Uttering a quick curse, Ashleen moved back to Sebastian and the others quickly calling up a swirling cyclone that encircled them. Dust began to lift into the air obscuring their view, but she had watched as Elzen jumped catching the first rider by surprise. His left leg glimmered with his runes as he kicked into the man's breastplate. The power lifted the soldier up out of his saddle arcing back over the horse's tail.
Elzen's right foot used the horse's shoulder to propel his body across the short distance to strike the other rider with his shield covered right forearm. The impetus and weight of his rune strengthened arm was enough to knock the man aside and off his horse as well.
Ashleen's eyes would have had trouble following the mage's movements even without the swirling dirt masking her view as his reflex spell enabled him to pull his legs back under him to place his feet on the newly vacated saddle on his right.
"Gust," the battle mage ordered driving a wind into the five wizards. It was so quick that it disrupted even the quickest of their spells. With the speed of his battle mage spells and the close range, these wizards were quickly learning the danger of having little distance between them and one of the continent's most dangerous warriors.
"Shields," he called extending his hand in a sweeping motion. Blue shields appeared covering the mouths off all but the wizard in the center, their leader. A line extended from Elzen's right forearm along the hand. Wrapping around the center wizard, the mage landed only a few feet in front of the wizards.
"You might want to tell your soldiers to stand down," Elzen remarked with a smirk. "You've already seen what someone with my power can do to you and your men. Do you really want to see what my friends can do to them with their magic?"
Indignation and fear warred across the wizard's face, but his hesitation mattered little. The deadly looking cyclone encircling the others had already stalled out the horsemen's charge. They didn't believe that even the weight of their steeds would let them through a wizard's defensive wind shield.
"Sheathe your weapons, men!" the man called out as the other wizards fought to remove the magic covering their mouths. Without the ability to speak, they were even more useless than the men and their steel swords. "We will wait for their leader to speak with him," the wizard acquiesced grudgingly.
"Arrow," Sebastian summoned the lodestone within his wind spear. Unlike the previous days where he had a spot picked out for the arrow's landing, the mage aimed for the open plain beyond where his spirit hovered. It would land at least two miles beyond him in an attempt to push as close to Interus as he could manage for the afternoon. It was getting late enough that the mage felt he had to finish for the day.
He still had to return to his body and tiring himself out to the point that he couldn't draw the two together could actually wind up killing him. Warnings of air wizards getting cut off from their bodies for too long led him to believe that they weren't just simple worries. Stories told of bodies dying in a matter of days after a wizard had lost the tether between mind and body.
The arrow shot past in a surprisingly short time and the owl watched as it struck the ground causing a puff of snow where it hit.
He was amazed at how quickly he could drive a wind arrow across the same distance that had taken nearly two hours for him to cross with his mind. Even that distance had been greater than he could have done if the mage chose to follow the teachings of how to wind ride by the wizards. If they had wizards capable of doing the same as he was now, Sebastian had neither read about it nor heard it from one of their mouths. He didn't fully believe that he had done something no one had ever figured out before, but the mage had never heard of anyone making wind arrows to cross such great distances either.
Hurrying back cutting through the wind currents, Sebastian avoided resisting the currents when he could and used them to increase his speed if possible. Returning back along the thin tendril of magic back to his body always seemed to go faster than it did to leave. He wondered if the magic was elastic in nature. Perhaps pulling away meant fighting the natural ties to one's body, while returning had a different pull trying to return as one complete being.
Whatever the reason, he passed over Fort Delial in about half the time it had taken to leave. As he neared his body and his friends, Sebastian noticed that they weren't alone. He felt the five wizards' auras before spotting the unhappy looking soldiers waiting separated from their horses. Elzen stood near the Kardorian wizards, who had been forced to stand apart from the soldiers also.
Reentering his body, Sebastian took a deep breath and sighed before rolling his shoulders to release the tightness in his back. He rubbed his legs to get some blood flowing by the time Ashleen noticed his return.
"Sebastian, thank the gods. It is about time that you returned," the girl stated in relief not criticism.
"What went on while I was gone?" he asked before rising from the stool. Stretching as he did so, the mage felt kinks releasing and little releases of pressure along his spine that felt good to a body that had sat too long in the cold.
"Fort Delial has a squad that watches for portals who discovered your doorway here. I tried to use my father's marker to let them know that we weren't the enemy, but... negotiations failed rather miserably when Elzen chose to intervene."
"They started to attack us and threatened to throw us into prison," Serrena retorted with a frown for the wilder's words. "Elzen defused the situation by capturing the wizards. Your barrier was enough to keep the soldiers away though."
Sebastian replaced the stool in the oval rune before pulling out a sandwich. He began to eat to feed his magic while the mage considered the Kardorians in front of him. The wizards looked at him curiously though most had rather sour looks to their faces as they stared at the leader of the little group.
At a glance from his friend, Elzen moved closer to Sebastian and explained, "Ashleen did her best to explain that we are here to help Kardor, but they refused to be reasonable. I made them see reason however."
