Piers Anthony & Robert E. Margroff - Kelvin 4- Orc's Opal

Orc's Opal

Piers Anthony and Robert E. Margroff

Kelvin of Rud, book 4

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHARACTERS

PROLOGUE

Chapter 1.To Another World

Chapter 2.Megapolis

Chapter 3.MegaCon

Chapter 4.Children's Suite

Chapter 5.Changing Time

Chapter 6.Adventuring

Chapter 7.Growing Magic

Chapter 8.Flight

Chapter 9.Disruption

Chapter 10.Ophal

Chapter 11.Zady

Chapter 12.Castle

Chapter 13.Castle Break

Chapter 14.Little Fish

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Chapter 15.Brudalous

Chapter 16.Lester

Chapter 17.Opal

Chapter 18.Dragon's Tail

Chapter 19.Ultimatum

Chapter 20.New Boots

Chapter 21.Godparent

Chapter 22.War

Chapter 23.Kid Stuff

Chapter 24.War's End

Chapter 25.Glow's Return

EPILOGUE

INTRODUCTION

This is the fourth novel in a fantasy series in which the inhabitants of alternate worlds are distinguished by

the shape of their ears. In the first novel,Dragon's Gold, young round-eared Kelvin and his point-eared

little tomboy sister Jon managed to kill a golden-scaled dragon and later save the kingdom of Rud and

their father John Knight from the clutches of evil, seductive queen Zoanna. In the process, Kelvin found

love with round-eared Heln, and Jon with Lester Crumb.

In the sequel,Serpent's Silver, Kelvin's half-brother Kian discovered an alternate world where most folk

were round-eared, but it wasn't John Knight's world of origin, Earth. Some folk had flop ears, and many

folk were similar to those of the point-eared world, except that their characters were reversed. Here

good king Rufurt was evil king Rowforth, and evil queen Zoanna was good queen Zanaan. Instead of

golden-scaled dragons there were silver-skinned serpents. Again the forces of evil were finally

thwarted—but the mysterious Prophecy of Mouvar had not yet ran its full course.

In the third novel,Chimaera's Copper, evil queen Zoanna teamed with evil king Rowforth to cross

frames and take over Kelvin's home frame while Kelvin was away. Heln's developing baby was

enchanted to become a chimaera, but the adult chimaera Mervania provided magic to fission the monster

into three just before birth: a boy and a girl and a dragon. Zoanna was defeated and killed, and things

settled more or less down again.

This fourth novel opens about six years later. Because the large number of characters carrying over from

the prior novels may be confusing, this introduction is followed by a listing of the characters,

approximately in the order of their first appearance or mention. They will be identified in the text, and

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some background provided, but that may not be enough. When you encounter one you don't recognize,

flip to this list. Meanwhile, if you have ever wondered exactly what a fantasy convention is like, this novel

will show you.

There will be one more novel to complete the prophecy:Mouvar's Magic. So don't throw away the

prior volumes, unless you happen to like fumbling through a summary like this to get your bearings. One

of the interesting things about those prior volumes is that through a fluke of magic the cover intended for

this book,Orc's Opal, appeared instead on the hardcover edition ofSerpent's Silver, two novels ago. So

those who experience a mysterious déjà vu when reading the scene in Chapter 8 about Charles and

Merlain and the great flying dragon-bird need be mystified no more; it simply means they made the

mistake of reading these novels in order, in hardcover. Those who readDragon's Gold in hardcover

were in a different frame, because in this frame it was an original paperback.

CHARACTERS

Mouvar—fabled Roundear who made the Prophecy and set up a chain of scientific transporters linking

the frames

Zady—ugly, evil old witch, Zoanna's aunt

Queen Zoanna—beautiful, evil former queen of Rud, now dead

Professor Devale—demon sorcerer and educator with a taste for beauty and mischief

Chimaera—monster with three heads: Mervania, Mertin, and Grumpus

Kelvin Knight Hackleberry—the unlikely hero of the Prophecy, and thus of all the novels of this series.

