Midshipwizard Halcyon Blithe

by James M. Ward

  "You be careful of foul blows," Ashe whispered in Blithe's ear.

  "Pardon me, Chief." Halcyon wasn't sure he heard Fallow correctly.

  "If you didn't want the entire crew to know that you called out that young fool, you shouldn't have asked Swordson to inspect the blast-gel hold in front of your detail of men," Ashe said, still speaking in a hushed tone. "I said be careful of foul blows. I realize you're a Blithe and your sense of honor prevents you from striking a person in an evil way. Not everyone has the advantage of your family background and breeding. I've got seven gold on you walking out of the hold first, make us Lankshire men proud," Ashe growled at Halcyon.

  Fallow moved passed the stunned Blithe. The midshipwizard had hoped to keep his encounter with Swordson quiet.

  There was always a single marine guarding the blast-gel hatch. Today there were four men there and Corporal Darkwater was heading up the detail.

  A stunned Halcyon stood in front of them.

  "Fancy seeing you down here, Mr. Blithe," the smiling Darkwater said. "I've put on this extra watch to make sure no one disturbs your inspection duties. It wouldn't do to have blast gel exploding in the heat of a moment, now, would it, sir?"

  "Quite right, Corporal. Has Mr. Swordson appeared?" Halcyon asked.

  "No, he isn't here yet, I'll send him in when he arrives. If you pardon my saying so, Mr. Swordson has quick hands, but his gut is a target few should miss." Darkwater was giving him a grin, all the while appraising him up and down.

  "Does everyone on the ship know he and I are inspecting the hold together?" The exasperation was clear in Halcyon's voice.

  The marines all laughed at his words.

  The corporal spoke for them all. "I suspect only the captain, Wily, and Giantson don't know by now. If they come into this knowledge, I'm sure your orders would have you reporting to them directly. Officers, as gentlemen, are not supposed to be doing what you're about to do. I've got two gold says you walk out of the hold first. There's a bucket of seawater behind the hatch. Be good enough to toss it on him just before you leave. I don't want to have to send a detail in there to pick him up and take him to sickbay. Luck to you, Midshipwizard."

  He didn't reply. He just opened the hatch and walked into the hold. A good portion of the port side of the orlop deck was devoted to the storage of the blast-gel jars. Jars, sorted by their size, rested in large racks from floor to ceiling. As the jars were used up, the racks were taken down and stored along the side of the hold to provide more protection from enemy fire. Magical lights illuminated the area.

  Halcyon could feel air passing through the racks as the special vents along the upper deck allowed cooling air into the hold. It wouldn't do to get the jars too warm.

  Elan Swordson walked in and closed the hatch behind him. "Is that your cheering section outside the hatch?"

  "I didn't tell the marines anything; this little inspection is between us. I didn't appreciate your words about my family this morning." Halcyon took off his uniform jacket and set his hat down on top of that. His actions made it clear what they were going to do.

  "Well, this is a bit of unexpected pleasure. I am at your service, sir." Swordson started taking off his outer clothing as well.

  "I would ask that nothing we say or do leave this hold, if you would, sir?" Halcyon took a fighting stance at the center of the hold. He faced Swordson.

  "Nothing would give me more pleasure than beating you senseless. I suggest we both agree to not use magic or weapons. Is that agreeable to you?" Swordson asked.

  "Agreed. And we'll break no bones or do anything to prevent us from serving on our next duty watch, if you'll agree to that?" Halcyon raised his fists and waited. He winced to see two slim daggers pulled out of Swordson's boot tops. He would have to get such daggers at the first port of call; they were a good idea.

  "Agreed. Before I knock you senseless, I just want you to know that I don't give a damn about your family name. My family has been fighting demons for as many generations as yours has sailed the sea. I know the type of damage demon spawn can inflict. I don't think your demonic sort should serve on ships. When I become a captain I won't have your sort among the officers and crew." Elan started circling Halcyon. Blithe constantly turned on the balls of his feet and faced Elan.

