Battle Mage: Winter's Edge (60 page)

A fireball to the face of another orc sent the creature reeling away from Rilena, who didn’t have a chance to finish the creature when more orcs and goblins continued to stumble through the ice. As her blade fended off more of the enemy swords and daggers, the falcon wondered how many they would have to kill to actually win this battle. They had come thinking to overwhelm the enemy, but now she was seeing an army larger than theirs coming down the mountainside towards them. If they could survive the battle, she knew that their portal must be destroyed.

“Look out,” Elzen warned catching a goblin blade aimed for her side. If not for his quick reaction, Rilena knew that weapon would have slipped under her shield to perhaps gut her. His healing magic would probably not be enough to save her even if he was allowed to by the enemy. She had heard horror stories of men whose bellies had been cut open. Blood and intestines could be held in by hands that would
get slick with blood, but often shock and trauma would send the victims into death spasms well before a healer could attempt to save them.

“Thanks,” the girl breathed quickly as she caught another goblin trying to cut her leg on the other side. Goblins were nasty little beasts that preferred cutting their human enemies down by using numbers to distract and cut from the side or back. While she knew the tactics from training, it was Rilena’s first confrontation with the creatures in a full battle. The brief skirmish beneath the mountain had been limited by the doorway to a room. With nothing to limit their numbers and swarming attacks, she was seeing why they had spent weeks learning to counter their sneaky tactics.

Zerra cried out next to her as a blade cut her leg.

“Fire sword,” the falcon ordered before cutting the goblin’s head from its shoulders with one flaming attack. She checked Zerra as best she could while continuing to fend off more enemies. Her friend’s cut wasn’t too deep. It must have been painful, but the falcon continued to fight.

“Elzen, Zerra’s hurt over here.”

Catching just the mere basics of the martial artist’s maneuvers and strikes next to her, Rilena would have marveled at his speed if she had the time to think beyond their survival.

“Can she still fight?” he asked without even slowing his attack. The boy struck with mage fire surrounding his hands and even his kicks seemed to damage the creatures.

“I’m ok,” the woman in question puffed even as she struggled to protect herself from the continuous waves of goblins, orcs and werebeasts. Rilena could tell that the woman was trying to put up a good front, but she was wearing down and when that happened so did mistakes. If they couldn’t repulse this assault soon, not only would Zerra probably die, but so would the rest of them.

“Wraith men!” the cry went up for the strange undead men that had been showing up more and more over the last few years. Many of these creatures had magical power and seemed to be wizards pulled back from death. They were powerful creatures that put fear into anyone that fought them.

Five hooded figures on horseback charged the front of the column where Falconi Ralto had been leading them towards their allies. Even their horses looked like death warmed over especially in the light of the silvery moon of Gelinas and the red light of his brother Turas. Wielding green fire and curved blades, they met Ralto and a dozen battle mages and soldiers. Wizards tried to assist the men as they fought the undead, but for Rilena and those manning their lines the horde hid the new additions to the battle.

The men and women of Southwall fought hard, but their line was steadily being pushed back towards their horses. Rilena feared that the army would fall to the power of the enemy fortress if something didn’t change and soon.

Once again Sebastian found himself inside the administration building, but the crowd of wizards had thinned to a mere sixteen men and women. When once an individual arena held up to twenty four competitors, there were only sixteen champions left in the whole tournament. This was also the first time that he began to notice a separation between them all growing into cliques. On the right stood the remaining wizards of Southwall clumped together, though if you were to ask they would most likely have disagreed that they were together.

The lone dragon wizard stood next to a gargoyle that had actually lost in the previous round but done well enough to be brought back as the sixteenth member. Annalicia stood with her cousin, the last wizard standing from Eirdhen, and a stout looking wizard from Tolmona. They were the last three left from those that had come from beyond the North Continent. With their numbers being fewer, it had been
an uphill battle for those beyond their cold shores and only the skill of these three had managed to survive.

Looking at the last group of three men dressed in gray, Sebastian had to frown. The wizards of Gray Hall were very skillful and had as much power as any of the wizards remaining. They had been tough and were still putting up a fight. While only three, this was still half of the wizards that they had brought to the competition. They were also still a mystery to everyone, though the dragons and gargoyles seemed to believe that they were not to be trusted. Whether they were members of a faction of the emperor’s armies was doubtful since the tournament directors had approved their participation. He didn’t think that they would be willing to let possible agents of the Dark One into the city even on the hopes of helping to bring about peace through competition.

“Stop frowning, Bas,” the much more cheerful voice of Ashleen ordered as she slid her arm through his to begin pulling him fully into the room. He hadn’t even realized that he had been holding back evaluating his fellow competitors until the girl had interrupted his thoughts. “This is supposed to be a friendly competition, so stop looking like you dislike everyone.”

With a start, the mage smiled at the pretty wizard from Kardor. “Sorry, I was just thinking. Has anyone figured out anything new about these Gray Hall wizards? Some of the dragons and gargoyle wizards have had pretty heated exchanges with them during their matches.’

Shaking her head, Ashleen simply replied, “Nothing more than they are supposed to be from a guild from the northeast. It’s supposed to be north of Taleres where the the Talerian and Malof rivers meet before heading to the Icewater Lake. At least that is what Deiclonus told me, though how he found that out I have no idea.”

“That would be pretty far from the main cities of the Dragon’s Spine Mountains where the emperor’s forces are supposed to rule. I wonder why that dragon wizard kept talking like he knew they were an enemy?”

“Frowning again,” the girl smiled as she gave him a little elbow to the ribs.

“Hey, Sebastian, come join us and feel free to bring the lovely woman with you,” another familiar voice called from the right. The tall blond haired man in his red wizard garb waved the two over to the gathering from Southwall.

