"What you are is lucky you're not dead," William shouted back.
Gerkan spread his hands out, palms forward. "No blood. No blood."
"There has already been blood!"
"Not from our tribe. Another tribe brought us the northerners already in Bractar."
Luther tugged at Juxta's robe. "He's lying."
Juxta only nodded.
William raised his voice. "All this talk and my people are still in chains!"
Gerkan steered the spider towards town. "Follow."
William nudged his horse forward. "Get Luther ready."
"I don't think that's wise," Luther said. An aching kind of power bled from Juxta into Luther. It was a fraction of the storm compared to last time.
Fire burned in the gem on Mathew's staff. Mom's staff didn't have a gemstone in it, but it began a slow vibration. Luther wanted to kill and destroy. The magic pulsed in his veins.
The caravan rode into the compound. Gerkan spoke in a weak voice. "The Bractar have been removed. Our wells are clean, if you need water."
A surge of people came forward and bowed to the king. One by one, they whispered thank you and my liege.
"Is this all of them?" William asked Juxta.
Juxta's voice had a hum of power. "Aye."
"Is their well truly clean?"
"Yes."
William turned around to the men. "Refill our barrels."
The men filled all the vessels to the brim and put the lids back on. Luther trembled as the power began to rage in his body. "Stop it."
"Hold on a little longer," Juxta said.
"Stop..."
Juxta did not stop. The women and children of Lynken left the village. Rangers dismounted from their horses and lifted refugees onto them. The troop started walking. Juxta stopped pouring power into Luther.
He fell into a great abyss of darkness. Eons seemed to pass while he floated about. He had no strength. No light. No measure of time.
* * *
Someone was playing a flute, very badly. Luther tried for the first time in ages to open his eyes. He was in his room in Lynken. Jason sat at his side, flute in hand. Jason's eyes lit up, and he began to shout, "He's awake! He lives!"
"Of course I'm alive, why wouldn't I be?" Luther asked.
Juxta and Mom ran into the room. Mom hugged him so tightly he worried she would break his ribs. Juxta simply stood there and grinned.
"I knew the flute would wake you," Jason said.
"We were in the Southern Badlands," Luther said. "The people? What happened?"
Jason held up two fingers. "You've been out for two weeks. The people of Lynken that were freed headed north to your fiefdom."
Luther shook his head. "I could go for something to eat."
Mom ran off. "I'll slaughter a chicken."
He could eat a whole chicken. Maybe with a nice side of potatoes.
Jason hopped out of his chair. "I'll go tell Dad and the king that you are back with us. They have been worried." He left.
Juxta was still standing there smiling. "He's been at your side since you fell. He's been playing that flute for days."
Luther crawled out of bed. He headed for the outhouse.
The chicken was good, and he ate the entire bird.
Mom and Juxta were all smiles.
Juxta said, "It's time for you to forge a mage staff."
He didn't even get a few days of normal rest before casting magic?
"We must travel to Druidia," Juxta said. "The last of my grove lives there, and I need seeds, to replant."
Luther took a moment to try to summon power. Drawing in from between spaces around objects in the room. The energy spiked in him like a great but controlled blaze. He didn't need rest.
"Just us three?" Luther asked.
"We should be fine," Juxta replied.
Mom reached out and grabbed Luther's hands and squeezed. "You're becoming a fine young man, and I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't woken."
Luther smiled. "We leave at dawn?"
"We're going to wait a few days," Juxta said. "You may not think you need rest, but it'll be better if we give you a few days."
Luther admitted to himself that he was a little dizzy and strangely tired.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The next morning, Luther headed to the castle to thank Jason for staying by his side. The flute and its unholy dirge really were what brought him out of it in the end. Or maybe it was just a matter of time. Luther hopped on his horse and trotted to the castle. The gate stood open.
He asked the first Ranger he saw about Jason. The response was simple: "He's hunting."
Luther said, "Please tell him I'm looking for him."
