wanted a true, loyal weapon of my own to aid in the fight, and I selected you. Recent events have proved I was right."

"Fight, Lord Dominie?" Grimm spluttered. "What fight, and why me? I'm hardly blooded as a Questor yet, and there are surely many of my kind, more experienced and resourceful mages who would prove more suitable."

Horin laughed. "Not that many, Afelnor," he said. "Your power and resourcefulness are remarkable in one so young. Older Questors may have guile and cunning gained through a dozen Quests, but only a scant handful could match you in naked power, if any.

"That is gratifying, but it is not the only reason I chose Grimm Afelnor to be my weapon. The other Questors are good men. Loyal men; powerful men; but they are bedazzled by wealth, status and privilege. They think being a Guild man is nothing more than formality and protocol; knowing the correct cutlery to use at a court banquet. Many of them leave the Guild as soon as they are able, rich mages who have paid off their debts. Other, more loyal mages perform their roles well enough, but they are nonetheless obsessed with games of precedence with their peers, as you already know well."

Despite his confusion, Grimm laughed: the Dominie could only be referring to Questor Xylox. Then his face clouded.

"What makes you think I will be any different, Lord Horin? I am rich beyond my dreams after my first Quest, and I'm pretty sure I could easily afford to buy off my indenture any time I wished."

"But you won't," Horin said, "not even if we allow you to do so-and we don't have to, Afelnor.

"You need the Guild as much as we need you. You have a mission, a personal mission, do you not?"

"What?"

"You are unique, Afelnor. You are the grandson of the reviled Oathbreaker. Your name is tainted beyond imagining, and you seek to cleanse it. You are kin to a man who tried to kill his lord and master, and there is no worse crime in the whole Guild. Because of your lineage, you are reviled by most, even beyond the petty prejudices of social class-consciousness.

"I can help you achieve your aims, and I will, if you help me."

Grimm slumped back in his chair and rubbed his perspiring brow with a palsied hand. He felt like a puppet whose strings had been cut, and he felt unable to speak.

The Dominie leaned closer and said in a low voice, "Our life, our very existence is threatened, and I want an irreverent, hot-headed, impertinent grandson of a convicted traitor to help me, not a polished, scrubbed, silver-tongued paragon of Guild manhood."

Grimm tried again to speak, but his tongue felt as if it were a lump of dead wood. Horin rose to unsteady feet, weaving like a drunken man, but the Questor knew that only the old man's body had betrayed him; despite the evangelistic gleam in those feverish eyes, the Dominie's sanity could not be in doubt.

The old man laughed; a crackling, high-pitched squeak without the slightest hint of humour. "There is a sickness within our brotherhood, my young friend," he said. "After centuries, millennia of stability, a creeping, insidious malaise threatens the stability of the entire Guild. Following my dealings with the odious Lizaveta, I have begun to believe that she, or someone just like her, may be at the root of the problem."

Grimm's forehead furrowed.

"What is the nature of this sickness, Lord?"

The young man saw the Guildmaster's wan complexion growing healthier by the moment, and he noted a little more animation in the Dominie's voice when he spoke.

"There has always been rivalry and ambition within the Guild, young Afelnor," he said. "It is tolerated, and even encouraged, so long as it doesn't interfere with the smooth running of the institution. You are an ambitious young man, but that is only to be expected in a Guild mage.

"However, I have noticed a distinct escalation in the unrest between the Houses in the last few decades. There is now far too much secrecy and skulduggery in an organisation that has always prided itself on openness and fraternity.

"I have tried to eradicate this sickness at the root, but without success. There may be many causes for this malaise, but I cannot deny that this little attempt by Prioress Lizaveta to suborn me has shaken me beyond measure; my unease has not been diminished by your own experience with the young nun, right here in High Lodge. How many mages have been compromised or controlled by this woman and her Order?

"I am mindful of the early wars between mages and witches, and I wonder if these latest affronts are skirmishes in a renewed conflict. Perhaps Lizaveta's order is no more than a front for a Geomantic supremacy movement."

Grimm considered the Dominie's words: they sounded on first hearing like the paranoid maunderings of a worried man, but were they so improbable?

Lizaveta's involvement in Madeleine's attempt to subsume his will seemed incontestable. Perhaps she had tried to perform similar magic on Loras, many years before, and his will had proved the stronger. The Dominie, although a potent mage, would not have presented such a difficult target, and the old witch had tried to use Grimm as her weapon without success. Maybe this was no coincidence; if Loras had rebuffed her, control of his grandson might seem like sweet revenge.

Slowly, Grimm nodded; it all began to make sense to him. "I concur, Dominie; at the very least, Prioress Lizaveta's Order presents a serious threat to our Guild. May I ask what you have in mind for me in this regard?"

It'll be some kind of fact-finding mission, I expect, he thought. Presumably, I'll have to interview various mages, to see if they've fallen under Lizaveta's influence. Tedious, but, I suppose, essential.

"I want you, Grimm Afelnor, Mage Questor of the Seventh Rank, called the Dragonblaster, to find out. I wish you to confront this odious cult directly and, if necessary, to destroy it. I want this baleful influence eradicated, however you choose to achieve this.

"I now know you are a truly loyal mage. I elevated you to the Seventh Rank as evidence of my good faith, and I expect you to carry out your side of the bargain. Will you do so?"

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Chapter 19: "The Most Important Quest"

Grimm started forward, and almost slid off the slick leather seat. "You want me to confront this nest of vipers directly, Lord Dominie? A single witch of that Order nearly managed to enslave me! I can hardly approach Lizaveta directly; she's already met me. Perhaps it would be better to choose another mage, Dominie, one unknown to her."

Horin again made a show of inspecting his nails, as if embarrassed. "You already know of her ways, Questor Grimm; you are forewarned. I wish as few members of the Guild as possible to be alerted to this Quest, since I have no idea how far Lizaveta's influence has spread… and I do not wish it known that I, the Master of the Guild, was so nearly enslaved by Geomancy.

"You are not to tell Lord Thorn, or any other member of the Guild, the true purpose of your mission. I don't want it known that there may be a weakness within our Brotherhood."

Grimm leapt to his feet, his face hot and his fists balled.

"Surely you don't expect me to do this alone? You ask the impossible, Lord Horin! I don't know where they are, and I have no idea of what obstacles I might meet on the way!"

"Impetuous as ever, I see," muttered the elder mage. Then, he raised his voice "Very well, Afelnor. You may recruit a few Seculars to your cause, so long as you tell them nothing of the task beyond what is utterly necessary."

Grimm nodded, relieved. "I have an army under my command, Lord Horin. We'll soon resolve the situation."

Horin sighed. "I'm afraid I can't allow that, Questor Grimm. An army would be far too conspicuous, and word would reach Lizaveta long before you would arrive. Worse than that, a panic might arise within the various Houses; they might assume that Lord Thorn was intending to eradicate his rivals, once and for all. You are, after all, an Arnor man."

This is impossible, the Questor thought. Horin asks far too much of me. I may have hundreds of miles to travel, perhaps through barren and hostile wastelands, and my power is far from inexhaustible. I'll just have to turn him down.

"Dominie," he said, drawing himself to his full height. "I thank you for your faith in my abilities, but I must decline; your conditions are too onerous. Please, just erase my memories and send me back to Arnor; reduce me to the ranks if you must. I'm sorry."

Horin said, "I could order you, although I do not wish to do so. Does your sworn Oath mean nothing? What about your sullied family name?"

Grimm winced, as if a pair of sharp barbs had struck his heart. As the grandson of the despised Oathbreaker, this question pierced him to the quick. Again, hot indignation threatened to overwhelm him. "I don't think my Oath requires me to commit suicide on your least command, Lord Horin. If you want to interpret my refusal as treason, then I can't do much about it, but what you propose will need more than a Questor and a couple of ignorant warriors. For the record, Dominie: I refuse. Do with me what you will."

He sat back down and crossed his arms across his chest, his face burning with a combination of anger and contrition.

Horin's face was a picture of indignation. "You dare to talk to your Guildmaster in this manner?" he spat. "By the Names, just who do you think you are?"

Grimm looked directly into the Dominie's angry eyes. "I am the mage you selected as your personal weapon, and I'm more than willing to carry out that role; but I can't do this alone. Without the aid of additional personnel, I believe this is a waste of time."

"Perhaps you're right, Afelnor," Horin snarled. "It appears that I may have misjudged your loyalty, zeal, gratitude and sense of duty."

The young mage sighed, frustrated; this was getting nowhere, and it might end up with Arnor House or even High Lodge gaining a new scullery servant. Antagonising the Master of the Guild was an ill-advised course of action to pursue. Grimm forced his burgeoning emotions into the back of his mind with the practised self-control of a Questor.

"Please forgive my outburst, Lord Horin," he said, spreading his palms before him in a gesture of supplication. "I had no right to speak to you in that odious manner. Nonetheless, I do find your conditions impossibly restricting, and I can't pretend otherwise. I recognise the threat to our Brotherhood, and I'm keen to eradicate it, if I can; however, I don't relish the prospect of going on an uncertain journey, to meet an implacable and powerful enemy of unknown resources in her own den. Remember, if I am defeated, Lizaveta may well gain the weapon she needs to achieve her ends, whatever they may be."

The Dominie seemed almost to suffer some kind of fit; with his face a delicate shade of scarlet and his eyes bulging, the older man bounced and quivered as if possessed.

"You are the most contumacious youth I have ever met! Do you think so little of your powers that one frail old woman can defeat you?"

"She nearly defeated you, Lord Dominie, right here in your own demesne." Grimm's soft response made a palpable impact on the Guildmaster; Horin's infuriated spasms ceased, and the Questor noticed that the older man's face lost some of its former choler.

"I may have to face a hundred powerful witches, Lord Dominie," he said, his voice level but tinged with defiance, "each of whom has orders to try to dominate me or destroy me.

"No, Lord Horin, I'm afraid I'm not confident enough to face that test; I'd rather die, or spend the rest of my days as a menial, than lose my mind to some Geomantic puppeteer. If that's my only choice, then so be it; I'll take the scullery over that, every time."

Horin reached for a metal flask of tea at his side, and poured himself a generous measure. "Are you sure you won't have some, Questor Grimm? It's a very good blend."

Grimm shook his head, his stern expression unchanged. Horin swallowed the steaming herbal infusion at a gulp, as if he had not noticed the brew's scalding temperature.

The Dominie put down his empty cup and saucer and looked the Questor straight in the eyes. "I didn't choose to raise you to the Seventh Rank with such unseemly haste only to demote you to the rank of servant, young Afelnor, and I suspect you know it."

Grimm shrugged. "I'm in your hands, Dominie."

The Guildmaster stood up and walked around the room, his expression distant and preoccupied. He rested a hand on a small, exquisite marble statue of a Thulian Troubadour in mid-performance, and muttered, "Shamfar Gurest's finest work, seven hundred years old. It's quite priceless."

The hand lovingly stroked the sculpture's silk-smooth curves and his eyes seemed to drink in the statue's rich detail; the musician appeared almost alive, his head thrown back, his eyes closed in the bliss of music, his hands caressing a stone lute.

This is Horin's form of displacement activity, Grimm thought. He's not a man to make snap decisions he might regret later.

Looking up from Shamfar's masterwork, his hands still resting on the cool marble, the Dominie said, "Very well, Questor Grimm, I'm prepared to consider any reasonable suggestions you may have. This is a matter of vital importance, and I don't want to rule out anything that might increase the likelihood of success."

"I want to take my friend, Questor Dalquist, with me," the Questor said. "I would trust him with my life, and his word is his bond."

"No," Horin replied. "I agree that a pair of Questors might be useful, but you will take Questor Guy with you. He already knows what took place last night. And you may take Necromancer Numal with you, for the same reason; I don't want wagging tongues around here if I can avoid it. I'll brook no argument on this score; neither Questor Dalquist nor any other member of the Guild is to be informed of any details of the Quest."

Grimm shut his eyes, and suppressed a groan; As a young Questor who had risen to the Seventh Rank without Horin's influence, Guy must be a powerful mage, yet he was capricious and unreliable. Numal, on the other hand, was a rank tyro, a ditherer who seemed quite unsuitable as a companion in a dangerous undertaking. Nonetheless, the Dominie seemed implacable in his resolve to inform as few Guild members as possible.

"If there are to be three mages on the expedition, one of whom is a tyro, I want at least three warriors along with us," Grimm countered. "I have three in mind: their names are Tordun, Crest, and Harvel. All have Quested with me before, and I trust them. They are all more than competent warriors, and they remain cool under pressure. In addition to these men, I request permission to take at least the leader of the Crarian army, General Quelgrum. He may be able to suggest cunning stratagems and tactics that we can employ, so as to avoid unwanted speculation as to our purpose."

Grimm also wanted to take along his fearsome demon Seneschal, Shakkar, but he had to acknowledge that the towering titan would attract far too much attention.

"This is beginning to sound like another bloody army," Horin growled. "I don't doubt Questor Guy will have his own views on the matter, and he probably has Secular allies of his own that he will want to bring along. How do you suggest we keep such a large party secret?"

"We could take a covered wagon, Lord Horin. One man drives while the rest remain in the back of the vehicle. If we wish to stay in a town, the cart is driven through it until a resting place is found, and the others are put down in inconspicuous locations along the way, so they can make their way there as individuals, rather than as a suspicious group. If the wagon is searched, for any reason, we say that we are on a pilgrimage, or that we have picked up indigent travellers during our journey.

"We may also need to coerce a few Outsiders and take them into our confidence, in order to gain necessary information. However, if necessary, either Questor Guy or I should be able to persuade them to forget. Should any searchers or inquisitors seem unduly suspicious of us, we can do the same thing."

Grimm saw that Horin's eyes were once more distant, wandering, and he guessed the Guildmaster was mentally disassembling his proposal down to its component parts, mulling over each one.

At last, the Dominie nodded. "Very well, Dragonblaster. I have my misgivings, but I accept your counsel. We'll proceed along those lines."

Grimm knew Horin had only used the cognomen in order to increase the Questor's enthusiasm for the Quest, but the title still sounded fine to his ears, pleasing him.

"What tale do you propose I tell Prelate Thorn?" the older mage said. "I am, after all, depriving him of two valuable mages."

Grimm doubted the term 'valuable mage' could be applied to Numal, but he thought it better not to mention the fact. "I'm sorry, Lord Dominie, but I'm no politician or diplomat, and I don't think I ever will be. I owe Lord Thorn a lot, and I don't care to lie to him."

"Are you saying. enjoy subterfuge?" Horin fumed, a trace of his earlier hot temper returning. However, he soon made a placatory gesture with his hands and softened his tone. "I'm sorry, young Afelnor; you're quite right to have such reservations, and I mustn't berate you for the fact. May I assume you have accepted my proposal?"

Grimm nodded. "I thank you for your faith in my abilities, Lord Horin, from the bottom of my heart. Yes, I accept the Quest. However, I ask that you give me absolute authority over the conduct of the mission."

Horin repeated his earlier, humourless laugh. "I can't do that, Questor Grimm. Although you are my chosen weapon, Questor Guy must be ten years older than you, and an experienced mage to boot. He must be considered the senior mage."

"Then, why did you ask me first?" Grimm snapped. It appeared to him that the Dominie revelled in building him up, just so he could knock him back down again. "I refuse to serve under Questor Guy. Tell him to carry out the Quest under his own terms, and see just how far he gets!"

Horin bounced on the balls of his feet, his eyes blazing. "You are just impossible, you impudent young whelp! No doubt, you'll be telling me how to run the Presidium, next!"

He could just have threatened to wipe my memory, Grimm thought, but he needs me.

The old man screwed up his face as if he had just eaten a sour pickle. "All right; I'll consider giving you joint leadership; will that be satisfactory to you, Lord Mage?"

Grimm suppressed a smile. "No, Lord Dominie. You chose me for this mission, and the inclusion of Questor Guy was only an afterthought. At first, you were happy to let me act on my own."

Horin's face appeared to boil, his complexion almost matching the deep red of his sumptuous leather armchair.

The young mage continued, his tone level and implacable: "Joint jurisdiction would just lead to inefficient disputes. There needs to be a clear leader to make the final decision."

The old man appeared to be suffused with frustrated rage. He picked up another small marble piece, as if he might be about to throw it through one of the closed windows, before apparently thinking better of it. With the statue still in his hand, he said, "What you ask-what you demand-is a clear breach of protocol. Questor Guy is the senior mage; command of the mission should be his. What reason do you, a relatively inexperienced Questor, have, to justify your being given authority over him?"

This is no time to back down, Grimm.

"Lord Dominie, Questor Guy is the grandson of Prioress Lizaveta, or so he tells me. He hates her with a passion for allowing him to spend his days as a Student in penury, and I worry that he will concentrate more on destroying the Prioress herself than eliminating her influence. I fear that he will be moved to take too many risks if left unchecked."

The old man set the statue back down with care, and the astonishment on his face was plain to see.

As for a breach of protocol, Lord Horin, I believe it is considered normal practice to inform the members of the Presidium and the Questor's House Prelate of the scope and reasons for a Quest, thought the young mage, although he did not wish to provoke Horin too much by saying so.

"I am a Guild man, Dominie," he said aloud, "and I reaffirm my Oath in all its solemnity; however, I wish to maximise its chances of success. I fear that Questor Guy has too much personal interest in a specific aspect of the undertaking, and I therefore request that you declare me as senior mage for this uncertain, and possibly hazardous, expedition. If not, I prefer to engage in the Quest without the presence of the Great Flame.

"Am I your chosen weapon or not, Lord Horin?"

His eyes, those dark, impenetrable, implacable Questor eyes, bored into Horin's. The force of a Questor's will was renowned throughout the Guild, and the Dominie, powerful as he might be, was a mere Weatherworker.

"You request this, do you, Afelnor? Well, that makes a change!" Horin said, still fuming; however, he looked away after perhaps five seconds. Only another Questor could hope to meet such a gaze for more than a few heartbeats.

"You are adamant in this… request?"

"I am, Lord Horin." Grimm lowered his eyes at last, judging that further continuation of his gaze might constitute a threat.

"You have considered that you may make an enemy of Questor Guy over this? He would expect to have control of the Quest."

"I have, Lord Horin. However, despite the Great Flame's faults, I do not believe he is a man to bear a grudge for long. We have had our arguments before and resolved them. I think we can surmount this particular obstacle, long before we encounter our quarry."

The Dominie blew his nose, leaving a ruddy clot in his brown-stained handkerchief. "In that case, you leave me little option," he said. "Very well; I'll declare you senior mage for the duration of the Quest only. On your return, successful or not, Guy will revert to the seniority due to him."

"What about me, Lord Horin? You said you would help me to clear my family name."

Horin growled, "I'm beginning to regret saying that, Afelnor, but I'll keep my word. You get this Quest, and I'll do what I can to rehabilitate your lineage."

Grimm nodded. "That's more than fair, Dominie; I thank you."

"Do you have any other stipulations, Dragonblaster? I'd rather get them out of the way now, if you don't mind."

"I will need time to prepare, Lord Dominie. I wish to be at the peak of my power when we encounter the Order. For example, on my previous Quests, I believe I suffered from insufficient preparation; I don't want to make that mistake again."

Horin nodded. "That is only prudent. How long will you need?"

"A week?" Grimm hazarded. "A month? In all truth, Dominie, I don't know. I want to cast a few more spells on my staff and try to lay my hands on a few useful protective periapts: an amulet to ward off missiles, for example; and various types of wards for specific threats. I have little idea where to look for such items, although I know they exist."

"I can help you there," Horin said, "High Lodge has a large store of such charms. Give me a list of what you think you require, and I'll try to obtain the items for you under the guise of personal research.

"These charms are only loaned, mind you." Horin wagged his index finger and frowned. "You are not to consider them as gifts. On this, I refuse to negotiate."

Grimm stood, and bowed. "I understand. Thank you, Lord Horin. I also ask that I be allowed to make my preparations from my stronghold in Crar."

"As long as you keep your purpose from as many people as possible, including your… your paramour.

"I mean it, Questor; keep your mouth closed. Is that understood?"

"Understood, Dominie; it may be difficult to come up with some kind of rationale, but I'll think of something."

Horin lowered himself into the seat opposite the Questor. "This may be the most important Quest you are ever asked to undertake, Questor Grimm. Make it a good one. No record will ever be made of what you do, but it is a vital Quest, nonetheless. Is that all?"

Grimm considered the Dominie's words; it seemed like he might be risking his life, his sanity, for little reward. "With regard to our bargain, Lord Horin: if I should find incontrovertible evidence of my grandfather's innocence, will you consider restoring his name to the Guild roll of honours? That would mean more to me than any other reward."

Horin closed his eyes and meditated for a few moments before he spoke. "I'll do what I can within the strictures of Guild Law; I am constrained by it as much as anyone else. That's all I can promise at this time, but I swear I will explore every possible avenue, including any that may arise due to future changes in the Laws. Is that acceptable?"

Grimm nodded; his heart was full. A tear rolled down the side of his nose, but he paid it no heed. "That's all I ask, Lord Mage. Thank you, with all my heart."

Horin settled back in his armchair; he appeared well satisfied. "You'll have the seventh ring on your staff by noon, and I'll have your cognomen ratified and approved by this evening. Congratulations, Grimm Dragonblaster.

"Now, can I interest you in some of this pickled herring? It's delicious."

Grimm smiled. "Thank you, Lord Horin. Perhaps I am a little hungry, after all."

The young mage felt happy beyond measure. With the possible restitution of Loras' honour in sight, he would give his utmost to the Quest, and he put all concern for his own safety behind him.

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Chapter 20: Homecoming

Grimm drew the wagon to a halt in front of the gates of Crar. From his vantage point, high above the entrance passage, a guard called out, "Who goes there? What is your business in Crar?"

Grimm swept the cowl from his head and shouted, "I am Baron Grimm, lord of this city." The title still sounded fanciful and ludicrous to his ears.

"One moment, please, Lord Baron."

A few minutes passed, during which, Grimm had no doubt, a number of weapons were being trained on the vehicle. At the end of this period, a small door in the great gate opened, and the Questor recognised the green-clad form of General Quelgrum.

"General, it's good to see you," Grimm called. "How goes it?"

As he drew closer, the General's lined, leathery face broke into a broad grin. He stopped several yards from the cart. "Well met, Lord Baron! I must apologise for the delay in your entrance; however, there are a few formalities to complete. With your permission, may I search your wagon?"

Grimm frowned. "This is me, General; Grimm Afelnor. You do remember me, I presume? I'm hungry and tired, and I have two Guild colleagues with me, in a similar state." He felt little inclination to play army games.

"Your pardon, Lord Grimm. There is sickness in the city of Hagarn; a grave illness, Baron. Doctor Querl is inspecting all incomers for signs of the ailment. I trust you understand."

"Hagarn? I never heard of it, General."

"It's seventy-five miles to the south-east of here, Lord Baron. That may sound a long way off, but it's better to be careful."

Grimm suppressed a smile, despite the torpor that possessed him after the long, hot journey.

Quelgrum's taking his oath to protect the city from all assaults very seriously.

"Very well, General: we'll wait for the Doctor."

"Don't you teach the hired help more respect than that?" Guy hissed from the back of the wagon. "I'm so hungry, I could eat one of these bloody horses, or maybe two. Just tell soldier-boy to step aside and let us in."

"Shut up, Guy." Grimm knew the sullen Questor responded better to defiance than diplomacy. "The man's just doing his job. You'd be more than ready to berate him if he skimped his duties and you got sick."

He could not hear Guy's sotto voce reply, but the tone of his voice, if far from cheerful, carried a note of grudging, grumbling acceptance.

A strange apparition, dressed from head to foot in a leather cape with a cowl stepped from the portal. A bizarre mask in the form of a bird's face covered the man's face, and he wore heavy gauntlets. The unearthly figure seemed to float over to the side of the wagon, since the cape hid his legs and feet from view.

"Would you mind stepping down, please, Lord Grimm?"

Despite the hollow, ethereal tone caused by the strange mask, Grimm recognised the gentle voice of the man who had nursed him in the aftermath of the final defeat of Starmor in the streets of Crar. The Questor owed Querl a lot for bringing him back to the world of the living, after his prodigious expenditure of energy during that Quest.

"Of course not, Doctor Querl." Grimm's face crinkled into a smile. He complied with the physician's request, and Querl subjected the mage's mouth, ears and neck to a close examination, his searching eyes just visible through the heavy glass lenses in his mask.

"You seem unaffected by the disease," the medical man concluded. "May I now examine your companions?"

Numal submitted to his examination without a murmur, although Guy grumbled and complained throughout his own, as Grimm had expected. At last, the doctor declared himself satisfied that all three mages were in good health.

Quelgrum approached Grimm and saluted. "Welcome, Lord Baron. It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back, General," the young mage replied. "Might I prevail on you to visit me this evening, after I've had a good wash and something to eat? I have an important matter I'd like to discuss with you."

"I'm at your command, Lord Baron."

Grimm nodded. "Perhaps you'd like to accompany us into the city, General?"

"Thank you, Lord Grimm; these old legs aren't what they used to be," the soldier said in a soft voice; Grimm suppressed a smile, guessing that the General did not want any of his juniors to hear this admission of mortality.

The magic-users clambered back onto the vehicle, and Quelgrum ordered the gates of the city opened. Grimm flicked the reins, and the wagon trundled into Crar, with the General riding on the foot-rail beside the young Baron.

This isn't the Crar I know!

The Questor's eyes took in the pristine, gleaming buildings and the spotless thoroughfares. Ramshackle ruins had been replaced by new, spotless edifices, and the marketplace, once a dingy, dismal haunt of Starmor's puppets, now sported gaily-caparisoned stalls, by which people chatted, haggled and argued in an animated fashion.

"Not quite how you remember it, eh, Baron?" Quelgrum's voice bore an unmistakeable note of pride.

"Is this all your doing, General?"

The military man, nodded, looking a little embarrassed.

"Can't keep a bunch of soldiers hanging around with nothing to do," he grunted, his ruddy face suffusing with an even deeper shade of red. "I talked to Seneschal Shakkar, and we agreed the place could do with a bit of brightening up."

Grimm smiled broadly. "Thank you so much, General. Your efforts on behalf of the city of Crar are noticed and welcomed. Well done."

The old soldier shuffled on the wagon's footplate and shrugged. "Here's your tower, Lord Baron."

The mage gasped; what had once been a forbidding, black stump, a huge, rotting tooth presiding over the decay of the city, now glowed with a rich, golden lustre. When he had last left Crar, the turret had just been covered with a coat of white paint, but it now looked transformed in its new, gilded attire. It looked like a beacon of hope, rather than a hastily-repainted bastion of doom.

Guy poked his head from under the cover of the wagon. "Your place, I suppose?"

Grimm could tell the older Questor was trying to smother admiration under a mask of indifference.

"Yes, it's my place, Questor Guy." He did not try to hide the pride in his voice. "Nice, isn't it?"

Grimm brought the wagon to a halt in front of the magnificent structure. At once, an adolescent boy ran out to greet the wagon, sweeping a shapeless cap from his head and knuckling his temple.

"I'm Ranulf, Lord Baron," the youth said, his voice breathless. "I work for the town ostler. Look after your horses, milord?"

The mage assumed a serious, forbidding expression. "I want them well fed and watered, groomed, and kept in a clean stall, is that clear?"

"Oh, yes, your Baron-ness, sir! Quite clear, your worshipfulness."

"Good," Grimm grunted. He fished a silver piece from his robe pocket and showed it to the boy, whose eyes grew wide; the Questor doubted the boy had ever seen such wealth before. "Hold out your hand."

Not taking his eyes from the shiny coin, the youth complied, and Grimm dropped the silver piece into his open hand.

"This is for you, Ranulf. If I'm happy the horses have been well-treated when I need them again, I'll give you another; I'll settle up with the ostler separately."

Ranulf managed a clumsy bow and put his knuckles to his brow once again. "I'll look after 'em as if they was me own, your Lordshipness. Thank'ee for yer gen… yer gennyer…"

"Generosity, boy," Quelgrum prompted in a soft voice, as he stepped down from the wagon.

"Yeah, that," Ranulf said, his voice tinged with gratitude. "Thank'ee, Sir. If you'd be so kind as to give me the reins, your Baronship?"

Grimm vacated his seat, and Guy and Numal descended from the back step of the vehicle.

"Are we expected to carry our own bags?" Guy grumbled.

"Don't complain; it's good exercise, Brother Mage," Grimm said in an airy voice, grunting as he hoisted his own pair of bulging, leather holdalls. "We Questors need to stay healthy, after all; the travails of the road can weigh heavily on the unfit."

Once everything had been unloaded from the wagon, Grimm noted with pleasure that the boy, Ranulf, drove away with no more than a flick of the reins and a gentle clicking of his tongue; the youth seemed a confident and considerate handler of horses, despite his callow appearance.

As the wagon moved away, he saw Drex, his love, standing by the turret's entrance, and his heart bounded. He longed to take her in his arms and kiss her, but he crushed his burgeoning passion into a tight, fervid lump inside him. A sarcastic, spiteful mage like Guy might make his life as a Guild Mage very uncomfortable, if he were to make it known that Grimm Afelnor of Arnor House had a lover.

Lord Horin might have been indulgent about the knowledge of the young Questor's amorous involvement, but Grimm was only too aware of the prevalent myth within the Guild: sharing physical passion with a woman was supposed to destroy a mage's powers.

He knew, only too well, that this myth was no more than a lie, but such a relationship was still a gross breach of Guild protocol. He saw Drex's eyes flick towards Guy and Horin, and then shift back to his, as the mage gave a slight, apologetic shake of his head.

He moved towards her, and whispered, "I'm sorry, Drex; it won't always be like this, I promise. I just have one more Quest to complete…"

"There'll always be just one more Quest, won't there, Grimm?" The girl's voice was quiet, but hot and annoyed. "It's never going to change, is it? You'll always be at the beck and call of the bloody Guild."

Grimm shut his eyes, as frustration boiled up inside him. "Look, Drex, I…"

"Is this a private party, or can anyone join in?" Guy called in a bored voice. "Come on, Afelnor, I'm not going to hang around here all day. If you've quite finished flirting with the servants, I expect a hot bath and a bloody good meal."

Grimm stiffened, and he felt hot rage flooding into his face. He wanted to pound Guy into the ground until the petty, self-important snob pleaded for mercy. He wanted…

He returned to sanity with a sharp squeeze of his forearm. "It's all right, Grimm," Drex whispered. "I think I see the real problem here. Just promise me you won't invite this silly, stuck-up little twerp here as a permanent guest, and I'll play along, for now."

Grimm took a deep breath and allowed his anger to subside. "I'm really sorry, Drex."

"Go on, get on with it," Drexelica muttered. In a louder voice, she said, "At your service, Lord Baron."

****

Guy gave vent to a fulsome and indecorous belch after the splendid meal Drex had provided. The girl curtseyed and disappeared like the dutiful servant she was supposed to be. In contrast to the older mage's animalistic gluttony, Grimm ate little; the sharp pangs of guilt he felt from having denied his true love dulled his appetite.

This is important! he told himself. The Guild is in peril, and I have been chosen as its saviour!

Despite these ringing sentiments, he remained disconsolate. Grimm's large, circular drawing room was empty except for the three mages, who reclined on divans upholstered in red velvet.

"What's it all about, Afelnor?" Guy drawled. "Horin only told me the bare minimum about this Quest. It seems you're flavour of the month right now, so why don't you fill Grandpa and me in on what we have to do?"

Grimm could sense the rising of Numal's ire, along with his own growing annoyance, although the timid Necromancer did nothing more than glare. "For a start, Brother Mage, I don't want you to insult Necromancer Numal anymore. I request that you address him with the respect due to a full Guild Mage."

"You dare to tell me what I can and can't do?" the elder Questor spat. "Who in Hades do you think you are, Afelnor?"

"I'm running this expedition, Brother Mage! Or didn't Lord Horin tell you that?"

Guy guffawed. "Ah, come on, half-pint, he just said that for form's sake! Like it or not, I'm the senior Questor present, and I'm not about to play second fiddle to some jumped-up Adept who's barely got his feet wet!"

Numal started. "Questor Guy! That's too-"

"Stay out of this, old-timer," the Great Flame interrupted. "This is between me and wonder-boy, here! You just-"

Struggling in vain to control the conflicting passions roiling within him, Grimm gave free rein to his emotions in one titanic shout, its volume augmented by a judicious dose of thaumaturgic power: "ENOUGH!"

Echoes of his scream bounced from the walls for several moments, and the young mage saw it had had the desired effect.

Guy looked disorientated and confused, as if some prize-fighter had landed a solid punch on the point of his jaw. Numal's mouth hung slack; he looked almost like a caricature of the stereotypical village idiot.

