Warded Mage (Reawakening Saga)

by Jackson, D. W.

  However, he tried his best to keep his wits and enjoy the night he was far too much into his drinks. He could feel Brianna’s hands on his body but it was impossible for him to focus. Everything seemed like a blur and soon Thad found himself slipping peacefully into a deep sleep.

  CHAPTER XII

  The next morning Thad woke to someone hitting him lightly in the shoulder. He knew it wasn’t Crusher as he tended to hit hard no matter how sore or tired Thad was. Opening his eyes the sun assaulted him as if someone had stabbed him in the eyes. As his vision cleared he found a smiling Brianna staring into his eyes. “Ya sleep much longer and yer gonna be late fer yer own departure.” Brianna said laughing lightly.

  Cursing himself Thad jumped out of bed and quickly threw on his clothes and rushed out of the house. Outside Crusher and Grenlor as well as a few other dwarves were awaiting him. Thad apologized for sleeping in but none of them seemed to mind. The dwarves seemed more interested in who was standing behind him. After a couple good natured jests about him and Brianna Thad pushed himself past the group and headed for the Underearth entrance.

  Thad thought about continuing into the darkness but his better sense won over. Swallowing his embarrassment Thad waited on the others. If he had known which way to travel he would have left them all behind in a heartbeat but as it was he had no choice but to endure his humiliation. After a few moments Thad began to worry and turned around to find the dwarves standing behind him waiting on something. After nearly half an hour Brianna came running up to the group a travel pack thrown over her shoulder.

  “What are you thinking?” Thad asked Brianna his voice teetering between anger and confusion.

  “Brianna patted him sharply on the cheek her smile never wavering. “What does it look like, I’m coming with ya whether ya like it or not. So get the burs out of yer pants and get a move on.” Brianna said her tone plainly showing that it was not up for discussion.

  “Fine, do what you want.” Thad said throwing up his hands in defeat. Thad watched Brianna and Crusher walk into the dark. He didn’t want to admit it but having Brianna along made him feel a bit better. She would at least keep Crusher from being too rough on him. He might even be able to skip drinking once or twice if he got her to intervene for him. It was one thing to stay drunk in the dwarven village but once they got on the road, he needed his wits. Even after a few drinks it was almost impossible for him to use his magic. Looking down at his hand Thad nearly laughed. A few days ago the magic was burning around him calling for him to use it, now it was only a slight buzz around him. It seemed the more he used his magic the more he felt the need to call on it. If he only used it sparingly then it seemed it was less likely that he would be addicted to it.

  “Are you ready?” Grenlor asked as he placed his hand on Thad’s shoulder.

  “I can’t say I’m looking forward to it, but I am as ready as I will ever be,” Thad said hesitantly.

  Thad stood still as Grenlor placed a thick cloth over his eyes. As soon as it was affixed, Thad could hear Grenlor chanting softly then everything went dark. It was not just his sight that was blocked but even his magical sense had been cut off. It was one of the few times in his life that he felt completely exposed. He felt something grab his hand and pull him along. Thad followed the tug obediently though each step he took was slightly hesitant. After a while he noticed that not only was his sight blocked he couldn’t hear anything either. One thing he could say was when the dwarves did something they made sure to go all the way. Thad tested the strength of the magical bonds that held him and found that he could easily break free if he wished. He didn’t know if that was just how weak the spell was or if Grenlor had done it on purpose in case of emergency.

  With his sight and hearing blocked all Thad had to rely on was the person who pulled him along. Thad wasn’t sure how far they had traveled when they stopped for the first time. He had hoped that he would be able to eat with his own hands but without his sight it was impossible. Luckily someone was kind enough to give him water from time to time and a few strips of dried meat to chew on. Thad was sure that Brianna had been the one who was looking after his needs but it was impossible to tell in his current condition.

