Forgotten Mage

by D. W. Jackson

  Bren found himself talking to the mouse for a great length of time. It was a simple creature, but far smarter than Bren would have imagined. Once the sun dropped below the tree line, Bren sat the mouse down on the ground and pulled another coin from his pouch. “I need to go now little fellow.”

  The mouse tried to pick up the coin, but found that the two coins together were far more than it could manage. Bren could almost see the internal struggle as it thought about what it was going to do. “Will you come back and give me more shinys?” The mouse asked, looking up at his innocently.

  “I don’t think I will be able to come back for some time,” Bren said, giving the mouse a sad smile. “If I ever do though, I will bring you another coin,” Bren promised before making his long walk back to the farm house.

  Inside, Bren found a very worried looking Clair pacing in the common room. “Just where have you been?” She asked, as soon as he walked through the door.

  “I was in the grove talking to a mouse,” Bren answered honestly.

  Clair rushed toward him a wrapped him in her arms. “Don’t do that! You scared the daylights out of me child. I thought you might have taken your leave after what Doren had said.”

  “No, he was right,” Bren said, untangling himself from Clair’s arms. “I need to leave for the Mage’s Tower before too much longer.”

  Clair’s face took on a somber look as she slumped own in a chair. “I know you do, but I need to talk to you about that.” Clair took a long pause before continuing. “Faye needs to go with you.”

  “I don’t think she wants that,” Bren said, turning toward his stairs.

  “She might not, but she needs to go,” Clair said, her voice catching on the words. “She won’t be happy here, not truly happy. She needs to know there is more out there than this old farm.

  “If she wants to come, then I won’t stop her, but I’m not going to be the one to get yelled at for suggesting it. She already hates me as it is,” Bren replied defensively.

  “She doesn’t hate you,” Clair said giggling. “You’re young, so you might not understand how girls think, but give it some time and you might understand.”

  Good luck with that. After nearly forty years, I still can’t understand any of the things I have seen females do. You would have better luck trying to figure out why a dog howls at the moon.

  For once, Bren agreed with Thuraman. “If you say so,” Bren said, before turning and making his way up the stairs and to the quiet confines of his room.

  That night, before climbing under the covers, Bren packed his few belongings in his father’s old travel pack. His stay was over and it was time to move on. As he looked at the pack sitting against the wall, he wondered if his father had left the farm with the same mixed feelings.

  The next morning, Bren woke early and descended the stairs where he found that only Clair was up. “I am leaving today,” Bren declared, as soon as he sat down at the table.

  “I figured as much,” Clair said with a forlorn smile. “Your father once promised to visit again, but when he walked out that door, none of us ever saw him again. I hope that it will not be the same with you.”

  Bren tried to think of something to say, but nothing came to mind so he simply sat there in silence. As the rest of the room filled up, every eye seemed to notice him. He still wore Jacobs’s old clothing, but his pack hung on the back of his chair as if challenging anyone to try and dissuade him from leaving.

  Bren heard an audible gasp from behind him and turned to see Faye staring at his travel pack. “You’re leaving?” She asked in muted tones.

  “The work here is done and I need to get to the Mage’s Tower,” Bren replied anxiously.

  “Faye, can I speak with you a moment dear,” Clair said, placing a warm plate in front of Bren. Faye didn’t respond, but followed her mother into the back room.

  Not wanting to be hauled into another argument between the mother and daughter, Bren quickly finished his plate and headed for the door, only to be stopped by Doren. “Don’t forget your pay, you earned it,” Doren said, placing several silver coins in Bren’s hand.

  After thanking Doren, Bren quickly escaped the house and headed down the dirt road toward Tillman. He was still a long way from his destination, but he cared little how far the road stretched out in front of him, only that he was now back on it.

  As he reached the spot in the dirt path that signaled the end of the far, Bren looked back at where he had called home for the past few weeks. In the distance, he couldn’t see the house anymore, but he could see one lone figure running toward him. Bren was surprised to find that it was Faye who came bounding up beside him accompanied by Avalanche, who was gasping for breath.

