The Unexpected Heir: A Tale of Alus

by Wigboldy,Donald

He felt a sudden surge from Annalicia's place in the center of their focus. It was the power he had felt the previous day and Caldrefan knew that he had found the source after all. How she had hidden her true power while fighting Obek was her secret. Unlike Obek, the master wizard didn't plan on leaving any breath in her body to escape what he had waiting for her.

  Chapter 37- Counter Spells

  Annalicia's duel with the enemy wizard had been as tough as any in the ring at Winter's Edge. He had been talented and powerful. The final spell to close with her had been a surprise. No one in Malaiy had shown her that such a thing was possible. He had moved beneath the ground and used the stone he controlled to bind her. If the wizard had chosen to go for her hands or the kill, he could have won.

  Learning how to use magic like a battle mage had saved her life and those of her men before; but never like this. She controlled the darkness in a new way also destroying her bonds as Anna aimed the spell with her hands containing it to just the stone around her wrists.

  No sooner had the wizard freed herself from the stone than the enemy let loose with a barrage of magic beyond anything that they had tried so far. Reynolvan and Ivanor erected night shields, but they had been separated from her. Trapped with dozens of Malaiyan soldiers, Annalicia worked at a frenzied pace blocking fire, wind and stone. Men still died as the enemy removed any strategy from their exchange. They were simply using more wizards and spells than she could keep up with, and Anna knew that just a single wizard could only stop so many spells.

  Worse, one wizard could be exhausted by so many as well. Holding the spear with her left hand, Annalicia drew upon Alus for more power. Suddenly her shields resisted longer and two or three wizards were required to break one of her spells.

  Feeling nearly invincible, Annalicia knew that even this kind of power had its limits. The ground could supply her endlessly, but her body could only take so much, even if she truly was what they called immortal. A body could burn away from the sheer power of Alus and even regulating it would eventually cause her to exhaust herself. The latter issue could still kill her, but if not from using up her magic, lying unconscious would leave her open to the enemy's spells.

  Sebastian had argued with Darius over whether using his magic to heal and protect might keep him from aging. Her grandfather couldn't answer that question since the mage was unique. Now she needed to protect her people and hoped that need would help her last longer also.

  In spite of the chaos of so many wizards fighting around her and so many targeting her in particular, Annalicia felt a wave of power suddenly shining from the opposite side of the field. A single wizard held the strength of several, she thought; or at least that was the gap in strength between him and a wizard of average power.

  She could sense the change in the soldiers of Malaiy. They tensed. Some were killed instantly by the charging enemy, but others began to react in different ways. Men dropped weapons from nerveless fingers. Others dropped to the ground clutching their heads unable to move from the spot. Then there were those who started to turn and run.

  Annalicia watched a few smaller groups trying to stop the men. They had been seeded with the spell taught her by Darius after an incident with Sebastian's younger sister. Her mind magic had taken Anna as well as everyone on the Sea Dragon and on the dock beneath Hala. He had diffused the situation with a spell and a touch. Each person the wizard touched with his protection broke from the mind magic.

  Unfortunately now, there were just too many men to try and free from the enemy's fear spell. Men would be at the walls of Malaiy before they could hope to stop them all. Quickly thinking of how she could affect more of the men at once. Annalicia's mind spun until she looked at her spear. It touched the ground and the men all had contact with Alus as well.

  Quickly mumbling the counter spell already in affect around her body, Annalicia drew in even more power before lifting the spear a moment. Slamming the power back down with the butt of the weapon, the wizard sent the spell into the earth. Her intent was to affect all of the soldiers guarding Solan to the east and west. The depth of their ranks was relatively thin, but Annalicia's control of a newly imagined use for the spell lacked control. She couldn't hope to hold power over all of their people at once. The wizards who had lent the spell to the select few to halt a retreat if possible had a continual drain on their magic to maintain the spell.

  Her spell rippled through the men affected by the fear and disrupted its affects. Men recovered quickly picking up their weapons and returned to the fight. Beyond the break, they felt a surge of bravery and the momentum of the battle quickly shifted.

  Caldrefan felt the girl's power grow to the point that he was certain that she was going to burn herself out. He felt the spell build, but he didn't know what she planned. When the men of Malaiy all turned back to fight and appeared even more motivated than before, he thought that was the worst of it until he noticed the men in their front line.

  The girl's spell had not only affected her people, but had spread into his army. Men made to fight against their people or fight for him when they had truly wished to fight against the brotherhood stopped their attack. Those following the men expected to die for a cause that they didn't believe in looked at their former comrades as they turned to glare at the remainder of the brothers' army.

  Anger crossed many of their faces. Others began looking for the wizards at fault for making them fight their own people. The men caught at Fort Camden tore their sashes from their waists and turned to face those from Tseult and the forces from Alwere. Those remaining from the rout at Daria suddenly wondered how they could have followed their enemy for so long.

  Caldrefan looked on the change in the men and suddenly it was he who felt fear. "Fall back to our rear guard quickly," he ordered his wizards. Nearly every wizard was either his by choice or had been coerced with a clear mind.

