"I just have a lot on my mind already," he said playing off his feelings for the wizard. "Did they send Katya with you too?" the mage asked worrying that those in charge would risk a girl less than a month from her fourteenth birthday. His sister was talented as both a diplomacy wizard and a dragon mage making everyone realize that she was also a prodigy; but she had already seen too much war and Sebastian didn't want her risking her life in the dragon's mouth as Magnus had put it.
The shake of the fire wizard's head made him breathe easier and by that point Falconi Martina, his old mentor from White Hall, was close enough to hear.
"She complained a lot, but we managed to get her to return to White Hall to assist in teaching more dragon mages," the falconi stated for Magnus before he could answer. "That girl might be good enough to fight; but she's still a novice in the end. No one felt good about sending her to Litsarin, but Ensolus was where the wizards drew the line."
Magnus nodded hating to be beaten to the answer, even if it was to a falconi.
"How have the Hollow Swords been working out?" he asked the main two wielders of his swords. They were among the first to try them out as the owl had slowly begun to relinquish the new weapons to others. Dozens were made now, but he was still the only one capable of making them correctly. He just didn't have enough time in a day to mass produce the artifacts quick enough to outfit the mage corps let alone the wizards; but the mage smith was doing what he could. For the battle in Ensolus, more of the weapons would be committed and risked to fight in the city since they would be greatly outnumbered.
"Excellent," Magnus stated hurriedly beating Martina to the punch. The wizard was actually a little over a year older than Sebastian; but the mage thought that he was acting a little childish in his need to be heard. "I love charging it with a simple spell and watching it amplify my magic with less work."
Martina saw it a little differently as the woman stated, "They're built perfectly, Sebastian. Throwing waves of fire as far as most wizards and the other spells we can use besides at a higher level makes a big difference in a fight. The enemy often tries to avoid us on the battlefield, but we can still fly to them and ruin their day quite quickly."
It was a question that didn't merit a lot of talk and Sebastian changed the subject with a tilt of his head towards the new additions to the dragon mages from White Hall. "Are they ready for this?"
Magnus stayed out of this discussion. He was a few years younger than Martina, who was the youngest falconi in the military; but she was the better judge of such things. She replied, "They are newer to being dragon mages, but they've been through a lot already on Litsarin. Besides they are all veterans from before becoming dragon mages, Sebastian."
They could have chatted idly trying to ignore what was about to happen, but they had gathered near the fire wizard's guild for a reason. The battle was about to begin and portal wizards were beginning to find their places around the large courtyard. Some would even cast the spells in other areas of the city. It was a bit of a risk, since there was the chance that the enemy could backtrack through one of their gates; but this was the time to risk it all.
A pair of giants surrounded by several guards, including a few with the red eyes of wraiths, closed on them just in time to hear a diplomacy wizard using his magic to make his voice carry throughout the courtyard. "Get to your assigned places people. The first portals will be cast in ten minutes."
Gerid, with Garosh at his side, looked down on the group near the battle mage from their height.
The immortal said, "Are you ready for this, Sebastian?"
"As ready as I will ever be to try fighting the strongest wizard in the world inside of his city of warlocks, monsters and wizard hunters, I guess," he replied with an awkward smile.
Gerid laughed and even smiled for real as the tension split for a moment. "Well, when you put it that way, I can see why you might be a little leery of this trip."
Glancing towards Garosh, Sebastian looked at the man curiously. He was only slightly surprised to see the giant here. Yes, his role had been stated in the briefings; but thinking that someone created to hold the emperor's magic and mind would now be here preparing to fight him was quite another thing. The giant's magic wasn't the power he once held when he had been defeated by the Dark One who stole back the magic given him; but this strength appeared to feel more natural on the man.
"You go to fight your brother or father or whatever the emperor is to you," the mage said without truly asking his question.
Nodding to the mage, Garosh said, "He tried to kill me once, but now I get to return the favor. I am unlikely to be the one who can kill him, but I will make sure that he knows that I survived and have returned to even the score."
Gerid chuckled as he added, "But make sure that he doesn't survive this time. We don't need him returning with another grudge, now do we?"
The other giant shook his head and stated grimly, "No, this time we need to make sure that he can't return to harm anyone else."
Ten minutes passed quickly, but Sebastian didn't have to set his portal yet. The others were leaving as distractions for the city. His team would delay slightly to let the fortress get excited over the exterior attacks before dropping into the emperor's dungeons. They would bring enough men and women to spread out once they were into the fortress proper. Most of the teams would fight the guards and warlocks that the emperor kept to protect him, while the last team would go to kill the Dark One once and for all.
Sebastian could feel the magic of the other gates while the wizards held them open to send wave after wave of the task force consisting of several nations and even races. It wouldn't be long now. More men and women moved to stand behind those he knew best before the signal was given.
"Door," the mage ordered creating a large portal without the help of a wizard or his staff. His rune wells were fully charged and he was ready to fight with the power of a wizard for the first time.
