Death Mage's Curse

by Jon Bender

  “The dark god is no longer a death mage. He used his magic to change himself and found a new source of power before it could destroy him,” Zarick said.

  Jaxom felt the burning hope dwindle to a small flame. He had more questions than answers, but at least now there was a chance. He dwelt on the task before him as their parents asked Vaniece about her life, trying to learn twenty years of history in a short time.

  After an hour, the three of them looked satisfied. His sister turned to him. “We should return. I will have to tell Sagrad that he will be without my services for the time being.”

  “I came here because I wanted to see you before…” he trailed off. “And because I promised to let them see you again. I did not intend to take you with me.”

  “It has been twenty years since I last saw you. I remember you crying as mother took you away. I am not about to lose you again,” she said firmly. “Besides, I am the oldest.”

  Jaxom smiled. “Fine.”

  She moved closer to him and messed his hair, the gesture of affection somehow familiar. Turning back, Vaniece looked at their parents. “I will take care of him from now on, I promise. When he’s cured, we will see you again.”

  “I’m very proud of you,” Zarick said.

  “We both are,” Falicia said smiling.

  Vaniece stepped back and nodded to Jaxom. He lifted his hand and began sealing the tear until it became just a seam of light then disappeared completely.

  “I think this belongs to you.” She unbelted the skull-pommeled sword and passed it over to him. “You are going to have to show me how you enchanted it.”

  Jaxom handled the sword gently, like an old friend. “There are a lot of things I want to show you. I just hope we have the time.”

  She put a hand on his shoulder and looked confidently into his eyes. “There will be. For now, we must work out how I am going to travel with you. Are there any of those flying animals in Ostega?”

  “There aren’t any in all of the fifteen kingdoms,” he said, smiling at her confused look as they started back.

  They stopped by his tent to leave the replacement sword with their gear. He intended to give the blade to Laiden, who was now proficient with steel and could also activate the enchantment within. Returning to Sagrad’s tent, they found both him and Adriana hunched over the table on which maps were spread. “As you can see, Rilnorm gambled on taking Kilreth to consolidate their power before moving north with their full force. It was a wager they lost,” Sagrad explained. He looked up at them, his eyes resting on Vaniece.

  “You are showing a lot of trust in discussing your current military situation,” Jaxom said.

  “Not so much, only what happened before your arrival,” Sagrad grinned. “I was wondering how long you would be. I can see that Lord Jaxom has swayed your opinion.”

  “He is my brother,” Vaniece said, pride resonating in her voice.

  “And you believe him about King Corin and this alliance?”

  “I do.”

  “Then I will send messengers to my sister, along with my recommendation to join. What do you intend to do, now that you have been reunited?” he said to Jaxom.

  “I will head east, to the Untamed Lands. I have some business there,” Jaxom said.

  Adriana looked at him with hope. “There is a way?”

  Jaxom gave a reassuring smile. “A chance,” he corrected.

  Sargrad spared them a glance. He was obviously curious but did not ask. “You will have whatever supplies you need for your trip.”

  “I will be going with him as well,” Vaniece said.

  Sagrad’s warm demeanor changed suddenly to a more serious expression. “My sister has ordered you to protect me, and you have a duty to Ostega.”

  “We have already pushed Rinorm back, and you will be joining the queen soon. You don’t need me anymore. My brother does.”

  Sagrad nodded slowly, offering no argument. “But you will come back once he has completed this… business.”

  “Of course,” she said, but even Jaxom could hear the doubt in her voice. Would she forsake the kingdom and people she had known all her life?

  “Very well.” He turned his eyes to Jaxom. “I expect her to be returned as she is.”

  Jaxom nodded, and the prince invited them all to share a glass of wine before they left. After leaving his tent, Vaniece headed off to retrieve her gear as Jaxom and Adriana found the others. As he explained the new plan, he could see the questions in their faces, but he was not ready to tell them why until he had fully adjusted to it himself. When Vaniece joined them with only a small pack, Darian volunteered to let her ride with him. As she climbed up behind him and wrapped her hands around his waist, he looked back and smirked. “Just remember that I’m spoken for.”

