Rise of the Citadel (The Search for the Brights Book 2) (7 page)

Kara peeked out
the tent flap to see four hulking men in imbued armor facing her tent. They
were wielders of earth and water, sent to contain any danger she might cause.
They watched her day and night without reprieve. She had taken to giving them
nicknames, since none would talk directly to her, let alone introduce
themselves.

Twilix said
these men had spoken to the guards in the dungeons and thought they were too
soft on her. She said they considered it a disregard for their duties to
fraternize with the fire wielders.

They stood in
unison as she peeked her face out the slit in the tent. She ducked back inside
and laid down on her cot.

“Don’t any of
you come in here! You might get burned to a crisp by the big bad thirteen year
old fire wizard!” she shouted. No response came from the outside.

Even though she
was out of the dungeons, she was still a prisoner.

Picking up one
of the books Twilix had brought her on fire wizards, she started to read about
ways to use fire magic. The books held instructions on using fire magic when a
new wizard or weapon bearer had no teacher. Kara would have normally found them
very exciting, but every time she wanted to try something she read about,
Twilix would say no. She said that it could be dangerous without an experience
fire wizard to watch over her.

She read them
anyway.

She had started
with one that Twilix recommended to learn to control her anger. Kara was
already in control of her emotions and had barely skimmed the pages of the old,
fragile book with burnt pages and binding. Next had been a book on creating
flames as an outlet for anger, and the one after that was on using anger to
increase heat in a flame. The books were nothing that she had wanted to read
until she came across one called “Inferno Fire.” She’d read it with particular
interest. In its binding it contained instructions to create a sphere of heat
smashed together on top of a ball of more heat. Each layer of heat adding
intensity to the sphere. When the swirling ball of heat was released it could
burn through a stone wall, or melt the skin off of a warrior without even
touching them.

The effects of
the weapon didn’t interest her, but the instructions on how to make it were
fascinating. Turning the fire inside itself like rolling a ball of yarn,
smashing it together while feeding heat in at the same time. The fire would
turn a color of white and begin to shake with the fury contained in the ball of
flame. The book said there was so much fury contained in a ball of Inferno Fire
that it should be used only as a last resort. Kara wanted to make sure she knew
how to use it in case that time ever came. Today she started reading the book
again in case she got the chance to make one, she would need no instruction.

From outside she
heard a commotion amongst the guards. She gently put the book down and went to
the tent flaps, only to be knocked over by a rushing Twilix. The water wizard’s
arms were full of blankets and food. Kara hadn’t seen her wake, but she
obviously had not brushed her hair or washed properly. Twilix looked frantic
and then Kara saw it. What she thought were white gloves on the wizard was
actually a thin layer of frost. Twilix turned to face Kara, her eyes were
hollow and dark. She looked pale, like she might sick up at any moment.

“I need your
help Kara,” she forced out through strained voice.

Kara placed a
hand on Twilix’s arm, which was so cold that she yanked her hand back,
“Whatever I can do.”

Twilix put out a
hand and lowered herself on to the bed, “I need you to help me to stay alive.
Normally a water wizard would watch over one like myself, but they have all
gone to war. I am the only one left. I need you to keep me warm or the magic
will freeze me solid.”

Kara opened her
arms and put her palms up and brought a flame to live in each. “What is wrong
with you? Why is the magic trying to kill you?” Kara asked concerned.

Twilix closed
her eyes and seemed to welcome the warmth of the flames. “It’s not trying to
kill me, Kara. I’m aging. It’s something that happens to young wizards like you
and I. Normal humans take a long time to age,” Twilix let out a groan of pain.
Kara brought the flames closer to the bed and watched as the thin layer of
frost melted, making the blonde wizard’s skin glisten with droplets of
moisture. Twilix continued through obvious pain, “Normal beings take sometimes
several years to pass from children to teenagers. When wizards age, the magic
we posses fuels us in our process. Some magics are easier to age through than
others. I’m sorry that I must tell you that fire seems to be the worst. Water
is not so bad. Water magic helps to heal my body as it changes. The process
will change my body like a caterpillar into a butterfly. In a short time, my
body will mature into one of a woman. I would like it if you helped me through
this trial.”

