SORCERER (The Elemental Magic Series Book 1) (18 page)

“I don’t know. I just got a messenger from the administrators building. We all take orders from someone.” Sargent Cartman told him.

Alec shook his hand again and led Christi outside and headed toward Master Stalle’s building.

“So I’m your girlfriend? I don’t remember hearing you ask me. Not that I’m objecting or anything.” She told him.

Alec stopped. He was fairly sure she wasn’t mad at him considering the way she’d smiled when he’d introduced her and it had just gotten bigger when he’d found out he wasn’t on guard duty any more.

“I thought since we were holding hands and kissing that it was pretty much a given.” He decided to have some fun to. “I guess you won’t need to go to Jake’s wedding if you’re not my girlfriend. I’ll have to send my aunt another letter I guess.” He let out a fake sigh.

Christi raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “Don’t you dare! You know I’m joking, right?” She asked him as she reached out to grab his hand.

“Does this mean we are dating?” Alec asked.

“It’s what I’ve been tell people, is that okay?”

Alec pulled her close and led her toward Tom’s. “It sounds good to me.” He told her.

They found Allen in the back room cleaning a sword.

“Hello Alec, Christi.” Allen greeted them and made a point of noticing their clasped hands.

Alec let go of Christi and pointed at him, “You had me taken off guard duty didn’t you?” He accused.

“Actually I just told Tom you were still pulling a rotation and he had your name removed but yes I did.”

“Why? I don’t mind doing my part. Why should I be any different?” Alec asked. He hoped he didn’t sound all bent out of shape even if he was somewhat.

Allen set his things down and led them down the hall to a sitting room. Tom was reclined back in a chair with his leg up.

“Alec wants to know why we pulled him from guard duty.” Allen told Tom as he took a seat.

“Anyone can walk the wall, Alec. The fact remains that you never should have been given a wall post to begin with and it should have been canceled like all the other magic users were. On top of that I’ve found out that you never should have been put in my class and that someone had you moved, most likely as a joke or so you’d fail. That joke is on them.” Tom smiled at him.

“If you hadn’t been born with magic I’d make you a full time student here but you were so I can only take you part time. Now I like the fact that you don’t act all entitled and such and am willing to do your share. That is why I’ve requested you be posted to a duty reflecting the rank you should have had, a Lieutenant. You’ll probably be notified of your new post within a couple days.” Tom told him.

“Thank you, sir. Er, Tom.”

“Is there anything else?” Tom asked.

Christi spoke up, “Yes, I’d like to know what you and Alec talked about this weekend and he won’t tell me.” She looked at Allen.

“That information is classified and you don’t hold high enough clearance. Very little of it had to do with you and none of it was bad, Christi.” Allen told her. “Now stop putting him in such a compromising position the only people who know what was said are him and me not even Tom knows.”

“Fine, I’ll leave him alone.” She said.

Chapter 18

The next week went by quickly with Alec’s early morning guard duty back by the enlisted school. He was in charge checking in the enlisted as they came to the academy proper for guard duty. Peter still tried to break his concentration every once in a while and they continued practicing the movement of their power within their own body. Sometimes it was hard and other times real easy. It became second nature for Alec to have his stave with him and he progressed along with Allen teaching him how to throw knives. He learned to do more jabs and kicks from Erik too in his after class. He still sucked at wrestling of any kind till Allen finally showed him how to break a hold.

On one of the fifth days after his lessons with Allen, Travis and his four buddies got the jump on him forcing him back behind the store again. Having manhandled him behind the store they made the mistake of letting go of his arms to give their little speech. Travis stayed back this time sending the others to rough him up. Alec blocked and struck back breaking one guy’s nose, leaving him crying on the ground. The other three punched at him as quick as they could, giving him no chance to block, so he settled for damaging them right back, remembering Tom's words to give as good as he got.

He saw an opportunity and took it, kicking sideways and down at the leg of the guy to his right. There was a pop and the guy dropped to the ground screaming. The other two jumped on him taking him to the ground and holding him in place as Travis decided to have some fun
too. They'd forgotten about his legs with only the two of them to hold his arms. When Travis came close, Alec drew back and kicked as hard as he could right into his groin. 

Travis doubled over with a high pitched grunt and fell to the ground in a fetal position. The guys holding Alec’s arms started beating him with their fists. They blacked one eye then broke his nose. Before they were done, one of them stood and stomped his right arm breaking it. The only thing keeping Alec conscious was the pain of feeling the two bones in his arm grate against each other.

Travis’s friends helped their other injured friends up and left leaving him on the ground holding his arm.

When Alec tried to get to his feet he blacked out from the added pain in his chest. Peter found him sprawled out on the ground a few hours later while out for a walk with Mistress Julie. She went off for help as Peter checked him over. He could barely understand what Peter was saying to him as his eyes went in and out of focus. A short time later Julie came back with four guys and a stretcher. Alec saw one of them was Bill and tried to raise his hand but passed out instead.

Alec woke in a strange room. He felt like he wanted to vomit. As his head slowly quit spinning and he opened his eyes and saw Christi crying beside the bed. He tried to say hi but it came out as a moan. Peter was arguing with James and two others at the foot of the bed and didn't hear him. Christi did though because she snapped at them and they stopped.

"Alec my boy we didn't know if you'd wake up again, son," Peter told him.

The two others pushed past Peter to get at his side and began moving their hands above him. One turned to Peter and asked if he had the stone with him. Peter handed over the stone he'd given Alec when he unlocked his power.

A gentle warmth settled over Alec staying at his head then moving down his chest and out to his arm.

