The front lines were far away, but only a short jump using the portal spells stolen from the emperor's warlocks. It had taken a lot to figure them out and change them into a battle mage spell, but Sebastian was as expert in using the magic as any wizard. He had learned the spell about the time High Wizard Darius had cracked it as well. He was a wizard though and able to teach Southwall's wizards much easier than a battle mage could. Since battle mages lacked the power to cast the spell on their own, it was a good thing that he had.
Far to the south, the emperor's armies were fighting to claim Litsarin, a piece of land raised during the Cataclysm. Unknown to the humans of North Continent, the emperor already had a claim to the land. He had several towns settled by his people on the east side of the massive island. Now he had his armies working to drive Southwall's ally, Sileoth, from its cities on the western side. Southwall had joined its ally, but after two months of battle it had become a stalemate.
The dark armies of monsters and men had the power of Ensolus and the other mountain cities serving the emperor behind them thanks to portal magic. They could flood the land with soldiers or withdraw in a blink to move to another area or town before Sileoth could move its troops, but Southwall's novice portal wizards had already managed to join the allies together to reinforce the remaining towns and cities of Litsarin. Even in the face of the emperor's powerful forces, the allies stood strong and held out as fall moved to winter.
It was much warmer in Litsarin, but the cold of the north still seemed to affect what was happening.
"If Leros and the other battle mages had their way, I'd probably never get to leave Hala again," the mage, often referred to as the owl mage or mizard since he seemed to blur the line between the two classes, mused over the conflicting orders often given to him now. Battle mages saw him as the one leading them from being second class wizards into a more useful direction. He had deciphered dozens of wizard spells and made them into mage versions already.
Sebastian could use most of the elements to one degree or another. Most combat related spells were received with varying degrees of success by his fellow mages. That alone would have been enough to make him unique, but he had brought healing magic to his people also. Fewer could learn the skills to become a healer, which was the same for wizards.
The owl mage had also discovered some new magic. Runes had been shown to him by the merfolk. It had taken time but he had learned to recreate them and was even starting to build upon those to create his own unique markings. He had also discovered magic using light and darkness. Those were lines created by Ensolus, like portal magic, which Southwall could use against their enemy.
All that knowledge was slowly being passed to his fellow battle mages and even the wizards. Where he could, Sebastian tried to spread that knowledge to remove some of the pressure left on his shoulders. Unfortunately, not everything could be passed so far. That left him using portal magic in a way that the wizards had yet to discover, or perhaps it was more that the battle mage was simply brave enough to dare.
Few wizards were likely to wish to drop into the enemy's city without an army at their backs, but he had followed his enemy using one of Palose's portals. Now it was his responsibility to use new gates to help the spies delivered to the city and to bring back the information that they had gleaned.
"Actually I am surprised that they haven't made you give up the portals into Ensolus and made the wizards do it. You aren't that necessary for that, are you?" Elzen asked genuinely curious. Such questions were sometimes thrown out, but no one had really thought to ask.
Ashleen looked at him intently. She disliked that part of his psyche which appeared bent on running into any danger without fearing for his own safety. Unfortunately, such behavior had saved her life a few times, so she could hardly tell him to stop. The wilder had often complained that if he was going to do such things, that he should take her, since Ashleen was as brave as any battle mage, Sebastian thought.
The girl asked, "You know, Elzen has a point. You may have been the one to chase after Palose and had the plan to enter the city catching his people off guard, but you've created alternate portals. The wizards are just as capable of sneaking into Ensolus as you are using them."
Sebastian leaned back in his chair holding his opinion a moment. While he knew some of what they said was right, the mage often felt it his responsibility to keep track of Drayden and his spies. It was the owl mage who had delivered them into the enemy's lair, and he worried over them as if they were his own squad of soldiers.
"We've considered that," he admitted to the meetings with Leros and the high wizards. The high wizards probably wished that their kind could take over the duties, if only because they appeared to feel they would owe a battle mage otherwise. Their pride as wizards had taken a few blows thanks to Sebastian over the last year and a half thanks to his spells. He had even defeated wizards in the king's Winter's Edge tournament, which had not set well with many of them.
"I've worried that a wizard might be more of a target in Ensolus. Wizard hunters appear capable of sensing people with strong magic. If a battle mage can slip in and out because I have less magical power, can they?
"The high wizards would rather risk me than one of their own anyway. I'm still a battle mage and expendable to them, though I think they may have begun to sense my worth," he finished with a small chuckle.
Serrena frowned and countered, "I don't think any wizard can second guess that your skills shouldn't be risked. Even a portal wizard is less rare than you."
The fiery young woman had often stood up for him with her peers. Sebastian tried not to hurt her feelings by laughing at the thought that she was now arguing with him to not put himself down.
Nodding at the sentiment, Rilena said, "Even if everything you knew now was passed on to the battle mages completely, there is no telling how much more you might figure out during your life. If you merely equaled what you have done in the last year or so, your name would never be forgotten in the history of our order. They would have to decide if you were greater than Raven Hurst and some would argue that you contributed more."
