SORCERER (The Elemental Magic Series Book 1) (4 page)

Who would he go to for advice? Sure he knew how to be decent and polite, even to a stranger. But he didn’t know anyone in Kingston.

Chapter 4

"Hey piss pot!"

Alec looked up quickly. Great, just what he needed, Greg and Jason, the two guys who had been giving him a hard time over the last year, were standing in front of him. The most they ever did was knocking him down or the occasional beating without leaving any visible marks on him, not that he would rat them out. Besides whom would he tell? However things had escalated about six weeks ago when he was sure they’d cracked a rib. That incident had led Alec to ask Ralph for help in the form of how to defend himself.

"Come on guys give me a break, it's my birthday and I'm leaving in a week. You'll never have to see me again." Alec stood knowing if he were on the ground they would just kick him.

"But you’re our favorite runt." Greg said with a sneer.

"Yah, besides we haven't given you our gift or our going away present yet," agreed Jason with a sneer.

Alec looked around quickly. No one around and they were far enough into the wooded portion of the park that nobody would hear him either. He doubted he could make it two hundred yards to the clearing that was the town square area of the park and safety.

When he looked back the only thing he saw was Jason's fist headed for his eye. Things went from bad to worse when Alec started to fight back. He jabbed his fist out to hit the spots Ralph had shown him. Jason went down gasping when he was struck in the kidneys and up under the ribs. Things might have gone alright but whereas Jason was three years older and only a head taller, Greg was a good head and a half with the muscle from working in the tannery with his father George. When Jason went down gasping Greg swung in fist flying and Alec felt like a horse had kicked him. With Alec down on the ground and Jason standing again they took turns kicking Alec, in the ribs, the back and shoulders, anywhere they could.

Alec stayed curled up with his arms covering his head and face to protect them as they worked their way around him. He never noticed the jewel his Aunt had given him was glowing a solid blue color. Alec just hoped that eventually Greg and Jason would grow tired of their game.

Alec was left lying on the ground moaning in pain till he passed out from a well-placed kick.

It was starting to get dark when Alec opened his eye, the other one was swollen shut. He rolled to his back feeling at least two broken ribs rub against each other and numerous abrasions on his back and shoulders. He lay there gasping through clenched teeth trying not to black out while looking up at the canopy of the trees. A few birds flitted from tree to tree and a squirrel was watching him intently from far above.

After a few minutes he could faintly hear his name being called in the distance but the voices were getting softer as time went on.

Please Lord Marcus I need help. Please send them over here. Alec prayed silently to the god of nature and healing. He didn't pray often but when he did it was to either lord Marcus the god of nature and growing things or the goddess Lady Jessica who ruled over anyone not an adult, sometimes called the goddess of mischief.

His only response was the sound of the birds singing to one another and wind rustling through the leaves overhead. Alec tried to sit up but with his left arm and his left ankle were both bent at an unusual angles, he was pretty sure they were broken. With longer and longer periods of rest and breathing through clenched teeth, he managed a seated position with his back to a small tree and stared back at the squirrel as it ate a nut. Alec sat there for what felt like an eternity trying to catch his breath and staring back at the squirrel till he heard the voices of Mr. Phillips and Jake.

"Where was he when you left him with Sarah? You need to remember which tree they were at!"

"It was in this area, sir. That old oak is our favorite one to sit under," was Jake’s reply.

Alec raised his right arm in a slow wave as they came in to view through the fading light. They both saw the arm and ran over to him. Jake accidentally knocked him over in his haste, and lights flashed before Alec’s eyes as he passed out again.

When Alec woke he was laying on a hard cot in what looked like Father Thomas's room at the Temple. He could see from the one eye that it was light out. Karen was seated right next to him having a very heated conversation with Mr. Phillips and Father Thomas looking like he wanted to bolt from the room. It was Father Thomas who noticed he was awake.

"Quiet you two, the boy's awake." The priest said to Aunt Karen and Mr. Phillips with a voice suddenly full of authority. Karen turned to hug him but saw his grimace.

"Now that his aura is beginning to restore itself I can ask for Lord Marcus's blessing, so you'll need to wait out in the hall," he told them.

"No! We need to find who did this to him!" Karen said with a vengeance.

"He'll be fine in a bit, and then he can answer all our questions. Father Marcus is very good at healing," Mr. Phillips told her.

"I know James! Alright, Alec, we'll be back in a bit." She said softly.

As they left Father Marcus sat beside the cot. "This won't hurt at all and you shouldn't feel a thing." He reassured Alec.

Father Marcus started his prayer as Alec lay there with his eyes closed. Suddenly he was enveloped in encompassing warmth followed by a tingling sensation, like when you've slept on your arm and it's trying to wake up then like he’d just got out of the bath. The feeling spread from his left leg, surrounded his chest, spread across his face and covered his left arm. As quick as it had come it was gone. Alec opened his eyes surprised he could open both. There was nothing but a shadow of the pain left in his arm, leg and ribs. A sense of relief came over him.

"Thank you so much Father Marcus that felt great," said Alec.

"Did you feel something, son?" The father asked in surprise.

"Yah, it was almost like taking a hot bath after being sweaty dirty all day." Alec explained.

"I've never heard it explained like that before." He said with a smile. I'll have to send a message to the Father Brandon the head of temples and to Master James at the academy. Father Marcus thought. The boy definitely has the gift. I wonder if I can test him before Karen and James come back in. The knock at the door was his answer to his unspoken question and he knew neither of them would let him do the test. Most were at least somewhat scared of magic. Knowing he would get nowhere with them he answered the door to let them in.

