Air Forces

Muld's group sees the extent of the avalanche.

53.

Air Forces

 

The next morning came with no sun, for deep grey clouds hung over the Elotrush Mountains.   Yet even without sunlight, it was easy to see the destruction that the avalanche had caused to Orc Pass.

It had worked beyond even the hopes of Muld.   Tons of huge rocks filled the entire valley from end to end.    Both guard stations were completely buried, which did not relieve the guilt Syndi felt.

At the northern end, a huge crowd had assembled, looking at the pass.   They saw the Autumn Maid hovering over the rubble and glared at it, but not without great fear at those who could cause such destruction.

It was obvious that it would take years  -at best- to clear the pass and from the occasional falling of loose rocks, it would not be a safe task to attempt.

“They’re subdued.”   Jevon told his companions as they stared down at those on the ground looking at the rubble, “I see Imperial soldiers in that crowd, and they seem as somber as the rest.”

“They know they’re trapped.”   Muld answered, “We’ve blocked the Imperial legions from reaching them easily.    We’ve defeated their resolve and shaken their strength.”

“I can’t believe the spells we cast did this much damage.”  Allea said as she looked up and down the pass, “How in the world did you know it would do this?”

“I knew the rocks of the pass were of the type that would easily give way if there was the proper force applied to them.”  Muld answered, “But I am surprised that as much fell into the valley as it did.”

“Can we leave here now?”  Syndi asked, turning away from the damage below.

“Yes.”  Muld replied softly, sensing how she felt, “We will head southward and rendezvous - hopefully- with Duke Eleazar’s airship.”

“The sooner the better.”  The Losasidhe girl mumbled.

 

***

 

An hour and a half later the Autumn Maid took off, its magical engines filling the mountains with a roar as it shot toward the south.

On the bridge of the airship, the company was in a somewhat festive mood.   Proud of their success, most of them chatted.   Muld talked about his plans for a Practical Magic Engineering Guild in Westmark.    To his delight, Mutt, Jevon, Rick and Tadd all expressed interest in employment.    The two Dwarf brothers sat with Mage Keith discussing enchantments on armor, while Allea and Elina spoke of the Vale of Helios.   

Syndi sat for a long time staring out the window of the bridge, glad that she no longer felt motion sickness, but still feeling turmoil over her part in the avalanche and wondering how her parents were faring as they advanced toward King’s Reach with the army.

 

It was late afternoon and some of them were napping on the comfortable couches that filled the bridge of the airship.    Syndi sat alone at a table, looking down at pages of parchment that Muld had left there from the night before.    The first two pages were diagrams, measurements and notes on Orc Pass, but the third was a fascinating sketch of what looked like his idea of an airship.

“Oh, you found The Spryte.”   Came Muld’s voice from behind her.

“The what?”

“The Spryte " that’s what I named my conceptual airship.”

“Oh.”  She pushed the drawing away from her, “I didn’t mean to snoop.”

“You’re not snooping - in fact I enjoy sharing my ideas with others.    What do you think of it?”   He sat down next to her.

“I don’t know… I’ve only been in one airship, so I don’t think I’d be a very good judge.”

“Perhaps that would make you a better judge - because you lack preconceived notions of what an airship should be.”   He grinned a boyish smile, trying to use his charm to cheer her up.

“Well, it looks interesting, I guess.”   She said with a shrug.

“So do I sense that you wish you hadn’t joined this group now?”

“No… I don’t know… maybe so…I’m confused and I can’t stop feeling responsible for killing any of those Imperial soldiers that might have been in those guard stations.   I guess you think I’m silly.”

“Not at all.”  He patted her arm, “It’s not silly to hate taking a life.    You just haven’t experienced a situation like this before.    You’re a Losasidhe Elf, aren’t you?”

Syndi looked up, panicked, “What makes you say that?!”

“You said you were from the north, and you don’t act like a Faesidhe Elf.   Queen Eioldth, though many thought of her as Faesidhe, was actually a Losasidhe Elf.    They were a group that separated from the Faesidhe... but you know that!    I know that the Losasidhe are rather rustic and that they are not fond of practical magic.”   

“I know that Queen Eioldth wasn’t like that though, for she was thrilled with it.   You mentioned that your parents were rather old-fashioned and that your sister was in Eioldth’s court.   The King and Queen of the Losasidhe were in Westmark when we left, for I ran afoul of your Queen - though I still haven’t figured out why.”

“Therefore, I’d guess that you were a Losasidhe Elf.   I didn’t know that they had such wonderful red hair though.”

“Some do,” She smiled, flattered at his passive compliment, “Yes, I’m Losasidhe.”

 “I thought so.”  He smiled back,  pleased at his guess, “I would imagine that sneaking off with me would upset them, since I’m a Practical Magician.”

“Yes, it would.”   She said, nervously, for he seemed to be close to zeroing in on who she was.

“So your parents travelled with the King and Queen?”  He asked and her heart skipped a beat.   He was going to find out!

