He had never tried it before, but his work with the jades and gemstones had shown him that resonance was possible. The fissure spell was amplified by the simultaneous casting and the rift was much larger than if the mages had each cast it alone.
“Hand over the jades,” Delminor demanded. “This is but a sample of what can be done.”
The fighters on both sides were scared and confused, turning to their leaders for guidance. Ordris looked at the fissure and fear won out. He called a halt.
“I see magic has progressed and you would have me hand these to you so you can expand it further.”
“I would, as they are a natural part of this world. I seek them to restore the balance we have lost. This rift, I opened without harming any of our men. I could have as easily swallowed your forces and then retrieved the jades after.”
“What manner of Hathren are you?”
“I am Delminor and I am a man of peace.”
“On a battlefield.”
“By demand of my liege. Give me the jades and I will petition for your safe return home.”
Ordris looked as all the mages gathered around Delminor, the threat obvious. His shoulders sank. “I concede. Let us untangle our forces and part ways.”
Delminor agreed to the terms and the fighting split apart. The jades were sent over with their men and handed to Delminor directly. One was the nature jade and other was a new shard. He used the shuffling of the battlefield as a distraction to connect himself to the new jade. Its surface was a gleaming silver, smooth to the touch. He felt his daggers vibrate on his belt.
It still wasn’t the healing jade. This had a connection to metal itself. He remembered how the nature jade had been repelled by his sword on his way to Sandonia. He felt it fitting the nature jade had guided the scouts to the metal shard.
While the battlefield sorted itself out, Pennithor seethed at Delminor’s arrogance. He bided his time and when all the Kallisorian forces were on the other side of the fissure, he called for his forces to attack. Mages and archers went to work, launching projectiles over the chasm and felling many of the enemy.
Delminor screamed in denial and raised his hands up to erect a shield to block the attack, but there were too many. Ordris and several others fell. The others bolted away.
“They’re escaping!” one of the soldiers called out.
“Let them go,” Delminor shouted. “What harm can they cause us now?”
Chapter 45
Pennithor’s Wrath
Upon return to the castle, Delminor was detained, his hands and feet shackled as he stood before the irate king.
“Your actions are treasonous.”
Delminor stood strong. “My actions are of peace, your majesty. You used my spells to kill other human beings. That was never their intent.”
“Can you honestly say you’ve never attacked another person with your spells?”
“Never to kill.”
“Semantic nonsense. So you were lucky and no one died. And what of beasts?”
“They are different,” he said. “They can’t reason. They don’t give passersby a chance. They are an abomination of the land.”
Pennithor raised his voice. “And so are the Kallisorians.”
He stamped his foot. “They are people!”
“Guards!”
Delminor found himself thrown into the dungeon for the second time in his tenure at the castle. He feared this time it would end with his execution.
* * *
Two weeks later, Delminor was brought before the king once more. He’d barely been given any food and he’d been bound the entire time to prevent him from casting any magic.
Pyron had been summoned and he stood by the king and chancellor, his face unreadable. Pennithor sat on his throne in ceremonial armor and the room was lined with twenty mages and soldiers. Delminor was pushed before his liege and down to his knees.
“You usurped my authority and for that you should be beheaded,” Pennithor said. “I would have done so at once had your efforts thus far been less helpful. I have consulted with the mages and they, even members of the Mage Council, have petitioned for your life. They are the only reason you yet live.”
Delminor lowered his head.
“I allowed your actions on the field because a unified front is required for battle. And you were successful in attaining the shards. But I can no longer tolerate these outbursts. You are a detriment to the safety of this kingdom.”
“Sire…”
“Silence!” Pennithor’s face lit red and he forcibly calmed himself before continuing. “If you wish to live then you will continue to provide research for the kingdom. But I will no longer tolerate your presence within my walls. You are hereby banished from the castle.”
All Delminor heard was that he would no longer have access to the jades. “Your majesty?”
“It has already been decided that you may not return to either mage tower.” At this, Pyron lowered his gaze. “You are too dangerous to be directly involved with other mages en masse.”
“I don’t understand. Why let me live at all then?”
The king deferred to Pyron to explain. “I heard of what you did on the battlefield. You diffused a fire spell by casting its antithesis and then you combined the forces of several mages into a single incantation. Either alone shows inspiration the likes of which we haven’t seen since Regnard’s time. Both together were a clear demonstration that your abilities must continue.”
“What of the jades? How will I study them?”
“They will be loaned to you under watch,” the king explained. “What materials you need, you will request, and if I see fit, I will supply them.”
“I will need access to a library,” he said immediately.
Pyron responded. “I already have mages working on that. We’re using your concepts, Delminor. Earth to produce the parchment. Nature to create the ink. Water to apply it. Fire to set it swiftly. Air to turn the pages. Glass to encase them. Shadow to hide them. We’re duplicating our library to send to you once you settle into a place.”
