The Magic, Warped (The MagicWarper Trilogy Book 1)

by Rick Field

  “Thank you, My Lord,” Liane said, looking gratefully at Amy. “She most definitely is impressive.”

  The girl inflated with the praise. The Proctor looked at the door her friend had vanished through. “How long do you think it will take, My Lord?” she asked.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Pertogan shrug. “I don't know, My Lady. Nobody else seems worried, so I believe it may take some time longer.”

  Liane accepted that explanation, yet kept her focus on the door still. She was still tired, her magic ached, and she felt filthy, both from lack of bathing and from what had almost happened. She just wanted to curl up in her bed with a hot cup of chocolate milk.

  Chocolate milk with a good shot of alcohol in it.

  She shuddered. “My Lady?” Pertogan asked.

  “A lot has happened, My Lord. Things I-” she broke off. “Things I do not think I can share right now,” she finally said. Pertogan looked worried, but kept his silence.

  “I will, of course, respect your privacy, My Lady,” he acknowledged. “But please feel free to call upon me should you ever find yourself in need of someone to talk to. I suspect My Lord Milor knows what has happened, yet perhaps an outside perspective could help.”

  She looked at him, and he looked genuinely worried about her. She gave him a small smile. “Thank you, My Lord. I will surely keep your offer in mind. Right now, I just wish I could go to bed with a hot drink.”

  He nodded. “I can understand that, My Lady.”

  They lapsed into silence, and it was then that the Lord Master appeared from somewhere close by yet unnoticed. “My Lord,” he greeted Pertogan. “My Lady. Assistant.”

  “Lord Master,” Liane said.

  “I am pleased to see you return safely, My Lady,” the Lord Master said, before turning to Pertogan. “My apologies, My Lord. May I steal your conversation partner away for a few moments?”

  Pertogan blinked, stared from the Lord Master to Liane and back to the Lord Master, before dipping his head when he saw no disagreement from Liane. “Of course, My Lord,” he accepted, dipping his head to Liane in greeting. “My Lady.”

  The Lord Master took Pertogan's place, looking out over the gathered Nobility. “I feel I must apologize, My Lady. It appears that I have sent you down a dangerous route without meaning to do so.”

  “My Lord?” she asked, confused. Her mind really wasn't operating at its best. Then again, after two invocations, a loss of a grand total of three pints of blood and six months and three weeks worth of lifespan and an almost-rape, she couldn't really expect herself to be at peak performance.

  “I perhaps did not explain my suggestion as well as I should have done, My Lady,” the Lord Master explained. “When I offered you the option to do as your heart told you to do, regardless of consequences, I was advising you to attempt to either contact the Blood Mages with your research, or find the location of My Lord Milor, then provide that information to the Imperial Court. I did not mean it for you to leave school and attempt a rescue yourself. I feel I must apologize for the misunderstanding.”

  Liane just stared at the Lord Master for close to twenty seconds before realizing that she was being exceedingly impolite. She felt like a silly little first year student mucking up her first spell, and wished even more for the comfort of a bed, and a hot alcoholic beverage. And maybe a good cry.

  “It was my mistake to make, My Lady. I did not take into account how independent you are,” the Lord Master said, seeing her thoughts play out on her face. “No matter what happens here tonight, I wish you to know that I am exceedingly proud of you. I can see the signs of invocation on you, and you have managed to complete your objective within the time allowed.”

  “Thank you, My Lord,” she said with a small voice, feeling better for his acceptance yet feeling incredibly foolish for risking everything, a risk that she may not have needed to take.

  “My I ask, My Lady?” the Lord Master questioned.

  Liane understood what he wanted to know, and rather than answer his direct question, she answered the implied one. “We were captured, My Lord. Kept restrained by magic-restraining bracers.” He just nodded, encouraging her to continue. “One of our guards had an... unhealthy... fixation on me.” She broke off, swallowed deeply.

  The Lord Master's body tensed. “Please continue when you feel ready, My Lady.”

