Rogue Magician (The Magician Rebellion)

by Cornett, Curtis

  “Dear goddess of death, Kassani, send forth a dark spirit to protect me and my charges,” Avelice solemnly spoke. A spook, a blood red ghost known for draining the life energy of its victims, materialized before her eyes. “Find the intruders in my home and deal with them,” she commanded, “Do with them as you will.”

  The spook flew out of Avelice's bedroom and through the door, hungry to feast on the intruders and the summoner followed not far behind. She banged on the doors as she ran down the upstairs hall hollering for her students. “Get up! Get up! Get up!” she shouted. “We are under attack!” As if to punctuate that fact a man let loose a blood curdling scream from the first floor, suddenly finding himself in the spook's grip.

  Rex was the first one out of his room followed closely by Quevine who started down the stairs, but Rex grabbed him and pulled his roommate back just in time to hear the loosing of a crossbow and see a bolt hit the wall where Quevine had been the moment before.

  “Secure the top of the steps,” Avelice told them. “We will send spirits down to face them while keeping the area up here safe and move down with shields and wielding the elements as needed.” Both of the teens nodded in agreement as did Minnie who had since emerged from the room she shared with her sister.

  Turshyn stumbled from his room favoring his good arm as he leaned against the wall. Despite the brave face he had put on for the last few days it was clear that his injured wrist was paining him as the nerve endings started growing back. “I can help,” he said. “What do you need of me?”

  “Gather the children into Mellani's room and stay there with them. If we should fail to repel the attackers, then it will be up to you to protect them.” Turshyn was about to argue, but seeing the resolve in his master's eyes did as he was asked leaving the other magicians to deal with the attack.

  Avelice and the teen magicians stared into the dark at the bottom of the staircase. “Every ward was triggered at once,” she told them. “That means there are at least eight intruders down there and probably more. If these are Kenzai, they never come after us with inferior numbers and never without an organized plan. They only start battles that they are sure they can win to better perpetuate the myth that they are superior to us.”

  “Why are they not attacking?” Quevine asked nervously trying to peer into the darkness below. A chill aura enveloped the young man so that his breath was visible when he exhaled, but he seemed not to notice.

  Avelice shrugged. “Perhaps we surprised them. They probably expected to kill us in our sleep without any resistance. Now they are likely moving into position to launch an organized assault.”

  “Then we should rush them before they have the chance,” Rex suggested. Electricity was already pulsing in his hand in anticipation. Like most elementalists he was prone to action with little regard for the consequences, reinforcing a belief that Avelice long held that personality traits and magic affinities were related.

  Instead Avelice chose to summon two more spooks and sent them down the stairs preferring them for their efficiency and usefulness in close quarters. After a minute when there was no sound she motioned for Minnie, Quevine, and Rex to go down the stairs. Minnie erected a barrier before them and Rex began bouncing lightning between his staff and free hand as much to prepare an attack as to illuminate the room. Quevine began chanting under his breath preparing a spell as well. Avelice hated sending them down there alone, but someone had to keep the stairs secure and she would be the least effective in a close range fight. Still even knowing that made her sick to her stomach to think that she was sending children that were like family to fight her battles.

  The necromancer ran back to her room and dropped to her knees in front of her dressing cabinet. Avelice opened the bottom drawer and found the piece of black chalk she used to draw runes for advanced summoning.

  ***

  Two more assassins screamed out as they were grabbed by the spooks patrolling the first floor with impunity. Their summoning would not last long, but the spirits were nearly invulnerable for the short time that they would exist in this realm and with every life they drained they could last a little longer to find another source to feed on.

  A shadow flickered at the edge of Rex's vision and he let loose a bolt of lightning. The room was bright for an instant as the bolt struck an assassin trying to circle behind Minnie's shield. The positions of a dozen other attackers were revealed in that second to be lost a moment later as the night reasserted itself.

  Suddenly Quevine stepped in front of Minnie's shield and shot daggers of ice as he waved his hand around the room. A few more of the Kenzai shouted in pain or fell over dead from the attack, but not before one loosed a bolt from his crossbow catching the ice magician in the temple. For a moment Quevine had an eerie look of surprise before he fell backward and hit the wall before sliding down to the floor.

  A dozen arrows flew towards Minnie and Rex, but they were deflected by the girl's barrier. Rex moved to the edge of the barrier and extended his staff so that it protruded beyond the shield. The magical weapon lit up as lightning shot from it repeatedly for nearly a minute with little care for aim or what he might be hitting. When the barrage ended several more assassins laid dead around the room.

  “Can you see anything?” Rex asked, “White spots are dancing before my eyes.”

  “A little warning would have been nice.” Minnie rubbed her eyes with one forearm, but did not allow her shield to drop.

  For a few tense seconds nothing happened as the teenaged magicians waited for their sight to adjust to the darkness once more. Then a dozen blue and white glowing blades sprang up from the darkness as the remaining Kenzai assassins all drew their swords in unison.

  Minnie told Rex, “Go back up the stairs. My shield will not last long against that many Kenzai blades,” and she followed behind him backing up slowly to keep the shield between them and the advancing assassins.

