Valor and Violence

Jasmine pulled her thick cloak tighter around her to ward off the chill as she checked around one last time, making sure no one would see her leave. Not that she expected anyone would. Aside from the poor bastards on piquet, no one else was out and about, everyone taking shelter from the cold in communal tents and padded bed rolls. And as for the people who would personally notice her missing? Ferez and Asim were in the captain’s tent discussing their next move, while Calris, Ban and the rest of the Sixth were out on some mission or another. “Doing reconnaissance,” Olic had told her when she asked.

Satisfied she was alone, she stepped out into the darkness beyond the camp perimeter. They had been traipsing through the Wastes for two-and-a-half weeks now, and by Rory’s estimations, they were less than a day’s travel from the ruins. She found herself, not for the first time, wishing they had more time.

The sail north had been uneventful, mostly. A minor incident at a Skjar port had been nipped in the bud through some tactful application of coin by Captain Erwell, and some decidedly untactful cracking of heads by The Sixth when a barter for provisions had gone sideways. Still, they had departed with minimal fuss, now sporting thick coats, wagons and some hardy mules to pull their supplies, and they had made good progress since making landfall on an ice shelf north of the World’s End Mountains.

Thank the gods for ‘summer’, Jasmine thought bitterly as a gust of wind blew chips of snow ice into her face, stinging her chapped lips and cheeks. If they had been any later in the year, the ice shelves would have extended far enough south to stop them bypassing the mountains. Whilst this would have made it near impossible to reach the supposed ruins in time, potentially dooming The Six, and maybe the rest of the world as well, Jasmine had to admit the thought of being stuck in a toasty Skjar longhouse instead of the frozen tundra was an appealing thought.

Still, they weren’t in a longhouse; they were out in a permafrost forest, potentially just a day from the most important battle of their lives.

Most important so far, she reminded herself.

She had to make her technique work tonight. She had been sneaking out every day, into the forest beyond the view of the camp, to develop it. In the swamp, her magic had proven woefully ineffective against the giant swamp drakes, and it had only been through Rory’s actions that they had survived past the first skirmish at the gate. She had resolved to fix that deficit. Whatever beasts or monsters awaited them, she would burn through them, armoured scales be damned.

Or magical resistance, for that matter. She had heard stories about Politis in his younger years. It was said that he levelled a coastal fortress in Tok Risim while opposed by three battle mages. The stories went, that he strode through their magical onslaught, coming out the other side completely butt naked but physically unharmed, before burning them and their employers to ash. If true, it suggested power exceeding nearly any mage alive. He may be more than even Ferez could handle, and if that was the case, it would fall to her to protect her marines.

She came to a stop in a clearing and looked around. She was close to a kilometre out from the camp now, not so far that the piquets wouldn’t see something off in the distance, but hopefully they wouldn’t think too much of it. Ordinarily she would move further away, but if they really were close to the ruins, she didn’t think it prudent to run the risk.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, calming herself and starting the process of channelling her Talent. She brought her hands together in front of her, summoning the flame she had used during the experiment the first time she met Calris.

The corner of her lip quirked up in a half smile at the memory. They had come a long way since that first meeting, but the damn coward still wouldn’t tell her how he felt. She had been sure he was about to kiss her after the battle in Marduk, but then that affable dickhead Ban had run up and ruined the moment. Still, Calris would figure it out, eventually. He had faced down armies, death mages and monsters. Surely he would get it together soon. It wasn’t like she could make the first move after all; it wouldn’t be proper for her to admit her feelings first. The Wildfire Lady gets chased, she doesn’t do the chasing.

Focussing her thoughts back on the flame, she poured power into it, first increasing its heat and size, then compressing it down again. She repeated the process, power flowing from the tips of her fingers into the ball until she had a tiny star held in front of her, more akin to a molten liquid than flame. She felt the sweat run down her forehead and her boots soak through as the ice and snow around her melted away, revealing primordial soil that probably hadn’t seen the sky in thousands of years. Satisfied with her molten ball, she slowly rotated her hands until it sat just above the palm of her left. Keeping it under control, she mirrored the position with her right hand, palm up to the stars, and began the much more laborious process of building a second ball one handed.

It took far, far longer. Not only was she now trying to create a second ball with a single hand, she had to do so without allowing the first to extinguish. She felt the Talent flowing out of her in a steady stream now, her reserves dwindling, but she was confident she had enough time.

