“You have grown more than I thought” Crystal said looking at her son. “The mage girls will never know what hit them”.
“They are too young mother” John replied.
“You don’t fool me John Thunder” Crystal replied. “If you would have stayed you would have graduated soon after your sister if not with her class. There was nothing more you could have been taught and the girls there are around your age. I was only fifteen when I met your father and he had five years on me”.
“Can we just go mother?” John asked.
“Fine” Crystal replied. “Come hold on to me”.
“Oh mother” John laughed. “I forget you have never seen me in action. Tell you what I’ll race you there”.
“Race me there?” Crystal said confused. “You don’t have mastery of air magic to fly John”.
“Loser has to massage father’s crusty old feet” John said looking at his mother.
“John there is no way you are going to beat me” Crystal said crossing her arms.
“Well ask the guy behind you what does he think?” John asked looking behind Crystal.
As soon as his mother turned around John summoned his horse and took off to the sky, he added wings on the horse and a single horn on its head like the unicorns from the stories of old. This animal was white instead of black and John pushed it as fast as it could go, his mother would not be fooled for long. John’s mother did not have a huge aura but it was constantly refilling, it is where he had gotten the trait from. John looked behind him and saw his mother in the air, she looked stunned but was focused, the way her hair whipped around let him know she didn’t even bother with a shield. John passed the city limits and saw she had gained on him, he had too many spells going while she only used air magic, she would catch him before long but John wanted to make her work for it. His mother slowly passed him by and he reached out to grab her by her robe. Crystal slapped his hand away and sped further ahead beating John to the landing area by almost a minute.
“What the hell is that thing” Crystal said panting as she looked at her son. The fact she used bad language let John know it had the desired effect. “It looks like a unicorn”.
“It is a unicorn” John smiled as he climbed off the beast and let it fizzle away.
“Where did it go?” his mother said looking around.
“Relax mother, it was just a variation of the shield spell” John replied. “I learned I can shape and control any barrier I make, all you saw was me riding a shield which I controlled”.
“Has your father seen this?” Crystal asked.
“No he hasn’t” John smiled. “Let’s keep this a little secret”.
“I don’t see how you can” Crystal said pointing at the tower. “I know at least three faces saw our race and saw you land”.
“Hearing about something and witnessing it in person are different things mother” John smiled. “I have him to thank along with others I have met since I left that let me unlock my potential. Well let’s get this meeting over with”.
“Don’t say it like that John, she is your sister” Crystal said as she opened the door to the tower.
Everything was the same as John remembered it, could hard stone with a spiral staircase which led to the different floors. When they finally found Sara she was laughing in the hall with one of the female students.
“She looks awfully busy” John remarked to his mother as he walked towards her.
“You too busy with that idiot to come see your only brother?” John said as he walked up behind Sara. His sister turned and looked wide eyed at John, she was obviously at a lost for words for a moment but soon caught herself.
“Rusty is not an idiot and you shouldn’t say things you wouldn’t say to his face” Sara said as John could tell she was trying to call herself down.
“Do I look like I am scared of that buffoon?” John asked as he opened his arms and did a spin so she could see his physique. “He just has the look while I worked hard for this shape. Now please tell me what was so important that you couldn’t come see your brother fresh out of a war?”
“That battle was over a year ago” Sara replied. “And just because you have gotten yourself in shape doesn’t mean anything, we are mages”.
“Keep telling yourself that” John said harshly. “You are so wrapped up in power you have become a great ass, just like that fool you hangout with”.
“John please, we came to have a breakfast with your sister, not start a fight” his mother said as she placed a hand on her son’s shoulder.
“You are John Thunder?” the female student said and blushed. “Instructor Thunder you never mention your brother”.
“John left the Tower when it became obvious he couldn’t do any real magic Tiffany” Sara said in a mocking voice. “He went to join the army to hide out and nearly got himself killed before he quit”.
“It is all very true” John said as he stuck out his hand. “John Thunder, pleasure to meet you”.
“Tiffany Tatterson” the sandy haired mage replied as she blushed and shook his hand. John thought she was cute in the way someone would look at a new puppy. She had wide brown eyes, a small turned up nose and a deep set of dimples that were on display whenever she spoke. Her body was petite, she would never get the voluptuous figure a lot of men were attracted to but John doubted she would find it hard to find a date when she wanted one. The Tattersons were a minor mage family, Thurman Tatterson was one of his instructors and the girl was probably related to him.
“Any relation to Thurman Tatterson?” John asked.
“He is my father” the girl smiled.
“Well it is a pleasure to meet you Tiffany” John replied as he broke the handshake.
“Do you visit often?” Tiffany asked.
“Almost never” John replied. “It shouldn’t come at any surprise to you, me and my sister do not get along due to her choice in men and the fact she is a gigantic idiot”.
“Just who do you think you are?” Sara barked.
“Someone who should have put you in your place earlier” John replied. “The whole time that idiot and his stupid friends were bullying me the only thing you cared about is being associated with the shield mage. You are far from a sister and don’t deserve any of my respect, you can call today my coming out party”.
