The Baldari (Book 3) Read online

  The Baldari

  Concludes the Ancient Magic Saga

  Bob Blink

  Major Characters

  Three Kingdoms' Characters

  Rigo's Close Friends

  Ash'urn: Scholar

  Daria: Assassin{KalaBhoot}

  Jeen: Wizard

  Kaler: Swordsman

  Branid Royalty

  Mos'pera: Queen and Seer

  Rhory: King

  Miscellaneous Wizards from the Outpost

  Ashli: Skilled medical wizard

  Burke: Senior wizard and now close friend of Rigo

  Daim: Ancient wizard existing in new body

  Koess: Wizard lost at the Great Chasm in Ruins

  Nycoh: Most powerful wizard at Outpost

  Shara: Girlfriend of Ash'urn

  Tara: Burke's consort

  Sedfair Characters

  Royalty

  Jusay: Newly elected Queen

  Rosul: Queen during the time of Carif leadership of Guild

  Miscellaneous Characters

  Ardra: Co-Director of the Guild

  Debi: Leader of Sedfair expedition into the jungles

  Fen: Young student Caster

  Lyes: Co-director of the Guild

  Mitty: Rigo's consort

  Professor Meyter: Activates the Ruins' artifact

  Suline: Only person who can create the Ghost Doorway

  Baldari Characters & Terms

  A'ardaugh: Baldari name for themselves

  Ler'ver'ar: Staple of Baldari diet; approximate flavor

  and odor of Durian

  S'erom: Leader of Baldari forces, termed First

  Tall: Baldari name for people to the north of jungles

  Tin'skel'ot: Name of Baldari homeland

  U'nydyn: Name of Baldari pony

  Brryn Characters

  Hyndl: Kytra's ally against kingdoms [male]

  Kytra: Brryn behind attacks, first one conscious

  Nyk: Missing from crystal chamber

  Nldt: Dead in Brryn chamber

  Smmt: Dead in Brryn chamber

  Syth: Unconscious Brynn

  Tryll: Kytra's ally against kingdoms [female]

  Unnamed: Unconscious Brynn

  General Terms

  Caster: one who has learned symbolic magic

  mage: one who is both a wizard and Caster

  sorcerer: Brryn name for those with magic

  wizard: one who has inherent magic

  Chapter 1

  S’erom rode his U’nydyn with careless abandon. The U’nydyn knew his thoughts and responded without manual guidance, pushing through the endless orange sands of this despicable land glass after glass, day after day. His was the dominant mind and the deadly beast would do as he wished, despite its own wish to be back in the fertile valleys to the south. S’erom also wished to be back in Tin’skel’ot, the homeland with its thick green jungle and pungent rivers, but that was not an option open to him. He wasn’t exactly certain why, but he knew the action he was engaged in was his greatest priority, whatever the outcome. For many, the outcome had been death. He had lost many longtime friends and all of his brothers as a direct result of the trips to the north. He was one of the survivors. It was simple luck more than anything else. Still he returned. Hopefully he would survive the journey to the northern lands and the battle that was almost certain to develop before the journey ended. If so, he would be able to return home for a brief period. He longed to see his mate, and their two young offspring. Even then, he did not kid himself. He knew survival only ensured another trip in the not too distant future.

  S’erom didn’t know why he and his fellow A’ardaugh felt so compelled to attack the big light-skinned inhabitants of the northern lands. The Talls, the A’ardaugh called them. It was not as though the A’ardaugh were a warrior race at heart who sought to expand their influence far beyond the borders of the jungle lands where they felt at home. Long had they lived contentedly in the rich lands to the south of the great mountains, pursuing nothing beyond their own interests and watching as their villages grew. The land was rich, both with game and fertile lands that allowed the Ler’ver’ar to grow in vast fields of red. Ler’ver’ar was their basic food staple, and the ease with which it could be grown assured them the means to expand without limit. The A’ardaugh had developed a strong clan-based culture, and while there were occasional territorial disputes with other clans, the matters were usually settled rather quickly, although not without bloodshed. But that was the way of things. This matter which he was now engaged in was entirely different.

  They rode day and night, taking only infrequent breaks for food and drink. The force had gathered where they were meant to, and all had known somehow that S’erom was First. There had been no voting, nor any challenge for who would lead, which was normally the custom among the A’ardaugh. He led the force and they would obey his commands without question. Just as he obeyed the pressure inside his head that told him where to go and what he was to accomplish. He wished he knew the origin of the urging inside him. He felt as if he were a simple U’nydyn following the mental direction of its rider.

  S’erom didn’t relish the role as First. He was surprised to be alive after his involvement in actions in the past, and he had seen how exposed the First could be. The name was well chosen, for he would indeed lead the charge into whatever dangers faced them, which made his chances of survival even less than those of his fellows. There was a great turnover in the lead position. The chances were great that E’rolk, his Second, would be at the front as the survivors headed back to the south. That assumed that any of the force survived. There were times that none did.

