Red Mage Ascending: Book 1 of Tournament of Mages

by Cleave Bourbon

  “One of them stirs!” Thessa said.

  “I thought you said they were dead,” Hana said.

  “I never said anything of the sort.”

  One of the dead men found its footing and then another. Soon, they were all up and shambling toward them. Hana pushed against Thessa and they both hobbled off, trying to stay ahead of their followers. Hana briefly tried to use her ability but she sensed nothing, which was as she feared. “What or who has done this? Try to remember.”

  “I cannot. All I remember is that we were warming ourselves by a fire and then we were chasing you through the forest.”

  Hana began searching the ground and smelling handfuls of grass.

  “What are you doing?” Thessa asked.

  “Wild onions and garlic grow here.” She rooted around and picked up grass stems with a bulb at the bottom. She sniffed it. “See this? It’s poison because it looks like wild garlic but doesn’t have the smell of onions or garlic.”

  “The men, they draw near, hurry!”

  “Here!” Hana put the foul smelling wild garlic to Thessa’s nose. “This is wild garlic.” She devoured the entire plant and yanked some more out of the ground.

  “What’s it for?” Thessa threw the plant at one of the advancing dead men. It bounced off him harmlessly. “It doesn’t do anything to them.”

  “It improves blood flow,” Hana said. She squeezed her arm where one of the fiends had bitten her earlier and let the blood flow out. “Stand back. it’s been so long since I’ve done this I almost forgot I could.”

  Thessa moved away. Hana concentrated on her flowing blood. In her mind’s eye, it began to glow and pulse. She let her anger fill her along with the excitement of her fear. The blood rose from Hana’s arm and floated in midair, it sparked wildly, the men shielded their eyes from it, and then Hana released the energy from the blood into them all. What blood was left inside the men caught fire and burned them from the inside out, leaving burning clothes, which immediately ignited the leaves on the ground. Hana took a step back. “Oops!” She said. “These leaves are not so wet over here.”

  “Stomp them!” Thessa said. Hana joined the girl in stomping out the fires before they spread too quickly. After a few minutes, they were successful. Hana leaned on a nearby oak tree trunk. She was beyond exhausted now. Thessa joined her.

  “I need water,” Hana said.

  “Come on. The longer we linger here the harder it will be to move away.” Thessa helped her from the tree. “Guide me and I will get you home.”

  “There’s a water barrel near the cellar.” She leaned on the girl. Who helped her walk. “That way.” She pointed through the dense trees to a faint trail.

  “What were you doing out here alone anyway?” Thessa asked as they began to move toward the trail.

  Hana smiled, “Honestly?”

  “Of course.”

  “I was practicing. I was trying to cast spells.”

  Chapter 2 – Servants

  The first signs of light appeared on the horizon as Thessa helped Hana with the ladle at the water barrel. Hana drank deeply. Thessa followed suit. Once they were satisfied, Hana pointed Thessa to the cellar door.

  “We have to hurry. Daylight is upon us. I must get out of these bloody clothes and dispose of them before mistress Moira sees me.”

  Thessa pulled open the cellar door. “I have to stay down here?”

  “There is peach and apricot preserves down there. In fact, there’s a lot more than that, just don’t eat it all up or gorge yourself too fast or you may find yourself ill. Your body has been through an ordeal. I will return after the breakfast to begin your healing. I will feel much better by then. I’m certain of it.”

  Thessa gazed down into the depths of the dank cellar. “If you say so.”

  “Don’t worry, the light of day will light your way when the sun comes up.” She took hold of the door so Thessa could traverse the stairs into the cellar. The girl stopped.

  “I want to thank you, mistress.”

  “I’m not a mistress and you’re not my servant, Thessa.” Hana began to let the door close. “And, you are welcome.”

