Warriormage: Book Three of the 'Riothamus' trilogy

by Rosemary Fryth

  He stared out into the darkening plains, where the setting sun burnished gold the melting snow drifts amongst the dry yellow clumps of winter withered grass.

  He turned at last to the small group of Sages that waited with them.

  “Keep yourselves safe,” he instructed, “If things do not go well for us or for the province, it may be that Glade and Glaive alone will be the last of our sanctuaries against the enemy’s onslaught.” He stared long and hard at Sage Oak, “Perhaps you may give consideration to helping our army which waits in dire preparation so near to your forest. It may in truth be time for your Node to be accessible for the Reinforcing of all mages, including those who wait behind with the Guard and Legions.”

  Sage Oak nodded, “We of Glade will speak on this matter.”

  The Foremost Keeper raised his arm in farewell, “Ride a safe road and may the Goddess and Andur’s name protect you all.”

  “And everyone here,” replied Aran.

  Then he turned to the others of his group, “We know what lies ahead of us. Let us now ride on.”

  *

  Only the setting sun and the rapidly disappearing deeper darkness that was the forest, gave any real perception of forward movement to the group riding across the featureless winter plains. Unwilling to exhaust their mounts too soon, Aran signalled to Bini to set the pace of the group. With a nod of understanding, the plainsman warrior led the riders and their mounts across the hard and frosty ground in a league-eating medium-paced canter. As they rode, there was little to no talk within the group. All the riders were keen to conserve their strength, unwilling even to maintain conversation beyond a word or two to their nearest riding companion. As the night progressed, and they drew ever closer to the Thakurian held town of Riggeltz, these occasional spoken words disappeared, and deep silence, apart from the occasional sharp crack as a horseshoe struck a rock or stone, fell upon the group. Hours later, when they saw the distant lights of Riggeltz to the south, they slowed their pace even more to make their way carefully across the moon and star-lit plains, unwilling for even the smallest sound of their passage to be audible at all beyond the group. Finally, and with the horses’ flanks sweat darkened, they paused an hour’s ride beyond the last lights of Riggeltz. Dismounting, they took a couple of wooden bowls, and watered their thirsty mounts.

  “Be careful that they do not drink deeply,” advised Bini in a low voice. “If they drink too much they will cramp. A small drink only will sustain them, until we next stop.”

  Aran held the water bowl to Spirit’s mouth, and tiredly placed his hand against the mare’s warm neck. Looking around he could see that like him the other riders were gently reassuring their mounts, then further back to the limit of his night sight he could see and hear the heavy panting of the six wolves as they threw themselves down to rest amongst the snowdrifts, and the hard, dry grass. Twenty minutes later, the stiff and weary riders hauled themselves back again into the saddle, and with soft and urgent encouragement urged the horses again towards the west.

  *

  “We cannot afford to stop long this time,” Aran said to Bini as they almost fell with exhaustion from the saddles of their horses. “Dawn is only three or four hours away, and we have not yet reached the foothills, and I am worried for I am not certain where we are in relation to the Riggeltz Road.”

  Bini looked about him and shook his head, “I do not know this part of the plains. By the positions of the stars I know we are still riding true west, but I am unsure if the road swings north hereabouts.”

  “We must avoid the road at all costs,” replied Aran shortly.

  “Then perhaps we should aim to ride more north-westerly,” Bini said staring into the darkness of the night, “Our route can always be adjusted south when we reach the mountains.”

  *

  “I cannot yet see the foothills,” worried Aran, “Have we in truth been riding in circles all this night?”

  “The night is old, and dawn is not far off,” replied Drayden as he pulled his stumbling horse in beside Aran’s. “If we have not gained the foothills soon, we must try and find whatever cover is available to us.”

  Aran shook his head, “Then we must press on. There is no cover on this plain that would hide a hound, let alone seventeen mounted horsemen, and their pack animals.”

  “The horses are exhausted,” called out Bini in a low voice, “If we do not stop soon, they will be dead beneath us.”

  “We cannot afford to stop,” Aran replied immediately. “It is imperative that we must find cover before dawn. Bini, you will need to again set the pace. Even if we must dismount and walk the horses, it means that we are still setting distance between ourselves and the patrols around Riggeltz.”

