Fallen Magician

A Special Thanks

I wanted to take a moment to thank all of the fans of Rogue Magician, who helped to make the first book successful. As a first time author with no fan base and no marketing beyond a twitter account, it was word of mouth that helped the book to do as well as it has and to everyone who told someone else about Rogue Magician, I truly appreciate it and deeply thank you.

Prologue

Spoiler: The prologue recaps many (but definitely not all) of the events from Rogue Magician to catch up new readers and refresh fans of the first book.

Dearest Mother,

I am not sure how to begin this letter knowing what I must tell you, but unsure of how to say it or even where to begin. Maybe I should start four years ago when we lived in Colum. Looking back everything seemed so much simpler then. I was seventeen years old and about to set out on my own as a journeyman courier. Along with Father, we lived an uncomplicated life as a happy family.

That all changed when we found the priest, Sane, standing outside our back window in a trance. He asked me to make a delivery for him and gave me his grimoire, a magical spellbook used for recording complicated magical spells and as a conduit for spell casting. I took the book where he told me and was attacked by an enraged ogre for my efforts, but with the help of Kellen, Colum’s knight-captain and most revered warrior, was able to defeat the beast… rather, I should say that he defeated it with my help.

It was during that battle that my talent with magic became revealed not only to myself, but to Sane as well; who was not truly a priest, but a powerful sorcerer in disguise. What may seem to some as a great realization of power and freedom in other parts of the world where magicians rule was anything but that in Aurelia. As a magician, I was now subject to the kingdom’s laws on magic and forced to live in a domain with others like me. I would have been unable to see you, Father, or anyone else I cared for again, but Sane offered me a way out. He made me his apprentice in part out of gratitude for my help with the ogre, but also because he blamed himself for awakening the magic in me that had been dormant for so long. In time my magic would have manifested on its own, so Sane’s offer was really a blessing although it did not seem that way at the time.

Left with no other choice, I accepted Sane’s offer and began helping him track down the magician who had set the ogre loose on Colum in the first place. Kellen, Father, a pair of Kenzai warriors, and of course, the elf ranger and your eventual teacher, Sari, joined us.

Our group traveled to the ogre’s cavern, but along the way we saw an amazing and frightful sight. A horde of ogres large enough to wreck the city was on its way to Colum. However, at the same time we spotted the magician responsible for rousing them off in the distance, riding towards Baj Prison. Unsure of which threat to deal with our group split in two. Kellen, Father, and myself rode ahead of the advancing ogres to warn the city guard. Sane, Sari, and the Kenzai warriors rode to face the magician.

We reached Colum not long before the ogres, but long enough to get the city guardsmen mobilized. Father and I meant to split up. I was to join you and ensure your safety while Father joined the city militia, but fate had other plans for us. The fighting with the ogres had already reached the city and we found ourselves pulled into the fight. For the second time that day, I was nearly killed by an ogre and after the skirmish Father took me to the temple of Ashura for healing, but the temple was overburdened with the injured and dying who were overflowing into the streets.

There was fighting all around the city and eventually one of the beasts attacked the temple grounds. There was no one there capable of defending the priests and the wounded and for the first time I was standing against an ogre alone. I was hurt and facing death when something deep inside of me came bursting forth- a magical spark that flashed into a raging fire inside of me. I threw balls of flame at the ogre one after another until the beast lied dead at my feet, but in my fury I did not realize the destruction I wrought on those around me. I have replayed that moment over and over countless times, wondering if I, or even Sane, could have done something differently to prevent that tragedy, but in the end it does not matter. The past cannot be changed no matter how much we may wish it were so.

I fainted from exhaustion and awoke in another place, a place of beauty. I hesitate writing this next part, because I know that it will sound crazy, but I swear it is the truth. I have never told anyone this, but when I next awoke I was in a place of serene beauty and before me stood our most revered goddess, Ashura- the goddess of life. Her beauty was beyond compare and I was drawn to her like a moth is drawn to a flame, but she was much less taken with me fore she sought to end my life with her twin sister and the goddess of death, Kassani’s, help.

