Kazin's Quest: Book I of The Dragon Mage Trilogy (34 page)

It had been a full day since Kazin and his company had returned from the mountains and during that time he had not been idle. Along with studying his orb-activating magic, he studied the magic in his book. He often found a private area of the courtyard to practice in and was growing more confident of his abilities all the time. His favourite new spell was the invisible spell. He used it once on Sherman’s sword while he was practicing with a lieutenant in General Larsen’s army. Both combatants were taken off guard by the prank. But Kazin discovered that to make a living thing invisible required different magic components and far more magical energy.

It was with the experimentation of that spell that he discovered purely by accident that he could change the appearance of something or someone by making only a slight alteration. It also required less energy than complete invisibility and Kazin felt he could maintain this new spell for hours. The book had never mentioned anything about this so he wondered if this was a discovery of his own making. He eagerly tried his magic on Zylor the following day. Although the minotaur objected at first, he allowed Kazin to proceed. Kazin made the minotaur appear like a human warrior. The transformation was so effective, the minotaur even sounded human.

There was only one drawback. Later that morning, while experimenting in the cleric’s garden, they were sitting next to a large, shiny pool filled with lily pads of a sort used for healing. Zylor was cloaked in the guise of a warrior and sat to one side talking quietly with Harran. Kazin was on the other side of the pool sitting on another bench with his magic book open. In front of him, a frog jumped onto a lily pad and croaked before jumping into the pool with a splash. Kazin held his book up to prevent it from getting wet and looked sternly at the spot where the frog had entered the pool. When the water calmed, he saw a reflection of the minotaur and dwarf. For a moment he didn’t pay attention to the image. Then he sat bolt upright. Zylor was not reflected as a warrior. He was reflected as himself!

Alarmed, he quickly informed the others of the spell’s flaw and cautioned Zylor to stay away from mirrors and water surfaces when they were under way again.

The companions started off early the next day, their mission too important to postpone. Kazin and Milena were good enough at their parts of the orb spell and more practice was not needed. Zylor’s wound was almost completely healed and everyone was well rested. Kazin brought along some herbs that the clerics had given to him for his stomach ailment and, even though it recurred from time to time, the pain was presently dormant. Before he left, several clerics tried to heal the ailment, but in the end the herbs seemed to work best. So, with parting words of encouragement and a supply of herbs, the company departed the Tower of Hope.

They rode quietly through the battlement’s gates and past the patrolling ranks of General Larsen’s army and eventually cleared a rise and the Tower of Hope was lost from sight.

The companions rode in silence, mired in their own thoughts. Sherman rode ahead of the group scanning for signs of danger. He was determined not to be caught off guard by those who sought him so consistently over the last several weeks. At first he was uncertain whether accompanying Kazin was such a good idea. He didn’t want his friend to get involved with his problem. Now, as he considered the times he was saved by his friends, he realized he couldn’t have gone on without their assistance. Perhaps it was safer to travel in large numbers. He shook his head. He wasn’t going to hide behind anyone; a mage, a dwarf, a minotaur, or even an entire army. In the end he would have to deal with this himself. He didn’t want the blood of his friends on his hands.

Sherman turned back in his saddle to observe the cleric. Milena was an attractive brunette with piercing blue eyes. Her bearing was almost regal as she deftly prodded her horse onward along the trail. She looked up suddenly and her usual serious demeanour was replaced by a pleasant, friendly smile when she saw Sherman staring at her. The big warrior responded with a quick smile of his own before turning ahead to continue his examination of the road. He couldn’t quite understand it but he felt as though she was his responsibility—as though he was intended to be her escort on this trip. Sherman sighed. Pretty women did things to you, he knew, but this somehow felt different.

Unfortunately, he not only felt responsible for the cleric, but for the rest of them too. His trouble would be theirs. Sherman clenched his jaw and spurred his horse forward. He would not let them down, even if it took everything he had.

