Battle Mage Bonds (Tales of Alus Book 13)

by Donald Wigboldy

  Serrena looked equally annoyed and complained, "I could have supervised her for you. It isn't like I'm not a full fire wizard and I have been working with Sebastian for almost a year besides."

  "Maybe they worried that a hothead like you would ruin an apprentice's hopes to learn properly," the blonde haired fire wizard retorted coolly, though they could all see that the jibe was meant to get under Serrena's skin.

  "Better than having you bore her to death trying to be calm and cool. You're a fire wizard, Haylee, don't pretend like you are a water wizard with ice in your veins," Serrena countered managing to not lose her temper, though the owl guessed that it was because of the fire wizards' dubious past relationship.

  Interjecting quickly before the two women raised the deliberation to insulting each other fully, Sebastian asked, "Are we waiting for a falcon to accompany Xander as well now?"

  Crossing his arms, the cadet replied, "I think Falconi Garrett figured that you were my mentor on this trip."

  "Good, then let's get going if you three are ready?" the owl acknowledged without rising to the question of whether he could be that mentor. He turned back into the cold of the gate courtyard at their nods and readied to cast the next portal that was over halfway to Interus from Fort Delial.

  After they had returned to Hala, he had used his map and his magic to locate the lodestone. Interus wouldn't be quite as easy to find as the previous two cities since it wasn't located on the Aderan River. Though it was the hub of Kardor's eastern defense, the city was actually located a couple days' hard ride to the west of the waterway. From Ashleen's description, he knew that it sat beside a lake and that it fed another river that eventually wandered east to the Aderan.

  Though the city was barely west of Delial on the map, it was far to the north and he had tried to dead reckon his direction without the use of the river. Since it would lead him more east, the mage had tried to save time and found that he had actually veered farther to the west than he had intended.

  He produced the map once more and revealed the point to those newest to his group. "This is our next point. Try running your hand over the spot and feel for the magic," the owl said trying to give Xander a shot at learning gate magic.

  The cadet ran his finger over the point and frowned. "It just feels like paper."

  Pulling another lodestone from his pouch, Sebastian held it out to the boy. "Close your eyes and touch the lodestone. Once you sense the feel of the magic, you might be able to feel the corresponding magic from the mark."

  Doing as he was told, Xander touched the stone and after a long wait the cadet tried running his finger over the map. With a frown wrinkling his brow, the cadet tried to feel the echo of the power on the paper. Sebastian knew that by using magic and the map he could feel across the miles as if the mark on the paper bridged the gap of well over a thousand miles.

  "I'm not sure that I feel it," the boy confessed. "I can tell that there is something there on the paper, but how am I supposed to feel the lodestone you left in Kardor?"

  Wizard Haylee interrupted and said, "Let Shaylene try. If you want me to believe that she is here to test if this is a line of magic she can do, then she should try it as well."

  Nodding at the idea, Sebastian led Shaylene the same way. It wasn't a skill that any of the wizards had mastered so far, however, so the owl had little expectation for either of them. Map magic in tandem with the portals seemed to be limited to the owl alone, but if he was going to see if Xander had the same potential then it was worth a shot.

  To their surprise, Shaylene's finger moved while her eyes were closed and stopped on the first point, Atellan. The girl opened her eyes and looked a bit disappointed.

  "Oh, I got it wrong, but I thought that was the spot," the fire apprentice said with a frown.

  Shaking his head, Sebastian informed her, "That is the one left outside Atellan. Can you feel the mark and the stone in the distance also?"

  The girl closed her eyes and nodded slowly.

  "Slide your finger to the left looking for the next point."

  Only a little over an inch away on paper, Shaylene's finger moved up and to the left stopping on Fort Delial. "Here," the girl said and opened her eyes. "That's where we were yesterday?"

  He nodded.

  Without his prompting, the apprentice moved her hand upward until she found the last mark. Once again she opened her eyes and glanced at the battle mage. "Does this mean that I can use gate magic too?"

