God of Magic 7

by Logan Jacobs

  “Such as passing a law that condemns all manipulators to death automatically,” Deneth added.

  “Exactly,” I agreed.

  “Maderel has been quietly building his own mage army,” Lavinia pointed out, “for the express purpose of fighting the Academy and anyone else who gets in his way.”

  “But,” Lena protested, “we’ve had peace.”

  “Have we?” Imogen insisted. “Most leaders are always picking a fight with someone else and they’re more than happy to send their armies off to do battle with whomever has made them unhappy on any given day.”

  “It’s just peaceful compared to the civil war,” I added.

  “Which is about to pick up again,” Maruk pointed out.

  “What can you tell us about Maderel?” Deneth asked.

  “He’s a manipulator,” I mused. “A very powerful one. I don’t know who trained him, if anyone did, but he somehow escaped the Academy’s notice. He’s figured out a way to hide his aura so that he looks like an elementalist, even to a manipulator. As Lavinia mentioned, once he joined the Academy, he’s been quietly finding and training manipulators and then sending them out into the world. We figure he has his own agents in high positions in most governments. We also suspect he turned one of his students who was opposed to his plans into a warthog.”

  “All magic can be dangerous if someone hasn’t been properly trained on how to handle it, especially manipulator magic,” Deneth sighed.

  “Maderel said much the same thing about elementals,” I replied.

  “I fear that Maderel doesn’t fully grasp the importance of manipulator magic,” Deneth said. “Though given the Academy’s stance, that’s to be expected.”

  “What do you mean, the importance of manipulator magic?” Cat asked uneasily.

  “That might best be answered by a question of my own.” Deneth replied. “What do you think happened in the old city?”

  We looked at each other, and I saw Yvaine try not to giggle.

  “I was calling it unbound mana,” I finally said.

  “That’s actually quite accurate,” Deneth remarked in a surprised voice. “What the elementalists were trying to accomplish was an unwinding of manipulator magic. Augustine had been neutral during the war, and we had always been friendly to manipulators. In fact, most of the mages who lived in the city were manipulators rather than elementals. The elementalists saw us as a threat and saw the conference as a chance to eliminate a large portion of the manipulator population.”

  “So it wasn’t just about disrupting the conference,” Lavinia noted.

  “Not at all,” Deneth continued. “What the elementalists didn’t understand is that elemental magic requires manipulator magic in order to function, and manipulator magic requires elemental magic. By unleashing the spell to destroy manipulators, they destroyed themselves and everything else that is dependent on mana.”

  “Ah, damn,” I cursed as I remembered some of my lessons with Maderel. “Maderel wasn’t just training his mages to conceal their manipulator magic with elemental magic. He wants them to master both, so they can eliminate elementals.”

  “It’s the same mistake the elementals made,” Deneth said as she shook her head. “It won’t work. He’ll just destroy the world.”

  “That’s what Theira was warning me about,” I agreed.

  “But how can he control both?” Emeline asked.

  “He can’t, not really,” Deneth explained. “Being a mage gives you the ability to tap into both, but it’s nearly impossible to control them at the same time.”

  “There was the oracle’s other prophecy,” Creon murmured.

  “Of course there was,” Lavinia sighed.

  “What other prophecy?” Maruk asked.

  “That a new god would unite the magic,” Creon replied.

  “Oh, Theira told us that as well,” Lena noted. “Or rather, she told Gabriel about it in his dream. Well, just the part about the new god. And that he could use the Shodra.”

  “Did she,” Deneth commented as she gave me a speculative stare.

  “We need to start preparing the city,” I said as I tried to shift away from Deneth’s piercing gaze. “I don’t know how far behind us Maderel’s mages are. They took the long way to get here, but we had some setbacks that slowed us down.”

  “Our recon troops will tell us when they are nearing the city,” Deneth assured me. “But you’re right. We should make additional preparations.”

  “Additional preparations?” Imogen asked. “You’ve already started something?”

