Fredrik and Tell charged forward weapons at the ready. In their desperation half of the prisoners sought to overwhelm the guards despite many of them still being unarmed and no longer having greater numbers.
The massacre was swift. Any magician that raised a hand in defiance was cut down. Tell was the first to fall getting caught by a sword in the side and Fredrik was not far behind him receiving a blade in the back from one guard as he faced another. The rest soon followed.
In the end there were less than ten magicians still alive by Xander's reckoning, which was admittedly rushed as the guards hurried the survivors back to some nearby empty clusters so they could sort out exactly what had occurred. One of the guards took Mantellus from the grandmaster's grasp and tossed him into a cell. The fire bender fell flat with a labored grunt of pain.
“He needs a healer!” Xander told the Kenzai.
One of the guards spoke up. From his tone he sounded like someone of authority, “Injured in a riot probably killing one of our men. He will sit as is until I hear word from the warden on what to do.”
“The warden is dead,” Mantellus spit out. He added, “I killed him,” with a sense of pride.
“Then you will join him,” said the guard in charge as he closed the door to Mantellus' new cell.
Chapter 22
The elementalist was paralyzed as the guard carried his body away. Mantellus was slumped over the man's shoulder like a bag of dirty laundry. He wanted to scream or wiggled his finger. He wanted to do anything just to prove he still had some control, but no matter how hard he willed his body it refused to move.
“We've got one more for the grave, Ethan,” said the guard as he unceremoniously dumped the apparently deceased magician on top of the pile of his brethren resting on a horse drawn cart. Lying amidst a mound of corpses was not a particularly uncomfortable experience for Mantellus in and of itself. As an avid practitioner of death he was well acquainted with the lifeless husk of a human body. However, he would have preferred to be laid face up so he could breathe fresh air instead of nose deep in slowly rotting flesh being baked by the midday sun.
His eyes began to water from the smell and he realized that he was staring into the face of his old friend Fredrik, the lightning elementalist and former pirate captain, who was now just another piece of rotting meat. It never ceased to amaze him how someone could be a person in one second, a living, breathing, eating, coupling thing, and a meaningless object the next no different from a chair or plate.
The cart shifted as two bodies climbed into the driving bench from opposite sides. With a crack of the reins the cart got off to a bumpy start and Mantellus thought he might slip loose, but settled into place soon after. The cart bounced along the rode for a few minutes at most before coming to an abrupt halt.
Another shifting of weight indicated that the guards exited the bench and not long after the carriage driver known as Ethan turned the unmoving magician over so that he was finally face up and pulled him off the cart grabbing him under the armpits. The first guard grabbed Mantellus by his feet. After carrying him no more than a few feet the guards began swinging the stiff magician back and forth. “On three,” said Ethan and the other guard nodded.
“One...”
The swinging got more rhythmic as the guards began to swing as one.
“Two...”
Mantellus' body was going higher as he picked up speed in the men's arms.
“Three...”
The men let go and tossed Mantellus into a large hole dug six feet deep. He landed with a hard thud and smacked his head on the hard packed earth causing him to see double for a minute.
His vision returned to normal just in time to see the Fredrik husk being thrown in after him. Mantellus desperately tried to turn his head or at least close his eyes but his body once more refused to answer. Fredrik landed high on Mantellus so that the elementalist's face was buried underneath his dead friend's back. At least when the guards started filling in the hole I will not get dirt in my eyes, he thought miserably, at least not for a while. More bodies were thrown on or around him making the magician long for the time not long ago when he was only buried nose deep among the dead.
A long forgotten tingling sensation went through his body and for the first time in years the killer felt whole. He could feel the magic slowly beginning to rebuild in his bloodstream. Normally magic was quick to return once a magician was no longer under the influence of the dreaded wards, but in his current state the regeneration was taking much longer.
Mantellus blinked his eyes and felt a sense of relief that the spell Ryonus cast was beginning to wear off. Ryonus had called it Faded Life, a poison of sorts or rather a suggestion of a poison deep in the brain that separates the mind from the body and lowers breathing and blood flow effectively simulating death. Given the slow acting nature of the spell its uses were fairly limited, but Ryonus was not a master of his chosen path for nothing.
Mantellus thought that movement may be impossible, but maybe a simple spell could be activated through a force of will since his mind was still active. Projecting his will to surround himself in a small orb of protection was simple enough. Although after a few seconds he began to feel light headed and a noticeable throbbing from his side forced him to stop. The Firekin was still gravely injured from the escape attempt and if he continued to exert himself by using the blood source directly he would kill himself in the process.
***
Night fell on the magicians' gravesite.
All was still as death, but if someone looked closely at the mass grave they would have seen a slight shifting of dirt. Slowly the dirt heaved and grew in a small spot until it fell away and a finger emerged that was soon followed by a whole hand and an arm. The arm grasped at nothing at first, but settled on digging its fingers into the dirt in an attempt to grab a handhold and began to pull something up. The gasping head of Mantellus Firekin was revealed followed by his other arm and shoulders seconds later.
