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Alixander Fey -> RE: MageBorn (1/3/2009 22:37:01)
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Chapter II
Tara MageBorn staggered forward, surprised and pleased to be the only one conscious in the cavern. His fingers twisted around his staff, still tingling with magic. Borgan lay at his feet, a mass of useless flesh. Using his staff like a crutch, Tara bent down and ran a gloved hand across the man’s bare forehead.
So much power, he thought. How did I defeat him so quickly? His body quivered, a sign of the havoc magic reeked on its caster. His strength already waned, a dangerous sign if he had to face six more wizards.
I could… Tara flexed his fingers. The man had so much power. So much. It would be so easy to take it. His soul shined brightly; Tara could reach out and borrow from the brightness, siphon Borgan’s strength for his own. After all, I won the match fair and square. I have the right to the spoils of battle.
He wrapped his mental presence around the man and tugged, ready to rip his entire soul free. So much power…
No!
Tara’s reasoning mind returned enraged to find the terrible place his imagination had brought him. He jerked back, hiding his hand beneath his robe. I swore never to touch a human soul again. And I won’t. Sensing the man’s power again, he shivered. No matter how much I need the strength.
Standing, Tara gathered his robes and followed the only corridor leading away from the near-empty cavern. He opened his mind to the spiritsight again, and nearly gasped as a large fire spirit flew right through his body. Attuned to the subtleties of magic, he sensed the tingling the spirit produced as it washed through his flesh. Beyond him, in the next cavern over, he saw bright flashed of magic. Two wizards dueled, launching fireballs and lightning bolts at each other from opposite sides of the cave. Tara sighed when he sensed their weakness. It’s barely even worth my time to fight the winner, he complained. Why can’t all the wizards here be as powerful as Borgan? Is there anyone left who could be a challenge?
A voice inside his head answered: Omri. With the magic that the dragon could teach him, Tara would become unstoppable. But yes, training beneath the dragon would be a challenge. He could only hope his wife wouldn’t mind the constant stench of dragonfire.
Tara ambled into the next cave slowly, hoping neither of the wizards noticed him. Enthralled by their battle, both spellcasters allowed him to pass unhindered. He circled around the duel and slipped into the next corridor. Whichever one wins will come after me, I’m sure. But he won’t be a problem.
As an afterthought, Tara summoned a bright fireball. Waving his hands and chanting, he left the magicked orb hovering in the dark corridor, with orders to attack any human that tried to pass. If I’m lucky, that will surprise him.
Taping his staff against the stone floor as he walked, Tara entered a third cavern. A single form occupied this cavern, a maroon-cloaked man wielding a short wand. When Tara approached, he bowed.
“MageBorn, it is an honor to meet you in person.”
Tara kept silent as he stepped forward, taking note of the quartet of sprites that hovered around the magicker. They were larger than the glowing specks that defended him, and they held more power. I wonder what they do? He smiled as he prepared to find out.
“Please, MageBorn, lower the staff. We need not fight.” The dark figure shifted uneasily in the darkness, and the sprites pushed forwards.
They’re some form of defense, he decided. But not like mine. The emerald blips of light that surrounded Tara were designed to absorb energy from magical and physical attacks. They could stop a fireball as easily as they could stop a fall. His duel with Borgan had brought them down to half-strength, but that didn’t make them useless.
“Please, MageBorn. Lower the staff.”
Tara obeyed, only because he summoned magic into his empty palm. “Why shouldn’t we fight?” he asked in a soft whisper.
The face hidden beneath the maroon cowl twisted in a smile. “Because I have no desire to die.”
Tara laughed. This fool is afraid of me! “You can yield now. I’ll let you live.”
The wizard stepped backwards. His wards remained stationary. “I think I have a better idea. One more pleasant to us both.”
The black-clad sorcerer raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
Bowing, the other wizard set his wand on the floor. “I pledge myself to your service. I’ll fight with you, help you gain Omri’s sword.”
Laughing, Tara stepped back and raised his staff. “And what would you have in return?”
“When Omri trains you, take me as your apprentice. Pass some of his knowledge on to me.” The magicker’s voice was sincere, solemn.
The sorcerer only snickered. “I work alone, young mage. What do you intend to offer me in return?” As if I’d share this dragon’s power…
The maroon robes shifted as he stood. “I can help you. I can fight with you!”
“I just defeated Borgan, the only challenge to my power, in less than ten minutes.” Tara shook his head and scoffed. “What help do you think you can give me?”
The wizard shook, trying to find something that would convince Tara. “I’m a battlemage,” he said. “I can… I can teach you a ward you’ve never seen before!”
Tara lowered his staff. “The sprites that orbit you now?” The wizard nodded. “How do I activate one?” When he did not reply, MageBorn pointed his staff forward and chanted.
