The Tomes Of Magic (20 page)

“Gareth, have you seen Sev?” The Archwizard asked.

“He is around here somewhere. We are preparing to march toward the cave,” Gareth replied.

“There is no need. Whether Caitlyn and Leniya succeed, the fairies will send them back to my position.”

“So you do know more about them than you let on,” Kervos said as he approached, noticeably annoyed.

“Now is not the time,” Sev said stepping in between the two.

“I will address that later, Kervos. Sev and I need to speak immediately,” Ector said as he grabbed hold of the Ranger’s arm.

“What is so important that we must discuss it now?” Sev asked.

“You have the gift of magic. That trick that you do in battle, that is magic. Rolin once taught me how to detect magic users and when I was using his spell, you were one of the people I detected. That is not all, though. I do not think Cormac is the only Archwizard to have been killed. Paul and James are safe, not too far away either. The others were too far to identify, but I believe two of them to be dead.”

“Two? More than just these naga can kill an Archwizard?”

“There are a great many things that can kill an Archwizard, Sev. Together we are formidable, but apart we can be vulnerable. It would require something powerful and this could mean that we have more enemies than we realized.”

“Sorry to interrupt, but we need to get moving. The army is ready to march,” Gareth said as he approached the two.

“We are ready to move. Are we settled on dealing with the dragons and not the Holy Order?” Ector asked.

“Yes, the Holy Order does not see us as a threat. We may have to deal with them in the future, but at the moment they are after the dragons and the Wizards, Ector excluded.”

“You are certain of this?”

“Absolutely, I know Bartholomew better than most. There is a good chance we will have to deal with him in the future, but the dragons are a bigger threat. We should have time to prepare for a war with the Holy Order after we take down the dragons.”

They discussed the matter while waiting for the others to join them. Their force consisted of the majority of the dwarven and elven armies. Ector worried that it would not be enough to take down the dragons. There were few who had actually faced the dragons and it didn’t seem like there was a lot an army could do to fight them.
Let us hope we can find a weakness
, Ector thought as he took the lead. He hoped that the other Archwizards would be willing to join in the battle, but he would have to wait and see. Contacting James and Paul would be simple, but he didn’t even know which of the others were still alive. He knew that both the dragons and the Holy Order needed to be destroyed, he just hoped that his former allies would see it the same way that he saw it.

*

Janessa watched as Uryk cast several spells. The elderly magician had attempted to confuse those following them, but it had only slowed their advance. As soon as Janessa saw Rodric’s banner, she knew that they were hostile and informed him. The riders spurred their horses onward only to find themselves caught up in a tangle of vines. They hacked through the vines and were confronted by Uryk’s next trap. Several boulders uprooted from the ground and flew at them. Their close formation made it impossible to dodge the oncoming rocks and a handful of riders were thrown from their horses and crushed beneath the boulders. The magician unleashed a flurry of icicles at the remaining horsemen. He followed it up with a massive fireball. The remaining riders fortified their courage and charged. Janessa joined in against the final batch of horseman. She created a massive wave that engulfed the attackers, allowing Uryk’s lightning bolts to cause even more damage.

“That should slow them down for a bit,” Uryk said as he sat back down.

“I never imagined Rodric would be so adamant about my death. Your help has been more than I could ever ask for, but I must hurry on,” Janessa said as she gathered her things.

“Must you leave so soon?”

“Unfortunately, yes. My own troops will know to meet me at my hometown. I must be there for when they arrive. We wanted to unite the Gloomvale Isles and instead we have started a war.”

“If ever your journey leads you back into these parts, you know where to find me.”

“I may not survive the war, but if I do I will return and assist you in freeing these isles of their malaise.”

Uryk smiled as he waved good-bye to Janessa. She felt a tinge of sadness in leaving the old hermit, but hoped that she would get a chance to visit him again. As much as the isles would benefit from removing the gloom, they needed her leadership more. She worried about what her people would think if she went off hunting dragons after working things out with Rodric.
They deserve someone who can lead them in every situation
, she thought. Rodric’s betrayal had shaken her confidence and, now that she was no longer preoccupied with Uryk’s stories, it began to bother her again. She smiled when she saw her hometown of Alonshire come into view. It was larger than she remembered, but still much smaller than most of the towns on the isles. Alonshire was one of the many fishing towns that provided sustenance for the Gloomvale Isles. The elderly watchmen opened the gate and stood in the middle of the road with his hands on his hips.

“That can’t be who I think it is,” he said.

“I have returned, Hayden,” Janessa replied.

“That you have, Miss Janessa. Good to see you again. Will you be staying long?”

“It is complicated, is the mayoral council awake?”

“Aye, I will send the lads to gather them up. I take it things aren’t going well, anything I can do to help?”

“Yes, come with me to address the council. I will explain everything as soon as they are gathered. In the meantime, let the other sentries know that we are expecting company.”

“Good company or rotten company?” Hayden asked.

“Both, I fear.”

*

Leoth leaned back in his chair. He sighed as the guards left the room. Getting the Warlords to agree to serve him had been easy, but convincing them to offer their armies for an immediate conquest in the west had taken all of their skill. He looked at Cassandra and smiled. It had been quite some time since the two of them had embarked on such an adventure. Neither of them had realized how much they missed the excitement of it all. The life of a Warlord was supposed to be filled with action, adventure, carnage, glory, and all manner of excitement. In truth, his life had resembled one of a King trying his best to appease the populace while staying powerful enough to remain unthreatened by his neighbors. Now, as Emperor, he could flex his might in a display that would leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that he truly deserved the title. Canai had always been a target for the Valorian Isles, but the Warlords had been caught in too many petty squabbles to present a real threat to the continent.