"We'll try more when he's recovered some," they told Peter and left.

"We weren't sure you'd wake up. Can you talk now?" Peter asked handing him a glass of water.

They helped him sit up and told him to just sip.

"Thanks," he croaked at them. "How bad is it?"

"You've been out for almost two days since I found you. You've a concussion, broken nose, broken arm, three cracked ribs and numerous cuts. We got the swelling down in your head quickly but you were so out of it, the clerics didn't want to try any healing till you woke, even using your own power." Peter told him as James pulled over two more chairs.

"Why don't you tell us what happened. There will be a formal hearing of the council," James said as he sat at a small table with paper, ink and a quill. He seemed intent on getting Alec’s story.

Alec told his story of how Travis and his friends had jumped him. When he was done James turned to Peter and said it wasn't far off from what the other two had told him. The hearing would most likely be set for tomorrow morning at the administration building.

"The clerics will be back in after lunch. I think there are some others here to see you. I'll stop by and get you when it's time for the hearing tomorrow," Peter told him with a pat on his shoulder.

Peter and James left the room leaving the door ajar.

"Alec, this was because of me wasn't it?" Christi asked him. Her eyes were all puffy and her voice caught as she sniffed.

"No, it was because they can't see that they're not better than everyone else and are cowards," Master Stolle said for him from the door. Behind him were Allen and Erik.

"I heard you took out two, maybe three, judging by the way Travis was walking," Allen said with a smile as they took seats.

"How is he?" Tom asked Christi.

"I'm..." Alec started but was cut off.

"I asked her. People who are injured always down play their injuries," Tom said and looked to Christi.

"Well?"

"He has a concussion, broken nose, arm and some ribs, sir. The clerics will be in after lunch to finish."

"Alright, now I want as much as you can remember," Tom told Alec. "There were five of them, right? I want descriptions, height, build, hair color if you can names would be best!" he demanded.

Alec went on to tell everything he could about the attack. He answered questions that popped up from the three of them.

"You did well. You gave as good as you got, disabling one after the other till being overcome.” Tom smiled at him. “Rule two is now in effect," Tom told Allen and Erik getting up to leave.

"What's rule two, sir?" Alec asked.

"We take care of our own in my school, Alec. You take on one of us; you take on all of us. Let’s go men." The three of them marched out.

"I'd hate to be Travis and his buddies right now," Christi told him. "I'm really starting to like Master Stolle. He's not as bad as the rumors say."

"Don't let it get around. He likes his reputation as it is," Alec told her seriously.

Christi handed him two letters telling him they came yesterday while he was napping. She smiled as she said it so he'd know she was joking. She looked almost more excited for him to get mail than he was.

He opened the one from Karen and read through it. It was full of praise and included a bit of gossip. He handed it over to Christi knowing she seemed to love that stuff. He opened the second one, it was from Jake. It said his thanks and that his wedding was set for the third weekend of fall. J
ust five weeks away. 
Alec gave the letter to Christi who had been trying to read over his shoulder and saw her face light up as she read.

"This means you can meet my parents for the fall festival and go as my date for the dance." She seemed to have it all planned out.

She kissed him good bye and told him she'd be back later that evening. She was going to write her mother.

There was only one problem with her plan, Alec thought. I doubt nobles dance the same way we do at the farm. With Bill's entrance, Alec had an idea.

"Hi, Bill."

"Warrior sorcerer!” He paused and wrinkled his nose. “Gee that sounded better in my head, I'll have to come up with something better," he smiled as Alec laughed.

"Actually I've a problem that I hope you might be able to help with." Alec went on to explain the coming wedding and fall festival and dance as well as the fact that he'd never danced other than at the farm.

Once Bill stopped laughing and the nurse who’d peeked in left, Bill agreed to help him out. Alec’s lunch arrived shortly and Bill left to arrange things. The clerics came back when he was done eating with his left hand, which was more difficult than he would have thought.

They had him reach into his power but just hold it there. They laid their hands on his shoulders and pulled power from him then shaped it repairing his nose, arm and ribs. Alec watched from the inside the way they formed the repairs to his body.

It was more of a coating they applied over the injuries that seeped in and pulled things back how they were supposed to be without leaving a gap. By the time they were done, it felt like they'd used about a quarter of his power and told him it wasn't worth the effort when he asked about the cuts. They then left telling him to get some rest.

Alec lay back in the bed and tried to relax but couldn't with the thoughts of how they shaped his power to do what they needed. That and his lip hurt from being split and then eating the spicy potatoes.

Why not, I saw what they did h
e thought. I'll just try it on my lip. 
Alec
found his power and reached for it. He only needed a little bit.  He thought of how his lip normally looked and felt pushing those thoughts into the bit of power he'd separated inside him. Nothing happened so he tried mentally pushing that little bit up from his chest and
laid it over his lip. He could feel it start to tingle so he pushed his thoughts of how it should look and feel in to it. His lip pulled itself back together. It was hard keeping his thoughts there till it was done.

Someone started clapping. He opened his eyes to see Peter standing at the foot of his bed with a big smile on his face.

"Well done!" Peter told him. "Do you have feeling in it?"

Alec bit it softly then nodded.

"Well done indeed. Most healers won't seal skin unless they really need to because they don't know how it’s supposed to feel to the person who needs it. But one can do it to himself.” Peter leaned in close for a better look. “Not even a scar, nice. I was going to have you try it on a place less visible as a lesson tomorrow, but I'll have think of something else. I take it you paid attention to what the clerics were doing?"

Alec nodded. "It was hard at first moving it and harder to put the idea of how I wanted it into it."