  She missed him calling her 'Magus', and the reality of it did not escape her. She had left school; she was no longer Magus. “The restraints were not meant for one such as I,” she muttered. “When the guard attempted to... force a resolution... my magic reached out and protected me. The bracers were burnt away, as was the guard.”

  The Lord Master released a breath, and nodded. “I am pleased to hear that. Pleased, and surprised. Those restraints are usually unbreakable.”

  “We had little time. The only method I knew to defeat the restraints took one hour per person. We did not have the time.” She glanced around. “I invoked Haturori.”

  He nodded. “Water's wisdom would be of great help,” he said. “Good thinking, My Lady.”

  She explained how she freed them, glancing over things Milor would not want her to tell regarding his uncle. “Then Lord Milor cast the date-time spell and realized that it was nine pm on December the 24th. There was not enough time to return to the Capital.”

  The Lord Master glanced at her, and frowned slightly. “I am sure you could have enchanted a floater to reach that speed, but it would have taken days to do so, even with the wisdom of water helping you.”

  “Water's gift lasted until we were free, Lord Master. I was out of options, there was but one force that could return us on such short notice,” Liane explained.

  He glanced around as she had done. “Omkiel,” he whispered, and she nodded.

  “My Assistant learnt a spell that allowed her to transfer blood from one person to another. Lord Milor was kind enough to donate one pint to offset what I had used earlier. I invoked Omkiel, but the Major Spirit of Air was not inclined to assist me. There was a large storm over the Pacific ocean that required her time. I pleaded my case, and she graced me with her trust.”

  “Her trust, My Lady?” the Lord Master asked, actual curiosity overcoming his Decorum.

  “Until Lord Milor returned to his destination, I was the Envoy of Lady Omkiel, Major Spirit of Air,” Liane said.

  “Remarkable,” the man said, nodding. “Truly remarkable.”

  “Lord Master?” Liane asked, her curiosity finally taking the upper hand. “How much trouble am I in?”

  “You have rescued the Lord Emperor's son, My Lady. I do not believe you are in any sort of legal trouble, if that is what you are asking. You are a credited Mage, so that is not a problem either. You did leave the Academy, however.”

  She nodded, and glanced at Amy. “As an accredited Mage, you are, of course, free to educate your Assistant in whatever way you see fit, My Lady,” the Lord Master said, anticipating her next question. “I'm sure that she will do just fine.”

  “Thank you, Lord Master. I'm glad that she-” Liane's voice cut off when a deep hush descended over the room.

  The door had opened, and Milor walked out, not looking any different than he had looked when he went in. He strode confidently to the throne, and went down to one knee. “Lord Father, Magic has seen fit to accept me as heir to the throne.”

  Was that a hint of relief Liane detected in the Lord Emperor's face? Was that a hint of gratitude in the man's voice when he spoke? “I am pleased to see it, my son. Please, approach, and explain your adventures.”

  Milor stood, and approached the man, who was now standing rather than sitting, and a privacy screen went up right before Milor was to reach his father.

  “I am glad to see he was accepted,” the Lord Master commented. “It was fairly quickly, too.”

  “Would it really have been lethal to be rejected?” Liane asked.

  The man nodded. “The Arbitrator of Ascension is different from
the Arbitrator of Elements, My Lady. In order to prevent false claims to the throne, any unworthy heir will be killed. It has kept our realm stable ever since the beginning, and the line of succession has never been broken.”

  Liane thought it strange that the line never broke, and was about to ask further clarification when the privacy screen dropped.

  “Lady Liane, known as the MagicWarper. Approach us, please.”

  She gulped deeply. The Lord Emperor had just singled her out. Knowing better than to keep the man waiting, she glanced at her Assistant, and walked through the room toward the throne. Amy followed half a step behind her right shoulder, as a good Assistant should follow her Proctor. In cases such as this, they were one.

  Just as they had seen Milor do, Liane and Amy knelt on the first step leading up to the dais upon which the throne of the Emperor stood, and upon which were currently located the Emperor and Milor.

