The Sword of Ages: The Mage Breaker Book 1

by Issett, A. L.

  “Do you need me to punch one of them in the nose for you?” Tanner asked.

  “That’s why I miss you Tanner” Golden said with a sigh. “You always knew what to say in situations like these”.

  “Well fuck Todd and fuck those other tossers” Tanner said with a laugh. “Let me introduce you to someone, you’ll get a kick out of this”.

  Tanner spotted Princess Caroline surrounded by all sorts of noble men each vying for her attention. Golden looked on in horror as Tanner bullied his way through the fray and led him right up to the princess and her ladies in waiting. “Your highness I would like for you to meet Golden Diamond, wizard from Kol” Tanner said as Caroline’s eyes went wide.

  Tanner had heard of love at first sight and figured this must be it. The princess stared at Golden and then started blushing furiously. Golden was dumbfounded and just stared, to flummoxed to say anything. Tanner looked around and could see he wasn’t the only one noticing, men looked at the pair and started leaving.

  “You are supposed to bow dumbass” Tanner said as he elbowed Golden in the stomach. “I told her highness that you were a regular gentleman not some idiot who has been in his cups or smoking too much of the seven leaf”.

  Golden snapped out of it and gave a slight bow and blushed a little. “These ladies here said all country folk are stupid inbreds so I am sure they don’t want to be insulted by me introducing you to them” Tanner said as he felt a tug on his sleeve

  “Aren’t you going to introduce me peasant” Tanner turned and saw Todd Greenley along with two other men.

  “Of course I will” Tanner said with a smile. “Your Highness this fat piece of shit is Baronet Greenley. He should have been left a stain on the bed but somehow he grew into the worse thing ever to fall out of a woman’s arse since the speckled pox the soldiers all have from visiting prostitutes. He can’t stay long you see, his boyfriends behind him want to know if they can borrow pig fat from the kitchen so they can each have a go trying to stuff their cocks up his arse”.

  The group went silent as Tanner finished. Greenley along with everyone else looked to shocked to reply. The silence was eventually broken by Golden told Tanner not to use such language in front of the princess while trying his very best to stifle a laugh.

  “How dare you!” Greenley bellowed.

  “I’m sorry lads, I should have told you her highness is no skinflint, you and the rest these jinx flingers can find the kitchens that away, we have more than enough pig fat for your needs” Tanner said as he pointed in the direction of a door.

  “You want to take this outside peasant” Todd said shaking mad.

  “Of course I wouldn’t Todd, I don’t want to have a go at you too” Tanner replied. “I don’t judge but men are not my thing”.

  “Is there a problem here Your Highness?” Herod said as he folded his arms.

  “These gentlemen were just leaving to the kitchen” Tanner said and pointed at the three wizards. “Her highness would be ever so grateful if you could show them the way”.

  Tanner looked as Caroline nodded and Herod gruffly took Todd by the arm and led him away.

  “You Cur!” Princess Caroline said and hit Tanner’s arms. “Who was that poor man you embarrassed so deliciously!”

  “He was a puffed up son of a Baronet who imagined himself a king” Tanner replied.

  “You should watch your mouth” Meredith said practically growling.

  “And you should wash your mouth also” Tanner said smiling.

  “I said watch servant” Meredith replied.

  “And I said wash” Tanner replied and gave her a wink which made her first go into shock then blush.

  “So Golden, I have heard a lot about you” Caroline said breaking the tension. “Tanner said his manners would be far worse if you were not there to reel him in”.

  “That is the truth Your Highness” Golden said shyly. “I don’t know what my sister sees in him”.

  “Oh the much talked about Mary” Caroline said with a small laugh. “If they do get married I think I would very much like to be there”.

  “You talk about Mary?” Golden asked looking at Tanner.

  “Easy there blessed one” Tanner said as he held his hands up. “I aim to make her my wife when this is all over but only after I talk it over with your Da. I haven’t been speaking ill of her”.

