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The Circle
Part 5
The Circle Enclave was a shadowy place that had earned a unique position in local lore. Children were taught from a young age to believe that if they didn’t close the door to their bedrooms, sorcerers from the Enclave would abduct them. Before the legitimization of the Circle as an official stratum in society, it was common to account for inexplicable disappearances as a twisted desire to become a magician by visiting the mysterious Enclave. Even now, nearly three centuries after the Commonwealth constitution made Circle members full citizens of Halcyon, many people still reviled them. The Enclave was a focus for popular mistrust, but to the six thousand men and women who counted themselves a part of the Circle it was a second home.
No one could quite tell exactly where it was. In popular legends, it was “just over those hills” or “out beyond the Great Sea” but only Circle Members knew its true whereabouts. The Enclave’s location was telepathically imprinted on the mind of every Member as part of the induction rite. It could only be reached through what commoners referred to as “magical” means, though such a description was a misnomer. It only seemed magical because most people lacked the education they needed to understand the true nature of what the Circle called mentallics.
The Enclave was an immense underground complex with no openings to the surface. It was designed very simply, with more than enough room to satisfy the Membership’s needs. There were twelve chambers — barracks for the Members, a mess hall and the convocation theater. The theatre was cathedral-like in its proportions and contained small workstations for each Member. They were arranged into ten concentric circles of decreasing diameter, starting with spots for the first-level Members on the outside and ending with a tight ring of six stations on the inside for the tenth-levels. A single place for the Chieftain stood on a dais in the very center. This was where rare meetings were held for the entire membership.
There were no decorations on the walls. Everything about this place espoused functionality over aesthetics, though no one understood why. Some of Halcyon’s greatest artisans were Members.
Quinn stood alone in the convocation theater. A dim ball of light floated above and slightly behind her, casting her features in a sinister shadow. It had been four days since the Explorer’s departure and her aborted conversation with Governor William Lessander. In that time, her suspicions about the coming of the Time of Meeting had mounted. She was now sure that the ancient Enemy was stirring. Would Halcyon survive? Would the Circle survive?
Certainly not under our present leadership!
Quinn stood before the Chieftain’s place and stared at it longingly. The whites of her sunken eyes were strangely visible as soft gray spots in the shadow created by the suspended light.
Patience, she cautioned herself. I must have patience.
With a flicker of a thought, she levitated into the air and deposited herself on the raised platform. Just as her toes touched stone, a hazy outline took shape next to her. She watched as it slowly coalesced into a human form. Like her, he was cloaked in crimson, but he was tall and gangly. His wispy white hair flowed over his shoulders.
Hello, Quinn. Cain, the Chieftain, stepped forward. His light voice resounded in her head. A little dim, isn’t it?
He glanced at her ball of light and its radiance increased. Now the entire area was well lit, though the light’s radius only covered the first four circles of desks. Quinn could now easily make out his impish expression.
I hope you don’t mind, but I added a tinge of yellow to your light, continued Cain. Your pale white was just a little too depressing. He tapped his chin. That reminds me… I always felt that we could use some decorations in here. It all seems sort of… “Spartan.”
This last word was spoken aloud and the sound reverberated through the theater.
I love doing that.
Decorations are a distraction, reprimanded Quinn. We’ll require the undivided attention of every Member when the time comes to enact the Greater Cause.
Yes, the Greater Cause, agreed Cain. Too bad we don’t know if — well, hello, who have we here?
Two more hazy forms took shape beside them. One was dressed in the familiar crimson robe. The other newcomer was dressed in tight leather armor. It was stained green and brown so that she looked like a patch of moss. A bow was slung over her shoulder and a quiver with two arrows hung at her side, as did a sword and a dagger. A buckler was strapped to her left forearm. Badges on her shoulder depicted three chevrons beneath the emblem of Valor’s Keep. She looked scratched and beaten up.
Cain approached and shook her hand. Sergeant Terrel.
Terrel nodded. Chieftain.
The remaining four Inner Members materialized before the discussion could continue.
Cain smiled at Terrel. I apologize for the haste, but, as usual, we don’t have much time.
That’s all right, she replied. Captain Milius didn’t see me leave. As far as I know, he thinks I was lost to the grimms in the forest.
Excellent, let’s make this quick. Open your mind to us. Let us see what you saw, hear what you heard.
Terrel nodded and closed her eyes. She concentrated on the events of the last few days. Images of her departure from Valandov with Marshal Wallace’s battalion flitted by, followed by memories of Captain Duncan Milius and his disputes with the other senior officers. Terrel probed deeper, reliving the tragic battle with the grimals en route to Ravelin and the order to retreat from the fight. As she focused on these memories, she felt intruding eyes and ears watching and listening from a distance. This was quite unlike the feeling from a joining of minds, in which each participant shared the experiences of the other. That kind of rapport defied description: it was a closeness that was beyond intimacy and transcended sexuality. The connection that the Inner Members opened with her now was of a vastly different nature, more like the uncomfortable feeling she got when someone stood over her shoulder while she read a report, except that when she looked back, no one was there. In a moment, it was over.
Thank you, Terrel, grinned Cain. We’ll reassign you to the Dominion of Khadash. With no armed forces and a minimal presence from the Praetorship, there’s little chance of you being recognized.
The Chieftain addressed one of the other Inner Members. Reeve, please inform our agent in Irbirah that she’s receiving a new assistant. Tell her to use the usual story — the Khadashites who aren’t Teivan will be suspicious, but by next week, they won’t even remember that Terrel wasn’t there to begin with. And get her out of that soldier’s uniform!
