The Weapon Bearer (Book 1)

by Aaron Thomas

  “Three horses?”

  “Aye. There’s a piebald, skewbald, and the tan plow horse,” Ted said while looking at his chart.

  “Oh yes, the plow horse is Leroy’s. Is it a problem to house it here for him?” Kilen hoped to keep the horse well away from castle use just in case he needed Leroy to get supplies for him.

  “Oh no, we can keep it here, but if it’s not yours than Leroy will have to care for it. With three it is a bit time consuming when I have other rounds to make sir.”

  “That won’t be a problem. Matter of fact I’ll have Leroy help you care for them. I’ll need him to exercise them from time to time also, so you should get some help with the other two. Thank you, Ted. And if you don’t mind it’s just Kilen not sir, or lord, or the like.”

  “Just like Jace then. I’ll do my best but it’s not in my nature. Thank you for the help with the horses, its welcome but not needed for the other two.” Kilen nodded and keyed his way into room seven. Leroy sat on the floor with a large lamp with oil heating a pot of tea. He had cut cloth into squares and was filling them with more bags of individual portions of tea.

  “Kilen, great news. I asked Master Horval for some ingredients for the Kapel dishes and he wanted me to teach him. So he made me a cook and said as long as I teach him some dishes and some recipes for tea, that we could use whatever we needed from the kitchens for your diet. I’ve already started to prepare four roasts, chickens, and a couple steaks. The finer cuts were saved for the king and nobles.”

  “That’s great, I start my wizard training tonight and I’m afraid that I will need them sooner than I thought.” Kilen began rearranging his belongings in the room to accommodate the large supply that Leroy had obtained from the kitchen. Leroy stood and turned out the heating lamp and put on his jacket.

  “I have some training to do of my own. Of course, I won’t be the student,” he grinned at Kilen. “I have some tea made there for you. If you give me a bit of time I’ll run and get some of that chicken for you to eat before you go. Think you will need anything else after that tonight? I’m anxious to get back to Master Horval.” Kilen looked up at him in surprise. “Well, I didn’t think he would give me the run of the stores, now I kind of like being there. My father was always very particular about what supplies we used and when. Here I get to experiment all I want and I’m going to take the opportunity while I have it.”

  “Well go then. I need a bit of quiet time so I can get my thoughts straight before I head over to meet with Twilix.”

  “Twilix! She is very pretty. I sure wouldn’t need time to get my mind straight working with her.”

  “Remember what happened the last time you thought a woman was pretty? Besides she’s too young for me.” Leroy got red in the face then checked his hand to make sure it was whole.

  “Yeah well, they can’t all be like that.” He shrugged as he left Kilen in peace. Kilen began to sip on the bitter tea as he shed unwanted clothing onto the bed. Then he made himself comfortable in front of the washstand mirror. He wanted to try and draw the voices out of his head. The words that he would need to say to each of them escaped him. He had no idea what to say or how to say it. He had no idea of their wants, desires, or how to free his mind of them. Before he could speak Joahna’s voice spoke softly to him in the back of his mind.

  Before you ask, I do not know. I do not know why or how. I have a few ideas, but none I can be positive about. We have been awake since the fight in the forest. He wondered if he had manifested these voices because of the guilt he felt for killing the men. He still didn’t know if they were real or not, but at least he was able to talk to them now. Apparently we don’t need to sleep or eat. Our time has become very boring here behind your eyes. We see what you see, hear what you hear, and can also hear your thoughts. We are however barred from your dreams and memories.

  “What do you want from me?” Kilen pleaded out loud. He wasn’t sure how to ask them inside his head.

  I want to make a pact with you. We won’t help you anymore until that happens, Joahna said bluntly.

  “What is the pact?”

  We want to know that if you find a way to return us to bodies that you will do so at the first chance. We want to know that you will do everything you can to help us return to our people. That is the pact we make.

  “What do I get from this pact, and how will can I help you?” Kilen could see no advantage to having men in his head sharing his every moment and thought.