Kara was scared,
the wizard seemed to be freezing, yet sweating due to the pain. “How can I
help? Tell me what to do,” Kara said, holding the flames as close to Twilix as
she could without hurting the wizard.

Twilix took a
drink from a water skin and slowly answered as her eyes started to close.
“Wizard Parker will be here soon to help. Do as he says and all will be well.
He has done this before.” Her voice trailed off as she fell into
unconsciousness.

She wanted to
scream for help but found no moisture in her throat. She had never been alone
with someone like this before. Kara started to panic. Her heart raced and her
mind went in different directions of scenarios of what could happen as she
stood there, holding flames near the water wizard. She increased the size of
the flame in an attempt to wake Twilix, or at least keep her thawed. Soon she
felt something hit her shoulder. She turned to see Wizard Parker throwing rocks
at her.

She lowered the
flames back to where they were, but it did nothing to sooth her panic. The
wizard stepped inside, shielding his face from the smoke coming from the ruins
of a burning tent roof. Water sprayed over the top, drenching the three wizards
and nearly extinguishing Kara’s flames. One of her guards put out the fire that
was eating holes in the canvas roof.

“Kara, she
doesn't need an oven, she just needs to be warm. Just keep your flames about
the size of those in a hearth at your home,” Brandon said while standing well
outside the flames.

Kara adjusted
the flames and took a step back so Brandon could examine her. He had never
spoken to her before. He had always stood off to the the side of the training
grounds while she battled with Twilix or one of the water wielders standing
guard.

Wizard Parker’s
touch seemed to help make Twilix more comfortable. Her breathing became deep,
and color returned to her skin. She was sleeping, and that helped Kara relax.

“Kara, we have a
long road ahead of us. I need to know right now if you are truly in control of
that flame. If you have any doubt about your control over your emotions I need
you to tell me now,” Wizard Parker said. His voice was calm as he continued to
examine Twilix. He didn’t even turn to look at Kara.

“I am in
control, but how can I help?” she said pleadingly.

He finally
looked at Kara, still standing close, holding flames in both hands. He stood and
put his hand on her shoulder.

“You are already
doing it,” he said caringly. “Just keep her warm. Keep her blood from freezing
in her veins, that is all.” He said it as if it was a small and simple task.
Perhaps he saw the terror in her eyes. “I will have the hard part after all. I
will have to return here a few times a day to help her body heal. If we are
lucky, this growth will be complete in a few days. If not, well, we will do
what we must. You are the only fire wizard here in control of their powers. So
you are her only chance at staying alive. Keep her alive, Kara, because at the
end of this I will have to make a report to the King. I would like it to say
you were able to save her, instead of the alternative.”

He held up the
tent flap to leave and Kara stopped him, “Wait. She was telling me about aging
and she didn’t get to finish.”

Wizard Parker
smiled at her, “She will finish when she wakes. I think that you should have
had a pretty good lesson in wizard aging by the time she is finished. Just keep
her warm and get rest when you can. The more rest you get, the less taxing it
will be on me. I will have some food and water brought in to help keep your
strength up.” He smiled and let the tent flap fall closed.

She was, again, left alone with
books of instruction that she couldn’t practice, but now with good reason.

  The ground was
covered with dew and the birds chirped amongst the trees. So far the morning
was cool, but by midday Kilen was sure it would be stifling. He had slept well,
almost too well. He took a moment to remember where he was and the tasks that
he had at hand. Kilen rubbed the sleep from his eyes, even though he couldn't
open them all the way yet. The sun angled through the trees just enough to
blind him. Stretching his arms wide, he let out a yawn.The slow waking was
abruptly interrupted when his own boots hit him in the chest. He grudgingly put
them on his feet.