  “Mind if I travel with you two?” She asked, blushing slightly.

  Bren, too unsure of himself to answer simply nodded his head in reply. He couldn’t believe that Clair had convinced the hard-headed girl to go to the Tower with him. It was the last thing he expected, but now that she walked beside him, he felt a warmth of happiness spread through him. “I am glad you came,” Bren said, after a long tense silence.

  “I had too,” Faye declared with a smile. “Mother said someone had to keep you out of trouble.”

  “How could I have been here longer than a few weeks at most?” Thad asked as he watched the events unfold in front of him.

  “Time does not pass the same here as it does in your world. It skips and rushes forward whenever it chooses,” Humanius explained.

  “How do I get home?” Thad asked, looking back at the image of his son.

  “You would have to find a weak spot within the veil and pass through it, but my sister has been trying that for eons and she has still not succeeded. I am afraid that until the veil comes down, both you and the other people who have been trapped here will remain so.”

  “There are others?” Thad asked, surprised at the news.

  “Yes, hundreds have become trapped here over the years thanks to the swords I created. Never aging, never dying, and not really existing. They all wait on the same thing as you do now. One day, the veil will fall and you will be free, but it could be days, weeks, or centuries.”

  CHAPTER VII

  The road to the Mage’s Tower had once been bare, with only a few towns along the way. Before, Rane merchants had passed through Farlan, but most the goods were leaving the ports to other lands and not coming in. Now, because of the mages and their goods, the town was flourishing where once there was only farmland.

  Magic was flourishing. Though it was only the rich who could afford many of the items, it was still spreading. Having a mage in the family was no longer a curse, but a gift. Bren didn’t know much about the time before the war with Rane, even though he had been told about it since his birth. It was almost as if he was hearing stories about a faraway world with little connection to his own. His whole life, he had been surrounded by magical items, so much so, that they felt commonplace to him. After his short stay at the farm where everything was done by hand, he started to think about the stories his mother had told him.

  Taking a quick look at his traveling companions, Bren let out a muffled sigh. He missed his heated rooms and baths. The fact he only had to touch a stone to make the whole of his world light up as bright as day. If he was tired, the servants would bring his food to his room. Now his feet and legs hurt, he was hungry, and sorely missing a good night’s sleep. No matter how hard he tried sleeping beside the road on the rocky ground, it just did not fit him.

  “Something the matter?” Faye asked, giving him a brilliant smile.

  “Nothing,” Bren answered. “I was just wondering how much longer it was to the next town. “Bren knew that they should reach Glennpass by nightfall or at least he hoped they would. The thought of another night sleeping on the hard ground sent slivers of pain down his back.

  A loud rumbling bark echoed through Bren’s ears and without looking he knew that Avalanche had decided to rejoin them. He knew that Faye, and Avalanche’
s good moods should make the trip easier to bear, but honestly it made it worse. He hated how happy the two seemed to be, living in such dismal conditions. He just couldn’t understand it. How could they be so happy?

  “Wait!” Faye hollered, holding her hand out to stop Bren from moving forward. “Follow me,” she said before darting off the road and into the thick line of trees.

  Grumbling to himself, Bren quickly followed after Faye. Once he entered the trees, he lost sight of her and started to panic and call out her name. Thankfully she answered back and he followed her voice to a stream.

  Faye wasted no time and jumped into the water covering herself from the waist down. “It feels great! You should jump in,” She said, as she dunked the rest of her body under the water.

  After a long day of hiking in the hot sun, Bren’s clothes stuck to him and were starting to rub his skin raw. The water looked inviting, but his eyes were glued to Faye. She looked beautiful as she emerged from the water, almost like the stories of water furies his mother used to tell him. Not only did the water seem to accent her beauty, the way her clothes stuck to her body made Bren’s heart leap in his chest. “Are you getting in or not?” Faye asked, cupping her hands and splashing Bren with water.

