Northern Erisdale…
“Where are we heading by the way?” Jessica asked.
As they rode on, Martin and Ginger locked eyes with one another for a long moment before Ginger finally turned to the Otherworlder.
“The weird thing is, we’re heading to nowhere. And I do mean nowhere. There isn’t anything here on this part of the map,” said the now firmly former convict. It had been but a stroke of paper, but Ginger was now a free woman and feeling damn good about it.
“I thought we were told there would be a village?” said Jessica slowly.
Martin gestured to the surrounding landscape. “We were. Though, I’m not sure why anybody would put a village here.”
For the path they were on was perched on the edge of a sheer cliff, revealing a stunning vista. Black craggy slopes of the mountains around them, broken only by scrub and small hardy trees. The rocky path that Martin, Ginger, Jessica, and the company of mounted soldiers that were following them were on was strewn with pebbles and debris. This wasn’t dangerous, but it made the going slow.
“I thought Erisdalians were good at building in the mountains,” said Jessica, adjusting her scarf. It was bitterly cold today.
“We are good at it, but we aren’t crazy. It would be way too much effort to cut farming terraces into these slopes,” said Ginger. “It’s why there’s nobody here. These mountains are technically on the border between Earl Darius’s lands and Conthwaite, but nobody’s really bothered to settle here.”
Jessica pursed her lips, “Which would make this a good place to hide a base of some kind.”
“Exactly,” said Martin, rubbing his gloved hands as he expertly guided his horse with his knees. “I do hope we find Spinera and Kellyanne soon. We’re freezing here.”
The Otherworlder mage rubbed at the scar on her face. “Is it just me or is it colder than usual?”
“No, it’s not just you,” Ginger admitted. “I thought it was the altitude, but I think winter’s coming earlier than usual this year.”
“That’s going to complicate things with the war,” said Martin, his shoulders hanging morosely.
“Yes,” Jessica said. She closed her eyes briefly. “Martin, Ginger, am I being tested?”
Martin winced. “Well—”
“Yes,” said Ginger, fixing the Otherworlder with a flat stare. “You know why.”
“I’m not that person anymore,” said Jessica. She scowled. “I even apologized.”
“That may be true, but you have to prove it I’m afraid,” said the redhead. She paused, looking thoughtful. “Look, we’ll give you a fair shake, but come on, we’re Frances’s friends, you don’t expect us to trust you immediately?”
Jessica sighed. “I guess not.”
Martin suddenly raised his hand. “Holdon, I see people on the path.”
To be precise, the knight could see two women. One had a pointed black hat with a white brim and was using a cane to support herself. The other was a middle aged blonde with a wand. Both were wearing heavy jackets and scarves, but Martin could see white robes peeking out from under them.
“Vice-Headmistress Kellyanne? Madame Spinera?” Martin called out.
“Who goes?” replied the blonde. Martin supposed this was Kellyanne based on Frances’s description
“Sir Martin of Conthwaite and company from the Lightning Battalion! We’re friends of Frances Windwhistler!” Martin watched the two women glance at one another before starting forward towards them.
“So you say. How is Frances doing by the way?” Spinera asked.
Ginger and Martin dismounted. “She’s alive, which is quite good, considering she’s in enemy territory,” said the redhead.
“She did mention that she still uses the birthday presents you both gave her,” said Martin.
Spinera’s expression had been pinched, but at Martin’s words, the older woman’s features lit up with a smile. “Oh? She hasn’t used up the journals I gave her?” she asked.
Ginger blinked. Frances didn’t keep many personal possessions while they were travelling. However, she distinctly recalled that the baggage train of the Lightning Battalion had a set of very expensive, leather-bound journals stored carefully in a chest. Her friend would on occasion take these out to read or write in, put in a filled out journal, and get an empty one.
“She mentioned that she just took the last one,” said Ginger slowly, her eyes widening.
“Hmm, Frances did write very small and quite neatly,” said Kellyanne.
Martin chuckled. “She still does. I’m honestly not sure how she’s able to read what she writes. It’s very neat, but I have to strain my eyes.” The knight stuck out his hand, which a grinning Kellyanne shook. “By the way, I have to ask, how obvious was it that Edana was going to adopt Frances?”
