Battle Mage: Winds of Change (The High King: A Tale of Alus Book 11)

by Donald Wigboldy

  "I fear for those three and any others foolish enough to break tradition that might follow them."

  Hegrone looked ready to defend the mage and his other wizards, but it was Ashleen who jumped to his defense before either man could say something, without heat the girl simply said, "Sebastian isn't the one calling himself an owl or mizard. Others gave him the nicknames, but tradition doesn't really have a name for someone like him, does it?

  "High wizards get their position by being powerful and learning other magic aside from that which they are most comfortable with. Your guilds name them that. What would you call someone like Sebastian who has evolved beyond a traditional battle mage? Even you can see that he isn't typical for one of them and tradition is already changing among his corps, isn't it?

  "You have healers among the battle mages. Your people are simply trying to be useful, since he has proved, along with the others; that you can fight and heal. Your tradition limits your people to one class of magic. You will never have a high wizard because of it. Does that make healers inferior to the other wizard guilds?"

  The final question turned the man's face red with anger. Even Hegrone, a man on Sebastian's side looked angry.

  "Of course not!" the elder healer blurted out angrily.

  Ashleen shrugged appearing unashamed at insulting the wizards as she continued, "If the battle mages can evolve by learning the new spells and magic that Sebastian has found, then shouldn't your guild be willing to listen and try as well. Magnus leads the fire wizards towards becoming true war wizards using battle mage spells. Other guilds will follow where they will, but if you are too close minded, the healers will just become the weak wizards that everyone has to protect.

  "Your skills are valued, but like Helmar said, you are looked on as a liability during combat."

  Sebastian could have winced at nearly every word from the pretty wilder. Even coming from her attractive mouth, the statements stung. Wanting to ease the situation, he had a hard time arguing with her however.

  Wizard Hegrone held out his hand to silence any outburst that the gray haired wizard might be readying to unleash on the younger wizard. "Perhaps we should reevaluate some of how we limit ourselves. This is a good step to see if there is a better way than just standing in back waiting to pick up the pieces when our comrades are putting their lives on the line.

  "Her words are a bit stinging, but I think the girl says them from her heart. Who are you exactly, young lady? You come from Kardor yet you follow this mage?"

  "Ashleen Karderos, daughter of lord Karderos of Interus, holder of the Eastern Watch, a wilder and apprentice to Sebastian now," the girl said using titles that the mage hadn't heard before. He knew that her father was a lord, but the title made Hegrone's eyes widen as if the words meant her father was more than just a petty lord from the northern kingdom.

  "Your father is Cerrus Karderos?" the wizard surprised them by using a name the girl merely nodded to affirm. "He is your king's brother and basically a duke of Kardor. Interus is only the fourth largest city, but it is the center of the defense of the Aderan River.

  "Such an important man let his daughter become a battle mage's apprentice?"

  Ashleen giggled at the man's reply and shook her head, "Once I was discovered to have magic that I couldn't control, my father found my master, Deiclonus. Unfortunately being a wizard and a wilder meant that I was useless to my father as a lady. The kingdom has rules that say no wizard can rule or be a lord.

  "Magic is considered power enough, so my father sent me off to manage my magic. A lightning wilder is much too dangerous to keep untrained, especially near someone like my father or in an important city.

  "I followed my master all the way to Hala on a mission for an ambassador, competed in the Winter's Edge tournament, and followed that lord as he followed Sebastian's mission. Lord Romonus was killed as was my master, but Sebastian and his people saved me.

  "My father doesn't know that I have joined him as an apprentice, but since I have been with him I have learned magic that no one else is teaching. I have also learned more about myself and how my magic works... because of him." Her eyes turned on Gotleim as she added with great meaning, "I have evolved into a better wizard because of this battle mage, the owl mage, Wizard Gotleim. He might be young, but if you bother to listen to him you'll see that his mind is as brilliant as any wizard's.

  "Don't close your ears to what he might be able to teach your wizards. He might surprise you as he has every wizard who has bothered to listen."

  Sebastian was starting to redden in embarrassment at her glowing report, but worried that it was too much. In some ways, the mage felt that he had gotten lucky with what he had discovered. There was the point that he had created almost as many spells for the mages as he learned during his time training in White Hall, but the young man didn't seek glory.

  Knowledge was the payment the owl most wanted and his curiosity about how magic worked had led him to success. Sebastian just didn't see that as special as Ashleen made his achievements out to be.

  Gotleim seemed moved enough to remain speechless and Hegrone was the one who finished, "We will consider your words and see what he can teach Helmar and the others. Now I have my duties to get back to and you two have a lot of work ahead of you as well, I think."

  Leaving the hospital, Sebastian and Ashleen walked in relative silence as they acknowledged the guards and other healers along the way politely. The mage wasn't sure quite what to say. It was enough to have Ashleen stand up for him so strongly, but to hear that she was the daughter to a duke of Kardor was more surprising still.

  "I knew that your father was a rich lord, but you always made him out to be more of a merchant than a man of importance," he finally spoke as much to break the silence as to get the truth.