"I am in command, Questor Guy. This is not a democracy. It's not about me being first, and you being second.

"I'm in charge, and you're not! That's all there is! If you don't like it, I suggest you go back to Lord Horin and argue with him. If you don't acknowledge my authority right now, I don't want you on this Quest; is that understood? This expedition may prove hard enough, even without having to contend with dissent between us!"

"You've got some front, Afelnor; I'll say that for you." Guy shook his head as if to clear some inner obstruction. "But that doesn't compare with experience, and you're a fool if you think it does. I have a dozen Quests to my name, and I'd lay you any odds you like that my magic's more potent than anything you can muster. Horin's old and confused; he never meant for you to be in charge, really; it stands to reason."

Grimm felt a cool, strange sense of calm beginning to flow within him. "I hope you enjoyed your meal, Questor Guy. I'd rather have you on my side, but it's plain that I can't trust you in the simplest of matters, such as common courtesy between us; I don't want you with me."

Despite recognising that Guy's experience might be a critical asset to the Quest, Grimm could not countenance the prospect of continual bickering on the trail. Guy was just too hot-tempered and intolerant.

"All right, Afelnor; as you say," the older Questor said quickly, opening his hands in placation, almost like a penitent supplicant in a church. "I apologise for my disrespect to you, Necromancer Numal.

"Brother Questor, I acknowledge your absolute authority for the conduct of this Quest. Am I forgiven?"

Guy's wide eyes and saintly expression suggested a misunderstood, guileless innocent, although the Dragonblaster had seen similar, abrupt volte-faces before.

Isn't this just like Guy? Grimm thought. He changes his mind at a moment's notice; how can I rely on a man like that?

Nonetheless, he had to acknowledge that the older Questor, if he was as good as his word-which was questionable-could prove a powerful factor in the Quest's potential success.

With a sigh, Grimm told himself he could not afford to be capricious or judgemental on his first Quest as senior mage. Horin's eyes, at least, were upon him, and the Dominie would expect him to be able to handle inner disputes.

"Very well, Questor Guy," he found himself saying, "If you're prepared to submit to my leadership, then I may change my mind. Now, if we've finished bickering, let's get down to business. We may have a long night ahead of us, so I'd rather get started as early as possible."

"As you say, Chief; let's get started, by all means."

If there was a trace of sarcasm in Guy's voice, Grimm chose to ignore it.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 21: Rebellion

Grimm spent the next two weeks preparing for the Quest. He put himself through a punishing, demanding series of exercises every morning, studied maps and documents during the afternoon and worked on Redeemer throughout the night. He spent long hours muttering to the six-foot, brass-tipped rod, as he had during its preparation, pouring his strength into it in order to provide him with a store of magical energy to be used when needed.

Following Guy's advice, he cast a number of simple, useful runic spells on Redeemer, such as spells of Illumination and Warding. None was any match for his innate Questor power, but they were all useful spells and, once they were embedded in his staff, he would be able to access them without squandering his inner strength.

Guy Great Flame appeared to keep his promise, showing respect to both Numal and Grimm when the three were together, although Grimm knew the older Questor would bear closer scrutiny once the Quest was underway.

On occasion, either the demon Shakkar, Grimm's Seneschal, or Mayor Chod, the leader of the Council of Crar, would interrupt him with documents to be signed or decisions to be made, but the Questor's mind was focused only on the Quest. He allowed himself a scant four hours of sleep each night, telling himself at all times to push harder, harder!

****

Grimm threw himself into his strenuous regime of exercise, pushing his body to its limits, when a breathless messenger burst into his chamber without knocking.

"Lord Baron, there are two visitors for you!"

Grimm frowned, wiping sweat from his brow. "Didn't you think to knock before entering, man; where are your bloody manners? I'm busy; tell them to go and see the Seneschal, can't you?"

"I'm sorry, Lord Baron, They told me you'd want to see them at once."

Grimm snatched up a towel and wiped his flushed face. "If it's not the Lord Dominie, or Lord Prelate Thorn, you can tell them to wait their bloody turn!" he snapped.

"If that's your attitude, mage, you can keep your bloody Quest!"

The voice was familiar, and Grimm spun on his heels to see a slight, black-clad man, maybe five feet in height, with heavy, black brows overseeing an olive-complected face.

"Crest!" the mage cried, bounding towards the slender half-elf and grabbing him in a companionable embrace, almost barging the messenger aside in the process.

"So you do remember me," the elf said, shrugging off Grimm's attentions. "I got your message two days ago. I just hope this is going to be worth my while."

"Of course, Crest! Just name your figure; I'll meet it."

Another familiar voice sounded from outside the door. "What about me? I've got four mistresses and a life of dedicated hedonism to support."

Grimm opened the door to its full extent to reveal the foppish but deadly swordsman, Harvel, who extended his right hand. Grimm's smile widened, and he took the proffered member in a strong embrace.

"Harvel, you old blood-drinker!" the mage cried. "It's good to see you again."

"All right, mage; just go a little easier on the greetings," Harvel complained. "I might need to use that hand again!"

Grimm released the swordsman's hand, not having realised how tightly he had been gripping it. "Crest, Harvel, thank you so much for coming. Please, do come in."

He waved the messenger out of the room and shut the door.

"What's it all about, mage?" Harvel asked. "I don't imagine you've called on us just to help you escort some chinless princeling to his wedding. At least, I hope you haven't."

"It is a Quest, a proper Quest, and the risk may be great," Grimm replied. "However, before I tell you any details, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to promise to say nothing of it to anybody else. Not a word-and I do mean that. Lord Dominie Horin of High Lodge, the Guildmaster, asked me in person to undertake this Quest, and he's adamant that no hit of our purpose be allowed to leak out. I don't want any idle gossip, pillow-talk or casual chit-chat to jeopardise the expedition. Secrecy is paramount."

Harvel laughed easily, his face open and good-humoured. "If you pay me well enough, Questor, I won't even tell my Confessor about it."

Crest turned to face his warrior friend. "I never thought of you as a religious type, Harvel; a carouser and a lecher, yes, but not some bloody saint."

Harvel shrugged. "You don't know everything about me, elf. I'll have you know I'm a fully-fledged member of the Church of the One. All right, I haven't been to church since I was a child, but I'm saving everything for one big confession."

"No priest would listen to more than three hours of any honest confession you made," the half-elf retorted. "You'd be excommunicated before you'd even started."

The whip-wielding, knife-throwing thief turned to Grimm. "You have my word, mage: I won't tell a soul of what you tell me without your explicit permission. Harvel and I are ex-soldiers, and we know how to keep our mouths shut." He spat on the floor to solemnise the oath; the Questor felt a momentary frisson of disgust, but he knew the ritual sealed a firm, unshakeable covenant.

"Very well, gentlemen; if you'll give me a few moments to wash and dress, we'll go to my day-room, where we can discuss things in a more comfortable and civilised environment."

****

Grimm's 'day-room' was a spacious, semicircular room, with a huge bay window giving excellent views of the bustling, colourful city fifty feet below. Either side of the door stood ten-foot-tall racks of books, reaching almost to the ceiling. The floor was tiled in alternating squares of black and white marble. Ten comfortable black leather armchairs were arrayed around a round, polished mahogany table, ten feet in diameter, which sat on a circular woven rug decorated with muted patterns in pastel shades of green, red and blue.

"I never thought I'd like this place," Crest confessed. "But it looks like you've done wonders with it."

"General Quelgrum can take most of the credit," Grimm said. "His men did most of the work. My… housekeeper, Drexelica, suggested most of the improvements. It's certainly a great improvement on the previous occupier's taste."

The two warriors nodded. Both had encountered the demon Starmor, the tower's former owner, who had turned Crar into a ghastly marionette parody of a bustling, prosperous city. Both had also been present at the climactic battle that led to the humanoid monster's end.

The tower had been an ebon monstrosity, suffused with the ever-present moaning of tormented souls, whose anguish provided a store of emotional energy for the demon's potent magic. The only reminder now of this was a soft, harmonious, almost intangible music that permeated the structure; the sound of spirits at peace, freed from Starmor's torments.

"Once, I'd never have believed that this could be a nice place to live," Harvel said, his eyes roaming around, taking in the room's sparse, yet tasteful appointments. "It's a little quiet for my tastes, but it's a pleasant and peaceful retreat now, a good place to relax after the rigours of the road. You've done pretty well for yourself, Questor Grimm."

"Speaking about the 'rigours of the road', what about this Quest, Lord Mage?" Crest, always the more pragmatic of the two warriors, asked. "Pleasant as your home from home is, I don't want to spend six months here while my fop of a friend performs a blow-by-blow assessment of the decor."

"We're to hunt down a religious order," Grimm said. "The Order of the Sisters of Divine Mercy. We're to render them powerless, by whatever means are necessary."

Harvel gaped. "A bunch of nuns? What did they do, Questor, interrupt the Dominie's meditation by praying too loud, or something?"

Crest joined in, his face a mask of astonishment. "In my life, I've fought demons, Argolian pirates, Gamenite Janissaries and packs of were-beasts in the grip of full baresark rage. I draw the line at parties of schoolchildren, old ladies and nuns!"

Grimm waved his hands. "Has either of you ever had his mind enslaved by another?" he demanded, not waiting for an answer. "It happened to me when I became addicted to those damned herbs, Trina and Virion, and yet I'd rather go back to that pathetic, helpless state than face this sweet, blameless Order alone."

The mage suppressed a shiver, recollecting just how close he had come to being a mindless, adoring puppet.

"A poor, innocent little nun befriended me on my first visit to High Lodge," he continued, pushing through the mingled emotions of shame and self-accusation that threatened to unman him

"I thought I was in love, but she was, in truth, putting me under a witch spell. I became besotted, and I nearly turned against Questor Dalquist, whom I'm sure you remember.

"She failed, I'm pleased to say, but I was lucky. As I now know, the Order's superior killed her for failing to enslave me and had her body butchered in the crypts under High Lodge. The elders of the coterie drank her blood, gentlemen, and it looked like they enjoyed it."

"A gruesome little tale," Crest admitted. "But have you ever thought she might have been executed for what she did to you? Some of these Orders have pretty strict rules."

"That's not what happened at all, Crest!" Grimm spoke rather louder than he had intended. He felt his temperature rising, and he called Redeemer to him, accessing the charm of Inner Calm he had placed on the staff. The spell took the edge off his righteous anger, but a trace remained, bubbling beneath the surface of his psyche. The two warriors looked on with bemused expressions as the Questor struggled with his emotions.

"I'm sorry, Crest; I shouldn't have shouted at you," Grimm said, at last. "Indeed, I might have left it at that. But I was in High Lodge only a fortnight ago, and I was foolish enough to confront the Prioress with my suspicions after she tried to cozen my affections. I was on my guard, and she wasn't able to take control of me. However, she told me that she had power over the Lord Dominie himself, and that I'd be a fool to try to expose her to him."

"Really, Questor Grimm, you do seem to enjoy belittling yourself." Harvel laughed. "The old lady-I presume she was old? — might just have found you attractive. It could happen, you know; you're not too ugly a specimen, in the right light."

Grimm shook his head. "With another mage, Necromancer Numal, I went down to the crypts, where I saw the girl's body desecrated. There was another mage already there: Questor Guy, called the Great Flame. He's Prioress Lizaveta's illegitimate grandson, and he hates her with a passion, but even he's not foolish to make a direct assault on her, despite being a Seventh Rank Questor of some years' experience. We found that Lizaveta had power nodes distributed throughout High Lodge. I don't think she did that just because she felt insecure and lonely in her old age. She put her hooks in Lord Horin, as she'd told me, and I nullified her power by drawing the soaked-in blood from the earth beneath the Lodge and destroying her throne."

Harvel shrugged. "All right; she's no sweet little old lady, I'll grant you that. Nonetheless, if you've destroyed her power, why do you need to pursue her now?"

"I've only destroyed her power base at High Lodge," Grimm said. "There must be a Priory somewhere, and you can bet that it's a far more potent focus of her energies than anywhere else. I aim to find that Priory and wipe out her influence, once and for all."

Crest scratched his nose, his brow furrowing. "Why didn't your Lord Dominie just destroy her when he had the chance, and be done with it?"

"I don't know, Crest," Grimm said, trying to fight the irritability that seemed almost his constant companion these days. "Perhaps he was still befuddled by the remnants of her spell. Perhaps she retained enough latent energy to persuade him to let her go. Perhaps Horin's getting senile. I don't know the reason, all right?

"What I do know is that I've been given a task, and I'm going to carry it out to the best of my abilities! Is that understood?"

The Questor saw the two warriors regarding him with cool stares, and it seemed to him as if the temperature in the room had dropped by several degrees.

"I'm sorry, Crest," he said, slapping his hand to his left temple and dragging it across his forehead. "I shouldn't have talked to you in that manner; I owe you much more than that. I think I've just been working a little too hard for the last fortnight, and I've hardly left myself time to think. This is my first Quest as the Senior Mage, and an important one. I don't want to make a mess of it.

"Please, Crest, Harvel, forgive me if I've been a little short with you."

Grimm noticed the elevation of Crest's right eyebrow.

"All right, a lot short," he said. "I'm sorry. What more can I say?"

Crest shook his head. "Don't worry; you're forgiven as far as I'm concerned, Mage. I just wondered if part of you was still yearning for those herbs of yours. As I recall, you were 'a little short' with us when you used them, too."

The Questor sighed, ashamed to feel the prickling of hot, angry tears at the margins of his eyes. To hide these, lest they be misunderstood, he shut his eyes tight. In what had become almost a reflex action to any kind of confrontation, he found himself drawing his power into a tight knot.

You're wound too damn… tight, Afelnor! he chided himself. Let go, can't you? These are your friends, and you don't have many of those to spare! They're just worried about you, even if they don't need to be.

Grimm heaved a long, shuddering sigh, letting his frustrations and worries go as best he was able.

"Sometimes I find the yearning for the smoke a little intense," he said to Crest. "However, this isn't one of the times, I assure you. I'm just worried and overwrought. A good night's sleep will see me right, I promise."

After remaining silent for a few seconds, Crest said, "Well, least said, soonest mended, I suppose, so let's say no more about the matter. So where is this den of diabolic evil, then?"

"They were last seen heading south-east from High Lodge; that's all I know, I'm afraid, gentlemen. Still, at least I know it's not here, and I'm fairly sure it's not likely to be anywhere with an established Guild presence. I propose we start our search in Yoren, about three days' ride from here-a couple of my spies have told me a party of nuns passed through there recently."

"I know that town; it's pretty rough, Lord Mage," Harvel said. "Just as well you'll have a couple of seasoned warriors with you."

"Oh, I can take care of myself, Harvel. Don't worry about me."

Harvel leaned closer, a grim, humourless smile on his face. "In Yoren, they don't play fair, Questor, and they're people who tend to despise the Guild ring. I'd give that place a wide berth if I were on my own, and I've got eyes in the back of my head, not to mention full battle honours in three wars."

Crest's expression darkened. "Harvel's right, for once in his life, Questor. They may not like lawmakers-an attitude with which a man in my line of work can sympathise-but they really detest Guild Mages. So don't get cocky, Grimm. Remember that Harvel and I hail from Drute, and you know what a fun little town that is. So when I tell you even we Drutians steer clear of Yoren, you'd better believe that we know what we're talking about. Seventh Rank Mage or not, they'd eat you for breakfast. These fellows don't stand in line and take turns to attack you."

Grimm bit back an acid reply. He was strength and power personified; what could some pathetic provincial Secular with a bad attitude and a dagger do to him? Ready to give a cool and measured defence of his magical abilities, he noticed the terrible intensity on the faces of his two warrior friends. He opened his mouth to reassure Harvel and Crest of his invincibility, but he did not speak.

Yes, he might be the Dragonblaster, a Questor of the Seventh Rank, but he realised that he was desperately ignorant of the ways of the world. Both Crest and Harvel were experienced men of the world and hardy warriors; it would be foolish to laugh at their concerns. These men had been familiar with Guild Mages for longer than Grimm had lived.

Despite the proud protestations of his unthinking, demanding hormones, he was still a seventeen-year-old boy, and it would be wise to heed the advice of these men, even if it hurt him to admit it. As he had worked through his maps and itineraries, Yoren had seemed just another named dot on a piece of paper, and he would have marched into it as if he owned the place, without the warriors' warnings.

"I think… I'm sure you're right, fellows. I'll take your advice, I promise. Just smack me on the head if I get a little over-confident in Yoren."

The two warriors laughed, their worries evidently appeased by the Questor's conciliatory tone.

"We will, Lord Mage," the smiling Harvel said. "But just remember, it might be too late by the time we get to that stage."

What about Guy? The thought popped unbidden into Grimm's head. I may be a little too cocksure for my own good, but he's like a bull in a china shop!

"Er, gentlemen, there's another mage who'll be coming with us: another Seventh Rank Questor. It would be good if you had a few words with him before we go any further. He's just a little hot-tempered at times. A bit self-opinionated, too."

Crest's brows threatened to disappear into his high hairline. "More hot-tempered and self-opinionated even than you, Grimm? Get him in here now, before we have a full-scale war on our hands! And is there any chance of getting some breakfast around here? I'm starving."

"While you're at it, Questor, how about handing round the maps for the route you're thinking of taking?" Harvel said. "Crest and I are pretty well-travelled, and we may be able to give you a few more bits of useful advice. Come on, you look like a soggy piece of string; you're worn out! You can't do it all on your own, you know. You've got our word that we won't peach to anyone what we're doing, so just trust us, can't you? Crest and I have planned more expeditions than you've had hot dinners, so let us do the planning while you get fit and mage-like. We'll do the logistics, too, if you like."

Grimm shook his head. "General Quelgrum's doing the logistics."

Harvel glanced at Crest and rolled his eyes. "Oh, yes; I forgot you had a real, live General on your household staff, Lord Mage! I suppose I should feel honoured, but just five minutes ago you were trying to kill each other, as I recall.

"If you want to invade some foreign country and lay it to waste with a lot of fire and noise, I'm sure Quelgrum's your man. But if you want to plan a sneaky, underhand, skulk through the gutters, I think you'll find Crest and me more than qualified to do the job. So just leave the good General and your arsehole mage friend to us and relax for a change, can't you?"

Grimm felt as if matters were being taken out of his hands, but he no longer cared. Waving his hands in surrender, he felt a smile beginning to crawl across his face.

"Hey, this mage can almost smile!" Harvel said, and Grimm allowed his expression to collapse into a full, unfettered grin. "What do you think, Crest, is he human?"

Crest nodded. "Grimm, go and stuff your face, or scratch your spots, or do whatever else you normally do at this time of the morning, and take it easy for one day in your life.

"I wouldn't trust General Quelgrum a lot further than I could spit a rat. So just leave a message for him and and your fellow mage to come and see us, give us your maps, and then sod off, there's a good Mage."

"Don't forget the food." Harvel wagged his right index finger in admonition.

Grimm felt as if he ought to be angry, but he also felt as if ten tons' weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"I'll do that; thank you, fellows. I was beginning to feel I was going to make a complete idiot of myself," he said, as the tension eased.

He knew he could trust these men.

"Early days yet, mage," Harvel said. "It still might happen, but we can all be idiots together when it does, eh?"

Grimm laughed happily, thinking of the happy prospect of a day spent with his beloved Drexelica. "Thank you so much, my friends."

"That's enough!" Crest snapped, in a mock show of annoyance, and Grimm recognised a parody of his own attitude just minutes before. "Just get us what we need, push off and enjoy yourself!"

Grimm stood and offered an elaborate bow.

"By your command, Lord Crest," he said, smiling.

As he walked from the chamber, he felt as if a string was being pulled tight within him, as if he might be losing control, but he let it go with gratitude.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 22: Heartfelt Discussions

Grimm discovered Drexelica sitting alone in the immaculate kitchen of the tower. He could not help but notice the disconsolate expression on her face, and the way she flicked through the pages of a book, sparing each page only a scant glance. Despite the fact that his shadow fell across her, she did not look up.

"Drexelica, it's me: Grimm."

"I used to know somebody with that name," she said, without raising her head. "I wonder where he's gone."

The Questor noted the unmistakable catch in her voice, and made to sit on the table opposite her high-backed chair.

"Please don't sit there," she said in a harsh voice. "That table's for preparing food, and I've only just cleaned it."

"What's the matter?" Grimm said. "You don't have to sit in here. There are plenty of more comfortable rooms in the tower."

As her eyes lifted to meet his, the young mage noticed grubby tracks on her cheeks.

"What's wrong with the kitchen, Lord Baron? Isn't that where a serving maid belongs?"

"I don't think of you as a serving maid, Drex. I love you!" Grimm longed to take her in his arms, but he felt too awkward and confused to do so.

"At least you remember my name," she said, her eyes glistening. "That's something I can be grateful for, I suppose."

The Questor realised that in the fortnight since his arrival back at Crar, his main topics of conversation with Drexelica had gone little further than requests for meals. They had slept together, but he had always been too tired to exchange more than desultory titbits of information. The forthcoming Quest had so consumed his mind that he had spared no thought for the woman he loved.

Leaning closer towards her, he felt the catch in his own voice as he said, "Drex, I've been a fool these last two weeks, and I want to make it up to you in any way I can."

Grimm felt helpless in the face of the torrent of tears which she no longer held back.

"Please don't cry," was all he could say. "It'll be all right now. I've come to my senses, I promise."

The girl rose to her feet, flinging her book to the floor. "It'll never be all right!" she sobbed. "I want to tell everybody that we're together, but I can't! I want us to be a normal couple, but the bloody Guild always gets in the way! As soon as this Quest's over, there'll be another, and another, and another! I owe you my life for what you did for me in Griven, and I'll never forget that, but I had such… high hopes for us. When we first came here, I thought we could be happy together, but now I know it's never going to happen. Never!"

Grimm felt his mouth move, willing words of comfort and wisdom to come forth, but his tongue and throat seemed paralysed. Despite his love for Drexelica, a part of him longed to be somewhere else, battling demons, dragons or ogres; somewhere he knew the rules. Here in the kitchen, facing a sobbing girl, he felt powerless and pathetic.

He watched as Drex screwed her face up and shivered, taking several deep breaths. When she opened her eyes again, he saw that they were red, but tearless.

"I'm sorry, Grimm, I shouldn't take it out on you. I guess I couldn't expect much more from a life with a Guild Questor. Don't worry; I'll still be here for you when you need me, I promise. I'll be your cook, your maid, your bed-mate for as long as you want me. I just wish I could be your wife, instead."

That last calm, wistful statement hurt him more than her tears.

"I know, Drex, and I wish it, too," a voice that sounded almost like his own said. "But I can't just resign; if I did, it'd be me who became the slave, in the scullery at Arnor House. I have a debt to pay before I can be free, a debt of servitude as a Questor. Once I'm free of that, I promise I'll marry you."

"And how long will that be?"

With a start, Grimm realised he had no idea of the extent of his debt to the House for his nine years of intensive tutelage; he had never thought to ask. How many years or decades of dedicated service? One advantage accruing from accession to the rank of Guild Mage seemed to be longevity; was that gift a factor in his indebtedness?

"I don't know," he confessed, awash in a sea of unaccustomed ignorance. "But if you'll wait for me to be free, I'll be yours, I promise. I also swear that, when I'm in Crar, I'll never neglect you again, the way I did this time. I meant it when I said I'd come to my senses. I've been so tied up in this Quest that I've forgotten what was really important to me."

"I thought clearing your family name was the most important thing to you."

"It is important to me, Drex; I won't lie to you. I hardly spent a day of my life as a Student and Neophyte without being reminded that my Granfer Loras was a traitor, a renegade and an oath-breaker. I've sworn to repay every slight, every insult, by redeeming the name of Afelnor, and I will. But it'll be a hollow victory if I ever manage to do that without you by my side. I love you, and I'll do whatever it takes to convince you of that fact."

Drex sniffed. "You'll have to do a lot to convince me."

"I will," Grimm vowed.

"Prove it. Make a start now."

The kitchen seemed hardly an appropriate place to prove his love, but Grimm gave it his best effort.

****

Lord Prelate Thorn looked at Senior Magemaster Crohn Bowe, called the Mindstealer, across the expanse of his marble-topped work desk. He had not spoken to the man since Crohn and Questor Dalquist had burst into his room, protesting at the spell of Compulsion Thorn had placed on Questor Grimm. Perhaps Thorn owed the teacher a debt of gratitude for interrupting him, since a resonance in the spell, combined with Grimm's unconscious resistance to the magic, had posed a considerable threat to the Prelate's life.

Nonetheless, Thorn had not risen to his current station by being a forgiving man.

The two mages who had erupted into his private chamber on that night had committed a serious breach of protocol by doing so and, worse than that, had seen the senior mage in a less than dignified state. He would make them pay for his loss of face.

"So, Senior Magemaster Crohn, how fare your Students, Neophytes and Adepts?"

Lord Prelate Thorn allowed his words to flow like liquid silk, soft and smooth. He already knew much of what the Magemaster would say, but he bided his time. A reckoning was at hand for Crohn's earlier impudent defiance, and Thorn wished to savour the moment in full.

"Shimath Gundor shows promise as an Adept Shapeshifter," Crohn said, spurning the comfortable embrace of his chair by maintaining a parade-ground stiffness. "He is only thirty-five years old, Lord Prelate, and I expect great things of him within a few years. He has a most rare talent."

Thorn was impressed, despite himself. Somehow, this Adept had escaped his notice, and Shapeshifters were among the most prestigious ranks of Guild Mages. The raising of a Mage Shapeshifter was no achievement to be mocked, especially one who showed signs of flowering at such a young age.

"A Shapeshifter, you say? That will be a feather in Arnor House's cap; well done, Crohn."

Remembering his purpose, Thorn leaned back in his red-leather seat, crossing his hands behind his balding head. "What of your Neophyte, Chag Jura? I understand we might make a Questor of him." The Prelate took care to keep his tone neutral, unthreatening.

Crohn rubbed his beard, his eyes turned towards the ceiling. "It is perhaps too early to tell, Lord Prelate. At this time, Chag's talents seem more to tend towards Herbalism or Healing; he possesses great empathy."

"We need another Questor, Crohn." Thorn spoke with soft urgency, congratulating himself on the perfect blend of concern and sad obligation to his Guild duties he managed to convey in this simple phrase.

He knew the Senior Magemaster was a slave to duty; despite Crohn's earlier opposition of his Prelate, aided by Questor Dalquist, he would not dare to oppose his Housemaster in this regard. The determination of House policy was the Prelate's prerogative alone.

Questor Dalquist could wait for now, but Thorn swore that Dalquist's turn would come.

"Surely you do not mean that, Lord Thorn!"

The Prelate suppressed a smile at Crohn's astonished, even horrified, expression.

"Arnor House's status within the Guild is as high as I can remember it," the Senior Magemaster continued. "We have three young, active Questors; more than most Houses will ever be able to boast. Why do we need another?"

Thorn felt an almost uncontrollable urge to laugh at Crohn's evident discomfiture, but he managed to master it.

"That is my decision, not yours, Senior Magemaster Crohn. I want you to consider Neophyte Chag for this Speciality. He is the right age for it, and he is a charity case, after all."

Crohn's face was like stone. "I urge you to reconsider, Lord Thorn. The boy is erratic in his moods, and I fear for his sanity if he is subjected to the Ordeal. Remember Neophyte Erek."

Thorn was only too aware of the debacle of Erek's Questor Ordeal; the boy had committed suicide after blasting Senior Magemaster Urel into bloody fragments. He had been pushed too far, too soon.

"That is why I want you, Magemaster Crohn, to handle his Ordeal. You are the only living man in this House ever to have raised a full-blooded Questor."

The Prelate saw a momentary expression of naked fear flitting across the Magemaster's face, and he felt an unalloyed sensation of satisfaction.

"Questor Grimm's Outbreak almost killed me, Lord Thorn!" the older mage protested. "Another such eruption of power would surely finish the job."

"You refuse my order?" Thorn forced his expression to remain neutral. Crohn was reacting just as he had hoped.

Crohn's face reddened. "Yes, Lord Prelate, I refuse your order! It is unreasonable and unethical. I also wish to state formally that I consider Chag Jura a most unsuitable candidate for the Ordeal."

"Perhaps Magemaster Faffel would be of a different mind, Crohn."

"Faffel!" Crohn expostulated. "He can be brutal with the Students at the best of times; he would turn an Ordeal into a bloody assassination. In my capacity as Senior Magemaster, I refuse to assign him to any Questor Ordeal, now or ever! That prerogative is mine, and mine alone, Lord Prelate."

Thorn spread his hands, as if placating Crohn, maintaining his reasonable, avuncular tone as he spoke: "I tried to be fair with you, Magemaster Crohn. Perhaps you are right; it may well be that the strain of Questor Grimm's Outbreak and the heavy responsibilities of your position have taken their toll on you. How old are you now, Senior Magemaster Crohn? Ninety years?"

"Ninety-three," Crohn responded, his expression stern. "Lord Prelate, I fail to see what bearing my age may have on this fruitless discussion. I am still healthy, fit, and in my right mind. I may reasonably expect to remain in this state for several decades more."

"You say you are fit, Magemaster Crohn, but you declare yourself unable to resist an eruption of anger from a frustrated adolescent. Should you refuse me again, I shall have to conclude that Magemaster Faffel should replace you as Head of the Scholasticate."

"You can't do that, you…"

Thorn raised an admonitory finger, pleased that the older mage was rattled enough to lapse into vernacular speech. This was perfect!

"Be careful what you say, Crohn Mindstealer. I will not tolerate outright insults, even from you."

From the Magemaster's reaction, the Prelate knew he had mustered just the tone of concern and regret he had intended.

"I apologise for my outburst, Lord Prelate. Please forgive me," Crohn said, his face a rigid mask of mortification at his momentary loss of self-control.

"Magemaster Crohn, I can tell you are under a severe emotional stress at this time." Thorn suppressed the smirk that threatened to spoil his stony, impassive appearance. "It would not be fair to expect an immediate answer from you, so I will give you a day of grace in which to consider the matter. Consider it well, and sleep on it. Take the rest of the day off, by all means. Kargan can deputise for you, and Questor Dalquist can cover your classes in Perception, Interpretation, and Visualisation. Think hard, old friend. We have known each other a long time, and I have no intention of seeing you disgraced or dismissed. Nonetheless, I have the priorities of Guild politics to consider."

The ashen Crohn looked a pale shadow of the man who had walked through the door earlier. He displayed every sign of his advanced age as he rose to his feet to leave, leaning on his staff for support.

"Thank you, Lord Prelate. I will think on what you have said." The Senior Magemaster spoke in a halting, tired voice, and Thorn knew he had succeeded beyond his wildest dreams by managing to cow the old man in such a simple manner.

"Thank you, Mindstealer. My position is no sinecure, you know; I often need to make difficult, sometimes painful, decisions for the good of the Guild. I trust you appreciate that I am not always free to act on my own inclinations and desires, and that I must fulfil my duty as best I am able, regardless of the consequences."

Crohn nodded; Thorn assumed the man was too full to speak, full of emotion at having let down the House. This suited the Prelate's purposes well.

Once Crohn had left the room, Thorn allowed a broad smile to spread across his face. The Magemaster was a valuable asset to the House, and the senior mage wanted to humble the man, instead of destroying him. He knew only too well that Crohn would be forced to step aside in favour of Faffel, but he would still prove a useful Magemaster. In the same manner, he intended to belittle Dalquist, giving him trivial, mind-numbing tasks until he might be needed in his role as a House Questor.

The Prelate took a brandy bottle from a desk drawer and poured himself a generous dose of the fiery restorative.

It's time to celebrate, he decided, downing a mouthful of the warming fluid.

Following an angry, almost incoherent telepathic message from his mother, Thorn knew that Questor Grimm had been instrumental in the dismissal of Lizaveta from High Lodge, and he did not believe, for even a moment, Horin's assertion that Questor Grimm was being employed in some kind of fanciful public relations exercise.

Afelnor must have been sent by the Dominie on a very important mission; only the destruction of Lizaveta and her hateful Order seemed to fit that bill. Thorn had no intention of stopping the youth from achieving the Prelate's ultimate aim: freedom from his despised, interfering mother, who had put him in his current, comfortable position at the expense of his dear friend, Loras Afelnor.

However, there was always the risk that the boy would discover Thorn's relationship with Lizaveta, and he might be tempted to reveal this to others. Worse than that, he might even discover Lizaveta's role in Loras' disgrace, and Thorn's complicity in this. The Prelate could not allow that to happen; what to do?

Thorn took another draught of brandy and sat in thought. He knew that he would never have enough magical power to overcome Lizaveta's defences, so as to compel the old witch to keep her mouth shut, so the important factor was to silence Grimm Afelnor.

