Metal Mage 14

by Eric Vall

  “Exactly,” I replied. “Now, we don’t know where you’ll be entering the fortress, so you need to do some fast navigating. I want you to ignore everything above ground at first, even if you see some runes. Your orders are to focus strictly on the underground caverns to start with. The enchantments from the defensive runes extend into the foothills, and since the Master has rigged the area with his own rune, I need you to break down those defenses first. Otherwise, we’re walking into a minefield. To be clear, I can’t start our exterior attack until you accomplish phase two of the mission.”

  The little metal man saluted, and Solana turned a diligent nod toward me as I secured the last ten magazine mounts to her ribs.

  “Luckily, I have mental schematics of the fortress interior that I got from Hulsan,” I continued. “I’ll transfer this knowledge to Solana’s gem to help you guys out, and you’ll have to work together as a team since she has no way of showing you her map, Stan. I can’t be sure whether the Master’s altered the fortress at all since Hulsan’s death, but there’s a good chance he hasn’t, which means the map should be accurate enough for you to get around in there as quickly as possible. And again, time is of the essence in phase two.”

  Stan nodded in agreement, and I began replicating hundreds of pellet-sized bullets.

  “There is the possibility of a glitch, though,” I admitted, and the little metal man leaned in as he paid close attention. “These bullets you’re firing are powerful, as you saw, but the runes you’re up against make the Master’s fortress impervious to destruction. My guess is, the runes will be destroyed like the test run proved, but the blaze probably won’t continue to burn beyond that rune’s magical limit on account of the other enchantments. That being said, once the last rune is gone, I have no idea if your flames will spread and overrun the place. Logically, I don’t expect them to be able to take the whole structure out, since their elements will have been countered by the remaining runes, so it’s crucial you follow this next part.”

  Solana turned around, and the two hunkered down together for a huddle moment as I held both their gazes.

  “I’ll be leading the exterior attack starting the moment the grounds can be influenced,” I told the little metal duo. “Ideally, we’ll draw all the attention away from phase three of your interior attack and pull most of the beasties out to give you a better chance of making your way into the heights of the fortress. I’ll scan your progress periodically to see if you’ve completed your mission, but we won’t have any way to communicate with one another. So, if I sense the enchantments of the fortress are down, and I have an opening to strike on the Master’s headquarters, I’ll do what I can to locate Solana’s gem. Stan, this means you have to trust her if she’s trying to get you the hell out of there, okay? You don’t want to be in the way when Shoshanne sends a cyclone through those walls. Finding you in all the rubble may be impossible after a hit like that, but if your blaze does end up running rampant in there, too, the enchantments on your bullets are fully capable of burning you up.”

  Stan looked nervous now, but Solana nodded curtly for the pair of them.

  “Stay in motion, stay focused, and trust your partner,” I concluded. “If the walls break open, get clear of the place any way you can, and only when the fight is finished are you to report to me. Understood?”

  The little metal man adjusted his helmet and stood up, and the two metal figures nodded in unison like the brave mini soldiers they were.

  “Smallest planning session in the world,” Aurora chuckled from the doorway, and I grinned as she came over to join us. “Are the mini troops prepared?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” I replied. “Finishing up the arsenal as we speak. I want to get Solana’s magazines secured so she can get used to the added weight when she’s training.”

  “Did everything go alright in town?” Aurora asked.

  I could tell by her tone that she was doing her best to appear levelheaded about all this, but her emerald eyes betrayed how worried she’d been. I was honestly impressed she was handling the day as well as she had so far, though, and I pulled her onto my lap as she sent me an apprehensive smile.

  “Things are already looking up,” I assured her. “The town’s been altered to make up for the weather, preparations for the siege are still underway, and I told everyone about the nature of the storms to make sure they know what they’re up against. From what I’ve seen, they’re prepared to kick ass regardless of any gods in the mix.”

  “They are?” the half-elf gasped, and she looked as surprised as I still was to hear this.

