“I suspect that they were practicing on lower level coven members; guards and followers that they didn’t care if they survived the channeling of demon spirits. They probably started with lower level demons and progressed to more powerful ones. If they have succeeded, we won’t want to try fighting them.”
“Not if we want to live,” agreed Katla.
I would like to meet this Hanna. Spirit magic is so rare, few understand it and even fewer can use it. She will be key to defeating the witches. Especially if they have succeeded in channeling Quivna.”
“I’m sure you will. I think she will return once she has secured the spirit stones in Solotine. I have no idea how many spirit stones they found in their mine. I took at least a dozen from Hanna’s grandfather. There could be hundreds of the stones.”
Hester shivered at the thought. “Let us hope she does secure those stones. If the witches build an army of demon warriors to go with Quivna, there might be no stopping her.”
The conversation lulled as both were deep in thought about the very real possibility of an army of demon warriors. After a few minutes, Katla decided to change the conversation. She wanted to learn more about her new companion. “How did you end up at the Towers of Gorro?”
“I grew up on a farm in the far northern end of Mykoznia. I was four years old when I first showed signs of unusually strong magic. My mother was a healer, so she started to teach me. I was seven when raiders from the sea came. I don’t even know where they came from. All I remember is them burning the farm and killing my parents. I was so angry. I couldn’t control my magic. I just kept attacking them until they were all gone. When the king’s men came to investigate the smoke, I was alone sitting in the ashes of my family’s home, crying. One of the men who investigated realized that it was me who killed the marauders. He took me to the towers.”
Katla listened to the sadness and pain in Hester’s voice. He tried to hide it, his voice calm and slightly upbeat, but Katla had trained to understand when someone was trying to hide the truth. The tragic event said much to Katla about why Hester was hesitant to attack. Violence had taken his family, and at far too young of an age he’d killed men, likely dozens or more depending on the size of the raiding group. “I’m sorry to hear about your family. That is awful.”
Hester gave a smile that Katla saw right through. “It was a long time ago. I try not to think about it. The mages at the towers have been good to me. I am glad that the king’s men sent me there. I’ve learned to control my magic. What about you? How does one become part of the fabled King’s Guard of Mykoznia?”
“You are recruited. Every year a selection committee tests young girls for a combination of magical and physical aptitude. Hundreds are chosen and placed in special training programs. Some of our training is similar to what you receive at the towers, but mostly we train in disciplines focused on fighting. Every year there are a series of tests, every year the tests get harder and the number of students shrinks. There were over three hundred girls my first year. By the time I became a King’s Guard there were only two of us from that group.”
“What happens to the girls that don’t make it?” asked Hester.
“The first few years they just go back to their families. Others are sent to different regiments in the king’s armies, and many don’t survive the training. The last couple years of training involves many challenges. Not all survive.”
“It sounds like being a King’s Guard isn’t much fun,” said Hester. “I thought our challenges were difficult enough, it is rare for a Towers of Gorro student to die and usually it is an accident such as a student making a mistake on a spell that ends up being something dangerous.”
“To be selected to the King’s Guard is a great honor for any young girl. Yet it is a great responsibility. You must be willing to sacrifice yourself for your king, you must not be afraid of pain and you must be willing to become the most skilled and deadly warrior possible.” Katla was proud of her time as a King’s Guard. It had been a difficult position, long spells of boredom broken up by short intense bouts of violence.
Mykoznia had a long and rich history of war. Creyta wasn’t the only nearby kingdom that they feuded with. Attacks on the king were more common than one might imagine, from both foreign and domestic assailants. It had been a difficult decision to give up her position, but one that needed to be made. Having her sister join a dark coven of witches put her in a terrible dilemma. Help her family or serve her king. When she approached Evetal with her dilemma he made it easy for her. He accepted her resignation before she even officially gave it. His logic had been simple. There were plenty of warriors waiting for the opportunity to serve their king. Who would serve her family if she didn’t?
At first, when Katla found out about the extent of her sister’s involvement with the Fangris coven, she planned to hunt and kill the witches. But the reality was, that would’ve put the rest of her family in danger. The only way to protect her sister and her mother from the witches was to make a bargain; a life for a life. The great warrior turned trader, Thorodd Stoneblood, for her sister’s. At the time, it had seemed a fair deal. If Katla had realized the importance of the gem stones she had also retrieved as part of the deal, she would’ve made them disappear. But now it was too late. Now they had to find the rest of the Fangris witches and stop them. “Where are we going anyway?”
“Master Wolden didn’t tell you?” asked Hester.
“No. He wasn’t very forthcoming with details.”
“Yes, he is like that. Although I am surprised he was like that with you, he usually is only like that with students. Master Wolden is a proponent of the value of self-discovery. He believes the student should seek the answers, and that the teacher who gives the answer only gets in the way of the student’s ability to learn.”
Katla chuckled. That type of teaching might work in a mages college but for fighting techniques it was a good was to teach incompetent warriors. “Sounds interesting.”