  Vaniece leaned in close, whispering loud enough for everyone to hear. “You are too pretty for my taste.”

  Darian laughed along with the others, and Jaxom smiled as well. During the journey, the threat of what he was becoming had hung over him like a shadow. Now that he had some hope, that shadow was not so dark. He was the last to climb into the saddle and the first to lift from the ground. The soldiers looked on, wide-eyed, as they moved higher into the sky.

  Chapter 18

  The un-walled city of Tuarn lay before him. The ramshackle buildings at the edge of the city were empty of people, all having fled the coming battle. In the distance rose the high white walls of the palace, a small city unto itself. Riders scouting above reported thousands of Bruxan soldiers moving about the city proper. Deena was willing to watch it all burn as long as she had the advantage, and Corin’s army would be forced to take each barricaded street before assaulting the palace. This battle would be destructive and bloody. Corin had offered to spare Deena’s life in exchange for her surrender, but his requests for a meeting had been denied.

  “The men are in position,” Nelix said. He was sitting atop his horse next to Celia and Shana surrounded by an escort of five-hundred Guardsmen. The air was thick with the smell of horses and the mud roads of the outer city.

  Corin turned in the saddle to face Shana. “None of the nobles will come to our side?”

  “All those willing have already joined us. Those who were not caught before reaching us, that is,” Shana said. They had heard reports of commanders being beheaded for trying to break away as an example to others who might be having similar ideas.

  “Give the signal to advance,” Corin said. He hated having to give the command. He had formed the alliance to fight Or’Keer, but their first major battle was against men who did not worship the dark god. They should be allies. He had looked at the problem from every possible angle and saw no other way. Leaving Deena to rule like her father was not an option.

  Nelix waved to the horn-bearer. The soldier lifted the instrument to his lips and blew a long, steady note that echoed out like a mournful wail. Corin could hear the note repeated from all around, followed by the low rumble of thousands marching into battle. A large shadow passed over, and he looked up to see the dragon flying in low over the city, flanked by half-a-dozen durgen. Astride its back rode Warin, his bone white arm illuminated against the dragon’s dark form. The mage would rain down fire on the Bruxan soldiers to create confusion in the disorderly streets. Corin had considered not using the dragon but had dismissed the idea quickly. He hoped to end this fight quickly and spare as many lives as possible.

  Lightening arced from somewhere within the maze of buildings as enemy mages tried to knock Warin from the sky. The cast was stopped as a shimmering barrier formed below the dragon. The impact of the two energies flashed white, sending smaller bolts flying in different directions. The dragon dipped its long snout and opened its massive jaws wide. A pillar of flame larger than any fire mage’s creation poured out. Warin banked slowly, setting fire to the buildings and men between them. A chunk of stone ripped through the air, hitting a durgen directly beneath one wing and tearing the appendage away. Corin felt his chest tighten as rider
and mount spiraled down in tight circles. He forced himself to relax. Casualties were inevitable. There was nothing he could do to change that. Already, the other riders were unleashing a barrage of arrows in the direction the stone had come from. The army on this side of the city flowed up from behind him, and he urged his horse forward to stay just ahead. Nelix had argued against his leading the attack, but he had ignored the General. He had never been one to let his men take risks he would not take himself.

  The muddy streets sucked at the horse’s hooves as they made their way past the shacks. “When this is over, I will fix all of this,” Shana said, gazing around. “These people have a right to a better life.”

  “I believe you,” he said, smiling with warmth.

  Celia sighed. “We can worry about what comes after, after. Many soldiers still stand between us and Deena, and there is no guarantee we will win.”

  “We will win,” Corin said with conviction. “We have no other option.”

