Of course another reason there were less forests this close to the wall was the security of guarding the open rather than letting an enemy sneak through into a dense mass of trees. He had hardly walked before he sensed a significant shift of one of his touchstones. As it winked out of his range and returned to the north, the mage was pretty sure that the necklace he had created for Sylvaine was back in Ensolus.
Turning back to the road ahead, Palose continued to travel east and soon spied a farm set back from the road in the distance. A farmer and a couple boys were outside pulling hay from a stack midway between their barn and the road. The traveler drew their eyes a moment as the sight, especially during the winter, was unusual to see and a single stranger walking the long road between castles was rare enough even during the summer.
One of the boys ran back towards the barn causing Palose to look in that direction as well. A huge form ducked back into the barn. Stopping in his tracks, the mage called on his spell, “Hawk vision.”
It had been no ox or horse that he had spied. Whatever had peeked out of the barn was large and intelligent enough to understand when the child cried out waving the creature back inside. Unable to see through walls, Palose was forced to frown in defeat as no sign of what he had seen reappeared.
Dropping a touchstone surreptitiously onto the path as he started walking forward once more, ever under the attention of the farmer and the second boy until the next rise, Palose continued onward as if the matter was settled. While he hadn’t been sure of what he had seen, the mage was almost certain that it was something that should not be south of North Wall. Agitating the farmer and his boys would only potentially alert them to his curiosity, and he wanted to come back to find out what he had seen.
Out of sight of any farm or workers in the frozen fields, Palose removed another touchstone from his pocket. Rubbing the token with his thumb thoughtfully, the young man used his arm’s strength to throw the stone as far as he could. As the touchstone hidden inside its large corrinut touched the ground coming to a halt in the snow, Palose stopped to intone a portal spell. Stepping through, the mage traveled a couple hundred feet in a blink to reach the touchstone.
Picking up his charm, the mage tried the same again over and over traveling a mile in several throws. Gauging his strength after casting the small version of the spell, Palose took up the touchstone replacing it in his pocket once more. He took his canteen to take a drink and tore off the end of a loaf of bread that he had taken along just in case he needed it.
The energy used for the spells wasn’t much more than that of a mile long walk. With his time maybe halved, the mage debated on using the spell to improve his speed and only considered against it as he wished to maintain a low profile. While a single small portal spell was unlikely to trip the senses of one of the group of gate guardians, wizards using specialized gear to look for large portals, several repeated uses of the magic could potentially build enough to look like a portal and draw unwanted attention.
Passing two more farm houses along the way and some herdsmen raising the cattle the cities would use for beef, Palose checked the sun above and knew that his time in Southwall was over for the afternoon. Casting a last portal spell, the mage was back inside of his hideout in an instant.
When Palose entered the library and looked up to the table he always used and spotted Sylvaine along with the other girls, he knew that his instinct with the touchstone was accurate. She looked none the worse for wear even from close up, so he doubted she had needed his training for this fight.
Taking a seat beside the girl, he nodded to her and said, “Welcome back. I assume that all went well?”
“You would assume wrong,” Sylvaine answered tossing her curls as she shook her head. In the hopes of not having to repeat herself over and over, Sylvaine had been making the others wait on his arrival to tell them of what happened. Holdy and Turless were there as well. Her comment made even the youngest boy put down his book in curiosity.
“What happened?” Maya asked first for the table of apprentices.
Frowning as she gathered her words, Sylvaine could think of nothing save, “We looked to have the upper hand and were about to bring the battle to a close, when Garosh walked up to the enemy and surrendered himself to them. From what I heard from others who were closer, he supposedly surrendered to avoid bloodshed, but that doesn’t really make sense to me. Up until that day, Garosh had bloodied Southwall every step of the way and everyone had been told how we would crush them. Suddenly Lord Garosh gave up the fortress to our enemies without a fight.”
“So you never had to use the close combat training then,” Palose said as if missing the point of the girl’s words.
“The only time I had to use it was when Garosh noticed me waiting the day before near the entrance. He wanted to know why I had a sword and tested what I knew,” she rebutted angrily. Why was he ignoring what she had just said? What did it matter if she used his battle mage training? Was Palose so lost in himself that he had missed the point that they had lost without a fight? It was humiliating and the army was slowly slinking back in the face of the betrayal.
This answer brought the mage’s eyes to hers and he asked carefully, “I assume that you sparred until he beat you or knocked you down. Did he say anything as well?”
Searching her mind as best she could for the details that had seemed rather minor compared to her news, the girl did the best she could to remember. Her time as his student almost made her forget the things that were beginning to annoy her about Palose. Holding them in, Sylvaine recalled as best she could, “He asked why I had the sword and who gave it to me. I told him my teacher gave it to me for the war. When I said that, he said it wasn’t even a battle anyone would remember and that the enemy had no chance.” Pausing to try and remember more as the sparring had addled her mind at the time, Sylvaine continued, “He asked who my teacher was and he knew you. Then Garosh asked me to spar using just a long knife from his belt. I was able to use the shield and flame sword, but only told him the others since a fireball wouldn’t be very useful there. Once he decided that was all he broke my shield like it was nothing and told me that I would probably never be any good at it since I lack the heart.”
