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

by Donald Wigboldy

  Sebastian tried to feel his wizard’s staff. Bairh’loore held his magic as the touchstones they had found near Banosh. Certainly, the power in the staff would be as good a connection as two little stones. He tried to find the staff and thought that his mind was freeing itself of the thoughts restricting him.

  “Gate,” the owl ordered calling on the power of the earth. Energy ripped through the blade and into the mage. Diffusing some of that raw power, Ashleen received a share and the young woman gasped; but managed to hold focus.

  “Time to go home,” he said and opened his eyes to see a glowing doorway beside the lake.

  Unsure how long it would remain; the two let their magic continue to feed the doorway, and quickly hurried through the portal.

  His vision went dark as he felt cooler air on his skin. Ashleen’s feet and his boots made noise on stone, but that wasn’t the only sound. As his eyes adjusted, he realized that a wizard had shrunk against the stone wall and had gasped in surprise.

  The owl felt Bairh’loore and extended his left hand while Ashleen gripped his right. From a shelf beside the wizard, the staff with its stone shining brightly with magic leaped to his hand.

  “Sebastian?” a woman’s voice questioned in shock.

  Looking at the wizard closely as his eyes adjusted to the dim light of a single lamp sitting lit on a table in the middle of a midsize room filled with shelves of scrolls and books. Some strange items mostly of metal and glass were placed haphazardly to be studied as the wizards saw fit also apparently.

  “Maura?” Ashleen responded first as her eyes took in the woman dressed in brown.

  Sebastian looked around the room returning his attention to the only other occupant in the room. “Where are we, Maura?”

  “Hala, in my study,” she answered finally pulling herself from the wall. “How did you do that?”

  Looking confused, he asked, “What make a portal? I used my staff to finally find our world, but what are you doing in Hala already?

  “Even if you gave up on us coming back right away it would take about two weeks to get back. I can’t believe that everyone would leave New Harbor without at least trying to find us.”

  Swallowing the lump in her dry throat, Maura replied, “The Sea Dragon remained in New Harbor nearly a week before the Grimnal decided that we needed to see the king. He thought that King Alain needed to know about the emperor’s ploy in the southern cities and Sileoth.

  “Yara, Collin, Nara and Olan stayed behind with those mermaids of his,” she added the last with a bit of distaste as the research wizard couldn’t seem to understand the mage’s attachment for the girls. “It took us over two weeks to get here and that was just two days ago. It has been nearly four weeks since anyone saw you.”

  “It’s been almost a month?” he asked in surprise. “I didn’t think that we had been there much more than two weeks.”

  Maura thought and suggested, “Perhaps time works differently wherever you were.”

  “We were left on an island in the void. There were animals and water there for food as well as some plants that were safe,” the mage informed the woman. “So you just arrived here a couple days ago. What did King Alain do when he saw the Grimnal walk into the castle?”

  Shrugging, Maura replied, “Mecklin and the others presented him while I took the staff and some other pieces back for safekeeping until you returned. Word has reached me that King Alain plans to give a lavish dinner tomorrow night to properly welcome the Grimnal home.

  “If you wish to go, you might want to dress properly. An account was set up for you when the king found out how much you took from the emperor’s ships. He set aside nearly half in your name as the commander of the mission, I think,” the wizard looked a little disapproving of the notion of a battle mage receiving such a massive boon from the king. He hadn’t come home, but had managed to bring Gerid home as well as defeating the black ships. “You could retire, if I didn’t believe that he hopes to retain your services for the realm in repayment for all that gold.”

  Sebastian was shocked by the news, but chastised for their lack of dress; the battle mage pulled his shirt in place. Ashleen could only put on her shoes since they had been forced to flee and her clothes were torn for blankets as well as the meager covering she wore.

  Maura placed a marker in his hand and said, “You can use this to get the girl some clothes and maybe find yourself a proper uniform. You look like a ruffian.”

