Free Veneficus: Stones of the Chosen by Chris Page Page A

“The combined power of the cowerers is capable of wiping all traces of our existence from this earth in a matter of days.”
    “And previous venefici have always managed to maintain this situation?”
    “Much to their credit, they have,” replied the still-whispering Merlin. “But it gets harder every year due to the increasing numbers. Cowerers don’t die - they already have - nor do they fade away. They just multiply as more candidates arrive in the mists.”
    “How on earth do we do it?” whispered Twilight, following his master.
    Suddenly, Merlin spoke directly into his mind.
    By the Epigrams of Martialis I will tell you this, and, for the time being, only this, for the burden of this knowledge could easily subsume you. Gradually, as you learn to handle the knowing, I will reveal more. The ancients left a method of control, a key to the imprisonment of the cowering masses that can be known only to the ruling veneficus in residence. At the right time I will pass the secrets of that key to you. In the meantime, any reference to it between us must be made through direct mind-speech. No one else must ever learn how the key works or even become aware of its existence. In the wrong hands that knowledge could result in total catastrophe. As long as we alone hold that key, the safe kingdom of mankind will be preserved, cowering insurrection remain shackled, and our venefical obligation settled. I realize that it’s not a very satisfactory answer, dear boy, especially to one so eager for knowledge, but the unwritten laws governing the actions and reactions necessary to maintain a balance across all sections of humankind require that such knowledge is held only in one place, and that place is in the wilderness of my head. There is no known method of coercion that can remove it; we venefici don’t feel physical pain.
    What if anything should happen to you before you pass on the key to me?
    There will always be time, a way. And while we are not venefici perennis - indestructible wizards - if threatened with death, our power will always enable us to seek another state for as long as is needed.
    And if death threatens to engulf both of us?
    Then we have twice as much power with which to resist it.
    Am I really a wizard? I still find it hard to believe that all these wonderful and frightening things are happening to me.
    “Oh yes!” Merlin broke into speech and laughed as he got to his feet. “You just haven’t realized it yet. And a very quick one at that. Your mind has the speed of a shooting star and the agility of puffballs on an eddying wind. Now, forward. We have a two-hour walk in front of us.”
    “Why don’t you merely transform us to the site of the ringed stones of Avebury? I know it’s power-sapping, but so is walking. Besides, I hate walking.”
    Twilight’s dark eyes craned upward to fix the long magus in a childlike look of pleading.
    “Because, my lazy little skirmisher, we can usefully occupy the time teaching you some of the great secrets of the flora and fauna we pass on the way. Besides, your guardian pica would think it most rude of us if we suddenly disappeared having only just met you.”
    “Then can you please extend the length of my legs to that of yours so I can keep up?” The boy was pouting as he scampered along beside the long-striding Merlin.
    “No, that would be another waste of power.”
    “When I’m a real wizard with real powers I’ll do it myself.”
    “But you are a real wizard with real powers.”
    “Then why can’t I make my legs grow longer?”
    “Because I haven’t shown you how to do it.”
    “Then show me. Please!”
    Merlin stopped beside a clump of flowers and gently caressed one of them with his long fingers. “Ahhh, the wonderfully aromatic tanacetum vulgar , known as tansy or feverfew because, boiled into a tonic and drunk, it reduces fevers. And here, look, hiding on the underside of the leaves, none other than the larvae of the tanyderidae, otherwise known