"It doesn't make them any better in my opinion," Turless replied refusing to hear her reasoning. Since he had family in the human quarter, it might have kept him from being reasonable as well, his friend thought.
Holdy continued on adding, "There have been rumors of something going on in the western city also. Maybe an orc is starting to gather opposition there to those wanting to lead from the emperor's spire. I don't know, but if no one can bring a strong enough hand there will be a fight for leadership soon."
While Maya was often flighty in dealing with the others, her eyes focused on his and the girl asked, "So what are you saying, Holdy? What have you done?"
"I haven't done anything... mostly. I was thinking of creating an escape route for those living in the east. If the orcs suddenly turn on them, they'll block the humans leaving them nowhere to go. People could get slaughtered like that."
Turless questioned, "What kind of escape route?"
"I was thinking of making a tunnel that would be easy enough to finish if people were led to it when things grew desperate, but it is so much work I could barely move a few feet of stone in an afternoon by myself. I can make it disappear quickly enough, but I run out of energy just as fast and have to rest after only a few minutes of work."
"What are you doing with the stone?" Defrienne wondered.
"I've been making gates that open into the void and I push the stones through the doorway. There's almost nothing inside there anyway. That's why they call it a void after all."
The others looked like they wanted to argue the point, but he was the only one among them that could cast full size portals. Since he was the expert and they weren't, they had little footing to stand on in that argument.
Maya saw the reason he was telling them this and asked, "Do you need our help?"
While Holdy would have thought the other two might question the idea, they didn't say a thing and waited for his answer.
"If you wouldn't mind," he started weakly, "I could use you. It would have to be a secret from the masters and the rest of wizards even, I think, or we'll get into trouble."
Turless didn't seem to agree as he said, "There might be others, especially human apprentices that have family there who would be willing to help. I don't know if any of the others would, but we could at least work through our other classmates."
"The four of us might be enough to get the work done though," Holdy reminded him as he tried to control the information. "Too many will just get in the way and potentially lead to us getting caught, Turless."
The older boy didn't look completely convinced, but Holdy thought that he could trust that just the four of them would at least try to start the work, if he was wrong, they might need to expand their sphere of trust. At least, Holdy thought the four of them could get a good start on the tunnel to see if it would even work.
"All right, Holdy, start with the first marker and I can get Master Lesolas' opinion," Torva said to the apprentice.
It wasn't just the master with them. Two other wizards joined them. One was a warlock gifted in portal magic. Warlock Djerah was young enough to be fearless, yet he was old enough to remain careful. He had been a part of the attack on Southwall's fortress with Palose's help. Holdy didn't know what else the man had done there, but even holding a gate open in an enemy stronghold would have been dangerous, the boy thought.
The second wizard was a young elf. With blond hair and blue eyes, the graceful looking woman was almost as tall as Holdy. A few months earlier she might have been taller. She was from the faction called high elves and though twice his age, for an elf Selenia was still considered a child. Among the human wizards, she was already an accomplished full wizard, though she looked as young as Holdy was.
Both wizards were young enough to deal with the harshness of the mountains in winter, or so he supposed was the reason that Master Lesolas had drawn on them. There had been other older wizards at the meeting, but maybe they trusted the master enough to decide for them on the sanctuary's location.
The apprentice still felt a bit tired. He had worked with Maya, Defrienne and Turless to hack out another dozen feet or so of the tunnel the previous afternoon. Both Defrienne and Turless were good working with stone. One would work on a block while Holdy opened a gate, while the other would share their magic with the one working the stone. Maya took turns helping with the stone work or sharing her power with Holdy.
Her touch, even though it was just on his shoulder, had warmed him in more than just one way. He felt her magic going through him as well. If he could have admitted his crush on the girl, she might have been willing to share as a wizard for more than just the task. Though Holdy was young and wasn't trying to push beyond what an apprentice was allowed for a relationship, he just wished that theirs was stronger than just being friends.
Nodding at Torva's voice, the boy opened the gate to the first marker as he was told.
Yelon had chosen to remain behind. He helped to cover for his cousin. Questions had come from Captain Rorsted concerning what he was doing for the wizard's school that had been keeping him away from his squad for days at a time. The two men had worked to be elusive enough that they believed he was still in the dark, but time was working against them.
Holdy followed the others through the doorway and shivered before all his senses even caught up to his new location. Snow blew down in dustings from the mountain slopes above them into a valley. It was reasonably wide and there was a forest covered in white that climbed the southern slope of the opposite rise as well.
Wind shield spells were called up by all but Torva. The man might know the spell, but he simply wasn't that impressed by the cold and wind, Holdy thought.
The squad leader pointed out where he believed a structure could be built. He also brought up the possibilities of farms, making a small town and the need to be self sufficient as soon as possible when explaining what he saw in front of them.
"The only real problem with this land is that it is only fifty miles from Garosh's fortress," Torva finished up.
