See Part One for Disclaimers

"Watch Merrin closely."

"You doubt him?"

"He lied about the Prophecy.  I'll show you on your return."

Sharree took Dureena's arm and led her away to find something a little more suitable, leaving Merrin and Galen facing one another.  Galen, comfortable within the sphere's protection, Merrin his senses still assaulted by the field.

"We need the exact location of the hostages if at all possible.  Your builder, Jon, must know what alterations were made to the fortress.  What areas would be suitable for housing prisoners."

"I'll do my best to find him.  In fact..."  Merrin hurried to the cupboard by the shelves.  Opening the doors quickly, he rummaged in the depths until he returned with a battered looking hat.  "Jon left this here last time he visited.  He's never bothered to come back for it."

Merrin's eyes held a distant look as his hands held the material in a loose grip.  Galen realised with a jolt that the man was searching for Jon with his mind, the way a tracker dog could follow a scent.  Fascinated, he wanted to ask how it was done and yet his mistrust of the man held him back.

"I have him," Merrin's tone was satisfied and certain.

"Close?"

"You were right, an ale house not too far from the fortress.  He's half cut, but maybe that is not a bad thing."

Galen agreed; alcohol might just loosen a reluctant tongue should Jon be inclined to be perverse.

Sharree and Dureena returned.  Galen, his attention on Merrin, turned to watch them approach.  Dureena was now dressed in a deep green dress that clung to every curve.  From its high neck to the hem that swept the floor, not an inch of her skin was visible, and yet it revealed her superb figure to perfection.  Her scowl did much to dissipate the effect, as she complained bitterly about her restricted movements.

"...  and where do I hide a knife in this outfit?  Galen, it's positively obscene!"

Though every nerve within him screamed out, he held back the sudden wash of purely male response.  Keeping his tone light he replied, "Well I believe it was your idea to scout the area?  Sharree, do you have a cloak or jacket of some kind that Dureena can borrow?"

Sharree returned with a loose-fitting cloak, and Dureena quickly fixed two of her small knives to its lining.  Satisfied that she was at least partially armed, she headed to the door.

Galen triggered the transceiver that he had attached to Merrin's coat and watched them leave together.  Merrin tucked Dureena's arm through his to keep her close and her shield around him.

"Dureena, be careful."

He saw the almost imperceptible nod of her head as the two walked, arm in arm, through the door.

***

It was early still, and there were few of the townsfolk up at that hour.  Merrin held Dureena's naturally rapid gait back to a leisurely stroll.

"Can we move a little quicker, Merrin?  I want to get this Jon back to Galen as soon as possible.  I need to check out the fortress and figure out a way in that isn't going to get us all killed..."

"You think that Galen can deal with Renn?" Merrin's cautious remark put Dureena's senses on alert, and she replied with a question of her own.

"Don't you?  After all, you did come looking for us, we didn't exactly invite you in."

"I know, I know.  It's just, well the Circle has had little success.  However powerful Galen may be as a sorcerer he may not be enough to defeat Renn.  What happens to our children then?  What happens to us?"

Merrin caught the surge in Dureena's aura, a sudden wash of colour that showed her inner pain though it did not reach her impassive face.

"Can I ask a question?"

"You can ask," Dureena replied, her tone not encouraging.

"Galen, have you known him long?  Is he as powerful as we need him to be?" Merrin watched her intently for any changes in her aura.  Faces and voices could lie to him, that vibrant halo around a person could not.

"I've known him a lifetime it seems," Dureena began carefully.  "We met by accident I suppose.  Or maybe the universe had planned our joining, who knows?  If I hadn't been where I was, if Galen hadn't been who he was, we might never have met.  He's saved my life and millions of others.  I have seen him face almost impossible odds and win."  Dureena nodded to herself as she reviewed the varied and chequered career of her Techno-mage lover.

Merrin watched the subtle changes around her.  Caught by the intensity of her feelings for Galen.  Although the deep sadness was ever present, the shifts in colour indicated the depth of the emotions she had for the man he had brought here.

And then her unique tawny eyes found his.  "If Galen has committed himself to a cause, be sure he will not give it up.  We will get your children back, Merrin.  And we will rid your world of Renn and anyone else who stands in our way."

Merrin wasn't sure that the threat he heard in her voice was aimed at him but he repressed a shiver all the same.  He had some magic to protect himself, but without knowing the full extent of Galen's he was loath to test his powers.

Had he made a mistake?  Could he, even at this late stage, change what he had done?  His daughter's face surfaced in his mind's eye, her gentle green eyes, the pert face, the smile that reminded him so much of Sharree, her mother, and he hardened his heart.

Jon was found outside the alehouse, propped up against the wall where he had fallen the night before.  Merrin touched the man's shoulder lightly, giving him a gentle shove.