The magician coughed and spat dirt and mud that had filled his mouth while the guardsmen buried him alive.
Hauling his body up, Mantellus pulled himself from the grave. As he lay in the dirt panting he checked the bits of torn shirt he fashioned into a bandage before Ryonus' spell took full effect back in his cell. They were covered in grime, but otherwise held in place.
In the distance he saw the flicker of torchlights. Colum.
Chapter 23
Byrn woke for the third straight day with the sun in his face. The gentle warmth was an unexpectedly glorious feeling. Compared to the prison of Baj the domain of Ilipse was like a paradise. Byrn could roam the community freely, eat different foods, and do whatever he wished.
The irony of living in a town filled with magicians where no one could use magic was not lost on him. There were wards everywhere preventing spell casting and Kenzai in their more traditional brown cloaks and light armor were posted around the inside of the perimeter walls serving the function of guardsmen to uphold law and order, but more importantly to act as jailers. It was a nice place to live, but Byrn could not ignore the fact that behind the niceties Ilipse was still a prison.
He could not stay here. Eventually someone would track him down. Sane would track him down. Surely someone would have noticed that he escaped Baj by now. Sane would find one of his rune markers missing and then it was only a matter of time before the sorcerer would find his way here. On horseback it would take nearly two weeks to get from Mollifas to the border of the South Lands. Byrn was unsure just how far into the South Lands Ilipse actually was, but he was certain that his master, former master, he corrected himself, had another rune marker that would be within a few days travel. Sane could be on his way to Ilipse right now.
***
Sane winced at the accusation.
“You helped your apprentice escape!” raged Prince Janus throwing his arms in the air and pacing the court.
Normally the court was filled with courtiers intent on earning political favor,
but now it housed just three people of high standing: Sane the sorcerer, Prince Janus Aurel, and his father, King Kale Aurel. The king's royal guard was posted around the room, their swords at the ready. They were some of the finest warriors in the kingdom, trained by the best sword masters in Aurelia. They were also well versed in the arts used by the Kenzai to suppress magic.
The royals wore grim expressions. Prince Janus was hotheaded, even for a young man of twenty-five years, but it was King Kale's judgment that Sane truly feared. The prince hated magicians and he was not shy about expressing his opinion by making suggestions that the entire group should be cleansed and every child should be tested at birth and drowned if they were found to possess magic as they do in Antellia on the northern continent. However, his power was limited... for now. One day Janus would be king and it would be within his right to exterminate all magicians if he wished.
The sorcerer had hoped to develop Byrn into a well-regarded magician and ingratiate him to the prince when he first made the offer of apprenticeship a year earlier. They were of similar age and Sane thought that if Janus had a sorcerer as a trusted companion or even friend, then he might look more kindly on magicians as a whole. Of course that would never happen now. There was still a small chance when Byrn was dutifully serving his penance in Baj, but now that he somehow escaped during the recent prison break whatever hope remained was now gone.
“Do not be foolish,” the king chastened his son, “Sane is a trusted adviser and has dutifully served at my side for over two decades. He would not betray the people of Aurelia for the sake of one boy. Would you, Sane?”
“Of course not,” said Sane, thankful that the king still had some trust in him, but he dared not think he was out of danger yet.
“Then you must go and find him,” the king told him. His voice was calm, but behind the king's eyes there was a piercing anger that was barely being held in check, “and when you find him he must be executed. No one can escape from Baj and live to tell the tale. If there is a perception of weakness in the kingdom it could embolden the rogue magicians in hiding throughout Aurelia to begin hostilities. We could even see a major magician rebellion on our hands.”
Sane ventured, “Perhaps the occasional rebellions that spring up every now and again are a sign that we keep a too tight leash on the magicians. Maybe if they were shown some mercy or given the same rights as the non-magical citizens...”
“Then they would succeed in their attempts to unseat my father, unhindered,” interjected Prince Janus. “If we eradicate them from our society, then the uprisings would surely stop as well.” Seeing his father about to object the prince continued, “Of course, I would not suggest such a course of action based on the actions of one magician. I am merely making the point that the sorcerer's suggestion is just as extreme a measure to appease a group comprised largely of commoners with the power to rival an army.”
“Enough, the both of you!” bellowed the king shocking the others into submission, “My order still stands. Sane you are to track down your missing apprentice and execute him. It was decided long ago, that is the sentence for escaping Baj and there is no reason for leniency in this case. Do it discreetly, but swiftly.”
“Your highness, may I speak to you privately?” the sorcerer glanced at Janus. “There is some additional information that may affect your decision, but it is best kept between us until I am certain.”
King Kale looked at his adviser with curiosity piqued. “Janus, please leave us.” The prince did as he was asked, but grumbled under his breath as he left. After he was gone the king motioned for Sane to come closer so his guards would not overhear. “What is this new information that is so secret?”
“I am not certain and this may just be a coincidence, but when I last spoke with Byrn he told me something. He told me he was adopted.” Sane paused to gauge King Kale's reaction. Seeing no change he elaborated, “Byrn is eighteen years old and it was eighteen years ago that your second son died as a baby.”
