Fan Fiction ❯ Summoner ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4

 

 

The next few weeks for Nix and Carver were hectic, with the pair put through basic training that involved a lot of physical training and weapons practice. Carver fast became one of the encampments' best dual sword wielders. Nix fared less well. His combat training often left him at the back of the class. However, his light figure did make him an excellent choice for intrusion and espionage. Carver was given a pair of weapons after one month; curved, one-handed blades with perfectly weighted hilts. Curiously, Nix wasn't presented with any weapons.

 

It was on this evening that Carver and Nix were shown into the great library. A huge chamber lined with bookshelves and slots of countless scrolls to be stored in opened out before them, many levels full of dark wooden tables to read at. Across the domed ceiling were countless mosaics, this time depicting more than Raine's finest hour, instead showing the golden age of men. In the centre was a huge fountain blasting water 20 meters into the air. Around the bottom was a large cleared area lined with what Nix could only guess was ice, and at the far end of the chamber one wall wasn't stone or coated in bookshelves, but instead was bare ice with a large tunnel carved into it. Above the tunnel was Raine's emblem.

 

Nikolai grinned proudly at the agape expressions; he was going to enjoy the next part.

“Nix, there is something you must know. You have a gift, but it is not a special affinity with elemental magic, yours is something so much greater and much more rare. Your gift lies with the spirits. We wish to train you to utilise this rare gift, if you want to.” Nikolai's voice carried a hint of nervousness. Fillip brushed past Nix, his exotic scent filling the young human's nostrils.

 

“How do you know?” He asked eventually.

 

“Those trained as Mages can recognise the flow of power through a being, and both Fillip and myself can see that even now the sheer energy pouring through your spirit is immense, more so than we've ever seen. Nix, you're a direct descendant of Invictus, the High Summoner. It is in your very blood to be a summoner.”

 

Nix sat down heavily onto the polished marble floor. “He needs time for this to sink in.” Carver stated firmly to the two Magic-workers, and they took the hint. Carver didn't try to intrude, leaving Nix to his thoughts.

 

“You know, it makes sense. I was adopted, and it certainly explains that time with the Dire Hounds.”

 

Carver nodded

 

“So you going to let them train you?” He asked mildly, as if they were discussing dinner.

 

“Yeah. At least that way I'll be able to keep up with you when we hand it to the elves.”

 

Carver chuckled and cuffed the shorter man upside the head. The next month consisted of Carver being taught the art of war, and Nix being taught the art of Water-bending in the large arena at the centre of the Great Library. Nikolai was an able teacher, and within a fortnight the young human had learned all of the basics to water-working - a process that took years usually. By the end of the month, Nix was already surpassing most water-workers at the recluse when that fateful evening came.

 

 

 

There was a muffled explosion and some plaster from the ceiling drifted down. All conversation in the great hall stopped, and Nix looked quizzically to Nikolai. The elder human had paused and a large sphere was left floating directly above him.

 

“Master Nikolai?” he queried.

 

Captain Grody then burst in and shouted “Elf Attack!” There was a moment of utter silence in the great hall, and a second explosion urged them into motion.

 

“Captain Grody! Hold them off long enough for us to evacuate as much as we can into the glacier. 1st and 2nd level adepts, go to my chambers. In my desk there will be a list of the most precious items in here. Get those items and take them down to the glacier. All non-combatants go down and get the boat ready.”

 

The personnel rushed off to their assigned tasks, but Nikolai stopped Nix. “Where are you going?”

 

“To fight! We need to buy time so we can save some of the treasures!”

 

“You are a treasure far more valuable than anything else in this retreat. Here, take this.” He took off a metallic blue armlet and placed it on Nix's right arm.

 

“This was Raines'. It is said to amplify the power of any water-working the wielder does, I also hope it will give you more of a like to Raines' Spirit, I know one day you'll need it.”

 

“What about Carver?”

 

“His place is with the troops.”

 

“But-“

 

“No buts; go.”

 

Nix lowered his gaze and nodded, then turned and followed the other non-combatants into the tunnel entrance. He waited by the entrance nervously, watching as the Water Master knelt in the centre of the grand arena and closed his eyes, meditating. Nix snuck back into the chamber, skirted the edge of the room, and headed back to the upper levels. He wasn't going to leave without Carver.

 

 

 

There were a flurry of cross-bow bolts most soaked up by shields or batted away by the more able swordsmen with their weapons, and then the Elves were through the breach. Carver's double swords worked as one weapon cleaving their way through the wooden staffs and light elf leather armour, cutting the taller race apart.

 

There was a momentary stall in the attack, and Carver was dimly aware that he was the only human left standing. The other elves backed to around the perimeter and two short, black-cloaked figures entered. Their hoods were up and the tattered robes seemed to constantly morph and re-materialise. There was a sound of metal striking bone, and a short, silver axe appeared in their hands. The weapon was even worse than the wielders, with it not coming properly into `focus', giving the viewer a headache trying to separate the different serrations and markings on the axe-head.

 

With a shrill, piercing inhuman scream the pair moved in on Carver, who grimly waded in. It was almost balletic, he danced above and below their attacks, spinning, twisting, weaving bobbing and feinting, always playing the defensive in a dazzling display of a natural talent with the weapons of choice. He must have scored half a dozen hits on each of them by the end of the exchange, but each time his weapon came near to scoring body-hits, the cloaks shimmered, a small cloud of black fog misted over the affected area and the creatures carried on.

