Catalyst (Book 1)

by Marc Johnson

  I kept glancing over my shoulder, expecting to see a cloud of dust as a horde of guards galloped after us. Luckily, there wasn’t. Either Jerrel or Krystal had bought us time, or Premier didn’t want word of the dwarf and our escape to get out to anyone. Either way, I was thankful.

  As tough and strong as Jastillian looked, he couldn’t keep up the pace we were going. His body finally gave out on him, until he could barely hang onto the horse’s reins or sit up straight when we rode. I couldn’t either. I rubbed my eyes, remembering I had been up half the night. We decided to stop for a rest. Our bellies needed to be filled, and the horses needed to graze.

  “I’ll try to scrounge up some kindling and firewood,” Jastillian said.

  “And I’ll go and try to get something to eat.”

  I walked around for a bit, looking for anything edible on the barren plains. It took me awhile to find something to eat, and when I did, the roots I pulled weren’t exactly the tastiest. Thank the gods I had some dates and dried fruit in my purse. I was about to walk back to camp, but then I thought of Jastillian. He must be terribly hungry, and I knew dwarves loved meat.

  I had hunted years ago in Sedah, and finally I flushed a brown hare out of the scrub. He stared at me with his liquid brown eyes, unmoving. I created a quick fireball and flung it at him. By the time he decided to run, it was too late. He died with a shriek. I slung the dead animal over my shoulder and went back to camp. I plopped down near the roaring fire and gave Jastillian the hare.

  “Good job, lad,” Jastillian said. “You wouldn’t happen to have a knife on you, would you?”

  I nodded and gave him my dagger. Jastillian skinned and cooked the rabbit. What would have smelled delicious to me a couple of years ago now made my stomach churn. It rumbled, and I had to force my tongue to remain still. Jastillian tore into the rabbit, leaving nothing but bones. I ate the food I had gathered along with what was in my purse. I was more tired than hungry anyway.

  “That was delicious!” Jastillian said and licked his fingers. “Thank the gods for good food! It has been weeks since I last had anything more than bread and water. I would have offered you some, since you were the one who caught it, but I know wizards don’t eat any meat.”

  I sighed and rubbed my furrowed brow. “Are you going to tell me how you ended up in Premier’s dungeon, or do I have to guess?”

  “I’m sorry, lad. I suppose I’ve kept you in the dark long enough.” Jastillian stroked his beard. “I guess I should start from the beginning. I’ve never seen or heard about you before, Wizard Hellsfire—”

  I blushed at the title. “Please, just Hellsfire.”

  He tilted his head. “Hellsfire, and I do a lot of traveling. But I can say for certain, you’re a true friend if I ever met one.”

  “I’ve never met a dwarf before.”

  Jastillian chuckled. “You know about dwarves, lad?”

  “A little bit.”

  “In that case, I don’t need to tell you about us. Let’s just say, I’m different from most dwarves because I’m a historian.”

  “A historian?” I said, raising my right eyebrow.

  “Don’t sound so surprised, lad. We dwarves keep historical records. There are few of us who do it, to be sure, but we do exist. My specialty happens to be the War of the Wizards. I’ve been all over the land to see what happened during the war. I've read records, talked to other historians and even a few wizards, studied artifacts, looked at bones, and visited landmarks. Before my capture, I was out in the Wastelands doing some research and—”

  I gasped. “You were in the Wastelands?” I had never heard of anyone going into the Wastelands so casually. The Guardsmen went out, but only for patrols. And they didn't go out alone.

  Jastillian laughed. “Calm down, lad. The Wastelands are like any other place; you have to know your way around, that’s all. It’s a barren place, and the inhabitants are dangerous. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll definitely be killed. Ah, but it does have its beauty, and more importantly, its stories.

  “I hadn't been in the Graveyard for a few years, but I recently received some new information. I knew it was a long shot, but I wanted to follow up on it. You see, lad, it was said that one of Renak's trusted generals had a special medallion. After the war, his wife buried him with it.”

  “Why would his wife bury him with such a valuable object?”