“Oh I knew it after Vertingen,” said Kellyanne. “You should have seen those two hold each other’s hands! It was so sweet!”
“Only after Vertingen, Kellyanne? I figured it out after I saw how angry Edana was with Ulric for letting her touch Lightbreaker,” said Spinera. She extended a hand to Ginger, who shook it quickly.
“Wait, so did you know about… well, Frances’s parents?” Ginger asked.
Kellyanne and Spinera both winced.
“I guessed, and it was confirmed for me after Edana adopted Frances,” said Spinera.
“Edana told me later, with Frances’s permission, but I had my suspicions,” said Kellyanne.
“Ah. By the way, what was your birthday present to her?” Martin asked.
Kellyanne blinked. “Oh, I gave her a potion set and a book on useful potions. I’m surprised she hasn’t broken it yet.”
Martin blinked. “Wait, did it have a recipe for Crownfire?”
The headmistress arched an eyebrow at Martin’s eager expression, “Yes?”
Ginger and Martin grinned.
“If I wasn’t engaged I would kiss you. Those potions were supremely useful to us,” said Martin.
“Nah, Martin, you can kiss her for me. I owe Kellyanne one,” said Ginger. She vividly recalled the painkilling and medicinal potions that Frances had given her when she was still suffering from the convict mark.
Kellyanne snorted, “Glad to know that Frances has been putting my gift to good use. Come on, let’s show you what we found.”
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To the Lightning Battalion’s surprise, a short while later, the path spread out to a plateau nestled within the mountains. Their company had been carrying a mix of weaponry fit for skirmishing: muskets, swords and the odd spear or pike. At this point, Kellyanne and Spinera told the company to dismount and continue on foot.
It was a good thing they did, because the narrow footpath they pushed through would have not accommodated their horses. Picking past scraggly underbrush and the loose scree strewn on the path was hard enough on foot, and would have been impossible for their horses. At times it was so steep that Ginger thought she was climbing a rock face, with how she had to use her hands to steady herself.
“Are we there yet?” Jessica moaned. Ginger glared at Frances’s former bully and the Otherworlder winced. “Sorry, I’m not used to travelling on such rough terrain. I was mostly fighting on plains and in forests.”
Ginger frowned. “In Lapanteria?”
“Yeah, pretty much. They had Frances in Erisdale and Erlenberg so they sent me over to Lapanteria. Lots of skirmishing and some very large battles,” said Jessica.
“You’re one of the Otherworlders too?” Kellyanne asked, looking over her shoulder
Jessica froze, her features stilling, but she forced herself to nod.
“Relax, I’m not going to bite your head off,” said the vice-headmistress. “How do you know Frances from the Otherworld?”
“Um, we were classmates,” said Jessica. She looked aside, trying not to meet Kellyanne’s eyes, and blinked. “Wait, what’s that?”
Madame Spinera stopped and gestured for everybody to crouch. “That is what we wanted your help with.”
The path opened up to a plateau where a walled village sat. A stone wall about six feet tall, with a single gate cut across the plateau to the edge. From where they were, overlooking the wall, the group could see a collection of buildings with several frost-covered fields.
Cooking fires rose from the chimneys of the buildings, but strangely enough, there were no guards.
“Why are there no guards?” Martin asked.
“They are probably not expecting people to show up, and it is a cold night,” said Kellyanne. She thumbed at the village. “But we’ve been watching them for a bit and I think there’s about fifty soldiers and some enslaved Alavari, we’re not sure how many. Most of them are being held in that two-story main building in the centre, which also seems to be their headquarters.”
“Any mages?” Ginger asked.
“At least three, but that’s why we asked you to bring one with you,” said Spinera.
Ginger gave the elderly librarian a once over. “No offense ma’am, but are you sure you’re up for this?”
Spinera grinned. “Oh don’t you worry dearie. I have a few tricks ready for them.” She drew her wand. “My area of speciality is mountains and rocks. I don’t think I caught your name.”