Son of John Knight, but his surname was changed when his mother married Hal Hackleberry, and not

changed back when she remarried John Knight.

Heln Hackleberry—Kelvin's round-eared wife

Charles—Kelvin and Heln's son, age six

Dragon Horace—Charles and Merlain's sibling

Helbah—old sorceress of Klingland and Kance: a good witch

Katbah—Helbah's houcat (or "cat") familiar

Lester "Les" Crumb—Jon's husband, son of Mor Crumb

Jon—Kelvin's younger sister, whose ears are pointed

Charley Lomax—neighbor, formerly one of the king's guards

Cutie Lomax—Charley's cute kid sister

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Charlain Knight—Kelvin and Jon's mother, wife of John Knight

John Knight—round-eared traveler from Earth, stranded in the magic realm, father of Kelvin, and of

Kian, by Zoanna

King Kildom—boy-king of Klingland

King Kildee—boy-king of Kance

Zatanas—evil magician, Zoanna's father, now dead

Old Man Zed Yokes—river man who ferries others across water

Whitestone—convention wizard

Zudini—master illusionist and escape artist

Zally—Zudini's daughter, majoring in pedimagic

Fredrick—handsome young warlock, Zally's friend

Brudalous—king of the orcs

Glow—Charles' dream girl

St. Helens—familiar name for Sean Reilly, Heln's father from Earth, once a soldier in John Knight's

Earth platoon.

Man—messed up Jon's loaf of bread

Policeman—picks up Jon

Desk Sergeant—recognizes the problem

Toastmaster—of banquet where Helbah is feted

Loopey—a drunk man in the form of a stargen

Phenoblee—Brudalous's orc wife

Phillip Blastmore—former boy-king of the kingdom of Aratex

Morton "Mor" Crumb—former leader of a band that helped Kelvin

Miss Pringle—attendant at children's suite

Ebbernog—little fat boy

King Rufurt—figurehead king of Kelvinia, a gentle and somewhat ineffective man

Mosday—orc officer, a general under Brudalous

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Krassnose—resident orc wizard

Dawn—the sunwitch, Glow's mother

PROLOGUE

Night

The ugly old witch with beautiful warts on her face had an air about her. A bad air. It wasn't merely

physical; it extended well into the supernatural realm and was almost artistic in its awfulness. Leaning

there in the study on her artfully crooked stick, she could have stepped right from an ancient woodcut

which had soaked in the foulest of sewers for a few centuries.

Professor Devale rubbed his polished horns, wondering who she was and why she had come. She was

obviously competent in sorcery, or she would not have found him here.

"Youdo remember me, Professor?" Her voice grated like bone against gravestone. Her breath as she

spoke staggered him. Her rheumy eyes cleared for a moment and glowed with the intensity of coals from

a funeral pyre.

He thought rapidly, searching his memory, annoyed that his precognitive ability was weaker than it

should be. Let's see—several centuries ago a witch such as this had brought a really beautiful girl to him.

A girl named Zoanna, and it hadn't been entirely her fault that she hadn't wanted to study, then. With

beauty like that, she had been able to have her way without magic. Later Zoanna had learned the limits of

beauty and had come to him for help, as they all came sooner or later. What a joy she had been, when

she wanted his favor! He had known exactly what she was up to, and that she cared not a pennycent

curse about him personally, and she had known he knew. That was the way he liked it: proper

understanding. There could be much pleasure in a business romance. But Zoanna was gone now,

destroyed in the frame of dragons by another type of witch and that witch's amateur helpers. Helpers

such as Kelvin Knight Hackleberry, the claimed Roundear of Prophecy, and his mother and sister. The

frames were in a sorry state when louts like these could interfere with the projects of legitimate

practitioners of magic. Vengeance was in order for somebody. Yes, yes, and so this had to be Zoanna's

old aunt, who was as vengeful a creature as he could remember.

