by Eric Vall
Unfortunately, I was becoming aware of how our secretive arrangement might not work well for me, though, because whether or not Nulena could openly admit her feelings for me, I knew mine were growing. The second the king’s guards told me about the attack in Rajeen, I realized how much I’d come to care for her in such a short time, and never knowing if she was alive or dead would probably drive me mad.
Still, I had to smirk at the notion, because it was more likely the Baroness would be off killing others rather than getting killed, and I held onto this thought as I entered the marketplace and surveyed the progress.
Defender Urn caught sight of me the moment I strolled into the clearing, and he dismissed the few mages he was talking with to come over and join me.
“Defender Flynt,” the burly Terra Mage said. “I take it you’ve come to see how the rebuilding is going?”
“I have,” I replied and turned to admire the extensions that were already complete.
To the west, three lines of shops connected and rose three stories up with small windows lining the front, and there were mages strolling along the battlement to make a few final adjustments.
“Are the interiors of all these shops completed as well?” I checked.
“They are,” Urn answered, and he turned toward the east side of the market. “Same goes for this lot. We used Flynt’s Pub as the central point on this side and expanded from there to connect the library at the corner. All of the shops have windows large enough to get a clear shot from, but small enough that most creatures couldn’t make their way in.”
“And the walls are all a foot thick?” I asked.
“They are.”
I nodded as I rounded the edge of a row of buildings, and the central well of the town was located on the other side, with benches and tables made of stone surrounding it like a small courtyard.
“Looks good,” I decided. “I want to get the underground shelter completed today, but I need to stop by the mines to get enough iron for the project.”
“Already done,” Urn informed me, and he motioned for me to follow him. “I had the mages leave a load of iron over here beside the barbican just this morning. If you need more, I can send them back to the mines.”
“Perfect,” I replied as I took stock of the iron. “This should be enough. Have you spoken with the mages regarding their stations and protocol in the event of an attack?”
Defender Urn nodded as he turned to face the buildings of the market, and he pointed out the posts on the battlements.
“Kurna addressed all the details about an hour ago,” he explained. “We organized a decent balance of elements in each crew, like you asked. Over there on the right, there’s three crews for each stretch on the battlements with Pindor and Odin leading two, and an Ignis named Mina leading the last. Pindor recommended her for the post, but if that’s not adequate, I can reassign--”
“No, Mina’s perfect,” I chuckled. “She’ll do good up there, and she and Pindor work well together. What about the west side?”
“We’ve organized the three crews, but haven’t appointed anyone to lead them yet,” Urn answered. “I figure I could take one, maybe Haragh could take the other--”
“Actually,” I cut in, “I intended to have both you and Haragh promoted to generals, along with Kurna.”
“You … ” Urn fidgeted with the edge of his moustache. “You really mean that?”
“Hell yeah,” I replied. “I need guys like you at the head of this operation. You’ll be on the barbican with Kurna and work to coordinate the crews on the battlements, and this way, any attempts to bring the structures down can be countered by yours and Haragh’s powers while the mages finish out the attack.”
“You’ve got all the details covered, then?” Urn chuckled.
“Trying to, anyways,” I muttered. “What’s left to do with the rebuilding?”
“We’ve still got homes to add around the village,” the burly mage replied. “I’m about to get the Flumen Mages started on the waterways, and there’s been a handful of merchants coming through. Words spreading around Serin about that stunt you pulled saving all the nobles at the castle, so we’ll probably see a lot more folks coming in looking for work here. I’ve been sending them all to leave their information with Raynor since he knows more about that sort of thing than me. He said he’d hold onto all of it for you.”
“Excellent,” I said, and I could hardly believe how smoothly everything was being handled.
“If you’re lookin’ for any suggestions, though,” Urn said as he cleared his throat, “there’s a woman who runs a spice shop in Serin that mentioned she’d like to relocate to a smaller area. Real honest woman, too, she’ll be sure to pay her keep regularly and all that. She works hard, keeps her business real tidy. Might be a good situation for her here, is all. I’m sure there’s plenty of other merchants, of course, but she’d certainly … she’d be a good choice.”
I grinned as the burly mage shrugged nonchalantly.
“What’s her name?” I asked.
“Lilith,” Urn mumbled, but then he quickly corrected himself. “Miss Clearidge.”
“Well, if you think Miss Clearidge wouldn’t mind living in a town that’s set to get attacked quite frequently, then I don’t see any reason why she can’t set up shop here,” I replied.
“I’m sure she wouldn’t mind,” Urn said at once. “There’s plenty of Defenders around these parts. I’m sure she’d be well looked after. Not by me, mind. I’ve got enough to look after, but … might be nice to have a lady of quality about the market. Selling spices.”
“Definitely,” I agreed. “She sounds like a quality spice lady. That’s what Falmount’s missing.”
Urn nodded as he smiled a bit, but when he caught the look on my face, he was suddenly back to his all-business frown.
“Well, I’ve got a crew of Flumen Mages I’d better get back to,” he announced. “Lots to look after already, like I said.”
