Free Sovereign Stone by David Wells Page B

“I have not mentored an apprentice through the mana fast in eleven years, yet I have a dozen men ready for the trials.”
    Mage Landi spoke cautiously, “Perhaps you should consider taking the mage’s fast. I realize it would consume all seven vials, but an arch mage may serve our cause better than seven novices.”
    Kelvin shook his head. “I briefly considered that. Without an arch mage to act as my mentor, I would risk death. And my services, such as they are, are needed. Seven new wizards will be of greater value in the long run anyway.”
    Both of the mages looked to Alexander. “Mage Gamaliel, I trust your judgment. Do what you think is best.”
    “I’ll send word for the apprentices as soon as we eliminate the threat of the scourgling,” Kelvin said. “For now, we should make plans to collect all of the dragon scales and have them brought to the workshops. I can use them to make powerful armor and weapons for the soldiers of our army.”

 
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 8
     
     
     
     
     
    The next six days were spent working.
    They found five levels in the dragon’s aerie, each with room for a hundred dragons to make their home. There were also human barracks on each level, presumably for quartering handlers or possibly even dragon riders. A dozen Rangers set up a small outpost at the aerie and worked tirelessly in search of scales and teeth. They found a route that could accommodate horses and they cobbled together a small cart to haul the scales back to the workshops in the Hall of Magic.
    Lucky spent the majority of his time preparing potions for the journey to the Pinnacles. He found a number of important ingredients that were still viable sealed in magically preserved containers. With the abundant glassware of his new workshop, he was able to keep a dozen potions cooking at a time. When Alexander poked his head in on him, Lucky was happily working away at one project or another. He had even set up one of his tables as a small kitchen and always seemed to have a pot of something to eat simmering over a burner.
    Alexander spent some time studying the Keep Master’s book and made a number of important discoveries about Blackstone Keep. The shields protecting it also served to prevent enemies from using spells like clairvoyance to view inside the Keep or to enter the Keep through magical means. The bridge platform was the closest they could get.
    He also discovered that the Keep had a number of platforms that were meant to serve as wizard-powered weapons positions. They tapped into a wizard’s connection with the firmament, expanding the link while shielding the wizard’s mind from the temptation of limitless creation, then assisted him in vividly visualizing a powerful magical attack that could reach to the plains below.
    There were two such positions near the bridge platform and three more, one each on the north, south, and east points of the Keep. Alexander went to one of the west positions overlooking the bridge platform with Kelvin and attempted to activate the weapon but discovered that he needed to establish a conscious connection with the firmament in order to make it work. He could only touch the firmament during deep meditation—but Kelvin had no trouble making it work.
    The platform was a simple half-circle balcony that jutted out from the wall of the Keep and looked down on the bridge platform and the plains. The balcony was bordered by a low wall with a pillar in the center extending a foot above the height of the wall.
    Kelvin placed a hand on each handprint carved into the top of the wall to either side of the small pillar and established a connection with the firmament. Moments later a burst of white-hot magical fire sprang forth from the top stone of the pillar and stabbed down toward the scourgling. It hit the beast full in the chest, knocked it over backward in a somersault, and sent it tumbling across the platform. Alexander was elated with the power of the weapon but dismayed when