Joahna spoke in
low tones and Kilen knew the reason was to not disturb the serene sounds of
nature. “I found some eggs earlier while flying around. Max is hunting for some
meat to put in your belly. It’s best to have a meal in you before we deal with
whatever the elders have to throw at us.”

  Kilen nodded,
pulling his boots on, “What if there isn't anything to stand in our way?”

  “Well then, we
walk in over-prepared. Believe me, that is better than the alternative,” Joahna
chuckled as if he has made a joke.

Kilen knew it
was no laughing matter, he was the only one that could die. He was still unsure
if they would die with him or not. He had already learned that once summoned,
they could walk around without him maintaining contact with his sword. He stood
and continued to get dressed in spite of the bad joke.

“Better wear all
the armor and the shield.” Joahna laughed again, “Despite what Jace wants, we
need to make an announcement of what you are and who you represent.”

  He grudgingly
went over to the pile of armor and picked up his leather vest. The armor
underneath was polished so well that the light reflecting off of it temporarily
blinded Kilen. He put his arm up in front of his face to block the light.

“Max worked on
those all night long, so you had better not complain about it,” Joahna said.

  A noise from
in the brush revealed a stone man, covered in moss to represent hair and
clothing, stepped into view. “Complaints about what?” he said. Max was carrying
a rabbit in his stone hands.

  “I was telling
him not to complain about the armor’s polish,” Joahna said back.

  “He can
complain all he wants, I know Jace probably is. After all, I have never
polished armor before. I did the best I could do with what I could find.” He
turned his finger into a knife and started skinning the rabbit. “Polished armor
is only good for two things. One is giving away your position. Can you guess
the other, Kilen?”

  “Blinding an
enemy in battle?” Kilen retorted.

Max stopped
moving as if considering the idea. His knife-finger went back to work moments
later.

  “Okay, then
three things. The third is attracting a woman to lose your pay to. Two of the
three I would say are bad, and the likelihood of the third is small.” He chuckled
to himself, “But you are just ugly enough to scare any woman away if you
removed your helmet promptly.”

A stick grew
beside Max’s foot and he skewered the rabbit on it and placed it on the fire.
The smell of cooking meat made Kilen’s stomach growl. Joahna gave him the
cooked eggs, which he quickly devoured. Washing them down with a long drink
from a cooled water skin, he took a moment to thank everyone for taking care of
him.

  Every night
they watched over him while he slept. They healed his wounds, energized his
body, and fed him every day. Max had even taken up sewing and polishing his
armor and boots. He wished he had something to offer them in return, instead
they protected him by staying hidden within him. They protected him by not
letting his secret slip. He had nothing to give them other than the freedom
from his mind by being in an elemental. The only thing that he could give them
is a relentless pursuit of new bodies. Kilen knew that if he ever found a way
to return them to a body that he would miss them immensely.

Gripping his
blade he felt the earth magic determination slip into his mind, he let tiniest
amount take control. Setting the chainger in place, he was determined in mind
and in magic to restore the men he had killed. This new determination gave him
energy and an eagerness to fight his way to the knowledge he needed. He started
putting on his armor and found that the cold, shiny steel emboldened his
eagerness to fight. It made him feel strong and invincible He felt like he was
becoming steel himself.

  Joahna helped
fasten the leather straps and adjust the armor to fit properly. All the armor
fit better now than when he first received it. He had gained some muscle and
stood straighter than he had before. The armor felt natural, it felt like a
part of him. Joahna held the polished shield before Kilen so that he could see
his reflection in the steel surface. He looked to the sides of the green oak
tree symbol of the Earth Realm to find a weapon bearer staring back.

  Joahna cleared
his throat, “I’m holding this so you can try it on while the rodent cooks.”

