“You may begin to wonder, as many of my men already have, what it is we are doing. What is our goal? I will divulge that information when the time comes, but that time is not yet upon us. For now, we build up our forces and equipment. My officers and drill instructors will now show you where you will bunk, where you will eat, where you will relieve yourselves, and then take you through some drills. They will educate you on our rules and regulations. I strongly suggest you give them your utmost attention. Your lives will depend on it. Fall out!”
General Baneford left his new recruits, an even fifty in all, and headed for his tent, eagerly anticipating a good glass of wine. The two guards standing by the tent entrance snapped to attention as he approached and rendered sharp salutes. The General returned the salutes, threw back the tent flap, and walked into the shadowy interior.
He crossed the tent to a small cabinet sitting upon a field table and opened the ornately carved wooden doors. The cabinet held twelve bottles of wine ranging from good to extraordinary. It was the one piece of loot he secured for himself when they sacked Langdon’s Crossing. There were also twelve crystal goblets secured to the inside of the doors. He plucked one from its holder and selected a rich red wine from the rack. He turned around and let both fall to the ground as his hands scrambled for his sword.
“Relax, General, you are amongst friends. Had I wished you harm, you would most assuredly be dead already,” a black-robed figure informed him.
The General gritted his teeth as he looked down at the man lounging comfortably in his chair. A foolish or weak-minded man in the General’s position would either quake in fear or rant at the man who seemingly just appeared in his tent. Baneford was neither one nor would he would act like it.
He slammed the half-drawn blade back into its sheath, bent over, and retrieved the dropped glass and bottle of wine. Fortunately, the ground beneath the floor mat was mostly sand, and neither the dropped glass nor the wine bottle had broken. The General withdrew another goblet from the wine rack for his uninvited guest.
The man was of average height and build, middle-aged, and tanned as if he had spent a great deal of his life outdoors. At second look, Baneford found the man’s age difficult to pin down. He could have looked good at sixty or be a burned out thirty year old. The hood of his light robes covered his hair, but his eyebrows were chestnut with perhaps a few strands of grey, and he smelled like a crypt—dry, stale, and dusty.
“If you’ll get your scrawny arse outta my chair we can sit and have a drink while you tell me what the hell you’re doing sneaking into my tent.”
He would not show fear, and he would not throw a tantrum, but by gods, he would let this man know that he was a guest and that he would not be intimidated or disrespected. If the man was insulted, he certainly did not show it.
“I can see why you had a falling out with your duke,” the man chuckled as he took a new seat in one of the other chairs.
General Baneford took his chair and blew the dust out of his goblet before filling both with wine. “Why do say that?”
The man accepted the goblet he was offered and took a sip before answering, inclining his hand in approval at the bouquet. “You are too principled, too professional. You demand a certain amount of respect, and unlike most men with a small amount of power, you deserve it.”
Baneford grunted noncommittally as he enjoyed his wine. “You know I no longer work for the Duke, so what is it you think I can do for you?”
“It is far more a matter of what I can do for you, depending upon what your intent is when you complete Dundalor’s armor.”
Baneford did not prod; he would not appear needy in front of this man. He refilled his goblet and waited for the man to continue. The dark-garbed wizard smiled in acknowledgement of the General’s skill in playing this kind of game. Most military men were buffoons and braggarts, strutting around in their steel shells. It made him feel far more comfortable in dealing with this man.
“What are your plans once you complete the armor?”
“If I complete the armor. At this point I have little interest.”
“If? Most men would spend their entire lives; sacrifice everything they have to complete the set. Are you saying you are different?”
Baneford shrugged. “I am not most men. I have spent, I do not use the word wasted only with great control, almost seven years of my life and the entire lives of several of my men searching for the damn pieces. The suit is powerful as it is even without the helm and boots. It will do.”
“But with the entire set you could gain the throne with the church’s support, and I may be in a position to assist you in that,” the man replied tantalizingly.
The General leaned forward in his chair and looked the enigmatic man in the eye. “I imagine dangling a carrot like that in front of most any man would have him drooling and following you wherever you led him. Unfortunately, for you, I hate carrots. I’m more of a meat and potatoes kind of guy.”
“Actually, it is quite fortunate for both of us. My colleagues and I would not have supported your claim. I was simply interested in your reaction. Had you answered otherwise, I may have slain you right here and now and taken the armor off your corpse.”
“Hm, and to think my ex-wife thought my lack of ambition would be my downfall,” Baneford replied dryly.
“So what is it you want, General? Complete the suit for us and we will grant you anything within our power, and our power is vast.”
“It really doesn’t matter,” General Baneford replied. “Like I said, I spent too many years and too many lives chasing this damn thing. I won’t do it anymore.”
“Ah, but you will not have to. I can almost hand deliver the two remaining pieces. I know precisely where they are. All you have to do is pick them up.”
“You know, my mother warned me about things that seemed too easy—and she was a prostitute.”
