by Dan Raxor
“Have Elxa report to Rivinia when she finds life or death situations we can help with. Full budget sheets each time,” I said, leaving my chair. “Have them all get warm while the soldiers ready the caravan.”
I left them to head to my room. Rivinia was hot on my heels, carrying my jacket. “Master, I need to warn you.”
“About?” I asked and my stomach turned. “Give me a minute please.”
There were some unsettling and diabolical things I did to a bucket in a small privy. I was sure glad I didn’t have to grow up in Lornia, and yes, I was missing modern technology slightly. We’d been in Lornia for over a month, most of it confined to a small carriage.
I returned a few minutes later and asked, “Okay, what bothers you, Rivinia?”
“Crimm will be infested with those desperate for survival. This is how Lornia works. The strong survive, producing an excess of children while the weak or unfortunate do not. Basically, I respect your decision, and while it is nice to see, it is unsustainable,” Rivinia said in a determined tone.
“Good thing Elxa answers to you then. Look, we can use the help and saving some kids will be nice. If I have to run an orphanage at my new home so be it. A little bit of kindness goes a long way, or so I hope it does,” I said firmly.
“Yes, Master. I said enough on the matter.”
“I value your insight, Rivinia. How about we finish off this dreadful snowy trip and get to Crimm?!” I said with enthusiasm.
She curtsied, bowing her head. I could tell she was going through a lot. We both were. There was a new layer to our group's relationship. We were becoming an odd sort of dynamic family. There was hope among us; a recent set of minor victories had everyone feeling blessed.
I’d be a happy man if we arrived in Crimm without any more problems.
CHAPTER 36
Lornia - Novi
348th day of the 1st year of King Partel’s Reign
“Master, may I know something?” Siofra asked inquisitively. There was a gleam in her eyes that made her enticing in a librarian way.
We were reviewing the control aspects of fire magic. A process even I had room to improve upon. A lull in our studies had her antsy in her seat. I figured between her sending me her intense gaze, and the nervous butt dance this was going to be an us question.
The silence between us was deafening. The only sound was the creaking of the carriage as it jostled over the snow packed road. “Sure.”
She sighed, straightening her back as she worked up the courage. Siofra was so cute when flustered. “Why did you stop flirting with me?”
Oh, hmm… How to play this?
“Do you know what a boner is?” I asked and she rolled her eyes at my words. “Well, when I think about you, I tend to get aroused. I desire you greatly but am tempering those desires. Right now, if I let my urges get the better of me, we’ll end up with a baby.”
Her neatly trimmed brows furled in confusion. “Isn’t that the whole point of life?”
I shrugged. “It is to some, not to me. You understand that, right?” She nodded. “Were you hoping we’d become intimate?”
“Pleasurings?” she asked and I rolled my eyes.
Lornia babes were the best!
“Yes, you goof.” My chuckling put her at ease. “Is this what you want? Your father thrust you into this position. If you become more to me, then I want to be certain it is what you desire.”
She bit her nail and I slid a hand over hers.
Siofra huffed in frustration, trying to find the right words.
“I… I dreamed of going to a duke’s army or even being a war mage under the king’s banner. I’d finally be away from Farlake and free of my parents. While I served, I’d earn prestige and titles. Fathers would be throwing their sons at me in hopes I’d take them,” Siofra said, her gaze fixating on hand atop of her.
I smiled, kissing her cheek and she flushed as if it were a bright summer day. Even though it was cold these carriages held heat pretty well.
“Then you came along. I thought you’d break me to your will,” Siofra said.
I raised a single eyebrow before placing a hand on her thigh. She instantly blushed brighter but did not remove my hand. I wanted to say I already had but held it in. I didn’t think she was a virgin, too stunning for that. I did feel she was inexperienced. Holly probably scared off any gentleman going for her affections.
She looked down at my hand; her breathing intensified. “I don’t want some carpenter's son. I want -”
“Halt formation!” Norlan shouted from outside.
I straddled Siofra quickly, gazing down upon her sharp features. I pecked her lips lightly. “We’ll discuss this later when -”
A blood curdling scream erupted from the front of the caravan.
Argggh… Why did my romantic life always require an interruption!?
“Back the front wagons up now!” Norlan’s voice boomed over the sound of the injured.
That sealed the fate of this steamy encounter.
Whatever was going on outside was no simple roadblock. I grabbed my staff, hearing a nickering war mount clomping for my door.
Tsar was incredible for a horse. That handsome fellow was waiting for me when I exited out and onto the snow covered road. Siofra darted out behind me to run to a stallion I let her ride.
A quick hop later and I was in the saddle, wishing I had a second jacket on, or my scarf because the cold was so bitter today.
Whoever was hurting my people was going to pay. Attacking us on the road was bullshit.
A wounded male shrieked in pain as I trotted Tsar down the long line of wagons. The commotion seemed to have calmed and I saw a man with an arrow in his shoulder being pulled back to a collection point.
Arriving at the back of an empty wagon bed, I saw one dead and three with arrows in them. The one doing all the screaming had an arrow in his stomach.
