The Tower Of The Watchful Eye: The Legend Of Kairu Book 1 (37 page)

The smart maneuver would be to come from behind them,
Cathy suggested.
Sandwich the Mages in the opening.

I was thinking
the same thing.

I knew you were,
Cathy said
playfully.
That’s why I stole your
idea.

Bitch.

I patted
Garoks’ leg. “I need to talk to Bak. We need to change direction,”
I shouted.

“
Why?” he shouted back.

“
If we come in from behind we can trap the Mages easier,” I
answered.

I looked up to
see him nod then let loose a loud squawking sound. The squawk was
returned from somewhere up ahead and the Evenawks slowed to a hover
as Bak approached me.

“
What’s this about, Diason,” he asked.

“
If we attack them head on, they will only overpower us,” I
answered getting uncomfortable with the dangling feeling. “We need
to circle around to behind their buildings. We can charge them from
behind and hit the buildings freeing the Evenawk
workers.”

Bak nodded
slowly then turned towards the group and squawked. We changed our
direction, circling around the battlefield. We were still a good
enough distance that the Mages wouldn’t spot us but we would have
to be careful landing near the buildings.

Bak changed
the group’s direction and we approached the buildings from behind.
Lowering ourselves closer and closer to the ground, the group
landed just before a break in the trees to the Valley. The
buildings stood on the other side of a large clearing and with the
battle in front of the building we would be able to sneak up
without problems.

I’ll be using
my Illusion spell to make us invisible as well for added
comfort.

With the
transformation complete the Evenawk army of rebels and miners broke
from the forest edge into the clearing. I stretched out my mind as
I ran with them. The buildings didn’t hold very many Magical minds
and I waited for an opening to plant an Illusion spell. The spell
wasn’t needed as we crossed the distance quickly.

“
Half of you into the buildings,” Bak commanded. “The other
half, kill the Mages...except Diason.”

“
Thanks, Bak,” I said as we ran past the buildings.

The field in
front of us held the Mages in a spread out formation. Evenawk
archers in the sky were being shot down by the Mage's Fire Balls,
Ice Bolts and Lightning Bolts. The land Evenawks were having an
equally tough time. The Mages have set up burning barricades that
funnel the Evenawks into a slaughter. The Evenawks let out a group
war cry, attracting the attention of the Mages.

Not how I would have done it but ok
,
Cathy said.

I pulled my
robe over my head as my skin changed to scales. The Mages were
already shifting into a new formation to address this new front
line. I sent Pulses out quickly at the Mages to try and shake them
up and buy some time. It didn’t work as the Mages retaliated
against the Evenawks. I tried to take as many of the hits as I
could as we reached the first wave of Mages.

The sheer
numbers of the Evenawks with the continued attack of the archers
was enough to destabilize most of the Mages although a couple were
still able to launch massive Pulses that sent the Evenawk rebels
into the air.

I pulled out
my sword and swatted the weak Fire Balls away. I picked a Mage and
charged at him. If this was a standard Mage fight, I would have
tossed round after round of Magic at him to break his shields down
but in this fight speed was our strength. I attacked the Mage with
my sword. He tried to push me away with a Pulse but the Harden Skin
spell helped me keep my ground. He became desperate as he launched
anything he could at me but fell to my sword as I slashed him
across the chest.

I searched for
my next target and saw a Mage fighting back two rebels. I reached
out with my arm and sent a Pulse that knocked him off balance. The
rebels took care of the rest.

Something warm
hit my back and I turned around to see another Mage preparing
another Fire Ball. I quickly sent an Ice Bolt his way and he had to
abandon his spell for a Ward. The bolt hit the Mage’s shield and
the Mage stumbled back.

Putting more
power into my spell, I launched two Ice Bolts in quick succession.
The first hit the Mage’s Ward and shattered it with the second
piercing him in the chest.

You are getting good at this,
Cathy
said
. Wish I could join you.

