Rogue Magician (The Magician Rebellion) (4 page)

The
three Lightfoots exited their home and went around the back to attend to the
immobile man. Tannys snapped his fingers in front of the priest’s eyes, but
there was no response.

“
Should
we get a healer?” asked Byrn.

Tannys
thought on it, “Perhaps you should. Go bring Healer Chaste or any other priest
you can find. They may know what is afflicting their brother.”

The
priest's hand darted out and grabbed Byrn by the wrist before he could follow
his father's instructions. The boy jumped in surprise at the unbelievably quick
movement.

“
No
need,” said the healer, “I was merely lost in thought as I am prone to do from
time to time. I am deeply sorry for any undue concern I may have caused.”

“
We
are just glad you are well,” Marian offered politely, “but why are you standing
outside our window.”

The
sorcerer noticed the sign of the door when he first arrived and guessed them to
be messengers. “My name is Sane and I wonder if this young man could make a
delivery for me?” Sane said to Byrn. He reached into his robe and pulled out an
old book. It was a brown leather-bound book with a tree and root design on the
cover not unlike the one on his robe. He handed it to the young courier. “Can
you take this to the innkeeper at the Sleepy Crow? I can pay you ten silvers
for the task.”

“
Ten
silvers to take
this
book halfway across the
city?” said Byrn clearly perplexed as he hefted the thing with one hand. Such a
short trip would typically only cost five silvers and then only if the delivery
was of the utmost urgency.

Sane
smiled at him, “Well it is a very special book called a grimoire.” Seeing no
comprehension on the couriers' faces, he explained, “It is a book used by...
priests to perform healing arts and is considered quite valuable.” To Tannys he
said, “I guess you haven't taught him how to negotiate a price yet.”

Marian
laughed and Tannys merely smirked when he said, “Sometimes his business sense
is outweighed by his good nature.”

“
There
are worse problems for a boy to have,” Sane said. “Still it is good to know
that I am putting this task in trustworthy hands.”

Byrn
fetched his horse from the stables and after securing the book in his pouch
left for The Sleepy Crow a minute later. He didn't understand what was so
important about this delivery, but for ten silvers he dared not tarry. He rode
through the streets swiftly, but cautiously as his master taught him navigating
streets and alleys with the easy knowledge that comes from growing up in the
city. He rode past the Flying Hammer and Anti's Leathers where the shops were
just opening for the day. Anti hung leathers in his window and the smith's wife
was setting the fire in the forge of The Flying Hammer. Rumor had it the shop
was named for how the smith and his wife met many years earlier at a winter
celebration when the drunken blacksmith got too forward with the, then, young
lady.

Fifteen
minutes later Byrn reached The Sleepy Crow located on the city's western edge
of the trading district. The inn usually had a steady stream of patrons, being
located at the entrance to the city made it convenient for those coming in as
well as those interested in leaving in a hurry making it a hub for merchants
and rogues alike. This day appeared to be no different as the street outside
the inn was already bustling with traders loading their wares into wagons and
forming caravans. Bodyguards and merchants looked on as teamsters loaded their
wagons.

Byrn
arrived just in time to hear the warning horn sounding. The long low wale
indicated a threat directing the citizenry located outside the walls, which was
most of the populace, to stay indoors or seek cover. Teamsters, traders, and
bodyguards alike converged on the inn seeking shelter from whatever was about to
happen creating a bottleneck at the door.

“
Inside!
Inside Now!” yelled Jessec, the innkeeper, motioning to Byrn who was just
arriving to come into the Sleepy Crow. Jessec was a cautious man and although
he didn't know what threat was coming he knew enough not to take unnecessary
risks.

His
training as a horseman would not allow Byrn to abandon his mount, Emma. His
father taught him that a skilled courier valued the health and welfare of his
horse more than his own. A healthy horse could carry a weak rider very far even
long after the rider had given into fatigue. Byrn rode Emma to the Sleepy
Crow's stables across from the inn before barely taking a moment to secure her
in a stall before running back to the inn.

The
sun blinded him for a moment as he exited the barn in his haste. It was only a
second before his eyes adjusted and he could see the bulky outline of something
large heading toward him with the sun at its back. As it quickly grew closer
Byrn became aware that it was an ogre heading toward him. He stood like a deer
caught in the sway of a lantern's light, transfixed on the thing in front of
him to the exclusion of everything else. The ogre stood nearly eight feet tall
and its skin was a sickly looking grayish-green. Its eyes were pure black like
those of a demon sunken back in its skull and its nose was a nondescript bump
with nostrils making for a decidedly inhuman visage. In its massive fist it
held a large tree branch that it brandished like a club.

The
ogre swung its club once it was within reach of the boy and its massive weapon
smashed into the ground at Byrn's feet just as the courier’s survival instincts
kicked in and he leapt backwards. The force of the blow was enough to shake the
ground and knock Byrn off his feet. He scrambled on his hands and knees back
into the stable as the ogre readied its tree club for another swing. Once in
the stable Byrn got to his feet and hurriedly unlatched Emma's stall door and
climbed on her still saddled back.

The
ogre hunched over to fit into the stable and catch his prey only to see it ride
out the doors on the other side. Enraged the ogre ran through the barn after
the boy hitting its head and denting the top of the doorframe as it exited. The
beast was stunned for a moment, but would not be denied. Its anger at the
momentary setback only served to fuel its rage, focusing it on the young man
galloping away.

