Chapter Twelve: Preparations for a difficult journey
Koo'bit, Commander of the Barbarian Hordes, dodged a particularly cepat, swift spell from one of the Argatians; he looked over to see how his troops were faring, but it looked like the Argatians were taking the most casualties. Koo'bit saw his master, Lord Altran, who was fighting one on one with the Mage-King of Argate, the Blessed One of the Magi'Ir. It looked like he was winning too; this was easy enough to take hold of Argate, almost like taking permen from a baby, but Koo'bit knew it would get harder once they reached Counquan. Altran had spies in many different cities on Kern and one had assessed the garrison in Counquan, reporting back to Lord Altran with a figure of four and a half thousand troops, and two squads of five hundred of elite warriors. It was nothing compared to the tens of thousands of troops of the barbarian hordes, but it would pose a much lebih significant problem than the scant number of Magi'Ir in Koren.
Koo'bit cast one of his own spells, the blood-rage Shara'Dyn, and watched as the magician attacking him stopped completely and started casting spells at his own allies. Koo'bit chuckled, it was so easy to cast that spell on the Magi'Ir that he wondered how they were so vulnerable to it. Koo'bit left the Mage alone, the one he'd cast the spell on, and started attacking the guards and the army of Argatians. It was getting boring, since the Argatians were becoming far too easy to kill, and once Koo'bit, Krul'leng and Xorl had disposed of most of the Argatian Mages, they offered to spare all their lives provided they serve Lord Altran. Surprisingly, most of the Argatian civilians, and the Council Elders still alive, agreed to Koo'bit's terms and watched as Lord Altran finally defeated their Mage-King.
After the battle had finished, Lord Altran and his troops marched to the centre of Koren and proclaimed Argate as part of the barbarian territories, setting Altran's standard in the middle of the Square. Koo'bit, Lunn'trel, Krul'leng and Xorl assessed how many troops they'd lost. Once they had counted bodies and estimated how many troops they had, they'd worked out that they'd lost almost five hundred Krellon, five thunder eagles, almost two hundred of Koo'bit's barbarian warriors and thirty-five of Altran's elite warriors.
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Meanwhile in Idylyn, Skye and Ferral were training their troops; Skye was with Keldyl and the Mage-Lancer officers, teaching them how to manipulate link-magic offensively, so they could kill Altran's barbarians. The sebelumnya day, Octorday, Skye had convened with his Lenience and told him of the plans he'd thought up. “Firstly your Lenience, I suggest we send a messenger to Counquan, asking them to gather as much resources as possible, especially food, water and weapons, and ask them to ready their army. Secondly, I suggest that we plead to Lord Zygran for lebih troops to defend Idylyn and once Mylar and Bron have been defeated, anda can also have lebih troops supplied from the liege lords to send to us in Counquan. Thirdly, I'd like anda to send a small part of the Kaladacian navy to Counquan to defend the port from the Nirads.” His Leniency had agreed and promised to send a small part of the navy to Counquan oleh Duoday.
“Concentrate Gunnar, you're forgetting the vital part of offensive link-magic. anda have to channel the link-magic into your anger and send it back at the offender, else it won't work.” Gunnar puffed and heaved, his face dripping beads of sweat, which were flying off his face every moment he moved. “Yes, Ser. So can I drain the link-magic from enemies to slow them down and sustain my shields?” the Commander-Captain asked wearily. Skye just stared at Gunnar, “how'd anda figure that out, that's much lebih advanced, and can anda do it?” the magician asked Gunnar in amazement. Gunnar stared back at him; “I just tried it on a pohon the other hari and the pohon slowly died, it was quite interesting” the Commander-Captain replied indifferently. “You have advanced well Gunnar, but anda still have much lebih to learn, have anda been membaca a passage from The Foundation of Link-Magic every night?” Skye basically interrogated Gunnar. “Yes, Ser” Gunnar repeated back to the Mage.
Skye went to see how the other officers were faring; he noticed that Gerdamh was also understanding the concept of link-magic rather well, as was Mage-Commander Hylyr. Skye wondered mainly about Commander Vyrt; he was a bit of a disaster, as he would misinterpret words and not understand the meaning of what the Foundation was explaining carefully. Majer Cabayt was pulling through quite nicely and so were the two Sub-Majers' and the rest of the Captains.
oleh midday Skye was satisfied with the amount of work the officers had put in and he decided that it was the officers' turn to start training the Mage-Lancers, while Skye had one lebih mission to achieve. “Mage-Commander Hylyr, I need to have a word with anda in private” Skye told him quietly; “as anda wish, Ser” Hylyr replied curiously and followed him out into the nearest hallway. “I want anda lot to start giving the Mage-Lancers extra training, while I will be heading to Idylyn Forest. I need to observe what has happened to the forest since the failure of the Tower” Skye confided in Hylyr. “But, Ser. What about the dangers of the forest? We can't have anything happen to anda before we leave for Counquan, it would be absolutely disastrous” Hylyr berkata anxiously.
Skye grinned; “don't worry about me, I can take perfectly good care of myself and besides, I also need to test out my training.” “Well, better hope that your training doesn't get anda killed, because anda have a lot of people counting on anda to return. The people of Kaladacia cinta anda Skye, they believe in anda and that anda will bring peace back to Kern” Hylyr explicated thoughtfully. “Yeah I know, but if I don't test out my training then we won't know if I can defeat Altran atau not” Skye replied with a derisive snort. “Hmmm, I guess it's a risk anda have to take then.”
