The Unsuspecting Mage - Brian S. Pratt [88]
“Looks like they’re up there,” he says to Miko who nods. “How many of them were there?”
“I only saw four before the hood was put on me,” replies Miko.
“Let’s hope they didn’t invite any friends along and maybe we can get out of here,” he says as he slowly starts to climb the stairs. Turning back to Miko he says, “Stay down here for a second, I’m going up there and see if I can tell how many we have to deal with.”
Miko nods understandingly and remains by the foot of the steps.
James takes the steps slowly, trying to minimize their creaking by placing his feet as close to the edge of the wooden steps as possible. Cautiously, he makes it to the top where an old, cracked wooden door stands closed. Leaning close to the door, he hears several voices coming from the other side.
“Just how long are we supposed to wait?” one whiney voice asks impatiently.
“We were told to wait and wait is what we’re gonna do!” another voice commandingly tells the first.
“Yeah, stop yer whining Elz,” another adds derisively. “We’re making enough off of this.”
“Alright, alright,” Elz says, “I’ll wait.”
The sound of cards being shuffled comes from the other room. Listening for a while, he determines there are just the three of them playing cards. He then returns back down to where Miko waits and tells him what he overheard.
“I don’t like this James,” Miko says. “If there are three up there, then where’s the fourth and is he the one they’re waiting for?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t want to be here when whomever they are waiting for arrives,” he replies.
“I agree,” Miko says, “we better get out of here fast.”
James returns to the cellar where they had been dumped, and takes a quick inventory but finds little of use, just grains and seeds. The boxes however give him an idea and he pries three small boards off of one that’s broken. Using the trowel again, he sharpens one end of each. It’s not very effective for this sort of thing but it’s all he has. Once the boards are sharpened, he hands the trowel and the hood with the glowing orb still inside, to Miko. Then he carries the sharpened sticks with him as he again climbs to the door at the top of the steps.
He pauses a moment to listen at the door until he again hears the three men talking as they play cards. The door is being kept closed by a sliding bar. Fortunately, the sliding bar has a handle on this side of the door. Taking hold of the handle, he slides it very slowly until the end comes free from the door jamb.
Thinking about what he is about to attempt makes the throbbing in his head worsen. He takes a moment to calm himself, and the throbbing settles back down to a dull ache. Okay James, he says to himself, you can do this. Readying his sticks, he begins formulating the spell he plans to use. Once he has it, he nods to Miko who nods back that he’s ready. One final calming breath, then he kicks the door open.
The slamming of the door against the wall startles the three men, causing them to leap from their seats and turn in surprise to see him framed in the doorway. One begins to draw a sword, the other two, knives.
Not giving the men a chance to react, James takes the three sharpened boards, and as he throws them in their direction, the words of a version of his spear spell issue forth. Magic surges out of him and takes hold of the sticks. With incredible speed and accuracy, they impale each of the three men in the chest. James has a momentary satisfaction of seeing them fall before the pain in his head erupts to a point where it causes him to black out.
As James bursts through the door and casts his spell, Miko follows him into the room. He carries the trowel in one hand as a weapon and holds the hood containing the glowing orb in the other. Movement from