It is not well known among the common people, but there is an essence found within the very life-blood of every living creature in the world. Magicians can access this essence and use it to power their spells when they do not have a magical device like a staff or grimoire to channel their own internal power. I unknowingly killed nine people at the temple that night by draining the blood source of magic from their body. Among them was Father. I am sorry that I could never tell you this in person. My fear that you would hate me held my tongue these last few weeks since we were reunited.

The spirits of those I killed stood before me to pass judgment. In my grief and guilt, I offered to go with them willingly, but it was Father that argued my defense and convinced the other spirits to spare me. He was successful, but I did not pass their judgment unscathed. Ashura cursed me and swore Kassani to take my soul if I ever took another life even that of an animal or monster. At the time, it seemed a fitting punishment, but in the years since then it has been a difficult rule to live by.

When next I awoke I was back in our world. My body had been moved to the magician prison, Baj, and I learned that I was to stay there for the next nine years at which time I would be allowed to serve the kingdom alongside Sane. For his part, Sane spoke to the king on my behalf and was allowed to train me in the prison so that I would be a capable magician when I was released. For much of my time in prison, I hated Sane and blamed him for all of my troubles, but as the long hours passed in my cell I began to realize that my mistakes were my own even if he was the one who started me on my path and for his part Sane was trying to set things right between us.

Sane was a knowledgeable and kind mentor during that time, but he was not my only ally in Baj. My cellmates, or clustermates might be a better term considering the layout of the prison cells, who included the only grandmaster magician I have ever met and possibly the only one living today, Xander Necros, also taught me the ways of magic including more advanced techniques that helped me improve quickly during my sessions with Sane.

A year passed when I happened upon a way to escape the prison. I stole one of Sane’s traveling runes and using manipulation magic, taught to me by another prisoner, transported halfway across the kingdom ending up in Ilipse, a domain for magicians where they could live without magic. Ilipse was a nice place compared to Baj, but it was still a prison and knowing that it would not take long for Sane to find me; I had to escape. Above all else, Sane was the king’s man and it would be his duty to track me down regardless of his personal feelings. Through trickery rather than magic I was able to get free of Ilipse mere hours before Sane and Kellen arrived in search of me.

From there I traveled to a hidden magician refuge where I lived in relative safety and learned how to better master my powers for the next three years. During that time, I became close friends with the others who lived there and they became like a second family to me. I wish I could tell you more about them. They are very important people to me, but if someone else were to read this letter, then my friends would be placed in unnecessary danger. We lived in constant wariness of being discovered, but it was as peaceful a life as I could have hoped for as a rogue magician.

Then one night I had a vision. It was of you being killed by Mantellus Firekin. As you know, Mantellus was also one of my cellmates in Baj and to this day I still do not know how he managed to escape. This part of my story you know. While I was learning to master magic, you were learning the ways of the ranger under Sari and becoming a master in your own right. The two of you were investigating the disappearance of Lady Tian Nightwind, daughter of Warlord Ethiel Nightwind, and you were captured and tortured by Mantellus. In my vision, I learned where you were taken and using a borrowed transportation rune came to the capital city, Mollifas, to rescue you.

Mantellus was a dangerous man to the weaker people he liked to prey upon, but he proved to be little trouble to defeat thanks to all my training and we took him to the king’s castle so that he could be put under the custody of the Kenzai who could effectively prevent him from using magic and return him to Baj. What happened next was completely unexpected and I still cannot fathom their reasoning. King Kale and Warlord Nightwind were so appreciative that they ignored my past and made us both nobles under the warlord’s command.