  As they reached the city proper, the streets became paved and the buildings changed from haphazardly constructed wood to mortared stone. The dragon breathed one last powerful spurt of flame deeper into the city before flying away. The streets were too narrow for the wide wings of the risen and would put it in unnecessary risk. Warin would land outside the city and join the other mages on the ground.

  Soon, Corin could smell the smoke from what had been a barricade. A low wall, raised by earth mages, stood between buildings that burned with the dragon’s fire. Dozens of charred bodies hung from the wall and littered the ground below. Two mages in brown and red robes stepped forward from the mass of men and raised their hands. The wall began slowly sinking into the ground and the flames dwindled, clearing the way for the army to advance. Corin imagined scenes similar to this one happening all throughout the city. Defenses that Deena thought would hold were failing before the real fighting had even begun. As the wall dipped low, Corin saw more dead men strewn across the ground behind. Beyond them, the street was filled with Bruxan soldiers standing shoulder-to-shoulder. As the last foot of the wall disappeared back into the street, he nodded to the signaler who blew his horn again. With a deafening roar, the soldiers sprinted forward.

  The fight was brutal. Riders above fired arrows into the defenseless men as mages cast with abandon. Their magic went unanswered from the other side. The Bruxan mages were absent from the fight, leaving the soldiers far outmatched. After only ten minutes, they broke and retreated deeper into the city. The alliance continued forward at a steady pace. The Bruxans turned and reformed to meet them again only to be pushed back. Corin kept their pace until they stood before the white walls of the palace. Bruxan soldiers beat at the sealed gates, begging to be admitted, but their calls went unanswered from the men on the wall above.

  Looking down the wide street running parallel to the wall, Corin saw that much of his army had now reached this point. Most of the durgen were holding position above the buildings, waiting for the signal to attack. The Bruxan forces had nowhere left to run. Corin was about to command the mages to attack when Shana laid a hand on his shoulder.

  “Let me speak to them first,” she said. He nodded his agreement, and she moved her horse into the street. The air had gone strangely quiet with the Bruxans watching her lonely approach. “Bruxa, lay down your weapons and surrender. Deena has left you to die as she sits safely within. Join us, and help me bring about an era of prosperity for all.”

  The Bruxans stared at her silently until one man, dressed in the common chainmail of a soldier, stepped forward. He held his sword out before him, the tip pointing at Shana, then dropped it to the ground with a loud clang. The soldier stepped forward, moving toward Shana in a deliberately non-threatening manner. Others followed his example. First a few dozen, then hundreds, dropped their weapons and moved away from the wall. Corin felt his hopes rising before a fireball arched down from above, slamming into the back of the soldier who had been first to surrender. The explosion cracked through the air, throwing four other men around him to the ground. More magic followed, accompanied by a deadly rain of arrows. Most of it landed amongst the defenders outside the gate.

  In the confusion that ensued, some Bruxans tried to surrender while others attacked. He had given the command to accept all surrender whenever possible, leaving his men uncertain of what to do. Most were able to sort out the difference, but he could already see groups of the alliance, mostly consisting of General Travon’s men, cutting down Bruxans without discriminating.

  He had focused his attention fully on Shana when he saw her swept under the wave of men. Her horse reared back, throwing her from the saddle before trampling men in its dash to safety. Corin moved forward almost without thinking. His sword appeared in his hand with no memory of drawing it. Nelix and Celia did their best to stay at his side, as did his escort, but he was soon in the thick of the fighting. Horns blared and men yelled as they pressed forward while magic and arrows continued to fall. His own mages had done a better job of keeping their wits about them, concentrating on repelling the enemy casts and preparing to assault the wall. Large patches of ice had grown on the smooth, stone expanse, the frost weakening the structure as it burrowed into small cracks and widened them. Massive golems erupted from the streets and buildings, causing portions of them to collapse. Bolts of lightning and fireballs scarred the white surface of the wall, turning portions of it black. The impacts blasted out chunks of stone that landed amongst the Bruxans.