Those words still echoed through Skye's mind, as he took a carriage to the Tower Sector. “How far do anda want to go, Ser?” the Carrigier asked him suddenly, instantly causing him to dismiss his thoughts. “As north as anda can get without actively going into Idylyn Forest” Skye replied, his mind elsewhere once more. They drove silently for time, until the Carrigier spoke again; “are anda going into the forest, Ser?”. Skye considered this momentarily, then decided it didn't matter if he told the Carrigier; “yes, it's under strict orders from his Leniency himself” Skye told the Carrigier. “Do anda want me to wait for anda to return from the forest?”; “yes, please. I will pay anda extra to do that, especially if I take a while in the forest, there'll be a couple of platinums in it for you” Skye berkata gratefully. They stopped and Skye paid the Carrigier the fee and then gave him one platinum, “you'll get the other platinum when I return” he notified the Carrigier, then he headed straight north.
Once Skye reached the forest, he realised why everyone was afraid of it, but deep down he knew that there were things much lebih dangerous than this forest. Skye closed his eyes and attempted to feel the concentration of orderly link-magic, which after a short moment he felt very clearly. Skye walked up to the nearest pohon and placed his hand on the trunk; he could feel the link-magic within the tree, which he then added a little of his own to the tree. Skye noted no physical change in the tree, but he noticed that the pohon had changed a little spiritually. He left the pohon and started walking into the forest. Undergrowth threatened to tear his jubah from him, so he stopped and removed the offending piece of material. He knew that, oleh the time he had left the forest, he would have cuts and scratches all over his legs and arms.
Skye sensed disorder and closed his eyes, trying to feel where the disorder was emanating from. Finally an panah struck the bagasi, batang of the pohon right behind him. Skye grinned and ran towards the direction the panah had come from. Slowly, but surely, Skye made progress and almost walked right into a group of forest dwellers. Skye halted. “Who are you?” the leader walked right up to him and asked him dangerously; “my name is Skye, I'm a Link-Mage from Idylyn and I come in peace.” The leader eyed him suspiciously, “we don't welcome strangers here, in the forest, and it would be best if anda just left and didn't come back” the leader said, not quite threateningly, but as though he were almost worried for Skye's safety. Skye shook his head; “I cannot leave until I learn what I came here to know” he explained warily, watching for any lebih arrows.
The leader sighed; “fine, if anda won't leave then we'll take anda to our Druid, he can help anda find what anda seek, but it'll be a perilous journey.” Skye shrugged dismissively; “I must do what ever it is that anda say, I need to find what I seek else Kern will be over-run oleh Altran and his barbarians.” The leader nodded and signalled to one of his men; “blindfold him and take him to the village, I will consult with the Druid” then Skye allowed the blindfold to be put over his face, he could sense where he was going anyway. For about a quarter of a glass they marched through the dense forest, following some sort of imprecise trail, which Skye could sense through the blindfold. After another quarter a glass, atau what seemed like that period of time, they reached the village the leader had been talking about. “We are here Magi'Ir of Argate” the leader proclaimed loudly enough for Skye to hear him from a few Dexyl away. “How did anda know I was from Argate, when I berkata that I came from Kaladacia?” Skye asked the leader, while one of the forest dwellers was taking the blindfold off his face.
The leader forbore to reply and motioned for Skye to follow him, so Skye swallowed his pride and followed without demanding an answer. The walk led them slightly out the village to a small hut, which was covered in vines and looked as though it hadn't been maintained for Yers. “The Druid lives in here, anda shall meet with him now” the leader told Skye, then he left Skye alone and dawdled slowly back to the village. Skye breathed nervously and knocked on the door of the hut; automatically someone's voice growled firmly “you may enter, Magi'Ir of Argate” Skye frowned as Argate was mentioned once more, but opened the door and entered anyway.
The inside of the hut was much better maintained than the outside; there was a small fireplace and many different plants growing inside and Skye could feel the orderly link-magic so strongly that it was almost like an aura. A man, who looked older than time itself and who looked strangely familiar, sat in an kursi tangan, kursi with his back propped up with a pillow. “You must be the Druid” Skye stated bluntly. “Correct, young man, I'm the Druid and anda will be Skye Ferra'hia of Argate, Magi'Ir and Mage-Advisor of Kaladacia. I know all about you, and I could tell anda lebih about yourself than even anda would know” the Druid spoke matter-of-factly. “But how do anda know who I am?” Skye asked in confusion. “You don't know?” the Druid spoke kindly, but his voice bore a slight patronising tone to it. “No” Skye replied impatiently.
The Druid stood up; “so anda don't recognise me at all, young Skye?”; Skye shook his head, “but anda seem somewhat familiar, I just can't place where I've seen anda before.” The Druid chuckled; “I will reveal all in time, but anda must trust what I say, for if anda don't then anda will never be truly enlightened.” Skye looked blank for a moment, then he nodded his head firmly; “I have to trust what anda say, because Kaladacia will fall if I don't” he told the Druid fervently.
“I was once Mage-King of Argate, anda may refer to me as Ardipithecus” the Druid, Ardipithecus, told him directly. Skye's eyes almost rolled out of his head and he jerked his head involuntarily; “w-what, b-b-but anda would have to be over two thousand Yers old and how could anyone survive for that long.” Ardipithecus looked straight at him; “It's possible, but I couldn't begin to explain how to a mere mortal like yourself. Let's just say that I'm somewhat favoured oleh the God, and cannot be destroyed ever. I will live for as long as this world does and it is my duty to keep it from harm; it is a charge I accepted from Jakyro'yah himself, and I'am obligated to help anda in order to keep the barbarians from destroying this world. However, the barbarians are a small threat compared to what shall come.”
