DISCLAIMER: Don't own it. Don't like it? Don't read it.
Okay now, I am SO sorry. I promised to update regularly, and I haven't. The thing is, I kinda ran out of ideas, so I started writing 'Mistakes' instead. Now with a mind fresh with new thoughts, I'm ready to continue.
I have a question for anyone who can answer. You know, in Alanna: The First Adventure, Prince Jonathan and his friends are fourth year pages at the start. But then how could Alanna be the Prince's squire? I mean her first year as a squire would have been his last year as a squire. Can anyone give me a timeline, because I reread it, and I've still got nothing.
Shout outs go to 'Stealth Jade Jr' my new beloved beta reader. She has not hesitated to criticize my work and correct any flaws. I believe that I have sent the chapter in three times already, and she still has corrections to make.
Without further ado...
Song of the Chapter: Break Away by Kelly Clarkson (normally, I really don't like the American Idols, but this particular song I really loved)
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Kel returned slowly to the castle, still unsure of Alanna's words. George had mentioned that this King Oron of the Copper Islands was ailing, and could very well attack soon. She knew that with raider attacks mages were to be expected.
Her thoughts stopped there, and she froze, halfway to the castle. "A mage!" She exclaimed softly, "How could I not have seen it before. The air… the stillness. We're being watched!"
Quietly, she ran to the main doors of the manor. The doors had been unlocked when she came outside, but now as she pulled with all of her strength, she found that they wouldn't move.
Brekke! Colleen! Quinn! Wake up now! She screamed in her mind.
What is it, Kel? A sleepy Brekke answered. It's the middle of the night.
Why are you waking us up? Quinn asked.
Kel calmed herself. Colleen, I need you to try your Gift. Light a candle, anything.
There was a pause, and then the frantic voice of Colleen rang in her ears. I can't do it! Someone has put a dampening spell on!
Calm down Colleen, Kel said, I want to try to see if I can't use your Gift from outside.
She concentrated on her tie to Colleen. Relaxing, her mind reached out to the blue fire swirling with green. It felt cool to her touch, but unnatural. She didn't like the feeling of not belonging to the fire. A thread of the magic followed her mind, and Kel opened her eyes; her hand glowed turquoise. With a practiced flick of her hand, she sent a part of the fire to one of the torches on the wall. It shone blue for a moment, then burst into flame.
With a small sigh of relief, she opened her mind link fully to the three others. Colleen, I can easily use your Gift outside. Quinn, can you use any Wild Magic?
There was a slight pause. No, I can't. At that attack on Pirate's Swoop ten years ago, the Carthaki mages didn't know about the Wildmage's talents; now, these mages, whoever they are, know how to stop us!
Kel let out a moan of frustration. What can we do now? We can't use the same tactics as they did before, and we don't even know what's coming to us! She said to the others.
Kel, calm down. Your supposed to be the calm leader of us. Brekke's voice filled her mind, Calm down now! I want to you use my Sight to determine what is happening, what magic is involved. Then I want you to go find a guard, the Lioness, Baron George, anyone. Tell them what's going on, then do whatever you can to help.
Kel took a deep breath, and steadied herself. I don't like this. Fighting in itself doesn't bother me, but I can't wait calmly, not knowing what is coming. I used to like it, but after those years at the convent, I didn't just soften my muscles, but also my mind. Convent ladies are taught to rely on men. We are never told to plan in advance, or wait for something, but to always be surprised.
Kel, Colleen said. You'll do fine. Just go and find help.
I will. First, will you wake up Neal and Alanna? Our three strongest mages are inside; Alanna, Neal, and you, Colleen. And I'm sure that they planned it to be that way.
Colleen and the others promised to wake the mages and they broke their conversation. Kel opened her eyes and walked to the wall. Her mind reached out for Brekke. A flicker of blue reached the corner of her mind. She opened her eyes, not seeing with them, but 'Seeing' through Brekke's Sight.
Blinding light met her magical eyes. The air was thick with a sickly yellow colour. Looking back at the castle, Kel saw that the stones were laced with the same yellow, and the doors were all solid with the power.
She ran along the walls. The guards were all evenly spaced along the watch towers, oblivious to the magic. She ran further and found George, still standing on the wall, gazing out to sea.
"Yes?" he asked without turning around. Kel hesitated. She had been taught to respect noble men, and to not speak until directly spoken to. Sensing her discomfort, the tall man turned around. "What is it, Keladry? What have you seen?"
