Our story began here.
Crane
The tall thin man with long reddish hair did not wait for the ship to dock. Instead no sooner had the ship come alongside the harbour wall he gave a cheery wave and stepped from the ship with his long three-quarter length leather brown coat billowing out behind him as if he had been transformed into some great bird.
It had been a while since Crane had dwelt long at Pandoria and he took a moment to smell the fresh fish scented air mingled with late spring blossom. He had a house somewhere not far from the dock, but it had been so long that for a moment he could not recall in which of the streets that fanned out from the harbour it was situated.
“We’ll send your bags to your house Mr Crane,” the captain called after him and the adept immediately remembered the narrow white-washed façade and where it stood.
“Do that,” he called back and hurried on towards the great towers of Pandoria that stood above the town and dominated the island.
The dour fire-haired captain stared after the wizard with concern etched in his face. This time Crane had brought no new students to Pandoria and from his haste he was clearly not making a homecoming trip. He stole a glance at the weather crafter packing his gear at the prow, but knew better than to glean any Pandoria business from him. These magi were as thick as thieves and closed-mouthed to boot.
Looking back at the dock he could see that Crane had already gone.
*
The Davidus Grimm’s unblinking grey-blue eyes regarded Crane politely, revealing no hint of his impatience to hear the talent-scout’s news.
For his part Crane stood impassive in a square of orange light projected on the floor of the Grand Magus’s office by the leaded window panels that lined the room. He was a head taller than the Grand Magus, but decidedly scruffier next to the immaculate fire mage in his smooth russet cloak and staff.
In one corner the ever-loyal Scroll Keeper, Sejanus Jacelon, stood quietly watching the strange pair and taking silent bets on who would blink first.
“You have news,” Davidus said nonchalantly as he closed the space between himself and the wizard.
“Indeed Grand Magus,” Crane replied with barely a nod.
“Well spit it out man,” Sejanus snapped impatiently.
Crane spread his arms expansively and gave a shallow bow.
“I come from Challis,” he said, “I was there to collect two prospects for Pandoria; one in particular, a nobleman’s son.”
“Yes, yes,” the Scroll Keeper urged.
Davidus stilled him with his hand and forced a smile for the talented adept to indicate he should continue.
“I was prevented,” Crane said simply. “In fact I barely escaped with my life.”
“What happened?” the Grand Magus said quietly.
“The boy was murdered. An assassin I believe; such a waste,” Crane said in a tight voice. “The other, a peasant, has quite disappeared, but in any case all travel between Challis and the East has been suspended.”
“We have heard nothing of this,” Sejanus said carefully.
“Siegel Ferris was on hand to convey me quickly away,” Crane explained. “No other ship will come for weeks.”
The Grand Magus looked over his shoulder at his Scroll Keeper with a question etched on his face.
“Siegel Ferris is a weather crafter, one of ours,” Sejanus murmured.
“Ah, I see,” Davidus nodded, and then considering the main point, he said more firmly, “Then it has begun.”
“You could say that, the men that tried to take me wore Xerses livery,” Crane said bitterly.
“It sounds as if you have had quite an adventure,” the Grand Magus said in a friendly tone that did not match his eyes. “You will be paid the finder’s fee for the lost students of course.”
The Scroll Keeper coughed behind him, but before he could speak Crane growled, “Finder’s fee go hang, we are at war Sir.”
“Indeed we are,” Davidus agreed, “Sejanus summon the magister, the inner circle anyway…”
“What about…?” the Scroll Keeper began; he looked a little shifty.
“As before, exclude those that this touches… for now,” the Grand Magus replied, knowing Sejanus’s concerns.
*
Maxine Du Jared was fuming. Word had reached her that the Grand Magus had called a council of war. But even though she was the most senior of the Water faculty she had not been included.
Predictably the only woman present was Davidus’ ‘safe’ friend Lucy Greystoke. Even the infinitely dour Dniester had been invited, although the absence of Gort did give her some pause, but nothing is ever that simple. Besides Gort was away and no doubt would have been there otherwise. No, it was clear they suspected something, suspected her maybe… this was worrying.
