Lost Sorcery- Mage of Myths

by Claire Chilton

  Binks rolled his eyes. ‘Clever and slinky?’

  Tagra licked her paw with a glint of light in her eyes as she shifted from her massive bear-form into a red-haired fox.

  ‘How do you know we need to get into the archives?’ Malian asked, feeling wary about the direction their mission was going in. The Ilsador Archives was the oldest museum of elven artefacts in all of Ispa. It was protected in a stronghold in the heart of the capital. Getting inside was going to be dangerous.

  ‘Feadel te parass et te livel por Elvor,’ Binks muttered.

  ‘Follow the past in the heart of Elvor,’ Caelan translated. ‘It’s in Elvish!’

  ‘Yes, the instructions from the witch were in her tongue.’ Binks nodded.

  ‘It’s a vague instruction.’ Malian shook her head.

  ‘Yes, well seers never make any sense, but it’s all we have.’ Binks shooed the group out of the alley. ‘Let’s just get this over with.’

  ‘We’re gonna end up in a dungeon,’ Malian muttered, but she allowed Binks to herd her out of the alley.

  She was still rubbing sleep out of her eyes as she stumbled out into the cobbled courtyard. When she opened her eyes, she noticed a massive tree across the courtyard. It took her a few seconds to register what she was seeing. But when she did, she widened her eyes in shock.

  ‘What sorcery is this?’ Caelan’s voice came from behind her, and she knew he was staring at the burnt out remains of the inn from the night before, which appeared to have a giant tree now sprouting out from inside it. The knotty branches of the tree had curled around what was left of the inn, creating what looked like a giant treehouse with a bar.

  ‘Holy fairy farts!’ She heard Binks cry behind her.

  As they watched, a large crowd began to gather around the old tavern, elves, dwarves and humans all staring up at the tree in awe.

  She noticed a gnarled-looking old goblin stumble out of the tavern before tripping over a tree root and swearing profusely. He turned around to see the giant tree. Then he went completely silent for a moment.

  After a few seconds of staring, he walked back into the burnt tavern and disappeared behind the tree.

  The crowd of people outside began muttering to each other until the goblin reappeared. Then they went completely silent again as they all watched him start hammering what looked like a white sheet to the frame of the burnt window.

  When the goblin stepped back and let the sheet fall, it revealed a roughly-painted sign displaying a large round lady on fire, and the words:

  New Name:

  The Flaming Maiden

  Reopening Tonight!

  Magic hour starts at 8.

  Fat ladies drink for free!

  Malian blinked at the sign for a few seconds uncertain on whether she was relieved that no one was angrily hunting her down or if she should be angry at being mistaken for a fat lady.

  ‘What does he mean by fat?’ Caelan exclaimed loudly.

  Malian narrowed her eyes. Meanwhile, the crowds in front of them all turned towards them at the sound of Caelan’s voice.

  Upon noticing the crowd staring at him, Caelan tried to resolve his mistake by making it worse. ‘I mean, she’s not fat. She’s just busty, you know…’

  Malian’s scowl deepened when the goblin turned to face them too.

  ‘Why are you looking at her bust?’ She heard Binks angrily ask, joining in on the public humiliation.

  The goblin narrowed his eyes at her. ‘Anyone wanna hear the fat lady sing?’ He called out as he cleaned his fingernails with his shiv.

  ‘She’s not fat!’ Caelan shouted.

  ‘Great.’ Malian turned on her heel. ‘Time to run!’ She started running with Tagra pounding on the pavement behind her as the goblin set off in her direction.

  She peered back to discover that Binks and Caelan had realised their mistake and were following her as they escaped with her through the dark alleys into the city.

  * * *

  ‘I told you we’d end up in a dungeon,’ Malian whispered to Binks as they hurried down the dark corridors of Ilsador prison, which was located beneath the streets of the city.

  ‘Only as visitors,’ Binks muttered as he raised his hand, calling them to a halt at the next corner. He peered around the corner.

  Malian glanced back at Caelan, who was staring ahead in horror at a cell containing a scrawny elf, who was shackled to the wall. The elf in the cell had the Sun Warriors crest burned into his chest, which was clearly visible beneath the dirty rags he wore.

