Metal Mage 7

by Eric Vall

  Still, I couldn’t help but think Luir had been completely at ease only moments before he’d started in on Deya, and I wondered if the sudden shift was a test to gauge my own reaction.

  Unfortunately, it was fucking working.

  I tried to ignore the way the leader was handling Deya as he dragged her with him through the overgrown glade, but my hand settled itself on the handle of my revolver as my fury mounted.

  Aurora clutched the hilt of her sword, and both Shoshanne and Cayla gripped their bows with white knuckles.

  The plants weren’t tended this far from the main house, and the paths had disappeared some time ago when we came to the far corner of the valley.

  Luir continued straight up the steep ridge without a word, and after we’d climbed for ages, he turned into a dense grove to follow a concealed and unkept path.

  “Have you ever encountered a Wendigo, Mason Flynt?” the leader suddenly called back.

  Deya whipped her head around to look at me, and her violet eyes were wide with fear.

  “Once,” I replied, but my gut clenched uneasily as a ridge appeared through the trees ahead.

  “Unsightly things, aren’t they?” Luir said with a low chuckle. “There is much to appreciate about the breed, though. Especially when you can witness them at their full potential.”

  The leader brushed the last few branches aside and let them thrash Deya as he dragged her to the edge of the ridge.

  Aurora and I quickened our pace to join them, and the half-elf swiftly planted herself beside Deya.

  Every ounce of feeling in my limbs gave out as I looked down into the next valley, and when the leader dropped a heavy arm on my shoulder, I jolted and nearly lost my footing.

  Luir gave another deep chuckle.

  “Power comes in many forms,” he mused darkly. “This is my other little trove.”

  The army below snarled and shrieked as they tore into each other where they amassed in the barren valley, and the overwhelming stench of rotted flesh wafted up on the breeze like nothing I’d ever smelled in my life.

  Beside me, Cayla gagged uncontrollably and turned away, and Shoshanne covered her nose and mouth as her eyes flared with terror.

  I could taste the rot on my tongue, and my eyes began to burn while my stomach immediately protested. I swallowed down my bile and made sure my footing was secure, but I couldn’t do much more than stare.

  What must have been close to a thousand Wendigo crawled like vermin over one another as they consumed their own, and their deformed limbs clawed out to peel the rotting flesh from each other’s mangled bones.

  Others seemed to be hatching from corpses littered with maggots and mold, and while some of them towered at nearly seven feet, the scraggly ones scuttled around the ground and tore the tendons from ankles as they passed.

  Deya stooped and threw up at the leader’s feet, but he didn’t let go of her arm, and when she tried to back away from the ridge, Luir wrenched her forward to lock her in front of him.

  The demented shrieks of the Wendigo became louder as several noticed the sudden movement on the ridge. Deya’s boots were centimeters from the edge while Luir held her firmly against him and forced her to look down on the ravenous army.

  They attempted to claw their way up the valley’s edge, but the grade was too steep. One by one, they dropped back into the swarming mass, and although their limbs snapped on impact, they only dragged themselves up once more.

  Then Luir pressed his lips against Deya’s ear.

  “You don’t have to worry, my little sprite,” he growled, and my hand tightened on the revolver as I watched him with the beautiful elf. “I won’t let them hurt you.”

  The leader slowly raised his palm, and with a sickening crunching of bones, every hollowed and crazed face in the valley turned to look directly at us.

  They ceased their shrieking to fall into a ghostly silence, and they stood stock still with their gawking eyes boring into us as blood and entrails steadily dripped from their yellowed teeth.

  “See?” Luir continued. “They do anything I wish.”

  Then the leader’s gaze locked with mine.

  Chapter 13

  Deya gasped when the leader abruptly released her, and Luir brushed his hands off as his expression shifted to an unaffected smile.

  “Feel free to look around, by all means,” he said pleasantly and turned to head back along the path. “Do watch your step.”

