"An attempt to leave the city sent me to another point that was set up similarly."
"Why were you even there, falcon? No one sent you, did they?" Falconi Ralto attacked his decisions as demandingly as the man from Windmeer had the first time that they had met.
"I made a promise to those I had to leave behind that I would return and try to save them. Attacking Ensolus was a longer distraction than I had known that it would be, but with the Dark One dead, I believed that I could get in before those held in New Harbor's dungeons had even more time to suffer. If they have enough time, I am afraid that Count Terris' wizards and the help from agents of the Dark One might have a way to magically set their minds against King Alain and Southwall."
Again it was Ralto who asked, "Why did you go alone? A larger force might have broken their defenses. You are just one mage. You should know better than to run off on your own without anyone's knowledge.
"From what I have heard, this wasn't the first time you were in New Harbor and in trouble. King Alain was drawn into it even drawing unwanted attention to our corps in a way that makes us look inept. Wizards, including a high wizard from another country, were needed to track you down in the city."
Frowning at the man, Sebastian replied curtly, "I wasn't there by choice that time. I was kidnapped by people that were supposed to be loyal to Southwall. If you wish to try and use that incident against me, then I'll remind you that I extricated myself without their help even if they did come looking for me."
"That doesn't mean that you weren't a distraction that put many people at risk," the falconi continued to wear at him like he was a dog chewing a bone.
"One could also say that they were butting in without being asked then, couldn't they?" the owl countered fighting his annoyance at the other mage.
Once more Raven Leros stepped in to try and sooth the situation before the falconi could retort. "You were missing. Ashleen and your team came to us worried that you were in trouble, Owl Sebastian; so that isn't entirely true. You are also a very important part of the corps. We didn't want to risk you coming to harm."
Raven Daleyr sounded off as the elder raven stopped talking. "You've taken to calling the boy an owl. One would expect a little more wisdom out of him. Falconi Ralto isn't wrong. You risked yourself on your own when you need to remember that you are part of Southwall's military. We don't just run off on unofficial missions whenever we want to, young man."
Squinting as if weighing the raven's words, Sebastian refused to be cowed by the man as he responded, "Each guardian city acts independent of the others. Every trip north of the wall scouting requires those sent to act independently to accomplish the parts of the mission that might be altered by the circumstances they come across there.
"You said that we have to do our duty when a raven calls on us, but you don't own us. We are free men once we have fulfilled our contracted years of service, so our free time is our own in fact. The problem is I can go places others can't in an instant with this magic, so now you want to restrict me when it was my independence that gave Southwall the opening into Ensolus also."
"That is different," Daleyr argued before anyone else could say anything though there appeared to be others ready to say something similar.
"It is different only because my portals were useful to the cause after the fact," Sebastian stated interrupting the man before he could say more. He released a sigh for effect and continued, "You say that I should have brought a team or maybe you'd rather someone else went in my stead, but who else can? Would you send a wizard? We lost one in Ensolus before I could get free of New Harbor.
"A wizard can't fight as well as a battle mage on his own and you know that."
That brought a few nods and smiles at the idea. Battle mages had been making new strides in lifting above the rejection pile that full wizards had seemed to put them in because of their level of magical power. Of course, most of the strides made in elevating his corps had come from Sebastian also.
"Unfortunately, no other battle mage can create portals on their own at this time, so how can I delegate such an attempt to any of them? You want me to sit back and do nothing when I am the only one capable of doing this particular thing, so how can you tell me that my actions aren't my responsibility to take?"
If Raven Daleyr had been sitting, Sebastian had a feeling that he would have stood. A couple of falconi sat forward in their chairs and the owl guessed that they were likely the raven's assistants. Daleyr looked to be getting angry at the younger mage's insolence. Why Sebastian had suddenly chosen to question these men when they were all gathered together even he was uncertain, but once his grievance had started to be released it seemed like he needed to be clear that he wasn't willing to be the raven's pawn as Daleyr appeared to want him to be.
"Now you want to disparage your fellow mages?" Ralto questioned appearing to want to look through the young man for his answer.
Sebastian's gaze turned to Raven Leros. He could see a weariness to the man that he couldn't remember seeing before and began to understand why the raven was stepping down as leader of their corps. His look almost begged Leros to step in and answer the questioning tones of these other men.
"I don't believe I was disparaging anyone, falconi," Sebastian replied turning his attention back to the man. "I merely state the fact that not one of you can do it. If you've learned the spell and can do it, then feel free to show us and I will retract my statement."
After a pause where no one could say differently, the owl mage sighed once more. "Perhaps if I am unable to make this organization happy with my actions, then I should retire from it. I have served the required years and don't need the money most of our mages remain in the military to get to retire, so maybe if our goals no longer align I should take my leave as a falcon or owl or whatever title you prefer that I have."
That suggestion did bring most of the men to their feet and some couldn't keep a sickly look from their faces. Raven Leros almost seemed to have been waiting for such a thing to be said as he responded, "I don't think anyone here wants you leave the corps, Owl Sebastian."
His special title remained in his mentor's address to him on purpose, the owl thought trying not to exchange a conspiratorial look with Leros.