The burly mage abruptly headed off to coordinate a group of mages in their efforts to run waterways throughout the village, and I chuckled while I scanned the market for a few Terra Mages to give me a hand. There were several working in different sections of the market, but I could hear Pindor’s voice somewhere nearby, and I strolled around a couple corners until I found him instructing a small crew.
They were almost done carving out the channels for the waterways, and when he noticed my shit-eating grin, he eyed me warily before giving his crew a couple more instructions and jogging over.
“So, should I be calling you Lord Pindor now, or … ?”
“Shhh!” Pindor hissed, and I thought his head would spin right off his shoulders from how quickly he checked to make sure no one around us had heard. “Don’t call me that!”
“If you say so,” I chuckled, “but I’ve gotta ask--how is it no one knows you’re an heir to the second largest fief in the kingdom?”
“Largest,” Pindor corrected under his breath.
“Not anymore,” I informed him.
“Are you serious?” He narrowed his eyes
“Yep,” I chuckled. “Sorry about that. Lord Allen doesn’t seem to mind in the slightest, though, so don’t be dick. You’ll still technically be my superior one of these days.”
Pindor’s ears turned pink as he shook his head, and he awkwardly shoved his hands into his pockets.
“I don’t care about that kind of stuff,” he muttered. “It’s only--”
“An earldom,” I cut in. “You’re right. Nothing special there.”
“Look,” Pindor sighed, and he double checked the clearing before he lowered his voice a bit. “I don’t want anyone to know, okay? I wasn’t even supposed to inherit, it’s only because my parents died, and my uncle doesn’t have his own kids. Otherwise, I’d just be Pindor, so that’s what I’m doing.”
I nodded. “Except your uncle told me you were completely content with loafing around his estate for the rest of your life until a few months ago.”<
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“Maybe I changed my mind,” Pindor said with a shrug. “When I found out I was a mage, it seemed kind of fun, but being an earl sounded better. Then … I don’t know. I met you and Aurora, and I realized there was a lot I could do. I could change things about the world, help defend the nation, see new places, tear mountains open sometimes. Once I saw how fast you were learning just because you focused and never let up, I guess I thought that might be a better use of my time. I can be an earl whenever, but I can’t just snap my fingers and become a Defender. That takes dedication and skill. It’s more impressive to earn something through perseverance.”
Pindor’s ears were redder than I’d ever seen them now, and I grinned as he kicked a few stones around.
“Well, I’m glad you changed your mind,” I told him. “Being an earl is probably even more fun than being a baron, but defending the realm is pretty fucking awesome.”
“What’s a realm?” the kid asked as he furrowed his brow.
“I meant world,” I corrected. “Either way, I’m glad you’re taking your powers more seriously, and that you’re helping Mina stay focused on improving, too. You’re both some of my top mages right now.”
Suddenly, a familiar smirk came to Pindor’s face. “Yeah, we, uh … we’ve found a decent arrangement.”
“I know,” I mumbled, and I cleared my throat. “The point is, I’m not going to out you about the whole ‘you’re a fucking earl’ thing, but I am promoting you to Defender.”
“What?”
The color drained from Pindor’s face and ears all at once, and he looked like a guppy with his mouth slack.
“You’re being promoted,” I repeated. “So, I guess that makes you Defender Allen now, which might give away your lineage a bit.”
“I-I can’t be a Defender,” he stammered, and his voice cracked under the pressure. “I’m not ready. I don’t know nearly as much as you and--”
“You sound like Shoshanne,” I chuckled, and I clapped a sturdy hand on the kid’s shoulder. “Here’s the deal. You are ready, because I’m your mentor, and I say you’re ready. Deal with it. Now, I’m building an underground shelter near the market entrance, and your crew is helping out, so round ‘em up.”
Pindor nodded blankly as he stumbled toward the clearing, and I couldn’t help grinning my ass off while I headed for the door of the barbican.
I’d known I wanted to promote Pindor from the moment Temin told me to start a list, but I hadn’t expected to take so much pride in the task. Now, I had a weird sense that all was right in the world, and I didn’t mind so much that his hair looked just like mine. I was honestly so proud of the kid’s dedication that even his brief stint as a cocky little shit was fine by me. Things would have turned out a lot worse if he had sat at Lord Allen’s estate like an entitled jerk, and knowing I’d played some part in him choosing a more rewarding path made promoting him an honor to me.
Especially after I got his voice to crack. That’s how I knew he really understood the merit of becoming a full-fledged Defender of the Order.
My chuckles echoed up the stairwell within the tower of the barbican as I studied the layout for a moment, and once I decided on a good spot for a hidden entrance, I summoned up my powers and carved out the beginning of a tunnel at the back side of the spiraled steps.
I’d extended it forty feet down at a fifty-degree angle by the time Pindor returned with five Terra Mages in tow, and the kid still looked like he was on another planet when I came out to join them.
“Okay, guys,” I began. “I’m building an underground shelter from this pile of iron. The floor will be forty feet below the surface at the base of the stairs I’m about to form. This way, any possessed Terra Mages who try to tear the courtyard apart won’t accidentally unearth it. I’m aiming for twenty-five square feet, with a ten-foot ceiling. Until I have the framing in place, you’re all in charge of hollowing out the area and making sure the ceiling doesn’t collapse and crush me to death.”
