Rogue Magician (The Magician Rebellion) (6 page)

“
Perhaps
we should start with the basics,” Sane suggested, “There are four disciplines
of magic: elemental, necromancy, manipulation, and enchantment. There are also
the healing arts, but that is not considered true magic so much as a gift from
the goddess and is only wielded by her chosen priests.

“
I
am sure you are already familiar with healing as is your horse.” Emma snorted
as if to answer. “That is right, precious,” the sorcerer patted the horse on
the nose to which she roughly nuzzled his hand happy for the attention. “In
addition to the well known restorative ability it can also extend one's life to
a small degree or increase fertility. The drawback of course is that healing is
not in the realm of magicians so it does us little good. It also requires great
concentration and focus meaning that it has limited use in combat although
healers can often be found on the fringes of large battles, in camps to help
with the wounded.

“
Elemental
magic allows the magician to cast destructive spells using the elements. With
elemental magic you can throw balls of flame or shards of ice, summon the wind
and water, and move the very earth under your feet. It is the most direct and
least subtle of all magics and is considered to be the most warrior-like of the
disciplines.

“
Necromancy
sounds scarier than it really is. Some view it as evil or a desecration because
of the ability to raise armies of the undead. That is one use, but there are
many other uses of necromancy that the average person knows nothing about.
Necromancy can allow you to speak with those across the void and summon spirits
to aid you. That includes those that have passed on as well as the gods
themselves if you have the power and inclination.

“
However,
if you ever do speak with a god you must be sure not to anger him or her. You
and I are like cockroaches to them and except for Ashura they have little
qualms about crushing us under their heels if we get on their bad sides.”

“
Are
you serious?” Byrn asked unbelieving, but Sane ignored him and continued on
with his primer on magic.

“
Manipulation
allows the caster to
manipulate
the human body and the
world around him in a variety of ways. He can create a shield around himself to
deflect attacks as you did with the ogre or move objects from a distance. I
even knew one magician who could turn invisible by making his skin and clothing
transparent. However, that is obviously an advanced skill and one that has been
largely lost over time. There are many more applications of manipulation and it
is one of the most versatile schools of magic.

“
Last
is enchantment. In a way enchantment is the discipline that brings the others
together. Alone enchantment can bend the minds of men... or beasts like the
ogre, but combined with the other schools enchantments can be placed on items.
Enchanters could make a sword that ignites into flames at will, a ring that
turns one invisible, or bind pure magic to a grimoire or staff enhancing a
magician's spell casting ability. Of course the enchanter must be skilled
enough in the other art to enchant the essence of a spell to an item and most
magicians are careful about making magical objects since they can be used by
anyone and could be used against the magician as well.”

“
So
a magician who can turn invisible would not be likely to make a ring that could
do the same thing, because there would be no benefit to him unless he was to
sell it,” Byrn suggested.

“
Just
so,” agreed Sane, “In addition the enchantments will fade with usage and would
need to be reapplied by the same magician or another with similar skill. There
is great demand amongst those with the knowledge and money for such items, but
most magicians are unwilling to expose themselves to make such things.”

They
arrived at the Winged Boot not long after Sane finished his lecture. Marian ran
outside grabbing Byrn and hugging him tightly.

“
Are
you alright?” she gasped. “Nanny Regald, that chattering hen, told me you were
fighting an ogre. I thought she was just spreading gossip, but Anti from the
leather shop said he saw the whole thing-”

“
I
am unharmed if somewhat... overwhelmed,” Byrn shot a sidelong glance to the
sorcerer. “Old Emma took the worst of it. That ogre broke her right hind leg,
but she is going to be fine. Healer Chaste was able to restore her although she
will need some rest for a week or so.” Byrn silently wondered what he should
say to his parents. He questioningly looked to Sane as if to ask what should he
say?

Sane
shook his head. They would undoubtedly need to be told of their son's fate, but
now was not the time...or maybe it was and Sane did not know what to say. When
he was a boy the Kenzai came to his home. It was a traumatic experience as they
held his father pinned to a wall with a knife at his throat and Sane was forced
to flee before being caught. He found out later that his parents were not
harmed and a stipend of fifty gold coins was eventually paid for him to keep
them quiet on the whole affair. The Kenzai could be single minded when it came
to magicians, but they served the greater good and after spending some time in
their company Sane learned that most of them would not kill someone if they did
not have to.

“
He
is indeed a brave lad,” the sorcerer told Marian thinking quickly, “in fact I
have decided to purchase his services for the rest of the day. I am in need of
someone to run some errands for me and Byrn seems like the right lad for the
job.”

Sane
realized there was truth in his words although he did not intend it to be so.
If this were more than just some random encounter the wisest course of action
would be to assemble a team of hunters and trackers. While Sane was locating a
tracker his new apprentice could be requisitioning a group of hunters. After
all he already had an in with the local knight-captain and helping slay an ogre
in the middle of the city tended to be the kind of event that would increase
one's popularity with soldiers and citizens alike.

“
We
had better be off. There is much to be done,” said Sane. Handing the reins to
Marian he asked if she could stable the horse and she did, but not before
giving Byrn a strong hug and reminding him to use his best manners around the
“priest.”

“
I
had not thought about what it would mean to leave my family when I agreed to be
your apprentice,” Byrn admitted once he was sure they were out of earshot. “I
knew it would be hard, but I failed to fully understand until I saw my
mother...”

“
You
will see them again. As my apprentice I can promise a certain degree of freedom
to do as you please when we are not in training or serving the kingdom,” the
sorcerer told him hoping to convey to his companion that his life was not
ending.