Once Thorn's mother's influence was nullified, the Prelate would be more than happy to shun the dangerous corridors of High Lodge politics, but he knew that he would need a cogent argument to ensure that Afelnor kept his mouth shut. Perhaps it would be best to intercept the hopefully triumphant but weakened Questor on his return from Lizaveta's Priory, in person. By that time, Thorn was sure, he would be able to handle the young mage, and even kill him if necessary.

No; if Grimm was alive on his return from the Priory, he must die.

If Grimm was unsuccessful in his Quest, the Prelate could say that he had rushed to the rescue of his beloved mother, as soon as he had discovered the purpose of the young Questor's mission.

No, I can't do that, Thorn thought. A House Prelate does not Quest; it would raise too many questions. Perhaps Questor Xylox might accept the task… He's a bit of a prig and a bigot, but he could be just the man I need. He dislikes Grimm intensely, and he's an Arnor man through and through. I'll have to be careful, but I don't think I'll have too much trouble convincing Xylox that Grimm is a rebel and a renegade.

The Lord Prelate of Arnor House drained his glass and poured another. He felt happy to stay just where his was, and he would fight hard to keep that position.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 23: Departure

By the end of the third week of preparation, Grimm felt satisfied that the group was ready to leave, and he invited the participants to a meeting in his day-room. The mage regretted that the mighty albino, Tordun, seemed nowhere to be found, although messengers had left word for the titanic swordsman in all his known haunts. Nonetheless, the young mage was not too disappointed; he had a powerful force at his disposal, and, it seemed, even the beginnings of a spirit of camaraderie.

He had always assumed that the main obstacle to forming a cohesive team would be the attitude of his fellow Questor, Guy Great Flame. To his great surprise, despite the haughty avowed disdain for 'hired help', the Great Flame seemed to have developed a genuine friendship with the warriors, Crest and Harvel. Grimm knew that General Quelgrum thought little of Guy as a human being, and the older Questor seemed to reciprocate this; however, each appeared to hold a grudging respect for the other, since their exchanges were at least polite, if cool and formal in tone.

Even Necromancer Numal seemed to have made an effort to increase his value to the expedition, devoting long hours in perfecting his command of the few spells in his magical armoury. It appeared that the lucky acquisition of the two rings on his staff, after a single action in which he had played only a minor role, had focused his mind on the task at hand.

Even Guy now addressed the Necromancer in a polite manner without overt insults, although the relationship between the two men was never particularly warm.

Eying the assembled group in the day-room, Grimm felt a warm shiver of pride running through him; this was his Quest, and these people were at his command. Nonetheless, he knew that the worst thing he could do to destabilise the coterie was to try to impose his authority as he had tried to do earlier. Each member of the team had a vital role to fulfil, were the Quest to succeed; the opinions of each of these older and more experienced men would be important, and should not be belittled or ignored. Grimm had learned a valuable lesson by trying to ride rough-shod over the feelings of others; he felt profound relief that the people he had offended had chosen to overlook his youthful thoughtlessness.

However, overriding the satisfaction he felt at the efficient preparations was Grimm's impression that his two old friends, Crest and Harvel, felt uneasy at the prospect of attacking a nunnery. Perhaps Harvel's religious upbringing, although subsumed by a life of debauchery, was re-asserting itself; perhaps Crest was unhappy at the prospect of assaulting a group of females. Whatever the reason, the fervid spark he had hoped to see was still lacking.

Grimm saw five pairs of eyes fixed on him as he cleared his throat and made ready to speak.

"Gentlemen, I want to say how much I appreciate the efforts you've all made on behalf of this expedition," he said, taking care to meet the gaze of each man in turn as he spoke. "Of course, I'm somewhat younger than all of you, and I may make some dreadful mistakes along the way, so please let me know if you think I'm making too much of an ass of myself. I promise to listen to whatever you say and give it a fair hearing, even if I reserve the right to veto it after proper consideration."

Nobody spoke, but the men all gave cautious nods. Crest and Harvel, in particular, still seemed ill-at-ease, and the mage guessed they were remained to be convinced of the danger the Sisters of Divine Serenity might pose to the Guild.

"Now, I know most of you are still a little dubious about the threat this Order presents, but I'll just remind you that these witches' main talent seems to be mind control, and both Lord Horin and I have felt its very real power. These are not sweet, innocent little nuns, but a major menace to the Guild. I don't know if all the women of the Order are evil witches, or if some or most of them are just blameless dupes, but I'm duty bound to end Lizaveta's manipulative reign one way or the other."

Crest proffered a half-smile and said, "Don't worry, Questor, we're committed to this. We'll be with you all the way, believe me." Nonetheless, the half-elf's tone sounded anything but enthusiastic.

Grimm knew he could place implicit trust in the warriors, but he would rather have them as fervent allies than as dutiful, resigned friends.

This isn't working! the mage thought, surveying five blank faces. I wanted to inspire them, but I just don't seem to be getting through to them! What's the matter? Do they think I'm exaggerating this situation, or something?

"Do you mind if I say a few words, Baron?" General Quelgrum drawled.

"Please, go ahead, General," Grimm replied, only too happy to have someone else take up the slack.

The General stood up, and the young Questor realised for the first time how imposing the broad-shouldered, stocky old soldier's presence was. He wore no medals or badges of rank, and he was dressed in simple robes instead of his normal, form-fitting green attire, but, nonetheless, he seemed to be able to dominate the room through sheer strength of personality.

"I first met Questor Grimm only a few months ago," Quelgrum said in a pleasant, avuncular baritone. "I tried to control him and his fellow wizard-I'm sorry, that's mage-and they and another colleague fought my army and me to a standstill. I might still have beaten them, but only at the cost of many lives I'd sworn never to waste in a fruitless battle. As I now know, the threat of overwhelming opposing force was untrue. Nonetheless, our confrontation had already cost us dear, so I don't regret the decision I made then."

"I'd have thought you'd have been pretty angry to discover you'd been duped, General," Harvel said. "Yet here you are accepting Questor Grimm, here, as your lord and master. It seems a little odd to me."

Quelgrum shrugged. "It was a perfectly legitimate ruse of war, Harvel. I've done similar things myself on occasions, when we were outnumbered or outgunned. In any case, I never wanted to be a mighty warlord; all I ever sought was a home for my charges, somewhere we'd be respected rather than just used. Baron Grimm has provided us with that home.

"Warrior Crest; you were present at that last battle. Did Questor Grimm seem unduly scared or cautious to you?"

Crest snorted. "Far from it, General. He's no coward, I know that, and I don't need you to convince me. I wouldn't be here if I didn't trust and respect him."

"But perhaps you still think this is overkill, or you're unhappy about the necessity of the Quest."

"It's necessary, General, I'm convinced of that. I've given Questor Grimm my word, and I'll do my utmost to fulfil it. All the same, I don't have to like it."

"I've been fighting all my life for one man or another," Quelgrum snapped. "Do you think I enjoyed it? I'm no bloodthirsty sadist, and I hate to waste anybody's life. Of course you don't have to like what's ahead. But you do need to believe in it, heart and soul. If Questor Grimm's worried about this woman and her Order, you can bet that they're not just helpless little old ladies."

"We know that, Quelgrum!" Harvel said. "Sure, she's a menace to society, or whatever, and we'll go along with it. I don't understand what the problem is here. I've offered my sword to this enterprise, and I never do that if I'm not fully committed. What's the bloody issue here? We've said we'll do it, and we will! I don't understand the problem."

"I think I understand the problem, swordsman," Guy said in a lazy voice, stretching like a cat. "You think my dear grandmother's just a misunderstood, sweet little old lady, don't you?"

"Of course not, Questor Guy," Harvel said, bristling. "We already know she's a powerful witch, and she's no push-over. You've told us all about her before. It's just that Crest and I prefer a stand-up fight with armed opponents."

"You think that because Grimm and I beat her in High Lodge, we can do it again, don't you?" Guy wore a boyish smile on his face, but his eyes glittered. "That wasn't her main power base; she'll be ten times as dangerous on her home ground."

Harvel sighed. "That's all very well, Questor. Still, it seems to me that you mages will be doing all the glory stuff, and we footsloggers will just be sorting out the local ruffians and riff-raff on the way. Like I said, we'll do it, but we prefer straight stand-up fights like we had here in Crar, where we all pulled together."

"Leave it, gentlemen. I think we'll just have to soldier on as we are, Lord Baron," the General said, turning towards Grimm. "Crest and Harvel have committed themselves to the Quest, and I don't think we can ask any more of them."

"I know, General, and I am grateful for that," the young Questor said. For some reason, he felt hot tears rising, and he swallowed hard. "I just wanted…"

The old soldier's eyes fixed on Grimm's. "You wanted a crusade, didn't you, Baron, with flags waving and hearts singing? Just accept that you've got two loyal men with you who don't quite see the righteousness of your cause the way you do. I'm sorry; I felt the same way when I was your age. Just be grateful that they trust you enough to go along with you. Don't try to sell them your dream, your vision. We're ready to go, so let's do it!"

"Well said, General!" Harvel crowed. "Let's just get on with it. If I'd wanted a bloody sermon, I'd have gone to church!"

"Harvel's right, though I hate to admit it," Crest said. "Face it, Questor, heroic speeches aren't going to get the job done. Let's go! That's all we want, not some kind of pep talk."

"Amen, padre," Guy muttered, rising to his feet.

"Wagon's waiting outside, gents," Quelgrum said, as Crest, Harvel, Numal and Guy rose to their feet and left the room. Feeling empty, Grimm made to follow suit, but the General stayed the mage with a hand on his shoulder.

"Not quite the heroic departure you expected, eh, son?"

Grimm gulped, staying the tears. He had wanted so much to have a triumphant chorus of fervent voices, as he led his men into battle in a righteous confrontation between good and evil. Now it seemed that he had been sidelined and abandoned; Quelgrum, Crest and Harvel were really in charge of the expedition. He nodded, unable to speak.

"I was about your age when I first led a group of men into battle, and I felt much the same way," the warrior said. "I was so damned proud to be in command at last. I tried to do the same thing as you did; a vainglorious, silly speech about how good it was to die with a true heart, and about the nobility of our cause. I might as well have been talking to a wall; my little speech fell on deaf ears. My sergeant saved me from making too much of a fool of myself. He said, 'Lieutenant, you can tell us what to do, but don't tell us what to think or feel. Don't try to do our jobs for us, please. We know what to do, and we'll do it, no matter what happens. You can't ask for more than that.''

"Being in command means trusting your men; you can't do everything yourself. I believe they told you that at the start. It's not easy to take your hands off, but you'll never be a leader of men unless you learn to do that.

"You can command what they do, but not how they think or feel. Crest and Harvel-well, you may know them better than I do, but they're old soldiers-and I understand soldiers. Just trust them to do their jobs, and don't preach to them. Keep your hands on the reins, but loosely. Give them room to breathe, and to think, and things'll go a lot smoother, I promise you. It can take a while to learn just how loose those reins should be, but you'll learn."

Grimm nodded. "I guess you're right, General. Crest and Harvel must have been in all kinds of battles, and I suppose they've heard it all before. If they just want to get on with it, I can't complain about that. I just wanted to make my first Quest as Senior Mage… well, special."

Grimm sighed. "Oh, well, I suppose we'd better go. Don't worry, General; I think I may have learnt an important lesson here."

"That's the spirit!" Quelgrum said, clapping an impersonal hand on the young mage's shoulder. "Come on, they'll be getting impatient."

****

Grimm sat beside the General as the older man drove the wagon through the streets of Crar. His disappointment at his failure to enthuse his team dissolved as his eyes took in the glory of the morning; the deep-blue sky, the muted sunlight highlighting the bright colours of the refurbished marketplace, and the sweet smell of the air. Behind him, he heard Crest and Harvel arguing, each trying to out-boast the other as usual, and even Guy seemed to be joining in the impromptu brag-fest.

Despite his earlier bleak mood, Grimm smiled.

The city gates opened as the wagon approached. The full light of the sun streamed through, almost like a celestial benison on the Quest

"It's a good day to be out, eh, Lord Baron?" Quelgrum said, grinning.

"It certainly is, General."

At the foot of the city way-post, Grimm saw a hunched, hooded man, who looked up as they drew near, although his face was in shadow.

Could it be… it must be!

He knew only one man who would cover himself from head to foot on a glorious, sunny morning like this.

"Hold up, General!" Grimm said, scrambling from the wagon as Quelgrum brought it to a halt.

"Tordun!" he crowed, smiling. "I'm so glad you could make it."

The titanic albino rose to his full height, dwarfing the tall, slender mage with his sheer bulk. "I heard you might need some help, Questor," the giant warrior rumbled. "So here I am."

"How long have you been waiting here? Why didn't you enter the city?"

"I've been here two days. I thought Miss Drexelica might be around," the albino muttered, and Grimm understood his reticence.

Despite Tordun's imposing physical presence and battle prowess, the mage knew the muscular swordsman was as nervous and halting as a callow adolescent in the presence of the fairer sex. On their one Quest together, Questor Xylox had decreed that Tordun should share a tent with Drex, pretending to be her lover. This charade continued in Quelgrum's desert encampment. It appeared that the albino was too embarrassed to confront the girl again, despite the fact that he had been a model of propriety in her presence.

"Greetings, General," the pale titan said, changing the subject.

"Hello, Tordun," Quelgrum said with a polite nod. "It's good to have you aboard. I'm sure Miss Drexelica will be sorry to have missed you." The old soldier's eyes twinkled. "She's Baron Grimm's housekeeper now,"

Grimm was sure he had not fooled the General for a moment with this story, and he hid his embarrassment under the guise of suppressing a cough. This was just a little good-natured ribbing.

"General," the swordsman replied, proffering a polite half-bow. Turning to the mage, he said "May I join you, Questor Grimm?"

"Please do, Tordun. I'm just relieved you came. I…"

An angry-looking head popped out from under the canvas cover of the wagon. "What's the bloody hold-up here? I…" Guy said, and Grimm smiled at the wide-eyed astonishment on the magic-user's face as he beheld the pasty man-mountain. At last, it seemed, somebody had managed to render the moody Questor speechless!

"Guy Great Flame, may I present Tordun, of whom I've told you so much? Tordun, this is Questor Guy, called the Great Flame. I'm sure you'll get on well together."

"Greetings, Lord Questor Guy," the albino said, and Grimm could have sworn that the ground trembled at the sound.

Wordless, Guy nodded, ducking back into the wagon as Tordun climbed aboard.

"Are we ready to go now, Lord Baron?" the General asked from his lofty perch. "Is everyone aboard now?"

With a broad smile on his face as he remounted the vehicle, Grimm said, "This is the full complement, I'm pleased to say. Heaven help Lizaveta, with Tordun on our side!"

The wagon rolled on and the albino's deep bass voice joined the cheery chorus in the back, but Grimm was pleased to note that Guy's voice was somewhat more subdued than it had been.

Quelgrum turned left at a fork in the road, past a leaning signpost reading 'YOREN-30 MILES'.

Grimm knew both Crest and Harvel regarded Yoren as a dangerous place, but he could no longer bring himself to worry about it, with Tordun on his side. Everything would be fine.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 24: Yoren

As the wagon rolled towards Yoren, it seemed to Grimm as if all colour had been washed out of the land. The afternoon sun still shone as brightly, but the young mage was struck by the town's dilapidated appearance, which seemed to dominate the landscape, depressing and subsuming it. He saw an endless expanse of grey stone, from ancient, crumbling remains of city walls to small, boxy dwellings. Even the flagstones of the ramshackle streets and thoroughfares seemed to be made of the same dull-coloured substance. The conurbation appeared not so much to have been designed as thrown together by some giant, petulant child who had discarded his unwanted toys.

Imaginative architecture and town planning don't seem high on the list of priorities here, he thought, with a wry smile, reflecting on the cheerful appearance of the reborn city of Crar.

The Questor saw no towering battlements, portcullises, forts or other protection against possible invasion; Yoren seemed defenceless.

Not too surprising, I suppose. Who'd want to take over this benighted hole? If some insane horde of barbarian raiders stormed in here and demolished the place, it'd probably improve it no end. And from what I've heard of the gentle people of Yoren, a band of marauding savages would probably be regarded as a minor public nuisance.

The only nod in the direction of civic defence appeared to be a small hut by the side of the road, beside a flimsy, bleached wooden barrier before which Quelgrum brought the vehicle to a stop.

Grimm noted the horses' wild, staring eyes, their fitfully-flicking tails and their nervous whickers and whinnies.

Wonderful. This place even makes the animals uneasy.

"Hello! Anybody there?" Quelgrum cried in a commanding, parade-ground bellow, to be greeted by a wall of silence.

Grimm frowned. "We can just drive round this, General. It doesn't seem much of an obstacle to me."

"I think you may be right, Lord Baron. We don't want to hang around here all day."

As the General raised the reins, a dishevelled man walked out of the hut. He wore a strange melange of armour: faded, cracking leather, rusty scraps of chain mail and dented fragments of steel plate all figured in his bizarre clothing. Grimm noted that the wooden shaft of the guard's halberd was warped and parched, and the head was dull and pitted. This, clearly, was not a man of arms who took pride in the condition of his equipment, or of his appearance.

"Byersel? Whassit?" The guard spoke in a guttural, almost impenetrable accent.

"I'd love to put this fellow through a few weeks' basic training," the General muttered to Grimm. "I'd soon shape him up, I promise you." In a louder voice, he addressed the shabbily-dressed man. "What's that? Speak up, can't you, man?"

"Just who ju fink y'are? Comin' in here, shoutin' th'bloody odds 'sif you owned the bloody place!" the scruffy watchman whined. "Gotta job t'do, ain't I? Buy or sell, what's it to be?"

Quelgrum shrugged. "We must be here to buy, I suppose, watchman. We don't have anything to sell."

"Show me the colour o'yer money, then."

Grimm saw the General's jaw tighten, and put his hand on the soldier's arm. "We don't want to start trouble before we've even got here, General," he muttered.

Cursing under his breath, Quelgrum showed his money-pouch to the untidy, ill-mannered moron. "There's plenty here."

The drab little man smiled, displaying a mouthful of decaying, broken teeth. It was not a friendly smile. "Gimme eight gold, else yer can't come in."

Quelgrum exploded. "Eight gold pieces, just to enter this stinking hellhole? The whole place isn't worth a copper groat!"

"You must want sumfink." The guard's face bore a mask of naked, feral avarice. "Else you wouldn't be here. There's some fings you can only get at Yoren; fink I don't know that? You must want sumfink awful bad to come here, a man wiv your money. Gimme eight golds, and I'll let yer froo."

"I'll give you the back of my bloody hand!" the General snapped.

"'Ere, 'old up, mate. You don't want to freaten me!" The shabby sentinel brandished his corroded weapon. "I ain't afraid o'you. That'll be nine golds now, so 'and it over or piss off."

This is going nowhere, Grimm thought. It's time to use a little persuasion.

His Mage Sight showed the guard's mind as a grey, greasy worm squirming in a soupy sea of muck, unprotected and vulnerable. It was a simple matter to grasp hold of the slimy tentacle and push. A fragment of the Questor's personal spell-language burst from his lips: "Th'kak'ka sh'tat!"

The sentinel was stronger than he looked, and the Questor needed to use more power than he had intended, but the wretched man's slack jaw and limp posture told him he had succeeded. The guard's eyes glazed over, and he lowered his halberd.

"Here are ten gold pieces," Grimm said, forcing his will into the watchman's psyche as he held out his empty hand. "I think you will find this in order. Be so kind as to lift this barrier, and we will be on our way." Despite the unexpected resistance, Grimm felt no more than an irritating tickle at the margins of his sensorium.

"Yeah, that's good. Fank you, guv'nor," the guard said in a dull monotone.

"When we have left, you will not remember us." Grimm added a little extra thaumaturgic emphasis to push his will home.

The watchman's only response was a vague grunt, but he raised the barrier, his eyes wide and unseeing.

"I'd love to have you in my army," Quelgrum said as the wagon rolled into Yoren.

"Yeah, I've always wanted ter be a sojer," the man absently said, wearing a vague, beatific smile, as if he had received some unexpected bounty.

The General smiled. "I thought so. Thank you for your invaluable assistance."

With that, they were in the town of Yoren, leaving the irritating little man behind.

"If you can cast spells like that, Lord Baron, we shouldn't have any trouble here," Quelgrum said.

The Questor shook his head. "It's not that simple, General, I'm afraid. Every attempt at Compulsion robs me of some strength, in direct proportion to the intellect and willpower of the subject, and it requires absolute concentration. The subject also needs to be off-guard and unprepared. Each attempt to dominate a man carries a risk of an undesired Resonance in the spell, and I don't want to take that risk any more often than I need to."

"A resonance; what is that, Lord Grimm?"

"It's a little technical, General," Grimm responded, "but the upshot would be that I'd be stuck inside the spell, pouring ever greater quantities of energy into it but unable to withdraw. That man was alone, and I could see from his aura that he was a weak character, so the risk was negligible. If we'd been in the middle of a large, noisy, belligerent crowd baying for our blood, I wouldn't have tried it. It's not a battlefield spell. It's more a useful tool than a war-winning weapon."

"Still, at least the streets seem fairly quiet." The soldier waved a hand towards the vacant thoroughfares. "I don't know what all the fuss is about."

It is quiet; too damn' quiet for my liking, Grimm thought as he surveyed the empty, narrow street.

He noted the rows of tall buildings at either side. If we're attacked front and rear, we're trapped. Surely Quelgrum can see that.

As if reading the Questor's mind, the General said, "I'd sooner be on open ground, but I don't think we've too much to worry about, Baron Grimm. After all, it's a town, not a war zone."

As if to mock Quelgrum's hubris, a knot of men, maybe fifteen strong, stepped out of one of the side alleys, blocking the way. Like the watchmen at the gate, they wore a patchwork of armour, and they all carried notched but serviceable weapons: swords, axes, and pikes among them.

"You boys doing a little shopping?" Quelgrum said, his voice sounding easy and untroubled. "Or are you just sightseeing?"

A grubby, grey-haired, scarred man, whom Grimm supposed must be the leader of this group of bravoes, stepped forward, his hand on the hilt of an ancient-looking cutlass in a simple leather scabbard.

"Shoppin', it looks like. Nice wagon you got here, friend; if'n you'll gift-wrap it for us, I fink we'll take it."

"Well, friend," the soldier said, "I really don't think you can afford it, so I think we'll just mark it down as 'No Sale', if it's all the same to you."

"I fink you c'n do a little better than that, old feller. What say you give us the cart, and mebbe a bit extra, and we give you your lives? Sounds like a good deal to me. Whatcher got in the back?"

"Trouble, friend." The General pulled a string that collapsed the wagon's canvas cover to reveal Crest, Harvel, Tordun, Guy and Numal. "Gentlemen, we've got company. Would you care to introduce yourselves?"

The three warriors and the two mages climbed out of the vehicle, and Grimm could swear that the raiding party's leader blanched at the sight of the mighty albino drawing himself to his full, impressive height, even though the heavy coat of grime on the man's face made it difficult to tell.

"The market's closed, boys," Quelgrum breathed, "so why don't you just make your way home, and we'll say no more about it?"

The Questor smiled at the expressions of doubt and dismay on the faces of several of the ruffians, and at the susurration of worried voices amongst them as they gaped at each other with wide eyes. However, it seemed that the scarred, older brigand was made of sterner stuff. Silencing his chattering underlings with a wave of the hand, he smiled.

"My, ain't you got a pretty collection o'friends. So 'ave I."

Putting two grimy fingers into his mouth, he emitted a piercing whistle, and Grimm spun around to see another group of men emerging from an alley behind them, weapons at the ready. It was as he had feared; they were trapped.

Quelgrum stepped down from the wagon, his eyes hooded, dangerous. As he approached the leader of the group, the scarred bravo drew his sword.

"That's far enough, mate; no need to be a bloody hero, is there? There's seven o'you and thirty of us. Even wiv the big white feller, it's still not very good odds, is it? Now, why don't you just hand over what you've got, and we'll call it quits, eh?"

"Over my dead body," the General said, through gritted teeth.

"Sounds a fair price to me, old-timer. GET 'EM, LADS!"

As the raiders surged forward, Grimm shouted, "Redeemer, to me!" and his staff flew to his hand as he flung himself down from the vehicle.

Crest ran forward and unleashed his deadly whip, lashing it into the attacking horde. Several men fell, dropping their weapons and clutching their eyes as the snake-like weapon did its work.

The young Questor realised that although the narrow street made escape impossible, it also worked against the attackers, since they could not attack en masse. He stepped forward, brandishing Redeemer and braining three men in one stroke. Another ruffian made the mistake of trying to grab the staff, and fell twitching to the ground. A true Mage Staff was much more than a status symbol; it was also a dangerous weapon.

Quelgrum's leathery, liver-spotted right fist shot forward, catching a bold raider on the jaw and felling him. The leader of the group struggled to bring his sword into play, hampered as he was by the crush of men around him, and the General's hand, fingers locked into the form of a blade, stabbed into the expanse of flesh under the ruffian's breastbone. The man collapsed, fighting for breath and dropping his weapon. With that, the brief battle was over, as the remainder of the able-bodied attackers dispersed and fled as best they could.

Grimm looked behind him to see a number of fallen ruffians. Harvel's sword dripped with blood, and Tordun waved his own red-stained broadsword, bellowing defiance at the few retreating raiders. Guy looked cool and calm, and Numal was pale-faced but uninjured, his mage staff raised over his head.

"Well, that wasn't too bad, was it?" Quelgrum said to Grimm in a cheerful voice. The General grasped the gasping, retching leader of the attackers by the neck and hauled him upright, so that the two men's faces met.

"This is your lucky day, scum," the old soldier breathed. "Tangling with us should have been the last mistake you ever made in your miserable life but, against my better judgement, I'll let you live. Perhaps I'm getting sentimental in my old age, but just be thankful for it. Just tell everyone you meet that nobody messes around with us. Take a good look," he said, taking the man's lower jaw in his hand and twisting it around, "and just remember that we didn't even break into a sweat here. You're honoured. I don't usually waste my time brawling with amateurs-I just kill them like the vermin they are. In your case, I'll make a rare exception, so you can advise your pathetic friends to forget trying to make a quick fortune. Now, is that understood, dung-heap?"

The hapless man struggled in vain against the soldier's iron grip. "I ain't afeared o-"

His head rocked as Quelgrum swept his right hand back in a vicious arc across the assailant's face, maintaining a firm hold on his jerkin with the other.

"Answer the question, vermin. I asked you if you understood what I said."

"Understood, Cap'n," muttered the ruffian, wiping a bloody drool from the corner of his mouth.

"That's 'General', rat, and don't forget it." The military man hauled the dangling wretch closer to him, until the two men's noses almost met. His eyes glittered with what Grimm took to be maniacal blood-lust held in check by an adamantine will-or, perhaps, that was just the impression the soldier sought to create.

"My name is Sleafel Quelgrum," the General hissed, "although some know me better as 'General Q'. You may have heard that name, but if you haven't, you'd better ask around. Your friends, if you have any real friends, which I doubt, may tell you that I eat my enemies after defeating them. However, that's not true; I'm picky about what I eat."

His upper lip curled, and his nose wrinkled in an expression of pure disgust as he tossed the raider to the flagstones.

"If you ever cross me or my companions again, I'll leave you in the gutter for your vermin brethren to eat, instead. Now make yourself scarce, ordure."

The General punctuated his last order with a boot to the unfortunate attacker's rear end as the man scrambled to his feet. With a last yelp, the thug staggered into a side alley.

All Grimm could hear was the soft moaning of a few maimed men. With some satisfaction, he saw the attacker who had foolishly tried to grab Redeemer sitting, quivering, by the side of the road, his eyes vacant. He felt pleased that he had managed to curb his instinct to expend his magical power in a profligate manner, and gratified that he had felled three raiders with a single, swift blow of his staff.

"That was just getting interesting," Tordun complained, cleaning his red-stained blade on a fallen man's jerkin. "It's a shame they had no staying power."

Grimm rolled his eyes. "So much for not starting any trouble, General."

"We didn't, Lord Baron; we just finished it. There was no diplomatic way out of that, believe me. Perhaps we'll get a little respect around here from now on."

Grimm sighed. After this little scuffle, any self-respecting ruffian in Yoren will be lusting for our blood, he thought. Still, perhaps we'll get a little co-operation when we ask for information concerning the Sisters' whereabouts.

"Right! Let's mount up and move on!" the General cried. "There must be somewhere to stay around here, although I'd sleep with a dagger under my pillow if I were you."

We've been in Yoren ten minutes, and we've already been in a fight, Grimm thought. That doesn't bode well for the rest of our time here. Oh, well, I can't say I wasn't warned.

Let's just hope we can get some information quickly and move on. I don't want to have to stay here a moment longer than necessary.

Nonetheless, as the wagon rolled past, or over, bodies of the fallen, into the grey centre of the town, he felt a certain satisfaction in the way the team-his team-had performed when threatened. It wouldn't do to take Yoren lightly, but Grimm felt confident that, if this was the strongest resistance the group would face in the town, he and his companions would prevail.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 25: Sightseeing

As General Quelgrum drove the wagon into the centre of Yoren, Grimm noted that even the sun had fled into hiding behind gathering clouds, making the dilapidated town seem even more depressing. There was a market square of sorts, but, instead of bright stalls with enthusiastic barkers crying the quality of their wares, the mage saw only a few shabby kiosks with long queues of dowdy folk, their eyes fixed on the ground before them as each waited his or her turn.

"I think it'd be better if we camped out on the plain tonight, General," Grimm said. "I'm worried I'll catch something if we stay here."

"I've stayed in worse billets than this, Lord Baron," the old soldier replied, and Grimm shot him a quizzical glance, his eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Well; not too many, I'll have to admit, and not without an army to back me up. Perhaps you're right.

"Still, I wonder what we're going to do with the wagon and our baggage while we wander around town. We're going to have to get out and walk at some point. Even in a place like this, I imagine that secure lodgings can be bought for some price."

"I could put a magical ward around it, if necessary; a spell proof against any physical incursion," Grimm suggested.

"And that's a nice, simple spell, is it?"

The General's expression was neutral, but Grimm detected a slight but undeniable note of disbelief in his tone.

The Questor thought back to the climactic battle in Crar, when he and his companions had faced a maniacal horde of mindless attackers driven by the will of the demon, Starmor. Questor Dalquist had raised a small ward against the zombie-like horde, one a fraction of the size of that needed to protect the wagon. The spell drained Dalquist of most of his energy in the space of a few minutes. Grimm knew from his tuition in Spell Theory that the energy required for such a sleight was proportional to the cube of its radius. Dalquist's ward had been maybe six feet in diameter. A spell to protect the vehicle would need to be perhaps three times that size; twenty-seven times the energy would be required.

Still greater additional energy expenditure would be involved in casting the spell at a distance-this time, a square relationship applied. Dalquist had been three feet from the periphery of the spell's effect; to move a mere ten yards from the protected wagon would multiply the energy cost of the spell by a factor of a hundred. His fellow mage had maintained his ward for maybe three minutes; every additional minute would add to the energy cost. Grimm knew he was more powerful than Dalquist, but not thousands of times stronger. Even if Questor Guy agreed to share the workload, the scheme was unfeasible.

Dalquist hid the Eye of Myrrn, the Guild periapt at the heart of that particular Quest, in an extra-dimensional cubby-hole. Once an object was hidden in such a location, only minimal energy was required to keep it there. However, Grimm knew the energy required to create and maintain such a hiding-place was again proportional to the cube of its radius.

The Eye was only four inches across. If I were to scale a similar spell up to twenty feet or so, I'd need two hundred and… two hundred and sixteen thousand times the energy.

After a few moments' cogitation, he shrugged. "Bad idea, General; please forget I mentioned it."

"Mentioned what?" The soldier's tone was as good-natured as ever as he steered the horses around a knot of people, who seemed to be queuing for bread and quite oblivious of the approach of the large wagon.

Bringing the vehicle to a halt, Quelgrum called out to the huddled crowd. "Excuse me! Can you direct us to a lodging-house; preferably a good one, with a secure barn or stables?"

Most of the people ignored the General's cry, but one ragged man looked up. "Whassit worth t'find out?"

"Two silvers," Quelgrum offered.

"Gerroff! That won't even buy me a bloody loaf o' bread here! Two gold, an' yer in bizness. I know a good, clean, posh place, wiv stables 'n' ev'ryfing! I'll tell yer fer two gold. Thass me only offer, take it or leave it."

"One fifty."

"You deaf, or sumfink? I said two! Ask me again, 'n' it's two fifty, mate."

Grimm handed the General four gold coins. "Ask him about Lizaveta's coterie," he whispered. "Perhaps we won't need this mythical paradise, after all."