"There's magic everywhere. In the air, and around the castle. I can't open the doors, and inside, Colleen can't use her Gift. They've put dampening spells everywhere, and sealed the entire manor, and the surrounding village."
George sighed. "My Sight has been waning with age. I should have sensed as much. Alanna has gone inside to bed. I suspect that they were watching, and activated the spell after she went in."
"Now all we have to fight is what's outside." Kel said. "Colleen is waking the mages up inside to see if they can't lift the spells. Alanna, Nealan, and Colleen are powerful. Maybe together they can lift the spell like Numair Salmalin did ten years ago."
George raised an eyebrow, but did not question Kel's inside source of information. He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by a small explosion.
Beside them, amid a cloud of yellow smoke, appeared a tall man. His face was continually changing making him nauseating to look at, but he still held an air of superiority. Baron George seemed unfazed while Kel inwardly shrank back, her face still and emotionless.
"Do you always like to make dramatic appearances?" George asked calmly. "You shouldn't waste your magic to impress me."
"Oh, but I'm not the only mage at work here." The mage said in a low soft voice that reached Kel's ears. She noticed that the man's eyes never changed their amber colour, while the rest of his appearance seemed to shift under her gaze.
"Then how many of you are there?" Was the next question George asked.
"That is not important. I have come to negotiate terms with you."
"Name them." Kel noticed that the barons eyes remained cold while his voice was light and carefree seeming. She knew that no matter what the mage asked for, he would refuse. The question was merely a technicality that he followed as a Tortallan noble.
"Well, this is a pleasant castle." The mage drawled. "My king wants it along with the West coast of Tortall; from the South West end to Port Caynn. North of that your king my keep.
"And what's in it for us Tortallans?"
"If you comply without a struggle, there will be no need to attack and take this by force. When we take over, you will be vassals of King Oron. You may keep your land and titles, but you will pay tribute to the Copper Islands. You will fight for us, and this land will legally be part of the Copper Islands."
George seemed to think for a moment then spat at the mage. "We will never bow to that old luarin tyrant. If you want the land, you will have to take it by force. And even then, no Tortallan will submit without a fight."
The mage laughed. "Very well then, that is your loss. Next time we meet, I won't be as generous. I sailed for four days, and I'm not going to sail home empty handed!"
With a flash, he disappeared. From the corner of her eye, Kel saw three great ships appear. They were less than a mile off the coast, and approaching fast.
"Keladry, find the head of the guards, he's on the wall, and then come back. We have few men, and we need a plan." Kel moved to run across the wall, but George took her arm. "You say that you can communicate with your friends?" She nodded. "Tell them to tell Alanna all of this." Kel took off along the wall, running as fast as she could.
She reached the head guard, who was wearing a golden armband. "Sir," she gasped, "You need to report to Baron George."
He nodded, noticing that she was a Rider trainee. Kel doubted whether the man would have listened to her, if she had not been wearing the Rider's emblem on her tunic. He ran off to tell a senty to cover his post.
Kel ran back along the wall to where George was standing. Beside him was also his daughter. Alianne shot Kel a look of jealousy, then turned back to her father.
"Keladry," George motioned for Kel to come closer, which she did; all of her nervousness forgotten. "Aly here was outside, because she felt the same uneasiness. Aly, tell us what you saw and what you know."
Aly hesitated, then turned to face Kel as well, "A few days ago, I noticed that there were strands of yellow magic floating into and around the castle. They were part of a spell that was not activated by a word of Command, so I thought nothing of it. When the magic began to weave into the castle walls, I grew suspicious. Tonight, I came out onto the walls in time to see that the spell that I had cast aside was in fact used to blanket any magic. But what I also noticed, was that when the spell was activated, it was only done so around the manor, where the doors were sealed shut. The magic outside is an illusion."
"But why would he put an illusion for us?" Kel asked.
"Because," George finished for his daughter. "He's not as powerful as we think. There's only one mage on the ship, and he only has the power to hold the castle, but not the surrounding walls."
"Exactly." Aly confirmed.
"King Oron must be really sick now," George said with a laugh, "No King in their right mind would challenge the home of one of the most powerful mages in Tortall, with only one mage and one ship."
"There are three," Kel said.
Aly gave a condescending sigh, "Look carefully. On the two left ones, the sails fill out on the wrong side of the mast as the right one. The summer wind down at Pirate's Swoop always comes from the south east. For those ships to be sailing as fast as they are, they would have to catch a north western wind. Mage's tools. Illusions to confuse us."
Kel knew very little about sailing. She had been too young to learn on her voyages to and from the Yamani Islands. At a glance through Brekke's Sight, she noticed that the left ships were in fact purely spun of magic.
