Severance Lost (Fractal Forsaken Series Book 1)

by Unknown

  Slate opened his eyes and saw Sana sitting over him. His other friends sat nearby, watching closely. They flinched when his eyes opened. Jak drew his sword. “What’s wrong?” Slate asked, too tired to defend himself.

  “Your eyes…they belong to a Fury.” Rainier answered. It was good to see him alive.

  Slate shut his eyes again and let out a slow curse. At least the hued vision had left. The beauty of the world disappeared when viewed through a bloody lens. “How do you feel?” Sana asked.

  “Much better…I’m sorry everyone. I didn’t mean to…” I didn’t mean to try to kill you? These people risked their lives for him and that was the best he could articulate?

  “Say no more. You held out long enough for us to get you here.”

  “What did you do?” Slate asked Sana.

  Sana was hesitant to say. “Do you remember the scene sketched into the hilts of my catalpa knives? It shows a man rising within a catalpa grove. There was a legend that catalpa trees had healing powers, but the spell had been lost. I found it… in my father’s personal library.”

  “…amongst the Blood Magic texts?” Slate questioned.

  “It was the only way to save you…and it worked. At least, it mostly worked.”

  Slate forced himself to sit up. “What do you mean? Every time Blood Magic is used there have been unintented consequences. What happened?”

  “I asked permission from the tree to send your blood into it. The catalpa trees absorbed the illness from the blood into their own veins. They don’t so much destroy it as much as they contain it. Your blood is killing the catalpa tree.” Slate looked over and saw the once mighty tree wilted and sickly. Sana continued, “And there is one other thing…”

  “What’s that?”

  “I wasn’t able to get all of your blood out. I could only give so much of my own blood and I couldn’t use someone else’s because I needed to maintain my probe to direct the blood flow. When I got too weak, I had to stop. I don’t know what the consequences will be…”

  Slate didn’t know either. “Thank you, Sana… or should I call you Rose?”

  Sana blushed. “My name is Rosana Regallo, the only daughter of Brannon Regallo and sister to the first Blood Mage to terrorize Malethya in ages. I was assigned to Ispirtu when I entered the Crimson Guard, but the Sicarius headmaster convinced me that I could serve the kingdom best through Sicarius. I had a falling out with my father and the Sicarius headmaster arranged for my departure from Ispirtu and my father’s care. Brannon never knew where I went, but he never looked for me either. My father was a very hard man…” She said the last sentence with a mixture of emotions. “The Sicarius headmaster taught me personally and upon his death, I took his place at the head of Sicarius. My little brother returned home to find I had left. I knew he would take it hard, but I didn’t know how deeply it affected him. When I heard rumors of magical attacks starting in the villages to the north, I sought more formal training in magic. Lucus was accustomed to being alone and didn’t mind absences if I needed to take them. He turned from a teacher into a confidant. Before the final battle, I met him here to stash my supplies and confess to him that the student he knew as Sana had previously been Rosana Regallo, and that I was known throughout Malethya as the Sicarius headmaster. Lucus had been friends with my father and had a hard time believing Brannon could be capable of Blood Magic. He encouraged me to speak with him. I was able to enter Ispirtu because the security orbs still registered my face as a member of the guild despite my disappearance. With the Sicarius mask, I found my way to Brannon’s office. I took off the mask and questioned him as his daughter. He knew there was a Blood Mage, but he didn’t know who it was or how the documents got placed in his personal library. He was being set up. I became convinced that he told the truth, so I fought at his side as the Sicarius headmaster.”

  Suddenly Slate could see through the confusion of the battle in Brannon’s office. Brannon hadn’t paid attention to the Furies, but it was because he knew the Blood Mage was present and he was trying to buy time to figure out who it was… and Slate had taken that time from him by knocking the scepter from his hand. “We failed.”

  “None of us knew who the Blood Mage was, Slate, and Lattimer didn’t get everything he wanted. He didn’t get you to lead his armies.” Annarelle tried to comfort him.

