A Coursing Passage (A Life of Magic Book 3)

A Coursing Passage

By

Matthew D. Mitchell

Illustrated

By

R. Nicole Mitchell

Chapter 1: Into the woods

We were all restless that first night. After setting up camp Stain proceeded to explain the logic in running away.

"The king knew that if we stayed and fought then most likely we would be captured. He considered us too valuable to risk allowing us to fall into enemy hands." Stain was talking while the food cooked. "He ordered us away and ordered the city into attack. Knowing the king the way I do I figure he will fight his way through the madness and survive to enact his revenge."

"But you and Ott are so powerful!" Raven protested.

Stain smiled, "Sometimes it is not just about power. Yes Ott and I are powerful mages. So are you my dear. However, there were ancient weapons that could easily counter an army of mages, much less just the two of us, in the vault. I had thought the vault was sealed, unopenable by anyone but myself. The magic and mechanism must have been flawed in some manner." He sat down and reached for his food. "One such weapon reflects any spells cast upon it and reflects it back at the castor, magnified and spread out farther. So the mage thinks he is attacking yet becomes the target for his own magic, but at a much higher power level."

Raven looked at Stain and shook her head, "That is barbaric."

I smiled, "It makes sense though. The point of battle, of fighting, is to win."

Mophar grabbed some nuts, "Which is why I would rather sit to the side and let everyone else fight. I want to live and keep my fur intact."

"I would rather fight from a distance." Pat commented from atop of a large rock. "I am less likely to be hurt."

Stain agreed with all of these. "Better not to fight than to lose."

We all sat there and ate, considering what had occurred.

"So what happens now?" I asked Stain after finishing my food.

Stain leaned back against a log. "We have to decide. Things have changed and our previous plans no longer apply." He looked at Raven and back to me. "I think we will have to postpone the wedding for now, of course it was going to be a while anyway."

Raven chuckled, "Yeah, I think that sounds wise." I smiled and nodded.

"Second is we have to figure our way back to the kingdom. We are now on the far side of the mountains that protect the kingdom from invaders. There are very few places where the mountains may be crossed and none will be passable during the cold months. Too much snow covers the passes. So we need to find out if there is another way to reach the other side of the mountains." Stain looked around. "They are too high to simply fly over."

"At least we have plenty of supplies. We are going to be alright." Tag spoke up.

"Very true my friend." Stain stood up and headed towards where Tag lay resting. "I have heard of a lost path that could take us home. A traveling tinker told me about it. If we can reach this path then we could perhaps make it to the kingdom before the real cold weather sets in."
"Where does this path lie?" Raven asked as she finished up her food.

"We will have to travel a long ways to reach it and then travel through some of the most treacherous lands in the kingdom." Stain came back to the fire carrying a map. He unrolled it and used some rocks to hold it flat. Pointing at a the side of the map he stated, "This is where we currently sit. Not many of our maps hold information about this area. Too many hostile nations reside here for us to explore." He pointed at a mountain range on the map. "This is the Shield. A mountain range that protects the kingdom from most of those hostile nations." We looked closer and could see how the mountains wrapped around most of the kingdom. There was a large empty part at the bottom of the map where the mountains seemed to fade into nothing and a large body of water to the opposite side of where Stain had pointed as our location.

"What is that empty space?" Raven asked.

Stain looked down and smiled. "That would be the Vast Waste. Hardly anything lives there and what does is tough and usually nasty. Including the people." He ran his finger around the mountains. "We will have to follow the mountains around to this point here. There is supposed to be a large city there. From there we continue along the mountains until we find what the tinker called the "Cradle of Tears". He claimed that it seemed as if the very mountains were crying. There we might possibly find a way through the mountains, if he is to be believed." We looked at the map a bit longer before Stain rolled and stowed it. "Now, some things we must discuss about our travels. In these lands mages are feared. They do not follow rules and restrictions like the mages in our kingdom. Our kings have worked hard to establish controls to keep mages working for the betterment of themselves and the kingdom without causing harm to the people. The system is not perfect but it works most of the time. Mages are allowed to learn magic like any other skill and the people do not have to fear the mages. This is not how it works in the rest of the nations. I have seen that there are types of mages out here. Some are like Mai-Lin's linage, mages who fought and defended. Some do it for masters of some sort, some for money. There are mages who are criminals. Those who use magic to steal, kill, and plunder. I have met mages who kept their magic secret. There is even a secret society of hedge mages. They work as healers mostly. Using just enough magic to help their villages. These mages are honored but in secret. There are even mages who simply use their magic to perform. Some present the magic as a trick and some as true magic."

"So, what does that mean for us?" Raven posed this important question.

Stain nodded, "That is what we need to discuss. I feel that we should travel under disguise. Not as mages at all, considering the negative nature of magic in these nations. I am fully equipped and ready to be a traveling herbmaster. Ott is trained as my apprentice already for this facade. The question is what is your business with us? Why do you travel with us?"

Raven grinned, a dark humor filling her eyes. "Why as your bodyguard. I can walk around fully armed at all times that way. A true herbmaster would have precious plants, tools, and potions that would need protecting." She pulled out a knife and started twirling it in her hands.

"That works fine. A bodyguard is a common enough thing not to raise any questions. A young female might, however, after a demonstration of your skills perhaps it will settle any problems." Stain stood up. "Now, The ability to talk to animals is fairly unique and kept secret in most areas. So, no having conversations with any of our companions during our travels while in the company of the inhabitants here." He stretched and then sat back down. "I am getting too old for all of this danger." Sighing deeply and then chuckling he continued. "I would most like to travel with Wanderers or Travelers if we can find them. I am known to some of them and can identify myself as one of them. This will provide us with some much needed protection and provide a hiding place in plain sight."

