For The King - 3. Chapter 3

The journey through the plains took two more days, the carriage turning around rocks in the road to spare the wheels as much as possible. Roku continued his reading through their travels. He made Adan jealous with his fortitude. Adan couldn’t even look at a book on the move without feeling sick to his stomach.

As they passed into the woods, Roku looked up from his book.

“What fascinating lives druids lead. Are they that uncommon that so few know of them?” he asked.

“Not many have the willpower to follow the way of the druid,” Master Dennet said, turning away from the carriage window to study Roku. “They are respected, and feared, but not more than any other mage. They merely draw the energies for their casting from the world around them, as opposed to their own bodies, however they still have to channel the energies, acting as effective barrier. That story you are reading is not based in fact however. Druids are rarer than mages, but mages in and of themselves are rare as well. That story convolutes the numbers of mages in the world to make for a more exciting tale.”

“I thought it was strange Meras and Korain were enemies. They are allies, are they not?” Roku said, drawing on the political knowledge Adan had given him.

“That story was written nearly a hundred years ago, when there were tensions between Korain and Meras. Those have been dealt with and we are now allies,” Adan replied. “Though there are some cultural… discrepancies between them and us. Namely the fact that their mages like to consider their magic divine in nature, as though it were gifted to them by a god.”

“Do people from Meras believe differently then?”

“Tell me, Roku, your creator sits beside you. Do you believe him to be all powerful?” Master Dennet asked.

“No Master Dennet. But he did give me magic.”

“However, he is not divine, or immortal. Therefore, your magic is not divine in nature, just as it wasn’t gifted by a god.”

“I can tell you now that what I went through to create you was too harsh for me ever to do it again. Personally, I do not believe anyone would want to put themselves through that to create hundreds of people,” Adan said. "Parcelling out energy for others would likewise be rather unpleasant."

“But if there was the need to create only two people, and guard them until they could breed, couldn’t such a maker exist?”

“If they did, I believe they died long ago,” Adan said.

“Then there is no proof either way. They could have been some sort of deity in the eyes of the Korainans. I could not worship such a person; I know who made me, and I know he is not divine. But why shouldn’t the Korainans worship their deity, if it makes them happy?”

“I am not saying they should not worship their god. I was merely explaining that it is not something Merasins do,” Adan said.

“And the men of Terith Balur? What of their reincarnation theory? That seems like it would be a product of magic.”

“I have to admit I am stumped on that one,” Adan sighed.

“I do not believe in it,” Master Dennet said. “People tend to believe in whatever means to make themselves feel better. Especially about death. Personally, I believe when we die, that is it. There is no maker waiting to greet us on the other side, nor do we get a second chance at a different life.”

Roku nodded slowly.

“I know both Karain and Terith Balur hate necromancy with a passion, so much so that often healers who use magic are put to the sword. I do not understand this depth of hatred though. Why would they not use magic to save themselves?”

“I do not know, other than to guess that they believe such magic will interrupt the flow of life, barring the person from moving on after death,” Adan said.

The tiger shook his head sadly. He opened his book again to continue reading, Adan looking at Master Dennet with a shrug.

“I’m happy he’s taking an interest in learning about the world,” the young mage said.

"You made yourself a fine companion. And using him will benefit you greatly in the long run. He can give you a different perspective on the world."

Adan nodded, studying his familiar. He still had no idea what was in store for them, but at least he wouldn't be facing it alone.

The land began rising as they left the woods behind them, the carriage joining the winding King’s Road as it travelled toward the mountains. They were a day from Darinhal, the carriage lightened with transmutations to ease the strain on their horses. It was an effort for Adan to hold the spells, and it was this time that Master Dennet referred to one of the abilities a mage with a familiar had.

“A mage can take energy from any living source, though it comes with some difficulty.”

Adan knew this already. Magical resistance would fight the flow of energy between two sources. It normally was not worth the effort to draw energy from other beings, unless you were close to death.

“A familiar shares his master’s resistance when he is created. With the bond between master and familiar, drawing energy from them is no different from drawing from yourself.”

They pulled off the road slightly as a wagon strained past them, its four horses labouring heavily. Adan released his magic with a quiet sigh, his muscles relaxing. They could all rest for a few minutes as Master Dennet taught Adan one more lesson.

