Sorcerer

“I heard you were looking for a sorcerer.”

The man at the rough, wooden table looked up. “I am. Please sit.”

Jarok sat, but kept the hood of his cloak up to shade his face from prying eyes.

A wench set a mug of ale before him.

He waited until she was out of hearing range and faced the man he’d come to meet. “What sort of magics do you wish performed?”

“I need a way to keep the people from leaving the country. I wish them to stay, but already the threat of civil war has incited many to leave their homes and emigrate to other kingdoms.”

Jarok stared at the stranger. “What business is it of yours whether people choose to stay or go?”

“Very soon I will be king, and I wish to still have a kingdom when I take the throne.”

“I see. And what would be the terms of my employment?”

“You would stay here, in this kingdom, as one of my citizens, ready to o as I bid, but you would be free to live your life and do as you like when I do not have need of you. Name your price for your wages. When I am king, you will have it.”

Jarok considered the offer. He could do far worse. In many parts of the world, sorcerers were hunted and despised. To live in peace, to practice his art without fear of reprisal, that was a temptation not to be considered lightly. “Very well. You may consider me hired. What do you have in mind as a way to keep your citizens contained?”

“I know little of magic. I thought perhaps a barrier of some kind that people could not pass through would be appropriate.”

Jarok shook his head. “First of all, something of that scale would take far more magic than a dozen sorcerers could conjure. Second, unless you want to close everyone off from the outside world, trade and commerce included, a barrier is not the sort of device you want. I noticed as I came to town that the road goes through a dense forest. How far does the forest extend?”

“It encircles the entire kingdom.”

Jarok nodded. “How many roads in and out?”

“Just one, the one you came in on.”

“Good. I know what to do. I have a particular gift of conjuring animals. I can create a beast that will roam the forest and devour anyone who tries to leave. Then you can put guards on the road to prevent anyone without authorization to leave.”

“What is to keep a beast from coming into the villages to devour my people, or wandering away completely?”

“I will put a spell on it that prevents it from leaving the forest, even to go on the road.”

“How will one beast keep the entire forest safe from people trying to leave?”

“I can make more than one. We will fill the forest with creatures that will hunt down any human that enters the forest.”

“What will keep people from killing the beasts?”

Jarok smiled. “Magical creatures have few weaknesses. These beasts will have magic protection that renders weapons useless, and an insatiable hunger for human flesh that will cause them to seek out any person that enters their territory.”

The stranger rubbed his hands together. “Yes, that will do. One thing concerns me, however. You said the creature will have few weaknesses. That means it can be killed, if the weakness is found.”

“Yes.”

“Can you not make it invulnerable?”

“All magic has limits. All spells can be broken. However, the chance that someone could find the weakness before they are killed is slim.”

The stranger nodded. “Very well. Let us begin at once. What do you need?”

“I need a space to work, preferably near the forest’s entrance so I can release the creatures as soon as I create them. I will need you to trap animals, live ones, for me to work with. I cannot create something out of nothing, but I can change what already exists. And I will need help. Such a task will require more strength than I have alone. Is there anyone in your kingdom with magic?”

The stranger shook his head. “Only one old woman who works in the palace, and her magic is limited to a few potions and vague predictions.”

“Then you will need to hire more from outside.”

The stranger nodded. “I will see to it immediately.”

“Good. Then I need one more thing from you. I need some sort of charm, something powerful that will channel the magic and bind the creatures to you. The spell will connect you to the creatures, giving you their strength and invulnerability, and giving you power over them. You will be able to control them and kill them, but if something should happen to you, the creatures will lose their power and die.”

“What sort of thing do you need?”

“It can be anything. Something that belongs to you, but has inherent value, and if possible, something that is magical on its own.”

The stranger pulled a heavy gold chain from his neck and set it on the table between them. A gold pendant, set with a brilliant purple stone and inscribed with letters of the Old Language, hung from the chain.

Jarok reached for it. The magic in him vibrated against the aura that emanated from the amulet, making his ears ring. The necklace held a very old, very powerful magic. He picked it up and felt the depth of its power. “Where did you get this?”

“It is mine,” the stranger snapped. “It was given to me by my father, passed down from my mother’s line for generations.”

Jarok held it in his hands and repeated a simple incantation.

He looked up at the stranger. “It is not yours. Not wholly, anyway.”

The stranger’s eyes narrowed. “It is mine.”

Jarok held his gaze. “I have no care for who rules this country. I care only for my wages. This holds powerful magic, and it is more than ideal for completing my spell, but it must be yours. There is another with equal rights to it. You must convince him to relinquish his rights, and the agreement must be in blood. The other’s blood on the amulet will seal the bargain. Can you do this?”

The stranger nodded. “I can convince him.”

“Good,” Jarok said. “Then I will meet you here tomorrow and we can begin our work.”

The Amulet

The Storm

Creature

The Forest

Visions

Rendezvous

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