  “Well you better hurry” Golden said as his blank face turned into a small smile. “They have taken to calling her the Tanner’s wife behind her back since someone I know kissed her full on the mouth when he was leaving”.

  “I-I am sure I don’t know what you are talking about” Tanner stammered. “But if I find the guy I’m going to give him a stern talking to!”

  Tanner then heard a commotion as the King walked into the room yelling at the top of his lungs. The Tavorians had crossed over the border, the troops stationed there had first contact sometime yesterday, the king had received a bird and an exhausted messenger just arrived confirming it, Ket was at war.

  “We need to send our wizards to the front now!” said an angry noble.

  “We lost the last war because we waited too long and they picked us apart” said another.

  “We have to end this ball” the King said as everyone calmed down somewhat. “Contingency plans have already been thought up in case this happened, we are prepared. In the morning we ride out to meet this enemy”.

  Tanner quit listening after that, all he knew was that war was definitely upon them. He should be out there fighting to kick the Tavorians off of his land, if it wasn’t for them he would know who his father is. Instead he would stay here watching over Caroline while Golden was out there doing what he should be.

  “Well it looks like I will be needed soon” Golden said solemnly. “Walk your old friend out?”

  “Stay right here” Tanner said as he looked around for the Princess. Tanner found her near her father’s side. Tanner squeezed through all the outraged talking nobles and went up close to the King where the guards recognized him and let him pass. Tanner caught Caroline’s eye and went up to her.

  “Your Highness” Tanner began. “I have never asked you for anything before. But my friend Golden is most likely going to be in the thick of it soon. I want either release from your service to join him, or even better if could make him one of your staff. I hate to ambush you like a snake in a rabbit hole but I have no choice”.

  “I’ll talk to my father, but now is not the time” Caroline said and motioned for him to go away.

  Tanner found Golden and let him know what he had done. Tanner could see a small glimmer of happiness when he heard Tanner say he would fight alongside of him.

  “Well then, walk me halfway home, they wouldn’t let me bring my horse” Golden said as he made for the door.

  Tanner sighed and followed his friend out of the Sun palace and down the main street when Golden whispered to him.

  “I think we are being followed Tanner”

  “I know we are being followed blessed one” Tanner replied. “I just wanted to give Todd a chance to back away. The King has offered he a small house in the city somewhere when this war is over, I’m not one of his vassals anymore and I have always hated that tosser”.

  “Tanner they have magic, they are not as good as mine but there are three of them” Golden said hushed.

  “Well I did beat that tosser in Daum and he was a full-fledged wizard” Tanner said as he led Golden down a side street. “I’m just upset I haven’t got my good luck arrow you made me a while back, but it won’t matter none”.

  “Tanner this is a dead end” Golden said in alarm and started looking around for an exit.

  “Well then we can stop running, follow my lead Golden, it’s about time you stopped worrying about this tosser anyway” Tanner said as he turned around and waited for Greenley and his thugs to round the corner.

  “See Golden, he is right on time like I said” Tanner said loudly and started unbuckling his pants. “I told you
if we brought something to grease ourselves he would show, he can’t help it”.

  “You think you are real fucking funny don’t you peasant” Greenley said as he pulled out his wand.

  “No I am tired of your shit Greenley” Tanner said as he latched onto Greenley and the other two without drawing away their power. “You are not in Kol anymore, you need to stop acting like it”.

  “I have been owing you two a beating for some time, your mouth won’t get you out of this one” Greenley said as Tanner readied himself.

  “This ends here” Tanner said as he took off at a sprint towards the men and cut off their magic flow. He could see Todd fire off a spell then look on in shock as it never materialized. By the time the other two had their wands out Tanner felt a fireball pass over him and scatter the other two. Tanner grabbed Todd’s wand and yanked it out of his hand and tossed it. Tanner could see he was much bigger than Todd now, he towered over the older man and thought the fight not fair but quickly dismissed it.

