Mage- The Ancient's Might

by S A Edwards

  “He’s not much fun,” he said.

  “No. But he’s an Ancient. Wings and scales and tail and all.”

  Charlie’s eyes widened. “Cool. I thought they were extinct. Or close enough.”

  “Not here. I’ve seen two of them.”

  He grinned. “Cool.”

  “I suppose he’s just being cautious,” I said. “The Might is a big deal, somehow.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’m not sure yet. Forbidden. And a vision is pointing to it.”

  “Better get on that, then.”

  I didn’t reply, desperate to take him in my arms and know he was safe. Tears pricked my eyes. As much as seeing him was wonderful, the pain accompanying it stung.

  He gave a little shrug, the same longing in his glistening eyes.

  “How are you?” I whispered.

  “I’m okay.”

  I frowned, and soon, his smile dissipated.

  “Things are bad,” he said. “Zantos is killing Hellions and absorbing their powers. He’s getting strong. Really strong.”

  I gaped. “Strong enough to break through the Underworld Gate?”

  “Not yet.”

  “But you’re still there,” I added, my relief clear in my tone. He hadn’t managed to take over completely. Yet.

  “He’s not trying to suppress me anymore. He can’t, so he’s working on getting more power.”

  The worry of that thought alone added further weight to my mind. I surveyed my friend. He seemed smaller somehow. Weaker. Not for the first time, I wondered what horrors he faced. Anger at myself warmed my cheeks. This was my fault. I’d caused his suffering. “I will get you out.”

  “I’m not sure you should. He’s still in me, and if you –”

  “I’ll figure out a way to separate you.” My jaw tightened in determination. “I won’t leave you there. Just hold on a little longer, okay?”

  “Okay. But, Clara? Be quick. Things are changing down here, and not for the better.” He glanced behind him and vanished.

  I stared at the spot he had stood for a moment longer, an ache manifesting in my chest. Despite all my promises of saving him, I still had no ideas of how to get him out safely or how to extract Zantos. Maybe he could be convinced. I could offer him something he’d want. But he’d desire his freedom, and that wasn’t something I could give. After breaking the bonds of magic holding him as a Keeper, he had laid waste to the Main City, killing men, women, and children without mercy or remorse. Not a family remained who didn’t have someone to mourn.

  I returned to the fire and slumped beside my pack.

  Amicus’ brow furrowed. “I thought you were getting firewood.”

  “Oh. Yeah. I forgot.”

  “What have you been doing?” He studied my face. “You saw Charlie, didn’t you?”

  “How …” I sighed. “Right. If you can hear me breathing … I need to save him. Soon. Please, you must have an idea how it can be done.”

  “I can’t help you. But Prudens may.”

  “Who’s that?”

  “The Master of the Might. Very old, very wise. If anyone can give you the solution, he can.”

  *

  Night passed with a sharp chill, but the heat of my flames burned through the long hours until the warmth of dawn arrived.

  Amicus shook me awake. “Time to move. Grab your things.”

  His cloak was draped over me, silky to the touch and blissfully warm. I clambered to my feet, running fingers over the fabric.

  “You were cold in the night,” he explained.

  I offered it back to him with a smile.

  “Keep it,” he said. “I can regulate my temperature better than you, and it’s about to get cold.”

  I peered at the rising sun. “You think so?”

  “It’s always cold around the Might.” He dipped under the tree canopy and set off downhill.

  A thought smothered the remaining flames, then I slipped on his cloak and trudged after him, still aching from the previous day. I wished I saved the fluff Rickson gave me. I needed it now. Something soft and sweet. That melting feeling against my tongue. So nice. So comforting.

  I shook the thought away. A distraction. I needed a distraction. “In my world, each type of Mage has a Capital,” I said. “Certain protections were put in place to ensure no one without their gift could enter. Are there protections around the Might?”

  “You could say that.” Amicus slowed until I fell into step beside him. “Though they’re not really needed. We keep intruders away long before they reach the boundary.”