 

Carver's attacks changed, and his onslaught began. With his own vicious assault he cut cleanly through the area of cloth where the wrist would be on each of the creatures, and the two axes fell to the floor with an eerily distant-sounding clatter. There was a mass-inhalation of breath and the elves momentarily lost control

 

In unison, the two cloaked creatures jumped at Carver, their true beings revealing themselves from under the cloaks in the form of disgusting eyeless faces, pallid greyish white skin and feral claws. All of which were set upon Carver's form, gnashing their pointed yellow teeth and scoring deep cuts into his flesh. He yelled out in surprise and fell to his back, unable to stop the brute ferocity of his attack.

 

Nix burst into the antechamber and immediately recognised Carver's screams as those of his best friend. Time seemed to slow for the Mage; his eyes glowed bright silver, his entire being seemed to partially phase from this plane, and from his form burst a giant brown bear. The huge creature was at least 5 meters tall and coated in a glossy brown fur. His massive paws easily swatted away the two cloaked beings with such power that the cracks of broken endo-skeleton were clearly audible even over the beasts' cries. Crossbow bolts rained down onto it from the Petrified Elf bowmen, but they may as well have been firing water at it, such was the wasted energy. The bear gave another giant bellow and waded into the melee, swinging its huge paws and it's claws as long as a human forearm to cleave its way through the ranks.

 

Carver's mutilated form was momentarily clear of opposition, and the mighty creature lowered its head, licking the mortal wounds and leaving unblemished skin in its wake. As a last act, the bear's eyes watered onto Carver's face. His whole body seemed to glow momentarily, and with a shudder he sucked in a breath once more.

 

The bear turned towards Nix and said in a whisper “Run!”

 

Then it all went straight to hell.

 

A tall, gaunt figure stalked in wielding a long, curved thin sword with a blade at least 8 feet long. He was dressed in a sleeveless black tunic and trousers of the same material. His hair was long, spiked up vertically and his eyes were solid black - a stark comparison to the pallid chalky white skin.

 

He glanced over the scene and seemed utterly unfazed by the huge furred creature sitting almost on top of a comatose human and a host of slain elves and men scattering the place. Closing his eyes, he brought the great sword to his lips and kissed it ever so gently. For the moment that his lips were in direct contact with the blade, a series of runes glowed bright blue from the blade. Translate they read “Masamune”.

 

His eyes flickered open, and with a single swipe, cut through the bear. Strangely though, the blade scythed through only air, coming out from the other side as if the giant creature wasn't there. With a final roar of defiance, the mighty being shimmered and shrank down, until its silhouette covered only Carver, and then was gone.

 

The monochrome figure advanced steadily on Nix, wielding the large blade with surprising dexterity, even with its overly large size. The Water-worker raised a shaky hand and four of the blue inlaid glowing orbs reverted back to their original state of water, stretched out towards the larger being and instantly hardened to ice, sending cold shards at him. Masamune was a blur, dancing about the figure like a brittle tail. It caught every last bolt and slashed at Nix, cutting a deep line into his right shoulder.

 

He cried out in pain and fell back on his haunches, his undamaged hand again whipping water from one of the blue orbs, this time using it as a battering weapon without freezing it first. The gaunt, sallow-faced being didn't even blink as the water smashed into his back, barely making him stumble.

 

Masamune was raised high into the air, but before it could strike Nix down, a blinding light flashed from behind the fallen boy and smashed solidly into the white-skinned being, driving him back a few paces. Fellip appeared next to Nix and helped him up, glaring at the sword-wielder.

 

“I can only stun him momentarily, we have to flee. Now!”

 

“But Carver!”

 

“I'll come back for him, but I need to get you out first!”

 

Nix allowed himself to be helped out and while the taller being was still trying to get his sight back; the avian rushed him down the various corridors, muttered a spell that temporarily unlocked the main doors into the great library, and then re-sealed them.

 

Only to have them blast open again. Fellip and Nix were thrown over the edge of the railing and sent tumbling to the floor, the landing knocking the wind from their lungs. Nikolai's eyes snapped open, and he jutted his arms out at the intruder, his fingers splayed wide open. From the fountain cascaded a wall of water that solidified into ice as it crashed around the sword-wielding demi-elf, freezing him.

 

“Fellip, get him out of here.” Nikolai commanded, his eyes never leaving the huge slab of ice that encased the warrior. The sword was already glowing a bright orange, melting the ice around it. In another few seconds he'd be free.

 

“Master Nikolai, I need to help you, he must be stopped!” Nix protested, despite the wound to his shoulder.

 

“Nix”, He said, finally taking his eyes off the monochrome warrior, “this is not your battle. Your fight lies down a different path. Remember what I've taught you. Now go.”

 

The avian urged him away and Nix reluctantly followed. Together the short elemental and the Summoner-to-be entered the tunnel which Nikolai sealed up behind them with another blast of ice, just in time to meet the warrior as he jumped from the top of the stairs. The last thing they heard before the ice hardened completely was a roar from Nikolai as he charged the sword-wielding warrior.

 

The pair were silent for a few moments more, wanting to hear a signj of battle from the other side, but the Ice was too thick. Nix's mind then caught up to the chain of events.

 

“Wait, what about Carver? How can we get to him if the tunnel's sealed?”

 

“Come on, young one, we must hurry.”

 

“I'm not moving unless it's to go and get Carver.”

 

Fillip sighed, an exaggerated motion with his jutting, pointy shoulders, and in an instant, his taloned hand shot out and caught Nix heavily on the right temple. He was out cold, probably never seeing the blow. He slung the being over his shoulder and proceeded down the tunnel towards the ship and the underground lake.