“What are you thinking, my love?” Cassandra asked as she looked over at her husband.

“I am looking forward to the coming adventure. We have gotten caught up in the intricacies of running a country. That has never been something I’ve relished. I long for battle,” He replied.

“You are unlike anyone I have ever known. The barbarism of war is not what draws you to it, is it?”

“I revel in the glory it brings. To stand atop the ramparts of mine enemies and declare my people victorious. To bring pride to my father and grandfather. To travel the world and challenge the strongest champions and smartest tacticians. These are the things that I long for. Battle is not about slaughter, death, combat, or killing. It is about earning your right to call a land yours. It is about claiming lands for your people. It is about ensuring that your people will always have a home. It is about proving your people are the strongest. To show others they cannot take things from your people. Some may call it barbaric and evil, but there are few things that bring about a person’s true spirit. Battle is one of those things.”

“It sounds strange to hear you say these things. My people see battle as a way to improve their standing. It isn’t about the collective, but the individual. They do not seek glory for their people, but glory for their own pleasure. It seems so wrong.”

“What right does any of us have to claim our views are correct? There are certain things that we all know to be good or evil, but how often is the world truly a place of black and white? Is it so wrong to kill a man when he is bringing unspeakable horrors onto the world? Is that same man truly a horrible man if he provides for his family and for others? Questions better left for others, I say. We make our choices based on our lifestyle, upbringing, and circumstances. No two of us are equal in those things, so how then shall we call ourselves right and others wrong?”

“You pose questions that I cannot answer, my darling,” Cassandra replied.

“Nor can I, my dearest. Such questions may never have an answer, but that does not mean we should not ask them. Are we right to conquest Canai? I do not know, but our circumstances give us a chance to do so in the name of stopping what some see as two evils. Perhaps history shall judge us as a third evil, but that is for history to judge. We must do what we feel is right knowing what we know.”

“How did we get on such difficult topics?”

“You married a man who is more than just a Warlord. I have always found such questions to be fascinating. Perhaps it is because my father always told me to act only when I know my actions are required. We act knowing what we know and upon acting, we should not worry about that which we do not know.”

“Come, let us end this talk and prepare for our journey.”

Leoth nodded before downing the last of his drink. He found himself going back to his father’s teachings more and more these days.
Perhaps none of us were meant to be Warlords
, he thought as he remembered his lineage. His line had always been known for trying to bring more to the life of a Warlord. It was not enough to be a great warrior, they wanted to be great leaders, great advisers, and great thinkers. His own lineage always served to remind him that greatness could come from anyone, no matter their upbringing, status, race, culture, or ethos. He stood up from his chair and followed his wife into their bedroom. She was already packing up what she needed for the trip. He joined her and assisted in finishing packing their things. It was a strange feeling to know that they would be leaving the isles where he had spent his entire life. His emotions were a mixture of fear and excitement.

“I have never left the Valorian Isles,” he said as he sat down on the bed.

“Is this why you brought up those other topics?” Cassandra asked as she sat next to him.

“It helps to prepare my mind for what I will be facing. What if we never make it back?”

“Then we never make it back. Life is unpredictable. Staying here does not guarantee that our children will grow up on the isles.”

“You brought up our children again, am I to take that as a sign that you want to have kids?”

“It would be a lie to say I did not. How do you feel about having children?”

“I am not against it. We need an heir to rule our empire, but there is no rush in the matter. Let us discuss the matter later.”

*

James dismounted from his dragon and approached Paul. They were within sight of the walls of Alamor, as planned.
Things appear to be looking up for us
, James thought as he looked at the castle. The inhabitants showed no signs of hostility toward the Wizards or their ragtag army. Elena joined them as they headed out for the castle. Alamor held little significance for the Wizards, but things had changed in recent years. The fact that they were open to refugees from all across Canai meant that the Wizards could use the town as a staging point for their assault. Neither the Holy Order nor the dragon King had openly attempted to attack the heavily fortified castle. Though the town had a lot of history with both the Wielders and the Warlocks, it posed little threat to either faction. The citizens of Alamor had never been unified enough to attack another city or country.

“Is there any chance of them joining our cause?” Elena asked.

“I doubt it, they are known best for their self-preservation,” Paul answered.

“That is true, but there are many factions within their society. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them offered their assistance in one form or another,” James added.

“What of other allies? Elena asked.

“Rolin is likely to join us, maybe Melissa as well. Neither of them has an army though. Janessa might bring some of her troops from the Gloomvale Isles if we ask for her help. There is a possibility that Ector or Cormac will lend us a hand. I had hoped that Thanos would join us, but I haven’t heard from him in some time. Emily is a possibility as well, but Paul would know more about that.”

“It isn’t likely that Kadegar would allow Emily to leave, nor is it likely that he will send any troops of his own. He isn’t at all like Rolin,” Paul added, seemingly annoyed.

They were silent for the rest of the way to the castle. James and Elena both thought it better to leave Paul to his thoughts. They knew little of what he had been through recently, but it was obvious that Kadegar was a sensitive subject for him. James knew little about the Isle of Wizardry. Rolin had instructed all of the Archwizards about it and even some of the other Wizards as well, but only Rolin, Owyn, Melissa, and Ector had ever visited. The elven Wizard returned with only negative comments about their magician brethren on the isle.
Kadegar sounds like he doesn’t like his opinion to be challenged
, James thought as they approached the outer gate. Several guards stood watch, but only one of them approached the trio. Her garb signified that she worked for the Wielders.