  Thad slept five times while he was bound but it could have been days or a fortnight they had walked in the Underearth. Everything was the same to him nothing but endless darkness completely cut off from everything but the warm touch of the person pulling him along. When the cloth covering his eyes and magical senses was finally removed Thad found himself in unknown tunnels. He was sure that if he tried he could find his way back but he didn’t want to risk it. The dwarves were right. There was a chance he could be taken prisoner by the Brotherhood and information could be forced from him in various ways. If he didn’t know how to reach the dwarven village he couldn’t put them into danger. Thad let his magical eye slip into its night vision while his normal eye fell into magical sight. He had tried the combination a few times and while it was slightly confusing it allowed for the best he could hope for in sight. Everything had some form of heat coming from it and all living things had a magical signature whether they could control magic or not. But when one added in the natural flowing magic that flowed through the world sometimes it became nothing but a blur of colors to his eyes.

  In many ways his magical sight revealed much more than just the objects around him. He could tell much about a person from studying their aura. The dwarves all showed a heavy influence of the earth element but there were also other elements that swirled around them. Most the time it was fire or darkness but with Brianna he had noticed early that she had a large aura of water mixed in with the earth. Thad hadn’t spent a lot of time analyzing people according to their elements, but considering her attitude Thad was sure the fact that unlike most dwarves she was extremely open with her feelings. Crusher called him brother but it was always done along with an insult, Brianna on the other hand left Thad no doubts about her feelings.

  Instinctively Thad sent out his magical senses to scout his surroundings. There were few creatures besides them occupying the immediate surroundings. A few cave rats and other small creatures but nothing that Thad would consider a threat. “Only a short distance more and you’ll be able ta feel the sunshine on yer face again.” Crusher said walking up to his side. “Wish we could have fit a stone bed or two in yer bag. I don’t honestly understand how ya humans can sleep on something soft, it’s just aint natural.” He added complainingly.

  “If we had brought a bed, you would have found something else to complain about. I swear you’re not happy unless something is bothering you.” Thad said offhandedly.

  After a short break, they continued down the dark paths of the Underearth. Running his hands along the damp wall Thad recalled his first meeting with Crusher. He had found the dwarf fighting a heartstone creature much like Avalanche but made of a very strong metal. Thad unconsciously reached up and touched his eye that had been lost during that battle and been replaced by a piece of the creature’s heartstone. Ever since he had left Farlan his luck had seem to have fled him. He had lost his right foot, left eye and his body was marred with scars. If things continued on as they had, by the time he returned home, he would be more magic than man.

  “Somethin bothering ya, me delectable little treat?” Brianna asked as she pinched him on the hind end.

  Thad reached up to his eye again and sighed. “Just thinking about some of the things that have happened since I unwillingly started this journey.” Thad said despondently.

  Brianna laughing hard pulled Thad down so that he was forced to look her in her eyes. “Ya listen ta me. Ya might have gotten a few scars, lost a bit along da way but if anyone looks at ya weird because of it I’ll give em a lump or two so they think twice about next time they want ta open their yaps.” Brianna said blushing slightly. Thad have never heard of a blushing dwarf let alone seen one. It looked more than a little out of place on the normally headstrong dwarf.

  Thad couldn’t think of a
nything to say in return to Brianna’s words so he simply nodded his head and gave her a slight smile. She never said anything more she just walked next to him her arm wrapped around his waist. Thad had to know the two looked weird together, but he knew anyone that said anything about it would find that Brianna wasn’t timid about using her fists to help change people’s opinions. Thad laughed as he pictured Brianna shaking a bloody and beaten person while arguing with them.

  It wasn’t long before Thad could feel the air become lighter as it mixed with the fresh scent of grass blowing in from the outside. A short while later the tunnels opened up and the darkness lighted and soon the group found themselves sanding at the entrance of the large cave. Thad’s heart began to beat as he looked out over the grass. Grenlor had been right, not far off was a large town that sat next to the ocean. There was still no telling where exactly they were as Kurt was large with many countries situated on the ocean, that was if they were even still in Kurt. Though he doubted it, but there was a chance he had traveled under the sea to one of the island nations.