"Are you going to turn him into a newt or something?"
"No, I just want to thank him."
Luther rode out of the castle. Juxta waited outside for Luther. "There's a book you need to read. Should have read years ago."
All he ever does is read. "The book on how to craft a mage staff?"
"You've looked in it before?"
"I thought... When you weren't watching."
Juxta nodded. "I want you to read the entire text, and memorize the chants."
"Mom had me memorize the chants years ago."
"She's a smart woman. I haven't been careful enough."
Mom cooked dinner. As the sun set, a knock sounded at the door. Luther raced to answer it. Jason stood there. Luther said, "Come in."
"I can't stay long. My dad found a long-lost keg of whiskey this afternoon."
"I just wanted to thank you," Luther said. "For staying by my side. For the flute thing."
"Yes, my flute playing could easily wake the dead."
"I'm being serious. It's a big deal."
"One, it's not, your parents could have taken care of you just as well as I did. Two, we're brothers, man. You'd have done the same for me."
Would Luther? He thought about it for a moment.
Jason did a little heel-toe dance. Apparently, they were already in the whiskey. "Plus, I plan to lord helping you, over you, every time I need even a minor favor."
Luther's eyes opened wide.
Jason smacked him on the shoulder. "I'm kidding. Come and drink whiskey with us."
"Is there enough?"
"The keg barely fits in a wagon. I have no clue where it came from."
"Let me tell my parents where I'm going."
Luther ran back in the house. Mom was clearing plates off in the kitchen.
"Jason invited me to drink whiskey," Luther said.
Mom turned and looked the boy in the eye. "You had better drink whiskey."
Luther and Jason rode back into the castle. A wagon stood next to the wall off to the side. On this wagon sat a keg easily six feet tall and five feet around. A tap sat on one side at the base. A flute player who was leaps and bounds better than Jason played. There were a few maidens dancing with Rangers. The prince was manning the tap. He smiled up at Luther. "You need a drink!"
Luther hopped off his horse and tied it up. The prince thrust a glass into Luther's hand, and one went to Jason. Torches burned in the courtyard, and men drank. One by one the maidens left with men in hand. Luther was on his third glass. They were not small glasses either, easily holding six ounces. The whiskey was sweet and kind of sticky. The moon rose.
The prince squeezed in between the keg and the side of the wagon. Jason fell down.
"I go home," Luther said. Then he untied his horse and fell down trying to mount it.
Men laughed. Luther tried again. His next attempt, he made it onto the animal. He summoned just a bit of power. A sparkly sphere of white light danced in the air. So he and the horse could see.
Halfway home, he fell off his horse, landing in the gutter. He puked. The pain from the fall fueled him with adrenalin to make it home.
Juxta woke him at dawn. "Time to ride."
"I thought we were leaving tomorrow?" Luther said with a whimper.
"Today, tomorrow, makes
no difference."
Luther grabbed the book on forging staves and his other things. Including his bow and blade. Mom caught his eyes. "Did you have fun drinking?"
He shrugged. "I'm paying the price now."
"What I meant was, did you meet a girl?"
"Mom!"
She reached out and touched his shoulder. "It's my job to ask these questions. You need to marry."
"I don't need to marry!"
She kissed him on the forehead. "I want grandchildren. I don't think your dad and I can have another child."
Where did all of this come from? Since when did Mom expect him to marry? He was only sixteen!
They loaded up the wagon. Mom and Juxta drove. They had a spare horse tied to the back. Luther rode his horse, with the intention to hunt.
They traveled for days. Luther hunted, killing ducks here and there, and even one of the boar-duck things. Juxta turned the wagon north at the Drakkar crossroads.
Riders met them and escorted them to the castle. Timothy was atop one of those horses. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Juxta reached into the back of the wagon and patted a barrel. "Distilled four times. Aged five years. There is only so much of it."
"And you thought of me, old friend, thank you."
"I haven't tried it myself yet," Juxta said.