  Giving the woman his thanks and a quick hug from them both before leaving, which made Maura blush; Sebastian led Ashleen by the hand in search of the bank.

  Chapter 32- Welcome

  Walking out of the wizard’s guild, the two had drawn quite a few raised brows of surprise and the eyes continued to notice the half dressed beauty in her satin blue skirt and top. It was summer, so the sun’s rays had made it suitably warm, but few women would dare dress as scantily in the city of Hala. The hottest of summer days would bring out the lightest weight cotton dresses and summer outfits, but the torn cloth tied at her waist was as Maura had said, a bit barbaric.

  The bank had been easy to find, but without the marker he was sure that they would have been turned away. The mage was better dressed than Ashleen, but his clothes were torn from the fight and weeks of hunting. He had no idea if he still had dirt on his face from the island, but using the marker, Sebastian had drawn out a full pouch of coin to use in one of the dress shops for Ashleen.

  A few hours later with the girl dressed in finery befitting a young lady and he nearly looking like an officer though the uniform didn’t have the symbol of a falcon on it though it was falcon brown, they followed one of the king’s men through the halls of the castle. Sebastian was led with Ashleen into a large room. Several men and women were there waiting for him, but his eyes strayed to Gerid standing beside King Alain.

  “Falcon Trillon,” Alain stated stepping down a trio of stairs from the far side of the room. Gerid followed even as Sebastian watched the queen remain standing near their high backed chairs. “You have done the impossible at least one time since I have last seen you, falcon.”

  He gestured to Gerid beside him and said, “You have both found the Grimnal and pulled him from his prison from what I have been told. You have defeated the emperor’s black ships and wizard hunters.

  “Now you have miraculously appeared in the capitol when you were lost in one of the Betrayer’s portals. How did you manage that?”

  Bowing his head echoed by Ashleen’s curtsey, Sebastian was unsure what had been said of his travels. The king had obviously talked to Gerid and most likely his entire crew as well.

  “Ashleen and I managed to form a portal to escape from the emperor’s old prison realm.”

  Smiling at the king, Ashleen added, “It wasn’t as bad as he made that sound.”

  The king returned her smile and asked, “You were the kardorian wizard who did quite well in my tournament, I believe. I am slightly surprised to see you, but I was informed that Lord Romonus decided to follow Sebastian to his detriment. You were one of his wizards.”

  The smile slipped slightly as the king revealed his knowledge of her lord’s questionable actions.

  Nodding, Ashleen replied, “My master and the lord were killed, but I asked Sebastian if I could come with him to learn more. My nation needs help, so I ask that you pardon the lord’s actions. He was a bit desperate, but the wizards on board all made sure that he did nothing to harm Sebastian on his mission.”

  “I will defer to the falcon’s judgment,” King Alain replied with the smile in place once more. He turned his attention back to Sebastian and said, “Well, your return will certainly make our celebration that much finer. You will come join me welcoming the Grimnal back home?”

  At Sebastian’s nod, which was the obvious answer when your king asked you a rhetorical question; he continued looking happy, “This will make the tournament celebration look like a casual dinner. You should bring this lovely lady. She dresses like one and
is quite beautiful, but didn’t you have another young lady following you around, a healer, I think?”

  “Part of my team remained behind in New Harbor in case we came back there from what I am told,” the mage replied.

  “I will have the wizards send word the way they do,” the king stated with a wave of his hand. “You have made loyal friends apparently, if they have waited so long after you disappeared. Anyway, I want to hear all of your stories of this grand journey, falcon. If you haven’t eaten, perhaps you two will join us for lunch as sort of a build up to the welcoming dinner for the Grimnal.”

  He gestured to one of the men standing near the queen and said, “Get them rooms at the Two Circle’s Inn. I don’t want one of our guests of honor having to walk all over the city to join us at the castle.”

