When he arrived inside the castle and was led to a small dining room with a table holding covered plates of silver, Palose also found Kolban and Acheri seated beside each other and Lanquer on the other side of his sister. There were no others save guardsmen in the corners and at the doors.
“Good morning, Apprentice Rosaren,” Kolban greeted without standing up. He was the emperor. An emperor didn’t get out of his seat for a lesser man after all.
“Good morning, your majesty,” the mage greeted with the style of bow seen in Ensolus. It wasn’t a comfortable position for a man who had rarely bowed more than his head to anyone, even before a few lords and ladies.
Giving a sigh of exasperation, Acheri called out. “Enough of these formal greetings, come sit by me Palose. Get out of the seat and sit on the other side, Lanquer,” the girl ordered her half brother, who frowned but readily obeyed to sit beside his brother, the emperor.
The men who had brought him to the palace left as the emperor waved them off and Palose took the seat still warm from the displaced guardsman.
“I hope you are hungry,” Kolban said with a smile and the mage wondered if he had been called at the early hour to ensure that Palose wouldn’t have broken his fast yet.
“I was only able to grab a piece of bread with jam before I came,” he stated briefly as Acheri leaned towards him comfortably.
“Well then maybe you will enjoy our table,” Acheri suggested picking up the silver cover by its handle and moving it aside to look at a plate of eggs, fruit, a flaky pastry covered in icing and three slices of ham. It was an unusually large meal for the mage, but the smells made his mouth water and he followed the girl’s lead taking his cover off to find a duplicate of her food on the plate in front of him. The others followed suit using silver utensils to feed them.
A moment of eating came even as Palose watched the emperor for cues. He had surely not just been called for a breakfast with the mightiest being on the continent. Even though he had become surprisingly close to Acheri and even Lanquer, who was more restrained, the mage had never been on the social calendar at the central keep of Ensolus.
When Kolban paused with a piece of fruit on the end of his fork to look at Palose, he said casually, “My sister tells me that you have created a small network of portals inside of Southwall without their or my knowledge.”
If he had been trying to swallow, the piece would surely have stuck in his throat with the surprising change of topic. Though he had always assumed one day the emperor or someone serving him would talk with him of his extra curricular trips outside the empire, it was never in this kind of setting. Acheri had known of his travels officially for over a week and it had always just been a matter of time.
Nodding, Palose replied without trying to hide or gild the facts, “Early on when they started working on the fortress, I made a touchstone and cast it through the gate. From there I began walking east to Windmeer and even sent messengers with a few more of the stones.
“Acheri joined me when I reached the Cadhalla River and the Twin Towers. I should be only a day or two from Blackwall now.”
The emperor, who still looked like a fourteen year old boy superficially, except for his gray eyes which held ageless knowledge and wisdom, sat nodding at each piece of information. How much Acheri had shared, the mage didn’t know and couldn’t tell from the boy’s calm reaction. His first question revealed no concern over the mage’s use of the portal spells for his personal use, instead he asked, “Have you been to the fortress since Garosh surrendered to Southwall and the others returned?”
“No, your majesty, I haven’t been there since before the early reinforcing of the fortress. I only walk for a few hours a day, so most of the time I have just been concentrating on moving forward.”
Looking a little disappointed at the news, Kolban rebounded easily enough as he gave an order that almost sounded like a request to the mage’s ears, “We have lost contact with the fortress since the return of the reinforcements. With the altar broken and no signal from the secondary portal inside of the mountain, we haven’t been able to find out what is happening there.
“I need you to use your touchstone to go find out what is going on there. Though Southwall might have destroyed the altar, I surmise that they did nothing to affect the second portal. Letting Garosh’s surrender continue unopposed is one thing, but I can’t have an entire mountain thinking that I have abandoned them or that they can abandon me.”
Acheri looked enthusiastically at the emperor. “Maybe he should have company when he goes. I could go with him.”
His visage darkened at the thought and Kolban replied, “The mage does not need you tagging along into enemy territory. I have already said that we have no idea what is happening there. Whether our soldiers live or die or Southwall holds the mountain, he will need to be able to act without having to protect you. You will stay here and stop doting on your pet.”
Palose didn’t appreciate the condescending tone aimed at either of them, but this was the emperor and he dared not show any disrespect. Aside from that, he agreed with Kolban. They knew nothing of the state of the fortress and the surrounding countryside. More than two months had passed since the mage had walked the slope of the mountain. No one in Ensolus had been there in a few weeks since the surrender, which meant anything could be waiting for him.
While the mage continued to eat and thought of what he might be walking into, the emperor watched him closely and spoke once again as silence settled over the table, “You walk for a few hours a day trying to cross as much distance as you can in that short of a time. To have walked from the mountain to Blackwall is an impressive distance for such a limited process. If you ever feel that you would like to extend these trips, I will intercede with your master for you.” He paused and no one interrupted as they could tell the young man had more to say. “It seems strange to think of you as a mere apprentice. You were a falcon in Southwall, a fully ranked mage. Now as you try to take in warlock magic to suit your increased power, they still call you apprentice.