"I want some," Luther said.
Lisa grinned wide. "Of course."
The brew tasted good, and Timothy had a pig slaughtered for them. They didn't stay long. The next day it was back to the road.
Luther studied the mage staff book at night. They stopped at Kirl's house in the Weslan capital. Kirl asked them about the Southlanders. Juxta told their tale.
Brian, Kirl's apprentice for all these years, touched Luther's shoulder. "Duel."
"I don't even have a staff," Luther complained.
"I bet you'll still win."
"It's good training," Kirl said.
"He likely needs to drink half a keg of cider beforehand," Juxta said.
Mom sighed. "Yes, it seems he's only driven by thirst."
"Mom!" Luther said. He didn't drink often.
Chapter Twenty-Six
"So you'll do it?" Brian asked.
Luther looked down at his feet. "A private duel, in the backyard?"
"Hell no, I'm selling tickets. A copper from every Magi that wants to attend."
"I don't know if I want an audience for my first real duel."
"You've dueled before?"
Luther examined Brian's face for a moment. Slightly triangular, with average eyebrows and a stubble of beard. Both men started to grin. Luther said, "Tonight?"
"Meet me at sunset." Brian then ran off.
Kirl spoke in a soft voice. "You don't have to win. I think Brian has learned to cast from the heart, and only stays on at my house because he's lazy."
Luther's intent was to win, but it would surely be a different matter than practicing with Juxta. Kirl roasted a ham for them for dinner. He had another apprentice, a blonde haired boy with sparkly bluish-silver eyes named Josah. Luther had never seen eyes quite like Josah's.
"Where are you from?" Luther asked after catching the other boy's attention.
"South of the Southlands," came the rather curt reply.
Juxta raised an eyebrow high. "Seriously?"
Kirl took a bite of ham. "His land is the Chuncha. His father is a high lord. The High Council seems to think we can open trade routes with them."
"Kirl thinks he's giving away state secrets with every new magic he teaches," Josah said.
"I am!"
Josah laughed a deep throaty roar. "We couldn't march an army through the entire Southlands. Quintak only allowed it after the payment of 500 head of cattle and 50 pigs. And I don't even want to discuss the payment my father had to give to Kirl and the High Council."
"I'm surprised they could be bought at all," Juxta said.
"Precious gems. Three full wagons of diamonds, emeralds, and rubies. All true stones of power bigger than a fist."
Juxta whistled.
Kirl pointed a finger at his heart. "My fee was enough of those gems to arm every apprentice I'll ever train. One hundred in total out of those wagons."
"Luther is going to need a gemstone soon," Juxta said.
"He can get one from me."
"Thank you."
Luther thought for a moment: would it be too much to ask that he carry amethyst like his father? "I thought I needed amethyst?"
"Amethyst is very rare. Would you beseech the dragons for some?" Kirl asked.
"Can I see these gems?"
"I have them hidden. Stay here. I'll be back."
Kirl raced up the stairs. He came down with a small chest which he set on the table in the center of the kitchen.
He lifted the lid out of the way. There were eight stones in total, and their light filled the room. Luther and Juxta started to chant Truesight. Each stone glowed brilliantly from within in their respective colors.
"These are more powerful than any I've seen," Juxta said.
Luther picked out an emerald and held it in his hand. It purred, and he didn't want to put it down. "This is the one."
"It is indeed powerful."
"Take it," Kirl said. "It likes you."
"Thank you," Luther said.
"When the Chuncha learn our ways, you'll hold the breach with that gem."
"My people don't crave conquest. We crave knowledge." Josah sighed. "We have struggled for untold generations to form a lasting peace with the Southlanders."
"It's almost sunset," Juxta said. "Luther, put the gem in our wagon under some blankets."
Luther was having a hard time breaking his eyes away from the dancing green light in his hand. "I'll use the stone at the duel."
"Good idea."