  “It may not have been a total failure, but we still lost. If it hadn’t been for Sana erupting in a shower of electricity and Lucus’ sacrifice, we would all be dead or turned into Lattimer’s minions.” The thought made Slate shudder, but his curiosity was too great to hold in his question. “How did you do that? I’ve never seen a wizard cast a spell like that. Spells are always just fireballs, concussive waves, and roiling dirt… it almost looked like your shock stick.”

  Sana grabbed the shock stick from her robes and tossed it to Slate. It was a carved and painted piece of wood. “I’m the shock stick. I haven’t had formal training in Ispirtu, but Lucus found a natural ability for me to manipulate electricity. I use the wood carving to hide the fact that I was casting a spell.” Sana let solemnity appear on her face. “All my tricks didn’t save my father though…”

  Slate could almost hear the words she left unspoken: “…because of you.”

  “I’m sorry, Sana. It was my fault.” Sana did not forgive Slate, but maybe silence was all he could hope for right now.

  “If this is anyone’s fault, it is mine…” Villifor spoke with guilt lacing his voice. The Bellator headmaster sat with his shoulder wrapped in a bandage, grimacing in pain. “Brannon correctly labeled me as a traitor to my people. I fought alongside the real Villifor against the Disenites and during the Civil War. He was a true hero, rallying his troops and inspiring people to reach for something more than they currently had. He gave impassioned speeches about what man could accomplish without relying on magic. His resolve pushed us through Brannon’s forces and we reached the walls of Ravinai. I looked upon the walls with uncountable numbers of wizards and fell victim to the inevitability of our demise. I gave up Villifor’s attack plans in exchange for the safety of anyone that surrendered during the attack and the opportunity to lead Bellator under the guise of Villifor. Villifor attacked and Brannon’s defense was perfect… they didn’t have a chance.” Slate knew this much from Brannon’s journal.

  “That was a long time ago…” Jak consoled his headmaster.

  “Please let me finish. Villifor chose to surrender rather than sacrifice his people. Darik sent them to the farthest corner of Malethya and ordered them to work off their debt of disloyalty to the King. He created the village of Pillar in an uninhabitable rocky corner of the kingdom, took away any weapons they possessed, and charged them to start mining the stony mountain. Villifor agreed to forsake his name and took up the name Severance to gain leniency for his people by paying homage to the King’s punishment of lifelong servitude.” Slate remained quiet and fought the anger that was rising within him. “I came to think of myself as clever for adapting to the situation. I condemned Villifor as obstinate and simple-minded. It was only recently that I learned of Brannon’s deception during the Civil War, creating the appearance of far more wizards defending the walls of Ravinai than there truly were. Slate, I tried to train you to help make up for my offenses, but more than anything I wanted to get back at Brannon. I gave the purple fabric with the lions on it to Magnus who pretended to find it in Minot. We then altered the story to convince Darik to attack Brannon. I thought that would avenge my friends in Pillar. Now I know I provided the means for Lattimer to make his move. I’m sorry…”

  Slate felt the need to say something, “Villifor…”

  “Don’t call me that. I don’t deserve the name.”

  Slate held his tongue. Finally, he thought of what he needed to say. “Each one of us could have done something differently to prevent the situation we are currently in. Lattimer has taken control of King Darik and will control the entire army by morning. I am too weak to attack him and we are too fe
w. I don’t know how we will stop him or even if we can. I do know that I saw Lucus’ face as he sent us here to escape. It was the look of someone who knew we would find a way. What do you think? Can we beat an all-powerful wizard with an army of Furies at his command?”

  “I’ll die trying.” Jak answered, followed by agreement from Sana, Tommy, and Annarelle.

  “You have my sword to do your bidding… whether you decide to take my life in retribution for the harm I have caused or not.” Villifor stated.

  Slate pushed down his own personal anger at his father’s betrayer. He was the last person to judge someone else’s mistaken actions. “My father and the people of Pillar are gone. Help me to avenge their deaths. I will take your sword but only if you also keep the name Villifor and strive to live up to all that it stands for…”

  Villifor nodded to Slate with renewed purpose.