"He's drunk, not asleep, Merrin."  Dureena moved him out of her way, and slapped the man hard across the face, with no result.  A rain barrel sat to one side of the building and, with Merrin's help, she dragged the stupefied builder to its edge, then tipped him head first into the icy water.

***

Galen sat with Sharree in front of the fire; each held a steaming cup of hot liquid and had just finished a quick breakfast.  Even as they talked, Galen kept one part of his mind on tracking Dureena and Merrin -- listening intently to their conversation.

"I need to know more about your magic, Sharree.  What you can do, what you can not.  If we are to release the children I want as much of an advantage as possible.  I will have to deal with Renn, he is my responsibility, but the rest is up to you."

His hostess sat forward in her chair, leaning a little closer to him.  "For that you need to know something of our history, the history of this order I should say.  Long ago there were many of us who had the gift, there seemed little that could not be done with the Will and the Word."  She sighed softly.

"If your magic is reliant on your will, then there should be nothing those of you with the gift could not do.  Haven't you tried to test your powers?" For someone like Galen, for whom exploration of knowledge was a way of life, this unadventurous attitude went against everything he had learned, everything that he was.

Sharree shook her head, denying the thought that they should even try.  Carrying on as if he had not spoken, she continued her narration.

"With each generation though, there were less of us and our powers grew weaker.  We told you last night of the division between the paths of light and darkness, from that confrontation seems to spring the lessening of our abilities.  Perhaps God took them away as punishment."

"You believe in God then?  An all powerful being that watches over you, yet does nothing to aid you in times of need?"

Sharree turned to him, the harsh quality of his voice giving away his personal beliefs.

"What happened to you, Galen?  There is so much..."

"The Circle, its abilities.  Let's stick to the subject."  Hard grey eyes refused the sympathy he could see in her face.  Refused the possible understanding and comfort that lay implicit in her eyes.

Hurt by his rejection, Sharree turned her face to the flames and continued in a soft monotone.

"Over the years our numbers dwindled, we were spread far and wide throughout the land and the Circle, as such, did not exist.  We became the stuff of legend I suppose.  Some of us have healing capabilities, others the gift of second sight.  We are varied in our abilities and strength.  Together we might make one truly gifted sorcerer."

"What abilities do you possess, and Merrin?  The two of you seem the most able of the group."

"Little enough, I'm afraid.  We both can affect some minds with basic commands.  I have some powers in healing.  If I can visualise the problem I can sometimes banish it.  I recently discovered that my anger can fuel a bolt of energy that is quite destructive."  Sharree shivered a little at the thought of her undirected power.  "Our order is sworn to do no harm.  After the path of darkness was eliminated it was instilled into every one of us that we must not use our gifts for evil."

"Power has no morality, Sharree.  Power does not distinguish between good and evil, only the wielder of that power can decide right or wrong."

"You have had to make that choice?"

Galen's eyes grew distant as memories clamoured for his attention.  So many times when right and wrong had had to be decided in an instant.  Times when he had made the wrong choice.  "We all have to make choices," he said softly.

Galen looked down at the gentle hand she had placed on his arm, not registering her closeness until that moment.  Vaguely embarrassed, he moved further back in his chair, removing his arm from her touch.

"And Merrin?  What gifts does he possess?  I know he has the ability to search for someone by touching something personal, I'm only surprised you didn't try to find the children that way."

Sharree's eyes dropped from his.  "We tried," she said quietly.  "Merrin attempted to reach them, to pinpoint where they were in the fortress, but he could get no clear picture of them.  He thought, he felt that they were drugged maybe.  He needs a functioning brain to focus on, asleep or awake our minds give off a unique signal, but he said it was like trying to capture smoke, all mist and vague emanations.  We already knew they were in the fortress, we were no better off."

"The illusion that Merrin showed us, you all have that ability?"

"As do you," Sharree pointed out.

"I believe we arrange these things in a slightly different way," his voice wry and humourless.

"I think what I want to happen, or show, or do and my will does the rest.  There are things that I can't do, things that I won't do, but...  don't you perform your magic in the same way?"

"I suppose so," Galen mused.  True, he thought about the effect he wished to create, and after he had the formulae clear in his mind his implants converted that thought to his bidding.  But unlike the flower he had seen in Dureena's room, he could not create something real.

"I didn't hear you when you made the noise stop.  Our magic leaves a noise, a sound, after it happens."

"Mine too, creates a sound.  We don't share the same magic, Sharree."

Galen heard the rustle of her dress as she turned in her chair to look at him once more.  "Merrin said you are bound with power, you and Dureena.  Silver tendrils that bind you both."

"Explain!  What do you mean bound with power?"

