Unicorn Witch Read online

CHAPTER NINE

  It proved impossible to conjure breakfast next morning, which told them there was no warehouse within fifty miles. They had deliberately chosen items that were not on board the Unicorn Witch to test this. Food from their ample supplies below deck had to do for the humans, but of course Rebel and Karim went to graze. It was decided to stay together for the first scouting trip, and after heading inland for fifty miles or so they turned South to where the enemy was believed to have sailed from.

  >

  'He' turned out to be twenty feet long, grey/green in colour with a typical lizard head six feet above the ground, two gigantic wings, four legs, the front two of which had opposing thumbs and could be used as hands, and an arrow pointed tail. Marcus was too close to recognise it, but when Rebel projected a picture of the whole beast to him he shouted, "A dragon! They were thought to be extinct or a myth, just like the unicorns. Try to speak to him, Rebel, Karim, and let us listen in."

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  Thus encouraged they went to bed and the shyness and reserve disappeared. A fly on the wall would have thought they'd been together for years, and that even after all those years, were still in love. Laura was truly happy for the first time in over twenty years.

 

  When Marcus was satisfied that Tyana was fluent they went back to Mandrake for her to be tested. The dragon corrected her only once in three hours of conversation and then could find no fault during the whole of the next day. They also learned a lot.

  It seemed certain that the dragons, weres, and unicorns were all brought from Earth thousands of years before the first humans, but it was not known why of the three, only the unicorns survived on their home continent.

  Apart from the telepathic ability the dragons could at will conjure fire, but only immediately in front of them. This accounted for the legends that dragons breathed fire. All this information was, of course, passed on to Merlin to add to the history recorded at Abinger.

  "I must admire your discipline, Darling," commented Marcus. "When you set out to do something, you don't give up, do you?"

  "I enjoy chatting to Mandrake. I wish we had dragons in New America. They have a clarity of thought which surpasses even that of unicorns, and I'll miss him when we have to leave."

  >

  "New America?" queried Marcus.

  "Well we can't very well go on calling it Refuge, can we? Not when we know from Mandrake that Europe is probably as big, if not bigger?"

  For the third time they left the dragons, but this time decided to investigate the 'Were' creatures that Mandrake had referred to, so they went North, West around the end of the mountain range, then South again. With the speed of a ten times gallop this was easier than trying to climb over.

  The valley on the West side of the range was very much the same as the dragons' one, with caves which looked man-made in the side of the mountain, and also several small villages indicating, they assumed wrongly, human habitation scattered across the valley floor.

  As they approached the nearest village two of the inhabitants detached themselves from the watching group and came towards them. They were fascinating to look at, one male and one female which was all too obvious as neither wore clothing, skins pure white, and with short white wavy hair close to the skull. Their eyes were light blue, and the ears slightly pointed on top. When they opened their mouths, very white teeth with no discoloration, and slightly prominent canines were revealed. In spite of these differences they were, the visitors thought, extremely attractive. Each was only about five feet tall and when the female spoke it was, as expected, in French.

  "Good Day, Strangers. Can we help you? The dragons advised us that you may be coming this way and that we may trust you. Otherwise your welcome would have been very different."

  Tyana replied, as it had been the female who spoke to them.

  "As you've been told, we mean you no harm, and would welcome any information you can give us about humans like ourselves in this land, but please tell me - How would you have met us in anger. Surely Mandrake told you something of our abilities?"

  Suddenly where the man had been a wolf-like creature was racing with fangs bared towards Marcus, and where the female had been was a winged creature measuring some five feet in length, but the head was now vicious looking and like a bat's.

  The four stood their ground, and just before collision the villagers reverted to their original form.

  "My name is Vernique, and this is my mate Cantor, You don't frighten easily, do you?"

  Marcus and Tyana realised at once why Mandrake had referred to them as the 'were' creatures. They were obviously the root of the legends about vampire bats and werewolves. They had the ability to transform from one form to another at will. No wonder the Earth people had feared them and they'd had to be moved by the Old Ones to Refuge. Marcus spoke for the first time since the meeting, "We must be honest, Vernique. We weren't being brave. The two unicorns knew exactly what you were thinking and we would have been warned if you meant us harm. Rebel is the black, and Karim the white. You'll soon get to know them.

  >

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  "May we stay a while? We'll provide our own food, so we won't be a burden on your village."

  Cantor came forward to shake Marcus by the hand saying, "Stay as long as you like. Our only outside contact has been with the dragons for so long that we'll welcome the change. We did have a couple of humans through here a few months ago, but they were hardly good for intelligent conversation.

  "The unicorns near here keep well away from us and we had assumed they were just animals like horses. I see we were wrong."

  He turned to the unicorns, saying, "Welcome, Karim and Rebel, from Vernique and myself!

  "We're not short of food, but it may not be to your taste. We'll have to see."

  The meal would have been excellent, if only it had been cooked. The actual make-up was fine, with a good balance between meat and vegetables, with fruit as a second course. A quickly made stone oven and some conjured fire soon solved the problem and they learned a lot about conditions in Europe. It seemed that the liking for raw meat, resulting in blood stains round the mouth after eating had obviously led to the stories of vampires living by sucking blood.

  The werefolk knew of a town of humans only two hundred miles to the South and on a river, the Seine. Fortunately this was too far South to be the one at the mouth of which they'd hidden their schooner. It was named Paris, and ruled by one who just called himself The King (Le Roi). From time to time citizens ran away and two of them had found shelter with their village recently to recover from their injuries before going further inland. No, Vernique didn't know where they'd gone.

  Their injuries had obviously been from beatings from not working hard enough, and they'd been undernourished. Marcus and Tyana were a month too late to have met them.

  From what they had learned, only the masters and soldiers were well fed in Paris, the vast majority going hungry. Marcus had to explain the concept of soldiers to Tyana, but this didn't really help. "After all," she asked, "who are they going to fight?

  we've travelled hundreds of miles without meeting one human!"

