Battle Mage: A Hero's Welcome (A Tale of Alus Book 8)

by Donald Wigboldy

  “Well I am glad that you had enough of a connection to someone here to make it back,” Darius stated with a nod and bit of a smile. Did he suspect something? Rilena wondered and worried if the high wizard would give her away. He knew magic, but did he also know her heart.

  Arriving back in Windmeer, Rilena had even kissed Elzen, but after that first night she had held him back trying to decide her heart and whether she truly had feelings for him as more than a friend.

  “I would guess that he is a good friend then?” replied Darius seeming less in need of an answer and certainly he didn’t push for a reply very hard, but Elzen couldn’t resist a joke.

  “A good enough friend that she landed on me in the bath house. She made a pretty big splash falling from the portal into the water. It was actually pretty funny, and a little awkward,” the younger mage chuckled at the thought as he tried to embarrass her in truth. There were even a few little laughs despite the others trying to be professional before the outsiders.

  Darius actually smiled unabashedly and replied, “I am sure that came as a bit of a surprise for both of you.”

  Throwing out his hands, Elzen grinned and added to her misery as he retorted, “Well, having a beautiful woman fall on you from the air while naked in a bath, did come as a bit of a surprise. I only had an instant of warning due to the sound, so I put up my hands and blocked what I could. Normally I wouldn’t have touched her breasts, but it was simple self defense.”

  Giving a quiet groan, Rilena wanted to punch her friend. He was deliberately trying to tease her when this was supposed to be a serious meeting. If he had said it anywhere but in front of these people, she would have hit him in the face even if it meant breaking his nose.

  Darius chuckled and shook his head going along with the joke, “That aside, you only saw the falcon falling onto you from the air?” At the nod, the wizard continued drawing his eyes back to Rilena and asked a more pertinent question, “This world of light was made of silver?”

  Glad to be on any subject beyond Elzen getting to touch her breasts or having him remind them that she had felt more of the young man, and seen more, than was appropriate between comrades in most circles in the bath house; Rilena replied, “It was white with a silver tone. Only the stones or islands were different. It would have just been a huge void of light without the islands.”

  Nodding, Darius looked down at the table in front of him and mused aloud, “My fellow immortal, Dante Betrice, passed through a void of silver light using a special ring designed to flow between worlds. In theory, the ring was supposed to imprison the Dark One there without hope to escape. The ring was the key and thrown from the void where he couldn’t use it.

  “When the Dark One was banished, his magic had tied him to those who served him with their hearts and much of the land was laid bare as the tendrils of his reach held on magically stripping earth and stone as well. Whatever he had tied himself to with his magic was pulled through the gate until only the emperor remained. Once he had nothing left to hold him in that world, the gate vanished sealing the Dark One in that silver void.

  “My guess is that his magic drew the land back together in the form of islands. Maybe he was too weakened to make one large surface or maybe it just didn’t matter to him, but either way those islands must have been where he plotted his return and revenge on this world.”

  This was a part of history that few in the room had even guessed for the origins of the emperor. Unlike the people living in Southwall, Darius had lived several centuries and seen more than any normal man or woman could hope to see in their lifetime. He was called immortal, because he was almost impossible to kill and seemed to never age. It was why, even with his silver hair and trimmed beard, Darius seemed neither young nor old.

  The revelation made Rilena’s mind reel at the thought, but bringing her thoughts back to the silver void; the battle mage realized that it would make sense. The Dark One had broken out of his prison and left the islands to rot in the void. Once he had escaped to Alus, he would have no need of such land. He only took his creatures and servants, along with their weapons, to Alus and used them to try and conquer his new world.

  The morning moved on as Darius worked to draw out whatever details she and Elzen could remember from those days; but Rilena could tell them little more.

  Chapter 8- A Matter of Confidence

  There he was in the main room of Gerid’s home again trying to convince the man of legend to move up his plans for leaving his island home. Worries over the most recent portal had the battle mage wanting to leave immediately and not after nearly two more weeks as originally planned.

  While Sebastian could be caring and concerned over the sensitivity over people’s loss, death was an eventuality for a battle mage. Once looked upon as soldiers with magical powers, a mage was often in the thick of the fighting for Southwall. Sebastian had already lost count of the number of comrades who had died in one campaign after another. His first few trips north of the wall had seen dozens of deaths and wounding of soldiers, mages and even wizards who were known to try and hide behind the others as if they were expendable shields for their missions.

  The voyage to find the Grimnal had seen the deaths of many sailors and Sergeant Kulvayr from his team. Lord Romonus, Wizard Deiclonus, Wendle and the rest of the Southwall wizards slain on the black ships could be added to both those he knew and friends of those he knew well. So many had died in the fight with the emperor; that Sebastian had started to become numb. Only those closest and dearest to the mage would likely punch through the wall he had found built around his heart; and Sebastian protected them as best he could to avoid finding out what pain he could still feel.

