The Unsuspecting Mage (34 page)

Ellinwyrd closes the book in front of him and sits back in his chair. “The letter that was delivered to me did not give any names but bore the seal of a friend.” He looks intently at James and asks, “Can you name him?”

“Perrilin the bard wrote that letter on my behalf,” he answers.

Nodding agreement, Ellinwyrd says, “I heard that he was taken by the city watch the other night. How is it that he is with you now?”

“I came across him in an abandoned house outside of town,” he explains. “There were several men there who had him tied to a chair and were beating him pretty badly. I stopped them and brought him back to town.”

“Is he okay now?” Ellinwyrd asks, obviously concerned.

“He’s still sore from his ordeal,” James answers, “but claims he will live. He’s resting in a room at the Silver Bells even as we speak.”

Ellinwyrd chuckles, “That sounds like him. We’ve been friends a long time now and I hate seeing him get into these situations.”

“Situations?” he asks.

“Always something happening when he is around,” Ellinwyrd says. Waving his hand dismissively he continues, “But enough about him, what is it that you think I can help you with? The letter stated you thought there was something in which my help may be needed?”

James removes the medallion from around his neck and hands it across the table to Ellinwyrd. “I was hoping you might know if this design has any sort of significance?”

Taking the medallion, Ellinwyrd brings it close and takes a good look. After a minute of examination, he glances up to James and says, “It looks familiar, but I can’t quite remember why.” He contemplates the design a moment longer before turning it over and examines the smooth back side, rubbing it with his thumb. “What can you tell me about it?”

“Not much really,” he answers, hoping he won’t have to tell him exactly the circumstances by which he acquired it.

“Hmmm…” Ellinwyrd gets to his feet and walks over to one of the many shelves in the room with the medallion still in hand. He picks up one book, flips through the pages briefly before returning it to the shelf and then chooses another. “It seems that I remember seeing this in one of the older tomes, perhaps one dealing with…” he begins to explain before trailing off. Removing a tome with aged, yellow bindings and cracked by the march of time, he nods his head then brings it back to the table. “This may be it. This tome relates the history of various religious orders in the area, both those currently popular and others that have fallen out of favor,” he says to James as he returns to his seat and lays the book between them. Carefully opening it, he says. “There used to be other religions around than there are now, but for one reason or another have disappeared.”

“Disappeared?” James asks. “How can a religion just disappear?”

“Perhaps disappear is an over generalization,” he replies, looking up from the book and glancing across the table at him. “But some religions are no longer sought after by the common man. Over time their temples close, people no longer wish to be priests of that religion, so the religion, sad to say, fades away.” He returns his attention to the book, and continues flipping through the pages. Every once in a while he would pause when he came to a drawing, stopping only long enough to compare the diagram on the medallion to the one that’s in the book. When it proves not to be a match, he continues on.

“Have there been many religion’s to fade away?” asks James.

“I would think so,” he says. “Though how many is hard to say.” He turns to another page and again brings the medallion up close for a comparison. “I think we may have found it.”

“Really?” says James excitedly, leaning across the table in an effort to get a better look at the picture. “What does it say?”

Ellinwyrd hands the medallion back to James and silently reads the section in the book relating to the design depicted on the page. “There is not very much here, just a paragraph,” he says and then moves the book closer to James so he can better see. “This is the symbol of the god Morcyth. The man who wrote this did not know very much about those who believed in Morcyth, simply mentioning that it was an ancient religion whose priests were scholars and teachers.” He turns several more pages but finds nothing further written about Morcyth, so closes the book.

“Have you heard of this Morcyth?” James asks him.

Nodding, Ellinwyrd says, “A little. His influence waned over five hundred years ago I believe, though I am not sure why. I do know his priests were good, always helping everyone they came into contact with.” He looks questioningly across the table at James and asks, “One wonders how you came to be in possession of a medallion bearing the sign of a god whose priests have not been seen for over five hundred years?”

Shifting in his seat under the eyes of Ellinwyrd, he hesitantly replies, “It was given to me.”

“Oh?” Ellinwyrd says, arching one eyebrow questioningly.

Not sure why, but James feels that he can trust him. “It’s a rather long, unbelievable story,” he says. “I was not born in this world,” James admits as he looks to see the reaction his words are having on him.

“Truly?” asks Ellinwyrd, intrigued but somewhat skeptical. “What world were you born upon?”

“We call it Earth,” he explains. “It’s very similar to this one, but with many differences. One of the major differences is that magic doesn’t work in my world.”

“Fascinating,” Ellinwyrd says, then prompts James to continue.

James then relates the tale of how he answered the ad and all the events from the time he entered this world until the time the god, or whatever that little creature is, gave him the amulet. He further explains how he came here to Cardri, how he hoped to discover the meaning of the amulet. How he hoped in some way to shed some light on all this.

“I feel I can trust you with it,” James explains. “Odd, but you’re the first one I’ve met in this world that I’ve felt that way about. Even Ceryn doesn’t know the whole story.” He looks to Ellinwyrd and asks, “I hope that I am not mistaken?”

“Oh no, your story is safe with me,” Ellinwyrd assures James. “I can understand where secrecy about this might be the prudent course of action at this time.”

“Having heard my tale, what would you propose I do now? Should I go in search of Morcyth? And if so, where do I start?” he asks.

“You are the only one who can answer that,” Ellinwyrd says. “You were told to do what feels right, does going in search of Morcyth feel right?”

Considering the idea a moment, he says, “I still feel that I need to know more, so I guess it does. Where would be a good place to start?”

