Death Mage's Fury

by Jon Bender

  “You should know your limits,” Jaxom said.

  “Yes, I know. Thank you. There are just so many that need help.”

  “You can’t save them all,” he replied.

  “That has not stopped you from trying, Lord Jaxom,” the priest said, bowing in his saddle.

  “As you say, Holiness,” Jaxom said, bowing back. Both broke into subdued laughter.

  “In truth, I believe it is time that a new temple for the worship of Sarinsha was opened here. The population of Terika has grown enough to warrant it, and the people seem in need of guidance. With your permission, I will send a message to my brothers.”

  “I see no reason not to have the same arrangement the temples have in Ale’adar. Of course, this means that the other temples will also be welcome. Just have them speak to Celia on the matter. I believe there are many vacant temples in a mostly empty part of the city.”

  “Thank you. It is widely known amongst the commoners that mages do not worship or even trust the gods. You allowing this even with your prejudice will only reaffirm their trust in you.”

  Jaxom grunted. “I am grateful to you and Sarinsha for all you have done, but asking me to put my complete faith in a being that I do not fully understand is asking too much.”

  “Do not worry about any debt you think is owed. I am confident that allowing her temple here will cancel any obligation we have incurred.”

  Jaxom looked at his friend with surprise. “The only debts I owe are to you and our friends, and those I can never fully repay. As for Sarinsha, I don’t owe her anything. I am sure she does what she does for her own reasons.”

  Da’san regarded him for moment then nodded. “Perhaps you are right, but all I know of my lady is that she has helped thousands. Her presence in Terika will only make things better.”

  “Which is why I agreed to it,” Jaxom said. He was a little upset with himself for belittling Sarinsha in front of his friend, when Da’san had saved him from death only a short time ago. His friend, however, served another who had her own agenda, and he could never forget that.

  They continued to ride in an uncomfortable silence until they came to the edge of the city. They faced a large warehouse, which was the reason Jaxom had chosen this rout. Drawing on the power of death, he reached out, sensing the animating stones nearby. Inhabiting the mind of the risen, he looked about the inside of the dark warehouse. Light filtered in from high windows, allowing him to make out the occupants. Around him were rows upon rows of risen, all wearing chainmail armor and full-face helmets. These were the result of months of his and Alimar’s efforts, enchanting countless small, black stones, but he still had no idea where the dead men had come from. Over a thousand risen soldiers stood waiting for commands. Hearing a noise through the ears of the risen, Jaxom walked down the row towards the sound. The large structure suddenly filled with light, as soldiers wearing black cloaks pulled open the large doors. A tarp covered wagon rolled through with a man in black clothing walking beside it. When it cleared the doors, the wagon stopped.

  Many of the risen started moving towards the wagon, and Jaxom felt a pull at the mind of the risen he inhabited. Concentrating, Jaxom shook off the compulsion to follow the others. The pull persisted, so he focused his thoughts and increased the flow of energy he used to control the body. Finally, he felt the intruding magic recoil at the resistance and withdraw.

  “Who’s there?” the man near the wagon called out.

  Jaxom stepped forward to see Alimar standing with his hand upraised. “It’s Jaxom,” he said in the risen’s voice.

  “What are you doing? I thought you were preparing to leave,” the other mage said lowering his hand.

  “I am. I was on my way to see if the soldiers were ready, and I thought I would check on the warehouse. What are you doing here, and what’s in the wagon?” Jaxom asked. The soldiers who had opened the doors were putting away the swords they had drawn, seeing that Alimar was not concerned with one of the dead soldiers speaking to him. By now, they likely thought that a death mage talking to dead man was not that out of the ordinary.

  “The newest addition to the ranks,” Alimar said waving him over to the back of the wagon. The risen he had called waited nearby for instructions.

  Alimar pulled the tarp back to reveal a dozen dead men dressed in a patchwork of different types of armor. All bore the wounds of what must have been a vicious battle. “Where did they come from?” Jaxom asked.