“Vrettr!”
He summoned a ball of green energy, hoping to force the wards into action. Just before he could sent the spell forward, one of the orbs exploded and pummeled the sorcerer with a multi-colored lightning bolt. Tara fell backwards, stunned by the quick magic. “That’s not a good way to convince me—” Tara stopped mid-sentence. His anger drained away as he realized the truth behind the spell. “Did that… that was your ward?”
“Yes, sir. That was one of them.”
“It attacked me, automatically, because I targeted you with magic?” The maroon-robed spellcaster nodded. “Three Gods…” I just used a spell like that on Borgan, he realized. A spell that triggered when a magical hand touched it. Is this that much different? He shook his head, answering “no” to himself. This might be worth something…
Scooting forward, Tara summoned light to his staff, illuminating some of the wizard’s features. “I may be interested in your alliance, boy.”
His soft features lifted in a smile, and he bowed again. “My name is Sajen,” he informed the wizard. “Sajen WhiteStaff. I come from HeavenShire.”
Tara shrugged, uncaring. “I suppose you know my name. Just call me MageBorn. Not Tara, not master, not potentate or anything else ridiculous. And if you survive this contest, never look my wife in the eyes. Gods above, never look at her at all. Or I’ll use you next time I experiment with the forbidden magics.” Striking the boy with his staff, he walked past him. “Follow me.”
Sajen stood, retrieved his staff, and followed the mage in wide-eyed bewilderment. “You study the forbidden magics?”
Tara laughed and tugged on the corner of his cowl. “I’m a sorcerer,” he said. “I study all kinds of magic. But no, to be honest, I don’t deal in anything forbidden by the Four Schools. Although, I do know all the words of necromancy. Just never had any reason to use them.” His uncharacteristic blathering had the desired effect; Sajen remained silent for several minutes. If this fool really expects me to teach him something… Ha. I just hope he’ll prove useful to me. Or I’ll find a way to make him useful.
The passed into the next cavern quickly, but they stopped when a massive heat wave swept over them, followed by the crackling of an explosion. Sajen stumbled to the ground, but Tara turned calmly and regarded the fire. “I think I cast that spell,” he whispered.
Sajen glanced upward. “Sir?”
Tara shrugged the boy off. “I think that spell just destroyed one of our opponents. Quite frankly, I don’t care enough to use spiritsight to search. He wasn’t powerful enough to warrant my attention.”
Sajen could only nod as he rushed to follow the wizard. “So what are you going to do with the SpiritSong?” he asked when they passed into another cave. “Return to House Vaden? Or do you have bigger plans?”
Tara sighed. “Are you going to ask me questions for the rest of our short lives?” The boy didn’t answer. “I’m going to get the sword and learn everything I can from Omri. Then I’m going back to the Four Schools to raise my tier. Then I’m going to raise a family with my wife and spend my time creating my own mage tower.”
Sajen raised an eyebrow. “You say that with finality. As if you’re retiring.”
“I hate the restrictions the Four Schools set on me. They annoy me to no end. I’d like to continue my research without their oppressive hand bearing down on me.”
The rounded a corner and reached a long, low cavern that stretched for what seemed like miles. Checking to make sure it was empty, they proceeded into the darkness.
Sajen paused, uncomfortable with Tara’s treasonous speech. “I… I think the rules keep us safe,” he stammered. “So… what tier are you?”
Tara grunted and spun, raising his staff like a javelin. “Twenty-fifth,” he spat. Sajen turned as well, following his master’s ethereal gaze. From the mouth of the corridor they had just left, two robed figures stepped forward.
The mages I saw dueling? Why are they following me? He looked to Sajen and cursed. And now that I have this fool with me, they can attack together. Tara reached out with his mental presence, sensing their power. They masked their strength last time I saw them, he realized. They were hiding their true power. To trap me?
The taller of the two figures stepped forward, lowering his cowl. His pointed ears decried him an elf. His companion copied the elf’s movement—revealing herself to be a human female. They stood facing one another and pressed their palms together, chanting.
Of course, now they can focus all their attacks on me. Tara hurled a bolt of emerald lightning at the wizards. A mirror-like shield materialized just in time to turn the attack aside. Tapping his staff against the ground, he summoned three orbs of fire magic. They shot forward as well, exploding when the shield deflected them. The firestorm nearly brought the shield down.
Looking up, the elf wizard strengthened the spell holding the shield. Then he returned his attention to his chant. He and the human girl began to sway, rocking back and forth in tandem.
Sajen shot a glance back to Tara. “What are they doing?”
He grunted in reply. “Good question.” Twirling his staff, Tara thrust it forward, crystal first.