At that moment, the head guard came running up to them. "My lord. I have all of our guards counted for. On the wall, we have twenty five. The rest are in the castle, where we can't get to them."
George looked at him, "On one ship, there will be fifty or more pirates. We're outnumbered. We can't sink the ship, the mage can keep it afloat. We can't win in numbers, and by the time they get to the castle, we will be overrun. No one can help us from the manor.
Kel thought for a moment, then an idea came to her. "My lord, may I make a suggestion?"
"Certainly, Keladry. You do not need to ask."
"My lord, Lady Alianne said that the mage isn't as powerful as he lets on, right?" Both father and daughter nodded. "Well, if all of his power is focused in containing the mages behind the walls of the manor, then the more we hit their ship, the more he has to focus energy on the ship, and not on the castle. In a short while, his power will weaken around the walls, and the Lioness can come out."
George nodded thoughtfully. "That could work now," Kel continued.
"I expect that at the moment, Lady Alanna, Squire Nealan, and the other mages of the Swoop are battling his power. It could already be weak and strained by now. With one or two swift, major attacks on the ship, his power would be divided, and our mages will break through."
George nodded. "It's the best plan we have." He turned to the head guard, "Mass your best archers. Shoot at the ship the moment it's within firing distance. Spare a few flaming arrows only to your best archers." The man nodded and took off. "Any other suggestions, Keladry?" He asked.
"Only that we wait for us to either break them, or for them to arrive." She said softly, staring out at the fast approaching ship.
Kel, Keladry! Brekke's voice came to her mind. Tell us what's happening.
There's one mage, and a ship of raiders from the Copper Islands. The mage has put the dampening spell only on the castle and village, so I am still able to use your magic. He is not a very strong mage. Most of the magic that I see in the air is merely an illusion. Listen, Colleen?
Yes? Colleen sounded tired. Get Alanna, Neal and yourself together if you aren't already. If Alanna knows any other powerful mages from the village inside the walls, get them to you. We are going to distract the mage out here and divert his power elsewhere.
And then with three strong mages against a weakened one, we attack. Colleen finished for her.
Right, but you cannot waste your energy. Don't attack until my command. Understand?
Yes, Kel. She answered. Kel broke off the tie, and faced the baron once more. The ship beyond was now within firing range.
"The battle is about to begin." George said to her. She hurried towards where the guards were positioned, bows ready, along the wall.
The head guard looked at her and she nodded. "Fire!" was the call that echoed through the village. Twenty-five arrows hailed down at the ship. Kel saw a number of men fall. With the next round came two flaming arrows. The head of a tall mast, and a figure at the front each were caught and small flames sprouted up.
Kel 'Saw' the magic flicker for a moment around the manor as the fires were put out. She gripped her glaive even tighter, knuckles turning white. As the yellow magic flickered, a flash of violet, emerald and teal fire shone through.
The ship was still approaching. "We almost have them out. More flaming arrows! Now!" Kel shouted, not caring for a moment that she was merely seventeen, ordering men older and more battle hardy than her. All she could see in her mind was the ship, that when arrived at the castle, contained men that could take them handily.
In the next volley, more flaming arrows hit the ship, which burst into flames in many places. Kel watched in horror as one arrow descended towards a large collection of boxes, with a label she recognized from books.
"Get down, now!" she yelled, pushing the baron and Alianne to the stone ground with her. The guards seemed to accept what she called, and dropped.
In the next instant, a loud explosion was heard. Kel felt the tremors of the air and the water around her. The arrow had hit the ships collection of blazebalm, and the ship itself exploded into shards.
Kel retained her mind to yell in her mind, as well as aloud, "Now!". With a start, the doors of Pirate's Swoop were blown off their hinges by a cloud of purple, green and blue. The Riders, Alanna, and Neal all streamed out onto the wall.
Kel looked up carefully, a trickle of blood running down her face from where she'd was hit by a stray piece of wood from what used to be the enemy ship. She saw that Alianne and the baron had both been knocked out by the debris sporting larger and uglier wounds than she guessed her own looked like. The line of guards had dissolved, a number of them stunned, unconscious, or in one case, to Kel's horror, dead; speared through the chest by the ship's remnants.
A loud, cold laugh rang in her ears. "Well, aren't you a brilliant little one?" The mage was standing behind her, staring at her with fury in his amber eyes. Turning, Kel saw that he held a sword, tip down, above Alianne's neck.
