Battle Mage Broken Empire (Tales of Alus Book 14)

by Donald Wigboldy

  Though the big monsters didn't seem that impressed, one of them tapped the butt of his spear against the canvas covered pole to one side of the door. It seemed hot here to Megan and the men from the north, but the canvas flaps acting as doors were closed to prying eyes. The troll's ability to find the pole behind them was uncanny and Megan had to admit that she was slightly impressed. It may have been a mundane skill, but as they waited in boredom the wizard marked it down in her mind anyway.

  When a soldier dressed in black opened the flap, he looked annoyed to be interrupted and was apparently less impressed with the troll's skill than she. "What is it?" he asked bluntly and with a frown for the guard.

  Avaraz spoke for the troll and said, "I am here to speak with Lord Devolus and bring him a message from Ensolus. Hunt Master Zarl sent us."

  "The lord is rather busy with a war right now..." the man replied sarcastically.

  "And the emperor is dead leaving Ensolus without a true leader!" the lieutenant hissed lowering his voice so that only the trolls and the man stood near enough to hear easily.

  The soldier's eyes widened and his mouth went slack before he mumbled, "The emperor? That's impossible!"

  Holding the hunt master's seal before his face, the lieutenant demanded, "Unfortunately it isn't and that is why I am here to see Lord Devolus."

  Even the trolls seemed affected by the news, though their helmets helped mask their worry; Megan could feel it in the slight change of their posture. While the soldier appeared nonplused for a moment, he eventually held up his hand deciding to interrupt Lord Devolus and whoever else might be inside the tent. The wizard waited with the hunters for a very short time before the man returned and gestured for the lieutenant to enter.

  Avaraz guided Megan towards the doorway as he gestured for the others to wait outside.

  "The lord said you could come in lieutenant, not the woman," the soldier said with a frown.

  Megan entered the tent even so and suddenly noticed the intense pressure of magic. It reminded her of what she could feel from time to time from the emperor's castle. That power was usually reduced most of the time as the emperor had concealed his true energy. It wasn't just to keep other wizards from coveting his magic either. Left unchecked, the emperor's power was like the sun feeling ready to burn anyone who came too close to it.

  The power that had been concealed within the tent was shocking. Megan felt like her teeth were vibrating in her mouth. Her body trembled not from fear but the radiating magical strength of two men standing with a group of black armored hunters.

  Avaraz didn't let the soldier push Megan aside and told him, "This is the wizard who brought us here. She can help him with a gate to Ensolus, if Lord Devolus decides that is where he needs to be."

  Without even arguing, the man strode towards the lords where they stood beside a table with a map spread out with wood markers spread across western Litsarin. She could see the city that the empire had been trying to take for months, yet the enemy countries had banded together keeping them at bay until they were finally able to push the army back even after sending reinforcements.

  "My Lord Devolus, Lieutenant Avaraz from Ensolus is here to see you, sir."

  The soldier bowed his head and the guests inclined their heads as well. Devolus wasn't an emperor to be bowed to, but he was still a man of high rank.

  When the lord turned to look at them, Megan's heart stopped in her chest for a moment as she witnessed his unnatural looking black eyes. Devolus was also as big as the lieutenant, though he appeared elven in the rest of his features. His armor hid his true build, but the wizard thought he had the physique of a powerfully muscled human. Only those eyes truly made the lord appear like some kind of monster, those and his tremendous magical aura.

  "What is it, lieutenant? You can see that we have a battle to plan here. What is this nonsense about the emperor dying?"

  Megan could see sweat beading on the hunter's forehead and knew that it wasn't just because of the warmth of Litsarin or the clothing worn for winter that both still wore. Their coats had been removed, but Megan, at least, had remained too warm even before facing this powerful monster due to the long walk and the brief fight.

  "It isn't nonsense, my lord," Avaraz commented meekly. "Four days ago Ensolus was attacked by Southwall and other enemies. Four forces caused distractions in the city to prevent any help from going to the emperor's spire, while a fifth entered from the dungeon and killed everyone that they found culminating in a battle with the emperor and his warlocks. They were all found dead."

  Megan spoke up and added, "The enemy destroyed the gate houses as well, so Hunt Master Zarl and the grand masters wanted to make sure that you knew what had happened. I can also make a gate back to Ensolus if you wish to return, sir."

  A deep frown was aimed at the woman and she paled. The lord gestured to her with his hand and asked, "Who is this woman? I thought that you said the lieutenant was here with a message, not some wizard that thinks I can't return to Ensolus if I so desire."

  The lieutenant glanced at the petite woman beside him who looked even frailer in the face of the power of the elven lord. Swallowing, Avaraz replied, "Many of our gate wizards died that day and many others have been dispersed across the empire because of the war. Of those who remain, Wizard Megannah is one of those who knew the lodestones for Litsarin, though we appeared too close to the enemy's frontline for some reason."

  "Their reinforcements have been hard to deal with for much of our forces. Even if my wizard hunters could hold their positions, we couldn't stay when the rest of the army around us has to fall back. Only a fool stays too long when the enemy begins to surround him.

