Elias stood firm and stared the man in the eyes. The man was quite fearless and took several steps forward without hesitation. With a brutal voice, he yelled, “Have you chosen the day of your death?
Elias was silent.
The man said, “You are a mage I see, else you would not stop a battalion.”
Elias nodded. The man said, “Well, do you want to live today, or what?”
Elias said firmly, “I heard the screams. Show me the child is alright.”
The man shrugged and nodded toward the carriage bay. A young girl was held into the light of the open door. She was held with a crushing grip around both arms. Her face was tear stained and held a look of total desperation.
The man said, “This girl is with me, and everything regarding this battalion is truly none of your business.”
The girl simply yelled, “They killed my parents.”
The armored man spoke with lackluster fervor, “They were in violation of their agreement with Provang.” He looked at Elias with no remorse and a subtle expression of challenge.
Elias yelled firmly, “The girl can’t leave with you. I will find a worthy guardian from her village. The farmers have entrusted me with this much.”
The man said, “Well, let’s see… no, no, that will not do.”
Elias knew the man’s true desires, to distort the lives of those he touched. He could feel the intent with the single flash of the man’s eyes.
The man said flatly, “You will go your way mage… or you will die.”
Elias looked left, down the long row of horses and soldiers. He looked again at the man and took a step back — he swung around his staff, which was tied over his shoulder.
The armored man held up his own staff, which lit with a bright green fire. Elias raised his shield — a thick opalescent wave coalesced just in time as a dozen arrows flew toward him from both directions of the pathway.
Elias’ shield sent down every arrow that flew his way.
The man in gray armor let loose a pulsing strike of energy. Elias’ shields absorbed most of the hit, yet some power came through and took some skin from his lower left arm. He was scraped and bleeding.
The man ballooned a cyan ball of energy around himself. Elias sent loose a violent torrent of energy that was driven by true rage. The man’s shield could not withstand it, and he was blown back swiftly and slammed into his carriage.
The soldiers leapt into full attack. The doors to both other carriages opened, and magi with staffs stepped out. Elias had no fear of their power — yet the problems with multiple attacks by dark magic weighed on his mind. He swung his staff overhead, ripped open the air, and a horrible sound emerged. It sent vibrations that could not be withstood throughout the crowd. A dozen men were thrown to their knees, covering their ears.
Elias raised his right hand, and a wire of energy pulled up from the ground — it moved with razor-like precision. A row of 5 soldiers was cut through, some severed through the mid-section, diagonally, and others upright across the neck. Two heads fell to the ground, followed by the bodies and torsos of the rest.
The man inside the carriage threw out a device that hit the ground, bounced, and floated in the air. The strange cube began to glow with unbearable bright light. Elias had to shield his eyes. His lungs felt the discomfort of a dry vapor with every breath.
As the soldiers moved in, three sorcerers sent their strikes from all directions. One magi cast a beam of gray space with small moving red lights. Another sent a funnel of noxious gas, a putrid trajectory that moved like poisonous smoke.
Elias bowed his shields, and the strikes were deferred, but the shield began to fade.
Elias turned and sent a barrel of forceful energy that threw four soldiers to the ground so hard their bones were broken. The two sorcerers behind them raised shields — one deflected the shot but was pushed across the ground; the other was crushed against his own carriage, and his skull was made to collapse in grotesque violence.
The carriage itself aroused a shield with a hissing sound of great pulsation. The door slammed open intensely as a magus sent out a series of strikes — red flumes of energy that came in 4-foot balls quite fast. Elias had to deflect them individually, and he saw the moves he had to make. The loose energy had a way of wrapping around and taking deep gouges into his own energy body, causing his shields to dim.
Elias swept the ground with a black ring of energy that dealt direct blows to the legs of everyone in a 20-foot radius. Many men fell, but as Elias longed for his deep energy to rise, the timing was turning against his favor. He saw the great openings in his technique. A sorcerer down the way saw the gap and sent out another split shot that had to be deflected individually.