Sebastian grunted in doubt at that. Hurst had been the first mage. The man had discovered their way of magic and established the spells that they still used. No one had really added to them until he had deciphered some healing and air spells on his first trip to the wall. While he tried to be humble, Sebastian knew that there were probably others who would agree with Rilena. At twenty-one years of age, the mage worried that people would try to elevate him beyond what he saw in himself. He preferred being thought of as a simple falcon, but that thought was already eroding away.
"I doubt anyone could put me ahead of Hurst," the owl mage replied. "Without him, none of us would probably have learned magic at all. We'd just be soldiers or wannabe wizards."
The others argued a few points along that line comparing how many spells he had created compared to Raven Hurst. Their meals were served and half eaten by the time Ashleen brought the conversation back to a version of her earlier question, "If you're going to be the only one running back and forth to Ensolus with your magic, does that mean that you are going to remain out of the battle for Litsarin?"
Giving a sigh as Sebastian thought about how his superiors wanted to protect him from the dangers of the field, the young man gave a slow shake of his head as he replied, "I think that they want to prevent me from going, if they can."
Ashleen frowned at his words. Despite his appearance of giving into the ruling of Raven Leros and the others, the young woman didn't seem quite as convinced that he was reconciled to the fact. "And what would make them change their minds?"
"If the war turned against the troops guarding Helsen, I would probably need to go back. I would either need to help defend it or use my portals to help them escape. With the portal spell, at least we don't have to fear losing the whole army because they couldn't retreat across the channel."
The channel between Litsarin and Sileoth created a l
arge barrier between the two large islands. His plan to use dragon mages and wizards with the ability to use light and darkness spells had helped drive the emperor's marauders from the channel for now, but if the Dark One decided to attack the ships delivering troops and supplies again that advantage could turn quickly.
"And you'd probably try to leave us behind to do it all by yourself again," Ashleen complained with a sigh.
Elzen laughed and reminded her, "Well, the last time he left you there."
It was a slightly exaggerated view of the last battle Ashleen and Sebastian had been in on that island. He had left her his sword and used his portal to bring reinforcements. Even so, the battle had turned against them and they had lost the village of Stone Bay to the enemy. It had been an exhausting battle for Ashleen. Without those reinforcements, the wilder would have been killed. Without his magical weapon called the Hollow Sword, she wouldn't have lasted until they could have returned either.
"I survived," the little blond replied. "That is as good an example of why Bas needs to start letting us help him. He was even willing to loan one of his precious Hollow Swords to Magnus of all people. If he could let his childhood bully help him, then he can certainly let us."
This was a conversation that the battle mage knew he would never truly win. Ashleen wanted to be by his side no matter the danger. While he knew that she was very capable, there were just certain situations Sebastian preferred to keep her and his friends away from if possible. He knew that he could take care of himself, so without the worries of protecting those he loved, the mage felt free enough to do what was necessary to stay alive also.
That was his belief, but his friends and Ashleen didn't follow his logic believing that they could protect him not only from enemies but sometimes from himself.
"Well, Magnus would be more expendable then, wouldn't he?" Elzen replied with a laugh to the girl. It would have been Sebastian's point as well, but his relationship had begun to change with his former enemy. Magnus had become a rival going into the Winter's Edge. They hadn't been unable to duel that time, but both before and since Sebastian continued to come out on top of the fire wizard when challenged.
Sebastian shook his head at Elzen. "Even Magnus has his good points. He's certainly a good wizard and at least he had the sense to learn how to cast like a battle mage."
"Hmmph," Serrena grunted at his diplomatic version of the truth. "Magnus is too full of himself, but I suppose he's pretty good."
The others all laughed at the wizard. She was a fire wizard as well, but she tended to side with Sebastian, especially when it came to people like Magnus.
"Well, I would say he's pretty good to say the least," Ashleen said with a grin. "I mean, he did win the tournament after all."
"That's only because Sebastian had to pull out of the tournament."
Sebastian tried to end the talk by adding, "Well, it was a weeklong tournament and I had to pull out because I didn't have the magical energy to keep going. He went through more matches than I did and Magnus held out to win. We can give him that much, even if he can be a bit of a jerk."
Shaking her head as if to ward off the conversation, Ashleen changed the topic and asked, "Well, you've done your trip. What do you plan to do for the rest of this cold and snowy day?"
She looked hopeful that he would choose to stay with her at the inn. On a cold day, a little time together could turn from sitting around the table to a trip to their bedroom. Sebastian didn't mind that idea after all the running around he seemed to have to do every day in spite of obstacles like the snow and cold.
"I should head over to the smithy," he said wanting to sigh. Though someone might assume that the mage meant the forge behind the inn, Sebastian's latest job had been working with local smiths to make the base weapons for more Hollow Swords. Wizards and even a few battle mages had been called to watch the magic and try to learn the process, but so far only Ashleen had come close. She had worked with him closely while the mage had worked to perfect the metals, forging techniques and magic required to imbue a sword with the runes to hold magic increasing any magic user's power.
