The Dark Mage glared at his apprentice until Father Vickor spoke.
“This is foolhardy, Reverend Father,” the priest said, shaking his head.
“Fear not. Morcyth shall be with us.”
Miko wore a look of complete confidence that his priests were loath to challenge.
“First,” James said, “we need to make it to Cyzt.”
Jira laid in her bedroll, feigning sleep until the camp quieted and snores gradually began to fill the night. The only one moving was Scar who had the watch. In the moonlight his silhouette was clearly visible where he sat on a rock outside of camp.
A half-eaten dried apple and a strip of jerky saved from dinner rested in her pocket. She hoped her Little Brother would be around, the one with a dark patch in the shape of a crescent moon around the outer edge of its left eye. Seeing that Scar’s attention was focused away from where she lay, Jira slowly crawled from her bedroll and tip-toed to the opposite side of camp, then disappeared into the dark.
“Jiron!”
Tinok’s voice rang out in the early predawn light. Seeing his friend gaze his way, Tinok waved him over.
A bank of clouds tinged red by the as yet un-risen sun drifted lazily their way, foreshadowing inclement weather. Tinok had the early morning watch and was some hundred feet from camp. Jiron hurried over.
Before he reached his side, the knife fighter saw the grisly sight. Blood was everywhere along with mangled and shredded pieces of flesh and bone.
“What happened?”
Tinok shook his head. Bending low, he used a stick to flip over one of the larger chunks. Dark fur covered the other side. “Looks like some kind of animal was slaughtered.” He let the chunk go and turned back toward Jiron. “Blood’s still fresh. Couldn’t have happened too long ago.”
Jiron flashed him a questioning look and Tinok nodded. “Last night while we slept.”
Others from the camp began to gather.
“Any idea what kind of creature this was?” Kip asked.
Tinok used his stick to move the head in order to get a better look at it. “I’d say some kind of dog. There are definite canine features and teeth.”
James took in the sheer size of the remains. “Never seen one this big.”
“Neither have we,” agreed Scar.
“But we get the next one.”
Everyone turned to Potbelly.
The Pit Master shrugged. “Would make a good show in the Pits.”
James rolled his eyes and sighed. “So, no one heard anything?”
Everyone shook their head.
“How is that possible?” asked Shorty. “This close to our camp we had to have heard something.”
“Magic?” asked Jiron.
“Not that I noticed.” James turned to his apprentices and they shook their heads.
Jiron started to ask Azhan a question but then stopped. He looked around the group. “Where’s Jira?”
“Jira!” he shouted.
Instantly his knife was in his hand as he raced back to camp.
“Jira!”
Movement in the camp drew his attention. His pace slowed when he saw her rise from her bedroll.
“Father?” she asked sleepily.
He sheathed his knife. “We’re getting ready to head out.”
“Yes, Father.”
“…might have wandered this far,” James was saying as he returned to the grisly scene.
“Wandered?” Jiron asked.
“From The Waste.”
“Could be,” agreed Father Vickor. “Lots of open, uninhabited land between here and there. Unlikely to encounter anyone.”
“But that still does not explain how it was killed so close to our camp and no one heard a thing.”
Miko nodded. “At least no one was hurt.”
James stared at the beast’s remains for a moment longer. “From this point on, we double the guard.”
“Agreed.”
He glanced to Jiron. “Set up a schedule. Make sure my, uh, apprentices are paired with either me or Miko.”
“Will do.”
“Now,” James said as he glanced to the brightening horizon, “let’s get out of here before more wander this way.”
The sun broke above the horizon as the group set out. With the memory of the grisly scene still fresh in their minds, they scanned the horizon nearly continuously. Most gazed with worry and trepidation, two, however, did so with anticipation.
“Pit three might be large enough for it,” Potbelly was saying.
“I don’t know,” argued Scar. “From the size of the remains I’d say we would need something larger.”
“Well, we have been thinking about expanding,” replied Potbelly. “Might have enough saved to buy out the neighboring block.”
Scar laughed.
“What?” his fellow Pit Master asked.
“It wasn’t so long ago we barely had two coppers to rub together. Now we’re talking about buying an entire city block.”
“Going to need additional barracks; not to mention a larger building for the healers,” Potbelly added. “The temples get a bit pricey.”
“I heard that,” Miko hollered.
As his priests gained experience, more and more showed an aptitude for healing. He lent them to the Pit Masters for a fee. While less expensive than other temples would be, his fees were still eating into their profits.
James grinned at his friend as the two Pit Masters continued their speculation on the size of arena they would need to construct and the hundred other sundry details showcasing a creature that size created.
“I hope they are not expecting us to catch it for them.”
Miko shook his head, then nodded to the two pack mules behind the pair. “Supposedly, they brought all kinds of magic items to aid in acquiring strange and lethal beasts.”
“One born every minute….”
“What?” Miko asked, confused.
“Just something a famous man said where I came from; P. T. Barnum I think it was.” When his friend continued looking confused, James said, “Means I think they got cheated.”
