The Unsuspecting Mage - Brian S. Pratt [24]
Fire that’s hot
“Hey, the boss said no talking.”
Ignoring him, James continues,
Fire that’s bright,
The guard takes a step toward him. “I said to shut up or I’ll shut you up.”
Send balls of flame
“Ok, you asked for it” Taking two more step, the guard reaches his side, and prepares to kick him in the head.
Before the guard can complete the maneuver, James looks him in the eye and shouts:
To burn outlaws this night!
At the final utterance of the spell, magic streams from him as flaming balls erupt from the fire. The outlaws have only a moment to realize their danger. One such fiery projectile nearly singes James’ hair as it slams into the man standing before him. The resultant explosion knocks the outlaw back and showers James and Ceryn with sparks. Similar bursts flare throughout the area.
The spell uses far too much of his unreplenished reserves, draining what strength he has and causes him to black out. Ceryn sees James pass out but can’t take the time to determine if he’s okay.
Screams of pain and confusion fill the night air. Rolling to the side, Ceryn kicks out with his foot and brings a guard whose clothes are afire to the ground. He deftly avoids the flames as he takes possession of the guard’s sword. Upending it, he plunges it through the man’s chest, pinning him to the ground.
Quickly getting to his feet, he places a foot upon the dead outlaw’s chest and pulls the sword free. A nearby guard cries out as his hair ignites and goes up in flames. Moving toward him, Ceryn strikes out with his sword and the outlaw’s head goes flying. The head hits the ground and rolls like a flaming ball until coming to a sizzling stop.
Another outlaw lies smoldering on the ground. Still another races through the forest, a pillar of flame in the darkness. The man’s screams echo through the night. Scanning the area for who may have escaped James’ flaming attack; Ceryn finds no sign of the leader. Counting those taken out by the fireballs, he realizes two of the leader’s henchmen remain unaccounted.
Returning to James, he finds him still breathing but is unable to rouse him. Using one hand, he grabs his shirt and drags him toward the cabin. In his other, he retains the bloody sword which has already taken out two of the outlaws. He doesn’t get far before the man with the tattoo appears from the direction of the river. Behind him walk the remaining two outlaws, only one seeming to have emerged from the attack unscathed.
“Ceryn,” the tattooed man shouts, “I’m going to gut you and let the animals eat your entrails while you’re still alive to enjoy it. And then I’ll cut the heart out of that demon damned mage.” Covered in burns, clothing charred nearly beyond recognition, he makes a frightening sight. The tattooed man comes for Ceryn while the other two move to flank him.
Knowing they’ll follow him and ignore James as long as he’s unconscious, Ceryn leaves him on the ground and approaches the outlaws with sword at the ready. Three to one would be bad odds in a normal situation but after what James had done to them, the outlaws will be slowed by the pain.
Ceryn feints at the one on the right; out of the corner of his eye he sees the one on the left coming in to his exposed flank. When the one on the left slices toward Ceryns’ head, Ceryn drops to the ground and rolls toward him, striking a serious blow to the outlaw’s thigh, opening an artery. The Warden leaps back to his feet as the outlaw gives out with a cry and drops to the ground.
The leader comes in with a swift thrust aimed at Ceryn’s chest which is deftly blocked, then is forced to jump back when Ceryn counter attacks with a slice to the leader’s leg. Unable to avoid, Ceryn’s sword opens up a shallow cut on his upper thigh.
Seeing an opening created by Ceryn’s attack on the leader, the remaining henchman leaps in and thrusts. Ceryn twists just in time and manages to receive only a small cut along his shoulder. Ignoring the pain,