by Eric Vall
Still, I couldn’t help admiring the sight of so many mages rising early and being so dedicated to their craft, and with a bit of luck, we’d have dozens more joining us once Shoshanne removed their brandings. I expected the snatcher to return by sunset, which meant I had a day to sort out a workspace for the healer to do the operations in, and I decided to tackle that the second I returned from Serin.
Then I dropped into the driver’s seat of my Mustang, and with Stan perched on the dashboard, I brought Bobbie to life. The deep growl of her engine reverberated throughout the steel of her frame, and Stan nuzzled his little head against her windshield as a greeting.
“Good morning, beautiful,” I sighed as I patted the steel dash. “What do you say we take a ride? Just us today.”
The engine revved eagerly, and I chuckled as Bobbie, Stan, and I pulled out of Falmount Rift and headed down the hill toward Serin. The cool morning breeze in my hair cleared my mind and helped me sort out how to approach Temin today, and the daunting list of bad news I needed to discuss with him seemed more approachable by the time I made it to the outer gates of the capital.
Serin was already in the swing of its early morning bustle, and I nodded a greeting to the many civilians I passed who tipped their hats to me or waved their scarves above their heads. I could tell the king had already made his announcement about the arrival of my automaton that had shaken everyone up so badly, because no one was walking on edge anymore. It was as if the threat of the Master didn’t exist here, which was the weirdest thing to me, but it probably meant I was doing something right.
Fifteen minutes later, Bobbie was parked in the castle courtyard, and I grabbed Stan and my sack of darts before I headed for the elusive tunnel that led to the Oculus. It always made my spine tingle a bit to cross over the enchanted threshold, but that could have been the anticipation of entering the magical city.
Wyresus once accused me of spending less time in the Oculus than any other mage, and even though he hadn’t been wrong, the accusation bothered me more than I expected. The truth was, I’d been wanting to spend time in the underground city ever since Aurora had first brought me here on the back of her horse. It felt like walking into a giant hive of my own kind, and I’d never felt so at home as I did when I stood within the cavernous walls of the Oculus. But within a week of first arriving, the looming threat of the Master had come to light, and it seemed like I’d spent every second since then running around trying to counter his attempts to overthrow the entire realm.
Well … that and enjoying the company of my four beautiful women.
Overall, finding a balance was nearly impossible these days, but now that I was back in Serin, I was determined to spend more time getting familiar with the Oculus and the many strange things the city had to offer. With my automaton in place and protecting the mages in residence, it seemed like a good time to let my guard down just a smidge, and as a dim red glow began to illuminate the blackened tunnel ahead, I felt more secure in this thought than ever.
Big Guy’s twin stood in front of the lofty stone doors of the Oculus, and his sword was unsheathed from one arm while he held his crossbow at the ready. His blood red eyes burned brightly from his metal helm, and the torchlight at his back cast his ominous shadow far into the dim tunnel. He was a big red killing machine waiting to take on anyone who dared to threaten the members of the Order of the Elementa, and a chill shook my shoulders as I imagined coming up on him unaware.
“Looking good,” I said with a sinister grin as I emerged from the darkness.
The automaton lowered his crossbow and sheathed his sword when he recognized me, and the pulse of his red gem burned brighter the moment Stan popped out of the pocket on my vest.
Then the giant held out his metal hand, and his little brother delivered the tiniest high five before scrambling up his arm to sit on his shoulder.
“I brought you some darts for that blow gun,” I told the automaton. “Now, it’s important you not tranquilize the regular mages, and never, ever fire a dart toward King Temin, are we clear?”
The big red man nodded diligently, and when he held his arm out to me, I began filing the darts into the magazine on the inside of his forearm.
“Any trouble so far?” I asked as I worked, and his metal head shook side to side. “Excellent. Your green brother is on the job today, and we’ve already tested the darts and the blow gun, so you should be good to go. Just remember, if you do catch some runed mages, load them up in your net, but don’t bring them to Falmount right away. The tranquilizer should give you several hours to work with, and I want you to stay on patrol in case the possessed mages aren’t working alone. So far, they seem to work in groups of two or three, so be on your guard for more if one shows up. Then bring the batch out to me in Falmount Rift as quickly as you can so the Oculus doesn’t go unguarded for too long.”
Big Red nodded once more, and I grinned as I realized the name suited him well.
“Hmm,” I mused as I eyed the giant automaton and the bloody pulse of his gem. “What do you think, Stan? Big Red?”
Stan scratched his chin as he eyed his brother’s enormous head, and then he gave a nod before he pounded his chest once with his metal fist.
“Exactly, it’s not so creepy as The Cannibal,” I allowed, “but I like the subtlety. His weaponry speaks for itself anyways, I mean, clearly he’ll kill you, but he’s also kind of a big-hearted guy, and I think that’s important, too.”
Big Red shifted his giant shoulders to stand a little taller, and I chuckled as I sensed his approval.
“Then it’s settled,” I decided. “Stan, why don’t you hang out with your brother while I go check on something? You can tell him all about our trial run yesterday and the recent developments.”
