Underdog Mage Chronicles_The Captive_Book Two

by R. D. Bernstein

  General Crowl had no family back home as was customary for Generals. There was nothing but his loyalty to the council and his people. Nothing to tie him down and distract him from what needed to be done.

  When pacing grew tiresome, General Crowl took out his blade and a whetstone and began to sharpen it. Things were going smoothly, but if they were spotted, even humans were a threat in great numbers. Mallagan would be in a trance, which would leave him to fight any would-be heroes.

  General Crowl finally sat down on a log and stretched his legs out, digging his plated boot into the soil. They would tear this world apart piece by piece, steal its resources, and be done with it. It was yet to be seen if they could pull together any sort of resistance. Only time would tell.

  * * *

  A gentle breeze swept across the nearest trees and then along the sleeping pair, causing both to stir. Charlotte was the first to wake up. She shook Lance until he moaned and opened his eyes.

  “What? Is everything okay?” Lance asked, still groggy. He looked around with his head on a swivel.

  “Nothing, but it’s probably time we got moving,” Charlotte replied.

  Lance nodded and forced himself into a sitting position. His body was bruised in many places and terribly sore, but other than that he was good to go. He staggered to his feet and looked around.

  “The forest is probably our best bet,” Lance decided. “Hopefully will have some food and it will lose anyone following us.”

  Charlotte followed Lance to the edge of the trees where Lance signaled her to stop.

  “Do you feel that?” Lance asked.

  Charlotte shook her head, but Lance could hear the energy gathering around them, the hair on his neck stood on end.

  “Hide behind the trees,” Lance urged. He quickly used magic to sweep a wind across their recent footsteps leading to the woods, hopefully enough to hide their direct tracks.

  Just as he finished and joined Charlotte behind a tree, the air made a loud popping sound and a blue portal opened where they had been sleeping.

  Out of it stepped ten mystics and twice as many obsidian armored Drakaran riding giant wolves. The wolves pawed and sniffed the ground.

  Lance and Charlotte whispered to each other and then enhanced their hearing to make out what their pursuers were saying.

  “They were here recently,” a mystic said.

  “Probably headed into the Dark Woods,” a Drakaran soldier added. “Fools have no idea what lies in there.”

  The mystic nodded. “If they went in there, they are already dead. We might as well report back to Commander Voltross. No one makes it out of there alive.”

  The mystic nodded. “Yes. They are surely dead, or at least will be within a few minutes. We need to get back anyway. The portal to the human world will open soon.”

  The mystics waved their arms around and soon the portal opened back up.

  Lance watched as they departed, the last wolf turning its head toward them and sniffing the air before it too followed through.

  Lance and Charlotte sighed in relief.

  “That was too close,” Charlotte said.

  “Yeah…” Lance replied. “You heard them though. As much as it pains me to say it, we need to get back to the city. If they are opening a portal to our world soon, it might be our only chance to sneak through.”

  “If we can get more mystic disguises we could just walk through with them and…” Charlotte was interrupted by a loud growl and a crash from behind them that shook them to their very core.

  * * *

  The Drakaran creation who took on the likeliness of Quincy sat at his desk, alone in his room with nothing but a parchment and a quill. He dipped it into the inkwell and began to transcribe a letter to send back to the mystics. King Triton of Delvin had taken the bait and even better, they were dragging the surrounding kingdoms toward the false portal location.

  Quincy waited until he was sure of their decision. Horses and men were readying to march as he wrote this. It wouldn’t be long before they headed out.

  Quincy scribbled more notes onto the parchment, careful to provide as much detail as possible for his masters. They would be so proud of his success. He dipped the quill into the inkwell and set it to write again when suddenly the wall shifted, an illusion lifted. Master Sellius and Master Porthos stood in Quincy’s room. They pointed and Quincy was thrown from the chair and pinned against the far wall.

  “You are not Quincy!” Master Sellius yelled. “You are not from this world!”

  Quincy hissed at them, his cover blown.

  Master Sellius and Master Porthos combined powers to rip the disguise from the creature’s form to reveal a hideous beast underneath the skin. Quincy snarled, revealing razor sharp fangs.

  The Masters were strong and their hold held. The creature let out a defiant howl as it burst into flame, its limbs thrashing about uselessly as its body remained pinned to the wall.

  They waited until the body turned into a pile of ashes before Master Sellius picked up the unfinished letter and read it.

  “We were right,” Master Sellius stated. “Sending our troops to his fake location would have been suicide.” He crumbled up the letter and tossed it. “The Drakaran are coming. We must prepare.”

  Chapter 9

  The hundreds of tiny sprite-like creatures came first, their tiny wings beating created a surprisingly loud noise and a rush of air that stirred the over-sized leaves. Short spears gripped in their hands, they began to surround Lance and Charlotte, effectively cutting off any chance at escape.

  Behind them came a beast so large and so hideous that it had to squeeze its large frame between the larger trees, knocking down any smaller trees or plants that got in its way. It was like a rhinoceros, only it was much larger and its leather skin was a similar purple shade as of the tree barks.

