We shared an early breakfast before I left. I teleported to the sunstone’s location but landed underground out of sight. I recovered my sunstone for future use. I needed to rest a bit. It had been a long distance teleport and drained my Mage power. I rested in the earth for a little while and recharged.
When I was rested, I put on an illusion of the local dress. I toured the market, sampling the food, and looking at their wares. I looked at their horses and cattle. I was thinking of buying studs and bulls to improve our herds.
“Do you see anything you like M’lord?”
I smiled “I see a lot I like; you have some good stock here.”
“What are you interested in?”
“I’m looking for two studs and two bulls to introduce some new bloodlines.”
“What are you breeding for?”
“The horses for stamina, and bulls for weight.”
He nodded, “I think I may have what you are looking for,” and lead me to another area.
They were some beautiful horses. I rode them; they were marvelous animals. I bought two studs, and two huge bulls. Paying for them, “I’ll pick them up later.”
He bowed. “They will be ready when you are M’lord.”
ONCE EVERYONE IN THE castle had gone to bed, I went to their library. I sealed the door and started looking through the books. I found some I wanted to copy. I lay those on top of my notebook. The notebook made exact copies of them. I unsealed the door and left.
I searched the castle for the military offices. When I found the office, I was impressed with their reach. This was the first world map I had seen; it was not the landmasses of my world. I held my notebook on every map and note in the room. I now had troop locations, and movement. Ship locations, and movements, deployments and fort locations. It reminded me of England at the height of their empire.
They didn’t have people on every landmass, but it was a lot. There were six major landmasses and many smaller ones. Islands were scattered everywhere, there was no way of knowing how accurate this map was, but it was a starting place.
I went under the castle and looked at their treasury. They were not strapped for cash. It looked like one of their main exports were troops. I wonder if they were operating like England, expanding their empire.
The port here was a major one, and there were ships of all sizes here to trade. Judging by the flags they were from many countries. This would be a good place for our business. We can buy things from all over the world sitting right here.
I went to my merchant and let him know I was here and would rent or buy us a warehouse. This end of the wharf was the oldest or looked like it. It had fallen into disrepair and needed a lot of work. There were warehouses on this end, but they were in the same shape as the wharf. I found who owned the buildings and the land. I paid more than they were worth, and he was glad to sell them to me.
That night I went under and repaired the wharf, the piers, and the warehouses I now owned. The next morning, I went around to my other tenants and introduced myself, as the merchant next door and the new owner. They said right away they could not afford more rent.
“Your rent is not going up. I wanted you to know that I have hired a Mage to repair the buildings and make them new. So, don’t be surprised when you come in and see it.” Now they were really expecting their rent to go up. In the warehouse we were using I put in a basement vault, and nice living quarters upstairs. I also gave them enough money to furnish it.
It was the next day before the local “Boss” showed up. “You the man who just bought these buildings?”
“I am.”
“Then you owe me rent.”
“Are you the only man I’ll have to deal with, or will your boss be coming around later.”
“There ain’t no other boss, I own this area.”
“Good. You now work for me, and I will pay you a lot of money.” He and his four men laughed.
“And what if we don’t want to work for you?”
I dropped them all into the ground up to their necks. “Then I’ll kill you and hire the next guy who comes around.” I said drawing my sword.
“Tell me, Sir Mage, what will our duties be?” This guy was cool under fire. I raised them out of the ground.
“I don’t want any trouble from anyone on the docks. I want to operate with no shakedowns. You will protect my interest, and I’ll pay you for it.”
“We can do that.”
“If you fail me...” I looked at the leader.
He nodded, “Understood.”
I handed him a purse of gold. “We’ll make sure your business runs smoothly, at least from our side.” I nodded, they bowed and left.
I made sure they were fully funded before I left. I closed my pavilion, collected my two studs, and two bulls. I opened a portal home and walked them through. I gave them to my wrangler to put them to work; I went into the earth to rest, and recharge.
Chapter 23
I was in my pavilion, looking at the map table. “Show me a map of the whole earth.” A flat global map came up. I had never asked this before; all my problems had been local. I compared the map table to the map from Dunwich. they were much the same. I felt the table was more accurate. It showed more landmasses and more detail.
I lay my notebook on the table, “Update the map table with the locations of Dunwich forces, and posts.” The table updated and now showed all my notebook showed. “Update my notebook with the more accurate table map.” My notebook updated.
There was a lot of land out there that was unclaimed, according to these maps. But I bet there were people there, there usually was. “I wonder? Show me the world’s nautical maps.” The map view changed to nautical maps. “Update my notebook maps to include nautical maps.” My notebook now had global nautical maps, something I bet very few others had, if anyone. I would have to send some ships out to check a few of these landmasses and see what was there.
I looked at the maps west of us. There were mountains, that was our border, but it showed no other Kingdom past that. I needed to go check that out. I needed to see who, and what was out there. I may have to block a pass and extend our borders west. I could put a fort out there and start a town to support the fort and vice-versa.
