The Unconquered Mage

by McShane, Melissa

  We saw the muddy little blobs, ranging from pea-sized to the size of Jeddan’s enormous fist, floating and darting around. Some were drawn to the edge of the circle, where mages were still scribing th’an, drawn to it and then stretched out to match the th’an. Others neared the circle where the active th’an were and were repelled by them. It was all fascinating in a dreamlike way, or so I felt from my abstracted state.

  Then Terrael said, “Go,” and the pairs of mages raised their boards and began scribing. And about twenty of the blobs floating within the circle started quivering as if they were being shaken apart. I knew from Terrael’s explanation the mages were scribing pairs of identical th’an, a variation on the mind-moving th’an, on opposite sides of a blob. The idea was that the th’an would absorb magic and activate, then the central blob would be repelled by one and then the other and be unable to escape, and the th’an would guide it toward another blob and force them to unite.

  It seemed to be working. I focused on the blob nearest me and watched it, dreamily, as it drifted through the air (this one was about five feet off the ground, because they don’t only move in straight lines parallel to the ground, but in all directions at every angle). It seemed to move with purpose now, which made sense because it was basically being driven, and I couldn’t help thinking of it as alive, which made me sad for it, but only for a few seconds and then I realized I was being foolish.

  It started shaking harder—that’s probably what made it seem alive, it seemed to be shivering as if it were cold, or afraid—and I could see flashes of color when it stretched and snapped back together. It was fascinating. The mages were moving it toward another blob that was somewhat lower and closer to me. The other one was shivering too, and then they were shaking so rapidly they looked like sea urchins, spiny and spiky but with the spikes expanding and retracting fast enough they looked like flashes of dull color.

  Then they exploded, and those spikes flew in all directions. I shrieked and ducked, the pouvra disintegrated around me, and my face felt as if a hundred needles had pierced it. I reached up to touch my face and felt nothing, and soon the sensation passed. All around me I heard similar shrieks, then Cederic’s arms were around me and he was saying, “Are you hurt, Sesskia? Show me your face.”

  I removed my hand, and he touched my face gently. “You look as if someone has given you freckles,” he said. “Does it hurt?”

  “Not anymore,” I said, rubbing at my face as if I could feel the spots, but my skin felt as smooth as always. “It felt like being jabbed by needles.”

  “They are fading now,” Cederic said. “I cannot see any other marks.”

  “Did you get it?” Terrael said. I looked up, but he wasn’t talking to me, he was kneeling next to Audryn, who held a notebook in her lap.

  “I think so,” she said, “but I can’t tell if it failed or if it just recorded an image that doesn’t make sense.”

  I got up, with Cederic’s help, and went to her side. “It’s a th’an that collects an image and draws it on a page,” Terrael said. “I thought it would be a good idea to record whatever was visible, if anything, and this is much faster than drawing by hand.”

  “There’s some of the blobs, the ones we weren’t manipulating,” I said, “but what’s all this?”

  “It appears to be the kathana circle, but something is wrong with it,” Cederic said.

  “And I don’t know why it drew it this way,” Audryn said, running her finger over the page. “It’s as if it shaded in the spaces and left the th’an and the kathana circle lines empty. It should look like a line drawing.”

  I walked around to face Audryn so I was looking at the image upside down. “This isn’t our kathana circle,” I said. “Look. You can see there’s another circle just visible in the corners. It’s showing a circle within our circle.”

  “But we didn’t draw another circle,” Audryn said.

  “Audryn, may I see that?” Cederic said. Audryn tore it from the notebook and handed it to him. He rotated the page, stared at it for a while, then handed it to me and said, “Pencil, please, and may I use that notebook?”

  Audryn gave him the notebook, and Terrael found a stub of a pencil in his trouser pocket. Cederic began sketching. “I am not certain of this, and I would like your confirmation, Terrael, but I believe I know what that kathana is,” he said. We waited silently for him to finish drawing. When he finally handed the notebook to Terrael, I said, “What is it?”

  “I don’t know,” Terrael said. Then he blinked, and said, “This can’t be right.” He snatched the image from my hand and held each at arm’s length, rotating them slightly. “It is right,” he said. “How did you see it?”

  “I don’t know,” Cederic said. “Something about it roused a memory, perhaps. But you agree with me?”

  “If you don’t tell us what it is,” I began.

  “I beg you, do not finish that threat,” Cederic said with a smile. “It is the divergence kathana. Or some of it.”

  I gaped at him. “How is that even possible?” I said. “Wasn’t it destroyed when it separated the worlds?”

  “I don’t know,” he repeated. “Either it was not, or this is some remnant of it still in existence after a thousand years or more. This image indicates that the fragments of shattered magic were repelled by its lines, which is why the kathana appears inverted.”

  “If it—but it can’t—this explains so much,” Terrael said. “If—no, I need to study it more, this isn’t enough information—”

  “But we don’t have time,” I said. “We’re going to face the enemy any day now, and we’re needed in battle. Even if this is more important in the long run, it won’t do us any good if we’re dead.”

  “You don’t need me in the battle, Sesskia,” Terrael said. “And Audryn shouldn’t fight.”

