Ardeen, Volume 1: The Circle of Magic

by Sigrid Kraft

  The Prince conjured a rope from out of nowhere and tied it around his waist.

  “If things don’t go as planned, you will have to drag me out again. If it comes to that.”

  The smile on his lips seemed forced, without His Highness’s usually abundant self-confidence.

  This worried Eryn. “My Prince, what can go wrong? I mean, you are such a great mage...”

  With a hint of gallows humor the Prince replied:

  “Well, I’m also trying to do something great... and I’m no god. The ring has much less power, and if I lose control, even for a moment, the Unhaer will collapse around me. And then... perhaps I won’t be able to make those hundred meters on my own. So that’s why I brought you with me, knowing you will do anything to save me.”

  He didn’t know this before. He didn’t even know Unhaer would be right in front of us. No, even he doesn’t know everything, Eryn concluded, as the Prince continued:

  “The soulban has its good points too - at least for the person who cast it.

  But let’s not waste any more time! They are launching a fresh attack on the damaged fortress. Get ready! I will give Master Eriwen a sign, and then we start.”

  Eryn opened his vein of gold and, because of his many hours of practice, he was now so skilled with it that he could focus his attention on other things at the same time. So he immediately noticed when Prince Raiden activated the ring. The artifact created some sort of bubble around the Prince, made entirely of Circle of Gold magic.

  The Lord of Naganor then tapped into Eryn’s vein and started drawing out the magic. It felt unpleasant, but Eryn forced himself to keep the vein open.

  The Prince had warned him that it wouldn’t be easy, so Eryn was prepared. The bubble around the ring grew and gained in power. The Prince grabbed the rope, uncoiling it, while passing quickly through the Unhaer. He soon stood at the edge of a precipice.

  A thin strand of golden magic coursed along the rope and built a bond between Eryn and the ring.

  The Prince can certainly see the whole valley from there.

  In the distance, Raiden’s figure formed a dark shadow against the bright blue of the sky. Although it was breezy where Eryn was standing, up ahead the wind was tearing at the Prince’s hair and clothes, making the image even more impressive. The Lord of the Black Tower raised his arms to increase the spell.

  He continued to draw the golden essence from Eryn, to feed the magical bubble keeping him safe. This ball of magic was a wondrous thing to behold.

  If I could cast such a spell, I could walk in the Unhaer again without being harmed.

  He scanned, but saw nothing more than a thin layer of the Circle of Gold. He would have liked to examine it more closely, but did not dare waste his attention on other things, because it was vital that he kept the vein of gold open.

  A flash shot across the sky, and Eryn at first thought that this blast was the Prince’s great spell. There was a second flash, and he realized he had been mistaken.

  Oh, damnation! Someone is shooting at him from below. That’s bad. Can the Prince conjure up shields as well as drawing magic for the bubble and casting his big spell? Well, I couldn’t. Not even two spells at once. And nothing like the powerful ones he’s doing now.

  There was another lightning flash. Prince Raiden’s shields flickered, and there was a sharp tug on the vein of gold. Eryn almost lost control.

  I need to keep my mind on my work, until the Prince has finished the spell.

  The power concentrated around the Black Mage was now clearly visible.

  That aura reminds me of the magic around the dragon in my vision. The end must come soon.

  Another fearsome bolt of lightning shot over the edge of the abyss. Eryn was ready for the next tug, which duly came, and was followed by a steady pull. Prince Raiden drew more and more magic towards him. Meanwhile the bubble grew far beyond the edge of the abyss. Everything in Eryn screamed at him to break the connection, but he held on. The thick vein of gold was now little more than a thin ribbon.

  Weave the damned spell! I can’t keep it open anymore!

  The Prince stood with his arms aloft, and then the world exploded. The spell was released and sent death and decay down into the valley.

  Suddenly the connection snapped and, at the same time, the Black Prince collapsed and fell to the floor. Eryn did not understand immediately, but then realized what had happened.

  What? No! The ring must be out of power. I have to get the Prince out of there now!

