Battle Mage Broken Empire (Tales of Alus Book 14)

by Donald Wigboldy

  They were also test units as much as they were considered an elite force.

  The trolls remained hard to convince, but one of the human men behind the monsters came forward and told them. "Let them through, General Amelyer gave the order," he said showing a letter with a special mark.

  Though Torva wasn't certain that the troll guards could even read, the mark was apparently enough to make them let the hunters inside the outer wall. They were led through a series of halls until they entered a large room. It looked like one of the emperor's meeting halls and it had plenty of room for the entire column to enter with plenty of space to spare. Much of that space was filled with more soldiers along the walls. There were at least as many of them as they had in the hunter's column, but he didn't feel any other warlocks to contest their power should it become necessary.

  An elven man in fancy armor was there to greet them as well. Amelyer was almost as tall as Torva and in many other ways looked a lot like the squad leader. Blonde hair, longer than Torva's, was in a tail falling part way down his back. Green eyes and pointed ears were like his as well, but the general wasn't a high elf or warlock like Torva. He was one of the half elves grown out of the relationships between humans and the elves from the old world. They had been encouraged by the emperor, though never officially, aside from the warning that no man of any race was to fight with the others who served him. The emperor was the power that had held the peace between many diverse species and races of men and beast. With him gone, Torva wondered how long that peace would last. Who would take control now?

  "Hunt Master Zarl, I am glad that you could come," the general greeted the man at the front of his men. "I don't know that you needed so many men for this visit; but if things go the way I hope, maybe it won't be the last of them either."

  Zarl let his face look a bit confused as well as curious as to the nature of the request from the general. "You and General Corven both have sent letters wishing to meet with Lord Devolus or myself if he couldn't be reached. For now, our lord continues to fight in Litsarin, so I came in his stead though I may not be able to give you what you need."

  The elven general grunted in a scoffing way and replied, "Why does he continue to fight over that worthless piece of dirt so far away from the heart of the empire? While I would never question Lord Devolus or his motivations, at this point in time I would have believed that he would be here suing for his place on the throne.

  "As to your worth, I think that you may underestimate what you are capable of, Hunt Master Zarl. You are the head of the hunters left in Ensolus, are you not?"

  "I am and I have many draws on my time right now, general. Could you please answer why you have called me here? Since General Corven also requested my presence, I would assume that you two have similar goals in mind; but the wizard hunters do not serve a particular general. We fulfill many of the needs of the school, but we stand alone from them under Lord Devolus and the emperor above him, rest his soul."

  The last was almost added as an afterthought, Torva reflected. It was too soon for anyone to truly believe that the emperor was gone. No one thought that he could ever die and his power seemed above all others enough to be called omnipotent.

  Again the general laughed scoffing at his words, but he managed to sound respectful as Amelyer answered, "Our emperor defied death once before when all his enemies believed him dead and he defied their beliefs again when he broke free of his prison. While I am uncertain that his soul will rest, I am certain that this empire needs a strong leader until he returns to us."

  Torva felt his unspoken words that said the general wasn't even sure if the emperor would or could return to his people. He didn't pause for long however as Amelyer continued, "Has there been any sign of the princess or their lesser brother maybe?"

  The slight droop in Zarl's shoulders betrayed the truth even before the hunt master relayed what Torva and other hunters had discovered, "The prince hasn't been seen since before the invasion. While we can be fairly certain that he wasn't in either of the portal chambers, no one can truly say that they had seen him return to Ensolus either. There have been some battles where his troops have taken drastic losses. With magic sometimes obliterating man and beast, it is possible that he was killed without anyone knowing that as well.

  "As to the princess, we sensed the loss of her magic but haven't found her body. There was a portal used in her room, so she might have been kidnapped. Her magic dissipated and didn't correspond to the magic used to make the gate, so we doubt that she could have created it. We're not even sure what magic the girl might have access to, even though we know that her strength in magic was second only to the emperor."

  "So what you are saying is, all three are either dead or missing. Since we have no way to find the missing princess and I am not sure the people would even follow her as ruler, perhaps we need to begin to decide who must take over the throne to lead his people as the emperor," the general said much more succinctly than the hunt master who was still hoping to buy time for his lord to return.

  Zarl let the general's words settle on the air. Torva guessed that many of the men surrounding the two were wondering if Amelyer was going to propose an answer rather than wait for the hunt master to reply.

  As if on cue, the doors which had been closed behind them were thrown open, a pair of trolls in heavy armor shoved them aside before leading a man with light brown skin wearing a fancier set of armor. He was older looking with graying brown hair; but no one would think him weak. Nearly six feet in height, his chest was wide and his limbs looked powerful, even next to the massive trolls in front of him.

  General Corven was half orc and half human. Torva didn't know if he was a product of natural reproduction or one of those processed through the breeding pits. While he could find humans attractive, like Megannah who was only a quarter elf and appeared more human than not; orcs were another matter entirely. Most had jutting jaws and tusk like teeth protruding from their mouths making speaking common more of a challenge than for the more elegant races. Their darker skin was leathery as well making the feel of them rough compared to humans and elves. No elf he had ever known found the creatures attractive; and since legend had it that they were distorted creations originally created from elven stock, most found their very existence repugnant.