Skye looked horrified; “what shall come?” he asked abruptly, changing the mood of the conversation. Ardipithecus looked stern; “this does not concern you, for it is a matter for the God himself and I will not trouble myself to tell a mere mortal of such important matters. anda are but a magician skilled in the art of manipulating link-magic, but that does not mean that anda would even comprehend the answer to your question. Ask another” the Druid growled at him. Skye wondered what to ask, then suddenly he knew exactly what he wanted to know; “is there an easy way to keep Altran from using certain magics, oleh using link-magic to prevent it?” he almost shouted.
Ardipithecus nodded his head; “yes and anda shall discover it when anda are most in need, but never give in to your anger, Skye.” Skye nodded. “Any other pertanyaan anda have for me?”, but Skye shook his head. “Then please be on your way, we have such little time and so much to do within that short luar angkasa of time.” Skye looked outraged, “but I haven't even learned anything yet!”; “yes anda have, but anda are being blinded oleh your absolute need for answers.” Then he sighed; “if anda want to know something that anda regard as useful information, then know this: Altran has conquered Koren and with it the whole of Argate and Southern Kern. anda have little time left, anda must hasten back to your emperor and ready your army and get to Counquan as soon as anda can, don't wait.” Skye nodded and looked much happier than before.
“We must say our farewells now, Skye” the Druid stated bluntly; “yes, Ser and thank anda for everything, I won't let anda down” then Skye berkata his goodbye and opened the door and left the small hut. He walked back into the village. He found one of the forest dwellers and asked them where the leader was. The dweller simply pointed to one of the village huts. Skye followed the directions over to the hut and walked inside; “excuse me Ser, but I just wanted to thank anda for taking me to the Druid, I learned a lot.” The leader nodded; “your jantung is pure young Skye, but always remember who anda truly are.” Skye nodded, “I think I finally know who I truly am Ser and I thank you, because if it wasn't for anda I would never have discovered it. I must leave now, but I promise to keep Altran from his evil rampage and to honour the Druid's wishes.” Then he walked back out of the hut and started walking back towards Idylyn.
After what seemed longer than a glass, Skye could finally see sunlight and moments later he exited the forest and back into the Tower Sector of Idylyn. In the distance he could see the carriage he had made to wait for him, so he headed over that way. He called out to the Carrigier; “I'm back Master Carrigier, anda must get me back to the palace immediately, it is of the utmost importance.” The Carrigier nodded and Skye got into the carriage. They left straight away and sped through the Tower Sector swiftly. It only took quarter of a glass before they were outside the palace. Skye thanked the Carrigier, gave him another platinum and a bronze, then he rushed up the steps and into the palace. His first reaction was to go see the emperor immediately, and tell him exactly what had occurred in the forest.
Skye rushed upstairs, then down the smaller flight of stairs and finally he was outside the takhta Room. The office-clerk glared at him from her small office; “his Leniency is busy at the moment, so you'll have to wait.” Skye glared back; “too bad, it's much lebih important than what's happening in there at the moment and besides, anda can't stop me from going in there” Skye snapped angrily at her. The young clerk was taken back oleh his vehemence and started shaking slightly; “you are a horrible man” she sniffed. Skye sighed; “look I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you, but it really is important. I would never interrupt his Lenience if it wasn't a matter of life atau death, and I can't just leave for Counquan without telling him.” She mustered a small smile; “apology accepted Ser, I'll allow it this time, but anda really need to stop making a habit of interrupting important people when they are busy.” Skye grinned roguishly. “Hey, anda seem to forget that I am an important person now, being the Mage-Advisor and all.”
Skye opened the door to the takhta Room. His Lenience, the emperor Lozyl, looked up in confusion; “I told Merila not to let anyone in here, but I see that it is anda Master Skye” Lozyl stated. Trade-Advisor Talanyt stood up; his face had gone red and veins had started to pop in his forehead, “how dare anda interrupt his Leniency.” Skye sighed; “sorry your Lenience, but this is a matter that anda must hear right away.” Talanyt cut his Lenience off and snapped back at Skye; “you will wait your turn, young Mage.” Lozyl intervened in the nick of time, saving Skye an argument with the infuriating Trade-Advisor; “no I will hear what he has to say, Talanyt.” Talanyt glared at Skye and turned away, obviously sulking. “You better make it quick Ser Mage, else I fear poor Talanyt will burst” his Lenience spoke wittingly. “Your Lenience, I entered the forest as anda asked me to and I found the Druid. It was the fabled Mage, Ardipithecus, and he told me a great deal and outlined that I should leave for Counquan as soon as possible. That means I will leave tomorrow your Leniency, and hopefully we will arrive in time to save Counquan and Kaladacia.”
Lozyl gaped when he heard the reference to Ardipithecus; “y-you mean the Magi'Ir who founded Argate, the very first Mage-King in history?” his voice was even shaking. “Yes, your Leniency. He was the first Mage-King in history, and he was the one who first learned how to control link-magic, saving us from the barbarian Shara'Damh Era'kallen.” His Leniency nodded; “thank anda Skye and I wish anda luck in Counquan against Altran and I will send the navy tomorrow.” Skye bowed to his Lenience and then escaped the takhta Room. He went off to find Ferral, who would most likely be training with the Lancer Elites; he wasn't exactly sure where Ferral would be training though, so he decided to go to Lancer Elite Headquarters and see Kleryssa and ask Over-Marshal Skayl where they were training.
Once he reached Headquarters, he entered the building, strode quickly up to the fourth floor and walked to Skayl's office, then knocked on the door and waited. Skayl answered swiftly and Skye opened the door and walked in. “Mage-Advisor, Ser, nice to see anda again. What can I do for you?” Over-Marshal Skayl asked in honeyed tones. “Actually, I just wanted to know if anda had seen Ferral today?” Skye asked him wearily. Skayl raised his eyebrow; “the Military-Advisor missing, eh?” the Over-Marshal asked rather rhetorically. “No, no nothing like that, I just don't know where he's doing his training with the Lancer Elites today and I need to find him and tell him what's happening.”
