Sebastian hated to think ill of his allies and friends, but his distrust seemed to grow each encounter with the ambassador and his daughter. He continued to smile and carry his side of a conversation as much as he could, but for a naturally quiet man, the mage could keep his thoughts to himself and remain quiet as well. With such worries in his heart, the man was glad that he spent most of the day with his friends among the wizards and mages while the ambassador’s party remained in their carriage. The trip continued to bring new anxiety to Sebastian, but he tried to bury the thoughts as much as possible and continued to work on what training he could manage as they rode.
Small villages and towns began to crop up more often and soon the party could see the white walls of the town surrounding the school it was named after. Surrounded by a thirty foot tall white wall, the city spread south of White Hall’s school along almost three miles of the Cadhalla River. Piers lined the southwest side of the river with several protective towers that were more for the appearance of defense for the city’s people than anything since the school had never been attacked since its construction more than a hundred years ago. The river provided a natural defense as the water was between half a mile to nearly three quarters of a mile across in places and deep enough for most ocean going vessels to sail.
Wizards had worked the entire length of the Cadhalla and its branching sister the Caldene River. Maintaining a wide expanse and depth, the school’s city could receive a ship’s wares without having to transfer to a lighter river vessel, and on occasion the piers would host a large ocean going vessel with its tall masts towering over the local fishing ships. The relative peace afforded the lands south of the wall had given way to incredible changes created by wizards and the backs of common men alike.
Behind the winding white protective wall of the city, the tallest towers of White Hall were all that could be seen of the school. It wasn’t the fortress that cities like Falcon’s Keep or Windmeer were built around after all but a center of learning for new wizards, battle mages and elite troops of the Southwall armies. It had its own smaller walls surrounding the school less for protection from without but for secrecy and separation for training courtyards.
Two large gates sat in the western wall near the center with less than half a mile between them. A road led south from one and the other west which would wind its way north to Windmeer from which the caravan came. It was an interesting enough sight that the ambassador’s party took turns looking out the coach’s windows as they approached the north gate.
Guards slowed the light traffic heading into the city, but with the cold of winter upon Southwall it was a brief pause as they reported their reason for entry before a guard jotted the note down on a sheet clipped to a board. Once inside, the party didn’t turn north towards the school, but headed into the city. After coming to a large inn and exiting his carriage, Lord Romonus frowned glancing in the direction of the school before confronting Sebastian.
“Falcon Trillon, I understand that White Hall is a popular city, but it isn’t in a direct line with the next defensive city along the wall. If I have to be delayed by such a detour, I was hoping to at least have the chance to meet the leaders of the city. Why aren’t we at the castle?”
Trying to be patient with a matter discussed along the way, Sebastian answered in a similar way to his previous attempts to make the man understand, “Lord Romonus, though White Hall is south of the wall, I assure you that coming here will actually wind up being faster than trying to travel near the wall at this time of year. The northern keeps don’t get a lot of travel between them due to the weather and there are few villages near the dangers of the north. This route has better roads and you’ll also appreciate that you will be able to spend a night in a warm inn after every day’s travels the rest of the way to Hala. There is also likely to be better weather this far south as well.
“As to staying at a castle, White Hall is a school and the accommodations wouldn’t be up to your standards I’m sure, so we brought you to the White Rose Inn, which is the city’s most prestigious where Southwall’s nobles often stay when they come to visit the mayor. We have already sent word to the mayor for you, sir, and he is anxious to meet you.
“Lord Reinhar, the mayor of White Hall, wishes to have lunch with you tomorrow and that evening there will be a banquet for you and your daughter where you will be able to meet the local nobility as well.
“I will let the leaders of the school know of your interest in meeting with them as well when I go there today to report in if you would like,” he finished making the last a slight question. Whether Lord Romonus wanted to meet with the heads of the wizards and mages of White Hall or not, they were not politically influenced beyond the money sent from the king to keep the school running. Perhaps they would meet with him, but if the lord truly wanted to spread political good will, they would be a near waste of time. Sebastian doubted that his politics were the only reason that the man wished to go to the school, but he could hardly use that as a reason to not send the request.
Looking slightly mollified by his words, the ambassador looked at the four story inn sprawling to either side of the carriage and noted the marbled stone entryway with its three marble steps. At four stories tall, it was the tallest building in the city aside from the towers of White Hall.
“Well, I see that you have planned for us properly and I would hardly want to disappoint the mayor and his nobles, but please let the school’s leaders know that I would love to visit with them as well,” the portly ambassador added as the cold day inspired the man to enter to the inn.
With the ambassador’s party taken care of, Sebastian led the remainder of party north to the school. While it was not designed for hosting dignitaries, the wizards, mages and soldiers of Southwall all had places they could stay in the school. There was no point to lining the inn’s coffers with gold that would come from funds designated for the school and armies of the king after all, since there was a perfectly good set of dorms and barracks sitting right there.
