Free Light in the Barren Lands: Travail of The Dark Mage Book One by Brian S. Pratt Page B

and hair soon permeated the forest.
    But then, James felt a shift in the grid. Spheres were disappearing and the remaining soldiers were able to flee into the forest.
    “Aren’t you going to finish them?” asked Jiron.
    “ I’m not doing this,” replied James. A sudden shiver ran through him and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as the rest of the spheres abruptly vanished from sight. Removing one of the powered crystals from his slug belt, he slowly made his way back onto the trail.
    It was deserted. No enemy soldiers were in sight. Moving to the middle, he peered down its quiet and still length toward the dock.
    Ping!
    A protective shield sprang to life around him, followed instantly by a crossbow bolt being deflected from off its surface. A lifesaving measure, whenever the crystals in his slug belt detected an incoming projectile, they deployed the shield automatically. After a period of five seconds passes with no further projectiles, the shield would deactivate and the crystals would revert to dormancy until another threat manifested.
    “Stay back,” he warned his friend as he sought the source of the bolt. As his eyes searched the trees, he very carefully sent his senses out to check on the island’s grid. Everything appeared to be functioning properly.
    “I think the mage may be off the beach.” Glancing over to Jiron, he could see the concern in his eyes. Concern not so much for himself, but for the wife and daughter left behind at the manor.
    Jiron remained sheltered behind the bole of a tree as he too sought the presence of the enemy. “Are they coming this way?” he asked.
    “Not sure,” James replied. Realizing he had to know despite the possible risk, he sent his senses forward into the trees. Lasting only a fraction of a second in the hopes of escaping the notice, and retaliation of, the enemy mage, he found the enemy gathered near the trail just out of sight.
    “They are holding their position.” Pointing down the trail, he added, “There.”
    Ping!
    Another crossbow bolt was deflected by the sudden appearance of the shield. Yet, a split-second later, the shield was struck by a massive power surge. So strong was the attack that it collapsed the shield and shattered the crystal that powered it. Had the energy for the shield been coming from James, it would have been he, and not the crystal, who would have cracked under the blow.
    James staggered backward out of reflex just as another shield sprang into being in response from another crossbow bolt. Ping! And again, a massive power surge brought down the shield and shattered the crystal powering it.
    This time James reacted fast. Turning about, he dodged back to join Jiron behind the tree.
    “What happened?” his friend asked.
    Not answering right away, James brought his hand to where the three crystals sat in his slug belt. Of one there was naught left but a fine powder, while a second crystal pouch held nothing but shards. The third, thankfully, was still intact and glowed with power.
    “He’s targeting my magic.”
    “ Your magic?”
    James nodded. “If I do anything, I risk retaliation.” Moving his gaze from the trees to his friend, he added, “And this guy is strong.”
    “I thought all the powerful mages were destroyed in the battle five years ago.”
    “So did I.”
    Motion caught out of the corner of his eye drew his attention back to the trail. Soldiers were making their way slowly toward them. The first line was composed of five crossbowmen with over a score of men-at-arms following close.
    “If not for that mage this would be over already,” stated James. Thinking fast, he recalled an idea he had toyed with a year or so ago. Within his workshop was the result of that idea, and though he had never tested it, he hoped that it might prove useful now. “Think we can draw them to my workshop?”
    “If you head there,” replied Jiron, “they’re going to follow. I doubt if they’ll rest until you are