I HAD TO SIT IN ON another court session as we had an envoy from my father. When his turn came to speak, he stepped forward and bowed.
“Your father, the King, invites you to visit for a time to discuss your duties.”
I stared at him. “My duties? What duties would that be?”
“I’m sure I do not know, King Aaron. He was most insistent that you present yourself at court.”
“Do you think my father thinks you are an idiot?” He didn’t answer. “Do you think my father thinks I am an idiot?" No answer. “What is this we are holding now at which you speak?”
“Court.” He finally answered.
I nodded, “As we have our own, we will not be using his.”
“He will not be happy.”
I laughed. “I am long past worrying about what makes him happy or doesn’t make him happy.” The envoy didn’t look happy. “Was there anything else?"
“No, King Aaron.”
“Have a safe trip home.” He bowed and left.
WE WERE SITTING DOWN at our evening meal; the twins had been put to bed. This was “our” time to catch up or have alone time. Reggie always caught me up on Kingdom business, and I’d tell her about our other businesses.
“I think I will look at what is out west. I know we have the mountains there, I’m sure there are resources for us to mine. I just wonder who else is out there, and...” I froze.
“What’s wrong?” She asked.
“The children.”
I grabbed her arm and teleported us into their room. There was a fight going on in their room. Amor had the twins in the corner behind him, he was facing out, tearing someone to shreds. Six assassins were stabbing and shooting arrows into him. His armor flared stopping everything they sent at h
im. Reggie and I attacked. I hit the Mage tearing his head off taking his knowledge and power. I never slowed as I slashed my way through to meet Reggie who had burned three of the assassins to smoldering ash heaps. She was so mad that someone had attacked her children; she was a pillar of Mage Fire.
Armor whirled around to check the twins, once he saw they were ok, he whirled back around growling, and snapping at the bodies. I teleported us all down to my cavern to our pavilion.
“Go inside and seal the pavilion.”
Reggie nodded, “be careful.” They went inside.
I knew from the knowledge I had taken form their Mage, there were three more hit teams in the castle. I was in no mood to be merciful. I went up through the walls of the castle. These three were blocking teams for the one we killed. It had been their job to take the twins. “Thank God for Armor.” I had to smile at that, I always wondered why he had been named Armor.
I found the first group blocking the path from the guard’s barracks. I pulled the Mage into the wall and took his power and knowledge. I came out of the other wall behind them daggers in hand. I stabbed up through brain stems, and through their backs into their hearts. They were dead before they hit the floor.
The next group was inside the main doors. They were spread out along the door with bows. I pulled their Mage under and took his knowledge and power. I now knew what Assassin’s Guild house they were hired out of. I struck from the wall pulling each one into the wall and leaving them there to die, drowning in stone.
The final team was guarding their escape route. I needed to bleed off some power that I had built up taking theirs. I stepped out of the wall and with a thought, the Mages’ head came off his body and flew into my hands. I took his knowledge and power; at the same time, I snapped the other five assassin’s necks they fell dead where they stood.
I concentrated and sent all the bodies, equipment, and blood down to my cavern. I teleported there and searched the bodies. I didn’t think I would find anything of use, and I didn’t. The Mages had some runed jewelry, a staff, and a blessed bag. All of which went into my pouch. Nothing incriminating. I really didn’t need anymore; I knew that they had come out of the assassin’s guild house here in the city. One that I had not known about. After tonight, there wouldn’t be one.
I went into the pavilion. Armor was sitting in front of the door. “Good boy.” I patted him and scratch him. His tail was wagging, he knew he had done good. He went over and stayed by the twins. They seemed to take it all in stride.
“Are we all clear?” Her hands were shaking, not from fear, but from the adrenalin in her system.
“We are, and no one the wiser. Hot tea.” I said to the pavilion. It appeared on the table.
“Who were they?” she poured our tea.
“Assassins from a guild house here in the city.” I took a swallow of tea.
“In our city?”
I nodded, “for a few more hours. I will go pay them a visit. When I leave there will be no Assassins' Guild in our city. I need to go; their Guild will expect them or some word from them. I’ll give it to them in person.”
She kissed me, “be careful." I nodded.
I WAS UNDER THE ASSASSIN’S Guild house looking it over. I knew they would have traps, both mundane and magic. I started with the magic ones. I erased the rune that would activate the spell. I was hoping by doing it that way, no alarms would be set off. So-for, so-good.
Once I had neutralized the magic traps, I found and neutralized the Guild lookouts around the neighborhood. I stayed below the house. I concentrated on the sleeping assassins and teleported them one by one into the earth. The only sound that it made was like someone taking a small sip of tea. Their Guild Master, who was asleep, I put in a deeper sheep. I’d save him for last. Next, I teleported the assassins that were awake, and alone down into the earth. They drowned in dirt.
The only one left was a Mage, and he was glowing like a torch in the darkness. I started toward him; a memory stopped me. He was standing in the middle of a runed circle. I made my Mage signature small, then sent an illusion up into the wall with enough magic around it to make it look like a Mage trying to sneak in. Unless you looked closely, you would think a Mage was in the wall.
