Battle Mage

by Tim Niederriter

  Rising lazily from his seat at the base of the tenth division, a Bear Elder, Yith Eeren clapped his huge hands in the silence.

  “We have heard many a good argument from this council thus far,” he said. “And, as the end of our initial hearing draws closer, I wish to tell you all that the prosperity we all enjoy is growing among my people as well. All I wish for now is hope for a peaceable settlement to our age-old struggle with the Roshi people who no doubt desire the same. Thank you.” He dropped back into his seat and closed his eyes as if preparing to hibernate like an animal of his tribe’s namesake.

  Edmath watched him in silence. So many wished for peace. The feeling had begun to sink in on him that their honor was most likely not as important to them as their future. He could not be sure if their honor was at stake here, or, if he was any different from them simply because of the duel, because of his father. He felt a twinge of bitterness about the duel and twitched the fingers on his damaged hand. At the very least this was the price he’d have to pay for peace.

  The eleventh Division belonged to Frog Queen Ili Rawto, who requested that the council aid her in taxing foreigners from Palatan living on the border of her land. Even though Edmath had not heard about the troubled on Vishelen’s southern side until today, he felt oddly absorbed by the discussion. The people living there would be of tribes different from those of Zel, probably plenty of Rooster and perhaps even Hare, or Rat. All those people reminded him of the size of the world outside the empire, still as vast as ever. Even so, those who dwelt in Zel could not have the powers of Royals as long as their tribe did not swear to the High Emperor’s Sphere of Humanity.

  The twelfth division was ruled by the Shoal King, whose people wanted additional fishery space further to the south. Of course, that would mean war with Palatan, which would not be as easy to dismiss as war with Roshi. The Palatani barbarians only allowed members of one tribe, the Rooster, in their government. They lacked a Sphere of Humanity as well, and that made them more difficult to negotiate into trade. Without the sphere, Palatan’s single tribe was bound only to members of its own kind.

  Finally, the Magister of Tokalgo, who always represented the elders of the serpent tribe, raised his head from the floor and spoke his own piece with a mouth that looked as human as any other king or queen. He suggested Tokalgo natives be reprieved from the draft if there was a war, as they were still recovering from an insurgency following the rebellion of twenty years ago. That insurgency had claimed the life of Sampheli’s husband, Zuria’s father. When he was finished with his own arguments, he raised his head and looked up at the central dome.

  “These are our desires, the desires of the tribes of Zel. Serem, aid us in determining our course of action.”

  The magister’s upper body slipped back onto the floor. His great feathery wings caught the light from above and spread impressively. “This first session will adjourn until the sun moves an acre further to the west.” With that, the human features melted from his face to be replaced with the reptilian ones he’d worn upon his entrance. Edmath found them a good deal less disturbing to look at, though the magister still unnerved him, something so powerful and yet, far from human. He rose with Razili as the councilors began to disperse. They left the council chamber for the garden outside.

  The councilors went their separate ways for the next hour or so. Those dignitaries who had just arrived the previous day mostly went to walk in the gardens and talk among themselves and their highborn royal peers. Edmath and Razili met Chelka and with Razili’s brother Oresso just outside the King’s Dome. The two of them had been talking and Edmath felt a stab of irritation as the Coral Prince touched Chelka’s bare shoulder beside her rega.

  Oresso Nane had the black hair of his family and his eyes were the same color as Razili’s, blue like deep water. A sheathed sword hung at his hip and he wore a rega across the emblem of the War Empress on his white tunic. He smiled when he saw Edmath and Razili approaching.

  “Good afternoon, sister. Edmath, I see you’re doing well.”

  “Not so well,” Edmath said. “I suppose you didn’t see the duel?”

  Oresso nodded.

  “Oh yes. Forgive me. I have been away on business for the War Empress. I hear you acquitted yourself well.”

  Oresso’s expression seemed to add words to his last statement, for a commoner.

  Edmath forced himself to smile and hoped the effort wasn’t obvious.