Skye berkata goodbye to the Over-Marshal and headed back downstairs to talk to Kleryssa and have one last night with her before the reckoning. Once he was downstairs, Skye walked over to Kleryssa's office and banged on the door. “Come in” Kleryssa's pretty voice echoed through the dark oak door. Skye walked in to her office and grinned at her; “hey there beautiful, I have something to tell you.” Kleryssa walked over to him and gave him a warm hug; “I missed anda Skye, what is it that anda wanted to tell me?” she looked at him with her warm, blue eyes questioningly. “Well, I went into the forest today, under his Lenience's orders and met Ardipithecus, founder of Argate and once Mage-King and he told me I have to get to Counquan as soon as possible, so I'm leaving tomorrow.” Kleryssa looked at him pleadingly; “I wish anda didn't have to go, Skye, I've only just met you, but I want to see lebih of you.” Skye smiled back at her, his grey eyes twinkling kindly; “don't worry, that's partly why I'm here. anda finish in less than quarter of a glass, so I would cinta the honour of taking anda out on a tanggal atau something of the like” Skye explained briefly. “Oh, Skye; I'd cinta to and can anda wait with me until I finish?” Kleryssa replied happily, a huge grin on her face. Skye nodded and looked out the door; “of course I'll wait with you, I haven't got anything to do and Ferral is nowhere to be found so I'll see him later.” Kleryssa looked at her meja tulis, meja at the paperwork and frowned; “maybe we can just go now, I've done basically everything and the rest can wait till tomorrow.”
They locked up Kleryssa's office and left the dingy headquarters building. “What would anda like to do? Skye asked her, thinking of going somewhere to eat and wishing that a carrigier would hurry up and roll past. “I'm hungry Skye” Kleryssa admitted with wry grin on her face; “that's exactly what I was thinking, but I don't want to go to Erylyk's. Do anda think that we could maybe try a new restaurant?” Skye wondered out loud. Kleryssa nodded and her eyes lit up; “there's one that I've always wanted to try and it's within walking distance from here, but I can't remember the name.” Skye chuckled, then subsided before Kleryssa whacked him around the back of his head; “as long as anda remember how to get there, then I think we'll be fine.”
Kleryssa laughed; “actually that's only thing I remember about it, the way there.” They started walking towards the Trade Sector, while Kleryssa was asking about Skye's background and things about Argate. Skye told her about how he had been exiled for not being able to control his magic and the journey he and Ferral made from Argate to Counquan, then from Counquan to Kaladacia. Kleryssa listened intently, gasping at certain bits during the story; she almost had a jantung attack when Skye explained what happened with the Ice Wizards. “Oh my gosh Skye, you're so brave and so is Ferral; I can't believe anda actually fought against Ice Wizards and won, maybe you'll beat Altran after all.” Skye shook his head. “It won't be that easy, unfortunately, but we can always hope.” Kleryssa glared at him; “be a bit lebih optimistic Skye, I want anda to beat him so that anda will stay alive.”
Skye stayed silent for a moment. “I'm trying to be optimistic, but I also have to be realistic too. Altran is probably one of the most powerful magicians on Corath; he managed to take over Argate and destroy our Mage-King and every one of our elder Magi'Ir, so I don't know if I even have a chance.” Kleryssa pulled Skye back and kissed him passionately on the lips; “I'm sorry, I just don't want anything to happen to you.” Skye gazed lovingly into her eyes; “it's fine, I understand where anda are coming from, but I also want anda understand the magnitude of the task before me. It's not going to be easy and I don't want anda to think that it will be easy either, otherwise if something does happen to me, it'll hurt that much more.”
They reached the restaurant and walked in, then they took a kursi and waited for the server to come and take their order. The name of the restaurant had turned out to be called Feyan's and it, like Erylyk's, was reasonably close to the Viene; although many of the restaurants in Idylyn were built relatively close to the river. Finally a serving-girl came and asked them what they wanted; Skye asked for the specials, just like he did every other time he'd been to a restaurant. “We have a spicy noodle soup, with dipping bread-sticks and vegetables; our other special is pork basi, casserole served with roasted tuber, honeyed carrots and our special minted-leaf sauce” the serving girl replied ostentatiously. Skye smiled pleasantly and ordered the spicy noodles, while Kleryssa ordered the pork casserole. “Thank you” Skye berkata and the serving girl went back to the counter.
The meal arrived after a quarter of a glass. Skye and Kleryssa had been trying to decide what they would do after dinner; so far Skye had suggested that they retire to his room in the palace, and drink a bottle of vintage red. Kleryssa agreed readily, without hesitation, for she was quite eager to make the most of the time she had left with Skye. They ate their meals reasonably quickly, eager to get back and consume the wine. Once they had finished, Skye went and paid for the meal, refusing to take any coins from Kleryssa; it only cost four platinums and two bronzes. Then they left the restaurant, which wasn't far from the palace, and walked back to the palace and Skye's room. On the way they discussed some personal things, like what they would do when they saw each other selanjutnya and that hopefully the battle between Kaladacia and Lord Altran would favour Kaladacia with their Mage-Lancers.
“The Mage-Lancer officers [High Command and Low Command] have been doing well, they've picked up the concept of link-magic in selanjutnya to no time at all.” Skye fell silent for a moment, while Kleryssa cleared her throat and then nodded; “yes, so I've heard from Over-Marshal Skayl. But hopefully no-one will be hurt; they've all trained so hard and it would be sad if any perished.” Skye nodded his head up and down thoughtfully, then started biting his fingernail; “mhmmm, if any of my officers die I won't be very pleased.”
