Chapter 20 – A Foe Turned Friend
Dolmund thanked and dismissed the defenders to their other duties and suggested we walk to the “The Warrior’s Flagon” to have a meal and talk at length. As we walked, I found out that Ellendia and Dolmund were planning to be married in six months. On arriving at the tavern and finding a table, I ordered a Highstep Tea, hot. Dolmund ordered the same, saying that awareness and perception seemed in order.
Dolmund began “I want you to tell me what you recall from the evening of your affirmation. But in the interest of trust I will begin.” He proceeded to tell me about the day from his perspective. “An argument he had with Edburga led to her punching him in the shoulder hard enough to leave an angry bruise. She was really steamed at me. Momma sternly told the two of them to not upset anyone while at Pegwynn’s home that night. While you were showing the mind carving to everyone that I found out later that everyone felt odd from that. Some developed an enhanced sense of self worth and confidence while a few days later there were others that had head pain on the right side of the head and eventually lost all their hair. For Edburga it was more like the later, only her response was instant and fatal. More than a week passed before these observations all came out as those with head pains had also passed out. And Papa Agnaar, stayed in a deep sleep for 17 days. By the time he awoke we had begun to put together what may have happened. None of us had the heart to tell him what had happened or what we had guessed. It fell to Momma Palin to speak to him. Pegwynn, that’s about all we know so far. In all this time since then, Papa Agnaar has spoken only a dozen or so words. Can you now tell me what you know?”
With reservation I recited all the details I knew up to momma asking me to leave town. He seemed to be relieved as the details came out.
When I stopped, Dolmund said “That makes sense with what we had come to know from Agnaar’s brother-in-law, Kemper. Papa Agnaar wrote a letter to him after he had awoken. Kemper is an apothecary in Bansu. He came to Frostport by wyrm about a week after your affirmation to see Papa Agnaar still sleeping. Kemper knew of a side effect for psychics that make mind carvings. According to Kemper, the artifact is powered by its wearer and often leaves the one powering it drained for a while. It becomes almost super-aware and assumes an ego based upon the reoccurring thoughts of its maker while being constructed.”
“Then why was my brother affected?” I said “The piece was crafted for me, but not yet worn by me.”
Dolmund answered “True, unfortunately the piece was around papa Agnaar’s neck when Alvis surprised you both at the front gate. It seems that it reacted to Papa Agnaar when he was startled.”
I said “But I felt no ill will toward anyone that night at my party. Why were they harmed?”
“It seems that everyone on the opposing kubbs team was harmed. As for my sister, Ellendia and I are less clear. Perhaps the piece detected the anger in her toward me and acted on that, we’re just not sure.”
This was unbelievable, “But these were MY FRIENDS!”
“We know, but we’re still discovering pieces of what really happened. You should finish your meal, next we go to see your parents.” There was a long pause. “By the way, do you still have the artifact?”
“No, the last place I knew of it, it was around my neck at the party, I never saw it again.”