  "Is it likely that other groups of your people would know more than you do?" asked Marcus. "Do any of them keep records, noting day to day what happens"

  The idea of keeping diaries was alien, and it was thought to be unlikely that other villages would be any wiser.

  Cantor said, "From the very early days when humans started coming we've kept apart from them, and let them fight their wars."

  He and his people had had no more idea than had Merlin that there were two continents. They were on the point of leaving when, in spite of not having asked the right questions, they learned something of use when Vernique asked, "Where you come from, is your leader very powerful with magic? Those two runaways said that Le Roi is very strong indeed. They insisted, but we found it hard to believe,
that he can lift up more than his own weight without touching the object."

  It says a lot for her control that Tyana asked evenly, "What can the ordinary folk do?"

  "Why, nothing at all. They have no ability. They just work in the fields, in the factories making goods for the masters, or are in the army."

  The werefolk were surprised when told more about life in New America, of the universal ability to conjure, and of the tests used to classify people. "Let me show you the hardest of the Bronze tests," Marcus offered, and he took a bowl of water, showed it to Vernique, then asked Cantor to taste it.

  "What is is?" he asked, passing some to Vernique. "I like it, but what is it?"

  "Yes," said Vernique, "I like it too, but what is it?"

  "It's my favourite red wine, a Burgundy, originally made in France on Earth. Now, what have you got around here that's really heavy? You know - a tree, a large rock you'd like moved, or something like that, and Tyana here will show you just how strong our people are."

  There was one large Oak tree that had fallen the previous winter. They were slowly breaking it up and disposing of it by letting the pieces float down the river. Once it was pointed out Tyana, aided secretly by Karim, picked it up and held it some fifty feet in the air. "Where would you like it?" she asked, then on receiving no answer, "How about the other side of the river well out of your way?"

  Still getting no reply, she lowered it gently over one hundred yards from the other bank.

  "Vernique, everyone on this world has magical ability or they wouldn't be here. The dragons conjure fire, you can change your shape, humans can do what they call magic.

  "Does this lack of power exist in other towns, or just in Paris?"

  None of them had any idea.

  They told the villagers the reason for their coming to this continent and Cantor showed that Mandrake was right about their intelligence when he said at once, "It seems to me that whoever took this theurgen from your people has done the same to nearly everyone in Paris."

  "That's exactly what we're thinking!" replied Marcus.

  Once again they prepared to leave, and Vernique promised to pass the word to the other Were villages that any help they asked for was to be given. "It's a pity you have to go so soon, though," she commented, "we're having a chess contest this evening, and Mandrake said you play."

  The demonstration had taken time, so leaving was postponed, thus by the following morning the friendship had become even firmer. Tyana's feat of defeating the whole village at chess had amazed them, and she was quite proud of it herself. After winning the time-limited knock out competition she had arranged a classic demonstration. Thirty chess boards had been set up behind her and out of thirty games played blindfold she had won twenty eight, drawn one, and lost only to the one who regularly visited Mandrake to play. Marcus looked at his love with even more respect, saying yet again, "You never cease to amaze me, Darling," he said yet again. "Karim told me you play, but she gave no idea you were this good."

  The sole winner, Karpov, also praised her. "I once managed to win two games without looking at the boards, 'blindfold' did you call it? but I would never have thought it possible for anyone to remember the details of thirty at once. No wonder you beat me in the earlier contest."

  "It was close, though, Karpov. I look forward to a return match when we're here again."

  Tyana finally asked the question which had been uppermost in her mind since the first meeting, and about which Karim had been teasing her for worrying unnecessarily as she could, she assured her partner, trust Marcus implicitly.

  "Vernique, may I ask a personal question without losing your friendship?"

  "Of course! If the question offends I'll just not answer it."

  "Why do you wear no clothing even late in the evening when you obviously feel the cold?"

  Marcus was laughing, and added to Tyana's discomfort by commenting, "What she really means is that it worries her to have me able to see so many naked and very beautiful females."

  "Ignore him, Tyana. It's just a matter of being practical," replied Vernique. "If I wore anything and then transformed to wolf the clothing would be a hindrance, and if to bat then the lower half would fall off, and the upper part would restrict my wings. I think I could enjoy changing my appearance as you can by wearing different things if it were possible."

  Tyana dressed her in several different outfits of her own where the size difference wasn't critical and provided a large mirror so that she could see the effect for herself. Vernique was delighted, and Tyana promised to try to teach her to do it for herself at a later date. Leaving her wearing denim jeans and a shirt the party left.

  They had travelled only half a mile when Karim sensed someone in great pain behind them. Rebel confirmed it, and they turned back to look for the source.

  One of the werefolk in bat form was coming in to a crash landing in the centre of the village and they rushed back to help. He was only a youth, in human terms he appeared to be about thirteen, and even though it looked as though both legs were broken he remained conscious. "Must get help. Must get help. Must get help." was all he could say. Tyana called in normal speech,

  "Karim, contact Laura through Belle, or Megan through Jet, and tell me how to help.

  "Rebel, find out what happened. Who did this?"

  Karpov came forward. "He's my grandson Juliard from the village ten miles away. If he's flown that distance in that condition it's amazing. He must be in agony, yet he keeps himself awake. No one can help him, though. All we can do is try to make him comfortable until he dies."

  >

  He could, and as he did, Tyana and Vernique took his weight and arranged him on his back, but the effort and pain were finally too much for him and he fainted.

  Tyana could now see that the breaks were in both tibias (shin bones) but fortunately the skin was not broken and swelling was minimal, so no large blood vessels were torn. She stopped, wondering how she knew all this.

  It would have been rude to leave as planned after what had happened so the rest of the morning was spent with that village, then the afternoon in Justine's. She, of course, elected to stay with her son who would return with her a hero in six weeks' time. In the second village they discovered that the pale skins gave the werefolk no protection from the sun, so they preferred to work when it was not bright. Another Earth legend was explained.