Master Lesolas looked from the land to the wizard hunter and said, "You've certainly given this some thought, Torva."
Nodding, he replied, "Well we had a lot of time flying to think, master. You can try to make a sanctuary made up of just a few wizards and apprentices, but if you wish it to last you will need support."
While the others thought about the ideas, Holdy realized something as well. Perhaps the tunnel wasn't the only answer to the safety of the humans from the quarter.
"Master Lesolas, I have seen increasing conflict happening between the orcs and humans in the southeast of Ensolus. Perhaps we could offer some of them sanctuary as well. There are merchants and maybe those with other talents that could help build sanctuary. It would give them a safer place and something to work for and build."
The master looked at the boy for a moment and nodded, "Perhaps, but give me a little time to think on this. I admit that I had only considered getting the students and as many teachers with like minds out of Ensolus. The idea that we could form a small community in these mountains had initially escaped me, but it definitely has merit. I must consider it more. Meanwhile I can see some of the possibilities of this location, I would like to see the next possibility if you would open the gate, Holdy."
The boy nodded hoping that the master might consider his idea also. Giving the humans of the quarter an escape tunnel would leave them to wander. They would be alive, but he wasn't certain where their freedom could actually lead them. If Sanctuary was open to people looking for a chance at a new life, then maybe some of those wanderers could have a home.
Torva led them through the next three points, but Master Lesolas looked disappointed in all three of them without the hunter having to coax the reaction from him. The younger wizards voiced their opinions to a lesser degree and Holdy began to think that they were just along to support the master.
When they arrived at the final point, Torva was obvious in his preference for the
broad valley. It was deeper in the mountains and seemed richest in resources, especially when explained in the context of building a town and adding farms near the wizards' sanctuary.
"I can see why you told me to hold back on choosing a place for the sanctuary," Lesolas said looking over the valley. "If we try to make a town and build farms to become self sufficient, this place has everything. Even if we only chose to make a small keep for a school, it is very desirable to our needs."
Selenia turned away from the men and the view of the valley before frowning. "What is that I sense to the east?" the young woman asked.
As the men turned to look in the direction Selenia had chosen, Torva replied, "I could sense some old magic from the previous two locations. It is why Yelon and I moved to the west and found this place. While whatever it is might seem close, it would likely be enough distraction to keep Southwall from looking any further as long as we don't do anything too brash."
The elven woman frowned at him and said, "How can you be so certain? If it draws their attention to it, how likely will they find a school of wizards practicing magic?"
Master Lesolas helped the wizard hunter in this regard as he offered, "We can create a barrier of warding to mute our use of magic. There are spells that can be permanent using blood magic for example."
"You plan to bring people here for sanctuary just to kill them for their blood?" Selenia asked looking appalled.
Chuckling at the high elf, Lesolas shook his head. "We would likely have to find some candidates and create the barrier before work begins on our new school. With the orcs and other monsters around starting to cause trouble, if we took a few with our magic no one should be the wiser."
Torva wasn't so certain, but the idea seemed to soften Selenia on the location finally.
Lesolas nodded and turned to the warlock saying, "Djerah, mark this spot. I think Torva has led us to the best possible option. Leave it to a wizard hunter to find this gem in the middle of nowhere."
Whether the hunter felt it was a compliment, Holdy couldn't tell; but he didn't contradict the master. After Djerah placed his lodestones, the group returned to the city once again. Holdy was beginning to tire and feared that he wouldn't be able to get much work done on the tunnel after all the traveling.
He hadn't received any definite decision on his idea of bringing people from the human quarter either, so his plan had to continue. Even this trip had told him that the rumors he had been hearing were true. The monsters in the city were getting as restless as the other races making for even more tension. If things continued without a true leader, Ensolus was likely to break and people would wind up being killed. It was the way of change all too often that innocents would die for men of great aspirations. Holdy just hoped that he could save some of those innocents before it was too late.
Chapter 20- First Shots Fired
Megan had been sent to get clean linens for Amelyer's bed and towels for his private bath. Tensions had continued to heighten in the spire, but she had seen a difference in her treatment from the guards immediately, Velden in particular. Apparently the general had lectured the man after their talk and, though she was still searched every time that the girl had to enter Amelyer's suite, those who searched her took less advantage. It was still treatment that she was unwilling to speak to Torva about when they were together at night. She did her best to push what happened during her mission for Echolus from her mind. Her time with Torva was the anchor which kept Megan from fleeing from the spire or using a gate to leave the city completely.
The second idea was always a possibility, but the wizard had no better choice of places to live for now. Most of the portals she knew were limited to the other cities of the empire. With the loss of the emperor, Megan feared the conflicts starting to rise within the city would likely spread to the rest of the empire sooner or later, if it hadn't already. It had been weeks since he had been killed and communication, though slowed by the loss of the portal rooms, was still ongoing.
Megan assumed that contesters for the throne were trying to gather their allies and to sway opinion in their favor beyond Ensolus. If they wished to rule an empire, a single city wouldn't be enough.
