Battle Mage Bonds (Tales of Alus Book 13)

by Donald Wigboldy

  Seeing Ulia wrapped up in Ashleen's spare coat and clothes, even down to a pair of boots; he nearly laughed as he watched the girl stamping her feet to try and warm up. Her hands held both her bag and her shoulders trying to hold onto the heat in her body.

  A few of the cadets and wizards looked up at the falling snow groaning as winter reappeared to their senses. They didn't wait for very long, however; as the door leading inside made them hurry towards the known warmth within. Ulia followed the residents of White Hall quickly.

  "Do you still think it was cold on the island today, Ulia?" he asked with a knowing chuckle. It was echoed by many of the White Hall students as well.

  Chapter 8- A Summons

  Sebastian had led the way through the portal once again and discovered snow falling through the cold air of White Hall. He looked up at the gray sky and thought that it was still late afternoon. Though the sun seen from the island had nearly set, the distance traveled to the west in an instant would have appeared to have rewound a few hours; if there had been a sun to see.

  He watched as the others passed through the portal and found the reminder of cold winter both disappointing and shocking. No one was as shocked as the newest visitor to the wizard's school.

  Ulia had reluctantly put on the heavy clothing that Ashleen had brought for the girl wanting to continue to portray herself as being too strong to be affected by the cold, but the girl obviously had never felt the brutal temperatures of winter in Southwall. She had never needed something warm enough for the country's northern weather. As her mind caught up to her situation, Ulia appeared to shrink into the three layers of robes that she wore.

  Wanting to laugh, the mage managed to control himself only teasing her once; though a couple of the others were forced to hide smiles behind raised hands at the girl's sudden realization of how cold their weather could truly be. Ulia had even ignorantly proclaimed that, as a rune warrior, she was sure that she could handle something like a change in weather.

  Even those used to winter's cold, like the cadets and apprentices returning to the school; appeared surprised by the cold air after the warm day on the island as they waited impatiently for the portal to be released so that they could hurry inside. Ashleen was the last to pass through the gate as her magic served as an anchor while Sebastian led the way once more. The wilder joined the group before they released their hold on the gateway.

  Soldiers and wizards could be seen above them looking uncomfortable in the cold air as well. Once they were assured that those using the gate were safe, half of the current round of guards disappeared from sight into the heated towers surrounding the rectangular security area.

  Seeming less worried about the cold than the girl she had helped coerce into coming to White Hall, Katya was already talking into Ulia's ear as she led the girl towards the door leading into the hall joining the cafeteria and mage quarters. Sebastian watched as the others hurried after the girls in their exodus from the cold.

  "You'll handle getting Ulia settled, Ylena?" the mage asked the veteran wizard.

  Nodding in answer, her raven tresses shifted with the movement. In the gray light, Ylena's hair picked up the color making her long tresses appear to age her slightly. "I will get her settled in the morning. For tonight, the girl can use one of the beds in Katya's room. She has been sleeping alone since Cheleya returned to Mar'kal for the winter. I am sure that your sister would welcome the company."

  Inclining her head towards the two girls moving arm in arm like the best of friends, she added, "I think Katya is excited to show her the school."

  "Or to show her off to the school," Sebastian replied with a smile. His sister seemed to be taking charge of the girl. Perhaps she saw Ulia as her responsibility since Katya had virtually pushed her into coming back to White Hall with them.

  "Or that," the wizard agreed.

  Following the younger wizards and mages, the three watched as the two factions split off to get changed. It was a return to normalcy for both groups. A few hours of summer would be filed away as winter returned, but their training could only be put off until the following morning.

  Sebastian wasn't even able to make it back to the cafeteria before a cadet in gray stepped forward to meet him.

  "Falconi Garrett needs you to meet him in his office," the boy stated with slightly wide eyes. Sebastian guessed that his reputation had been growing at least among the battle mage cadets since his new spells were already being brought into their classes. As the first mage to come up with new magic since their founder, Hurst, had created the spells that Sebastian and the previous generations of mages had come to learn; the owl had almost risen to larger than life status.

  Ignoring the younger mage's odd approach, he acknowledged him quickly before turning to Ashleen. "I guess that I had better go see what the falconi needs. He wouldn't keep a cadet tied up waiting for me unless it was important, I would assume."

  The apprentices were straggling past the cafeteria door and the girl gestured to Katya specifically saying, "I'll go help your sister with Ulia and meet you for dinner then."

  Nodding he gave her hand a squeeze before taking longer strides that the shorter girls couldn't hope to match easily. Falconi Garrett's office was on the far side of the wizard dorms in the central tower. It was one of the few areas in the predominantly wizard occupied building and backed off a sort of gymnasium. The large room with a couple smaller rooms attached to it was the only place inside that the cadets could practice that wasn't in an outer courtyard.

  After years of studying and training as a cadet, Sebastian was very familiar with the route and moved through the halls passing through a common area. Centered on the largest building of White Hall, the mages could either use the route he had or enter through the front doors. Most likely the wizards preferred the latter since the battle mages would spend the least amount of time in the building as if they could contaminate or lower the quality of their residence.