  “Get behind me,” Avelice told them when they reached the top of the stairs. The glowing blades advanced after them revealing the glimmer of hard, cold faces in the faint light. “Kassani, lend me your strength! Return to me the souls of the dead, if only for a little while!” the necromancer shouted as she slammed her open palm into a rune drawn on the floor.

  The Kenzai halted their advance for a moment expecting some sort of magical attack, but when none came they began to rush forward up the steps to finish the magicians. One of the Kenzai was within a blade's length of Avelice when Rex fired a bolt of lightning and struck him in the chest throwing the assassin back into his cohorts knocking three of them down the stairs. “Gods, protect me!” shouted one of the men from the floor below and the men on the steps seemed unsure of how to proceed.

  Minnie erected another barrier between the magicians and the Kenzai. While a tired, but angry Rex started forming a ball of lightning at the end of his staff. “When I give the word drop your shield,” he told Minnie and she nodded understanding.

  The Kenzai killers made up their minds and started to force their way back down to the bottom floor.

  “Right now those men are regretting their decision to not press forward.” Avelice said a little short on breath.

  “How so?” Rex asked, still building his lightning ball even bigger.

  “Because down there the Kenzai are facing all of the dead men you three managed to kill just minutes ago. They face the undead.”

  With Minnie's shield still up the magicians moved down the steps cutting off any possibility of the assassins making their way back to the top floor.

  The assassins hacked and slashed at the walking dead who attacked in kind with their own weapons. The living were quickly overwhelmed by the dead despite having greater numbers fore what would have been a killing blow to a living man was merely a hindrance to the undead. The battle lasted for only a few minutes before the retreat was called and the assassins began to flee the cabin.

  “Now!” yelled Rex and Minnie dropped her shield. Rex pushed the ball forward with his s
taff in a great thrust and it flew a few feet forward until it was near a few of the stragglers. Minnie erected her barrier once more and the magicians turned their heads away and closed their eyes just before the lightning ball exploded filling the room with a brilliant light for an instant killing four more assassins within its blast radius and scattering several other assassins and undead walkers.

  The still living Kenzai hurried to their feet and found a way out of the cabin whether it was through a window or door before the undead could grab more of them, leaving the magicians in relative safety for the time being.

  A groan of pain came from one corner and Avelice saw the reanimated body of Quevine standing over one of the assassins. The bolt that killed him still protruded from his forehead, but Quevine took no notice of it. His staff was buried blade end into the killer's sword arm.

  “Do not kill him unless he moves,” Avelice commanded the magician's corpse. Undead Quevine gave no acknowledgment, but did as he was told. To Minnie and Rex she said, “Check the rest of the cabin and make sure there are no stragglers.”

  “It would be safer for these...” Rex struggled for the word looking at the emotionless reanimated body that had not long ago been his friend, Quevine. Finally he settled on, “things to search the cabin.”

  Avelice shook her head, “I would not trust the walkers to do a thorough search. They retain much of the knowledge of their former hosts, but the walkers are nothing more than killing machines serving the will of their master. They have little more than their base instincts to guide them.”

  The two teens searched the first floor keeping clear of the windows as best they could and upon finding no more of the assassins lying in wait they declared the cabin safe from attackers.

  Rex placed his hand to the cabin wall near one window in a way so that he did not risk a crossbow bolt finding him from an eager Kenzai assassin hiding outside and the wood began to grow over sealing the window so that only a small slit remained. He did the same with the next window, eliminating possible entrances into the cabin as he went.

  “Minnie, I need you,” Avelice called weakly and her student came. “Enchant him. We need information.” She pointed at the assassin pinned by Undead Quevine.

  Minnie placed her hand on the assassin's forehead. “You are safe. We are your friends and shall let no harm come to you,” her voice was soothing and melodic almost like she was singing, “and you would not allow any harm to befall us. Would you?”

  “No, of course not, child,” the assassin said as if the very idea of harming her was foolish. He attempted to rise, but grunted in pain realizing that the pointy end of a dead man’s spear was holding him down. His eyes widened in terror and Avelice commanded Undead Quevine to release the man. “Thank you, madam. You are most helpful,” the assassin said sincerely, though he still gritted his teeth against the pain, when the spear was removed.

  The necromancer commanded the walking dead to patrol the perimeter of her land opening the door wide as they approached the exit. The corpses went outside without facing any resistance, but once they made it a few yards outside of the cabin a hail of arrows fell on them from hidden enemies in the nearby trees. Avelice estimated there were at least twenty arrows in the volley coming from various positions around the clearing.

  The zombies got back up after a moment and continued their patrol. Avelice closed the door leaving the walkers to their own devices. In a few hours the spell would fade and the undead would become lifeless husks once more. Until then the magicians would have some time to plot their next move and recover their spent energy.

  “It is good to have those damned things away,” the assassin remarked cheerfully. He was now in a sitting position against the wall pressing his off-hand against the wound on his sword arm to reduce the flow of blood.

  Avelice regarded him keenly and then said amicably, “Yes, you are quite right. My name is Avelice and this is Minnie and Rex.” She motioned to the others in turn.