"All right, two gold," the General said to the scruffy man. "Assuming you can guide us to a clean, decent place with secure stables.

"However, if you can tell us about a party of nuns who may have come through here recently, I'll give you four. That seems a pretty good bargain to me."

The ragged man stared at Quelgrum's open hand and its golden bounty. Wearing a smile that exposed a mouthful of multi-coloured, rotting teeth, he stepped out of the milling crowd and approached the wagon.

Grimm defocused his eyes and engaged his Sight; he wanted to be sure that any information given was true.

"You ain't stiffin' me, are yer, guv'nor? Four gold if I tell yer what yer want ter know?"

"If it's worth buying," the General warned him. "I'm not paying a penny for third-hand hearsay."

Grimm scanned the man's aura, finding it the most complex he had ever seen; instead of sheets or streaks of solid colour, he saw a confusing, flowing melange of mental states. Avarice, mixed with distrust, fought for position against brief, furtive islands of basic honesty and boldness. Envy mixed and melded with respect.

"Well, I ain't goin' ter lie to yer, guv'nor," the man said, his eyes flicking back and forth in a furtive manner, his voice low and conspiratorial. "I c'n only tell yer what I 'eard, but I did get it straight from me bruvver Jory. E told me there was a party o' nuns 'ere a couple o' weeks ago, prob'ly lookin' for somewhere nice to stay, just like you. One of 'em was a pretty little fing, an' 'e winked at 'er. Jory says she gave 'im this evil look. Next fing 'e knows, 'e's on 'is knees, beggin' forgiveness. There was this ugly old cow in charge 'o these nuns, and 'e 'ad to kiss 'er ring, like. Says 'e was in a right old state, didn't even know what 'e was doin' or sayin'."

That sounds like Lizaveta's gentle coterie, Grimm thought. "Did your brother say which way the nuns were heading?" he asked.

"Jory says they went up to the Mansion 'Ouse. That's the place I were goin' ter tell you about. It's a right posh old place ter stay; too rich fer the likes o' Jory and me, but I reckon it'd suit gents like you down to the ground."

"Where is this Mansion House?" Quelgrum demanded.

"Lemme see… ooh, it's right on the tip of me tongue… Funny 'ow your mind c'n just suddenly go all blank, ain't it?" The grubby oracle cast a meaningful look at the coins in the General's hand.

"What do you reckon, Lord Baron? Is he telling the truth?"

"As far as he knows it, I'm fairly sure he is, General," the Questor replied, in the same low voice. "He's confident about what he says."

He rubbed his temple; scanning the Yorenian's confusing aura had given him a headache.

"Here's two gold pieces for the information about the nuns. You get the other two when you give us clear directions to this Mansion House of yours." The General held out two of the shiny, yellow discs in his open left palm.

The ragged informer hesitated for a moment. Then, as quick as thought, the coins disappeared. The man nodded, shaking particles loose from his shaggy-haired pate, which, Grimm thought, might have been either scurf or fleas. He hoped they were the former.

"Awright, guv'nor, I'll tell yer; yer look like an honest sort t' me. Up ahead by the chandler's, there, you turn right into Dun Lane, then first left into Cheeble Street, see? Then yer take the third right into Goober Lane, an' then you'll come to the old market square. 'S not as nice as this new one, and there's some dodgy types round there, so you gents be careful."

Grimm suppressed a shudder at the thought of any place less salubrious than this grimy hell-hole.

"Now, from the old market," the Yorenian said, seeming to revel in his new, if temporary, career as a tourist guide, "yer need to look for old Rambold's glue shop on the far right side. You should be able to tell it from all the flies." He wrinkled his nose, and Grimm marvelled that a denizen of this benighted town could bear the capacity for disgust.

"Yer go up that road past Rambold's; that's Bottle Pass. Go all the way t' the end o' that an' turn right inter Flobb's Lane. Turn left just past the Goat Inn, an' you'll see the Mansion 'Ouse up the 'ill. Got it, guv'nor?"

Grimm felt bewildered by the complicated directions, but Quelgrum nodded.

"Eminently clear; thank you for your assistance." The General tipped the remaining two coins into the shabby man's hand. "My apologies for taking up so much of your valuable time; enjoy your shopping."

"Shoppin'? I'm goin' down the Blooter Arms fer a few pints first," the smiling vagabond declared. "Me bleedin' wife can wait a while fer 'er bleedin' groceries. Just remember, gents, if yer want any more 'elp, Guller's yer man. That's me name: Guller. Jest ask fer me in the Blooter Arms; they all know me there."

With that, the shabby informer scampered into one of the dark alleys surrounding the square, and was gone.

"The Mansion House it is," Grimm sighed. He did not hold out much hope for the Yorenian's luxurious description of the place; even a slaughterhouse might seem a palace to someone brought up in such depressing surroundings, but it did seem likely that someone there could provide further information on Lizaveta's movements.

"Where are we going?"

Grimm turned to see Guy's head protruding from under the wagon's cover, his twisted lip showing his distaste at his surroundings.

"Did I hear something about a mansion?" the older man demanded. "I hope so."

Grimm smiled. "Yes, Guy; a highly reliable source informs me it's a 'right posh old place to stay', so it should suit you well. Then again, the definition of the word 'luxury' around here may differ a little from yours."

With a snort, the foppish mage ducked back under the canvas cover.

****

The old market square lived up to the Yorenian's description. It appeared to Grimm almost as if some skeletal entity was arising from a sea of mud, as he heard the horses' crisp hoof-beats turn into a series of dull splashes. He saw rotted sticks and spars standing at odd angles, and ragged scraps of grey cloth twitching in the desultory breeze. It was as if night had come early, as the tall buildings surrounding the half-sunken plaza blotted out the afternoon light.

Grimm heard the high-pitched, mewling bark of an angry fox in the distance; an eerie, banshee-like sound. After that, all he heard was wet, squishing sloshes as the horses pulled the wagon through the mud that swamped the old flagstones; sounds that echoed dully from the grey walls surrounding the square.

His eyes cast around, looking for the glue shop of which Guller had told them, but all the dull, grimy-windowed buildings around the square looked the same. It was the mage's nose that first informed him of the shop's proximity; a disgusting, cloyingly-sweet, pungent smell began to pervade his nostrils, and he felt his eyes watering in sympathy. On the far side of the square, he saw a black cloud, and heard a growing drone; these must be the ever-present insect attendants of the glue shop. Grimm slapped at his arms, his face and his scalp as the wagon passed through the eager, buzzing horde.

Quelgrum wrinkled his nose and flapped at the black mass of winged assailants. "Can you imagine what it's like to work in there, Lord Baron?"

"I don't want to, General." Grimm shivered as the soldier steered the vehicle past a crooked, hand-painted sign reading 'Bottle Pass'. "I just want to get out of this dead place."

In the narrow, crumbling thoroughfare, Grimm saw the first signs of life since the wagon had left the new market square. Rats scampered through open sewers, ignored by a few, scattered drabs, who regarded the wagon with suspicious, envious eyes. It seemed to the mage as if he had descended into the nethermost pit of Hell, as he looked into the pale, dull, resentful faces of a score of damned souls.

Quelgrum needed to take care at the junction of Bottle Pass and Flobb's Lane, since the road seemed barely wider than the wagon. The horses reared and whinnied, but the General comforted them with a soft, clucking noise, keeping a firm hand on the reins.

Grimm approved; having grown up in a smithy, he recognised the worth of a man who treated troubled animals with kindness and understanding, rather than unthinking brutality.

The mage heard a growing, raucous sound as the conveyance trundled along Flobb's Lane. He noticed a battered, faded picture of a stick-like representation of a goat outside a slumped, hovel-like structure, outside which five men scrambled and rolled in a sea of red-streaked mud. The occasional bright flashes of blades and knuckle-dusters reinforced the message that this was no minor dispute over a spilled drink.

And I thought the Broken Bottle in Drute was tough, he thought, shaking his head as Quelgrum turned the vehicle left, barely missing the oblivious combatants.

Blessed, sweet sunlight!

It seemed to Grimm as if someone had lit a great candle in the sky as the wagon began to roll up an incline.

From perdition to paradise in the space of a few short yards!

The Questor's heart sang as he regarded a golden building sitting on a sward of purest green. A beige, tree-lined path marked the route to what must be the Mansion House, seeming as if it were some indication of ineluctable destiny. To Grimm, it felt as if a leaden weight had been removed from his chest as the grey, depressing drabness of Yoren was left behind and the wagon began to wind up the blessed, clean, even road.

Why doesn't everyone in Yoren come here? he wondered, savouring the fragrant, clean air that flooded into his lungs. Why would anyone want to live in that place?

It was not long before his rhetorical question was answered, as two men leapt into the road from behind the cover of the trees lining the avenue. Unlike the shabbily-attired attackers who had welcomed the adventurers on their first arrival in Yoren, these warriors wore heavy, padded jackets, and the blued-steel tubes they levelled at Grimm and Quelgrum looked familiar.

"They've got Technological weapons and armour," the General muttered, confirming the Questor's suspicions as he reined in the horses. "No wonder they can keep the locals in check."

"What's your business here?" one of the ambushers demanded as he stepped forward. His speech was cultured, educated, and free of the heavy Yorenian accent.

"We need a place to stay, well away from that rat-hole," Quelgrum said, maintaining a cool, unflustered face as Grimm laid his right hand on Redeemer, ready for trouble.

"Don't we all? Show me what you've got to offer; all of it," the cloth-armoured man replied. "Don't worry; we're paid well enough. If you can pay, you should be allowed in. If not, I'd advise you to turn back." His eyes were narrowed, suspicious.

Grimm held up his bulging money-purse, opening it just enough to show the gleaming coins within. "I think this should be sufficient for even the Mansion House," he said. "If not, I have plenty more to spare; I am the Baron of Crar."

As the Questor held out his purse, he saw that the guard's eyes widened as they locked onto the blue-gold Guild ring on his marriage finger.

"Your servant, Lord Mage!" The man dropped onto his right knee at once, as did his companion. "I trust you realise that only people of quality are accepted here. Please forgive us the intrusion on your contemplation; you and your companions are more than welcome."

The two men disappeared into the undergrowth as quickly as they had appeared.

"What do you think was that all about, Lord Baron?"

"I suppose my full purse swayed them," Grimm said, unsure that this was the truth. "Perhaps they just like mages at the Mansion House."

"I heard they despised Guild Mages in Yoren," the General replied. "This just seems a little too cosy for me. In my army, we talk about 'honey traps'. They're ambushes too sweet or tempting to resist."

After the depressing spectacle of the centre of Yoren, Grimm felt in no mood to argue as the increasingly imposing spectacle of the Mansion House hove into view. "Relax, General. He saw my money and my ring; that's all. I'd rather be here than down in the town, any day. We'll be all right, as long as we keep our wits about us."

"Hear, hear," Guy cried, from inside the wagon.

Harvel called, "Are you going to pay for all this, Questor Grimm?"

Grimm smiled. "Of course, fellows! We don't have to slum it just because we're on a Quest. Keep alert, and we should be all right."

"You're in charge, Lord Baron," Quelgrum said, as the magnificent building loomed before them, "and I'll do as you say. I just hope you're right. These chaps could be in league with Lizaveta, for all we know."

Grimm laughed. "Sometimes I think you worry just a little too much, General. I'm not going into this with my eyes shut, I assure you. Don't worry; I'll be on my guard, as will all of us."

As the wagon rumbled under an imposing stone arch, Grimm thought he heard a muttered prayer or imprecation from the old soldier, although he could not be sure.

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Chapter 26: A Cheerful Reception

The wagon rolled up the smooth, tree-lined track towards the Mansion House. Although the Questor's party suffered no further incursions, Grimm's sensitive ears picked up the occasional muttered voice and rustling sound from the undergrowth. He suspected that he and his companions had been under constant surveillance since they started up the winding path.

As the party neared the House, the young mage felt a shiver of awe running through him. He could not believe the contrast between the grand opulence of this building and the dingy squalor at the centre of Yoren; it almost made the fabulous, luxurious High Lodge look like a rather pedestrian town house. Instead of dull, grey stone, the House seemed to be constructed of lustrous, iridescent marble, with complex, tasteful details picked out in gold. At the front of the building, he saw a long, pillared portico or cloister whose purpose, Grimm imagined, was to enable visitors to remain dry while exiting their vehicles in the rain.

And all these windows! There must have been over a hundred on the front of the building alone, and Grimm knew that glass, especially glass of this sparkling, flawless quality, was an expensive commodity.

Quelgrum's eyes bulged. "Where on earth did they get all the money to make this, let alone to be able to run it?"

Despite knowing the General's question was rhetorical, Grimm answered him.

"All I know is that my stipend as Baron of Crar would barely begin to cover it, General," he breathed.

Up ahead, he saw a small, windowed kiosk, beside which was a red-and-white striped pole, barring further progress. As soon as Quelgrum reined in the horses in front of the barrier, a tall, slender man stepped out from the kiosk, offering a crisp, faultless salute that, Grimm imagined, would not have been out of place in the General's army. The old soldier's formal, precise answering salute seemed to confirm this; the General placed a high premium on tidiness, order and discipline, and this man seemed to possess great quantities of each.

As the gatekeeper approached, Grimm took note of the man's immaculate, dark-blue uniform, similar to that worn by Quelgrum's cadre, with a tightly knotted strip of cloth around his neck and razor-sharp creases in his straight trousers. Mirror-polished black shoes, gleaming buttons and a peaked cap added to the dazzling effect. The Questor also saw that the watchman wore a Technological weapon in a leather holster at his waist.

"I see you are a military man, Sir," the gatekeeper said, his pose ramrod-straight as he held the salute. "Staff Sergeant Hamar, at your service, Sir. Welcome to the Mansion House."

"Stand easy, Staff," replied Quelgrum, slipping back into his martial role with ease. "I am General Sleafel Quelgrum, and my companion is Baron Grimm Afelnor of Crar."

As with the guards who had accosted the party earlier, the young mage thought that Hamar's gaze rested perhaps just a little too long on his Guild ring. Ah, you're just getting paranoid. You've got an over-active imagination, Afelnor, he chided himself.

"Your fame precedes you, General," the Staff Sergeant said. "At your service, Lord Baron." Hamar's face wrinkled, and reddened a little. "I'm sorry, sir; I'll have to ask you to leave your hardware here. We don't allow offensive weapons in the House. The same goes for your companions in the back. Staves and small blades of less than three inches' length are all right, but whips, swords, daggers, cudgels or other offensive weapons are not permitted. I'll have to search you and the wagon, I'm afraid."

Quelgrum's eyes narrowed.

"Sorry, General, that's not my rule, but a standing order." Hamar's tone remained deferent and apologetic. "I'm sure you understand. Please step down from the vehicle."

Quelgrum sighed and turned his head around. "You heard the man," he called. "Hand 'em over."

The three warriors and two mages clambered out of the wagon, as Grimm and the General climbed down.

Hamar carried out an efficient, dispassionate search of each member of the party and began to deprive them of their weapons. Tordun, in particular, looked particularly pained as he handed over his broadsword.

As the Staff Sergeant moved to the back of the wagon, Grimm felt the unmistakable tingle of magical power being unleashed; a large amount of it, if the young mage was any judge. The syllables that came from Guy's lips were, of course, unintelligible to anyone but him, being in his personal Questor spell-language, but Grimm guessed that the older thaumaturge had released a potent spell of Compulsion.

"There's nothing in the wagon, sentry," Guy said in an easy, reasonable voice. "It's clean."

Grimm gaped as the Staff Sergeant turned to face Guy, wearing a tolerant smile. "I'm sure you're right, sir, but I have to search it anyway," he said with a cool voice as he climbed into the conveyance.

At any other time, Grimm would have felt some pleasure at the sight of the Great Flame's slack jaw and stunned, bulging eyes, but not now; Hamar had withstood a full Compulsion spell from a Questor of the Seventh Rank without showing the least sign of discomfort, or even of having noticed the spell. To add to Grimm's unease, his Mage Sight showed him that this was no Technology-controlled slave like those he had met at the mountain fortress of Haven. Neither saw he the least sign of magic in the man's aura: not even the blank white aura of a witch.

"I gave him a full-strength Compulsion," Guy whispered, his eyes wide with disbelief. "He should be a drooling puppet by now. The spell was good."

"I know, Guy. He must be wearing some weird sort of ward."

"I could take him out, easily," Tordun rumbled. "Just say the word."

"We've still got our staves, Grimm," Guy said, his face determined. "He wouldn't stand a chance."

Grimm shook his head. "I don't think we're alone here, Tordun. I'm pretty sure there are armed men with Technological weapons, hiding in the undergrowth."

"Well, well well," Hamar called, his voice dulled by the wagon's canvas cover. "Quite an armoury you have here; good quality hardware, too. Don't worry, Sirs, we'll take good care of it."

The Staff Sergeant emitted a shrill whistle and five armed men emerged from the bushes, firearms at the ready. Grimm gathered his power, ready to strike, but no direct assault appeared to be in progress.

Hamar hopped down from the wagon. "Juran, you and Mardel take inventory, and make out a receipt for the weapons," he said, his orders crisp and precise. "Gyor; double over to the House and ask them to make ready for our guests. Bort; I want you and Fasar to take these gentlemen's luggage to their rooms when it's been checked."

The five men saluted, and replied as if with one voice: "Understood, Staff!"

The soldiers rushed to carry out their senior's orders, efficient and economical in their movements.

Hamar turned to Grimm. "If you and your companions would be so kind as to follow me, gentlemen, we'll make our way over to Reception." The Staff Sergeant gave another of his sharp salutes.

Grimm's stomach roiled with misgiving. It seemed to him as if all initiative had been stripped from him, as an unaccustomed sense of indecision dulled his thoughts. This situation seemed somehow false; as if the Mansion House staff had been expecting him and his companions since their first arrival in Yoren. He felt his mind and his heartbeat racing to no end. What to do? He had never felt so helpless in his life.

So he's got a powerful spell-ward I can't detect, he thought, trying to marshal his mental processes. That's no reason to suspect him of evil intent. There are magical skills outside the Guild's control, I imagine. I'd have one myself, if I knew where to get hold of one, or how to make one. I don't like this place, anyway, and I'll recommend we get out of here as soon as we've got the information we need.

The gatekeeper's actions so far had been irreproachable, but Grimm did not feel comfortable that his hard-won powers might be so easily nullified. He felt not so much threatened as naked, and he was unsure of how to respond.

Quelgrum broke the silence. "Thank you, Staff," he said in a cool voice. "We're in your capable hands."

****

If anything, the interior of the House was even more magnificent than its glorious exterior. Grimm regarded the plush, crimson carpets, rich mahogany panelling and lustrous brass fittings with appreciative eyes. If this was some kind of prison, at least it was a luxurious one.

Soft lights cast a warm, orange glow on the scene, and the mage heard soft, unobtrusive music, enhancing the cool, calm, soothing atmosphere. Despite his earlier misgivings, the mage began to feel a lot happier about this strange place. Surely there could be no harm in staying in such a cheerful, comfortable establishment.

A gentle fragrance permeated the air, and a wide, sweeping marble staircase dominated the entrance hall, seeming to run up to dizzying heights. As Grimm and his friends regarded the opulence of the decor, a young woman stepped out of a back room to stand behind a large, polished counter that ran the length of the far wall. Golden hair fell over her shoulders in flowing waves, and her pale, delicately-painted face wore a beaming smile.

"Welcome to Mansion House," she said, her cheeks dimpling. "May I ask how long will you be staying, gentlemen?" Her voice was soft and sweet, and Grimm felt himself almost lost in the depths of those large, lambent, blue eyes.

"Er, I'm not sure." The young mage felt lumpen and clumsy in the presence of this vision of feminine pulchritude, and tried not to notice the expanse of flesh revealed by her low-cut, white blouse. "One day, maybe two."

He sensed his face growing warm, and he coughed in an attempt to hide his unaccustomed bashfulness. As he stole a glance at his companions, he realised that he was not alone in his feelings. Even the cynical Guy seemed dumbstruck by this lovely girl's beauty, and Tordun's normally white face had turned a shade of puce.

It went beyond physical attraction; Grimm felt his heart pounding and his blood surging. He had only ever experienced such confusing feelings before when in Drexelica's amorous embrace. Even the girl's delicate perfume seemed to befuddle him.

"We usually ask our guests to register," she said, sweeping an errant lock of hair away from her eyes with a slender, long-fingered hand. The casual gesture only seemed to enhance her attractiveness. "However, I can tell you've had a long journey; I'm sure you'll want to bathe and relax for a while first. Your bags have been sent to your rooms, and I have a full receipt for your weapons."

"All in good time, Miss," the General said. He seemed to be the only member of the party not nonplussed to the point of idiocy by the lovely girl.

"I just wondered if you could help us. We heard that a deputation from the Order of the Sisters of Divine Serenity had made their way here, only a short while ago, and we wished to pay our respects. I just wondered if they left any forwarding address, or if you knew which route they might have taken when they left."

The receptionist's dimples did not seem to faze Quelgrum, who responded with a cool, polite smile.

"Ah, yes; I do remember a party of nuns here a couple of weeks ago," the girl cooed. "Unfortunately, I wasn't here when they left. Let me look in the guest book."

She leafed through the large, leather-bound ledger in front of her. "Mr. Chudel, the Manager, handled the formalities when the party left. Perhaps they told him something about their destination; I don't know. Mr. Chudel usually asks for a forwarding address, in case a guest has left anything behind."

Her brow wrinkled. "If you'll forgive me for saying so, sir, you and your companions do not seem to be… religious types. I just wondered what the extent of your interest in the Sisters might be; I'm sure you'll understand that we need to respect our guests' privacy."

"Prioress Lizaveta acted as witness at my wedding, many years ago," came the General's smooth reply. "I promised to present my heartiest respects if we ever met again, but we lost contact. When I heard she had visited Yoren, I was reminded of my promise to her. If you'd just introduce us to Mr. Chudel, I'd be very grateful."

The receptionist produced another of her dreamy, dazzling smiles, and Grimm felt as if his knees had turned to treacle. "I'm afraid he's out of town at the moment, sir. He's expected back the day after tomorrow. If you like, I'll ask him to have a word with you before you leave."

"I'd really appreciate that," Quelgrum said. "It would mean a lot to me." Despite his earlier, cool manner, even the General now appeared quite relaxed.

"The nightly rate for seven rooms is twenty-eight gold pieces, Sir. First night is payable in advance, I'm afraid."

Grimm scrambled in his commodious purse for the large, heavy coins, smothering a curse at the sudden clumsy tremor in his fingers. He scarcely counted as he splashed the money onto the counter in several handfuls. Several of the coins bounced onto the floor behind the counter, and he winced.

"I'm sorry," he said, spreading his hands in abject apology.

"That's all right," the receptionist said, dimples forming on either side of her mouth as she displayed a flawless, snow-white set of teeth.

Power and presence, the Questor chided himself. What's the matter with you, Grimm? Get a grip on yourself, will you?

Am I bewitched? he wondered, remembering his enforced infatuation with Sister Madeleine on his first visit to High Lodge.

However, his current befuddlement bore no relation to the overpowering effects of Madeleine's Geomantic spell; yes, he felt happy and a little lusty, but the all-consuming passion and semi-intoxication he had experienced in the dead Sister's presence was absent. Although he found the girl very pretty, his mind was still his own.

I'm just happy to be out of that rat-hole, he told himself. Is that such a crime?

With smooth efficiency, the young woman handed a key to each man. "You're all on the second floor, nice and close to each other," she said, cheery and enthusiastic, as she began a sing-song litany that she had obviously repeated many times before.

"The restaurant's open all day. All we ask is that you make a reservation an hour before you wish to eat. We offer a free laundry and repair service, and there is a bar open until three in the morning, should you develop a thirst. If you need anything, just pull the bell-cord in your room, and an attendant will be dispatched as soon as possible…

"Oh, yes, there is just one more thing, gentlemen. If you intend to visit tonight's Pit contests, it's best to reserve your places in advance. It's a very popular attraction."

"What's the Pit?" Grimm asked, trying hard to suppress his burgeoning, inappropriate emotions.

"Ah, you gentlemen can't be from this vicinity," the receptionist responded, smiling again. "The Pit is what we call our unarmed martial arts arena. Boxing, wrestling, that sort of thing. Many of our guests come from far afield, just to witness the Pit bouts. We have bookkeeping staff on hand to assess the odds and take the bets. I'm told it's very spectacular, although I've never been there myself: I don't like violence."

"I think I'd like that," Harvel declared. "I used to do a little prize-fighting in my youth."

"Me, too," Tordun said. "I've fought in many a ring, and I was unbeaten in over fifty fights."

Guy gave an enthusiastic nod. "That sounds like a good night's entertainment to me."

Grimm felt the unmistakable push of excess testosterone in his bloodstream, no doubt left over from the brief fight in the alley. "I'll go."

A good, fair series of fights might be just the thing to quiet his roiling emotions.

Only Numal demurred. "Not my sort of thing, I'm afraid. I'll just stay in my room with a good book, if you don't mind." He gave an apologetic shrug. "Necromancer Numal, room 272, please, receptionist."

No surprises there. Grimm suppressed an amused smile as the girl handed the Necromancer his key. Numal doesn't have quite the same drives as the rest of us.

"Then that's settled," Quelgrum said. "Six seats for the Pit, please."

"Fights start at ten hours tonight," the receptionist said, dimpling again in that endearing manner, and scribbling in the ledger. 'Six Pit reservations it is. Just show your room keys to the attendant on entry; it's best to get there early if you want good seats.

"Welcome to Mansion House, gentlemen. I hope you enjoy your stay."

With that, the stunning vision was gone, and Grimm felt an almost physical pang of loss at her departure.

"Still want to camp out on the plain, Lord Baron?" Quelgrum said, with a wry smile.

"Not on your life, General!" Grimm wagged his right index finger in a mock reprimand. "If we have to wait a couple of days for this fellow Chudel, I can't think of a better place to stay while we're waiting. There's no Guild rule that says we have to live like vagrants while we're Questing, you know!"

It was not a witty, humorous sally, and the chorus of chuckles from Grimm's companions might have seemed forced and inappropriate at any other time. However, the young mage no longer cared.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 27: The Pit

With an approving nod, Grimm eyed himself in the full-length mirror in his room.

Tonight, I'm going to be the very epitome of the cultured, sophisticated Questor, he vowed, adjusting the folds in his yellow-and-blue silk robes so that they fell just right. As he donned the magical gems loaned him by the Dominie, he felt pleased that none of the periapts indicated any magical interference; his unaccustomed surge of good humour could therefore only be explained by the salubrious surroundings in which he found himself.

An hour remained until the Pit bouts started, so Grimm decided to burnish and polish Redeemer. At least that should occupy his mind for a while.

As he searched in one of his commodious travelling bags for his cleaning kit, he heard an impatient thumping sound from the other; a sound he knew only too well. He opened the clasps on the other bag, and a tiny, grey-green creature, the size of a mouse, hopped out onto the bed.

"Thribble!" he cried. "I might have known that you would have tagged along."

"How else am I to get material for my sagas, Questor?" the small demon squeaked. "I heard your little scuffle in the town square, but I'd rather have seen it. I was a little hurt that you didn't invite me along in the first place."

Grimm smiled. Thribble had proved himself a valuable and stalwart companion ever since he had first called the netherworld being into the mortal world. The mage knew he had indeed been negligent not to consider his minuscule but valiant demon friend when planning the Quest.

"I'm sorry, Thribble; I've had a lot on my mind recently. You should have asked."

"I know what you've had on your mind, mortal!" the imp chided in his piercing, reedy treble. "Human rutting? Ugh! The very thought makes my stomach churn."

Grimm gulped, as he felt a cold, iron frisson of guilt at the way he had reacted to the beautiful receptionist. One day away from Crar, and he was already beginning to act as if he had forgotten his beloved Drexelica. Thank the Names that the demon had not witnessed the disgraceful display of jejune immaturity he had displayed in the Mansion House lobby!

"Don't worry, Thribble." The Questor patted his robe pocket. "You can travel with me from now on. I'm sure you'll find more than enough to satisfy even your insensate demands for story material."

"I'm glad to hear it, mage," the demon squeaked. "I don't relish travelling in the company of your dirty linen."

"Tonight we're going to a series of fights, Thribble," Grimm said.

"No, don't look like that," he added as he saw the imp's rapacious, expectant grin. "I'm afraid we'll only be spectators, not participants. This is sport, not battle. It's a matter of fist-fighters and wrestlers trying to find the limit of their skills."

"Oh, well," the demon piped. "I know very little about these human pastimes; perhaps I will learn something from them. However, I cannot understand why you mortals should fight when you are not threatened. We demons find tales of your mindless combat extremely diverting."

"It's a part of our nature, Thribble. The desire to strive, to succeed against overwhelming odds, makes us what we are. Fighting when we don't have to is an important part of being human."

"Is that strange, silly-looking smile a part of being human, too?" the demon asked, although there was no trace of malice or sarcasm in his voice.

"I'm just in a good mood, Thribble. Even a Questor is allowed to enjoy himself, once in a while. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to polish Redeemer."

****

Grimm and his companions arrived in plenty of time for the bouts, which were held in a large rotunda behind the main building. There was already a long queue for the Pit, the impatient customers pushing and jostling despite the sturdy double doors that barred access to the edifice.

All of the people waiting in line seemed to be well-dressed, sophisticated men-about-town, although their raucous behaviour was far from decorous. Tordun was at the back of the group, and he used his elbows, his forearms, and even his meaty fists to hold back the growing horde behind them.

The young Questor heard snatches of conversation from the crowd, all of which seemed to be concerned with the upcoming bouts:

"Shugar's the man to bet on; fists like sledgehammers…"

"Rempur's at eight-to one against…"

"A fool's bet, my man…"

At last, the mage heard a howl of approval as the doors swung open, and the crowd surged forward. Grimm felt a smile spreading across his face as the Pit grew nearer, nearer…

Grimm had plenty of money with him, but the entrance fee of fifteen gold coins, posted on a board outside the door, caused him to blanch.

"I've only got twelve golds on me," he confessed to his companions. "I could go back to my room and get some more cash, but I don't want to lose my place."

Guy sneered, but he seemed to be in excellent humour. "Cheapskate," he said, holding out a bulging purse. "Don't worry, Dragonblaster: I have more than enough for all of us. I'll pay the entrance fees, although you'll have to cover your own bets. It's my treat."

Grimm might not know the Great Flame well, but he had never imagined that such good cheer and generosity were part of the older Questor's make-up. Before he had time to consider Guy's odd behaviour in greater detail, the open doors were right in front of him, and he felt a pulse of testosterone surging through him, speeding his heart and drying his mouth.

Guy moved to the front of the queue, holding out a double handful of coins and his room key to a burly, rotund man who stood by the open doors. Another man, who could have been the guard's identical twin, moved in to inspect the golden mound of bounty.

Biting and twisting one of the coins, while his companion counted the hoard of money, the doorkeeper nodded. "Good as gold," he said, chuckling at his own joke. "Welcome to the Pit, gentlemen. Enjoy your evening."

As the muscular attendants stepped aside, Grimm and his friends walked into a bizarre spectacle. The interior of the rotunda was in the form of a giant bowl, lit by a dazzling, white light that emanated from some invisible source, high above. At the centre of this was an empty, pale yellow circle of what appeared to be sand, maybe twenty feet below the segmented, banked, circular rows of seats, and protected by a tall wire barrier.

"Betting cards, sirs?" a voice said, and Grimm swung round to see a smartly-dressed functionary, holding out a handful of slips. "You'll be sitting down there in seats twenty-six to thirty-one-A; right at the front of the action, Gorga, over there, will be taking your bets tonight, but I'm afraid we can't take any markers; all wagers must be in hard cash. We don't care where it's from as long as it's good gold and silver.

"Enjoy yourselves, gentlemen."

Grimm and his companions made their way to the row indicated by the attendant. As promised, their seats were right next to the wire barrier, providing an excellent view of the arena. Grimm saw a man sitting in one of their seats, and he cleared his throat.

"What do you want?" the man whined, without facing the mage.

"That's one of our seats," Grimm said. "We'd be obliged if you'd move to your own seat."

"Oh, you'd be obliged, would you?" The interloper rose to his feet, his brows lowered and threatening. "Well, I'd be obliged if you just got…" The man's voice trailed off as he caught sight of Tordun towering over the mage.

"The gentleman asked you to move, worm." The albino raised his clenched, ham-like fists. "So move."

"All right, all right, all right," the would-be bravo stammered. "I'm moving. You only had to ask. If you…"

"Tack off, chicken-neck. Don't just stand around telling us your bloody life story." Tordun punctuated this riposte with an almost feral growl.

