A Mage's Power (Journey to Chaos) (31 page)

The tower alone would be a mammoth task to hold in place,
every day, every night, all year round. To support every section of wall, every
building
and
the tower
 . . .
The Elders must have incredible,
iron wills.

“Anyway, back to your question,” Tej said. “After the
original peace talks the big wigs didn't bother us. Every month or so, someone
would come so an Elder always had to be present to receive them. They take
watch in shifts and since nothing happens, they consider it a vacation.”

The only people living here year-round catered to tourists
and merchants, and if diplomats rarely came, then the Elder on duty wouldn't
have much to do.
Might as well have fun while you wait . . .

“Well, I gotta duel with a non-warrior, so could you wake
him up?” Tej asked the receptionist.

She arched an eyebrow. “Is this duel with an attractive
girl?”

“Oh, no,” Tej replied, “A real ugly guy: four foot three, mangled
face, crooked hands—”

The receptionist laughed. “The elders are not here for your
weird courtship.”

If Tiza heard that . . .

“Come, on please!” Tej leaned over the desk with clasped
hands. “This one already hates me!”

The receptionist ignored him and spoke to Eric instead. “Please
excuse Tej. He's not a normal warrior. His head is in his waist; right between
his stomach and—”

“I get it,” Eric interrupted. He didn't need that image.

The receptionist smiled. “For some reason, he only likes
girls that hate his guts.”

“Does this happen often?” Eric asked. He couldn't help being
curious.

“The duel only happened once,” the receptionist said. “The Elders
forbade anymore after that.”

“Well, he's dueling my teammate, who is the fighter of our
team,” Eric explained. “Her clothes were ruined by a boack.”

“And she can't buy more because of the law . . . All right
Tej, it looks like you have a legitimate reason for once.” Tej smiled despite
the insult. “I'll go see if Elder Akag is awake.”

She vanished up the stairs to his right and returned moments
later with a large snake that wore a baggy and ornamental robe.

“Hello, I am Elder Akag. I apolgissse in advanssse for
anyssing Tej hasss done.”

“Elder, that's not why we're here.” Tej said.

“I know, I know. You need me to watch you ssteal a kisss
from anossser girl.”

“Steal?! I won it fair and square.”

 Akag shook his head and said, “Normally, I would not allow
thisss. It'sss disssgraceful to the Sssand Warrior Sssociety, shhhameful to
Kyraa, and demeaning to the girl in quessstion. However, thisss time you have a
good reasson and ssso I will judge.”

“Thank you, Elder.” Tej said with a bow. “You won't regret
it.”

“I hope not.”

Elder Akag slithered to the east gate of the Stone Pile. If
Eric had any doubt that the Stone Pile had magical air conditioning, it was
incinerated the moment he crossed the threshold.
Anuzat wasn't kidding! This
is much worse than night
.

 The Stone Pile was built on the edge of a crater. It looked
to be made of sand, but was solid as rock under his feet.
This isn't natural,
his inner scholar declared.
Whatever happened here released enough
energy to displace all this sand without any heat. What on earth could do that?

 
At the lowest point, was a shrine. It was simply
made but not like the Stone Pile. This was properly built by fixing identical
stones together with mortar. It was four stories tall and built in the shape of
a throne. Stairs began at the base and led up to the seat with the arms closing
in.

“What's that shrine for?”

“Thissss ssshhhhrine issss dedicated to the Ssssilver
Dragon. Sshhhe ssssaved our village, our people, and the whole desssert from
thosse who sssought to destroy it.”
Silver Dragon . . .She wrote that book,
The
World is My Domain
and founded the dorms I lived in . . .

“Is there anything special at the shrine?”

“What do you mean?”

Eric fidgeted. The sudden shift in the Elder's tone made him
nervous. “A sacred relic or artifact, something important from antiquity?”

“Why do you asssk?” Akag sounded casual; stalking predator casual.

“I-it was c-customary in my world. Places of worship would
have statues or hair or bones or walking stick. I th-thought you might have . .
. I don't know . . . her sweat band or something.”

“Oh, the Sssilver Dragon was gone long before the shhhrine
wassss finished.” Akag said. “We don't have anyssing of herssss.”

Eric shrugged. “All right, just curious.”