  “Yeah,” I chuckled. “At this point, I’m pretty sure everyone is more intrigued than worried. We’ll see if that holds out, but the ogres and the elves are just impressed. Go figure.”

  Aurora grinned. “As they should be. Did you know Rekekis has held his domain for eons? He purposely never created an heir when he got the chance because he wanted to keep it all to himself. You’re the mortal who snatched it right out of his hands, and this is after he’s hunted you down to try and get you on his side for who knows how long? I’d like to see anyone else tame a spectra as well as you, let alone best a god’s will one lifetime after another.”

  “Don’t get braggy,” I teased.

  “It’s not bragging if it’s highly impressive and true,” Aurora countered. “These are facts. All of the weirdness of today aside, you’re the only Mason Flynt in the universe, and your super babies are going to conquer the heavens one day.”

  “Alright, this has gone straight to your head,” I informed the woman. “Shouldn’t you be focusing on training? Bragging your ass off about me isn’t going to take that fortress down.”

  Aurora arched her eyebrows, but then a seductive grin curled across her lips. “Anything you say, master.”

  I promptly chucked the half-elf off my lap, and she shamelessly snickered her way out of the shop while I tried to rein in my instant erection.

  “Godsdamnit,” I muttered. “Me and my Roshy mouth.”

  Despite the giggling coming from the training hall, I redirected my full attention to completing Stan’s arsenal, and as soon as I finished stocking fifty magazines, I worked on engraving one after another with the stealth fire rune we’d tested in the western woods. I had all but two of them completed and mounted to Solana’s frame by the time I heard the Mustang pulling up to the moat, but then my women threw their weapons aside and ran toward the entryway, and I vaulted across the shop like my ass was on fire.

  “Nobody say anything!” I bellowed, and I crashed through the front door.

  Even drenched in rain, Shoshanne looked elated as she hopped out of the car with her arms full of books, and I could tell by the dimples in her smile that she was having a much better day than she’d had in weeks. I couldn’t remember when I’d seen her without even a hint of a worried crease on her forehead, but now that her expression was nothing short of glowing, the last thing she needed today was to hear about my immortal enemy.

  So, I scooped the giggling woman up in my arms and carried her straight into the house before any residents could talk to her, but my women all opened their mouths at once when I set her down in the entryway.

  “Guess what we found out!” Deya demanded, and I clamped my hand over her mouth.

  “What did you find out?” the healer laughed. “Is this more super baby news?”

  “No, nothing baby related, the catapults arrived, is all,” I quickly replied. “We’re gonna use them to launch the Halcyan rockets, so everything will be ultra safe for our troops, just how you like it.”

  “That is a relief!” Shoshanne sighed as her smile widened.

  I nodded. “How did it go with your Aer Magic?”

  “Mason, I have the biggest news!” Shoshanne squealed, and as she trotted toward the dining hall like a pregnant sprite, I leveled my remaining women with the sternest look I had in me.

  “Not one word,” I ordered.

  Chapter 15

  “You have to
tell her!” Aurora hissed.

  “Hell no,” I muttered just before I entered the dining room, and Shoshanne had six books stacked on the table while she hummed to herself and started neatly arranging her notes.

  “Mason, I am on top of all of this,” the healer informed me. “I got every book Raynor recommended and took a few from Wyresus for reference as well, but I thought about it all the way to the Oculus, and now that I know what’s going on, I can sense the difference between the powers I’m experiencing right now. It’s so subtle, but when I spark my magic without wielding it in any way, I feel the way my powers and the baby’s are interacting, and I’m surer than ever I was meant to bear this child for you.”

  “I agree,” I said with a nod.

  “It’s true!” she insisted anyways. “I spent hours discussing things with Wyresus and Barnik, and even though they’re obviously ill-equipped to understand a woman’s maternal instincts, they had a wealth of advice about channeling the bulk of my powers in the most forcefully effective ways possible.”

  “Is that a good idea at this stage?” I checked, and my mind instantly replayed the behemoth wind-monster debacle in the western woods.

