Circle Tower
The next several weeks passed in a whirlwind of activity for Benjamin Trevelyan. Perhaps the busiest time of his entire life. After his breakfast, the first meal of the day, it was right into the Great Hall with his class. Where they practiced their combat magic. Their staves and staffs spinning and whirling in the air. Electric energy crackling and nearly causing a ruckus sometimes. The Templars, ever vigilant, hardly left them alone. He even started to practice with the Templars. Leading from the front, volunteering himself. Allowing them to demonstrate their techniques on him, their anti-magical techniques, disrupting his mana and any of his shields or defenses. It was quite painful, yet he didn't feel he could trust one of his students with the assignment, and he had to lead by example.
After he and his students would wolf down a crowded lunch, they would go back to it. This time to the library and common rooms, reading up on any magical theory they could find. Huron had even requested they bring in several tomes from other Circles and places of Chantry scholarship. They took notes, occasionally wrote essays, and studied their tomes carefully and completely. Ben would occasionally make corrections and ask them questions. He didn't assign quizzes, he didn't believe in them, but he still kept them on their toes.
After dinner and the Chantry services he would go, personally, to the library himself. Reading hurriedly before lights out in his free time. Making sure he understood the concepts he was trying to teach his students. Learn, while he was trying to teach. Oh the irony.
But, in a way he preferred it this way, working as hard as he could. Idle hands were the demon's tools, after all.
Most of his students were showing improvement, though two of them had been flunked out. He did not like doing it, but he felt they did not have time to mess around.
The problem with practical tests, when it came with magic, however was that it was hard to practice without getting hurt. Without greatly wounding the other people who they were practicing on. The more esoteric the magic, the more dangerous it was to fellow human beings. That, and most high levels of magic risked tearing the Veil.
So, Ben only risked dueling with Templars. Leading from the front, as it were. Figuring the other students were too temperamental, too inexperienced, and that he needed to establish his own authority in the matter. So, he engaged Templars, senior members of the order. Engaging in combat with them. They used their magical disruption abilities on him, breaking through his shields, with great precision and care.
Usually he escaped with only scraped elbows and dirtied knees, but once in a while he suffered a bloody nose. The Templars being that good in the execution of their duty.
And so the weeks passed. So slowly his class was starting to take shape. So Knight Commander Huron's and his dream was almost realized of creating the first ever group of mages willing to join with the Templars and support them. Despite their reservations, many of them, they were apparently eager.
So the weeks passed.
After an especially long day Ben felt himself crawling up to the top of the tower. His bones aching, he leaned on his staff, it scuffling along the steps as he climbed ever upward.
Finally, he reached into the library, and started getting to work. Taking a sip of a health poultice and some bourbon to work out the kinks in his bones.
That Knight Lieutenant seemed quite eager to throttle me…I may have to have a word…with someone.
He began pouring over the tome he was currently engaged in battle with, was an interesting theory on summoning magical energy from the fade to use as a dangerous weapon.
A sudden burst of commotion drew his attention away from the manuscript, and towards the door. As he looked, a bouncing ball of energy came through the door. Patricia, looking no worse for wear. And filled with her usual…exuberance.
Not like she had a life and death struggle with a Templar or anything, Ben groused.
"Have you heard the news?!" She asked excitedly.
"No, what news?" Ben said lowly back at her.
She plopped herself in the seat across from him, and bounced in it dramatically. "The Circle of Magi…the College of Enchanters…apparently they are being allowed to meet. That is where First Enchanter Marchand went! Apparently."
This did catch Benjamin's attention, as he lifted a small eyebrow in curiosity. "Oh?" His eyes narrowed. "Who's your source?"
She waved her hands dismissively, "From one of the Senior Enchanters, who was at the sending."
"Right, and I am sure he heard it from the First Enchanter himself." Benjamin scoffed.
Though it was only half felt and halfhearted. A mere attempt to cover up his own gathering interest in the situation. What if…?
He knew that it had been…a while…since the College of Enchanters was allowed to meet. In Cumberland, in Val Royeux, in any such place from here to the Tevinter Imperium. If it was true then maybe they had a chance for real change. Maybe not the change he or Knight Commander Huron was looking for…but if it served to lesson tensions even a little bit…before things exploded into full out violence, then it could be worth it. Even if it bought them time. If people are calm…maybe we can just solve it…reform the Circle…get things back to an even keel. Maybe we have a chance after all.
