Metal Mage 11

by Eric Vall

  “Why don’t ye’ stick around, then?” the man shamelessly requested. “A noble feat like this could use a pretty face to help out, and--”

  “Not happening,” I cut in as I slid my arm around Deya’s waist, and she haughtily tipped her nose up while I turned us toward the door.

  “Barons,” Barnik snorted with disgust. “It’s not like ye’ don’t have enough women. You could spare one.”

  I firmly shut the door rather than bother to respond, but part of me wished the Baroness didn’t lead such a precariously dangerous life. Then I could have enjoyed the look on Barnik’s face when I told him I’d recently added a fifth gorgeous woman to my bed.

  It was enough to know he’d spit his Rosh all over the scrolls if I did tell him, though, and I didn’t really mind keeping Nulena as a family secret these days. It was honestly that much sexier this way.

  “Once you destroy the Master and save the world, perhaps you should find Defender Barnik a companion,” Deya mused while we headed up the cellar steps. “This would be a generous way to repay him for spending his days in a cellar with that very frail and annoying man.”

  “I might have to,” I chuckled. “At least it would distract him from all of you.”

  “It must be so difficult to love such beautiful women,” Deya sighed. “You should kill more people over us. That would be very sexy.”

  “If I killed every man who looked at the four of you, I’d have no one left to lead or battle against,” I informed her, and Deya sent me a mischievous grin while we left the library.

  “Doesn’t that sound like fun, though?”

  I shook my head. “You’ve been spending too much time with Nulena.”

  This only seemed to please the beautiful elf as she giggled and trotted down the stone steps, and Shoshanne was waiting for us when we got to the cobblestone path that lead to the Great Library.

  “I take it things went well?” the healer asked as Deya looped her arm in hers.

  “Mason doesn’t think it sounds fun to kill more men over us,” the elf complained. “Don’t you think it would be sexy?”

  Shoshanne raised her brows in my direction, but I could only sigh.

  “Is this something you’ve been discussing with Nulena?” the healer asked.

  “My point exactly,” I muttered, and I headed into the city with the two women just behind. “How did it go with the instructors?”

  “It went well,” Shoshanne replied. “They do require some assistance here now that the mages have returned to their dormitories, so I went to the infirmary to see how the supplies are, but I found three healers there who arrived only two days ago. They seemed relieved to meet me. Apparently, they were hoping to begin their work here, and they travelled all the way from the Order of Pallax only to find the infirmary deserted when they got here.”

  “You’re certain they’re from the Order of Pallax?” I clarified, and my first thought was that the Master was planting more of his supporters within the Oculus.

  “I was concerned at first,” Shoshanne admitted, “and I was going to come find you to see what you wanted me to do, but I figured you have enough to take care of right now. So, I interviewed the three of them myself, and once I was certain they were truly acquainted with the mentors from the Order of Pallax, I ran a series of basic procedural tests to evaluate their abilities and the extent of their knowledge. They did remarkably well, and since we still need assistance in Falmount with the snatchers bringing in so many of the Master’s recruits, I hired them to work here in the Oculus. I should come to check on them every so often to be sure they’re getting on alright, but I feel confident they’ll do just fine. My own mentor trained two of them herself, so I know they can handle this.”

  I slowed to a stop as I admired the look of calm authority on Shoshanne’s face, but then she blushed.

  “What?” the healer asked uneasily. “Should I have done otherwise? I should have. I’ll come get you right away next time and--”

  “No,” I cut in, “you did great. I was just thinking how good you are at this. You did exactly what you should have done and covered all the bases. Now, both Falmount and the Oculus are taken care of.”

  “You don’t think I’ve overstepped my bounds?” she checked while we continued toward the stone gates. “I know it’s not my place to appoint healers within the Order, but I didn’t want to endanger anyone, and with so many residents returning to the Oculus, we really should have someone here, just in case.”

  “You’re perfect,” I chuckled as I tucked her under my arm. “Thank you for making sure everything was handled properly.”

