The Wizard's Council

by Cody J. Sherer

  James nodded and followed suit, ecstatic that the captain had agreed to speak to the King for him. He couldn’t help but wonder, though, if they should have sent one more familiar with the Cardinian ways. The Archwizard reentered the entrance hall and began examining it again. There were three statues on either side of the room, none of them was of a person he recognized. In between the statues hung more banners. One of the banners depicted a shorter man standing with his foot on the chest of a significantly larger man who was sprawled out on the floor. Another of the banners depicted a man on a horse with a great beam of light engulfing him. The last two banners were like the King’s banner, except they each also had a cross behind the lion. James looked closer at each of the statues. Two of them were soldiers, one of them was a king, and the last three looked to be regular citizens. I wonder what they did for Cardinia, he thought.

  “The King has agreed to see you,” The captain of the guard announced upon his return.

  “That was quick, I had expected it would take longer than that,” James replied as he followed Alan through the doorway.

  “I didn’t tell him the whole story, after I mentioned that Carmalia was under attack, he sent me back to get you.”

  James entered into the throne room behind Alan. It was much plainer than the average throne room. The throne was made of wood with no ornamental fabrics or object upon it. There were a few tapestries along the walls and a single carpet stretching up to the throne, but otherwise the room was devoid of decorations. Even the king’s crown appeared to be made of some material other than gold. The King was adorned in fine clothing, but nothing that would normally be associated with royalty. This is most refreshing, James thought as he approached the King. Like many Wizards, James felt little need for the fancier aspects of life. While he saw nothing wrong with being presentable, he did think that a man should be judged on his character and not his appearance. It was a fine line to tread as a man could show his character as much with a lack of proper apparel as with too extravagant of apparel. In James eyes’ the King of Carmalia fit in between the two extremes quite well. The Archwizard bowed low before addressing the King.

  “Your majesty, I am James of the Desert of Solitude. I bring grave news from Carmalia. They have come under attack from Galimdor. We know not the full extent of the threat, but the king, our Archwizard, and your own Archwizard are holed up in the keep hoping for their allies to come to their aid.” James desperately hoped that the King was as understanding as Melissa had always told him.

  “Well met, Archwizard. You may call John, in this chamber we are equals. These must be dire times indeed for one of your rank to be sent forth to us. Melissa has told me about you and from her description, you are a good man. She even went as far as to say that you are one we can trust, a hard commodity to find these days. Unfortunately, we are dealing with our own problems at the moment.” The King stood up from his throne and motioned for James to follow him.

  “What problems might those be? I know not what problems I could solve that Melissa could not, but it would be a disgrace for me not to try.” James followed the King out into the royal garden.

  “I know not if Melissa could fix these problems for they have arisen after her absence. There have been rumors coming out of Sardinia. They tell of a Wizard trying to take power for his own. He styles himself the Emperor of the southern kingdom, or so they tell me.”

  “Might I inquire as to whom it is that is telling you these things? I know Leon, this would not be like him or any of his men that I have come across. He is power hungry, yes, but not so bold. Not the Leon that I know.”

  James ran his fingers across his beard as he assessed the situation. King John had no reason to lie about Leon. Likewise, he had no reason not to send aid unless there was some merit to the rumors. James glanced up at the king. He could tell by the look on John’s face that the King was trying his best to work out the right words to say. The fire Wizard let out a sigh. If the rumors are indeed true then I must confront Leon myself, he thought as he waited on the king’s response. He so very much despised the politics of it all. The King needed to be careful in letting out information on his sources or his well of information could easily dry up. King John let out a deep sigh before turning to address James.

  “I had hoped to keep the informant a secret, but I am afraid that is simply impossible at this point. My niece, Alison Graystone, and the daughter-in-law of Alan is the one who provided me with this information. She married Alan’s eldest son. Together they coordinate with local merchants to gather as much information as they may. This tidbit of information comes from a friend of her older sister. Before I can commit any troops, I need to ascertain the risk that this Wizard poses to me. Would it be too much to ask you to confirm the reports?”

  “No, I don’t suppose it would be. If Leon or one of his apprentices has anything to do with this, Rolin would much like to know. I will do this for both of you.”

  “I have one more request that I must make of you. Alison’s sister, Jamie, has asked if she might look into the matter. It is, after all, her friend that gave the information to us.”

  “I doubt very much that either you or your niece would allow me to say no. However, if Leon is truly behind this, I cannot in good conscience give my blessing to her visiting Sardinia,” James shrugged as he spoke.

  “I understand, I will inform Jamie at once. You will leave at first light. We can provide a small escort if you wish.”

  “If that is what she wishes, then certainly.”