  The sprites parted to let the beast pass and it lowered its horn so it could stare at them through large, round eyes. They were curious, intelligent eyes, something Lance did not expect to see on such a creature.

  It let out a loud roar and the sprites parted further as the giant beast lumbered forward, starting a charge at the two humans.

  Lance gathered dozens of sprites with his magic and tossed them into the path of the charging creature. It shook its head furiously, temporarily blinded by the tiny creatures squirming to get out of its destructive path. With the distraction, Lance and Charlotte were able to move out of the way.

  The hundreds of other sprites moved to block their path, spears pointed forward. They intended to keep the humans stuck in a makeshift arena.

  “Can you use the portal to get us back?” Charlotte asked, a look of worry on her face as the massive creature skidded to a halt and turned around to face them again.

  “I can try,” Lance said. “But I need some time to figure it out again.”

  “We don’t have time!” Charlotte warned as the massive creature stormed forward again, this time the sprites closing in the circle so there was nowhere to go.

  “You’ll have to hold them off,” Lance said. “I need time to think and remember what I did so I can reverse it.”

  Charlotte nodded, but she wasn’t confident in her ability. She was only a yellow robe in training. She wasn’t Lance. She didn’t have hidden powers at her disposal and she was working with only the iron in her blood and no added metal.

  The beast came closer, the sprites close behind. Charlotte drew upon the iron in her blood and erected a dome around the two of them made of energy. Hopefully it would be enough.

  The beast slammed into the energy wall and bounced off of it. The dome split in the middle, a giant crack that nearly tore through it completely.

  “Hurry!” Charlotte yelled. She staggered as the iron in her blood grew low, the tremendous amount of force needed to keep the shield intact wearing on her.

  The sprites began to stab the energy dome from all sides with dozens upon dozens of spears. The energy crackled with each hit, its streng
th waning considerably.

  The huge monster backed up, lining itself up for another charge.

  “It’s now or never,” Charlotte screamed in panic.

  The beast backed up further until it had enough room to gain momentum.

  It charged, its horn lined up to hit Charlotte directly in her midsection. Its steps thundered through the mud as the sprites yipped excitedly for the shield to be destroyed.

  “Lance!”

  “Okay, okay, I got it… I think,” Lance said, waving his hands around.

  The portal appeared just as the beast crashed into the shield, shattering the dome into thousands of tiny pieces.

  Lance and Charlotte leapt into the shimmering blue portal. The beast’s momentum took it through the destroyed energy dome and straight into the portal after them, just before it snapped shut.

  * * *

  Lance and Charlotte landed just outside the arena in the heart of the Drakaran city. Hundreds of Drakaran mystics and guards were lined up at the far end of the courtyard. Many of them rode on top of the giant wolves Lance had seen several of them use often. They looked like they were waiting for something, hopefully the portal to home.

  Lance had a moment of terror pass his thoughts. Even if they could somehow make it to the portal that could bring them home, they would be bringing an army behind them. It wasn’t just any army. The Drakaran were powerful. It could mean the destruction of their world. Maybe it was better to destroy the portal somehow and prevent it.

  There was no time to seek out disguises in order to blend in. Their arrival had gained the unwanted attention of most of the enemy soldiers. To have hundreds of pairs of red, hateful eyes staring at them was beyond unnerving.

  “Lance…” Charlotte whispered, grabbing his hand with her own and squeezing it.

  “Run for it,” Lance murmured, pulling her toward a side street. He had no plan other than to run, and somehow avoid them long enough to circle back and enter through a portal that would magically make its timely appearance. That sliver of hope was all he had facing such terrible odds.

  Before they took more than a few steps, the portal they just arrived in snapped closed, but not before the ferocious, gigantic beast from the forest came running through.

  As if things couldn’t get any worse, a giant blue portal simultaneously appeared in front of the ranks of Drakaran soldiers, an entire army standing between their only hope of returning home. The portal was massive with more than enough room to fit twenty troops side by side at a time.

  “Hold on to me!” Lance yelled as the massive creature from before sped toward them. At the last second, Lance used his powers to lift Charlotte and himself into the air where they narrowly missed the beast’s deadly horn, and landed heavily on its rough back. Lance created ropes and threw them around the creature’s horns on the side of its face, using them for steering as much as for balance.

  They held on as the beast continued forward, scattering Drakaran troops to the side. A few were unlucky enough to stay in its path and were trampled underfoot, the crunching of their obsidian armor ringing throughout the courtyard.

  Swords and spears lashed out at the beast, but most bounced off of its thick hide. The few that pierced the skin of the fast-moving creature barely cut into its outer layer of flesh.

  Lance and Charlotte hung on for their lives as their bodies bounced up and down and rocked back and forth. This wasn’t anything like riding a horse.

  As they came closer to the massive portal at the end of the courtyard, the Drakaran mystics began their attack, shooting powerful spells at the lumbering beast. Lance did what he could to shield the creature, a task he never thought he would do. After all, if the beast fell, so did they. Their lives depended on keeping it alive long enough to run through the portal.

