Warriormage: Book Three of the 'Riothamus' trilogy

by Rosemary Fryth

  Aran shrugged, “I don’t know, her shade came to me often before we left the forest, but she has not spoken to me since.”

  Alissa frowned, turning as if she heard a distant voice. She placed one hand lightly upon her belly and closed her eyes. Suddenly she smiled and turned to Aran.

  “Follow me…I know the way…”

  “Huh,” Aran was confused.

  She smiled again, and leaning over, whispered briefly in his ear.

  Aran frowned then his face suddenly brightened, “Are you certain?” he asked incredulously.

  “Aye…”

  Aran suddenly laughed, “So that’s what she meant by being with us in a more ’tangible’ way!”

  He frowned, “Do you mind…I mean it’s not like you were asked?”

  She shook her head, smiling.

  He kissed her, “Then lead on.”

  Alissa indicated a shadowy alcove to the right of the tunnel back to Erie, “She tells me that there’s another tunnel through there. She believes it leads down to the plains…”

  “How long?” asked Drayden, thinking of their supplies.

  “Four, five days…she’s not certain. But it’s direct and wide.”

  Alissa glanced across at the alcove, “It seems that most of the gHulam rode that way a number of days ago.”

  Aran glanced across to where Sage Ash and the Entity were silently standing, contemplating the node.

  For a moment it seemed that to Aran that the shadows were beginning to move.

  “Let’s go,” he said sharply, “I think we need to be out of here immediately.”

  “What about Uhmar’s corpse?” asked Genn.

  “We leave him,” Aran said quietly, “I believe the Entity will look after Uhmar.”

  *

  It took them only a few minutes to work their way around to the alcove, all the time keeping well out of the way of the node, and the clustering, whispering shadows. As soon as they reached the alcove, they could all see that its darkness hid the entrance to a wide tunnel which sloped steeply down and at right-angles away from Erie, and towards the distant Andur Plains. Aran glanced back toward the node, and saw the two small figures bathed in an eerie, luminescent blue-green light. Staring hard, Aran saw clearly the shadows moving upon the Entity as Sage Ash took the first hesitant steps onto the node itself. Immediately there was a deep, dull booming ground sound, and with it the chamber started to tremble and the most fragile of the stalactites began to shake loose to fall exploding into shards of limestone upon the ground.

  “Come on!” Aran shouted, urging the others into the entrance “Let’s get out of here.”

  They hurried down the sloping tunnel, as behind them the ground continued to shake and move, and dust billowed and flew. It was difficult to keep to their feet as the ground shifted and trembled under them, but with each step taking them further away from the node, the vibrations became less and less severe.

  Meanwhile, up in the chamber, EarthSage Ash had finally gained the centre of the node and he stood still, opening his mind and magepower to allow the damaged energies and vortices to flow into his body. The Entity however had abandoned all pretext of human or animal form, and was discernible only as a brilliant, yet translucent barrier of blue-green light forming at the very edges of the node. With the ongoing melding of the EarthSage with the node, the dark shadows intensified their attacks. Singly and in groups they leapt and slid sinuously across the floor, throwing themselves upon the luminescent blue-green barrier, all the time trying to find weaknesses in the Entity’s defenses. Each time a shadow hurled itself against the barrier it would be immediately thrown back away from the node. With each attack, the chamber would shake alarmingly, and more of the stalactites would fall from the ceiling and crash to the ground below. As more and more of the damaged energies flowed into the EarthSage, his body too was becoming less opaque, translucent, and almost glass-like. Finally he opened his arms, and with the cleansed nodal energies streaming out from his body, the being which was once Sage Ash, became transparent then with a sigh slowly his form dissipated down into the node itself.

  Howling audibly their fury against the successful melding, the dark gods threw themselves despairingly at the Entity, but as one they were hurled back against the walls.

