I was working up a good sweat when the morning peace was shattered by screaming. I stopped and waited. People seemed to move toward the Mess Wagon. Oaks came running toward me, “M’lord, Cookie is in a bad way.” I ran, follows Oaks.
Oaks cleared the crowd and got me through. ‘In a bad way’, didn’t quite cover it. Cookie was still crying out. I’d seen burn victims before, but when they were this bad, they were usually already dead. I flung my hand at him, knocking him out with a spell. I waved my hand and the hot water became cool.
Cookie had dumped a large vat of boiling water on himself. His hands and arms were cooked and swollen like sausages. He had third-degree burns from the waist down.
I knelt putting my hands on his chest; I sent my Mage Sense into him. I was shocked at the pain that struck me. I pushed past it to his wounds. I stopped the cooking of his flesh the boiling water started. I started replacing the cooked flesh with new flesh. I repaired his arms and hands, and his fingers. The tendons where the hardest, they were a mass of cooked meat. I knew I was expending a lot of energy, but I couldn’t stop. I was afraid if I stopped, he would lose his hands, and maybe his life. I don’t know how long I was at it, but I felt my consciousness slip away.
I WAS SWAYING, LIKE in a gentle breeze. There was a sound, a soft sweet sound. Humming. I listened then followed the humming up toward consciousness. I kept my eyes closed, enjoy is the sound and the soft breeze. I realized my head was laying in someone’s lap. That someone smelled good, and she was soft. I could lay here forever.
My mind began to clear and become more focused. “I must be dead.”
“Why would you say that?” Reggie asked.
“Because an angel is holding me.”
“You’ll have to do better than that dear, I’ve heard that one before.” The Queen said.
My eyes snapped open; my head was in the Queen’s lap. Both ladies were smiling down at me.
“Relax dear, don’t get up to quickly.” I felt my face turning red.
“How long have I been out?”
“Three days. When you passed out saving Cookie, they thought you had died. They said you were crying tears of blood. You used too much power at one time. That can be dangerous. You must be careful of that in the future.” The Queen kissed me on my forehead. “Thank you for the second life you have saved for us.”
“I couldn’t let him die when I had the means to save him.”
“Even if it meant losing your own life?”
“I didn’t consider that at the time. But it would not have mattered, I had to try.”
“No greater love.” The Queen said.
“How long before we stop?”
“Soon.”
“Good, because I have to pee like a...” They both were staring at me smiling. I could feel my face turning red...again.
The both put their heads down on mine laughing. “You are priceless,” the Queen said. All I could think was, “they smell good.”
They sat me up slowly; I was a little lightheaded. It cleared quickly, and I felt fine.
“How do you feel?” Reggie asked.
“Ok, just hungry.”
“Good,” the Queen said, “That’s a good sign.”
From the noise outside I knew we were stopping. Once we had stopped, the Queen tapped a drawer under the seat. “Chamber pot,” and they got out.
I relieved myself and got out of the coach. I took it slow as I felt weak. Reggie took my arm and walked with me. She gave me their version of a sandwich which was basically a hunk of bread with a hunk of meat and cheese in it.
“Cookie sent this over to hold you until dinner.”
I devoured it. She was looking closely at my hand, “what?”
“I was just checking to see if you had eaten any fingers as fast as you ate that.” She said smiling. She handed me a jug of water. The cool water was a relief, and I drank deeply.
We stayed by the coach and let the men set up camp. Once the Royal tent was up and the table and chairs were out, they sat me down with cool watered wine to drink. I sat watching the camp go up.
Rodrigo-san came by, “It’s good to see you back on your feet.”
“Thank you,” He bowed then moved on about his business.
As I sat there, my mind became unfocused. I became aware of everything around me. The ground, and the life in it. The camp, the forest, and the life in it. The sky, and the life in it. Though I could not see any of it with my eyes, I felt the surrounding life from the smallest insects to the larger animals out in the forest. It felt amazing, the ebb and flow of life. I sat and watched in my mind’s eye.