  "For some reason one of our necromancers, whose command had fared well, disappeared just as the fighting was becoming more desperate. With warlocks like him failing to fight, it is a wonder we have held as much ground as we have."

  The comment reminded Megan of something Torva had told her after the incident. "There was evidence of a necromancer having fought with the emperor's men. Did the man have the ability to use gate magic as well? Maybe he left the field to try and save the emperor?"

  Again those black eyes turned to the woman making her blood go cold from his stare. "He is one of those who brought our forces here. His talent earned him favor with Kolban. I don't know if he would sacrifice himself for the emperor though. He doesn't seem the type willing to die that way."

  Though her body still trembled from his power, Megan asked, "The resurrection man?"

  Surprise flickered across Devolus' face, though it was quick enough that most would have missed it. Many of the eyes in the tent tended to look down when the lord faced them. "Palose had a force of undead led by some wraiths. They had done quite well during these months of war. Like my men, they only retreated when there was no help to be had around them."

  Megan had heard a few things about the resurrection man. This news was the strangest thing she had heard and the wizard surprised herself by asking the lord, "But if he is a resurrection man, how can he make wraiths? I have heard of wraiths that are restored warlocks, but none could create other wraiths or even undead.

  "Shouldn't that be impossible for something like him to be able to make? How could he raise any of them let alone so many?"

  His face revealed no confusion or wonder at her question, instead he frowned slightly and replied, "Whether it is supposed to be possible or not, I am told that he had more than a score of lesser dead puppets and a handful of wraiths serving under him. There are no other necromancers here that could have helped make them, so perhaps your information is flawed."

  "Only what was believed about resurrection men seems flawed," Megan mused lowering her voice in thought. She hadn't read the books about resurrection men since her magic didn't have the leanings of a warlock or necromancer. The information that had covered resurrection men from her more general research said that only those with souls could bring back something as powerful as a wraith or resurrection man.
If Palose could create a wraith, did that mean he might be capable of the second type as well? If so, there would be men who would wish to find and destroy such a being. The power to create an army of resurrection men should frighten any sane wizard.

  Ignoring the woman's mumbling, Lieutenant Avaraz spoke up and asked, "Should I bring back word that you will be returning, my lord, or should I have Wizard Megannah bring us all back to Ensolus?"

  "As I said, the battle for Litsarin continues and we need all the strength that we can get here. Ensolus and the masters there will have to worry over matters on their own right now. I can't leave at this time."

  "But you could return and become the new emperor. You could send someone else to handle matters here," Avaraz said forgetting who he was speaking to for a moment.

  "Until I see for myself that the emperor is dead as well as his siblings, I do not plan on becoming any such thing. Now stop trying my patience, lieutenant. Take your pretty little wizard and go back to Ensolus and tell Hunt Master Zarl that he will have to keep track of things for me until I can return."

  Megan spoke up once more and warned Lord Devolus, "There are already voices speaking up trying to decide who will replace the emperor."

  "No one can replace him. At most, someone can hope to be guardian to the empire until his return."

  "You believe that he can return, even if his body has been turned to ash?"

  Looking annoyed with the girl, his aura echoed his dislike for being questioned increasing in strength making those with magic cringe. "You have my answer. Now either go home or enjoy the warm air of this island... outside."

  Lord Devolus' command wasn't something to question. They had pushed their questions too far. He wouldn't be pushed or submit to lesser beings like them, Megan thought.

  The lieutenant seemed to realize the same thing and bowed his head before retreating towards the canvas doors. Megan followed him quickly and noticed that she couldn't feel any magic outside of the tent. Wondering what power contained someone like the lord and that could block the outside world from her senses, the wizard was willing to leave those questions behind with the man who frightened her with his immense power and those depthless black eyes.

  Gathering their coats and the other men from his squad, Avaraz had Megan create another portal to Ensolus after dropping a lodestone in the camp. Devolus could send them away, but neither the lieutenant nor the gate wizard believed that the masters would be through with the lord so easily. He would have to deal with them one way or another sooner or later if no sign of the emperor's siblings could be found. Too many men with power coveted the throne to believe it would be left vacant and unclaimed for long.

  Chapter 14- End of Flight

  While Megan was still quite young, worry had kept her up for two nights as she restlessly tried to sleep in a bed without Torva making her feel older than she was. It wasn't just the feel of his body beside her that felt wrong either. During the day, the wizard found her eyes staring at Holdy during the morning classes wondering when Torva would signal the boy to return for him. Her mind couldn't stop thinking about the two men somewhere far off to the south of the enemy's wall.

  Holdy had found her the first night after she had returned the wizard hunters with the bad news for Hunt Master Zarl and told her of Torva's decision. While she wasn't happy to hear that he was still in dangerous lands, Megan understood the second part of their mission. The fortress had been the first possibility, but few had believed that it would serve as an answer.

  With Southwall having found Garosh's base, and then the destruction caused by the emperor's attack; the fortress seemed to have a curse. Both sides knew of the place and likely there were enough wizards that could still create a portal to bring an army if it was discovered that was where they had run.

