Mages of Avios 2. Battlemage

by Adam Sea Klein

  Kanos said, “It throws like no other blade and… since I have owned it, I am driven toward my enemies as though by unnatural means.”

  Grahdo nodded as he puzzled for a moment, “An enhancement of will. Well, will drives the energy. Avios meets the will with knowledge. That is very interesting.”

  Kanos said, “I am in need of a sword. There is more room for deflection and a deeper cut. It will help me keep my life.”

  The old man smiled and said, “Toward the end of the Age of Solis, the weapons of enchantment came into play. There were some bladed warriors of magic. Is that what you are?”

  Kanos said, “Yes, a battlemage. And I have seen some battle, but the mage inside me has yet to show.”

  The old man beamed, “Avios will yield power we need in the hours of great despair.” He turned and walked around, thinking for a moment. “I will help you enchant a stone, and then you can find a longsword fit for a battlemage.”

  Kanos and Elias followed the man into the shady grove of Lavorra. There were many small homes and buildings around, all made of clay with smooth walls and roofs.

  The walls looked firm, and the structures seemed ancient. The bulk of the buildings had round ceilings that were topped with hard clay and growing moss. There were many people about, and all seemed of fair nature. The warm breeze flowed through the village as wispy shayan trees wavered in the wind.

  Grahdo walked the men to a small banquet table that sat outside. He said, “You boys smell a bit too natural. Walk in there and find a shower. Then come back, and we’ll have a bite to eat. Take a set of clothes from the closet, and we’ll have your garments washed.”

  The men followed the instructions and were quite relieved to cast off the stench. They made their way to the table wearing the natural clothes similar to the people of the village.

  Grahdo had three places set to eat, and Kanos and Elias sat down to start devouring endless helpings of ahvad dumplings, evio soup, and a bread so light and airy Kanos could not stop indulging.

  Grahdo looked quite happy to see the weary men fed. He laughed more than once at how fast they sucked down the soup. Elias enjoyed the old man’s positive demeanor very much, and felt some of the congenial nature that he remembered from his days in Yorn.

  As the day began to fade into evening, Grahdo told the men stories of the village. “We hold the tomes for their true value. That the old ways may be discovered when we need them most. We turn to ancient thoughts for insight, knowing that our ancestors were no liars — because of that, always knew the ages of energy were real. We knew the lineage was ironclad in their word. It is a value within our village, and it has only rarely served us ill.”

  As the men continued sharing stories, Kanos saw Atholin ride up through the grassy stone walkway that ran through the center of the village. She looked quite beautiful with her blonde hair blowing in the wind. Her horse held four big burrow bags brimming with herbs. She looked up and saw Kanos and rode directly to the table.

  Grahdo slightly hollered, “Woah! Woah! Please, may we stable the horse and then exchange words?” Atholin laughed and said, “He doesn’t like manure near the dinner tables,” before she turned the horse and rode away.

  A few moments later, Atholin walked up and said, “I did not expect to see you again!” Kanos smiled, pointed toward Elias and said, “I’m sharing his journey today.” She found it difficult to stare in Elias’ direction. It was clear that she found him quite attractive, which gave her a spark of shyness.

  Elias tried to break the stillness, “I heard from Lana that you are experts in Brakkish lore, something I’m deeply interested in. I would love to learn more of what you know.”

  Atholin nodded and tried to push away her discomfort, “Yes, we hold the tomes and would be happy to show you more.”

  Grahdo said, “These men are short on time. I will work with Kanos on his enchantment. Perhaps you would like to show Elias the tomes. He can tell Kanos of everything he read as they journey on.”

  Elias felt gratitude for the prediction made by Grahdo; to be short on time, indeed it was true. The two made eye contact, and Grahdo nodded quite intentionally, “We are within the dawn of magic. Time is of the essence .” The look in his eyes was quite serious. Elias saw that Grahdo understood how intense the world had become, having studied and believed the Brakkish tomes every day of his life. Grahdo swept himself out of his chair and said, “Off we go to my workshop, Kanos! We will see you later.”