  “Charmed,” the assassin told them with a nod. Minnie and Rex exchanged a knowing glance, but the assassin failed to notice. “I am Bertran the Silent, master assassin and servant to his highness, Prince Janus Aurel.”

  If Avelice was surprised that the prince of Aurelia was the one who sent innumerable assassins to kill them, she did not show it. “That sounds terribly fascinating, Bertran,” she told him flirtatiously. “Are you on assignment for the prince now?”

  “Oh, yes, my lady.” Bertran tried to stand, but groaned again as he put pressure on his wounded arm. “I forgot about that.”

  “Rex, would you fetch some bandages for Bertran?” Avelice asked kindly.

  “Of course. Anything for Bertran,” Rex said sarcastically in a weak attempt to mask his dislike of the man who mere minutes before would have slit all of their throats given the chance. Rex bowed and left the room.

  “That boy... is peculiar,” said Bertran. The fog clouding his mind was thick, but not so great that Rex's displeasure was completely missed.

  “You know boys of his age,” Avelice waved off the comment.

  The assassin nodded. “I was quite the handful at his age,” Bertran's eyes looked far away as if remembering something from long ago.

  “What were you saying about your assignment for the prince?” Minnie offered trying to get the Kenzai assassin back on topic.

  “I do not think that I was saying anything,” Bertran replied slyly. “The prince would have my head if I betrayed his confidence. Do not misunderstand me. I know you are trustworthy friends, but I cannot break my oath. I hope you understand.”

  Rex returned with the bandages and scissors. “No alcohol to clean the wound?” Bertran asked when the young man brought them over to Avelice.

  “Sorry, we are out,” Rex shrugged noncommittally. The others knew he was lying, but neither was inclined to say so.

  Minnie held Bertran's arm perpendicular to his torso while Avelice wrapped it. Once the wound was dressed Avelice cut the wrap and tied it off, tucking in the loose end to the bandage.

  “That will have to do for now,” the necromancer told the entranced Bertran.

  Minnie placed her fingers to the assassin's arm very gently. “But his highness, the prince, is here,” she said in that sweet, soothing way of hers. “He is right behind us,” she added nodding her head to the side in Rex's direction.

  Bertran looked at Rex and his eyes grew wide before he diverted his gaze to his lap. “My liege, you honor me with your presence.”

  Rex looked to Minnie with pleading eyes. He suddenly felt self-conscious for fear that he might inadvertently break the spell. “What... uh... what was your last mission?”

  Bertran tilted his head, but regarded his prince without malice. “Are you feeling alright, my lord?”

  “Be more forceful,” Avelice whispered in Rex’s ear. “You are a prince and his master.”

  Rex thought for a few seconds and then said, “My faculties are not in question, Bertran. I am concerned that you do not fully understand the task set before you. Now repeat it back to me.” Rex could not help smiling as his initial fear was replaced by excitement at playing the role of the prince.

  Averting his gaze once again, Bertran said, “I meant no disrespect, my liege. My mission is to help Gilkame Axebeard find his missing control collar and root out any opposition in the area particularly of the magical variety. We took twenty Kenzai assassins and the criminal Mantellus Firekin to help flush them from hiding.”

  “Twenty is not so bad,” Minnie offered, “We have killed- I mean the magicians have killed half that many already.” She smiled weakly hoping she had not inadvertently broken her own enchantment with a poor choice of words.

  After a few intense seconds when none of the magicians said anything more Bertran shook his head, “When we turned up short in our investigation we used Mantellus Firekin to draw out the magicians. He was successful though it cost his life and a few days later I followed the magicians to their hideout. It was a cabin... in t
he woods...” Bertran looked around the room as if his vision was clearing and he might be realizing that the world around him was far different from what he thought it might be.

  Minnie made contact with the man once more. Thinking quickly she told him, “I remember hearing the tales. That was many years ago. You attacked the magicians in their cabin... and they repelled your forces at first, sending you and your men back into the woods outside the clearing, but you killed them. How did you do it?”

  It was a minute before Bertran spoke again. His mind built the scenario as Minnie had described it and unconsciously filled in the blanks with his own plans and tactics until he finally responded, “How could I have forgotten? The magicians repelled us at first and cut our numbers, but the force we entered with was only a fraction of our true number. We started with twenty, but upon surveying the area found there were more magicians than expected and I sent for more men. When we did assault them it was with more than fifty men in our company. After they repelled us we stayed out in the forest out of the wizards' range and waited until their food stores were out. When they were starving and had to choose between that and risking a confrontation with us they emerged and we killed them firing down on them from the trees. Then once the adults were gone it was a simple matter to go in and eliminate the children.”

  “You paint a grim picture,” Avelice told him. “Did they not try to surrender?”

  “No, lady, they did not. Wizards are a cowardly lot without their magic, but this group they fought bravely... Still I imagine if they had surrendered we would have killed them anyway.” There was a hint of regret in his voice.

  Minnie looked to Avelice and the necromancer nodded. The young woman turned to Bertran and bent her staff toward him. “Sleep,” she whispered and the assassin did as he was told.