The Mage Chronicles- The Complete Series

by Lisa Cassidy

  And the part of her that wasn’t countering everything he threw at the Taliath acknowledged what a beautiful sight was unfolding before her, four elite Taliath dancing around each other, swords blurring through the air. At one point, possibly from frustration, Shakar raised his free hand and sent a violet concussion burst erupting through the room.

  Jenna, Dashan, and Ladan dropped flat to the ground, protected by their invulnerability, as the concussion wave spread out in a violet-edged circle. Alyx stood, buffeted but not touched, as the wave passed by her.

  “Invulnerable, remember?” she screamed at him.

  Shakar let out a cry of almost inhuman rage.

  Ignoring it, Dashan leapt to his feet, closed in on Shakar’s cloaked figure. His blade was a blur as he danced, ducked, weaved and slashed. Jenna’s blonde hair gleamed in the light, streaming around her as she fought at Dashan’s side, lunging when he pulled back, shifting when he attacked. Ladan paced, sword swinging from his hand, ready to pounce at the first opening that presented itself.

  A wall of flame erupted, not unlike the one Galien had used on Alyx before she killed him. Magic couldn’t touch Taliath, but fire could. The flames bore down on the fighting figures, Shakar throwing up his mage shield.

  A roar of effort tore from Alyx as she ran down the steps, drawing on magic, dropping her shield down over the Taliath. Jenna grabbed Ladan’s arm, dragging him to her and huddling close to Dashan, wisely giving Alyx less space to cover.

  Flame licked at her shield, illuminating a frozen tableau. Alyx gritted her teeth against the drain on her magic, feet set apart, arms thrust outwards. Shakar pushed and pushed, feeding the flames. His shield flickered. Ladan caught that, shifted as if to try and break through.

  The fire vanished and Shakar with it. He reappeared a few paces away, sweating freely, chest heaving with exertion. Alyx dropped her shield, slumping. More chairs lifted into the air, Shakar summoning a wind to send them whirling through the hall. The strength of the wind forced the Taliath back, and he let go of all the chairs at the same time.

  It was more than Alyx had ever had to do before, control so many flying objects at once. But she held Cario’s staff in her hands, the staff of the most skilled telekinetic mage ever to attend DarkSkull. And all at once she was back in that training room, Howell watching with a small smile as she and Cario used yellow and green balls to chase each other around the room, delighting in each other and the competition. She’d wished then for his exquisite skill and now it flooded her.

  Cario, my friend. Thank you.

  Her eyes closed and her magic reached out, not as a sweeping force, but as tendrils of power. Each one wrapped around a chair, pulling it from its orbit. But Shakar countered her, his power wrapping the chairs too. He hopped around the hall, flashing in and out of existence, avoiding the Taliath that came after him in an unending wave.

  Sweat poured down her back, legs trembling. Everything she had was tied up in countering Shakar’s magic.

  “Alyx has him almost fully engaged!” Dashan realised it first, his voice rippling through the wind and sounds of battle outside. “Go at him!”

  Shakar had to let go to defend himself. Chairs crashed to the ground all around, one barely missing her. Ladan stepped forward, Mageson licking out quicksilver fast. And Shakar stumbled, blood pouring from a long gash down his arm. Ladan’s triumphant roar rang through the hall.

  “Alyx!” Jenna’s cool voice, tinged with weariness. “You can do what he can do, remember!”

  I can!

  She let out a shout of effort as she dragged up every inch of mage power she had and used it to send chair after chair at Shakar in one continuous stream. The Taliath worked with her, weaving with unbelievable agility around the flying chairs, attacking each time Shakar had to move to avoid one.

  Magic roped through her. She felt herself become her magic. Her mind floated, almost separating from her body, as the true strength and power of what was inside her came sweeping out and around, clashing with a roar into the incredible power that was inside Shakar.

  Her awareness expanded outwards, her mind let loose on the searing tide of her telepathic magic. There was Tarrick; he stood, legs planted firmly apart, face set deep in concentration as he sent concussion burst after concussion burst at three opponents at once. She heard the great roar he gave as he broke through the shielding of the first and then the second, killing them both. Bright red flame lit up the sky near him, and he ducked, rolled, and came up shouting orders.

