Warded Mage (Reawakening Saga)

by Jackson, D. W.

  Thad quickly rolled a very mad priestess off of him and found that an arrow had lodged itself through her arm. Bahia pushed him away and got unsteadily to her feet as an aura of magic surrounded her. Thad had seen the spell before as soldiers made of pure darkness slipped into being. Thad frantically looked around for their attackers but could see nothing other than Vathari warriors in the tunnel. He didn’t understand what was going on until Bahia sent her soldiers of darkness to attack one of the Vathari that was advancing toward them.

  The Vathari man lifted up a staff and the soldiers wavered then collapsed back into the shadows. The man was a mage and Thad knew that no mages other than himself had traveled with them. With a flick of his staff the Vathari mage sent Bahia sprawling backward across the ground. He turned toward Thad giving him a knowing smirk. “They are finished son of Moriudonius, come with us, I promise you no harm and that your pilgrimage will continue.” The mage said laughing deviously, “just with better company.”

  Thad shrugged his shoulders and stepped forward. When the mage dropped his staff Thad let loose a barrage of magical energy he had been building within himself blasting the mage backwards. As the mage slammed hard into the stone wall the other Vathari turned toward him and started to advance their blood soaked swords held at the ready. Thad threw up a shield that spanned the tunnel blocking off himself and Bahia from the other Vathari and ran to the downed priestess. Avalanche was nowhere in sight but Thad knew that she would be safe. The creature had an uncanny knack for finding him so he tried to push his worries from his mind.

  As soon as he got close to Bahia he could hear her moaning. She was alive, thank all that was holy. If she had died Thad would had lost his one link to Sae-Thae. Knowing his shield would only last a few minutes Thad was left with little choice than to lift Bahia up and carry her to safety. Though she was thin she weighed much more than he had expected. Thad pushed everything from his mind as he ran; his only objective was to find a place they could hide out until the danger had passed. After the third turn he made Thad found himself in a fair sized enclave, the only opening being small enough that one of his magical doors would easily over it. Opening his pack he quickly pulled one of the magical orbs of metal from it and placed it on the ground and watched as it spread to cover the entrance.

  Thad sat Bahia down secure in the knowledge that his magical wall would keep them safe. Not only was the wall enchanted to be strong enough to withstand a charging bull it was also made so that it would absorb and blend into the heat patterns of the surrounding rock making it look like nothing more than a stone wall to the night eyes of the Vathari. Thad and Crusher had used the magical wall many times over during their long stay in the tunnels underneath the earth.

  Bahia was unconscious but still moaning when Thad sat her down, blood flowing freely from the arrow still lodged in her arm and the nasty gash that she had on the back of her head. Thad was not much of a healer but he was sure he could help her enough to keep her from dying. Thad first broke the tip off the arrow then pulled it out of her arm. As soon as the arrow was free the amount of blood flowing from the wound increased two fold. Acting quick Thad switched to magesight and studied the wound. One of the veins carrying her lifeblood had been severed, that was what was allowing the loss of so much blood. Thad focused his energy on the damaged willing it to mend itself. After a few antagonizing moments the blood stopped flowing and the wound had healed itself enough thatThad could no longer see the meat inside of her arm, he sat back and allowed himself to rest.

  Bahia’s other wound was more delicate, head wounds always were. The wound itself looked only superficial but Thad knew that even a light head wound could cause death. He wasn’t sure why they were so dangerous he just knew they were so he figured his best bet was to tread carefully. Thad cut three long strips out of a clean tunic he pulled from his pack that had been magically enchanted to hold five times its normal capacity. Taking the clean strips of cloth Thad made a makeshift bandage for Bahia’s wound. Once that was done the only thing left to do was sit and wait.

  Thad built a small fire to stave off the cold. He wasn’t sure if the Vathari preferred the coldness but he was beginning to shiver so he decided to risk Bahia’s displeasure should she wake. Though he had slept in the same tent with her, it was the first time Thad had seen Bahia’s sleeping face. In the tent Thad had always been sectioned off and threatened with death should he try and peek at the sleeping priestess. It had added a bit of wonder to the moment and the woman who now lay before him. Gently Thad brushed the stray strands of black hair that had fallen over her face.

