by Jon Bender
Outside Celia’s chambers, they found four of the Guard standing straight in their blue livery with the embroidered falcon on the chest. When Corin had been taken, his personal guard had assumed the duty of protecting the next ruler of Ale’adaria. Celia’s father should have been that ruler until Corin was rescued, but he was not healthy enough to do so. That left responsibility for the kingdom to Celia.
When the Guard saw them coming down the hall, one reached out and knocked on the door. “Enter,” called a soft voice.
The Guardsman opened the door. Inside, Celia, Adriana, and Danika huddled together. Adriana held Celia’s hand. Celia eyes were red and wet with tears. “Jaxom, what can I do for you?” she asked.
“I came to see how you were doing,” he said, uncomfortably, seeing her distress.
“Better now,” she said, looking at the two other women. “I know why you’re really here, and it’s fine. In fact, my father insisted that I return when I did. He did not want me waiting by his deathbed while Corin is held captive. He sends his regards to you, and wanted me to extend his welcome into the family since he hasn’t been able to do it properly.”
“I will write my thanks to him. He was always kind to me,” Jaxom said, thinking back to the few times he had met the man. Lord Baldrin had rarely come to the palace, and when he did, it was to visit Celia.
“I’m sure he will appreciate that. For now, let’s gather everyone to discuss your strategy. Darian, have one of the Guard send word to General Nelix, Commander Cribble, and the others that will be attending the council.” Darian nodded and leaned out the door to do as she asked.
“Are we sure this is going to work?” Danika asked.
“I think so. Those cats Warin brought back, what did you call them?” she asked looking at Jaxom.
“Emora,” he replied. The emora were large cats from Kelran with the ability to become virtually invisible by shifting the color of their coats. Jaxom had reanimated two of the cats, and they had been invaluable in removing the dark god’s agent Prince Tandis and the forces he commanded. That victory had restored King Dillion to power after a long time under the Prince’s control. Warin had been so impressed with the animals that he had found another six on his way back to Ale’adar.
“The emora will make all the difference in getting him back safely,” Celia said.
“Of course,” Adriana agreed. “And if they don’t, we will just fly in and burn King Alexar’s house down around him until we find Corin.”
“Maybe we should find the king before we burn it down,” Darian said sarcastically. The comment earned a small laugh from those present, with the exception of Adriana, who narrowed her eyes at the mage.
“Don’t listen to him. I never do,” Danika said. “I only keep him around because he is pleasing to look at.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” Adriana replied, giving Jaxom an innocent smile. All three women chuckled.
“If you three are done gossiping, we should probably get moving,” Jaxom said, rolling his eyes with feigned annoyance.
Adriana looked ready to respond with a stinging quip, but Celia interrupted. “Jaxom is right,” she said, drying her damp cheeks with a piece of cloth.
They all left for the council room with Celia’s escort in tow. Their group was the first to arrive, but the others soon filtered in. Jaxom was looking at the map of the kingdoms painted on the large table when Tamrick, Danika’s older brother, arrived last. Seated around the table were all the people Jaxom had come to care deeply about. Adriana, the woman he had fallen in love with and was going to marry, Celia who had always been a sister to him, and Nelix, who was like a dear, brooding uncle. Jaxom’s closest friends, Darian, Da’san, and Warin, were also present. He even considered Cribble and Alimar friends, if distant ones. The only people missing were Brenin and Jerup, too busy training recruits for the Guard and new durgen riders to attend. Tamrick and Danika, both green mages and members of the Mages’ Council were also present. He did not know them well, but the time he had spent with them inspired trust. Jaxom looked to the spot at the head of the table, which remained vacant—Corin’s place. The emptiness brought back the ache of loss Jaxom had felt for the past two months. Celia stood just to the side, staring down at the same spot with a look that likely mimicked his own.
She glanced up and gave him a firm nod. “We should begin. The ransom is being loaded onto twenty wagons. They should be ready soon. Jaxom, what now?”
