As if to punctuate his point, Gareth was tossed into the air by a similar explosion as he headed for the third group of soldiers. The blast sent blood and flesh flying in various directions, but the core of his body reformed as it twisted through the air, sprouting wings that assisted him in regaining control of his movement. The monstrous archmage dove for the soldiers.
“This is madness!” shouted Elaine.
“I agree,” said Gary. “I also estimate a very low probability that my daughter is still here. If she is alive at all they likely moved her to a secure location before setting this trap for us.”
“All right, let’s retreat,” said Matthew. “Elaine, switch to the exit plan.” They began heading in Gareth’s direction. Gareth, we’re leaving! he yelled mentally.
The reptilian monster changed direction mid-charge, which turned out to be a fortuitous choice as the terrain he was about to cross vanished in a massive explosion a second later. If he had continued in the direction he had been going, he would have been in the middle of it.
At the same time, four identical copies of Gareth’s form appeared and began charging in different directions. More explosions erupted from two of their locations, and the entire area was cloaked in a cloud of smoke and dust. Elaine added to it by augmenting the smoke with an even larger illusory cloud.
“What are they firing at us now?” asked Matthew. “Are those missiles?”
“I believe it’s artillery fire from the canyon rim,” said Gary. “Your friend must have scared them enough to call a strike on their own position. We should leave now. They may decide not to wait for the smoke to clear before they carpet bomb the entire zone.”
Gareth reached them, and after Matthew let him through their shield he immediately began to shift back home.
***
They landed in the ocean, which seemed appropriate considering the luck they had had thus far. Matthew created a stable platform beneath them and brought out the enchanted cubes that would enable him to fly and safely carry them all together. Gareth didn’t seem to be in any condition to shift into a large flying form.
The red-bearded wizard lay quietly in the mostly invisible flying construct, staring up at the sky. “I have never seen such a swift and vicious response,” he muttered. “Those people are not novices when it comes to war.” Whatever injuries he had sustained had vanished even before he had returned to his human form, but he still seemed shaken by the experience.
“That’s how they defeated the She’Har,” Matthew informed him. “That’s also probably why the She’Har almost lost when they first came to our world. The humans here just weren’t quite as advanced and prepared for them.”
“If that’s the case, then I think perhaps humanity is more frightening than the She’Har,” said the archmage.
Elaine was still in shock from what she had seen. “Can all Gaelyn mages shift the way you did? I’ve never seen anything quite like that. It was amazing.”
Gareth chuckled tiredly. “All Gaelyn mages can shift forms, yes, but what I was doing is far from normal. In the old days, some of the really talented people in my family could have done some of what you saw, but the near-instant healing is an archmage ability.”
“I don’t think my father could do that,” commented Matt.
“The shifting, probably not, but he’s transformed into a giant of earth and stone and healed himself in that form,” said Gareth. “It’s basically the same thing; he just doesn’t have my affinity for taking living forms. I wouldn’t dream of turning myself into something inanimate like he did. It’s too easy to lose yourself that way.”
They fell silent for a time after that, while Matthew flew them westward, hoping to catch sight of land so they could stop and create a teleportation circle.
Gareth seemed to doze for a while, but then he spoke without opening his eyes, “Young wolf.”
Elaine and Matthew looked at one another, and then he answered, “Sir?”
“I take back what I said the other day. I was in a foul mood. That world is a death-trap. Forget about the dragon; forget the girl as well. No good can come of returning,” said the older man.
Matt’s lips pressed together in a firm line, but as he was about to reply the archmage spoke again. “Don’t say it, boy. If you tell me you’re planning to return, I’ll inform your father and make sure he finds some way to lock you up for your own good. If you’re a man, keep your own counsel. I won’t be going back and if you say otherwise I’ll make sure you can’t either.”
Elaine gave him a sympathetic look. “I’m still willing…”
“The same goes for you, girl,” Gareth said, cutting her off.
They flew in silence from that point onward. It was several hours before they spotted an island off an unnamed coast. None of them recognized the area. Tired, they landed and made a circle to take them back to Castle Cameron. Once there, Gareth bid them goodbye and left without another word.
“He’s a strange man,” observed Elaine.
“Yeah,” agreed Matthew. “I think he knows I’m planning to go back, though. He just doesn’t want to be responsible for it. That’s why he told us not to talk about it.”
She frowned. “That makes no sense.”
“He’s from another time,” said Matt. “He’s also a big believer in free-will, which probably is at cross purposes with his opinion that we’re too young to put ourselves deliberately into danger.”
“Speak for yourself,” said Elaine. “I’m a grown woman.”
“Fine,” sighed Matthew. “Just me, then. I’m barely an adult by their standards.”
She smiled, “I meant what I said. If I can help, I will.”
Gary spoke for the first time since they had returned, “Take her up on the offer.”
“Hmm?”
“I intercepted some of their short-range transmissions while you were fighting, and I was able to analyze what their sensors reported during the battle. Her invisibility is far more effective than I had anticipated. I assumed initially that thermal imaging would still detect you, since she can’t see it herself to ensure that infrared light is included, but I was wrong.”
