Branded Mage

by D. W.

  Trying to push aside what he couldn’t do anything about, Thad focused on what he could do; slow down the enemy. Picking up his sack and strapping it to his back, Thad pulled a handful of gems from one of the small pouches on its side. Praying that his experiment worked, Thad threw the gems as hard as he could over the edge of the wall.

  Wherever the gems hit the ground, it became wet and soggy slowing down the movement of any troops caught within its mire. Then the ground erupted in miniature explosions, injuring many and killing a few of the enemy soldiers. Thad hadn’t really cast a spell, but altered the way the gems drew in magic. Instead of focusing on all magic he sanctioned it to earth magic and removed the limiter that controlled the speed the gem accumulated magic. He had tried using an enchantment without a limiter on a gem before and learned quickly that it caused a rather volatile reaction.

  Thad hadn’t expected such a reaction with the ground so he was pleasantly surprised. Most likely, the sudden draw of energy from the earth caused it to loosen and weaken, allowing the water to come to the surface. He wasn’t sure if that was the case, but it was the only thing he could think of. Cursing his own mind, Thad filed his musing away for a day when he had more time available for it.

  Thad continued to throw the gems until his supply was exhausted. Out of ammunition, Thad started to throw small fireballs at individual soldiers who showed an opening. The large ladders were close now and in a few moments, he knew that the top of the battlements would be overrun with enemy soldiers.

  Thad threw a few fireballs at the massive ladders when they began to get into position, but they did little damage to it. Looking over, he studied the large orb it was glowing a dark red. Checking it with his magic he decided it was as close to ready as it was going to get. If he waited till he was overrun with soldiers, then there was too large of a chance of it breaking. Both the large ladders were on the western side of the fort, spaced out but if he aimed it right he should still be able to disable both of them it the orb did as much damage as he hoped.

  Thad knew he had to hurry when a soldier almost got close enough to take a swipe at him. Luckily for him, Darryl intercepted him, allowing Thad to continue with his work. With as much finesse as he could muster, he used his magic to lift the orb off the ground. The miniature catapults were too small for the projectiles, but if he put the right amount of force behind it he was sure he could send it where he wanted it with his magic.

  Leaving his circle, he moved to the edge of the battlements and prepared to send a great deal of soldiers to meet their ancestors. As he began to position the forces that would send the orb to its destination, he felt a shove from behind him and he was falling forward. He tried to right himself, but he was too close to the edge and soon he was staring as the ground loomed ever closer the magical orb right beside him.

  Thad knew he only had a heartbeat to act so he unleashed his magic, sending the orb to toward the nearest ladder and activated his shield ring. When he hit the ground his body slammed against his shield hard. Everything in his vision started to blur and he had to fight to keep his eyes open. Suddenly, large forces ripped through his body making him feel as if he his insides were being torn out.

  Thad tried to rise to his feet, but every time he got up on his hands they slipped and he fell face first back into the ground. He wasn’t sure how long he floundered on the ground like a fish out of water, but it seemed pointless. With his ears ringing and out of energy, he gave up and let his face rest against the cold ground.

  He felt as someone grabbed him by the arms and drug him to his feet. The man’s face was only inches from his but he still couldn’t hear anything over the internal ringing in his ear. The man’s face contorted into range and he started hitting Thad over and over until his eyes rolled back in his head and all that greeted him was darkness.

  CHAPTER XXI

  When Thad woke, he found himself tied to a bed. His eyes blindfolded, and his body covered in bandages. His head hurt as if someone had used him to batter down the fort walls. As there was no obvious threat to himself at the moment, he worried about what had happened in the battle after he was shoved over the edge of the wall. He could only hope that his sphere had done its work and disabled the massive ladders and injured enough of the soldiers to give the Farlans a fighting chance.

  He tried to focus his magical sight, but whenever he tried his head began to throb and he would lose his focus. He wasn’t sure how long he had been resting, but after a few hours he should have been able to perform some miner spells. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but maybe the prolonged use of high level magic had done more damage than he had thought.

  “Looks like your finally awake, good I was hoping to have a chance to talk to you before you were sent to Treforge. What I really want to know is where the Farlans got their new weapons.” A deep voice said from his side.

  “I don’t know.” Thad said defiantly.

  “Come now you don’t expect me to believe that. I saw you on the battlements directing the attack with the new weapons. Did the Farlan queen find a new trove of magical items lost to the ages, or am I to believe the gossip that you are the first mage in over a thousands of years?”

  “Think what you want. I don’t know anything.”

  “That’s too bad. I was hoping I could at least explain what happen here to my superiors, but it looks like you’re not going to cooperate. It will take quite a few days for you to reach Treforge, but don’t worry you won’t be awake for most of the journey.”

  A strong hand grabbed him around the shoulder and placed something over his mouth and nose. The fumes coming from the rag made his head fuzzy. He could feel himself losing consciousness. He tried to fight it, but it was a battle he was destined to lose.

