Island Shifters: Book 02 - An Oath of the Mage (36 page)

They burned Citrine’s remains in the dark of night. When the Void finally rolled past, they retraced their route north and discovered her body lying on the road not far from them.

Citrine’s face looked tortured, even in death, and Kiernan wondered at the clumps of hair missing from the sorceress’ scalp until she saw the dark strands waving from the grips of her closed fists. Sapphire told them that once The Void had Citrine in its grasp, its single purpose would have been to devour her mind. To hammer her psyche with unspeakable torment.

Fortunately, as soon as the Void claimed its victim, it began to dissipate and Kiernan was grateful that the dark sorcery would not be able to continue roaming the island, killing indiscriminately.

Exhausted both mentally and physically over the death of their friend, the despondent party collected stones to serve as a pyre and placed Citrine reverently upon it. Rogan cast the fire that ignited her body in a mantle of flame. An emotional Diamond offered words of remembrance of her sister and Sapphire led the Highworld prayer.

Once finished, the group quickly set up camp for the night and rolled into their bedrolls without conversation. Sleep did not come easy for Kiernan. Highworld willing, she would be reunited with her daughter soon, and the prospect set her heart racing in her chest. She longed to hold her baby girl in her arms again, the burning desire to remove her from harm’s way thudding through her body.

That it would prove difficult was an understatement. Avalon Ravener had the advantage. This was her game, her rules. Since she reappeared, it seemed like they had no alternative but to keep stumbling along in her wake while she pulled all the strings. What black magic would she throw at them next? Another Sea of Void? Something new and more sinister? The tables had to be turned so that they were on the offensive instead of simply reacting to the snares the witch placed in their path. Her last thought before sleep claimed her was that they needed to change the rules of the game.

She said as much to the others as soon as they awoke the next morning.

“What do you propose?” asked Airron, his purple eyes questioning.

“You said she is in a cave, Airron, and if we go after her there, she will just pick us off one at a time. Somehow, we have to get her to come out to us. Then, Sapphire can issue a binding spell, and I can mindshift her.”

“So, how do we get the bat out of the belfry?” asked Diamond.

“Bait,” Airron answered, his eyebrows raised toward Kiernan. “Tell me I am right.”

She smiled for the first time in a long time. “I did hear that Elves can run pretty fast.”

“Like lightening when there is an evil sorceress on our ass.”

“If I had any other choice, Airron, I would not ask it of you.”

“And, I would be offended if you hadn’t.”

“It is settled then,” said Rogan. “We serve up the Elf.”

Beck came awake slowly with the oddest sensation. Feather-like touches traveled up his leg, chest and then stopped just below his neck. Disoriented, he opened one eye and cautiously lifted his head. A hairy, mouth with two lethal fangs was reaching for his throat.

“Ah!!!” Beck screamed and swatted the offensive creature away. He jumped to his feet in fright and sprinted from the tent.

Loud guffaws rang out.

He turned his head with a growl.

Odawa was running away from him and two other male Malakai were bent over in laughter.

Beck looked down. A Puuvian Goliath Arachnid was skittering away from the tent on spindly legs and a body at least two spans in length. The spider, native to the Puu Rainforest, was deadly. A single bite could kill a man within moments without the intervention of a very skilled healer.

He glared at Odawa in disbelief. “Are you crazy? That thing could have killed me!”

The Malakai continued their ridicule with words and gestures that no language barrier could disguise. Keeping his temper in check, he bent to retrieve his pack. With luck, the mixture was ready and he could leave these prankster apes behind.

For the first time, Beck noticed that the rest of the village was empty, and he was alone with his three harassers. “Where are the rest of the Malakai?” he questioned.

“Hunt. Work. Malakai not soft like humans!”

Beck looked up at the sky and through the rainclouds, he could see that the sun was directly overhead. He had slept for hours! “Demons hell, Odawa, I slept too late!” he complained in a panic. “Is the mixture ready?”

“Done for hours.”

“Why didn’t you wake me?” he demanded angrily.

Odawa let his tongue loll out of his mouth and made a snoring noise. “Apprentice very sleepy.” This elicited more laughter from his cohorts.

That was it. Beck threw down his pack and stalked toward the Malakai. Immediately, their laughter stopped. Thrusting out his hand, a ball of dirt erupted out of the ground and rotated in the air in front of him as he walked.

The Malakai stepped back warily.

With a flick of his wrist, Beck sent the gritty orb screaming toward Odawa’s head. Beck’s tormenter shrieked in fright and ducked, but the earthen missile circled around and sped toward Odawa again.

The Malakai lifted his hands and ran in an attempt to avoid the ball of dirt, but the ground beneath him suddenly heaved and he fell hard amid useless, flailing arms. Beck hovered the ball directly over Odawa and then let it fall, dirt and pebbles peppering down on top of the Malakai’s head. “There is plenty more where that came from, Odawa. I may only be a Mage apprentice, but I am a master earthshifter. Lead me to the training now or you will be eating that dirt!”

