Michael Manning - The Archmage unbound

I had made two plans to handle this situation. The first, which I had chosen before I ever sent Cyhan home to his king, was to use a spell to assist me in climbing the wall. With a bit of cleverness I could imitate the ability of a lizard to cling to walls. The main drawback would be that I would be very visible and exposed as I reached the top of the wall, which made my second option more attractive.

I had only recently been inspired by this idea, mostly by my conversation with Moira Centyr… or her echo. I was having a hard time keeping the two separate in my mind. In any case her lesson with the stone had given me a new idea, the main drawback being that I wasn’t entirely sure I could actually make it work. I would need time, I couldn’t rush something new.

I created a new illusion over myself as I stood facing the wall; this one was smoother and less detailed. Once I had finished I looked like a part of the wall, or rather it appeared that the wall possessed an irregular rounded protrusion. It wasn’t perfect but unless someone looked closely I should be able to remain where I was for a considerable amount of time without drawing any attention.

I focused on the wall beneath my hands. My mage-sense told me that it was nearly ten feet thick at the base, solid stone for two feet on the outer and inner surfaces, with gravel and mortar sandwiched between. It might be difficult but it was entirely possible for me to make an opening using my power. The problem lay in the fact that I doubted I could do it quietly, and that I couldn’t remove the opening without leaving a lot of rather messy evidence afterward. Perhaps if I had a few hours and no one bothering me I could do such a thing, but I didn’t think I could do it unobserved.

Closing my eyes I narrowed my attention until the wall in front of me was my entire world. I cleared my mind and listened… listened for the voice of this one small part of a much larger world. Unlike the stone I had held in my hand this wall was composed of many separate stones, and the material between the inner and outer surface was a complex amalgam of material. I didn’t let that distract me though; as I listened I began to hear it within my mind, a chorus of many voices. They were all part of the wall, separate and yet joined. Together they wove a harmony of existences joined together for a single purpose and the sudden beauty of it almost drew me in. For a moment I wanted to be a part of that melody, to join the stones in their quiet vigil.

I caught myself in time, and refocused my mind, remembering my purpose. Instead I drew the stones into my own ‘self’, making them part of my own will. My body was no longer the boundary of my existence, now I also contained a significant portion of the massive stone wall before me. Then I moved, opening to allow another part of myself to pass through. Description fails me at this point, so I’ll resort to what would likely have been seen by an outside observer. As my body leaned forward the stones parted before me, flowing like water to let me pass. A moment later I exited the other side.

I found myself blinded by the bright afternoon sun falling on the western side of the wall. My abrupt departure from the stone wall left me disoriented as I became less than what I had been, my sense of self changed and a moment later I was just Mordecai. I stood there blinking the sun from my eyes when a voice found my ears, “Pardon me my lord. I thought the garden was unoccupied this time of day.”

My senses came into sharp focus as I realized a woman was staring at me. Mentally I cursed my stupidity but there was no hope for correcting my mistake. The area had been clear when I started but my travel through the wall had distorted my senses, I had been caught completely by surprise. Worse yet I hadn’t renewed my disguise, I was standing before the lady in question with my own face showing. My mind raced to make sense of her words and formulate a response. “Think nothing of it lady. I was caught in reverie of the afternoon sun. I hope I didn’t startle you overmuch?” I said calmly.

Her reaction and attire had already told me much. She was garbed as a lady of quality, but not to a degree that made me think she was nobility herself, something about her features belied that assessment. Her deference made me think she might be a lady-in-waiting to one of the more notable peers. Luckily I was dressed in all my glory as one of the ranking peers of the realm. My garb was practical in design but expensive in cut and material, a black velvet cloak trimmed in ermine all but hid the expensive butter soft grey leather doublet I wore. My boots and accoutrements were equally opulent… I was here to meet a king after all.

“No, you didn’t startle me. I just didn’t expect to find anyone here. Please forgive my ignorance for I don’t recognize your lordship and I have no idea if I may have given offence in my familiarity,” she said meekly, lowering her gaze, but not before I had caught a glimpse of deep brown. Her eyes had shown little of the humility that her voice conveyed.

Having finally regained some of my balance I swiftly surveyed my surroundings with my mage-sight. The immediate area was still clear of any other people so I turned my attention to a more thorough examination of the woman before me. Her simple yet expensive dress could easily have let her pass as nobility but her attitude and musculature hinted at servitude. More surprising still she possessed several weapons cleverly hidden on her person. For a moment her armament reminded me of Lady Rose. “Fear not, you have done nothing to offend me,” I answered, making clear in my tone that my social standing was such that she was right to be worried. “If you will excuse me I should be getting back to my room,” I added with a touch of brusqueness.

She stepped back lithely to let me pass and I was struck by her nimbleness. Unlike Rose Hightower this woman had more than a casual athleticism, as she moved I could sense the taut muscles under her dress, like steel whipcords, tightly controlling her every movement. I didn’t let my observation slow me down, I needed to be away from her quickly but before I got more than a few steps away she addressed me again, “Begging your pardon your lordship, if I might know your name?”

I paused without turning, by now I was fairly certain she was no maid-in-waiting, more likely she was a bodyguard, hired to watch some wealthy noblewoman. Summoning every ounce of imperiousness I had I spoke coldly, “Tell me yours first and I may forgive your impertinence.” Benchley would have been proud of me if he could have heard me then.

She answered promptly, “Ruth my lord, one of King Edward’s servants.” The lack of any honorific confirmed her common status, but her position as one of the king’s servitors was a surprise, especially given her weaponry. I revised my opinion swiftly. Whatever she did for the king involved staying in peak physical condition, and women were not highly regarded as bodyguards, so she must be something special indeed.

“Shibal,” I said as I turned to catch her. My spell rendered her unconscious before she had a chance to question me further. Gently I eased her to the ground and pulled her back toward the wall where I had emerged moments before. A nearby bush helped to conceal her presence from any casual passersby that might chance along. Since I had been forced to put her to sleep I took the opportunity to examine the heavy blade she had strapped to her thigh. The weapon itself was over a foot in length and wickedly sharp, while the metal had been tempered with a bluish black finish. It was highly unusual in terms of hidden weapons.

I carefully slipped it back into its sheath and then I spoke again, disguising myself as the woman sleeping on the ground before me. Then I touched her throat and used a second spell to imitate her voice. “Thank you for telling me your name, it would have been very inconvenient if someone had asked,” I told her. My ears confirmed that my vocal mimicry seemed to be functioning properly and I rose to continue onward.