Villains by Necessity (38 page)

Although that fair city was far inland, its ruler was rumored to be able to see everything that happened in his domain. The eyes of Mizzamir, it was said, kept watch over all the people of Natodik ... and even, some said, the rest of the world.

Every citizen here wore the fashionable item of clothing associated with its patron Hero; even more rigidly than other lands did, since they were the only one among the Six whose patron was still alive. The standard garment here, from toddlers to matriarchs, was the traditional mage's working robe-coat, with the full sleeves and cords for fastening tight around the waist; but only true mages were allowed to wear their robes closed. Symbolically, each and every citizen of Natodik shared in the

%%%power of magic generated by their patron, but only those who learned and practiced it would buckle their robes to symbolize their control over and containment of magic.

In addition, the robes of wizards had another, more subtle difference; they were usually one solid color, with perhaps some trim at the collar, cuffs, and hem. Sam spotted numerous young wizards, male and female, garbed in red, some others in orange or yellow, and even a few in green, as Fenwick's companion wizard had worn. The robes were marks of rank and power among the wizards themselves, increasing in the order of the spectrum; red for novices to blue or violet for the high wizards. Most of the higher orders were too busy or important to come down and mingle in the common streets; they sent their lesser-hued assistants and apprentices to run down and pick up a half-pound of dried toad spawn, or what have you. As Valerie explained the ranking system quietly to them, Sam shook his head in realization of Mizzamir's power: He's so mighty he's right off the scale.

White robes...

The robes of the normal citizens swirled past in all colors-embroidered and embellished for the wealthy; worn and homespun, with big, roomy pockets, for the commoners.

Men wore their robes over a suit of clothing, while women wore them over gowns, and small children often wore little else.

Kaylana's dun robes, while lacking the fullness and fineness of cut favored by most of the citizens, could pass fairly well for common peasant dress. The other renegades and Robin, however, were plainly marked as tourists.

At the first opportunity Arcie motioned the others aside into a small alley, and called a conference.

"We'll be wantin' to get shent of town as soon as we might," he explained, "and set ourselfs going toward yon next doodad we're meaning to snag. Where'll we be looking?"

Valerie sighed and leaned back against a wall, taking out her scroll case with its hastily scribbled notes. "Well, by process of elimination and a few fairly obvious deductions, %%%the verse referring to Natodik must be the one that reads:"Diamond spire spears the sky/Focus of the wizard's eye/Lead, light and sand the Test define/When washed in ancient magic's brine.' That seems to refer to magic and wizards enough to make me think that's the one relevant to Natodik."

"Diamond spire... the Castle of Diamond Magic...," muttered Robin to himself. Sam snapped his fingers, and Blackmail nodded.

"That must be it," Kaylana agreed. "After all, most of the past Tests have been located in places of significance ..."

"Aye, grand head-work, centaur," Arcie chirped up.

"Spiffywell!"

Robin, startled at his unwitting contribution to the villains, stammered unintelligible disclaimers that went unheeded.

"Maybe we should buy horses while we're here," mused Valerie, looking around. "I'm not looking forward to walking to the end of the world."

"Och! Buy horseflesh? In Natodik?" Arcie scoffed.

"Natodik's known for having the worst horses at the highest price of any of these Six Lands. Here's Troisian imports way too muckle expensive and rare, and yon local beasts are peely-wally and so high-strung ye could be having them for Robin's harp strings."

"Well, I guess that's out then," grumbled Valerie.

"The only thing I hate worse than walking is riding an insane horse."

"We'd best get on our way," said Sam. "I don't think it would be a good idea to hang around here, looking the way we do ... we'd better get out of town now, even if it is daylight, and put as much distance as we can between cities. Kaylana," he turned to the Druid, "can you tell how much time we have before ..."

"The end?" Kaylana shook her head. "Not precisely.

It seems to fluctuate ... but I would estimate less than another phase of the moon."

"Ee! Nowt but a month?" exclaimed Arcie in dismay. %%%"But lassie, things dinna seem as they're sublimating so fast!"

"It is subtle now, Barigan ... the long days, the bright sun, the overabundance of life, the strength of light magic-these are the curls of smoke and heat that arise before the sudden flame. When the light has increased enough, that flame will sweep up in all its purifying brightness..."

"Och, I see your idea," Arcie interrupted. "We'll leave, then. If my wits still serves me, Thaulara be north of here ... there ought to be a major road wending yonder."

