Hand Made Mage

by James Haddock

  "What about you, did they see you kill anyone?"

  "No."

  He looked back at the Prince, "Is he your man?"

  "A friend."

  He looked back at me. "What's in it for you?" My hand started tingling. I wanted to tell him everything but stopped. His ring drew my attention.

  "You are compelling me to tell the truth. The ring?"

  He smiled, "that is the first time in 40 years anyone has resisted it."

  "It's good," I said, "I'm just a natural-born liar, and I get suspicious when I feel the need to tell the truth. I will tell you this, I did not do it for personal gain, I just didn't like the stacked deck."

  "Were they Assassin Guild?"

  "No, no tattoos. Criminal Guild. Murder for hire on the cheap."

  "You'll both stay here tonight; we'll talk more in the morning. I'll have more information by then. I thank you for the aid you gave Prince Kade. I will not forget it. We have prepared a room for you." A servant step into the doorway bowing.

  I rose, bowing to the Prince, "Highness." He nodded his head returning my bow. I turned and followed the servant out of the room.

  Chapter four

  The servant led me toward the back of the house, and down a hall. I was looking through the walls, betrayals had given me a new sense of caution, that I planned on keeping. No ambush lay in wait… So far.

  The door to the last room was open. No one was in the room. He showed me in, "water in the basin. If you will allow, I'll take your boots, and have them cleaned."

  I nodded, "thank you." I removed my boots and gave them to him.

  "If you need anything someone will be outside. Breakfast is served at 7 o'clock. Do you need anything more at the moment?"

  "No, thank you." He bowed and left the room, closing the door behind him. I waited a moment, at least they didn't lock the door. The "Someone will be outside" was not lost on me. Neither was the fact that I had no boots to walk away in. Smooth.

  I looked the room over. No windows, a nice bed, furniture, and rugs, I supposed this was one of their nicer cells.

  I saw there was a passageway along one wall with peepholes, so they could observe the room. The Servant was there watching. I ignored him. I took a chair and placed it under the door handle. They would probably expect that. I arranged the pillows on the bed, turned the lantern out, and lay down. The servant waited a moment longer then left. There was a man posted at the end of the hall.

  I dropped through the bed, floor, and into the earth. I drifted back to where the Prince and the master of the house were still talking.

  "And you left, coming straight here, did anyone see you?"

  "They saw us entering a carriage leaving the party, nothing more."

  "How long have you known your friend?"

  "A few days. He helped me leave a brothel quietly and warned me that someone was after me."

  "Did he work at the brothel?"

  "I don't think so, he seemed to have some trouble of his own with them."

  "Then he shows up and helps your escape more trouble, that seems convenient."

  "Put that way, it seems suspicious."

  "I'll have him checked out, what name did he give you?"

  "Ghost. Said he work for no one. Well, he said he worked for himself."

  "We shall see. I'll send a message to the Fort that you will not be there for the week. That should give us enough time to figure out what is going on. Good night Your Highness," he said bowing.

  "Good night teacher," he said smiling.

  I went back under my room. I stayed in the earth I felt my strength returning to me while the earth held me. I lay back and closed my eyes. Out of curiosity, *warn me if anyone approaches.* I was a light sleeper. Living on the streets teaches you that. I relaxed my mind and slept.

  ✽✽✽

  My tingling hand woke me. I looked, the servant was coming down the hall toward my room, carrying my now polished boots.

  I rose back up onto the bed and waited. He knocked on the door, "Yes?"

  "It's 6:30 Sir, we will serve breakfast in 30 minutes, they expect you. Your boot are at the door."

  "Thank you, I'll be there." He turned and walked away but returned to the passageway to look in on me. I got up, did my morning needful, washed up preparing to go to breakfast. Satisfied, he left the passageway. I removed the chair from blocking the door and retrieved my boots.

  When I was ready, I stepped into the hall where my escort was waiting. I followed him to the dining room. I was the first to arrive and was shown to a chair at the table.

  "Coffee, sir?"

  "Yes, please." The Prince came in, and I stood. "Good morning Highness." bowing.

  "Good morning," he waved his hand, "please continue with your meal." I took my seat, as a plate of food was set before me.

  He received his plate, and we began to eat.

  The major domo came in, "the master is delayed, but begs you to eat. He will join you as soon as he is able."

  The Prince nodded, "Thank you."

  We ate and drank our coffee in silence. Cups refilled, "how's the shoulder?"

  He flexed it, "stiff but not as bad as I'd feared." I nodded savoring my coffee.

  My hand tingled, I looked through the walls; the Teacher approached. Two men took position just out of sight in the kitchen, two outside the door in the hall.

  The Teacher came in, "I'm sorry to be late couldn't be helped, I was receiving some last-minute news." He sat down and they served his breakfast to him. The Prince and I had a sweet pastry with our coffee. We waited for the Teacher to finish his meal or start the conversation.

  "You were correct," the Teacher started, "someone wants you dead. They have tried at least twice. Once at the brothel where you and your friend here met, and again last night. I have not found out who wants you dead or why, as yet."