  Atholin and Elias were left alone. She blushed, and she finally looked away and laughed. Elias said, “You are beautiful for certain...”

  Atholin’s eyes flashed toward him again, “In another age, I would make you mine.”

  Elias smiled and said, “In another age, I would be yours.”

  They walked slowly towards a building not far away. They felt young together, as though journeys were not always on their mind. Atholin dared to raise her arm to hook it around Elias’ elbow. She leaned her head against his shoulder, and for a moment, Elias felt as though he lived a real life. The two seemed connected in peace of mind, and the awkwardness melted away. They began to speak with great ease.

  “Well…” said Atholin, “I believe we can help you see the Brakkish ways more clearly.”

  Elias said, “Lana told me to say this word to you… Valio Lia.”

  Atholin paused. Her demeanor changed. She leaned away and stared at Elias who said, “Did I say it right? Does that make sense to you?”

  She replied, “Lana and I made up a secret language when we were kids. She called you… an ultimate mage.” Atholin tried to gaze at Elias more clearly. “If Lana called you this… she saw an energy in you she had not seen before. Something powerful.”

  Elias didn’t know what to say.

  Atholin went on, “I will skip the tomes of lore. If Lana approves then...” She drifted off, “I have to show you the tomes of magic. Come with me.”

  They walked out of the building and into a small adjacent library. Atholin walked to a shelf of old books and straight to three volumes, which she pulled off the shelf with one wide grasp. “These are the books of high magic from the end of the Age of Solis.” Her voice held great reverence.

  Elias could not believe what he was about to see. He longed for the day he might reach for such a tome, when such a book would be useful. He felt a strong lurch within his chest, and the surge of thought run throughout his mind, “Will I finally know what drives this great machine…?”

  29.

  The tomes were written with a mix of precision and casual discussion. The dialect was within Elias’ grasp. He sifted among the differences between Brakkish script and his own hand, called evenwa, the written language of the northern nations.

  He poured over the documents as Atholin found another large book. She began to search its content as well.

  Elias realized the room was lit by enchantment. The candle sconces had no flame. He understood he was in a village that always knew of magic, admiring the place very much, and wondering what it would be like to grow up in a place that didn’t hide the energy. He found every moment quite exciting as he delved into historic tomes of magic, moving through various parts that touched on lore and spell:

  An Account of Governing Magic

  “The central core of a mage pulls from reticules found around the lower sternum, which are connected to the governing structure that allows energy to subside within the body. The root connection is unknown and perhaps unknowable. The living being is manifest, at once connected to the substrate of reality, where the energy of life upholds all existence.”

  “We are still unsure if we live among a substantial world, or rather, a living description of the world that seems real. It is possible that all is manifest and given form by the great formula set in place by the Makers.”

  “The energy has no direct bias, until orchestrated by a being of magic. The will of the being manifests derivative echoes of itself. The weak being can be made weaker or stronger. T
he strong being can be made benevolent or vile. The wicked can be pulled by righteousness or pulled to embrace the darkest use of energy.”

  “While the magi create with magic, they manifest their own way of being onto the world. Those who mire themselves with evil will change themselves forever. While they grow stronger, they will weaken their interior system. Those who embrace the good intention of Avios will have their abilities manifold. The war of good and evil collides not in ability, but in sheer animosity. What is evil might hate what is good. What is good might hate what is evil. Avios cannot mend itself before the energy unwinds. Ill will cannot be thwarted before it begins. Magi endure this choice. When the infusion has begun, the energy pours through the living being; the being must fight within themselves and curve the urge for superiority and take on the burden of difficulty that comes with creating what is good among the wicked of the world.”

  Atholin knew the tome by heart. As Elias turned the page, she said aloud, “The energy, when given a temporary direction, sets forward a way of being. The energy takes with it the future of the magus and erases the past. The seed within has changed. Every use of the energy has such a balance.

