Battle Mage Visions (A Tale of Alus Book 12)

by Donald Wigboldy

  "The only thing I want from you at the moment is for you to shut up. They will be here soon enough and any information you need can be given by them," the woman informed him before turning to go. "Hassar, ignore him and come with me."

  The elder wizard frowned at the researcher as she left, but followed anyway. He was probably a bit stronger and from a different guild, yet it was Erethia in charge. Sebastian could just add it to the many things wrong with the picture.

  As the lamp disappeared with the wizards, so too did his light. "Vision," the mage tried again hoping, but not expecting much from the attempt. His magic power was trapped and Sebastian wondered if it was akin to the spell used by Darius on his sister to restrain her diplomacy magic. The wizard had said that containing a wizard's magic completely was likely to cause the inner flame to build until the magic was ready to burst out doing whatever damage the wilder might be inclined towards. It was dangerous, the high wizard had said, but the mage didn't know enough about that kind of spell.

  In retrospect, Sebastian wished that he had asked to see that spell again. Darius was a wealth of magic that made what he had learned seem insignificant. If they had tried to capture the high wizard, that would have brought conflict from Eirdhen and the wizard school of Enchwold. Sebastian wasn't even sure that any wizard could contain an immortal like Darius, but he was just a mage. He wasn't in the same league as the high wizard and now the so called owl had only his mind to try figuring his way out of this mess.

  He hadn't seen it coming, but was glad that Ashleen and the others were in Hala. They should be safe there, but what would they think? How soon would anyone begin to worry about him? Could these wizards have hidden that he was gone for very long?

  Sebastian didn't know magic like that either, but maybe a research wizard like Erethia had found something to fool anyone looking for him. He doubted anything would last for long and Ashleen was likely to be wondering where he was by first light. Even a girl who preferred to sleep in would have to notice pretty quickly that he hadn't formed a portal to get her.

  Was it morning yet, he wondered? From Hassar's slip, Sebastian had to assume that he had slept longer than a normal night's rest.

  He still stood near the bars, but could no longer see them. Without magic to lean on, the mage tried something else. Runes surrounding his eyes glowed slightly before his vision began to compensate for the darkness.

  Sebastian glanced around the small cell noting bare walls, a dirty blanket on the floor and a bucket in the corner. He looked at the metal shackles holding his arms together before raising his hands to his throat. A thick, metal band felt nearly seamless to his fingers. A small hole on the left side might have been a lock hole, but the mage doubted that a normal key was the only thing keeping the neck band in place. Magic had been added to his bonds and magic was likely the only way out.

  Staring at his right arm, the mage watched as the wire of the harpoon tattoo began to writhe. The metal appeared to restrict the line physically, but it was a different kind of magic that didn't require his power. Perhaps with some work, it might cut him free. His strength, even amplified with runes, couldn't break such stout bonds.

  As the tattoo wire started to move back and forth at his mind's continued attention, Sebastian let the back of his consciousness ponder what more could be done. When the ones Erethia and Hassar waited for arrived, what would happen to him?

  He preferred to be free of his bonds before that if possible. With his magic back at his command, surely no prison could withstand the power of a battle mage, who could call on the greater spells.

  The thought made Sebastian try something else, even as he pressed on with the wire. Placing his hands against the wall, the mage tried to call on the power of the earth. There was no answer to his call. Without magic, his mind had no way to call on that power.

  Sighing at the thought, Sebastian sat against the back wall. The only other sound was the back and forth of the tattoo wire. It sounded like real, steel wire scraping softly against the heavier metal of the shackles.

  Concentration remained though his head still felt foggy. The containment of his magic wouldn't change that feeling no matter how long he continued to work at his bonds. He was trapped for now, but the owl refused to give in to his captors.

  The waiting went on. Sebastian fell asleep. He awoke with a mouth that was too dry. It was hard to swallow.

  Did his captors want him dead? There were quicker ways than starvation and dehydration, the mage thought.

