Behind Scar nearer to the fire lay James, with Miko, his two priests, Kip and Azhan. Somewhere out in the darkness Tinok, Shorty and Jiron should be moving into position.
With features set in perpetual disapproval, the leader nodded. “And to you.” His eyes flicked to those by the fire and settled upon the prone figure of James.
“What business brings you into the Empire?”
“Looking for talent, my friend,” Scar replied. “Men looking to make their fortune with blade, knife or knuckle.”
“Knuckle?”
Scar nodded. “I run a specialized entertainment venture where patrons come to watch demonstrations of skill and daring in the field of combat. It’s called The Pits, maybe you have heard of it?”
The leader failed to respond. He was about to speak when the robed mage next to him suddenly exclaimed, “Azhan!”
Potbelly brought the small pipe secreted in his hand up to his lips and blew.
The mage plucked a small dart from the skin of his neck. A moment later, he slumped forward against his horse’s neck.
Chaos erupted among the crossbowmen. The two in the middle fell from Shorty’s knives. Jiron struck the horses of the two on the left and their rearing threw the riders’ shots wide. Then grabbing the cloak of one, he pulled him to the ground. A quick stab and it was over. Another of Shorty’s knives took the other and to the right, Tinok’s knives flashed and the remaining two crossbowmen fell lifeless. Not a crossbow bolt had found a mark.
The leader reached over to his mage and grabbed him by the robe. Shouting something in Empire, he pulled the boy up and gazed into the mage’s glassy eyes. Not seeing a response, he let him go.
He shouted to his men as he drew his sword. Knives continued flying from the darkness and men fell.
Tinok and Jiron were now among the soldiers. Their knives flickered in the firelight as blades found marks. Potbelly joined them. In less than a minute, the leader had lost all but two men.
Turning his horse, he aimed straight for Scar and charged. His two men followed.
Scar’s two swords were held at the ready as the three riders came for him.
Shorty took out one before the leader could close with Scar. Not even slowing, the leader hacked down and Scar easily deflected the attack to the side with one sword.
As the leader raced by, Scar struck out with his other and scored along his side. Though blood flowed freely, the leader continued racing out into the night.
A thud behind him caused him to turn to see Potbelly standing over the last of the soldiers.
“Shorty!”
“I’m out, Jiron.”
“Damn! He’s getting away.”
He turned to Miko.
Miko shook his head. “We are not battle mages. That is not where our power lies.”
Restraining the curse threatening to be unleashed upon the High Priest, he turned back to where the night had swallowed the leader. The sound of hoof beats faded into the night.
Suddenly, the screaming of a horse broke the night followed by the sound of thrashing.
“I slowed him down for you.”
Jiron turned to see Azhan looking at him. Giving him a questioning glance, he nodded and was about to head out when he saw Tinok disappear into the night.
“Thanks.”
As Jiron turned to assess the battle’s aftermath, Azhan said, “The mage is a friend. Please spare his life.”
Jiron saw the pleading upon the young mage’s face. “I can’t let an enemy mage live.” He then nodded over to where James lay unconscious. “Not while the Dark Mage remains as he is.”
“I will vouch for him.”
“You forget yourself, Azhan. You are only alive because the Dark Mage has said it is to be so. You can vouch for no one.” Removing his knife, Jiron walked toward where the enemy mage lay upon the ground, his intent to end his life crystal clear.
Azhan watched as Jiron walked toward one of the few friends he had in this world. Glancing anxiously to the Dark Mage, hoping beyond hope for his master to awaken and forestall the murder of Hikai. But such was not to be.
Fear for his friend warred with fear for what the Dark Mage would do should he intervene. With every step Jiron took, the chance that Hikai would be spared diminished. When Jiron stopped and reached down to take hold of Hikai’s hair so as to raise his chin for a clean strike, Azhan knew that though he may well die in ways most unpleasant, he knew also that he could not do nothing and allow his friend to die.
Summoning magic to him, he slammed a blast of air into Jiron. At the same time, he sprinted forward. So unexpected was his act that Jiron was knocked ten feet backward.
Air swirled around him as he ran. A knife blown off course by the gale sailed before his face. Dust filled the air as he closed the distance to his friend. Then he leapt forward.
Pain erupted in his thigh as he hit the ground next to Hikai. Maintaining concentration as had been drilled into him time and again by harsh masters, he kept the magic. Now sending it down, he caused the ground to shake as earth rose around them. Upward it rose to thrice the height of a man, then he brought the upper edges together until he and Hikai were safely cocooned.
It was at that point that he relaxed. A knife hilt protruded from his thigh and his first impulse was to remove it. But first he tore a strip of cloth from the bottom of his shirt. Then with teeth gritted, he pulled the blade from his leg. Immediately, blood gushed forth. He used the strip of cloth to bind the wound closed.
There was little more than room enough to move in his earthen cocoon. Air was going to be a problem, but as long as he held the magic, he could tell where those outside were, then it was a simple matter to form a small opening on the opposite side to allow fresh air in.
Hikai remained out. All he could do now is lay back, relax, and pray his master awakened soon.
