Chapter: 111 The Summoner
Konstantin's body was a mess as we brought it into the barracks. The company huddled around as he was placed on a table and his body stripped. The smell of burnt flesh and charred leather was strong among the stink of days in the woods. His leather bracers had bite marks on them, and when removed, bloody, partially scabbed-over puncture marks were underneath.
Lirkin checked the forearm, "Bone is broken. Get the healer in the city if
someone has not been sent already." Felix immediately took off at a run, his footfalls echoing on the stone.
Konstantin groaned, and Lirkin whispered to him, "You got back, you tough bastard. We will heal you in a day, and you can return to being your old
cantankerous self." Konstantin's dry throat tried to speak. Lirkin leaned down and put his ear to the man to hear. Lirkin stood after listening and informed us what he said, "He found the summoner. It set a pair of hell hounds on him."
A lot of whispers rang through the men as no one seemed to know what a hellhound was. Castile walked purposely in at this moment with Adrian behind her. She answered the question I had. "A hellhound is an infernal dog, not from this plane of existence. It is a summoned creature that is a
relentless tracker. Konstantin," Castile stood over Konstantin, taking in his abused body and getting his attention, "are the hounds that pursued you
dead?"
Konstantin painfully nodded his head in the affirmative. Castile nodded. "And the summoner? Is he dead, too?"
Konstantin shook his head negatively, not being able to speak loudly.
Castile grimaced. She put his hand on his shoulder. "Everyone get some rest. I will wait with Konstantin for the healer and potions." Adrian shuffled everyone away. As I walked away, I felt guilty for not going with Konstantin on his scouting mission. Maybe he would not be in such terrible shape if I had accompanied him.
I returned to the tower with Flavius and Maveith. Flavius talked as we went, "Summoners and hell hounds, bad omens. I guess we will be marching soon and hunting the summoner. Best to get some rest." When we got to our
tower floor, the empty bed we had brought up here for Konstantin was apparently going to be filled soon.
I lay down in my bed, and my mind flashed to Konstantin. I recalled his return. He was in terrible shape, but he also did not have his pack or his weapons. His artificed sword was missing, and I imagined it was out there somewhere, stuck inside some fiery beast. I did not use the amulet as I settled down tonight but did take an oblivion pill to stave off nightmares I knew would haunt me. If I didn't, I would imagine myself looking just like Konstantin.
I was awakened in the morning by a familiar hoarse voice, "Eryk, you can sleep through anything. Get up. It is time for breakfast and some training." Konstantin's voice was raspy, but it was definitely him.
"Love you too, Konstantin. Glad you are not dead…or perhaps you are a revenant back from the dead to hound me." I said, smirking at my joke.
Maveith laughed in his deep voice, "That is a good twisting of the words, Eryk. Hound because a hellhound almost killed him."
I opened my eyes to see Konstantin standing over me, grinning. His face was gaunt, and his eyes sunken. "You look like an ogre just shit you out." His grin faded.
"I am still fit enough to teach you a thing or two in the practice yard," he rasped out with his dry voice.
"With what? I didn't see your magic blade on you yesterday," I said and immediately regretted it. Konstantin's face fell in some remembered pain, and maybe it was too soon to be needling him.
He finally said, "I preferred my life over the blade. Still might be able to reclaim it if Castile marches us to hunt the summoner."
Flavius was already dressed in his armor and at the table in the room, "So you found the elven summoner, Traeliorn Kelran?"
Konstantin moved to sit across from him. "No, I don't think so. The elf with the hellhounds appeared too young." Flavius was about to interject, but Konstantin stopped him, "I know elves age really slowly. This one was young; he was no ancient and powerful sorcerer." Flavius grunted in
acceptance of his words.
I sat up in bed and looked out the window, and the sun was just turning the sky. I sighed and started dressing. I looked at Konstantin, "I can't believe they healed you up, and you are ready to go again."
"The summoner is a real threat, Eryk. Castile was doing a message sending to the Legatus Legonis office this morning. Most likely, they will order us after him," Konstantin said seriously. Flavius nodded at the table in agreement.
"So we need to get ready to fight more hellhounds? Is that how you were burned?" I inquired as I put on my armor.
Konstantin rubbed the side of his face, which had pink new skin, "Don't
know about more hell hounds." He held up his arm, and a memory of pain flashed on his face, "Yes, one grabbed my arm, and the other breathed fire on me. If I hadn't been able to dose myself in a nearby pond, I would be
dead."
Maveith boomed from across the room, interested in the story, "How did you escape?"
Konstantin shifted in his seat at the table, "I was looking at the summoner from a good mile away. He was setting up a ritual circle. I was deciding whether to try and sneak close and get him with my bow when the two
hounds I didn't see caught my scent from a cursed mile away."
Konstantin exhaled angrily, "I dropped from the tree and ran. They caught me in no time, even though I was dropping myconid spores. One grabbed my arm while the other breathed its fire on me. Drove my sword into the mouth of a breather. Had to let go due to the heat. The one biting my arm tried to go for my throat." He looked around at us, "I was half on fire at this point, and the dog I was wrestling was unscathed. It was a struggle, but I got a dagger in its neck and forced myself into a pond to cool off." He chuckled dryly.
"Then you dragged yourself back here?" Maveith said in awe.
"No, didn't quite kill the second. Swam across the pond, and it stalked me, but it was bleeding out. Giant leeches in the pond forced me out. I was at a disadvantage without my bow or sword, but the hellhound didn't attack. I forced myself to run and figured the beast was smart as it tried to exhaust me. I hoped it would bleed out from the wound on its neck. Eventually, I
won the contest of wills." Konstantin did not sound smug, just exhausted at the retelling.
"We should get down to breakfast, or Benito will eat all the butter-honey buns left over from the Duchess' dinner," Flavius noted.
The four of us made our way to the barracks. I was half expecting to see the Countess' soldiers in here with us, but it was just our company. As Flavius had predicted, Benito had a plate stacked three high with dessert buns.
Blaze, next to him, had the same. Everyone came up to Konstantin and said they were glad he was already on his feet.
Linus brought him two plates stacked with food, "Konstantin, no complaints. I want you to finish both plates before leaving the hall. You had a lot of healing done last night from the healer and potions."
"Where is my plate?" I asked with a smirk at Linus.
"Next time you drag yourself in here half-burned with a dozen broken bones, I will get your food for you, too," Linus returned with a mock challenge.
"I hope that day never comes," I said, headed to the buffet table with Maveith. Maveith just took one of the serving trays from under the food as his plate, grinning while he did. From the look of it, the spread was mostly leftovers from last night's dinner in the Citadel, but no one seemed to mind.
The Duchess still wanted to impress her mother even if she did not want her here.
While we were stuffing our faces, Castile entered on her heels with Delmar and Adrian. She looked around the room, and her face was stern and not happy. Adrian walked over to Flavius, and I heard them say, "After Castile finishes, head out and get the four men guarding the crew laying the
province border stones." Flavius nodded sharply at the order.