I left the two in the torchlight outside the Oculus, and when I glanced over my shoulder before the stone doors closed behind me, I could see Stan frantically running in place on Big Red’s palm. I doubted I looked so ridiculous sprinting through the western woods, but it was a decent attempt.
Then I headed down into the magical city, and my eyes roved over every structure and distant quarter in the massive cavern. The sunlight pouring through the craterlike hole above me glittered along the waterway that stretched across the belly of the city, and in the distance, the multi-colored dome of the Great Library glowed like a beacon.
A deep sense of the Terra magic that went into forming the strange city made my veins buzz with pride, and I let the heady sensation course through me while I took in the extent of the ancient place. Rocky structures rose up all around and even crawled up the edges of the domed cavern on all sides, and the winding streets intersected with offshoots of the central waterway where quaint stone bridges arched to cross them. The mages walking by already seemed more at ease now that the news of Big Red’s arrival had spread, and I exchanged some friendly waves while I made my way through the city.
None of the pubs here were named after me, but they had some impressive means of drawing customers in. One sign must have been created by an Ignis Mage because the flaming border seared in a vibrant amber without destroying the wood, and in the center, the words “Fire Shots” rippled in blue while sparks burst from the letters every so often.
A robe-maker had an enchanted breeze constantly rustling their stock in the front window, and I smirked at a particularly skimpy robe with fiery red trim. It was purposely tattered around the hem to look like it had been burned away, and I could tell it would barely conceal the apex of Aurora’s thighs if she wore it, which she definitely would have done if she still lived in the Oculus.
I probably would have been the one to buy it for her, too, and I made a mental note to stop by the shop with my half-elf some time and see what she thought. I kind of missed tearing her mage’s robe off her.
I took a roundabout route to the Great Library so I could get a better look at the city while I had some time, and I spent a while moseying through the blacksmith’s quarters to see what kind of swo
rds they were supplying these days. It was nothing nearly as remarkable as Dragir’s designs, but the king had made good on his promise to get the blacksmiths working overtime on weaponry for the mages. Seeing Flumen Mages working to help with the cooling process was unexpected, though, and I watched for half an hour while a blacksmith and his Flumen apprentice crafted a few broadswords together. The young man seemed to be struggling with controlling the temperature of the water once the gleaming metal entered it, but he didn’t give up, even when boiling water spurted up and scalded his mentor right in the face.
The blacksmith yelped and stumbled into a rack of half-finished hilts, and I casually sparked my metal magic to catch the shelf before his work could scatter into the streets. Then I cooled the temperature of the broadsword blade since the Flumen Mage was so frazzled he didn’t notice the water was still boiling and splattering on the mages passing by.
I was still chuckling to myself over the whole ordeal when I finally mounted the steps leading to the giant library within the Oculus.
There was the same uneasy atmosphere amongst the mages inside, but I could understand their trepidation. The main threats to the Oculus had started right here in the Great Library where the majority of the mages spent their days, but I hoped things would be back to normal soon.
If Big Red did his job, weeks would pass without another incident, and the mages in the Oculus could go about their studies in peace again.
For now, it was enough to see the place more occupied than it had been only a day before, and I focused on this win rather than my next irritating task of the day.
I found Defender Barnik reeking of ale and blood sausage when I entered the cellar beneath the library, and Wyresus was snoring with his head resting on the table. Every exhale whistled like a teapot, and I cocked my brow as Barnik belched a greeting at me.
I decided to leave the head of the Order as he was while I filled the Defender in on Deya’s discovery about the Master’s fortress and the threat against the ogres. Barnik and Haragh had been drinking buddies at Flynt’s Pub ever since the Aer Mage came to Falmount Rift, and his rugged expression immediately darkened as I explained our concerns.
“Tell him I’ll skin the Master myself and wear his hide in the winter months,” the man growled, and the glint in his stark green eyes made me realize I wouldn’t be surprised to see him wearing another man’s skin like a sash.
“I’ll do that,” I muttered, “but in the meantime, I need to find out how many ogres have been taken. Once we know that, we can figure out what to do about it. If we can do anything about. Haragh says the full-fledged ogres might get more violent if we try and tranquilize them like the mages, especially after being branded.”
“Shit,” Barnik cursed. “No wonder ye’ look like you’ve been up drinkin’ all night.”
I snorted. “Actually, I spent most of yesterday tranquilized. That’s probably what’s doing it.”
“Been there,” Barnik sighed.
I chuckled as I shook my head, but then the Aer Mage turned to fill a fresh mug of ale for me from his personal barrel, and I clanked my glass with his before downing the entire pint.
“Looks like you’ve nearly killed Wyresus,” I pointed out as I wiped the foam from my lip. “Remember, I do need him capable of functioning if he’s gonna get to translating those elven scrolls.”
“Oh, he’s alive,” Barnik said with a shrug. “It was our first night together, so I thought I’d make an impression. He pissed himself twice, you know. Think it tuckered the guy out. Here, watch this.”
Barnik handed his mug over to me before he made his way to the table, and he stooped beside Wyresus’ head with a toothy grin. Then he mussed the wild white streaks of hair near his temple until he looked like a genuine lunatic, and I leapt back when he suddenly screamed like an old lady directly into Wyresus’ ear.