  She saw Nordan then, the ice mage back to back with Finn as they fought fiercely against more mages; sensed as Finn sent a steady flow of strength into Nordan while he flung spears of ice at anyone who came near, his face a mask of weariness and fierce determination.

  Then there was Rothai, his form almost a blur as he fought with the sublime power of a pure warrior mage, his staff spinning and dealing death as his power exploded around him, killing anything in his path. He broke through a knot of Shiven mages, and called back to those behind him, running forward to widen the breach.

  Jayn hunkered down beside the fallen bodies of two injured mages, concentrating with a steely focus as she held her shield steady over them. Fire and concussive energy slammed repeatedly into the shield, but she held it, despite the exhaustion lining her face and the trembling of her hands.

  And Dawn, drained of energy now but there in Alyx’s mind, sending her nothing but pure confidence that Alyx could win this, that she would win this.

  “YOU CANNOT DEFEAT ME!” The shout seemed torn from Shakar’s very soul.

  The ground began shuddering under their feet. Gasping for air, Alyx temporarily let go of her magic, glancing around. Shakar stood in the centre of the room, surrounded by a wall of flame the Taliath couldn’t penetrate. His hands were lifted towards the sky and he was summoning magic, so much magic.

  The ground rocked again, and then there was an almighty crack in the roof above.

  He was bringing the roof down on them.

  For a moment Alyx quailed—she couldn’t combat this depth of power. He was going to win and they were going to die.

  “Alyx.”

  Dashan’s voice. His gaze was on her, steady and reassuring. “What can’t we do, together?”

  She nodded, licked her dry lips. Above them the roof cracked open, stone and debris already beginning to fall. Ladan and Jenna prowled the fire circle, glances shifting from the roof, frustration evident in every move. Dashan stood still, watching Alyx. The idiot was smiling.

  She closed her eyes and drew up everything she could, every bit of power her mother had given her, every bit of love and support her father and brother had given her, the faith Dawn had in her, everything Dashan meant to her and the love she felt for her friends. Once it was gathered, she focused it with Jayn’s sheer grit and determination, refined it with Finn’s intelligence and cool logic, bolstered it with Tarrick’s heart and Brynn’s warmth then let loose with Dashan’s reckless courage.

  “This is for my mother,” Alyx whispered as she threw it all at him.

  The roof stopped caving in, the stones halting mid-flight as her magic caught them. Shakar bellowed, pouring more of his strength into ripping at the roof. They strained against each other for what seemed like an age, neither giving in.

  Alyx hung on, eyes closed, everything in her refusing to let go, to back down.

  Then Shakar staggered backwards half a step. The flames around him flickered as he drew energy from the flame wall to fight Alyx.

  Dashan didn’t hesitate.

  He leaped straight through the flames with a roar of anger. Shakar was exhausted, drained of magic and weakened from his duel with Alyx. Dashan disarmed him in a single move. Shakar’s sword clattered to the ground and Dashan didn’t hesitate in stepping forward and running Heartfire through Shakar’s chest.

  The darkmage staggered, coughed.

  The flames disappeared. The pull on her magic disappeared. Dashan yanked his sword out and kicked
the mage contemptuously, forcing him to fall hard to the ground, grievously wounded. Then, with one graceful move, Dashan stepped forward and drove Garan Egalion’s sword down through Shakar’s heart.

  “Alyx!” Ladan shouted, running for her.

  “I can’t move,” she said through gritted teeth. Shakar’s incredible magic had done too much damage before dying. The whole structure above her was fatally cracked through, thick stone ready to collapse into rubble.

  And her magic was the only thing holding it back.

  “You have to go,” she said. “I can’t hold this much longer.”

  “What about you?” Jenna’s beautiful features were dusted with soot and dust, but Alyx thought she’d never looked more magnificent.

  “If I let go we all die here. Please!” she gave a shout of effort as her magic began to waver. “Go.”

  “I’m not leaving you, Aly-girl.” Ladan’s face was set. “There’s nothing you can say to change my mind. We’ll think of something.”

