MageLife (31 page)

“Sorry to break up this lovely moment, but we didn't come for this. Thanks for locking me up alone by the way,” the book said.

“Shut up, Book. Seriously just be quiet.” I snapped

Jase’s eyes widened, and the tension came back. He tightened his hold on Sophia

“You don't know what that book is capable of. You have to take it back.”

“Don't worry about the book, worry about yourself, we need you back on your feet.”  I said.

“But Tristan...”

“No, we will deal with the book. We have much to talk about but that that can wait for now. Sophia is safe. You’re getting better. I know this is a lot to ask, but if you’re well enough, could you keep an eye on Sophia and Airis? I would ask Avery but…” I trailed off uncertainly.

“Avery, how is she?” Jase asked.

“I don't know, I haven’t been able to ask anyone yet. But it didn't look good. Her link is gone.”

“Gone? I’ve not seen that since the….” Jase hesitated.

“Yes since the waves.” I looked away. Airis was watching me. He nodded. The node had a bit of information on the waves.

“I need to see her,” Jase said. He pushed Sophia off with a gentle movement and stood. He looked braced his feet and squared his shoulders as a tremor ran along his limbs.

His eyes glowed brighter as he inhaled deeply. A flush of colour washed through him. Health and strength seemed to radiate from him.

“Jase, you shouldn’t be doing that. You know the price.” I said.

“Shush, it won't be a problem for now. It’s just a bit of help.”

“But Jase...”

“Enough! Tristan, I know what I'm doing. I will not be lectured by you on caution," Jase said. His features twisted by an anger that wasn't his own.

Sophia shrank back from him, her eyes wide and her mouth open in shock.

“Reel it in Jase you’re scaring the girl," the book said,

Jase looked at Sophia, the anger faded.

“I’m sorry Sophia, I didn’t mean to frighten you. I need to see Avery, she is very sick,” Jase said to Sophia.

Sophia nodded and smiled tentatively at him.

Tristan if you need to, I will take them with me, Fion can keep an eye on them while I speak to Avery, I shouldn’t be long, Jase offered.

“That should be fine,” I looked to Sophia and Airis. “How about it then?”

“Don't worry, I will keep them out of trouble," the book said.

Airis held it tighter in response.

Sophia looked between Jase and me, before nodding firmly, as if deciding something.

“I hope all goes well. I really need to get to work, the wave has done some damage, and...”  

Huh?

“Have I really only done two official tasks?” I held out my hand and raised my fingers one at a time as I counted. “One, the irrigation system. Two, the gnomes,” I stopped and looked between Jase and Sophia.

“You got promoted to representative, you dealt with the foundry explosion.” Jase pointed out.

“Yes but the foundry wasn't an official task, and the promotion is clearly political. Neither of which are normal mage work, are they?”

“No they aren’t. Things happen. Get used to it. We are the guardians of the people, we do what needs to be done. You know it wasn't always like that. It’s changed for the better but it’s a fragile change as yet.” Jase said as he stepped forwards and placed his hand on my shoulder. “Be the example, set the standard for who the mages are now, One day, others will follow in your footsteps, make them work for it. Look at Sophia, she will be your legacy. Don't worry about how many tasks or some other arbitrary measurements.”

“I get it Jase, I do but I've only been on the job a few months. I should really be doing the job as well as what comes up,” I said.

“Go on then, I've delayed you long enough. I have my business to attend to.” Jase chuckled.

“Do something interesting and I’ll write a chapter about it,” the book said.

I ignored it and walked to the door.

Sophia and Airis both waved.

I waved back and then left.

I stood outside the academy, the afternoon sun hidden by clouds. The grey light cast a pall over the town. I was unsure where to go. Headquarters would know where I could help the most but Rysan and Orb were there. It was too fresh.

I looked up and down the street, the damage was invisible in normal sight. It wasn't like the first waves, they had been fully tangible. Like a tidal wave of translucent flame, they had done massive amounts of damage in both planes; physical and magical. This was just a magical event.

