Death Mage's Fury

by Jon Bender

  Tandis led them out of the domed room into a plain hall lined with desks. Further down, four men stood guard in front of a closed door. Tandis led them into one of the side rooms.

  “My father is behind that door. He should only be with six more soldiers, a mage, and a number of officials,” Enrick whispered.

  “That should be no problem,” Darian said.

  “Are you sure you are ready for this?” Warin asked. “He is your father.”

  “I know,” Tandis said, lowering his head. “But he is destroying our kingdom. He’s left me no choice.”

  Jaxom nodded then walked back out into the hall. The time for stealth had passed. Jaxom walked openly towards the guards with his group behind him. As he drew his skull-pommeled sword from its scabbard, he heard others behind him drawing their weapons as well. Glancing back, he found Adriana with her mace out and ready. She met his eyes, and gave him a reassuring smile.

  Three of the guards drew their swords while the fourth raised a horn to his lips. Before he could blow, Jaxom commanded his risen to attack. The large cats took down the man with the horn. The breath he had prepared turned into a scream as the risen tore into him. The soldier next to him fell as the emora raked and bit into his face and chest. Jaxom raised his hand and pulled death into himself. Molding that raw energy, he formed the blight and sent it out toward the remaining soldiers, wrapping it around their bodies and limbs. Their screams would alert the king and those with him, but they would have no time to escape.

  When the screaming stopped, Jaxom redirected the cast to the door they had been guarding. The twisting black and white smoke pressed against the wood, weakening it with rot. With the door now fragile and barely holding together under its own weight, Jaxom used his sword to hack a hole at its center and stepped through the opening. Inside, he found a room with a table much like Corin’s but lacking the large map painted on it. Doors on either side of the large room were closed. Moving into the room, Jaxom took in the ten soldiers spaced around the room. Standing around the table stood the king and five others. Two were commanders of the army, and by their robes, two were mages from the storm and fire schools. The last man was obviously a priest of Or’Keer in his black robes. Dillion was a large man wearing the dark green of Kelran embroidered with gold and silver thread in a swirling pattern that ran down the sleeves of his coat. The leather grip and scabbard of his sword were similarly decorated, but Jaxom had no doubt that the hidden steel was no less deadly. Around his neck hung a large black crystal about the size of Jaxom’s palm. The stone seemed to draw in the light around his chest, darkening the area around it. It was his eyes, however, that drew Jaxom’s attention. They were vacant, dead. Jaxom suppressed a shiver.

  “Father, these people have come to assassinate you,” Tandis said. Jaxom looked over to see the prince still standing on the other side of the door next to Gant, holding the dagger in a white knuckle grip at his side. “I suggest you kill them first,” the Prince finished before driving the dagger into Gant’s ribs.

  Time seemed to slow as Tandis left the blade embedded in Gant’s side. With his hand empty, he raised it towards the group and released a bolt of energy that seemed made from the purest black, an absolute darkness that sucked in the surrounding light. Warin, who was nearest the door, turned and raised his hand to counter the magic, but he was too late. The cast struck him in the right shoulder, burning a hole through to his back. The impact threw him into Lexa, taking them both to the ground. Time returned to normal as Darian cast a spear of ice, forcing the prince to dodge or be impaled. Da’san dropped into a low chant while Enrick rushed the nearest of the soldiers with Adriana beside him. Lexa struggled to roll Warin’s motionless body aside, then got to her feet quickly with her hand outstretched.

  Jaxom reached out to the emora, commanding them to kill the Prince as quickly as possible. Jaxom did not know what energy the young man controlled, but there was no doubt he was a mage. He had no time to think on it further as the fire mage cast a pillar of flame in his direction. With no time to erect the magical barrier to stop the attack, Jaxom instead raised his enchanted sword to consume the inferno. The flames were pulled into the steel. A bolt of lightning streaked across the table headed for him, and he could do nothing to stop it. The bolt shattered against a shield created by Lexa who had turned to face the threat in the room. Smaller bolts splintered off in different directions after the impact. With the prince no longer in sight, Darian erected a wall of ice partitioning off one side of the room to slow the charge of the soldiers. He threw daggers of ice at any who came around the sides of the barrier.