  “Every magus creates themselves at first, but their choices manifest the magic that has reached from their directives. No one is simply a character set still in time. They are a future and a past, all at once. The energy of Avios mends creation in such a way, beyond the dimension we understand.”

  Elias looked up and said, “We are pulled forward then by Avios or by ourselves?”

  Atholin said, “We are one with ourselves in past and future, a future that has not unfolded, yet has a home already tied into the present. Our place in time is felt, but our pathways are what we are.”

  Elias said, “Does this say that Avios… knows its own future?”

  Atholin replied, “From Brakkish perspective, the future is not a place of solid structure. They believed that Avios is self-aware, and that awareness is greater than what we think it is. Our awareness is beyond what our mind sees and feels.”

  30.

  Grahdo walked Kanos into a secluded workshop. Around them, crystals glowed as they approached. Small lights rose around the workshop benches. Grahdo waved Kanos to the furthest table, and he searched among some drawers and trays.

  Kanos saw a flecked yellow lizard crawling around a large cage, while Grahdo pulled out and held before his eyes an orange stone. He placed the stone into a special metal vise that clasped the crystal around its entire circumference, leaving the top exposed.

  Grahdo said, “This crystal is yours. It holds the same variety of energy that I sense pouring from your central points of focus. I’m no seer, but you are a warrior through and through. This stone is the mineral varraway. It holds potency and vitality at its core.”

  Grahdo looked among his things, “I felt that varraway was right the minute we spoke of enchantments. This stone here…” He picked up an oblong green crystal. “It’s not enough. This stone here…” He picked up dark opal. “It’s for someone of a more diversified nature. It would do you little good. But varraway is a warrior’s stone, and the enchantment it can hold…” Grahdo’s eyes began to open wide with excitement.

  Grahdo looked at Kanos and smiled as his eyes shined a subtle light he knew looked impressive. Grahdo turned to the vise atop the bench. He held his hands over the stone and began to whisper in Brakkish tongue, a dialect rarely heard.

  Kanos watched the stone begin to light. From Grahdo’s hands, lines began to emerge. The lines began to create a cube of space around the entire vise, and within the cube shined strange flickering of lights. Grahdo weaved energy around the entire contraption. A wind began to blow upon the table. An inward funneling white light began to arise, and it was being pulled into the crystal.

  Kanos stepped back as Grahdo’s fixation grew more intense — he began to speak at a rapid pace. The crystal began to shed a brilliant orange light, and an audible sheering sound rang through the air. Grahdo’s energy was in continuous outward flow, and Kanos could feel the air move around Grahdo’s body.

  The spell surged on for two minutes, then three. As Grahdo poured more energy into his creation, his voice began to grow wide and deep. The room was filled with swirling white light, and lighted orbs moved around the funnel. The orange crystal was surrounded into layers of lines and tongues of light. Grahdo jammed his hands out wide and began to compress against the energy with all his energetic might. His arms pulled inward, and the lines around the crystal were folded in. Grahdo pulled again and again, pulling inward the spellwork he created. The workshop held a constant syphoning sound, as the crystal began to beam out a high pitched sound. As Grahdo pulled in, the orange light within the crystal lapsed, and the spellwork was submerged completely inside the crystal. Kanos moved forward and stared into the small orange light.

  The crystal captivated his eyes with need. He gazed into the central light and felt his body organize around the central fuse. Faint pulsations moved through Kanos’ mind. He felt the solid, steady surge of clarity and energy within himself.

  Grahdo stood still and stared as well. “The spell is of certainty, precision, and clarity of direction. This enchantment is of my highest skill for fast spellwork. The stone will aid with terrible violence in a hand like yours.”

  Grahdo turned toward Kanos. “If a man should use such magic in ill will, he would shame the world. Be wise in your choices, Kanos.” As Grahdo placed the warm stone in Kanos’ hands, he agreed to take great care.