  Deya stared across the barren valley, and she’d turned an ashy gray as she held Aurora’s arm in a death grip against her, but none of us moved an inch, and Luir whistled lightly to himself as he disappeared into the trees.

  The Wendigo erupted in a frenzy of gnashing teeth as soon as the leader was gone from sight, and they crushed one another and ripped at their bones while they fought to get at the ridge.

  “We’re leaving,” I decided, and the women all nodded silently.

  Then Cayla stepped forward to tug Deya gently away from the ridge, and she turned her face away for her when the elf only remained frozen with her eyes on the rotting army below.

  “Why didn’t you use your runes against him?” Cayla asked with a crinkled brow.

  “Dragir told me not to,” Deya answered as she blinked and swayed a little. “He said whatever happened, don’t let Luir see the pendant. He wouldn’t even let me bring the coin here.”

  I furrowed my brow as I recognized the hazy look on her face, and before she could pass out, I quickly came over to rub her frigid arms and get her blood going again.

  “Breathe,” I instructed. “You know Luir wouldn’t kill you. You’re too valuable, and besides, I would never let him. He’s just trying to get to me. Breathe.”

  The elf dropped to her knees and threw up once more instead.

  “Shit,” I sighed.

  “I’m going to kill that guy one day,” Aurora hissed and stooped to help Deya back up.

  I shook my head and eyed the unbridled army stacking itself against the ridge.

  “As much as I agree with you, I wouldn’t advise it,” I told the half-elf.

  No matter my own personal feelings for the prick, the prospect of unleashing an unrestrained mass like this one was worse.

  Once Deya got a firmer hold on her nerves, we headed back along the path and down into the dense glade as the shrieking of the starved Wendigo faded. White-robed students strolled the grounds without concern, and the sun shone down on the ancient, overgrown stonework of House Orrel ahead.

  “I need to get the books from our room,” Deya suddenly remembered.

  “You don’t need the books,” Aurora sighed.

  “I do,” the elf insisted. “It’ll only take me a moment.”

  I halted and looked back. “We’re not stopping for books,” I told her bluntly. “That guy’s gonna kill us if we don’t get out of here.”

  Deya furrowed her brow, and I knew by her expression she wasn’t about to listen.

  Then she vanished into thin air.

  “Godsdamnit,” I cursed, but I managed to grab the elf’s invisible arm as she passed.

  I heard her give a curt sigh just before she flickered back into view, and I pulled her into my arms to be sure she stayed put.

  “I’m not a fan of watching Luir dangle you above a man-eating army,” I informed her, and she melted against me with a shudder at the mention of it. “Leave the books.”

  Deya nodded reluctantly, and I snuck a kiss from the beautiful elf before I led the women to the far edge of the glade.

  We skirted the back edges of the valley as we carefully made our way toward the lagoon, and we were just turning to head for the dock when I heard the quiet flap of a wing.

  I froze and quickly scanned the trees for a transmuter, but I couldn’t see any giant owls lurking in the branches.

  The five of us looked all around to be sure none of the leader’s eyes were trained on us, but as we slowly proceeded through the undergrowth, Luir’s two guards appeared out of nowhere on e
ither side.

  Deya vanished the moment they arrived, and I pulled my revolver as the three women readied their own weapons.

  “Luir requests that you join him in the tower.”

  “I decline,” I told the guard as I cocked the revolver.

  The guard smirked. “I can deliver the message if you like. Luir is prepared to unleash his army should you choose to flee.”

  My knees went numb at the thought, and when I glanced toward the dock, I realized the elf in charge of the boat wasn’t there.

  So, I slowly lowered my gun.

  “We’re gonna die,” Cayla sighed, and she shifted her rifle as she sent me a pointed look.

  “No, we’re not,” I assured her. “We’re gonna have a short chat with Luir, say our goodbyes, and get the hell out of here.”

  Aurora gaped at me from behind her drawn bowstring. “You’re not serious.”

