Shin looked up to the sound of the bars of his cell being opened quickly. They hit the wall with a clang and he was staring at a trio of Norian soldiers and a captain in front of them. Not the one that brought him in but he recognized the rank from the tassel on his helmet. The captain walked into cell and grabbed the chain that kept him bound and yanked him forward.
“Fresh meat for the army. It’s time for your evaluation mage,” he said gruffly and handed the chains off to one of the soldiers as he turned to walk down the hallway.
Shin had taken some stock of what happened since he’d been brought here. At the very least he knew he was underground. The other cells that he passed on the way forward were occupied. The ones within them stared out toward him with a mix of hate and vocalized it.
“Oh look the magical little boys gonna get eaten alive upstairs!”
“Abomination! Hope they burn your corpse alive.”
“Hey kill a few of them for me! Love to see those red helmets filled with blood.”
“Get back!” one of the soldiers shouted hitting a cell door with his sword. “Get back all of you unless you want to be tonight’s entertainment!”
Shin ignored them and kept his gaze forward. The stone floor was hard under his feet and a few of his bruises were throbbing. They walked a set of stairs that curved upward. Walking with them and going up a few rotations they stepped through a large iron gate and suddenly he was outside and bathed in morning light. Breathing in the cool air he squinted at the sunlight.
They walked out into a courtyard. It had well paved paths in a cross each one going to a wrought iron gates. Between the walls and path there was neatly cut grass but no trees or flowers. A very spartan part of the environment. “I’m definitely in Isal,” he whispered. “Get here fast Isaac.”
High stone walls were up on either side boxing him in. He noted there were sentries atop them and a few soldiers armed with crossbows all facing those within the box. Shin slowed for a second but was shoved forward by the guard. Glaring over his shoulder the guard hit him in the face with a closed fist and the mage stumbled forward grunting.
“Keep walking mage,” the captain grunted not even looking back.
Getting his footing Shin scowled and kept walking forward. Staring at the far wall he realized why he was brought out here. Lined up against that wall were about five other people. Men and women, some wearing loose leather armor while others were just wearing torn and ripped clothes. Some had faces of fear while others were angry and glared at every red armored Norian. What caught his attention the most was that none of them had their arms shackled.
Shin was shoved to the end of the line and forcibly turned around. The guard came and produced a key. Yanking his arms forward he unlocked the shackles and glared at him. “Don’t try anything unless you have a death wish.”
Staring ahead he glanced upward and saw more soldiers along the wall and in front of them he saw an older woman wearing deep a red gown. He couldn’t see her for sure but he felt the condescendence in which she stared at them and felt the fine crackle of power coming from her. They were tools to her, not people.
“Deserters. Cowards. Rebels. All of you for one reason or another tried to avoid the call to serve our mighty empire and the crown. And each of you were caught and punished. But you’ve been given a chance at redemption. A chance to fight for the greatest country in these lands.
“But we won’t just accept you with open arms. No, you must prove that you are worth our time and forgiveness. You will demonstrate your worth to us over the course of these trials. If you prove yourself you will join the army. But if you fail you will be appropriately punished for your transgressions. And if you survive you’ll have another chance. We are nothing if not fair.”
Shin narrowed his eyes and stared around the makeshift arena. The test couldn’t have been that complicated but then again they were dealing with Norians. He wouldn’t be surprised if they had them fighting against something like prisoners of war.
“The first step will be to demonstrate your aptitude. Not just your skill but your ability to think on your feet.”
Shin glanced at the sides of the gate and watched them slowly open up. Soldiers walked out of it but aside from the red Norian armor there were more. White armor, silver, some green, within it. There about six of them total and he knew some of those colors. Captured Sanctum soldiers and smaller mercenary factions.
The mercenary and rebel groups were shoved in front of them. “Take up your arms and defeat them. Kill or be killed,” the woman commanded. “The winners will earn their place amongst the Norian people. But the Norian people have no need of weaklings.”
The other mages started some to the point of panic. The idea of mortal combat being something none of them had ever interacted with before. But Shin stared at each of the soldiers and decided on which one looked like he could handle.
