The Mage of Mages 2

by Whiskey Flowers

  “Who are you talking to?” Duke Velarde asked. “Don’t speak until I tell you to.”

  “He was talking to me” Sawyer replied as he looked over at Regent Jales. “Show me proof or you are dead.”

  “I can” Regent Jales said. “Just spare me and my daughters.”

  “Y-Your Majesty?” said an older man who Sawyer recognized as Duke Jacobs from Aft. “King David was told you died from a sickness” the man finished as he dropped his hands and faced Regent Jales.

  “I am in charge here” Duke Velarde screamed. “I think I like the title of Your Majesty.”

  “No one is proclaiming you king” Duke Treadwell argued. “If anyone should be King it should be me.”

  Sawyer raised his staff at one man and his hand at another, he drew deep from Tabitha’s magic and put the strongest mage bolt into their bodies. The men didn’t even have a chance to scream as they were blown apart and bits of them showered everyone in the throne room except for Sawyer who was smart enough to keep his shield up.

  “Regent Jales threatened Aft if I decided to take the crown, he argued that Sale would be next in an attempt to reunite the five kingdoms” Sawyer replied. “All that got him is me on his doorstep, as for the two men I just killed, they were responsible for the purge.”

  “I want answers now” Tabitha said pointing her staff at Sawyer. “Who are you Sarlon?”

  “He is the Duke of Jales” Regent Jales said quickly.

  “The Duke of what?” Claudia said loudly.

  “You hear the man” Sawyer replied. “The Duke of Jales and the future king of Aft. I am the son of Harold the Kindhearted, drop your staves or die here, I won't ask you again.”

  “You are a king?” Claudia asked. “And a Duke of another country, I thought you said Sale killed your wife.”

  “Sale did kill her, at least in my eyes” Sawyer replied. “She was dead the day she betrayed me and tried to kill my friends and family. Physically she still lives and I cannot wait to see her. As I have been talking, two mages from Aft have appeared from their hidden positions along with and archer, all aimed at you Tabitha. Now what is it going to be?”

  As soon as Tabitha turned around Sawyer grabbed the staff and yanked it away and used his shoulder to make the smaller woman stumble backwards. Sawyer tossed the staff to Duke Jacobs and had his own pointed at the Perdomians who were crowding inside the room.

  “I will give you all a few days head start” Sawyer replied. “I have things I need to accomplish first, such as my reunion with my ex wife and what I plan on doing about the leadership here and in Aft. Afterwards I will march on Perdomo and bring it under my control as well as what used to make up Colten. General Goodnight you will free my men and return to defend your homeland, you will have a place with me if you want of course. If not, then you know when we meet again we meet as enemies.”

  “What was that construct you fought with?” General Goodnight asked.

  “My secret” Sawyer replied.

  Sawyer could see one of Duke Treadwell’s guards readying a crossbow and trying to take aim, Sawyer pointed his staff and a gout of white hot flame engulfed him and the men next to him. They were innocent but Sawyer couldn’t take a chance and needed to send a message. The rest of the people their stuck their hands in the air and dropped their weapons, even Claudia dropped her staff. Sawyer lowered his staff after using water magic to put out the fire.

  “Where is Flynn and Alana?” Sawyer asked looking at Regent Jales.

  “They are hiding, please don’t kill her” Regent Jales replied frightened.

  “If my parents are alive I will not kill her” Sawyer replied. “She will become Duchess Jales and Flynn can take the title of Duke Jales.”

  “What about your wife?” Regent Jales asked.

  “She divorced me” Sawyer replied. “I have no wife. She was following her idiot father who made it a point to first take me away from Haven, then kick me out of Sale. She is a mage so I won't do anything to her. Alana is a mage so I won't touch her either. But you, you are not a mage.”

  “I am willing to make the sacrifice for my actions as long as my daughters are safe” Regent Jales said.

