Mage (The Elemental Magic Series Book 2)

by Michael Nowotny

  As he drew to a close he stood and motioned for Alec to stand with him.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen, you are gifted tonight for though I won't be singing my young friend here will recount some songs of gentle nature for you so that I may decide if I should take him under my wing. Please welcome the young man, Alec Carter.” Jimmy started the applause and it was quickly carried around the room.

  Alec felt his mouth go dry and his palms start to sweat. Jimmy told him to take a deep breath and let it out slow. He caught the eye of Jessica as Jimmy struck the first few lines on his guitar. Alec closed his eyes and sang out the first few lines to a song they’d sung around the farm. His voice warbled at first and slowly steadied when he didn't hear people laughing at him.

  The song was supposed to increase in tempo as it went along to show how much fun the kids were having as they followed the river down to the sea, Alec followed Jimmy's lead as he slowly sped up the tempo. Alec opened his eyes and saw Jessica clapping along with the song like everyone else. Several people came out and started to swing one another around faster and faster until the end of the song when they bowed to each other.

  Jimmy took up song after song stopping only long enough for Alec to take a small drink now and then. They ended the evening with The Night Bird and The Sun. It was a slow song about a night bird falling in love with the sun each morning and trying to chase after it as it set each night. He sang and watched as George led Jessica on to the floor where she laid her head on his shoulder as they danced to the last song. The song ended and Jimmy rose up beside him as the crowd clapped their hands enthusiastically. Alec followed Jimmy's lead and bowed to the audience.

  They left the inn and George and Jessica both offered Jimmy a room in their house while he was in the city. He declined saying arrangements had already been made for him. Jimmy told him he'd be over at the same time tomorrow night for some more fun. He handed Alec his little worn book and told him to pick out two or three songs toward the back and see if he could memorize them before tomorrow night.

  Alec told him he'd try his best and shook Jimmy’s hand as he went off to his own lodgings. Alec turned and found George and Jessica staring with their mouths hanging open.

  “What's the matter?” he asked.

  Jessica was the first to respond, “A bard just gave his book to you and told you to memorize a few of the songs!”

  “Is that OK? Was I not supposed to accept it?” He was confused over the way they had been acting the whole night.

  George laid a hand on his shoulder as they walked and said, “Alec, I think Jimmy Hawkswing plans to make you his apprentice. The man is a legend, for him to pick you is beyond belief.”

  Alec was told they would talk more in the morning as they enjoyed the cool evening walk.

  Alec held the door for them when they got back to the house and was almost tackled to the floor by Christi. George laughed saying, it used to be him who was tackled when he entered the house, in a fake pout. Allan, Billy and Christi were each asking them where they'd been before they even made it to the sitting room. As they sat in the sitting room George explained their trip to Landstone and meeting Jimmy. He then told them that Jimmy had come to their home and asked for Alec to go sing with him. Christi and her brothers laughed thinking their father was spinning a tale just for them. He assured them it was true in a stern voice and that they had been down at the Dove's Nest. Alec had sung while they had been dancing.

  With the admission Alec received several stares and one large smile from Jessica, who told her children that Master Hawkswing would be by tomorrow evening to do it again.

  Halfway down the family wing Christi stopped at her door telling him it was her room. He told her he already knew that it was hers and that his was the next one.

  “Really, my parents moved you into the family wing and gave you the best room, besides theirs?” She raised an eyebrow thinking he was jesting.

  “Want to come in for a bit?” He asked taking a step toward his door.

  “Sure, lead the way. If it's yours you'll have your things in it.” She still didn't believe him.

  Alec held the door open for her and she entered looking every which way. She went to the closet and opened the door seeing the weapons in it. Alec told her he didn't have a lot of things but the weapons were his including the larp.

  She walked over and opened the top dresser drawer before he could stop her, still not convinced. She reached in and pulled out a pair of his undershorts then held them up. Alec quickly snatched them from her and stuffed them back in. He opened the other drawers and showed her clothes she would recognize.

  She plopped down on the bed shaking her head. Alec took off his shoes and set them by the door before sitting next to her.

  Alec asked if she was alright and told her that if she didn't want him in the family wing he would ask for his old room back.

  A wolfish smile crossed her face as she threw her arms around him. After a prolonged kiss she led him back to the closet saying her parents didn't know there was a secret door in it that led to her closet. She showed him a small lever set on top of the baseboard and pushed down on it till he heard a click.

  The door swung gently into his closet leaving an opening he would have to duck to make it through. Christi went back and grabbed a lamp off his end table then led him through to her closet. Various dresses of every color lined one side of it. The other side was an assortment of coats and jackets then a few boxes. She led him in to her room and lit a lamp on the wall while Alec looked around. A dried out ink well sat on her desk. A few dolls sat neatly at miniature table and chairs.

  What surprised him the most was her bed was a mess and the pile of dirty clothes in one corner. The dresser fared little better, clothes were only half stuffed in to the drawers so they couldn't close and crumpled papers decorated the top with small figurines that were knocked over. The room had a musky smell that probably came from the dirty laundry.

  Christi's cheeks grew bright red as she realized the state of her room and the smell made her wrinkle her nose. She half pushed him back through the closet and into his room.