Suddenly, from deep within the bowels of the tower he heard a deep echoing boom. He could barely make it out, but something had certainly drawn their attention.
Patricia looked down under her feet, "what the?"
Benjamin murmured his agreement back at her. Another small boom sounded.
"Come on, let's go." He said scraping his chair and getting up.
Patricia nodded and followed in his wake.
They slowly made their way down the long sloping stairs of the Circle Tower, ever down. The more they went, the more they seemed to hear an angry buzz of chatter below them. The louder it got. The angrier. Ben was prompted to increase his pace, fearing that something terrible was about to happen.
Finally, they arrived at the second floor of the tower. There was a small group of people gathered. Two groups of people Ben realized as he got closer, onto their level. A small courtyard cut in the middle of the tower. Templars were facing off against mages, once more. The mages and their postures were angry, their shoulders hunched, the Templars were tense, and some of them were fingering their blades nervously.
"We demand to see the sending! We demand to speak to the First Enchanter! Or any Senior Enchanters in there now!" A Senior Enchanter was yelling, spittle flying from his face, his staff was glowing white, and even though it was now subdued Benjamin could just imagine that he was the source of the booming.
The mages were gathering around him, letting him speak, but glaring blades at the Templars.
"Go back to your quarter's mage, this does not concern you." The Templar Lieutenant sneered.
"What is going on here?" Benjamin asked, cutting off the gathering protest of his senior.
The Senior Enchanter in question, not one of the ones from my class rounded on Benjamin, his hand going down his staff. "We have a sending through the stones, First Enchanter Marchand went to go see to the College…and with the tension in the tower, and given the rumors floating about the College of Enchanters in Val Royeux, and we expected news. Instead nothing, nothing at all. No word from the First Enchanter and these," he waved his hand at the Knight Lieutenant, "won't let us go send a sending of our own, or see the mage that is in there currently."
"He could still be in consultation you know," Ben pointed out simply, Patricia stiffened next to him, but Ben ignored her.
"Then why won't they say that." The Senior Enchanter returned.
"Because it is none of your concern mage," The Knight Lieutenant cut in.
The Senior Enchanter growled, turning on the Knight Lieutenant, his chest puffing out as oxygen filled his lungs.
"There is no need for that," Benjamin said, "How about we all calm down. There is no need for violence…Lieutenant…please take us to see the Senior Enchanter in the sending room, this can still be solved without-"
A door slammed against the wall, opening, and the same door which led to the Seeing Hall one floor up. A young Elven boy sped out of it, a Templar crashing behind him.
"They've killed the First Enchanter! Help! They've killed the Enchanter! The seeing showed-"
"Apprentice stand down," The Knight Lieutenant challenged drawing his sword from its sheath, "You are ordered to-"
"THE SEEING SHOWED A MESSAGE, THE COLLEGE OF MAGI HAS VOTED FOR INDEPENDENCE!" The boy positively squealed, an angry murmur went through the assembled crowd.
"KILL HIM!" The Knight Lieutenant ordered.
"No!" The Senior Enchanter shouted, raising his hand off the staff with a backhand, icy energy hissed from it and the Knight Lieutenant hurled away from the blow.
Metallic grinding interrupted the brief silence as the rest of the Knights drew their swords from their sheaths and advanced boldly. They used their talents, bringing up their own particular ability to disrupt the flow of mana. But the mages outnumbered them and advanced boldly.
"Execute them! Any Mage who resists, kill them all! Find Knight Commander Huron!" The Lieutenant spat.
Instantly arrows crashed through the air, from behind. Benjamin dove out of the way and looked up. Templar archers took up position on the further floors of the tower from behind and were raining fire down on them.
A shaft struck through the neck of a young mage woman, she clutched at it as it went straight through, blood gurgled in her mouth, and she collapsed on her knees.
Patricia came to his side and grabbed him around his shoulders, starting to heave him up.
"Come! Benjamin, get up!"
