The Battle Mage (The Age of Oracles Book 3) Read online

  The

  Battle Mage

  By Ben Hale

  Text Copyright © 2017 Ben Hale

  All Rights Reserved

  To my family and friends,

  Who believed

  And to my wife,

  Who is perfect

  The Chronicles of Lumineia

  By Ben Hale

  —The Age of Oracles—

  The Rogue Mage

  The Lost Mage

  The Battle Mage

  —The Master Thief—

  Jack of Thieves

  Thief in the Myst

  The God Thief

  —The Second Draeken War—

  Elseerian

  The Gathering

  Seven Days

  The List Unseen

  —The Warsworn—

  The Flesh of War

  The Age of War

  The Heart of War

  —The White Mage Saga—

  Assassin's Blade (Short story prequel)

  The Last Oracle

  The Sword of Elseerian

  Descent Unto Dark

  Impact of the Fallen

  The Forge of Light

  Table of Contents

  The Chronicles of Lumineia

  Map of Lumineia

  Chapter 1: To War

  Chapter 2: Parting

  Chapter 3: Lorendale

  Chapter 4: Discord

  Chapter 5: The Exiled King

  Chapter 6: Seascape

  Chapter 7: Duke Senin

  Chapter 8: Disloyal

  Chapter 9: Council

  Chapter 10: Invisible

  Chapter 11: Burned

  Chapter 12: Hunting

  Chapter 13: Elenyr’s Plan

  Chapter 14: Becoming

  Chapter 15: Herosian

  Chapter 16: Pet

  Chapter 17: Ally

  Chapter 18: Home

  Chapter 19: Ethereal

  Chapter 20: Elenyr’s Fate

  Chapter 21: Friends and Foes

  Chapter 22: Holly’s Army

  Chapter 23: Captain Marrow

  Chapter 24: Cornered

  Chapter 25: Elenyr’s Gambit

  Chapter 26: Madness

  Chapter 27: Willowbrook

  Chapter 28: The Red Hand

  Chapter 29: The Birth of Magic

  Chapter 30: Plagued

  Chapter 31: Flight

  Chapter 32: Underwater

  Chapter 33: Master Chasin

  Chapter 34: Marrow’s Army

  Chapter 35: Fallen

  Chapter 36: Legacy

  Chapter 37: War Machine

  Chapter 38: Arrival

  Chapter 39: Reprieve

  Chapter 40: Paladins

  Chapter 41: Broken

  Chapter 42: Seeking the Runestone

  Chapter 43: Titan

  Chapter 44: Elsin

  Chapter 45: Battle Mage

  Chapter 46: Transfer

  Chapter 47: Hope

  Chapter 48: Unshackled

  Chapter 49: Peace

  Chapter 50: Healed

  Epilogue: Divided

  The Chronicles of Lumineia

  Author Bio

  Map of Lumineia

  Chapter 1: To War

  Alydian stood on the prow of the ship, her eyes on the storm. Laden with survivors from the battle at Skykeep, the other ships were obscured by sheets of rain. Most were warships but some were no more than fishing boats, and each wave threatened to capsize them into the sea. She’d requested the more fragile vessels be brought closer to her, and used her magic to still the waters.

  Her own ship rose and fell, dropping into a trough before bursting through a new wave. Sailors cried out as they sought to control the sails and many cast looks at Alydian. She remained in place, the rain bending away from her to leave her untouched.

  Elenyr appeared from below decks and fought the wind to reach her, sighing in relief when she passed through the limits of Alydian’s shield. Wiping rain from her face, she gripped the rail and called out to Alydian.

  “I keep trying to still the rain before I remember my magic is gone.”

  “Habits are hard to break,” Alydian said. “Are they ready?”

  Elenyr pointed to the captain’s cabin. “They have gathered as you requested.”

  Alydian dipped into her farsight, the sea disappearing into purple clouds. Then a great forest appeared, each tree representing a single life with its myriad of choices depicted in the canopy. Ever changing, the woods lacked definition, the limbs obscured by indecision and confusion. Her own tree grew at the heart of the forest.

