The Magician’s Apprentice

walls of the estates ahead were no longer a distance from the road, but instead hugged it. The roofs and upper floors of the buildings within were all that were visible and suggested that most of the area inside was filled with dwellings and other structures.

Where these walls started, a road bisected the one they were riding along. Along this stood a line of people. Sunlight glinted on jewelled and decorated clothing. Jayan counted and realised there were more magicians in this line than in the Kyralian army. He felt his heart sink.

But as he drew closer to the Sachakans he noted other details. Many were old, stooped and grey-haired. Others were as young as a new apprentice. A few were cripples, missing limbs or carrying walking canes. The few women among them looked either terrified or determined, most standing close to a man of their own age or one old enough to be their father.

Jayan exchanged a look of dismay with Dakon. Nearly a third of the enemy were clearly not suited to fighting.

This is a pathetic sight, Jayan thought. And yet instead of feeling relieved that we might have a better chance of winning, I feel sad for these Sachakans. And I can’t help admiring them for being prepared to defend their city.

Magician Sabin and Dem Ayend were riding close on either side of the king now. King Errik was looking from one to the other as they talked, his brows lowered into a frown. The army slowed as it approached the line of Sachakans, finally coming to a halt less than twenty strides away. By then the leaders had stopped talking. They sat, regarding the enemy in silence for a long moment. Then the king nudged his horse a few paces forward.

“Magicians of Sachaka,” he called out. “We know not all of you supported Takado’s invasion of Kyralia. If you surrender to us, if you can prove you were no supporter of Takado and his allies, if you co-operate and show no resistance, we will spare you.”

No voice rose in answer. No Sachakan stepped forward, or left the line. Jayan watched and waited.

“Get on with it, then,” one of them shouted. “You came for a fight. So fight. Or are you going to wait until we die of old age?”

A faint sigh of nervous laughter spread across the enemy line. Jayan saw a few strained smiles.

“Do you speak for the emperor?” the king asked.

“The emperor is waiting at the Imperial Palace. If you get that far he might spare a moment to see you.”

Magician Sabin rode forward to join the king. “I don’t think we have any choice,” Jayan heard him say.

“No,” the king replied. “And we didn’t come all this way for nothing.”

He raised a hand, palm outward, to signal that the army should move into position. A flash seared Jayan’s sight as one of the Sachakans took this to mean the start of the battle. The strike scattered off a shield and Sabin sent off a strike in return. As the Kyralian army spread out into formation, groups forming out of habit as much as intention, the air between the lines filled with flashing, vibrating magic.

As Dakon moved away to take his usual place among the advisers and leaders, Jayan found Everran and Avaria nearby and lent his strength to the pair. He realised he felt neither fear nor confidence. All he felt was the same disquiet that had nagged at him all morning.

At about the same time as the first Sachakan fell, Jayan’s strength ran out.

Unlike the rest of the army, he’d only taken part in one attack on an estate. Even Dakon had more power, since he’d taken the strength of the magician who’d died from poisoning. I am probably the weakest Kyralian magician here. Strange that nobody questioned my decision to not kill slaves, when they clearly questioned Dakon’s.

He remained in the shelter of Everran and Avaria’s group. Instead of feeling useless, as he’d feared he would at this point, he felt as if he wasn’t really there. Absent. An observer at most.

The Sachakans were not protecting each other, he noticed. The lessons Takado’s army had learned had not been taken back into Sachaka. Where is Takado? Jayan wondered. Why isn’t he leading this last, desperate force? I can believe Emperor Vochira is hiding away, letting others fight for him, but I think Takado would face us if he had the choice. For all his nasty ways, he did have pride in himself and his homeland.

If the king had been correct about the number of magicians in Sachaka before the war, then there must be more of them elsewhere. The force facing the army was large, but it didn’t approach a hundred. And some of them looked like unlikely candidates for being taught magic. They might only have had their power loosed and been taught to strike in the last few days. If so, then they might not even have achieved full control yet.

Looking over his shoulder, he saw the apprentices and servants waiting several paces behind, as close as they dared to come to the battle, but not so far away that the army couldn’t protect them if they were attacked. Between them, the apprentices had probably recovered enough power overnight to ward off a few strikes, but not a concentrated attack from higher magicians.

“What are they...?” Lord Everran exclaimed quietly. Jayan glanced at him, saw he was looking at the Sachakans, and followed the man’s gaze.

The enemy line had fragmented. Sachakans were dashing sideways, or back along the main road. Disappearing into doorways, though a few were caught by strikes before they could reach them.

They’re running away.

From the bodies on the ground Jayan guessed about a third had fallen. He saw that the leaders and advisers of the Kyralian side were talking, and strained to hear.

“I guess that’s it,” King Errik said, looking at Sabin. “Shall we go after them?”

Sabin shook his head, his voice too low to hear.

“So on to the Imperial Palace,” the king concluded.

Everran straightened, then looked down at the ring on his finger. “We’re to maintain shields. Keep alert and be ready in case of ambush.”

“I have no magic left,” Jayan told Everran quietly.

The magician nodded. “Ride in front and I’ll shield us both.”

Jayan nodded to show he understood. The army formed a protective ring around the servants then started forward, apprentices riding as close as possible to their masters.

Once again, they travelled in an eerie silence. The high white walls loomed over them, stark and threatening, and Jayan knew he would not be the only one worried about what they could be hiding.

“How are you doing?”

He turned to see Tessia riding beside him.

“Fine,” he said. “Other than having no magic left. How is Dakon?”

“Better than he expected.”

The army proceeded slowly and cautiously. The road stretched on, the white walls continuing towards hazy buildings in the distance. They crossed several intersecting roads, all deserted. At first there was the occasional shout as someone caught a glimpse of a face, an arm, or a human-like shadow above the walls, but eventually no further signs of life were seen – or else nobody bothered to draw attention to them any more.

The buildings in the distance grew larger and sharper. They gave a hint of impressive size and grandeur. Tessia wondered aloud if one was the Imperial Palace.

Then everything exploded in a rush of light and roar of sound.

There were shouts of surprise, and screams from both humans and horses. The wall beside Jayan bulged outwards, and he felt himself thrown sideways. As his mount toppled he fell with it. Something heavy landed on his leg as he hit the ground. He tried to pull free but could not. The horse lay still, either stunned or dead, pinning his leg under it.

Trapped under my own horse! he thought, amused at the situation he found himself in despite the deadly magic sizzling through the air around him. And with no magic to free myself with.

Smoke billowed out from beyond one of the broken walls. “Ride!” a voice bellowed, and was taken up by others. Hoofs rapped on the road. Carts rumbled by. Jayan felt hands grasp his shoulders. He looked up. Tessia frowned at him, then began pulling. After several heaves she managed to drag him out from under the horse. They collapsed, leaning up against an upturned cart.

The eerie quiet of the city had returned. Looking down the road, Jayan saw the rear of the army hurrying away.