  “We have had a plan since the first settlers began working on this place,” Creon replied. “Every citizen of Augustine is trained and ready to do their part. Even we here in the monastery are preparing healing potions and our sisters at the nunnery are working on additional uniforms.”

  “But your insights will be valuable,” Deneth added. “If you agree, I’d like to divide you up to help with various groups. You can tell us how to improve our various preparations in ways that may not be obvious to those who have been living here for so long.”

  “We’d be happy to help,” I replied. “Aerin is a skilled healer, especially with combat wounds. And Lena is an excellent alchemist. She has both healing potions and an excellent cache of weapons.”

  “Ah, yes,” Creon said excitedly. “The recon group that found you brought some of your material here for identification purposes. We were very impressed with some of your creations. We would love the chance to work with you.”

  “Thank you,” Lena said with a slight blush. “I would be happy to work with your alchemists.”

  “And Aerin,” Creon continued, “We have a specialized group of healers that work with us and the clinic. They’re the best in Augustine, and if you’re as good as Gabriel says, then I think you should meet them.”

  “I would be honored,” Aerin replied.

  “I know Emeline is a fire mage,” Deneth added. “I would like you to meet with our local elementals. We’ve developed some new aspects of elemental magic since we moved underground, and I suspect you’ve learned a few new tricks yourself during this journey.”

  “I have,” Emeline agreed. “I would love to show your own mages what I’ve learned.”

  “The rest of us can work with your soldiers,” Lavinia offered. “I know we haven’t had a chance to demonstrate it, but we know how to kick butt in a fight.”

  “Our soldiers are always up for any challenge,” Deneth laughed. “I’m sure they’d accept whatever you decide to throw at them.”

  “Actually,” Yvaine interrupted, “I think I might be of better use working with the city government. I’m assuming you’ll want to attack on the surface, but you’ll still need to make sure that everything is protected down here. And, if I may say so myself, I’m quite good at organizing large-scale projects.”

  “She is,” I added.

  “Alright, then,” Deneth agreed. “I can arrange meetings with the various boards who are responsible for the protection of the city.”

  “Cat and I will work with your recon groups,” Imogen offered. “We both have experience with moving around unseen and keeping long watches.”

  “Excellent,” Creon replied. “The recon groups always need a fresh pair of eyes.”

  “And you, Gabriel,” Deneth said. “I know we have only a very little time, but I would like to work with you, to show you what it means to be a manipulator.”

  “I was hoping you would say that,” I admitted with a grin.

  We stayed up late, making plans with Creon and Deneth well into the early morning hours. Merlin fell asleep in Deneth’s lap, snoring quietly until we finally called it a wrap for the day. I carried the drowsy puca back to my room and dumped him unceremoniously onto the foot of the bed while I struggled to remove my clothes. Tired and reasonably undressed, I curled up under the covers and fell asleep. A few short hours later, the bell for morning service woke me.

  Creon had told us how to find the refec
tory and quickly assured us that food would be available even if we weren’t there during the regular dining hours. I only took one wrong turn in my search and Merlin’s sharp nose soon picked up the trail. The refectory was empty by the time I arrived except for Lavinia and Imogen, who sat, heads together, at one of the long tables closest to the door to the kitchen. The scent of freshly baked bread and something fruity drifted my way, and my stomach grumbled in response.

  “Good morning,” I said as I sat down next to the two ladonae. “What’s for breakfast?”

  “The best bread I’ve ever eaten,” Lavinia replied. “I’m just waiting for the next batch to cool off.”

  “The cheese and fruit spreads are really good, too,” Imogen added.

  “I can believe it after that meal last night,” I sighed. “So, any sign of our host or hostess?”

  “I saw Creon earlier,” Lavinia said. “Creon and Deneth have already set up work for everyone, even the puca.”

  “Merlin?” I asked in surprise.

  Merlin looked up from his investigation of an old broom that someone had left in the corner and stared at the two ladonae suspiciously.

