“Thank you. Is that everything?”
“No sir. It is circulating the temples that some kid in Maldore is a mage. There isn’t a name or anything just a general asking to keep an eye out for him. I don’t put a lot of stock into it, these watches pop up every dozen years I’m told.”
The man left promptly leaving Brian time to lie back in bed and think. It was an interesting bit of information. He’d have to find out exactly what blood magic was and what was so bad about it.
Christi slept poorly at first, she dreamt that Billy was killed in battle and his body was returned to her at the academy. She woke in a sweat and shaking in the middle of the night. She got a drink and laid back down knowing it was just a dream.
The next morning her eyes snapped open and a smile crossed her face along with a blush. She’d dreamt of Alec. It had started out innocently enough then turned into the type that had left her wanting. By the end of the dream, she was sitting with Alec in front of a warm fire. His hair had turned a mix of very light brown and grey. She knew it was their home, where they’d fought, loved and raised their children.
A quick shower and she eagerly went up to the fourth floor to find Peter. Peter was taking Beth and her out into the countryside. There they would practice controlling full cyclones where it was reasonably safe.
Peter led Christi and Beth toward the stables. It was a beautiful day with just a handful of clouds in the sky and a light northern breeze. It was just cool enough to need a heavier shirt and cloak. Beth was telling Christi of the first time she had controlled a full cyclone. Peter remembered it too.
Beth had been eager to start and it had been just the two of them. She’d thrown out little dust devils in front of their horses as they rode and one had gotten out of control when she let go of it. In the blink of an eye the little dust devil had grown from a little thing picking up dust and leaves to a full cyclone. By the time Peter had gotten a hold of it the cyclone had taken out four apple trees and a farmers barn. The farmer was eventually compensated for his loss, and a new barn now sat in place of the old one.
Two younger men sat on their horses outside the stables as the stable hands led out horses for them to use. Another man rode up as Peter and the girls climbed into their saddles. Christi watched as the first two saluted Erik.
“Looks like we’re all here Master Stalleen. If you would you like to lead the way my men and I will follow you.” Erik said.
“Absolutely, we’ll be heading west just past the apple orchard. You and your men are welcome to ride with us. We won’t be doing any magic until we get there.” Peter led the way.
“So this is field work?” Erik asked.
“In a way. We’re going to an open field to practice long range spells and cooperation.”
Peter led the way. It was only five or six miles to the west. When he had told the Headmaster he was going to take the girls outside the walls he was told he would be given an escort. It wasn’t a big deal but he was surprised to see a ranger leading them.
Peter looked over his shoulder and motioned Captain Erik to ride next to him.
“So what about this little exercise warrants a ranger to accompany us?”
“It’s how we operate. Rangers look out for each other, and that includes each other’s families. It’s our job to keep Christi safe while Allen is out on a mission and while Alec is… gaining life experience.”
Peter smiled at that. He had never really dealt with the rangers much but liked what he’d seen of their loyalty and commitment so far. They were more than just trackers and officers. Looking back he saw his two apprentices chatting easily with the soldiers.
At the top of the hill Peter could see the barn where they would leave their horses. Painted white it stood at an angle to the road with large red letters painted on the back, Beth. He had become friends with the farmer after the incident and calling the barn Beth had become a joke between them. He’d even placed wards against fire and spoilage on it for the man. It wasn’t until they were half way down the hill that Peter heard the small scream and then laughter.
When they got to the farm the farmer helped them lead their horses into the barn and stable them. Peter spoke with the man and handed him a small pouch of coins.
“Alright, Mr. Canstir has a field we can use further down the road. We leave the horse here so we don’t spook them.”
“Are we going to be long? Should we take a couple canteens with us?” Erik asked.
“There is a stream coming out of the woods we can use but it wouldn’t hurt.”
The field was empty of crops and the forest to one side still had enough leaves to be dark. Peter asked the soldiers to stand back as he had Beth form her cyclone.
Dirt was lifted off the ground and slowly began spinning in a circle up into the air. Peter marked out several spots in the dirt and asked her to move her cyclone close to the spots without disturbing them. Peter moved back with the soldiers as Christi stood watching Beth quickly move her cyclone around the field.
Peter asked Beth to stop her spell as the three soldiers moved out into the field. The twenty-foot cyclone stayed in the center of the field as the soldiers picked up sticks to use as swords. The soldiers began fencing as Erik slowly walked around.
“I want you to use the cyclone to pick off the one on the right. You also need to avoid Erik.” Peter told Beth.
Beth slowly moved her cyclone toward the soldier who quickly moved around his opponent. With the other soldier in the way, the cyclone circled easily avoiding Erik. Several minutes went by with soldiers moving back and forth across the field and the cyclone pursuing the soldier. The base of the cyclone tilted and darted forward knocking the soldier to the side then picked him up dragging him several feet across the field.
“Well done! Move it to the end of the field and make it as large as you dare then bring it from one end to the other.” Peter instructed.