Together they finally managed to scramble off to the side of the room. The mages were finally starting to put up a struggle. Magical shields shimmered, bolts of lightning and balls of ice flashed, and the room had an increasing magical buzz about it.
"We have to help them," Patricia said summoning a ball of fire to her hand.
"No," Ben said grabbing her hand, letting the flame fizzle out. "The best thing we can do is warn the rest of the tower. Try getting to the other mages and getting them out of here while we still can."
"You think they needed warning after all this?" Patricia asked waving her hand around, a solid boom punctuating her point.
"They still might need freeing from the Templars!" Ben shouted in her face, a spike of annoyance rolling through him.
"Oh so now you want to fight?" She asked in his face.
"They have left us little choice, fight, die, or submit. And I do not think submission will get us very far at this point. Even with Knight Commander Huron in charge."
"Fine," She said, the sounds of battle were growing ever closer.
"You take the apprentices I'll gather the Junior Enchanters."
She nodded. And they both moved. Starting down the steps. Patricia continued darting through one of the trap doors to the lower dungeons, of the subbasement. Benjamin frowned at the sudden thought, yes, keep small children in the dungeons…even a moderate Knight Commander allows this. Maker help us all.
But they had no time for philosophy as Ben continued along the second floor to the quarters of some of Junior Enchanters. Of course, they had a lot of the rest of the lower parts of the tower were occupied with them.
A young Templar suddenly darted in front of him, barring his path. The young woman drew a sword rapidly and advanced, Ben brought his staff around and smacked it over her head. The magic in it flung her to the side.
Now, he wondered what he was going to do next. Knocking on all the doors would take too much time.
Suddenly, the thought occurred to him. I am a mage, let me do magic.
His staff flashed white, and he slammed it on the ground, three times, each time sending out a shockwave of energy which boomed down the hall and rattled the stone masonry and the doors.
"The Templars have declared the Right of Annulment!" He said. "Mages, we must flee! Now!" His voice boomed.
Doors slammed open against walls all along the corridor. Mages in various states of dress and readiness poured out of them. Some were panicked, others were calm. A few of them even had staffs looking as though they were expecting this very announcement.
"Come on, we don't have time for this, get as many belongings you can get quickly, and flee!"
The men women, and Elves, the few who still needed their staffs, or to finish dressing disappeared into their rooms. The rest, started heading in the other direction. Ben could hear a trampling of feet behind him in the corridor beyond.
"Hurry!" He shouted, drawing his staff across his chest in a defensive maneuver.
More of the mages he could tell, were running out of their rooms, trying to get out of the tower, either down the stairs to the main entrance, or through some other means.
A Templar flew around the corner, and drew his knife quickly, advancing boldly. Ben twirled his staff around and across his body, his staff crackled with energy, and unleashed a blue bolt of arcane energy at the Templar.
The Warrior's armor held up to the assault, it crackled, but it was just enough to knock him out of the fight.
Satisfied that his immediate job was done, he clinched his staff, spun around, and joined the rest of the fleeing mages. Not intending to win, just fight hard enough to escape.
After several seconds found himself out in the sunlight. Someone had blasted the front door off its hinges, perhaps a great many someone's. And the fight now continuing in the foyer of the tower was ignored by Benjamin. Mages could make their decisions well known, but his duty was clear. Escape, live another day.
Though he was impressed with how well the mages were conducting themselves in the battle, and holding up to the Templars. Masses of them were continuing their fight, and they were holding on. I wonder if any of my classes have done any good. Ben thought happily. Only tales he heard of the strongest of blood mages could match the effort the mages were putting up against their oppressors. But it was not enough, we will lose soon. Ben thought grimly.
The outer courtyard of the Tower was in just as much desperate straits. The younger apprentices and enchanters were busy fleeing as fast as they could, with their scant few possessions, towards the safety of the surrounding area, some of them were almost past the first guard shack. The older Enchanters, roughly anyone over the age of twenty five, were holding their own, forming around the perimeter, trying to keep their Templar opponents at bay.
Ben couldn't help but be surprised though, as over the Horizon, more Templars were coming, rushing in full battle armor in their own semi-circle to cut off those fleeing. I've never seen so many Templars in my life, Ben thought. Then he realized that they were expecting trouble, and must have called in for reinforcements in case something like this happened. Ben didn't know who to blame but a brief shutter of rage took purchase in his heart. He tried to keep it down, not wanting that rage to lead him to something…terrible.