  “I’m not an invalid, Terrael,” Audryn retorted.

  “I wasn’t going to keep you out of the fight,” I said, “but I think Terrael may need you more than we do. If he discovers anything, he won’t be able to do anything about it unless he has a mage to help him.”

  “You know I’m one of the best battle mages, Sesskia,” Audryn said, but it sounded weak.

  “You are. And you also work better with Terrael than anyone else,” I said. “I’m going to assign you a few more mages, Terrael. We can spare a few. And if you can figure out why the divergence kathana appeared just now, and what we can do with that, the rest of us will join you. I’m sorry, Cederic,” I said to him, “but you know how important this is. If we can’t stop the magic from diminishing, we won’t be able to fight at all.”

  “I agree,” Cederic said, “and I think we should rejoin the army. You will have another day or possibly three to solve this problem before we face Renatha Torenz’s army. Let us pray it is enough.”

  Having passed the word about what we’d discovered, we rejoined the army, catching up to them just after noon. Nobody was in the mood for practicing battle magic; everyone was full of speculation about the divergence kathana and what it meant. We passed the image around so everyone could have a look, and Relania and Terrael got into a heated discussion—it was almost funny because their annoyance was directed at the problem and not at each other—which ended with them huddled over the notebook, Terrael drawing and Relania offering criticisms.

  I still don’t know what they came up with, because I rode the rest of the day with Cederic and the general staff, me explaining what we’d been doing when we weren’t practicing battle magic and then all of us discussing strategies for if the mages had to leave the battle. None of the generals were happy about this, probably because they’d seen battle mages in action and wanted to have the ability to defend against them, but Cederic convinced them that even if they didn’t really understand how important our other work was, we were doing the right thing. (I’m annoyed they didn’t take their Empress-Consort’s word for it, but they are Balaenic generals and this is war and I am, after all, only a woman and know nothin
g about fighting. I can’t wait for them to meet Garatssen.)

  We’ll reach Colosse by tomorrow evening. The scouts still tell us the God-Empress isn’t there. That worries me, because from the maps I’ve seen it’s not that far from Duberin to Colosse, so what’s she doing that keeps her from advancing? Again I have to tell myself, this is a good thing, this is progress. I wish I had more faith in what I tell myself.

  Chapter Twenty

  17 Shelet

  We reached Colosse late this afternoon to find the Helvirite Army already in position. Actually, they’re several miles away from Colosse, and this sparked a huge argument between Mattiak and Raewyn Garatssen. I was riding with him and Cederic when we neared the camp, and heard him swear. “They’re out of position,” he said, and kicked his horse into a gallop. That left us behind, because I don’t trust myself to stay on Thistle at a gallop, and Cederic wasn’t going to leave me behind. So we missed the first part of the argument. When we got to the Helvirite camp, we could hear Mattiak’s raised voice and it led us to Garatssen’s command tent. We couldn’t hear her voice at all, though there were pauses in Mattiak’s speech that told us someone was responding to him.

  “You are stretched too thin and unprepared to meet attack,” Mattiak was saying when we entered the tent.

  “We’re in a perfect defensive position for a small force to engage with a much larger one,” Garatssen said in a level voice. They were both speaking Castaviran, and I was impressed that Mattiak had gotten fluent enough to have a loud argument in a language not his own. “Since we had no idea when our reinforcements would arrive and our scouts say the former Empress is less than a day away.”

  “Reinforcements?” Mattiak bellowed. “You are third our size! If anything, you reinforce us!”

  “It’s our capital we’re defending, General,” Garatssen said. Now her voice was strained. “We’re grateful for the assistance—”

  “It is capital for both of us, if we win,” Mattiak said. “Or do you suggest we are not as dedicated to defend it because we are Balaenic?”

  “Generals, please take your seats,” Cederic said calmly. “We need to strategize, and quickly, if we are to face the enemy so soon.”

  Mattiak scowled at Cederic, but found a seat. Garatssen sat down as far from him as she could get. The other generals and Cederic and I joined them. “I see I was unclear as to our combined armies’ command structure,” Cederic continued. “General Garatssen, I have made Mattiak Tarallan Commander General of the Army of Castavir and Balaen, as most of our forces are Balaenic and do not speak Castaviran. General Tarallan, General Garatssen commands the largest division of the Army and is an experienced leader. I expect the two of you to extend respect to one another and to contribute equally to the plan for our defense of Colosse.”

  Mattiak scowled again, but nodded. Garatssen’s nod was much smoother and respectful. “General Garatssen, I appreciate your preparations,” Cederic said. “I take it the strategy will change now the entire Army is present?”

  “Of course,” Garatssen said. “And we’re glad you arrived when you did. We’re lucky to have gotten here before Renatha Torenz. The word is that her Army’s progress was slowed because she’s been ‘pacifying’ the cities in her path, and she’s had to pass through the new forest as well. Even so, we don’t have much time. I contend this is the best ground to make our stand—or do you still disagree with that, General Tarallan?”