  The fire mage continued to pour his magic into Jaxom’s sword, and he could feel the strain of the enchantment as it neared its limit. Filling himself with power, Jaxom cast the coil in his free hand, lashing out at the mage. He slammed the column of white smoke down, breaking the table in half. The fire stopped as the mage dove to the side. The king had drawn his ornate blade but had not moved. The two commanders had drawn their swords as well and were closing the distance to strike at their group. Jaxom pointed the tip of his sword at the two men and released the flame. The magic lit the room again as it ripped through the space between them. The fire engulfed them. After a few seconds, he directed it at the mage who had regained his feet. The man erected a shield of flame to stop his own magic from cooking him alive.

  To his right, Jaxom saw Adriana fighting two soldiers alone. Blocking a sword with her mace she kicked at the man wielding it, forcing him back. Free of the blade entangling her heavy weapon, she swung it at the second man who raised his sword to block. As their weapons clanged together, Enrick broke away from the soldier he faced and slashed at her opponent’s leg, causing the man to collapse to one knee. Adriana brought her mace to bear on the downed man’s shoulder, crushing the bone beneath.

  Still holding the barrier, Lexa stretched out her other hand to the many dead men, animating several, including the two commanders who looked nothing more than charred meat and burnt clothing. The risen took up their weapons and attacked. The storm mage was forced to concentrate on them instead of the apprentice. With her risen distracting the mage, Lexa cast the blight. As it wrapped around the mage’s chest and neck, Jaxom could tell that he wanted to scream, but the blight was too fast.

  The dark priest had summoned a heavily muscled shadow creature with five long claws on each hand to attack Da’san, but his friend had summoned a champion of his own. A doorway of light opened, allowing a glowing figure to enter the room dressed in full plate armor and carrying a double-handed sword. His friend continued to pray as the two creatures clashed.

  Returning to his own fight, Jaxom could feel the magic contained in the sword begin to dwindle. Outside the room, he heard a horn sounding an alarm. Tandis must have somehow defeated his risen and called for reinforcements. Continuing to pour the fire forth, Jaxom cast the blight with his other hand. The twisting smoke crept along the floor and under the broken table. The fire mage did not notice the cast until it had spiraled up his leg. The shield disappeared in the mage’s moment of shock and pain, allowing Jaxom’s flame to finish him.

  With the two mages dead, Jaxom could now concentrate on the king. Killing him would weaken Or’Keer’s hold on the kingdom. He cast the blight straight at the king, who had no hope of evading it. The twirling smoke reached him only to be absorbed into the medallion on his chest. Finally, the man moved, charging over the table, his sword held ready at his shoulder. The king crashed down on Jaxom with a strength he had not been prepared for, holding the decorative sword only inches away from his face. The king stepped back, allowing himself room to bring his sword in from the side. It was so an obvious attack that Jaxom could not believe it at first. Once he blocked it, Jaxom would be able to step inside Dillion’s guard and finish the man. Bringing his sword up in preparation to end the fight, Jaxom was once again struck with such force that he was forced several steps back. He felt like a child fighting a grown man.

  Darian ha
d finished with the soldiers on his side of the room. Seeing Jaxom’s predicament, he sent three daggers speeding towards the King. The small spears of ice seemed to break apart as they reached the man, showering him in a white powder that quickly melted. Darian looked to Jaxom and shrugged. Even Jaxom’s sword could not counter the ice once it had been formed. From the side, Enrick attacked, forcing the king to block the blow. The two men locked their swords at the cross guards, each pressing to gain the advantage. Jaxom could see the look of surprise on the Bandit Lord’s face at finding himself matched for strength. Seeing an opening, Jaxom slashed at the king’s leg. The blade connected solidly but only managed to cut a shallow gash in his flesh. Dillion stepped back, allowing Enrick’s sword to pass, and the move threw the rebel leader off balance. Enrick stumbled forward. With both men’s guard down, and before Dillion could take advantage of the situation, Jaxom thrust his sword for the man’s chest. The tip of his blade pierced the black medallion and shattered the crystal before continuing into king. There was an explosion as the energy within the enchanted item was released. The blast threw all three men to ground. When the stars had cleared from his vision, Jaxom looked about the room to find the last of the soldiers dead. The risen, unaffected, stood over the hacked body of the priest.