The head of the Order shot up, smacked his head on his chair back, slipped out of his seat, and then clocked his chin on the table’s edge.
Barnik laughed heartily and kept his creepy grin within an inch of the man through all of this, and Wyresus paled at the sight of his guardian looming above him.
“Wakey wakey,” Barnik sneered. “The boss is here, and it seems you’re sleepin’ on the job yet again.”
Wyresus whimpered and peeked at me over the edge of the desk, and I couldn’t help shaking my head in pity over the idiot. He already looked ten years older, and I’d only left him with Barnik for a day.
“Get up,” I sighed. “Barnik, give me a minute with him.”
“Oh, dear,” Barnik chuckled sadistically. “Now ye’ve done it, old man. Do yourself a favor and choose the belt. The rod’s not something those pretty bones of yours can handle.”
I tried not to chuckle as Barnik strolled past and took his mug with him on his way out, and when the door shut behind him, Wyresus let out a long, shaky breath.
“Mason Flynt, I must insist you--”
“Do you really think insisting on anything is gonna improve this situation?” I asked as I crossed my arms.
“No, sir,” Wyresus mumbled against the desk.
“Get up,” I ordered again, and this time, the man slowly pulled himself into his seat.
“Have you come to take your filthy mage away?” Wyresus asked with contempt, but when I narrowed my eyes, he swallowed loudly and shrank another inch against his seat.
“I’ve come to let you know those Defenders you were so proudly promoting are the Master’s top recruits,” I informed the head of the Order, and I was glad to see his milky blue eyes bulging out of his head. “Dahko, Ravvo, Aloshi, all of them. They’re organizing mass brandings in the Oculus, ordering hundreds to be branded within days, and shuttling all of our mages to a hidden fortress in the eastern foothills. Now, I find out they’re after the ogres as well, and you know what I have to say about that?”
Wyresus blanched and shook his head.
“It’s pretty convenient that the biggest, baddest, and most unpredictable mages in this Oculus are all equipped enough to take on a fucking ogre and win.” I watched as Wyresus’s gaze immediately dropped to the table. “It’s almost like you put all of your effort into ensuring a few highly impressive Defenders made it to the forefront, while completely ignoring the hundreds of others who desperately needed instruction.”
“Mason Flynt, I assure you I had no idea--”
“Oh, I know you had no idea,” I cut in as I slowly approached the table. “I’m positive you had no idea how much work it would take to lead this Order, or how detrimental it would be to the safety of Illaria if you failed to do so properly. You did, however, have an idea of how to make yourself feel like a hell of a leader, and copping out by promoting this group of mages based on fear factor alone was just about the stupidest way you could have done it. These Defenders know everything about the Order now, so the Master knows everything about the Order. They know everything about the students who reside within the Oculus, and more importantly, they know how vulnerable all of us are under your leadership. That is why the Master has targeted us. Not because our powers are valuable, the powers of the elves are valuable, too. And do you know who he went after in Nalnora?”
Wyresus shook his head once more.
“He went after the Houses that were led by idiots first,” I informed him. “The ones so blinded with their ideas of their own strength that they gave no thought about their own vulnerability. They were big, scary, stupid elves, much like these Defenders. Then he took those Houses and unleashed them on the only two that stood for more than that. One House had the most coveted weapon makers in the nation with a bloodline so sacred even the Master had no idea what he was up against, and the other was a House made entirely of the rebels of the elite who couldn’t be slaughtered even after hundreds of years of war. These two Houses survived his attacks. Now, where do you think the Order stands in all of this? Where would you place us in the Master’s grand scheme?”
Wyresus swallowed loudly, and he
had to clear his throat a few times before his voice returned. “Th-the former group.”
“Yes,” I replied through gritted teeth. “And who made sure that was the category we fell under?”
“I-I did, sir,” Wyresus croaked.
I nodded as I leaned on the desk and held the man’s milky gaze. “See? You are learning a lot down here. So, I’m gonna keep Barnik on duty since you’re making so much of an improvement, and you’ll insist on not a damn thing when I come down here. Because the Order of the Elementa is ancient and dynamic enough to be on par with the Houses the Master failed to destroy, but thanks to you, we’re the fucking idiots being branded like a bunch of sheep up for slaughter. Understood?”
“Understood.”
“Great,” I growled. “I assume you’ve made no progress on those scrolls.”
“No, sir, but not for a lack of trying, I assure you,” Wyresus insisted. “That savage mage of yours keeps me up at all hours of the night with his crazed rambling.”
“There aren’t any scrolls on the table,” I informed him flatly. “Don’t try to bullshit me, Wyresus. I’m just about wrung out of patience for bullshitters.”
The man let out a disgruntled sigh and nodded, and I turned for the door since the stench of urine was starting to make me gag. Then I leaned into the hall and waved for Barnik to join us, and he merrily took his seat beside his barrel of ale as he twiddled his fingers at the head of the Order.
“If he’s working on the scrolls, he’s fine,” I told Barnik, “but any other moment, you do your thing.”