He hadn’t lied that the accommodations wouldn’t be up to a lord’s standards, but it had been what they had spent half their lives in for most of them so it was home. For Sebastian and Yara, it had been less than a year since they had left the modest rooms of White Hall for the adventures north of the wall, so it was more home to them than the castles they had lived in for the past few months of their lives. The fact that he had become a full falcon and she was to become a full wizard in that time didn’t change that White Hall made them feel like returning students even so.
The administrators had been notified by note sent by peregion, a type of hawk that could be trained to fly between keeps for such matters. Birds could navigate the winter air much faster than any horsemen could and the school had probably received notification of the group’s impending arrival days before thanks to the slow traveling carriage. When the riders rode into the open gate of the school, handlers were ready to take their horses to groom and feed the animals.
Normally, as a battle mage he would go with the rest of his mages to their wing of the school, but this trip involved Yara and the other wizards. As leader and the competitor needing the wizards’ help, it fell to Sebastian to carry the documents from Deyla and High Wizard Jeriah concerning not only his need for duels training, but a request to promote Yara and then borrow her as well. He wasn’t looking forward to the meeting despite his preparation.
The wizard leaders of the school and the wizards outside of it apparently were not necessarily fans of being told by others what to do or not do. High Wizard Jeriah was highly respected as a white wizard, but the teachers only gave his word so much credit. Their work and responsibilities didn’t fall under his jurisdiction and they would either honor his request or dismiss it as they saw fit. At least Deyla’s request for Yara’s promotion would have more strength, since she was the girl’s trainer and from White Hall.
“Are you all right?” Yara asked noting a bit of his nervousness.
; Giving the strongest smile he could muster, the young man replied, “I’m fine. I’m just curious how this will go. The elders of your school don’t necessarily love battle mages, so this could go poorly.”
Placing a comforting hand on his forearm, Yara encouraged him by saying, “I’m sure even at White Hall they’ve heard of the mizard. Maybe if it starts going wrong you can show them how you’ve learned to heal. That may surprise them long enough for you to escape.” She giggled at the thought of him running from the wizards, but it wasn’t quite as funny to the mage walking into the hall of wizards.
Chapter 21- A Healer’s Test
From one nerve racking meeting to another, the pair made their way deeper into the wizards’ circle until they finally stood before a panel of seven wizards. By this time even Yara, who was used to the customs and manners of wizards, was getting fidgety. In the manner of defendants on trial, the two stood before these judges to prove both Yara’s progress and defend their ability to continue on to Hala together. If the wizards knew of how close the young couple’s true relationship was, Sebastian had a feeling that he would have been thrown out and made never to see her again.
What thoughts were going through the girl’s mind, he didn’t know, but even without looking at her, Sebastian could feel her tension beside him. The pair of them was making every effort not to look at one another as the seven wizards examined the documents that had been brought to them expanding upon whatever High Wizard Jeriah had been able to get across by peregion. They gave little expression to reveal their true thoughts, but Sebastian could feel the negativity of the room just by having a battle mage in their presence. It had been awhile since he had felt so out of place among wizards.
The wizards sat at a judges’ bench raised on a large dais so that, even seated, the council’s faces were slightly above Sebastian’s eye line. Forced to look up to meet their eyes, the mage wanted to swallow but was afraid that they would notice the motion and know it for nerves. The center wizard was a grey haired healer in the solid yellow of his order. Flanking him on either side sat a fire wizard to the man’s left and a mind wizard in the black of the diplomats to his right. Water and nature were represented to either side with a pair of wizards in yellow holding the ends of the table.
It was an usual grouping if it was a normal judging, but Sebastian assumed the two healers were there to help judge Yara. The other wizards could judge as wizards, but only those from her school would truly know how far she had come. After the months and the amounts of healing that the girl had to do for Windmeer, there was no doubt in Sebastian’s mind that she knew her skills well.
The center wizard focused his eyes on Sebastian and began his line of questioning, “This says that you plan to join Winter’s Edge, and that you are in need of wizards to help train you. Why does a battle mage also need a white wizard to ask for an apprentice to be raised to join you on this fool’s errand?”
Noting the man’s final words meant to put him down, Sebastian ignored them as he replied, “Windmeer has a need for healers. Wizard Deyla was needed there for now, but an apprentice can be spared much easier. The problem is an apprentice can’t join such a mission without a trainer to supervise her. With her mentor’s approval, Yara has come to prove that she is ready.”
“We know why she is here,” the man in the black robe stated frowning at the falcon. “What I think Wizard Alum is asking is, why are you here? What does a battle mage know about healing to ask for such a boon and more over why have you possibly chosen to join a wizards’ tournament?”
Alum nodded never lessening his intensity.
“Yara and Deyla were excellent teachers. By their example, I’ve learned much of the healing art as well. As to my choosing to join a wizards’ tournament, the ravens believe that I can actually learn something from the competition. I think they also believe that I might have a chance to win.”
His confession of learning healing from the women brought deep frowns especially from those in yellow. Sebastian barely heard the suppressed groan from Yara, who probably felt doomed as well. A couple of the wizards laughed at his belief that he had a chance in the tournament, but the tension never left them despite the sounds.
