by Jon Bender
The next night they took turns on watch. Thankfully, there were no further attacks from the shades. The wound in Jaxom’s arm was healing well, but the gash in his side was another matter. The bleeding had finally stopped, but he now had a fever, and his body had begun to weaken. The wound was infected. Jaxom knew that once they arrived in Ale’adar, he would need treatment for it. Warin and Lexa had done their best to clean the wound of the red and yellow fluid that continued to soak his bandages. Those sessions had been agonizingly painful, and Warin kept asking how much further the city was, betraying his anxiety about the seriousness of the wound.
As they flew above the many small towns clustered around the capital, the people below gazed up at them. They followed one of the major roads to the city, the durgen skimming above the trees. Finally, the great city came into view. The sight of its high walls distracted Jaxom from the ache in his side, bringing back both good and bad memories. Up until he had taken responsibility for Terika, this city had been the only home he had ever known. Soon they were landing in the stable yard. On the ground, Jaxom was surprised to see a large, blond bearded man making his way towards him. His adoptive brother’s broad smile reached his bright blue eyes before they became filled with worry as he took in Jaxom’s pale and drawn face.
“What happened?” Corin demanded.
“It seems that Or’Keer has decided to weaken our new school by hunting down our apprentices,” Jaxom replied. “We were attacked two nights ago, and I took a sword in the side.”
Jaxom and Warin had come to the conclusion that Lexa had been the primary target. Or’Keer must have intended to remove her before she became a fully trained death mage.
Corin offered Jaxom a hand to help him dismount. “I will send to Sarinsha’s temple for a priest, but for now, let’s get you to a bed.” Nodding to a nearby guard, Corin pulled one of Jaxom’s arms over his shoulder.
Jaxom waved over Warin and Lexa as Corin half carried him away. “This is the newest member of our school, Warin,” Jaxom said. “He has recently traveled through Kelran and Denra and will have news about those kingdoms.”
Corin nodded to the other death mage. “That can wait.”
Jaxom did not argue the point with his brother, the pain in his side flaring at standing for such a short period of time. Letting Corin help him to one of the royal family rooms, Jaxom thought it a bit out of place for the King to be carrying anyone. Knowing however, that no matter how much Corin displayed himself as a powerful and commanding leader, he was not above getting his hands dirty to help anyone.
The walk through the palace to the royal family’s living area only took ten minutes, but it seemed an hour to Jaxom’s pained body. Corin installed him in one of the rooms near his own chambers. The same room he had recovered in after the shades attacked the city for the first time. After laying him on the bed, Warin and Lexa stood off to the side and out of the way. The ceiling of the room began spinning above his head, and Jaxom knew he was in real trouble. The next time he opened his eyes, a figure in a blue robe stood over him.
“It seems that you cannot keep yourself out of trouble,” the figure said, laying a hand on his forehead. Jaxom felt his shirt pulled up, then a fire like the hottest forge in his side as the bandages were peeled away. The hand on his forehead moved over the infected flesh, adding more heat to the inferno. “It’s bad. The infection has moved throughout his body,” the figure said. “It may beyond my ability to heal.”
“You must heal him. He has survived too much to die from something so minor,” said a voice Jaxom thought belonged to Corin.
“I will do what I can,” the figure said, then dropped into a low chant. The blaze in his side began to cool as if water had been poured over it, extinguishing the flames. The feeling then spread throughout his body. The pain subsided, and the chanting faded. “The goddess and I have done what we can. The rest is up to him. As powerful as Sarinsha is, she does not command death.”
“Well, then it’s a good thing he does,” Corin said. And Jaxom thought he could hear a smile in his brother voice. It was just like the man to make a joke at a time like this.
“He will need rest and food. He will also be very hungry when he wakes up,” the figure said.
Corin said something to one of the Guard outside the door. “It will be seen to…” The rest was lost to Jaxom who finally slipped into unconsciousness.