Castile addressed everyone present, "I sent Konstantin's report to the
Legatus Legonis. He has ordered us to locate the Bartiradian summoner and end him. Master Mage Sebastian and two of his legionnaires will join us in three days on drakes." The company stirred a little at the announcement.
"We will also be joined by High Mage Zyna, but she will bring no legionnaires. Sebastian will transport High Mage Zyna, and they will find
us in the wilds. No Hounds will be coming to help search for him." Flavius'
eyes had snapped to Castile on Sebastian's name. I couldn't see his face to read his reaction to seeing Sebastian again.
Castile continued as our company started whispering louder, "We will leave after the midday meal. Delmar will get a load out for your packs prepared. The summoner was last spotted fifty miles northwest of here."
"Is this normal?" I asked Konstantin, who was working on his second plate and apparently already aware of what Castile was going to say.
"Hunting an enemy mage within the Empire borders?" He asked with a cocked eyebrow trying to act like I asked a stupid question.
Flavius answered my question directly, "Usually, it would be three full mage companies hunting an enemy mage with two or three Packs of
Hounds in support to track the mage. High Mage Zyna is a powerful battle fire mage, but she used to teach at the Mage College. I was not aware she could be called on for a hunt like this."
Konstantin added what he knew while shoveling food in his mouth, "The
Hounds already lost a squad searching for the summoner. I am not surprised Cornelius is not sending help. He would only have five full Packs left in all the Eastern Empire if my math is correct, and I am sure he is being kept busy around Macha countering the Bartiradian Rangers."
Flavius exclaimed, "Just five! There should be ten in the east!"
Konstantin shrugged, "I talked to him after Macha. He lost two squads chasing down a rogue mage commander before Macha. One squad retired a few months back, and another is…not available. He has twenty men in
training," he gave me a sidelong glance, "But none are ready to put into the field."
Flavius relaxed some at the explanation, "It is one of the most dangerous
jobs in the Empire." Konstantin just nodded but did not tell him he used to be a Hound. "But just five squads left?" Flavius shook his head in disbelief and left. He had to make a long trek to get our men out supervising the digging of holes.
I went to the tower with Maveith while Konstantin was forced to stay behind and eat the rest of his food. I packed quickly, thinking we were going to be gone for a while. Maveith just watched me, and I tightly rolled one of the weasel pelts inside an oiled tarp I used for my tent. I asked him, "Are you not going to come?"
Maveith sat on his bunk, sighing, "I was not asked to go."
I looked at him sharply, "Maveith, do you want to come and hunt a powerful mage that can summon creatures of nightmares and legends?" He put on a broad smile, "Yes! Traveling with you is always interesting."
He began to pack his things, and I shook my head in disbelief. If I had been
given a choice, I most definitely would not be going.
We arrived in the courtyard, and Delmar had bundled food for us and a few changes of socks and undergarments. Mateo quipped at seeing the house
guards of the Countess, "Never got an apology from the Countess for kicking us out of our rooms." Everyone laughed merrily.
Delmar smirked at Mateo's comment, "Why don't you carry the ration
packs for the four men Flavius is retrieving." He groaned as it was almost forty pounds. He did not end up carrying it, as Felix, Maveith, and I each took one of the four bundles.
We didn't have to wait long before Castile was outside with Adrian. Adrian arched an eyebrow at me, "Thought you would be riding your horse, Eryk."
"I can do that?" I asked, ready to bolt for the stables and saddle Ginger. "Too late now," he smirked as he was clearly joking.
Castile added seriously, "She would just be used to carry supplies, Eryk. Leave her behind. It is safer for her." That ended any argument. We were soon walking down the road northwest along the river. We were going to meet up with Flavius and the others before following Konstantin into the Wilds to find the elusive summoner.
Chapter 112: Raelia (POV)
Raelia walked the promenade in the King's Palace, following the mage. After being sent home by her brother from Macha, she spent two days recovering in the Rookery. She had been mucking nests and showing the newest class of Griffin Riders how to care for their saddles and tack.
Then news came of the Telhian ruthlessness.
The mages of the Telhian Empire had torn down the city's outer walls with earthquakes. It was completely unexpected and devastating. She had been worried her brother had perished in the attack, but he had managed to retreat with remnants of the army. She had not seen him in the last three weeks, but at least she knew he was okay. She heard he was preparing the defenses in the city of Tanal near the border as the Telhians had already marched on Guiracas.
Her anger at the news had made her put in a request for a new griffin, but
she was denied. The Master Griffin Tamer told her she would have to spend the next two years cleaning and teaching before he would consider giving her another hatchling to raise. At first, she had been angry; the kingdom needed trained Griffin Riders, and she was trained, but then she was reminded of how she had failed her mount.
She wanted to get revenge on the Telhians, as many friends and comrades had been killed. She had been abused herself, taken captive by a legionnaire, and forced to attack one of her brother's bodyguards. She had been questioned by a number of mages at the Magus Scholarium and had her aether resistance tested five times. One mage even checked to ensure she was not a doppelganger, as the idea that a legionnaire could force her into a dimensional space seemed too absurd.
Maybe she could fight as a soldier or Ranger if it could not be in the skies. She had all the qualifications to be a Ranger, and many Griffin Riders came from the Ranger's ranks. She went to the Master Tamer and asked to be transferred. He looked disappointed but granted her request the next day.
She was assigned to the fourteenth Ranger squad.
She was frustrated to learn the fourteenth Rangers were assigned to Magus Scholarium. The Magus Scholarium was in the capital. It was a free magic school for anyone who had the potential to be a mage. Their sprawling
campus outside the capital included fifty thousand acres of woodland. The fourteenth Rangers patrolled this area. She later learned her brother had placed her there to protect her. This infuriated her, but she would do her duty and look for a chance to fight the Telhians.
Raelia's new commander was Jalon Leoyra. He was an ancient-looking human who was deceptively strong and quick. He must have been taking
essences to maintain his youthful physique. Today, she was following Jalon to meet with the High Mage Traeliorn Kelran.
She watched the young mage students wandering the campus, absorbed in their little world. Children, she mused, not realizing a battle was happening just a few hundred miles to the west. They climbed one of the tallest towers in the Magus Scholarium. The circular stairs wrapped the outer wall with
windows every twenty steps, she noted. The view rolled from the campus to the woods she presided over. They reached one of the upper floors, and the door was open.
"Enter!" a commanding voice sounded. She followed Jalon inside. She was here to take notes and run messages if needed, not to participate. Raelia had never met the High Mage Traeliorn Kelran before, but she could feel the power oozing off him just seeing the powerful elf. He took up her concentration, and she missed the ice drake curled in the corner of the room.
The white-scaled creature yawned, and its predatory fangs had her step back. Traeliorn laughed. "Girl, Kylma is about as dangerous as a puppy. I don't think she has hunted a day in her life." The drake belched a cold mist toward the mage in a challenge. "Go stretch your wings, Kylma. Your disrespect toward me is embarrassing me in front of my guests."