  Fordenna had commented on her looking tired and haggard in her usual blunt way. The woman couldn't help sounding like she was teasing her younger friend, even when she wasn't, Megan thought.

  The wizard had used some makeup, a mundane way to conceal the circles starting to darken under her eyes. Two nights of tossing and turning could be seen on her face no matter how thick she might plaster the concealer on her face.

  At the end of class, Megan moved to speak with Holdy and asked, "Has he still not signaled you to come for him?"

  The boy didn't need for her to clarify who she was asking about and replied, "Not yet or I would have opened a portal for them to return."

  She could tell that the apprentice was tired of her asking. He knew as much about what Torva was doing as she did, and Megannah knew that Holdy would answer the signal when it was sent.

  Feeling sorry for the tired looking wizard, he replied, "When I look for it, I can tell that the lodestones are still moving; if that makes you feel better."

  Sighing, Megan nodded, though she wanted to shake her head instead. Why was he taking so long, she wondered?

  Holdy thought a moment and added, "Their supplies will only hold out through today unless they have been rationing for some reason to go farther. Get some rest if you can. Wizard Hunter Torva wouldn't want to see you looking so upset because of him, I am certain."

  "I suppose you are right, but I can't help it that I can't sleep when I am worried about his safety," she admitted with another sigh.

  With the remainder of the afternoon to herself, the wizard took the younger boy's advice and returned to her room to try sleeping for awhile.

  Two, large, dark winged shapes landed on the slope looking down on a narrow valley. Trees covered in old snow clinging to their needles were fairly heavy there.

  Both shapes changed from the giant black shrikes into elven men dressed in the black armor of wizard hunters.

  "How about this one?" Yelon asked his cousin as he stretched his arms.

  Torva glanced to the man wondering why he was trying to stretch when the magic made their arms extend and warp into things quite different from the appendages he was working on now. He didn't feel any need to stretch at all. His human body felt a little tired from flying for hours off and on for two and a half days through the mountains, but aside from that he hadn't noticed any aches or pains from the extended flights.

  "It might be too tight to make a proper castle. The trees are knotty pine too."

  "What's wrong with pine?" the other hunter asked sounding tired of the extended scouting trip.

  "The sap works for torches or to seal boats, but the wood isn't very good for building. It burns poorly in a fireplace also."

  "A wizard with the right spell could make it work for building, I bet; besides there is plenty of stone around to make buildings and walls. Unless you have something against the stone now, what else would be wrong about this site?"

  "I don't know what kind of wizards and warlocks will choose to come or be chosen. I don't really know if it will only be wizards and apprentices or if someone will decide to bring others to work in the castle. There will still be laundry and a need for cooks for example. Unless you think the apprentices and teaching wizards will want to do it, or have the talent; regular people will be here and won't be able to rely on magic for their needs."

  Letting out a groan, Yelon managed not to complain as he said, "I still think the one we found yesterday afternoon would work. There was a stream and a spring. We found a couple caves also."

  "If I can't find a better place, it might have to do; but I am worried that it is still too close to civilization."

  The valley Yelon spoke of had decent natural features: water, woods, and a decent place to build a castle or dig more caves. He had left a marker stone imbued with his magic rather than use one of those given to him by Holdy. Leaving too many stones with the boy's magic could wind up confusing him later or worse might lead one of Southwall's wizards to find the apprentice using his magic.

  Since no one truly knew how the Southwall wizards had found their way inside of Ensolus and that they had definitely used portal magic to come and go, it left too many worries to ri
sk their current portal wizard. Megan knew gate magic as well, he recalled; but she had let Holdy bring them to the altar near Garosh's fortress because he was the one who could find the point.

  Torva wasn't able to make gates, but imbuing a stone was easy enough. Dropping another marker stone here, the squad leader was thinking of pushing on even though they had just landed. To cover as much of the mountains as possible in such little time, they couldn't waste the day sitting around doing nothing.

  "We're nearly out of food," Yelon said distracting him from flying off again. "How much further will you push it before signaling the kid?"

  Glancing towards the sky, the warlock looked for the sun. The mountains would make the light fade quicker since the men were so far east and the rises would seem to make the sun set sooner than on a plain. Already shadows were starting to darken the eastern face of the mountains, but the sun was still high enough that there was light to look around without using enhancing magic.

  "Let's get to the other side of that mountain. We can check the valley there."

  "The same kinds of tree will be there as here, if you want me to save us some time and the trip," Yelon stated as he looked at the mountain indicated. "It isn't far enough for things to be any different from here."

  "If you're too tired to continue, you can stay here and I can fly back after I check it out," he stated leaving no question that the leader planned to continue either way.

  Giving him an exasperated sigh, his cousin answered, "I go where you go. I am just telling you that it is probably just not worth it. Don't you have a spell that can scout ahead? You have control of air, don't you?"

  "I haven't used one of those spells in a long time. Since I switched over to wizard hunter training, I have used my elemental spells much less," he confessed. "Give me a minute. I guess I can wrap up our trip that way. You know when we come back from Ensolus; we'll need to fly from here instead of there, right?"

  Waving off the idea, Yelon countered, "At least that will be after we've had a little time to rest in our beds."