“Ventrum fete thr’yda!”
A column of green fire shot from his staff, blazing towards the wizards and engulfing them in flame. The shield flickered, faltering. This time the human girl strengthened it. The fire sputtered out as Tara searched his mind for another spell. Surrendering to the magic, he waved his fingers and conjured two bolts of lighting. They shattered the barrier in a multicolored explosion.
Just before he could prepare a spell to finish the two magickers, they completed their own incantation. The rock beneath their feet shook—then a spire of stone ripped from the ground. The stone morphed, twisting into a hand with four fingers. Pushing against the ground, the hand raised the remainder of its body; an eight-foot-tall stone golem.
Tara cursed and retreated to the far side of the cave. “Animators,” he spat. “I thought that magic was beyond anyone here!” Flexing his hands, he shot a blur of green energy at the golem. His attack left a crack in the creature’s stone chest.
“Can we defeat it?” Sajen was at Tara’s side in a moment, summoning defensive shields like any apprentice would do. He’s done this before, the sorcerer realized. He’s pledged himself to another magicker, and fought for him. Something about the thought unsettled him. At least the wards helped.
What is that thing? How do we stop it?
As the stone golem barreled forward, an alien presence slipped into Tara’s mind. Too late he realized it belonged to Sajen: he sent the maroon-robed mage into a wail of agony as he broke his mind. Cursing, he turned his attention back to the creature. The elf stood behind the mass of stone, walking forward in tandem with the golem. It’s direct control, he realized. Not true animation. Good. Conjuring a wall of flame, he pushed the barrier towards the golem. Massive arms flailed to turn the inferno aside.
Tara heard Sajen groan and crawl to his feet. He shot the young wizard a thought. I’m sorry. That was my fault. You were right to touch my mind. Can you distract the golem?
Sajen nodded, forgiving Tara without a second thought. Drawing a small wand from his sleeve, he waved his arms in a broad arch and summoned fire.
The elf took two steps forward and swung his arms. The rock-man mirrored his actions. The barriers Sajen had placed around Tara flared as the creature’s stone arms swept across it. Tara threw his power against the golem—it stumbled back a few steps as the power connected with the elf. Good, the sorcerer said with a smile. Very good. Direct control.
Realize the power of Tara’s wards, the elf—and in turn, the golem—turned on Sajen. One of his wards activated, sending a fork of lightning towards his attacker. The creature shrugged off the blast and charged. The boy fired a jet of flame, but the stone minion pushed forward, grabbing with gravely fingers. He touched the hand and sent a pulse of sonic energy running up the creature’s arm. Stone cracked as the beast fell backwards.
While Sajen kept the elf busy, Tara tapped his staff against the ground.
“Griz’lem!”
Disappearing in a flash of green light, Tara returned to reality three paces behind the elf. Wielding his staff like a club, he drove the wizard down with a vicious chop. The elf moaned in pain and crumpled to the floor. The golem followed.
A powerful, arcane fist struck Tara in the back of the head, sending him tumbling over the elf. Three Gods, he cursed. It’s the woman. His pleasure at seeing the elf’s weakness had driven him to haste. The human female had stood to the side, offering her spirit as a source for her elven partner’s magic. When he fell, she was freed.
Scrambling to his feet, Tara hurled fire at the woman. She screamed as she failed to block the spell—her hair burst into flame. She summoned a gust of wind that sent Tara to the ground again. The elf staggered to his feet. The golem rose.
Twisting on the ground, the sorcerer threw his foe backwards. He raised his hand to kill the elf with a word—but the elf fell again as Sajen lit the entire golem on fire. Tara could feel the elf struggling to release the magic.
“Kiet!”
His spell drew a red line across the elf’s throat. Under normal conditions, he could have blocked the spell without trying. Crippled by his connection to the burning golem, he died quickly.
“Bier’ba!”
Red bands of magic entangled the woman, immobilizing her. Before Tara could register his motion, Sajen stood above her, reaching past his companions spell to place a hand on her forehead. “Yield,” he whispered. “Or I will light your insides on fire.”
The woman’s lips barely moved as she fainted, tongues of flame still consuming her hair. Sajen looked to his master. “Did she yield?”
The sorcerer released his magic and shrugged. “If not, she’s dead. Hopefully when she wakes she’ll understand that.” Prodding the elf with his staff to insure he was dead, he stepped over the body and examined the broken golem. “Have you ever seen an animation before?”
Sajen joined his new master. “No. Can you perform one?” He nodded. After a moment of silence, Sajen spoke again. “I’d like… I’d like you to teach me. That’s a power I’d like to learn.”
Raising an eyebrow beneath his black cowl, Tara smiled. “Deal.”
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