  “The border of Denra,” Alimar said. The risen soldiers moved forward, pulling the dead men out and taking them to a clear area of the warehouse next to large crates.

  The way they had been dressed made sense now. They were soldiers of the warlords who controlled Denra. The idea of raiding a battlefield for corpses disturbed Jaxom, but he could not deny the necessity. The bodies for their risen army had to come from somewhere. “The border is ten days from here by horse,” Jaxom said, watching the risen strip the dead men, while others pulled new replacement clothes and armor from the crates.

  “And more days of travel to find them. Fortunately, the cold turn in the weather staved off decay long enough to have them brought here. I was having to fly myself out to find recruits, place the stones in them, and have them walk back to the city. This way is saving me time,” Alimar explained. Just then, another wagon pulled up behind the first, this one led by Kasric, the older apprentice who had been a merchant before joining them. “Good, Kasric. Have those offloaded as well and start repairing them.”

  “Yes, Magus,” he said, giving Jaxom a strange look. Instead of having the dead men carried away, he infused them with his own magic and directed them to walk to where their armor and clothing would be removed.

  “We could use your help,” Alimar said turning back to him. “We have to restore their bodies, insert the stones, and have them placed in their armor.”

  Jaxom did not like this at all, but if he was to use the risen then he should take part in their creation. “When I return. I still have to make sure the men are ready for tomorrow,” he said. Alimar nodded and returned to his work.

  Jaxom pulled back to his own body to see that they were nearing the barracks where a majority of the city’s military lived. “Where were you?” Da’san asked. Jaxom heard the worry in his friend’s voice, their previous argument forgotten.

  “I was just checking on something,” Jaxom said. He did not think his friend would understand or approve of what he and Alimar were doing.

  “It is very strange when you go into one of your trances, almost like you are dead yourself.” The priest shook his head.

  “I think it must be better than talking to myself in whispers all the time,” Jaxom replied, referring to the priest’s chanting when he prayed for power. “People might think I was crazy.”

  Da’san began to respond in kind, but could not seem to find a clever enough retort. “One would think a lord such as yourself was above such lowly banter,” he replied instead.

  “One would think,” Jaxom agreed, grinning.

  As they approached the gate, the guards outside immediately opened them. Passing through the entrance, Jaxom’s escort split off to dismount. Stepping down from his own saddle, he saw the familiar sight of a light brown ponytail and tan leather armor. He had known Adriana had planned to visit her riders to check on their preparations, but finding her here was a surprise. Officially, she was a part of the Ale’adarian army, though she had never reported to anyone but Jaxom. Da’san joined him as he approached her and Lord Wilbrin, with whom she was having a heated argument. Wilbrin was midsentence when he saw Jaxom. Stopping the conversation abruptly, the man brought his fist to his chest in salute. Jaxom did not know much of the man except that he was one of General Nelix’s most trusted commanders. He had also led the Calvary responsible for rescuing Nelix and Cilia’s advance force from the southerners perusing them. For his accomplishment, Nelix had offered him the responsibility of training Terika’s army. He and his family had been given one of the large
st houses in the inner city.

  Adriana turned to see who had caused the interruption. Seeing Jaxom and Da’san, she smiled and moved to meet them. Jaxom expected to receive a kiss or at the very least a brief embrace, but instead she turned to Da’san. Throwing her arms around the priest’s neck, she kissed him on the cheek. Over her arm, Da’san gave him a condescending look that said it all.

  Breaking away from him, Adriana held his shoulders and looked him over. “I am so happy to see you,” she said. “I am sorry that we couldn’t talk earlier, but with Corin commanding the riders to leave as soon as possible, there was a lot that needed to be done.”

  “I understand. I have been using the time to learn about this city and its people,” the priest replied, smiling.