  My stomach fluttered. As much as it intrigued me to go to a forbidden castle full of Ancients, I couldn’t restrain my nerves. From what I’d seen, they were much more powerful than me. If they decided it was a mistake to let me enter their city, would my fate match that of other intruders? Defending myself certainly didn’t appear to be a viable option.

  All the more reason to get more of Rickson’s fluff.

  I blinked. Where did that come from? His fluff wouldn’t solve anything. I peered at my trembling hand, and I balled my fist. What was going on?

  “The Might doesn’t look very protected,” I said.

  “That’s what makes it so dangerous. If you can’t see the guardians, you never know what to expect.”

  The sun reached its peak when we finally stopped on the outskirts of a field. I whisked out my flask and drank deeply, welcoming the refreshing invigoration that came with Healer’s water. Only a little bread and lemon-corn remained in my pack, so I picked at the bread, determined to make it last. Of course, it tasted nothing like the pink …

  I shivered, and goose bumps rose up over my arms. I hugged my shaking hands to my legs. “How are you doing for water?” I asked.

  “I have plenty. Though, I’ll be glad of a proper meal when we get home,” Amicus muttered.

  “You mean no more bread and lemon-corn?” I asked.

  “Thankfully. Meat and potatoes, milk-cream and berries.”

  “Do you have silberries?” Hope slipped through with my words. The only food I could call my favourite were silberries. Perhaps they would take my mind off Rickson’s fluff.

  “The best in the land.”

  The ache in my feet seemed to lessen slightly. I stood. “Well, come on then, let’s go.”

  He laughed. “Hold your elk, I haven’t finished eating yet.”

  Instead of continuing, I wandered along the line of trees, focusing on the sweet scent in the air, until I noticed a huge lake farther downhill. The sky reflected like a mirror on the still surface, undisturbed even by the gentle, cold breeze.

  A sudden urge to approach it welled within me, and the tingle of a deep magic touched my skin. More than a day had passed since the opportunity to wash presented itself, and the thought of letting it slip by bothered me, but the beauty was warning enough.

  I tugged Amicus’ cloak tighter to my body and focused on the water. No arches or rings of light marked an entrance to a Gate. Could this really be one of them?

  I took an involuntary step forward and tensed. Why had I done that?

  Glancing back the way I’d come, I caught no sign of Amicus, hidden behind a group of trees. What could he tell me about the lake? Perhaps it wasn’t as dangerous as it appeared – or didn’t appear. The only clue remained its beauty. And the shiver of magic that made my arm hairs stand on end.

  I peered back at the water and gasped.

  I knelt on the bank, peering over the edge into the still surface. Beneath my reflection, the water dipped deep, the bottom impossible to make out, even with my enhanced Beast sight.

  Ripples disturbed the surface a short distance from me, and a head emerged. Eyes as clear as diamonds pierced mine, and the skin of the woman glistened like snow at noonday. Her turquoise hair hung straight down her back, and she glided forward, her expression mesmerising.

  15

  Aclear tail curled behind her, barely noticeable in the glistening lake. It wo
uld have been invisible were it not moving. Her hand stretched toward mine.

  “Get back!” Hands yanked me away from the edge. My back hit the ground, and an ache shot through my shoulder.

  The woman hissed, baring perfectly white teeth, and tore away from the bank.

  Amicus stood between us, fingers curled. “She’s a Herron. A Hellion you definitely want to avoid.”

  “She’s beautiful.” I longed to move nearer, to get a better look at her tail, her skin, her touch.

  “Exactly. You’re her target. Focus.” He shook me.

  I pulled my gaze from her, and the lingering desire dissolved, along with the strange pull drawing me to the water. I pushed to my feet. “Her target?”

  “They hunt women, draw them into the water, turn them into Herrons. It’s how they build their population.”

  More heads surfaced around her, each as beautiful as the next.

  His grip tightened on me. “If they turn you, there’s no coming back, and then where would Charlie be?”