"Why of course I remember you, Zady," he said in his familiar manner. It wouldn't do to have anyone

think he was other than completely sharp, and verging on omniscience. Especially a stinking crone like

this! If she was so powerful, why didn't she make herself beautiful?

"Oh, very well!" the aged mouth snapped. An apparently feeble hand lifted, and fingers that resembled a

bird's claws made a gesture.

Pink smoke puffed up from the carpet, spread out, thickened, and enveloped her, obscuring her form. In

a moment a smooth white hand emerged from it and made a pass. The smoke dissipated.

There stood a voluptuous young-bodied redhead. It was the witch, of course; but her talons had been

replaced by firm slender fingers, and her sour puss by a radiantly lovely face, and her scarecrow body by

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one that would shame an ardent hourglass. Her awful stench was now the sweet breath of roses. She

smiled, showing even white teeth instead of gappy nobs on decaying gums. Only the knowingness of her

eyes gave her away, and that was already fading to the perfect semblance of innocence.

Professor Devale drew an appreciative breath. This was better, much better! There was nothing wrong

with the old hag's shape-changing or telepathic abilities. As a matter of fact, just looking at that luscious

form...

But he was not so readily trapped by his appetites. "You want something, Zady. Out with it first."

The beautiful creature made a gesture the reverse of the prior one. Dark smoke puffed and dissipated,

and her body metamorphosed back into the ugly witch. Professor Devale watched with regret. He knew

exactly what she was, but her lovely form did not make his eyes smart.

"If you want business, it will beall business," the hag grated, making a grimace which was supposed to

pass for a smile.

Confound it! She had really tempted him with her lush format. He was too smart to allow that to make

him act foolishly, but he had really hoped they could work something out in the course of sensible

negotiations.

Devale hated to be put at a disadvantage, but his mind did tend to be swayed by his desire. The crone

was besting him at the game of manipulation. But it was a nice challenge, and perhaps he could recover

some ground.

"I think I know what you've come about. Your niece's destruction at the hands of near amateurs. But

surely you don't need my help for that. Just go to the dragon frame, work a few nasty spells, and—"

"Professor Devale, please have the courtesy to listen to me. First, it is not merely my niece who concerns

me, great loss though she certainly is. Before that, my dear brother, the wizard Zatanas, was devastated

by this brash, uneducated roundear. I must destroy that oaf above all, and do it in my own peculiar

fashion." He had a notion of what her fashion would be: first she would use her luscious form to seduce

the man away from his wife; then she would break his heart and spirit and finally his body. "But I must

also deal with every righteous being who assisted in my kin's destruction. This is my unholy mission."

"Including the chimaera, I suppose?" Just how impractical was this old crone? She had some fine talents,

but her overall perspective was deficient. The best magic was insufficient if used unwisely. Many an

excellent witch and wizard had suffered because of a deficiency of larger vision.

"Not including the chimaera, dear Professor. As you know, that three-faced monster has the protection

of certain others that even you dare not challenge. However, there is something of the chimaera's in the

dragon frame."

"You refer to the twin children and the young dragon."

"Of course. They are of the roundears, but also of the chimaera, thanks to the complication of their

undeserved luck. If they are allowed to live and grow to adulthood, they will present a real danger."

"Yes, I am aware of that." His precog had failed, frustratingly, when he attempted to see what would

happen in those future years, as it tended to do when the purported Roundear of Prophecy was involved.

He hated operating blind. Danger there was in these unnatural beings, but he could not foresee to what

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extent, or how it would manifest.

"That is why I may need your help in destroying them," Zady said, answering his thoughts as readily as

his words.

"I see. That certainly makes sense. But why wait six years? Why didn't you come to me sooner?"

"Because, dear Professor, now is the proper time. With your help, I can arrange to use the youngsters

against their elders before their final destruction. A cause of mine can be greatly benefited, and there is an

incidental but hardly inconsequential prize."

She was beginning to interest him even in her present form. "Prize?"

"A certain stone. An opal endowed with certain magical properties."