I walked through the streets almost at random. Seeking someone to help, something to fix. I caught sight of many people going about their day, a few grumbled about the enchantments being disrupted.

“Mage!” a voice from behind me called.

I turned.

From one of the stores, an old woman stood in the doorway, looking at me, I turned my head to make sure that it was me she was after. There was no one else close enough.

“Get over here Mage, I don't have all day.” she looked fierce, her own glowing eyes bright.

I walked over.

“What are you waiting for? I've got weak walls now, the charms were stripped away. Fix it,” she told me

I stood staring at her. I opened my mouth to talk, but she interrupted me before I could get anything out.

“If you have time to talk, you have time to work,” she stepped back to allow me to enter.

The shop was neat, bare walls currently but I could see the marks left by the shelves. There was nothing inside that gave me a clue about what was sold here.

The woman bustled to a corner and raised her arms. A small dust devil formed in the centre of the room. The cyclone sucked all the dust out of the edges flagstones. The gaps became visible in short order, but she continued, the surface of the stones smoothed and glyphs lightly graven on the surface appeared. The dust devil veered over to the woman before collapsing, it left a pile of dust in front of her.

“Get to it then mage,” she said as she walked behind the counter at the back out of the store front to what I assumed was the store room.

I stood looking around for a moment, the clear windows in the front let in sufficient light to see, but not for the close work this would need.

I knelt down, next to the central pattern. I ran my fingers over the stone. I couldn't feel the markings. They looked like scratches but my fingers could feel only cool stone, no marks, nothing.

I scratched my head as I glanced around the room for more markings. There was nothing. I took a deep breath and braced myself then I activated my other sight.

The room exploded in light, fractured threads of broken charms. The glyphic markings on the stones, shone sickly. Their light tarnished by a… well I don't know what. If they had been metal, I would have said they were rusted, but it was magic, energy, it shouldn’t be possible. I couldn't leave them like this. The connectors were in a dangerous level of disarray, thankfully the few concepts involved were undamaged and disconnected from the rest.

The difference between charms enchantments and spells is a fine one. Charms are simple in comparison to enchantments, they often deal with static things, basic, adding a property. Most bindings are technically charms. Enchantments deal with more complex dynamic things, it’s more a process. Spells are a different level again. I've never done a spell, I don't have the control or the experience but I will get there eventually. Then there are the expressions. Which is the tree that I’d made in class. Expressions are will and magic, the magic fades as soon as the will or attention is removed. The effects can remain. Earth being moved stays moved. But this is a charm.

I cocked my head to the side as I noticed it wasn't just a charm. It was a charm running off an enchantment. The glyph stone was the reservoir. I couldn't see a link, not even a broken one, it must run off ambient.

I let out a breath I didn't realise I’d been holding. The concepts were intact. I could figure them out well enough even if I didn't hold them. But if I didn't have them I couldn't make them, I would’ve had to wing it.

I stood up, placed my feet squarely on the central glyph stone, and then concentrated. My power flowed out in a gentle swell. The tattered threads became saturated with my power. Then I pulled it all back, a bit at a time. My channels tingled as the foreign taint was absorbed. My skin crawled at the sensation.

Sweat started to bead on my forehead, my breath came in fits and starts as I strained harder to pull all the remaining power.

My sweat dripped off my face, the light patter of it falling on the stone knocked me out of the trance. The light from the window had faded, shadows filled my normal sight

The easy part was done.

I looked down at my feet, at the central enchantment. The tattered threads were all gone. The three concepts stood out in a stark contrast to the freshly sterile area. I studied them for a few moments using the time to prepare myself for the next part.

I spun threads from the reservoir throughout the entire foundation then up through the walls, to carry the effect and the power then I created the charm to strengthen and reinforce the building and wound it through the threads. I felt a pulse of feedback as the charm initialised.

Now to make it permanent.

I sunk to my knees and laid my trembling hand on the stone. The concepts near vibrated with eagerness, the connectives came to mind so quickly it was if someone was whispering instructions to me, but I couldn't hear the magic’s voice this time. It was closer to whispering to myself. My tired mind unable to connect where the information came from.