Palose nodded renewing her frown seeing that the mage must think the same thing.
“Was that all?” he asked.
Thinking of how the man believed she might be in love with Palose started to redden the girl’s cheeks and she jumped to a stranger piece of information. “He told me that he was created in a tank from other people’s parts or something like that. He also thinks that you are as alive as he, by the way.” Looking towards the ceiling, she added, “There was something about being able to defeat the Southwall armies easily, but needing to completely destroy them. I said if the fight was so inconsequential, then what would it settle?”
Surveying the table, the girl shrugged and repeated her opinion, “If killing a small army will only bring more of them until they find a way to kill you or die trying, then maybe making them understand Lord Garosh somehow would be the only way he would gain peace or at least make them understand that they can’t beat him.
“He didn’t say much to my belief, but I think my words may have made him think a little bit,” Sylvaine added feeling a bit proud of herself for seeing the futility of such minor battles in the war.
Palose peered at her intently and asked once more, “He said nothing or very little after your point?”
“He said something like I had given him something to think about and something about making these minor battles more historic, I think,” she said trying to remember correctly. The words had been a bit strange now that she thought about it. What had she said that could make the battle more historic? Did surrendering to the enemy for no real reason make the giant think that he impressed anyone by quitting?
To her surprise, Palose looked almost as thoughtful. “Had he asked about me and the battle mages of Southwall?”
She nodded think
ing that he had lost her by going back to nearly the beginning. Sighing, the girl thought of the early days of their relationship where she had left him guessing while pointing out books to the apprentice sitting on the floor. When had she lost that advantage? Now he was the one she tried to figure out and had begun to chase to find out his secrets.
“Interesting,” was all that the young man would say as he picked up the book he had placed on the table as he sat. Like that was the end of it, Palose left the matter lie as the others exchanged glances in confusion. Only Holdy returned to his book, but Sylvaine noticed even he looked at the mage over the pages of the book occasionally.
Realizing that Palose would say no more on his thoughts, the rest of the group settled down to reading. The discussion seemed to have left the rest unable to fully concentrate as they looked at the mage from time to time, but pages were often turned forward just to turn back realizing that they hadn’t comprehended a word they had just read.
The afternoon lengthened and the light coming in through the windows on the south side faded as the entry of the cavern blocked the last of the day’s rays. Palose was the first to stand to leave. He had not only read and thought about Sylvaine’s view of the surrender, but considered the task he was contemplating.
Leaving the library, the mage had an obvious shadow leaving right behind him.
“Do you know what Garosh hopes to gain from his surrender? I mean what his plan really is?” Sylvaine called to him making Palose turn to see the dark haired girl in the shadows cast by more spires between them and the cavern mouth. Light could have been seen outside the cave had they been in a place to look at it, but the city’s lamps were already lit along the walkway and the western parts of the Ensolus.
Palose looked at her and at first Sylvaine thought that he wouldn’t answer her. “The battle mage, who destroyed part of the fortress and escaped with his prisoners, was at Windmeer. By surrendering to them, Garosh might be trying to find him or discovering what has changed where he has been. If he were to kill Sebastian, then the mizard wouldn’t be able to learn anymore or affect any changes.
“He also might be planning to do something like Atrouseon had me try in Windmeer. Bringing down one of the six fortresses manning the North Wall would certainly be more history worthy than a fight out in the middle of the Dimple Mountains over some forsaken land.”
“In other words, what I said may have made him decide to surrender?” Sylvaine gasped in sudden recognition of the timing of it all.
Shrugging, Palose started to turn away.
“I would have waited for you at your house, if I knew where it is instead of going to the library,” the girl stated abruptly sounding almost accusatory for not knowing his secret.
He didn’t look at her as he responded, “If I wanted you waiting there for me, I wouldn’t have worked to keep it secret.”
His words almost seemed to slap her concern away. Feeling hurt by the young man, Sylvaine couldn’t help saying, “I thought you had feelings. Maybe resurrection men can’t understand when someone is concerned about you!”
She wanted to pull her words back and burn them immediately. Never had the girl felt like Palose was anything but a real person, but she had thrown his rebirth back at him as soon as anger made her try and push his buttons. Seeing his back stiffen, Sylvaine quickly tried to apologize, “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean that, Palose. Don’t be angry.”
Instead of looking at her, the young man said loud enough to be heard as his feet began to walk away from her, “Don’t worry. Apparently we don’t have feelings.”
Running to catch him by the arm, Sylvaine tried to stop him and make her look at her. “Palose, I said I was sorry. I didn’t mean it like that! You just made me angry and it slipped.”