Giving the younger mage a grunt of acknowledgement, Sebastian moved to stand in front of a wizard still bound by Elzen's harpoon line. Not surprisingly, the man looked upset but he was the only one with his mouth bare of a blue mage shield. He had to admit that the other mage had used some originality apparently to deal with the wizards and their men, but coming to the problem late he didn't know enough to praise him or not.
"So what is your story then?"
The wizard appeared surprise that this would be the first question from a man who they call enemy. Surely they had attacked these spies first, but he had to admit that the matter wasn't completely clear either. "I am Harlar, wizard of Kardor. Your people have used magic to infiltrate our country, so our lord sent us to deal with any threat.
"Your people refused to come with us, so force was required to deal with them."
"And how did that work out for ya?" Elzen questioned sarcastically slipping into his way of speaking that came from his early life in the city.
Not surprisingly, Harlar reddened angrily.
Ashleen spoke up quickly trying to avoid making things worse. "I tried to explain that I am from Kardor and my father is the lord of the Eastern Watch. Essentially he is their lord as well, since Fort Delial is among the eastern forts that my father was placed in charge of by King Vardal.
"As I was trying to explain to Wizard Harlar, we are only here to bring portal magic to Kardor. Interus and Velius are our eventual destinations to present the magic to the king and his warden."
Folding his arms having finished his food, Sebastian told his friends, "Well, I didn't make it to Interus yet. I'd have to check the map to know if I am on the right line, but perhaps tomorrow I can make it.
"I could check the map here or somewhere warmer, I suppose. Grab your packs and I'll bring us to the fort."
Turning his attention to the Kardorian wizards, the owl offered, "You wanted us to go to speak with your lord? Fine, we'll take you and our wizards along; but your soldiers can lead your horse
s back. You would want blinders for the horses taking them through one of these gates anyway."
"If you truly want to show good faith, have your man release his magic from my wizards," the only wizard capable of speaking made his suggestion closer to an order.
"Soon enough," Sebastian stated refusing to give in to the wizard's request. "Door," he added holding out his hand to the side.
Having been over the fort in his flight, the mage knew the direction and distance to Fort Delial. Serrena led Xander and Shaylene through the glowing doorway immediately at his nod.
Ashleen quickly asked, "I can stay to help you until everyone is through, if you are tired. You have been using a lot of energy to ride the winds today."
"I am fine," he replied with an appreciative smile. "Go through. Serrena might need you on the other side more than Elzen and I right now."
The wilder glanced at the wizards before quickly stepping through the portal.
Elzen tugged Harlar towards the gate and the wizard balked as his eyes widened.
"You can come with or return with your soldiers," Sebastian said with a shrug. "If we walk into the fort to speak with your commander, though, I don't think that will look too good for you; but whatever you decide we are heading through the gate now."
Gritting his teeth, Harlar turned to his wizards and stated, "I must go through, but you may choose for yourselves."
Without a pause, one of the female wizards, a dark haired woman a few inches taller than Ashleen, walked towards the portal and barely slowed before stepping into the glowing doorway. One of the men followed before she had covered half the distance, but the other two wizards, a man and woman, didn't move at all. Sebastian assumed they were thinking that if they all went through the gate and died, or were otherwise lost; two would survive from their small gate squad keeping some of those skills available for Kardor.
Giving the two wizards a nod, Harlar walked forward followed by Elzen who still bound the man with his harpoon rune. Only hesitating for a moment to take a deep breath, the man stepped through looking like he was going to his execution. Elzen was right behind him though he released the magic holding the cord binding the wizard.
Sebastian gave a last nod and a wave to those remaining behind before stepping into the light of his portal again.
Chapter 14- Fort Delial
Sebastian looked up at the high stone walls surrounding Fort Delial where it stood on a rise. The wide mound of a hill lifted the base of the walls almost fifty feet above the village buildings surrounding the fort. Though it was considered a strong hold on the edge of Kardor's territory framed by the Aderan River, Delial was far enough south to have avoided much of the battles with the Dark One over the many decades of strife and a strong community had grown up along the west side of the river under the fort's protection.
Though impressive in size, the mage considered it much less impressive than Hala though perhaps it rivaled some of the guardian cities along the wall. Without the massive wall protecting Southwall's north, Sebastian doubted most of those cities would have lasted however. Only the Aderan and distance from Ensolus probably had kept the Kardorian city safe in truth. The Dark One had also seemed more intent on destroying Southwall than any other country and people on North so Kardor had received less attention.
Glancing to the three wizards in front of them, Sebastian nodded to Harlar and said, "Well, lead the way. You can introduce us to your commander or whoever is in charge. We can explain why we are here and ease his mind soon enough."
The female in his squad turned towards the city gates which were open in spite of the possible threat of the portal. Though he eyed Harlar, the other wizard turned to follow her as if they didn't care if the others followed or not.