  One thing the mage did notice was that the magic of the wire was slowly whittling away at his strength. It didn't tap into his magic, but the runes had been designed to use the life force of the warriors without magic in them. If he could have stopped, Sebastian would have, but he hadn't given up and continued working at the metal on his right wrist until he fell asleep again in exhaustion.

  Ashleen had slept restlessly and been up with the light of dawn. She had left word for Hilda Alamore to send someone to wake her early if the wilder over slept, but the inn keeper had been surprised to see the pretty girl awake so early.

  "You look tired child. Maybe you should go back to sleep?" she cautioned the wizard.

  Yawning, Ashleen shook her head and replied, "I tried all night. Without Sebastian sleeping next to me, all of a sudden I couldn't sleep."

  Answering with a light laugh, Hilda answered, "I was that way after sleeping next to Ivol for awhile. A few children later, we had to make sure to kick them out and make them sleep in their own beds. If we didn't, it got awfully crowded.

  "I love every last one of them, but a single bed isn't enough to hold my entire brood, even when they were younger.

  "There have been a few trips taken by Ivol when I slept by myself. I could have found someone to fill the spot, but I have to say getting the bed to myself feels wonderful now," the woman finished with another laugh.

  Smiling at Hilda, she replied ruefully, "I wound up hugging his pillow so I could smell him and that helped for a bit; but I still missed him."

  "Oh, child, you are dreadfully hooked, aren't you? I wouldn't condone a relationship without marriage for my sons and daughters, but you two do seem to be in love."

  "I am in love with him and I am pretty sure that he loves me, but it took awhile for him to give me a chance. He was with another girl before he met me, though she was assigned to a different city then.

  "I have to admit when a man comes to your rescue and then reaches in to heal you besides. It is hard not to look at him a bit closer."

  Hilda looked a little confused by the last and admitted, "I am afraid I don't really know much about a healer or magic. While I think Ivol would save me from harm, if he could, the most my husband has had to face were unruly guests and an occasional dance partner that got too frisky."

  Again Ashleen had to smile at the simplicity of the inn keeper's love for her husband. When they were together, the wilder could see the love in their eyes. She hoped that they saw that from Sebastian, since the girl thought that she did.

  "Magic is definitely something hard to explain for those who can't use it. When Sebastian heals, he sort of joins his spirit with yours. Once he taught me to heal, I could feel his mind like he was running his fingers over and under my skin in a caress," the girl said hugging herself while playing her fingers along her shoulders and upper arms. "It's like love taken to the next level or something."

  Hilda laughed with a little embarrassment at the description and said, "I wish that I could truly understand that, but I'll take what I have with Ivol even so."

  Nodding with a smile, Ashleen continued to hold her arms as she replied, "You two do look happy. I wish that I could spend more time with Sebastian, but he's always busy."

  "Ivol stays busy as well. You can't put a leash on them and expect a man to be in arm's reach every minute of the day." A thought crossed the older woman's face wrinkling her nose. "There are days where I wish that I saw him a bit less too, I guess. It's different when you're
so young, but I doubt that you would like him to be that clingy.

  "Unfortunately love means we need to let them do what they need to do while trying to keep them close enough to know that they love us." The woman laughed self consciously and amended, "Or something like that. I am an inn keeper, not a poet after all."

  Ashleen smiled and conceded, "It sounds about right though."

  The girl's food arrived as the two women sat chatting. Ashleen ate picking at it with less appetite than normal. Making sure that she ate even so, the wilder figured to be ready for another day of teaching his spells at Red Hall. At least, it was another way for her to be near him. Ashleen didn't mind teaching anyway, and they could always share lunch after the morning classes were over.

  Elzen and Serrena came down looking a bit surprised to see her already waiting for them and nearly done with breakfast besides.

  "You're up already?" the falcon questioned adding shock to his voice. "Bas always said that he usually gave up on trying to wake you at a normal time."

  "You mages seem to think getting up before the sun is somehow normal," she retorted in amusement. "Just because the rest of us prefer our rest and to get up after the sun is here, doesn't mean we aren't the normal ones."