  Watching her Thad thought back to the battle. The attack had taken them by surprise and Bahia’s first instinct had been to protect him. He was positive that when she tossed him to the ground and covered him that she had been uninjured. Had she not been there he most likely would had been the one to catch the arrow and most likely not in the arm. Why had she protected him, and why did everyone keep calling him the son of Moriudonius. Thad didn’t know his father but he was sure his name wasn’t Moriudonius.

  Thad was woken by someone tugging hard on his arm saying his name. Groggily he opened his eyes to find himself staring into Bahia’s troubled face. “Where are we mage, I can’t find a way out did the tunnel collapse?” Bahia asked with a slight bit of terror creeping into her voice.

  “What…we’re fine…I just put up a wall to keep us hid.” Thad said rubbing his eyes and shaking away the last vestiges of sleep from his mind.

  “So we are safe for now, good.” She said the sound of relief clear in her voice.

  “What happened back there? Why did your comrades attack us, why did they want me and who in the blazes is Moriudonius?” Thad asked confused and curious about the events of the previous day.

  “Those were not my comrades; they belonged to a different Vathari village.” Bahia growled. “They wanted you because you’re a human mage. In times past it was seen as an honor to host a mage on his pilgrimage, now that so few make the trip it is even more so. As far as whom Moriudonius is, you will have to ask another, I am not the one to tell you. ” Bahia said hotly then she looked at Thad and her hard face softened. “Why did you save me? You could have gone with the other Vathari. It’s not like it matters to you what village hosts you.”

  Thad thought about the question. It was true he could have easily taken the Vathari mage’s invitation. There was bound to be mages in the other village who could have helped him, it wasn’t as if it had to be Sae-Thae. So why did he refuse? “I didn’t want to go with a person who tried to kill a person who saved my life. I owed you a debt and I am not one who easily forgets a debt.” Thad said unsure of his own words as he looked into Bahia’s large dark orbs.

  The next thing Thad knew was that he was held in a tight embrace as Bahia pulled him to her. A jolt of excitement rushed through his body as their lips met. Her hands felt like velvet on his skin. Every touch made his skin dance. There were no words said between the two as their kisses began to linger. His mind racing Thad lost control of time as he succumbed to the Vathari’s offered embrace.

  When Thad awoke the next morning the events of the previous night passed through his mind. Looking over he stared at the bare body of the woman lying next to him. It had been his first taste of the female flesh and he couldn’t lie to himself, he had enjoyed it but now in the light of a new day he felt guilt pitting in his stomach. He knew he had no true feeling for Bahia he had only acted out of impulse and now what would come of it?

  “Don’t you humans know how to sleep in and just enjoy the night?” Bahia asked in a sultry tone as her hands pulled Thad back down to the ground. Her lips sought his again and he didn’t pull away, they felt as soft now as they had the night before. “What has you so worked up this early in the day?”

  “How do you know if its day or night?” Thad asked trying to change the topic but from the look on her face it was obvious it wasn’t going to work. “I think we made a mistake. I can’t stay with
you; I need to get back to my own people, my own home. Nothing can come of this.” Thad said his voice dark and boding.

  Bahia’s lips found his again this time he tried to pull away but she wouldn’t relent. She pulled him in hard sinking her teeth into his lower lip and biting down hard. Thad felt the trickle of blood roll down his chin. “Does that make it wrong? It was an enjoyable night nothing more. We Vathari live for battle always knowing death awaits us. We live life; we don’t let it slip away. I will not regret my actions; it was an enjoyable night one I plan to revisit for as long as you shall allow it.” Bahia said as she ran her finger over Thad’s chin wiping off the blood.

  Thad tried to resist as Bahia pulled in to her but his resolve weakened as he looked into her eyes. She was right. He had faced death many times over. Would he regret his time with Bahia? The answer was simple, no he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t have regretted if he had taken Brianna either. Sighing Thad allowed the Vathari temptress to pull him back down to the cold stone floor.