The flight of stairs was long and steep, but Akag and Tej
climbed them in one breath. Eric took longer. The space at the top was empty
save for a raised platform in the center and an incense pedestal at the far
end. Nolien, Tiza, and Anuzat were waiting for them.

“Ah, Anusssat, it'sss been a while.”

“Hello, Elder,” the merchant said politely.

“When wasss the lassst time you were here?”

“I was here just last year,” Anuzat replied, “I came with
new dolls for the kids.”

“I meant,
here
here, at the Altar of Rebirthhh.”

“Not for five years.” Anuzat narrowed her eyes, daring him
to go any further.

“That long? My, time doesss fly. Well, we havvvve a duel,
don't we?”

The platform was stone and climbed one foot off the ground.
On top was two feet by two feet of sand. Somehow, it stayed compacted; Eric
suspected nomad air magic. Tiza stomped her way up and stumbled on her hem with
each step.
If she has trouble walking, how's she going to fight?

“Non-warrior Tisssa Sssprial, have you challenged Warrior
Tej Dwssssor?”

“Yes.”

“Warrior Tej Dwssssor, have you accepted?”

“Yes.”

“Thisss isss now an official duel and I, Elder Akag, will
pressside. The combatantsss will now announssse their prizzzesss.”

Tej flashed Tiza a smile. “A kiss from my opponent.”

She glared. “Honorary Warrior Status.”

“Combanantsssss, are you ready?” Tiza drew her sword and
held it before her with both hands. Tej drew both scimitar and crossed them. “The
duel sshhhall now commensssse. It will not end until one of you hassss been
knocked from the ring, issss unable to continue fighting, or givesss up. Begin!”

Tiza rushed and fell flat on her face. The sand did little
to muffle her eloquent opinions of long skirts. She pushed herself up and took
another ready stance. Eric face-palmed, Nolien sighed and Tej's smirk became
smugger. The same thought ran through the minds of all three: This won't take
long.

Tej made the first official move, slicing toward her hands
with his left. She backed up a step and blocked, then ducked as his right
slashed at her head. From her crouch, she swung at Tej's legs. He caught her
sword between both of his and hooked it. With an upward pull, Tiza's sword flew
out of her hands and out of the ring.  

Being disarmed wasn't going to stop Tiza; it wouldn't even
slow her down. She stepped to the outside of Tej's next strike and grabbed his
arm. She pulled downward while simultaneously hooking his leg. Tej rolled with
the sweep and grabbed her arm as he went down.

It was over as far as Eric could see. Tej was hovering over
Tiza and pinning both her hands above her head with one of his own. Tiza
twisted and squirmed but couldn't break free of his grasp. She tried kicking but,
by the way Tej had positioned himself, her legs couldn't reach him. When all
her efforts failed, she lay limp in the sand and turned her head away.

He used his free hand to grab her chin and make her face him
again. “Well, my lovely scorpion, it appears I have won.” He leaned in. “I'll
take my kiss now, if you please.”

Tiza spat a mouthful of sand into his eyes. Tej screamed in
pain and his hand flew to his eyes. Tiza slipped out of his grip, pushed
herself out, and stomped on his back. Sand rushed up his nose, mouth, and ears.
The next thing he felt was warm steel crisscrossing at his neck.

“You were saying?” Tiza taunted.

The duel flashed in Eric's eyes: the fall, the cursing . . .
She planned it!

“I give up,” Tej said. “You win.” Tiza removed the scimitar
and returned them to their owner. “Please forgive me for doubting you, Tiza.
You are indeed a mighty warrior.”

Tiza lapped up his words like a plant to sunshine. “I
would've beat you sooner and without tricks, but with this ridiculous skirt, I
thought it best not to take chances.”

“Really?”

“Of course. If I can beat you in this mini-tent, then I can
beat you without it.”

“You only beat me because of the sand! That wouldn't work a
second time. Rematch!”

“No,” Tiza said firmly. “Not until I get some pants. I'm not
wearing this . . . thing . . . a moment longer than I have to.”
So her hate
of feminine clothing is greater than her warrior pride? Interesting.
“Then
we can have a rematch and I'll beat you into the ground for making me wear
jewelry.”

“Oh, you didn't
have
to wear the necklace and hair
pins.”

“What!?”

“Oh yeah, I just wanted to see you in them.”