  “Oh I am not killing you” Sawyer replied. “I know of a place that is perfect for you to think about everything you have done. It is just the place for a manipulative backstabber like yourself. It is Perdomo, I think I am going to keep it around just for people like you. When I take that country I will place you there until the end of your days, I think it will be quite eye opening for you.”

  “You said a few days?” General Goodnight asked.

  “Maybe more or maybe less” Sawyer replied. “Your army is stretched out over three kingdoms and as bad as this sounds more fighters will be willing to follow a man than a woman. You will have to tell your soldiers they are going up against the Mad Mage, personally I like the Mage of Mages but it doesn’t matter. I suspect many will flock to my side, I know the male mages will when they find out I am not going to change their way of life too much.”

  “I can't fight against her but I will let the Queen know what she is up against” General Goodnight replied. “Give me at least a month before you start your march and I promise all of the troops loyal to Perdomo will be across the border with me, ready for a fight.”

  “I can give you that” Sawyer replied.

  “So that’s it then?” Claudia said. “You used us to take back your kingdom and now you are turning on us?”

  “Mast is my Kingdom” Sawyer replied. “My parents were killed and others prospered, I owe none of you anything. When you get back to Perdomo you should ask about Mast, then tell me how I used you. Before you go General Goodnight do you mind doing something for me? Would you take Regent Jales and drop him off in Maduro, you don’t have to be particularly nice to him on the way but don’t mistreat him too bad. Do this and whenever we meet as enemies I will make sure your life is spared.”

  “Consider it done” General Goodnight replied as he gestured two people up front to take hold of Jales.

  “Now I have a meeting with my ex, this should be fantastic” Sawyer said as people started filing out of the room.

  ~

  “It is as fair of a punishment as I can think of” Sawyer said as he looked over at Elena and smiled. With her was Jordan Haul, one of the few mages native to Sale that Sawyer had a run in with. In fact it was Jordan and his father who killed the old king and tried taking the throne by force. Sawyer had defeated him and Regent Jales stripped him of all titles and instead let one of his younger brothers rule the Duchy of Haul which was split into different parts and Jales friends were named dukes, including Sawyer when he named his Duchy Harold after his father. When he married Elena he technically became both but since Jales was much bigger than Harold everyone just called him Duke Jales, no longer though, now he was King Sawyer.

  “This is outrageous, Alana say something to him” Elena pleaded.

  “You should be lucky that is all you are getting” Crystal, Sawyer’s adopted sister said. “You and your thugs yanked me out of my home and put me out on the street once you thought my brother died.”

  “I helped save your life Marlon, don’t let him do this to me!” Elena cried.

  “You made your bed, now sleep in it” Marlon said as he placed his hand on Sawyer’s shoulder.

  “I am not forcing you to take anything” Sawyer replied. “You can live your life the way Jourdan was or both of you can get married. I would make you baroness and baron and you will stay on my good side provided you start making children as soon as you are man and wife. Or you can live your life in Haul or Harold, either way, either Duchy won't offer you any help and if your sister knows what is good for her she won't either.”

  “You expect me to live as a pauper!” Elena screamed. “I am your wife Sawyer, our divorce was never made public when it was thought you died in that fire you started.”

  “Oh I made sure it was public” Sawyer laughed. “It was one of the
first things I did.”

  “Stop being a fool” said a much slimmer Jourdan Haul. Elena’s father had made sure the mage lived a hard life as recompense for being involved in a plot that killed his brother. Jourdan used to be obese, the short man in front of him looked almost slim. “Just look at me, I am skin and bones because I hardly get fed and have to snap to your father’s every command. Is that what you want? You want to walk around in rags while commoners have a good laugh at you now that you have no money or fortune? I am sure my little brother would love to have you in his lands after knowing the hell your father put me through.”

  “Hurry up and pick girl” Marlon snapped. “Mast soldiers have been ready for war since yesterday, the longer we wait the tougher the fight will be.”

  “Flynn talk to him!” Elena pleaded.

  “Sawyer maybe you are being a little rough” Flynn began.