  The blond haired girl shrugged as she walked beside him. Her hand reached out to take his and Sebastian accepted the familiar gesture without any reluctance. Who her father was didn't change who Ashleen was in his mind. She was a wizard as she had said, but it sounded like her childhood was quite different from the one he had on his father's farm.

  "It is only the fourth biggest city in Kardor," the girl giggled trying to play the matter off lightly. After a moment's silence as he waited for her to continue, Ashleen said, "I haven't been home in years and it was my past. My father supports me more than fathers of most wizards will, but my magic also separates me from my family, just like it does for you.

  "Being born a lady or daughter of a lord means nothing once you are discovered to be a wizard in my country. Lady Annalicia has a very different kind of country if they accept her as one of their royal line, even if she is a powerful wizard," she said of the lady who had helped Sebastian find the Grimnal for the king of Southwall. Annalicia had competed in the tournament for the country of Malaiy, but like Ashleen had said, few countries would let a wizard ever rule. It was considered to be too much power for one person to be given in most countries.

  The silence after her words continued as they looked at the people walking around them. It was still early morning, but as the summer started into fall, the people of Hala seemed more intent about getting things done before the inevitable winter returned.

  "Have you sent word to your father to let him know that you are alive and well yet?"

  Ashleen looked at him with a smile and replied, "I sent a letter with Helena Romonus. She should have returned to Velius by now. Hopefully Helena or one of her people will think to send it on to my father. If father isn't visiting the king's court, then it will take about two more weeks at best to arrive at Interus.

  "Such news that I am alive will be good to know, but I think my family has resigned themselves to being unable to keep me safe. I am a wizard of Kardor and serve in dangerous places at times. Deiclonus was probably a safe bet in my father's opinion, since he was based in the capitol far away from the front lines; but it was still a risk. Of course, just being a wilder has a likelihood of killing yourself," she laughed s
elf-deprecatingly. Wilders were often considered to be worse than being a lowly battle mage. At least battle mages were unlikely to have their magic go out of control with the possibility of burning a wizard out like a torch being snuffed.

  "Maybe you should send another. Does he even know that you are my... apprentice," Sebastian fumbled at the end unsure if he could bring himself to classify their relationship as more.

  Her eyes gave him a look that said he should give up and just call her his girlfriend, but Ashleen said, "I was figuring to wait until I had more interesting news than just following you around as an apprentice, I guess."

  Her words made his stomach clench as if he expected to be hit. There were certainly days where Sebastian wondered why he hadn't fully given in to her advances. He supposed that it came from the way his mind worked. The mage looked at everything from more than one way analyzing it. A relationship had many potential worries if they didn't work out, but then there was the possibility that it would work out as well.

  Becoming uncomfortable with this conversation, the two moved into considering the work they had to do today. Ashleen would be an observer or help pass on a few spells to the wizards and apprentices, but Sebastian was supposed to split his time between the mage fields and that of the wizards. It would be another long day. The mage was ready to move on to the next city's gate just to have a break again from all the extra work involved from teaching.

  Chapter 19- Unexpected Surprise

  To Sebastian's surprise as he exited the portal into White Hall last, the young man found an unusually large crowd waiting for him in the courtyard by the door to the hall. Among those gathered were the mages of his team to Hala, the falconis and his sister Katya. He knew something was up and noted Ashleen's smile as well.

  "What is all this?" he asked as the mage stepped through the empty frame of the gate.

  Katya strode forward using her diplomacy wizard abilities to be the spokeswoman apparently, while Sebastian noted most of those gathered smiling at him or even shaking their heads.

  "Well, big brother, I am not surprised that you forgot the importance of today with being so busy, but I would look like a very bad little sister if I forgot your birthday!"

  Laughter from those gathered, as the mage rubbed his neck in embarrassment, only proved that he had indeed forgotten his own birthday with his hectic schedule. Birthdays had been less of a concern once he had joined the corps. He doubted that more than a dozen people knew the day and most would have forgotten if not for his little sister at least.

  "I guess that I have been too busy to realize," Sebastian admitted. "It's just a birthday."

  Tapping her foot, Katya shook her head looking disapprovingly at her brother and said, "You are twenty-one now. It isn't just another birthday in the corps. You are a free man and earning a full wage now. It's like declaring that you're officially a man," the girl finished receiving another round of laughter.

  Technically at twenty-one, the battle mage would begin earning his full wages; but he had already received a large amount of his previous earnings from his father early in the year. Added to the money he had set aside from the king's gift, or judged as a bounty for the leader of the mission which had taken two large chests of treasure from the black ships of the emperor; he could be independent even without the monthly stipend the corps gave him.

  Ashleen latched onto the idea and said quietly to Sebastian, "I thought that you were already a man, Bas. Does this mean we can do more now?"

  Her teasing question dripping with mirth hardly concealed her true meaning. "I'm twenty-one, you aren't," he reminded her as they walked into the crowd of well wishers. Ashleen pretended to pout for a moment before smiling once again.

  The three healers newly joined with him looked a little taken aback at the news and remained out of the main throng. Sebastian had known many of the others for years and not just for short tours. Being with such friends was great, but the mage still had to look to all the work he had ahead of him.