  “I'm so embarrassed. I obviously need to clean up my room. I'm so sorry you saw that,” she said with her cheeks still burning.

  “It's fine. I'll even give you a hand in the morning, OK?” He told her.

  She shook her head accepting his help. She kissed him again before going back to her own room again.

  Alec got ready for bed when a knock sounded on his door. He rolled his eyes thinking he'd never get any peace and quiet. He answered the door to Allan and Bill standing there.

  “So they really did give you the best room in the house,” said Allen.

  The two brothers pushed their way into the room looking around longingly. Allan asked to see the larp his father had given Alec and followed him to the closet as Bill poked around. Alec brought it out to the main room where the light was better and handed it to Allan.

  He inspected it, testing the weight and balance by giving it a few low swings before handing it back. After a brief talk with them they left so he could get some sleep but not before Allan told him to be ready for a little sparring in the morning.

  Alec lay in bed thinking of all the things he had to do the next day already.

  Alec woke with the sun coming through his window and got up to make himself ready for the day. Exiting his room he saw Allan coming out of his and was asked if he was ready to spar. Alec told him sure and headed back for his larp. The two of them made their way out the back door to a clear area amongst the late blooming flowers.

  Allan warmed up stretching his arms, legs and back before drawing his sword to swing it back and forth. Alec did his own stretches using the larp to pull at his muscles. Alec drew their circle in the dirt and they faced off.

  Allan came high with an over the head chop that Alec blocked with the inner edge of his blade, pushing it off to one side. He spun the larp backward and twisted it to the side catching Allan in
the ribs with a glancing blow. Allan took the hit in stride and stepped forward delivering a punch to Alec's gut. Allan told him the weapons in their hands weren’t the only weapons they had as Alec tried to catch his breath.

  Allan came at him stronger with sideswipes, forward chops and thrust. Alec blocked starting to get back into it. Alec went on the offensive, the larp spinning in his hands as if alive. It was a good thing he still had the blade wrapped as he caught Allan behind the knee and gave it a yank dumping him on his butt hard. Alec spun with the larp bringing it around him and up overhead with the blade leading as it dove toward Allan. He stopped the blade a few inches short of driving through his neck.

  Allan tapped the ground signaling he was beat. Clapping came from behind Alec as he lowered the larp spinning it and slamming the butt to the ground, he held his hand out to Allan helping him up.

  “I told you he was good with that thing,” George said with a smug look on his face.

  “You were right, everywhere I went it was like he was already there.” Allan rubbed his rear.

  Billy was clapping Alec on the back congratulating him on his win. He told him that he'd never beat his brother and it was nice to see someone bring him down a notch.

  Alec wasn't entirely sure what had happened. One minute he was doing everything he could to stop from getting struck and the next it was like the larp was a part of him. It seemed to just flow in his hands, it had responded to his thoughts as he thought them. Even now just sitting in his hand it felt like it was a part of him, another arm.

  Allan and Alec returned their weapons to their rooms and agreed to do it again that afternoon if they had a chance.

  Alec set his larp in the closet and closed the door. He could still feel exactly where the larp was, leaning in the corner.

  Washing his hands and face, Alec realized he had barely broken a sweat. The breakfast bell rang and he met Allan and Christi out in the hall. Christi took his arm in hers as they went to the dining room. After breakfast Christi led him back to her room. The laundry was gone and the room smelled better with the window open. It was a little cool in the room even with a fire going in the small hearth. Alec figured she had probably gotten rid of the clothes last night and slept with the window open.

  He offered to help as she started picking up and organizing things but she told him he wouldn't know where to put them. Alec went over to his room and grabbed the book Jimmy had loaned him. He took a seat in one of Christi's chairs, opened the book to the back, and started to read the lyrics of a song. Alec reread the song called A LOVE LOST about a girl waiting for her man to come home from war not knowing he had died. After reading it to himself he thought he had it down and closed the book. Christi was still busying herself organizing her dresser as he started to hum the song, which got Christi to stop and look at him.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Trying to memorize this song, I thought if I hummed it, it might stick better. Sorry, didn't mean to distract you,” Alec said.

  “Why don't you just sing it, I'd love to hear you sing anyway,” she told him.

  Alec cleared his throat and started to sing the song. He gained more confidence as he went, knowing Christi wouldn't laugh at him. He sang through the song his voice going softer as he neared the end where she found out her love was gone. Christi turned to him with tears in her eyes and told him that it was beautiful.

  She sat on the edge of the bed and wiped her eyes. Alec told her he still needed to pick out two or three more. She asked if she could help him pick them out and Alec moved over to sit beside her. Over the next couple hours they chose three more songs and Alec committed them to memory.

  Alec had always had an easy time remembering things and it seemed remembering the songs was just as easy. He knew he'd need to read and sing them again later just to make sure he had them down. Christi suggested he sing them for her parents after lunch and Alec agreed knowing he needed to practice and that he trusted them.

  Chapter 6

  With lunch still a few hours off Christi led Alec to the market where they met two of her old friends, Lily and Cindy. Christi introduced Alec as her boyfriend to them. Alec followed the girls into numerous stores as they spoke to one another in fast excited voices, it almost sounded like a foreign language.