Koo'bit, Commander of the Barbarian Hordes, dodged a particularly cepat, swift spell from one of the Argatians; he looked over to see how his troops were faring, but it looked like the Argatians were taking the most casualties. Koo'bit saw his master, Lord Altran, who was fighting one on one with the Mage-King of Argate, the Blessed One of the Magi'Ir. It looked like he was winning too; this was easy enough to take hold of Argate, almost like taking permen from a baby, but Koo'bit knew it would get harder once they reached Counquan. Altran had spies in many different cities on Kern and one had assessed the garrison in Counquan, reporting back to Lord Altran with a figure of four and a half thousand troops, and two squads of five hundred of elite warriors. It was nothing compared to the tens of thousands of troops of the barbarian hordes, but it would pose a much lebih significant problem than the scant number of Magi'Ir in Koren.
Koo'bit cast one of his own spells, the blood-rage Shara'Dyn, and watched as the magician attacking him stopped completely and started casting spells at his own allies. Koo'bit chuckled, it was so easy to cast that spell on the Magi'Ir that he wondered how they were so vulnerable to it. Koo'bit left the Mage alone, the one he'd cast the spell on, and started attacking the guards and the army of Argatians. It was getting boring, since the Argatians were becoming far too easy to kill, and once Koo'bit, Krul'leng and Xorl had disposed of most of the Argatian Mages, they offered to spare all their lives provided they serve Lord Altran. Surprisingly, most of the Argatian civilians, and the Council Elders still alive, agreed to Koo'bit's terms and watched as Lord Altran finally defeated their Mage-King.
After the battle had finished, Lord Altran and his troops marched to the centre of Koren and proclaimed Argate as part of the barbarian territories, setting Altran's standard in the middle of the Square. Koo'bit, Lunn'trel, Krul'leng and Xorl assessed how many troops they'd lost. Once they had counted bodies and estimated how many troops they had, they'd worked out that they'd lost almost five hundred Krellon, five thunder eagles, almost two hundred of Koo'bit's barbarian warriors and thirty-five of Altran's elite warriors.
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Meanwhile in Idylyn, Skye and Ferral were training their troops; Skye was with Keldyl and the Mage-Lancer officers, teaching them how to manipulate link-magic offensively, so they could kill Altran's barbarians. The sebelumnya day, Octorday, Skye had convened with his Lenience and told him of the plans he'd thought up. “Firstly your Lenience, I suggest we send a messenger to Counquan, asking them to gather as much resources as possible, especially food, water and weapons, and ask them to ready their army. Secondly, I suggest that we plead to Lord Zygran for lebih troops to defend Idylyn and once Mylar and Bron have been defeated, anda can also have lebih troops supplied from the liege lords to send to us in Counquan. Thirdly, I'd like anda to send a small part of the Kaladacian navy to Counquan to defend the port from the Nirads.” His Leniency had agreed and promised to send a small part of the navy to Counquan oleh Duoday.
“Concentrate Gunnar, you're forgetting the vital part of offensive link-magic. anda have to channel the link-magic into your anger and send it back at the offender, else it won't work.” Gunnar puffed and heaved, his face dripping beads of sweat, which were flying off his face every moment he moved. “Yes, Ser. So can I drain the link-magic from enemies to slow them down and sustain my shields?” the Commander-Captain asked wearily. Skye just stared at Gunnar, “how'd anda figure that out, that's much lebih advanced, and can anda do it?” the magician asked Gunnar in amazement. Gunnar stared back at him; “I just tried it on a pohon the other hari and the pohon slowly died, it was quite interesting” the Commander-Captain replied indifferently. “You have advanced well Gunnar, but anda still have much lebih to learn, have anda been membaca a passage from The Foundation of Link-Magic every night?” Skye basically interrogated Gunnar. “Yes, Ser” Gunnar repeated back to the Mage.
Skye went to see how the other officers were faring; he noticed that Gerdamh was also understanding the concept of link-magic rather well, as was Mage-Commander Hylyr. Skye wondered mainly about Commander Vyrt; he was a bit of a disaster, as he would misinterpret words and not understand the meaning of what the Foundation was explaining carefully. Majer Cabayt was pulling through quite nicely and so were the two Sub-Majers' and the rest of the Captains.
oleh midday Skye was satisfied with the amount of work the officers had put in and he decided that it was the officers' turn to start training the Mage-Lancers, while Skye had one lebih mission to achieve. “Mage-Commander Hylyr, I need to have a word with anda in private” Skye told him quietly; “as anda wish, Ser” Hylyr replied curiously and followed him out into the nearest hallway. “I want anda lot to start giving the Mage-Lancers extra training, while I will be heading to Idylyn Forest. I need to observe what has happened to the forest since the failure of the Tower” Skye confided in Hylyr. “But, Ser. What about the dangers of the forest? We can't have anything happen to anda before we leave for Counquan, it would be absolutely disastrous” Hylyr berkata anxiously.
Skye grinned; “don't worry about me, I can take perfectly good care of myself and besides, I also need to test out my training.” “Well, better hope that your training doesn't get anda killed, because anda have a lot of people counting on anda to return. The people of Kaladacia cinta anda Skye, they believe in anda and that anda will bring peace back to Kern” Hylyr explicated thoughtfully. “Yeah I know, but if I don't test out my training then we won't know if I can defeat Altran atau not” Skye replied with a derisive snort. “Hmmm, I guess it's a risk anda have to take then.”