  “There’s no time.” Her breath sobbed out of her. Magic was beginning to burn through her muscle and bone. There was a groan above and a single boulder crashed to the floor. Jenna hovered, clearly torn. “This whole structure is coming down. Please, go.”

  “Alyx.” Dashan was there, dark eyes steady on hers.

  “Dash, please,” she whispered. “He’s my brother.”

  He gave her a single nod, and then he turned. Heartfire was still drawn and he lifted it, bringing the hilt down hard on the back of Ladan’s head. Shock and fury flashed through her brother’s green eyes in the moment before he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

  “Jenna, help!” Dashan bent to lift Ladan’s shoulders.

  She took his legs and they lifted him, but then she hesitated. “Alyx…”

  “Go!” she said, “Tell Cayr I love him, that I’m sorry.”

  “I will,” Jenna promised.

  Alyx hung on, sucking in breaths, shoulders sagging under the weight of what she was holding up. Her magic was draining quickly. Another piece of stone slammed into the floor, hard. Dust flew, showering Dashan and Jenna as they got Ladan to the door.

  She watched, waiting for the moment when they were clear. They disappeared, and she began counting. A count of twenty should give them time to get far enough away before the whole building came down. Everything hurt, her breath panting in and out too fast, a scream of effort building up inside her. She just had to hold a few more seconds…

  She’d reached ten when a tall figure came running back through the door, light and graceful on his feet as he dodged chairs and boulders to come and stand before her. His eyes were warm as he regarded her.

  “You didn’t seriously think I was leaving you to die, mage-girl?”

  “I can’t—” Tears flooded her cheeks.

  He stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her, his voice soft in her ear. “I’ve got you. Focus everything you have on the magic holding this building together. Focus on my voice. I’ll hold you up.”

  She did as he asked, letting the strength go out of her legs, allowing him to keep her standing. But even then it was too much. “Too hard,” she mumbled.

  “Just a little bit longer,” he soothed. “Dawn’s outside. I need you to let her in, sweetheart. She needs to talk to you.”

  There was no strength for shielding anymore, and once Dashan made her aware of Dawn, it was easy to let her mind in.

  “Alyx, I’ve got you.” Dawn filled her mind, wrapping it in strength and determination. “Can you hold on a little longer? I’ll help.”

  Everything in her was burning, muscles trembling, her magic beginning to flicker and die. Thousands of tons of stone were bearing down on her. Another stone smashed to the floor, terrifyingly close. She didn’t even have the strength to respond to Dawn. Dimly she heard running feet.

  “Can you do it?” Dashan’s voice.

  “I’ll give it a damn good try.” Jayn’s voice, as cheerful as always.

  Alyx whimpered and Dashan’s arms tightened around her. Dawn soothed her distress, sending her constant encouragement. A hand rested on her shoulder and a trickle of strength supplemented her draining power. Finn.

  Then Dashan’s voice at her ear. “You can let go now, Alyx. I’m right here.”

  And she did.

  Chapter 51

  She woke to darkness and a mouth full of dust. Everything in her body hurt and her magic was gone. Not even a spark lived inside her.

  “How are we doing?” Incredibly, Dashan’s voice.

  “A little cramped,” Jayn rasped.

  Alyx tried to stretch, but found herself hemmed in by rough stone. Panicked, she struggled to move, and was stopped by a warm hand grabbing hers.

  “You doing okay, mage-girl?”

  She swallowed. “What…?”

  “Try not to think about the fact we’re currently buried under the remains of DarkSkull Hall,” Finn said. His voice was ragged with exhaustion.

  What!

  “Well, it’s not like we had time to come up with a more detailed plan,” Dashan said, pebbles tumbling around them as he shifted.

  “He’s hilarious, your future husband,” Dawn’s voice slid into Alyx’s mind. “Just be patient. We’ve nearly got you.”

  Alyx became aware of a distant thudding sound. Another followed it, and another, the sounds growing closer and closer. Then a blast went off so close it sent dust and shards of rock raining down on them. The breath left Alyx in a rush as Dashan scrambled on top of her. Once it stopped, a bright shaft of light shone down on them.