This time it was at Odawa that the others wailed in laughter.

Odawa stood and wiped the dirt from his head and furred shoulders. Walking past Beck, he snapped his large teeth at him aggressively. “Follow Odawa for training.”

“Now, was that so hard?” Beck asked with a grin.

Odawa led him to the three teepees under the wooden structure. Flora from the jungle encroached on the areas around and between the tents, and it did not look as though anybody had been inside for a very long time.

“Must enter first tent, apprentice,” Odawa instructed, pointing to the tent on the far right.

Beck looked at the small tent in confusion. “Mage training is in a teepee?”

“Must enter first tent,” Odawa repeated. “First tent for learn.” He pointed to the middle tent. “Second tent for observe.” His arm swung to the last tent. “Third tent for experience. That is all know of Mage custom.”

Beck sighed. He would get no further answers from the Malakai. Best to simply do as instructed so he could get this over as quickly as possible. He strode toward the first tent, and Odawa said, “Go to your death bravely, apprentice.”

Beck turned his head sharply, but Odawa had turned and was walking away. With a snarl, he reached out to the tent opening and ducked inside. The tent was empty except for a small circle of stones on the dirt floor and a tin cup filled with a dark liquid placed in the center.

Was someone actually going to join him? Would it be a Mage as Odawa suggested or someone else? Resigned to the fact that he would have to wait, he sat on the ground and crossed his legs. There was little room to do anything else, and he again wondered how training was to be conducted in such a small space. Surely, the practice of spells and other forms of sorcery would be involved.

The minutes ticked by and the sweat poured down his face and back from sitting in the hot tent, but still no one appeared. Beck looked at the tin cup again. Was he supposed to drink it? Was this the mysterious mixture he waited so long for? Suddenly, an overwhelming thirst came over him and he was compelled to reach for the cup. Compelled to drink its contents. Unable to stop himself, he picked up the cup and in one swift motion, downed the drink. Almost immediately, his eyes grew heavy and his body slumped to the side.

It seemed to Beck that he had been unconscious for hours when the foggy layers of sleep slowly began to dissipate, and he came awake. He was no longer in the tent. That much was immediately obvious as a strong, cooling breeze ruffled his hair and clothing. His mind and body still drowsy, he forced himself to sit up.

The landscape was desolate, similar to the terrain of western Deepstone, yet different. Gone were the lush forests, grasses and rivers of Haventhal. This place was barren of vegetation of any kind or people or buildings or roads. There was nothing in sight at all except an endless sea of red sandstone in every direction.

It was eerie to feel like he was the only living thing left in the world.

Had the Malakai moved him here while he slept?

Beck cupped his hands to his mouth. “Is anybody there?” As soon as the words left his mouth, he clamped it shut, realizing that it might be unsafe to be speaking aloud in the pall of silence hanging over the land. It was uncertain what kind of animal or other danger he could attract by making his presence known.

The frustration of not knowing what was going on was unbearable, and he gritted his teeth until he thought they would break. He cast out with his magic to see what he could discover of the place where he now stood, but found nothing but stone.

“Apprentice!”

Beck turned toward the voice. A towering, hooded figure in all white guided toward him, his hands lost in the folds of his wide-sleeved cloak.

All he could do was stare.

“You do speak, do you not?” the man asked, voice deep and rumbling.

Beck nodded, then decided he should prove it. “Yes, of course.”

The cloaked figure removed his hood and Beck saw immediately that he was an Elf. “I am Mage Arias Sarphia.”

“Arias Sarphia?” Beck asked in surprise. “The original
Savitar
?”

The Mage bowed his head. “I am, and I will be your guide for Mage training. The instructors are waiting for you.” He held out a long-fingered hand. “Shall we?”

“But…but, aren’t you dead?” As he asked the question, he thought of the odd phrase Odawa uttered to him before he entered the tent. Had he really gone to his death? Was he at this very moment standing in the Highworld?

Arias gave a deep chuckle. “Life exists in many dimensions, my apprentice. Death in one world simply translates to life in another.”

“Am I dead? I mean…in my old world?”

“No. This dimension exists for a specific purpose. You are a guest here and you will return to your world when your education is complete.”

Beck thought of something. “Is Galen Starr here as well? Will he be part of my training?”

“No. Mage Starr is off in another realm at the moment, but he does send his high regards.”

Disappointed, Beck nodded.

When the giant turned to go, Beck said, “Mage, I really must hur…”

The figure waved a hand in the air. “Yes, yes, you are in a hurry. You all say that.”

“All? There are more?”

“Oh, I have not seen an apprentice come through in centuries, but men are all the same. Impatient. Rash. Self-Centered. This century or the next, you are all the same.”

“But, you do not understand. My daughter is missing.”

“Yet, you are here?”

“I am hoping that becoming a Mage will allow me to save her,” he admitted.

“Then, why are you still talking?”