  “No,” Mattiak said, reluctantly, “it is as good as we hope for. Forest to south hems in potential for attack on that side, which lets us concentrate on western and northern defenses. We will split Balaenic forces into divisions and assign positions, giving them flexibility of acting independent. We have five divisions, General Garatssen,” he said, addressing her, “and I think Helvirite Army serves best by covering west, given that it is larger than any two divisions combined.”

  “I agree with that, General Tarallan,” Garatssen said. “We are equipped to handle a frontal assault, if that’s what Renatha Torenz chooses.”

  “Then we plan our defense,” Mattiak said. That was where I chose to make my escape, because there’s nothing I can contribute to that kind of planning. I hope Mattiak and Garatssen can learn to get along. I know he can overcome his prejudices if he tries, but I don’t know how much of a problem Garatssen’s obvious competence will be—I don’t think he’s the sort of person who feels threatened by anyone as good as he is, but with her being a woman, I don’t know.

  I checked on Terrael’s group briefly, making sure they had what they needed. They’re set up pretty far back from the rest of our camp, so the fighting won’t interrupt them. Terrael was confident but distracted, which told me he was deep in thought about the problem. That was a relief.

  Then I went back to where the rest of our mages waited and divided them, with Jeddan’s help, into five groups and told them which division they’d report to in the morning (not six, because the Helvirite Army has its own battle mages, and that reminds me I have to go talk to them and make sure they understand magic really is diminishing and it’s not just them). Everyone was very alert and determined to make a difference, even the Balaenics who don’t have a personal attachment to Colosse. I didn’t assign Jeddan or myself to one of the groups, reasoning we might be needed elsewhere, and I won’t know that for sure until I’ve talked to Mattiak in the morning. I figure that’s enough time for them to decide on a strategy and give me our instructions.

  I hate going to war. But I hate even more the thought of the God-Empress overrunning all of us and then Colosse. And I’m so worried we’re (the mages) going to be completely ineffectual, if magic continues to diminish. Right now I’m praying Terrael’s group comes up with a solution soon enough to benefit us.

  18 Shelet

  We’ve been fighting for maybe eight hours and it’s dark enough that the enemy’s withdrawn for now. They did exactly as Mattiak and Garatssen predicted—made assaults on the north and south like a giant pincer, trying to envelop us. So far we’ve been successful at driving them off. The southern forces (Gray and Brown) even managed to push them back against the forest—those ones withdrew quickly. Kalanik says the Blue Army, which is on the west in front of the Helvirite Army, barely saw any fighting at all. Garatssen says this will likely change in the coming days, as soon as they feel they’ve softened us up.

  I stayed with the Helvirite Army and felt totally useless all day, since nobody passed the Blue Army to reach us. Mattiak says it’s a deep defense, though I’m not sure what that means other than they aren’t strung out along a single thin line. I spent a lot of time going back and forth between Terrael’s group, flitting until I was sick of it. They’re still not making progress. I eventually had to stop going there because I was so impatient I was afraid I might shout at them. I tried the binding pouvra while one of the mages was working the revelation pouvra—still nothing. I felt even more useless after that.

  19 Shelet, early

  Exhausted. The God-Empress started hammering on the Blue Army two hours ago even though it was still full dark—war wagons and mages summoning fire. I went to join the Blue Army mages and we managed to disable most of the war wagons, but the Blue Army is in shambles and we’re not sure they’ll be prepared to meet a full assault at dawn, which is almost certainly what’s going to happen. Lots of shifting around, lots of me reassigning mages. It’s not much comfort to know the enemy doesn’t outnumber us by a lot, given how much of an advantage the war wagons give them.

  I have to sleep for a while now. I know they need me, but I don’t have any more to give right now. Working pouvrin feels like hauling a ship into dry dock with a rope and my own two hands and nothing else.

  Hah. I must be lightheaded, because I just imagined those little blobs of magic actually being alive, and me coaxing them with breadcrumbs like they were ducks.

  19 Shelet, forty minutes later

  Damn. I was just lightheaded. The stupid blobs aren’t alive, and we can’t coax them t
o move any faster. Or, we sort of can, but it takes so much magic to do so it’s a net loss. Now I really am going to sleep.

  19 Shelet, afternoon

  Taking advantage of a lull in the fighting to eat something and write for a bit. I haven’t seen Cederic for a while, but I know he’s still at the back of the Helvirite Army since I’m near the front. We can’t risk both of us. (Cederic doesn’t want to risk either of us, but he knows where I’m needed. I should probably find him and reassure him I’m all right.)

  The assault shifted this morning to the western position. The God-Empress is still sending her troops out on both sides in that pincer formation, trying to engulf us and take the center from behind, but those divisions are all holding firm. The Blue Army, to my surprise, is also holding firm, though they’ve moved back somewhat and the Helvirite Army has moved forward some. As exhausting as working magic is, our mages are still effective, can still act in concert unlike the God-Empress’s battle mages, and morale is high. I haven’t been to talk to Terrael today—no time. Maybe I’ll do that after I eat and find Cederic.

  19 Shelet, sundown

  Cederic was happy enough to see me I know he’d been close to going out to look for me himself. “Please come to me every four or five hours,” he said after hugging me so tightly it almost hurt. “I need to know you are not dead.”