  Hana rushed to the back of the house where her servants quarters were located. She touched her wounded arm and began her healing. Once inside her rooms, she stripped off her clothes and used the water standing in her washbasin to wash. A fresh pitcher of water waited beside it. She touched the wound on her leg and collected a small amount of it before she closed her eyes and began to concentrate on healing. When she opened her eyes, her leg was healed. She washed off the dried blood and sponged the rest of her body down. She felt fatigued from lack of sleep so she used some of the blood she collected before she healed her wounds to rid herself of the tiredness. She had done it before, it just meant she would sleep longer and sounder when she retired later that evening. It also meant she would have to wait at least a day before she could investigate where Thessa and the others had come from.

  The household was beginning to sir, Hana could hear one of the Sephera children coughing; it sounded like the young boy, Terad. Curious, she followed the sound to the boy’s room. Mistress Moira was there with him.

  “There you are, Hana. You really must tell me when you are going for your morning walks.”

  “Yes, Mistress,” Hana said.

  Moira was stroking Terad’s forehead as he coughed and gasped for breath, “Poor boy has been wheezing all night. I sent for the healer.”

  Hana hesitated. She knew of a remedy for the boy but servants such as she were not supposed to have such educated knowledge. If she helped Terad, she might rouse suspicion.

  “What is it, Hana? You look as if you want to say something.”

  “I…I Think I might know how to give Terad some relief.”

  Moira pursed her lips, “Well, I’m sure your folk has some useful home remedies but I think we should wait and see what the healer says before we delve into them, don’t you?”

  What sympathy Hana had for the boy drained away with Moira’s condescending tone. “As you wish, mistress. What can I do for you?”

  “I’m going to stay with Terad this morning and wait for the healer to arrive. Thaxa and Gwendrel will be up soon; could you see that they are fed breakfast?”

  “Aye, I will see to it, mistress.”

  “Good, that will be all.”

  Hana passed by Thaxa’s door and the middle child followed her to the kitchen all the while rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. “Good morning, sunshine.’ Hana was very fond of the sweet blonde-haired blue-eyed child. Thaxa was actually 10 years old but Hana couldn’t bring herself to treat her any older than six.

  “Good morning,” Thaxa said.

  Hana began to mix flour and milk in a large wooden bowl. She liked flapjacks and she knew she would get no complaints from either of the girls.

  Gwendrel stumbled into the kitchen next, “Gods, Terad has been coughing all night. I barely got any sleep.” She complained.

  “Now, Gwendrel, you know he couldn’t help it. I’m sure if he had his way, he would never cough again.” Hana said.

  “I feel sorry for him but sorry doesn’t get me any more sleep.”

  “You are so selfish,” Thaxa said. “If it were you coughing, you would demand all of our sympathies.”

  “Look who’s talking, runt,” Gwendrel said.

  “Hey!” Thaxa protested.

  “Both of you stop that at once,” Hana said.

  There was a knock at the door.

  “Gwendrel, that will be the healer, will you let him in?”

  “That’s your job,” Gwendrel said. “You do it.”

  “I’ll do it,” Thaxa said. She jumped up from her chair.

  “Thank you, Thaxa, you will get the first stack of flapjacks,” Hana said while giving Gwendrel a stern look.

  Thaxa led the healer to Hana. He was a middle-aged man with grey hair and an equally grey beard. He wore spectacles and carried a plain healer’s bag. “Here he is,” Tha
xa announced.

  Hana put a stack of flapjacks on Thaxa’s plate and then did the same for Gwendrel, “One moment, sir, and I will take you to your patient.”

  The healer nodded, “Hurry now, I have other patients to attend.”

  Hana rubbed her hands on her apron and pointed down the hall, “This way.”

  The healer followed her to Terad’s room where Moira was rubbing the boy’s head.

  “Ah, good to see you. Terad has been wheezing and coughing all night. He is also having a time of breathing correctly.”

  The healer began examining Terad and Hana was curious as to what he’d say so she lingered. Moira noticed, “That will be all, Hana. Please tend to the girl’s breakfast.”

  “Aye, mistress,” Hana said reluctantly. She went back to the kitchen.

  While the girls were eating, she slipped out the back door with more of the flapjacks. She rushed across to the cellar and opened the door. “Thessa, are you down here?”

  “Yes, I am here.”