  Eryn pulled on the rope, but the strength of his muscles was not enough on its own. He tried again using magic as well, and the body of the Black Mage began to move over the stony ground – slowly, much too slowly to make it in time. Then the lifeless body caught on a pile of stones, and no amount of pulling could help any more.

  Time is running out! Prince Raiden won’t survive in the Unhaer much longer. He looks half-dead already.

  Eryn pulled at the rope again in desperation and tumbled backwards. It had become loose. Eryn threw it down. I have to fetch him. I have to go and fetch him by myself. That ring did nothing apart from creating a bubble of gold...

  As he had no better ideas, Eryn tried to copy the ring’s spell, drawing a ball of golden magic around him. Carefully, he took a few steps into the Unhaer, and it seemed to be working.

  The ball held and Eryn remained unharmed. Then he started to run.

  He had sped nearly half the way across when he noticed that the bubble was deflating. His spell was clearly flawed. Three more steps and he had reached the Prince. Eryn heaved him over his shoulder and started to run back. There was no air left, and every meter was a struggle.

  Still ten paces to safety.

  Eryn’s lungs burned, and he thought he was going to suffocate. He broke the spell because he was desperate for air. But now the Unhaer hit him like a hammer. Gasping for breath, he stumbled the last five steps. Then he was outside –on magically-blessed land again. Eryn dropped the heavy weight from his shoulders, and Prince Raiden crashed to the ground. Eryn was still gasping, but then his breathing began to calm down again.

  The Lord of Naganor lay unconscious, face down on one arm. The other arm was stretched out uncomfortably. Eryn turned the Prince over. The face was ashen, covered with blood and dust. His nose and mouth were bleeding.

  Eryn scanned him in shock. Is he still alive?

  He detected a very faint pulse in the Prince’s body, but there were injuries far too serious for Eryn to heal. Eryn cast the small healing spells he had learned. They would not save the Prince, but they would keep him alive a little longer.

  “Eryn? How is Prince Raiden?”

  Eryn had never been so glad to hear Master Eriwen’s voice.

  “Master Eriwen, the Prince is severely wounded and I need help here immediately. We are at the top of the cliffs to the east, but the Unhaer extends from the edge about a hundred meters inland. It is a wide belt, stretching out on both sides.”

  The warrior mage replied curtly: “I will come up.” Then the connection was severed.

  How will Master Eriwen get through the Unhaer? His spells will be broken if he enters this unmagical hellhole.

  Eryn looked to the edge of the cliff impatiently, still casting his weak healing spells on Prince Raiden. Then he saw a wooden entity approaching over the cliff edge, standing upright in the sky.

  One end of the object fell and hit the top of the cliff. The other end hung in the air, forming a bridge between a magical air-column and the unmagical land. Master Eriwen was soon walking over the improvised bridge.

  They could only use magic outside the Unhaer and so they have heaved the structure up and then let it fall down like a drawbridge on the Unhaer land.

  To Eryn’s astonishment, Master Eriwen ran the last hundred meters without any adverse effects.

  He isn’t as strongly affected by the Unhaer as me. That probably means he has far fewer powers than Master Raiden or me.

  Without wasting any time,
Master Eriwen began tending to the Prince. He knelt down and started casting spells.

  Eryn stood uselessly to one side, watching, as there was nothing more he could do. The wind turned icily cold and twilight began to fall, so Eryn started to build a shelter. I can’t go wrong there.

  He began to gather stones, firstly by magic, but then, when he realized that he could lift much bigger stones by muscle power alone, he swapped to the unmagical way of building. There were no trees or bushes around, only thin grass and lichen clinging to the stones. Stones were the only building material available. The end result – not exactly a great architectural feat – was more like a rampart than a wall, but it did the job of protecting them from the wind.

  The Prince was still motionless, with Master Eriwen beside him casting spells with total focus on what he was doing. Eryn was dying to ask some questions but it was not quite the right time or place.