  After realizing he had no interest in the shops Alec stayed out front and waited for them. It allowed him time to look around at the booths that had been setup between the stores in every space available. Alec was watching people go by as his eyes were drawn to a figure sitting by himself at a table in front of a bakery, Marty.

  Alec made his way over through a gap in the crowds of people. He hailed Marty as he drew near who shook his hand and offered him a seat. He asked Marty how he was doing and what his plans for the day were. Marty said he was just wandering around, and Alec told him he was following Christi and her friends as they went to the shops. Marty cleared his plate and joined Alec as he waited for the girls making their way to another shop.

  Alec told Christi he was going off with Marty and would meet her at home for lunch. She kissed him goodbye to the teasing of her friends.

  Alec and Marty made their way toward the craft masters area and Alec remembered that he wanted a sheath made for his larp and led Marty back to the house first so he could get it.

  With larp in hand Marty showed him a leather worker’s shop that he’d used in the past.

  “When I spar with my larp I don't want to accidently cut my partner so the sheath would need to be strong enough to take a blow,” Alec explained to Mr. Wells what he wanted made and why.

  He was told a strip of metal could be worked into either side of the sheath. Alec agreed on a price and was told it was relatively easy to do and he should have it done by late tomorrow. The leather worker suggested he have the larp modified so the blade could be removed or something and suggested a weapons smith of note who could probably get it done correctly as well as quickly.

  Marty said he knew the smith in question and agreed to lead Alec there before leaving to take care of his other errands.

  Alec saw the short heavily muscled smith and introduced himself, “Hi I'm Alec, and I was told you might have some ideas for being able to make the blade on this larp removable.”

  The smith held out his hand for the larp saying he'd only seen one of them his entire life, let alone worked on one.

  The smith carefully inspected the end of the larp. He said he could remove the pins and put in pins that could be easily removed. He suggested a new end be inserted in its place so the balance wouldn't be changed. Alec agreed to his plans and asked how long it would take.

  The smith had Alec look through several pictures for the design of the new end piece. He selected a piece that was basically a ball with six flat sides, each of the sides would have a different animal stamped into it.

  The smith told him he would have it done by Monday and Alec said he had to leave Monday morning. They eventually agreed on a price that would have it done by the end of the day tomorrow.

  Thanking the smith Alec stepped outside of the shop to meet none other than Travis Hale and a few of the others who had accosted him at the school. He turned away from them hoping they hadn't seen him.

  “Hey, if it isn't the burnout, not as strong as you thought you were?” It sounded like a sneer to Alec.

  One of them made a comment to the others and the only thing Alec heard was agreement. He walked away quicker risking a quick look behind him. Half of them were following him from a distance. Alec rounded a corner with another quick look behind him only to run into the other half of the group.

  Travis's group came around the corner after him as two of the four guys grabbed his arms.

  This doesn't look good, Alec thought to himself as they led him between two older houses. There were eight of them that Alec counted. Two of them still had his arms as Alec waited to make his move, yelling for help would get him nowhere. He would wait till they made the mistake of letting go of
his arms. Even without his larp, he was still dangerous.

  Alec was shoved roughly against a wall as Travis said, “So you've been staying with the Morton's. I told you to leave Christi alone. Perhaps you're just too stupid for it to sink in, burnout.”

  One of the guys punched Alec in the stomach causing him to double over. Alec lashed out at the guy to his right connecting with his fist. He spun and kicked out behind him and down at a knee watching it fold in a way it wasn't meant to.

  Someone tackled him from behind wrapping their arms around his chest and arms. Alec quickly threw his head back and felt a nose crumple behind his head. It hurt but must have hurt the guy holding him more as the arms holding him withdrew.

  Alec saw Travis heading toward him with something in his hand and his lips moving.

  Spell, the thought ripped through his mind as he watched Travis finish the spell. Alec grabbed one of his assailants and pulled him between them as a flare of fire shot from Travis's hand. The guy in front of him went up in flames screaming as he dropped to the ground. Alec leaped over the man and shot out his fist toward Travis's face with all his body weight behind it. His fist hit a shield in front of Travis but there was enough force behind it to knock Travis back on to his butt.

  Alec felt and heard a pop from in front him, he had breached Travis's shield. Alec took two steps forward and punched down feeling Travis's nose smash under his fist. He saw the look of fear in Travis's eyes as he drew back to punch him again. He never threw the punch. He didn’t want to be that type of person.

  He squatted down next to Travis and said. “If you ever try to harass me or Christi again I won't go so easy on you. UNDERSTAND!”

  Travis just nodded his head.

  Alec got up and started to walk away.

  “You might want to help your friend, he looks pretty bad.” Alec motioned to where the other guys had put out the man on fire and were trying to help him up.

  He made it to the Morton's house in time for lunch and wasn’t asked about the roughed up appearance of his clothes. It was a simple meal of sandwiches made from some leftover meats with cheese. The family moved to the sitting room and Alec asked if he could practice the new songs on them. Jessica gave her permission with an excited smile on her face.