Grimm smiled as the man scuttled out of the seat he had been occupying, and he saw several other people staring at the swordsman.

"It looks as if you've started the entertainment early, Tordun," Grimm said, settling into his seat. As his companions took up the rest of the row, he looked at his betting card. The mass of names, numbers and statistics meant nothing to him.

"Um… can anyone tell me what all this means?" he said. "I've never gambled before."

"Just bet as we do, Questor Grimm," Harvel advised, patting him on the left shoulder. "Crest and I are old hands at this sort of game, and we know some of these athletes."

"Bet on Shugar in Match Three," Tordun said. "I faced him in a bout at… somewhere or other, and I remember he broke my nose, my cheekbone and my right wrist."

"I thought you said you never lost," Guy said in his usual, acerbic tone.

"I broke my wrist when my right fist hit his jaw and knocked him out." Tordun grinned. "I don't like to lose."

All of the men in the party laughed, including Guy, who seemed still in the best of moods.

"Ah, but your man Shugar's the three-to-one favourite, Tordun," Crest said, scanning his card. "It's hardly worth the money. I wonder if they'll take on accumulator bets. See, if we split the bets like this…"

Grimm's first lesson in gambling was underway.

****

High above the arena, two men sat in a small cubicle, eyeing the small party with interest.

"You see that white-haired guy, Keller?" one of them said, a grizzled man who sported a scarred cheek. "That's Tordun. He used to fight in the Gallorleyan Bouts, and I never saw him beaten. Feller's got a steel jaw and fists like boulders, and he'd take on all-comers, sometimes four at a time. Names' sakes, he beat our bloody heavyweight champion at his peak, and he doesn't look a day older.

"We've just got to get him to fight for us."

His older, bald-headed companion, who wore steel-rimmed spectacles and looked more like a clerk than a fighter, nodded. "Sounds like he would make a good draw, Mort, but just check out the company."

"Three skinny peacocks, an old man and a half-breed elf?" Mort sneered. "What's worth taking there?"

"Mort, boy, two of those skinny peacocks are Seventh Rank Guild Mages. From their ages, they've just got to be Questors. They can cast 'most any sort of magic. Pretty destructive magic, I might add. They call 'em Weapons of the Guild."

"Bloody Guild bastards!" The younger man spat. "They've got a lot to answer for, around here. Yoren used to be quite a nice town 'til that sodding wizard, Loaraz or whatever his name was, came here. We had a decent slave market going here, 'til he totalled it and killed old Duke Moras, all on the orders of the frackin' Guild. The bastard all but ruined us."

"A single Questor did all that." Keller's eyes gleamed. "There are two of 'em down there."

He paused, letting his words sink in. "I was told we had a couple of mages in town, and I got Brant, the telepath, to make a few inquiries with some friends who work for the Guild. Apparently, the youngest one is Loras Afelnor's very grandson: he's famous for it. Wouldn't it just be poetic justice to put him in the Pit?

"I don't know who the other one is, but you can bet your last copper that he's dangerous. I think you'd find two Questors engaged in mortal combat a better draw even than your man Tordun could offer. A one night stand, of course, but I think the ticket receipts alone would make it worth everyone's while. I can see the posters now: 'Magical Mayhem: One Night Only!' Just think about it for a few moments."

Mort thought about it. "What about the other guys?"

"The old guy's General Q. You've heard of him, I'm sure. It'd probably be better if we didn't mess around with him too much; he's got a whole army at his disposal, with real weapons, if you understand my meaning. There's another old guy who came with them; some Second Level Necromancer, though he's not here tonight. Not much use to us, but we could always put him in a novelty bout. The other two might be good for lightweight stuff. They're not heavyweights, but they look as if they know how to handle themselves."

"So how do we play this one, Keller? They're all keyed up on those pherom… phenom… those smell things we use to keep the guests happy…"

"Pheromones," Keller prompted.

"Yeah, them. So they're all happy and enthusiastic, but I think it might take a little more than that to get them to fight. And what do we do with this General? He sounds a bit dangerous to me."

"Mort; sometimes I think all that fighting has pickled your brains. How on earth do you think we get all these wonderful fighters to perform for us? Some of them are old-timers who've fallen on hard times, some are volunteers and some are guests, but most of them wear one of these. It… encourages them a little, shall we say?"

Keller held up a lustrous, bejewelled torc. "They may not want to fight, but they have no choice. This thing's Technological, not magical, so the average sorcerer has no defence against it. These guys'll fight, believe me. As for the General, we'll just have to make him forget what he came for and go back home to the bosom of his army in the middle of the desert, or wherever it is."

"And just how do we do that?"

"We put the collar on him and give him to Prioress Lizaveta at Rendale." The older man grinned.

"What, that ugly old troll? What's she going to do; convert him into a religious nut?" Mort said, with a dismissive sneer.

Keller's harsh, booming laugh bore no humour. "That ugly old troll is a witch. She can do things with a man's mind you wouldn't believe! That ugly old troll managed to put paid to your old mate, Loras, who trashed this town of ours all those years ago! You owe that ugly old troll a debt of gratitude! She can make General Q think he's bloody Private Parts, if she wants to. He'll go back to his army friends with no knowledge of what's going on."

Mort's jaw hung slack.

"Of course, I'll have to get old Chudel's approval first," Keller mused. "He doesn't like messing with guests too much, beyond cheering them up a bit. But he knows where the money comes from around here, and I'm pretty sure he'll see it my way. Until that time, our guests will stay happy and pump their money into the Pit, just like he wants. After I've had a word with him, I'm sure he'll give them to me.

"Hey, stay alert, Mort! The first bout's just starting. Do your stuff."

****

Grimm found himself all but gnawing the edge of his betting card in eager anticipation, as two proud, well-muscled men strode into the arena. He felt his heart pound in expectation, and he licked his dry lips.

A mighty roar arose from the crowd that now filled the small stadium, and the Questor cheered with them, as did his companions.

"Our first bout tonight," an impossibly loud voice boomed from somewhere above his head, "is between a pair of true battling titans-Grue, the MER-CI–LESS, and Frod, the HU-MAN BATT-ERRRING RAM! Please put your hands together for what looks to be a fantastic fight!"

The young mage blinked, unsure of which man he was meant to be backing. Harvel leaned across, and yelled, "Our money's on Frod, Questor! We've got a bundle on this fight, so cheer for him!"

Grimm nodded and screamed out the man's name again and again. "FROD! FROD! FROD!"

He took a deep breath, and this seemed only to heighten his blood-lust. He looked at his companions, and saw only grimaces of vicarious rage; exposed teeth and screwed-up faces surrounded him. The noise was tremendous as the two men squared up to each other.

"FROD!" he yelled. "KILL HIM! KNOCK HIM DEAD! SLAUGHTER HIM!"

If his reaction was in any way uncharacteristic, he did not notice, as he exhorted his chosen fighter to batter his opponent into a bloody pulp.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 28: Persuasion

Grimm awoke early with a pounding head and a sore throat. He felt a little disorientated, and several moments passed before he remembered the reason for his discomfort. He felt a smile spreading across his face as he remembered the previous night's entertainment in the Pit. He had cheered and yelled with the best of them and had even made a considerable amount of money even after repaying Guy, thanks to Crest and Harvel's gambling acumen.

Still smiling, despite the hammer-blows resounding in his skull, he opened his eyes to see Thribble sitting on the small table beside the four-poster bed.

"Good morning, mortal." The grey imp's brows were knitted in perplexity.

"Good morning, Thribble. What's the matter?"

"You did not use to smile like this all the time. I cannot imagine why the sight of two humans battering each other should enthuse you so."

"It was sport, Thribble." Grimm stretched in an attempt to relieve the tight knots in his shoulders. "A contest of strength, skill, endurance and willpower: two athletes at the peak of physical perfection, each testing himself to the limit. It was a measure of the nobility of the human spirit."

"Is that why you cheered loudest when the men were visibly hurt, human? You looked like a hound baying for blood."

Grimm took a deep breath, and he felt his aches fading like dreams. At any other time, he might have felt hurt by the minuscule demon's assessment of him, but not now. He felt too cheerful to be dented by mere words.

"It's a human thing. You wouldn't understand," he said, sitting upright in bed.

Nonetheless, Grimm could tell the imp was still far from satisfied.

"All right, Thribble; out with it. What's bothering you?"

"I think you are under some sort of spell, like the one that witch cast on you at High Lodge. Your behaviour seems irregular and aberrant, and I find it more disturbing than amusing."

Grimm laughed at the sight of Thribble's sullen pout and hooded eyes. "All right, my suspicious friend. If it makes you happy, I'll check myself out. Redeemer!"

Thribble ducked as the staff flew into Grimm's hand, barely missing the demon.

During his last stay at Crar, Grimm had spent a considerable amount of time in imbuing Redeemer with several Minor Magic spells. He felt confident that he would be able to tell with ease if his mind was being controlled by another. He also knew that the food and drink he had taken at the Mansion House had not been poisoned or drugged; he had been loaned a dedicated magical charm, which would glow a virulent red in the presence of such substances. The charm had remained quiescent throughout his stay.

The mage shut his eyes and accessed the power within the staff; his Mage Sight visualised this action as leafing through the pages of a great book. He had not used Redeemer in this manner before, and he felt considerable pleasure at the convincing illusion.

Light, Heat, Cold… he thought, as his mental hand riffled through the pages. Ah, Spell Incursion; that's the one!

This spell would inform him if any Compulsion or Geas might be acting upon him, including the subtler Geomantic forms used by witches. If he had had this spell when he met Madeleine, he would not be here in Yoren now.

Grimm needed only a pinch of power to activate the magic, and he felt it take hold. He sat, motionless, for a few moments while the spell did its work. At the end of this time, he heard a clear, crystal chime in his head, rather than the insistent gong that would have indicated foul play.

"I'm clean, Thribble," he said, regaining his happy smile. "There are no drugs, poisons, trances or spells acting upon me. There's nothing in my body that shouldn't be there."

"Is there the possibility that you are labouring under a spell giving the illusion that nothing is wrong?" asked the imp, his face still a mask of worry.

"Not a chance, my netherworld friend. A potent Compulsion might have persuaded me not to access the spell at all, but the result cannot be perverted by internal magical influences. My will is my own, I'm afraid. For the last time: I'm just happy. Can't you just accept that?"

"I suppose so." The demon shrugged. "But it still bothers me."

"Now, Thribble, if you'd be kind enough as to excuse me, I've got to get ready for breakfast. I'm absolutely ravenous."

****

"I couldn't eat another thing." Harvel groaned as he loosened his belt buckle a couple of notches. "That was just so good!"

Grimm nodded, stifling a belch. For almost all of his life, he had been at the beck and call of bells, yells and duty. Here, in the spacious, well-lit restaurant at the Mansion House with his friends, he felt utterly at peace.

Rich, mahogany panelling highlighted the plush red carpet, and each table had a tasteful bouquet of flowers in its centre. Grimm admired the gentle twinkling of light in the crystal chandeliers that cast a warm glow on the restaurant, making it seem intimate and relaxing. High Lodge might have been opulent, but it had an austere, formal ambience that spoiled the full effect.

A rich man could happily spend the rest of his days in Mansion House, Grimm thought, and it appeared that the other guests shared this sentiment. Seven other tables were occupied, the groups of people at each ranging from a single man to a group of five men and five women; all of them wore happy smiles, and Grimm heard frequent bursts of laughter from the groups of guests.

He looked at the rest of his companions: Crest; Numal; Guy; Tordun; and Quelgrum. Each bore a similar look of contentment on his face, and Grimm felt an upsurge of fraternal love for his fellow men… or, perhaps, it was just a gastric reminder of the splendid meal he had just eaten.

"It's a shame we'll have to leave here tomorrow," Crest said, "just as I was getting used to the high life."

"Can't be helped," Grimm replied with a deep sigh. "We have a job to do."

"Still, there's always the Pit tonight," Quelgrum said, his expression eager, almost juvenile. "If it's anything like last night, we're in for a treat."

Guy nodded, lounged back in his chair and patted his belly.

"I might even join you tonight," Numal declared, "if it's as exciting as you say."

"It is," Tordun said with a vehement nod. "I wouldn't miss it for the world. It'll be almost a shame to go back on the road."

A long silence ensued as Grimm and his companions stared at their empty plates, their faces long and dolorous.

"It can't be helped," the young Questor repeated, trying to rouse the faint sense of duty within him. "We'll have to leave once we've talked to Mr. Chudel. He should, at least, be able to give us some idea of where Lizaveta's Priory is."

He smiled. "However, there's nothing to say that we can't enjoy ourselves while we're here!"

A chorus of good-natured cheers answered him, and Grimm vowed to make this stay one to remember. He opened his mouth again, but shut it as he saw a tall, bald-headed man walking towards the table. There was no doubt that the spectacle-covered eyes were fixed on him and his companions.

"Good morning, gentlemen," said the slender, hook-nosed man. "I trust you are enjoying your stay at Mansion House?"

"It's a marvellous place," Grimm said, echoed by his friends.

"Good, good." The bald man looked as if such news was a genuine pleasure to him, and Grimm warmed to him.

"My name is Keller Shampat; I run the Pit entertainments. Please call me Keller. Do you mind if I join you?"

"There's an open chair right here," Tordun said. "I'm sure we're all pleased to meet you, Keller."

"Thank you, gentlemen." Keller eased himself into the empty chair with a graceful, cat-like motion, and eyed each man in turn. "I saw most of you at the Pit last night, and you seemed to enjoy it."

Harvel nodded, his eyes wide. "We certainly did, Keller! That was a magnificent spectacle." The rest of the party nodded in agreement.

"I'm glad to hear it, good sirs. The Pit is a major source of revenue for Mansion House, and we pride ourselves on providing quality sporting entertainment."

"You need have no fears on that score, Keller," Tordun said. "Your fighters are a credit to you. I was particularly impressed by the way some of the losers fought, even after they realised they were going to lose. Dedication, stamina and heart are essential qualities for any pugilist, and those men had them in abundance."

Keller smiled. "That's why I wanted to talk to you, sir. You're Tordun, the White Titan of Gallorley, aren't you? I saw you fight about five years ago, and I've never forgotten it. I wondered if you would be prepared to join us?

"You'd find it well worth your while. Have no fear on that score," the Pit manager said quickly, as Tordun shook his head.

"That's not the issue," the albino replied. "I've retired from the ring, and I have no intention of going back to that life. I have all the work I need as a bodyguard and hired warrior, thank you.

"Now I am simply Tordun, at your service."

Keller sighed. "A pity, such a pity… The pugilistic world will be the worse for your retirement."

"Can't be helped." Tordun's brow furrowed in puzzlement, as if he had said something wrong.

Keller leaned forward, his eyes glittering behind the round, steel-rimmed spectacles. "An old friend was asking after you, Tordun," he said in an almost conspiratorial voice. "His fighting name is Shugar, the Anvil-fisted Avenger. He remembers you very well."

"I remember him, too, when the weather changes, Keller." Tordun smiled, massaging his right wrist. "He fought well last night; his opponent was spirited enough, but quite outclassed."

"Shugar would love to face you again," the Pit-man said. "He says he hasn't had a decent bout since he faced you; how about a single bout, tonight, just for old times' sake?"

Tordun flicked his eyes first at Grimm, then at Quelgrum. "I'd love to, Keller," he said.

Keller's expression brightened.

"But I can't. I have a job at the moment, and I can't afford to risk being crippled for the sake of a grudge match. I'm sorry, Keller; I do feel very flattered, but I'll have to refuse your offer, much though I'd love to accept."

"That's a shame, Tordun." Keller sighed as if this was the saddest thing he had ever heard. "Still, I suppose it can't be helped. Is there any reason why you can't come to meet Shugar and the other fighters in the Pit gymnasium this morning? Several of the boys have heard of you, and I'm sure they'd love the chance to meet a living legend."

Tordun laughed. "It might be stretching it a little far to call me a 'living legend', Keller, but I'd be happy to chew the fat with your boys for a while. As I said, they're a credit to you."

"Then that's settled!" Keller clapped his hands in evident pleasure. "As for tonight… would you gentlemen care to view tonight's Pit action from the best seats in the house, high above the stadium? As friends of Tordun, the White… of Master Tordun, that is, you'd all be honoured guests and be able to watch the fights in comfort. No queuing, no payment expected. It's my treat, gentlemen."

Grimm's heart leapt at the offer, but he could not ignore a sharp pang of conscience that jabbed his heart. His intention had been to leave Mansion House as soon as he had talked to Mr. Chudel, and he cast an anxious look at Quelgrum.

"What do you think, General? Should we stay another night, or leave today?" Although he took care to keep his tone neutral and serious, as if he felt equally happy with either option, he found himself hoping that Quelgrum would vote for the latter. He did not want to be the one to make this choice.

Quelgrum shrugged. "What difference will a few hours more make? I vote we stay tonight, and start out fresh in the morning."

To Grimm's immense relief, the other members of the team chimed in with an enthusiastic, almost school-boyish chorus of approval. "That seems unanimous," he said, relieved to be freed of the real decision to stay. "Who am I to argue? We can afford to stay one more night-after all, Mr. Chudel hasn't arrived yet."

"Excellent!" Keller said, rising to his feet. "Well, Tordun, the fighters have a busy schedule ahead of them. Wouldn't you prefer to come down to the gym while they're still loosening up for their main exercises?"

Tordun levered himself out of his chair. "That sounds good to me," he declared. "I'll see you later, gentlemen."

"What do we do for the rest of the day?" Guy asked, smoothing his hair back over his pate. "Shall we go for a walk outside? The grounds seem magnificent."

"Better not," Grimm said, clinging on to the shreds of his sense of duty. "We'd better hang around until this Chudel person comes back; he's got to be a busy man, and he may be difficult to contact once he's stuck into his duties. Besides, it's pleasant enough here, isn't it? Nobody else here seems to want to go outside."

"Well, I suppose so," Guy sighed, although Grimm could see that his expression was far from downcast. "Still, I had hoped to make a little more of this holiday than this."

"It's not a holiday," Numal said, with a rather pompous, pious expression on his face. "It's a Quest."

Guy opened his mouth to speak, but Grimm interrupted him. "Numal's right, Guy; perhaps we can come back here afterwards and really enjoy ourselves, but we're not on our own time at the moment."

Grimm half-expected an argument from the older Questor, but none came.

"I can't argue with that, Dragonblaster. Can't be helped, I suppose."

"That's right, Guy. It can't be helped," Quelgrum said.

Why do we all keep coming back to that phrase? Grimm wondered.

The words seemed almost like a devotional response; a mantra, a coda, a password. They reminded the young Questor of a resonance in a spell, where a mage became trapped in an incantation from which he could not escape; a single thought, chant or intent echoing in his head with ever-increasing intensity. Nonetheless, he knew that no magic was acting upon him, and that no poisons or drugs were in his system. He took a deep breath of the gently perfumed air and smiled.

We're just so relaxed and cheerful that we're lapsing into easy cliches, he told himself. There's no need to read some sinister bloody influence into every situation, Afelnor. We're not drugged or hexed; we're just happy!

"The bar's right next to the reception area," Crest said, beaming. "What do you say to the idea of an early morning drink?"

"Have you seen the prices here, elf-boy?" Harvel said. "At those rates, we'll be bankrupt before the morning's out!"

Grimm felt the gentle, tickling burn of nascent tears at his eyelids. These were such simple people; such honest people; such decent people! He would feel like a churl to spurn such sterling company.

"Don't worry, friends; I'll pay!" he said, burning with bonhomie and good humour. "Let's make the most of our time here while we have it!"

"It's a shame Tordun's not with us," Numal said, and Grimm shrugged.

"Can't be helped," he said, and then clapped a hand over his mouth as if he had committed some solecism.

Quelgrum started the laughter, quickly joined by Harvel and Guy. Crest sat for a few moments, his face reddening, and then burst into tearful guffaws, after which Numal exploded into a bloated, teary, puce-faced tirade of glee.

"Did I say something wrong?" Grimm felt more than happy to play along with the humorous melee. "Oh, well, I suppose it can't be helped."

He tried to keep his face placid and open, but he could not resist the itch any longer. He laughed, over and over again, until hot tears burned their way down his aching cheeks, the sensation intensified by the sound of booming laughter from guests at other tables, who could not even have heard what had caused this merriment.

Could any place be better than this? he wondered. As he eyed the hysterical groups of people sitting around the restaurant, he knew the answer. All of these people were good, worthy souls, with whom he felt an unaccustomed spirit of community.

He rose to his feet. "The drinks are on me, everybody!" he shouted, his heart almost bursting with fullness. "All day!"

The raucous chorus of appreciative cheers that greeted this announcement filled Grimm's heart. The shade of Magemaster Crohn seemed to hover over him, wagging a censorious finger, but he dismissed the vision with a single effort of will. He felt determined to savour his momentary popularity to the full.

"Drink! Drink! Drink!" he shouted, dancing like a pagan festival spirit. "It's all on me!"

****

Thribble, sitting in the Questor's pocket, felt a horrified stab of lightning run through him at his human friend's bizarre and uncharacteristic behaviour. Despite Grimm's protestations, he knew that the mage must be possessed by some sort of compulsion. This was not the young mortal he had come to know and respect. While all around him guffawed and cackled, the demon slid to the ground, using Grimm's robe as a break-fall. This man, Keller, seemed to be a dangerous influence, and the imp decided to follow the Pit-master as he walked away with a strange smile on his face.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 29: Training

Keller led Tordun to the Pit and opened the large double doors with an ornate key. The silence of the auditorium, in contrast to the raucous clamour of the previous night, struck the albino as eerie, and he shivered. The stadium seemed, somehow, more than empty. It felt almost as if some negative, spectral presence was waiting to suck the energy out of him.

"Spooky, isn't it?" Keller said, as if divining the pale swordsman's thoughts. "I work here every day, and I still notice it. A place like this should be full of living, breathing bodies to give it life.

"Down here," the Pit manager continued, opening a door to a descending stone staircase, with treads bearing the semicircular evidence of years, if not decades, of regular wear from the passage of hundreds of feet.

At the bottom of the staircase, Tordun and Keller stepped into a large, well-lit square area, with an opening at each face.

"This is the fighters' area, Tordun. We have everything they need: a refectory, a relaxation area, a fully-equipped surgery… everything a fighting man needs to stay at the peak of physical perfection."

Keller pointed to the left-hand opening. "Quarters and social facilities are through there," he said. "To the right are the medical facilities and the administration block. I'll give you a more detailed tour later, but let's tackle first things first."

The Pit-man led Tordun through the far opening, into a corridor with many doors, giving a brief description of what lay behind each one as they passed. "Sauna, massage area, baths, relaxation area…"

"You take good care of your warriors." Tordun felt impressed at the comprehensive range of facilities.

Keller nodded. "We have a considerable investment in each of our men, and it's only good business practice to protect that investment. A pampered fighter is a good fighter.

"Oh, the gym's right through here."

Keller opened a door to his left and led Tordun into a maelstrom of activity.

The albino felt awash in a mass of sensory impressions: the rhythmic, grunting sounds of men hoisting weights above their heads; the acrid scent of perspiration; the expressions of grim determination on the faces of the fighters as they trained.

"What do you think of our training facilities?" Keller asked, his tone tinged with the smug satisfaction of one who knows what the answer to his question must be.

Tordun looked back on his career as a professional pugilist, and his own training. Endless hours of punching sacks of grain, long, hard runs and repetitive lifting of anvils could not begin to compare with this glittering array of metal equipment. He saw sinews stretched to the limit through taut, pink, sweaty skin; gritted teeth and bulging eyes, accompanied by the metronomic rise and fall of weights suspended from wire ropes. A group of men arranged in a circle passed a large, heavy-looking ball from one to the other at great speed, while others punched bulging, suspended canvas bags. The albino saw pieces of equipment whose function he could not even begin to fathom, but every item of apparatus was in use.

Tordun heard not the least sound of complaint or dissension as the fighters put themselves through a gruelling series of exercises, and he could not help but be impressed.

"Magnificent," he breathed. "I have never seen such a dedicated group of men."

"You will find none," Keller declared. "We make sure that our men are the best-trained fighters around."

Tordun noted a fair proportion of the full range of fit masculine body types in the gymnasium. Swift, lithe, featherweights trained alongside slower, heavily-muscled bruisers, and he saw every type of build in between. To his approval, he saw that there seemed to be the full gamut of races and skin colours, too: black, white, yellow, green, elf, human, dwarf…

Here was a microcosm of the whole spectrum of sentient beings, side by side in what appeared to be a spirit of harmony and co-operation. Each fighter, regardless of his race or size, appeared to share at least two attributes with his fellows: his utter dedication to his craft, and his superb physical condition. Each man was a paragon of bodily perfection: a sculpture made flesh.

As he looked closer, the albino noted that many of the men wore golden, jewel-encrusted circlets around their necks, and he asked Keller of the significance of these gaudy adornments.

"The torcs are a badge of rank," the Pit-master said. "All our fighters are dedicated to the pursuit of physical excellence, but the circlet denotes a man who stands above his fellows in dedication, determination and success in the Pit. Your old friend, Shugar, is such a man, of course. If you'll wait a few moments, I think he's coming to the end of his exercises."

Tordun followed Keller's pointing finger, and recognised his erstwhile opponent amongst the mass of straining, struggling bodies. Shugar pushed himself through a gruelling series of sit-ups, his feet locked under a metal bar and his hands clasped behind his head. It seemed as if the muscular titan would never stop, but, at last, Shugar ceased his struggling with a deep sigh.

Keller led the albino through the mass of writhing bodies to stand alongside the fighter. Leaping to his feet, his face red and sweaty, the fighter grabbed a towel from beside him and wiped the perspiration from his brow. Only after attending to this task did he seem to become aware of the presence of Keller and Tordun.

"Shugar, I've brought an old friend of yours," the Pit-master shouted over the tumultuous noises of exertion filling the gymnasium. "He's come to pay his respects."

Shugar stood for a few moments, his eyes scanning the albino, before he responded. "Tordun, isn't it? What in the Names are you doing here? Don't tell me they've…"

The fighter appeared to suffer a small fit, twitching and grunting, as Tordun looked on in perplexity.

"It can only be over-training!" The Pit-master sighed. "I do try to tell the fighters, but they're so keen to excel.

"Shugar, why don't we all go to the recuperation lounge? I think you need to relax for a while. Sometimes I think you're too hard on yourself. Come on."

As Keller led the giant man from the gymnasium, Tordun could have sworn that the fighter was trying to tell him something, but he heard only inarticulate, tremulous sounds from Shugar's distorted mouth.

"Is Shugar all right, Keller?" Tordun felt deep concern for the man's well-being. He knew that he should offer to lend a hand, but a primordial fear of madness and seizures stayed him.

Keller grunted as he supported the twitching warrior's bulk in one arm and flung open a door with the other. "He'll be as right as rain in a moment," he said, through clenched teeth, almost throwing Shugar into a well-upholstered leather chair in a small room.

"Make yourself comfortable," he said, as if such a spectacle was a common occurrence. "We do see this on occasion, but there's really no need to worry."

Tordun eased himself into a chair, but he could not relax at the sight of the thrashing, tormented vision before him. At last, with a gasp, Shugar slumped back in his chair.

"There, that's better, isn't it?" Keller said, with what Tordun considered a bizarrely inappropriate smile.

"Sorry about that, Keller," the fighter said in a dull voice. "I guess I've just been training too hard. I'll survive." His face, once purple and anguished, began to relax and return to a more normal colour.

Keller's face brightened. "That's the spirit, Shugar! Now, what do you have to say to your old friend, Tordun?"

"Hello, Tordun," the sweaty pugilist grunted. "You're looking well."

"You, too," Tordun said, although he thought that Shugar looked more like a re-animated corpse than a healthy man.

From the corner of his eye, the albino saw Keller rubbing his nose and nodding, his face placid and almost amused. Tordun took a deep breath, feeling as if his worries were floating away on the breeze.

Everything will be all right, he felt sure. It's a strange sensation, but not an unpleasant one. Everything will be all right. Just being in the presence of my former opponent seems to stir his blood and heighten his awareness.

"Good to see you again, Shugar," Tordun continued in a boisterous, cheerful tone. "I'm glad to see you've recovered from that last beating I handed out."

The fighter sat upright. "You were lucky, Tordun. I was just getting the better of you when I slipped in the ring."

"I had you beaten from the start." The albino tried to keep his voice neutral and friendly; however, for some reason, he felt his heartbeat accelerating and the blood pounding in his arteries. "Face it, man, you were just outclassed."

"Outclassed!" Shugar leapt to his feet. "I could take you any time, you pasty, half-baked excuse for a warrior! Try me again, and you'll know just what humiliation is! Fight me tonight, if you've got the guts, and I'll give you a lesson you'll never forget!"

Tordun found himself on his feet, although he could not remember standing. Bile boiled up within him at Shugar's insults, and prepared himself to launch a bristling tirade at the man. Something at the back of his mind recognised the dull, mechanical tone of the man's voice, but the imperative of the hormones surging within him would not be denied.

So I'm a pasty, half-baked excuse for a warrior, am I? Tordun felt intoxicated by the torrent of blood that sang in his ears. I could beat you with one arm tied behind my back! You're dead meat!

"Tonight, you say?" he snarled, feeling his face contorting and twisting in anger. "You're…"

The word 'on' perched on the tip of his tongue, waiting to be released, and the albino realised that he had been about to make the worst mistake a fighter could make: responding to his emotions alone, unrestrained by his thought processes.

You have a job to do, Tordun. You must maintain control of yourself. Remember: a fighter uses his emotions; they do not use him!

Any successful fighter knew when to bring emotions into play, and when to veto their insistent demands. Tordun was one of the best, and he pushed hate, anger and outrage into a mental prison deep inside his brain. Since he had been able to do this since his callow youth, he felt surprise at the considerable effort it cost him.

Tordun's heart pounded. "No, I won't fight you, Shugar. Not now, not ever. You had your chance at my title, and you lost. Get used to it.

"I think I'll leave now," he said, turning to face Keller. "That was a nice try, but I told you: I've retired from the ring. Goodbye, Shugar, and good luck in your future fights. I'll be there to cheer you on tonight, but no more than that. Thank you, Keller. I think I will go back to my companions now."

Tordun imagined that he saw the ghost of a satisfied smile on Shugar's face, but he could not be sure. He took another deep breath, and began to relax again. There could be nothing sinister here. It was a common enough ploy to goad another fighter into reaction rather than action, with insults and innuendo, and he could not blame Shugar for trying.

"Of course, Tordun." The Pit-master rolled his eyes and nodded. "I tried my best, but I'll acknowledge defeat. I respect your decision, and I congratulate you on your mental fortitude. However, perhaps you'd do us the honour of wearing one of our torcs of honour, anyway? As I told you, they're reserved for the best fighters and, although you've chosen not to fight in the Pit, you're a well-known and respected fighter. It would mean a lot to the Pit boys and me if you'd wear our emblem at least for one night."

Keller placed a torc in the pale warrior's hand. Tordun admired the workmanship and the clarity of the jewels. It was certainly a handsome enough gewgaw, and he felt a frisson of pride at the honour the Pit-master offered him. The weighty, open circlet looked like a pair of bull's horns, the traditional offering made to a victorious bullfighter. Tordun might dress like a monk on most occasions, but that was for the sake of utility in combat. The golden torc beguiled him, tempted him…

The albino cast a furtive glance at Shugar and saw the scarred warrior's face contort in a fierce, wide-eyed grimace. Was it an expression of disgust, hatred, or fear?

Tordun was an expert in the art of divining an opponent's intended actions from the subtlest of cues revealed by the fighter's pose or movements. However, he had never managed to master the reading of complex facial impressions. He guessed that Shugar felt affronted at the idea of such a generous offer being made to a Pit tyro.

His misgivings growing, he turned back to Keller, trying to think of a rational excuse to refuse the offer. "Well, I suppose it'd be churlish of me to refuse," he found himself saying. "Thank you."

Shugar began to thrash in his seat again, as another of his strange seizures took hold of him, and Tordun regarded the warrior with anxiety.

"Are you sure he's all right, Keller? This can't be normal."

"It's just a touch of heat prostration brought on by overtraining," the Pit-master said, his voice mellifluous and serene. "Don't worry about it. Go ahead; put on the circlet. It'll look splendid on you."

Something about Keller's urgent stance, the tenseness of his body, appeared at odds with the honeyed words, and now loud alarm bells seemed to sound in Tordun's head, although he still did not know why.

Why is Keller so keen for me to wear this?

The thought was swift, but the albino's body started to react before he could command his hands to stop. In less than the space of a heartbeat, the torc was clipped around his neck.

