Stranded Mage (6 page)

“Can you do anything?” Thad asked his staff as he looked at the three remaining ballistae.

I have enough stored energy to throw a few strong blasts but it will be hard to hit something at that distance.

Thad knew it wasn’t perfect but he had little else to depend on. Leveling his staff, Thad let loose a barrage of magical bolts, two of them hitting their intended target. “Only one more to go,” Thad told himself.

A loud course of high pitched sound filled the air as both the Rose Runner and the Brotherhood let loose a torrent of bolts at each other. Thad hastily put up a shield, but he was too late for most of the sailors as more than a dozen fell to the deck either dead or wounded.

Thad’s anger flared and he pulled in every bit of magical energy he could handle. He didn’t care what kind of energy it was he simply pulled it in until his chest burned and his head pounded from the strain. He could hear his staff’s warnings that he was pushing himself too far but he didn’t care.

A loud twang rang through the air as the last remaining ballista shot its massive bolt. Thad didn’t have the time to push the blot aside, so he was forced to watch helplessly as it slammed into the side of the Rose Runner, tearing a massive hole in the ship slightly above the water line.

His anger elevated even more, Thad put everything into one massive ball of magical energy. The sheer amount of force behind his attack startled him. The ball of energy was a third the size of the Rose Runner and it moved with incredible speed. It hit the Brotherhood’s ship just below the deck blasting a large section of the ship apart, tossing wood and soldiers into the air like dry leaves in the wind.

Thad soon found himself kneeling on the deck. He tried to rise to his feet but he found no strength in his limbs.
Tried to warn you, but you wouldn’t even open your mind enough to hear my words.

Thad knew his staff was right but he let his emotions get the better of him in the heat of the battle. He had seen more than his share of bloodshed but it had been one of the few times he had seen people he had come to call friends die before his eyes. It was something he knew he could never get used to, as well as something he never wished to see again.

Once again anger welled up within him, making his blood run hot in his veins. How dare the Brotherhood hunt him like a common criminal, kill his friends and slaughter countless other innocents. Thad had an urge to hunt down and kill every person who wore the fox upon his body, but his hate quickly dissipated. He was only one man and a life filled with hate and killing would make him no better than the Brotherhood. No, he didn’t need to hunt the Brotherhood they would come to him, what he needed to do was to build a place where mages and those of the magical races could be safe.

Using his staff, Thad pulled himself to his feet using it to steady himself. “That had one hell of a kick Young Master. Think you can do it again?” The captain asked, as she put her arm under Thad’s shoulder helping support his weight.

Thad shook his head, the small movement sending small shockwaves of pain though his body. “No, I don’t think so. I put a little too much strength into that last attack. Honestly I don’t think I will be able to use much magic for a few days.”

“Well I guess once was better than…” The captain’s voice was cut off as another bolt from the remaining ballista tore into the ship. The Rose Runner jolted to the side sending Thad sprawling onto the deck.

Thad rose unsteadily to his feet leaning heavily on his staff for support. Thad quickly scanned his surroundings. Almost a third of the sailors were down and the Rose Runner was sinking fast. The Brotherhood wasn’t faring any better but that did little to console him when he looked at the death that surrounded him.

“Are you injured?” Brianna asked, suddenly appearing at his side.

“I’m fine, how is everyone else faring?” Thad’s words came hard as he fought off the closing darkness that crept in on the edges of his vision.

“Everyone is alive, though Crusher did take a bolt ta tha shoulder.”

Placing his hand on Brianna’s shoulder to steady himself, Thad breathed out a sigh of relief. A brown blur flashed toward his chest making Thad flinch. The bolt raced toward his chest, only to be turned aside by his enchanted leather armor. Thad nearly laughed at his own actions then he turned to Brianna and time seemed to stand still.

“Noooooooooo,” Thad cried, trying to catch Brianna as she fell forward. Thad’s hands went directly to the bolt his armor had deflected, it now sticking firmly into the side of her neck. His own legs unsteady, Thad collapsed with Brianna’s head settling into his lap.

Frantically, Thad tried to pull in magical energy and force it to heal Brianna’s wound but it would not heed his call, all he received for his efforts was an increase in the pounding in his head. Tears streamed freely from Thad’s eyes as he looked into Brianna’s smiling face. She tried to speak but all that came out of her mouth was a stream of gurgles along with a large amount of blood.

“Don’t talk,” Thad said as he gently ran his thumb over her pale lips to wipe away the blood.

“Help her,” Thad pleaded to his staff.

There is nothing I can do. The wound is too deep and your stunt earlier has exhausted me as well.

Thad wanted to argue but he could feel the sadness emanating from the staff. It was as troubled about Brianna’s impending death as he was. Thad reached down and took Brianna’s hand in his own, running his thumb over the ring he had given her. “I love you,” they were the only words that came to mind, and he knew they were true. He had fought with that word for so long.

Another ballista bolt came in aimed straight for his chest. It moved incredibly fast but to Thad it was as if it moved in slow motion. He felt no need to try and block it or to reinforce his shield. When it struck, his armor’s enchantment kept the bolt from piercing his skin but Thad was still thrown back with great force.

Thad cared little that his body was wracked with pain, or that the taste of blood filled his mouth. All Thad cared about was that he didn’t let go of Brianna’s hand.

The water felt cold as it rushed over him, his weight quickly pulling him and Brianna down beneath the surface. Thad kicked his feet hard pulling himself out of the water’s cold deathly grip.

Bursting from the water’s embrace Thad grabbed onto a large piece of wood that had been blown off one of the ships. With what little remained of his strength Thad pulled Brianna onto the makeshift raft.