I waited not moving, me or the illusion. He blinked first. “At least come out and face me.” I moved the illusion to the right, he struck. A huge ribbon of lightning erupted from the floor through him and into the wall. That section of the wall was blown out of existence.
The light was blinding but my helmet blocked it out. I teleported up behind him and drove my hand into the back of his skull and into his brain. I took his knowledge and power. It was like grabbing a high voltage line. All I could do was hold on. He was dead, and if I let go, I would be too. I pulled him down into the earth and fought to stay conscious.
This was the strongest Mage I had ever faced, and the strongest any of my memories knew about. I held on absorbing all his power. All his power was finally drained into me. I felt like a sun burning in the darkness. I let go of the Mage and looked around. I could see farther than before and knew of things further away.
I pulled the Guild Master down to me; I drained him of his knowledge. I sealed all the doors to the guild house. Fortunately, I had accounted for all the assassins, and they were dead. I now knew the names and faces of everyone who worked for the Guild.
Two were Royalty and members of court. A few were in the army. A couple in the city watch, and various others around the city. None were close to us, or in the Red Cloaks. All the ones named apparently had bad hearts, as they would die of heart attacks, as soon as I could get to them.
I concentrated and opened a cavern below the guild house. I concentrated on the guild house and brought everything inside the house down into the cavern, including their library and their treasury vault. They had other businesses and vaults around the city I would get to them later.
The best bit of information I had was, the attack was ordered from Norsewick, but carried out locally. I needed to burn some Mage power off; I was way too hot. I paved a road from our south gate, toward the Volwick. I stopped at the river dividing our two kingdoms but built a bridge over it.
I teleported to Norsewick, but well away from the castle. I went deep under the city to the Assassin’s Guild house. There were six mages here. I pulled them all under at once and ripped their knowledge and power from them. I pulled the Guild Master under and took his knowledge. I was burning up with the additional Mage power. I concentrated on the house and with a thought killed everyone in the house, by breaking their necks.
I opened a cavern and moved everything in the house down into the cavern like I had done in the other Guild House. I left the naked bodies where they lay. I now knew it was Cain who had given the order for the kidnapping of my children.
I teleported to Dunwich, then to Port City, then Dunwich, then back to the Norsewick to burn off some Mage power. I felt better now. I didn’t feel like I was about to burn up. I was still carrying a lot of power. I shrugged; this might be my new norm.
I went to every assassin’s business in the city and emptied their vaults, bringing it all back to the cavern below the Norsewick’s Guild House. I put everything gathered there into a crystal.
That’s when I had an epiphany. The assassins had Mages. They were not Royalty; they had to be the illegitimate offspring of Royalty. Why hadn’t I recognized this. This made us reaching them before the Assassin’s Guild, an imperative. Once the assassins had them, they were lost.
I closed the cavern and teleported back to the Shornwick’s Guild House cavern. I put everything gathered into a crystal. I had a lot of stuff to sift through, and a lot of it was Mage stuff. I closed the cavern under the house and teleported back to the pavilion cavern.
I put everything I had gathered from the fallen attackers into a crystal and went into the pavilion. The twins were asleep. “You are well husband?”
I smiled. “I am. We won’t have any more trouble from tha
t bunch. But I need to go to Norsewick to follow a lead, to see who ordered the attack.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“A week may be less. You may go back up into the castle, we are safe.”
“I will in the morning, the children are finally asleep.”
“That’s probably best.” I kissed her, “I’ll see you in a week.”
“Be careful.” I nodded and teleported back under the Norsewick assassin’s guild house. I concentrated and opened all the outside windows and doors in the guild house. I waited, every assassin that came to check in, or see what was going on, I killed. I put their naked bodies in the main hall. I had either killed them all, or they got smart and quit coming in. I thought the later was the case.
BECAUSE MY POWER WAS so bright at the moment, I went deep and opened a cavern and opened my pavilion. I ate a big meal of steak, and potatoes.
I went outside and opened one crystal from the guild house. Most was useless to me. I discarded clothes, there were very few personal items. There were a few runed items, which I kept. I destroyed the poisons, and I kept all the valuables. I did the same to the crystals from the other guild house, and the attackers. Most of the valuables went into the pavilion vault, some went into my pouch. I again destroyed the poisons.
It was now mid-morning up top. I lowered my power output as much as possible and went up to the guild house. There was nothing going on now. I went to the castle but stayed under. Amos, Cain, mother and father were there. Nothing had changed as far as I could tell.
They had gathered for breakfast. No one was talking, one big happy family. I was about to leave, when a servant came in with a note for Cain. He read the note crumpled it and hit the table with his fist. I guess he knows his assassins are dead, the ones here anyway.
Father looked at him, raising an eyebrow. Cain passed him the note. He read the note. “No further information?”
Mage Throne Prophecy Page 22
