Reggie burst forth from their pavilion, she came running and launched herself on me. I caught her, “You better be glad you followed those orders too.” She said as she stood beside me.
“What did you do with the 300 prisoners?” The King asked.
“I gave them each a horse and sent them back to their King with a warning. If he came further, I would destroy him and his army.”
“You think he will heed you warning?”
I shrugged, “we have at least warned him, what happens next is on him.”
THE PRINCESS AND I walked the camp. She greeted each Trooper and thanked them for their service. The mood was light, Cookie had told the escort they were to share in the spoils. That soothed any ill feeling if there were any.
I had Cookie pour the saddle bags of crystals out on the ground; I opened all the crystals, and let the spoils spill out. We left it to Captain Motts and the sergeants to divide it all out.
“Did you talk to the priests?” I asked.
“Yes, they will be ready at noon tomorrow to perform the wedding.”
I nodded, “Good, let’s go have dinner.”
I COULDN’T SLEEP SO I went out for a walk. I levitated up and out of our camp. I looked over the Abbey. At some point in the past it had been a decent place but had fallen into disrepair, almost ruins. The priests were rebuilding it, but it would take them years to complete it.
I landed and walked the grounds. This St. Philip was supposed to have been a warrior Mage and devout man of God. He had quelled the unrest and kept the peace in these kingdoms during his lifetime. I stood in the middle of the shrine and buildings. Wondering if it had ever been finished to begin with.
I sent my Mage Sense out through the earth. I felt the buildings, the walls, and the crypts. They had not set the foundations properly, that was why everything had fallen into disrepair so quickly. I set myself to work with the earth and stone. I repaired, strengthened, and leveled the foundations. I repaired walls, stone works, and floors.
“What the heck, I’m here, and our SF owes him one.’’ I smiled. I concentrated on the earth, and the surrounding structures. I raised unfinished buildings. I raised walls, restored crypts, I repaired or built all I could feel, roadways, walkways, and statues. I made the chapel a church and made it bigger. When I felt I was finished, I looked around, at all I had built, and rebuilt. I might have gotten a little carried away. I shrugged.
I went into the church. They would have to make or buy their own furniture. I felt a crypt beneath my feet. I looked down; I concentrated and dropped through the earth into the crypt. It needed repairing too. I repaired it to its original glory.
An apparition appeared. “Do you come to worship?”
I shook my head, “no.” I smiled.
“To steal then?”
“No, I came to repair, the crypt was in bad shape I wanted to fix it.”
It walked toward me,” you are a Warrior Mage, as I was.”
“Perhaps, I don’t know all my abilities yet. I’m still young and growing into them.”
“You came on a quest, to gain something?”
“No, no quest, just to repair things that were broken.”
He studied me. “You are more than you seem. You are not just a Mage, or Warrior Mage. You defend the weak, protect those who can’t protect themselves, a guardian and are vigilant of evil.”
“That’s a little dramatic isn’t it?”
He chuckled, “maybe, but true all the same.”
“Maybe.” I smiled.
“Your name, brother?”
“Aaron.”
“Brother Aaron, I offer you a trade, you armor for my armor.” A stone wall slid aside. There in a pile lay what had once been a suit of armor. He watched me.
“It’s seen better days,” I said.
“We’ve been down here a long time.” We walked over to the pile. ”You said you came to repair.”
I chuckled,” I did, didn’t I." I could tell the armor had mithril steel backing." Can I use pieces of my armor to repair it?"
“No, it’s a trade, all or nothing.”
“What’s the catch?”
“As you would say, no strings attached.” I looked at him. “I said you were more than you seem.”
I don’t know why, impulse maybe, a challenge. I don’t really know. “Ok, I’ll trade.”
“Place your armor on the floor beside mine. Then it is yours.”
I took my armor off, placing it on the floor beside his old armor. It would take a lot of work to repair that old armor. I hoped the mithriI was worth it.