That was when the bear leapt out.
The rear carriage was nearly rolled as a massive bear barreled against the bay. It split the carriage wood as though it was a toy. The bear turned and endured a direct strike of explosive energy from the near sorcerer. The bear’s paws lit blue, and its chest was glowing. The bear absorbed the hit quite well. Its massive jaws leaned in, and the babbling sorcerer’s arm and head were sheered right off with a twisting bite.
Elias turned and sent out a tight spiral of majestic light that impaled the other sorcerer, a clean shorn hole through his torso. The bear fell to all fours and turned to the battalion rear. It charged in a gallop toward the long row of soldiers. The first men were stabbed by bear claws and thrown aside with its massive arms. Elias turned and began to press upon the soldiers in the front, who gawked motionless at the insanity of the bear attack.
As Elias moved forward, his energy body charged more fully. He moved to pass the front carriage. Within the carriage, a sorceress made her move — in front of Elias, a mighty spinning blade was thrown. The blade leapt into the shadows within the carriage hull. Elias turned to see a sorceress pinned dead against the far side wall.
Elias moved onward and sent forward a sizzling shield. He pushed through the array of soldiers, who were sizzled on contact.
Kanos ran and leapt into the carriage and retrieved his blade. He leapt out and charged forward and ran through Elias’ shield, holding his blade firmly to the side with great faith.
Elias opened a window in his shield as Kanos passed through. He watched Kanos move like a slaughter house maniac, his blade placing precision slices across neck, chest, and arm of every soldier that stood up for attack. Kanos left a wake of damaged fools howling and falling to their knees, while Elias plowed his shield overtop the injured soldiers. Behind him were scattered sizzled corpses frozen in their charcoaled form.
They did not stop until every last soldier was burned.
The two men turned and nodded and looked back at the massive bear lambasting the last few men. The last soldier ran away, but the bear took several steps and leaned in upon his head. The massive jaws opened and snapped shut upon the skull of the final soldier. The man’s head exploded like a tiny berry as the blood and gore dripped to the ground.
Elias reached into the middle carriage and held out his arm toward the young girl. “I’m saving you, darling. Let’s go.” The girl jumped out, her tear stained face disformed with terror. Elias said, “How old are you?” The girl replied, “Thirteen.” Elias felt the stymy of rage in his jaw.
Kanos waved them both toward the bear. As they walked toward Kanos, Elias spoke to a soldier on the ground who looked whole enough to survive — he said, “I will let you live if you tell those Provang kolos that I spilled this blood as a message: the southern farmers are now protected by a guild of mages.” The man lay still and gave a terrified nod.
As Elias and the girl approached, the bear stared at Elias for a while. Kanos made it very clear, “It’s alright, the bear is good. It is no beast.”
The bear walked up to Elias and could not break its stare. Her paws began to take on blue rolling flame, and flame moved across her arms and face, and behind the trail of light was the body of Lana. She stared quite intently, having just seen an ene
rgy body that was like no other.
Elias stared, and Lana stared back. Both had seen what looked like a miracle. Kanos said, “What did you see, Lana?”
She said, “This man’s energy is like no other. Are you even a mage… or something else?”
Elias said, “I have not seen a bear become a woman either… what kind of magic are you using?”
Lana said, “What are you?”
He replied, “I am called a Soverey Sol Ley, as Elrock of Kaad has decided. He says it means a spear of humanity. My name is Elias.”
Kanos spoke, “I have met Elrock… are you the one who slayed giants.”
Elias said, “Aye, I have slayed giants.” He looked up to the sky. “They were so tall they nearly touched the clouds.” His sublime expression made Lana smile.
“My friend,” said Kanos, “as you slay giants, why didn’t you kill these soldiers with a single stroke?”
