The Crimson Road

by William Wells

  I put my utensils down, and wiped my mouth before standing up. “I will not go before the King to be handed a title I have already earned. I am not a citizen of this country, or any country. My allegiance is to myself, as it always has been and always will be.”

  The Archmage smiled, this time without his eyes. “I will inform the King, and the rest of the Archmages as to your decision. You may still call yourself a Master, and use the Tower like any other Mage.”

  “Thank you.” I didn’t bow, and turned to leave. While the Archmage was weaker than me, especially after the boost recovering from ethershock would give me, he was still one of the most highly skilled Mages currently alive. Even Charon tread a little carefully when speaking with him. “I cannot become another puppet… not like my master was.”

  The Archmage spoke softly, almost too quietly for me to hear. “Good.”

  Chapter 13

  There was a Trainee waiting for me outside the chamber. She greeted me with a bow, “Master Mage, I am to show you to your new room.”

  “How old are you?”

  “I’m twelve, sir.”

  “Hmmm.” I followed her up the stairs and onto the main floor. There were a few dozen mages, most of them wearing the colors of a Novice or Trainee. “Twelve and already a Trainee. What level?”

  “I am a low-level, sir.”

  “Tell me about yourself.”

  The demand startled her, making her stop for an instant. “I was chosen at eight to join the Tower. All I remember is the orphanage, how we shared beds because there was no room. The same tasting food for our one meal a day.”

  “Hm.” I stopped at the Adept-level rooms. “I need to grab my things first.”

  She bowed, “Your gear has already been moved.”

  I laughed, “I doubt it. There’s a couple pieces only I can move.”

  Eyes questioning, my temporary guide followed me to my room where the two swords still laid on the bed. I made a motion for her to pick them up, and she struggled with them for a minute before giving up.

  “How?”

  “Scan them.” I watched as her eyes grew unfocused and looked at the enchantments I had placed in the blades. “How many enchantments can you see?”

  “A handful… maybe a little more.” She looked up at me, “They grow together once I get past the first few layers, and its harder to see.”

  “There are more than a hundred enchantments on each blade, each designed to work with the others in perfect harmony. I do not have to worry about them being stolen, because only I can move them. These blades will never dull, never break, and never fail in their task.” I looked at the blades before picking them up and buckling the swords to my body. “Work hard, the path of ether manipulation is one that never ends.”

  “Yes, Master.”

  I again followed my guide around the curve of the walkway on the Adept floor and up to the Expert-level rooms. It was an old design, made to keep attackers from being able to skip straight to the top. I glanced into the rooms, there were no doors. An occupant could put up a ward to block all sight and sound if they craved privacy.

  Keeping to my training, I glanced in each of the rooms as we passed. They were all empty, save one. The sight stopped me cold, and my body felt like I had been dunked in the frozen pond. “Yulia?”

  The woman, half-undressed and pressed up against a Mage turned. Her eyes grew wide, and before she could speak I acted. Before anyone could blink, one of my hands was around the unknown Mage’s throat while the other danced around and cut off his access to the ether. I hadn’t tightened, just held him in place up against the wall opposite the doorway.

  “Unhand me Adept.” The voice was cold, and his blue eyes were like ice chips as they glared at me. “Unhand me, before I strip you of your rank and make you a Common.”

  I didn’t move, beyond a small tightening of my hand that didn’t fully restrict his airflow. My mind raced, and the Trainee rushed into the room with fear on her face.

  “Trainee Kait, have this Adept unhand me so I can administer the punishment of attacking a superior Mage.” Despite the situation, and the small croak from the pressure on his throat, the Mage kept his voice even. With few Mages of any real strength, most never reaching above Journeyman, an Expert was almost untouchable. No one reached that rank on talent alone. “Who are you?”

  “What were you doing with Yulia?” I stared at him, willing the truth to come from him.

  He struggled, both against my hand and the compulsion to tell me his plans. Even without the ether, his will held strong. “Answer the question, Adept. Who. Are. You?”

  I tightened my grip just a little more, enough to keep him from speaking in full sentences. Yulia was frozen in shock, arms covering her upper half. Trainee Kait looked between me and the other Mage, unsure of what to do. Suddenly I was forced to let go.

  “I would appreciate it, Master Gantz, if you didn’t kill any of the Mages under my care.” The Archmage strolled in, his strength on full display. After the examination, I wouldn’t be able to handle him in a straight contest of power. Before the examination...

  “Archmage,” The man quickly recovered enough to throw a finger at me, “This Adept attacked me out of nowhere, and disobeyed an order.”

  “Expert Lane,” The Archmage waved his hand, and my cloak changed from a red into a black. “Meet the newest Master Mage, Master Gantz.”

  That stopped the man from speaking for a hot second, but he recovered, “I didn’t receive any notification. I don’t doubt your word, Archmage,” he bowed. “However it still remains that I was attacked without provocation by another mage.”

