Chapter 41

“So, the Orcs finally got a video of us in action?” Roxanne questioned us during the after-mission de-brief.

“A video feed of the wolves, yes,” Draiochta Naimh replied. “My fault, I presumed an Omniscient probe lying on the ground was one from the one we’d killed in the building and didn’t scan it properly.”

“Ach! Annoying, but, inevitable at some stage. Surprised it hasn’t happened before now.”

“More interesting was the use of personal shields by the Adepts, plus this militia’s response in building those armoured trucks,” I added.

“Yes, their security was lackadaisical initially, but the militia got very ingenious once they realised their normal methods weren’t working,” Lenna confirmed. “Including the protection of their higher commanders. Highest we managed to take out was a Ground-boss.”

“Just glad they haven’t figured out the cloak you use,” Roxanne nodded. “As for the rest, well, start planning accordingly as I’m sure they’ll have learned from this. Arwen, comments on this personal shield?”

“Well, we knew they had them but had never observed one in action as they work very differently to their building shields. All we had were a few reports from the Akhhlognuisi and a few bits of guesswork from Harmel’s team. Our initial analysis suggests it’s a type of impellor/repellor combination though as the Loegrian rail gun dart blew through it, not very powerful,” Arwen replied.

“Powerful enough to stop low velocity armaments though,” I added.

“Yes, Uncle John. It would even stop a sword blow, unlike our Mage shields which become more efficient the faster the object approaching is.”

“We do often use telekinesis to try to stop an opponent landing a blow, plus it’s the basis for the zones of inertia we use. But a good swordsman can beat it and use it against an opponent,” Roxanne nodded. “Add it to the shopping list, if we can find out where they keep them.”

“Not run across any on the base,” Brianna noted.

“Might be personal issue,” I shrugged.

“Ask Pugard, if he’ll deign to answer without Athena being there,” Roxanne chuckled.

“I will, Mage Roxanne,” Arwen replied with a smile. “She’s due a visit in a couple of days anyway.”

“Aye, setting up her new religion is tying her down somewhat,” Roxanne grinned. “But credit to her, she’d be here if it was urgent.”

“She’s definitely gaining power, though it’s still nothing like that of a Higher Power,” Arwen noted.

“Well, I doubt she’ll change; plus, I think she’s learned a few things on what can go wrong if you don’t have a plan,” Roxanne agreed.

“Or friends,” I added.

“That too,” she chuckled.

“Visitors,” Arwen announced.

“Oh, the scheduled surprise visit?”

“Yes, Mage Roxanne.”

We all trooped outside to greet whoever it was the Council had sent to ensure we weren’t up to anything stupid. Within a second the portal had flared and to my surprise, Morgana, along with Elizabeth, Simone and Dorry, stepped through to receive the mass formal greeting.

“Well, this is a surprise,” Roxanne stated once that was done. “Welcome, my friends.”

“Just a fact-finding mission for me, to bring me up to date with the various things the Council is up to. Plus, I’m cleared for Loegria, unlike a lot of the Council Mages, also got Elizabeth bumped up as she’s my assistant,” Morgana replied, returning a hug.

“Greetings, my Mage. It’s good to see you,” I added when her eyes turned to me and a smile broke out.

“It’s been a lot quieter with you not being around training. But your wives keep me and my girls occupied when I’m not in Council. I’ve even got Elizabeth and Hermes in swordsmanship training now.”

“Jude OK?”

“As far as I know,” she replied with a grin. “He and Thad are up to something in the Middle East that they aren’t allowed to tell me about.”

“Who’s got the girls?”

“They’re visiting their Aunt Julia in Portugal and probably getting spoiled rotten,” she replied, making us all grin as Julia loved other people’s children though had no intention of having any of her own.

“Oh, oh, Vilton’s spotted Dorry,” Brianna said with a sly grin.

We all turned to look as the Loegrian observer was looking extremely puzzled as he was observing Dorry. Dorry of course wasn’t making it any easier with an explanation to the man who was looking as if he was seeing a ghost.

“Yes, it is her,” I finally said to him.

“The Dorry Pechy?”

“Yes, now an apprentice Seer ... oh, and younger, much younger,” I chuckled.

“Everyone thinks she’s either dead or in seclusion.”

“Which is what we want them to think. And, to answer your other unsaid question, yes, Archon Rakona does know.”

Simone and Dorry, having presumably been brought up to date via the Seer gestalt we used here, finally came across at my mental summons.