  "Well, you can find the markers, so it does seem promising. Most of the wizards who can make portals can't use the map as a physical link at all. They do it from memory and feel. If you can find the marks so easily, there is certainly potential," he finished with a smile for the girl.

  Putting the map away, Sebastian led his new students through three of the ways to make a gate. The first was how a pair of captured warlocks explained that they had been taught to learn the magic. They couldn't create portals, but knew the concept and words used by the warlocks of the Dark One. After teaching everything that the two had known, Sebastian and his team had worked alongside the warlocks to send them home. It had been the first use of the magic for Sebastian and those with him.

  The second way was handed to the wizards of Southwall from High Wizard Darius. The wizard from Eirdhen had closed gates and tears in the space between worlds for hundreds of years. Using that knowledge he had reverse engineered a couple gates in Windmeer and was able to build upon it. He had sent out lodestones to most of the northern cities of Southwall to set up the first simple gates.

  Last was Sebastian's simply worded mage spell. The words focused his mind on the task, but what happened in his mind as he worked his magic was more complex than most wizards realized.

  Not wanting to waste too much time when they still needed to reach Interus and hoped to do it by midday if possible, Sebastian had his newest followers watch with their magically enhanced senses as he opened the next gate. Diving through the silver world, it was only slightly surprising to find swirling snow on the other side. Sebastian thought that it was even colder than in White Hall, which could be attributed to being even further north than the school.

  He and Ashleen called up their windshields to block the snow to avoid getting as wet and expanded them outward enough to cover anyone within about fifteen feet of them, even so he watched as Shaylene's hands moved to hold her upper arms as she started to shiver. The mage looked around them taking in an open valley extending out for miles to the east and west with few trees or bushes to block his view. To the north a hill rose up dotted with trees that extended outward creating a forest made up of northern pines and other rugged trees that had likely been seeded by birds in the past.

  "We could push for the trees over there. It would give some cover and maybe cut some of the wind," the owl said gesturing to the north. Though the hill was also in the direction that he must go to find Interus, walking that distance would also take longer than using his mind in flight.

  The snow was built up crunching under their feet even as it dragged against his boots. Wizard robes and dresses became mired in the thick snow as the little group moved to adjust their position before deciding on the hill.

  "You plan to stand out in the cold all day?" Haylee questioned in complaint as the fire wizard appeared almost as uncomfortable as her student. The woman wore a heavy red coat that reached to mid thigh, but the hem of her heavy winter dress was already turning white as snow clung to the cloth.

  Wondering if his stool would be tall enough to keep him out of the snow if he didn't clear an area; Sebastian tried to use humor to defuse her distaste, "Well, you can stand. I plan to sit on a stool in the cold. On the other hand, if I can find Interus without too much trouble; we might be sitting in a castle for lunch."

  Haylee didn't look comforted at all, but the woman put on a calm face, even though Sebastian thought that her eyes continued to judge. "So we came to study and learn, how will we do that with you gone?"

  Holding
up his hand to pat the air, the mage replied, "Ashleen can help Xander with learning his air magic while Elzen and Serrena know enough about portal magic to at least try to lead you through it. I have a couple ideas that might make it easier; but if we hope to make it to Interus quickly, I will need to separate my mind for it this morning at least."

  Elzen had been surveying the valley and trees to the north with his mage's vision spell while they talked. Though the mage didn't mind the snow, he suggested, "Can't you just open a gate with your line of sight and set us on the hill or by the trees anyway?"

  Nodding, Sebastian agreed, "It would certainly save us some time, if everyone prefers that idea."

  With more and more women in his group now, who were smaller and slimmer than the male mages with less meat on them to insulate against the cold, their voices united agreeing with the idea of getting off of the open plain quickly. Feeling that Shaylene might have the strongest affinity for the magic, Sebastian tried to lead the girl through his spell again. This time the owl helped her move her hands in the gestures Darius had used as a wizard to create his form of the portal. After a minute, the mage opened a gate while Shaylene placed her hand on his shoulder using her wizard's senses attached to him to feel his use of his spell.