She had learned during her experiences in the swamps, her use of magic was becoming more refined, efficient. Necessity had forced her to learn the lessons Ferez had been trying unsuccessfully to teach her for years. After a few more minutes, the second ball was ready, two miniature suns blazing in the palm of her hands, a feat no mage had ever achieved, to her knowledge.

Though it wasn’t quite what she had planned for her Adept thesis, she had created novel techniques to enable this spell, and as long as she could teach it to others, it should satisfy the assessors. And this wasn’t even the best bit. She concentrated harder. This was the point of failure the last few nights, but she felt better tonight. Fresher. In control.

Time to smash two stars together and see what happens.

She carefully brought her hands out wide, angling her palms towards each other, and opened her eyes. She needed to see where she was aiming. If this worked, she needed to be very careful with where it went. With a last surge of Talent, she threw her hands together and slammed the balls into each other.

And the Pit itself erupted.

A dark crimson stream, interlaced with veins of black and blinding white, exploded forward, a beam of unnatural flame carving a furrow through the frozen forest. Everything in its path just, disappeared, the trees on either side of the beam exploding as the gases inside them super-heated so quickly it ripped the trunks apart from the inside. The sound of the trees detonating was dwarfed by the sound of the flame itself though, the roaring maelstrom sucking in air for fuel and raging on like a wounded god, reducing everything in its path to nothingness. Jasmine cut the stream, dropping to her hands and knees, gasping for breath as the fire petered out.

“That… was outstanding,” she whispered to herself as she raised her head to survey the damage. In front of her, for a distance of close to half a kilometre, the forest had vanished. The path of destruction wasn’t wide, the actual stream being maybe a meter odd in diameter, but it was total. Anything touched by the magic itself had ceased to exist, and for a distance of a few meters on either side the trees had broken and fallen, leaving smouldering charcoal as the only indicators of the mighty evergreens that had been there until a few moments ago. She stood, in a bit of a daze, and marvelled at how the moon’s reflection glinted off the ground. It took her a moment more to realise why.

She had turned the earth to glass.

She spun at the sound of clapping behind her, bringing her hands up defensively as a stranger entered the clearing.

“I am certainly glad I moved before that little display,” he said, walking forward to stand beside her while he surveyed the damage. If he felt any fear, he didn’t show it.

“You’re…” she said, circling around him and keeping her magic at the ready. The stranger was tall and beautiful, with golden skin and long black hair. Just like the man in Port Pirie that had attacked Calris and Ban.

“Barbarus. Barbarus Callidae. I assume Calris and Ban told you about me?”

“They did,” she replied, backing away to gain some distance. Calris had warned the company that he was unnaturally fast and strong. If this turned violent, she would need space to act before he got to grips with her. He noticed the movement and turned to her, arms spread in a placating gesture.

“Miss, I assure you I am no threat. I didn’t come here to fight. In fact, you can think of me as a friend!” he said with an easy smile. He took a step forward.

Jasmine took a step back.

“As I understand, you said something similar to Calris and Ban before you attacked them.”

Barbarus dropped his hands, putting them on his hips and frowning at her.

“Jasmine, you’ve met those two. Are you really surprised it ended that way? They were sniffing me, Jasmine. Who does that? Besides, they drew on me first. Don’t hit me with one of those laser beams, and I won’t need to get angry.”

“You think you would still be standing afterwards?” she replied, more than a little smug. “Also, what is a laser beam?”

“Oh, right, you don’t have those here. Nevermind,” he replied, tapping his chin. “And yes, yes, I would. A bit worse for wear maybe, but still standing and extremely pissed. So, can we dispense with the hostilities and have a civilised chat instead?”

Jasmine glared while she weighed up her options. Barbarus was a very odd man, that much was certain, but she could also tell he was dangerous. She couldn’t put her finger on why, but his presence triggered something primal in her, made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She could scarcely believe his claim to be capable of surviving an attack like that, but something in the back of her mind warned her not to test it.

“Alright,” she said finally. “What do we have to discuss?”

“I knew you were a smart girl,” he said, taking a seat and patting the bare earth next to him. Jasmine tried not to bristle too hard at being called ‘girl’ and took a seat opposite at what she deemed a relatively safe distance. He sniffed at the rejection but gave her a little smile, anyway.

“I suppose a smart girl would keep her distance, just in case. But as to what we must discuss, it concerns Calris. Ban too, though to a lesser extent, and the enemies you are preparing to face.”

“All due respect, but I am not sure I should discuss such matters with you.”