  Don’t disturb a mage while he’s working. I know this from my own experiences. Don’t even offer to help.

  Eryn carefully scanned the Prince, as he was eager to know his condition, and what Master Eriwen was doing. With his scant knowledge, Eryn had only a basic understanding of this kind of magic, and to him, the Prince’s condition seemed unchanged and critical.

  What if he dies? Will the soulban be dissolved, or is that the end for me too? That was a most unpleasant prospect.

  It’s best if I think it won’t come to that. But the Prince’s life is still in the balance. I could have let him die in the Unhaer. But I didn’t, and I know too that it wasn’t the soulban that made me do that.

  After all he’s done to me, I helped him of my own free will. Why? Because it was the right thing to do. He knew about the danger he was putting himself in right from the start. But he did it anyway. To save Ardeen, the Guard – his people – and to defeat the enemy. That’s why I brought him back from there.

  I can barely believe it, but the Prince of Ardeen wasn’t thinking of himself. He really was doing it for other people. I’m damn near to admiring him, even though he always treats me badly, not to mention what he subjected me to during my first days at Naganor!

  On the other hand he was right in all he said about the magic and the history of the Fenn. Where would I be now if I had been able to start using magic as a child? Third or even fourth grade. Not a Nurin at level one.

  My powers must be strong, because I can’t even take a few steps in the Unhaer. The unmagical land doesn’t affect Master Eriwen so much.

  I would love to know what happened down in the valley. We obviously won, otherwise Master Eriwen wouldn’t have come up. But why didn’t the others follow?

  If the Prince does die - what will happen to me then? Imagine if the soulban dissolves and I’m still alive. Would they let me go free, wherever I want?

  This was a pleasant thought, instilling in him a taste of freedom.

  But where can I go anyway? The Fenn are destroyed and my past is nothing but a tissue of lies. Well, not lies. Stupid ignorance more like.

  I want to learn the art of magic. I could go to the White Tower. But Master Elderon forced Prince Raiden to cast the soulban on me. He wants to control me too. Can I trust him or is he only using me for his own ends? Even if the Prince dies, the Guard is hardly going to be disbanded. So I suppose nothing will change. In any case, the Guard mages can still teach me a lot, and all my friends are there. Perhaps it is wrong to call one place home and to cling to other people. A man should be able to leave all things behind. But it means something to me – more than I can put into words.

  Then his train of thought changed. That rope the Prince conjured up - what did he make it out of? He certainly changed the material he used for it. How great it must be to master transformation magic. You need a suitable base material though, and stone wouldn’t be any good. Perhaps he made it out of lichen. The rope wasn’t much use in the end. Well, the rope was all right, but the knot came loose. I saw that. He is such an outstanding mage and can’t even tie a knot. Should I point that out to him? Not a good idea, but it’s not forbidden to think it, ha ha. That rope plan wasn’t any good anyway. Even if the knot had held, I don’t think I would have got him out in time. I still don’t know if it was worth the effort. His life is still hanging by a thread. If he gets better, will he be grateful for what I did? I’m not so sure...

  “Oh, put a cork in it, Nurin! ” The voice in Eryn’s head was weak, but it was undoubtedly Prince Raiden speaking.

  He can’t stop reading my thoughts even when he’s half dead. Master Eriwen had fired up a ball of light, and this brightened the thickening darkness. The mage’s face looked exhausted and was covered in sweat, but was more relaxed now.

  Prince Raiden opened his eyes. He still looked very pale and tried to sit up using magic.

  “My Prince, you are severely wounded. It is best if you lie still.”

  The Lord of Naganor countered thinly: “I am fine. It looked worse than it was.”

  Master Eriwen frowned but said nothing.

  Prince Raiden continued: “Let’s speed up the healing a bit! Nurin, make yourself useful after disturbing my sweet sleep with all your useless thinking! The Circle of Orange, please. Master Eriwen!”

  The other mage nodded, obviously knowing what the Prince was about to do now.