  “Lady Liane,” the Emperor addressed her. “My son has explained the actions you have taken on his behalf, and the sacrifices you made, and were prepared to make, in order to ensure his safe return. I am also aware that you did this simply out of friendship, with neither answer or explanation as to why my son was required to keep silent about his background.”

  She didn't know what to say, and kept silent, awed not by the man's magical strength, but by the magic he represented, the magic of the realm of Kiria, the office of the Emperor. “Lady Liane,” the Emperor finally broke the silence. “You may ask of me a boon.”

  She blinked, swallowed. She hadn't expected this, and glanced up at Milor and the Emperor, before realizing that she probably shouldn't do so. “My Lord Emperor,” she said, hoping to keep the tremble out of her voice. “What I did, I did out of friendship for My Lord Milor. Although it frustrated me that he could not explain things to me, I did what I felt was needed for my friend. It... it would not do for me to ask for anything when I did something out of friendship.” She smiled at the step she was kneeling on. “I only wish to return to the Academy, have a hot bath, and go to bed.”

  To her surprise, the Emperor laughed. “My son warned me you would probably say something like that, Lady Liane. Please rise, I do not enjoy looking at the top of the head of my subjects.” As she stood, aware that Amy was standing as well, she noticed the Emperor looking at someone else in the room. “Lord Jozua, Master of the Magical Currents, as your Emperor I am hereby requesting that you reinstate this fine Mage to the Academy, and do your best to ensure that she is able to catch up on subject matter missed during her absence.”

  Liane felt stunned at the title of the Lord Master. Omkiel, Major Spirit of Air, had given her the same designation! Shaking her head back to reality, she glanced at Milor. Was he not going back to the Academy?

  Recognizing the look on his friend, Milor leaned close to his father, and whispered something. The man looked from his son to Liane. “Do not worry, Lady Liane. My son will be returning to the Academy as well.”

  She wished she had the blood pressure to blush. As it was, she fidgeted nervously. This was the most important man in the entire country, and he was teasing her. How could one react to that?

  “It shall be as you ask, My Lord Emperor,” the Lord Master replied calmly. “With gratitude and pleasure.”

  She wanted to look at the Lord Master, but that would probably be an indiscretion too far. “Lady Liane,” the Emperor went on, and she looked up with a start. “That is an exceedingly small price for the service you have rendered upon this entire realm, as well as the favor you have done to myself and my son, personally. As such, when you finish your masterpiece, and have attained your master's title, I will personally initiate you into the ranks of the Pillars of Kiria. As Pillar of Magic, you will be responsible for the safeguarding of this realm, for the maintenance of its defenses, for settling of disputes, and any other questions or tasks required of you by the Realm.”

  She gaped at the man, and only snapped out of it when she caught Milor smothering a smile. She sent him a somewhat-glare. “Thank you, My Lord Emperor. I will do my very best.”

  “Of course you will, Lady Liane. Please note that this is on the condition of your master's title. I expect a truly outstanding masterpiece from you,” the Emperor said, and Liane blinked, then grinned at Milor.

  “My Lord Milor, may I borrow back my gift?” she asked. Milor caught on immediately, descended the stairs, and slowly drew Dawnbreaker from its sheath.

  He formally presented it to her, one hand supporting the tip while the other supported the pommel. Carefully, she lifted the weapon out of Milor's hands. “Lord Master, I wish to present to you, my masterpiece.”

  The Lord Master was at her side as if he had always been there, took a careful look at the blade, blinked, looked closer, and smiled. “Truly outstanding work, My Lady Magus. Truly outstanding.” She swelled with pride at not only his acceptance, but also his use of her title. She was Magus once more, reinstated to the Academy of Magic.

  Hopefully, she could go to bed sooner now.

  “If My Lord agrees, I will need to examine this in detail later on to verify My Lady Magus' claim to a master's title,” the Lord Master said to Milor, who nodded in acceptance. Dawnbreaker still in her hands, Liane turned, glanced nervously around, and very slowly ascended the staircase to the Emperor, hoping that she wasn't about to commit a gross misconduct.