  “It wasn't forged of gold or silver. It was a family heirloom, from what I've learned.”

  “Then why do you want it?”

  “It's a piece of history, lad.” Jastillian looked at me as if I was mad. “It deserves to be restored, preserved, studied, and remembered. Sadly, I never got a chance to see if the information panned out. A storm forced me north, and I was too close to the old city of Masep. I came upon a vast army of creatures in and around the city. They looked like they were preparing for battle. That was unusual, because of the size of the group and the fact that they consisted of many different types of creatures.

  “I don’t know if you know this, but most of the Wasteland creatures don’t get along. They like to stick to their own kind. I had to find out what they were up to because with a disciplined force like that, it couldn’t be anything good. If the Wasteland creatures were actually able to unite, then that would spell a lot of trouble for us all.”

  I nodded. “Like during the war.”

  “Exactly. I captured a couple of goblins and interrogated them. Those small creatures didn’t tell me much, but they did tell me one important thing before I killed them.”

  I leaned in close and said, “What did they say?”

  “They were preparing for an imminent attack on Alexandria, led by a wizard. A wizard in these parts worried me almost as much as the rumors.” Jastillian’s brow creased.

  “Rumors?”

  “Aye, lad. Rumors about Alexandria having gone soft and the creatures getting by them. I knew I had to go warn King Furlong. I made my way to Alexandria, but I never got a chance to see the king. Instead, I had to talk to Premier. When I told him what I saw and who I was, Premier had me imprisoned. Only afterwards did I learn that Premier was the wizard.”

  I glanced at the fresh scars on his arms and neck. “Why did he torture you instead of killing you?”

  Jastillian snapped a rabbit bone in his hand. “He said he needed my expertise.”

  “For what?”

  “He wouldn't tell me. He questioned me about my travels and where I've been. In normal circumstances, I would be happy to tell anyone about what I've learned. I told him nothing.” Jastillian's glare could destroy mountains. “I've a feeling he's looking for something. Whatever it is, it's very old.”

  “Didn't he use magic on you?”

  “Aye, that he did.” Jastillian’s eyes wandered momentarily, his pain shining through. He raised his head and met my eyes. His voice was loud and strong as he said, “I may be a historian, but I'm also a warrior and a dwarf. I won't succumb to anyone, not even a wizard. The whole land's at stake. I've no time for pain.”

  I nodded. “I could try and heal you.”

  “I saw the magic you performed, lad. You're an elemental wizard. From what I know, your kind isn't as skilled with white mana.”

  “That may be true, but I could still do my best to help heal you.”

  Jastillian shook his head no. “Thanks for the offer, lad. You’ve done enough already. You freed me, and now you’ve just healed my belly.” He laughed again before licking the grease from his fingers.

  I didn't laugh. I couldn't help but stare in the direction we’d come from and worry about the aftermath of our escape. “Are you sure you can get the rest of the dwarves to help? They might not want to get involved.” I had a feeling that convincing them would be far harder than the elves. Dwarves could be a very stubborn people. I didn't want to waste my time going to Erlam.

  “You needn't worry, lad. I have some sway in Erlam, and I'll do my best to get my people to help you.”

 
“Thank you. That's all I can ask.” I relaxed, knowing I had him on my side. “Where have you met other wizards? I haven't met any but my master. If there were more around, we could ask for their help.”

  Jastillian shook his head. “Unfortunately, there are none nearby. I’ve seen a couple throughout my travels. Very elusive, you wizards are.” Jastillian’s eyes gleamed. “But I love the thrill of the hunt. That makes studying the war a challenge. Us dwarves love a challenge, no matter its form.”

  I guessed I was on my own in stopping Premier.

  “What were you doing down there by my cell, lad?” Jastillian asked.

  “Spying. I was trying to figure out what Premier was up to. I knew there was something wrong about Premier from the moment I met him.”

  “You’re quite the sneaky one,” Jastillian said, and smiled. “I’m glad you’re on my side.” He rose and stretched. “I feel much better. Let’s get a move on before the sun sets. We’re wasting daylight sitting here.”