  Bini swung himself off his horse, “Then by your own words we must dismount, for I can see no other way we can continue on.”

  *

  “The high ground is just ahead,” panted the wolf Halffang, as the wolf ran back to where it saw Aran, and the rest of the group slogging exhaustedly through the dead grass and patchy ice drifts, the horses dragging wearily on the reins behind them.

  “Thanks-be to the Goddess,” replied Aran wholeheartedly, “For I did not think we were ever going to reach the other side of this infernal plain.”

  “There are some places that may provide some cover,” said the wolf. “It is not deep cover, but I believe it will provide enough for all you humans and horses.”

  “The lead us to the closest cover,” said Aran. “We have our own defenses that may work here.”

  *

  Dawn’s first tentative rays found the exhausted party making their way along the path of an almost dry stream bed, which had carved its way into the crumbly rock of the foothills, eroding a narrow but deep gully in the process. Although the group may have still been visible from the plains, they were less obvious now amongst the boulders and stunted acacias that favoured this small protected place.

  “This stream would flow well during spring and autumn,” panted Halffang, stopping and drinking at one of the pools which had formed when the stream’s flow had ceased weeks before. The wolf looked up, and drops of water fell from its wet muzzle, “This water is fit for wolves, and your beasts, but it is stale and it may make humans ill.”

  “Then we will still stop here” said Aran, leading his horse to the small pool to drink. “We have our own supplies of water until we come across something better.”

  The wolf cocked its head to listen, “There is fresh water flowing to the south-west of here. It would be a journey of an hour or two to reach it.”

  “For now we will rely on our supplies,” replied Aran tiredly. “We all need to rest, and this place has as good a cover as I’ve seen in the past hour or two of walking.”

  “Can you shield us here? The guardsmen are exhausted and need sleep,” Aran asked of Ash.

  The slightly built Sage with the coppery coloured hair and beard looked about him at the rocks and shrubs, and nodded.

  “I can place wards against a distant idle glance only,” Sage Ash replied gravely, “If any come close we shall be immediately seen.”

  “That ought to be enough,” replied Aran. “This place seems far enough from anything, for us not to be bothered by the Thakur,” he added, whilst stripping his horse of saddle and laden saddlebags. Finally, he turned to the mages, who stood about him in a dazed and exhausted manner.

  “We will be camping and resting here this day, so your mounts and packhorses need to watered, and relieved of their gear. We are too close yet to Riggeltz to risk a fire, so we will eat the some of the cold meat and fresh provisions supplied to us from Glade.”

  He glanced at the small pool of algal water, “The animals may drink here, however we should only drink from our own water supplies.”

  “Do you want the Guard to set watch?” asked Darven, his tanned face now pale and grey with the fatigue of the long and hard ride.

  Aran shook his head, “Ash has agreed to set wards over the group
today. Once we are all somewhat rested, I will ask Drayden to fly and ascertain our immediate position. I guess that this mountain, of whose foothills we are now encamped, must be Warning Peak. If so, we must yet travel further south and west to reach the route that will take us deep into the Trident Range.”

  Darven stared at the spare and barren country about them, “Can we strike further north? I dislike having to travel so close to the Riggeltz Road.”

  Aran shook his head, “Unfortunately not. It seems that the way to the route north of here, is through high arid country, which in this season lies many feet deep in snow. Although we could in truth go that way, it would take us weeks to dig a path through the drifts.”

  Mage Trenny nodded, “That’s right, for some reason the only consistent rain they get here comes during winter, and that falls as snow.”

  “And this southern route is better?” asked Sage Ash, thinking of the way ahead.

  “Aye, we will be following the tributary of one of the lesser rivers that flows into the Trident River. It will be a steep and narrow path, however we know from Drayden’s flights, that it is of lower altitude, and seldom blocked by snow. It is also far indeed from the main Thakurian road, and its path will eventually lead us to the source of the tributary which is quite near our objective of Erie.”

  “So how close will we end up being to the Trident River and the main road?” asked Darven.