  Her future was littered with broken limbs and twisted branches, all depicting a ragged war with the Empire and a thousand choices that led to death. But much of the tree was not discernible due to her indecision. Still, she managed to see that the storm would break within the hour and their fleet would remain intact.

  She sighed and turned to her mother. “I fear I am not ready to assume your mantle.”

  Elenyr gestured to the tumultuous sea. “You have kept us safe in the storm. Being high oracle is not so different.”

  “Yet instead of wind and rain we face magic and the sword.”

  “I have faith in you,” Elenyr said. “As do the others.”

  Alydian nodded and stepped away from the rail. With her mother at her side they worked their way to the door leading to the captain’s cabin. A gust of wind ushered them inside, and rain passed around her shield to sprinkle the occupants. Alydian shut the door and turned to Toron, Raiden, and Devkin. Offering an encouraging smile, Elenyr took the last empty chair.

  The captain’s quarters were small, with a desk containing charts and maps, and two hammocks for Erod and his wife, Ronelia. A cabinet mounted to the wall contained more maps and a pair of spyglasses. The shuttered windows rattled in the storm, causing the light orbs to tremble in their sockets.

  “My friends,” Alydian said, nodding to the quartet. “I’m sure you can imagine the difficult road ahead.”

  “You have returned to us,” Raiden said, a smile on his face. “We will prevail.”

  There were murmurs of agreement and Alydian inclined her head in gratitude. Tall and muscular, Raiden wore light armor that failed to hide his hardened physique. Prior to the Empire, Raiden had been known as the Soldier, and hunted Verinai with his band of Defiant. Then he’d been a criminal. Now he was a hero.

  Raiden reached up and brushed his forefinger over his heart. The motion was slight, easily dismissed as scratching an itch, but it was a reminder of the love they shared. Alydian’s heart warmed at the motion and she smiled.

  “Your confidence aside,” Alydian said, “I was in Teriah’s prison for a year, and much has changed in that time. The Mage Empire has fortified its borders and the human and elven kingdoms remain in its grasp. Our army is small and we cannot prevail alone.”

  Release me and I will crush them . . .

  Alydian swallowed at the sinister whisper, the lingering echo of the magic of rage. It had been the instrument of her escape but the cost had been great, and she’d nearly lost herself to an ocean of wrath. Only Devkin, her captain of the guard, had brought her back.

  She glanced at Devkin. A veteran swordsman, the grizzled human had held his own against the elite Verinai in the Runeguard. He was her friend and protector, and he too had lost much. It had been a year since he’d lost his foot, but the absence had nearly broken him. Elenyr had crafted a new limb from magic, a shimmering replacement to make him whole.

  Noticing her scrutiny, Devkin shook his head. “Whatever happens, I stay at your side.”

  The third person in the room
folded his arms. “What would you have us do?” Toron asked. “Elsin, Teriah, and Meressa will not enjoy the sting of defeat. They will come after us.”

  A Verinai gifted with shadow and fire, Toron had departed the guild and become a forceful ally. Alydian had spent little time with him, but from her imprisonment she’d watched his actions. He had his own agenda, but it was one she could trust.

  Toron’s sister was another matter. As far as Alydian could tell, Marrow possessed as much magic as an oracle—without the control. Her mind was fractured, and she frequently argued with her second mind. Alydian had asked Raiden’s lieutenants, Jester and Red, to keep an eye on Marrow below decks. The girl could shatter their ship on a whim, just because she wanted to see the splash.

  Sitting beside Toron, Elenyr had been the high oracle of the Eldress Council for centuries, and her power was legendary. Then Teriah had poisoned her, the curse leeching away her magic and her life. Instead, she’d used a horrending dagger, relinquishing her magic—and the poison—in order to survive. Her magic gone, her remaining power was wisdom.

  Alydian looked about the room. Former oracle, wanted bandit, exiled Verinai, and Runeguard captain. They were her allies, friends, and family. But what she was about to ask would put them at risk.