"Stain, it seems as if you know a lot about these areas. Yet you said not much is known." This was bothering me.

Stain nodded, "Not much is known of how things might operate now. I did, however, during my youth travel to some of these areas seeking out adventure and knowledge. I lived in the city we will travel to for a time. It was many lifetimes ago." He seemed to be thinking of those times. "I have lived many places and experienced many things. Some I regret, some I wish I could relive. I have lived more than any man should live. I hope to finally have rest once you are trained and this time of war has passed." He looked up with a haunted look in his eyes. "The things I have lived through while all those around me aged and died could fill a library. When I pass on I will leave you with a mage puzzle. Then and only then will you understand."

Raven spoke up, "Tell us one of the bright stories Stain? One that brings cheer to your heart."

Stain grinned at her obvious attempt to change the conversation. "Very well, I will share some of my stories. We will talk more as we travel tomorrow." He placed another piece of wood on the fire.

***

"Has anyone ever come this direction before?" Raven snarled as she pulled yet another thorn from her sleeve. "This is a true wilderness."

Stain chuckled, "This area has always been wild. Not enough resources to make it worth the effort. That is also why the escape tunnel emptied out here. It would be almost useless if it came out in a populated area." He stooped over and cut some leaves off of a purple plant. "One good thing about traveling in this area is the abundance of wild plants. We should have a nice stockpile to support the traveling herbmaster story." He pointed to a tree standing a ways from the animal path we traveled. "That tree has some useful properties. See if you can harvest some bark. Just the bark is all you need."

"Come on Mophar." We set off towards the tree. The bark seemed to peel and fall from the tree like sunburnt skin does off a person. We spent a few minutes gathering pieces and packing them into a sack. "I think that is enough." I turned and looked and realized that Stain and Raven had traveled out of my sight. It looked like I was going to have to catch up.

"I think I will travel by tree for a bit." Mophar climbed up and headed towards the path. I followed him along the ground, listening for danger and animals. I had noticed that the noises of this wood seemed much like the ones at home, yet there were some distinct differences. Birds still called to one another, many of them sounded like relatives of those I grew up around. I could hear animals digging in the brush and larger creatures farther off at times. I felt at home. "Hey!" Mophar's voice brought me out of my contemplation.

"What?" I looked up. He was pointing down the path. "Trouble ahead. Other people. Not friendly from the look of it. Stain and Raven are fine so far."

I nodded and pulled out my bow. Putting an arrow against the string I stalked off the path and headed to a higher point that overlooked where Mophar had pointed. I pulled on my magical sight and could see that the entire area had some residual magic in the very soil. Other than that I could sense no magic in the area. Finally reaching the overlook I laid down on the rock and peered over the edge. Raven and Stain stood in the middle of a circle of armed people. Stain was talking to what seemed to be the leader. As he talked I examined each person. Most seemed to be an average person, dirtier than normal, but just a person. I could see no mages in the crowd. I laid there watching for many moments until the leader called out an order. Each person put up their weapons and headed off the path, climbing over rocks and through the brush. The leader talked for a moment longer and then followed his people. Raven said something to Stain and he laughed. He turned and pointed up at me. Raven looked up and I could tell she was looking for me. I stood and waved. Her relief was evident. Stain waved me to come down and join them.

"Mophar!" I called him to me.

"Yeah?" Mophar hung above me.

"I suggest you grab some shoulder." I pulled on my magic as Mophar jumped to his perch. I stepped back and then ran at the edge of the overlook. Jumping off I could see Raven's jaw drop in shock. Stain just shook his head as I plunged towards them. Casting a spell at the last moment I landed softly beside them. "So, what did I miss?"

Raven punched me in the arm, jarring Mophar sideways into my head. "How about the part of mages are not liked? And do not scare me like that again." She huffed and stomped over to Tag and Evins.

Stain grinned at me, "You still have a lot to learn about women."

I smiled and rubbed my shoulder, "I suppose I do. It was worth it to see her jaw go slack like that though."

Stain shook his head, "I suppose it was. Rarely does Raven get caught off guard like that." He pointed after the people who had accosted them. "That was a traveling group of hunters. They live many miles distant. This is their hunting preserve. At first they thought we were poachers. I apologized and received permission to continue harvesting herbs and such. We can not hunt while we are in this area. They use the animals here to feed their village during the cold months." He pointed off another direction. "They did provide some directions and warnings of what lies ahead. There is a large caravan road a few days walk from here. Perhaps we can find a group of Wanders or Travelers there. If not then we travel down the road to the city." He started back down the path.

"Ugh. I always feel like I am asking you questions." Raven caught up with Stain and walked beside him.

Stain nodded, "Most people feel that way. I have lived a long time and while I do not know everything I have learned a lot in my lifetime. Feel free to ask any question, but be warned. The answer might not always be something you are prepared to hear."

Raven nodded and tossed her braid over her shoulder, "You mention the Wanders and Travelers in the same way. Who are they and what are the differences?" I had wondered the same thing.

Stain took a deep breath, "Well that is both a simple and complex answer. The simple one is they are two groups of a the same people that have different lifestyles. The complex one takes some time to explain."

Raven was playing with her braid again, "I think we have plenty of time. Plus if we will be traveling with them perhaps we need to know a little something about who they are?"

"That is a good point Raven." Stain stooped and picked up a mushroom. Placing it in his basket he continued walking. "While we walk I will tell you their story. This is the one they share of themselves, it is not meant for outsiders."