Battle Mage: Forging New Steel (Tales of Alus Book 9) (19 page)

As the wilder shrugged proving that she hadn’t been serious, Sebastian continued, “Even in the duels, they need time to react to defenses that fail. Their spells are slower than ours and require a moment to reset, even with their quickest defenses; so they set the walls and shields ahead of them. It also helps prevent being caught in an explosion if their defenses fail critically. They also practice protecting duel dummies when they don’t have other wizards to protect them.

“All that requires different thinking from a battle mage. Our spells make us think too contained. Our reflex spells, stone skin, and even shields are kept close or used to augment our ability. Only the fireball spell really had any range, and they’re relatively weak.

“We have the speed and strength to cast faster. Now we need to think smarter. In a distance battle, placing shields and defenses beyond our bodies can save others or protect our homes. We can always think to put a shield at arm’s length, but this isn’t that much harder really.”

“Humph,” the older falcon grunted, “you’re too smart to be a mage. Too bad your strength isn’t the level of a wizard. You’d make a good wizard, but that’s probably why I just don’t like you.”

Ashleen interjected, “He’s picked up the nickname mizard and the owl already. Even wizards can see that he is more than just a battle mage. No offense to you.”

Jeriah turned on the pretty blond with his frown for only a moment before he smiled appreciatively at the girl. “Well, admittedly it’s a little harder to dislike pretty wizards like your self, but he’s just another male so it’s easier. Why are you here with him anyway?”

Ashleen held a cup between her hands as she started to speak, but her right began to gesture with her words. “Well, I used the excuse of wanting to train with him to learn more of his magic, but I really just want to get him into bed,” she finished with a wicked grin as Sebastian choked on the juice as he swallowed. It was like the girl had waited until he went to drink to shock him.

The two mages in front of her looked shocked for a moment as well, before they burst out in laughter.

Jeriah thumped his friend on the shoulder as he lost control of his laughter and pointed trying to get out some words that simply jumbled together with his laugh. Finally, he took a breath and barked, “By the gods, she’s pretty and funny too. I like her!”

Ashleen looked very satisfied with herself at their reaction, even though her eyes flicked to Sebastian as he tried to clear his throat and had tears in his eyes from choking. She smiled at the men and shrugged gesturing to Sebastian, “Not everyone can handle my sense of humor.”

There were others who had heard her comment and they all laughed as well at her perceived joke, but Sebastian knew it for the candor of the girl as well as her chance to tease him. He didn’t doubt her words either.

Mecklin looked a little more concerned, but even he had to laugh along with Frell.

With other jokes suddenly coming from around him at his expense, even as Ashleen calmly drank the remainder of her juice or smiled smugly; it took awhile for the battle mages to wander off to grab lunch or move on to their afternoon duties. Soldiers and mages in Hala had various work to do including guard duty and patrols among other things. Training was just part of what needed to be done everyday.

As Ashleen and Frell stood discussing something that Sebastian couldn’t quite hear, Mecklin took him by the shoulder as he walked him out of the courtyard. “Are you sure that you’ll be alright with that one? You’re in a single room now.”

“Well, at least she has to remain dressed to use the bath now,” Sebastian admitted bringing the other man’s eyes up in surprise.

“You’re telling me that she’s been taking off her clothes in front of you?! Does she have no shame?” the older mage asked in disgust.

Sebastian replied, “Very little with me.”

“And what about Yara?”

Sighing, the younger man confessed, “I am not sure. She didn’t lie about trying to get me into bed, but I am torn. Admittedly things were strained between Yara and me, but I haven’t given up on us either.

“Still Ashleen is pretty amazing also.”

Mecklin shook his head. “You’re in love with both of them?”

Shoulders drooping a bit at the question, he confessed, “Maybe... I don’t know; but it’s like they are both right for me. Yara is the healer and a calm point, while Ashleen is that wild side which doesn’t get squeamish from fighting or combat.”

“But you’re a battle mage, someone who is a soldier who will continue to fight unless the emperor stops trying to destroy us. That would make someone like Ashleen more likely to stay with you, I guess. Is that why Yara has seemed to become a bit distant with you lately?”

“We were so close even after the fighting with the black ships. Then the island was calm and peaceful with enough space to spend time alone. I didn’t have to worry about being the leader while we waited for Gerid to be ready to leave.