  He didn't seem to mind, so she climbed until she was at the same level as him, and formally presented the weapon. “My masterpiece, My Lord Emperor. Built under duress, for the protection of my friend, your son. The light of dawn, breaking over the shores of Hell, the weapon known informally as Dawnbreaker.”

  The Emperor looked down at the weapon. “My knowledge of Runes, Glyphs, and Magical Symbols is small, Lady Liane, and I have heard that it is thanks to yourself that my son does not suffer the same fate. This looks like a remarkable weapon, and even I recognize a weapon named by a master of the trade.” He gave her that faint Decorum-allowed smile she had so often seen from Milor. “I do believe I will be welcoming you into the ranks of the Pillars upon your graduation.”

  “Thank you, My Lord Emperor,” Liane said, trying to hide her smile as best she could. She slowly descended the stairs, and presented the weapon back to Milor, who took it, sheathed it, had the audacity to wink at her, and took his place by his father's side once more.

  “And now, we must celebrate,” the Emperor said. “My son has passed the Ritual of Ascension!”

  Liane resisted the urge to curse. It looked like she wouldn't be getting that warm bed and hot drink anytime soon.

  Epilogue

  Liane allowed herself a smile when she approached the gate of the Academy. She rolled her shoulders, marveling in the sense of freedom of being completely free of pain. Next to her, Milor seemed to be in a similar mood, a small smile on his lips and a relaxed posture in his shoulders that had been noticeably absent during their stay at the palace.

  During the difficult days after their return, they had stayed at the palace at the Emperor's pleasure, his personal physicians taking care of their multitude of physical complaints, including that vicious wound on Milor's right arm that had become infected. While Liane and Amy had suffered nothing more than some hypothermia and a bout of malnutrition, it didn't make their recovery any less difficult.

  They still looked rather gaunt and drawn, but their physical complaints had ebbed away completely, and they'd decided among themselves that they'd rather return to the Academy now, instead of postponing it even longer. There was bound to be enough discussion as it was, and any lessons they missed were lessons they had to make up for.

  Crossing the gate, Liane looked at the flashing symbols. The last time she had seen them, when leaving with her Assistant on their urgent plight to save Milor, they had been dull and subdued. Now, they were vibrant and festive, showing in all the colors of the rainbow and every color in between, radiating thousands if not millions of different hues that made Liane's smile bigger.

>   Stopping, she turned to face them completely, feeling a strange sort of joy at being greeted by these powerful protections, this myriad of symbols, runes, and magical writings that were, without a doubt, her first real friends. They had been here when she first came here at age eight, next to the imposing and powerful Lord Master, and had greeted her upon her arrival.

  Ignoring Milor and Amy, who both looked on with obvious tolerance, Liane's hand came up and touched the stone archway. The magic in this place had been the first friendly thing she had seen or experienced when joining the ranks of the Nobility, and it was not something she would ever forget.

  When her hand touched the writings, a strange energy shot through her, making her gasp for breath. The magic washed through her veins and nerves, filling her entire body, every cell, every lock of hair, every nail of finger and toe. The power pressure vanished when equilibrium was achieved, and for a few strange moments, Liane was aware – aware of the school, its protections, it foundations and all its students. She knew where every student was, where the Lord Master was, and where every member of the faculty or staff was.

  The protections reached out in a perfect sphere around the school, reaching up into the skies and reaching down into the ground, tying directly into the humongous magical shields that covered the entire capital, both drawing from it and adding to it. It was a strange sort of contradiction, one that vanished when Liane opened her eyes; eyes she had not been aware she had closed.

  When she lifted her hand, the protections at the gate twinkled at her in the expanded plethora of colors they had achieved, and Liane dipped her head at them in a strange sort of greeting when she realized that the protections were merely welcoming her, and that it was her, not they who had changed.

  She was going to be a Pillar when she graduated. One of the Pillars of Magic of the realm of Kiria, one of the most respected and influential positions on the island.

  Liane looked at Milor. It was because she had rescued him that she had been offered the position, and it was because of the added influence the position would offer her that she could now see the additional colors of the protections, and that they offered their knowledge to her freely.