Accidental Mage

by Jamie Davis

  3,500 experience awarded

  “Don’t let them have time to react. Charge in there and get them!” Hal called, leading the rush into the room below.

  The bottom of the passage opened into a high-ceilinged chamber about forty feet across. In the center was a huge glass globe, suspended from the ceiling by a great iron chain. A glowing green light filled the glass ball.

  Seven robed mages surrounded the contraption, taking turns casting a spell into it. Five of them turned to face the attackers while the others remained in place, maintaining the magical force pouring into the globe.

  Thorny vines grew up out of the dirt in front of Hal, reaching towards him and twining about his ankles, tripping him up before he could counter them. Williams and Bellen succumbed to the vine attack as well, going down to the dirt floor under the assault. The vines tightened, driving inch-long thorns into his legs.

  Health damage: Health -12

  Kay and Tarront managed to leap over the vines and charge forward at the closest of the mages. Darts of ice and jets of fire flew past them as they ran but all the spells missed and the two of them fell on the hapless mage, their swords cutting him down.

  Hal cursed and focused his earth magic on the spell that bound him. He overcame the vine spell and the thorny plants released him.

  Rolling to his feet, Hal threw up an ice shield on instinct, taking the impact of a fireball on it. The shield shattered but managed to dissipate the blast enough to protect both himself along with Williams and Bellen. The three of them ran through the residual heat of the explosion and joined Kay and Tarront attacking the rest of the mages.

  Kay yelped in pain and fell under a hail of ice darts from one of the mages. Hal ran to her defense, launching a series of baseball-sized ice chunks from the end of his staff at the two mages she faced. The ice missiles hammered at the two mages until they went down. He continued the attack spell until they both lay lifeless on the ground.

  3,500 experience awarded

  5,500 experience awarded

  Level up!

  A massive blow struck Hal in the back, knocking him to the ground, taking the wind from him amidst the pain of cracked ribs despite his ice armor.

  Health damage: Health -20

  Rolling over and levering himself up to a sitting position, Hal searched for the source of the new attack. He spotted one of the mages crouched by a crate in the corner. The man appeared to be readying another spell.

  Hal didn’t wait for it to materialize.

  Focusing his energy through his staff, Hal tried something new. He decided to call it ice boulder.

  The mage only had time for one scream before the giant ice ball crashed down from above, crushing both the mage and the wooden crate beside him.

  New spelled learned: Ice Boulder

  3,500 experience awarded

  “Stop them. For the Emperor, stop them!”

  A man in blue robes with silver cuffs and collar, pointed at Hal and his companions from an opening in the far wall. Five trolls lumbered past him into the room.

  The mages around the globe were all down giving Hal and his comrades the opportunity to direct their attention to new attackers.

  Hal knew he was almost magically tapped out. His only option was to tap into the magical reserves that had nearly killed him before.

  Kay, Williams, Tarront, and Bellen all charged in to meet the trolls head-on. Hal took a few seconds to tap into his life energy the way he’d done against the Grendlings and the fire demon. Maybe if he was more careful about how much he used, he’d be able to avoid burning himself out completely.

  Health damage: Health -32

  Damn, that hurt more than Hal expected as a stabbing pain in his chest stopped him in his tracks when he tried to join the others. Shaking off the damage, he started forward again while readying a series of fire spells, careful to keep within his available energy reserves.

  Kay already had the lead troll down but her left arm hung limply at her side, blood streaming from a gash in her shoulder. Hal veered in her direction and fired off a burst of flame from both hands, spraying fire up and down the creature as it struggled to rise. The dry skin and coarse hair caught fire and spread the flames over the rest of the troll’s body until it was immolated.

  2,500 experience awarded

  “How’s your arm? Let me heal you,” Hal told Kay.

  “No. Help the others. I’ll be fine. I can still hold a sword.”

  Hal didn’t want to leave her but knew she was right. If he took the time and energy to heal her wounds, they’d lose this fight.

  Spinning around to the side, Hal ran to help the nearest of the companions.

  Bellen, the goblin ranger, took a hit on his shield from the massive clawed hand of his opponent. It knocked him backward, bowling him to the ground.

  The troll stepped forward and stood over the goblin, ready to deliver the death blow.

  Hal barreled into the troll from behind ducking low and hitting the beast behind its knees. The troll toppled over backward and fell to the floor. Hal jumped on its chest and stabbed downward with his daggers plunging the blades into the troll’s chest again and again.

  An idea occurred to him and he directed fire magic into his daggers, heating the blades until they sizzled and sent wisps of smoke up when they sank into the troll’s chest. With the daggers cauterizing the wounds, the troll couldn’t regenerate and with a few more strokes, it lay still, dead.

  New spell learned: Heat Metal

  2,500 experience awarded

  Bellen had climbed back to his feet and charged off to help Kay with another troll. Hal rolled off the troll’s chest to the floor, landing on his hands and knees. Exhaustion swept over him and he gasped for breath. The exertion of using his life force to fuel his magic was starting to take its toll.

  His other companions had matters in hand. Tarront had found a torch somewhere and had managed to set fire to the other three trolls once they were hacked down.