  After a quick goodbye to their escorts Thad, Crusher, Brianna, and Avalanche left the security of the Underearth and made their way down the hill toward the town. Looking at his three companions Thad wondered how long it would be before one of them caused an uproar. Though the friendliest of the group was Avalanche she was sure to draw the most attention. Thad looked down at the rock creature that bounced around the group like a puppy at play.

  Thinking it was time Thad reached into his pack and handed both Brianna and Crusher a ring set with a clear diamond in the middle. “They are for when we get to town. Neither of you can speak the common tongue very well so this is made to work for you. The first one took a lot of time to make but I had to make the second one in a hurry on the way.” Neither said anything until they put on the ring then they tried to hold a conversation. It looked like the rings worked perfectly they changed the words before they were said so it sounded as if both dwarves spoke common tongue.

  “The words I’m saying and what’s coming from me mouth are completely different.” Crusher said with a slightly confused look on his face.

  “If you pay attention you might even pick up enough common tongue where you won’t have to use the rings.”

  As they got close to the town the smell of saltwater hung thick in the air. Thad took in a deep breath remembering the last time he had been to the sea. It felt as if it had been ages ago when he had visited Eloen’s house. The sun was still only slightly halfway through its arc in the sky when they reached the outskirts of the town. The few people they passed looked at the group oddly, though no one approached them. When the four friends reached the gates of the town they were met by a rather large group of men holding various weapons. From the looks of them Thad was sure they were the town’s militia.

  “Halt, come no closer.” A large man yelled at the four as he stepped out from the group.

  The weapon in the man’s hands didn’t look out of place like it did with most the others gathered; he also didn’t have a look of uncertainty on his face. It was easily to tell that most the soldiers gathered had seen little use with their weapons as they nervously clutched the hilts as if they were trying to strangle them. Thad raised his hands moving them away from the sword strapped to his side. He hoped his friends would follow his example but he wasn’t surprised to see Crusher and Brianna reached for the weapons hanging at their sides. “We don’t want any trouble we’re just on our way back home to Farlan.” Thad said calmly.

  The large man looked the group over his face staying stern and imposing. “You want me to believe that three heavily armed travelers with a creature I have never seen before aren’t here to cause trouble.”

  “Didn’t ya hear the boy, or da ya got rocks rolling around in that head of yers. We just plan on passing through. You can either let us pass through or we’ll smack ya around a bit and let ourselves through.” Crusher said as he pulled his large hammer into his hands and settled it on his shoulder.

  Thad could feel the tension in the air as Crusher and the man stared each other down. It was obvious the militia wasn’t going to simply let them walk into town, but they had no other leads on where they might be. There would be another town a few days down the coast or not. Thad couldn’t risk it they needed to get into town. That meant either killing the men in front of them who were merely trying to protect their town or getting them to stand down. Suddenly an image of the illusionary fiery horse he had used to escape the Ablaian prison flashed through his mind. “Not a bad idea, but a little flashy.” Thad said looking over at his staff.

  Thad could hear the sound of swords leaving scabbards as the militia prepared to fight. “Stop!” Thad yelled pointing his staff at the group of men standing before him. A burst of fire sprung from the end of his staff forcing them men of the militia back as it swirled in the air around them. Thad ignored the screams of fear and disbelief as he concentrated on the flames. Thad let the flames cut into the earth throwing up a large cloud of dust. As the dust settled and the air cleared, Thad was sitting astride a large horse of fire. Thad heard Crusher whistle from behind him but tried to ignore his friend and concentrate on his magic and the men in front of him. “I said we seek no trouble, but as my friend said you will either let us pass or I will make you stand aside. I am in no mood to be trifled with.” Thad said as sternly as he could muster.

  “We won’t let you near our families demon spawn.” One of the men yelled as he pointed his blade at Thad.