  His eyes roamed to their leader and remembered that Hunt Master Zarl could be an easy link to their past. He was a combination of elf and orc, a rarity in the empire unless the legend was to be believed. Such a combination made the squad leader wonder; if it came down to it, which part of the man's ancestry would he feel more allegiant too? Lord Devolus was an elf and seemed to have the man's complete loyalty, yet Zarl had been left to hold Ensolus despite asking for the lord's return.

  "Amelyer, what is the meaning of this?" the orcish general hollered leading a force mostly made up of orcs and trolls. His forces might be outnumbered, but Corven had more trolls which could make up for the smaller numbers.

  "The meaning of what, Corven?" the elf questioned calmly leaving out the other man's rank as the orc had done to him first. Torva and the other hunters tried to keep their eyes on both factions equally, and like him they all seemed to understand that these two generals were turning from allies to rivals. They had served the emperor as close advisors, but without him to unify them the men appeared ready to take the throne even if it meant going through their counterpart.

  "Are you courting the wizard hunters to try and take the throne when it hasn't even grown cold? It would be like you to believe that you are deserving of the position when there are others who might be better."

  "Even if I was considering who might be best to lead, why would you think that you might be on that list, orc?" Amelyer asked already beginning to sling insults. Those who knew General Corven knew that he barely considered the orc part of his heritage. He seemed to hate that part of him and appealed to his human side most of the time. With his human roots softening his looks many might think that he was actually one o
f them; though Torva bet that he used his orc side when it came in handy as well.

  Releasing a derisive snort, Corven countered, "As if you could follow in the emperor's footsteps. You don't have his magic or the physical strength to impress anyone enough to let you become emperor."

  Eyes narrowing slightly at his rival's opinion, Amelyer responded, "That kind of thinking is exactly why you can't become emperor. All you think of is power. Knowledge is a greater power if used correctly. You would run the city into the ground along with the empire."

  "Kolban trusted me with thousands of soldiers and kept me to advise him, elf. I have enough knowledge to go with my strength to lead, unlike you."

  Amelyer was above the need to continue fighting with the half orc and looked at Zarl, "The general has interrupted our meeting, but I suppose that he merely reinforces why you can't choose to back him, if it comes to that. He was a powerful brute in his day, but even that will likely forsake him soon. His orc heritage is too flawed to live the centuries that an elf can to lead the empire properly."

  "Says the man with human blood mixing with that of an elf also," Corven snickered at the other man. "How much longer do you think you will live with your mixed heritage, Amelyer? You are no better than I in that regard."

  Turning from the other general as if dismissing him from his world, Amelyer addressed Zarl and said, "Hunt Master Zarl, I asked you here to lend me your support or at least to hear who you believe should lead until that time that the emperor might reappear once more. We can never be certain that Kolban will return, so we need to start thinking of who can keep the empire from falling apart if his time has come."

  Zarl smartly held his tongue a moment, though Corven surprised Torva slightly by restraining himself from pleading his case as well. When the hunt master spoke, he stated, "If Lord Devolus was willing to return, I think someone like him would be our best bet; but he has refused. That leaves me as leader of the hunters in the city."

  Again the hunt master paused and Torva along with many of the others listening wondered if his half orc heritage had slowed the man's thinking. It was a typical thought among the elves that tended to look down on the creatures and Zarl was also half elf making him an aberration among the type of men who had risen up as leaders. Elves and humans were more common among those who were generals and masters, but Corven was part orc as well. The general was also typically more aggressive and impatient than Amelyer who was half elven.

  "You speak as if the only choices of leaders are the two of you," the hunt master said looking towards the floor near Amelyer's feet as if studying the stones making up the floor there. "If we are talking of who can hold an entire empire, as opposed to just this one city; you might have more candidates who will dispute the two of you as leaders."

  The generals frowned. Corven, being typically less patient, asked, "And who do you propose would challenge one of the emperor's generals? We were the closest of his advisors, so obviously Kolban had confidence in us."

  "It is one thing to lead soldiers of an army and another to lead an empire of many races and cities. Some might follow you. You have your armies, though they are split between the city and afield; but without the power of magic in either of you, there will be those who won't consider your claim."

  Amelyer asked, "You are a warlock, hunt master. Is that the way you think or are you speaking of another?"

  Frowning slightly at the general's question, which inferred that Zarl was the one that might be disputing the generals' power, he replied, "The emperor's power could be felt by everyone in Ensolus, even those without magic of their own. No one else has his unbridled strength, but there are warlocks that might be strong enough to put their names forward and not just in this city. The other cities have leaders of their own and might not follow whoever tries to take this throne."

  He had chosen to avoid answering the general directly and no one could miss that. Corven looked annoyed and tried to pressure the hunt master. "Who would you choose, Zarl? You speak like a warlock and about warlocks. Is there someone in the school you plan to follow, if magic is so necessary to lead the empire?"