“Hello, Magnus, I see that you’ve managed to survive the first rounds,” the mage said as he closed the distance with Ashleen at his side.

“That I have and who is your friend? Please, introduce us to your lovely companion,” the fire wizard said trying to lay on all his charm. Knowing how much more attention Ashleen received wearing her more expensive dresses at dinner, Sebastian half wondered how much harder the wizard would be trying if she were dressed in something other than the simplistic silver and blue tunic and skirt she wore with her riding boots.

“Ashleen from Kardor, this is Magnus, a fire wizard representing White Hall.”

Leaning over the young woman’s hand the tall blond haired wizard left a kiss on the back of her hand. His eyes looked at her somewhat in surprise as he added, “I think perhaps there might be some magic between us. I felt a tingle just touching your hand.”

Sebastian snorted as Ashleen giggled. The mage clarified as he explained, “Ashleen is a wilder. Her body is constantly holding back lightning, so everyone tingles a little bit if they touch her, Magnus.”

Trying to appear romantic, the fire wizard he gave her a cheesy smile and asked, “Please tell me that it wasn’t just me, pretty lady. I am sure that there is something between us.”

With a roll of her eyes, Ashleen slid a wooden chair between them with her foot. “There is now,” she grinned and wiggled her eyebrows letting him know where he stood.

“If you are done using this tournament as a mixer,” a voice rang out from the front of the room, “then perhaps we should get to business, ladies and gentlemen.”

The head of the judges was an austere man, bald but with black eyebrows and beard with dark brown eyes. When he frowned, it seemed to be only the slightest change from his normal scowling appearance, the mage thought of the wizard who was the head of the wizards based in Hala.

“As you may have noticed, we are down to sixteen wizards,” he managed to only half glance at Sebastian as the judge probably felt like most that a mage was not a wizard, but the fact that the falcon had persevered without getting a pass from the judges still said something of his ability. “Sixteen left out of more than two hundred thirty who began this competition three days ago. That says a lot about you all, but you’re still only halfway there people.

“If you look at these people in this room, these are the ones who stand in your way. Friends, allies, or enemies, you will have to face off one on one for the rest of the tournament. There will be no more four player matches for those who might think they skated through the last round,” he gave a cold smile as he panned his gaze around the room. Sebastian thought that he felt a few wizards cringe with the statement and wondered why any of them could feel that they hadn’t earned their spots except for the one who had received the judgment for the last position.

“Now I would guess that you would all like to see just who you will be facing and where. The remaining rounds will be held in the arenas inside of the city known as the Ponds and Royal Garden. To try and be fair, we will have you draw numbers. One through eight will start with the Ponds and switch each round they succeed until there are just four left. Nine through sixteen will start with the gardens working the opposite routine.

“Again I will call your names because of where you stand now. From my left to right, you will come as I call you.”

Sebastian didn’t know if the choice to start had been predetermined, but his left meant that all of those from Southwall would go first. By the time they had all drawn, the numbers had set three in the Ponds and four in the Royal Gardens. Only Sebastian had drawn a match against a fellow Southwaller and she was the nature wizard from Liam’s village, Sharamar, of all the luck.

While the remainder of the competitors continued to draw positions, he tried to be friendly to the young woman, who despite being younger than Liam was still just a little older than Sebastian. “Did Liam ever find you, Wizard Sharamar?” the mage asked using her title as he didn’t know her well enough to be more familiar, though he felt like he knew her a bit thanks to Liam’s stories.

“Liam?” her brown eyes met the mages with a furrowed brow of wariness.

“The water wizard that you beat in the last round and he said that you two also come from the same home town?” he asked beginning to wonder if this was the correct woman after all. “Liam was hoping to catch up with you about your home this afternoon.”

“Liam Klaren?” her brown eyes picked up a faint warmth at the name. Sebastian knew now that this was the right wizard, though he could have assumed that there were few wizards with her name, if any others even existed. “Why would you think that I would take time to talk with him? If you think that you can lull me into thinking that we are friends to take it easy on you, battle mage, then you are mistaken. I didn’t hold back against Liam, an… old friend, so don’t expect any special treatment from me. I am here to win, not sit around chatting with wizards and a battle mage, who somehow managed to sneak into this competition.”

Blue eyes narrowing at the slight, Sebastian did what he could to hold his temper. This girl was a friend of a friend essentially and he didn’t want to hurt Liam by proxy. “I hardly snuck into anything. The ravens of Windmeer asked me to represent them in the competition because they knew that I could duel wizards in their own tournament.

“If you don’t want to speak to me, that is fine with me, but I would consider talking to Liam if he is your friend. Of course, you can wait ‘til after I beat you in our match or do it before so you aren’t so disappointed,” the mage said pushing the girl’s buttons in retaliation.

Her eyes revealed surprise. “You are pretty sure of yourself, mage.”

He laughed coldly as his blue eyes shone like steel. “Aren’t you? I would doubt that few wizards came here hoping to lose. Since I have trained with wizards and dueled my share of different schools, I guess that you can say that I am confident. Feel free to underestimate me because I am a simple battle mage though. That thinking has been working out well for me thus far.”

Taking a step back fearfully, Sharamar’s eyes revealed worry at his demeanor. “I apologize, falcon, but I stand by my wish to not speak with you at this point. Perhaps after I win, then we can sit together for dinner with Liam and become friends, but for now I would rather not become too familiar with my opponent.”

He nodded and was prepared to leave the woman, when she suddenly held onto his arm. “Could you give this to Liam? It’s the name of my inn and the street that it is on so he can find me. I will need to get my rest apparently, but I look forward to talking to him again.”