  Rainier was the last to speak in the group. “My biggest fears have been realized. The nomadic tribes believe in no greater evil than Blood Magic. It is past time that I return to the Tallow clan and let them know of our failures today. I must leave, but I will not leave you alone. I will come back with my people’s aid.” He got up to leave, but Sana stopped him.

  She went to the wilted catalpa tree and cast a spell. It opened up to reveal her cache of supplies. She reached in and pulled out a Sicarius mask and a stratego medallion. “You have earned the mask, Rainier, and the medallion will help us find each other again. I hope to see you soon.” Slate and Sana hugged their friend and wished him farewell. Rainier shook hands with everyone else and left the group.

  “What should the rest of us do?” Annarelle asked, and Sana answered as a wizard.

  “We need to get to another catalpa grove so that I can repeat the spell on Slate and clear him of any lingering effects.”

  “No” Slate said. He knelt beside the sickened catalpa tree. “The sickness is spreading…look…”

  The catalpa tree wilted and the sickness spread along the clinging vines to neighboring trees within the grove. Slate brushed aside the newly fallen snow. Blades of grass slowly wilted, spreading the sickness slowly outwards. Even the pods and fallen leaves of the catalpa trees seemed to be effected, their color draining of whatever life was left within them.

  Sana started, “It’s a small price to pay for…”

  “No, Sana.” Slate said with authority. “Blood Magic has a way of corrupting things. I appreciate your efforts to save my life, but I will not allow you to cast that spell on me again. Probe the tree and see if there is anything you can do to fix it. I think you’ll find that it is beyond your skill.” Sana did probe the tree and her silence affirmed Slate’s intuitions. They had unleashed a slowly spreading blight that would wilt any plant it contacted.

  “I wasn’t able to heal everything. I have no way of knowing what the lingering effects will be…”

  “I will have to figure out what those effects are… and I’ll need to do it alone.” Surprise filled the group. “I would have killed each and every one of you when the spell had me in its grip. I can’t risk that happening again. I will travel to the northern territories and explore my limitations. If I’m not mistaken, Lattimer will come looking for me. I’ll have plenty of opportunities to test out my skills on Furies. We don’t even know how to fight them yet… if I get some experience, we’ll learn how to get to Lattimer.”

  “So you are just going to leave us?” Annarelle challenged, but Slate held firm.

  “No, I will need every single one of you. Right now, I need Villifor and Jak to properly train Tommy in the ways of Bellator fighting. I also need them to sneak into Bellator tonight and recruit any guardsmen they trust before Lattimer tracks them down and subjugates them. Sana, I need you to train Annarelle in the ways of Sicarius and restart the guild. We’ll need to fight this war from the shadows. I also need your network of sources to contact the Wizard Council and alert them to the truth. Lattimer will hunt them down and assimilate them into his army once he has solidified his power. Finally, I need more information on Ibson. He trained Brannon, Lucus, and had the texts that Lattimer stole. Can you give me more information about him?”

  Sana transformed into the persona of the Sicarius headmaster. “That makes sense, but you’ll need someone to help you. If you won’t let me go, then take this medallion.” Sana handed him a new Stratego medallion.

  “You gave Rainier one as well. I thought it was just a game to learn the ways of Sicarius.”

  “In addition to that, it’s enchanted. I know the location of anyone that carries one. It allows me to gather information much more efficiently. Your original one lost its enchantment after the tournament. If you need me, just crush it with your stonehand. I’ll know your last location before it was crushed and will come to help you.” Sana took a few Stratego coins from her supplies. “All of you should take one. It will be the easiest way for me to gather the group back together once Slate finishes his vacation.”

  Jak, Villifor and Tommy grabbed coins and armed themselves from Sana’s supplies. “We’re leaving right away. Bellator will likely be Lattimer’s first stop after he secures Ispirtu. We’ll need to hurry if we want to leave a few surprises for him.” Villifor smiled as he tossed an exploding orb in the air. They left in the darkness of night.

  Annarelle gave Sana back the original medallion she had carried. “How many of these are there?” she asked thoughtfully.

