Diary of a Conjurer Read online

  Tale of the Four Wizards:

  patriarchs of the realm

  A collection of short stories.

  DIARY OF A CONJURER

  D. L. Gardner

  Tale of the Four Wizards:

  Patriarchs of the Realm

  Diary of a Conjurer

  D. L. Gardner

  These stories are the sole work of

  D. L. Gardner.

  No portion may be copied or used in any form without the consent of the author.

  @ 2016 D. L. Gardner

  ISBN-13: 978-1533003171

  ISBN-10: 1533003173

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2016910209

  CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, North Charleston, SC

  Information may be obtained by contacting

  9385 Olalla Valley Rd SE Port Orchard WA 98367

  All characters are fictitious and any resemblance to any place or person purely coincidental. More works by the author as well as video and audio are listed on the author’s website. http://gardnersart.com

  Edited by:

  Vikki Becker/Enchanted Editing

  Cover art:

  D. L. Gardner

  Image Credit: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) Acknowledgment: N. Scoville (Caltech) and T. Rector (NOAO)

  Prologue:

  The Age of Taikus

  Fire fought flame, and flame blazed across the heavens. The torrential downpour filled the sea and the waves sought to subdue the endless battle. Tonight was the end of all wrath and injustices that had been swelling like a tsunami against the island of Taikus. Tonight the keen wit of the Wizards parried the evil thrust of the Sorceresses. Magic against devilry stormed the isle and not one inhabitant escaped its terror, for all were armed in each of their powers, and all powers collided against their opposites. The explosion was fierce, but in the end, wisdom prevailed. In the end, defeat came more in spirit than in suffering.

  That is, until the war was over.

  For if the treaty had been signed, the House of Wizardry’s wisdom would have granted amnesty to the women, seeking only submission from the rebels, obedience from their children. Their powers would have been suspended as a punishment, but also as a rein, for too long had their malcontent spread as gossip across the land. Their life had not been as horrid as they presumed, from a Wizard’s point of view. If the treaty had been signed they would have continued a normal and pleasant life on the island of Taikus, free to buy and sell, to roam the lush countryside, and to have children. The meadows would have grown green again; the woods tall and stately, and peace with their neighbors across the waters would have been maintained. Their only concession would have been a back seat in politics.

  But the Sect of Sorcery, led by the wicked Hacatine, held its corporate tongue until the entire congregation of officers waited in the marble halls of Telamande to add their signatures. When she was handed the pen, Hacatine held her hand high and with a loud cry, gave the signal. A windstorm of arrows filled the room and found their resting place in the heart of every man-warrior there, slaughtering them mercilessly.

  The house was in turmoil. People rushed toward the fallen, weeping. Voices roared in both protest and exaltation as confusion prevailed.

  Elegant, slender, and clothed in black silk, hair like threads of silver falling gracefully past her waist, Hacatine approached the golden platform, her hand raised in victory as though the silence that followed crowned her queen.

  “Wizards take note.” She wore a twisted smile on her face as she scanned the audience. People huddled over the dead warriors and waved their fists at her. Shouts of profanities and hatred rang loud, but her army, robust women clad in leather armor mingled amongst the crowd, their bows drawn, daggers and swords on their belts and strapped to their boots, ready to strike.

  “You’ve kept the island of Taikus captive too long,” Hacatine shouted with a laugh, but her continence turned grave. “Faithless you’ve become. The seas and the power of the West could have been at our command but you’ve been lazy and complacent. Like babies. You call yourselves mighty but you’ve refused to fight the Winds of that world, making concessions and allowing the voices of its strength to pacify your minds. What is that magic to us that it should take precedence over your wives and your children? The Sect of Sorcery, the armed women of Taikus, demand retribution for your treason. Today you, oh great and powerful Wizards,” She let the disdain in her voice resonate against the marble walls before she continued. “Today you are defeated by your own flesh. The Sect will rise in power. We will sail to the West and rule tyranny over mankind with a closed fist.”