“Then we had that fight with those Wizard Hunters in Sardon and Ashleen asked to join us to get away from Helena,” Sebastian sighed again thinking about the way their relationship had turned after Sardon.

“Was she mad that you had to kill some of the orcs or that you let Ashleen join us?” Mecklin questioned.

“I think both, but they both knew that Ashleen was just a friend to me and I wanted to help her, since I could understand how Helena could be a problem.”

“And now that ‘friend’ is trying to get you into bed,” Mecklin scoffed before softening a bit and adding, “Sorry. Still the girl definitely wants to be more than just friends with you.”

Nodding, Sebastian added, “And there is always the fact that she is from Kardor. She will probably want to go home sometime.”

Mecklin looked back at the two young women walking behind them having their own discussion. Turning back to the younger man, he stated, “She’s still here and not pushing to leave. Maybe the draw of being with you means that she doesn’t care if she goes home?”

“I don’t know. Relationships are a pain. Magic is so much easier,” he complained bringing a laugh from the older man.

“You don’t see me married or otherwise settled down, so maybe I am not the best expert to discuss this with; but I can definitely see your problem. She’s fun and equally beautiful; but she’s the wilder and Yara’s a healer.”

The man shrugged before adding, “Well, good luck.”

A north exit from the city had been created for the Winter’s Edge tournament by earth wizards removing the ancient stones from the wall and carefully moving them to the side of a new opening. Creating a tunnel in the outer wall, it was supposed to be temporary; but it been added to instead. With a set of heavy wood doors bound in steel on either end of the tunnel, they could be closed and barred for defense or the wizards could pull the stones back into position within the stone wall.

Whether it was maintained because Kind Alain hoped to do more tournaments on the cleared land north of the city or not, Sebastian didn’t know; but those living inside the inner wall closest to Castle Grimnal had begun using it for picnics enjoying the summer weather and the view of the North Sea from the cliffs. It also made for an excellent testing site for the new Hollow Sword.

Sebastian had discussed the new weapon and the need to see if it truly was as strong as the first he had created out of sturdy ancient steel, rather than a blade created by a novice smith using magic to cope with inexperience, with Raven Leros and the falconi. It had become a larger gathering than planned, since he had originally just planned to bring Ashleen and maybe Mecklin and Frell along to watch. Instead, Leros, Brelan and Neven were joined by the high wizards in their robes along with a few brown robed research wizards who had gathered near a set of the remaining bleachers left behind after the tournament.

Thinking that leaving the material out in the open for potential enemies so casually meant Southwall had truly come to feel very secure behind North Wall, Sebastian hoped that it never resulted in regret for the king.

Maura stood back from the main group of wizards looking a bit self conscious in her attendance, though she had been there when he had made the first Hollow Sword. He had met the two white robed wizards before as well and probably had them to thank for having Maura and her guards along for the journey to find Gerid. High wizards Neferen and Culmore were the wizard equivalent of Raven Leros, the leaders of all the wizards of Southwall. They were also old enough to be less patient perhaps because they were closer to death than he was, Sebastian thought morbidly. Dealing with wizards tended to be trying until he got to know them well, and even then many looked on battle mages as second rate wizards missing their true role in Southwall’s army.

“So what is this special weapon that the boy has created that has you all excited now, Leros?” Neferen asked rudely omitting the other man’s title. While he was a master of all the elements, Sebastian saw the remnants of the red in his hair and assumed that he had started as a fire wizard. Too many of them were as hot headed as fire could make them. Even after months of trying to temper Serrena’s natural tendencies, the young fire wizard could be testy and overly eager to rush towards trouble for example.

Sebastian drew out the first sword kept in its sheath on his right hip. The runes along the blade drew their eyes just from the glints of light catching them in the summer sun.

Raven Leros barely gave the high wizard a glance as he looked at the young man holding the sword before him. “Falcon, demonstrate what this sword can do please.”

“Lightning dance,” the mage ordered the spell and noticed Ashleen straighten a little more as he used what he had learned from the girl in the display. Turning north towards the open ground before him unobstructed for a mile to North Wall, Sebastian released the power creating a brighter bolt of lightning amplified to roughly double the power he had put into it. The strength would rival the spells of most of the best air and earth wizards Southwall could produce.

Murmurs of appreciation moved through the wizards. Leros and the falconi had seen the amplification before and were still impressed though not surprised.