The glistening white-scaled drake stood, unwinding its body. Kylma was much larger than she had guessed. The drake slowly stretched, and then
dove out a nearby window. Traeliorn shook his head. "Failed in taming that one, but she does make a good conversationalist."
Raelia couldn't help but voice her disbelief. "You can talk to drakes!" Jalon gave her a harsh look for breaking protocol in front of the High Mage.
The High Mage laughed. "No. But that is the point. I have had a dozen
wives in my life, and all we did was get into arguments. Kylma doesn't talk back, so I never lose the argument!"
Jalon shook his head. "He has been married thrice, Raelia. You will find our High Mage is prone to exaggerate everything. Now, Traeliorn, why did you request my presence? Do you need more ingredients for your summons?"
"My apprentice just sent a communication. His two hellhound guards have been killed," the High Mage said seriously.
"Is Vaeril injured?" the old ranger asked, concerned. "Do you need us to retrieve him?"
"No, it was just a single scout. But now he has no protections while he sets up the next summons. I would like to portal one of your rangers to protect him for the next month," Traeliorn requested.
The old human huffed angrily. "The council does not agree with your methods, old friend. Putting your apprentice out in the Empire to summon and unleash beasts is a danger to him and innocent people."
The air suddenly crackled with blue sparks. Traeliorn's power emanated, and he screamed at the old Ranger, "They killed my grandson in Macha! I would kill every citizen of the Empire if I could!"
The old Ranger did not back down. "How many times are you and your apprentice going to open gates to elemental planes and other dangerous
lands? One of these times, the creature you summon will be too strong for you to control. You cannot hide your fatigue from me, old man! Our days of saving the world are over. We are retired! Your grandson made his own
choices."
Raelia suddenly wished she could be anywhere but here. The mage could snuff out the Ranger with a thought. The air slowly cleared, and they both calmed down. Raelia stepped forward unexpectedly. "I will go."
Both sets of wizened eyes turned to her. Raelia stood tall. This was a chance for her to get back into the fight. Jalon said, "Your brother sent you to my care, Raelia. I will not send you to your death in the Telhian Empire."
Raelia smirked as she was accustomed to using people's words against them. "You just said the High Mage's grandson made his own choice. I want to make my own choice."
"I like this one, Jalon," the High Mage smiled, his blue eyes twinkling in victory.
Jalon threw up his arms in disgust. He pointed at Raelia. "Burn her face into your mind. When word comes that she is dead, know it was just as good as
you doing the deed yourself!"
"I am prepared to accept that. Leave her here, and I will help her prepare for her duty," the High Mage said gravely.
Raelia felt she was slightly over her head. The High Mage addressed her after Jalon left angrily. "You know he is right. I have sent more young men and women to their deaths than I can count to fight the Telhians. Every one of them is burned up here," he tapped his temple.
"I am willing. Feel no guilt, High Mage," Raelia reaffirmed.
"Your primary task will be to watch Vaeril while he is sleeping." He sighed. "Let me see if I can find a few things in this mess to help you in your task." The old elf slowly went through his extremely disorganized closets.
She was given a thermal stone fire starter, a wand of aetheric missiles, three dungeon-grade healing potions, and a ring of sustenance. A fortune in artificed gear to help alleviate the summoner's guilt that he was sending her into severe danger.
Later that evening, she was waiting on Traeliorn, who was gathering materials to summon a wyvern near the Telhian capital. An old human
woman came into the office unannounced. She immediately started yelling at the High Mage, "You old geezer!" She walked up to him. "You are leaving again to summon one of your beasts!"
"My third wife," the High Mage told Raelia with a small smile. "You are in for a show."
"You idiot," the gray-haired woman continued. "Just let it be. Why don't you help the rest of the High Council figure out what in the dragon's fire the Telhians are up to south of Macha!"
"I don't care!" he rebuffed. "If the Emperor made an appearance there, then I might for a chance to snuff him out. Until then, I will show his people how inept he is at keeping them safe!"
"If you confronted the Emperor, he would banish your soul to the void!" the woman barked at him. She waved a finger at him angrily. She stormed out angrily after some more back-and-forth screaming. Raelia wished she could have faded into the wall during the screaming session. The white drake returned during the argument and just ignored the two mages as it curled back into a ball and went to sleep. This seemed commonplace for it.
Raelia slept in a room below, and the next morning, the High Mage opened a portal in his office. Raelia's mouth hung open in disbelief. "How?" It usually took a few mages together to open a portal.
The High Mage winked. "Lots of practice. Also, my apprentice has an anchor I can latch the portal to. Shall we?" He gestured to the portal. Raelia picked up the heavy pack of food and gear and entered first.
She appeared inside a cave with a young elf focused on a metal plate. The apprentice, Vaeril, was contributing his own aether to maintain the portal. His golden hair was matted with sweat, and his green eyes focused.
Traeliorn walked through next, just in his mage robes. He turned and faced the portal and asked, "Well, are you coming? Or do I have to walk?" He sounded irritated, but the ice drake eventually emerged, and the portal snapped shut.
Raelia stared at Vaeril as he panted from the effort. Traeliorn seemed unconcerned as he looked around and nodded. "Vaeril, have you moved a good distance from where your pets were killed?"
"Yes, Master. I am twenty miles from where I was discovered," he answered.
"Good, this is Raelia. She is a trained Ranger and will be your protector." Raelia waved at the apprentice. He was kind of cute, and his deep green eyes were mesmerizing. He did not seem as impressed with her.
Traeliorn continued, "I am heading north to summon another wyvern. I want you to summon some hill giants and send them," he considered for a moment, "send them in the direction of the scout that killed your hounds." The apprentice nodded happily.
"How many hill giants?" he asked as the High Mage was mounting the ice drake.
"Two. You cannot handle any more than two," he advised and then was in the air. Raelia marveled that he did not need a saddle to ride the drake.
Vaeril looked her over and sighed, disappointed his protector was a young female elf. Raelia read his eyes, "I am a skilled Ranger and used to be a Griffin Rider."
He cocked an eyebrow and slowly nodded appreciatively. "Good. Come, we have a few miles to walk, and I will be setting up a summoning circle while you watch my back." The pair started walking, and Raelia started up a
conversation with the young mage. It was unsurprising that they were almost the same age. Raelia thought this was going to be a good assignment. She would help get revenge on the Telhians, and maybe she would make a new friendship.
Chapter 113: Sebastian's Entrance
The march on the road was mostly orderly. We kept three men abreast, spaced ten feet apart, with Castile, Adrian, and Delmar leading. We passed refugees headed to Sobral every few hours. The refugees found the most interesting thing about our company was Maveith. I had Maveith on my left and Brutus on my right, so it felt like every refugee was also staring at me. It felt like a long time since I had been part of the company, having worked in small groups and foraging for the alchemist. The voices of everyone around me blended into a comforting background noise.
