Battle Mage: Winter's Edge (2 page)

             
Deiclonus felt an overwhelming rush of exhaustion as he leaned onto his staff for support and took in his surroundings. More walking stick than magic staff, the elder wizard moved to check Ashleen who had slumped onto one of the dead horses appearing drained, in pain, and checking her shoulder. Wendle joined him with a limp and showing numerous nicks on his cloak and robes that attested to close quarters fighting as well.

             
As the elder wizard checked on the girl, who wanly smiled up at his attention, the new horsemen rode to surround the wounded vehicle. One man clad in mostly brown rode to face them and saluted. “Falcon Trillon, at your disposal, sir. I’m afraid that we weren’t able to save you all, but we had to chase this pack from quite away to get here.”

             
The wizard looked up at a young man that looked to be in his very early twenties at most. Light brown hair, barely mussed, topped an uncovered head. Deiclonus also noted an aura about the man. Around the aura, the snow seemed to bend and flee from him as if sliding over a bubble. It was an odd aura for a mere falcon of Southwall to have. Such mages were not generally known to be strong in magic. Also like a wilder they differed from true wizards, though they did have their uses as more than a dozen werebeasts attested. “Greetings, Falcon Trillon, I am Deiclonus, wizard of the first order. Your timely rescue is still much appreciated, young man. Thankfully, our Southwall allies apparently still guard the wall during the winter.”

             
The falcon nodded. “Never enjoyable, but it has been necessary with the Dark One’s beasts roaming more freely the past few years,” he agreed. “You have wounded?”

             
The wizard glanced around. The guardsmen numbered three standing. Looking to their faces, the men shook their heads sadly. Three then, the rest all slain. He knew they were lucky that any of them lived. Had the Southwallers not come along when they did, they would all most likely be dead. “My apprentices have their share of cuts and bites but they should survive until a healer can see to them.

             
The falcon dismounted. Checking Ashleen’s arm for himself, he merely said one word, “Heal.”

             
As the wizard watched, to his amazement the wound swiftly seemed to heal over and barely a scar remained where the savage bite had torn her fleshy upper arm. The man went to his pack and took a partial loaf of bread and began to chew on it as he went to check the others.

             
“You battle mages can heal?” the elder wizard remarked in surprise. “I’ve not seen many full wizards who could heal as well.”

             
Glancing at Deiclonus, Falcon Trillon replied, “It’s a bit new, and like you wizards, not many of us have the skill.”

             
“Impressive,” was the reply.

             
“Thank you very much,” Ashleen added as she tested the arm. “If you’re a tailor besides all my needs would be met,” the wilder smiled as she ruefully played with her torn sleeves. The skin was a bit pink from the cold but she could move the appendage as if nothing had happened.

             
While the battle mage had distracted them with his magic, the other two passengers had exited. A man with a rounded belly that could be assumed even through the bulk of his robes and cloak was also quite bald. With his floppy hat perched atop his head, the man appeared to be quite full of himself as well. Noting the dead around him nearly unblinkingly, their deaths seemed to bother him little. The second to exit was a young, attractive woman with dark curled hair and dark brown eyes that could probably hide many mysteries in their depths. Unlike the nobleman, the girl paled and tried to look away from all the blood and death.

             
The man checked his footing to avoid soiling his fur boots, before noting the falcon. “I assume we have you to thank for our salvation, young man?”

             
Nodding, the falcon replied, “Yes, sir, I am Falcon Sebastian Trillon. I am in charge of this squad. We noted this pack on the move and came as quickly as our horses could carry us.

             
“I am afraid that some of your men were dead before we could reach you.”

             
The man patted the air, waving off the worries, “That is not your fault, lad. They’ll be hard to replace anytime soon though I am afraid. At least once we reach the wall; we should be reasonably safe for the rest of our travel.”

             
Sebastian nodded, “This seems to be an odd time of year to attempt to travel though, sir.”

             
“One needs to keep the line of communication open as much as possible despite the weather.”

             
The round little man seemed to start in recognition of a mistake. “I am afraid that I forgot to introduce myself. I am so used to someone else being around to do so. I am Lord Romonus, of Treatenshire, ambassador of Kardor. This is my lovely daughter, Helena.”

             
“Pleased to meet you both.” The falcon glanced to his men who had worked to remove the two fallen horses from their harness. While the remaining four in the team looked agitated, they appeared none the worse for wear despite the battle that had surrounded them and their falls. “I think we have your team put back together as best we can here, my lord. Perhaps we should move on before they find reinforcements and decide to return.”

             
Already pale from the death around them, Helena somehow managed to whiten even more at the idea and quickly retreated inside the carriage.

             
Glancing around apparently looking for someone, Lord Romonus said to Deiclonus, “Kerrick seems to have been slain as well. Would you have your apprentice drive us to the wall, wizard?”

             
The man in question nodded and gestured for Wendle to take his place on the bench. While the younger man didn’t appear overly enthused to sit on the seat and drive through the remaining snowy miles, he moved to comply with his master’s wishes.

             
“It’s not too far to the wall from here,” Sebastian stated trying to make the man feel better. The falcon also noted that the wizards of Kardor had not put up barriers against the wind as he had. It was a magic taught to him by a wizard. Surely, a full wizard would know and use the trick in this kind of weather if they could?

             
He shrugged and dismissed the thought. It mattered little. Soon the carriage was running once more, but this time nine battle mages accompanied the three remaining guardsmen on their ride to the wall.

