The Attack of Ganhai Mountain

A Shaky Plan

Ganhai Mountain stood imposing above them, surrounded by clouds at the top. They couldn't see it, but they knew that above those clouds, on the very top of this tall imposing climb they would find the palace that housed the sorcerer Hurvun.

Leevan stared up, trying to picture what it would look like, but found he couldn't, so he went back to what he was doing.  He was a magician, and like the other magicians in the camp he had an amulet shaped like the sun and wore robes, though theirs were flowing and colorful while his were wrinkled and brown. He scratched his arm.  The robe itched too, and he guessed that wasn't the case for the others.

They wouldn't constantly remind him that his robe probably itched if that was the case.

The other magicians and some of the warriors were talking next to the fire, but Leevan was staring intently at a rock.

It wasn't as unusual as it sounds.  He was trying to make the rock invisible, but that was proving taxing.  You see magic is all about negotiation.  If you want to create a wooden staff that shoots fireballs, you have to convince the fire not to burn the wood, convince the wood that it won't get burned, and then convince it to produce fire.  The specific wording of the spell is a little more complicated but you get the idea.

He was trying to convince the rock that it didn't want to be seen, though he was having trouble coming up with a reason for it.  Why would a rock prefer to go unseen?  He came up with one, but…

He spoke the words of the spell, which of course it wasn't in normal speech.  He was speaking the words of the Twyla, the beings that ordain all magic.  There wouldn't be much point in telling you exactly what he said.  Magicians always enchant themselves so that their magic words are forgotten by any that hear it.  After all, magic is a precious commodity.

Roughly translated, he probably said something like, "Wouldn't you prefer not to be thrown around?" Because, after all, he had seen this rock thrown by a few of the warriors who had been bored recently. "People can't throw you if they can't see you. Why don't you avoid the light?"

After speaking this in the language of the Twyla it had the desired effect.  The rock disappeared.  He reached his hand out and felt the rock, but he couldn't see it.  He grinned to himself.  This didn't usually happen.

However, what happened next seemed to occur quite often.

"What are you doing?" asked a voice behind him.

Leevan turned nervously.  There was Maelin, looking at him with confusion. He was slightly older than Leevan, with black hair and a yellow robe.  Leevan stuttered trying to answer him.

"Uh...uh...trying...trying a spell."

"Oh," he said, turning from confused to smug in less than a second. "I should have guessed that's why you looked stupid."

"I…I got it to work"

Maelin looked genuinely surprised, "Really?  What's this spell do?"

"It...it makes you invisible...like this rock I tested it with."

He showed Maelin, who felt around, touching a rock he couldn't see.  He seemed even more pleasantly surprised now.

"Well I'll be.  It works," said Maelin.  "I guess you'll be making a talisman or a ring for it soon eh?"

"Yes.  I figured it would work well against Hurvun.  He shoots lightning from his eye you see, and never misses."

"I know that."

"Right...uh...of course you do...but I figure, since its eye magic, he can strike anything he can see and the lightning goes straight for it.  If he can't see it, he can't strike it" He was feeling pleased with himself now.

"I'll admit," said Maelin. "That's clever.  How does it work?"

He was loath to share it, but they were both part of the order of the sun, as shown by the amulet they both wore.  The rules said they had to share spells between them.

"I convinced the rock that it didn't want to be thrown anymore, and couldn't be if people didn't see it."

"Maelin frowned," how can that apply to people?

Leevan hadn't thought of that, "Well" he said nervously. "I suppose...you could turn yourself invisible...if you get thrown a lot"

Maelin smirked, "If you get thrown a lot?  Well...that should apply to you easily enough, but not to anyone else." He chuckled. "Call me when you get a useful spell won't you?"

He laughed and walked away.  Leevan felt like a moron.  He left the rock where it was and walked back towards camp.  He never was good at coming up with spells.  Why did he have to embarrass himself all the time?  They were about to attack the palace of Hurvun, a cyclops, and one of the most dangerous sorcerers alive.

What use would he be?