The Norians had thrown swords and shields at their feet for them to use against the mages. Norians held a twisted since of honor when it came to situations like this. If they were going to be put to the death, unless it was an execution, they would always be given a weapon and a fighting chance.
Each of the mercenaries picked up weapons and moved shoulder to shoulder. They were well trained and knew that rather than panic like the mages that their best bet was to work together. Rubbing his wrist Shin took a few steps away from the others and threw his gaze toward the ground.
It was well kept, the stone without too many flaws but he did notice a few pebbles along the ground. Bending down he picked up a few of them and traced his fingers across their smooth surface. Not really the best in the world but it was better than nothing. Gathering a few more he heard shuffling nearby and glanced over.
Some boy, fresh faced, was panicking. He clapped his hands together and stuttered through the incantation. Shin looked closer and stared at both the young mage’s hands and his own eyes widened. Grabbing the pebbles, he sprinted away quickly and seconds later the ground shook as the mage’s spell backfired and he blew himself up in a ball of fire.
As if that were some sign to start the mercenaries began to advance on the mages. Two of the others had panicked harder when the kid blew himself up but the others had hardened their faces and were casting protective magics over themselves. Their shapes shimmered in the light as if they had a layer of glass over them. Another thrust his hands forward and sent fireballs flying at them, showing a proper displace of pyromancy. The flames were too weak to, the shields catching the brunt.
Shin focused on the pebbles turning them over in his thumbs as he slowly chanted. Purple runes decorated the stones and he watched as a man came running at him. He’d abandoned the use of a shield entirely and instead wielding the sword with both hands.
Shin tossed two stones forward, one across the ground and the other he flicked up into the air. The one across the ground detonated after a moment and blew the mercenary backwards. The second came down just in time to hit in the chest and blow him backwards against the ground.
He didn’t even bother seeing if he was still alive. Tossing another pebble at the man he backed away quickly to safety as it exploded. His gaze quickly shifted to the cluster of mercenaries who weren’t dumb enough to try and deal with them one on one. The two panicked mages had gotten their composure back to some degree. One had conjured up a wall of mist around themselves and the other had also created their own armor before the mercenaries attacked.
One ran through the mist swinging the sword wildly and hit nothing for the most part but then there was a clang as the blade hit one of the mages. The armor did its job and deflected it but now the they were focused. Running forward they swung with an arm blindly and then suddenly charged forward and tackled someone out of the mist.
The mage screamed in shock and tried to cast a spell but they were hit by the back of the sword, the pommel cracking against their jaw. With a quick whirl of the sword they stabbed it through the mage’s throat cutting off the garbled noise of their incantation. Getting off the mage he turned but the mist was still active.
Next thing he knew a shadow engulfed him and he was thrown into the wall. The shadow reared back and dug jagged teeth into his neck. The man shouted trying to beat at the creature with his sword but it didn’t seem to feel pain as it kept chewing and tearing through him like he was a hunk of fresh meat.
Shin ignored the creature and instead his eyes sought out the mage. It was one of the ones who’d gotten it together after the start of this slaughter. The armor gleaming their eyes glowed with a black light as they commanded the shadow creature back to their side. But before it got there a shield slammed into his face and stumbled backwards. Two of the green glad mercenaries rushed him.
One sword collided with the armor and he managed to ward off the next. And that was when the shadow creature swept into both men knocking them both back. It crouched in front of the mage like an attack dog. The remaining mercenaries huddled together and Shin looked for the rest of the mages.
The sky darkened suddenly and a crack of thunder startled everyone. Looking around quickly for the source the final mage. A poor looking man in red with scraggly facial hair thrust his hand forward and lightning came down from the heavens blowing the ground apart. Two of the mercenaries were launched forward while the other was knocked backwards far and sprawling away.
He slumped down chest heaving and one of the mercenaries struggled to his feet. With a grunt he ran forward and slashed at the mage. The armor deflected it, but the mercenary kept going and shoved his shield into his chest. Bashing him with it he kept hitting him back and forth until the armor finally cracked and then shattered. One final blow and his sword skewered the mage to the ground.
