The Enchanter of Rangel: Child of War Book 1 (12 page)

             
“Well that witch lady fried a bunch of them and we got the hell outta there, not before some ransacked our wagon. Your stuff got taken” Rolle said amazed Xander was alive.

             
“Well what happened to Paddy” asked Xander.

             
“Tyler over there put a big beating on him but Paddy refused to quit, even when knocked unconscious. When he woke up he was still ready to fight. Rich decided he could be the cook whenever we get stationed somewhere else he could come along.”

             
“Child of war, come here I’m talking to you” Xander heard a voice say. Turning around Xander could see a pudgy but well-kept man in the uniform of the city watch.

             
“I saw that display, we could use a guy like you in the watch” said the man. “We are going to travel deep in the woods and help out some of the small towns there since they are being attacked often. You up for the challenge?”

             
Xander thought back and figured he could be stationed in Valley and sometimes could probably even see his mom. “I would love to join you, the Army really isn’t for me anyway” Xander said.

             
“Well it looks like you are well settled” said Jack. “We will be staying at the Blood Rose Inn for the night if you want to come by and say your good byes.”

             
“Of course I will Jack, see you soon” Xander said.

             
“Okay boy, the names Ray and I’m guessing you are Xander. Follow me to our headquarters and you can meet the lady in charge. You might have to show a brief test of your skills either with a sword or bow, but I can’t imagine you wouldn’t pass after that beating you laid on that ox back there.”

             
Xander followed Ray to a small house next to what he thought was the headquarters of the city watch, judging by how many uniformed men were outside. Xander stepped through the gate and could see what only could be slaves tending to the upkeep of the yard.

             
“Act like you have seen a slave before boy and be thankful you aren’t one of them” said Ray

             
“I haven’t ever seen a slave before today” said Xander.

             
“Well those poor bastards are one step away from the arena if they mess up. Our boss and their master is not known for being loving or forgiving.”

             
Just as Xander walked up the opened up and standing in the doorway was the witch Sharon.

Chapter

             
“Arrest this boy this instant” screamed Lady Sharon. “He tried to abscond from his commitment!”

             
“My lady he is here to join the Watch” said Ray.

             
“I said arrest this boy, and arrest him now! Do not make me ask you again or you can join him!” Lady Sharon said as she rose a few feet in the air for effect.

             
Ray pulled out his sword on Xander and told him to put his hands up. “What do you want me to do with him my lady?”

             
“I am declaring him a slave as is my right, he will be sent to the capital to the Academy” Lady Sharon began, “He can keep his little sword, but any sign of him running cripple him!”

             
“Yes my lady” said Xander as he led Xander out of the yard.

             
“I don’t what you did boy, but her enslaving you then sending you to the capital could only mean you must be somebody or the son of somebody. I don’t care which and I don’t want to know. Just walk next door and I’m going to get you loaded up and we are leaving as soon as possible” said Ray.

             
Xander was fuming at Sharon’s decree but wondered why was he going to the capital instead of the mines or any other such dreadful place. He could learn a lot by going to the school of magic, at least second handedly. Men normally didn't know how to read so chances are he would be left alone with their books. Xander thought about this as he was loaded up and sent to the capital.

Chapter

Xander could see the magic academy from the outside and really wasn’t all that impressed. Unlike the other buildings in the capital, the academy, gates included seemed to be made from a single piece of solid stone. Xander figured it had to be considered massive in its day, but to him it seemed dated with not one luxury to be had. Looking at it militarily he figured it would be hard to breach and impossible to burn down, but he saw no reason anyone would want to live here. Entering the gates he soon found out the reason.

              Fire and ice was being flung everywhere along with other spells. The school was virtually fireproof with most of the spells dissipating on contact. Looking around Xander could not see any other males but at least he seemed to be ignored, something that was impossible to do when he first made it to the city.

             
“You there, boy” a female in black robes said as she was approaching Xander. “Are you the slave Lady Sharon sent over?”

             
“Yes” was Xander’s reply as he looked at the ground.

             
“I can see you know your place, I was a bit worried Maxine had taken it soft on you” the lady said as she walked around Xander. “You don’t seem as soft as the normal slaves we get for training, I take it you know the sword and probably other weapons as well.”

             
“Yes, my lady.”

             
“Still I doubt you could survive the potioning. We have only had one so far and I really don’t want to lose any fodder trying to make any more super warriors. Report to Wyclef he will be wearing red clothes in the basement of the tallest building. Go there now.”

             
“Yes, my Lady” said Xander as he started towards the tallest building which really wasn’t all that impressive to Xander standing only two stories. Once Xander got close he could see none of the buildings had any doors, just a small wall placed just inside you have to walk around. Such a system could keep out dirt and rain but Xander thought it would be useless for keeping the cold away. Xander walked it and could see despite being the tallest building at the school, it was sparsely furnished with even the furniture being made of stone. Xander walked until he saw a small stairway leading down. At the bottom Xander could not believe his eyes.