Jaxom returned the nod. “Darian, Cribble, Nelix, and I will accompany the wagons south to Bruxa,” he began, using a finger to trace a line on the table, indicating the route they would take. “We will bring only enough men to guard the ransom on the journey, entering Bruxa here and making our way to Taurn as instructed.” He pointed to the kingdom on the table. “When we get there, Nelix will be allowed to see Corin, and I will send the emora along to follow him back to wherever they are keeping him. After Nelix leaves with the men, we three will remain behind to break him free.”
Celia looked around the room. “With the exception of the inherent risks they must face, does anyone see a flaw?”
“What happens if Alexar won’t let Nelix see the king, or if Jaxom can’t get to him?” Tamrick asked.
“The only reason Alexar would not allow it is if Corin is dead. If he is, we crush Alexar,” Celia said firmly. Those around the room nodded in agreement.
“If we are unable to reach Corin, I will do my best to locate him before informing Warin and the riders with him. We will then meet up to take Corin back with force,” Jaxom said, answering the second question.
“That brings us to your part, Warin,” Celia said, looking at the death mage.
Warin took a step forward to address the room. His right arm was completely constructed of bones held together by hundreds of small, magical bonds. He had lost the real one in a battle with Tandis. Both he and Jaxom had spent many ten-days learning how to build the limb, so it could function just as well as the other. In some ways, the new appendage was better. Warin had become so accustomed to the magically formed limb that he used it to gesture at the map without thinking.
“After they leave with the ransom, I will take the dragon,” he said, chuckling. They had all seen the risen, but it still sounded insane to talk about it as a fact and not something out of a story. “Along with every rider we have to follow after. We will fly at night to keep hidden and find a place to wait for Jaxom to call me with the whispering stone. When he does, we pick them up and return north to meet up with the army.”
“While they are retrieving Corin, our army, including whatever forces King Dillion sends us, the priests, and the risen from Terika will prepare,” Celia said, when he finished. “We cannot forget our ultimate goal. Corin wanted to march east come spring to face this rumored army Or’Keer is gathering, and that is what we are going to do. The riders we sent to scout the kingdoms beyond Kelran and Bruxa should be returning with news of what we face by the time we have rescued Corin.”
“What is the King of Kelran sending us?” Adriana asked.
“The Bandit Lord is bringing ten thousand soldiers,” Jaxom said. He had visited Kelran once during the long wait for spring. King Dillion had pledged his allegiance to the alliance and promised any aid he could provide to retrieve Corin.
“That’s all?” Darian scoffed.
“He is still rebuilding his own lands and dealing with the warlord in Denra,” Jaxom said.
“King Dillion isn’t the issue,” Nelix interrupted. “He is doing as promised. It is Azuria and Dradon that concern me. We should send messengers with word to start gathering their armies as agreed.”
“No,” Celia said, surprising Jaxom with her respectful forcefulness. He had never before heard her countermand Nelix in such a way. Looking at her, he could see that even she seemed surprised by her own response. She had changed so much in the such a short time. He guessed they all had, in one way or another. Celia softened her voice before continuing on. “I don’t wan
t them knowing what we plan until we are ready. When our army is on the move, we will inform them that the time to honor their commitment has come. Corin didn’t trust them, and I don’t either.” Nelix gave her a steady, weighing stare before tilting his head forward slightly. Knowing Nelix, it was the only concession she would get.
“If everyone knows their part, we should get to it,” Alimar interjected. “I will return to Terika to get everything in order.”
“Cribble, Nelix, please see to the ransom and men. I want them ready to move come morning,” Celia said. “If any of you pray, I would suggest you do so now and ask for good fortune in our venture.”
“Not to worry, I am sure Da’san has us all covered,” Darian said as Celia moved towards the door.
“No amount of prayer can help such a hopeless cause as you,” Da’san retorted, earning a laugh from Danika. Darian shrugged, as if to say Da’san had taken his time in coming to that realization.
