Max rested peacefully all night. The farmer’s daughter’s hands and lips hardly leaving him alone, yet he slept soundly in her arms. The straw of the hayloft was soft, but not as soft as the farmer’s daughter.
The cock crowed, and Max rose up. The sun was low on the horizon. At some point in the night, the farmer’s daughter had gone back to her room in the farm cottage. Max looked out of the opening in the hayloft and over the meadows. He remembered where he was. This was the Kingdom of Faregent on the continent of Awen in the world of Eveirea. He was starting to like it here because he was someone here, a Mage, now Level Three. He was learning new things about himself. He was learning magic.
Max checked his Mage Book. The newly prepared spells appeared there, shining on the page in their spell slots. They looked alive, hovering over the page like holograms, living spells ready to be cast by his incantation and gestures.
>
>
> Mage Book
>
>
>
> Active spells:
>
> • Magic Missile
>
> • Magic Missile
>
> • Magic Missile
>
> • Strength
>
> • Fireball
>
>
Max heard footsteps on the ladder up to the hayloft, and Anita’s head appeared there. She was always in a good mood With her eyes smiling long before her lips.
“You’re awake. Are you ready to eat? The farmer has arranged a light breakfast for us, and then we move. Ok?”
Max felt he would do anything if it meant being with Anita. He rammed his Mage Book into his satchel and followed her down the ladder.
The farmer’s daughter was spreading out a cloth in the hay, and on it, she laid a roasted bird, bread, and a tankard of cold morning brew.
Jahrod ripped a leg off the roasted bird. He sniffed it and wrinkled his nose.
“Too fresh,” he said. “Smells like it just came out of the oven this morning.”
The farmer’s daughter poured a cup of morning brew and handed it to Max. She winked at him and gave him a cheeky smile as she handed it over. Max glanced over at her, remembering the night before in the hay. He blushed when she grinned back over her shoulder at him as she left.
Anita eyed at Max. She was studying him.
“What?” Max said, chewing a hunk of bread.
“You have a look about you,” Anita said. “You look calm. Like you had a good night’s rest.”
“I feel great,” Max said and tore off another chunk of bread.
“This roasted bird is tasteless.” Jahrod finished his mouthful.
Max couldn’t eat any of the roasted bird, not for breakfast. The bread was good, and the morning brew gave him just the kick he needed.
But Anita was looking Max up and down, her stare making Max feel a bit uncomfortable.
“What?” he said again.
Anita fluttered her eyelashes and smiled coquettishly. “You are handsome, Max.”
Max blushed.
“Is anyone going to eat this?” Jahrod said, jabbing the roasted bird hard with his dirty fat finger.
“No,” Anita said, her eyes not once leaving Max.
Max glanced away, but he was falling into Anita’s deep-green almond eyes. “No, me neither,” he said, looking back to those wild eyes. Strange, fearsome, beautiful eyes.
Jahrod wrapped the whole bird in handfuls of straw and shoved it into his pack just as Elderon stepped into the barn.
“Max, I feel we have some time this morning for a magic lesson. I will check your Mage Book. You will have prepared your new Level Three spell last night. Shield is no more difficult than Strength to cast, but Level Three spells do take a little longer to speak into life on the first occasion. We will practice casting Shield. It is a powerful spell and will last all day unless dispelled by another spell caster or removed by absorbing damage. Together with Strength, it is a powerful combination that will serve you well at low levels. Bring out your Mage Book for me to check.”
If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
Max’s mouth and throat went dry. He swallowed a hunk of bread. He had not learned Shield. His new magic spell at Level Three was Fireball. Elderon had warned him against its use, but he had found the scroll on the defeated Skarak Warlock, and he had wanted to learn it, prepare it, and use it. He had planned to get up early and cast it, but he’d slept in, and now, he didn’t know how he was going to use it without Elderon finding out. He really hadn’t thought that far ahead. He kicked himself. This was always his problem back in his old life. He was smart enough to learn new things, but he lacked the Wisdom to do the right thing sometimes. It had gotten him into so much trouble in his old life, a life he thought he’d left far behind.
“Ummm,” Max said, stalling. He reached for his satchel and started digging around inside. The satchel was much bigger on the inside since it had leveled up into the enhanced Mage Satchel, but his Mage Book was not hard to find, any item he wanted came instantly into his hand. “Umm,” he said again.
“Your Mage Book, Max,” Elderon said, his hand outstretched.
“My satchel gained an improvement when I leveled up,” Max said. “I am searching for my Mage Book now.” He pulled out a shortsword and set it down on the straw, making a show of rummaging through his satchel.
Jahrod stood up and grabbed his axe. “We don’t have time for this. We agreed to travel to Ralynn City. We have been delayed and sidetracked enough. If you Mages want to practice your spells, then I will go on alone.”
Elderon nodded.
Max shook his head. “The good dwarf is correct,” Max said. “We made a promise to him. He has aided us, saved me from those hideous wood Nymphs, stuck with us when we ventured into the Skarak caves.” Max nodded firmly, showing he had made up his mind. “We must honor our agreement with Jahrod and travel with him now, without hesitation, and make our way to Laidhim City.”
