The Wizard

by Whiskey Flowers

  CHAPTER 10

  Devin woke up and stretched, his body was sore all over. His muscles ached, he was bruised and he thought he had a finger dislocated. He could have started that routine they went through in order to prepare himself for magic but it was normally started a lot younger than he was now. Devin was content to live with the bruises and the pain of getting them. Wizard Tasha was correct when she said Devin would be targeted, in the three weeks he had been here it seemed everyone was aiming for his stones. Devin thought they were sick and twisted and tried to make them pay in every fight.

  Devin was not the best fighter amongst the acolytes by far. He couldn't use the dirty fighting his Da taught and had to fight clean. A lot of them knew how to fight and were hard to avoid. They also didn't feel pain like he did so small punches didn't do much against them. Devin had figured out his own technique to fight. He was willing to take a blow to get up on his opponent and land a punch. The others felt no pain but could still get their bell rang or the wind knocked out of them. Devin thought maybe a better term was that they couldn't feel normal pain. Devin would crowd his opponent and go for a head punch. It would rattle them a bit and some he would knock either on their behinds or unconscious. Devin was getting better at throwing a punch, his big hands seemed to be the perfect instrument for delivering punishment but he still took too many hits in return.

  In hand to hand, Devin could afford to fight this way. He was reasonably quick, Devin thought he was faster than the people he fought against. They landed on him because they knew what they were doing, with weapons they were hard to stop. They used wooden weapons to simulate for steel ones, Devin would have died many times over in this form of combat. The only thing Devin could say he absolutely excelled at ranged weapons. Devin could throw knives with the best of them and had even outdone all of his instructors. Instead of just the small knives, Devin had started throwing small throwing axes as well. They were a heavier weight and he could really get his strength behind it. Devin could reliably hit a small flying target at forty paces with the axe. Devin enjoyed the feeling but then came magic, which was a mixed bag.

  Devin had tried magic with a low powered magestone, the actual name the Wizards called the crystals, and discovered it didn't hurt as much. Devin tried it with a magestone with no power and found out that not only could he cast, but that the magic was coming to him easier. Without a magestone was the best way. Devin already knew he didn't need to speak to get the various spells to come to him. If he thought about it and focused himself, the magic would just happen and he wouldn't have the pain afterwards. The Wizards knew various spells and Devin hadn't learned them since technically he was not supposed to be practicing magic, only his fighting. The only time he practiced magic was during his off time with Wizard Tasha.

  Devin decided to keep that he did not need magestone to cast to himself. If the Wizards were not worried about defectors since their ability to do magic was hampered, what would they think of him? Devin already had detractors, almost all of his fellow male Acolytes hated him. They saw him as a wanna be, Devin hadn't went through the pain they had of getting to the point they were at. Devin ignored them for the most part, even their attempted beatings meant nothing to him since they normally got the worst of it. Sure Devin was in pain, but he didn't have any concussions to worry about. Devin grabbed some soap and a towel and went to wash up before his day started. He had taken to getting up early because something he would never be used to.

  Everyone bathed together, this wasn't an issue for the few other boys there but it was for him. It was difficult to keep his eyes to himself and impossible for certain parts of his body not to react. Devin had hid it for the most part but had to have a very embarrassing conversation with Tasha about what his difficulties were. She said she understood and gave him off times to go take a bath. This one today was especially important because today Devin would get to see Gerald. Gerald was like a stand in for his actual Da. Devin’s father wasn't allowed at the Grey Fortress and Devin could only visit once his training was complete. Even if he was, his Da was at war and wasn't with the Duke. He had to stay behind in a specially made smithy and churn out weapons and armor and wouldn't be given leave. They wrote to each other but it was different than seeing each other, seeing Gerald was far from his Da but better than nothing.

  Devin hurried through his bath and was just about complete it when the three other boys around his age walked in. Adder, Krait and Gila were taller than he was, a good height for a squire but lacked the muscle tone. The three spent most of their time either exercising or training, they were a tough fight to have and didn't mind going up against him. The three hated him, Devin was sure it was because he had what they were lacking but kept it to himself.

  “In here hiding?” Krait said. Krait was who Devin thought of as the leader of the other two. He was a better fighter than the others and was the first person to try to really hurt Devin. Devin had done his Da proud by holding his own but thought there wasn't any doubt that Krait was a better fighter. Devin thought as intimidating as Krait tried to be, his light voice just ruined the whole thing.

  “From you?” Devin laughed. “No, not now or ever.”

  “I am getting placed to go out into the field,” Krait said. “In a year I will be a Wizard and you will still be here.”

  “So will your girlfriends,” Devin replied.

  “Girlfriend?” Krait replied confused.

  “You know,” Devin began. “It is no fun going back and forth with you if you don't even know when you are being insulted. Now what do you three want? You know I am not scared of you and I picked this early hour because no one is here. Don't pretend you were just in the area, the sun isn't even up yet. Only person you would be lying to is each other.”