As the group filed out of the room, Da’san hung back. He laid a hand on Jaxom’s arm as he passed. “I would much rather be going with you,” Da’san said, his brown eyes filled with concern. He tucked his shoulder-length brown hair behind an ear, something he did when he was nervous or agitated.
“And I want you to come, but you are needed here to get the temples organized. They have never been part of an army before and will need your help to understand their role.”
Da’san sighed, but nodded. “You are right. But take better care of yourself this time. I will not be there to put you back together again.”
Jaxom smiled and patted him on the shoulder before following the others out. He really did wish Da’san was coming with him. The young priest had been a constant source of reassurance since they had first gone north to find Terika, the recently reclaimed ancestral home of the death mages. He was heading down the hall to have a meal in one of the common dining areas when Alimar met him. They walked together. “It’s finally time to show the world our strength,” the older death mage said.
Jaxom considered the man for a moment. Alimar had the signature sharp features and dark, black hair and eyes of a death mage. Whenever Jaxom looked at the man, it felt as if he was looking into a mirror that showed what he would look like in fifteen years. The only obvious difference was the eyes; Alimar’s held almost no compassion. Jaxom hoped he would never become as hard. Alimar’s first concern had always been the restoration of the Death Mage School. Everything else, even people, came second. It was not surprising that he saw this war against the dark god as an opportunity to show off their power.
“It’s time to search out Or’Keer and put an end to his manipulations, after we rescue Corin. Our school’s strength is of no meaning without him.”
“Of course, your brother is the highest priority,” Alimar murmured. “I didn’t mean to suggest otherwise.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Jaxom said, evenly.
“Speaking of our school’s strength, I think you should take Laiden with you,” he said.
Jaxom masked his surprise. It would be a dangerous journey, too dangerous for the boy. “Laiden is not yet experienced enough. Something will likely go wrong, and we will have to adjust quickly,” Jaxom said, stopping to look in Alimar’s eyes.
“Exactly. Laiden needs this type of experience if he is going to continue to grow in skill and confidence. When Warin took Lexa with you to Kelran, she came back far more capable. Avoiding risks will only impede him. When the time comes for him to be on his own, he needs to be ready.”
The man had a point. Coddling their apprentices would only do them harm in the long term. The Mages’ Castle in Ale’adar had done just that for years. “Fine, I will take him.”
Alimar nodded in satisfaction, then did something that Jaxom never expected the man to do, offering his hand. “Good luck,” Alimar said, as Jaxom shook it.
Releasing the grip, Alimar turned smartly on his heel and returned the way they had come. Jaxom watched him go, still stunned by the show of camaraderie. That was another aspect of Alimar that sometimes unsettled Jaxom– the man could be unpredictable. Putting off the meal for the time being, he headed for the small guest room where Laiden was staying. Knocking on the door, he heard a shuffling and the sound of things being knocked over before it opened. Laiden had turned sixteen a few weeks ago, and the quickly maturing young man peeked around the cracked door. He was shirtless, and his black hair was disheveled from sleep. Looking past him into the room, Jaxom could see a mess of empty plates and cups, scattered about on the table and nightstands. Clothes had been thrown about haphazardly, and the bed did not look like it had been made since he had arrived.
“Hello, Magus,” Laiden said, rubbing his eyes.
“It is well into the morning. Why are you not up?”
“I didn’t realize how late it was until you knocked,” he said, blushing.
Jaxom thought back to when he was sixteen and remembered that he had always seemed to be tired and hungry. He pushed his way into the room. Startled, Laiden stumbled back a bit. The rest of the room did not look any better than what Jaxom could see from the door. The only clean spot was the stand by the bed where a heavy book rested. It was the book Alimar had found in the Terika library containing long forgotten casts. The same book that had taught them how to open a door into the plane of the dead.
“Learn anything new?” Jaxom asked, indicating the book.