Kirl led the way, and the others walked alongside him. Not only were the spectator stands full, but rows of extra chairs were lined up at both ends of the field. Somebody had thought to bring forth kegs of cider, and nearly every spectator held a steaming mug of the stuff. The smell of cinnamon from these mugs was almost overpowering.
Kirl pointed at a stone platform in the field. "Take your place."
Brian was already on the other stone platform. He had a branch in one hand, with a larger than life diamond on the end of his staff.
Kirl shouted, "Do you know the rules?"
Brian said, "We stop when quarter is called."
"Or if either loses consciousness. Do you know, Luther?"
"I stop when he calls quarter," Luther said. Or if he gets really tired he's going to quit.
Kirl formed a great ball of light in his right hand and threw it into the heavens. "Tonight, my oldest apprentice, Brian, is facing off against a chosen one. But the one is young and untried. It should be a good show."
Brian slammed his staff on the stone platform. Light and fire danced in his diamond.
Luther rallied a storm of his own. Brilliant shades of green light blazed in the emerald in his clutches.
Kirl shouted, "Begin!"
Lightning crashed on Luther's shield. More strength than Juxta ever used. Luther began to breathe in shallow little gasps. The lightning upped in strength over and over.
Luther fell to one knee. He focused on controlling his breath.
Juxta shouted, "Fight back!"
Luther pushed himself up to his full height. The magic was too much, but he held his ground. Faint tendrils of black poison crept into his fingertips. He wanted to fight back, but his shield was his all.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Luther drew a hexagon on Brian and willed Pyro. A ball of fire as big as a house flew out of his hand towards the other Magi.
Brian howled the words, "Now it begins!"
Hazel fire burned in Brian's otherwise brown eyes. Luther pushed forward with two more fireballs. Brian's defense held strong. He doubled down on the lightning crashing on Luther's shield. Luther fell backward, but he didn't call for quarter. Instead
, it ignited a kind of ember of fury in his heart. It burned like a piece of coal getting way too much oxygen, and it was growing.
Luther crawled to all fours. A blaze of red fire was hurtling at him. More power went into his shield and pushed himself up for what he promised was the last time. He would not fall again. Sweat bled out of his armpits and crotch. For a moment, he simply reveled in the power flowing out of Brian. Luther knew, with a breath, that he could steal that power. Instead, he drew a lattice of triangles over Brian.
"Shoc!"
Lightning crashed tenfold on Brian. He fell, but his shield stood strong. Luther willed the lightning over and over. Brian lifted his head up. He bled from the nose. The sight of blood spiked the coal in Luther's heart. Brian shouted, "Quarter!"
Luther pulled the magic. He tried to release it back from where it came. This did not work. The tendrils of darkness reached in through his fingers. Juxta and Mom quickly approached.
"You won," Juxta said.
Luther held up his hands. "How do I turn it off?"
"Say the words with me."
Break the Peace, Awake
Wake the Ancient, Take
Luther said the words. A wave of power spread out from him in cascading blankets of white light. A hundred trees said it at once, Luther!
Juxta whispered, "Feed them."
Green of Spring, to be Seen
New Life, from Strife
The power flowed in Luther's heart like a great truth for the first time in his life.
The crowds in the stands clapped their hands and cheered. All across the city, new life grew on every tree. They produced fruit and seeds.
"Calm your thoughts," Juxta said. "It's over."
Luther bled the magic out of his being.
Kirl clapped him on the back. "The life-magic is strong in your line!"
"It's all thanks to me," Mom said.
"Of course!"
Luther wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. Brian approached, with blood still on his face, and extended his right hand. Luther grasped it and squeezed.
"I can't believe I lost to a sixteen-year-old," Brian said.
Kirl chuckled. "You're very strong, but Luther is chosen. In the end, he'll destroy us all."
"I will not!" Luther shouted. "It's not that hard to shut off."
"Let's rest. We're leaving at dawn for Druidia," Juxta said.
Luther, Magi: Blood of Lynken II Page 8