The Tower Of The Watchful Eye: The Legend Of Kairu Book 1 (20 page)

But that was a
dream. This is reality.

All I did was create the situation,
Cathy explained
. All the power and
actions came from you. From YOUR confidence and
abilities.

But...I can’t
cast it over the whole outpost.

Cathy laughed.
If you could, we
wouldn’t have slept in a cave and walked through the forest. It’s
only one guy in a watchtower. Where’s the difficulty?

Agreeing with
her, I changed my direction so I was aiming right at the
watchtower. The sooner I had him under an Illusion the better. I
picked up my pace focusing entirely on the watchtower. When I began
to sense his mind, I slowed to a stop. His mind was better guarded
then a common citizen but it still wasn’t as difficult as facing
off against another Mage. With ease, I entered his mind and planted
the Illusion. We would be invisible as long as we didn’t make any
noise.

“
That watchtower won’t be a problem anymore,” I explained as I
turned back to Aaron and Natalie. “We just have to be quiet when we
get close though.”

“
What did you do?” Natalie asked.

“
Made us seem invisible to the guard,” I answered.

“
Impressive,” she nodded. “You would make a good thief. Any
chance I can convince you to join me on heists?”

“
I’m needed at the Tower after my mission,” I said turning
back to the direction of the watchtower.

I led them
past the watchtower to the road and we hurried away as quietly as
we could. The other guards at the outpost were preoccupied with a
merchant and didn’t pay any attention to us. When I felt we were a
good range away, I dropped the Illusion and breathed a sigh of
relief.

“
Any bandits around yet?” Aaron asked.

“
We’re still too close to that guard outpost,” Natalie
said.

“
Be ready never the less,” I said as I switched my focus to
scanning the area for mental activity.

My mind was
starting to grow weary from excessive magic use but it was good
exercise should my whole quest be similar. When I sensed the hum of
mental activity up ahead, I could feel the excitement in their
minds as well as their intentions. This was the bandit ambush we
were looking for.

“
Bandits up ahead,” I said to Aaron and Natalie as I counted
the minds. “Three...Four of them.”

“
So soon?” Natalie said scanning the area.

“
We’re further away than you would think,” I said. “They’re
spotted us already. Aaron, can you see anything?”

I looked at
Aaron and he focused his eyes to the road ahead.

“
Not yet,” he said. “But there is a tree and bushed area up
ahead. That’s the smartest bet.”

“
Agreed,” Natalie said. “Get ready without making it
obvious.”

My magic was
always ready but I saw Aaron’s bow slide off his shoulder. As we
approached the tree, two figures stepped out and onto the road.
They waited with their arms crossed as we approached.

“
Halt,” the shorter, weaselier one said, probably the leader
of the group. “There is a toll for taking this road.”

“
Right,” Natalie chuckled. “And what’s this toll for?
Maintenance?”

“
That’s correct,” the muscled goon to the leader’s right said.
“These roads don’t fix themselves.”

I felt around
for the other two. One was in the tree, no doubt with a bow fixed
at one of us, and the other hid in the bushes. This was going to be
an easy fight. I crossed my arms behind my back and held my one
hand open to the tree.

“
And what is the toll?” I asked.

“
100 gold,” the leader said. “The road is long and requires a
lot of work.”

“
See, that’s where we have a problem,” I said with false
sincerity. “We don’t have that much gold.”

“
I find that hard to believe my friend,” the leader smiled.
“Fine trader’s like yourselves probably have tons of spare gold to
part with. I mean it’s a fair trade for your life.”

“
A fair trade for our life?” Natalie asked with a laugh. “You
make it sound so threatening.”

“
Well, this toll is mandatory,” the leader smirked. “All
travellers have to pay it and we always collect. One way or
another.”

I fed power
into my hand and transferred it to the tree. The branches started
to sway gently as I tested my control.

“
So,” the leader continued with his smirk. “Did you want to
hand it over or are we going to take it from your
corpses?”

“
Let me think,” I said as the tree started to shake
violently.

The bandit in
the tree cried out in panic. I commanded the tree to grab the
bandit with a branch and throw him to the ground. With a loud
crash, the bandit landed at the feet of the leader and his muscled
goon. I brought my hands in front of me with my palms out and sent
a large Pulse that caused them to stagger.

From the
corners of my eyes I saw Natalie charge and Aaron draw his bow. As
the leader tried to regain his balance, he was dropped to the
ground by Aaron’s arrow to the forehead. The muscled goon was
struggling to stay on his feet before Natalie jumped on him
plunging her blade into his neck.

The last
bandit charged at Aaron from behind the bushes and I focused my
power into them to restrain the bandit by his foot. When he
realized that he was stuck, he slashed at the bushes to free
himself. The bandit turned back to attack Aaron but was stopped by
an arrow to the chest. He fell backwards into the bushes.

The bandit
that had been thrown from the tree was struggling to get up onto
his hands and knees before Natalie plunged her blade into his back.
She withdrew the blade and retracted it with a smile.

“
You are a lot of fun to have in a fight, Demon,” she said. “I
understand why nobody wants to fight a Mage. You would embarrass
the best fighters in Kalenden.”

“
We should remove the bodies from the road before the guards
or that merchant come,” Aaron said seriously. “If they find us
dressing in their armour they’ll have a few questions I’m
sure.”

“
No celebrating the fight?” Natalie pouted then laughed. “Grab
the undamaged gear and get changed quickly then. We need to make it
to the quarry by dinner time.”

Aaron and I
grabbed a body and dragged it towards the bushes.

Natural Magic
is kind of fun when it’s not used against you.

ALL magic is fun when it’s not used against
you
, Cathy laughed.

Touché.