 

  The Seine valley was before them with farms all around what must obviously be Paris. The town itself was within a wall that made Camelot's look like decoration. Marcus explained to his companions the uses of the various features. The top obviously had a walkway round it behind a castellated parapet and at each corner was a round tower the defenders could use to cover the walls when under attack.

  Tyana was horrified at what she was told, and only at that moment realised that, on a smaller scale, Camelot's wall must have at one time served a similar purpose.

  To make life even more difficult for attackers the river had been diverted either side of the town so that it formed a wide moat with two large drawbridges providing the only access. Twenty men guarded each of the bridges, though no reason for the guard could be seen.

  They decided to camp on one of the hills and watch for a day or two to see what could be learned. Marcus made sure they were well below the skyline, something Tyana was sure she wouldn't have thought of.

  After two days spent observing, Marcus insisted on going closer on his own. "I know it's repeating myself, but I use the same argument as before. There's no way I can be caught, as I would just conjure myself out of the area and return. I, therefore, must be the one to go."

  As soon as he could see some of the people within the walls Marcus 'changed' his clothing to be more like that worn by the men and walked boldly across the bridge.

  "Halt! State your business here!" An officer and four of his men in something like Napoleonic uniform stood befor
e him.

  "I have no business. I suffered a loss of my possessions to thieves who carried me for days and left me by the roadside. I don't even know what town this is. Can you help me?"

  Marcus thought how weak this sounded, but the officer seemed to accept it. With odds of five to one he probably thought he was safe and they escorted him to a building that he assumed was the office of his escort's superior. Too late he realised he was wrong, and he was thrown down some steps and a door slammed behind him.

  He was in a cellar, or cell, with a grating high in one wall level with the ground outside. Through this he could hear himself being discussed.

  "My Lord, You must see him for yourself and you'll understand why I didn't believe him. He's never been short of food in his life. He must be a spy from Madrid. They've been unable to breech our defences, so they think to attack us from within.

  "Also although his French is good, it's not quite the same as ours. There's a slight accent. I don't trust him!"

  "Let him stay where he is today. I'll interview him in the presence of Le Roi tomorrow."

  >

  >

 

  >

  "What I have to say is 'Go back to Le Roi!'"

  After protesting his innocence for a while the man gave up, called for a jailor, and was taken out.

  >

  >

  "No, Rosa, it's not a trap, and you don't need to answer my questions aloud, just think about it please.

  "Are you happy here, working for Le Roi for very little food and no time off, or would you like to change it?"

  >

  "It is possible. Has there been any talk about a man who escaped from the Bastille, taking Sophia's friend Carlos with him?"

  Rosa went white and looked to make sure the door was still closed. She held a finger to her lips.

 

  Tyana did a little dance, then a handspring back on to her feet, finally sitting on the other cot. As this strange behaviour was related to her, Rosa realised that she had been told the simple truth. If anyone came, Tyana would be warned.

  "Tyana, just what sort of friend is Karim? I've never even heard of a mind reader like that."

  "First, you must get used to calling me Sophia. Second, before this is over you will no doubt meet Karim. I'll tell you more about her in a moment but please. - What has been said about the escape?"

  "There's been some talk that a man was thrown in to the Bastille for being a spy. The way they tell it he used magic more powerful than could be possible to escape, and even harder to believe, two tame unicorns came into the town to carry them out and they left at hundreds of miles an hour. The soldiers who told the tale stuck to their story even though it got them executed for lying.

  "Le Roi is furious, but he didn't believe the story. My friend Maria works for him, if works is the right word, and she tells me everything when we have the chance to talk. Le Roi thinks there must be enemy agents in Paris, and they got them out."

  >

  "I'm glad you feel that way, Rosa, there's far too much talk of rebellion these days. I think Le Roi's very fair. He's certainly a better master than Carlos's. That is if he really was a spy and was sent here to risk his life."

  As Tyana finished the sentence the door was thrown open and a small well dressed boy entered. "Carry on, Ladies," he said, "I come only to tell you that supper will be a little late this evening. Please come to the square outside the Bastille afterwards. Le Roi commands it!"

  "Certainly, Rudolph," Rosa replied. "Are you keeping well?"

  The boy ignored her and went to the next door to repeat his message. A few minutes later, Karim assured them they were safe once more.

  "What he overheard was about the best thing possible," Rosa commented. "Rudolph will report it to Le Roi, and he'll be very pleased. I only hope he won't be too pleased."

  "What do you mean, Rosa?"

  "Well, he may be tiring of Maria, and fancy a different bed companion. I think we'd better make you a little less attractive."

  Realising now just what Maria's 'work' was, Tyana agreed. She wanted to get to know Le Roi in her own time, and after a little thought conjured some padding for her dress. That in front made her look about six months pregnant, whilst on the back was a hump on one shoulder.

  "Will this do?" she asked.

  "That's ideal. Now, please tell me. Just what are you trying to do?"

  "First of all, Rosa, all you've heard about the escape is true. In fact Marcus, the man in question, probably did even more than the soldiers knew about.

  "The two unicorns at the end of the story were Karim the white mare who's my partner, and Rebel the black stallion who's Marcus's."

  "What do you mean - partner?"

  "Let me tell you about life where we come from, and you'll understand."

  For the next half hour Tyana gave Rosa a brief history of Refuge as she knew it.

  "What do you call this world, by the way?"

  "Refuge!"

 

  >

  Tyana explained now about her 'Theurgen theory' and the events that had brought them to Europe in search of the thieves.

  "But even though we are now sure that Le Roi and his family are the thieves, we don't know how or why. We also don't know for certain that they are the only ones.

  "That's why I'm here, and Marcus is going to Madrid. We could, using our powers, have simply wiped out the whole Royal family, or humiliated them to the point that the people would rebel. But that would have been of no use if there are other thieves in other towns. We have to know!"

  It was only after Tyana had organised a conversation between Sophia and Rosa, using the unicorns, that Rosa finally accepted that Tyana was just who and what she said she was.

  "I get the feeling, Tyana, sorry, Sophia, that you haven't told me just how powerful you are yourself."

