Mage (The Elemental Magic Series Book 2)

by Michael Nowotny

  Sherry had her eyes open and was almost surprised she couldn’t see the power with them. As one they turned their horses and headed in the direction of the new Mage. They rode as fast and far as they could, pushing their horses to their limit.

  They weren’t the only ones headed Alec’s way. Father Tillman was one of the few priests that were sensitive enough to sense the power as it grew into strength. Father Tillman had his trap laid for the abomination.

  When the boy was half way back to Kingston he would have the men he hired cripple the boy’s horse and separate him from the carriage. He would then deal with him personally.

  Chapter 11

  The next morning as most of the community slept in or nursed their hangovers Alec woke with a start. It wasn’t the same dream but disturbing nonetheless.

  The thought of having an odd beautiful glowing woman in his dreams telling him to run was unsettling to say the least. He made himself ready for the day packing his things before heading for the manor house. They were planning on leaving after lunch which was only a couple hours away.

  Setting his things in the stable Alec kept only his sword and staff with him. Alec went inside and found Christi already up. Alec greeted her by calling her his fiancé, which earned him a kiss.

  When the others came to the dining room Alec and Christi were just finishing some fruit. Alec declined any more for breakfast and told everyone he was going to head over to Jake's place to say his goodbyes.

  “I’d go with you but I still need to pack my things.” Christi told him.

  “That’s fine. I won’t be gone that long, I just want to say goodbye again.”

  Alec made his way across the small community to Samuel Cobs old place, now Jake and Sarah’s. As he walked up he saw the front door was standing open and Sarah was inside directing Jake to do something. They looked happy as they laughed with one another.

  Alec knocked on the doorframe and Sarah came to the door giving him a hug. Jake pumped his hand. Alec laughed at the look on Jake's face when Sarah told him they could take a break for a bit. It was a look of relief.

  Sarah and Jake led him through the house explaining the changes they planned to make, including decorating one of the rooms as a nursery. Jake told him that the place needed some work but they were up to it with the help they were getting from the rest of the community and their parents. The new couple continued showing him around the house, it made him think. He didn't know where he and Christi would live when they married. Would she want to live in Kingston or at the farm? What about children?

  Alec bade them goodbye and promised to write ever so occasionally. Stopping by to say goodbye to Carrie he was told to make sure to send them an invitation when they settled on a date for his wedding. Promising her he would Alec got a kiss on the cheek and a hug with the reminder to stay out of trouble.

  He stopped back by his room to make sure he didn’t leave anything and found Ralph sitting outside. As Alec shook hands with him it felt like it would be the last time.

  “Thanks Ralph, I really appreciate all that you’ve done for me.”

  “It wasn’t anything anyone else wouldn’t have done; besides I’m not going anywhere Alec. If you ever need anything you just give me a holler.”

  Alec got one of Ralph’s hard pats on the back to go with it.

  With his goodbyes taken care of Alec headed back toward the manor house.

  Karen told him that she would come to Kingston in the early spring to talk with Jessica and George about his wedding. Alec told her that he would love to see her too and gave her a hug.

  With lunch over Alec said his final goodbyes and mounted his horse following the carriage out of the community. A large part of him missed the peaceful little community already.

  Alec continually checked his well not completely believing that he had his power back. He played with his power as he rode, stirring up a dust devil here and there, surging the water from a nearby creek, tossing small balls of fire up high in the air. Through it all Alec continued to check his well noticing that he rarely saw any significant decrease in the amount of power he had.

  They made an early stop for the night at an inn where Alec got his chance to talk with Christi after supper. He was somewhat nervous about bringing up anything having to do with their marriage.

  “I was wondering, once we’re married, we’ll need a place of our own, right?” He asked working up the nerve as they sat waiting for supper to arrive.

  “I agree. What were you thinking?”

  “I don’t know how much a house cost but I know I don’t even have enough for a horse right now,” he told her ducking his head.

  “You know we’ll have my dowry and gifts from friends and family. On top of that we should be able to borrow from a bank in order to buy a house. Have you thought about where you would like to live?” Christi asked.

  “I kind of thought you would want to be in Kingston near your parents but it really wouldn’t matter to me.”

  They talked it over eliminating the farm, as there would be little they could do for work in the area. They settled on Kingston or one of the cities with a port that would allow them the opportunities to ply their chosen trades, magic wards and such. That led to a discussion about Alec rejoining Christi in the sorcerer’s tower.

  Alec wasn’t sure it would be a good idea to let everyone know he had his power back and they asked Peter over to join their conversation. Telling Peter his fear, being that the gods would send others after him. Peter told him that regardless of whether or not others knew he had power the gods were sure to already know. Alec had to agree but told them he was committed to Master Stalle’s classes and didn’t think he could switch back again.

  Peter told him not to worry as he already had it figured out with Tom. Peter told him that he had arranged it so that if this worked he would be shared between the two schools and would be able to learn both. Alec was happy to hear it. He really didn’t want to have to abandon Tom when he’d taken him on after the start of the semester.