Jessica took a deep breath. “I’m Jessica. I specialize in fire magic.”
“Ah, who was your teacher?” Kellyanne asked.
“Scarlet,” said Jessica, unable to hide a scowl. To the teenager’s surprise, Kellyanne made a face.
“That red cow can go fuck herself. You know she’s sworn allegiance to Darius?” Kellyanne asked.
“That doesn’t surprise me,” said Jessica, blinking. “Um, what’s your speciality, headmistress?”
“Vice-headmistress. I’m a bit of a generalist, but mostly focusing on long-ranged magic,” Kellyanne glanced back at Martin and Ginger. “When can your company be ready to make an attack?”
Ginger and Martin turned and gave their soldiers a once over. They looked a little out of breath, but seemed eager.
“Sergeant Helena? I think we need at least ten minutes,” Ginger said to her executive officer.
“I agree, but we can’t take too long,” said the blonde soldier.
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“Why—right, darkness is falling,” said Ginger. “We don’t want to risk a night attack.”
“That would be the best way to surprise them,” said Spinera. “We can put up lights for you.”
“Don’t trust—” Ginger snapped her mouth shut, her eyes wide. “I mean, we can’t rely on lights. We’ve tried night attacks before, at Erlenberg, but they’re chaotic and you can be surprised if something goes wrong.”
Kellyanne and Spinera, smiles gone, regarded Ginger with flat stares, forcing her to avert her gaze.
“Ginger’s right,” said Martin, suddenly, stepping in so he was bumping shoulders with his fiance. “A night attack would be too risky.”
Spinera nodded. “I understand, though, before we risk our lives, may I inquire as to why you don’t trust us, Miss Ginger?”
Knowing she couldn’t hide her expression, Ginger faced the mage.
“I don’t trust easily. I—I’m sorry. I’m trying because Frances vouched for you, but it’s me, not you.”
She’d been vague, and yet, some kind of understanding seem to come across both Kellyanne and Spinera’s faces.
“I understand. We’ll do our best to prove ourselves worthy of Frances’s trust,” said Spinera, smiling so kindly that Ginger felt some of her wariness wane.
“That, and I think you’ll feel better once we kick some Traditionalist arse,” said Kellyanne, flicking her hair over her shoulder.
Martin and Ginger chuckled at that and after bowing to the mages, turned and gave their orders to their soldiers.
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Ten minutes later…
Martin raised his gauntleted hand and dropped it down. As he did so he leapt to his feet, breaking into a sprint for the wall. Ginger ran right beside him, pistol in her right hand, sword hanging from her belt.
They tore over the rise, followed by Jessica, Kellyanne, Spinera and their company. A human wave charging toward the wall, panting as they did so, voices reigned in, at least for the moment.
Reaching the gate, Martin drew his sword. “Jessica!” he hissed.
The scarred mage cried out a Word of Power and slammed her staff into the wood. It blew apart, exploding in a shower of splinters. Martin and Ginger were already racing through, brushing splinters off their armor.
Doors were starting to open from the huts. Grimacing, Martin cleared the doorway and bellowed.
“Lightning Battalion! Let them hear us!”
Whooping and cheering, the Lightning Battalion poured out from the gateway. Ginger led the way, Kellyanne beside her, with Martin overlooking the village, watching as half-armored and surprised soldiers poured out of the huts.
Ginger got to the doorway of what Kellyanne and Spinera had identified as the main building just as an unarmored soldier with a sword staggered out. She dispatched him swiftly with a stab, shoved his dying body out of the way. Adrenaline racing through her blood, she parried a spear thrust from another guard, before firing her pistol into him.
Suddenly, Ginger was flung backwards, tumbling through the air. As the world whirled topsy-turvey around her, Ginger instantly curled up in a ball, trying to protect her neck.
She slammed into something hard, a soil retaining wall, and dropped to the ground. Only thrusting out her arms prevented her face from getting smashed in. Dazed, she staggered to her feet.