Adan had used energy from plants before, while he was learning. There had been a dead patch of grass near Master Dennet’s house that refused to grow for nearly three years after the young mage had drawn from it.

“You already know the basics of energy transfer. Now you merely need to find the source,” Master Dennet said.

Adan looked at Roku.

“Are you okay with this?” he asked quietly.

“I would like to help us on our journey,” Roku nodded.

Nodding in acceptance, Adan closed his eyes, settling into a meditative stance. Here it was easier to feel his energy, like a ball of electricity closed in on itself. All around him were other balls of energy, muted, and beyond his reach for the moment. All he had to do was reach out and fight for control, and that energy would be his.

But there was another ball of lightning behind him, sizzling brightly as it gave off sparks. This energy was his twin, welcoming him. Adan reached out in the physical world, touching the warm fur of Roku as it soaked in the rays of the sun.

He drew lightly upon the energy and felt it flood through him, replenishing his own stores. Roku gasped slightly, Adan opening his eyes to find the tiger holding his head. A pained look was on Roku’s face and Adan immediately reversed the flow of energy, feeding some back to Roku.

He had never drawn from a person before. This would take some time to learn. He knew there had to be a gentler way to share their power.

“Well done,” Master Dennet said. “You should practice when you can. Eventually the transfer of energy will come as easily as breathing, and it will be much gentler. For now though, we need to get moving. You are the transmuter here, so if you would cast your spells again…”

The sound of rushing water greeted the group as the carriage passed a mountain. A river was pouring over a waterfall, the noise nearly deafening as the road neared the falls. But Adan didn’t mind the noise. He was too focused on the city that was rising over the river, at the top of another mountain.

None of the books he had read prepared Adan for the sight of a city built into a mountain. Ten levels high, there were two bridges leading across a chasm to meet the lowest level of the city. At the top, a palace sat, majestic in its construction.

“We still have a bit of a journey ahead of us,” Master Dennet said. “I have a manor waiting in the eighth level of the city.”

As they reached a flatter part of the road, Adan released the spells he had been holding all morning, stretching as much as he could in the carriage. His body was sore, but they had made it.

“This is incredible,” Roku whispered, staring out of the window.

They could see a line of wagons and carts rumbling slowly over the nearest bridge, seeking entry into the city.

“There is a lot of traffic,” the familiar said questioningly.

“For the Prince’s Ascension Day celebration. It’s in three days, and everyone in the land will try to profit from it. A bunch of vultures,” Master Dennet muttered.

“Why are we here then?” Adan asked.

“To pay our respects. It wouldn’t do for the lord and mage of Zyrel to be absent when all the other lords are fawning over the king and his son.”

The carriage joined the line over the bridge, moving slowly toward the gates to the city. Adan looked out the window, gasping at the sight of the chasm opening underneath the bridge. The ground sat nearly a thousand feet below, as though the drop was dug out even further than natural. Shadows filled the chasm, making it seem near bottomless, and Adan was forced to look away from vertigo.

It took nearly an hour to reach the gates, tucked into a recess with two ramparts guarding it from the sides. Asan shivered at the sight of dozens of arrow loops and crenellations facing them down on either side. This was not a city to attack lightly.

“You would need an army of trolls to take this place,” Roku said beside him.

“Impossible. The trolls would be slaughtered all along the bridge, eventually clogging the path with their bodies,” Master Dennet said. "And that assumes you could find a mage who was willing to give his life creating monsters out of a storybook. It is highly unlikely."

They paused at the gate, a guard peering into the carriage. He choked slightly at the sight of Roku, but didn’t let that interrupt his job.

“My lord,” he bowed toward Master Dennet. “May I inquire as to your companions?”

“My apprentice Adan, and his familiar, Roku,” Master Dennet said. “Our driver is Master Jacob, Third Sword of Meras.”

Adan blinked at the words. He hadn’t known Master Jacob was a sworn sword of the kingdom. It explained why he could never defeat him in a fight, even with magic. He wondered what other secrets Master Dennet was hiding from him. Not that he planned on asking. It would be a waste of time.

“You may enter. Enjoy your stay my lord.”

The carriage started forward again, passing between the gates.

“You are about to see one of the wonders of Darinhal,” Master Dennet said, pointing up out of the window.