  They went to bed early so they could get an early start.

  ***

  Father Albert Tillman had been up at dawn, he could feel the power coming closer. The abomination was headed straight for his ambush. Al had found the men he’d hired camped on the side of the road. He knew that the boy was close and made sure they were ready for when he came down the road. Al, as he was known by, told the leader of the gang that he wanted the carriage to pass by safely and that they could spook the horses to get them out of the way. He told them that after the carriage was gone they could try for the boy but at their own risk.

  Al hid next to the side of the road. He almost couldn’t contain his nervous excitement. This was what he’d been trained for, dealing with abominations.

  Alec and the carriage set an easy pace away from the inn. For once he hadn’t had any dreams, for which he was happy. He allowed his horse to just follow the carriage while he experimented with his power throughout the day. It felt easier to form the same shields that he had outside of Kingston.

  When the twangs of crossbows rang out and the horses pulling the carriage shot forward dragging the carriage behind it. Alec immediately formed a shield around him and pulled his horse up. That’s when he noticed the bandits weren’t chasing the carriage but blocking the road between them.

  A man stepped out from behind the men blocking the road.

  “I am Father Tillman. I believe you to be Alec Carter, am I right?”

  Alec nodded where he sat on his horse.

  “Good. Do you know why I have stopped you, boy?”

  “I suspect you don’t like the idea of a Mage.” Alec said calmly He was anything but.

  “Very good! The fact is there are no Mages only abominations and I have been directed by the gods to rid our fair world of those such as you.”

  Alec climbed down off his horse. He didn’t want it spooked and throwing him. He slapped it on the rump and the bandits let it gallop past. He gripped
the staff tight to stop his hands from shaking.

  “Why? I’ve always respected the gods. How can they want someone who has been loyal to them dead?” Alec asked. He was angry and confused now.

  Father Tillman was in no mood to explain the reasoning of the gods and began casting spells toward Alec. The rain of fire and spears of ice surged against Alec’s shield. He called up more power, poured it into his shield, and replied in kind throwing fire back at the priest. They exchanged fire and Alec realized he could still run out of power before the priest especially if the gods were helping him.

  Alec knew he didn’t have the affinity for earth but he forced it to split and crack in the direction of the priest causing him to step quickly off to the side.

  The priest began calling on the goddess of twilight over and over asking for the power to defeat the abomination before him.

  As one of Alec’s fireballs broke through the priest’s shield it knocked him to the ground where he lay still.

  Alec was glad it was over but he still wanted answers. He began walking toward the priest.

  The air before him grew colder and frost appeared on the ground. A voice like hard ice rang out as the shape of a woman clad in beautiful armor appeared in front of him. Alec looked around for some place to run or hide.

  “You are an abomination and shall be cleansed from this world. We will not suffer for you to challenge us.” She spoke aloud, her voice sounding for miles. She stood there with her arms crossed the bright morning sun dancing over her armor.

  Alec stood and stared. The sound of her voice alone made him want to fall to the ground and beg forgiveness. He fought down the awe and terror he felt, gaining control of himself as the feelings were replaced by anger.

  “Why, Goddess? I wouldn’t challenge you and have always held the gods in reverence.” Alec looked her in the eye as tears coursed down his cheeks.

  “You would and I seriously doubt your faith! Now you shall die mongrel! You can stand there as I erase you from existence with little pain or I can defeat you and your puny magic and make you pay the price.”

  She gave him no chance to form a reply as sheets of ice flew toward him. He instinctively threw up a shield stopping them and the goddess laughed. She pulled a sword from thin air made of ice and charged him. As she broke through his shield with a single swipe of her ice sword she came after Alec.

  Robert and Sherry raced down the road they could feel the confrontation taking place then a second power came into existence making them slow their horses again. They’d already passed the carriage a few miles back with a broken wheel and the people inside looked fine. The two powers surged against each other causing light to explode above them. There wasn’t any doubt left. A god had entered the fight.

  Alec blocked with his staff adding strength to it as he absorbed the blows from the ice sword or turned them away.

  Alec pushed flames down his staff and out the end forming the blade he’d had removed. With his staff now covered in fire every time he met the goddess’s strikes slivers of ice would fly and light would shoot skyward.

  Alec’s mind began slowing time allowing him to see her sword coming toward him. The goddess had stopped laughing when Alec started taking the offensive. He forced his body to speed up even more as she began blocking his strikes.

  Robert and Sherry cautiously approached where the fight was taking place. From what they could tell the boy was holding his own against the goddess. They didn’t know which one it was but could feel the amounts of power being used by both of them. Both the boy and goddess were a blur of motion. As they snuck closer they heard the carriage coming up behind them and formed shields that interlocked, knowing that for the boy to have any chance at all they couldn’t allow anyone to interfere.