  Serrena asked noting her eyes, "How did you sleep?"

  "Not real well," Ashleen replied and found herself yawning at the mere thought of being tired. "I missed having him next to me and not just to keep me warm either."

  Elzen barked a laugh and said, "I like having a bed all to myself."

  "Like you've ever not," Serrena quipped with a smirk on her face.

  "Ha ha, I had to share my bed as a kid. My family had seven kids and too few rooms to be spoiled with their own beds. And if you want me to talk about not sharing my bed when I was older..."

  Waving him off frantically, the fire wizard worriedly warned, "That is quite all right. I don't need to hear about your conquests whether made up or not."

  Elzen decided not to pursue the line of conversation as their breakfasts arrived.

  Time passed giving them plenty of time to finish their meals. The breakfast rush ended. While Hilda and her crew cleaned up the room in preparation for the early lunch crowd, the three waited until well after the expected time for Sebastian to appear.

  "Where is he?" Ashleen questioned feeling worry in her gut. She wanted to say that something was wrong, but didn't want to look like some clingy girlfriend in front of the others.

  By the time lunch was starting to begin, the three had all begun taking turns pacing. Worry consumed them all now forcing Ashleen into action.

  "Serrena wait here in case he comes back while we're gone."

  Elzen looked confused. "Where are we going?"

  "To see Raven Leros, we need to let him know that Sebastian is missing."

  "We don't really know that for sure. He could be tied up in Red Hall with something that made him late."

  "I don't want to wait all day and find out that Sebastian's in trouble. Come on. They might not let me meet with the raven, but they know you for sure," the wilder ordered grabbing the boy's arm.

  Elzen felt the excited electricity of the young woman lift the hairs on his arm. Her worry was already making her lose some control. The younger mage's mind made him wonder what happened when she made love. It was an inappropriate thought, but he couldn't help thinking that Sebastian was pretty lucky to have someone like Ashleen.

  Chapter 16- Missing

  Ashleen stood beside Elzen with Serrena on the mage's opposite side from her. Like the wilder might have done working with Sebastian, she found herself following the younger man to Raven Leros' office in one of the towers of Castle Grimnal. It was a place of honor as well as meant to keep one of the king's protectors close to him. Having a Kardorian this close to him had made the other mages nervous as they passed through the final doorway into the raven's office.

  "He hasn't shown up yet?" Leros questioned calmly. His face was steady as well, but thoughts were running through his head that reflected partly in his eyes. "It isn't like Sebastian to be late. That boy is pretty prompt."

  "The only time I've ever seen him running late was because he was in trouble," Ashleen acknowledged but received a frown and a quick, warning glance from Elzen.

  Waiting a moment, Leros replied, "He seems to be pretty attached to you, so I am inclined to believe that Sebastian would have returned this morning. He was teaching in Red Hall, I believe."

  Elzen spoke up again after being the one to explain their worries to the raven when they first arrived. Like Ashleen, Serrena had little pull among the battle mages; though many knew the fire wizard from seeing her with Sebastian quite often over the last months as she helped him when the mage did choose to teach his magic. In this office, they felt like they should hold their tongues as outsiders; but Raven Leros wasn't as strict on such things. The man had been a friend to the owl mage, though Ashleen wasn't sure that they were close even after all the time spent working together.

  "Sebastian was supposed to return for us a little after sunrise. Red Hall is further west than Hala so their first bell is later than ours. It would be a little harder on Bas, but he's had worse working at some of the gates along the wall or in the guardian cities."

  "I hate to get everyone worked up over the possibility of him sleeping in because he was simply tired or because the sun rose later than in Hala," the raven said as his eyes wandered to his window. Frost shrunk his vision through the glass, but there wasn't much to see on yet another gray morning in Hala. He would have to walk to the window to look down to see much beyond the pattern less, gray sky.

  Ashleen considered the idea and suggested, "Then don't panic everyone. Can't we be sent to the gate in Red Hall by one of the portal wizards? I mean, we are supposed to be there to help him teach the magic we know alongside Sebastian. It would mean that they should be expecting us anyway."