“It is a pain in the behind. Any time you have a question about a spell or a rune you have to go find the appropriate text or scroll. Sure, you might learn more by doing it that way but simple things take six times longer in his classes. Thankfully, I don’t spend much time in his classes anymore. I mostly study with Master Crabtree these days. I am somewhat limited in my options until I pass my tests and can move on from being an apprentice.”
“Master Crabtree, what do you study with him. He teaches dark magic?”
“Actually, he teaches defensive shielding,” said Hester. He lifted a hand and a blue wave of energy radiated from it. “But that only takes a small portion of his time. He spends the rest studying dark magic. But he doesn’t really teach it. The masters didn’t think a course in dark magic would be wise, too many temptations. However, now that we know the witches are using spirit stones again, they may be regretting that decision.”
“What does one learn while studying dark magic. Necromancy, deadly poisons and soul stealing chants?” Katla asked sarcastically.
“Yes. Although I wouldn’t call them chants, they are more like magical songs. Would you like me to sing you one?”
Katla eyed Hester suspiciously. Was he being serious? Did they actually have magical songs that stole someone’s soul? “I’ll pass for now, thank you.”
“It’s probably for the best,” agreed Hester. “As for where we are going, that I can tell you. There is a cave system in the Eastfell swamps that Master Crabtree suspects is the main home of the Fangris coven. The younger Fangris sisters, like Loma, have started new covens all over Mykoznia and beyond, but this one is the home to the oldest and strongest of the Fangris witches.”
“And these Fangris witches have the power to channel Quivna?”
“Yes. To be honest channeling demons isn’t that difficult, controlling them is far more challenging. However, with Quivna I don’t believe they want to control her. They want her to lead them. Spirit stones are rare, and are destroyed when a human using one is killed, so building an a
rmy of demon warriors has never been possible. This mine in Solotine it is the first that I’ve ever heard of with so many stones. If the Fangris witches get them… it will change the world as we know it. Quivna preached that witches were the true power in the world and should be masters, not outcasts hiding in caves. She will destroy kingdoms for revenge and to start one of her own.”
“Hanna will stop them from getting the stones,” said Katla. “We need to find this Quivna. That is our job.”
“And to survive,” said Hester. “I suspect finding her will be the easy part.”
…
That evening they stopped at a small roadside inn. “The college keeps a room here. The roads in this part of Mykoznia are not safe,” said Hester.
Katla, cold and wet, had no complaints about the idea of sleeping with a roof over her head and getting a hot meal. She felt like a drowned rat. The on and off again rain that had plagued her since she reached the coastal rainforest. The land here wasn’t rainforest but it hadn’t stopped the rain from coming down. In fact, the last hour of riding had been some of the worst yet. “How’s the food?”
Hester grinned, his smile barely visible under his thick travel cloak’s hood. “Hot and delicious. The stew is always very spicy, but they make great bread and there is plenty of it, and the mead is above average.”
They entered the inn. The great room was medium in size, a small bar and a half dozen tables scattered around the room. All the tables were filled with people. Hester walked up the bar.
“Apprentice Hester. I haven’t seen you in ages. How’s Master Crabtree doing?” asked the woman behind the bar.
“Darna, it is good to see you. Master Crabtree is fine, he is just waiting for the dry season before he travels. The rain hurts his bones,” said Hester. “I need a second room this evening.”
Darna frowned. “I’m sorry Hester. We are full to the point of overflowing. The college room is available, but I have nothing else. This rain has everyone hunkering down for the evening.”
Hester turned to Katla, unsure what to do.
Katla stepped up and smiled at Darna. “One room is fine. I promise to behave myself. Now how does one get some of the lovely stew and bread that Hester has been raving about.”
“Take a seat by the fireplace, get warmed up and I will bring you out some food,” said Darna. “And don’t you worry about behaving. Hester is too shy for his own good, perhaps being locked in a room with a beautiful woman is what he needs.” Darna gave Katla a wink before heading to the kitchen.
Katla glanced over to see Hester was blushing. His discomfort amused her. “Shall we?” asked Katla before turning and heading to the fireplace. The fact that there were no tables available was a small blessing. Katla sat down on the hearthstone. The thick stone was warm from the crackling fire. Katla’s wet clothing hissed, but the heat felt good. She lifted her hands and put them closer to the fire. She stared into the flames, watching them move in an intoxicating pattern, the ever changing and unpredictable dance was lovely to watch.
As Katla stared into the fire, Hester looked around the inn. He noted several rough looking men that made him nervous. He turned to Katla, leaned in and whispered. “There are several men here that look suspicious. Possibly highwaymen. The table closest to the door and the table by the window.”
Katla kept staring into the fire. It was good that Hester was paying attention. She knew many mages that were oblivious to their surroundings and wouldn’t know danger until it smacked them in the face. “The ones by the window are horse traders, not highwaymen. We passed their stock when we went to the inn stable. The ones by the door, well you may be right about them. They watched us a little too carefully when we came in. There is another man with them, but he isn’t sitting at the window he was one of the men standing at the bar while we talked to Darna. He exchanged glances with the men at the table when he thought we weren’t looking.”
“You already knew that, yet you stare into the fire?”
“They are called highwaymen for a reason, Hester. They don’t rob you where there are witnesses. They wait until you are back on the road. These men are scouts deciding whether we are worth robbing or not. There is nothing to fear from them now. Besides, I like watching the flames.”
