G. Kelly - Sword and Circle

“Aaach!” Allazar growled, slamming the staff onto the cobbles and leaning on it, his face a picture of disgust as he watched the plume rise and fade on the breeze.

Gawain and Tyrane pushed themselves to their feet, the former eyeing the wizard with frank astonishment while the latter commanded his men to order and called for the whitesleeves Turlock, lest any of the Gorians had been harmed.

“What in the name of Dwarfspit was that thing, Allazar?” Gawain gasped, sheathing the blade. “How could it have lived through bolts and blades?”

“It was a Grimmand of Sethi. A foul creature of ancient times, dark-made and utterly evil. The Grimmand of Sethi can take the guise of any person they have slain, and thus they were employed in the elder days, as assassins and murderous infiltrators.”

All around them, the Gorian refugees gathered and stared at the young warrior, and at a wizard the like of which they had clearly never seen.

“They cannot be slain as ordinary men,” Allazar continued, “though dousing with oil and burning was said to be effective. And a wizard’s white fire, of course.”

“At last,” Gawain muttered, “ Compindathu , wizard. Your speech finally seems to have returned to normal.”

“Ah.”

A gasp went up from the gathering, though it was perhaps more of a sigh. Gawain at first looked to the throng of mingled Gorians and Callodonians, and then followed their gaze. Emerging on to the boardwalk, tentatively using her bow to test the ground before her, was Elayeen.

“Miheth!” Gawain added his gasp to the crowd’s, and ran to her.

“I hit it twice, did I not?” She asked, her voice worried, staring at his chest while he held her shoulders lightly.

“Yes.” Gawain said softly.

“And it was a dark-made thing, wasn’t it? Not a man I shot?”

“It was a dark-made thing, my lady.” Gawain said, completely in awe of her.

“A Grimmand of Sethi,” Allazar confirmed, announcing his arrival for Elayeen’s benefit.

“I’m sorry Allazar, I still don’t understand you.” Elayeen said sadly.

“No no, that was what the creatures are called, my lady. It was a Grimmand of Sethi.” Allazar said softly, and then, as a smile twitched at the corners of Elayeen’s mouth, added simply, “Ah.”

“I heard your explanation through the open doors. I was worried about my marksmanship though, especially when I saw Gawain move towards the line of flight of my second arrow.”

“It was a bit close, now you mention it, miheth.”

“You moved, G’wain. I told you I would know your brightness in a crowd.”

“I know. And how clever of you to shoot out the window with your first arrow, giving you a clearer shot for the second.”

“Ah.” Elayeen said, and suddenly looked more than a little sheepish.

Dusk found Gawain, Elayeen, Allazar and Tyrane eating a frugal meal at a large table at the inn, the captain making his report at the same time.

“Healer Turlock says the refugees are in reasonably good health, nothing that rest and good food can’t help. There are a few blisters and bruises, but nothing serious. I’ve housed them in the barn to the south for now, at least they can be together there, and in shelter.”

“Warehouse.” Gawain said after a mouthful of salt pork. “It was a small warehouse for heavy goods that needed the Pass to be entirely clear for slow passages up or down.”

“Oh.”

“Sorry, please continue, Captain.”

“I’ve released some of our supplies for them, what food they were carrying was barely fit for dogs. Some mouldy meat, stale bread made from wild grasses along the way. It does mean my lord that remaining here will be difficult without a re-supply from Jarn.”

“Well, now that our wizard seems to have had his speech returned if not all of his senses, as long as Healer Turlock has no objections we can move to Jarn. Slowly though. I don’t want to rush, and I doubt our friends from Goria will want to either.”

Tyrane agreed. “I’ll confer with the whitesleeves for his opinion, my lord, and let you know as soon as possible. At least there’ll be provisions in Jarn, and we can send word to the castle regarding our new arrivals. I’ve asked this Simayen Jaxon to come and brief us as soon as he has his people settled. They’re still concerned that one of their own number was one of those Grim things.”

“Grimmand,” Allazar said. “If you think it will help, Captain, I can visit them, and reassure them that there are no more such creatures in their midst?”

“That would be very good of you, Serre wizard, thank you. Might help the men sleep a bit easier tonight too.”

“I wouldn’t get too comfortable,” Gawain said earnestly, sipping at his mug of ale, “We haven’t heard what Serre Jaxon of Goria has to say yet. I got the distinct impression it was his speaking of ‘the darkness’ that attracted the fixed attention of that creature, and I’m not sure it’s a subject that’ll bring us much comfort.”

After the meal, Tyrane sought out the whitesleeves, leaving the three alone at the table.

“So, Allazar, no more voices?” Gawain asked.

“No, at least none of which I am aware, Longsword.”

“Do you remember what they were saying? What purpose they served?”

Allazar shook his head. “No, but I believe they were filling my head with knowledge. Knowledge which will make itself known when needed, and which may very well be necessary in all future dealings with Morloch.”

“I have never seen you produce such a searing blast, wizard.”

“Precisely, Longsword. Before this afternoon, in the yard, I did not know how to summon white fire with the power of a D’ith Sek. And before this afternoon, I did not know the name ‘Grimmand of Sethi.’ It was, I think, the makers of the circle who put that knowledge in my head, to be called upon when necessary.”

“And my sight?” Elayeen asked, “Am I doomed to eat nothing but sandwiches the rest of my days?”

“Of course not,” Gawain insisted fervently, “I’ve still got plenty of frak.”

Elayeen smiled and took another dainty bite of her sandwich.

Allazar sighed. “I cannot say, my lady. That knowledge does not appear to be in my head. But I do firmly believe you have the sight of the Eldenelves, and can see the magic that is the life in all living things. And also, as we witnessed today, the absence of it in dark-made creatures. Without that sight, I fear this afternoon may well have ended in catastrophe. And who is to say that your normal vision will not return in time? Certainly you seem to see more clearly now than yesterday, is that not so?”

“Yes,” she agreed, “The edges of the gingerbread men are becoming sharper, and other shapes clearer. Yes, my world is brighter than it was when first we descended.”

“Then,” Allazar said, lightly resting his fingers on her broken hand, “there is hope. Yet my intuition, like Longsword’s, is that we must be guarded when speaking of the circles and such gifts as they have given us. Indeed, it is probably best we speak of it not at all unless we are sure we are completely alone.”

“Hmm,” Gawain agreed, “Though I am far from certain why these changes are being wrought in you both.”

Allazar nodded. “It is worrying, I know, but consider this: The magi of old foresaw a time when Morloch would break free of his bonds beyond the Teeth, and foresaw that one day he would raise an army against all the southlands. So they created a great power with which to smite the Teeth and knock him back beyond them, and created the lock, sword and circle, to keep that power safe against the day of its need.

“They also clearly foresaw the qualities in each of the three kindred races necessary to unlock that force and send it north. It was very wise of them, and shows that our forebears possessed great wisdom, as well as great foresight.”