Wizard Harlar must have noticed his people leaving him, but he chose to stall by answering the mage, "I don't know why you think that you can ask to speak to a commander or lord. You are intruders here and should be taken to the cells under the castle not to the lord's hall."
He heard Ashleen release a deep breath impatiently beside him and the girl retorted, "I have told you repeatedly, we are not intruders. I am the daughter of the Lord of Interus. I showed you his signet and you continue to act like it means nothing.
"Fine, we should stop by the bank here instead. I can show further proof that I bring allies from Southwall not enemies."
Sparks could be seen in her eyes and caressing her cheeks as the wizard continued to infuriate Ashleen, but the wilder kept her voice and face under control otherwise.
"But..." the wizard started to protest.
"I would just do as she says unless you want to see what happens when she loses control of her lightning," Elzen chuckled sounding amused, though Sebastian could see that even the easy going, younger mage was annoyed by the man.
"It will only take a moment and will support what we have said," the owl stated and gestured for the wizard to lead the way.
Grumbling something under his breath as the man turned towards the gates to follow his associates, Harlar certainly remained an unwilling guide.
"I cannot think of the last man I've met who was this obstinate," Ashleen said as she took his hand to walk beside Sebastian.
"Maybe certain types of wizards manage to lose touch with people over time. Certainly some research wizards I've met could be like him... and then there were those wizards from Red Hall who thought that everything must go as they said even when they were trying to get me to teach them. Some people let the power go to their heads and others forget how to talk to people period."
Ashleen searched his face curiously before asking, "Do you think all wizards get like that?"
Chuckling at the question behind the words, Sebastian replied, "No, I don't think that you risk becoming like him. I've met quite a few wizards that are able to socialize with those of us who are not wizards. Look at Darius who is hundreds of years old and everyone likes him."
"Well, the high wizard is also an immortal, so he might have youthful characteristics besides the fact that he barely looks older than us," Ashleen countered. Her eyes strayed to the fort and she frowned. "I hope his leaders are more tolerable. If I had to continue listening to this man bluster and threaten us much longer, I very well might have let my lightning strike him... hard."
"There is something that will make your job easier in the bank here?" he asked trying to ascertain why they were making an extra stop. The mage had kept his attention on the sun's path and had returned when he did because of the descending ball of light. Though the sun still had awhile before it would start to set, this was in Fort Delial far to the west of Hala. Even if they returned now, it was likely already early evening back in the capitol city. Trying to keep track of the sun's position as they jumped from one to city to another, or even to other countries, was nearly impossible. Perhaps one day, he would have to try and measure the difference in time from each city; but that would require a lot of work for something that was of minor importance to the mage.
"My father keeps identification that proves the power invested in someone working for him in the different cities. If he sends a representative, they can use certain information to pick up a special seal kept in a bank for that purpose.
"Even the lord of Fort Delial will have to listen to me then."
He nodded though the mage still worried that those defending the fort might still refuse to believe that they weren't agents coercing the wilder. It wasn't something easily remedied since portal magic had always been considered the Dark One's magic.
After a brief stop in the local bank, Ashleen produced a special seal from a locked box kept there as the girl had said. She practically shoved it in the wizard's face as proof. Having proved herself, the wilder replaced it in the lock box no longer having need of it. Halder and his team could attest to the fact that not only did Ashleen have a seal of her own, but they had watched as the girl had used the bank to reveal her knowledge of another marker there.
Sebastian continued t
he walk thinking of the limitations of proof of one's identity, especially when it could take weeks to move back and forth in a single country let alone into others. A man like Ashleen's father had done what he could to leave proof in every city where he had business apparently. As a business man and ambassador to other nations, the lord had extended his reputation beyond normal men. Sebastian wondered what he would even say to such a man and realized that he could potentially meet Ashleen's father the very next day.
Guards at the outer gate to the fort let the wizards and their guests through without much more than a glance. They were merely soldiers and hardly friends of wizards.
Entering the keep, Wizard Halder sent the woman from his team in search of their leader. Even in Kardor there seemed to be separation of leadership between wizards, soldiers and their lords. It wasn't surprising to Sebastian. Adding battle mages into the mix, Southwall was no less split and there were times where he wondered how anything got done between them.
Guards moved to stop them as they approached a pair of open doors. The mage could see past them into a large dining hall. It was a strange place to be led and even odder that it was guarded.
"I need to see Magister Ydirias. He has guests," the wizard said looking surprisingly uncomfortable in front of mere soldiers.
The two armored men looked down on the wizard who was almost as tall as Sebastian. Hulking tanks, the mage could imagine these men were actually trolls.
Eyes looked through the slats in their helmets gazing on those arrayed behind him as well. Though the men remained silent for a moment, one finally turned to enter the room behind him. Each step echoed with the sound of moving metal and the mage wanted to shake his head. Mages rarely wore armor when a single spell could create a shield or the stone skin that could resist most strikes. With his runes added in now, Sebastian would likely never waste his time putting on heavy metal breastplates and greaves like these men.
Battle Mage Bonds (Tales of Alus Book 13) Page 18
