Hump forced himself to work, as much as his body ached and his mind screamed at him to rest. He didn’t want to be here anymore. He didn’t want to smell the blood or the rot, or see the dead kobolds, or the men that had been hung from the roof to bleed. He was sick of it all. But the job wasn’t done. And that’s what this was—his job. He was a hedge wizard now, not an apprentice, not a child. He had a living to make, monsters to kill, and people that were counting on him. That meant he needed to be thinking straight.

They’d been given a large pouch full of hard biscuits and an extra flask of water at the forward fortification, and now he handed it out to the villagers. It wasn’t much, these people needed more than a bite to eat, but at least it was something to keep them going.

Working with an elderly man that had taken charge of the group, Bud had everyone ready to leave within minutes. There was no time for them to sit around and rest. Kobold reinforcements would arrive before long, and considering the condition of the villagers Hump was certain they weren’t going to outrun anyone, let alone another couple of salamanders.

They made it through the trap infested area outside the kobold den without injury, which was a small miracle on its own. Vamir left them once they reached the cavern wall, leaving Bud to take the lead while he left to collect the heartstones from the kobolds and scaledbrutes they’d slain.

By the time they reached the tunnel they’d first entered the grove from, Hump’s head was pounding. His potion of Second Life was wearing off, so he was feeling a concoction of mild concussion coupled with the chills from essence overuse.

He may have used a tad too much magic in that last blast.

He’d been foolish. He couldn’t lose to his emotions like that, not if he wanted to stay alive. Fortunately, this time he’d suffered little more than a bump to the head. It was hard not to count the day as a success. The villagers were free, Bud had powered up, and Vamir would no doubt be returning with a good amount of loot.

All things considered, it could have been worse.

Bud took the lead in the tunnels. The knight fit the role like a well-tailored suit of armour. He held the potion of Crystal Light Hump had given him overhead and appeared like a beacon in the shadow of the tunnel. It wrapped around him like a cloak of holy light. When he spoke, the villagers watched and listened in awe, hanging on his every word, as if Kelisia herself spoke through him. Following from the back, even Hump was starting to believe it. Perhaps it was more than simple coincidence that they had met, and Kelisia had a plan for them both.

Isn’t that just terrifying, Hump thought. Whatever plans a god had for a wizard, he was quite sure he didn’t want to be a part of them.

“Boo,” a voice came from behind Hump.

Hump leapt out of his skin, stumbling into the wall as he tried to turn around and bring his staff to bear. He gathered his will, his staff shining with blue light. Across from him, Celaine whirled around, dagger already in hand.

Vamir’s grinning face stared at them.

Hump let out a relieved laugh. There had been no sound, no light. Vamir might as well have manifested from the shadows to scare the shit out of them. “That wasn’t funny. I almost blasted you.”

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Celaine snarled, not holding back even a little.

Vamir placed his palm on his chest and looked at her innocently. “Whatever do you mean?”

Celaine scowled at him. “How was it?”

“No trouble,” Vamir said. “But we should keep moving. I heard kobolds in the grove. They’ve probably already realised what happened, though I don’t imagine they will have the numbers to chase.”

Celaine led the way for their trio. “Let’s hope not. I’m not sure we can go any faster.”

“And the heartstones?” Hump asked.

Vamir took a pouch off his belt and pulled open the draw string. When Hump peeked inside, for a moment he forgot the pain and exhaustion. All he had eyes for were the little thumb sized gems of joy. They shimmered up at him like the most beautiful rubies, glowing from within. Each one of those was worth a silver coin on its own, and Kassius was doubling that as a reward for each kobold slain.

“How many?” Hump asked.

“Thirteen kobolds,” Vamir said. “And the two cores of the scaledbrutes. Not bad for a day’s work.”

“Not bad at all,” Hump said. If they waited until they were away from the dungeon, the scaledbrute heartstones would probably fetch six silver each. Once it was divided up he’d have ten silver. He blinked. That was good money. He could survive a winter on that easily, at a good inn too.