  We cleaned up our camp and continued our trek, pushing hard with the occasional, shorter break. By the time the sun had finished its journey, we found a spot to rest for the night.

  We had reached a nice little clearing on a plateau. It was well away from the main road. From our position we could see anyone who might be following us within a horizon’s view. The sky was lit with purple, orange, and red. The colors reminded me of my vision—and of the princess’s eyes. I hoped she was all right.

  After I tied the horse’s reins to a nearby tree, I unloaded my supplies. They weren’t heavy, but my body was so exhausted, it felt like the world fell off my shoulders when I put them down. I put a fist to my mouth and yawned.

  “Get some rest, lad,” Jastillian said. “I'll take first watch. If we’re lucky and push hard enough, we might be able to make Erlam in four days’ time.” He put a few more logs on the fire. “I'll wake you for your turn.”

  I stared into the growing darkness. I wanted to make a trap, or some kind of warning system, but I was exhausted, and a spell to cover the entire area would be too time consuming and complex.

  “May the gods make your dreams pleasant,” Jastillian said.

  But my dreams weren’t pleasant. I tossed and turned, sweating and breathing heavily as I dreamt of Krystal. Premier tortured her. He stripped her of her clothing and trapped her in the stockade. He forced her to watch while her city burned and the creatures killed her people.

  I gasped as Jastillian woke me. My sore and tired body cried out for more rest. “What—”

  “Shhh,” Jastillian said, clamping his hand over my mouth. “We're not alone.”

  That woke me and pushed the fatigue out of my body. Was it Premier and the ogre? I got up and peered into the darkness. I couldn't see anything—the fire had dimmed to embers. I opened my magical senses to see if Premier was out there, but I got nothing.

  “How many?” I whispered.

  “Eight. Could be more.”

  “Any signs of Premier or the ogre?”

  “No. Guardsmen.”

  I let out a breath. That would make things easier. The only thing that worried me was whether they might have items to combat wizards and magic. Would Premier have given them access to such things? I thought no, in fear of them being used against him.

  “I'm going to try and circle around behind them,” Jastillian said. “You go the other way and try to do the same thing.” He cradled a large branch in his hand. “We take them out one by one, before any of them notice. I know you have great power, but it only takes one arrow.”

  “I have a better idea. You get behind them. I'll greet them and try to convince them to abandon this task.”

  Jastillian tugged on his beard. “I don't think that's a good idea. We don't know how many are out there for sure. It's best we take them by surprise.”

  “No. I don't want to kill them. I want to give them a chance. They're no match for me.”

  “They might not listen to you. They've been given a duty and will do their best to perform it. They wouldn't think twice about killing you.”

  “I know, but I'm not them. I don't want to kill other people if I don't have to. Jerrel gave us a chance. Maybe these men will too.”

  “Very honorable, lad. Good luck.” Jastillian disappeared into the dark.

  I bent down and touched the ground. Tapping into the earth mana, I used it to feel the soldiers out there. I had to focus past the spiders and beetles that skittered in the dark. I had to ignore the heavy weight of the rocks and branches that lay there. The soldiers were quiet and light-footed, but the earth felt every impression they made. Jastillian was right. There were eight. I rose when they were close enough for my purposes.

  I fueled the almost-dead campfire with my power until the bright ball of fire illuminated the surrounding area. The eight soldiers stopped and shielded their eyes, blinded by the sudden light. They recovered quickly and drew their swords.

  “Lay down your arms and return to Alexandria,” I said.

  The men didn't move. They stared at me, their bodies tense.

  “Don't make me hurt you.”

  I played with the campfire in front of me. Streams of flame extended from it and moved about as if they were alive. The heat flowed around my body. I sent the fire toward the men. The fire danced in front of them, causing them to drip with sweat, but they didn't move. A few of the younger men squirmed, but that was all.

  “Hellsfire, look out!” Jastillian yelled.