Someone’s hand touched my hand, my eyes snapped open and my defenses flared. Reggie had her hands up backing away. Her shields were up protecting her. “Aaron, It’s me, you’re ok, it’s me.”
My bracer shields were fully up, and my daggers were in my hands the air around me crackled with energy. I shut it all down and folded the daggers away.
“I’m sorry, you startled me. I just reacted.”
She smiled, “It’s ok, I won’t do that again. At least we know the shields work.”
“Please, if I am asleep or meditating, say my name before you touch me.”
She nodded, stepping back to me, she hugged me. “Where those the daggers you told me about?”
“Yes.”
“They appeared so sudden; you must teach me that.”
I nodded. “I will, but I’ll have to make you a set first.”
“Let’s go for a walk until dinner is ready.”
I got up; she took my hand, and we walked the perimeter. “Captain Motts said you were the one who thought of putting up the thorn bush barrier around the camp.” I nodded. “We’ve been doing that every night since. That was a great idea. Everyone slept easier, and they didn’t have to use as many guards.”
“Who’s been putting it up?”
“Mother, she has more of an affinity for Earth Magic.”
“Earth Magic?” I stopped and looked at the ground. I felt the earth pulsing with life. “Is this a normal stopping place? A permanent camp site?”
“Yes, they have them every five to ten miles on the King’s Trade Road.’’
I looked around, “Is there a well?”
“Not at this one, it would have been useful if they dug one though.”
I looked around; we were on a high point of the clearing. I felt an underground stream here. I knelt and put my hand to the earth. I visualized a well opening lined with rocks. Rocks started raising from the ground forming a circle, then they lined the shaft as it went down. At ten feet we had water, cool, fresh, clean water. I raised a stone trough to water the animals, filled it, and put a spell on it to always keep it clean, and full.
“There, we now have fresh water.”
She shook her head, “show off.” She squeezed my hand. The men started bringing the stock to water almost right away.
“You should not be using magic so soon; you need to recharge.”
I nodded, but I felt the earth recharging me through my feet. It felt like drinking cool water. “let’s set down a minute.”
“See, I told you.”
When I sat down on the ground, my recharge rate increased. The earth was refilling me, soothing me. “I just wanted to sit with you.”
“Whatever.” She fussed, but smiled at me.
I saw they had set my tent up. She saw me looking at it. “The men set everything up every night, and had guards posted with you all night, every night. The men have started calling you Captain Aaron.”
“Why?”
“Well, all Royals are Mages, and we have titles, some call Healing Mages ‘Sir Mage’. In the army most of the doctors they get are mundane. They usually just call them doctor. If they are good, the men call them ‘Doc’. They saw you save one of theirs. No one asked you, you asked for nothing, you just did it. They saw you crying tears of blood while you, basically, grow new arms and hands back on the least of them, a cook. They have c
laimed you as one of their own. You are more than a ‘Doc’, and in their eyes, more than a Royal Mage. They have named you, ‘Captain Aaron’. For anyone to impress them now, they’ll have to walk on water.”
“I hope I can live up to their expectations.”
“The fact that you are worried about doing that, says you will. Come on, let’s go get you a change of clothes,” we stood up. “Mother and I bathed you so you’re clean.” I stopped, she kept walking,
“Excuse me?”
“Someone had to, and you are mine now.” She said over her shoulder.
“You’re kidding right? Your mother?”
“I needed a chaperone.”
“But your mother?” I heard her chuckle as she kept walking. “Don’t worry, she said she had seen naked men before.”
“That’s not funny.” I ran to catch up with her.
As we moved through the camp, everyone greeted me. “Good evening Captain.” I was a Captain again it was a nice feeling, a familiar feeling. I was among my own, whether they knew it or not.
“We need to stop by the Mess Wagon to see Cookie. He has come to the tent every night to check on you and to thank you.”
