Battle Mage: Forging New Steel (Tales of Alus Book 9)

by Donald Wigboldy

  “Possibly or the magic might have similar origins despite the distance. During the Cataclysm, people were displaced or sailed away trying to find safety. Who knows how they might be related or even if they are?”

  “Wall,” Ashleen stated in his ear pointing ahead of them.

  They had covered the miles like horses running nearly at a gallop, he thought in amazement. This was certainly magic that could help a soldier.

  Slowing as they neared to walk towards the western tower, the guards let them get nearly to the base of the tower where he could see a door before lights turned on those approaching from the south.

  “Who goes there?” a voice cried out and Sebastian used the runes around his eyes to see men moving to their side of the wall.

  “Falcon Sebastian Trillon and my party,” he called out loudly. His voice echoed back off the stone of the forty foot high wall.

  There was a moment’s pause as a few of the defenders began to converse with each other in confusion. When a battle mage finally yelled over the wall to the five standing below them, he was surprised at the respectful tone, “THE Sebastian Trillon, the mage who fought in the wizards’ tournament?”

  Excitement moved along the wall from the near tower to its sibling across the river. The calm sound of a running river masked the sounds of voices from afar.

  “The same,” he called back wondering if he would ever get permission to dispose of the stones north of the wall. Needing to be able to see the placement for where he wanted to set them meant moving through the tower or finding some other way to the other side.

  Discussion moved through the men. Some seemed disbelieving so when the mage called down a requirement of proof he wasn’t surprised. “If you are he, then show us something from the tournament.”

  Sighing, it didn’t take Sebastian long to decide on a spell. “Shield your eyes. I’ll call light for them. It was something that I did for the competition. If one of them was there or word was passed along, it should do the trick.

  “Light,” he finished casting the stream of light into the air. Attacking the wall wouldn’t help convince them he was a friend after all.

  A quick conversation between those on the wall preceded calling into the tower. The mage he had been speaking to shouted, “We’ll open the door for you, sir!”

  “Sir?” Elzen scoffed with a little laugh. “Apparently you have aged a lot in a year, owl mage.”

  Seeing the heavy door at the base of the tower open, Sebastian led the others forward as he replied, “Well, you haven’t, Elzen.”

  Rilena laughed and punched the other mage in the arm saying, “He has that right.”

  “You weren’t saying that when you popped in on me in the baths,” he replied with a laugh causing the girl embarrassment.

  “Let it go! It wasn’t my fault that Garosh’s spell dumped me there,” the girl complained a little more meekly as she crossed her arms defensively.

  Sebastian laughed and added, “You still haven’t told me that whole story yet. Maybe when we get back...”

  Groaning at the request, Rilena shook her head; but Elzen said teasingly, “I would be glad to. Rilena asked me not to bring it up, but since you did...”

  “Why did I have to think of you?” the dark haired girl questioned quietly.

  A handful of soldiers stood to either side of the doorway looking a little suspicious of their guests, but one said, “Head up the stairs. The captain wants to speak with you.”

  Flights of stairs curved as they broke through one ceiling to another. With a forty foot rise, there were a lot of stairs to climb. At the top, Sebastian found several wizards, mages and the captain of the tower guards.

  “I am Captain Istlen. What brings the legendary Falcon Sebastian to the Twin Towers without warning and in the night?” the dark haired man questioned. His thick beard and dark eyes seemed to wrap some of the darkness outside around the soldier and his eyes revealed that he was older than the mage before him.

  “It was a rather impromptu trip actually. The Betrayer placed a set of portal stones by the bridge to the south,” he said holding up the offending artifacts. “I came to place them on the north side of the wall in case the emperor decides to try attacking the Twins from both sides.”

  A wizard wearing the blue of a water wizard asked, “How would they do that?”

  “Like I said, they could anchor a portal. All the Betrayer would have to do is open a gate to the south and lead an army back to the Twins. If the emperor brought a large enough force to occupy both sides at the same time, even the Twin Towers would likely fall if crushed between them.”

  The battle mage who had spoken to him from the wall moved closer adding to the conversation. “Have you figured out their portal magic now too?”

  He nodded. “I used the Betrayer’s gate to get here. Hopefully he won’t notice that they have been moved; but even if he does, they will be on the other side of the wall.”

  The captain asked, “Why would you leave them here?”

  “For a trap,” Bas explained. “I will show you where I place them. Have guards keeping an eye out for a glowing door there and shoot anyone who comes through.”

  With only a little convincing needed, Sebastian moved with Ashleen to the wall where he could see the ground below. “Door,” he called hearing gasps from those watching the owl. A second glowing door appeared on the ground near the edge of bow range. “Is that a comfortable range for your people?” he asked the captain who was caught with his mouth slightly ajar in shock.

  At the man’s nod, Bas gave Elzen the stones and told him to place them by either end of the portal gate in the grass. Elzen nodded stepping through to appear on the far side of the second glowing door. The mage dropped each stone separately stepping on them to firmly push them into the ground before returning through the gateway to the top of the wall.