  “I gave those to all the Sicarius members for training. They alerted me when one of them was coming to try to kill me and take my place as headmaster.” Sana handed Annarelle a Sicarius mask while cautioning her that if she used it for any purpose other than Sicarius business, it would be a fatal mistake. Slate smiled inwardly. He still wasn’t sure if Sana the wizard’s apprentice would ever look at him the same way again, but Sana, the Sicarius headmaster, was someone that Slate needed at his side. Lattimer had won the battle, but there was a lot of fighting left to do. Sana put her Sicarius mask back on, completing her transformation. The alternating voice commanded, “Let’s go, recruit. We need more shadows in the night.”

  EPILOGUE

  REFLECTION OF REGRET

  Slate stood in the middle of the village street, awaiting the hoof beats of horses and the Furies they carried. He had chosen the location of his defense carefully. Outside the inn a series of low stone walls served as stalls to tether horses and stow traveling packs as you visited the inn. For Slate they served as protection.

  The squadron of soldiers reached the edge of town. Slate counted twenty Bellator Guardsmen supported by five Ispirtu wizards. Slate addressed them. “I am Slate ‘Stonehands’ Severance. I am Slate the Bloodless. I am the Shadow of the night. I am the Blight-bringer, and you will die at my hands.”

  The guardsmen charged at his declaration, their eyes burning red with hate and aggression. The wizards concentrated as they prepared spells. That was what Slate wanted. He hid behind the first stone wall, ready to flash. The first fireball hit, then the second and third in rapid succession. He dove behind the second wall as the first was hit by a concussion wave. Finally, the last fireball hit and Slate had his dance of destruction.

  Bump…ba-bump, bump…bump. Slate left the temporary security of the stone stalls, heading into the open. He flashed in concert with the spells. Flash…fla-flash, flash…flash. The aggression of Ispirtu Furies caused them to cast spells as fast as they could, and thus they formed a repeatable pattern. If he could learn the melody, he could dance with it.

  Slate moved amongst the charging horses, avoiding spells and striking with his staff as he flashed by. Fireballs landed in his wake, causing huge damage to the Bellator Furies. Flash…fla-flash, flash…flash. Slate passed through the initial charge and the soldiers couldn’t turn their mounts in time to defend the wizards. Flash…fla-flash, flash…flash. Slate reached the first wizard, greeting him with his staff. The second wizard was crushed by his stonehand. Flash…fla-flash. One of the wizards had chosen to turn himself into an exp
loding orb, killing the remaining two wizards.

  Slate turned his attention to the Bellator Guardsmen. He jumped out of their reach, striking from on high as they passed below him. He tripped one of the horses, causing the guardsman to fall and be trampled by the Furies in his wake. A lucky blow cut into his shoulder and Slate turned to punch the guardsman, collapsing the plate armor on his chest and killing him. He flashed to gain space and remove the sword. The pain was great, but pain he could live with…that was a gift from Primean. A slow trickle of blood came from his shoulder and he threw his head back and laughed.

  There were two remaining guardsmen. He planted his staff in the ground and launched himself into the air, flipping high and killing both horsemen in one fluid blow. He landed on one knee and flourished his staff.

  Slate stood up, collected his things and left town. He didn’t expect thanks from these people. He was the subject of campfire stories meant to scare children. He was the last Severance in this lost kingdom… and he would save them all.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  No one has supported me more in the past years than my wonderful wife Leah, who continued to encourage the writing attempts of an engineer despite a busy household and a distinct lack of interest in science fiction or fantasy. You are wonderful and I promise to continue watching HGTV to make up for all the times you’ve heard me talk about this book.

  A handful of early readers gave me higher praise than I felt I deserved, but hearing their comments gave me great joy and greatly improved the manuscript as a whole. Specifically, I’d like to mention Chad Quill, Mary Jo Quill, Luann Sieben, Paige Ahlborg, Matt Traylor, Jerry Justice, and Gina Horkey. My brother spent several late nights at the campfire with me talking about the existing story and tinkering with a bunch of ideas, some of which will show up in the coming books. I have to give special recognition to the ice-fishing crew of Josh Labau, Nick Shish, and Nate Russel, who took time for the world of Malethya while busily focusing on emptying beer cans and ignoring tip ups - may the tradition (and fish bocce) live on forever.