That is the same thinking that has gotten you into trouble before. I would suggest you not try to carry the weight of the whole world upon your shoulders and instead try to worry about your own fate from time to time. I believe if you did that, all of us would be better off.
“You are right. Thank you for reminding me,” Thad replied to Thuraman.
I am surprised you are willing to listen to me for once. I had suspected that you would come back with some altruistic statement and ignore my warnings.
“What is the point of having friends, even magical ones, if you don’t listen to their advice from time to time?” Thad said, his voice sounding slightly relieved. “I have given up on solving all the problems facing the world alone. You just happened to remind me of that resolve.”
As soon as Thad was back in his tent, he checked the progress of the orbs he had already finished. Once he was sure everything was working correctly, he prepared one more before bedding down for some much-needed rest. As he closed his eyes, he couldn’t dismiss the feeling that he should be working, but he didn’t manage to fight it long enough for his weariness to overtake him.
Shortly after nightfall, Thad was once again shaken awake by Killian. “Are you ready?” the warmaster asked, giving Thad a concerned look.
Thad pointed to the number of glass orbs that lined the walls of his tent. “It was all I could finish without exhausting myself to the point of uselessness,” Thad replied, wiping the sleep from his eyes.
“It will have to do, then,” Killian said, gathering up the small orbs carefully.
Once everything was packed, Thad and Killian made their way to the entrance to the tunnels, where the others waited.
The night progressed much the same way the previous one had with the exception that there were a few more guards roaming the enemy compound. Thad found four new catapults awaiting him along with a large arbalest. Already tired from working all day, Thad had to push himself to weaken the wood in the right places without causing the wood to simply break while he stood there. Once his task was finished, he walked around the siege weapons, placing a number of his glass orbs below the ground.
As he placed the fourth orb into the ground, Thad heard the sound of alarm from the eastern side of the camp. Cursing, Thad quickly finished what he was doing and darted with the others for the protective wood line.
Just before they reached the first line of trees, they stumbled over one of the sentries, who was just as shocked as they were at their meeting. Acting quickly, one of the Katanga soldiers quickly dispatched the man, and they were once again running at full speed.
After a few moments, Thad remembered the rest of his task and called for the others to halt. “We have to go back and place the rest of the orbs in the trees,” Thad said, his voice shaking slightly. The others looked around, their faces unconvinced, but followed him without complaint.
The dead sentry still lay where they had left him, and no one seemed to notice his absence as most of the army was headed toward the other end of the camp. Moving quickly, the Katanga soldiers picked up the dead man and carried him farther into the woods as Thad started placing his orbs within the trees.
Letting the elfin god’s magic enter his body, Thad sent his thoughts out to the trees as he worked. The trees mostly thought of the joy of the coming summer, and Thad found it peaceful as their words reverberated within his mind. Forcing himself to focus, Thad asked for them to relax and not fight against his intrusion, and to his amazement, they agreed. With the trees’ aid, Thad was able to finish placing the orbs in a matter of moments, much to the relief of his companions.
Thad waited while the Katanga disposed of the sentry deep in the woods, away from where they had planted the orbs and even farther away from any tunnel entrance. As he watched the soldiers work, Thad was once again amazed by them. He would have never thought to move the body, let alone move it so far away. The longer he watched, the more the decision made sense to him. How was it that something so simple could escape his mind?
You were reacting and not thinking. You need to learn to calm down more when things are going on around you instead of acting blindly. Had Killian and his men not had everyone searching the eastern portion of the camp, everything might have gone completely different.
With their task finished, they returned to wait on within the tunnel. Unlike the night before, it was Killian who was waiting for them. The nervous smile on Killian’s face showed his worry at their late arrival. “How did the night find you?” he asked as soon as they neared.
“The night has found us well,” Thad replied, the blood still pumping furiously through his body, making his voice shaky. “How has the night found you?”
“Well enough and better than the night before,” Killian replied, nearly laughing. “Now let us be off so that we may rest before our friends decide to start their attack. I am eager to see their reactions when they try to use their siege weapons.”
“I must agree with you, my friend,” Thad agreed, laughing weakly. “If they should start without me, please wake me from my slumber. After all the work I have put forth, I would love to witness the outcome.”
The trip through the tunnel back to Digger’s Fort seemed to last only a heartbeat. It had been a stressful and tiring night, and no sooner than he had laid his head upon the ground did Thad find himself asleep.
CHAPTER XII
As the sun rose, Thad found himself standing in one of the towers surrounding the fort. Thad wasn’t the only person to desire to watch the Rane army. Most of the Farlan forces had climbed upon the battlements. Everyone was waiting on the same thing, the expected attack. Thad had thought the Rane army would start as soon as day broke, but so far, there seemed to be little movement from the other side.
As midday approached, many of the Farlan soldiers had lost interest and wandered off to perform other duties. Thad had started to believe that Killian might have been wrong about the attack. As Thad thought about leaving the tower, he spied movement along the enemy lines.