  There were still a few wizards in their white robes trimmed with the color of their main element sitting on sofas studying their books or practicing minor spells when Sebastian passed through. Some of the apprentices started to give him their disapproving looks until a couple recognized him from his previous trips to the school.

  Wanting to sigh, the mage did his best to exchange smiles or a nod of the head to acknowledge the young wizards who had likely been exposed to some of the new magic he had brought back from his travels. Sebastian knew he was the first true bridge between the two schools of magic and it was his responsibility to help encourage a change in the mentality of both wizard and mage in relation to how they treated each other. He was proof that battle mages could be more than they had been and even rival the wizards despite their apparent strength differences. It was likely to be something that would never be fully embraced by both sides; but after only a year, Sebastian thought that at least some of the wizards were beginning to realize the value that the mages brought to Southwall.

  The cadets' gym was surprisingly empty though a few could be seen in the classrooms attached to it on his right. With no one to slow him down, the young mage opened the door on the far side of the room. It was set on a part of the wall that stood out as it pushed into the gym since it led to a rounded tower that held its shape from top to bottom.

  Matching the circular shape of the tower, the first floor would have felt more obviously round but it was broken up into walled off sections. The entry had a pair of desks for Garrett's assistants, but his door was open leading to his office. No one barred him entry at this point of day and Sebastian walked up to the door to knock on the frame as he looked at the man who had summoned him.

  Falconi Garrett looked up from his paperwork noticing the mage at his door. Sebastian greeted him, "You left word for me to come here, Falconi Garrett?"

  "Ah, yes, Falcon Sebastian or I suppose that I should say Owl Sebastian now. Word of your promotion has filtered to us at the school thanks to the portals joining our country together
now," the older man answered his questioning call. "Come on in. It has gotten late and so everyone has taken off for the day. They said that you took a handful of cadets with you and some wizards. Did you have a good trip?"

  "It's my sister's birthday today; so to celebrate, I took her and some of her friends somewhere warm for the afternoon. I was told it was alright. If this is why I was called to your office, I hope that I didn't get that wrong."

  "I'm not scolding you, am I?" the falconi questioned with a chuckle. "It is still strange to think that you can use portal magic like the wizards do. You even made the gates safer to use. That is something no wizard thought to do.

  "It seems like just yesterday we gave you a copy of basic wizards' spells to see if you could try to figure out something new. Now you've not only made some of those into usable mage spells, but found some things no one has seen since the Cataclysm erased a lot of the knowledge of the wizards from the past.

  "Anyway enough praise. I recall that you always seemed to hate being singled out like that as much as you probably disliked being called out for things you needed to improve. I left word for you because Hala sent a message here looking for you first."

  Forehead wrinkling at the curious reason, Sebastian asked, "They sent word while I am still considered on injured leave? The healers say that I need at least another week to finish recovering from my wounds."

  The man dressed in black stood as they talked. Brushing his hand through his brown hair, the bearded falconi looked mildly confused before replying, "They didn't give me much to say other than that they are looking for you. You are supposed to report in tomorrow morning, if possible. I suppose that they could have phrased it as coming as soon as you can.

  "The letter came from a falcon's hand, but it was signed by three ravens and two falconi. They've started to replace Raven Leros in Hala from what I gather."

  Looking questioningly at the man who was the head of mages in White Hall and one of his former teachers, Sebastian asked, "Who will they raise to replace him in the ravens? You're a falconi. Are you in line then for one of the new raven positions?"

  With a slight frown, the falconi replied, "As a falconi, I am in a way; but there are enough falconis besides me for the ravens to look at before that decision is made. If they have me in mind, I haven't received any word about it though. I might be considered a little young for it. You know, they might want someone more seasoned to promote to raven."

  "You're in charge of teaching new mages. That's a pretty important position. I would think that would put you high on their list at the very least," countered the younger mage.

  Chuckling at the loyal sentiment, Garrett retorted, "But what is that saying, those who can do and those who can't teach?"

  "You didn't become head of White Hall's mage school without reason, I would guess."

  Waving off Sebastian without confirming his supposition, Falconi Garrett said, "Anyway, if they need me I will be ready, but this was supposed to be about you. How did the quiet kid who was always shadow dueling in a corner of the training grounds become so unique that a new position had to be created for you? You were creative enough with magic that I thought maybe you might have something to add, but the content that those you've trained have brought to us is like adding an entire new book on being a battle mage."

  Reddening slightly with the praise, the younger man replied, "I guess that maybe training hard, even alone, has its merits."

  The falconi shook his head and refuted his humble statement. "You've reworked wizard spells and come up with these runes as well as... what are they called... Hollow Swords?"

  "Some of that came from a lightning wilder in a way. We were researching how she appeared tied to the earth even though she could use air and earth spells alike. I learned to work with lighting because of her also, but the pull of it led to creating a staff that used wood and iron. From there, I mended a sword and added some of that to it in the process forging the first Hollow Sword."