Elias said, “Well, a defensive battle against an intelligent being is different. I have an edge against manifest beasts of dark conjuration. Their strategy is weak. Either way, just like you, I want to know more. I’m heading towards an old village that stores Brakkish tomes. I’m going there before Chhon, where I hope to meet a Sovorey that has been fighting for a solid year.”
Elias said to Lana, “And what of you bear-ness, miss?”
Lana said, “Avios granted me this power to protect my village. That’s all I know, really. There were no shapeshifters in the Age of Solis.”
Elias shook his head. “I think Provang is in more danger from you, than you from them.”
The four walked down the road together. The small girl held Elias’ hand as they walked, and Lana spoke to the girl of the small village she calls home. She invited the girl to stay there as long as she needed, “Even ‘til you’re old and grey.” The girl felt comfortable and smiled for the first time.
The group pulled far off the road, deep into the woods and made camp. They ate dried galo fruits and passed around a small tuck of wine.
Kanos looked to Elias, hoping for answers. “I feel drawn to the west. I will move that way soon… Lana and I are parting ways. I want to stop by the Donway Valley Market — Atholin mentioned there is a weaponsmith there who is legendary. He can make swords that hold spells like this.” Kanos held up the blade of Anoak.
Lana felt a level of trust with Elias and felt that he was worthy of guidance. She told him, “My friend Atholin lives in the village you’re looking for. They’ve held onto the Brakkish lore through all these years at Lavorra.” Elias was grateful for the direction and the confidence. He said to Kanos, “If it’s not too far out of the way… I’d like to travel with you to see the weaponsmith as well. I want to know more about enchantments and smithing. I can’t pass up the chance.”
Lana was charmed to see the two men found each other as friends, and she pointed out they could travel west together for a few days before their paths would split. Lana said, “Elias would part south to find his way to Lavorra.” She added that Atholin’s trust might be gained with a secret phrase she whispered in Elias’ ear.
Kanos explained that Lana was the sole guardian of the small village and could not travel further. Lana agreed and planned to take the young girl to her village the next day.
Elias threw sticks upon a wood fire, and the group fell asleep in the lulling forest, as a slight breeze upheld a soothing whir in the leaves above.
When Kanos opened his eyes in the morning light, he saw in the far distance a massive bear walking onward with a small girl by its side.
27.
As the morning brought a subtle rise of heat, Elias and Kanos gathered themselves and began to walk. Kanos realized he stood beside a legend, and as he gazed through the forest, he puzzled over what yielding such power would be like.
Kanos asked, “How have you gained so much skill so quickly? You are quite young still.”
Elias laughed, “Actually, I was quite useless before I met a great teacher, Evelyn the Savator. She really has a way about her. I think it would be impossible to grow slowly with a teacher like that.”
Kanos replied, “We can learn so much in a moment, and then the learning seems to stop.”
Elias said, “The energy pushes towards purposes. Like it helps you solve a problem. Evelyn is unique — she was able to pull knowledge out of Avios quite well.”
Kanos said, “I have only learned through action. It just… happens. Seeing my village torn to shreds… my family…”
Elias said, “I honestly thought the giants were nothing more than stories, but I thought the magic was real. They were so big. I had no idea what to do. The next moment, I’m severing off huge chunks of Sky Giant flesh. It felt unnatural… like I was helped. I don’t know if I always have that much power.”
Kanos said, “Is it different than fighting men?”
Elias replied, “In every way, yes!”
The two walked in silence for a moment. Elias finally said, “I think the tomes at Lavorra could be some help. I read books like that my entire childhood, but I don’t think they were the good ones. I want to see if there is living knowledge within the books. My people in Yorn treated magic like a hidden thing — at least when I was young. I have no idea how they kept us so… oblivious. It’s an error I don’t want to make. Would you like to come with me to Lavorra, Kanos?”
Kanos agreed without a second thought. Elias said, “We can go see the market right after. I’ll go with you there.”
Elias looked at the map and gazed into the distance. Kanos said, “It should be an easy trek. Elias, I am bit surprised the slayer of giants has no horse.” Elias laughed and said, “An old man will live a better life because I have no horse.”