  CHAPTER IV

  Bahia refused to stay hidden long and soon they were back on the road to Xi’han. They moved slowly in an effort not to attract undue attention in case enemies were nearby. Their days were filled with silence only broken by faint echoes that rang out in the darkness. At night the two would talk and gradually the hostile demeanor of Bahia disappeared though she was never what Thad would call overly affectionate. She was a warrior through and through, everything she did was like an act of conquest. Thad tried not to focus too much on what the future might bring instead he tried to follow Bahia’s example and live for the moment but it was hard for him as memories of the past echoed in his mind.

  “It won’t be long now and we shall be back in my village. The first thing I shall do is enjoy a nice day in the sulfur springs near my home.” Bahia said with the closest thing to a smile Thad had seen her show.

  “That is good to know, you were beginning to get a bit ripe,” Thad replied jokingly getting a sharp glare from Bahia. “You can enjoy your spring; I can’t wait to meet with Sae-Thae. I have many questions…” Thad begun to say when he was interrupted by a loud sound of rocks falling that reverberated on the other side of his shielded wall.

  “”What are you doing?” Bahia asked frantically as Thad moved over to the metal barrier and opened a small hole at its bottom.

  Thad gave her a knowing smile, “Just letting in an old friend.”

  Avalanche bounded through the small doorway and right on top of Thad. “Good girl, was wondering when you would decide to join me.” Thad said trying his best to wiggle out from underneath the heavy beast.

  Bahia moved over to where the two wrestled on the floor her movements slow and precise. “I had heard stories of your pet, but I didn’t honestly believe you had tamed a creature with a heartstone. She is beautiful, have you given her a proper name?

  As soon as Bahia was close enough to touch her, Avalanche turned her head and bared her teeth at the Vathari priestess as a deep rumbling growl echoed in the small chamber. Thad slapped Avalanche hard on the side of the head. “Avalanche she is a friend,” Thad said as he pulled back his now throbbing hand. It was all too easy to forget that Avalanche was not flesh and blood sometimes, Thad thought to himself as he tried to rub feeling back into his hand.

  Avalanche moved off Thad and walked around Bahia who remained perfectly still. When she was satisfied the Vathari posed no threat the rock like dog moved to the corner of the small room and plopped down with a heavy thud. “Don’t take it personally, she tends to get jealous easily.” Thad said half-jokingly.

  “She is a marvelous creature. I have never seen a carrier of a heartstone be so easily controlled before. There are a few mages I have heard of who forced them to do their bidding but never before have I witnessed it.” Bahia said her voice filled with awe.

  “Controlled,” Thad laughed. “If anyone here is the master it is her,” Thad said waving his hand at Avalanche. “I have little if any real control over the creature. She does as she pleases and right now she has decided to grace us with her presence. If I truly controlled her she would have stayed with me when I approached your men, instead she decided to wander off for some unknown reason.” Thad said looking at the creature accusingly. Avalanche raised her head a bit and huffed in his direction. “See what I mean?”

  Bahia laughed. It was a musical sound, one that Thad had not heard from her before. “Well I must say, I have heard of mages forcing creatures of the heartstone under their control but never a creature of the heartstone doing the controlling.”

  “Laugh all you want, give it a few days and Avalanche will have you eating out of her hand, or better yet tricking you into thinking she is eating out of yours. Don’t let her fool you; she is far smarter than she acts.” Thad said pointedly.

  “I will take your word for it master mage.” Bahia said laughing lightly as she walked over and planted a light kiss on Thad’s lips. Avalanche raised her head and huffed again and Thad could have swore he knew what she was thinking, and it wasn’t very nice.

  Thad was glad to have Avalanche back around she was a bit of added security but the days of quiet travel were gone. As much as the creature tried there was no way for a creature made of rock to walk silently. Bahia continued to fawn over Avalanche as if she was the mother of a newborn babe. Thad enjoyed the show but he had to admit to feeling a slight bit jealous over the attention Avalanche was getting. Avalanche ignored the Vathari priestess, as if she were no more than a pestering fly.