Kilen quickly
snapped out of the statue-like position and took the shield. He hefted it and
tried its weight, swinging it back and forth. He drew his sword and held both
at the ready, peering just over the top of the shield.

He watched as
the ice elemental clapped his solid hands together making a loud crack each
time they met. “It should be about ready. Eat, so we can get this over with.”

  Kilen nodded
and carefully put the shield back on the canvas sack from where Joahna had
picked it up. Anxious to be on their way, he ate what tough meat there was on
the small rabbit. He licked the grease off his fingers and savored the flavor
of a hot meal. He had been eating the dried meat and bread Leroy had made. It
tasted good, but having it for every meal for days was getting old. He wiped
the remnants of his food on the moss-covered ground and picked up his shield.
Kilen began to untie his horse from the tree and a moss covered stone hand
touched his shoulder.

“We won't be
needing the horse,” Max said. “I think it would be better if we didn’t put
Jasper in danger.”

  “I’m going to
walk in then?” He asked, starting towards the wall of fog.

  “No, I will carry
you,” Max said.

Kilen turned
just in time to watch Max’s body contort and form into a large stone horse. A
moss-covered back doubled as a saddle and roots came out of his back for Kilen
to hold onto. Stirrups formed of roots, seeming to grow right out of the rock.
Black stones, filling the cavities that were his eyes, stared at Kilen. Kilen
didn’t think that stones could hold emotions, but the determination rolling off
the elemental multiplied Kilen’s own determination to find the man his own
body. Kilen put a foot in one of the root stirrups, which constricted, lifting
him onto the soft, moss saddle. The roots held him securely in place so he drew
his sword and held his shield at the ready.

  Jace formed
images of how to attack while on horseback, Kilen didn't even stop to think
that he didn't know how to fight on one. Max danced the horse body around
lightly, testing Kilen’s balance. Kilen looked up as Joahna, in the form of a
giant eagle, circled above the tops of the trees.

  Max edged
closer to the wall of fog that enveloped this portion of the forest. Kilen
closed his eyes and pushed his magic senses out, trying to see using the water
vision. He saw nothing but solid water. He had seen Twilix use a trick, pushing
a lining of water around her so that she appeared to be in a void. The fog was
the opposite, the presence of water and magic were so thick it appeared to be
as if Kilen were about to step into a standing wave. Solid and un-penetrable by
Kilen’s regular or magic sight. The forest seemed to become so silent that
Kilen swore his breathing would be heard for miles. His heart beat in his chest
as if it were going to break free of its skeletal cage.

  He tried to
control the noise his body was making when a loud screech came at him from
behind. The surprising sound sent a shiver up his spine, paralyzing him has its
streaked past. Kilen saw the glass-like form of an eagle disappear into the
fog, and the noise cut off as if sound disappeared inside the fog. Kilen
strained to hear anything but nothing escaped the other side.

  The stone
horse between his legs bent its knees as if to pounce. It was time to face the
Elder Wizards. Kilen and Max lurched forward into the fog wall. His magic and
physical senses all returned at once. He could hear and see the forest on the
other side of the fog wall. The fog was still thick and blocked him from seeing
much more than two of Max’s strides. He could hear the screeches of Joahna
already deep in the forest. Max seemed to be trying to catch up. He sped
through the forest with an unnatural speed. Kilen tried to find a grip on Max’s
stone neck with his shield hand but was unable grasp him.

A tree limb came
out of the fog and connected with Kilen’s chest. The limb broke free of the
tree, only mildly knocking the wind out of Kilen. That he was Still sitting
upright was a surprise to Kilen, but he managed to raise his shield before he
collided with the next branch. Max did not slow or falter in any way. Then he
realised that Max, himself, was pushing through branches as well. Kilen kept
his shield at the ready, colliding with a few more branches. They started to
grow vines out after he struck them. The vines wrapped around Kilens shield
arm, his chest, and Max’s legs. Some dropped from the canopy above to wrap
around Kilens midsection in an attempt to unhorse him. With his feet securely
wrapped in the vine stirrups he felt as if he were being ripped in two.