  Corin pushed passed the line. The soldiers, seeing their king moving out into fray, followed along as if pulled by rope. Those Bruxan soldiers who were trying to surrender did their best to clear a path while the rest were cut down by his sword. He reached the spot where he had lost sight of Shana and found her surrounded by soldiers in red livery. They faced outward, their swords bared. The men parted for him, and he heeled his horse into the circle, not knowing where their allegiance lay and not caring. He found Shana standing firmly inside the protective circle, shouting for the Bruxans not to fight. A wave of relief washed over him at seeing her unharmed.

  “Please, stop!” she was shouting as he had reigned his horse next her.

  He touched her arm. “It’s too late for that. We will do what we can, but right now, we are an easy target.” A second later, a gout of flame flashed directly over his head, burning away the arrows that had been aimed at them.

  He watched her look about, frustration etched on her face. In the end, she took his offered hand and pulled herself up behind him. Before turning the horse around, he took in the chaos around him and understood. Bruxa’s mages lined the top of the wall, using their magic to great effect but not caring whether their own people or the alliance was struck down. Their casts kept the durgen from getting close enough to attack. Corin realized that this was what Deena had wanted. She had known her sister would try to sway the soldiers and that Corin’s strategy would be to convert, not kill. Now, his men were struggling to advance while sorting defectors from attackers. He had rushed in headlong, thinking he could win by superior force. Corin turned his horse around and began moving back toward the safety of the buildings. His escort and the surrendered Bruxans moved with them. Many had given their lives to protect Shana before he reached her with his own men.

  As he neared the buildings, Nelix and Celia rode up to him. “How many times are you going to foolishly risk your life?” his cousin demanded.

  Corin ignored her. His actions had been more foolish than she believed. An ice spear shattered against a building, peppering the soldiers nearby with shards. “General, pull the men out of range of the enemy casts. Once we have sorted out this mess and figured out who is surrendering, we will attack the wall.” Nelix saluted, bringing a fist firmly to his chest, and turned, shouting orders to officers and signalers. Corin looked to Celia. “Have Tamrick, Danika, and Alimar meet me at that building.” Corin pointed to a large three-story building with a sloping, green-tiled roof. Anger radiated off Celia, but she said nothing. Saluting, sh
e moved to carry out his command.

  Corin looked back, checking on Shana once more before heeling his horse toward the building. As he pulled away from the line with half his escort moving forward to ensure the way was clear, Lord Bash appeared, accompanied by loyal Bruxans. “Your Majesty, are you okay?” he asked. Corin was about to respond when he realized the young man was speaking to Shana.

  “I am fine, Bash. Why aren’t you with our men?” Shana said.

  “When I saw you go down, I circled around with these men to rescue you.” He indicated his men in their red livery. Each of the soldiers now wore blue cloth armbands to distinguish them from those loyal to Deena.

  “Thank you, Bash, but you should return. The men will need you.”

  Bash shook his head. “The men are fine. The other lords and I agree that you must have your own escort.” He looked at Corin. “No offense to His Majesty.”

  “I take no offence,” Corin said, genuinely pleased with their decision. “But if you are to protect her, you must come with me.” Bash nodded and fell in behind as Corin continued forward.

  His escort spread out around the building. Helping Shana dismount, Corin dropped to his feet next to her. The Guard captain stepped out from the double-doored entrance. “The building is empty, Your Majesty, but…”

  “But what?” Corin demanded.

  “It is not a…respectable establishment,” the captain finished.

  “It is as good as any,” Corin said, amused that the captain would worry about his king entering a lowly tavern. In truth, he had not visited such places in many years, but in his youth had been no stranger to them, carousing with other nobles his age.

  Inside, the layout was not what he expected. Bottles rested on raised shelves behind a bar, but the furniture consisted mostly of red cushioned couches and chairs with low, polished tables between them. Soft rugs were scattered throughout the sitting areas and ornate candle fixtures hung from the dark red walls. The air smelled so thickly of perfumes and incense that he almost sneezed.