  “You’re such an angel,” Deya sighed. “I wish all the world had a woman like you looking after them. You would make a wonderful goddess.”

  I raised my brows as Shoshanne giggled and blushed, but I didn’t say a damned word. Then I cleared my throat and summoned my magic to part the gates of the Oculus, and while we all made our way down the blackened tunnel, I tried to ignore the little voice in my head that kept asking when the fuck I was going to fess up to the fact that I knew way more about Deya’s lineage than I’d ever let on.

  Then I thought of Nemris, though, and I knew I could trust a goddess like her to make herself known to Deya when she believed it was time to reveal the beautiful elf’s fate. Still, I felt a little guilty, which was probably why I had my hands on her hips and my mouth on her lips by the time we got to the castle courtyard.

  Deya giggled and stumbled backward while she let me do as I pleased, and I had her pinned against Bobbie’s trunk when Shoshanne tapped my shoulder.

  “Mason …” the healer warned, and after I pried my lips off Deya, I saw the king descending the steps of the castle with ten guards in tow, and he did not look pleased.

  “Defender Flynt,” Temin said as he and his guards came to a clipped stop beside us, “there’s been an attack in Cedis, and over fifty men were killed along with their families.”

  Chapter 6

  The rattle of armor echoed around the marble halls as the king’s guard led us to the throne room, and my two women hurried along behind me and the king while Temin filled me in.

  I’d never seen him look so thin or sallow before, and the bags under his eyes were a pale blue that showed how little he’d been sleeping since I saw him last week.

  “King Balmier is unharmed,” Temin assured me. “The attack occurred just east of Eyton. A village was raided late last night. The merchants who managed to flee and alert the king were unable to identify the creatures that came upon them, but by the time the king’s guard arrived, the attackers were gone, and the town was left predominantly in ruins.”

  “Did they offer any descriptions we could use?” I asked as we turned into the throne room, and we quickly took our seats across the desk while Temin scanned the letter he had in front of him.

  “Only that these creatures appeared to be blue, reptilian, and larger than a horse,” Temin answered. “I’m told the merchants of the villages fought admirably, but after the attack had finally ended, the majority of the injured began suffering some sort of toxic shock. The healers of Eyton have reported the skin around their lips and noses turned purple, and a yellow puss began seeping from their orifices. They all died within a few hours.”

  “The Saurbrin,” Deya gasped.

  “I was about to say the same thing.” Shoshanne nodded in agreement. “Purple staining around the nose.”

  “What’s Saurbrin?” I asked.

  “The Saurbrin reside in the southwest jungles,” Deya explained. “Not far from the border of Cedis. Their claws, teeth, and spikes secrete a very potent venom.”

  “Even brushing against a Saurbrin can kill you if the skin is broken,” Shoshanne added, “but it’s a delayed death.”

  “They’re the size of the purple dragon when they’re fully grown,” the beautiful elf said. “The creatures Dorinick mentioned seeing at the fortress must have been the Saurbrin.”

  I furrowed my brow. “Then
the Master sent them to Cedis using the new element. If it’s in the south, he’s finally gearing up for a mass attack. This was his first test run.”

  “What?” Temin cut-in, and when I looked over, he was even paler than before.

  “Yeah … so,” I began, “remember how I told you last week to disperse your guards throughout the castle in groups of ten on every floor?”

  Temin nodded.

  “That was on account of a rune element we found out the Master is engraving all over the place,” I admitted. “I didn’t want to get into the details until I had a clearer idea of what to do about it, but that’s how he’s accomplishing these attacks.”

  “How does this rune element work?” the king asked in a forced calm tone.

  He was fidgeting with the hem of his robe in a way that made me realize he was pretty much at the end of his rope, so I tried to speak as calmly as possible without tiptoeing around the important details.