  The women archers raised their bows in response and shouted in triumph.

  “Taikus, take note. You have a new ruler, one who seeks your prosperity.” She led the rumble of cheers, though it was unclear if there were other supporters besides her army. “Because the Sect has now been declared victorious, I hereby decree that every male that lives in Taikus possessing the corrupt and treasonous powers of wizardry will be executed, and every male child will immediately this day be made a slave until his magic is stripped away.”

  Tale of the Four Wizards

  Silvio

  The Departure

  “Hurry,” Claudia whispered. “Hurry before they find you.”

  Silvio’s bare feet sunk deep into the sand that glowed under the night sky, calves tense as he trudged toward the water.

  His friends picked up the last of their belongings on the shore. A moment later all four of them pushed their skiff into the sea, piling their blankets, bows, lances and arrows as far into the bow as they could rest them. The salty foam of the breakers tickled Silvio’s toes as the waves receded, beckoning the lad to follow.

  Silvio turned to his mother.

  “Don’t look back, my boy. Just hurry and stay away from the silver tide. Hacatine’s eyes are keen and she’ll see you in the moonlight.” The woman stepped forward. Her cloak hid her eyes but Silvio could still see the sorrow that streamed down her cheeks. With trembling hands, she placed a delicate chain over his head and it fell around his neck, weightless.

  “She’ll take all the power on Taikus, yours if you stay. Even mine. I’m giving you my magic,” she said.

  “Mother,” Silvio protested. He tried moving from her hold, but it was too late. A warm sensation tingled through his veins as the magical glow of his mother’s sorcery eased from the tips of her fingers into his flesh. The sorceress power felt alien to Silvio, being a magic of vision and sight, rather than of wisdom like his own wizardry. She sealed the transfer with a kiss.

  “No one can ever steal my magic from you. With it, you are like a chameleon. Like the branches of a stately fir, your arms will spread. Your eyes will see everything that goes on around you, but no one will see you. You will be nourished by the air you breathe, and in your guise you will find peace. Use the magic sparingly. If you hide with it too many times, you’ll arouse suspicion. Hacatine knows sorcery all too well, and she knows the magic of each of her subjects, mine included. If she suspects I’ve protected you, she might also guess your whereabouts just by the nature of the spell. That would endanger both of us. Now go. Go to the far lands. Don’t return as long as Hacatine is queen. She’ll kill you if you do.”

  When he opened his mouth to protest, she touched his lips with her fingers. “I would rather give my son to new lands than have him tortured by the witch. Don’t argue. You won’t convince me otherwise.”

  Silvio’s comrades were already in the boat, bracing their oars in the sands of the shallow water to keep from floating away.

  “Go,” she whispered again.

  They embraced.

  He feared all he had left of her was the memory of her
standing on the beach—that, and her magic as they rowed over the waves and out to sea.

  “So! Here we are. Four teenage conjurers sent adrift from the island of Taikus, running from our homes like outlaws. To where, no one knows,” Silvio said as they rolled over the breakers.

  “It’s a sad thing too. The island needs us,” Kaempie said.

  Silvio and his four friends held the last of the stabilizing powers Taikus would ever know. They were the only ones left of their kind. The Sorceress Queen Hacatine had stripped the magic from the men of the island and left them helpless. She had slaughtered many of her victims. It was to Hacatine’s benefit to wait for each Taikan boy to ripen into maturity so that every bit of their power was ready for her harvest. Tonight was the night planned for Kaempie and Reuben’s coming of age ceremony but they all knew it was more likely the night of their death. Silvio eyed the older boys as they settled in the crowded skiff. Kaempie rolled up his sleeves, lifted the oars from under the gunwale and nodded to Meneka. Kaempie was the oldest of the four and the one that Silvio looked up to.

  “We’ll take our turn at the oars, two of us at a time,” Kaempie said. “Meneka, you and I will row first, and then Reuben and Silvio. We’ll need mine and Reuben’s strong arms to keep us on course.”