  Seeing their fellows ready to join the enemy in attacking them, the red sash soldiers took Caldrefan's advice and began to fall back. It wasn't long before the freed men began to attack those too slow to run. Some of his loyal soldiers were cut down as they began to retreat. Others were captured, since no one could truly tell who was friend or foe now. Some tore the red sashes off in defiance, but others ignored it choosing to attack instead.

  It was a rout of another kind as Caldrefan and his loyal men ran for the camp. They regrouped there and set up a hasty defense. His army still outnumbered those who had turned against him, but when Malaiy decided that it was safe to chase them down, Caldrefan knew that they would be in trouble.

  "What happened, Master Caldrefan?" General Wayrd questioned as the commanders of the brothers' army regrouped.

  His top wizards stood near their master wondering the same thing. Grinding his teeth, Caldrefan had wondered how the girl had managed to ruin his spell when it had lasted for weeks on the soldiers as long as they maintained the magic regularly. While it had always been a possibility, the wizard had grown confident that they could continue to turn Malaiy's soldiers against Orlaan and his remaining forces.

  Slowly releasing his words, Caldrefan reminded the men, "We always knew that it was possible that something could happen to disrupt the control of the spell. Fear can sometimes break a thrall from the magic. It was always a worry."

  Hoskins shook his head, but not because he doubted his master's words. "Was it the girl? I felt some spell wash over me. It was like a wave and as it passed, our soldiers began to stop. A moment later they turned on us."

  "I've never found anyone capable of breaking the spell, but every type of magic has its counter. How this lady from Malaiy came to know it and how she could summon the power to affect so many is a mystery, but we have to face that we cannot continue if both Malaiy and the men freed join forces. They will outnumber us so we will need to figure out a different plan to take Solan."

  Wayrd frowned deeply and said, "The men were promised riches and land, Master Caldrefan. This poses a problem if we can't take the city."

&nbs
p; Sighing at the idea of man's greed superseding their loyalty, the wizard stated, "We can still reward them with both. Solan will just have to wait. A land serving Sordrian can be built and we can come after this prize later. There is always time.

  "For now, we will have to pull the army back. We can control Fort Camden and as much of the land around it as we can, then we will work on putting gold in your soldiers' pockets; if that is what it will take to keep them here and loyal."

  The men looked disappointed, but Caldrefan knew the feeling well. He had thought that it was his time. Word would have to be sent to Edrin's Crossing. Karlaan would have to wait as well, though the wizard wondered if the boy would have the patience needed. He had pushed too quickly and nearly had the king's men on top of him. His people inside the castle had heard enough to know that the temple had been under surveillance thanks to his poisoned flowers. Karlaan was flirting with disaster, but the boy was his best chance to take over Malaiy without having to fight for every inch of the country.

  It would remain to be seen, but for now the brotherhood in Malaiy would have to wait.

  Annalicia watched as the enemy army retreated. She had witnessed the men on the other side of the front line turn against the wizards and the remaining army of the Brothers of the Blood. Apparently her spell had done more than just break the magic hold on her people.

  Letting go of the spear, it hit the ground and shattered into powder. Only the metal tip remained of the weapon after the wizard's use of the world's strength.

  Once again the girl felt small, and not from her physical dimensions. Without the extra magic flowing through the staff into her, Annalicia felt hollow. The feeling would pass and she would feel full once more after her magic had time to equalize.

  Sitting on the ground crossing her legs, Anna didn't care if she didn't look ladylike as she sat and dug into her pack to find food and drink. She was exhausted, but not yet tired. The enemy appeared to have given up, but they would have to wait and see if the brothers would try again.

  "Lady Annalicia, are you alright?" Ivanor asked as the wizard ran towards her. He was the closest of her team of wizards. They had done what they could to stop the flight of the soldiers and had spread out trying to cast their magic onto their people to save the battle. No one had been close enough or in their right mind to see what she had done, but the clash of power beyond normal wizards had been felt by them all.

  Just as she had sensed the enemy wizard's strength, they had all in turn felt hers as Anna held onto the power of Alus for a short time.

  "I am fine, Ivanor, just hungry. It got a little harry there for a minute, but it looks like our luck has changed," the girl replied keeping her attention of the front line. With their soldiers set, but with no one attacking; the biggest area of confusion was what was happening with the soldiers who had thrown off the control of the enemy wizards.

  "Something... someone must have managed to break the enemy's control spell; but who has the power to do that? I felt the enemy wizard's power, but someone else countered him. If I didn't know you better, my lady, I would swear that power came from you."

  "How long have you known me now, Ivanor?"

  "Several years, my lady."

  "So you know my strength and magic. You know that it couldn't possibly be me," she stated without looking at the man. If he could see her face, Annalicia wasn't certain that she could lie to him well enough. As she had said, they had known each other a long time.

  Ivanor didn't reply immediately. The girl was certain that he still wondered. "I know that a battle mage shouldn't be able to use spells with the power of a strong wizard, but Sebastian not only did that but created a sword to amplify his spells even more."

  "No sword on me," Anna said spreading her hands before her, though half of a sandwich remained in her right hand before she ate another bite.

