Battle Mage: Winter's Edge

by Donald Wigboldy

  “Gust,” the mizard swept his hand towards the water that began to lose cohesion. The blast of wind was just enough to knock away the droplets that would have left Rilena wet on this cold winter’s day. The spray fell to her right safely away from any other riders.

  Laughing at her mistake, the young woman thanked him for the save. “I guess that next time I need to pay more attention to what I’m doing.”

  “Well, you’ll get sick if you keep getting drenched from it in this weather that’s for sure. Concentrating on those spells is definitely important if you don’t want a soaked lap,” he chided with a grin.

  Out of the corner of his eye, Sebastian noted the water wizards both frown. Their life’s work being used by a battle mage must not have gone over well, but he figured what was done was done. It wasn’t like they should stop using wizard type spells and never advance their own just to avoid stepping on a wizard’s toes. In fact, he hoped that maybe by showing that mages could do much of what their more powerful brothers and sisters could do, maybe there could be somewhat of a meeting of the minds between the two one day. The wizards and falcons of Windmeer had certainly seemed to learn from their joint battles the previous summer.

  Though such thoughts were nice, Sebastian also hoped this trip didn’t wind up with nearly as much excitement as last year. A nice boring ride didn’t sound so bad for once.

  Chapter 7- Inn to the Wild

  Winter always brought darkness all too soon to the grayed out winter’s days of North Continent. Worse, this late afternoon’s cool winds had brought them rain and ice to remind them that winter still ruled these lands. With no sun peeking down to even slightly warm them, the wet and cold quickly made the riders more and more miserable as the day continued without shelter available.

  Sebastian was thankful that he knew the air shield barrier from the summer’s campaign. The four wizards of his party also erected similar barriers as the rain and sleet fell. Unfortunately, the water wizards’ barriers must have required continuous power to maintain. Eventually, the apprentice and then his master had their barriers fall. The two men soon looked as miserable as the soldiers and other two falcons by dark.

  Luckily for the travelers, a lodge with smoke lifting from a stone chimney and lights in the windows eventually appeared along the road. Though far from the size of a city inn, the log constructed building looked like a castle to the wet and weary riders.

  Lord Romonus exited his dry carriage and quickly stomped through the slushy snow into the inn followed by his daughter and the Kardorian wizards. Sebastian and the soldiers could see how things were going to fall. The inn was likely to have half a dozen guest rooms, if some weren’t lived in by the owner’s family anyway, limiting the true number of guest lodging available inside. The soldiers and guardsmen led the horses and carriage to the back and the stables resigned to a more miserable night than the lord.

  Markun, Trenelaus and Druick hurried to follow while leaving their mounts to the apprentices and other falcons.

  Rilena sighed to Sebastian, but loud enough for the apprentices to hear as well. “If I had to hazard a guess I would bet Romonus will want his own room and maybe his daughter will get one also. It’s the stables or dining room for the rest of us.”

  Shrugging, Sebastian replied, “Maybe Markun and the others will manage to keep the man’s greed in check. Though even at best I would guess a few will have to take the stables. At least it should be dry.”

  The woman sniffed at a running nose, though it could just have been the rain for that matter, he thought. “Dry? I can’t believe you aren’t wet as well. You and this girl,” she brought Nereith’s eyes to her from where the wizard’s apprentice led a pair of horses. “It’s not fair.”

  Sebastian chuckled, “I’ve tried to teach you the shield. For some reason, most of the mage’s don’t understand it either.”

  “I am impressed that you have maintained yours for so long as well,” the nature wizard known as Nereith stated. “I didn’t think that any of you mages had that kind of power. Poor Barnclae and his master didn’t have the right type to maintain the spells either.”

  The soggy wizard glanced over at the dry pair enviously as Sebastian replied, “I learned mine from an air wizard. Once created in my mind I basically tie it off. The flow feeds off itself with almost no power used after that. I’ve tried to teach Rilena a few times. Really I have.” He finished with a sympathetic laugh for his friend.