  “It would be my pleasure to show you more, but time is of the essence, and my energy has been deeply over-exposed. I am the central protector of this village still, and I need to recover.” Grahdo sifted through his workshop and pulled out four yellow stones. He spoke nothing of them as the two men left the building and made their way to yet another small feast laid out in the main town square.

  31.

  Atholin began to notice how perceptive Elias truly was. He pushed through many tomes and asked pointed questions. She guided him to parts she thought most pertinent to his queries.

  Elias said, “I would be content to read these for a lifetime. Is there more spellwork to be seen, Atholin? I have yet to see the Brakkish knowledge convert to living magic. I’m actually looking for better ways to defend myself. I’ve been finding some irritating vulnerabilities.”

  Atholin nodded slowly. She turned and flipped through the book before her.

  Elias continued to read:

  “The barisee [phantoms] are viral extensions of the energy — they have taken the structure of life and energy, and while not alive, they exhibit the extension of energy as though actually alive. They are roaming seeds of activity with no life sensation.”

  “The barisee manifest like viruses, a script of lifeforce broken loose from the evolutionary chain of Avios. They operate as beasts of the wild, with no organic connection. Yet, in some unexplainable way, the barisee are tied in purpose. They can orchestrate activity and perform what seem like crude duties. They can establish affiliation. The barisee may bicker and fight among each other, but they will not wage war upon themselves in the same way they align against humans. They live on the side of dark aspects of energy and share that connection.”

  “As the years pass, the barisee have only magnified in power as the age grows on. They advance in skill and tactic, just as the magi evolve over time. What seemed like simple wild beasts in the dawn of the Age of Solis has become a sophisticated mode of operation over thousands of years of evolution. They act among each other as though better connected in understanding, and the attacks align with the insurgence of the great tides.”

  Elias turned to Atholin, “Do you know more of these great tides.”

  Atholin nodded quickly and found a book called The Onslaught of Ovi. She said to Elias, “Ovi was one of the lingering stronghold lands. Many great magi found themselves surrounded by what they called a great tide. The tides revealed the orchestration of the beasts of darkness, sh
owing the intent to clash with humanity until a definitive victor emerged. It’s still just a theory, but the bloodshed made it clear.”

  Elias said, “I was given the direction to take on a wave of dark energy such as this. The head of the guild actually called it the First Wave. I fought an army… by myself. I found giants that reached into the sky, and fields of beasts, and fought them to complete destruction. These were creatures that seemed physical, not like the phantoms.”

  Atholin looked at Elias, wishing she could see his energy as Lana did. She knew Lana was not the type to exaggerate. Atholin turned the book pages toward the end. She said sadly, “You have found the Moyomay at the beginning of the age. Ovi did not see the Sky Giants until the very end. That you have seen them already as the new age breaks…” Atholin felt a somber intensity as she pondered how this boded for the future of Avios. “The… evolution… is stronger this time. All signs of this have been clear.”

  She looked up at Elias then turned and walked to the back of the room. She pointed toward a heavy granite slab and said, “Will you use your energy and move this to the left?”

  Elias raised his hand, and with great focus, he caused the two-ton stone to slide across the floor. There was a narrow stairway that led below. Atholin said, “As far as I know, you are the first mage foreign to Lavorra to step into this room.”

  They walked down below, and the air was quite stale. Atholin reached out and used magic to pull the air to circulate. A spiral of energy sent the air up through the staircase, making the room much more pleasant. She lit a series of torches without touch — five white flames shined around the end of five metal poles.

  The room was round, and in the center, a circle was outlined in stone slab around the room.

  Atholin led Elias around. She pointed to one shelf after the next, “These are the spells of enchantment.” The next shelf passed. “These are the magnitudes of special magic.” The next shelf passed. “The art of defense.” The next shelf, “The specific skills in certain magic.” The next shelf, “The collaboration of mages against the dark energy.”