“Indeed. So what spell are you incorporating into the bracelet?” Master Mara asked, and Ruethwyn saw the other students looking at one another curiously.
“The bracelet incorporates a minor mana storage spell. It’s intended to allow me to store a modest amount of mana for a few weeks,” Ruethwyn replied, hesitating before she admitted. “It isn’t made of the best materials, but I consider this a test for a more complex version, and a chance to practice with the engraving tools. They’re difficult to use one-handed.”
“A useful item, though I suspect you’re being optimistic on how long it will last. Alder is a very soft wood, so I believe a week or two is the longest it’ll survive,” Master Mara said, nodding as he moved back to the front of the room. “And before anyone asks, yes, her method is allowed as it fulfills my requirements for the assignment.”
“Master Mara? May I ask why you said that the wood Ruethwyn is using won’t last long?” Yalline asked, her voice relatively soft as she glanced over at Ruethwyn’s project. “I’ve been considering trying to learn artificing myself.”
“An excellent question, and a simple one to answer. However, if you want to pick up artificing, I hope you examine your methodology a bit more closely, Yalline. You have an unfortunate tendency to transpose symbols in your diagrams, which could ruin any enchantment. In any case, you’ll find that the vast majority of artifacts or enchanted items are made of metal, stone, or similarly durable materials. While there are some that are made of softer woods, they’re often temporary charms,” Master Mara explained briskly, stepping behind his desk. “The reason for that is that mana stresses any object that contains it. A living creature like you or I can adapt to it and heal from any damage, but an inanimate object either has to be strong enough to resist taking damage or it will eventually break down. You’ll note that many wands are made of oak or harder woods, but only if they’re for less powerful spells. Any mage attempting to make a wand for a powerful spell will tend to make it from metal, simply because metal can last almost indefinitely. Normal wands made of a hardwood will last for several dozen castings, but not many more than that.
“In addition, there’s also another exception to all this. If the ore or creature that the material an item came from had a potent magical affinity or grew up in a mana-rich area, they gain a tolerance for mana, allowing them to be enchanted without breaking down,” the teacher continued, smiling thinly as he added, “This is why many magi have only one or two robes they favor… the ones we can enchant are quite limited. The military also favors wyvern hide armor for this reason.”
“So, umm… why did you make it of a soft wood, Ruethwyn?” Sella asked, looking over curiously. “If it won’t last long…”
“As I told Master Mara, this is a test. Alder is easy to carve, easy to find, and if I make a mistake, I won’t feel upset. If I were making it from copper or silver, a mistake could force me to start over and waste hours or days of effort,” Ruethwyn replied, shrugging as she smiled at Sella. “I’d rather make an inexpensive version first to make sure I have it right before trying to make the more difficult versions.”
“Oh, I see,” Sella said, nodding in understanding.
“All right, that’s enough talking. Get back to work until you’ve finished your assignment,” Master Mara interrupted. “I don’t have all day, you know!”
“Yes, Master Mara,” Ruethwyn murmured among the chorus of other students, turning her attention back to her carving. Though it was a relatively simple enchantment, she imagined it’d take a few more hours to complete.
Even so, she wondered what had happened with Sir Whisperblade, as she hadn’t heard anything from him in nearly three weeks.
Chapter 9
Essryl chuckled as the elven warrior frantically attacked, slipping around the soldier’s blade with practiced ease. The woman was relatively skilled, having slain two Shadowguard without being injured, but she wasn’t good enough to worry Essryl.
Beyond that, the fear in the woman’s eyes was disappointing, and Essryl filed the infiltrator away as unworthy of her time, just as she slipped behind the woman and slid a dagger between her ribs. Recovering the dagger smoothly, Essryl calmly grabbed the woman and pitched her over the parapet without blinking, the woman still choking on her blood as she fell from sight.