  She put her hand on Caelan’s arm, causing him to jump.

  He glanced at her with pleading eyes.

  She leaned closer to him. ‘We can’t help him,’ she whispered in his ear.

  ‘Why are there so many here?’ His whispered response sounded husky.

  ‘I don’t know.’ She shook her head. It seemed that half of the Ilsador dungeons were populated by warrior elves, ones who should have been rewarded for bravery, judging by their markings, rather than shackled to the walls. It made no sense even for elves to treat their war veterans so poorly.

  She scanned the lock on the cell door while shaking her head. The cell was made of Kalerium Steel. The only way to break it was with a fire as hot as the sun. There was no way to get the prisoner out of his cage.

  ‘Come on.’ Binks urgently waved them over to him.

  Dragging her eyes from the prison door, she hurried down the dank tunnel. She briefly glanced back to ensure Caelan was following her, breathing a sigh when she realised he was. He was finding it difficult to come to terms with seeing so many of his comrades in chains.

  Who can blame him? By the looks of this place, it’s where they send old warriors to die.

  Shaking her head, trying to dislodge the idea of Caelan here in chains as an older man, she hurried towards Binks as he turned the corner ahead of her.

  Stop worrying about the future. You’ll see him in chains if you don’t haul ass. He’ll be in the dungeon beside yours!

  She stared ahead, relieved to see Tagra and Binks standing beside a large sewage vent in the wall. Tagra was sniffing the vent with her fox ears perked. Meanwhile, Binks was trying to pull the vent off the wall.

  ‘What are you doing?’ Malian asked in a hushed whisper.

  ‘Trying to get into the bloody sewer,’ Binks snapped, his face red with exertion as he pulled against the large iron grate. ‘You might want to help.’

  Malian shook her head. Then ignoring the vile smell coming from the area, she gripped the iron bars and pulled. The grate shifted a little.

  When Caelan joined them, he gripped the grate in his strong hands, and the grate came off easily. He leaned it against the wall and then peered into the dank tunnel. ‘Oh ye gods, it stinks,’ he cried.

  ‘It’s better than ending up permanently stuck in a dungeon,’ Binks muttered before taking a deep breath and stepping into the tunnel.

  Tagra followed suit, slinking inside before disappearing into the darkness.

  Malian grimaced at Caelan. ‘We better put the grate back on once we’re inside.’ She ducked and stepped into the tunnel, wincing as her boots squished into the black mulch beneath her feet.

  ‘Yeah, let’s lock ourselves into the stinky tunnel.’ Caelan’s voice didn’t sound very enthusiastic as he followed her.

  She peered over her shoulder to see him pull the massive grate back over the tunnel entrance behind them.

  She watched his muscles flex as he pulled the grate into place. Then the spell of watching Caelan was broken as the sound of metal grinding against metal caused her to wince. She turned to face the dark passage ahead of her instead while instinctively reaching out to steady herself.

  ‘I hope there’s a way out of here.’ She heard Caelan say behind her as her hand brushed against the mossy side of the tunnel, and she quickly recoiled when she realised what might be on the walls of a sewer.

  She glanced at the wall and felt a moment of panic when she saw green stalks and vin
es begin to sprout through the moss.

  No, no. Not now!

  ‘I hope we find it before the smell kills us,’ Caelan added.

  ‘You’re right. Let’s hurry.’ She peered over her shoulder at Caelan. He was close behind her, and he didn’t seem to be aware of the rapid growth of vines beside them.

  She reached back and grabbed his hand. ‘Run!’ she cried as she pulled him behind her, rushing into the darkness to catch up with Binks and Tagra and get out of the sewer before the growing vines surrounded them all.

  11

  THE VAULT

  Trying to swallow the sick feeling in her stomach as she threw herself through the sewer grate, Malian felt a rush of relief when she flopped onto the stone floor of the room and finally breathed fresher air. The stench of the sewers had nearly been her undoing, and now all she wanted was a bath as the smell of sewage followed her out of the place.

  She realised that Tagra was probably having a worse time of it with her sensitive fox nose when she peered ahead and saw the fox frantically trying to bury her nose into the seat of one of the red velvet chairs at the far end of the room.