“Please. I just told you I was a friend. Were my guidance and warnings not helpful to Calris and Ban?”

“No, they were not. In the slightest.”

Barbarus sighed and leaned back onto his hands. “In my defence, that’s because they failed to do the one thing I told them to.”

Jasmine sighed and rubbed her eyes with her thumb and forefinger. “Telling them not to lose the Key was less helpful than telling them a pair of mages with the ability to control an army of swamp beasts was going to be opposing us.”

“Well, of course that’s obvious in hindsight,” he replied defensively.

“It should have been obvious in foresight!” Jasmine cried, exasperated.

“Alright, that’s a fair criticism. What say I try to be more helpful this time?”

“Good! I need numbers, locations, weapons-” Jasmine started, before Barbarus held up a hand to stop her.

“Easy now! Easy! I’m an extremely powerful being of immense charm and charisma, but I’m not omnipotent.”

“Then will you help us with the attack?”

“Not my style.”

“Then ‘how’ exactly are you planning on being more helpful this time?”

“Full disclosure. I did not know you were capable of…” he said, waving a hand toward the devastated forest, “so it changes some things. But I ‘was’ going to give you some advice on a weapon you have underutilised until now.”

“Let me guess, you are referring to Calris and Ban’s abilities?”

“Ah! So you know what they are?”

“Not exactly. We know they are mages of some description, but they cannot control their powers. It seems linked to the Key somehow.”

“Very good. And what do you know of the enemies you are going to face?”

“I suspect you already know the threats, so why don’t you enlighten me?”

“A transparent attempt at information collection, but I’ll indulge it. You have most of the Assassins’ Guild that could be mobilised at short notice, led by the Guild Master himself, plus a High Mage, his apprentice, and a troll.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Why? Did you pass wind?”

“No! Its- it is an expression. I was expressing extreme surprise at the fact you just said they have a fucking troll!”

“Oh, yes, quite. They stumbled across it when they wandered up here. Awfully unlucky for you lot, to be honest, there’s few trolls left, and it turns out they are susceptible to the same magic that formed the horde you faced in Marduk. Still, it should be the least of your concerns. I would be more focussed on that upstart mage.”

“The mage?” Jasmine asked.

He must be talking about Politis.

“Yes, he’s quite powerful, and far older than any of you realise.”

“He’s about fifty from what I understand.”

“Oh goodness, no. He’s easily several thousand years old!” Barbarus said with a laugh, waving a dismissive hand.

Jasmine was stunned. The oldest living mage she knew of was the Aetheris Arch Mage, and he was only now pushing five hundred. The thought of a mage living to a thousand, let alone beyond it, was unheard of. If true, it would mean he had seen the birth of the Emrinthian Empire, the cessation of Calandor from Aderath, and…

“He was alive during the battles with the monster hordes, the ones from the other side of the Gateway,” she said. If that was the case, then capturing him would be the shortest path to answering their questions about the nature of the Key and the world beyond.

“My dear, he was present at those battles.”

“And how would you know that? Don’t tell me you were there as well…”

“But of course.”

“So, what? You are part of some immortal mage club that no one else knows exists?”

“It’s a little more convoluted than that.”

“Then explain it to me.”

“No. That information is quite unnecessary at this time. And we are getting off topic. I was going to ask how Calris and Ban’s training has been going and figure out if they could kill the mage, but if they haven’t figured out their abilities, that may not be a viable option. Which leaves one last weapon, my dear. You.”

“I do not know I am up to the task. I have heard stories about his resistance to magical attacks. My mentor may be the better choice.”

“Can he do what you just did?”

Jasmine hesitated and looked away from him, looking back to the fresh path of glass.

“Well, no, but neither can I in battle. It took me a few minutes to charge that attack, and that was without anyone trying to kill me.”

“True, but I think that will be needed. Best keep practicing.”

He stood, dusting the dirt off his pants and offering a hand to help Jasmine up. She cautiously accepted.

“And that concludes our chat. I trust I have been more helpful than last time?”

“Not as helpful as if you helped us fight.”

“Like I said, not my style. Careful of the troll. But mostly I’d be figuring out a plan to deal with the mage. And if you survive, make sure Calris and Ban sort out their shit. They had the Key for weeks and wasted their time. It’s embarrassing, frankly,” he said, turning to leave. He paused, looking back over his shoulder and pointing at the glass pathway. “You’re a scary young lady, Jasmine.”

And then he disappeared into the night, leaving Jasmine with more questions than answers.