We came to Everec to serve Warlord Nightwind and find out why the orcs of the Dread Marsh have been raiding his southern mountain territories, but my friends at the magician school were dealing with a more immediate threat. This morning my sprite-friend, Lauralee, came to me and told me what has transpired at the school since I left them. Even as I write this, my friends are under attack by a large force of Kenzai assassins and they need my help. By the time you read this I will be gone and I may not survive the encounter. Kenzai are dangerous to magicians and can drain the magic from our bodies as well as weaken our spells. I expect that if I do not kill any of them in order to avoid the goddess’ curse, there will still be many among their number willing to take my life. Either way the end result will be the same for me.

If I never see you again, then I want you to know that I love you and do not wish to go, but this is something that I must do. I cannot ignore the plight of my friends and live with myself knowing there was something I could have done to help them. I hope you can forgive me for leaving like this, but do not know if I could go if I had to tell you all of this face to face.

Love Always,

Byrn

Chapter 1

Sari took a swig of the house wine as she waited. For an elf of over sixty years of age, she was remarkably impatient. She flexed her leg muscles as she sat on the large boulder to keep her limbs from getting stiff or falling asleep.

The sky was a serene blue with barely a cloud to be seen. From her vantage point Sari could see the undisturbed splendor of the mountains for miles. Somewhere a bird chirped and the thought of the little winged creature flapping happily made her smile. Free as a bird, she said to no one. The picturesque scene lied out before her could not have been more peaceful. So why did she feel so uneasy sitting there alone? Sari took another swig of the wine.

Thoughts of running through the woods beyond Mollifas crept into her mind. It had not been so long ago since the last time she had hunted big game, a wolf pack that had been terrorizing chickens and their owners in some farmland a few days travel to the north, but she was already beginning to feel uneasy in the manor house since returning. Sari was raised in the Red Tree Forest with her brother-and-sister-elves, but she did not mind the cities and enjoyed the company of humans that possessed a strange dichotomy of being closed off from nature and its gifts, but possessing spirits freer than any elf she had known. Still this waiting for something to happen, waiting for word of the orcs, was maddening. Sari took another drink and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand.

Are you planning to save any of that for the rest of us? asked a jovial voice from behind.

Without turning, Sari answered playfully, I was hoping to finish before the rest of you returned, Donovan.

Donovan was a handsome and well-muscled ranger-captain who grew up in the mountains. Sari guessed that he was in his thirties from his appearance. They looked to be about the same age, but since elves tended to live twice as long as humans it meant that the man standing before her was half her age. Donovan took a few running steps and digging his right boot into an indentation in the boulder vaulted himself to the top grasping for a small handhold. Sari almost offered her hand to help him up, but stopped herself. Human men were more sensitive creatures than they appeared and many would consider it a slight to accept aid from a woman. Instead, she flashed a disarming smile at Donovan as he made his way up and sat down beside her unceremoniously. Sari offered him the bottle of wine and he took it wiping sweat from his brow.

Was there any sign of the orcs? Sari asked as Donovan put the wine bottle to his lips and partook of the mildly refreshing drink.

He shook his head. I prefer a nice beer or ale given the option. He handed the bottle back to the elf before answering her question. All of the scouts have reported from the west. There have been no sightings of orc raiders in the area. Have you heard from our men to the south and east?

This time it was Sari that shook her head in the negative. You were the first to return. I am glad to see you by the way, but I have had an uneasy feeling all morning. It is good that your men are well, but I fear for the others’ safety.

Donovan did not know what to say to that so he just sat by Sari’s side and scanned the horizon along with her. They passed the wine back and forth for a while until it was empty, and then they simply sat together and watched the horizon in hopes of seeing the scout leaders from the south and east return.

Two weeks ago a messenger bird arrived in Everec warning of a vast orc horde heading toward Silverton. Marian wasted no time in putting the other neighboring mining towns on alert and ordering them to be ready to evacuate to Everec, where she commanded, should the reports turn out to be accurate. Up until now the orcs were only attacking the mining towns in small colonies. It was believed to be the work of small bands, but Marian feared that there was more to these attacks than appeared at first glance.