“I am not sure,” he admits. “Morcyth in his heyday was fairly widespread, with local temples in almost every major town. I believe I read somewhere that the central temple to Morcyth had been located in the Kingdom of Madoc, somewhere around the Sea of the Gods.”

“Sea of the Gods?” James asks. “Where would that be?”

“As you may be aware, the Silver Mountains lies along Cardri’s eastern border,” he explains. “On the other side you will find the Kingdom of Madoc. In the central area of Madoc sits an enormous body of freshwater called Sea of the Gods, with many cities lining its shores. Quite likely, one of those cities once housed the central temple to Morcyth,” continues Ellinwyrd. “However, which one eludes me.”

“In case you haven’t heard, the Kingdom of Madoc is being invaded by the Empire from the south. Travel there will be difficult at best. The Empire is currently besieging the town of Saragon, some hundred or so miles south of the Sea.”

“I heard about that,” he admits. “Is there any way to get there without running into the Empire’s forces?”

“There are two passes that allow travel between Cardri and Madoc which would not take you near the fighting, at least where the fighting is right now. One is the Merchant’s Pass, just east of the city of Trademeet. That one is the most direct path to the Sea and is still some distance north of the invading forces so should be relatively safe. The other one is the Dragon’s Pass. It lies further north past the Forest of Kelewan. It would be the safer of the two but will take you many days out of your way.”

“I see,” says James. Getting up, he stretches his hand across the table to Ellinwyrd and then continues, “I appreciate you seeing me and being so helpful, but I must be going. I still have many things to do before I set out in the morning.”

Motioning for James to sit back down, Ellinwyrd says, “Don’t be in such a rush. Maybe I can help you further on your quest.” He gets up from his chair and walks over to a table with many books lying in uneven piles upon it. He picks up one and brings it back to the table.

“I have been meaning to send this to a colleague of mine who maintains the Great Library in the City of Light, which lies on the southern shore of the Sea of the Gods. His name is Ollinearn. From time to time we send each other copies of books and manuscripts that are of interest to the other.”

He takes a large sheet of paper lying on a nearby table and proceeds to wrap the book tightly within it, inserting the corners within the folds until he has a nice, secure package with no loose edges. Taking a candle burning on the table, he drips some wax over a seam then presses his ring into it, making his sign. Satisfied, he hands it over to James who takes it.

“If you would be so kind as to deliver this,” Ellinwyrd says as he gets a quill, ink and paper out, “I will write him a letter asking him to help you in any way he can.”

“I would be glad to,” agrees James.

Ellinwyrd takes but a moment to write out the letter, then rolls it up and like the package, places his seal in wax upon it. He hands the letter to James saying, “Give this letter to him and he should be willing to help.”

James takes the letter and says, “Thank you for your, help. I will be sure to give him the book and letter when I arrive at the City of Light.” James again stands as he holds out his hand.

Taking James’ hand, Ellinwyrd says, “I am glad I could be of some help. Should your travels bring you back to Cardri, please feel free to stop by for a visit. I would dearly like to hear more about you and your world.”

“I will,” James assures him and then turns toward the door to leave.

Before he could take two steps, he’s stopped when Ellinwyrd says, “Just a moment, you require an escort to pass through the castle area.” Moving over to the wall he tugs on a decorative hanging rope. Shortly, the door opens and Berin, the page who had previously escorted him there, enters.

James turns and exits through the door, following Berin along the same path that they had taken in coming to the Archives. Entering the courtyard with the fountain, he sadly discovers that the Princess Alliende is no longer there. He would have dearly loved to see her one more time.

Continuing to follow Berin, James realizes just how late it’s becoming. It didn’t seem as if he had been in there all that long. When he arrives back at the gates, Berin takes his leave saying, “Good evening to you sir,” and then returns to within the castle area.

Needing to get some errands done before he leaves in the morning, he quickly makes his way down the road and finds Thelonius’ shop. Entering through the door, the ever present guards look him over, while one goes into the back to fetch him. The guard reemerges from the back not long before Thelonius makes his appearance at the window.

“Good evening to you James,” he says, greeting him with a smile. “How may I help you this evening?”

“I’m having to leave town for a while and wish to withdraw two hundred gold pieces,” he explains.

“Let me get the coins,” he replies. “I shall be but a moment.” He turns and disappears into the back only a short time before returning with a tray of coins and two small empty pouches. Together they count the coins, and when they have made sure there are two hundred golds worth, he puts the coins into the two pouches and hands them to James. He then produces a paper which James must sign, signifying that he has withdrawn two hundred golds.

One of the guards holds the door open as he leaves with a sack full of coins in each hand. As he’s walking down the street back to the Silver Bells, he begins to realize that this may not have been the most intelligent thing he’s ever done, walking down the street with two bulging pouches filled with gold coins. He doesn’t observe anyone following him and quickly makes it back to the inn, going straight to his room.

Back at his room, he finds Perrilin asleep again and Miko sitting bored looking out the window.

“James,” he says quietly when he sees him walk in through the door. “How did it go?”

He sets the two sacks of gold coins down on the floor in the corner, then comes over and takes a seat at the table. “It went well,” he replies. Taking out the medallion to show it to Miko, he says, “This symbol here is the symbol of a god named Morcyth whose influence waned over five hundred years ago. He didn’t know much more than that. However, Ellinwyrd did mention the area around a body of water called the Sea of the Gods was where the central temple to Morcyth had been located. He couldn’t remember exactly where.”