“Do something!”
Jiron faced off with Miko at the side of Azhan’s cocoon.
Miko remained calm. “And what would you like me to do?”
Gesturing to the wall of earth, Jiron said, “Bring this down so we can get in there.”
“I and my priests can only act in ways that would cause harm to another when it would prevent hurt to either ourselves, or others. I sense no threat here. And should we bring this down, harm would befall those within.”
“No threat?” exclaimed Tinok. Coming to stand by Jiron, the knifer glared at Miko. “How about two enemy mages that would sooner kill us than look at us?”
“I do not believe they will seek our ruination.”
Tinok cursed and spat on the ground.
“We can’t just leave them in there,” Scar added. “Nor would it be advisable for us to remain here until James awakens so he can deal with it.”
Shorty took a knife’s hilt and scraped a furrow in the side of the cocoon only to watch the dirt shift and remove the knifer’s handiwork.
After Azhan sealed himself within the earth mound with the other mage, they had tried digging into it. Each time, the dirt would reform and all their effort came to naught.
“I think we should stay.”
All eyes turned to Kip.
“Why is that, young novice?”
Kip met Miko’s gaze. He felt slightly unnerved being the center of attention. He cleared his throat nervously then said, “Ever since we left the temple, the one thing above all else that we have striven for was to keep the Dark Mage’s presence a secret.” He gestured to the earthen cocoon. “If we leave here without dealing with this, then his presence will assuredly become known.
“Azhan said the only patrol in this area was this one, so we should have time before another shows up to investigate. They have no water, no food, and the sun is going to make it feel like an oven on the inside before much longer.”
“He does have a point,” agreed Shorty. “I know I would feel better if we waited until James came out of it before going deeper into the Empire.”
“We don’t know if he’s righ
t,” argued Scar. “As far as we know, another is about to appear at any moment.”
“Then we take them out as we did the two before,” Potbelly said. “I don’t foresee a problem remaining here a day or two longer.”
Miko nodded. “I am certain it would speed his recovery if travel could be postponed.”
Jiron looked less than satisfied with the current state of events. But seeing no alternative other than leaving the two mages behind, he finally nodded. “We stay.”
To Scar he said, “I want you and Potbelly to keep an eye on…” he pointed to the earthen cocoon, “this. Should an opening present itself, hit ‘em with darts.”
“You got it,” the Pit Master replied.
When the sun was high in the sky on the third day, James opened his eyes.
“Uncle?”
Head aching like a party of demons dancing on the inside, he turned to see Jira staring at him with wide eyes.
“Wh…what happened?”
“Father!” she exclaimed. “Uncle’s awake!”
“Praise the gods,” Jiron said as he came to kneel by his friend’s side. “Thought you would never awaken.”
James squinted against the glare and used his arm to shield his eyes. His efforts did little to diminish the pain.
“How bad was it?”
Scar laughed. “Tapu is gone, my friend. You nearly took us with it when it blew.”
Miko nodded. Kneeling next to James, he laid his hand upon his forehead and the pain subsided to a more tolerable level. “If not for the quick thinking of your uh, slave, only you and I would have survived.”
“Sla…, oh, you mean Azhan.”
Again, Miko nodded.
James glanced around at the faces staring at him but failed to see the young mage. “Where is he?”
Jiron pointed off to the left. “There.”
At first, James couldn’t make out exactly what it was that he saw. Then the massive cocoon grew to clarity.
“He’s in there with another mage,” Jiron explained. “Claimed he was a friend. A patrol came by and we took them out. But before the mage could be dealt with, Azhan attacked and raised the ground to form that.”
“Azhan attacked? With magic?”
Jiron nodded. “He hit me with a gust of wind.”
Miko held out a water flask and James drank greedily, then sat up. The motion restored some of his headache, but it remained tolerable. “How long has he been in there?”
“A little over two days,” answered Scar. “Might be dead for all we know.”
“No,” Shorty replied. He took his knife and again made a furrow in the side of the cocoon. Even before he finished, it began filling itself in. “He’s still alive.”
“And using magic,” Tinok asserted. “You forbade him the use of magic.”
“If he hadn’t used magic during the blast,” argued Father Vickor, “none of us would be here. Also, we practically forced him to use magic a second time to create a bridge so we could remove the Reverend Father and the Dark Mage from their precarious perch. He didn’t want to, but we argued him into it.”
James took another long drink of water as he listened.
“So let me get this straight. He first used magic to save everyone’s life. Then, at your request, he used magic again to rescue Miko and myself.”
Several nods affirmed his statements.
“Then, to save the life of his friend,” he glanced to Jiron, “he used wind to blow you aside. After that, he made that thing.”
“That is all true,” Miko said.
“It seems to me that had he intended to hurt anyone, he would have used something more devastating than a gust of wind. I’m sure he knows far more lethal magic than that.”
He extended his hand and Jiron helped him to his feet.
“Let’s see if we can get them out of there.”
“What of the other mage?”
Using Jiron’s shoulder to steady himself, he turned his attention to the earthen mound and sighed. “For Azhan’s sake, he better have been worth it.”