  "Sebastian rubbed off on all of us during our time with him, but I am beginning to think that he may have rubbed off on you the most... my lady."

  Releasing a small grunt of laughter, Annalicia didn't comment. She had used his mage spells as much as her own over the last few days. Without having met Sebastian, they never would have known the light and darkness spells or how to cast like a mage. Without meeting him and his sister, Darius would never have taught her the spell which had turned the battle against their enemies.

  Saying that the mage had rubbed off on her was well deserved, but Annalicia knew that it was also Gerid's input that had led her to discover more about herself. She would have been too afraid to use the staff to tap the earth's power, if she didn't believe that she would survive using the massive energy of their world.

  "He definitely rubbed off on all of us, Ivanor, and it is a good thing that he did," the girl finally acknowledged.

  Reynolvan and the other wizards hurried to join her. Even Ryan and Welden, who had been pushed away thanks to the power of the wizards focused on Annalicia, returned to assume their protective stance around their mistress. No one truly thought that the two guards could do more than she had alone, but it made them feel better and Anna didn't mind having someone protecting her back when they could.

  Everyone tried to discover what had really happened; but in the end, Annalicia kept some of the secrets from them. She was immortal and could do something more dangerous with magic than anyone except her grandfather, and somehow a single battle mage as well. It was for their safety as much as it was to keep them from seeing her as something different. At least as a royal lady and wizard, they could look at her as human and one of them. Once it was known that she was also an immortal, Annalicia wondered how people would treat her.

  Darius related to people well, but she had felt that separation from the man and the centuries he had lived beyond normal mortals. She was only twenty-two. The centuries might come, but for now she was just a girl from the king's family. That was enough burden for now.

  Chapter 38- Epilogue

  Karlaan had received Caldrefan's message in disappointment. The master had failed to deliver on his promise, though he cautioned patience once more. He wanted Karlaan to send the small army sitting at Edrin's crossing to him at Fort Camden. For many, the long walk would end their commitment to the cause. He knew it as much as Caldrefan must.

  These people said that they followed Sordrian and wanted a change. They would follow the god hoping for a holy country that would take care of the poor. Karlaan had a feeling that some hoped that their god would bring more than care to those who remained loyal to Sordrian. Perhaps the poor could become the powerful ones someday, they thought.

  Among the army, Karlaan had men and women who could see another way. It wasn't just Sordrian that they followed. Some of these people knew his secret. He was royal by blood, even if Orlaan had yet to recognize him. The king didn't know of his existence either, he could point out. Caldrefan had believed it wiser to hide his existence until they controlled Malaiy. The people would follow a royal son; if he wasn't part of the problems that the brothers told everyone was the fault of Orlaan's family.

  As the main peasant army headed east, Karlaan chose to disobey Caldrefan and moved out on his own to try another plan. He had heard that Earl Bartrand had left his castle to go to his mother's funeral. The man and his wife had remained to help his father after her loss for a time. Rumor was that the earl might leave his city to take up permanent residence in his mother's castle as the only remaining blood relative of Orlaan.

  Caldrefan's shadows had remained working for the brothers and Karlaan as well. He found out when the earl left his parents' castle. Whether he would take the eastern fortress or continue to govern his city, no one knew yet; but Bartrand still had work to do in Tolmat southwest of Yalan.

  The sound of swords clashing could be heard across the open ground between one section of the city and the hill causing a natural break. Karlaan had set up his men in ambush catching the carriage and horsemen as they circled the hill. A force of his soldiers cut off the earl's escape back to the
east, if the driver had dared to try turning away from the men who suddenly held up the horses. More of his soldiers jumped from cover onto the carriage pulling the driver and his men from their seats.

  Horsemen fell to arrows from cover. Soon only a score of his people remained surrounding the carriage.

  Horses neighed and pawed the ground, but they didn't run as the bandits held their reins.

  "Come out, Earl Bartrand. Your time has come," Karlaan stated as he rode closer to the black coach. Tareina heard his authoritative command where she sat another horse. The woman had insisted on joining him. Some of the men had wives nearby as well. This group was more than just soldiers to him. They had become family of a sort.

  He wasn't expecting the earl to give in immediately, but the tall, blonde haired man stepped out looking every bit a royal lord. Though Karlaan could sense his fear, the man was remarkably calm looking.

  "You may do with me what you will, but please spare my wife," he pleaded coolly.

  "I don't think that you get to make any demands, cousin," Karlaan stated just as calmly as the man who now stood on the ground several paces from him.

  His familial term met with a frown of confusion. Seeming to forget about all the armed men surrounding him and his guardsmen dead or wounded on the ground, Bartrand replied, "I know my cousins well enough, but I don't recognize you, sir."

  Laughing at the earl, Karlaan stated, "You don't know me, but I am guessing that I at least look somewhat like my father. Whether you believe me or not, I will cleanse this country of the rest of Orlaan's kin and take away his kingdom one day. You are just another step towards that day."

  A pretty dark haired lady daintily stepped down the stairs at the base of the carriage door. The sound made Bartrand turn in surprise. His wife took his hand in hers as the earl shook his head, "Iaphran, please stay inside. Maybe they will take me and let you go."