 

  'Anything to oblige' thought Tyana as she walked towards the seven feet tall, eighteen stone hulk of a man. Looking him over as though interested she noted through his shirt that he was well muscled, but slightly thick in the waist, with rolls of fat above the hips. Even so a straight forward attack would be a waste of time as he only had to get hold of almost any part of her and she would be finished.

  "I suppose we may as well get this over with," she said.

  Kross relaxed his vigilance as she had expected. Tyana ran forward arms open wide as though greeting a lover, then when seven feet away, turned to horizontal, legs drawn half way back to her chest.

  The two feet, driven by legs which had been around a unicorn's chest for most of their eighteen years lashed forward. One landed first, low on the left side of his rib cage, driving the lower ribs into his spleen. A split second later the other landed outer edge first aimed at the philtrum, the nerve centre just below his nose, which was coming forward after the chest hit.

  Tyana landed lithely on her feet, hands held as Marcus had trained her, but she immediately relaxed as he was obviously unconscious. She risked a closer examination when his chest had not moved for about five minutes and found him to be dead. Her second blow had been two to three inches high as she'd been unable to adjust for him bending forward, and the resulting point of impact was between his eyes, fracturing his skull.

  She was, however, still a prisoner as Kross had had the door locked behind him by someone outside. He may be dead, but he'd missed very little. She did, though, have the flask of her Theurgen which he'd brought to gloat with. All she had to do was wait to be released, then get close to a healer, find just where in the skull it was normally held and make him or her replace it.

  Put like that, it didn't sound too hard. 'Who am I kidding?' she thought, and changed her plans. All she could do was try to survive until her friends arrived. She decided to save what little magic she had left for a real emergency.

  >

  >

  Qui
ckly Tyana brought her partner up to date.

  >

 

  MADRID

  When Carlos explained to the Sergeant of the Guard that Marcus had helped in his escape he did, as arranged, not give any details. Soon, after a bath, change of clothing, and a good meal, they were shown into the ruler, Castillio's audience chamber.

  Carlos was puzzled as to why Marcus insisted that Sophia be not separated from them. He soon learned the reason.

  During the ride Marcus had had time to modify Tyana's plan as he thought it unlikely she would be able to fool Le Roi for more than three weeks, and the return journey would be slow, with an army. In any case, he preferred direct action.

  As they walked into the chamber he noted that there were six Guards on each side, all armed with wicked looking pikes, with swords sheathed by their sides as back up. On a balcony were a group of archers with crossbows. He smiled to himself. Castillio was even more cautious than Le Roi had been.

  When certain that he had mentally placed all the weapons in the room he acted. The whole collection of bows, swords, knives, and pikes formed a pile in front of Castillio, except for two loaded crossbows which arrived in Marcus's and Carlos's hands ready aimed at Castillio's chest.

  "Any man wishing to serve me instead of Castillio may come and collect his weapon," shouted Marcus. "Decide now, though, for you will have no second chance.

  "Castillio, cease the futile efforts to collect a weapon for yourself, or I will kill you now."

  Castillio's efforts stopped at once, but the important thing was that the respect his men had previously had for him had gone forever. They trooped to pay homage to their new and more powerful master.

  "My second in command will be Carlos here. Obey his orders as you would mine.

  "Now, bring me at once Castillio's personal healer!"

  The Healer, a woman of about forty, introduced herself as Carmen, and assured Marcus of her loyalty.

  "You may now prove it. Remove what you call the 'Essence' from Castillio here, and explain each move first so that I can learn how it is done."

  Castillio had gone white and was pleading with Carmen, with Marcus, with Carlos, with Sophia, with anyone in sight not to take his power away, but, thinking of the poor wretches in Paris, and being certain that it was the same here Marcus warned him once to be silent, then when he was not, rendered him unconscious with a Karate blow behind the ear.

  "Your Highness needn't concern yourself with the details. I will do as you wish and remove the Essence from him."

  "Carmen, I give only one warning, as you just saw. Do exactly as I told you!"

  Carmen was still reluctant. "But I had to swear an oath when I became a healer never to reveal the secret or I would die a thousand deaths, and lose my own ability as well."

  Marcus pointed at Castillio's throne, a marble structure weighing well over two tons, with Castillio still slumped in it. As he raised his finger the throne rose, then hovered six feet above Carmen's head. "It's decision time!" he said.

  "Alright! You win!"

  Carmen explained that the Essence was in what she called a hole in the head just below the centre of the forehead. One simply conjured the contents into a bottle and the job was done. Once you had seen the liquid and knew what it was like it was no harder than selecting what to eat and 'calling' for it.

  Marcus lowered the throne and pulled off Castillio. "You won't find much in here, but demonstrate!"

  Carmen held a small vial near Castillio and then there was a about an egg cup full of golden honey like liquid within the vial.

  "Who taught you to do this?" asked Marcus, "and how did they learn?"

  "I only know what my teacher told me. The secret has been handed down generation after generation for hundreds of years. It's possible it was an accident during a fight originally, but we don't really know.

  "When my grandmother was only a little girl a man came from Earth who was a doctor - that's a sort of healer. He was made a healer here and whenever someone died he was allowed to cut them up. He was looking for the difference between people here and on Earth, and he found it. The hole, he called it the sinus front something I can't remember is different. He wrote down the explanation in detail. I'll get it for you if you wish."

  "Yes!" Marcus answered. "Later!"

  He then called to Carlos. "Are you brave enough to risk Carmen giving this to you to hopefully restore the power you've had taken away?"

  "Yes, Master!"

  He turned to Carmen and told her, "Do it!"

  "But it's never been tried that way round before. It may not work."

  "Try, unless you wish to annoy me again."

  It seemed that Carmen did not wish that, for the vial emptied and Carlos collapsed almost to his knees, holding his head.

  Marcus caught him, but he was already regaining control.

  "I'll be alright, Sir! I've got my balance back, but my head aches worse than after a night's drinking!"