  Hal climbed to his feet and charged towards the opening in the far wall. He had to reach the man in charge.

  The man in the blue robes stood there, his eyes wide as the intruders dispatched his pet trolls with ease. He saw Hal coming his way and he let out a yelp and dashed through the doorway, disappearing from view.

  Hal stopped at the edge of the doorway and peeked around the edge to see where the man had gone. It wouldn’t do to charge into a fireball or some other trap.

  The passage went another twenty feet before opening into another room. Hal heard a voice calling for help.

  “Tell his imperial majesty I need assistance, my magic is depleted, my forces are all dead.”

  “I’m sorry, Jaden, there is no one else to send right now.”

  “Then open a portal and let me come back to the palace.”

  “I don’t think I want to be the one who lets the latest failure of the Emperor’s pet project back into the palace. Your stink might end up on me, too.

  “But, you can’t…”

  “Farewell, my friend.”

  Hal had heard enough. He entered the passage, striding down it until he reached the room. A mirror attached to a wooden stand stood across the room. The blue-robed man named Jaden cowered in front of it. The mirror shifted with a foggy haze. Hal thought he caught the reflection of somewhere else in the mirror then it went back to reflecting the room they occupied.

  “Seems like they’ve abandoned you, Jaden,” Hal sneered. “That’s the problem with opportunists. You’re only worth the value of your latest success or failure. “

  Jaden turned and pulled a dagger from his belt, holding it out in front of him.

  “Don’t come any closer or I’ll cut you.”

  “No, you won’t.” Hal directed heat into the dagger the other man held until the blade glowed white hot.

  Jaden yelped in pain and dropped the dagger on the floor, staring in shock at his burned palm.

  “How do you use both fire and ice magic so proficien
tly? It’s impossible. No one can do that.”

  “I use earth magic, too.”

  Vines grew up out of the dirt floor, entwining about the mage’s legs, holding him in place.

  “Wait! You’re him. You’re Hal Dix.”

  “You’ve heard of me? Good, then it will be easier for you to understand why I’m going to stab the life out of you for what you’ve done to the goblins in that village.”

  “It was important to test the power of the new experiment somewhere to see if it worked before we deployed it against the rebellious cities.”

  “You killed children back there,” Hal hissed through gritted teeth as he stepped toward the immobilized man, holding his daggers ready for the death stroke. “They never harmed you or anyone else.”

  “They were just goblins. Why are you so upset about them? You’re human. You should understand.”

  “That’s not the way we do things where I come from. I’m finished with this conversation.”

  Hal raised his daggers over his head preparing to strike downward into Jadon’s chest.

  “Stop! I know about your wife. I’ve seen her with the Emperor. I can help you.”

  The daggers quivered in his hands. He wanted to kill this monster but if he had information about Mona and Cari, he had to keep him alive. Damn, this guy didn’t deserve to live, but he couldn’t let Jadon die without telling Hal everything he knew.

  Shifting his grip, Hal slammed the pommel of his dagger into the mage’s temple.

  Jadon’s eyes rolled up into his head and he slumped part way to the ground, held up by the vines wrapped around his legs.

  In the main chamber behind him, a crash of breaking glass signaled the destruction of the infernal machine.

  Quest completed — locate and destroy the source of the evil earth magic

  11,500 experience awarded

  Hal, let himself relax for the first time since they arrived at the mound outside. As the adrenaline flowed out of his bloodstream, crushing exhaustion replaced it. Hal sank to his knees and leaned over, supporting his upper body with one arm. He needed rest and food, a lot of both.

  Kay ran in from the outer chamber. She must’ve seen him fall.

  “Hal, what’s wrong? Are you alright?”

  “I just overextended myself a bit. Tie this guy up and make sure you gag and blindfold him so he can’t use any magic. I think I need a little sleep.

  That was as far as he got with his instructions before the darkness overwhelmed him. He sank to the cool earthen floor and passed out.

  29

  Hal groaned and pressed his hand to his face. Kay placed a cold compress on his head.

  “You really have to stop this habit of using so much of your magic that you pass out, Hal. It’s becoming a pain.”

  “I didn’t lose my ability in its entirety this time. That’s a plus. How are the others?”

  “Tarront and Bellen left to help Williams bury Jenkins in the clearing just beyond the entrance. They should be back soon. While you were--”

  “Resting. I was resting, that’s all.”

  “Fine. While you were resting, I searched through the belongings of our dead mages. The Emperor was testing a new spell based on a twisted variety of earth magic that can mimic the plague when used against a village or town. They were trying to see how big they could make the effect by steadily expanding its scope against the goblins living in this valley. I have letters from the Emperor’s chief mage and councilor, Decimus, giving them explicit instructions for how to conduct the test against these specific goblin tribes.”

  “The Emperor must know how instrumental the goblin and orc tribes were in the defeat of Baron Norak and his army, as well as our initial escape from the slave pens beneath the Coliseum. We have to keep them from starting this project. again somewhere else.”

  “I'm not sure, Hal. I think we have to focus on our original task. Everything we want hinges on getting you to Tildi so she can finish your training. Only then can we do what is needed to defeat the Emperor. That includes this and all his plans. I don't believe this is the only place he’s testing the plague magic.”

