Chapter 29 - Order is Restored.
The whole team, minus Flintock and the boys apparated back to the city gates. A large crowd had already assembled awaiting their return. There was shock and anguish at the sight of the three bodies. They all noticed that three others were missing as well. Rumours started at once about the fate of Flintock and the two boys. It mainly focused on the boys, and not all good.
“Oh, those poor wee boys, blasted into nothing by the Master. Not old enough to have lived or loved," “I heard that they disappeared when the Master did a runner. If you know what I mean," “I heard they were eaten by dragons in the cave," said another.
Llewellyn waved for some silence from the crowd and climbing up on a mounting block, he addressed them.
“Fellow citizens of Trymyll, we have returned today from a terrible fight which was both led and won by my two sons and their dragons," he felt a dig in his side, “and of course, by my own dragon Howel who has sustained life changing injuries in the fray. The casualties were High Elders Traveon Baughan, Brangwen Binnion and Trevonn Brice. We will all mourn their loss.”
Llewellyn didn’t mention that Trevonn Brice may have been on the losing side or that Flintock, who he knew would have been instrumental in his appointment as a High Elder was missing.
“The Master was beaten but not destroyed. He made his escape back to his previous world and the Elder sealed the portal himself," there was a murmur of disquiet that the Elder was involved at his great age and frailty, “now if you would excuse us all, we are, as you can see, covered in dust, dirt and blood from the affray, we have the dead to attend to and we need to report back to our families and friends to let them know that we, at least, are safe.”
He waved his hand and the crowd dispersed. Llewellyn stepped down from the block, made his excuses to the High Elders and disappeared back to the hideout.
He returned to two very hyper and angry teenagers.
“They’re useless that lot, not one of them lifted a wand in there, they just watched like it was a sideshow at the circus. Three people were dead, poor little Howel was injured. In fact, you didn’t do much yourself until the end when you stepped up to close the stupid portal,” Tom said angrily.
“Well, thanks for the welcome. As it happens, I was doing a lot in there. I was not only protecting the High Elders, well at least trying to, it would have been easier if they hadn’t kept running about like scalded cats, but my main effort was stopping any of them from killing you. And it was the Elder who stepped at the last moment to seal the portal!” he said angrily towards Tom.
“What?” said Jon.
“Yes, you heard. Killing you. Except for Aneta, they are in the majority a load of numpties when it comes to a fight, if they had got their wands working there would be bolts flying everywhere, they could have brought the roof down on top of both of you. I wouldn’t trust most of them and their wands at a coconut stall in the fair, let alone in a battle. They would have killed you and probably each other before the battle was done. You however all did exceptionally well, brave, foolhardy, but powerful. Jon has more firepower in his wand than all the High Elders put together, and Tom, not quite the firepower, but a superbly accurate shot taking off the Master's hand. As usual, you didn’t go for the kill but taking his hand off was pure genius. No hand, fifty per cent less firepower. Your dragons,” he felt the dig in his side again, “and Howel were exceptional as well. Between you all, you took down a hundred feet of three-headed serpent dragon and drove the Master into retreat. The very sight of that serpent dragon would frighten the poop out of most wizards, and I think did for a few of the High Elders judging by the smell. So, stop sulking and start celebrating a great victory that will go down in the history books of Trymyll and be retold for centuries to come. Right, speech over, I’m starving, and I expect you are also. I’m going for a quick wash off in the river and then back for some supper. In fact, we’ll go out and eat at a local hostelry. Anyone with me?”
They all disappeared in silence from there and reappeared by the riverbank, quickly undressed, and dived into the cold clear water. They quickly forgot their angst and they swam, splashed, ducked, screamed, and laughed the grime and dirt away. As they turned to go back to the bank, there stood Flintock. Wands instantly appeared in their hands.
“Don’t! My wand is away, it will not be coming out. I know it looked bad back in the cave but let me explain. It will be difficult, but at least let me try. Their wands disappeared, they left the water and dried instantly with the use of a little energy, dressed, and stood in silence.
“Well?” opened Llewellyn.
“Not here, please, somewhere more private.”
“Okay, you can come with us back to the hideout.”
They disappeared and all reappeared back in the hideout, Flintock still could not place it, so as usual had to be guided by Llewellyn. Tryg ran across and grabbed Flintock’s hand and held it for a few seconds with affection in his eyes. They had only been apart for a few hours, but Tryg knew that Flintock might be in trouble, so he was concerned for him.
“First of all, let’s get Trevonn Brice out of the way. Yes, I was instrumental in rigging his election. But I have known him for decades, he showed no sign of lusting for power. I don’t believe that he was acting under his own free will but being manipulated by the Master. He was a good guy, kind and of the highest morals. Now I must go and tell his widow that he was taken in the battle. I can’t tell her the whole story; it would destroy her and his family.”
“I will explain to the council, or what remains of it as soon as I can and hope that the rumour mill has not yet leaked out any of the details of the battle. To be honest, Tom only connected to me, so they may not have even realised why Jon had a shot at him and are probably blaming Jon. But I’ll smooth that over anyway," Llewellyn said.
“How?” asked Jon.
“I’ll tell them that Trevonn was being controlled by the Master and was about to take us out and that you had to stop him from before he stopped us, Aneta will back us up on that. I will also point out that you only wounded him; it was the Master who finished him off. They will understand. Anyway, I’ll massage their thoughts a little beforehand. Now Flintock, why the mind block?”
“Two reasons, firstly, with a total mind block up, and I mean total, the Master could not influence me in any way so if I were last man standing, I might have still been able to take him down. Secondly, and this will be difficult for me to say and probably even more difficult for you to understand. So, I won’t tell you, but let down my block and let you in, only you Llewellyn, not the boy. He is not old enough to understand.”
Tom so wanted to know, but out of respect for his father and the little respect he had left for Flintock, he did not argue. Flintock let down his guard and let Llewellyn into the deeper recesses of his mind. They sat there for a few minutes and then he spoke.
“So, how long have you known I am the Elder?”
“What!” said Jon, “wow, that explains a few things.”
“A couple of months, to my shame, I was curious and followed you to one of your meetings, of course, you met no one, just returned with news of what had, or rather hadn’t gone on. At first, I thought you were pretending to be a confidant of the Elder and I was laughing at you behind your back. But everything you told me happened or came true, so after a while, I put two and two together. I also noticed that whenever the council was in full session, Llewellyn was nowhere to be seen. The rest was easy. So, who else knows?”
“Just Aneta Stepanek, there is little you can hide from her, Tom, who also worked it out and now Jon, who we just told. Listen boys, this must be a secret between us. Please don’t tell another living soul.”
“Or even a dead one!” added Flintock.
“And?” asked Tom.
“And what?” his dad replied.
“Well, that’s not exactly devastating news, what’s the rest of the story?
“That I’m afraid is very privileged information, perhaps, when Flintock is ready, he may tell you, he may tell you both or he may not tell you at all. But for now. You have all you need to know. He is still our dearest and trusted friend, and you have nothing at all to fear from him.”
“What now?” asked Jon.
“Celebrate. We all go and eat now, and tomorrow, we go and visit your mum.”