The big bad wolf growled at them, ready to pounce, when something wooshed overhead and stuck in its flank. The fenris staggered, then Queen Greor arrived with her troops.
'...should be able to practice more.' She was saying to one of her generals as she thundered past.
The Jotnar hacked at the beast and the Queen launched herself at the spear, swinging on it to free it. When another fenris jumped the crowd of defenders, she caught it in the throat with a swift throw.
'Getting closer.' She retrieved Gunnir as the second wolf gurgled its last.
Tom could see Kael towards the back of the press of bodies and ran over as more fenris sailed over them.
'We have to go.' He pulled on the big man's arm.
'We have to defend this city.' Kael said. 'Your plan won't work now anyway.'
Tom looked around desperately, there was still some stone left for creating the dam with. He levitated all he could see of it and swung it around to be in line with the broken wall, then he started smashing the rocks in to place, one by one. As the monsters had pushed forwards, it was them that the rocks crushed. Those that could, fell back, wary of the rain of boulders. Tom finished roughly rebuilding the wall, several creatures protruded from the stone work. He turned to see Queen Greor pulling Gunnir from the eye-socket of a fenris. She gave him a thumbs up and was about to say something when another section of wall, weakened by the days of attack and the water, gave way further along. She had time to turn before a bear-monster was on her. It raked at her armour before the Queen's bodyguards skewered it with swords. When they helped her up, it was clear she was badly hurt, blood dripped from rents in her armour.
Tom grabbed Kael.
'Get everyone and meet me at the White Hart.' He ordered.
Kael looked at the destruction going on around them and nodded reluctantly. He headed off in to the crowd as Tom ran up to the bodyguards.
'Folow me.' He ordered.
The Queen gave a weak nod and the bodyguards carried her as Tom led them through the streets to the pub Killburn was using as a command post. Tom barged in through the throng of soldiers and dragged a table away from the wall. The Queen was brought in by the bodyguards and everyone cleared out of the way as they laid her on the table. Killburn propelled himself out of his seat and hopped over to the stricken Jotunn.
'Right. I need a bottle of whiskey, a sharp knife and a goat.' He barked. 'Everyone who isn't helping heal the Queen, get out.'
The room emptied, leaving a Jotunn bodyguard, and Tom. Someone had left a knife and a bottle of whiskey from behing the bar next to Killburn. He handed the whiskey to the Queen.
'Drink that.'
The Queen dutifully downed the bottle in one.
'Good lass.' He looked up at the bodyguard as he started undoing the bindings on the Queen's armour. 'Give me a hand.'
The bodyguard mutely stepped forward and helped remove the Queen's cuirass, then kept hold of it while Killburn lifted her shirt. There were four deep wounds running across her ribs and on to her belly.
'More whiskey, lad.' Killburn demanded.
Tom vaulted the bar and grabbed a couple of bottles, then scrambled back to him.
'Hold her down.' Killburn told the bodyguard.
Leaving the cuirass in a corner the Jotunn lumbered over and pressed on the Queen's shoulder and thigh. Killburn poured the whiskey over the wound and the Queen let out a low moan through gritted teeth. A soldier came running in with a goat and started to talk about the defense of the wall.
'No time!' Killburn ordered him back out.
Holding the goat by the scruff of its neck, Killburn stated to recite words in some ancient language. He reached a crescendo and drew the knife across the goat's throat, cutting deep through muscle and arteries. The goat tried to kick, but collapsed. Then Killburn dipped his fingers in the pool of blood that was forming and started drawing symbols around the table, still reciting the rite. Finally, he drew a sign on the Queen's forehead and lightning flashed from the runes on the floor, earthing on the Queen's body. The bodyguard flinched away and the Queen writhed around on the table. For ten seconds the light in the room built to painful levels and with it the sound of thunder. Tom looked away, covering his ears until suddenly the light went out. Tendrils of lightning flickered over the runes and then the sounds of the battle outside started to filter in again. The Queen raised herself on to her elbows and examined her healed side.
'Bloody good show.' She said. 'Who taught you the rite of Ymir's mercy?'
'My father was well travelled.' Killburn said, enigmatically. Then he looked at Tom. 'How did you know I could help her?'
'I saw it in a history book I borrowed.' Tom shrugged. 'I was always curious about what you did with the goats.'