  “I haven't forgot your part in this” Sawyer replied. “You are going to join your father in law for three months in a very special prison. The only reason you are not dead is because I need a strong mage in the upcoming fight, if I kill you it is unlikely your sister would join in this battle. She is a little sour to go from princess to duchess but she will be okay. You can try to defy me, during our last battle I knew you were drained of magic despite your trickery with that special lead shield wall or whatever it was.”

  “It came from the time before your father when there was more life magic” Marlon replied. “I think only a life mage could make such an item and people wanted to be buried in coffins made of it or burned to prevent anyone from trying to make them the undead.”

  “Well it made things tricky but not impossible” Sawyer said. “I want all instances of this metal not being used for a coffin destroyed. No need in inviting other enemies to try the same kind of foolishness.”

  “That is already underway once I found out about it” Marlon replied.

  “Well I am tired of waiting for her answer” Sawyer replied. “Guards take them both away.”

  “Your Majesty” Jourdan pleaded and dropped to his knees. “I never betrayed you, I betrayed that pack of vipers the Jales. I beg for mercy, release me from this servitude.”

  “That can be arranged” Sawyer replied. “From what I remember of you I think you would like it in Perdomo, you wouldn’t have a title but life for a mage is extremely fulfilling there. I will tell you all the details during our march into Perdomo.”

  “This is unfair, you are rewarding him for what he did to my uncle” Elena cried out.

  “What do you think should happen to you?” Sawyer replied. “Don’t answer that, guards take her away.”

  “I accept” Elena said with her head down.

  “So scared to be poor that you would willing marry a man I know you cannot stand” Sawyer replied. “I will never get you noble types, but this marriage should commence quickly, I’ll even let you visit your father. As for you Alana, hopefully you have learned something during your time in charge since I have no idea what I am doing. You are in charge of what used to make up Sale, if Haven decides the time to attack is now you will march to what used to be Aft and defend our borders until we get back. My father, Duke Marlon will be here just in case you try and do something stupid. I can tell you if that happens you will die, already there are those praising the rulership of the progeny of King Harold. I do not think they will miss you or rise up against me. Not when joining with Aft has already made them stronger.”

  ~

  “We are almost there” Duke Rawlins said as he rode his horse alongside of Sawyer’s. Duke Rawlins used to be Baron Rawlins and one of Regent Jales most trusted advisers, he was also in charge of the Sale army after three generals were killed by various means earlier in the war, one fell off a horse and the other two hated each other so much they had a duel to determine who would be the supreme commander and ended up killing each other. Rawlins stepped in and was doing an outstanding job in pushing the Perdomo army back and winning every fight due to his tactics and effective use of the mages to exploit any weaknesses the Perdomo army had. When Sawyer was able to avoid them for the most part and strike at the weaker mages it made things difficult for him, especially when General Goodnight was able to defend while Sawyer struck out at various weaknesses. When his left flank was exposed during a gamble Duke Rawlins was unable to regain footing with his allies abandoning him and was forced to retreat to the capital where he counseled Queen Alana and Regent Jales to ask for peace. Duke Rawlins thought Perdomo had stronger mages than they had ever seen and effectively identified two of them. He had thought Tabitha was a man but had determined her skillset and had Flynn engage her several times to determine she was better off avoided. Rawlins though had found it curious whenever he sent Flynn to attack the mage killer that he was always met by Tabitha while his other mages who were dressed in soldier garb were always killed. It took him no time to figure out his mages were being identified somehow and thought the only person responsible would be Sawyer. Duke Rawlins withdrew his troops to protect the army from being slowly bled to death but now he was back with Flynn, his sister Fiona and Sawyer with him.

