So much preparation and still the taking of Windmeer had been foiled.
Looking about, the first thing Palose noted about Ensolus was a stone ceiling hundreds of feet above them. The capitol city had been built within the mountains inside of a cavern made large by his wizards and warlocks. After so much time, even stuck between the multiple stories of stone buildings, Palose could tell that Ensolus surpassed other frontier cities like Windmeer in sheer size.
The second thing he noted soon took over his senses and that was the smell. Earth and stone blended with a certain smell that reminded him of decay. Ensolus wasn’t healthy and, whether it was the evil of the emperor or simply so many creatures trapped in one place, the young man didn’t know.
They made a turn and Palose spotted a lake inside the cavern. The buildings were nearly in the water it seemed from his vantage point, but however the city was situated, the lake seemed to occupy a large part of the cavern. He guessed that was Ensolus’ water supply and such a lake could probably provide for a huge population while being used for crops as well, though Palose had no idea what kind of crops they would grow in the cave. While there was light coming into the city, it wasn’t bright and lanterns driven by magic lined each street that Atrouseon led him along.
Another turn brought his attention to some stone spires reaching to the ceiling. Though there were dozens throughout the cavern city, these were near the center and hundreds of feet across. In the dim light, Palose could make out light coming from squared windows on the large columns and he realized that not only had the denizens used the stone to brace the ceiling they had created organic castles within the spires. He guessed that, if every inch of the rock was used, the central column would be more than double the height of Windmeer’s tallest tower.
When finally they entered one of the smaller spire castle’s to the side of the central column, Palose found hallways and doors like any other castle he had been within, but less decorated. Art seemed unimportant and, though there were carpeted hangings, they were quite plain and simply used to reduce drafts and minimize the cold. Carpets lined the halls in long rectangles pushing back the chill in the stone floor and the mage became a bit more impressed with the scope of the attempt. It was rare for the tough northerners to bother carpeting their halls, though most bedrooms had at least one placed beside their beds.
Their long walk ended in front of a pair of guarded doors. For Palose, the brown skinned orc guards were perhaps his biggest surprise. After living with the humans of Southwall all his life, it was strange to think of the beasts they had fought against so long as being intelligent enough to guard anything. They were killers of men and any other place in life seemed impossible to him.
At the sight of Atrouseon, however, the brown skinned guards moved to open the doors as any human guardsman would. Palose tried to avoid making eye contact with the creatures as he entered a large room. More guards lined the walls. Stocky, powerful orcs made up the main ranks, but two trolls stood to either side of a dais with a throne like chair set upon it. The seat was vacant, but a table on the lower floor held three men seated before a table and they all looked up at their newest guests.
The man in the center dressed in black, with dark hair and tightly trimmed beard, looked up blank faced at the interruption with his black eyes; but he said, “Atrouseon, I hadn’t expected to see your return so soon. I take it the attack failed.”
Palose heard no surprise in his voice and doubted that this man would show it even if he was. He was one of those who hid his emotions from lesser men. His power in magic was palpable and the mage thought in his previous life it would nearly be blinding. Somehow in his return to life Palose found his own strength had increased beyond his once meager battle mage level. Still, stronger or not, this man’s power was so far beyond his own that it was like comparing a lit candle to a forest fire.
Atrouseon bowed from the waist looking at the floor motioning behind his back for Palose to follow his example, so the mage bowed as gracefully as he could. It wasn’t a motion often used by the soldiers and mages out in the field or training at the schools where nobles were rare.
“My Lord Devolus, we think that a large force that was supposed to be north of the wall returned before our army could take Windmeer castle from within. My new apprentice said that he knew they had returned and my use of sight magic confirmed that a new group of nearly as many soldiers as we sent inside were enough to repulse our forces.”
The dark haired man seemed to frown with nearly every word of the warlock before him. He frowned at the word apprentice being used for Palose, though the young man was unsure exactly why. He frowned at the information of an army destroying their best attempt at taking the castle in over a hundred years and he also frowned hearing Atrouseon putting so much faith in his “apprentice”.
“You would call this thing an apprentice now, Atrouseon? He is little better than a wraith or some other puppet created from necromancy. Even in Ensolus few dare use such magic and giving it the sense of self is ridiculous. Your resurrection man spell is an aberration and your faith in something made from the body of our enemy leaves me questioning my faith in a warlock like you.”
Atrouseon waited patiently and meekly as the man spoke. Hearing the condescending words for his own existence made Palose want to frown in kind, but the former battle mage did his best to avoid showing any emotion. He had always tried to remain quiet to hold some air of mystery among his peers. Training his face to remain blank in front of a mirror at night, the battle mage had worked hard to perfect the skill.
When Atrouseon believed it was his time to speak, he did so carefully. “My lord, when we caught this mage in flight back to the wall of Southwall, his fall broke his neck giving us an opportunity that we have rarely had. I have studied the various spells of necromancy as my master once ordered me. This resurrection man was returned to life using commands to bind him to me. His obedience to my whims is unquestioned. I made sure to also purge him of his allegiance to Southwall that he might infiltrate their world and still follow our needs.