  *

  Rolin peered out over the walls of the keep. Another Galimdorian force was pushing toward the entrance. Won’t they ever give up, he thought as he prepared a spell. After a long period of quiet, the Galimdorian army had finally restarted their assault on Carmalia. Every couple of hours they had attempted to take the keep, but each time had been driven back by some combination of Rolin’s magic, archers, and a small group of knights that periodically charged forth from the keep. The brunt of the Galimdorian army stayed back behind the outer walls of the Carmalian castle, outside of the range of Rolin’s magic. Their new tactic appeared to be a harassment technique whose goal seemed to be wearing down the last defenders of Carmalia. Rolin thrust his hands forward, and a phoenix burst out of the top of the keep. The bird’s nearly fifteen-foot wingspan propelled it with furious speed. It descended upon the attackers and slashed at them with flaming talons. The soldiers, expecting a spell of some sort, huddled together and raised their shields to the sky. Several spears came thrusting out of the gaps in the shield barrier that they had just put together.

  The phoenix squawked as it thrashed about in an attempt to break through their defense. It succeeded in tearing away several shields and wounded a few soldiers. The others tried to fill in the large gap with their shields, but the bird was too fast. It thrust itself into the gap, knocking several Galimdorians to the ground. A few swipes from its talon felled five more soldiers and devastated the attacker’s morale. The phoenix was wounded, but the Galimdorians were on the verge of fleeing. It pressed the attack, clawing several more troops and snapping a few with its beak. One of the enemy’s leaders sounded a horn and the group surged at the phoenix in a last-ditch effort to defeat it. Rolin slammed his hands together, and the bird burst into a shockwave of flames. It exploded outward and engulfed the remainder of the troops. As the flames died down, the wounded Galimdorians retreated back behind the outer wall.

  “Don’t waste all of your strength, Rolin. We need you in case they attack in full numbers,” Melissa’s voice was easily recognizable.

  “Unfortunately, rest is not a luxury that I seem to be granted. Even if a small Galimdorian force were to breach the keep, we would be lost. I must do everything I can to keep them from gaining access.”

  “Always ready to lend a hand. It is something I’ve always admired about you.”

  “You are too kind, this is merely a matter of survival.” Rolin attempted to deflect the attention off himsel
f.

  “This is not the only time that you have thrust yourself into a matter that most would consider too difficult to manage. How many people would give up Paul and Emily instead of look death in the face?”

  “Far too many, I am afraid. It is, of course, out of the question for us. They are family, we protect our own,” Rolin scowled as he thought about the arrogance of the Galimdorians.

  Melissa nodded at his words. He wondered if she had more to say, but not enough to actually ask her. It was a strange thing, their relationship. They had known each other for a very long time, and in that time, they had been many different roles to one another. Rolin often wondered if it had been a mistake not to court his fellow Archwizard. They shared a similar work ethic, one that often caused them to overlook their own wants and needs for the wants and needs of others. Had life dealt us a different hand, Rolin thought as he looked at Melissa. She smiled at him, and he smiled back, too timid to voice his feelings. The prospect of defeat had nearly brought him to tell her, but he had decided against it. He lacked Paul’s courage when it came to a great many things. The elderly Wizard took a deep breath before speaking to Melissa.

  “I’ve gone a long time without saying this, Melissa. You’ve been a good friend to me over the years. Ours is a relationship that I can firmly say has benefited be greatly.”

  “That is kind of you to say, Rolin. I agree wholeheartedly, but I must ask why you would bring it up now?”

  “Our future is uncertain, and I did not wish it to go unsaid.”

  “Is it truly time to say the things that we fear will go unsaid?” She asked.

  “I fear that it is, old friend,” Rolin’s reply came with a heavy heart.

  “Then I must say that while our friendship has been a great one, I wish we had been more.” Melissa kissed Rolin on the cheek, which caused him to turn quite red.

  “They come again!” Rolin’s reply was interrupted by a call from one of the watchmen.

  The two Archwizards turned to see another force of Galimdorians coming through the outer wall main gate. This force was nearly five times the size of their previous attempts. Rolin estimated their numbers to be upward of two hundred. Must they always come at the most inopportune times, he thought as he moved closer to the edge to get a better look. This force had at least twenty archers on their flank, Rolin was sure that they were placed there due to his phoenix. With that option off of the table, Rolin looked to those around him for the next move. The Carmalian general was standing a few feet away from Rolin and was surveying the scene from atop the keep. Melissa was on the other side of the elderly Wizard and had a look of near defeat. Rolin waited for a bit to see if the Carmalians had a plan. When he had come to the conclusion that they were just as lost as he was, he approached the general.

  “Are there any secret passages out of the keep?” He asked.

  “None to my knowledge. We’ll have to fight them on every level. Our retreat is cut off, and we have no bargaining chips. The only option we have is to fight them at every turn. My men have been barricading the stairs within the keep. We’ll hold them for as long as we can and then retreat back to the next spot. It won’t hold them forever, but it is our only option at this time. I suggest that you get some rest while you still can. We’ll need your magic when they get to the upper levels.”

  *

  Ector shook his head as he watched Sev listening to Solin’s stories. The elf had very little positive dealings with the Holy Order and often found them to be as brutal as the enemies they sought to purge. Seeing the half-elf Ranger in conversation with the former member of their number was far from comforting. He spurred his horse closer and considered joining the conversation. Solin was telling Sev that the dwarves were one of the few groups that cooperated with the order when they passed a decree stating that all magic users needed to turn themselves in for inspection by the Holy Order. Ector remembered it well, though he doubted that Solin fully understood the ramifications of the Holy Order’s actions. He directed his horse closer to the two and then cleared his throat before joining the conversation.