After first making sure his aching head would not interfere with the calling of magic by summoning an orb, he closed his eyes and sent his senses into the mound.
He was immediately met by resistance. Upping his endeavors, he blasted through Azhan’s defenses and knew he had sent the young mage staggering backward.
“Both are alive.”
Alive, but scared to death. The fear inside was so thick, he probably could have cut it with a knife.
Looking to Jiron, he said, “Get everyone back a ways.”
As the others moved to a safer distance, James once again gathered magic to him and in a powerful push, dislodged the top half of the mound and sent it sliding down the other side. Several smaller ones later and the two young mages were revealed.
They knelt toward him with heads bowed low so their foreheads touched the ground. A dusting of dirt covered them. Azhan’s friend trembled nearly uncontrollably.
He let the dread linger in the air a few moments before stepping forward. The crunching of dirt beneath his boots caused Azhan’s head to rise ever so slightly and his eyes peered up at his master.
“Rise, Azhan.”
The young mage lowered his eyes as he climbed to his feet.
Putting as much menace and promise of doom and horrific retribution as he could into his voice, he said, “You have disobeyed me.”
Azhan paled. For a moment, James thought the boy would pass out.
“Not only did you use magic, but you attacked one of my men.”
With visions of Glerhan dancing through his mind, and a case of the shakes threatening to loosen his bowels, he said, “F…forgive me, M…master.”
“Why?”
Head raising slightly, Azhan’s gaze rose to meet that of his master. “Why?”
“Yes, why? Why would you do such a thing if you knew death would follow? You knew that magic was forbidden you.”
Azhan glanced from his master to those standing behind him, then back to James. “I hoped I would be forgiven since it was with magic that I saved the lives of all who traveled with you. And…”
“And what?”
He glanced to where his friend still trembled with forehead against the ground. “Hikai is a good mage and would be a great benefit to you, Master.”
James heard a chuckle from behind but dared not glance back to see who it was. It might have been Miko.
“I see.”
“He will be as faithful as I, Master.”
Warring thoughts fought for supremacy. He either had to kill the young mage, or take him as he had Azhan. Neither prospect set very well with him. But killing someone just because not doing so would be inconvenient had never been something he could do.
“Have him rise and face me.”
Hikai trembled as he raised his head and gazed upon the features of the one who had taken down the Empire. As he rose, the knocking of his knees nearly dropped him to the ground. Somehow he managed to make it to an upright position.
James gazed into the terror-filled eyes for just a moment before turning and motioning Miko to come forward. Once the High Priest stood by his side, he did as he had with Azhan. Summoning magic he began, “I am the Dark Mage…”
Chapter Twenty-One
Not waiting for Hikai to regain consciousness after being inducted into the service of the Dark Mage, they tossed him across the saddle of one of their newly acquired horses.
With the two that survived the blast, and eighteen taken from the patrol, they now had sufficient mounts for all with seven left for baggage. James was annoyed that the Geiger Counter had been wrecked. At least the radiation suits had survived. Without them, getting the Star would be nearly impossible for a very long time. He gazed at where Azhan stood next to the horse bearing the unconscious Hikai.
“Now you have two.”
Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Miko approach.
“Yes, but what do I do with them?”
“Do? What does any master do with those in his charge? Take care of them.” He paused a moment before adding, “Teach them.”
“Teach?”
“Azhan has a fire in his belly to be a Master. Who better to learn from than the Dark Mage?”
James hadn’t allowed his thoughts to travel so far. “So, they are, my apprentices?”
“I am certain that is how Azhan thinks of himself. Hikai, I think is just glad to be alive. The reality of his situation has yet to fully sink in.”
“But, I don’t want apprentices. I’ve never wanted that.”
Miko shrugged. “You have them now. Just traveling with you will teach them more than they could ever hope to learn as they were.” Noticing how James grew ever more troubled, he added, “You could always kill them.”
“No. I could never do that.”
“And turning them loose is not an option?”
James shook his head.
“So, you have two apprentices.”
“Great.”
As if he knew he was the topic under discussion, Azhan turned just then and looked their way.
“Man, what have I gotten myself into?” He met Azhan’s gaze for a moment then turned to Miko. “Can I trust them?”
“For the moment, yes. What tomorrow will bring I do not pretend to know. But right now, yes, I believe they can be trusted.”
Visions filled with pails of water and an army of brooms settled upon him. Sighing, he turned and took his horse’s reins, swung up into the saddle, and said, “Let’s go.”
As the others mounted, he headed for the river. Jira bounced along on a brown mare and flashed him a smile as she came abreast. “What now, Uncle?”
“Now, Jira, we make all speed for our families.”
Squealing with delight, she dropped back and repeated that to her father. Jiron nodded and caught up with James as he came to a halt near the river’s edge.
“Nearest bridge is over a day away.”
James glanced to him. “We cross here.”
Without giving Jiron a chance to reply, he summoned the magic and a shimmering field spread outward from the bank. It quickly spanned the distance.
Tides of Faith: Travail of The Dark Mage Book Two Page 28