  He looked at the tattoo on his left arm, a rune of defense; the others had questioned why a battle mage needed such a rune when others were available. His answer had probably not been satisfactory to those hoping to comprehend the thinking within his mind. While mage shields were impressive, Sebastian had an idea of a couple uses the rune running from his fingers to halfway up his upper arm could be ideal for in a fight. Unfortunately, either he would have to test the ideas in sparring or battle. The latter was weighing on his mind and the young man hoped that he could avoid endangering the innocents of the island any further.

  “We agreed to a full month to get ready,” the giant stated as he leaned against one of the support columns holding up the second floor of his home. “I don’t know why you need to move this trip up. I’ve been stuck here for nearly two centuries and suddenly you are in a hurry.”

  Trying not to show anger as the man’s bull headedness threatened to exasperate the mage, Sebastian replied using the same argument that seemed his only answer despite getting nowhere, “Darterian discovered a new portal and it appears to be closer than most. We’re guessing that it is either on Talos or Litsarin. Either island might have ships that could be purchased to send here by the emperor’s men.”

  “We defeated two black ships and the commandeered Kardorian vessel. I highly doubt hiring some ship he can find on one of the islands will be much of a threat, even with your people gone. The rune warriors can fight by land and sea. What kind of force has a prayer against them in their home territory?”

  It wasn’t the first time Gerid had thrown out that argument either, but this time the mage had a rebuttal which might make the immortal see things his way. “It is true that they are powerful and have an advantage here. The merfolk can swim and outmaneuver any ship the emperor might bring and the rune warriors can fight off a significant force, but I think there may be a more dangerous aspect to a ship coming from the emperor.

  “During the battle, the craft moved through portal gates created onboard the black ships using sacrifices. They were moving less than a mile with each attempt until they withdrew.”

  Snorting, the immortal shook his head interrupting Sebastian’s words with his scoffing, “Withdrew? They ran with their tails between their legs like whipped dogs.”

  With a disconcerted
frown on his face, Sebastian knew better than to believe the man’s joking. It had been a closer fight than he was giving the enemy credit for and they both knew it. If not for the advantage of surprise gained using the merfolk and knowing the defenses of the island, the mage wasn’t sure they would have held off the wizard hunters. They were skilled and had armor designed to neutralize elemental magic of most sorts. If he hadn’t discovered the black shields and uses of light to disrupt them during the tournament, no one would have been able to counter the enemy.

  It had been a series of little things that had given them the slight edge they needed to defeat the wizard hunters.

  “They withdrew and could return the same way, but with larger numbers. Trolls, kiriaks, and armored viles could be sent as a vanguard to destroy the defenders on land. If they stay out of the water, the merfolk can be neutralized easily enough.

  “They aren’t used to fighting on land after all, so how quickly does the defense of the island change if they can cast gates to return? If the enemy landed in the north, they could devastate the farmers living away from the village on the march as well.”

  Pushing off from the support pillar, the big man frowned and countered, “If they could just return so easily, why haven’t they? I don’t think it is as easy as you say and if they come by sea, you know what they’ll have to deal with as well.”

  To both their surprise, Sherari, Gerid’s gray haired wife spoke up while nearly a dozen others sat waiting for the battle of wills to end. No one from his team had dared, but the immortal’s wife of the last forty years was less wary of the man she had married and Sebastian was just a boy in her eyes. “You two can keep arguing round and round, Gerid, but the boy is right. There is nothing keeping you from leaving here tomorrow or the next day.

  “Those who died have been buried and mourned. Damaged buildings will be repaired whether you are here or not. The ships are ready, save maybe for the captured black ship.

  “Grab your pack and those coming with you. Settle your accounts with this emperor, so you can come home again without fear of more of his men coming to destroy what we have built here.”

  The part that Gerid disputed had nothing to do with the mage and Sebastian began to understand the true dragging of the man’s feet as he said to his wife, “You are still sure that you won’t come with me?”

  Dark blue eyes, surrounded by a few lines revealing her age as much as the gray hair, took the tall man in as a tight smile came to her lips. She understood his waiting as well.

  “I am getting too old to go traipsing all over the world, besides someone has to look over the family remaining here. My brothers and their children still live beneath the water for the most part and if something happens I can simply return there,” she added pulling a medallion on a chain from beneath her blouse. “The children and grandchildren on the island need someone they can look to while you are gone. You know there is too much of a separation from those on land with their relatives of the ocean. I am both and both know me.

  “You go back to your old world and straighten them out. Give them hope and let them know your enemy did nothing but send you away. Maybe then they’ll find the strength to cast him back,” the older woman finished with a shrug of her shoulders.

  It was a simplistic view and very idealized, Sebastian thought. If they could have driven the emperor and his armies away that easily, Grimnal or not, the forces of Southwall would have been rid of him long before now. Gerid knew it as well and he frowned anew. He had been through war before and large conflicts were never so simple or easy to end. Once he left it was likely to be a long while before he would return.

  His worries were barely masked as he asked again, “You’re sure that I should leave you?”