  The trip had begun with the disorienting ride through the Opening, a large glowing arch that had brought them from far to the south in the central regions of the homeland to the very edge of the mountains that bordered the vast desert they were now crossing. S’erom hated the Opening. It left him queasy and disoriented, but at the same time he wondered if it could transport them so far, why wasn’t their exit made much closer to their final destination? Why were they left to make their way for days across the burning sands instead of being placed near where they intended to go? Of course there were no answers. The same pressures that forced him to lead the force into the battle ahead decided such things. He was a simple tool, being used to accomplish an unknown goal. Instead, he rode as he was pressured to do, stopping at the rare oases that provided water and a chance for a brief break. Sometimes there were none of the green patches that were so restful to S’erom’s eyes, and they had to break in the desert itself.

  Now S’erom noted the change in the desert. It was subtle, but the clues were enough. He’d been this way once before, and he pictured the route to be followed. The U’nydyn responded by changing its heading toward the east. The vicious and dangerous beast was completely subservient to S’erom, which always surprised him. Had it not been for their mental control, the A’ardaugh would have been foolish to go near the creatures, who were known to hunt animals larger than themselves for food. They were carnivores with teeth that could rip flesh, and a bite that assured a quick death for those attacked. They were also strong and had endurance beyond anything else S’erom had known, and were perfect for the trip across the desert. The trips were far easier since the beasts had been impressed into service the previous year. Long had the A’ardaugh known of the creatures, but had always avoided them. Only recently had anyone been brave enough to attempt to use their mental abilities to control the creatures and make them their mounts. S’erom couldn’t help but wonder who had been brave or insightful enough to make the first attempt.

  S’erom passed a mental message to his Second, who in turn relayed the thought to the force that rode with the
m where they were heading. As one, the group changed to the new heading. Virtually all important communication was this way. It was precise, worked over a surprising distance, and could not be intercepted by an enemy. The A’ardaugh could make sounds, but they were reverted to for only the simplest of communication, often to express disgust or anger rather than anything truly meaningful.

  Soon they would cross out of the sands and pass by the outer villages of the land of the Talls. S’erom knew from a previous trip how to avoid the villages closest to the desert lands. The village they sought was inland and it would be best if it could be reached before word of their presence was spread. It was not always possible to accomplish this goal, as chance had a lot to do with whether they were discovered. One could avoid the villages, but the Talls had scouts that patrolled the borders of their land, and it was impossible to know where they were at any given time. Unlike the A’ardaugh, the Talls didn’t have any ability to throw their thoughts. Back home, S’erom would have known when another was nearby. The mental thoughts that formed the basis of communication could only be blocked so well, and while certain individuals could contain their thoughts, a band of soldiers was never so disciplined. He would have felt their presence long before he encountered the individuals responsible. This was not the case with the Talls. They appeared to have no thoughts. S’erom would have thought them simple, had he not seen the technology apparent in their dwellings and villages. He had also experienced their weapons, and witnessed the power of the Talls who carried the glowing rods. Many A’ardaugh had died at the hands of those who commanded the powers of those rods. S’erom hoped they would not encounter many of them today.

  Today S’erom and his force were protected in a way the A’ardaugh had never been before. He didn’t know how he knew this, but N’itess who rode near the center of their group had been tasked with carrying a powered crystal much like those that adorned the rods of the Talls. S’erom could sense the crystal, and knew it was intended to protect the force from attack by the Talls. He didn’t know how it worked, nor even where it had come from, but he somehow knew that the magic the Talls commanded wouldn’t be able to reach them so long as it was active. More conventional weapons were blocked as well. A man with a sword would have no chance to attack the force, and one with arrows would be at a serious disadvantage. An arrow could penetrate, but would not fly true. It would be as if a great wind caught the arrow, and flung it aside. If an archer was smart enough to consider the option, he might be able to drop an arrow in from above, as the protection for physical objects did not extend above them.

  The protection was a wonderful thing, and would help them reach their goal without having to fight the Talls as was often the case, but once there, the protection would have to be discarded to allow them to function as directed. Then they would be vulnerable once again. Assuming N’itess survived, he would provide the same protection as the force withdrew, greatly increasing the survival chances of those who would ride away. The danger would be in the village while they were completing their mission and they would be exposed to the forces and magic of the Talls.

  S’erom realized they had been spotted as they closed in on the village. It was better than he had been able to hope for, but he would have liked to be within the perimeter of the village before it happened. The sounds of alarm that were now obvious would ensure they were met by the soldiers of this land, which meant a battle once the protective barrier was dropped. That was something that S’erom had no control over. He knew, even if he didn’t know how, that once they entered the village, the magic that safeguarded them would be lifted. He flashed a warning to the force to be prepared.

  As they hurried past the first hut at the edge of the village, S’erom felt a brief chill wash over his body, and he knew that the protection was gone. He drew the short sword from his scabbard, and screeched a loud cry of defiance as he charged toward the soldiers who were headed to cut them off. He sensed the determination of his fellows, and grinned fiercely as his blade cut into the armor of the first of the enemy who opposed him. They were between him and the mine where quantities of the crystal were stored. That was what they had come for. S’erom didn’t know why they were so important, but that wasn’t for him to know. He screamed as a blade cut through his leather armor and drew blood. It was a painful cut, but not one that would be fatal.