Those words still echoed through Skye's mind, as he took a carriage to the Tower Sector. “How far do anda want to go, Ser?” the Carrigier asked him suddenly, instantly causing him to dismiss his thoughts. “As north as anda can get without actively going into Idylyn Forest” Skye replied, his mind elsewhere once more. They drove silently for time, until the Carrigier spoke again; “are anda going into the forest, Ser?”. Skye considered this momentarily, then decided it didn't matter if he told the Carrigier; “yes, it's under strict orders from his Leniency himself” Skye told the Carrigier. “Do anda want me to wait for anda to return from the forest?”; “yes, please. I will pay anda extra to do that, especially if I take a while in the forest, there'll be a couple of platinums in it for you” Skye berkata gratefully. They stopped and Skye paid the Carrigier the fee and then gave him one platinum, “you'll get the other platinum when I return” he notified the Carrigier, then he headed straight north.
Once Skye reached the forest, he realised why everyone was afraid of it, but deep down he knew that there were things much lebih dangerous than this forest. Skye closed his eyes and attempted to feel the concentration of orderly link-magic, which after a short moment he felt very clearly. Skye walked up to the nearest pohon and placed his hand on the trunk; he could feel the link-magic within the tree, which he then added a little of his own to the tree. Skye noted no physical change in the tree, but he noticed that the pohon had changed a little spiritually. He left the pohon and started walking into the forest. Undergrowth threatened to tear his jubah from him, so he stopped and removed the offending piece of material. He knew that, oleh the time he had left the forest, he would have cuts and scratches all over his legs and arms.
Skye sensed disorder and closed his eyes, trying to feel where the disorder was emanating from. Finally an panah struck the bagasi, batang of the pohon right behind him. Skye grinned and ran towards the direction the panah had come from. Slowly, but surely, Skye made progress and almost walked right into a group of forest dwellers. Skye halted. “Who are you?” the leader walked right up to him and asked him dangerously; “my name is Skye, I'm a Link-Mage from Idylyn and I come in peace.” The leader eyed him suspiciously, “we don't welcome strangers here, in the forest, and it would be best if anda just left and didn't come back” the leader said, not quite threateningly, but as though he were almost worried for Skye's safety. Skye shook his head; “I cannot leave until I learn what I came here to know” he explained warily, watching for any lebih arrows.
The leader sighed; “fine, if anda won't leave then we'll take anda to our Druid, he can help anda find what anda seek, but it'll be a perilous journey.” Skye shrugged dismissively; “I must do what ever it is that anda say, I need to find what I seek else Kern will be over-run oleh Altran and his barbarians.” The leader nodded and signalled to one of his men; “blindfold him and take him to the village, I will consult with the Druid” then Skye allowed the blindfold to be put over his face, he could sense where he was going anyway. For about a quarter of a glass they marched through the dense forest, following some sort of imprecise trail, which Skye could sense through the blindfold. After another quarter a glass, atau what seemed like that period of time, they reached the village the leader had been talking about. “We are here Magi'Ir of Argate” the leader proclaimed loudly enough for Skye to hear him from a few Dexyl away. “How did anda know I was from Argate, when I berkata that I came from Kaladacia?” Skye asked the leader, while one of the forest dwellers was taking the blindfold off his face.
The leader forbore to reply and motioned for Skye to follow him, so Skye swallowed his pride and followed without demanding an answer. The walk led them slightly out the village to a small hut, which was covered in vines and looked as though it hadn't been maintained for Yers. “The Druid lives in here, anda shall meet with him now” the leader told Skye, then he left Skye alone and dawdled slowly back to the village. Skye breathed nervously and knocked on the door of the hut; automatically someone's voice growled firmly “you may enter, Magi'Ir of Argate” Skye frowned as Argate was mentioned once more, but opened the door and entered anyway.
The inside of the hut was much better maintained than the outside; there was a small fireplace and many different plants growing inside and Skye could feel the orderly link-magic so strongly that it was almost like an aura. A man, who looked older than time itself and who looked strangely familiar, sat in an kursi tangan, kursi with his back propped up with a pillow. “You must be the Druid” Skye stated bluntly. “Correct, young man, I'm the Druid and anda will be Skye Ferra'hia of Argate, Magi'Ir and Mage-Advisor of Kaladacia. I know all about you, and I could tell anda lebih about yourself than even anda would know” the Druid spoke matter-of-factly. “But how do anda know who I am?” Skye asked in confusion. “You don't know?” the Druid spoke kindly, but his voice bore a slight patronising tone to it. “No” Skye replied impatiently.
The Druid stood up; “so anda don't recognise me at all, young Skye?”; Skye shook his head, “but anda seem somewhat familiar, I just can't place where I've seen anda before.” The Druid chuckled; “I will reveal all in time, but anda must trust what I say, for if anda don't then anda will never be truly enlightened.” Skye looked blank for a moment, then he nodded his head firmly; “I have to trust what anda say, because Kaladacia will fall if I don't” he told the Druid fervently.
“I was once Mage-King of Argate, anda may refer to me as Ardipithecus” the Druid, Ardipithecus, told him directly. Skye's eyes almost rolled out of his head and he jerked his head involuntarily; “w-what, b-b-but anda would have to be over two thousand Yers old and how could anyone survive for that long.” Ardipithecus looked straight at him; “It's possible, but I couldn't begin to explain how to a mere mortal like yourself. Let's just say that I'm somewhat favoured oleh the God, and cannot be destroyed ever. I will live for as long as this world does and it is my duty to keep it from harm; it is a charge I accepted from Jakyro'yah himself, and I'am obligated to help anda in order to keep the barbarians from destroying this world. However, the barbarians are a small threat compared to what shall come.”