Siofra thundered beyond where I slowed. Magic coursed through her, leaving me puzzled. She unleashed a torrent of wind magic.
There was a gust from the right so powerful that it pushed the carriages into a left leaning teeter.
Whoa! I needed to learn that spell.
“What are you doing?” I asked, diverting to catch up.
Norlan arrived on my side, using his shield to protect me. While sweet, I needed to see what the hell was going on.
“Let him establish a defense while we push back, Master,” Norlan said with concern.
I… I was flustered, but heeded his advice. The front wagons were spinning, using the side of the road to retreat. I felt another gust of wind push me from the right to the left.
This time I saw a flock of arrows get shoved to the side.
Hmm… that was a lot of arrows.
“It’s safe now,” Siofra said from up ahead.
Norlan was on foot, leading me forward. Once we got around the jam of wagons I was in shock at what awaited us.
A human army blocked our way forward. I expected bandits or maybe dryads, but not this.
There were archers, at least a hundred of them, aligned left to right across a road and three deep. Behind them rested infantry in thick armor with spears and shields. Off to the left and right of the archers were mounted cavalry with lances held high.
A few banners streamed from a unit bearer. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky on this cold day, causing the chilled metal to gleam. Frosted breaths of horses, humans, and partial fey billowed off the assembled army.
Three mages rested on the left side of horse riders. Two of them were barely stronger than Mist or Libby. A mage in the background who wore all black cracked his neck dramatically.
He barked an order that the archer captain responded to. I studied his power, seeing that he held about half of Siofra’s power.
The enemy archers nocked arrows in unison, they angled back as one, and fired. These were trained soldiers, used to fighting in formation. Something that unsettled me as much as the arrows arcing for my caravan. A single
mage propelled the arrows by adding a gust of magical air to their flight.
While I watched that volley of deadly weapons I saw the weak mages decrease in their glow. The energy expulsion literally reduced their power, meaning a mage was displaying reserves, not actual power.
Siofra’s hands shot forward, dancing in a hypnotic pattern. White magic burst forth, commanding the wind to her whim. A strong gust of wind rocked us and the arrows. The flight diverted into a section of the stone road, landing the volley far short.
“Who are they?” I asked, glancing over my shoulder. My troops were setting defensive formations while we assessed the situation.
“Novi is the next city. We’d have reached there in a few hours. Obviously someone sent word or scouts found us. You’re hauling enough riches to garner a full army,” Norlan said with a gruff tone.
He was not amused and neither was I.
“What are you thinking?” I asked.
Norlan checked over his shoulder. “There will be a flanking army trying to get into place, winter will make that tough. We can talk but -”
“Signal a parlay,” I said.
I was expecting pushback on this notion. Norlan dug into a pouch attached to his beltline. He confidently strolled forward waving a yellow flag. While it was yellow instead of white, the similarity was ironic.
When Siofra ushered her mount forward, I sent Tsar forward too. The enemy sent a single rider forward. The moderately powerful mage rode a nice stallion that was a few hands shorter than ours.
There was a quiet lull to the hurried activity of a moment before. I should have expected this earlier.
Hell, Farlake said they’d do something similar. I had to assume the mage allowed this discussion to buy time for his other force.
The enemy mage wore all black robes that clashed against the white horse. He was older, with a gray beard, and a scowl fit for an ornery grandfather. He also seemed to think he was a superior.
“I’m Baron Trevor of Trimi. I kindly ask you to cede the field,” I said.
He scoffed with a sneer. “I’m War Mage Renfry, and you’re surrounded. This mage cannot stop my lord's combined army. If you surrender, you’ll be given quarter,” Renfry said.
I frowned. “So, we can war against each other. Are there no rules?” I asked.
This set everyone back a bit as an unexpected question. “When you cross another lord's lands he can deem your forces a threat unless you carry a duke’s decree of travel.”
“Gotcha, I bet those cost coins,” I said with a frown. “I wonder why Nathanael didn’t say I’d need one of those.”
“You bore me, have a good death,” Renfry said, turning to leave.
Norlan chuckled, petting Tsar. “Hey, at least you can say you tried. Right, Master?”
“You lost me.”
Norlan grinned from ear to ear. “Nathanael did not have you go to Duke Lacroy because he didn’t expect this, and deep down, he knew you’d win if this happened.”
“Is this the local Duke’s army?” I asked, and Norlan shrugged.
Siofra shook her head. “A duke would fly big banners and their forces would have about a hundred times this. They really are mini-kings. Some minor noble is making a play. He or she will be in for a rude awakening.”
“So… before I unleash hell, do we want prisoners?” I asked.
Norlan shook his head. “We could ransom them but that’d mean we’re dragging captured folk into Crimm where there are rules and whatnot. Best to break their spirit and send them home weaponless if we catch any.”
The walk back to our forces ended. The enemy readied another volley. There was a shout from the left flank and neighing of horses. My archers unleashed at the forces on our side.
A series of snaps said the enemy had fired while I was distracted.
Focusing on what I could, I let the ruby in my staff fuel me. Angry tendrils of energy coursed through my veins as the magic intensified.
I smirked with glee as I became filled with power.