  “I think I did, of course. And I wouldn’t expect everyone to have witnessed it.”

  He judged by Oresso’s raised eyebrows the Coral Prince had detected Edmath’s annoyance. Even back at Lexine Park, they had never exactly gotten along. Oresso placed so much importance on the station of birth he had been indignant Edmath had even been able to attend the same prestigious Saale college as he.

  Razili walked past Edmath, eyes flicking toward Chelka. Both women smiled, and Edmath was grateful. Oresso had gotten on his nerves faster than usual this time. If he didn’t get some space to breathe he would have trouble keeping up a calm front. Frustrated at being so easily irritated, he took a long breath.

  “I suppose you have been inspecting a fortress then?”

  Oresso smirked and shook his head.

  “Actually, I built one, in the south of Olos, at the mouth of the Hen River.”

  “You are truly a master of coral, good prince. Somehow I doubt you have made any more progress than I have in driving life into stone.” Edmath looked over the top rim of his glasses at Oresso.

  Oresso adjusted his rega and the shrugged.

  “Right, as usual, Edmath. I have come no closer to that impossible task. At least I do not have the misfortune of being fixated on it.”

  “Fixated? This was all you talked about last time I saw you.”

  “Only because I was talking to you.”

  Edmath’s arm quivered, halfway to his striker pouch. Oresso was, as before, a capable verbal wit. Of course, that wasn’t what mattered. Most of his powers as a Saale were tied to the coral tosh he so prized. Otherwise, he was a virtual nothing magically, or so Edmath tried to tell himself.

  Chelka touched Edmath’s hand and this time his fingers trembled honestly. Oresso raised his eyebrows at Edmath before turning to Razili.

  “Will you please go find Zuria Mierzon, good sister? I have a feeling she will want to see the rather interesting device I discovered while away.” Oresso’s hand strayed to the scabbard hanging from his belt, fingers touching the guard of the weapon it held.

  “As you like, brother. I expect to hear all about your journey soon enough.” Razili walked away into the garden.

  Chelka tossed her head, an impatient gesture that sent black hair spilling across her shoulder.

  “Edmath, may I talk to you for a moment?”

  “Of course, Chelka, though I think Lord Nane is preparing to show us something. Shall we leave him with no audience?”

  Chelka’s lips formed a thin line, but then she smiled. “No. Surely you heard that your sister will be here soon.”

  Edmath did not assent. He didn’t like the way Oresso was looking at the two of them, the sly smile and slit eyes that opened just a little wider as they shifted to Chelka. For her part, she seemed not to notice his look. The Coral Prince drew the weapon from his scabbard. It was not a sword, or at least, it was like no sword Edmath had seen before. Chelka turned to look at it too and Oresso grinned openly.

  “This is called a stethian,” he said, running his hand up the wider side of the flattened, edgeless piece of metal until his thumb touched a ball of crystal just smaller than Edmath’s fist where the point should have been, were it a sword. “It was the tool of an old Saale fisherman I found near where I built the fortress. He gave me this because he didn’t want it anymore. Given its remarkable power, I can’t imagine why that was the case, however.”

  “I see.” Chelka chuckled. “So this is the artifact I heard you’d recovere
d. Apparently, it took less excavating than conversation.”

  “Fair point, my lady.” Oresso’s eyes moved up and down the stethian. “I had a feeling it wouldn’t sound impressive when I said it.”

  “Of course, it is a magical tool then? Is it some form of striker?” Edmath’s gaze passed over Oresso’s fingers. Three striker rings were looped around the ring at the hilt of the stethian.

  “A striker, I doubt, but I am not yet entirely sure. The old man who owned it would not instruct me in its use, but I feel it will not disappoint me, or her Excellency the War Empress. You see, it amplifies any spells wielded by Saales that hold it.” Oresso grinned. “In my tests, I have noted significant increases in most effects. It could be a powerful weapon in battle.”

