As they walked, conversations began among the members though many continued to glance towards the forest just waiting for what seemed inevitable. The journey so far had been fraught with danger. Not one of them believed that they could leave the island without having to fight some trap set by the Dark One or even the ancient wizards that had traveled with the Grimnal.
Waves came in from the sea to lap at the shore. Birds called or whistled from the trees. It wasn’t long before they found a brook trickling through the forest to deposit its share of fresh water into the salty sea. With all the sounds of a calm day on a new island, the team was enveloped by the beauty of the place. Glancing to the far west, gray clouds could be seen, however, so continuing to hurry to try and make it to the castle still made sense. No one wanted to be caught out in the rain and depending on how fast the next rain system moved in would decide whether they would sleep on the Sea Dragon or in the castle. Since the castle was an unknown, everyone preferred finding out if the castle was safe enough to have the ship rendezvous with them close to their destination.
Liam knelt to check the stream with his magic and sensing nothing beyond the small fish living in the water upstream, he was ready to continue quickly. Collin and Nara checked for trouble once more with their skills while he worked.
Frowning slightly, Nara informed Sebastian, “There seem to be some larger beasts moving half a mile away. I wouldn’t have thought something as big as these feel would be on an island.”
“The Cataclysm caused a lot of changes. With the Dark One’s magic ripping apart the mainland and raising islands in the North Sea, just about anything is possible,” the mage replied though he wasn’t dismissing a nature wizard’s skill. “If there are kiriaks or armored viles left behind though, we may be looking at another dangerous fight with the locals.”
“I’ve heard about those, but never come across any working north of the wall,” Collin said as he rubbed his chin. “I hear that they’re pretty tough.”
“A fire wizard could burn them to ash I bet,” said Serrena smugly lifting her nose. Fire wizards were very confident in their ability to destroy and burn things. The girl had lost some of that confidence over the last month and a half seeing other wizards and mages able to best fire wizards in the tournament, but she was still a fire wizard at heart.
“Fire doesn’t work very well on viles actually,” Sebastian stated without thinking much about it.
“You’re telling me that you’ve seen armored viles in combat?” the girl asked in surprise.
It was Yara who answered that part remembering her part in that day as well, “We were at Windmeer when the enemy tried to take the castle last year. Sebastian was one of the ones that killed or drove them out.”
“Trouble really does seem to follow you, doesn’t it?” Liam laughed receiving more laughter from the others until they realized that Yara and Sebastian weren’t laughing.
Rubbing his back, Yara answered for him again, “A mage that Sebastian knew pretty well turned against Southwall. We think that the enemy used some resurrection spell and brought him back, but corrupted his mind in the process. He knew too much to not be believed and was brought into Windmeer without question.”
“It happened on my watch,” the mage sighed not willing to let Yara soft coat any of the matter. “He died helping me north of the wall and I welcomed him back as much as anyone.”
It was Olan that surprised them saying, “I was there too. I knew Palose as well as anyone, I think. He seemed the same. He had just had a close brush with death and managed to walk back a few days after we thought he was lost. I remember how happy everyone was that someone we were just mourning had returned from the dead.
“Who knew that the Dark One would have magic like that?”
Sensing the darkness taking them over from the talk of the betrayer, Collin brought the conversation back to safer questions, “What kind of weak spots do the viles have, Bas? If we should run into any, that is.”
“Not many. They have thick plates protecting them front and back with more on their legs and arms. Their long claws can cut through armor. I found an air lance to their face or neck to be the most successful attack. It’s best if we just don’t run into any though. A lot of men were killed and wounded by those things.”
The group’s conversation waned and returned from time to time as the long walk continued. Checking the device as they went soon brought a new problem for them as the strong red dot began to split in two.
“Great,” Liam said what they all were thinking with sarcasm, “just what we needed. So which way, Bas? Do we keep on until the castle or check this out?”
Maura suggested over Liam’s questioning, “We could always split up again.”
No one seemed keen on the idea of splitting up and after Nara informed them that dozens of large creatures were in the northern direction, they were even less enthusiastic. Not wanting to risk being greatly outnumbered if the unknown creatures would work together, Sebastian took a moment as the others discussed it. Finally, he decided, “We’ll stay together and check this one first. If we go straight to the castle, we would just have to double back to go find this one anyway.”
Taking the point, Sebastian led the others into the forest. He spread his mages to either side of the center of the group. Sergeant Kulvayr and Frell babysat Maura’s three near their rear, while Captain Drayden stuck near the front. Mages and soldiers, these men could fight and would be the best if things were to get close in a fight. Serrena and Collin remained near Sebastian’s side as Yara trailed close behind. Both were good with their magic and had more combat based spells that would let them fight as well.
Once inside the lush forest, the differences between Temple Island’s jungle became quickly apparent. As opposed to all the strange, cursed plant life there were trees and brush similar to that on the mainland. Whether this island had broken off at some point from the continent was unknown. It was said that islands moved in the Cataclysm and places like Sileoth were both torn in two and spread for miles. Sebastian had seen the maps of old North Continent and compared them to more current lines finding much of the coast line and islands warped beyond recognition.