I noticed we had no scouts out as Konstantin was walking next to Firth, two rows ahead. Maveith was walking and working on sewing in the white leather lining to the manticore pouch. I did not have the heart to tell him I did not need it, given that I had a dimensional space. We had marched about a dozen miles when we noted five legionnaires sitting on the road ahead. It was Flavius and the men he had been tasked with retrieving: Pascal, Remus, Cyrus, and Soren.
Remus was the only legionnaire from Mage Gregor's company who had survived Macha. He kept to himself, and I could not imagine how he felt losing his mage and everyone in his company. He was also easy to identify when we had our helms off as he was the only ginger in the company.
The five men were sitting on large blocks of rough-cut white marble stacked on the side of the road, and I could see a well-worn path heading into the woods. It looked like these were the province markers the men had been burying in the ground for weeks. Two buried markers on either side of the road reinforced my guess.
This must be where they started the project and delivered cut marble from the quarry. I did not see the point of all this effort to place these markers, but I guessed rich people in every world liked to remind people what was theirs.
We paused for a snack, and Blaze sat with Maveith, Brutus, and me. "So those are the stones you have been burying in the ground? They look heavy," I patted the marble I was sitting on.
Each marble block was roughly one-foot square and three feet in length.
"Those blocks weigh as much as four men. You got to laze about and walk
in the woods while we did all the real work, Eryk!" Blaze said with a half smile.
Maveith, perhaps defending me a little, informed him, "Eryk has been fighting manticores, ettins, and goblins. How many creatures have you killed since arriving, Brutus?"
Brutus laughed, "No need to take things so literally, goliath. I was joking! Everyone in the company knows if there is danger on the horizon, it is best to keep your distance from Eryk as it will surely find him."
Maveith nodded slowly, "Do not worry, Eryk. If danger finds you, I will stand at your side to face it."
Brutus laughed, "You may not quite get humor, Maveith, but at least you are good at checkers."
Maveith reached for his pack, "I brought the game board. Do you want to
play?" We all laughed, and after Brutus lost a game of checkers, Castile had us headed into the woods.
Flavius and Konstantin took off ahead of us, and I walked to Adrian and asked, "Should Maveith and I be scouting as well?"
Adrian looked to Castile, who gave a sharp nod, "No, with Flavius back, you do not need to. But with your new spell form, we would like to keep you close to Castile. I typically protect her right side and Delmar her left. We want you to protect her rear."
I nodded in understanding. "So, should I be marching with you then? At the front?"
Adrian confirmed, "When the sense of danger is in the air, yes."
Maveith was behind me and asked in his baritone, "What do you want me to do? I told Eryk I would stand with him."
Delmar turned his head to look at us as he walked next to Castile, "You can cover him with that monstrous bow of yours."
Maveith nodded, happy at the answer, and continued to focus on finishing the pouch. For having such large hands, he was doing such fine detail work in the stitching. The path was well-trodden, as they had carted dozens of
stones into the woods. The men behind him were joking about the effort and how the donkey cart they used was constantly getting stuck.
The stones were buried with only about twelve inches showing. The white marble tops made a clear dotted line in the landscape. As we walked deeper, Flavius and Konstantin rotated back to the company. Being closer to Castile, I could overhear their reports. They mostly reported what type of
tracks they found. So far, nothing dangerous.
As evening settled, we made camp in a clearing, and two long strips of
white tarp were staked into the ground, making an X. Castile watched them work and informed me, "That is for Master Mage Sebastian. He is not due for a few days, but we will put it out when we stop to rest and camp. It has a light aether signature to it, so he can find it easily when he overflies it."
"How will we fight alongside drakes?" I asked as I unpacked my bedroll and tarp.
"We won't. They will be in the air, covering us and scouting. High Mage Zyna will join us on the ground for the real fight," Castile relayed taciturnly.
I hesitated momentarily before asking, "Do I have anything to worry about?"
Castile looked at me, "Not from Zyna. She, like me, was a plebian before attending the Mage College. She completed her service quite some time ago. I think she has a manor in a coastal town somewhere."
"And from Sebastian?" I pressed.
Castile looked into the woods where Flavius was circling the camp in the
opposite direction of Konstantin, "He is unpredictable. Knowing his temper, I am surprised Flavius returned to us. Keep your distance from him. I will shield you if I can." I nodded and thanked Castile before setting up my tarp tent.
Maveith had a tarp but chose to sleep under the stars since the buggy season had passed. After dinner, I lost a game of checkers to Maveith and went to sleep. I was asleep for maybe four hours before someone was kicking my boot. I was instantly awake and putting on my helm. Felix smirked, "All is fine, Eryk. Your turn for watch."
I groaned as I had forgotten that I would be part of the night watch rotation since I was no longer scouting. I was paired with Pavel, and we took the
positions and huddled in our cloaks to keep the body heat trapped inside. It was cold enough tonight to see our breath form a cloud on exhaling. Pavel
had a legion cloak, and I had my black manticore cloak. It did a much better job retaining warmth. I would roll it up and send it to my dimensional space after the watch to minimize wear and tear.
Pavel was not much of a conversationalist. He was also struggling to stay awake. The only excitement all night was a normal owl swooping down and catching a rodent of some type. I slept another few hours and was up before dawn and packing. Lirkin fed the company, and we continued our trek, following Konstantin toward the last place he had seen the elven summoner.
During our afternoon break, Maveith proudly presented the manticore sack to me. He had dyed it black to match my cloak. It was large enough for me to squeeze both hands inside—or Maveith's single hand. It looked exceptional, except I knew where it had come from.
Maveith excitedly explained, "I used the ice drake hide for its natural chilling properties. It can keep herbs you gathered potent for much longer. The manticore leather should be able to take a pounding but still last you a lifetime. I have seen warriors in my village pass one down for generations."
"It is fantastic, supple, and smooth, Maveith. Your effort and care in making it will cause me to treasure it always," I studied it for a moment longer under his watchful eye, and then sent it to my dimensional space. I explained, "This way, it will not get ruined while I am fighting."
The second night in the woods, Konstantin had us be more cautious. He estimated we were about fifteen miles from where he found the summoner. Castile ordered the camp to be made and informed everyone that we would wait here until Master Mage Sebastian and High Mage Zyna arrived rather than risk an engagement without their support.
Maveith noted the weasel den was probably in this area. Delmar barked with a smile at the news, "Since we have a few hours of daylight and do not know how long we will be here, I want a trench line dug there and there,"
he pointed. We were on a small hill clear of trees, so at least the ground would be free of roots.
We spent six hours digging two defense trenches at right angles and staking them. We were also given assigned sleeping areas by Delmar. It almost felt like he was trying to get more rigid with the camp to show off to the two arriving mages. The regular army would construct elaborate camps every night when they marched. Small mage companies, not so much.
Everyone except me was used to digging from the last few weeks. Digging blisters were different from weapon blisters on the hands, and I voiced a vocal dissent to the work. Of course, I would heal them just enough tonight so they would not bother me. Maveith joined us but was relegated to rolling large rocks out of the ditch for us.