Vamir closed the pouch and returned it to his belt, and Hump watched it longingly.

“Your eyes are creepy,” Celaine said.

Hump glared at her. “I’m just glad to see our efforts have been rewarded.”

She shrugged. “It’s just money.”

“The three words of somebody that has never been broke,” Hump said. “Everything starts with money. Food, spells, equipment. Try and spend a winter under the hedges and tell me that again.”

Celaine paused. “You really sleep in hedges?”

Hump frowned at her. “That’s what you take away from this?”

Her eyes gleamed. “So do you?”

Hump sighed. “Occasionally.”

“Huh. That explains a lot.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

She smiled at him innocently. “Nothing,” she said, picking up her pace and moving up the line of villagers. “I’m going to catch up with Bud and make sure he’s doing okay.”

Hump watched her go. “Nothing my arse,” he grumbled under his breath. He turned to Vamir. “Did she learn this from you?”

Vamir snorted. “Hardly. She’s a natural talent. Count yourself lucky she’s letting you off easy.”

“It doesn’t feel easy.”

“This is nothing,” Vamir said. “We passed through the lands of Yore on the way here. Lord Yorevish’s son took a bit too much of a liking to her, and she boxed his head in before half the court. They’ll be calling him Lackluster for the rest of his life.”

Hump snorted. “Noble prick probably deserved it.”

Gerard was waiting for them with a grim face when they arrived back at the forward fortification. Hump only needed a moment to realise why. A dozen wounded lay on makeshift beds, the medical team unable to cope with the numbers. Kassius’ party had yet to return, but his eyes found Meera immediately. She was on one of the beds, her thigh completely coated in blood. Her armour had been crushed, piercing into the flesh where it still hadn’t been removed. She lay there with her eyes closed, one hand pressed to her head, the other held by a man of her party. Every one of her party carried some sort of scar, and one was missing.

The wounded lay groaning and wailing. There was blood everywhere. It stained their rag clothing in patterns of deep red flowers.

“What happened?” Vamir asked.

Around them, the other villagers hurried forward into the camp, searching for familiar faces.

“They were caught on their way out,” Gerard said. “There was a big fight. Even the villagers were part of it. Meera bought them time to retreat to us, but she suffered for it.”

“Emirai’s mercy,” Bud said. “Where’s Kassius?”

“No news,” Gerard said. He sighed, looking over the wounded with the hard eyes of a man that had seen it a hundred times before. “Still, there’s more than I’d hoped for. With your lot it makes thirty-four. Hopefully, Kassius finds similar success.”

“They might have run into trouble,” Bud said. “We should go look for them and see if we can help.”

“It’s still early,” Vamir said. “Get some food and rest. There’s no use getting us killed looking for them in kobold infested tunnels.”

“But if there’s a chance we can help, we should,” Bud said.

“If the rest of us made it, I can’t see him failing,” Hump said. “Not with Rathlar’s Paladin with him. I’m exhausted, Bud. I need to eat and get back some of my strength. If he’s not back soon, we’ll reconsider. Right?” He glanced at Vamir.

Vamir nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

“Okay then,” Bud said. He clenched his jaw. “It’s hard to sit around and do nothing.”

“Hard, but important,” Hump said. “Take the moment of rest while it's here. If you don’t, when the fighting starts, you won’t be ready for it.”

He felt his spellbook shake at his hip, calling for him to look inside, but there were more important things to see to first. While Celaine sought out a medic for her shoulder, Hump found himself some bread and cheese and took a seat in a quiet spot against the outer fortification wall. He could still hear the wounded behind him, but at least a part of him could pretend they weren’t there. He peered into the tunnel ahead of him, as he scarfed down his food, with each bite feeling a part of his strength renewed. The cold retreated. The pain in his muscles dulled to an unpleasant throb, leaving only his pounding head for a real bother.

Only once he had finished his meal did he open the Book of Infinite Pages. This time, the centre page displayed Bud’s Heart of Frostfire. It was a perfect recording, as if the book had taken the image straight out of his mind. Even on the pages he could see essence shimmer through the lines, flowing just as it had when Kelisia herself had commanded them. Four runes that possessed so much power, yet Hump didn’t understand a single one. But it was a start. Runes could be replicated, and if he could find a way to use essence like Kelisia’s, perhaps he could unlock what it was that gave the blessing its power.

He flipped through the pages, checking on his other spells, stopping only when he noticed a new addition to the notes on Rockshot.

Spellbook

Rockshot

Description: Send stone hurtling at your target.

Classification: Battle Magic

School: Alteration and Evocation

Spell Tier: 2

Ability Rank:

1 – The ability to combine the effects of two spells to produce a powerful attack.

2 – Infuse more of your essence into stone, gaining the ability to manipulate greater weights and cause it to break apart mid-flight.

Notes:

A simple combination of two spells but one of devastating effect. This is a highly versatile spell well suited to any wizard with an affinity with earth. Find yourself a pouch full of stones and you will always have ammunition at hand.

Huh, Hump thought. I’ve ranked up.

The old man had always told him that it was during the moments of life and death that one developed the fastest. A combination of instinct, emotion, and need brought about the greatest improvements in one’s focus and intent. That last part though must have been referring to when the essence elixir had made his essence more chaotic. He’d need to do some testing once he’d recovered.

For now, he tried to unwind. He’d used much of his power in the fight, and it had left him strained. He needed to loosen up and let his core relax, so he channelled transform earth. The gentle shaping activity would ease essence through the channels of his body, helping to fill the parts of him now infused with the cold of essence overuse.

He breathed deeply, taking in the essence of the world around him. It spread out from his core like a warm breeze, and he began to channel. It took only a trickle of power for the exercise. He willed two nearby pebbles to roll across the ground toward him. As they neared, he brought them up into the air to rest above his left hand, suspended by twin tendrils of bronze light that connected them to him. With a thought, he began to roll the stones around each other. He felt a cold burn inside of him, but it was pleasant, like stretching an aching muscle. Essence filled each of his breaths, each time he felt a little of the chill within diminish.

He focused on that sensation, and the stones above his hands; the gentle scraping sound of them rolling over each other. His worries left him, his fear was gone, and he focused only on the power inside of him. The stones began to speed up, faster and faster, until it was beyond anything he’d managed before. They obeyed his command as easily as if he were moving them with his own fingers. His conviction was firm, and it was clear his control had improved.

“What are you doing?” Bud asked, taking a seat beside him. He held an uneaten piece of bread and cheese in his hands.

Hump let the stones fall, catching them in his hand. “It’s a shaping exercise. Just something to help me relax. My master used to have me practice every morning, but I’ve been slacking since we came here. Now seemed like as good a time as any.”

Bud grunted his agreement and stared blankly at the tunnel ahead.

“You alright?” Hump asked.

He paused, then nodded. “Yeah. It’s just... Is it always like this?”

Hump thought for a moment, putting his spellbook to the side. “This is the worst I’ve seen. The dungeons the old man went to were usually further away from villages, and I never saw the worst of it. I didn’t have a staff, so it was often too dangerous for me to go with him.”

“What brought you back here?” Bud asked.

“Hedge wizards follow the coin,” Hump said, “and their apprentices follow them. It was just some stupid quest. Lord Hoffner’s alchemist needed some ingredients that could only be found in a troll cave. It took a wizard to harvest them. It all went swimmingly, the old man and I didn’t have to lift a finger in the fighting, and then on our way back we heard about the dungeon opening and it all fit together like clockwork. Just a shame a goblin shot the old man on the way here.”

“Fate is a cold mistress,” Bud said.

Hump shrugged. “He lived long enough for his hair to turn grey. Most dungeoneers count themselves lucky once that happens.”

“Do you never want to settle down somewhere?” Bud asked.

“This is all I know,” Hump said. “A man’s got to eat, and for that he needs to work. What about you? What brings a young lord like yourself away from their luxurious artefacts and castles?”

Bud sighed. “My mother died.”

“Oh…” Hump paused. “Shit, I’m sorry.”

“It is as the gods willed it,” Bud said. He fiddled with the medallion around his neck, twirling the silver flame between his thumb and forefinger. “She gave me this before she died. For good luck, she said, but I think she’d have been better off keeping it for herself. She’d been sick for a while, but now that spring was on the way the priests said that she would recover. It took her that very night. Not a day later my father announced my engagement and I… I just flipped. I snuck into the old armoury, took what equipment I could, and left.” He raised his arms, making his chainmail chink, looking even glummer than his armour. “That’s why I’m all rusty.”

“Gods, that’s horrible,” Hump said. He’d suspected there was more to the story than Bud had said. Nothing as bad as this, but something.

Hump nudged him lightly with an elbow. “Hey now. It’s not the armour that makes the knight, isn’t that what you told me? What you’ve done today would have made your mother proud.”

Bud smiled and nodded. “Thanks.”

Hump took up his flask and held it up. “To those that have passed beyond the veil. May they rest well.”

Bud raised his own. “May they rest well.”

They both drank. It was only water, sour and stale from sitting in a barrel for far too long. Though it was as good a toast as they could manage.

Hump gasped and smacked his lips. “But man, your dad’s an arsehole. There’s a time and a place. What’s his problem?”

“You know something?” Bud said. “I’ve been asking myself that for a long time.”

A little over two hours had passed when a messenger arrived from the frontline. He was a skinny man, barely out of breath despite arriving at a sprint. Overseer Oswald had called for them to retire for the day.

“Kassius hasn’t returned yet,” Bud said.

They were gathered at the end of the chamber, out of the way of the villagers and medics preparing to return to the surface. Meera stumbled over to them, supported by two of her party members.

“Orders are orders,” Gerard said. “Without the support of the frontline, I can’t risk sending my men in there.”

“Mine are done.” Meera said. “Even if I could still use my leg, my party is in no state to continue on. I won’t lose another. We’ll escort the villagers back to the surface.”

Hump couldn’t blame her. He didn’t feel much like diving into the pit again. He’d been lucky twice now; a third time might be pushing it. Though Kassius deserved more than to be abandoned in a dungeon. Thanks to him convincing Oswald to act, thirty-four villagers were free of the dungeon.

“We’ll go,” Vamir said. Everyone looked at him. “Someone’s got to make sure they get back okay, don’t you think?”

“Agreed,” Bud said. “I’ll come.”

Hump paused. As much as he wanted to call it a day, he couldn’t just leave. He’d come to like his small party and saving Kassius would cement him a spot as one of his wizards. It was a risk, but one he felt he had to take. More than that, it felt like the right thing to do. Gods, Bud was a bad influence.

“And me,” Hump said.

They all looked at Celaine who rolled her eyes. “Well, it’s not like I can ditch him. I’m stuck with him.”

“Perfect,” Vamir said. “Gerard, can I trust you to hold the fortification. Give us a couple of hours to return, if we don’t, do as you will.”

Gerard paused. “Two hours. We can do that.”

“I’ll have reinforcements sent,” Meera said. “Even if I have to speak to Oswald personally. I wish there was more that I could do, but I’m reaching my limits as is.”

“You’ve done enough already,” Vamir said. “Get yourself treated and tend to your party. The villagers will need someone to show them the way back too.”

Meera nodded to him gratefully. “Then I wish you luck.”

“Do you need anything else?” Gerard asked.

Vamir scratched his chin. “See if you can keep back a couple of those medics too.” He turned to the rest of them. “You don’t have to follow me on this. I can find them just as easily alone. And if a fight’s gone wrong, we’ll be too late anyway.”

Gerard nodded. “Understood.”

“Wonderful,” Vamir said. He looked across the rest of them. “Then once more into the deeps.”