Battle Mage, The Caves of Time

by Donald Wigboldy

  He needed to finish this fight and swiftly.

  Chapter 30- Tempus Chamber

  Sebastian led the others at a pace that he hoped the newer fliers could maintain. Already Serrena and Ylena were showing improvement. Both women were much steadier in flight and capable of going a little faster as well. With their current speed, the mage was able to catch up to the rear of the alien army in a very short time. There were stragglers towards the rear, the wounded and weary, but he wasn't here for them.

  Figuring that these creatures were likely similar to the Dark One's forces, killing a few dozen bestial soldiers would earn him little. Like killing the emperor, removing the head would do more than taking out the grunts just doing their leader's bidding.

  They flew onward. More and more soldiers were passed. He witnessed the size of the minos and the ogres. The latter were giants that equaled the apelike yutan. Roughly two and a half to three times the height of a man, they were powerful monsters capable of slaying several men with one good sweeping blow from their oversized clubs. The soldier in him wondered how hard they would be to kill. He had faced down even the largest of the Dark One's creatures and won, but there was also that part of him that tired of the killing as well.

  Sebastian also searched for a second set of time caves as they flew above a steady increase in numbers of creatures retreating at a more leisurely pace. They must have figured out that the army at Ponfies was content with waiting near the city walls. They had won the battle, but like him, the leaders of the city must have wondered if this enemy could continue to bring more reinforcements for tomorrow.

  The pass narrowed for awhile. Winding back and forth, the trail snaked its way between the tall mountains until opening upon a large valley. There was still snow in places and shadows from the mountains surrounding it kept much of the land in gray for most of the day. It was colder here and reminded the mage that winter had barely ended on the northern continent. Here it seemed that it had never gone.

  He sensed more than saw the girls in their lightweight clothing starting to shiver. Only the exercise of using their magic and holding their bodies properly in flight helped warm them. They could have turned back, but letting this enemy go without finding out anything about them seemed unwise.

  What was their purpose? Was it conquest or destruction? It certainly appeared that they didn't come to make allies. They had already fought with everyone that they could find.

  A shiver not related to the cold washed through him as he felt a strange kind of magic. It was powerful, far more powerful than anything Sebastian had felt in person. Even the strength of the Dark One was less than this and he had been so powerful that it had taken a small army of wizards and even a dragon to destroy him.

  He spotted a large rectangle filled with stormy looking clouds. Dark and violent, little sparks of light flickered within the swirling storm; but it all seemed contained to that stable looking rectangle.

  Dark elves orchestrated the troops. Forming into surprisingly disciplined columns, the varied creatures started to walk through the dark gate to disappear a dozen at a time.

  He held back observing the enemy ignoring the troops around him as well as the cold annoying his skin. Finding an oddly shaped box, Sebastian felt the power contained within it. Set beside the storm gate, the mage noticed cables stretching from one side to the other. A single warlock appeared to monitor the door with his hand on the box. It seemed fitted to his hand and clung to him or perhaps the elf continued to press his hand into the top of it in some way.

  More of their troops continued to leave through the gate and the mage looked back to the snaking ravine releasing what seemed like an endless supply of creatures from there. He had seen the line and knew that it was not, but for now they just kept coming.

  Removing his attention from the ravine, Sebastian turned to the glowing auras and the flapping magic wings.

  "Stay here," he ordered. "I'm going to get closer."

  Ashleen's shape fluttered agitatedly at his words, but the wilder remained silent understanding that it was probably safer if only one of them tried to move nearer the gate where many magic users remained. Flying lower and forward, Sebastian tried to make out if the box had any noticeable controls. Nothing aside from the depression where the man's hand sat marred the smooth sides. Two cables sat to either side of the elf's hand leading to both sides of the portal. The power inside the box flowed through the cables and appeared to supply the energy needed for it to remain open.

  At first, he wondered if killing the elf would disrupt the rift. He could have the entire team pull back and send an arrow for miles to strike true if the owl wanted. If the loss of the man's control caused another explosion like he had been told about in the Dimple Mountains, they could be far, far away. That was his first thought, but his mind played through the scenarios wondering if there was a better answer.

  There were still more troops coming through the pass, but it seemed like the trail was beginning to thin out. A few grayvens with warlocks riding them flew overhead. These were likely their guardians to make certain that, if there was a last minute pursuit from Ponfies; then it could be dealt with from their magic onboard the swift flying beasts.

  He looked at the box and the master of it again. A spear into the box could release its energy in a devastating way too and kill everything in the valley, but would it stop there? The mage had no idea what a broken vessel might be able to do.

  Sighing at the conundrum, the owl watched as more and more of the foreign army disappeared through the storm gate. Even the stragglers, the wounded and those guarding them, had found the valley. The columns were broken lines now and Sebastian wondered if it was best to let as many of the creatures leave before trying something. It wasn't to prevent their loss of life, though perhaps it was good to think so.

  No, the mage suddenly had an idea of what they could do.

  Flying back up to the others, he remained invisible as he spoke. "When they are down to just a dozen or so, I'll strike the one controlling the box. I think it holds power in a similar way to that which you told me was released by your researcher pressing a couple opposing grains together.