Skye looked horrified; “what shall come?” he asked abruptly, changing the mood of the conversation. Ardipithecus looked stern; “this does not concern you, for it is a matter for the God himself and I will not trouble myself to tell a mere mortal of such important matters. anda are but a magician skilled in the art of manipulating link-magic, but that does not mean that anda would even comprehend the answer to your question. Ask another” the Druid growled at him. Skye wondered what to ask, then suddenly he knew exactly what he wanted to know; “is there an easy way to keep Altran from using certain magics, oleh using link-magic to prevent it?” he almost shouted.
Ardipithecus nodded his head; “yes and anda shall discover it when anda are most in need, but never give in to your anger, Skye.” Skye nodded. “Any other pertanyaan anda have for me?”, but Skye shook his head. “Then please be on your way, we have such little time and so much to do within that short luar angkasa of time.” Skye looked outraged, “but I haven't even learned anything yet!”; “yes anda have, but anda are being blinded oleh your absolute need for answers.” Then he sighed; “if anda want to know something that anda regard as useful information, then know this: Altran has conquered Koren and with it the whole of Argate and Southern Kern. anda have little time left, anda must hasten back to your emperor and ready your army and get to Counquan as soon as anda can, don't wait.” Skye nodded and looked much happier than before.
“We must say our farewells now, Skye” the Druid stated bluntly; “yes, Ser and thank anda for everything, I won't let anda down” then Skye berkata his goodbye and opened the door and left the small hut. He walked back into the village. He found one of the forest dwellers and asked them where the leader was. The dweller simply pointed to one of the village huts. Skye followed the directions over to the hut and walked inside; “excuse me Ser, but I just wanted to thank anda for taking me to the Druid, I learned a lot.” The leader nodded; “your jantung is pure young Skye, but always remember who anda truly are.” Skye nodded, “I think I finally know who I truly am Ser and I thank you, because if it wasn't for anda I would never have discovered it. I must leave now, but I promise to keep Altran from his evil rampage and to honour the Druid's wishes.” Then he walked back out of the hut and started walking back towards Idylyn.
After what seemed longer than a glass, Skye could finally see sunlight and moments later he exited the forest and back into the Tower Sector of Idylyn. In the distance he could see the carriage he had made to wait for him, so he headed over that way. He called out to the Carrigier; “I'm back Master Carrigier, anda must get me back to the palace immediately, it is of the utmost importance.” The Carrigier nodded and Skye got into the carriage. They left straight away and sped through the Tower Sector swiftly. It only took quarter of a glass before they were outside the palace. Skye thanked the Carrigier, gave him another platinum and a bronze, then he rushed up the steps and into the palace. His first reaction was to go see the emperor immediately, and tell him exactly what had occurred in the forest.
Skye rushed upstairs, then down the smaller flight of stairs and finally he was outside the takhta Room. The office-clerk glared at him from her small office; “his Leniency is busy at the moment, so you'll have to wait.” Skye glared back; “too bad, it's much lebih important than what's happening in there at the moment and besides, anda can't stop me from going in there” Skye snapped angrily at her. The young clerk was taken back oleh his vehemence and started shaking slightly; “you are a horrible man” she sniffed. Skye sighed; “look I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you, but it really is important. I would never interrupt his Lenience if it wasn't a matter of life atau death, and I can't just leave for Counquan without telling him.” She mustered a small smile; “apology accepted Ser, I'll allow it this time, but anda really need to stop making a habit of interrupting important people when they are busy.” Skye grinned roguishly. “Hey, anda seem to forget that I am an important person now, being the Mage-Advisor and all.”
Skye opened the door to the takhta Room. His Lenience, the emperor Lozyl, looked up in confusion; “I told Merila not to let anyone in here, but I see that it is anda Master Skye” Lozyl stated. Trade-Advisor Talanyt stood up; his face had gone red and veins had started to pop in his forehead, “how dare anda interrupt his Leniency.” Skye sighed; “sorry your Lenience, but this is a matter that anda must hear right away.” Talanyt cut his Lenience off and snapped back at Skye; “you will wait your turn, young Mage.” Lozyl intervened in the nick of time, saving Skye an argument with the infuriating Trade-Advisor; “no I will hear what he has to say, Talanyt.” Talanyt glared at Skye and turned away, obviously sulking. “You better make it quick Ser Mage, else I fear poor Talanyt will burst” his Lenience spoke wittingly. “Your Lenience, I entered the forest as anda asked me to and I found the Druid. It was the fabled Mage, Ardipithecus, and he told me a great deal and outlined that I should leave for Counquan as soon as possible. That means I will leave tomorrow your Leniency, and hopefully we will arrive in time to save Counquan and Kaladacia.”
Lozyl gaped when he heard the reference to Ardipithecus; “y-you mean the Magi'Ir who founded Argate, the very first Mage-King in history?” his voice was even shaking. “Yes, your Leniency. He was the first Mage-King in history, and he was the one who first learned how to control link-magic, saving us from the barbarian Shara'Damh Era'kallen.” His Leniency nodded; “thank anda Skye and I wish anda luck in Counquan against Altran and I will send the navy tomorrow.” Skye bowed to his Lenience and then escaped the takhta Room. He went off to find Ferral, who would most likely be training with the Lancer Elites; he wasn't exactly sure where Ferral would be training though, so he decided to go to Lancer Elite Headquarters and see Kleryssa and ask Over-Marshal Skayl where they were training.
Once he reached Headquarters, he entered the building, strode quickly up to the fourth floor and walked to Skayl's office, then knocked on the door and waited. Skayl answered swiftly and Skye opened the door and walked in. “Mage-Advisor, Ser, nice to see anda again. What can I do for you?” Over-Marshal Skayl asked in honeyed tones. “Actually, I just wanted to know if anda had seen Ferral today?” Skye asked him wearily. Skayl raised his eyebrow; “the Military-Advisor missing, eh?” the Over-Marshal asked rather rhetorically. “No, no nothing like that, I just don't know where he's doing his training with the Lancer Elites today and I need to find him and tell him what's happening.”