When he woke, he was relieved to see that the familiar ceiling was no longer moving of its own accord. His head still ached but there was no denying he felt better. Touching his side tentatively, he found a thick scar, still tender to the touch but no longer painful. Jaxom knew standing was not going to be pleasant, but the growling in his stomach would not allow him to lie there much longer. Moving slowly, he climbed out of bed and made his way to a small table laden with food. After eating, Jaxom moved as slowly as possible back to the bed, exhausted again. The next time he opened his eyes, he found Da’san standing over him, the priest’s hand hovering over the new scar.
“I enjoy routine as much as the next man, but I have to say this is getting old,” Da’san said. Jaxom had not seen the young priest in the months since he had gone to rule over Terika. The man’s smiling brown eyes and shoulder length brown hair were a welcome sight. Even though his friend had been distant in the days after their victory over the southerners. Avoiding Jaxom whenever possible. He had not even been there to see him off to the reclaimed city.
“Yes, well, I’m sorry to bother you with such a trivial matter as my dying. I’m sure you were very busy meditating or whatever it is you priests do in your spare time,” Jaxom said.
“I owe you enough to save your life again,” he replied. There it was again. The old Da’san slipped away, replaced by the new guarded one.
“How have you been, Da’san?” Jaxom asked. “I receive the occasional letter from Jerup, Brenin, and even one from Cribble,” he said, naming the small group who had accompanied him north to the Teriken Forest.
“I spend much of my time praying to Sarinsha,” he said.
“What does your goddess say? I know we owe her a great debt,” Jaxom said. He suspected that whatever was bothering his friend stemmed from the night of their victory.
Da’san truly looked at him for the first time in many months. “She has not spoken to me in a long time,” he said. “She still answers my prayers. Your drawing breath is proof of that, but she will not speak to me.”
Jaxom knew he had to choose his words carefully. “Do you know why?”
“Sarinsha does not respond because I only ask one question, and she does not want to answer.”
“What is the question?”
“I ask her to tell me the cost of the deal I agreed to, the deal I made in your name the night the dark priests where here,” Da’san said looking away.
Jaxom was not sure how to respond to his friend’s confession, but now understanding why he had been evading him. A deal with a god or goddess would assuredly come at a high price, and Da’san did not even know what that price was when he had agreed to it for Jaxom. “What did you get out of this deal?” Jaxom asked, trying to stay calm.
“The palace was about to be taken by Or’Keer, and the city would have soon followed. I called out to Sarinsha for aid in defeating them. She answered my prayer, but said she could only help at a request from an oath breaker. I assumed she was speaking about mages, but I had never heard of the mages giving an oath to the gods, let alone breaking one.
Sarinsha calling mages oath breakers did not confuse Jaxom as much as it did Da’san. Jaxom had read the history of how mages were created. The first had been created by the gods as weapons. During the war between the powerful beings, those weapons had turned in the hands of their creators, developing a new power that only mortal creatures understood--death. The death mages had forced the gods back to their own realm.
“What else did she say?” Jaxom asked.
“Nothing, but she seemed amused that I was asking on behalf of a death mage,�
� Da’san said.
At first Jaxom was outraged. How could someone he considered a friend make a bargain for him without his permission? But he knew he had already forgiven his friend. Jaxom understood the position he must have been in, feeling that there was no choice if he was to save the lives. If their positions had been reversed, Jaxom would have agreed to whatever the goddess wanted to protect those people.
His anger dissipated. “You did the right thing. I only wish that you had trusted me enough to tell me before now.”
The tension evaporated from Da’san’s shoulders, and a look of relief washed over his face. “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you. I hoped to discover the price before I told you, but I know nothing more than I did then.”
Da’san stepped away from the bed, allowing Jaxom to move to a sitting position. The food and rest had done much to restore his strength. “It seems that I owe you my life again,” he said changing the subject.
“I did not do it for you. I was acting in the interest of self-preservation,” Da’san said with a smile. That small show of humor letting Jaxom know that their friendship was on the mend.