  “Ha!” Meneka sneered. “Strong arms? Is that right? Do Silvio and I look like Taikan women?”

  “Taikan women are stronger than you think, Meneka. Their powers are secret and capture the mind. Don’t belittle them.” Silvio mumbled, glancing briefly at the chain that glittered on his chest. He closed his cloak, holding the cloth tightly together.

  And of course Kaempie’s right, Silvio thought, but he knew better than to argue that point with Meneka.

  “Still and all, I’ve grub to barter that my arms are just as strong as theirs.” Meneka glared at Kaempie.

  “Would you care to wrestle to prove us wrong?” Reuben asked, a wry smile on his face.

  “Not in a boat, please,” Silvio’s green eyes darted between the two. He barely knew Reuben, but he had always thought of Meneka as a troublemaker. “You’ll drown us all.”

  Meneka snickered. “Spoken like a true wizard,” he said. “One who doesn’t know how to swim.”

  “I hate the water.” Silvio shifted on the wooden seat. “And I don’t plan on becoming part of it anytime soon.”

  “We’ll get farther without quarreling,” Kaempie interrupted. “All of our lives are at risk right now. Look, the full moon rises.”

  He was right. To the east, behind the island of Taikus, which was now just a dark mass against an even darker sky, was the faint golden glow of a moonrise.

  “If we don’t reach the shadows of the northern shores of Bandene before daylight, Hacatine will spot us and we’ll all be dead. We’ll ride the current to Alisubbo and follow the coast from there. Row, Meneka. Show us that awesome strength of yours.”

  “And her serpent? What if she sends one of her messengers?” Silvio asked. Everyone knew about Hacatine’s water slaves, giant eel-like creatures that slithered along the ocean bottom, surfacing at her command. No one was quite sure how Hacatine tamed them, but it was rumored that whenever she raised her golden dagger a serpent broke the surf and bowed to her will. With her spells, the witch not only could summons the presence of the water eels, but could also call forth the Griffons, giant condors with black hearts and razor talons. With these servants, Hacatine was able to track whomever she pleased.

  “Let’s just hope she doesn’t know we’ve left until we’ve reached land.” Kaempie mumbled. “Maybe she’ll think us insignificant enough not to bother tracking us.”

  “Yes. Here’s hoping.” Meneka’s tone reeked of sarcasm. It was doubtful that Hacatine would stop her pursuit of the last four wizards in the world. Without their power, she could never claim full dominance over the Winds of the North.

  None of them spoke after that. Meneka and Kaempie rowed in time with each other, their backs rocking to and fro as they navigated the surf. The wind picked up the salty spray as the oars tossed water in the air. Silvio slid off the seat and nestled against the blankets in the center of the boat, grabbing onto whatever he could to keep his balance when they hit a surge. Reuben sat next to him, staring at the island they were leaving behind.

  The temperature dipped from being humid to cool, and then as the fog rolled in, Silvio’s slender body shook. He was miserable.

  Hours passed. They tossed in the waters until the island of Taikus was no longer a dark mass against the horizon. The fog rolled in and concealed its existence altogether. Silvio dozed, but was awakened when the boat jolted.

  “The water’s getting rougher,” he turned to Reuben, who only nodded. The solemn look on the older conjurer’s face was not an invitation for conversation.

  “We’re getting closer to shore.” Kaempie said. The glance he exchanged with Reuben roused Silvio’s alarm. The two were good friends, close to the same age. Eighteen. Had Taikus been under the Wizards' rule, protocol would have given them freedom to choose wives at their age and to enter politics. Silvio had three more years before that would have happened, so he felt that it wasn’t a great loss. But Kaempie and Reuben had been stripped of adult Taikan life just as they were ready to enter it.

  “Let me row,” Silvio said. “I need to do something to stay warm."

  “What, and make one of us vulnerable to the wind?” Meneka asked. If Silvio were going to replace anyone, it would be him.

  “Share, Meneka,” Silvio sneered. Silvio edged onto the seat next to Meneka. “Hand me the sweep. Take a break.”