  “Definitely,” Shoshanne assured me. “With more direct and aggressive attacks, I can give our little baby the outlet it needs for all its little super energy! That’s what it’s wanting more than anything. I’ve been so timid and shocked by the results of my powers lately, but mothers of super babies can’t be timid! They have to be bold! They have to embrace the volatile energy with love and determination, just like you taught me. Coax it out, remain calm, and harness the entire mess! And guess what? It works!”

  “That’s amazing!” I praised as the healer skipped her way to the stack of books.

  “I’m guessing this means you’re practicing again?” Aurora asked.

  “Already started, and you will not believe how good it felt to just wreck everything!” Shoshanne gushed. “I destroyed anything I could on the way home. Nulena, you would have loved it! Hills, trees, stone walls, a few run-down mills. At least, I think they were run-down. Half the road is obliterated by the way, Mason, so you should send a Terra Mage to work on that, but not once did I feel out of control! I felt like I was finally able to relax for the first time in weeks, and it’s because this baby and I are bonding! I’m meeting it halfway like a good mother should with an open mind and willingness to embrace all the most aggressive outlets.”

  “Mothering comes so naturally to you,” Aurora admired.

  “It does!” the healer giggled as she patted her belly. “Isn’t that right, little baby? Who likes to destroy shit? We do!”

  I nodded while I watched the healer prance around the table some more and open her volumes along the way, and when I glanced at my other women, I could tell they’d caught on to my dilemma. Cayla was stone faced while Deya had a self-conscious blush burned into her cheeks, and as Nulena and Aurora exchanged a pointed look, I nervously tapped my fingers against my leg.

  “I can’t thank you enough for helping me get to the bottom of this, Mason,” Shoshanne continued with a glittering smile. “I swear, I don’t have a worry in the world right now, and everything is almost completely under control! I’m thinking I can probably hold this entire storm off if I tried to! Me and this baby are a force to be reckoned with, so I’ll spend the rest of the day practicing that, and--”

  “No!” Nulena and I cut in, and the healer looked up from the book she was arranging beside the others.

  “But this system could be stuck over this area for days,” Shoshanne pointed out. “We don’t want anything making our siege more difficult, Mason. You’ve worked too hard and risked your life far too many times to be encumbered by some silly storm this late in the game. I’m telling you, I am certain I can handle--”

  “The mages are on it,” I assured her.

  “They are?” Aurora asked.

  “Yeah, they’ve worked out a system to counter it more effectively.”

  “But I thought--”

  “Totally handled,” I said with a desperate grin. “Shoshanne, you can focus entirely on your Lux mommy bonding. Forget about the storms. I have! All that matters is you’re happy and moving in a positive direction, right? Compared to this, even the Master isn’t important.”

  I could feel my women’s gazes burning holes into the side of my head, but despite how determined I was to stick with this new crazy supportive personality I was testing out, the healer narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

  “What’s going on?” Shoshanne asked outright. “You have that face you always get when you don’t want me worrying about something I should definitely be worrying about.”

  “I do not,” I snorted.

  The last of Shoshanne’s smile vanished as she eyed each of my women in turn, and when she settled on Deya, the elf’s entire face flushed with guilt.

  “What is he not telling me?” Shoshanne asked, and her tone made Aurora flinch where she stood.

  “Oh, no,” Deya whimpered. “Um…”

  “Family meeting!” I announced, but when my women beelined for the training hall, I blocked Shoshanne’s path. “Not you, you’re perfect right where you are. Stay here, focus on becoming a super mom, and we will be back in two minutes.”

  “But--”

  I sealed the door behind me before she could follow, and when I met my women in the training hall, they all turned on me at once.

  “Have you lost your mind?” Nulena demanded. “What was that nonsense you said in there?”

  “I’m being supportive,” I hissed.

  “That was not support,” Deya mumbled. “It was panic. Very cute panic, but not a safe defense against Shoshanne.”