  The man nodded and stepped back passing word onto a second man while the king ignored them. “Come along and tell me what you have seen and learned since last we talked,” the king said guiding him towards a set of double doors which were opened to reveal a lavish sitting room.

  Gerid moved to Ashleen and offered his arm. “It looks like the king has nearly forgotten us, little one, but he seems to get distracted with new things and Sebastian is the story of the hour.”

  Looking up at the giant almost hurt Ashleen’s neck, but she replied quietly, “I am getting used to being left behind of late.”

  Gesturing with his head, the big man replied, “Sebastian hasn’t forgotten you. His heart won’t let him. Just hang in there.”

  “I thought you rooted for him and Yara to be together,” the girl asked with a frown.

  Gerid gave a shrug and admitted, “He wouldn’t be the first man to believe one woman was for him only to find the other piece of his heart in another; but maybe I am not the best one to judge someone’s love life. After all, I’ve been married several times.”

  Her eyes softened for the man and acknowledged, “It must be hard to outlive everyone you love.”

  With a big sigh, Gerid replied, “This is supposed to be a good day. Let’s not begin depressing each other with my love life, because that is simply too long a story to tell in one sitting.”

  Letting out a little giggle, Ashleen prepared to have lunch with a king.

  Palose stepped from his portal with Sylvaine at his side. Dorgred and Wendle joined him as a feminine voice rang out.

  “Halt where you stand strangers or we’ll kill you!”

  The dark mage looked at a slim blond haired girl leveling a spear at his chest. Runes wrapped her arms and bare legs. More could be seen on her torso covered only where modesty required it, though she was probably young enough to not think about what was shown as much as an older woman would even on the distant isle which had imprisoned the Grimnal.

  Two more warriors flanked the smaller girl. One had similar features to the girl while the third warrior had dark hair and darker features.

  To the younger girl’s surprise, the men grabbed her arms forcing the spear to fall before pulling her hands behind her back. “Erik, Nolan, what are you doing! They used magic to invade our island. They’re the enemy!”

  The man with similar features, though his blond hair had begun to darken, looked apologetically at Palose. “This is my sister, Ulia. She insisted on coming on patrol with us.”

  Moving closer as he looked at the girl, Palose sighed debating on what must be done now. The two warriors had been the ones he had first confronted turning them into resurrection men. “She’s cute, but not exactly a fierce looking warrior.”

  The girl started to squirm harder, but she was too small and weak compared to the two men holding her. Stomping bare feet and kicking at him like a child throwing a tantrum, Ulia struggled as she realized that something was horribly wrong.

  “What are you doing!” she screamed into her brother’s ear making him wince only because of the amplitude, not because of remorse.

  Sylvaine placed a hand on Palose’s arm and said, “She’s so young. You don’t have to kill her do you?”

  Eyes going wide, Ulia fought even harder throwing her body into the men trying to break free.

  “We can’t have people running to tell the rest of the island that we are here,” the dark mage responded as he watched the girl struggle and tried to decide what would be the most merciful way to do what needed to be done.

  “Now you have to kill innocent children?” Dorgred complained shaking his head as the wizard crossed his arms in disgust.

  Wendle looked away preferring to look for other dangers than what was about to happen. They could all feel Palose had decided the girl had to die.

  “She is a rune warrior,” her brother replied as if that changed anything. “You can make her one of us, master. Can’t you?”

  It was the first bit of humanity the resurrection man had shown for his sibling.

  Locking a spell that was as humane as he could think of to do such a dark thing, Palose’s fingers on his right hand moved in the corresponding way as dark magic was called to the palm of the same hand. Words of a language which was old and dark were spoken in a low tone before the dark mage leaped forward to place the hand upon her chest.

  Darkness entered her chest going for the heart even as the runes flickered trying to protect her. Runes resisted the force of his hand, but the darkness was insidious and unstoppable by such measures.

  A gasp as the girl’s eyes went wide in shock and pain revealed the last conscious thoughts as she died.