  “It’s a single line that corresponds with one of the elements in his rune,” I explained, “and this corresponding line enables his soldiers to travel from his headquarters to any place he wants. The attack on the Oculus was possible because of this element, and the same goes for the attempt to kill us all at your castle last week. If Dorinick saw the Saurbrin at the fortress recently, then it’s most likely the Master has placed this elemental line in Cedis and used it to coordinate the attack last night. The fact that this seems to have happened simultaneously with the attack in Falmount gives me the impression the Master is finally gearing up to unleash his army.”

  Temin stared at the desk for a long moment. “What happened in Falmount?”

  “A fleet of possessed ogres came after the town,” I told him, “but the mages fought their asses off. There were only ten casualties on our side, which is a miracle considering how brutal those ogres were, and we located the elemental line they used to get there, so we were able to destroy it. In all honesty, I don’t doubt there’s several others surrounding Falmount, but I’m already working on using this to our advantage.”

  “Are you alright, Your Highness?” Shoshanne asked when Temin sank a few inches down in his seat. “You don’t look well.”

  “Don’t mind me,” Temin muttered, “I haven’t been crushed, poisoned, or torn to shreds yet so … ”

  “I know this is getting out of hand,” I tried, “but we’re not giving up, Temin. I’m waiting for an elf I know to arrive and help us figure out how to counter this rune element, I’ve already sent word to Grot in order to make sure my defenses there are still holding, and I’ll be sending another automaton to the Oculus within the next few days.”

  “This element is currently engraved within the Oculus?” Temin clarified, and I nodded.

  “I have someone looking for it,” I assured him. “That isn’t to say there’s only one mark in the whole city, but anything helps at this point. The good news is Wyresus is making some headway in his translations with the Elven Scrolls, so that could help turn the tides in our favor real soon. In the meantime, my fleet of snatchers are constantly bringing in more of the Master’s recruits.”

  “Alright, here’s what I think,” Temin began, and he worked to sit up straighter as he folded his hands. His fingers were still fidgeting anxiously, though, and Shoshanne looked desperate to help ease the man’s nerves in some way. “The new automaton should patrol the Oculus itself rather than guard the door since the greatest threat will come from within the city. My own king’s guard will patrol the streets of Serin day and night, until our armies can be gathered, and--”

  “But what about you?” Shoshanne interrupted. “Your own safety is just as important as--”

  Temin waved the healer off before she could make her case, though.

  “The citizens need the protection more than I do,” he assured the woman, and I eyed the whiteness of Temin’s knuckles. “I’ll get word to King Balmier about the threat of this new element so he may see to the protection of his own subjects, but if attacks of this magnitude continue, we will have no choice but to declare war. My vassals’ armies only number three hundred men in all, which brings me to the fact that we are alarmingly short on Defenders within the Order of the Elementa. Should they be required at their posts throughout the nation, the capital will be grossly under protected. How is your work with the mages going?”

  “Excellent,” I answered. “I was impressed with what I saw last night, and not only are they all wielding their elements with precision, but they’re holding their ground and combining their efforts to increase their effectiveness against the strength of the Master’s soldiers.”

  “Then I want you to begin assembling a list of all those you believe fit for promotion,” Temin informed me. “You’ll know better than anyone what it takes to fill the role at this time, and I trust your judgement explicitly. Wyresus’ opinion on the matter is frankly useless.”

  “I can do that,” I assured him.

  “Other than this, we must prepare for the worst,” the king continued as he rubbed at his brow. “I’ll send word to the Order of Pallax and see if they can spare a dozen or so healers. We’ll certainly need more than that, but it’s the best I can manage at this time.”

  I glanced at Shoshanne. “Temin, Mage Hellia mentioned that you have yet to appoint anyone to the position of head healer for the Order of the Elementa.”

  “Yes, this is the primary issue I need to attend to before we can hope to house and organize any healers the Order of Pallax can send.” Temin sighed. “Wyresus drove the last head of the infirmary away, unfortunately, but the healers of the Order serve more than the mages alone. They’re essential to our citizens and soldiers in times of war, and they’ll require someone to lead them effectively.”