Tom found the others stood outside the pub.
'Are you all with me?' He asked. 'We need to act quickly to save the city.'
'Sure,' Shae said. 'But how are you going to do it now?'
'I'll have to take what I can with us and hope the rest can be dealt with.'
'And what's he doing here?' Isabelle gestured at Levren.
'That's a story we haven't time for.' Said Tom. 'Shae?'
Shae nodded and started to change, ripping through her armour and clothing. When she was finished, the rest climbed on to her back and with one massive flap of her wings she jumped in to the sky.
As the group soared out over the battlements, Amelia shouted for them to look back. The wall had collapsed in several places and the soldiers were barely holding back the black tide. Amelia saw where they were looking.
'Not that.' She pointed. 'That.'
There were lots of specks on the river. Tom squinted and thought he could make out paddles. They reached Harrowden's docks and then began to leap ashore.
'Elves!' Tom whooped. The river was full of them, in little coracles. No sooner were they out of the boats, but the were racing in to the fray, helping the defenders push the dark army back.
'Right then.' He took a deep breathe and concentrated, closing his eyes.
Shae hovered over the centre of the monstrous horde as Tom said the words and moved his hands, then they all disappeared.
They reappeared between the remains of Shilton and Larkhill, a bit further on than the mansion they'd visited what seemed like a lifetime ago. Tom quickly re-did the spell and moved them all up above the peaks of the frostheims. Another four flashes of scenery went past and they were in Illumare. Shae flew away from the dark army and headed North.
'Ok.' Tom shouted above the wind noise. 'You know what to do.'
He kissed Amelia on the cheek, then teleported himself, Kael and Isabelle to the ground. Tom stared at the horizon; the black tower of the magehold was stark against the grey sky.
'Ready?' He asked.
'Yep.' Said Kael, nodding.
'I am.' Isabelle added. 'You?'
Tom reluctantly nodded and shook his arms out, the adrenaline was starting to give him jitters. He took a deep breath and teleported them inside on of the rooms close to the top of the tower. It was a similar room to the one Isabelle had been interrogated in, bare apart from some basic furniture. Moving to the door, Kael went out first, followed by Isabelle. There were shouts immediately and the sound of sword on sword. Tom put up a shield and stepped in to the corridor.
Kael and Isabelle were fighting three guards, one of which already had a cut on his upper arm. Seeing that they could handle it, Tom moved to the main staircase, which wound up the inside of the tower like a double-helix. He could see some guards coming up from the floor below, brought by the sounds of a fight. With a deft set of gestures, Tom lifted part of both stairways out of the wall with a loud crack and dropped the rubble down the shaft that ran almost the height of the tower. The guards ran back down the remaining steps and headed for the back stairs. Tom called out to Isabelle and Kael, who fell back to the landing. He noticed they were only fighting two guards now, the third lay crumpled in the corridor.
The only way up from here was a single staircase to the next floor. Kael and Isabelle stopped half way up it, to force the guards in to a bottleneck, while Tom continued to the top. The staircase ended in a door, which opened at Tom's push and then he was standing in the upper-most room of the tower.
There was no ceiling, just the bare bones of the roof. The windows were set in to the walls every forty-five degrees, letting what light there was in to the room. There were mystical things everywhere: hanging from the roof, sat in piles around or on tables. There were half a dozen sofas and twice as many chairs all with a stack of something on them, and a small curtained off area that appeared to contain a bed. Someone had cleared the floor in one spot and there stood a pedestal with a glass orb, like the one he'd dropped, but larger, set above a focusing crystal the size of Tom's head. There was a noise to his right and Tom turned to see the Archmage standing up from a desk. He had to admit, the Archmage wasn't what he'd expected, but still cut an impose figure. A long black cloak covered a black and red outfit that was inset with black opals. Sweeping across the floor, the Archmage approached Tom.
'Who are you?' She demanded. 'And what are you doing in my tower?'
Tom felt his throat start to dry out.
'I'm...' He said in a squeak.
He cleared his throat and licked his lips.
'I am Prince Thomas of Harrowden, and I'm here to broker a new pax.'
There was an amused smile on the Archmage's face.
'Have you now?' She asked. 'You and who's army?'
'The humans, Jotnar and Elves have an alliance again.' Tom told her. 'I had hoped it wouldn't come to an actual invasion.'