  "If the gate closes with his death, we'll need to fight the remaining creatures and warlocks; but I think that we can take them, especially with the element of surprise."

  Auras shifted and the mage thought perhaps some of it was a nervous reaction managing to alter their auras slightly.

  "Do you know what killing the controller will do?" Katya asked incredulously. His sister didn't seem as nervous as the others, but he could hear the tone in her voice. This was worrisome to them all, but he was the owl. He had figured out magic that no one else could before, so they didn't completely question the idea.

  "No," he answered and the auras fluttered more. Even Elzen looked a bit uncertain this time. "We'll move back to the edge of the ravine. Everyone capable of throwing an air spear from there can take out another of their warlocks by surprise while I kill the controller.

  "If the power gets out of control, we can hide in the ravine and probably avoid whatever releases from the box."

  "I'm willing to follow even your craziest ideas, Bas," Elzen said chuckling in a nervous way, "but this might be your craziest yet."

  Ashleen spoke up, "I can use the spears from a pretty good distance. Elzen can as well. Who else do we have?"

  "I can do it," Serrena stated. The fire wizard's aura remained confident. She had been through as much with the battle mage as anyone. Their trip at sea had seen many unusual things that had been quite dangerous and deadly. Traps and cursed forests, storms and more had occurred along the way. His leadership had seen them all through, so she continued to believe in him now.

  "I've never tried that one," Katya admitted and it was seconded by her teacher.

  "Just be ready if anyone chases towards us... or worse," he said implying the potential danger of this idea once more.

  It wasn't a ringing endorsement and the mage
felt a little worry fluttering in his stomach as well; but he steeled himself waiting for the right moment.

  "Spread out," he ordered. "When you see the one on the box take the hit, be ready."

  Several grayven landed with their riders, who dismounted. They spoke with the others watching over the portal point. In addition to the dark elves, several of the dragon men and a pair of ogres stood closer to the passage. They appeared to be holding back as guards for the warlocks.

  Half a dozen grayven and warlocks walked through leaving a couple dozen minos as a rear guard standing in front of the gate. As they moved into the clouds, the ogres moved towards the box. Fearing that they were about to take the prize, Sebastian called up a spear and released it swiftly.

  The use of magic made him visible; but before any of the enemy noticed, the spear struck the dark elf controller in the chest. His head leaned back and blood spurted from his lips before the man slumped forward. Moving into the box, his hand slipped free from whatever held it in place before slumping to the ground.

  "Now!" he called out as he manifested a second spear. Another warlock closer to the clouds started to turn and the spear drilled through his right arm, into the chest and out again. Sebastian doubted that it was a critical hit, but the elf fell back towards the storm gate and hit the ground.

  Sparks shot out of the maelstrom striking another. A tendril of cloud reached towards a grayven and the winged creature leaped back in fright.

  Watching the box, Sebastian felt the energy flowing into the portal stop. There was no explosion so far, but the enemy's reactions were almost as volatile. One of the other warlocks had been about to jump through the portal. Turning at the sounds of shock, he wasn't ready for the next tendril of cloud to reach out drawing him inside; or at least the part of him it touched disappeared from sight.

  Coughing up blood, the man fell to his knees. Another piece of the gate sliced another chunk out of the elf leaving his remains to slump onto the ground.

  The scream of a pair of grayven drew his attention away from the sickening scene. They moved towards him with riders readying their spells to cast at the lone battle mage. He continued to see if the powerful box would discharge its energy, but the magic inside appeared stable though the storm gate flickered and twisted several more times as it began to shrink in size.

  More spears fired forward. One of the riders was knocked from his mount with a large hole in his chest. Another fatality among the warlocks, meant one less to try to contest the box. He would have felt bad if not for the fact that they were the intruders threatening his world here.

  With only a few dark elves remaining, he looked down on the remaining targets readying another spear. As a distance weapon, the wind spear was his best as it had both range and accuracy. The two ogres paused beside the box looking uncertain of what to do. One of the remaining dark elves began shouting orders.

  Dragon knights and minos readied shields and weapons, but had no way to reach those flying so far away and above them. Four of the dragons wore robes and began to cast spells, however, as did three of the dark elves. Only four grayven remained and only one had a rider now.

  When the dark elf sent a gout of black fire towards him, Sebastian easily evaded it. The fire was slow and gravity pulled it towards the earth as well making it a poor weapon against the flyers.

  Katya flew past still hidden from sight by her spell. As she closed on the rider, the girl used a song. It was pitched forward catching both the elf and the winged beast.

  The blue skinned elf covered his ears shouting something in another language as he tried to resist her charm song. Unlike him, the grayven's eyes showed a change slowing its approach. Katya twirled her finger and Sebastian thought that she sounded like someone trying to give a puppy an order. Oddly enough the beast seemed as eager to please.

  Swooping downward to gain momentum, the grayven came back up initiating a barrel roll. The dark elf tried to grab at the reins and saddle on the creature, but gravity and the twisting of the beast were too much. Falling from the sky, Sebastian was certain that he would meet the ground and die.