  With protest, Meneka glared at Silvio but looked to Kaempie for direction.

  “Silvio’s right.” Kaempie said. “The water is rougher here and we’ve both been at the oars a long while. Let’s let Reuben and Silvio row. I could use some rest.”

  No sooner were those words uttered, and Reuben set to the scull, then the boat lunged into the air. Silvio flew to the stern, landing on top of Meneka who pushed him off his stomach as they both grappled to gain their balance. Kaempie and Reuben knelt, holding onto the sides of the skiff. The boat spun in the air and dove back toward the water.

  “Serpent!” Kaempie called out as they crashed into the waves. Water splashed against them. Packs and weapons floated in the bottom of the boat sloshing back and forth. Kaempie and Reuben both grabbed their spears, leaned over the gunwale and pierced at the slimy shape attempting to capsize their vessel.

  “You can’t kill it,” Silvio shouted above the sound of the roaring sea. The serpent screeched, a deafening cry.

  “What then?” Reuben asked him as the boat rose and pitched over the back of the creature.

  “Magic,” Meneka called out.

  Kaempie tossed his lance inside the boat and brushed his soaking hair from his eyes.

  “Reuben, stop,” he said. “Stop!”

  Reuben looked angrily over his shoulder. Silvio, Meneka and Kaempie huddled in the center of the boat, holding onto each other and to the gunwale. Water soaked their cloths as it showered over them, agitated by the violent rocking of the skiff.

  “Reuben,” Kaempie called again and the man reluctantly found his place next to the three, his dark eyes scowling.

  “Will us to shore,” Kaempie said. They huddled with their heads together as the boat continued to toss. Silvio would have been thrown from his seat if Kaempie hadn’t locked onto his arm. “Save us. By the wisdom of the Northern Wind we cry. From our hearts.”

  “From our hearts,” the others repeated. Meneka wiped his nose with his sleeve. Silvio bit his tongue and shut his eyes so tight his cheeks hurt. All he could see was green. The green of the Wizards' power spun like a water spout in his mind. He peeked at the others. The fog was so thick with a putrid green he could barely see their heads. The tossing of the skiff ceased. They were airborne. A cold wind blew his hair back, exposing his ears to the chill as they descended, nearing the deep waters at terrifying speed.

  Reuben loo
ked up.

  “Hold your breath!” he yelled just as a giant wave swallowed the boat, their belongings and them. Before he could inhale, Silvio was submerged into the dark waters.

  By Foot

  I ‘m going to die.

  Silvio thrashed his arms wildly, but before he could surface, a current pushed him even deeper into its depths, spinning and rolling him underwater until the rage of the ocean was satisfied. The final wave slammed him on the beach, scraping his belly across the sand. Silvio opened his eyes just as Kaempie and Reuben grabbed his arms and pulled him away from the tide. They laid him next to Meneka and pushed on his chest until he convulsed, spitting up salt water, sand, and gravel. When he was breathing again, Kaempie collapsed next to him. Reuben walked back to the water, swimming into the breakers to get their boat.

  “You should leave the blasted thing to drift,” Silvio called out, coughing. “We’re here.”

  “We’re not safe yet,” Kaempie said quietly.

  “I’m not risking my life at sea again,” Silvio's teeth clattered as he hugged his shivering body. “I’ll run from the witch on foot before I drown in the depths of her briny deep. She owns the waters.”

  “She owns the land too, with her dagger fire,” Meneka said.

  “I’d rather be warm than wet.”

  “Well,” Kaempie said, “She knows we’re here. Her serpent followed us. There’s not much we can do about it.”

  “You mean we’re going to die?” Silvio looked up at his leader, unable to believe Kaempie would give up so soon.

  “Or be captured?” Meneka asked and spat on the ground. “You can’t deceive the queen. And if you could, you can’t elude her warriors. They’re all sorceresses.”

  “Stop it, Meneka. My mother’s a sorceress. I’ve heard enough of your talk.”