Mage, p.1
Mage, page 1
part #2 of Greymantle Chronicles Series
Mage
Greymantle Chronicles: Book 2
J David Baxter
Copyright © 2021 by J David Baxter
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to action, events, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Design, production and editing by Silverpaw Publishing.
Cover design by J David Baxter
HARDCOVER: 978-1-953708-15-1
PAPERBACK: 978-1-953708-14-4
EBOOK: 978-1-953708-13-7
For more on the Greymantle series see: JDavidBaxter.com or GreymantleChronicles.com
This book is dedicated to:
My wife for her support, patience, and invaluable assistance in getting this novel polished and completed.
My children for inspiring me.
My oldest friend, Lawrence Verrett, without whom this particular world would never have evolved.
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Also by J David Baxter
About the Author
Prologue
Excerpt From:
History's Greatest Works of Making
by Telenor of Valentrias,
Master Maker of the First Echelon, Assigned to the Prime Chapter-house of the Makers Guild
Entry: The Orb
I begin this volume with arguably the single most significant work of Making in the history of our world. Descriptions of the Orb say that it is a sphere of solid Crystal over five meters in diameter, in whose depths, swirling storms of mana appear to rage. And yet, we know very little about its construction and nothing about its location. Even those poor souls, not ordinarily able to see magical energy, can nonetheless perceive it when gazing into the Orb. Unfortunately, despite exhaustive research, I could not find any substantiated accounts of these descriptions.
This has led many to question the truth of its existence. In fact, I am sure my readers know of Antinos' so-called 'scholarly' treatise, in which he foolishly argues that very assertion. However, one needs only to cast a powerful enough destructive spell or attempt to manipulate a large enough volume of mana to note the Orb's dampening effect on such castings. Further, I have interviewed a scholar of high reputation, who claims to have spoken directly with the Raëndil who makes his home on the eastern slopes of the Canoldarian mountains.
According to that respected person (who asked to remain anonymous), the Orb was created after the destruction of the Bane Elves' Great Empire. They ruled the world approximately 93,000 years ago. The fall of that nation was so impactful that a group of mighty mages gathered to create a device to regulate mana. Further, the makers included Raëndil, Elves, and even one of the Ancients, mistakenly called Dragon Lords.
The Orb is said to have three functions. First, to prevent another disaster on the scale of the one which mysteriously wiped out the Great Empire. It accomplishes this by regulating mana and preventing extremely large destructive magics from being cast. Second, it regulates the presence of mana worldwide to avoid areas of 'mana pooling' or scarcity. Thus it ensures that no matter where one is, the mana will remain in predictable quantities. Third, it is said to prevent the return of the Ancients from their travels to other planes of existence.
Two of these effects are objectively demonstrable. As for the third, this cannot be objectively proved and must remain in the realm of conjecture. Any such function would be sufficiently complex to require constant monitoring of an entire world for even the slightest hints of foreign magical energies. Please refer to my work on magical theory, Theorems on Energy Transfer Volume 7, to read an exhaustive account of my testing.
This brings me to my last point, which is the belief that the Orb is intelligent. I would humbly suggest that this is proved in two ways. First, the same account was passed on from the Raëndil that I referenced above. He said in no uncertain terms that one of the makers of the Orb sacrificed their own life and transferred their consciousness into the Orb to complete the making. Second, read the third volume of my Theorems on Magic. You will see that through experimentation, I showed conclusively that mana is regulated in a way that cannot be random chance. Thus, it is reasonable to assume that A) the Orb does exist, and B) it must house human-level intelligence or higher.
Footnote Added: Telenor the Boring is more like it! Someone tell me again why we have to study this relic of a data crystal?
Footnote Added: Ugh! So dry and so pretentious! Who cares if the Orb exists or not? How does it matter to the study of Making what some Ancient or Raëndil created? Humans can't make that kind of thing anyway!
Footnote Added: Someone, please shoot me with a sleep spell and put me out of my misery! I'll never pass the journeyman Maker test if I have to keep reading crap like this instead of doing my Practicals!
Chapter One
Nate hadn't been after rewards or attention when he had delivered news of the Blood Mage plot. He didn’t want this attention, especially with the eyes of every noble in the kingdom focused on him. It made him feel like an impostor, like he was being praised for something he hadn't earned and didn't deserve. Despite that voice inside that said he was an imposter and no hero, he couldn’t help but be happy with his current situation. He was safe finally, he had friends, and he might even have the chance now to learn real magic… in his spare time, of course. He still had his duties as a guardsman which would take up most of his days. Looking around the table, he basked in the friendship and connection he had with these people. He hadn't realized how lonely he had been before that void had been filled. He might not feel right in accepting the honors, but he was sure his friends were responsible for how much he had been rewarded. They were almost gloating over how embarrassed and caught off guard he had been by the ceremony.