Thad looked up at the two sinking ships that now seemed worlds away. He briefly wondered how Crusher and the others were doing then he turned his attention back to Brianna. She looked so peaceful, as if she were sleeping. Thad brushed her wet hair out of her face. Her skin was cold to the touch. Thad lifted up Brianna’s hand and removed the ring he had given her, placing it on his own hand. He knew she was no longer among the living, and no amount of power would change that but still he couldn’t make himself let go of her icy hand.

The darkness once again teased at the edge of his vision but this time Thad didn’t fight against it. He was tired, so tired. His overuse of magic had left him weak and the blow from the ballista had left his chest hurting, making breathing a chore. Thad’s head bobbed a few times then he was engulfed by the darkness.

Thad never felt himself let go of Brianna’s hand, nor fall from the makeshift raft. He couldn’t feel the cold grip of the waters as they pulled him under.

When Thad opened his eyes he found himself in unfamiliar surroundings. Thad raised his right hand and inspected the ring that now adorned his finger. As he looked at the silver twisted vines he was filled with a great sadness as well a torrent of anger.

Thad had been mad before but this was the first time he felt such a burning within his chest. He could feel the heat rising to his face, and Thad caught himself clenching his fist so tight his nails dug into the palm of his hand. Thad tried to push down his anger but no matter how he tried a small portion of it stayed, burning like a fire in his chest.

Thad sat up on the large bed and surveyed his surroundings. The room reminded Thad of one of the palaces servant rooms. It was sparse but still had a feel of luxury about it.

“Finally awake young man?” A light musical voice said from Thad’s right.

Thad turned to face his visitor, and nearly jumped back in shock. Ever since he had met with the dwarves Thad had researched the other magical races though he had to sift through myth and truth. The dwarves knew much about their brethren but were reluctant to share any information about the other magical races, even to a mage who they considered a friend. Even with his limited knowledge, Thad could easily tell the man in front of him was an elf. Over seven feet tall, bright emerald eyes, flowing sliver hair, and light golden skin, the only thing that was missing was the pointy ears.

“Where am I?” The question stumbled out of his mouth awkwardly.

“You are in Tremeir,” the elf said blandly. “Now that you are awake the master has requested an audience with you.” The elf gave Thad no chance to respond, he simply turned and left the room.

With little choice Thad followed the elf through the winding halls. Along the way Thad noticed a few other elves, they all looked as handsomely elegant as the one he followed but what grabbed Thad’s attention was the way they behaved. Being raised to be a slave Thad could easily recognize servants when he saw them. The lowered head, blank visage, all the sings were there. Just who was the master that they had subjected and degraded the elves to a position of servitude?

The anger that still burned in Thad’s chest began to rise again. His hand went for where his sword should have been, but he found nothing. Thad didn’t know where his weapon might be and he lamented its loss. Countless fortnights had been spent on crafting the sword. It had served him well, even for the short time it had been in his care.

Thad reached out with his mind and found that though the connection with his staff was faint it was still there. He knew that should he call his staff would be there no matter how far away it may lay. Even if it now rested on the bottom of the deep sea it would heed his call. That one thought comforted him as he marched blindly to meet with a person he already had a great distaste for.

Thad was led into a decent sized open chamber that resembled one of the Farlan Palace’s smaller audience rooms meant for the more inauspicious meetings.

Inside the chamber sitting in an elegant looking chair carved to look like a tree sat an elf. Unlike the others Thad had seen his hair seemed to have more luster, his eyes seemed to shine brighter, and most noticeably his ears came to a slight point.

“You called for me?” Thad asked, trying his best to keep his voice polite. He hadn’t expected to find an elf as the master of the house, but even that fact did not seem to diminish his anger. He knew that he had little place to condemn how others lived, especially when he knew so very little about them, but rationality seemed to flee from a man who was nursing anger and revenge within his heart.

“Silence,” the elf shouted, his voice demanding and full of authority. “When and if I wish you to speak I will command it of you human.” The contempt in the elf’s voice made Thad take a step back. “I do not know why the miramer brought you to our shores, and I do not rightly care. We will prepare for you a small ship and tomorrow at first light you shall leave our isle. Now you are dismissed.”

Thad called for his staff as he began gathering the elemental energy around him, being careful not to overextend his limits again. There was an abundance of nature energy around but Thad also found a large quantity of the other magical energies as well. It was almost as if he was standing in an epicenter of the magical currents that surrounded the world.

The elf lord’s eyes widened as Thad’s staff appeared in the mage’s hand. Thad watched the elf stand his face contorted in anger. He knew the elf was shouting something but the words never reached his ears. Thad did hear the elf’s scream of terror as a large stream of blue energy streamed from his staff, launching the lithe elf into the air and through the far wall.

Thad didn’t wait to see if the elf would return, instead he walked up to the hole in the wall and stepped through. Thad found himself standing in the streets of a large city unlike any other he had seen before. Large trees stretched up into the heavens so high that Thad could only guess where their tops may lie. The buildings were so large it was as if small palaces dotted the landscape.

The elf lord lay crumpled on the stone street clutching the scorch mark on his chest. Thad kicked the elf in the chest and bent down so he could meet his eyes. “Should we try this again,” Thad said, smiling. “Let’s start with something simple. My name is Thad. Who might you be?”

“Filthy bastard,” the elf spat.

Thad slammed the end of his staff hard into the elf’s stomach. “Nice to meet you Bastard. Now, when I was brought to you did I happen to have a sword on me?” Instead of answering the elf spat in Thad’s face. “Wrong answer,” Thad replied as he called forth a small flame and pressed it into the elf’s hand.

Once the elf had finished screaming and his whimpering died down to a light murmur Thad slapped him in the face. “Normally, I would smile and simply do as you asked, but for some reason today I am just not in the mood to stroke your inflated ego. Now, I will ask one more time, did I have a sword on me when I arrived?”