  Screaming in defiance, S’erom lashed back with his sword, the short thick blade expertly wielded. The soldier that had cut him was past, but the one he swung at earned his revenge. The A’ardaugh outnumbered the defenders and they were breaking through the ranks of the enemy. S’erom urged his forces onward. He commanded the riderless U’nydyn to attack as well. The Talls already had learned to fear the mounts, and he could see a break in their lines as a number of the U’nydyn charged toward them.

  Suddenly a beam of bright light flashed from off to the left. S’erom looked toward the source and saw almost a dozen Talls with the fearsome rods. How had they arrived so quickly? S’erom could see his forces being thinned by the beams of killing energy. Surprisingly, he could see Talls without the rods also unleashing bright beams of colored energy that were taking their toll. This was something he hadn’t seen before, and he was uncertain what it might mean. Directly in front of him a Tall stood defiant, and sensing what might be about to happen, S’erom urged his U’nydyn to one side just as a beam of Brightfire flashed by him, taking out a half dozen riders directly behind him. The Tall was surprised he had missed, and S’erom was able to cut him deeply as he rode past.

  The Talls with the rods had to be stopped or all was lost, S’erom realized. He was about to lead a charge toward them, which he sensed would certainly be fatal, when something made him send a mental command to his Second to assume that task. Knowing the unusual order would be obeyed, even if those who did so might wonder why the First was not leading them as was customary, S’erom followed the urging that took him toward the mines. He had been a simple follower when they had raided this place once before, but he recalled the way. As the battle raged behind him, the small group he led crashed through the small defensive force and slaughtered those who were protecting the stores. S’erom broke through the stout doors that protected the supply of mined crystal and stared at the almost empty room. Last time it had been nearly full. He wondered if the Talls had moved the location where they stored the results of their mining effort.

  Realizing time was against him, S‘erom ordered his forces to gather up the meager supply of crystal present. It didn’t take long, and soon the place was picked clean. So many were being killed for such a small return. S’erom mentally ordered his team to form up, and despite his wish to go to the aid of his fellow A’ardaugh who were being slaughtered a short distance away, he followed the urging in his mind and led them forward, away from the fighting. As they cleared the village, N’itess who once again rode in the center of the group gasped as the crystal he was tasked with carrying pulsed with light and power, and they all felt the chill as the protective energies washed across them. Surprised to have survived, S’erom urged the small force carrying the crystals away from the village circling back so they were headed toward the desert once again. He would feel more confident once they were back in the sands. The Talls had never shown much inclination to following them out into the Wastelands.

  He had survived! He would deliver the strange crystals where the image in his mind suggested, and hopefully would be free to go home to his mate. Only time would tell. He just wished he knew what this was all about.

  Chapter 2

  S’erom arrived with his small army back at the beginning, the village where they had all met to begin the journey to the north many days in the past. They had made the crossing of the desert without incident, safe from the Talls once they had traveled a half day into the orange sands as usual. Unlike previous missions he’d participated in, there had been no waiting for evening when the Opening appeared just as the sun set each day in anticipation of their return. This time
, the Opening appeared in the middle of the day as they rode up to the proper spot, almost as if someone knew they had arrived. S’erom wondered if the crystal that N’itess carried had something to do with this. It was an idle thought, and all but forgotten in the disorienting transition from the desert to the dark green jungle where they exited the Opening.

  They had returned. It could hardly be considered a successful mission. They had gathered far less of the crystal than had been captured the last time he’d been to the Tall’s village where they mined the colorful rock. He had returned with only a fraction of the men he’d departed with. Less than one of six who had ridden away with him had returned. Would he be judged based on the losses? Compared to many missions he had done well. Frequently none returned, and usually even a smaller percentage. He’d been on a mission one time where only five of them had returned, the rest killed in battle for some little understood gain. Perhaps he had done extremely well after all.

  S’erom looked at his fellow A’ardaugh. His people were being depleted. While they were many, they were not infinite. At some level he realized his people were being consumed. If this kept up, someday there would be none of them left. Didn’t that matter at all? Sadly there was no one to raise such questions with, and he could see the dull glaze that filled the eyes of those around him. They were being released. He’d felt the odd sense of purposelessness that accompanied the release in the past when he’d been one of the fighters with no responsibilities. They would be free to return to their village until called once again. Each was releasing the U’nydyn who had carried them for days. The beasts were given a final mental push to return to the jungles from whence they had come. Like the warriors, they were eager to be freed from the unnatural demands in their tiny minds, and they bounded away, the bands of control fading from memory as they put distance between themselves and those they had carried for so many days. Most were much thinner than they’d been when the journey had begun, and they would hunt and feast tonight. Even a few unwary A’ardaugh would provide meals for the ravenous U’nydyn.