“It is so good to know you are alive and well,” Vilton almost stammered out, giving a very uncharacteristic (for a Loegrian) Mage bow.

“Thank you, but I’d appreciate it if it goes no further. Loegria is not and possibly never will be ready for the reality that is magic and Mages. Nor do I consider it my home anymore, too many reminders of my Olmer,” she replied with a sad smile.

“I understand, but I was under the impression we Loegrians couldn’t do magic, something to do with how our brains work?”

“Well, we can’t become Mages naturally ... yet. But the Council can create them. I was the first ever after I bullied John here into trying to convert me,” she nodded towards me, her happy exuberance returning.

“It was an easy decision,” Morgana added. “The success meant we Mages could now have children with the hope of them becoming Mages too.”

“So there are other Loegrian Mages?”

“Seven apprentices so far, but as training takes 120 years, there’s still some way to go yet,” Simone replied.

“Plus there’s also Ketty, Niras and their family,” Dorry added giving Vilton another major shock.

“Not ‘the’ Ketty?” he asked, looking dumbstruck.

“Yes,” she giggled at his look.

“Could ... could I meet them one day?” he replied, swallowing slightly. “Only I did my dissertation for my higher standards on them and, well ... she’s a hero of mine.”

“I’ll ask for you. She helps me with the various unofficial meetings I chair with the civilised Earths. Can’t imagine her saying no though,” Morgana replied.

“Thank you, Mage Morgana,” he replied, giving a formal bow.

“Been practicing that, Vilton?” I asked out of curiosity.

“Yes. I’m a politician. It pays to know how to correctly greet someone you respect,” he replied.

“Thank you,” both Morgana and Dorry replied, giving him a bow too.

“Er ... this eternal youth thing?” he broached.

“It’s not eternal life, but a second life out of the limelight that’s offered to friends of ours,” Morgana explained. “It’s also why Rakona is still single as she knows she’ll have a second chance to have a normal life, with children too, should she choose. However, the more people involved, more complicated it gets.”

“I see and if I become Archon?”

“You’ll be offered the same, yes,” Morgana confirmed.

“But Joras...” he began.

“Didn’t want it as he has a huge family and a good life in retirement with them.”

“I see,” he nodded. “I’ll think on it as I have a wife and child, but thank you.”

Crnnch and the Adepts bowed low as they assembled in the Vultoq military base to greet the arrival of an Inquisitor who was to aid them in their pursuit of the enemy.

As ever, the Inquisitor came with a massive staff, a lot of them female and was arrogance personified to any he felt under him ... which basically meant the entire planet. As far as Crnnch knew, there were only ten Inquisitors in existence, though he wasn’t certain on the exact number and his sponsors hadn’t said. This made them quite rare compared to the other ecclesiastical ranks, if a lot more hands on when it came to dealing with the outer worlds.

“You may rise, scum!” came the command from the Inquisitor’s chief guard and Crnnch and the Adepts scrambled to obey.

“I am here to take charge of your pitiful attempts to bring down this new enemy,” the Inquisitor stated in hissing tones. “All failures, any laxness, will be severely punished. Seeker, you will arrange to transport all your research data to my residence at this base. I will eventually summon you when I have digested its contents.”

“At your command, holy Inquisitor,” Crnnch replied with a formal salute, not the bow of obeisance as would be expected from a mere Adept, noting but not caring about the narrow-eyed stare he received in return.

His Adepts and staff did give the bow of obeisance before they rose, did a precise about turn and followed Crnnch away from the portal.

“All our data is prepared for the Inquisitor?” Crnnch asked Slaarg.

“Yes, Seeker. All annotated and cross-referenced as well as the original raw data transcripts,” he replied.

“Good,” Crnnch stated. “I also need not remind you as to the consequences of failing in even the slightest manner in any task given to you by the Inquisitor?” he added.

“No, Seeker,” they all intoned nervously.

“We have a Thaumaturge on the planet Vultoq,” Jemima alerted us several days later as we were going over the various missions to Morgana.

“Any idea of a designation?” Roxanne asked.

“Large staff, probably an Inquisitor. Our people at the base detected the Seeker and his staff too,” she replied.

“Warn our people to go to the heightened security protocols and also begin plans to irritate the creature. Also, Athena will want us to try and grab his ladies, so plan accordingly.”

“Yes, Roxanne.”

“Is this wise?” Morgana asked.

“All part of the larger plan. We defeated an Inquisitor on Nansack. We intend to try and draw this one out into doing something reckless. Currently we’re avoiding the Seeker because nothing we have so far will penetrate his shield.”