"No major roads," insisted Valerie. Blackmail shook his head in agreement, and the sorceress continued, "We're deep in the enemy's territory now, small fool...

We don't want to be seen any more than we have to. And with all this Light magic about, I don't know how well my spells will hold up. I had placed a sort of camouflaging spell on our group to get us through the city fairly unnoticed, but I can't be sure of its strength or duration."

"Well, we'll head out the north gates, at least," replied Sam, "and then angle around the north road ...

Kaylana, can you keep us from getting lost?"

"I should think so," came the calm reply.

"Then let's go."

They left that city of magic and commerce and headed out along the main road, then left its broad path and began a wide sweep northward. When Kaylana judged they were far enough away, a halt was called and they rested for the remainder of the daylight hours, then moved on by night, brilliantly lit by moonshine and high cold stars. The occasional glimmer of a small town could be seen, but once again they avoided these, skulking through the night, keeping to the darkness, like rats, like superstitions, like villains.

At least the terrain was pleasant. Natodik was primarily flatlands with some low hills and plateaus. It had once been a far harsher place; a land of burning desert sands and hard stone, with wars constantly scarring its surface.

But then Mizzamir had taken it under his wing, and, after %%%winning the trust of the local wizards, he had gone to work on the land. Spells and science had combined to irrigate the desert and plant grass and crops; the hot climate was ideally suited for citrus and other tropical fruits imported from Shadrezar and Monguna. Now, a century and a half later, the desert was blooming wildly, flowers that only opened in moonlight stretching their milky petals up to the dew. The terrain was fairly gentle, the highest raised area on the continent was a series of gentle hills crowned by the city of Thaulara. Small scattered tropical oases could be found around the occasional unnaturally clean streams and rivers, and they went through these when possible. Occasionally Valerie would send Nightshade aloft, to spy out what lay ahead. Wildflowers and sweet grasses were everywhere, and Robin ate some of these as he walked, ripping up handfuls, breaking the dirt off, and chewing on them. Arcie made a few jesting comments on his grazing, but he was secretly glad that the centaur could find some way to appease his hunger without resorting to their communal stores of food. Blackmail led the way, with Kaylana's direction occasionally using his huge sword to clear a way through vines or tall grass. Sleeping butterflies exploded up around him as he walked.

The land was full of mystery and magic. Several times they saw ancient stone rings, of arches and monoliths arranged in symmetrical patterns now worn and disarrayed.

Once they were treated to a meteor shower shortly after midnight, watching the tiny lights streak across the heavens and die. And, as they came out of a cluster of wild lemon trees into a moonlit glade, they viewed a sight that few had ever seen.

A splashing of water had its source in a magical spring that shot straight up from a tumble of white rocks, thickly covered with hundreds of tiny, sweet-scented flowers and herbs. Drinking here, its wispy beard sparkling with drops, was a unicorn.

A wild stallion unicorn, in all its glory: coat of purest white, mane and tail silver as the moonlight, cloven %%%hooves of gold, and a long, spiraled, magical horn of ivory. Its huge eyes held beautiful wisdom. No frail and dainty unicorn, this animal powerfully muscled as a lion, strength rippling like waves under its perfect coat, hooves like cymbals of thunder. It lifted its majestic head even as their eyes fell upon it, and its glorious nostrils flared.

"Arg, bugger," muttered Arcie. The unicorn bugled a cry of ancient anger, and spoke in tones like a golden bell of war.

"What! What Ho! My Keen Senses Espy The Presence of Evil!" The great fringed hooves stomped, the horn flashing down like a star. The company stirred uneasily, gripping weapons. Sam found himself far preferring the hideous company of Orthamotch to this beautiful creature of Light.

"Aroint Thee, Foul Beings!" bugled the unicorn and charged like a wave of silver, before which the company parted like grass.

The unicorn charged past, its horn aiming for Valerie.

She shouted a Word, and threw something at its feet that exploded. It leaped away, unharmed.

"Blast," snarled Valerie. She called to the party. "I can't help you! It's resistant to my magic!" The unicorn snorted. It suddenly whipped its head around, the magnificent horn easily deflecting a dagger thrown from the shadows.

"Thou Workest Dark Magic! I Shall Smite thee!" It spied Arcie trying to sneak up on it with his morning star and lunged at him.