Glancing down the wall, Essryl clicked her tongue and shook her head in disapproval. There were at least two dozen dead Shadowguard on the wall, which didn’t reflect well on Captain Gardner’s training for them. It wasn’t really her business, except when the individuals involved had been trying to break into the parts of the palace that were her domain. She needed to have words with the good captain later. First, she needed to deal with the intruders, though, and Essryl frowned thoughtfully.
There had been a full dozen intruders to begin with from the looks of things, but they were reduced to only three now. Their attempt to open the door of the palace’s west wing had been a poor choice, as it had triggered an alarm throughout the palace and unleashed a spell that had stripped away all the enchantments that had concealed the intruders, and thus led to their current predicament.
Most of the Shadowguard were down, and Essryl saw another defending human fall before the curved sword of an intruder, the attacker’s movements far sharper and more skilled than those of the others she was seeing. A mage was casting spells to block the occasional arrows of other defenders, while a woman was guarding the man’s flank. Considering things, the dark-haired man must be the group’s leader, Essryl imagined, and he looked slightly familiar.
“Oh good. Maybe he’ll be worth my time,” Essryl murmured, flicking the blood off her dagger. She shouldn’t delay, though. The more damage the intruders dealt to the guard, the more annoyed Resvarygrath would be later, and that would be irritating for her.
Mana flickered through Essryl as she chose to walk through the shadows, flickering ever so briefly into a landscape of shadows with a strange, crimson moon for an instant before emerging in the middle of the trio’s formation.
Before the mage could react, Essryl mercilessly thrust her dagger through his throat and yanked it outward, leaving the man voiceless as he tried to stop the spray of blood uselessly. She smiled when the other two turned on her.
Essryl swayed under the man’s sword and kicked the woman in the gut, sending her staggering into the nearest Shadowguard, who quickly took advantage of her lowered guard. While they dealt with the woman, Essryl smiled at the man, judging him and his armor for a moment before descriptions suddenly clicked together and she murmured, “Ah, Captain Whisperblade! I thought I recognized you.”
“What? You monstrous—wait, you’re…” The man quickly backed away, looking frantic as he glanced at the Shadowguard, then at Essryl. “You must be Essryl. Why are you doing this, anyway?”
“You know me? That’s unusual… as to why? You intruded into My Lord’s domain. What other reason do I need to defend it?” Essryl asked, her eyebrows rising. She knew that relatively few outsiders knew her name, usually referring to her as Resvarygrath’s ‘pet dark elf’. It was slightly insulting, but it wasn’t as if they did it where she could educate them. She was Illisyr, and calling her a dark elf was hardly polite, even if somewhat accurate.
“A little bird told me. I’d thought that you might be better than rumored, but obviously you’re just as—” the elf began, and Essryl suddenly put the pieces together, and a smile flickered across her lips. If she was right, Essryl couldn’t have him saying more while they were in public.
She kicked him abruptly, faster than Alaran could block the blow, and Essryl followed, with her attention focused on the man. The elf was reasonably skilled, she noted, slowly increasing the intensity of her assault to where he could barely parry the rain of deadly strikes she unleashed on him. If she used magic, he wouldn’t even have that chance, but despite that… there was still defiance in his eyes, and she liked that. It was almost as admirable as the determination she’d seen in the eyes of t
he elven girl a few months back.
The man was barely holding on as she forced him back to just in front of the parapet, and Essryl paused, giving him just a moment to catch his breath as she spoke. “Not bad, but not good enough, either. Goodbye, Captain.”
She flickered through the shadows once more and drove both her daggers through his shoulders from behind. Alaran gasped, his sword falling to the ground with a clatter, and she used the daggers as levers to bodily throw him over her head and the edge of the parapet.
The Shadowguard were staring at her in horror, Essryl noticed, and she smiled slightly at them, then headed toward the throne room at a saunter, flicking the blood off her blades before sheathing them.
The guards parted before her quickly, and as she moved, Essryl spoke casually. “I’d suggest cleaning all this up, before His Excellency gets upset about the mess.”
“You’re certain that the intruders were from Selwyn?” Resvarygrath asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.