  After unsaddling the horses and making sure that the soldiers would feed the animals for them, the four returned with the bags. The soldiers knew that there would probably be a warm dinner, but it would take time to prepare for so many. The chores in the dry stables as they tried to thaw would be fine until then.

  On the stoop, Sebastian held up Rilena and said, “I couldn’t keep you dry along the way but I can help you here at least. When I say ‘pull’, just step back.”

  As the spell took affect, the girl stepped back leaving drops of water and ice hovering before her. Eye’s slightly widened, Rilena watched as Sebastian let the moisture drop to the wooden floor. Barnclae used a similar spell before following Nerieth inside.

  The falconess looked at her wrinkled fingers and wrinkled her nose in response. “Have a spell for this?” she asked holding up her hand. It looked nearly blue. Her gloves had not been able to save her skin from the constant rain and ice.

  Sebastian grimaced. The mizard was about to say that he had none, until Sebastian realized that it was a condition that could essentially be healed. “Maybe once there’s some food nearby I can heal it away. Or maybe once we find out about the room assignments anyway.”

  The girl smiled but the look changed quickly as she had to turn and sneeze. Rubbing her nose, Rilena stated, “I hope so or I think I’m going to wind up with a cold or worse.”

  Inside the pair found the inn keeper and his family awhirl with the work needed to ready the inn for so many guests. The Lord was already walking up the stairs with the inn keeper himself carrying the man’s bags.

  Markun turned on the other two falcons with a frown. “Romonus took one of the six available rooms for himself. At least his daughter will have Ashley staying with her. The remaining Kardor wizards get a room, our male wizards will take another, Nerieth will share with Rilena since they’re the only other women, and Sebastian and I get one. The soldiers and guardsmen can sleep in the main hall or the stables.” The falcon glanced back at the lord as he moved into his room and sighed. Mumbling a few words one of which sounded like “pompous” and the others unlikely to be flattering, Markun took his satchel from Sebastian to go find their room.

  Rilena followed after Sebastian. Markun was about to grab a change of clothes when the mizard let the man know about his water removing “pull” spell. Relieved of the damp in just a single movement, the falcon thanked him and went down to enjoy the inn’s fire in the main room.

  After laying his pack at the foot of the bed, Sebastian noted Rilena looking at him expectantly in his room. “I know you pulled the water out of them, but these clothes still seem so cold. Turn around,” the beauty ordered as she began rooting through her bag for a thick sweater. The brown shirt was thrown onto the bed before Rilena pulled the much warmer sweater over her head. “Ok, now can you make this go away?” she showed her pruned hands to him once more. “I am like that everywhere and I feel miserable.”

  Pulling a piece of travel bread from his pack and the canteen of water, Sebastian then asked her to sit down. “I’ve never tried this spell for something like this, but it should still work.” Sitting next to the pretty brunette, Sebastian took both of her hands as they both crossed a leg on the bed to face each other.

  “Heal,” the mizard called upon the magic spell. His mind flowed with his magic into her body. It was a very strange sensation, so often he dealt with people that were unconscious from pain or so injured they couldn’t move much to help him work. Rilena not only was physically fine, there seemed to be a heightened
expectation that he could feel from her. Sebastian figured that she not only wanted to feel better, but perhaps Rilena hoped that she could learn more of the spell that continued to elude her and most of the battle mages.

  Feeling for her discomfort, the man noticed the moisture tightening her skin. His magic helped spread the water even as he drew the natural oils back to the surface of her skin. Warmth came as he helped her body adjust with the blood flow entering her arms and legs swiftly. The surface of her chest and neck was soothed similarly to her hands though not pruned it had felt wrong as well. A part of his mind felt the intimate dimensions of her body and nearly blushed before entering her lungs. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary there. No pneumonia would harm her.