I nodded. “You always want to keep the cooks, medics, and paymasters on your side.” She frowned at me. “I read it somewhere.”
When we got to the Mess Wagon and the old cook saw me, tears streamed down his face. Holding his arms out to show me. “You made them new, not just healed, you gave me new.” The new skin was red rather than tanned.
“How could I do any less, my friend? You had a need; I had the gift. How can I withhold something that God freely gave me?” He dropped to his knees weeping. Those around us all started crossing themselves and took a knee. I looked around and half the camp was kneeling.
I magically amplified my voice, “hear me. I am but a man, as you are. I have been given a gift. Do not worship the gift or the man who uses the gift. Rather worship the giver of gifts, and the only one who is worthy of worship, God the Father.”
“Amen.” Someone shouted.
“Amen,” I seconded. Then everyone said Amen. Cookie came to me and hugged me. Thanking me.
As we walked up toward the Royal tent, “So, now you walk on water too.” Reggie said smiling.
“Not even close my dear, not even close.”
OUR DAYS FELL INTO a routine. Up before sunrise to exercise, break camp, move ten miles, set up camp. I would put in a well and animal trough, the Queen would put the thorn bush barrier up. Wash, rinse, repeat. Hunting parties would kill deer and elk along the way to keep us in meat. I had started riding with the outriders, saying I needed the training. They took me right in. I also started training on how to fight from horseback. Grey needed no training, he seemed to know which way I needed to go.
When I was not riding with troopers, I rode with Reggie. I enjoyed her company. She had a quick wit, and an inquisitive mind.
I shifted to Japanese, “¥How many people speak Rodrigo-San’s language? ¥” I asked.
“¥As far as I know only, he and I. He’s been teaching me for about five years now.¥”
“¥So, if we wanted to have a private conversation this would be the way?¥”
“¥Yes, except for Rodrigo-San. Are you ready to tell me where you learned the language?¥”
I thought for a moment, I really wasn’t ready, but I didn’t want to burn any bridges. “¥It’s hard to say where I learned it, my memories are jumbled, almost like some memories belong to someone else.¥”
She nodded, “¥It’s the serum they made you take, from what I’ve learned it has some bad side effects, even if it doesn’t kill you.¥”
“¥I suppose, I try not to think about it. I just accept it and move on. But speaking this language give us practice in it, and we will improve.¥”
She nodded, “But, only when we are alone or it’s very important.”
“OK.” We continued to practice as we rode, it helped pass the time.
IT WAS A DREAM; I KNEW it was a dream. I was back in South America. The Cartel had tried to surround our team and then drive us toward an ambush. Good idea, bad execution.
I came fully awake. My fingers were gripping the ground. I sent my Mage Sense out through the earth. A large force was moving into positron to surround us. They weren’t in position yet, but it wouldn’t be long before they were.
I put my armor on quickly, including my cloak. I stepped to my wagon, “Oaks.” I said in a normal voice.
“Sir.” came the reply.
“Find Captain Motts, tell him we are surrounded. Pull everyone to the center of the camp to protect the Royals. Move quickly, but quietly.”
“Yes Sir.” He had dressed as I spoke, then was gone.
I needed to buy the Captain some time to prepare. I put my helmet up and pulled my cloak around me. I levitated and rose thirty feet up. I turned looking; I could make out the enemy moving into position.
I concentrated and called up a fog from the forest. I kept it out of our camp. I switched to heat signature vision. The cool fog made the enemy stand out like torches.
I felt magic being used, someone was trying to counter my fog. He wasn’t having much luck so far, but I didn’t want to give him time to figure it out. As I moved toward the place where the magic was being used; I took out my staff-bow.
I aimed and sent an arrow at his head. His shields flared, but the mithril arrow went right through his shield killing him instantly. His shields faded. my arrow was back.
“Ok sniper, time to go to work.” I moved further back into the forest staying roughly thirty feet up. I found their rear most attacker, I aimed and put an arrow through the back of his head. The only sound he made was when his body fell. I worked my way around their circle. I put an arrow through the back of each one of their heads. None of them ever made a sound.