The company cleaned up in a stream, and I was fortunate to get the first watch this evening. It was early in the night when the familiar two bangs of warning came. The camp was roused, and Firth, who had been on the other side, informed Delmar that he had spotted one of the giant weasels.
"Beast was bigger than a horse and moved just as fast," Firth told the awakened men and prepared company.
Everyone looked to Castile. She closed her eyes and sent out her all-seeing- eye . I knew we could see it in the dark, and so we waited. A few moments later, she spoke, "Two giant weasels are moving away from our camp."
Maveith said, "They are smart creatures and would not attack our camp with so many men. I just suggest no one wanders in the woods alone at night to relieve themselves."
Adrian nodded, thanking Maveith, "We will double the guard." Some men groaned as going from six to twelve meant most of us would get half as much sleep. Clouds rolled in, covering the moon and making it extremely dark for the remainder of the night, and light stones were placed out in the woods. It was a relief when the morning came.
Delmar had us finishing the defensive square after breakfast, and no one complained. We now had a square camp on top of a hill about forty feet to a side. The ditch was just three feet deep but had a stake every foot from a lot of work by the men.
As we were eating lunch prepared by Lirkin, a chunky potato and salted beef soup, Blaze pointed to the skies, "Drake!"
I looked up and saw the silhouette. I had no idea how he saw something so small. Then, I spotted two others trailing the first. They passed our camp, and I thought they missed the large white X at our center, but they soon started circling above our camp. My heart was racing at the possibility of confronting Master Mage Sebastian and him accusing me of having his brother's collector. I caught Flavius sneaking glances at me, which did not help my comfort level.
The drakes circled for an hour, slowly descending from their heights. Castile was standing next to me and noted, "He is scouting around our camp, but also, I think he is drawing it out to make us wait."
"Who is on the other two drakes?" I inquired.
"Two of his legionnaires. Probably drake tamers from his estate. The Emperor rarely has Sebastian help with missions. He contributes a lot by raising the fire drakes for the Dragon Legion," Castile stated.
Castile looked up and suddenly smirked, "If he does not land soon, I think Zyna is going to throw him off." I looked and could see the largest drake, which had one person riding pillion. I guessed Castile was using her all- seeing eye to spy on them.
The smaller drakes landed at the bottom of our little hill. The largest drake landed in our midst. The powerful wings blew tarp tents and sleeping rolls everywhere. I could tell that Master Mage Sebastian had intended the
dramatic effect. He slid out of his saddle to the ground, smiling smugly. His grand entrance made, he addressed Castile imperiously, "Mage Castile, it
seems it has become a habit of mine to come and rescue you."
The woman behind him dismounted less gracefully, and her legs were a
little weak from the ride. The woman did not look like a wizened old mage.
Her auburn hair was braided into a long ponytail. Her light brown eyes
were lively. She appeared middle-aged, maybe in her late thirties, and was one of the tallest women I had seen in my time, nearly matching my 6'1" frame.
She ignored Sebastian and came to Castile and gave her a hug to Sebastian's consternation, "Castile, my child, it has been ages. You have never visited my estate."
Master Mage Sebastian frowned at being ignored, but if my understanding was correct, then she outranked him as a High Mage. His drake bristled, shaking itself out and mimicking its master's dissatisfaction. Castile broke the hug, "My company was never sent on assignment near your coastal town, Baroness."
If she was a baroness, then she was also a First Citizen. But I thought
Castile said she grew up poor. Zyna turned to Sebastian, "You and your men should finish that patrol I interrupted by insisting you land. You said
scouting the entire region before you landed was important." There was some terseness in her words.
Sebastian ground his teeth, "Yes, High Mage."
Castile and Zyna moved off to talk privately, walking outside our fortification. I slowly moved back from the giant flying lizard, now that Castile was no longer at my side. Dragons and I did not mix.
Sebastian led his drake through our barricade, destroying some of it, and down to the stream to let the drake drink before heading into the sky with his two men. A handful of men were at the water, Flavius among them. I was sure I noticed him and Flavius make eye contact for more than a moment while the drake satiated its thirst. My paranoid self was sure it would not be long before Sebastian took a detour to question me about his brother's death.
I watched the three drakes getting water while Sebastian conferred with his two legionnaire riders. I just had a bad feeling about this whole situation.
Adrian called to me, "Eryk! Castile and the High Mage wish for you to join their conversation!" I looked to see them at the bottom of the hill opposite
the stream. I wondered what this was going to be about.
Chapter 114: Zyna, the Fire High Mage
I had been ordered to talk with Castile and the High Mage, who seemed familiar with each other. I walked down the hill from our camp, stepping between the stakes. Castile was a head shorter than the auburn-haired High Mage. They both turned and faced me in unison. Castile introduced the mage, "This is High Mage Zyna, Mistress of Fire, Baroness of Piscatio, a small village on the northern coast."
Zyna looked me up and down and extended her hand. We formally shook wrists, and the formality confused me. She asked, "This is him? He is a big boy but looks young—and inexperienced. If he is going to watch my back, is he any good?"
Castile smirked, "As good as Delmar or Adrian. He has a decent air shield
spell form as well as a dimensional space." The High Mage arched her eyebrow, reassessing her initial appraisal of me. Castile addressed me,
"While Zyna is with us, you will be her personal guard." My surprised look had her explain further, "High Mage Zyna outranks Sebastian, so as long as you are in her service, he cannot command or question you."
I was confused but understood this was a way to protect me. Did that mean Castile trusted Zyna? I tried to sound happy at the assignment and asked the High Mage, "Should I call you Mistress, Baroness, or High Mage?"
Zyna laughed, amused with a musical voice, "Just Zyna is fine, legionnaire Eryk. I no longer teach at the Mage College or command a legionnaire company. My First Citizen status is only so the Emperor could continue to call on my skills when needed."
"So that is why you are here? The Emperor called on you?" I asked and realized perhaps I had overstepped.
Zyna pursed her lips in anger, and I got worried, "I volunteered," she said tersely. "The small fishing community where my estate is located was inundated with giant waves. Twenty-four of my people were killed, and most of the fishing boats were destroyed. I am here to get some revenge on the elven summoner who summoned the water elemental that caused the disaster." Her eyes took on a blue glow of aether tinged with red, and I could feel her aether stirring violently in her core. This little display showed
me why she was considered a High Mage. The flair of volatile power disappeared as quickly as it had come.
Castile nodded to me and left me with Zyna. "What do you need me to do for you, Zyna?" I asked with as much respect as I could weave into the words. It was definitely not because I sensed her oppressive power a few moments ago.
"We must wait for Sebastian to give us a marching direction. Show me to your tent until then," she waved her hand up the hill at our square fortification.
I led her up the hill and showed her my tarp tent in the camp. It was very simple, with thick poles cut from branches forming three A-frames at the ends and middle. The tarp was staked over the frames, one end was open,
and the other was closed. My weasel pelt was laid out on top of my legion- issued bedroll. She assessed the space, and I was worried she was either going to be sharing it with me or kicking me out. It would be a tight fit for two people, but doable.