Returning from the royal laundry, the girl's feet slowed as she spotted a gathering of soldiers in the hall before Amelyer's doors. Voices were raised and men were beginning to push each other. She noticed the colors and markings on their armor. Amelyer's personnel wore brown with silver markings. Only their general's armor was marked with gold.
Similarly the other soldiers arguing with Amelyer's wore dark red, though their markings were black. These were soldiers from General Corven's camp and apparently negotiations had begun to fail the wizard thought.
If she was allowed to show her power, Megan thought that she might have been able to stop the fighting before it turned into a full brawl. What they were shouting made little sense to her, but words no longer mattered, she feared. These men no longer cared and were merely seeking that last remark which would push someone to draw their weapon. It would escalate into killing before she knew it, the wizard could tell.
A hand firmly gripped her arm yanking her to the side.
"What?" the girl started in surprise. With all the noise and confusion before her, Velden had snuck up on her from a side hall.
"You got me in trouble with the general, you wench!" the man said angrily.
"Is this the time to worry over a scolding?" Megan questioned in shock as she heard the voices rising angrily down the hall. "What is going on? General Corven's soldiers look ready to fight your men. Shouldn't you be standing with them?"
An open palm struck the girl across her left cheek striking her ear in the process stunning her with its force. The laundry she carried fell from her hands onto the floor as the soldier pulled her from the hall into an alcove out of the line of sight of the other soldiers, though they would undoubtedly have been too distracted to notice their altercation.
"My men can deal with those orc lovers," the soldier snarled spitting on her as he snapped the words. A rip could be heard as he pulled the woman so hard that her side seam gave in part. Echolus had made sure that the short dress fit her very tightly to make her more appealing to the general, but the extra stress left no wiggle room for such abuse. "Now if they finally fight and show them who the better general is, it wouldn't be surprising if a pretty little maid might be killed in the scuffle. It will be a shame, but things like this happen."
His lips drew back in a sneer. The sound of metal leaving a sheath came to her ears. Still dazed by the strike, Megan nearly missed it but she couldn't miss the threat in his words.
"Think about what you are doing?" she cautioned still trying to focus her thoughts. "You want to kill me because you were told not to molest me? We can get along and get past this, if you just calm down."
Megan was thrust back striking the wall with her back and head causing her to gasp. A second slap knocked her from the left into the other stone wall with the right side of her head nearly knocking her unconscious as darkness threatened to overwhelm her. She was a wizard and this was her biggest fear. As a woman she had fears of a man assaulting her, but as a wizard she wasn't trained to fight against someone so close.
With her body injured and her mind still stunned from the surprise of his attack, Megan couldn't focus to save herself from the man. "Stop," she moaned weakly.
"No, you don't get to pass out. I want you to feel the knife with a clear head," Velden snarled in her ear.
Megan was seeing stars as darkness closed on her vision. She shook her head feeling more pain, but it was enough to clear her mind. The girl mumbled words of power making Velden frown in confusion.
"What are you saying, girl? Don't tell me that you can't even speak just from a couple of slaps. You look weak like an elf, but I've dealt with their kind and they're stronger than that! A few slaps shouldn't addle a girl that much."
Her right hand pressed her palm flat against his chest releasing the power of h
er spell inside the man. Velden reeled back from the girl suddenly gasping for breath. "What... did... you do... to me... you witch?"
Megan slumped back against the wall behind her. Her hands were flat against the stone as they tried to help keep her on her feet. She looked at the man with his hands to his chest. His face was pale and his breathing ragged.
"No one... will be surprised if a guard died in this mess," the girl replied breathily. Her spell was technically designed for stone, but aimed into a body it could strike at the heart causing a jump. Simulating a heart attack, her magic could kill even a healthy man like Velden.
"W-w-wizard?" he asked slumping down the wall. His knife had dropped to the floor as his hands reached helplessly for the ache in his chest. When his eyes rolled back in his head and his breathing stopped, Megan took a deep breath before gathering up the linens from where they had dropped onto the floor.
Looking to her left, the woman could see that the two sides' animosity level was beginning to diminish. While it would normally be a good thing, Megan worried that Velden's death might be hard to explain when neither side had drawn their swords. The wizard called up a spell and used something similar to the magic which had stopped the soldier's heart.
Pushed by her spell, one of the men from Amelyer's faction ran into one of Corven's soldiers. It was the spark that was needed to instigate a fight. Swords were pulled from their scabbards. Not every man was willing to kill, so there were those who used the end of their handles to punch adding the metal and weight to their blows. As metal clanging filled the air, Megan knew that those trying to keep this confrontation bloodless were in the minority.
Gathering the remainder of the laundry, Megan pulled back to the safety of the alcove. She watched as close to forty men clashed and shouted. Swords struck their blows and several soldiers fell to the floor wounded.
Battle Mage Broken Empire (Tales of Alus Book 14) Page 26