  The group moved through the silver world once more alleviating the cold for just that moment before returning to Kardor's winter snowfall.

  After Ashleen cleared a large circle with her wind magic, Sebastian pulled out his stool and sat for another turn on the wind. The enjoyment of flying through the air wasn't the same as moving with the currents, but challenging himself to push harder was equally interesting to the owl mage. He lifted from his body to look down on his team as they started to work on teaching the newest members the magic that they were along to learn.

  A circle had formed in the middle of the freshly fallen snow. Only a few feet away, there were drifts built against trees and brush nearing the height of the female wizards. Like a snow fort, Ashleen felt much more protected than out in the open in the valley below them.

  Unfortunately as she drew Xander to one side to help the cadet with his air magic training, it looked like they had more to fear inside the circle than out as Serrena and Haylee eyed each other. The fire wizards paired off while Elzen tried to help Shaylene with the forms and feel of portal magic.

  "So how are you supposed to teach me anything?" Haylee questioned in a tone as cold as the air around them.

  "I may be a few months younger than you, but I have been around Sebastian a lot longer. Even if I haven't been able to open a full size gate, I have managed to make a window open," Serrena spoke from the cover of a red hood that was pulled up over her auburn colored hair.

  Two square frames sat on the ground about six feet apart. They had been pulled out by Sebastian and had once been used as demonstration devices for his original theory for the protected portal gates. Now the two frames would be the focus of those trying to discover if they could use gate magic.

  Folding her arms unconvinced, Haylee retorted, "I can cast a few minor nature spells. That doesn't make me a nature wizard and I wouldn't try to teach it. Just because you hang around the mage, doesn't mean you can duplicate his magic or you would be casting portals by yourself.

  "Speaking of which, have you figured out where he has discovered his unusual power?"

  Frowning at the woman, Serrena complained, "You insult my skill and now you ask about Sebastian's power? He has figured out wizard magic and other lines Southwall never had. Why can't you respect that? Is it just because you can't see the worthiness of a battle mage?"

  The other woman's eyes narrowed and seeming to ignore the questions she countered, "Surely having been with him this long you have noticed his aura isn't that of a normal battle mage or have your eyes become so cloudy because you see too much in battle mages like this one?"

  Inclining her head towards Elzen, who had paused in his efforts to teach Shaylene as the two couldn't ignore the contentious nature of the argument between the fire wizards, she made the source of her question clear.

  "Elzen is talented as well. He can heal and cast a lot of Sebastian's spells. As to Sebastian's aura, of course I have noticed that he has grown stronger; but he seems to change when necessary and doesn't maintain the same level at all times. I am not sure how or why, but I think it is one of the things that he hasn't shared publicly. Again I do not know why he would hide his secret, but that is his option; just as teaching you is mine and I suddenly don't feel like it anymore," she finished folding her arms defying the other woman.

  Sniffing at the air contemptuously, Haylee refuted her claim and said, "I doubt that you could teach me anything anyway."

  Elzen moved towards the women looking unusually unsure of himself and interjected, "If it would be easier, I could work with Haylee instead."

  "No, Haylee thinks too much of herself to bother listening to either of us apparently. She was always too full of herself back when we were students also, so it isn't that surprising. Ignore her, Elzen, and just help Shaylene. She at least seems to understand that being a battle mage doesn't mean someone is less worthwhile than a wizard."

  As the mage backed up uncertainly, Haylee glanced from one to the other and back. Her face suddenly lit up with clarity and a look of disapproval was clear to see. "Now I get it. You and... this mage... tell me that you haven't fallen for him. Not only is he a battle mage, he should be too young for you; but I suppose that you never have grown up."