The black-robed man smiled his thin, almost lipless smile. “I will show you on a map where the item is located. I am also going to get word to a band of adventurers that the King seems to have adopted as some kind of pets. You will prepare an ambush for them, kill them, and then I will tell you where the remaining piece is located.”
General Baneford poured another glass of wine for himself and emptied the bottle into the wizard’s goblet. He was certain this man was a wizard. He reeked of magic and foul sorceries.
“And once I have the suit completed, then what? I hand it over to you?”
“Precisely. In exchange, I will reward you handsomely. What do you wish; gold, jewels, another set of magical armor?” he asked.
“I suppose you are turning the set over to Duke Ulric?” the General stated with a frown.
“I think not. Ulric had his chance and he blew it. He is running about enacting his own plans to seize the throne. If he succeeds, we may still support him, but we are finished with aiding him. We will keep the suit in reserve should he prove to be unstable or unable to ensure our own goals are met.”
“What of my goals? This armor is my key to accomplishing them, or at least a fundamental part.”
“Do you know what I see, General? I see a devoted and capable officer who rode off with several thousand pieces of gold and at least a hundred troops, all of which had belonged to what is arguably the most powerful and feared duke in the kingdom. I see a general who led a most impressive raid against a wealthy trading town, has recruited new men, and is now training them,” the wizard stated, looking in the direction of the new soldiers that had just started drill exercises. “That leads me to believe that you are not totally without ambitions. Am I right, General?”
“You have been well informed I see. I would say your observations are close to the mark,” the General allowed.
“It would appear to me that you are building up an army of your own. Now, I do not see you as a mercenary nor an ordinary bandit or raider. You have a larger goal in mind, one with a purpose and a future. I propose exchanging a powerful magical suit of armor fo
r you and slightly less powerful but still respectable suits for your officers. I may even be able to throw in some nice weapons as well. How would that do for your goals?”
General Baneford scratched at his day’s growth of stubble and looked at the wizard thoughtfully. “I suppose I might be willing to part with it. You show me what you have, including weapons, and if I find it acceptable, you can have Dundalor’s armor. To be honest with you, as invulnerable as it is, I can’t live in it and I don’t need every wannabe king or overlord at my back every time I turn around.”
“You are a wise man, General. A rarity in most sword slingers I have known. The Duke was a fool to dismiss you. I shall get you your arms and armor.”
The wizard had the General lay out his finest maps and showed him where he would find the boots that comprised part of the armor.
“It is in an ancient temple built into the side of a mountain and dedicated to all four major gods. I do not know whom or what may inhabit the temple now. I can only tell you that the priests who once roamed the vast halls are long dead and have turned to dust.”
General Baneford nodded. “I will work out the details once I am on site.”
“Excellent, General, I should have your arms and armor by the time you complete this mission.”
The black-clad wizard stood and spoke a series of arcane words. A shimmering rip seemed to open in the side of the tent, but the land beyond it was not within the confines of the camp. The portal snapped shut the instant that the wizard stepped through, leaving the canvas wall just as it had been.
General Baneford breathed a sigh of relief once the wizard was gone. Despite his calm exterior, the wizard had made him very uncomfortable with his sudden appearance and departure. Even if he were not a man of his word, he would not think of double-crossing the wizard. It was obvious that the man was part of a larger organization and, as much as he disliked spellcasters, he could not help but respect their power. He opened the wine rack, grabbed himself another bottle, and sat back down for another drink.
***
Azerick sat down at the dining table with everyone who provided some kind of training, which made for a full table with some even standing. He had been able to hire a few more scholars to teach basic education, thus freeing up Rusty and Allister to focus strictly on the magical training for those students who possessed greater aptitude.
“Rusty, Allister, Simon, you are all in charge while I am gone. I want no expense spared in getting the wall finished. Hire as many workers as you can. I also want a full complement of arms and armor purchased from any source you can find. Rusty, Magus Allister, I want you to focus your teachings on applied magic. I want every student to be able to cast spells at least at the journeyman level in the next couple of months. We can focus on magical theory and history later.
“I also want you two to start penning scrolls that the students can use in case of emergencies. The spells need to focus on defending the keep and repelling attackers. I want to start running guard mounts. There should be at least six during the day and twelve at night. The magus students can cast light spells around the outer wall, buildings, and street intersections.
“Alex, Jansen, Ewen, and Zeke, I want you to start drilling more on specific arms proficiency, particularly crossbows, but don’t neglect the longbow too much. As you know, crossbow proficiency is good at repelling invaders and is much quicker to learn, but we need the range of the longbows as well. Educate the martial students on performing guard duties and repelling a siege. Include the magus students in siege training as well. Formulate battle tactics that will optimize the inclusion of magic users with the soldiers.”
No one spoke as Azerick rattled out his instructions, each holding his or her questions until he was finished speaking. When he finally paused, Rusty was the first one to speak.
“Azerick, do you really think we are going to come under attack? These are not soldiers. They are children. Don’t you think you are overreacting just a bit?”