Reeve smiled and established a link with the appropriate person. He nodded to Terrel, who prepared herself for transportation.
One last thing, Sergeant, mentioned Cain. I promise not to read any more reports over your shoulder.
Terrel grinned at the joke before vanishing from their presence. Reeve concentrated for a moment before nodding affirmatively. She’s there, and our agent is waiting with fresh clothes.
Good, began Cain. This is the situation. The Explorer was put to sea this week with orders to sail west and find new land or resources or whatever. Failing that, they expect to end up on the east coast of the Isle in Ghault, or, if they’re really off course, on the eastern end of Kennedor Province in the Federated States.
They had no specific heading but carried provisions for three months, added Quinn.
And there’s no indication that they really know where they’re going? asked Reeve.
Not according to Governor William Lessander, replied Quinn. He gave me no information beyond what we just told you. I believe that’s all he knows.
Cain nodded. I agree. I checked our maps and there is a chance that they might miss the Champion’s continent entirely. If so, we’ll call it a near miss and wait for the Time of Meeting to arrive in another generation.
Fair enough, replied Reeve, but let’s assume for the moment that the Dark Champion does find the Explorer. What then? How do we prevent the Enemy from coming here and destroying us before we’re ready?
Cain looked at Quinn, and she responded. We’ve taken steps to ensure that the Champion never finds us. The maps and all the navigational data that the Explorer carries have been altered or replaced to conceal the location of the Fingers of Khorshim.
What good will that do? countered Reeve. The Enemy knows the geography of this world as well as we do. It knows where the Khorshim are.
Yes, but if the Explorer carries no information about them, the Champion won’t suspect our presence. It will assume that if we haven’t bothered to record their location, we obviously haven’t discovered them yet.
Reeve glanced at the other Inner Members who were listening silently. They gave their assent.
Now that she had gained their approval, Quinn saw an opportunity to nudge the Inner Membership further. She continued speaking matter-of-factly. We’ve taken every precaution to ensure our own safety but the mainland is still vulnerable. Since we have no means of tracking the ship without revealing ourselves to the Enemy, we must assume the worst. I recommend that we initiate phase one of the Greater Cause.
The other Inner Members eyed each other uneasily. This was a situation the Circle had been dreading for centuries, and they, like previous generations, didn’t want to be the ones to deal with it.
Cain changed the subject. There’s also the matter of Jehorom Galaddi.
Quinn turned her back on the group. She was being slapped down, and everyone knew it. He’s a waste of time, she denounced.
What if he’s the one? pressed Reeve. The Elders did foretell the presence of a savior in their Harbinger.
He exhibits nothing more than first-level abilities, spat Quinn. She slowly walked a few steps to her workstation and slumped into the seat.
Nevertheless, he’s worth watching, decided Cain. Consider his situation: he’s Teivan, so from the moment he was born there was a high probability that he’d be a Member someday. Plus, his parents were high up in the breeding program. Who knows what kind of children they were capable of producing?
We’ll never know, will we? argued Quinn. His parents were killed years ago.
Yes, but Galaddi survived.
Through no actions of his own! Quinn was becoming angry. The Chieftain was pinning their hopes on conjecture, not evidence. Why couldn’t the Inner Members see this? Why was she the only one speaking out against him?
Leaning against his desktop in the center of the convocation hall, Cain exhaled slowly. Quinn didn’t know when to give up. We don’t know that. He might have saved himself by using skills on some instinctive level.
Or it could have been luck. We have to—
“Enough, Quinn!” Cain’s bark echoed across the stone chamber. The other Inner Members flinched. Quinn stood her ground, pleased that she had pushed the Chieftain too far.
Cain resumed telepathic conversation. My decision’s been made. He turned to the rest of the group. We can’t let him return to Valandov with the rest of Marshal Wallace’s battle group — we have no one stationed there. Let’s divert him to the Palladum.
My sources inform me that General Hawkwin is due to arrive there in a few days, mentioned one of the other Inner Members.
The Chieftain clapped happily. Perfect! He’ll make sure that Galaddi gets back to Valor’s Keep. We won’t even have to interfere! He’ll do our work for us! We just have to get Galaddi to the Palladum.
Reeve shook his head. The River Nillus is the only way to reach the Palladum from Ravelin. When Wallace’s battle group returns to their ships, they’re going to try to head back to Valandov. For this to work, we’d have to somehow make them want to turn north from the River Saar and head up the Nillus. I don’t see a way to do that.
They were silent for a moment.
What about the Teivan footpaths? ventured one of the other Inner Members. Duncan Milius is Teivan. He knows where they are and how to use them. We sink the ships and force his battle group to walk to the Palladum.
What do we do with the sailors? asked Reeve.
Cain interjected. Let them board their ships and start for Valandov. Before the junction with the Nillus, the River Saar is narrow enough to be easily blocked by us. They’ll have no choice but to leave their ships and head north on foot.
The others nodded. I’ll take care of it, stated Reeve.
Don’t unblock the river until you’re absolutely sure they won’t come back for anything, instructed Cain.
Reeve smiled and nodded.
What of the Greater Cause? demanded Quinn icily.
It’ll wait, replied Cain. For now, I’ll review our file on Jehorom Galaddi. Birth records, lineage… everything. We may need to retest him. In the meantime, return to your posts, and let us pray that the Explore does indeed miss its mark.
Everyone nodded and six bodies grew hazy before gradually disappearing. Only Quinn remained. She dared not vent her anger in the presence of the other Inner Members. But here, alone, she could stew. The Chieftain was making a grave mistake.
Stay tuned for the next chapter…
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