  The shrug he gave with his final words made Garrett roll his eyes as he shook his head. "No one just does all those things. If it were so simple and common certainly others would have come up with similar spells and artifacts by now, Sebastian. Stop trying to act like what you've achieved is nothing.

  "Though I suppose that it's better to be humble than running around bragging about it."

  The falconi looked thoughtful before asking, "With the Dark One dead, it should be a bit quieter around here. Will you continue researching new magic then?"

  "I have been off and on, but I suppose that is up to the ravens to decide," Sebastian replied with a small frown that he should have hidden.

  "You disagree with that though?"

  Eyes widening slightly in surprise, the owl answered, "I didn't exactly say that, but do you know how I was injured?"

  "The reason you fled to White Hall with that wound, you mean?" At the confirming nod, the older man's brow wrinkled a moment before he replied, "I hadn't heard, but obviously you escaped a dangerous place to get here."

  Considering his words before he said them, Sebastian decided that he could tell the falconi even if he wasn't certain how much of New Harbor's disloyalty was known outside of Hala. "I didn't run into that danger outside of Southwall. Maybe you've heard of the unrest in some of the southern cities or maybe you haven't, but I was attacked in New Harbor after trying to use a portal into the city."

  Garrett frowned at his confession and warned, "Is this something that King Alain and his advisors should know first? Is that why you think that they've called you to return to the raven's tower in Hala?"

  Thinking about that for only a moment, the owl shook his head. "Word that I tried to enter the city and discovered that they have somehow trapped New Harbor preventing someone from sneaking in that way was sent before I could even leave my sick bed. As to whether I can share that it looks like the leaders of New Harbor appear to have decided to turn away from King Alain, if they've decided to rebel and separate from Southwall; the entire nation is going to know it soon enough, I think."

  "Why would they try to secede?"

  "The Dark One's men apparently made a strong enough argument for the lords of New Harbor to decide that they don't owe Alain their allegiance any longer. Even if he's gone, the trouble he has been stirring up for centuries and in particular the last year or so continues to make trouble for Southwall."

  Processing the younger man's words a moment, Falconi Garrett was forced to ask, "So why tell me this?"

  "Raven Leros and King Alain have given me a bit more latitude to follow my heart to do what I thought was important. My use of portals to enter Ensolus was one of those things, but not everyone always seems to appreciate my recent freedom. If the new raven of Hala decides that I should only be doing what he wants, like maybe forcing me to only teach here or something; I may find my personal desires conflicting with his. I know that I have barely exited the required time of service, but do you think that I might find that I..." Sebastian stopped trying to decide what he meant to say.

  "You're wondering if you'll be forced to just be another falcon fighting when and where they decide?" the falconi suggested what he believed Sebastian meant.

  Taking a deep breath, Sebastian tried to explain, "There are so many places that are likely to need attention not only soon, but some probably need to be kept an eye on now. New Harbor and some of the other cities are debating on treason. Ensolus and the other cities of the Dark One could be another threat depending on whoever takes over. Litsarin has another of his armies there which could turn to one of their generals also."

  "You're just one man, Sebastian. Even using this portal magic that you seem to have perfected, you can only do so much. If you continue trying to do everything by yourself, you'll likely fail to accomplish anything and maybe even get yourself killed," the falconi stated before pausing to consider something. "Maybe this comes from all that time you practiced and studied alone. You've developed an independent attitude, which is normal
ly fine and good; but perhaps you haven't come to terms with the fact that you are part of something larger.

  "Southwall has many branches that serve to keep it safe. You're part of the mages. Other men and women can do some of the things that you may believe that only you can do. Maybe you think that keeps others safe and only puts you at risk; but the ravens and probably King Alain as well might consider you risking your life a greater potential loss than other mages or even wizards."

  Sebastian frowned at the comment and shook his head, "I can't send others somewhere that we don't know the danger. Just because I have figured out some spells doesn't mean that I should just be sitting back letting others do what I should be doing. I can use magic that our mages can't. I can also fight better than any wizard we have.

  "It isn't me bragging, but fact, falconi. If I can't do my best as a mage, maybe I need to figure out a different path or just what I should be doing. I want to serve Southwall, but..."

  "But what your heart wants to do seems to conflict with what is asked of you," Garrett summed up. "You're a good kid, Sebastian,... falcon or owl, I suppose I should say. I've known you long enough and followed you through your other teachers and mentors to believe that you want to do what is right. Try to stay the course. No one can truly decide your fate, but if you truly wish to protect and serve Southwall you can't always put your heart before your nation, can you?"

  Sebastian was quiet as he considered the man's words. He had always thought that he would just be serving as a battle mage for most of his life. Most mages, if they weren't killed or maimed; would serve until their late thirties or early forties and retire with a pension that most could use to buy land or create a business that would help sustain a family. They'd find someone to spend the rest of their lives with and have children; but there were also those who might settle down and teach at one of the schools perhaps since they couldn't stand to leave it behind.