Gerid and Garosh disappeared through the portal behind a small force with the skills to open the barred doors if the cell was locked. Magnus and Martina were closer to the end of the line before they were gone as well.
Lastly, Sebastian stepped through the doorway. He wished that he could have taken Ashleen, yet was glad that the wilder remained here. Palose and Rilena had gone in another group as had Serrena. Feeling alone in spite of those waiting for him, the owl went to find out if he was the one who would finally end the Dark One's threat to his people.
Chapter 32- The Battle Begins
Raven Leros led a dozen mages at the head of dozens of soldiers protected by Sebastian's runes. Wizards were in the middle with a few more battle mages spread out from the main body of the force looking for trouble. No white wizards, the high wizards, led their people; but then again they were old, the white haired raven thought to himself with a bit of humor.
He hadn't been in the field for years, but Leros still worked out and trained with the falcons of Hala. The man wasn't ready to go to his grave just yet or relinquish his command. He knew that he was old, but the number didn't matter to him. His magic and physical skills were still enough to defeat most mages even at his advanced age.
Hand signals given by the raven split the command. It was up to the wizards with them to destroy the city's guard towers and walls. A mere distraction if their plan worked out, it was also designed to keep reinforcements from Ensolus' outer garrisons from coming to assist the emperor's fortress.
He looked at the dim light coming over the walls from the mouth of the cave. Morning was about to begin in Ensolus, but Hala was hours ahead of them and ready to strike. A few minutes more and he would signal his command's attack.
Elzen arrived through the large gate and had to blink to see. He could feel the power center of magic ahead of him, but the dim light near the back wall of the cave made him feel nearly blinded.
"Vision," the battle mage said calling day to his night. Other mages had already ordered the spell while more added it after E
lzen.
The spire of the emperor was to their south, but their job wasn't to try breaking through the outer walls of the fortress. He was part of a large squad set to slow down or stop the horde of warlocks and their apprentices just starting to awake for the day in their school dorms. Spells manipulated stone creating low walls and other defenses between them and the school.
Students wouldn't be much of a challenge, but their teachers and those who lived in the large building which were already veteran warlocks wouldn't be so easy.
Whatever happened, they couldn't let the emperor's warlocks help to defend him. Sebastian and his teams would be in perhaps the greatest fight anyone had seen in Alus' history and they didn't need any more odds set against them.
Rilena stood beside Serrena. A small team had broken off from those entering from the east. Sebastian had warned of Palose's house. There was no guarantee where a dark mage with the ability to use portal magic might be, but they couldn't afford to leave their backs exposed should his wizards come out to fight.
She knew that Wendle was one of those wizards. The woman remembered an awkward apprentice from Kardor, whose feet were dangerous weapons when trying to dance. While Rilena and others like Ashleen had tried their best to help him, only Sebastian's healing skills had kept her from being virtually crippled after a night dancing with the wizard.
His face came to mind. Their relationship had been short, since Wendle and Ashleen had continued on with Sebastian to Hala. She had met Elzen and watched as Garosh surrendered to the army sent to storm his fortress instead. Now she might have to fight or even kill someone that had once been a friend.
Hearing a deep breath from Serrena, Rilena looked at her friend with a tentative smile. "Ready for this?"
The fire wizard rolled her eyes and replied, "We probably have the easiest part. Bas said that, even including Palose, we're looking at about half a dozen people some of whom can't even use magic most likely.
"If we catch them by surprise, what are they going to do about this?" she asked gesturing to four other wizards, six mages and ten soldiers armed with runes.
Rilena wished that she could be so positive. "You've fought his wizards before..."
A fight in New Harbor had broken out. It had ended with Ashleen and Sebastian trapped in the silver void apparently. While Rilena had been in Windmeer most likely, Serrena had been in that fight. The fire wizard knew more about who they were facing than anyone.
"If Palose is in there, it becomes a riskier battle with his portal magic, but while the others are strong, we do outnumber them and have the advantage of an ambush. I won't discount them, but this should be rather easy, Rilena."
The battle mage wished that she could feel as secure about their part in the battle plan. Rilena just hoped that Serrena was right.
Entering the dungeon, Sebastian waited a moment to reorient his senses. He hadn't bothered to use reflex, even if he was uncertain of what he would face. No one had returned through the gate to warn him of danger, so the owl had to assume that it was safe. It was less likely that an ambush had been set inside of the cell deep in the dungeon anyway.
Yes, he had used it once; but as expected the only soldiers he saw were those sent through his gate.
The glow of his portal winked out before his eyes worked perfectly. No one near him had a torch or magical light, so the mage called up his fire wisp to light the cell. Other men looked at him in surprise.
At the rear of the attack team, Sebastian gestured for those nearest him to head out of the cell. Even with dozens sent through the gateway, the mage saw relatively few of his extended troops near him. They had spread out heading either way down the hallway. Either way led to the tunnel which must take them up into the fortress.
He wished that they knew the path for sure, but Garosh had heard the description of these halls and said that they were likely correct. The city wasn't full of dungeons after all and the only one he knew of like this was beneath the spire with access to the main fortress.