The cyclone grew as it moved to the end of the field kicking up more dirt and flinging it into the air. Wind picked up catching their cloaks trying to pull them to the cyclone. The fifty-foot high cyclone ripped a path of cleared earth from one end of the field to the other and back. Sweat beaded Beth’s forehead as the wind slowly diminished and finally quit. Erik and the soldiers clapped in appreciation of her display of power and control.
“You’re up Christi. Form a cyclone and move it between the marks.”
Christi grew her cyclone to ten feet then shrunk it back down a couple sacrificing size for maneuverability. Erik and the two soldiers moved back out into the field. Erik started sparring with one of them while the other walked in an erratic pattern around them. Between keeping her cyclone away from the second soldier and Erik’s awareness of his surroundings she was having trouble getting anywhere close to him.
Christi decided to try something one of her family elders had told her about when she first learned she was a sorceress. Keeping her cyclone to one side she set it to chase the second soldier. Watching Erik as he predictably kept the cyclone in view, Christi pulled power and whipped a second cyclone into being directly under his feet. As the new cyclone pushed the first soldier back it caught Erik in it’s vortex and launched him up an out of the top of the cyclone.
Erik climbed back to his feet and bowed. Moving both her cyclones to the end of the field, she took the power from one and added to the other until it matched Beth’s cyclone. Her cyclone tore a second furrow down the field and back. Slowly the cyclone stopped rotating and finally stopped altogether. Christi stepped back turned to applause and a second bow from Erik.
“Now as you catch your breath I will show you the destructive force of our cyclones.” Peter moved everyone behind him and sat at the edge of the road. “Mr. Canstir has been wanting to clear some more of the forest for his field. Manually cutting and digging out each stump is back breaking hard work and time consuming.”
Peter started small and moved his little five-foot cyclone over to the far end of the field. Size did not corres
pond to power but to control. Control was everything. Adding more and more power, Peter pushed the air one way and pulled it from the other. Within a minute he had his cyclone several hundred feet high. The high clouds dipped as the cyclone below drew air and tossed it back out. Peter drew his cyclone down the edge of the forest ripping the trees from the ground and tossing them about. It was no longer fair to call it a cyclone. This was a tornado.
He used was no more than they had used. After several passes, Peter shut down the cyclone and stood. Trees lay on the ground their roots sticking up like branches. Walking over to see the damage, Peter pointed out where some of the larger trees had broken rather than be ripped from the ground. There were only a few like that. The rest had been completely removed. The edge of the forest was now several hundred feet back giving the farmer more land to farm.
“This is truly destructive. You could wipe out an entire army by yourself. Are you exceptionally powerful or can any magic user do this?” One of the soldiers asked.
“Normally the opposing army has their own magic users who either try to counter the direction that I push the air. They can also make their own cyclone and spin the air the opposite direction. When two cyclones meet with opposing spins, they cancel each other.” Peter told them
“These three are sorcerers not wizards, they are more powerful.” Erik told the soldiers.
“That’s not always true. We have more control than a wizard but some of them have just as much power as a sorcerer. With enough time and preparation, a decently powered wizard can make a cyclone.” Peter told them.
Chapter 18
Awake just before sunrise Alec realized it would be a cloudy, rainy, miserable day. The only thing keeping his loft warm was the body heat from the animals below him. Nothing would have pleased him more than to stay under the blanket Charles had given him the day before. Forcing himself to get up and dressed he felt his power flare, Robert and Sherry were up.
Readying their horses he left them tied up just inside the stables and headed inside till he was needed. The only people traveling today would be those who had neither the time nor the money to stay. Making his way to the kitchen Alec found Charley already up and at the stove. There was a little too much wood in it and he reminded him that most of the fire should be at the back.
Taking a small piece of coal and paper Alec began checking the spices. Sniff first then taste just a tiny bit. It didn’t take long to work his way through the jars, even having to rinse his mouth out twice. There were four jars that he didn’t have a clue what was in them.
“I’d suggest taking these down to the general store. Your mother probably ordered them from there or they’ll at least have a better idea what they are.” Alec put the last little piece of paper into a jar with the word sugar written on it.
“I think I know what sugar is.” Charley said.
“But can you know it from salt without opening it and tasting? Most people don’t use as much of either one while cooking as they do baking and using one in place of the other is horrible.”
“Why would I switch them?” Charley asked.
“You wouldn’t on purpose. You’re not the only one who comes into the kitchen though. What if Charles came back here and used something without putting it back where it was. Are you going to taste it each time to make sure you’re adding salt and not sugar?” Alec asked.
As the guest came down for breakfast to decide if they would stay Alec felt Robert and Sherry in the common room. He knew there would be a few people who would need to go regardless of the rain and headed back to the stable to wait.
Skins came out to help him feed his horse and held her off to the side while Alec scooped out the stall. He would be staying. Alec earned four copper pieces for his troubles over the next hour as three people left. He thanked them and wished them well regardless.
