“We had no element of surprise, but now we have fear on our side,” Thanos closed his right fist as he spoke.
“That is quite enough, Thanos. The Necromancers are in charge here, not the Wizards,” Another Necromancer said.
Thanos shook his head and clenched his fist harder. His anger got the better of him as he opened his right hand and slammed it against the ground. The resulting shockwave rocketed out toward the two Necromancers that had scolded him. As they both began to fall backward, the Wizard closed his hand around the dirt. He pulled his hand back and then thrust it toward the two. The dirt flew out of his hand as he opened it once more. It pelted the two Necromancers as they landed. Both of them began laughing at what they thought was a feeble attack from the Wizard. Thanos flicked his wrist in a circular motion, causing the dirt to begin to swirl around his adversaries. Their smiles quickly vanished as the dirt began to tear at their skin. Their screamed echoed in Thanos’ head as he turned and thrust both his hands forward while yelling. The ground in front of him erupted and shot out toward the Holy Order’s army as if it were fired out of a cannon.
The force of the spell knocked a handful of the Holy Order’s soldiers down. It momentarily stopped their forward progress, but Grand Cleric Bartholomew was set on destroying the Necromancers and ordered his men to march. Upon seeing this, the Necromancers were infuriated with Thanos. Several of them stepped forward to stop him, but were intercepted by the small contingent of Wizard’s under Thanos’ command. The Archwizard, knowing full well that neither group could survive the coming battle alone, called out for them to stop. His words went unheeded as the Necromancers unleashed their first salvo of spells. The Wizards sent back their own volley of spells. Thanos looked on in horror as the two groups continued to decimate each other with round after round of spells. The Necromancers pressed their attack, letting their skeletons close in on the Wizards while they rained down spells from the skies. In a valiant attempt, the Wizards pushed through the horde of skeletons and unleashed one last assault on the Necromancers. It ultimately did nothing to change the outcome of the short skirmish and the Necromancers decimated every last Wizard.
The Archwizard’s first thought was to retaliate, but the impending doom of the Holy Order’s attack caused him to change his mind. He turned to see the Holy Order troops nearly halfway up the mountain. What trickery is this? he wondered as he called for the Necromancers to join him. They rushed forward and almost immediately began to argue about their next course of action, all but ignoring the oncoming army. Thanos appeared to be the only one who noticed the Holy Order scaling the mountain at a much faster pace than seemed humanly possible. He used his magic to create a geyser of dirt to downpour on the advancing troops, but it did little to slow them. They descended upon the bickering Necromancers and began cutting them down. The magic users and their small reanimated army attempted to fight back, but they were quickly overwhelmed. Thanos retreated back behind the Necromancers and their skeletons, preparing to take the Holy Order on his own terms. He used his magic to create several different types of golems and then waited for the Holy Order to attack.
The Holy Order paused and examined their opponent. Bartholomew and his men were highly confused as to why Thanos was staying instead of running. It made a good portion of the army ill at ease. They began to whisper to each other about how he should be left alone. The Archwizard took the time to create even more golems, each one as powerful as the next. He had never pushed his magic to this limit, but there were no signs that it would be too much. Grand Cleric Bartholomew ordered his men to attack. Unlike the Necromancers and their skeletons, Thanos’ golems fought in perfect unison. When one golem appeared to be faltering, another would rush to assist. Though only fifteen in number, the golems were effectively holding the Holy Order’s army back. Bartholomew began yelling something frantically, but Thanos was unable to catch what he was saying over the sounds of the battle. He watched and waited as the enemy made a surge toward the golems. Their tactics had changed from before. Instead of attacking the constructs, they were pushing past them and trying to get to Thanos. Two soldiers were able to make it past the golems and attack the Archwizard. He hit the first with a fireball, but the second was able to land a blow with his war hammer. The hammer connected with Thanos’ cheek and knocked him onto the floor. He tried to climb to his feet, but his opponent came forward and used the shaft of his war hammer to hit Thanos in the forehead, knocking him unconscious.
*
Paul unfurled the sail on the boat that Janessa had lent them. It was a small boat that only required one person to pilot, however, that person needed to be a Wizard to effectively sail on open waters. Emily had taken the helm for the beginning part of the journey, but Paul had insisted that he should learn how to maneuver such a boat. Why is he so insistent on knowing this? she wondered as she watched him adjust the sail again. Not that it was against Paul’s character to learn things, but it seemed to Emily that they had much more pressing matters to attend to. Lately, she had often found herself wondering about the man. As if by fate, they had been thrown together with a singular purpose. Now things seemed to be changing. Paul’s need for revenge was driving him, while Emily’s desire for revenge was waning. It had put a strain on what she had thought was going to be a close relationship. She was left to wonder if recent events had clouded her judgment. Rolin had tried to warn her when she was younger, but she refused to listen. When she was young, she never thought of her father as a king, nor did she consider him at any more danger than those whom he ruled.
“What if things had been different?” She asked.
“I’m not sure I understand the question,” Paul replied.
“What if my father had never attacked the Wizards?”