  His mind retreated back along the paths of his magic. Reaching for the waiting food instinctively, Sebastian asked, “That help?”

  Looking a bit flushed, Rilena patted the air for a little breeze on her face. “Um,” she started looking a little flustered. “Yes, but it left me feeling tingly. In a good way,” the woman swallowed and blushed. “In a real good way.”

  Sebastian masked a wince as he ate his food. The mage wondered if the link he had just shared was like that with the wizard he had known in Windmeer, Yara. The two had been so close. Sebastian had been sure that he was in love with her, but they had been separated for half a year now. In service to the Southwall army, Sebastian didn’t know when, or even if, they would see each other again. It was frustrating and he wondered if Yara had found someone else since he had last heard from her.

  A couple letters in the fall had been the last the man had heard from the blond wizard’s apprentice. Mail between the keeps was uncommon in its frequency, especially during the hard winters, and not to be wasted on frivolous notes.

  That left him here in a state of confusion. He knew many of the falcons simply loved the ones they were stationed with until they moved on again. They would find a woman at a keep or school. When they had to leave, their hearts moved on to the next. Sebastian just didn’t want to live that way, but time could only tell if their love could be realized for more than a single summer.

  Of course, there was also this woman beside him. Rilena was beautiful and had a great personality that he clicked with well. She loved him like a brother unfortunately or at least that was how it seemed most days.

  “Let’s go stow your gear and find out if dinner’s ready,” the mizard stated as he stood and offered a hand up to the young woman.

  By the time the two came down the stairs, the rest of their group had already begun to sit around a large banquet table. Ashleen spotted them and patted a space beside her. Sebastian sat between the two women without thinking. The silver haired wilder was all smiles and the three of them chatted comfortably enough, though the young man soon noticed that there weren’t enough seats for the late arrivals coming from the stables. The soldiers seem to care little about their seating as long as they were inside with warm food to eat. Most congregated near the fireplace and were happy for the warmth as they sought to rid themselves of the cold and wet that had settled in during the long ride.

  The meal passed pleasantly, but once finished the travelers broke quickly for rest from their day’s ride and the cold weather. Warm beds and bedding called to one and all as tired muscles and minds looked for a nice place to settle. Knowing that they would be riding again tomorrow, the beds seemed that much more welcoming.

  Unfortunately for most, morning came all too soon to the winter travelers though the sun remained hidden. The dining hall still held some of the night’s chill by the time Sebastian and Markun headed down for breakfast since the fires had waned in the night. The soldiers were already there as well, but the inn keeper and those of his family needed for the morning meal acted as if they had been awoken earlier than was the norm. It took a bit for the fires to be fully brought back to full blaze and heated foods like bacon and eggs were slower to arrive as they waited on the flames to build. By the time the kitchen was in full swing, Rilena and Nerieth joined the other early risers. Rilena sat next to her friend chatting quietly amongst early morning yawns and conversation around the table.

  The falcon noted that the ambassador apparently had chosen to eat in his bedroom, which led to a harried looking inn keeper’s wife carefully navigating the wooden stairs to get to his room with her platter in hand. Sebastian was slightly surprised that the lord would associate so little with his guard detail. After all, he was an ambassador and one would think the man would be more social, but he was the one paying the bills so Sebastian guessed the man could do as he wanted. His daughter, Helena, however, did come down with Ashleen in tow and spent the morning meal talking with the mages and wizards as they ate. Her cheery personality seemed to be trying to make up for her father’s absence and the girl appeared ready to at least befriend her magical protectors.

  When the meal ended, the gray of the early morning sky still failed to reveal any of the sun’s nearly forgotten warmth. The travelers remounted grudgingly and followed the lord’s carriage onto the snow covered path once more.

  The falcon looked to the gray sky and sighed. The air held only cold, but he set his air shield letting his own body slowly heat the containment of his magic. It was a meager help for a day best spent inside and warm, however. At least it didn’t look likely to snow too soon, he thought.