  Jaxom cleared his throat. Adriana looked over and smiled at him. “Just the man I wanted to see,” she said seductively. She stepped up to him, and Jaxom leaned forward, expecting a deep, passionate kiss. She had been so busy with last minute checks on her riders and organizing supplies for the journey that she had only come to their bed after he was asleep, and was gone moments after he had woken. Instead of the kiss, however, she grabbed him by the elbow and led him to Lord Wilbrin. “Now, will you tell him that I am in charge of the force going to Kelran?”

  “My lord, I was trying to explain to Lady Adriana that she is that captain of the riders, not the soldiers here. Since I am leading the men, and they are the larger force, she and her riders will fall under my command,” Wilbrin said before Jaxom could respond. He had not known the man intended to go to Kelran himself.

  “You do not have the ability to view a battle as I will. It only makes sense that I be the one giving the commands,” Adriana barked.

  “Which is why you will report the situation to me so I can coordinate our men accordingly,” Wilbrin said calmly. To his credit, he managed to keep his voice even.

  “I will not report to you every time a decision needs to made,” Adriana said even louder than before.

  “My lady--”

  “Enough!” Jaxom yelled, shocking them to silence. Da’san raised an eyebrow at his outburst. Overcoming her initial shock, Adriana locked a glare on him that could boil water, but thankfully, she remained quiet. Lord Wilbrin simply placed his hands behind his back, waiting. “I am leading this force into Kelran, and you will both report to me,” he said with force. It took a considerable amount of effort to get his anger at their childishness under control. “You will each command your men as you judge best while accomplishing what I determine needs to be done.”

  Wilbrin saluted and Adriana nodded her agreement, but only slightly lessened her glare. “Lord Wilbrin, are your men ready to leave tomorrow?” Jaxom asked.

  “Yes, My Lord. We have all the mounts we need with extra supplies on packhorses and one wagon as you commanded. It will not be enough to slow us down. Bringing so little with us, however, will mean that we must forage as we go.”

  “The riders will be responsible for the foraging while we travel, so do not worry about supplies,” Jaxom said. Adriana grunted and looked away. “Thank you, Commander. I will expect to see you in the morning.” Wilbrin saluted again before turning to go.

  “You have never shouted at me before,” Adriana said after Wilbrin had gone.

  “I have never had reason to before,” Jaxom said. He was tempted to apologize at that moment and ask her forgiveness, but decided that doing so would be counterproductive.

  She gave him a considering look before wrapping her arms around his neck for a deep kiss. “It’s very attractive,” she whispered in his ear.

  When she pulled away, Jaxom could feel himself blushing as Da’san and the surrounding soldiers paused to look at the public display of their affection. “Perhaps I should be more assertive with you in the future,” he said, struggling to get his embarrassment under control.

  “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” she said laughing. “I will see you later tonight.” With that, she gave him another quick kiss and mounted her durgen, flying towards the palace.

  “I do not know how you attracted a woman like that,” Da’san said, watching her go. “There are times I wonder how you handle her.”

  Jaxom had wondered that himself on occasion, and was just thankful that they were together. Her presence made everything he did and still had to do easier. “I have to meet with Alimar, so I will send two of the men to make sure you find your way back.”

  “Not more than a season, and already you are keeping mage’s secrets,” Da’san said lightheartedly.

  Jaxom smiled at his friend. “I’m sure that you have not told me all that you and your brothers do,” he returned.

  Da’san took on his most pious look while spreading his hands. “I am what I appear, a simple servant of Sarinsha and the common people.”

  “It is disturbing how easily a priest can lie,” Jaxom scoffed. Waving over two of his escort, he instructed them to ensure Da’san made it safely back to the palace. Taking the remaining four men, Jaxom started for the warehouse to help add to the risen army.

