Red Mage Ascending: Book 1 of Tournament of Mages

by Cleave Bourbon

  “She will most likely be a part of the Black Mage’s story now. I have seen this happen before, they will try to get along and fight against the nature of being rivals, but the winged goddess Cassany will corrupt…I mean train Thessa to be the Black Mage, which means the relationship between Hana and Thessa will eventually sour and take its inevitable toll on them both, regardless of their family relationship.” Ephaltus took the blue orb from the shelf. “It’s time we looked in on the Blue Mage. I had planned to visit the Blue Mage last or next to last but there has been a development that dryads have relayed to me. The Blue Mage is a young man from the tribal lands of Tamania. He is the son of witches from the area.” He leaned into Marlee, “I know what you must be thinking, but these witches are not the hocus pokus, cauldron stirring witches. These witches are much more hair-raising. They are the witches from the nomadic tribes of Tamania and Asirad. The Blue Mage is elemental and gets his power from hunting the great spirits, such as the Thunderbird for his lightning, and his fire from the great Phoenix. It is up to us to make sure the playing field is even when the time comes for the tournament.”

  “How would he cheat?” Marlee asked.

  “The region he comes from, he can pick up abilities from his people, abilities beyond those afforded to the Blue Mage. The bear god Benera is worshiped by the people of Tamania and he is not above helping one of his people win the tournament by any means necessary.”

  Marlee went to the shelf of orbs and took down the red orb, “I’m going to the Red Mage.”

  “What? Why?”

  “I’ll not let her story end this way. There is something I can do. I will have to hurry before the Black Mage awakens.”

  “Fool girl, what are you planning? I told you we are forbidden to interfere with what we have seen with the Oculus.”

  “Rules are made to be broken. What are the gods going to do to me? I’m already the damned Tourney Master apprentice.”

  “They can appoint another.”

  “Good, let them do that. She took the red orb and held it out, “Are you coming?”

  “I don’t like this,” Ephaltus said.

  They appeared behind the throne. Asleth was walking up behind Hana. Ephaltus cloaked his and Marlee’s presence. “They won’t know we’re here. Ah, is that the Grey Mage?”

  “I want you to make Hana forget Thessa is her daughter and then I want you to make Asleth use mystic-door and take them someplace nice.”

  “Not a chance. I’m not interfering with them. I told you we can’t.”

  “At least have Asleth take her away to somewhere nice.”

  “Why?”

  “Listen, you old coot! If you want to enjoy your retirement with all your limbs attached, you will do this for me.”

  “I don’t think I like this side of you.”

  “Do it.”

  “I suppose I can put the thought in his head. He is a mental mage, after all” He flicked his finger and Asleth wrapped his cloak over Hana and they were gone. “There I had Asleth take her to the mountains. He held up the blue orb. Now can we go see the Blue Mage?”

  “I’m ready when you are,” Marlee said with a smile.

  “You are going to make a terrible Tourney Master. You’re too sentimental and kind-hearted. Whatever possessed the gods to recruit a woman?”

  Marlee groaned, “You chauvinist has been, a woman is exactly what this job needs. The time has come!”

  “We shall see,” He grumbled and used the blue orb.

  End of Red Mage Ascending

  Blue Mage Equinox will be the complete story of Arran, the Blue Mage.

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  About the Author

  Cleave Bourbon was born and raised somewhere in Texas. Somewhat tired of the traditional European, middle ages settings for fantasy, Cleave has a penchant for setting his fantasy in Steppe climates and indeterminable times in history. He might have elves traipsing across deserts or dwarves tunneling in caverns beneath great plains.

  Fantasy, in his mind, pretty much covers anything you can imagine so why not bring in Native American style legends and myths to challenge protagonists?

  His current series, Tournament of Mages, does all of the above and more! It's a magical slugfest between forces of darkness, greyness, and good! A carnival of carnage between things that go bump in the night and worse, things that go bump in the day!

  Cleave invites you to come along and enjoy reading again, while he explores his imagination and entertains with magic, might, and mayhem!

  Web page: HTTP://cleavebourbon.weebly.com

  Click on the cover below to go to the next book in the series BLUE MAGE EQUINOX

  Glossary

  Adendalind – An eastern elvish kingdom with mountains and forests. It is believed to be the oldest kingdom.

  Ag Caderan - The Southern Kingdom of men and elves. The southernmost section of the Asir desert ends in the north of this kingdom, giving way to an arid steppe climate. The western section of this kingdom, west of the Asa river, is wet and rainy.