Chapter 17

Fully
disguised and back on the move again, we jogged across the
countryside towards the quarry. Natalie was fully confident that we
would pass for bandits, as long as we kept our mouths shut.
“Passing as a bandit takes a certain...brute finesse,” she had
explained. Not wanting to deal with the ‘intelligence’ of bandits
in the first place it was an easy instruction to follow.

With the pack
on my back bouncing and the short sword at my hip swaying, I felt
like I would fall over every time I made a step. How anyone felt
comfortable with one of those things bouncing on your thigh is
beyond me.

They are
pretty handy to have actually, Cathy explained. It would be in your
best interest to start to learn how to use a sword.

I have my
magic though. Why would a need such a bulky weapon?

Magic can’t
always save you, she answered. As someone who has died 25 times by
a sword you might want to consider my advice.

I’ve been
taking your advice so far. Why stop now?

Exactly! She
answered excitedly.

I’ll agree as
long as it doesn’t keep hurting my hip.

Cathy
chuckled. Oh, stop your complaining.

Natalie
stopped close to a pass into the mountains and we stopped behind
her. “Bandanas up,” she said as she pulled out her scarf and
headdress.

I pulled the
bandana up from my neck so it covered my nose and mouth like
Natalie had shown us. Natalie wrapped her head completely looking
similar to the night we had first met her in the pub.

“
On the other side of the pass is the entrance to the camp,”
she explained. “After we get through it, we still have to get to
the top of the quarry. We should be able to get to the mine easily
from there.”

“
Are we expecting resistance?” Aaron asked adjusting the
collar of his armour.

“
Only if we do something stupid,” Natalie answered. “You might
get the odd drunken challenge but that’s normal.”

“
What about outside the camp?” I asked.

“
I don’t know,” she answered. “I’ve never made it that
far.”

“
I thought you had been to the mine before?” I
asked.

“
Yeah,” she answered, “but I came up from Malkia. Something we
don’t have the luxury of doing this time. Just stick close to me
and I’ll make sure nobody hurts you, Demon.”

I couldn’t see
the mocking smirk she was giving me but I knew it was there behind
her bandana. I guess my display of skill with the bandits impressed
her a bit. She’s starting to make ‘Demon’ seem more as a friendly
nickname. Perhaps, she is warming up to me.

Nah, Cathy
said. She’ll still kick you in the face if you let your guard
down.

Thanks, you
are SO reassuring.

I try, Cathy
said with exaggerated cheerfulness.

Natalie
started walking up the path with Aaron following closely behind. I
expanded my mind to feel for the bandit camp as I followed them
slowly. The hum of mental energy was intense. We were literally
right around the corner from the camp.

I stopped
searching with my mind and picked up my pace to fall in behind
Natalie and Aaron. We followed the winding path to a wooden gate
with a small tower behind it. In the tower, an archer watched over
us as we approached the giant of a gatekeeper. He drew a massive
claymore from his back and lumbered towards us. The fact that we
weren’t immediately attacked was a good sign.

“
Speak the password,” he snarled.

“
A coin purse drops,” Natalie answered in a gruff and scratchy
voice.

“
That’s the old one,” the gatekeeper replied.

“
Well, what do I bloody care about some damn password,”
Natalie exclaimed. “I’m too damn busy to play paranoia with Road
Dogg. You can either let me in or bring him out here so I can smack
him around until I get bored.”

Aaron shot me
a worried look but the gatekeeper roared out with hearty laughter.
“Still the same old Nate,” he smiled with a mouth of various
missing teeth as he put away his sword. “You’re always welcome
here. Who are the ankle biters?”

“
Falcon,” Natalie answered pointing to Aaron, “and Demon,”
pointed to me. “Picked them up at Thurlborn Peak. We’re heading up
to Carendath Mine.”

“
Good luck. Road Dogg’s shut the gate to the quarry because of
the tension with Dulga’s boys on the other side,” the gatekeeper
warned. “No one paying less then 100 gold can get out.”

“
Thanks, Rog,” Natalie said.

‘
Rog’ the giant gatekeeper grabbed the wooden gate and dragged
it open in an impressive show of strength. We entered the camp and
the gate slammed shut behind us.

“
See,” Natalie whispered to us in her normal voice. “Brute
finesse.”

“
Falcon?” Aaron asked.

“
Yeah, because of those crazy eyes of yours,” Natalie
said.

“
How are we going to get the 100 gold?” I asked. “I think
between all of us we might have 40-50.”

“
Nothing to worry about there,” Aaron said. “We have the left
over gear from the bandits. Just do what you did to Burt in
Riverside and you’ll be fine.”

“
The smith here won’t be some weasel looking for a quick con,”
I said.

“
That’s exactly what the smith here will be,” Natalie
chuckled. “They are used to dealing with bandits. A little brute
finesse and you’ll get what you want.”

“
Very well,” I said. “Lead the way.”

“
Work your magic,” Natalie said in her ‘Nate’ voice. “And
stick by old Nate.”

The mountain
pass continued for a few more metres before opening up to the
quarry and bandit camp. Tents dominated this cramped little corner
of the quarry and a makeshift wall of broken carts protected the
perimeter. I had pictured the camp being a large bandit paradise
but having seen it, the term ‘camp’ really was most appropriate.
Maybe 20-30 bandits called this dirty place home.

Weaving
through the crowds and tents, we were all given every dirty look
you could imagine. The urge to return the look was almost too
strong but we needed to hurry and not start a fight with every
person we came across.

It would be fun though
, Cathy said
longingly.

Maybe some
other time.

For real?
Cathy said
hopefully.

Only if you’re
good.

I’m always good
, she
whined.

We approached
a large tent that smelt of smoke and body odour. A small, grizzly
looking old bandit with scars along his face worked the small forge
and anvil. When he looked up and saw us approaching he dropped the
sword he had been pounding into a bucket of water.