  “A league or two,” answered Aran. “I know it is too close for our comfort, but I am hoping that Ash’s skills will enable us to pass to the north-west unseen.”

  With that decided, the group settled in as best as they could in the harsh and uncompromising campsite, and with wards set, tried to catch a few hours of uncomfortable and unsettled sleep.

  *

  By late afternoon, most of the group had roused, and all seemed a little more refreshed than when they had ridden in only several hours before. Walking back along the gully, towards where it opened out onto the plains, Aran was relieved to see that the grassland was as empty and featureless as earlier that morning. Staring out at the expanse of snow drifts amongst the clumps of dead grass, Aran was happy not to try and avoid Thakurian patrols this soon into their venture across the border. Taking a last look back east to the heart lands, Aran sighed heavily, and then finally turned and slowly made his way back up the narrow gully to his companions’ rough and ready camp.

  *

  “By Andur, how my back and neck hurt,” complained Trenny. “I believe that every single rock in this damn gully must have been under my groundsack. I hardly slept a wink.”

  “You ought to dig a hole for your head,” advised Bini good-naturedly.

  “That’s an idea,” replied Sigund grinning. “Although wouldn’t yon mage find it a bit difficult to breathe after a while.”

  Bini laughed, “Not like that fool! I mean that when you prepare your spot upon the ground for sleeping, you also dig a shallow depression for your head too. It makes sleeping on the ground a lot easier to bear, I can tell you. We plainsmen do it all the time…see,” and he pointed as evidence to the shallow hole he had dug earlier that morning. “It does take a little bit of practice getting the depth of the hole correct for your skull, but once you have got that right, you get sounder sleep.”

  Darven pursed his lips and nodded, “That sounds like a good idea, especially since we are going to be sleeping rough for the next few weeks.”

  “In the meantime…” called out Trevan cheerfully, “Both Genn and I are available to ease some of your aches and pains. You will all ride much faster and easier, if you don’t have to contend with misaligned joints and sore muscles.”

  “Don’t baby them,” laughed Alissa. “If we women can bear this hardship equitably, then the men of the group ought to be able to do so too without complaint.”

  “All the same,” said Genn, whilst going over and quickly and efficiently Healing aged Trenny of his stiffness, “We have another long and hard ride today. It would be best if we were all fit.”

  “First we need to know where we are,” said Aran reappearing suddenly in their midst. “Does anyone know where Mage Drayden is?” he asked.

  Theaua glanced up into the sky, “He’s up there scouting about. He Transformed as soon as he woke. It’s been a while now so he must still quite a way off.”

  “Then we will need to wait on his return,” replied Aran crisply. “In the meantime we ought to get an early dinner prepared, and the horses fed and saddled. I had a look out myself, and I could see nothing moving on the plains, but I’d rather not risk discovery, so make certain any fire is banked, and not visible beyond this gully.”

  *

  They had barely finished their meal, when the six wolves trotted out suddenly from around the head of the gully. Their muzzles were blood splashed, and grouse feathers adhering to the blood, gave mute evidence that the wolves had both successfully hunted and fed.

  “You might need to move along soon,” growled out Halffang, “There are other humans near.”

  “What!” Aran spun. “Humans, are you sure?”

  The wolf grinned, “Of course, the smell of your kind is unmistakable.” It sniffed, “Although these smell human, they are not of your kind.” The wolf curled up its lips in obvious distaste, “There is a sickness upon them, like meat that is rotten and flyblown.”

  Suddenly the great white form of a sea-hawk came barrelling down out of the sky, and with an instantaneous Transformation, Drayden rolled out of the form to land breathless in the algal pool.

  “Thakur patrol,” he gasped out, whilst floundering clumsily from the water, “I don’t think they know we are here, but they are coming from the north, fast.”

  The wolves dropped to their bellies snarling at the sudden Transformation, but Aran gave them no heed, immediately ordering the camp be struck, and that everyone be moved to up the gully to a less obvious spot.

  “It will do you no good shifting this lot further in, if they see our tracks leading into the gully,” Bini said staring intently to the north.

  “So what do we do?” asked Aran, as he watched the others swiftly pack their gear away, and saw Drayden hastily eat the food that had been kept aside for him.