Shin and the other two mages stared at the mercenaries prepared to die when a horn sounded. All of them turned to the source of the noise and the woman who organized the slaughter had her hand raised. She was smirking and even began to clap a few times. “Well done. Well done all of you. You’ve impressed and shown your strength. Our forces can make great use of you all. And we will.
“For surviving the first round you will be taken back to your cells and a much deserved rest. But the next day of your work will be coming soon. I hope you don’t disappoint.”
As she spoke the gates opened and rows of soldiers entered with spears and shields. A few were unarmed but they came forward with shackles. Shin scowled and dropped the few stones he had left and the other dismissed the shadow creature. One of the mercenaries though didn’t lay down his weapon.
Shouting he charged at the Norians and even managed to swing into the neck of one of them. His sword eviscerated his neck and sent blood spraying forth. In an instant, bolts slammed into his back, chest and shoulders sending him down into a heap. The crossbow immediately turned and were leveled at the survivors.
Shin raised his hands and put them on the back of his head to show he wasn’t a threat. The other mage did the same and the final mercenaries dropped their weapons. With the shackles in place they were escorted back into the darkness of the dungeon and Shin noted that they were being taken to the same location. He hadn’t realized that the other mages had been in his wing. Or maybe it was just this one.
Shin glanced over his shoulder at the guards but they looked ahead without acknowledging him. When his cell was finally found, the door was opened and they shoved him back in. Stumbling Shin turned to face them but was hit with the butt of a sword. Doubled over and coughing he watched as they attached his chain to center of the cell and his door was closed immediately. Vaguely he was aware of the other mage being walked into the cell ahead of him.
Scowling he got to his feet, wincing slightly and walking to the far wall of the cell. Taking a steadying breath, he took stock of his cell again. There weren’t many jeers from the other cells which had been somewhat common before. Suddenly they were quiet and they may have been from the fact that he came back alive.
He slid down and crouched extending one leg and pulling it to his chest but leaned forward and closed his eyes. Letting out a breath he tried to feel the current of magic within him but the chains kept disrupting it. Like a river with boulders in the center, at the mouth and out the entrance so that the flow was choked.
Pressing his fingers to his head he sighed softly and tried to remember the few things his teacher had beat into him over his time as a student. He could remember reading the books and it’s dusty words now. Don’t force the magic to flow. The magic will go on its own. Be the conduit. If the flow is choked then lower the demand. You can’t hydrate a village with only a bucket.
Closing his eyes, he took a slow breath and he folded his hands together. Slow deep breaths, feeling his inhale and letting out the breath. The stench of the dungeon was fading from his consciousness as he continued to focus away all of this. Another deep breath and he couldn’t hear the shouting and taunts from the other dungeon mates. After another he was in his center feeling the magic pushing through his system.
Despite the throbbing around his wrist of the magic being stunted he could still feel and manipulate it internally. There would be no way he could conjure a zombie in the cell or even create a bomb but he could do small things.
Eyes closed he angled his head down and saw the tips of his fingers glowing like tiny purple stars. Curling his fingers together he touched one to the ground with his index like it were a pen and drew against the ground. Creating a small rune he dragged his hand around it encasing it in a circle. He saw the small sigil through his closed eyes and pressed his palm to it.
For a long moment nothing happened and then he felt a pulse roll across the entire city. A sweeping wave taking over the entirety of the city and then some of the land beyond. For a long time he felt nothing and was ready to curse Isaac when he felt the small ding. So far away but he knew his own power when he felt it.
Taking a shuddering breath and coming back to his own mind he was aware of a pair of eyes on him. Standing slowly, he walked to the edge of his cell and stared at one of the other surviving mages from that morning. His face was young as well but his eyes were very old. A gap of knowledge and experience separated the two of them but Shin wasn’t daunted by it.
Pressing his hands against the steel Shin stared at the mage. “That technique. It’s not taught in Norian lands.”
