The startled look on Sofie's face made me grin, "Why would you help me? I have hurt you all so much."
I smiled, "You have also helped. The hurt you gave was not of your choosing." Seemed simple to me.
Sofie looked at me, dumb struck. Finally she shook her head, "I should not be surprised. You are all good people."
Stain smiled a dark smile, "Good might not be the word I would choose. Especially after we find this camp."
We sat there for a time and talked. Stain and Victor asking the majority of questions. Finally they seemed content with knowing where the camp was and how it was established. There was a decent amount of soldiers guarding Charles and Sofie's family.
"We should be able to take them by surprise and destroy them with our large numbers." Victor wanted to swarm soldiers in and capture the camp.
Stain had a different approach. "This is the first real chance we might have to get some actual information about our enemy. I say we do subtle and sneaky." He looked at Sofie, Raven, and me. "How about some more trapping? This time with Sofie's help?"
Raven and I looked at each other. Raven smiled and said, "Sounds fun."
I smiled and shook my head, she was crazy. "I think that as long as we take certain precautions it would work."
"Agreed." Stain nodded. Turning to Sofie, "How were you supposed to deliver Raven and Ott?"
Sofie considered. "Alive but unconscious They are too dangerous to deliver able to fight."
Stain grinned. "Where were you supposed to take them?"
"Down into the tunnels there is a meeting place." She spent some time answering Stain's questions.
He eventually relented and stopped. "I think I have a good plan. Sofie should not have been able to get to the rendezvous point till about tomorrow night. We have till then to prepare. Then we will go forth and defeat this man." He stood up. "Let us all go back up to the top of the mountain and we can finish our preparations." He turned to Sofie and cast a quick spell. The spell surrounded her and sank tight to her skin. "Just a little insurance." Stain stated.
Sofie's head dropped and she nodded. Accepting it as understandable yet hating it.
We trudged back up the tunnel to the quick travel shaft. Stain took Sofie with him while Conium took Raven. Victor insisted on being last. We all flew up the shaft, the trip taking more time. Finally reaching the top of the mountain Stain handed Sofie over to Victor.
"Keep her safe. Tomorrow we will put this plan into action and hopefully we will free Charles and her family." Stain motioned to me to follow him and we went to our cabin.
"Tomorrow will be a long day. At least we have more of an idea what is going on around here." Stain stated this after I shut the door. "I believe you can trust Sofie, yet be wary." He walked to the hallway. "I am tired. Good night."
I sat down and spent a little time figuring out how I felt about the whole situation. Confused and frustrated mainly. Mophar started to snore against my head, time for bed I guess.
* * *
The plan to rescue Charles and Sofie's family was fairly easy. However it was full of risk. Stain was going to cast a spell that would give the illusion of Raven and I being drugged. Sofie would take us to the meeting place and the rest of the team would be waiting at strategic points, ready to pounce when the man showed up. If Sofie was still a danger then the entire plan could fall apart. If the man showed up with more soldiers it might get more dangerous. If he figured out that Sofie was no longer under his control. Anything could go wrong. Luckily we had magic and a whole arsenal of mages who were bound and determined to succeed.
"Let's get this whole thing going. I am going to go bald from nervousness if we cannot get moving soon." Mophar had been scratching. Evidently he became itchy when stressed.
I smiled, "You are not going."
Mophar looked at me and smiled. "Oh. I am going. Just try to leave me behind. Because someone needs to watch yours."
Looking at him I stopped smiling. "It will be dangerous. I do not want you to get hurt."
Mophar nodded. "I understand. However, I am still going."
His tone let me know he had made up his mind and that nothing I would say might stop him. "And how does Sofie explain your presence?"
He grinned, "Simple. I ate the food also and if she left my unconscious body laying around it would rouse suspicions."
I stopped and thought, he had a good point. "Fine, but keep yourself safe."
He tossed a fruit at my head. "I am an insignificant animal. You are the real prize. You keep yourself safe."
Dodging the fruit, I smiled. Mophar would be fine. I did worry about Raven and myself. What we were about to undertake would be the first real action against an enemy that had almost had us at his mercy. An evil mage who was willing to go against a whole kingdom just to get his hands on me. I hope we survived.
"Ott! Quit thinking about it." Stain poked me in the ribs. "You will just do his job for him."
I looked at Stain and realized that he was right. I picked up the rest of my stuff and set it aside. I was as ready for the plan as I could be. "Do you think Raven is ready to go?"
Stain smiled and nodded. "I believe she just might be. Why not go check?" He made a shooing motion.
I stood up and left the cabin. I spent a few minutes locating Raven, she was throwing knives at the range. Her aim always impressed me.
"You know, I can feel your magic even when you are not casting spells." She stated this calmly without turning around.
I startled at being caught watching her. "I had no idea."
She turned around and smiled. "It is like the feeling of a warm fire. Just a sensation that moves with you. I think I could find you no matter where you were as long as you were close enough. "
"That is interesting. I wonder how effective it is?" This sounded like something we should figure out. It might come in handy with the upcoming activities.
"Should we test it?" She held up some throwing sacks.
I grinned and nodded. "Blindfold?"