  "At the same time, there has been a shake-up in the criminal guild. A takeover attempt they say. Lots of bodies, missing leadership, quite the mess."

  I nodded my head, "and you are wondering what my part is in all of this. If I were a retired spymaster with a suspicious nature, I would wonder the same thing."

  He kept his gaze locked on me.

  "I too heard of the takeover attempt, but know nothing of who was involved. I was at the Criminal Guild house on another matter. They seemed to think I had not paid a fair tax on my gains. They said if I did them a service, all was forgiven."

  "Later I heard them planning to kill the Prince. Rather, I would kill the Prince. They would throw us from a balcony, both dying. When they took me over to the brothel for me to perform the service. Well, I had other plans. Since the Prince was being held in the room next to mine, I released him, pointed him to the exit, and wished him luck."

  "And the party?"

  "That was just dumb luck. I overheard someone talking about the Prince escaping but they would have another chance at the party. I sent the Prince a message warning him."

  He looked at the Prince who nodded, "And yes, I went anyway. Maybe not the smartest move." The teacher shook his head and looked back at me.

  "Anyway, I was curious, and went to the Fort to see if the Prince would heed my warning. The rest you know."

  "What did you do that required you pay the guild?"

  "I'm a thief." "That was true as far as it went."

  "Do you also hire out as a killer?"

  "No, I try not to kill, and do so only when I have no choice." "Most of the time."

  "Why help the Prince, what did you see in him that would benefit you?"

  I shrugged my shoulders, "A kindred spirit perhaps. Someone who, through no fault of their own, got caught up in the cogs of life. And was about to be chewed up. We were kind of in the same boat. Everyone needs help now and then."

  "You know Prince Kade is a fourth son and has little to offer you in the way of advancement or wealth."

  "He has offered me something more valuable, he has offered me his friendship, that is enough."
>
  The teacher nodded, "What's your name?"

  "They call me Ghost, it's the only name I've ever known."

  "We must think of something better to call you than 'Ghost'. Anyway, I would recommend that you both stay here until I get more information. Feel free to use the library, training yard, and training hall. Hopefully, for only a day or two."

  ✽✽✽

  I had never been in a library, so I spent most of my time there. I found I enjoyed reading. I felt like a sponge soaking up water.

  He had books on military tactics, history, geography, logistics and supplies, and lots of maps. I studied the maps carefully. He also had a few medico books, and a few about magic. Not very in-depth though, just basic things. He also had many other books in different languages.

  During the day the Prince and I would spar, practice swords, knives, and staffs. Afternoons and evenings found me in the library. This become our routine.

  One evening when I was in the library, "You are enjoying the library?" The Teacher asked.

  "I am."

  "What do you like best?"

  "All of them, but military tactics and logistics are interesting."

  "Yes, there is more to war, any battle really, than just riding in and killing. If you do everything else right, prepare everything, killing is the simple part."

  "It seems logistics and planning can save or kill more than any battle."

  He nodded his head, "it can for a fact, but few see this pivotal truth."

  "You have read all of these?" He nodded. "How many languages do you speak?"

  "Several." He walked to the book shelve and took down a book. He brought it to me. "A gift."

  I took it, "thank you," I read the title, "Sun Tzu, the Art of War."

  "It's a favorite of mine. Translated from the original Chinese."

  "Thank you, sir." I said bowing.

  He bowed and left me.

  I read the book, but it took more than one reading. I studied it. Hoping to ask the Teacher questions at some point.

  I found his basement office, and work area. He had another library down there. These books were on alchemy, poisons, magic, and more maps, histories, and family histories. There were also reports from everywhere on the map.

  At night the earth cradled me as I slept. Each morning I awoke rested and refreshed.

  On our fourth night together we were in the sitting room enjoying an after dinner glass of wine.

  "The only thing I have found out for sure is your enemies are rich and powerful. They are also probably Royals, whether ours or another countries, I cannot say. Your friend here checks out. It appears you were both at the same place at the same time for a different reason. So, now that I don't have to kill you, where do you go from here?"

  I took a swallow of my wine, thinking, "what would you suggest?"

  "They waste your talents as a thief, no matter how good you may be. I may be old, but I have much life left yet. I would teach you my craft, as you have already surmised, spy craft. With the understanding that you would serve Prince Kade. No, he did not know I was going to offer this and would not have asked. You two have a bond, and he needs someone he can trust and depend on. Money cannot buy that kind of loyalty. Bought loyalty can always be bought again by someone else."

  I turned to the Prince, "Your thoughts?"

  He thought a moment. "I am honored to have you as my friend and would be honored to have you in my service. It will not be easy, I am a fourth son, with little to offer. Neither of us will live on the finest, but I will share with you such as I have."

  I nodded and turned to the Teacher. "I accept your offer to train me in spy craft, in the service of Prince Kade." I turned to the Prince, "and to you Prince Kade I swear fealty to you and you alone until I am released from this oath."

  "I accept your oath of fealty and accept you into my service."