Azerick gave his friend a hard look. “Rusty, an assassin came into the keep, our home, and tried to kill me. What if he had been after you or your wife and babes? Every home I have had I lost because someone took it from me and killed those I cared for in the process. I will not lose my home again without a fight. This is also the only real home these children have and, if you ask them, I guarantee that most of them will fight to keep it as well. I do not know the full intent of the assassin. I do not know who sent him. I know that my father was killed because of some artifact smuggling, and the conspiracy followed me to The Academy. If they are linked, then I am going to find out and end it once and for all.
“There are marauding bands of raiders sacking and pillaging towns to the south and word has it they are slowly working north. I have recently learned that Brightridge supported Jarvin and is now without leadership. North Haven also supports our current king. Perhaps the assassinations at Brightridge were a coincidence, but I will not bet my or my students’ lives on it. I pray to the gods that these kids will never have to know what it is like to have to kill a man to defend themselves and their home, but I will not have them unprepared to do so if the time comes.”
“Well at least let me go with you,” Rusty insisted. “I may not have had your trial by fire, but I am not the clumsy student you knew in school.”
Azerick looked his friend in the eye. “Rusty, there is no one I would rather have at my back than you. You proved yourself when you saved my hide the night I fled the school, but this is going to be far more dangerous and, more importantly, I need you to help prepare these students. I do not know how long I will be gone, and I do not know where I will have to travel or whom I will face. Your place is here with your wife, babes, and these students. I am counting on you.”
Rusty nodded but he loathed to let his best friend, his brother in all but blood, go off on his own once again to face unknown perils by himself. However, he also knew that if anyone could do it, it would be Azerick.
Magus Allister cleared his throat. “Azerick, we had another group of children show up at the door last night while you and Franklin were out. There were six in all, two of them with magical aptitude.”
“Great, I am sure you and the others can get them integrated quickly enough.”
The magus shook his head. “That is not the problem, lad. The issue is that they were from Southport. Word has gotten out that you have opened your doors to homeless children and are running a sort of orphanage and school. I fear the children from last night are just the first drops of a potential torrent yet to come.”
“Ensure the builders extend the wall enough to encompass twice the number of billets we currently have. Simon can hire more cooks if needs be, and have another kitchen constructed. I suggest building it right up against the wall where the keep’s kitchen is now; there is plenty of room on that side. If we begin getting more students than we can house, build more billets. If it takes too long to construct them from stone then build them out of logs. We can always refit them with stone when time permits. Most of the students will be training on the martial side, so hire some skilled swordsmen and fighters but only those who are of descent character. If you have any doubts, err on the side of caution. Above all, maintain discipline and order. I will not have my people abused.”
“Sounds like you are going to end up with your own little kingdom here, lad,” Allister rumbled with a smile.
Azerick shook his head to dispel the thought. “It is just a school, but a school that is capable of caring for its own. Zeb is in the harbor right now, and he will take me south on his swiftest vessel. Allister, I need to borrow that bag you brought the academy books in.”
“Sure, son, you’re more than welcome to it.”
Azerick dismissed the assembly and retrieved the magical bag from the old magus. He went to the kitchen and filled it with a large amount of foodstuff, even complete full meals cooked and covered with the lids tied down. The bag would keep anything put in it for a very long time i
n the same state it was when it was placed inside. A month from now, Azerick would be able to pull out one of the cooked meals as if it had just been prepared.
He added skins of water and wine, changes of clothing, and traveling essentials. Perhaps he would be returning in a couple of weeks, perhaps not. He may find his resolution in Southport, but he was prepared in the event it may lie far beyond the city’s walls. He would follow it to wherever he had to and do whatever he must.
Azerick bid farewell and rode Horse down the lane toward North Haven amidst the shouts and cheers of his students, friends, and workers. He saw Wolf and Ghost standing by the side of the lane just ahead.
“What’s everyone screaming about? A guy can’t even take a nap in his own woods with all that racket. It’s even drowning out the woodcutters,” Wolf complained.
Azerick looked down at the half-wild boy as he rode by. “I have to leave for a while to take care of some business.”
Wolf kept pace with Azerick and Horse. “What kind of business?”
“What, didn’t Ghost tell you?” Azerick asked with a smile.
“We have not been on speaking terms since someone ate a whole coney off the spit and didn’t share.
Azerick could not keep the humorous smile off his face and shook his head. “It is just some business that I need to look into.”
“Does it have to do with that man in black with the glowing eyes?”
“Now how do you know about that?”
“Ghost saw him and told me about him. No one comes in our woods without us knowing it.”
“Why did you not wake someone? That man was an assassin bent on killing me.”
“It’s not my job to act as your personal bodyguard! I have better things to do other than watch your back against everyone who wants to kill you. If I did that, I’d probably never get any sleep. You need to learn how to protect yourself eventually. You can’t expect me to always be there to save you. Besides, Ghost said you would be all right.”
The Sorcerer's Path Box Set: Book 1-4 Page 96