 

“It’s The Phoenix!”   One of the crewmen manning the bridge suddenly exclaimed and everyone jumped up and ran to the window.   In the distance, an airship could be seen, and it was moving quickly toward them.

“Cut power to the engines.”  Captain Fread ordered, “We’ll let them come to us.”

Very soon The Phoenix had pulled aside them and gang planks were lowered.    All aboard the Autumn Maid crossed over to the larger airship.    On the deck Duke and Duchess Eleazar and their team waited for them.   

They greeted each other and for a time shared their tales of their adventure.    The loss of three in Eleazar’s team saddened Muld’s team, but his smashing success in filling Orc Pass with rocks greatly pleased the Duke and Duchess.

“Let’s all take supper together here, and then we will fly these airships through the night, for I am anxious to assist our friends and family against Redburr’s forces.”   Eleazar said to them.

 

They dined in the large mess hall aboard The Phoenix and the mood was light and optimistic.   Syndi was relieved that she had avoided Muld’s deduction of her identity.   She sat next to the young Practical Magic Engineer, but he was too busy talking about their exploits to think of her, and for this she was glad.

A hand on her shoulder made her jump slightly, and she looked back to find Alleania kneeling down with a smile on her face, “Syndi, I have heard that you learned your first spell over the course of your mission.    I spoke with my niece, Allea, and she said that she thinks you possess a strong talent for magic.    I know you are interested in Practical Magic, but I wonder if you would be interested in becoming a Sorceress?”

“A Sorceress?  Me?”  Syndi laughed at the thought, “I’m sorry, Matron Alleania, I do not mean to be rude, but I can’t imagine myself as a Sorceress.”

“Why not, child?   Faesidhe… and Losasidhe Elves are quite gifted at Sorcery.   My daughter tells me that Queen Eioldth was a powerful Sorceress - though she practiced a different school of Sorcery than I do.    I thought it might run in the family.”

She winked at the girl, who stared at her in surprise.

“I used to have the ability to read minds, when I was a vampire, Syndi, and I have really missed that since being restored as a living person.   So I sometimes cast that spell if there is someone that I want to know more about.   I confess that I used that spell recently on you while we were eating dinner tonight.”

Syndi jumped up from her seat and pulled the Drow lady with her away from the table.    Alleania was laughing softly.

“Child, do not fear, I also know that you are trying to keep your identity a secret from Muld.   I will not tell anyone, unless you allow me to do so.   I never really knew your sister, but I know that she was a powerful and confident lady.   I see that you do not feel that you share these traits with her.   As I am about to embark on a new life, living on the surface with my family, I feel that I owe it to everyone - and to Yesh, whom I am still learning about- to do good.”

“So what does that have to do with me?”  Syndi asked.

“Why, I thought that was obvious, child!   I’m offering to teach you the art of sorcery, as my apprentice.   But don’t worry, I do not mean to make you sweep floors or wash potion bottles.   Allea is also wishing to learn more, and I thought that perhaps you would enjoy that as well.   I will make certain that my instruction time would not interfere with any work you do with Muld.”

“I’m not sure I’m going to work for him.”

“Really?  Why not, child?   It is a fascinating and extremely useful profession!    If you knew Sorcery spells, it would only make you more helpful to Muld’s work.”

“Do you truly think I’d be good at it?”   Syndi asked, looking at the lovely Drow lady. 

“Absolutely!   It will help you overcome your insecurity about yourself.”

“Well, that would be good, I guess.”

“Why don’t you just think about it, alright?    If things go well when we return to Westmark, we can discuss it further.   I want to train several young women as sorceresses.  Years ago there was a Sorceress living in Westmark, but they haven’t had any living there in years.    It’s a school of magic that women are very proficient at - at least in the school that I follow.    It’s always extremely popular with the men too!”   Alleania laughed.

“Why?”   Syndi asked innocently.

“You haven’t noticed?    Sorceresses use their femininity to increase their power.    It is called ‘Feminine Qi’ and it can be quite powerful.   As pretty as you are, you should be very formidable.”

“It sounds… sinful.” 

Alleania grinned somewhat wickedly, “Oh, it is… in some ways.   We prey on the lust of males to fuel our spells, but that does not mean that we have to be of loose morals.   We only dress like it.”

“I don’t know if I would feel comfortable dressed like that.”   Syndi admitted, looking at Alleania’s very suggestive attire.

“When you feel confident about yourself, you begin to realize that your shape and beauty is a tool that can be used for good.   Since you are quite attractive, child, you should use what Yesh has blessed you with in a way that will serve the common good.”

“By causing men to lust after me?”

“Child, they will lust after you even if you dress conservatively.   That is the nature of men.   Sorceresses just put to use some of that sexual energy - without engaging in any physical contact with the men.”

“Well, I’ll think about it.”   Syndi told the Drow lady and that pleased her.

“Good!    I will let you get back to your meal.    Think about it, Syndi.   You have the gift.”

She left her then and Syndi reseated herself, wondering if what the Drow lady claimed was true.