Magic flashed, arrows whistled, and the sounds of metal and crunching dominated the surrounding area.
Benjamin groaned.
His eyes were drawn to the fighting between a small knot of mages and a group of Templars advancing on them. Patricia was back peddling ahead of them, a cadre of mage apprentices cowered in her wake. Trapped, cornered. Patricia held her staff, it shimmered, and an energy shield held up against them. Her head was streaming sweat, showing her weakness, and the shield looked weak. Yet she held herself straight, and boldly defended her charges.
It was a simple, meaningless gesture.
The Templars were already channeling their power to their swords, preparing to shatter her shields. Break her defenses.
"No! Patricia!" Ben shouted, staff coming up, he ran to meet them head on.
Two Templars intercepted him in the middle, their own swords flashing in the sunlight.
Ben swung his staff around in a twirl, holding it out straight it knocked one of the Templars aside with a boom of magical energy. Ben rotated his body, spinning around, holding the staff as a bat and slamming it into the face of the other Templar soldier with a crack, he was intercepted and spun down on the ground. They were both moaning and rolling.
Ben rushed forward, lungs burning, sweat pouring off of him in waves. The magical effort he put up over the last several minutes, combined with the physical exertions was enough to make him feel very tired. Everything to this point was theory, and while all of his Enchanters said he had tremendous raw magical potential, Ben didn't practice, didn't exercise those talents, sticking to theory instead of actual activities. Even with his class it was under carefully controlled, and manageable conditions, where he usually watched.
Benjamin Trevelyan had to reach his friend, had to get her out of the combat zone. If no else. So despite his feelings, and the weakness of his talents and his body, he still rushed forward, baring his staff. Patricia had fallen, her shield was down, and she was sprawled out before her attackers. Without seeking the least bit of mercy, the Templar was about to strike her down.
"No!" Ben shouted again.
He held his hand out, knuckles curling around one another, and the three Templars flew up into the air…and then slammed into the ground. Moaning once more and rolling. Clearly disabled.
He breathed, catching his breath, and moved over to the fallen Patricia. Some of the other apprentices were also helping her up, while others were already fleeing.
Crashing next to her Benjamin Trevelyan held her by her shoulders, her heaving shoulders as she gasped for breath.
"Are you ok?" He asked.
"Yes…I…am…thank you." She mumbled at him.
"Come on, let's get you up." He smiled. Heaving her up onto her feet.
"We need to…make sure…we get…the apprentices…out of here." She said the last in a rush, gasping, trying to get through the sentence.
"We need to do no such thing, you are exhausted and you still need to get out of here yourself." Off of her look, "You are no good to anyone dead! Now come on!"
She nodded, clutching her staff she started to move in the opposite direction.
Benjamin stayed for a few moments, covering them. He felt he still had enough magical reserve to hold, Patricia, didn't.
He started to move, back peddling, then yelped as something struck the side of his head.
He whirled around to see Knight Commander Huron approaching him, sword drawn, boldly.
"Benjamin," He said, "you can't do this. We need to restore order."
His eyes darted to the blade of the Knight Commander, there was blood there, he snarled.
"I had no choice, one of your students attacked me as I was trying to restrain my Templars, I reacted. I tried to be gentle, then one of my Lieutenants killed the mage responsible."
"I see this is the dream of Templar order," Benjamin spat, "was it all a lie?"
Huron's eyes widened, he sighed, "No, none of it was a lie. I wanted to establish a new order…and it can still happen. As long as you come back, and the rest of the Enchanters who have not escaped…"
"It is too late for that!" Ben sighed. "As much as I might want to the situation has clearly gone beyond both of our control."
Huron sighed, the gesture seemed to deflate him. "Alright…I see." He dropped his sword to his side. "Just make it look good, ok?"
Ben's eyes widened, understanding the Templar's purpose. "OK." He said simply.
He summoned one last burst of his mana, and held his palm straight out, with a cry of surprise the Knight Commander flew back, and landed on the ground with a metallic crash several feet away.
Ben, breathing heavily, started moving for the forest in the distance. Somehow, he made it.