  “Alright then,” Adder said. “He is not as dumb as he looks. There are only four of us here out of three hundred, that are at this level. We want to know about Wizard Tasha, is it true she has a Knight at home?”

  “That sounds like a Wizard Tasha question,” Devin replied. “Definitely not a Fox question.”

  “You were a Squire,” Krait said. “What are they like?”

  “Mean,” Devin replied. “Just like you all are.”

  “We are not mean,” Krait said. “Putting you in your place is a public service. There are many fake wizards running around throughout the Kingdoms and it is our job to put them down.”

  “I am not a fake Wizard,” Devin replied. “You all have fought me. I am not the best one here but I am far from the worst.”

  “You feel pain,” Gila said. “I have nothing against you but real Wizards do not.”

  “And I have beaten everyone here at least once,” Devin said. “I am only going to get better.”

  “You still feel pain,” Gila replied. “I have fought against you enough times to know that you are a regular opponent.”

  “I am faster than all of you are,” Devin said.

  “You still don't know the moves and can feel the pain,” Gila said. “It will be the reason you die out in the field. Now we want to know about Knights and Squires. They are talked about as being our enemies, do we have reason to be scared?”

  “Yes,” Devin replied. “You will be faster than they are. With magestone near you, you will be even faster than you are without it. You will be able to land on them at will, however they will fight you the same way I do. They will reach out and grab you and then bring the fight in.”

  “I beat you when you grabbed me,” Krait said.

  “You did,” Devin replied. “But there has been a few times that you didn't. You just know how to fight up close, yet I am sure your body let you know that you shouldn't put it under the stress I gave you. Knights and Squires are bigger than I am, they are tall and strong. You are used to being the tallest thing around, not when they are around. They command the attention of every man, woman and child in the room when they enter and our moves are not as effective as you may think.”

  “Then how have yo
u been taken down?” Krait said. “You have been beaten and humiliated little fox. I have had you screaming in pain to get out of a fight with me.”

  “And I have smashed you in the head enough times that you stumble around like a drink and are unable to fight,” Devin replied. “The magestone helps fix your wounds and clears your head but there are times where you are vulnerable. Against the Squires, you would be susceptible to these kinds of attacks. Feeling very little or no pain is one thing, none of this matters when your body cannot physically continue.”

  “I can avoid you little fox,” Krait said. “Your hits are pointless if they do not land.”

  “You are a tough fight,” Devin admitted. “All of you are. Your minds are sharp and against a normal person you would be tough to battle. Against a Squire you would still be a tough fight. You are just not an impossible fight.”

  “I have magic,” Krait said. “I have already begun casting spells. I would destroy any Knight, let alone a Squire.”

  “Magic is tough to get away from,” Devin admitted.

  “We are all supposed to begin casting spells today,” Gila said. “There is a rumor that you have already been casting spells.”

  “The rumor,” Devin said. Devin knew that rumor was around, it was impossible to hide why a boy of his age suddenly started at the Grey Fortress.

  “Yes the rumor,” Gila said.

  “I have cast a spell before,” Devin said. “But I don't have a magestone anymore.”

  “How?” Krait said. “We have all had to be dosed and treated many times with powdered magestone. Mixture made from it had to be spread all over our bodies to prepare to even use magic.”

  “We all have been treated with powdered magestone, why haven't you?” Gila asked. “It helps deaden all pain. If you eat it, it allows your body to withstand the magic.”

  “Because I can already cast,” Devin said.

  “But how?” Gila asked. “If it was as simple as picking up magestone and saying a few words then everyone would do it, regardless of pain. Krait was deemed ready a week ago, Adder and I only got the nod today.”

  “I don't really focus on it,” Devin said. “I know there are focusing classes and other things to get your mind right but I don't do any of it. It just comes natural to me, the magic is just ready to use.”

  “How can you connect with magestone if your body isn't infused with it?” Gila asked.

  “I don't know,” Devin admitted. “I don't even know how magestone gets filled. I only know I can cast the spells. I haven't really thought about magic since I got here, the only thing I care about is fighting. I think I am faster than you all are, I know I am faster than you all are. You all know how to fight and what to look for, it makes it hard for me to keep up.”

  “I told you little fox was worthless,” Krait said. “If he was better, then we wouldn't still call him Fox. You both will get your magic, you just have to practice more.”

  “I am not the worst Acolyte here,” Devin said. “You three are just the best and you are fighting a bunch of females smaller than you are.”

  “And yet I can still beat you,” Krait said.

  “For now you can,” Devin said as he finished washing up. “It will not always be this way.”

  Devin finished bathing and dried himself off. The workouts they had him doing was different from the hard work that he had been doing with his father. These workouts stressed flexibility as well as muscles and Devin had to admit that he liked the look it was giving him. He lost a little of his bulk but the definition that was coming in was making up for it. Despite the other boys being better at fighting, Devin knew he was stronger than all of them and sometimes that carried the day when they were grappling. Devin put on the simple clothes all Acolytes wore and went to eat breakfast.