  “It’s okay. I’m okay. I won’t go any closer.”

  “I’m Sabina,” the Herron said. Her words tinkled like a song. “You’d like it in the water.”

  “I tend to in general,” I said, “but I think I’ll give it a miss this time.”

  She cocked her head. “We can offer you things the land can’t.”

  Unease spread through me. “I doubt that.”

  “Powers. Gifts of the lake.”

  “I can already wield the water.”

  “Only wield it. We can do much more.” Her smile gleamed as brilliantly as the stars, and she reached out her hand.

  I stepped back.

  “Enough,” Amicus barked.

  “How many of these were women once?” I asked him.

  “They’re easy to spot. Look at their eyes.”

  I surveyed the Herron. Many of them were like Sabina, but two near the back held brown irises. A wave of pity settled in my gut.

  “You see them?” he asked. “The only parts of them that don’t change.”

  “Then, there must be a part of them still there, so they can come back.” Thoughts of being trapped forever in this lake just for straying into their territory filled me with dread. Surely, they could be saved.

  “No,” Amicus said. “Once they’re gone, they’re gone. Come on.”

  I climbed back up the hill toward the trail. “But the Gate,” I said, “it didn’t fail.”

  He led the way back into the woodland. “They don’t have a Gate. They have a lake, one they’re confined to because of their nature. Just don’t stray into their territory, and you’ll be fine.”

  I fell silent, thinking over the times Amicus saved my life. How long would it take for me to understand enough to keep myself safe? Rescuing Charlie seemed impossible as long as I remained in ignorance. Of course, he wouldn’t have had to save me so much if I could resist walking into these places. The strange connection I felt to the Gates seemed to take away any control I held. I rubbed my arms against the fear. What was going on? “I didn’t mean to go near them. I wasn’t even aware I was. I can’t explain it. I just …”

  He cast me a troubled frown. “The sooner we get to the Might, the better.”

  “How much farther is it?” I asked.

  “About six eona. We should arrive shortly after dusk. But when you turn this corner …” He pointed to a thick clump of high bushes ahead and nodded encouragingly.

  Curiosity spurring me on, I hurried ahead and twisted around them.

  The Might towered in the distance, majestic and tall. The castle spanned the length of many fields. Towers and turrets with golden walls teemed throughout the city, connected by narrow walkways and blossoming trees bearing white fruit. A huge hill surrounded it, blocking much of the place from view, and from the centre-most tower, beamed the pure, white light, overlooking the surrounding forest.

  “It’s incredible,” I said.

  “This is nothing.” He stood a little straighter, failing to hide his smile. “Wait until you see inside.”

  I finished my food long before dusk arrived, and my stomach rumbled when we reached the end of the last field, moonlight spilling over the grass. I gritted my teeth against my aching body. Maybe Rickson was right. If I gave Kyne a chance, I could still be with him. I could have more fluff.

  I took a shaky breath. Would Amicus know anything about Rickson’s gift? Perhaps he could give me an insight into what was happening.

  “Are you okay?” Amicus asked.

  I nodded.

  “Don’t lie to me. You’ve been off for some time. Tell me what you’re feeling.”

  “I’m worried.”

  “About?”

  “I don’t know.” A wave of nausea ran through me. “I don’t know what’s happening to me.”

  “Have you consumed something unusual?”

  “No more than normal.” Another shiver set my arm hairs on edge. “We have to go back. I’m going back.” I needed Rickson. I needed his fluff.

  Amicus grabbed my shoulders. “Look at me.” He surveyed my features. “You’re having withdrawals.”

  I licked my lips. “Withdrawals? From what?”

  “You tell me.”

  I leaned back against a tree and gripped the bark. “Rickson. His fluff.”

  A knowing look crossed his face, and then he handed me a piece of lemon-corn. “Eat. It’ll help.”

  “Isn’t this your last bit?”

  “You need it more.”