"It looks good on you, Tordun," Keller declared, as Shugar slumped back into passivity in his chair. "You'll be a credit to the Pit."

"As long as you understand that I'm not fighting for you," Tordun said, fiddling with the circlet. Despite the appearance and weight of soft gold, the torc seemed as strong as the finest steel. He now felt distinctly uneasy, and the Pit-master's now-sinister smile unnerved him.

"It's a bit tight, Keller, and it prickles," Tordun said. "So I think I'll leave it off until tonight, if you don't mind. How do I remove it?"

"You can't." Keller's voice no longer sounded as warm, friendly, and deferent as it had.

"I'm not playing games here, Keller!" Tordun abandoned all pretence of friendliness. "Get it off me, or you'll be sorry!" The giant warrior strode towards the Pit-master, his left hand clenched and ready to strike.

"That's far enough, Tordun," Keller said, reaching into his pocket.

The pale giant gasped and stopped in his tracks. He felt as if flames were consuming his spinal column and bursting through his brain, consuming his eyeballs from behind. For some reason, his arms and legs no longer obeyed his commands, and he realised, too late, what Shugar had been trying to tell him.

"Direct neural stimulation," Keller said, in a conversational manner. "I'm told it can be quite painful. That's Level One. Perhaps you'd like to try Level Two?"

Tordun struggled to control his voice. "I'll… kill… you," he gasped, managing to stagger another couple of steps towards the Pit-master.

"You would like to try Level Two?" Keller said, in a cheerful voice. "I knew you would. Here it comes."

The albino felt as if his limbs had turned into long trailing tunnels of fire, spreading and branching like a rabbit-warren, splitting off into a myriad of tendrils of pure, unalloyed pain. Panic fear gripped him as he felt his eyes bulging, as if they would burst. His mind seemed to shatter into countless fragments of pain and fear, and he lost all control of his body. He felt a warm sensation at his groin as his bladder voided itself, but any sense of shame was consumed by the overwhelming pain.

The agony continued, intensified, and Tordun heard a long, thready scream somewhere in the distance. The tiny knot of consciousness he retained knew nothing more than the primordial need to survive.

At last, his body was free of pain, and Tordun found himself lying on the floor of the room, curled up in a tight ball. To his disgust, he smelt the acrid odour of vomit, tasted the vestiges of bile in his dry mouth. Several minutes passed before he could speak.

"All right, Keller. You win. I'll fight for you tonight," he growled, his voice scratchy and hoarse. "Just remember that I have friends here. They're not likely to stand by while you turn me into some sort of flesh-and-blood marionette."

The Pit-master laughed. "After tonight, they'll be too busy experiencing the delights of their own collars," he said. "They won't be able to help you, even if they wanted to. And we haven't even started yet, my monstrous friend. That was Level Two, and the collar goes all the way up to Level Eight. Every one's different, each with its own distinct character. And each level's worse than the one before. It'd be a pity to waste all that extra capacity. At some point, probably Level Five or Six, you'll find that it doesn't hurt any more, and you'll begin to love me."

"In your dreams, Keller," Tordun snarled. "I'll see you in hell first."

"Do you know the beauty of it, Tordun?" Keller ignored the albino's defiance. "All that pain is in your mind. It doesn't strain your body at all. When you finally come to your senses, you'll willingly agree to fight just to please me, and you'll be as fit and strong as ever. The Pit's flooded with pheromones that ensure every fighter gives everything he's got.

"The beauty of it all is that we still have hours to go before tonight's bouts. I can show you the full range of this pretty little bauble's wonders."

Keller turned towards Shugar. "You tried to warn him, didn't you? That'll cost you dearly, I can assure you. You can join your friend, Tordun, in his exercises.

"Right, shall we try Level Three? That's the spirit! Here we go…"

Tordun's intended, defiant insult was subsumed by a howl of agony, as a pain beyond description deprived him of the power of speech.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 30: Clarity

Grimm and his companions spent a cheerful day in the Mansion House bar. Grimm and Guy stood by, ready to dispense the necessary sobering magic when spirits rose too high. The bartender appeared whenever one of the drinkers put down an empty glass or tankard, filling it without prompting, so the two magic-users remained busy.

Harvel insisted he could handle his drink well enough, but the young Questor reminded him that they were not on a pleasure outing.

"Can't be helped, I'm afraid, Harvel. We have a mission to fulfil." The purpose of the Quest was already growing dim in Grimm's mind, but a strong spark remained: this Quest wasn't just for Dominie Horin or even Prelate Thorn; his besmirched family name was at stake, and that thought would not surrender to the drink.

With a sigh, the inebriated swordsman grasped Redeemer, and his voice lost its manic edge.

Grimm tried not to drink too much, wishing to keep his head clear. Nonetheless, even with the effects of the alcohol in his bloodstream damped down by Redeemer, he still felt cheerful; there just seemed to be something about this place…

"I wonder what's keeping Tordun," General Quelgrum said, raising his glass to his lips and taking a robust swallow of the finest brandy. "He's been away for hours." The soldier glanced at the handsome pendulum clock above the bar. "It's getting near Pit time, and I, for one, don't want to miss it. Especially since we're getting grandstand seats."

"Don't worry about Tordun, General. He's probably giving out pointers on proper fighting conduct," Crest suggested. "He's a bit of a legend around these parts, having been heavyweight champion of Gallorley for seven years. It's only a few miles from here, just the other side of Preslor."

"I'd have thought he'd have been yesterday's news by now," Guy said, and a spirited discussion began. Grimm, however, did not take part, as a thought took hold of him.

Preslor… Isn't that where Madar lived as a child?

With a guilty start, Grimm realised he had spared his old Scholasticate friends, Madar Gaheela and Argand Forutia, barely a single thought since becoming a Questor. They had fought together, played together and laughed together. Only their unflagging friendship and support had made his tenure as a Student at Arnor House bearable.

Here am I, laughing and joking in the lap of luxury, and Madar and Argand are slaving away over turgid books in the bloody Scholasticate, he thought. I've been back to the House several times since my Acclamation, and I only tried to look them up once!

A cold shock of realisation descended like a sheet of rain, washing the dust from his brain. For the first time since his Arrival at Mansion House, his mind was clear.

Something Madar had said long ago seemed to reverberate in his head: "It was purgatory going back home at the end of last term, Grimm. They don't like mages around there; they don't even like Guild Students. Preslor, Gallorley, Yoren; they're all the same. I was almost glad to come back."

Crest had confirmed Madar's words back in Grimm's tower: "So when I tell you even we Drutians steer clear of Yoren, you'd better believe that we know what we're talking about. Seventh Rank Mage or not, they'd eat you for breakfast."

And yet Grimm, Guy and Numal had been accepted into Mansion House without a second glance. Something was wrong here. He had told himself he had been paranoid for suspecting some of the Yorenians of staring just a little too long at his Guild ring; now, he was not so sure. There was also the matter of the gate watchman's strange, sinister immunity to Guy's Compulsion spell, which everybody seemed to have forgotten.

Thribble had mentioned his own concerns about Grimm's behaviour, but the mage had just brushed aside the demon's doubts. He knew, beyond a shadow of doubt, that he and his friends were under no spell, either Thaumaturgic or Geomantic, and that they had not been drugged. Nonetheless, he had to acknowledge that his behaviour, and that of his companions, had been, to say the least, quixotic, ever since they had entered Mansion House.

You need to lighten up, Grimm, boy, a voice said in his head. Go on; have another drink. Enjoy it this time. Don't bother with Redeemer.

Shrugging, Grimm raised his tankard to his lips, and made ready to down it at a gulp.

No, damn it! his forebrain screamed. Look at their auras first!

The ruddy, foaming beverage before the Questor tempted him, but it would take only a moment to engage his Mage Sight.

Although Guild protocol considered it the height of ill manners to scan a person's aura without first asking permission, the suspicion of pernicious sorcery would not leave him. It nagged him like a small hole in a tooth, which, to a questing tongue, felt as large as a cavern.

He must learn the truth, at all costs!

What his Mage Sight showed him shocked him to the core. Waves of cheerful orange flowed over the auras of his companions, swamping all other emotions. He concentrated his Sight on the melancholy, timid Numal, now as spirited a debater as the others. The invasive, orange tide seemed to ebb and flow in a complex rhythm and it took Grimm a little while to realise the source of this regularity.

Then, it hit him, like a dazzling flash of light illuminating the inner recesses of his mind; the wave synchronised precisely with the Necromancer's breathing: strongest on each inhalation, then declining steadily until the next breath.

Grimm tested this theory on himself; sure enough, his mutinous inner voice seemed most insistent when he inhaled. He held his breath as long as he could, and his rational mind began to regain control of his thought processes.

"What are you playing at, Grimm?" Guy's loud, boisterous voice interrupted the Questor's intense reverie. "Holding your breath? Well, I'll bet I can hold my breath a lot longer than you can."

"I bet you can't," Grimm said, breathing through his mouth, trying to keep his air intake to a minimum. "I'll bet you two golds you can't." He slapped two heavy coins onto the bar, which were soon matched by a pair from Guy's purse.

"I'm in," Quelgrum said, swiftly covering the wager.

Soon, the mahogany top of the bar was covered in gold. Grimm, despite his efforts to keep his mind stable, felt his rationality starting to slip as his body exerted its imperative demands for life-sustaining oxygen, overriding his conscious control. He must act, without delay!

"Guy, Numal, use your Mage Sight, to ensure there's no cheating. Winner takes all. A deep breath, now. Go!"

All five of his companions inhaled in unison, and Grimm saw Guy's and Numal's eyes widen. With luck, they had seen the same bizarre anomaly he had, and the Questor gestured with his eyebrows, indicating that the mages should continue to hold their breath.

Twenty seconds passed. Quelgrum blinked, and the young Questor thought he saw a glimmer of rationality in the General's eyes.

After thirty-five seconds, Crest's expression became confused, and he opened his mouth. Grimm shook his head, his eyes blazing. The half-elf closed his lips again.

Harvel was the last to react. The inane smile departed from his lips, and the swordsman's face slumped into an expression of baffled concern.

Grimm knew he had made his point, but what to do? No man could hold his breath forever. Already, he was beginning to feel his lungs burning, threatening to rebel.

"We're getting out of here," Guy gasped, with the last dregs of his breath. "Now!"

The six men rose as one and headed for the door, still resisting the urge to inhale, their faces purpling with the effort.

"You haven't paid your bar bill, gentlemen," the bartender called, and Grimm flapped a hand at the pile of money on the counter. He saw a flunky, moving in to intercept the group. He pretended to stumble, shouldering the man aside in the process. At last, the group gained the grounds of the Mansion House and breathed in the sweet, untainted air.

Whatever evil influence resided within the House, it doesn't seem to extend outside the building, Grimm thought, as he pulled in lungful after lungful of the blessedly clean atmosphere. His mind remained unaffected.

"You'll catch your death out here, gentlemen," the servant who had followed the group outside pleaded, wringing his hands. "Please come back inside; your next two rounds will be free."

"We wouldn't miss it for the world," the quick-thinking Quelgrum said, favouring the footman with a beaming smile. "This is a lovely place, we just want to clear our heads after all that drinking."

"It's not healthy out there, sirs. Please come back in!"

"Let me just explain something." The General stepped closer to the young footman. Without warning, the soldier stabbed two stiff fingers under the servant's breastbone. The flunky's eyes bulged, and he slumped; he would have fallen, but Quelgrum caught him in a crooked arm.

"That's torn it," Crest said. "What do we do now? We can't go back inside."

"Well, at least we know there's something funny going on in there," Harvel replied. "But I feel naked without a blade. What do we do?"

"Oh, my! The barman's coming out," Numal said, back to his old, nervous self.

Whereas the footman had been a youthful, slender stripling, the barman looked like the unlikely progeny of a beer-barrel and an angry she-bear. He stood well over six feet in height, and his shoulders seemed almost as broad. The bartender might be a little corpulent, but Grimm could tell that plenty of muscle lay beneath the layers of blubber.

"Now, what's going on here?" the barman demanded. "If you think twelve gold pieces are going to cover your bar bill, you've got another think coming! Come back inside, and we'll discuss it. I may be able to make a discount in your case…"

The barrel-shaped man's eyes widened as he saw the unconscious doorman nestled in Quelgrum's left arm. "What's happened to Challer, here?"

"I'll handle this, granddad," Guy muttered to Numal, compressing his mouth into a grim, humourless slit and striding towards the steward. He babbled in his personal magic tongue, following the chant with the clear word, "Sleep!"

The still-standing barman shouted, "You needn't try any of your foul Guild mind-magic with me! I'll call the-"

Guy cursed under his breath. Instead of trying another spell, he whipped Nemesis around in a blurring arc, catching the portly man on the left temple. Grimm heard a sickening crack, and the bartender fell like an overbalanced pencil.

"Lovely," the older mage said, with a satisfied smile, turning a single syllable into three. This time, his cheerful expression seemed genuine and unforced. "I enjoyed that."

"Is he dead?" Numal asked, his face pale.

"Who cares, old man?" Guy's expression resembled that of a cream-sated cat.

The concept of a Necromancer being scared at the prospect of a dead body struck Grimm as intensely amusing, and he burst into laughter.

"Don't worry; this is just me laughing," he said, between a pair of paroxysms. With some effort, he regained control, mastering the hysteria that threatened to overwhelm him.

"I'm sorry about that," he said to nobody in particular. "I'm just relieved to be out of that… whatever it is."

"I think I know what it is," Quelgrum said. All heads turned to face the old soldier, who still cradled the unconscious Challer. The General lowered the slender man onto the greensward at his side.

"Well, don't just keep us in suspense, General!" Harvel cried. "Tell us what it is, and what we can do against it!"

"I believe you've met Administrator Armitage from Haven Station, Lord Baron?"

Grimm nodded, suppressing a shiver at his memories of his travails within Armitage's steel fortress in the Shest Mountains.

"Well, once Armitage told me he had experimented with the control of malcontents by what he called 'pheromones'. They're perfectly natural substances, and we all have them. I don't fully understand it myself, but they influence the way we feel and act. I think they're spewing them into the air in Mansion House. We're pulling them into our bodies with every breath.

"I think they have similar substance in the Pit, to turn us all into bloodthirsty maniacs, and to make us bet all our money. Whatever it is, the air holds the key. Thank you, Questor Grimm, for showing us the way. I should have realised, when my serious doubts began to fade away for no reason. Thank you for saving me from myself."

The young mage heard a chorus of thanks from the other members of the party, and felt almost embarrassed at the sincerity of the responses.

Even the acerbic, sardonic Questor Guy chose to speak: "I'd probably have spotted it myself before long, youngster, but thanks, anyway."

The remark seemed to the young mage like pure Guy, and he felt much happier after hearing it. "Right, gentlemen; what do we do now?" he said, confident that his thoughts were once more his own. It was time to put this Quest back on track! "Come on, fellows! We still haven't seen Chudel, and Tordun may be in danger. What's the betting they've persuaded him to fight for them?"

"Tordun in danger?" Crest said. "With all due respect, Questor Grimm, I think the man can take care of himself, even if he's addled out of his mind by some sort of chemical influence. He's a big boy now. Better think how we can take care of ourselves in there, without weapons."

"Crest's right," Guy said. "Forget about Tordun for the moment. How do we avoid the effects of these damned pheromone things?"

"What about this Chudel fellow?" Harvel demanded. "Come on, mage, you were the one who said it: we've got a mission to fulfil. What do we do?"

Grimm rubbed his brow, feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. For the first time, he realised-truly realised-the meaning of authority. For the first time in his life, he knew he could look to nobody else to make a decision for him; even Quelgrum stood silent, looking to him for guidance. This was his call, and his alone.

The young man felt small, incapable and helpless for a few moments. He felt horrified that all these older, more experienced men sought his guidance, but he knew he must be strong, even if he had no idea of how to proceed.

Quelgrum told you what to do, back in Crar! he reminded himself. "Don't try to do everything; delegate what you can't do!" Guy is just waiting for you to make a fool of yourself; don't give him the satisfaction of floundering.

He felt the first stirrings of a plan in his mind, and smiled.

"Right, everybody, pay attention!" he said, unconsciously mimicking Quelgrum's military style. Even if the General noticed this, he did not betray the fact in his face.

"Going back inside Mansion House will soon turn us into smiling idiots; we know that. On the other hand, the Pit will be opening soon. Tordun is probably in there, so that's where we'll go." It sounded so simple to Grimm, almost idiotic in its simplicity; but it was a plan of sorts.

"And just how are we supposed to control ourselves in there?" Guy's tone was as sour as it ever had been. "They've got these bloody pheromone things in the air there, as well as in the main house."

Grimm yearned for Quelgrum to interrupt with some Technological insight or advice, but the General did not speak. The Questor cleared his throat, trying to buy a little time for thought.

This stratagem did not work; his mind seemed no clearer, and all eyes were still fixed upon him. It felt as if it were time to say something; anything…

"Mansion House makes us happy, and the Pit makes us angry and overconfident," he said at last. "I'm hoping we can turn those feelings to our advantage." The young mage wished he felt more confident about his hastily-assembled half-theory as the other members of the group stared at him.

"They're going to be looking for us," he continued, sure of this fact, at least. "They expect us to be at the Pit tonight, so they can spring some sort of surprise on us. We'll be there, but ready for action."

He began to realise he was enjoying this. "If they want a 'fight', they've got one!" he cried. "We're not going to stand in line, like good little boys; we're going to barge in with full force. All right; I know there are no swords or daggers, but use your imagination. Punches, knee-thrusts into the groin, head-butts, anything! Don't worry about the really big fellows; Questor Guy and I will take care of them."

"Thank you so much, Brother Mage," Guy muttered. "What about these wonderful magical wards they seem to have?"

"Don't worry, Questor Guy!" Grimm crowed, borne on a natural wave of emotion that owed nothing to pheromones. "They certainly don't seem immune to a Mage Staff, and the only spells we've tried on them so far are Compulsions: other magic may prove more effective.

"We have three Mage Staves between us, and two of us have more lethal spells in our armouries than mere Compulsions. From what the barman said, I get the feeling they think mind-magic is our limit; they won't know what hit them! Stand by; the Pit'll be opening soon.

"Don't worry: judgement is at hand!"

Guy shrugged and rolled his eyes, while Crest and Numal gave feeble cheers, even if their manner was a little florid.

"Not bad, I suppose," Quelgrum drawled to Grimm, out of the hearing of the other men. "You could always have said 'Glory or Destiny awaits;' that's always a good one."

"I have no idea how this works, General," Grimm, muttered, his cheeks white with suppressed anger and embarrassment, "but I'm doing the best I can."

The old soldier smiled and spread his hands wide. "I'm only jesting, Lord Baron; I'm with you. The best form of defence is attack; that's the oldest dictum of war I know. We're unprepared; we're nervous, and we're angry, and you're still trying to be the charismatic commander. Trust me: it doesn't suit you right now, although it may work better later on. A simple 'let's go' works better in just about all cases."

In a louder voice, the General said, "I'm with you, Lord Grimm. Let's go!" As Quelgrum had said, this motivated the men better than pompous rhetoric.

As one man, they surged towards the milling crowd in front of the Pit doors. Grimm felt unsure of what the outcome might be. He realised that the team had moved outside their mandate by risking the outcome of the Quest, just to save one man who might be in no danger.

Mr. Chudel might flee from the destruction of the Pit, and Grimm's group might never learn where Lizaveta had gone. However, the Questor did not care. He was not acting for honour, for the poor, duped souls who trooped here every night, or even for the Guild, but for Grimm Afelnor. He wanted destruction; he wanted revenge for having been turned into a smiling fool.

And, by the Names, he would have it.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 31: "Let's Raise The Roof!"

A large group of fight-lovers had already begun to assemble outside the Pit, but the young mage felt in no mood to wait in line; he eyed the heavy, oak doors, with a view to affecting a simpler, more expedient method of entry. He still harboured worries about the ever-present pheromones in the building's atmosphere, but he kept these doubts to himself.

I think a little ventilation would be just the thing, Grimm thought, assessing the building's destructibility. Although the walls of the Pit were constructed of solid, unyielding stone, the mage guessed the high, domed roof was suspended by timber alone. He remembered the previous night's revelries, when the invisible Master of Ceremonies had exhorted the audience to cheer, as he introduced a pair of combatants: "Ladeez 'n' gennelmen, let's really raise the roof for the next two fighters!"

If they want the roof razed, who am I to argue? An open-air spectacle will be just the thing!

He saw a pair of figures running towards them. He recognised the more slender of the two men as Keller, but he could not identify the Pit-master's scarred, bulky companion.

"Ah, gentlemen, I was afraid we'd lost you," Keller said, wheezing a little. Although the bald man seemed nonchalant, his trembling hands betokened nervousness. "I see you couldn't wait any longer. Of course, we don't normally open up for another hour or so, but I'm sure we can make an exception for our most honoured guests…"

"Thank you very much for your kind offer, Keller," Guy drawled, continuing to stride towards the dark grey edifice. "We would greatly prefer to affect our own entry, if you have no objection."

Keller's broad smile now seemed a little strained, his brows knitted in incomprehension as he trotted beside the Questor. The Pit-master appeared quite ludicrous, making small, hopping movements in an attempt to keep up. Grimm relished the slender man's apparent bafflement, noting that Guy had used Mage Speech for the first time since the group had arrived at Mansion House; this meant that serious business was at hand.

"I don't understand. What do you mean by 'affecting your own entry', Guy?"

"To you, worm, I am 'Questor Guy,'" the mage snapped. "Your foul deception is discovered, so you may abandon all pretence of amicability. This is your last exposition, Keller. The show is over."

Grimm saw the Pit-master's face turn from pink to white in a few seconds, as if sick realisation had began to sink into his brain. Guy raised his staff, ready to strike, and the younger Questor felt a shock of alarm; only the Pit-master might be able to guide the group through the intricacies of the Technological maze that might await them.

"Wait, Guy, we need-"

The scarred man chose that moment to leap towards Guy, before the mage could land his blow. In a moment, Keller's scarred companion, moving faster than seemed possible for such a large man, snapped a gaudy ring around the Questor's neck. In shock, Guy dropped his staff and clutched at the lustrous ring, trying in vain to remove it.

Keller retreated, reaching a hand into his pocket, and Guy fell to the ground, thrashing and flailing in the throes of some kind of seizure.

Grimm swung Redeemer in a wide arc at the larger assailant, but the muscle-bound man danced away, out of range of the staff.

"Nice try, Guild filth," he spat.

Harvel rushed in, and the muscular man swung a blurring haymaker that landed flush on the point of the swordsman's chin. Harvel collapsed as if pole-axed, and the warrior turned at once on the advancing Quelgrum, who wore a grim smile on his lips.

"I believe this is my dance," the older man hissed, and the two fighters began to circle each other, each waiting for an opening.

As Keller raced towards the sanctuary of the Pit building, Grimm readied a spell to launch at the fighter. His concentration was interrupted by Crest's urgent call: "Questor Grimm! We've got company!"

The elf had not lied. Grimm saw six, green-clad man rushing towards the diminished party, Technological projectile weapons at the ready, and swore. Guy and Harvel were hors-de-combat; Quelgrum was engaged with the muscular fighter; Crest was weaponless, and Numal had no offensive magic save his staff. What had seemed to be a simple manner had turned into a debacle.

The Questor shouted, "Stand behind me! They can't hurt me!"

He faced the sentries as Crest and Numal obeyed his curt command. One of the guards raised his weapon, fired and fell in an instant, as Grimm's borrowed Charm of Reversal did its work, sending the invisible projectile back to its origin. The young mage first saw the value of such a charm when he borrowed Xylox's periapt in the depths of Haven.

The green-clad warriors fell back in disarray, and Grimm felt a shiver of satisfaction run through him. He drew his power into a taut, neat skein of fibres of force, and pointed at the group of soldiers.

"Sk'k'kaatema!"

The mage felt the energy leaping from his brain, running in a thrilling stream along the nerves of his extended arm until it erupted from the tip of his right index finger.

Nothing happened, but Grimm did not expect any immediate reaction. He knew the spell had taken hold, literally, of two of the men.

The Questor grunted as he clasped his right hand into a fist and thrust it skywards. With shouts and screams of dismay, the sentries flew up into the air, spilling equipment from their pockets as they tumbled upwards, with arms and legs flailing.

Remembering a phrase he had heard from Foster, the Haven pilot, Grimm muttered, "Happy landings, gentlemen," and he released his hold on the hapless soldiers.

From forty feet in the air the two men fell, accelerating as they plummeted. Their screams were cut off by a pair of sickening thuds that blended into one. Grimm had no doubt at all that they were dead.

The horrified expressions on the survivors' faces reminded Grimm of the two bullies, Shumal and Ruvin, when he had felt the first, uncontrolled stirrings of vengeful, destructive, Questor energy within him at Arnor House. As he watched the remaining green-clothed men fleeing in complete disorder, he realised that he was ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times more dangerous than he had been at his power's first, undisciplined awakening. By attempting to enslave him, they had not just insulted Grimm Dragonblaster, but his House, his Guild and his name.

They would pay: the Questor would not rest until this abominable establishment had been reduced to its very foundations!

Grimm turned towards Quelgrum and his burly opponent. Neither man's face was unblemished, but the mage could see the General's opponent's youth and greater bulk were beginning to tell. Quelgrum might have a lifetime of fighting experience on which to draw, but the younger man had the advantages of strength, speed and faster reflexes. Quelgrum had sat behind a desk for too long, and he was breathing hard.

Grimm tried to close with the fighters as they weaved around each other, but the younger warrior seemed cunning as well as swift. Somehow, no matter how the mage tried to find the right position, he always found Quelgrum in his way, and Grimm guessed this was no accident. He could not launch an offensive spell against his intended target without hitting the General.

What to do?

His thoughts blurred as he considered alternatives.

A ward like the one Dalquist used in Crar, when we finally beat Starmor?

That would be of no use; the men were moving too quickly for him to be able to place the spell with any accuracy. He had no idea what would happen if the ward manifested with one of its walls inside the General's body, but the outcome would surely be bad.

A spell of Telekinesis?

If the mage could be sure of selecting only one target, it would be easy; he could let the General float gently to the ground, or dash his opponent into the soil. Nonetheless, he could not be sure of this.

A Word of Command, perhaps?

No; these people seemed somehow protected from such mental magic. What would affect the warrior, and not the General?

"You do not need a spell for this, a spell for that, and one for the third Wednesday in June! You are a Questor, not a Reader!" Magemaster Crohn's words, uttered, it seemed, an age ago, flooded into the mage's mind.

It was not easy to disregard the strictly-defined categories of common, runic magic, which was drummed into each and every Student from the age of seven, but Grimm knew he had to try. Three blows from the scarred warrior landed uncontested, and Quelgrum staggered, blood streaming from his brows and lips. The General might well die if such punishment continued.

A flash of understanding rushed through the mage. He had been considering mighty, overpowering spells, but these had proved impracticable. Something simpler was the key. The mage remembered the calming effects of the pheromones inside the Mansion House, and recalled his exact state of mind when the insidious substances had taken effect.

"Igg'youah!"

This was no fulminating burst of energy, no cataclysmic fireball, but the projection of a simple feeling, projected with all Grimm's force at the two men.

In an instant, the fight was over. Quelgrum and his opponent stood still, their faces and bodies as animated as those of grazing sheep. In the place of angry, snarling expressions, he saw dreamy, inane smiles.

Holding the magic on, he stepped up to the younger fighter and smashed the brass head of Redeemer into the man's skull. The fighter staggered but did not fall. Nonetheless, he still wore an idiotic smile, although now wreathed in blood.

He must have a head like a rock! Grimm took a firmer grasp on the staff as his magical strength began to fade.

With one more blow, it was done; the man's head exploded in a shower of red and grey. Grimm released the spell with a groan; it had cost him more than he would have imagined.

He brushed aside the groggy General's thanks and rushed to Guy's side. The older Questor continued to thrash, and his face had taken on a ghastly pallor. Grimm guessed the glowing circlet was the cause, and he tried to remove it from his brother mage's neck.

He felt his arms trembling as he struggled to remove the torc. Sickening waves of agony rippled through him, dazzling him, blurring his vision, yet Grimm knew he was only receiving a fraction of the punishment Guy was suffering. At last, his hands refused to obey his orders and tore themselves away from the gaudy band, seemingly of their own accord.

His body had betrayed him.

Grimm tried to cast a spell of Inner Calm on the tortured man, and his Mage Sight saw it splash from the circlet. He felt a pang of anguished helplessness consuming him; he had never liked Guy, but he could not bear to see his brother Questor in such agony.

He heard a loud crack in the distance and saw Harvel collapse to the ground before he had regained his feet fully. Within the space of a heartbeat, he heard another bang, and Crest spun on his heels as he fell into a huddled heap.

The bushes!

Grimm loosed a massive ball of fire into the direction of the explosions, and silence reigned again. A giant fulmination arose from the ground, and the Questor realised he had poured far more energy into the spell than necessary.

The operation had seemed such a simple, clinical matter, just a few minutes before. Now, it had turned into a disaster. The chattering Pit aficionados had fled, and the silence seemed almost oppressive in its gravity. Crest, Harvel, Guy and Quelgrum were incapacitated, if not dead, and Grimm felt the sick realisation that his Quest might be compromised; all for the sake of revenge. Nonetheless, he knew that he must, at least, try to save his brother mage.

The Questor turned to the quivering Numal. "Listen to me!" he said. The older man continued to stare into the air. "Necromancer Numal!"

Numal spun as if struck, and Grimm looked him straight in the eye. "Get these men to a place of shelter, and wait for me. If I do not emerge from the Pit within twenty minutes or so, just get out of here as fast as you can."

The Necromancer's lower lip trembled for a few moments before words emerged from his mouth: "You're going to carry on with this? It's madness! Just look at us! We're finished!"

Grimm yearned to slap the ineffectual man, but he stayed his hand; nothing could have prepared Numal for this debacle. Instead, the Questor used his voice as a weapon, his diction crisp and explosive as the bullets that had felled his comrades.

"You forget yourself, Brother Mage!" he snapped. His voice cracked like a whip. "We are on a Quest-a Guild Quest, as I should not have to remind you-and. am in charge!"

Turning his full, fearsome, Questor stare on the man, Grimm continued, "I need you, Numal, to ensure that no further harm happens to these men. Should any assailant come within the range of your staff, use it, and use it well!

"Do you understand, Brother Mage?"

At last, Numal drew a deep breath and nodded. "I understand, Questor Grimm. I will not let you down. I apologise for my craven behaviour. It will not happen again, I promise you."

For the first time, Grimm saw a stern look of determination in Numal's eyes; the Necromancer had finally found his feet as a mage. The older man began to pull the fallen men into the shadow of the Pit with determined urgency.

Grimm nodded, pleased that the Necromancer had defeated his inner demons, and he walked towards the thick, oaken doors. He soaked up stored energy from Redeemer, like a drowning man drinking from a bottomless well, and scanned the dark portals.

"Nothing to worry about here," he muttered, launching a spell of dissolution at the wooden barriers. The doors flew apart in a shower of blue sparks, and the Questor stepped inside.

The rows of seats were empty, and darkness reigned.

Grimm wandered down the aisles, towards the arena, unsure of his objective. From high above, he heard a mocking voice: "This could be the worst mistake you've ever made, magic-user: it's certainly your last mistake!"

Blazing light flooded into the stadium, and Grimm saw movement below him. A horde of muscular men scurried up the walkways towards him, and the contemptuous voice sounded anew: "Can you fight them, mage-scum? Can you fight them all? I don't think so. I'm sure this will be a great fight; it's a shame there'll be no paying audience. Good luck and goodnight, magic-boy."

Grimm threw a destructive spell at the apparent source of the voice, only to hear it sounding from another direction.

"Fight for your life, Questor!"

Grimm realised with horror that the grasping, muscle-bound figures had circled around him, cutting off his exit: he was trapped! With horror, he noted the blank expressions on the warriors' faces, noticing the bright collars on their necks. These poor men were slaves to Keller's Technological will, lacking all volition in their mindless pursuit.

"Can you kill any of them, Questor Grimm? Can you? Even if you can, can you kill them all? Whatever you do, I'm sure it'll be a spectacle worthy of the Pit. Goodbye, Guild filth. Remember me to your grandfather, Loras, when you meet him."

The shock of Keller's mention of Grimm's grandfather's name was only matched by the horrific realisation that one of these rapacious, bloodthirsty faces was that of Tordun. The humorous, honourable man he had known was lost, and only blind hatred remained in those pink eyes.

As the giant, muscular figures closed on the Questor from all sides, Grimm felt the frigid hand of true, gut-churning fear upon him. His sense of self-preservation took hold, and he gripped Redeemer in a strong grip, swearing to sell his life dear.