  Devin hated breakfast here, these people only ate for the calories since their taste buds were fried. Sometimes things were heavily seasoned and the Wizards and Acolytes tended to like that but Devin thought it was disgusting. Meals here were either over or undercooked and mostly bland. He doubted Gerald ate that way and looked forward to having actual food. Devin looked around and grabbed his throwing axes along with a short sword. Devin could never grip the weapon right due to his big hands and couldn't wait until the one Wizard Tasha was buying him was finished.

  “You are up already?” Tasha said as she walked into his room. None of the rooms the Acolytes were given had doors, it really rattled Devin when he first moved here since random people always just walked in.

  “And ready to go,” Devin said. “Gerald has my bow and I want to get in some good work on it.”

  “You think this trip is for you to relax?” Tasha asked.

  “I thought so,” Devin said confused.

  “That husband of mine has heard about your struggles and has his own ideas of how to help you,” Tasha said. “I am sure he plans on working you hard since he mostly sits at home all day keeping house.”

  “Either way it has to be better than here,” Devin said. “No one should ever call what I have a mattress. All of my furniture is rough and hard.”

  “It doesn't matter to a Wizard,” Tasha said.

  “Because you can't feel much anyway,” Devin said.

  “We can,” Tasha admitted. “Depends on the area. Remember what I said about secrets?”

  “That there are some things Gerald can never know,” Devin repeated in the tone Tasha had often spoke to him in.

  Devin followed Tasha out of the Grey Fortress and into the small town Cephil where a lot of Wizards kept their homes. Devin thought they passed by Tasha’s home from what he remembered of it. Tasha took him to a much bigger house, Devin was sure this was a different house. This one had a small stable and a decent sized yard. A huge warhorse stood in the yard and Gerald was out front brushing him down. Tasha walked over and gave Gerald a big kiss, Devin had hardly ever seen Miss Martha and his father act this way so he was a bit embarrassed.

  “There he is,” Gerald said as he broke the embrace and walked over. “I have something for you, the sooner you try it out, the better things will be.”

  Devin followed Gerald into the house, it had real furniture inside that Devin couldn't wait to sit on. Gerald gave Devin a weird looking coat thing he called a gambeson. Once Devin put it on he was given a breastplate! Devin hurriedly put it on, it had all kinds of straps and other things that fastened it securely. Once Devin had it on, Gerald made him throw a few punches. Devin thought they felt good and that the breastplate didn't hinder him at all. Gerald gave him a big shield and was trying to teach him how to use it.

  “Wizards don't use those shields because they are too heavy and cuts down on attacking,” Tasha said. “We are strong for our size but a big shield like that would be too much.”

  “There are attacking shields out there,” Gerald said. “I can attack with a big shield like that. You can bash people right out of your way.”

  “Limits visibility too much,” Tasha said.

  "Maybe a small buckler for the forearms," Gerald said. "I know you like your bow Devin and it wouldn't get in the way. No, what was I thinking? You need a vambrace boy. Something made of metal that will protect you from the bowstring when you shoot arrows. It will also give you another weapon to use if you find yourself defenseless."

  "His main problem is that the others really go for the body," Tasha said. "He is too smart to give them free shots to the eyes and throat. He worries so much about them that he opens himself up to leg kicks."

  "The breastplate will take the brunt of that off," Gerald said. "All he has to worry about is his legs, I think with that as the only target his opponents will find out that Devin could counter. Vambraces would really be helpful to block incoming attacks and keep him in the fight longer. It may not be with the people who train him want. I know you types don't use armor much and may not want him to either."

  "He is under me," Tasha said. "I have the final say. I want him to focus on avoiding attacks instead depending
on armor. The problem is that when he gets hit, he reverts to brawling to lay a big hit on his opponent instead of the fundamentals. Maybe with this armor he can focus on fighting and watching the cues his opponent gives him. He is better at fighting than he was but still has far to go unarmed."

  "What about his skill with a blade?" Gerald asked.

  “Only thing I am not worried about," Tasha said.

  “You are not?” Devin asked.

  “You often get off the first hit and you are hard to dodge,” Tasha said. “You leave yourself open to counters but the first hit is decent. Now get outside and let's fight while Gerald is here to watch you.”

  Devin kept his guard up and threw a couple of fast jabs to test his range. Tasha was up on him and quickly got past the punches. Devin had played this game before, he brought up a knee and an opposite elbow. He would get punched but he should be able to protect his groin and give a good blow in return. He felt the blow Tasha gave him to his ribs, nothing but pressure. With the pain taken out of the blow he was able to bring his elbow down hard, Tasha had to roll under him to avoid it and she barely avoided his follow up backfist or axe kick.

  Devin pressed as he fought, he could remember some of the fluid techniques and went into them. Tasha was barely moving out of the way of the blows and was able to get some blows in of her own but Devin pressed. Devin thought the breastplate gave him a lot of confidence, he still took blows to the arms, the legs and was hit in the head a few times but he was making Tasha work for it.

  “Hold,” Gerald said as Devin and Tasha backed away from each other.