“One could say the same thing about you and your technique. The runes you use. Clever to use in a pinch. Usually used by people who don’t have much talent,” Continuing the mage said, “That was a sensory spell. If you’re not magically inclined it would have missed them but I felt it.” Shin arched an eyebrow. He thought that he’d been too weak for the spell to be detected by any others but now he’d have to keep that in mind. “Are you thinking of escaping?”
“Escaping has always been my plan. You’re powerful enough to not allow yourself to be shackled for long.”
The mage snorted and motioned above with a rattle of the chains. “You saw what resistance looked like. A bolt to the back of the head.”
“The mercenaries only know one way out. To fight. We’re mages. We were taught early to think outside the box.”
“You’re brave to even consider that.”
“It comes with being Norian.”
That garnered a look from the mage. “I thought your accent sounded similar to theirs. They do this to their own kind. What did you do to earn their ire?”
“I looked at someone the wrong way.”
“You’re being purposely vague. But that’s alright. Keep your reasons.”
“Your accent is from somewhere north. Not the Free City and not the Cerisans. What is someone from the north doing caught in Norian territory?”
“Traveling.”
“Now who’s giving perfectly vague answers?” Shin asked and the mage finally chuckled.
Before the mage could respond there was a loud bang. Both turned their heads toward the source and the clacking of boots on stone echoed toward them. When the soldiers finally came into view they were holding a tray of food. They dropped it in front of the other mage’s door and kicked it forward.
They then turned to Shin’s cell and opened it slowly. One soldier marched forward unshackling him from the center of the room. “Your presence has been demanded mage.”
Before Shin could answer he was yanked to his feet by the chain and he stumbled. But he let his face blank out before a guard noticed so that he wasn’t hit again. He could only tolerate that so many times before getting frustrated. So, he nodded slowly and waited for a soldier to walk in front of him and walked forward.
Instead of walking toward the courtyard they pushed him into the dungeon itself. Shin had assumed that the top was only a front but as he followed behind the soldier he saw the massive door that awaited. A pair of soldiers were standing guard in front of it. One opened the door as they approached and he was pushed forward again this time onto a carpeted floor.
The room had high windows and an even higher ceiling. A few chandeliers hung from the ceiling with sparkling crystals. When he looked toward the far wall he saw the massive painting adorning it. No. Painting was the wrong word. It was a mural of an army. The massive army of Noria standing over a hill and in front of it all was the great leader. At least when he was younger.
He stood decked out in his thick plate armor, dark red with black markings along the arms and chest. He wielded a great double-bladed axe, one end against the ground and a boot on the blade planting it into the ground. His jaw was square, eyes hard blackened coals and skin fair. His hair was black with streaks of white but not from age, from a run in with a mage when he was a child.
“The great leader Dynus,” Shin said under his breath. “Long may he reign. And may his successor not be another destructive warmonger.”
Shin was struck in the back of the neck and he grunted stumbling forward. He watched the soldier holding his shackles glower at him. “Watch what you say mage.”
Grunting and glancing over his shoulder he couldn’t stop the smile that formed over his lips. “What? I can’t wish for a bright future for my home country?”
They continued to walk passing the great mural and went down another hallway. The doorways were high arched. Along the walls of them were a few paintings but these weren’t of the great emperor. The first was of a man with long white hair. He was older, maybe mid forties with sharp cheeks, nose and eyes. His skin was dark and eyes a deep red.
The next was a younger man who was the spitting image of the first man but with brown hair. He had the same red eyes and sharp features and stern face. The following painting though was the one that caught his eyes. A woman with pale blonde hair, red eyes, soft brown skin and the same sharp features. Unlike the previous two, she was smiling.
“Isal never changes,” he said softly.
“Quiet,” The soldier holding his chains commanded and he smiled bemused.
As the trio of them turned a corner he walked into what he could only call a throne room. Light poured in from the outside, pale red curtains pulled back. The ground was stone but another ornate carpet was on the ground. The throne was simple with a high back and velvet on the seat and the arms. It was made of glossy wood and hand crafted by exquisite wood work. The corners were sculpted into foxes, the major symbol of this house.