He pulled away and she knew he was angry, but acting passive aggressive rather than face the girl, who was now hurting those feelings she had implied he no longer had.
Quickly jumping in front of the young man, Sylvaine wrapped her arms around him preventing him from walking through her or pulling away, unless he chose to hurt her physically.
“I don’t know what I can say,” she breathed into his chest and felt her tears on his jacket smearing against her skin. “Any man can seem heartless when he hurts a girl’s feelings, but I know you are as alive as anyone in this city. Most of the warlock’s seem to have no souls and only care about themselves. You’ve helped me, Turless, even Acheri and Lanquer. You even forgave Selvor and Malfaes before taking them in as friends. Dead men don’t do that.”
Feeling his magic gather, she heard Palose mumble a spell before pushing her backward. His hands held onto her shoulders and a rush of wind swept past the girl with a flash of silver light.
Sylvaine took a moment to realize where they were.
“Fireball,” the mage ordered lighting the fireplace on one side before separating from the girl to light the stove.
There were two lanterns that glinted with the light given off by the fire light so Sylvaine used her spells to light them for the mage while he finished with the second fire before closing the protective plate on the stove. The girl knew it would be cold in the room for awhile and kept her coat on as she watched steam coming from each breath. Palose walked to the table as she watched and placed his bag on top.
“Befriending people doesn’t necessarily mean I have to like them,” he stated as his hand brushed back his blond hair from his face. “When I first came here I knew no one, not even Atrouseon really, though he was my creator or master or whatever he should be called. Selvor and Malfaes were redeemable assets, so I let them join me. One day I may need friends for other reasons than socializing. Those two in particular follow me because they know I can kill them. Some men respect and follow those they fear.”
“Turless doesn’t fear you, or Holdy.”
He shrugged. “People join people for different reasons. I like companionship as much as anyone and it isn’t like I don’t care at all. I am not heartless, but my priorities may not always lend to my being nice to everyone. Acheri and Lanquer have the ear of the emperor and I befriend them because they came to me. They are the emperor’s new siblings and only a fool would refuse what they ask. Maybe one day that ‘friendship’ will bear fruit for me as well?”
“Am I just an asset to you? You gave me this touchstone and said you would come for me if I was in trouble,” Sylvaine said pulling the stone setting from where the chain rested between her breasts under her jacket. She had felt strength from having it by her heart when she was at the fortress, now she wondered why he had given it to her at all.
His face remained turned from the girl but he sighed and seemed to talk to the air rather than Sylvaine, “Sometimes I wonder if you listen to anything I say. I said that I still care about people, despite being a resurrection man. You act as if I was someone different before I died, but I think that, if I changed at all, it has simply been to focus my mind on new goals. I have access to more power than I had in my first life. I can strive for more than being just a battle mage following others orders.” He looked over his shoulder at the dark haired girl and added, “It doesn’t mean I can’t be side tracked by other wants and needs or people that I like.”
“I like you too,” she replied hoping that he had meant her. Moving towards him, the girl placed her hands on his arm hugging it to her chest.
Chapter 17- The Barn
Palose glanced at the wood walls and floor surrounding him. Even in the light of the two lamps and the fire in the fireplace, it felt dark. If he were to live there as a home, the man thought that he would have to paint the room a brighter color. It was an arbitrary thought as the girl beside him held his arm.
Sylvaine was a warm presence in the cool air of the room and not just for her soft, warm body. Sometimes he had to remind himself that he was human and not just something raised by a necromancer to serve him. “I gave you that touchstone, because I care. If you needed help, I would have tried to be there. If you had died, I
might even try to bring you back with the resurrection spell.”
Since she wasn’t facing Palose, her expression was missed. First, to cross her face was confusion. Did he mean that he wanted to bring her back from death? Did he want to experiment on her? Both thoughts had different emotions attached and levels of feeling for her. Maybe it was him saying that he would love her beyond death, but Palose had said nothing about love, then again neither had she.
“If me showing how sincere I am meant you killing me and bringing me back, then I guess I would let you kill me,” the girl said with a little shudder. She hardly wanted him to say yes, but Sylvaine did want him to know that she was sincere.
“I don’t need practice that badly,” he chuckled trying to infuse a little humor in a conversation as dark as the room around him. “Now if your apology is through, I need to think about getting ready for tonight.”
Releasing his arm, the apprentice stepped back a moment watching as his mind worked at a problem. “Ready for what?”
Smiling like a cat that had caught a mouse, Palose replied, “Returning to Southwall to check out a farm east of the castle. I think that some of the army that entered Windmeer may be hiding out there.”
Giving a thoughtful frown, Sylvaine replied, “That was last summer. How could any of our forces have lasted on a Southwaller’s land of all places?”
Battle Mage: The Dark Mage (Tales of Alus) Page 25