Kellyanne was duelling a portly mage with red robes in the doorway to the main building, a furious fusillade of spells flying back and forth between them. The exchange lasted for but a moment, as the flagstone the enemy mage was standing on suddenly flipped forward, catapulting the portly mage forward. As he hit the dirt in front of him he sank in rather than just stopping and continued to sink until only his head was showing.
Confused, Ginger looked around the battlefield, and found Madame Spinera grinning, her wand raised.
“Thanks!” Kellyanne yelled.
“Look out! Two mages to the north!” Martin bellowed.
Ginger spun around to see the two mages, a man and a woman, emerging from one of the smaller buildings. While both were throwing on clothing, Ginger shouted, “Focus fire on those mages!”
The crack of pistols and muskets from various battalion members forced the pair of mages to duck and scramble behind a stack of logs. Yet it wasn’t enough. The male mage was already firing spells, one of which pierced right through one of the battalion’s soldiers.
Already calling for a medic to attend to the downed soldier, Ginger drew her second pistol, sighted and fired. The shot missed, but she was already moving, hoping the mages would keep their heads down.
They didn’t, Ginger’s eyes widened as the female mage stepped out and saw her. In slow motion, she could see the mage raising her wand. Martin was yelling something, and she didn’t need to see his face to understand that he was panicking.
“No you don’t!” Jessica screamed a Word of Power and suddenly, the log pile burst into flames. Distracted by the sheer heat of the sudden inferno, the two mages vacated their cover, just as Ginger and several other soldiers finally closed the distance. Taking no chances, Ginger slashed at the woman’s arm, cutting the wand from her grasp. Another soldier tackled the male mage and with more arriving, they quickly dispatched both mages.
And just like that, it was over, and the remaining soldiers were throwing their weapons to the ground.
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Thankfully, the few Lightning Battalion soldiers that had been injured could be healed by Spinera and Kellyanne.
This wasn’t the case for the Alavari they found in the buildings, however.
It took for a moment for Martin’s eyes to adjust to the dimmer light in the main two story building. A moment later, though, he felt a kind of cold that the winter air couldn’t compare.
Twenty or so Alavari, most being teens, some only children, were chained to walls. They stared at him, eyes bright, thin arms wrapped around themselves as they shivered. What rags they had could barely be called clothing. Two of the children, a centaur and a harpy, lay their backs, barely responded. They only turned their heads, unfocused eyes taking him in.
“Shit. Shit! I need Noff’s lockpicking skills! Ginger, get Renia to make a trip up here as soon as she can move and send for more provisions and stretchers!” Martin bellowed. He turned to the soldiers beside him, who’d also stopped and were just staring, jaws dropped open. “Move! And get Terence and Julie! They need a friendly face, hurry!” the knight exclaimed, gently shoving the soldiers out the door. Taking off his helmet, Martin quickly rushed to the worst off of the children, pulling out his flask.
“Hey, it’s going to be fine,” Martin stammered, helping the centaur child to sit up. Yet, all he could do was open his mouth so the knight could pour in some of his water.
“Martin, Renia’s been informed, what’s—” Ginger’s voice trailed off. “Oh.”
“Ginger, where’s Terence and Julie?” Martin demanded. “Oh and seriously, where is Noff! We need his lockpicking skills.”
The goblin and ogre the knight had been calling for rushed in, followed by a lanky human. “We’re here, what—Oh Galena,” Julie stammered.
The children and teens stared at the goblin and ogre, eyes widening with disbelief. Before Martin could say another word, tears began to flow from their eyes and the building became filled with the sobs and wails of crying children.
It was enough to bring tears to Ginger and Martin’s eyes. Once they’d made sure that the human and Alavari members of their company were releasing and treating the Alavari children, they regrouped with Jessica. There was one more floor to clear.
Ginger and Martin scaled the stairs cautiously, weapons ready. They hadn’t heard anything from upstairs, but that didn’t mean they shouldn’t be careful.
Yet, the stairs opened up to an empty laboratory. Shining gems twinkled from a cabinet alongside the wall. Two great cauldrons with potion-making material sat off to the side. More phials, flasks, and row upon row of journals and research notes filled the walls. At the very end of the room, was a set of chains, several hanging from the roof. They were limp and empty now, and yet the sight churned their stomachs.