“He is no imperfect wraith with his skin dying on the bone held together by simple magic. This resurrection man is truly alive and breathing as any other creature. He simply has no will to defy me, his master.
“Though I understand your beliefs, my lord, you may question him and see for yourself.”
Another frown was revealed through the lord’s words as he replied, “Like I need your permission, Atrouseon.”
The man paled and looked ready to explain he had meant nothing of the kind, but already Lord Devolus was already scrutinizing Palose. “Tell me,... boy, how did you come by the opinion that this was a new force that repulsed our attack. When the plan to hit Windmeer from within was brought to us by your master, we were assured that you would wait for the best time to bring the attack through.”
Nodding at the statements, Palose tried to appear calm as he explained himself, “My lords, I summoned the attack force to come at night. The Southwall lords had sent a sizable force north of the wall believing that there was a large army from Ensolus nearby planning to attack.”
“They were sent out as a distraction to buy time for your part of the plan. Nearly a thousand soldiers formed of three brigades were sent to destroy any force sent into the field.”
Shrugging, Palose replied, “That may have been the plan, but one of the battle mages I know was with the force sent north was already deep inside the castle before we pulled back. Erdeeth and Kerlorish had thirty goblins and orcs as well as three trolls to kill the one mage, who had become separated from the rest; but if he was there then, however many returned with him, must have turned the battle.”
“You had armored viles, kiriaks and trolls to destroy any resistance. How could our forces lose?”
“I was there to bring our army into the castle and if the attack failed I was to help get as many of our warlocks clear of the city to find a way to open more portals. Invading Windmeer was a risky pl
an, which is why I was given alternate options. What exactly went wrong I don’t know, but this mage that I confronted knows some new magic that may have been used against even kiriaks and viles,” Palose informed the men trying to bring worth to this man’s eyes. He was no undead thing to be dismissed as garbage, even by this powerful lord.
Looking unconvinced, one of the men beside Devolus asked, “What kind of magic could a battle mage come up with that is so important?”
He could feel Atrouseon tense beside him with worry. His new apprentice was acting like no puppet as he had said, but now that autonomy was threatening to bring trouble down on the warlock. Palose had a feeling that the man was beginning to regret his use of the spell now but, unlike Atrouseon, Palose had nothing to lose. “Air lance,” the mage stated calling up the wind spell with a mere two words. It was an instant spell like other battle mage magic and best exemplified what Sebastian had shown to him before his death.
Their eyes revealed that such a simple spell barely moved them to being impressed. “Strike!” he ordered and cast the air spear away from him as Sebastian had taught not only him, but the air wizards that had revealed the spell to the mage. The troll to the left of the chair wore thick armor to appear even more impressive to those looking on the guards in the room. Trolls were also resistant to some magic like fire.
Crying out in pain, the troll dropped to his knees reaching for his upper left chest. The noise of the large monster was nearly drowned out by the blast of broken stone coming from the wall behind the beast.
Movement from around the room after the initial surprise attack signaled the orcs and remaining troll response to the threat.
“Reflex, daggers,” Palose quickly ordered both his spell that sped up his body to slow the world around him and the new air knives that Sebastian had revealed to the mages of Southwall. As the guards seemed to slow to a crawl, the battle mage was quickly in motion casting the air knives as more were called into life and they left his hand.
Thirty orc guards in plate armor with swords or spears tried to converge on the single human mage; but in what seemed like a split second to the orcs fifteen on the right were already reeling from cuts to arms and legs. Palose turned and moments later only the final troll was left charging his position.
“Lance,” the mage called the first spell back as he closed the distance with the monstrous troll, which dwarfed him in both size and power. It was the troll who pulled up short, however, finding the shimmering air spear touching its neck pointing up towards the base of its skull. Palose shook his head at the beast and warned, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I know you trolls heal fast, but I doubt you’ll get your head back.”
Its eyes glanced to the warlocks at the table. Palose’s knew the fight was over and turned to see only two men remained at the table.
“Impressive,” Lord Devolus stated from arm’s length behind Palose. He had moved even faster than the mage sped up by reflex, the younger man realized. Palose wondered what spell it was and if he could discover it as well.
Nodding a respectful bow, Palose parted from the troll to return to his position beside Atrouseon. He simply stated, “Sebastian taught both air spells to all the mages in Windmeer and our reflex spell lasts long enough to do what I just did and more. My guess is those that returned pierced the armored viles’ armor similarly. You’ll notice that my first spear not only went through the troll’s armor from the front, but exited the back to strike the wall.”
There was blood on the wall behind the first troll which had yet to stand after being wounded. A round dent in the wall at the epicenter of dozens of cracks revealed the end of his first cast. Palose knew that such a spell, if the right thought was put into it, could even have pierced the stone. If Sebastian were here, he knew that battle mage could have done so for sure.
Lord Devolus nodded. “If all your battle mages can fight as well, then I suppose that is something that we had not calculated. We may need to start using the new armor we have been developing to cancel out this new art.”