“How did you know about the one at the bar?”
“The same way you know how to create a magical shield. I learned and I trained for it. Being a King’s Guard means always being aware, always knowing where the next attack might be coming from. When I entered the inn, I observed every person, I noted their clothing, the way they talked, how dry their clothing and hair was. I knew who had been here all day, who arrived just before us. I know that there is one man in here right now that is a warrior and could be dangerous. However, he isn’t with the highwaymen. I suspect he is escorting the royal who is dressed as a commoner, probably on their way to the Towers of Gorro.”
Hester stared at Katla. “That is amazing.”
Katla shrugged. “Hardly. It is just observation. Something few people ever take the time to master.”
Darna returned with two large wooden bowls filled with stew and a loaf of fresh bread sliced into thick chunks. There was also a slab of butter on a small plate. “Here you go. I’ll be back in a minute with some ale.”
Katla took a piece of the bread, and spread a thick covering of butter onto it. The warm bread and the heat of the fireplace quickly melted the butter. Katla took a bite. The bread was thick, dense, and delicious. She then dipped her chuck of bread into the stew. She appreciated how the dense bread held up under the weight of the hearty stew. Darna, or her cook, knew a thing or two about making bread. The stew was as Hester promised, hot and spicy. The intense flavor of the stew was a perfect contrast to the softer, subtler flavor of the bread. She took another bite, and the heat of the stew filled her mouth.
Darna returned just in time with the ale.
Katla took a large swig of the ale to cool her mouth. The stew was really spicy. Katla wondered what type of seasoning gave the stew such heat.
Darna smiled as Katla chugged down the stew. “It takes a while to get used to. But nothing warms you up like my stew. You may need more bread. It helps keep your tongue from burning.”
“It is delicious, and just what I needed. I felt like a drowned rat. Between the stew and this wonderful fire, I feel warm again. Before we came inside I questioned if that would ever happen again.” Katla took another big bite of bread, it really was delicious and helped to balance out the heat of the spicy stew. She might eat the whole loaf herself if Hester wasn’t careful.
Two bowls of stew and a loaf and a half later, Katla was stuffed to the gills, but content. As they ate, Hester had told her amusing stories about studying magic at the Towers of Gorro. He had a knack for storytelling, his shyness and lack of confidence seemed to disappear with subjects that he knew well.
Hester yawned. “I’m exhausted. It has been a long day, I didn’t sleep well last night.”
“Show me our room,” said Katla.
Hester suddenly looked nervous again, as if the idea of being alone with her was something to be worried about. But he didn’t say anything, just nodded and led her up two flights of stairs. “Darna had part of the attic turned into a room, so that we would have a room away from the other travelers. The college pays well, and is a good client for her, and I don’t think her other guests mind having us farther away.”
Hester went to the locked door, and cast a spell. The lock opened, and he pushed it open. He then cast a light spell and a soft globe of light floated up from his hand and bounced against the ceiling, lighting the bedroom in a soft bluish white light.
The room was cozy, and had a large window that looked out into the forest that surrounded the inn. Katla could only see the shadows of trees and a few stars that sparkled in the distance between patches of dark grey clouds. The bed was large and comfortable looking. Katla sat down on one corner of the bed.
Hester nervously played with t
he collar of his tunic. “I’ll take the floor.”
“The bed is plenty big enough for both of us,” said Katla. “You can sleep on it with me.”
“You’re not worried about what people might think?” asked Hester.
“Hester. We are sharing a room, people are going to think whatever they want. Nothing you say or do is going to change that. You can spend the night uncomfortable on the floor and they still think we spent the night fornicating. But who cares what a bunch of people you don’t know think. If you are worried about my reputation you are wasting your time. I couldn’t care less what anyone thinks.”
Hester blushed as her mention of fornication. “You aren’t worried about being in a bed with me?”
Katla laughed. He was so innocent. “Hester, if anyone’s getting taken advantage of tonight it is you, not me. However, I too am tired. It has been a long day. So, quit worrying about what could happen or what people will think. We are going hunting witches and demon warriors; your virtue should be the last thing you’re worried about.”
“When you put it like that I feel a little silly,” said Hester. He then went to the other side of the bed from where Katla was sitting and started to undress. Removing his tunic and pants, he quickly slipped under the sheets.
Katla noticed that Hester, under all his layers of clothing had a much more muscular body than she had given him credit for. She had assumed he was just a tall, lanky body under his robes and now travel clothes, but his muscles were striated and he showed no visible fat. His stomach was as defined as any young male warrior she’d seen. “You train your body? I thought mages were supposed to be soft and avoid physical training.” Katla started to undress as she waited for his answer.
“Most mages don’t. However, there are many types of mages. Warrior mages train both body and mind. The Towers of Gorro train many warrior mages.”
Katla thought back to the mages she’d seen at the mage college. “Let me guess, Master Brutis teaches warrior mages.”
“Yes, he is one of the instructors,” said Hester as he looked away while Katla removed her clothing.
Hanna Halfblood: Spirit Warrior Page 8