  “Mason, she already knows something’s up, and I am not lying to her,” Aurora informed me.

  “She has tranquilizers!” Cayla added. “Do you want to get us all tranqued?”

  “No,” I sighed, “but you have no idea how tense that woman has been! If you knew the amount of crazy she’s been bottling up the last two weeks--”

  “I’m sure she’s been frantic about Aloshi, doubting herself entirely, furious at how helpless she’s felt, ready to throw in the towel completely, and hating herself for not being able to do better because she loves you!” Cayla huffed, and I furrowed my brow.

  “Actually, yeah,” I muttered. “That’s pretty much where she’s been.”

  “And now she’s finally found her footing again,” Aurora continued, “so the last thing she needs is to worry herself into a frenzy because the man she trusted to help her through all of that is now lying to her!”

  “Godsdamnit,” I groaned. “Fine!”

  “So, we’ll tell her about Rekekis,” Cayla decided.

  “Yes,” I agreed, “but I’m not telling her. You are.”

  “Mason,” Aurora sighed.

  “It is physically impossible for me to participate,” I clarified. “Have you ever seen Shoshanne skip like that? She’s like this gorgeous, pregnant little nymph, and every time she looks at me, she’s glowing with pride! Glowing! I can do a lot of things, but I cannot watch that woman crumble into a mess over me again when we just turned things around. Yesterday, she was crying tears of joy and covering me in kisses. That was only yesterday!”

  “I understand,” Deya muttered. “She looks so perfectly happy and proud of herself, and I don’t want to tell her, either. I want to wrap her up in silk and give her a flower crown to wear instead.”

  I nodded. “You get it.”

  “Then I’ll tell her,” Nulena sighed, and I could have swept the woman right off her feet while she rolled her eyes. “It will be less worrisome coming from me anyways.”

  “Show her the sparks,” Aurora suggested. “If she sees how powerful you are, she’ll feel much less concerned about the god who’s hunting for Mason’s soul.”

  “Do not tell her about my soul,” I cut in. “I mean it, if Shoshanne knows I’m being hunted, and that Rekekis can latch onto my destru
ctive vibes, she will never let me battle again.”

  “Shit,” Cayla muttered. “She won’t let any of us battle again after that news.”

  “And she is just learning to embrace destruction,” Deya pointed out. “This will only ruin her brand-new mommy mindset.”

  “No soul talk,” Aurora decided. “Just the basics. Nulena’s twice as scary as we thought, related to a god, and her immortal baby’s gonna save us all one day.”

  “We’ll throw in the part about Deya becoming a goddess, too,” Cayla added. “It’ll up the immortal power aspect.”

  “Perfect,” Deya agreed. “I am not coming with, though, because she always sees straight through me.”

  “Yeah, you’re leaving,” I informed the elf. “Fly to House Quyn and pick up another shipment. That’s a totally normal thing for you to do, but fly low and fast as hell until you’re out of the storm.”

  “I will,” Deya assured me.

  “What are you going to do?” Nulena asked me.

  “I’m gonna hide in my shop and work on branding irons.”

  “Ooo, what are you branding?” Cayla asked as her entire demeanor shifted.

  “Not you,” I snorted. “It’s for the silencing runes we’re using during the siege.”

  The princess slumped. “Oh.”

  “Good luck in there,” I told the women. “I love you all, thank you for doing this, and remember, my soul has no place in this conversation. This is an immortal baby thing, and nothing more.”

  “Understood,” Nulena said with a nod.

  Then we all headed in our own directions while I unsealed the entrance to the dining hall, and by the time Shoshanne let out an irritated sigh, I was already ducking into the workshop.

  I made a point of zoning out from every sound within the mansion as I pulled my branding irons out of the cabinet, and I threw myself into my work while I sketched out the silencing rune, but on a slightly larger scale than I’d seen at the fortress. Ignoring Shoshanne’s gasps in the other room was almost impossible, but I locked my teeth together while I studied the branding irons Dragir had given me, and I decided to alter the one for enhanced sight.