“Atrouseon can be a competent master, but from what I hear he has hardly been one to you in your training. How has the transition been going for you in this regard?”
Feeling like anything he said could be used to trap him, Palose held his tongue a moment. Kolban shook his head. “Whatever is said here won’t harm you or your master. Speak truthfully.”
He wanted to sigh as he tried to be judicious in his choice of words despite the assurances. “When I first arrived, he pointed me towards a few books and schools of study, but Atrouseon understood that I was a battle mage already. I think he left me to grow into what I wished, since I was no novice to magic.
“Other apprentices have steered me towards more helpful things, though Atrouseon has never failed to answer any questions I have had. He doesn’t answer in straightforward ways at all times, but that is probably the way a master wizard trains his apprentice. Giving me all the answers without using my mind to solve problems would hardly make me learn at all, plus I have had to sort casting to suit my mind.
“That is where the one known as a mizard may have prepared me better than anyone in Ensolus could hope to do. He translated several spells from the slower casting of wizards into that of a mage. As I now have the power of a wizard, I have found that I can use many warlock spells that I have found, and I have also discovered that knowledge has let me translate a couple spells in the same way.”
Kolban’s eyes widened slightly appearing moderately impressed. Even Acheri hadn’t realized that the mage had created some short hand versions of the warlock spells. His admission drew wide eyes from the girl as well.
“Interesting,” was all the boy, who was emperor would say.
Acheri looked ready to complain to her brother, but the girl also knew her place. He was the emperor and she was not. Praise or a lack thereof was his to give or not.
Moments later, Palose looked at an empty plate, but sat waiting for the emperor to dismi
ss him. No one walked out on such a man without his permission. Men of power dictated the comings and goings of those in their presence.
“You will do this request for me today?” Kolban made it a question, but no one believed it was just a suggestion.
Palose gestured towards his plate and replied, “I can leave now if that is all right, your majesty.”
At the boy’s nod, the mage stood and performed what he hoped was an appropriate bow before he added; “I will go get my gear and head out now then.”
A quick casting of the portal spell caused the soldiers to tense and a few even started forward until the emperor waved them off. In a flash, Palose was gone from the palace and inside his hideout. It was a bit of a risk since Acheri had hijacked his portals in the past, but she had been warned to stay home by Kolban, so he was hopeful.
It took only a few minutes to gather his gear. White winter gear was pulled from a wardrobe and put on before picking up his pack and sword. A second gate was opened sending the mage on his way to the Dimple Mountains and Garosh’s fortress.
Palose was surprised by his first steps into snow that was still over a foot high. The sun was out and making the sheet of white around him blindingly bright and the young man was forced to squint after the shadows within the house in Ensolus. Considering it was the edge of winter and spring was already listed as starting on the calendar, these mountains didn’t seem to know that as the cold enveloped him.
The mage was used to changes between home and his touchstones being dramatic by now, of course. He had been traveling by portal for too long to truly be surprised by the weather. Feeling movement and a rise of magical power from nearby, however, was new.
“Shield,” he heard another voice call from behind him. An echo of the spell crossed his lips as well as instinct kicked into gear.
Turning quickly, Palose took in the rushing forms of a mage and two soldiers. The former had given them away. Perhaps if the man had kept quiet and simply rushed him, they could have taken the dark mage down without a fight, but he was ready for them.
“Reflex, air lance,” the dark mage ordered seeing the oncoming battle mage pull up short in surprise.
A man in his mid twenties by Palose’s guess, this was a seasoned falcon able to recover from the shock of seeing his spells mirrored by someone coming through a portal. Knowing that only enemies of Southwall had come through them, the battle mage repeated the reflex spell and called fire to his blade as the two soldiers rushed past.
“Be careful, men. He has battle mage magic,” the hooded mage in his white winter camouflage warned the two soldiers similarly garbed.
It was too late for the soldiers. Compared to a battle mage sped up by reflex, they were snails to be crushed.
Rushing to meet the two men, the air spear was handled with both hands as Palose projected his blue shield between him and the other mage. It was a peculiar use of the spell that the other man had never seen, since Palose had developed the skill training with the apprentices of Ensolus.
Even as the falcon paused in confusion, he watched the dark mage plunge the air spear through the leather armor of the first soldier hidden beneath his outer jacket. Driven clean through like Sebastian had once done to a boulder in front of him, the dark mage brought his shield back cutting the second soldier’s head from his body. Even as blood sprayed from the dying soldiers as they toppled to the ground, Palose ignored the dead and drew his shield back to him closing on the falcon.
The man was a veteran and had fought through the campaign to take the fortress. He was neither frightened nor rusty in his skills, but he was outmatched in his ability. Palose used the spear striking and being blocked by the shield or countered by the reinforced blade. Still, he drove the older falcon back in spite of their evenly matched speeds.
“Who are you?” the hooded man gasped as he gave way trying to take the upper hand back somehow.
Breaking from the falcon for a new spell, Palose ordered something newly translated into mage casting, “Shadow snare.”