  ‘Be gone,’ whispered the Entity, the word echoing around the chamber, ‘This place is closed to you now…’

  The shadows screamed their anger, but pressed up against the chamber walls by the power of the Entity they could venture no closer. One by one their dark inky forms were squeezed remorselessly against the rocky walls. One by one the shadows squirmed and fought the pressure that was being brought against them. Finally, one by one, the shadows were forced by the Entity to squeeze back through cracks in reality, to flee howling into the cold and darkness beyond.

  With the banishment of the dark gods, the iridescent blue-green protective walls that were the Entity started to withdraw back into the node, collecting on its way the cold and lifeless body of Uhmar. Carefully curling tendrils of energy around the broken body, it gently absorbed the form of the dead guardsman into itself. With that task now complete, the Entity collapsed back into itself until it resembled a rapidly spinning globe of brilliantly iridescent blue-green light. After a few moments the globe further collapsed, until nothing could be seen except for a pin-prick of blindingly hot white light, which immediately disappeared to suddenly explode in an agonisingly loud explosion of light and air. This was all too much for the chamber. The rough-hewn rock began to shake, the last of the stalactites falling like rocky spears upon the ground. With each passing moment the trembling intensified, the ground soon rocking and buckling, seemingly in apparent agony. Then suddenly there was a horrible groaning and ripping sound, and within moments the entire side of the mountain containing the chamber of the node had fallen away into the deep snow and boulder littered gorge below.

  *

  “Did you hear that?” said Darven, pausing as he heard the distant thundering sound.

  “Aye,” replied Aran, “And it’s too close for my liking. Let’s continue on…”

  “But it’s become too dark to see,” said Theaua, “For a while we had that greenish light to mark the way, but now even that’s gone.”

  “I can help there,” said Hela shakily, immediately forming a small globe of ball-lightning to dance ahead of her. “If I keep it small then it will last for days.”

  Trenny smiled wryly, “You were always the one for storms.”

  Bennek could only smile painfully and firmly grip Hela’s hand. Luckily for the guardsman, the worst of his burns had been Healed by Genn, but he was still stiff and sore and it was a real effort for him to speak.

  “Come on,” said Drayden, feeling the ground suddenly tremble beneath his feet, “I don’t know what’s happening up there, but I’ll be glad if we put a bit of space between us and it!”

  Suddenly, they all began coughing as a great cloud of grey dust enveloped them. Protecting his streaming eyes and desperately trying to breathe, Aran urged them to hurry on and down, to be free of the dust and to find clear air again.

  *

  Hours later, they stopped for a rest by a small spring which dripped from the wall of the tunnel to collect in a small natural pool on the rock floor. Thirstily they tasted the water and found it cold and sweet. Carefully un-stoppering their leather jugs, they dipped them into the pool, relieved that they were able to replenish their water supply, and wash the grey dust from their faces and hands.

  “How’s our food supplies?” asked Genn.

  “Enough for several days if we are frugal,” replied Drayden as he mentally catalogued the contents of the packs. “With the loss of Uhmar and Ash we’ve gained a few extra days out of our food and water.”

  “Sounds like we will have enough to get us out of the tunnel and down to the plains,” replied Aran. He turned to Alissa and in a low voice murmured, “As much as I regret the deaths of Uhmar and Ash, at least it has all
owed us more supplies.” He paused, thinking about the way ahead, “I don’t know what we’re going to do once we reach the plains; our horses are far to the south.”

  “If you know where to look,” said Bini, “There is food on the plains, even in the depths of winter.”

  **

  ‘Who are the Sages?’

  ‘How can they help us?’

  Questions hung heavy upon each man’s tongue in the King’s tent, but they knew better than to interrupt the Archmage. Mutely turning to one another, it was left to Captain Commander Sennar to voice the questions that everyone wanted to ask.

  “The Sages,” mused Archmage Maran, “How can I simply explain them and their purpose?”

  He stared at the tent full of exhausted soldiers and shrugged his shoulders. “The Sages are brethren to the mages of Glaive,” he explained, “However they have different attitudes, and use the magepower differently.” He paused as if to better form his words, “They possess the Earthmage Ability, but added to that they are also intimately Attuned to the forest and the special powers and energies of that place.”