She pulled out a scarf and her smile grew dangerous. "Be ready to dodge Ott." She proceeded to tie the scarf around her head, covering her eyes. She suddenly whipped one of the sacks directly at my head.
I barely caught the sack and moved sideways before she could throw another. Her head turned to track me, another sack whipping outwards. Again I barely caught it. I grinned and cast a shield just ahead of me, moving at a little bit of a different path. Raven's head twitched as she tried to tell what was going on. I could see her smile grow and suddenly a sack came flying outwards and struck me in the chest. It caused me to stumble.
"Nice try. Try harder." She was laughing, knowing she got me.
Okay. Time for a different tactic. I cast a spell that scattered pieces of magic all over the area. Each piece fluttered and flashed, rotating through different types of magic.
Raven's head whipped around and she seemed confused. I moved around behind her and started to approach carefully, trying to make sure she could not pick me out from the pieces of magic flying around us like leaves in a storm.
Wham! A sack struck me dead center in the chest. Raven still faced away from me.
"I told you, I think I could find you almost anywhere close." I could hear the smirk in her voice.
I rubbed the spot on my chest where both sacks had struck me. "I think you might be right. You hit me in the same spot twice."
She took off the blindfold and turned around. "Could you stop the spell, it actually is giving me a bit of a headache."
I pulled the spell back in, absorbing each piece. As the last one faded Raven smiled. "It was actually hard to pull you out of all that confusion. But your magic was the strongest thing I could sense."
I smiled and tossed her the sacks. "We might have to do that again and see if I can actually sneak up on you somehow."
"I do not think you will ever succeed." Conium called out.
I had not realized she was around. My face must have shown that thought.
"I told you to keep your guard up. You know someone is out to cause you harm." Her tone was annoyed.
I blushed and nodded, "You are right. I will start working on it."
Conium looked at me and smiled, "I came to tell you that it was almost time. Let's get going and get this over with. I am ready to beat on some bad guys."
Raven and I grinned and followed her to the main hall. Everyone else had gathered there. Sophie was nervous about the whole thing, you could just tell.
"Good, you found them. We have a few small details to hammer out and then off we go." Victor was armed for battle. Wearing leather and metal armor with an ax strapped over his back he cut an impressive figure.
Stain was dressed like normal except he carried a walking stick that doubled as a weapon. Conium carried a sword and had small vials strapped all over her vest.
With the final details addressed we entered the passage that led to the travel tubes. Victor led us down different hallways until we reached one that was covered in cobwebs and had a large lock hanging from a massive latch. Victor reached out and into the lock. A burst of air magic flashed outwards and the lock released, falling away. He shoved the door open and approached the hole in the middle of the room.
"This is the deepest shaft we have discovered." He looked down into the shaft. "This one actually goes down into the roots of the mountain. It is so deep that the spells do not slow your fall until your reach the bottom part. You are in free fall most of the way, otherwise it would take too long." He looked around and his smile was cold. "Prepare yourselves, this will be unlike any other trip you will take." He stepped back and then threw himself into the shaft.
Stain shook his head. "Such a dramatic guy. Shall we?" He walked up to the shaft and hopped in feet first.
Conium smiled, "You would think he did not have a dramatic bone in his body." She jumped in with a flip.
Sofie stood there and looked down. "I hope my family survives." Her despair and fear were evident. She stepped off the edge and tumbled into the void.
Raven looked at me, "I hope we can help her when we are done." She walked up to the edge and looked down. "Their lights are already so far away." She leaned forward and stepped into the shaft.
Mophar tugged on my hair, "Let's get going or the party might start without us."
I smiled and swatted at him. Walking up to the shaft I could see what Raven meant. The lights that showed where each person was in the shaft were already dim and far away. Raven's was quickly shrinking away from me. I took a deep breath and stepped forward.
Mophar grabbed my hair tightly, almost fearfully. His voice in my ear whispered, "Into the depths we go."
* * *
The fall this time was different. The walls whipped past much faster. The air whistled as it rushed past my body. Victor did say the trip would be at a faster rate. Mophar clung to me tightly, his claws digging into my shirt. Even at this faster rate I could feel that this fall was much longer than the first. I looked below me and could see the lights of my friends far below me, flashing deeper into the heart of the mountain. After what seemed like hours I could see that there were less lights below me. Some must have reached the bottom already. I could feel the pull of magic slowing me down ever so slightly. Suddenly Raven's light winked off and I could feel the magic grow until there was a feeling of passing through a thick substance. The bottom of the shaft came into view and I braced myself. Mophar gripped even tighter as we hurtled towards the bottom. Just before we crashed the magic intensified and we slowed to a stop just off of the floor. A slight buzz could be felt as the magic suddenly cut out and I dropped the last bit to the floor. Looking up all I could see was darkness. I looked around and realized that there was a opening in one side of the shaft, just a slit cut through the rock. Walking through it I could feel the magic of the different mages pulsing slightly ahead of me. I headed down the tunnel beyond the slit and found myself stopping just before entering a large room. Looking through the opening this is what I saw.