“Jessica, any idea what they were doing here?” Ginger asked.
Jessica, already looking ill, quickly flipped through one of the journals on the desk.
“It looks like they were trying to figure out a way to make mana batteries,” said Jessica, eyes narrowing.
Martin scowled. “Why would they need to experiment on children to make that?”
“Because they want to make mana batteries. They’re different from the magic storage rings that mages use to help focus shield spells or to store spells. Not sure why they’re called magical batteries, though. I mean, they’re more like a magical reactor,” said Jessica, frowning.
“What’s a reactor?” Ginger asked.
Jessica looked up at the two Erisdalians and sighed. “Right, nobody here knows what a reactor is. To put it simply, they were trying to create a kind of device that creates more magical power. Unlike a magical storage ring, this device would create its own magical power without needing a recharge from a mage.” Jessica continued to flip through the journal. “What I don’t understand is why would they need Alavari children.”
“Well, the experiments clearly seem to involve them,” said Ginger, pointing at a chart on the wall. It listed the names of the children and their conditions, along with notes. She could see several with notices written as “requires recovery.”
A white-faced Spinera stormed into the laboratory. “What did you find?”
Jessica handed Spinera the research journal she had. “They were working on mana batteries, but we don’t know why they need Alavari children for them. I mean, they should be using stones, like magic storage rings or storage gemstones.”
Spinera almost dropped the journal, but she steadied herself. One hand tightening around her cane, she stammered, “Did you just say mana batteries?”
“Madame Spinera, what’s wrong?” Ginger asked, not liking at all the tone in the woman’s voice.
“There is a theory about how to create mana batteries, but nobody’s ever tried it for good reason. Give me a moment.” Spinera walked over to the cabinet and opened it to examine the gemstones within. The teenagers watch her examine the stones in silence.
Finally, the librarian looked up from the stones and groaned. “It is what I feared. Jessica, you asked why they needed the children. There is only one scenario where they would need children to create mana batteries and it involves the use of a living mage’s magical core.”
Jessica’s eyes widened. “No, they wouldn’t. Nobody could be that cruel!”
“Explain for us non-magical folk, please,” Martin hissed.
“Mana batteries are theoretical because they haven’t been created. We’ve typically tried with gemstones but we haven’t come up with a spell able to create a matrix for such a battery. However, all mages have magical cores, and there is a significantly higher probability of an Alavari child having a magical core than a human one,” said Spinera.
“Wait, but if Alavari children are more likely to have a magical core, why aren’t we being overwhelmed with mages?” Jessica asked.
“Because most of these children’s cores are small. They’re not refined or developed enough where they can actually use magic. However, a core is a core. It is still capable of generating magic, even if they can’t manifest it into spells. If someone was perverted enough to embed magical storage stones into a child, enchant them to exploit the small core that they had, and force them into a magical contract, you could create a mana battery,” said Spinera. She flipped open the book and showed the group a page. “You could create a living weapon.”
It showed the sketch of a mage, one hand holding onto a chain tied to an Alavari troll, the other holding his wand.
“This must be how they think they can win a war against the Reformists and Alavaria. It doesn’t matter if we have Edana and Frances, or if they have Thorgoth. If they can turn Alavari children into mana batteries, their mages can continue to draw power for spells,” Ginger stammered.
Martin pulled out his communication charm. “I’ll let Earl Forowena know.”
“I’ll call Edana,” said Madame Spinera.
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After reporting their findings, Jessica, Kellyanne and Spinera began work organizing the books and research notes for transport. Ginger set up a security perimeter around the village and Martin tried to come up with a way to get the twenty-three Alavari youths, and the prisoners they’d taken, down a mountain.
Noting that her fiance was still busy planning logistics for moving the children, Ginger decided to stop by the main building.
Most of the now freed children were being entertained by Terence and Julie. The goblin and ogre pair were spinning a yarn about the adventures the Lightning Battalion had been on, and to Ginger’s embarrassment, talking about the heroics of the battalion’s leaders.