"Zady, I know of that opal. The risk, even to me, would be considerable."

"Ah, but the exquisite irony if my plan succeeds!" she cackled. "My enemies' own children serving my

purpose while bringing destruction to those they love!"

"True." He focused on the three dark hairs growing from her jutting chin, repelled and fascinated. This

crone had an intriguing mind. "All will suffer greatly in the process."

"Obviously. All the 'nice' folk. All the goody-goodies. When my family plots revenge, we plotcomplete

revenge."

"The children too? They will certainly suffer when they discover what they have done, but what of them

thereafter? Will they expire horribly?"

"Of course. Always the worse for the innocent."

He nodded. "A denobling philosophy, worthy of your ilk. But I would like to have them here at the

university."

She was surprised. "To train them in evil magic? Do you dare, Professor?"

He shrugged with regret. "Probably not. The chimaera may not have forgotten them completely, and we

can't rule out a possible reappearance by Mouvar."

"Mouvar will not be back to the dragon frame. Not after his defeat at the hands of my late brother,

Zatanas."

"That was long ago, Zady, and your brother succeeded only with my help."

"I too may need your help."

"As," he said, making a motion so indecent that it would have appalled an ordinary woman and caused

an innocent one to faint, "do I, in a more immediate manner."

The hag vanished in pink smoke. From the haze came her voice, at first scratchy but turning dulcet as the

sentence progressed. "You do have a way with the inviting gesture, Professor!"

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The smoke dissipated and the arousing redhead stood before him. Her breasts were heaving and her

eyes were half-lidded. Some of the smoke clung to her body, forming a kind of cloak that blurred the

rest. "Do that again, you rogue," she breathed.

Instead he reached for the gossamer covering. It became illusion as his fingers sought its texture, and he

found himself touching her flesh instead. An electric thrill went through him: she had given herself a tactile

aura. But he retained a sliver of caution. "Zady, promise me one thing."

"What's that, naughty Professor?" An aspect of her rondure slid into his hand, possessing a will of its

own.

"Promise me you won't change your appearance in the middle of it."

She laughed in a way that suggested she had had exactly this in mind. "Why Professor! Doesn't my most

basic form appeal to you?"

"Please. Indulge my little foible. At least while we're—"

He made a gesture with his smallest finger, the only part of him that was not engaged at the moment.

Behind him his desk spread out to become a low and comfortable bed. Just in time; they were already

descending. They fell on it together, locked, and bounced.

She twined around him, squeezing him here and there with this and that. Any reservations he might have

had about helping her vanished along with the roaring flames of his not easily satisfied lust. "Zoanna!" he

cried out climactically, unable to help himself.

"Hush, Professor," the voice of the old hag said from the mouth of the gorgeous creature embracing him.

"After this is all over I'll be Zoanna any time you wish. Just remember that only I can be her, and that you

are binding yourself to give all the help that is necessary."

"I'll give, I'll give!" he promised. He was uncertain whether the greatest part of his desire was for her

body or for the satisfaction of aiding a suitably cruel and imaginative plan. Lust and cruelty: where did one

leave off and the other begin? Or were they merely facets of the same devious pleasure?

Morning

Kelvin Knight Hackleberry lay in bed looking at Heln, his black-haired, still-beautiful wife. The flimsy

nightdress showed off her form to best advantage where she stood in the ray of golden sunlight. It was

hard to believe that she was the mother of ensorcelled triplets and had barely escaped with her health at

the time of their horrendous birthing. She looked virginal at this moment. Well, not exactly that, but

certainly young and desirable. If only she had been content to remain in bed awhile longer...

Outside their window the birds were singing, but he doubted that this was what had roused her. Instead

of, sigh, arousing her. The only thing that caused her to react so alertly, so early, was the children.

"I'm certain they can't have gone far this time," he said reassuringly. He loved his children, but every so

often he wished that they could go for a long visit with relatives so that Heln could give him her full

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attention. "I heard them when they left."