Stain stood tall surrounded by his magic, a shield unlike any other. Victor stood to his side, sword drawn and magic pulsing down it's length. Conium stood behind them with a weapon in both hands. On either side stood the two girls, Raven and Sophie. Each had pulled knives out and where guarding Conium. Nobody had realized I was there yet. I looked beyond my friends and could see a large group of soldiers spread out behind what could only be the man whom had taken Charles and Sophie's family hostage. He stood tall, a black robe hiding all but his face. His face was scarred and you could tell that he had been in many battles. His eyes seemed to glow with fanatical rage. He was speaking as I leaned closer.
"How cute that you think a small party such as this could ever hope to rescue your family!" He mocked Sophie. She cringed, knowing she was found out and her family was now going to die.
"Did you think you were the only spy I had on top of the mountain?" The man mocked her. "I have another who is loyal to me. One who serves me out of devotion. She told me of your betrayal. Of your failure. But also that you were leading the ones I sought right to me." He pointed at the group. "But we seem to be missing someone. Where is young Ott? The mage destined for greatness." He looked around. "I do not see him yet."
A voice spoke up from behind him, one that was vaguely familiar "He should be with them. They all planned on freeing her family. He would not have stayed behind." A pretty, young woman stepped out. She was simply dressed, like one of the serving girls from the kitchen.
Victor visible grew angrier, "I took you in and this is how you repay me? Betray me to an enemy!"
The girl snarled at Victor, "You did not take me in. I was his before I came to you. You foolishly trusted me and thought me harmless."
Victor seemed to age and shook his head. "I hate that this is the case yet I take precautions for just this reason." He reached down to his waist and touched a stone on his belt. A flash of magic whipped out and surrounded the girl. She screamed and writhed. The magic grew brighter and brighter until all that could be seen of the girl was a faint outline. Suddenly the magic ceased and she fell to the floor. Everyone stared and waited.
She stood up after a few moments and the difference was amazing. She was no longer a young woman, nor attractive. It was as if her very life had accelerated until she was an old woman. She looked down at her hands and realized that she was an old woman now. She screamed and tried to attack Victor, yet his shield prevented her.
"I will not kill for an oath broken, however I will take most of your life for betrayal. I have removed all but a year that you would have lived. Make peace with what you have done. I have." With that simple comment Victor dismissed her as unimportant and turned back to the man. "What now you craven creature?"
The man nodded and turned to the soldiers. "Take them alive if you can. Kill them all if you cannot." He stepped backwards as the soldiers rushed forwards.
Stain spoke for the first time. "Back." That simple word of command caused all of my friends to step backwards quickly leaving Stain alone against the soldiers. I gasped and started forward. Mophar yanked on my hair and whispered in my ear, "Stain is the master, he knows what he does."
I waited and watched as my master faced the soldiers. Each soldier was armed with swords, spears, hammers, all manner of weapons. They also had armor and helmets. I could feel some carried magic; either as mages or in their weapons. Stain waited till they were almost upon him and then he raised his arms. I could feel the magic welling up from deep inside of him. The magic reached out from his fingers and coiled among the soldiers. As the magic touched each soldier he simply fell over, dropping his weapons. Within moments the rush forward had become a fearful race backwards. Yet there was no escaping Stain's magic. It reached each and every soldier, dropping them where they stood. Every soldier laid upon the ground and Stain pulled his magic back. No movement on the other side of the cave occurred
"The mage has raced ahead. We should follow if we hope to prevent a catastro
phe" Stain's voice was calm yet I could hear how he was affected by what he had just done. He stepped forward and led the way through the soldiers and to an opening. Turning to Sophie, "You must lead the way. Do not hesitate or lose your way or your family will most likely die at his hands. Be swift and we might just accomplish what we hoped."
Sophie stepped through the opening and led the way down tunnels. We ran as much as we could. Stain, Victor, or Conium stopping us occasionally to deal with traps or dangers placed ahead of us.
"We are losing too much time!" Raven cried after the latest one.
Stain stopped and considered. "You are correct. We must risk much to gain much." Turning to me he smiled a dark smile. "Time for a new lesson my young friend." He motioned everyone to draw close. "We can travel much faster if we are rolling. Also we can protect ourselves from these magical traps if we do it correctly. Ott, I want you to form a shield around all of us. One made of all four magics equally. You must hold that shield no matter what occurs until I tell you to release it." He turned to Victor. "You have to make everyone hover in the middle of this shield" Victor nodded.
Stain turned to Sophie, "You are our guide. Tell me where to go and I will get us there." Sophie's eyes were large and scared yet she nodded and pointed down a tunnel.
Looking at me Stain smiled. "Shall we?"
I grinned and made the shield. It was hard to get all four magics to work together equally. They wanted to split and fight yet I was able to force them together. I nodded when the shield was stable.
"Victor!" Stain called out. We all suddenly floated, except for Raven. She looked upwards at Stain and looked disgusted.
"He can not make me float!" She cried out.
Stain nodded. "I know. We needed someone to drive the shield forward. You can run much better than all of us. Get with it girl."
She shook her head and started heading in the direction Sophie had pointed. The shield rolled like a giant marble, being driven forward by Raven.
A Deepening Knowledge (A Life of Magic) Page 20