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

by Donald Wigboldy

  “Is there more than one seller in Parik that sells to you? I would think the cost of working a mine mixed with the usual attempts to own an area exclusively would give you relatively few to bargain with there.”

  A new frown, not aimed at the mage so much as the truth of it all, formed on Wilhelm’s face. “Parik is controlled by three main companies, but only one tends to sell to Sardon. The other two have dealt with us to a lesser extent, but always seem able to sell what they want to stay in business without working with us.”

  The information felt like what the mage had been looking for and he moved to look at the gems, some cut and brought to a brilliant gleam while a few larger stones were left alone to be cut to a customer’s preference. In an effort to keep the man talking, Sebastian feigned interest as he continued, “Do they work with other towns on Litsarin instead? Don’t tell me the lords from Sileoth own the rights of a mine so far away from their western towns.”

  Not realizing that he was being questioned in truth, the merchant pulled out a small diamond that he thought the mage was interested in the display. “This I would normally sell for five hundred gold, but as we had this misunderstanding I could go to four fifty.

  “I doubt that they sell to Sileoth,” the merchant flowed back into their conversation smoothly. “It is quite a way even on an island. This island is large enough to be cut up into more than one country, though even with Sileoth trying to steal it away from those who helped create Litsarin from the barren land it once was, there often doesn’t seem enough space for two. Most of us in the east sell to Sileoth merchants sparingly, but I guess that their coin is good as well and they do have access to crops and industry that we don’t have here yet.”

  Trying to keep the merchant’s mind split between what he was asking and basic business, Sebastian countered, “If this were the only stone I planned to purchase, perhaps four fifty would be a worthy discount, but I am looking for a bigger investment than a single stone.”

  Gesturing towards the girls who were pointing to interesting necklaces and rings, he added, “And it looks like we may need a couple pieces of jewelry since, as you said, the ladies are looking a little ignored. My guess is that a certain lady from Malaiy who owns our ship might wish to receive a treat as well.” His eyes rose as if he was considering numbers, “Hmm, the other women might feel slighted if I only brought back enough for two or three, even if this isn’t some luxury cruise.”

  Money was coming back to the fore of Wilhelm’s mind, even if the mage wasn’t truly worried over it. He could buy as he said, and most would be returned to the king as spoils of war anyway.

  “Once you have chosen your items, I am sure that we can come to an agreement,” the jeweler agreed happily. Gone was the cold exterior and prejudices against those not dressed to his liking.

  As if he suddenly remembered, Sebastian pointed towards his head with a little flourish and asked, “You have been to Parik, haven’t you?” At the man’s nod, he continued, “Have you seen the mines? I have heard that some miners discovered some creatures that are quite excellent at mining. They work for less than men and their skill tends to be greater. There are a couple mines I have visited to the north full of them. I guess during the Cataclysm these creatures managed to sneak into our world through one of those magical rifts the wizards tend to warn about.”

  Though Wilhelm managed to look surprised, it was a delayed reaction as Sebastian revealed knowledge that many to the south would not understand. The merchant tried to cover up his knowledge as he replied, “I have been to the mines on occasion, though my brother tends to do most of the traveling. My skills are best used here where I can perform my craft. I have a few artisans who work for me, but I make my share of these pieces. I can show you, since the ladies are actually looking at some of my jewelry now.”

  Moving with Wilhelm to join the ladies, Sebastian didn’t reveal that he had gathered what he needed from the man despite his attempt at subterfuge.

  “I am a bit of an artisan as well,” the mage stated as the man pulled out a couple pieces that the girls were most interested in when they pointed them out to try.

  “Oh, really?” the man asked trying not to step on the young man’s feelings. Being a professional craftsman, he doubted that a boy who dabbled would have the same skill. “You are a jeweler then?”

  The girls looked at Sebastian curiously as well wondering what he had in mind. They had witnessed his magically working a sword back into shape, and it had been a draining piece of magic at that; but what he had in mind now perplexed them. After all, the plan was to shut down a gate and get information, not buy jewelry and certainly not to make it.

  “Do you have some raw silver and gold and maybe a small emerald?”

  Their interest peaked; Sebastian was led back to the first display where Wilhelm asked, “How much do you need?”

  “Enough for a ring, I think,” the mage stated and gestured for Yara to come closer.

  The little blond looked a little worried. She had a feeling that he was trying something new again and that never seemed to involve using a safe amount of magic.

  Placing a small nugget of gold formed from heating a number of flakes into usable pieces for the jeweler, a similar piece of silver and a small emerald on the glass top, Wilhelm asked, “Do you need some tools? My workshop is in back, though I would have to close the doors on your friends while you work, of course.”

  “This is fine,” Bas stated and placed Yara’s hand on the glass near the pieces. “Dance,” he ordered his magic as he moved his hand over the gold and silver. Like snakes coming to life, the two pieces of metal seemed to slither and twist in his magic. With his left hand, the mage controlled the metals drawing them to Yara’s fingers. Picking the middle finger, Sebastian moved the metal forming it into a loose band around her skin in a moment.