Alanna's face turned pale, and she took a step forwards, hand on her sword hilt. The mage's blade lowered an inch, and he held up a hand.
"Now, Lioness. Don't move forward, or I will not hesitate to bury the blade in the girl's throat." Alanna stopped, tears of frustration and worry in her eyes. Kel could see how much she truly loved her daughter. She Lioness had seen her cry. The mage nodded with satisfaction and continued. "Now this tall one," He said giving a meaningful glance at Kel. "She will be useful to King Oron. He likes the fiery ones."
Kel's face showed no emotion, but her eyes held all of her disgust at the thought of being useful to King Oron. Suddenly a thought came to her head. Colleen, Brekke. I'm going to distract him, and I want either of you to bind him magically. Don't kill him, unless you have no other choice.
Kel, we can't let you do that. Brekke protested.
We have no other choice. As much as Alianne dislikes me, I made a promise years ago. As long as there is breath in my body, I will always help those in need. Kel said with determination.
She heard a sigh behind her. Very well. The connection broke.
Kel looked the mage deep in the eyes, her anger burning him. She raised her voice, so that all around her could hear. "A duel." she said.
"Excuse me?" He looked amused.
"I suggest a duel of combat to settle this matter. No magic; you against me. Weapon of choice. If I win, you swear a blood oath never to return. If you win, then we will stand down." Alanna shot her a glare that suggested it was she, not Kel, who should be fighting for her daughter's honor and the people of Pirates Swoop. Kel ignored it.
The mage thought for a moment. "Very well." He conceded. "I will not use magic and you will not get help from your friends. When I win, the fief will be mine."
"Good." Kel snapped. "And I said that we would step down. I never said that the villagers would." before he could answer, she had drawn her glaive. Tilting her head to one side, she spoke lightly. "Guard".
He drew his sword away from a now fully conscious Alianne, who hurried over to her mother. Neal had paused in healing the wounded guards and baron to watch. Fear for Kel, who was still bleeding from her head wound, was etched over his face.
Kel circled the mage slowly, not wanting to make the first move. She dodged as he thrust quickly at her head. She easily parried the blow knocking his blade away with the teak staff of her glaive. He was overconfident, believing that he could overcome her easily, and his thrust had gone astray.
The longer weapon aided her to fend him off. It took little energy on her part which angered him greatly. He was unable to land a blow with out the tactical advantage of the longer weapon.
Suddenly, Kel's vision blurred as two swords appeared, one in either hand. He was using an illusion, but it was impossible to tell which of the identical swords was real, and which was magical. Both swords flickered in her vision, neither staying clear for more than a moment.
She avoided both blades easily keeping the mage at bay while looking for an opening. Suddenly, pain opened in her leg. Looking down, she saw that his actual sword had entered her skin, just above the left knee. She remembered the Emperor's chosen warriors from the Islands, and how in every flaw and fault, they found a promising opening. Her eyes followed quickly the real sword which was now stained with he blood. Her concentration was focused on avoiding that particular blade, and she didn't see Colleen raise a blue and green hand. Suddenly, the magical blade exploded into smoke, leaving only a tired mage with a short sword.
Kel's confidence grew as she realized that Colleen had placed a magical barrier over him. She felt him tiring rapidly, and felt his strength lessen.
Suddenly, she saw an opening; a hesitation. In a second, she flipped her glaive to point the weighted butt at him, and snaked the teak staff around his arm.
The sword flew off the edge of the castle walls, and the confident mage found himself pinned against the ground, wooden bar across his elbows and chest, and the tall girl's right shin pinning his legs underneath her weight.
Kel, breath coming short, shouted out to Colleen, "Now! Bind him." Cords of violet flames filled her vision, and joined Colleen's magic to bind the man physically, as well as magically.
Kel rolled away and stood up using her glaive to help her. She limped across the wall to the other trainees and clapped Colleen's shoulder, and whispered thanks into the girl's ear before wearily sitting down. Blood was leaking quickly down her leg and face. Her head was throbbing now that adrenalin had let her feel pain again.
Alanna was with Buri and Sarge, questioning the man, so Neal rushed over to heal her. Green magic flowed over her as she struggled to stay awake. Healings always made her tired.
Neal's soft voice filled her ears. "Rest, Kel. You need it." He placed a hand on her forehead.
The last thing Kel remembered was drowning in a summer forest, before the world closed.
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TO ALL MY REVIEWERS:
Once more, I am so sorry for the long delay on the update. On the bright side, this was a considerably longer chapter than before, so I kinda made up for it.
Now I have nothing else to say, so Happy New Year.
luv ya!