Battle Mage: Dragon Mage (Tales of Alus) (49 page)

Becoming angry, a surprising emotion to see on the normally happy girl, Cheleya countered, “He controls at least some of the masters with his amulet. You have noticed the black amulet that looks much like the transformation pieces we use to change? Malaketh uses it to control those using their amulets, I believe.

“He destroyed mine and trapped me in this form. Do you see my talisman? No! It’s because he buried the pieces in my body! He is evil, Mor’treya! Listen to me and stop following him.”

She couldn’t tell if her words had registered at all while the mar’goyn’lya’s face remained neutral. “You can’t hide any longer, even with these trackers masking you. I can find you anywhere you go now, so be here when Turas rises or we’ll track you down in the city. You know Hala will give you up with our writ, so don’t bother trying to beg them for help.” Her eyes looked over the dragoness’s head and added, “Your friend is about to lose.”

Cheleya’s head flicked to the field and back, but Mor’treya was gone. What spell she had used, the girl didn’t know. Her former friend wouldn’t listen, however, and the final threat had been given.

Turning back glumly to the duel proceeding below, she watched as Tilana was indeed faltering in her defense. The quick stone spell appeared to have failed as water littered the ground between the dispelled pool and the Tolmonan’s defensive walls. Columns had been reduced to rubble only to have the pieces reform into golems by both wizards.

Warring against each other, the dark haired man seemed to have an edge even there.

Two vaguely humanoid creatures struck at each other breaking smaller stones from the main bodies in great booms of sound. The impact would have killed an ordinary man, but these constructs of stone were breathed to life by magic. As they watched them fight, the Tolmonan used his right hand to form a spell as his mouthed some words. His left managed to continue the fight as the fingers of that hand pointed or retracted with each swing of the massive stone arms.

A handful of stone lances formed with his right hand and swiftly attacked Tilana’s defensive walls causing her to start in surprise. Her attention was broken just long enough for Mirode’s golem to shatter the other construct as well. Trying to recover, the woman was already too late as the spears of stone moved like snakes through her broken walls to wrap around Tilana’s body immobilizing her.

“Winner by immobilization, Mirode Darcelphin from Tolmona,” the moderator announced the instant Tilana could no longer move to use her magic.

She looked uncomfortable for only a moment before the other wizard released her from his grip. A polite bow to Tilana and two more facing either set of bleachers preceded his stepping out of the battle circle.

Both wizards went to the tables laden with food and drink to recover. Tilana looked only slightly disappointed when the rest of her group descended from the stands to console their friend. She noted strangely upset looking faces on most of them and said, “Are those looks for my loss? It isn’t that big a deal. I hadn’t wanted to join the tournament after all. It was just a condition for the ambassador to help us get our rooms at the inn.”

Colbie shook her head and being the most vocal aside from Evantus, she answered, “We’re a little sad to see you lose, but we were found by one of the trackers. She gave an ultimatum to Cheleya. If she doesn’t come here to surrender, the woman says that she will bring them straight to our inn.”

“She never stated that she knew where we were staying,” Orlerin countered as he mused on the unfortunate set of circumstances to suddenly befall them. “The woman said she could find us anywhere, though I doubt that. We could probably escape the city, especially now that Tilana’s no longer in the tournament.”

Cheleya shook her head vehemently. “No, I will come back tonight as she said. I am tired of running and hiding, but I don’t trust Malaketh to actually bring me back to Mar’kal alive. He tried to kill me once to silence me, so I don’t see why he wouldn’t try again.”

“You could try Ambassador Sselanus again,” Evantus suggested.

“No, he already said that he can’t fight against the council’s wishes,” the girl explained sadly. “Perhaps with everyone coming back with me, Malaketh will be too afraid to try anything again.”

Cor’Dargan spoke quietly, but his somber voice drew all their eyes even so, “She didn’t necessarily say you had to give up without a fight. Mar’goyn’lya have often let their decisions rest on who can win with their fists. Mor’treya practically told you to fight with the time she set to meet.”