Tiza growled and punched him. He caught her punch and
twisted her arm behind her back. Placing his mouth next to her ear, he
whispered, “No sand this time.” She headbutted him, stomped his foot, spun
around, and grabbed his throat with her free hand.

“Warrior Tej Dwssssor, I didn't know there wasss going to be
two
duelssss today.”

“Elder . . .” Tej choked. “What are y—”

 “Why you challenged her, ssshe accssepted, won a sssecond
time, and I wasss here to witnessss it.” Eric smiled with the old snake. “Honorary
Warrior Tizza Ssssprial will now name her prizze.”

That predatory smirk that scared Eric so much appeared on
Tiza's face. She let go of his neck and crossed her arms. “The defeated must
buy me whatever I want at the clothing store.”

“But, Elder . . .!” Tej pleaded.

“No 'butssss,' Tej,” Akag said, “Let thisss be a lessson to
you: sssshow ssssome resssstraint!” Tej bowed his head and allowed Tiza to drag
her new moneybag down the stairs.

“He'll be broke within an hour,” Nolien said.

“He'd better be,” Akag said. “It will teach him not try
ssssomething sssso underhanded again.”

All the way back to the city, Anuzat praised Tiza for her
tactics. Afterward, she scolded Tej for his lack of self-discipline. She looked
happier with the victory than Tiza herself.

Chapter 11
What's
in the Shrine?

Pants and tunic to replace the ones she lost; repairs for
the shield that was damaged and a new one in case it broke again; gauntlets
with retractable spikes; lots and lots of shoes. Before anyone asked, she
justified them: steel toed for fighting, wide feet for walking in the desert,
normal ones for normal walking, etc. No one dared say otherwise. When it was
over, Tej was indeed broke. He held his coin bag upside down and lint fell out.
Serves you right, pervert
.

The Altar of Rebirth was aptly named: a pretty maiden
entered the dressing room and a tough warrior walked out. Manically she threw
the skirt to the floor and stomped on it. Nolien face-palmed.

“Hey, you!” He looked sourly at Tej.

“It's Nolien; Nolien from Heleti.”

“Yeah, yeah, what's Tiza to you?”

Nolien put a hand to his chin. “Hmm . . .how to put it best?
Tiza is my foul-mouthed, dirty nailed, anti-feminine teammate.”

Tej sighed. “Oh, good she's unattached.”

What about me?
Despite his lack of interest, Eric was
still offended at the exclusion. He didn't think the healer was any better
looking and
he
was the battle mage.
A warrior mage in a warrior
society should be the more likely boyfriend.

Nolien raised an eyebrow. “You're
still
courting her?”

“Oh yeah! She's hot and fiery and—”

“Wants to kill you,” Nolien drawled.

“Exactly!”
He thinks that's a good thing?

“I fail to see what is so attractive about a girl that wants
to kill you.”

“The attraction is the guarantee that our relationship will
be passionate.”

“She
hates
you.”

“Of course,” Tej said as if it were obvious. “With a
passion.” Eric's eyes crossed trying to understand that logic. “But I'll have
to find some other way . . .”

Nolien pointed to Team Four's fighter. “You
do
see
what she's doing to that skirt, don't you?” The spikes on her new gauntlets
shredded it to slivers. “That will be you next time.”

Tej grinned. “Oh, I certainly hope so. What would you do?”

Nolien sighed. “Girls like gifts.” He recited it like a
schoolboy.

“But she already spent all my money. How about a free brain
burn antidote?”

“Antidote?”

“I help Grannie make them so I take a few for myself.”

“The healer's your grandmother?” His voice rose an octave
with each word. “And you help her make antidotes?”

“Yeah, since I was little. Wanna watch?”

Eric had never seen Nolien smile before. “Do I?! Let's go!”

“First we need a Purple Poison Hill. They turn out best when
the ingredients are fresh.”

The plains noble and desert warrior walked out of the Stone
Pile, discussing remedies.
Well what do you know? He made a friend.
The
word reminded him of
his
friend. The one in the jar in his pack who died
because Nolien couldn't save him. For just one instant, hatred flared.

Then he remembered that Nolien was busy healing Basilard and
his hate turned to shame.
It's my fault Aio died.
It was his fault Aio
came and his fault for not knowing healing magic. He forgot, in all his self-loathing
that it was his elemental magic that saved all of them.