  “Don’t worry,” Imogen laughed. “Your friends Doctor Hin and Doctor Laifa want to spend more time with you. They want to study how he shapeshifts. I’m not sure what they hope to get out of it, but the High Mage assures me that it’s not at all dangerous.”

  Merlin had lit up at the mention of the two doctors, and he did a little happy dance as Imogen explained what they wanted.

  “Geez,” I said, “What did they feed you last time you were with them?”

  Merlin just grinned and hopped up on the bench next to me.

  The humpbacked man who had brought tea the night before appeared from the kitchen bearing a basket full of steaming rolls, a bowl of cold butter, a bowl of jam, and a plate of cheese slices. He set everything on the table and dipped his head shyly to the two ladonae.

  “Malik, you are a genius,” Imogen cooed as she grabbed one of the rolls.

  “If you ever get bored with the monastery, you can come back to Ovrista with us,” Lavinia added as she selected a roll and then slathered it with butter.

  Malik smiled for a moment and then disappeared back into the kitchen. He was back a moment later with a fresh pot of tea, some honey, and three bowls of fresh fruit. He scurried back to the kitchen before we could say anything else to him.

  “Is he the one that cooked last night’s dinner?” I asked around a mouthful of warm, soft bread and crunchy crust.

  “He is,” Lavinia replied, “and I was serious about that offer. Can you imagine waking up to this every morning?”

  “I’d weigh three hundred pounds,” I replied. “Besides, do you really think Maruk would want to share his kitchen?”

  “There is that,” Lavinia admitted.

  “So what are the plans that Deneth and Creon have come up with for today?” I queried as I scooped up a serving of blueberries and some sort of sweet melon.

  “Dehn, Maruk, and I will all be heading over to their training grounds,” Lavinia replied. “Apparently, the head of training was interested to see what we could do. Yvaine’s all set to meet with various agencies which could get really interesting. I know she was up even later than the rest of last night, drawing up her own plans.”

  “Aerin and Lena are already with the monks,” Imogen added. “Apparently, they start early around here, no matter what time you go to bed. And Emeline should be leaving soon to go meet with the elementals. Cat and I will be joining Kesta and her group in just a bit.”

  “Has everybody else had breakfast?” I asked in surprise.

  “Just grab and go,” Lavinia said as she smacked her lips. “At least for Aerin and Lena. We’ll see if anybody else makes it in time.”

  The rest of the Foxes did finally straggle in, though Creon seemed determined to keep everybody on a tight schedule. Dehn and Maruk barely had time to eat a roll before they were told that someone from the Military Academy was waiting for the trio at the gate. Emeline appeared long enough to grab an apple from the kitchen, and then she was off to meet with the local elementalists. Yvaine and Cat were at least able to sit down and eat, but soon it was just me and Merlin.

  Creon joined me and helped himself to a roll and a thick shmear of the jam. He looked incredibly content as he ate and he even hummed as he chewed.

  “Well, are you ready to join the High Mage?” Creon finally asked when he’d eaten the last little bite.

  “I am,” I replied.

  “Good,” he said. “I’m heading over there myself, so we can walk together. If Merlin doesn’t mind waiting with Avain and Glenn, Doctor Laifa will be here soon to pick him up.”

  “I’m sure he’ll be happy to wait with them,” I said as I glanced over at the puca. His face was smeared with jam and breadcrumbs but he was trying to clean himself up.

  I followed Creon when he stood up, and Merlin hopped up on my shoulder. Avain was waiting in the hall just outside the refectory, and Merlin jumped from my shoulder to his. The young monk was momentarily startled, but then he smiled and tore off down the hallway with Merlin clinging to his shoulder.

  “Doctor Laifa may have a bit of a wait before she can visit with him,” Creon observed.

