The Last Oracle: The White Mage Saga #1 (The Chronicles of Lumineia)

by Ben Hale

  A scratching sound drew his attention to the wall at his back, and a moment later a loose brick began to recede. It ground against the mortar, quiet and slow as it was removed. When it was clear, a rumbling voice spoke into the gap.

  "Did they succeed?" it asked.

  "No, Raybex," Breaker murmured. "But I got them to hit me. When they pulled him off me they called the black-eyed one Varson."

  There was a low rasp as the rock troll laughed. "You sound like my son."

  "Was he at the village?" Breaker asked. He hadn't known that Raybex had a son.

  There was a grunt. "No. He is at Tryton’s, teaching humans how to fight."

  "At least he survived," Breaker said.

  "If we escape, he will aid me in fighting our enemy."

  "When we escape," Breaker corrected.

  There was another rumble. "You would have made a good troll, my friend."

  Breaker grinned, splitting the scabs on his face once again. It was a high complement from a rock troll, no less diminished by the fact it came from the second chief of the clan. Along with Breaker, Raybex and two others had been taken from the destroyed troll village and had awoken in what appeared to be an old castle.

  Every day since, the four captives had followed the same routine, eat, sleep, and be questioned. After each interrogation they had shared what information they had gleaned between themselves. With his cell furthest from Breaker, Faiz had heard someone speaking Portuguese. Terus had a tiny window and could smell saltwater. He'd also heard boats arriving and leaving from a set of docks. Putting the information together they'd surmised that they were being held somewhere off the coast of Brazil.

  Throughout their captivity they also shared what they learned of their captors. Everyone wore the hooded cloaks at all times, and names were never used. Instead, the four captives knew them by other traits. The Thin Man was a high level techno mage. The Marked One had a burn scar on his hand, but he'd only been spotted a couple of times. Then there were the numerous mind mages that had tried to crack them: the Skinny Girl, the Twins, Flat Head, and so on.

  All of them except for the Marked One answered to Varson. From the moment Breaker had woken six weeks ago Varson had been vicious but controlled. He was the only one that did not wear his hood, allowing Breaker to witness the pleasure he found in each questioning.

  Breaker had stared into the black eyes of his adversary during every interrogation. More than anything, the mounting frustration he'd seen there had kept him going. He'd even taken to singing his favorite songs while the mind mages attempted to steal his thoughts. Perhaps it wouldn't have bothered his captors if he had a good voice—but he was tone deaf. Bellowing "It's a Small World" had escalated Varson's frustration into anger.

  But despite Breaker's bravado, he had reason to fear. Each of the mages they had encountered was powerful—and cautious. Deep down he knew it was only a matter of time until they broke one of them. Their only chance was to escape, but so far there had been no sign of weakness in their captors.

  None took chances with Breaker or the trolls. Not once had they removed the anti-magic bindings from Breaker's hands, or the massive shackles that contained the trolls. None of the obstacles had stopped the captives from trying to break free.

  They'd hit the outer walls first, which still bore the dents from Raybex's shoulder. The massive troll's skin had been scarred by their captors as a warning not to try again. Breaker and the trolls had only switched to more subtle attempts.

  "Which stone is next?" the troll murmured through the hole.

  The black bindings may have stopped Breaker from using his magic, but they didn't block his magesight. He scanned the wall and selected the weakest stone next to their hole. It had taken them several days to loosen the first. He hoped it would be easier now that it was out. After indicating the correct one to Raybex, the two began to work it loose.

  Breaker had learned that the best way was to lay on his back and strike it with his foot. He did so, and then listened for the blow from the opposite side. Taking turns, they rattled the stone in its mortar. The surrounding stones trembled each time the troll struck, but hardly moved when Breaker did. Still, the back and forth had the desired effect.

  Flakes of mortar cracked and fell after each attempt, and for a while the only sound was the muffled strikes and the grunts of exertion. After twenty minutes Raybex stopped.

  "Terus says someone comes," he murmured, and replaced the first stone.