Harran brought up the rear with Zylor beside him. The minotaur was rather gloomy, and no matter how hard the dwarf tried, the beast would not respond with more than a grunt or growl. Harran knew it had to do with the fact that Zylor hated magic, in particular the spell that Kazin had to cast on him each time someone approached. There was no way around this, so the minotaur finally resigned himself to accepting the spell’s effect without comment.

The stocky dwarf understood the minotaur’s discomfort. He hated magic himself, even if it was good magic. He knew Kazin had to cast a spell or two on him in the past and he didn’t like it either. He liked to be in control, and to give some of that up to magic was infringing on his freedom. He had discussed his feelings with the minotaur back in the pond garden at the Tower of Hope. They both felt uncomfortable when a spell was cast on them, and comparing notes allowed them to feel more at ease with the magic and themselves. Both were concerned about the long term effects of the magic cast on them, but it was a necessity on this quest. So, in drawing this conclusion, they set the matter aside for the time being.

Of course, Harran found it particularly perplexing that Zylor had actually agreed to go along with them. But then there was little choice. To go back into the mountains by himself would be too dangerous. Not in the physical sense; the minotaur could hold his own against any creature except perhaps a spell casting lizardman—and even they would have a tough time stopping him; but in these mountains there were no maps to navigate by, so he could very well become hopelessly lost. And to skirt the mountains’ edges would ultimately lead him into the hands of the human patrols who would certainly be looking for threats after the recent attack on the Tower of Hope.

That left only two options; either stay in the tower or go with the party on their journey. Harran knew Zylor was getting edgy with the constant fussing over his injury by the clerics in the tower and to leave that place behind must have provided some relief. To have a mage cast a number of spells on him was a small price to pay to escape the tower.

There was one other thing that seemed to be driving the minotaur but it was not something the dwarf could understand. It had something to do with the warrior and his fighting abilities, but exactly what, the dwarf couldn’t say. Harran glanced at the minotaur’s face but could not find the answer in the stony visage. He shrugged and continued to try to think of ways to cheer his friend up.

Kazin rode in silence, recounting the spells required to reactivate the orb in the Tower of the Sky. He glanced over at Milena, who rode beside him, and wondered if she was reviewing her own part of the reenergizing spell. She seemed very confident in her magic. Even Malachi had commented on this when he briefly told Kazin about her background and her contributions to the tower.

Apparently someone brought her to the tower as an infant, claiming she was found on the banks of North Lake. While debating the matter in council, the strange lady who brought her in disappeared and was never heard from again. A majority of the clerics voted to adopt her and train her in healing magic if she possessed the ability. Sure enough, she showed the ability at a very early age, earlier than most, and her magical strength was far more pronounced than even some of the more experienced clerics. She quickly became adept at more complex spells and was instrumental with both offensive and defensive spells in the recent battle at the tower.

Not bad, thought Kazin. She was a good selection for the task they were given.

Milena smiled up at the warrior in front of her. He gave a quick smile of his own and turned ahead to scan the roadside for danger. The big warrior seemed almost familiar in the way he handled himself. Even when they first met, he seemed to remind her of someone. Certainly she had never seen anyone even close in size or appearance at the tower. Perhaps he reminded her of one of the soldiers in General Larsen’s army. He had a habit of recruiting large men.

Besides the physical factor, Milena sensed the warrior’s kindness and integrity. He was a man of fairness and honesty. He would do what he could to protect his charges.

The dwarf and minotaur were also honourable in their intentions. But why they were there hinged on the one person she could not quite figure out—the mage.

As far as she could ascertain, Kazin was only recently promoted to master mage. Instead of being sent to support the armies like other master mages, he was being given various tasks by Arch Mage Krendal himself! Krendal rarely paid much attention to one particular mage. Why was Kazin so special? Was it because he just happened to be entrusted with the secret orb code? Milena didn’t think so. There was something else going on here and she was determined to get to the bottom of it. It was eleven days to the Tower of the Sky, so there was plenty of time to figure it out.