Unlike most of North’s forests, the brush and vines grew much thicker and larger. He guessed that being in the sea brought more warmth and water from storms to help the growth.
Birds spoke throughout the forest and many of their calls were foreign to the mage, though he had to admit he wasn’t blessed with a nature wizard’s knowledge of the land and its creatures. Even Nara admitted that there were bird songs and calls that she had never heard before as well.
“It’s not surprising though,” the woman noted from beside Yara. “Southwall has certain birds that settle there during warm weather, but it is a small portion of the continent. Also some birds don’t migrate from these warmer islands. There’s no real need if the food source remains strong.”
The sound of water interrupted their quiet conversation. A stream was crossed as the compass continued to point beyond the running water. Being only a few feet across in places, the party was able to cross with a mere jump. If the rain clouds from the west continued to build and brought enough rain, however, the next crossing might become much harder. Sebastian was pretty sure that wouldn’t happen before their search on this side was over though.
While the birds would quiet as the team passed below, whether from curiosity or fear, the rest of the forest beyond their immediate affect continued quite actively. When the trees suddenly opened up onto a wide open field that spread for half a mile in either direction, the return to direct sunlight was almost stunning. Strange gray mounds of stone stood out in the field of tall grass. Dotting the land haphazardly, Sebastian thought that it looked as if someone had tossed the large stones into the field, perhaps to play a game.
The group stepped out into the grass following the signal. They hadn’t gone far when Collin asked, “Did that mound just move?”
Thinking th
at perhaps paranoia bred from this journey was getting to the man, Sebastian still looked in the direction that he had pointed. He noticed no movement. Turning back towards the direction the compass pointed, the mage spotted something shiny on top of the largest mound. Could it be another weapon left on the island? Perhaps it marked a grave buried on the small hill?
“Something feels wrong,” Nara said in a hushed voice as if she expected a loud noise to draw danger to them.
Serrena frowned and said just a little louder, “I don’t see anything.”
Nara shook her head, “My magic told me there were large animals near here. Why haven’t we run across any?”
Giving a noncommittal shrug, the fire wizard retorted, “Maybe we’ve just been lucky or maybe they smelled us and retreated from something new to them?”
Collin held up the group calling his magic. As the spell took root, the earth wizard shook his head before his eyes snapped open with worry. “Those mounds aren’t stone!” he hissed in warning.
As the group stalled in the grass, Sebastian watched as the closest of the grey mounds shifted and grew taller. Similar to an armored vile with its plated armor, this beast rose up but had a distinctly reptilian feel to it. When the head came round, its nostrils flared as the monster sniffed the air from an elongated face. Long like a horses head, it had no noticeable ears and long teeth stuck out from the scaled lips of its mouth. Smallish eyes seemed to have poor eyesight, but its sense of smell confirmed what it had sensed.
Crying out a roar, the beast alerted the rest of its pack. Before the sound even faded, the field with its gray mounds had come alive with more than a dozen creatures rearing up revealing their true nature.
Sebastian waved the team behind him to retreat as he kept his eyes on the nearest monster. Showing no fear, the battle mage readied for a fight that he wasn’t sure they could win.
Chapter 20- Armor and Axes
The field erupted with life as gray, armored reptiles rose up to meet the hapless humans who had wandered into their territory. Sebastian watched as the pleasant morning turned hazardous very quickly.
Like a reptilian version of the armored vile, the gray, scaled monsters looked more powerful and evil than their likenesses. Hunched before him, the nearest beast might be twice the height of a man were it standing straight. Its clawed hands weren’t the sword length of the viles, but he guessed they were sharp and could still cut open a person armored only in cloth as they were. If the claws weren’t enough, the long reptilian looking mouth with teeth three to five inches in length could easily tear a man’s arm from its socket in a single bite.
Trying to get his team free of the dangerous situation, Sebastian used hand signals to warn the others to back away. Serrena and the battle mages formed a protective wedge with their leader forming the point. He had fought armored viles and won. They must believe that he had the secret to defeating these creatures if it should turn to that.
As he tried to step back, the wedge retreated as well, but the huge beasts were all moving towards them now. If it were just curiosity, the mage wouldn’t fear, but their teeth and claws looked like more than defensive weapons. Teeth formed into points weren’t used for chewing grass.
He could hear Collin’s voice just behind them and felt the power of a magic spell. The earth wizard wouldn’t attack for fear of instigating the monsters’ charge, but he was preparing something in belief that they would have to fight their way free.
Another roar from the nearest beast just before it ducked to use its hands like feet, was the only warning the men and women had as the monster moved with speed that belied its bulk. Charging straight for Sebastian, the mage felt Collin release his spell.
The ground rippled lifting into a rolling mound. Rolling into the beast’s path of attack, the monster tripped over Collin’s earth spell and toppled onto its face. With four points of contact, the beast was up quickly and was quickly joined by the pack of twenty or more giants.
