The Sword and the Flame: The Forging

Chapter 12

"And an ambush?" Gilliam asked, then swallowed hard at seeing the Dwarf nod.

"About twenty minutes ago. They were trying to sneak out, but between the smell and noise you couldn't miss them." Galin chuckled at the memory.

Berek nodded. Gilliam thought they were being too casual about the situation, but before he could say anything Galin emptied his pipe and placed it in an inner pocket of his vest. "Begging your forgiveness, but they are better armed than you."

Berek couldn't help but chuckle. "Better weapons never won out over a better man, last I checked."

Galin nodded. "But it makes it a bit easier, lad." He stood to his full four feet, stretched, then picked up his hammer. "We best get moving, then."

Try as he might, Gilliam couldn't believe his eyes; it seemed they had picked up another member. His surprise doubled when Berek spoke. "We?"

Galin shrugged. "Humans are ten to a copper piece, good ones are ten to a silver piece, and--"

"Friends are worth a hundred gold pieces." Gilliam finished the proverb.

Galin looked at him a moment before shrugging. "I was going to say customers, but we can go with that." His eyes sparkled. It was one of the rare moments he showed his emotions in front of humans.

Berek understood and clapped the Dwarf on his shoulder. "Welcome to our band."

"What about your shop?" Gilliam never saw anyone walk away from their livelihood so easily.

Galin shrugged again. "Nothing there. Sent the others home with the money after everything sold. Besides," he tossed his hammer in the air and caught it; an action the cleric was sure would've taken his own arm off, "a little fun keeps one young, lad." Without another word, two fighters and an astounded cleric continued on their way out of Renard's camp.

*****

"Finished!" Viola couldn't believe her elation at completing her punishment. She laid the quill down and rubbed her sore hand. In front of her, lecotah was written two hundred times on a piece of parchment. To her surprise, the last hundred glowed; the last of them written were the brightest of all. Most important, she could feel the magic swell in her like a rising tide. She had learned the spell!

Mern glanced at the parchment and smiled. "You take instruction well." He set it aside. "I hope you understand the importance of every detail, child."

Viola nodded. "Yes, thank you, Master. But there's something I still don't understand... how, or why, do I feel like this." Words escaped her when she tried to describe the feeling of power and ecstasy that threatened to overwhelm her when she studied and used the magic.

Mern smiled at her, knowing what caused her struggle. "It's something all magic users feel when they work their art. Each of us are vessels of incredible power the likes of which only the Gods had known at one time. It's nothing to fear, but remember, you must control the magic. If you allow it to control you, then your death will be horrible."

Viola nodded. She had heard the same thing many times at the magic school, but until then, she had never truly understood how much meaning master Poumous' words held. She felt the power surge before, but nothing like it was just then. Now that she felt the power flowing inside of her, she wanted more. Mern saw the hunger in Viola's eyes, realizing what he started. "As you know, you'll grow physically weaker after each spell. The higher difficulty the spell, the more strength it'll consume and the longer you'll need to recover." He paused a moment before continuing, "I tell you this, not to insult you, but to caution you. For ambitious mages such as yourself, the temptation to learn faster and use more powerful magic is only natural. But if you cast a spell far beyond your abilities it won't work, but sometimes magic has a will of its own. It may allow you to cast the spell, but it would mean your death and a tortured existence after that."