At their confused looks, the elder che’ther sighed before adding, “We are to meet at Turas’ rise. He is the war god and, when a mar’goyn’lya calls on you to meet at the rise of Turas, he means to fight.”

Orlerin and the others from Staron looked conflicted to one degree or another and their leader spoke his worry, “I don’t know if we can help you fight them any more than someone from Southwall could. They do have a legal right to take you home.”

“It’s based on a lie and manipulation!” Colbie countered. She and Evantus looked angrily at their leader’s quick need to give up Cheleya. The dragoness had become close to them both and they looked unready to give her up to an attempted murderer without a fight.

“Like the mar’goyn’lya said, their council ordered it and, right or wrong, she needs to go back and settle things. I don’t like it, but I don’t think our superiors would appreciate us getting in the middle of another country’s internal matters.”

“Come on, Orlerin!” Evantus joined Colbie’s protest. “We know Cheleya. She couldn’t have done what they said. Are you going to abandon her now?”

Orlerin wouldn’t speak again as he considered the ground before his feet.

Cheleya put a hand on both Evantus and Colbie in the way she had seen them do to try and establish peace and other emotions. Contact seemed to be a human way of expressing emotion. While she wasn’t sure that she understood it all, the touch felt right as the girl spoke to her friends, “It’s alright. I don’t expect you to fight for me. It is one thing to travel with me and even help me hide, but it is time. If my father, Lystheir and Elenek feel the need to join my cause, that is fine.

“I will fight them either way and try to convince the mar’goyn’lya with my magic and fighting spirit that Malaketh is a fraud. Perhaps it will work and perhaps it will not, but I will try.”

Looks were exchanged amongst them all as silence descended on the group. Each person was left with their thoughts as they weighed what they felt was right and wrong. Finally, Cor’Dargan stated firmly, “I will help my daughter. I did not come all this way to see this human use deception to condemn Cheleya or worse find a way to finish the job he started by killing her.”

Elenek surprised Cheleya by nodding and adding, “I will join you, Fa’Dargan’zer. I believe what she has told us and can see the falsehoods Malaketh tried to make us believe along the way. You two will not be alone.”

Lystheir merely nodded affirmation to her compatriot’s words.

Cheleya gave a curt nod and said, “Four against five, maybe not perfect odds, but I can beat Mor’treya despite her age and training. Maybe if I can turn her opinion she will still join us against Malaketh.”

Evan and Colbie looked ready to jump onboard to swing the odds in her favor, but Orlerin stared them down. “We can’t or it could become an international problem bigger than just Cheleya. You will stand down and that’s an order, falcons.”

Even Tilana looked unhappy with the decision, but he was their leader and going against him meant more than just defying one man. He acted as he believed their countrymen would decide and that meant the others had to bend to his will. While they had wills of their own, they could all see his point and couldn’t convince their minds that he was in the wrong despite their feelings.

Suddenly brightening her mood with a smile, Cheleya stated, “Well, we can still enjoy the remainder of the day’s duels. Let’s not dwell on the negative alright? Let’s have fun, if this is to be our last day together before I return home.”

Despite her words and attempt to bring up everyone’s spirits, the group passed the remainder of the day checking out duels from the Colonnades and many other duel fields with a shadow over the tournament. They all tried to look happy and positive, but giving up one of their own didn’t sit well.

Cheleya pretended to not be concerned and cheered the duels getting some of them to join her, but it wasn’t whole hearted. Still, they had what fun they could before returning to the inner city.

Colbie slipped away before the group returned all the way to the Two Circles. No one had been able to check on Kel’lor since his near death experience in the hospital. While she doubted that the mar’goyn’lya was up to helping his adopted sister, the mage wanted to check in on him for her friend and let him know what was going to happen.

Not willing to let his friend go alone, Evantus joined Colbie without a word exchanged between them. The young woman knew better than to try to push him away. They had been friends almost since they arrived at the battle mage school in Estaria. While she often protested Evan’s attention, she was always glad that her friend stuck by her despite her protests. He seemed to know when she actually needed to be alone and respected her privacy, but he also knew when Colbie needed him as well.