“Ah,” he replied, then chuckled. “Probably.”
The hills around which they planned to skirt came into view several hours later. Riders, far off on the horizon, most likely a patrol rode from the southeast at a hurried pace. James brought his group to a halt.
“Azhan,” he said, calling his apprentice to join him. “That the patrol you were mentioning?”
The young mage gazed intently at the riders for several moments before nodding. “Yes, Master. That would be Captain Edi and his men.” Spying three robed riders he added, “Three mages ride with them.”
“Know who they are?” Scar asked.
“Akim, Hassan, and Farhad rode with him last I heard,” he replied. “Cannot make them out clearly, Master, so I do not know for sure if they still do.”
“Are they any good?”
“Akim has skill equal to mine. Hassan and Farhad are not so powerful.”
“Well, we shall give them a wide berth,” James said. “I do not wish for any more apprentices.”
Jiron tried to hide his grin but failed miserably.
“Wonder where they are going so quickly?” asked Tinok.
“Don’t care,” James replied. “Just as long as they aren’t coming this way.”
When it looked as if the riders planned to ignore their presence, James got them moving once again. Taking it at a slower pace, he had Scar and Potbelly take point as they left the road and angled more to the east.
“Azhan, how far is their base from here?”
“Not far, Master. There is a cave within the hills with several buildings they use for storage and barracks.”
The riders continued flanking the hills until reaching the road where they proceeded to turn and follow it south. Once the last rider passed from sight behind the closest hill, James had them quicken their pace.
Ten minutes later, a massive explosion erupted f
rom the general direction of where the riders had gone. A second and third explosion followed closely on the heels of the first.
“Battle,” Hikai announced.
“I would think so,” agreed Jiron.
Further concussions and flares of fire rose above the hills. James’ skin prickled from the magic use. “Think Lord Cytok is launching an offensive?”
“Likely,” Azhan agreed. “Battle is very common in this area.”
“Scar, get us out of here before it comes this way.”
The Pit Master nodded and they quickened their pace.
For ten minutes the battle continued to rage. At fifteen, the prickling of James’ skin began to grow at an alarming rate. It felt as if magic was being used nearby, and it was powerful. His apprentices were rubbing their arms as well.
“Heads up,” he hollered. “Feels like the battle may be drifting this way.”
Scar kicked his horse into a gallop and they raced off nearly due east to put as much distance behind them as possible.
Azhan felt the increased prickling of his skin even though the sounds of battle drew further and further away. Remembering what he saw back at Tapu just prior to the blast, he turned his gaze upward.
Scattered clouds against a backdrop of blue made for a beautiful scene. To the east a larger bank of dark clouds promised rain or worse in the not too distant future. Yet it wasn’t the spectacles of nature that captured his attention; rather it was the large expanse of shimmering directly over their heads. It took a moment but soon realized it moved quickly toward the sounds of battle.
“Master…?”
James turned to his apprentice. Seeing him staring at the sky, he turned his gaze upward. Others did as well.
Kip was the first to notice. “What is that?”
James shook his head when he finally made it out. “I don’t know. Never saw it before.” Then he turned a questioning look to Azhan.
His apprentice met his gaze and shrugged. “I do not know what it is either, Master.” He paused a moment before adding, “I have, however, seen it before.”
“Where? When?”
“Tapu. The night of the blast.”
At that point the eastward edge reached the scene of battle. Two explosions sounded back to back, then a moment of silence.
James felt the prickling on his skin increase to a nearly painful degree…
Wham!
The sky lit up with the most massive explosion yet; a whole hillside exploded outward amidst balls of fire. A second later, the concussive wave struck. Not nearly a tenth of the degree generated at Tapu, but enough for them to feel it and to startle the horses.
After that, the sounds of battle died away as did the shimmering field.
James turned to Jiron and shook his head. “They must have a powerful mage indeed to do that.” He glanced to his apprentice and saw Azhan’s look of skepticism. “You don’t think so?”
“I do not know, Master.”
Azhan glanced to Hikai who shared his doubts, then turned back to James. “There are only a handful of mages left who could command such power.”
“One must have been there,” Scar said. “Perhaps Lord Cytok decided to end the stalemate in this region and sent in his powerful mage.”
“Maybe,” Azhan shrugged, though his tone said he didn’t believe it.
James stared off in that direction.
“What do you think?”
He turned to Jiron and then glanced uneasily to the sky now devoid of shimmering. “I don’t know.” The prickling had completely subsided as well.
“Want to check it out?”
“Take a bit to return,” Scar speculated indicating he felt it was a waste of time.
“Not to mention such a display will assuredly attract notice.”
Turning to Miko, James nodded. “True.” Then a moment later, he pointed to the sky. “And you have no idea what that was?”
The high priest shook his head. “Unfortunately, Morcyth does not tell me everything.”
To Azhan, James said, “Are there any towns or villages nearby?”
“A few, Master. One less than an hour from Captain Edi’s camp.”
James sighed resignedly. “We dare not risk it.” Turning to Scar he said, “Let’s continue with as much speed as possible.”