"It has been a few years since I camped on the march. You can set up my tent next to yours," Zyna informed me, and before I could ask where her tent was, a large backpack hit the ground with a thud.
My mind raced, and I put it together quickly, "You have a dimensional space?"
Zyna smiled, "Not a spell form like you, Eryk." She tapped a ring on her finger, "A dungeon artificed storage ring. Works the same way as your spell form, and it is twice the size of yours," she said with a mischievous smirk.
Maveith, who had been watching from a distance, approached, "High Mage, can I interest you in a game of checkers while Eryk sets up your tent?"
"Maveith, wouldn't you rather help me set this up?" I indicated the large, tightly wrapped tent.
"No," the goliath assessed my task. "I would rather play checkers with a more challenging opponent." Brutus, Maveith's usual opponent, huffed from a dozen feet away.
Zyna smiled at our playful interaction but then sided with the goliath, "Friend goliath, I would be honored to play a game of checkers with you." They moved off to some logs and a makeshift stone table in the camp that
the others cleared for the High Mage as she approached. The drakes took to the skies from the stream and began their search while Maveith and Zyna set up the board. Brutus came to my aid and helped with the tent.
It was a large tent, requiring a dozen eight-foot poles to be cut to assemble it. Thankfully, Brutus was familiar with the style. The final assembly gave the High Mage a roughly eight-foot cube tent out of the oiled canvas material. There was a square floor panel as well, but no bedroll. Maveith and Zyna had a lively conversation during their game nearby, and I was worried that the goliath might retell my prowess with the manticores.
With the tent finished, Zyna approached, nodded in thanks, and entered. She left the flap shut for privacy. Maybe she had more space in her ring and was laying out a luxurious interior. Maveith sat with me, "She is a charming woman. She even won one of our six games."
Konstantin and Flavius had taken down a large deer for dinner. The best cuts were for the men, while the remainder would go to the drakes. When Lirkin had dinner prepared, Castile brought a portion into Zyna's tent and did not exit before the sun was setting.
We were waiting for the return of the drakes. They returned just after sunset, and Sebastian landed his drake again in the middle of the camp. I think he was attempting to blow over Zyna's tent, but Brutus and I had double-staked it. The men in the camp had done the same to their own tents, expecting the childishness of the Master Mage. Not one tent was blown away this time, which upset him.
Sebastian entered the tent unannounced, and the conversation was obviously being muted by magic. We all looked at each other, not knowing what to expect. Everyone kept their distance from his drake, which appeared tired and curled into a ball. Lirkin came and gave it a haunch of
the deer, and it greedily ate it. The crunching of bones was not something I enjoyed being so close to.
It was a good hour before Sebastian emerged unhappy. He gave me a hard look before leading his drake down to the stream where the other two
drakes had already been unsaddled and fed. Adrian and Delmar were called into the tent. When they left at dark, Delmar went to bring Castile's things to the tent while Adrian gave orders.
"The Master Mage did not find any sign of the summoner. We will be marching northwest in the morning, following Konstantin. The drakes will
keep watch from above." Everyone felt better knowing the three powerful drakes would be overhead, but I was not so certain.
That night, there was a commotion in the woods. The loud squealing, hissing, and sounds of combat woke the entire camp, and Konstantin went down and came back to report, "The drakes killed one of the giant weasels. They are feasting on it now. It should quiet down in an hour."
Maveith seemed upset, "Waste of a good pelt. Should have skinned it first."
The following morning, we packed up camp, and I struggled to get Zyna's tent rolled tightly enough to be returned to her dimensional ring. Maveith and Brutus had to assist me. When we marched, Brutus and I were on either side of Zyna with Maveith behind us.
After a few hours of Maveith and Zyna discussing different board games, I asked, "How do you know Castile?"
Zyna smiled, "I was a Chancellor at the Mage College, finishing my own service to the Empire when Castile started there. Those not of royal blood
tend to have a difficult time. I mentored her and helped her acclimate. I am the reason she chose the Legion over serving Duke Octavian."
Blaze and Wylie in front of us couldn't help but turn around in shock at the gossip but quickly focused forward. Zyna just smiled. Maveith, unaware of human decorum regarding age, asked, "If a mage is required to serve twenty years and Castile is almost done with her service, does that make you sixty? You do not look it." Maveith liked to puzzle things out, and this was not something he should have tried.
I reflexively stepped away from the mage, and Brutus did likewise on the other side of the High Mage. Zyna just laughed her musical laugh, "Maveith, I am eighty-three. I served twenty-six years as a mage commander and twenty-four years at the Mage College. After fifty years of service, the Emperor granted me the writ of primus civis , making me one of the few to be named a First Citizen without the blood of the First Legion in my veins."
Maveith grunted, "I would not have guessed you for being older than forty." "Thirty, Maveith," Konstantin said, appearing from the woods. "If you are dumb enough to guess a woman's age, always guess ten years younger than
you think. She will not burn you to a crisp if you are wrong."
I added my wisdom, "Maveith, it is best never to guess at all."
Zyna laughed, "Maybe, but I have seen enough for two lifetimes, and
someone asking my age is not going to upset me—much. And the Emperor does grant favors if you are useful enough to keep around."
Konstantin walked next to Zyna, "High Mage, I was training your bodyguard in the finer arts of scouting. I would hate for his skills to get rusty. Do you mind?"
Zyna nodded her consent. But before I took a few steps she added, "Just do not wear him out, Hound."
"I am no longer a Hound, High Mage," Konstantin grumbled. It appeared that these two knew each other as well.
"What does Cornelius always say? Once a Hound, always a Hound?" Zyna replied.
"That old goat says a lot of things. Sometimes, I think he just likes to hear himself speak," Konstantin grumbled. "Come on, Eryk. I found some interesting tracks that I want to show you."
When we got off into the woods, Konstantin showed me some bear tracks and old gnoll tracks. We worked our way on the right side of the column
while Flavius was on the left. Konstantin seemed a little anxious about this quest, and I finally asked him when we stopped to take a break while the company caught up.
"You don't appear to be your normal cheerful self, Konstantin. What has got you on edge?" I said, chewing on some jerky.
"When you are hunting mages, nothing ever goes as planned. I do feel better with Zyna here. Just hope she does not burn down the woods while
we are in them," he said, sipping water. "With a summoner, you never know what type of creature they may have summoned as well. Also," he paused,
"there may be more than one summoner. I only saw the young elf, but that does not mean there are not more."
I finished the afternoon with Konstantin, and we found another hill for the company to make camp on. Delmar wanted trenches dug again, so we stopped with a few hours of daylight. Since I had scouted for half the day, Adrian informed me I was off trench and guard duty tonight. Scouts did travel two to three times the distance of the rest of the company.
I still had to set up Zyna's tent. Maveith helped this time. We had not staked it yet when Master Mage Sebastian landed in our midst. The tent was blown
away, and he dismounted smugly. He went to Castile and Zyna with purpose, "The summoner just summoned two hill giants twenty or so miles west of your position. If you hurry, you can catch him before he relocates."
