‘I’m back.’ heannounced. ‘I’m concerned that these ghosts can control the mindsof the people too easily. I think I know how to fix the problem.However, this is dangerous knowledge for you to know. So I am goingto place a zone of silence around you while I fix the problem withyour people. So don’t be scared if suddenly you seem deaf.’
‘Okay.’ repliedBellen.
Aquitainalready knew a lot about words of control. Powerful mind wizardscould implant them into the minds of their thralls to control them.There were several types but the most common simply immobilized thethrall to stop it from doing some action. Others gave punishmentsuch as pain and some gave rewards of pleasure.
It seemed thatthe Mentarin spirits considered all the Elendari, trixies andLlanlleans as their thralls. This had to stop. However, removingthe words was a complex and difficult procedure that could take aconsiderable amount of time. The quickest solution to the problemwas to change the current words of control to new ones like youmight change a password. If the Mentarin didn’t know the newpassword then they would have no control over the people.
Aquitain knewthe procedure, as his grandfather had explained it several times.He had never used it although he wasn’t so sure that hisgrandfather hadn’t. The ritual took about 10 minutes and he checkedon Bellen several times as anyone who knew the new words who gainconsiderable power over people. Once the ritual was over and thenew words established he used the Mantra of Forgetting and lockedthem away.
He then triedvarious ways to try and break them out of their mental paralysisbut nothing seemed to work.
He removed thezone of silence around Bellen and said. ‘Bellen, they are notresponding to my attempts to wake them up. I think they might beresponding to the Queen’s royal presence. We need to be able tocreate an illusion of Queen Aurora and have it speak like her but Ihaven’t heard her enough to be able to copy her voice.’
‘Let me help.’said Bellen excitedly and ran off quickly returning a couple ofminutes later with a small wand. This wand will do illusions and Ican easily mimic the Queen. We … er …we kind of mimic her in thekitchen.’
‘Excellent.Since you have seen the Queen a lot, I want you to cast an image ofher in the middle of the floor over there then have the image sayin her voice what I’m going to tell you.’
Bellenexcitedly cast an image but it didn’t look much like the Queen.
‘Try again.Take your time and get a clear mental image of the Queen as we sawher tonight before she died.’
The second trywas much more successful and although Bellen obviously needed muchmore practice at creating illusions, it was passable.
‘Now repeatwhat I say mimicking the Queen’s voice.’ said Aquitain.
‘Stand up youbunch of worthless idiots.’ and all those present dutifully stoodup.
‘Now watch meand copy my actions. Put your right hand on the top of your headand rotate it slowly clockwise.’ Bellen laughed and had the Queen’sillusion do it and the entire crowd copied.
‘Now put yourleft hand on your stomach and rotate it slowly anticlockwise.’
Bellen laughedso much he almost lost concentration and let the image disappearbut eventually got the Queen’s image following the instructions andthe crowd did the same.
‘Miranda wakeup! Yllandril Wake up! Llalorax Wake up! Darkmantle Wake up! ’
All four wereinstantly awake.
Darkmantlebroke out laughing.
‘Howappropriate! Puppets doing what puppets do best.’
‘By the Powers,what are they doing? asked Llalorax through the mindlink.
‘They are doinga Newman special arm movement which requires great coordination ofboth arms simultaneously. I am checking whether they are all reallyhypnotized or whether some are faking.’
‘What abrilliant idea.’ replied Llalorax. ‘I shall move amongst them andcheck.’
‘I know youbetter.’ chuckled Yllandril. ‘You’re making fun of them aren’tyou?’
‘Well Bellenthinks I am and I guess they do look rather funny but there is aserious side. I think we won too easily. I think there are more ofthose Mentarin here but more deeply hidden than the ones thatleft.’
‘I see yourpoint. If only I could fly then I could screen their spirit aurasfrom above.’
‘Good idea.’replied Aquitain. ‘I think we can make you fly. Hop in a bowl.’ Andwith that he lifted the bowl containing Yllandril up withtelekinesis and flew her around above the crowd. After about fiveminutes she decided that she couldn’t detect any more double spiritauras so he lowered her to the ground and asked Bellen to get hisQueen illusion to talk some more.
‘Ok youfaithless bunch of schemers listen carefully. Soon I am going toask you to awake. After you awake you will accept the fact that Iam dead. If Queen Aurora appears again you will know that it is notthe true Queen Aurora but a fake. You will not listen to this fakeQueen Aurora. You will hold a council meeting and select a newQueen and work together and support her to fight your enemy theMentarin. Now everyone Awake!’
Immediately thecrowd awoke and there was noise everywhere. What had happened? Whywere they standing there doing such silly things with their arms?When were they going to select a new Queen? What were they going todo about the Mentarin threat?
‘Bellen use theQueen illusion to tell them to be quiet.’
The trixie didthis but this time the crowd ignored the Queen illusioncompletely.
‘Well doneBellen! I am proud of you. You can dispel the illusion of theQueen. It has done its job.’
Darkmantlewalked over to Aquitain and bowed formally.
‘My LordWarden, please accept my humble and sincere apologies for the rudewords I spoke about you earlier. You are a worthy opponent and itis unfortunate that our contest was interrupted. There is no doubtyou have saved us all. We are in your debt. I am extremely sorryabout Queen Miranda. It was a cruel and unjust way to go.’
‘Thank you LordDarkmantle but I cannot take credit alone for the fortunate outcometonight. My fantastic friends Yllandril, Llalorax and Bellen herewere most instrumental in our success. In fact without Bellen youwould all still be mindless.’
‘I think wewere very lucky tonight. We