Hurrying through the hallway going the way he believed was the shorter path, Sebastian made the turn which had brought Jana and her spies into trouble. Taking a left rather than a right, the mage moved with the flow of the soldiers heading the same way. He still hadn't seen Gerid or Garosh. Those two were likely near the head of the attackers.
Garosh hoped that he could be of use, but hadn't been overly familiar with the dungeons. It wasn't the place a warrior often frequented. He had been a prince in a way and certainly a man of his elevation wasn't likely to come down here regularly.
Two more turns led them to a stairway. A door had been opened at the foot of the stairs. Off to the side at its bottom, Sebastian noticed two dead orcs. They had been guards apparently, but they had been no match for a full attack force intent on killing the Dark One. He doubted that they had truly expected anyone to attack them from the depths of the dungeon even if there had been trouble recently.
Once he was to the top of the stairs, Sebastian found the giants and their men. A large room filled with weapons on tables and racks awaited them. A guard room with more dead men and orcs had been found. Several sat bound and guarded.
Gerid spotted him and said, "Well, we've got the drop on them so far. No one suspected an attack from the dungeon, at least not one that could defeat their defenses this easily."
Smiling grimly, Garosh added, "They didn't have a chance against our magic and Gerid."
"I'm quicker than I look. It helps to stop them from running away in time," the immortal replied.
"Are we at the entry to the main spire yet?" Sebastian asked the men and in particular, Garosh.
"There is another floor made up of quarters used for a garrison of orcs and goblins. Men and elves don't like the stone as much, so they either have homes away from the fortress or live further up."
He was rather disappointed. Drayden's information didn't extend to the dungeons, but once they were out the maps were engraved in his mind. The emperor was not guaranteed to be in any one room, but he frequented certain wings and rooms more often. Both Garosh and the spies confirmed that much. It was also why more than one group would be needed.
They were barely into the garrison before they felt a rumble in the stone beneath them. The battle had begun outside. If all went well, the outer walls of the city had been destroyed. The city's own ruined defenses would keep some of the Dark One's forces from helping the rest of Ensolus at least.
Bells of alarm rang out waking Palose. He was with Sylvaine in the tower apartment. Female voices expressed fear from the other room as well.
Stasia and Talia shared the small room that he had used while living with Atrouseon. They had always lived at the house he kept on the east side of the city, but without Dorgred or Wendle around they felt too vulnerable. Both young women had a trace of magic in them from sharing the bond with the others, but they were untrained and it was still less than most battle mages. Since the girls weren't fighters, he could hardly teach them more than a couple spells to use to protect themselves.
"What is that?" Sylvaine asked sitting up listening to the bells.
Footfalls of running feet announced Stasia running to the protection she felt with the man who had restored her to life.
"Palose, Sylvaine!" the little blonde called out in the darkness.
"Wisp," Palose called up a simple mage spell for light. The girl was in a nightdress that he would have thought too light for the season, but the dark mage had noticed that cold affected him less since his resurrection also.
She looked worried with the alarm bells. The dark mage exited the bed heading for his wardrobe.
"Get dressed, all of you," he ordered quickly spurring Sylvaine to join him. "We need to get you to safety and then I need to do what the emperor asked of me."
Sylvaine knew his orders. He told her nearly everything in his life, but this concerned her and they knew it.
"You're going to the fortress to get her too, aren't you?" her voice asked so
mewhat accusingly as she tossed her nightdress onto the floor.
"He made me promise and somehow I think there will be a painful penalty should I refuse him," the mage stated glancing to see that Stasia was still standing in their room. He waved her away reminding the little blonde that they were in a hurry.
Her voice carried as she told Talia to get dressed and grab her bag. They had all made bags just in case. While the mage might be able to sneak back to the apartment or house at a later date, at least they would have the basics. Added to what he had already stored in his safe houses, they should be fine even if they could never return to Ensolus.
The bells continued to ring and Sylvaine paused a moment as she dressed. "What do you think is happening?"
He had felt the rumble in the stone. The spire had actually shaken even more as the ceiling threatened to fall with the small earthquake.
"If I had to guess, Southwall has figured out a way to attack Ensolus most likely thanks to Sebastian."
"The man you fought in New Harbor?"
"And stranded in the void. He is rather persistent. It wasn't enough that he figured out how to cast portals. He also found a way to hunt me down and my gates as you know.
"This has his handiwork all over it."
"He could start an earthquake?"
It had only been a short rumble, so Palose was pretty certain that it was no earthquake. "Maybe not him, but someone that he brought. Sebastian and Southwall managed to use portals very well at the wall. You know what he did here as well months after I changed all the gate stones."
The girl didn't argue and soon the four were ready to hurry through his portal.
When it opened up inside of the command tent on Litsarin, Palose could hear the noise of battle in the distance.
"Palose!" Oween's voice called out in surprise. She stood with one of the new wraiths. The woman called Piera nodded her greeting. Her red eyes glowed making those coming with him pause.
Battle Mage Visions (A Tale of Alus Book 12) Page 46