“Thanks for the warning,” said Matt dryly. “You could have told me that you thought their devices might still be able to see us.”
“While we were here, I had incomplete data,” Gary explained. “I had no expectation we would be walking into a trap, so I didn’t think it was pertinent.”
“Plus, it’s your daughter,” added Matthew. “You didn’t want to say anything that might have made us change our minds.”
Gary paused. “There is some truth there.”
Matthew took a deep breath, “I have no intention of giving up on either Karen or Desacus’s egg. So you can put that concern aside. From now on, tell me whatever you know. I can’t plan for things I’m not aware of.”
“Then you’ll be glad to know I have a suggestion for getting Karen back,” said the AGI.
“Do you think we’ll need Gareth for it to work?” asked Elaine.
“No,” answered Gary. “If things go right, you won’t have to fight anyone at all. But your special talent will be a necessity.”
They began planning in earnest, and once they had a workable idea they agreed to meet again the next morning.
Chapter 33
That evening Matthew told his parents how their journey had gone. They were understandably worried, of course, but he only told them that Karen had been moved. He completely omitted the fact that they had been targeted from the beginning, that they had teleported into a trap, and that they had been forced to beat a hasty retreat to avoid being annihilated.
Since Gareth Gaelyn wasn’t on good terms with his father, Matt didn’t expect that he would be contradicted on his account, and Elaine had agreed to give the same details, if she should be questioned.
As a result of his deception, his father was still willing to allow him to return to get Karen. His mother had been of a different mind on the matt
er, but after a fierce debate, she decided to allow it as well.
Unexpectedly, it was Gram who raised the biggest objection when they met at the Muddy Pig later. They had both eaten already, so they were there just to share a mug of ale and catch up. After hearing Matthew’s tale (the unedited version), Gram became concerned.
“You need to bring me when you go back,” he said firmly.
Matthew winced. “Ordinarily I would say yes, but not this time.”
Gram looked angry, “Why not?!”
Matthew held up his dimensional pouch, “This doesn’t work over there. As cool as it is, it only works when it’s in this world; otherwise the connection to the pocket dimension doesn’t function properly.” With his finger, he pointed at the tattoo on Gram’s arm. “This enchantment is slightly different, but it works on the same fundamental magic. You won’t be able to summon Thorn, you won’t be able to summon your armor.”
“Then I won’t summon them there,” countered Gram. “I can arm and armor myself before we go.”
Matt shook his head. “There are still problems. If we’re there for an extended period, you couldn’t take the armor off. Then there’s your father’s heart, the gem that gives you your strength—it’s empowered by your father’s earth-bond. I guarantee you that won’t work across dimensions, and taking it away from this plane might even destroy it.”
“I can borrow Sir Cyhan’s armor. It’s not a perfect fit for me, but it’s close enough,” countered Gram. “And I don’t have to use Thorn. There are other enchanted swords.”
“And you’ll fight as a normal man?” asked Matthew.
“I have a dragon-bond too…”
“Desacus died, Gram. The same could happen to Grace, and then we’d have two eggs to recover. Besides, I’m not planning to fight my way through. It’s just not possible. They’ve shown me that every time. The people of that world have the capability to coordinate their forces on a scale we simply can’t compete with, and they have weapons that can destroy anyone or anything, as long as they’re willing to accept the collateral damage.
“You’re my best friend, and there’s no one I trust more, but I’m not taking you into a place like that for no good reason. This will be a stealth mission. There are only three people really suited to that, Elaine, George, or their father Walter. Honestly, even I am not an ideal choice, but I’m the only one who can get there,” Matthew explained.
Gram vented his frustration in a growl that ended with him slamming his mug down on the table. Heads around the room turned in their direction. “This isn’t fair, dammit,” swore the young knight. “I want to break something, but I know you’re right.”
After a moment, when it was evident the young warrior wasn’t about to start dismantling the tavern, the eyes around the room returned to their own drinks. Matthew was glad for that; he didn’t enjoy being at the center of attention.
“I’m sorry, Gram. That’s just the way it is,” he answered apologetically.
***
Back in his room Matthew was restless, and Gary, while trying to be helpful, wasn’t making it any easier for him to relax and get some sleep.
“Before we left, I received a lot of information from my larger self,” said the AGI.
“You already told me you had the probably location of Karen and Desacus,” said Matt.
“Locations, plural,” corrected Gary. “Karen’s in the UN’s Gulf Coast facility. That’s definite. I actually saw her being taken in there on non-military surveillance video.”
“At least she’s alive.”
“That’s a positive,” agreed Karen’s virtual father. “Her condition is easily treatable with modern medicine. My biggest concern is what her mother may do to her.”
“Surely she wouldn’t hurt her?”
“Don’t put it past her. She doesn’t even think of Karen as her child. My creator was rather biased regarding Tanya’s limits, but I have the advantage of a more objective viewpoint. She’s capable of anything. If she believes she can learn something by dissecting Karen’s brain, she’ll do it. It hasn’t been long though, and Tanya isn’t one to be impatient, so we probably still have time.”