Skye berkata goodbye to the Over-Marshal and headed back downstairs to talk to Kleryssa and have one last night with her before the reckoning. Once he was downstairs, Skye walked over to Kleryssa's office and banged on the door. “Come in” Kleryssa's pretty voice echoed through the dark oak door. Skye walked in to her office and grinned at her; “hey there beautiful, I have something to tell you.” Kleryssa walked over to him and gave him a warm hug; “I missed anda Skye, what is it that anda wanted to tell me?” she looked at him with her warm, blue eyes questioningly. “Well, I went into the forest today, under his Lenience's orders and met Ardipithecus, founder of Argate and once Mage-King and he told me I have to get to Counquan as soon as possible, so I'm leaving tomorrow.” Kleryssa looked at him pleadingly; “I wish anda didn't have to go, Skye, I've only just met you, but I want to see lebih of you.” Skye smiled back at her, his grey eyes twinkling kindly; “don't worry, that's partly why I'm here. anda finish in less than quarter of a glass, so I would cinta the honour of taking anda out on a tanggal atau something of the like” Skye explained briefly. “Oh, Skye; I'd cinta to and can anda wait with me until I finish?” Kleryssa replied happily, a huge grin on her face. Skye nodded and looked out the door; “of course I'll wait with you, I haven't got anything to do and Ferral is nowhere to be found so I'll see him later.” Kleryssa looked at her meja tulis, meja at the paperwork and frowned; “maybe we can just go now, I've done basically everything and the rest can wait till tomorrow.”
They locked up Kleryssa's office and left the dingy headquarters building. “What would anda like to do? Skye asked her, thinking of going somewhere to eat and wishing that a carrigier would hurry up and roll past. “I'm hungry Skye” Kleryssa admitted with wry grin on her face; “that's exactly what I was thinking, but I don't want to go to Erylyk's. Do anda think that we could maybe try a new restaurant?” Skye wondered out loud. Kleryssa nodded and her eyes lit up; “there's one that I've always wanted to try and it's within walking distance from here, but I can't remember the name.” Skye chuckled, then subsided before Kleryssa whacked him around the back of his head; “as long as anda remember how to get there, then I think we'll be fine.”
Kleryssa laughed; “actually that's only thing I remember about it, the way there.” They started walking towards the Trade Sector, while Kleryssa was asking about Skye's background and things about Argate. Skye told her about how he had been exiled for not being able to control his magic and the journey he and Ferral made from Argate to Counquan, then from Counquan to Kaladacia. Kleryssa listened intently, gasping at certain bits during the story; she almost had a jantung attack when Skye explained what happened with the Ice Wizards. “Oh my gosh Skye, you're so brave and so is Ferral; I can't believe anda actually fought against Ice Wizards and won, maybe you'll beat Altran after all.” Skye shook his head. “It won't be that easy, unfortunately, but we can always hope.” Kleryssa glared at him; “be a bit lebih optimistic Skye, I want anda to beat him so that anda will stay alive.”
Skye stayed silent for a moment. “I'm trying to be optimistic, but I also have to be realistic too. Altran is probably one of the most powerful magicians on Corath; he managed to take over Argate and destroy our Mage-King and every one of our elder Magi'Ir, so I don't know if I even have a chance.” Kleryssa pulled Skye back and kissed him passionately on the lips; “I'm sorry, I just don't want anything to happen to you.” Skye gazed lovingly into her eyes; “it's fine, I understand where anda are coming from, but I also want anda understand the magnitude of the task before me. It's not going to be easy and I don't want anda to think that it will be easy either, otherwise if something does happen to me, it'll hurt that much more.”
They reached the restaurant and walked in, then they took a kursi and waited for the server to come and take their order. The name of the restaurant had turned out to be called Feyan's and it, like Erylyk's, was reasonably close to the Viene; although many of the restaurants in Idylyn were built relatively close to the river. Finally a serving-girl came and asked them what they wanted; Skye asked for the specials, just like he did every other time he'd been to a restaurant. “We have a spicy noodle soup, with dipping bread-sticks and vegetables; our other special is pork basi, casserole served with roasted tuber, honeyed carrots and our special minted-leaf sauce” the serving girl replied ostentatiously. Skye smiled pleasantly and ordered the spicy noodles, while Kleryssa ordered the pork casserole. “Thank you” Skye berkata and the serving girl went back to the counter.
The meal arrived after a quarter of a glass. Skye and Kleryssa had been trying to decide what they would do after dinner; so far Skye had suggested that they retire to his room in the palace, and drink a bottle of vintage red. Kleryssa agreed readily, without hesitation, for she was quite eager to make the most of the time she had left with Skye. They ate their meals reasonably quickly, eager to get back and consume the wine. Once they had finished, Skye went and paid for the meal, refusing to take any coins from Kleryssa; it only cost four platinums and two bronzes. Then they left the restaurant, which wasn't far from the palace, and walked back to the palace and Skye's room. On the way they discussed some personal things, like what they would do when they saw each other selanjutnya and that hopefully the battle between Kaladacia and Lord Altran would favour Kaladacia with their Mage-Lancers.
“The Mage-Lancer officers [High Command and Low Command] have been doing well, they've picked up the concept of link-magic in selanjutnya to no time at all.” Skye fell silent for a moment, while Kleryssa cleared her throat and then nodded; “yes, so I've heard from Over-Marshal Skayl. But hopefully no-one will be hurt; they've all trained so hard and it would be sad if any perished.” Skye nodded his head up and down thoughtfully, then started biting his fingernail; “mhmmm, if any of my officers die I won't be very pleased.”