  With his right hand, he placed the emerald over the metal. A few moments later, Sebastian removed his hands and released his magic. Surprisingly, the mage didn’t feel tired at all despite the intricate piece of magic.

  “Wow, that’s beautiful, Sebastian,” Yara breathed out in amazement.

  Serrena let out a low whistle and asked, “Can you make one for me too, but with a ruby? I prefer red you know.”

  Chuckling at her completely unabashed wish, he nodded and looked at Wilhelm, who had paled in the sight of magic. “A little more gold and either silver as the ornamentation or a light gold with a ruby of a similar size, please.”

  Wilhelm looked to the mage in shock, but nodded his head obediently.

  While the man was in his backroom gathering the required pieces, Yara said, “It is beautiful, but why are you doing it here in front of him?”

  “He lied about the creatures at the mines, so he is likely to mention this when we are gone. The emperor’s men may well have questions about who or what they are dealing with now. It might cause a little more confusion for them as well.”

  Serrena noted, “You are making yourself a target. Do you think whatever came through the gate in Banosh is here or just those from Parik?”

  Shrugging, the mage replied, “I think if someone came from Banosh, we wouldn’t know from Darterian’s compass. Maybe giving the town something to talk about will help draw them out.”

  As Wilhelm returned looking only slightly less pale and trailed by a pair of men, one older and one younger, Serrena stated in a whisper, “You are playing a dangerous game, Sebastian.”

  “It comes with my job,” he nodded taking the woman’s hand and placing it similarly on the glass case before starting the next spell.

  Chapter 15- Hunters

  Serrena held her new ring up before her face as the three exited the store and drew the attention of the other two men.

  “Did you find anything, aside from some jewelry?” Mecklin questioned almost immediately as Sebastian led the others deeper into the merchant lined street.

  “Parik is selling much of the ore from the mountain to an outside buyer, bu
t it isn’t passing through Sardon. The mines are at least partially run by creatures that aren’t human, which means that the emperor’s got his fingers firmly rooted in Litsarin,” Sebastian stated bluntly.

  Both men looked at him in surprise and he added, “Some came from Wilhelm’s mouth, but he isn’t a good liar either.”

  “Or a good bargainer,” Serrena laughed. “Sebastian got over thirty percent off of everything and the material for these rings thrown in for free.”

  “He still made money,” the mage replied already intent on his thoughts. They would visit the second major gem dealer in Sardon, especially since they were so close to it.

  “You bought a lot?” Mecklin asked thinking practically before tackling the larger issue of the emperor and the mines.

  “Some gems and jewelry for a few thousand in gold,” Sebastian muttered as he ran his fingers through his hair thoughtfully.

  Mecklin stopped in his tracks half stunned. “How much?”

  A couple hundred gold coin was nearly what they might expect at the end of a career working with the mage corps as falcons. A thousand gold was unheard of even for wizards or ravens in the corps, yet Sebastian had thrown it around as if it was nothing.

  “We’ll need to return with the coin this afternoon to exchange for the gems,” Sebastian added as his eyes caught sight of the next gem merchant’s store. “You and I with a couple of men from the Sea Dragon should be able to handle it and keep everything safe. The king won’t care if the chest holds coin or gems, so you don’t need to worry over it, Mecklin.”

  Throwing out his hands as he gave up, the older mage replied, “You’re the one in charge, thank goodness.”

  Yara looked at Mecklin curiously and asked, “You’ve never been in charge as a falcon?”

  Standing up straighter and unconsciously puffing out his chest a little; the man retorted, “Of course I’ve led squads on missions, especially north of the wall. I wasn’t one of those assigned to Sebastian because I am an idiot, Yara.”

  With a weak smile, Yara realized some of his attitude must still be riled up thanks to Narhorn’s comment about his guessed age. “Of course you aren’t an idiot. Sebastian would have sent you home, if you were. I am just surprised that his use of a few coin disturbs you.”

  “A few coin?” he breathed. “These kids throw it around like it’s nothing.” Directing his attention back to the girl, he stated, “A few thousand coin is more than the four of us will earn in our lifetimes, so, yes, I am a bit surprised at how quickly he could spent so much.”

  “I merely exchanged coin for gems, Mecklin, there is no real risk involved,” Sebastian replied as his eyes moved to Darterian as his feet slowed. “Has something else happened, Darterian?”

  “Ghost images back towards the center of town,” the man stated pointing in the direction that they had just come.

  Head whipping to look behind him, Bas quickly asked, “Something from the gate?”

  “Most likely. It is hard to guess how many, but at least half a dozen seem to be moving into Sardon.”

  Turning the team, Sebastian’s fingers found the pommel of his Hollow Sword preparing for the worst. “We’d better go check this out. If we can capture someone from Ensolus working here, we might have a better idea of what we are actually up against and how much meddling he has done here.”

  The five of them hurried back the way they had come bringing many eyes to them in surprise at the strange behavior of the visitors to their town.

  “Left,” Darterian guided a block past where they had separated from the others earlier. The direction took them back towards the ocean and the east.

  Moments later, Sebastian felt the signs of magic, but it was mutual as three men turned stopping the remainder of those without signs of power.