He couldn’t believe it.
Pennithor stood. “You will leave within the week under guard. You will have guards posted with you at your new settlement.”
“Send their families,” Delminor said. “Give them a reason to be there. I will need help with my research anyway.”
“A curious idea.”
“And, Master Pyron, if I may? I suggest you take the metal and beast jades with you to Magehaven. I think it best your mages work to unlock them while I get settled.”
“I will consider it,” the mage said.
“Have you any other requests?” the king asked.
“Just that you don’t hold my judgment and actions against any of the people I know. I already upended others’ lives under those circumstances and don’t want it to happen again.” He looked pointedly at Pyron, who nodded in gratitude for the acknowledgment.
“They will be judged on their own merit,” the king assured him.
The meeting ended shortly after, and Delminor was escorted back to his suite, a stack of empty crates awaiting his arrival.
Chapter 46
Home
Delminor headed north and slightly east from the castle, looking for a place to start a new settlement. He traveled with a caravan of thirty others, Donya included, and a host of supplies they would need to get started.
He picked a lush area outside the desert that surrounded the castle. It was the most serene place he had ever seen, and he looked forward to making it his home.
They started by creating makeshift huts, though Delminor was tasked with doing his research while the others did the building. Donya worked to coax a nearby stream to make a new pathway toward their settlement for easier access.
Once the basic structures were set up, Delminor cleared a large expanse and created a series of massive fissures that dug deep into the ground, confusing everyone. He helped the others fortify the structure with magic
and wood and it was there he set the basis for his true laboratory.
Inside, it was a sprawling space, several floors underground. He never wanted it destroyed in the throes of war and felt burying it was the only way to protect it. His house was constructed above with a convoluted entrance to reach the heart of his laboratory.
The entire construction process took several years, and as it came to fruition, he filled it with the books Pyron constantly sent his way, building a massive library of his own.
Along the way, Essalia joined them, even though her position in the castle was well-respected. She simply missed their company too much. She convinced Gallena and Arenda to relocate there as well, but Pyron was steadfast in remaining at Magehaven.
It was better that he did, for Delminor communicated with him through their encoded letters, passing strategic information back and forth and none of the guards who read their letters were the wiser.
Delminor’s quest for the remaining jades continued, though he couldn’t venture out himself. He convinced the king to send a band of thieves instead of soldiers to find the other two new shards and to recover the shards that had been lost with the previous attempt. One group failed to return, but the other traveled halfway across all of Kallisor and found a jade that sparked with electric energy. They also reclaimed the water jade.
Unfortunately, the thieves were discovered by the Kallisorians and fighting erupted in earnest. Soldiers were enlisted from Marritosh and the surrounding villages, Delminor’s included, to bolster the Hathren forces and to make a stronger presence along the border.
As the jades were discovered and research ensued, more and more mages pressed themselves to unlock their powers. But they were rash about the process, refusing to take their time, and some were drawn into the energies and lost their minds, becoming brainless golems that could not be controlled. The king sent these souls to the border to guard against the Kallisorians, making it more their problem. Given a simple purpose, the broken mages thrived in their own right.
Delminor’s home became a self-sufficient community, never growing particularly large, but becoming a haven for anyone who came to visit.
Chapter 47
Elevation
Sometime after the foundations of Mage’s Rest were set, Delminor received a curious message from Pyron, attached to the leg of an eaglon, now that some could be tamed with the beast jade for the purpose. Unlike their other letters, this had a formal air and wasn’t encoded in any way.
Master Delminor,
I write you today with a hearty proposal. Tianna of the Mage Council has resigned to return to her family in Marritosh. This has left an opening. The Council has been unsure of whom to select for replacement and I can think of none better suited than yourself.
I understand that your primary duties are to your new settlement. There are some of us who already agree that a distant set of communications can still render you a valued member of the Council. In some ways, being distant from the day-to-day happenings may make you an impartial voice.
I implore you to consider this proposal swiftly.
Council Master Pyron
It was a lot to suddenly take in and Delminor wondered at the implications behind the request. Pyron had never mentioned anything about joining the Council previously, not even in jest. Suddenly being asked outright made Delminor suspect there were issues in Magehaven and Pyron needed his help to fix them.
“I don’t know what to think.”
Donya shrugged. “Take it for what it is. There’s an opening and he feels you would be a good fit.”
“There’s more to it. I expected a second follow-up letter to explain more, but I guess he couldn’t send one without it looking suspicious. It makes me wonder what’s going on.”
She smiled, placing her hand on his shoulder. “Delminor, if anyone deserves a seat on the Council, surely it’s you. With all you’ve done? It could be a chance to help turn others who’ve resisted. You could bring your ideas to many more mages if the Council takes you.”
“I’m not sure I want to get involved with all the infighting that must be happening. Why else would he ask me?”