“Look who it is, little Johnny Thunder” came a familiar voice. John looked up and could see Rusty heading towards him. “You cut off your hair and grabbed a little muscle, how does it feel knowing none of that will ever make you a proper mage”.
“You care to take this outside?” John asked as he moved Sara out of his way and walked up to Rusty Golad who was still a head taller and about 50 pounds heavier.
“You challenging me to a fight?” Rusty said laughing. “I have lost count of how many times I have beat your ass, you should just be lucky I don’t want to embarrass the great hero in front of his mommy”.
“Spoken like a true coward” John said as he gave Rusty a shove backward. “For your wedding with my sister perhaps you should be the one in the dress. She obviously is the man in the relationship since you have no spine”.
John saw Rusty set his feet and smiled, while his enemy was big and had natural muscle it was unlikely he actually knew how to fight. Rusty ran right into a left jab, John used it as a set up punch for the straight right that landed clean on the larger man’s chin. Rusty backed up but John did not give him any room as he rushed forward and buried his knee hard between the man’s legs then flipped him over his back to the ground. The move knocked the wind out of Rusty who rolled on the ground moaning as Tiffany and his mother gasped.
“Pathetic” John said as he looked down on the blond giant. “To think some people believe you are something special. Get your ass up and lets have another go, you are embarrassing yourself in front of your future mother in law, your wife and Miss Tatterson”.
“John” his mother said shocked.
“He had it coming mother” John
replied. “To think he had all that power and still got his ass kicked. Weren’t you going on about being a proper mage Sara? If this is what you meant then I am happy being a failure”.
“You cheated” Sara snarled. “You could never take him in a mage duel so you cheated and caught him off guard.
“I’ll kick his ass in a mage duel” John replied. “No way I will lose to an idiot like that”.
“I’m going to get you” Rusty groaned.
“No time like the present, I’ll meet you in the sparring circle” John replied as he stuck his arm out for his mother. “See you there, just don’t be too angry during breakfast from your loss”.
“John I know you have some new tricks but there is no way you can beat him” his mother whispered.
“Mom I have played this battle over and over in my head for the last year” John replied. “Against anyone with an actual brain I doubt I could beat them, but I will demolish poor Rusty. You should go get my father, I doubt he would want to miss this. I have nothing to lose, worst case scenario is that I lose to a vastly superior mage. His worst case is that he loses to me, the only mage in recent memory that left the Tower before his training was complete”.
John let his mother go and walked towards the sparring circle, his training with the knights had taught him valuable survival lessons, lessons he hoped he could use against Rusty Golad. It was fifteen minutes before the boy walked into the circle, he was still limping slightly and John mocked him for it by imitating his gait. Word of what happened must have spread since students who should have been eating breakfast before getting ready for class started filling the area along with several teachers.
“Where is your mother at?” Rusty growled. “She don’t want to witness the slaughter?”
John looked at Rusty who suddenly got a serene look on his face then a sneer. Sara was probably healing him but healing was not her strong suit. From the sheen of sweat on her face John knew that was exactly what was happening.
“She went to get my father” John replied. “Someone has to pull me off of you, especially since you just got your ass handed to you. I wonder if Miss Tatterson will spread the story, I could hear her tell it now. Hero of Kirby annihilates idiot in Tower hallway, most unfair fight of the century. You should be happy you have some magic, if you had to survive using only your hands you would have died long ago”.
“You think you are real funny don’t you?” Rusty said as he pushed Sara away from him. “I might not wait on your dad and instead beat your ass right now”.
“I am literally shaking in my boots” John laughed. “I am fighting a man who needed his girl to back him up. Maybe I should be fighting my sister instead, rumor has it that she will be the next Archmage in fifteen or so years anyway”.
John watched Rusty pace and stay silent, John thought it was beyond funny and started cursing him and throwing insults. John criticized his taste in clothes, his face, his hair and even threw in a sly remark about the size of his manhood. When the Archmage finally showed up with Rusty’s father the boy was beyond ready to fight. Russell Golad looked amused at the whole thing and blew the whistle for the match to start.
John immediately placed a dome shield over Rusty which connected to the ground. He didn’t bother making it invisible or too strong, Rusty went to his fire magic and just as he was about to destroy the shield John constructed another one maybe an inch bigger around the first. Rusty broke through that one as well as John repeated the process, John would run out of power before Rusty did, but that wasn’t the point. Fire should never be lit inside a small cave or anywhere else with poor ventilation, fire ate up the oxygen which could be deadly. Rusty was just finding this out as his flame was dying out quickly and it looked like he was struggling to breathe. John reinforced his last shield as Rusty tried concentrated bursts of air and even tried controlling one of the many rocks in the arena to smash into the construct. John waited for the big man to pass out then walked over and nudged him with his toe. Rusty started to breathe again but he was still unconscious, satisfied, John walked away before giving a wink to his father and a smile to his mother. If Rusty used a different game plan he probably would have won but he was stupid. He liked the way John’s family was known for lightning and wanted to do the same for fire. His fire was stronger than anyone had ever seen and John was sure that would be his go to spell.