  I hadn’t seen anyone move, but I dropped the fire show and shielded myself in a layer of fast-moving air, as Master Stradus had taught me. Two crossbow bolts clashed against it and turned aside. I created two gigantic fireballs from the campfire and sent them flying in the direction from where the shots had come. One man screamed from the left while the other dropped his crossbow and dodged the fireball on the right.

  I dropped my shield, not sensing or seeing any danger. The fire in front of me blazed brighter until it shot up into the night sky. I parted the fire as I walked over it. I took some of the fire with me, cradling it in my hands as I prepared to use it as a weapon.

  “Drop your weapons. You have the last warning I intend to give.”

  The lead man did as I said. The other men followed suit. The archer came into view. I walked up to the group of men and asked the leader, “Who sent you?”

  He narrowed his eyes at me and leaned back from the dancing fire. But he didn't say anything.

  I raised my hand and pointed it at another man. I didn't want to, but I prepared to send the flame that spiraled around me at him. “Who sent you?”

  “Premier. Premier sent us.”

  I lowered my hand. “And your orders were?”

  “To kill you and capture the dwarf.”

  “Does the king or princess know about this?”

  “No, sir.”

  I glanced at the other men to see if he told the truth. He did. “I want you to go back to Alexandria. When you get there, tell Princess Krystal what took place here and what your orders were.” I let the hot fire flow out of my eyes and stared at each of the men. “I'm a wizard. I will know if you obeyed my orders.”

  “Yes, sir!”

  “Now leave!” I swept my hands and sent the fire surrounding me to the ground. A line of fire nearly crossed the men's feet. They turned around and ran.

  I bent down and touched the ground again, feeling their heavy footsteps as they ran. It was never a good idea to run around in the pale moonlight. One of them fell, possibly twisting his ankle. The feel of his feet was erratic as two of the others helped him limp to their horses. As soon as I felt the horses' hooves trot away, I released the earth mana.

  “You did it, lad. I've seen magic before, yet I'm always impressed. That was amazing.”

  I didn't say a word. Tiredness struck me. I had used a lot of magic, and it was sloppy and showy. I had done it that way to impress them enough to fear me. A true wizard would have been more precise in his spells.

 
Jastillian picked up one of the swords. “Are you sure they're gone?”

  I sighed and shrugged. “As sure as I can be.”

  I walked over to the man who had died. Bending down, I was taken aback by how young he was. He was about my age. His face and his left arm were badly scarred. His face was oddly quiet, for dying in such a terrible way. I forced myself to continue to look at him, even though the smell of burnt flesh sickened me. I stared into his lifeless eyes, wishing it didn't have to come to this.

  “He died an honorable death, Hellsfire,” Jastillian said, placing a hand on my shoulder. “He died in battle and in service to his country. There's no greater honor.”

  I swept my hand over his eyes and closed them. In a quiet voice I said, “There was no honor in this. He didn't die protecting Alexandria. He died because of Premier. Godsdamn Premier. We've got to stop him before more people die.”

  “We will, lad. We will.”

  I got up, and we walked back to the campsite. I re-ignited the campfire and placed some more wood on it to keep the animals away.

  “Go to sleep, lad,” Jastillian said. “You've got a few more hours before your watch.”

  I shook my head and sat down near the fire. “You go to sleep. I'll keep watch for the rest of the night.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.”

  Jastillian paused as if to say something. “I'll see you in the morning.”

  When I was sure he was asleep, I hugged my knees against my chest. I glanced towards the direction of the dead body, shivering from a cold that wasn't there.

  ----

  We continued our long journey, traveling parallel to the jagged Daleth Mountains. We didn't run into any more soldiers from Alexandria. Every time we stopped and rested, we had a conversation of some sort. I got to know Jastillian well in the short days we were together.

  He told me about some of the travels he had embarked upon, and about his children, who traveled as much as he did. In return, I told him some of the information I knew about the War of the Wizards—things I’d read and heard. I didn’t tell him about Master Stradus though. I wasn’t sure if my master wanted people to know he was next door to them, along with a dragon. The trek was a tiring one, but we did make it to Erlam exactly when Jastillian said we would.