Kanos smiled and redirected them both a few degrees more south. Elias saw his resolution. “You have the tracker skill, I see.” Kanos said, “Something inside me is always pulling me forward .”
Elias replied, “The mystery of Avios always amazes.” He gazed into the rolling clouds and said, “I wonder if the Makers want to watch our clashes, or if the good side of reality is coaxing us out.”
“Do you think the Makers are at war?” asked Kanos.
“I wonder… I wonder how it really is,” said Elias.
The two walked many miles and down the deep-set slopes from the high terrain of Provang. Two days passed through hill and valley, until they saw the shire of Lavorra outstretched below. The men were tired, and their feet ached from walking downhill for hours. They were hungry and out of water, and the heat began to make them stink.
As they walked carefully across young rows of karnbloom plants, a succulent vegetable used for simple salads, they heard screams of a distant man. “DO NOT APROACH! STOP RIGHT THERE.”
The men could not fully understand his words but remained slow of pace. They continued to walk forward, looking outwardly precautious to show a lack of threat.
The man ignited with huge broad billows of smoky energy, rimmed with great big bands of blue light. The men heard some kind of igniting force, and in front of the man, huge rolling mounds of smoke began to form. The mounds shot out great projectiles.
Yellow balls of scorching heat zinged 400 feet across the field, and as the attack came close the men, they missed quite badly.
The men waved their hands widely. The projectiles did not stop.
Elias bloomed with blue energy and sent a beam up 100 feet into the air and let it shimmer.
The man across the field paused. He stood still among the smoke.
Kanos and Elias stood still and waited for the man to move or speak.
Finally, the man waved them in, and they respectfully stepped across each row of karnbloom until they all came together to have a word.
28.
The old man nearly hollered, “I see you are mages. You have not come to steal or plague us with sorcery then?”
Elias said, “I am a student of magic, as is he. We have come to meet a friend of Lana, named Atholin. I am very interested
in Brakkish lore and wish to learn. We will take nothing from you and will do no harm.”
The old man nodded, “Brakkish lore is our specialty. Our lineage traces back to the Age of Solis and the magi of a time long forgotten. Well, Atholin is not back yet. She has gone out to collect herbs for our monthly stores. She will be back this evening, though. Quite an outgoing individual she has become.”
The men nodded and accepted the hand of the old man for a shake. He called himself Grahdo of Eseine Ridge. Elias saw the ring on Grahdo’s hand. The gem was sparkling and opalescent. It shined with green edges and a yellow center. Elias said, “Your ring is incredible. Is it enchanted?”
“Of course it is! It helps me lay the great smoke you saw. Without it, I can only raise a puff or two.”
“Have you enchanted the stone yourself?”
“Yes I did.” Grahdo saw the interest in Elias’ stare. He said, “Do you wish to learn the art of enchantment? It’s a difficult magic, and it takes a lot of energy.”
Elias said, “I’ve always been interested in magical things.”
“Well, some are natural enchanters — I believe there are ways to force the skill to some degree.”
Elias asked, “How long have you been enchanting?”
“Only a few years. It was not possible until recently. The folds of energy finally passed enough strength. They call it Obinfield in Brakkish, which means ‘the draw of power into fixed objects’. We have some objects that were said to hold a spell but have been useless. They’re 3,000 years old.”
Kanos said, “Have they come alive recently?”
Grahdo nearly yelled, “YES!”
Kanos took out the blade of Anoak and said, “I believe the gem in this blade holds a spell. I don’t think it was made in our time.”
The old man marveled at the stone, which glimmered with the faintest pulse of energy as Kanos held the blade. Grahdo held the blade level in his hands and stared. He could not break his gaze, “What strong magic has been placed in this stone! It is a marvel really. The spell is more complex than I can understand. Have you seen its magic?”
Mages of Avios 2. Battlemage Page 9