The tents along the western front were moved, allowing the siege weapons to be moved forward. Thad cursed as he watched the large weapons move forward. He had planted the exploding globes not anticipating the Rane forces to move them. Thinking about it now, it was obvious that Rane would have to move them. If they had been close enough to attack, then their own siege weapons would have already come into play.
As he watched the Rane forces form up and march across the open field, an idea occurred to Thad. He didn’t have to enter the camp to place more of the orbs on the open field, where the army would have to cross to reach the fort. Thad had the urge to find Killian and explain his plans, but he forced the thought aside. Talking to Killian would wait; the Rane army would not. He was sure that none of the siege weapons he had tampered with would work, but there was still the chance that more had been constructed during the morning hours before the attack.
It took a great deal of time for the army to move any distance with the slow-moving and ungainly siege weapons. The time passed agonizingly slowly as Thad waited for the first sign of attack.
Thad used his magic to allow him to watch the siege engineers closely as if they were no more than a few feet away. Thad watched as the large stones were loaded by a group of more than a dozen men using a thick rope net. Thad could see the beads of sweat on the men’s faces as they strained against their heavy burden.
Once all the stones were loaded, a signal was given with a large dark red flag. Thad watched as the arms of the siege weapons snapped and shattered under the weight of trying to throw their heavy burden. One unlucky man who had been standing to the side of one of the ballistae was crushed beneath one of the stones.
Cries of alarm rose up from the opposing force as their siege weapons failed, and a roar of triumph rose from the Farlan forces—so loud Thad swore he would go deaf.
Thad half expected the Rane army to commence with their attack, even with the loss of their siege weapons, but just as Killi
an predicted, they retired from the field once they were sure the weapons were unsalvageable.
As the Rane forces quit the field, Thad breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that the reprieve would only last a few days at most, but every day that the army was held at bay was another day that something could happen to change the tide of battle to their favor.
With the Rane army leaving the field, Thad decided it was time for him to find Killian and discuss what they should do next. The few orbs placed in the wood and ground might slow down the Rane forces a bit, but it was a feeble effort at best. More had to be done; otherwise, they would fall well before any reinforcements could arrive.
Thad found the warmaster in his tent along with a few of his more trusted warriors. “Master Thaddeus, what brings my tent the honor of your presence?”
“I had an idea about how we should move forward,” Thad replied excitedly.
“That is interesting,” Killian said curiously. “What have you got up your sleeve this time?”
“We could place more of the exploding orbs,” Thad said, his voice still brimming with excitement.
“We have talked about this, Thaddeus,” Killian said doubtfully. “It would be too risky for us to try and enter their camp. They will be ready for us not just on their borders but especially surrounding their siege weapons. They will not afford us a second chance.”
“I don’t mean to place them in the midst of their camp,” Thad replied mysteriously and waited for Killian to respond. When it was clear the warmaster was not going to take his bait, Thad let out a heavy sigh. “You could have let me enjoy my fun?”
“I was never one for games,” Killian replied, giving Thad a glare of annoyance. “Now what do you have in mind?”
“Place the orbs in the open field,” Thad replied dolefully.
“That is brilliant,” the warmaster said after a brief moment of thought. “It would still be risky, but it can be accomplished.”
“I will need more supplies. I can make a half dozen more globes with what I have in stock,” Thad said cheerfully. “I will have those ready by nightfall, and we can go about our work.”
“Placing the orbs is such a great idea, but I do not think it is such a good idea for you to join us this time, my friend,” Killian said, patting Thad on the shoulder.
“Why?” Thad asked, confused and a little hurt.
“Anyone can place the orbs within the ground, but you are the only one who can make the orbs,” Killian replied consolingly. “You are needed for more than just a simple soldier on the battlefield, and you would do well to remember that.”
I like him. He talks sense. Why do you always feel that you must do everything yourself? Didn’t we just talk about this the other night? Do your part and let others more suited to the task do theirs.
“I understand,” Thad replied both to Killian and his staff. “I will retire back to my tent and work on the orbs. If you can get me more supplies, it would be greatly appreciated.”
“I will see to it,” Killian said with a smile. “I am glad you are easy to deal with. Most young soldiers feel the need to prove themselves in situations such as these, and most of the time, it does not end well.”
“That is why we keep people with graying hair around,” Thad replied with a light snicker.
Killian gave a hardy laugh. “I guess I am getting a bit gray around the edges.”
Once he was back within the confines of his own tent, Thad went straight to work. Thad knew that the men Killian chose to plant the orbs would be careful, but Thad decided to add in a second enchantment that would shield the orb until it was needed to shatter.
With only a few supplies, it only took a handful of hours before he was finished with his task. Picking up one of the orbs that had started to glow dimly with the infused magic, Thad let out a heavy sigh. He had only lived a fraction of his life, and most of that time had been spent fighting in one form or another. His magic had been geared toward killing and little else. “Maybe the mages of the past had the better idea. Magic should never be used as a weapon,” Thad said out loud to himself.