“I don’t think Corin would have blamed you for my death,” Jaxom said standing. Walking over to a chair in the room, he picked up a fresh shirt left there for him. Pulling it over his head caused a slight twinge of pain in his side but nothing he couldn’t deal with.
“It is not him I was worried about. Adriana would have had my head.” The priest laughed.
Jaxom joined him in the laughter. “She wouldn’t have blamed you, but she would have cleared the land of shades for a hundred miles in every direction.”
“I do not doubt it,” he replied. “If you are ready, Corin and your fellow death mages are waiting.”
Da’san led Jaxom to the room where the king held his meetings. Two of Corin’s personal guard opened the doors, allowing them entry. Inside, another pair of the men stood off to the side, watching the other mages. Warin and Lexa huddled near the window, whispering, but they ceased when they saw him. Jaxom was not surprised to see guardsmen watching the newcomers so warily. Even having arrived with him, the Guard took no chances when it came to protecting the king.
“You need to be more careful, Jaxom,” Corin said, when he and Da’san took a place across the table from him. “One of these days, we’re going to lay you down in that bed, and you’re not going to get up.”
“I am careful,” Jaxom protested.
Corin gave him a disbelieving look. “You should consider taking on a personal guard. “You now hold a place of influence, and removing you will strengthen our enemies’ position.”
“I would only be risking the lives of those who are with me,” Jaxom said.
Corin raised an eyebrow at that before looking at his guards. “I didn’t think I would be able to convince you, so let’s get on with it. Warin here has told me that he has only recently joined you, and you have already entrusted one of your treasured apprentices to him. That shows a lot of faith in someone you have just met. I don’t mean to imply that you are untrustworthy, Warin, but in these times, we must be cautious.”
“I take no offense, Your Majesty. You don’t know me, which is why I offer everything I know to help earn your trust,” Warin said.
“We have to start somewhere, Corin,” Jaxom said. “We can’t treat every mage who comes to us as a spy.”
“Very well,” Corin said conceding. “You said your journey to Terika took you through both Denra and Kelran. Our extended patrols have reported that Denra has fallen to bandits and warlords. Men struggle against each other to gain control of what is left of the kingdom. A large number of the common people have fled. What do you know of Kelran and King Dillion?”
Warin stood quietly for a moment before answering. “Denra is much as you say your majesty, but two warlords now vie for power. Right now, they are evenly matched. Sooner or later, one will destroy the other and gain complete control.”
“With Denra so close, that may become a problem for us,” Jaxom said.
“Returning from Denra fresh with spoils,” Warin continued, “King Dillion was able to increase his army to fight the rebels, but they will not meet him in open battle. That makes it hard for Dillion to put the insurrection down.”
“Rebels?” Jaxom asked confused. “We heard that he is dealing with an organized group of outlaws led by a man they call the Bandit Lord.”
“Their leader is called that because Dillion has not recognized them as rebels. He does so in the hope that lowering them to thieves will reduce the support they receive from the people. It has not worked, and the Bandit Lord’s support only grows as the King continues to persecute his people,” Warin said.
“What started this rebellion?” Corin asked. “I have known Dillion since I was young man when he would visit my father to discuss trade. He was a hard man who often disagreed with the other kingdoms, Denra in particular, but I never thought him a tyrant.”
“He was not, until Or’Keer’s worshipers began to take hold in the kingdom. Though he has yet to officially recognize their temple, it is known that he follows their god. Travel through the kingdom had been restricted, with much of his army on its borders to keep information about what is happening from getting out. All the while, the priests continue to convert his people by force. They live in fear, forced to worship Or’Keer or die.”
Corin stood quietly, considering the man’s words. Jaxom could already see plans beginning to form in his adoptive brother’s mind. “I had hoped to wait until spring to move out and free any kingdom under Or’Keer’s influence, but it seems we cannot wait that long. We must act now before their influence spreads any further.”
“You want our army to begin a campaign as winter sets in? We can do it, but we are going to need all the supplies we intended for the spring and more,” Jaxom said.