Pindor’s eyes widened along with all the others, and I nodded.
“Don’t worry,” I chuckled. “I trust you.”
Then I summoned my metal magic as I headed for the barbican and raised a chunk of iron to carry it along with me.
“Uh, Mason?” Pindor muttered while he followed behind me. “Are you sure you want us to do this? Because you’re sort of an important guy and leading the entire fight against the Master.”
“I know.”
“Maybe you should have Haragh handle this one,” Pindor suggested. “Or even yourself? You could probably do that, right?”
“What?” I clarified. “Use my Terra powers and my metal magic at the same time?”
“Yeah,” the kid said hopefully, and I thought about this for a second.
“I could,” I decided, “but having my life slightly threatened is distracting, and I’m looking for some distraction at the moment. I’m trying not to think about something. Besides, you could probably do this by yourself. So, leading a crew should be fine.”
“But they don’t all know how to balance their energy to work in a circuit for long stretches of time, yet,” Pindor muttered.
“Good thing their leader does,” I chuckled. “Go on, then.”
I waved him back toward the others as I began reforming the iron, and while he mumbled under his breath about being a dead man, I started securing one step after another to extend a stairwell into my tunnel. I could hear the others coordinating their circuit and beginning to work on digging out a workspace for me down there, and Pindor joined a separate circuit with one of them to keep the ground firm for forty square feet around the market. The others siphoned the excess dirt through another hole and piled it in the clearing, and after a few minutes, one of the mages pointed out the need for air holes as well.
I began lining the walls and ceiling of my tunnel with a solid, three-inch thick slab of iron while they worked on this, and then I summoned another few chunks of iron before I craned my neck to get a look out the door.
“All good?” I called.
“Hold on!” Pindor called back, and a minute later, Mina jogged into the barbican.
“Here you go, Mason,” she said with a sweet smile, and she sent a ball of flames down the tunnel.
“Thank you,” I chuckled, and the Ignis Mage shrugged before jogging right back to the clearing.
Then I headed down the steps, and as my rune began to chant a little louder, I nodded.
“Perfect,” I muttered to myself.
I could feel the presence of the Terra Mages’ circuit around me as I entered the cavern far below the surface, and Mina’s flames were flickering at the center to illuminate the space. The mages already filled in their excavation tunnel, too, and I eyed the earthen ceiling while I sent my own powers through the soil just to be sure everything was steady. I could feel the strength of Pindor’s connection, though, so I took a deep breath and entered the cavern.
The air holes the mages had dug through the dirt dotted the ceiling every few feet in each direction, and I quickly constructed eight iron support beams to prop them up along the walls and corners. Then I summoned another batch of iron, and I kept a steady supply coming in while I worked to create more beams and secure them against the wall every twelve inches. Once this was done, I propped up a line of beams along the center of the room for extra support, and then I moved on to wedging joists into place from one end of the ceiling to the other.
Dirt crumbled away and dusted my head and shoulders while I dug out grooves to secure the joists above the beams, but I had them all melded to their posts in about twenty minutes. Then I toured the space and checked every joist before I sparked my magic and hauled in enough iron to cover the floor.
While I worked on laying out the iron and then moved on to filling in the walls, I could hear the Terra Mages discussing a few things they’d been trying out lately. Most of them were only lacking confidence in their skills, but had picked up a lot of fundamentals in only a short time of tr
aining. From the sound of it, though, Pindor had recently come close to reading through the soil like I’d learned to do in Nalnora, but he assumed his connection was faltering because it felt so alien to him. The other Terra Mages suggested he try something different, and I shook my head as I finished the last wall.
Then I headed back up the stairs, and the Terra Mages took a collective breath of relief when they saw me.
“Not done yet,” I told them. “Do any of you know an Aer Mage? We’re going to need a system for filtering fresh air throughout the shelter that can’t be obstructed if the ground is altered.”
Pindor nodded and sent one of the mages who was supporting the ceiling to get a friend of theirs.
“Hey, while you’re doing this,” I continued, “I want you all to practice something new. It’s basically transferring your consciousness into the soil. Don’t expect to get it right away, but since you’re already decently connected with your element, it’s a good time to start trying.”
I crouched down beside them as I connected my fist with the soil, and I joined with their circuit for the sake of making things a little easier for them than it had been for me my first time.
“When I learned how to do this, I was stuck in the habit of bossing my element around,” I explained, and I smirked at the recollection of Aurora huffily calling me out on this. “I thought I was bending my element to my will, but that was never really the case. Once I understood this, my magery grew stronger more quickly because I realized that if I was my element, then I could embody it.”
“Hold on,” a Terra Mage interrupted. “What do you mean ‘you are your element’? I thought we influence our elements because we’re mages.”
I grinned. “Yeah, that’s exactly where I was at the time, but Defender Solana taught me this was only a rudimentary phase of my education. Right now, you’re all influencing the ground. I can tell by the way your presence in the soil is identical to each other, but I want you to focus for a moment, and see if you can recognize my magic specifically compared to the others.”
“I can,” Pindor replied at once, and I nodded.