  Climbing to his feet, Jaxom helped Lexa up. She went immediately to where Warin still lay. The fallen death mage was still breathing, but the wound to his shoulder was horrific, his bloody arm only attached by tattered muscle and skin. Da’san rushed to the man’s side and began to heal him as Lexa cradled his head in her lap. As the rest of the group got to their feet, Jaxom saw that Dillion had landed on the broken table. He was still alive, but gasping for air and reaching out towards Jaxom. Making his way to the King, Jaxom placed his sword at the man’s throat before kneeling next to him.

  “Tandis,” the king said, with blood frothing at his mouth.

  “Do not worry, Your Majesty. I will catch up with your son. He will join you soon,” he said viciously. The fight having brought out the side of him that was beginning to like it.

  “He did this,” the king said, weakly clutching the remains of the medallion.

  Jaxom looked into his face. For the first time, Dillion’s eyes showed emotion and pain. The man had seemed almost a risen himself with those vacant eyes. “Da’san! Heal him!” Jaxom yelled.

  “Heal him?” Darian asked, shocked. “Gant is dead, and Warin has lost an arm! Just cut his throat and be done with it.”

  Jaxom looked at Gant’s motionless form then back to where Da’san knelt next to Warin. The priest had removed the remains of the death mage’s arm, not having been able to save the limb. Still unconscious, Warin’s skin was pale, and he labored for breath. “Da’san, heal him before it’s too late.”

  The priest gave him a confused look but did as Jaxom asked. Jaxom removed his sword from the man’s throat, allowing his friend to place his hands over the wound. As Da’san began to pray, a light appeared under his cupped hands, growing brighter until Jaxom could no longer look at it. When Da’san pulled his hands away, a red scar had replaced the wound. The king drew in a deep breath.

  They heard the sound of boots pounding outside. “Help me up,” Dillion said weakly. Jaxom sheathed his sword. He and Da’san each grabbed an arm and lifted the man. It took both of them to support his weight.

  Just then, twenty soldiers crashed through what remained of the door with a dark priest among them. Seeing their king held by the two men, they stopped, unsure what to do. “I am myself again,” Dillion said to the men. “The god Or’Keer and any who serve him are enemies of Kelran. They are to be killed on sight.

  Jaxom held his breath, pulling power into himself and preparing to fight again. The men looked to their king, confused. The priest at the center of the mass of soldiers began to chant. Jaxom raised his hand to cast as a sword erupted through the man’s chest. The last of his words came out in a gargle of blood.

  When the body slid to the floor, the king stepped forward unsteadily. “I know that many of you are loyal. You have only been following what you thought to be my commands. In truth, they were not my commands. Prince Tandis used magic to control my actions. He, too, is any enemy of the throne and deserves the same fate as the rest of them,” Dillion said, pointing to the dead priest.

  One of the men, a captain, stepped forward and brought a fist to his chest in salute. “What would you have of us, Your Majesty?”

  “Purge our city of these dark priests and their followers. When that is done, we will retake Kelran,” Dillion said. The captain nodded and left half of his men to protect the king.

  “It will be bloody,” Jaxom said. “They will not go willingly.”

  “Willingly or not, I will not have a single dark priest left in Omest by nightfall,” Dillion said.

  “We need a safe place where Warin and the king can rest,” Da’san said.

  Two of the soldiers helped Dillion out of the room and down the hall while the others circled him, searching for threats. Lexa was still kneeling next to Warin, running a hand through his hair. Walking over to her, Jaxom placed a hand on her shoulder before reaching down to lift the man into his arms. The group stepped out into the hall, following the soldiers away from the destroyed room. Enrick stooped to close his friend’s eyes and pick up the lifeless body. The soldiers had taken the king a short distance to a sitting room. Enrick placed Gant’s body in a room across the hall while Jaxom moved to join the king. The soldiers stopped him.