  "I can have her remove it again if sleep doesn't help, but based on what we know when a large amount is stolen at once, a night's rest may cure it. I'd like you to try."

  Before Carmen left to get the written explanation for Marcus he asked her, "Why do the collectors only take from our people who have no familiar? What difference would it make?"

  "I'm sorry, Master, I don't understand the question. Our collectors are the healers, and they take from everyone at the annual inspection. Forgive me, Sir, but - What's a familiar?"

  Marcus dismissed her without answering, reminding her to bring the doctor's explanation to him in the morning, and thinking,

  'So, the thefts from us are all down to Le Roi. That's what I wanted to know.'

  He called all the now loyal troops to him and explained what they had just witnessed. "If you had not had your annual visits to the healer to check on your health, you would all have been at least as powerful as Castillio." The angry mutterings were music to his ears.

  He stopped those who showed signs of leaving, obviously to find Carmen, warned them that he wanted no action against any healer. He went on to explain where he had come from and about life in New America where everyone had plenty to eat, and everyone had an equal chance of education and choice of work. A few demonstrations of what had to be done for Bronze tests and the last hesitators were won over.

  "Now, I want you all to go out into the town and spread the word that things have changed here, and I remind you to make sure that there's no talk of revenge on the healers. If you think about it, they had no choice!

  "I want volunteers to go with me to overthrow Le Roi in Paris in the same way, and to free their people as well.

  "When this is all over, I will be returning to New America and if the people here wish it, I will arrange the sort of government we have there, with a Council chosen by the people making the decisions.

  "Now, you are dismissed. The only army I need is one of volunteers to come with me to Paris. Anyone willing, come to the square tomorrow at noon."

  Marcus called Carmen back, and got confirmation that Castillio had only had the Essence removed to preserve his power. He traded bottles of it with Le Roi for food. One reason for the continued war with Paris was to learn why he wanted it. She knew that Le Roi had similar arrangements with other towns, but had no idea why. Le Roi was the only buyer. No other ruler had any use for it.

 

  Carlos woke with no headache and delighted Sophia, who had stayed by his bedside all night by conjuring her a steak as he had seen Marcus do many times. She was persuaded to rest at last, and Carlos was the first volunteer for Marcus's new Army of Liberation.

  So many wanted to come that he had to choose a temporary Council as a reason for keeping some men and women in Madrid. He pointed out that the food still had to be grown, but if no labour was wasted making arms and serving in the army, they could soon have enough to eat regularly. He also promise
d that within six years they would all have the ability to use magic to help.

  Maybe Tyana would object to there being no women, but in the end he took four hundred men, all of them of the original trained soldiers. He assured them that they would have no trouble entering the town and would probably not have to do any fighting, but they still wanted to come.

  The Sergeant of the Guard who had met Marcus when he arrived proved to be a natural organiser and he was given the job of Quartermaster for the journey. Instead of having to threaten as he had the last time a foray was planned, he found people rushing to give him what he needed. They now believed in what they were going to fight for, which made all the difference.

  During the journey back to Paris Marcus moulded his force into a modern fighting unit, divided into twenty small groups of twenty, and one member of each platoon he designated Corporal. The corporals received instruction in simple unarmed combat techniques that allowed them to impress their men. All of them were taught to restrain a prisoner without injury in case they had to overcome opposition from the ordinary citizens, but, as Marcus told Carlos, "If I'm any judge, Tyana will have them on our side by the time we arrive.

 

  Rebel, Karim, and Javelin trotted quietly out of sight of Madrid then stopped.

  > Karim said >

  >

  That settled, Rebel took turns with Karim holding a nine times spell for themselves and Javelin and they headed for the Werefolk village of Cantor and Vernique.

  Javelin was surprised to hear that they would receive a welcome but such was his trust that he made no objection as the three entered the village without slowing, Karim and Rebel having called ahead. Vernique showed her complete acceptance of unicorns as people by asking, "Who's your handsome friend?"

  Javelin was introduced, and Rebel asked that the whole village be called to a meeting.

  Karim, as the more experienced in speaking to large numbers at once explained again why their party had come across the sea. She told them of what Tyana and Marcus were trying to do and said that they, the three unicorns intended to help.

  If the Werefolk liked the sound of life as it was in New America would they be prepared to help storm Paris if Tyana needed help.

  Cantor came forward and said, "I can speak for us all. When Vernique offered help if Tyana needed it it was no idle gesture. Every adult we can spare will start tomorrow, and after the way she helped Juliard we'll have no trouble collecting more from other villages on the way."

  Karim offered to provide rapid transport if it would help and at dawn she and Cantor left, arranging to meet Vernique and the others outside Paris.

  Rebel and Javelin retraced the original route to Mandrake's valley and made the same request. Such was the bond formed between Tyana and Mandrake that the dragon wanted to set off straight away when he heard that she may be in danger. Of the fifty, twenty of the youngest were detailed to look after their herds and all the others were ready to depart half an hour after the unicorns arrived.

  > asked Javelin.

  Rebel explained the principle behind Tyana's stride multiplying spell and had Javelin try for himself. He managed four times normal and was obviously very disappointed.

  >

  >

  Still preferring direct action to Tyana's more subtle approach, Marcus rode Javelin down to the North drawbridge, with Karim on his Left carrying a volunteer corporal, and Rebel carrying Carlos on his Right. They stopped, then Marcus shouted across to the Guard, "I demand you surrender Le Roi and his family to me. They do not deserve to rule and I have decided to replace them."

  The only reply was a shower of crossbow bolts, which were simply returned along their flightpath to shoot the bowmen. Marcus continued, but using the telepathic voice Tyana had developed when in Kissimmee and which would carry to every person in Paris, including he hoped, Tyana.

 

  Of course those behind the walls though that 'three of us' meant Marcus, Carlos, and Zandro, the corporal chosen to ride Karim.

  Zandro would talk about the next ten minutes for the rest of his life. Even though he trusted Marcus, he still didn't really believe that he could take the town single handed, yet that is what he apparently did. Only many years later did he learn that the unicorns also had power.

  As Marcus led his deputation forward it was a simple exercise to break the locking mechanism and turn the capstan on the drawbridge to lower it gently across the river in spite of the efforts of the guard to prevent it. They walked slowly across as though without a care, and Marcus let Rebel and Karim deal with the arrows, each one of which was sent back into the bowman who fired it. They soon stopped coming, as did the lances, thrown knives, and even stones. They halted in the square by the Bastille.

  >

  Nothing happened.

  >

  He dismounted, as did the others. The white flag was flown, and he mounted Rebel, trusting that if anyone noticed the change they wouldn't realise the significance of it. Karim and Javelin took their riders back across the bridge.

  To show just how much contempt he had, he allowed the bridge to rise behind them. Whilst this seemed important to the soldiers of the garrison, Marcus knew that Karim could have it down in a second if she decided it was necessary.

  Le Roi came out to meet him riding an exceptionally large, well trained, horse. He stopped when about six feet away and faced Marcus, his expression changing when he recognised him.

  "You! I should have had you killed when I had the opportunity!"

  "That's just the point, Your Exmajesty, you never did have the opportunity. I left your accommodation in the Bastille as soon as I tired of it. My only reason for not taking Paris then was that I wanted information.

  "No! I'm serious. I went with Carlos to Madrid, and within three hours I was their King. I could easily have done the same here.

  "You're not fit to live, let alone rule, yet I will spare your life if you answer my every question.

  "Where is Tyana, the woman who recently caused you some discomfort and called herself 'The True King'?"

  "Go to Hell!"

 

  "How do you know my name?"

 

  Thus what were probably the top ten brains on the planet were present.

  Marcus opened by saying, "We now know 'who' and 'how', but we still have no idea of 'why' these Godhe that Le Roi dealt with want the theurgen. It doesn't help us in finding out, but so that it can be added to our records, and for anyone who is interested, this is what the Earth doctor wrote sixty years ago. I can read it, but I don't pretend to understand all of it. Perhaps Laura will be able to help, Merlin.

  I have dissected now some twenty corpses since I arrived here and yesterday I finally discovered the difference between normal Earth people and those who are brought here by the Old Ones. The Sinus Frontalis is lined with small hormone producing glands and has no drainage into the nasal cavities. Instead it drains into the Sinus Sagittalis Superior and that area of the cerebrum is unusually well supplied with blood vessels. I am certain that this is the source of our power.

  It may be that this is a mutation, or it may be that all humans were like us at one time, as there seems to be no other reason for the existence of the Frontal Sinus.

  "Does anyone understand what I've just read?"

  Merlin chuckled, and commented, "Why try? Carmen's explanation will do for now. I'll get Laura to put it in plain English later. The liquid is in a hole in the head just behind the forehead and if it's removed we lose our power. If it's returned we get it back!

  "That's all we need to know, we can worry about understanding it later. Have you found Le Roi's store of it, Tyana? I believe you organised a search."

  "Yes, but we've kept quiet about the find. There's only enough for us to restore about a thousand people, but how do we choose?"

  > said Mandrake,

  All agreed with this policy, b
ut what of the balance of the theurgen store? Rebel put in a suggestion which was adopted immediately,

 

  Carlos and Sophia were sent for and they arrived accompanied as expected, by Javelin. Mandrake then addressed them,

  >

  "Of course!"

  >

  Sophia spoke for them. "Certainly we will, but I had assumed that Tyana and Marcus would be the ones. They're far ahead of Carlos in power, and it will be years before I get mine back."

 

  > Javelin replied,

  "What do you reply when they call you on your radio?"

  "What's a radio?"

  >

  "After you've acknowledged their call by saying your name, what happens next?"

  "What do you mean?"

  >

  "I ask again. You may remember that I'm not normally that patient. What happens next?"

  "I can't tell you what I don't know."

  >

  "I suppose they gave you a map. where do you keep it?"

  "What is a map?"

  >

  "How do you get the Essence to the location they want?"

  "You seem to know everything. You tell me."

  >

  "You ride alone so that no one else will know."

  "How......?"

  >

  "I said that I'd ask the questions, but I'm feeling generous today. It's just as you said. We know your every thought, so I did as you said, and told you. Surely you understand? Now. How often do the Godhe come?"

  "Every six months."

  >

  "Are they always the same Godhe?"

  "Yes, always the same four."

  >

  "It seems we will need you after all. When they call you you will answer as though all is well, and we'll follow you to the meeting site. Do you understand?"

  "Yes."

  >

  "You really are a slow learner, aren't you? You were thinking that you will warn the Godhe and they will help you."

  "How do you do it?"

  >

  "Our magic is so strong that we can tell what you are thinking. It's as simple as that."

  "I don't believe that."

 

  As Le Roi had told them it would be, the first indication of the arrival of the Godhe was a rushing noise, and then they saw the grass near him swirl around.

  Only after it had landed did they see the vessel and Marcus recognised it as being the classic Flying Saucer. Whether it had come down in an invisible or cloaked state or whether it had arrived so fast as to be invisible in flight he didn't know, but one moment the grass was swirling around, the next a one hundred feet diameter circular space craft was sinking three or four inches into the ground.

  >

  "Before I part with this," shouted Le Roi, "I want to see some plans. You promised them last time then left me with nothing."

  A voice seemed to Tyana to come from the ship itself but as Marcus explained to her later it was merely from a speaker built into the outer skin.

  "You do not dictate to us. Come inside at once, or you die where you stand and we will deal with your successor."

  Obviously the original plan to kidnap one of the Godhe and question him was not going to work, so Rebel told Le Roi,

  >

  Le Roi ran up the steps clutching the three saddle bags of what he thought was Essence and they disappeared from his arms as he went through the doorway. Karim and Rebel found it possible to monitor the conversation within and pass it simultaneously to their partners.

  Le Roi was obviously on his knees.

  "Get up, man, get up! Stop snivelling and tell us what's happened." said voice One, a male.