  “I would give anything for us to remain together,” Alydian said, “but we must part ways.”

  Raiden blinked in surprise and leaned forward. “Why? United as we are, we can finally stand against the Empire.”

  The ship dropped, causing them to catch the rods mounted around the room. Still on her feet, Alydian glanced to the window and saw a flash of lightning through the cracks. She cast a stilling charm on the sea and the ship calmed.

  “We know nothing of the Empire’s plans,” Alydian continued, and spoke the first of three lies. “And my farsight is not enough to divine Teriah’s plan.”

  Since their departure from Skykeep, she’d sought every opportunity to use her farsight, but the effort to discover Teriah’s plan had been maddening. Although she implied she knew nothing, Alydian had managed to catch snippets of titanic creatures and bloody battles.

  “Where would you have us go?” Toron asked.

  Alydian caught the calculating glint to the man’s eyes. He’d once been married to Elsin, guildmaster of the Verinai. Then Elsin had turned their son into a guardian, and his love had turned to hatred. Toron wanted to kill her, and Alydian would provide the chance.

  “We do not face a single threat,” Alydian said. “We face two. Teriah and Meressa lead the Empire and seek to bring the whole of Lumineia under their rule. However, Guildmaster Elsin has her own plan for the Verinai, one we do not know.”

  “It involves my sister,” Toron said, “that much is certain.”

  “Then you must discover it,” Alydian said.

  Toron regarded her with a trace of suspicion. She was handing him the very thing he desired most, the chance to kill Elsin. Of those in the room, only Alydian and Elenyr knew Toron’s desire, and Alydian inclined her head as if to say, it’s time. He frowned and looked away, obviously realizing that his secret was not his own.

  Before anyone noticed the interplay, Alydian said, “Raiden, Jester, and Red must infiltrate the Empire. We must know their defenses and you three are adept at evasion.”

  “Can we not fight together?” Raiden asked, eliciting knowing smiles from those in the room.

  She smiled as well. “Not yet,” she said.

  Worry flickered across his face and he looked away. The last time they had separated, she’d disappeared for a year, and the ache of their parting had yet to heal.

  Alydian sighed. “One more thing,” she said. “You must take Marrow on your journey.”

  “No,” Toron said. “My sister stays with me.”

  “You cannot always protect her,” Elenyr said, drawing his gaze. “She must learn to live without you.”

  “She’s dangerous,” Toron said. “To herself as much as to others.”

  “She trusts Red,” Raiden said.

  “You don’t understand,” Toron said, jerking his hand in dismissal. “She could kill you and not even realize it. You cannot fathom everything she can do.”

  “She’s nearly killed me several times,” Raiden said with a sour laugh. “I’ll be careful.”

  Toron regarded him for several moments, his expression revealing his conflicted emotions. The man had risked everything to free his sister from Elsin, and now he was being asked to send her to scout her army.

  “Swear to me you will keep her safe,” Toron said.

  “I swear it,” Raiden replied.

  Toron regarded Raiden for a moment and then consented with a nod. Then he turned back to Alydian. “So, I’m to go after Elsin alone?”

  “Not alone,” Alydian said. “You will first seek another ally.”

  “Who?” Toron asked.

  “Galathon?” Elenyr asked.

  “How did you know?” Alydian asked, shocked that her mother had guessed her suggestion.

  Elenyr smiled. “One does not always need farsight to see the future. Galathon is lethal and dangerous. More importantly, he hates Elsin.”

  Toron folded his arms. “You want me to work with an exiled rock troll king? He has a mind reaver as a companion.”

  “All the more reason to enlist his aid,” Alydian said. “The mind reaver can track Elsin, and when you find her, you’re going to need the reaver’s might.”

  “Do you know Elsin’s intention?” he asked.

  “No,” Alydian spoke her second lie. “We can be certain whatever it is, it does not bode well for us.”