  Glancing back, she watched Caelan launch himself through the grate, his usually tanned skin looking pale and green-tinged. ‘Oh ye gods, the smell…’

  She widened her eyes when a tangle of vines burst out of the sewer behind him, and then blooms of sweet smelling flowers popped open from the buds on them.

  Caelan peered back and frowned. ‘Oh great, now we smell worse than the sewer!’ He tilted his head to the side. ‘Was the sewer cursed or something?’

  Malian was about to explain to Caelan that it was her curse, but a low mutter of words caused her to sharply turn her head, and she saw Binks casting a spell behind her. Then an instant downpour of cold water rained on them all, washing away the smell and grime of the sewer and leaving them all drenched before it just as abruptly ended.

  ‘Now you can stop complaining. Come on.’ Binks turned and walked through the doorway ahead of him.

  After inhaling fresh air, Malian contained a shiver as she pushed herself up off the ground and stood up.

  Looking around, she noticed the room was tall and ornate. Elven carvings and artworks covered the walls. The upholstery was adorned with red and gold velvet and silks, and the walls were lined with books.

  Frowning, she hurried after Binks as he left the tall room and entered the adjoining one. ‘Are we inside the Ilsador Archives?’ she whispered as she entered the next room and caught up with him.

  He nodded. ‘Don’t touch anything. There is magic here.’

  ‘How do you know?’ she whispered.

  He rolled his eyes and then pointed ahead to a glowing crystal ball that was spinning in mid-air in the centre of the large round room.

  ‘Oh.’ She nodded. Feeling foolish for not examining her surroundings, she scanned the room now. Like the previous room, this one was opulent and decorated with gold and red. The walls were lined with ancient books, and behind the glowing orb was a massive metal door, a vault of some kind.

  ‘Everything in here is probably enchanted, so don’t do anything until I check it’s safe.’ Binks walked around the spinning orb with his hands out as if he was feeling the air.

  Malian nodded, but then she winced when she heard a voice behind her.

  ‘Oh wow!’ Caelan’s husky tones echoed loudly around the room.

  She and Binks spun around to face the half-elf as he pulled a book off one of the shelves.

  ‘What are you doing?’ she cried.

  ‘I might look like a dirty human, but I do sometimes like to read.’ Caelan lifted his chin in defiance as he held the old tome in his large hands.

  ‘Put it down, you idiot!’ Binks snapped.

  ‘I will when I’ve finished with it.’ Caelan scowled as he opened the book and flipped through the pages.

  His defiant expression reformed into a look of horror when two fur-covered muscled arms shot out of the book and grabbed him around the throat. The hands were almost paws, covered in fur and adorned with long sharp talons.

  ‘Gyah—’ Caelan choked out the word as the hands pulled him towards the book.

  Malian ran towards him and tried to pull the hands from his throat, but they had a solid grip on him. ‘Binks help!’ she cried.

  A spark of lightning shot across the room scorching the clawed hands and causing them to release Caelan for a moment. However, they quickly reattached to his shoulders, digging into his tawny skin.

  Caelan pulled back, trying to get away from the claws, but the body of the beast within the book came with him, clawing its way out of the text.

  ‘Help me!’ he cried.

  Malian wrapped her arms around his waist, trying to pull him back, away from the book, but she knew she was pulling out the beast at the same time.

  While straining her muscles, trying to keep Caelan with her, something gave way. The pull against them all disappeared, and they all fell backwards into a heap on the hard-stone floor.

  After a moment to catch the breath that had been knocked out of her, she tried to roll Caelan’s heavy weight off her. ‘Get off me. You weigh a ton.’

  ‘Get your goddamn bear off me first,’ Caelan muttered. ‘She smells like dog.’

  Malian frowned and peered to her left. She looked at Tagra in fox form as she washed her tail a few feet away from them. Then she shot the fox a quizzical glance. She was sure that Tagra shrugged back at her.

  ‘What bear?’

  Caelan paused for a moment. Then he yelped. ‘Oh ye gods, a monster! Get off me, you vile beast!’

  Malian frowned when she heard a new voice in the room, a very proper one with a hint of a growl beneath it.

