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“And each time they do...” Jiron prompts.

“Ker-Pow!” James says dramatically. Then he glances over to the sleeping form of Jared and relaxes when another snore comes to them through the night. “Eventually, most of the ways goods are transported within the Empire will be severely handicapped.”

“The second trigger will be coming into close proximity of iron, such as swords. I’m not talking about a couple hanging at the hips of guards, no. I’m talking about a company of men in armor.”

“The third trigger is if the wagon comes in close proximity to live magic, or a mage who is currently working magic.”

“That could take them by surprise,” comments Jiron approvingly.

“I hope so,” he says. “Another by product of all this is the confusion that it will bring. Bursts of power going off at different points within the Empire, none knowing just what is going on.”

“Be hard to pin down exactly where you are,” grins Jiron.

James grows somber as he nods. “True. The only problem I have is with the innocents that will be killed by the wagons.”

“But many more will die if the Empire isn’t stopped, or at least slowed down,” counters Jiron. “Don’t be sorrowful about what you have to do in war. Your intent is not malign in nature.”

“True,” replies James. “You better get some sleep. Morning isn’t too far off.”

“Alright,” he says and then they return to the campsite where Jiron climbs into his bedroll.

James paces throughout his watch. The vision of the innocents he will kill running through his mind.

The morning dawns bright, forecasting another scorcher. They make an early start to take advantage of the coolness while they can. Far on the horizon ahead of them, mountains rise out of the desert.

“That’s where we’ll find Ki,” states James. Looking up from a small map Lord Pytherian supplied him, he glances to Jiron. “Should be there by nightfall if we keep a steady pace.”

James has felt probing attacks ever since leaving the inn as someone tries to break through and find him. It doesn’t feel as if whoever is doing the probing is all that serious in finding him though. More like just checking on the off chance that the shielding cover is no longer there. The fact that they haven’t tried to punch through since the first time has him a little worried.

They continue to make good time as they ride along the road. Traffic here is steady but not heavy. Whenever they encounter a caravan, James continues to plant the seeds beneath the wagon beds. By the time the sun begins its descent to the horizon, he’s managed to plant more than two dozen in different caravans.

Late in the afternoon, another caravan approaches them and they move to the side of the road to let them pass. Just as he had with others, he plants a seed in the second wagon. The wagon rolls on for half a minute before he feels a minute tingling sensation. A cry comes from behind and he turns to find the wagon’s bottom has broken out and iron ingots are spilling through the bottom.

Jiron glances at him and he jerks his head indicating they should get out of there fast. Moving quickly, they leave the merchants to the mystery as to what happened to their wagon.

Once they’ve moved far enough along, Jiron rides close and whispers so Jared will not overhear him. “What happened?”

“It was the iron in the ingots the wagon was carrying,” he explains.

“But I thought you said it would explode,” says Jiron.

“It did,” James replies. “The spell didn’t have time to gather much power. When it gathered enough to begin seeking evidence that would trigger it, it encountered the iron. So it blew. But since it didn’t have time to accumulate very much power, all it managed to do was break the boards lining the bottom of the wagon.”

“Not very effective,” observes Jiron.

“I couldn’t make it gather power any quicker or those it was gathering from would sense something not right,” he explains. “Not to mention that any mage in the area would be sure to detect what was going on as well.”

“I see,” Jiron tells him. “Just be more selective about which caravans you do.”

“Right,” agrees James