You would
probably just get killed doing something stupid.

Hey!
She exclaimed.

I laughed and
scanned the Valley. The second wave of Mages was abandoning the
burning blockades to attack the rebel reinforcements. Narrilok’s
troops were now free to push past the barricade and join the battle
proper.

They would be if those flaming barricades weren’t in the
way,
Cathy said.

Good
point.

I raced
towards the barricades sending a Pulse into the direction of any
Mage that wouldn’t move out of my way. If they got too close, I
just introduced them to my sword.

Finally
reaching the barricades, I sheathed my sword and reached out with
both hands. My palms grew cold as a continuous stream of ice shot
from them and froze the barricade, effectively putting out the
fire. I moved onto the next one as the Evenawks started to climb
over the frozen one.

Some of them
looked at me weird as they were unsure of whether to attack me or
not. The taller Evenawk know as Narrilok climbed over the barricade
and ordered the troops forward. He nodded in my direction before
rushing off to join the rest.

I began
freezing the other barricade but was pushed off balance by a Pulse.
I looked in the direction the pulse had come from to see a Mage
charging at me and readying an Ice Bolt. He launched it at me and I
swatted it away with my hand. Holding both hands out to him, I
forced a large amount of power through them and a steady stream of
fire shot at him.

The Mage
raised a Ward but I kept the Fire Stream going until I felt the
Mage’s Ward break. The Mage started screaming as he fell to the
ground in flames. I returned my attention to the barricade and
finished freezing it. The Evenawks would have no problems
outnumbering the Mages now.

I took a deep
breath and relaxed. The fight with Contee had already left me a
little drained but the battle has sapped me out. I did too much too
soon and have grown weak. Luckily the Evenawks have strong numbers
and won’t need to rely on me to succeed.

I survey the
battlefield to see if I was needed anywhere in particular. All
around Evenawks outnumbered

The Mages 5 to
1 with more Evenawks pouring out of the buildings. It was now a
matter of finding the Mages with the skill to hold their ground
against hordes of troops and it looks like I found one. He caught a
group of the rebel with a stream of fire and was now advancing on
Narrilok, an Ice Sword forming in his hand as Narrilok fought with
another Mage.

Move!
Cathy
exclaimed
. If Nerrilok falls then the
troops might lose their hope
.

I sprinted
across the field towards the Mage.

You’re right.
Harik isn’t enough of a leader for this rebellion yet.

Then start pumping those legs,
she
said.

I pushed
myself harder and as I drew near the Mage, I reached out and sent a
Pulse to distract him. It hit him and he just ignored me as he
continued on. He reached out towards Narrilok and I quickly sent an
Ice Bolt at him. The ice Bolt connected with the Mage’s shoulder
and he dropped his Ice Sword. He sneered at me but raised his other
arm and launched an Ice Bolt at Narrilok. I watched in horror as it
sailed through the air.

The shot was
off target as it hit Nerrilok in his left shoulder. It was enough
to knock him back but Nerrilok kept fighting on. I reached up
towards the Mage and launched a Fire Ball. The Mage threw up a Ward
that blocked it and I pulled out my short sword. Crossing the
remaining distance, I plunged the sword into his chest.

With the Mage
down, I turned my attention to Nerrilok who was down on his knees
having taken another Ice Bolt in the stomach from the Mage he was
fighting. The Mage was preparing for a final strike when I launched
an Ice Bolt into his back. I approached Nerrilok breathing heavily.
His shoulder and stomach were bleeding but it didn’t look like he
would let that kill him.

“
Lie down, I’ll heal you,” I said.

“
I’ll be fine,” he groaned as he tried to stand up.

I sent a small
Pulse at him that knocked him onto his butt. He looked up at me
with a mix of pain and anger.

“
And that was my weakest spell,” I said. “I’m not playing
around, lie down and let me heal that.”