  The old man's right hand lifted to stroke a bearded chin in thought. "Perhaps a few extra wizards and mages could come along, you know, to share information faster with more teachers. Maybe a portal wizard could be spared from the fire wizards' gate as well. If he isn't there, then maybe they could try searching for him using his magic."

  Adding a larger team for support made sense and the idea made the friends feel better. Three would have been a small number to use to search and easier to tie up if there was something fishy going on in the other school.

  Ashleen frowned at that, however. If Red Hall had done something to Sebastian, did that mean Southwallers were to blame when they were all supposed to be on the same side?

  "Whatever we're going to do, we should do it quickly," Serrena prompted no longer willing to be silent. "If Sebastian is in trouble, then every moment we wait could wind up with a worse result. If he is just sleeping in, waking him before Gefflen and his annoying wizards become irritable would be a good plan as well. Elzen will just have to go wake him up or whatever."

  "And do I make his bed for him too, if he's just running late?" the boy quipped, but received no smiles or laughter. Ashleen and Serrena were too nervous to appreciate any attempt at levity and Leros was a raven, so no one expected the white haired man to crack a smile.

  "I'll send a runner to Culmore and Neferen to have them free up a couple wizards to help," Leros spoke of his wizard contemporaries the high wizards. To many wizards thinking, Leros was a subordinate in rank to the white wizards, but he had made a strong name in Southwall and had gained very strong support from the king and his generals. Even high wizards gave him respect. "Elzen wait a moment to bring a message to Falconi Neven or Falcondi Westlin for me. We'll pick a few mages to add to your group also for security."

  "They'll need to know Bas's magic, if it winds up being just a lot of worry for nothing," Elzen added, though both women fired angry looks his way for doubting their women's intuition or whatever could be chocked up to their worry. Serrena's anxiousness had made them take her with while leaving Hilda to watch out for Sebasti
an at the inn instead. Even the young mage worried, but it wasn't impossible that Sebastian might have simply over slept or run into a more mundane delay in his return. He had been one of the owl's closest friends before he had risen to new heights with his magic, and still considered himself one; but there was that lingering doubt.

  Leros nodded as he moved to the wizards. "As for you two, return to the inn to make sure that he doesn't show up. Everything should be ready and the team assembled in under an hour at the portal courtyard. If Sebastian has just been delayed, it is probably best to have you there just in case."

  Still not believing her worry was unfounded, Ashleen couldn't find a complaint. If Sebastian was in trouble as she feared, they would need help. Gathering wizards and mages for a trip to Red Hall would simply take time.

  That is how, almost an hour later on the dot, seven more wizards and mages joined up with Ashleen, Serrena and Elzen. Another falcondi, a newer assistant to Falconi Brelan, one of Leros' assistants, led the small group; though holding rank against the three wizards might be hard to maintain. His only saving grace was that he appeared nearly as old as the wizards joining them.

  Falcondi Yenest led three falcons and the wilder noted that all were male. Perhaps the oldest was a man named Perin, he was one who might fall under the radar. Brown hair, slightly above average in height; Ashleen thought he was like Sebastian in some ways, though the girl felt the younger mage was more handsome.

  The second mage was shorter than the rest with darker skin originally from the west side of Southwall. She wondered at his lineage being unusually dark for a North man and hoped that he wouldn't stand out too much if they needed to search for Sebastian; but he was of less concern than the largest of the men.

  "Jeriah, you're coming with us?" Ashleen asked somewhat surprised by the choice. "I thought that you didn't like Sebastian and yet they couldn't find someone else to send along?"

  The man was still young, but had perhaps a decade on the young wizard. He managed to avoid a scowl at the accusation, but the slight frown as he answered meant that the question had taken a swipe at his pride as a mage apparently. "Just because I had an issue with him before I truly got to know more about Sebastian doesn't mean that I couldn't get over it. I did get assigned to the detail accompanying him to the nomads a couple months back as well, you'll recall. He is a good mage and if something foul has happened to him, I'll do my best to help out."