Adan looked out of the carriage again, seeing nothing above them but stone. He flinched at the thought of the mountain they were now moving under.

“The Sunless Gardens…” he whispered, recalling the name from a book he had read.

As the carriage travelled the main road of the city, they passed through fields and fields of crops, all worked over by a horde of slaves. Light shone from the ceiling of stone, bright and warm as the sun outside. The entire first level was used to grow the food for the city, the mountain staying up by means of a magical artifact. No one knew exactly what that artifact was, only that it had enough energy to levitate the rest of the city constantly.

Smaller items dotted the rest of the city, the entire mountain a floating fortress. Each level was held up through magic copied from the original artifact. As the carriage circled the first level, the narrow road climbed, bringing them to a second gate and the second level. Here, most of the peasantry lived, their refuse creating fertilizer for the fields below. Above their level sat the main markets, taking up nearly three levels to themselves. Adan saw various shops as they passed. A smithy created nothing but blades, while another smithy across the city made armour. Markets for fresh foods magically preserved sat beside shops for scrolls of all kinds. A library sat in the middle of the sixth level, a veritable fortress in its own right. Both Adan and Roku itched to visit the place, to see what words they held.

The seventh level was for taverns and inns, the nicer ones continuing up to the eighth level. The air seemed fresher up here, and Master Dennet explained that they were near one of the pathways out of the mountain. The carriage split off from the main thoroughfare, cutting through the eighth level until they stopped at a small manor, situated near the wall of the mountain. The lower levels didn’t have as many of these paths, and the air down there remained slightly stale. But here the mountain breathed, wind bringing fresh air through footpaths to the outside world.

Master Dennet stepped out of the carriage, a young man bowing to him as Adan and Roku followed.

“My lord, we have everything prepared for you. Hot water can be drawn if you wish a bath.”

“Thank you Kirin. Please help with my trunks. Both will be going into the spare bedroom, where my apprentice and his familiar will be staying. I will be taking a horse while Master Jacob remains here. I will be back sometime tomorrow.”

“Yes my lord,” the man bowed again, before moving to lift one of the trunks from the carriage.

Master Jacob lowered the second trunk before moving the carriage around to the side of the manor. He returned a few minutes later with a fresh horse, saddled for Master Dennet. The mage took off immediately, as Adan and Roku helped carry their luggage into the manor.

Roku stood on the balcony beside their room, gazing out at the city. Adan waited in the room, watching the tiger. A tub was waiting for water in the room, and Adan was eager to wash off after the trip. It felt strange having Master Dennet’s servant wait on him, but it was nice not to have to heat the water himself.

“How do the lights work?” Roku asked, looking up at the stone above them.

“My guess would be a sunlight spell, cast as an enchantment. Given the size, there is likely a guild dedicated solely to keeping time and recharging the lights," Adan said thoughtfully.

A knock came at the door and the mage crossed the room. He let the servant in, the man pouring a bucket of steaming water into the washtub.

“Do you need anything else Sir?”

“No, thank you,” Adan smiled.

Kirin left quietly, Adan stepping out onto the balcony.

“Do you want to bathe first?” he asked the tiger.

“I have not bathed before,” Roku said with interest.

“Well you should learn then. And there is no time like the present.”

Roku stepped into the room, staring at the basin filled with water. He frowned, tail swishing uncertainly.

“You have to take off your clothes,” Adan said. “I can look away if you want.”

“Why? You created me; you have already seen me naked.”

The tiger stripped out of his clothing with a slight sigh. He set them aside before tentatively reaching in to touch the water.

“It is warm,” he said. “Is it supposed to be warm?”

Adan chuckled at Roku’s reaction.

“Trust me, cold baths are no fun,” he said.

“So I just get in the tub?”

The mage nodded, watching as the tiger stepped into the basin. Roku hissed quietly, standing in the warm water.

“My fur is clinging to my skin. I do not think I like this.”

“You have to sit,” Adan said. “Let the warmth soak into you.”

Roku sat slowly, his body sinking under the water as he drew his knees into his chest. Adan picked up a bar of soap next to the basin, kneeling beside the tiger. He began rubbing the bar over the tiger, washing him gently. Roku moaned quietly at the mage’s touch, sinking even deeper into the tub.