  Laughing, Bren quickly untied his boots and jumped in the water. It was cool, but not so cold that it caused him to shiver and with the heat of the sun still beating down, it was almost like a reprieve sent from the gods.

  “You look like you’re in a better mood,” Faye said laughing. “I thought for a moment you were going to start crying about missing your mother.”

  “I was not going to cry,” Bren replied defensively. “I am just not used to the weather like you are.”

  “Is that what it was?” Faye asked teasingly, as she swam over and placed her small hands on his back and pushed him under the cool water. When Bren emerged from the water, he was coughing up the small amount that had gotten into his mouth on the way down. “I thought you could use some more cooling off.”

  Bren started to get mad, but instead he started to laugh as he tried to catch the elusive Faye to return the favor to her. After half an hour of playing around, the two collapsed on the bank of the stream laughing.

  “Do you think you could teach me to fight?” Faye said, as she stretched her hand up as if she was grasping an imaginary sword.

  “Sure,” Bren replied, hopping up and moving through the trees, picking up sticks and hitting them against the trees. When Bren found two that were straight, sturdy and long enough, he tossed one to Faye. “First thing is your stance,” Bren said as he demonstrated. “First, you need to spread your legs and move your body so that you don’t present a large target to your enemy. How you stand will also depend on what kind of sword you are using and if you are using a shield or not, but this is the standard stance.

  Faye mimicked how Bren stood, but after a few moments of standing still the tip of her stick started to dip toward the ground. Bren moved quickly striking Faye lightly on the shoulder. “You have to keep your guard up,” Bren said laughing, as Faye gave him a piercing gaze.

  “You’re not a very good teacher,” Faye said after her attempt to block Bren’s attacks.

  “I never had to teach before,” Bren replied shrugging his shoulders. “Though I am more than used to being on the other end of the stick.”

  “Well, you can try again another time? We need to get moving if we’re going to make it to Glennpass before the sun sets.”

  Faye didn’t have to say another word. Bren gathered up his pack and quickly moved back toward the main road. The thought of sleeping on a real bed was all the motivation he needed.

  Bren walked with new vigor and Faye was forced to jog to keep up with his frantic pace. It wasn’t long before the sun started to dip in the sky and the horizon was decorated in a light orange haze. Just as Bren started to fear they would not make it in time, a small house came into view, then another.

  Glennpass was a great deal larger than Bren had expected. From what Faye had said, it seemed as if it would be about the same size as the small village they had visited only a few nights before.

  The houses were made of dark red bricks, and many of them stood more than two stories high. The town even had a market district, though at this late hour the shops were already closed. Just the sight of the familiar signs picked up Bren’s spirits.

  The inn was easy to find, being one of the first buildings they came across. Outside the large four story building hung a sign depicting a single mug of beer and a bed. Bren knew that it meant that they could eat and sleep here, but he was used to something showing the name of the place. It was always a challenge for him to figure out the name and he and Faye had made a friendly game out of it. So far she was winning by two to three, but he was eager to take the lead.

  The inside wasn’t as appealing as the outside with the stale smell of smoke and ale drifting in the air. Bren wanted nothing more than to find a good spot and sleep, but Faye insisted they eat before finding their rest.

  Bren and Faye found an empty table near the back of the common room. A few moments after they were seated, a middle aged woman walked up to their table with a large smile. “Sorry about the mess, haven’t had a moments rest since Fallensday to clean up. Now, what can I get for ya?”

  “Anything that’s editable,” Bren said quickly, not really caring what it was as long as it allowed him to hurry and find a good night’s rest.

  “What do you have that’s fresh?” Faye asked.

  Bren groaned as the barmaid went through the list of food earning him a reprising look from Faye, but he really didn’t care. After Faye ended up ordering beef stew, the barmaid left and quickly brought each of them back a small mug of ale.