  “It is late in the day, perhaps they will miss our tracks?” he asked hopefully.

  Bini shook his head, “In the midday perhaps, when the sun is strong and bright they might not notice subtle marks upon the ground, but now with the shadows long upon the ground, our tracks will be very visible indeed.”

  Aran glanced back to where the mages were preparing to mount, “Then come with me, Bini,” he replied. “I have an idea, and it will involve your words, and also a little Glaive expertise.”

  *

  “We need wind,” Aran said suddenly to Trenny, who was securing the last of the buckles on the packhorse’s equipment. “And we need it now.”

  Trenny looked around frowning, “Wind! Whatever for? Don’t you know that a Thakurian patrol is headed this way?”

  Aran’s eyes hardened, his ire raised by the mage’s attitude.

  “By Andur’s name of course I know that they are coming,” he grated, “However, Bini believes that they will only investigate this gully if they see our tracks. What we need is localised wind to scatter away any marks that we have made.”

  “A dust-devil,” replied Bini, “In summer on the plains they are as common as flies on a fresh horse pad. In winter however, they are only seldom seen.”

  Trenny glanced towards Hela who briefly inclined her head, finally he nodded his assent.

  “Very well, but to form this wind will take us several minutes.”

  He glanced towards Darven and the guardsmen, who were ready and waiting with drawn swords.

  “You’d better send Guardsman Jede over,” Trenny sighed. “Although he is not a trained Weathermage, we will still need to draw on his latent magepower to reinforce and strengthen our work here.”

  Aran nodded, and hurrying over to the guardsmen, briefl
y explained his idea to the Wolf Leader. Jede gave Aran a doubtful look, but nevertheless went over to the mages as instructed.

  “We will need to get everyone else who is not fighting or spelling, further up behind us,” said Darven.

  Aran nodded, agreeing, “I will send Alissa, Ash and the other mages further up the gully out of harm’s way.” He glanced across at the remaining guardsmen, “We ought to send a soldier with them for protection.”

  Darven flicked his finger at the burly figure of Gunthred.

  “Gunthred, take all the horses, and everyone except the Weathermages and the Guard, to a defensible spot further up the gully until everything quietens down. If the Thakur come up this gully we will hold them here.”

  Alissa appeared at Aran’s side, her mail hauberk already on, and a short deadly looking sword naked in her hand, “Where do you want me to be Aran?”

  Aran spared a quick glance at Alissa’s warlike attire, and grinned suddenly. He had forgotten that she had in the past trained with the Guard, and was as good as the men by his side.

  “Go further up with the others,” he replied, “I don’t expect the Thakur to break through here, but if they do, you and Gunthred will have to protect the non-fighters. If nothing happens, or if we hold them and defeat them here, we will fetch you.”

  Alissa nodded quickly, “Gunthred is a latent Warriormage…we may yet need his Ability.”

  Aran glanced across to where the Weathermages and Guardsman Jede were standing, their faces grim in intense concentration.

  “Once Trenny and Hela are finished here I will send them up to you,” he added.

  “Now what?” asked Darven, as he watched Alissa and Gunthred shepherd the others around the corner of the gully and out of immediate sight of the rest of the group.

  “We wait, and hope that the Weathermages are successful in creating this ‘dust devil,’” replied Aran. “In the meantime, we must all be armed and alert to discovery.”

  *

  As the fighters and Warriormages quickly armed themselves, and prepared their defenses, the two Weathermages stood quietly facing the direction of the eastern plain. Physically there was little indication that they did anything other than gaze into the middle distance, but the growing strain upon their faces gave immediate indication of some deep internal battle. To a Weathermage, only the complete and utter understanding of the forces of nature inherent in this place made the manipulation of weather achievable. Added to this, was the necessary total awareness of the wind’s movement, the fall of sand or dust, the movement of branches and leaves, and the cooling late-afternoon air—in short, an understanding and awareness of the complete interaction of light, heat, water and earth upon each other in this place. Only then, after achieving awareness, could a Weathermage hope to harness the physical environment and bend it to his or her Will.