  “Energies that we have been given leave to use to aid you in your time of need,” said a low voice from the tent flap.

  Maran turned to see five green-robed men and women enter in by the side flap of the tent.

  “Sage Oak!” he exclaimed, “It has been many years.”

  The Foremost Keeper smiled, and held out his hand in greeting, “Maran…I had heard that you still walk the earth. Don’t you ever weary of this garden of ours?”

  Maran chuckled, “Aye, I believe that I finally do.” The Archmage sighed, “I think that I may soon have a long sleep, just as soon as we have a resolution to all this.” He glanced across at the Sages, “You brought all your number then?”

  Oak nodded, “One of our people is away with your young king.” Sudden pain shadowed his blue eyes, “He will not return.”

  “So there will be a space for one extra in Glade,” remarked Maran.

  “Two,” corrected Oak, “One of our non-attuned died suddenly the other week.” He frowned, “There was no reason. The Goddess alone knows only why she took him.”

  “Who will you take in?” asked Maran, “For I am certain there are many from the ranks of the Earthmages who would gladly go.”

  “The spaces are taken already,” Oak replied, “My daughter Beech is with child, and the man who will be her husband will, if the Goddess permits, join us also.”

  Maran smiled, “I wish her joy then…do I know the father?”

  “Thank-you for your blessing Archmage,” murmured Beech as she stepped forward, “The father of my child, and my mate-to-be is Plainsman Bini Stardreamer.”

  There was a sudden intake of breath from Bowleader Kainne Stormbringer, “Bini? Then he made it this far. I doubted that I’d see him again alive after he handed back his Plains Oath.” He looked narrowly at the young Sage, “He is in good health then?”

  Beech inclined her head, “He was when he left us all those weeks ago.”

  “So where is he now?” demanded Kainne.

  “In Thakur with Lord Arantur,” replied Captain Taran mildly. “Bini is one our young king’s closest companions.”

  “That I well believe,” Kainne chuckled, his limed golden hair standing in blood-splashed spikes. “He was all a-fire for the king’s cause when he left our tents. I am glad that he is happy…it is not so good that our foremost Warriors leave the mother plain and then not better themselves in the leaving.”

  “Wolves were mentioned?” Maran asked softly, drawing Sage Oak off to one side.

  The Foremost Keeper nodded, “They have withdrawn back to the forest edge. It seems their presence was upsetting the horses.”

  “So how can you help?” the Archmage asked in a low voice, “For there has been a terrible rout. All of the mages here have exhausted their power, and the army is in a complete shambles. We’re only just managing to widen the defenses, but all the men are on their last legs with exhaustion…”

  “Then the wolves will patrol the borders,” replied Oak briskly, “And come morning we’ll provide a conduit of the node’s energies through to your Earthmages.”

  “That can be done?” breathed Maran.

  Oak nodded, “Oh yes, we’re still quite close to our node here. It will be a simple matter to channel the energies across.”

  “How long shall the node last?” asked the Archmage.

  Oak smiled suddenly, “Come now Maran, don’t tell me it’s been that long since you’ve been in the forest. Surely you remember that the node’s energies are eternal. It is the human conduits of its power that do not last. We can supply you the nodal energies for as long as we can physically channel it, and as long as your Earthmages can direct it.”

  “Then we can hold here,” sighed Maran, sitting down wearily on one of the stools. “I was beginning to think that all was lost.”

  “In the morning show me your defences,” Oak said, clasping the older man on the shoulder. “Now my kindred and I must sleep…we have been walking for two days and two nights without pause or rest to reach you here.”

  *

  The last of the snow flurries had abated by sun-up and the clouds streaming across to the east revealed a mid-winter powder-blue sky.

  “I don’t know if I’m glad to see the sun or not,” growled Sennar, staring at the lines of men busily digging fortifications. “It all too clearly shows the gaps in our defences.”

  “I do not think they will be onto us today,” mused Taran, eyeing the distant horizon. “If I was commanding the Thakur, I would be using daylight to assemble my companies to ride on to make a decisive attack here.”