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Chapter 32-The Young Contender

The fighters' progress was impeded by the narrow aisles between the seats, but it was inexorable. Grimm took stock of the situation, his mind racing, assessing his options.

He was younger and slenderer than the blank-eyed men closing in on him, and he took care to keep in good shape. However, to stand and face them would be folly; he could use his magic to destroy several with a single spell, but a blow from even one of those huge, knotted fists would be the end of him.

He felt sure he could outrun any of them, but where to run? The men were closing from all sides. A magical ward would hold them off, but each blow would draw energy from him; he would be trapped like a fly in amber, dying by degrees until his strength failed and he was swamped by the encroaching mass.

The first fighter, smaller and lighter than his comrades, reached the Questor, his scarred hands reaching out like pink crabs. With speed born of sheer desperation, Grimm lashed out with Redeemer, catching the man on the ear. The would-be assailant tumbled across one of the plush, red seats and lay still.

At least these fellows don't seem too imaginative, Grimm thought with a wry smile.

"Well done, Questor!" Keller's amplified voice boomed from somewhere in the vaulted ceiling. "That was Rumas, the runner-up in the flyweight category three years ago; a fast, but uninspired fighter.

"One down, forty-nine to go."

All too soon, another man approached his prey, his fists raised in a boxer's guard, protecting his head. Perhaps Grimm's assessment of his unwilling foes had been too hasty; they could learn from mistakes, after all, even under the control of this Technological power.

Grimm feinted towards the warrior's face and then shifted his grip, ramming Redeemer into the man's gut. Even the hardened, tensed muscles of the fighter's stomach could not withstand a blow from a Mage Staff, and breath exploded from the stricken man. His hands dropped, his face contorted in pain, and the mage finished him off with a tap on his right temple.

He spun around, swinging Redeemer in a wide arc, but the staff met only air.

"An inspired move from the unfancied underdog!" Keller boomed, taking up the role of Master of Ceremonies. "Who'll give me odds of two thousand to one? Come on now, ladies and gentlemen, a big hand for this gallant young man!"

The sound of rapturous applause and cheers filled the stadium, and the young mage started. He heard mocking laughter over the spectral ovation, and he vowed anew to destroy this dreadful place.

If he could, somehow, survive…

Now, the slower, more dangerous fighters began to close, and Grimm knew he would not be able to pick the men off one by one for much longer. They seemed to grow cannier by the minute, closing their ranks and weaving from side to side, making it impossible to pick a clean target. He fell back, only delaying the inevitable. Grimm weaved through the seats, trying to confuse his pursuers, but their reactions were faster than he would have believed, and they regrouped rapidly.

He found his back pressing against meshed wire; he could retreat no further.

"Oh! The young challenger's up against the ropes!" crowed the hateful voice of Keller, as the mindless, booming applause continued unabated. "Who'll give me three thousand to one, now?"

This is getting too dangerous, Grimm thought. I can't stay here much longer. He swung Redeemer again, staying the encircling horde for a moment only.

He heard movement behind him and swayed to his left, as a fist blurred past his head, making the air sigh as it tried to get out of the way. Redeemer did its work once more, as Grimm acted on pure reflex.

Only one area appeared clear: the Pit arena itself, twenty feet below him. Three large warriors remained by the shattered entrance, making escape impossible. The high barrier behind him made jumping into the Pit impossible, notwithstanding the injuries he would suffer if he could do so. A spell of Dissolution would take care of the barrier, but the warriors would follow him.

He thought back to what he had done to the guards outside the rotunda.

The syllables did not matter; only the intent of the spell.

"Whoo-juuuup!" the mage screamed, flying into the air only fractions of a second before a pair of fists intersected with where his head had been.

Grimm had only flown once before, within the confines of a metal machine, and his arms and legs flailed as he hung precariously above the mass of impotent warriors. He was balanced on a slender pole of magical force, still subject to the relentless laws of physics, established centuries before.

I can't keep this up much longer, he thought, wobbling in mid-air. This is going to be tricky…

Accurate timing was essential, were he not to be impaled on the fence or dashed to the sandy floor of the Pit in a bloody pulp.

You only get one try at this, Afelnor, he told himself, mentally rehearsing the swift sequence of spells he would need to cast.

As the baffled fighters milled below Grimm, the mage recalled the three laws of motion that had survived since long before the final Fall of Man, which he had had to recite as a Student. He had never thought these ancient dicta might some day save his life!

"A body remains at rest, or in uniform motion in a straight line, unless acted upon by an external force.

"The acceleration of a body equates to the force acting upon it, divided by the body's mass."

"To every action, there is an equivalent and opposing reaction."

Grimm remained at rest relative to the ground. If he were to move, a force needed to act upon him. The stronger the force, the greater his acceleration; too strong a force might cannon him into the wall of the rotunda, knocking him senseless. Last, and not least, he needed to exert a force opposite to the direction in which he wished to travel.

Simple, isn't it, Grimm? Here goes…

The shaft of downwards force disappeared, and Grimm immediately shot a tight beam of energy to his left. He shot to his right, falling and careening off the wire screen on the opposite side of the Pit. As he tumbled towards the sand, he invoked another, shorter pillar of energy, which stayed his plummeting motion. The breath rushed out of him as the spell took hold, and he was still fifteen feet above the ground. Settling himself, he annulled the spell, and created another below him. The spell stayed him, with another crashing impact, five feet above the sand. With gratitude, his heart pounding as if trying to escape his breast, he dropped to the arena floor in an ungainly heap. Sprawling on his back, he grinned at the sight of the fighters clawing at the metal screen high above. He had won.

Or had he?

Was ignominious retreat to be his lot? He had sworn to destroy the Pit and the Mansion House, and he had his comrades to save; not to mention his sworn Quest to fulfil. His thoughts were still clouded by the cloying pheromones in the air, stirring him to instinctive reaction. Although he had tried to prepare himself for their insidious effects, the pounding of his heart and his growing rage told him he was losing the battle to retain his rationality.

"We need a little more ventilation in here!" he shouted, hurling a tight, destructive ball of force at the domed ceiling. The dome shuddered, but it remained intact. With a snarl on his lips, Grimm repeated the spell with greater force. A circular portion of the ceiling, maybe thirty feet in diameter, splintered into a myriad of flying fragments, and the evening light and sweet, untainted air flooded into the auditorium.

"A fantastic series of moves from the young contender! In the space of a few heartbeats, he's turned the fight around!" the resounding, disembodied voice of the Pit-master screamed. "But has he made a mistake?"

Grimm tried to ignore the loathsome voice and began to take stock of his surroundings; he saw a dozen openings in the Pit walls, with no idea where they might lead. The fighters had gone from the wire barrier. Even now, they might be making their way towards him through unseen catacombs.

Can I launch myself through this ragged hole in the ceiling?

He remembered tales of Mage Manipulant Garband, who had possessed the ability to soar like a bird, but he knew no Questor could ever hope to match a Specialist in his own field. He had achieved a clumsy simulacrum of true magical flight by bending his destructive powers, but it had been a frightening experience, motivated by sheer terror.

Pick a door, any door!

With no idea where he might be going, the mage did just that, flying into one of the dark openings. He clattered into a rack of weapons, spilling them over the floor, and staggered back into the main area, feeling like an idiot.

"A great move from the new boy! He's totalled a whole row of spears! What a result!"

"I will kill you, Keller!" Grimm snarled, without conviction, hearing his weak, unconvincing voice booming over the arena.

"Don't bet on it, amateur!"

As his eyes began to adapt to the dim light, Grimm saw that some of the rectangular orifices looked a little darker than others; perhaps they were the true passageways. Which one should he take? Which corridors might already be filling with bloodthirsty warriors, hungry for his life?

Perhaps Thribble can help…

The minuscule demon had proved himself a resourceful investigator on many occasions. The mage patted a pocket and felt no resistance.

"Thribble!"

Grimm heard no response, and he began to flap at his robe pockets; the demon was quite absent.

Recognising the fingers of incipient terror tickling at his stem-brain, he clamped down on his rampant emotions as he had been taught at the Scholasticate. He was alone; Thribble had deserted him, and he had to deal with that.

Just move, Afelnor!

The mental imperative drove him into one of the dark openings. He ran past rows of empty bunks, into a closed, square area of metal lockers. Hearing angry voices behind him, he launched a mighty spell of Dissolution into the wall opposite him.

The lockers exploded into hot, orange shards that scored and burnt his face, but a brick wall stood behind. There was no time to think, as the voices grew louder. Another spell; the brickwork sundered into dust. Instead of open sky, all the magic-user saw was a dirty expanse of rock.

Grimm spun around, to see the first few fighters coming down the corridor. Unthinking, acting only on his reflexes, he sent a powerful fireball down the passageway, gratified to hear a few, brief screams before the spell died. He slumped as the energy left his body; he had all too little left to give.

"Only forty-three to go, Questor!" called the hated, metallic voice of the Pit-master, from his unseen eyrie. "I'm only sorry we didn't have an audience to appreciate this! You've done the Pit proud, young feller."

Keller seemed to have eyes everywhere!

"Damn you, Keller!" shouted the mage. "I'll tear your guts out through your mouth, you bastard!"

"If I had a penny for every time someone had wished that, I'd be a rich man, Guild scum! I saw your grandfather, Loras, destroy this town, and I always swore to get him back some day. Now, I have."

Grimm started at the mention of Loras.

"What do you know about my grandfather?" he screamed into the void, as gleaming, muscular bodies strode into the long corridor. "What do you know about him? You're not fit to speak his name!"

As the fighters grew closer, Grimm launched another spell into the mass of muscle. He knew he had little energy to spare; the next assault would surely drain him dry. Although the voice above him was hateful to him, he found himself yearning to hear its next, theatrical announcement.

"Just what do you know about Loras Afelnor?" he screamed, as oiled, gleaming men climbed over their fallen comrades. This might be the last chance he had to discover something important, something glorious about his beloved grandfather.

"Loras won here, many years ago, but now he's lost," the amplified voice roared. "Prioress Lizaveta could tell you more than I can, mage, but you'll never live to hear her speak.

"Goodbye; last bets, please, ladies and gentlemen. Our challenger is in a blind end, facing thirty-six challengers; who'll give me ten thousand to one? Anybody? No?"

Grimm felt an icy shock running through him at the mention of his grandfather and Lizaveta in two connected sentences. This confirmed his unproven doubts and fears, but he might have no time to enjoy this long-suspected evidence of Geomantic treachery.

The mage drew his power into his mind for another blast. As he released it, he saw the pasty, tormented face of Tordun and skewed the blast to one side, wasting it on the walls of the corridor. He searched for another, less destructive, spell, finding none; as a Mage Questor, all he really knew was destruction.

"Sorry, Tordun," he muttered. "It's you or me, my friend."

A spangling wisp of blue sparks drifted from the mage's fingers, but no spell came; Grimm's magic was exhausted.

Despite knowing he had lost, the Questor felt calm as he hoisted Redeemer over his right shoulder, ready to strike for the last time.

"All right, boys, who's first?" he asked, expressing a sense of bravado he did not feel.

The mindless mass of muscle surged forward, and Grimm readied himself for his last assault. At least he would be able to take some of them with him before he fell; he felt sorry that the noble Tordun would be among the first to fall.

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Chapter 33: "Grimm Must Be Saved!"

To Thribble, the dense, expensive silk of Grimm's pocket seemed as transparent as the finest glass. The demon's sight and hearing were superior to those of any human, and he could detect frequencies of light and sound to which mortals were quite insensitive. As soon as he saw the encroaching fighters, he knew the mage might be in serious trouble; had the warriors been as obliging as to arrange themselves in a neat, linear formation, he had no doubt that Grimm would have been able to destroy the men en masse.

However, the murderous-looking mortals seemed to have no concept of fair play.

At first, the grey imp had regarded the Questor as an interesting but otherwise unexceptional example of humanity. Grimm might be as frail and flawed as all the rest of mankind, but he seemed to have the knack of finding himself in difficult situations that provided the demon with the material for interesting tales with which to regale his netherworld brethren when he returned to his home dimension.

He still revelled in Grimm's adventures, memorising each vocal nuance and mannerism, with the fussy eye for detail of a dedicated archivist, but he had begun to see the young human in a new light.

The Questor seemed to be driven by conflicting forces beyond his control: his fear of failure; his desire for recognition; his raging, adolescent hormones; his burning need to redeem his family name. Sympathy and compassion might be difficult concepts for a demon to grasp, but Thribble had now spent nearly a year in the mortal realm, and he had begun to experience strange sensations he had never known before.

This fragile, overworld creature no longer appeared to him as a quixotic bag of flesh and disgusting humours, a means of providing Thribble's fellow demons with amusing anecdotes, but as a sentient being in his own right, almost heroic in his daily struggle with his troublesome, ever-present emotions and drives.

The demon would never have admitted it to another mortal or demon, or even to himself, but he had begun to regard this human almost as some oversized, clumsy, younger clutch-brother, who needed protection on occasion. The mortal word was 'friend'. Grimm must be saved from his lack of foresight and his mortal inadequacies.

As the Questor took his stand, his staff at the ready, the demon hoisted himself from the confines of his silken prison and slid down the expanse of yellow silk to the floor.

Scuttling through the dense forest of the fighters' legs, Thribble bounded for the blasted Pit entrance. Two more humans stood guard here, but their befuddled eyes were locked on the embattled Grimm. They did not notice the minuscule, grey shadow of the demon as he slipped between them.

The imp's sensitive eyes soon located the other mortals hiding in the bushes abutting the rotunda's walls. Although they might have been well concealed from human eyes, they stood out like white paint on a black sheet to Thribble. Only two of the men appeared to be conscious, and the older of the two seemed in no condition to fight, as blood trickled down his face from numerous cuts and contusions; both the man's eyes were swollen almost shut.

That left the cowardly mage. Under normal circumstances, Thribble would never have considered Numal as a saviour for his friend, but he felt he had little choice.

****

From the shelter of the dense bushes, Numal kept a careful watch for signs of approaching guards. Should any appear, he had no idea what he might do, but he intended to keep his word to Questor Grimm to wait for at least twenty minutes. He had no pocket-watch-such items were beyond the means of all but the very wealthiest-but he had a good sense of the passage of time, gained after long years in the Arnor Scholasticate, where punctuality was paramount.

The battered General Quelgrum tended to the fallen men as best he could, having detailed the squeamish Numal to act as look-out. The mage had never felt as helpless in his life.

Numal felt disgusted with his performance as a Guild Mage; he knew he had succumbed to his baser instincts on all too many occasions. His virtual imprisonment in the House for five decades had ill prepared him for the challenges ahead, and he had been thrust so quickly into the young Questor's violent, dangerous world that he had felt like spindrift in a hurricane; uncontrolled, driven from situation to situation.

Grimm seemed still to have an adolescent's sense of indestructibility, something Numal had long forgotten. The Necromancer knew he was too old for this young man's game, and he burned inside at the knowledge that he had ever mistaken the Questor's friendliness for something deeper. Numal had only the vaguest knowledge of the form of his inner desires; he had been cut off from normal human relationships since the age of seven.

On first discovering that Grimm had a forbidden paramour, the older mage was suffused with mixed anger, astonishment and disappointment. He had even dallied with the idea of exposing the Questor's peccadillo to the Guild hierarchy, but this had soon flown from his mind at his first sight of Drexelica: the first woman outside his family that he had met since his extreme youth. He recognised that she was beautiful, and he had felt his heart twisting. On one hand, he had felt jealous that Grimm was lost to him; on the other, he had been stirred by the young girl's fresh, feminine loveliness.

Did he desire men, or women? The Necromancer had no way of knowing; he sought only the love and affection denied him for so long, with no experience of affection or amatory affairs whatsoever.

Perhaps fifteen minutes had now passed since Grimm had blasted the doors of the Pit, and Numal risked extending his head from the safe concealment of the bushes. He saw nothing, but, straining his ears over the ever-weakening moans of the stricken Guy, he heard the distinct sound of rapturous applause from inside the Pit building. He found this both bizarre and disturbing, but he had no idea of what it might portend; however, he felt sure it could not be good.

Ducking back into the greenery, Numal slapped his brow, trapped in a prison of indecision. If Grimm, a Questor, was in trouble, what could a humble Necromancer hope to do?

As he wrestled with his doubts and fears, he felt something tugging gently at his robe, which caused him to start. Was this a rat, or some other vermin? The Necromancer shuddered, and he shook his right leg in an attempt to dislodge the nagging creature.

"Necromancer, stop! It is I, Thribble!"

The thready, high-pitched voice was at the limit of his hearing, but the words were just clear enough. Against the background of the grey wool of his robe, Numal made out the shape of the small demon climbing up the rough material like a mountaineer scaling a sheer rock-face, blowing out his cheeks with the effort.

Numal scooped the demon into his hand.

"What is it, demon? Is Questor Grimm in trouble?"

"He is, human," Thribble panted. "Pit-master Keller has marshalled all the fighters at his disposal to destroy the mage. Even your monstrous, pale companion, Tordun, is amongst his assailants. From their expressions, they are not under their own control. Questor Grimm is heavily outnumbered, and I fear he cannot destroy all of his opponents. He continues to fight, but the end cannot be long."

Numal felt a pang of helpless distress. "If a Seventh Level Questor can't hope to beat these men, what do you think a superannuated Necromancer can do to help him?"

"You are not completely helpless, mortal; you have your magic stick, do you not?"

Numal suppressed an inappropriate laugh. "So does Grimm, yet you say he cannot defeat his opponents, even aided by his powerful magic. Perhaps I could manifest a lost soul or two, to try to frighten the fighters, but I doubt it would be of any use."

"Perhaps it will not be necessary to face the pugilists," Thribble said. "Keller seems to be their guiding influence. Perhaps all that is needed is to defeat Keller, and this man is no fighter."

"Nor am I, demon, and I'm scared! I'm just a bloody coward!"

Numal's heartfelt words seemed to have little effect on the demon, or on General Q.

"Everybody gets scared, mage." The soldier's swollen mouth made it sound as if he had both cheeks full of marbles. "Show me a man without fear and I'll show you a dead man. You have no choice about whether you have fear or not. You do have a choice when it comes to submitting to that fear or not.

"I was fifteen years old when I fought my first battle, at the behest of my hated lord and master. I was a shepherd, and I'd just spent six months' slavery in a mine for attacking an overseer with my crook, after he beat me with a cudgel for complaining about the inadequate rations.

"I'd had eight weeks' training in swordplay, and I was so scared that I nearly fouled my breeches, but I fought. Since then, I've seen countless young recruits who thought they were too frightened to fight.

"I remember one young lad of about seventeen years of age, who fought beside me when we took on a band of brigands who tried to take over our base. We were outnumbered two to one, and I overheard him telling one of his friends he was worried he'd be too scared to fight. I stood beside him as we lined up for the start of the battle, and I saw him struggling with his emotions."

"I suppose you're going to tell me that he went on to a glorious career as a warlord, General," Numal said.

"No: he died in my arms." The General's expression was like stone. "But he told me before he died that he wasn't afraid any more. He was proud that he'd been a part of our victory, and he wasn't scared of death any more."

Numal snorted. "Very inspirational, General. But that boy didn't have to face the enemy alone. That's what I'd have to do, and I'm not going to. That's the end of it."

Quelgrum levered himself to his feet and glowered at the mage. "Perhaps you're right, Numal. Perhaps you are just a bloody coward. I'll do it myself."

Part of the Necromancer's psyche felt relieved that someone else would face the danger instead of him, but he knew the old soldier was in no condition to fight.

"You can't, General;" he pleaded. "It's all you can do to stand up!"

"If you don't go, I will. Don't try to stop me."

The soldier surged forward. Numal moved to block Quelgrum, but the soldier shot out his bruised left fist to strike the mage on the jaw, just hard enough to make the Necromancer stumble and fall.

The pain of the blow was subsumed by the realisation that the soldier had not held back in the least; the soldier had hit him with all the force available to him. The man was all but finished, yet still prepared to take on an overwhelming force.

"No, wait, Quelgrum!" he shouted, as the General stumbled out of the bushes. "There must be something else we… can do!"

Quelgrum paused, and turned back to face the mage.

"It seems to me your magic isn't any great shakes, mage, and your willpower certainly isn't any better. Forget it, coward. You can spend the rest of your life starting at shadows, for all I care."

"Perhaps there is something I can do," Numal said, feeling a little sick at the knowledge that the old soldier would surely die if he attempted to save Grimm. "It's not something I want to do, and I'm not even sure if I can. But I will try."

Quelgrum stepped back into the bushes.

"What's the big plan, then, mage?"

Despite the General's swollen, disfigured face, Numal saw the ghost of a contemptuous sneer on the soldier's face.

"Necromancy involves the manipulation of souls," he said, the words tumbling, unbidden, from his mouth. "I might, perhaps, be able to perform a spell of Juxtaposition. I've never attempted one before, but I know the runes."

"Let's just pretend for a moment that I'm just a simple soldier, and not a bloody Guild Mage," the soldier said in a sardonic tone. "What the hell is a spell of Juxtaposition?"

"I can maybe exchange my soul with Questor Guy's," Numal said, flicking a nervous glance at the now-silent, twitching form of the fallen mage. "He would inhabit my body, free to perform his Questor magic. He can do more than I ever could."

"He's all but finished, Necromancer. He's as weak as a new-born kitten!"

"That's just his body, General. He'd have mine to play with, and all its strength."

The General frowned and looked down at the twitching, groaning Questor. "Guy's in terrible pain. Do you think you can face that?"

"I'll have to."

"Not bad for a craven coward, Numal." Quelgrum clapped the mage on the shoulder and forced his swollen mouth into a smile.

The Necromancer knew he must move quickly, before the dread demons of fear overwhelmed him. Kneeling down beside the quivering form of the Questor, he put down his staff and applied both palms to Guy's forehead. "Hold him still, please, General."

As Numal patterned his mind for the spell, he felt a welcome sense of calm washing over him. There was no room in a mage's mind for both fear and precision.

While his mouth spat out complex, flawless syllables, he groped in the ether for Guy's soul. As he found it, he gasped at the shock of unimaginable, electric anguish, but the runes continued to issue from his throat; exact, perfect. A last pang of joy at the realisation that the spell was complete was swamped by agony.

He was in pain; he was pain…

****

Guy felt himself swirling through the all-consuming agony, drifting away from his body.

This must be it. I never thought it would end like this.

With a sudden shock, the Questor realised that the torment was gone, and he looked down at his own body, lying, twitching on the ground. Is this it? he wondered. Am I dead?

"Quickly now, mage," a familiar, mortal voice said. "Grimm must be saved, and Numal, too!" It was Quelgrum.

The Questor rose to his feet-or someone's feet-and felt an unaccustomed ache in his knees as he did so. His arms felt too short, and his entire body felt… wrong, somehow.

"What's going on?" Guy said in a harsh voice, struggling with an unfamiliar throat and tongue. "Where the hell am I? What's the matter with my damned body? I feel like an old man."

"You are; you're in Numal's body, Questor Guy," Quelgrum said. "He's just done a very brave thing.

"Explanations must wait; you have to defeat Keller, so Questor Grimm and Numal can be saved."

Guy felt shocked, realising he now inhabited a body over thirty years older than his own, but, for the moment, he was just glad to be free of the pain.

"Don't worry, Quelgrum; I'm more than happy enough to take on Keller for my own reasons. That bastard put that damned collar on me, and he's going to suffer for that. He's a dead man! I swear I'll-"

"Move it!" Quelgrum snapped in a parade-ground voice, cutting off the mage. "The sooner you do this, the sooner you get back to your own body."

Guy called for his staff, revelling in the sting as the magical weapon smacked into his outstretched hand.

"Very well, old man. I'm not any keener at being in Grandpa's body than he is at being in mine. Demon, you come with me; you might just come in useful."

He held out his left hand in an imperious manner. Thribble rolled his eyes, but said nothing as he hopped onto the extended appendage.

Slipping the demon into his pocket, the mage felt the joints of his body grind as he moved out of the bushes and around the rotunda. The sooner he ditched this worn-out shell and returned to his own, youthful body, the better!

As he reached the Pit entrance, he saw two heavily-muscled men standing in the entrance.

"Hold, old man!" one cried, a cauliflower-eared veteran of some forty years. "Yield or die!"

"Over your dead body, cretin," Guy-Numal said, launching a vengeance-fuelled ball of ice-cold energy against the two men. In an instant, the warriors' faces turned paler even than Tordun's, and the mage stepped forward. With one sweep of his staff, the frozen pair shattered into tiny pieces.

"It's good to be back," the Questor muttered, stepping inside the Pit building, ready to hurl death at any who opposed him. To his surprise, the brightly-lit arena seemed empty. The domed ceiling was no more: Afelnor's handiwork, he guessed. From all around, he heard spectral applause and cheers, and guessed that Keller was behind this.

"Demon, can you find the source of this cursed noise?" he shouted, scooping Thribble from his pocket and holding the imp to his ear.

"The sound emerges from several loci, human." Thribble pointed toward various black, rectangular excrescences around the walls. "But the ultimate source seems to be that little hut."

Guy strained his eyes and saw a small cubicle to his right, nestled against the short wall at the rear of the dished auditorium, surveying the Pit. The hut had no apparent door.

No problem, he thought, readying himself for another spell. Let's make a real entrance!

"Be careful, mortal," the demon said. "You must not kill Keller before he dispels his foul, Technological influence over the fighters. Grimm must be saved!"

Guy suspected that the younger Questor was already beyond all help, but he wanted his own young, healthy body back. The imp's words made sense, so Guy backed off much of the energy he had allocated to the spell.

"Good advice, demon," he admitted. "Keller can live-at least for now."

Despite difficulty in mastering the nuances of Numal's vocal tract, the mage knew this would have no effect on his spell; a common runic spell might require perfect tone and diction, but a Questor spell was another matter. Only the pattern mattered.

"Let's give Mister Keller a little surprise, shall we?" he said, readying himself to cast.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 34: An Echoing Tumult

"All right, boys; who's first?"

Grimm spoke with a confidence he did not feel. He stood with his back against the end wall of the short corridor, as the maddened horde of fighters approached inexorably. His only advantage lay in the fact that the narrow passageway forced the warriors to advance in a column instead of en masse.

If I hadn't wasted all my power so quickly, these fellows would be easy meat, he thought, mustering a rueful grin. What a time to learn such a vital lesson!

He held Redeemer before him, forming a horizontal barrier. To reach him, someone would have to touch the staff, and that might make things interesting.

Come on, you over-muscled morons. Come on!

At last, the front row of men approached him, and a foolhardy or ignorant soul tried to snatch the staff from Grimm's grasp. As his questing finger touched the staff, the man cannoned backwards as if he had been punched by a bad-tempered bear, spilling other men to the ground.

Seizing the moment, Grimm stepped forward and swung Redeemer back and forth, rendering the fallen men unconscious or dead. A small wall of inert bodies now lay between him and his attackers, and the young mage began to feel more confident.

Divide and conquer, he thought. I can't beat them all at once, but maybe I can take them out a few at a time.

"Bad move, gentlemen!" he shouted, as much for his own morale as for any other effect. "This round's mine, I believe."

However, he soon realised he had been over-confident; these ensorcelled men were focused on only one goal: the elimination of Grimm Afelnor. They had no thought for the preservation of their own lives. As the main mass of fighters stepped back, a single warrior stepped over the bodies, his hands weaving in a complex, baffling pattern. As Grimm feinted with Redeemer, the attacker hooked the staff from the Questor's grip. As expected, the assailant flew backwards, unconscious, but Grimm was now unarmed.

Seeing their foe deprived of his weapon, the gladiators surged forward again.

Be calm, Grimm!

With a word, the magical staff flew back to his hand, and the Questor dispatched another five attackers. He resumed his former defensive posture, realising the men would learn from this abortive attack. Nonetheless, the advantage was once more on Grimm's side, and he awaited the next stratagem with a certain detached interest.

Now, Tordun was in the vanguard of the opposing force. Sweat ran down the albino's face, which was contorted in a complex expression of mingled ferocity, pain and despair.

"Tordun, don't do this," the mage said in the calmest voice he could muster. "You're a fighter, so fight Keller, not me!"

"Cannot… help… it," the former White Titan gasped. "It's too strong. The image-boxes… blind him!"

With that, Tordun collapsed to the ground, contorting and flailing. The twitching albino's bulk impeded the advancing warriors, and Grimm scanned the walls and ceilings for any evidence of the 'image-boxes' Tordun had mentioned.

At last he saw them; grey cubes clinging to the walls of the corridor, almost blending into the dull decor, betrayed only by the gleam of their glass eyes. Four were within the reach of Redeemer, and the Questor dispatched them with a swift series of blows, moving back to his guard position just in time to fell another two assailants. The others, with the exception of the thrashing Tordun, regrouped to plan their next move. The attacking horde seemed barely weakened, and Grimm's resolution weakened. Over thirty men remained, and their determination seemed as strong as ever.

The mage saw other boxes, arrayed down the corridor, swivelling into position, orientating their crystalline gaze upon him, and Grimm groaned with frustration. Only adrenalin was keeping him on his feet, and that was fading fast. If only he had the strength to…

The strength! The Questor realised he had forgotten about the spells he had cast on Redeemer back in his tower. In addition to runic cantrips for light, heat and a dozen other minor spells, Grimm had also poured his own energy into the staff for later use.

Drawing Redeemer close to his chest, the mage called upon the much-needed strength hidden within the gleaming, black rod. As the Questor felt the vitality flooding back into every fibre of his body, the fighters made another attack, and he laughed with joy. He was whole again!

"Sk'tallek'ye!"

The nonsense syllables burst from his dry lips, and the whole wall of warriors flew backwards. Although not badly injured, they tumbled in disarray, as if caught in a mighty wind. Like an avenging angel, the mage strode forward, sweeping Redeemer along first one wall and then the other. The metal and glass boxes were no more.

Grimm, free of the constricting corridor, tried to run for the passageway from which the fighters had emerged, but he realised he was back in the field of view of more of Keller's Technological eyes. A hand caught his ankle, and he tripped.

"Great work from the outclassed Questor!" the mocking voice of Pit-master Keller boomed from high above, as Grimm sprawled on the floor. "But this series of desperation moves could just prove to be too little, too late! See now, as the victorious Pit champions-"

The hateful voice cut off, but the fighters lost none of their zeal. Grimm felt himself pulled inexorably backwards towards the throng, his slender right leg in the grip of a huge, iron fist, which was soon joined by others. He tried to marshal his thoughts, to focus his power, but panic began to subsume him. It looked as if he were being drawn into the maw of a huge, many-legged insect…

****

Guy smiled as the wooden wall of the kiosk faded into dust, revelling in Keller's terrified, wide-eyed gape as the Pit-master whirled around on his small, wheeled chair. The small room contained all kinds of bizarre Technological equipment, which the mage vowed to destroy once he had achieved his ultimate aim.

"You don't seem to have much of an audience tonight, Keller," he grunted in a guttural, grinding manner that only seemed to add to the Pit-master's fear.

"You!" the slight man gasped. "But you're only-"

"I'm your worst nightmare, worm," the young mage said in the old Necromancer's body. His gruff, slurred delivery was due to the Questor's difficulty in controlling Numal's larynx, but he rather liked the sepulchral effect of his new voice. Even the way he swayed on his unfamiliar legs seemed to heighten Keller's terror.

Perfect, Guy thought. This bastard's going to suffer.

"What… what do you want?" Keller stuttered, his eyes wide in confusion.

Guy smiled slowly; to judge from Keller's reaction, he guessed his borrowed face must be distorted into some ghastly grimace. This was all to the good: it would enhance the experience.

"Quickly, human; be swift! Time grows short!"

Thribble's urgent squeak brought the Questor out of his reverie.

"I want you to turn off all those bloody collars," Guy-Numal growled. If you want to quibble about it, try this!"

Guy cast a spell of which he always felt inordinately proud, and Keller fell to the floor, screaming in agony. The mage had exercised this particular magic on only a few occasions, since it required a man to be restrained and unresisting, but the Pit-master's consuming dread appeared to work just as well as physical confinement.

Guy held the spell on the slender man for only a few moments; he did not want Keller disabled or killed-yet.

As the Pit-master recovered, the Questor smelled the acrid scent of ammonia, and smiled again as he saw a dark patch spreading across the front of Keller's buff-coloured trousers.

"I'll do it; I'll do it!" the hapless, soiled man bleated. "Look!"

He drew a small, grey implement from his pocket and ran his trembling fingers across a number of coloured keys on its surface.

"It's done, I swear; they're all off!" Keller screamed, his eyes wide and terrified. "Let me go! I had no choice in this-they made me do it!" he jabbered, drooling in panic.