"Youheard them!" Heln turned an angry face on him. "Then why didn't youdo something?"

Of course he could not give his real reason. "Because, sweet love, the twins are very, very capable, for

their years. It's natural that they want to explore. I did, at their age—or at least my sister Jon did—when

we were young. Besides—"

"But they're only six years old! That's not old enough to realize the danger!"

"Believe me, they'll know if thereis danger," he said with what he knew was a futile effort to reassure her.

"I suspect they just went out to meet their brother."

"Don't call it that!"

"Well, he is. Or if you prefer, it is. You have to accept that, Heln, even if we don't always like it."

Actually Kelvin had adjusted to the notion fairly soon after the initial shock. It had certainly been better

than the threatened alternative.

"Never! I will never accept that I gave birth to a dragon!"

He sighed. It was an old argument that never seemed to end. He hated having any source of dissension

between them, but there was no getting around this one. Heln's attitude was understandable, but wrong,

for she had indeed given birth to a dragon. As well as the twins.

Through magical evil their children had been distorted in her womb. Through good magic in the nick of

time she and the children had been spared, and the monster within her had been fragmented into three.

Kelvin felt, and knew that Heln did too, that the children were really theirs and not their benefactor's. Yet

their son and daughter did bear a strong resemblance to the chimaera's woman-face.

"They are telepathic, you know," he continued, trying to satisfy her that the children really were safe.

That ability bothered him during intimate moments with Heln, but at other times he saw it as a

considerable advantage. "They do communicate in their heads. And Dragon Horace, whether or not he's

their brother, is better protection than an armed guard. It would take an evil witch or wizard to slip up on

them, and with Helbah as a friend I don't think that will happen."

"You just want them out of the house!" she charged with some justice.

"Well, sometimes that's nice. Their range is limited, and I admit I don't like to think of them peeking in at

us when we're—"

"Kelvin!"

"Well, it's so," he said, nettled. He had never quite dared bring up this aspect before. He had sort of

assumed that she had thought it out for herself, as far as she wanted to.

"You mean—when we...?" He could hear the three dots of her ellipsis, each dot loaded with appalling

significance. Evidently shehadn't thought it through this far before.

"Why not? Children are curious creatures, and it isn't as if there's anything wrong with it. They probably

are bored by it, because they're too young to have the, er—"

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"I know what you're trying to say! Don't say it! Of course they're too young to have such urges! That's

why they shouldn't peek!"

"But we can hardly stop them. However, now that they are out of peeking range, why don't we—"

"Kelvin, you are so exasperating at times! How could you think of a thing like that at a time like this? We

have no idea where they are or whether they're safe!"

"Heln, I'm sure they're safe! They can read the mind of anyone or anything that might threaten them.

They'll be with Horace, and he is extremely protective of them. We need to let them get some experience

on their own. Meanwhile, if we want some real privacy, now is the time." He knew it wouldn't work, but

what was there to lose at this stage?

She stared at him. Then she laughed, surprising him. "Maybe you're right. Maybe they do peek, and

certainly they need to have some freedom, lest we stifle them. So we can do what is good for us and for

them simultaneously." She turned toward the bed.

He saw it at the same time she did. The small white square that materialized out of sunlight about the

table and floated down. Magic—it had to be magic, but of what kind?

Heln picked up the paper. "Why it's an invitation!" she exclaimed, pleased. "Look!" She brought it to

him.

He looked. In shimmery golden letters the message read:

Kelvin Knight Hackleberry,

the Roundear of Prophecy:

Greetings from the Order of Benign

Wizards and Witches. You and your

spouse and your two human offspring

are cordially invited to attend this

century's Benign Wizards and Witches

Convention as guests along with our

Guest of Honor, Witch Helbah. Only

under very special circumstances

are nonmembers of our Order invited to

our conventions. Time and place and

traveling plans will be relayed to

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Piers Anthony & Robert E. Margroff - Kelvin 4- Orc's Opal

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