  “But doesn’t it leave us time to strengthen our defences,” argued Terdec.

  “What defences?” Taran muttered grimly, “They saw how our ranks fell like scythed wheat without the mages backing them up. They believe this will be an easy victory, and so do not bother to press home their advantage. Instead they rest their troops and intend to leisurely move upon us.”

  “I hope that you are right Taran,” growled Sennar, fingering the bandages that still encased his shoulder, “For none of us are up to fighting today.”

  “I have just heard that those Sages will be aiding us,” called out Captain Alune, as he walked to where the other commanders were surveying their defensive line. “The Archmage has been huddled with them in deep discussion since first light, and the word has finally broken that they have agreed to use their special powers to aid our depleted Earthmages.

  “That is good news,” Taran breathed, immediately turning to the young Bow Captain, “Did they say when they would be helping?”

  “I overheard them talking about assisting the Earthmages to initially widen the ditches,” he replied happy to spread the good news, “There already has been rumour in the camp about packs of wolves patrolling our defences overnight.”

  “Aye, I had heard those stories” muttered Sennar, “Hard to credit them as being true though…”

  “If wolves have indeed allied with us, and these reclusive Sages are offering their assistance, then the Goddess is surely smiling upon us!” stated Alune.

  “That remains to be seen,” muttered Sennar morosely. “That heavy cavalry we faced yesterday seemed not even the least bit inconvenienced by our battle lines. It will be a miracle indeed if we can turn to our advantage yesterday’s disaster.”

  *

  “Tennar’s been found!”

  Captain Taran look up from his perusal of the maps, “What, alive?”

  Sennar shook his head, as he warmed his hands over one of the braziers, “No…dead. He was found with his skull cracked open like a melon. His body’s been brought back for proper burial!”

  “Did Kainne and his plainsmen find any others left alive?” Taran asked.

  “A half dozen only that were missed in the general retreat last night,” the Helmsgard commander replied bitterly, “They’re pretty far gone. It will requi
re minor miracles from the Healermages to pull them through.”

  “Any word on Urskar?”

  Sennar shook his head, “They looked where his Legion were fighting but found no sign of him.”

  “And the Thakur?”

  “They’re massing to the west,” he replied, “Kainne didn’t hang around to count heads.”

  “Then they’ll be marching tomorrow,” mused Taran.

  “Aye,” agreed Sennar, “This is where we hold or die…”

  *

  “We’ll never hold them,” Terdec worried, as he watched as company upon company of Thakurian infantry and cavalry form into battle lines to the west of the provincial defenses.

  “There’s too many…even with the Sages we will scarce make an impact on their numbers.”

  “Then we shall give a good account of ourselves before we die,” replied Sennar coldly.

  “I wonder why they waited,” Taran mused out loud. “Even if they thought themselves assured of victory they have tarried longer than even I thought possible.”

  Sennar shook his head, “Let us not question our good fortune Captain, lest it fails us here today. We’ll need all of Andur’s luck against that lot out there.”

  Taran eyed the swelling ranks of heavy cavalry, “At least we know what to expect now…”

  *

  The ground rumbled yet again as the Sage reinforced Earthmages opened up still more fissures of fire to try and slow the relentless advance of the Thakurian army. For a while it seemed that the infantry had been halted, but the sheer number of the Thakur showed that such measures were serving only to delay the inevitable. All afternoon the provincial forces had been fighting a spot-fire battle. They were all the time rushing to reinforce various sections of their defences threatened by the Thakurian forces, always never having enough able-bodied soldiers to completely defend their lines.

  “And still they hold back their heavy cavalry,” sighed Taran, “Their reasoning utterly confuses me. Why do they not press home their advantage?”

  “They wait until the mages have expended their power,” replied the Archmage walking up to where Taran and Sennar studied the lines. “That heavy cavalry of theirs is obviously a highly elite force. I understand why they are reluctant to use them whilst our mages are still active. They think to repeat the tactics that ensured their previous victory.”