Nerrilok
twisted his face but lay down and I fell to my knees and
immediately held my two hands over the stomach wound. Power slowly
transferred from me to the wound as his muscles and tissues
repaired themselves.

“
Well I’ll be,” he chuckled. “Looks like I owe you a life
debt. A life for a life.”

“
On the battlefield there is no reason to keep count,” I said
as I started healing his shoulder. “I will however accept your
respect and friendship.”

“
I’m not usually into that sissy stuff,” Nerrilok said looking
at his healed shoulder. “But for you, okay.”

“
Excellent,” I said as I smacked his shoulder and he hissed in
pain. “It will be a little tender but you’ll be fine.”

“
So why did you smack it?” he asked confused.

“
For that sissy comment,” I smiled.

He looked at
me then chuckled. “You know. You’re alright, Mage.”

“
Yeah, I’m not so bad once you’ve gotten to know me,” I said
as I helped him back to his feet.

The remaining
Mages were falling quickly as I helped Nerrilok towards the
buildings. When the final Mage was chased down by the archers the
entire rebel army cheered and celebrated. It was an inspiring sight
to see the looks of relief dawning on their faces as they slowly
realised they had gained their freedom from oppression.

Their cheering
grew louder as I noticed them drag something out of the largest
building. I couldn’t make out what it was until they pierced it on
a spear and raised it above their heads.

It was the
body of one of the Mages.

You don’t see THAT anymore
, Cathy
said
. I didn’t think the Birds were that
savage.

“
That’s not good,” I said to Nerrilok.

“
You haven’t gone soft on me because it is a Mage, have you?”
Nerrilok smirked.

“
I don’t care who it is, it is the action that is wrong,” I
replied.

“
They are excited,” Nerrilok smiled. “They are winning their
freedom. We haven’t had much to celebrate in a long
time.”

“
And there is nothing wrong with a celebration,” I said. “But
you have to be careful how you celebrate. Putting your enemies on
the top of spears and parading them around sends the message of
savagery. Like your group isn’t here to liberate the land but just
kill the Mages. If you want the Evenawk people as a whole to be
reunited and drive the Mages out then you have to do it as a
civilized and just society. Even the Evenawks that support the
Mages will join your cause if you plan to establish a civilized
culture for your people.”

Nerrilok
looked over the group before nodding and looking back to me. “There
is nothing I want more then to drive the Mages out. But if we
succeed in that only to fight ourselves because we have let
ourselves become savages...that’s a world worse then the one we
live in. Help me to the group quickly. We must stop this before it
goes too far.”

Throwing
Nerrilok’s arm over my shoulder, we hurried to the group and they
moved out of our way as Nerrilok took centre stage. I released his
arm and stepped out of the way as he held himself up tall despite
the tenderness of his injuries.

“
My fellow Evenawks,” he started. “Today marks a great day for
us. We have gotten a taste for victory and I don’t know about you
but I LOVE it!” The crowd cheered. “Each victory takes us one step
closer to liberating our home. But we MUST remember who we are!”
The crowd grew quiet to hear him. “We were slaves; miners and
farmers who toiled night and day for the Mages. But we are NOT
savages. The Mages may have thought us such but we will prove to
them that we do not need them to tell us how to live. We can do it
on our own.” The crowd started nodding in agreement. “We are worthy
of our own society.” The crowd agreed louder. “We WILL free this
land. We WILL take back our homes. And the Mages will be held on
trail for their crimes because we are not savages. We ARE
EVENAWKS!”

The crowd
erupted into cheers.

Now there’s a leader,
Cathy
said.
He almost makes me want to not kill
everyone I see.

Only
almost?

Well he’s no miracle worker
, Cathy
said playfully.

“
Take the Mages bodies and put them in their buildings. The
bodies can burn with their oppression.” Nerrilok
finished.

The Evenawks
took down the Mage from the spear and placed the body into the
large building. All around the battlefield the other Evenawks did
that same. I walked over to Nerrilok and he leaned on me.