Few humans had ever had dealings with orcs and as a result did not understand their nature. Two years ago, Sari and Marian found themselves in the southwestern region of the continent investigating some reports of livestock disappearances. It was commonly believed to be the work of bandits as unknown humans had been seen skulking about the outlying farms prior to the disappearances.

Sari and Marian were hired by a local knight-lord to investigate and put a stop to the disappearances. Through circumstances that led them further outside of the human territories the pair ended up in the area called No Man’s Land. No Man’s Land, as the name implied, was a region that humans were not welcomed in and was split between the green-skinned goblins who were short in stature, but long in intelligence and the grey-skinned orcs who were war-like savages living in small communities. It was during this time that they got to know a bit of the orcs’ culture and learned that although the orcs were indeed brutish as people believed they also stuck to a very strict code of honor. Marian believed that the raiding parties were there to serve another purpose. She confided to Sari that she thought the raiders may have only been testing the region’s military might and, finding it lacking, was now becoming increasingly aggressive, but she was unsure to what end they were progressing.

Marian was determined to lead the ranger scouts in their expedition, but her advisers in Everec’s city council were in an uproar fearing that the mission would be too dangerous for their new Commanding Dame to lead the small force required for swift reconnaissance. To appease both sides, Sari volunteered to take the scouts and learn if there was any truth to the claim while Marian oversaw the emergency shelters and food stores for all of the refugees that would be on their way if her hunch was right. For more than a week the scouts headed south towards the Dread Marsh that stood between the orcs and humans searching for any sign of an orc horde. Every day they would search the nearby area and finding no sign of orc raiders moved farther south. They did this twice more and Sari secretly hoped to see Marian Lightfoot coming down the mountain behind her to take charge of the forces so recently placed under her command, but Marian never came. How could she? Sari’s former apprentice traded the freedom of the traveler for the luxuries and responsibilities of the nobility. How boring.

They should have been back by now, Sari said, in an admission that was more to herself than a comment to Donovan.

Do you hear that? Donovan asked suspiciously. He lied down with his belly flat on the boulder and began eyeing the tree line far below them where the soil was rich enough to grow vegetation in the low-lying areas.

Sari perked up and listened intently. I do not hear a thing, she said and looked to Donovan who raised an eyebrow as if the very silence itself was a question. Then the silence bore down on her like a heavy weight and she understood what Donovan meant. The birds were no longer chirping. Something had spooked them.

The elf took a laying position next to Donovan and they watched the tree line below for any sign of passage. Minutes passed without the pair seeing any sign of orcs coming and Sari was about to suggest they go down and investigate when a trio of humans emerged and began making their way toward Sari and Donovan. It was the southern squad leader, a young, but talented tracker by the name of Lechance Swiftstride, known as Chance to his friends. He struck Sari as a charming fellow, but a bit more confident in his abilities than he should have been. The men with him were members of the units under his command for this mission. Only the squad leaders were supposed to report to Sari’s position while their rangers established a perimeter. If some of his men were with him, then something must have gone wrong. Sari resisted the urge to run down the mountainside and compromise her position.

Reporting in, Captain, Chance said when he reached Sari with a curt salute born of weariness rather than disrespect. They must have been running non-stop for some time. We have spotted the orc raiders and they are more than just some bandits trying to exploit poorly protected settlements. There looked to be about four hundred orcs heading our way. Two of my men, Handy and Dagson, fell victim to their advance scouts as we withdrew. They drew the orc scouts away so we could escape unnoticed and deliver this message to you.

Handy and Dagson were good lads, Donovan said sympathetically, They will be missed.

And their sacrifice will not be in vain, Sari added resolutely. Handy and Dagson were both sixteen years of age, barely old enough to be considered men. For ones so young to perish was truly dispiriting to the elf. She knew that her own people’s long lived nature was often envied by the