  “You said something about a beating you piece of shit” Tanner said as he grabbed Todd by the collar and slapped him as hard as he could. “Here I am you fat piece of shit, now beat me”!

  Tanner looked as on in anger fading to amusement as Todd wet himself. Tanner shoved the fat wizard backwards on his behind. “I heard you lot have been giving my boy Golden here a hard time. If I hear anymore words about it, I am going to ask the Princess to see to it personally that all of you are stationed on the frontlines”.

  Tanner glared as the men walked away, he had hated Todd for a while but figured there was no way to pay him back for all the shit he caused. One thing was for sure was that he could never go back to Kol without trouble. The King had been paying him three gold coins a week for his services and promised 100 coins if he ever caught the assassin. Tanner had caught two and had a sizable sum already, if he was serious about Mary she would have to move to Ketol to have a life. Tanner walked Golden all the way home and didn’t run into any trouble, he had hoped his friend would make it safely through the school without any more trouble. Tanner headed back to the Sun Palace and let the night’s events weigh on his mind. War was happening now, at first he wanted nothing to do with it, but these were the people who killed his parents. At first he had no love for them but now he felt different, an eye for an eye. Tanner made his way into the palace and into his room where he was greeted by five men and one woman he had never seen before, each packed as if they were going somewhere.

  “What are you lot doing in my room” Tanner said as he found out all of them were wizards.

  “They are here because I need them and you” Tanner heard the King’s voice say. “The Tavorians are led by General Smith, he is old but he is wise and ever adapting. I need you to kill him Tanner. Kill him and your debt is paid in full, your part in this war will be finished. Tavor has skilled wizards, you are the only one with skills to neutralize them as my team finishes the job”.

  “Your Majesty” Tanner began before the King cut him off.

  “I know you got into it with the son of a Baronet this evening” the King began. “Succeed in this and I’ll grant you your own title as Baron”.

  “Your Majesty I cannot turn down an offer like this one” Tanner said shocked. “If I’m going though there is only one man’s hands I would place my life in”.

  “Your friend has been requested as one of Caroline’s personal guards” the King said as he waved Tanner’s statement away. “She is upset that you are leaving, I have to placate her somehow. This Golden will be put into rotation tonight, since that is when you will leave. Do not try to speak to much to those you travel with, they are the best in Ket at what they do, it’s best after this is over you forget their face”.

  ACT III

  Tanner had been on the move for two weeks now, posing as an infantryman in the Ketian army. The rest of his group were spread out all over camp, trying to keep a low profile. The fighting had been fierce, or so Tanner was told since he wasn’t on the frontlines and had orders telling others not to put him there. The Tavorians had superior magic but many of them lay dead on the battlefield, their bodies looted and left to rot for carrion. Their soldiers were tough and well disciplined, but their tactics had been known to Ket, many of the Ketian officers either fought in the last war or were once Tavorians themselves. This gave Ket an edge, when the war first started they had countered everything Tavor threw at them, though lately it had been a noticeable shift in their tactics, many officers attributed it to General Smith.

  The army had been warned about spies though and had a password for everything to stop spies from getting in. Putting on a different face wasn’t going to cut it, anyone who wanted information had to get it the hard way. Tanner had just finished his guard duty shift when the female in his group, who had been posing as a laundress approached him.

  “We make our move tonight” she said as she passed him by holding a load of laundry. “The Tavorians are going to attack in about two hours, we are going to use this as a way to-“ the woman never got the chance to finish her sentence as two arrows sprouted from her chest.

  Tanner hit the ground as the signal for attack started ringing throughout their base camp. Tanner looked around and pulled out his sword as he saw something that made his heart drop. He thought security was tight in the army, instead he saw men he had met pulling out their swords and turning on Ket soldiers as the Tavorian soldiers started pouring out over a hill. Tanner stayed low and took out his blade as fireballs started raining down all around him, one almost striking him if he did not put his field back up. Tanner quickly scanned the enemy troops getting closer and found a wizard among them and started to leech the magic user’s power. Tanner jumped up and found the nearest Tavorian soldier and ran his blade clean through the man’s heart before sliding his blade out and waiting to meet his next enemy.