             
The “basement” as the spell caster called it was entirely hollowed out and almost half as big as Riley. There were at least 40 males down here all practicing various forms of fighting, some even fought without any weapons. These men were not pretenders like those training to make it in the army, just by their footwork Xander could see they were at least as skilled as himself, perhaps even more so. Xander was walking towards the man in red and that’s when he saw him.

             
A fighter standing over 7 feet tall, this man was so massive he made Gowan look like a child. Equipped with a wooden club, this warrior was surrounded by 4 men each armed with swords; Xander figured they might as well have been armed with toothpicks. The huge warrior moved a lot faster than Xander thought a man should have been able to move at that size.

             
The huge warrior jumped clear over his first attacker leaving him with no one at his back instead of flanked at all sides. When the one closes to him turned around the warrior swung his club wide, forcing his opponent to block. When his opponent did block he was met by a punch to the gut which instantly felled him and had him rolling around on his stomach. The others saw their fallen comrade and closed in on him to no avail. The club was really just a distraction in the warriors hands, Xander could tell he preferred laying hands on his opponents which he did with surprising efficiency. Before long all the men except the club wielder lay on the ground in varying forms of agony hurt, but not really injured as far as Xander could tell.

             
“That there is Patrick, the High Witch’s son and personal body guard” said a voice behind Xander. Turning around Xander could see it was the man in red addressing him.

             
“He has to be the biggest guy I have ever seen” Xander said still staring at the huge man.

             
“Those alchemists got to him, that’s all. I mean he was big before, but nowhere near where he is now. He has already tasted blood in arena although he takes it easy on us” said Wyclef.

             
“What are alchemists?” asked Xander.

             
“What are alchemists? Just how much do you know about the magic folk anyway?” asked Wyclef.

             
“I guess not as much as I thought” said Xander.

             
“There are many different kinds of witches’ boy, the most feared are the ones who normally do the fighting. There are plenty of them types around, but some of them with the right materials can mix up crazy potions that can do all sorts of things.”

             
“Like what?” asked Xander.

             
“Some can mix up healing brews that can cure the incurable, heal burns and wounds, or make a man into what Patrick has become.”

             
“I don’t get it, who wouldn’t want to be as big as Patrick? Why aren’t their more of him around?” asked Xander.

             
“Plenty of reasons, Alchemists are unlike normal witches, they can only create so much before they die.” Wyclef said. Xander wondered if they could not replenish what his father had called aura like he and the normal witches could.

             
“Since they can only make so many potions, there are not many of them around willing to try. Second, a lot of us don’t have the body for it. Someone a lot smarter than I found out you had to be the direct offspring of a magic user. Then there is the most important reason of all.”

             
“What is that?” asked Xander.

             
“Everyone else who took the potion died. Not many witches willing to turn their sons to mush no matter how much they wish they had girls instead. That potioning is serious business. I’m Wyclef by the way, and I’m guessing you are new meat.”

             
“Hello I am Xander.” He said as he shook Wyclef’s hand.

             
“You a bit younger than most they send me out here. Hell you are the first Child of war we have ever gotten. I don’t know what these witches are planning so don’t ask me. I just know all of us were good fighters before we came here and we are to be body guards of some sort for the powerful magic users. We are like the palace guards for the royals, just for the magic users. I am also going to tell you to keep your mouth shut when talking to outsiders about this place. You gonna find out quick there is rebellion brewing.”

             
“Rebellion?”

             
“Yeah boy, rebellion. From what I know the high witch has been keeping all the witches of exceptional power centered here at the school and sending out the lesser witches to serve the Queen’s interest. I don’t know what is going down but I do know it is gonna be sooner than any of us like.”

             
“Why tell me all this, you just met me! This isn’t a story; I could tell and get you in trouble” said Xander.

             
“Tell who boy? You are a slave like the rest of us. Too damn good for your own good. I just figured you should know what you got yourself into. We have one test to see if you are going to become one of us, and that’s in the arena. If you fail, you die. If you win you join us.”

             
“What do I have to do in the arena?” asked Xander, suddenly feeling a bit frightened.

             
“Well if you are lucky they will put you in against a condemned. Those are they unlucky bastards forced to fight for their freedom after screwing up their commitment or killing somebody. That’s where most of us go. All of us here are the sons of a magic user, usually a minor one. They need us in case they figure out the potioning, so that’s where you will most likely be.”

             
“We have to fight to the death against a criminal, that doesn’t sound very fair.”

             
“Life ain’t fair boy; none of us did anything to become slaves. You can kill one of those poor bastards or let them kill you. Most are unskilled with the blade so just end it quickly, and just be lucky it is a condemned.”

             
“What else could they possibly do to us? How could I be lucky if I have to fight a man to the death?” said Xander getting angry the way Wyclef was just casually talking about murdering someone.

             
“Rumor has it the queen is a bit worried about the witches suddenly wanting bodyguards. She sometimes comes and substitutes a condemned for one of her personal executioners. Only one recruit has beaten her personal fighters, Patrick did last week.”

             
“Patrick only joined last week?” asked Xander.