They walked quietly side by side towards the hospital. She hadn’t said where she planned to go, but Evantus must have guessed as he always seemed to know these things.

When they arrived at the guarded entry gate to the wizards’ hospital, Colbie explained who they were there to visit as she had previously. There were no concerned guards reading their ledgers this time. They did have the same apprentice come to direct them to his new room however.

Following the young wizard, Colbie asked, “Has he recovered alright?”

The girl nodded and said, “He was moved from the emergency room to a regular recovery room. With the poison out of his system, he has been coming along very well, or so my master told me anyway. I’m still learning, so I haven’t used my magic on him like that.”

“Your mistress is Wizard Rilenier, I take it, and you are Tavil?”

The girl looked back at the mage in surprise. “You have a good memory.”

Returning a faint smile, the mage thumbed in Evantus’ direction and said, “He’s so absentminded I’ve had to remember for two over half my life.”

“Sheesh, Colbie, now I don’t even have to say anything?” the man played at being hurt bringing a giggle to both girls mouths. In the quiet, somberness of the sterile white hospital halls, the sound of happy laughter managed to brighten the walk and a couple wizards working nearby looked to see the source of the sounds.

Patting his arm, Colbie apologized as the humor could still be heard in her voice, “Sorry, Evan, it’s getting to be a bad habit, that and it’s so easy.”

Her smile up at him made the man roll his eyes at his friend.

“Here,” the apprentice stopped to gesture before an open door.

The two mages entered as Tavil moved away to her duties, which most likely meant finding Wizard Rilenier elsewhere in the halls of the hospital. To their amazement, Kel’lor looked very healthy. Back in his human form, the large man, brown hair tussled from resting on a thick pillow, looked like the picture of health. Even his dark eyes looked well rested and alert.

“Kel’lor, you look well. The last time I saw you, you were coming back from the dead,” Colbie said quietly as if there were anyone else to hear them. Her awe at his recovery from the near death experience led unconsciously to trying to be delicate with the man.

With a tight smile, Kel’lor dismissed the remark casually and moved to a greater worry for the mar’goyn’lya, “Is Cheleya safe? Malaketh found me and used his amulet to make me channel my power to the point of nearly dying as you said.”

“Malaketh!” the two mages exclaimed in unison.

Colbie continued after a quick glance to her teammate, “We thought maybe the poison had gotten to you. Malaketh using his amulet on you is upsetting, but it makes more sense. Cheleya didn’t think you would try to kill yourself even under great pain.”

Noticing the dark eyes of the man lying in the bed growing impatient with the woman’s musing, Evantus interrupted and said, “Cheleya is safe enough. Her father and two che’ther trackers found us and have been hiding her from him ever since.”

“Cor’Dargan is here as well?” Kel’lor questioned as his eyes already revealed his mind taking the idea in as he tried to consider the ramifications. “Her father is a farmer, but also a retired earth wizard. I am surprised that he would come to help capture his daughter, though the che’ther do have great respect for family and those who would ruin their name are often dealt with harshly. You say that he and two others are hiding her from Malaketh though?”

They nodded and Colbie tried to explain, “Like you, he doubted that Cheleya would do such a thing. He even stuck up for you, I believe. The biggest reason being that it made little sense since she, and you of course, had no real motive for such a thing.

“Malaketh was sent with several mar’goyn’lya and che’ther trackers to bring you two back to Mar’kal. Cor’Dargan says he has a writ giving him the right even in Southwall.”

“Though that doesn’t explain why he chose to try and kill Kel’lor instead,” Evantus mused bringing the others’ eyes to him in incredulity. “I understand his need to prevent you from coming back to testify against him. I am not stupid, but what I meant is that the poison was likely to kill you anyway. Why take the risk of being caught by the wizards of Southwall here in the middle of their capitol city and the hospital as well?