  Eryn did not know, on the other hand, and as usual no one felt the need to enlighten him. So he sighed, opened the vein and once again offered his strong magic to the others.

  The Black Prince’s condition improved remarkably in just a short time.

  “Now we must let nature take its course. In a few days all this will be forgotten.” The Prince looked round theatrically. “I’m famished. Where is the victory feast?”

  Eryn fiddled with his rucksack. “At once, my Prince.”

  “I hope so. That little spell has tired me out.”

  In the meantime Master Eriwen had improved their new “home”, building the walls higher, creating a fireplace and furnishing it with a stony table and chairs. The magical fire radiated warmth and also made a fine place for cooking.

  “Master Eriwen, you are almost a Gray,” the Prince teased.

  Gray Mages were so called because they were strong in the Circle of Gray, the art of building.

  “My Prince, I have to make provision for when my fighting days are over,” Master Eriwen replied in mock seriousness. The two mages then began to talk about all the things that had happened, and the non-mage Eryn needed only to listen and all his questions were answered.

  The Prince asked: “How many escaped?”

  “Not many. As the spell spread, all men in the Unhaer were safe - our men mostly. Of the enemy, only those who were furthest away were spared.

  All their mages died in the devastating blast and, if I hadn’t known what was coming, I would also have breathed my last. I could only keep my shields up with great effort. Afterwards, though, it was an easy thing to overcome the rest of the enemy. Most of the survivors saved themselves by running anyway.”

  “And Lord Berington?” asked Prince Raiden, interrupting the report.

  “Escaped. But I sent word and our men will try to catch him.”

  The Lord of Naganor nodded, satisfied, and then enquired: “And Lord Boron? Did he bring the Guard to Aspenway in time?”

  “Lord Boron is coming with the foot soldiers. He isn’t here yet, but the cavalry under the command of Sirs Draken and Wylden made it to Aspengate. Some of the enemy were already gathered before the gate when they arrived. I had stayed well hidden thus far, but then I acted. Our men charged at full speed through the enemy lines, and I caused additional confusion. The rebel mages immediately reacted to my fire and shot back. One mage was particularly good and made it difficult for me. That was when our cavalry was between their lines, and one brave man left his Company, headed towards the mages and pierced my greatest enemy with his spear. Even before they realized the danger they were in, the daredevil killed two more of them. Then he wheeled his horse ro
und behind our main body of troops. It was a miracle he reached Aspenway’s walls safely. That brave man made things a lot easier for me, and I could hold my position.

  Then the siege started. Some of the hostile mages threw stones at the fortress walls, while the others kept me busy. The Unhaer hindered the enemy mages as much as us, so they had fewer opportunities to use their powers. They mainly used magic to throw stones towards the wall from outside the Unhaer, as some kind of siege engine. Once a stone is in motion, it carries on flying.”

  “You don’t have to tell me the obvious.” The Prince was clearly on the mend, because he was starting to rebuke people for the slightest thing. Master Eriwen shook off the reprimand. He had known the Prince and his mannerisms for a long time now.

  “Excuse me, my Prince. The other mages were not that strong, and the stones they were throwing were not very big. After the first attack with stones and arrows, they tried to besiege the walls but were beaten back. Lord Berington must have known that reinforcements were on the way, so he tried his utmost to take the fortress at once.

  Our men fought back ferociously, yet the walls suffered heavy damage and then a whole section fell in on itself. The enemy charged again, but the Guard sealed the breach. Berington’s men withdrew, hurling another volley of stones and arrows at us. Then they came at us again. The situation became perilous, but fortunately you appeared. Just in time.”

  The Prince basked in his glory: “And burned the rats to ashes. What about our men? How high are the losses?”

  “Difficult to say. About half the men fell at Aspenway.”

  This did not seem to bother the Prince much. It was merely a statistic.

  “We will have to recruit new men to fill the ranks. Some promotions are imminent too. What about Sir Draken and Sir Wylden? Are they still alive?”

  Master Eriwen nodded.

  “Good!” the Prince remarked, and Eryn thought bitterly: