Free Master Mage by D.W. Jackson Page A

run through them. Though the practice had
been meant to strengthen his skills as well as expand how he
thought and used magic, it still seemed to turn to war. His best
spell was the creation of multiple illusionary swords that would
pass through metal and rend flesh.
    Running across the magical bridge, Thad
quickly reached the top of the all-too-thin wall and peered out
across the fields beyond.
    The army was still a good ways off, but
Thad could still see them clearly even without using his magic. His
best guess would put the force at around two thousand soldiers.
Focusing his magic, Thad extended his view and looked at the army
as if he were standing only a dozen yards away.
    The large group was an army of sorts,
though there was no uniformity between their armor and weapons. The
only thing that the people marching toward the capital seemed to
have in common was their direction. When Thad spied not only Tuck
but Darryl at the head of the formation, he breathed a sigh of
relief.
    “Next time you want to surprise me …
don’t,” Thad told Tuck through his ring.
    “Was it a little too much?” Tuck asked,
laughing.
    Thad couldn’t reprimand his friend as
he had brought an army nearly twice their own with him. That didn’t
mean he couldn’t find a way to get back at his friend
later.
    Using his magical bridge, Thad
descended the wall and started walking briskly toward the advancing
army. Had Tuck found them someplace on his trip back from Abla, or
were they the rumored Katanga? The only way to find out was to
greet them. No matter who they were, Thad would be more than happy
to add them to their forces.
    “Darryl,” Thad said, grinning widely as
the young soldier came into view. The last time Thad had seen
Darryl was back at Southpass Fort. He had been one of Eloen’s
soldiers. He was a thin man the last time Thad had seen him, but
the years had added some weight and a fair amount of muscle to the
man’s body, though he still looked rather gaunt.
    “I heard you were in need of a few
extra blades, so I brought my family along,” Darryl said, clasping
his old friend’s hand firmly.
    “Family. I know I needed soldiers, but
I don’t think the world, let alone Farlan, can take more than one
of you,” Thad replied jokingly. “Where did you find all of these
soldiers?”
    “Queen Eloen said you might want to
hire the Katanga, so I talked to my family and explained my own
debt of blood that I owe you, and they consented to hear your
terms. When I told them that you were fighting against Rane, even
one of the nine elders of the clan agreed to come and
listen.”
    “Then let us get everyone inside. I
don’t know if we have enough rooms to house everyone, but I don’t
care. If I have to make the people open up their homes, we will
find warm places for you to sleep,” Thad said adamantly.
    “That would be a nice gesture, but
unneeded. The Katanga are a nomadic people to their core. If
offered, they would still prefer to sleep outside the confining
walls of a city.”
    When they were less than two hundred
yards from the city walls, the majority of the army stopped and
started setting up camp, while Thad led a few designated leaders to
meet with the queen and the rest of the advisors.
    While they waited for the queen and the
others to prepare themselves, Thad waited with the Katanga, passing
the time talking with his old friend.
    “I haven’t had much time to talk with
Eloen,” Thad said as he sifted for words. “What all happened after
I was captured?”
    Darryl laughed lightly and shook his
head. “That is a long story.”
    “Have you ever known a woman, much less
a queen, to get ready in a hurry? I am sure we have plenty of
time.”
    “I see your wit, as well as your
tongue, has only sharpened with age,” Darryl said, giving Thad a
smirk. “Very well, I shall give you the short version of what
transpired after you decided to take a stroll with those Ablaian
soldiers.”
    “You make it sound as if I left