Behind the throne was a door that was slightly ajar. Turning slowly, he looked around for a second. Flexing his wrist, he reached and messed with his chains, gripping them lightly. “Hm. This is an extravagant room. I can only imagine the countess of Isal lives here. Though last I checked her brother was in charge. Then again, I remember there were talks of dissent. A coup. Maybe Camilla has taken what she thought should have been hers.”
Before Shin could say more one of the soldiers stepped forward and swung his fist at him. Ducking under the attack he took a step back and flexed the chain. With a quick whip of his arms the chain wrapped around the soldier’s neck like a snake. Kicking the man in the back of the knee he brought him down and yanked both arms back all but strangling him on the ground.
“Hey!” the other soldier shouted drawing his sword but Shin glared yanking harder on the chains.
“Think I won’t deal with you too?” he growled. “I’m Norian enough to not take this lying down. So come on. Show me what Norian steel looks like. I’ll bet you mine is stronger.”
Before either could move he heard that slow clapping echo from the other room. “Very good. I was afraid that your Norian blood had been wasted under the mantle of being a mage. But it burns inside you. Hotter than many of these soldiers.”
Looking up he watched as Camilla walked her way into the room. Each step was slow and deliberate. Wearing the same red gown, he could see her long pale hair, swept back behind her. Narrowing her red eyes, she stared past the two soldiers and looked directly at Shin. “Release him. I wish to discuss some matters with you. In private.”
Shin kept his face blank holding the chain tightly but let out a slow breath. Slowly he unwound the chain from around the soldier’s neck and kicked him onto his stomach. The soldier jumped to his feet and whirled around to hit him but Camilla snapped her fingers and both soldiers froze.
“Leave us,” she stated softly.
“But ma’am.”
“Leave.”
That single word had so much power laced within it that even Shin shuddered. Taking a step back he watched as both soldiers hurried out of the room leaving him alone with her. He pulled his arms forward and the chain rolled toward him. Moving quickly, he wrapped it tighter around both of his wrists.
“You called this meeting baroness. What do you want from me?”
Camilla walked into the room and finally backed up to sit on her throne. Placing an elbow on an arm she leaned against her fist and stared at him. “For someone who’s Norian blood burns as brightly as your own there’s no reason for such a meager performance this morning.”
“What can I say? These shackles are giving me performance anxiety.”
She chuckled and shook her head. “Why do I find it so hard to believe you?”
“When do Norian’s believe anyone the first time they meet?”
“You play on the stereotypes of our people. Use them as a shield,” she said stroked her cheek slowly. “But I’m not one to let a good resource go to waste. Or let another one pretend to be something they’re not.”
“Which am I?”
“Depends. Do you think I a fool?”
“The woman who out foxed her entire family and now comfortably sits at the seat of power in one of Noria’s stronger cities? I wouldn’t dream of calling you a fool.”
She laughed and shook her head slowly. “You’re quite the flatterer aren’t you.”
Shin bowed as best as he could making the chains rattle slightly. “It keeps me alive.”
“So the question remains. Why did you hide your talents from me during the first phase.”
Shin set his mouth in a line debating on how much to divulge. The last thing he really wanted was to seem more valuable than just a run of the mill mage. But he’d already gotten this much notice. If he played dumb any longer he was bound to get punished for insubordination or something like it.
“I apologize for not revealing my full hand to you. My brand of magic is specific condition wise. I cannot do it at the drop of the hat.”
She raised her eyebrow. “Alright I’ll bite. Though my patience is wearing thin. What kind of conditions do you need to wield your magic?”
“To put it plainly I need the dead.”
“That can be easily arranged,” she smiled and clapped her hands together. “I’ll have you escorted back to your cell soon along with a proper meal. And if you can provide sufficient entertainment perhaps we can talk about something a little better. But if you fail to impress well than. You may find yourself joining the dead.”
The Harlequin Library 