My shield bracelet armor and circlet flared. I was thrown across the room; I hit the floor and rolled up, daggers out. All I saw coming at me were teeth and claws. Time slowed for me as my runes kicked in. Its reptile skin was like armor, but my mithril daggers were cutting through. It screamed and attacked again; I was blocking most of its attacks, and my bracelet, and circlet shields were handling the rest. It still hurt to be bounced off the floor and walls.
I was pulling energy from the earth recharging. His powerful kick bounced me off the wall, I used the rebound to go low and hamstring him. That slowed him but didn’t stop him. He closed with me, trying to overpower me close in. My shields were holding, but they were at almost a constant flare. I needed to end this.
I folded my right-hand dagger away. I stiffened my fingers straight and my shield-armor surrounded them. I punched up through his neck and into his skull grabbing his brain. The old Mage in me cast a spell. I took the beasts powers and knowledge. I staggered back against the wall, dropping the dead reptile-man.
“Well fought warrior. But I’d be careful using that spell, it’s dangerous, and addictive.”
My eyes focused, there was another apparition there. “Am I going to have to kill you too?”
He laughed, “no, I’m already dead. That was Tallick, a thief. He trapped himself in here long ago trying to loot my crypt.”
I looked around the room the floor was covered with bones, armor, and weapons. “It seems I was not the first to fall for his tricks.”
“He was very good at casting illusions and beguiling.” I nodded, “Yes he was. I don’t suppose you want to trade armor either do you.”
He smiled, “sorry no. My son inherited my armor when I died. The only thing down here is me. Tallick was a victim of his greed. However, there are some nice pieces lying around from unfortunates, you are welcome to them. The best pieces belonged to Tallick. Ironic that his armor, and his powers wound up being the prize.” The apparition faded, “fair well Warrior Mage.”
I cast a light spell and the whole crypt was lit. I looked around the crypt. Tallick had his armor and all the booty stacked in a corner. He had survived by eating all those who had come down here. He would hibernate until his next meal showed up.
I cast the spell putting everything in a crystal and put it in my pouch. I teleported back to my pavilion. I cast a spell to clean myself and my gear. I got undressed and went back to bed. “If I’m not up by eight o’clock, wake me.” The ceiling flashed green.
I WAS UP BEFORE EIGHT and had breakfast. I got out the crystal with Tallick’s armor and booty in it. I must give it to Tallick, his armor was better than mine. The metal used to make his was mithril, covered with reptile skin that was good armor in itself. There was also a shirt and pants of the same skin.
If he’d been wearing this when we fought the outcome might have been different. He also had shield bracelets, for wrist and ankle, they were better than mine. His circlet was also better, I traded up. His armor had more and larger sunstones. His bracers also had reptile skin gloves. Like my bracers his had shields, but with blade protrusions on the outside of the forearm. His greaves were taller and had shields, and blades on the sides and spikes on the heel and at the knee.
I read all the runes, some were in his language, which I could read. He could scribe runes also, which added to my knowledge. His helmet was like mine, as it came out of the collar.
His looked like a dragon’s head and face. The whole thing was made of what he called “dragon glass.” Which could be formed into whatever shape you wanted. It was perfectly clear from the inside. The outside was black, or whatever color you wanted.
I put it all on and it adjusted to fit me perfectly. His hooded cloak was made from the same reptile leather as the armor. It made no sound when it moved and weighed nothing. Now that I thought about it none of his items weighed anything and made no sound moving. The inside of the cloak had several pockets, including a large one in the back. I transferred everything over from my old cloak to my new one.
He had a mithril sword, but I didn’t like the design. I put it in the weapons drawer. Everything else went back in a crystal, and in my pouch. I was now fully dressed in my new armor. My old set I put away.
It was almost time to go to the church, I might as well go over. If I’m late, I’m a dead man. I walked out, helmet down, and headed for the church.