The same could be said of anything. Swords and arrows should never be used against others as well, but they are. An axe used to fell trees is just a tool until it is turned against another, and then it becomes a weapon. Magic is like any other tool. It can be used for good or evil. The choice lies with its wielder.
Thad conjured up a small ball of fire in his hand. Fire was a simple thing. It loved to eat, and it would eat anything that would give it life. It was a greedy beast and would consume everything within its reach until it burned itself out. Most mages had some skill with fire. Humans seemed to have a very close relationship with the element. Thad let the fire float toward the small bundle of sticks that lay in the center of his tent. The air was warmer now, and the fire chased away what was left of the lingering chill of winter.
Once the chill had left him, Thad left his tent and headed toward Monique’s cottage. Since his arrival at Digger’s Fort, Thad had kept his distance and even more so after his last encounter with Jayden in the forest. No matter how hard he tried, Jayden’s actions still unnerved him. He knew for the sake of his friend that he would have to push aside his own distaste and try to look beyond the beast to the man behind.
Thad stood nervously at the door, trying to work up his courage to knock. Three times, Thad raised his hand, and three times, he lowered it without touching the wood. As he raised his hand for a fourth time, the door swung open, and a slightly amused Monique stood behind it. “You do know that I can see you from the window?” she said, her voice filled with laughter. “Come in.”
As Thad followed Monique inside, he noticed that she had put on a great deal of weight since he had last seen her. Thad felt a great deal of joy well up inside him quickly followed by a feeling of sadness. If things did not improve, then the child would most likely be born without a father, if it was allowed to live at all.
“I was wondering when you were going to get around to visiting me,” Monique said harshly. “If I didn’t know better, I would think you were deliberately trying to avoid me.”
“I must admit it has been hard to visit you … things have become … complicated,” Thad replied sheepishly.
“That is no reason not to visit,” Monique said, frowning. “When will the fighting start?” Monique asked, her voice turning dour.
“I don’t know, but it won’t be long,” Thad said, turning away from his friend. “The fighting will start within a few days at the most.”
“Why can’t they leave us alone?” Monique said, tears streaming down her face. Thad was amazed at the quick change in her mood. It was almost as if he were talking to two or three people at once. “We will win, won’t we?”
Thad searched for the words to comfort his friend without outright lying to her. “We have to” were the only words that he could force from his mouth.
“Are you hungry?” Monique asked, wiping the tears from her face.
After a nice home-cooked meal, Thad went back to his tent, where he found Avalanche sleeping. Thad patted the creature on the head before slipping into his tent. Avalanche was still a mystery to him. He had tried to use both the elfin god’s gift as well as his magical earring to talk to her, but both failed. He was sure Avalanche was alive, but it was sure she was not a creature ruled by nature.
Inside his tent, Thad found more sacks of glass, metal, and crystals. The few finished orbs had also disappeared in his absence. Shaking his head slightly, Thad picked up one of the crystals and began to work.
“Always working.” Thad heard a voice behind him pulling him out of his self-induced trance.
“Little time for much else these days, Roger,” Thad replied, turning toward his friend. “It is good to see you, my friend.”
“Stop gawking about and tell us what you need done,” Marcus said, hobbling around the younger man. “From what we heard, there isn’t much time to be wasting.”
Thad explained wh
at he was doing with the orbs. Once he was finished, Marcus laughed. “Using raw magic like that seems a waste,” he said, sounding astounded. “Nearly two hundred years ago, when I was still a lad, a bunch of the younger kids did much the same thing, but they would place spells inside the glass. Once the glass broke, the spells would be unleashed.”
“I never even thought about it,” Thad replied, shocked at the simplicity of the idea. Glass shared a lot of the same properties as crystals, but it couldn’t hold an inscribed enchantment, though it could hold magic at bay. Unlike the white swords, it didn’t absorb the magic. It simply didn’t let it pass. Thad had tried to break glass before with a direct spell, but it always reflected from its surface. That was how the original idea had come about. “What spells do you think would have the best effect?” Thad asked the more knowledgeable enchanter.
“You have a large amount of glass … ,” Marcus began to say but stopped. “Why are you placing gems in them?”
“So that I can break the glass shells when needed,” Thad replied, showing the older man a metal orb encrusted with small crystals. “Once I release the enchantment on this, all the crystals linked to it will break.”
“I see,” Marcus said approvingly. “As I was going to say, you don’t have to be an enchanter to place a spell within a glass orb. Orbs were often used within Sanctuary to hold spells for sale.”
“You are suggesting that we gather as many mages as possible who can cast offensive spells to place within the orbs?” Thad asked the older mage.
“Yes, it would be much easier than we three doing everything ourselves. Once the orbs are ready, we can pass them along to other mages to place the spells within.”
“Roger, can you find Horus and have him gather the mages that would be of the most use?” Thad asked his young friend.
Without answering, Roger darted out of the room. Thad liked the younger man, but he was always a little too rushed. It was a good quality, but he often left before Thad had explained everything.
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