  “Maybe it will remove that lump of dirt that’s got itself wedged in your backside,” Faye said, taking a large gulp.

  Bren had tried wine on a few occasions though he had never really acquired a taste for the bittersweet liquid. Ale on the other hand, he had never been allowed. Crusher, one of his father’s friends had once tried to sneak him a mug, but his mother had quickly caught the dwarf and whatever she had threatened him with had kept the dwarf from every trying to do so again.

  Bren cautiously put the mug up to his nose and smelled the brew. The bubbles tickled his nose and made his eyes water. Putting it to his lips, he took a small sip as if he were tasting wine. It was strong and had a rich aftertaste, but it wasn’t what he would call good. Setting the ale down, Bren slowly pushed it back from him.

  Faye laughed as she sat down her empty mug. “I guess plush little princes can’t handle anything not from a cow’s tit.”

  “I was just waiting for the food,” Bren replied, picking up the drink and gulping it down in one swoop. As he sat the mug on the table, his stomach immediately started to protest what he had just done.

  Seeming to enjoy the little game, Faye called the barmaid back over and ordered more ale. The aged woman gave the young girl a wry look, but brought the ale. By the time the food was brought to the table, each of them had a good deal more mugs in front of them than they could hold. His head swimming, Bren tried to eat, but the smell of the food turned his stomach.

  Pushing the plate aside, Bren tried to stand but found that his legs no longer worked how they were meant to. Finding himself dumped ungraciously on the floor was bad enough, but to hear Faye’s laughter bubbling up from beside him made it far worse.

  Faye tried to pull Bren to his feet, but found herself sitting on the floor next to the young boy. With the help of the barmaid they were able to reach the counter and ask for their rooms.

  “Lad, we only have one room available. Lot of folks headed back home after visiting on Fallensday,” The elder man behind the counter said. “If you and your sister don’t mind sharing a room, I can have an extra mattress brought up for ya.”

  “Do you mind sharing brother?” Faye asked laughing.

  Bren turned a deep purple as he silently shook his head. “Go
od, it’s up the stairs. It’s the second to last one on the left,” the man said without hesitation as he plucked a few coins from Bren’s outstretched and shaking hand.

  Bren and Faye stumbled to the room, each falling down numerous times on the trip. Shortly after entering the room, a large man brought in a thin mattress and threw it on the floor. Bren didn’t ask who wanted what, he was too tired to care and collapsed onto the mattress on the ground.

  The next morning as Bren started to stir, the first thing he noticed was the pounding at the base of his skull. Holding his head with his hand, he slowly sat and looked around for something to drink to get the taste of day old ale out of his mouth.

  Bren set his hand next to his side to help steady himself as he stood when he felt something soft brush against his fingertips. Looking down, he saw a large lump in the covers. Pulling them back slowly, he saw Faye laying there curled up into a tight ball still wearing the same clothes she had the night before.

  “Close the curtains,” Faye said as she covered her eyes with the crook of her elbow.

  “I wish I could, but we need to get back on the road,” Bren replied, getting unsteadily to his feet.

  “Why? The Tower isn’t going anywhere,” Faye complained. We should take a nice long rest and try again tomorrow.

  “We are only another two or three days away though,” Bren said, before gulping down a large glass of water to try and rinse the gritty feeling from his mouth.

  “Please,” Faye begged, pulling the covers back over her head.

  Bren started to laugh, but the stabbing pain in his head quickly stopped him. “Fine, but can we not do this again,” Bren said as he shuffled toward the door.

  Once he was down the steps and made arrangements with the man at the counter for another night, Bren decided to explore the market district. It had been a long time since he had been in a real market and for the first time since he could remember, he was unaccompanied by guards. Growing up, anytime he left the safety of the palace, there were guards around him. He had gotten so used to them that they were like his shadow. Now walking in the open streets, he felt almost naked without them.