Laiden picked up a black shirt that had been thrown over the back of a chair. Giving the article a sniff, he shrugged and pulled it over his head. “Nothing for us, yet. Most of it was meant for when mages were capable of controlling all forms of magic. Our school didn’t develop until soon before the pact, binding our magic and the gods’ ability to enter our world. So there was not much experimentation with our type of magic before the end of the God War. If Magus Darian is interested, I found a cast he may be able to perform with a storm mage to create a whirlwind that flings spears of ice.”
“He might be,” Jaxom said, doubting that Darian’s pride would ever allow him to work so closely with another mage. “For now, you need to get ready. We leave for Bruxa tomorrow.”
If there were any trace of drowsiness left in the apprentice, it evaporated. “We? What about Lexa? Will she be going, too?”
“She will stay with Magus Warin and await word from us.”
Laiden gave him a satisfied smile. Jaxom was aware that the young man had felt like he was lagging behind Lexa in his progress. She had been taken on as Warin’s apprentice and had accompanied them into Kelran to liberate that kingdom. When Kasric had been given the title of Magus, Laiden had felt even more behind. The lad was eager to have an adventure for himself, like the ones he read about in stories. Jaxom guessed that actually having one would finally convince the boy that life was no game.
“I will be ready,” Laiden said.
Jaxom could see that the boy was ready to jump from excitement. “See that you are. You may want to have your clothes washed before we leave. There won’t be many opportunities once we are on the road,” he said, looking around at the cluttered room.
Laiden ran a hand through his hair in embarrassment. “You won’t regret taking me.”
“I know I won’t. As long as you listen to what I say and don’t do anything without asking me first.”
“I will. I promise,” he said, soberly.
Jaxom nodded and patted the apprentice on the shoulder. After closing the door, he heard a loud thump from the other side as if something had just landed hard on the stone. Smiling to himself, he moved off down the hall.
Reaching his own rooms, he found Adriana looking out the window, so engrossed in thought that she did not hear him come in. He took a minute to admire her. The soft brown hair that he loved to run his fingers through while she slept was tied back in a ponytail, revealing her regal features illuminated by the sunlight pouring through the window. Her gracefully curving body hid unexpected strength and agility, and her light grey eyes showed a strength o
f personality and a will that he had quickly come to love.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked, taking the seat opposite her.
Looking up, she smiled. “Our future.”
“What about it?”
“If we will ever get to live it. We have just begun our lives together, and I sometimes think we will never get to see the end.”
He had felt the same way on occasion, most recently when he had watched her fall from her durgen during a fight with a dark priest. They had both almost died that day, and he never again wanted to experience the pain that came with the thought of losing her. “We will both be there to see it. I promise.”
“You can’t make that promise.”
“If I’m wrong, you won’t be able to yell at me for breaking it.”
“That’s not funny,” she said, her smile betraying her words.
“Maybe I can’t promise, but I believe that whatever the future holds, we’ll meet it together.”
She reached over to take his hand and leaned in for a soft kiss. When they finally broke away, they sat a while staring out the window in comfortable silence.
The next day, Jaxom again found himself riding out of Ale’adar’s gates, his risen emora keeping pace at his side. The sun shone down from a cloudless sky as a strong breeze swept away the dust kicked up by the column. His chainmail was uncomfortable and heavy but necessary to maintain the illusion that he and the other mages were simple soldiers. Nearby rode Darian, Cribble, and Laiden, the three that would remain behind to help him find and free Corin. Nelix rode at the head of the column, leading the escort for the wagons loaded with weapons, armor, and an assortment of other items. Jaxom had no doubts about what Alexar wanted the supplies for. When they got Corin back, those same supplies would be used against them, but that was the price of maintaining their subterfuge.
As they rode out, people stopped to watch them pass. Word had spread quickly when Corin had been taken, and everyone knew about the demanded payment. If Alexar had agents in the city, he would hear that his demands were being met.