The companions arrived in Macron around sundown, and dismounted their horses by a stable next to a quiet inn near the Elgar River. Sherman volunteered to procure supplies at a nearby vendor while Milena made arrangements for their accommodations. Kazin led the others into the inn’s common room.

They sat down at a long table near the bar and ordered some drinks while they waited for their companions to return.

“I think we were being followed,” murmured Harran quietly.

Kazin glanced up at the dwarf. “Are you sure?”

Harran shook his head. “I can’t be too certain. They hung far enough back so as not to be seen. The only reason they seemed to be after us is the fact that they changed pace when we did.”

“Let’s keep our eyes and ears open just in case,” said Kazin.

Harran nodded.

Just then Milena returned. “The rooms are set.”

“Good,” grunted Zylor in his warrior’s disguise. “In that case, I’ll go to bed.”

“But you haven’t eaten yet,” objected Harran.

“I’m not hungry,” grunted Zylor, rising. He looked pointedly at the mage.

Kazin nodded in understanding. “I’ll go up with you and cancel the spell when we’re alone. We could both use a rest from the magic, anyway.”

“I’ll bring you up some dinner later,” called Harran after the two retreating figures.

The cleric and dwarf sat alone in awkward silence. After a moment, Milena decided to ask the dwarf some questions about his involvement in this mission. She was not prepared for his response.

It took a while for the dwarf to narrate his version of the events of the past several weeks, but when it was finished, Milena could only stare at Harran in amazement. With the exception of the battle at the Tower of Hope and the following adventure in the mountains, her life was a complete contrast to the lives of the company she was now in. Her life was more or less peaceful and serene, while theirs was a day to day struggle. She knew now that they considered her as one more person to protect. It was no wonder, with the experiences they had so far. She silently vowed not to let them be over protective—she could take care of herself—and she might even be required to protect them as well. But she would have to prove herself to them first, she knew. They wouldn’t accept her as an equal otherwise.

She was about to ask the dwarf about the minotaur’s role in all of this when Harran suddenly looked around, alarmed. “That’s funny. Where’s Kazin? He should have been back by now. And where’s that big warrior? He should be finished getting supplies by now as well.”

Chapter 31

K
azin was returning from Zylor’s room shaking his head sadly. The minotaur was getting more and more edgy with the spell he had to endure. There was no physical explanation. It was purely psychological. He thought he understood Zylor’s problem, though. The minotaur was in enemy territory and under a hated magical spell. That would make anyone edgy! Kazin hoped the minotaur would get over it. They still had a long way to go.

He looked out a landing window as he walked past but stopped when something caught his eye. Peering out again, he viewed the roadway below. Across the road and down a narrow street was the vendor’s shop where Sherman was purchasing supplies. He was still engrossed in conversation with the vendor, apparently arguing the price of some merchandise. On the inn’s end of the street a group of three men stood hunched around the corner. It looked as though they were spying on Sherman and the vendor. One man beckoned and a fourth man appeared, caped and hooded. A mage! Sherman was in trouble!

Kazin’s mind raced. He briefly thought about getting the minotaur, but it would take too long to cast the spell on him again and to bring a minotaur out into the streets would do more harm than good anyway.

Similarly, running all the way to the common room to fetch the others would cause insufferable delay. He had to react on his own.

Kazin instantly bounded down the stairs and exited the rear of the building running full tilt. When he reached the side street, he saw the three men bending over the inert form of Sherman while the vendor nervously stood by, unsure of what to do.

“Hey!” yelled Kazin, preparing a spell while running toward his fallen friend. He didn’t get far when a heavy object struck him from the side and he went down with a crash. Dizzily, he began to rise when he heard a swishing noise followed immediately by two others. The three men surrounding Sherman each went down with a knife protruding from their necks. After that, Kazin’s vision blurred and he collapsed, unconscious.

Moments later he was being shaken roughly and he opened his eyes. Sherman stood there with one hand shaking him while the other held a man roughly by the arm. When Kazin’s vision cleared, he stared in shock. “Rubin?”