"Perhaps it is my injuries that are making me irritable and have me questioning my place here," Sebastian said trying to smooth over the worries he had made certain to place in the minds of these men. He loved Southwall, but over the last year he had felt less and less appreciated for what he was than for what they wanted to take from him. His knowledge of magic had grown drastically and no one else in the corps had found a similar ability to learn it seemed. They all wanted to know what he did and wanted more spells. He had given away much of what he knew, but even then much of what he could do remained solely his to do. "I have been considering extending our gate magic to Kardor, sir," the mage directed the unofficial question to Raven Leros. "Do you think King Alain would approve of giving one of our few allies that don't have portals the magic? We could help them and move between countries letting the kings exchange ideas quickly if nothing else."
The raven replied, "I can send the king your suggestion..."
Daleyr shook his head and overruled the retiring raven. "You are retiring Leros. The new raven of Hala should be chosen and begin to work with our king, don't you think?"
Releasing a slow breath, the elder raven's eyes held on the other man for a moment before saying, "If it is the will of our gathered ravens, perhaps we should let Owl Sebastian go while we work on appointing my replacement here as well as deciding on the next raven to join the ranks."
A quick round of agreement from the other ravens brought Leros' attention to Sebastian and he nodded his dismissal saying, "Then I guess that you are no longer needed here at the moment, Owl. Get some rest and recover from your injuries soon."
Sebastian took in the temperature of the room quickly before nodding a salute to the older man and turned to walk to the door. Letting him
self out, the owl noted those who he had worked with in the guardian cities. Other than Leros, he thought Stallis and Liom were on his side as well. Kracis might be also, but the raven of Falcon's Keep had let Falconi Saren deal with the falcons day to day more often than he had. Saren, Brelan and Neven all looked equally worried by his thought of quitting the corps. He had worked with all three of the falconis at one point or another and got along with them well.
Thinking of the looks Falconi Ralto and Raven Daleyr had given him, Sebastian guessed that they didn't want him to quit either; but they wished that he would just fall in line and do what they wanted of him. No mage likely would want him to quit, but he knew that he wasn't a great teacher. He had supplied the wizards and mages with people that he taught his spells to as he discovered them. Not every piece of magic appeared easily used by either faction, but his knowledge had been recorded. It wouldn't die with him like much of the magic of the past when wizards horded spells and only passed them on to a lucky few apprentices.
When he left the castle and walked out the final door, the cold seemed to embrace the mage for his walk back to the Black Smith Inn.
The round table held six chairs, but only four were being used for now. Sebastian sat with Ashleen who looked concerned. Another battle mage, Elzen, his long time friend going back to his days as a cadet in White Hall and the fire wizard, Serrena, who was an equally good friend though he had known her for a much shorter time, used the other two chairs.
"I hope you didn't tell them that you were thinking of quitting because of me," the pretty blond stated anxiously after Sebastian had told his friends of the meeting. "I told you that I am fine with being wherever you are. Seeing my family in Interus would be nice, but it isn't the most important thing that I want."
Elzen shook his head and added, "That isn't like you to lose your temper like that."
The younger mage glanced at Serrena as he said his piece making the fire wizard frown. "Why are you looking at me like that? I didn't make him do that either!" she snapped making Elzen suddenly start to laugh.
Ignoring the two, Sebastian addressed Ashleen's worry first, "Raven Leros has always had my back and given me some leeway to follow my instincts. I went to Ensolus through Palose's old portal giving Southwall a foot in the door to destroy the Dark One for example.
"Depending on who they make the head raven, things might change drastically. I am willing to serve Southwall's interests. I even want to, but they might tie my hands limiting what I can do and need to do. The white wizards and many of the mages have wanted to force me to just teach in White Hall, but I can't see spending the rest of my career doing that either.
"I also worry who will be the eighth raven. It could be someone like Ralto."
Elzen seemed to understand that worry the most. "He's competent in battle, but..."
"Raven Daleyr and Ralto seem cut from the same cloth. I don't know if I could make myself work for either of them just from the little I have seen of them both, even Raven Kracis needed Saren as a buffer to run Falcon's Keep. The current crop of leaders seems to be turning against what Leros has been doing for years."
Ashleen looked a little confused and asked, "Even as leaders they answer to the king and his generals; don't they? Alain likes you too much to let them try to bully you into something that would keep you trapped like that."
Sighing at his worry over the possible change in direction for the corps, Sebastian smiled and said, "Well, we could get lucky and maybe Stallis will be appointed. He and Liom won't be sharing Windmeer after this, I am sure.
"Well, whatever they decide, we shouldn't spend all day being depressed by what we can't control. Maybe it would be a good day to get out of the city and maybe the cold. I do have portal magic and they can't keep me here when I am on injury leave after all."
He noticed Elzen still looking preoccupied. "What are you thinking about?" Sebastian asked curiously.
"If you are for some reason banned from going where you want, I find myself continuing to wonder about what is going on in Ensolus."
