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Excerpt From a Fantasy Novel in Progress
Jul. 10th, 2013 07:12 pmThe idea is that magic is useful but not all-powerful.
"You sure these tracks belong to our quarry?" said Llewellyn.
"I'm certain of it."
"I may be able to slow them," said Llewellyn.
He knelt beside the tracks and looked around for a bit. He finally chose one hoofprint.
"Yes, this should do," he said. "Would one of you get a spare horseshoe nail from your travel kit for me?"
Carol turned to comply, but realized Bergen was already almost to her horse.
"She's fast," said the bodyguard.
He turned back and saw Llewellyn carefully using a small twig to draw on the dirt in the print, while muttering to himself in the Graceful Tongue.
"Wait. I thought they had some sort of magic on them which prevented other magic from finding them."
"I think he's going to use the hoofprint as the focus," said Bergen, handing a nail to Llewellyn.
"Thank you," said the crafter reaching across to take it with his one hand. "Yes, that's it, exactly. In magical terms, this hoofprint is already connected to the horse which made it. The results are not certain, but I should be able to make the shoe on the foot which made the print come loose."
He pushed the nail into the print. Carol saw that the mage had traced the horseshoe impression in the print, enhancing the details. The nail went into a spot corresponding to a nail hole. Llewellyn pushed it flush with the ground, then made complicated gestures while reciting more elvish.
Abruptly, the nail popped out of the ground and dropped onto the bare dirt beside the track.
"Yes, I believe that did it," said Llewellyn, smiling in satisfaction.
He retrieved the nail and stood, then handed the nail to Bergen.
"Waste not, want not," he said.
"So, what will that do?" said Carol, obviously not at all sure the act would do anything.
"That should loosen the nail, and eventually the shoe," said Llewellyn. "Perhaps within the next few minutes. This sort of magic works well, but is not precise."
"You sure these tracks belong to our quarry?" said Llewellyn.
"I'm certain of it."
"I may be able to slow them," said Llewellyn.
He knelt beside the tracks and looked around for a bit. He finally chose one hoofprint.
"Yes, this should do," he said. "Would one of you get a spare horseshoe nail from your travel kit for me?"
Carol turned to comply, but realized Bergen was already almost to her horse.
"She's fast," said the bodyguard.
He turned back and saw Llewellyn carefully using a small twig to draw on the dirt in the print, while muttering to himself in the Graceful Tongue.
"Wait. I thought they had some sort of magic on them which prevented other magic from finding them."
"I think he's going to use the hoofprint as the focus," said Bergen, handing a nail to Llewellyn.
"Thank you," said the crafter reaching across to take it with his one hand. "Yes, that's it, exactly. In magical terms, this hoofprint is already connected to the horse which made it. The results are not certain, but I should be able to make the shoe on the foot which made the print come loose."
He pushed the nail into the print. Carol saw that the mage had traced the horseshoe impression in the print, enhancing the details. The nail went into a spot corresponding to a nail hole. Llewellyn pushed it flush with the ground, then made complicated gestures while reciting more elvish.
Abruptly, the nail popped out of the ground and dropped onto the bare dirt beside the track.
"Yes, I believe that did it," said Llewellyn, smiling in satisfaction.
He retrieved the nail and stood, then handed the nail to Bergen.
"Waste not, want not," he said.
"So, what will that do?" said Carol, obviously not at all sure the act would do anything.
"That should loosen the nail, and eventually the shoe," said Llewellyn. "Perhaps within the next few minutes. This sort of magic works well, but is not precise."