  “Warlocks,” Serrena warned preparing to back up Sebastian and Mecklin who were in the lead. A fire wizard, the girl knew how to fight with magic and had learned even more from the battle mages along the way.

  More than a dozen cloaked men turned only to reveal that most were not in fact men, but stockier, slightly shorter creatures known as orcs to the people of Southwall. Weapons were revealed and drawn quickly seeing the five people pulling up short of their larger squad.

  One of the three men stated for the soldiers, “Wizards, kill them.”

  Serrena was the first to attack in response to the moving wave of creatures. A large fireball struck an orc dead center in the chest burning away much of the cloak, but he barely slowed as the black armor beneath absorbed the remaining flame into it.

  “Wizard hunter armor,” he warned as Mecklin readied to fight next him. Both drew their swords as they used their reflex magic to slow the world as their movements transcended that of normal humans.

  “Lightning dance,” Sebastian called as he touched his blade to the cobble stones beneath his feet. Power from the earth leaped into the sword charging it with strength beyond his own.

  Darkness leaped out trying to spear the mages in the hopes of ending their threat immediately. Warlocks, like most wizards, tended to discount battle mages as easy prey as long as they had distance on their side; but as both mages called light shields into being before their left hands and destroyed the darkness, the warlocks quickly found that these were no ordinary battle mages.

  Then the orcs were on them. Sebastian didn’t mistake them for the common variety either and they proved to be a challenge even for battle mages with their speed and armor.

  Black weapons chopped into the shields of light breaking them in a few strikes, but the mages didn’t back down despite being out numbered or in the face of magic destroying armor.

  “Release,” Sebastian breathed as his mind focused his magic on the sword. Lightning and blade cut into the closest orc. The magic cracked the armor surprising the powerful creature, and the blade cut flesh in the gap created by the lightning. A follow up cross strike caught it across the face even as the orc pulled back narrowly saving its life for the moment.

  “Light,” the mage channeled a burst into the black armored chest driving it back into the orc behind it, but these were only two. From either side of the tumbling creatures, weapons threatened to take his head.

  Only the speed of his magic saved Sebastian then as the weapons passed where his head had been a split second before. He thought back to the vicious fight alongside the Grimnal on his island facing the wizard hunters from two ships. As dangerous as they had been, these seemed even more skilled. Their speed and strength surprised the mage, but he adjusted trying to keep Mecklin beside him. They were the line that had to hold or the wizards would be killed behind them.

  Light came over his shoulder blinding the orc centered between Mecklin and Sebastian. It fell back as its armor cracked, but not before the mage added another deep cut splitting the weakened armor further. Mecklin’s skill rivaled his own now and light spells were simple for the pair to cast repeatedly to weaken or blind their adversaries. This armor seemed stronger than the gear he had faced before and light broke it down much slower than in his previous fights.

  A cry of pain from Mecklin caused the mage to fall back a step as a new wound to his left shoulder bled painfully. His shield of light had given under the strength of a black axe, but the mage’s speed was enough to only take a slight wound.

  “Light!” Sebastian demanded dragging his sword against stone drawing in more power. A slash before him swept out and, even as the orcs tried to jump back, the solid light flew forward at waist height catching not only the orcs in front but stray light continued past to catch any armor or flesh beyond the front row.

  This was no tight alleyway, however, so the orcs hearing their armor crack fell back as a group before trying to outflank the two men.

  Light came from either side striking the powerful black armor driving the creatures back once more.

  Mecklin caught another orc across the neck causing it reel away into its fellows as it tried to contain the dark blood with its fingers.r />
  A spinning torrent of fire flaring white hot pushed from the left, and though some of Serrena’s spell was absorbed, the cracking armor revealed weakness and fire began to consume the two orcs most directly affected.

  Unexpectedly, an orc tried to cut between the two mages as two others tried to distract the men. Light came from a third source nearly surprising Sebastian more than any other part of the fight.

  Yara was a healer and her magic was adversely affected by fighting and killing, but light was a source of goodness. If darkness was driven away her peace of mind was still assured, but she wouldn’t kill. Still she could protect and the light drove the orc back.

  “Shield,” he ordered creating it to split the creature’s neck from its shoulders. A gasp from behind him as the orc’s head came free during his spell reminded him that Yara was peaceful at heart and killing during a fight was not in her.

  The orcs were thinning as more died, but they weren’t going easily. While they fought, the warlocks had tried light and night spells only to be countered by the five. The orcs were powerful and well trained, but they were losing and Sebastian could tell that they would run in moments without more help from the warlocks.

  Even mid battle Sebastian caught sight of one of the warlocks changing the nature of his spells. No longer directed at the mages, this magic worked to summon a new gate. The warlocks were no longer willing to protect the creatures serving them at risk of their own lives. When the gate arose, the light was different from that of the sun striking down from above.

  “Hold them,” the warlock to the right of gate ordered the orcs. His words caused them to falter instead. Two ran towards the gate as the warlocks began to disappear within the spell. Two more fell quickly to the mages in their hesitation.

  “Sleep,” Sebastian called another spell taken from the healer’s handbook. The next two orcs were struck in the face by magic that looked like glowing dust. Their eyes closed almost immediately causing them to collapse.