"Wups!" cried Arcie, and dodged. As the Barigan rolled away to safety, the unicorn spun and aimed a kick at Blackmail. The knight raised his shield, and the blow rebounded with such force the unicorn flipped over completely, landing with nimble grace on its feet. It threw its head back in anger, as a dark flashing dagger passed beneath its chin. The knight's shield suddenly jerked up again as the dagger whizzed past the unicorn. -It bounced off the shield with a
spang
, and went flashing back like a mad pinwheel, bouncing off the branches of the trees.

%%%"Spawn of Darkness, I Shall Slay Thee!" it roared, and charged again at Valerie. Blackmail stepped into its path.

The knight raised his shield again, and swung his great sword as the unicorn came at him. Giving a casual toss of his proud head, the unicorn parried the blow with his long horn, the shock of the blow breaking the knight's grip. The sword went flying. Valerie saw Robin hovering near.

"Robin, do something!" she yelled, as the unicorn spun on its heels and kicked at the weaponless knight, who got his shield up just in time. The unicorn, seeing Arcie moving behind the centaur, charged Robin.

Kaylana whapped it over the withers with her staff as it went past, but it didn't even slow down.

Robin lashed out at the silver-white glory with his hooves, gingerly, as though he was chasing rabbits. Arcie dived under a pile of kiwifruit vines as the unicorn galloped over where he'd been, and rolled his eyes.

"Use yer fool sword, minstrel!" he yelled in annoyance.

Robin gaped uncomprehendingly. Arcie peered about the glade. Why wasn't it attacking Kaylana? And where was Sam?

"Kaylana! Duck!" yelled Sam's voice. The Druid did so, as the dagger whizzed over her head. It went
spang
off the fountain and soared through the air again, abruptly landing with a
thunk
into the meaty white hindquarters of the unicorn as the huge beast turned.

The unicorn bugled in pain and pure rage, the ringing noise making the party clap their hands to their ears. The unicorn reared in fury, its flaming eyes burning into the shadows ... and then it saw! Saw a villain all in black, holding another dagger and looking insolent! It leaped into a charge. Sam watched the thundering hooves, saw the horn pointing straight at his chest. He forced himself to stay still, wait, wait... now!

Sam leaped straight up, grabbing at the branches of the ancient lemon tree as it shook with sudden, tremendous impact. Lemons thundered around him as the tree shook, and there came an equine bugle of fury. The assassin %%%swung down, landing on his feet, and heard Kaylana mutter a spell. The tree creaked with sudden growth.

The unicorn was trapped, its long ivory horn thrust almost clear through a thick, gnarled lemon tree, that even now grew and expanded, holding the horn tightly as if it were a nail driven into the bark. The unicorn set all four golden hooves into the turf, and tugged mightily, snorting in rage. The tree shook and showered lemons and leaves down on them again. The citrus smell filled the air.

"Villains! What Is This Foul Trick! I Shall Smite Thee To Smithereens For This!" raged the unicorn.

"Amain fine job, laddie," said Arcie, coming up.

"Now what are we to do with yon great beast?"

Sam looked uncertain, thinking, while Blackmail and Valerie and Robin approached. The party looked at the trapped, struggling beast, as it raged and snorted. Sam finally took out his shortsword. "I guess we'd better kill it," he said, with a shrug. "We can't leave it here to starve, and it'll kill us if it gets loose."

"I Shall Slay Thee! I Shall Scatter Thy Bloody Bones To The Four Winds, Thou Foul And Evil Beings Of..."

"Aye aye, aye and we ken, old horsie," said Arcie.

Blackmail nodded solemnly to Sam's comment, having recovered his long heavy sword, and now moved to the creature's head, preparing to deliver the final blow. But Valerie, hastening up to where they stood, stopped him.

"Hold your blade, knight," she cautioned. Kaylana looked at her in surprise.

"Valerie? I would have thought you in particular would be all for the death of this unicorn. It is beautiful, true, but with the imbalance of Light as it is ..."

"Yes, I know. But one life, even that of a unicorn, will make no difference now. And tell me," she said, looking about them, "In tales and stories, what is the usual fate of those who slay unicorns? Evilness is one thing, but the blood of a unicorn brings swift and sure vengeance from the forces of good... with whom we already have far too much troubles." %%%There was a pause while they digested this, and then Sam and Blackmail lowered their blades.