“Lance,” the mage summoned and cast a spear of air into the face of the scrambling monster. His aimed wasn’t true since the beast’s movements were erratic, but it struck the head stunning it for just a moment.
Serrena released a fire spell at the next closest. A barrage of fireballs lashed out striking across the front of the monster. Though the flames barely affected it, the barrage was enough to halt the attack. More air spears flew from his mages while Collin prepared a new defense to buy them time.
“Earth spikes,” the wizard called out like a battle mage to summon the next spell. He had been learning how to harness his magic quickly like a mage and this was one of his newly formed spells.
A line of four foot high stone spikes formed just before the defensive line. Nearly a foot thick at the base for strength, their points were aimed forward at the massive creatures charging the team.
Air spears struck the nearest monsters with little effect. Thick scales and armor like rolls covered the monsters making it difficult to inflict any real damage. Nara’s magic summoned roots from under the ground ensnaring the creatures’ legs but their strength tore through them like nothing. The first of the monsters to reach the spike wall slapped at the defenses shattering three of the strong spikes with a single blow.
“Gust,” Sebastian ordered a spell channeling it into the Hollow Sword. Swinging the blade in an arc from the ground towards the rampaging destroyer, a blinding cloud of dust and grass was kicked up between the men and women and the charging beasts.
“Fall back now!” he snapped knowing his team was both well trained and wise enough to know a strategic retreat was needed here.
Throwing up covering fireballs and air spears, the defending team hurried towards the forest hoping that the monsters wouldn’t leave the open field. It was a desperate hope that they could avoid a prolonged fight with the giant creatures. Sebastian hadn’t come wanting to fight and certainly not against a force of armored juggernauts that were faster and more agile than the armored viles he had fought in Windmeer.
Worse than having to fight was the fact that it looked like they were following a weapon lodged in the back armor of one of the largest beasts. If that was the case, then it was a waste of time. He didn’t need another sword, though if it was of a quality similar to the one that had been the basis of the Hollow Sword, then perhaps it had some worth. No answers would be had from such a weapon left on a monster intent on killing them, however.
“Scythe,” he tested the Hollow Sword’s effectiveness as they continued to retreat. The spell was absorbed by the sword and released in an overhead strike. The distance to the scaled beast was only ten feet, but the spell sent cutting blade like winds into the monster. Like the thick vines on Temple Island, his spell had little effect against the creature’s natural armor.
A hail of stone spikes flew threw the air joining a flurry of fireballs and air spears. Collin’s contribution managed to stall the massive beasts’ pursuit as they halted to guard their eyes against five to six inch spikes flying like tornado driven needles. Catching in gaps between armor plates, several of the creatures let out cries of rage and pain. Stone needles even managed to catch in armor plates, though they were too thick to do any real harm. The three closest monsters looked like pin cushions from the number of stone needles sticking from scales and armor plates.
A large shadow moved from behind the mage. Tall with massive tree limbs forming most of the appendages and torso, a wooden golem leaped into the fray. Controlled by Nara, Sebastian was impressed with the speed of the wooden golem. Leaves obscured the brown bark in places making it look even larger to the eye and it looked nearly as large as the beasts it was confronting.
The creaking sound of a tree bending in the wind came with each movement of its arms and legs. Swinging a powerful punch at one of the beasts, the golem drove the creature back, but quick and powerful as they were it was just backing off to attack the new adversary.
Not to be outdone, the earth cried out as stone surge up and forward. L
ike a stone soldier, the second golem joined the fight under Collin’s control. It was more massive and slower than the wood golem, but its power was unmistakable as the stone puppet hammered another beast stunning it with a single punch.
More surprising was a third stone golem joining the other two. Vewen had left Maura to join the fray. His golem was only slightly smaller than Collin’s, an earth specialist. The two stone soldiers held the right and left flanks with Nara’s quicker wood one appearing almost like a dancer between the other two.
The battle mages and Serrena fell back trying to hold onto their magic reserves. Between running and fighting, they were all looking a bit winded. Collin and Nara were even more tired as they manipulated their golems, which were a huge energy drain for a single wizard. The amount of power just to create one was more than any battle mage could pull and they were using their strength to manipulate them in battle besides.
“Mecklin, Frell, be ready to assist Nara and Collin. You may need to give up some power. You know the spell I mean,” Sebastian ordered the two best at a spell designed to share magical strength between wizards and mages. They placed a hand on the wizards to pass a portion of the power to the others when their own strength waned.
One of the beasts grappled with Collin’s soldier. Catching the mound like head with a forceful blow, the stone head shattered. Were it a true human instead of a puppet, the fight would be over, but Collin continued to fight back with the fracturing stone golem. Chunks of the wood golem were beginning to litter the ground as the golems were slowly forced to give way.
They had made it to the edge of the forest, when a roar nearly deafened them. The monster with the metal in its back surged into the battle towering over his massive brothers and sisters. Easily a man’s height taller, the creature’s arms were thicker than Sebastian’s chest. This was also the one that the mage knew was where the signal had led.
Battle Mage: The Lost King (Tales of Alus) Page 24