  The creature’s momentum slowed as the mystics cast spell after spell, some of them slipping past any shields Charlotte or Lance could erect. The more it slowed, the more hits it took from spears and swords as well. It was bleeding heavily now and thrashed its head about as the Drakaran swarmed it with weapons and magic.

  “Hold on!” Lance yelled as a concentrated mystic spell blasted his shields, rocking them about despite the defensive measure.

  They were close to the portal now. They were almost home. What came next paled in comparison to getting off of this alien planet.

  The beast let out a primal howl as a spear crept through their defenses and embedded itself halfway down the shaft through the beast’s abdomen.

  It staggered the last few dozen yards and then fell through the portal, carrying Lance and Charlotte with it.

  Everything went dark.

  * * *

  General Crowl watched Mallagan with her eyes closed tight, her legs crisscrossed in front of her. Her hands swayed back and forth at her sides as the portal finally came into existence.

  General Crowl stood at attention. This was the moment they had been waiting for, and he fully expected Commander Voltross to be the first one to walk through and congratulate him on a job well done.

  He was completely caught off guard when a monstrous beast crashed through, bleeding all over the place with weapons sticking out of its flesh. Even more surprising was the sight of the crippled and his friend riding the beast as if it were a well-trained pet.

  It thrashed its tail behind it and swiped Mallagan from her sitting position and sent her flying into the air.

  The hit interrupted her trance and the portal closed almost instantly.

  “You fool! You had one job!” Mallagan yelled at Crowl.

  The beast’s tail swiped back the other way and knocked Mallagan unconscious before she could gather her senses.

  General Crowl drew his blade, enhanced it with some sort of blue flame and sliced into the creature’s neck. It sliced completely through, its head fell to the ground and its body collapsed.

  Lance and Charlotte tumbled off the dead creature and landed hard on the ground, rolling for several yards before coming to a stop. They were too exhausted to put up much of a fight.

  “You idiots ruined everything!” General Crowl bellowed. “I’ll cut you just as I did this oversized pig!”

  He charged them before they had time to stagger to their feet. The sense of irony did not escape Lance, knowing they came all this way back home just to die right where the portal dropped them.

  General Crowl stopped short, slowly tilting his head down to see a spear sticking through his stomach. His mouth opened in shock as black blood trickled out of the wound.

  Lance turned to see Master Sellius and Master Porthos leading dozens of mages from the forest and into the clearing with the circle of crystals.

  General Crowl coughed and held out his hand. Two of the mages flew through the air and crashed into trees. Another mage caught on fire as General Crowl fell to his knees.

  The mages pressed forward. General Growl held up his hand and a wave of plasma shot out, slamming past their defensive walls and into two more mages who disintegrated upon impact.

  Then it was over. Three more spears slammed into the Drakaran General and he fell lifeless to the floor.

  Lance let out a cheer to his fellow mages.

  “God it’s good to be home,” Lance said.

  Charlotte hugged him as the mages came over.

  “Remove the crystal formation quickly,” Master Sellius ordered. “Take the crystals with us and tie that witch up and take her with us as well. There are questions we need to ask before we kill her. Lance, Charlotte… it’s good to see you all again. There is much to discuss.”

  Chapter 10

  Back at the royal palace in the heart of Delvin, deep below in the dark dungeons, Mallagan stirred.

  She licked her dry lips and opened her eyes to the dim light of a single torch. Her hands were bound behind her as three mages stood outside the cell bars of her less than spacious cell. Her legs were also bound with chains that dug into her flesh they were so tight.

  “You didn’t kill
me?” Mallagan asked, surprised. “You are either stupid or arrogant. Either way it will be your downfall.” Despite feeling like her body was falling apart piece by piece, she gave an arrogant smirk.

  “We haven’t killed you yet,” Master Sellius corrected, stepping closer to the cell door. He tried his best to appear calm and confident, but the woman reeked of power.

  Mallagan nodded. “You want answers. I won’t betray my people. You have made a mistake in sparing me. I will escape.”

  Master Sellius glared at her.

  “Why do your people want to destroy our world?” Master Sellius asked. This was the first time he was able to ask these Drakaran any questions and he intended to make the most of the opportunity.

  Mallagan chuckled. “That is a question I don't mind answering. Your kind are like ants to us. Your short lives mean nothing. We will take your planet’s resources until it is barren. The strong shall rule the weak. It is the way of the universe.”

  “Have your people no morals?” Master Sellius asked. “We have women and children among us. They are innocent.”

  “They are innocent in your eyes,” Mallagan said. “I will escape here, reopen the portal, and bring my people through.”

  “We have your crystals,” Master Sellius countered.

  “Tsk, tsk old man,” Mallagan said. “You can keep them. I know where to get more. Enough chit-chat. You were never in control. The chains made you think you were. You should have killed me when you had the chance. Time to get out of here.”

  The chains around her legs and wrists suddenly popped off as easily as if it were made of simple cloth. Mallagan waved her hands and the cell bars melded together to form one solid plate of metal.

  “Get this open or knock it down!” Master Sellius’ muffled voice called from the other side. “Hurry!”