Planet B

Ch.12

Havlik was once again grateful for his magic. The torrent of wind circling around him and his two companions kept the rain at bay. The storm had approached while they were in the middle of a barren area of land with nothing to provide cover. Cracked earth and dead plants were the only things in sight. They'd been searching for the missing wizards for a week and Havlik was hopeful they were on the right track.

To his right, Kar was faring the best out of the three. She'd been preparing for years now, shortly after the disappearances started, and the week's journey seemed to have no effect on her whatsoever. Barun on the other hand was not coping so well. Wheezing and huffing after only a few hours out, he'd made it very clear what he thought of the labors of their trip. More than once Havlik had asked if the old wizard wished to return, but that was only met with 'harrumphs' and various dismissive grunting noises.

He reached into his pocket once again, feeling for Erythum's missive. Their trail had been hot initially, working off the same leads the previous wizards had followed but after a few days things dried up. The most likely path had led them north, but after two days of travel they had discovered nothing. Havlik had been about to turn them around when Kar stumbled on something peculiar. A circle of scorched earth lay hidden behind a cracked boulder. Wedged in the crack, luckily protected from inclement weather, was a charred journal.

"Rigen," Barun had said, leafing through the pages. "I recognize his writing. Kid never could spell across correctly, he'd always add a second C." He'd pointed at one of the passages and sure enough the incorrect word was written down. "Still a good lad," Barun continued. "I mean, we all have words that get the best of us. Mine is willpower." He'd given Kar a goodhearted wink. "When I'm supposed to think that word I end up thinking cake instead."

Kar'd returned a slight grin. Barun had been trying to cheer the woman up, but she was inexorably driven, straight faced and full of purpose. Havlik had known she'd be focused, be he'd not anticipated her level of intensity. Several times he'd called to make camp and she'd talked them into another hour or two. Early to rise, late to bed, that was Kar. It was better than the alternative though. If he'd had two Baruns with him he'd have probably given up himself from all the complaining.

From the journal they'd picked up the trail of a dragged body, occasional footprints on either side of the shallow furrow. The days went on and they found campsite after campsite, each day gaining on their quarry. So they had traveled until today when the rain had come and washed away the tracks.

In the distance ahead Havlik saw a small bluff with what appeared to be a cave on the side. He wordlessly pointed, and once each of them nodded they changed course together, not wanting anyone to accidentally walk out from under their protective shield. They all knew the effects of rain burn, but even if they hadn't the landscape around them would have clued them in.

Of the plants that grew, all were shades of yellow and brown. Once the rain started they seemed to wilt further, something Havlik would not have thought possible given their usual state.

They reached the cave in a few minutes and, safely out of the rain, Havlik released his control of the air above them and they all settled down for a rest. They'd taken turns providing protection so as to not tire anyone too much. For a while no one spoke.

"The trail is gone," Kar growled, punching the stone wall and breaking the silence, voicing each of their thoughts. "By the time we backtrack to any other lead everything will have washed away." Her voice was pained, and Havlik knew it wasn't due to her now bleeding knuckles. Too many wizards had gone missing, this trail the last remnants of one of them. None present were especially close to Rigen, but it was a stark reminder of the ones who were loved and now gone.