  ‘Oh, I’m awfully sorry. How embarrassing!’

  The weight above her shifted, and she inhaled with relief as she felt Caelan crawl off her. She watched him spring to his feet and level his sword at what appeared to be a wolf-man of some kind.

  She studied the wolf creature. He was standing on two legs, but his body was covered in fur, his hands and feet were clawed, and his mouth was more of a snout with long fangs poking out of the side of his lips. He’d have been menacing if he wasn’t wearing a suit with tails, a white shirt and a tie.

  Seeing Binks raise his hands as if he was about to cast a spell and Caelan preparing to attack out of the corner of her eye, she held up her hand to stop them. There was something about the big brown eyes of the creature towering over her that endeared her to it.

  ‘Oh, I’m so sorry milady.’ The creature bowed to her before offering her its hand.

  She took the clawed hand, but gripped the handle of the dagger at her belt with the other. He might give off the right vibes, but she wasn’t stupid.

  The creature helped her up off the ground, and then bowed again as he kissed the top of her hand. He looked up at her, appearing quite distressed. ‘My sincere apologies, dear maiden. I am not quite myself today, I’m afraid. I do hope you will forgive me.’

  ‘Yeah, sure. Okay.’ Malian nodded as he released her hand. ‘What were you doing inside a book?’

  The creature turned and peered at the book, which lay open on the floor. He stepped back away from it. ‘So that was my prison. That was where I was jailed for what seemed like an eternity.’ He shook his head.

  ‘Back vile creature!’ Caelan poked his sword towards the wolf-man.

  Malian turned to face him with her hands on her hips. ‘Will you stop flipping attacking things that you don’t like the look of?’

  A blush flashed across Caelan’s cheeks as he lowered his sword. ‘It’s a devil,’ he muttered.

  ‘Yes, and I’m a dirty human. Enough!’ She turned back to the creature. ‘Why were you imprisoned in a book?’

  The wolf looked sad for a moment. ‘For the same reason as your friend wishes to attack me. I am different. I am lycan, and to the rest of this world, that is what creates a monster—fear of what is different. It takes but one lie to create
fear and hate that will last a lifetime.’ He swept his hand around the room, gesturing to all the books on the shelves. ‘We don’t record our history. We write fables of great heroes and monsters, but the monsters are simply those who lost the battle. We record one race’s feats, and we omit everything else from existence. Even you, fair human, were from a race of warriors once, but the elves won the war, and now here you are, a slave to a—’ He paused as he studied the group. ‘Apologies, I don’t know what species any of you are.’ He frowned at Binks. ‘Is that your child?’

  Sparks of blue lightning shot around Binks fingers as he curled his hands into fists while looking about ready to explode. ‘A child!?’

  ‘I’m an elf, you demon!’ Caelan cried at the same time.

  Tagra shrugged and began washing her hindquarters.

  ‘They’re all a bit sensitive too.’ Malian shook her head. She was interested in what the creature had to say. Had humans been great warriors once, good and honourable? Did she have ancestors she could be proud of?

  ‘Thank you for freeing me, fair maiden, but now I must take my leave.’ The wolf bowed again.

  Malian frowned. ‘Hang on. You didn’t answer the question. How did you end up inside a book? Who are you?’

  ‘Where are my manners? My name is Aleck. I am prince of Lycandia.’

  ‘There’s no such place,’ Binks said while narrowing his eyes at Aleck.

  ‘Across the Dark Sea, I promise you that Lycandia exists—’ Aleck began before he was cut off.

  ‘Hogswash! I’ve travelled this planet. There is no Dark Sea, nor a Lycandia. There is no Lycan race either for that matter.’ Binks folded his arms.

  Aleck frowned at Binks. ‘I assure you sir, I am scholar of geography. If for no other reason, surely my existence is proof that the Lycan are real?’

  ‘I’ve travelled Ispa my whole life. You are an aberration, not a race of this planet.’ Binks raised his wand.

  Aleck tilted his head to the side. ‘And what pray tell is an Ispa?’

  Binks widened his eyes at him. ‘You don’t know the name of the planet you’re on?’

  ‘What?’ Aleck frowned. ‘The planet is called Hern.’