  “Very good. Now, if you will excuse us, Lord Nane, I recalled something I must tell Edmath.” Chelka took Edmath’s good hand and led him the rest of the way across the bridge. He followed without a word, letting her draw him after her. The urgent grip on his hand made him wonder at her intentions. He was quite grateful for the relief from Oresso.

  Edmath did not look back. He didn’t care if Oresso was affronted by his and Chelka’s desertion of his company. In fact, the idea made him a bit smug.

  The two of them made their way down some steps to the edge of a low-lying pool below a stone bridge, beside the exposed roots of a tall and green-leafed tree. Chelka released his hand and walked to the water before turning to face him. He followed her a few steps and stopped when she held up her hand.

  “What’s the matter, dear one?” he asked.

  “Oresso Nane.”

  “Really? He is as self-involved as ever, of course, but what of it?”

  Chelka sighed heavily and folded her arms. Her arms and tunic were dappled with light falling through the tree-branches high above.

  “He has asked my father about me, my eligibility to marry.”

  Edmath’s stomach churned at the thought. He had considered this sort of possibility, for he was not himself a royal. As a commoner, he likely could not supersede a previous arrangement should Oresso ask for Chelka’s hand. Furthermore, Oresso of all people had made the request, so he knew his own feelings would not be of any help. Oresso might not be much of a Saale, but he was heir to the throne of the coral tribe and his tosh was powerful. Those two things counted for much compared to having no tosh at all like Edmath.

  “Shall I tell you the fine thing about this?” Chelka’s glum face turned up to the tree before refocusing on Edmath.

  “I could use some fine news. Say on.”

  “He has not asked to marry me. You wouldn’t be asking to supersede him.”

  Light like the edge of the sun and joy far greater struck Edmath. Slowly, his frown transformed into a smile. The shadows of the tree branches above only served to outline the noonday light. Chelka’s face told him she understood his changing expression. Her smile reflected his.

  “My dear, I do think you just asked me to marry you.” Though Edmath grinned his stomach churned, though not with bile, but with butterflies.

  Chelka stepped toward him, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Why not, Saale Donroi?”

  “But which of us can afford to use only a secret name?”

  When a couple married in Zel, tradition held that either the man or the woman hid his or her surname as a secret name beneath that of the spouse.

  Edmath’s heart skipped a beat as she wrapped her other arm halfway around his neck. She shrugged her head while still holding onto him.

  “Your father’s name has only gotten you into trouble, Ed.”

  “That it has,” he whispered.

  “Would you like to cast off that burden?”

  He put his hands to her waist, feeling a tingle in his the cushioning around his bones, followed by a jolt of pain as he thoughtlessly made contact with his wounded hand. Wincing, Edmath stepped backward, forcing Chelka to release him from her arms.

  “What is it?”

  “My broken bones. The pain came back for a moment.”

  “Oh. I hope that wasn’t any effect of mine.”

  Laughter bubbled up from within Edmath. He shook his head, still overwhelmed with elation.

  “Of course it wasn’t you. My hand is still tender, that is all, and while we are on the subject,” Edmath touched Chelka’s gray sleeve with his good hand. “I accept your proposal, as sudden as it is.”

  “That’s what I love about you, Ed. You’re always eager to please.” Chelka stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the forehead. He pulled her closer with his good hand and grinned, laughing once again.

  “And here I thought we wouldn’t be seeing much of each other this summer.”

  Chelka laughed, and slipped away from him, face covered with sunlight.

  Holding his new secret to his heart, Edmath returned to the space under the crystal dome, alongside the dignitaries of the empire.

  Council continued with lesser bureaucrats and representatives arguing for their king, or queen, or region in smaller groups at first before reconvening to discuss the wishes of the people on broader terms with the whole assembly. The Magister of Tokalgo moderated the entire day. Edmath watched High Emperor Vosraan Loi intently but the old man never said another word. Occasionally he raised his hand in a vote or nodded his head at the other speakers to allow them to take the floor. Beyond that, he seemed completely detached from the world.

  Unlike the Sphere of Fire, which was an untameable force that consumed the mind of someone whose augury grew careless, Zel’s Sphere of Humanity joined with a master, the High Emperor. Legend had it that it could be addressed from any distance by that master, and auguries were his life day and night.