“That is impressive,” Culmore, the other white wizard, stated diplomatically. His mastery of magic also included diplomacy magic, so he was the calming influence to his opposite in Neferen. “If a battle mage, even one as skilled as you, can do such a thing; what could a full wizard do if he or she were to introduce their magic into this weapon?”

Used to being dismissed as weaker, Sebastian touched the tip to the ground without thinking and pulled the power of the earth into the sword. “Fire sword,” he ordered and felt the tremendous surge of energy that the ground surrendered to the sword. The runes of the blade changed color pulsing with the orange glow of the fire spell locked inside. He could feel it nearing ready to burst thanks to the supercharged magic, so Sebastian released the fire in a strike towards the north releasing a massive wave of fire in a single powerful stroke.

Eyes widened and several fell over at the massive discharge which roared into the air causing some of the spectators to cover their ears too late. He realized belatedly that he had just let the demons out of the bag. Darius had warned him that most wizards couldn’t handle the secret of tapping the earth and no one had discovered the ability to do so in centuries. Certainly no wizard in Southwall since the Cataclysm was known to have admitted knowing the secret at least.

Cringing as he looked at the fire dissipating into the air, the young mage felt the questions ready to assault him.

Neferen was one of the closest and joined a swarm of wide eyed, research wizards stampeding towards him. Luckily, Ashleen had stayed several steps out of the way or he feared she might have been trampled.

“What was that?!” the white wizard demanded as echoes of his words and ‘how’ sprung to their lips. Unfortunately, the Hollow Sword almost took back seat to the display of magic.

Frowning at his slip, Sebastian took a deep breath and held up a hand to silence those pushing towards the mage demanding answers. “Don’t go jumping ahead too far from what you saw yet. I have spoken with High Wizard Darius and the immortal knows of this technique. I discovered what most should know, that there is massive power around us in nature. The earth is a force that no wizard or mage can hope to contain, but there is a way to tap a portion of it; though Darius warns that it has many dangers as well.”

“You tapped the earth? You did that with the sword?” Culmore questioned looking at what he had done closer then some.

Sighing, the battle mage shook his head and replied, “In a way, but it can be done in other ways. The sword is just the safest way to do it that I have found.”

Neferen looked annoyed and asked next loudly to push his question before the others around him, “Speak without the riddles, boy. What have you discovered? Is this how you managed to compete in the tournament?”

Realizing that the elder wizard might be looking for ways to diminish what he accomplished in the duels, Sebastian shook his head again. “I had no sword then, if you recall. The earth can be tapped and Darius says that other men have tried it. Those who thought to just draw it into themselves burned away like leaves in a fire.

“I tested several materials to see what could not only draw the power, but last long enough to use it. Using a staff of wood will last for a time. Iron works to a lesser extent, but can conduct too much of the power which can kill a wizard just as quickly. The Hollow Sword is safer yet, because the power is trapped by the sword and held away from the wizard or mage. It is just one of the reasons that I hoped to be able to create more.”

Raven Leros appeared at his shoulder and waved the wizards back saying, “Everyone step back. The owl of the mages will try to answer all your questions, both about the sword and his use of the earth. Give him room.”

Wanting to curse his stupidity, Sebastian knew that he had to stress the warnings Darius had tried to instill in him. His continued use of the earth knowing the dangers was just one more thing that had been working to create a wedge between him and Yara.

“Darius says that knowledge of this trick was allowed to die out, because wizards abused the earth. They didn’t harm the world as far as I can tell, but wizards’ lives ended as young men because the power dried them up leaving them brittle old men when they should be men in their prime. It killed those looking to use the power destructively, so I caution you all to think before spreading the word. It may be best to keep it between us to avoid the deaths that this power can exact on our wizards.”

Neferen had stepped back with the others, but stormed towards the young mage threateningly, “You reveal this technique in front of us and tell us that it is not safe?! How much can this power do to the emperor’s warlocks? We can destroy his armies by accessing power that most can only dream about having, boy. Who are you to tell us to keep this quiet?”

Eyes narrowing, Sebastian put his arm in front of Leros who was ready to jump to his defense. “Darius is seven centuries old and knows more than any of us can hope to learn in our single life times. Even you don’t know a fraction of what he has seen. He is immortal, but he said when he discovered the ability to pull from the earth it killed him. If he wasn’t immortal, he would have remained dead.