  Halcyon didn't let Elan's words sting him. More good advice from his father and his many uncles came to mind: "Whenever you're in a battle, do not get angry. When your foe makes you angry, you've lost. They try to make you go crazy in anger so that you lose control. You are going to lose enough battles as it is without giving them the tools to defeat you."

  "I don't expect people to treat me differently because of my family history. I can't help the demon ancestor in my family's past. I'll prove myself a gentleman and gain whatever respect I can."

  Elan closed in, jabbed with his left, and Halcyon easily blocked that blow. Swordson's right snapped out and smashed Blithe in the eye.

  Halcyon took the blow and backpedaled, blinking back the pain. He moved back in toward Elan. He faked a right to his opponent's head and smashed his left fist in the man's gut.

  Blows rained down from the fists of both men. Each was young and in good shape. For Halcyon's part, he concentrated on body blows. Elan constantly struck out at Halcyon's head.

  Elan's guard went lower and lower as the battle progressed. His blows became weaker the more Halcyon connected with Swordson's big belly.

  "You, sir..." Halcyon faked another blow to Elan's belly.

  Elan, for his part, lowered his guard to block the blow he wrongly thought was coming.

  "...are no gentleman." Halcyon put all he had in his first punch at Elan's chin. He connected and the man flew back unconscious.

  Halcyon stood over the unconscious body of Swordson. His breathing slowly returned to normal. Blithe sadly shook his head, not sure the fight had accomplished anything. His jaw and bruised eyes hurt like hell. Right then he didn't know what he'd do if Swordson continued to mock his family. He threw the bucket of water on Elan and the man sputtered in the water and sat up.

  "Well, that didn't go as expected. You have a jaw of granite, Mr. Blithe." Elan rubbed his belly as he sat gasping against the port wall.

  "I hope, sir, that we won't have to repeat this inspection." Halcyon still didn't know if it had been worth the effort.

  Elan gave the other midshipwizard a grin, "No, I still haven't changed my mind, but I will keep a civil tongue in my head where it comes to Blithes. Allow me to recover a bit alone if you will."

  "As you wish, Mr. Swordson." Halcyon walked out of the hold, but didn't feel like celebrating his victory. He had somehow hoped for a different type of ending.

  The corporal was there with a tankard in hand. "It's a small potion from the surgeon for the winner. Drink it all down, even if it does smell like horse piss."

  "Should we give it to Mr. Swordson?" Halcyon asked, as he smelled the nasty brew. "He's not in the best of conditions at the moment."

  All the marines had big grins on their faces.

  "No," Darkwater said. "We've got another mug for the loser. It smells even worse and has more of the curative powders mixed in the rum."

  "How do you have this ready? Hold inspections don't usually end in bruisings," Halcyon asked.

  "Oh, these types of inspections go on more than you would think. Hardly ever between officers, but oftentimes marines and sailors need to inspect the blast-gel jars. Well done to you, sir." The corporal was far happier about his victory than Halcyon was.

  "If Mr. Swordson doesn't come out of the hold in a few minutes please be good enough to help him up," Halcyon requested of the marines. "I left him awake, but very wet, if you get my meaning."

  "Oh, we understand. You can count on us to be discreet. After all, we are all gold pieces richer from your little inspection. Have a good day, Mr. Blithe," Darkwater said.

  The woman grins too much, Halcyon thought as he went to his billet. He hoped Lieutenant Hackle wouldn't be screami
ng at the others just then.

  his majesty's articles of war: article xii

  If any person in the fleet shall find cause of complaint of the unwholesomeness of the victual, or upon other just ground, he shall quietly make the same known to his superior, or captain, or commander-in-chief, as the occasion may deserve, that such present remedy may be had as the matter may require; and the said superior, captain, or commander-in-chief shall, as far as he is able, cause the same to be presently remedied; and no person in the fleet, upon any such or other pretense, shall attempt to stir up any disturbance, upon pain of such punishment as a court-martial shall think fit to inflict, according to the degree of the offense.

  "Yes, I know my cabin is very blue." Lieutenant Commander Wizard Daton Giantson smiled at the midshipwizards coming into his quarters. "We've discussed this before, but it bears repeating. I'm a water wizard and surrounding myself in the color blue increases my personal reserves of magic."