I felt the moment the last link fell into place.

The dregs of my power drained out of me. My vision clouded, and I felt myself fall. I couldn't move my arms up fast enough. I landed on my face.

It should’ve hurt, but I was beyond feeling.

Chapter 30

I ached. I awoke on cold stone laying on my face. The light from the window was dim but still visible. My ribs hurt.

“Wake up,” a cranky voice from above me said.

I blinked and pulled myself up, the stiffness in my joints slowing me.

“You done? You fell asleep on my floor.”

“How long was I asleep?” I asked as I rose to my feet. I wavered slightly.

“Not long, but I'm not happy about you sleeping on the job. I thought you mages were tough.”

“I’ve finished. It was a big job for one man.”

“Pish, the old mages could have done it if they’d wanted. They were more powerful than you lot.”

“No they were monsters, controlled by the nobles; they weren't more powerful they had less restraint- violence isn’t power.”

The old woman grumbled at being corrected and walked off without even thanking me.

I walked slowly out the door and was greeted by the sight of Sophia standing in the middle of the street, looking around. When she saw me, one of her wide smiles spread over her face

“Tristan, where have you been? I've been looking for you all over!” she said rapidly

“What are you doing here? Where is Airis? Why aren't you with Jase and Fion?” I asked with a scowl.

“Don't be so grumpy, I was bored, and I wanted to see you. Airis stayed behind to cover my escape. Don't you like seeing me?” she replied her smile fading as she went on.

“I always like seeing you silly! But you're not supposed to be out and about without supervision - or have you forgotten the gnome?”

“I remember the gnomes, but they can't get me here! There are grown-ups all around see?” She pointed at the few people on the street as if they proved her point.

"That's not what I mean and you know it, young lady!" I replied sternly, "But for now, let's just go home - I'm tired." I held out my hand for her.

"Sure!" she said happily, already back to her usual self, and took my hand with her own, small one.

We walked on unsteady feet down the smooth road. The evening air chill against me sweat dampened skin. The few people travelling the streets were bustling along. I spotted a fellow mage down the way. He was standing outside the doorway of a small house, gesturing wildly as he talked with the occupant. As we got closer, parts of the conversation drifted over to us.

“Pay me the damn money..." said the older mage in a threatening tone. I'd never seen him before, but with the sudden increase of mages in this town, that wasn't surprising. He was rather short, slim and his hair was cut very short. His left eye glowed with a reddish light, which usually meant he was a fire specialist, but that wasn't necessarily reliable information. More interesting was the large, twisted scar running down the right side of his face, running clean through his eye - it had no glow, but rather a normal, green colour.

The occupant, trying to cower behind himself, replied with a low, terrified voice, "W-we don't have that much..."

“Have the money by this time tomorrow or I won't be able to protect you anymore, and you wouldn't like that, now would you?” the mage hissed, his tone filled with anger. He took a single step back, raised his arm and a lance of fire shot out of his finger, burning a deep gouge into the wall of the building.

“Please sir mage, we have nothing to spare.”

“I didn’t ask for spares now did I?” the mage said, his mouth raised in a smirk that distorted the scar even further.

Sophia let go of my hand and ran over to the mage.

“Hey you can’t treat people like that!” she shouted at the man

"Piss off, midget. This is none of your business," he said and without even turning around, lashed out with his hand, an invisible force knocking her away and to the ground.

I rushed forwards and grabbed the mages arm.

He turned his magic on me, roaring air hit me. I clung on, my teeth clenched. His arm came around, he wasn't stronger than me. But he was better rested. My anger at seeing Sophia on the ground gave me strength when I needed it most but it wasn't going to be enough as I felt myself weakening. I used my already depleted power to shift the stone beneath his feet. His balance shifted. I swung my fist. I connected just under his chin. I could hear his jaws click together. He actually looked at me then. I don't know why he hadn't before.