"One of Merrin's gifts is the ability to see a person's aura; the unique emanation that we all carry around with us.  It's not something he is comfortable with, viewing other people's emotions.  He said that you, and to a lesser degree Dureena, have these bands of silver wrapped around you.  He thought it was the seat of your power.  Renn has the same, only his is black."

Thoughtfully, Galen ran a hand across his chest as though expecting to feel the power she spoke of.  "You can't see this, this...  emanation?"

Sharree shook her head.  "I know what I sense from you though."

Galen threw her a quick glance, not comfortable with the direction of her questions and her apparent sensibility where he was concerned.  Trying to keep one part of his conscious mind on Dureena and the other in this room was proving difficult.  With Merrin quizzing Dureena, and Sharree probing him, he felt caught between them.

"Are you an empath too?" Galen's voice was cool, grey eyes levelled at his inquisitor.

"I'm sorry, Galen.  I don't mean to pry but the pain I see in you and in Dureena is hard to miss, even if I was not gifted that way.  Is there anything..."

Galen's hand clenched tightly against his thigh as he fought to control the sudden surge of anger.  Her probing had pushed too hard at his fragile peace, he wanted to react, to hit out, but he held it all within, forcing the sudden savage burst back within his control.

Standing, Galen moved to the table, fixing his eyes once more on the blueprint.  Dureena and Merrin were on their way back with Jon.  Only another few minutes and he would be free of Sharree's intense gaze and knowing eyes.

"Galen?"

"Stop trying to get inside my mind, Sharree.  There is nothing you can do, nothing we need from you."  The harsh, bitter words caused her to flinch, then she was coming toward him, her hand outstretched in a placating gesture.

Merrin, Dureena and a soggy looking Jon staggered into the room.  Dureena shrugged off her burden, letting Merrin take the whole weight of the builder.  She had the long skirt hitched up over one arm revealing her well-formed legs to those around her.

"Don't look at me like that!" She let the material drop.  "Do you know how many times I nearly fell over trying to walk in this thing!  How do you do this day after day?  I'm going to change," her gaze landed on Galen's face and seemed to read his expression.  "Don't start without me."

***

Jon was less than helpful, much to Galen's disgust.  Although he had worked on the original adaptation of the fortress, Renn had not used any local labour on further reconstruction to the building.  Galen could only guess that, with his flyer in situ, and its power available, he had used his technomancy for any other work.

The builder could, however, confirm that one wing had been stripped and wooden benches fitted, plus some materials he had never seen the like of before.  Galen had to conclude that it was tech of some description, but what?

The Circle sat around him, once Jon had left, waiting expectantly for Galen to come up with a plan to rescue the children and rid them of Renn's baneful presence.

There were parts of the plan that Galen had no intention of sharing with any of them.  Aware that at least one of them was duplicitous, he outlined the bare bones of his strategy.

"So there you have it.  There is no other way to deal with this unless we get into the fortress.  Dureena will take my staff for protection and head straight for the children.  Once I bring down the shield, I will need all your combined abilities to hold off the holo demons until I can reach Dureena and regain the staff."

"Why give it to her at all then?" Merrin's voice queried from the back of the room.

"Because I don't know what Renn will do if he realises the children are under threat.  I have my own power to protect me, Dureena has not."  His deep grey eyes travelled around the gathered men and women.  They all looked determined, truthful, but he could not allow himself to trust anyone.  "At first light then."

When all had left save Merrin, Sharree and Dureena, Galen retook his seat by the fire.  Dureena joined him, reading his silent message to stay behind.

"You two should get some rest, tomorrow is likely to be a bit lively I should think."

"Maybe you are right, Galen.  Is there anything I can get the two of you?"

Merrin had been watching Galen and Dureena closely throughout the meeting.  Galen's aura had faded to a vague mist, as though he was keeping every emotion under tight leash.  The bands of silver that bound him shone vibrant and clear though.  Dureena too, seemed subdued and yet, as they sat together, Merrin could see that they were meshing again.  Silver attracting silver, mist intertwining with mist.

He dreaded tomorrow.

"So, now that we are alone, do you want to explain?"

Galen's attention was on the two receding sorcerers as they made their way up the stairs.  He did not want to be interrupted or overheard.  Satisfied that they really had retired, and had their minds on other things, he returned his attention to Dureena.

"Do you remember Merrin stating that I was named as saviour for these people?  That in a Prophecy dating back centuries they knew that I was going to come to their defence?"

Dureena nodded.  Galen rose and retrieved the heavy red bound book from the shelf and opened it to the relevant passage.

"It's a fake."

"You're sure?"

Galen leaned back in his chair and gave her a scornful look.