  “Shoshanne can do it,” I offered, and I could feel the healer’s wide-eyed gaze on me, but I barreled on. “She’s already running the infirmary in Falmount, and she conducted a thorough screening of a few new healers for the Oculus today to be sure the residents are looked after for the time being. I can personally vouch for her effectiveness as a leader, as well as her ability to remain professional in challenging circumstances. Shoshanne could certainly ensure every healer in the Order is prepared to handle anything the Master might throw at us.”

  “Mason!” Shoshanne hissed nervously.

  “If you believe she’s suited for the role, then I’ll appoint her right this moment,” the king responded.

  “I’m positive she is,” I said with a nod, and I could see Deya nodding as well.

  “Then Mage Shoshanne, you are hereby appointed to the post of head healer within the Order of the Elementa,” Temin informed the woman, and she nodded despite the look of blank terror on her face. “Hence forth, the infirmary within the Oculus is under your command. I will contact you directly once the new healers arrive, and you may conduct any screenings you deem necessary to ensure our armies are in good hands. Congratulations.”

  Shoshanne made a strange squeaking sound in response, so I shook the king’s hand for her since she didn’t seem to know how to blink anymore.

  “Thank you for this opportunity,” I muttered.

  “Thank you for the recommendation,” the king said with an amused grin. “Now, shall we all pray for our lives, or simply go our separate ways and hope for the best?”

  “Don’t worry, Temin,” I chuckled. “It’s looking bleak, but we’ve got this.”

  “I’ll endeavor to believe you,” Temin mumbled as he slumped in his seat.

  “Keep me posted if any other attacks occur,” I said, and the king nodded while we rose from our seats.

  Temin was still sitting there looking like death when we exited the throne room and headed back to the courtyard, but I couldn’t blame him. All of Illaria looked to him to make the right decisions, and I doubted he’d ever faced a threat as formidable as the Master during his reign. I wished I had the means of easing the king’s anxieties, but for now, I figured the best I could do was hold up my end of the bargain
and try to lift some of the load off his shoulders.

  Starting with the Order’s infirmary.

  “Breathe,” I reminded Shoshanne once we were down the hall a ways, and the healer took a gasping breath as Deya looped her arm around her waist for support.

  “Mason, I can’t do this,” she blurted. “The infirmary at the Oculus is five times bigger than the one in Falmount, and if I mess up, the lives of every mage in the Order will be at risk, not to mention the lords’ armies. I don’t have enough experience for the position, and I’ve never been in charge of so many healers. The last head of the infirmary served for over fifty years! Compared to him, I’m--”

  “Let me stop you there,” I laughed, and I dropped my arm around Shoshanne’s shoulders. “You know I would never recommend you for the job if I had any doubts about your ability to handle it. I’d love to keep your talents all to myself in Falmount, but the fact is, you’re an incredible healer. Everyone in the Oculus would benefit from having someone as compassionate and dedicated as you in charge of the infirmary.”

  “But … ” Shoshanne tried, and I shook my head to silence her.

  “You heard what Temin said,'' I continued. “We could be at war within the week if this gets out of hand, and you’re the only healer in the nation whose been with me for every attack the Master’s attempted so far. You helped repair the damage in Orebane, Nalnora, and Illaria. You know better than anyone what we’re up against, and for the sake of everyone who’s joining us in this fight, we need someone like you leading the healers. Our lives could depend on it.”

  “Mason’s right,” Deya agreed, and she sent the healer a soft smile. “You can do this.”

  “What if I can’t, though?” Shoshanne worried. “What if everything goes horribly wrong, and it’s all my fault?”

  I shrugged, and I smirked as I unsealed Bobbie’s doors. “We’ll blame it on the Master.”

  “No,” Deya giggled. “We’ll blame it on Wyresus.”

  “You two are not helping,” Shoshanne muttered as she slid into the front seat.