Once I was sure I had accounted for the men sent to attack us, I searched further back in the forest and then down the road. I found their rear guard, horses, supply wagons, and camp. There was an officer setting at their fire waiting. I killed their rear guard as I had the others, arrows through their heads quick, and quiet. The officer by the fire never heard a thing.
I landed out of sight and put my helmet back into my collar. I stepped out of the darkness and walked toward the light. When he saw me, he cut his eyes left and right.
“They’re not there.” I said. He seemed to relax and nodded.
He was drinking a cup of something hot. “share a cup?” He pointed to the pot over the fire.
“Thank you,” I poured myself a cup, and sat down across from him.
“My men?” I shook my head. “The Mage?” I shook my head again. “He said you were good.”
I took a swallow of the warm spice wine, nice flavor. “Who is ‘He’?”
“For that information you’ll have to work a little harder.”
I nodded, “I hope they paid you well, and in advance.”
“Yes, to both, very well actually. After I kill you, I’m retiring. I’ll be rich enough I’ll never have to work again.” We stood and moved away from the fire. He removed his cloak, so I did as well. I could tell he was wearing runed armor and using runed weapons.
We drew swords; he didn’t hesitate he came straight at me, hard and fast. I gave way, blocking each attack. I stutter stepped, changed my direction coming in low. The shields on his greaves flared. We separated.
“Nice armor, part of your payment?”
“Yes, and worth a fortune by itself.”
“I’ll take good care of your armor.”
He laughed, “you do that.”
He attacked, he was good, and his speed was magically enhanced, but so was mine. My advantage was ‘I’ was magically enhanced, where he was wearing enhanced jewelry. I could feel the earth recharging me. I don’t think his worked that way.
I matched him stroke for stroke. Thrust, cut, parry. Attack, defend, attack. He was slowing and was dripping wet from sweat. In one exchange,
I hit him on the side of the head, his shield flared. He was wearing a crown shield too. In a desperation move he came in close and pulled a dagger, trying for a side cut. I separated my swords and blocked both attacks.
We parted, he dropped his sword and pulled another dagger. I joined my swords and sheathed Dancer. I lowered my hands, and my arm daggers appeared in them. He was slowing. It was time to end this. I slashed at his face he blocked I stabbed his femoral artery and backed away. No armor down there. He staggered back, then sat down.
He didn’t even look; he knew he was done for. I kept my distance in case he tried to take me with him. He sheathed his daggers, and I did as well. “Well fought, I guess you get Armor.” He smiled. “I’ve never been beaten this badly, even discounting the fatal cut. It was humbling.”
“They’ll never stop coming after you. Your enemies are from your south, north, and from the sea. But the one you’re interested in is...” He started convulsing and his tongue burst into flames. Screaming his head melted like wax. Someone had put a death spell on him to keep their secret.
Chapter 8
It was roughly one AM, and the fog I had called was still thick. They wouldn’t lower the thorn bushes, to come out of the camp until after sun-up at the earliest. I had plenty of time to search the bodies, and their camp to gather intel. I started with their Captain.
I stripped him of all his weapons, armor, jewels, and set everything to the side. He was wearing a blessed bag. I’d search it later, I set it to the side. I searched his cloak and tossed it on the pile of his belongings. I picked up his shield bracelets and put them on. The circlet was somewhat odd. It had fine gold chains hanging down the back of the neck getting shorter as they moved around toward the face. The band was wider than I’d seen so far. “I’m guessing that’s for neck protection,” I put it on. I made them all sink under my skin.
“I need a way to keep all this, or a way to fit it into my bag of holding.” A word sprang to my mind. I took out my notebook and looked up “holding crystals.” I found it and read. It was basically a marble that things went inside of. You first cast the spell to miniaturize everything, then they gathered inside the holding crystal. You could carry everything like a bag of marbles.
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