  The Teacher laid papers on the table. "From this point on, your name is Sir Draugur de Crypta, Baronet of Black Stag Keep, and five thousand acres. The Keep is small and probably needs repairs and up-keep, but a place of refuge none the less. I have recorded all of this with the crown and is legal under the Kings law. This makes you a suitable companion for a Prince and fourth son of The King." He gave me all the papers of my new title, lands, and a sigil ring of a rampant stag. I put them in my pouch.

  "I recognize the 'de Crypta' part of the name but not the 'Draugur' part."

  "Draugur is Icelandic for Ghost."

  I smiled, "Ghost of the crypt, I like it."

  "What are our plans?" The Prince asked.

  "We will stay here another week, then we depart for Black Stag Keep. That will cut down on the ease with which our enemies can approach us. I'm still getting updates and have made inquiries. I'm waiting for answers."

  "Good, because I'm tired of sitting in one place doing nothing. It will be good to be on the road again," the Prince said yawning.

  "I think I will call it a night, I will see you in the morning," I said. I walked to my room without an escort. I still set the chair under the doorknob some paranoia was a good thing. As normal I arranged my pillows and sank through into the earth and drifted off to sleep. I felt safer and more relaxed protected by the earth.

  ✽✽✽

  I was awakened by the vibration and concussion of an explosion, closely followed by three others. I looked up through the earth into the building above. The second floor was collapsing down on to the first floor. Or at least the room above my room was, which was where the Prince slept. If had been in the bed, it would have crushed me. Or anyone but me, I would have dropped through to the earth for protection.

  I saw the Prince being buried in the collapse. I raised up, grabbing him and pulling him to me before it crushed him. He was unconscious from a head injury, a broken leg, and probably some broken ribs. I took him to the teachers secret basement office. He would be safe here, as the entrance had collapsed, along with other parts of the house. Even though I could see in the dark he could not, so I lit a lantern.

  I went up through the house; I found the Teacher, dead. His head was crushed and his body surrounded by four men.

  "Find the others, no one escapes." Three of the men moved off searching the rubble. I concentrated on the leader and the earth swallowed him before he could make a sound.

  I moved to the next assassin and drug him under. I repeated this with each one. I searched and found two archers on roofs, front and back. They were to insure no one escaped. I went up through the walls of the building to the archers. I drug both of their bodies down into the earth. Where all the other bodies were. I stripped the bodies of everything, their weapons, equipment, even their clothes. I put it all in my pouch.

  I moved along under the building searching for survivors, there were none. All either had their throats cut or were killed by the collapsing building. I pulled all at the bodies into the earth, leaving no evidence about who may have escaped. The body I did not find was that of the major-domo.

  I went back to check on the Prince. He was still unconscious. I set his broken leg, as best as I could. I wrapped his leg in cloth then, reaching into the earth I made a cast from clay, and hardened it. When I realized what I was doing, it was from knowledge I had gained from the books I had read in the library. One was a medico book. I finished by wrapping his ribs and cleaned all of his cuts.

  I went through the upper building getting all the money, valuables, and gold including the compulsion ring from the Teacher's hand. I did the same to the basement office. There was quite a lot. All went into my pouch.

  Once satisfied I had gathered all I wanted, I pulled all the bodies into the earth. I went back to the lower office, for now there was nothing more I could do for the Prince.

  I pulled all the assassins clothes out of my pouch and put an assassins outfit together for myself. I dropped all the clothes I did not use into the earth.

  I pulled all of their weapons out of my pouch, laying them on the floor so I could see them. I lay
knives in my hand and the runes on my hand began to glow. Before I was through, I'd combined all the knives, then all the short swords, then darts, then throwing knives, then bows, and then arrows making the finest rune weapons of them all.

  I put all my new weapons into the places in my assassins' clothes designed for them. My pouch fit perfectly with everything, hindering nothing.

  I put water close to the Prince and left a note saying I'd be back soon. Not that he could go anywhere with the entrance collapsed. I had a debt to pay, and I knew exactly where the Assassins' Guild House was. I don't think gaining entry would be a problem.

  I checked on the Prince again; he was still unconscious. Nodding, I stepped through the wall.

  Chapter five

  I arrived at the Assassins' Guild; it was a large plain stone house. The surrounding houses were wooden, but in good repair. As a precaution I looked up through the surrounding houses. As I suspected, the houses around the stone Guild house also belonged to them. They used these house to house the assassin soldiers, and their supplies. There were thirty or forty assassin soldiers posted throughout the houses keeping watch.

  These people had not, and would not show mercy, so I did not. I picked off the strays first. Like a predator I used the earth to suck down my prey for the kill. As the first one came down, *strengthen me.* I moved to the second one and pulled him down, *improve me.* After that I was making stuff up as I went. *Faster, Quicker, smarter, more endurance.* After that I stayed with, *improve me, make me better.* I don't know if it worked or not, but one could hope.

  I cleared the surrounding houses of assassin soldiers, then moved on to the main Guild building. I circled under the building, there was a man in the lower level working alone at a worktable. He was working with jars of liquids and powders. He must be the guilds apothecary.

  There was no one else nearby. I waited until he finished what he was mixing. As soon as he was, I pulled him down, *teach me.* His body collapsed in on itself. I now understood apothecary arts. He had also been the one who had made the explosives that were used to attack us tonight.