'I was like you once. I tried to come and persuade the Archmage of the time to stop a war.' She said. 'He crushed me. The only reason I survived was because he wanted an apprentice. He stopped the war in exchange for me.'
Tom was taken aback for a second.
'You didn't choose to be Archmage?'
'Oh I chose. When he least expected it, I destroyed him and took the power for myself. That's what he taught me - without power you are merely a victim.'
'I am no beginner.' Tom said, defiantly. 'And the alliance is prepared to invade, it would just spare lives on both sides not to.'
The Archmage laughed.
'You are no more a mage than a butcher is. You're right you're not a beginner, not even close to being one.'
She made a gesture and Tom was flung against a wall, then held there.
'You presume to come in to my tower, in my country having broken the pax and tell me what to do.' She advanced in a rage. 'I should kill you now.'
Tom waved his hand and gently dropped to the floor.
'You caught me off guard.' He admitted. 'I will not make the same mistake twice.'
The Archmage threw a fireball at him. It set fire to the floorboards and melted through the wall behind him, but rolled off Tom's shield like a wave breaking on a rock. Tom put our the fire with a small blast of frost, then swept the Archmage up in a miniature tornado, dumping her among some books. Then he flexed his hands, trying to get rid of the slight numbness in his fingers. The Archamge clambered out of the mess and adjusted her cloak.
'Maybe you do have talent.' She said begrudgingly. 'In which case we can deal.'
'What?" Tom was confused.
'If you can pay the price that I did, then I will end this war.' She said. 'But I am more paranoid than my master, you will need to wear a magical choker. Killing me will seal your own fate.'
'I could just kill you now.' Said Tom. 'You have not bested me, so I have reason to submit.'
'You could try,' The Archmage had a cruel smile on her face. 'But if you succeeded you would never know why your father had you trained as a mage.'
'What do you know about that?' He frowned.
'Accept the collar and I will tell you.' She said, nonchalantly. 'And no one will have to die, not even your friends on the stairs.'
Tom thought about it, then nodded. The Archmage fished around in a desk, then brought out a collar and bracer almost identical to the ones he'd worn with Amelia. She snapped the choker around his neck and put the bracer on. Then sighed contentedly.
'Now, kneel.' She commanded.
Tom did has he was told.
'Tell your friends to stop fighting.'
'Kael, Isabelle. Surrender.'
The sound of sword play abruptly ceased.
'Take them to the dungeons.' The Archamge called to the guards.
'But you said...'
'I said they would not be killed. They will, however, be left to rot.' There was a snarl in her voice. 'And now you will be punished.'
Electricity flowed from her fingertips, cascading over Tom's shield and eventually blasting through it. He convulsed on the floor in pain. When she was done, the Archmage left Tom on the floor and went back to her desk. Slowly, Tom got to his feet.
'So why did my father have me trained as a mage.'
The Archmage raised a finger.
'You will address me as "ma'am" or "your ladyship"' She instructed.
'Why did my father have me trained as a mage, your ladyship.' Tom was swaying a little, still hurting fromt he lightning attack.
'...should be able to practice more.' She was saying to one of her generals as she thundered past.
The Jotnar hacked at the beast and the Queen launched herself at the spear, swinging on it to free it. When another fenris jumped the crowd of defenders, she caught it in the throat with a swift throw.
'Getting closer.' She retrieved Gunnir as the second wolf gurgled its last.
Tom could see Kael towards the back of the press of bodies and ran over as more fenris sailed over them.
'We have to go.' He pulled on the big man's arm.
'We have to defend this city.' Kael said. 'Your plan won't work now anyway.'
Tom looked around desperately, there was still some stone left for creating the dam with. He levitated all he could see of it and swung it around to be in line with the broken wall, then he started smashing the rocks in to place, one by one. As the monsters had pushed forwards, it was them that the rocks crushed. Those that could, fell back, wary of the rain of boulders. Tom finished roughly rebuilding the wall, several creatures protruded from the stone work. He turned to see Queen Greor pulling Gunnir from the eye-socket of a fenris. She gave him a thumbs up and was about to say something when another section of wall, weakened by the days of attack and the water, gave way further along. She had time to turn before a bear-monster was on her. It raked at her armour before the Queen's bodyguards skewered it with swords. When they helped her up, it was clear she was badly hurt, blood dripped from rents in her armour.