  The first sight of Xi’han came from a ledge with nearly a hundred foot drop. It was more of a massive city, not a simple village as Thad has expected. The cavern that it was in stretched so wide Thad couldn’t see its edges in sight. It was as if the ground had simply opened up into another world. Lights sparkled in the distance as large buildings stretched from the floor of the cavern to the ceiling. Bahia let him stare in wonder enjoying the sense of awe the mage got from seeing her home. “Beautiful isn’t it. Xi’han is one of the jewels of the Underearth.” Bahia said as she made her way down a narrow path leading to the cavern floor.

  Though he could see the city Thad could tell it was still a good ways away. As they drew nearer to the city, the ground beneath them grew soft as the hard rock was replaced by dirt. To Thad’s right he could see a large underground lake filled with many of the glowing fish he had once dined on during his previous trip to the Underearth. On the left were large fields of mushrooms and other growing plants, as well as a few trees whose wood was as black as the deepest night. Thad had seen the wood itself before but it was the first time he had seen the tree it came from. It was massive easily thirty feet tall and so wide around, it would take ten men arm in arm to circle it. Its leaves were a red and seemed to glow faintly in the darkness.

  More and more Vathari came into view. They were slightly larger than the average warrior he had seen but they were nowhere near as bulky. He watched as they worked the fields gathering crops and filling buckets with water. As far as he could tell Xi’han was much like a human city where everyone had a role to play. The only true difference he could see so far was that one was on the surface and the other was deep within the Underearth.

  Bahia changed their path slightly and led Thad through one of the fields in the direction of a small hovel. Thad didn’t know what was going through the Vathari’s mind but he figured it wasn’t worth arguing over. He had waited seasons to meet with Sae-Thae a few moments more would matter little in the great scheme of things. He had been told time and time again by the teachers at the academy that impatience was the key to disaster. Thad continued to wait as Bahia knocked on the hovel door which was quickly opened by another Vathari, who unlike the others he had seen looked like he had spent more time eating than working. As soon as the heavy Vathari’s eyes caught a glimpse of Bahia he hit his knees. “What can I do you for mistress of the dark?”

  “I want a sack of your ripest tortmars, and make it quick I do not wish to stand in this dusty hell
for a moment longer than I must.” Bahia said in the commanding tone she had used when he had first met her.

  “Yes my lady.” The Vathari said as he scampered out the door disappearing into a large shed close by.

  As Thad watched the farmer scurry off, something struck him as odd. “How did I understand what he was saying?” Thad asked Bahia slightly confused. He was sure there was little chance a simple farmer would know common tongue. There would be no need for it and even in the chance he had known it he didn’t think Bahia would start the conversation with his tongue. While she had a nice side to her, considerate was not something he would use to describe her.

  Bahia laughed at him then gave him a devilishly seducing look accented with a wink. “I hope you don’t mind. I simply used a little of my power to help you understand the language. I hope you appreciate it as well my little mage, it is not an easy thing to do. I had to spend hours playing around in that little mind of yousr for it to work. We often use it more to find information from our enemies but it has many uses including inserting knowledge as well as taking it out.” Bahia said as she ran her finger in circles on Thad’s chest.

  So, she had been playing in his mind when he wasn’t paying attention. While slightly annoyed she would dare do such a thing he was curious as to how it had been done. He doubted she would tell him, while she had been more than forthcoming about most things whenever her skills, powers, or her god came up she became more stubborn than a dwarven mule. “I don’t think I like the idea of you fiddling around in my head.”

  “But it was so much fun, though I will say it wasn’t easy. You have a strong will, I tried to make you want to stay with me but sadly it didn’t take. The language was easier because on some level you wanted to learn it, though it still took me many nights to finish it. It’s not perfect you will still have to learn to use the knowledge I have implanted on a conscious level. I have been talking to you in our language for the past two days but you still answer me in your own. You should really work on that it will make your stay here that much easier.” She replied kindly putting Thad a little on edge.