  A guard passed them, checking their cells to ensure they were secure. Once he passed, Breaker and Raybex continued. After a moment Breaker asked, "How many stones are out between you and Terus?"

  "Three," the reply came. "And two between Faiz and Terus."

  Breaker felt a rush of competitive anger, and slammed his foot onto the stone. The sound was overly loud as it knocked the stone into the wall. By unspoken accord they waited and listened. Then they began to work again. Lunch came and went, and sometime in the early evening the second stone came free.

  Breaker caught it with his feet as it slid out, cushioning it so it wouldn't rattle against the ground. Through the larger gap Breaker could see a large tattooed fist, and he tapped it with his own in triumph. Then they started on the one in line. Raybex knocked it loose after an hour of work, but this time Breaker didn't catch it.

  It clattered to the floor, causing them both to freeze. After a moment's pause footsteps sounded, getting louder as they approached. In a rush Breaker and Raybex replaced the stones, fighting to keep quiet. With the guard just around the corner Breaker dropped the last brick.

  Cursing himself, he picked it up and shoved it into place. Then he picked up his chain and darted to the bed just as the hooded guard appeared. Breaker met the guard’s gaze with sarcasm, using it to hide his stammering heart.

  "When's the next meal, wench? I'm starving."

  The guard flexed his fingers, but Breaker merely laughed. Reluctantly the hooded man departed. As soon as he was gone Breaker breathed a sigh of relief. Then he darted to the hole and helped Raybex remove the stones. With half their support gone, the remaining stones came free within minutes, and soon there was enough space for Breaker to duck through.

  It was the first time he'd seen the rock troll since their capture, and fury blossomed within him at the sight. The troll's huge fists had been shackled to his feet, keeping the troll perpetually hunched while in his cell. The bands of steel around his hands were thick and bright, as if they were newly crafted.

  Dried blood stained his great body, marking where Varson had ordered he be punished for his attempt to escape. His features were rigid with suppressed rage, and his grey eyes burned with anticipation.

  "Are you ready?" Breaker asked as he extended his bound wrists to the rock troll.

  Raybex grunted and shifted his body so he could place his hands on Breaker's bindings. Impervious to magic, they still bore the weakness of the metal itself. Fashioned to hold a man, they had never been intended to stop a troll's strength.

  The huge fingers fumbled against Breaker's shackles, searching for a place to grip. Finding one, they tightened and began to pull. Grunting from the strain, the rock troll brought his full strength to bear against the metal. A squeak of protest came from the steel as it began to bend, then an audible snap resounded as it was wrenched in two.

  With one hand free Breaker was able to use a portion of his magic to weaken the remaining metal, and a moment later his restraints lay broken on the dusty floor. He froze as another set of footsteps began to approach. Knowing he had only seconds, he poured his magic into the troll's bindings. Built to hold a troll, they were no match for Breaker's magic.

  The moment they split, Raybex rose to his full stature. His black hair brushed the ceiling as he stretched. In two steps he closed the distance to the cell bars. Bored and walking casually, the guard stepped into view—and an enormous hand reached out. Snatching the man's neck, Raybex pulled him to the bars and growled into his ear.

 
"Move and die."

  The guard ignored the warning, and fire blossomed on his palms. Raybex snapped his vertebrae with a single twist of his fingers. His fire extinguished with his life, the guard's body slumped to the ground.

  "Fool human," Raybex muttered as Breaker searched the man's pockets for keys.

  "Nothing," he said in disgust. "Any ideas?"

  Without a word Raybex went to work on the bars. Although they might have been strong enough to withstand a troll's strength, they couldn't hold against a troll's rage. With a guttural growl, the rock troll yanked on an anti-magic bar—and it gave. Snarling under his breath, Raybex bent it further, until it tore from its moorings with a crunch of broken stone. Enchanted steel had yielded to flesh, and the troll went for the next bar. In less than a minute it too came free.