Standing in the door of the stable out of the rain Alec waited. Realizing that he wasn’t going to come in to talk with them Robert and Sherry came out to the stable, without their saddlebags.
Alec glared as they approached and threw up a shield in front of the stable doors.
“You forgot your bags. You are leaving.” He refused to be pushed around.
“We can talk this out, be reasonable.” Robert told him.
“The last time I agreed to talk I was attacked. Leave and when I decide I’m willing to listen to you, then we’ll talk.”
“I can take down your shield. You may have more raw power but I have a lot more experience. Release Sherry’s well now and I promise you won’t be attacked.”
Allen stood and watched from under the eaves of the inn. He had two sets of saddlebags with him.
“Not good enough.”
He felt Robert start to draw power. With his little hidden piece of power riding on the other man’s well Alec spread it across and capped it. Robert gaped at him as his connection to his well was severed. Allen walked over with the saddlebags passing one to each of them.
“I would strongly suggest you leave. I really don’t think he’s playing around.”
“Can we at least stay at the other inn? Please.” Sherry asked.
Alec narrowed his eyes. The other inn was only a few blocks away. Make them camp out off to the side of the road and freeze, or let them stay at the overly expensive inn?
“Stay at the inn. If I feel you come down this way even once before I leave I’ll shield you and tie it off permanently!” Alec told them.
Allen joined Alec inside the stable and watched them ride away in the rain.
“That was more than I’d have given them.”
“If I made them camp out beside the road they’d probably get sick and die or their horses would. I can’t have that on my conscience.” Alec explained.
“So now what? I think everyone who is going to be leaving has.” Allen asked.
“Now I work on my staff. I have a lot of work to do to it.”
Finally being convinced to work on his staff in Allen’s room Alec grabbed his staff and bucket of bent nails. Stopping by the kitchen Alec told Charley where he would be if needed.
Sitting in the chair with the bucket at his feet and staff before him Alec knew this would be hard. He didn’t have affinities for earth or spirit and each would take a fair amount of power. Feeling that Robert and Sherry were at the other inn, he brought back all but the tiniest sliver of power leaving them with access to their wells once again.
Liquefying the nails in the bucket Alec lowered his staff into it. It was a fight to maintain control as he drew the iron up the shaft of the staff while keeping the iron in a liquid state. The staff drew and drew the metal until caps formed at both ends. Iron now interweaved through the very fibers of the staff but was not a part of it.
Wiping sweat from his brow Alec saw a raised eyebrow on Allen’s face as well as questions.
“I’m not done by a long shot.”
Drawing his mind into the staff, he wanted to do two things. First, make the iron and wood connect as one. Second, make the entire staff be connected to him. Fiber by fiber Alec combined the natural wood and the iron. At the same time, he imprinted just a grain of his power in each fiber.
Alec opened his eyes. Allen was still on the bed but now held a plate of food. Another plateful sat on the table along with two mugs. Pushing himself up out of the chair, his knees protested along with his back.
“Lunch is just being served downstairs. I didn’t know how long you would be so I had Charley bring up our plates. He brought a pitcher of ale too.”
“Thanks that took a lot longer than I thought it would.” Alec told him.
Alec explained how he had drawn the iron up through the staff and then made it apart of him by adding his power to it.
Lifting the staff with both hands Allen looked closely at the grain of the staff. The iron could be seen on the surface of the staff as a grey sheen. The staff definitely weighed enough to have iron in it. Allen dropped the end of the staff to the floor.
; “I hope you can do something about the weight of this thing, it’s a really long club otherwise.”
Finishing his lemon pepper chicken, Alec made a mental note to talk to Charley. It wasn’t bad and was seasoned almost perfectly. Only time, experience and patience would stop him from over cooking the chicken.
“I’m not done yet. I hope my staff will feel lighter than a normal one yet hit with its actual weight.” Alec sat back down in the chair and set the staff across his knees.
Alec drew his mind into the staff again. It easily accepted him and Alec felt like it was a part of him. Wrapping each of the elements around each fiber within the staff was fairly easy compared to adding the iron.
Opening his eyes Alec found Allen standing by the window. “How long was that?” he asked.
“Under an hour or there abouts. Done?”
Alec shook his head and closed his eyes again. He’d kept his mind within the staff making it easier to return. Now it was time for the fun part. He remembered the symbols used to represent the elements from the book Peter had let him study. On each end of the staff Alec drew the symbols around and into the caps using just his finger. Done with both caps, he started on the shaft. Drawing each symbol, he linked one to the other and drew them downward in a spiral.
Using the staff Alec levered himself out of the chair and swayed feeling a little dizzy. Allen watched him from the bed.
“It looks neat if that counts. Are you going to be able to swing it?”
Alec tossed it the air before him and caught it then held it out Allen.
“I think so. It’s nearly perfect for me.”
Allen held the staff with both hands looking closely at what Alec had drawn on it. Alec explained what each symbol meant and that he wanted to be able to push his power through the staff without damaging it.
Mage (The Elemental Magic Series Book 2) Page 19