“I suppose that we would have never met, and this war would never have been started. The world would be much closer to what you are used to. You were made for more peaceful times, trained to protect. I am not like you, my specialty is making war. Destruction, if you will. That is always where we will differ.”
“Are we really that different? You seek revenge, but it isn’t what makes you who you are. You are as much a protector as Rolin or James.”
Paul didn’t reply to her comment, he just stared off at the island on the horizon. He had never seen it before, be he instantly knew it was the Isle of Magic. There was a certain feel to the island, even from this distance. It was similar to how he felt at the Conclaves, but significantly more powerful. The magic was so powerful that it was almost as if he could see it swirling around the large castle. Everything about the island gave off the impression of power. Though there was nothing to compare it to, the castle looked absolutely massive. It covered more than ninety percent of the island and Paul could only estimate its height. Emily had heard the stories of the island and knew that the castle towered more than two hundred feet in the air. She also knew that there were mages that resided on the island whose ages were thought to be more than a thousand years. It was a place so strong in magic that Emily felt as though she could read those around her. Paul’s intentions and desires become aware to her without him having said a word.
“It is truly magnificent,” He said, completely in awe of the castle.
“You absolutely will not leave me here, Paul!” Emily yelled as she stepped forward to take control of the ship.
“What? How did you?” Paul asked, completely confused.
“The island, it amplifies my magic and allows me to do things I never thought possible.”
“I don’t have a choice, Emily. This is the place for you. You are the perfect magician. You embody control and wisdom. I am the opposite of that. You are an instrument to keep peace, I am a weapon to wage war. That has always been my potential. Rolin and James may not have said it to me, but I could see what they were thinking. I could tell what the entire council needed from me. It is who I am, this is what I am meant to do. Without me, there will be no peace for you to keep.”
“What ab
out after the war? What will you do when all of it is over?” Emily asked.
“That remains to be seen. I’ve been a survivor all these years due to one thing and one thing only. My need for revenge has driven me to fight harder and smarter. Each loss became a lesson on how not to approach things in the future. We shall see if my adaptability carries over into peace. I cannot guarantee my survival. I can, however, guarantee that your father will be avenged.”
Emily nodded, she knew better than to try to convince Paul otherwise. It pained her to see him throw away his life as he wanted to, but there was nothing she could do to stop him. Her hope for Paul rested with Rolin and James. They were the link between Paul and Emily. Each of them could operate at full capacity in war and in peace. She gathered her belongings and smiled at Paul. He nodded back at her with a grave look on his face. The docking attendants began to tie the boat down, but Paul waved them off. Emily stepped off the boat and looked back at Paul. He was already busy turning the boat around. She waved to him, and he nodded back to her. Always afraid of his own emotions, she thought as she watched Paul and his boat slowly sail away. As the figure disappeared on the horizon, Emily became aware of the footsteps behind her. She turned to find several mages had come to greet her.
“You must be Emily. We are here to welcome you to the magic academies on Magic Island. Are you to be the only one staying with us?” One of them asked.
“Yes, I am alone in that. That does not complicate things, I hope.” Emily found it hard to concentrate on the conversation as she looked up at the majesty of the castle.
“Not at all. Your friend would have been an added bonus, but you have far more potential here than he ever would. His path in through the fire, if he comes out alive he may yet learn to control his magic. You, on the other hand, your learning comes from books, lectures, and practice. That is what we specialize in here, creating an environment that allows you to tap into potential that you never knew you had. Once you have learned all that we have to teach, then you can test your abilities in battle. If that is what you wish. For now, you must choose your path, for there are several schools here at the Island of Magic.” The eldest of the mages guided Emily up the path and through the gates.
“What are the schools from which I may choose?”
“You have misinterpreted my meaning. We choose your school based on your results in the tests.”
*
Gareth slowed to a stop as the events of the day began to catch up to him. He dropped to his knees and began breathing heavily. His body ached as he struggled to his feet, not wanting Leniya to see him in this state. He leaned against a tree and tried to normalize his breathing. It took him some time to realize that she was calling out to him. He looked over at her, smiled, and then raised his hand. She approached him with a quizzical look on her face and was about to ask him a question when he raised a finger to his lips. He pointed off in one direction and watched as she began to intently scan the area. Why am I here? he asked himself as he watched her try to figure out what he was trying to tell her. His legs began to wobble, and he put more of his weight on the tree. The pained expression on his face was enough to show Leniya that his action was far from deliberate. She placed his arm around her shoulder and walked him into a small clearing. After helping him sit down, she turned to face him.
“Why didn’t you tell me you needed a rest?” She asked.
“I have no rational explanation for it. All I can think is that I don’t want to disappoint. Your people put a lot of risk into seeking my help, and I don’t want to break that trust. It may seem strange that one who was your enemy not long ago is trying so hard to help you, but I have seen Bartholomew’s handiwork and it is not something I can ignore any longer.”
“It is somewhat hard to believe, but we had nobody else to turn to. Our people have been destroying each other for far too long. We needed an outsider with knowledge of our people. You were our best hope. There are few of your old order that are as honorable as you.”