  While Raybex gave them an opening, Breaker used his magic to punch the way into the opposite cell. By the time the big troll had made a hole in the bars, two more trolls stood in the cell with them, making the space considerably smaller. As soon as the opening was large enough, Breaker dodged into the hall and pulled the body inside. Then he drew the hood back so he could get a better look.

  "It's Ferrin," he said in surprise.

  "You know this man?" Terus asked with a grunt.

  Breaker’s jaw tightened. "His father is a master level stone mage, and became a captain of the battlemages after I left. If his son is here, then we have a problem."

  "What are you saying?" Raybex said, and then jerked his head at Faiz, who took up position at the hole in the bars.

  "Ferrin's father finished at Tryton’s a year behind me, and was the best of his year. The fact that his son is involved indicates that this conspiracy goes much deeper than we thought. The entire family is well connected, and has positions throughout several branches of the Magtherian. His uncle was even appointed a high judge in the Magistration Office, so I think it's safe to assume that he's a Harbinger as well."

  "Will they not be punished for their crimes?" Raybex asked, his eyes narrowing.

  Breaker felt as if he stood at an invisible line, as if in that moment the conflict was on the verge of escalating. Ferrin's father had carried a great deal of influence, and had finished Tryton’s with countless friends and admirers. Judges, soldiers, and high level masters in many positions were close friends of his. Even Breaker would have counted himself among the man's friends. Steeling himself against what he knew was coming, Breaker rose to his feet.

  "No," he said. "I would say there is a good chance that capturing these men would do nothing. Ferrin's father or others would find a way to get them released."

  The rock troll issued a deep rumble in his throat. "Then I have no qualms about killing them."

  Breaker hesitated, and then said, "Raybex, I believe that the Harbingers are a threat to the entire mage world. Whether the high council knows it or not, they are at war. The only one I know I can trust now is Hawk."

  Raybex gave a curt nod. "I agree with your assessment. The ancient one can be trusted."

  Breaker blinked, surprised that the trolls knew Hawk's true identity. "Then we are agreed. We need to get word out so Hawk knows what is coming." He stooped and searched again through Ferrin's pockets, hoping to find what he sought. He cursed when he again found them to be empty. "If we can find a pair of omni-glasses I can get a message to him. We need to warn the Guild at all costs."

  "Then we must get what you need," Raybex said. "But first we need weapons."

  "Give me the bars," Breaker said, and Raybex handed them to him.

  Grasping one, Breaker set to work. Gray light fluttered into view as he shaped the black metal. It resisted, but most of the anti-magic enchantment had been broken when it had been torn free. Once he was finished he handed the rough sword to Faiz. Then he made two more. With the makeshift weapon in hand, Raybex growled. "No one lives to give warning."

  Chapter 24: Valiant

  They left the cell and worked their way down the hall. On the way Breaker gathered loose rocks into a magic fist. It wasn't large, but it could get the job done in a pinch. Fortunately they only encountered empty shadows. They reached the interrogation chamber, but it too was empty. Frowning, he led the way into unfamiliar territory.

  After being knocked out Breaker had woken up in his cell, so he knew little about what lay beyond the hall and the interrogation room. Passing the room, he came to a set of spiral stairs that went down but not up. A small window allowed the moonlight to illuminate the turret. Stepping to it, he peered outside.

  Below was a small castle courtyard surrounded by an ancient wall. Beyond the wall was the sea, and the tip of a dock was just visible. A flicker drew his gaze, and he squinted next to the pier. A faint shimmer reflected as the water flowed through an intangible barrier. With a start Breaker realized where they were.

  He pulled back and whispered to Raybex, "It's one of the coastal towers near Brazil."

  The rock troll shook his head, so Breaker went on. "Two hundred years ago a few castles were built on a handful of tiny islands off the coast of South America. Most were destroyed, but the mages appropriated the two that were abandoned. They shrouded them with invisibility spells so the aurens would think they were gone, but storms caused repeated damage and they were abandoned by the mages soon after. The Harbingers must have rebuilt one."

  "How many could it hold?" Terus asked.

  "A few hundred," Breaker said.