The dragon was standing in the middle of the throne room, and nearby was the throne he used when he bothered to take on a human form. His scales glittered under the light of the numerous lights throughout the throne room, making him an impressive sight, at least to most people.
Essryl nodded, her voice calm as she spoke respectfully. “Yes, My Lord. I identified the leader of their group as Captain Alaran Whisperblade, one of Queen Averia’s most trusted knights. As they were attempting to breach the west wing, I believe they were scrying for the captives and were attempting a rescue.”
“I see,” Resvarygrath replied, his snort of annoyance having just a touch of flame to it. “A worthless matter, then.”
“Pardon me, Milord, but they did kill over two dozen Shadowguard. Should we not retaliate in some way?” Captain Gardner asked, the broad-shouldered, muscular man frowning as he stroked his gray-streaked beard.
“No. Their training was obviously lacking, so I would suggest you focus on improving the skills of your remaining soldiers, Captain,” Resvarygrath said dismissively. “We took a portion of Selwyn’s domain, so some form of retaliation was inevitable. They failed at their attempt, so it’s a lesson for them. There’s no reason to care what they think, unless they’re foolish enough to make another attempt. Should they do so, then it’s time to consider retaliation.”
“As you say, Milord,” Captain Gardner said, bowing his head, and after a moment, he asked, “If that’s the case… may I ask why you took the women? I’m not certain what you have planned for them, but—”
Resvarygrath’s laughter was deep and low, shaking the very stones beneath their feet, and Essryl hid a smile as she saw the human shiver slightly at the sound of it. Few people could handle the presence of a dragon easily, let alone one as powerful as her lord… even if he wasn’t the most powerful dragon she’d seen.
“You misunderstand, Captain. The reason I took them was quite simple. I took them to show the natives of Selwyn that I could take them. I don’t care about them, not in any way that matters. What matters is that I could make them mine, and that the rulers of Selwyn couldn’t stop me,” Resvarygrath explained as his mirth died down, the dragon revealing his fangs as he did so. “I could eat them, but they’re hardly more than snacks. Cattle are far more filling and taste better besides. No, allowing Essryl to train them to be proper entertainers and trophies is a far better use than something of that sort. Yet make no mistake, they are mine, Captain, and ensure your subordinates remember that. I will not have that which is mine polluted by the touch of those unworthy of them.”
“Yes, Milord. I’ll remind them,” Captain Gardner acknowledged hastily.
“My Lord, may I take my leave? I’d like to see if there was anything interesting on the bodies of those who attacked the palace, then go deal with the girls,” Essryl said respectfully, giving the dragon a half-bow. “Doubtlessly there will be hysterics when they learn that the rescuers failed, so I’d best nip such in the bud.”
“As you like. Excellent work, Essryl, as always,” Resvarygrath said, gesturing with a claw. “You’re dismissed.”
Essryl gave Captain Gardner a sidelong look as she left, noting how disgruntled he looked, but didn’t say anything. It wasn’t her fault that he preferred keeping the new soldiers in the palace until they were ready for combat, but the human was set in his ways. She imagined he wouldn’t change much, save possibly for intensifying their training regimen. It wasn’t like Resvarygrath needed their protection.
Essryl continued out of the doors of the throne room and glanced over toward the wall where the battle had taken place. The bodies had all been removed, and new recruits were washing the blood off the black stonework.
With a thought, Essryl shadow-walked again, this time spending slightly longer in the dark realm. The landscape there was blasted and deadly, but Essryl knew it well, and also knew that most creatures that stalked it were weaker than she was. Emerging from the walk again, Essryl smelled blood, voided bowels, and just a hint of rot assailing her nostrils. Several crows took flight, cawing as they did so, but more importantly, she heard the sound of breathing.
“Well, well… so you did live,” Essryl said, smiling widely. “I wondered if you would.”
Alaran Whisperblade’s eyes opened slowly, his skin almost unnaturally pale. The man’s armor was battered by the fall, and blood crusted his clothing. She suspected both of his arms were broken, and he had several cuts on his forehead and face, along with a broken leg. She was surprised that both weren’t shattered, but fortune could be a funny thing.