  Shaking her head sadly, Sherari moved closer reaching up nearly a foot to touch his cheek with her hand. She knew that there would be the possibility that time would keep them from seeing each other as well. Time was shorter for his wife, the latest of those he had come to love and all the former had died long ago. He was immortal and likely to bury her as well whether he took a journey or not. Whether it would be harder to be there when she passed or to be away when it happened, who knew? It was a morbid subject and talk of her mortality wasn’t something anyone would want to hear.

  “You’ll return when you are done. I’ll be here,” she assured him even so.

  “You’ll have fewer hands to help you here,” Gerid gave one last feeble attempt to halt the decision despite his wife’s assurances.

  The woman chuckled and replied, “And I won’t have to cook and clean for you either. You’ll take Elien and Melura with you as well as Semael and whoever else you want as guards. A handful or so shouldn’t be a problem to find places for aboard their ship. Our friends will make sure the captured ship is ready to use first and everything else should fall into place.”

  Sebastian nodded at the woman’s glance. There were rooms available since there were those who had been killed along the difficult journey.

  “Then it is settled. You boys can decide which day everything will be ready with the ship and go see the grandchildren from your old land,” the woman decided though the mage thought he noted a bit of sadness and loss in her eyes. She was being strong, but seeing her husband leaving on such a long journey wasn’t helping her despite her resolve.

  The time after the decision to leave early was spent in discussion with those who knew the most about the black ship and its repairs. Nara was the main player in the drive to finish the reconstruction of the hull, but Collin and the other wizards like Liam and Vewen, who could use their water magic to remove excess water or clean wood of fungus and mold, were instrumental in the swift return to sea worthiness.

  Since the wizards and their magic had controlled so much of the repairs, they knew as well as anyone how soon the black ship would be finished. Hearing that it was nearly complete and could be launched once again helped them decide to leave in three days time.

  “What happened to the confident battle mage who led the expedition to find the Grimnal?” a woman’s voice questioned as Sebastian walked on the packed sand of the beach leading to the pier where the Sea Dragon was moored. Maura’s voice wasn’t exactly a surprise since the mage walked at the head of a handful of his people all heading back to the ship.

  His eyes questioned the wizard in surprise at the tone of the question asked. As the research wizard said, the falcon level mage had led the team of Southwall wizards and mages as well as the crew of the Malaiy frigate for almost two months. It hadn’t always been easy and the dangers had been quite real. That there had been deaths along the way, weighed on him as they had from his first missions north of the great wall protecting his homeland from the armies of the Dark One and bands of nomads roaming the rolling plains beyond it.

  He had managed to lead virtually unopposed and unhampered by even Maura, who had been sent along with Idenlare and Vewen by the wizard’s council of Hala to monitor him on the trip. If the young mage had shown any weakness, he knew that Maura would have attempted to take over both the mission and his team of wizards as well. Such a nuisance had required a strong hand in dealing with the wizard, but she was still his elder and Sebastian had done his best to show courtesy to an obviously competent and trusted wizard.

  To counter her interference, the king had also sent a pair of men as well, but they had never needed to step in as a buffer. Now Maura questioned his resolve and Sebastian was unsure what precipitated this most recent bout of doubt.

  “How do I lack confidence in your eyes now, Maura?” the young man asked without use of title. She wasn’t his superior, being neither in the echelon of his corps or mission leader after all.

  The woman seemed a little annoyed at his basic use of her name, but replied seemingly straightforward as she said, “You held firm all along the way, but once you found Gerid, you seem to have let him control the decisions despite the need for you to direct our exodus from this island. Are you so in awe of the leg
end that you will let him take over while you still stand?”

  Doubting the wizard in her forties would be more than a humble bump in the immortal’s way if she were in charge, Sebastian countered, “We agreed to give him time to help his people mourn their losses and prepare for his leaving. It isn’t like Gerid has to come with us. This was both his prison and home.

  “While I removed the barrier holding him, the man doesn’t owe Southwall any allegiance. If I forced him to come, that would make us look as bad as the emperor.

  “I am forced to work with him to gain his trust. How would you suggest I control the situation better? He doesn’t run any of the ships or their crews. The Sea Dragon belongs to Annalicia and the Carnivore still serves Lord Romonus through his daughter. My team still follows my lead, even wizards who seem to think that they should have led at one point, now trust me enough to follow.

  “Unless I am mistaken, I am not letting the fact that he is a legend and an immortal overwhelm me. Have I missed anything?”

  Shorter in stature than the young, battle mage; Maura had to look up at him giving him the edge physically in any contest of wills. The woman was a researcher wizard and far less given to using force like a soldier however. Such wizards were often the type to hide in their libraries researching books and making notes. Usually at most, a research wizard might use a laboratory; but then there were those like Maura. The woman was a researcher willing to go into the field to find proof of their theories or root around trying to discover forgotten mysteries. She was in her middle years and a bit soft in body, but her brown eyes held steel and hardness echoed in the lines of her mouth.

  Her voice was hard as well as Maura retorted, “It isn’t in what you have managed to do and I think that you know that. He is a giant, powerful physically, and used to getting his way; except perhaps where his wife is concerned.

  “You say that you are trying to work with him, and that he doesn’t need us; but I think that you are covering the fact that the man is forcing his will on you.”