  Alydian had actually discovered pieces of Elsin’s plan, but the more Alydian learned the heavier her burden became. She’d shared her concerns with Elenyr and her mother had offered a sympathetic smile.

  “You now shoulder the mantle of high oracle,” Elenyr had said. “And deception will be your constant companion.”

  “But why ask the troll for aid?” Raiden drew her attention back to the present. “Galathon is a brute without honor or allegiance, and it cost Elenyr five hundred gold for him to fight at Skykeep. How much will he require this time?”

  “Elsin is the reason Galathon lost his throne,” Elenyr said. “The prospect of revenge will be payment enough.”

  “He’s as likely to kill you as aid you,” Raiden said, his tone laced with disgust.

  “Perhaps,” Toron mused, “but I know Elsin. He’ll need me as much as I need him.”

  Raiden released a breath and looked away, his expression doubtful. The ship abruptly heaved upward, jostling them and shifting chairs. When the ship stilled once more, Devkin turned to Alydian.

  “They have their quests, but what about us?”

  “Devkin, Elenyr, and I travel east,” she replied. “To Seascape. We can join forces with Princess Ora and her cousin, Duke Senin. He escaped the Empire with an army of ten thousand. Once united, we will gather our allies once more and prepare for the Empire’s advance.”

  “Are you certain that is wise?” Devkin asked. “We were heavily outnumbered in Skykeep, and this time we won’t have the fortress as an advantage.”

  “We must act swiftly to capitalize on our victory at Skykeep,” Alydian said. “The people now know the Verinai can be defeated and they will flock to our banner. By the time the Verinai army arrives, we will have the forces necessary to stand against them.”

  “The people want their kingdom back,” Devkin said with a nod.

  “Victory will hinge on the people,” Alydian said, “for if they rise to war, the Verinai will be swept aside, and even the oracles will not be able to stop them.”

  “Can we win?” Devkin asked.

  Alydian forced a smile and spoke her third lie. “We can.” She then raised her hand to point south, to where Teriah and Meressa stood on the bones of the fortress she’d destroyed. “The first battle has been fought, but the war has just begun.”

  Chapter 2: Parting

  They d
iscussed specifics for another hour before the sea began to calm and sunlight appeared in the cracks between the window shutters. Then the door burst open and Marrow bounded into the room. Slight of figure, the girl currently had bright red hair and a matching dress. Leaping to Toron, she dragged him onto the deck.

  “Come and see! The storm has ended.”

  Alydian frowned and stepped to the door. “Earlier than I expected.”

  Marrow giggled. “I got tired of the rain.”

  Toron sighed and allowed himself to be dragged onto the sodden deck. The others followed, but Alydian came to a stop in the doorway and leaned against the frame. She smiled as Marrow danced about and splashed in the puddles.

  Sunlight streamed through breaks in the clouds, reflecting off the drizzle in a dazzling display. Rainwater streamed off the deck, sluicing off the sleek vessel to fall into the sea. Waterlogged sailors paused in their work to smile at Marrow.

  Marrow giggled and spun, spreading her arms and sending a burst of water off the ship, cracking portions of the railing. Toron stepped to her and caught her arm, murmuring to her in urgent tones. She turned to Captain Erod at the helm.

  “Sorry for the railing,” she said, clearly abashed. “She didn’t mean to break it.”

  “Wood can be replaced,” he said with a dismissive smile.

  Marrow smiled at him and pointed to the railing—and the wood sprouted leaves like it still lived, the branches growing outward and bending, replacing the missing railing. Last to appear, a trio of flowers blossomed.

  “Much better,” Ronelia said from the helm.

  Pleased with the response, Marrow stepped to the rail and smelled her flowers. Then something caught her eye and she leapt over the railing. Her sudden disappearance elicited gasps from the sailors but an instant later she appeared riding a wave, her cloak billowing behind her like a cape.

  “Blasted girl,” Toron said, and then noticed Alydian standing in the door to the captain’s cabin. He stepped to join her. “Are you certain she will be safe with Raiden?”