Adrian approached, "Night hike with two hill giants in the woods is not advisable. If we are going to fight them, I would want it to be in the light of day."
"Not your decision, legionnaire," Sebastian barked at Adrian.
"Not yours either!" Zyna said forcibly. Sebastian narrowed his eyes at the woman who was deciding on a plan of action. Zyna finally said, "We will
leave at midnight. That will give Castile's men some time to rest and should put our encounter with the giants after sunrise."
Sebastian was not happy and growled out, "We will rotate watch during the night on the giants." He was holding in his anger. "The summoner will not be trackable from the air." He mounted his drake and took to the air, blowing the camp into more of a mess.
I turned to Maveith, "Just how many frigging kinds of giants are there?"
Chapter 115: Pig Roast
I had asked my question about the variety of giants to be rhetorical, but Maveith answered me anyway. "The Titans come in many varieties. There are the cloud and fog giants of the Dresimere Mountains. Then, the corrupted two-headed ettins, but you are familiar with them already. The
stone giants are builders but are nearly extinct as all the great Titan cities have been destroyed. The storm giants ruled all the giants before the civil war ages ago. The hill and mountain giants are cruel warriors and the most populous of the giantkin. They are both solitary and live in tribes."
Maveith counted on his hands, trying to remember. "Ah, yes, the frost
giants live in the harsh, cold north. But they keep to themselves. They do not like outsiders."
"You forgot the fire giants," Zyna said, having overheard our conversation. "The fire giants love battle more than anything and are always looking for a reason to engage."
"Why haven't the giants taken over the world?" Benito entered the conversation as he was untangling the mess from the drake.
Zyna shrugged. "I have not studied the histories, but I think the Titans once ruled all of Desia."
Maveith nodded. "They did. The storm giants were similar to your First Citizens. They governed all the giant races. Goliaths used to be bloodbound to the stone giants and helped them build the world's marvels. Tales are passed down in my tribe of the time before the schism and civil war among the Titans. The giant races fought and destroyed each other all across the land. None of their great cities stand today."
Maveith looked at Benito. "To answer your question, all the Titans are cursed. Not only is conceiving children extremely difficult for most of them, but it takes over fifty years for them to mature. Some of them have other permanent maladies. For instance, the hill giants have the mentality of child."
Benito quipped, "I have met some pretty smart three-year-olds."
Adrian grunted at Benito and didn't comment. "Most of the giant races are hunted in Desia as well," Adrian added. "Don't bother setting the tents. Just
get some rest. This night march is going to be taxing, and there is a fight at the end."
We cleaned up the camp from Sebastian's landing and packed our backpacks. Zyna had a small tarp and laid it down a few feet from my bedroll. Zyna had no problem appearing to fall asleep, and I guessed, as her temporary bodyguard, I needed to keep an eye on her while she slept in the open. I set my roll against a stump to use as a reclining chair.
Brutus brought me dinner. Salted fish that had been boiled into a vegetable soup. Sometimes, you have to eat things that are unappetizing to keep your calories up. This was not one of those times. I poured my bowl of soup down a hole in the stump I was sitting on. Hopefully, whatever creature
made its home down there would like it more than me.
I took out some hard salami and cheese from my dimensional space when it got dark and before the blue moon revealed itself. I ate more than I should have but doubted there would be a chance to eat again before the battle. I watched our camp be restless all night as it was the eve of battle. When Delmar called for the march to begin, we all moved slowly, not looking forward to facing the hill giants. Maveith had chosen to stay on the other
side of High Mage Zyna, which I greatly appreciated. The blue moon had decided to show itself, and the cloudless sky gave the woods an eerie blue light. A single glow was carried by the last man, Mateo, in our line. This was so the drakes could find us from above.
Progress was slow, and Konstantin and Flavius were leading us. I only saw a drake silhouetted on the blue moon once on the march when we passed through a clearing. I felt a lot better knowing we had three ferocious beasts overhead. Some men whispered back and forth as we made our way. High Mage Zyna then asked a question I dreaded. "Eryk, you are from Tsinga? I love their national delicacy, caramel bread."
"It is pronounced carmel in my small village. We only had it on special occasions as there were only a few goats to get milk from," I replied smoothly. I had the name of the village ready if she pressed.
"Oh, so you know how to make it then? After we finish this hunt, I may spend a few days in Sobral," Zyna said excitedly looking me over. I was not sure if she was being genuine or if she was trying to entrap me. At least
there was a recipe in one of the books in the dreamscape.
"I would like to try it, too!" Maveith said in his deep voice, overshadowing the whispering. Maveith realized his error, but he could not whisper well.
He tried talking softer, "I heard it is an amazing dessert. Melts in your mouth."
Zyna did not pry into my past again but tried for my other secrets. "Castile wouldn't tell me if you had any spell forms other than your storage and air shield." When I did not respond, she tried in a motherly tone. "I have instructed hundreds of mages at the Mage College. Do you require any
assistance?"
I considered my response and tempered it. "No, Castile has helped with everything that is needed. My aether shaping is too terrible to learn to cast spells."
A plume of fire in the sky a few miles off appeared. "Are they fighting in the sky?" Blaze asked no one in particular.
Zyna replied hotly, "No, they found the hill giants and are marking them for us."
Felix responded from behind me, "But that means we won't be able to surprise them. He basically signaled that someone found them."
Zyna huffed. "I think that is the point. Sebastian's way of showing his
displeasure at not making the decisions. Come, Eryk, we will move to the front. The giants look to be just two miles away."
I nodded but decided I did not want to be the bodyguard of a High Mage if they were always at the front. We moved forward, and Adrian hissed. "Pile your packs here! We are close!"
The twenty-three men of the company quickly and quietly dropped their packs. Everyone was on high alert for the sight and sound of the enemy. The blue gloom lighting made it easy to see movement, but if something remained still, it would blend in. Castile was at the front and using her
spells. Zyna put her hand on Castile's shoulder and leaned in, "Do you see them?"
Castile did not respond for a moment, then she pointed, "There, the giants are gathering rocks…they are throwing them at the drakes." A crash far away could be heard as a wayward rock landed. It caused all the creatures to go silent as more rocks returned to the earth.
Delmar muttered from my right, "They are not going to be able to hit anything. But then again, they are not the smartest of creatures. They will keep trying."
Zyna advised, "We will use this as a distraction. Archers behind me as I move to engage. Castile, stay back and be prepared to help if needed."
Castile frowned in the moonlight but nodded. "Shield bearers, be prepared to allow the archers to retreat between you. Spearmen support the shieldmen if the giants charge." That was all the orders she gave as she walked confidently forward. I was on her heels and Maveith on mine.
Our armor made rasping sounds as the hard leather rubbed as we walked, but I had practiced with Konstantin and Maveith, and I was fairly silent. Konstantin appeared from behind a tree. "High Mage, there are just two of them that we can tell. Both are adult males. Before they were disturbed by the drakes, they were eating a bear carcass."