THE KING AND CAPTAIN Motts had the men lined up inside the church, two ranks on each side forming a corridor. The men had cleaned up as best they could. I cast my spell, as I passed down the corridor the men’s armor turned shiny black with gold accents, red cloaks, and spear-lances of gold. Mine and the Captain’s matched the men. The King not to be out done made his all gold.
When the priests were ready, the King went to bring Princess Regina in. The front doors opened, “Honor guard, Post.” The Captain commanded. The trooper raised their spear-lances to form an arch for her to pass under.
Reggie’s armor was all white, a bright white, and she wore a white veil. She was a beautiful sight to behold. As she and the King passed under the spear-lance arch, the troopers would come to attention and face the front of the church. It was nicely done.
When they arrived at the front, The King raised Reggie’s veil and kissed her on the cheek. He passed her hand to me. We walked up the steps and knelt on the top step before the priest.
“Brothers and sisters, we are gathered here before God to bind these two in Holy Matrimony, where the two shall become one.” The Priest said.
I zoned out after that; I had dodged this bullet a few times. I had been best man at some, and drunk at others. All I had to do was say “I do,” have a ring, and I’m good to go. Oh, and not say anything my warped brain may think is funny. Brides have zero sense of humor. Like when Billy burped “I do” at his wedding. All the men laughed, for about two seconds, Bad idea. “I do,” I said, right on cue. I didn’t drop the ring either. I kissed the bride to cheers and tears.
We rolled up the sides of my pavilion and my table fed everyone a feast and served wine. “It was very sweet of you to repair the Abbey. I’m sure the priest appreciates it; I most certainly do.” Reggie said.
“I didn’t want your wedding to be in a rundown shack, you deserved better.”
“Thank you.” she kissed me. The Queen finally kicked everyone out at early evening, and we lowered the sides of our Pavilion.
“Seal the outside doors.” I said. The ceiling flashed green.” Pavilion, this is my wife Princess Regina, I grant her full access to all areas of the Pavilion.”
“Full access granted, greeting Princess Regina, and welcome.”
“Thank you.” She said smiling. “You’ve been keeping secrets.”
I nodded, “Thousands.” I said smiling. “Let’s get out of this armor.” We took our armor off and hung it on the stands in the bedroom. I held my hand out taking hers, I led her through the door going into the coach Pavilion. Where the larger bedroom and the bath was. Pavilion had made the bath larger for us. We washed each other’s backs and held each other the rest of the night.
I WOKE WITH A START, with someone’s arm over me. “It’s ok, Aaron, it’s me. We’re safe.” I relaxed and folded her into my arms and went back to sleep. We didn’t leave the pavilion until afternoon. Reggie wanted to move her things over to our pavilion.
“We have sent messengers with the news of the wedding. We have also sent for reinforcement from Port City. They’ll be coming, but not by the King’s trade road, we’ll wait for them here.” The King said.
I nodded, “tonight I’ll see if the Midwick’s King heeded my warning. If he did, I may not have to go north to raid.”
“I hope not, but I’m not making any bets.”
I shrugged, “just in case let’s move everyone inside the Abbey’s walls. I’ll add more to the fortifications. If he gets here before our reinforcements, at least we won’t be so exposed.”
“Yes, let’s do that.”
I had made the Abbey’s wall eight feet high and four feet thick. I doubled the walls to sixteen feet high and eight feet thick and added a better gate with a portcullis.
We moved the camp inside and manned the walls of Fort St. Philip’s Abbey. I also added wells while I was making improvements. I was getting better at manipulating rock and was now beginning to be able to manipulate wood, and metal.
Our preparations were not in vain. Just before sundown the Midwick King and his army arrived. From our walls we watched as his vanguard came in fast, riding around the fort. Seeing it was a complete fortification, they set their forces to keep us under siege. Their King came forward under a white flag. “As you can see you are surrounded with no hope of escape. Surrender Prince Aaron.”
“You are too late, they are wed.” King Briska answered.