  The class looked around at the larger versions of everything in the chamber. Large benches, a larger bed, larger sea chest—the room was filled with big furniture that dwarfed even the long tubes ready for firing along one side of the area.

  "Your father's race, sir, giants I mean, they don't usually have magical abilities, do they?" Tupper asked as he sat on the floor of the cabin with the others. "I hope the question doesn't seem impertinent, sir?"

  Giantson gave a deep laugh. At seven and a half feet, his cabin ceiling was the highest on the dragon warship. "No, young Haywhen, it's a natural question. I like talking about my parents. My father and mother met when he was not yet fully grown and she had just turned eighteen. They fell in love, as young couples do, and I was the result. As my father grew to his fifteen feet of height, they had to split up. They still correspond; he learned to write just to please her."

  His blue robe held several strange designs on the sleeves and down the front. These same symbols appeared as wall hangings around the sides of the cabin. As he circled the area lighting blue candles, the designs on the walls and the ones on his robe glowed. A large golden pentagram marked the middle of the deck. The class sat all around it. When the commander stood at the head of the pentagram, it started glowing blue, lighting up the cabin and changing the yellow light of the candles to blue.

  Giantson placed a blue candle at the middle of the pentagram and took up the last position on the floor with the other members of Halcyon's wardroom. It was their turn at magic lessons with the commander. "We'll take up again the nature of magic." Daton smiled and increased the light given off by the candles with a wave of his hand.

  The room had a strange calming effect on everyone in it. Halcyon thought he could smell a strange spice in the air. "Commander Giantson, after the swimming demonstration I experienced the other day, could you teach us a floating spell?"

  The rest of the group laughed uproariously at his question.

  "Ah, yes, I only just became aware after the occurrence of Commander Wily's overboard lesson of the other day. All of you take out your notebooks if you will. The class can accommodate you, young Blithe. Young Driden, what would be the first component necessary in a floating spell? And tell us why, if you please."

  Anne Driden was a pleasant-looking twelve-year-old. Halcyon hadn't seen her much, as she bunked in the female wardroom. "Every spell requires an opposite reaction of some type; I would think one would have to immerse oneself in water for every minute one wished to float above water. One could use a fly spell for the same effect if one had an airy nature."

  "Exactly correct, young Driden," Daton said. "All of you have one of the earth, air, fire, or water natures as Arcanian wizards. Only Mr. Blithe has a dual nature of air and water. Such a dual nature stems from powerful parents with different natures. You, Miss Driden, would think of the fly spell because you are an air wizard. Young Argo, you are an earth wizard. Can you cast a floating spell?"

  Always cheerfully smiling, quick with a joke or a friendly word, Jason Argo was a crew favorite. People liked working with him. He didn't have any problem answering the commander's question. "If I took the time to prepare the spell, I could cast it, but it would take most of my magical energy for a day. We earth wizards don't float very well for some reason. I can't imagine why." He scratched his head, looking befuddled, which got a laugh from everyone. They all knew that earth wizards sank like stones in the water.

  "Yes, yes, quite true, young Argo. So we all know a nonwater wizard would use up most of his magical reserves casting a water spell. This is true of any wizard trying to cast a spell not of their nature. If I, as experienced as I am, try to cast an earth spell, it takes most of my magical reserve.

  "Young Forrest, some spells have to be paid for far in advance, but spells like death spells can be paid for later. What happens if a wizard casting a healing spell doesn't do some destruction in the next forty-eight hours?"

  At thirteen years old, Midshipwizard Mark Forrest was the biggest of his age group, almost as tall as Halcyon. Forrest was constantly lifting things, as he enjoyed the taxing of his strength. He prided himself on doing odd things with water and could juggle five spheres of water. "I'm told, as I've never done it myself, that a pressure builds in the mind and body of the caster. At first, it's barely noticeable. Hours or days later, depending on the power of the wizard, headaches begin. If, for some unknown reason, no payment occurs, the wizard goes mad and their body explodes inward from the pressure.