  “I am,” I told the three women. “I didn’t come here to get an army like that on my heels, and we can’t afford another horde of murderers after us. There’s bigger things at stake.”

  Shoshanne nodded her agreement and looped her bow over her shoulder, and Aurora cursed as Cayla finally lowered the rifle.

  “The Master’s army could be ready to move out any day,” the princess muttered. “Say whatever you have to to get us out of here.”

  “Deal,” I agreed, and I gestured for the two guards to lead the way.

  “He’s still going to try to kill us,” Aurora mumbled.

  “Oh, he’s definitely gonna try to kill us,” I said with a nod. “He’s an elf. I’ll just have to persuade him otherwise.”

  Deya was still invisible, but I was more than relieved she didn’t reappear. I was about worn out watching Luir toy with the beautiful elf.

  So, Shoshanne, Cayla, and Aurora followed at my back as the guards led us along the bank, and I sparked my magic as I turned my palm ever so slightly toward the water.

  I easily found the Mustang way over on the road, and my bow silently slipped into my hand by the time we made it to the mossy path that wove its way to the entrance of House Orrel.

  I looped the strap of the bow over my shoulder as Cayla and Shoshanne caught the two axes, and Aurora had a spare rifle in hand without either guard noticing a thing behind them.

  The students eyed our weapons cautiously while we crossed through the dilapidated halls, and when we came to the doors of the towering chamber, the guards didn’t enter with us.

  They pulled the doors open with stern brows and gestured for us to enter, and then they shut them firmly at our back to leave us alone with the head of House Orrel.

  “Mason Flynt,” Luir said with an ominous grin. “I see Deya has chosen not to attend.”

  He was sitting at the stone table with his hands folded patiently, and I didn’t respond as the four of us strolled out to the center of the vast hall.

  “What a pity,” the leader muttered, and he eyed the two axes. “I rather enjoy Deya’s company, but she did look as though she might not be feeling well.”

  “You sent for me?” I cut in.

  The leader cocked a brow.

  “Very well,” he said. “Let us get straight to business for once. Either you came here for my army, or you came here for my word. Which is it?”

  I furrowed my brow. “What word would that be?”

  “I am not a fool,” Luir assured me. “Dragir would not have sent you here if he were not without options. Perhaps you thought you might get at my own army in the process, but I understand the balance of things in the south better than the south might realize. This Master of yours has nearly done away with three of the southern houses. Which means only three remain. With four Elite to the north, I do not doubt it has occurred to Dragir that you and your new allies might be in a spot of trouble.”

  I nodded slowly. “Is that why he sent me?” I asked curiously. “I didn’t realize, but to be honest, I’m not too concerned about the Elite. House Fehryn hasn’t fallen, and I assure you they won’t. Which leaves four Houses in the south.”

  “I am not speaking about House Fehryn,” the leader said with a smirk. “House Ceres in the west have not been heard from in days. My eyes are awaiting their fall at any hour.”

  “And you’ve done nothing to stop it?” Cayla challenged.

  Luir behaved as if the princess had made an amusing joke. “Why would I?” he asked. “House Ceres is a plague.”

  “House Ceres is fuel for the Master’s fire,” I countered. “Continue to sit by, and he will make his way through every house in Nalnora and rest assured, you will be one of them. The Master was a student himself under the head of House Syru, and whatever knowledge he gained there is the threat you should be concerned with. I’m not gonna sit around Nalnora defending everyone.”

  Luir snorted. “I doubt the head of House Syru possessed any magic that could counter my own students. I had my eyes on him for centuries. He did little more than shut himself up in that dull chamber of his and build his brutish army.”

  “And you never wondered what he might be up to in there?” I asked pointedly.

  The leader looked at me for a long moment before he slowly leaned forward and narrowed his eyes.

  “I have, in fact,” Luir replied, and his gaze darkened. “So, Mason Flynt. What is the real reason Dragir sent you to me if the Elite are of such little concern to the two of you?”