To say the honors had been unexpected was an understatement! He was especially shocked by the Knighthood and heavy purse of gold that sat in front of his plate. All he had wanted from the King was the right to speak to the old court Wizard, Dorvin Hightower so that he could find a way to get back to Earth, or at least send a message to his sister. He thought, Well, that and the chance to serve in the Royal Guard. After what he’d seen them do, he wanted to stop those bastard ‘bleeders’, and the Royal Guard were the most active soldiers in the world in fighting them. Even thinking about the Blood Mages made his anger start to rise.
Lost in thought, he wasn’t paying much attention as he was being toasted by Hamil, the senior Guardsman who had become his friend the first day he arrived in the kingdom. Maybe it was too much drink, but his mind wandered back over what had brought him to this point. All he had done was try to survive and reach a place of safety from the scary red robed wizard and his henchmen as they chased him halfway across the continent. Then, he had wanted to share what he had learned from the Mage who had killed his mentor, about the plot to start a war between the Elves and the kingdom of Canoldir. Later, seeing one of the Mage's soldiers skulking around the capital, he had watched and tried to learn more so he could tell the Royal Guard about it. He hadn't intended to get into the middle of a battle, nor to save the Crown Prince's life, it had all just kind of happened because he couldn’t just sit by and watch as they tried to commit their evil deeds.
Now the King had knighted him… Damn, I really need to learn more about that. What does it even mean to be a Knight in this place? He wondered.
Thinking about that new title made him feel even more like an impostor. He wouldn't even have a home or a safe place to live if it hadn't been for Joram and his sacrifice. Now, he'd been given the man's home and possessions after only being his apprentice for a couple of weeks... He forced a smile trying not to let his feelings of guilt bring down the mood.
Mersyn was toasting him next, "To Nate Marche, even if he does still suck at sword-work, he saved me from that traitorous son-of-an-orc, Firan!"
Everyone laughed, knowing the young Guardswoman's tendency to poke fun at him.
Seeing her smile he suddenly remembered why had been interested in her, but they had settled into a comfortable friendship, the kind he'd never really had growing up. Now, she was more like a big sister than anything else.
Balt smacked him on the back of the head and he realized he was drifting again. He pretended to be i ndignant and waved a fist in response. Then he cleared his throat and spoke to everyone. "I'm sorry guys. All this stuff caught me by surprise, I never expected the Honors or any of it, and I know I have you lot to thank. The King might have given me a pat on the back or something for the news I brought, but we never would have known the specifics of the attack if you all hadn't believed me and helped discover the traitors."
He looked at master maker Sarai and her salesman Yu. "If it weren't for you, pun intended, we wouldn't have been able to get close to the soldier and Firan and record their meeting to show to the king."
Yu rolled his eyes and groaned at the play on his name, having heard such jokes a thousand times. He didn't seem offended by it, however.
Turning to Balt and Eltan, "You guys both burned more than a little of your own money eating out at the pub every night with Mersyn and me as we watched for the bleeder to return."
Eltan nodded gravely, but Balt chuckled in agreement.
"And you!" He bumped his shoulder into Mersyn's in a friendly way, making her spill some of her drink. "You never doubted me once and put up with me for over a month while we sat on our stake-out. All of you deserve some of this." He nudged the coin purse in front of him. "I'll split it with all of you, that's only fair." Not that he wasn't happy to have the money. Between that and the 25 gold he had in the bank, he could live for 30 or 40 years comfortably without ever having to work. Of course, there was no way he would retire. He had joined the Guard to protect people from Blood Mage terrorists and he wasn't about to stop, no matter how rich he became. He had seen first hand the death and chaos they caused.
Mersyn shook her head decisively about the coins, "Not a chance. The King gave us each our own reward. That money was meant for you, not us." She grinned, "Although, I won't turn down a free drink or meal at the Champion's Blade from time to time. Just sayin!"
He blinked in surprise at her use of American slang, but then remembered he had said the phrase a few times in conversation over the last month. Even with the mysterious translation magic in his head, it was still weird to hear something from home being said.
He grinned. "Fine, but I am buying everyone hamburgers and fries at the pub next Freeday."