Matthew shuddered, “That’s horrible.”
“It is,” said Gary. “But it’s who she is.”
“The problem,” began Matt, “is that we don’t have a way of reaching that place. I’ve never been there, and there’s no teleportation circle handy to get us there. As soon as we cross over, they’ll know our location. Even with Elaine to hide us, we couldn’t get far enough to avoid the missiles they’re liable to send at us.”
“I can handle that,” began the AGI, but a knock on the door interrupted him.
“Go away!” shouted Matthew. His magesight had already informed him that it was his younger brother Conall at the door.
The door opened.
“I knew I should have put a lock on the door,” grumbled Matthew. “I’m busy, Conall. Leave me alone.”
“I’ve hardly seen you since you got back,” whined his brother.
“And it’s been lovely!” replied Matthew sarcastically.
“I want to help!” announced Conall.
“I’ll let you know the next time they decide I have to do the dishes.”
“You know what I mean! My power awoke while you were gone. I can do things now. I could help you,” insisted his brother.
Several cutting remarks passed through Matthew’s head before he discarded them as too harsh. Giving his brother a grave look, he answered more seriously, “How old are you now? Thirteen?”
“Fourteen!” Conall shot back. “You can’t even keep up with my birthdays?!”
“Oh! Fourteen, yeah, I’m sorry. That’s a much more mature age. Since you’re so much older now, I should be honest with you.”
Conall nodded.
Matthew walked across the room and tapped a portion of the wall next to the door. “Do you see this spot right here?”
“Yeah.”
“All right, remember that spot, it will be important later. Now, let’s say I let you come with me. You already know this will be incredibly dangerous, and I’d be taking the risk of losing my favorite brother.” He tried his best to keep the sarcasm out of his voice, but he doubted he was entirely successful.
Conall smiled.
What an idiot, thought Matt. “But here’s the real problem. Suppose we succeed? Let’s imagine we make it back, safe and sound. We’re heroes, and nothing terrible happens to you during this adventure. What do you think will happen?”
His younger brother gave it serious thought for a moment before answering, “They’ll have a celebration, maybe a feast?”
Matthew shook his head sadly, “No. Well, they might, but something far worse would happen first.” He tapped the spot on the wall again. “Mom and Dad would lose their minds over the fact that I had taken you with me. After surviving untold dangers, I’d return home only to have them cut my balls off and hang them on the wall, probably in this very spot, or at least one very similar to it.”
Conall looked glum. “Oh.”
“Now get out so I can go back to not sleeping,” finished Matt, pointing at the door.
His brother headed for the door but stopped to look back. “Um, Matt?”
“What?”
“I’m not stupid. I’m your only brother, so I kind of have to be your favorite.”
Matthew gave him an evil grin. “Unless Mom and Dad have another boy. There’s still hope for the future. You should enjoy the position now, before my new ‘favorite brother’ arrives.”
Conall stuck out his tongue, then shut the door.
“You’re a terrible brother,” commented Gary. “Do you treat all your siblings that way?”
“Just the ones that bother me,” said the young wizard.
“Define ‘bother’.”
“If they’re in here, or in my workshop, they’re bothering me,” clarified Matthew. “Or if I’m reading, but I usually do that in one
of those places since they don’t seem to recognize the fact that I have a book in my hand.”
“You sound like a joy to be around,” noted Gary dryly.
“Don’t worry, it’s just a phase I’m going through.”
The AGI’s expression was doubtful, “You think so?”
“No, but it makes everyone feel better when I say that. Do you feel better now?” asked Matthew.
Gary sighed, “I can never tell if you’re joking or serious.”
Matthew lifted one brow enigmatically but didn’t answer.
“No, honestly, I’d like to know.”
“Just always assume I’m serious and you’ll be fine. My humor is not for the faint of heart,” Matt advised him in a flat tone.
Gary was exasperated, “Now I know you’re joking.”
“Am I?”
“I’m going to ignore that,” said the machine. “Back to what we were discussing—next time we cross over I think I can get us where we need to go, assuming we can get far enough away from our entry point to avoid being blown to pieces.”
Matthew leaned closer. “I’m listening.”
Chapter 34
The next morning Matthew and Elaine shifted again, and as they had the last time, found themselves falling into the ocean.
“Does it always have to be the ocean?” complained Elaine as she stood on a hastily solidified platform of water.
Matthew was scanning the horizon, so it was Gary who answered first, “Roughly seventy percent of the surface is ocean. Since our arrival point is apparently random, it’s to be expected that we will appear over sea most of the time.”
“How long do we have?” asked Matthew as he arranged the enchanted cubes that would form his flying construct.
“They didn’t even have a meeting this time,” the AGI informed them, “but since all the principal members of the defense leadership have begun downloading into cybernetic bodies, I assume they have detected our arrival. Based on our distance from the nearest military assets, I estimate we have twelve minutes. Without any landmass at this location, they will be forced to scramble interceptors and drones to target us.”