  “He didn’t send me,” I said with a shrug. “I came to ask you a few questions. Dragir suggested I gain an allegiance in arms while I’m up here if I could, but frankly, I don’t need your army. I’ll handle the Master’s attack on House Fehryn myself.”

  Luir furrowed his brow curiously. “Go on then. Ask your questions.”

  I smirked. “I did. You’ve already told me what I came to find out. Now, if you’re done here, I’ll be on my way.”

  The leader began to look furious, and I waited patiently for the imminent threat. I could tell by the set of his jaw it was coming any moment.

  “You did not come here to trick me into giving you information,” Luir growled.

  “I did,” I said and sent him an apologetic grin. “I was curious what you had to say on a couple topics. Everyone told me the head of House Orrel had such immense wisdom and knowledge at his disposal. I was a little disappointed on those points, but it wasn’t a wasted trip. I saw your House and your extensive grounds, witnessed the strength of your army, and learned a few things. Like you said, that’s what really matters. Knowledge. I’ll leave a wiser man.”

  The leader stared, but slowly, his expression twisted into an eerie grin, and he began to chuckle to himself.

  “I like you, you know,” he told me as he stood and made his way around the table. “I have kept my eyes on you ever since you exhibited the power of that infernal weapon of yours within the hall of the Elven Council. I knew without a doubt that every House in Nalnora would either want to kill you or enslave you, and I have been curious to see which it would be.”

  “Well, I’m still alive,” I pointed out.

  Luir’s grin widened. “Enslavement, then.”

  “Not yet,” I assured him.

  The leader’s expression gradually sobered, and he folded his arms across his broad chest as he leaned against the stone tabletop.

  “You know, no elven army has ever fought alongside a human,” he mused, “and yet you have gained a firm allegiance with both House Quyn and House Fehryn and managed to ally their own armies against this supposed Master. But tell me, do you really believe you will escape this land?”

  I shrugged. “I’ve done alright so far.”

  Luir looked less than amused. “I could name forty elves who would slit your throat the moment they saw you, and that isn’t even counting the armies at their disposal. Or myself.”

  “What did I do to you?”

  “Disappointed me,” the leader replied simply. “I welcomed you into my home and shared my knowledge with you, and you repay me by tarnishing my litt
le sprite and probing me with duplicitous questions. It’s a shame we could not work together, but killing you will ease my conscious where Deya is concerned at least.”

  “You really think I’m worth dragging that army out?” I asked. “That’s kind of flattering.”

  “No, I won’t bother with them,” the leader said as he waved a dismissive hand. “My guards will do just fine.”

  I couldn’t help but snort. “Well, for the sake of sparing you further disappointment, it’s gonna take more than two guards to kill me.”

  The leader’s serpentine eyes glinted. “If you insist.”

  I furrowed my brow at the giddy expression on Luir’s face, but Aurora suddenly grabbed my sleeve, and when I glanced over, she pointed up with the axe.

  Every cutout that spiraled around the massive tower’s walls had the silhouette of an owl silently perching in it, and a chill ran down my spine as I felt them all looking down on us.

  They weren’t the unusual breed the leader’s transmuters used, but they were the same common owls I’d seen in the trees above the lagoon.

  Then, almost in unison, the owls blinked, and I realized their eyes had a slightly serpentine quality to them.

  Luir began to chuckle to himself once more, and just as I took a step back, the owls abruptly took flight.

  They swarmed the upper tower in a torrent of brown and white flecked feathers, and the women gathered closer around me as we watched them circle above and completely blot out the heights of the chamber.

  Then they swiftly dove to the ground, and as they landed, their feathers melted away to reveal the crouched and brawny forms of House Orrel’s guards.

  There must have been forty or more silver-haired elves with identical copper eyes surrounding us, and I eyed the four gleaming blades that splayed from the top of each knuckle like talons.

  The guards slowly stood as they pulled their swords from their hilts, and Luir shifted casually to get more comfortable where he watched from the stone table.