  I laughed, and the two of us made our way through the monastery. We passed several monks along the way but none showed much interest in me. A few stopped to talk to the Abbot, but all I ever received was a few polite nods. Not that I was complaining, but it was such a complete polar opposite of what we had encountered with the crowds that I found it odd.

  “Why aren’t the monks curious about us like everyone else?” I asked Creon as we stepped into the street.

  “It’s part of our training as monks,” Creon replied. “To simply accept what is to be. Your arrival is of no greater or lesser importance than any other event that might happen.”

  “But you don’t believe that,” I remarked.

  “Well, someone has to be the practical one,” Creon acknowledged.

  The walk to the Mage House, the official name of our destination, was more pleasant than our previous jaunts through the streets. Without an escort or any other obvious sign that I was an outsider, most people simply ignored me. A few stopped to talk to Creon, mostly about the strangers rescued from the surface, and of those, only two seemed to realize who I was. It was nice and it gave me time to study the city which was indeed much larger than I had originally thought.

  Creon explained how the city had slowly expanded through the centuries and how the manipulators had been able to work with the elemental mages to expand the first cave to include a vast network of underground sections. A few of the furthest areas could only be reached through tunnels that still looked like actual tunnels. There had been plans to upgrade these, but many of the outer inhabitants had protested, saying they liked the transition represented by the rough hewn rock. It was still a matter of much debate and had been the hot topic of the day before our arrival.

  The Mage House was a block-long three story building that looked like nothing more than a row of old brownstones. The front entrance even had a stoop and a doorbell and a garbage can on the curb awaiting collection.

  Creon pressed the bell and started humming again as we waited on the stoop. Eventually, the door opened to reveal an elf not much taller than Dehn with purple hair, blue eyes and two very large breasts.

  “Good morning, Tabby,” Creon said cheerfully. “I’m here to meet with Basta and my friend Gabriel is scheduled to spend the day with the High Mage.”

  “Oh,” Tabby squeaked as she looked at me. “Are you him?”

  “He is,” Creon assured her. “Perhaps we should come inside though? I believe the day’s rains will be starting in this section soon.”

  “Oh, of course,” Tabby said as she opened the door wide enough to let us inside.

  The entryway was a collection of boots and shoes scattered around the floor and an old coat rack buried under
too many cloaks. I spotted a ball, a tennis racket and something that looked like a hockey stick amid the detritus, and a pile of backpacks in a corner. Tabby opened a second door, and we stepped into a foyer that looked like somebody’s house. There was the living room just off to the left, a more formal looking room on the right, a long narrow hallway straight ahead, and a curving staircase covered with a slightly frayed carpet.

  “We’ll just head on up,” Creon declared as he started up the staircase.

  I smiled at Tabby and set off after Creon. He could move pretty quickly, even on the stairs, and he was already half-way up by the time I had my foot on the first step. I bounded after him though he was kind enough to slow down when he reached the second floor. He waited until I caught up to him and then he started climbing to the third floor.

  The third floor landing turned out to be the intersection for six different hallways, each exactly alike except for the paint color. Creon started down the cornflower blue hallway and stopped at a plain varnished door about halfway along. He knocked politely and then started to hum while he waited for someone to answer the door.

  That someone was another elf, about the same height as Aerin, with brown hair in rows of tight braids, two chocolate brown eyes, and a frown on her face. Her expression instantly changed to a smile when she saw Creon and she wrapped him in a quick hug before stepping back to examine me.

  “Tough day so far?” Creon laughed.

  “You have no idea,” the elf replied. “The High Mage has had messengers here all morning and she may just shoot the next one who appears.”

  “Well, I present her escape for the day,” Creon announced. “This is Gabriel Vega, the manipulator who survived the crossing. I know we’re a bit late. You can just let Deneth know that I couldn’t resist one more of Malik’s rolls.”

  “She guessed as much,” the elf responded with a smile. “I promise we’ll take good care of him.”

  “Excellent,” Creon replied as he turned towards me. “Enjoy your day, Gabriel. I’ll see you at the monastery tonight.”