  I am a fire wizard. My knowledge of the wizard library and the use of fire magic could come in very handy with your sister. Max is a warrior and could help you learn the sword and other weapons. We are near priceless assets to you right now. Joahna stopped talking to let what he had said sink in.

  Kilen thought and finally asked, “Do you know the wizard laws?”

  I do, and I will share all of my knowledge with you. All we want is to return to our bodies and our families. Joahna had a pleading tone in his voice as he spoke.

  “As far as I know you are dead already, but if you can help me I will take it. I agree to your pact. If there is a way to return you to a body I will give it to you. Now do you have any idea where we can start to find out why you are in my head?”

  A long time ago I read in a book that there is a kind of wizard called a soul wizard. They are different than a elemental wizard in that they control no elemental material or elemental magic.

  “A soul wizard?” Kilen was shocked to hear that word and wondered where they would could find out more about soul wizards. Before he could ask, Joahna answered his question.

  The only place that would contain that type of knowledge is the wizard’s library. If your land holds true to wizard law, only a wizard can enter. We could ask those wizards you are in contact with questions and hope they find the answers for us. It is up to the discretion of the wizard to reveal knowledge to those they trust. All we have to do is gain the trust of a wizard to seek the answers for us. I am sorry I cannot provide more information. The only other thing I can remember is how to identify a soul wizard.

  “How would we do that? Maybe we can figure out for ourselves whether or not I am a soul wizard. Wait, if I am a soul wizard doesn’t that mean I can go into the wizard library?”

  Joahna thought his questions over and hadn’t realized that he had missed such a large detail with the amount of free time he had to think inside Kilen’s head. The detail that I can remember is that soul wizards were often known to be diagnosed as if they had gone mad. They seemed to talk to themselves and swear they had people living inside their heads. I don’t think that you should let others see you in this light until we can get enough information for you to defend yourself. Soul wizards are thought to be extremely dangerous and unable to control themselves. They said they collected souls from around them and those souls made them infinitely more powerful. The more souls collected, the more knowledge and skills they gained. Imagine if you had all four elements on your blade and a captured wizard’s soul from each element. Your skills and the ability to use multiple types of magic at the same time could be devastating.

  Kilen wondered if anyone ever found out, if he would be locked away or if they would try to use him. He could not let others know about the voices in his head until he was sure Kara was safe. Joahna spoke up once again before he could ask, I can help her too. I have overcome the anger, and I can teach her better than anyone here in your land. We do not fear fire wizards in our homeland, we celebrate them. Kilen drank deeply on the tea that Leroy had left and thought about his options.

  “If I am a soul wizard, and there is no way to get you into a body again what will you do?” Kilen asked apprehensively to the two voices.

  We will continue to help you. Sometimes there are types of magic that haven’t been discovered yet. If anyone can figure out a new use of magic, it would be Joahna. He is one of the greatest fire wizards of this time. Max spoke as if he worshiped the ground that Joahna walked on.

  Kilen heard a key
in the lock and realized he had been talking to the men for close to an hour. He had been filled with excitement and the time had flown past. He then felt his stomach rumbling in hunger. Leroy popped his head in the room with a large bowl covered with a cloth to keep heat inside. “Here is your first taste of Kapal delicacies.” Kilen ripped off a leg and started to eat it. “I would go slow at first, they are very spicy.” It was too late. Kilen started to cough and sputter, sending chewed chicken pieces flying about the room. His eyes started to water and he scrambled about the room for a water skin. When he found one, he drank deeply. It only cured the pain for moments. “You need to eat the bread. It will help,” Leroy said holding out the loaf he had in the bowl. Kilen started eating and Leroy saw him physically relax. Max and Joahna chuckled, finally letting Kilen know of their presence and feelings. They had set a pact and become a team. They needed each other. “You will become accustomed to the taste after a few dishes and I think that this is the spiciest one. I’m sorry you went at it so fast. I didn’t have time to warn you.”