“That is not what I have in mind. You will send a small force to include Adriana’s riders into Kelran. From there, you are to find this Bandit Lord. If what Magus Warin says is true, aid the man in removing both King Dillion and Or’Keer’s followers. Cribble will lead a substantial force of the Guard and army with Brenin and his riders to deal with these warlords in Denra. You are right, Jaxom. They could become a problem for us, and we have enough of those already. We will deal with it now.”
“What if I run into King Dillion’s men on our way to find this bandit?” Jaxom asked.
“You are not going along. You are no longer just another mage, but the lord of Terika. You need to start acting as such. If Adriana, or whoever you put in charge, comes across Dillion’s men, they are to be treated as enemies. The force you send should push through Denra, avoiding any fighting if possible. Leave Cribble to deal with that kingdom,” Corin said.
What Corin had said was true, but he had no intention of sending people into danger without being there himself. “Are you commanding me as my King, or telling me as my brother?” Jaxom asked.
“Does it matter?” Corin replied. “You should do what I say in either case.”
“The first I will feel guilty about disobeying, the other I will ignore completely and not feel bad at all,” Jaxom said.
“Terika needs you, its people need you,” Corin said, switching tactics.
“You and I both know Celia runs the city. I just do what she tells me,” Jaxom said. Da’san chuckled, and surprisingly Lexa gave a small laugh as well.
Corin gave Jaxom a measuring look, then relented. “Fine, you can go. When you get back to Terika, take no more than one hundred, not including the riders. You are to aid the Bandit Lord, not fight his war for him.”
“I would like to go with you as well, Jaxom,” Da’san said.
Jaxom had been going to ask him to join and was glad to hear him volunteer. “Are you sure you can take time away from all that meditation?” Jaxom said smiling.
“I would love to have you stay a few days, Jaxom,” Corin said. “But the journey to Kelran is long, and you should leave soon.”
>
“We’ll head back after we have something to eat,” Jaxom said walking around the table and offering his hand to his brother. The large man grabbed him around the shoulders, lifting him bodily from the ground in a tight hug.
“Be careful, little brother,” Corin said.
Jaxom rolled his eyes. “I am careful.”
“Uh-huh,” he said setting Jaxom back down. “It was good to meet you both,” he said to Warin and Lexa. The death mage bowed and Lexa gave an awkward curtsy. Walking over to Da’san, he put a hand on the priest’s shoulder. “Take care of him for me, will you?”
“Of course, Your Majesty. I have healed him too many times to let my investment go to waste,” Da’san replied with a grin. Corin grunted, then took his leave, followed by the two guards.
“Will you be joining me?” Jaxom asked Warin.
“Yes, if you do not mind us along. This will be a good chance for Lexa to cut her teeth.”
“I have no objections. For now, let’s get something to eat,” Jaxom said feeling hungry again. He was going to have to tell Celia she was being left behind to care for the city in his absence. He wondered how much skin he would have left once she was done with the tongue-lashing he was sure to receive.
Chapter 6
Enrick knelt low amongst the brush of the tree line to keep from being discovered. Of the three men he had placed in the village, only one had come back with a report. Two dark priests of Or’Keer had moved into the small community to cleanse the people living there. “Cleansing” was what they called rooting out anyone who did not worship their god. Even those suspected of praying to another would suffer a slow death, publicly, to serve as an example. Even so, the process of conversion was slow. When the priests finally left, many of the newly converted would secretly renounce Or’Keer, but every time the priests returned, they found more and more who remained devout. The truly converted would then turn in anyone suspected of lying about their faith.
This time, the priests had not come alone. Rebels had begun killing any of Or’Keer’s followers they could find, so the priests now brought along escorts for protection. Enrick counted over fifty of King Dillion’s soldiers serving as the priests’ escort. The soldiers were better armed than his own men, but Enrick had brought nearly double their number, hoping to surprise Dillion’s soldiers and overwhelm them quickly.
