Magician (Riftware Sage Book 1)

The guard obeyed. When he was halfway to the woods, a shout went up from the trees, and green-clad elves and armored dwarves came running forward. Battle chants and cries filled the air. Ichindar looked at the onrushing figures in confusion. Several of his companions drew weapons. A soldier from the Tsurani lines dashed to the pavilion and cried, “Majesty, we are undone. It is a trap!”

 

 

Every Tsurani backed away, swords drawn. Ichindar shouted, “Is this how you treat for peace? Mouthing pledges while you plot treachery?”

 

Lyam didn’t understand his words, but the tone made the meaning clear. He gripped Pug’s arm and said, “Tell him I know nothing of this!”

 

Pug tried to raise his voice over the commotion in the pavilion, but the Tsurani nobles were backing away, surrounding the Light of Heaven, while soldiers were rushing forward from the Tsurani lines to join in protecting Ichindar.

 

Lyam shouted, “Back! Back to our own lines!” as the Tsurani soldiers approached. The Midkemians quickly mounted.

 

Pug heard Ichindar’s voice carrying over the noise: “Treacherous one, you show your true nature. Never will Tsuranuanni deal with those without honor. We will grind your Kingdom into dust!”

 

Sounds of fighting erupted as the elves and dwarves clashed with the Tsurani soldiers. Lyam and the others raced back to their own soldiers, who sat waiting to join the fight. As Lyam reined up, Lord Brucal said, “Shall we advance, Highness?”

 

Lyam shook his head. “I will not be a party to treachery.”

 

He regarded the scene before him. The elves and dwarves were pushing the Tsurani back toward the rift machine. The Emperor and his guards were circling, avoiding the fighting, keeping the thousand honor guards between the attackers and themselves. Runners could be seen disappearing into the rift.

 

A moment later Tsurani soldiers erupted from the rift. They rushed forward to engage the attackers. The collapsing Tsurani line held, then started to push the elves and dwarves back.

 

Arutha moved his horse next to Lyam’s. “Lyam! We must attack. Soon the elves and the dwarves will be overwhelmed. There are ten thousand more Tsurani on the other side of that rift, only a step away. If you ever hope to end this bloody war, we must capture and hold that machine.”

 

Pug forced his own horse to the other side of Lyam’s mount “Lyam!” he shouted. “You must do as Arutha says.”

 

Doubt still held the young Heir. Pug raised his voice even louder “Understand this: for nine years you’ve faced only a part of the might within the Empire, only those soldiers belonging to the clans of the War Party. Until now you had many hidden allies, blocking a major effort against the Kingdom. But now this betrayal has inflamed the one man who can command unquestioned obedience from all the clans of the Empire. Ichindar can order every clan of Tsuranuanni to marshal!

 

“You’ve never faced more than thirty thousand warriors along all fronts. By tomorrow those thirty thousand can be back in this valley. In a week double again that number. Lyam, you have no idea how vast his powers are. Within a year he can send a million men and a thousand magicians against us! You must act!”

 

Lyam sat stiffly, the bitterness of the moment clearly showing in his expression. “Can you aid us?”

 

“I may, should you open a path for me to reach the machine, but I don’t know if I have the ability to shut off the rift. Other powers I have, but even if I overcame my conditioning and could oppose the Empire and I killed every man on this field, it would avail little, for a greater host would still be but a step away.”

 

Lyam gave a curt nod. Slowly he faced Arutha. “Send gallopers to the North and South passes. Call all the Armies of the Kingdom to arms.” Arutha wheeled and shouted the order, and riders sped away toward both passes.

 

Lyam looked back toward Pug. “If you can help, do so, but not until the way is safe. You are the only master of your arts upon this world.” Indicating Laurie, Meecham, and Kulgan, he said, “Keep them from the fighting as well, for they have no part in it. Stay back, and should we fail, use your arts to go to Krondor. Carline and Anita must be taken to the east, to their grand-uncle Caldric, for the West will surely be Tsurani.” He drew his sword and gave the order to advance.

 

The thousand horsemen lumbered forward, a moving wall of steel gaining momentum as officers shouted orders, keeping the columns orderly. Then Lyam signaled the charge, and the lines became ragged as horsemen rushed across the clearing toward the Tsurani. The Tsurani heard the rumbling of cavalry, and many fell back from the elves and dwarves to form a shield wall. Pug, Laurie, Meecham, and Kulgan watched while the Kingdom horsemen collided with it. Horses and men screamed as long spears bent and broke. The shield wall wavered as men died, but others leaped forward to take their places, and the Kingdom host was turned back. Lyam re-formed his troops and charged again, this time breaking through the shields.

 

Pug could see the right side of the Tsurani forces rolled back before the horsemen, but the Emperor himself rallied the balance of his soldiers, and the center of the line held. Even at this distance Pug could see the Tsurani nobles entreating the Emperor to flee.