  “I brought you some breakfast. Open up some of those peach preserves or whatever kind you prefer and pour the over these flapjacks.”

  “Thank you.” Thessa stepped out of the shadows to take the plate and Hana was taken aback. The girl had dark circles around her eyes and her mouth and lips were blood red. “I’m not sure my stomach can handle this food,” Thessa said.

  Hana regained her composure, “Well, try to eat something. You will feel much better if you do.”

  “I will try,” Thessa said.

  Hana hurried back to the kitchen in time for Moira to come from Terad’s room. “The healer wants you to bring a pitcher of water and a towel to Terad’s room.” She said.

  “Aye, I will be right there.” Hana acknowledged. She grabbed a pitcher from the counter.

  “We are going outside,” Thaxa told Hana.

  “All right, but don’t either of you wander off too far. I want you close enough where I can keep an eye on you, understand?”

  “We will,” Thaxa said as she followed her sister out the back door.

  After taking the pitcher of water and towel to the healer, Hana cleaned up the kitchen and waited anxiously for mistress Moira and the healer to give her news on Terad’s progress. Finally, unable to keep away any longer, she went to Terad’s room. He wasn’t coughing as much now, but he didn’t seem that much better to her.

  The healer listened to Terad’s chest for a long moment. “He is still wheezing. Continue to have him inhale the menthol vapors and breathe in the steam. I will check on him after I make a few more rounds, probably sometime late this evening.”

  “Thank you,” Moira told him. “I will show you out.

  Hana used the time without Moira to examine Terad herself. “Is this helping?’

  Terad nodded and continued to breathe in the steam.

  “Do you want me to help?”

  Terad nodded.

  “All right. I will as soon as I am able.”

  “You will what?” Moira asked, appearing much faster than Hana anticipated.

  “I told him I would help him breathe, with your permission of course.”

  “More home remedies?”

  “I really don’t know much about that.” Hana lied. “I thought I would rub more menthol on his chest. I have some mint I can extract some of it.”

  “Well, I don’t suppose that would hurt.”

  Hana rushed to her room and removed her hidden case of herbs from the spot she kept it beneath the floorboards. She removed some Thorn-Apple leaves and placed then on a round piece of tin. She made her way back to Terad’s room and made sure Moira wasn’t around. She took a twig from the fire heating the water the boy was breathing and lit the leaves.

  “Here breathe in this smoke.” She held the tin so Terad could inhale the smoke.

  The results were almost immediate. Terad’s wheezing and coughing stopped completely.

  “I feel much better now!” Terad said.

  Hana smiled, “I’m glad.”

  Hana froze when Moira took the tin from her and sniffed it. The woman was as stealthy as a cat! Hana didn’t hear her approach.

  “What is this?” Moira asked.

  “Thorn-Apple leaves,” Hana replied.

  Moira watched Terad who was sitting up now with no apparent trouble with his breathing.

  Moira put her head to his chest. “Remarkable, he’s no longer wheezing.” She turned back to Hana. “How did you know this would help?”

  “I had the same problem when I was little. I keep thorn-apple leaves around in case I need them.”

  “You are full of surprises. I have never heard of a servant such as you.”

  “It’s nothing special, mistress.”

  The sound of the kitchen door swinging open alerted them both that someone was running in from outside.

  “Mother, mother, where are you?” It was Thaxa. “Come quick, someone is in our cellar!”

  Hana froze. She had been too busy to keep watch on the girls.

  Chapter 3 – Heart of Fire

  “What the devil now?” Moira said. “I’m in here Thaxa.”

  The girl ran up to Terad’s door. She stopped to catch her breath. “Someone is in the cellar. Gwen Is trying to get the door open, it’s jammed shut.”

  “Come on Hana, the both of us might be able to pry it up.”

  Hana nodded and followed Moira and Thaxa down the hall and out the kitchen door. When they got to the cellar, Gwendrel was tugging at the door. She stopped when she saw her mother, Thaxa, and Hana walking up on her.