  “It’s ok Leroy, it’s my fault. Have some with me. There is plenty here for us both,” he said while eyeing the large bite he had taken off, trying to build his courage to take another.

  “I had some already. Master Horval and I cooked a second to have ourselves. He turned three shades of red before I told him about the bread. That’s what he gets for making me scrub pots and whacking me with a ladle.” Kilen and Leroy chucked and for a brief moment Kilen felt at home.

  ***

  Kara’s eyes opened and for the first time in longer than she could remember she could think clear thoughts. The room was black as a moonless night. “Hello,” her voice bounced back off the walls in the small room. No one answered her greeting. She was alone in the place, alone and her brother was nowhere to be found. Kara felt her body and she was clothed in a rough leather bodice that had leather lacing up the side and smooth leather straps on the shoulders. The pants were much the same.

  The legs stopped at mid shin and laced up the side of the leg to make room for adjustment.

  She couldn’t believe that her own brother had let people dress her like this. He also had let people poison her to keep her asleep. She started to get angry but her thoughts wouldn’t last long. Surely they would drug her soon. Kara felt around in the room, making good use of the time and found blocks of stone for walls. They were cold as ice and had smooth surfaces. There was a bed made only of a metal panel hanging a couple feet from the floor. She slipped into a hole in the corner that must have been meant for a privy. Thinking of what her foot had just slipped in, she felt an anger bubble under her low neckline nowhere near her neck. The heat in her body rose and she no longer felt cold.

  “He shouldn’t have let them take me away from him,” she growled. She spoke to no one and to anyone who would listen. “He should have stayed with me to protect me. HE’S MY BROTHER AND HE’S SUPPOSED TO PROTECT ME!” Her voice climbed until she screamed and so did the flames that now rose up her body, encasing her fingers, arms, feet, legs, and then her entire body. The flames lit up the room, a room with rock walls that had been melted into smooth surfaces. They were covered in black soot. The black chain holding up the metal frame for a bed had already been melted into a dripping lump of a bar, each link forming another bump. Each metal item looked to be made of melting wax. This is where she would have to live until her brother came to rescue her from this fate, if he ever came. The thought enveloped her mind and anger took over. She lashed out in waves of flame at everything in the room. She was fire, unleashed. The metal in the room began to turn red hot from her fire when a small window on the black metal door opened to admit a shower of ice and snow. Kara had no chance of fighting it. Her mind faded and went black. She was asleep again, lying in the middle of the room when two men entered and moved her to the metal bed. She was still very hot and the heat melted the snow and ice that stuck to her clothes. The two men used padded leather gloves to keep the heat from cooking the flesh on their hands as they moved her. They said nothing as they left and shut and locked the door behind them.

  Kilen left his room for Leroy to clean up so he could find his way to meet up with Twilix in the King’s gardens. His mouth was still burning from the spice and herbs in the chicken. His stomach slightly churned, unable to figure out how to process the new concoction. He walked steadily through the training grounds to a back wall of the castle which he had come through with Brent. He walked by the traitor bowls disgusted by their presence and their purpose. Kilen found himself veering away from them, as if the closer he came the more likely he would fall victim to them. He told himself how ridiculous he was being and purposefully went closer as he passed. The black steel bowls loomed over him, making him feel depressed. He did his best to shake off the feeling. He wouldn’t allow himself to be scared of them. His pace quickened just after they were behind him.

  The same guard Brent had ordered to find Jace now stood at one of the castle’s back doors. Kilen walked up to the tall man in full polished armor and asked politely, “How do I find the King’s garden?”

  “Inside, down the first hall to you’re right, up three flights, and the last door in the hallway.” When he finished, the man smiled ever so slightly at the corners of his mouth. Kilen made a mental note. Max and Joahna took note, also.