Donya shook her head. “You don’t have to get involved in it. And besides, you could always step down later if you change your mind.”
Donya convinced him and Delminor agreed to Pyron’s proposal, beginning with a visit to Magehaven to meet with the Council directly. Donya accompanied him, curious to see how the tower had changed.
Delminor’s research had had an impact. The outer luminescent wall was more visible and had a sentience about it.
“That’s because of the empowers up in the crystal chamber,” Pyron explained after they were escorted to his office. “They watch for intruders and use air magic to whisk them away to Trials as needed. We’ve been using different elements against them and the air seems to the best at quickly disabling them.”
“Seems dangerous.”
“We have good control over it. The glass jade allowed us to fine-tune the channeling crystal and it helps us to focus the magic more acutely. Admittedly, there’s more work to be done.” He cleared his throat nervously.
“The first floor is still used for training, but the Trials now take place in other locations and are powered through the focusing crystal. Combatants are poised against the various elements to assess their skills and determination.
“We’ve had some casualties,” Pyron admitted. “Some death, some mental breakdown. The ones who can, become border guardians to keep the Kallisorians out.”
“I see what you mean about needing more work to be done,” Donya said. “It must be terrible to be pitted against an invisible foe and losing your mind.” She shuddered. “I’m glad we don’t have to go through any of that.”
“No, you proved yourselves long ago and you’re with me besides.”
He brought them to quarters and bade them to eat and rest until the Council meeting in three days. Delminor used the time to explore the library while Donya followed her own pursuits.
The library was just as big as Delminor remembered. It was a grand experience and he was grateful that Pyron had been constantly sending copies of the tomes for his own collection. He made his way through various stacks, recognizing many of the titles, including some of his own.
The three days passed uneventfully, though more and more mages recognized Delminor as time went on and he found it prudent to remain out of sight. He’d never wanted that kind of attention, though he realized ascending to the Council would bring more of it.
Pyron sent a mage to summon Delminor and Donya to the Council chamber. They made their way up to the eighth floor and Delminor bowed his head to the assembly.
“Greetings, Delminor of Mage’s Rest,” greeted Pyron officiously. “We have convened this day to discuss your potential role as a member of the Mage Council.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
A man a little younger than Pyron stood up. “Master Delminor, if you could change one thing about magic, what would it be?”
“The same as I’ve always said, Master Kerrish. I would change its mystery so all can access it.”
An older man stood next. Delminor’s eyes popped open, for he recognized him from the Magitorium. “Master Lorresh, isn’t it?”
“Indeed. You have a deep memory. It is good that you recall me for it will reduce my explanation. How would you stop two factions from fighting?”
Delminor considered. “The air and earth jades are opposite forces. They oppose each other in nearly every way, but there is also a symbiosis between them. One draws the other, simply because it is the opposite. It is possible, as you know, to invert the magic of one and use it to strengthen the power of the other.”
“You would make one faction impotent to make the other stronger?” Lorresh interrupted.
“Well, no. That’s their goal by warring with each other. It’s not unlike our kingdoms at war. But the key to the two elements working together is resona
nce. If they find a way to vibrate together toward a goal, then they can come to harmony. My purpose would be to find that goal and a means to bridge the difference.”
The next mage brushed her hair over her shoulder and rose to her feet. “You’ve done much for mage-kind already. What else do you have to offer?”
“I can’t say, Master Shona.” He looked at the shocked expressions. “I have been inspired by many things through my life. I can’t rightly tell you what idea will next come to me. As I’ve said, I’m all about openness. As a simple expedient, I would suggest a dress code. Mages wear the color of their preferred element, adorned with other colors if they have decided upon another element to supplement it.”
It was an idea his friend Leesha from Jerrona had mentioned, about mages signifying their affiliations so as not to waste time conversing with mages who couldn’t further her cause. He wondered idly what colors her hair was dyed now or if she had found some other means of sharing that information.
“What folly!” Kerrish said. “Everyone would know your weakness.”
“And your strength,” Delminor responded. “An air mage would be loath to test the mettle of an earth master, for instance. The only harm is in being open about your interests. But I imagine most already know who works best with fire or water.”
“Or glass,” called Kerlot, who had been waiting his turn. “And speaking of which, what of the newer shards? Your work with them is limited. When can we expect more?”
“The new elements are the hardest because we don’t have spells written for them. I commune with the jades when I can and I work to glean the information from them. I apply other elemental spell mechanics to the new jades to see what I can do to unlock them. But it is a process. I’m inventing words, extrapolating components, and crafting gestures as I go.”
“About this communion,” another mage said. “How is it you are so connected to the shards when no other mage is?”
He shifted to his other foot and bit his lip. “I don’t know. For whatever reason, they have chosen to work with me.”
Delminor's Trials Page 23