  “I mean no disrespect, but I fear that you may be too young to have fully comprehended the intent of the Holy Order, friend Solin.” Ector hoped that his words did not anger the former Holy Order member.

  “It is true that I was no older than nine when they made the proclamation. However, the idea behind the action is what I am speaking about. Many a magic user has taken the wrong path without even knowing that they were doing such a thing. It is truly a shame that those who have done so were beguiled by the promise of power,” Solin’s expression did not change as he spoke, nor did it change often.

  “I am not certain that the Holy Order knows the best path to take, my friend. Though I am not a magic user, I have seen many an elf use magic in a responsible manner. You are correct in believing that all magic users need instruction on how to combat the lure of power, but the same argument can be made for anyone who comes within reach of power,” Sev inserted his own views into the conversation.

  “You are smart, young one. Of that, I am certain. Would you not agree that the Holy Order and the elves should instruct all other magic users on how to properly use their magic?” Solin asked.

  “That makes two things we agree on, Solin. Sev is indeed a smart man and the world would be a safer place if the elves were able to instruct others in the proper use of magic. As for the Holy Order, I cannot say,” Ector spoke with the same calm that he so often displayed.

  “I thank you both for your kind words. On the matters of magic, I am afraid I must disagree with both of you. One should not be allowed to force their opinions on another. We should welcome the debate of our stances, but we should not try to force others to agree with us. Each man must come to his knowledge of his own accord, otherwise he will not know the value of that which he has attained. If a man so desires the counsel of the elves or the Holy Order, then the better for it he shall be. However, if a man detests the counsel of others, he is a fool in his own right. I dare say that we are not accountable for the foolishness of anyone but ourselves,” Sev delivered his statement before excusing himself from the conversation.

  “Let us hope that we can retain this level of decorum in our future dealings. Our young friend is full of opinions, let us also hope that he is not led astray,” Solin spoke as he watched Sev return to the ranks of his men to check on each of them individually.

  “I agree, but we do have a more pressing matter to attend to. The reinforcements from Oakglen were a start, but we need more strength. While we assist the dwarves, who shall be assisting the elves? Should we not send out riders to assess whether our neighbors can amass an army to help us?” Ector asked.

  “A fine idea, Wizard. With the orcs attacking man, elf, and dwarf alike, I cannot help but wonder if something larger is at work here. Perhaps you should contact your fellow Wizards. They should have a better handle on things, I would think.”

  “It is settled then, we will send riders to each of the outlying kingdoms, and I shall attempt to contact my colleagues at their Conclaves. In the meantime, we need to send forth scouts and assess what we will be going up against.”

  The Necromancers’ New Pet

  Arcantos dismounted from his horse and examined the scene. Several hundred of his men were severely wounded, and the majority of his healthy troops were gathered around watching something occur within the outer wall. Did I not tell them to wait for my signal? He thought as he stormed past several groups of soldiers and up the stairs to the top of the wall. His eyes fell upon the group that was advancing toward the keep. Their number was far larger than he had authorized. Anger welled up within him as he looked around to find his Lieutenants. His Knights of Doom were nowhere to be found, and the Galimdorian captains were standing defiantly at the top of the wall. He could see in their demeanor that they were the ones who had ordered this assault. As he neared them, he thrust his staff toward them before addressing them.

  “What is t
he meaning of this?” His voice bellowed across the wall.

  “We got tired of your ineffective leadership. The castle will be ours soon. If your services are necessary, we will let you know,” one of the Captains replied.

  “If? Without my contributions, you would be dead along with half of your men. I am the only reason you’ve gotten this far!” Arcantos thrust his staff into the man’s chest, knocking him back several feet.

  “If you are so great, then explain why we’ve been cowering in fear for all this time. The keep has been ripe for the taking since the outer wall fell,” One of the other Captains stepped forward.

  “Ripe for the taking? We have, oddly enough, little information as to how many Wizards are holed up in that keep. It could be that they are kicking back and waiting for us to present ourselves as an easy target.” Arcantos turned to watch the band of nearly three-hundred men approach the keep doors.

  “Most of our resistance has been met with spells, but not enough to signify the ability to take out our entire army. They appeared to be weakening, and we sought to deal them a devastating blow.”

  “I admire your courage, but we must also consider the after effects. If the Carmalians weakened us beyond the ability to defend ourselves against our allies, then our attacks have been for naught. The Wizards have Conclaves in many kingdoms across the land, it would not be surprising if they were able to call upon a great number of allies.” Arcantos had to be careful not to tip off the Galimdorians to his plans.

  “Have we not allies of our own?” The captain asked.

  “We’ve spoken with the Barbarians of the north and the Holy Order. The Barbarians refused to assist us at all, and the Holy Order is only helping us indirectly. They’ve sent a force to attack the Necromancers, which should draw some of the attention away from us. Not from the southern kingdoms or the elves, though.”