Free Myrkron (Volume Two of The Chronicles of the Myrkron) by Timothy Woods Page B

looked to Mi cah and saw him smile and nod.
    " The elves are our allies, Colonel.  The Forest Guard are some of the finest fighters in the land."
    Turning back to Finel, Bastise extended his hand.  "I am Colonel Rimel Bastise.  It is an honor to meet you, Finel."
    Finel shook Bastise’s hand a nd then bowed his head to him.  "It is an honor to meet a high ranking officer from your land.  If you are a friend to the Avari Lord then you are a friend to the elves."
    " Avari Lord?"  Asked Bastise, looking at Micah.
    " I will explain later.  You may return to your duties, Finel.  The Colonel and I will be returning to Kantwell."
    Finel bowed to Micah and shot Bastise a grin before running off into the darkness.  Bas tise cocked his head at Micah.
    " It seems there is more to you than I had thought.  I knew you were a great warrior, but I never imagined you were nobility.  It's not surprising, mind you.  You always did have an air of command about you. I just thought it was a military thing.  And here, all this time, I have been friends with a Lord," Bastise smiled and shook his head.
    " I am not of noble stock, Colonel.  It is complicated and a subject much better suited to indoors.  I must, however, warn you. You will be witness to many strange things here, not the least of which is me.  I guess we will just dive in.  Transfero nos ut meus visum ."
    Both men vanished from the portal ring and reappeared in the Great Hall of Kantwell.  Micah reached out and grabbed Bastise unde r his arm as his legs wobbled.
    " Lean over and put your head down.  Breathe slowly.  The queasiness will pass in a few minutes," Micah assured him.
    " Gods man, what did you do to me…"  Bastise began, then halted, as he looked at his surroundings.  He looked at Micah with something akin to fear in his eyes.  "What has happened?  Where are we?"
    " We are within the castle Kantwell.  It is here that the free Magi of this world train.  And what I did to you is called teleportation.  It is a magical means to instantly transport yourself, and others, to another location."
    Bastise straightened, placing a hand over his churning stomach, and looked around the Great Hall.  His eyes fell on the huge statue in the center, a towering figure draped in robes with arms upstretched, hands cupping a flame and a dove.  Though the head was hooded, the form was obviously female and the dark blue color of the stone made it stand out against the white marble of the floor.  Bastise tore his eyes from the statue and regarded Micah.
    " This is your castle then?"
    Micah chuckled.   "No.  This castle belongs to the Magi.  Merric is Headmaster here. I guess if you could say it belonged to anyone it would be him; though ownership of Kantwell has never been claimed.  I reside in a small house within a forest many leagues from here."
    Bastise nodded and continued to survey his surroundings.  Suddenly a tall robed figure appeared before him.  Bastise jumped back and uttered a startled exclamation.  Instantly drawing one of his knives from the strap over his chest , he went into a crouch.
    Micah placed a hand on Bastise’s shoulder.  "Easy my friend.  This," Micah gestured to the robed figure, "is Merric, Headmaster of Kantwell and Wizard of the Eighth Key."  Turning his gaze to Merric, Micah continued.  "Merric, this is Colonel Rimel Bastise, a friend of mine from Earth."
    Merric looked at Colonel Bastise and inclined his head to him.  "It is an honor to meet a friend of Micah’s.  I apologize for startling you.  I am sure many things here will be strange to you."
    Bastise stood up straight and sheathed his knife.  He looked Merric up and down.  He noted the blue robes and silver sash with blue stripes, the long gray hair and beard.  Bastise inclined his head to Merric.   "And I apologize for my reaction.  Things have been unsettling today and I find myself on edge.  Please forgive me for my aggression within your home."
    Mer ric waved