Better Things To Do
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Better things to do. But this one was different. It was a rare kind of magic, the sort that could be used only by the most powerful wizards. And it had been sent for them…
“The Unseen Guild is sending us something,” said Alanna. “And they want me to go get it.”
This time, instead of gathering in front of the closed door to make their case, they all crowded around her on the small bed. In seconds, she’d put on another shirt—this one red, with a bright golden dragon embroidered over her heart.
Her hair was still pulled back into a tight braid, but now it hung loose down her back and rested against her shoulder blades. She’d already donned trousers, too, and as usual, she looked as if she were ready to fight a battle. The sword at her side was a matched set with her own dagger-and-sword belt.
They were all staring at her, waiting. There wasn’t much for her to say. She had been summoned by the Unseen Guild. They wanted her to come to pick up an item of power from someplace called Dunmrogh Keep. She didn’t know where it was. All she knew right now was that she was supposed to go there and bring back whatever it was.
“But what’s in it for you?” asked Raisa. “What are we going to get out of this? I mean, how can we possibly pay our way through life when everything seems like a job for us?”
“That’s not fair,” said Alanna. “You’re always doing jobs for me, and I never ask anything of you.”
Raisa crossed her arms. “I’m just saying.”
Alanna sighed and shook her head.
“Oh, fine. Whatever. Just tell us why we should go along with this.”
“Because once I figure out why they want me to fetch it, then maybe I’ll know more about what they’re thinking. And I think that might help us figure out who’s behind all of this!”
“But—” said Raisa.
Alanna held up her hand. “Look. I’ve got nothing else to offer you. If you want to stay here in Verity, that’s your choice. You’re free to do so. But if you feel like you need to get yourself killed off, or worse yet—if you feel like you have to join the army and go fight some war somewhere—”
“You really think I would do that?”
“Wouldn’t you? Don’t you ever wonder what it would be like to kill someone? To hurt somebody? I mean, maybe you wouldn’t actually physically strike out at anyone, but don’t you sometimes wish you could? Or fantasize about it?”
“No,” said Raisa. “That’s wrong.”
“It isn’t wrong! Why shouldn’t you be able to imagine hurting someone if it helps you to understand him? Or her? Why should you never want to harm anybody, even if it makes you stronger? What does it gain you to live forever without knowing your own strength?
Even you can see that we all need to grow stronger, sooner or later. We need to be tested, to learn things about ourselves, to find out who we really are. Otherwise, we’ll never move forward.”
“Right,” said Raisa. “And maybe I’m not quite ready for that. I haven’t had enough experience to know who I am and what I’m capable of yet.”
“Well, I’m not sure I’m ready either,” said Alanna. “So if you want to stay here and wait until you’re ready, that’s your choice. But if you decide to follow me into the unknown—”
She shrugged.
“Then you’ve got to trust me.”
Raisa stared at her.
“That’s all there is to it,” she added. “Trust me.”
Raisa folded her arms again. “Fine. Whatever. What else have you got to say?”
Alanna smiled, then turned to her friends. “We all need to face the truth. This is no ordinary request, and we’ve been summoned to a place we’re not familiar with, by people we don’t know very well. So we’re going to need each other. And we’re going to need to work together to survive.
That means no squabbling, no fighting, no secrets. No lies. Not even white ones. Because we’re going to need every scrap of information we can get. Is that clear?”
Everyone nodded.
“Good,” said Alanna. “Now let’s go.”
***
Alanna was quite pleased with herself. She hadn’t even had to take a map to find Dunmrogh Keep. It was easy enough to find, once she knew where to look.
It was hard to miss; it stood out among the other buildings in the city because of the light streaming through its many windows.
The sun had set, and the sky was full of stars, but there was still plenty of light coming in through the tall glass windows.
Alanna paused outside the double doors, trying to decide whether she should knock.
There was no bell.
Finally, she decided to go ahead and try the handle. The door opened easily, and she stepped inside.
The room was large and airy. There were two doors to either side of her, and a balcony above her head. She saw that the lights were on, although there were no curtains drawn.
A moment later, she heard footsteps coming toward her. A man appeared on the balcony above. He was dressed in black, with a long cloak on his shoulders.
He looked down at her.
“Hello,” he said.
His voice was deep and rich, and it carried clearly across the wide room.
“Yes,” said Alanna. “Is there a problem?”
“There could be if you were to continue down the path you’re currently following.”
“Who are you?” she asked.
“My name is Corhagen. I represent the Unseen Guild, which has been asking you to come here for some time now.”
Alanna felt a chill of fear. She’d been expecting this for days now, and it was almost too much to believe.
“Why?”
The End