"Is he OK now Father? Karen asked as she looked at Alec.

"Yes, he's fine. You can remove the splints and wraps but he still needs to be careful the next couple days, after that he'll be able to get into as much trouble as any other boy," said Father Marcus before leaving the room.

"Alec, James is going to write your testimony while I take off your bandages. You just start at the beginning and tell him what happened, no tales, got it."

"Yes Aunt Karen."

So Alec told of his fight with Greg and Jason. He left nothing out, the beating weeks ago and the lessons from Ralph.

"I'll take it from here Alec. I'm calling the town council to have them arrested and decide a fair punishment.” Mr. Phillips stated in an even voice as he got up and left the room.

"I'll take you back to your room so you can rest Alec." Karen told him.

Alec carefully sat up and stood with Karen’s help feeling a little light headed. Pulling his pants on he got them tied well enough. Feeling more than a little embarrassed as he let Karen help him dress.

Jake was waiting outside the temple as they came out and took his other arm.

"You looked pretty bad there for a while, Alec. Father Marcus did well by you." He said with a big smile.

"Yah, he did. Now I'm just exhausted."

Alec stood there at the top of the steps and looked down the street. Things seemed brighter and more alive. He could hear each bird singing clearly and even noted buzz of a bee as it flew past. Alec wrote it off to having been injured and headed down the steps with help.

"Well, you should have seen Mr. Phillips come out. He wasn't even down the steps when he started yelling for the other council members. I haven’t ever seen Mrs. Baker stand up and take orders from him like that. Soon as she spoke to him she was a busting down Master Smiths door."

Karen just ignored their conversation knowing they’d talk about things their own way.

Master Smith and Mrs. Baker, along with Mr. Phillips, made up the council, and Master Smith doubled as law keeper, most likely because of his size and strength. The three of them along with Greg and his father George Tanner and Jason with his father Bob Carlson came marching down the main road headed for the town square. Aunt Karen just nodded to James as they passed. Alec and Jake kept their eyes strait forward. It was embarrassing to everyone when someone was in trouble with the council. Karen turned the boys around to follow the group.

"Looks like James plans on holding the trial right now,” Karen told them.

After entering the town square they all went into the open sided building off to one side. There was only one wall set behind the small podium with the roof extending out in front of it a good thirty feet and supported by posts. Someone had already set a dozen chairs under the roof. Two chairs were off to the side of the podium and four chairs were facing them. A single chair was set off to the other side.
      
Everyone took their spots. Mr. Phillips stood on the podium with the other councilmen beside him. Greg and Jason were sat up front with their fathers beside them. Alec was motioned to the seat off to the side and Greg’s and Jason's mothers sat in the remaining chairs behind them with Karen and Jake. Anyone else watching would have to stand.

Alec watched people file in, most coming up and laying a hand on his shoulder in sympathy, having seen the condition he was in when he’d been found was his guess. Mrs. Taylor was right in the front row ready to take it all in and right next to her was Sarah Clark with her father Martin who ran the general store. Alec recognized most of them, especially the hands, and there was Ralph half way back and to the side. He looked like he was fit to be hitched to one of the plows in place of one of the horses. His arms were crossed and his lips made a tight strait line instead of his normal ready smile.

Mr. Phillips cleared his throat to get everyone to quiet down. He read the testimony he'd taken earlier stating at the end that by the grace of the god of nature, Lord Marcus, Alec had been restored to health. Many sent their own prayers of thanks skyward. After the crowd died down James asked Greg and Jason if they refuted the testimony.

They each gave their own versions of yesterday, stating that Alec had instigated things by throwing the first punch. A couple smacks to the back of the head by their respective fathers when it was obvious they were lying got them to tell most of the story in a reasonable light.

James turned to the other councilmen and had a brief hushed discussion with them. James then walked over to Alec and knelt down beside him as people in the crowd started talking again.

"If it had just been a black eye or a split lip we'd just let their fathers handle this since they’re still under their fathers roofs. But according to Father Marcus you could have died last night with the severity of your injuries.”

James took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "The council has set a punishment of ten lashes each and banishment from the community, unless you object."

"Do they really have to be banished?" Alec asked him. While on one hand Alec wanted to see them punished the thought of them having to live their lives apart from their families was abhorrent to him.

"I thought you might ask that, if they're not banished they will be put on a one year probation and given an extra five lashes. We'll not settle for any less." He warned Alec.

"OK sir, I understand."

James went to his podium and read the charges and verdict.

"For assault, you are found guilty. For attempted murder, you are found guilty. Both of you, Greg and Jason, will be given ten lashes. The council wants you banished from our community." James told the two men and their fathers in a flat even voice. At the mention of banishment Greg's mother fainted and those around her began to fan her. "However, on behalf of the injured party, the council has stayed its hand in regards to the banishment in the hope that you can still learn to be respectable members of our community. The sentence will now be fifteen lashes and one year probation. If the council hears of a single incident involving either one of you, you will be banished. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir." They both said.

"The lashes will be dispensed at sunrise here in the square. That will be all." Mr. Phillips announced.

Karen, Jake and Ralph stood around him ready to help him to his room so he could rest. Ralph practically lifted him off his feet. As people started to leave Bob and George, having sent Jason and Greg off somewhere, made their way over to Alec. Before they could get within five feet of him, Ralph slid in front of them with his arms crossed barring their way.

"You'll not be accosting the lad today gentlemen,” he told them in a voice that said there wouldn't be any argument.

"We're not planning to have harsh words with him Ralph, you know me better than that," said George Tanner.