  Thad found himself drifting along in a dark void. He tried to access his magic to create a light but nothing happened. It wasn’t just that his head hurt or he lost focus, it was as if magic no longer existed.

  Thad looked around trying to find anything except the darkness. Off in the distance, he saw a red light. He tried to move toward the light, when that didn’t work he tried to will himself toward the light. Still nothing happened. Frustrated, he spun in a circle and just stared at the light. It looked as if it was taunting him, silently whispering that all he had to do was reach out and take it.

  The ground below Thad jostled and shifted under him, throwing him hard against something solid. He opened his eyes groggily, his head still fuzzy and muddled. He was still blindfolded, but it had slipped down slightly, allowing him see his surroundings. He noticed he was in some sort of cage. He could see that they were moving, but his eyes couldn’t focus on the landscape as it passed by.

  “Looks like the little lad is awake, can’t have that now can me?” A blurry mass next to him said.

  Thad heard the door to his cage open. He tried to back away from the black blur that moved toward him, but his limbs wouldn’t heed his commands. He could smell the noxious substance on the cloth before it touched his face. He tried to push away the hand that held the cloth, but his arms held no strength. Thad once again fell into unconsciousness to the galling laughter of people outside his sight.

  Thad once again found himself in the darkness of the void. The light was still there, taunting him. He tried to move toward it again, but once more, nothing happened. Frustrated, Thad gave up and simply crossed his legs, floating in place. With nothing else to do Thad figured it was a good time to think. The first question coming to mind is where was he?

  He wasn’t in the physical world, but it didn’t feel as if he was dreaming either. Everything was too clear, too sharp for it to be a dream. The only conclusion that made sense was that he was in the recesses of his own mind. If that was true, he should be able to reach the light, but still no matter what he tried it stayed out of his reach.

  He still had to find a way to get out of his current predicament. It hadn’t been the first time he had been drugged and held captive, but he doubted that the Ablai
ans would simply let him go free if he promised to behave as the queen had.

  If he could just get a clear mind and gain access to his magic, just for a brief moment, he could escape his captors. Without knowing where he was, he couldn’t plan any farther than that so he decided his best bet was, next time he regained consciousness, stay still until he could once again use his magic.

  Thad slowly woke up, his head still fuzzy and his head hurting. The blindfold had been readjusted, blocking his view completely. Staying still, Thad listened to what was going on around him. Everything seemed slightly muffled to him, but he could make out a few spare words every now and then, however, not enough to tell him where they were. It was better than the silence of the void with that irritating light.

  After a while, his head cleared to a degree where he could understand what the people around him were saying. He could hear eight distinct voices talking. He wished he could see them but just hearing someone else talk was a relief.

  “Do you think he really is a mage?”

  “He has to be. Did you see what he did during the battle? I saw him roast half a dozen men with nothing but that staff the captain has on the back of his horse.”

  Thad almost shouted in relief, his Staff was close by. It was like a friend to him. He had kept it with him since he lived in the sewers underneath the capital. If he could just get to it, it would be much easier for him to access the flow of magic. The cart decided then to hit a nasty bump throwing him hard and bouncing his head off one of the cage bars forcing a pained grunt to escape his lips.

  “Looks like out little bundle of joy is waking up again get the stuff.” One voice said sounding slightly annoyed.

  “I did it last time. It’s your turn to drug the little rat. Last time I forgot to clean my hands good and almost caused myself to pass out when I yawned.” Another voice replied, followed by laughter from his fellows.

  Thad cursed his own uncontrollable noise. He tried to access his magic, but his focus still wouldn’t hold. It was as if his mind was covered in a dense fog. He had some of his physical control back, but he was still far too weak to fight off an armed opponent or even someone who was in full control of their body.

  Thad remained still, waiting until he heard the door to his cell open again. He could hear the man as he moved into his little room. When the man got close enough, Thad could tell his general direction. He went into action, kicking out with his tied feet. He felt resistance and head a nice loud pop followed by the cursing of the man.

  Thad tried to sit up, but his the rocking of the cell made it impossible. With that option taken, he continued to kick in the direction of his captor until he was struck hard on the side of the head. Dazed, he continued to try and fight, but strong arms grabbed him yanking him around.

  He felt himself being pulled out of his cell as he fell the few feet to the ground below. The men began to kick him with their steel boots until he once again succumbed to the darkness.

  Back in the void once again, Thad cursed his own ineptitude. Even in the void world his body hurt where he had been kicked. He guessed it was too much to hope he wouldn’t have to deal with the pain until he woke again. Sore and in no mood to be annoyed,, Thad ignored the light that hovered in the distance.

  Thad hated being in the soundless expanse of the void, even a nightmare would be better. There was no feeling of the passage of time, nothing to occupy his mind, but his own thoughts. It was the purest form of hell he had ever encountered. Even his time spent in the dungeon at the palace he had sounds sights to keep him company. Here there was nothing but darkness and that dammed light.