  “Lay her down in the grass,” Palose commanded the men as he drew his knife to cut a finger on each hand. The runes he had used on the men were already being reviewed in his head.

  Sylvaine knelt beside the girl with tears in her eyes.

  “She won’t even appear changed,” Palose stated as he knelt to draw the blood runes on Ulia. “You are still you as well. You don’t regret my bringing you back, do you?”

  The dark haired wizard shook her head, “I am glad that you saved me, but I was dead. You didn’t have to kill me. This just seems... cruel.”

  “The emperor would do worse if he decided that the Grimnal was worth the effort of killing the entire island. For now knowing the gate is here is all that he cares about.”

  “And why are we here then?” Dorgred asked before anyone else, though all three wizards wondered the same thing.

  “Quiet,” he demanded as the dark magic rose inside of him. “It is time to bring her back.”

  Palose wasn’t sure exactly why he was there either. He didn’t need to attack the island. He didn’t need this place like a sanctuary for him or his people. There were plenty of portal points that the emperor didn’t know about where they could relax or hide, but there was something about the island calling him to it.

  A gasp of air filled Ulia’s lungs and her hands held his bleeding hand over her mouth as she sucked on his life giving blood. There were no cuts to seal or other wounds like most had suffered from when he had brought them back. The blond haired girl looked up at him adoringly and said, “Master?”

  The bond between the resurrection people included another, but to his surprise, Palose felt magic within this girl. If she had lived in Southwall, she would have been recruited as a wizard; but he hadn’t felt that energy before her death. Perhaps returning Ulia to life had brought on the change that all wizards and mages experienced in their early teens when magic began to take them over.

  He felt added strength flowing into him as he shared her burgeoning power. Ulia was a good find and worth more than her brother in his eyes. They would have to train her to use this new power, but added to her runes and fighting skills, Ulia would certainly be a worthy addition to his growing coven of resurrection people.

  The world continued to change around the dark mage, but he was the one evolving quickest of all. His mind was still not set on a goal, so he would continue serving the emperor; but Palose would add to his power. A small army was a good thing.

  Looking at the other rune warriors, a plan started comi
ng together.

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  Where the story of the mizard Sebastian began:

  Battle Mage: A Tale of Alus

  Chapter 1- The Difference

  The sun shone down upon the courtyard through a thin haze of fog still stubbornly sticking to the mid-morning air. Finches and sparrows chirped and sang from the nearby gardens or as they soared over the ten foot walls separating the Court of War from the neighboring gardens. White Hall and its accompanying towers loomed to the south of the long courtyard throwing shadows over much of the grounds below. The Tower of War was dark against the morning light and its shadow nearly touched the base of forty foot protective walls.

  Above the sounds of the birds, multiple clangings could be heard as sword met shield or sword on sword. In the Court of War more than a dozen men worked at perfecting their art. Four pairs of grey shirted men exercised their skills against one another as four older men in black coached or quietly watched their students at play. A thirteenth young man, also of the grey, performed a dance with his blade.

  Wind flowing up Hill moved to the Bear stands Alone. Iron Jacket met Thrush from the Thicket. Maneuver after maneuver followed as he pictured his invisible opponent moving to counter his own. Back and forth he fended and struck. Press an advantage then retreat as the momentum shifts. Protect and attack. Force and defend.

  Dark blond hair began to drip with sweat. The grey shirt darkened. Tanned arms glistened and his palms tried to moisten and make his grip tenuous. A shift of the leather coated handle scraped away most of the moisture and stiffened the grip as he shifted back to the better hold once again. Tirelessly the young man fought his invincible foe. His breathing came through parted lips as lungs called for more air.

  Two of the pairs picked up towels to dab at damp brows as the men in black gave comment on their performance. Chuckling heralded some comments. Frowns followed others. The men walked back in White Hall through the small door at the base of the Tower of War. The other men continued work as a new trio, one black and two greys followed much the same as those before.