  A cry in some unknown language sounded and the elf somehow managed to slow his fall with magic. He slowed and landed safely, if a little awkwardly. The dismounted rider looked up angrily, but there was relief in the elf's eyes as well. A close one indeed, Elzen didn't care to let him live. Another spear went for the man.

  Pulling up some crystalline looking shield of a reddish color, the spear struck and was held back though there was a large dent that cracked the crystal slightly. He heard the other mage curse, even as Sebastian sent another spear towards one of the dragon men.

  Green flame was already heading their way, but the range was too much for the reptilian wizards. The fire broke apart falling lower as it dissipated into nothingness.

  The gate, looking like a true storm sending out flickers of lightning, just imploded with a loud crack. Only a few of the dark elves remained. Shields of magic stopped a few more spears, but the owl noticed one of them hurrying towards the box.

  Propelling his body forward, the battle mage dodged past the grayven in Katya's control. Two more were coming, but like an owl he maneuvered between them too swiftly for them to counter or catch him.

  "Spear," he called and threw it towards one of the elves as he reached for the large magic box. A dragon man slid between them with a heavy wood shield reinforced with metal.

  Willing it to continue to his target, the shield did little to stop his spell. With a new hole in it, the spear clipped the dragon slicing away part of his ear before finding the dark elf. He had dropped his magic shield to reach for the box. The spear drove through the man, but Sebastian couldn't see past the large dragon man to know if he was dead.

  A stone surprised him as one of the ogres threw a boulder as big as his chest towards him. Only his good reflexes and excellent maneuverability prevented it from hitting him. Another stone from the other ogre was off its mark and didn't affect the owl as he called up another air spear.

  Striking the dragon man next, the creature was bowled over and nearly crashed onto the box. He spotted the wounded dark elf behind him. Trying to recover from the first strike, the elf attempted to put his hand on top of the surface though from a different direction from the first controller, the mage noticed, even as Sebastian did his best to watch for other threats.

  "Spear," he ordered going for the elf's head. So injured was the warlock already that he couldn't breathe enough to use his own magic to prevent the spear from hitting him. The dead dark elf slumped to the ground even as the mage closed the distance recklessly. He felt Elzen join him. Spears rained down from behind him as well.

  Both of the remaining elves and the dragon wizards used dense magic shields to resist the spears. More of the dragons moved towards the box and Sebastian drew his Hollow Sword. Touching land for just a moment, the owl sprang back up as the blade dragged along the ground.

  "Lightning," he called filling the weapon.

  Two of the dragon knights charged the man while he was low enough to attack. The blade swung releasing its power as he connected with a brilliant flash of light. Thunder rang in his ears as the strike shattered the shield cutting through it to drive into the heavy creature's shoulder.

  Flight took him over the knight in a swift, fluid flip. Landing behind it, Sebastian drove the blade into its back releasing another shot of lightning into its body as the steel slid deep into the flesh. Twisting, the battle mage met the next dragon knight even as it tried to block his attack. It was surprisingly quick for its size, but the owl was quicker.

  Striking the shield, he slid towards that side slashing below the edge to strike the flesh by the knee. More lightning caused the knight to howl and shake. He continued to move around it's blindside slashing into its metal breast plate. The lightning heated the plate and shocked the monster, but a final killing blow struck the exposed side of its neck catching an artery as it went deep.

  The earth t
rembled as Elzen used his magic to shake the foes before him. Fire struck one of the dragon warlocks as Serrena followed behind the younger mage. Lightning struck one of the ogres causing it to shake its head. The blow would have been lethal on most creatures, but it shrugged off Ashleen's strike.

  Before taking flight, Sebastian recharged the blade with lightning again. He split one of the dragon's helmets driving it to the ground stunned. He spotted one of the remaining dark elves. His eyes were wide in fear. It hadn't expected so few to be so fierce and lethal. Sebastian doubted that this man had ever seen his army felled in such a way. He also guessed that the elf was rarely left with so few protectors as his fellows died.

  A roar preceded a shadow as one of the ogres attempted to strike him back down to the ground. Sebastian didn't hesitate. Hesitation got one killed. Flying inside of the monster's reach, the mage's feet struck its chest pushing back as the lightning of the Hollow Sword struck its flesh. A mere scratch from the sword, the lightning burned the ogre, but failed to damage it very much at all.

  He landed and swiped at its thick leg. A thick leather boot split like paper and the blade dug into its flesh releasing more lightning. He could smell charred ozone and burnt flesh. Being so large, the ogre was left reaching down for him, but Sebastian didn't slow down or stand still. To halt near this monster would be deadly, he feared.

  "Fire," he called up the magic into the blade. There was still a little lightning left, but it wasn't doing enough.

  Its left hand grasped his magical wings, the barest touch made the mage release them before creating new ones in an instant. He leaped up slashing its thigh. Momentum carried him upward and he aimed a blow for the armpit. The sword released white hot flame cutting deep. A gash drew through the thick hide and out beside the shoulder in a spurt of dark blood.