  He’s lying, was all that Max said. Kilen knew that Max was right. Now he just had to figure out why and what to do about it. He stepped inside and followed the guard’s instructions anyway. At the top of the third flight of stairs there was a servant cleaning a large vase. Kilen patiently waited until he was finished and used his boney, aged fingers to pick up the rags to move on to the next artifact.

  “Excuse me, can you tell me where I might be able to find the King’s gardens.”

  The old man looked at Kilen with one glassy eye, “Only the gardeners, royalty, and council members are allowed there boy. You’d better stay clear of that side of the castle especially with that blade. Weapons aren’t allowed in the castle unless you are a soldier for the king. What business do you have there?”

  Kilen wondered why everyone was treating him so much more indifferently than they had yesterday. Then he remembered that he had taken to wearing the tattered cloak and unadorned sheath that Jace had suggested. He probably looked like another servant to the old man. Kilen pulled the first few inches of blade clear of the scabbard enough to show the elemental markings on its blade. The elderly man turned a different shade of white and looked to be startled. Kilen thought that the old man’s age spots might have gotten a shade lighter also. “I am done here and can show you the way,” he said.

  Kilen wanted to put the man’s fears at ease, “I would appreciate that, one of the guards sent me here but there doesn’t seem to be a single door at the end of this hallway.”

  “If he sent you here, he would be playing a joke on you. The King’s chambers are at the end of the hallway. The gardens are on the other side of the castle. They are on a balcony that overhangs the front courtyard. He at least told you the correct floor. Might I inquire why you haven’t been able to figure out the castle on your own yet?”

  “I have only just arrived for the first time yesterday,” Kilen told him. “I’ve lived in the Water Realm for most of my life, and was just recruited.”

  “Well, if you ever have any need to find your way around, don’t ask the guards. They don’t know the shortcuts of the castle, they would never share the same hallways as a servant. You seek me out. My name is Tom. There is only one Tom in the castle, and everyone will know who I am.” They passed several servants in the back corridors. Even the Chef, Horval recognized Kilen as he passed. He stopped in the middle of the hallway, probably confused at why Kilen wasn’t wearing his uniform or silver-worked sheath.

  Finally, after winding the servant’s hallways, they arrived at the garden doors. A man with dark grayish skin and pure white hair left. The blade the man was carrying was twice the size of any Kilen had seen
so far. Kilen knew the man had to be Kapal. No other people in the land would have gray or black skin like theirs. The man was followed by a woman in leather pants that stopped just above the knee and laced up the side. Kilen felt the temperature rise on his neck at seeing more leg than usual. The woman’s chest was covered by a leather piece that showed all of her naked abdomen and entirely too much cleavage, it, too had leather lacings in the middle. The clothing was indecent to Kilen, but Max was excited and showed memories from his Fire Realm’s homeland. They all contained men and women with similar fashions to what this woman was wearing. The woman had stark black hair and seemed not sure whether she was happy or mad at the dark skinned man, but she followed him anyway. Kilen realized after they had rounded the hallway that the woman was probably a fire wielder of some sort, just like his sister. Kilen looked down and stroked the blue ribbon hanging from his sword’s hilt.

  Kilen turned to see the old man looking at him as if awaiting an answer. Joahna spoke to Kilen, he asked if that was all.

  “Yes, that will be all sir,” Kilen couldn’t stop respecting his elders. He took out a silver crown and handed it to the man as he shook his hand. The man smiled a gap toothed smile.

  “This will pay for my wife’s herbs for a month. I can’t thank you enough. If there is anything that I can do for you, name it and I will do what I can to help.”

  Kilen thought for a moment before Max spoke up, Jace said there may be spies. You must gather every resource you can. This elder is a resource that you cannot ignore. He knows the castle probably better than anyone. He knows the difference between the politics and the rumors. He said everyone knows him and so he must know everyone. We cannot afford to lose this one.

  “Thanks to you for your hospitality. I am very sorry I frightened you earlier. If I had known your wife was ill I would have let you go to her early. Take this for your wife and do me one favor.”