  The fight seemed to be going in slow motion for Tanner, like he was on land fighting people who seemed to be moving under water. Tanner’s blows were faster, he would often get three sometimes even four hits off while the enemy was still in the middle of their first swing. The more Tanner leeched off of the wizards around him the stronger and faster he got. Men were piling up all around him now, since the battle started Tanner had killed six men when a giant of a man came forward carrying a two handed sword.

  Tanner rushed in and went for a simple midsection slash, it had worked before and the thin armor worn by their front line troops were easy to stab through. This giant of a man had on plate armor however, Tanner’s blow sparked and cut a deep gash into the armor but did not have enough force to penetrate. Tanner’s opponent dropped his weapon and held Tanner in a bear hug, picking him off of his feet and putting pressure on Tanner’s lower back. Tanner hit the brute with the pommel of his sword, the clang it made off of his helmet rang throughout the battlefield as the brute dropped him to the ground. Tanner backed away from the man as he caught movement in his peripheral vision. Tanner ducked as the tip of a pike sailed over him. Tanner rolled away from both enemies as they moved in on him. Whenever he went for the pikeman, the brute would go on the attack and vice versa. Tanner did the only thing a 16 year old boy could do when facing two grown men, he ran.

  Tanner had no idea if the people he was battling was following him or not, and he didn’t care to know either. Ahead of him he could see a Ketian soldier surrounded by three Tavorian ones, each circling him and looking for an opportunity to strike, Tanner had their backs, something he would take advantage of. Tanner swung high and decapitated the nearest enemy then drove his sword hilt deep into the side of another. Tanner retrieved his sword as he was hit hard over the head, suddenly his world went black.

  ~

  “Where am I?” Tanner asked as he started coming to.

  “In a cage heading to market” a voice replied.

  Tanner looked around at his surroundings as his head pounded. He was in a caged wagon pulled by some horses as men with spears walked along side of him. Tanner cou
ld see he had been disarmed, the last thing he remembered was stabbing a soldier and then nothing. He wasn’t dead so he guessed he should be grateful, now he would have to figure out how to escape.

  “I see the hero is awake now” said a soldier from outside the wagon. “I should have killed you, but now you go to the market, you know what they do to fresh faced muscular boys at the market? They treat them like little girls. I hope you get bought by a master that has a fetish for such things”.

  “Then I’ll stick him the way I stuck the rest of you tossers” Tanner said as a spear was thrusted between the cage bars at him. Tanner grabbed the wooden part of it and pulled it as hard as he could, ripping the weapon free from the soldier before turning it around and throwing back at the man barely missing him.

  “You will leave the merchandise alone” a man in a red robe said. Tanner could tell the man was a wizard, he had the loose robes most wizards preferred and he was holding a wizards staff. “This one is for Master Zavor, we will get paid handsomely for him”.

  “Zavor huh?” the soldier said with a sinister smile. “That’ll be even better, I heard he sucks your brains out and leaves you empty headed”.

  “There is no use in paying attention to them” a Ket soldier in the cage with him said. “That one you have been arguing with gets off on telling us about our fate. “I’m Sawyer by the way”.

  “I am Tanner, how long have I been out for?”

  “About a week now” Sawyer replied. “They have been feeding you methuselah root to keep you sleep. They ran out last night, I think you scare them. I have heard that you single handedly took out six soldiers”.

  “How did the battle end?” Tanner asked.

  “They were retreating when they grabbed me” Sawyer replied. “They have a lot more prisoners but I think they are being tortured, before I left I saw a couple of them had shaved heads and fresh cuts over their bodies”.