  “First, we return to the village and Shalush. I want to make sure we have done everything we can for those suffering from this magical plague. Once that's finished, I’ll go and search out Tildi and the next steps she has in mind for me.”

  Kay nodded and set to gathering all the documents she’d found and stuffing them into a spare leather satchel. Hal knew she’d want to send them back to Tandon for the Duke and others to go over. There might be some small piece of information that could be pivotal in the war to win back the Empire.

  While she went about completing her task, Hal focused on his internal energy reserves. While this time he had not burned out his ability, he still felt every ounce of his body, especially in his legs and arms. Moving them at all set him to breathing heavy as if he had no fitness or stamina at all.

  Thinking about how he had drained himself to charge his spells, Hal wondered if there was some way to reverse that process and restore his magical energy. Energy flow couldn’t just be a one-way process. It was something he’d have to ponder.

  For now, he took a second to look at his stats. For now, he spent his new ability points in his brawn, hoping that the increase would help in his recovery. It did lessen some of his fatigue, but Hal still wasn’t anywhere near his usual energy level. Hal glanced at his character sheet one last time before climbing to his feet and helping Kay gather up the documents she'd found.

  Name: Hal Dix

  Class: Mage

  Level: 11

  Attributes:

  Brawn: 26 –– +9

  Wisdom: 20 –– +6

  Luck: 30 –– +11 (Max)

  Speed: 16 –– +4

  Looks: 8

  Health: 86/155

  Character Skills: Chakra Regeneration – 3 (heal 18hp; 1/day)

  Mage Experience: 151,425/250,000

  Ice Elemental School:

  Resist Cold; Ice Shield; Ice Armor; Ice Darts; Ice Lance; Wall of Fog; Hail; Blizzard;

  Earth Elemental School:

  Plant Growth; Neutralize Poison; Heal Wounds; Deal Wounds; Detect Magic;

  Fire Elemental School:

  Summon Fire; Control Fire; Fire Spray; Fire Resistance; Fireball; Wall of Fire; Heat Metal;

  Wind Elemental School: Locked

  Unknown Elemental School: Locked

  Multi-Elemental School:

  Lava Flow; Ice Boulder;

  Warrior Experience: 161,100/250,000

  Rogue Experience: 146,100/250,000

  Once they had all the documents loaded in the satchel, the two of them headed out of the underground chambers and back to the surface. Williams and the two goblin rangers were just finishing up their burial of the dragoon private, Jenkins.

  Hal bowed his head while Kay said a few words over the grave. She nudged him with an elbow when she finished, and he realized she expected him to say something.

  “Uh, well, while I didn’t know the private very well, during our short time on this quest I got the sense he took his role as a dragoon very seriously. I know I cannot expect more from any soldier I serve beside. That is the highest praise I know to give. He did his duty to the very end. Uh, yeah, amen.”

  It was awkward from Hal’s perspective, but judging by the looks he received from Williams and the goblins, the words struck home and rang true. He’d take it as a win.

  Gathering everything they planned on taking back to the village, Hal and the others set out. It took them the rest of the night, but they arrived back amidst the goblin settlement just as the sun was rising.

  Shalush rushed out to greet them on their return.

  “Hal, our people, the villagers, they are recovering. Some seem as if they’d never been sick at all. Were you able to find the source of the illness?”

  “We found a plot by the Emperor to try and kill your entire village, maybe every goblin in the valley. Kay uncovered t
he details.”

  Kay nodded and explained what they’d found inside the underground lair in the forest.

  Shalush growled deep in his throat.

  “We have tried to stay out of the affairs of men. Only those of my kindred to the north and east who fought in the slave pens have taken sides and that was justified. We of the Valley of the Sun have not joined them, striving to remain neutral. Clearly, that is no longer an option.”

  “I know our forces could use your rangers to bolster their scouts,” Hal pointed out. “I’ve seen how good your people are in the wilderness, Shalush. Our army will welcome you with open arms.”

  Kay agreed, “I have to get these recovered documents and plans to the Duke in Tandon. If you send your rangers there, I’ll write a letter of introduction that will serve to get them past the guards at the city gates. Give the Duke these papers and tell him what happened here. He must prepare in case the Emperor tries to implement his plot in Tandon or another of the free cities.”

  “I'll do that, mistress.” Shalush nodded. “What will you and Hal do if not return with the news yourselves?”

  “We are on a quest to stop the Emperor in a different way, but we will join the army when we complete our task, don’t worry.”

  “Given how the Emperor’s forces chased you here, I must offer you some aid in completing your task,” Shalush insisted. “Perhaps we can offer some of our goblin rangers to join your dragoons. Your sergeant seems impressed with the swordplay some of my more promising recruits have demonstrated while sparring with his men.”

  Hal smiled and replied, “I’ll talk with the sergeant and see what he wants to do. If he has a few he’d like to bring along; I’ll take them with us to the east as we travel.”

  “Good, then it is done,” the goblin chief declared. “We will have a feast in your honor this afternoon and you and your newly reinforced party can depart first thing in the morning.”