Darkness leaped at the hooded mage and he moved his blue shield protectively between them. Like water cascading off a table, the darkness struck the shield and simply slid around the defense. Ribbons of shadow caught the man pulling his arms to his sides disrupting his shield in his surprise. It was a mage’s first rule to never lose control of your magic shield. The protective blue magic was not only his defense but offensive as well. As the ribbons wrapped tightly around his upper body, even his sword dropped from the battle mage’s hand.
Forcing the mage to his knees, Palose looked on the falcon and asked, “Do you truly not know of the Betrayer of Windmeer? I heard that was what they called me there now. I would have thought a battle mage walking through a gateway from Ensolus would have been obvious, but maybe you are just slow.”
Anger crossed the captive man’s face as he spat, “You are the one who is slow if you think that you can just come here and expect to avoid the rest of the patrols. You can kill me, but the others will catch and kill you!”
Palose crouched down looking the man in the eye from less of an angle and replied, “I doubt it. You know these gates go both ways, right? All I need is create another and leave again.”
Realization of another kind came to the mage’s eyes, as he asked, “How can you be the battle mage that betrayed Windmeer? You have more strength like a wizard, but that’s impossible.”
Shrugging, the dark mage replied, “I died and came back stronger, what can I say? It wasn’t from my doing, but we’re avoiding the real reason I am here.
“Has Southwall taken over the fortress or left the residents alive in there?”
Suddenly tight lipped, the bound man said nothing.
Palose chanted a short spell directing it at the mage and watched as his eyes glazed over enthralled by the magic. Coercion magic wasn’t the easiest and he had often felt that it would never come, but access to the spells had always seemed more important than the aggravation of the fight to master them.
“Now let’s try that again, shall we?” the dark mage questioned with a pleased smile. “Who holds the inner fortress, Southwall or the army of the emperor?”
“We have patrols that have been through the tunnels to check for any other threats, but while under a treaty of peace we mostly patrol outside making sure that they aren’t up to something,” the hooded mage stated sounding a bit groggy but clear headed enough for Palose to believe his words were accurate.
“Have the armies of Windmeer and Falcon’s Keep remained here or have they only left a light guard?”
“They combined forces for a guard and sent the bulk of the armies back to the cities awhile ago. Since they had us outnumbered anyway, those in charge decided keeping an eye on them was as good as hemming them in with an army that couldn’t hold them, if they attacked in full numbers.”
Palose nodded more to himself than the mage under his spell. “Well, this is your lucky day. Sleep,” he finished making the bound man lapse into unconsciousness with a single word. It wasn’t the same as the healing spell version, but controlling his mind meant that worked as well even so.
Taking a pair of touchstones from his pocket, the mage cast air spears around them before sending one far to the west and the second was thrown into the forest farther up the mountain towards the fortress hidden there. A new gateway formed for the mage to follow the second touchstone. Now when the dead guards were found, they wouldn’t know which way he had gone. The first stone would act as a safety point for later, he hoped.
Entering the forest, the dark mage cast his stealth spell. A secondary spell was used to erase his footsteps in the snow using water based magic. He hoped that his magic would keep him from being noticed beyond the three men near the altar. The invisible mage made his way swiftly through the forest following the valleys between each new rise as even the vales continued to climb the mountain. No sign of either Southwall or the creatures inhabiting the fortress was found as he climbed further and
further up the mountain.
While he knew the general direction of the fortress from Sylvaine’s recounting of her trip, Palose had never seen it which made things even harder. How he was supposed to find out what was going on inside the fortress, once he found it, would be yet another obstacle he had no idea how he would overcome; but the emperor had sent him in good faith. He would find it and do his duty, but that brought Palose’s mind to why. Why did he care about satisfying the boy, who wasn’t just a boy? Obviously while he lived in Ensolus, the emperor wielded power over everyone, but the mage had created a network of touchstones. With the gold he had and his ability to travel using portals, he could go anywhere and do well. Southwall was large enough that he could easily get lost in the nation where those who knew him would never find him after all.
A rabbit leaped from its hiding place causing the mage to stop in his tracks. Had it heard or seen him? Maybe the animal had simply decided to move at the odd time. His magic was still in place, but the man stood firm and quiet for more than a minute. If there were hunters nearby, he had to be careful. Even magic had its weaknesses and most often it was human error that proved to be the biggest weakness of all.
Another sound from the direction the rabbit had gone signaled the little creature returning towards him in a frightened run. He felt more than saw the creature behind it and knew that it was one of the emperor’s werebeasts.
“Shadow snare,” the mage said in a hushed tone and the shadows reached out from him unseen to lash out and capture the rabbit bringing a squeal in its shock.
The werelion halted in its tracks seeing the strange magic and worrying over a trap. It sniffed at the air even as its eyes revealed no sign save the magically held creature. Hearing no other sound or sensing anything else coming, Palose released his magic appearing as if from nowhere.
Battle Mage: The Dark Mage (Tales of Alus) Page 35