  We heard a noise coming from the cellar.” Gwendrel said. “I think someone is holding the door shut!”

  “What? That’s nonsense. Who would be hold up in our cellar?” Moira said. She grabbed a hold of the metal ring door latch and pulled but the door would not budge. “Don’t just stand there, Hana, give me a hand.”

  Reluctantly, Hana also took the part of the metal ring door latch and they both pulled. The door came open. Moira boldly descended the steps into the dark cellar. Hana followed her closely trying to think of what to say when Moira discovered Thessa.

  Moira picked up an empty jar, “Someone helped themselves to some preserves I see.” She looked around but the cellar appeared empty. “Girls, if you wanted some preserves you could have asked. I wouldn’t have minded.”

  “We didn’t get into them, mother.” Thaxa protested. Moira gave her a disbelieving glance.

  “She tells the truth,” Gwendrel said.

  “And I suppose the wolves and foxes have developed a taste for preserved fruit!” Moira said.

  “They might have.” Thaxa acknowledged.

  “Come back to the house and stop this foolishness,” Moira said as she handed the empty jar to Hana as she passed. Hana listened to the girls protesting all the way back to the house. She waited until she heard the door shut to the kitchen before she began her frantic search for Thessa.

  “Hana! I meant for you to come inside too.” Moira called from the house.

  “Thessa? Are you here? It’s me. It’s Hana. Come out if you are hiding in here.” There was no answer.

  “Hana?” Moira shouted with more force in her voice.

  “Coming, mistress Moira.” She got down on her hands and knees to look under a set of shelves. “If you can hear me, Thessa, I will come back to check on you later.” She got up and exited the cellar.

  “There you are,” Moira said when Hana reached the kitchen door. “What was keeping you?”

  “I was just making certain that there really wasn’t anyone in the cellar, that’s all.”

  “I thought it was obvious.”

  “Just being careful, mistress.”

  “I need to go into town, do you need anything?”

  “Aye, a bolt of cloth if you please, for a new apron. Mine is getting a bit threadbare.”

  “Any particular color or pattern?”

  “No mistress, pick out what color you think is appropriate for work. Oh, a
nd could you make certain it’s a sturdy fabric but not too stiff?”

  “Aye, I will. Come on girls, I think you need to come with me. Hana, since you seem to have Terad in hand, would you watch over him while he is sleeping. The poor thing is all tuckered out now that he can breathe freely again.”

  “I will.”

  “And tell the healer what you did should he return before we do.” She nodded at Hana and ushered her two daughters out the door for the short walk to the shops in town.

  Hana sighed in relief as soon as Moira and the girls were out of sight. She went to Terad’s room first to make certain he was still sleeping comfortably. He had kicked off his quilt so Hana returned it to him and tucked it under his chin. He was breathing quite normally now. She picked up his room and walked the house. Maybe Thessa had come inside. She found no sight of her so she went back out to the cellar. She searched it thoroughly but still no Thessa. Maybe the girl returned to the forest. If she did, there was nothing Hana could do about it. She walked to the edge of the forest and called Thessa’s name but the girl was gone. She went back to the house and fully intended to do her cleaning chores, but when she came to the music room, she was exhausted enough to sit down on the divan for a moment. It didn’t take long for her to drift off to sleep.

  It was already evening when Hana awoke. Startled she had slept so long, she went to check on Terad. She found him sleeping and breathing normally. She thought of waking him but decided he was probably tired enough to sleep most of the night, even though he had slept for hours already. She returned to the music room and began to dust the instruments. She stopped at the harp and plucked a few of the strings. It sang each note out in beautiful elegance. She resisted getting behind it and playing, and it was a good thing too because Moira and the girls came home not but a few minutes afterward.

  Moira made no time finding her, “Hana dear, would you help the girls with their new dresses? We met Lord Immoran in town and he wants to take us all out for supper.”

  Hana knew that invitation didn’t include her despite the way it sounded, “At once, Mistress.”

  She found both Thaxa and Gwendrel putting on frilly-laced dresses, one pink and one yellow, “Do you need my help?” She asked.