Quietly stepping around the back of the enraptured Alavari children, Ginger made her way to two makeshift beds that had been set up. The young centaur boy and the harpy that had been nearly unconscious were sitting up. As she neared, Ginger realized that the two weren’t really listening, they were talking to each other in quiet, harsh tones.
Ginger took a deep breath. “Hey, I know you feel like shit, but is there anything I can do for you?”
The moment the words left her mouth, Ginger winced. She hadn’t meant to say it like that.
Yet, as she met the pair’s eyes, a cold pit formed in her stomach. The centaur had dark brown eyes, the harpy had bright yellow hawk eyes, but both were narrowed and hard as flints.
Ginger recognized those eyes.
“We’re fine,” said the harpy, touching the centaur with a wing.
“No you’re not,” said Ginger, coming to one kneel beside the pair. “Look, there’s no shame in admitting that.”
“And why would you care?” the harpy hissed. She glanced at the still enraptured crowd of youths and in a quieter tone, said, “What do you want with us?”
Ginger glanced at the centaur, who regarded her silently with cold eyes. “We want you to be safe. Many of the soldiers in my battalion are Alavari or are good friends with Alavari. We are not like the humans that held you captive.”
The centaur’s stony expression didn’t change. “You know we can be turned into mana batteries. What’s stopping you from continuing to experiment on us?”
Ginger closed her eyes as old, painful memories she’d been working to accept for the past year slammed into the forefront of her mind. She bit her lip and wondered what Renia, her therapist, ask her to do?
Let it flow. Let it wash over you. Let it ache, and then, let it go. If it continues to fight you, remember that you triumphed over your pain. You still stand.
Ginger’s eyes flew open and her fingers quickly flew to her collar. Pulling at the buttons, she yanked down the collar of her shirt to reveal the old convict mark that was still faintly emblazoned on the collarbone.
“I was a convict soldier. I was mage marked and forced to be a tool, just like you were. I will never let that happen to you,” she hissed. She pulled her collar back up, and re-buttoned her shirt. The two youths just stared at her, wide-eyed, silent.
“It’ll get better,” she said, and smiled softly. “No, seriously, it will. I know you don’t feel like you can ever be fixed, but you can, okay? I mean, I’m engaged now to the love of my life and despite how shit things still are, I’ve never felt better.”
“It doesn’t matter!” the harpy exclaimed. “We don’t have anywhere to go!”
“You have each other, you will have the Lightning Battalion.” Ginger extended her hand, and said in a bitter tone, “And if you want a human ex-convict with self-esteem issues, you have me as well.”
The harpy stared at Ginger and burst into tears. Sobbing, she practically flung herself into the stunned woman’s arms and just cried.
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Ginger couldn’t let go of the harpy girl until she’d cried herself to sleep. Only then could she lay the girl to rest in her bedroll.
“Poor thing,” said Martin, making Ginger turn to see her fiance, sitting off to the side quietly.
“Diana. Call her Diana,” said the centaur. “And she’s not some poor thing. She’s strong. Stronger than me. They embedded stones into her body, and laughed as she screamed, but she never gave up.”
Ginger wiped the tears from her eyes, whilst Martin said a quiet prayer.
“Are they dead?” the centaur demanded.
“The mages are all dead,” said Martin. “What’s your name?”
“Good.” The centaur extended his thin, bony hands, which Martin shook. “I’m Jon. Where are you taking us?”
“To the Lightning Battalion first. It’s the safest place we can think of. We are fighting in the Erisdalian civil war, but every human and Alavari in that battalion will fight to protect you,” said Martin. He pursed his lips. “After that, Erlenberg maybe, but I promise you, what my fiance swore, I will help carry out.”
Jon blinked as he regarded Martin’s armored figure. “Aren’t you a knight? You… you married an ex-convict?”
Ginger snorted, “I won him over with my charms.”
“Oh it was mutual,” said Martin, grinning at Ginger and wiggling his eyebrows.
“Thank you,” said Jon suddenly. Martin and Ginger glanced at the centaur. There was a ghost of a tired smile on his lips. “Truly. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” said Ginger.
Martin, kneeling down, helped the centaur to rest on his side. “And sleep well.”