  I shook my head. “I need to go back. If I could just get some more –”

  “You’ll feel better when you get to the Might.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “Because I know what awaits you there.” He turned to press on, leaving me with the food.

  “Won’t you be hungry?” I asked.

  “No. I’ll get there before you.” He marched ahead before I could ask him to elaborate.

  The hill rose steeper with every step, testing my resolve with stinging pain. Sweat clung to my back and forehead, and my mouth turned dry in my exertion, but Amicus moved on as though the path were flat.

  “Could we stop?” I panted. “Just for a minute.” Tremors flooded my body, and the urge to race back to the camp tugged on my every nerve. Only, I doubted the camp would still be there now. Surely, they would have moved on. The thought brought tears to my eyes. What would happen if I continued to go without the fluff?

  “There’s no water up here for you to harness,” Amicus said. “The sooner we get there, the better.” He waited until I caught up. “It will even out shortly.”

  I whipped off his cloak and handed it back. “You’re not even out of breath.”

  “Every day as a newling, I ran the span of this hill. You get used to it.”

  I huffed. “If you say so.”

  True to his word, over the next peak the ground levelled out. Stripes of streaming light cut through the grass in narrow, heat-filled trenches leading toward the castle, and a glimmering, silver ribbon in the ground ahead separated us from our destination. Moonlight reflected on every surface.

  “Is this,” – I leaned closer to the trenches – “silver?”

  “Liquid silver. Courtesy of Della.”

  “Della makes this?”

  “Della breathes this. She is one of the most powerful Ancients. Watch you don’t slip. It’s hot.”

  The trenches became thicker when we neared the Might, and then they merged into the ribbon surrounding the castle. Steam curled from the rippling surface into the cold air, and my breath misted before my eyes.

  I gasped. “That’s –”

  “A lake of liquid silver?” Amicus nodded. “Della doesn’t hold back.”

  “How do we get across?” I searched the lake for a bridge or a break in the silver, but nothing stood in view. A dull ache began in my head.

  “You’ll take the boat,” he said.

  “The boat?”

  We reached the edg
e of the lake, and a wave of heat hit me.

  The surface churned and bubbled, and a tiny vessel ascended from the depths. The sides of the boat flowed in constant silver ripples, rising from the lake at the rear and dripping from the point at the front.

  “Take my hand,” Amicus said. “You must not touch the sides.”

  I took a shaky breath and allowed him to guide me inside. Flawless silver lined the floor with a single bench, smooth as silk and clear as a mirror. The boat didn’t even shake when he stepped back on the bank, yet my insides churned with nerves.

  “What about you?” I asked.

  He smiled. “I’ll meet you over there.” He transformed, wings bursting from his muscular back. Lightning-streaked scales covered his growing body. Heat radiated from him. His tail swished, his wings spread, and he took off into the night.

  Warmth hammered my hair and made my eyes water.

  I stared at the bank. It would only take a moment to leap back on and a short time more to get down the hill. If I used my Seeker gift to target Rickson, I could track him all the way back to the camp.

  The boat slid away from the side with silent grace, and my stomach sank at the missed opportunity. My breath billowed in the night chill, and my clammy hands clasped my knees whilst I focused on the castle.

  The Might was awe inspiring, reflecting every star in the night sky. Gold covered every inch, and the light from the tower beamed out like a beacon.

  Not a sound pierced the air, not even the vessel gliding through the lake.

  It turned slightly and headed toward an ornately carved, golden arch. Silver laced the creases, highlighting the same symbol Amicus held on his wrist: two thin crescents with a sharp, curved line through them. Power emanated from the symbol and tingled against my skin when the boat passed through the arch.

  A small dock stood ahead, occupied by a man and woman wearing white robes that hung to their ankles. Gold laced the robe of the man and a thin band rested atop his brown hair.

  The woman raised a slender hand. A silver bracelet twisted like a vine around her wrist. Her long, ebony hair waved when she stepped forward, and the boat came to a stop.

  I took her hand and stepped warily onto the dock.