  Sawyer had been able to identify Tabitha, he fought her to a standstill many times while Flynn and Fiona feasted. Sawyer had let General Goodnight know through a missive that he could identify where the mages were and that he would personally hold off Tabitha while two other talented mages would decimate the army. Rawlins thought it was folly to let the enemy know your capabilities but Sawyer thought it would help in the war quicker, especially when Bessie and Claudia were captured and Dominic was killed. Since then Rawlins had rolled into Perdomo and didn’t need Sawyer’s help as he had General Goodnight on the run, the old man refusing to stand and fight but instead launched a series of late night attacks and skirmishes that killed a fair number of people but did nothing to slow Rawlins down. General Goodnight must have figured this was a lost battle as he had surrendered and wanted to make things as painless as possible, his missive said the royals knew about it and had already drafted a document. Sawyer was supposed to meet with Goodnight and four others who would represent Perdomo, Sawyer was traveling with his own four representatives and was almost at the meeting area.

  “They are alone” Sawyer replied as his horse kept walking. “Two are mages though, one is Tabitha.”

  “Which was the reason I wanted Duke Flynn Jales here” Duke Rawlins replied. “Why did you bring Elena along though?”

  “Because it is poetic” Sawyer replied. “She still has a title but she could have been the Queen of Mast, I think we would have been able to push into Perdomo and take them out. Now though she is over a small barony, how the mighty has fallen.”

  “She has been sulking this entire time” Duke Rawlins replied. “I told her to count her blessings. Well here they are.”

  Sawyer could see Princess Phoebe was there along with Tabitha, Candace, Princess Penelope and General Goodnight. They were inside of a tent that had a flap open, Sawyer waited while Duke Rawlins got off his horse and entered. Sawyer was right behind him followed by the rest of his party.

  “I don’t see any poison Your Majesty” Duke Rawlins said as he swept the seats with the palm of his hands.

  “I would never sink to such tactics” General Goodnight said.

  “You wouldn’t” Sawyer replied. “But your company would. What is this surrender all about?”

  “I can't believe you are a king Sarlon” Phoebe said. “If you would have just said something then things could have been different. Perdomo doesn’t have any loyalty to Montes, they are safe in their mountains.”

  “But things are not different” Sawyer replied. “Things are what they are” Sawyer finished as he took a seat.

  “My mother is prepared to give you a sizable amount of money and land as payment for your withdrawal” Phoebe replied. “In addition you will receive a yearly tribute and if you wanted to could have my hand. As the future leader of Perdomo you could have Perdomo without anymore b
loodshed.”

  “Why would you marry this woman?” Elena replied. “She doesn’t look anywhere near as good as I do and she isn’t even a mage.”

  “Who is your advisor that you allow to address royalty like this Sarlon?” Phoebe asked.

  “This is my infamous ex wife” Sawyer replied.

  “The girl so stupid she had a king and let him go” Phoebe replied.

  “Doesn’t matter, what does matter is that I reject those terms” Sawyer replied. “I am already going to roll right over Perdomo, far as I am concerned you are all a bunch of traitors. Unlike in Sale I am not going to keep your mother in power, she is lucky I don’t give her the same treatment I received. I will make sure she has one of the smaller homes in Maduro, I even have the perfect house mate for her. She will have no power or money, but live out her life entirely in Maduro. If she wants to reject my offer I can kill her and be done with it, I am sure the General told you about Treadwell and Velarde. Same thing for you Penelope, you can join your mother and I will have enough spies in Maduro to ensure you are living out your sentence without help from your sister.”

  “This is ridiculous, you can't do this to me” Penelope cried out. “I am a princess!”

  “You are someone who got on my bad side instantly” Sawyer replied. “I have no problems in just throwing you out with nothing and barring you from Maduro. I wonder what a young girl with no skills other than running her mouth can do for money in Perdomo? I am sure Mage Samson would pretend you do not exist and live his life just like the other mages are. Perhaps you can try to have one of his kids if you change your mind later, I am sure the majority of the mages would be happy to have a former princess show them attention.”

  “You are crueler than I remember” Tabitha replied. “It is almost like a completely different person here in front of me.”

  “I owe them a lot more” Sawyer replied. “My advisors told me to kill them all, my father told me to kill them all and my conscious told me to kill them all. They are enemies I shouldn’t let live, it is a kindness that I am allowing them to live in Maduro.”