Kale grimaced. “We tested him secretly and found out he would be a magician when he grew up. We had him killed.” The king was barely keeping his anger in check. “What is your point?”
“You ordered him killed, but he was not. Knowing she would never be able to carry another child, the queen begged me to take her son and spirit him away while he was replaced with a commoner infant. She did not want to know where her son went, just that he was safe. I took him and gave him to Kellen in Colum, because I too did not want to know where the baby was for fear that I might be forced to reveal it at some point.
“After Byrn told me he was adopted I visited Kellen and asked what he did with the baby boy. He told me that he gave it to the orphanage in Colum. The same one that Byrn Lightfoot was adopted from.”
“So if I order you to kill this young man, then I may be ordering my own son's death?” the king shook with barely contained rage.
“Yes, your highness.” The sorcerer cast his vision downward so he did not have to look King Kale in the eye.
The king took a step towards Sane and punched him in the face knocking him to the floor. “You have betrayed me, Sane.” His voice was measured, but he seethed hatred, “I already ordered my son's death once. Now you have put me in a position where I must wonder if I am doing so again. My order still stands: Kill Byrn Lightfoot.”
Sane got up and with a short bow to maintain proper royal etiquette he told King Kale, “Yes, your highness.”
***
“Have you figured out how to get out of here?” asked Lora teasing her houseguest.
She hid Byrn from the Kenzai guards ever since her daughter, Marisa, discovered him in the stone circle four days ago. They were both born and lived in the domain for all of their lives. Lora's parents met in Ilipse and she was born there. Marisa's father was brought to the domain by the king's sorcerer, Sane, years ago using the very rune marker that Byrn now found in his possession. Although she was a spell caster she had never actually used magic. The same was true of many of the residents since it was impossible for anyone who had been within the domain for more than a few hours to use magic and most of those who were brought in were still relatively young and inexperienced as the older and more capable magicians tended to either be better at staying hidden or died when the Kenzai tried to take them captive. Byrn discovered that despite his limited experience he was one of the most knowledgeable magicians in Ilipse.
“I have an idea,” Byrn said with a hint of amusement. “The Kenzai have no idea who I am or even that I am here. I have taken great care to avoid them since getting here. So all I have to do is sneak into a merchant's cart the next time supplies are delivered...”
“...And if the hunters find you, then they might simply think you are with the caravan. Is that about it?” Lora finished for him. “How will you convince the other caravaners that you are one of them? If you are discovered hiding, even if the guards don’t recognize you, then they will still know that something is amiss.”
Byrn frowned thoughtfully, “It is not much, I know and I have yet to figure everything out, but I have to start somewhere. Whatever I do it must be soon. Every day that I am in Ilipse the risk of detection grows.”
Chapter 24
Kellen and Sane examined the cell cluster looking for any clues as to how Byrn might have escaped. The cluster was empty since the other prisoners in this group had been moved elsewhere following the breakout.
“Somehow the prisoners in this cluster tricked the guards into letting them out,” Kellen said to no one in particular as he tried to work through the sequence of events that led to the escape. “They killed the warden and several guards. Then they took the warden's skeleton key and started setting other prisoners free as they made their breakout attempt.”
“Byrn must have been the one to lead them out,” Sane added hesitantly, “These corridors are like a maze, but he has been through them enough that he must have memorized the way to the main entrance.”
“But where did h
e go?” Kellen wondered. “He was not with the magicians when they reached the hall. If he was leading them out would he have just disappeared?”
“Maybe he spied another way out and took a different path using the others as an unwitting distraction?” offered the sorcerer.
“That does not sound like the boy I met,” Kellen entered Byrn's cell, “Admittedly you knew the lad better than I, but from my brief time with him, Byrn was a trustworthy, if somewhat foolhardy, young fellow. He did not strike me as the type of person that would betray others to further his own goals.”
“I would have agreed, but then he betrayed me and left me to face the consequences for his actions,” Sane said with regret. “At our last meeting, he thanked me for everything I had done for him. I did not realize it at the time, but he was saying, 'Good bye.' This was a planned escape.”
Kellen knelt down noticing something in the boy’s cell. “Come. Look here,” he said indicating a discolored spot on the floor. “Here, here, here, and here,” the knight-captain said moving his finger from point to point as he spoke, indicating various small dots of dark discoloration.
Once he got closer Sane recognized the spots for what they were. “Dried drops of blood.”
“Yes.”
“He used magic to escape,” Sane said not sure whether to be proud or angry. In the end he was mostly perplexed, “but how?”
“Did you teach him the transportation spell?” asked Kellen. Such a thing would be a ridiculous notion, but it was the most likely option.
“No, no,” Sane protested angrily, “I would never do such a thing. Besides even if he knew the spell he would have no way to cast it. Even if he did it immediately following our training session the wards would activate the moment he entered the cell and besides that he would need a rune marker.” Then the sorcerer remembered his bag. Was it possible that Byrn took one of my rune markers and cast the transportation spell? he wondered.
Rogue Magician (The Magician Rebellion) Page 13