Adan kept his hands above the water, avoiding Roku’s groin. That was an issue he was not prepared to handle just yet. Pouring a second bucket of water over the tiger, the mage the soap out of Roku’s fur. Roku gasped as the liquid washed over him, shaking his head. Excess water sprayed across Adan’s face and the mage wiped the liquid off his face.

“Take your time soaking. Here’s a towel for when you’re done,” he said.

“I can get out now?”

Adan nodded, and Roku rose swiftly from the water, stepping onto the stone floor as water dripped from his body. He shook again, water spraying over the room as Adan ducked.

“Just use the towel!”

Roku let out a strained smile, taking the towel. He covered his body with it, his head still dripping.

“I do not think this will dry me,” he said.

Adan sighed, calling up his magic. With a word, the water evaporated from Roku’s fur, leaving him dry.

“Now dress,” Adan muttered as he freshened the bath water with another spell.

Roku pulled on his clothes, averting his eyes as Adan stripped. The mage slid into the tub, sighing at the warmth of the water. He began scrubbing vigorously, peeling a week’s worth of dirt from his skin. This was one of life's pleasures, washing in warm water, and he was grateful for the opportunity.

Roku curled up on the bed, opening a new book he had taken from the trunk that had been brought in. He glanced up a moment later.

“Adan, do people ever reread books?”

“All the time,” Adan replied, washing his legs.

“How? I can remember everything from the last book I read. How would rereading it help?”

Adan paused in his washing, turning his head to face the tiger.

“You remember everything? Do you remember what happened, or do you remember the actual words?”

“I can tell you every word of the story,” Roku said. “Is that abnormal?”

Adan nodded.

“It must be a side effect from the spells I used on you. It will be a useful skill, I promise. Though in this case, it will be rather annoying. Of course, your memory might fade with time. Normally it takes a few months to a year to be able to enjoy the same book once more.”

Adan lay back in the tub, swirling his finger around as he reheated the water. A knock came at the door, and the mage sighed, standing up. He dried himself with a spell, pulling on his underwear.

“Can you get the door please?” he asked, pulling on his trousers.

Roku stood and crossed the room, opening the door. Master Jacob stood on the other side, a sheathed sword in his hands. He held the blade out to the tiger, who took it uncertainly. The swordsman motioned for the two to follow him as Adan pulled his shirt on.

Grabbing the sword he had been given days before, Adan led Roku after Master Jacob.

“Where are we going?” Roku asked quietly.

“Well, I don’t hear any signs of battle, so I believe we are going to train,” Adan said.

“Why doesn’t he tell us?”

“His tongue was cut out when he was younger. And no, I don’t know the full story. Master Dennet doesn’t speak of it.”

Roku flinched at the news as they descended to the ground floor of the manor. They followed Master Jacob into a large open room with a mirror, several sturdy looking training targets, and a large chalk ring in the centre of the room. He unsheathed his sword, pointing it at Roku, then to the circle.

Adan nudged the tiger into the circle when he hesitated.

“Spar with him. He wants to see how you are with a blade.”

“But I’ve never used a sword…”

“That’s okay. You know how to use one. Your body needs to learn though,” Adan pressed.

Roku stepped forward cautiously, unsheathing his blade. Adan took his sheath as the tiger faced the swordsman in the ring.

Stepping forward, Roku dodged a strike from Master Jacob. He brought his blade up, parrying another blow before Master Jacob’s blade scratched his side.

The swordsman backed off with a nod to the tiger before stepping out of the circle. He motioned to the mirror, moving to stand in front of it. Pointing to Adan, Master Jacob held up a finger.

“Yes Master,” Adan bowed before moving in front of the mirror himself. “Pay attention Roku. Master Jacob wants you to learn the first kata he taught me.”

The master nodded as Roku looked at him. The familiar stepped near Adan, watching the man as he held out his blade in a fool’s guard.

For the next hour, the mage walked his familiar through the lengthy kata, both of them taking correction from Master Jacob when necessary. Adan still wondered why he was taking lessons from the third sword of Meras, but the constant questioning was starting to wear him down, and finally he just accepted the way things were. He was clearly not supposed to know, and as difficult as it was, there was no use chasing what he couldn't get.

A bit of a strange question, but I am curious. Which of my characters, in any of my stories, do you like the most, and why? Let me know below, and thank you for reading my stories