Tom grabbed Kael.
'Get everyone and meet me at the White Hart.' He ordered.
Kael looked at the destruction going on around them and nodded reluctantly. He headed off in to the crowd as Tom ran up to the bodyguards.
'Folow me.' He ordered.
The Queen gave a weak nod and the bodyguards carried her as Tom led them through the streets to the pub Killburn was using as a command post. Tom barged in through the throng of soldiers and dragged a table away from the wall. The Queen was brought in by the bodyguards and everyone cleared out of the way as they laid her on the table. Killburn propelled himself out of his seat and hopped over to the stricken Jotunn.
'Right. I need a bottle of whiskey, a sharp knife and a goat.' He barked. 'Everyone who isn't helping heal the Queen, get out.'
The room emptied, leaving a Jotunn bodyguard, and Tom. Someone had left a knife and a bottle of whiskey from behing the bar next to Killburn. He handed the whiskey to the Queen.
'Drink that.'
The Queen dutifully downed the bottle in one.
'Good lass.' He looked up at the bodyguard as he started undoing the bindings on the Queen's armour. 'Give me a hand.'
The bodyguard mutely stepped forward and helped remove the Queen's cuirass, then kept hold of it while Killburn lifted her shirt. There were four deep wounds running across her ribs and on to her belly.
'More whiskey, lad.' Killburn demanded.
Tom vaulted the bar and grabbed a couple of bottles, then scrambled back to him.
'Hold her down.' Killburn told the bodyguard.
Leaving the cuirass in a corner the Jotunn lumbered over and pressed on the Queen's shoulder and thigh. Killburn poured the whiskey over the wound and the Queen let out a low moan through gritted teeth. A soldier came running in with a goat and started to talk about the defense of the wall.
'No time!' Killburn ordered him back out.
Holding the goat by the scruff of its neck, Killburn stated to recite words in some ancient language. He reached a crescendo and drew the knife across the goat's throat, cutting deep through muscle and arteries. The goat tried to kick, but collapsed. Then Killburn dipped his fingers in the pool of blood that was forming and started drawing symbols around the table, still reciting the rite. Finally, he drew a sign on the Queen's forehead and lightning flashed from the runes on the floor, earthing on the Queen's body. The bodyguard flinched away and the Queen writhed around on the table. For ten seconds the light in the room built to painful levels and with it the sound of thunder. Tom looked away, covering his ears until suddenly the light went out. Tendrils of lightning flickered over the runes and then the sounds of the battle outside started to filter in again. The Queen raised herself on to her elbows and examined her healed side.
'Bloody good show.' She said. 'Who taught you the rite of Ymir's mercy?'
'My father was well travelled.' Killburn said, enigmatically. Then he looked at Tom. 'How did you know I could help her?'
'I saw it in a history book I borrowed.' Tom shrugged. 'I was always curious about what you did with the goats.'
Tom found the others stood outside the pub.
'Are you all with me?' He asked. 'We need to act quickly to save the city.'
'Sure,' Shae said. 'But how are you going to do it now?'
'I'll have to take what I can with us and hope the rest can be dealt with.'
'And what's he doing here?' Isabelle gestured at Levren.
'That's a story we haven't time for.' Said Tom. 'Shae?'
Shae nodded and started to change, ripping through her armour and clothing. When she was finished, the rest climbed on to her back and with one massive flap of her wings she jumped in to the sky.
As the group soared out over the battlements, Amelia shouted for them to look back. The wall had collapsed in several places and the soldiers were barely holding back the black tide. Amelia saw where they were looking.
'Not that.' She pointed. 'That.'
There were lots of specks on the river. Tom squinted and thought he could make out paddles. They reached Harrowden's docks and then began to leap ashore.
'Elves!' Tom whooped. The river was full of them, in little coracles. No sooner were they out of the boats, but the were racing in to the fray, helping the defenders push the dark army back.
'Right then.' He took a deep breathe and concentrated, closing his eyes.
Shae hovered over the centre of the monstrous horde as Tom said the words and moved his hands, then they all disappeared.