"All in good time, Keller." Guy-Numal began to appreciate the disconcerting effect his involuntary, dull monotone seemed to have on the worthless little man. "You just wait here while I check.

"K'zaat'az'er!"

He lifted the grey pad from the frozen Keller's nerveless fingers and walked out of the Pit. As he entered the bushes, he saw his own body, lying pale and still, and he turned to the battered General Quelgrum.

"How am I?" he barked.

"He's… you're all right, I think." The General bent to check the supine body.

"You're still breathing, and he… you seem relaxed now, if unconscious. Whatever you've done, it seems to have worked.

"Now, where's Questor Grimm?"

Guy-Numal spread his borrowed hands. "I have no idea, old man. The Pit was all but empty when I went in. I think he's a lost cause. I just want a little more friendly discourse with our good friend, Keller. I recommend we move on then."

Quelgrum rose to his full height, and Guy realised just how threatening the old man's presence could be.

". recommend we don't," the General said, his voice blurred by his swollen mouth. "This time, I'm coming with you, and I want to know that Baron Grimm's dead before I abandon him. Is that all right with you… old man?

"Remember, you'll need Numal to return you to your own body. Perhaps he'll prefer to stay where he is if I don't prevail upon him to do the right thing, and, right now, I might be persuaded to advise him to remain where he is. Without my advice, I doubt he'll change his mind-would you, in his circumstances?"

Guy-Numal shot a sharp look at the soldier, unsure if the old man was bluffing or not.

"All right, Quelgrum. Just don't slow me down too much; I want to have a little fun with that skinny bastard. I've got his funny little device in my hand, so I don't think he can do much more. He was scared out of his wits when I last saw him, and I froze him in place. I don't think he'll be any trouble."

"You don't think?" Quelgrum expostulated. "These people seem to shake off Questor mind-control spells like other people shake off flies! What makes you think he's under this spell?"

Guy-Numal smiled. "My body says he is."

"What about Questor Grimm? Keller may be relying on your bloody egocentrism! He may be laughing at you now, just waiting to send a bunch of Pit fighters against us!"

"All right, old man; keep your hair on. We'll check," Numal said's mouth. "He's dead, whatever happens."

****

Grimm had dropped Redeemer in his fall, and he called for the staff as the insectoid mass of writhing fighters began to pull him in. The obedient, reliable baton flew into his hand as ever, but his panic swamped any kind of cohesive response. For the first time since his Outbreak, he miscast a spell, spewing purposeless energy into the air in a blue mist.

Not them; me! The inner voice was imperative, and he did not wait to consider the alternatives.

"Utch'katch!"

With this impulsive spell, born of sheer panic, he burst from his opponents' grip and cannoned into the far wall of the Pit. Light and pain bloomed in his head, and Grimm knew he was losing his hold on consciousness. Redeemer slipped from his fingers and he could not seem to call it to hand. Multi-coloured lights played around the inside of his cranium, and his thoughts drifted. Darkness began to descend over his eyes, and a buzzing sound filled his brain.

As if from far away, he heard the admonishing voice of Magemaster Crohn in his head: "You used far more energy than was required in that spell, Afelnor, as usual. I see we need to work upon your powers of control once more. We all know you have power; the trick is to use the least amount necessary for the desired result to be achieved."

He staggered to his feet as if drunken, his legs devoid of control or strength, to see a wide wall of bodies surging towards him.

As his stunned, befuddled mind sought solutions, the human mass stopped in its headlong, fanatical rush. Grimm shook his head, as if he could shake some sense into his impact-addled brain, and tried to ready himself for the next assault. It did not come.

One fighter stood over him, bafflement filling his face. Still wary, Grimm picked up Redeemer and held it before him in trembling, ineffectual hands, as he tried to control his rambling thoughts.

At last, the warrior spoke. "Who are you?"

"I am Grimm Afelnor, called the Dragonblaster. Who are you?" Grimm remained wary. Could this muscular assassin be playing with him, before the end?

"Why am I fighting you?" the huge man rumbled, his expression bemused and unsure. "I'm…"

To Grimm's surprise, and even horror, the titanic fighter burst into tears, and the mage felt wetness at the corners of his own eyes. A distant part of his mind registered that Redeemer had once more slipped from his fingers, but he felt too stunned to care.

"I don't know," he said, giving vent to the pent emotions within him as he laughed. "I have no quarrel with you." Nothing seemed right, and the mage had lost all sense of self-preservation. His head rang, and he had had enough; all he wanted was to lie down, and never to wake again.

As the other warriors began to stand and shake their heads, Grimm saw Tordun surge forward, and he tried to move. He could not do so.

The white warrior swept the mage up in his arms. As if in a dream, Grimm heard him say "Our true enemy, Keller, awaits us; he must not be allowed to live!"

At last, the Questor let go of the reins of consciousness; he allowed the blackness to descend, as an echoing tumult filled his head.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 35: Retribution

After drifting for a while in a strange, disjointed reverie, Grimm awoke and opened his eyes. His head throbbed, and several moments passed before his vision cleared. He was lying on a comfortable, white bed, and Tordun and another, older man were standing over him.

"I'm still alive!" he croaked. "What's happening?"

"I'm Dr. Hubin, the Pit physician," Tordun's grey-bearded companion said. "You've been unconscious for a few minutes, since you cannoned head-first into the Pit wall. It's a wonder you didn't cave your skull in, youngster."

"Keller's influence over us seems to have gone," the pale swordsman said. "Most of the other fighters have gone looking for Keller, but I wanted to stay here until I knew you were all right. Questor Grimm… I'm sorry I-"

"Don't worry about it, Tordun." Grimm cut off the albino with a wave of his hand. "I can't begin to imagine what that bastard, Keller, did to you, but you still tried to resist."

He levered himself upright, and felt his head swim.

"Take it easy, boy." Hubin put a firm but fatherly hand on his shoulder. "Rest a while."

"I can't, Doctor; Crest and Harvel need medical attention, and I need to get to Keller before the fighters kill him!"

"I will accompany Questor Grimm, Doctor." Grimm winced as Tordun's basso rumble vibrated his aching skull.

The swordsman helped the Questor to his feet, and Grimm felt surprised at the unsteadiness of his legs. With gratitude, he clung to the mighty arm offered him.

"How badly injured are these men, Questor Grimm, and where are they?" Hubin asked. "I have several other patients I need to treat, you understand."

Grimm saw several occupied beds in the large, gleaming room, and he realised these held the fighters he had felled in self-defence. He suppressed a pang of guilt that threatened to unman him.

"They've been shot by the Mansion House guards' metal weapons," he said, forcing himself to tear his eyes away from the bleeding, battered men. "I believe they're in the bushes to the right of the entrance, but I don't know how badly hurt they are. The last time I saw them, they were bleeding and unconscious, and I'm worried about them."

"Very well, mage," the doctor said at last, his face locked in a mask of… what? Disapproval? Distaste? Hatred? Grimm could not tell. "I'll treat them first. Your victims are either dead or likely to live, even if some of them may never speak or walk again. You've done well, butcher."

Grimm's first instinct was to defend himself: he had had no choice but to strike out when attacked, and he felt the medical man's condemnation of his was unfair. However, more of Magemaster Crohn's words rang in his mind:

"When it comes to a choice between regarded with pity, with hatred or with fear, Adept Grimm, always eschew pity; a pitiful mage is a lesser mage. The life of a Guild man is not a popularity contest."

Still leaning on Tordun's supportive arm, he leaned forward to look the physician straight in the eyes.

"I was merciful, Hubin," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Just be grateful that I did not leave you a roomful of unidentifiable chunks of flesh. See to it that you take good care of my friends; I'll be keeping an eye on you."

He held his intense, piercing Questor gaze on the grey-haired man's eyes for a long time before he relented. The doctor did not seem quite so defiant now.

"Very well, magic-user; you've made your position quite clear," Hubin said, not daring to meet Grimm's glare. "Let's go, then."

The albino led Grimm out of the maze of corridors, followed by the sullen physician, and the mage felt a little guilty at how he had treated the old man. Nonetheless, this was no time to languish in self-pity or doubt; he had a mission to accomplish, and good friends to save. He also knew Keller might hold information that could exonerate his beloved, disgraced grandfather. He only hoped he would not be too late to save the worthless life of the despicable Pit-master while there was still time.

As the three men ascended the staircase to the top level of the Pit building, Grimm became aware of shouts and cries, and he saw a crowd of angry men clustered around the form of… Numal! The old mage appeared to be holding the warriors at bay with his staff, but he looked to be losing the battle.

Grimm let go of Tordun's arm and yelled, "What is happening? What are you doing here, Numal?"

Unthinking, he shouldered past the enraged, milling warriors to stand before the Necromancer, who had his back to the remains of a small cubicle. Behind Numal lay the fallen, unmoving form of Keller, and Grimm felt a cold shock run down his spine.

"Numal; he's not dead, is he? I need to talk to him!"

The Necromancer's mouth worked, but only a few guttural sounds emerged, as if Numal had difficulty co-ordinating his tongue, lips and throat.

A deep voice boomed behind Grimm. "Step aside, youngster. We've got business to finish here."

He spun around to see a heavily-muscled man who overtopped him by several inches. The man's expression was not friendly.

"So have I, warrior," the young Questor snarled. "And. need him alive!"

"Do yourself a favour, kid; I'm being more than fair here." The fighter raised a large, knotted fist. "Get out of my way and you won't be hurt. We have no quarrel with you; our argument is with Keller, but we're in no mood to negotiate. We're losing patience with Old Father Time, here."

Tordun interposed himself between Grimm and the enraged fighter. "If you want to fight someone, you could always start with me," he growled. "I am no fonder of the Pit-master than you, but the Questor, here, has a prior claim over all of us."

"You're just a new boy, Tordun," a man from the back cried. "I've been enslaved by this sick bastard for nigh on six years, and some of the other men have been fighting under the collar for much longer than that."

Another fighter forced his way forward. His face was a patchwork of swellings and livid scars, and his eyes blazed with an almost feral light. "I've been under Keller's spell for fifteen years," he said. "I almost died three times after a beating and I've killed two good friends, thanks to this bloody collar. And you reckon you've got more claim on him than us? You don't look much older than fifteen years yourself, conjuror. If you've really got an older grudge than that, it must've been in a previous life! Stand aside!"

A fierce susurration of assent rose from the other warriors, and only the threatening bulk of Tordun stayed a direct assault

Grimm let the pejorative term, 'conjuror', slide, and he faced the new interlocutor. "I have little claim on Keller for my own sake," he said, forcing his voice into a calm, passive tone, although his emotions blazed inside him.

"Thirty years ago, my grandfather was a Mage Questor like me He was stripped of his powers and expelled from the Guild in disgrace after an evil witch's spell. I know Keller knows something about it, and I want to hear the truth from his lips."

"Expelled? That doesn't sound too bad," a man called from somewhere in the crowd. "It's a hell of a lot better than being enslaved. Get out of the way, mage, and give us our rightful revenge." A cheering chorus of agreement greeted this sally, but the fighters still hung back. However, Grimm could tell their wrath would not be contained for long.

"Pauper! Traitor's spawn! Rat's bastard!" the Questor screamed, giving vent to all the frustration and anger in his body. "From the age of seven until I gained my Guild ring, I spent scarcely a single day without hearing some such insult; many were much worse. Most were accompanied by beatings, and I lacked the size or the skill to fight back, unlike you. Most of the Students in my House regarded me as something lower than pond-scum, and my lowly, despised station ensured I was put through a frightful, awful ordeal that drove me to the very brink of madness. During that time, I was beaten almost into unconsciousness nearly every day, and I was not permitted to fight back! You, at least, are allowed to retaliate against your assailants.

"My grandfather, Loras, whose name should be hallowed throughout the Guild, is remembered as a renegade and a turncoat, who tried to murder a man for the sake of his own advancement! You have a decade of vengeance to expunge; I have a man's reputation to restore: his self-respect; his name; his life!

"I do not ask that Keller's life be spared, just that he be allowed to live long enough to tell me what I need to know to exonerate my grandfather. I have no quarrel with any of you, but I will fight to keep him alive for long enough to obtain the information I crave. That is all I want from him; then, you may have him.

"Is that acceptable?"

The fighters muttered and grumbled to each other, and the apparent spokesman nodded. "Ten minutes," he said. "No more than that."

The large man put two fingers in his mouth and whistled; Grimm winced at the volume of the piercing sound. The angry fighters retreated to the margins of the Pit, but they gathered around the only exit, preventing any chance of egress.

Grimm, satisfied he would be left unmolested for the moment, turned to the Necromancer.

"What's going on, Numal?" he demanded. "Is Keller still alive?"

The grey-haired mage nodded, and spoke in the same strange, strangled monotone he had used before. "We were just having a friendly little discussion when this mob of bruisers turned up, and I readied myself for a little bit of action. Then I found that this worn-out wreck of a body didn't have a hell of a lot of energy in it. I'm almost glad you turned up, youngster. I thought you were done for."

Grimm rubbed his aching left temple, confused; this did not sound like the effeminate, timid Numal at all. He shook his head, uncomprehending.

"I'm Guy Great Flame, dimwit." the grey-haired man said in the same grinding monotone. "I'm in Numal's body for now, and he's in mine. It's some kind of bloody Necromancer spell. If you want to play with the old boy for a while, it doesn't bother me, I suppose. All I want to do now is to get back to my own body."

Grimm nodded slowly; it all made a certain, bizarre sense now. He decided that deeper explanations could wait until later, and he knelt by the side of the fallen Pit-master, slapping Keller's cheeks until the erstwhile Master of Ceremonies opened his eyes.

"Don't hurt me!" the man screamed. "I swear I'll tell you everything I can, as long as you don't hurt me!" Keller tried to scramble away, despite the fact that his back was already against the far wall of the cubicle.

"You don't have any choice, filth." Grimm breathed, feeling righteous wrath burn through him. "Tell me what you know about Loras Afelnor and Prioress Lizaveta, or I'll make you wish I'd left you to the tender mercies of your former slaves! Talk, or suffer; it's all the same to me!"

Keller's empty, pleading eyes told the mage that the Pit-master had lost all sense of resistance.

"I don't know it all," Keller said, "but I do know that Loras Afelnor destroyed the slave market in this town about forty years ago. Slavery was the only means of survival for Yoren at the time, and he ruined us in a single day."

"My heart bleeds for you," Grimm growled. "Keep talking; by my reckoning, your good friends from the Pit will be coming for you in about nine minutes. What about Prioress Lizaveta?"

"She told me she'd fixed him," the Pit-master babbled. "She cast a spell over the whole Mansion House so that we couldn't be tainted by Guild mind-magic, and she said we didn't have to worry about old Loras any more.

"Don't hurt me!"

"I know damned well she fixed him," Grimm snapped, in no mood to extend any kind of warmth towards the pathetic man. "What did she say she'd done to him?"

Keller's eyes flicked around, as if he were trying to find some way to escape from his desperate situation, but his gaze came back to the Questor's unremitting, intense stare.

"She said she'd made him attack some man; I don't know who, I swear," the Pit-master babbled, his face sweaty and furtive. "But she said he'd know nothing about it, and that it'd finish him. He'd never be able to bother… someone again."

Grimm shot a magical pang of pain at the wretched man. "Who would he be unable to bother? Talk, you bastard, talk!"

"I'm trying to!" the Master of Ceremonies screamed, now appearing small and insignificant. Grimm knew he could crush this pathetic bug in an instant, but he preferred to stay his hand in the hope of further revelations. His Mage Sight told him that all of the craven man's statements to him so far had been true.

"Keller; I know I cannot coerce your mind through magic," he said, his voice soft but urgent, "but I will know the moment you utter the least lie. All Guild Mages can do this, but none of them can deal out punishment the way a Questor can.

"A single evasion or mistruth will condemn you to an unimaginably painful and slow death, I assure you. Only absolute, literal truth without prevarication or evasion will preserve your miserable life.

"Do you understand, worm?"

Keller nodded, his eyes wide and terrified. Grimm suppressed a smile. This was as it should be.

"I will not hurt you for telling the truth, whatever it may be," he said, and the cool voice seemed to come from outside him. "But a lie, any lie, will bring instant, agonising retribution. Do not worry about telling me what I want to hear, but, rather, fear my wrath if you try to mislead me in any way.

"I want a clear statement from you: to your certain knowledge, did Prioress Lizaveta cast a spell on Loras Afelnor, so that he would disgrace himself in the eyes of the Guild? Did she ensorcel him so that he attacked a man without his own volition? Was that the act that assured his expulsion from the Guild?"

Keller looked from Tordun, to Grimm, and back again, and his expression bordered on sheer panic.

"Just the truth, Keller," Grimm said. "Whatever the truth may be, I swear I will not hurt you for telling it. Any lie will bring you anguish beyond imagining."

Keller drew a whooping draught of air, his eyes threatening to burst from his face. "Lizaveta is… a very powerful witch. She made Loras Afelnor attack a very important man in the Guild," he gasped. "And she cast the spell so he wouldn't ever remember it. That's all I know; I swear it, mage."

Grimm felt a smile spreading across his face, and he knew it was not an amicable one. "Well done Keller. I see you spoke the truth. I have one more, very important question for you: where is the evil bitch's priory? If you tell me that, you won't see me again, I promise."

"She'll kill me, Questor!" the man screamed. "You don't know what she's like!"

It did not even need a spell-phrase; the Questor just concentrated a stream of energy at the floor. The concrete began to smoke and spall, as small, angry, glowing fragments flew away, and the stone-like material turned an evil, glowing blood-red.

"She's in Rendale!" Keller yelled, as if the words had been ripped from his very soul. "Rendale, I tell you! It's about eighty miles south of here. Take the south road to Brianston, then go thirty miles south-east onto Merrydeath Road. Anjar is five miles to the east of that, and Rendale's twenty miles south-west of Anjar, on the Ijar Road."

"Thank you, Keller." Grimm smiled. "That's all I need to know. Thribble, did you hear all that?"

He patted his pocket, before remembering that the demon had left him. To his great relief, he heard a familiar, high voice from Numal-Guy's robe: "All heard and registered, mage. I'll be happy to tell anyone in your Guild, if they should ask me."

The young mage smiled; he had all the evidence he could ask for. The Guild Presidium would surely accept the word of a Divulgent demon, after due investigation! Mage Sight would reveal that the imp was giving the unvarnished truth, as he had heard it. Grimm swore he would extract a more detailed account from the Prioress herself, when they met again.

"Thank you, Keller. That is all."

"You'll let me live?" the Pit-master pleaded. "You swore!"

"I swore I wouldn't hurt you if you told the truth, Keller. As far as I can tell, you have done that, so I'll leave you alone. Instead, I'll leave you to the welcoming party this concerned group of men has planned for you.

"Goodbye, Keller."

The Questor turned to the mass of assembled fighters, and said, "He's all yours, gentlemen. Enjoy."

He felt in no mood to query the toss, and he turned to Guy-Numal, ignoring the Pit-master's pitiful pleas as his former slaves converged upon him.

"Let's see how Crest and Harvel are doing, Guy," he shouted, over the growing tumult. "After that, I'm just about in the mood to destroy this whole, stinking slave-pen."

Guy laughed. Perhaps it was just his unfamiliarity with Numal's vocal tract, but the sound seemed to drip with evil.

"I'd like that a lot." The older mage grinned. "Once I'm back in my own body, I'll be just about ready to do just that. You're a man after my own heart, Questor Grimm!"

The young mage was not sure if that was a compliment or not, but he nodded, as the maddened fighters tore into the hapless body of their former master.

"Come on, Tordun. Let's get back to our own kind."

"Brianston it is," the albino said. If he was concerned about the shift in Grimm's personality, he did not show it.

[Back to Table of Contents]

Chapter 36: Farewell To Yoren

Grimm felt a refreshing wind of relief blow through him as Dr. Hubin told him that neither Crest nor Harvel harboured life-threatening injuries. Crest's skull had been scored by a projectile (which, Grimm learned, was properly called a 'bullet'), but he was otherwise unhurt. Harvel had been hit in the left shoulder by one bullet, and a second had passed clean through his midriff. However, by a miracle, the second bullet had missed all his vital organs and major blood vessels. Although the doctor had immobilised Harvel's left arm with a sling, the warrior's sword arm was unaffected.

The doctor left without a word, and Grimm felt almost overjoyed as the tiny demon, Thribble, ran to his feet.

"I prefer your pocket to Numal's!" the imp crowed, hopping onto the mage's extended hand.

"I'm glad to have you aboard once more, demon," Grimm said. "Quests wouldn't be the same without you."

With the underworld creature back in his pocket, Grimm felt the team was complete once more.

Numal, still in Guy's body, sat upright and conscious. He looked weak, but otherwise little the worse for wear.

"Right, Numal," the Necromancer's mouth said, behind which remained the mind of Guy Great Flame. "You've had my body long enough. Do whatever you have to do to get me back inside it."

"I can't do that," Numal-Guy said, in a similar, slurred monotone. "I don't think your body has enough strength in it to cast the spell at this time, and I haven't yet mastered your vocal organs. A miscasting could be disastrous."

"I was able to cast spells well enough from your body, Grandfather," Guy-Numal said, twisting his borrowed face into a rough facsimile of a sneer. "I think you just want to hang on to a young, virile body while you have the chance.

"Perhaps I can persuade you to change your mind."

The Questor smiled and produced a small, beige box studded with coloured excrescences.

Grimm guessed the Technological artefact had something to do with the hated collars of enslavement, and he knocked the box from the liver-spotted hand.

Guy-Numal spun around, his face a red mask of fury.

"Just who the hell do you think you are, wonder-boy? I was only joking with Granddad, here. Just butt out and mind your own bloody business; you don't own me!"

Grimm felt a hot, angry rush of blood spreading through his face; he might have disparaged Numal's powers and courage on occasion, but the Necromancer had, for once at least, acted with great bravery, and Grimm felt the fact should be acknowledged.

"Just a moment, Great Flame," he said. "We both know that Questor magic isn't the same as rune magic. Precision is everything with a runic spell: pronunciation, cadence and tone are all vital factors. Almost any old gibberish will do for a Questor spell.

"Numal's done a very brave thing here, and it's about time you acknowledged it! Without his courageous actions, we might all have been killed. As it is, we've won: we need to get on with our Quest as a team, not bicker about who's trying to cheat whom! No, I don't own you, but I am in charge of this bloody Quest, at the behest of Lord Dominie Horin; this is not a democracy, my friend, and it's high time you realised that!"

Realising he had left Redeemer in the Pit, he summoned it, and it appeared in his upraised right hand in an instant. Looking Guy-Numal straight in the eyes, he smashed the staff's brass shoe into the brown artefact with full force, shattering it into fragments.

"Right! That's it!" Guy-Numal cried. "You've been asking for this for a while now. Let's have it out! You and me, right here, right now!"

Grimm's rage evaporated, and he felt only calm. "I don't think you're in any condition to oppose a young, virile Seventh Level Questor, are you… Granddad?"

If Guy had had the ability to kill with the power of his gaze alone, Grimm knew he would be a smoking pile of ash at that very moment. However, the older Questor's borrowed eyes were the first to look away.

"All right, youngster. You win-this time. We'll be having a few words later on, though; believe me!"

Grimm bit off an acidic rejoinder as the bruised, battered Quelgrum hobbled into the leafy refuge.

"We've got company," he said. "Looks almost like a delegation, but they are armed, and there are quite a lot of them."

"I'll go, General." The young Questor felt relieved that the General's interruption had defused a nasty situation. Turning his back on his still-irate colleague, he strode out of the bushes, holding his head high. Although the large lump on the back of his head still throbbed, he felt much better than he had.

As he strode onto the greensward between the Pit and Mansion House, he saw the General had not exaggerated; a veritable army was approaching. Twenty-five or thirty green-uniformed men, weapons at the ready, surrounded a short, white-haired man dressed in a black suit.

His voice full of bravado he did not feel, Grimm cried "That's far enough, gentlemen. You must be aware that your Technological weapons will have no effect on me. The least assault upon me will bring down a rain of destruction you cannot begin to imagine."

The short man, his eyes shifting in a nervous manner, stepped forward. "I am Elor Chudel, mage."

So this puny-looking man was the elusive owner of Mansion House! Grimm had expected a sepulchral figure with eyebrows like lightning-bolts, and he suppressed an unbecoming laugh.

"I wish to discuss mutually acceptable terms," Chudel said, in a high-pitched, almost musical voice.

"I am only willing to discuss terms of your surrender, Chudel. You have no choice in the matter."

"I am an honest businessman, Lord Mage! Perhaps I am guilty of tweaking people's emotions in order to heighten their enjoyment, but no more than that."

"You are a filthy, manipulative slaver, Chudel! You are responsible for torturing men into putting on a bloody, degrading spectacle for the gratification of artificially enhanced blood-lust. You are a foul carbuncle on the arse of the human race, and not fit to live!"

"I was weak," Chudel said, spreading his hands wide in supplication. "Yoren is a poor town. I fulfilled a perceived need and put money in the town's coffers, but I perceive now that I may have been over-zealous. I give you my word that the Pit will now be an honest spectacle. We will use no more pheromones in Mansion House and the Pit, and our fighters will be willing volunteers. If only you will spare us, I will swear to run this establishment on honest lines from now on."

Chudel's performance almost convinced Grimm; the large, pleading eyes, the tremulous hint of desperation in the proprietor's voice, and the subtle quivering of his lower lip spoke of an honest but misguided man, trying to make his way in an unforgiving world in the only way he could.

However, the mage knew he had made grave errors of trust before: the witch, Madeleine and her mistress, Prioress Lizaveta among the beneficiaries of his misplaced beliefs.

Chudel might have appeared a pathetic morsel of humanity, but Grimm now knew better than to trust blind instinct. Invoking the talent he had had since childhood, he invoked his Mage Sight. In place of the shifting patterns of colours he had been able to interpret for so long, he saw a blank, white nothingness, the sign of witch magic, and he guessed its source.

"If you are trying to gain my sympathy, scum, you are going about it the wrong way," he snapped. "I know you are under the protection of Prioress Lizaveta, the woman who betrayed my grandfather."

Chudel sank to his knees, his eyes wide. "What were we to do, mage?" he pleaded. "The Prioress has been Yoren's patron for many years. When she told us another Questor, the grandson of Loras Afelnor, was approaching, we feared for our lives. Prioress Lizaveta cast a spell on Mansion House, so that our minds could not be affected by mind-magic, and she reminded us that we owed her for her protection. You have no idea what she could have done if we'd refused to aid her by preventing you from finding her."

Grimm shook his head.

"Save your speeches, Chudel," he growled. "Regardless of your complicity with Lizaveta, this place is an abomination, and I intend to burn it to the ground."

"You are a monster!" Chudel screamed. "There are innocent people inside the House!"

"Then I suggest you arrange an immediate evacuation, Chudel. The audience is at an end!"

At that moment, a guard launched a stream of bullets at the lone Questor, to be joined swiftly by his comrades, and Grimm laughed as the projectiles flew back to their sources, repelled by the invaluable gem he had borrowed from High Lodge.

Chudel seemed to have a charmed life; as the armed guard around him collapsed, not one of the small, deadly projectiles struck him.

I must see if I can't buy one of these gems when I get back, Grimm thought, marvelling at the efficacy of the magical shield Horin had lent him.

He pretended not to have noticed the fusillade, holding Chudel's wide, terrified eyes in a steely gaze that only another Questor could hope to equal in intensity.

"You have tried my patience enough, small man," he said. "In ten minutes, I expect to see our wagon at the entrance, with all our weapons and belongings aboard. If there is any further attempt upon me within that time, I will wait no longer before visiting my wrath upon you and yours.

"Time is ticking away, Chudel; I recommend that you do not tarry. I rather fancy that the freed Pit fighters, once they have finished with Keller, will turn their interest on you."

"What of the countless, blameless employees of Mansion House?" Chudel pleaded. "What do you leave us, apart from destitution?"

"I leave you your miserable lives," Grimm growled. "Nobody here is blameless, worm; be grateful that I do not choose to destroy you all. But I will, if you deviate from my terms by one iota."

****

Chudel ran into the reception hall as if possessed, ringing a bell reserved for emergencies. As staff members flooded into the vestibule, he screamed, "Get everybody out! That bastard mage is going to destroy Mansion House in less than ten minutes, and I don't think we can stop him. He's onto our little game, he knows that old cow Lizaveta's involved in it, and she's next on his list! Save what you can, but move! Somebody get his group's stuff, and load it into their wagon. I don't want him any more annoyed than he is now! Hurry!"

The girl behind the counter blanched and ran to the back room as a mad panic ensued. With trembling hands, she removed a wooden box from a desk drawer and extracted a glass ball from it.

Forcing herself to be calm, she placed her hands on the globe and concentrated.

"Mother Prioress, are you there?"

After a few seconds, she felt the mind of her superior slither into her sensorium.

"What is it, Sister Mandrine? Is that fat fool, Chudel, complaining about his dues again? Is he-"

"Mother Prioress, we have a problem. A Guild Questor is here, Grimm Afelnor by name, and he intends to destroy Mansion House in its entirety. I believe he's related to the Afelnor who all but destroyed-"

"I know who he is, fool! Get on with it!"

"I think he intends to attack the Priory next, Reverend Mother!"

"Of course he does, witless one. I should have known better than to trust that pompous bag of wind, Chudel, to protect my interests."

"Shall I return to the Priory, Reverend Mother?"

"Perhaps that is best," came the Prioress's dry, dusty mental message. "I owe you punishment for interrupting me, girl; you will pay for that transgression later."

With that, the mental connection was severed, and Mandrine quailed. She knew Lizaveta's punishments well, but she knew better than to disobey the Prioress. As the sounds of panic outside the small room grew into tumult, she packed the globe back in its box, and, tucking it under her arm, ran out to retrieve her effects from her own small room.

****

As Quelgrum drove the wagon away from the blazing ruins of Mansion House, the young Questor looked back with some satisfaction at the destruction he had caused. A great evil had been destroyed here, and he had prevailed.

"Look out, Lizaveta, I'm coming!" he muttered, looking back at the road ahead. "Your time is coming to an end."

In a louder voice, Grimm asked, "What's the next town on the itinerary, General?"

"Brianston, Lord Baron," Quelgrum said after consulting his map. "I don't know much about it, but it should be a picnic after this bloody place."

"I think we'd better rest on the plain for a few days, General. We need some time for healing and recuperation, and I don't think Guy will be happy until we get him back in his own body; if he's ever happy, that is."

"I agree, Lord Mage. I hate to admit it, but I'm not as young as I used to be, and that fight has really taken it out of me."

"Brianston," the Questor mused. "It sounds like a nice, normal place to me."

"Don't bet on it," the General warned him. "I won't be happy until we're out of this whole damned region. If we rest up on Blagor Hill, here, we should be able to spot any unwanted incursions well in advance."

"We're in your hands, General. I just want you to know that I'm not about to take anything for granted, now. I've learnt a lot from this."

"We've all learnt a lot, Baron. I just want to say that I think you're beginning to shape up as a leader of men. Just think with your head a little more, and your guts a little less, and I think you'll be fine. It's a lesson I learned many years ago, and I've never forgotten it."

Grimm opened his mouth to speak, but shut it again. Nothing more needed to be said. Through overconfidence and misplaced trust, he had been lucky not to waste the life of a valued companion. He vowed never to make that mistake again. From now on, he would trust nobody.

The wagon rolled onwards, past the now unmanned checkpoints, out of Yoren and onto the wide, open plain.

Content

Alastair J. Archibald
Truth of Deception

Chapter 1:"You May Rest When You Are Dead"

Chapter 2: The Uncertain Future

Chapter 3: Lord Thorn's Assessment

Chapter 4: Misgivings

Chapter 5: Rivalry and Revelry

Chapter 6: A Travelling Companion

Chapter 7: Friendly Discourse

Chapter 8: Control

Chapter 11: Confrontation

Chapter 12: Confessions

Chapter 13: The Sixth Ring

Chapter 14: An Unexpected Guest

Chapter 15: Triumph

Chapter 16: Nocturnal Interruption

Chapter 17: Breakfast With The Dominie

Chapter 18: Trust

Chapter 19: "The Most Important Quest"

Chapter 20: Homecoming

Chapter 21: Rebellion

Chapter 22: Heartfelt Discussions

Chapter 23: Departure

Chapter 24: Yoren

Chapter 25: Sightseeing

Chapter 26: A Cheerful Reception

Chapter 27: The Pit

Chapter 28: Persuasion

Chapter 29: Training

Chapter 30: Clarity

Chapter 31: "Let's Raise The Roof!"

Chapter 32-The Young Contender

Chapter 33: "Grimm Must Be Saved!"

Chapter 34: An Echoing Tumult

Chapter 35: Retribution

Chapter 36: Farewell To Yoren