“Well that was fun” John said as he caught up to his mother and father. “Let’s have that breakfast, I am starved after all of that”.
“You made that look easy” Crystal said smiling at her son.
“It was easy, but I have had my fun” John admitted. “I owed him an ass whooping and he got it, far as I am concerned we are square. I am going to be knighted and cannot partake in anymore foolishness”.
“You really have embraced your magic” the Archmage replied. “Now what is this business I hear about you having a unicorn?
CHAPTER 7
“Knight Thunder, what is this I hear about an altercation at the Tower?” Prince Jordan said as he approached John. Prince Jordan looked just like his late father, the man was short with piercing gray eyes and an impressive physique for a man of forty. His was balding unlike his older brother and kept his hair practically shaved. John knew the man trained often in various combat arts, many thought he did so because he did not inherit the magic his taller, older brother did.
“Your Highness” John said with a bow. “I apologize for my behavior, a longtime feud just got out of hand”.
“You have nothing to be sorry for Knight Thunder” Prince Jordan replied. “The single act of you easily defeating the man many think will become the Archmage in both hand to hand and with magic gives the knights some legitimacy. I think many mages who abuse their power will think twice about going against the crown. Tell me Thunder, how were you able to defeat him the first time without using any magic?”
“I just closed the distance on him Your Highness” John said as a small smile crossed his face while he remembered the fight. “To stop a mage you have to be so close you can grab them by the belt buckle. Kind of hard to magic someone when they put a fist in your mouth. From there I just stayed on him, in a real fight I am sure I could have killed him at that point with no problem”.
“Well that story has been floating around this place” Prince Jordan said as he gestured around the ball room. “I made sure to give every mage including students a late invite to this place. First I was only inviting nobles and important business people to show off the power of the knights but now I am going to put you on display. The son of Jonathan Thunder better known as Jonathan the Lightning decides to forgo the Tower or being a proper mage in order to join a new order of justice keepers throughout the land. The fact that you are one of the survivors of the Lost Legion massacre lends even more credibility. I think I am going to use you as my center piece”.
“Center piece Your Highness?” John said confused.
“We all need heroes Knight Thunder” Prince Jordan said with a smile. “The last big hero was your father during a skirmish with Downey. That is how he got the name Jonathan the Lightning, I am going to give you center stage and put you into situations where your legend can grow. Not even the mages would be able to deny you that, I have heard that many of them do not think highly of you”.
“You want to make me a hero?” John asked as he started thinking about the repercussions.
“Yes Knight Thunder” Prince Jordan replied. “As a Knight you will be able to get any woman you wish, men will buy you drinks and your enemies will fear you. What do you say to this?”
“You had me at getting any woman I wish” John grinned. “What boy doesn’t grow up wanting to be a hero? I grew up in the shadow of the Archmage”.
“I am glad you are so easy to deal with Knight Thunder” Prince Jordan said as he stuck out his hand for John to shake it. “You may find yourself in dangerous situations but from what I have heard about you I don’t think they should be too hard for s
omeone with your skillset”.
“I will look forward to the challenge” John replied as the prince smiled and walked away.
John looked around the room, it was obvious that some of the Knights were not used to being around this crowd and would most likely rather be anywhere else. This was the first time in many years John felt he belonged, he did not have the stigma of being a weak mage hanging over his head any longer. What was even better was that John was sure he caught the eye of many of the mage ladies in attendance. While the rest of the knights were all in good shape with the majority taller and even broader than John was, most mage women wouldn’t give them more than a second glance or romp in the hay if the knight was lucky. Their parents would have something harsh to say about the whole thing, most men were turned off anyway of marrying a woman that could kill them in a matter of seconds and who had a mother and father that could do the same. John though would be welcomed, at first he would have been seen as a last ditch effort, the mage community was so small that people had to trace their lineage to avoid the crossing of family lines before marriage so most people couldn’t be too picky. But John remembered the majority of the women here, even the ones making flirty eyes at him had at one time ignored him or looked at him with pity. Now he was the one who beat Rusty Golad in a mage duel, something that hadn’t happened in years. John could see his sister Sara was quite a bit more popular with various girls who were now hanging around her and John’s parents were now chatting with many people who had daughters of marrying age. John looked across the room and made eye contact with Lady Sahmya Lux, fifth child and only daughter of Duke Leonard Lux. Sahmya was two years older but was famously jilted when the man she was supposed to marry was caught naked with her stepmother. The scandal was everywhere and John thought this was the first time he had seen her or the Duke out in a function in years. John and Sahmya never really spoke before but he could tell she was at least a little interested, after all she had to be looking his way to make eye contact. John walked over and was glad she was alone, he had zero experience with girls but swallowed his fears and approached her.
The Knight Mage Page 7