“Battle mages have never used healing spells as far as I know,” Alum remarked appearing unconvinced of his words.
“Well, then have him prove it,” the black robed man stated. His thinning black hair was slicked back and Sebastian couldn’t help feel a little worried that the man might abuse his mind powers. He wished that he could ride the winds and protect his mind just in case, but such a maneuver would do little to promote goodwill between them.
“And how will we do that, Gregor? Do we have someone ill that can be healed or someone wounded?” the healer asked looking bored with the idea.
Chanting briefly, a flash of silver lanced out from the table as the wizard gestured with his hand as if flinging something physically. The flash struck Yara on her arm and blood splattered her sleeve. With a cry of pain, the girl immediately went to try and cover a cut across the interior of her forearm.
“There,” the wizard in black stated as the other six all started in their chairs half raising in alarm, “since she is his teacher, let the student heal her. If he’s truly embraced the healing art, then such a cut should be child’s play.”
“Gregor!” Alum started darkening visibly in his anger. “We do not harm people while in judgment of their skills. We are healers. This is against all that we are as wizards.”
With a sniff of derision, the black robed wizard retorted, “You’re a healer. I am not. My kind find ways to achieve goals no matter what costs might be needed. A simple cut isn’t going to kill the girl. I think you’re over acting as usual, Alum.”
Ignoring the arguing wizards, Sebastian reached out and placed his right hand over her wounded arm. The wetness of her blood was held firmly trying to contain the girl’s vital fluids. Like the wizard had said, such a wound if it was attended to would not kill her, but it had been painful and such a cut could kill from blood loss on a battlefield.
“Heal,” he ordered his magic as the mage looked in Yara’s eyes momentarily. She looked ready to ask him not to heal her despite the wizards’ demands from the bench.
The mizard’s mind found the wound immediately. This was no wound on the battlefield or disease caused pain somewhere inside of a person. His hand led his magic as much as his mind and worked to knit the wound using as much of the blood to return physically back into her own skin. His sight was no longer from his eyes. Blind to the world, the mage used the healing magic taught to him by Yara to do what only a wizard could do before him.
Releasing his grip and his magic, Sebastian’s sight returned to the wizards on their bench. They had heard his commanding voice. Some thought that he had demanded it of one of the three wizards in attendance and indeed both of those on the either end quickly left the dais to come assist the young woman.
At Yara’s raised palm, still covered in her own blood, and a quick shake of her head, they watched as the apprentice trusted her pupil to heal her. The spell was almost over before they were within arm’s reach anyway. The mage’s hand released dropping to his side as his mind restored sight to his eyes to see the confusion around them.
“We need a couple towels and could I have something to drink, please?” the mage asked acting unaffected by the attack and in truth he was probably finally more relaxed now than before using his magic. Being magical and using magic, mages and wizards were never more themselves than when using their spells, he thought.
His needs were quickly met as attendants from the edges of the room rushed the items to the mage and Yara. Taking a quick pair of gulps from a bottle, Sebastian handed the bottle to Yara who took a drink without thinking of how it would look to those watching them. There was only one bottle and the two didn’t worry over sharing germs anymore.
The two towels wiped the blood from their hands and what little remained on Yara’s forearm that ha
d not been reused in the spell. After she was clean save for the blood that had soaked into her sleeve, the three healing wizards all took a close look at the mage’s work.
“Amazing,” one of the healers, the lone woman on the panel, remarked as the first one seeing the result of his magic.
The second healer nodded and added, “I can’t even see a scar. It’s like the wound was never there. Few apprentices can achieve that level of skill.”
Grunting his approval without releasing his frown, Alum confirmed, “There are many that achieve wizard that lack this sort of finesse. He obviously works to be perfect in his results.” The man’s eyes flicked to Sebastian’s as he warned, “Be careful, mage. Sometimes you may need to allow a scar rather than use up all you energy, though in this case I can understand why you wouldn’t want the girl to have to live with a scar from such an indelicate test as Gregor has given you.”
Giving a last glare at the wizard in his black robe, who in turn appeared not to care, Alum led the seven back to the bench. Gregor actually began to smile as he walked up the steps to his seat as he retorted, “Well, I guess we know that he can pass your healer’s tests. Now how will you test the girl?”
A warning, inarticulate growl was Alum’s first answer and the other two healers looked equally upset. Healers healed and did no harm. It was even believed that a healing wizard that took up damaging spells might lose the ability to heal. Being a battle mage and a healer, Sebastian kind of assumed that was untrue, but there had never been a white wizard who could heal. Most believed there never would be, since so much of the other schools’ spells were used for battle.
The fire wizard, who had remained the calmest of all except Gregor, interrupted the wizards and asked, “Are we of a mind to follow High Wizard Jeriah’s request then? If the girl passes your tests, Alum, then do we automatically release the new wizard to travel to Hala?”
Battle Mage: Winter's Edge Page 27
