L. Modesitt - Imager’s Battalion

“You truly believe Lord Bhayar will prevail?” asked Arion.

“I don’t know that I could explain why,” said Quaeryt with a slight laugh, “but I feel that is the way in which it will end.”

“Will he be so generous with the High Holders in Khel … those who took our lands?”

How do you answer that? Quaeryt managed a wry smile. “We have not talked about that, but much of his family is Pharsi, and I would doubt that he would regard seizure of lands by Bovarians without cause as rightful ownership. I certainly would not.”

“You say ‘without cause’…”

“I’m trying to be careful. I’m quite certain that when Bhayar defeats Kharst, he will consider Kharst’s actions cause enough to take Kharst’s personal lands. There are times when seizure is necessary … but those of you who serve with us have a claim for restoration of your lands.” And Bhayar should honor it … Quaeryt wasn’t about to voice the last thought because Bhayar would do what he would do, although he was usually fair. But not always.

Arion laughed, a shade bitterly. “Claim? What about a right?”

“Right is always determined by power and who rules. For me to say anything is a right is meaningless because I do not have that power.”

“You have other powers. Will you back our claim?”

“As I can and based on what I see of you and your men.”

Arion nodded abruptly. “I can ask no more.” After a moment he said, “Do you know anything of your parents?”

“Beyond a few memories and a handful of words and phrases in Pharsi?” Quaeryt shook his head. “No one even thought I was Pharsi because of my hair. Not until I met a Pharsi woman in Bhoreal. She was the first to insist I was a lost one. I didn’t even know what that meant. I suppose that shows how truly lost I was.” Quaeryt made the statement just slightly ironic, hoping that Arion would pick up on it, wondering if Arion would, and if what he said was similar to what Shaelyt had revealed.

Arion smiled. “My grandmere told me about the lost ones, but there were none in Khel. It is said that they were forced to leave because of their pride, and that Erion requires even the highest of the lost ones to serve another in recompense…”

Quaeryt mostly listened to the major on the ride back to Caernyn.

Once the company had returned and the mounts were stabled, Quaeryt dismissed fourth company and Akoryt and Baelthm. He sent Shaelyt to find Voltyr.

While he waited outside the stable for the two to return, in his mind he went over the steps by which he had created his own shields. Will it work for them? He had no idea, but he needed to have them develop shields, because, in the bigger battles certain to come, he couldn’t protect them, and he would need to send at least the more able imagers out alone with other companies, perhaps even the other regiments.

He still worried about giving the ability to use shields to Threkhyl, but he’d decide on that after he taught Shaelyt and Voltyr to develop their own shields. If you can … and they can.

When the two returned, Quaeryt was standing by the stable door, still pondering the best approach.

“Sir? You wanted us?”

“I did.” Quaeryt glanced around the area, but there were troopers everywhere, if not especially close. “We’ll need to take a walk.”

The two exchanged glances.

“This way.” Quaeryt turned and headed for the street in front of the stable. He said nothing until they were well away from the main street and standing on a small bluff overlooking the river in an overgrown area between a tinsmith’s and a cooperage. There he turned, with his back to the river, and said, “You two need to learn another imaging skill.”

“Sir?” Voltyr’s forehead furrowed.

“You may have seen that not all blows meant for me struck or impacted me fully?”

Voltyr grinned and looked at Shaelyt, who stifled a grin, then nodded.

“Every imager may have to find his own means of doing this, but…” Quaeryt paused, “according to what I know, if you think of the air around us as if it were like a colorless cloud … and images tiny hooks holding a piece of it together like an invisible wall … well … it could form a barrier, depending on the imager. You’ll have to find out if you can do something like that, the results are more than worth the effort.”

“But … the air … it’s nothing,” said Voltyr.

“You might recall that the air turned cold enough to freeze eight regiments. How did that happen if the air is nothing? The wind blows. Sometimes it can push people over. If there’s nothing there, how can it do that?” He paused. “You might think about the air as being tiny bits of invisible smoke … but if you hook them together with imaging … they become stronger. If you can image links strong enough, they might stop or slow arrows or blades.”

Once more the two exchanged glances. This time the expressions were knowing.

Quaeryt waited.

“If … any imager,” began Shaelyt, “could do this, wouldn’t he be most powerful?”

“I think creating and holding such a shield takes much practice to learn how to do it, and much effort to hold it for long.” Quaeryt offered a wry smile. “Why don’t troopers carry big heavy shields anymore?”

“You’re saying they get too heavy.”

“Could any of you have done any more imaging at the end of the battle the other night?” asked Quaeryt.

“Maybe a little,” said Voltyr.

“Could you have if you’d been carrying a shield weighing a half stone for the entire battle? Do you think that holding an imaging shield is any less work?”

“The best troopers could, sir … I mean, carry shields and blades in the old days,” said Shaelyt.

“The very best could. You’re right. How many years of training did it take them? You’re both better imagers than you were when you were made undercaptains. How much have you improved, and how long has it taken? I’ve been training you and trying to get you to strengthen and improve your abilities the whole time.” Mostly, anyway.

“How do you know we can do this?” asked Voltyr.

“I don’t,” replied Quaeryt. “I do know it can be done. I also suspect that not all imagers can, but I thought you two were the most able and likely, and that you should know that it’s possible.” He paused. “If you can create such shields, there may be ways to use them more effectively, but … first you have to see if you can. I’d also appreciate your not talking about it with the other imagers for now.”

“You’re just going to tell us it can be done … and that’s it?” asked Voltyr, not quite plaintively.

“Voltyr … can you explain how to image to anyone else, even another imager?”

“Of course.”

“Fine. Explain it to me. What do you do?”

“You create a picture in your mind and think about making it real.”

“How do you make it real?”

“You … just think about…” After a pause Voltyr stopped. “I see what you mean.”

“Description only goes so far. You both know, if you think about it, that some forms of imaging shields are possible. Knowing something can be done is the first step. Figuring out how to do it on your own is the second. In a way, it’s like many things. A child has to learn to walk on his own. Once he can walk and is older, a teacher can show him how to run better and faster…”

Voltyr nodded once more. So did Shaelyt.

“I’d like to hear how you progress on this, but I understand that it may take some time. Remember … we will be going into larger and larger fights and battles … and the better you can protect yourself…”

“Yes, sir,” said Shaelyt. “We understand.”