Brian Pratt - The unsuspecting mage

“Why don’t you use that compass thing of yours,” suggests Miko.

“It might just be time to do that,” James agrees. “Good idea.”

Miko beams at the praise as they return to the spot where they spent the night before. There they dismount and James removes the compass from his backpack.

He sits as far from the road as he can with his back to the rock wall. Motioning Miko over he says, “This may take a while, so make sure I am not disturbed. And remember, we don’t want anyone to find out I can do magic, alright?”

“Alright,” agrees Miko as he takes position a little closer to the road.

James settles down and holds the compass in his hands on his lap as he begins to tap the magic. He concentrates on finding a way through the mountains that he and Miko will be able to travel, which will avoid the soldiers patrolling the road. He concentrates harder and harder and then feels the magic surging forth when he releases it to begin hunting for a way. To James, it feels as if the magic is expanding from him in a spherical radius, causing ever increasing amounts to be drawn from him, searching every nook and cranny of the mountain for the elusive path.

The spell continues to draw large amounts of power from him and after just a short time, he begins feeling the effects. His head starts to throb and his breathing becomes more labored. Yet still the spell isn’t finished, has not yet found a path through the mountains.

Suddenly, the flow of power eases as the powers begin to merge and flow in a more singular direction like a pack of dogs that’s caught the scent of a fox. Then all of a sudden it was over and the needle of the compass turns to point westward down the road, back toward Trademeet.

Opening his eyes, James sees where the compass is pointing and sighs.

Miko hears him and comes over asking, “Did it work?”

“Yes,” James replies, “but it’s pointing back the way we came.” He shows the compass to Miko.

“Is it directing us toward Dragon’s Pass?” Miko wonders.

“I don’t know,” he replies, “though we may have little choice.” Getting up, he has a sudden dizzy spell and briefly loses his balance. Miko sees him faltering and puts James’ arm around his shoulder. After taking a few steps and several deep breaths, he begins feeling better. He then removes his arm from around Miko’s neck. “I’m okay now, it’s passed.”

“Too big a spell again?” he asks.

“I think so, but I seem to be better able in handling the effects.” He mounts his horse and they turn to follow the direction indicated by the compass.

Several hours later and still following the compass, they once again come to the plateau where the old abandoned keep stands. When the keep comes into view, the compass swings and points toward it.

“Great!” James hears Miko exclaim when he realizes where the compass is pointing. “Somehow I knew we’d be going in there.”

“I had my suspicions too,” James admits. Thinking the way may be further down the plateau and not the old keep, James angles them to go around its left side. But when they begin to pass the entrance, the compass turns and continues pointing toward the open front door.

He shows the compass to Miko with a grin. Shrugging, he turns his horse toward the entrance and dismounts when they come to it. James peers through the slight opening made by the door being ajar, but isn’t able to make out anything in the dim light filtering in.

Turning back to Miko he says, “Let’s secure the horses around back and then investigate. We don’t want anyone coming by and helping themselves to them while we are in there.” They walk the horses around to the back where they find a fallen tree to secure them to. James takes his backpack and they return to the entrance. They stand there for a second when he says to Miko, “Wanna go first?”

“No,” replies Miko, a little scared.

“Alright then, I’ll go first.” James steps up and slowly makes his way through the doorway, passing into a poorly lit room. He makes his glowing orb and the light from it reveals a large room with several doors and two hallways leading from it. The compass indicates they should take the hallway directly opposite the door.

He makes his way across the room to the hallway. As he enters, the light from the orb reveals something large lying across the floor not three feet from where he stands. As he moves closer he discovers it to be a dead body in the latter stage of decomposition. The clothing on the man, at least he thinks it was a man, is in pretty bad shape but looks as if they used to be of good quality.

Miko sees the dead body illuminated by the orb and gasps. “James, we shouldn’t be in here,” he says with a tremor of fear in his voice. “Let’s find another way.”

“Don’t be scared Miko,” He says reassuringly. “It’s only a dead body.” He leans down and grabs a stick and then begins poking through the dead man’s clothes. “Most likely this was a merchant traveling through the Pass that ran afoul of bandits and they dumped his body in here. See, look, there is no purse on him, nothing at all of value.” James uses the stick and turns the head. “And look,” he says indicating the back of the head, “it’s cracked like someone hit him in the head with something hard.”

“Maybe the bandits are still here?” Miko says worriedly, looking around.

“Not likely,” he replies. “If they were still using this place, they would hardly have left a dead body rotting in the hallway. They would have dumped it out back where they wouldn’t have had to walk over it and smell it.”

“I suppose you’re right,” admits Miko, though still not sounding very reassured.

“So relax, we’re going to be okay,” he assures, trying his best to calm Miko.

“If you say so,” Miko replies halfheartedly.

Leaving the body behind, they continue down the hallway, passing two doors before coming to a halt before the third.

“Why are you stopping?” Miko asks.

“It’s indicating that we need to go through this door,” he explains. He tries the handle but finds it locked. He hands the compass and glowing orb to Miko before throwing his weight against the door. With a crash, the door bursts in, breaking off a two foot section of the door jamb in the process. His momentum carries him a little ways through the door where he stumbles and falls as his foot fails to find purchase on the floor. He rolls down a flight of stairs coming to rest at the bottom. Bruised and scraped but otherwise unhurt, he gets to his feet.

From the top of the steps he sees Miko illuminated by the glow from the orb in his hand looking down at him. “Are you okay?” he asks.

“Yeah,” replies James, “come on down. But be careful, I might have broken a few of the steps during my fall.”

Being extra careful, Miko takes it one step at a time, having to skip over one due to it being in such bad shape that he doesn’t think it will support his weight. He finally makes it to the bottom.

By the time he’s reached the bottom, James has taken a cursory look around the room. It’s a small room, only about ten feet by maybe twelve. The only exit is the door at the top of the stairs. The room itself is empty except for the dust that has accumulated over time.

He retrieves the compass from Miko and sure enough, it’s still pointing the way. Only this time it’s indicating the direction they need to go is through the wall. Pointing to the wall indicated by the compass, he says, “It says that we are to go this way.”

“Another secret door like in Lord Colerain’s estate?” suggests Miko.

Nodding his head, he replies, “I think so, give me the orb for a second.” Holding out his hand, Miko passes him the orb.