  Le Roi gave a reasonably accurate account of his loss of power, ending with a description of Tyana and Marcus, and the unicorns they were riding. He assumed, correctly that they were responsible for the removal of the saddle bags as he entered the ship.

  Voice Two, a female, said, "Kill him! His usefulness has ended."

  "No, Kresh!" shouted voice Three, another male. "Use him as a messenger. This King Marcus obviously wants us to leave the ship, but I for one don't wish to.

  "Le Roi, give them this message, 'You have five minutes to give us the Essence, or fry where you stand. You're not dealing with peasants now!'"

  He was made to repeat it, then with obvious reluctance he came outside, mounted his horse, and returned to Tyana and Marcus. They let him deliver his message as though unaware of its content, then sent him back with one of their own:- "King Marcus deals only face to face. All of you come to him. You may be armed if you wish!"

  Whilst Le Roi was making his way back, and hoping to live long enough to deliver this message, Marcus made sure that the other three could each conjure a large mirror at short notice as he had an idea what the phrase 'fry where you stand' had meant.

  When Le Roi had delivered his message Voice Three was heard to say, >

  > voice Four continued, >

  >

  Le Roi was told to wait outside whichever room they were in whilst they had a conference. Presumably this was so that he could not report what was said to Marcus. This amused Tyana immensely.

 

  >

  Le Roi became impatient, and plucked up his little courage to come back in and ask, >

  He just had time to regret this before Kresh, already in a bad mood and in pain didn't wait for orders, but shot him with some sort of projectile gun, and the body was thrown by two of the men out of the door.

  This was the first sight they had had of the buyers and to say that they were unimpressed would be an understatement. Two males struggled to drag the body of Le Roi, which must have only weighed about nine stones at most, and 'thrown' was an exaggeration. 'Dropped' would have been more accurate. They were each about six feet tall, but all their muscles seemed underdeveloped. It was not undernourishment as their waists were slim and firm, but their movements suggested atrophy in all muscles.

  "I suppose they were Odin and Cragg," commented Tyana, "I wonder what Kresh looks like?"

  "I don't think you need worry about me straying if the men are anything to go by," replied Marcus. "Listen!"

  >

  "That's an out of breath Odin. I recognise his voice," whispered Tyana.

  >

  >

  >

  >

  Marcus was chuckling, but Tyana failed to see the humour in her life being threatened.

  "Sorry, Darling, but you won't be in the slightest danger. She obviously has a new gun of some sort and is proud of her speed with it. What I found funny was the half second she takes. My record is nineteen hundredths of a second to hit a target from a light going on, and most good men on Earth can best a quarter of a second. Don't forget, if the gun isn't in her hand, she can't do much with it, can she?...... Here she comes!"

  Kresh, for it had to be her, was slightly smaller than the men, but in much better shape in every sense of the words. She would have turned many male heads back in Chicago, and she moved like an athlete. Perhaps this would be more of a contest than he'd thought. "Do you want any help, Darling?" he asked.

  "Thank you, but no thank you! Just watch the door for tricks.

  "Rebel, monitor those still inside, please, I don't trust Jove."

  Half way to the trees Kresh called, "Show yourself, Tyana, or are you afraid of one woman?"

  Tyana was going to move, but Marcus made her wait.

  Kresh continued her advance until she was only twenty feet from the trees and could be clearly seen through the foliage. She stopped and Tyana moved into sight. As expected Kresh wanted to talk first. "Who are you, and why have you interfered with our trade with Le Roi?"

  >

  "I'm prepared to trade answers, but not to just be questioned by you. I say again. Who are you, and where are you from
?"

  "Why should I not just kill you where you stand?"

 

  "Let's get this over with. You think that you can kill me just as you did Le Roi. I'm prepared to deal. You may make your try whenever you wish, and I promise that if you succeed my partner will not take revenge provided that you just leave peacefully. You can even have the saddle bags we took from Le Roi.

  "But when you fail, and I promise you that you will fail, I demand that you answer question for question, and I remind you that you owe me one as I've already answered one of yours!"

  "You have no weapon. How could you possibly stop me?"

  "I need no weapon! Now, do you give your word?"

  "I do!"

  Even as she spoke her right hand crossed to her left hip, closing on the butt of a small weapon. She pulled it clear and swung the muzzle towards Tyana, then found her hand empty.

  "Are you looking for this?" asked Tyana, pointing the weapon at Kresh's head. She changed her aim to a tree fifty yards away and squeezed the trigger, remembering Marcus's description of how a gun worked, and preparing for the recoil if there was one. The kick from the weapon was slight, but the tree shook from the impact of some sort of projectile. She 'called' the bullet or whatever it was to her and let it fall to the ground as Marcus, through Rebel, shouted, >

  Conjuring tongs, as far as Kresh was concerned from nowhere, Tyana picked up a pointed cylinder about one inch by a quarter with slight damage to what had been the front end. She inspected the weapon, locating five other such cylinders, then tossed it back to Kresh.

  She immediately aimed again at Tyana and squeezed the trigger. There was a slight click.

  "You really are a slow learner, aren't you? How did you ever get to be allowed loose with a weapon?"

  Then the tone of her voice changed from casual banter to what would have had either of her brothers looking for cover.

  "This has gone far enough! You're obviously not going to cooperate until you've had proof that you can't even hurt me, let alone kill me.

  "The next time any of you fire at me, the bullet, missile, or whatever you call it will hit the person who pulls the trigger!

  "Here, you may have the other five and load the gun, but before you try again, be warned! Your first shot will hit this,"

  Tyana produced a ready inflated balloon from a small pocket and put it by Kresh's side, "and it will happen even if I have my back turned." She left a pause for this to sink in.

  "The second, if you are so foolish, will kill you!"

  Tyana turned her back on Kresh, who took careful aim at the centre of it and fired. The balloon burst as the bullet, controlled by Karim, hit it.

  "Are you finally convinced?" asked Tyana as she turned back, "then perhaps we can get somewhere!

  "Now, once more, Who are you, and where are you from?"