  Quickly, Kilen
swung his sword, slicing them free of the rapidly growing vines and Max doubled
his effort as if he were trying to pull the trees from the ground. With each
vine cut, the remaining vines groaned with tension. Kilen fought vigorously
until the rest holding Max snapped and they moved forward at his unnatural
speed.

  Kilen watched
and slashed any more that came near and once even sliced through a tree branch
too thick for a regular man’s axe. The trees opened to a wall of fog, which Max
jumped through and into a marsh. No trees grew here, only the occasional bush
in shallow water. Kilen could still hear Joahna screeching in the distance. It
was the only thing making a sound that Kilen could hear.

Max said
nothing, only trudged on through the shallow water. Reeds protruded from the
water’s surface every few feet giving the illusion of solid ground, but sank
when Max stepped on them. The surface of the water was calm, only being
disturbed by the movement of Max’s stone hooves. Then he noticed at the edges
of his vision that the water's surface was beginning to crystalize.

“It’s freezing,”
he said calmly to Max.

The elemental
horse wasted no time picking up his pace as Kilen realized that the ice forming
atop the water was approaching quickly, as if chasing them. The ice was gaining
ground as Max pushed himself to go faster than before. Kilen and Max raced
forward, trying to outrun the freezing water encroaching from all sides.

  Kilen turned
in time to see a large spike of ice burst out from the water and into Max’s
chest. Max’s stone form shattered, letting Kilens root stirrups free of the
rock bonds. He went tumbling forward, unsure which way was up or down until he
reached the icy cold water.

Jumping up to
get out of the water was the most natural reaction to the frigidness that
attacked him. He tried to use his fire magic, but none came. He tried to pull
the water from his clothes as Brent had taught him, but nothing happened. He
had no magic here.

Kilen was unable
to escape the water drenching him. The creeping ice followed him, surrounding
him like a moving pillar of water. It creeped up his clothes, chilling him to
the bone. He swung his sword wildly, to no avail. The surface creeped up around
him encasing his body in a pillar of water. His chest burned for the need of
oxygen. His vision was starting to fade around the edges. He had felt like this
before when his body lacked the strength to breath, back at an inn in the Water
Realm. He heard Jace’s voice in his head screaming to use magic. He couldn’t.
He had no control of the elements around him. He was dying. And then he
panicked. He pushed against the encasement of ice as hard as he could.

  The ice was no
match for his imbued strength, the pillar shattered and he broke off the
leftover pieces clinging to his body. Kilen stepped onto the surface of the
now-frozen marsh and carefully made his way to what was a horse made out of
rock. Max was frozen in place under the ice as pebbles. Kilen used his sword to
hack away at the ice until Max was freed. The ice began to break apart and
stones started to roll out of the hole, collecting themselves into a pile on
top of the ice. He watched as Max slowly put himself back together.

  Kilen watched
his breath and he tried to shake off the feeling of freezing to death in water
soaked clothes. His hand hurt from gripping the cold metal hilt of his blade.
His concentration was broken with a loud snap of ice cracking behind him. The
water below crept up through the crack in the ice, forming a blob of taller
than Kilen. He watched as the blob took the form of a man and pulled a length
of water from its back and formed a wickedly spiked blade. A deranged smile
came over the head of the blob, giving such detail to the now glass-like form
as the man turned to ice. Kilen was glad he had held onto his blade. The man
attacked with a strike from overhead. Kilen dodged to the side, letting the man
flow past, exposing his back to Kilen. Kilen swung, but slipped on the wet, icy
surface, and missed the elemental. The man slammed his spiked blade into the
pile of rocks and split it into four blades, throwing bits of Max in all
directions. Kilen quickly realized that this new enemy was not there for him.
It wasn’t there for him
yet
anyway.