  Having had enough, Serrena lost her temper and cast a spell like a battle mage, "Fireball!"

  Haylee sprawled onto the ground rolling into the snow to avoid being hit, though Elzen could tell that it was just a warning shot. At that distance, Serrena wouldn't have missed without choosing to miss.

  "How dare you!" Haylee snarled trying to pick herself out of the snow. "You can't take the truth, can you?"

  Fire formed around the woman's hands even as she stood. Whether it would be hurled as a ball or as a stream of fire, Elzen didn't know but the mage moved between them even as he channeled his power into the runes on his arm. Trusting in Serrena not to strike him in the back, the young man created a shield in front of him to stop the other fire wizard.

  Shaylene was left open mouthed and confused as to what she should do. Just an apprentice, it wasn't typical of one of her level to dare try to get in the middle of two warring, full wizards.

  A new female voice called out demandingly, "If you two have to fight; then do it further down the hill. You'll likely hit one of us or Sebastian at the rate you two hotheads are going."

  Ashleen stood with her fists on her hips looking like a mother scolding her naughty children. The lightning wizard had sensed the conflict between the fire wizards and had a feeling that it was a long standing quarrel, even if they had managed some civil conversations at times. Even then, there had been something simmering under the surface.

  "Another battle mage lover," Haylee stated with distaste. "At least she chose an unusual one that might be capable of being a wizard also."

  "That does it," Serrena snarled before trying to leap at the other woman's throat. Unfortunately for the wizard, she couldn't get around Elzen who reacted calmly turning to catch the smaller woman around the waist lifting her off the ground hugging her to his chest even as she squirmed trying to get free. His rune shield remained where it was while Serrena complained, "Let me go, Elzen. You heard her. She's still enough of a fool to think the level of her magic gives her the right to look down on those with less. Let me show her how battle mage magic really works. Maybe then she'll learn or I can just burn her to a crisp."

  Haylee scoffed, "That is just like you; always trying to solve problems with violence. You probably do belong with a battle mage. They're taught to fight to settle things also after all."

  Looking like she might agree with Serrena, Ashleen took a deep breath even as she became thankful that she hadn't been raised into magic alongside these two. "You would be better
off showing her that being a partner to a battle mage has made you better instead. Even Shaylene seems to understand that a good man, whether he is a soldier, mage or wizard, is more important than whether he can cast a spell at all."

  Ashleen took one of the locking gates and moved it in front Serrena. "If she doesn't believe that you can teach her anything, then prove it now."

  Stopping her struggling, though her scowl for the other wizard remained on her face; Serrena was released by Elzen who sighed with relief. The fire wizard said through gritted teeth, "Fine!"

  Mimicking the motions of Darius for her example, the fire wizard finished by gesturing towards the frame. It took a moment longer before golden light rippled and began to strengthen in the targeted practice window. Serrena's face proved that she was struggling with the spell, since the fire wizard could barely access this kind of magic. She understood it in theory, but even her best attempts had never strengthened her familiarity enough to get any better at it. Light flickered in the second frame, but never solidified enough to make a usable gate.

  The wizard let the spell go and declared for Haylee, "See, I told you I know the spell well enough. The magic just tends to slither out of my grasp too much for me to make strong doorways."

  Haylee didn't look that impressed, but Ashleen was looking at Elzen and Serrena as a pair before suggesting, "Can you try sharing power with Elzen for him to try it?"

  Suddenly the object of their attention, Ashleen wasn't surprised when the couple exchanged looks before nodding without needing to speak. She knew that they were close, though the little blonde wasn't certain that their relationship was one that would last. They were a little too different of mind to make an easy pairing, but the girl wasn't one to judge such things either.

  Placing her hand on his shoulder, Serrena extended her aura from her body into the battle mage. Sharing power made Elzen capable of wizard level spells, yet he chose the single word casting that Sebastian used to work the magic, "Door."