  All spheres were at least partially alive but only Protean Spheres came close to the Spheres of Humanity in their sapience. Edmath shuddered at the memory of the grotesque red and black thing fading into the distance over the sea as the levoth carried him away. He shook his head, trying to clear the image and saw Razili looking at him curiously.

  “What’s the matter, Ed?”

  “Nothing. Don’t worry.”

  “I can see you are distracted, that’s all.”

  “Thank you for the concern, but I’m fine.”

  “I hope my brother did not ruin your mood. He talks too much.”

  “Some would say the same of me.”

  “Perhaps, but you weren’t the one boasting of the potential of a new weapon.”

  “True.” Edmath nodded.

  Razili gave him a small smile but then turned back to the speakers below them. Edmath refocused on High Emperor Loi, and once again wondered what his mother had talked about with the majestic old ruler when he and Zuria had left her with him the first day they arrived in Diar. Could Sampheli really be on such familiar terms with him when the High Emperor treated even these kings with little regard?

  The rest of the session passed and Edmath’s question remained unanswered. As the afternoon drew on, the kings and queens and servants who had spent the previous day traveling began to tire noticeably, and even Zemoy Benisar and Haddishal Rumenha spoke shorter and less strongly. Just before the sunlight could sink away from the high windows, the Magister of Tokalgo raised his head up from the floor and shifted scales to form his human-like face.

  “Darkness falls over us, good councilors. I move that we adjourn until our next session can be organized. Do any oppose?”

  None did. The session had been long and everyone was eager to break for the day. Once again he found himself staring at the magister, marveling at the great serpent’s bizarre winged shape if only to distract from his giddiness over a certain event between sessions. The motion passed and little by little the councilors began to rise and leave with their entourages.

  Edmath and Razili followed the Saale Emperor’s group out the doors, closely followed by the War Empress’ guards. The sky outside turned red and gold on the horizon and
the world darkened.

  They crossed the bridge and took a side path through the gardens to a pool of water not far from the Dome of Kings. Haddishal stopped there and turned to look back over the small crowd of Saales and other advisers behind him.

  “You are dismissed for the day,” he said. “I will call on you as I need you for the next session of the council. Go and rest.”

  One could learn a lot about plants from their disposition in darkness. Study provided Edmath with other things to think about than Chelka, Oresso, and the council of kings. He needed the time alone to recover from the excitement of the day.

  That evening, Edmath followed the paths through the outer gardens for a while after light faded. His stride carried him around the palace almost full circle as the shadows of trees and bushes broadened all around him. Lights danced overhead from luminous moths mingling with the newly arrived eagles and swans of their respective delegations.

  As Edmath straightened from inspecting a fern, the massive shape of a mirache rose over the High Castle of the War Empress. Its fox heads hissed and howled while it circled to climb over the walls and then flew toward the central palace. One of the Roshi had been summoned. Apparently, the High Emperor was more interested in them than the kings and queens of his own nation.

  Following the creature toward the wall surrounding the inner gardens beyond which he could hear the Enchiel guardians hooting and shrieking in their mix of different animal and Zelian languages, Edmath watched the majestic monster begin its descent, tiny wings flapping inside massive ones. Little by little it sank out of sight, but not before Edmath spotted the rider on its back. Tamina Roshi, the red-haired woman who had retrieved him from the Fire Temple before the duel with Ursar Kiet. She did not look in his direction and disappeared from his view an instant later, but just seeing her was plenty to send Edmath’s thoughts into motion.

  Tamina was not the ambassador, a bodyguard not a champion. What business could she have within the central palace where it appeared that no humans but the High Emperor and his strange young Saale regularly trod? Of course, there could always be some other reason. To his understanding, the Magister of Tokalgo stayed within the inner garden when he visited. Few other locations would suit him, and he had the status for it. Perhaps the magister had summoned the Dawkun and her creature? That still raised a question. Why?