The Callindra Chronicles Book One - First Quest Read Online Free Page A

tired and
sick to care. “I don’t think I can bear to stoke the fire again.”
Feeling too awful to sleep, she picked up her book and read by the
flickering candle light.
    ‘ In our action last night I
was forced to resort to using magic. I cannot abide by them
usually; I see magery as a refuge for those too weak in body or
tactics to get the job done themselves. In this case, however, I
was made aware that the enemy was deploying mages of their own and
had no recourse.
    ‘ I consulted with my
Lieutenants and we came to the conclusion that if we were going to
employ a magic user, we should use the most powerful and capable
person available to us. As a result, we contacted a group known as
The Order. Their style of magic is more comfortable to us, they
channel the Weave through their weapon which is a unique piece only
they can wield.
    ‘ The mage they sent told me
in no uncertain terms that he would strictly adhere to the laws of
combat, that he would take no part in underhanded tactics and would
end the conflict with as few casualties as possible. If I had a
problem with that, he said he would leave and if I tried to stop
him, he claimed he would best me in single combat without the use
of magic.
    ‘ He gave no name but “Master
of The North Wind” and his weapon of choice is a massive
broadsword, fully eight feet from pommel to point. Unlike many high
ranking individuals I have seen he brought no retinue and traveled
alone. Granted he arrived floating on the wind, not deigning to use
a horse when traveling to a battlefield. He uses that massive blade
for everything. I do not jest when I say he cut and pounded his
tent stakes with it. Perhaps I have more to learn of magic users
than I had first thought.’
    Callindra paused; the candle stub she had lit
was burning low. The story was compelling; she wanted to know what
this so-called Master of The North Wind had employed to solve the
General’s problem. She dug through a drawer and found another
candle, lighting it from the first. Pinching out what was left of
the stub; she fixed the new candle in the holder on the bedside
table and picked up the book once more.
    ‘ The battle is over. We have
no need even to take the field; the Master of The North Wind will
dine in a place of honor at my right hand tonight. I have never
seen anything like it; the man walked alone into the center of the
would-be battlefield, the enemy forces arrayed before him and ours
behind and spoke. He did not raise his voice, yet every man, could
clearly hear his words.’
    “ Hear me now. I am The
Master of The North Wind and I command you to quit this field of
slaughter. Failure to comply with my demand shall result in your
life ending in a swift and yet quite painful manner.”
    ‘ He swung that massive
weapon around his head as though it weighed nothing and slammed it
into the ground. The sky darkened, and thunder could be heard
rumbling above. To a man the enemy took an involuntary step
backward. All but one figure draped in black robes.
    “ I am Dergeras puny
swordsman. Neither your threats, your steel or your mediocre magery
shall be sufficient to remove me from this place.”
    ‘ A deadly calm fell over the
field but a zephyr of wind tickled my ear and I could hear the
Master’s voice as though he stood next to me, “Sound an orderly
retreat. I would not have collateral damage.”
    ‘ What happened next I cannot
describe. The air around the two men came alive with Power. The
forces of the blasts leveled trees and laid waste the meadow where
our armies would have fought. Dergeras faced the Master, hammering
him with bolt after bolt of Power and the Master stood behind the
crosstrees of his sword still driven into the earth and stood his
ground. A whirlwind of dust and dirt obscured our sight of the two
men and the clouds above darkened.
    ‘ While our army had largely
retreated to a ridge our enemy had stayed closer, likely wishing to
have the tactical advantage once the mages had