  His steed hummed and blazes of fire roared from its nose warping themselves around the man’s sword turning it bright red. A loud yelp of pain was quickly followed by a clatter as the blade fell to the ground. Thad knew he had to do something fast otherwise things were going to turn ugly fast. “Either you stand aside or you watch your town burn.” Thad said harshly hoping his bluff would work. To add a bit of credibility he created large roaring imaginary flames and pushed them toward the town. To add to the effect he made the flames directly in front of the militia real so they could feel the immense heat coming from them.

  The men stood firm though Thad could see the sweat beading on their faces and their determination waning. Thad hoped they would break soon. He still had plenty of energy left but he didn’t want to have to kill the men for simply wanting to protect their town and families. “Lay down your arms.” The large man declared as he slid his own sword back into its scabbard.

  “Holbar you can’t mean to let them into town, he’s a demon spawn.” The man who was still holding his burnt hand objected.

  “Johan do you really believe that nonsense about demon spawns. Even if he is a demon in the flesh we have little choice or would you prefer we let our families burn. I am sure your wife and little girl might not feel too keenly about that.” Holbar said heatedly.

  As the men sheathed their weapons Thad let the flames disappear but left his stead standing until he had a chance to dismount and then in a flash of smoke it too was gone. “As I said we only plan to gather information and see if we can seek passage to Farlan. We do not plan to cause any trouble, but if trouble finds us, we will not sit idly,” Thad said fiercely.

  “I apologize but we do not have an inn in the town.” Holbar said looking around at the fellow members in the militia who still looked as if they were ready attack at any moment. “You better come to stay at my house, so that the chance of any trouble finding you won’t be as likely.” He said not sounding very happy about the declaration.

  CHAPTER XIII

  Holbar led them to his house that was in the market district. He lived in a fairly large house built onto his butcher shop. Avalanche stayed outside while the other three headed up the steps to the living quarters. Once they were inside and the doors were close Holbar let out an audible sigh of relief. That feeling of relaxation only lasted for a moment before Holbar rounded on Thad with a very stern look on his face. “You can stay for the night but I want you on your way in the morning. A day should be
more than enough time for whatever you’re here for. I warn you if you try anything I will run you through faster than you can raise that little stick of yours.”

  “It would be tha last thing ya do.” Brianna said tapping her fingers against the blade of her axe.

  “Back already sweetie? What was all the commotion about dear?” A musical voice said from the other room, which was quickly followed by a young girl running into the room. “Daddyyyyyyy.” She yelled as she ran and jumped into Holbar’s arms.

  A blond haired beauty stuck her head out the doorway and looked at her four guests with more than a bit of surprise on her face. “Who are your friends dear?” She asked brandishing a long wooden spoon at Holbar.

  “It is complicated dear. Jeanie, why don’t you go outside and play for a bit.” Holbar said setting the girl down who pouted a bit but obeyed her father and quickly ran down the stairs and out the door. Soon as the door shut Holbar turned to the three companions. “Please follow me to the dining room; I think we need to have a little chat.”

  The three followed Holbar to the fairly large dining room. Holbar’s wife joined them looking none too happy with having three strangers in her house. Holbar looked over his shoulder at his wife and then back toward the three travelers who sat at his table. “Just from the looks of you three it’s easy to tell that you’re not from around here and from what I witnessed outside the town you’re not quite normal either. From what some of the other militia members were saying if I’d left ya to sleep on your own they would have paid you a visit this evening.”

  “It would have been their last time making a nighttime visit.” Crusher said aggressively.

  Holbar’s wife let out a scared squeak; he looked over to her and sighed heavily. “That’s what I thought would happen. That is the reason I invited you to stay here. I don’t get along with all of those hot heads but I prefer not to have to bury them. What I would like to know though is how you did that outside the village. I don’t believe you’re the spawn of some demon but I prefer not to take chances.”