“Here… to finish… me…?” Alaran croaked, the wheeze to his voice indicating a deeper injury, and Essryl clicked her tongue, shaking her head.
“Hardly that. If you lived, so be it, but chances were that you wouldn’t. I’ve orders to defend the palace, Captain, and I follow them. However, you’re no longer in the palace, and you aren’t a threat, either,” Essryl explained, stepping up to the man and studying him. “Oh no… now I can look at you properly and ask what I really want to. Tell me, did the girl from… Mellesyn, wasn’t it? Did she survive, then?”
“You… why do you… care?” Alaran asked, looking startled and confused, but it was more than enough to satisfy Essryl.
“Oh good; she did survive. You know, she had far more fire in her eyes than you do right now. It’s an admirable sight in one so young, and there was something so… so interesting about it. I’m happy to hear that she lived, and now I just need to see if she manages to live up to my hopes for her,” Essryl said, smiling broadly as she knelt next to him. “Let’s get you more comfortable, hm?”
She drew on her magic and murmured the words of a spell, reaching inside the elf and healing his broken ribs while fixing the puncture in the lung she could hear, and returning the blood to where it should be. While she was at it, she closed the other bleeding wounds, since she didn’t want to lose Alaran yet.
“Why’re you doing this?” Alaran asked, his breathing and words easier now. “Are you working against the dragon?”
His question soured Essryl’s mood and she carefully drew her dagger, balancing it in a palm as she spoke softly, staring him in the eyes. “I serve Resvarygrath until the day one of us dies. Do not dare to make light of my honor in this, Captain. The next time you so much as implicate that I’m disloyal, I will thrust this dagger through your eye and kill you. I do hope that’s perfectly clear?”
“Ah, y-yes.” Alaran’s eyes went wide, then he swallowed and asked, “Why did you heal me, or Ruethwyn, for that matter?”
“Her name is Ruethwyn? Mm, that’s a pretty name…” Essryl said, smiling and playing with the dagger, tossing it into the air and grabbing it again as the elf watched it rise and fall. After a moment, she continued. “I healed her because I felt she had potential, the determination to overcome what was done to her, if only she lived. Such determination is rare in elves… your own will is less than hers, I think. She was in worse condition than you were a few moments ago, and
she attempted to fight. I healed both of you because neither of you is a threat to me or My Lord. You, though… I healed you to hear about young Ruethwyn.”
“What if I don’t want to tell you anything about her?” Alaran asked warily.
Essryl smiled widely and shrugged, her voice calm as she explained. “If you refuse, why… I’ll just have to kill you. Instead of giving you a chance to go back and tell your queen that another rescue attempt will be met with an overwhelming retaliation, I’ll finish you off. All I want is to hear the story of how a young girl has spent her time since being struck by dragon fire.”
Tilting her head, Essryl gently placed the dagger against Alaran’s throat and spoke softly. “Choose, Captain.”
Chapter 10
“Alright, this is getting really annoying. Ruethwyn, how in the world is this even supposed to work?” Tadrick asked, sounding frustrated.
Ruethwyn glanced up from the book she’d been studying and looked at him curiously, asking, “Whatever do you mean?”
The class had been moved outside for the day so that Master Mara could coach students through different spells, and the small training ground was restful for the most part. Ruethwyn found the sun’s warmth slightly disturbing since it prompted memories of the attack on Mellesyn, but she pushed the discomfort down, instead sitting on the log while she waited her turn.
Tadrick was holding a thin book, Ruethwyn saw, while Master Mara was tutoring Korima. The kitsune didn’t look like she was happy, from how her ears were almost flat against her head. The others looked like they were practicing their spells, the most obvious of which was Madeline as she manipulated the soil into a replica of the academy grounds. No matter how much she clashed with Madeline, Ruethwyn had to admit she was skilled with her magic.
The Avatar's Flames (Through the Fire Book 1) Page 7