  I may as well have been held frozen for all the movement I did, my eyes still locked on Yulia standing in front of me.

  “Master Gantz has just finished his tests, and is very tired. He needs to recover his strength.” The Archmage laid a hand on Lane’s shoulder, freeing him from my ward. “If you wish to lodge a complaint, please do so tomorrow as I also need rest. Master Gantz?”

  I glanced over, “Yes?”

  “I’ll need you to escort me to my rooms… now.”The Archmage walked out, and I gave Yulia one last look full of pain before I followed.

  The walk was quiet, and my mind raced with everything I had just seen. It was only a minute before I was in front of my new room, complete with a plaque that had all the major Disciplines carved on it. There were only six rooms on this floor, and mine was the only one with a plaque next to it.

  My rooms were almost three times as large as the Adept room I had been staying in, but just as sparse in the decor. There was a workbench, as well as a kitchen area if I decided to not eat in the main hall. I placed my bag on the chest, and laid my swords on the bed.

  Before I could lay down, there was a knock. I undid the ward, to see Yulia fully-dressed and mouth partly open.

  “Gantz…”

  “Yulia. Come in.” I kept my voice calm.

  She stepped across the threshold, “I think it’s time I tell you some things…” She looked around.

  I held up a hand, and made a few gestures. Normally I wouldn’t need the gestures, but I was running on almost no ether to draw upon. “The room is warded, no one can hear us.”

  “Okay,” Yulia hesitated, “I’m not sure where to begin.”

  I sat on the bed, “The first time I saw you, I thought you were the prettiest girl in the world. I begged Charon to help you, claiming that I would never ask anything of him again. He held me to that promise.”

  Yulia hadn’t always been a Common. Every generation a Child of Magic was born, and every time they died before they reached their sixteenth birthday. It was their open connection to the ether that poisoned their bodies and killed them. Trying to forcibly cut the child’s connection also killed them, sending them into immediate ethershock.

  “I didn’t know.” Yulia looked at me, “After… after Charon helped me, I stayed in the Tower.”

  “You were then picked up by the Spymaster, a
nd because your body was augmented from the excess ether in your system, you passed the training within three years. For the last nine years you’ve traveled around as a spy for the King, and the last five have been looking for Charon as he left you alive during his massacre of the royal family.” I looked at her, “Anything I miss?”

  “How did you know all that?”

  “Charon wanted to keep track of you, to make sure there were no side effects from what he did. He was the one that suggested to the Spymaster that you would be an excellent candidate.” I glanced down at my chest, where the medallion lay. “He wanted to make sure you lived, and had a life.”

  Yulia’s face twisted, “You knew, from the first moment I saw you in the forest. You knew I exactly what I was doing, and you just lied to me?”

  “I couldn’t tell you. Not unless you wanted to cart me off to the King to be interrogated when I know nothing about where my master is or why he did it.” I shook with rage, “I was an orphan, abandoned on the street and lived like that since my first memory. Charon found me and raised me. He kept me fed, and taught me to survive. Then he gave me one last task to find him, and judge him. Not the King, not any Archmage, but me. I’m to find him and judge him for his crimes.”

  I was shouting at this point, worked up from all the pent up emotions. I stood up, “I will find him, and I will pass judgement. Until then, I won’t be a puppet for any faction.”

  “So the last five years? You’ve only covered half the country!” Yulia was on her feet, shouting back at me. “What is taking you so long?”

  “You!” I took the couple steps until I was close enough to touch her, and then whispered, “I know that your duties as a spy keep you within the country’s borders. If I leave, then you can’t follow. If I leave, I might never see you again.”

  “Gantz…” Yulia took half a step back, “I… We…”

  I closed the distance again, “Yes?”

  “Take me with you.” Yulia kissed me, and I wrapped my arms around her.

  I broke the kiss long enough to say yes.

  Chapter 14

  This time I woke up with Yulia still in my arms. Her breathing was even, and I breathed in. The ether in my body still wasn’t fully recovered, but I was no longer in constant danger of falling into ethershock.

  Yulia stirred, turning around and kissing me before making a face. “Your breath…”

  I smiled, “My breath?”

  “So bad.”

  “Hm.” I rolled her out of my arms, “You could do with some cleaning too.”

  She swatted me, the sheet half-revealing her body and making me grin. “Where are my clothes?”

  I walked over to the sink, “Scattered.”

  Yulia slowly got dressed, letting me watch out of the corner of my eye. I watched her, before getting dressed in my usual trousers and shirt. It was too hot for my leather jerkin. We walked down to the main hall, where I saw the Expert from last night still nursing a bruise around his throat. Olivia and Anwher were sitting together on the opposite side of the hall.

  We grabbed our trays, and then picked our food. Most of the hall had stopped eating and watched me move around. I sighed and turned to face them all, “What?”