  Sebastian let the magic go closing both doorways.

  “I’ve placed a set of portal stones at the bridge in place of his, so we can send reinforcements if you ever need them,” Sebastian stated.

  One of the wizards heard and asked, “Why not set up a portal here then?”

  “If I put one on the wall, those coming through would be targets in a fight. If I put one inside of the tower and the emperor manages to use it against us; that would be possibly worse. The bridge is close enough for reinforcements and will give you time to see an enemy; if the emperor uses them against us.”

  The first battle mage to recognize him asked, “What will you do now? Can you stay to teach us more of your magic?”

  “What is your name?”

  “Falcon Trevor, I saw you compete in the tournament, sir,” the mage replied. He looked reasonably young, though a few years older than Sebastian most likely. “You were amazing. There were those who said your nickname is the mizard, because you are able to think like a wizard.”

  Elzen shook his head and contradicted the man, “They’re calling him an owl now. It’s better than using a name given to him originally by the Betrayer.”

  Those who heard his words began to shake their heads. Trevor, however, nodded saying, “Owl Sebastian, that does have a better ring to it then.”

  Sebastian returned to his original questions ignoring the title change and informed them, “We have to return to our mission to the east. If I get time, I will return or High Wizard Darius might send someone able to teach portal spells at least.”

  There were many disappointed faces as they said their farewells. Sebastian once more borrowed from Ashleen feeling sorry to use her like that, but it was better than teaching them dangerous practices like using the earth to lend its power instead. Casting his spell, he sent Rilena, Elzen and Serrena ahead once more before he and Ashleen followed closing the gate behind them.

  Chapter 20- Mirrored Actions

  The walk through the emperor’s palace always gave Palose mixed feelings. There was a certain amount of opulence, but Emperor Kolban cared less for pretty things than he did
about increasing his power; or at least the old Kolban was that way.

  Reborn in a new body, the emperor looked like a boy entering his early to mid teenage years; but Palose knew that he had all the knowledge of the original emperor’s mind. Though the warlocks involved and the emperor made them all believe that the transfer had kept him the same, it was hard to believe at times that this Kolban was the same creature who had lived for a millennium.

  This Kolban had one thing in common with his previous incarnation, which helped the dark mage; he seemed to have a fondness for the reborn mage. Palose had died and been brought back under a warlock’s spell. While that meant he had been sent to betray his homeland, Southwall; the young mage hadn’t felt any regret at the time and even more than a year later with that warlock dead, Palose barely felt anything for his former country.

  He had discovered portal spells thanks to his former master and been given a free rein to learn any other magic that he wanted besides. Learning all that he could of the resurrection magic, which had brought him back; Palose eventually discovered ways around his master’s control. He also learned how to use necromancy to bring others back to life. The dark mage doubted that his use of dark magic was known to the emperor. Such deeds would probably earn him a second death as had happened to every resurrection man before him, but for now the young mage worked to increase his power and learn all that he could of the magic kept in Ensolus’s library.

  Now he went to meet with Kolban. His position as someone the emperor trusted had come through his relationship with the sister created from one of two extra vessels created at the same time as Kolban. The emperor had bestowed some of his power on another male called Lanquer, a lesser vessel and even more power to his sister, Acheri. Both held much of his knowledge, but had their own separate minds and personalities.

  Orc guards made him wait for only a moment before he was admitted into a room that felt like a large office. Three long tables served as desks holding maps on one, writing utensils on another and some strange artifacts that he wasn’t familiar with on the last. Palose noted the sparse decorations and the mere handful of guards. A door was guarded by two trolls on his left farther down the wall towards the furthest table.

  Directly before him sat the boy emperor, Kolban. He sat behind the table using it like a desk. Smiling as he spied Palose’s entrance, the teen stood moving around the table to greet him.

  “Welcome, Palose, I have been waiting for you.”

  “I received the letter less than half an hour ago, your highness,” he stated with a bowed head. Some would kneel to the emperor, but the mage had little dealings with royalty during his life and was more likely to salute than kneel. “I hurried over as soon as I could.”

  Kolban waved off the excuse with a flick of his hand. “No matter, you are here now and I wish to discuss a few matters with you.”

  Feeling a little nervous at the emperor’s words, the dark mage always feared the day that Kolban would reveal that he knew of his dalliances with magic that might earn him a second death.

  Palose remained silent. It had always been his practice to hold his tongue to listen to others first. Speaking too often revealed ignorance; as often as it might brilliance. As a cadet at White Hall, the mage had done well in his studies; but he had also tried to limit revealing any weaknesses if he could.

  Seeing his silence as permission to go on, though the emperor required none; Kolban continued, “How do you think the plan to weaken Southwall is going? Our spies have been working to induce rebellion and dissatisfaction with the king for months now. Is it having an affect?”

  The questions seemed unnecessary to Palose, but he responded after a moment making sure that he didn’t speak faster than his mind could competently place the words in his mouth. “From what I have gathered, the king of Sileoth has worked hard to put down our men and several have been thrown into prisons for sedition. King Alain has been a bit more lax in his dealings with his southern cities.