"Another class?" Ashleen asked.
Nodding in answer, Sebastian looked at his empty plate and mug realizing that he should probably get moving. It seemed like forever since the man had been able to rest, but work never stopped coming.
He stood up. "Well, I guess that I'd better head over there."
Only slightly surprising to him, the others stood to follow the mage.
Raising an eyebrow, Bas asked, "What, are you all going to come and try to become smiths?"
Rilena grinned, "I prefer watching all the men with their shirts off getting all sweaty. Personally, I'll stick to watching."
Serrena had a different view, though the other girl's words seemed to resonate in her eyes. "If I can, I'd like to see the process again. It feels like I am close to figuring out the magic behind those runes."
While Elzen added, "I've got nothing better to do. At least I can heal like you do, so I can probably figure out some of it."
Glancing to Ashleen, the girl used her hand to brush the lower part of her dress aside revealing short pants that reached her knees. They were close fitting leather dyed green to nearly match her robe like dress. Her short leather boots were one of her favorite pairs and the young woman had worn them while helping him in the forge while he had worked to create the Hollow Swords.
"I had a feeling you were going to the smithy, so I'm already dressed. I am your apprentice smith, after all, so you can't very well do it without me."
Sebastian laughed at that. While the woman had been helpful sharing her magical power with him when he needed it, the owl had forged a few blades without her. Still he didn't mind the company.
"Air shield," the mage called up an invisible, swirling force of air. Ashleen created a similar dome, so when the five walked outside they were prepared for the falling snow.
The flakes appeared to slide aside as they passed. Sebastian shared the protective sphere of his influence with the others expanding the air movement about six feet from him in all directions. He did so well, that Ashleen dropped her shield stepping close to take his hand with hers. Sharing the space, the five remained warmer as well as the shield held some of the warm air of the inn and their breaths added more.
Snow still clung to their boots, but at least the falling flakes avoided them as they walked to the east. It would be a long walk. Sebastian considered using portal magic, but it would drain him more than he wished. A long walk with friends at his side was preferable, besides he was in no rush. Sometimes he just needed to do things the old way and try to catch his breath.
Chapter 3- The Demands of Red Hall
The sound of metal clanging rang through the air even though the windows to the building ahead of them were closed. A door that was the destination for Sebastian's little group was slightly ajar despite the cold was part of the source for the noise. Smoke rose from multiple chimneys on the roof. It was a surprising amount of ventilation for a single building, but Hala's smithing facility wasn't a typical structure by any means.
Made of stone like most of the city's buildings, it wasn't the original forge for the capitol. Long ago Hala had been much smaller. The inner city had been the whole of it, though smaller buildings had grown up outside feeding the king's capitol when Hala served a much smaller nation.
While Sebastian didn't know the full history of the city, he did know that this forge had been built by one of the kings in the past to be an outfitter for his army. It had remained making weapons and other tools for the army for centuries surviving the Cataclysm and war with the Dark One's armies as well. Now it served as the base for Sebastian and the various wizards, mages and smiths involved with trying to create the newest weapons created to defeat their centuries' long enemy.
Pushing open the door after clearing away some of the accumulated snow, Sebastian let the others enter and nearly closed the door before releasing his air shiel
d. Heat that could make one sweat struck them almost instantly. It was as jarring in its way as the bitter cold outside, and jackets were opened and removed quickly. Even the coldest of them, melted before the heat generated by several forges being worked by dozens of men and their assistants.
Equally miserable with the heat were wizards who had been called in to try and learn the process of creating magical weapons. One woman dressed in a brown researcher's robe looked particularly frazzled. Her brown hair was graying, but thanks to the cold, winter's light cast by the windows, she appeared to have more gray than usual. Maura was about twice Sebastian's age, but he had never been brave or foolish enough to ever ask the wizard her actual number. To ask an older woman for her age was one thing, but doing so to a testy research wizard could end up bringing a fireball his way.
The woman looked towards the door along with several other eyes not riveted to metal working at the moment. Maura brushed back one of several stray locks of hair looking more anxious than usual. She moved to intercept him even as Sebastian noted the stress mirrored in many of the others trying to work today.
"What's wrong?" he asked before the wizard could say anything. A pair of apprentices wearing brown shirts with black and white trim followed her. They were just the latest brought in to see if they could work with metal and the runes the battle mage had created for the Hollow Swords.
Her eyes glanced from side to side first noting his followers before they took in the rest of the long room. Acting like she worried over being overheard by men and women she had been around for most of the last month, Maura finally disclosed, "Apparently you haven't heard that we have new visitors."
Shrugging at the comment, though Sebastian was unsure of who the woman meant, he replied, "We're always bringing in new wizards and mages to try and find people who might take to this kind of magic. What is so difficult about these new visitors that has you on edge all of a sudden?"
Battle Mage Visions (A Tale of Alus Book 12) Page 3