Zyna asked patiently, "What are they doing now?"
"Throwing rocks the size of a man's head into the sky," Konstantin replied, and I looked up reflexively. Over our heads, we had a thinning fall canopy of leaves, but the sky was still obscured. A flash through the leaves told me Sebastian was taunting the hill giants.
"Any signs of the summoner?" Zyna inquired. "None," was all Konstantin said.
"Lead me to them then. We can kill the hill giants and see if we can find the trail of the summoner." Zyna determined our course of action.
"You make it sound so easy," I muttered.
Konstantin tittered at me. "Oh, Eryk, you are about to see a light show. You will see why they call her a High Mage."
We followed Konstantin down a rocky stream bed that gave us some cover. We had timed our march fairly well, and the coming sun was teasing itself, graying the sky. I could see the three drakes high in the air circling. A rock was being tossed in their direction every few moments. The hill giants could barely reach them with the hundred-pound spheres. At least they were distracting the giants from our approach.
Zyna stood and marched up onto the small hill. I had not been prepared for her boldness, but I stayed by her side. The archers were already formed,
seven men ready with their bows; Konstantin and Flavius had moved into their ranks. Six men with body shields behind them.
When I cleared my line of sight, I was disturbed to see the sixteen-foot hill giants. They were on an exposed rocky hillside for easy access to their ammunition. They looked overweight and childlike as they bent over and dug in the rocky ground for a fist-sized rock to throw.
One grabbed a smaller rock by mistake and flung it in disgust at the drakes. Being smaller, it was flung further and faster. By some miracle, the stone connected with the wing of a drake. A hissing scream of pain as the drake started to spiral to the ground. Unfortunately, it was not Sebastian's as the largest drake remained aloft. The giants had not even noticed us as they raced to the falling drake. I felt the ground tremble as they ran.
Zyna cursed, "Hades, take him! They are rushing out of my range, and that rider is as good as dead if they reach him." She turned. "Form the archers on that hill over there. I will see if I can draw them back to us." She ignored the men and started casting small dart-sized flames at the backs of the running giants. The darts flashed across the vast distance to the target, homing in and connecting.
Dozens of darts sprayed at the giants. It seemed to be causing minor burning marks on their backs. That was the unusual thing—these giants were wearing some semblance of clothes. They looked ragged, but they were wearing some type of heavy cloth or hide. One of the giants swatted his back like he was swatting a mosquito. He howled, realizing his back was on fire.
Zyna was steadily advancing on the giants, closing the distance while the archers got the higher ground. Both giants stopped and helped each other
put out the flames. Zyna ordered, "Arrows!" She stopped her own assault. I stood to her right, and Maveith towered behind us. The twang of his own
bow was heard behind me. The giants were a good three hundred feet away as our seven archers fired a steady stream. Half the arrows connected with the behemoths.
The giants helped each other with the flames, ignoring the arrows momentarily. They soon realized they were being attacked. These giants seemed oblivious to the world and could only focus on one task at a time. Maveith had said their mental capacity was limited. I thought they would
charge our position, but they just bent over and started hurling rocks at our archers.
"Curses!" Zyna spat. She started moving forward to get them in range of her magic. I moved with her, ready to use my air shield. Before we got in range, a rock hit Quentin in the torso. His body was torn apart. "Take
cover!" Zyna screamed as a weave of fire formed between her hands.
I was not sure if she was talking to me or the archers. I remained at her side and was fascinated as the head of a fiery snake formed and snaked into the sky. The snake quickly grew in size, and the giants were fascinated as it twisted in the air, growing larger and larger, being fed by Zyna's aether.
This is what truly powerful magic was. I could feel its heat even fifty feet away from the massive fire snake.
The snake twisted in the air and dove at one of the giants, opening its flaming maw. The giant held up his hands in protection, but nothing could stop the magic as the snake swallowed him and slammed into the ground. A pillar of flame erupted as the giant was burned alive. His fatty body melted, and the fat-fueled the flames more. He howled only for a moment as the
flame penetrated his lungs and burned them as well.
The other giant stumbled away but knew where the giant snake had come from. He slung a rock at Zyna. I was prepared and had an angled air shield in front of her. The rock deflected into the sky, destroying the shield but saving her life. "Thank you," was all Zyna said as she weaved her next spell between her hands.
A large flaming ball appeared over her head and sped toward the giant just a hundred feet away. The ball struck him and exploded. A blast of heat hit me, drying my eyes and throat and bringing the smell of burning pork to my nostrils. The explosion knocked the massive hill giant down, and his clothes were burned to his flesh. He staggered to his feet, howling in pain, and he
was now clearly blinded, and his corneas had been burned out.
"Archers!" Zyna called. Konstantin was the first to start firing, followed by Maveith and the others. The giant ran blindly forward, trying to escape. The arrows had trouble penetrating his thick clothing and fatty tissue. He stumbled and fell and stood, trying to figure a direction away from the attacks.
The archers began targeting its head, and it used its burned hands to protect its face. The problem was the archers were close, and not many were
missing. The behemoth howled in pain and frustration. It almost made you feel sorry for it. Zyna, drenched in sweat from her powerful castings, formed one more spell in her hand. A much smaller version of the snake raced away from her and consumed the head of the hill giant, forcing itself into its mouth and ending its suffering and its horrid cries.
I looked on in horror as it struggled to breathe. "Do not feel sorry for it,"
Zyna stated, seeing my face. "Those giants eat humans, preferably raw and still alive." The body churned only for a brief moment before stilling. Zyna turned to me, appreciative but a little smug, "Thank you for the shield. I had a defense ready for the rock, but I appreciate the thought."
The company joined us on the open field. Quentin had been killed, and his body was brought down, his entire right ribcage missing. Quentin had been one of Durandus' men. That meant he had been a legion volunteer and not conscripted. He had been on the road guarding our gear when we attacked the storm giant. I do not know how well he adapted to our less structured company, but it was sad to see another comrade fall.
Zyna and Castile moved off to talk while some men went to retrieve our packs, some men buried Quentin, gave him a brief ceremony, and then worked to start preparing camp. I looked at the charred corpses and wondered if they would yield an essence.
I didn't have time to think more of it as Sebastian's large drake landed on the first body and took a massive bite out of it like it was enjoying a pig roast. It was like he was claiming it as his kill. Then Sebastian took out a collector and placed it on the body—activating it. It was a large collector
similar to the shield-sized one Castile used to own. An essence formed, but I could not distinguish it from this distance.
I was a little angry that Zyna and Castile were allowing this. He let his drake feed and collected an essence from the second hill giant. He then
walked to Zyna and unhappily handed her both essences. That was a relief. They exchanged some heated words, and Sebastian walked into the woods to find his downed drake and rider.
Delmar turned and announced to the company, "We make camp here till midday. After the midday meal, we march in search of the summoner.
Konstantin, Flavius, and Eryk go search for signs."
Konstantin smiled at me. "Come, Eryk. Let's go work on your tracking skills." Damn it, voluntold again.