  Yulia grabbed my arm, “Be nice.”

  I glanced over at her, “Fine.” I turned back to face the few dozen mages, “My name is Gantz. I am a Master in all Major Disciplines, having been tested by Archmage Talkide. If you have any other questions, don’t ask.”

  Yulia gave me an audible sigh, but led me to where Anwher and Olivia sat. She gave them a small smile, “I’m Yulia, a… friend of Gantz.”

  Olivia smiled, “I’m Olivia, a student of Master Gantz.”

  Anwher sat a little straighter, “I’m Expert Anwher.”

  “A pleasure,” Yulia looked over at me already eating. “I see Gantz is a personable as usual.”

  Olivia laughed, “So how did you meet?”

  “That’s a long story.” Yulia saw that people were still watching us, “Probably told at a later time.”

  Anwher jumped in, “I’ve seen you around the Tower before, can I ask you what you do?”

  “I’m a bounty hunter.” Yulia laughed at their reactions, “That’s how Gantz and I know each other. We’ve split some bounties in the past.”

  “I thought Gantz had a bounty in the past.” Anwher looked at me with an eyebrow raised.

  “I did.” I swallowed my food, “Yulia hunted for me, and the bounty was mostly cleared before anyone could bring me in.”

  “How?” Olivia stopped eating.

  “Another long story.” I shrugged, “Finish your food, we have to go see your parents about your new lover.” The faces of all three dropped open in surprise. I shrugged again, and had another bite while they began to eat in silence and trade glances.

  We finished quickly, as none of the other mages tried to go against my request of not asking questions. Expert Lane continued to glare at me, but wasn’t willing to risk a public challenge. It was a well-established rule among mages that those of a higher ranking were not allowed to challenge those of a lower ranking. Only a lower or equal ranking could issue a challenge and they had to have a good reason.

  Anwher led us out of the Tower and to the main square of the city. Most of the preparation for the festival was already done, and there were crowds of people taking in a sneak preview of what it would look like.

  There was an arena, along with some sideshow fights for money. Kane and Philo stood in front of one of the larger areas where a challenge had been written. Ash and Lorraine were both looking exasperated with their boys, turning gratefully at my hail.

  “Gantz!” Ash gave me a hug and whispered in my ear, “For the love of the Three please help me.”

  “With?” I disentangled my arms, and while Olivia made introductions to her family we stepped off to the side.

  “My boys,” Ash threw a thumb over his shoulder, “They want to compete in the tournament for a chance to apprentice at the Warrior’s Guild.”

  The Warrior’s Guild had started out as a mercenary group a few hundred years ago, but had been recognized as an actual guild by one of the kings in the past after they grew large enough to compare with the army in size. They were a big reason why the kingdom had expanded so rapidly, acting as a home defense force while the army was abroad. Most mercenary groups operated on behalf of the Guild some of the time, and paid a cut of any contract for using their name back to the Guild.

  “And you want me to convince them to wait?”

  “They’ll listen to you.”

  I sighed, “I wasn’t raised by a parent for my early years and Charon never really discouraged me from playing with fire. Sometimes… you gotta let your kids feel the burn so they know not to touch the flames.”

  Ash gave me a dark look, before the logic sunk in. “Test them.”

  I nodded, and turned back to the small group that had been observing us. “Ash was just telling me that Kane and Philo need some last minute pointers before entering the tournament.”

  Lorraine gave Ash a questioning look, before rolling her eyes in defeat. I walked over to the area where a large man with arms covered in scars and knotted with muscles was busy working over an equally large man that had no skill. The fight ended quickly, with the challenger being roused from the dirt with a bucket of water.

  The manager, dressed to impress, stood on a box to address the small crowd. “Will Richie continue to go undefeated? Or is the next brave soul ready to challenge him?”

  I raised my hand, “If I win, can I keep your hat?”

  The crowd chuckled, turning to eye me up and down as the manager grinned at the show. Anything that made him more money was welcome. “If you win my good sir, I’ll even throw in my shoes.”

  “I’m not sure your shoes would fit me.” I stepped to the front of the crowd, to see Richie resting against the fence that outlined the fighting area. My blades were rested against the box the manager stood on, and my shirt
came off as well.

  “Looks like you’ve seen a fight or two.” The manager eyed the scars on my torso, where Charon had cut too deeply to fully heal during my training.

  I rolled my shoulders, warming up. “I’ve had my share.”

  The manager took my wager, a gold piece to earn ten, and the betting started feverishly among the spectators. While I continued to move around, my opponent stayed still. After a couple minutes, the betting was closed and the manager moved back onto his box.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new challenger: The Swordmaster Gan!” The crowd cheered, and I waved my hand a little miffed about the messing up of my name. Still the manager continued, bolstered by the growing crowd, “We’ll see if his skill with the blade can convert into his skill with fists as he battles the undefeated Richie!”