“I shall have to take steps,” she mused aloud.
“Pardon Mistress,” Rachel Dvanjester asked.
Maxine regarded her apprentice and weighed her worth.
“Tell me my girl, just how committed are you to me and our cause?” she said in spidery tones to her nervous blue-clad fly.
“Cause?” Rachel swallowed.
“Now is the moment of truth,” Maxine said fiercely, “These old fools have ruled in Pandoria too long.”
“What do you want me to do?” Rachel said quietly.
“I cannot spy on this meeting, I would almost certainly be detected; my own gifts would give me away. Besides if I was to be caught…” Maxine let the sentence hang, “But you on the other hand… a curious journeyman with a good background…”
Rachel thought of the dire punishment she could face for such an intrusion but rewards for their victory would be worth it. Maxine was right, the die was cast and it was time for a change.
“I’ll do it,” Rachel said breathlessly.
“Good,” Maxine said with chill smile.
For a moment she considered telling Rachel the whole truth, but then things were… complicated and not to mention dangerous. A whole world hung in the balance after all. Maxine decided against it for now.
*
Davidus looked down the table at the few of the magister he knew he could trust. The realisation gave him a pang of guilt as he realised he had just casually excluded Gort and his old friend William in that company.
“I make no apologies for standing on ceremony but I want it known that I find this gathering highly irregular,” Dniester announced dryly. “I have no place here and yet there are others…”
“Your observation is noted,” the Scroll Keeper intoned.
“Not literally I hope,” Lucy Greystoke chipped in.
Sejanus Jacelon scowled at her.
“No indeed, there will be no minutes taken, and as to Dniester’s quite proper interjection, well these are irregular times and call for unorthodox approaches,” the Grand Magus said with a cough and added, “We have a traitor in our midst.”
“The one somehow connected with Challis,” Fear put in, looking for conformation.
“That is what we believe,” Davidus said bitterly.
“Now things become clearer,” Gareth Parmenter, a Grey Mage from Timbre said in tentative voice. “I was wondering where Gort and William were in this assemblage; there are none here connected to Challis I see.”
He was a man much of Fear’s age by his appearance and was well-built with short blonde hair. The fact that he had mastered the disciplines of air and water put him in good standing.
“Interesting that you do not comment on Maxine’s absence, she is after all our leading Water Mage,” Lucy said, her eyes twinkling. “And she lived in Challis with her mother before coming here, as is well known.”
Gareth opened his mouth to speak but was silenced by a wave from the Grand Magus.
“Let’s not go over gender politics and reform agenda just now,” Davidus let his irritation show. “We must assume we have a traitor and proceed accordingly.”
“Agreed,” several voices chipped.
“And what of this beast?” Dniester added.
“Which one, there are several,” Sejanus replied.
Fear sat-up and gave the Scroll Keeper a hard stare.
“We have spoken of the Worm, the treacherous one; do you mean the Raven that threatens our young De Lacy or the other?” Davidus sighed.
“I spoke of the Wolf in the West, but now that you speak of it, what further news of the crow?” Dniester said in a firm voice.
As the sage inner sanctum deliberated, above them beyond the door Rachel Dvanjester balanced precariously on a beam listening at a skylight. As a journeyman she now had access to the main buildings of Pandoria, including the Barbican where the Grand Magus officiated. She had slipped by two vigilant journeymen at the door by carrying a tray of refreshments. Neither thought it odd that a journeyman would do such a task, not when she was a woman. It had then been a matter of using her slight build to secret herself on the broad beam and hope that she wasn’t seen.
If caught she could just shrug it off as a prank. It was obvious to her now why Maxine could not do it. Even if the Water Mage had got by the door, which was doubtful, the Magister within would have sensed her power.
And Maxine was going to find the revelations from the meeting very useful.
To be continued.