As
Byrn fled his pursuer, he wished uselessly that he had brought his sword... or
a bow... or even a rock... Mere minutes had passed since the alarm sounded and
already the streets were nearly empty. Byrn was thankful for this since it
allowed him to ride at full speed and outpace the ogre. Quickly he began to
formulate a plan as he increased the distance, but failed to convince the ogre
to end its pursuit. He led the beast deeper into the city heading toward the
market district. Although the main guard station was at the opposite end of the
city there were smaller stations established throughout Colum and the one in
the market district was the largest to keep the petty thieves from overrunning
the markets, and there was no shortage of weapons dealers either who might be
willing to lend a blade to any willing to face the brute and protect their own
shops in the process.

The
ogre yelled its rage renewing the charge as Byrn kept widening the gap leading
the ogre through the streets. The big beast smashed into carts and homes as he
chased the young rider losing ground. Grabbing a cart as it ran the ogre flung
it at its query barely missing the young man's head.

The
saddlebag thumped against the horse's side in rhythm with her gallop. Byrn felt
very aware of the bag with Sane's book in it. It almost seemed as if it was
calling to him offering him strength and guidance. Byrn pushed the strange
thought aside to focus on the more pressing matter of the gargantuan beast
barreling down on him.

The
galloping horse was faster in the wide-open streets, but the ogre could take
sharp turns faster and had more endurance than the aging Emma. The ogre was now
closing the distance and was about to catch Byrn before he could reach the
guard station. The ogre tried to swat Byrn with its club, but lost ground when
it tried to swing with any force. After a second failed swing the ogre switched
its target to the horse. Instead of trying to knock Byrn off of Emma the ogre
swung low and took the horse's hind legs out from underneath her sending both
the rider and animal tumbling one over the other.

When
they were done falling over each other Emma laid atop Byrn with a hind leg
broken. Luckily, Byrn was unharmed except for a few minor scrapes and bruises.
Perhaps somewhat less fortunate was the fact that Byrn was pinned under the
injured animal and a mighty ogre was standing over him. Its lungs heaved in
exhaustion while a sick grin graced its lips as it looked down upon its
defenseless prey. Ogres were not known for their intelligence, but Byrn would
later swear that the monster was gloating. The ogre raised its tree club high
into the sky pointing upward grabbing it tightly with both hands. Byrn knew if
the blow connected and there was no reason to think that it would not, he would
be dead.

At least it will be quick
, he thought.

The
blow came down and Byrn couldn't help closing his eyes and turning away, but
the deathblow never came. Byrn looked up to see a man dressed in full plate
armor standing between him and the snarling ogre. Byrn briefly wondered if this
was the war god, Vailon, with his shining armor in the mid-morning sun come to
save him. The shining man stood between Byrn and the ogre holding his warhammer
with one hand on the butt and the other by the head parallel to the ogre's club
that was now at the ogre's side after the knight had deflected the killing
strike.

“
Can
you get free, lad?” the knight grunted readying his war-hammer for the ogre's
next attack. He did not wait for an answer as the ogre swung horizontally at
the knight barely missing his head as the warrior ducked. The monster
overextended its swing missing its target and leaving itself open for
retaliation. The shining knight rammed his hammer into the monster's ribcage
pushing it back and giving him enough room for a follow up strike to the ogre's
kneecap hoping to knock it off balance or break its knee outright.

Pushing
and lifting his horse ever so slightly, Byrn was able to pull free his trapped
leg. He could see more guards coming in the distance, but they were on foot and
would not arrive in time to stop the ogre if it got the upper hand against the
gleaming knight. Byrn found that he had circled back and was near The Flying
Hammer for the second time that morning. Uma, the smith's wife, hollered for
Byrn and tossed him a simple, but well made sword that he deftly caught by the
hilt.

Locked
in combat with the fully armored warrior, the ogre paid Byrn no mind allowing
him to circle behind it and deliver a deep stab to its back. The beast howled
in anger spinning to face Byrn as he pulled the blade free. Seizing the
opportunity the knight, now at the beast’s back, hit the wound Byrn inflicted
causing a new wave of pain coursing throughout its body driving it to the
ground. It rolled to one side so that it could face both attackers at the same
time and protect its bleeding wound like an injured animal.

Gripping
its club the ogre swung widely, knocking Byrn to the ground and leaving him
momentarily dazed, but merely pushing the armored warrior a few steps back. The
ogre got back on his feet and seeing that Byrn was now at a disadvantage it
went after him. The knight tried to close the distance between them, but he was
too late. Byrn's vision was filled with bright stars, but he could see enough
to understand that the ogre's club was coming down squarely on him. He raised
his hands and wished for a shield to deflect the killing blow before
involuntarily closing his eyes.

The
knight could hardly believe what he saw. A red mist was swirling around the boy
and the ogre. The club seemed to come down onto the lad and then it bounced off
of... nothing.

A
magician.

Although
he was momentarily surprised the knight regained his wits and delivered a
devastating blow to the monster's side with such strength that he lifted the
beast off the ground to land hard on its side. His next swing came in low and
arched high catching the ogre's chin breaking its jaw and snapping its head back
like a rag doll. To the beast's credit it survived a blow that would have
killed most other creatures, but it was defeated and would not rise again.
Lifting his weapon over his head the shining knight said, “You fought well,
ogre,” and brought the warhammer down on its skull with an audible smack caving
it in and ending the massive monster's life.

With
danger averted the knight went to one knee from sheer exhaustion. He looked to
Byrn, “Are you alright, son?”

“
Yes,
sir knight, amazingly I am.” Byrn patted himself down as if to verify that he
survived unscathed.

“
Please
call me Kellen. I tend to be on a first name basis with anyone brave enough to
fight an ogre.”

Byrn
stared in disbelief once he recognized the man. He should not have been
surprised that the shining knight was none other than Knight-Captain Kellen. In
addition to being a military strategist and the captain of the city guard he
was as fine a warrior, as the city had ever known. He was a shining example,
quite literally, of what a knight and champion should be.

“
And
you are?” Kellen gently prodded.