“
Why
did you make me your apprentice?” asked Byrn. “I don’t mean to sound…
ungrateful, but surely I am not the first young…
student
you have come across.”

Sane
thought for a moment and then decided to tell him the truth or at least some of
it. He would find out eventually anyway. “I offered you an apprenticeship not
only because you have strong magical talent, but because I feel indebted to
you. Everything has happened so quickly you may not have realized yet that I
knew something was going to happen at that inn and I put you there to prevent
it.”

“
Why
would you do that to me?” asked Byrn sudden anger swelled up again in his
voice. “Why not face the ogre yourself?”

“
I
did not want to reveal myself if there is an enchanter behind this attack. I
found out about you and knew that if I could get you involved it would alter
the course of events that I foresaw and it worked.

“
You
think that it was Kellen who saved your life. When in reality it was you that
saved him.”

The
castle's main hall was tall and spacious. Life-size statues of former kings
were carved into the stone walls at regular intervals. King Marcum Aurel, who
united the continent's warlords under him and formed the kingdom of Aurelia,
sat atop a horse with his sword raised high in calling a charge. King Fantyn
Aurel, the only magician king in Aurelia’s history, held a staff in one hand
and a sword in the other signifying the balance of being a warrior and a
magician. King Lear Aurel's statue depicted him staring skyward with his arm
outstretched as if he were looking to the gods. And so on for six more Aurelian
kings each one considered great in some way. King Kale Aurel still being alive
did not yet have the honor of a statue in the main hall, but hoped that would
be rectified in the distant future since tradition dictated that a statue could
only be erected at least twelve years after a king's death. Sane imagined King
Kale's statue would be standing up straight. His arms would be crossed as he
looked down on the courtiers in the hall. He was not the kind of man who minced
words or would suffer foolishness from those around him.

The
hall was filled with lesser nobles and members of the king's court hurrying
around on important business and even more important rumormongering. It
reminded Sane of the bustle in the markets when he was a boy, but the outfits were
much fancier and there was much more bowing and pretty words. However, the
people could be just as cutthroat, if not more so, when the opportunity arose.
Sane learned early in life that people who possessed power always wanted more
whether it was a merchant looking to expand his fortune or a nobleman looking
to expand his influence.

Sane
entered the hall ahead of the various nobles and dignitaries that had been
waiting for an audience with the king. One of the dignitaries started to
complain, but his companion cautioned him to hold his tongue. “Do you not know
who that man is?” his fellow noble hissed. “It is the king's sorcerer: Sane.
Tread carefully or he will turn you into a toad.” Sane smiled despite himself
at the thought. Great though his powers may be transmogrification was not one
of them.

The
king wore a regal red cape with flecks of gold and a white trim. Underneath he
wore a purple tabard and stockings as was appropriate for his station. His
crown was gold with a single ruby cut in the shape of a diamond on the front.
The crown was passed down from one king to the next indicating its humble
beginnings with the first king, King Marcum.

“
Greetings,
Sane. How fares Knight-Captain Kellen?”

“
He
is well and good. I did not involve myself directly, but insured that the
problem would be dealt with. In my vision Kellen faced an ogre in single combat
and perished, but with the help of an undiscovered magician, an apprentice
courier by the name of Byrn Lightfoot, he was able to defeat it with only minor
injuries.

“
All
in all it was a very favorable outcome. What is even more interesting is the
young man also used his innate power to construct a barrier. Even now he does
not understand how he did it, but he seems to accept that he has this gift and
I have offered to make him my apprentice,” he added, “with your permission, of
course.”

“
He
must be something special to warrant such an invitation. I know you have
considered taking an apprentice for some time.”

“
He
will be,” said Sane, “but it is more than that. I feel I owe him a debt for
aiding Kellen,” Sane recalled the image of Byrn fighting the ogre, “He is brave
if somewhat brash just like someone else I knew long ago. This is just the kind
of person the court will need when I am too old to carry on.”

King
Kale thought on it for a moment and nodded in agreement, “I look forward to
meeting your new apprentice.”

“
Thank
you, my lord,” Sane bowed. “If it pleases your highness I was planning to form
a hunting party to search for the person who was responsible for the attack.
Earlier your highness suggested that a rogue magician could be behind it and I
would like to pursue the possibility.”

King
Kale looked at the sorcerer in that way he had. He looked questioning, but
stern as if to warn his query to answer carefully and correctly like whatever
answer he give would be picked apart like a carrion bird cleaning a corpse. “So
you now believe that this was done by magic. What changed your mind?”

“
I
said earlier that were no signs of magic in my vision, but it could not be
ruled out,” Sane began. If he somehow admitted a misjudgment, then he would
open himself up to more questioning and King Kale had a way of making even
innocent men feel guilty under his intense stare. “I still have no proof one
way or the other, but with your permission I'd like to assemble a small team to
check it out.”

“
Yes,
of course. If there is a chance that this was the work of a rogue magician,
then we must ferret out the malcontent. Who were you thinking of taking?” asked
the king.

“
My
apprentice is requisitioning some Kenzai hunters as we speak and I was thinking
of the ranger, Sari, for general tracking.” At the mention of the elf's name
King Kale's normally stern expression revealed the smallest hint of a smirk.

***

“
I
need to see the knight-captain!” Byrn yelled at the guardsman as he finally
lost his temper. The courier-turned-magician's apprentice spent the last ten
minutes arguing with the man outside the guardsmen's keep who steadfastly
refused to let him in the main gate.