Chapter 2- Curiosity

              The dark rock of Falcon’s Keep, one of the six main fortresses that backed the great wall, rose impressively behind its lower, though still lofty, gray, defensive walls. A fair sized town sprawled along its south and west walls into the farmlands currently under a light layer of snow. Guarded by the ebony keep, the town was the true life’s blood of Falcon’s Keep. The markets brought in produce and animals, clothes and steel, artisans and smiths. All could be found in the town which subsidized much of the defense needed.

             
As busy as the town could be, the Keep had its own activity even in winter. While the citizens could hide from the cold inside their homes and taverns, the soldiers, battle mages and wizards all needed to train no matter what the season. Squads still needed to patrol. Guards needed to be set and the great wall to the north needed to be garrisoned. Only a half mile north of the keep, the nearest garrison tower supplied men to the next several towers in each direction. Ever vigilant, the men of Southwall stood ready as recruits from across the country and trained to become wizards, battle mages or soldiers to defend their land.

             
With a fresh snowfall, the black rock of the keep stood out even more as the carriage and its new guardians wandered to the western side of the defenses to enter from the entry gate. Though convenience would dictate a north gate, thought had been given to the inconvenience of an enemy that could over run the wall and its towers. A small gate in a lower wall surrounding the town admitted them on the north side, but the clacking of hooves had to follow a street west before turning south and finally the last turn east to face the huge wooden doors opened to either side of the street. The twisting pathways were designed to force an enemy to follow the path where Falcon’s Keep soldiers could rain arrows and stones down upon them from the top of business roofs surrounding it. The access to the roofs could only be gained from the keep walls thru a smaller doorway, a little known fact that only those who guarded the keep knew.

             
As the party approached the gates to the castle defensive wall, Bas let his eyes wander to the black stone archway holding the wooden doors. The doors though impressive were not the true gates. They were opened and closed at night, but should the enemy breech the town and approach the walls, the true gates of iron would be slid into place. The falcon had seen them rarely. They were giant steel and iron gates recessed into the ten foot thick walls. The pair of reinforcement gates, that required four men to open and close for each, could be put into place to deter any invader that might manage to damage the lighter weight wood doors.

             
It was a stronger defense than at first glance and such surprises were excellent for a defender. The home field advantage of a castle and its walls needed to be built up as much as possible, especially when confronted by the Dark One’s hordes. With such defenses, a wizard could rain down fire, an archer could pick off an enemy forced to run a gauntlet, and a battle mage would have a safe haven for falling back in the face of overwhelming numbers.

             
The guardsmen and the apprentice driving the coach looked upon the wooden doors in awe only seeing a small part of the keep’s true power.

             
Sebastian smiled tightly to himself. Visitors would have little enough to take back even if they wanted to scout this fortress.

             
The inner courtyard kept its stables to the right as they entered and the battle mage led the party to the waiting stable hands turning his horse over to an older stable boy before moving to the carriage. By that time, Deiclonus had already exited the ebony wagon, though Sebastian arrived quickly enough to lend a gentlemanly hand down the pull out carriage step for the apprentice Ashleen and the lord’s daughter, Helena. Lord Romonus simply used the door frame for his hand hold and the round man nimbly made his descent to the brown, paving stones already swept of snow.

             
“Thank you, Falcon Trillon,” the older man nodded with a gracious smile. “I appreciate all that you have done getting me and the others in my party here safely.”

             
“You’re welcome, sir, though if you wish I can also escort you to Lord Dorwyn or Falconi Saren, while a suite is set up in the keep for you and your daughter, if you would like. That is, unless you would rather stay in one of the inns in the town, of course. I merely assumed that you would like to visit the keep for your stay.”

             
Looking contemplative for a mere second, Lord Romonus nodded to himself and replied, “If his lordship wouldn’t be too bothered, I would love to meet with the man.”

             
Sebastian smiled politely and gestured toward a double door. “We can certainly see.”

             
Upon entering the castle, the steward of Falcon’s Keep was there to meet them. Word had gotten ahead of them that the castle had guests. Sebastian was even pulled aside a moment by the steward to find out about their visitors. Having never had the opportunity thrust upon him before, the mage explained the ambassador’s party to the man who quickly responded by calling forth a handful of servants to bring the luggage stowed on the carriage.

             
“I am Master Manweyn, steward of Falcon’s Keep, ambassador. Lord Dorwyn has been notified of your arrival and can see you now if you wish?” stated the older man with graying brown hair.

             
Nodding assent, Lord Romonus replied, “If he is not too busy, I would love to meet with the lord of Falcon’s Keep.” He looked like he wanted to say more, but the man was used to negotiations and revealing only the information that was needed, so the ambassador simply held his tongue and waited for his guide to lead.

             
As the lord and his daughter moved towards the inner keep, Sebastian ordered his squad to get some rest and dinner before following their guests. He would need to stand in to make sure the events were told properly and the introductions were made. The trio of kardorian wizards had joined their charges as well on their journey into the castle. Increasing his pace, Sebastian hurried to catch up to the group passing through the doorway.

             
Once inside, the visitors half looked at the simply worked stone and hangings of the hall. As an outpost city, Falcon’s Keep was not as strong on the amenities of art as other castles might have. There were some wall hangings spread along the pathway hanging from their rods hooked into the stone on either side. Paintings of lords and soldiers were here and there as well. Hanging oil lamps were lit inside serving to highlight some of the art. They were also required for lighting just to see, however, as no windows had been created in the lower floor of the keep due to the need for safety and defense.