Eltan laughed and countered, "Make it pizza and you've got a deal! I can't get enough of that stuff."
Privately, Nate was more proud of introducing some of his favorite Earth foods to his friends than any supposed heroics. It might be silly, but he really did get a feeling of satisfaction knowing the pub was doing a booming business selling the foods he had taught them how to cook. Just wait until these guys taste Tex-Mex or Bar-B-Q!
His half-hazy thoughts were interrupted again, this time by Hamil. "So what's this about you meeting with the wizard? You know he turned a Guardsman's balls green once, and I mean bright, almost glowing green? Moral of the story, don't be disrespectful to cranky old wizards." Everyone at the table laughed.
These were all his friends, but he wasn't about to talk about the fact he was from another world in the middle of a crowded feast-hall. "I just have a question for him, that's all."
Master Maker Sarai smiled sadly, "You know you can't learn magic right? Not and remain in the Royal Guard at least."
Frowning Nate shot back, "That's not what I need to ask him about, but why not? I can see the magic." Maybe it was the drink talking, or maybe it just hit too close to home, but he had said that a little too belligerently.
Mersyn put a hand on his arm comfortingly, but said, "You can learn some magic if you want, a few spells anyway. You just can't be formally trained. The Crown has contracts with the Spellswords Guild, and it's against the rules for a soldier to also be a mage."
"Well, that seems stupid! Why can't someone do both?" The words were out of his mouth before he realized how they must sound to his friends. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so insulting. I'm still learning the customs here."
Mersyn smirked and said, "I agree, and the Spellswords I know are great people, but the Guilds take their business very seriously." She pointed to the Maker, "Sarai seems all sweet and friendly, but she'd cut you in a dark alley if you started competing with her Guild and started enchanting magic items."
He laughed, but then the sound died in his throat as the other woman smiled too innocently, and stabbed a piece of meat on her plate in an exaggerated gesture. It was funny, but at the same time there was a seriousness in her eyes that said, perhaps she really would gut him if he tried.
Maker Sarai spoke seriously as she explained, “Each guild has their purview, and they don’t let anyone encroach on their domain. Being both a mage and soldier is what the Spellswords do, and they protect that reputation by not allowing any others to do the same. They have agreements with the Monarchs and governments of every nation. If you become a mage, the King would have no choice but dismiss you from the guard.”
Nate hadn't really thought about it, but he was self-aware enough to realize the disappointment he was suddenly feeling was a sign. He had wanted to learn magic ever since Joram had first described it to him, and he'd been holding out hope that he might get to study it. Life had gotten in the way, and he had just been too busy dealing with the blood mage kidnapping plot to even find out if it was possible. He had even daydreamed about what it would be like to return to Earth and wow Els by performing real magic. He could see himself stepping through some portal, surrounded by the glow of magic, a fireball in one hand and a sword in the other, and all his acquaintances from psych class looking on in awe as he declared himself a master mage. It was just be an idle fantasy, and a dumb one at that, but hoped it could be a real possibility, the magic part at least.
But if he had to choose between being a wizard or a soldier... He felt a sinking feeling in his gut. He wasn't sure which he'd pick. Being honest with himself, he wanted both.
After that, the conversation moved on to more mundane topics like speculation about what duties they might each get assigned. He tried to pace his drinking after that, but it was another hour before the King's table stood and excused themselves to go prepare for the official presentation of Princess Aeris to the citizens of Canoldir.
Nate looked around the table and asked, "Should we go outside the palace and watch the ceremony?"
Hamil shook his head. "No. We're wearing our uniforms, if we go out there people will think we are on duty. He grinned broadly, "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm a little buzzed. I don't think the King would appreciate us representing the Crown while in our cups."
Nate hadn't considered that, but the experienced Guardsman was right. He had to admit he felt a little light-headed from all the wine as well. "Okay, you've got a valid point there." He briefly thought about using the magic disguise item that Sarai had made for him and Mersyn. That would hide his uniform, but that wouldn't be fair since none of the others had them.
Eltan shrugged showing his unconcern. "Meh. It's just a ceremony, there will be speeches and congratulations. Here we've got some of the best wine in the kingdom, and all the food we can eat."
"You are forgetting two things, my friend." Yu held up a finger for his first point. "This isn't a union between two human noble families. This is a marriage of Elven royalty and Human royalty. The King won't let a bunch of long-winded aristocrats prattle on." He added a second finger to his count. "And second, there will be skylights, but it will be beyond anything you or I have ever seen. The Elves will participate, so who knows what they might add to the display."