  Above them stood Tarrick, haggard, trembling, Dawn’s hand on his shoulder as he sent concussion blasts into the stone around them. Jenna hovered, sharp gaze watching Tarrick’s progress. She was the first to see he’d broken through and stopped him with a shout.

  “Aly-girl!” Ladan scrambled down.

  Dashan let out a whoop so loud she almost winced. “It worked!”

  She pushed him aside and dragged herself over to where Finn was sitting, a dangerously pale Jayn tucked in his arms. His green eyes glittered against the heavy shadows under them.

  “Third patrol wins again,” he said tiredly, head slumping back against the rock.

  “Thank you,” she told them both, meaning it with everything she had.

  Ladan landed with a thud, Tarrick barely a step behind. She found herself being caught up in her brother’s arms and carried to the surface. Dashan came right after her, then Tarrick carrying Jayn, and lastly Finn. Dawn flew at her twin and the two of them wrapped each other in a fierce embrace.

  “I’m all right.” With Ladan’s arm helping she managed to stay standing, but it was an effort to catch her breath. “I just used too much magic. I’m okay. I’ll be fine.”

  He pulled her hard against his chest. “Really, you’re okay?”

  “I’m okay.” She pulled back to smile at him. “You?”

  “I’m good,” he said, and then an expression of awe came over his face “We did it.”

  “Yeah, we did it.” Excitement and joy bubbled up in her chest.

  Ladan’s face softened and for the first time ever she saw tears in her brother’s green eyes. “We avenged her, Aly-girl. You and me. For Mama.”

  She was too choked up to reply and simply nodded, clutching her brother’s arm so tightly he would likely have bruises later.

  “Look,” Dawn said with a gasp, pointing at the sky.

  Alyx looked where she was pointing and a slow smile crossed her face at the sight of a bright orange dawn lighting up the horizon.

  “What’s the status?” Dashan asked, looking at Tarrick.

  “Shakar’s Shiven warriors are dead or captured.” Tarrick’s skin was barely visible under the layer of blood and grime that covered his face. “We defeated their mages too. Some are captured but most are dead.”

  “So it’s over?” Jenna asked wonderingly.

  “Yeah, I think it might be,” Finn said, turning practical as always.
“And now Alyx and Jayn need to see a mage healer. I’ve got nothing left, and they’ve both overused their magic horribly.”

  It didn’t take long for those gathered nearby to see Alyx and the others emerge from the rubble. Like a stream charting a new course, they all began moving towards her—Bluecoats, mages, Shiven, militia, an eager mass of tired, wounded fighters. Grinning, Dashan leapt up on the nearest piece of fallen stone.

  “He’s dead!” he told them in a loud, gleeful shout. “Shakar is dead.”

  There was a moment of silence as the news sank in, then a shout of triumph went up that quickly echoed across the valley. Cheers and claps and whistles reverberated around and through them, and Alyx felt giddy from a combination of exhaustion and joy.

  Rothai was the first to reach Alyx. Blood trickled down his cheek from a nasty-looking gash, and he was limping, but his face was alight with triumph, and he couldn’t stop smiling as he stared down at Alyx. “Thank you, Magor-lier. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

  “You held up your end, Rothai,” she told him with a smile. “I saw you fighting with everything you had. You all did.”

  “Together, right? Wasn’t that always the plan?” Dawn said, tears in her eyes.

  “From that very first day at DarkSkull.” Finn wrapped an arm around his sister, looking close to tears himself.

  Alyx squeezed Dashan’s hand in hers, again unable to speak. He squeezed back, similarly struck.

  Hoofbeats sounded then, five showy cavalry horses galloping across the open ground towards them. Casta was off his horse first, but Tijer was only a step behind. Both saluted sharply.

  “Allow us the honour of escorting you to the healer, Magor-lier?”

  “Granted.” She nodded, smiling helplessly, and the five Bluecoats formed up around Alyx and her friends, Rothai and Jenna falling away gracefully.

  She was beyond weary—her thoughts weren’t entirely clear and she suspected her overuse of magic was going to have consequences. Already she felt a touch feverish, and her muscles trembled uncontrollably. But there were things she had to do before she could rest…she tried to think…Brynn!