“Ralynn City,” Jahrod corrected.
“Yes,” Max said. “Ralynn City. We should go. Now. Without delay.” He shoved the shortsword back into his satchel and stood up.
Anita nodded and got to her feet. “Max is right, Elderon,” Anita said. “We must go to Ralynn City and discover what this darkness is doing to the king of Faregent.”
Elderon considered this.
“Very well.” He fixed Max with a stare. “But we will continue our lessons tonight when we rest.”
Max smiled and nodded. “Agreed.”
The party headed out. The farmer and his family waved from their cottage as the party left, the daughter blowing a kiss to Max.
“She is grateful you saved her,” Anita said.
Max couldn’t admit to her just how grateful she had been. Resting in her arms and her soft touch had ensured a good night’s sleep, and he felt much refreshed. They continued over the rolling hills of the meadowlands and cut their way through small patches of forests until they encountered a cobbled road.
“This is the road to Ralynn,” Jahrod said.
Max had enjoyed the soft meadowlands under his feet but walking the cobble road was much faster and took less effort. The good boots were still comfortable.
The road passed through a hamlet of a few cottages. Max could see scarecrows on the surrounding hills where the people of the hamlet were growing their crops, and he remembered his first day here in Eveirea, how the first thing he’d seen had been a scarecrow. That day seemed so far behind him now.
After the hamlet, they were again in open countryside, the road the only unnatural thing in the landscape. Max wandered onward happily until Elderon spoke out in a low and quiet voice.
“Hold, adventurers.”
Max stopped and looked over at Elderon who had his gray eyes fixed on the horizon.
Anita stepped up next to Elderon. “What is it?” She took a step forward. “Yes, I sense it too.”
“What?” Max said, peering into the hazy distance where he could see the cobble road rising up a slight hill a few hundred feet ahead.
Jahrod spun his axe in his grip. “What do you think, young Max? A Master Mage and a Druid sense something ahead. I wager there is evil nearby.”
Elderon cast a spell of Detect Enemies, and a moment later, he nodded. “Yes. There is trouble on the road ahead.”
“I will scout ahead and see what it is.” Anita started off at a jog.
“I’ll go with her,” Max said.
“Not so fast,” Elderon said and grabbed Max by the shoulder. For an old gray feller, he sure was strong. “Let’s check your Mage Book while we have a moment.”
“Yes, Elderon is right,” Jahrod said, and he started off after Anita at a brisk walk. “Spell casters to the rear. Warriors to the front.”
Max watched Anita run into the distance, her fighting skirt flapping as she ran.
“The Mage Book, Max.” Elderon said.
Max smiled and nodded. “Of course. My Mage Book. I value your help, Elderon.” Max delayed as much as he could. Elderon had fixed his deep gray eyes on him, and Max knew he couldn’t stall any longer. He had to either come clean or show Elderon the book and feign surprise at the appearance of the Fireball spell in his spell slots.
Max took the Mage Book out of the satchel. It was small, but he knew once he opened it, it would grow to a much larger tome, and although he only had a few spells in there, one would stand out. The Fireball, prepared and ready to cast.
Elderon held out his hand. Max was about to place it in his hand when Elderon glanced away, along the road in the direction Anita and Jahrod had gone.
Max looked too. Anita and Jahrod were now sprinting back toward them.
Anita ran like an athlete, taking huge strides, her legs moving gracefully under her fighting skirt. Jahrod pounded the ground with stumpy little steps, but the dwarf could run fast, and easily kept up with Anita.
Elderon walked toward them. “Come, Max.”
Anita stopped. “More Skarak. A merchant’s caravan is under attack.”
“And not the basic little Skarak beasts with their little spears,” Jahrod said, spinning his axe. “These are Skarak Warriors with steel swords and leather armor.”
“And they have a Skarak Warlock with them,” Anita added. “We cannot leave the merchant to his fate.”
“But maybe we can achieve a greater good by discovering the dark evil in the court of King Glynn. We can avoid these Skarak to head to one of the side gates of Ralynn City. What do you think, Max?” Elderon asked.
“We have to save the merchant,” Max said. He knew it would give him a chance to discharge the Fireball and replace it with a Shield spell. It would not be active, but it would be easier to explain away than a glowing, fully active Fireball spell in his Level Three slot. Besides, if they went the quiet route, Elderon could ask to see the Mage Book on the way. It was funny, Max thought, that he really didn’t want to let this old Mage down. Max sensed there was something good about him and that he only wanted the best for Max.
“Yes, Max is right,” Anita said.
“Warriors to the front,” Jahrod said and turned to run off down the road.
Max was about to follow when Elderon stopped him.
“Don’t use any magic you are not familiar with. Cast your spell of Strength. Use your Magic Missiles and then switch to your catapult. Anita and Jahrod will be going toe to toe with these enemies. We must stay back. Jahrod is right: spell casters to the rear, warriors to the front.”
Max nodded and ran toward the battle.