  Chapter 8

  As they approached the entrance to the warehouse, Jaxom’s escort took positions outside the door next to the other soldiers who had brought the dead from the Denra battlefield. Alimar must have told the soldiers who had accompanied the wagons to wait outside while he and Kasric began their work. Inside, the area used for restoring the bodies was lit by lamps that cast a soft glow on the worktables. Several risen stood about waiting for instruction while the mages worked at separate tables. The mages’ hands hovered over the bodies of the dead soldiers. Jaxom watched as Kasric held his hands over a gaping wound in the man’s chest. The broken ribs began snapping into place, the shattered pieces of the sternum reassembling. With the bones mended, the muscles began pulling together, followed quickly by the skin. When Kasric finished, all that remained was a thick, pale scar. The risen would now be able to swing a sword just as effectively as it had in life.

  “Excellent work, Kasric,” Jaxom said when the man had finished. “I couldn’t have done it better or faster myself.”

  “Thank you, Magus,” Kasric said. “I have had a lot of practice manipulating the risen. Magus Alimar says I have a talent for it.”

  “He does,” Alimar said, joining them. “I was wrong about Kasric. I would not be surprised to see him soon surpass me in the creation of risen. He has even hinted at some new innovation that he does not want to show me.”

  “I am not sure if it will perform as expected yet, Magus,” Kasric said, glancing at the risen whose chest he had repaired. The dead man came to a sitting position, allowing Kasric access to its back. Holding his hand at the base of the skull, the flesh parted to reveal the white of bone beneath. A portion of the skull broke away, creating a small hole just above the spine. Reaching into one of two pouches on the table, Kasric pulled out a black hexagonal stone. He placed the stone inside the hole, and the skull fragment fit itself back into the space, sealing closed.

  “We still have another fifteen that need attention,” Alimar said.

  Taking the hint, Jaxom picked up one of the pouches and moved to an empty table. Reaching out to the group of dead soldiers, Jaxom commanded the nearest to rise and lay down on the wooden table before him. Alimar resumed his own work as Jaxom began to close the dead man’s many wounds.

  “What do you want, Alimar?” Jaxom asked the older death mage.

  “You are going to have to be more specific,” Alimar said, never looking up. “I want a warm beef stew after we are done here. I want to see more of our school arrive to join us, and I want to know what the future holds.”

  Jaxom knew the man was dissembling again, but refused to let the matter go this time. “What do you want to achieve from rebuilding this city? Why do you care if we restore the Death Mage School?”

  Alimar stopped what he was doing to look over at Jaxom. “I was born far to the east where the schools are still separate. Unlike here, a frost mage will not live side-by-
side with an earth mage. I was unfortunate enough to have lived near the Fire Mage School when my magic developed. When the mages there found out what I was, they killed my family and took me with them. They forced me to fight for them like a guard dog. I was forced to kill two fire mages to win my freedom. When I was finally free, I vowed that none of our kind would ever again suffer at the hands of anyone… man or mage.”

  Jaxom completed restoring the wounds on the soldier before looking up to meet Alimar’s eyes. He had expected the man to have a troubled history, but the story was far beyond anything he imagined. “How did you come to make the deal with Or’Keer?”

  Alimar continued to restore the soldier in front of him, placing a stone inside of its skull. With the soldier no longer needing a sustained flow of magic, he commanded it to step down from the table and join two others near the crates containing armor and weapons. The other risen proceeded to help it don its new clothing and chainmail. “I wandered for years after my escape, looking for more of our kind without success. I was traveling when a priest in black robes approached me with an offer from Or’Keer. The dark god was gaining power in the west, but wanted to expand his influence here. He wanted me to help him do so,” Alimar said.

  “He told you of Terika and offered to help you rebuild our school,” Jaxom said.

  “Or’Keer wants nothing more than to have control over mages as the older gods once did. He tried with me because he mistakenly believed our magic and his power are similar in nature, but no matter how strong a god grows, they will never know death like mortals do. I agreed because I saw no other option. When Or’Keer realized that neither I nor any other death mage would worship him, he created the shades,” he said.