  Zarl was surprisingly quick in his reply, "If Lord Devolus wishes to wait and see if the princess can be found, then the wizard hunters will abstain from picking any side. We should clean up the destruction our enemies have caused and worry less about trying to overthrow the order Emperor Kolban has established for so long.

  "Worrying over threats to your presumed beliefs that one of you should lead, isn't something I need to consider. I serve under Lords Devolus and Liev. If this is all you needed to ask, then it is time for us to return to the wizard hunters' strongholds. When you decide to rebuild feel free to call on me again and we can work out how our magic might help to fix Ensolus."

  The hunt master started to turn away as if these men weren't any threat to him or his hunters.

  General Amelyer spoke up calmly and reminded Zarl, "You can say that your choice is no choice at all, but if Devolus and Liev refuse to lead, then someone will need to in their stead. You have the chance to help decide not only who will lead Ensolus, but the one who will need to be strong enough to control the other cities as well. Running away to hide in your garrison might give us a leader that you can't stomach. Go home and consider your choice again. We will be here for now, if you decide on another answer."

  Torva felt the tension in the room as Zarl barely gave the elf a nod and moved back through his men. He faced Corven for a moment and the half orc general held his ground staring into the hunt master's eyes as if he gauged the other man's metal. Though most expected words to be exchanged, the two men stared each other down making the rest of the room feel awkward; but finally Corven signaled his trolls to step aside. The general's hand rested on the pommel of his sword in its sheath as he watched the hunt master and his men retreat from the room through the double doors.

  Eyes glanced furtively at the soldiers lining the walls and sprawling out into the hall. No one attacked or attempted to slow the wizard hunters as they moved through the spire and back out through the outer wall surrounding the emperor's spire.

  Torva didn't feel the tension leave his shoulders until after the men had all made it safely back to their barracks. He was slightly surprised when Zarl dismissed the squad leaders along with their men without sharing his thoughts. It wouldn't have been unusual to have the hunt master consult with his officers to gauge their view of the meeting, but Torva could see that their leader likely had his own questions to work through first.

  With the additional worry caused by the generals' desires to take over the city, Torva had to wait a couple more days before he and Yelon could slip away with Holdy's help.

  Megan was still in the classroom straightening up with Fordenna when Master Lesolas slipped in to speak with the two women.

  "Megannah, what has Torva discovered? Has he spoken with you about his trip?" the older wizard asked without being specific. He kept his voice quiet, but with magic even whispers could be heard as easily as shouts.

  Two other wizards stood near the door and she felt as one of them cast a spell. She knew the feel of the magic and knew that a ward to improve the chance of secrecy had been cast. Sound in the room changed slightly. The minor echoes caused by the stone surrounding them were gone and each word sounded flat in her ears as the young woman replied, "Torva and Yelon went to the fortress and received word from one of the local pack leaders that it was reopened, but under Southwall's control."

  "I have heard that much," Lesolas answered with a nod. "Torva was able to get word to me through other wizards about that. Those who believe similarly to us have done their best to keep us from appearing to collaborate, I think; but it took almost two days for me to receive that message."

  Megan gave him a smile and replied, "That is one of the troubles of keeping unwanted eyes and ears from knowing our plans, I suppose."

  "True, but visiting one of my favorite students, means that I can visit her without anyone t
hinking too much about it," the man said with a smile. "Did he have any other news about looking for a good site? I have increased worries that make me believe that we must hurry with our preparation."

  Fordenna, who might have felt slighted by the older wizard's comment about his favorite student, asked, "Has there been something new that leads you to think that, master?"

  Another nod was more positive than the expression on his face as Lesolas informed the women, "Hunt Master Zarl visited with the grand masters this morning."

  "It isn't the first time," Fordenna replied. "Since the emperor's death, I think all the leaders have been meeting with each other more often. There is a lot of defensive construction to be assessed besides the leadership issue, so someone like the hunt master will likely be involved with many of the decisions until someone takes the throne."

  "True, but unlike his visit to the spire, the hunt master visited with Echolus individually. I fear that Zarl might be inclined to back the grand master over the generals should he choose to act against them. If his visit to the spire turned him against the generals, he might decide to end his watching and join Echolus against them after all.

  "That would push our need to leave ahead of our current plans."

  "Torva told me of Zarl's visit with the generals," Megan informed her former master. "The hunt master told them that the wizard hunters wouldn't pick a side for now, since Zarl really wishes Lord Devolus would come back from Litsarin to take the throne."

  "Devolus would certainly be the most likely man capable of replacing the emperor, if anyone could," the elder wizard acknowledged the idea; "but I fear that for whatever reason the lord refuses to take the position. On the other hand, I wonder if Zarl spoke the truth to the generals. Maybe he chose to say that the hunters will remain neutral just to leave the spire without a fight, but in truth he might have chosen to back a different wizard or warlock in place of his master."