  "I'm not allowed to say. This is a restricted planet."

  >

  "How did you do what you did with my gun?"

  "I'm not allowed to say," replied Tyana. "That is restricted information!

  >

  "You see? That sort of answer is useless. I want to have a talk with my partner before continuing. I suggest you return to the spaceship and we'll continue this after lunch."

  Still in a daze from what had happened, Kresh did as suggested, and the unicorns monitored the conversation for a while but learned nothing.

  "I'm sorry, Marcus, but I think you're going to have to handle the questioning next time. I'm not very good at it."

  "You might have to wait a while for the next time, Darling, listen!"

  Jove was speaking, >

  "Do we try to stop them, Marcus?"

  "No! I think we should use the time to plan, and to visit New Amsterdam, and see how Sophia and Carlos do."

  By the time the message was given, the four friends were well on the way back to Paris, and each deep in thought. No mention was made of the demise of Le Roi who did not, after all, deserve any sympathy. After lunch the ten brains of what Marcus had named The War Cabinet convened in the ballroom again and were brought up to date by Karim.

  Shaena commented, "I think it's very significant that these Godhe, who we thought were the Old Ones, didn't seem to know what was happening when Tyana used what, to us, are fairly basic Bronze tricks to outwit this Kresh person.

  "They were used to dealing with Le Roi, so why couldn't they understand?"

  Cantor had a suggestion. "I don't believe they have ever visited New America. These are almost certainly not the same Godhe who brought you here from Earth. On this continent only the rulers had any power at all, and so they only very very rarely used it. Also you told us that Castillio couldn't even pick up a crossbow from a pile in front of him, remember, Marcus?"

  That's right. Our system had increased ability a thousandfold in the last few thousand years. Look at how weak they were in New Salem when Tyana had to deal with them."

  Mandrake, as they had become quite used to, went to the crux of the matter.

  > said Rebel. This sounded like Kresh.

  >

  The door opened, as expected, and he looked out.

  >

  > answered Cragg.

  > shouted Odin. >

  >

 

  "That one question I will allow you.

  "You'll never leave here alive unless you do. If you annoy me I'll kill you and take another prisoner.

  "Now, we'll start again. What do you do with the liquid you previously bought from Le Roi?"

  "Can I buy it from you?"

  >

  "What is it used for by the people you sell to?"

  "Who said that I sold it?"

  >

  Marcus intervened with a question of his own. "Why is Kresh, the female, so fit and active, whilst you three males are so weak?"

  "We don't know. All our men are like us. Our women are mostly like Kresh."

  >

  "What sort of weapon did you use to try to kill Tyana"

  "A simple heat seeking missile gun."

  >

  On a signal from Marcus, Tyana resumed.

  "What do you call the golden liquid you buy?"

  "Essence of Life. Why?"

  >

  "Who exactly are the Old Ones?"

  "They are the ruling council of The Godhe."

  >

  "Why do they bring people from Earth to this world?"

  >

  >

  "I'd very much like to know the answer to that myself."

  >

  Marcus interrupted again.

  "One last question. How do you explain the way Tyana took the gun away from Kresh, and removed the ammunition.?"

  "We don't know. We do know that your reflexes are many times faster than ours, so it must have been a combination of slight of hand and speed. Like when you came up behind me."

  >

  A spare link from the drawbridge chain was placed in the nearest gun barrel opening and the four most powerful minds ever developed tried to conjure fire there. Of course they knew they couldn't make iron burn, but with the four ordering the molecules to shake on the spot (though they didn't know that was what they were doing) the result was molten iron which was allowed to cool once it had wet the barrel. The other three received the same treatment. The larger ship had been down for fifteen minutes with no movement.

  >

  "Will you three handle the mirror boxes and mud, please?" asked Marcus. "I want to be free to watch for any other surprises they may have. Look!"

  As he spoke the turret turned and one of the guns trained on him, presumably aimed at the sound of his voice.

  >

  >

  >

  Marcus concentrated on an area fifty yards from his friends and teleported there. He shouted, "If you're looking for Jove and his friends they'r
e tied up at the moment."

  He then rejoined the others and they all watched.

  >

  This time Marcus went behind the East model of himself, kindled the torch, repeated the call, then returned to base.

  The nearest gun pointed at the dummy then exploded as the back pressure from behind the jammed missile went the only way possible - back to the gun.

  >

  Immediately Rebel started grazing and working his way towards what the computer had euphemistically called a defence craft. He got right up to it, still without hearing anything, when it suddenly became visible again. He behaved like the animal he was supposed to be, acting startled, prancing away, then towards and away from what he was supposed to think was a new arrival. He then settled down to graze again.

  >

  >

  From inside the craft came, >

 

  >

  Oistrach listened with increasing disbelief as Jove described the firing of the heat seeking rocket which then targeted Odin, just as Tyana had said it would after rotating in mid flight.

  >

  Marcus had been thinking and asked Rebel/Karim, >

  >

 

  Oistrach found himself once again bound and gagged and deposited in the tent. Whilst there, Tyana accepted the parole of Jove and his surviving crew.

  Krast proved just as intractable as Oistrach when she recovered and was deposited alongside him. Wodin and Veron followed Jove's example and were freed.

  >

  >

  It took two more days, during which Oistrach and Krast saw many examples of the powers of Marcus and Tyana, and were told again by Jove and his crew how his own party had been beaten, before Oistrach gave his parole.

  It was so inconvenient having Krast tied up that on the third day she was given a rifle and sent to the ammunition which was fifty yards away if she wished to use it. She was told exactly what would happen if she did, but of course she tried.

  Tyana was her first target, followed before the first rocket had gone ten feet by Marcus, each with their back to her and chatting to Jove who was watching with amusement as he knew what would happen.

  Each rocket turned in mid flight and targeted Krast, stopping three feet away from her with rockets still flaring but going nowhere.

  She screamed in terror and ran back to the group, followed by the two rockets, always three feet behind her.

  Eventually the fuel ran out and they dropped to the ground