Giving Palose an appraising look, Lord Devolus turned his gaze on the warlock beside him. “Perhaps this resurrection man was a better investment than I thought, Atrouseon. I give you permission to train him in as many schools of magic as he might be able to learn. His power is greater than a normal mage thanks to your bond with him, so he might exceed his former life as a battle mage.
“You two are dismissed,” the lord finished with a brusque wave of his hand.
Chapter 2-The Mage Apprentice
“You little fool; I didn’t tell you to attack Lord Devolus’ guards! Are you trying to get us both killed?” the warlock swung at Palose as they passed beyond sight of the lords and most of the hall guards.
The battle mage saw the strike coming in slow motion as he had yet to release his reflex spell. While he could easily have dodged the man’s attack, Palose let the fist catch his jaw enough for the warlock to gain the satisfaction before moving his head away to lessen the strength of the blow. Giving the appearance of taking a full blow, the battle mage pulled back reaching for his jaw feigning hurt.
“Lord Devolus and the others didn’t appear to believe that one mage with new magic could change the battle so drastically,” Palose replied giving a little space between them as if he feared the warlock in such close quarters. Atrouseon was a typical magic caster. He could fight with his spells and had some weapons’ training, but he was no battle mage. Trained to the sword and most every martial art known to Southwall and its allies, Palose could have killed the man easily. Such an extreme measure would not have ended well for him, however, so despite his dark thoughts the mage had to continue to let the warlock believe he had the upper hand. “The demonstration accomplished what we needed it to do.”
“What we needed it to do? ‘We’ didn’t need any such thing. Remember this, boy. I brought you back to life and I tell you what you should and should not do. Since Lord Devolus seems to have taken a liking to you, you will be my apprentice. I will get you situated with the school and library so you may use the books there when I am not using you to assist me with my work.
“Despite my time in the field which led me to revive you, which I am sorely regretting now, I have many duties to perform in the city while I am here. You will do as I tell you and will avoid raking my good name through the coals or I will kill you again myself!”
Palose pretended to remain meek, which he supposed was part of truly being meek, but the young man didn’t feel that way. He had played the humble cadet learning his craft for years. During his time as a cadet, he had held his tongue as much as he could remaining the quiet student always waiting for his chance to earn the promotion to falcon; but that had been a humble man’s dream.
When Atrouseon revived the battle mage who had died that day running from three warlocks and scores of werewolves and nomads, he had been recreated in the image that the warlock had seen for him. Palose was still conscious of what he had been and it was merely that he felt like his eyes had been opened to the new opportunities the warlock had revealed to him. It wasn’t a matter of good or evil anymore. What was good and evil was really just perspective anyway.
Now he had the chance to become more than a simple falcon. A battle mage, no matter his rank, was still just a mage; but now he had real power. Devolus had said that he was stronger and that it came from the bond between him and Atrouseon. He wanted to check into that bond sometime. While he had barely spent time with the warlock, Palose was pretty sure that he didn’t like the man. Whatever the spell he had set had been, it had lent towards obedience, but no love or loyalty.
He had used the spells to incapacitate the guards in the chamber to prove himself, not to prove Atrouseon’s words or even his own. The battle mage avoided killing them to prove that he hadn’t gone too far, or most likely Lord Devolus would have killed him rather than standing behind him waiting to see what he would do.
The mage had proven himself to men with real power. Atrous
eon may have his hold on him now, but Palose would keep his eyes open. There must be a way to gain the freedom he wanted, but meanwhile he would serve and learn what Ensolus had for a man that desired more out of life. Palose was unsure exactly what he wanted, but he surely didn’t want to be someone’s slave forever. An apprentice, for now; he would be a master of his own future later.
Once more he followed the warlock, his master and savior, much to Palose’s chagrin. The building they entered was fairly near to the administrative building that they had just been inside. Despite the feel of being a castle, Ensolus had many such buildings and most had little to do with the defense of a castle like Windmeer Keep. In some ways, the city reminded him more of White Hall by design. Though drastically different sites, White Hall had its defenses, but like Ensolus the city and school doubted they would ever be tested.
Ensolus had an entire mountain to protect it from its enemies, but he would learn that there was an outer wall and defensive towers beyond the massive cave’s mouth as well. While White Hall doubted that it would be attacked because it was safely hidden beyond North Wall, Ensolus was the aggressor. Ensolus formed the hub of the enemy empire that continued even now to try and destroy human kind in Southwall. While White Hall hid hundreds of miles south of the protective wall, Ensolus was what they hid from and it had little to fear.
Stepping into a small room, Atrouseon pulled a gate across the doorway they passed through and lay his hand against a panel. Palose could feel the flow of magic into the panel which in turn caused the room to shift and lift upward. Less a room and more a box, he clarified to himself as he felt the movement. “I don’t know if a battle mage has the control to use an elevator, but you simply extend your aura into the plate. Your magic causes the gears and whatever else is behind this thing to lift or lower you. Your mind controls which direction you go and how quickly to a point.
Battle Mage: The Dark Mage (Tales of Alus) Page 2