  Raybex glanced at the trolls on his flanks, his brow crinkling in thought. "Armored, and with surprise, perhaps. Not with these." He waved the rough-hewn sword in his hand.

  "Then let's try to avoid conflict," Breaker whispered as a stirring of footfalls began to sound from below.

  "Ferrin," a voice called, "you're late! Finish your rounds and get down here."

  A moment later footsteps sounded on the stairs. In a flash Breaker jumped on his stone fist and raised himself up the wall. He entered the shadows at the same time a light flickered on the stairs. He scanned for the rock trolls, but they had already retreated out of sight.

  The newcomer was cautious, and held a ball of fire in one hand as he ascended. "Ferrin?" he said. "You know I am supposed to report any—ˮ

  Raybex leapt into view. In a blur of motion he kicked off the outside wall and plunged his sword into the guard. The fire in the man's palm evaporated as he choked on the blade. He died as the troll carried him to the floor.

  Breaker lowered himself to the ground. "Let's go."

  They worked their way down the staircase and bypassed the next level. A glance through the door revealed it to be the barracks, so they moved on. Several times they avoided knots of guards that were engaged in various activities. Breaker felt his tension mount all the way to the base of the fortress.

  They came to a halt next to a set of large doors. Cracked open, they allowed a stream of light into the corridor. Breaker peaked through and saw that it was the great hall of the castle. On the opposite side of the room another set of large doors stood open to the courtyard outside. In spite of the hour, at least forty men and women were sitting in the chamber, gambling and drinking. Most had their hoods down, so Breaker glanced between the revealed faces. His heart sank as he recognized someone from nearly every branch of the mage government. Then he spotted something on the face of one of the men.

  He withdrew and led the trolls into a storage room. Once they were out of sight he whispered what he'd seen.

  "It's the great hall, and the courtyard is beyond it. Forty people are inside, but they are unprepared for an attack—and at least one is wearing spectacles." He didn't add how many he'd recognized.

  Terus grunted. "Hit them hard and fast. We'll occupy the rest while Breaker sends the message."

  After a moment's thought, Raybex nodded. "It should work. We will guard you until you have contacted Hawk. Then we make for the courtyard and the docks."

  Breaker agreed and stepped to the door, but Raybex hadn't moved. Instead he placed the tip of his rough
sword on the floor. Then he rumbled, "We train for life . . .”

  "To fight to the death," Faiz and Terus said in unison. Then Raybex turned to Breaker.

  "We are ready."

  Breaker swallowed at their avowal, and fervently hoped it didn't come to that. Then he stepped to the great door. Grasping the large handle, he prepared himself for the battle. Once the trolls were in position, he yanked it open for them. As one the three hulking figures burst into the room, roaring their battle cry.

  Six went down before anyone could react. Then screaming and shouting erupted as the Harbingers scrambled to defend themselves. Raybex plunged his sword through a man and then picked up his dying body. With a bellow of triumph he hurled the man into a knot of fleeing men.

  Raybex dropped his sword after it broke in two, and caught a chain that held a chandelier in the vaulted chamber. Tearing it from the wall, he yanked it from its hold on the ceiling. Metal screeched and whined as the large frame came free and plummeted to the floor. Built of cast metal, it slammed into the floor, part of a table, and a Harbinger that didn't move quickly enough.

  The rock troll chief darted halfway up the chain and caught two links. His muscles bulged as he pulled them apart. With a rending snap the metal gave. Grasping the broken length of chain, he snarled at the Harbingers huddling behind one of the large tables and swung his chain at them. The surface of the table shattered as the chain collided with it, engulfing the Harbingers in splinters and dust. Raybex withdrew the bloody chain and then struck again.

  Faiz had discarded his own sword in favor of a broken table. Grasping it with both hands, he hefted the oak boards like a shield, and deflected the blasts of magic from the regrouping Harbingers. Next to him, Terus was a whirlwind of death.

  Grasping a thick metal rod that had once held a tapestry on the wall, he plowed through the stumbling men and women. One by one they were crushed by tremendous blows issued from the rock troll. Few escaped his onslaught.