  Another day slowly passed as the travelers made their way east. The foothills continued to rise as they progressed along the meager road and the need to climb the many hills mixed with the fresh snows made for even slower going. Trees began to grow closer together around the road with uncut brush filling the gaps creating thick barriers to movement and sight. The path wound up and through the hills, but all around them now was wilderness. Man’s presence was much less known in the hills and mountains between the keeps despite the hills being south of the great wall. The distance between Falcon’s Keep and Windmeer was just too great and no towns would dare put themselves too far north without the protection of a castle keep. So the wilderness and all its assorted creatures were left to rule this land.

  The paw prints of wolves were often spotted in the snow. Even the mizard with his limited knowledge of the woods could figure out the tracks this time. Evidence of deer could be discerned where they pawed up the snow for whatever sustenance they could get from the grasses and brush underneath. There were also nibbled bushes brushed clean of snow where they had eaten. An occasional bird could be seen in the air far above them or off in the distance when the wilderness allowed the sight. Most of the winged creatures would have migrated farther to the south to Marianis or Sileoth or perhaps one of the lesser island nations where the weather would be milder and food more plentiful, but there were still some hardy souls willing to survive the winter until the spring thaws would come once more.

  The travelers passed the time as best they could as they rode. Wizards and mages practiced minor magic or chatted with each other while their horses continued to push through the snow. Then there were the soldiers and mages who would practice with their weapons to help create more warmth in their limbs or a pair of them would move to scout ahead of the main party.

  Only Sebastian had the ability to scout significant distances ahead with his magic and that was only a recent development thanks to his break through in air magic. Twice during the day, Sebastian handed over his reins to Rilena and let his mind ride the winds. He could cover dozens of miles quickly and climb through the hills unencumbered by the obstacles they faced on the snow covered earth. Horse legs and carriage wheels were forced to fight through snow a foot or more high, while his mind could ride the winds freely. Unfortunately the higher they climbed, the travelers only seemed to find more snow on the ground and the way slowed even more. That was the reason few Southwallers would travel in the winter away from the cities and towns.

  Returning his mind to his body, Sebastian would see Rilena start with his returned consciousness. A slight bit of jealousy intermingled with surprise in the
eyes of his fellow battle mages as well, he thought. It was like that with most of the spells that he found hard to pass along. His flexibility and knowledge seemed to isolate him from the others more and more, even as his people demanded more spells from him. His wind riding soon became just a simple diversion from life on the ground since there was little more to see than the snow covered scenery of the wintry hills. Despite his attempts, Sebastian had no news to truly report as he scouted the road ahead. Such a thing was good news, of course. There were no packs of wolves or dark things from north of the wall in the area, so all was well with their path other than the snow.

  The evening found them setting up tents and using a small way station cabin designed to help travelers on their trip between the keeps. This one hadn’t been visited in quite awhile but there was still wood stacked beside the building for a fire. The mizard himself started the fire in the fireplace which was quickly enjoyed by Lord Romonus as he shoved his way inside and the rest of his party quickly joined him from the carriage. Even thick log walls and covered windows could not keep the riders very warm in the heart of winter, however. As cold as they were inside, the falcon knew the soldiers and guardsmen were probably even more so in their tents.

  “Well at least the ambassador didn’t try kicking us all out into the snow,” Rilena had said in a wry whisper into Sebastian’s ear as she watched the Kardorians huddled closely to the fire.

  They did have to set up dividers inside the cabin using fabric stretched across wooden frames kept along the walls for such things. The lord had his own bed and was partitioned from the rest on the far side of the cabin. Divided between the three remaining beds, the wizards, mages and Helena had to double or triple up or simply use the floor in their bedrolls.

  After a small shared meal, the travelers quickly found their places in the light cast by the fire. Rilena and Markun lay in their sleeping bags on either side of Sebastian. The floor didn’t really bother him too much, though it was a bit cooler than lying on top of a bed.