Reaching the point where I might burst into flames, I cut off the flow. My palm rose, aiming for the left section of the archers. Fire licked off my fingers, dancing with an eagerness to release.
“By the gods, release,” Siofra said, whooshing the arrows out of the way with her air magic.
The instant her spell finished, I fired. A single ball of flame sizzled over the snowy road. I released a second fireball, letting repetitive orbs of orange and red soar forth.
I unleashed at least twenty fireballs by the time I consumed what I’d stolen from the ruby.
“Same on the left flank, Master,” Norlan said, walking Tsar for me while I watched the carnage unfold.
The lesser enemy mages shot ice at my fireballs. The far left swirling ball of flame was knocked down with a focused effort. Watching my spell being defeated was fascinating and foolish.
Renfry fired a lightning bolt directly at me instead of trying to save his troops. Siofra erected a wall of road stones, blocking the blast, and likely saving my life.
My stunned reaction evaporated as I watched the rest of my deathly infernos slam into archers. Many of them screamed for mercy.
Inside those horrendous balls of flame, there was no quarter. The poor soldiers who stood beside the archers taking direct hits were soaked in a magical plasma of fire that splashed onto them. The ones in the front were given a quick death. The rest… would serve as a lesson to those who challenged me.
Each fireball punched through the formation, halting when the infantry heavy metal soaked up the last of the energy, killing the fools who wore the molten armor.
The entire formation was decimated. Wounded screamed for mothers or a healer. The enemy mages spun, retreating with the cavalry.
I had to assume the mass casualties were too much.
A charge against me would be suicide, same if they stayed for a prolonged battle.
I… I was conflicted on how brief real war could be. This army spent hours if not days preparing for this conflict. They killed a man who did them no harm to steal my gold.
Internally I raged, wishing for more violence.
My desire was granted when whoever commanded this flanking attack missed seeing the main force die a horrible death. I only saw a dozen mounted archers darting between trees, shooting at my wagons when given openings.
I leveled my palm, sucking in energy from the ruby. I yearned to ride to the dead and claim souls, and yet, that feeling was overridden by my desire to protect my people.
The feeling of anger pushed me forward. Flames coursed through my being as I readied my magic. I sent small bursts forward, trying to aim between the trees.
Without even watching those flames land, I jolted Tsar forward and back to the main army.
“Master,” Siofra growled, keeping up. “Don’t charge the foes. They’ll die with time or surrender. Right now the wounded still have fighting spirit.”
“Just protect me, my sexy mage,” I said with a smirk.
I gazed upon the broken formation where the dead and dying rested. Purple orbs of magic hovered over dozens of corpses. So many had been melted to ash that I’d never get any refill from them.
I brought Tsar to within collection range of the dead, harvesting all the succulent power.
Magic raced for the main orb and the rubies sown into my robes. This startled Siofra, causing her horse to neigh, going vertical as she tugged on the reins.
“By all that is holy, Trevor!” Siofra said, trying to get in the way of the power. “I can’t stop this spell! Flee, I’ll try to save you!”
I saw her throw up an immense arcane spell that my retrieved energy passed right through. She held her spell even after I ingested all that glorious power.
A tap on Tsar’s sides showed the woman with squinted eyes, expecting her demise to save me.
Aw, she tried to sacrifice herself for me. Hang on a second, what’s this?
Black tattoos danced over her heart. As quick as they
appeared they vanished.
What were those? Damn. I -
“Cast a wind spell!” Norlan shouted.
Siofra’s eyes shot open. A lone archer fired an arrow at us while we waited. Siofra sent wind directly from her palms, stalling the single arrow mid-flight.
The twirl of the projectile halted after it stopped moving forward. There was a turning of the arrow as it went from facing us to orienting to the enemy.
Siofra’s face was scrunched in concentration. She grunted, slinging the arrow back at the fleeing archer.
With a twist the arrow followed the foe’s dive for safety, sinking into his neck. There was a gurgled cry and then silence.
“That was sweet of you,” I said, sucking up the energy.
“Wait? You’re casting into yourself?” Siofra said in a stunned gasp.
“Haven’t you seen him do this every night at the slaughter for dinner?” Norlan asked.
Okay, that wasn’t fair to Siofra. Norlan only knew because I moaned from the ecstasy of the power and had to explain myself. Else it looked like I got off on seeing animals die. Super did, but for different reasons than he first thought.
“I saw the brightness but she was always so close. You collect souls?” she asked, but it really wasn’t a question.
“Thanks for jumping in the way. Hey, so… I just killed almost a hundred people someone likely loved and… and I – I – I didn’t care. What did bother me, was your heart had tattoos on it for a brief moment. What is that about?”
“You’re a portal mage!” Siofra said, ignoring my words.
Norlan grunted for attention. “May I order the troops to loot, and harass the foes.”
“Loot yes, and shoot only those who turn to fight, after five minutes no one goes any further,” I ordered sternly.
“As you command, Master,” Norlan said with a slight bow. He spun, cupping his hands to his mouth. “Lornia team, harass in the woods, break off after five minutes. Pangea team, secure the wounded and push forward. Caravan, reorganize and ready for march.”