  "Have you ever seen that happen, Commander?" Mark asked.

  "Indeed I have. Prisoners taken in war don't have the chance to pay for spells they used before captured. Some of these prisoners die that way, not wanting to be captives. Let's get back to our floating spell. We know we have to immerse ourselves in water for as long as we would like to float. Paying for the magic happens before the spell occurs. I think you will all generally find that fire and air spells can happen with later payment, while water and earth spells must be paid for before the casting. There are exceptions to that general rule, but those are few."

  The midshipwizards took notes on everything their commander said. Halcyon was starting to get just a bit worried about his weather spell, but he didn't want to ask the commander about it.

  "So, young Haywhen, why do you think your friend young Blithe has a dual nature of air and water magics?"

  Without hesitation, Tupper said, "Because he's the luckiest bleeding midshipwizard in this man's navy, that's why."

  The class roared with laughter.

  Commander Giantson just shook his head. He waited until they quieted down. "Luck aside, I was hoping you would mention the fact that our young Blithe here is the seventh son of a seventh son. That's a very magical occurrence, happening rarely. His nature has given him unusually large reserves of magical energy. It's certainly made him a rope speaker. The condition has allowed him to have air and water dual natures. I know we are embarrassing our young Blithe, but he will have to put up with it." The commander was giving Halcyon a reassuring stare. "Young Blithe, when did you come into your magic?"

  "It was a little over eight months ago, on the day I turned sixteen. Why is it that I can do some magical spells even better than wizards who have been doing magic for years?" Halcyon asked.

  "An excellent question, young Blithe," the commander said. "It has to do with our magical natures. I don't think young Surehand will mind if I speak of him out of his presence. He is of the royal family. They are all earth wizards of great power, nurtured to rule over the land. He has a terrible time with spells not of the earth. As this is our second class together, young Blithe, I've seen that you are more of an air wizard than a water wizard. You have unusually large reserves of magical energy allowing great use of air magic. When you are more experienced with spellcasting, the Arcanian admiralty will use your skills to make airships. Currently there are four other seventh sons of seventh sons working such magic. You will be surprised to know that all four of them are dual-natured air and water wizards."

  The
noon ship bell rang twelve times. Inside the cabin, several of the stomachs of the midshipwizards began gurgling in hunger.

  Giantson laughed at his group of learning wizards. "You are all reacting to the bell. I don't want to get ahead of myself. First we will deal with the floating spell and then we will talk about why your stomachs are growling. Young Mactunner, do you imagine that you, as a water wizard, could do a floating spell without the use of material components?"

  "Yes, Commander, I could do it just with the preparation and words. I could also just float myself without the use of magic." Andorvan Mactunner laughed at his joke. No one else got it for a few moments.

  "Very funny, young Mactunner. He's admonishing us that we use magic far too much in our everyday lives." The commander got up and walked over to a large covered bowl. Taking off the cover, he revealed a large number of blast-tube shots. Each round ball of iron weighed just five pounds, and was used in the lighter blast-tubes on the forecastle and quarterdecks to blast away enemy in nearby enemy ships.

  Daton continued, "For our next session I would like all of you to work on a simple floating spell that doesn't involve immersing yourselves in water for an hour and also doesn't use material components. Our young Blithe wants to be able to float in the water for hours on end without having the need to concentrate on the spell. Make sure your spells allow you to float for, say, eight hours. Now to the lesson at hand. All of you please stand by the bowl of blast-tube shot."

  The commander walked over to the other side of the cabin and uncovered another bowl. This one had a pile of purple fruit in it. "For this lesson I need you all to be hungry. That hunger is going to make your magical task easier. These are zorvan fruit; they grow only in the mountains of my storm-giant relatives."

  Daton took a bite of one of the fruits and the entire cabin filled with a mouthwatering fragrance. The smell alone was indescribably delicious. "You will find this fruit an incredible delight. It's usually very hard to get, but for this lesson, I've indulged myself. It's good to have relatives in high places." Smiling, he finished the fruit in front of his class. They were all drooling at the thought of eating one of these new taste treats.