  “Let them in. They have already killed me once today. I don’t think they can do much worse,” the king said.

  Inside, King Dillion lay propped on a couch. The wound in his leg was bound to stop the flow of blood, and the king waved Da’san away when he tried to tend to the gash. Jaxom lay Warin on an empty couch and peered at the man’s face with worry. His breathing was easier now, but his skin was cold and pale. Taking off his cloak, Jaxom covered Warin with it as Lexa kneeled next to him.

  “Da’san, can you do anything else for him?” Jaxom asked.

  “There is nothing else to do. It is up to him now. We must keep him warm and comfortable until he wakes. He will need to eat and drink to restore the blood he has lost,” Da’san replied.

  “And the arm?” Jaxom asked, looking at the mass of scars.

  “It was beyond my abilities to repair. I had no choice.”

  Jaxom looked into his friend’s face. “You should sit down and rest.”

  “Please, all of you, sit.” The king indicated the comfortable chairs around the room. Everyone did as they were asked with the exception of Lexa who did not leave Warin’s side. “You have saved my life, and I don’t even know your names.”

  No one spoke for a moment, waiting for Jaxom to take the lead. “My name is Jaxom, adopted brother of Corin Baldrin, King of Ale’adaria. We are here on his behalf. This is my betrothed, Adriana Fielder, and this is Darian of the Ale’adar Mage’s Council, Da’san priest of Sarinsha, Lexa of the Death Mage School, Warin of the Death Mage School, and Enrick the Bandit Lord,” Jaxom said.

  “The man who died was Gant… my friend,” Enrick said, meeting the king’s eyes.

  “Quite the collection of heroes,” Dillion said. “I am sorry for the man you lost, but the men and two commanders you killed were good men as well. They were only protecting me. They did not know that it was truly my son and the dark priests whose orders they followed.”

  “Until a few minutes ago, we did not know that either, Your Majesty. I regret that their deaths were necessary,” Jaxom said.

  “I have not been unware of what has been going on while under the control of Prince Tandis. I know the suffering my people have endured under the yoke of Or’Keer. Those men are just the most recent victims of the dark god,” Dillion said. He looked at Enrick with a considering gaze. “I have heard of the Bandit Lord. You have my thanks for doing what you could to protect our people. In the coming months, I hope that you will continue to fight. This time, however, a
t my side instead of against me.”

  “For the past year, I have worked against you, but now I look forward to helping you take back Kelran,” Enrick said.

  “I will need all the loyal men I can get. Not all of those in the army follow Or’Keer, but enough do. They will convince others to fight against us. I am afraid this will be a struggle of brothers against brothers.”

  “What about Prince Tandis?” Jaxom asked.

  “I hope we find my wayward son before he can escape, but he is resourceful and has the power of a mage,” Dillion said.

  “Was he born a mage?” Jaxom asked, fearing he knew the answer.

  “No. As per the law, there is no magical blood in our line. He must have received the ability from Or’Keer and used it to create that cursed medallion.”

  Jaxom had suspected that Or’Keer would gain enough power to create new mages. It seemed that day had come. The dark god had just become that much harder to defeat.

  “To get here, you must have traveled through Denra,” the king said after a brief pause. “How does that kingdom fare? I was not gentle when Tandis forced me to invade.” His voice dropped low with shame.

  Jaxom told him everything he knew of Denra, including that Corin had sent Cribble to aid and restore order. That led into a vague description of what Corin had planned, and how his brother was forming an alliance to fight back against the dark god. The king listened closely, nodding in approval often.

  When Jaxom finished, Dillion sat quietly for moment before meeting Jaxom’s eyes. “Stay and help me to regain my land. In return, I will send what men and resources I can to aid your brother. I would go myself, but I have much to do here.”

  Jaxom knew Corin would agree instantly to the request, but his brother was not here. Jaxom looked about the room at his friends. Lexa, who was fighting to hold back the tears in her eyes, nodded.