  "Thank you for remembering my birthday, but I don't think that it will get me out of training the wizards and mages waiting for me today," the mage said ruefully and hoped that such an excuse would help dissolve the attention focused on him.

  Katya shook her finger at him saying, "We knew that you would try to finagle your way out of being the center of attention, but you're still coming to lunch so we can celebrate, big brother."

  Falconi Garrett nodded and added, "Your sister has been reminding everyone all week and threw something together for you. She knew that you wouldn't let her take you from your other work, but as falconi I will order you to come to your birthday party at noon."

  Giving up without much of a fight, the falcon nodded to his superior officer. The morning was meant to be his time to work with the other mages on his new spells and meant that the attention on him never fully disappeared. For those who didn't know him, it was like they were thinking it would be a story to tell others, that they were with the Owl Mage on his twenty-first birthday.

  Before starting the scheduled training with the local mages, including many cadets, though some of the falcons had originally balked believing the cadets needed to progress further before learning new magic, Sebastian needed to pull Elzen aside. Watching the mages, he could see that the cadets' teachers would be stuck in the same position as their students and many thought it would be awkward. He could understand their position. The falcons might not learn some things which might lessen their ability to command for those cadets who might learn something that they couldn't.

  "Elzen, I need you begin teaching Helmar and his apprentices basic close quarters fighting. I am thinking hand to hand using the defensive runes I passed on to them would be the best start," the mage said to his friend. Elzen hadn't seemed as disappointed in losing the mermaids as Olan had been, but Sebastian still worried that his friend might be angry with him.

  To his surprise it was Helmar that complained, "I thought that we would learn from you, Falcon Sebastian. We followed you hoping to learn more of these runes spells and how to defend ourselves to see if it is possible to avoid the consequences of combat."

  His apprentices looked unhappy as well. Looking at the girl, Ilira, wearing a white skirt and slippers, however, the mage wasn't sure that they all understood what they were asking of him. Sebastian put on a calm smile informing the wizard, "If you want someone who can teach you to defend yourselves, there is no one better than Falcon Elzen. Do you plan to try using a sword?"

  "Of course not!" Helmar retorted in shock. They were healers and Sebastian understood taking on the concept of combat in anyway was pushing their beliefs, but using a weapon meant to cut and kill was certainly not something they would be comfortable with at all.

  "I am decent at hand to hand combat, but my preference is the sword and staff. Elzen is an expert, even compared to the falconi and ravens. He also knows a lot about the runes and can heal. If you wish to begin to understand whether you can do this, he is the better teacher to start with for now."

  Elzen had noted the same thing as he had, however, and commented with a smirk, "Well, I bet the apprentice has nice legs, but I am not sure if she planned on showing them to us today. That skirt isn't the best color or type of clothing for being thrown onto the ground with any dignity, I would think."

  Katya had followed with Cheleya. Apparently with his birthday party being planned, the girl had managed to worm her way out of morning classes as well. Her general classes which taught the elemental magic of the other guilds was meant to broaden a wizard's abilities and diplomat wizards in particular were believed best trained in everything else, since their spells were considered unreliable in combat.

  "Cheleya can use her magic to help, if you don't want to see if you can find a pair of pants to borrow," his little sister offered making Cheleya glance at her in surprise. Her alteration magic wasn't well known, but the dragoness hadn't kept it completely secret either. Some of the teachers knew including High Wizard Herrol
.

  Ilira looked unsure, but said, "I suppose that it would be easier than trying to find a female battle mage wearing my size."

  "Or worse, finding a boy," Katya giggled lightening the apprentice's mood. At least these two girls trying to help her appeared to be wizards. Ilira could sense their auras, even if she couldn't tell by Katya's white novice dress.

  "That would be rather humiliating," the apprentice acknowledged already starting to color at the thought. "What do we need for her to use her magic? Is this something new?"

  Cheleya knelt in the rough looking grass on the ground in front of Ilira making the girl look uncomfortable and unsure of what was happening. "We call it alteration," Cheleya informed the girl and simply touched the skirt just beneath her crotch. The cloth began to separate like a knife was cutting through the material like it had no more substance than butter in the summer heat.

  The little blonde stepped around behind the apprentice who was holding the upper uncut portion to prevent revealing more. With Elzen and the other men around watching curiously, Ilira reddened with unabashed mortification. Feeling air rushing through the cut being created in the back of the skirt made her look to the sky hoping for some kind of miraculous intervention. When Cheleya took the separated lengths near her left ankle pulling the back to the front touching the base of the cloth together, the girl didn't look any less worried. She wasn't afraid that a boy would see her calves after all.

  "It can be used for other things, but I'm afraid that making clothing has been my most common use of the magic," Cheleya confessed as Ilira wondered when the pretty, little, blonde haired girl would move her hands to start mending the skirt in some way. To her surprise, Ilira felt the material around her left leg begin to shift pulling together as the two sides of the cloth began knitting together magically.

  The dragoness released the cloth and the movement stopped until she held the right side together similarly. Feeling the remnant of her skirt shifting strangely, Ilira stated curiously, "You are mending it without using your hands."