“You got it.”
Heading out with Potbelly at his side, the Pit Master kicked the sides of his horse and raced toward Cyzt.
Chapter Twenty-Four
A day and a half later, most of the later half being graced with rain, the outlying buildings of Cyzt came into view. Scar, Potbelly, Azhan and Father Keller went into town to buy supplies while the others circumvented Cyzt and continued on for another two miles to the south. Azhan was there to mediate with the locals while Father Keller was there to watch Azhan despite Miko’s assurances that he posed no threat.
“He wants to be a powerful mage more than anything,” he told James. “And it is unlikely he would take any action to jeopardize being The Dark Mage’s apprentice.”
“I’m not going to bet my family’s lives on it.”
So, Father Keller joined the foraging party. Just the four would raise less suspicion than if the entire party went. Scar and Potbelly had some notoriety in the area for recruiting Pit Fighters and that would be a viable cover story. Azhan would be their liaison with the locals as it were while Father Keller just another recruit.
For the most part, Cyzt was a bustling town with numerous merchants vying for their coins, even with a slight drizzle in the air. They drew looks from those they passed, but those looks tended to turn quickly away upon spying Azhan’s mage’s robe.
A tossed coin to a young lad sheltering under an overhang produced directions to Master Aki’s chandler’s shop. Two young girls in slave attire sat upon stools to the left of the door. As Scar and the others approached, they came forward with rags and bowls of water and proceeded to wash the mud from their boots.
“It is the custom in some places,” was all Azhan said.
“James would like this,” laughed Scar.
Potbelly dug an elbow in his ribs and gave him a knowing look.
“Oh, right.”
Boots much cleaner, the girls opened the door and they entered,
A largish man in tan leathers stood off to the right helping a middle-aged and balding man who looked to be from the north. He saw them enter and hollered, “Be with you in a moment.”
Scar nodded and then proceeded to the table with travel ration packs stacked in a neat pyramid. When Father Keller started to speak, he waved him to silence then jerked his head toward Master Aki and his customer.
“…the war all over again,” the customer said.
“How exciting.”
“Flames rose into the sky and rocks the size of your head rained down upon my lady and myself.”
“Were you hurt?” Master Aki asked.
“Sad to say, my lady was struck in the shoulder and is now with the healers.”
Master Aki tut-tutted. “I pray she will make a full recovery?”
“Oh, yes. She is a tough old bird. Healers said she would be good as new, just needed a day’s rest to recuperate.”
In a whisper, Potbelly said to Scar, “Think that was the explosion we saw?”
“Has to be.”
“We rode like the Dark Mage himself was after us.”
Master Aki shivered. “I can imagine.”
“But I doubt we have to worry about the Dark Mage showing up,” the man continued. “Heard his island was attacked and he and his whole nest of devils were destroyed.”
“Let us hope so,” Master Aki prayed. “He has caused no end of suffering. Why, my brother…”
Scar cleared his throat and drew Master Aki’s attention.
“Almost done?”
“Yes,” he replied impatiently. “Just one moment, please.”
Looking taxed at having to wait, Scar nodded.
Master Aki hurriedly finished w
ith his customer, coins were exchanged and soon he stood before Scar. His expression was less than pleased at being so rudely interrupted.
“We need supplies,” Scar said. He rattled off the list.
Master Aki listened attentively and then nodded. “I have all that you require.”
“Excellent.”
Father Keller came up and said, “Couldn’t help but overhear about some sort of explosion that hurt his wife?”
“Yes,” replied Master Aki. “Every tongue is telling the tale it seems.”
“What happened, if you don’t mind me asking?”
He shrugged. “Who knows for sure? Ask ten people and you will hear ten different stories. The most popular tale is that the Dark Mage is coming to exact revenge for the raid on his island.”
“Really?” he asked, feigning to be awed.
Master Aki chuckled. “I seriously doubt it, my friend. Though it is the most popular telling, most truly believe it was merely a clash of mages along the border. It happens sometimes.” He produced several sacks and filled them with various items needful for travel.
“Stories do grow in the telling…” Father Keller began.
“So true,” he replied. “Take the story of Gyr.”
“Gyr?”
“Yes. It is a small village to the south.”
“What about it?” asked Potbelly.
“A month ago is when I first heard the tale. At that time, it was merely that during the previous six months there had been more than the usual amount of stillbirths; both in the residents and livestock.
“Two weeks ago, it had grown that a curse had passed through causing all sorts of mischief.”
Scar looked skeptical. “A curse? Really?”
Master Aki chuckled. “You know how things go.”
“What kinds of mischief?” Father Keller asked.
“Well, if the story is to be believed, and only a fool would believe such a tale, a flock of birds circled in the sky until they fell to the earth. Oh, and folks would go all glassy-eyed and stand still for hours. Then when they returned to themselves, continued on as if no time had passed. Some were said to have grown motionless only to continue their sentence two hours later.”
Tides of Faith: Travail of The Dark Mage Book Two Page 32