  The Arena – The complex used in the Tournament of Mages. It is a complex field that can morph into just about anything the Tourney Master can think of. It’s the testing grounds for the six mages.

  Arsenal of the Way – Arsenal located in the Arena complex. It’s where all the equipment for the tournament is kept. It also houses the six orbs, magical portals that allow the Tourney Master to instantly travel to any of the mages.

  Asirad – Mostly desert kingdom of nomadic men. Sixty percent of the Kingdom is a deadly desert.

  Asleth – The current Grey Mage, born in Adendalind, and ally to Hana. He is older and better trained than Hana so he becomes invaluable to her.

  Blood Feeder/Vampyre – A creation of the Black Mage’s power. They are former men or elves bitten by the master Vampyre, who was directly created by the Black Mage or might be the Black Mage. They are part of the Black Mage’s dominion over death and the dead.

  Craessa - Southernmost kingdom of elves and a few high men. Craessa is a forested kingdom with lush southern grasslands.

  The Earth Chamber – The home of the Tourney Master, kept and maintained by woodland nymphs called dryads. The dryads take care of the grounds while the Tourney Master is sleeping and they take care of the Tourney Master’s needs when he/she is awake.

  Ephaltus – The eighty-seventh Tourney Master of the Tournament of Mages. He is a wizard immune to all the magic of the six mages. He awakens five years before the tournament is to take place each century to prepare and aid the six mages as they train.

  Gwade – Former Red Mage from the last Tournament of Mages. He is well over one hundred years old. He forfeited the title of rule to the first runner-up.

  Hana/Ilhana – The Red Mage, handmaiden for the Sephera family, little is known about her at this writing.

  Marlee – The eighty-eighth Tourney Master and current apprentice to Ephaltus who is scheduled to retire. She is the sister of Teoni.

  Ocularius Magnus – Giant lens mounted at the top of the Arsenal of the Way. It allows the Tourney Master to watch and look in on all six mages. It can be corrupted by the gods, so the Tourney Master can’t be sure that what he or she is seeing is what is really happening unless they magically calibrate it before each use.

  Sarren/ Lord Sarren – Antagonist of Hana.

  The Sepheras – Family that Hana works for. Moira, the mother. Lord Immoran, the father. Gwendrel, the eldest daughter. Thaxa, the middle child. Terad, the youngest.

  Talt – Capital city of Vestia. Although it is the capital, it is relatively small for a city.

  Tamania – Northernmost kingdom dominated mostly by men. Tamania is also home to several nomadic tribes that move back and forth through the
plains and deserts of both Tamania and Asirad. It is the most mountainous of all six kingdoms.

  Teoni/Thelee – Sister to Marlee, she is the Green Mage. She took the mantle of Green Mage by locating and killing the true born Green Mage. Thelee is her elvish name. She was born in Craessa.

  Tharen – Distant nephew of Gwade. He takes care of the old Red Mage at a cottage in Adendalind.

  Tournament of Mages – Tired of seeing their beloved people constantly war and kill each other, the gods of the six kingdoms formed the Tournament of Mages. One mage would be born in each kingdom every one hundred years that would be capable of leading. They come to the Arena to compete on the century in both mental and physical feats to determine who will lead the six kingdoms for the next century. The tournament is overseen by the Tourney Master. A wizard immune to all the mages various magic. It is his job to maintain the arena complex and help the mages. It is also his job to keep cheating to a minimum.

  The Two Hells – In the religion of the six kingdoms there are two hells. The first hell is relatively mild and is for those who may have a chance to redeem themselves. The second hell or lower hell is for the worst of the worst. They will never redeem themselves and will be tormented forever! Saying or using “hells” or “two hells” or using a phrase such as “What in the two hells is that!” is common in all six kingdoms.

  Vestia – Eastern kingdom mostly comprised of men and high men. The northern part of the kingdom is forest and the lower part is lush grassland.

  Warden – A sheriff or type of policeman of the six kingdoms. They differ from kingdom to kingdom.

  Copyright

  Copyright © 2017, Cleave Bourbon (1968—)

  Editing by Courtney Umphress www.courtneyumphress.com

  Cover illustration by Splitting Headache, Maps by (coming soon)

  First Splitting Headache Publishing Edition, April, 2017

  RED MAGE ASCENDING

  All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded, or distributed via the internet or by any other means, electronic or print, without the author/publisher’s permission.

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictionally and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons living or dead, actual events, locale, or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  Published in the United States by Splitting Headache Publishing 2017