"Who then?  Which of these desperate people did this, and how?  It wasn't Renn, I can't feel anything wrong with it, not the way his technomancy would leave a residue."

"Exactly, Dureena.  Which means real magic.  Merrin told us that lie, but he could have been fed it.  Maybe by Sharree, maybe by one of the others."

Dureena leaned forward to place the book on the floor, then rested her elbows on her knees and stared into the flames that leapt and danced in the grate.  "And what will really go on tomorrow?  Do I take your staff?"

"Yes..."

"But that will leave you without protection.  I won't do it," she broke in.

"Yes, you will.  I need Renn's flyer neutralised and I can't do that from outside the building.  If the others think you are heading straight for the children then you have a better chance of dealing with the source of his power."

Dureena looked defiantly at him.  "At what cost to you, Galen?"

He sighed and leaned forward to rest his hand over hers.  "I'll have the Circle with me, backing me up, while you get the worst danger out of my way.  You have to do this.  It's the only way."  His long fingers gripped her clenched hand tightly.

"You must," he said softly.

***

They were alone in the hall.  Merrin had left some time before to gather the Circle and bring them back to the house.  They were supposed to have met half an hour before, but not one had arrived.  Galen, suspicious as always, had sent Sharree to investigate.  For their plan to work the Circle would have to aid him in distracting Renn's demons whilst Dureena slipped into the fortress.  But time was slipping away; Renn was being given too much leeway to put a trap together.  He had to go now, with or without the Circle.

"What about you?" Dureena reiterated; still concerned that taking Galen's staff would leave him open to an attack from Renn that he could not withstand.

"Don't worry about me, Dureena.  You know this is the only way.  I'll bring down the shield; you get in as quickly as you can.  Go straight to the flyer and touch the staff to this point."  Galen brought forth a detailed image of a flyer, indicated one tiny port secreted under the wing.  "The nanites within the staff will disrupt any wards Renn has set.  Get in, and disrupt the power any way you can.  I know you are capable of getting into his systems, you managed to break my codes easily enough."

"Galen, what about the children?  What if he has harmed them?" Her words brought back all the anger and pain he had tried to stem.  He needed a clear head for the upcoming confrontation, not a mind clouded with memories and possibilities.

"We have to deal with Renn first.  There is no other way through this."  His eyes were bleak as he contemplated the myriad outcomes of this raid.  "Once we have access, leave Renn to me; you find the children, get them out if you can, if not, then wait for us.  Hopefully with the back up of the Circle we can get this over and done with without loss."

"You will be careful?" Dureena asked, her eyes locked to his.

"I am always careful," Galen replied lightly, ignoring the times he had put himself in harm's way.

"Galen..."

He leant down and kissed her quickly.  "Go," he said softly.  "We'll talk when this is over."

***

Galen sent the signal to Dureena that he was ready; they should strike now.  Without his staff he felt somehow naked, less than complete.  He held enough power within him to get through the shield, but the staff's deadly load was the only way that they could neutralise Renn's flyer.  Gathering his strength, pulling what he could from the feeble magnetic field in the earth beneath his feet, Galen sped the incantation through his thoughts and sent a stream of blue against the invisible barrier.  He watched, almost dispassionately, as it wavered into visibility, then just a quickly vanished.  Of course it wasn't going to be that easy.  Two holo demons popped into existence a few feet from him, savage and unstoppable without his staff.  He could keep them at bay that was all.  Disruption beams leapt from his fingers, lashing into one demon then another.  They disintegrated for a second, then were rapidly replaced.  With each blast Galen could feel his inner strength running lower and lower.  The demons were closer now, almost within claw range, and then Galen was not alone.  Sharree's powerful bolt shot past him, blasting the closest demon into oblivion, then the other took a blast from her anger filled magic.

"I wondered where you had got to."  Galen's tone showed none of the relief he felt, but he sent a welcoming glance in her direction.

"We have trouble."

Galen's brow rose as his eyes went back to where another demon had now materialised.  "You could say that."

"No," she shook her head, adding her blast to his, splattering the advancing threat.  "The rest of the Circle won't be with us.  Your suspicions were correct; someone has drugged them.  I can't rouse any of them.  And that is not the worst of it, Merrin informed Renn you were here.  He knows you are coming."

"Well if he didn't before, he certainly does now."

"You don't understand," Sharree said hollowly.  "Renn planned to get you here.  He used Merrin to twist the Circle to his will.  Our daughter is held in this fortress, Renn must have promised Merrin she would be released if he handed you over."

Galen's features tightened.  "I'm no so easy to take, Sharree.  As both Renn and Merrin will discover."  He turned to look at Sharree, even as he blasted yet another demon; tears were streaming down her face and his concentration faltered for a moment.

Continued

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