They reappeared between the remains of Shilton and Larkhill, a bit further on than the mansion they'd visited what seemed like a lifetime ago. Tom quickly re-did the spell and moved them all up above the peaks of the frostheims. Another four flashes of scenery went past and they were in Illumare. Shae flew away from the dark army and headed North.
'Ok.' Tom shouted above the wind noise. 'You know what to do.'
He kissed Amelia on the cheek, then teleported himself, Kael and Isabelle to the ground. Tom stared at the horizon; the black tower of the magehold was stark against the grey sky.
'Ready?' He asked.
'Yep.' Said Kael, nodding.
'I am.' Isabelle added. 'You?'
Tom reluctantly nodded and shook his arms out, the adrenaline was starting to give him jitters. He took a deep breath and teleported them inside on of the rooms close to the top of the tower. It was a similar room to the one Isabelle had been interrogated in, bare apart from some basic furniture. Moving to the door, Kael went out first, followed by Isabelle. There were shouts immediately and the sound of sword on sword. Tom put up a shield and stepped in to the corridor.
Kael and Isabelle were fighting three guards, one of which already had a cut on his upper arm. Seeing that they could handle it, Tom moved to the main staircase, which wound up the inside of the tower like a double-helix. He could see some guards coming up from the floor below, brought by the sounds of a fight. With a deft set of gestures, Tom lifted part of both stairways out of the wall with a loud crack and dropped the rubble down the shaft that ran almost the height of the tower. The guards ran back down the remaining steps and headed for the back stairs. Tom called out to Isabelle and Kael, who fell back to the landing. He noticed they were only fighting two guards now, the third lay crumpled in the corridor.
The only way up from here was a single staircase to the next floor. Kael and Isabelle stopped half way up it, to force the guards in to a bottleneck, while Tom continued to the top. The staircase ended in a door, which opened at Tom's push and then he was standing in the upper-most room of the tower.
There was no ceiling, just the bare bones of the roof. The windows were set in to the walls every forty-five degrees, letting what light there was in to the room. There were mystical things everywhere: hanging from the roof, sat in piles around or on tables. There were half a dozen sofas and twice as many chairs all with a stack of something on them, and a small curtained off area that appeared to contain a bed. Someone had cleared the floor in one spot and there stood a pedestal with a glass orb, like the one he'd dropped, but larger, set above a focusing crystal the size of Tom's head. There was a noise to his right and Tom turned to see the Archmage standing up from a desk. He had to admit, the Archmage wasn't what he'd expected, but still cut an impose figure. A long black cloak covered a black and red outfit that was inset with black opals. Sweeping across the floor, the Archmage approached Tom.
'Who are you?' She demanded. 'And what are you doing in my tower?'
Tom felt his throat start to dry out.
'I'm...' He said in a squeak.
He cleared his throat and licked his lips.
'I am Prince Thomas of Harrowden, and I'm here to broker a new pax.'
There was an amused smile on the Archmage's face.
'Have you now?' She asked. 'You and who's army?'
'The humans, Jotnar and Elves have an alliance again.' Tom told her. 'I had hoped it wouldn't come to an actual invasion.'
'I was like you once. I tried to come and persuade the Archmage of the time to stop a war.' She said. 'He crushed me. The only reason I survived was because he wanted an apprentice. He stopped the war in exchange for me.'
Tom was taken aback for a second.
'You didn't choose to be Archmage?'
'Oh I chose. When he least expected it, I destroyed him and took the power for myself. That's what he taught me - without power you are merely a victim.'
'I am no beginner.' Tom said, defiantly. 'And the alliance is prepared to invade, it would just spare lives on both sides not to.'
The Archmage laughed.
'You are no more a mage than a butcher is. You're right you're not a beginner, not even close to being one.'
She made a gesture and Tom was flung against a wall, then held there.
'You presume to come in to my tower, in my country having broken the pax and tell me what to do.' She advanced in a rage. 'I should kill you now.'
Tom waved his hand and gently dropped to the floor.
'You caught me off guard.' He admitted. 'I will not make the same mistake twice.'
The Archmage threw a fireball at him. It set fire to the floorboards and melted through the wall behind him, but rolled off Tom's shield like a wave breaking on a rock. Tom put our the fire with a small blast of frost, then swept the Archmage up in a miniature tornado, dumping her among some books. Then he flexed his hands, trying to get rid of the slight numbness in his fingers. The Archamge clambered out of the mess and adjusted her cloak.