  The next time Thad gained enough consciousness to focus on his surroundings, he found himself lying down on something soft. The area was also devoid of the sound of men, animals, and the wind. He figured he was inside somewhere; he just wasn’t sure where that was. His blindfold had been removed, but wherever he was it was devoid of light. Thad tried to move his arms and legs but found they were securely bound to whatever he way lying on.

  Thad heard a door open and turned his head when light flooded the room causing his head to burn. His eyes involuntary closed from the unsuspected intrusion.

  A short man with deep-set eyes the color of obsidian with a bald head walked into the room. “Looks like your awake. Great, I hate to work on someone who doesn’t respond properly.” The man said an evil grin spreading across his face.

  Thad didn’t like the look on the man’s face and his dislike grew when the little man walked over to a small table and picked up a thick saw about a foot long and a few strips of thick leathers. Walking back over to where he laid, the stubby man laid the instruments down next to his leg.

  “Ah, I see you want to know what’s happening. We don’t really want to spend a great deal of time having to worry about our more high profile prisoner’s escaping, so we found a tried and true method to keep them from running off.” The little man said laughing at some unknown joke.

  When the man started tying the leather straps slightly above his ankle, Thad figured out what the man was doing. He tried to struggle, but his manacles held him firmly in place that all he managed to do was arch his back painfully.

  “Now, none of that. Don’t want to mess up my cut do you?”

  The first cut was sent tendrils of pain through his body causing Thad to scream out loud. The bald man seemed to get some perverse pleasure from the noises coming out his mouth. The pain only increased when the saw reached his bone. When Thad began to beg for the man to kill him, the cutting stopped and the bald man set down the bloody saw right next to his head.

  “How marvelous, you haven’t even passed out yet. It’s not very often someone stays awake for the filing.” The man said running his bloody hands over Thad’s sweat soaked scalp.

  Thad watched in horror as the man walked back over to the table and picked up a long thin piece of metal with a wooden handle. Bracing his now free leg under his arm, the man put the piece of metal to his bone bringing it up and down hard on the bone. It pain was so bad Thad couldn’t keep his body from involuntary convulsing.

  Thad didn’t know how long he was able to keep his eyes open, but when he found himself in the void he was thrilled even though the throbbing in his leg continued, but it wasn’t bad enough to make him cry out in pain.

  The light was still there taunting him. “Why won’t you let me near you? Please, I don’t want to be in the dark anymore.” Thad said, tears flowing down his face.

  Suddenly, the light started to grow closer and closer until he was in the middle of it. The brightness didn’t hurt his eyes, but it felt warm on his skin. He could fell his magic once again infusing his body. It was like welcoming back an old friend. The magic flowed through him without him having to force it to his will. It just came as naturally as breathing. He only had to think of what he wanted, he didn’t have to form the magic to his will, but let it form itself to his design.

  He didn’t know if it meant anything in the real world, but there was no backlash from the magic. No struggle to force it to its place. It just simply flowed though him caressing him like a gentle lover.

  CHAPTER XXII

  Thad opened his eyes; the fog that had clouded his mind was gone. Letting his magic flow through him, he simply let the manacles flow away from his body. Sitting up, Thad looked down at his leg. Where his right foot had once been now there was nothing but a stump that was red and swollen.

  Just thinking about his staff, it jumped into his outstretched hand. Slightly surprised, Thad looked at the staff that he now held in his hand. Sliding off the table, he let his magic flow down his body replacing his missing limb with magical force. The slight pressure from the magic hurt, as if he had jabbed a knife into an open wound.

  Sending out the magic he searched to see if any of his other items were within range. He wasn’t sure if it would work so he was pleasantly surprised when he felt a magical presence not far away. Following the resonance, he left the room and took a left tur
n. The walls to wherever he was were a dark gray, and only a few torches were spaced sporadically giving only enough light to navigate by.

  He was obviously in a dungeon of some sort, but it was far different from the one in the Farlan palace. His magical senses led him to a large room with a heavy steel door. Melting the lock to the door with his magic, Thad threw open the door and stepped inside. The room was filled with numerous items, he figured belonging to the many prisoners that had visited the cells over the years.

  Thad found his pack on top of the pile nearest him, along with his two magical swords. He couldn’t find his rings, but he was happy just to have his weapons and supplies back. His bed roll was still sitting on top of the battlements, but he at least had a small amount of food as well as his canteen and his sending box, ink, and quills. If nothing else, he could escape and alert the Queendom to his location and wellbeing.

  After strapping on his weapons, Thad searched through the room for anything that might be of use. Most of the items in the room were worthless, but he was able to find a few daggers that were in decent shape, as well as a small bedroll and some other items that might be useful on the road.

  With his pack full, Thad left the room and quietly made his way down the hall. It was impossible to tell which way the exit was. All he could do was hope he was going in the right direction. His movements were slow and every step sent a jolt of pain through where his foot used to be. He could only wonder how much pain he would be in if he didn’t have his magic to help him move along.

  Turning a corner, Thad could hear voices down the corridor to his left. Pressing his back to the cold stone, trying to stay in the safety of the shadows, he slowly made his way toward the voices.