“That makes no difference, she’ll be a widow by tomorrow night anyway. If we must take the fort, most of you will die.”
I stepped forward, “you’ve made you threat,” I said, “Now here is my promise. I sent you a warning that if you came south, I would destroy you and your army. You ignored my warning and came south. By sunrise tomorrow not one man in your army will be alive.”
“Normally Kings are ransomed. You are not a King; you are an errand boy sent to do your master's bidding. You will die like everyone else out there. Your one, and only one chance is to turn and ride for home now.”
His face turned red, “We shall see boy.” He snatched his horses head around and galloped back to his army.
I turned and walked away. King Briska followed me. “What’s you plan?”
I stopped, turning to him. “I’m going to kill them, before they kill us.”
THEY DIDN’T LEAVE. I didn’t really expect them to. He brought his army here; it would finish him as a ruler if he turned tail at a threat from a young Prince. Even if we did kill 700 of his men, he had to stay. I ate a small dinner and separated myself from everyone. I told them I needed to prepare myself for what I must do. Reggie wasn’t too happy but said she understood.
“You had better not get killed.” She kissed me then left me alone.
I watched the Midwick Army from the wall for a while. They didn’t try to hide their numbers. They wanted us to see how many we faced. I studied their camp’s lay-out and fixed positions in my mind. I left the wall and stood on the ground. I sent my Mage Sense out and found their King; he had also brought two mages with him. I would need to deal with them first.
I rested and meditated. Just before their guard changed, I wrapped myself in my lizard cloak and levitated straight up 100 feet. I moved out over their camp. The two Mages and the King had spaced themselves out, to better protect the camp from Mage attacks, I guess. I sighted in on my first target he was, if not sleeping, at least laying on his bed. I could not see or feel any traps, but I would assume they were there. I needed to strike first, and lethally.
Chapter 12
I readied myself and fixed in my mind what I wanted to do. I remembered the saying, “no plan survives first contact with the enemy.” I teleported right in on top of him. As soon as I hit him, he drug me down into the earth. He was an elemental Earth Mage. I wrapped my legs around him and squeezed. He started to cast his spell, but I drove my knife- fingers through his eyes, into his brain. The old Mage in me cast his spell. I convulsed as I took the Earth Mage’s powers and knowledge. Runes flashed and leapt from his body to mine
, becoming part of me. I held on to the dead Mage until my mind cleared. I let go of him and the ground around him solidified.
The earth around me reacted like water. It was like swimming, but I could breathe down here. I looked up; it was like looking up from a swimming pool, while you were swimming underwater. I watched the tent above. Nothing happened, no one had heard anything, at least not enough to cause anyone to come investigate. I stayed where I was and gathered my thoughts. It would take some time to assimilate the Earth Mage’s powers, and knowledge.
I stayed underground but went deeper. I didn’t want to chance anyone feeling magic passing underfoot at an inopportune moment. I moved to where I was under the next Mage’s tent. I considered my attack options. The Earth Mage’s powers gave me other options that I considered.
I fixed my attack plan in my mind and sped up toward the sleeping Mage. I drove my knife-fingers through the back of his head as he lay in his bed. I cast my “powers capturing” spell and pulled him down into the earth. I convulsed again but not as bad. This Mage worked more with water and air elements, but mostly air. I held him until my mind cleared. When I let him go the earth solidified around him.
I waited to see if there was any reaction to my attack. There was not. “Two down, one to go.” Because I had these two Mages’ knowledge, I knew the King had set a trap in his pavilion. They expected me to go straight for the King. I searched the body of the Mage, taking everything and putting it in my pouch, I took the corpse and moved toward the King’s pavilion. I centered myself under the pavilion and cast a levitation spell on the Mage’s corpse. It raised up through the floor as soon as it was out of the ground lightning struck it from the four corners. Lightning continued striking the corpse.
The King came out of a concealed shadow box laughing. “Young fool, you thought to kill me?”
Mage Throne Prophecy Page 11