“None of that matters now. Even if we were to overthrow the other Witches, the Holy Order will return and decimate whatever forces we have left. We need to find a place of refuge. It is the only course of action left for us.” Gareth desperately hoped that she would listen.
“Reports tell us that the Holy Order has moved on to attack the Necromancers. Surely this will change the outcome of our war with them, will it not?”
“I am afraid not. The army that Bartholomew commands is among the largest that anyone can field. Even if we were to hold them off, he could still call in more reinforcements from home. We cannot afford a war with that man. Not without allies.”
“Then we must seek allies.”
Gareth shrugged, not knowing how to respond. He knew full well that Grand Cleric Bartholomew would stop at nothing to see the Witches rooted out. What he didn’t know was whether they could find any allies strong enough to oppose him. Hiding is our best chance, he thought as he slowly rose to his feet. His resolve was once again strengthened. Though she did not currently agree with him, he knew that she would have to come around at some point. The road ahead would be harsh at best, but it was better than the slaughter that lay behind them. He knew very few outside the Holy Order and the southern parts of the world were quite foreign to him. The journey south promised him, Leniya, and her people a new beginning, but he couldn’t help but wonder how far the Holy Order would go to exterminate him and the Witches. His thoughts began to wander as he followed Leniya to the south. Most of her people had already fled south from the oppressive Witches, but they had agreed to wait before passing through the mountains into the forests of the southlands.
“I do not know what we will find on the other side of those ridges, but my people have no other choice,” Leniya said as she looked up at the mountains that loomed ahead.
“I’ve heard rumors that the elves and Druids offer their home as a refuge to those in need. Let us hope that they are willing to accept Witches and an exile from the Holy Order.”
*
James was waiting for Leon just outside the castle courtyard. He stood his ground as the Elementalist approached. Leon threw his arms out and did a small twirl before facing James. He seemed to have added a flair for the dramatic to his repertoire, the fire Wizard thought as he watched Leon turn back toward the crowd. Leon thrust his hands in the air, causing sparks to fly up from around him. The crowd burst out in oohs and aahs, but it did little to impress or intimidate his opponent. Leon had a much larger following than James. His crowd was full of guards, nobles, Wizards, and a large portion of the populace. James had a small contingent of rebels that stood behind him who were waiting for the right moment to strike. He wanted to keep casualties to a minimum and had tried to insist that they allow him to take on Leon alone, but they demanded to accompany him so that they could back him up if the Elementalist tried anything underhanded. James stepped forward and addressed Leon.
“This is between you and me, Leon. None of these others need to be involved,” He motioned toward the crowd as he spoke.
“There is far more at stake than you realize, fool!” Leon replied.
“So be it.” James opened his hands and a ring of flames formed around the two Wizards, blocking the witnesses from interfering.
“Let this be no concern to you, your Wizard Emperor will defeat this usurper!” Leon yelled to the crowd.
James rolled his eyes and he clenched his left fist, readying a spell. Leon growled as he stepped forward and thrust out his left hand, unleashing a jet of water at his opponent. The fire Wizard smiled as he rolled to the side of the water jet and released a fireball from his left hand. It shot out toward Leon, who threw up a giant water shield. Just as the fireball was about to collide with the shield, it broke into two pieces, one heading left and the other heading right. They both turned sharply and hit Leon from each side. He dropped to one knee as he prepared another spell. James stepped forward and thrust both of his hands forward. A massive burst of flames
exploded out of his hands and engulfed the other Wizard. The flames scattered as Leon send a burst of wind flying at his opponent. James stepped back a few steps as the wind was too much for him to keep his footing. With James distracted by the winds, Leon had an opening.
He shot three bolts of lightning at his opponent. James dove aside, dodging two of the three bolts. The third bolt slammed into his arm, sending a surge of electricity through his body. Leon turned to the crowd and raised his hands. They erupted in applause at the Wizard’s antics. James rolled to his feet and sent another fireball toward the Elementalist. It slammed into Leon’s back and knocked him to the floor. The fire Wizard clenched his teeth as he shot two more fireballs at his opponent. Leon threw up a water shield that covered his entire body. James shot his hands forward, and lightning surged out of his fingertips. Leon dropped the water shield and slid to the side, letting the lightning hit the floor where he had been moments before. He stood up and faced his opponent. They both stood for several second, breathing heavily and slightly worse for wear. Leon chuckled and raised his hands, hoping that James would give him a moment to speak.
“This is all for nothing, my friend. Can’t you see that we need to consolidate our power?” Leon asked, still breathing heavily.
“We cannot force our will on others. That is not the way of the Wizards. We offer to share knowledge with those who want it, and we give protection to those who request it. What we do not do is submit our will onto others,” James replied.
“Are you blind? That is what Rolin spouts, but do you see him removing himself from the Carmalians when the others come to invade? It is all the same, my friend. Your intentions may be noble and, perhaps you can live that way in the desert, but things are different here in the cities.”
“The Galimdorians are using us as an excuse to invade as much territory as they can. We should not reply with a power grab of our own, it would make us no better.”
The Wizard's Council Page 20