'Maybe you do have talent.' She said begrudgingly. 'In which case we can deal.'
'What?" Tom was confused.
'If you can pay the price that I did, then I will end this war.' She said. 'But I am more paranoid than my master, you will need to wear a magical choker. Killing me will seal your own fate.'
'I could just kill you now.' Said Tom. 'You have not bested me, so I have reason to submit.'
'You could try,' The Archmage had a cruel smile on her face. 'But if you succeeded you would never know why your father had you trained as a mage.'
'What do you know about that?' He frowned.
'Accept the collar and I will tell you.' She said, nonchalantly. 'And no one will have to die, not even your friends on the stairs.'
Tom thought about it, then nodded. The Archmage fished around in a desk, then brought out a collar and bracer almost identical to the ones he'd worn with Amelia. She snapped the choker around his neck and put the bracer on. Then sighed contentedly.
'Now, kneel.' She commanded.
Tom did has he was told.
'Tell your friends to stop fighting.'
'Kael, Isabelle. Surrender.'
The sound of sword play abruptly ceased.
'Take them to the dungeons.' The Archamge called to the guards.
'But you said...'
'I said they would not be killed. They will, however, be left to rot.' There was a snarl in her voice. 'And now you will be punished.'
Electricity flowed from her fingertips, cascading over Tom's shield and eventually blasting through it. He convulsed on the floor in pain. When she was done, the Archmage left Tom on the floor and went back to her desk. Slowly, Tom got to his feet.
'So why did my father have me trained as a mage.'
The Archmage raised a finger.
'You will address me as "ma'am" or "your ladyship"' She instructed.
'Why did my father have me trained as a mage, your ladyship.' Tom was swaying a little, still hurting fromt he lightning attack.
'Better.' The Archmage looked over at him. 'To fight me, of course. Probably because of who I am.'
'Who are you, ma'am?'
'Why I'm your mother you silly child.'
The words struck Tom dumb. He collapsed back to his knees.
'You're my mother?' He was incredulous. 'What? I don't even...'
'It's not a spectacularly complex tale.' The Archmage explained. 'I wanted to learn magic, but your father wouldn't let me because of the pax. I met some wandering Elf sage who showed me the basics and I built on that. Then the Archmage found out about me and started preparing for war, so I came here to confront him and the rest, as they say, is history.'
Regaining his composure, Tom stood again.
'Why not stop being the Archmage?' He asked. 'Just come back to Harrowden and live with me and father again.'
'I didn't hear a "ma'am"' The Archmage warned.
'You can't enjoy all this killing, surely.' He said. 'Father will forgive you, I know he will.'
'He may, but no one else will. And there still wasn't a "ma'am" in there.'
'Look we can keep it a secret, say you were off with the Elves all this time. Just come back with me.'
'Child, you will learn that if you are not the powerful one, then you are the subject.' She lost her patience and aimed another bolt of lightning at Tom.
He writhed again, but the spell ended prematurely. The Archmage tried again, but nothing happened. She looked at her hands in confusion. Two ghostly figures appeared in the air beside Tom, one gave him a peck on the cheek and the other waved.
'Thank you, boy.' Levren's voice whispered in his ear.
A tear rolled down Tom's face, then he got back to his feet and advanced on his mother.
'Time to go, mother.' He said, throwing her over his shoulder.
He carried her kicking and screaming down the stairs. The guards were wary of someone powerful enough to be manhandling the Archmage and stayed back.
'Bring me my friends.' He told them.
One scurried off down the corridor ahead of him as Tom moved towards the back stairs. By the time he'd reached the bottom, Isabelle and Kael were waiting for him. He handed his mother off to Kael and they all went out in to the courtyard and through the gates of the magehold. It wasn't long before Shae landed beside them. Amelia leapt off and gave Tom a hug.
'Who's that?' She asked, pointing at the Archmage.
'That's my mother.' Tom explained. 'Come on, it's time to be getting home.'
They clambered on to Shae's back and, with a little effort, she launched herself in to the sky. They'd have a long walk ahead when they reached the other side of the green sea. For now, though, as Tom held Amelia in his arms and felt the pressure wash away, he was content. He held her tight and closed his eyes as they all flew off in to the sunset.
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