  “There are those who are listening to the words of your men who agree with them. Since the south has seen no war for most of the centuries that your armies have been here, they question why they send their children off to become soldiers and wizards. They also question why they send their taxes to a king so far away.

  “I do not spend a great amount of time in the cities, but I have heard the echoes of their words in the taverns and streets when I have visited. When mouths continue to spread the message, I would say that it is having some affect, your highness.”

  Kolban seemed to hold the same caution as he appeared to contemplate the mage’s answer. It should be old news as far as Palose understood. Surely other word had come to the emperor. He doubted that Kolban was any less informed now as the emperor had been before he changed bodies. While Palose had barely arrived in Ensolus before Kolban was forced to take the new vessel as his old body decayed, rumors and the words of those he knew best led him to think that everyone believed the emperor’s ties to his people made him nearly omniscient within his city if not his entire empire.

  “Taking the western cities of Litsarin will make the king of Sileoth’s counter moves moot. If they fall before Alain can respond to aid his ally, he might even lose face with the other king.

  “One can hope anyway.”

  Word that the emperor’s soldiers were preparing for a battle had moved through the city. Those he used to keep an ear open had told him of it already, but Kolban confirmed it.

  Wondering if this was why Kolban had summoned him, Palose asked, “Do you need me to use my magic to create portals there?”

  The teenage boy shook his head glancing from the table to the mage summoning a polite smile as he dismissed the idea, “No, this doesn’t require anything unusual. The normal portal warlocks can man the chamber gates to send the army to Litsarin.”

  Palose remained quiet and tried to hide his lack of comprehension. Since Kolban had yet to tell him why he was there, the mage had nothing more to say until he had that information.

  “Acheri tells me that you have placed a portal near the Twin Towers on the north wall,” the boy said nearly getting the dark mage to reveal his surprise. While the emperor’s sister had managed to force her way through his portal months ago when he was near the Cadhalla River, nothing had ever been said of it before by Kolban. Use of many of his southern portals for the spies sent obviously revealed that the girl had told him at least something of his work south of the wall.

  “When winter was coming close to an end, I walked from Windmeer east to the bridge a few miles south of the towers. I also walked to Blackwall and sent a set of lodestones by messenger to Norcrom like I did to several southern cities.”

  Nodding without looking at the mage, Kolban held his chin in thought as he leaned on the table. “We need to leave Alain with something to think about besides the seeds of dissent in the south. Do you think if you summoned a division to the bridge, that they could catch the towers by surprise from behind?”

  After a moment’s thought, Palose shrugged as he answered, “I don’t see why not. If they stay low, they should be able to use the hills to catch the guards by surprise; at least until the final stretch of flat land between the wall and the closest hills.”

  Kolban nodded and stood again as he began to pace. Thinking aloud, he said, “We will need warlocks to knock down the wall and towers. Even if Southwall’s defense is too strong, we can clog the river. When it dries up to a trickle, they won’t be able to move their ships or fish the river.

  “Maybe it is time to try a few new units in the field.”

  “New units?” Palose questioned before he remembered this was the emperor and not just some boy.

  Gray eyes looked to the dark mage in amusement. “Ensolus houses much of my army, but you know there are other cities in the mountains. One in particular has been working on creating new creatures to turn this long standing war in our favor.

  “That is something you don’t need to worry about for now. Your wor
ry is to make sure that you are ready to move the soldiers and warlocks when everything is ready.”

  The side door suddenly flung open as a girl hurried into the chamber. Her dark hair trailed down her back in contrast to the white dress she wore. Palose thought the dress nearly as fine as the gowns of the lesser ladies in the castles of Southwall, but for the princess, this was closer to a sundress by her standards.

  “Why is it that I always have to hear from someone else that Palose is visiting the palace?” Acheri complained as she rushed towards the table and her brother. The dress clung to her lithe teenage body and the mage noticed quickly that the straps covering her chest wrapped behind her neck. Her body was young, but she was already slightly taller than the emperor and slim. With a plunging neckline and open back, it was the dress of an older woman, he thought; Acheri was unique in that her body looked fourteen, but she had only been created after the beginning of the year. Her mind was both new and a creation stemming from knowledge gathered by the emperor throughout his centuries.

  Kolban looked at his sister and questioned, “If you find out anyway, why do I need to waste time sending someone to warn you? I suppose if it meant you could take the time to find your shoes, maybe I should though,” he finished noticing her bare feet moving below the hemline touching her upper shins.

  With a petulant pout at the emperor on the girl’s face, Palose had to wonder how the three siblings created from the original Kolban’s memories could create such distinct personalities. Acheri was definitely not a man trapped in a girl’s body. She was truly feminine and didn’t act like her brothers in any way.

  “Why do I need to wear shoes inside the castle? It may be made out of a stone spire, but it is my home. Unless there are nobles or generals to impress for you, I don’t need to play at being a pristine princess. Palose knows me well enough that I don’t need to pretend to be something else in front of him.”