  Jason pulled the carriage to a stop before the two horsemen. Peter stepped from the carriage with the women right behind him. He looked at the two on horses blocking their way. He could feel the power coming from behind them but not from them even though they held shields visibly. Peter stepped closer to them intent on helping Alec.

  “We can’t allow anyone to interfere. The fight will be close as it is, he has to do this by himself,” Sherry told him.

  “Who are you to forbid us from helping Alec? He is like family to me and I’ll do what is necessary to help the boy!” Peter gestured toward the fight still going on.

  They told him Alec was in a fight with a goddess and from what Peter could tell they were right. The amounts of power being used assaulted his senses.

  “We are bonded Mages and if we don’t dare to interfere then how much help do you think you would be. We have more power between us than you could possibly know and there is little chance that you could even get past us!” Sherry told him.

  “We understand that you want to help, we really do. But if you distract him by giving the goddess a chance to kill someone he cares about she might gain the upper hand and kill him.” George told them.

  Talking with Christi and her family Peter explained what he knew and what he’d been told. Christi had wanted to go down to help Alec. She couldn’t seem to even make the shields of the two horsemen waver as she cast fire and tried to make the ground split to no avail. She begged and pleaded with them to let her past till she collapsed on the ground crying Alec’s name.

  Alec could feel his well of power slowly empting as he countered each strike of the goddess and attacked with his own. He knew now what the dreams meant; the goddess was truly trying to kill him.

  In a last effort Alec pored everything he had into his staff and swung it around rapidly as the goddess swung at his side. The blade made of fire cut through the air and crashed down on the ice blade snapping it in half. He reversed his swing in an ark and felt resistance as it cut through the side of the goddess. The staff shattered in his hands leaving him holding nothing more than strands of dry smoking wood. A scream rang out that no human could ever hope to match.

  Alec clutched his ears dropping what was left of his staff to the ground as the goddess stumbled back from him and threw what was left of her blade at him. It flew through the air and broke through his internal shield stabbing into his right side. With the blade sticking out of him, he took a step toward the goddess high on adrenaline. Drawing his sword he made ready to finish it.

  “It didn’t have to be like this.” He told her through clenched teeth. He could feel her sword grate against his ribs with every step. “All I ever wanted was to live my life in peace.”

  “Never, you are an abomination.” She said holding her side.

  Alec brought his sword around intent on stopping her. Charging his sword with what little power he still had he fired the blade and it whistled through the air.

  He watched as she vanished before the blade could make contact. The force of the swing carried it to the ground striking the road and snapping the blade at the hilt.

  Alec sank to his knees looking down at the sword sticking out of him. Grasping the hilt of the blade and ignoring both the pain and the coldness of the hilt as he drew it from his body. Delving into his body Alec began repairing the damage done to it. The battle had used all but a sliver of his power.

  When Alec opened his eyes Christi was kneeling on the ground in front of him with her mother behind her. He tried to give her a smile and failed horribly when he passed out face first into her lap.

  Chapter 12

  Alec woke and found himself in his own room at the Morton's. A feeling of self-pity and then anger came over him as his fight with the goddess came back to him, seeing the broken ice blade sitting on top of his dresser. It was early evening by the look of the sky outside his window and Alec decided to let everyone know he had survived and was up.

  Opening his door, he headed for the sitting room figuring they would most likely be there.

  Drawing near the room Alec couldn't help but hear his name in the conversation taking place from within. With his back to the wall next to the door, he could make out what was being said e
asily. George, Jessica, Teresa, Peter and Christi were all in the room trying to talk over one another.

  With a clap of his hands it sounded like George got everyone to quiet down.

  “Jessica and I don't know what we will do. We like Alec well enough but with having the gods themselves after him, it may be too much.” he said.

  “It may only be the one goddess, we don't know if the others are involved, George. Keep that in mind as well as the fact that Christi still hasn't changed hers.” Peter said.

  The discussion went on between them, Peter and Christi saying he was the same person as he was before the goddess had attacked him and Teresa trying to persuade George and Jessica that he endangered them just by being near them let alone marrying into the family.

  Alec had heard enough. He crept back to his room and began to pack his things. It was obvious to him that he had over stayed his welcome now that his very presence was a danger to them.

  With his things secured, he wrote them a note saying he was leaving and that he understood why they would not feel safe with him around. He thanked them for their generosity and friendship, while it lasted. He knew he came off a bit snippy in the note but that was how he felt.

  Writing the second note to Christi took more time. He wanted to make sure she knew he did not blame her for anything and that he loved her. In it he asked her for forgiveness, as he would not be able to marry her without the consent of her parents.

  Slipping into her room through the closet he laid the note on her bed where she would be sure to notice it.

  Alec crept back to the hall by the sitting room and set his pack on the floor next to the staff’s blade. Carefully Alec made his way to the kitchen and grabbed some fruit.

  As he made his way back to his things he heard Jessica say she was going to go check on him. He snatched up his pack quickly and made his way out of the house.