Serrena gave him a disbelieving look. "That is what you are wondering? Who cares? The emperor was destroyed. Much of his city is broken and they will be forced to repair their towers just to get in and out. Add in the fact that they are stuck in winter making any repairs harder and uncomfortable, I don't think they will be any trouble for a long while."
"I'm not worried about them trying to get back at us," Elzen said meeting her disbelief with surprising calm. "They threw their inexperienced young wizards against us as their front line as if they didn't care if they died. They were just supposed to wear our people down and draw fire.
"Men like that won't care about the people of the city, whether they suffer or not. With a power vacuum there, we could see more of the same or a complete shift in their thinking also; but I worry if it will only become worse for the innocent people trapped inside that cave."
Sebastian considered that Ensolus had the same potential for good or bad as the change of the head raven could have, though he hoped Southwall wouldn't suffer for it the way the Dark One's people might.
"Well, thanks a lot, Elzen," Serrena complained. "Now you've depressed us again. Bas what were you thinking to do to break us out of this gloomy talk?"
Giving a quick laugh at the wizard's typical impetuousness, he replied, "Well, I was thinking of using a portal to Ravenhurst actually."
At their confused looks for the westernmost of the guardian cities, the owl began to explain.
Chapter 10- Ravenhurst
As usual it took a moment for the mage's vision to clear after traveling through the gateway. His reward for clarity was the green colored granite making up the tall walls around him. Sebastian wasn't alone for this trip. Ashleen, Elzen and Serrena stood waiting for their senses to fully catch up to the world around them also, though there was little to see aside from the three walls and the glowing portal around them. Towers lifted above the walkways fifteen feet above the ground in the hopes that even the largest beasts of the Dark One would be unable to reach the defenders waiting in the cold for an invasion that might never come.
Letting the glowing portal wink out of sight, the courtyard seemed to suddenly open up to let the mage peer through the large opening he had helped create months ago before the attack on Ensolus had occurred. Even if no warlocks had tested their defenses, the owl believed that it was still wise to protect the points in each city. His personal gate set up in his room even had traps set for anyone that didn't correspond to his use of magic.
The mage figured that, if he could use a map to coordinate opening a gate, so could someone else. Sebastian just didn't want that someone to be the enemy leading an attack on an unsuspecting city.
"Owl Sebastian?" a man questioned upon seeing the visitors to Ravenhurst. "Was there another visit scheduled? Have you changed something with the security gate?"
A wizard dressed warmly in his brown winter gear still looked cold as he stood with a small contingent of mages and soldiers. In addition to the towers and men waiting on the walkways above, these would have been there to prevent any enemies who released their gate spell before their attack had been destroyed.
"It wasn't anything scheduled... Wizard Alvas," Sebastian assured the man as he worked to recall the wizard's name. The man was one of those who had also learned gate magic in Hala. His ability had led the man to be transferred to the westernmost guardian city where he worked to find others with the ability and worked the gates with a couple other portal wizards. "In fact, we're just passing through Ravenhurst."
Looking confused, Alvas clarified his bewilderment as he asked, "Passing through to where? Ravenhurst is both the furthest city north and west in Southwall. Continue west and you'll need to swim," the wizard assured the owl with a smile.
Ashleen gave the wizard a quizzical look and reminded the man, "Southwall isn't the only country on the continent. Kardor lies both north and west, you know."
Perhaps Alvas remem
bered Ashleen was Kardorian, or maybe he didn't; but the man nodded before apologizing, "I am sorry if I slighted Kardor. It is just unusual for anyone to come to Ravenhurst with plans to go beyond the wall. The stories say that the Dark One is dead though, so perhaps one day we will see more towns and cities to the north."
"That would be a good day, though even without the Dark One alive, I would hazard that it will be a long time before the lands north of the wall will be safe enough for that," Sebastian said looking a little disappointed. Since the fall of the emperor, the mage had been restricted from visiting the enemy city. There were still spies left there, but Hala had only sent wizards there of late. They used new portal stones to get there, but he had been removed from the loop.
Maybe he should listen to Elzen and use his free time to return to Ensolus once more to see how things had changed with the removal of the Dark One. Going to Ensolus risked his being in danger, however, and if his body still wasn't recovered fully that might mean his death or capture if he was discovered. His testing of his limits with the cadets proved that he still had a little way to go before his abdomen would fully mend.
With little more to be said, the four moved out of the containment area and walked into the castle at the heart of the city's defenses. The gate was a potential risk being so close to its center, but Sebastian hoped that their precautions would keep it from ever being used against them. With Ensolus in turmoil, he thought that Southwall would be safe for a time at least from a direct assault.
Finding a quiet room with a table nearby, the mage took a rolled map and placed it on the top before spreading it out before them. Using stones kept there for paperweights, the four were able to look at a map showing western Southwall and Kardor all the way to the Delester River marking the nation's northern, natural boundary. Kardor's unofficial borders were the rivers preventing the emperor's forces from easy crossings. Forts guarded the water along the east and north spreading Kardor's forces a bit thin perhaps, but the country had always been less of a focus than their ally which had taken the brunt of the Dark One's ire for centuries.
Battle Mage Bonds (Tales of Alus Book 13) Page 12